Current life status: rehabbing from total knee replacement surgery. Current state of mind: trying to figure out how this will impact my life, my work, my workouts, my body, and my motivation in the future. Current goal: seize this challenge as an opportunity to find a more balanced way of living. The knee that’s been […]
Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration. And when I say “easy” I don’t mean it’s easy to do … Honestly, what would be the point of that??? It’s the easiest interval workout in the universe because it’s easy to remember. As in, it’s not one of those interval workouts I read about in fitness […]
We are such creatures of habit, aren’t we? I see the same people on the same cardio machines day after day at my gym. (And I don’t just mean they’re always on the elliptical or whatever; they’re literally on the same machine! As in, the woman with the purple running shorts is always on the […]
Jill and I sit down to talk with yoga instructor, eating psychology coach and former opera singer (Wha??? Yep!) Elisa Jordan. Elisa has been up and down the scale, and up and down the body image and self-worth roller coaster. In this episode of the Naked Broad View she shares how she came to find […]
We’re all obsessed with the number of calories we burn during our workouts. Every cardio machine at the gym has a calorie counter on it (never mind that they’re wildly inaccurate). All the popular weight loss apps have an exercise component that will “credit” your workout and magically award you more calories to […]
I had the pleasure of appearing on KOMO TV in Seattle on Friday, January 15th to talk about my own weight loss experience and a few tips for others who want to create healthy change in their own lives.
Maybe you just joined a gym. Or you’re determined to start going again after a break. You walk in and are faced with a sea of treadmills and other equipment. Not really sure what to do, you hop on a treadmill and push start. But a few minutes in you’re huffing and puffing, plus it’s […]
It’s early January and as predictable as swallows flying to Capistrano or rain falling in Seattle, my gym is packed once again. Don’t get me wrong; I hold no animosity toward those who join a gym in January. They’re following through on their New Year’s resolution to get fit and healthy, and what’s not to […]
Ready to start your holiday shopping? Me too! At the moment I feel pretty calm, but in a couple of weeks I know that I’ll start to panic, wondering whether I’m actually gonna be able to pull this off once again. So many special people to buy for! If that’s what you’re thinking, I’ve gotcha […]
What’s my exact lean muscle mass? How much essential body fat do I need? Unless you use a body composition analysis, you’re just guessing. Good information is power, the power to change! The DXA body composition analysis is the gold standard for body composition testing. Listen in as Eric Miller from the Washington Institute for […]
Picture this: I’m driving down the road, flailing my arms around like a lunatic (my kids say my “dancing” involves much more elbow than is necessary), but I’m headed to the gym, so I gotta get in the zone. For me, getting in the zone means a little bitta Flo Rida’s “The Club Can’t (must […]
From pages 151 – 153 of Eat Like It Matters: Does everybody have an inner athlete? I dunno. I do know that 120 pounds ago I would’ve told you that I didn’t have one. Turns out, I was wrong. I do have an inner athlete, and I have harnessed her strength and drive to finally put to rest […]
My daughter’s cat was keeping me company one morning recently while lifting. She’s not much for exertion herself, but was willing to offer moral support. Hi all! From time to time I get fitness-related questions that I think are best answered by my favorite expert, my personal trainer Taryn. Maybe you’ve been wondering about Audra’s question too! […]
There’s a special place in heaven for yoga teachers, in my opinion. Roll out your mat and listen in as I talk to one of my favorite yoga teachers about some of the different types of yoga and the amazing benefit of making the mind-body-spirit connection.
A friend shared a recent New York Times article about an interval workout I’d never heard of before. The article cites a study that followed runners who improved their fitness and overall health by replacing two of their regular weekly runs with a simple interval pattern. The most intriguing part?[/caption] The entire workout lasts only […]
Do you Instagram? I do. Mostly I follow fitness and healthy eating accounts so that I can see what others in my field are posting. And I know I’m gonna sound like a middle-aged grump when I say this, but most of it is absolute garbage. Honestly, if I see one more scantily-clad 19-year-old young […]
I love, love, love it when a reader’s question gets me thinking about something in a new way. Really, there’s nothing better than a little brainstorming sesh with somebody to get the creative problem-solving juices flowing! So here’s the question that a reader posed to me recently about breaking through her “exercise plateau,” followed by […]
The ubiquitous beer garden at the end of a 5K race can be a lot of fun, not to mention an incentive to get to the finish line. Just as common is the “carbo-loading” dinner the night before the big race so that runners can get their fill and store up carbohydrates, giving them plenty […]
There are four elements of fitness; does your workout hit them all? They are: strength, stamina, flexibility and balance. You could argue the balance one with me, but really why would you? (Besides, it’s my blog, so I win.) No, I’m teasing (mostly). But seriously, balance is a very important part of functional movement, especially as […]
I actually yelled at my dog Stella for pooping on our walk this morning. Like, what was she supposed to do? When a doggy’s gotta go, a doggy’s gotta go. But I was in no mood to dig out a bag, scoop up her warm, squishy poo and carry it around until I could find […]
We’re into our second week of “100 days of awesome!” and I’ve heard from lots of you that you’re enjoying the program. The planks, squats and push-ups are tough but manageable, especially when you modify. The 100 days of planks schedule and the 100 days of push-ups schedule are below if you need them again. […]
Oh my, it’s time for “100 days of awesome!” BONUS ROUND!!!! Several people have asked me, “Marilyn, how come there’s no cardio in the ‘100 days of awesome”? It wasn’t really an oversight; I just feel like the whole-body strength training moves are so important in building muscle strength. But the more I thought about […]
100 Days of Push-ups Worksheet Are you ready to add 100 days of push-ups to our “100 days of awesome”?!? “Wait, what??? Push-ups, are you kidding me?” you’re saying. “Push-ups are crazy hard! Why would I wanna do that???” You wanna do push-ups because they are quite possibly the single best all-around exercise there is. […]
Are you ready to add 100 days of squats to your 100 days of awesome?!? Whooo hooo!! Me too! Unlike the planks we introduced yesterday and the push-ups that we’ll get to tomorrow, there is no schedule with the squats because there is no progression to build up over time. It’s simply a commitment to […]
100 Days of Planks Worksheet Are you ready for 100 days of planks?!? Whooo hooo!! Me too! Over the course of 100 days we’ll work our way up from a 20 second plank to a 3:00 minute plank. Stay with the schedule (below) – even the rest days – because each one is important in […]
Doctor, doctor, gimme the news. I gotta bad case of lovin’ you! (Feel free to sing along.) If you want to strengthen your core, I’ve got just what the doctor ordered … a medicine ball workout! What’s a medicine ball? It’s a weighted, rubberized ball (mine’s 8 lbs., but they come in lighter or heavier […]
I didn’t know it before I lost weight, but inside of me lies the heart of a competitor. One of the reasons I enjoy pursuing fitness so much is because I’m constantly striving to improve; I want to get faster, go farther, get stronger. Seeing progress is incredibly motivating. It’s one of the reasons why […]
You needn’t go any farther than the magazine racks at the grocery store or social media to know that nowadays fitness advice looks like erotica. I find this trend disturbing on so many levels, and I’m certainly not the only one who’s noticed. Recently, Huffington Post carried a piece written by magazine mogul and fitness model, Tosca […]
Strength training is the anti-aging drug we’ve all been looking for. It is the Fountain of Youth. kay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but it’s no stretch to say that strength training gives you the best bang for your exercise buck in terms of strength, stamina and calorie burn. If you’re already doing cardio, […]
The Gear Up Phase of the Eat Like It Matters Program is for those who would like to lose 10 – 30 pounds. This is the sexiest of the three phases of weight loss, as far as I’m concerned. It’s certainly the one that gets the most attention (shows like “The Biggest Loser” emphasize the […]
It’s the New Year and you’re ready for a new you! As a personal trainer, each January I see lots of new clients who are striving to reach new fitness goals – which is great! But while we often set out with good intentions and lofty goals, sometimes we fall short and give up. This year, […]
This time last year I wrote a sweet, well-intentioned little blog about how you should try to slow down and enjoy these last couple of days before Christmas. “A Christmas gift to yourself” was good advice, but it’s just not terribly practical when most of use are still in overdrive right about now. This year […]
I walked into the Y this morning only to find – much to my delight and surprise – that, even though it’s mid-December – the place was packed! I walk through the lobby: it’s crowded with folks checking in and visiting with staff. I pass by the gym: it’s filled to the brim with women […]
As I learned when I spent an afternoon testing motion games at Pixelkin, video games have a lot to offer for those of us who want to spend quality, active time with our families. Pixelkin is an organization that covers the latest news, reviews, and developments in games—with a special focus on families. They let me come […]
Whether you’re wondering what to get the fitness lover on your list or thinking about adding a piece of equipment to your home gym for 2015, here are a few of my favorites, categorized by price. Low Cost Set of 3 resistance bands ($12): Bands come in light, medium, and heavy resistance and are a great way […]
Oh, goody, goody gumdrops! The beginners and intermediate holiday gift guides were a great start and will definitely fit the bill for those who are just starting on their path to wellness, but I’m betting there are the folks on your gift list who are very serious about healthy living and already commit themselves to […]
Scratching your head about what to get that special someone who’s trying to live a healthier lifestyle? Here are some great, inexpensive gift ideas for a friend or loved one who’s ready to embark on a new fitness routine or wants to spend more time in the kitchen preparing healthy meals in 2015. Read more “Healthy […]
Guest blog, by Personal Trainer Taryn When it comes to fitting exercise into our busy lives, my clients tend to fall into two categories: The Schedulers and The Opportunists. Schedulers tend to be people who have daily/weekly/monthly schedules that are either very predictable or very flexible. Opportunists tend to be people who have schedules that […]
Guest blog, by Personal Trainer Taryn There are simple little tricks we can use to make a workout easier: they are fitness hacks. For example, doing alternating bicep curls (one arm at a time) rather than doing both arms at the same time, gives each arm a second or two of rest so you’ll […]
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