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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Motivated to Move: Top 3 Quotes from 'Vanilla Sky'
Cameron Crowe’s 2001 film ”Vanilla Sky” is one of my all-time favorite movies. (No, it’s not because I’m head over heels for Tom Cruise.) It’s because the psychological thriller is full of twists, and it poses interesting philosophical questions for the characters and the viewers—questions about life, love and true happiness. But another reason I love the movie is because some of its lines really stick with me, long after the credits roll. This movie is one of many unexpected sources of motivational quotes that can apply to many things, including your own healthy lifestyle. Here are my favorites.
Posted 10/10/2008 11:00:00 AM By: : 37 comments 87,876 views
Listen to the Interview with Coach Nicole!
I will be doing a radio/podcast interview with Debbie Alan today! You can listen online at www.OnTheHomeStretch.com, and even call in with your questions! I'm planning to talk about overcoming plateaus, getting fit on the cheap, and deciding whether you need a personal trainer. The number to call in LIVE is 877-474-3302. I will be taking questions from 11:30 AM to 11:57 AM (Eastern Time); be sure to call in early with your questions, then listen to the interview!
UPDATE: If you'd like to listen to the show, you can click on the following links to hear last week's interview from your computer!
Part 1: Bust Through Your Fitness or Weight Loss Plateau
Park 2: Inexpensive Ways to Get Fit, plus Finding a Personal Trainer
Posted 10/10/2008 8:00:00 AM By: : 9 comments 6,455 views
Body Bliss: What Do You Love about Yourself?
We are our own worst critics. Somehow, it’s all too easy to zero in on everything you don’t like about your body when you look in the mirror. Similarly, one harsh comment from another person can stick with you for the rest of your life. (I’ll never forget how I felt when several kids wrote my name next to “ugliest cheerleader” in a middle school slam book.) Why is it that we can easily recall these negative comments, or recite a laundry list of things we’d like to change about ourselves, but when asked to recall the most recent compliment you got, or list your best feature, you come up blank? It’s time to change that!
Posted 10/8/2008 8:34:36 AM By: : 466 comments 23,217 views
8 Lessons from My First 5K Race
I am not a runner. I really do not enjoy running. To me, it's more challenging than other cardio activities, and I think it can be boring. So it’s not the kind of thing I do very regularly. I run maybe once a month for 30-40 minutes, and then I don’t feel like doing it again for another few weeks. Needless to say, I don’t really “get better” at running—I pretty much stay the same since I don’t put time into it. But after I read a recent SparkPeople article about the benefits of taking part in charity races, I was really motivated to try one myself. I thought that maybe running for a cause would make running less boring—maybe even fun—and encourage me to do it more often. So this past weekend I laced up my new running shoes for Cincinnati’s annual Reggae Run.
Posted 10/7/2008 11:33:30 AM By: : 183 comments 105,042 views
Fitness Defined: Open and Closed Chain Exercises
Most of you probably haven’t heard of open and closed chain exercises. But chances are, you do them all the time without even knowing it. It’s important to understand the difference between the two because one type is safer while the other can increase your risk of pain and injury. Do you know the difference?
Posted 10/3/2008 6:03:43 AM By: : 107 comments 435,972 views
Gwyneth Buys In to 'Bulking Up' Myth
Gwyneth Paltrow recently appeared on “Oprah” and talked about the workout routine that helped her lose weight after her second pregnancy. Sounds juicy, right? Well, her trainer, Tracy Anderson (whom Gwyneth calls “the exercise genius of all time”) also offered some advice while demonstrating some of the workout moves. If you follow celebrity news at all, you might have already heard of Tracy Anderson, who also trains Madonna. I have to say, I’m more than shocked to hear the advice that this “trainer” gives to viewers.
Posted 9/29/2008 5:00:00 AM By: : 123 comments 32,415 views
Habits of Fit People: Commit to Just 10 Minutes
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: Commit to just 10 minutes. So why does something like this matter?
Posted 9/26/2008 8:56:01 AM By: : 151 comments 50,187 views
Confession: This is How Much I Weigh
What I’m about to share is something that many women (and men) feel ashamed, embarrassed and downright scared of exposing to others. I’m about to tell everyone exactly how much I weigh.
Posted 9/23/2008 7:00:00 AM By: : 533 comments 60,659 views
Keira Knightley Works Out...Sort Of
Actress Keira Knightley's slender figure has gotten a lot of attention by the media in recent years, even rousing speculations of an eating disorder (which Knightley has denied).
She recently appeared on the "Late Show with David Letterman," where he asked about her fitness routine. Here are the highlights.
Posted 9/19/2008 5:00:00 AM By: : 83 comments 41,997 views
Brooke Shields Spins Into Shape
You’ll find veteran actress Brooke Shields on the cover of Shape’s October issue. She looks amazing at 43 and as a mother of two children. In the interview, Shields shares her “5 Secrets” to staying fit, happy and confident. The story is full of some great info about Shields, who seems really down to earth, talking about the lack of self-confidence she struggled with in the past, and how she fits healthy habits into her busy life.
Posted 9/16/2008 3:52:03 PM By: : 30 comments 20,116 views
Burn It Off: How Many Laps to Undo Taco Bell's Big Box Meal?
Although Taco Bell's Big Box Meal has enough food and calories in it to feed a whole family for dinner, Taco Bell says it's a "meal that's made for men." In your big box, you'll get: a large soda (pictured as the Baja Blast), the new Volcano Taco, a Burrito Supreme, a Crunchwrap Supreme, and Cinnamon Twists. So how many 400-meter laps (that's one standard track lap) would you have to run to burn off this enormous meal? 10? 20? 100?
Posted 9/12/2008 5:00:00 AM By: : 135 comments 43,771 views
Does it Really? We Put FitFlops to the Test!
FitFlops seem to be the talk of the town, whether you live in the US or the UK! And for good reason: They were featured as one of Oprah's Favorite Things, and claim to be "the flip flop with the gym built in" that can "tone and trim your legs" while you walk. So, are they the real deal or just a bunch of hype?
Posted 9/9/2008 3:00:00 PM By: : 117 comments 122,542 views
Product Review Video: Fit & Fresh Smart Portion Tools
In a world of fast food and super sizing, Fit & Fresh is one company that is looking out for your waistline. Their line of kitchen prep tools, measuring devices and portable containers is designed to help you prepare and pack healthier, portion-controlled snacks and lunches. Since they're all about making healthy eating easier, I tried out some of the products, the Smart Portion Chill Containers and the Smart Portion Prep Center, which you can find in dozens of stores, like Target, Bed Bath and Beyond and Kmart, as well as online. Check out my video review below!
For more info on these products, go to www.fit-fresh.com.
Photo Source: Screen capture from www.Fit-Fresh.com
Posted 9/7/2008 4:00:00 PM By: : 58 comments 11,685 views
You Asked: Can You Train Your Abs Every Day?
Who doesn't want six pack abs? Well REIGNWATER recently asked a great fitness question related to these muscles: "Does Pilates count as ab work? How often can it be done?"
Want to hear what I had to say?
Posted 9/5/2008 4:00:00 AM By: : 82 comments 89,452 views
Hilary Swank Will Gain Weight for Upcoming Role
The non-fiction book French Women Don't Get Fat is being made into a movie, in which Hilary Swank will take a starring role. According to E! online, Swank will gain 20 to 30 pounds for the role.
Posted 9/3/2008 6:00:00 PM By: : 190 comments 28,773 views
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