Look and Feel Your Best On Your Wedding Day

Client of the Month

Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day, but Stephanie Clayton worked with a personal trainer for almost two years to achieve her fitness goals.

“I was tired of saying I could do it myself and then not delivering,” Stephanie says. “I knew I needed help, and I knew that the investment in my health was worth it.”

Since beginning at FT-Belle Meade, the busy pharmacist has continued to lose pounds and has whittled 4 inches off her waist while dramatically increasing both strength and flexibility. Her lung capacity has also improved so much that exercise-induced asthma no longer plagues her during her workouts.

Says trainer Zach Harrison: “Stephanie is one of the hardest working clients I know. She gives 100% from start to finish and finds a way to keep a smile on her face. It's a joy to train people who give you all they have.”

When she walked down the aisle on May 22, Stephanie says she was in the best shape of her life. But her commitment to fitness doesn’t stop at “I do.”

"My wedding day was a fairy tale because I didn't have to worry about the way I looked," she admits. "I was able to walk proud. My FT trainers helped me uncover real health goals, not just ‘I have a wedding coming up, and I want to look good.' They have helped me create a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. I don’t want to ever look like my "before" picture again!”

Join us in congratulating Stephanie Clayton Thompson on her success—and her recent wedding.

Do You want to look and feel your best on your wedding day. Call or stop by Fitness Together 5133 Harding Road Nashville, TN 37205(615) 353-1310

Stability Ball

Originally used for low-back and abdominal exercises (and still it's most popular use) the exercise ball is now used for yoga and pilates, as well as a replacement for an office chair. Before purchasing an exercise ball it is critical that you choose the correct size ball for your height.

5' 0" to 5' 5" 55 cm (22 in.) 5' 6"- 6' 1"65 cm (26 in.)

6' 2" - 6' 8"75 cm (30 in.) 6' 9" and up 85 cm (34 in.)

Stability ball exercises help to improve balance and coordination while attacking the muscles groups you're training. By forcing you to incorporate your stabilizer muscles, the targeted muscle group will not be able to perform at full capacity.

Below Are Some Exercises You Can Begin With To Become Comfortable With Your Stability Ball


Exercise Description:Stability Ball Wall Squat with DBs

Classification:Quads (stability ball)

Instructions:1. Start by placing a stability ball against a wall and holding it there with the small of your back. 2. Holding a dumbell in each hand proceed to squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground or you have reached full range of motion. 3. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired repetitions.

Exercise Description:Incline DB chest press on SB ball
Classification:Chest (stability ball)
Instructions:1. Lie on the ball so that the ball is under your upper back. Drop your hips so that they are only a couple of inches off the floor.2. Start with the dumbells at shoulder level and proceed to press them straight up toward the ceiling. 3. Remember to keep your hands directly above your elbows during the press phase. The dumbells should end up directly above your chest. 4. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise Description:Single Leg Curl ON ball
Classification:Hamstrings (stability balls)

Instructions:1. Start by rolling face down onto the ball so that the ball is under your hips. 2. Place your hands on the ground for stability with both legs elevated off the ground. 3. Curl one leg up towards your back and then return to the the starting position. Repeat with the other leg. 4. To add intensity you can place an ankle weight around your legs or attach your ankle to tubing or a cable

Exercise Description:Pull Over
Classification:Lats (stability ball)


Instructions:1) Sit in upright position on flexaball with feet flat on floor.2) Walk feet forward allowing ball to roll underneath body until it is positioned on mid to upper back region (you may rest head on flexaball). Raise hips to create a “table top” position parallel to floor.3) Place dumbbell on chest with handle perpendicular to chest. Grasp DB as shown.4) Start position: Extend elbows and raise DB even with the eye-line.5) With elbows slightly bent, lower DB back even to slightly below head level.









Exercise Description:One Arm Tricep Extension

Classification:Tricep (stability ball)
Instructions:Sit in upright position on a flat bench. Grasp one DB and rest it on corresponding thigh.Start position: Lie onto back and bring the dumbell to your chest. Press dumbell up so that it is directly over the upper chest.Lower dumbbell towards your chest by bending elbows to 90°.

Elbows should remain pointing out away from the body.Return to start position. Remember to keep back and head straight in a neutral position - hyperextension or flexion may cause injury. Keep shoulders stabilized throughout movements.

6 Vacation Tips to Keep You Fit

With summer vacation quickly approaching, you're probably planning your next getaway.

Whether you go on a cruise, an African safari or a low-key trip to the beach, warm summer days are the best time to get away from it all.

But wait - did you know that the average person gains almost a pound a day while on vacation?

Between missed workouts, extra large restaurant meals and indulgent snacks, lazy vacation days will quickly add inches to your waistline.

So before you pack your bags for your next adventure, read the following 6 Vacation Tips and come home fitter, not fatter.

Vacation Tip #1: Make a Decision

Before you leave home, make the decision that you will NOT gain weight while on your trip.

This is the easiest step to take to make sure that you avoid weight gain, but it is also the most overlooked. Instead of leaving things to chance, harness the power of creative visualization that has been proven time and time again by go-getters such as Michael Jordan, Einstein, Napoleon and Andrew Carnegie.

Visualize what it would be like to return home fitter than when you left. Take a moment to let yourself feel the excitement that you'd experience.

Remember what accomplishing your goal feels like - this will keep you motivated throughout your trip and will help pull you through the inevitable tempting situations that you'll face.

Vacation Tip #2: Get Moving

It's easy to spend vacation days sprawled out by the pool, but the inactivity will quickly add up to extra pounds.

Choose to be active and you'll burn calories all day long while indulging in fewer unnecessary snacks. The following ideas will get you moving:
Go on a brisk walk each day of your trip. You'll see new sights while burning off excess calories.
Always take the stairs rather than the elevator. Talk about bonus calorie burning!
Go on a jog in the mornings before your daily activities, or jog in the evening after the day winds down.
If your hotel has a pool, swim a few laps each day. Swimming is a fun way to get in a full body workout.
If your trip takes you to a place of natural beauty then go on a hike. Even while hiking at a slow or moderate pace you'll burn plenty of calories.
Play some sports - beach volleyball, a game of hoops, Frisbee, or bike riding are all great ways to have fun while keeping fit.
Vacation Tip #3: Indulge with Portion Control

You have no choice but to eat out while on vacation. Whether you're enjoying 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you'll be met with the same problem: huge portions.

While it is tempting to simply eat it all - you are on vacation after all - this will quickly lead to extra pounds. Use the following tips to keep your portions under control:
When you order your meal ask for a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it into the box before you even begin to eat. This will force you to eat a healthy portion.
If you would rather not carry around a to-go box, ask that your entrée be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinnertime don't be afraid to ask for the lunch-sized portion.
Pay more, and eat less. Take quality of food over quantity.
Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
Eat slowly, and eat foods that have been prepared slowly - that means no fast food.

Vacation Tip #4: Eat Natural Sweets

One of your biggest enemies when it comes to vacation weight gain is...sugar.

The average modern person consumes 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. The average person on vacation consumes even more than that.

Even though sugary calories taste great, the sweet pleasure comes at a high price. Here's what I mean:

Sugar creates false hunger (as a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in blood sugar levels), which causes you overeat.

Sugar promotes aging (due to the advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar). Sugar has even been dubbed the negative fountain of youth!

Sugar weakens your bones -making you vulnerable for osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth - making you vulnerable for cavities (both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar).

Sugar in excess is stored as fat (after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms).

So instead of eating that ice cream cone or chocolate éclair, satiate your sweet tooth with a piece of juicy fruit.

Vacation Tip #5: Don't Eat Fried Foods

While fast food restaurants are definitely convenient, with their low prices and quick service, it's really not worth the additional pounds brought on by chips and fries. As you enjoy your vacation keep this in mind: don't eat fried foods. While this is always a good plan to follow, it is even more important to abide by while traveling.

A gram of fat contains 9 calories as compared to the 4 calories that proteins and carbohydrates carry - so you can see that consuming fried foods will drastically increase your caloric intake.

Take an average potato, bake it and you have 110 calories and 0 grams of fat. Take that same potato, turn it into French fries and you have 380 calories and 18 grams of fat.

Frying food is the easiest way to dramatically increase the calorie and fat content. And you know that extra calories and fat end up as extra body fat.

Other disasters that fried foods increase your risk for include:

Heart Disease
Diabetes
Clogged Arteries
High Blood Pressure
Obesity
Acne

If I still haven't convinced you to pass on the curly fries, keep in mind that heartburn and indigestion are not fun...especially while on vacation. Need I say more?

Vacation Tip #6: Do this Hotel Room Workout

If your hotel doesn't have a gym, or if you'd simply prefer the privacy of your room, do this hotel room workout:

Body Weight Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.

Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.

Body Weight Lunges: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Exhale as you lunge forward with your right leg. Make sure that your knee does not go past 90 degrees. Inhale as you return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 12-15 repetitions.

Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.

Push Ups: Get into the push up position (depending on your fitness level choose to go off your knees, push off of the wall, or assume the traditional position). Inhale as you lower your chest down. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.

Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.

V-Ups: Sit on the edge of a chair or bed and lean back. Exhale as you drive your knees in toward your chest, squeezing your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower your knees back down with control. Complete 15-20 repetitions.

Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.

Well, now you have 6 tips that will keep away the unwanted vacation pounds. You may even end up losing a pound or two while away.

Snack Healthy

Travel days create the perfect opportunity for snacking. A mocha and scone before your flight, a salty snack on the plane and then before you know it - it's lunch time! Road trips open up even more opportunities for regrettable snacking...rest stop vending machines, gas station quickie marts and of course the never ending string of fast food restaurants that line the highway.

This summer avoid unhealthy snacking by packing your own goodies. Try these:

Dried or fresh fruit
Unsalted nuts
Health bars
Cut veggies
Low fat crackers or pretzels

Also remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day. It's easy to become dehydrated
while traveling, so always carry a water bottle with you.

What Would Your Ideal You Do

When it comes to fat loss and fitness, it can seem like you are climbing an endless Mountain. Or maybe I should say endless blubbery Mountain.

The path can be long, uphill, and not well marked. Not to mention the pain that's involved. But you don't have to do it alone.

Find a guide.

I have in my life a few mentors for various aspects of business and personal life. I may have everything together when it comes down to maintianing a healthy lifestyle, but when it comes to other aspects of my life I admit I can't always do it alone.

God/My Pastor : Spritual Guidance

Financial Advisor: Financial Guidance

My Parents: Relationship Advice (they have been married for over 27 years)

You Get The Point.

Don't look at me as your trainer but as someone who is mentoring you in leading a healthier and more active lifestyle.

ARE YOU LAZY

I know a lot of lazy people.

People who would rather spend the day planted on their couch than anywhere else.

People who choose take-out over home cooked, every night of the week.

People who would rather have a root canal than go do a workout.

Sure, I know that we all have our occasional lazy day on the couch, but lately it seems that more and more people are turning laziness into a career. What about you? Check if the following describe you:

You are habitually inactive.

You'd rather be a passive observer than an active participant.

You're a master excuse-maker.

You find shortcuts in order to avoid the long haul.

If that's you, don't get down on yourself. There are many legitimate causes of laziness. Here are just a few...

Sleep Deprivation: When you're short on sleep it's easy to become unmotivated, which quickly turns into laziness. Get a minimum of eight hours of sleep each night in order to maintain enough energy to get you through the day. Some experts even say that ten hours of sleep each night is what you need to function at your best.

Caffeine Abuse: Starting your day with a jolt of java may help with your initial alertness, but the dip in energy that takes place a few hours later could be the reason that you become lazy later in the day. Avoid the rush and crash of caffeine and instead rely on your steady supply of natural energy.

Bad Habit: At some point being lazy simply becomes a habit. If every night after work you head straight to the couch, it soon becomes automatic and not a conscious decision. Breaking the habit of laziness is actually quite easy. Simply take yourself off of autopilot and make the conscious decision to do something productive instead - like heading to the gym rather than the couch.

Inactivity: If your job keeps you in a chair for hours at a time, and you don't exercise when off the clock, then your body is just accustomed to inactivity. It's time to wake up your under-used muscles and to reacquaint yourself with the joy of motion. A simple way to get back into the swing of things is to go on a 30 to 60 minute walk either before work or after you return home.

Laziness begins when you ignore that little nagging voice in your head. You know, the one that reminds you when you should take action on something rather than sit by and let the opportunity slip away.

Is today the day that you will kick laziness to the curb?

Is today the day that you will take action toward achieving your goals?

Is today the day that you will listen to that little voice of reason?

IMAGINE YOUR IDEAL YOU

What does the 'ideal you' look like?

How does the 'ideal you' spend their time?

Who would the 'ideal you' spend time with?

What would the 'ideal you' accomplish?

The distance between you and your 'ideal you' is created by laziness.When faced with decisions, big or small, do what your 'ideal you' would do, rather than taking the easy way out.

Don't Forget to Register at http://www.refresheverything.com/ and get ready to vote Starting May 1st For Fit and Fly Nation.

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to lose weight.

You want to be slimmer and to tone your body, but your weight won't budge.

Read the following

7 Weight Loss Blockers to discover what is standing in your way and how to quickly and easily begin your weight loss journey.

Blocker #1: Your Mind

Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you. Take a few moments each day to visualize yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how it feels to look the way you've always wanted. Protect your mind from any negative self talk. If a negative thought comes to mind, immediately reject it. You want to be thin and fit, and yet you think of yourself as out-of-shape and fat. Re-program your mind to think of yourself as fit and attractive, and you will be well on your way toward achieving your goal. Give up the belief that you can't achieve the body you've always dreamed of. See it first in your mind, and then in the mirror.

Blocker #2: Your Fear

Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your weight loss efforts will be blocked by self sabotage.

Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change. Believe that something MUST change. You can't be wishy-washy about it. You can't be considering it. You can't even be pretty sure about it. You've got to be rock solid. Believe that YOU must change it. You can't pass the buck of responsibility and expect to lose weight. It's on your shoulders. Other people will prove to be great assets in your journey, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this weight loss enough to make it your personal mission. Believe you CAN change it. You may have failed in the past, but that doesn't matter. When you put your mind to it, you're able to do amazing things. Do you believe that you are capable of losing weight? Once you own the belief that you can, you'll be unstoppable.

Blocker #3: Your Excuses

Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don't allow excuses to ruin your life any longer. Don't skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself. Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you'll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning. Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?

Blocker #4: Your Commitment

How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it's no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose weight then your commitment to the process is a must. The margin between success and failure is bridged by your commitment. Don't give up until your goal has been achieved. Treat exercise with the same importance as a work meeting, and you'll never skip it at the last minute. Find three available 60-minute time slots in your schedule and mark them (in pen) on your calendar. Now stick to your schedule. If you don't give up, then you'll never fail.

Blocker #5: Your Diet

If you consistently eat the wrong food, then you're weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits. Don't eat processed foods. Even though processed foods are accepted by our society, they contain tons of chemicals and empty calories that will make you sick and fat. Fat contains twice the caloric density of protein and carbohydrates, so make sure to limit the amount that you consume. Eat lots of lean proteins and wholesome carbohydrates from plants and whole grains. Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds are filled with fiber and antioxidants which are vital for healthy weight loss. Snack on these instead of packaged treats.

Blocker #6: Your Patience

It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following: Review your goal. Is it specific and measurable? Is it small and attainable, rather than monumental? Focus on your goal when the going gets tough. Make each workout a new experience. Challenge your body with different resistance, new exercises and a varied pace. Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won't get you the body you want. The only way to achieve your goal is by consistently exercising and eating right, plain and simple.

Blocker #7: Your Support

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster. Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet, work with me, your local fitness expert, to guarantee your results. I am passionate about seeing you achieve results - don't waste your time, energy and effort on mistakes. When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. I'll be in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement when you need it most.

Are you PIGGIN' out on STRESS?

Are you PIGGIN' out on STRESS?

Stress creates an increase in the hormone cortisol, and chronic stress creates a chronic increase in cortisol. This is a problem because is slows your metabolism, leads to cravings and is linked to greater levels of abdominal fat storage.

Identify the sources of stress in your life.
True sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and many times they are overshadowed by our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your Procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress. So look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses in order to find the underlining stress factors.


Find ways to cope with the stress. There are many ways to deal with stress. In our fast paced world we always look for the "quick fix" to a problem but this is the last thing we want to do hen dealing with stress factors because it often leads to unhealthy habits like Smoking, Drinking, Overeating, and in some cases illegal drug use.

If The Way You're Currently Dealing With Stress IS NOT contributing to your health and well-being then its time to find an ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION.

Taking up a New Hobby, Exercise, being actively involved with the community, or just making time to relax and have some fun are great ways to reduce your stress levels.

For More information on how to make fitness a part of your stress relief shoot me an e-mail fitandfly6@gmail.com

Have you made progress or did your motivation sizzle out?

As the second month of 2010 comes to a close, where do you stand with your resolutions?

Have you made progress or did your motivation sizzle out?

Most people wait around for motivation to strike them like a lightning bolt. Well, I've got news: motivation isn't something that happens to you - it's something that you create for yourself.
If you don't feel motivated to achieve your goals, it is likely due to mental roadblocks that hold you hostage.

Read the following 21 Mindset Tips and prepare your mind for success.

Success comes first in the mind, so visualize yourself accomplishing your goals.

Remember, you are the only person who can hold you back.

Forgive yourself and love yourself despite past failures.

Decide what is important in your life, and focus on that.

Conquer each negative thought the moment it enters your mind, when it is weakest.

Give up the idea that things won't go right unless you worry about them.

If you bring the body of your dreams to the point of resolve, then you'll soon be living in it.

Look towards your future, if you believe the best is yet to come then it will be.

You become what you think about most.

The margin between success and failure is very small and easily bridged by determination.

Start your day by accomplishing your hardest task first.

Set small attainable goals, rather than one monumental goal.

Convince yourself that exercise is fun, and it will be.

Know your big reason why.

Create a motivating play list of songs to use as the sound track to your workout sessions.

Every decision you make leads you either closer toward achieving your goal, or farther from it.

If you think you're a fat person, then you'll stay fat. If you think you're fit, then you soon will be.

Once you've set your goal, your attitude either pushes you toward accomplishment or failure.

If you don't know exactly where you want to go, you will likely end up someplace else.

You can have the body of your dreams, but first you must give up the belief that you can't.

You can only have two things in life: excuses or results.

If you're sick and tired of making excuses, then contact me today to get started on a results-driven fitness program.