LAST BLOG OF 2011!!!!

Good afternoon Fitness Friends!  Hope you are all having an absolutely fabulous day!  So this will be the LAST blog of 2011...wow, where did the year go?!  Is my "baby" really starting kindergarten next year?!  Now is the time where everyone starts thinking about what they want to accomplish in the year 2012...what is YOUR fitness goal for 2012?  Is it run your very first marathon?  Wear that size that you were 3 kids ago?  Walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath?  Chase your kid(s) at the park and have the kid(s) actually gasp for air instead of YOU?  Include more fruits and veggies into your daily food intake?  It can be ANYTHING, but whatever it is...make it a realistic goal that you actually stick to!  I am a huge believer that a "POSITIVE ATTITUDE EQUALS POSITIVE RESULTS," that is a true "Famisha'ism."

Okay, now that I've started out my blog talking about the exciting future and what it may hold for each and everyone of you as you set your Fitness Goal for 2012, let me actually get into the last blog question for 2011 which is "how do I boost my calorie burn throughout the day if I work at a job that ties me down to a desk/computer for 8-9 hours a day?"

Well, get ready to roll your eyes...the answer is quite simple.  As you sit at your desk, do 3 sets of 15-20reps of Calf Raises.  Need to get the blood flowing?  Do some squats...Stand up and ALMOST sit down with your butt lightly touching your chair...3 sets of 15-20reps.  Who cares if people in the office look at you crazy!  They should join in!  Instead of an office chair, sit on a physio ball.  They are very inexpensive and you will actually work your "core" (back AND abs) while sitting on it all day rather than a chair.  Sit tall and pull your belly button in towards your spine.  In between conference calls?  Do some Physio ball crunches!  Lay back on your ball with it positioned mid-back and do 3 sets of 15-20reps.

Now if you're working an 8-9 hour day, then you should get at least 2 10minute breaks.  Take those 10 minute breaks and go for a brisk walk around your building (if you work from home up and down your block twice) at least 3 times.  This will help you get your steps in and keep you from feeling "blah."  During your one hour lunch break, get outside and either WALK to lunch if your office is near a restaurant or sit outside your building and enjoy a lunch you MADE so you know your caloric intake for 30 minutes and spend the other 30 minutes going for a walk.

These are just a few ideas to help you get through your day of being stuck in front of a computer screen.  These are things that to me, are obvious and very easy to do on a daily basis.  You will find yourself adding at least 2000 minimum additional steps to your day...so good luck and enjoy!

I want to take this time to thank all of my loyal fitness blog readers for your support and welcome any new fitness blog readers to my "MOMS!  You CAN get in shape!!" blog.  I hope you've enjoyed it and will spread the word to any of your friends who may be Mommies, Daddies or just Fit Divas/Dudes in Training looking for some weekly fitness advice.  I am very excited for 2012 and stay tuned because Pry'nce and I will be going back to shooting our weekly video "Fitness is Fun with your kids!"

I want to wish each and every one of you a very Happy, Healthy New Year and be safe!  Make 2012 the year you TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF and live a HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, FIT LIFESTYLE!!
Please join my blog today as a follower if you haven't done so yet and thanks again for taking the time to read my blog(s)!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Good afternoon Fitness Friends!  So today is going to be short and sweet...I just want to take this time to wish each and every one of you a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa!!!  Hope I didn't leave a holiday out.  My family and I celebrate Christmas and as the day gets closer, I find myself getting more and more excited about watching my son on Christmas morning.  It's the best!

Anyway, I want to remind everyone that it is even more important NOW to be sure not to miss any of your workouts!  This is the time of year where people LOVE to bake and have potlucks and holiday party gatherings.  Just because someone decides to bake you an entire container of cookies, pies, banana bread WITH chocolate chips and peanut butter frosting (thanks a lot Mary!!) doesn't mean you have to indulge in the entire thing.  This is the time to learn MODERATION.  Do you really need to eat 3 to 4 cookies???  NO, you don't!  Do you really need to grab a HUGE handful of M&Ms everytime you pass the holiday candy dish???  NO, you don't!

What I'm saying is, it's okay to enjoy a sweet here and there but all in moderation.  Why not start your New Years Resolution NOW?!  Decide to finally eat just one cookie and then put them away instead of the whole tin...if you do indulge then make a commitment to yourself and your health to go do at least 30 minutes of cardio so you know that you just put forth an effort to burn off some of those calories.

Some may be surprised to know that I have a major sweet tooth myself...what?!  A trainer who actually is a real human being?!  Yes, my friends I do enjoy a holiday goodie here and there but I'm a take a bite and I'm good type of person or if I do know I'm going to "go big" on the sweets on Christmas, I'll knock out 90 minutes of hard core working out BEFORE I enjoy eating whatever I want on that day.

Just be smart and don't make yourself feel guilty...I hope you are taking notes on all the suggestions I've made in my prior blogs about amounts of time you need to spend working off the calories you intake.  Don't just read about it...BE ABOUT IT!

So let me end with this...I am truly thankful and grateful for what I get to do for a living each and every day which is CHANGE LIVES and TOUCH SOULS thru the power of fitness and teach people how to make it a LIFESTYLE not just a fad diet.  Enjoy life but know that to live longer, we must MOVE! 

Once again, I want to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Holiday and hope you get everything you ask for!  If it's a HEALTHIER, HAPPIER YOU...that's easy, just MOVE!  Play with your kids...do some jumping jacks...throw a baseball back and forth....kick a soccer ball...jog in place...dance in your living room, there's no rules...just MOVE!

Thanks as always for taking the time to read my blog and know that I will be back again next week for the last blog of 2011.  New videos will start up once again when 2012 hits!  Please feel free to share my fitness blogs with your family and friends...and if you haven't done so yet JOIN TODAY as a follower.  Happy, Healthy Holidays my Fitness Friends!!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

CAN U REALLY LOSE BELLY FAT???? YES...U...CAN!

Hi Fitness Friends!  So I've just had another one of my fantastic workouts, FITNESS IS FUN!  And after doing 65 minutes on my elliptical while doing various kettle bell exercises for 30 minutes of that cardio, followed by crazy abdominal work and wonderful stretching, I'm feeling pretty darn good AND energized to take on another beautiful day with my son Pry'nce.

Today's blog topic is one that I've had a lot of blog followers along with Moms in general ask me if it's possible...can you REALLY lose belly fat?  Well my friends, that answer is YES!  I will say that after being in this fitness industry as long as I have, it's nice to be able to relate to Moms out there who used to tell me when I would train them "well Famisha, YOU would never understand what it feels like to have belly fat because you've never had a child...you'll see it's much different once you have a child to get your abs tight again or to have a flat stomach..."  Well, to those past clients I say guess what?!  I DO UNDERSTAND because I have had a child and know how your body can change once you bring a life into the world.

The best feeling in the world (besides bringing another life into this world that you helped create) is getting back into ALL of your pre-pregnancy clothes and even having some of your way over-priced designer jeans that you just HAD to buy (hence my stack of Diesel, Miss Sixty and Joe jeans in my closet) before your first child be even a bit BIG on you!  Listen up girls...it can AND will happen to you too!

There isn't a big secret that I'm going to share with you today on losing belly fat after having a kid(s).  I'm just going to keep it real with you on the very simple trick it takes to lose that belly fat and that is #1, PROPER FOOD INTAKE...#2, WATCH YOUR EMPTY CALORIES (do you really need to average 6 beers on a Friday night and 3-4 martinis on a Saturday night)... or soda with all those bubbles just helping your stomach poof out and stick out even more like a muffin top over your jeans...#3, CARDIO (you've gotta move!!) and #4 VARIOUS CORE EXERCISES (ie:  planks, planks and MORE planks!!).

Here's the deal, if you really want to get back to your pre-pregnancy size OR if you're not a mom but find yourself using the excuse of being in your 30s the reason for why your weight gain just continues to happen each year because "you know how it is Famisha, your metabolism slows down once you hit your 30s."  Well, yes I do know that once you hit your 30s you no longer have the metabolism of a 20 year old but let me tell you, myself and a lot of my other Fitness Freak gym moms in our 30s have a kid(s) and look even better than we did in our 20s!  Some even look much better now in their 40s...and you know why?  Because it's become a lifestyle to MOVE...MOVE..MOVE!

Okay, enough of what sounds like a lecture.  Let me break down my TOP 5 BELLY FLATTENING MUST-DO EXERCISES:  #1, Prone-iso Abs, also known as a Plank.  Lift yourself up on your forearms with your toes up and your body straight.  Engage your abs...meaning act as though there is a string attached to your belly button and is being pulled to your spine, squeeze your glutes (butt) and hold this in the beginning for 10 seconds eventually working your way up to 60 seconds at one time.  If you've never done this before, do the modified version on your knees keeping your back nice and straight, enjoy! 

#2, ENGAGE YOUR ABS...stop right now!  How are you sitting?  Sit up tall, roll your shoulders back and pull your belly button towards your spine.  Do this while driving your car, working at your computer, standing in line at the grocery store...do it! 

#3, Physio Ball Crunches.  I love these!  Not only do they work the abs...they strengthen your back too!  Lay back on the ball with your feet gently supported by the wall and the ball at your mid-back, gently support your neck and crunch up...do 3 sets of 15 reps eventually working it up to 3 sets of 30. 

#4, Side Planks...this WILL shrink your waistline more than you know!  Gently lay on your side, stack your legs on top of one another and gently lift your hip up while resting on your forearm...roll your shoulder back and hold this for 10 seconds...eventually working up to 60 seconds.  Modified is keeping your bottom leg on the floor while lifting your top leg up, do BOTH sides! 

Finally, #5 is good old-fashioned bicycles.  Lay on your back with your hands gently behind your neck and twist your body with your right elbow touching your left knee (the lower your opposite leg is to the ground, the harder your working, but know it's okay to have your leg high in the beginning) keep switching elbow to knee and do 3 sets of 15 reps...working your way up to 3 sets of 30.  FLAT ABS HERE YOU COME!

Now remember, you must get in NO LESS than 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise as well to help shed the layers of fat.  Trust me EVERYONE has a tight, tone stomach just dying to get out, so start these exercises TODAY!  And watch your empty calories...drink 5 to 6 glasses of water a day.  Have fun watching the new flat, tone tummy come out in time for the New Year or before the Spring...depends on how HARD YOU WORK!

Today's video blog will be the FINAL ONE of the year...this will be ending our 2011 Season of Fitness is Fun with your Kids videos on Youtube but we will be returning after the NEW YEAR!  Today's blog is about the importance of stretching and gives you some stretching tips that you can do from the privacy of your home along with your kid(s).  So grab a seat on the floor with your kid(s) or by yourself and STRETCH...enjoy! :-)

Hope you've enjoyed today's fitness blog and video!  Join TODAY as a follower, if you haven't done so yet.  Have a fabulously  fit day!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

HOW DO U MAINTAIN...ESPECIALLY DURING THE HOLIDAYS????

Hi Fitness Friends!  It's another beautiful day in paradise!  So I had quite a few interesting questions that you awesome blog followers have asked me to speak on this week and the one I've decided to choose for this week is the "now that I've hit my fitness goal, how do I maintain where I'm at during the holiday?"  Well, it's actually quite easy...

Okay, so you're finally in that GOAL SIZE that you've been dreaming of since having your "baby" 5 years ago or maybe even longer and the scale no longer upsets you when you step on it cautiously during a weigh in.  Now what?!  Believe me, I understand that this is the time of year that we are constantly heading to holiday parties (my family and I were just at one this past Saturday and have ANOTHER one coming up THIS weekend and then another one coming up the following weekend).  So I feel you!

Here is the key...ENERGY IN VS ENERGY OUT!  I am the last person you can say "oh, I'm just WAY too busy to workout" to.  I've got this to do and that to do...well, you know what you need to make a priority RIGHT NOW is getting in your workout no less than 5 days a week; especially during this time of year.  I'm not talking about 90 minute workouts (which is what I personally LOVE doing but unfortunately can't do 90 minutes EVERYDAY, but get pretty close), every little bit counts!  Make your health a PRIORITY.  If it means WALKING to pick your child up from school in the afternoon instead of driving, that's movement.  Try and get in some movement a day even if it's just 5 to 10 minutes here and 5 to 10 minutes there...it all adds up, trust me!

If you're headed out to a holiday event, make sure you EAT something light at home before going because then you won't sprint to the hor'devoures table because you're starving.  Also, drink tons of water...if you don't like water, add a twist of lemon, a squirt of lime juice or a 5 calorie Crystal Light packet (but remember those 5 calories count).  Drink 5 to 6 glasses of 16oz of water a day.

The working out part is easy.  Try to get in at least ONE hour of cardio combined with weight resistance training during your 5 day a week workout.  Remember, it doesn't have to all be at the same time...move throughout the day and be sure it equates to an hour of exercise.  By doing this, you WILL maintain your current fitness level that you have attained.  It really doesn't get any easier than this!  There is no big secret to maintaining your weight and size except by just continuing to move and watch the food intake...

One last thing, I know you've heard this from me before but remember, if you do over-indulge the night before at a holiday party then DO NOT sit around or lay around the next day.  Movement is key the day after a big night out!  It's extremely crucial you get in your 60 minutes total for the day of exercise so the scale doesn't scare you two days later when you step on it!

Since I talked about 5 to 10 minutes here and there of exercise, let's get into today's video.  Today once again shows you in a quick 5 minutes how to get in some FUN weight resistance training with your kid(s).  All you need to do is grab yourself and 2 bottles of water, your kid(s) and a fun attitude.  I hope you enjoy it!

Feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have.  Join TODAY as a follower, if you haven't done so yet.  Hope you enjoyed today's fitness video blog.

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!

Famisha :-)

 

PORTION CONTROL DURING THE HOLIDAYS!!

Good morning fitness friends!  Hope all of you had a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday and are preparing for this month's fun holiday season.  I myself will be taking my son Pry'nce to see Santa today...fun day ahead!  However before I do that, I would love to talk about something that I was chatting about with one of my loyal blog followers yesterday at the gym...PORTION CONTROL.

So I know during this time of year, we all go to a lot of Holiday parties.  If you work in an office, I'm sure there's constant pastries, cakes, donuts, holiday candy and potlucks happening like there's no tomorrow.  Well, I'm not going to tell you what you'd expect to hear coming from a Personal Trainer which is DON'T EAT IT.  The resaon I'm not going to say that is because I know that it is easier said than done and I have a huge success rate with clients because I teach them MODERATION not DEPRIVATION.

Portion control my friends!  To keep yourself from getting out of control this holiday season so you don't join the other MILLIONS of people out there in January who decide that January is the month they FINALLY decide to get in shape...you are gonna get your jumpstart on the New Year NOW!    So here are some examples of how to measure out your portions so you can enjoy yourself at all the festivities you'll be attending probably starting THIS upcoming weekend.

A "medium" potato is the equivalent of a computer mouse, a "medium sized" piece of fruit or vegetable is the equivalent of a tennis ball, one fourth cup of dried fruit or raisins is a golf ball, an Average bagel is the same size as a hockey puck, pancake or slice of bread should be the same size of a dvd, cup of fruit should be the size of a baseball, cup of lettuce is actually four leaves, 3 ounces of cooked meat or poultry is the same size of a cassette tape (don't act like you don't remember those!!), 3 ounces of grilled fish (yummy) is the size of your checkbook, 1 ounce of cheese is the same as four dice, 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine is the size of a postage stamp, 1 tablespoon of salad dressing is the same as the tip of your thumb, 1 ounce of nuts or CANDIES is 1 SMALL handful and finally 1 ounce of chips or pretzels is 1 LARGE handful.

I hope these examples help and if you're still interested in more eating tips, I can go into more detail in next week's blog in substitutions for simple everyday things that we eat as well.  But for today, try to use my examples when you get ready to DIG into that holiday candy dish. 

Now, let's get into today's video blog...we're taking you outside today.  Bundle up and go to one of your green belts in your neighborhood TODAY and have fun with your kid(s).  You'll burn some calories and won't feel so guilty after you enjoy that special treat you have sitting in your house that you "only" eat during the holiday season.  I hope you enjoy it!

Hope you enjoyed today's video and fitness blog.  If you haven't done so yet, JOIN TODAY as a follower.  Feel free to leave any comments and questions you may have.  Thanks for checking out my blog!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS! Important calorie info...

Hi Fitness Friends!!  This will be a quick blog...I promise!  I first and foremost want to thank my loyal followers that follow my blog and I hope to gain even more followers in the near future.  I am very thankful for you taking the time to read my blog every week and watch my video blogs of Pry'nce and I showing you how FUN fitness can be!

Since tomorrow is a holiday, I thought I'd give you a bit of info on the calories you are about to ENJOY tomorrow and the amount of time you must spend to burn them off.  I know, I know...first I did this to you at Halloween and now Thanksgiving?!  And the answer is, YES!  That's what I'm here for my friends, I'm here to keep it real!

Okay so I'm just going to touch on a few of the popular Thanksgiving items that most of you will be enjoying along with the quality time with your family...here we go!  TURKEY...6 oz serving size is 340 calories, time spent to burn off on treadmill is 35minutes if on elliptical 56minutes, HAM...6 oz serving size is 300 calories, time spent to burn off on treadmill is 31minutes if on elliptical 49minutes, STUFFING...1/2 cup serving size is 180 calories, time spent to burn off on treadmill is 18minutes if on elliptical 39 minutes, MASHED POTATOES...1/2 cup serving size is 150 calories, time spent to burn off on treadmill is 15minutes if on elliptical 25minutes, DINNER ROLLS...1 roll is 155 calories (with butter), time spent to burn off on treadmill is 15minutes if on elliptical is 24minutes, CRANBERRY SAUCE...1/2 cup serving size is 190 calories time spent to burn off on treadmill is 20minutes if on elliptical is 31minutes, GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE...1/2 cup serving size is 150 calories, time spent to burn it off on treadmill is 23minutes if on elliptical is 37minutes, GRAVY...1/2 cup serving size is 150 calories, time spent to burn it off on treadmill is 15minutes if on elliptical 25minutes, PUMPKIN PIE...1 piece is 180 calories, time spent to burn it off on treadmill is 18 minutes if on elliptical 30minutes, and lastly MY FAVORITE...yes, I do actually have a favorite!  I'm human too people...PECAN PIE...get ready for it...it's pretty bad...1 piece is 525 calories!!!  time spent to burn it off on treadmill is 55min if on elliptical 70minutes.

So there you go my friends!  I know I probably left out more items that some of you may add to the mix, like HOMEMADE MAC N CHEESE, SWEET POTATOES, etc, etc...but I don't want to ruin your Thanksgiving, I just want to give you a heads up!  So now that you know what you will need to do to burn off all of those delicious calories you're going to enjoy tomorrow...enjoy!  Just be sure to get in some time for exercise...rather than sit on the couch and take a nap after consuming all that food, GO FOR A WALK..if it's a beautiful day outside, if not, just know you need to work out the next day.

I hope I didn't freak too many of you out today with these stats, but I just want to do my job as your FIT DIVA and give you the scoop on the calories in vs calories out.  I want to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy this time with your family and take a moment to be thankful for all the things that matter in life...most importantly your health and fitness.  By staying healthy, you can actually enjoy spending time with your family...and live longer.

No video blog tomorrow due to the holiday, but I will see you next Thursday for a new blog and video!  Please JOIN TODAY as a follower if you haven't done so yet. Thanks for reading and once again, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Time for me to go work out so I can burn those calories I'll be consuming tomorrow! ;-)

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

FITNESS IS FUN!! YES, I'M SERIOUS!

Good morning friends!  I hope you're all having an awesome morning so far!  Do I really need to tell you how my day is going?  Well, let's just say...I already had the best workout this morning because FITNESS IS FUN and am now preparing myself to have an even better afternoon bonding with my son.  Life...is...good!

So today's blog is about informing you of WHY I believe that fitness is so fun!  Now, I want you to know something...my household isn't just filled with a bunch of Fitness Freaks.  Granted, my husband used to be a Professional Extreme Athlete (BMX/Downhill Mtn Biking which can be pretty intense, have you ever seen a Downhill race?  Crazy!!) and my son LOVES going into the gym with me and working out along side me.  However, everytime I exclaim how fun fitness is my husband informs me that not everyone believes that the kind of fitness I enjoy is enjoyable to all.  In which I look at him crazy because what in the world is he talking about?!  Well, he's talking about the crazy CORE stuff I like to do in my home gym along with weights and the intense bootcamp stuff I enjoy doing.  Because as much as I LOVE fitness, I don't see how riding a bike for 2-3 hours straight is fun...which is what he enjoys.  So we're even!

What is my point you ask???  Well, my point is fitness can be defined in many different ways.  There aren't any RULES as to what one is allowed to call the "perfect" workout.  It can be dancing around in your living room while you clean...playing catch with your kid(s) outside...running and chasing your kid(s) outside...and the most obvious weight training, cardio machines, etc...  As long as you're MOVING, you are doing something good for your mind and body!

So instead of looking at your watch today and thinking "ugh, I still have to go to the gym today...I'm just way too tired...too busy...too (INSERT YOUR EXCUSE HERE)."  Decide to do something FUN that is going to involve MOVEMENT and calorie BURN...Fitness is Fun when you are doing something enjoyable.  I have heard EVERY excuse in the book from I work full-time to I have kids and need to take them to their afterschool events.  STOP MAKING EXCUSES!  From a Working Mom who is also a very involved parent who's constantly chauffering my son around (and he hasn't even started elementary school yet!) I know how busy life can get with all your different commitments.  But take FIVE to TEN minutes out of your day starting TODAY and do something for your health and fitness....MOVE!!!

Which leads me to today's video...what to do when it's raining outside???  Well, today's video gives you some fun, quick exercises that you can do at home WITH your kid(s) because promoting health and fitness at an early age can keep your child from developing health risks such as CHILDHOOD OBESITY.  I hope you enjoy it!  All you need is a couch and some fun play balls laying around the house...so get your kid(s),  grab a ball, get by the couch and let's work out!

I hope you enjoyed today's video!  Next week I promise to get back to answering questions you may have so send them my way.  FOLLOW my blog today if you haven't joined yet and have yourself an absolutely FABULOUSLY FIT DAY!  Remember...Fitness is Fun!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!

Famisha :-) 



THE "S" WORD...SODIUM!!!!

Greetings friends!  Hope you're all having an absolutely FABULOUS day so far.  I myself am feeling pretty fantastic!  So this week's blog is on a topic that one of my awesome blog followers has asked me to speak on which is SODIUM...the foods highest in it and what you can do to cut your sodium intake, so let's get into it!

Ok, first of all let me tell you what Sodium is exactly:  sodium is a major mineral that your body actually needs to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure.  However, TOO much sodium can actually be linked to High Blood Pressure.  Too much of it can cause major fluid retention and swelling in feet, hands and the area that 99% of my clients always want to trim down...the MID-SECTION.  Here's the deal, HEALTHY adults should only consume 2400mg of sodium a day.  Which is plenty!

The foods containing the highest amounts of sodium are processed and pre-packaged foods (FROZEN MEALS)!!!  Here are foods to avoid:  Processed Meats such as hotdogs (sorry baseball fans!), sausage, bacon, corned beef, salt pork and ham.  Salted Snacks such as chips (but you knew this already, right?!), pretzels, crackers and popcorn...darn movie theaters, moderation my friends, moderation.  Condiments such as soy sauce (get the LITE soy sauce with your sushi), bbq sauce, ketchup, steak sauce and some salad dressings.  Salted Seasonings such as garlic salt, onion salt, and some meat tenderizers.  Canned foods such as soups, tomato sauce, and canned veggies.  Packaged Foods such as flavored or instant rice, TOP RAMEN soup (sorry college students...but seriously, one package contains over 1000mg of sodium), and tv dinners.  Fast Food...ummm, pretty much ALL fast foods serve high sodium foods.  Lastly, most cheese; especially processed cheese spreads are high in sodium.

So now that I've broken down probably almost ALL of your favorite foods that you now realize contain a ton of sodium, you're either A...mad at me for the reality check or B thinking "what am I supposed to eat at the movies now?!"  Well, don't get all bent out of shape my friends, as I say on a daily basis to my clients...all in MODERATION.  I just want you to be made aware of the items that contain the MOST sodium.  Remember you're allotted 2400mg of sodium a day, so be very selective with how you choose to receive that macronutrient.  It's your body...but stay within the 2400mg!

Ok, so I'll give you some quick options of how you can actually LOWER your sodium intake...here are my top 5.  #1. Do not add salt while cooking your food OR at the table once you're about to eat.  #2. Choose frozen and canned foods withOUT added salt.  #3. Choose FRESH (there are lots of fresh, yummy veggies out there...just go to the produce section at your grocery store) unprocessed foods.  #4. LIMIT your trips to the fast food restaurants.  And #5.  Look for "low sodium" or "unsalted" on package labels.

So now you're thinking, "Look Famisha, I'm not trying to eat BLAND tasting food!"  Believe me, I'm not telling you to eat bland food what I'm telling you is be "aware" of how much salt you're putting into your system.  Here are my top 5 ways you can still season your food and have it taste delicious.  #1. Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice (yummy!)  #2.  Use Herbs and Spices.  #3.  Pepper (anyone who eats with me has seen me load my food up on pepper, I love the stuff!!)  #4.  Fresh or Powdered Garlic and Onions.  #5.  Flavored Vinegar.

That's pretty much it on my thoughts regarding sodium....ok, really it's not because I could get into the Diet Sodas that people think are doing them a favor (it's ZERO calories, so it's "healthy"), but really aren't because it actually ADDS to the bloating around the mid-section.  But I will save that for a future blog if my fabulous blog followers would like me to break down why drinking a 6pack of Diet Coke is not the best thing for that six-pack you've been dreaming of all your life...  I hope you've enjoyed today's blog on Sodium and will take the info that I've given you and make healthier and better choices in what you eat today, tomorrow and frankly from now on.  Remember, everything in MODERATION...it's okay to have the occasional popcorn at the movies...hotdog (yuck!  sorry not my personal favorite) but for those of you that enjoy them at the occasional sporting event.  Just watch the rest of your sodium intake for the day!

Today's video blog was a fun one to shoot...we take you OUTSIDE and to your local high school stadium.  There's no excuse!  Movement is key and I know my son Pry'nce and I had a really good time shooting this one and even kept "playing" when the camera stopped rolling.  Feel free to post your comments and any questions you may have regarding today's blog and I hope you enjoy the video!  Get outside and MOVE!!

JOIN TODAY as a follower if you haven't done so yet!  Thanks for your support.

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

What's so GREAT about fruit anyway?!

Good afternoon my friends!  Hope everyone is having as good of a Fabulously Fit Fall Thursday as myself.  How can you not be active with such beautiful weather outside???  Okay, enough about the gorgeous afternoon...let me get right into today's blog.  Well, one of my awesome blog followers asked me to talk about fruit and make suggestions on the ones I enjoy and why...so here you go!

Here are my TOP 15...I promise to be brief because I'm sure you're thinking what's so exciting about fruit and why is Famisha always telling me to get 3 to 5 servings of this stuff a day?  Well, here's the WHAT and the WHY!

Apples, serving size of 1 apple is only 81 calories and is a great anti-oxidant that helps regulate blood sugar, not to mention it's a good carb!  Apricots..yummy!  Serving size of 1 is ONLY 16 calories and is also a powerful anti-oxidant which is packed with lots of Vitamin A.  Banana is my next favorite (any and everyone has seen me eat at least one to two of these a day...I love them!) one banana is 108 calories and what I love about this fruit is it's the BEST source of potassium...the average banana contains 467mg of potassium and ONLY 1mg of sodium plus it's high in fiber and helps prevent high blood pressure!

Okay, so I just gave you my first three fruits that I highly recommend...here are 5 more.  Blueberries are only 81 calories for one cup and have thee HIGHEST anti-oxidant capacity among fruit.  It's also said to improve memory which helps if you tend to be as scatter brained as myself!  Studies also show that blueberries (along with other berries) have favorable impact on blood sugar regulation in people already diagnosed with blood sugar problems.  Cantaloupe is next...1 cup is only 56 calories and it is an excellent source of Vitamin A, please make sure you wash the outside BEFORE cutting it open.  Cranberries are only 46 calories for 1 cup and contain Vitamin C and lots of Fiber...for you women out there, cranberries help protect against those horrible UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections).  Now some of you may think this next fruit is gross, but I love it...Grapefruit!  A half of grapefruit is only 36 calories and it's rich in Vitamin C not to mention it also helps your immune system.  Then there's Grapes (which most people see me snacking on in between clients during the day).  They are only 61 calories for 1 cup and listen up...if you have a trainer like myself telling you to step up your servings of fruit a day, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret...are you paying attention???  45 to 60 grapes counts as 3 FRUIT SERVINGS!!!  So go crazy my friends!

Are you starting to understand what's so great about fruit???  I hope so, here are my last 7.  Kiwi is only 46 calories for 1 piece and get this, has MORE Vitamin C than an orange!!!  It's also another great anti-oxidant and is a good source of dietary fiber.  Speaking of Orange, you guessed it...it's next!  As most of you already know, an orange is a great source of Vitamin C not to mentiona good snack and is only 61 calories.  Do I really need to tell you it's a great anti-oxidant and helps the immune system?  If so, I just did.  Papayas are next, now they are 118 calories for 1 piece but get this, they are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A which are 3 very powerful anti-oxidants.  A papaya is also a great source of Fiber which lowers high cholesterol levels.  Pineapples are next (yummy!!)  It's 75 calories for 1 cup and also is a good source of Thiamin and Vitamin B...it's also a great immune support with the Vitamin C it contains.  Raisins are another good HIGH ENERGY low fat snack fruit.  It's 108 calories for /25 cup and is also a good anti-oxidant.  One of my favorites that you hear me talk about alot is Strawberries.  Strawberries are only 43 calories for 1 cup is one of the best fruit sources of Vitamin C as well as an anti-oxidant and inflammatory nutrient.  Lastly is Watermelon, it's only 48 calories for 1 cup and is also a great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

Does this make you want to go out to the grocery store and get yourself some fruit?!  I hope so!  These are not only delicious snacks that you can eat throughout the day but extremely healthy as well.  And if you get thirsty, drink some water and squeeze a lemon in it!  Lemons are refreshing and are only 30 calories for 1/2 a cup.  Couldn't help it, had to squeeze one more fruit in!  But you ask and you shall receive, so there's my take on fruit and my top 15 ones, okay 16 to choose from.  Hope this helps!

Now let's get into today's video.  Today we're chillin things out a bit and showing you how to do Yoga with your kids.  This is great for your mind, body and soul.  Plus, your kids will enjoy it too and it strengthens, relaxes and calms you all at the same time!  Enjoy!

Thanks for your support!  If you enjoyed my blog and haven't done so yet, JOIN TODAY as a blog follower!  Enjoy the rest of your week and take some time to do something positive for your health and fitness...NAMASTE.
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

"CHEAT DAY" IS IT WORTH IT????

Good morning my friends!  Hope you are having a fabulous one so far.  I myself just had another fantastic workout and am thrilled to get outside and enjoy this BEAUTIFUL 80 degree (finally!!) Fall day playing with my son.  But before I do that, I would like to answer one of my blog followers question and that is how do I feel about the one "cheat day" a week theory...

So as a Fitness Professional and Fitness Freak, I pride myself on getting my clients AMAZING results.  How do I do that you ask???  Well, it's by making "fitness" your lifestyle and not depriving yourself of anything.  The key is to NOT feel guilty for having something that wouldn't be considered the healthiest choice when it comes to food.  However, your body is a TEMPLE and you should treat it as such.

I don't like the word "CHEAT" period.  Here's the deal, the minute you say "Thank goodness it's Saturday...it's my CHEAT day!"  You are going to more than likely eat out of control and pretty much make yourself almost sick from all the JUNK you decide to put into your body for the day.  Plus, it concerns me when I hear people say their trainer lets them "cheat" one day a week.  The reason it concerns me is it is setting a person up to binge and that usually leads to something even more unhealthy and frankly scary...possibly causing an eating disorder.

So here's my Professional Opinion...and personal too of course!  Eat 3 to 4 servings of fruits and veggies a day.  Trust me, it's not hard I promise!  There are way too many yummy fruits and veggies to choose from.  You can't possibly hate ALL fruits and veggies!  Eat some healthy fats, such as fish (halibut, tilapia, salmon...my fav!), nuts (pistachios, peanuts, cashews, almonds), good complex carbs (whole wheat pasta, whole wheat grain bread, bananas, apples, and whole wheat tortillas, and solid proteins (skim milk, egg whites, tuna, protein shakes, lean turkey meat, chicken, etc).  If you're still feeling like that mini-chocolate bar ( that you allegedly bought for the trick or treaters, right??)....EAT IT!  But also refer to last week's blog so you know how much you need to MOVE to burn it off!

Finally, if you haven't figured it out yet...I DO NOT believe in eat "clean" for 6 days and go crazy on "cheat" day #7.  Does anyone truly eat totally clean EVERYDAY???  Unless you are training to go on stage for a bodybuilding/figure competition the answer is NO.  I pride myself on eating pretty clean because I actually love healthy food and think that most of it actually tastes good, but if I want a glass of wine...I'm having a glass of wine.  And that glass of wine isn't being saved for a specific day to eat JUNK FOOD and drink heavily.  Please make your eating habits a part of a healthy lifestyle.  If you eat healthy and MOVE 60-90 minutes a day, you FEEL GOOD.

So my friends, make EVERYDAY a good day and don't make yourself feel bad if you "slip up" and eat something that isn't exactly the best choice...just burn it off.  My most successful weight loss/maintenance clients are the ones who make a LIFESTYLE CHANGE and choose to "eat to live" not "live to eat."

This week I will not be showing a video clip (sorry!!) but please don't hesitate to scroll down and check out my past videos and get outside today with your kids and MOVE!  Remember...FITNESS IS FUN!!  I promise to have a new video next week along with a topic that you may be interested to know my opinion on....so send your questions my way! 

If you haven't done so yet, please join my blog as a follower TODAY and thanks as always for reading.  Have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN and remember...trick or treating is for the KIDS! ;-) 

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

HOW MANY STEPS MUST YOU TAKE TO BURN OFF THAT HALLOWEEN CANDY???

Hello my friends!  Hope you're finding today to be a very productive and happy day.  I myself started today off with a fabulous 90 minute, 600 calorie BURN workout followed by a very fun afternoon with my son and now it's time to answer this week's blog question regarding SWEETS substitutes (are there really any??? ;-) and the FACT about that Halloween candy YOU may or may not have already have been consuming.

Are you ready?!  Here we go!  First of all, if you are someone who craves chocolate ALL THE TIME, the last thing you want to hear from me (the TRAINER) is substitute it for fruit.  So I'll tell you some good substitutes which may include some fruit...sorry!  But also some low calorie treats.  If you have a sweet tooth, then here are some SWEET tasting fruit that you can enjoy GUILT-FREE.  Strawberries are my #1 favorite sweet substitute!  You can put one scoop of Non-fat or LITE whip cream on it and call it a day!  Low in calories AND fat!  How about some kiwi...or raspberries...or pineapple??  Those are also my other top sweet tasting but good for you fruit/sweet substitutes that you can have that won't mess with your WAISTLINE!

What about chocolate??!!  Well, getting to your fitness goal doesn't mean CUT EVERYTHING OUT...you know why???  Because the minute you go back to your craving(s) after you've dropped all your weight, you will most likely gain your weight back and more.  Soooo...why not grab that low-fat chocolate pudding snack for only 100 calories OR that Skinny Cow ice cream bar that's 4grams of fat and 150 calories.  Remember, knowing how much you consume in all your macronutrients is key...most people are allotted 24-45 grams of fat in their daily food intake.  So MODERATION IS KEY!  Low on protein for the day but want some chocolate?  Have a glass of milk (very high in protein) and squeeze some fat-free chocolate syrup in it and there's your treat.  Have that one hershey kiss (instead of 20) to satisfy your chocolate craving and you just had 26 calories vs. 520 calories.  It's okay...you will survive, but do NOT eat these treats EVERYDAY. 

Now speaking of hershey kisses, let's talk about HALLOWEEN CANDY.  I am going to break it down for you my friends!  If you decide to enjoy eating your kid(s) halloween candy let me give you some FACTS.  20 pieces of candy corn equals 1 mile/2200 steps to burn it off, 2 caramels is 3/4 mile which equals 1700 steps, 2 Hershey Kisses is 1/2 mile which equals 1100 steps, 1 minature Reese's peanut butter cup is 1/3 mile which equals 750 steps, "Fun Size" chocolate candy such as Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Butterfingers, 1 regular peanut butter cup, etc is 1 mile which equals 2200 steps, FULL size chocolate candy bars such as Snickers, 2 cup pkg of Reese's peanut butter cup, etc is 2.75 miles which equals 5800 steps AND last but not least KING size chocolate candy bars like Snickers, etc is 5 miles which equals 11,000 steps needed to BURN it off! 

Take this info, write it down...print it out...tape it to your fridge but remember it as you start to go to Halloween parties and prepare yourself for the big Halloween Night.  If you just have to have that candy...then you better prepare yourself for the amount of steps you are going to need to take to BURN IT OFF.  Remember my friends...Trick or Treating for candy is for the KIDS!  And please watch your kid(s) sugar intake as well...unless you want an extremely hyper child.  If they're consuming candy, then they must MOVE...

Which leads me to today's fitness video...BOXING MY FRIENDS!  Why can't you box in the privacy of your own home without a punching bag or gloves?!  Well, you CAN!  Today's video gives you 3 quick and easy basic boxing moves that you can enjoy doing at home with your kid(s).  It will definitely get your heart rate up and get those calories burning...enjoy watching!

Please feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have.  Also, if you enjoy reading my fitness video blogs and haven't done so yet...JOIN TODAY as a follower.  Thanks for your support!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

HOW TO WORK OUT YOUR ABS!

Hello my friends!  One of my fabulous blog followers has asked me to write about how to work out those difficult "lower" abdominal muscles...so today's topic is:  how to work out your abs!  Now before I get into four ab exercises I absolutely live by on a daily basis, I would like to explain what your ab muscles are exactly.  So if you don't mind me educating you for a minute...here you go!   First, let me tell you what CORE means...I know most of you hear people talk about how they love doing "core" exercises or only do "core" training...well, let me tell you, your CORE is not made up of just your abdominal muscles.  Your core is made up of essentially two layers of muscle.  The deepest layer is called the "inner unit" and consists of muscles that help stabilize the spine.  Then there is the "outer unit" which are the "movers" of the body...Erector Spinae muscles.  These muscles run up and down the spine and their job is to help extend the spine.  So when you hear someone speak about their "core," they mean their abdominal/back muscles.    Contrary to belief, the abdominal muscle is one long muscle, not eight individual muscles, and it helps us flex our spine.  The muscles you see on the side of the rectus abdominis are the external obliques.  They sit on each side of the rectus abdominis, on top of the internal obliques, and they help us turn or twist our torso, among other things.  Let me explain alittle bit more of what each of those muscles do to help make up our ONE long abdominal muscle. The Transverse Abdominus is the deepest abdominal muscle which truly affects your posture, Internal Obliques are a pair of ab muscles which resides on each side of the torso which also are a big part of the rotation and lateral flexion of the spine, External Obliques are a pair of abdominal muscles which also reside on either side of the torso and are also involved in rotation and lateral flexion of the spine.  External Obliques also run in a V in front of the pelvis and function during breathing; particularly when exhaling.  Lastly is the Rectus Abdominus which is the most superficial...this is the most IMPORTANT abdominal muscle to most people because it's responsible for the SIX PACK or in some EIGHT PACK abs look in most fit people.  So...how in the world do YOU get the TIGHT...TONE...SIX PACK AB look?! 

Proper Nutrition is the first and truly REAL answer in getting the tighest and tonest abs you could ever want.  Believe me, I wish I could tell you "oh just do 200 ab crunches a day and you will have washboard abs."  Sorry it STARTS with proper nutrition...once you've got your nutrition dialed, here are some exercises that you MOMS and Non-Moms should try to do at least 4 to 5 times a week.  Lower abs are usually the hardest to tighten up (especially after having kids!!!) but here are some good ones for you to try.  #1...Prone-Iso Abs also known as the plank.  Lay down in a prone position (facing the floor) and bring both arms in front of you with your forearms down and hands in a blade, keep your neck straight as your eyes look down to the floor, slowly rise up on your toes with your back nice and straight.  Hold this position for 10 seconds...then try again for 20 seconds...then for 30 seconds...eventually I want you to hold for 60 seconds.  While holding this position, ENGAGE YOUR ABS...meaning, pull your belly button directly towards your spine and squeeze your glutes as you continue to hold this position and BREATHE!  Did you do it???  Great job!  #2...Lay down in a supine position (on your back) and gently rest your arms underneath your lower back, when you are ready...keep your legs straight and together and gently lift your legs off the ground, bring them up straight but don't lift your hips off the ground, bring them back down as low to the ground as you can but DON'T TOUCH...do 10 reps...then 20 reps...then 30 reps.  Good job!  #3...Ball Crunch.  If you have access to one, get on a physio ball and place it mid-back and crunch up with your hands gently supporting your neck and knees bent, push your belly button into the ball and exhale while you crunch up...do 15 reps...20 reps...30 reps.  Good job!  Lastly, lay in a supine position with your knees bent and hands behind your head, with your elbows OPEN, crunch up while bringing your knees to your chest at the same time...LOVE THE BURN!  Embrace it!  15 reps...20 reps...30 reps!  There are tons and tons more ab exercises that I can tell you about but for now try the 4 listed today.  If you can, do at least 3 sets of however many reps you can do with PROPER FORM.  Pick whichever set of reps work best for you that I suggested.  I hope these ideas help!  And remember EAT HEALTHY!  How important is it to you to have a nice, flat stomach?!  If you put in the work by doing these exercises, then treat yourself right by eating nutritously as well.

Okay, let's get into today's VIDEO...I'm taking you outside today!  In the video, we are working out at a basketball court, however you can use your drive way and instead of cones...use rocks.  But please, use the ideas I give you in today's video and get outside and MOVE with your kid(s)!!!  If you ain't moving...you ain't losing! :-)  Please feel free to send any comments or questions you may have my way and enjoy today's video!

Hope you enjoyed today's fitness video blog!  If you aren't a follower yet, please join TODAY.  Thanks for your support!
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

GOOD NUTRITIOUS SNACK/MEAL IDEAS FOR YOU BUSY MOMS!

Good afternoon my friends!  Hope you're finding it to be a very productive day so far.  One of my fantastic blog followers has asked for me to talk about heatlhy, nutritious snack and meal ideas for you BUSY MOMS out there looking for some new, fresh ideas to keep both yourself and your kid(s) fueled throughout the day.  So here you go!

First of all, EVERYONE needs to eat breakfast.  It doesn't matter how BUSY you are...I start my day at 4am and still put fuel into my body so that my metabolism starts working for me right away and I have energy.  The best type of ENERGY food if you're not really a breakfast eater is a banana.  It has a great source of potassium in it and is a very healthy carbohydrate....and carbs are ENERGY!  If a banana really isn't your favorite fruit of choice...go for an apple.  What particular apple you ask?  The type YOU like!  There's no rule...just pick your favorite and go with it!  It is another good source of carbs as well.  Now for your kids, you MUST start the habit NOW of getting them to eat breakfast.  As I've mentioned before, the childhood obesity rate is out of control and I can tell you one of the main reasons is that we let our kid(s) tell us that they're not hungry and don't want to eat breakfast...well, tough!  As moms it's our job to teach our kid(s) at a young age that we need to start our day off with FUEL so that we can function properly throughout the day and be able to focus in school, play and comprehend what is being taught to us.  Some breakfast suggestions are:  oatmeal (excellent protein AND carbs...plus fiber so you stay full longer), cereal...not the SUGARY stuff, whole wheat cheerios, slice of wheat toast with peanut butter, whole wheat waffle with sugar free syrup or peanut butter, scrambled eggs (or egg whites, which my son loves), and yogurt which is a great source of calcium.  Always top the breakfast off with a huge glass of milk (hey!  do you want to grow up to be big and strong)?!  I'm talking to the kid(s) of course.  Kids 12 yrs and under it's good for it to be 2% milk...for you Moms...non-fat is perfect OR 1% milk.

Now, I'm not going to tell you what to feed yourself and/or your kid(s) for lunch and dinner because this blog would definitely be my LONGEST one yet.  But I felt it was very important for you to at least have some suggestions for the most important meal of the day which is breakfast.  So now I'm going to list snack ideas that are quick and easy for being on the go!  Sugar snap peas, apple slices, strawberries (if you're craving something sweet), grapes (red or green), blueberries (excellent anti-oxidant), raspberries, and cherry tomatoes.  Dry nuts are also a great go-to item when you need to fuel up on some energy snack...especially around 3pm when it's getting close to picking up your child from school and running them to their after school activity or if you're still at work and the vending machine is calling your name.  Some of my favorite nuts are raw unsalted almonds, pistachios (shelled), cashews, and peanuts.  These nuts are usually in the produce section of the grocery store...portion them out into baggies so that you don't nosh on too much and defeat the purpose of a healthy, quick snack.  String cheese and thinly sliced turkey meat (portioned out in a baggie) are another good source of quick and easy energy food.  Be careful with the turkey meat and the amount of sodium it has in it...if you insist on buying the packaged turkey meat, look for one that has the least amount of sodium per serving (460mg is a good amount).  Remember, a healthy diet is allotted 2400mg of sodium, anything above that will result in you retaining water and most MOMS want to lose around their mid-sections so be aware!  Lastly, if you insist on having something sweet...LOW-FAT pudding snack is fine (only about 100 cal) and can be thrown in your bag or sugar-free jello.  If you must have ICE-CREAM, go for fro-yo (frozen yogurt) instead...it's half the fat and less sugar than ice cream.  If you don't like fro-yo, then a good ice cream with the least amount of calories and fat than normal ice cream is Skinny Cow...usually only about 100-150 calories a serving and 3-4 grams of fat, but don't have it EVERY DAY!

I hope my suggestions helped you busy Moms and Non-Moms out there today and if you still have proper food intake questions, send them my way! 

Now let's move on to today's Fitness Video Blog.  Pay attention MOMMIES and DADDIES too!  Today's video blog is about going outside and incorporating a fun, fitness routine into both your child(s) and your life.  I hope you enjoy it and take some of what I show you in the video and play with your kid(s) today!  Please feel free to comment or send me any questions you may have...enjoy!

Hope you enjoyed it!  Thanks so much for reading and watching...comments and questions are always welcome.

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

The IMPORTANCE of Stretching...

Good afternoon my fitness friends!  I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful sunny "Fall" day...actually if you live in Arizona it's a very 95 degree sunny Fall day.  If you're reading this from a state that actually has true seasonal weather...then I wish you a Happy Fall Day!  Okay, now that we all know that it's officially Fall...let's get started on what I would like to speak with you about today...stretching!  Stretching is KEY to any fitness program but guess what?  Even if you don't exactly have a fitness routine that you are doing at this time, stretching can help you in your everyday life.  Now as a Master Personal Trainer and Bootcamp Instructor, let me tell you, I can tell when someone's hamstrings are super tight and the word "stretch" is a foreign language to that person...but by stretching those hamstrings, something as simple as a butt-kick (running backwards with you heels touching your glutes or jogging in place with your heels touching your glutes) becomes hard if you don't ever stretch your hamstrings.  If you have been sitting at your computer most of today working how are your shoulders right now?  I bet you they're rounded FORWARD and your head is also pushing FORWARD.  So let me help you out.  Stop....slowly roll your shoulders back and now gently place your right hand on the left side of your head with your head facing forward...now slowly keeping your right hand on the left side of your head, gently pull your head towards your right shoulder.  Deep inhalation and slow exhalation...try and hold this stretch for at least 30 seconds, now slowly release your right hand from the left side of your head.  Repeat this stretch except this time switch sides...meaning place your left hand on the right side of your head and do the exact same stretch.  Didn't that feel GLORIOUS?!  Is your lower back tight?  Stand up, and gently fold over from the waist and try to bring your fingertips as close to your feet as possible and hold this stretch...NO BALLISTIC MOVEMENT (meaning do not bounce as you hold this stretch) just hang forward and breathe in deep and exhale, this is a Static stretch.  Another good one for your lower back and tight hip flexors is lay on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you on the floor.  Gently bring your knees in to your chest and hold for 30 seconds as you enjoy this stretch, slowly move side to side while holding your knees....this is a gentle massage for your lower back.  One more stretch is the kneeling hip flexor stretch.  Almost EVERY one of my clients has tight hip flexors...especially you MOMS!  Bring yourself down to the floor and kneel down on your right knee, bring your left leg out in front of you (making sure your right knee is comfortable) and bring your body forward...make sure your left knee is not going over your left foot.  Bring your left arm down straight to your left side and bring your right arm up, slowly open your body up and twist toward your left side as you bring your body forward...do you feel that left hip flexor?  Hold that stretch for no less than 30 seconds and BREATHE through that burn.  Now repeat on the other side...meaning left knee down and follow the exact same instructions except using the opposite side.  These stretches I suggested to you today are going to help you excel in your fitness programs and will also help you stretch out any tight muscles you may have.  There are so many more stretches I could talk about today and if you have any questions on how to stretch out any other areas...send them my way!  That's what I'm here for! :-)  One last note before I talk about today's fitness video is ALWAYS stretch after you've warmed up for at least 10 minutes or AFTER you've performed your exercises (whether it be a bootcamp class, cardio, or weight resistance training).  You are at less risk of pulling a muscle when you perform a stretch once your body is WARM and stretching will allow you to recover better after a workout, so do it!

Okay, let's get into today's video...MOMS are you listening?!  Go grab your kid(s) and get ready to have some fun!  Today's video shows a quick little warm-up which you will see my son Pry'nce enjoyed greatly followed by 2 different types up squat exercises (every woman...AND men want to have tighter and toner thighs, right), a chest exercise as well as a tricep (tighten the back of those arms!!) exercise.  Remember, you can perform each and every one of these exercises in the comfort of your home without needing any equipment.  Enjoy!

Thanks for watching!  Feel free to leave comments and ask any questions you may have.
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

UNDERSTANDING WHAT COUNTS AS A CALORIE!!

Good afternoon my friends!!  I hope you are all having a fantastic day so far.  So today I want to talk about CALORIES.  Calories can be a tricky thing for some of you out there especially when it comes to trying to "count" your caloric intake for the day and if you're logging your food into a system such as Apex, Fitness Pal or many of the other tons of food logging systems out there.  Here's my question to you...are you REALLY eating as CLEAN and PERFECT as you think you are???  No offense, but I bet my professional answer would be NO.  It's interesting when I over hear people or even clients say "I eat soooo perfect, why aren't I losing any weight?!"  It must be my THYROID or I must have a SLOW METABOLISM...  Well, let me help all of you out today by asking you this:  Do you drink coffee?  If so, do you log your sugar packet(s) that you may add to it, your creamer, soy milk, non-fat milk...whip cream if you're getting something from Starbucks, right?  Do you drink Sugarfree Redbull?  I do!  Hey!  We can all have at least one vice, right?  Anyway, it still contains 10 calories...so log it!  Do you chew gum?  If so, is it sugarless?  If it is or isn't sugarless, did you LOG it down as food intake for the day?  If not, it's time to start!  Something as simple as looking at the label on that piece of gum your chewing will show you that you just consumed 5 CALORIES...even if you don't swallow it, you're still taking in CALORIES.  Did you take a peppermint candy after your lunch today or dinner last night?  LOG IT!  It counts as a CALORIE.  If you are eating a nice, healthy sub are you just inputting that you had a turkey sub on wheat but forgot to include the 3 slices of tomatoes which is 5 calories?  Or the slice of American cheese that's 40 calories?  Everything that you put in your mouth counts as a calorie!  I know you've heard this before, but if you get a salad...get the dressing on the side and dip your fork in.  This helps YOU control the amount of calories you're putting onto your salad.  Be aware of fat free dressings...they still have calories...21grams of a red wine vinaigrette still contains 30 calories.  Did you grab a handful of nuts out of a dish?  LOG IT!  Did you take a bite out of one of your child's chicken nuggets (yuck!  but let's face it, most kids seem to love chicken nuggets)...LOG IT!  So focus on getting your calories from 3 to 4 servings of fruit and vegetables a day....personally, I prefer 5 to 6 servings and my 4 year old son seems to love himself some brocolli, carrot sticks, corn (great starch!), bananas, apples, oranges, and I could go on and on!  Remember MOMS, our body is a TEMPLE...therefore, we need to make sure we are incorporating healthy eating habits into our children at a young age so they enjoy fruits and veggies and don't see having to eat them as "punishment."

Lastly, for those of you desperately trying to lose weight and the scale just doesn't seem to want to budge for you and is frankly being darn right DEFIANT.  Remember one FACT, 3500 calories equals ONE pound.  So put yourself at a 500 calorie DEFICIT per day, MOVE throughout the day (take @least 10,000 steps a day) so you are BURNING THOSE CALORIES and by the end of the week (day 7) you should be down ONE POUND.  But starting TODAY, please be honest with yourself about what and how much you are truly eating, chewing and drinking each day.  Remember, every calorie counts!  I hope this helps you have a better understanding of what a truly honest food log consists of...now get to logging and good luck!  Don't hesitate to send me questions if you have any.  I have a high success rate with WEIGHT LOSS with the clients I train and the ones who have had the greatest success...understand that EVERYTHING they put in their mouth counts as a calorie, are honest with themselves and their trainer (ME!) and that movement throughout the day all counts in getting to their fitness goal.

So now that I've hopefully educated you alittle bit more regarding calories, it's time to let you know what today's Fitness Video is all about...MOM'S ARE YOU LISTENING?   Okay, today's video shows some more ideas of incorporating fitness into both you and your child(ren)'s life.  If you only have 5 minutes to spare today to do something healthy, please check out the video.  It shows 3 main exercises that can be done with a broom or mop in the house and with your kid(s) play ball in the house.  So sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy the video!  Please post comments and questions...I would love to hear feedback!  ENJOY!

Thanks for taking the time to read and watch today's fitness video blog!  Once again, feel free to comment or ask questions...
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

FOUR FITNESS TIPS FOR THE DAY!

Hello my friends!  I hope you are having a fabulous morning so far today.  Today's blog is for those of you looking for quick easy fitness tips for yourself to be able to do in the middle of your busy day.  So are you ready???  Here you go!

Fitness Tip #1:  Stop!  How are you sitting right now?  Are you slumped over your computer right now?  Are your shoulders rounded forward??  Us Fitness Professionals call that "protracted shoulders."  Well, if you are...don't feel guilty!  90% of people in general sit hunched over their computers while reading or working.  So my first tip for you is...sit up TALL, roll those shoulders BACK and engage those ABS!  Engaging abs means to act as though there is a string attached to your belly button and it is pulling your belly button towards your spine.  Are you doing it?  If so, good job!  You just finished fitness tip #1.

Fitness Tip #2:  Do you have some cleaning to do today?  Or to be literal...do you have some sweeping to do today?  If so, grab that broomstick...rest it on your shoulders and stand with your feet hip width apart, feet straight (not turned out) and gently twist to your left and then to your right.  As you are doing this exercise, ENGAGE THOSE ABS!  Twist 10 times to each side...you have now worked out your external obliques (ie:  your ab muscles).  Repeat this at least 2 more times and then get back to sweeping! :-)

Fitness Tip #3:  SMILE!  There is nothing better than putting a smile on your face during a stressful moment.  Moms out there, your child won't go down for his or her nap???  Your child won't eat his or her breakfast/lunch/dinner???  Non-moms out there, your boss just dropped a new assignment on your desk @noon and said it's due TODAY by 5pm???  Rather than tense up...which means you're naturally going to bring your shoulders up to your ears possibly causing a pinched nerve in your neck.  Take a deep breath...slowly let it out and SMILE.  Smiling is healthy and you know what?  This stressful moment is going to pass and you will get through it!  So instead of frowning and tensing up, do the exact opposite...SMILING IS HEALTHY!

Fitness Tip #4:  Stuck on an hour conference call today?  Or how about the only minute you have is sitting at the table with your child as you feed them or help them with their homework?  Take a moment and do some calf raises...lift your heels up and put them down...heels up and put them down...repeat this 10 times for 3 sets.  Then stand up and sit down...but not all the way!  Squats...use your chair as your stopping point...do this 15 times and if possible for 3 sets.  Wearing a head set during your conference call or have it on speaker phone?  Or sitting at the table with your child?  Grab the edge of your chair, feet flat, bend your knees and with hands straight and shoulders DOWN (don't tense up) do some tricep dips.  10 reps...3 times!  Guess what?!  You just did a 5-10 minute workout for yourself today!

Now if I can have all you MOM'S out there attention...today's video clip is going to once again focus on how to incorporate fitness into both you and your child's life.  CHILDHOOD OBESITY is extremely upsetting and a big part of the problem is we don't teach our kids to MOVE and that FITNESS IS FUN!  So please take some time to watch my video and post feedback.  Also, don't hesitate to ask questions...that's why I'm here!  The exercises on the video can be used with water bottles and fun kids balls that most of you moms have around your house.  I will not be blogging next week, because me and my family are off on a week vacay to the BEACH and AMUSEMENT PARKS FUN...but will see you back here the week of the 19th.  Enjoy the video and please share with your friends!  Thanks for your continued support!

Hope you enjoyed the video!
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

IT'S A GREAT DAY TO GET IN SHAPE!!!!

Hello my Fitness Friends and soon-to-be Fitness Friends!!!  I hope you are all having a great start to your days.  I just had the most fantastic workout!  Some of you may not know this, but I just came off a week of NON-WORKING OUT (ugh!!)...now for those of you who take my Bootcamps and train with me know, I still "kind of" worked out but I truly did what the doctor and my body ordered and that was...REST.  How did I hurt my back you ask???  Was it having one of my INTENSE workouts???  NOOOO!!  Was it doing yoga????  NOOOO!  Was it playing with my son???  NOOOO!  Get ready...wait for it...I was sitting in my car and my back decided at that point in time to spasm!  Craziness my friends!  Well, I've gotta tell you, thank Goodness I...#1 have a fantastic doctor who recommended me to a fantastic chiropractor and #2 have a fantastic client (shout out to Jocelyn!) who recommended me to a fantastic massage therapist and finally #3 I am a Corrective Exercise Specialist and know what each muscle in my body is, what it is supposed to do and what can trigger such a CRAZY intense spasm such as the one I had.  Well, my friends...this week I am feeling like a CHAMP, taught bootcamp yesterday early morning and just had a great cardio session followed by light weight training 75 minute workout...followed by, you guessed it!  FOAM ROLLING!!!!  And now, I am FEELING GOOD!!!

So what am I going to talk to you about today, besides the injury I just recovered from which lets you know hey!  Random injuries can happen to any and all of us is...find some time to do something good for your health and fitness TODAY.  If you are a mommy since as you know my blog is entitled "MOMS!  You CAN get in shape!"  I especially want you to check out today's video clip of me and my 4 year old son showing how fun fitness can be.  I hope you find the tips I give in my videos helpful and I would love to hear some feed back.  Please post your comments onto my blog so I can know how you like the video and also feel free to ask me any fitness related questions you may have!  That's why I'm here every week for YOU!
Enjoy the video!
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

FITNESS IS FUN...WITH YOUR KIDS!!!

Hi everyone!  Click on the link below to check out today's for today's blog entry....bear with me as I learn how to post videos...Stay Fit and Happy!

Famisha :-)

http://qik.com/video/43679739

FITNESS IS FUN...with your kids!!

Hello all my Fitness Friends...and soon-to-be fitness friends!  Today's blog will be a quick one.  I just have to speak on something that I'm very passionate about (yes, it's fitness!) but it's also the OBESITY rate amongst people in general.  Nothing upsets me more than seeing children in my community who are overweight so here's today's blog and that is....FITNESS IS FUN...WITH YOUR KIDS!  Let's get those kids out from behind those video games and computers and actually exercise with them.  Living in such a beautiful family community such as Gilbert Arizona, I feel it's almost my duty to say "please let me help YOU!"  Being in the fitness biz as long as I have, I have heard every excuse starting with "I'll never get back to the size I was before I had my baby..." even though the baby is now a 13 year old OR I'll never get back to my size I was in high school/college because I'm now in my career and that's my focus 100%.  Well, guess what?!  You CAN get back to that size you want to be and you CAN get back into that college shape again.  You wannna know how?????  MOVEMENT!  EXERCISE!  You can do it!  You can do it!  You can do it!

Today I wanted to share a video of me and my four year old son working out together in my home gym...but ran into some technical difficulties.  However, it should be posted on my facebook wall.  Please feel free to post any questions or comments you may have about fitness to me.  I'm here to help and this is what I do for a living.  I want to share with you the same joy that exercise gives me not only in the physical results but also in your mental state of mind.  Once I finally figure out how to actually post my video ON my blog page, I will make it a habit to show you fitness tip of the day as well as an exercise of the day that you can do with your kid(s) at home.  Don't be shy!  Send me some questions and I love feedback too.  And remember...I'm in the East Valley so if you live in Arizona and are looking for someone to change your life and touch your soul thru the power of fitness....I'm your girl!

Enjoy the video...on my facebook page.  Have a FABULOUS rest of the week!  Take some time to do something for your health and fitness for the rest of the week and weekend!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy,
Famisha :-)

Fitness Tip of the Day: FOAM ROLL...FOAM ROLL...FOAM ROLL!

Good morning all my Fitness Friends and soon-to-be Fit Divas (Divos if you're a man! :-)  I hope everyone is having a fabulous morning so far.  I myself just had a fabulous fitness start of the day!  I just completed 90 minutes of cardio on my Precor (elliptical) and have MTV (Lady Gaga video after video this morning...yes, MTV was actually showing MUSIC videos!!), E! News and the Today show all got me through my 90 minutes of cardio and I must say, it feels GREAT to have over 10,000 strides and 700 calories burned BEFORE 10 am in the morning!  Now during this lovely cardio session in my home gym, I also "enjoyed" listening to my four year old son play his drum set LOUDLY in the game room while yelling "mommy!  listen!  listen!" then watched as he came into the gym to show me he could do a couple shoulder presses (with 3lb free weights, I might add) and then come back again to tell me about the Spongebob episodes he was enjoying watching while he continued to entertain himself while mommy exercised.  Well, after I finished my 90 minutes of fun, I FOAM ROLLED!  And let me tell you, after yesterday's bootcamp class which consisted of turning tuck jumps, lunges, single leg skips, etc, etc...my legs were just a bit TIGHT.  What is foam rolling?  Well my friends, I like to think of it as a "deep tissue massage."  At least, that's what I tell my clients when I tell them that they must foam roll!  It's a long styrofoam which comes in various colors (mine is lime green) but they come in white, black, pink and even orange...and let me tell you, this form of stretching works but isn't exactly the most fabulous feeling while you are doing it.  But once you're done foam rolling, you feel like a CHAMP!  So let me give you a little assistance on the what and the how...

Grab your foam roller and find that area on your body that feels super tight.  In my case, it was definitely my adductors (inner thighs) and IT band (outside of your thigh muscle right below your hip flexor all the way down to your knee).  Place the foam roller on your tight area and hold for 30 to 60 seconds...don't move!  What you should actually feel is HEAT going to that tight area and the muscle actually loosening up.  The technical term for this is self-myofacial release which is a form of stretching.  No matter how uncomfortable you feel while doing it, don't give up!  Hold that position for the time I suggested and then move onto the next spot.  Trust me...it is worth the bit of discomfort you may feel doing it when you are finished because your muscles will no longer feel so tight and you will feel so much better!  Now what if you don't own a foam roller???  No worries, grab a tennis ball.  It will do the trick!  Same principle...place the tennis ball in your tight area and hold.  Hey!  You can thank me later...you just gave yourself a FREE DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE!

Well, I hope you have enjoyed my fitness tip of the day which once again is FOAM ROLL people!  Now if you don't have over 90 minutes to spend on fitness today...don't stress, take whatever time you are given today to dedicate towards your health and fitness and do SOMETHING.  Even if it's 10 minutes, your mind and body will be pleased with you for doing something positive for YOU.  It's now time for me to focus on getting the rest of the day going with some fun activities for me and my son!  Have yourself a FABULOUS FITNESS day and feel free to comment on my blog or ask any fitness questions you may have...

I will see you back here next Thursday for my weekly blog!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

TIME TO FINALLY FOCUS ON YOU!!!!!

Good afternoon!  So today is one of those days when as a MOM, Fitness Professional and Observer I feel like blogging about it's time to STOP making excuses and FINALLY focus on YOU!  After being a Certified National Master Personal Trainer for over 10 years now I have heard every excuse in the book as to why people either can't find the time to workout or why an hour of customized workouts just "don't work" and I've gotta say....it's time to be HONEST with yourselves people and finally decide to focus on YOURSELF for more than just the one hour you may spend a day working with a trainer, workout buddy or maybe even your significant other on your fitness program.  My clients who get amazing results didn't have me wave a magic wand over their heads...they listened and have made it a LIFESTYLE.  Here's the deal...fitness is LIFE CHANGING because it has to become a LIFESTYLE.  Now alot of people ROLL their eyes because they say "oh Famisha, you wouldn't know how it feels to be overweight..." but Jillian Michaels does so I'm going to listen to her advice because she has been there!  Well, whatever happened to admiring someone for the true discipline it obviously takes to MAINTAIN a healthy weight for over 20+ years...or lose 30lbs of baby weight in ONE month because you're no longer eating for "two" but instead need to be healthy for the child you carried around for 9 months?!  So I may sound like I'm ranting but today is one of those days when I feel the TRUTH needs to be spoken....uh-oh, WATCH OUT!   Here's the deal..."working out" doesn't necessarily have to mean killing yourself in the gym for 3 hours...fitness can be ANYTHING in which you actually get up and MOVE for longer than the 30 seconds it takes you to go to the fridge during the commercial break of The Biggest Loser.  Here are some examples:  dance around the room as you play some of your favorite music and here's a thought, grab your child and laugh...giggle...smile and do it together!  Housework to do?  Then EXTEND those arms when vacuuming that family room.  Make each move count because you are burning calories!  Brushing your teeth?  Hey!  Time to do some side bends...say bye bye to those love handles!  Sitting at a computer for hours?  Calf raises...ab engagement...what in the world is ab engagement?!  Well, pull your belly button towards your spine as though there is a string attached and guess what?!  You just worked out your abs!  I do this one all the time when driving in my car.  Lastly, you've got Jersey Shore that you're secretly going to watch tonight?  Don't worry, I won't tell anyone...but you know what you can do while enjoying your guilty pleasure???  Sit on a Physio ball...it's engaging your abs and during commercials do some Ab Ball Crunches and then grab the back of your kitchen chair and do some tricep dips!  No excuses people!

So what did I do today for exercise??  If there's one thing people who know me as the Fitness Professional know is I LOVE intense workouts...which is why my bootcamps are crazy INTENSE (but burn 500 calories!) and with the privilege of having my own fully equipped home gym, I PUT IN WORK!  But today my friends, I went on a lovely 20 minute bike ride with my son (hey since we got him his Spiderman bike for going under water at his swim lesson...I want him to get as much fun active time on it now as possible, right?) so we rode around the neighborhood and talked about all the trees and birds we saw...which let me tell you, is fun to do through a four year old's eyes and then we came home.  Well, instead of going hard with the weights, I decided to turn on the stereo (after I turned on the Disney station in the game room for him) and put on some good mellow music and did 45 minutes of YOGA.  Not an intense, typical workout for me...but definitely what I needed to start my day off right and feel good about enjoying mommy and son bonding time today.

I must finally end this blog with this...if you're kids are finally back at school and you're now wondering "what in the world am I supposed to do with all this time on my hands now?!"  Well, before you go to pick them up from school and take them to their after school activities, my advice to you is find at least 30 minutes a day to FINALLY FOCUS ON YOU!!!  Your loved ones will notice and you will find yourself a much happier AND healthier person.  So happy back to school MOMS out there and happy Summer coming to an end which means COOLER weather (yea!!!) finally to all you girls and guys out there!  Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and I promise...I'll try and get back into doing this on a weekly basis so I'm not so long winded!  :-)  Sorry...I'm passionate about fitness!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

BUSY SUMMER?! GET YOUR WORKOUT IN!

So as I just finished up a FABULOUS 90 minute workout (so happy for Inside the Actors Studio featuring Daniel Radcliffe and Jennifer Aniston back to back) while my son watches his favorite Spiderman DVD and I am GRATEFUL for health and fitness.  Today's workout consisted of 75 minutes of cardio on my Elliptical followed by 150 ball crunches, 3 sets of 60 second boat pose on the BOSU and 3 sets of 60 second Plank holds...and FOAM ROLLING.  I am ready to take on the world of a swimming lesson, play date, Cars 2 movie which is on the agenda for my son for today...and you know why I'm ready???  I'm ready because I took some time to do something GOOD for myself which is exercise!  Trust me girls, I understand I'm one of the lucky ones who insisted that my husband make sure I have a home gym when we were in the process of building our home because I knew that once we started a family I needed to be able to go "put in work" to DE-stress and feel good without having to get in my car...especially since I work at a fitness facility.  Well, lucky me...he agreed!

For those of you who don't have a home gym like myself...don't worry!  If you are crunched for time and only have 10-20 minutes to get in a quick workout before your busy Saturday with the kids, here are some ideas for you:  Warm-up for 5 minutes with either a march in place to your favorite music then start a light jog in place or as my bootcampers know one of my other favorites to do is 100 jumping jacks.  This will get you warm...then go into some Prisoner Squats (hands by ears with elbows out...as though you are being hand-cuffed which is why they're called Prisoner Squats) and do 25 reps in place, then grab 2 bottle waters (if you don't have hand weights) and do 25 reps of bicep curls followed by 25 reps of shoulder presses, 25 tricep kickbacks (all with the bottled waters of course) and follow this with a 30 second plank...forearms on the floor pushing your body up with your back straight up on your toes, pull your belly button towards your spine and BREATHE!  Hold your plank for 10-20 seconds if you're a beginner if you're more advanced...60-90 second plank hold.  Repeat the above exercises 2-3 times and end with 5 minutes of jogging in place with high knees and finally brought down to a march to cool down.  You have now done something for your PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH and are ready to take on your busy day of driving your kids all over town for their social calendars. :-) 

I tell you, my son is only 4 years old and I revel in the fact that he has a much better social life than his mother! haha!  Anyway, wanted to post a blog since it's been a while and want to wish everyone a very Happy Sensational Saturday!  Feel free to post what you do for your health and fitness this weekend.  I'd love to know!  Have a great fitness week!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy,
Famisha :-)

OPEN FORUM THIS WEEK!!

To ALL you girls out there wanting to FINALLY get in shape, or are bored with your current workouts and looking for some new ideas...MOMS wanting your PRE-PREGNANCY body back and you women who AREN'T moms but are wanting to get bikini ready for the Summer, the TIME IS NOW!

Since I LIVE...BREATHE...and absolutely LOVE FITNESS, I would love for you to send me your COMMENTS and QUESTIONS so that I can share some tips and ideas that work for me and my clients.  ANY questions you may have regarding workouts...nutrition (80% of your RESULTS is how and what you eat)...core training...weight training...cardio...trends, ETC, ETC. 

Don't be shy!  NO QUESTION IS A DUMB QUESTION...so if you've got one, the time to ask is NOW!

Looking forward to chatting with each and everyone of you FIT DIVAS IN THE MAKING soon!

As always STAY FIT and HAPPY!
Famisha :-)