The Health and Fitness Truth Blog

Personal Best is “best” known for it’s one-on-one training, but did you know we offer a variety of workshops and classes?

This summer, Karen Scafidi of Personal Best, will offer Bootcamp Classes through Hudson Park and Recreation Department. Classes will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6am. 

Nordic Walking Classes will be offered throughout the spring and summer as well, with classes being held on Wednesday evenings at 5:15 beginning in May, and Saturday mornings throughout the spring and summer. Saturday mornings are run by Sheri Rohr, currently at 10:30am, but will move to an earlier time for the summer.

Personal Best is also holding self-esteem workshops for teen age girls. Karen and I are “Dove Real Beauty Workshop” facilitators, holding our first workshop on May 19th at JFK Middle School in Hudson. This workshop is free to teen girls ages 11-13 and their Moms or other female mentors.

Finally, during these tough economic times,  consider GROUP personal training as a great way to stay motivated at a cost effective price. GROUP training offers great results, fun workouts and comraderie at half the price per person of traditional one-one-one training.  There is no need to forgo good health just because we need to tighten our economic belts.

For more information on these workshops and classes email me at Kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com

From what everyone keeps boo-hooing about, the economy is taking a downturn. Sometimes I feel like we are just making it worse with all the negativity and doom and gloom-convincing ourselves the sky is going to fall? But, my opinion notwithstanding, things are changing. I think it is key to buckle down and not spend in excess, but the ONE place it is a grave error to cut back on is self care- especially exercise and healthy eating. I have found in the past that the second that we feel economic hardship, the first thing that goes is the gym membership or personal training expenses, when, in reality, these are the times we MOST need to exercise and eat well in order to combat stress!  I have had members at my previous gym stop their memberships because they lost their jobs, but they keep their tanning appointments and nail appointments??? What kind of prioritizing is that?

At Personal Best, we are well aware personal training is an extra expense, and we want to make things affordable for you! We have a variety of training programs and classes that can allow you to spend less but still keep healthy and sane.

From yoga classes, to bootcamps, to Nordic Walking classes to group training sessions, these are all great ways to cut costs, but still have the superb customer service, accountability and expertise you have consistently experienced with Personal Best. For more information on these money saving programs, see the enclosed flyers Group Training Hudson and Hudson Bootcamp or contact us via email at kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com

I have always counseled my clients to allow themselves one meal a week to eat the foods they may consciously avoid when trying to lose weight. For most people, that may mean going out to dinner on a weekend evening and splurging a bit: having dessert, or maybe a tasty appetizer or the homemade lasagna you have been craving (note I wrote OR- this is not a license to gorge). While this kind of controlled “splurge” rarely if ever impacts weight loss efforts, unfortunately, many people take this one meal splurge to mean a weekend of overeating.

A recent study published in the journal Obesity confirmed this trend. Their study followed 48 adult subjects for one year, asking them to keep a food journal throughout the year. The study demonstrated a 36% increase in calorie intake on Saturdays alone, compounded by a significant decrease in physical activity on Sundays. Imagine the impact of taking in more calories one day, and then exercising less the next!

If you have felt stuck with your weight loss, and feel you have great exercise and eating patterns throughout the week, you may want to explore this problem further. Keep a food journal over the weekend (some of my clients are afraid to do this- and there is a reason why!) to track where you go awry. And, although you do not need to kill yourself with exercise on Sundays, don’t sit on the couch the whole day either. A pleasant walk with family, a game of tennis with friends, swimming at the beach; these are all light activities that still burn calories and can make a difference in your weight loss efforts over time.Denial is not just a river in Egypt. Weight loss takes incredible diligence 90% of the time. An occasional controlled splurge, a day off from hard exercise- these are all smart ways to balance your efforts. But if your weekends are a license to gorge, you need to change this, or your weight loss goals may not be achievable.

We are offering Nordic Walking and Hatha Yoga Classes during Spring 2008.

Click on the Nordic Walking and Yoga Classes categories to view the schedules and update announcements.

It has been quite awhile since I have had the time and energy to write a blog- but my schedule has slowed and energy is high- so I’m baaack!!

As in the past, I promise to share with you any recent medical or fitness research info which I feel is valuable to you, as well as my opinion on a variety of health and wellness topics.

Today, Id like to refinforce the importance of good sleep. Since February, when I was diagnosed with a LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ- not cancer, but a precursor to breast ca) and had the lumpectomy, I have been taking Tamoxifen. My family is riddled with breast cancer and ovarian cancer, and myself and my oncologist made the decision to begin this drug therapy for prevention reasons. It has been a rough ride, but one that has opened my eyes to the many struggles middle aged women undergo. Tamoxifen basically shuts off Estrogen reception, thus putting you into a simulated menopause. I have had days and days of insomnia, leading to extreme fatigue- so much so that I have not been able to exercise. Little did I know how devastating the effects of insomnia are- and I have a newfound sympathy for menopausal women going through the same thing. I decided that it was best for me to try a mild sleep aid to help me get back to normal as I could not function as a trainer with so little energy. Many of my clients also experience bad isomnia, but do not take action to try and relieve the symptoms.

While I cannot say what is best for anyone, what I do know is that lack of sleep affects every function of the body- from weight loss, to energy levels, to immune system suppression, to brain function, chronic pain and emotional health. DO NOT FOOL YOURSELF! NO ONE functions normally without adequate sleep. SO- I encourage you to talk to your doctors about how to help yourself! Experiment with herbs or gentle sleep aids, cut out caffeine or other foods and drinks(like alcohol) which may disrupt sleep. Your entire well-being is at risk! Take action!