First Health Info

Life can have a way of making you feel not good enough. Whether from past circumstances or negative self-talk, it can really be a continual upsetting existence. If you let it... I have struggled with the feelings of not being good enough to understand how destructive it can be to your confidence and well-being. I decided years ago this was no longer going to define me. It was probably one of my healthiest life-changing decisions. Health and fitness require acceptance of who you are now in order to make the changes to become a better you. Your journey can't be about what everyone else is doing and worrying about what they're thinking. What matters is what you're doing to improve your life and how you feel about you. With me? When it comes to fitness and especially workouts, I make them my own. I do what works best for my body and life. My  About Me  section explains why certain medical issues require modifications to some of my exercises. I worked through lots of emotional a...

Life doesn't promise easy, fair, happiness, or even health. In fact, life is hard and guess what, work is required and never an option. It's up to you to create the lifestyle that you want to live. This isn't going to be found in a jar, pill, powder, or shake. If popping a �fit pill� provided the body of your dreams, I certainly wouldn't be writing a health blog. Sound evidence has supported the best way to achieve a fit body is through a healthy lifestyle. This would include consistent healthy food intake, regular exercise, plenty of rest, water, and balance of life. Sounds like a great plan and very doable. The problem is many of you still aren't willing to put in the work. Nothing tastes better than healthy feels, remember? So, what gives? Great marketing has convinced you there's a quick fix to fitness . This strong belief in false guarantees has taken away your drive and motivation to get fit the right way. False claims only provide false hope, take your mo...

Mindless eating is ugly and what it does to your body is even worse. Many of us walk around with brains turned off and grab whatever food items are in our grazing path. No rhyme or reason but doing an auto-pilot action of putting something in your face. You know the glazed over look watching TV and mowing through a whole bag of chips. How about the work break room goodies brought back to the desk as you plug away at your computer. Often times, we're not hungry, not thinking, and eating out of boredom or habit. This continued pattern isn't good for you or your expanding waistline. What the heck is going on and why?  It's no wonder America is plagued with the highest obesity rate and enormous doctor bills for self-induced illness. Mindless eating is a topic that should be at the forefront of your eating habits. Each time you eat something is an opportunity to better your health and fitness . We have really dropped the ball not thinking before eating. Are you stressed, emotion...

There are plenty of articles telling you how to get fit, but what about things you shouldn�t be doing to accomplish this goal? Healthy and fit individuals follow certain strategies to achieve results and maintain their bodies. What exactly are they not doing that you can learn from to get fit? 1. Procrastinate Waiting wastes your time and negatively affects your health. If you want to get fit, it will take action starting now and not tomorrow. Fit individuals don�t wait around for things to happen, they make fitness results happen. 2. Make Excuses Excuses don�t burn calories or improve your health. You want to improve your fitness but keep coming up with reasons not to do the work. Fit people understand the importance of their health and make it a priority. 3. Go on a Diet Going on a diet only provides short-term results and lots of frustration. Weight loss may happen initially but returns, plus some, when the diet is over. Getting fit requires a nutrition lifestyle change and this mea...

I'm definitely a guide, not a goal. Your fitness is an individual journey to become your best healthy self. That means you won't look like me nor will I look like you. Believing you can accomplish the goal of looking like someone else isn't realistic, possible, or the point of getting fit and healthy.  What I provide is motivation and guidance on adopting a healthy lifestyle which is an amazing opportunity for me and you. Agreed? During my early school years, I didn't always feel the best about myself. Through this time, I found motivation  and encouragement from my physical education teachers and coaches.   They made me feel accomplished and inspired me to do more and be more.  It was at that young age I wanted to be like them. I wanted the ability to make young people feel inner strength, confident, and happy.   I felt strongly my goal in life was to be a P.E. teacher. Of course, I couldn't climb into their bodies and become them but imagining being the...

What comes to your mind when you hear the word 'commitment'? I think about commitment and how it not only matters in my marriage but also in my fitness and overall health .  They both take dedication and work, right?  Think about that: if you cheat on your marriage, it will not work�if you cheat on your health, it will not work�see what I mean. In order to maintain a happy, healthy relationship, it takes commitment, effort, and work on a consistent basis.   In this journey of life, I have learned what I do and don't want. I certainly have found a gem in my husband and cherish our relationship as a top priority.  I feel the same way about my fitness. I realize my body is a precious gift worthy of my time and attention so I can live a healthy quality of life.  Commitment is a word that I don't use lightly. It's a promise that I will maintain my relationship in a healthy way with my hubby and with myself.  I don't need a special Hallmark day in my life t...

Achieving a lean and healthy body is possible for everyone. Do you believe that? We have the ability to do what it takes to make it happen. It doesn't cost lots of money, require anything special, not even a gym membership. We can reach our fitness goals by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Daily choices determine what your body will look and feel like. Consistency with eating right , exercise, plenty of rest, water and decreased stress will help create the body we want. It starts with our grocery lists and foods we buy to maintain a healthy body. If you're consuming processed foods, lots of sugar, and an abundance of saturated fats, then you will most certainly not reach your fitness goals. Living a sedentary lifestyle absence of exercise also contributes to being unhealthy. We tend to overcomplicate fitness. It really is as simple as food intake and exercise, but many of us refuse to change this basic part of living. As long as we are consistent with healthy habits, we will be h...

Once we reach our fitness goals, are they really done? I hope the answer for all of you is a big NO. Staying fit through maintenance of living a healthy life is the real goal.  Without maintaining our fitness, what was all the hard work for? Life is the event deserving of our best healthy self. Sure, we may be motivated by a special occasion or fitting into a swimsuit, but those are only short-term goals.  Staying fit through maintenance means we are in this for the long haul. We have committed ourselves to a lifestyle of health and enjoying a quality life through the process.  I walk the walk of maintenance every day and would be a hypocrite to my clients and you if I failed to do so. Living a fit and healthy life is a continual process of eating right, regular exercise , and plenty of rest. When you work hard to lose weight, reduce body fat, and gain muscle, just letting all that go doesn't make sense. For example, it has taken me decades to develop mature muscle and wi...

How do I lose weight and gain muscle? This is probably the top-ranked question heard daily as a trainer/coach. The question is not always easily answered. There is never a one-size-fits-all fitness program. That being said, I'm providing a general list of factors that should be considered to achieve your goals: 1. Mental readiness : If you're not ready mentally, your body is unable to follow. Mental readiness is accepting a change is needed in your life to improve your health. Our desire to finally get serious may come from a doctor saying your cholesterol, triglycerides, or blood pressure is too high. You may have been told being overweight has contributed to these issues and potential for increased risk of diabetes or heart problems. Many times, the desire to change comes from our inner selves reaching a point of not liking how we feel or what we see in the mirror. Moments like this typically motivate us to finally commit to eating healthy and exercising regularly. We are rea...

Exercise doesn't have to be extreme to be effective. In fact, working out for at least 30 minutes 5 days per week can provide a fit body for a lifetime. Athletes with certain goals may need to perform above the maintenance requirement, but in general, active adults can achieve great results using the 30-minute strategy.  Most of us want to feel and look good in and out of clothes with a simple exercise routine. This is possible without leaping over tall buildings in single bounds and lifting hundreds of pounds of weight. I'm not knocking those doing the leaping, heavy lifting, or extreme sports, but addressing the norm demographic of everyday people who just want to get and look healthy.  Studies have shown that 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as brisk walking several times weekly is sufficient to maintain a healthy body. It would be reduced to 75 minutes per week if the exercise is vigorous like running or attending an aerobics class. High-intensity interval t...

Our body achieves what the mind believes!  Life doesn't promise easy but prepares us to become stronger through the process. Obstacles will be part of our life, but we can overcome with strength and determination.  Why do I post this particular picture? It represents achievement, strength, and determination to overcome obstacles in my life. This is one of my most cherished photo shoots with Gene X of Orange Photography. I was celebrating many things including my 45th birthday. More than that, I achieved what I thought impossible overcoming a year of physical struggle from injury. This was my true celebration of recovery, happiness and moving forward in my life overall.  I have a cervical injury (double fusion) and unfortunately, another disc herniated above that area. This left me disabled for a year and told it would most likely be permanent without reconstructive surgery. It was a horrible time in my life and all I could do was lay on ice packs and pray. I refused s...

Stress is the ugly part of our life package deal with no opting out button. Some individuals manage stress in a healthy way without impacting the quality of life. On the other hand, it can become a chronic problem with negative physical and emotional side effects. Studies indicate stress can increase our risk of hypertension, heart disease, and weight gain. Many of us live in a constant state of stress caused by our jobs, personal life, or financial strain for example. Sadly, it's becoming an acceptable and normal way of life. We walk around with shoulders to our ears, adrenal glands working over time, and our body suffering the consequences. Stress breaks down the  body  by elevating our cortisol levels causing increased blood pressure and waistlines. If you're wondering why weight loss has been so difficult , you may want to evaluate your stress. It can adversely affect our fitness and health. In order to reduce stress, it' s important to implement healthy  st...

Fitness includes so much more than weight loss or achieving a personal best lift at the gym. Being a fit person involves discipline for each day, creates awareness, and instills conscious living. It means being mindful of how you treat your body, how you think, and feel. Fitness is a lifestyle and goes way beyond the physical. Living this way starts in your mind and pushes you to live a quality life. It's not just a desire but daily actions chosen moving you closer to becoming a healthy person. When your focus remains on health, you can truly say you're living a mindful healthy life.    We put so much pressure on ourselves to squeeze into skinny jeans or tank shirts and tend to forget how being fit is supposed to feel. A fit and healthy body should feel good but instead many of us accept and accommodate pain on a daily basis. In this case, the focus isn't on health and often with a temporary goal based on outward appearance. Healthy lifestyles are meant to be enjoyed for a...

The good thing about workout programs is they�re individual and not universal. We all differ in fitness level, personality, lifestyle, and goals. Taking this into consideration, selecting the right workout program is an important part of our fitness journey. There�s a wide-variety of exercise modalities available to accommodate every individual and lifestyle. It doesn�t matter if you�re a seasoned athlete or newbie fitness enthusiast, there�s something for everyone. The best and most effective workout is one that you do consistently, enjoy, and works with your lifestyle and goals .  Selecting the right workout program can be a challenge with all the different options available. A helpful tool in choosing the best exercise plan is writing down your health and fitness goals. Are you an active adult or athlete who wants to increase exercise intensity or a beginner with a desire to lose a few pounds? What about a bodybuilder trying to increase lean mass or an individual struggling with...