Three Questions to Ask to Lead You to a Life of Gratitude

by Angie Miller

Naikan Therapy is a method of daily self-reflection that originated in Japan. It encourages gratitude and self-awareness and it reinforces the value of our relationships, using them as the mirror through which we see ourselves. We learn to focus less on our day-to-day concerns and more on our interactions with others. Introspection is a key component, and through it we gain insight and a better understanding of ourselves; which leads to a happier, more fulfilling existence.

Naikan Therapy is based on three simple questions:

1. What did I receive from others today? (This could be perfect strangers or people you know.)
2. What did I give to others today?
3. What difficulties did I cause others today?

When I personally practice Naikan Therapy it opens my eyes to the profound and positive impact that other people have on my well being; also my impact on them, good and bad. It inspires me to count my blessings and consider things I say and do that might cause frustration for those around me. You can practice Naikan Therapy for a day, a week, or as long as it speaks to you. However long, the goal is that you’ll share your experiences. We connect with others through our stories, and the gift in the sharing.

Here are a few tips to get you get started:

1. At the end of the day, spend a few minutes reflecting on all three of the questions and write down your responses to each.

2. At the end of the week, review your responses and write about your experience. What did you learn about yourself through this experience? What did you learn about your relationships? How did this change your perspective? How will you proceed in the future?

3. Write a Thank You note to someone who is special to you, or has impacted your life in a unique way. Let them know how much their act of kindness or their presence in your life means to you.

Naikan Therapy is simple and rewarding. Three questions have the power to promote gratitude and self-reflection and to impact our relationships with others. I can’t think of a better way to start out the week.

Best to you in health and gratitude~

- Angie

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

Tight Abs in 10 Minutes

by Angie Miller

When it comes to working out on a busy schedule, it's hard enough to fit in cardio, weights and stretching, much less spend more time trying to get enviably sculpted abs. With summer coming and swimsuit season around the corner, we’re all looking to tone up, trim down, and chisel our middle. Check out these four exercises from the Core & Pelvic Floor section of my Bedroom Body™ workout DVD, and you’ll be bikini ready in no time.

Full Workout Available Here!

10-Minute abs workout: For each exercise, a mat or towel is the only equipment needed. 

EXERCISE ONE: Oblique Crunch

Muscles worked: obliques, transverse abdominis (a deep abdominal muscle), glutes and adductors (inner thighs).

Start position: Start out on the mat on your side with your knees bent, placed slightly in front of your body. Keep your torso long and extended. Bend your bottom arm for support and place your elbow directly below your shoulder. Separate your knees into a clamshell position, placing the inside soles of your feet together. Bend your top arm at the elbow and rest your fingertips gently behind your ear. Engage your abdominals and lower back muscles.

Movement: Inhale first. As you exhale, lift your hips and bring your upper knee to your elbow, performing a side crunch. Focus on laterally flexing your spine and contracting through your obliques. Keep your torso strong and stable to avoid any extraneous upper-body movement and your head upright to avoid collapsing onto your shoulder.

Repetitions:

• Perform one set of 16 repetitions, single counts.
• Perform one set of 8 repetitions with pulses: up and pulse for three, lower down on four.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Note: If this move is too challenging, keep your knees together rather than separating them into a clamshell position. Once you master the clamshell move, you can make the exercise more intense by placing a small ball between your upper thighs. As you lift, squeeze and engage your inner thighs. This will also work your hip adductors.

 EXERCISE TWO: Seated Clamshell Crunch

Muscles worked: rectus abdominis (the six-pack), adductors (inner thighs) and lower back.

Start position: Start in a seated position on your mat, facing front, with your knees bent and your hands on the floor behind your hips for support. Sit up tall with your torso long and extended, and your chest open. Keep the inside soles of your feet together and separate your knees. Lift your feet a few inches off the floor.

Movement: Inhale first. As you exhale, lift your legs and bring your knees toward your chest, performing an abdominal crunch. Focus on keeping your core strong and avoid collapsing through your torso or hiking up your shoulders. Think about driving your ribs into your hips as you exhale, engaging deep into your abdominals and lower back. Keep the movement isolated to your core and perform it slow and controlled.

Repetitions:

• Perform one set of 16 repetitions, single counts.
• Perform one set of 8 repetitions, with pulses: up and pulse for three, lower down on four.

 EXERCISE THREE: Side Plank with Arm Extension

Muscles worked: obliques, transverse abdominis (a deep abdominal muscle), gluteus medius and adductors (inner thighs).

Start position: Start out on the mat on your side with your torso long and extended and your legs straight, stacked on top of one another. Bend your bottom elbow and place it directly below your shoulder, keeping your neck long and making sure there is space between your ear and your shoulder. Keep your shoulders and hips facing forward, stacked on top of one another. Your upper arm will be bent, with your elbow by your waist.

Movement: Engage your abdominals and lower back as you lift your hips and knees off the floor, extending your upper arm above your head. Your bottom foot should stay in contact with the floor as you lift, and your head should stay in line with your spine. Pause at the top, then lower down slow and controlled, bringing your elbow back to your waist. To avoid overloading your shoulder, keep your neck long and focus on lifting and engaging through your center.

Repetitions:

Perform 8 to 12 repetitions on each side.

Note: To make this exercise easier, bend your knees to make a shorter lever and put less stress on your shoulder. Another modification is to place your upper arm on the floor in front of you for additional support.

EXERCISE FOUR: Hip Lifts with Torso Rotation

Muscles worked: abdominals, lower back, gluteals and arms.

Start position: Start out seated on the mat with your knees bent and your feet hip-distance apart. Hands are behind your hips, placed flat on the mat for support. Your torso should be long and extended, and your head in line with your spine.

Movement: Inhale first. As you exhale, lift your hips off the floor, rotating your torso and extending your right arm to your left leg, fingertips to toes. In the upper extended position, you are supported only by your left hand and your right foot. Your balance and control comes from engaging through your center and stabilizing through your spine. Lower and switch to the other side.

Repetitions:

• Perform one set of 16 repetitions, alternating sides.
• Perform one set of 8 repetitions, slow and controlled; hold for a few seconds at the top, increasing the balance challenge.

Note: If this is too challenging, keep your hips on the floor and rotate your torso, extending your fingertips to your toes, still working your core, but without the additional balance challenge.

Own this Workout on DVD!

Best to You in Health

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

What is the #1 Killer of Women in the United States?

by Angie Miller

Cardiovascular disease, also known as heart disease, is the leading cause of death in the United States. It affects nearly 84 million Americans and claims one life every 40 seconds; that’s more than 2,150 Americans every day. (heart.org). Cardiovascular disease is a term used to describe diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Though often thought of as a man’s disease, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease. (goredforwomen.org).

Can You Answer These Questions?

1. Heart Disease kills 1 in ______ women every year, while breast cancer kills 1 in ________ women every year.

A. 31, 3

B. 3, 31

C. 5, 15

D. 15, 5

2. Only __________ in ___________ American women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.

A. 1 in 5

B. 1 in 10

C. 1 in 3

D. 1 in 15

A Few Facts You Should Know

• Answers: Question #1 is B; Question #2 is A.

• While 1 in 31 American women die from breast cancer, 1 in 3 die from heart disease.

• Despite this statistic, only 1 in 5 women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.

• There are many misconceptions about women and heart disease, even among the helping professionals. Studies show that women underestimate their risk for heart disease and overestimate their risk for breast and other cancers.

What Are Some of The More Common Types of Cardiovascular Disease?

• Coronary Artery Disease/Coronary Heart Disease
• Atherosclerosis
• Hypertension
• Heart attack and stroke
• Abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure

What Puts You at Risk for Heart Disease?

1. Smoking- Smoking starves your heart and body of oxygen. Smoking is responsible for 443,000 premature deaths each year, with about one-third of those deaths linked to heart disease.

2. Genetics- Heart disease may be hereditary, but it is preventable through healthy lifestyle choices.

3. High Blood Pressure- High blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer because often there are no symptoms. High blood pressure increases your risk for heart attack and stroke, but it can be controlled through proper diet, weight management, and physical activity.

4. Lack of Exercise- Physical activity makes the heart and lungs stronger and helps prevent plaque buildup in the arteries.

5. High Cholesterol- Cholesterol too is often hereditary, but can be controlled through proper diet and exercise.

6. Age- The prevalence of cardiovascular disease rises with age.

What Can You Do?

• Choose a healthy diet.
• Exercise.
• Manage your weight. Stop smoking.
• Keep alcohol use moderate.
• Manage stress.
• Get blood pressure and cholesterol checks regularly.

 A few other fun facts:

"Your heart pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood each day."

"Your heart beats about 4,000 times each hour, 100,000 times each day, and 35 million times in a year. That’s more than 2.5 billion heartbeats in the average lifetime."

"If all the blood vessels in the body were lined up end to end, they would stretch about 60,000 miles!" 

(http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@fdr/documents/downloadable/ucm_467933.pdf)

Resources:

http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@fdr/documents/downloadable/ucm_467933.pdf

http://www.heart.org

http://goredforwomen.org

Have a heart healthy day!

 - Angie

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

Three Targeted Strategies to Change Your Life Today

by Angie Miller

Today, appreciate that you are the youngest you’ll ever be. That being said isn’t time to celebrate your body and embrace it for all of its tremendous strength and power, and yes even it’s wonderful flaws? I am a living testament to the fact that older I get the less I pick apart my body. I’m less critical of its flaws because it’s those flaws that keep me humble and challenge me to work harder. I’m also more appreciative of what my body is capable of and what it has done for me over the years. I often think that if we could have a 40-year old mindset with a 20-year old body we’d have killer self-esteem. All those doubts we struggle with throughout our lives wouldn’t prevent us from recognizing how fortunate we really are. Today, make peace with your body. Don't wait for time to pass to give you perspective on how good you look and how healthy you are. Embrace your body as it is, the youngest it will ever be.

Today, turn adversity is opportunity. Life is full of challenges and hardships. I believe that much of what defines a person’s character and attitude is not the hardships they face, but the way in which they meet their challenges and use them as opportunities for growth. When faced with adversity, the fear of the unknown and the feeling of not having control can justifiably throw us off balance. Yet when all is said and done, many of us look back and realize the unexpected joy and the new discoveries we realized by finding our way through. Today, as you encounter challenges and face difficulties, know that they may be out of your control, but they are not beyond your limits. Whatever they are, they have the power to transform you into a stronger more resilient version of yourself.

Today, get a return on your investment. We spend a lot of time and energy protecting our financial investments, but we often neglect the most important investment we should be making, the one that ensures our own health and well-being. If we're not taking time to invest in our physical, emotional, and cognitive health, we won't be around long enough to enjoy the financial security we created. You are your most important investment. If you're neglecting your own needs, putting your health on the back burner while you care for others, or telling yourself, "I'm too busy to work out," then you are a risky investment. Remember that physical activity is any kind of movement that gets your blood pumping, your muscles engaged, and your mind active. It's the best investment you can make toward a bright, healthy future. It's important not just for you, but also for the people who care about you and want to see you around for many years to come. Today, start moving! Make a plan, set goals, and remember… you're sitting on your most important investment as you read this post. Treat it right!

- Angie

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

Five Tips to Abolish Emotional Eating

by Angie Miller

I’m an emotional eater. Sometimes I use food to escape uncomfortable feelings. When I’m anxious, tired, frustrated, or wired, that tense feeling I get when I’m stressed and overwhelmed, I sometimes turn to food. Like any other unhealthy coping mechanism, it ultimately acts in direct opposition to my end goal and does nothing resolve the situation at hand. But like most other activities that we do in excess, from TV watching, to internet use, sleep, and work, the draw is the temporary escape from our uncomfortable feelings and the need to experience a sense of relief. While I speak, write, and educate about health and fitness and I live my life to stay true to that mission, I am a work in progress. Because I know I’m not alone, I’d like to share some things I’ve learned about emotional eating and learning to control the very thing that sabotages our efforts to feel better.

If stress, sadness, guilt, loneliness, or even anger sometimes drive you to eat when you’re not necessarily hungry, read on. Even if it’s not food, remember that it may be any activity done in excess. In the end it isn’t about the activity itself, but the underlying emotions that drive us to seek temporary escape.

1. Tap into your Triggers. Ultimately, before we try to manage something we need to have a better understanding of why we do it, when we do it, and what feelings and emotions are driving the behavior. (It helps me to see overeating as a behavior, because I know that I can change behavior, even if my emotions might need some work). After an “episode” of emotional eating, we need to reflect: Were we anxious, scared, depressed, tired, angry, or overwhelmed? The more aware we are aware of our triggers, the better we’re able to seek solutions.

2. Seek Solutions. Once you know your triggers, you can make a plan. If its fatigue that causes you to overeat, then time management may be in order so that sleep becomes a priority. If it’s that wired, tense feeling we get when we’re overwhelmed and anxious, maybe we need to walk away from the project at hand and take a five minute break or a short walk to clear our head and gather our thoughts. When we’re calm and centered we can come back. The key is to put a gap between the urge to eat and the act of eating itself. Whatever your triggers, write them down. Then write out solutions. You know your triggers better than anyone, and we’re all better at solving our own problems than we realize.

3. Exercise. It goes without saying what exercise does wonders for our mind and body. It gives us mental clarity, boosts our confidence, and helps us rebound after a setback. When stress is at its peak and were overwhelmed by life's demands, exercise may be our best tool to stabilize our emotions and prevent us from overeating.

4. 4. Get help if you need it. Admitting that we need help isn’t about relinquishing power, it’s about taking our power back. It’s using all of the tools we have to look and feel and our best. Professional help can give us outside perspective, a deeper understanding of our triggers, and healthier coping mechanisms that we can apply to all areas of our life.

5. Practice Self-Acceptance. If the need to “have it all together” was a requirement to be successful in life, I think we’d all fall short. Self-acceptance is the ability to accept that we have limitations. These are our personal challenges and they keep us humble. They remind us that we are all a work in progress. When we have a set-back and food becomes our crutch, it doesn’t mean anything other than the fact that we're human. The best part is, the next time our emotions are running high we have the opportunity to seek healthier alternatives.

Best to You in Health~

- Angie

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

Train Your Brain & Your Body

by Angie Miller

As fitness enthusiasts we know there are countless, ever evolving ways to train the human body. Some are creative and exciting, some are predictable and time tested, and some are progressive and cutting edge. Depending on our goals, personalities, and body types, some methods work better than others. The possibilities are limitless, yet often we often share a very common mission. Ideally we want to burn fat, develop strength, and increase our cardiovascular endurance. We want to do this as efficiently as possible so we can lose weight and get visible results. With these goals in mind, is there one perfect approach that will offer guaranteed results and unwavering commitment? Probably not, but one method that has stood the test of time is functional training.

A Case for Functional Training

What exactly is functional training? We know it’s a term that has been at the forefront of the fitness industry for over a decade. It’s prompted endless research and discussion, been the subject of controversy due to the loose interpretation of what it can and cannot do, and thanks to its popularity has resulted in a deluge of products and programs. But what do you imagine when you think of functional training? Does the BOSU® come to mind? Kettlebell training or balance work? Without a doubt, functional training sparks very passionate thoughts and opinions, and though it’s not the only way to train it has proven to be effective, motivating, and results driven. Quite simply, functional training involves training for everyday movement and activity, and applying exercises that transfer to real life. Functional training involves multi-planar, multi-joint, multi-muscle movements, and daily life is just that. We bend, sit, reach, twist and do multiple activities at once, so why not train our bodies in ways that make this movement possible? Is holding a grocery bag in one arm, a child’s hand in the other, and shutting the car door with your foot functional? How about mowing the lawn and pulling weeds, cleaning house or shoveling snow? They are all Activities of Daily Living, ADLs, and movements that require a sharp neuromuscular system and a body that is responsive, agile, and ready for unpredictable circumstances. There are no warnings when we’re going to slip on the ice, but having good balance and a strong center helps our bodies respond quickly and effectively. Functional training encourages you to use your mind and your muscles as an integrated whole to produce movements efficiently, thereby training your brain and your body.

Reasons for Functional Training

BOSU, stability balls, and kettlebells, just to name a few, are based on principles of functional training. According to the BOSU Balance Trainer Complete Workout System (A Programming Manual for Fitness Professionals), “Functional training is purpose driven or intentional training…used to expose an individual to integrated movement patterns. Functional training encompasses an evolved performance approach that involves the whole body…moves away from isolation or single-joint training, to whole body, integrated, multi-joint movement that requires muscle groups to work together.”

According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Elements of Personal Fitness Training textbook, “Today, more people work in offices, have longer work hours, use better technology…and are required to move less…this produces more inactive and nonfunctional people and leads to dysfunction and increased incidents of injury…An integrated approach should be used to create safe programs that consider functional ability for each individual person.”

Even with progressive training tools at our disposal, one of the benefits of functional training is that it can be done with no equipment at all—using our body weight against gravity—or with equipment such as free weights or exercise tubing. The following are a sampling of functional exercises adapted from the exercise DVD, “Angie Miller’s Crave Results.” The workout is designed to be time efficient and challenging, with exercises that build in intensity and work multiple muscle groups. Short cardio bursts are added to increase the heart rate while a modifier offers options.  Balance is an integral part of the movements and a core segment and final stretch are included.  Below are segments from two exercise blocks used in the DVD.

The exercises in each block can be performed with tempo changes for variety and additional challenge.

Vince Metzo, MA, LMT, CSCS, Chairman of the Western Sciences Department and Personal Training Program at the Swedish Institute College, sums up functional training like this: “The Gym is not like Vegas. What happens in the gym shouldn’t stay in the gym. Whether you are balancing on a BOSU, swinging a kettlebell, or doing a dead lift…time spent in the gym should transfer to the tasks you do in life.…”
 

- Angie

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

Stack your Deck for Success

by Angie Miller

One of the best lessons I’ve learned over the years in working as an educator, counselor, and fitness professional, is that adversity is sure to come our way and stress affects us all. But one thing that has potential to set us apart is our ability to rise to the occasion.

How effectively do you manage stress? Do you see the problem coming and watch it approach, like an oncoming train, but wait until it hits you to react? Or do you turn problems into goals and attack the issues at hand? Maybe you’re like most people, and your response depends on the situation and whether or not you have any control over the outcome.

Despite the fact that life can throw us curveballs, or maybe because it can, it’s important to adopt critical techniques that can help you take stress in stride. One of my personal favorites is a technique that can help you achieve balance in your life and maintain perspective in times of crises. Best of all, it will help you avoid a serious setback if one area of your life falls short of your expectations. It’s about self-preservation, and it’s simple. All it requires is that you diversify your interests, aka; don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

I call it stacking your deck. Imagine that your life is a deck of cards and every card represents something special and unique about you. This could include your talents, education, career, experiences, and even personality traits. If you pursue a variety of interests, your deck is dynamic and it evolves as you explore different areas of your life. This instills confidence, and opens your world to endless possibilities. When we focus on diversifying our interests, it continues to propel us forward and encourages us to pursue healthy challenges. More importantly, we don’t allow our identity to be so wrapped up into one aspect of our lives that we are devastated when something goes wrong.

My challenge to you is to take a moment and reflect on you and your life. I encourage you to get out a piece of paper and do a little soul searching. Start by numbering one through fifty-two. Every card/number represents your best qualities, strengths, achievements, and accomplishments. It might include awards, hobbies, special talents, or even physical characteristics. These are things that define you and speak to who you are. They are all the qualities that make you proud.

If you’re struggling to come up with fifty-two cards, ask someone you trust to help you. If you’re still struggling, ask yourself, “What additions could I make to my life that would challenge me and give me greater purpose?” It’s never too late to pursue a former interest you put on the back burner, or go after that degree you’ve always wanted. As a matter of fact, the fitness industry is the perfect feeding ground for a person inspired to diversify their interests and embrace new challenges. The industry has gained increasing credibility and attention in recent years, as exercise continues to prove itself as one of the best preventions against disease. If you’re willing to expand your knowledge, the world of health and wellness promises endless growth and opportunity.

When your list is complete, I recommend that you look it over and appreciate the qualities that make you unique, as well as all that you have accomplished. Acknowledge where there is potential for growth and use that as impetus for change. Setbacks are bound to happen, but when we diversify our interests we create options that open the door to possibilities. We have a healthier perspective in times of crisis, and we rebound more quickly. Stacking your deck encourages you to expand your knowledge, seek challenges, and pursue opportunities. In the end, it helps you live a balanced, rewarding life.

How to Stack your Deck in the Fitness Industry~ Seven Savvy Suggestions

1. Explore the world of one-on-one training: If you’re a group exercise instructor, consider getting your certification as a personal trainer. Even if one-on-one training doesn’t speak to you now, the additional knowledge and education will enhance your skills and give you added credibility. When you decide to start training, you have a ready-made clientele who trust and believe in your expertise.

2. Appreciate the benefits of large group leadership: If you’re a personal trainer, consider getting your certification as a group exercise instructor. The camaraderie and sense of community that is created in a group exercise setting is the perfect place to build the trust and loyalty of potential clients. Not to mention, you’ll learn important techniques that instructors utilize to create safe, motivating environments for large groups of people. These techniques can be applied to small group training, which is a great way to increase your revenue and reach more clients in less time.

3. Market your Skills: If you haven’t already, start a website that advertises your talents and expertise. Set up a blog on your site where you post tips and advice, and allows you to connect with your clients. Social Media is the perfect place to promote your site and share your professional activities.

4. Pursue Continuing Education: Nothing can replace the knowledge and inspiration we gain when we pursue new certifications and training. The fitness industry is growing leaps and bounds, and the best way to compete is to continually improve and build on your own strengths. Recognize what you are passionate about, and consider ways to expand your reach. Explore certifications and trainings that compliment your goals, but also challenge you to tap into new markets and work with different clientele.

5. Tackle new Teaching Opportunities: If you’re currently only teaching one group exercise format, such as indoor cycling, consider learning a new format. Not only will this enhance your teaching skills, it will add to your marketability, help prevent burnout, and reduce personal injury. Tackling a new format is a great way to challenge your skills, and can do wonders for your confidence as you grow stronger as a leader.

6. Academic Options: Industry certifications and trainings are great, but don’t forget that there are other options to learn and expand your expertise. Taking a course at the local university or community college is a great way to immerse yourself in content that is industry related, but has applications outside of the industry as well. Courses in Nutrition, Business, and Coaching have endless potential to build your brand and give you added credibility, and they could be the start to a new degree, or an area of interest that adds to your skill set.

7. Seek New Settings: If you’ve only taught or trained in one setting, remember that there are a lot of places for you to share your passion and talents. There are group exercise, personal training, and leadership opportunities in spas, universities, corporate fitness centers, gyms, private clubs, and even some physician clinics to name a few. There are guest instructor and training opportunities on cruise ships and at resorts. And there’s always space to rent where you can bring in your own clientele and share what you do best.

 - Angie

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

Alzheimer's Disease: So Many Questions

by Angie Miller

Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, with an estimated five million men and women affected. Analysts project that by the year 2030, the number will reach 7.7 million, and by the year 2050 more than 11 million people may be affected.

According to Lome Label, MD, MBA, Director of Center for Longevity of the Brain in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Associate Clinical Professor of Neurology at UCLA, "If you do not currently know someone with memory loss-a family member, friend, neighbor or co-worker-then you most certainly will know someone in the near future:' Label states, "Dementia is a subject that most people try to avoid. Just the thought of memory loss-in a loved one, friend, co-worker or, worse yet, ourselves-makes us terribly uncomfortable. Unless we are confronted directly with dementia, we prefer to think of it as 'someone else's problem." But as Label points out, dementia is one of the world's fastest growing diseases and soon it will become "everyone's problem.'

These statistics, due in large part to a population that is expected to live longer, has leading researchers, scientists and experts in the field of neurology searching for answers. The question on everyone's mind is, "What can we do to prevent this disease?"

Read the full article HERE (in pdf form).

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

Test Your Knowledge, Part II: The Real Truth About Resistance Training

by Angie Miller

Multi-joint exercises:

A. Train multiple joints and muscle groups at the same time

B. Are known as compound exercises

C. Both A and B

Multiple-joint exercises, also known as compound exercises, train multiple muscle groups and joints at the same time. The advantage of these exercises is that they are time efficient and they lead to great results. By performing 8-10 multi-joint exercises you can train most every muscle group, spend less time at the gym, and achieve positive changes in body composition. They are also functional, since movements that you perform in everyday life such as sitting and kneeling involve multiple muscles and joints. (C)

An example/s of a multi-joint exercise would be:

A. Squat

B. Chest Press

C. Lunge

D. All of the Above

All of these exercises are multi-joint exercises, along with an overhead press, leg press, and many more. (D)

3. Loss of muscle mass and strength with aging is called:

A. Muscle Wasting

B. Sarcopenia

C. Muscle Atrophy

Around age 30, men and women begin to lose muscle mass. Those who are inactive can lose as much as 3-5% per decade, but even those who are active will still lose some natural muscle mass. The best defense against Sarcopenia, age related muscle loss, is to perform resistance training exercises that increase muscle strength and endurance. Resistance training will significantly slow natural muscle loss. (B)

Which is an advantage of using machine weights over free weights?

A. Safe and less intimidating for beginners

B. Incorporates balance and movement patterns that resemble real life sport and activity

C. Allow your body to move past its natural range of motion

If resistance training is new to you, machines are a great place to start. They’re safe and less intimidating for beginners and they’re quick and easy to use. They also provide stability and support, and they guide you through proper range of motion. (A) See my blog titled, “MIX IT UP WITH MACHINES,” posted on January 19, 2015, for more information on this topic.

5. The acronym FITT stands for:

A. Fitness, Intensity, Training, Toning

B. Fast, Isolated, Timed, Training

C. Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type

The acronym FITT stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. These factors help you determine how often (frequency), how hard (intensity), how long (time/duration), and what kind (type) of exercises you’ll perform to meet your goals. One factor affects the other; therefore an increase in intensity will generally require a decrease in duration. FITT principles and ACSM guidelines help you design safe, effective fitness programs to achieve the results you’re looking for. (C) See my Blog titled, “HOW DO I BUILD AN EXERCISE PROGRAM TO HELP ME ACCOMPLISH MY GOALS?” posted on July 21, 2014, for more information on designing a personalized fitness program.

- Angie

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com

Test Your Knowledge: The Real Truth About Resistance Training

by Angie Miller

Test taking can be fun and stress free. Check out these three questions and see what you know about strength training.

1. Which is true about the effect of strength training in women compared to men?

A. There is no benefit for women compared to men.

B. Women have less gain in muscle strength than men.

C. Women increase in muscle strength and endurance just as men.

On average, men have larger and more powerful muscles than women because they produce more testosterone and their nervous system signals muscle contractions more rapidly, allowing for greater power. Since men have more muscle, their absolute strength is greater than women’s, but when muscle mass is compared pound for pound women are equally strong. Ultimately women, like men, will increase in muscle strength and endurance by performing regular resistance training exercises. (C)

2. Which type of body composition change occurs as a result of resistance training?

A. Fat cells decrease in size

B. Fat cells decrease in number

C. Fat cells turn into muscle cells

When you perform regular resistance training exercises you experience positive changes in body composition. Lean tissue increases and fat tissue decreases, thus the ratio of lean to fat improves. It’s important to understand that the number of fat and muscle cells remains the same, however, as fat can’t convert to muscle and vice versa. Instead, fat cells decrease in size and muscle cells increase in size in response to regular resistance training and a proper diet. (A)

3. After completing a strength-training workout, it is important to let the affected muscles rest ____________ before working them again with resistance training exercises:

A. 12-24 hours

B. 48-72 hours

C. 24-48 hours

After you perform a weight training workout it is important to let the affected muscle groups rest 24-48 hours to allow for full recovery. Weight training causes micro damage within the muscle cells, which is a natural desired outcome for muscle growth, provided adequate rest follows for repair and adaptation. Adaptation will result in stronger muscles over time, whereas overtraining, (skipping rest periods), can lead to injury and fatigue. The more intense your session, the longer the rest period required. However, too long of a rest period between sessions can negatively affect your outcome and your goals. Listen to your body, allow adequate rest, and avoid doing too much too soon. (C)

Great job! Remember that knowledge is power and the more we read and learn about fitness and health the easier it is to make decisions that get us closer to our goals.

Best to you in Health,

 - Angie

Angie Miller is the star and creator of the Bedroom Body™ Workout and other top selling exercise DVD’s. Passionate about fitness and education, Angie teaches at Northern Illinois University and is a Certification Specialist for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is a freelance writer, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and proud mom. Learn more about Angie at: http://www.angiemillerfitness.com