A certified personal trainer and fitness instructor with a bachelor's degree in health education, Nicole loves living a healthy and fit lifestyle and helping others do the same. Nicole was formerly SparkPeople's fitness expert and editor-in-chief, known on the site as “Coach Nicole.” Make sure to explore more of her articles and blog posts.
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Win Fitness Equipment from the SparkPeople Store
Sometimes, even when you lose, you win. And sometimes, the more you buy, the more you save. That's also the case with two specially priced "bundles" available right now in the SparkPeople store. Whether you want a great deal on home fitness equipment to start a workout routine without going broke OR you want more SparkPeople gear so you can Show Your Spark in style, we have two great options that you (and your wallet) will love!
We think these products are SO great that we're giving away one of each of these bundles in the dailySpark Anniversary Giveaway!
Posted 8/21/2009 10:18:58 AM By: : 43 comments 22,385 views
The Fascinating Fitness Stories You Haven't Read
I wanted to write one more post about my favorite fitness stories from the past year. Some of these are the best products I reviewed, while others are short-lived series you may have missed. (Remember Burn It Off?). See my favorite posts, fitness products and tips from the past year!
Posted 8/20/2009 5:26:48 PM By: : 29 comments 15,145 views
I Profess that I Love to Confess!
Over the past year, I've written more than 100 blogs for dailySpark and have enjoyed every minute of it! Out of these hundreds of posts, I have many favorites, but only a few stand out as important and personal: my confessions. Through these cathartic posts, I've disclosed my weight, my fear of bathing suits, my body image struggles and even my embarrassing failures with all of our readers. In turn, you've shared with me some of the most supportive, encouraging and helpful advice I've ever received from anyone—let alone complete strangers! Today I am going to reflect on the confessions that had the biggest impact on our readers—and me.
Posted 8/19/2009 6:38:12 AM By: : 40 comments 12,489 views
3 Lessons from Maria Menounos' 40-Pound Weight Loss
I saw a copy of the Aug 24 issue of First for Women magazine in the SparkPeople kitchen the other day, and the beautiful Maria Menounos of "Access Hollywood" and the "Today" show caught my eye. The headline, "Maria Menounos reveals how she dropped 40 lbs & kept it off" isn't breaking news. (You've probably already read about her 40-pound college weight gain and how she lost it in several different magazines over the years.) But she's so likeable and cute, so I peeked inside to see if she had any good tips that might be useful to our readers.
I'm glad I read the story. What became clear to me is that Maria has her head on straight when it comes to food, exercise and weight. How refreshing to see a celebrity who looks great but doesn't obsess over her body. Quite the contrary! She claims that she loves her body now, and even when she was 40 pounds heavier, she told First, "I never really cared about being heavier, but it seemed that everyone else had a problem with it."
Here are the top three lessons I took away from Maria's weight loss story.
Posted 8/12/2009 6:42:10 AM By: : 74 comments 41,811 views
Confession: I Have Cellulite and I Won't Be Ashamed Anymore!
We are a culture that is obsessed with bodies. They're plastered on magazines, billboards and websites to sell just about everything. Celebrities and models don bikinis and lingerie on the covers of women's and men's magazines alike. And even though most of us are savvy enough to know that these images do not reflect reality (they involve professional make-up and lighting, subtle camera angles, and of course, digital photo editing), they still shape our ideas about what a woman's body should look like. (You know, fit—but not too muscular—smooth and cellulite-free, and perfectly even in skin tone.)
But the unadulterated images affect us, too. When gossip magazines plaster unflattering photos of celebrities, telling you who has gained weight, who has the "worst bikini body" and who has cellulite (shocking!), we get the message: Look more like the perfect, albeit unrealistic, images and less like these shockingly imperfect (normal) bodies.
If you ever find yourself picking apart your own appearance or comparing your body shape, size, texture or tone to another person's ("Do I look bigger/smaller/better/worse than her?"), it's not hard to figure out why.
No wonder so many of us have poor body image and self-esteem. I am not immune to these images and cultural ideals; I've struggled with accepting my own body for my entire adult life. Why? Because I look much closer to the "worst" bikini bodies than I do the "best" ones, and that automatically makes me feel bad about myself.
Posted 8/7/2009 2:00:00 PM By: : 329 comments 59,175 views
Pump It Up: 5 Fun Fitness Tracks for Your iPod
As a fitness instructor, I spend a lot of time listening to music, searching for new (and old) songs I can add to my Spinning classes or listen to while I run. I can't emphasize enough how important music is to my workouts—it really motivates me to get started, and to keep going when I'm feeling tired. So I'm going to share with you some of the newest tunes on my workout playlist. Then I want you to tell me what you're listening to!
Posted 8/5/2009 6:58:28 AM By: : 254 comments 91,884 views
What Members are Saying about the 'Spark Your Life' Convention
If you haven't heard by now, SparkPeople's next "Spark Your Life" Convention will take place in Cincinnati—SparkPeople's hometown—this September. Of course, everyone here at SparkPeople is excited about this fun day of fitness, motivational stories, inspiring weight-loss accounts and in-person meet-ups with your fellow members and coaches. Personally, I had a BLAST meeting members and leading workouts at the first convention and I can't wait for the next one! But don’t take MY word for it.
When we surveyed the attendees of our first Convention in San Diego (this past May), 100% of them said they would attend another SparkPeople Convention. In fact, many are traveling across the country to attend the next one, too!
If we haven't yet convinced you that Cincinnati's "Spark Your Life" Convention is worth the time, travel or cost (just $49.99 if you register before August 31), then take our members' words for it. Here's what convention attendees had to say about their experience.
Posted 7/29/2009 6:47:33 AM By: : 61 comments 13,787 views
Important Update! SparkPeople on
Earlier this week, we told you that SparkPeople would be on "Entertainment Tonight" on Wednesday (tonight), but we just received word from "ET" producers that our segment has been pushed to tomorrow.
Please reset your recorders and plan to watch TONIGHT: Thursday, July 23, 2009 to see the interview with SparkGuy and other SparkPeople members!
We hope you will still be able to tune in and share this news with your friends and other SparkPeople members! Please update your SparkPeople Friend Feed status and/or Facebook status with this important update to help us spread the word! Thanks for your support!
Posted 7/22/2009 2:45:09 PM By: : 29 comments 10,022 views
Improve Your Balance in 3 Simple Steps
Hiking on a wooded trail. Riding a bike down the street. Doing crunches on a stability ball. Hitting the slopes. Walking up the stairs with ease. These are more than simple pleasures you can enjoy by living a healthy lifestyle. They're also proof that your body's ability to balance while doing a variety of things is pretty amazing. Even when you're not thinking about it, your body is balancing—in everyday life, when you exercise, and during your active pastimes.
Most people don't spend any time thinking about their balance until it's too late—when they actually fall or injure themselves. But balance isn't just a concern for the elderly who are more prone to falls (and the serious complications those falls can cause). Balance training is important for everyone, from athletes to casual exercisers.
Good balance and a strong core go hand in hand, and a strong core usually means better posture, less back pain and improved performance during exercise and athletics. Plus, the better you balance the less likely you are to fall or injure yourself. If you haven't thought much about maintaining—or enhancing—your balance, now is as good a time as any to start.
You've probably seen lots of fancy fitness gizmos that are designed to help you improve your balance—everything from a simple stability ball to balance boards, inflatable balance discs, BOSU trainers, foam rollers and more. While these items certainly add challenge to your workout, you really don't need ANY fancy equipment—not even a Wii Fit—to improve your balance. In fact, you can turn just about any standard strength-training or flexibility exercise into one that does double duty by improving your balance while you work your muscles. With multi-tasking moves like these under your belt, that means you won't have to spend more time exercising just to improve your balance. Find out how!
Posted 7/22/2009 11:15:30 AM By: : 72 comments 50,457 views
FREE Workout and Winning Words from Jillian Michaels
Jillian Michaels, hard-core trainer extraordinaire, is gracing the cover of SELF's July 2009 issue. As a fitness professional, I'm always interested in what she's up to—on TV, in her workout DVDs and everywhere else. So I grabbed this issue when it hit my desk and turned straight to page 36 to read her story.
In the article, Jillian lets the readers in on a few behind the scenes secrets about "The Biggest Loser," and in her own life—like how even she enlists the help of a personal trainer to keep her in tip-top shape. (Who knew?) Some of her words, reflecting on how she helps clients and contestants on "Loser" were truly inspiring, so I wanted to share them with you. Plus, I'm sharing a new FREE workout video from Jillian Michaels and SELF with you!
Posted 7/10/2009 2:00:00 PM By: : 168 comments 52,740 views
When Your Sweet Tooth Strikes, What Do You Reach For?
Most days, right around 3 or 4 o'clock, they spring up out of nowhere. Others are surprised by them at night, usually in the few hours before bed. They come without warning and you can't really explain why they're there. Sugar cravings—they drive you nuts! Why must they appear, temping you at every turn, persuading you to give up on this whole "healthy lifestyle" thing?
I definitely have a strong preference for sweet foods. When they were handing out that gene that makes people think some desserts are "too sweet" or "too rich," I must have been sleeping (or off somewhere eating dessert), because no food is ever too sweet for me! Sometimes I give in, but other times, I find ways to squelch it without turning to sugary junk foods.
So what do I reach for when sugar cravings strike?
Posted 7/8/2009 3:00:00 PM By: : 277 comments 45,220 views
Habits of Fit People: Add Activity—Not Just Exercise—to Your Days
You want to be a fit person, right? That's why I'm sharing my own habits for keeping fit and staying healthy in the ongoing Habits of Fit People series.
Here's one that works for me: Adding more activity to my days. I'm not talking about exercise or planned workouts, either. You might not think about it often, but there's a lot more to a fit lifestyle than the time you spend in the gym. So why does something like this matter?
Posted 7/3/2009 5:29:18 AM By: : 130 comments 87,258 views
Will Malibu Pilates Help You Achieve a Bikini Body?
Have you seen the infomericals for Malibu Pilates, the exercise chair endorsed by Susan Lucci? I've seen them, and they make some big promises: "Drop a dress size in 10 days! The most innovative blend of Pilates and aerobic exercise!" While I watch any fitness or weight-loss commercial with a healthy dose of skepticism, I do keep my eyes out for cool fitness products that look like they provide a good workout. As a Pilates instructor and enthusiast, I was immediately drawn to Malibu Pilates. I admit, I though it looked cool! But that's partly because I was already familiar with Pilates and the special "chair" at the center of this program.
While most people are familiar with mat Pilates, they might not know that Joseph Pilates also designed several pieces of exercise equipment. The Pilates Reformer is probably the most common and widely recognized piece of Pilates equipment, but the Wunda ("wonder") chair is another. These pieces of studio equipment are pricey. Most cost $1,000 or more (not exactly cheap exercise equipment for your house). If you don't want to buy one, but want to try one, you can expect to pay AT LEAST $20 per class (usually more) to use this equipment with a certified instructor at a studio or gym.
That means these amazing pieces of equipment—and the exercises you can do on them—are unaffordable and inaccessible to most people. Few gyms and studios have them, and even fewer people have the cash (or the know-how) to purchase and use these items at home. But more affordable versions of these classic designs are reaching the market for fitness enthusiasts to use at home; the Malibu Pilates chair is one of them.
How does it compare to the real thing? And what kind of results can you expect? I contacted the company to review their product and they were happy to send it to us. Before you drop the cash to buy one yourself, find out what I thought of the Malibu Pilates chair and its workout DVDs.
Posted 6/26/2009 11:03:31 AM By: : 57 comments 94,260 views
6 Good Reasons to Try a Spinning Class
As long as I can remember, I was into fitness. I was an active child, athletic and competitive, always trying new sports. Even as a teenager, I loved lifting weights, trying challenging workouts and pushing myself physically. I remember when I was about 17 years old, I read a small blurb in a fitness magazine that talked about this workout called Spinning. It mentioned that it was a major calorie burner (somewhere near 600 calories per hour, if I remember correctly), and that it was a great workout. "What is this Spinning thing," I wondered. Whatever it was, I was definitely going to try it.
By the time I moved away to college a few months later, I got my wish. Not wanting to gain the notorious freshman 15, while trying to maintain a good level of fitness (without the aid of the after-school sports practices I was accustomed to), I started going to the university rec center and tried Spinning for the first time.
That magazine was right. It was intense and challenging. But they didn't tell me that I'd be so sore for a few days (from sitting on that rock hard seat known as the "saddle") that I'd barely be able to sit on my cushioned desk chair in my dorm room—ouch! Despite the challenge (and the discomfort), I made it to Spinning class three times a week and I was hooked. Fast forward a few years later, and I became a certified Spinning instructor myself so that I could share my love of Spinning with others.
I believe that Spinning, which is an indoor group cycling class, is something that people of all ages and fitness levels can benefit from—I've seen it myself and in my students. If you think Spinning isn't for you or tried it and didn't like it, here are 6 reasons to try Spinning that will change your mind.
Posted 6/24/2009 3:00:00 PM By: : 145 comments 253,158 views
Habits of Fit People: Keep Fitness Equipment at Home
You want to be a fit person, right? That's why I'm sharing my own habits for keeping fit and staying healthy in the ongoing Habits of Fit People series.
Here's one that works for me: Keeping exercise equipment around the house. So why does something like this matter?
Posted 6/19/2009 5:50:18 AM By: : 153 comments 31,055 views
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