moved blog

I have moved my blog over to shapeupwithalison.com!! Subscribe there :-)

Are you getting enough sleep?

So

I recently invested in a bodymedia fit armband. I'm kind of obsessed with it right now. It tracks your calories throughout the day and also when you're sleeping. I knew some days I was more tired then others but I had no idea how little sleep I was really getting. The first night I wore the arm band I knew I had to get up early. Although I was in bed for 7 hrs I only slept 4.5 Then I slept 5.5 hrs two night in a row and last night actually slept 6.5...I feel like a new person today. How much sleep do you get a night?
It'd be a perfect world if we could all sleep 7-8 hrs but I'm finding that's not realistic in my crazy schedule.
Tips to help you get better sleep:
1. No caffeine past 3:00 pm
2. Avoid taking a nap
3. Spray your pillow with some lavender - Bath and body works makes a great scent
4. Wear socks
5. If you wake up in the night try not to turn a light on
6. Don't watch the clock (I tend to do this a lot when I know I have to be up early)
7. Meditate, read, or something that will relax you
8. Drink some chamomile
9. Eat greek yogurt or low fat cottage cheese about an hour before bed
10. Invest in your own bodymedia :-p

Party Hearty!

Well February is here and it's time to wear some red! Not just for Valentine's day but for Heart Awareness month. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body!! Are you training it properly with cardiovascular exercise? Take your resting heart rate first thing in the morning for 3 days and then take the average to get a good idea of where you're at and it can help calculate your heart rate training zones. Check out the Karvornen formula http://exercise.about.com/cs/fitnesstools/g/karvonen.htm so you can find where you're heart rate should be while training.

The American Heart Association has also posted some great tips for a healthy heart.
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Heart-Healthy-Valentines-Day-Tips_UCM_322023_Article.jsp

On to the main event....so Nancy and I are going to be throwing our first Zumbathon! 75% of the proceeds are going towards the American Heart Association. Our event is going to be Monday March 7th from 7-8:30 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm. You can preorder tickets at http://www.ZumbaChicago.com
There is going to be live drumming, guest instructors, and fun dances to be learned! Some come out and Party Hearty with us!!

How are you doing?

How are you doing with sticking to your resolutions? One of mine is to spend more time with the people I love and care about. I've also been struggling with finding time to lift weights because I am teaching so much and working out like a crazy person. I'm going to work on not beating myself up and try to at least get one day in a week for now and then increase it to two days. Just wanted to write a little and check in. Hope everyone is doing well! I have lots planned for 2011 so I'll keep you posted!

2011 is here!!

I still can't believe that it's January already! And it was just 1/1/11! So what are your resolutions for this year? And how do you accomplish them? A lot of people make the resolution to lose weight but at least 50% of them stop coming to the gym completely. How will you stay motivated? Will you hire a lovely trainer like myself, journal, take classes? It's important to review your goals and resolutions frequently to make sure you stay on track. What are some of your other resolutions? Feel free to share them with me or my blog. My goal for 2011 is to become a figure model and compete in the fall. I plan on logging many hours at the gym and eating clean. I'll keep you posted throughout the year and maybe you can help hold me accountable :-) Another goal is to spend more time with my friends and family. I spent a lot of time last year working and getting situated back in Illinois but I need to make more time for my loved ones. And some me time! Anything is possible if you believe it and work at it! So let's make this year the best yet!

Fat Secret....shh!

Alright! New Years resolution time is right around the corner so we might as well start now or at least get ready! How many of you keep a food log? How many of you exercise but aren't seeing a difference in your body? Eating right is crucial to getting to your goal. Trust me...I trained for a marathon but ate whatever I wanted so I wasn't looking too different by the time the race was over. Keeping a food journal is a great way to stay on track. I had one of my clients start doing this is and she was shocked at the amount of hidden calories she has throughout the day from lattes and tea. It was also eye opening to see her intake of water. During these colder months it's easy to skip the water...but try to get your 64 oz in.

If you like writing things out you can buy a journal or print this out http://www.personal-nutrition-guide.com/support-files/weekly_food_diary.pdf


If you like logging online my favorite site is http://www.fatsecret.com or http://www.loseit.com

Remember be honest! Only you are seeing this....well unless you want to have someone check up on you. I can see my friend's food logs on fatsecret. And start with small goals. Some people get overwhelmed when they try to change everything at once. So start by hitting your water goal or having a healthy breakfast. Make small changes and let your body adjust to them before moving on to the next goal. Life is too short! So don't beat yourself up if you have a glass of egg nog :-) Happy Holidays!!!

If you're in the NW suburbs come take my Zumba class Xmas Eve morning at 10:45 am! xoxo

Oh the weather outside is frightful!

Although it's not officially winter yet it definitely feels like it! With the snow and the 11 degree weather I understand not wanting to drive out to the gym. But there are some exercises you can do at home. Of course I always recommend Jillian Michaels' DVDs because they get your heart rate up and give you a total body workout. You can also make up your own workout! Squats, lunges, pushups, dips, planks can all be done with your own body weight. So put on some music and get moving!!