Hey Ladies!

Wow – thank you thank you for sharing your stories with me about your frustrations with your arms (from Part 1 – For Tight and Toned Arms) !! I only asked for 5 comments and received well over 15!!!

Apparently I’m not the only one who has been frustrated when trying to get tight and toned arms!

The stories that you shared with me reminded me of me - it reminded me of days when I honestly thought I was going to be stuck with flabby arms forever – just like you. Read the full story

With 2009 quickly coming to an end, I thought I’d take some time to reflect on what the past year has taught me. Its a mix of fitness, nutrition, life and the world around us, as we never really stop learning. As 2009 comes to a close I anxiously await the greatness 2010 shall bring!

Goodbye ‘09!

1. I am not skinny – I am strong – don’t try to tell me otherwise.

2. I honestly, LOVE LOVE LOVE going to the gym – if I can’t go I get cranky.

3. The only way to get what you want is to go after it until you get it.

4. Spontaneity makes life more fun – especially when you can get tickets to a Yankees Playoff Game 11 rows from the dugout!

5. Natural Peanut Butter is one of the BEST food groups and an essential for dieting.

6. That Decepticons have come to earth to try and find Megatron and the Allspark, but Optimus Prime is determined to protect the Allspark and keep it away from Megatron, who’s been frozen in the Artic when he tried to come to earth. (Yes, I learned WAY too much – maybe? – about Transformers).

7.  Watching my first Arnold online was awesome, however it’ll be EVEN COOLER to see it LIVE in March!

8. Kids say the ‘darndest’ things!

9. Walking my dog everyday, even when I REALLY don’t want too, is good exercise.

10. One of my favorite articles of clothing is sweatpants.

11. Family is the most important aspect of life.

12.  Not everyone will understand what you are trying to do or where you are trying to go, but as long as you know your journey you will get there.

13.  The Penguins from Madagascar are HYSTERICAL.

14.  You can do anything you put your mind too.

15.  The weak make excuses as to why they haven’t reached their goals, the strong get there.

16. I LOVE laughing and smiling.

17. My favorite way to spend a Saturday night is on the couch with a good movie.

18. There are some movies that you HAVE to see in the theatres, as it makes them THAT much cooler.

19. WWE Wrestling is pretty cool on TV, but when they smash a guy on a table 500 ft from you LIVE, its THAT much cooler!

20. If I could, I’d spend a lot more money on workout clothes – SO comfy and LOVE them!

21. I still don’t understand why people bring coffee as their ‘drink of choice’ to the gym while they workout.

22. The Biggest Loser is an inspiring show.

23.  I LOVE all the people I’ve met and interacted with on Twitter and Facebook – SO many AWESOME people!

24. Too many women are scared to lift weights and therefore never reach their fitness goals.

25.  Setting goals is the only way to reach them.

26. I still LOVE ice cream.

27. Doing a 40lb dumbbell shoulder press and having the guys in the gym stop and stare at you is a PRETTY cool feeling!

28.  Seeing myself getting stronger and stronger each week is motivation enough to keep going back to the gym.

29. I love working out, but I love some time off.

30. I’m a good writer.

31. Writing is easy when you write about a topic you love.

32. Nobody likes someone who thinks they know everything.

33. I’m a pretty good knitter.

34. My favorite gifts to give are those that I’ve made for someone.

35. You can meet a person who will change your life forever in the most random places and when you least expect it.

36. I am my biggest obstacle in achieving my goals. Stop thinking and start DOING!

37. I was SO excited to get my blackberry but now I can’t wait to get rid of it!

38.  Christmas really is ‘the MOST wonderful time of the year’!

39. If I don’t eat every few hours I get cranky and can’t function – have to keep the fire stoke and always keep flat stomach snacks handy!

40. I really hate SPAM (the food and the emails).

41. When playing basketball you have to ’sit down’ in the post.

42. Fresh snow is SO fun to go sledding in, unless you’re a REALLY big kid.

43. I love reading Fitness Magazines!

44. “Success is believing in yourself, and then convincing everyone else that you’re right.” ~Kermit the Frog

45.  I love having a cup of tea everyday – whether is green, white or black – its SO good for you!

46. Too much caffeine is not good for you.

47.  Having a vision board with your goals only makes you more likely to reach them.

48.  Make a change, go for a dream, reach for the stars because YOU want too not because society or someone is telling you too.

49.  A dog can make you smile no matter how bad your day is.

50.  2009 was a GREAT year, but I can’t wait to see what 2010 brings!

51. There are a lot of amazing HEALTHY recipes out there – which makes eating healthy easy!

52. Summer is my FAVORITE season – sun, swimming, fun – what more could you want!?

53. Water is UNBELIEVABLY good for you – I still need to drink more.

54. I love learning a new exercise at the gym.

55. Stretching helps prevent injuries.

56. Having strong core and glute muscles are imperative to getting stronger and keeping your back healthy.

57. Having good music makes the world of the difference at the gym.

58. Having a positive attitude and outlook on life, makes life more fun.

59. People make fun of what they don’t understand.

60. If I could afford too, I would eat organic food everyday.

61. There are unfortunately a lot of miserable people out there, who will do everything and anything to make you miserable too.

62. I need to write more.

63. If you don’t have a good plan you’ll never reach your flat stomach goals.

64.  STICKING TO a flat stomach diet is what makes it successful.

65. I LOVE the internet – there are SO many opportunities.

66. I love making a difference in someone’s life – whether its to help them lose weight, or as simple as a smile – it makes me happy.

67.  I’m a technology geek – I love figuring out how things work.

68.  Not eating doesn’t help you lose weight – it makes you look sick and out of shape – eat right and lift weights – its the only way to lose weight.

69. Most people that I see in the gym everyday, for months at a time, don’t look like they have ever stepped foot in a gym.

70. I have some amazing people in my life who support me and believe in me – they keep me going and believing no matter what the world will bring.

71. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and go after what you want – what are you waiting for?

72. Watching what you eat is not just a figure of speech – its the only way to guarantee results.

73.  I LOVE cartoon movies!

74. We are making our children fat.

75. One of the most important aspects of reaching your goals is writing stuff done.

76. You reading my site is the MOST important thing and means SO much to me.

Thank you for your comments and your time. You have helped me reach many of my goals in 2009. I promise to make 2010 even BETTER than this year – with more great content and information. Thank you!

What did you learn this year? Anything you’d like to share? Let me know! I’d LOVE to know!

I spent the last week away from home (if you saw my Facebook status you know I was on a school trip with 100 5^th graders – fun).  The trip was fun, but while I was away for those four days I did not have the access to good food or the gym. AHHHH….what to do?

This is a common problem many people face when it comes to vacation or travelling away from home. You don’t always have access to a gym and you don’t always have access to food that you would normally eat on your flat stomach diet.

So instead of freaking out I kept in mind my three tips for traveling away from home….tips that you can keep in mind on your next business trip or vacation and not stray off the path to your flat stomach.

Tip #1 – Take a few days off from the gym

If you don’t travel often and this is just a quick trip away from home then make those few days your rest days.   If you are on vacation – it’s time to relax – not worry about whether or not you can get to the gym. Your body will appreciate the rest when you get home. Your muscles will be recovered and you’ll be ready to go when you get back.

However, if you’re really concerned with your workout routine – go for a walk or a run. Maybe take a hike or rent a bike if you can. Try a different form of exercise than those you are used too. Your body will still be burning calories and you will come home guilt free  because you didn’t miss all of your workouts.

Tip #2 – Watch what you eat

Since you are going to be eating out a lot while out of town – try going for those ‘healthier’ options. Stay away from the French fries if you have the options of veggies with dinner. Try a salad with the dressing on the side and stay away from too much fried food.  Don’t clean your plate either – we all know that restaurant portion sizes are way too much to eat anyways – so enjoy good food, but not a clean plate.

Tip #3 – Pack your meals before you go

If it’s a quick trip and you really don’t want to tempt yourself with the options of going off of your flat stomach diet – then prepare for the trip. Pack some protein powder, peanut butter, oatmeal and some healthy snacks. Maybe even pre-cook some chicken for the road if the travel time isn’t too long and get a fridge to store the food in when you get to the hotel. I’ve done this before when I went away for a quick trip and didn’t want to stray off of my diet.  It worked well and when I got back home I was ready to get back down to business on my flat stomach goals.

So, next time your job or your life takes you away from home – don’t stress out about what’s going to happen with your flat stomach workout.  Instead enjoy the trip by taking a few days off, being extra careful with what you eat or pack your meals so you know what you’re going to eat. But above all – don’t stress about missing a day from your routine, traveling is stressful enough. Instead, enjoy your trip and know in a few days time you’ll be back home and kicking butt on your flat stomach workout.

In the pursuit of a flat stomach one cannot forget the importance of a good leg workout.  However, sometimes life comes at you fast and you don’t have time to get to the gym. No worries! These four leg exercises can be done anywhere – in the comfort of your own home, at the gym or at the track.   It doesn’t matter WHERE you workout – as long as you workout!

Leg training days are some of my favorite workouts – I love the feeling of my legs getting stronger and my glutes getting tighter, plus there is just something awesome about not being able to walk up the stairs the next day – haha.   Plus, one of the many benefits of a good leg workout – is that it will help you get rid of cellulite in some of those problem areas. Read the full story

Growing up, we’ve all had our share of role models, and people who have inspired us to become who we are today.  As we continue to grow up (I am still growing EVERY day!), it is still important for us to find those people who inspire us to become better or to keep moving forward.

Having these inspirations in fitness, I have found, is even MORE important, as these are the people who help us get to the gym on those days we just don’t want to go, or let us know that “WE CAN DO IT”, even when we think we can’t.

I’ve had the pleasure to come in contact with some extremely inspiring women, thanks the wonders of social media and I want to make sure that you too can become inspired by their stories.  Today, I’d like to introduce you to Tina Marie Guaglianone.

Tina is an “Inspiring Woman” – she’s made the commitment to herself and fitness, despite her busy schedule as a mom and wife, as well as overcoming an eating disorder, nearly taking her down the wrong path. She has inspired me to overcome obstacles and keep moving forwards…I hope she can inspire you too…

Womens Ab Workout:  Tell us more about yourself. Who are you? How long have you been training and what are your goals and aspirations in the fitness industry?

Tina Marie Guaglianone: First and foremost, I am a wife and mother to the most amazing husband and children. I am a woman whose mission is to be the best I can at every moment in my life. I have a huge heart and love to share my positive energy. I think I’m pretty balanced physically, mentally, and spiritually. I love to inspire my family, friend’s clients and everyone I meet along my journeys in life.

In order for me to be my ultimate BEST and inspire others, I make sure I take great care of my body from the inside out with great nutrition and exercise. I have so much personal experience that I believe I can help others reap the benefits of living a balanced healthy lifestyle and provide them with the proper tools they need to grab their ULTIMATE best….

WAW:  You are a mom and from your blog, it seems like a fitness addict, well, actually a *M*I*L*F* (Mom In Love with Fitness) – what was your motivation to start working out and get into fitness?

TMG: The reason I ever joined a gym was because I was headed down the wrong road since the age of 13, with an eating disorder and body dysmorphic syndrome. I finally couldn’t take it anymore and decided to join Bally’s at the age of 18…. Once I started going regularly and got comfortable, I started following the big guys around to learn about my muscles! I was hooked since then! I fell in love with being a STRONG and fit YOUNG MOM! :O) I never looked back to my eating disorders and I am still working on my body dysmporphic syndrome, it’s something I work on everyday…Trying to look at all of my good qualities both internally and physically.

WAW: To get into great shape, like you are, you must be very particular about your training. How would you describe your training? Are you into body part splits or full body training? Why?

TMG: Particular is not the word! I am sooo regimented with my routine and workout! I LOG EVERYTHING I DO! I go to CVS and buy these little notebooks- 7inches by 5 inches and every Sunday night, I plan out my workouts and cardio for the week. On the top of EACH page, I write the date, the time I trained, my weight that morning when I woke up, my workout and weight and reps, and finally how many calories I burned, the time it took my minimum heart rate and my max heart rate! PIECE OF MIND is what I call it…I love looking back to my workouts from previous figure competitions! I smile!

As of right now, I am into circuit training. I usually will do that Monday Wednesday and Friday, I do giants sets of 3 exercises and a plyo move…..3 sets, then move on. My weights are pretty heavy, going for 8-10 reps…. I do this for 2-3 weeks, and then I switch back to splits… I honestly have a hard time taking a day off from any activity…Sundays are the days, IF I DO AT ALL.

WAW: Diet is probably one of the most important aspects of getting a flat stomach – and the hardest part for busy women to stay true too. What does your diet look like? How do you stick to your diet with your busy schedule and do you have any advice for other busy women out there who are trying to stick to their flat stomach diet?

TMG: You are so right Melissa! This is where I get so frustrated with women. They want MY abs, they hate their muffin tops but refuse to do anything about it…I really have to tune them out because I tell them exactly what I do and how I eat, and they make fun of me or laugh that I eat so boring- It’s really not that hard to do in my opinion. You must eat clean 85% of the time, do your cardio, use the weights…and they will come in! My diet is as clean as a whistle ALL year, not just when I am competing.

I know I am lean when I can see at least a 4-pack!  I live a life of veggies, fish, chicken, turkey, berries and SOME grainy carbs (sometimes). My diet is easy to stick to since I am home to prepare my meals before work, and after work. We choose to eat home 99% of the time, because I love to cook and I KNOW what’s in my food. MEASURING your meals is another key to your success in seeing those abs pop out.

If you are a busy mom on the run, you have to grab things like a shake on your way out which takes 30 seconds in a blender…Lara bars- fruit and nuts for energy, you can find at whole foods…always keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge. I think people make excuses for why they can’t pick something healthy… When trying to get those abs in check, before you do 1,000 crunches a day, clean up your diet, limit your starchy carbs after 2pm and when hungry at night, grab some nuts, hard boiled eggs or protein powder and some Greek yogurt! Also, PATIENCE!!!!!! Rome was NOT built in a day! :O)

WAW: What’s your favorite ‘healthy’ recipe?

TMG: Where do I begin?? I am in  the middle of writing my own cookbook!!!!! I love to cook! My FAVORITE has to be Wild Salmon over peppers, tomatoes and brown rice pasta. If you want the recipe, email me! I have tons more!!!!!

WAW: What has been the biggest obstacle you’ve faced in your journey to reach your fitness goals? How did you overcome them?

TMG: Gaining DENSE lean muscle is always hard for me! When preparing for my figure competitions, I was told I would have to gain some serious weight fat included, before I lean down and see a ripped body… I can’t walk around looking puffy and bloated. For me, I want to be pretty lean and tight all year. So When I competed, I did the best I could with what I had.

If the judges liked me, then great, if not, oh well…Getting on that stage was a great enough achievement for me anyway! The judges liked me! I took second place my first time against 12 amazingly ripped and hard girls!  Another obstacle for me was liking my body! I have days where people tell me I look lean and tight and I think they need glasses! So, taking compliments and liking my body are obstacles I am still working on overcoming!

WAW: Where can we find more information out about you?

TMG: Come on over to my funny and fit blog ilovemylifestyle.blogspot.com

I welcome new readers, new followers and I LOVE COMMENTS!!!

Thank you Melissa! I have answered some pretty great questions from you!!!!

This shirt is my inspiration to be a fit mother  – ONE DAY!  Thank you SO much for your time Tina!

About to go out for a walk with the dog and I made this quick video for you.

Life gets busy sometimes and we can’t always make it to the gym – it’s okay.  There are other options – take a look!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4Umyp3sqz4[/youtube]

Today’s workout was shoulders/legs (a GREAT idea courtesy of @mandystafford from Twitter).  That’s one of the best parts of social media – exchanging ideas with people all over the fitness industry.  Mandy and I always compare our workouts – and once she told me about this split, I knew I had to try it and I LOVE it. Not rocket science, but it’s different than my last 4 week routine and my body loves it.

I’ll be lifting weights again Monday – which will be chest/biceps and my third weight day is back/triceps.  Combining body parts this way allows me to work each body part just a little bit harder – and means I’m just a little bit sorer the next day (but we all know that I love feeling the results of my workouts!)

Quick tip – make sure to change up your weight routines or workouts every four weeks. This will keep your muscles from getting too used to the exercises. It will also ensure that you are continuing to build muscle and burn fat, while you do your flat stomach workout and getting you closer to reaching your fitness goals.

So, enough chatter – here’s today’s workout.

*The letters denote supersets. So, if two exercises have the same letters in the left hand column, this means that they were done immediately after each other with no rest, until after the second exercise has been completed.

“Nobody’s a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to get better. Its hard to stay on top.” Paul Coffey

A recent study by the CDC revealed that about 25% of Americans are prediabetic, however only about 4% of them are aware they have the disease.  Those who have prediabetes are at an increased risk for getting Type 2 Diabetes (also known as adult-onset diabetes), especially those who are not aware they have this disease.

What are prediabetes?

This is a disease that is caused when a person has above-normal levels of glucose in their system. Their bodies don’t have enough insulin to help metabolize the glucose. This then causes the glucose to accumulate in the body, causing the body to have high levels of blood sugar, which can lead to serious complications in the long run.

How to avoid prediabetes?

Besides a change in diet (including vegetables, lean meats and nonfat dairy products), research suggests an increase in exercise.  Exercising daily, has found to lower the risk of developing full blown diabetes by 71%.

So…avoid the risk of diabetes and prediabetes with a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. You don’t need to run a marathon – start small, just walking 20 minutes a day and see your risk decrease.

Who doesn’t want a butt like Monica Brant? I know I do!! I found this awesome video of Monica Brant, from one of her FEM Camps, demonstrating some exercises that are great for your glutes! And when it comes to having a nice bum – I’m all in – so I had to share!

Depending on how you train you can make good use of the exercises Monica Brant shows in this video. If you train legs one day or lower body one day – you can take this exact routine she demonstrates and make it your leg workout for the day. Or if you prefer to do a full body workout – choose 3 of the exercises Monica demonstrates and add them to your full body routine in place of what you are currently doing for legs. Its a great idea to change up your workouts every few weeks to keep your muscles guessing as to what you’re doing next.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pxYtwehlaU[/youtube]

I know I’m excited to incorporate some of these exercises into my workout (short season IS just around the corner). I’m really looking forward to trying the reverse hack squat and the single leg leg press, incorporating the heel movement (which targets your hamstrings).

What’s your favorite exercise to tone and tighten your glutes?

Every woman wants tight toned arms.  Spending hours on the treadmill or elliptical is not going to do the trick.  So, what do you do to make sure that your arm flab goes away?

You need to start lifting weights.

Yes, ladies, I should not be the only woman in the free weight section of the gym. Every woman should get off of the elliptical and join me!

One exercise that is going to help you tone your arms and drop body fat is the Chest Press. Its good for people at every level of exercise because you can easily adjust the exercise to fit your fitness capabilities.

Take a look a the video below, I talk a bit more about the benefits of the Chest Press and go on to show you three variations you can try.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phpkAJ7hCf8[/youtube]

Have questions? What did you think? Leave a comment or email me and let me know!