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COMING SOON!!!...online personal training options. Get the motivation you need to stay on track with your fitness goals.
“The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
-Stephen R. Covey

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Daily Challenge #5---Make a Committment!

One of the best ways to motivate yourself to get into shape is to sign up for a local race. You can start with a 5K, move on to the 10K or half marathon, or for the ultimate challenge....the full marathon! In addition there are a lot of triathlons if you want to mix in a little biking and swimming. Finishing any of these races provides a sense of accomplishment that feels amazing! Plus you never know...you just might get hooked!

There are a lot of running programs you can find to help get you in race shape. Here are a few websites to check out-

Beginners-
http://www.coolrunning.com/cgi-bin/moxiebin/bm_tools.cgi?print=181;s=2_3;site=1

Intermediate to Advanced-
http://www.halhigdon.com/

So your challenge for today is to find a local race that will be held this Spring, find a buddy that will join you, and start your race training today.

This site has local running events- http://www.dailymile.com/events

You can check here to see when the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure will be in your area. You can run a race and feel good about donating to Breast Cancer Research.

Check here to see what triathlon races are being held in your state- http://www.trifind.com/

It is early enough in the year that you have time to train for some kind of race. Let 2010 be the year for you to accomplish something you have never done before!

Friday, January 29, 2010

Daily Challenge #4---Yoga

If you have never given yoga a try, now is the time to test it out. For those of you who think you are tough I have a challenge for you too:).

The first clip is the basic sun salutation that you will do in almost any yoga class. For you yoga newbies give this a try. After going through it a few times with the video clip try it on your own. Do 10 of these in a row. It is a perfect way to work on flexibility and upper body strength.

The second clip is an advanced yoga series with some very challenging poses. This one only goes through one side of your body so make sure to repeat it on the opposite side.


Sun Salutations -



Advanced Yoga Series-

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Daily Challenge #3--Aerobic Capacity

Today you are going to test your aerobic capacity by either walking a mile or running 1.5 miles. If you are new to exercise stick to the 1-mile walk. If you exercise regularly 3-5x week, give the 1.5 mile run a try.

Remember...the results of the test are to give you a starting point and a goal to work towards. Don't be discouraged by low test results. You can retest in a month or so after regularly exercising to see if you have improved.

1 Mile Walk Test

In order to complete the one-mile walk test, you need to be able to take your pulse. Your pulse can be found on the inside of your wrist just at the base of your thumb.
Equipment/Test Setting

You will walk one mile as fast as you can, and take your heart rate immediately at the end of the test.

Take your heart rate by counting the beats for 10 seconds and times that number by 6.

If you do this test on a treadmill no holding onto the handrails!!! That would be called cheating.

After finishing the test do a cool-down lap.
Check your results here-
http://www.adultfitnesstest.org/dataEntry.aspx

1.5 Mile Run Test-

Same idea applies. Run as fast as you can for 1.5 miles. You won't have to take your heart rate for this one. Just keep track of your time.

Make sure to cool-down.

Check your results here-
http://www.adultfitnesstest.org/dataEntry.aspx


Let me know how it goes!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Chicken and Soba Noodles

This is definitely a dish worth trying. I like it because it is super easy yet different from the normal dish we have at our house. I had never tried soba noodles before cooking this dish. You can buy them in the oriental section of your grocery store. Although I wasn't able to find them at Wal-mart. I followed this recipe minus the red peppers because I don't like them, but you could add any type of veggie you want. Plus the noodles have a lot of protein in them so you could leave the meat out and make this a delicious vegetarian meal.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes

3 TBSP low-sodium soy-sauce
2 TBSP rice vinegar
1 TBSP sesame oil
2 tsp grated fresh ginger ( I just used ginger spice)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp hot sauce (such as tobasco)
1 Pound boneless, skinless, thinly sliced chicken breasts
1 package (8.8 ounces soba noodles)
3 cups broccoli florets
1 small sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
1 TBSP sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, lime juice and hot sauce.

2. Fill a large skillet halfway with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 minutes or until cooked through; set aside. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken using two forks and place pieces in a large serving bowl.

3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook noodles following package directions. Add broccoli florets to pot for final 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.

4. Place noddle mixture and red pepper in serving bowl with chicken. Drizzle soy sauce mixture on top and toss well to coat. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, if desired, and serve at room temperature or cold.


PER SERVING 267 calories; 4 g fat (1g sat); 25 g protein; 36 g carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 585 mg sodium; 44 mg cholesterol


Very Yummy! Couldn't be easier!

Daily Challenge #2

Put your tummy to the test...sit-ups as fast as you can, as many as you can for 1 minute.

Find a partner.


Have them hold your feet. Or anchor your feet against a wall if you can't get somone to help you out. (See Pic.)


Cross your arms over your chest. Keep your arms in tight the whole time. (See Pic)


Do a full sit-up. As many as you can for 1 minute.


Keep a record of your number.


See how you measure up by clicking here.


Make a goal to do more the next time you test.


Good Luck!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Music for Motivation-

We all know that a little music goes a long way when it comes to making it through a tough workout. When your favorite song starts playing it can send a jolt of energy through your body.

Last week on Oprah the episode was about People Magazine's 1/2 their size issue. The boy on the show had lost over 250 lbs!!! That in and of itself is motivating. Truly anything is possible. To get started this boy made a song playlist consisting of 2 songs...just 2 songs. He exercised to those 2 songs and every week he added a new song to the list. In addition to eating healthy and his little song list he lost 1/2 his body weight!!! Currently his playlist is about 23 songs long.

If you are having a hard time finding the motivation to exercise give this little tactic a try. ANYONE can exercise for 2 songs.

Here are some ideas...a few of my favorites:).

Love Drunk--Boys Like Girls
One Way or Another--Mandy Moore
Burn it Up--Jessie James
Blue Jeans--Jessie James
Not Like That--Ashley Tisdale
Let's Dance--Vanessa Hudgens
Live Like We're Dying--Kris Allen
Gotta Be Someone--Nickelback
Down--Jay Sean
Cowboy Casanova--Carrie Underwood
If You Seek Amy--Brittany Spears
Superstar (Smash It)--Kimberly Cole
Love Stones/I Think She Knows--Justin Timberlake
Thanks for the Memories--Fall out Boy
Cuz I Can--PINK

Happy Exercising!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Daily Challenge...Bring It!!!

Whether you are just beginning on your journey to better health or are THE fitness maniac I am going to be offering a daily challenge. It will be a mix of physical, mental and emotional challenges. Are you in?

Challenge #1-


As part of your next workout (preferable today or tomorrow) I want you to do push-ups for 1 minute--NO STOPPING! Do them at the level you are capable of doing. And don't forget form when you start to fatigue.


Keep track of how many you do. You will need the number for future challenges.

I won't ask you to do something I haven't already challenged myself to do. Don't let me do these challenges alone!:)

Good Luck!!!

~PCFitness

CollageVideo.com- Workout DVDs

For those of you who do not belong to a gym, and like to exercise at home, or even for those days when getting to the gym is impossible, there are lots of exercise dvds you can do at home. You can check out Collagevideo.com and watch a quick clip of hundreds of dvds before you buy them.
I don't recommend buying them from this site because you can usually find them cheaper somewhere else. Try Wal-mart or Amazon.

Here are some that I recommend taking a look at-

Personal Training with Jackie: Power Circuit Training

Jillian Michaels: No More Trouble Zones

10 Min. Solution: Quick Sculpt Pilates with Ball kit

If you like dancing-
Dance with Julianne - Cardio Ballroom

If you are a Stepper-
Cathe Friedrich's Athletic Step
Cathe Friedrich's Cardio Hiit