To Sara: “I have such a hard time working out by myself. I get bored and quit after a few minutes, but when I work out with friends we’re talking and not working out that hard. What tips do you have to help me stay motivated?”
From Sara: “Working out with a friend or group is great. Friends/groups will keep you committed to working out because they’ll ask you where you were if you don’t show up–meaning they’ll hold you accountable. Also when you watch others working out, you’ll be more likely to workout harder. If you and your girlfriends aren’t getting much of a workout together, how bout challenging each other? For example: “Let’s walk up and down that set of stairs 5 times.” Or “Let’s jog for 3 minutes.” Keeping your workout fresh and fun will also challenge your muscles and give you great toning results.
To Sara: “I work out 7 days a week and my weight loss progress has come to a hault. I’m frustrated that I’m no longer getting results and am not sure what to do different. I do 40 min. of cardio 7 X per week + lift light weights 4 X per week.”
From Sara: “It sounds like you are over training. When you work your muscles too often your muscles don’t have time to recoperate and thus won’t develop as much muscle tone as they would if they had a couple of days of rest. Try cutting down your workouts to 3-5 X per week of cardio w/ 2-3 X per week of weight training. Also try mixing up your routine. Incorporate yoga and/or pilates instead of one of your regular workouts. You’ll be happily surprised that you can workout less and get better results!”
Have a question for me? Email me at info@fitbysara.com and visit: www.fitbysara.com .
To Sara: “What yoga posture will tone my inner and outer thighs?”
From Sara: “There are many yoga postures that tone and define the thighs. One of my personal favorites is the “yogi squat”. To do the yogi squat place your feet approximately 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart toes slightly turned out. Bend your knees and squat. As you squat keep your tail bone tucked under and extend your arms out to the side palm up and hold for 5-10 breaths. Then to mix up: Inhale come up, exhale squat. Repeat 10-15 reps. Enjoy the burn!”
Have a question for me? Email me at info@fitbysara.com and visit: www.fitbysara.com .
To Sara: “Is it true that yoga can give you great arms?”
From Sara: “Yoga is awesome for defining, toning and lengthening every muscle! Assuming you practice yoga regularly it certainly contributes to great definition for the arms. A common joke between yoga practitioners is you know if someone has been practicing a lot because you’ll have “chattarunga arms”. Chattarunga is a posture like a push-up only the elbows go back and are tight at your sides. You hold chattarunga about an inch and a half above the ground. So if you eat healthy and practice yoga regularly you too will enjoy your chattarunga arms!”
To Sara: “I’ve heard that eating hi-fiber cereal can help you lose weight. Is that true? If so, what brand do you recommend?”
From Sara: “Eating hi-fiber foods will help you stay satisfied/fuller longer. There are many hi-fiber foods you can eat in addition to certain cereals such as nuts, legumes, and veggies. I do recommend beginning your day with breakfast. Eating breakfast will start your metabolism going so you begin your day feeling more energized. Steel-cut oats (available in Costco for large quantity and lower price) are an excellent choice to start your day. If you prefer crunchy cereal I opt for Kashi Go Lean Crunch. I love Kashi Go Lean Crunch combined with Nutty Nuggets (store brand-like Grape Nuts), and Kashi Autumn Wheat with lowfat vanilla soymilk and lowfat milk all mixed together. Tastes great, full of fiber, nutrients and minerals and keeps me satisfied for several hours.
To Sara: “I want to lose about 15 lbs. I’ve already lost 20, but I can’t seem to budge the last 15. I currently do some form of cardio–walking, jogging 5 times per week for 40 min.. How much more should I exercise to lose the last 15?”
From Sara: “Congrats on your initial weight loss! Take that in first and be happy about your accomplishment of losing 20 lbs.. That’s really great! It sounds like you are doing plenty of cardio. I suggest 1. Mixing up your routine. Implement short bursts of a quick paced jog (approx. 2-5 min.) followed by 10-15 min. of walking and repeat 2-3 times. Or introduce hills or stairs into your workout. Variety in your routine will help burn more calories and challenge your muscles for greater muscle tone. 2. Look at your diet. Keep a journal for a week and notice if there are things you could change. Could you cut out more sugar? Cut down on your portions? Small changes in your diet can result in significant weight loss results.
Many people have asked me whether they should cut out carbs if they want to lose weight. My answer is to cut down on portion size, but not necessarily carbs. Carbs include ”complex carbs” such as veggies, fruit, breads, pastas, and cereals which give us the energy we need to function at our best. Carbs also include “simple sugars” such as table sugar which we should consume in moderation because it has no nutritional value. Instead of cutting out all carbs I recommend chosing your carbs wisely. So if you want pasta, chose whole wheat pasta which has fiber (good for digestion), and minerals. Have a large green side salad and a smaller portion of pasta. Keep your body satisfied vs. deprived and you’ll keep the weight off and feel good while doing it.
Review of Sara Holliday’s Postnatal Total Body Toning: “WOW! This video really packs a lot into 30 minutes! It is a fast paced mix of cardio and kickboxing moves, rounded out with yoga and stretching. I loved this workout!! It made me sweat, got my heartrate up, and I could really feel it in my thighs and abs the next day!”
-Mama Cheaps
Review of Sara Holliday’s Stroller Workouts for Moms: “This workout really gave me a run for my money! I had to take a few breaks and gulp some water in the process! The intervals of cardio mixed with squats, kickboxing, and strength training (especially for arms) was such a good calorie torcher!!”-Mama Cheaps
Most people think it’s time to drink water when they are feeling thirsty, but did you know that when you’re thirsty it means you’re already dehydrated? Staying hydrated is one of my top tips to losing weight and staying healthy. When you’re hydrated you won’t mistake hunger for thirst. Plus staying hydrated will keep fatigue at bay, and it’s good for your skin, hair and nails. So don’t wait till you’re thirsty to drink water. Keep an aluminum water bottle with you and refill it often!
Yes it’s true, “The more you do the more your body will crave it”. Exercise that is!! It typically takes about 2 weeks of consistent exercise for your body to crave feel good hormones “endorphins” which exercise produces. Exercise if done consistently can become a habit….and this is a great habit to have! So step one is to find exercise that you enjoy. Then start out slowly and work your way up to 4-5 times per week 30-45 min. each session and soon you’ll find your body will miss it when you don’t workout!
