Rest Day

Today is my rest day and it feels so good. I wish I could stay in bed all day. Make sure you plan a rest day into your fitness regimen. You can also choose an active rest day where you focus on something light like stretching, yoga, walking or even do some crunches. Remember your calories out will be lower than on the days you workout so remember to plan your food accordingly. Enjoy this beautiful Friday. off to do errands, get a pedicure and maybe bake a cake.

Take care of yourself

I live a fit lifestyle, no big secret there.. Exercise is an important part of my life. I recently visited the doctor and learned that I have some irregularities with my heart and was sent to a specialist. I also learned that my hypertension is way out of control and I was walking around with dangerously High blood pressure. Since I don't use salt, smoke, have bad eating habits and exercise regularly I had to revisit stress triggers in my life. I have always been able to manage my blood pressure without medication in the past.

 

 Losing weight and being healthy isn't just about exercising. Although exercise is an important factor, emotional health is just as important. There is a reason we struggle sometimes with the food part of losing weight . A lot of time it has a lot to do with emotional issues that trigger cravings or bingeing. It is so important to have that spiritual ,emotional, and physical balance. More so as women, because we don't usually take time to focus on ourselves because we are natural caretakers. Hypertension is known as the silent killer (scary) and is the number one killer in women.

To help find that balance make sure you get physicals every year. Exercise regularly and eat right, find things to do that combat stress and make you happy, like Yoga or Tai Chi for stress relief, dance, or painting. I am an artist on the side. I paint, and make jewelry. I must find time to rediscover that side.  Increase activities that strengthen your relationship with God or your spirituality. We can't control many things that happen in our lives, but we can control how we manage and react to them.

I am in the process of organizing a Heart Health Event at the studio in February 2014, to share more information about heart health and living balanced lifestyles and also to reach out to more women about the importance of taking care of ourselves as women. Our ultimate goal is not just to lose weigh but to be healthy ,balanced and happy .

September Updates

 

Website        About        Schedule        Testimonials        Class Descriptions        Membership In This Issue September Changes and Updates End of Summer Luau Sassy Chair Fitness Free Demo Cardio Bellydance Free Demo Diva Dash September Updates and Changes All changes are effective in September unless otherwise noted. Weds PIYO Strength (Pilates/Yoga fusion)has been canceled effective 8/28 and rescheduled back to Sat mornings @9am starting in September. You  must sign up  weekly for this class online by 10pm Friday night. What is PIYO ?   There will be no evening class on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 2nd.   Zumba +Abs and Arms will only be Monday nights. Weds Zumba will just be 1 hour of Zumba with Nefertiti.   Total Body Strength starts September 11th @6pm. You got a preview in the Zumba +Abs and Arms. Now let's take it to another level and work that whole body.   Turbo Kick (cardio Kick Boxing) has been changed to Thursdays only at 7pm.   Thursday Zumba will be changed to 6pm and taught by Nefertiti until further notice.   Columbia Lady Free Fit Club starts Tuesdays @7pm  Sept. 17,2013 Click here for more information    30 Day Challenge Our challenges are on going. If you are interested in making that final transformation and getting it done, join us. You will have the motivation and support you need from an awesome  group of ladies who share your fitness goals and are making milestone successes. For more information, please contact Nefertiti at info@columbialadyfit.com August 28, 2013  Dear Columbia Ladies, We have several new classes coming this fall. From Sassy Chair Dance Fitness, Cardio Belly dance, Total Body Strength, and Yoga just to name a few. Oh and did I mention a FREE weekly Fit Club. I want this to be your one stop place for complete well rounded workouts. Where you will increase your flexibility, strength, balance and cardio for  stronger hearts and beautiful bodies. Please take advantage and come to some of our free demos to experience these new classes. I look forward to seeing you there. Please spread the word and bring your friends.    PRINT SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE HERE Upcoming Events Update There will be a representative from DMV Fit TV doing a segment on Alternative Fitness and Nutrition at the HOT HULA LUAU. Anyone interested in being interviewed about their Hot Hula experience, let me know. Let's fill the room and Bring the energy. Bring your friends!      Labor Day End of Summer HOT HULA Luau    SEPT. 2ND 10:30- 12PM Get your Sarong and join us for some spicy HOT HULA . Get in touch with your inner sexy warrior while getting a killer workout!  $10 PP  Members Free  Inbox me if you can bring a healthy  theme dish to share.      GET YOUR SARONGS HERE Sassy Chair Dance Fitness Free Demo The Sassy Chair class is a women's fitness class which combines ordinary exercises like squats and lunges with sassy dance moves and incorporates a chair and the floor to create an engaging and exhilarating workout.  Sign up for this Free Demo September 10 @6:30. Space is limited. You must reserve your chair.  Reserve you spot     Cardio Bellydance   Get an exhilarating cardiovascular bellydance workout (beneficial to people of all fitness and dance levels) that sculpts, defines and strengthens your core. Experience the freedom and joy of bellydance while raising your heart rate and getting a full body workout.   Join us for a Free Demo September 13,2013* @6:30pm You don't want to miss it!     *Please note date has been changed from previous notice.    Total Body Strength Strong is the new sexy. Sculpt a leaner, sexier body   Total Body strength is a new 35 minute class that incorporates light weights and body weight exercises to sculpt a leaner, sexier and toned body.  Learn more about the importance of strength training HERE Join us . Classes start Sept 11th @6pm DIVA DASH Join us ! It's not too late! Get your Tutus and join Columbia Lady Fit Divas for this non-Competitive fun ladies only obstacle run. Let's have fun in the name of fitness. September 21,2013. Register today! website Diva Dash video . Register and Join us today!    Yours in health and fitness,      Nefertiti Rashid Owner/Group Fitness Instructor Columbia Lady Group Fitness office 443-535-1309 info@columbialadyfit.com http://www.columbialadyfit.com/ Fitness Exclusively For Her!™   Copyright 2012 - COLUMBIA LADY . All Rights Reserved.

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My New 30 day Challenge Group Starts Monday August 19,2013.

I am looking for women who want to LOSE 5-20lbs, learn how to Eat Clean, Eliminate Belly Bloating Trigger Foods, Follow a fun Workout Schedule and make some Amazing Friends!! The program includes-  A home workout, Shakeology, meal plan and accountability group & Prizes!!! Are u ready to follow a set program that takes out the guesswork!?!! Space is limited!!!! INBOX ME for details! I CAN'T WAIT! Let's change these bodies ladies, together!

 

Don't Be Slaves of Your Scale

Your Bathroom Scale Doesn't Tell the Whole Story

When it comes to weight loss, the scale can be a good measure of progress, particularly if you have a lot of weight to lose. But if you place too much emphasis on your weight and not enough on your body composition (the ratio of fat to lean muscle), you're only getting half the story. Plus, dreading your weigh-in or obsessing over the number on the scale is unproductive and can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as bingeing or starving yourself. Losing pounds doesn't always mean losing fat. Here's why the scale can be misleading.

• The scale doesn't tell you how much fat you have. Your scale does exactly what it's supposed to—it tells you how much you weigh. But in addition to measuring your weight, the scale weighs bone, water, muscle, organs, and undigested food. When the number on the scale goes up or down, it doesn't represent only fat loss or muscle gain. It measures fluctuations in glycogen (stored carbohydrates) and water, and it even measures how much that breakfast you ate weighs.
• You may wonder about scales that claim to measure your body fat. These send small electrical currents up one leg, through your pelvis, and down the other leg to determine your body's density. Then a formula is used to estimate your body fat. The problem with these scales is that they're notoriously inaccurate. However, they are usually consistent in their readings, so they can be helpful as a measuring tool. Even though the body fat reading might be off by as much as 5 or 10 percent, if the number trends downward over time, you know you're on the right track. -
• The scale can't tell if you've gained muscle. A pound of muscle is like a brick, small and compact. A pound of fat is like a fluffy feather pillow, bulky and lumpy. When you gain muscle and lose fat, your body gets smaller and tighter. Building muscle also makes it possible to drop clothing sizes without a big change in weight. Perhaps after a 90-day fitness program, the scale says you lost 7 pounds, which may not sound like much. But what if you actually lost 12 pounds of fat and gained 5 pounds of muscle? That's a remarkable improvement in your body composition, but you wouldn't know it if you only used your regular bathroom scale to track your progress.
  
• You didn't really gain 5 pounds of fat overnight. You may step on the scale one morning and shriek in disbelief because the number is five digits higher than it was the day before. Stop panicking. Unless you ate an extra 17,500 calories the previous day, you didn't gain fat (a pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories). Your scale is registering water, stored carbohydrates, and food. Also, cheap bathroom scales may have measurement errors, giving slightly different readings even when you're at exactly the same weight.
• Your body's water levels are constantly changing. The scale can move up or down depending on how much water you drink, how much salt you consume, how much you sweat, and how many carbohydrates you eat. An average person can see a daily fluctuation in water weight of about 2 pounds, without any changes to diet or exercise habits. These fluctuations do not signify fat loss, and watching the scale move up and down every day can be frustrating for many dieters.

If you're trying to achieve a healthy weight and improve the way you look, you should focus less on what the scale says and more on developing the good habits that will produce results. To get lean and strong, with low body fat and nice muscle tone, there are three things you should do:

1. Cardio plus weight lifting (or other resistance training). Cardio workouts raise your heart rate to help you improve your fitness level, burn calories, and shed fat. Resistance training builds muscle, which boosts your metabolism and helps you burn even more calories.
2. Healthy diet. No matter how much you exercise, you'll never reach your fat-loss goals if you don't follow a healthy diet consisting of protein, vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. The right foods in controlled portions will fuel your body as it shrinks.
   
    
3. Track your progress. If you don't use the scale, you need to do something else to check your progress.

• One of the best ways to keep track of your changing body is to use a tape measure. Record your chest, waist, hip, thigh, arm, and wrist measurements in a journal or the guidebook that comes with your workout program. Update the measurements every 30 days to see how your body changes.
• Pictures are also good indicators of progress. Have someone take front, side, and back photos of you every 30 days and keep these with your body measurements.
• Body fat testers can also be used regularly to track your fat loss. Monitoring your progress with tools other than the scale will give you a more realistic assessment of your weight loss success.
• Notice how your clothes fit. This is a foolproof way to prove that you're losing weight. If your clothes are getting looser, your body is shrinking, even if you don't see a big change in the mirror yet.
• Too many people are slaves to the scale. They can't resist weighing themselves, only to feel guilty, angry, or demoralized when the numbers don't move down quickly enough. If you're one of those people whose weigh-ins lead to loss of motivation or a feeling of helplessness, then you need to reconsider using the scale for your progress checks. Success is more than just a number.
• By Whitney Provost

Keep A Weight Loss Journal

It's easy to either eat too much or too little if you don't pay attention. That's why keeping a food diary is a smart idea. Tracking the food you eat forces you to take responsibility for your food choices. It gives you a much clearer picture of what you're really eating and how dedicated you are to your weight loss efforts. Studies show that people who keep food diaries lose more weight and keep more of that weight off in the long run.
For anyone thinking of starting a food journal, Dr. Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, director of the Prevention Center at FHCRC and lead author of the study. “Keeping a food journal helps create accountability to self,” offers this advice on getting started with your food journal:

 

 

Be honest. Record everything. If you don’t want to write it down, you probably shouldn’t eat it.
- Be accurate. Measure portions you’re unsure of and read labels.-Facebook/Fit Genie
...
- Be complete. Include condiments and toppings, as well as how your food was prepared.
- Be consistent."If you suspect that you tend to eat in response to emotions or stress, it is a good idea to make a note of your feelings in your food journal, too. It's important to write them down both before and after your meal. Doing so will help you to understand what emotions cause you to eat and what effect certain foods have on those emotions. You may wish to make a note of the specific situation that caused the emotional eating, such as "Argument today with boss" or "Missed deadline at school." When you understand what leads you to emotional eating, you can work towards planning alternative coping strategies  Keep your journal close at hand (or your smart phone—there are many apps to help track food).for the next time the same situation arises." - Jennifer R. Scott,


 

Happy Monday!

Just remember, everyone was once a 'beginner'. DO NOT compare yourself with anyone else.

Focus on YOU! Set your own goals and strive to become better than you were yesterday. Slow progress is still PROGRESS!