Fit Talk Blog
My blog is a collection of articles to inform, motivate and inspire. If something I’ve written speaks to you, please leave me a comment. Happy reading!
Practice Mindful Exercise for Better Health
When you think of mindfulness, what comes to … mind? Is it stillness? Is it active movement? I tend to think of mindfulness as peaceful stillness, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s explore another way of looking at things, specifically the practice of mindful exercise for better health. What is Mindful Exercise? Mindful exercise…
10 Ways to Keep a Healthy Heart
President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the proclamation in 1964 for February to be American Heart Month. You can learn more about American Heart Month from the American Heart Association. Meanwhile, here are 10 ways to keep your heart healthy. 1. Measure Your Body Fat Obesity is a worldwide epidemic. By measuring your body fat you…
The Medicine You Should Be Taking
Ever wish there was a simple trick to solve your health problems? Do you want something that can give you more energy, make you feel more confident, help prevent disease, protect you from injury, help you sleep better AND help you focus? What if I told you that you already have access to this medicine,…
Get Inspired!
You want to get fit and be healthy, right? So you’re working toward your goals on the outside (eating better, getting more exercise, and so on). But what is that voice inside your head telling you? What kind of inner dialogue are you having with yourself? Do you tell yourself you’ll never get there, you always…
20 Days of Christmas Kindness
Take on the 20 Days of Christmas Kindness challenge! Tis the season of busy busy busy! But it’s also the time of the year to think of others who might not have it as good as you do. Many families were severely impacted by hurricane Ida, have lost loved ones to Covid-19, have been let…
Nicky’s Heart of Gold – 2021
Join me on Sunday December 19, 2021 for a Charity Event to raise money for Nicky’s Heart of Gold Foundation Nicky Rutherford was my son Mickey’s friend at Evergreen Elementary School in Collegeville, PA. In January 2018 while in the third grade, Nicky was diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastoma (brain cancer). During the following months,…
Improve Your Life by Being Thankful
If you want to improve your outlook on life, start with giving thanks for what you have. The Thanksgiving season reminds us to take a moment out of our busy lives and remember all we have to be grateful for. This week, instead of obsessing about weight loss, looking better, or your next workout ……
You Are the Average of the 5 People You Spend the Most Time With
Jim Rohn once stated “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. There’s a lot of power in these words. The people you surround yourself with form the relationships you build your life from. These people have an incredible impact on your emotions and the habits you fall into….
Measuring Body Fat in 3 Easy Steps
I covered why BMI isn’t a great metric for accurate body fat measurement. So then, what IS a good way to measure body fat? How about the Navy Seal formula for body composition? How about Waist-to-Hip ratio? Both are great metrics that can give you insight into your current body health. You can do these…
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Know Your Health Numbers and Take ACTION!
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. And while no cancer is 100% preventable, being aware of your “health numbers” is a good first step to taking control in trying prevent this disease. Knowledge is power, and understanding your health numbers should be your first step towards adopting…
Small meals or 3 Square? Is there a best size for all?
There have been claims and research on both sides: “To lose weight, it’s better to eat 3 square meals a day and avoid snacking” or “Eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day facilitates weight loss.” So which is best? Small meals or 3 square? “Best”, when it comes to nutrition …. well it’s hard to…
Transform Your Life (Part 3 – 1% Better Actions You Can Take Today)
We talked about how diet’s don’t work in Part 1. In Part 2 we touched on setting up systems for success instead of focusing on goals. In this post I want to go over 3 ideas for healthy habits to help move you toward creating a healthy lifestyle! What are healthy habits? “Habit” – defined1….
Transform Your Life (Part 2 – Get Healthy, 1% At A Time)
In Part 1 of my Transform Your Life blog series, I wrote about the problem with diets, basically that they don’t work. In Part 2, I want to talk about how to get healthy (more fit, lose weight, gain strength, etc) using the 1% rule. Where Do We Go From Here? In Part 1 we…
Transform Your Life (Part 1 – Diets Don’t Work)
It’s not easy to eat less food. It’s not easy to make a lifestyle change. It’s not easy to accept diets don’t work. With this multi-part blog series I’m going to share some historical data and ways to enact healthy changes in your life without yo-yo dieting. Why Diets Don’t Work I recently watched an…
Lift Weights the Right Way
Weight lifting isn’t just for body builders. Everyone needs to lift weights. YOU need to lift weights. Muscles that aren’t used will atrophy. This process begins in your 20’s (yikes). If neglected, your muscles will continue to shrink and you’ll become like ~ 30% of the population who’s over 70… unable to move a 10-lb…
What to Eat Before a Workout for MAXIMUM results (10 Ideas!)
In order to get the maximum benefit from your workouts, you need enough energy to get thru them. Food fuels your workouts, and it’s important to eat before exercising. Working out on an empty stomach will leave you low on energy and can cause your body to burn muscle tissue for energy. So regardless of…
Does Muscle Weigh More Than Fat?
Does muscle weigh more than fat? If you Google “Fat versus Muscle” you’re likely to see a picture of fat and muscle on opposites of a weight scale. It’s a picture of five pounds of fat next to five pounds of muscle. The fat is much larger than the muscle, so at first glance the…
Work “In” When You Don’t Have Time to Workout
I’ve coached many people over the years who offer good reasons why they don’t have time to workout. Even well-intentioned people who make plans for tomorrow’s workout can give up when tomorrow arrives and the million pressures of life become too much to manage. If this sounds like you, I offer this suggestion. “How about…
Don’t rely entirely on your BMI
People everywhere commonly use BMI (Body Mass Index) as a quick-and-dirty way of gauging whether they’re within the “normal” weight range. But beware! BMI is strictly a ratio of your height-to-weight and says nothing about your body composition or fitness level. Depending on the person, it’s quite possible to get a misleading result. Here’s why: Muscular people…
Just Walking Isn’t Enough
Don’t get me wrong, walking is good for you. Any movement is good for you! It’s good to get up, step outside and get your body moving. Walking can even have some great mental health benefits as it allows you time to collect your thoughts as you step away from distractions. But don’t be fooled,…
Are You Really Ready for Change?
It’s mid April already. Did you make a commitment to be fit in 2021? Have you been working steadily toward your goals? Are you seeing progress? Or did you start out with big aspirations and haven’t managed to get started yet? It may be time to reassess. Becoming healthy means making lifestyle changes. If you…
Getting Kids to Eat Healthy
Many of us make commitments to ourselves to eat healthier in some aspect. Unfortunately, it may not seem so straightforward to convince our kids to do the same. When kids rebel against healthy options it may feel like it’d just be easier to give up and cook the chicken nuggets. But stay the course! YOU…
Updated Lists: Clean Fifteen™ & Dirty Dozen™
A healthy diet is one full of fruits and vegetables. But as good as they are for you, sometimes fruits and vegetables are contaminated with toxic pesticides. The Dirty Dozen™ and Clean Fifteen™ lists published by the EWG (Environmental Working Group) help consumers make better decisions about which foods are most likely to be contaminated…
Resolve to Get More Sleep this Year
I know it’s March, but do you still think about your New Year’s Resolutions? You may have forgotten an important one that could have the biggest impact… Getting more sleep! Common resolutions such as more exercise, weight loss, reducing stress, spending more quality time with family and improving your money management tend to come and go…
Strengthen Your Core by Planking
Believe it or not the best exercise to improve core strength is not the crunch. It’s the PLANK! Planks work far more muscles than a crunch does, and planks work muscles in a different way. In a plank, your muscles contract isometrically (without joint movement) and your shoulders, abs, back, gluts and legs are all actively…
Not All Calories Are Created Equal
If you want to lose weight, you’ve probably heard the good advice that you need to count calories to know what you’re really eating. Still true. The energy balance equation which says “if you consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight” is also still true. However, research indicates that not all calories are created equal….
Be Thankful, Be Healthy, Be Happy
Did you know that gratitude is a foundation of healthiness? And did you know that when you’re healthier, you’re happier? Gratitude is a key ingredient to good health – mind, body and spirit. Take some time today to appreciate all you have, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier and happier you. Here’s…
