Smooth Fitness Blog

With Valentines Day upon us, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss how your loved ones affect your fitness journey.  The commitment to get fit and lose weight is a life changing endeavor. It will certainly be one of the most gratifying experiences of your life.  It has brought happiness to so many people and I am certain it will bring happiness to you also.  There are times when the resolve to stay fit is tested.  You may need to lean on the shoulders of your loved ones or they may need to lean on yours.

When you begin your fitness journey, let your family and friends know how important it is to you.  Let them know that you need their assistance in keeping on track.  Let them know that they may be called upon for support.  In the long run it will be better for all of you.  When you feel better about yourself, your relationships most likely will be stronger.

One way to engage the support of your loved ones is to include them on your fitness journey.  Invite them to join in when possible.  Always be welcoming, but never pushy.  You may be surprised how receptive they will be.  Try the tips I have included below to involve your loved ones in your fitness routine.

1)      Offer to go for a walk.
2)      Find a local fitness center that offers couple or group memberships.
3)      Find an activity that you can enjoy together such as skiing, bike riding, or hiking.
4)      Explore healthy new recipes or restaurants together.
5)      Try partner exercises such as tossing a medicine ball.
6)      Find a group fitness class that you each will enjoy.  Some classes that are very popular include indoor cycling, cardio kickboxing, or body toning.
7)      Consider purchasing some in home exercise equipment that will benefit the both of you.  You may wish to purchase two exercise machines so that you may exercise at the same time.

Exercising with someone who is important to you is a great motivator.  Each participant knows that their involvement is helping someone they care about stay or become healthy.   Exercising together is the best way to help your friends or loved ones retain a higher quality of life for a longer period of time.  What could be more motivating?

By: Jim Bompensa

Jim Bompensa has been a health club owner and manager, personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and nutrition specialist for the nearly 15 years. He is currently the owner/operator of Body Physics Fitness Center in Haddonfield, NJ. Jim has appeared and contributed on ABC and NBC in Philadelphia, PA as well as Designing Spaces on TLC.

Exercise during pregnancy is a terrific way to help your body prepare for childbirth and keep from gaining excess weight during pregnancy.  It will also help you lose weight after childbirth.

If you choose to exercise during your pregnancy, there are some important guidelines that you should follow.

1. If you have been exercising regularly, you can generally maintain your fitness routine throughout your pregnancy. It is important that your program does not violate any of the other guidelines below.
2. If exercise is new to you, you should start very slowly and perform exercises at a very low intensity level.
3. Listen to your body. It will give you signs to let you know if you are working too hard. You should never exercise to the point of exhaustion or breathlessness. Do not worry about maintaining a high heart rate level. You may be your own judge.  If you feel you are working at a 5 on a scale of 1-10, you are working hard enough.
4. Take breaks as necessary and drink a lot of water. Water is important in helping your body maintain the proper temperature for the baby.
5. Do not exercise in hot weather. It is better to exercise inside in the air conditioning.
6. Do not wear restrictive clothes that will limit blood flow.
7. Avoid any contact exercise such as athletics, kickboxing, or high impact activities such as jump roping unless approved by your doctor. Consider using low impact exercise equipment such as treadmills or ellipticals.
8. If you do exercise outside, avoid unstable surfaces.
9. During the second and third trimesters, avoid pregnancy exercises that require you to lie flat on your back. This will decrease blood flow to the baby.
10. Understand that your body changes during pregnancy. One of the major changes is that it releases a chemical called elastin. This chemical causes your ligaments and tendons to be more lax preparing your body for child birth - remember this while exercising. At this time, it is very important to work each exercise in the proper range of motion.
11. The final and most important guideline is to listen to your doctor. Every pregnancy is different, and only your personal physician knows what is best for you.  Discuss all the details of your exercise and diet routine with your physician to get their approval before you implement them. This is a must!

Have a wonderful pregnancy and best of luck to you and your family.

Jim Bompensa has been a health club owner and manager, personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and nutrition specialist for the nearly 15 years. He is currently the owner/operator of Body Physics Fitness Center in Haddonfield, NJ. Jim has appeared and contributed on ABC and NBC in Philadelphia, PA as well as Designing Spaces on TLC.