How to Take Control of Your Health by Tim Lawless, Certified Personal Trainer

Most of us would like to be fit. But for many, there always seem to be obstacles that get in the way of actually doing an effective fitness program. Here are some common obstacles and thoughts about them:

"There is not enough time for exercise." Deal with this obstacle by setting up a routine. Exercise the same time each day. Plan and write down regular exercise sessions in your appointment book and keep them! If you can't do an hour, then start with 15 minutes. Better to do 2 small sessions than none. Be creative with different exercises in different environments. As you get in the habit and feel the rewards, you will find ways to devote more time to exercise. If you don't find time to exercise now, you may have to find time to deal with disease in the future.

"Other things need to be taken care of before I can exercise" There is an infinite amount of work we think we should fill our schedules with. But you can't get ahead if you're dead! Our schedule should include regular exercise because it is simply critical for our survival and happiness. And if we are healthy and vital, we have more good energy to give to others.

"It doesn't matter if I don't exercise and eat poorly, I'll be OK." A lot of people deny the potential effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. But denial can disappear when a diagnosis of disease or an emergency room event takes place. Denial can be replaced by knowledge and self awareness. Our choices now can help us avoid future disease and suffering, and this is a profound opportunity to take control of our health.

"I can't seem to stick to an exercise program." If getting fit seems like a mountain in front of you, set up a specific program and ease into it one day at a time. We don't jump from the bottom of the stairs to the top. We go up step by step. Small steps add up to a lot over time. A good program should have variety, interest, and evolve with your fitness level. Continuing an exercise program does require an inner commitment to oneself. New habits can be created and kept. Habits typically take 1-2 months to get established. It is a conscious choice to succeed, and it is a conscious choice not to exercise. Learn from setbacks and use that knowledge to do better on the next step. Knowledge put into action is power.

Our ability to have a good life and realize our dreams is directly affected by our level of health. It is an exhilarating experience to take action that positively changes something in our life. Take control!

Tim Lawless is a Personal Trainer at Ivy Spa Club and can be reached through Ivy Spa Club at 612-343-3131.

The top two moves for a flatter stomach by Tara, Certified Personal Trainer

In honor of swimsuit season, every fitness magazine on the planet is offering the newest and greatest ab routines, and it’s no wonder. As a personal trainer, the most common question I get is: "What ab exercises should I do to get rid of this belly fat, spare tire, love handles, or (fill in your own trouble spot)?" The answer comes as a surprise to most people:

The right amount and intensity of cardio, and a well-balanced, challenging, strength training program...

...oh, and the really tough one-following a balanced diet that is fewer in calories than what your body burns each day. The fitness magazines often don’t tell you that, because they need to sell magazines, and people who buy fitness magazines do not often want the cold, hard truth about weight loss: It takes true lifestyle change, not just following today’s crazy, gimmicky diet plan (see Cookie Diet, Master Cleanse, Cabbage Soup Diet, etc, etc) in order to lose weight permanently and improve your health.

Pretty much everybody has read by now that you can't "spot tone" the part of your body that you’re not happy with. Doing crunch after crunch after crunch, no matter whether it’s on a ball, on a machine, on the floor, or hanging upside down, will not get you the flat stomach you desire. In fact, the opposite often happens. Overworking the abdominals without attention to form and variety will most times result in bulkier abs that lack true strength and stability. But people hold out desperately for an easy answer - if only there were a few simple moves that would get rid of that frustrating belly fat.

I'll focus on the cardio component because it is what I find most people do the most often, with the least amount of understanding. What do I mean by the right amount and intensity of cardio?

A properly designed cardio program will teach your body to be aerobically efficient. And why should you care about that? Because an aerobically efficient cardio system, will turn your body into a fat-burning machine.

Consider this: Would you walk into the gym, head on over to the bench press, and pick any random weight to lift? Say, oh, why not, 250 lbs? You want to get strong and burn calories, right? Sounds crazy, but this is what you do every time you go out for a run, or a cycle, or a row (you get the picture) with no structured program or understanding of your body's cardiovascular system.

Here are some tips to follow to make sure you don't make this common mistake:

• Start off slow. Don’t be afraid to walk!
• Use the buddy system - You're more likely to exercise more often and for more time when it’s fun and social.
• Avoid exercising with somebody who is more advanced than you are. It might lead you to work harder than your body is ready for. Find a friend who is at your level.
• Include variety, both in what you do, and how intensely you work.
• When you’re ready to take it to the next level, do it by throwing in small bursts of speed. For instance 1 minute of jogging for every 4-5 minutes of walking.
• Use a Heart Rate Monitor. It will give you constant feedback on how hard your body is working. Are you just feeling lazy and need to push it a little, or does your body really need a break? The HRM will tell you the truth.
• Plan ahead! By setting yourself a schedule, you’ll be more likely to actually do the number of workouts you need, and will help you use your limited time more efficiently.
• Use a personal trainer to take your cardiovascular training to the next level. They're not just for weight workouts anymore!

Here's to your inner fat-burning machine! It's just waiting to be let out.

Yoga Retreat in Guerrero, Mexico

During the week of January 24 - 31, 2009, Mary Sage Syverson, one of Ivy Spa Club's yoga instructors will host a revitalizing and healing yoga retreat at Present Moment, located in Troncones, Guerrero, one of the last sacred and authentic destinations in Mexico. Present Moment Retreat offers a sublime setting for nurturing your self and your soul. For more information, visit the website.