A lot of women who I work with in the gym have the same story. They have a few kids at home, full-time jobs, a love for food, and little to no spare time. It is my responsibility to educate, motivate, and hold these women accountable to an exercise and nutrition program. Sounds easy right? It’s not 🙂
In the orientation session that I do with all of my clients, I explain that my goal for them is to maximize an hour. If I ask or expect these moms to stay in the gym for hours at a time, most of them will not last long. If you are attempting to lose weight, it is important to work out for calories burned – not a certain amount of miles or minutes.
Maximize your hour:
All of us should be able to designate an hour to workout each day (or at least 5 times per week if you are attempting to lose weight). When I am tempted to allow life circumstances or a busy work schedule get in the way of my workout time, I always remind myself of this – “There is someone far busier than me – working out right now.” 🙂 It is perfectly fine to break up the hour and do two segments of 30 minutes, etc. In the first personal training session with my ladies, I tell them that their goal will be to burn at least 600 calories per hour. Weight loss is a simple math equation – there are 3500 calories in 1 lb. If you burn 600 calories 5x per week, and eat approx 100 less calories per day, you will lose one pound. Sounds easy, right? Well, it’s not easy to burn 600 calories per hour if you are just starting a workout program. It’s important to gradually increase your level of intensity and resistance to eventually accomplish this goal. However, many of you will be surprised how quickly you are able to get to the 600 cal/workout mark.
I am currently training a great lady in her 60’s. She amazes me every time we get together. It took her only a few weeks to get to 600 calories per workout, and she has lost 30 lbs in 9 weeks! Anyone is capable of losing weight – it just take a lot of hard work and the right motivations.
P.S. If you are not working out at a gym where you can track calories burned on the nautilus machines – use this rule of thumb- 10 minutes of brisk walking burns approx 100 calories. Best wishes as you work toward maximizing your hour of exercise!
Fit Pregnancy and Parenting 
Oh. This is what you’ve been trying to tell me: burn 600 calories 5x a week, cut back 100 calories each day, eat better food that my body can turn to fuel.
I didn’t know HOW to exercise, didn’t feel comfortable having people see me exercise, or hearing me breath uncomfortably. I go thru times of motivating myself and then making myself excuses.
I find it rewarding and comforting to have YOU say–this is how, this is what you are working toward, you can do this, stop whining (you get it!)
Useful information–even if I am NOT pregnant or 63. One day I will be–and I plan to be healthy and moving and making it plain that anyone can do this, a little at a time, consistently over time, making changes that keep growing (rather than my waistline!)