Vote for Me! Best Personal Trainer in 417-land!
by Pamela | August 26th, 2010 at 7:27 am
When I started this blog my goal was to help you.
As a personal trainer my goal and purpose is help my clients achieve their goals and reach their full fitness potential.
But today I am asking for your help. I have a goal I want to reach and I can only do it with your help and support.
I want to be named Best Personal Trainer in Springfield MO by 417 Magazine.
Every year 417 Magazine does their Best Of issue featuring the best the Ozarks has to offer in all categories-breakfast, hair salon, etc. I want to win the Personal Trainer category. Today I am launching an all out get out the vote drive to achieve this goal because the winners are selected by you-the reader and the fan.
I am asking all of you to take a few minutes out of your day to help me by voting. Since I don’t believe that anyone should vote for anything without getting the facts first, here are my top 5 reasons why you should vote for me:
- I’ve been there. I was an overweight child and adult. I know how hard it is to change your life.
- I do this because it is my passion. I truly believe in what I do and I don’t ask anything of my clients that I don’t do or won’t do myself.
- My clients are not numbers. I treat each one individually.
- In this area, I am kind of the “little gal”, the underdog so to speak. Don’t you love it when the underdog triumphs?
- My clients tell me I’m the best. And I always listen to my clients.
So here is what I need you to do:
- Go to the 2011 Best of 417 Readers' Choice Awards Page
- Vote
- On page 5 enter the following for Best Personal Trainer:
- Finish the survey by entering your information on Page 6
Pamela Hernandez, Thrive Personal Fitness
You can only vote on one ballot so I need everyone's help. This is round one and is running now till 5pm on September 15th. With your help I can make it to round 2...Please vote!
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Designer Whey Protein Review
by Pamela | July 1st, 2010 at 10:37 am
Protein is an often discussed topic. You find a multitude of recommendations for protein intake. Most of them are accurate in some form or fashion, depending on the individual and their goals. When I start working with a client, I do stress eating more protein because more than not often they aren’t eating enough. I also stress a post workout whey protein shake.
image by realSMILEYWhy the recommendation to have a post workout protein shake? There have been many studies over the years that have found numerous benefits to using whey protein, in addition to resistance training, to help preserve and increase lean muscle mass. The theory behind having it within a 30-45 minute window after working out is that your body is most ready for it then. It is ready to start the repair process and needs a boost of nutrients to help, as well as rebuild depleted glycogen stores. A shake, as opposed to solid food, is more quickly digested and therefore more accessible to your muscles. Having a shake made with whey protein and some sort of simple carbohydrate is a perfect solution to replenishing your body and assisting with the recovery process.
While I use several kinds of protein shakes, the one I have used the longest and the one I consider my standby is Designer Whey. Mostly because it tastes good. There are lots of whey protein shakes out there and, frankly, a lot of them don’t taste good. They either don’t mix well and taste chalky or they are bland and boring. Designer Whey is neither, blending easily in a shaker bottle with water, almond milk or juice. My absolute favorite flavor is Vanilla Praline. It makes a very simple tasty shake on its own, but also tastes great to make a tropical shake (with bananas, pineapple and blueberries) or as in ingredient to a multitude of recipes (including my favorite Vanilla Coconut Protein Pancakes). At 100 calories and 18 grams of protein per scoop, you can’t go wrong. Also, since it blends so easily in just a shaker bottle, you can take it with you to the gym to drink immediately after your workout, during that 30-45 minute window, instead of waiting to get home and mix it up in a blender. Just add water and accompany with a piece of fruit.
Designer Whey also makes another of my favorite products, Protein 2Go
image by realSMILEYThe great folks as Designer Whey want you to give their products a try and find out for yourself just how great they are. They have agreed to let me give away one 12.7 oz container of Vanilla protein powder, one 12.7 oz container of Chocolate protein powder and one box of Protein2Go. I need to pick 3 lucky winners for these products. This contest is only open to U.S. residents. To enter post a comment to the blog telling your favorite post workout shake recipe. Comment must be posted by 10 pm CST Wednesday July 7. Winners will be drawn at random, will receive one product each (first response gets first choice, second get next choice, etc) and notified via a post to the blog and email where available.
Can’t wait to hear all of those great recipes. Good luck!
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2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
by Pamela | June 24th, 2010 at 10:36 am
I love simplicity. I think people try to make health and fitness too complicated. They have this notion that to start their journey it takes a huge outlay of time and money for gym memberships, supplements and weight loss programs selling pre-packaged food.
image by dboyI base my thinking on a pretty simple idea. The complicated and processed packaged food and infomercial gadgets haven’t helped us one bit in our quest to be healthy and fit. Think back a hundred years ago when most people didn’t sit at desks all day, we walked more and pretty much ate what we could get locally. Obesity and its complications were nowhere near the issue they are today in our society. When we moved more, ate less and ate better quality foods we were healthier.
So that was why I was so pleased to see a preview of the new health and dietary guidelines being proposed by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. They seem to have gotten it right by getting down to the basics. The preview outlines 4 simple steps that everyone can, and should, take to fight obesity and live a healthier and fitter life.
The steps are as follows:
- Reduce excess weight with a combination of moving more and eating less.
- Eat a more plant based diet, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains and consuming only moderate amounts of meat and poultry.
- Reduce intake of sugar, salt and fat. The new guideline is 1500 mg of sodium per day. The average American today consumes about 3200 mg per day.
- Meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans by getting 2 and ½ hours per week of moderate intensity exercise, or about 30 minutes per day most days.
Notice, no fancy supplements or gadgets required. Just a little preparation and work each day. Simple, right? I agree with these recommendations whole heartedly and I hope when the final version comes out later in 2010 they are very much the same and get the attention they deserve as a way to fight our national obesity epidemic.
The committee working on these guidelines is interested in hearing your thoughts (as am I) about their recommendations. If you would like to give your opinion to the Dept. of Health and Human Services please visit www.dietaryguidelines.gov
Let me know what you think too. Any other simple steps you think are missing?
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Monthly Workout Playlist May 2010
by Pamela | May 3rd, 2010 at 7:59 am
Do you know why I like putting together these monthly workout playlists so much? It’s like making a mix tape. Maybe I am dating myself, but I used to be the queen of the mix tape. Mostly for myself, but occasionally to share with a boyfriend. Now I get to make mix tapes to inspire awesome workouts for all of you! I get to blend my love of fitness with my love of music.
I don’t really have a theme this month. I just kept my ears open at the gym, in the car and when listening to my own iPod for inspiration. Hope you enjoy and have an inspired workout!
- I'll Wait
by Van Halen
: In the Hager vs. Roth debate I have to say I come down on the Roth side.
- Part Of Me
by Chris Cornell
: Interesting collaboration, I think I am kind of digging it.
- If Looks Could Kill
by Heart
: Just got my tickets to Lilith Fair and cannot wait to see them live! Probably will show up on a post concert playlist.
- The Roof is On Fire by To Kool Kris: This is on one of my 90s compilation CDs. Remember when we bought CDs?
- Can't Get You Out Of My Head
by Kylie Minogue
: I think she made a deal with the devil to look as young as she does. I remember “The Locomotion” from junior high. Wow, I am starting to sound old.
- Goodbye
by Kristinia DeBarge
: Another reason to feel old. She’s the daughter of 80s pop star James Debarge.
- Big Red Rocket Of Love
by Reverend Horton Heat
: If you don’t break a sweat with this song something must be wrong.
- So What
by P!nk
: I just really love her. I would put her on here all the time if I could
- OMG
by Usher featuring will.i.am
: So what defines a “booty like pow”?
- Satisfaction
by Eve
: End of the workout, looking good and feeling good. Satisfaction.
Click here to see all of our Monthly Workout Playlists!
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Fitness Motivation
by Pamela | March 25th, 2010 at 10:48 am
How do you stay so focused?
image by Salim VirjiHow do you resist temptation?
I just can’t give up (fill in the blank). I don’t know how you do it.
As both a personal trainer and someone who lives healthy and fit, I hear these things a lot. It’s not always easy, especially in the beginning, to not ditch a workout or eat an extra slice of pizza when out with friends. The best advice I can give people is to really understand what your motivation is and then make the decision to let that be your compass.
I know that many times when I hear the above questions people are still searching for their motivation. They haven’t found that one overwhelming reason to make permanent and meaningful changes to how they live. Everyone’s source of motivation is different so, as a personal trainer, all I can do is try to help guide you to that place. For some it is a specific goal, like running a 10k or being able to stop taking a certain medication (like blood pressure medication, with a doctor’s approval of course). For others it can be something a little less specific, but equally important, like being able to keep up with the kids on the playground or being healthy enough to participate in fun, leisure time activities. I’m not a parent, but I can’t imagine not being able to do something with your child simply because your weight impedes your ability to do so.
Once you find that motivation, then it becomes a bit easier. Now that you know, at your very core, why you want to change your life you simply make choices based on that goal. For example, let’s say your motivation is to avoid going on diabetes medication after being told your glucose levels are too high. To do this you have to lose weight by starting to exercise and changing your eating habits. Not going on medication should now be more important to you than any donut or an extra hour of sleep in the morning.
So when faced with a decision that could impact you reaching your goal stop and think about the choices. For example, when someone leaves donuts in the break room, before you reach for one, ask yourself how this adds to or subtracts from your ability to reach your goal. Think about how you will feel after you have the donut. Will it really make you feel better to eat the donut or will it feel better when you hit your weight loss goals?
I call this process of finding your motivation and using it to make your decision finding your compass. Like the captain on a ship, you have a destination to reach and the job of keeping passengers and cargo in good shape. The compass is one of many tools used to help guide the ship to that destination. Your compass, along with your tools of exercise and balanced, healthful eating, will get you to your goal.
My compass is my desire to be someone healthy and fit and manage my type 1 diabetes to avoid complications. What is your compass and how did you find it? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
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Diet Industry
by Pamela | March 8th, 2010 at 10:57 am
About a week ago I decided to attend a local women’s show. It is an annual event and a pretty big deal in Springfield, sponsored by one of the local radio stations. I have never been before, but I wanted to check it out and see if it would be a good event to participate in next year.
image by Tacit RequiemThe idea is pretty simple. Basically it is a big expo hall filled with booths of businesses and seminars dedicated to things that might be of interest to women. Since we know all women don’t think alike, you can imagine that the booths were pretty varied. I saw Tupperware, Mary Kaye, a martial arts studio, jewelry, someone selling pink tools and comedian Yakov Smirnoff. That was really just the tip of the iceberg. I mean, there was something for everyone.
There was one industry I felt was slightly over represented. I bet you can’t guess which one? It almost felt like a requirement that every 4th booth was from the diet and weight loss industry. Every major and minor player was represented, plus one or two I have never heard of. Some were giving out samples. Others were trying to sell the latest diet supplement and get you to sell them too. My favorite was the lady that said their miracle product helped her lose 11 lbs in a week. Best of all, she said, the fat can never ever come back.
You can only imagine how difficult it was for me to hold my tongue at times, especially the last one. Really? Your miracle cure can guarantee that the fat will never come back? If that’s the case I think the inventor should get a noble prize. My friend that I was with made a good point to try to help calm my indignation. She said most of these people are sales people who don’t know better. They have been given information that they believe to be true and they are passing it on to do their job.
She made sense, but I still don’t like people spreading half truths and misinformation. These sales pitches are part of the problem. People who really want to lose weight, who don’t feel good about themselves, see these products as the answer to their prayers. They spend a lot of money on these products and programs. Some of them see results for a time, but eventually stop their program and go back to "normal". When that happens the weight comes back and they feel like failures.
The problem is they are not the failures. An industry that feeds on desperation is what has failed them.
I see it all the time and the women’s show is a great example. So many women in one place and the majority of them overweight. I am willing to bet they have all tried some fad at one point or another. Yet they are still unhealthy and unfit. I talk to women who have tried so many things, either to not see results or to happily lose and then unhappily gain the weight back.
I decided to become a personal trainer because I have been there myself. I tried various fads before I figured out the truth about living healthy and fit. I know the frustration, disappointment and feeling like a failure. I want to give people the information they need to walk away from the “pills and potions” and start living a healthy and fit life full of happiness, confidence and empowerment.
I think next year I will have a booth at the show. I’ll be one more voice in the crowd, but hopefully I can be the loudest and the clearest.
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What Your Personal Trainer Ate Today
by Pamela | February 8th, 2010 at 10:49 am
People ask me all the time what I eat. What is odd is I often have a hard time telling them. I tell them that I stay away from fast food and overly processed foods. I eat a vegetarian diet and try to keep a 50/25/25 split between carbs/protein/fat. Yes, they say, but what do you eat? My guess is they want a blow by blow detail of what I eat every day.
So here it goes. I am going to share with you exactly what I ate today. (Today being Friday when I am writing this). I am not saying this is exactly what you should eat, nor am I saying it is perfect. This gives you a glimpse into how I eat day in and day out. I eat quite a bit and I eat often. I don't follow a "diet", I just try to eat in a way that supports a healthy and fit life.
Breakfast:
- Non-fat vanilla yogurt 6 oz.
- 1.5 tbsp of ground flax seed
- 1 whole wheat mini bagel
This is my preworkout meal since I go to the gym first thing in the morning. It’s not heavy and gives me some protein and some carbs to get me going.
Post workout Snack:
- 1 scoop Designer Whey Protein Powder
- ½ cup light vanilla soy milk
I have my shake about 30-45 minutes post workout. I lifted weights this morning and this helps my recovery.
Lunch:
- 1 serving Quinoa Broccoli Frittata (recipe from Oxygen Magazine
)
- 1 slice Ezekiel bread toasted
- ½ tbsp natural peanut butter
- Non-fat blueberry pomegranate yogurt 6 oz.
- 1 small banana
Leftovers are the best. The frittata was from Wednesday night’s dinner.
Afternoon snack:
- Primal Spirit Meatless Jerky
- 1 small apple
- Luna Protein Bar Chocolate Almond
I’ve been eating homemade protein bars a lot (See recipe on my fan page at www.facebook.com/ThrivePersonalFitness) but saw this new Luna Bar
Dinner:
- 1 serving Shepard’s Pie without the Sheep (from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook
by Tosca Reno
)
- 1 Meatless Turk’y burger
I love casserole type dishes and this version of shepard’s pie is awesome. Sweet potatoes, bulgur, chickpeas and edamame. Yum. The Turk’y burger is for extra protein.
Evening snack:
- Pumpkin Pie oatmeal (from Clean Eating Magazine
)
- 2 hardboiled egg whites
- 1 small piece dark chocolate and 1 cup Sleepytime Tea
Yes, I eat after dinner. I think for most people an evening snack is acceptable. If you workout in the evening, as I sometimes do, it is also necessary. I also like to wind down with tea and a small piece of chocolate as treat, sometimes. I probably only have the chocolate once or twice a week. I drink the tea pretty much every night.
Add to this numerous cups of white tea, at least 8 glasses of water and 1 Diet Coke (I treated myself for the week) and you have a pretty good picture of a typical food day for me. I did also have 3 glucose tablets to treat low glucose levels, but most of you probably do not have to worry about that. I eat at least every 4 hours and it totals about 1900 calories. A little low for a workout day but pretty close to my normal 2000.
So what do you think? Any surprises? If you want to see what I eat every day become one of my “Motivators” at www.dailyburn.com . I keep my nutrition log there each and every day. Go over to the site and look me up, user name PamelaH.
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Monthly Workout Playlist January 2010
by Pamela | January 4th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
I am so happy to be back in the weight room. Post surgery I was not allowed to lift or strain in any way for several weeks. Once I was taken off restriction the first week of December, I was still a little hesitant to go all out. I started back slowly, doing a full body circuit twice a week with weight that was a little less than I what would lift normally.
It felt great! It may not have been as personally challenging as I would have liked but I was still so happy to be back at it. I love the way weight training makes me feel. It makes me feel powerful, healthy and in control. Doing without those feelings for over a month was awful!
I was allowed to do cardio much earlier. Cardio, however, just don’t feel the same as making your muscles burn from one more rep. When I train with weights I have a different mindset than I do on cardio days. It would make sense then that the type of music I would listen to would be different too.
On weight training days, I need a slightly slower pace and a little more attitude than I do on cardio days. Since I am back to almost full force, I thought I would honor the occasion with a playlist geared towards weight training days. Have fun feeling the burn!
- All For You
by Janet Jackson
- Nice pace for your warm up and warm up set.
- A Girl Like You
by Edwyn Collins
- From “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” with Demi Moore showing that you can be fantastically fit at any age.
- Fighter
by Christina Aguilera
- Use anyone who has ever wronged you as inspiration for one more rep!
- Buttons
by The Pussycat Dolls
- Had to leave them off last month, but they’re back!
- U + Ur Hand [Explicit]
by P!nk
- Rocket Queen
by Guns N' Roses
- This one has a lot of personal meaning, way to much to go into.
- Poundcake
by Van Halen
- #1 Crush
by Garbage
- Pace is everything when weight training. This is perfect.
- Her Strut (Digital Remaster)
by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
- I know I am going back a bit, but this is all about feeling confident with your female power.
- Rich Girl
by Gwen Stefani
- You are rich in health and fitness, without that nothing else matters
Click here to see all of our Monthly Workout Playlists!
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Gym Etiquette
by Pamela | December 28th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Despite my last post, I expect many people will be making a New Year’s Resolution. For many, the resolution will be weight loss and their first step will be to purchase a gym membership. I expect to see a lot of new faces when I go to the gym the morning of Jan. 2.
image by combust For those of you who are regular gym attendees, you know how crowded your gym suddenly becomes in January. The New Year brings new gym goers. Sadly, most will not stick around and things will return to normal by mid February to early March.
There are many reasons why this happens. Perhaps they joined out of the pressure to start something for the new year before they were really ready (see my previous post). Or maybe they never really learned how to use the gym and its equipment properly, leading to lack of results and frustration.
Making sure the staff at your gym or your personal trainer helps you learn to use the equipment in the facility is something you should not forget to do. One thing they often forget is teach something else very important - gym etiquette. Gym etiquette is the behaviors every gym member should follow so everyone has a safe, productive and effective workout. If you learn and practice the right behaviors from the beginning you will have a much more satisfying gym experience as well as not frustrating your fellow gym goers during this busy season.
Here are the important Do’s and Don’ts.
Do:
- Wipe the equipment after each use. Gyms have cleaning supplies on the floor for you to use. If you are a really heavy sweater bringing your own towel might prove useful.
- Ask questions. The gym staff on the floor is there to help you. Your fellow gym members are usually happy to help as well, just wait till they are resting between exercises so not to disturb their concentration.
- Ask to work in. It is okay if you need to use a machine to ask politely to work in during another person’s rest break.
- Put away weights and other equipment when you are done. This makes it easier for others to find and prevents accidents.
- Respect time limits. Many gyms, especially during the Jan/Feb busy season will put time limits on cardio equipment. Check if your gym does have time limits and follow them.
Don’t:
- Wear heavy perfume or cologne. Many are sensitive to fragrance and your favorite scent could cause issues for others working out.
- Talk on your cell phone. It is distracting to others and you will get a more productive workout if you leave it in your locker or car.
- Use benches or equipment as a table for your water bottle, iPod, etc. You might not need to use it but chances are someone else does.
Keep these tips in mind as well as any rules your facility has to keep the atmosphere positive for you and your fellow exerciser.
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Healthy and Fit Holidays
by Pamela | November 26th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day with friends and family.
Today starts the beginning of the holiday season, filled with family gatherings and office parties that provide us temptations and excuses to eat poorly and skip workouts.
I am not a humbug. I will put up the tree this weekend while drinking hot cocoa. I will make my husband watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” for the millionth time. I think it’s a wonderful time of year where people are just a little kinder and little more thoughtful than the rest of the year.
However, I am also a realist. I understand that, for some reason, people seem to see this time of year as a free pass to eat more than they normally would or exercise a little less than their normal routine. I get that we want to enjoy this time, but I also want you to remember to continue to take care of yourself and honor all the hard work you have put in the rest of the year.
The best part is you can enjoy your holiday season without gaining the average 2-3 lbs that people put on between Thanksgiving and New Years. Like I said, I am not a humbug and I don’t want you to be either. What I do want is for you to be smart this season and make a pact with yourself before we get too far into the holiday season. Hold up your right hand and repeat after me:
“I (insert your name) promise that this holiday season I will continue to perform 150-300 minutes of exercise each week and I will continue to eat whole and nutritious foods. I promise holiday leftovers will leave with others or not come home with me. If I want a cookie I will have a cookie, but not a dozen cookies. I will not overindulge and say that I can worry about it in the New Year. I promise not to gain weight during this holiday season”.
Say it again if you need to. Write it down if it will help. Add additional promises based on your personal goals, whatever you need to do to make it your own and make the pledge to yourself. This is the first and most important step to making it through the season: having a clear goal and a clear direction.
So what else can you do to navigate the season successfully? Let me give you few tips:
- You don’t have to go to every party. We tend to try to do too much during the holidays and stress often leads to poor choices, particularly when it comes to food. One less party and one more workout will make you feel better in the end, I promise
- Try some healthier versions of holiday treats. One of my favorite foods is the sweet potato. Not sweet potato pie with all the marshmallows and brown sugar, but twice baked with cottage and fat free ricotta cheeses. Better for you but with still a traditional holiday vegetable
- Find a mocktail you like. A great suggestion that I like is sparkling water with a splash of cranberry and a wedge of lime.
- Stick to a normal schedule as much as possible. If you normally eat lunch at 11:30 but the meal won’t be ready till 2, have your normal afternoon snack at 11:30 and let the meal take the place of the snack. Same overall calories and still eating every 3-4 hours.
- Make activity a part of the holiday. Find ways to get the family outside and moving or plan parties around activities like skating or bowling.
- Everyone deserves a splurge. If you have an extra glass of eggnog don’t punish yourself, just try to compensate for it in your meal and exercise plan over the next few days.
I hope the pledge and tips help you stay on track while enjoying this festive time of year. I would love to hear any tips you might have to share on how to have a healthy and fit holiday season.
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