Pace Calculator

Have you ever wanted to figure out your pace for a run? Say you just ran 30 minutes and went 3.5 miles so you wonder what your average pace was for each mile. Or maybe you want to do a 10k in 47 minutes so you want to know how fast each mile would need to be to achieve that. Go to www.active.com, click the "running" tab and then click the "pace calculator" tab. It's a great little tool!

Believing in Yourself

I was reading Oxygen magazine today (which is really cool, btw) and I read a quote by Tosca Reno that I love: "Becoming confident means we have to face our fears. Gaining confidence can be a messy business because you have to sweat, cry, fall and get back up again. Anyone who has struggled to transform herself has made mistakes, faltered, and even lost ground. I had to learn to leave my ego at the door and make myself vulnerable. One of my bad habits was thinking I could do everything by myself. Not anymore!"

Like Tosca implies, sometimes you have to go through some rough spots to come out on the other side with the result being CONFIDENCE and EMPOWERMENT. If you're going through something difficult right now, know that what awaits you is worth the journey.

The perfect dish for your holiday party

Going to a pool party or cookout this weekend and need to take something? Why not opt for something easy and healthy? Whip up some hummus, cut up some veggies and whole wheat pitas, and you are on your way! I looked at lots of different hummus recipes last weekend, but you don't even really need one. Here's all you do:

1 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans (chick peas)
2 oz lemon juice
2 oz olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves
1/2 t cumin
a little salt if you'd like

Mix it all in the food processor until almost smooth. That's it! Some recipes call for tahini but it's not necessary and is lower fat without it. Each serving of garbanzo beans has 110 calories, a whopping 6 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein. Not bad!

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Today's Workout

Are you stopping at the gym on your way home from work or first thing in the morning? Need an idea for a workout to torch fat and provide overall strengthening? If you've got 45-60 minutes, here's a good one for you:

10 min. elliptical (level 10-14)

2-3 sets of 12 reps each:

Machine pull-ups (superset w/pull-ups)
Leg press

Reverse grip lat pulldowns (superset w/v squat)
V squats

Cable chest press (superset with sumo squat)
Dumbbell sumo squat

Kettlebell swings - 1 minute
Dips

10 minutes on treadmill
10 minutes on stepmill

Good job! Your rock!

BLOOD DRIVE REMINDER

On Monday, August 17th from 3 - 7 p.m. the Red Cross will host the "Battle of the Badges" blood drive at Anytime Fitness! If you're not already signed up to donate, please email or call us at 214-948-6161. Donors are still needed! If you're unsure of your schedule, just stop by on Monday and see if they can fit you in. Thanks for your support!

Add the Element of Balance to an Exercise

Put a fresh spin on some of your exercises by introducing the element of balance. If you're at the gym, you can do this by standing on the blue side of the Bosu (that dome-shaped object in the corner by the green physio balls). The Bosu is great to use with dumbbell or cable exercises. For example, grab a pair of 10 lb dumbbells and stand on the blue side of the Bosu. When you feel steady, lift the dumbbells to your shoulders and begin doing shoulder presses. Feel your stabilizer muscles and core adjust to keep you steady. A few other effective upper body exercises are as follows: bicep curls, rows, upright rows, and shoulder raises.

To really feel the balance factor, do some lower body db exercises, too: squats, straight-leg deadlifts, and lunges (plant your front foot on the Bosu as you step forward).

If you're at home or someone else is using the Bosu, another great alternative is to do the upper body exercises above while standing on one leg. Lift one knee out in front of you and hold your thigh parallel to the ground, if possible. Then continue with your curls, shoulder presses, etc. Do 6-8 reps, then switch legs. You'll feel the stabilizer muscles around your ankle and knee working to keep you steady, but by tightening your abs simultaneously, you'll also engage your core and feel it assisting you, as well.

This is a great way to get more out of some traditional exercises. You don't want to do this on a day you are lifting for sheer strength, but it's great for developing balance, coordination, and muscular endurance on other days!

Back Extension

If you haven't had lower back pain yet in life, chances are you will someday. Do what you can and strengthen that important part of your body by adding some back extensions to your workout. There's the piece of equipment by the treadmills that is designed for back extensions but it can be difficult at first, so you can also do back extensions on the physio balls. Lie facedown on the ball, knees bent and feet on the wall behind you, toes on the floor. (Go in the multipurpose room if you're at the gym.) Bend your elbows and keep your arms at your sides bringing your hands up by your shoulders. Lift your upper body, then lower it onto the ball. Repeat 10-15 times. You should feel this in your lower back. Incorporate this into your workout two or three times per week.