It’s along the now defunct Conrail line. I bike, hike and run here. It’s so peaceful and tranquil all my stress and worries just evaporate. I see critters such as wild turkey, deer and a variety of woodland birds. There are bear in “them thar hills”, but I have yet to see one - a good thing I guess. In these trying times, it’s nice to know I can quickly escape to somewhere peaceful to get back to the basics.

I do all sorts of body weight training exercises here, including wind sprints,  jumping jacks, mountain climbers, off trail hill walking and more. Here are some pictures from my sunrise training sessions:

The photos are copyright © Bob Thomson

Posted by: Bob Thomson

 Posted by: Bob Thomson  

Well, that’s all for today. Now I’m ready for some football !!

 Posted by: Bob Thomson

 How To Sculpt Ripped Washboard Abs

Posted by: Bob Thomson

But I can’t help but wonder if the U.S. financial crisis will put a crimp in some (or many?) people’s best laid plans to lose weight and build muscle using a personal trainer.

After all, having your own trainer is a discretionary expense. It’s not a necessity like food, clothing or shelter. It just may not fit into the personal budget this year for some.

However, let me posit the following argument right here and now:

Getting fit - losing weight, burning fat & building lean muscle with or without personal training - is a necessity! That’s right, I said it’s a necessity. Why? Because your quality of life is so dependent on a healthy mind and body… It affects nearly every aspect of your existence:

• Lifespan
• Whether or not you develop a chronic disease and to what degree
• Vitality & energy
• Mental health
• Ability to perform routine activities of daily living

Being able to positively improve these areas of has MANY BENEFITS:

• Have more fun & live longer for yourself & those who love you
• Peace of mind knowing you’re reducing the odds of getting cancer or heart disease
• Quality ‘activity time’ with your children
• More zest and enthusiasm for life
• Improved sexual performance
• And so much more…

If you can’t find the time or have the discipline to get back in shape yourself, you must get outside help now! If you’re middle-aged, it’s not too late to reverse nasty things like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.  Again, your life depends on your health and fitness. Getting back in shape is a NECESSITY - not discretionary - unless of course you don’t value your life as you should.

I hope you value your life… I hope you care about your children enough to get yourself back in shape. I hope you care about having more energy to tackle the up’s and downs of life.

Are you tired of being out of shape? Call (845) 223-8168 or email me today and I’ll help you  create a fitness and fat loss program that will give you the body and the quality of life you deserve. It’s time to get fit and healthy and look good doing it!

Posted by: Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer in Dutchess New York (the Hudson Valley)

An easy way to prepare a delicious salmon dinner, this main dish only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. Salmon is a wonderful source of heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Servings: 2

Here’s what you need…

1 (8oz) sockeye salmon fillet, cut into 2 pieces
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon ketchup

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray foil with non-stick spray. Place salmon on sheet. In small bowl, combine honey and ketchup; blend well. Spread mixture over salmon. Bake at 450 for 12 to 18 minutes or until thickest part of the fish flakes easily with fork.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 220 calories, 11g fat, 4g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, and 26g protein.

Online personal training is one of the fastest-growing segments of the fitness industry. It’s an effective way for clients to get the professional guidance, motivation and accountability of onsite personal training without the associated high cost and scheduling hassles.

This new mode of fitness training was born out of two major client needs: one, convenience and two, cost savings. Here are 7 good reasons for using an Online personal trainer in 2009:

Reason #1 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Time Independence - Workout Anytime You Want. One of the main benefits of using an Online personal trainer is having the ability to workout whenever you want. Since you are not meeting with your personal trainer in person, you can perform your workout anytime on your scheduled workout days. This solves a common problem of having to pick time slots that fit both your and your trainer’s busy schedules.

Reason #2 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Geographic Independence - Workout Wherever You Want. When a trainee uses an Online personal trainer, he or she can workout wherever they want… the gym, at home or even on the road. It really doesn’t matter. You simply login to your training account, view and print your workout and do the exercises. After your workout you can log back in and report your results. This provides an important feedback loop between trainer and trainee.

Reason #3 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Big Cost Savings - Especially Important in a Down Economy. According to the 2008 IDEA Personal Training Survey, the average price tag for one on one personal training is $58 per hour. Unfortunately most people cannot afford one on one onsite personal training regardless of the economy. However, at an estimated average of $67 per month nearly everyone can afford Online personal training, even in a recession. It eliminates the procrastinator’s biggest excuse: “I can’t afford a personal trainer.” The real value of an Online personal trainer is that he or she provides the same benefits of one-on-one, onsite personal training but at a significant cost savings.

Reason #4 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Accountability. The vast majority of people who want to lose weight or get fit need a coach to hold them accountable for “showing up” and for performing workouts correctly on a consistent basis. This is extremely important. Clients are far more likely to stick with an exercise program long term and ultimately achieve their goals when they have to answer to someone other than themselves.

Reason #5 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Most Trainees Won’t Push Themselves Hard Enough to Make Regular Progress. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had clients shy away from doing intense weight workouts or cardio interval training simply because they don’t like the feeling of pushing themselves hard. Each time I have to hide my smile. You see, that’s what a good personal trainer does. He or she pushes you out of your exercise comfort zone so you can improve yourself. It’s human nature to want to do as little as possible to get by. However, a good personal trainer will push a trainee to new heights of health and fitness. This is important whether you use an Online personal trainer or an onsite trainer.

Reason #6 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Some People Feel Embarrassed or Intimidated by One on One Training. Some folks are just too proud or embarrassed to let someone else see how out of shape they are. They are fearful of being stared at or intimidated by the in-shape crowd. Online personal training solves these problems by providing a greater level of privacy, allowing clients to work at their own pace and in their environmental comfort zone (e.g. working out at home, alone instead of a gym).

Reason #7 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Unbeatable Value. Professional guidance, the convenience of working out wherever you want, whenever, at a fraction of the cost of onsite personal training, all add up to a total value that can’t be beaten. Dollar for dollar, the benefits of using an Online personal trainer far outweigh the cost. You get all the benefits and tools for success you normally get with one-on-one, in-person training. Don’t underestimate the power, simplicity and results you can achieve with this fun, effective new way to train.

Posted By: Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer & Coach

Here are my Top 5 Myths about Weight Loss …

Weight Loss Myth #1: You have to count calories for weight loss

There are so many silly fad diets out there that paint the picture of weight loss as a complicated process. You have to eat certain foods at certain times and avoid other foods at all costs. Of course all of these popular diets conflict over which foods you should or shouldn’t eat.

The truth is that you don’t have to make weight loss such a science. Simply eat healthy fresh foods that haven’t been processed, and eat smaller amounts than you’re eating today.

No rocket science there, just results.

Weight Loss Myth #2: You can spot reduce fat from specific areas of your body

This myth is as old as Moses, yet it persists. It must be because the thought of melting fat from any desired part of the body is so appealing, however untrue it is.

In reality your body will lose weight wherever it wants. It’s safe to assume that you’ll lose fat ‘last place on, first place off’. So if you put on weight first in your thighs and then on your waist, then expect it to come off your waist first and then your thighs.

Weight Loss Myth #3: You will bulk up with resistance training

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard women tell me that they won’t do resistance training because they don’t want to bulk up. Each time I have to hide my smile.

You see, the process of bulking your muscles takes a lot of hard work. You have to consume high amounts of protein and you have to consistently tax your muscles to fatigue. And you have to have the male hormone testosterone coursing through your body. In short, there is no way to accidentally bulk up.

Weight Loss Myth #4: You can get a six pack from crunches

Just focusing on crunches will not make your midsection chiseled. Hey, ab crunches are great and you should do them, but don’t rely on them to get into great shape.

A trim midsection will only come as a result of proper nutrition, effective cardio and consistent resistance training.

Weight Loss Myth #5: Cardio is the most important exercise for fat loss

Most people think of cardiovascular activities when they think of working out. Going for a run, riding a stationary bike, or taking an aerobics class. Well, times have changed and so should your workout.

The benefits of resistance training trump those of cardiovascular training. Resistance training strengthens your heart while toning muscles and increasing bone density.

Cardio workouts are not a thing of the past. They should fit into your overall plan for health and fitness. The benefits of resistance training, especially for fat loss, are quite astounding.

Do you have other weight loss beliefs that simply aren’t delivering results? Call or email me today and I’ll help you bust the myths, discover the truth, and create a fitness and fat loss program that will give you the body that you deserve.

Posted By: Bob Thomson, CPT

Do you want to slow down the aging processes in your body? Would you like to reverse bad health and have the energy and vitality of people half your age?

In this post you’ll discover new, scientific evidence proving that vigorous exercise is the true fountain of youth.

This past summer a female Olympic swimmer made headlines and she didn’t even hold the best time in her events. What made her so amazing?

She was swimming with women half her age.

Dara Torres, 41 years old, competed in her fifth Olympic games. Oh and did I mention that she also has a two year old daughter?

While other women her age are whining about pregnancy pounds and being ‘over the hill’, Dara looks like the 20 year olds she competes with.

What makes her different from other 41 year old moms? “I love to exercise,” Dara says. “I love how it makes me feel. I love how it makes me look.”  

Here’s the fountain of youth part:

Because of exercise, Dara’s body is actually younger on a molecular level than her out-of-shape counterparts, according to a recent study led by Tim D. Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College in London as reported by the Washington Post.

The results were astounding. They found that exercise appears to slow the shriveling of the protective tips on bundles of genes inside cells (called telomeres), which means a slowing of the aging process.

“These data suggest that the act of exercising may actually protect the body against the aging process,” said Spector.

Here’s the study in a nutshell:

• Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and every time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter.

• Once a telomere gets too short that cell can no longer divide.

• Aging occurs as more and more cells reach the end of their telomeres and die. This results in weakened muscles, skin wrinkles, loss of eyesight and hearing, organ failure and slowed mental functioning.

• The study analyzed the telomeres from the white bloods cells of twins over a 10-year period. Telomere length was used as a marker for the rate of biological aging.

• It was found that the length of telomeres was directly related to that twin’s activity level. “There was a gradient,” Spector said. “As the amount of exercise increased, the telomere length increased.”

• People who did 100 minutes of weekly exercise had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 5-6 years younger than those who did 16 minutes of exercise each week.

• People who did 3 hours of vigorous exercise each week had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 9 years younger.

What does this mean to you? The fountain of youth is literally at your fingertips!

Add to that the previously proven benefits of exercise (such as a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases) and it’s no wonder that exercise lovers look and feel as great as they do.

Do you want to start an exercise program or get back on one?

Whether it’s been months, years or even a lifetime since your last workout, remember that it’s never too late to start looking and feeling your best.

And while you may not share Dara’s passion for swimming, you can share her secret for staying young and looking your best.

Call me at (845) 223-8168 or just send me an email to set up your first FREE workout.

Posted By: Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer

Tymor Bootcamp - Lose weight, build & tone muscle with my new bootcamp fitness program. This is a local area group personal training program. Coverage area: Dutchess County New York.

Straight Line Fitness - “The shortest distance between you and your dream body!” Get into and stay in great shape with my new personal training programs. Includes both on site and distance training programs i.e. Online personal training.

Posted by: Bob