Richard SImmons 'Party Off The Pounds!'

Some of you may be wondering why I posted this and I have an answer. Richard Simons may have been an interesting man to say the least, but he helped so many people. Not only were his workouts gender friendly but he incorporated aerobic fitness which helped pump the heart and added fun upbeat music. His workouts were fairly easy but were great for those who had no motivation to workout or needed a little push.

Richard Simons transformed the bodies of millions of middle aged women and men in the 1980's. His upbeat music and fun routines made people want to get active and his cheery personality made him one of the most popular faces in the fitness industry. He may be a bit of a character, but he was a fitness God. Hope you enjoy!

Remixing Knowledge

In the spirit of doing this blog, I decided that I would check out some other blogs about fitness. I came across one professional fitness trainer who wrote an entire blog about "The Impossible" which was not only the brand of his gear and training but it was created primarily to show the world of bloggers that nothing is impossible. Joel Runyon, the create of this blog and "The Impossible" workout writes about all the things someone who was interested in fitness or becoming healthy would want to know. He begins his blog with reminding readers that being physically fit is a choice in life and once your committed it becomes a lifestyle. His writing was very easy to relate to. He listed many of the reasons we as people make excuses to not work out and then in return lists all the benefits of why you SHOULD work out. It was interesting to learn that it takes eight weeks to get in shape and only two weeks to lose it. I thought his writing was done very well because he kept me engaged and left me wanting to know more about the field. He was professional by telling us about his line of clothing and work out regimen and he even left a page on his blog for his followers to post their own success stories about their fitness miracles or difficulties. He delivered his writing just as if he was talking face to face with me but with more professional language. If I were standing infront of him I would have been very persuaded into whatever he was trying to sell or make me believe. His audience was clearly anyone trying to live a healthy lifestyle and I would say that his purpose was to show others the real importance of what fitness can do to your life style. Overall his blog was well written and well delivered.

Runyon, Joel. Why Physical Fitness is the Ultimate Discipline. "Blog of Impossible Things." 18 July 2012. Web. 6 Oct. 2012.
 http://joelrunyon.com/two3/physical-fitness-ultimate-discipline

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

I love to workout. OBVIOUSLY. Other wise I probably would not be writing this entire blog doing research on becoming a personal trainer. However, during the winter I know the stress of "thanksgiving five" or the "Christmas coma." It happens to the best of us. The holiday's creep up and all we want to do is be with our families and eat good food and do it all over again. As great as that is, some of us let the cold weather get to us, and our motivation to workout and eat healthy quickly lessens. I know this from first hand because the colder it gets outside, the more I want to stay indoors and watch movies and cuddle. But in reality, all the Christmas cookies, and apple pies, and turkey begins to add up and before I know it, I am sitting in my room wondering why I feel so tired. So, I looked up some new tactics that may help from letting that holiday feast get you behind in your workout regimen. 

1. Eat smaller meals throughout the day to help keep yourself full so you don't binge eat during your holiday feats. Eating small meals throughout the day is known to increase your metabolism. Also, drink lots of water throughout the day to help keep your body fuller.

2. Plan a workout before your big holiday meals. Doing a hard cardiac or muscle training workout before a feast is actually smart considering your body needs to replenish the carbs after a workout and foods like mash potatoes and ham have the protein and starch your body needs to rebuild.

3. Eat slow. Most people are overwhelmed by the amount of food served at holiday parties and not to mention most people don't eat all day to be able to save room for their feast's. But research has found that those who eat slower way less because they give their body time to digest the food which can help you feel fuller faster. Plus, this way you can enjoy your food longer!

I would go on with more ways to help but then this blog post would be going on for PAGES. So I will leave the link and your are interested you can go and check out the rest. Over all this article had good points and helpful ways to help keep your body healthy this holiday season. 
 
http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/10_Strategies_to_Prevent_the_Holiday_Bulge.htm?page=2

Recognizing Significance

It is common sense on why physical fitness is essential to our everyday lives. Not only does physical fitness help keep our bodies healthy and fit, but physical fitness also has a lot of other benefits. . With me becoming a personal trainer, it is so important to know all the good effects fitness has on yourself and your clients. I found an article online that shows the importance in different aspects of your life and body. Here are a few:
 

Cardiovascular Endurance: Cardiovascular endurance is nothing but the measurement of your heart's strength. It also implies the ability of the body to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and to remove wastes. Physical fitness helps you achieve cardiovascular endurance and helps to increase the oxygen flow to all the body muscles.

Muscular Strength: A balanced and regular fitness regimen helps to increase the ability of muscles to exert force and sustain contraction. In short, to put it simply - a regular workout will make your muscles stronger and thus, increase your overall strength.

Flexibility: A regular workout session will ensure that you move your joints and muscles to their fullest extent and hence, it will increase the flexibility of these joints and your overall body. Flexibility in body movements is achieved only through physical fitness.

Body Composition: One of the indicators of physical fitness is a balanced and healthy body composition. Minimum of fat and maximum of lean mass is a sign of a healthy and fit body. The lean mass includes muscles, bones, vital tissues and organs.

Healthy Mind: A healthy mind dwells in a healthy body. Any exercise included in your fitness regimen, will lead to the production of endorphins in the body. Endorphins are chemicals that make you feel happy and hence a healthy, physically fit body is always accompanied by a healthy mind.

Drive-away Illness: Yes, it is true. Moderated and balanced workout in a fitness regimen helps to boost the immune system of the body. Fully functional and strong body immunity means that your body develops the strength to ward off diseases and infections

 

Overall, becoming a personal trainer would not only help people feel better about their bodies and physical apperance, but I would be helping them in so many more ways then I ever thought. Eating healthy, exercising, and having a good attitude is the simple way to living a long, great life.

Manohar, Uttara. Importance of physical fitness. "Buzzle."2011. Web. 31 Oct. 2012.

Getting Hands On

Considering my goal is to be a personal trainer, I felt the need to actually try and be physically active. LOL But in all seriousness, I have done workouts before, but I wanted a workout that was really going to test my physical ability. So, I found this hot yoga class offered at the dance studio that I teach at; Spartan Dance Center. Hot yoga consists of strength training, flexibility and core control. However, you are performing all of these moves in a room about 90 degrees or warmer. This helps to release the muscles and allow toxins to escape from the body. While taking this class, not only was my flexibility and strength tested, but it actually taught me to breath and focus on my body. I felt like this was a huge success because not only did this help and push my body to limits I didn't know I could do, but it helped me to relax and clear my head. I would recommend anyone to take this class. It helps relieve stress, tighten your core, improve flexibility and not to mention you will sweat like crazy. These are all very important concepts to grasp while actually preparing yourself to do a scheduled workout. Having focus, strength and flexibility can give you endless workout possibilities. So try and drop in a hot yoga class near you, you would be surprised what it will do for you.

Funny but True

I cannot stress the importance of finding a gym that is right for you. Some people would like to argue and say that there is no need for a gym when you can workout at home or outside but in reality, having a community of people that are accomplishing the same thing as you are is more than just motivational. Belonging to a gym can help not only push you towards your goal, but make your over all workout experience more enjoyable. I just thought this commercial was the PERFECT blend of humor and straight facts.

Contemplating Controversy

It was difficult to find a controversy against fitness, because in reality, being fit is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. However, I did find an article on the controversy of people who think that it is impossible to gain a ton of weight and loose it all right away. Sort of like being fit and then loosing yourself a bit and gaining it all back. Most people think that once you re-put the weight on, there is no healthy way of getting back to your normal body. However, I found an article that showed a man who was a personal trainer and he wanted to prove to his clients how easy it would be to get your body back to health. So, he gained 75 pounds in 6 months and began to blog and write a book about the struggles of being fat, and how to re-gain the fit body everyone dreams of. During this process he realized that as he gained more weight, he became more tired, and lazy and even his wife complained that he wasn't helping out as much through the relationship. He even mentioned that his relationship was taking a great tole while he gained this weight. Over all, he explained how although people think it is near impossible to ever get that "perfect" body back, with hard work and dedication it was possible. He proved that whether you just had a baby, went through a tough time, or just put on some weight, it is never impossible to get fit once again. 


Check out more on the article @
Jio, Sarah. Healthy Controversy:This Fitness Trainer Gained 75 Pounds to Show the World How to Lose It. Glamour Health and Diet, 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012.

Caffeine Crash

The world without coffee would be a very dull and sleepy world. Or at least I feel like it would. I love my coffee. In fact, I feel kind of weird when I don't have my morning cup of coffee. However, I have always wondered, how much caffeine is too bad? Upon researching, I found a website that showed me exactly what I was looking for. A healthy amount of caffeine is between 200 and 300mg or about two to four cups of coffee per day. Anything more than this can cause;
 

• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Stomach upset
• Fast heartbeat
• Muscle tremors

Another thing to take in consideration is the person's body weight and how much water they drink a day. We all love our coffee, but remember, everything in moderation.


Mayo Clinic Staff. Nutrition and Healthy Eating. Mayo Clinic.com, 10 Aug. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012.

Honesty Hour

Some people have asked me why I want to be a personal trainer, and answering this question is so easy. It hit me about a year ago that I wanted to be in the fitness industry. I have been a dancer my entire life and dancing has been my passion since I was a little girl. I realized that when I danced, it was like nothing else in the world mattered. Dance was there for me when everything else in my life seemed difficult and impossible. I would love a career in dancing, however that is definitely a risky thing to pursue. However, I do plan on trying to audition for a few companies after I graduate. But either way I knew that I wanted a career where I would be moving or exercising; releasing stress and being in my element. I realized one day that I wanted a job that I was going to be happy doing. Whenever I was stressed during school, or stressed with life at home, I used to go run or go to the gym to blow steam off. Then it hit me. I wanted a job that would make a difference in someones life and I refused to sit at a desk all day. Someone mentioned to me one day that I workout so much that I should be a trainer and ever since that day I realized maybe it was my calling all this time. I want to help people feel good about themselves and feel beautiful in the body that they are in. Not to mention, I care about my body so much and taking care of it. I am interested in nutrition and the well being of our bodies. I decided that this would be a perfect job for me. Not only would I be helping people change their lives, but I would be doing something that I LOVE and something that makes me happy.

Evaluating Sources

As much as I want to be a personal trainer, there is always going to be the negative sides of a job. After reading an article about the disadvantages of becoming a personal trainer, I realized that some of the points that are brought up are pretty general, but at the the same time I would beg to argue differently. One of the disadvantages brought up was that personal trainers never work a set schedule, but from what I have learned personal trainers schedules depend on their clients. If I have regular patients who set a strict schedule with me I will definitely have a set schedule. Now it may not be a 9-5 schedule, but it will vary depending on my clients. Another point brought up was that the salary is never consistent which is true. However the fitness industry is a very "rep what you sew" kind of industry. However hard I work to maintain clients and help them achieve their goals is directly going to affect how much I am paid. It is really my responsibility to keep updated with the latest fitness plans and workouts and make sure my certifications are renewed. If I can do this, it will be unlikely for me to loose clients and therefore I will most likely have a steady income. Although personal training has its ups and downs, so does any other job. The way I see it is I know I will have difficulties but this is a job I know I will enjoy, and to me thats really all that matters. 

"The Disadvantages of Being A Personal Trainer." Livestrong.com. Demand Media, Inc. 2012. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.

There is no perfect size

So many people, specifically girls today, think that to be healthy and skinny that you have to be a size 0, which is ridiculous. I found this picture because Marylin Monroe was not a size zero or anything close to it and yet she was breath taking and an icon to women around the world. So many people today think that being healthy requires you to be stick skinny and want it to be cleared up. Being healthy just means that you are comfortable with the body you have and you are taking care of it. YOU should feel good. That's all that should really matter. Marylin was beautiful and to this day is still talked about for her majestic beauty and again, she was not stick thin. So I hope that ladies and gentleman can see that you don't have to have washboard abs and eight packs to be "in shape" or healthy. If you eat right and exercise and YOU feel good with your body, then there is really nothing more beautiful than that.

Defining Ethics

After searching for the code of ethics for my field I came upon some very beneficial information. The code of ethics for my field is pretty much common sense related issues. The article I read listed many things that are in the conduct for a personal trainer. Here are a few:

1. Be professional- maintain a professional attitude and relationship with your client. It is okay to be friends with your client but you should never treat a client with disrespect or rude behavior. In the end it will only be effecting you.
2. Client Interest- always make sure to put your client's interest your first priority. They are paying you money and you want them to see the best results possible, so keep that in mind.
3. Education- make sure to keep updated in the most recent forms and practices of fitness. Not everything works for some people, so knowing and researching about new fitness techniques could not only benefit your clients, but it could also benefit you in the future. Also make sure to update your training certifications and or first aid certifications. The more well rounded and knowledgeable you are, the more companies will want to hire you.
4.Respect Peers- this is a given with any job. Respect anyone and everyone. Everyone has a different story, so don't judge what you don't know.
 ** So, after reading through this I realized that most of all of these were based upon common sense. I learned to be mature at a young age. I also learned to respect my elders and peers around me from my parents. Most of these conducts relate to my morals. 
**After reading these, I realized that I am so prepared for my career ahead of me. I am taking a first aid class right now which will help prepare me when I need to get certified. I am taking a writing class that will help when creating my resumes for dance and work and not to mention I am taking a research/lecture class that will force me to look outside of the box and actually use my brain.  

"Codes Of Ethics In Exercise And Fitness." Livestrong.com. Demand Media, Inc.2012.Web.2 Oct.2012.

Fitness made Fun

Most people always make the excuse that they don't work out because it's not fun and boring. So I thought this video was a great example of how to exercise and still have fun. This video was great because planks are GREAT for the body. They help maintain a strong and stable core while helping strengthen your shoulder and arm muscles. Moving planks are even better because they require you to contract and release your core; which is also a form of a situp in a sense. Hope this video was helpful. I for sure know I want to try this!

Foot Faries

I have never really been one to play soccer. In fact, I think that the sport is actually quite boring. However, the other night I was in my dorm doing my homework like a good student when there was a knock on our door. Now this does sound like the introduction to a horror movie or novel, but of course it was nothing of that sort. As I answered the door, to my surprise it was a girl and two boys in athletic jumpsuits and sneakers. They asked my roommate and if we would could stand in for their co-ed soccer game against the other neighborhoods. They made the point that if they couldn't find two more girls to play in the game, they would have to forfeit. I decided that even though I am not a soccer player, I never turn down physical activity and this sounded like a good way to get to know a team. The game was played and the east neighborhood won. However, as everyone was getting ready to leave, I noticed how everyone had such good sportsmanship even though they lost. I introduced myself to the captain, Jake, who actually told me a lot about the team and what they do. They practice two days a week, sometimes three and the team is obviously co-ed. They play just for fun and play against the other neighborhood soccer teams. Jake and the rest of team seemed like a bunch of people who just like to play the game for the fun of it, which I found refreshing considering so many people do things that they hate. Now, although this isn't exactly related to my field, it somewhat correlates to what morals I look for in a job. I want a job that I enjoy doing and physical activity releases many endorphins that make you feel good. I want a job that is competitive but on the other hand relaxed. In a weird way, playing on this soccer team somewhat helped me see that this job is exactly what I want.

Ask the Pro

Luckily, I happen to know quite a few people in my field. Therefore, trying to find a professional to interview was not too difficult. I decided to interview one of my friends who actually works out in East Lansing (aka home to MSU). He goes by the name of Jay, but his full name is J Tyler Koronic. He is a personal trainer at the Power House gym in East Lansing. Now, although Tyler is a guy and specializes in weight training, it was nice to hear a point of view from the actual trainer them-self. I basically asked Tyler a few questions. I hope this is as beneficial to you as it was to me.
1. Do you enjoy your field of work?
2. How did you get into fitness?
3. What are the difficulties to your job? Perks?
4.How do you prepare for a job like this?
5. What things should I know going into this field?
6. What type's of communication do you use in this field?
Tyler's response was; "Yes I love working in the fitness industry, endless opportunities as far as what you can do with it. I got into fitness through the sport of mixed martial arts, I started falling in love with working out through my sport and then followed my trainers advice to get certified to become a personal trainer, and so forth. The only real difficulty is adjusting to the hours, you have to cater to people that like to workout in the am before work and the evenings after work, so a lot of times will leave you with an awkward schedule, along with the discouragement with working with someone that won't put your advice into practice and doesn't see the results you'd like them to. The only preparation I did as a trainer was get certified, and shadow a trainer but as far as management and fitness directing that training usually comes inside of the company as your promoted. You should know you are getting into a field that works much like a teacher, busy in the winter and very slow in the summer, and know you can be very successful as long as you put the effort in, it's def. a reap what you sow industry."

Catch some Z's

I have heard throughout the years from not only my parents, but professionals that a healthy lifestyle starts with a good amount of sleep. However, I never really knew the benefits of sleeping and if it even related to well being.After reading another blog written by Tatsuya Nakagawa, I realized that eating healthy is pretty much the start to a healthy lifestyle. Tatsuya made a good point and brought up the fact when most people are dieting, the motivation becomes harder after the third week. I have always wondered why this occurs. Tatsuya researched and found that those who slept for less than eight hours were more likely to cheat on their diets and exercise routines rather than those who got more than eight hours of sleep. This is because the body needs sleep to refuel your energy and with less sleep your metabolism decreases making it harder to work off the extra weight you are trying to lose. This article also mentions the benefits of getting the proper amount of sleep. Tatsuya says that a good amount of sleep can: metabolize carbohydrates properly, maintain leptin, growth hormones, proper blood pressure and insulin resistance, and keep a positive attitude through decreased anxiety and perceived stress.(Nakagawa,pg.1) I thought this article was super beneficial because I know when I'm tired I have no motivation to work out. So it is important that to start a healthy lifestyle you need a steady sleep schedule. Of course though there is always going to be those "all nighters", but just don't make a habit out of them. 

"Sleep your way to Better Fitness."Lifehack.org.Lifehack.2012.Web.17 Sep.2012.   

The answer to my Questions

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm#tab-1

The link above proved to be EXTREMELY helpful to answering almost every question I had about my future career. To being, I have always wondered how much a personal trainer made. The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed me a table with the average income that a beginning trainer would make. From this article I learned that on average, a personal trainer makes up to $45 an hour depending on the specialty of the training. This article also informed me that in order to become a personal trainer, I would need to get certified and to become certified I would need to take a class pertaining to personal training. My next step from there would be to "job shadow" another trainer at a gym; almost like interning. This would give me an opportunity to really see what kind of things and environment I would be working with. Something I found that was interesting, was the fact that I can specialize in certain types of training to increase my chances of being hired somewhere. For example, if I was not only certified to train someone in exercise but also in something such as Pilates or yoga, my chances of being hired are much higher. This was something that I would definitely be compelled to do considering I love yoga. The article let me know that the hours are also pretty flexible depending on how long you have been working and the client you are working with. This could be beneficial to anyone who wants a family and a social life. Over all, the article well informed me of the things I should be looking forward to in my future. 

"Fitness Trainers and Instructors." Bureau of Labor Statistics.com. United States Department of Labor, inc. 26 April. 2012. Web. 12 Sep. 2012.

Being healthy isn't just for you. It's for also the people you love

What are we really putting into our bodies?

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/25-diet-busting-foods-you-should-never-eat#25

I found this article on yahoo as I was just about to log in. Now, if you have already read the article, you will have noticed that it has nothing to do with fitness. Which is very true, but then again part of being fit is eating right. That's why this article was extremely helpful to me. I happen to be an avid coffee drinker and little did I know that what I thought was a harmless non fat frappachino, was actually packed with tons of calories and fat. I learned that you can get the same frappachino but ask for skim milk and no whipped cream which cuts more than half the calories. This could be very beneficial to anyone out there dieting that still wants their occasional caffeine buzz. As I kept reading through the different foods, I realized that some of the choices were foods that I would have never known that were bad for you. I happen to love frozen yogurt, and I just thought that every frozen yogurt was the same; low fat and low carbs. Little did I know that some frozen yogurt actually has high amounts of sugar which then increase the carb amount. This link was super beneficial to me because it helped me realize what I was really putting into my body. Obviously what you put into your body is going to generally effect how your body moves in physical movement or activity which is why this link relates to my research. The healthier you eat, the more energy you will have to get through a good workout.

Not quite 20 questions

When told to make up ten questions on becoming a personal trainer, my brain drew a blank. I had no idea where to even start; then it hit me. Who, what, when, where, and why? The basic go to questions we all learned years ago. I then began to brainstorm many questions. Such as; How many years will it take? Do I need any certification tests? Obviously, how do I make it big? Any Internships? What sort of skills will I need to master? What classes will help me better myself for the future of becoming a personal trainer? What kind of environment should I expect? How do I become slightly independent? and finally Who should I get to know that may guide me in the right direction? Now, I have only just begun my research so not all of these questions were answered, but a few were definitely cleared up. After reading, "Fit to Be Well" by Alton L. Thygerson and Steven M. Thygerson, I found many answers that I was searching for. First off, I learned that to become a personal trainer, I was definitely going to need good communication skills and it probably wouldn't hurt to take a few business classes especially if I plan on becoming and independent trainer. I discovered that I was going to obviously need to stay fit and always try and learn more because as society is changing, new products and ideas are emerging which will be important when maintaining my career. The times of a trainer really depend on the gym or the client. Although, if I plan on going independent and training by my name alone, most of the times I can choose my time of day to train others. I continued to read but found no more answers to my questions. However, I did learn a great amount of information that I hope to use in the future. I plan on continuing my research in the quest to find the rest of my answers that I need.

About Me

Coming from the small hometown of Howell, Michigan, Michigan State seems like a city on its own. I have always been an outgoing person, but there are so many students attending this University that it would seem almost impossible to know everyone. However, my personal communication skills are definitely one of my strengths. Being a dancer for almost 15 years has also taught me many life skills. It has taught me patience, confidence and most importantly, time management. I was a member of a dance company that rehearsed 5 days a week for 5 or more hours leaving my school work sometimes behind. However, my parents were always nagging me to keep up with my school work and of course, here I am now at Michigan State University. Hard work really does pay off. When realizing that I would soon have to figure out a career, it was at first scary. Never the less, I did some intense research and a bit of soul searching and  found that the answer was right in front of my eyes. My entire life was always a bit stressful. My parents got divorced when I was a junior in high school, dance always kept me busy, and school kept reminding me how much work needed to still be done. With all the tasks piled on my plate, I realized that I always worked out when I was stressed. I have always taken good care of my body and because of this, I want to go into the health and wellness field and become a personal trainer. This will be primarily what my blog will be about. I plan to research on the many topics on how to take care of your body and what things can be done to maintain a healthy lifestyle.