Fitness Perfection

“Fitness Perfection”
A common comment I hear from clients (especially with all the recent snow) that they have turned to their comfort food and are ready to abandon all their fitness efforts.  I find this absurd thinking and very destructive to the person’s ego.  It’s like going on vacation and losing your luggage.  Yeah it’s a pain in the tush but is that going to ruin your trip? No. You go buy clothes, wash them in the sink…you make the best of the situation you are given. So forgive yourself (but don’t forget) and move on.  Learn from your lapse.  Was there a certain trigger that made you reach for the comfort food?  What can you do in the future to maneuver around this if a similar situatuon comes up? It’s not about perfection it’s about consistency. Nothing in life is perfect and neither are you (or ever will be).  So if you are an all-or-nothing type of person you need to have a reality check.  I am not saying to not strive for perfection but understand that they are some limitations to this.  If you are five foot tall and want to be six feet tall it’s just not gonna happen (unless you wear some serious platform shoes!). When people start on their fitness goals, most of those goals are unattainable setting them up for failure.  Typically, there are some strict rules made like “I am never going to eat chocolate again”.  This is unrealistic if you enjoy eating chocolate.  Or their goal is to do two hours a day at the gym when they work full time, commute and have family obligations. The key is to set realistic, attainable goals.  They might be smaller goals like “this week I am going to do 15 minutes of exercise 5 days this week”.  This is an attainable goal.  Your self-esteem will not b be crushed and you will have accomplished one step towards your fitness goals.

~Nicole Simonin

Care to share a similar situation?  Please leave your comments below.

Congratulations to Our Winners!

Congratulations to all the winners!

New Year, New You Contest:

 It was a close run but in the end Tammy Waddington won the New Year, New You Contest.  She received a gift certificate to Mary Kay Hair Designs, a Massage by Maritta Visco, portrait shoot by Inovation Creations and $100 gift certificates to buy some new clothes!

 

 

 

 

The Your Best Body Challenge:

This 12 week program tests the perserverance of each participant. Some only make it the first day while others are committed to see it through and those are the ones who are going to achieve their goals. Kudos for those  who came every week in rain and shine!

The 2nd Runner Up:     Heidi Klincewicz

 Heidi won a gift bag full of goodies from Pet Value, Jim’s Pizza, Cousin’s Garden Center, Running Co of Mullica Hill, Mullica Hill Photography Studio.  Congratulations to Heidi!  She worked hard at each session and saw results. Here is what Heidi had to say about her experience…

“12 Weeks ago I was very frustrated and uncomfortable in my own skin.  After having a baby in August, I was anxious to begin working out and losing the baby weight.  However, I didn’t know where to begin or how to motivate myself to do it.  Then a friend told me about the challenge.  I knew it was exactly what I needed to get me started. After week 1, I realized how incredibly out of shape I was. But after the class that day, I knew I didn’t want to feel like that anymore.  By week 6, I was starting to get back in the “zone”.   I noticed that the weights I had been using were getting a little lighter and moved up to the next size (8lbs!)   After 12 weeks,I am able to fit back into my pre-pregnancy jeans! I am not there yet but I  am definitely closer!  I have thoroughly enjoyed boot camp.  My friends tell me I’m crazy for getting up early on a Saturday morning to workout in the cold (and rain)…it was well worth it!  I can now do at least 25  push-ups in a row.  I think the first class I could do maybe 3. Nicole and the other trainers not only helped motivate me, they also pushed my further than I thought I was capable.  I feel stronger and sexier than I have in a long time.  Although, my daughter is only an infant, I think it is important to set an example of a healthy environment and hopefully she won’t have the weight issues I have struggled with my entire life. I will definitely be using this 12 week program as catalyst or the rest of my weight loss journey.  Thank you so much for all your guidance and support throughout the program.”

 

 

The 1st Runner Up:     Melissa Corson

Missy won a gift bag full of goodies from Pet Value, Jim’s Pizza, Plaza Cleaners in Mullica Hill,  Running Co of Mullica Hill, Photography by Carol Ann.  Missy lost 15 lbs and  Congratulations to Missy!

Here is what Missy experience was like:

“I was in a state of denial, full of excuses on why I would never lose weight, be healthier or feel better about myself.  This affected not only my body image but my confidence level in all aspects of my life. I decided for myself and my children that this decision was right for me.   I knew that this may be my last chance to change for the better or die trying.    As time passed, I was more motivated to go because I loved the results I was seeing and most of all how much better I was feeling overall.  I was happy to see I was starting to lose not only weight but inches from various problem parts  of my body.  Even on days I felt like giving , I kept coming because after our workouts I felt better, stronger and more motivated to see what would happen for me if I continued working hard. [After 12 weeks] I have completely surprised myself with my results.  I lost more weight and inches then I would have ever thought.  My physical and mental state are in a completely different place then they were in the beginning of this challenge.  By far, this has not been one of the easiest things I have done in my life, but it was so worth the journey.  I learned that I am stronger than I thought I was in the past.  I learned to eat better, exercise properly and never give up on yourself, even when it seems completely hopeless.  The discomfort, pain and tears are well worth the results that come of them.  I look forward to continuing my new nutrition and exercise program.  As for the future, I see myself moving forward and feeling better about myself, my body and my body image.  The future looks so much brighter than it did 12 weeks ago.  I have met some great people, both fellow students and especially Nicole  and her staff. I could not thank them more, for all their extraordinary effort.  The words to thank them don’t exist as much as they have done for me.  Their positive attitude is infectious.  Thanks for never giving up on me and helping get closer to my ultimate weight and life goals.”

Grand Prize Winner:     Nicole Slusarski

Nicole did a great job during the challenge!  She lost 22lbs and 14 inches! Nicole received a fantastic gift bag worth over $200!  Gifts were from Pet Value, Jim’s Pizza, Subway, Bella Home Interiors, Mullica Hill Photography Studio, Running Co of Mullica Hill and In the Village.  Here is what Nicole said about her Best Body Challenge experience…

“Twelve weeks ago, I was asked by my good friend  to join with her in the Your Best Body Challenge.  I was feeling stressed out and flabby.  After three kids, I didn’t feel attractive anymore.  I avoided outfits that were too tight and showed my pooch (stomach).  I really didn’t exercise often, I think it was because I wasn’t motivated to.  I joined the Best Body Challenge to tone up and to see if I could get under 150lbs (a personal goal of mine).. After 6 weeks in the challenge, I felt great.   I never doubted myself.  Once motivated I knew I would keep going if I kept pushing myself.  I was seeing a lot of results.  My weight came down a lot!  And I felt less stressed and full of energy.  What kept me going was that it was working…I found something that works.  For once in seven years, I had hope that I could get close to wearing the jeans I wore before I had kids!! After 12 weeks, I have achieved a lot of results.  I have lost weight and inches everywhere.  I went down in my  pants size.  My thighs are more toned and my pooch is smaller.  My hips and waist are thinned down.  And I feel amazing.  I feel attractive again and have fun trying on clothes. I am not so insecure anymore!  This challenge really helped me change my perspective on life – that you can change things if you really want too.  I’m glad I stuck with this through the end.   I also want to thank Nicole and all the trainers for their time and dedication to train all of us. 

 

 

Thank you to all the local businesses who contributed to all the prizes!

Bella Home Interiors,  Cousin’s Garden Center, In the Village, Inovation Creations,  Jim’s Pizza, Massage by Maritta Visco, Mary Kay Hair Designs,  Mullica Hill Photography Studio, Pet Value, Plaza Cleaners in Mullica Hill, Photography by Carol Ann,  Running Co of Mullica Hill and Subway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Nicole Slusarski, Nicole Simonin, Missy Corson, Tammy Waddington

 

 

Cold and Rainy Days

Don’t ‘cha just love these cold and rainy days?

Yeah, me too.

What I want to do is curl up on the couch with a warm blanket and a hot cup of coffee. But unfortunately it never happens. 

The winter blues getting you down with all this rain? 

Did you know that exercise is a great way to banish those blues?

When you workout, those happy endorphins get released and give you that “feel good” high.  Better than eating a pile of cookies

Not just the emotional part but it also warms you up.  Distracts you from whatever is going on in your life (at least for the duration you are exercising).

Everytime I start feeling blue, I get up and do some sort of simple exercise.  Like some crunches or even stretching. I just do it for less than a minute.  It doesn’t take long and it helps keep me sane

I would love to hear about what you want to do when it rains and what you actually do….you can post your comments right here.

Nicole

Also wanted to let you know that we are having some great promotions for December which you can check out here.

New Year, New You!

New Year New You!

Don’t wait until Jan 1st to start on your New Year’s Resolutions…when you can get a jump start on them now!

Who doesn’t want to win over $400’s in free gifts? The perfect gift for the holiday season!

Remember: The discounted “New Year, New You” Class Cards will ONLY be available from Nov 1-Nov 4th between 7:30PM-8:30PM at the Shape It Up Studio.  At 8:30PM on Nov 4th the cards will go to the regular price.  So stop in this week and get ahead start on the competition and your resolutions! 

Just in case you misssed the details, here they are again….

Did you know that the average person can gain 5-7 pounds over the holiday season??  So if you feel like you aren’t at a comfortableweight now imagine how you’ll feel after the holidays…

We are going to be celebrating the “New Year, New You!” Pre-Resolution Contest!

On Dec 29, 2009, one lucky person will be winning a pamper-me prize!  This prize will include a new haircut, a photo shoot, a massage and a gift certificate to the Deptford Mall to pick out some new clothes!!! (A $400 value!!) Not to mention a smokin’ body!!  Just in time for the New Year!

Here’s how to win:

The person who has attended the most SIU Studio Classes (between Nov 1, 2009 until December 22, 2009) and has made the most physical & emotional changes will win!  Pretty simple, huh?

Starting Nov 1, 2009, Shape It Up is going to be practically giving away “New Year, New You!” Class cards.  These cards are sold in blocks of 25 classes. You can purchase as many as you like (***Last chance to purchase your Contest Card will be November 24, 2009).  However, if you want the best deal for your cards the first week of November (the 1st though the 4th) these cards will be discounted…our regular price for one studio class is $7.50 but the the beginning of next week these cards will be only $4.00 per class! (After the 4th, the price will go to $7.50 per class for the contest cards.) Cards can be purchased at the SIU Studio from 7:30pm-8:30pm Monday- Thursday (if you need another time please call me at 609-501-0587)

We are also going to provide massive support on this contest!  Because it is occurring right around the holidays, we know how easy it is to get off track with your fitness. But  you can  fit it in!  We have 30 minute classes and we will be providing some surprise “helpful” hands to help you get in your workouts.

So forget your 2010 New Year’s Resolutions for a new you because if you do this contest you’ll have to pick out another resolution!

See you this week!

Nicole Simonin

P.S. If you have any questions please feel free to email me or call 609-501-0587

Trick or Sweet

Trick or Sweet

Halloween marks the beginning of the 3 biggest holidays of the year.  These holidays are filled with fun, family and food.  The real scary part is how much food is consumed over the next two months!
There are “fun” sized Halloween treats which are perfect for calorie control- unless you eat too many.  But beyond that most Halloween treats are no treat for your waistline. Chocolate candies can average 100 calories a pop. But do you really eat just one?  Six unassuming little chocolates can add up to 600 calories in a matter of seconds. If you are not paying close attention to how many goodies you are eating those calories can really add up. Some better alternatives are Twizzlers or small peppermint patties.  They have half the calories as their “fun friends”.

Here are some better bad choices:
 Musketeers Bar – fun size 1 piece –> 70 calories, 2 grams fat & 11 grams of sugar
 Candy Corn – 11 pieces–> 70 calories, 0g fat & 14g sugar
 Caramels – 2 small pieces–> 80 calories, 2.25g fat & 8g sugar
 Taffy- 1 piece–> 55 calories, 0.5g fat & 12g sugar
Take advantage of this time of year’s bounty.  Pumpkins are a great choice with high vitamin A and fiber but add that to sugar, butter and pie shell and you are gonna feel like you look like a pumpkin! Don’t be misled!  Those pumpkin muffins and pumpkin breads that are in the local coffee shops are high calorie foods and are far from healthy.  Read your nutritional labels to find out what the real scoop is on what you are putting into your body. 
Dunkin’ Donuts Pumpkin Donut is 300 calories, 16 grams of fat and 18 grams of sugar
Starbucks Pumpkin Scone is a whopping 480 calories, 17 grams of fat and 43 grams of sugar.

 A far stretch from low calorie and low fat healthy treat!
For those coffee lovers, a Starbuck medium pumpkin spice latte with whole milk is 410 calories. If you really feel the need to indulge order the smallest version of your coffee or split your donut with someone.
Healthy Treats would include apples…plain apples.  Those caramel apples are seemingly “healthy” but that caramel on top adds an extra 300 calories to this treat.

So does that mean you can’t enjoy any Halloween treats this year?  Absolutely not!  Everything in moderation. Plan ahead.  Think about all the treats you have to choose from.  Decide how many calories you want to blow on treats. Then pick the one treat that you absolutely must have this Halloween year.  Eat it. Enjoy it. Then walk away from the rest.
Have a Happy “Healthy” Halloween this weekend!

What Really Ticks Me Off…

You know what really ticks me off and gets my blood boiling?

I hear this quite often from people I meet (not from my clients) but people I run into on the street.

Once they find out what I do for a living they start talking about their problem areas. How they just can’t get rid of their post baby pooch or how they hate when they wave and get an extra breeze from the saggy back part of their arms….that’s not what drives me crazy….

Then they tell me how they’ve tried this product or that service….and how nothing worked. I can just see the defeat in their eyes….that’s not what irritates me….

What really irritates me is these people that are essentially complaining about their body or lack of energy and ….

ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT!!!!

I could see if you were bustin’ your hump 6 days a week following your nutrition very closely and not seeing any results (which btw doesn’t happen here at SIU )… but if you choose to sit on your butt and do nothing about your saggy arms and flabby gut then shame on you!……..ahhh that always feels good to get off my chest

Notice the word “choose”…you have a choice!  Are you happy with yourself?  Do you WANT to change?  You can do anything you put your mind to so get off your tush and start today!

If you aren’t sure how to get started call me for a free consult.  We’ll discuss your goals and how to ACHIEVE them! It’s FREE for crying out loud!  You have nothing to lose – you risk nothing by sitting & talking with me. You don’t have to do it alone. SO I hope that this blog gives you the kick in the pants to get motivated and do something!  Whether it is here at Shape It Up or just being more active in general…make a choice and be true to yourself!

Nicole Simonin

Nicole@shapeitupfitness.com

609-501-587

P.S.:What are you doing still reading this?!  Get up and get movin’ Tonight we have some great calorie burning, body toning classes at our studio http://shapeitupfitness.com/the-studio/siu-studio-calendar/ great way to get started!

Mantua's Community Day

It was nice seeing you out at Mantua’s Community Day last Sat!  If you weren’t able to come out you missed some good times!  There were lots of activities for the kids along with local businesses, jammin’ music and lots of food (I won’t  comment on that …your usual “healthy selections” at fairs..).  It was brisk and windy but we met a lot of friendly faces and had a great time!  I want to personally thank Denise Kahofer for voluntering her time and talents to help us out at Mantua Day! THANK YOU!!

The winner of the SIU Raffle is….(drum roll please ….

CONGRATULATIONS TO JANE LUEPER OF MANTUA!!!

Jane gets FREE One Month Pass to Shape It Up’s Specialty Classes! 

I can’t wait to see the changes she makes when she takes advantage of this awesome prize!!!

See you in classes!

~Nicole Simonin

 

 

All's Fair In Love And Squats?

Denise Kahofer submitted an article to me because she thought it would be interesting to me..she was right!
This article was about a farwell speech an employee gave to their fitness company’s interns. It is really profound. This is what he said:

“Exercise is the only thing in the world that he knows of that is fair to everyone.”

Which is so true. It doesn’t matter where you came from, what race you are, if you are rich or poor, no matter what your health issues, no matter what your occupation is…exercise is beneficial to everyone without exceptions.  That’s pretty amazing don’t you think? You can do exercise anywhere…in your car, at line in a grocery store, your living room. You don’t need expensive equipment.  Body weight exercises are great for getting nice and lean.  Exercise will keep giving back.  The numerous benefits to exercising far out weigh the negatives.  Image if everyone would just do this for themselves everyday, maybe the obesity rates wouldn’t be so high.  Maybe illnesses wouldn’t be as bad. And maybe we’d all be a happy culture!

The great equalizer….exercise!

Nicole Simonin

PS: Want to get started on your fitness?  Call 609-501-0587 and find out what we can do for you!

No One Eats Perfectly All The Time

No one eats perfectly all the time.  Not me, not you.  If anyone tells you they do (100% all the time), I’d bet good money that they are lying.  As a personal trainer, I hear a lot of “diets” from clients. Ditch the diets!  That is just setting yourself up for failure.  Diets usually consist of denying yourself of certain types of foods.  There is no way you can live on a diet for the rest of your life!  You can have cheat meals and still lose weight. I have developed this blog to offer my help for anyone frustrated with their weight and whatever their current eating habits are.  So please feel free to share.  I will be happy to help!

Nicole Simonin

Tasty Tidbits for Tots!

Tasty Tidbits for Tots!

It 2pm and the natives (aka kids) are getting restless…it’s snack time. You look in the refrigerator and search for a healthy kid-friendly choice.  I mean they are kids. They “should” be eating healthy food so they can get big and strong. Isn’t that what we tell them?

 “What can I give them?”…  Are you familiar with this scenario?

Being a fitness professional, I hear this many times during the week.  As a mom, you want the best for your children. With so much misleading information on nutrition, I am not surprised how often I get that question (I am shocked it isn’t every five minutes). 

 America’s obesity rate continues to sky rocket.  Diabetes is on the rise along with Metabolic Syndrome. The next generation has a great deal of work ahead of them if they want to avoid the debilitating medical issues that arise from being overweight.  It starts with parents. By parents educating themselves first, it gives children a healthy advantage for the future.  Parents can begin by teaching their children the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, eliminating refined sugars and saturated fats.  Now this is not going to work if you are telling them to eat right while you are eating a double cheeseburger with fries. Teach by showing!  Kids learn more from seeing than from hearing (think about how many times you have told them to do something and it still never seems to get done). Let your kids see that you take care of yourself by exercising and eating right.  Whether you think they are absorbing the concept or not …I can assure you they are!

Where to Start

Don’t assume that your kids are young and will “burn it off”.  The eating habits that are instilled in them while they are young will stay with them for the rest of their lives. So if you can start them at a young age… great! If not there is no time like the present. I recommend having 5-6 meals per day for all my clients. The same goes for kids.  This insures that blood sugar levels stay even-keeled (i.e. less …ehem…shall we say “emotional outbursts”). Prepare meals that are balanced.  These are meals that consist of certain types of lean protein, starchy and fibrous carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Forgive yourself

Healthy living is not about perfection but consistency.  You are not always going to achieve a well balanced meal every single time.  Forgive yourself and move on. For instance, when you find yourself confronted with less than ideal food choices, try to find the healthiest option you can out of the selection that is offered.   The best way to compensate for those times is make sure your kids (and yourself) are eating healthy 90% of the time and by giving them a good quality daily multivitamin. 

Ideas for quick snacks

Here are some quick and easy snack choices for your “natives”:

• Ants on a Log- celery stick with peanut butter and raisins
• Low fat cheese stick and apple slices
• Low fat Cottage Cheese and pineapple
• Smoothies with fruit and silken tofu
• Homemade pita chips (cut up tortilla and bake with different spices) and hummus (also great with carrots, peppers or celery)

For those picky eaters

Are your thinking “My kids will never eat that!”?  By no means am I advocating to starve your kids but if healthy foods are the only option they have…they will eventually try it. Kids are very resilient. One missed meal and I’ll bet they’ll eat at the next one.  They are not going to starve.  Think about when your child wants something, what do they do?  They ask over and over AND over until you concede. Simply reverse the tables on them. If you are consistent with them they will eventually give in. Then you can pat yourself on the back for adding a few years to their life.  Isn’t your child’s future important enough to stick to your convictions?

Nicole Simonin is an ACE certified Personal Trainer and Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant and the owner of Shape It Up Fitness.

 

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