Cheers to a Healthy You this New Year!

It's hard to believe that New Year's Eve is here! And as we say goodbye to 2008 and give a fresh, warm welcome to 2009, I challenge you to place your health and fitness as top priority this New Year! After all, where are we without our health anyway?

That being said, I know many of you will place losing weight and getting in shape at the top of your New Year's resolution list. And while these may be really important resolutions to you, I encourage you to think less of weight loss and exercise as items on a "to do" list, and more as gifts you are giving yourself so that you can feel, look, and live your best!

Now, I know it can still be really overwhelming when you start to set goals which may seem so far out of reach from where you are now. I'd like to share an inspirational quote from the wise Confucius that continues to help me along the way to any goal, " A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

And remember when making your goals or resolutions, be real with yourself. Set goals that you know will fit into your lifestyle so that you'll be sure to stick with them. I suggest starting with something small like taking an extra walk after dinner each night during the week or packing your lunch 3-4 times a week. While it may not seem like much, small changes like these will increase your movement during the day and help you eat less meals out where extra calories lurk, surely adding up to more pounds lost in the long run.

So cheers to You and your health this New Year and Always! I believe in you,
Your trainer Ashley

For more New Year's tips from me go to:
http://exercisetv.tv/lifestyle/1687-break-out-of-your-comfort-zone-this-new-year

Elevate Your Mood with Exercise - Especially this Holiday Season!

We all know the holiday season is an incredibly joyous time of year, but for most of us it can also be incredibly stressful. One of the best ways to cope with and combat stress is through regular exercise!!! Let exercise calm you down during the holiday season and the rest of the year as well!

Yes, exercise does more than keep your body strong, lean, and fit – it keeps us mentally and emotionally healthy as well! For many of us (myself included), exercise can even act like an anti-depressant! We all know that we feel better almost always after a trip to the gym – it’s as if our negative energy and daily stress literally releases from our bodies through each bead of sweat. And, more and more research is showing that the positive impact of exercise on our mental health is not just a coincidence!

While much of fitness research focuses on the physical and health benefits of exercise, there is an increasing amount of evidence demonstrating that exercise promotes wellness and mental health. For instance, researchers at Duke University studied people suffering from depression for 4 months and found that 60% of the participants that exercised for 30 minutes three times a week recovered from their depression without using antidepressant medication. This is the same percentage as for those who only used medication in their treatment for depression. I am by no means underestimating the ability of medication to assist in the treatment of depression, but the positive influence of exercise on our mental health is undeniable.

You don't have to be suffering from depression or mental health issues to gain the mood elevating benefits of exercise! Additional studies have shown that even short workouts of just 8 minutes can help lower sadness, tension and anger along with improving resistance to disease in mentally healthy people. So, even short bursts of activity can help you feel better - meaning you don't have to spend hours at the gym to experience mental health relief! Exercise has also been associated with boosting confidence as well as reducing anxiety and stress, all of which affect our psychological health and well-being.

Although research has yet to provide a definitive reason as for why exercise elevates our mood, both during and after, a strong theory suggests the connection is due to the body's natural release of endorphins. These are chemicals released by the brain as the body's natural painkiller, and can lead to an increase in feelings of happiness.

At the end of the day, do we really need to pinpoint an exact reason why exercise makes us feel better to lace up our sneakers? The truth is that most of us feel great after we work out, and that’s enough evidence to motivate me, especially in the midst of holiday season!

Tips for Building a Strong Core

Why is a strong core important?
There are many benefits to having a strong core besides the obvious - which is that we all love the way a tight, toned tummy looks! Besides looking great, having a strong core can help to improve posture, alleviate lower back pain, and even improve athletic performance as your core provides stabilization for your body and helps you to transfer power from your legs to your upper body.


What muscles make up the core?
Your core consists of all the muscles in your abdominal and lower back areas. This includes all of the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, transverse abdominus), the muscles associated with the spine (the erector spinae group) and the hip flexors (iliacus and psoas, collectively known as the iliopsoas).

Challenge your core now with 3 of my favorite strengthening exercises:
The following 3 exercises target all of the major core muscles and will give you a great place to start improving your core strength if you do them 3 times a week for 2 to 3 sets each, 10-15 reps of each exercise.
Remember, always be sure to perfect your form before increasing the number of sets or reps you complete, avoid any moves that cause pain or that you are unsure how to do correctly, and always consult with your doctor before exercising, especially if you have any existing injuries or conditions.

1. Medicine Ball Rotations

• Stand with a slight bend in your knees, feet about hip width apart, and your hips and shoulders facing forward, back is straight
• Hold the medicine ball in front of you with a little bend in your elbows
• Rotate your body with the medicine ball in your hands, looking straight ahead as you rotate side to side
• Start slowly and increase your speed when you are comfortable with the movement
• Start with 10 to 15 reps, building up as you get stronger

2. The Plank

• Start by lying face down on your exercise mat
• Place your elbows and forearms underneath your chest
• Prop yourself up to form a bridge using your toes and forearms
• Maintain a flat back and do not allow your hips to sag towards the ground, you want your body to be like a flat line from your shoulders to your feet
• Hold this position as you focus on tightening your abs, holding until you can no longer maintain a flat bridge. For beginners, start with 10 seconds and slowly build up to a 1 minute challenge!

* I recommend doing the plank in front of a mirror so that you can watch your form to make sure your body is in proper alignment.

3. Stability Ball Back Extension

• Place the ball under your hips and lower torso, knees slightly bent, and your feet planted against a wall for added stability
• With hands behind your head or across your shoulders, slowly lift your chest off the ball, bringing your shoulders up until your body is in a straight line. Make sure your body is in alignment (i.e., head, neck, shoulders and back are in a straight line), your abs are pulled in and do not hyper extend your back
• Slowly lower your chest back down to the ball and repeat the movement again

Take this core challenge, and you'll be sure to reap the benefits!

Excited to be with ExerciseTV!

I hope you all had wonderful Thanksgivings shared with family and friends, and that you allowed yourself to enjoy some delicious holiday treats in moderation if course ;-)

This Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for my loving family, supportive friends, inspiring clients, and for some very exciting news I want to share!!!

It has always been a dream of mine to combine my love for writing with my passion for exercise and healthy living. And, I am so grateful for an amazing opportunity to do so with ExerciseTV as a contributing writer for the lifestyle section on their website, http://exercisetv.tv/ .

As a new addition to the ExerciseTV website, I look forward to sharing my knowledge, personal training expertise, and empowering others to achieve the fit body they desire and balanced lifestyle they deserve for good.

For some great tips on how to get your health and fitness back on track Post-Thanksgiving, please check out my first post with ExerciseTV http://exercisetv.tv/lifestyle/ !