Nimble Blog

Working Effortlessly

Everything in life takes work.  Relationships, careers, keeping a comfortable home, having a fit and healthy body, raising children, and eating healthy, just to name a few.  What if the work we are required to do in life was effortless?   I am often reminding my clients to release tension while executing exercises.  Effortless work requires a sense of letting go, which inspires the simple act of being in the present moment.

Are you looking for a more balanced and in-the-moment workout?  Try to connect with the idea of working effortlessly next time you walk into your fitness class, personal training session, or gym, by remembering these 5 tips:

1. Find Your Perfect Match

Who can think twice about attending something they love?  Being passionate and joyful about movement is the key for effortlessly working up a sweat, feeling your heart beating, and journeying into a stronger body.  If you’ve found your ideal class, personal trainer, workout partner, or gym, then cherish it.  If you are feeling uninspired by your workout choices, think about searching around to find your perfect movement match.

2. Set Your Intention

Take a moment to connect in with the reason you are working out.  Is there a particular goal you are trying to achieve?  Let that goal and that intention carry you through your workout.

3. Talk To Yourself

Maybe not out loud but connect into what exactly you are doing.  Are you standing and doing a bicep curl?  Before initiating the exercise, connect your mind and body by drafting out what exactly is going on.

Bicep curl:
- Feet are rooted into the ground.
- Shoulders are directly over hips.
- Navel is reaching toward your spine for core stabilization.
- Bending at the elbow, hands are bringing your weight to your shoulder.
- Arms then extend completely.
- Shoulders remain dropped, head and neck relaxed.
- Breath is moving.

The body wants to work efficiently.  This dialogue will help clear any extra tension or unnecessary movement.

4. Open Your Heart

In this world, we are all hunched over at our desks, commuting to work, caring for children, etc.  During your workout, focus on keeping your heart literally and physically open.  This will help broaden the chest, which inspires correct posture; for example, instead of running on the treadmill with your head leading the way, lead with your heart.  Feel the difference in your posture, stride, and energy.

This also may bring up some emotions. Leading with the heart opens up the heart chakra, making us more vulnerable than we may be comfortable with.  If you find yourself asking what you are opening your heart to besides better posture, remember the intention you set for yourself at the beginning of your workout.

5. Let Go

Do you find you are forcing your body into a particular exercise, pose, or even meditation?  Instead of using brute force and willpower, remain mindful and try trusting your body.  Let go of expectations to allow your movements to energize and revive you as opposed to depleting and draining you.

Challenge yourself however; simply be fully present in your own body.  You may find your body is stronger than you think it is!

-Charlotte Blake

5 STEPS TO A HEALTHY YEAR

Here are some thoughts from the Nimble team about making 2010 your healthiest year yet.

1: Look back to move forward. We often learn more from what we see as our failures than our successes–those times we didn’t feel successful often turn out to be very valuable in our overall growth. Questions you could ask yourself about the past year are: Did you exercise as often as you wanted to? Were you working towards goals, or just kind of winging it? Did you make your health a first priority, or was it an afterthought? Is your home and work environment set up for success? By considering where you fell short, you’re also giving yourself the road map for success in the future.

2: Set your positive intention. Intention is everything. Visualize positively what you want to accomplish this year—it will make all the difference in terms of the quality of what you do and your decisions. If you focus on failure in anything that you do–getting married, changing your eating habits, making an important presentation—failure is usually what you’ll get. A little bit of time and effort spent seeing yourself making healthy choices every day will make it that much easier to keep your commitments to yourself.

3: Create your own health blueprint. And keep it simple! Focus on these 3 aspects: food choices, movement, and quality rest. Think long term but act on a daily basis. Take a week and test yourself—concentrate on making healthy choices in eating, movement, and rest for seven days–and see how you feel and how those choices affect everything you do.

4: Expand your awareness—connect with others. Take an active interest in your health and activities that interest you (examples—cooking class, running clubs, volleyball leagues, ski clubs, hiking groups, yoga classes). You’re not alone! There’s guaranteed to be other people interested in what you like—and they can provide inspiration and motivation as you move forward on your path to a healthier lifestyle.

5: Live it. Making your health a priority on a daily basis is really about making every aspect of your life better, whether it’s your work, your social life, your sleep or your relationships. Consistently taking care of yourself is not selfish—it’s making your ability to achieve success and take care of your loved ones that much greater.

How strong is your FOUNDATION?

Sitting on my couch on a Sunday in February, I wept. Not because I worked 160 hours in the last two weeks, or that a flood ruined our new bamboo studio floor. I was watching images of Haiti on the morning show and they hit me hard, like they probably hit most of you.

These images made me think about many things; one thing that resonated with me and connects to our health was how important it is to have a strong foundation. The energy of a strong foundation resonates from one’s inner self and vibrates outward. This vibration is married to your values & beliefs, your friends & family, life cycles (sleep/food/movement), your soul and the health of your body’s system.

Our society is looking for the fountain of youth around every corner. In so many cases, people simply have a weak foundation to their health. If you’re getting stronger and more flexible, more organized structurally, gaining power and letting go of limiting ego thoughts, then you are continually building a strong foundation. Yes! There is much more I could add to this. Everyone is different, but we can all use the same building blocks for success.

Build your foundation and witness the new strength, power and flow of your mind, body and spirit.

Namaste,
Daniel

Body Camp

Born in the U.S. Navy SEALs and developed by Fitness Anywhere®, Suspension Training® is a revolutionary method of leveraged bodyweight exercise. Build power, strength, flexibility, balance, mobility, and prevent injuries, all at the intensity you choose.

“Best Total Body Tool” Awarded by Men’s Health Magazine

Nimble Fitness presents

Body Camp

What: 30 minutes exercise class

When: Wednesdays at 7:45pm

Cost: $15 per class (RSVP)

It’s not too late!

There are a few spots still available.

Sign Up Today

Call 212 633-9030 / email us at info@ nimblefitness.com

Re-charge Your Body

-Keith Paine

America on Caffeine

Caffeine is a familiar drug, included in coffee, soda, chocolate, painkillers and other items. Today I’m specifically writing about caffeine in coffee, since so many Americans are addicted to this drink.

Every day, many Americans are going through this cycle:
Fatigue →Caffeine → Anxiety → Depression → Not sleeping well →Fatigue → Desire for more caffeine

Does this describe you? While some people can have six cups of coffee and seem fine, others will shake and exhibit mood changes with one cup. Studies have shown that as few as two cups of coffee per day can produce anxiety, insomnia, irritability, and dizziness. Even as much as a 6-oz serving (and you know you get at least 12-oz at a time!) can cause a reduction of brain function, recall and analysis. About the same amount of caffeine also depletes your body of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, sodium, and chloride. Students think they do better in school when they have coffee? Employees think they do better at work with coffee in their system? Athletes think they do better after a few cups of coffee or sports drinks with caffeine? Think again.

Drugs like caffeine manipulate your body into thinking you need them, and then you end up desiring them every day. Coffee seems like a great choice, giving you energy and focus with great taste. But it’s not just stimulants you’re getting; it’s stress on your body. Caffeine stresses your adrenal glands, which are meant to help your body in emergencies, thus causing your body to work much harder than it has to. It also gives your body low blood sugar, mood and energy swings, fatigue, depression, and malnutrition. Caffeine can also cause sleep impairment, even if you’ve only had one cup in the morning.

Stop the cycle! Do you have diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, or are elderly? You have been identified as being a “very high-risk population” if you use caffeine. Alcoholics, children, pregnant women, insomniacs and those stricken with depression and/or anxiety attacks also have to be especially careful of the amount of caffeine they consume. With guidance, these people can learn how much their individual bodies can consume and be healthy.

This article is simply stating that we have to really monitor how much caffeine we allow into our bodies. This is a reminder to please be careful of your intake!

-Amanda Winters

Amanda is a health and fitness contributor for Nimble Fitness and the creator of the A+ Plan. Formed in 2003 to help motivate, inspire and help people achieve their goals, the A+ Plan has continued to expand its services and products to have something for everyone. Amanda Winters, founder of the A+ Plan, works with all ages of men, women and children nationwide, working via phone and Internet for those outside of the NY area. She has a B.S from the Fashion Institute of Technology and certification as a Holistic Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. With a lifetime of experience in food intolerance and fashion styling, and a passion for helping people look and feel their best through nutrition, psychology and fashion, Amanda is quite the unique expert. Find out more at www.aplusplan.com.

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5 tips for creating a “New Mom ‘Me’ Moment”

1. Breathe
While breastfeeding, while your baby naps, or perhaps while bathing your baby, take five long and deep breaths. Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 5 seconds. Each time, inhale a little deeper and exhale more freely. Don’t be afraid to make sounds while exhaling or try fluttering your lips. It’ll feel good!

2. Stretch
Stretching releases stress and rejuvenates the body. Here are three stretch options:

* When sitting with your baby on the floor, straddle your legs and take a moment to reach one arm overhead toward the opposite leg or simply fold your upper body forward toward the floor.
* While standing, rest your right arm on a table or counter with your right hip a few inches away from the table. Reach your left arm overhead and lean to the right. Try to focus on lengthening both sides of your body, focusing on stretching the left side. Repeat on the opposite side.
* Downward facing dog. You know you love it and new moms NEED it. Start on hands and knees, plant your hands and feet into the floor and send your hips up toward the sky. Feel your back body stretching out and releasing tension. If this hurts your wrists too much, be gentle. The hormone, Relaxin is still apparent in a new mom’s body and may still be affecting joints. (New Mom Yogi/Pilates Bonus! End your down-dog with a child’s pose.)

3. Be a lady who lunches
Find a new mom group in your neighborhood so you can be social with other women in your community while indulging in a healthy luncheon out! Not sure how to find a new mom group? Search for the Yahoo Group that caters to new moms in your neighborhood.

4. Nap when your baby naps
Truly allow yourself to do this. If available to you, hire someone to help clean your apartment or house one to three times a week, just for the first few months. With this service, you can focus on getting the sleep YOU need.

5. Go for a walk
We’ve had some lovely blue sky days this winter. Bundle yourself and your sweet baby and venture out! It can be daunting to pack the stroller and diaper bag BUT, we encourage you to take that walk and honor the hour or two you are giving yourself to be in nature and fresh air.

By giving yourself a “New Mom Me Moment” you will be a happier mother and, as a result, your baby will be a happier baby. We hope you incorporate these tips into your life for a more balanced YOU.

Find your fitness related “new mom ‘me’ moment” by joining Charlotte in our Mama Moves class!

Love and Attachment

Ahh…Valentine’s Day. A celebration of love. A chance to spend cash on stuff that nobody needs, and often a cause of heartache. Love is tricky – both for those who are in a relationship and those who want to be in one.

If attachment breeds suffering, as the Buddha taught, then what should we do about love, the greatest attachment of all? Are we born to suffer if we don’t find a lover? We all long for the security of being with a person who’ll love us back. Our egos are satisfied when we feel loved. In our society, we’ve become attuned to acquiring things and judging our success by those things: money, a high-status job, a house. We can become attached to the idea of love in the same way, measuring our status as a person by our love lives. We’re flying high when our relationships go well, suffering when they fail.

Is it possible to experience love without attachment? Well…that depends on how we experience love. If we think of love as something that we have to get, than it can just as easily be lost, and we’ll suffer as a result. If instead we think of love as a way of being, the rules change. Love becomes active, not passive. Love becomes a daily experience, not something we have to find in someone else.

If this concept sounds kind of unrealistic, I believe it is much easier in practice. Whether it’s giving time to your kids or giving a donation to Haiti, we act with love all the time! Americans happen to be an incredibly generous people, especially when inspired by loss or need. Turn that same generosity towards yourself and those closest to you – in other words, act with love instead of searching for love- and you’ll be shocked at how much of it you get in return.

Love Your Feet!

When’s the last time you showed your feet some love? Our poor feet often experience cruel and unusual punishment. We stuff them in stylish shoes that fit us poorly for the sake of looking good. We run around all day and forget about them until they start to hurt.

Here are some tips from Nimble Fitness on how to give your feet some love and create a solid foundation for your heart-healthy cardiovascular program.

1. Pay attention to your posture—standing and walking with proper balance and a “stacked” torso (where your shoulders, rib cage and pelvis align over each other) will help your feet support your body weight the way they’re meant to.

2. Get a foot massage, reflexology treatment, or just use a tennis ball to loosen up the fascia on the bottom of your feet.

3. Organized exercise! Develop an integrated training program that draws from several styles of movement, so your feet have a variety of challenges to develop strength and balance.

4. Wear shoes that fit well and give you the support you need. Enough said! Your shoes should fit around your feet, not vice versa.

HAVING A POWERFUL “WHY”

One of the first questions we ask in Nimble is this: what’s your why? Why do you want to be stronger, lighter or more flexible? What is motivating you to take up an exercise program? We all get inundated with so much information about how to stay healthy that it can cloud our why, which ultimately slows the process of creating life-long healthy habits. Weight loss, for example, is a crucial reason for many people to exercise, but is losing weight the true inspiration? Or is losing weight a path to feeling better and more active in your own body?

Tapping into your true motivations will help fuel your success. Here are some other motivating whys that can help cause profound transformation:

*More Energy
*Confidence
*Body/Mind connection
*Overall Preventative Health Care
*Better Sex Drive/Better Sexual Health
*Clearer Skin *Being able to do what you want to do – whether it’s climbing those stairs or climbing a mountain.

Have a powerful why and it will help you take daily action towards your goals.  Here’s the way we describe that path at Nimble Fitness:

Movement is an opportunity for profound transformation, which stimulates self-discovery and energizes the spirit. The journey it offers is made by sensing, feeling and being. It’s unique to each person.

Namaste,
Daniel

A Successful Paradise Health Fair!

On Sunday January 31, Nimble Fitness hosted the first annual Paradise Health Fair. This event was a tremendous success. We are proud to have been able to offer such a valuable service to the community. Thank you to all the participants, attendees, volunteers …and a special thanks to the event organizer, Shelly Fox.

Nimble Fitness in NYC Splash Magazine

NYCSplash Magazine wrote about Nimble Fitness and our new studio on West 12th street, near Union Square in Manhattan.

“The studio is in a class of its own. I loved the décor; it’s clean and simple with personal touches of elegance. The spacious studio is stunning with high ceilings and stylish changing rooms with shower facilities. It offers a great place to workout in a relaxed, peaceful environment without the crowds.”
- Sabrina Hunter

Read the full article here

THE FIRST ANNUAL PARADISE HEALTH FAIR

Click on the flyer for complete details.

SUNDAY JANUARY 31, 2010

Human beings struggle world-wide to maintain adequate levels of health in order to live nourishing, fulfilling lives. In America alone, 800,000 people are diagnosed each year with diabetes. According to the New York State Department of Health, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death for the state’s citizens, 10,000 people die each year from smoking, and NYC has the highest AIDS case rate compared to any other major city in the United Sates. With so many serious health issues in the community and so many huge goals to reach, Nimble Fitness recognizes the immense need for someone to actively take a stand for the community in order to effectively address these crucial issues.

We welcome you to join us and take advantage of all these great resources.

* Free cardiovascular screenings: blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol
* Free one on one nutrition counseling
* Free nutritious, organic foods
* Free personal training tips to get in shape
* Free HIV info, free condoms, and tips on safe sex
* Free and anonymous HIV testing
* Education on women’s health and men’s health
* Education on asthma
* Education on diabetes prevention
* Free hand massages and skin care treatments
* Immunization and lead poisoning information
* Resources on getting registered for health insurance
* Get the facts about Chinese Medicine: the benefits of acupuncture and herbal remedies
* Free Core Fusion Classes- Yoga/Pilates
* Get the facts about YOGA- FREE week of yoga for all BYUS NON-members
* Learn about the benefits of XS Energy Drink and try a free sample!
* Get a FREE consultation on the running shoe that’s best for you
* Learn how to be green while getting in shape
* An opportunity to donate money to extraordinary children with special needs
(check out - http://stmaryskids.org/giving/giving-to-st-marys)

Your New Year’s Solution

What exactly is a New Year’s resolution? The dictionary defines resolution as ‘a firm decision to do something,’ but what does that really mean? It’s easy enough to make a decision to get in shape, lose a few pounds or quit smoking—it’s the follow-through where we tend to get tripped up. Rather than making a resolution this year, we are going to suggest you make a New Year’s solution. There is no better time than the New Year to create a new approach to getting yourself healthy. A New Year’s solution means creating long-term success–so you never have to make another resolution again.

We’ve all experienced short-term motivation. Most of us start the New Year by saying, “I ate too much,” or “I’ve been lazy,” or “I feel out of shape,” and then we make a short-term resolution to change. Ask yourself this: If you took a wrong turn in your car and ended up where you started, would you take that same turn again? Probably not, yet time and time again, we all make the same resolutions at the same time of year. We basically set ourselves up to fail! Isn’t it time to change your routine and perhaps change your way of thinking–because if it hasn’t worked in the past, it’s not going to work this time around either!

The first step towards changing your results is to examine your goals and how you view exercise and fitness. This is the key to understanding why none of those New Year’s resolutions really work. Was your resolution a short-term goal? Was it based on a number, like losing 20 lbs in 6 weeks, instead of on an overall feeling of health and wellness? Once you start to look at the roots of your health habits, you can identify what’s been holding you back. If you’ve made a decision to get in shape for the New Year, yet deep inside you view exercise as punishment and food or alcohol as a reward, you’ll be fighting yourself every step of the way. The quickest way to achieve your goals in health, or in life, is to bring your thoughts and actions into alignment with how you want to feel and look.

Observe your thoughts and daily habits and develop a sense of awareness about them: How you feel throughout the day? Where are your priorities? Who do you surround yourself with, and do they help or hinder your success? Become aware of any excuses you use which consistently hold you back. You’ll get some very interesting information about yourself—information you can use to refine your health plan and move forward.

Then take action! Simple steps on a daily basis, like taking the stairs rather than the elevator or skipping dessert when dining out, add up. Look at all of your daily choices as positive steps toward better health. After all, the whole point of a healthy lifestyle is to feel good all the time, not just after you spent an hour in the gym. Start feeling good all the time, and things in your life get better—your work gets better, your body feels better, your sleep is better, sex is better, and your relationships get better.

Remember your 3 keys—not a resolution, but daily steps towards success: movement, good food choices, and sufficient rest. Have faith in the process; every mountain climb starts with a single step. You’re not going to get to the peak in one day, so take your time and learn about yourself as you progress. And take time to enjoy the view! As you continue to find daily ways to be healthy, you’ll feel your strength and confidence improve. The solution is there, waiting for you.

Nimble Fitness at the Adidas Store for GetFit 2010

Daniel Lucas talking about Nimble Fitness

Nimble Fitness was there, along with TODAY Show nutritionist (Your Inner Skinny) Joy Bauer, The Park Avenue Diet author Dr. Stuart Fischer, the VitaminShoppe, Energy Kitchen and VitaminWater.

Honoring Your Exercise Lifestyle

Over the holidays, I went to a gym in Atlanta, GA with my step-mother.  She felt it was time to join, in order to amp up her exercise habits.  When I showed her how to use the cardio equipment properly, she asked if the pace she had set on the machine was “terrible”.  I realized that I get asked this question quite often from both clients and students.  My response to her was, “It is absolutely not terrible.  You’re here aren’t you?”

What Really Matters
When you walk into a gym, or your personal training studio, or tie up your sneakers for an outside jog, you have just stepped into something extraordinary.  The moment you begin your work out is a time to be thankful, because you’ve given yourself the necessary time to take care of your body and mind. Whatever intensity you’re working at, you are doing something far from terrible!

How Do You Know You Are Working “Hard Enough”?
Whether you set the cardio machine at level 3, 8, 10, or 25, ask yourself if you feel challenged. Do you feel your heart pumping, muscles working, and body beginning to sweat? Answering yes to these questions is how you will know if you are working hard enough.  If you are truly taking on a challenge and reaching for goals up ahead on your horizon, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the way you are choosing to work out. Here are a few other questions I receive from clients, students, and everyone in between:

•    Is walking good enough to count as a workout?
•    Do I have to run on an incline on the treadmill to see results?
•    Is working out three times a week enough?

These are all valid questions! However, let me encourage you to answer them for yourself. Only you can truly know whether you’re working hard. Ask yourself some of the questions I mentioned earlier:

•    Am I really challenging myself, or just going through the motions?
•    Do I feel my body working and sweating?
•    Am I inspired by my own work out?

If the answers are yes, then keep up the good work and amp it up when you and your body are ready.

Be You
When it comes to exercising, we are all different.  We need different settings on the cardio machine, different sized weights, and different exercise programs.  In fact, depending on our daily energy levels and stress levels, sometimes the kind of exercise we need actually changes from day to day.

Questions You Should Ask a Trainer
You should feel that you can ask your trainer about anything exercise-related. Instead of doubting your own ability and jumping to the conclusion that your fitness level isn’t up to par or you aren’t “strong enough”, ask your trainer or an exercise specialist the following: How do I fine-tune my exercise program? How do I measure my progress and hold myself accountable?

I encourage you to honor your own initiative and your own courage–step in to your workouts and challenge yourself!

2009 Best of Citysearch

We always strive to be the best.  It is an honor to be recognized by Citysearch editors, our clients and our friends as the best personal trainers in New York City.

Thank you!

Education & Learning

I love learning from great teachers!  I just spent four days diving into the neurofascial system with Sue Hitzman, the creator of the M.E.L.T method.  What Sue has done is organize more information than I can express into a system that just makes sense.  I’ve mentored with several great body workers and learned a great deal but Sue is really bringing it all together with effective language, a simplistic approach to her method and a passion for making it achievable for everyone.

Awesome!

If you want to elevate your performance and overall body awareness, Nimble Fitness will be holding these M.E.L.T. workshops in the near future.   Keep a look out for our calendar schedule coming soon.

Namaste
Daniel

Being Healthy Means Positive Thinking

It’s amazing how easily we can fall into the trap of thinking negatively when we set out to be healthier. For example, this week I overheard my client say he was no longer going to eat bread. To him, this was “the sacrifice I have to make to loose my love handles.”  I couldn’t help notice the look of disappointment on his face as he made this statement.   At that moment I realized just how much this type of negative thinking undermines our success in achieving long-term health.

Sacrifice is defined as: the surrender or destruction of something prized for the sake of something considered as having a more pressing claim. Surrender? Destruction? I don’t know about you but that does not sound like healthy thinking to me. This kind of “sacrifice” actually sets us up for failure—if every healthy choice is a sacrifice, then we’re going to subconsciously associate it to a negative experience. The all-or-nothing scenario, where you always have to give up something to get healthy doesn’t reflect reality or long-term wellness.

At Nimble Fitness, we advise our clients to avoid focusing just on short-term goals and instead create daily health habits which, over time, will lead to permanent results. Why give up bread for 5 weeks, or even the occasional dessert, if what you really need to do is eat quality food and exercise more consistently?  These health habits allow you to enjoy the process in the present, but also later in life as that consistency begins to pay dividends to your overall health, physical appearance and well being.

I reminded my client that whole grain and wheat bread in moderation was actually good for him and that it was silly to worry about having the occasional piece of toast.  Being healthy should never be about worry or sacrifice.  Look at your daily habits from a different viewpoint and treat each day’s healthy activities for what they really are: investments.  Take each day as it comes and make decisions that you know will benefit your health, whether that means going to the gym or just skipping the french fries.  Taking this new approach to achieving life-long health will positively change the way you become fit and allow you to enjoy the journey without sacrifice.

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