Check out Alo's video of their Fall / Holiday shoot.

Enjoy,

Natasha Linton
Top Rising Star in Personal Training
-National Fitness Hall of Fame and Museum
Host of Peak 20 Workout on DofatTV.com

NYC Personal Trainer

Recently I interviewed Fitness Expert & Author Michael George on keeping fit in an unfit economy.

About Michael

Michael George is transforming the health and fitness industry with his innovative training philosophies and inspirational voice. As one of Hollywood’s most sought after Celebrity Trainers & Fitness Experts, his intention is to strengthen the spirit along with the body. He is the author of, Body Express Makeover: Trim and Sculpt Your Body in Less Than Six Weeks and the creator of the Revolutionary 2-IN-1 Training System. Body Express Makeover is a complete coach in and among itself and focuses on Core strength and balance, motivation techniques and commitment, while highlighting his unique 2-in-1 total body exercise programs that can be done in as little as ten, twenty or thirty minutes a day.

In addition to being a leader in the fitness industry an author Michael is a recognized fitness personality who has starred in several exercise videos including the B-Fit video series and the Fast 10 DVD series. He has also developed his own cutting edge “Body Express Makeover” coaching software. Michael has hosted/ co-hosted several shows and has appeared on numerous national television shows such as a featured guest on ABC’s “The View”, Fox and Friends, Entertainment Tonight, VH1, E, Extra, Fit TV, Home and Garden channel and CNN. He has been interviewed or featured in over 100 magazines/ newspapers internationally. Michael is also a highly regarded Fitness Spokesperson for numerous companies such as Kraft, Subway, Natures Plus, Balance Bar, Unilever, Nike, Ready Pac and Pod Fitness to name a few.

Michael has transformed some of Hollywood’s most dynamic A-list celebs like Reese Witherspoon, Toby Maguire, Julianne Moore, James Spader, Meg Ryan Christian Slater, Sela Ward, Matt Dillon, Slash, Dennis Quaid and even professional athletes like boxer Fernando Vargas. These celebs, athletes and numerous high powered executives gravitate towards Michael’s training routines and principles because they work effectively and efficiently.

Here’s what he has to say.

1. When tightening one’s budget getting rid of all the unnecessary expenses
is the first thing that hits home. Many people feel that a monthly health
club expense is an unnecessary expense. I beg to differ. Barring the basics
like food, rent/ mortgage, insurance, auto payments and other can’t do with
out monthly expenses if you can somehow keep your gym membership you there
is a strong reason why you should.

You have no control over outside issues/ events primarily the economy.
However, you do have a certain degree of control over your health and your
attitude. Exercising regularly is vital to both. Take out your fear, anger
and frustrations over your economic condition at the gym and see how much
easier it is to face each day.

2. If a gym membership is out of the question use the outdoors as your gym.
Take hikes or long walks. Borrow a bike from a friend and go for a ride.
Jump rope and use low cost resistance bands to do your strength training.
You can also use your body weight as resistance for lunges, squats, bench
dips, push ups etc. Use exercise DVD’s at your house and share them with
friends. You can also trade exercise DVD’s for variety.

3. Get involved with more low cost interactive social activities like
walking groups, tennis, volley ball, bad mitten, swimming exercise classes
or what ever activity you enjoy.

4. If none of the above are options call your health club and tell them
about your situation. Ask them if there is anyway you can work out a short
term arrangement with them. Trust me if you are having financial concerns
others are too. All smart businesses are offering some type of program to
help retain business in this tough economy. If they say they can’t do
anything then leave them your phone # and tell them to call you when they
are ready to work out an arrangement with you. Trust me they will be calling
soon.

5. Lastly, remember that this to shall pass. The economy will turn around in
time. It always does because it is cyclical. Don’t focus too much on the
negative or the short term. Try to focus on the positive and the long term.
How sad would it be if the economy turned around and became more robust than
ever before and you gained 30 pounds in the few months of your life when the
economy was being restructured? Have faith that all will be okay. We
manifest what transpires in our lives. Manifest hope and strength through
taking care of yourself.

Thanks Michael!

Natasha Linton
Top Rising Star in Personal Training
-National Fitness Hall of Fame and Museum

Is it really here? An easy way to shape up your legs and all you have to do is put a pair of specialized sneakers on and go about your day as usual? According to ads around town it is.

Before you lace up, read on.

“Get in shape without setting foot in a gym” (a pretty bold statement) says one company that created the newly popular shoe. They promise to “tone” muscles, to strengthen the back and to help one lose weight with little effort. Do they work? Has anyone seen real results, besides the testimonials from the shoe company’s website? Are there before and after pictures out there and extremely happy users? How long before users see results? Well, on the company’s website they share case studies. Always need proof right? One of the case studies says “... have an unstable center of balance compared to normal sport shoes. The body will instinctively try to find the center of balance by wearing these unstable..." The key word here is unstable. Any unstable activity isn’t always safe for every member of the general public. One reason is because the back and the feet are common areas where people have problems and feel pain daily.

Furthermore, since the shoes are unstable the problem will get worse because the wearer will be forced to put extra pressure on certain joints to find balance especially since this movement is new to them.

Also, while these shoes are a newer concept to the general public, the concept is not new to the athletic training world. It is the world where coaches guide and know when a person is ready for a particular level of activity or a particular piece of equipment.

Can this really replace the gym? Consider this; the average person doesn’t walk for 30 minutes at a time. So for the person who sits at his/her desk all day and the only walking they do is to the subway station and back - will it work?

It is actual physical activity that leads to beneficial physiological adaptations to the body - or a nice body.

Will the shoes make a person function better? Meaning will one be able to sit up in the morning without pain in the back, bend over to pick something up that has fallen with ease, carry their child longer with ease or run up and down the subway stairs to catch a train without getting out of breath?

Also consider that in order to function better or to perform better training has to mimic the movement you want perfected. For example the squat mimics sitting and standing, and reaching, and getting low to pick something up from the floor.

Before buying a concept that is new to you ask questions beyond the ads to find out if it is for you. Especially if you have certain joint issues, and the products make the problem worse, I’d stop using them.

Natasha Linton
Top Rising Star in Personal Training
-National Fitness Hall of Fame and Museum

This post was inspired by one of my old clients. A young lady who never walked into a gym (but definately needed to) because of the people she surrounded herself with. Not that they were a “bad crowd”, they just never dug working out and thought it wasn’t cool. She knew on the inside that she had to workout but didn’t want to because of what she thought her friends may have thought of her. After talking with her she soon got over that and loved the gym. Eventually, some of those same friends joined the gym as well.

What I wanted to say here is ignore what they think or will think about you if you do something that will benefit you in so many ways.

And for those men and women who are intimidated by other gym members the same goes for you. Years later they probably won’t even remember you or be in your life.

Keep your goals in mind and go after them.

Some tips here are:

1) Listen to your music and dont look at anyone in the gym. Get in your own world

2) Go to the gym prepared with your program in hand. If one of the machines or piece of equipment that you need is in use, go to the next exercise and come back to that one. It’s ok to skip order.

3) Hire and trainer. Click HERE to learn how to choose one

4) Surround yourself with positive thinkers. Those who will motivate you to do good for yourself.

Natasha Linton
Top Rising Star in Personal Training
-National Fitness Hall of Fame and Museum

Some prefer to run indoors while others prefer to run outdoors. Some pick where to run based on what’s more fun to them or what they have access to.

There are specific differences between running on a treadmill and running out on the pavement.

Treadmill vs. Pavement Running

The treadmill is easier on your joints as the surface is cushioned for impact
You exert less force on a treadmill as the belt helps to pull your feet back
No resistance to overcome from the natural elements on a treadmill
If running outdoors for the first time, start out slow and progress
If you want to run in an outdoor event, do most of your training outdoors
Motivational benefits of a treadmill is that you can set a course and compete with time to finish it
Outdoor running areas are hard to find for some people
More space for your body in the open air as opposed to a smaller frame on a treadmill. Running in such a small space can cause your muscles to tighten up and other long term problems
Your pace slows down outside while treadmill is a forced pace

To make a long story short, do what you want, as long as you are moving if your goal is weight loss. For weight loss perform some form of resistance training circuit/interval style on alternate running days as well.

Natasha Linton
Top Rising Star in Personal Training
-National Fitness Hall of Fame and Museum