Put YOU on Your To-Do List

I grew up in a family where food = love.  One of my mother's greatest joys is having her family around the table - eating.  The legacy of her love is my battle with my weight.  At 14, I lost 40 lbs and kept it off for 6 years and then it slowly found its way home to my hips, thighs...well you get the picture.  And there I was with another 40 lbs. to lose.  How did I let this happen again???  It was then I decided I was never going to let this happen again.  Thus began my lifelong passion for health and fitness.  I tried countless diets and every new exercise fad.  I bought every exercise DVD that piqued my interest.  And then it dawned on me, I could learn to do this and do it the right way.  I went back to school and became a certified personal trainer.

The most important lesson I learned is to make time for yourself, put you on your to-do list.  You cannot underestimate the value of a cardiovascular workout.  Everyone knows how important a cardio workout is for weight loss, but more importantly it is training the most important muscle in your body - your heart.  By making your heart stronger, it does not have to work as hard to pump blood.  Cardio is a stress-reducer. It lowers your blood pressure, cholesterol, and reduces the risk of diabetes.  It helps you sleep better and feel better.

Choose any form of cardio that you enjoy and can see yourself doing 3 times a week for 30 minutes.  The most important thing to remember is to challenge yourself, work hard.  If you can carry on a conversation, you are not working hard enough; you need to increase your intensity.  You should feel like you can talk but do not want to, and slightly breathless.  I run on an elliptical trainer - that's where I feel the most comfortable. 




I use this trainer, but you can do anything that gets your heart rate elevated.  Take a spin class, dance, learn Zumba, go for a brisk walk - just move.  Put on your favorite music and rock it out.