Spring is all about Fitness!

Spring is all about Fitness! by Cathy Herd (pageant coach and 1st RU to Miss America 1993)

State Pageants Approaching!!! Take this spring to renew, & rejuvenate your fitness goals. Many of my clients ask me "How do I prepare for swimsuit competition?" My answer is, of course, specific to each individual. However, there are 2 basic concepts, which can benefit everyone: How you move & how you eat.

HOW YOU MOVE:

When preparing for Swimsuit competition, exercise 5-7 times per week for at least 45 minutes.

*TO LEAN a bulkier body type: running on flat terrain for long distances (2.5 plus miles) & lifting lighter weights for repetitions of 12 or more. Do 2 sets. Check out a Pilates Studio to get the graceful, lean look of a dancer. However, keep in mind to use Pilates as a supplemental exercise. It does not replace every day workouts. Swimming laps is also a great overall toner.

*TO DEFINE your muscles, lift heavier weights. It should be hard to finish the last repetition. Do 2 sets of 8. Running hills will define & build the rear and quads. Biking with a higher resistance will also build and define thighs. Squats & lunges are also good to target hips, thighs & gluts.

*GET ACTIVE: If you make it to the gym and work out regularly, good for you. If not- or not as much as you'd like- here are some easy ways to build more activity into your day!

Take the stairs instead of the elevator, choose to walk rather than drive if possible. Work out while watching TV-do push-ups, sit-ups, squats. Or turn off the TV and go for a walk or bike ride. Rather than to go happy hour at a restaurant, meet up with a friend at the gym and work out. Take your niece or nephew outside and play tag with them. And last but not least, walk that dog that could probably use the exercise too!

HOW YOU EAT:

*Stock the refrigerator & pantry with healthy choices to eat. Fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats like fish and chicken.

*Take healthy snacks in your purse & book bag: fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, small container of applesauce, carrot sticks, and celery with (sugar-free)peanut butter. Don't forget to stock the car with a few healthy snacks like trail mix & water as well.

*Avoid sugar:

We all know that too many sweets are unhealthy. However, sugar hovers in sneaky places as well... peanut butter, jam, bread, yoghurt. Read the ingredients of the food you buy. If it has added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or cane juice...don't eat it. Choose water over sugary sodas.

*Eat whole foods: chose a piece or fresh fruit and vegetables over packaged foods.

*Choose grilled or Broiled meats and fish over fried and breaded.

*Create your own yummies, for instance if yogurt is one of your favorite foods, buy plain, unsweetened yogurt and sweeten with sugar-free jam or agave nectar.

*Don't eat the white stuff: sugar, breads, pastries, and potatoes.

*Eat within 15 minutes of rising in the morning. Studies have shown that this will raise your metabolism.


JUST DO IT: (OK, there are 3 basic concepts!)


How do we stay motivated and committed to our fitness goals?

*Make small achievable goals, write them down & post it where you can see it on a daily basis. Accomplishing these small tasks help build your confidence and belief that YOU CAN DO THIS.

*Jump back into your fitness routine if you find yourself off track. Do not beat yourself up about not doing it perfectly. Missing a few days here and there is forgivable!

*Value your health. If fitness is a top priority, then create time for it in your schedule.

Taken alone none of these concepts is ambitious, yet the collective power of combining such choices & actions is astonishing. Once you have made some small changes, and made modest strides, you can set more specific goals. Before you know it, you are off and running toward a more healthful, vibrant life!

Cathy Herd, AKA Catherine Lemkau, represented Iowa in the 1993 Miss America Pageant, winning Swimsuit & Talent Preliminaries, and was named first runner-up. Next up was Hollywood where she worked in television episodic on such shows as "24", "Without a Trace", "CSI", "Scrubs", "What I like About You", "Reba" & more. She has starred in over 40 national commercials. She continues her print/acting work in Phoenix, Arizona where she lives with her family. Cathy's pageant & communications consulting started 5 years ago. She has coached numerous hopeful contestants on the quest for the crown. Some clients include; Rosa Blasi, a Hollywood Actress( whose humor & wit has landed her as a guest on The View, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Kilbourne, & Politically Incorrect), Olivia Myers Miss Iowa 2008 (2nd Runner-up Miss America 2009), Diana Reed Miss Iowa 2007 (Top Ten Miss America 2008 & Talent Preliminary Winner) plus many more National, State & Local Contestants.


Cathy Herd Consulting

Cathyherd05@yahoo.com

Cathyherd.com