There are so many benefits of daily stretching. For one, it helps us keep a healthy range of motion in our daily movements. How many times are we doing a normal daily activity and ‘pull’ something? Stretching is useful for both injury prevention and injury treatment. Stretching is also thought to improve recovery and may enhance athletic performance. Additionally, increased flexibility of the neck, shoulders, and upper back may improve respiratory function. Ok, so you still ask, why should I stretch - because I said so!….just kidding. It just feels so good!

It is very important to develop and maintain a stretching regimen because working out tightens muscles. You don’t have to be lifting super heavy weights in order to experience the tightening effects of exercise. When you weight train, you incur tiny tears in your muscles. During the course of 24-73 hours, your body works at repairing those muscle tears, resulting in muscles that are a bit larger, stronger and tighter. Incorporating stretching into your daily habits will help loosen these tight muscles and improve your muscle flexibility, therefore giving you a greater range of motion in body movements. However, it is important that you stretch correctly. I see it all the time, a quick lean, ahh..ok done. No benefit is gained form a 3 second stretch. In order to get the benefit of a stretch you need to hold it for a minimum of 15 seconds, 30 seconds is highly recommended. Your muscles are like taffy…you need to keep them extended long enough so they”ll stay loose. And remember to breathe while stretching!

Still not convinced….come see me!

The ever so important wine question - can I drink wine while keeping fit?

…Damn straight it fits in to a healthy lifestyle. My doctor told me 1-2 glasses of wine a day is in the ‘healthy’ range. Wine is full of antioxidants, as well as potassium (which regulates fluid balance in the body), and alcohol which may help raise the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, reduce risk of blood clots, and lower blood pressure. When finding a place for drinking wine in a healthy diet, note that a 5 ounce glass of red wine contains 120 calories, and a 5 ounce glass of white wine contains 118 calories. It all comes down to the simple equation of calories in versus calories out. If you take in less calories than your body is burning, you’ll lose weight regardless if it is low fat, no fat, high protein, or high fat. Your body is first concerned with quantity, then quality. The next step is to make good choices as far as quality so your body is getting all the nutrients it needs. Amongst all the benefits of drinking wine, alcohol robs your body of these nutrients, promotes dehydration, taxes your liver, and sometimes gives you the munchies (counter productive!) All things considered, I believe in moderation and balance. I need to have fun in my life, and not feel deprived while keeping fit for me.

Motivation seems to be a major hurdle for a lot of people wanting to get in shape these days. There is, and always will be, a reason to start tomorrow, or next week, or when you return from vacation, after you move, etc. The list goes on and on. Maybe you really don’t want to get back in shape, you think it would be nice, but really aren’t making the daily commitment to actually do it. Life is not going to stop for you once you pick a date, there will still be all those distractions and reasons not to get up each day and make the time to exercise, and take the time to prepare and carry your lunch and snacks to keep you going all day. It is an ongoing challenge to live fit, and make healthy choices. We cannot will ourselves there, we really need to be honest with ourselves and take it seriously. I think about what my day looks like tomorrow, plot out the best time to get my exercise in and act accordingly. Even if it means going to bed an hour early so I can get up and fit a run in before work. If it is going to be ‘one of those days’ a 10 minute walk here and there (get off the bus a couple stops early and walk the rest of the way), a mid day stretch, and a brisk walk with the dog in the evening will suffice. If it is raining, take your umbrella - we live in Seattle! You’ll be surprised at how much better you feel the entire day. So get up right this moment and do something - walk up and down the stairs, do a few jumping jacks, walk circles in your apartment - no excuses. To those of you who already do it - cheers!

One dedicated soul joined me on Sunday, Dec.2nd Bodywalk class. It was snowing, then it was raining (pouring actually), but what a workout we got - and fun too. Why does the weather stop many of us from getting our exercise in? With the right clothing, shoes, and attitude, a workout in inclement weather is just as rewarding if not more than sunnier times. Get out there and move!

I met Dawn in June 2007, and I was 227 pounds. I had been working out on my own since March and lost 10 pounds, but got in to a rut. I joined a new gym and my new trainer pushed me as if I were in the military. I could hardly walk out of there. I was afraid of my next appointment. Luckily I was able to switch trainers, and met Dawn. She approached me in a completely different way. I told her my routine and food habits, but I told her I didnt have much control.

She told me to stop what I was doing, and try her way. I decided to give up what I was doing before, because my best thinking only gave me a 10 pound weight loss in 4 months. Instead of giving me a cookie cutter routine, she designs each workout for my needs. With her help in exercise and diet, I lost 40 pounds in four months. I even referred my mother and a friend to her, and would recommend that everyone try a workout her way. It will be challenging, but the rewards will be better and much faster than going at a fitness program alone or a typical workout program.

- Scot Kelly

I started working out with Dawn in May of 2007 and in 2 months I lost 8lbs and 2% body fat. During all my workouts Dawn was encouraging and supportive, and most importantly realistic. I never felt pressure to over-perform or to adjust my lifestyle outside of my reach. The parameters we created around my diet and workouts made it possible for me to reach my goals while still do (and eat!) some of the things I love. I’ve always maintained a relatively healthy lifestyle, but it wasn’t until I started working out with Dawn that I actually lost weight and saw changes in my body. It’s been a very rewarding experience and fun too!