BLGF WEEK OF SEPT 10-14



 

This is Jane...see Jane bust it even though her fearless leader is off laying out on the beach. BE JANE!. I will try to wake up and do the same.

 

Next week's workouts:

 

MONDAY- Jean, 545

TUESDAY- Libby 545

THURSDAY- Jean 545

FRIDAY- Margo 545

 

 

MONDAY:

Warm up stretch + 3 laps easy pace

1.	Bleacher Rounds	8 minutes
2.	Bicep curls	3 sets 20…little break in between (30 seconds)
3.	Step Ups on bleacher	R leg- 16, L leg- 16   *Do twice each leg
4.	Tricep Dips	3 sets of 16 …break in between
5.	Squat with weights…do a shoulder press when you stand up	3 sets 16 …break in between
6.	Push Ups	3 sets 16 …OUCH! J
7.	Jumping Jacks	3 sets of 30
8.	ABS	Normal crunches Front, Right, Left 30 each
9.	Remaining time? Repeat starting at #2 until you run out of time.

 Cool down and stretch

 

TUESDAY:

*DON’T DIP OUT! Hit the track with a friend or your ipod…55 minutes. Set a goal before:

Jog a lap, walk half a lap

Jog 2 laps, walk a half lap

 

*TAKE WATER BREAKS...Libby- Gatorade.

 

THURSDAY: *Meet in middle section, flat track

Do 30 of the following moves in a pyramid:

Pyramid...start with one move,

do one + the next,

do one + 2+ 3

 

eg.:

Do Jumping Jacks,

Do Jumping Jacks plus bicep curls

Do Jumping Jacks, Bicep Curls, Push Ups…

 

1.       Jumping Jacks

2.       Bicep Curls

3.       Push Up on Knees

4.       Lunge back to a kick RIGHT  & LEFT leg (30 each leg)

5.       Hold Plank 30 counts…SLOW

6.       Abs…Touch Toes with fingers

7.       Over Head Tricep Press

8.       Walking Lunges

9.       Shoulder Press

10.   Side Plank…15 counts preside SLOW

 

Cool Down

Friday:

15 Minutes walk or Jog

15 Minutes bleachers…Don’t HURT yourself

STRETCH:

 

Plank, Tricep Push Up Down, Cobra*

Cobra -Hold for 6 full, SLOW Breaths

Repeat *

Down Dog  -Hold for 6 full, SLOW Breaths -Hold for 6 full, SLOW Breaths

Switch Leg, Warrior 2  -Hold for 6 full, SLOW Breaths

Pull to stand, Forward Bend...HOLD for 6 breaths, center, right leg, center left leg

 

MAT: Pigeon

Lay on back, Knees in-rotate right, then left.

 

Friendships: The Greatest Benefit of Exercise

So I had just met Patricia, Pat I call her, and she, along with some new Dorman Hall friends and I, went to the Leach Center on FSU's campus. After spending a half hour or so running the track I look over, and Patricia is copying to the "T" every abdominal exercise I was doing. We had a laugh over how 'creepy' that could seem. Pat became one of my favorite people ever! BTW...she is now a rocking Yoga instructor in NC.

Jessica and I have worked out for years together. When you are locked in to a long run, in the freezing cold, with no where to hide for hours and hours, you get to know somebody...and they get to know you. I have shared some of my favorite memories laughing, crying and processing life with Jessica. When you suffer through a 10 mile horrible run together on the hills of Southwood you are pretty much bonded for life!

Margo laughingly said this morning how no one can be expected to have a filter at 5:30 in the morning. There is something wildly refreshing (and at times regretful when I speak without thinking) about that. When you work out together, you work towards a common goal. You share the pain of sleeplessness, sore muscles and weather extremes. You share the benefits of strength, health and accomplishments as well. You get to spend time with people in an environment where jobs, status, finances, make up, and all of those other 'things' take a second seat. You get to know people. You get to build friendships with others who paths you may have never crossed other wise.

I get very attached to my clients. I love them and miss them when life changes. Of all of the benefits of early morning consistent exercise...the friendship factor is my favorite.

If you are struggling with loneliness or feeling in a fitness rut, perhaps you can start searching for a friend who would be willing to exercise with you. I promise, it will be one of the greatest blessings in your life!

Special thanks and welcome to our current BLGF girls: Virginia, Margo, Jessica, Sabrina, Jennifer, Libby, Jean and to all of my BLGF girls past!!!

Back to School and WHY Early Morning Exercisers are More Successful...

Well, well...is it true? Is the relaxation and splendor of the summer really coming to an end? Are packing lunches, homework and all things scholastic right around the corner? Yes indeed...school is almost back in session.

As a mom who has endeavored to homeschool 3 out of her 4 children (baby is barely 2), I probably try to squeeze out the last drops of summer harder then most Moms. I relish the laid back schedule and ability to permanently remain wearing my MOM hat (while letting the 'teacher' hat remain undisturbed in my armoire). As of now, most of my curriculum is en route via Amazon, but I still have some subjects in the TBD file. But how does any of this, you ask, relate to fitness?

One of the major reasons that I have been able to conquer the last 3 of my 6 homeschooling years has to do with consistent, hard...and fun...exercise. I was never able to really exercise as often as I set out too when I was trying to schedule those workouts later in the day or evening. Too many good excuses would cause me to miss my weekly goals. Consistent exercise absolutely effects the ability I have to teach, remain organized, energized, and perhaps, most importantly, sweet.
Disclaimer: perhaps sweeter would be more of an appropriate choice of words).

Also, I LOVE people and I need to know that I will have definite kid-free times arranged in my week. I look forward to joining my girlfriends every morning. The relationships people develop when the work, dare say suffer, together is really special. Some of my greatest times are spent before 7am!

Early morning fitness continually holds the gold in regards to CONSISTENCY...the statistics are undeniable! 90% of consistent exercisers are morning exercisers! More over, early morning exercisers tend to be more productive, organized, and overall successful in not only the realms of fitness, but in many areas of their professional and personal life.

If you are about to start a new phase of life either sending your kids to school, or homeschooling, consider adding consistent and effective exercise to your weekly schedule. The emotional and physical results are worth it!

 READ ON:

*Check out #6!!!

Learn to Love A.M. Exercise

(Even if You're Not a Morning Person)

-- By Rebecca Pratt, Staff Writer, SPARK

I am not a morning person. This confession will come as no surprise to my friends and family, most of whom have spent many glorious years making merry over my tendency to nod off over breakfast, my need for copious amounts of coffee before noon, and my late-night bursts of productivity. For years I’ve tried to pretend I’m one of “them”—those chirpy, cheerful folks who rise effortlessly at dawn to go after that proverbial worm. I’ve also spent many years suppressing the urge to complain bitterly about a world where night owls like me suffer grievous discrimination at the hands of those ubiquitous “normal” people. So those who know me best are always startled—no, make that shocked—to find out that I do most of my exercising in the early hours of the day, anywhere from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. They’re even more astonished, after an initial double take, to discover that I actually like to get my exercise in early. Really. And though my morning-exercise regimen started out as a concession to the practical constraints of my life, I have since discovered that there are some very good benefits to learning to love exercise in the morning—so I’ll share with you my “Top Ten Reasons” for getting up with the early birds to get moving: Exercising early in the morning "jump starts" your metabolism, keeping it elevated for hours, sometimes for up to 24 hours! As a result, you’ll be burning more calories all day long—just because you exercised in the morning. Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you’ve done something disciplined and good for you. (Much better than a worm!) Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity—a benefit that lasts four to ten hours after your workout ends. Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing. Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn’t be a major problem to get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier—especially since regular exercise generally means a higher quality of sleep, which in turn means you’ll probably require less sleep. (If getting up 30 to 60 minutes earlier each day seems too daunting, you can ease into it with 10 to 20 minutes at first.) When you exercise at about the same time every morning—especially if you wake up regularly at about the same time—you’re regulating your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Your body learns that you do the same thing just about every day, and it begins to prepare for waking and exercise several hours before you actually open your eyes. That’s beneficial because: Your body’s not “confused” by wildly changing wake-up times, which means waking up is much less painful. (You may even find that you don’t need an alarm clock most days.) Hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, etc. Your metabolism, along with all the hormones involved in activity and exercise, begin to elevate while you're sleeping. As a result, you’ll feel more alert, energized, and ready to exercise when you do wake up. Many people find that morning exercise has a tendency to regulate their appetite for the rest of the day. Not only do they eat less (since activity causes the release of endorphins, which in turn diminishes appetite), they also choose healthier portions of healthier foods. People who consistently exercise find, sometimes to their great surprise, that the appointed time every morning evolves into something they look forward to. Besides the satisfaction of taking care of themselves, they find it’s a great time to plan their day, pray, or just think more clearly—things most of us often don’t get to do otherwise. Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment, particularly if you have a hectic family life. (It’s so easy to wimp out in the evening, when we’re tired or faced with such tasks as rustling up dinner and helping with homework.) More than 90% of those who exercise consistently have a morning fitness routine. If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m. Non-morning people can always trick themselves in the a.m. Having trouble psyching yourself up for a sunrise jog? Do what I did—tell yourself that you’ll still be so fast asleep that you won’t even remember—much less mind!

Keeping It Real...What did I do with some time off?

Welcome to my first post in my new 'Keeping It Real' Section. My schedule may look impressive and yes, I do have 4 children, but sometimes I just have to make sure everyone understands that I am NOT a super hero with secret powers.
For instance; I have been transitioning BLGF to the Mid Town area, therefore I had 7 days OFF.
Do you think I went to a hot yoga class, took relaxing runs, did some cross training on my porch? Of course I did.

N.O.

Nothing

Nada

Zilch

Zip

For 7 days I have stayed up until midnight and beyond, slept in until 7:45 and did a whole lot of NOTHING in the exercise department. I also ate chocolate and granola.

That was fun. For about 4 days. Then I started to feel weaker and not as energetic. But, alas, not enough to go DO SOMETHING.

Then today hit.

Let me just sum it up by saying that I wrote "buy wife a new attitude" on Tim's grocery list. (Yes, he wrote the list but we both went shopping...don't judge me :) ) I was not kidding. He wished he could have.

Today I am refreshed in my state of remaining ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that exercise is NOT an option for me. My family takes a sigh of relief. For the last 3 days I have been experiencing depressive moods and thoughts. Enough to shake off, but it started piling up. And, no, it is not PMS.
The last two days anxiety has been strolling down the aisle alongside depression. Then today, during Whitney's vision therapy session, I could not shake off stressing about how 'stuff' was on the floor. Did it need to be swept...well, yes, I have 4 kids. But I am a pretty tidy little girl. But I could see how a non-clinical OCD was trying to third wheel my other two aforementioned foes. By 10:00am I was in a full on GRUMPELSTILTSKIN FUNK! The kind you just cannot shake. I KNEW this morning that my non exercise streak had to end. Fast! Today I was crawling out of my skin, and I knew why! I cannot afford to not exercise. This just encourages me to be real about some of the WHYS behind why I do what I do.

Mental health, like physical health, can be a blessing, a source of life and creativity and cause you to add to those that surround you. Or...did you get that...OR it can be an unwelcome ball and chain, a driving force of stress and negativity, a rush of painful feelings. HOWEVER exercise can help manage and even reverse the dark side of stress.

If you struggle with anxiety, depression and a tendency to obsess, let me encourage you: consistent exercise can seriously CHANGE your life. It can cause you to experience peace, joy and a sense of owning your life. Today was a welcome reminder that exercise is a GIFT and I LOVE that I am able to move everyday with those I love. Come rain or shine...I will be sweating and burning it out tomorrow morning.

Can you relate? How has exercise changed your life?

BLGF SUMMER LOCATION and CHANGES

HI Everyone!

Last month we moved across town to Old Town (Mid Town) Tallahassee. I LOVE the architecture, established homes and HILLS that this location has to offer. I am offering classes at LEON HIGH, my home and other surrounding locations. Most of the am classes are from 6-7am.

I still teach 4 days a week:

Monday, Tuesday,

Thursday and Friday

You can count on a perfect balance of cardio, strength, core and flexibility training per week.

Rates are $80 for a month of unlimited classes,

or

$7 per class

Make exercise FUN and CONSISTENT...

As always, you can contact me at 850.559.8003

Balanced Life Coaching

Happy 2012 Everybody!
I am very excited about expanding the reaches of Balanced Life Group Fitness through Healthy Lifestyle Coaching. This will allow me to share my experiences, knowledge and passions about leading a healthy and fit life! Through 1 on 1 coaching calls, I will partner in sharing with you what I know to help you reach your 2012 goals to:

1) Loose unwanted weight

2) Exercise effectively to reach your goals

3) Learn how to truly Eat Clean

4) Time Management Skills that are A MUST for long term success

5) Gluten Free Living for those who need it

$100 for 3 1-hour calls, 

plus a free 1-hour consultation

For Tallahassee clients I am additionally offering 1 on 1 Grocery Store or Home Pantry session to practically show and teach you how to eat clean and organize your food to meet your goals ($75/ session). I am also offering a 1 on 1 Personal Training session to get you off to a successful start ($75).


A healthy, lean body is NOT out of your reach! With a few tweaks and changes you can have the health and body that you desire in 2012!


Contact me if this is for you...limited spots available.
850.559.8003


Jenn Batey,
SCW Personal Trainer
PIYO certified
Owner of Balanced Life Group Fitness
BLGF Healthy Lifestyle Coaching since 2009
CEU's in The Nature of Metabolism, AFAA
*Most importantly, lost the baby weight 4 times :)

Beating Fall Allergies & Colds, Annie's Organic Garden, and 50 Benefits of Consistent Exercise...

Wow...how about this beautiful weather! I hope that you are all enjoying the cooler temperatures and open windows. Fall in North Florida is always so refreshing. Waking up to exercise is a bit more motivating with the gorgeous mornings. Now is the time to start or re-commit yourself to a consistent fitness routine, so that when the holiday parties, busyness and stress rolls around, you will not have to think twice about exercise. I have found that planning for a half marathon, or any other larger fitness goal in February or March completely streamlines my winter exercise. One cannot skip a week of workouts because of travel or temperatures when a race is right around the corner. Last year I noticed that having the race on my calender helped me 'mentally' tough out the cold temperatures and beat the winter blues. ANYONE can do it! Sign up for something that interests you and make sure to invite a friend along!

If you are tired of tight clothes, the scale, fatigue, depression and stressing out about getting in a workout, consider Balanced Life Group Fitness. We meet 4-5 days a week before the interruptions and demands of the day, and our workouts provide ALL one needs to see and enjoy the benefits and results of consistent exercise. See the schedule at the bottom of this page.

Fall is my favorite time to 'eat'. The foods are delicious and it is no longer too hot to cook or eat. Here is one of my favorite salads to make in the Fall (my kids love it too!)

FALL SALAD
Spinach leaves
Cucumbers sliced and halved
Fresh Pear sliced up
Fresh roasted Pecans
Sprinkle with Gruyere Cheese
Top with a homemade/natural vinaigrette of your choice

*I could about eat this everyday. Toss with some chicken or fish and turn this into a yummy  dinner! It is really hearty and filling, and a great way to get in some veggies.

Ok, well if you know me you know how I HAVE TO share with you products or info that I think is awesome...right?! Well speaking of veggies...my new friend Brooke, who is a part of the Tuesday co-op my children are in, is the coordinator for Annie's Organic Produce Buying Club of Tallahassee. Oddly enough, I first heard about Annie's almost 2 years ago when visiting my friend in Miami. Basically Annie's provides you with a weeks worth of ORGANIC produce for a very reasonable price (seriously)! I have seen the boxes of produce, and you would definitely be paying more if you bought all of that produce in the Organic section of your local grocery store. I feel the price is comparable to buying the same produce in the non-organic sections of your grocery store! Annie's foods are super fresh and I really hope you look into this to see if this is a fit for you and your family. My in-laws work at an Ag Lab and garden, so we  get loads of produce from them, but I am still going to look into seeing what we may be able to participate in. BONUS: Annie's always includes recipes in each box to help you use every fruit and veggie. It is a great way to have some new and exciting ways to consume your produce and it should cut down the time you spend grocery shopping. Awesome! Check it out and let me know what you think!
http://www.anniesbuyingclub.com/

STRUGGLING with ALLERGIES or COLDS?

1) Remember to take your daily dose of LOCAL HONEY. I have written extensively before about the use of local honey to ward of allergies. Recently in the news (but not news to most moms) is the proven benefit of honey to help with coughing.

2) Push Fluids...ok, no brainer, but even I need a reminder to drink more water when the weather is less hot!

3) Rest...don't even ask me how much sleep I got this week :( ...but you know your body...try to hit the pillow at a reasonable hour to allow anywhere from 7-8.5 hours for most women. Adequate sleep indirectly helps fight off unwanted fat as well...enough said!

4) I love homemade chicken soups or veggie soups, as well as juicing to fight off a cold! Get in those veggies and natural ingredients to allow your body a break from trying to digest sugar, chemicals and garbage!

5) I try to make sure I am taking my supplements. I take D3 and a One-A-Day, and supplement with probiotics and fish oils as needed. I also have friends who have much success taking Juice Plus or other immune building supplements (Zinc-Calcium-Mag). Talk to your Dr. if he supports the use of nutrition to heal the body!

6) Talk to your closest friends or spouse to process the heart-aches and stresses of life. I am a big believer in the link between bottled up emotions or stress and sickness (not saying ALL sickness is because of this!) However, I do think that emotional stress wears down our bodies ability to fight off infections! If you are not feeling well, ask yourself if something is bothering you in your heart. My personal relationship with the LORD and my girlfriends (and Tim!) have been 100% crucial to helping me navigate the stress and disappointment that this life can throw at you.

7) HOBBIFY...hahah, that is my new word! It is the verb tense of hobby. Even with all that I do I try to take time every week to 'hobbify'. For me, that means to sew, craft, walk through a fabric store, read a great book, go out with my friends, I should say write music (but it has been a while)! I try to make time within my week to make something, or participate in something beautiful! It refuels my heart so that I can hit the ground running on Monday...literally!

I hope these tips inspire you in some way to enjoy life and live it to the max!

50 Benefits of Consistent Exercise:

Why we DO What We DO

• Improved digestion.
• Enhances quality of sleep.
• Adds a sparkle and radiance to complexion.
• Improves body shape.
• Tones and firms muscles.
• Provides more muscular definition.
• Enables weight loss and keeps it off.
• Makes you limber.
• Improves endurance.
• Burns extra calories.
• Improves circulation and helps reduce blood pressure.
• Increases lean muscle tissue in the body.
• Improves appetite for healthy foods.
• Alleviates menstrual cramps.
• Alters and improves muscle chemistry.
• Increases metabolic rate.
• Enhances coordination and balance.
• Improves posture.
• Eases and possibly eliminates back problems and pain.
• Makes the body use calories more efficiently.
• Lowers resting heart rate.
• Increases muscle size through an increase in muscle fibers.
• Improves body composition.
• Increases body density.
• Decreases fat tissue more easily.
• Makes body more agile.
• Is the greatest body tune-up.
• Reduces joint discomfort.
• Improves athletic performance.
• Enriches sexuality.
• May add a few years to life.
• Increases your range of motion.
• Enhances immune system.
• Improves glycogen storage.
• Enables the body to utilize energy more efficiently.
• Increases enzymes in the body which burn fat.
• Increases the number and size of mitochondria in muscle cells.
• Increases concentration of myoglobin (carries oxygen in muscles) in skeletal muscles.
• Enhances oxygen transport throughout the body.
• Improves liver functioning.
• Increases speed of muscle contraction and reaction time.
• Enhances feedback through the nervous system.
• Strengthens the heart.
• Improves blood flow.
• Helps to alleviate varicose veins.
• Increases maximum cardiac output.
• Increases contractility of the heart's ventricles.
• Increases the weight and size of the heart.
• Improves contractile function of the whole heart.
• Makes calcium transport in the heart and body more efficient.

*****BLGF GIRLS*****
I will be collecting 5 recipes each (mainly natural ingredients) and making copies for everyone for our FALL BLGF RECIPE EXCHANGE. I hope this doesn't stress you, because I LOVE some of the recipes I got the first time we did this! Please try to have them to me within 2 weeks.

Here is our schedule for the next few weeks:

Classes meet 5:30-6:30am

Off of Fred George Road, NW Tallahassee

MONDAYS-

A.K.A All Over Mondays…a high intensity circuit class that combines bursts of cardio with fabulous strength training moves. Geared to rev up the metabolism at the beginning of the week!

TUESDAYS-

 Cardio endurance. ALL LEVELS…come and get that heart pumping for the entire class…work on distance or speed, walking, jogging, or running. We meet across from Hunting Estates

THURSDAYS-

 Strength Training…always different methods and moves to tighten the body and build fat-burning muscles.

FRIDAYS-

 Flexibility Fridays…SO IMPORTANT for keeping your body LEAN and YOUNG! This is such a beneficial class for overall health and pain free living!

What do you bring?

Yoga mat, towel, water and 2 sets of weights…I will supply the rest