Low Impact Exercises

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Very often, people who have not exercised in quite some time ask me what exercises they can do that would kickstart them into healthy living.  If you have no other medical issues that would prevent you from engaging in low impact exercise, here's a list: yoga, exercise bikes, walking, swimming, elliptical machines, weight training, pilates.

The Psycho-Emotive of Training Successfully

Some folks ask me how I do what I do when I am injured, tired, or...just at my age manage to do what some 25 year olds could only dream of doing.  The answer is this:  I am a trained fighter.  I am trained to focus, not blink or shrink from an opponent, to show no emotion and stay clear on what my goals are.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you want to perform a sport better, train more efficiently or win a competition, you need to address the psychological and emotional side of who you are.  Imagery exercises can help you....stand in front of a mirror when you are alone and imagine you performing your sport, training or event.  Imagine how you will feel during the physical exertion;  drive your mind through the obstacles - both mental and physical and visualize yourself successfully finishing first in the race, scoring a 72 at the golf course, winning the fight and getting the prize.  Training your mind is equally as important when training your body for any sport or event.

Insanity Rocks!

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Today, I was doing Insanity's Pure Cardio....50 minutes or so of cardio and ab work.  It sure did feel good!  I highly recommend it.  Order yours today!
http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/Insanity?referringRepId=114448

A Little Bit At A Time Adds Up

Last Friday, I took the day off for a little R&R and to make a visit to the tailor.  It seems that my own Wellness Program works on everyone - including me!  All my summer shorts were ridiculously big and having spent a small fortune last year on really well-made 'super fat' clothes, I wasn't so keen on donating them.  So, the tailor took measurements and for much less than it would cost to repurchase a summer wardrobe, all my shorts and slacks were cut down 2 sizes.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Every day, I watch what I eat, I try to exercise as much as I can and little by little, look what has happened.  Now, I'm fitting into my 'fat' clothes and have 10 more lbs to lose until I am back into my 'normal' fabulous fashions.  Stay with the program every day and this could be you too!

Push The Envelope and Challenge Yourself

After two weeks of taking it a bit easy, yesterday it was back to my Insanity workout program.  It really felt good to sweat and workout to the max again!  Just when I thought I was about to run out of 'juice', I heard one of my old trainer's voice in my head saying to me, 'is that all you got?  The other guy is training harder than you are and only one of you will win a fight'.  That just puts in all into perspective - I decided to suck it up and let's face it....we can all do anything for another 14 or 15 minutes if we push ourselves (given that we have no heart conditions or other serious health conditions).  So, it was down for more suicides, pushups, ski abs and whatever else there was to do.  I felt great afterward....a Winner never quits.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  It's good to take a little time off and relax, smell the flowers and lie in the sun like a lazy dog.  But after a short spell, it's time to get that rested body back to the business at hand.  A llittle rest and relaxation can go a long way....you'll be surprised when you get back into your normal routine how much more you can push yourself and how far you'll be able to stretch your limits to new lengths.

It's April 3rd and Time to Start Something New

Whoopeee!  It's April 3rd and I've completed my 90 day Insanity Fitness Challenge.  I've lost inches everywhere and 20lbs.  I've been following my own customized Wellness Program and have adopted minor lifestyle changes.  Shopping for clothes has become fun again and I'm really enjoying myself.  But...now what????
I've achieved my original goal, so now is the time to set the stage for reaching my second goal....another few inches and another several pounds to be 'picture perfect'.  I want my 50s to be as fabulous as they can be and being as fit and healthy will help make all that happen for me.  I've devised a second stage Wellness Program that will include Brazilian Butt Lift, Insanity, jump rope and some Muay Thai pad work to keep me fit, supple and ready for anything coming my way.  Nutritional plan includes one cheat meal per week and a continuation of a dietary plan full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Want to achieve your fitness and health goals?  Email or telephone my office today and get going with a custom-made Wellness Program to help you attain your goals.  If you would like to order Insanity, P90X, Brazilian Butt Lift or another exercise program suited to your fitness needs, log onto http://www.teambeachbody.com/kmondesire
917-701-7582  k@kmondesire.com

Tips To Stay Healthy When Travelling

Travelling and afraid you're going to mess up your healthy lifestyle?  Easy-breezy!  All you need to pack in your travel bag are a pair of sneakers, a few pair of shorts, socks and workout tops...AND...your favorite Beachbody workout dvd.  There are so many to choose from:  Brazilian Butt Lift, Insanity, Chalean Extreme and many more.  You don't need weights or any other equipment to do these exercise programs and you can even download them into your IPhone or droid for even more convenience.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Don't Despair when travelling for business or pleasure.  You can still get in a good 20-40 minute workout with a choice of dvd programs.  Log onto
http://www.teambeachbody.com/kmondesire  and for less than the cost of a dinner or month's gym membership, you can download a plethora of workout dvds onto your IPhone or droid and exercise anywhere in the world...no excuses!

Diet & Exercise CAN Make The Difference

Wow!  I took a new set of measurements last night after being on my fitness challenge for 5 weeks.  I'm an average of 2inches smaller in almost every part of the body!  How about that??!!!

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Take a 90 day challenge; your health will improve, you'll look much better and you'll feel fabulous!  I'm into a much smaller dress size after just 5 weeks...let's bring it!
http://www.teambeachbody.com/kmondesire

Making Exercising Fun With The Kids

Ok, so you want to exercise, but you also need to spend time with your children.  You can do both at the same time.  Did you know that American children are becoming more and more obese each year and suffer from diabetes because they are overweight and do not exercise?  This is the fault of the parents, not the child.  Children need to exercise and eat healthy, low fat meals.  So, instead of placing them in front of a computer, television or mp3 player, introduce them to better lifestyle habits while they are still young.  If your child is obese or has diabetes, it's YOUR fault...so do something about it today.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Make exercise an important part of your family's day.  Give your kids a chance to be healthy and fit while they are still young and haven't formed lazy habits.  Shaun T. (the creator of 'Insanity' exercise program) has created a wonderful dvd series for parents and children to work out together.  Make fitness a fun family activity.  Order your dvds today and get your kids off the couch!

§  http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/MDFKDVD2101?referringRepId=11444813

Staying With Your Resolutions

I'm well into week 2 of my Insanity 90 Day Challenge.  Exercising to these dvds 6 days a week and abstaining from alcohol and gluten (my own self-inflicted torture) and partaking in a very clean dietary regime is hard work.  It takes planning meals, shopping wisely and a daily lunch bucket to schlep to the office.   At the end of each day, I feel better than the previous day and proud of myself to stick with the program.  I am a team leader and coach for Beachbody.com and I have a few people doing this challenge with me....we're all in it as a team - encouraging oneanother and checking in on the internet daily to keep ourselves going strong.  I'm loving the experience and the enthusiasm of the group is uplifting.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you're feeling lonely and losing your momentum with your New Year's regime, pick up the phone or get onto the internet - create a team, join a team or if you like, join my Beachbody.com team.  You don't have to being doing one of the beachbody programs.  You can do your own thing and check in with me daily or weekly.  YOU GET FREE COACHING!  How can you beat it?
log onto www.teambeachbody.com/kmondesire and join my group.  We'll help you achieve your fitness and health goals!

Leading The Insanity 90 Day Challenge

Somehow (and as usual), I've become the Leader of an Insanity 90 Day Challenge.  People from all over the United States have joined my cyber exercise challenge and for the next 90 days; they have committed themselves to doing the program and being the very best they can health-wise.  Since I'm their leader, I'm doing the same.  It's been a long time since I've truly committed myself to a specific goal and I'm up to the challenge.  I'm going to workout 6 days/week for the next 90 days, be quite mindful of my caloric intake, abstain from acohol, and try to be as gluten-free as possible. I will inspire, guide, coach and encourage my teammates to achieve their goals.  It's only been 3 days into the challenge, and already I've been receiving emails from folks who are 'alarmed' that my new challenge will affect their socialization with me....interesting, very interesting.  After years of maintaining an extremely spartan lifestyle while being a full combat Muay Thai fighter, I know how to socialize and enjoy myself without indulging in fatty meals or alcohol.  After all, if you didn't have the option of indulging, you wouldn't be missing the item anyhow...right?  So, it's mind over matter.  It gave me food for thought and I'll share it with you today...

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Leadership requires integrity, honor, focus, self-discipline and accountability.  You are Your Word....period.  A great leader leads by example.  Followers are like leaves in the wind; swishing and swashing whichever way is easiest.  Ask yourself today - are you a leader or a follower?

Getting Involved Keeps You Fit

Joining a group to workout - whether it's for a charitable cause, or to run a race, row during an event or any other contest or trial - it stirs up integrity, commitment and accounatability.  When you commit to a group event, you commit to your workouts.  This will keep you fit and in shape.  Nobody wants to be the quitter in a group that is working towards a goal.  Conversely, it is the group support that will keep you honest and boost your ego to work harder towards the common goal of the mass.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you feel lost in your workout schedule, don't seem to have a goal, or feel alone in your fitness journey - join a group.  Camraderie can be key to your fitness goals.  There are many other people out there just like YOU who are also looking for a fitness buddy.  Start at this website:  https://teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=114448  This is my online team and it's free!  I'll hook you up with some really great cyber workout buddies and who knows....one of these folks might just be in your neighborhood.  The camraderie of the group is amazing and we support one another thru our achievements, setbacks and everyday struggles to stay fit, healthy and happy!

The Best Gift You Can Give For the Holidays

Don't know what to give to that person who's always whining that they need to lose weight, get healthy, exercise, etc?  I'm making it really easy for you this year.  Log onto my Wellness Page at http://www.kmondesire.com/wellnessprogram.html  and you can purchase any Beachbody exercise program and have it delivered directly to that special person whose life needs a bit of tweaking...or treat yourself and get an exercise program of your very own!  No wasted money on unused gym memberships - Beachbody has a program for men and women of all fitness levels; especially the beginners.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Go to this link http://www.kmondesire.com/wellnessprogram.html and give the gift of health, fun and wellness to someone special or yourself.  Home exercise programs for all fitness levels that really do work!  If you're not sure what will work best for you or that special person, just email or telephone me and together we will select the best holiday gift anyone could hope for!

Join My Beachbody Team

My patients, neighbors and friends always ask me what I do for a workout because I'm full of energy and always participating in some sort of sport or activity...and I'm not all that young anymore.  I've been telling them that for the most part, life after fighting in the ring means P90X and Insanity with some bagwork and jumping rope thrown in here and there.  After months of telling people about my workouts and encouraging them to exercise, eat right and get healthy, I decided to become a Beachbody coach and start my own team.
Becoming a member of my team means you sign up for free, you email or call me for free encouragement and talk about your workouts and progress and you get to 'mix' online with some awesome people at the private Team Strength and Might group.  These are the people who encourage me everyday to be my best when working out.  You'll also be able to order your workout programs online thru my team page and receive free shipping on certain products.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Want to start living life fully?  Join my team today!  It's free, it's fun and you'll be part of a goup that really has it going on!

Exercise is Good for Your Brain

Did you know that exercise can increase the 'mighty mitochondria' development in our brains?  Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cells that convert energy from the foods we eat into energy for the body's daily functions.  Mental function is very important as we age.  The University of South Carolina recently published their findings that daily exercise on a treadmill increased mitochondrial development in the brain.  This could help prevent age-related dementia. (Source:  Jorunal of Applied Physiology, 8.4.2011)

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Forgot where you left the car keys?  Forgot to pick the kids up after school?  Can't remember what you had for lunch yesterday?  Get on a treadmill everyday, cycle, or do some sort of exercise.  It's good for your brain power!

Halloween Treat That's NOT a Cheat

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Start your day the right way with a delicious and nutritious protein shake.  Here's a Halloween treat that's definitely NOT a cheat! Order your own Shakeology at this link:

http://myshakeology.com/esuite/home/kmondesire

Just When You Thought You'd Get Lazy

Quite often, we get tired of waking up, exercising, eating right, blah, blah blah....me too, included.  How wonderful it would be to go back to being 20years of age - rocket fuel for energy, perky bodies, eat whatever you want and look fabulous in a bikini (never mind you guys out there today!).  This morning, I received an email from a friend who attached a photo taken of me last night at a cultural event.  I looked at the photo and I just thought, "I hope she doesn't post this on facebook".  I hate the way I photograph....all I ever see is 'the hair wasn't right, I didn't get enough sleep, that dress makes me look like a linebacker', and the list of complaints goes on and on and on.  So, there I was, on my pity pot and figured 'let's just get this over with', and reached for a skirt that I could no longer zip up last year.  I had it cleaned anyway and stuck it in the closet for the 'I'll get back into it one day'.  I held my breath and started to plan a giant pity party because I figured I'd be putting the skirt back into the closet for another year.  Much to my surprise, the skirt not only fit, but there is plenty of room in the waist again.  I flushed the pity pot, reached for the Insanity DVDs and put on my best lipstick.  I'm ready to get back into the game today.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Forget the stupid photos and what we 'see'.  We tend to only look for what's amiss with ourselves and are our own worst critics when it comes to self image.  Judge instead, how your clothes fit, how you feel and when, at our age, people say 'you look so healthy', don't take hard (they used to say 'you look so sexy'), smile and realize that you look really, really good.  All that hard work....getting up early, exercising, eating right, blah, blah, blah....is worth it in the end.  I'm due for an updated press shot...are there any professional photographers out there??????

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Shake

It's October and pumpkins are everywhere...pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, pumpkin butter, pumpkin candies....sometimes, the temptation is just too great.  Here's a great low calorie, low fat, high in protein afternoon shake that will knock your socks off and knock out that craving for the pumpkin pie.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day: 

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Shake
1 scoop Shakeology Chocolate Protein Powder (you can purchase this online at http://myshakeology.com/esuite/home/kmondesire)
1/2 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup skim milk

Put all ingredients in a blender with a few ice cubes and blend until smooth.  This one is OUTSTANDING!!!  Enjoy!

'Designer' Your Food Plate

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines have thrown out the food pyramid and replaced it with "MyPlate".  Here's what our very own custom-designed food plates should look like:
1/2 the plate should contain fruits and vegetables, a bit over 1/4 of the plate should be whole grains, protein gets a bit less than a 1/4 of your plate, and add a glass of low-fat dairy or calcium-fortified soy milk.  The servings are based on a 2.000 calorie per day diet.
Here's Your Healthy Tip of the day....the breakdown:
grains:  6 daily portions in total.  one portion is equal to 1/2c rice, oatmeal or pasta, 1inch slice baguette or hockey puck sized bagel.
dairy:  3 portions in total.  one portion is equal to 1 c milk, yogurt or calcium fortified skim milk, 1/2c ricotta cheese or 1/3c shredded cheese, 1.5oz hard cheese.
fruits:  2 portions total.  one portion is equal to 1c fresh fruit or juice, 1/2c dried fruit.
vegetables:  2.5 portions total.  One portion equals 1c cooked or raw veggies, 2c salad greens, potatoes the size of a computer mouse.
protein:  5.5oz total.  One portion equals 4oz fish, 3oz meat or poultry, 1/4c beans, one egg is an ounce, 2tblspns nut butter equals 2 oz protein.

Why Should We Exercise in the First Place?

I don't know about you, but I don't wake up at 5:30 or 6am every morning and say 'oh goodie, let's exercise'.....I'm a normal person and I like my sleep - but I get up and do it anyway.  So, why do exercise?  Here are a few good reasons:  not only is exercise great for your circulation, muscle tone, weight, and general physical wellbeing; when you exercise, 3 chemicals (natural antidepressants) are released in the body.  These are serotonin, dopamine and endorphins.  The release of these natural chemicals gives you that 'feel good' high that comes with exercise, much the same feeling when you receive a relaxing acupuncture treatment.  Human Growth Hormone and DHEA are also released during exercise.  These are the hormones that make you look and feel younger.  When we hit the age of 40, the levels of these naturally occurring substances drop substantially, so the more you exercise, the more you will stimulate the growth of these hormones and the more they will release into your body in an efficient manner.  

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  nobody has any excuse why they can't exercise at least 20 minutes every day...this includes a brisk walk at lunchtime.  Get moving today and get that 'feel good' rush.  If you're too tired, then come in for acupuncture treatments to energize you and get you started with your exercise program!