09.30.08
Why Hire a Personal Trainer?
I know some of you are wondering why you would need a trainer of any sort if all you want to do is get in shape and lose a little (or a lot of weight).
The reality is that we don’t know as much as we think we do. Have you ever been in the gym working out and seen the same people doing the same exercises, but they look the same? Their bodies aren’t changing. Eventually, they’ll give up because it’s a waste of time.
What the personal trainer offers you, whether one to one or as a group, is structure, knowledge, and expertise to get you the results you want.
A certified personal trainer knows the human body and can design a program that will get you results. Also, the trainer is there to monitor your safety and ensure that your exercises and form are not harmful to you. It is very easy to injure yourself if you are unaware of proper techniques or you try to do too much too soon.
There are many benefits to having a personal trainer, but look at a trainer as a person who has your best interest in mind. They want to see you improve and get the results you want. Their job isn’t done otherwise. Trainers fill many roles: teacher, counselor, friend, sounding board, etc. But through all of that, our responsibility is to your health and well-being.
Sure, you could go at it alone, but even Olympic athletes have trainers and coaches. If athletes at the elite level recognize the need for specialized knowledge, then it should stand to reason that it could benefit us mere mortals as well.
And if you’re worried about costs, there are trainers for just about every budget. And with the popularity of group classes and boot camps, you can still get a quality workout without shelling out big bucks.
Even personal trainers hire personal trainers because we know we can get so much more done with someone else pushing and seeing things we can’t see about ourselves.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think about hiring a personal trainer.
Looking for a Cool Line of Vegan Makeup?
Well, look no further than Urban Decay.
I had the pleasure of visiting the brand new Sephora store here at Towson Town Center and I was pleasantly surprised to see Urban Decay.
I first heard of the line when I was looking for product lines which did not test on animals from PETA. PETA’s list also indicates if the product line is vegan.
Kudos to Urban Decay on both counts.
Now that I’m able to go to the store and try it before I buy it, I must say that I my wallet and my conscious are at peace knowing that no animal products were used and none were hurt in the process.
Thank you Urban Decay for your commitment to helping caring consumers.
So, the next time you’re looking to update your look, check out Urban Decay!
How to Switch Banks
In my ever-present quest to help you live your best life possible, it occurred to me that in the midst of this financial uncertainty, many people are wanting to switch banks, but don’t know how to do it.
For that reason, I wrote an article for eHow.com on “How to Switch Banks.”
I hope it helps those of you who want or need to switch banks.
Let me know what you think!
09.28.08
How Do They Lose So Much Weight on The Biggest Loser?
Some of you may be wondering how week after week the contestants lose more weight than some of us can lose in one month.
In fact, without a suitable explanation, it may lead some to think that the weight will never come off because they are not losing as fast as the contestants.
I wondered about that myself and, I admit, that when I needed to lose weight, I didn’t understand how they could lose so much and I lost so little.
Well, when trainer Kim Lyons used to be on the show (she was the Red Team trainer when Jillian left), there was a huge write up about her in a Canadian women’s fitness magazine called Oxygen. (By the way, it’s a great magazine and I highly recommend it.)
Anyway, in the write up they followed her around the set and her interactions with the crew and the contestants (including hair and makeup touch ups). Between that article and another I read later on, I read that the contestants work out about 4 hours each day — not to mention the challenges in which they have to participate. Also, remember that they live in an environment that gets more and more controlled each season. If you saw the season premiere, you might remember that Jillian was worried about Ed and Jerry because they were restricted to no more than 30 minutes of exercise per day. Many people are still struggling to find those 30 minutes to exercise.
You know those grey bands around their arms? Those are Bodybuggs. The device measures how many calories the contestants burn each day. (By the way, you can buy one for yourself if you click here.) At any time, the trainers are supposed to be able to pull up the information on the computer for an analysis of each contestant (which you can do if you buy one yourself).
So, 4 hours or exercise each day, killer last chance workouts, and a highly controlled environment help the contestants lose those huge numbers week after week (well, not week 2 as we saw this past week).
I hope that clears up some of what is going on behind the scenes.
My Very First Winner!
After viewing all of the comments for the week, I have decided that Elizabeth M. is this week’s winner.
Congratulations, Elizabeth!
You win a copy of the Jillian Michaels DVD “Cardio Kickbox.”
Email me at thego2girl@me.com so we can arrange for you to get your prize!
*I apologize for not announcing this on Friday, however, I’ve been ill most of the week. I will make every effort to announce next week’s winner on Friday. Keep the comments coming!
09.27.08
Nickelodeon’s World Wide Day of Play
If you have children who watch Nickelodeon (or you do, but I won’t tell), and you’ve been home for the past couple of hours, then you know it’s Nickelodeon’s World Wide Day of Play.
Nick took it’s programming off the air from 12pm ET until 3pm ET to encourage kids to get out and play.
Well, if you’re in the Baltimore/D.C. area, like I am, it’s pouring down rain. Ironic as it would normally be a day filled with Pop Warner football.
I applaud Nickelodeon for its efforts to get kids up and moving. We should all do more like that.
Of course, be safe when playing outside and remember that it was not so long ago when there was no Internet, Xbox, cell phone, or Wii Fit. Even I’m old enough to remember those times.
Take the lead and make sure you find time every week to get out and play, kids and parents. It will make everyone feel better in the end.
And, if before 3pm ET you forget, there’s a message looping on Nick to remind you what day it is.
A Word of Caution for Parents: Uniforms and Casual Days
There are a number of schools where, even though there is a uniform in effect, the children are given the chance to wear street clothes. Like a Casual Friday, but for school.
Now, I usually have no problem with ideas like this. But, I’m also not against school uniforms either.
Here’s the problem: Parents and kids can let this get too far.
My 7th grade sister, Maria, goes to a combined elementary/middle school. They had a dress down day yesterday (Friday), and that will be the last one for who knows when.
Why?
Fights and a “stolen” Ed Hardy hat.
First, the fight. A girl stepped on a boy’s sneakers and got them dirty. They fought and she bit his arm so hard she broke the skin. Just because of dirty sneakers. Are you kidding me?
Second, the Ed Hardy hat.
Well, this little boy (a 6th grader) decided in the middle of the school day that he wanted a change of clothes. So, he used his cell phone (which he wasn’t supposed to have out of his locker) and called his mother. Mom brings him a change of clothes which includes an estimated $50 Ed Hardy hat. Well, the hat goes missing, the kid calls dad, mom and dad come to the school, mom reads the riot act and eventually calls school police to report the alleged theft.
First, mom really didn’t need to bring this kid a change of clothes. All reports indicated he just didn’t like what he was wearing and wanted something different.
Second, why are you sending your child to school with such an expensive hat that he can’t wear indoors anyway?
I have other issues with this whole thing, but let’s just summarize by saying it ruined a good thing for everyone else.
While it’s nice to be able to buy your child the latest and greatest fashions, as parents you have to remember that they are just children and they are just trends. Children outgrow things and lose interest. Trends come and go.
And I’m not pointing to a problem specific to the African-American community. I’ve worked my share of retail and I see it span all ethnicities. But you know what? It usually comes down to the parent not taking charge of the situation and being the parent. Guess what? You’re kids don’t get to tell you what to do. Not only that, but you’re not a bad parent if you don’t by them the newest thing (whatever that thing is). Who exactly are you trying to impress and what message are you sending your child[ren]?
Some of you don’t care and think your child will have a better life if they are decked out in designer everything.
I didn’t have a pair of brand name tennis shoes until I got to high school 15 years ago. We did our shopping at Payless (which is still great), JCPenney, Sears, etc. Nothing too expensive, but nothing that screamed “look at us, we’re poor!” because we weren’t poor. My parents didn’t buy into all of that.
Now, as an adult, I pick and choose which brands I want, but I don’t feel the need to make up for what I didn’t wear as a kid.
Not only that, but I’m glad when I can find a designer look-a-like (think “the look for less”).
Save the money for, maybe, one or two trendy items. Not the entire wardrobe.
Alright, I’m off the soapbox.
09.25.08
New Green-living Book Coming Soon!
It’s finally going to happen. I know some of you have been waiting for this.
Very soon, I will be releasing my first e-book.
Of course, it must be an e-book out of consideration for ecological costs in producing and shipping a paper book (but there are always green alternatives).
I plan on the book being a guide on green living no matter what your budget is.
Like I said, stay tuned for details as they come and how you can not only order your own copy, but make money by becoming an affiliate when others purchase the book (and who doesn’t like to get more money?).
Until next time…
09.24.08
The Biggest Loser: Families Week 2 Recap
Not that we are in week two, and that means the numbers are usually not as high. But Colleen and Jerry thought they could overcome that. If they manage to lose more than 13 pounds this week, they will stay above the yellow line and win $10,000.
Well, after a grueling challenge, the orange team, husband and wife team Ed and Heba won the privilege of calling home. Not only that, but they were given the opportunity to give another team the chance to call home. Based on the fact that they have an autistic son, the red team, husband and wife team Phil and Amy were chosen. It was an emotional call as they were able to talk to their sons. Heba broke down as she was able to speak to her father longer because her husband gave her his minutes.
During the next hour, the contestants were greeted by chef Rocco Dispirito. He came to teach them how to make one week’s worth of healthy meals. Here’s the twist: the person who cooks the best food wins one year’s worth of groceries! Awesome prize! Also, remember that many of the contestants don’t eat too many vegetables or spend too much time shopping for the healthy ingredients they are going to use to cook. This is a great exercise because it gives you the opportunity to learn new foods and take control over the ingredients in your food (salt, sugar, fat, etc).
And the winner of free groceries for one year was…Amy C. from the purple team! Great job Amy!
But at the last chance workouts, people were struggling, most of all Colleen. Remember, she and her father Jerry staked their place at the ranch on losing at least 13 pounds to avoid being below the yellow line. That did not make Jillian happy!
At the weigh-in, it was no surprise to see low numbers on the scale.
As a matter of fact, Ed, from the orange team, has to wear his wedding band around his neck because it’s too big for his finger (it fell off in the shower!).
This was completely opposite from when the grey team, father and son LT and Tom got on the scale. Tom lost 3 pounds while LT gained 3 pounds!
When it was time for the yellow team to weigh in…they totaled an 11 pound weight loss. Sorry Colleen and Jerry. The worst part is that if they hadn’t made the bet, they would have been in 3rd place. Amy and Phil won the weigh in with a total weight loss of 2.30%.
After the vote, it was Tom and LT who were sent home. But if you saw their transformations after 4 months, you know that they are looking good and are making positive changes in their own lives and the lives of their other family members.
Stay tuned for next week as there will be news about Jerry’s health and the contestants take a road trip to the Grand Canyon.
09.22.08
What’s the Difference Between an Event Planner, Coordinator, and Consultant?
Many people use the terms planner, coordinator, and consultant interchangeably. However, the reality is that there are differences depending on what you need done for your event or wedding.
Planner: This would be the person you would have with you from beginning to end. This is either because you don’t have the time to do it all, or you just simply acknowledge that you need help pulling it all together. This goes for weddings and other social events.
Coordinator: In the case of a wedding, this would be the person who would show up for the rehearsal, ceremony, and reception. In other social events, this person would simply run the show the day of the event.
Consultant: The consultant is the person you are looking to advise you specific items related to your event. You may meet with this person once or many times, but they will typically charge by the hour because you only need their consultation.
I hope this clears up some things. At least on this site. As I use these terms, these are the definitions I will adhere to.
