Happy Thanksgiving 2013

Happy Thanksgiving from the 

"Burn Fat & Give Thanks"
Workout Crew!

There are a few more donations expected but so far we raised $405! Thanks to everyone who participated and/or donated. 

The kids of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital thank you. 

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Enjoy Thanksgiving With Less Guilt

Let’s face it, most everyone overeats on Thanksgiving. Here’s a way to lessen the damage and help sick kids at the same time.

Join me on Thanksgiving morning (Thursday, November 28th) at 9:00 AM for my 4th annual "Burn Fat and Give Thanks" Workout.

All proceeds will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where no child is ever turned away due to parental inability to pay and no family is billed for services not paid by insurance.

You'll get a great workout, rev up your metabolism, burn fat, and hang out with other cool people.

All fitness levels are invited. Exercises will be adapted or substituted, as necessary. Anyone 12 and older is welcome to participate.

Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and help those who aren't as lucky. Donation is $20, or bring a friend for just $10 more.

Call Mickey at (717) 509-7777 for more info or to let me know you’ll be attending.

If you can't make it, please consider making a donation or sponsoring another participant.

Body & Soul Fitness Studio

618 Columbia Avenue

Lancaster, PA 17603

Plenty of free parking

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Will You Be Independent And Active As You Age?

Way too many people think that exercise is for the young. Way too many people also think of exercise only as a means to a hot body.

We need to change our way of thinking.

The U.S. population is aging, and getting fatter and more inactive. Contrary to popular belief, you don't get weak and frail because you get older. The truth is, people get weak and frail because they do nothing to maintain their muscle and bone fitness as they age.

Because our lives are so less physical than in previous generations, we must challenge our bodies through exercise to maintain our health and fitness.

Without a regular exercise program which includes strength training, we gradually become less fit as we get older. We lose about 1/2 pound of muscle a year after age 30 if we don't weight train and, according to a previous report in Archives of Internal Medicine, that loss of fitness accelerates after age 45.

Research has shown that individuals with poor fitness levels have a higher risk of a variety of diseases and have a harder time functioning independently. When compared to sedentary individuals, those who are physically active, don't smoke, and maintain a healthy body composition have higher fitness levels throughout their adult lives.

Annie, my 97 year-old Body & Soul member is a great example. She lives alone and still drives. That's possible because she remained active throughout her life and she still strength trains three times a week. She's had her share of medical problems but she gardens and is able to do all kinds of things around her house because she has maintained her fitness.


I have other members in their 60s and 70s who continue to golf, bowl, and play other sports. I've even had a few who participated in the Senior Olympics. Aren't those types of activities more interesting and fun than sitting around watching TV or complaining about your aches and pains?

The bottom line is that regular exercise improves the quality of your life. Period. You can find a partial list of the many varied health benefits of exercise here ==> Exercise Benefits (Scroll down about half way through the post.)

It's never too late or too soon to start. Get moving.

If you're inexperienced, have health issues, and/or are hesitant to start exercising, I have great news. My First Step program is starting soon. First Step is small group personal training for older, inexperienced folks who want more personal attention and supervision with their exercise program.

To get all the details, just Click here or call Mickey at (717) 509-7777. Don't wait! The first 8-week session is starting very soon.

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It Pays NOT To Wait

Are you…

...full of energy? 

...maintaining a healthy body weight?

...confident and self assured?

...in good health?

 

Or are you…

...frustrated by clothes that don’t fit?

...hesitant to participate in activities for fear you can’t keep up or won’t fit in seats?

...artificially fueled with mega doses of caffeine?

...too unhealthy or overweight to be active with your kids or grandkids, go for a nice walk, or enjoy favorite hobbies or retirement?

Please don't be one of those people who say you're going to wait until the new year to start or restart an exercise program. 

Why would you do that? Do you think doing so gives you a pass to be a slug and eat horribly for 2 months? How does it makes sense to wait so you can get yourself in even worse shape before you start?


You'll just end up with an even bigger challenge, get frustrated and discouraged, and give up. Again.

Get moving. There are plenty of options out there. Just make sure to choose something that fits your personality and lifestyle. In other words, don't buy P90X if you have a full time job and 5 kids at home. You most likely will not be able to commit to 60-90 minutes of exercise 6-7 days a week. If you know you'll never work out on your own, join a group exercise program. Need more accountability and structure? Hire a personal trainer. A good one will be able to give you a great workout in 30 minutes, if time is an issue. (Of course, be prepared to work.)

So, don't wait until January to drop fat, improve your health and lower your disease risk. There are still over 7 weeks until New Year's Eve. Begin now and be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.In addition, exercising through the season will reduce stress and increase your energy. Starting now will give you a head start on your health and fat loss goals. And, in January, when others are just beginning, you will already be enjoying the results of your program. 

To encourage you not to delay improving your health any longer, here are 2 ways to save $30. Just mention this blog post when you call.

• Ladies, join Body & Soul Fitness Studio and save $30 on your enrollment. And you'll still get a personalized workout program and 2 one-on-one personal training sessions to review it!

• Save $30 when you sign up for 12 workouts in 4 weeks at No Pink Dumbbells Boot Camp. Don't be scared guys, the women of NPD are very welcoming.

Offers good through November 30, 2013.

Not sure what's best for you? Call me today at (717) 509-7777 to discuss the options and to find out how the right fitness program can change your life.


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Thank You, Veterans!

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Collected Fitness Wisdom #59

The scale can only give you a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity. That’s it. It cannot measure beauty, talent, purpose, life force, possibility, strength, or love.

~ Steve Maraboli



Just because you finish a workout exhausted or nauseous does not mean it was an effective or productive workout.

The value of your workout is not determined by how tired you are afterwards, or even how sore you are the next day.

~ Nia Shanks



When it comes to fitness, I’ve written, “Why is exercise good for everything? Why is inactivity bad for everything? We were born to move for our food, but are now ‘zoo animals.’ We sit passively behind the zoo cage bars, munching on Big Macs and fries. Our physiology requires that we be out running around hunting for, and gathering, food—not sitting, getting fat eating junk.”

~ Walter M. Bortz II, M.D.



The whole cardio focused with little to no strength training workout habit is plain ineffective.

Even if you THINK you do strength training, if your body is not challenged within the first 8-12 reps, you are spinning your wheels. STRENGTH comes from the CHALLENGE of the weights you use - NOT from the fact you can do a move for 5 minutes straight, completing 30 or so reps.

If your body is not PROPERLY Challenged, Your body will NOT change.

~ Holly Rigsby

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Take The First Step

FIRST STEP EXERCISE PROGRAM

Small group training for the inactive and inexperienced 

Yes, we’re all getting older but it’s a myth that people automatically get weak as they get age. The fact is, people become weak because they don’t challenge their muscles enough to maintain their strength. No wonder. With all our labor-saving devices nowadays, it takes a conscious effort to stop muscle deterioration.

I’m sure you want to stay energetic and vibrant as you get older. You want to enjoy your life, not sit on the sidelines because you’re too tired or too weak to play with your grandkids, bike/hike, dance at a wedding, etc.

Strength training is the key. It makes your muscles and bones stronger. Everyday tasks get easier. And, no, that doesn’t mean heaving around huge weights. 

I know that many people are hesitant to join a gym. Maybe they’ve never exercised or they have medical issues or injuries and they’re concerned they’ll get hurt. 

Many of those folks want more individual instruction and supervision but not necessarily one-on-one coaching. That’s why I created my new program. 

First Step is small group strength training for those who have never exercised or haven’t exercised in a while. You get the instructional benefits of personal training along with the support and camaraderie of a group, at a fraction of the cost of individual personal training.

Assessments will be conducted at the beginning of the 8-week session and movements will be adapted as needed for each participant. That’s what makes First Step different from typical exercise “classes”. 

We will meet Tuesday and Thursdays at 11:00 AM for 30 minutes, beginning Nov. 19th. (If you are interested but unavailable at those times, please let me know.)  

Because this is a brand new program, I am offering the first 8-week session for 50% off! $139! Enrollment is limited so that each person can get the individual attention they deserve. 

Call Mickey at (717) 509-7777 to see if First Step is right for you. Or, if you prefer, you can get all the details at First Step Exercise Program .

I'm having intermittent problems with the above link. If you get a 404 error message, click to go to the homepage and then click on the "First Step" button. Sorry for any inconvenience.

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