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.