I get asked TONS of questions on a daily basis — fitness, diet, supplement, workout gear — everything under the sun! Many questions I know I have had and I’m sure you have too — so I thought I’d do a quick Q&A to help all of us out!

Q: How often should I change my sneakers?

A: You should change your sneakers every 6-7 months – depending on how much wear and tear they are getting. If you are running miles in them everyday – you may need to replace them sooner depending on how the tread on the bottom is doing. If you are only wearing them to the gym to lift weights and aren’t doing any heavy pounding you may be able to go a bit longer.

Q: Should I be drinking protein shakes? I feel like I’m going to look like a man if I do that.

A: YES! YES! and NO! NO! Yes — you should be drinking protein shakes. Most women do not consume enough protein on a daily basis. Having a protein shake is a great way to get in a quick meal – that is good for you. The best type of quick post-workout nutrition is a protein shake. Having a protein shake post-workout will help your muscles repair faster and allow you to continue to burn fat. Add a scoop of protein powder into the blender — add  a banana, some peanut butter and ice and you have yourself a complete healthy meal! Not to mention a sweet treat!

No — it will not make you look like a man. You would have to eat TONS and TONS of protein and even then it just would not happen!!

Q: Should I change up my flat stomach workout? If so – why? And how often?

A: Changing your workout every few weeks is a GREAT idea! Why? Changing your workout most importantly keeps YOU entertained.  A lot of people think their workouts get boring and therefore will stop going to the gym because they ‘always do the same stuff’. Not only will you be more excited for the change but your muscles will as well.

If you do the same workout and exercises day after day and week after week – your muscles begins to get adapted to those movements and routines. Eventually your muscles will become so adapt that you will not see any forward progress. Using different exercises works different muscles in each muscle group — allowing your muscles to continue to grow and change  — burning more fat and helping you see even better weight loss results!

Do you have a question you want answered? Let me know by posting it below!

Through Twitter and Facebook I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing women – my most recent encounter was with this week’s inspiring woman Stephanie Brewster.

As a goal oriented woman, determined to succeed, Stephanie moved herself from a slow paced Texas to the glitz and fast paced action of Las Vegas. Since moving to Las Vegas Stephanie has been on a reality TV Show and become a part of the addicting fitness industry. With an understanding of struggles and the ability to overcome them, Stephanie is this week’s inspiring woman. Read the full story

This week’s Inspiring Woman is Carmen Burk.  As a fellow Canadian (hehe) Carmen has been active her whole life, finally coming to love the gym while in college. Carmen is now a group fitness instructor, inspiring and helping women daily reach their fitness goals.

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?
Carmen Burk: My name is Carmen Burk and I am passionate about fitness!!!!   I was born in Alberta Canada but moved to Ontario Canada with my family when I was 8 years old and lived here ever since.  I have always been active growing up.  I was in gymnastics at a young age, then participating on all the sports teams all throughout my school years.

I finally joined a gym when I was in college (in 2002) and started participating in all the Les Mills classes that were offered at the gym, such as BodyFlow, BodyAttack, BodyPump, BodyCombat, and BodyStep and Awesome ABS classes.  I got into a routine of doing cardio 6-7 times per week and a weight class (BodyPump) 3x per week.

In May of 2008 I went away for BodyPump training and became a certified BP instructor, and have been teaching BodyPump for about one year, which is a 60 minute full body barbell class that strengthens & tones your entire body by challenging all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls.   I am also planning on going for BodyAttack and BodyFlow trainings to become a certified instructor in those disciplines as well

I recently started training with a personal trainer (who is also a figure competitor) 2x per wk and training with weights with my awesome training partner (who is a bodybuilder) 2x per wk.  Through my week I train with weights 4-6x per week and do some form of cardio (a 60 min class or 30 min jog on the treadmill) 6-7x per week….I’m hooked on fitness   I am growing interested in figure competing and may start training to compete in the near future!

WAW: What was your motivation to start working out and get into fitness?

CB: I have always been active growing up and feel it is natural for me to continue in my adult years.  When I see small changes in my body after staying committed to myself and my fitness goals that is what motivates me to keep pushing forward & to work harder and set my goals higher….we are all capable of working harder and achieving more than we think, we just got to be consistant!  I LOVE the way I feel after an excellent workout!

WAW: How would you describe your training? Are you into body part splits or full body training? Why?

CB: I currently train:
Legs 2x per wk
Chest 2x pr wk
Bi’s & Tri’s 1-2x per wk
Back 1x per wk
Shoulders 1x/wk
Abs/Core 4-5x per wk

I do some form of cardio 6-7x per week, either a 60 minute class or 30 min treadmill or outdoor jog.  I take BodyFlow, which is a mix of tai-chi, yoga and pilates 2-3x per week to stretch and lengthen my muscles.  I also try to take one day each week off (away from the gym) for muscle recovery.

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

CB: YES!!!  Diet makes a big difference in achieving a flat toned stomach.  I try to eat every 3-3.5 hrs, eating 6 mini-meals through my day.  I eat alot of lean protein sources such as skinless, boneless chicken breast, grilled white fish (talapia, cod), tuna, egg whites (for yummy veggies omletts), hard boiled eggs, protein shakes (no sugar, low fat/carb).  I also eat lots of fresh veggies such as spinach, brussel sprouts, fresh cut peppers, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, tomatoes, mushrooms are some of my favs.  Oatmeal and split peas and lentils are also a staple in my diet.  I also love fresh berries, cherries and banana’s.

I usually start my day with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of oatmeal and a protein shake or an egg white veggie omlett.  I use natural sauces like crushed tomatoes and spices and herbs (Mrs Dash) to add flavor rather than dressings which have alot of hidden sugars

Some of my favourite meals are grilled chicken and spinach salad with split peas and sprouts, oatmeal pancake, and chocolate protein brownies….mmmmm, super yummy and all good for my body!

WAW: What are three important aspects of a diet, for busy women to keep in mind, when trying to get a flat stomach?

CB: It is important to ensure you are getting enough lean protein in your diet to assist with maintaining lean muscle tissue and muscle recovery.  Eat some lean protein (hard boiled eggs are easy to pack or protein powder in a shaker cup..just add water) every 3-3.5 hours with a complex carb source to keep your metabolism up and energy levels high & fuel your body.

I find if you pack some healthy snacks you are less likely to grab unhealthy choices and keep your body feuled with what it really needs!  It is also SUPER IMPORTANT to drink LOTS of water through the day to cleanse and keep your metabolism up.  I always make sure I consume a protein shake post workouts to assist with muscle recovery.

WAW: As a Group Fitness Instructor – what do you find as the biggest obstacle women face as they work towards getting in shape? What do you suggest to get over this obstacle?

CB: I think one of the biggest obstacles woman face is maintaining a consistant workout routine and avoiding weights all together in fear of getting “bulky”.  I think the toughest part is the “getting to the gym”, but once you are there and into your workout you feel FANTASTIC and you always feel even more FANTASTIC when you are done.

I always tell my participants that it is the small steps of progress that make BIG change in the end and tension=tone…you got to feel it (the burn) if you want to see it…they like hearing that for some reason….when I say it, I always see a little more effort and that’s what I LOVE to see !!

WAW: You mentioned that determination, passion and commitment, are an important part of getting into shape along with attainable goals – what makes an attainable goal? What are two things to keep in mind when writing your goals?

CB: For me, an attainable goal is one that I know I will achieve.  I write down all of my goals and make a vision board with pictures of what I want to achieve (fitness model pics, etc.) & have it hanging above my computer to remind me every day of what I am set to work on.  I review my goals every day and take daily inspired action towards achieving it.

Taking those baby steps and working on it each day little by little…small steps equal BIG results!   It’s also impotant to have supportive friends who are going to motivate and ecourage you to push on when you need that little extra push.  Surround yourself around people who will help bring you closer to achieving that which you set out to achieve.

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

CB: You can find more information about me:

Add me on facebook (Carmen Burk)
www.lesmills.com/carmen-4fitness
twitter.com/Carmen4fit

I know the topic is not 100% fitness/workout related, but while I was trying to get through my 20 minutes on the StairMaster after my leg workout this afternoon, I couldn’t help but look around at the people in the gym [singlepic=14,260,190,,left] and I just had to share what I saw and thought.

First of all I would just like to say that the gym is a GREAT place for people watching. Yes, I’m totally focused on my own workouts, but honestly there are some VERY interesting characters walking around the gym (at least MY gym) that it’s really hard sometimes not to notice and take a moment during your brief rest and stare (in the most polite way of course).

However, not all stories are silly/annoying/’what are you doing?’ situations, there are those few moments that you take a look at a person who is working SO hard and you are truly inspired…however, that doesn’t happen that often.

Here’s some of the things I’ve seen or thought about when in the gym the last week and thought I’d share:

- A man with two dumbbells in his hands, swaying back and forth, trying to scratch his armpits with the weights in is hands – okay I’m being too polite here – he looked like he was a gorilla. The way he was swaying back and forth – I’m still trying to figure out what muscle group he was working on. Any ideas?

- A man doing a dead lift with a ROUNDed back. I looked at him and could only say, ‘OW. Please sir, straighten out your back, mine really hurts looking at yours.’ (I always wonder – can I say something? Would he be offeneded? I just want to help him not hurt himself…but I’m sure that would hurt his ego if a girl came and corrected him, so I just stay away). [singlepic=13,280,200,,center]

- Some poor man fell on the treadmill. Lost his footing and went face first into the treadmill. Ouch. He was definitely seeing stars, he got up…he was walking and looked okay…now I’m nervous I’ll be the next to fall…

- There are a lot of interesting outfits at the gym. I am always so curious to know what people thought about when they got ready for the gym. You can tell that some people didn’t think, which is totally fine, and others put WAY too much thought into their outfit.  Just be comfortable in whatever you are wearing, that’s all that really matters.

- People who bring coffee into the gym. I’d love to know why. And I can’t imagine after a really hard set going and gulping my coffee to quench my thirst and feeling refreshed and ready for the next one.

Well, I think that’s enough ranting and raving for one day. Hope you had a laugh or a smile or may be able to relate to one of these stories. Honestly, I love the gym and all the interesting people that go there. I will miss seeing them when I have my own gym one day, well, maybe I’ll make sure to go back and visit every once in a while.

I’d love to hear your stories…what are crazy things you’ve seen at the gym?