Archive for the ‘Exercise’ Category

Sometimes you need a little bit of motivation to get you moving and pumping in order to stay on track.  It’s so easy to get buried or sidetracked in your busy lifestyle and to completely neglect your fitness routine.  Training with a group can provide you numerous benefits and positive aspects to your workout which simply cannot be achieved on your own.  Here are the top 10 benefits of group fitness exercise:

1.  Motivation – At times, it’s just hard to motivate!  The instructor sets the tone of the class and should push you out of your comfort zone in order for you to achieve your best peak performance.  In addition, the competitiveness and the camaraderie in the class will also challenge you to work harder.

2. Bigger Challenge = more hard work + calorie burn.  On your own, you may be utilizing only 50% of your capabilities.  In a group fitness class, you are more likely to push to 100% of your max.

3. Save time and money – instead of spending hours at the gym or money you don’t have (for personal training), this is an excellent way to get your exercise in quickly, efficiently and financially.

4. No boredom – working out at the gym can be so boring especially if you’re doing the same routine over and over again.  You dread the thought of counting another rep.  Fitness classes can increase the fun factor with music, the tone and all around energy.

5. Learn new skills and techniques – think you know everything there is to know?  Think again.  You can always learn new exercises and skills which you may have been doing incorrectly for a long time.  Becoming familiar with any new piece of equipment such as a kettlebell requires a bigger learner curve and a trained instructor in order to prevent injuries and to increase effectiveness.

6. Safety – more often than not, majority of individual are exercising with improper form which can later lead to serious injuries, aches or pains. Training with a qualified fitness instructor will ensure you take the best safety precautions

7. Social – it’ always great to meet other like minded individuals who has similar goals as yourself.  Getting know know one another helps to create a positive environment where everyone encourages each other to do better.  Encouragement, motivation and consistency will lead to successful fitness goals and a healthier lifestyle.

8. Accountability – becoming part of healthy community will help you stay accountable for your own actions.  Whether it is your peers or your instructor who motivates you to stay on top of your fitness regimen, either one will help you maintain responsibility.

9.  Health benefits – group fitness classes will help you release endorphins, relieve stress and achieve a healthy balance in your everyday stressful life.  You can decrease your risks of everything from a heart attack to diabetes by taking better care of yourself

10. Fun – last of all but not least is the fun factor!  We deal with more than enough stresses in our lives from our jobs to our personal relationships.  It’s great to zone out for an hour and focus on yourself.  Doesn’t it feel great?

Some of these things you may already know.  It’s always helpful to be reminded of the benefits of anything you choose to do.  Group fitness classes can provide many advantages and even more if you make the most out of it.

Join Cindy Lai Fitness boot camp for fun workouts with positive people to help lighten up your day and to brighten up your lifestyle.   This is not about getting your butt whipped to the point of vomiting.  It’s about learning how to take better care of yourself in every aspect….mind, body and soul.

Regular boot camp is on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 & 7:30pm by Times Square.

Kettlebell boot camp is on Saturdays at 10am (9a  classes added as needed)by Union Square.

Seasonal kettlebell class on Monday evenings will restart spring/summer.

Please complete the enrollment form and rsvp on the class calendar in order to guarantee your spot, first come, first serve with a 24 hour cancellation policy.

Dare to be better with Cindy Lai Fitness Boot camp, Let’s conquer 2012 together!

Cindy Lai Fitness

It’s been a challenge to get to where you are today with your busy schedules and personal lives.  Times never waits for anyone.   If you procrastinate too long in taking control of your mental and physical well being, your lifestyle will certainly suffer at some point.  Those of you who have worked very hard to make the necessary improvements, I applaud you for your efforts.  It is never easy to stay consistent and it does take a lot of hard work to become healthier.   Over time, you will learn to understand the value of doing so.   You will feel much better about yourself and become better equipped in handling the stress of daily life.  Balance is the key and is something we must always strive for.

Where is your balance you need to work on?  More exercise, healthier eating, less drinking, more sleep?  Take your pick and work on one small goal at a time.  Although new year marks the start of resolutions for most people, you should focus on a lifelong resolution instead.

Take the time to enjoy yourself during the holidays.  Have fun! Be merry! Relax and come back with renewed energy.  Let the stress and the negative elements of the year fade away while you adopt a positive attitude for a fresh new year.  Don’t be so hard on yourself and stop beating yourself up.  This does not accomplish anything and will get in the way of success for any goals you’d like to achieve.

Join Cindy Lai Fitness Boot camp after winter break (12/24-1/16) in helping you reach new fitness goals for 2012.  Anything is possible and dare to be better.  You all have the power within you to lead an improved lifestyle.  A healthier “you” is a happier “you.”  You’ve heard it all before, now why don’t you do something about it?  Get out of your comfort zone and join us for an encouraging and positive start to a healthier mindset.  I’ll be right there waiting for you…

Have a fabulous new year and let’s get ready to jumpstart 2012 with a positive outlook!

Cindy Lai Fitness

Please note JANUARY TO MARCH CLASSES ARE HELD IN THE FOLLOWING STUDIO LOCATIONS:

Tuesday Regular Boot Camp at 6:30 & 7:30pm:

Roy Arias Studios
300 west 43rd street between 8th and 9th avenue, Room 401A
(closer to 8th avenue).
Take the 1,2,3,A,C,E,N,R,W,S to 42nd Street Times Square or Port Authority

Thursday Regular Boot camp at 6:30 & 7:30pm:

Champion Studios
257 West 39th street, 14th Floor, Room #28
between 7th and 8th avenue (closer to 8th avenue)

Saturdays - Kettlebell Boot camp at 10am

(additional classes at 9am added as needed):

PMT Studios
69 W 14th Street #3
Close to 6th Avenue, Next to Red Mango
Take the F, V, L, 1, 2, 3, A, C, E to 14th Street and 6th, 7th or 8th Avenue

Monday kettlebell classes at 7pm are seasonal and will resume in the Spring

outdoors in the west village, tba.

Regular boot camp will go back outdoors to Central Park South and Columbus

Circle in the spring, tba.

Please complete the enrollment form and register on the class calendar online

to guarantee your spot.

Suscribe to the newsletter on the lower right hand corner of the home page for

all updates as well as fitness and nutrition tips.

During the holidays, it’s very easy to get caught up with all the festivities with work and family.  How can you stay lean and healthy without caving in to all your guilty indulgences? You have less time to commit to exercise and even less time to think or sleep nonetheless. Your stress levels are higher and your immune system is getting the best of you.  Is there hope?

Being fit and healthy is a lifestyle, not a temporary fix.  If this is important to you, you will make the necessary changes along the way.  We are all human after all and no one should expect to be perfect.  Sometimes it takes certain things to happen before an individual realizes he/she has the ability to take control of his/her life.  There is always something we can improve upon.  You should not wait only until the new year to accomplish those goals. This is a lifestyle change we are talking about.  Taking better care of yourself mentally and physically will lead to a happier and a healthier life in the long run.

For those of you who are having difficulty sticking to your goals or if you just need to tighten up your routine, here are some holiday tips to help keep you on track:

NEVER SKIP MEALS

This is the worst thing you can do to lower your metabolism.  When you don’t eat frequently throughout the day, your energy levels plummet as well as your blood sugar levels.  You put your body into starvation mode and your body goes after muscle for fuel.  As a result?  Not only may you feel sluggish or tired, but you may be gaining weight in the process instead of losing.

HYDRATE CONTINOUSLY

Drinking a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water a day not only promotes weight loss but keeps you from getting fatigued and tired as well.  Water is necessary to help your body absorb food better and to flush out waste products.  Don’t underestimate the power of water to keep you energized, healthier and leaner.

EXERCISE A MINIMUM OF 3X A WEEK

There are no excuses on why you cannot fit some form of exercise into your busy daily schedule.  You don’t need to go to the gym only to stay fit.  Walking to and from public transportation, up and down stairs, around lunch time, and in the hallways all adds up to being as active as possible when you cannot make it to class or gym.  Fitting in shorter workouts such as High intensity interval training, tabata workouts (http://www.cindylaifitness.com/2011/07/15/tabata-tomato-huh/) or kettlebell training from 4 minutes to 20 minutes will still help you stay lean and toned (along with the proper nutrition).  This can be done in the morning before work in the comfort of your own home or after work.

INDULGE WISELY

You don’t need to give up your favorite indulgences if you consume them in moderation. Severely restricting yourself of your favorite foods will only result in over bingeing later on.  The holidays are meant to be enjoyed but you don’t need to eat cake every day or drink yourself to oblivion.  Is it worth feeling awful the next day?  Continue to eat clean and balanced meals at least 70% of the time at minimum.  There’s no need to gorge yourself silly day after day. Your “cheat” meal will be that much more rewarding when you have worked hard to earn it.

STAY AWAY FROM EMPTY CALORIES

It’s very easy to fall into “the land of no return” with holiday parties, family gatherings and work events.  Planning and preparation should always be a big part of helping you stay on track.  Don’t look for excuses to go over the top.  Before you know it, those excuses can quickly pile up and take over your life if you let it happen.  Choose wisely and choose healthier options when it comes to food.  If you are a big drinker, pace yourself and drink a glass of water for every beverage.  This will help you feel fuller and you won’t be reaching for that 5th drink in the same hour.  Relax!

FILL UP ON FRUITS, VEGGIES AND FIBER

Following the previous tips, fill most of your plate up with wholesome fruits or veggies in addition to your lean protein to keep you fuller longer .  The other source of fiber comes from whole grains in complex carbs such as quinoa, brown rice, barley, etc. They are unrefined grains and contain important nutrients such as selenium, potassium and magnesium. and promotes healthy weight loss.

GO HAVE FUN!

Take advantage of winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding or snowtubing to take the edge off all the stress that you’ve been dealing with.  If that doesn’t suit you, find something that does.  Go for a hike if possible.  Dance to your heart’s content as this is an excellent way to let your stress wash away.  Do something you may not normally do nor have the time to.  Just stay off your tush as much as possible.

CATCH UP ON SLEEP

Last but not least, sleep is one of the most important and neglected factors to aid in rest and recovery as well as weight management.  Sleep deprivation will decrease your metabolism and sabotage your health as well as your waistline.  Aim to get an average of 7-8 hours a night.

These tips are nothing new but are commonly overlooked and neglected.  We get so overwhelmed and caught up in our daily responsibilities that our health and mental wellness can suffer.  Being happy and healthy is about learning how to have a more balanced lifestyle.  Nothing is ever easy and I can certain use improvement on some of these elements myself.  Acknowledge your weaknesses.  Don’t beat yourself up but take actions to improve upon those issues.  Don’t dwell on what you didn’t do, but focus on what you can do.  Every day is a new day.  So long as you work on consistency and balance, you can lead a healthier life in the long run.

When you learn to become more accepting of yourself and work towards self improvement, everything will fall into place.  Whether your goals for the New Year are to get into better shape, weight loss, tone up, or just to feel better, everything is within your reach.  This should not only be a new year’s resolution but a life “work in progress. ”

Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones and start the new year with renewed and refreshed energy.  Put the past behind you and work towards an improved mentality.  Come join Cindy Lai Fitness Boot camp starting January 17th for fitness and fun, calorie burning, sweat drenching workouts to kickoff 2012 the right way!

Don’t forget to complete the enrollment form and rsvp on the class calendar online to help you get started.

Dare to be better!

Best Wishes,

Cindy Lai Fitness

Thanksgiving is the time of year where we cultivate gratitude for all the good things we have been blessed with.  It’s a time of family and friendly gatherings celebrated by giant feasts.  It’s one of the biggest holidays celebrated in America and it marks the kickoff of nonstop festivities throughout the New Year.  This is also a vulnerable time when the holiday weight gain can start to creep up on you if you’re not careful.  Next thing you know, you’ve easily put on 10-20 unnecessary pounds.  But wait, you don’t need to let one day sabotage all your efforts!  All you need is damage control.  Here are 5 tips on how to have a leaner and healthier Thanksgiving.

1/EAT BEFORE YOU INDULGE

The biggest mistake many people make is that they will starve themselves all day for that big holiday meal.  Doing so will guarantee that you overindulge and over consume all those unwanted calories.  If you want to enjoy your thanksgiving meal and not feel like an overstuffed turkey, you need to eat a healthy and balanced breakfast (lean protein, complex carbs, good fats) and a balanced lunch or snack depending on what time your meal will be.  Never start on a completely empty stomach as any discipline you have may go out the door.  Having a light snack such as fruit or a handful of nuts before your actual meal will keep your hunger in check.

2/HEALTHY PORTION CONTROL

It’s easy to having several plates of mac’n'cheese, candied yams and mashed potatoes, but you already know you will blow up easily if you do.  Start with veggies on half of your plate. 1/4 of the plate should be filled with lean protein (turkey, ham, or vegetarian option) and the other 1/4 of the plate can be filled with your starch (mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes,etc.)  The more colorful your plate, the better.  Also, when you consume more nutrient dense veggies (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, tomatoes), you will feel fuller due to the water content.  Take your time to chew your food.  Savor it and don’t eat until you’re completely full.  Go easy on the desserts.  Have a taste to satisfy your cravings but not the entire serving.

3/SUBSTITUTE UNHEALTHY INGREDIENTS WITH HEALTHY ONES

Traditional recipes call for everything from butter to cream and added sugars in every part of the meal.  Instead of using butter in mashed potatoes, use chicken broth instead and/or switch to sweet potatoes.  Instead of fried onions in green bean casserole, use toasted almonds instead.  Substitute sour cream dips with greek yogurt.  If you are eating turkey, trim the fat and get rid of the skin.  If you cannot eliminate gravy (made from fat drippings), go easy on it or substitute it with light cranberry sauce.  Instead of cooking the turkey in butter, use olive oil, onion, garlic and fresh herbs such as rosemary, sage and thyme.  You can still be creative without forgoing taste.

4/AGUA IS GOLD

The golden rule is to fill yourself up with as much water as possible throughout the day. Often times when people think they are hungry, they are actually thirsty.  In general, you should be drinking at least a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water a day.  Doing so can prevent you from overeating, staying learner and feeling fuller throughout your meal.  You can also control your drinking by having a glass of water for every glass of wine, beer or spirit that you consume.

5/EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE!

This goes without saying.  You should always be earning your cheat meal.  If you haven’t worked for it, you are not worthy of it.  Just kidding…not really.  Exercising wisely and efficiently in combination with consistent healthy eating will yield you the best results for a leaner and fitter physique.  When it comes to the holidays you need a good game plan.  You don’t need to spend hours at the gym but you do need to put it at least minimum of 3 workouts that week if not more.  Since you want to thoroughly enjoy your cheat meal, be strict with yourself throughout the week and also eat clean meals.  That “cheat” meal will be so much more rewarding and something to look forward to.  Doing a combination of strength training and cardio, boot camp and/or kettlebell training for 10 minutes to an hour will help blast fat and keep your metabolism revved up.  For a quick workout, see my previous blog on the tabata method.

If you do not have time for a quick workout thanksgiving morning, make sure you exercise the day before.  On Thanksgiving day, move around as much as possible (get off your tush!) if  after your meal or go for a walk.  If stairs are available, you can walk up and down the stairs a few times to help food digestion.  Otherwise, get your workout on first thing next morning to get your metabolism back on track.

Everything is doable, but different things will work for different people.  Find what works best for you and stick with it!  It’s important to be healthy for life and not just for the moment.  Learning how to discipline yourself without severely restricting yourself will be the key in achieving successful fitness goals.  You don’t need to give up your favorite foods or indulgences.  Enjoy everything in moderation and become better and happier in doing so.

Have a happy and healthy thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.

Thank you for all your support and being the wonderful person that you are.  I am grateful to have touched your lives as you have touched mine and I look forward to being healthy with you for many years to come.

Cindy Lai Fitness

I came across a great article which I think everyone woman can relate to when it comes to fitness and self-image.  Men can also benefit from this article as this will give them an understanding of what we go through and how we see ourselves in society.

Take a few minutes to read this article to help you understand you shouldn’t always be so hard on yourself.  Unfortunately, society places so much pressure on women to look beautiful from a physical standpoint, but what about the internal?  We are never satisfied with the way we look and some even strive for perfection except never to find it.  This may result in destructive behaviors such as bingeing and eating disorders.  Then, we beat ourselves up over it.  It’s a vicious cycle because nothing is every good enough!

Learn to love and respect yourself and you’re “uniqueness.” We all come in different shapes and sizes and all of us are beautiful in our own way.  You don’t need to look like a supermodel or actress to fall into this category.  Learning to become happy from within will go a long way.  Accept and embrace who you are as an individual and understand there is no such thing as perfection.  Set realistic goals for yourself and plan accordingly to accomplish them.

Becoming fit and healthy should be on everyone’s “to do” list.  Find what works best for you.  You are different from everyone else.  Never forget that and always remember you are an awesome and beautiful individual.

http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/motivatefemales.htm

Cindy Lai Fitness

Please check out this article that I wrote as a guest blogger on Marissa’s website Mwah.

Marissa is a certified health and wellness coach from Integrative Nutrition.  You can read more about her and explore topics on her site:

http://www.networkedblogs.com/nXPGL

Enjoy,

Cindy Lai Fitness

Just about everything is within your control when it comes to living a happier and a healthier lifestyle.  Of course you can groan and complain about how your relationship or your job sucks, or how awful you feel because you’ve gotten out of shape, or how life just isn’t fair, blah, blah, blah.  Complain all you want but what good does it really do if you don’t change your pattern?  Do you really want to be stay in a constantly negative mindset or environment for the rest of your life?  Yes, happiness is a matter of perspective but it’s also how you choose to live your life and how you decide to take control of your surrounding elements.

The priority should be in taking care of your mind and your body so that you are much more balanced in the long run.  If you work yourself to death and don’t allocate any time for your family or yourself, you will become so stressed out that your health and your sanity may deteriorate.  No matter what your age, maintaining a positive attitude will always shave off years from your soul.  You will have good days and bad days as we all do, but it’s how you overcome those obstacles which will help you grow and make you a better person. Exercising several times a week is mandatory not only in releasing endorphins but also in maintaining lifelong good health.  (You won’t feel like you’re losing your mind so long as you have this outlet!)

Don’t pile up your excuses, you know better than that.  Make the time to take proper care of mind, your body and your health and you will become a much happier person.  It’s all within your reach, but it’s how you choose to live your life.

Cindy Lai Fitness

Summer has come and gone but it only seems like it arrived yesterday!  It never seems long enough and it passes all too quickly.  Many of you have been taken advantage of outdoor recreational activities due to the nicer weather.  Sure, it’s always easier to get moving and get out of the office when the weather is great.  Soon the cool, crisp air will take over but this doesn’t mean that all that hard work and effort you put into a healthier lifestyle will be lost.  If you haven’t been trying, now is the perfect time to make a change. Here are some things to think about:

1/What improvements can you make?

The change of season should motivate you to change your mindset and help you re-evaluate what you need to improve.  Is weight loss or toning an issue? Low on energy? Depressed? Perhaps you need to tone down on all the over socializing and incorporate some days of exercise instead. Maybe you need to shake up your routine and stop doing the same things you have been doing for months.  ie:  balance your program with strength training as well as cardio, add flexibility work to prevent injuries and improve your fitness level, more core strengthening, etc.  Or, you may need to improve your diet with more whole grains, good fats, veggies or lean protein and cut down on salt, sugar and excess calories.

2/Plan ahead

I believe one of the biggest reasons why people fail in their fitness goals is because they don’t plan nor prepare for them.  You have enough to worry about when it comes to work and your personal lives.  Why add to your stress level?  If a healthy lifestyle is in important to you, then you should treat it as such.  It is just as significant as your job and your family. If you are not healthy in mind nor body in the long run, how long would it take before you fall apart one day?  It is always easy to make excuses so put them behind you.  Schedule in your workouts a minimum of three times a week whether it’s before, during or after work.  Prepare your meals ahead of time or know exactly where you will get them from.  Running around like a chicken without a head won’t be beneficial to you in your busy day.

3/Try something different

Do you find yourself stuck at the gym using the same machines and doing the same boring routine?  Change it up!  Exercising is about getting out of your comfort zone in order to raise your fitness level.  If you are serious about this, you need to challenge yourself as much as possible.  Take a class, plan a race or an obstacle course (Join me Saturday 9/24 in Staten Island for a kickass obstacle course http://www.spartanrace.com), go for a hike, try a trapeze course or whatever your heart desires!  Exercise should also be fun so pick something you’ve always wanted to try and just go for it!

4/Buy new gear

You have been wearing that same t-shirt, pants and sneakers a few months too long.  Believe it or not, buying yourself some new fitness gear can also help you feel more refreshed and ready for new changes.  The same way you have been repeating that routine forever, wearing the same clothes all the time may lead you to feel stuck as well.  Change the stale energy by freshening up your wardrobe.  It’s psychological and something as simple as this can make a big difference.

Balance is the key to a healthier lifestyle and a happier mindset.  The great thing about the change of season is that it can inspire or motivate you to make improvements in all aspects of your life.  Prepare ahead of the time so that the winter blues do not get the best of you.  You may have more time now as you may not be going on so many vacations or to your beach house but that does not mean you slack off either.  Either way, there is always time to be healthier. You don’t need to be perfect, you only need to make room for improvements.

Cindy Lai Fitness

The end of summer is approaching and all those excuses have pile up left and right.   It’s time to let go of them and freshen up for the fall.  Here are 10 easy ways to get re-motivated and to re-energize your lifestyle for the better.  Keep it simple and keep it consistent.

http://www.webmd.com/balance/good-life-health-well-being-9/fitness-exercise

Cindy Lai Fitness

Whether you are working on improving your fitness level or just getting started, there is always room for improvement.  We have our strengths and we have our weaknesses and this becomes very apparent in your exercise regimen.  Don’t only focus on what you’re strong in or else you may never reach that desired peak performance level.

Just because Cindy Lai Fitness Boot camp in summer break does not mean you get lazy and slack off.  You had better not or I promise not to have any mercy on you when I return (with a giant grin on my face.)  All jokes aside, figure out what can use improvement.  Is it upper body strength, core strength, flexibility, mobility, endurance, power, balance or coordination? No one is 100% strong in every aspect.  The closer you can get towards developing a good foundation in each element, the stronger you will become overall.

You know those exercises you hate or dread?  Do them!  Don’t think twice and as aways quality is important, not quantity.  Form is everything.  You’re better off executing an exercise in the proper form with lower repetitions than killing and/or hurting yourself with a higher number.

This is your time to figure out a good maintenance program in order to help balance out your weaknesses.  Do some cross training and experiment with other recreational activities so that you don’t use the same repetitive muscles time after time.

If it is important for you to reach that next level of fitness, you need to invest time and stay consistent if you want to get any better.

Anything is possible but that’s all up to you.  Those of you who take my classes I expect to see amazing feats of accomplishment when I come back.  I’ll be watching you….

Cindy Lai Fitness