Fit Forever with Kathy!

The YOU-CAN-DO-IT SLEEK ARMS LEAN LEGS FIRM BUTT Exercise

by Kathy Smith

A few weeks ago, I stepped into “THE BOX,” ready to conquer a Crossfit workout here in Park City. The alternative equipment and seemingly tire-sized weights were intimidating, but after 20 minutes of pushing myself to my max, my endorphins were flowing and I was hooked and ready for my next Crossfit workout.

Here’s a fitness truth: If you do the same workout over and over, you won’t get results. Whenever I change up my workout, I notice the change in my body. I can already tell the difference in the hard-to-reach muscles of my back, shoulders, abs and my entire lower body. And when it comes to your metabolism, you have to change it up to fire it up.

So, I’m challenging you, right here, right now, to try my at-home bootcamp-style workout (no drill sergeant required). And while the workout is only around 20 minutes, it will still pack an incredible punch.This workout is designed for ANY fitness level. If you find the pace is a little too much for your body, take it down a notch or two. I promise just trying it will give you a self confidence high that will have you coming back for more.

And the best part? No excuses and zero intimidation factor. This versatile workout requires only a few feet of space, and a set of dumbbells, so your at-home gym can be a small space in your living room or bedroom.

Let’s get started!

Here’s how it works: 

• This workout is called 25′s.
• There’s 5 moves – do 25 reps of each. For the leg exercises, make sure you do 25 reps on each leg.
• Aim to complete the routine in less than 20 mins!
• Do this workout 3 times a week.

And the best part? No excuses and zero intimidation factor. This versatile workout requires no equipment and only a few feet of space, so your at-home gym can be a small space in your living room, a hotel room, a park, or even the beach.

Let’s get started!

Kathy

The #1 Fat-Burning Trick Your Walk Is Missing

by Kathy Smith

Whether you want to torch calories, boost energy levels, or shed some extra weight for swimsuit season, walking is the perfect workout for you. But if you want to torch massive amounts of calories, your walk NEEDS to include periodization. 

Periodization is a proven, scientific method of training that elite athletes use in order to “peak” just before big events.

In simple terms, periodization is a valuable tool that can help you get the most out of your exercise program especially if you’ve hit a “plateau” — the place where though you continue to work out, you stop seeing progress. Periodization works by varying one or more of the three key aspects of your workout — length, activity and intensity. By changing what you ask your body to do, periodization challenges you so you keep making fitness progress.

Think of periodization as your personal training secret. You can apply the first two concepts of periodization (length and intensity) to most aerobic activities by simply adapting the following walking guidelines to the activity of your choice.

Changing the aerobic activity itself is also a form of periodization and it now referred to as cross-training. It too can lift you off of a plateau. I’ve used this technique over the years when I want to increase my fitness level, break the monotony of doing the same routine, and get off a plateau. Remember, you can use this periodization plan with any aerobic activity.

Let’s get started with a 30-minute fat-burning walk for aerobic activity. 

• 5 minute Warm-Up Pace
• 3 minute Aerobic Interval
• 3 minute Recovery Interval - Catch your breath and get ready for the next interval!
• 3 minute Aerobic Interval
• 3 minute Recovery Interval
• 1 minute Anaerobic Interval - For one minute, walk as fast as you possibly can! On a scale from 1-10, you should be pushing yourself from a 7-9.
• 3 minute Recovery Interval
• 1 minute Anaerobic Interval 
• 3 minute Recovery Interval
• 1 minute Anaerobic Interval
• 3 minute Recovery Interval
• 5 minutes Cool-Down Pace

Purchase Kathy Smith's Fat Burning Walking Workout HERE.

This workout is designed as an advanced program to increase your aerobic fitness level as you go faster. And of course, it burns a ton of calories! This calorie-torcher is a reasonably strenuous program, for even the fittest people, because it uses ANAEROBIC INTERVALS to challenge you. Anaerobic intervals are short, intense exercise periods that really push you to the next level of fitness.

The word “aerobic” means “with oxygen”. Aerobic exercises are those that use continuous motion for an extended period of time such as jogging, cycling, walking, etc.

The word “anaerobic” means “without sufficient oxygen”. Anaerobic exercises are more intense but of a shorter duration. They quickly push you past your aerobic threshold leaving you breathless. Some examples are weight training, sprinting, or short but intense periods of typical aerobic activities.

Begin your Fat Burning Walk with a 5-10 minute warm-up, building to a steady-state pace. Then do two cycles of AEROBIC INTERVALS — three minutes of pushing slightly more than your steady-state, followed by three minutes of recovery (at a moderate level).

Now you’re ready for an ANAEROBIC INTERVAL: Walk as fast as you possibly can for one minute. On your perceived exertion scale, you’ll get up to the 7-9 level during the fast part of the interval. Then drop down to a brisk, moderate pace fot he three-minute RECOVERY INTERVAL.

By design, the one-minute anaerobic interval should pus you to your maximum effort. No holding back!

The three-minute recovery allows you to catch your breath a bit..and get ready for your next interval.

Make it a goal to do three to five cycles of these anaerobic intervals. Finish wit ha cool down at a steady pace for the remainder of your workout time.

Kathy

1 Missing Link to Flat, Firm, and Fabulous Abs

by Kathy Smith

There’s more to killer abs than just exercise and abdominal crunches. Turns out that there’s a direct relationship between a healthy digestive system and your overall look, too. Not only does what you eat affect whether or not you pack on pounds, but what you eat can also impact how your digestive system works, how it processes and eliminates waste effectively, as well as how it helps support the surrounding muscles and tissue.Don’t you love when you notice the results from working out and eating healthier? You catch a glimpse of new definition in your arms and your legs and all the effort is worth it. But if you’re still noticing some tummy jiggle, you’re not alone. And one potential solution might surprise you.

Abs and an Upset Stomach

Gas, cramps, bloating, general aches and pains, and even a distended abdomen are common complaints. What’s happening inside your body is gut inflammation from food allergies and food intolerance.

Here’s that potential solution I mentioned: The greater the level of inflammation in your digestive system, the greater the likelihood that your abdominal muscles will not respond to exercise.

Why?

Well, when you’ve got a stomach that’s inflamed, giving you pain, that inflammation can affect the abdominal muscles that are supposed to be stabilizing your core. In other words, those pain impulses that come from your digestive system can result in weakness and more pain in those regions of the abdominal wall. And when those muscles become weak or disabled due to your (sick) digestive system, they aren’t much help to you and they won’t respond very well to your attempts to work them.

Just about any problem you might have in your digestive tract is called a “digestive disorder” – indigestion, heartburn, or simply an upset stomach. Highly processed, poor-quality foods and fast food don’t make the situation any better.

A Diet That Agrees With Your Core

You know you have to make good choices when it comes to food, beverage, and getting proper exercise. It can be a challenge to eat well and exercise for purposes of losing or maintaining your ideal weight. But I bet you’ve never thought about how your digestive system can change the way your core responds to exercise.

The goal is to get the internal workings of your core to be in harmony with the rest of your body so when you perform a core workout, and work those abs, you see the rewards in a tighter, flatter belly. And you can accomplish that with some slight changes to your diet.

The Cleveland Clinic offers the following suggestions:

• Eat at least 7 servings of fruit and vegetables per day.

• Choose whole grains whenever possible.

• Limit consumption of higher fat meats like beef, pork, lamb, and processed meats.

• Cook by steaming, poaching, stewing, braising and boiling more often. Avoid fried foods.

• Spicy foods, alcohol, soft drinks (including zero-calorie soft drinks), corn and dairy products are the foods that the majority of people have problems with. Review your intake of these items and completely eliminate them to determine if they could be causing digestion problems.

• Drink lots of water! Dehydration leads to a host of problems. Being fully loaded with water will also allow you to get the most of your workout.

And of course, don’t forget to keep up with your exercise and abdominal work routine. The road to a flat belly entails a combination of efforts. You’ll not only look better, but you’ll feel better, too!

Try this 5-minute crunch-free ab routine from my Flat Abs over 40 Program as a way to maintain your workout routine while you take a closer look at your digestive health:

Purchase Kathy Smith's Total Body Turnaround complete workout (clip above) HERE.

Kathy

Walk Off Belly Fat Before Breakfast

by Kathy Smith

Supercharge your step and take your ab routine to the next level

How would you like to get rid of belly fat and kick crunches to the curb? For a workout that really trims your midsection, it’s time to get walking. Studies show walking is one of the best ways to banish the belly bulge, in less time than you think. There are four decades of studies on exercise and belly fat that show just 2 1/2 hours of brisk walking a week–only about 20 minutes a day–can shrink your belly by about 1 inch in 4 weeks!

Who doesn’t have time for those kind of results? 

That’s exactly why today I’ll show you how to supercharge your steps with a MUST-WATCH 3-minute waist-whittling walking video.

Although walking is the foundation of this workout, it also includes simple but powerful standing ab moves that will help you blast away belly fat and walk off the pounds. And don’t forget…no more crunches! By incorporating these easy moves into your walking routine, you’ll see an overall tighter core that will also improve balance and coordination.

I’ve seen thousands of women and men use this walking ab routine and melt inches off their waists! Mary uses my walking workouts almost daily, and can hardly describe her incredible transformation. Not only has she supercharged her metabolism, she’s also seeing definition in her midsection where she used to have what she describes as, “nothing but softness before.” Today’s clip gives you a taste of the incredible walking workouts that have helped so many people tone, tighten and fire up their metabolism!

Plus, if you want a workout that’s gentle on your joints, then today’s video is definitely for you. Louise says,“This walking workout is my absolute favorite, because it’s not too hard on my back or knees, but it’s still interesting and fun.”

Purchase Kathy Smith's Power Walk for Weight Loss complete workout (clip above) HERE. 

Kathy

7 Tricks to Bust Out of a Weight-Loss Plateau

by Kathy Smith

Far too many of us have thrown ourselves into a diet and exercise program, only to burn out and lose our motivation all too quickly. After a week or two of noticeable changes, those exciting results seem to have slowed down – and with them, our motivation. The problem? Plateaus. A plateau, simply put, is “a state of little or no change after a time of activity or progress.” Not exactly what we had in mind when we starting setting those new fitness and weight loss goals.

Here’s the great thing about plateaus: With the right game-plan, they can be overcome. plateaus aren’t a brick walls – they’re really just hurdles. And here are 6 simple steps to make sure you can glide right over them.

Expect Plateaus

Plateaus are a normal part of any health journey. Your body adapts to training and learns to meet the challenges you’ve provided in your workouts. That requires you to work harder, or differently, to accomplish the results you’ve experienced in the past.

Plateaus happen. Your job is to be ready for them. The better you understand the way your body works, the better you can bust through the plateau, and achieve the ultimate level of fitness you crave.

Why Do We Plateau?

So, why do we face the frustration of plateaus? What’s going on anyway?

The human body is constantly fighting to adapt. The harder you workout, the harder your body works to change. Let’s say, just for an easy example, that you’ve been walking one mile every day. At first, it’s hard to make it a mile. You get breathless. Your legs are sore. After a month or so, you’re fine. You may be a bit tired, but not exhausted. You’re not as sore as you once were.

Over those four weeks of daily walking, your body has undergone a gradual transformation. It has successfully adapted to the daily routine. Each day, your muscle fiber responded to the motion, your blood vessels strengthened, your oxygen uptake increased, and even your bone density improved. What’s even more amazing is that your neural pathways have adjusted to the daily walk, too. Everything about you — cells, bones, blood vessels, neurons, lungs, muscles —has changed to adapt to your healthy habit.

Your body is doing what it’s supposed to do. This process is known as homeostasis. Basically, your body is trying to find stability or equilibrium. When a daily walk becomes the norm, your body adapts to the new normal. This new normal, homeostasis, is a healthier you. If you keep at it, doing the same thing day after day, you’ll stay healthy, but you won’t keep progressing like you were previously. Your body has achieved equilibrium. In other words, you’ve hit the plateau.

Plateaus are a natural response of the body. You don’t need to blame yourself for the slowdown. Instead, you can use your knowledge of the human body to overcome its tendency to settle down and get comfortable. Here are some solid methods, backed by science, which will help you kick through the plateau phase, and gain major progress. As you fight through it, stay positive. A plateau isn’t the end of a healthy body; it’s the beginning of a healthier one.

If you’re starting a new weight-loss plan and want to steer clear of getting stuck in a rut—or you’re in a plateau right now and are looking for a way out, try these 7  strategies for moving the needle the right direction again.

1. Introduce Variety and Increase Intensity

The core idea to breaking through the plateau is a simple one: Variety and intensity. Since muscles adapt, they need constant variety in order to change. So in order to keep losing weight, you can change up your routine by introducing some variety or increasing your intensity levels.

2. Interval training

The concept of interval or “burst” training is simple. During a workout, particularly aerobic workouts, you ramp up the intensity of your workout in a short aggressive burst. Doing this several times during the course of a workout, in intervals, will improve your results. For example, if you’re performing a jump rope exercise, you can start with a steady build for 30 seconds, followed by a 30-second burst, where you’re moving at a much higher intensity, really challenging yourself. This is a more effective approach to exercise than steady state training alone – not to mention it’s a great way to break up the monotony.

3. Turn your schedule upside down

Another way to break the plateau is to shake up your schedule. Circadian rhythms — the time of day you do certain things — and workout plateaus are close friends. You can shock the plateau away by changing the time, frequency, or regularity of your workout. If you’re accustomed to a Monday-Wednesday-Friday routine, try a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday schedule instead. If you’re a right-after-work exerciser, go for a morning routine and watch the plateau disappear..

4. Try a new workout

Since your body has hit equilibrium, it’s up to you to introduce disequilibrium, to throw your body into a new phase of adaptation, training, and improvement. You need new, you need different, you need variety. Once you’ve followed the same workout calendar for a few weeks, try substituting your workouts for something new. Maybe you can join the yoga class you’ve always wanted, start training for the 5K, pick up a new sport, explore TRX Training, try Pilates, or learn kickboxing. Change doesn’t need to be huge; it just needs to be change.

And variety in your workouts isn’t just about breaking through plateaus. Variety also keeps the mind fresh, opening up new neural pathways and creating a natural mental buzz. Plus, variety improves motivation. Giving your body something different to do heightens the anticipation and excitement of your routine. Exercising can be fun again. 

5. Remember to keep looking at the big picture

It’s easy to get hung up on the little things — looking at life in terms of calories consumed, ounces gained, and minutes spent on our workout. Rather than this micro view, adopt a macro perspective. Rather than freak out over a down week, look over your shoulder at the landscape behind you. You’ve made some progress, right? Be encouraged.

6. Keep consistent

Change is great, but neglect isn’t. Maintain your workouts, and you’ll develop the consistency that leads to results for the long haul.

7. Have fun!

If working out becomes the bogeyman of your life, you know something has gone wrong. Try to introduce fun into the equation, whether it’s by rewarding yourself with some healthy treats, getting some rest, recruiting an exercise buddy, or joining a new class. Keep your workout appealing and you’ll keep overcoming those plateaus, long after you've completed this program.

Kathy

Lift Weights To Lose Weight (seriously!)

by Kathy Smith

As the years go by, life seems to be a little sweeter, doesn’t it? There’s the true joy you feel as you watch your children take tentative steps on their own paths and then develop the confidence to fly. And with each new day, you begin to appreciate the chirping birds and the sound of the rain on the roof. As wonderful as this time of life is, we all seem to be realizing that the more birthday candles you blow out, the more difficult it is to lose weight.

Here’s what happens…In your youth, estrogen surges and your body naturally stores protective fat around your hips and buns to prepare for pregnancy. Then as you reach your 40s and 50s, that fat moves up your body, settling around your midsection. The dreaded middle age spread.

It’s time to forget the idea that those pesky pounds are stuck right where they are. The good news is that even though shedding unwanted weight may seem difficult as you age, lifting weights can help you lose inches in record time. It may sound like an oxymoron, but when you strength train you not only tone your tush and tighten your tummy, you also shed pounds. Strength training helps you create a lean, mean metabolism-boosting machine, so you burn more fat, more easily, in less time.

So if you have any misconceptions about strength training that are preventing you from reaping all these benefits, let’s nip that in the bud right now. Time to bust a few myths of strength training….

MYTH 1. You must have weights

Dumbbells are the classic weights that are used in weight loss strength training and you’ll see me use them in my workouts, but you have plenty of other options, too. Kettlebells and tubing can both be part of a fabulous weight-loss workout. But the really great news is that your body weight is all you need for some of the most effective strength training moves there are, like pushups, planks, or wall sits. By supporting your own body weight, you create natural resistance, which forces your muscles to engage deeper and the result is a firm, toned body that burns fuel more efficiently.

MYTH 2. Concentrate on one move at a time

For more effective results, it’s better to work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, sometimes called functional movements. Working with kettlebells, for example, allows you to incorporate full-body moves that not only save time and burn calories more efficiently, but they also tone the shoulders, arms, abs, buns, and legs….at the same time! Functional movements also help you keep your heart rate up during a strength training workout to burn fat while you tone.

MYTH 3. It’s all about lifting

Actually, that’s only half the battle. Strength training involves BOTH lifting (the concentric movement that happens when muscles shorten and contract) AND lowering (the eccentric movement that happens when muscles lengthen). When done properly, it’s the lowering motion that provides resistance training. So on your next set of bicep curls, don’t cheat yourself by putting all the effort in the curl up and then dropping the weights back down; slowly lower back to the starting position, so that you feel the tension throughout the entire movement.

MYTH 4. You’re going to get big and bulky

No worries here. Women just don’t have enough testosterone to develop a bodybuilder’s physique. Most of the bulked up folks you see at the gym are spending hours lifting heavy weights and following a specific regimen of supplements. For the rest of us, strength training with moderate weights has a very different effect – strong, lean muscles that give us the sculpted, toned look we all want.

MYTH 5. Muscles grow while you’re working out

Have you heard of “tear and repair”? Believe it or not, muscle change takes place after exercising. During a workout you’re trying to push your muscles to the point that actual microscopic tears occur (don’t worry – your body appreciates the process, I promise!). When your body repairs the tears, the muscle is stronger than before. That’s why it’s important to limit strength training to every other day and to provide your body with nutritious fuel, so it has everything it needs for healthy recovery.

MYTH 6. Strength training is only for the young

Who said there’s an age limit to improving muscle tone? We lose muscle mass as we age, so staying strong becomes even MORE important with every single year. In addition, strong muscles also support and protect aging bones and help you maintain good balance.

Sure, a sculpted upper body looks great in short sleeves or a bathing suit, but don’t forget those muscles do more than look good. They also help with everyday activities, like carrying groceries, twisting lids off jars, and picking up little ones. And the benefits don’t stop there; strength training also can burn fat, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures.

You deserve a strong and lean body that makes you feel empowered, confident, and energized…So start lifting weights to lose weight today!

Purchase Lift Weights to Lose Weight by clicking HERE

Kathy

Three Meditations To Recharge Your Batteries

by Kathy Smith

 The meditation retreat I’m at Bali has truly been a once in a lifetime experience. Every morning, the itinerary calls for a little personal quiet time—time to breathe, to daydream, to listen to nature, and feel your batteries recharging.

Meditation is far from the stereotype of sitting motionless in lotus position. In reality, meditation is all about living your life to the fullest, moment by mindful moment. Although there are countless techniques and outlets for finding tranquility and boosting energy, meditation is particularly appealing because you can access it throughout the day during stressful situations, no matter where you are.

Meditation need not be part of a religious or philosophical practice. It can simply be a discipline of refocusing the mind. Actually, we do a lot of meditation in our daily life without realizing it. Trouble is, we tend to meditate on the negative, more commonly known as worrying. Like a bad DJ playing the same song over and over, our inner soundtrack of negative ideas can circulate endlessly in our heads, with thoughts like, “I’m not a good enough person” or “I’m not doing anything amazing with my life.”

In the simplest sense, meditation can help banish negative thoughts by clearing your mind entirely.One popular meditation technique is to focus on a positive idea or happy moment. As soon as a negative thought bubbles to the happy, calm surface you created, think of it as a duck that is paddling away from you and return your focus to happier thoughts. It’s not always easy to erase negative thought patterns, but meditation can at least help you become more conscious of them, and that’s the first step.

As if happier thoughts aren’t enough of a benefit, research is showing that meditation can help restructure the brain in ways that lead to more enhanced concentration, boosted immunity, and increased compassion. Even the most basic attempts at meditation have been shown to have immediate positive results.

If you haven’t begun a meditation practice, or are looking to take your practice to the next level, then stay tuned. Today, I’ll guide you through three meditation styles to enhance your life and recharge your batteries.

1. Nature Meditation

One of my favorite ways to change my mental state is to meditate deeply on a part of nature. Take five minutes to look closely at a flower. Study the details of its texture and the structure. When you do this, you develop a sense of reverence. The flower becomes a little miracle. You begin to see how complete and fully alive the natural world is at all levels. Meditating on nature can be calming, fascinating, and inspiring all at once.

2. Gratitude Meditation

I like to do this first thing in the morning, to get my day moving on a positive track. Simply spend a few minutes meditating on all the things in your life that you’re thankful for.

3. Breathing Meditation

Slow, deep breathing is one of the best stress busters there is. Focus your attention on the breath entering your body, your breath flowing out, and the spaces in between. Several minutes of this can lower your pulse, reduce your blood pressure, and relax much of the muscular tension in your body.

This breathing meditation is very popular and it’s one of the easiest and most effective forms for newbies to attempt. Try it during stressful situations throughout your day and you’ll quickly see how it helps you stay present in the moment, but separated from the situation that created stress in the first place.

Remember, as you work through these three meditations negative messages may surface. It’s o.k. (and very common) if they do. They’ll help you develop your meditation muscles as you notice them and turn your focus back to nature, what you’re grateful for, or your breath. Like anything new, practice helps you improve form and get better results.

Here’s to your health and happiness!

Kathy

1 Trick for Losing Weight And Keeping It Off

by Kathy Smith

Here’s shocking news — a recent study shows that it’s especially tough to avoid added calories on the weekends. Susan B. Racette, PhD at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that not being mindful of your weekend eating patterns adds an additional 9 pounds a year to your waistline! After tracking 48 women, she found that participants naturally ate a few hundred additional calories a day (100-300) on the weekends, comprised of foods higher in fat.

So imagine you are sitting on the couch with your kids watching television this weekend when a bag of salted chips comes your way. You ask yourself, “should I have one?” You know that each chip is only about 10 calories, and that isn’t much. This is when you need to recall previous times you were in the same situation.

Did you eat just one? If you didn’t—and you ate half a bag, which is 600 calories—then the best decision today is to pass the bag to someone else.

I advise anyone who is trying to lose weight (and keep it off) to identify her own eating patterns. Tune in to the foods and eating situations that often trigger overeating or binges. Everyone is different when it comes to trigger foods.

I used to have a problem with chocolate. If it was in my kitchen it didn’t last long. One bite led to two, then three and four. At one point I banished it from my house because there was no chance I could eat it in moderation.

I have learned that it is usually easier to simply say “no” to even one chip or candy. It is much harder to stop a binge when it is in progress. So this weekend, it’s important to consider your past habits.

Rely on your food and fitness tracker

Our bodies and our fitness levels are created by old habits and old patterns. That is why tracking your food intake and exercise activities  is so helpful. Whether it’s digitally through a fitness tracker (like MyFitnessPal, Jawbone or FitBit), or keeping notes in a food journal, staying aware helps you become more in-tune with your habits and patterns.

High-tech gadgets, like Fitbit, that have hit the market in recent years take the guesswork out of your calorie burn and caloric intake, and they allow you to gauge your food-fitness relationship.  From smart phone apps to wristbands devices, and other handy interactive tools, tracking your caloric expenditure, activity levels, and fitness goals is easier than ever. I like trackers because they clearly show how effective an exercise is and often motivate you to take your workout to the next level.

In the hum of daily life, we’re often unaware of how our behavior falls into patterns and how we repeat the same mistakes until we see it recorded. In reviewing my own journal, for instance, I discovered that I have a habit of eating trail mix right from the bag. That can lead me to eat multiple servings. I didn’t realize until I did the math how many calories I was mindlessly consuming. Now I remind myself to measure out one portion so I don’t overeat.

Kathy

Skip The Gym With These 10 Gym-Free Ways To Burn Calories

by Kathy Smith

This weekend, skip the gym. (Seriously!) Most of us focus on trying to find time for a 30-minute workout, and yet, moving throughout the day is just as important. Don’t get me wrong…the last thing I want to do is discourage anyone from devoting time to exercise. But what if I told you that you can burn calories around the clock without hitting the treadmill? Today, I’ll show you 10 gym-free ways to burn calories all weekend long!

First things first…It’s important to understand that doctors, research journals, even the World Health Organization agree: A sedentary lifestyle may be to blame for a host of illnesses, from fatty liver disease to diabetes, even for people who work out regularly but spend too much time sitting. Sure, we live in a computer-based world, and we can’t always jump up from our desks for a quick jog. But we can do a little more multitasking, and add more physical activity to our schedules on the weekends or when we’re not working. For adding activity to your day, it’s the little stuff that counts.

Try these 10 ways to burn more calories throughout your day without a treadmill:

1. Fidget! According to a study from the Mayo Clinic, simply tapping your foot during your favorite songs throughout the day can help you burn up to 350 calories.

2. Stand tall! If you want to slim down and boost your confidence, good posture is the first step. Standing tall projects to the world that you feel good about yourself, and it will help you burn extra calories and can even make you look 10 pounds thinner…not to mention a few years younger!

3. Go to comedy night! Laughing for 10-15 minutes a day burns an additional 50 calories. It may not sound like a lot, but if you do it every day, that’s 350 calories a week by simply enjoying a good joke.

4. Clean up! Move your trashcan away from your desk, so instead of a reach-and-toss, you’ve got to go for a short walk to throw things away.

5. Sit & brush! Instead of leaning on the sink while you brush your teeth, do a wall sit: Standing with your back a couple feet from the wall, bend your knees and lower into a 90-degree angle squat position, and hold it there for 15-60 seconds. Suddenly your morning brush isn’t just about your teeth and gums – now it’s a great leg and glute strengthener, too.

6. Make showtime your fitness time. When you’re watching TV, make the commercial break your fitness break, alternating lower-body-firming plies with core-strengthening planks.

7. Visit a friend. Instead of calling a friend or your next door neighbor, take a stroll outside to say “hello” in person.

8. Aim for 10,000. Set a goal of 10,000 steps a day (it takes around 2,000 steps to walk a mile). Treat yourself to an activity monitor as a fun way to stay on track. I’m eager to trest out Apple Watch’s fitness tracker coming next year, but in the meantime, I’m enjoying trackers like my Fitbit. If you wear a tracker throughout the day, you’ll get an easy read on indicators such as number of steps taken, distance traveled, even calories burned. When you see how close you are to your goal, you’ll be amazed what a great motivator it is to get out for that after-dinner walk.

9. Go for the incline! Learn to love the stairs, or at least, the calorie burn. A person climbing stairs uses around 10 calories per minute, or 360 calories in just 20 mins.

10. Walk & talk! For those long-distance loved ones who love to catch up by phone, head out for some fresh air with your cell, and walk and talk. Isn’t it about time we put the “mobile” back into “mobile phone”?

You can tone up and burn calories in a way that’s convenient for you. It just takes a little bit of creativity. You don’t have to dramatically reschedule your day. All you have to do is find new ways to add movement throughout it. Start with these tips, and get creative with your own!

Kathy

The TRUTH About Cellulite

by Kathy Smith

Tabloids love to expose celebrities’ less-than-perfect derrieres or thighs because they, like a lot of people, have cellulite. Of course, no one wants to have cellulite, but chances are most of us do, at least to some degree.

Just because so many of us have cellulite doesn’t mean everyone knows what it is, much less why it occurs. But even more importantly, do you know what to do about it? It can be confusing because there are a lot of myths and misnomers out there.

Well, it’s time to know the truth about cellulite.

What Is Cellulite?

First of all, it’s not a medical condition. Cellulite is nothing more than fat lying directly beneath the skin. What happens is there’s only so much room for these fat cells and they get pushed up toward the skin. This action puts pressure on the surrounding fascia.

Fascia is a web of connective tissue surrounding muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. Think of it like the netting of a tennis racket with the strings representing the fascia. Over time, though, those strings or tissues lose their collagen and elasticity or too much fat develops and the fat gets pushed through the netting. That’s what gives a dimpled appearance, or what we call cellulite.

Cellulite doesn’t just appear. There are different grades or degrees:

• Grade 1: Detection at this stage is nearly impossible with the naked eye because it’s happening on a microscopic level.

• Grade 2: Some symptoms appear, such as a loss of elasticity in the skin and a cooler temperature to the touch.

• Grade 3: This is the look we most commonly associate with cellulite because there’s visible dimpling, but it has the other characteristics, too.

What Causes Cellulite?

There’s no one answer to this question, but here’s a list of contributors:

• Hormones:
The naturally occurring chemicals estrogen, insulin, noradrenaline, thyroid hormones, and prolactin have been linked to cellulite creation.

• Genetics:
Did your mother, aunts, grandmothers have cellulite? Then chances are you are predisposed to it, too.

• Lifestyle:
The more sedentary you are the greater the likelihood of developing cellulite. Also, smokers run a higher risk for cellulite.

• Diet:
Because cellulite involves fat cells, it only makes sense that what you eat would contribute to its buildup. Too much fat, carbohydrates, and salt, which leads to water retention, are the biggest culprits.

How Do I Banish Cellulite?

There’s an entire multimillion-dollar industry of creams, pills, and procedures claiming to remove cellulite; however, none of these has passed the scientific community’s standards. In fact, some are designed to treat unrelated conditions, like asthma, and others may cause serious side effects, like allergic reactions. Some methods, like massage, have temporary benefits, and others simply hide the cellulite, like compression garments. The keys words here are “temporary” and “hide.”

The good news is that there are three key ways to effectively minimize cellulite for the long-term:

1. Increase circulation

2. Maintain a healthy weight

3. Eat high-fiber and diuretic foods

• Increase circulation

Let’s face it, we just sit too much. In fact, sitting is the new smoking!

It’s not enough to work out for 30 to 60 minutes at a time, we need to keep blood flowing to the lower body throughout the day. If your job demands you sit at a desk, get up to walk around every 20 minutes to increase you circulation. Or, swap out your chair for a stability ball. Just sitting on the inflated ball requires you to engage your core, but with every slight movement, you have to shift to regain your balance. This constant balance challenge gets your body moving much more than sitting in a traditional office chair that does the balancing for you.

Body-weight training keeps cellulite from settling in, too. Because it tends to form in the buttocks and thighs, I like the Pop Squat: Lower into squat position as if you’re sitting down in a chair, abs engaged and making sure your knees don’t pop out past your toes. Push yourself to standing, but don’t stop there: Without locking your knees, add a little jump into the air. When you land, lower yourself right back down into the squat. Grab weights for added difficulty. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Also, certain foods help boost blood flow. Circulation Journal reported that dark chocolate (yes, chocolate), which is full of natural flavonoids, improved blood circulation compared with white chocolate. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are known to increase circulation, too.

If you have time and money, get a massage to restore the fluid state of your connected tissue. In between massages, use a foam roller to help support the tissue on a daily basis.

• Maintain a healthy weight

The more weight you carry the more fat cells pushing through the fascia. Losing weight can result in a noticeable reduction of cellulite.

• Eat high-fiber and diuretic foods

When the body holds onto extra fluids, it adds more pressure to the fascia. If I’m feeling bloated before a photo shoot, I eat something I know will help my body get rid of extra water—my favorite is egg whites and asparagus. Well, if you’re feeling like your cellulite is more noticeable or you’re getting ready to wear something that shows a little skin and you want to minimize dimpling, then fill your plate with foods high in fiber or natural diuretics.

Fiber-rich foods take longer to digest and will keep you feeling full longer so you’re less likely to reach for a sugary or fatty, salty snack. Diuretics help the body release excess water, usually through urination. Some foods serve double duty, both high in fiber and a diuretic, such as steel-cut oats and artichokes. Even flavor enhancers, like parsley, ginger and garlic, assist the body in getting rid of water. Finally, green tea, one of my all-time favorite beverages, can give relief from bloating.

On the other hand, not enough fluids or dehydration also contribute to cellulite.  Most studies show that about 2/3 of us are dehydrated and need to drink more water…so stay hydrated throughout the day! I aim to drink a gallon of water a day (yes…a gallon!). Although this may be a hefty goal for you, aim to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. To achieve this goal, set an alarm on your phone every hour on the hour from 8 am to 5 pm. When the alarm goes off, it’s time to get up, get your blood circulating, and drink a glass of water.

Remember, while you may not erase cellulite completely, being active and eating healthfully is the best way to control it.

Kathy