Tag Archives: holly perkins

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Dream… And You Will Be Fit

Photos uploaded to Flickr by Oscar Megía and richardmasoner some rights reserved.

by Holly Perkins

For over 16 years I have worked one-on-one with hundreds of people to help them navigate their journey toward better health and fitness. While their reasons for hiring me vary from weight loss to marathon training, the core of their goals really comes down to one thing: to take action to better themselves. As humans, it is in our being to constantly seek progress. We want to be “better.”

Many of us also have a wonderful ability to dream.

If we didn’t have dreams and aspirations many of us would find the challenges of daily life hard to sustain. Personally, I have moments when I can see my future best self. In those moments, I feel motivated, optimistic, and excited about my own potential to be that vision. I see clearly the steps I must take in order to achieve that vision and I feel committed to taking action. And then Tuesday rolls around and I get sucked into the ups and downs of daily life that ultimately beat down that beautiful vision. The vision slowly fades and I back off from the action plan that would have gotten me to my goals. And the cycle begins again. Sadly, I am not unique. I see my clients, some of whom I’ve worked with for 6 years, battle the same cycle.

In order to be different than you are today, you must take action. What are your dreams? Do you want to be supremely fit? Do you want to feel unlimited vitality so that you can conquer Tuesday? Do you want to adopt new lifestyle habits so you can reverse diabetes, heart disease or high cholesterol? All of these are absolutely within your reality if you can stay fully committed to action. I have helped my clients achieve every kind of goal that exists – no goal is unattainable if you understand that it requires time. Consider your goals: at its core, what does your goal require? Time. Time to exercise, time to prepare healthy food, and time to manage your game plan. The first step in achieving any goal is to manage your time effectively.

Photo uploaded to Flickr by theloushe, some rights reserved.

There are many time management experts out there, and you can find their suggestions all over the Internet. None of the tactics will work if you don’t have clear motivation for your goals. My approach with my clients is to define their reasons for their own betterment. If you have powerful reasons behind your dreams, you are more likely to stay committed on Tuesday when you are stressed, tired and short on time.

 

Exercise is unquestionably the best first step toward any goal. The human body is designed to be fit, functional and active, and when this is achieved, your whole being operates better. Your mind is clearer, your hormones are balanced and your spirit is in tune with higher meaning. I promise you will feel empowered, resilient, effective, invincible – the best you that you dream of- by effectively strength training. Every single mom that I work with confronts feelings of guilt in taking time away from family to exercise. They feel exercise is a luxury that they “shouldn’t” have. Do you experience this? In order to be an effective mom, who will be healthy for a long time, you MUST exercise. You will be calmer, have more stamina, and withstand stress far better if you are fit and eat well. If you are committed to this goal, you will be creative in finding a way to make it happen despite a busy schedule.

It doesn’t matter what your excuse is: kids, two jobs, school, injuries, finances: they are all simply excuses. Every one of us must make time for exercise. There are no tricks to time management here. The key is to make a choice to be “better” and then execute it. Take action on your dreams. I know many women who have careers, multiple kids, are over 40 and are in better shape than me! If it can be done, YOU can do it too. Any reason otherwise, is simply, and only, an excuse. Remember, if the President of the United States can make time to exercise, you can too.

There are a few tricks that I suggest to my clients when they are trying to make the time for exercise. If you only have 2 days per week where you can exercise, I suggest that both workouts each week include cardio and strength training. Aim for 25-30 minutes of challenging cardio and 20-30 minutes of full body strength training that focuses on the major muscle groups (legs, back, chest, arms and abs). Only have 20 minutes to workout? You’ll want to engage in something that is intensity based. Look for an activity that you can do at a challenging rate for the whole 20 minutes. Try jogging, stationary cycling or Ashtanga yoga.

Busy moms find great success when they center their workouts around the home. This maximizes your workout time by removing any commute time to a gym or class. There are many fantastic exercise videos that you can do at home with little or no equipment. A client of mine involves the whole gang for family yoga once each week in their living room. Another client of mine walks outside for interval walking and jogging. In just 35 minutes she can get an effective workout without wasting any time. Interval programs are great because they foster fitness quickly. You can do intervals anywhere by alternating between walking and easy jogging for 2 minutes each.

Your first step is to dream. Take 5 minutes today and imagine your best self. What do you see? That fabulous image is possible if you can grasp all of the reasons for doing it. Stay committed to your reasons; make the time to take action. You will never find a Tuesday where you have extra time to exercise. It doesn’t exist. But if you plan your action, and feel empowered by your reasons, you’ll wake up on Wednesday victorious.

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Strength Training: How And Why To Do It Right

by Holly Perkins

In addition to being the New Balance Fitness Ambassador, I work everyday with private clients as a personal trainer and fitness coach. It’s funny to me how ideas and themes seem to present themselves from many directions at certain times in my life. Recently, the value of strength training was presenting itself over and over with almost every one of my clients. Specifically, three clients stood out:

• A newbie starting a 30-pound weight loss journey.
• A newly pregnant mom.
• A mom rebounding after baby #1.

While every one of these gals is very different, it became clear that strength training holds the key to the doorway of their goals and more.

If you spend any time “floating around” – the Internet, the news, fitness magazines – you know that strength training is a buzzword and foremost fitness concept. “Yeah, yeah, yeah – I know,” most of my clients say, because they too have heard it many times. And while I know every detail about why strength training is so revolutionary, I continue to be reminded about how powerfully effective proper strength training can be. I hope you’ll find this article on a day when you have the peace, clarity and time to really absorb what I’m about to say, because this article can change your life in very positive ways.

Most women, in an attempt to lose weight and tighten up, spend way too much time doing cardio. I call it “cardio-ing yourself to death.” If you want a healthier, more resilient, more energetic body, you must strength train. Yes, I said must.

Cardio can only do two things for you:
• Burn calories in an effort to burn body fat.
• Improve your cardiovascular fitness if you do it right.
Weight Loss Newbie

My weight loss client that I referenced above has been failing because she erroneously has been using cardio as her avenue for weight loss. I asked her: do you really want to be a smaller version of yourself? Or do you want to change your body for the better? Once she stopped to really think about this, her answer was that she wants to be healthier, be fit, and be smaller—but look different. Strength training will inspire her muscle metabolism for better, long-term fat burning, and will bring muscle to the areas where she wants shape and definition.

Newly Pregnant Mom

Photos uploaded to Flickr by Simply Bike, some rights reserved.

My newly pregnant mom has very different goals. She is at a healthy weight for her structure and wants to create a strong, functional body to carry her through pregnancy. Studies show that women who are super fit withstand the challenges of pregnancy far better, have shorter labor, and deliver babies at their optimal weight. For this client, strength training is the best way to get her to her goals. While cardio fitness is important for other reasons, strength training is going to improve the function and ability of her “vehicle,” which will be carrying her and her baby for 9 months. Pregnant or not, most people desire more stamina, relief from non-descript aches and pains and protection against generalized fatigue. The only way to keep your structure supported with ideal alignment is through strength training. Many people think that it is your bones that hold your body upright. The truth is that your muscles are responsible for keeping you lifted and aligned so that your natural energy can flow. We all develop muscular imbalances that cause energy loss. These imbalances can only be corrected through structured, specific strength training.

Rebounding Mom

There is an interesting quality that develops when a woman experiences a new level of real strength. The third client that I referenced above has been dealing with the changes that come after baby #1. It is a whole new world, and during the transition time, it can be a bit unsettling as you navigate a new life. For this client, the last 5-8 pounds of pregnancy weight are still lingering, she doesn’t feel her usual sense of energy and ability, and she always feels “fat.” With her, I am emphasizing strength training in her workouts not only for the body shaping benefits, but because physical strength reaches far beyond the physical. There is a supremely fantastic sense of self that comes from concerted strength training. If you haven’t experienced what I’m talking about, I hope someday you do. You will feel a new kind of security and capability when your body is strong. Personally, I feel my most spiritually profound when I have stayed committed to my strength training program. I want all of my clients—and you—to experience this sensation. I really believe it holds the power to fix many parts of our lives. While it may be a physical application, I know for certain that strength training will give my client the foundation she needs to be invincible.

My Strength Training Program

Most women fear that strength training will make them bulky. While this is absolutely possible, there are a few ways to build muscle without adding size to your overall circumferences. In my 16+ years of experience, I have found that if I stick to a few basics, I can transform any body without bulking up. Now that I have made my case for strength training, I’ll give you the know-how to create a proper strength training program that will get you to your goals. There are a few principles that you need to understand:

• Strength and size are not synonymous. You can be strong without being muscular.
• Progressively heavier weight loads will eventually lead to larger muscles.
• Your body fat is layered over your muscles.
• You should assume that your muscles are weaker than you think they are.
• Perfect muscles develop from perfect technique.

In the first 4-6 weeks of a strength training program, your body will go through a transition phase. During this time, your muscles are responding to a new stimulus and may “plump up” temporarily. This is the time when most women freak out and think that they are bulking up. It’s important to know this is simply a transitory phase where the muscles are swelling slightly, causing your layer of body fat to push outward. It is physiologically impossible to bulk up in the first 4-6 weeks of a strength training program. Stay the course, and allow your body time to recover and release any swelling in the muscles. If you feel sore after a strength workout, you can be sure that your muscles are holding onto unnecessary water that may look like bulk.

There are ways that you can minimize the muscle trauma that causes swelling so that your muscles can develop nicely without temporary plumping. Beyond this, your body will respond best if you follow some rules when you begin your strength-training program. There are many, many ways to execute a strength-training program with success. I have found, in my experience, the following protocol to be foolproof. You will see that my approach utilizes traditional gym workouts with dumbbells and weight machines. Other activities that help promote strength are yoga, martial arts, and Pilates. I find that these activities are limited in their ability to promote strength for most people. They are beneficial as part of your larger fitness programming, but for this article I am focusing on weight-based strength training. Follow these steps and in 6 weeks you’ll be looking and feeling strong, lean and invincible:

Programming:

Choose one of the two programs. For best results follow Plan 1. You’ll want to consult a pro, fitness magazines or the internet to select exercises for each group of muscles.

Assume you are weaker than you think you are and begin with very light weights.

Learn PERFECT technique for each exercise by using mirrors and watching for symmetry in movement or by working with a pro.

Complete 3 sets of each exercise for 12 repetitions using the same weight for all 3 sets. Every single repetition should have perfect technique with no compensation in movement. For the first 2-3 weeks don’t increase your weight loads. This will allow your muscles, ligaments and tendons to adapt to the new activity with limited swelling.

After the initial 2-3 weeks, you can increase your weight loads by a small amount for each exercise. It is very important that you maintain perfect technique. If an increase in weight load causes you to lose good form, return to the original weight load and complete each set for 15 repetitions. Then after 2-3 weeks you can attempt to increase the weight loads again watching for perfect technique. For example, if you are using 3 pound dumbbells for shoulder exercises, you can increase to 4 or 5 pounds. If you are using 40 pounds on a leg press machine, you can increase to 45 pounds by using a ½ plate increment. Maintain these weight loads for 2-3 weeks before increasing.

PLAN 1, 4 days each week of strength training.
Day 1: Legs and Shoulders
Day 2: Back and Biceps
Day 3: Chest and Triceps
Day 4: Legs and Abs
PLAN 2, 3 days each week of strength training.
Day 1: Legs, Back and Biceps
Day 2: Chest, Shoulders and Triceps
Day 3: Legs and Abs

It’s become apparent to me that strength training really is the key to most fitness goals for most people. What are your goals? Better energy and stamina? A faster metabolism? A healthy, resilient body to carry you through life? Make a commitment for 6 weeks and follow my suggestions here. I hope that you too get to experience the magical benefits that come from consistent strength training.

Keep me posted on your progress!

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Get to know Holly Perkins

Get to Know Holly Perkins
Guest editor Holly Perkins offers her insights on fitness, motivation, and the importance of challenging yourself.

Holly Perkins is used to challenging people’s limits, including her own. She’s trained and guided people through numerous marathons and mountain climbing expeditions, including excursions to Mt. Kilimanjaro. As a renowned fitness expert — and New Balance Fitness Ambassador — she understands the importance of commitment to personal achievement, and how rewarding it is once those goals are accomplished.

Her work as a personal training consultant was founded on the idea that science and fitness can work together to help people reach their optimal fitness levels. Holly’s intimate knowledge of physiology, nutrition, and health, as well as her seemingly boundless enthusiasm, have helped countless people reach their goals, and shifted the way we think about fitness.

Holly is joining us this month as NB’s Wellness guest editor, offering her insights and advice on various topics, including how she stays motivated, the benefits of strength training, and why she’s at the forefront of the “kale as dietary staple” movement.

When did you discover you wanted to get serious about fitness and training?

For me fitness started early. I remember joining a dance aerobics class in sixth grade because my best friend’s mom was making her go to lose weight. I thought, and still do, that it was absurd that my friend needed to lose weight. We were perfect in my eyes! Nonetheless, I was overly excited about taking a dance class with the grown-ups and absolutely loved it. I often wonder if it was this beginning that helped me to consider “exercise” as a fun thing. I wonder too, does that friend now regard fitness as a chore? I’ve always looked forward to fitness and physical activity, and this naturally lead me to get my college degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition and become a personal trainer. I was thrilled to work with people who came to me to in search of elite fitness. I think this is when I began to fully define myself—and my life—through health and fitness. But truly, I have been in love with fitness my entire life. It’s the longest love affair I’ve ever had.

What’s your favorite part about your job?

While a blessing and a curse, I am a very sensitive soul. I tend to be moved and burdened by the challenges of our existence. When I get particularly heavy with the troubles of the world, I find incredible comfort knowing that I get to help people feel better and be healthier. That is the number one reason I do everything that I do. Then, the other reasons all fall in as a close second to that: I get to wear comfy shoes all day, I make my own hours, and I get to pick who I work with!

You have a great attitude towards personal achievement, did you always have terrific self-confidence or is it something you learned throughout your career?

I think I was born with pretty good self-confidence in general. However, I was also born with some unhealthy habits regarding how I use and treat my body. I’ve developed a strong value in personal achievement because I’ve really had to conquer some demons (coffee and donuts!) and have learned how good it feels to hold myself accountable. I get a great sense of accomplishment whenever I complete something that required me to stay committed, like training for a half marathon. I believe that most of us must cultivate self-confidence, but that we do it in very personalized ways.

You spend a lot of your time on the road. What’s the one event you participate in that you’ve come to look forward to more than any other?

For the past three years I have had the honor of attending the Susan G. Komen Global Race for The Cure in Washington D.C. Each year 50,000 people from around the world come in support of breast cancer. I get to be on stage and lead this massive group in a warm up before the race starts. And every year I am moved to tears by the stories of survivors and their commitment to end this disease. I doubt my own strength if I were ever challenged like some of these incredible folks. They move me beyond words. I look forward to this event every year.

You provide motivation to your clients on a regular basis, is there something or someone that keeps you motivated throughout the day?

Motivation is the hardest thing for me! People who are self-motivators inspire me and I try to surround myself with them as much as possible. I have had to cultivate self-discipline over the years and I tend to cycle in and out of ideal. Ultimately, I thrive on the feeling I get from a good workout. I become a better person on all levels through exercise and proper nutrition. I’ve learned that I really don’t care too much about what I look like, so the intrinsic values are much more important to me on a day when I’m lacking motivation.

Do you have a favorite exercise or activity?

I have about 10 favorite exercises and activities! That’s like asking a mom of five which child is her favorite! I love them all equally but for different reasons. A few: walking lunges, running, yoga, walking my dog.

What’s the most significant change you’ve observed in the field of health and fitness in the past 10 years?

There are a few changes in the field that are really significant: The shift from “tons of carbs” in the late nineties, to “no carbs” in the early 2000’s, to the smartest place of “selective carbs” right now. I believe carbs are like medicine and we need to be strategic in how and when we eat them. Another change that is really just emerging is the value in wearing shoes that are supportive, but flatter and closer to the ground. I believe a great deal of hip, back and knee issues stem from shoes that have heels, both in regards to athletic and dress shoes. Our hip and leg muscles work best when the heel is close to the ground allowing the ankle more flexion. I promise you will see more athletic shoes being made with lower heel to toe ratios very soon.

As a proponent of proper nutrition, are there any favorite healthy dishes you find yourself making again and again?

Photo uploaded to Flickr by elana’s pantry, some rights reserved.

I have decided that I am the first official Kale Advocate. Kale is probably the most nutritious dark, leafy, green vegetable and has so many health benefits. I believe it is absolutely the best thing you can put into your body. I eat kale every day, sometimes twice a day. Right now I am making this salad all the time:

Raw dinosaur kale
½ Tbsp. Olive Oil
¼ lemon, juiced
pinch of salt

Combine in a bowl and massage the ingredients into the kale with your hands. Add a few dried cranberries – fantastic!

What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you?

It took me a very long time to figure out that discomfort is necessary in order to achieve anything worth achieving. There is a big difference between “no pain, no gain” and discomfort. For example,

“…in order for your body to become stronger, faster or leaner, you must challenge it beyond what it is currently capable of, which often means a little bit of discomfort.”

For me, that might mean that I complete one more set of walking lunges when my legs aren’t sufficiently fatigued. It might also mean that it’s uncomfortable when I really want to eat a donut, but I restrict myself because I know it will only derail me. This kind of discomfort is good. It guides you towards a healthier body. I wish that someone had helped me understand this 16 years ago. Although, self-discovery is a very powerful thing, and I’m thrilled that I now understand.

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Training With Holly Perkins: The Real FAQ

Training With Holly Perkins: The Real FAQ

No matter what training level they’re at, almost everyone wants to move up. Whether you’re a world-class athlete or a first-time 5K runner, you’re probably facing some of the same challenges and roadblocks to improving your fitness level. We sat down with New Balance Fitness Ambassador Holly Perkins to hear about some of the recurring questions and concerns that come up as she trains celebrities, athletes, and civilians, and what to do about them.

Holly’s top questions were:
How can I get the most out of my fitness routine?
Why am I not seeing results?
How can I improve my current fitness level?
Are carbohydrates good or bad for me?
Please help me get rid of this belly fat!

How can I get the most out of my fitness routine?

“First, sit down and identify your fitness goals,” says Holly.

For example, do you want to:

  • Lose body fat
  • Lose weight
  • Tone up
  • Increase muscle mass
  • Improve your overall fitness, shape and ability

We’d all like to achieve all of these goals, but your fitness program should be built around one or two specifically. This will help shape your routine to achieve maximum results.

”I encourage people to always get started a little more slowly, ” Holly explains. “Your body will respond better and faster, because of the hormonal changes, if you start every other day.” Split your strength training and cardiovascular workouts to different exercise days to give your body time to recover. In two to four weeks you will start to see results and improvement toward your chosen goal!

Why am I not seeing results?

“Emotional improvements happen before your body visibly changes and are just as important motivational factors!”

Recognize your decreased stress level, better energy and more restful sleep. Physical changes will soon appear. Create a workout calendar and/or maintain a log to inspire accountability and track changes.

If you have suddenly stopped seeing improved results, it may be time to adjust your routine and challenge your body in a new way. Choose one or all three of these ways to see more progress:

  • Give yourself a recovery week with little or moderate exercise.
  • Change the intensity of your workout.
  • Completely change what you are doing and try something new. Classes are a great way to introduce a new stimulus.
“You must embrace a week or two of discomfort – not pain! – so that the body can become better at this activity.”

How can I improve my current fitness level?

There are two misconceptions that people seem to have regarding fitness:

First, most people think they will wake up one day and be energized and inspired to work out. Your body gets better at whatever you give it. From Holly: “You must embrace a week or two of discomfort – not pain! – so that the body can become better at this activity. Only then will you wake up and desire exercise – because your body is now good at that level of activity.”

Second, you don’t get fit during exercise; you get fit during recovery. During sleep your body responds to that day’s exercise stimulus and rebuilds. The next day you wake up a new body. You must continue applying the stimulus/recovery cycle to keep seeing improved fitness.

“Choose lower glycemic carbs, like truly whole grains berries, apples, vegetables and beans.”

Are carbohydrates good or bad for me?

“We are fat burning machines at rest and throughout the day, and any increase in heart rate will signal a greater need of carbohydrates.” The problem is that most people eat too many carbs. Your body must have a balanced ratio of macronutrients – ideally around 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat.

“You want to choose lower glycemic carbs, like truly whole grains berries, apples, vegetables and beans.” Check your bread’s list of ingredients for whole grains. You don’t want refined or wheat flour. One slice of bread should have at least two grams of fiber.

Please help me get rid of this belly fat!

“The first thing that must be addressed to remove belly fat is simple weight loss.”

If you need to lose 5-10 pounds, then that’s the cause of your belly fat. Decrease caloric intake and increase caloric expenditure through exercise, and you could see a difference after losing just five pounds!

If you are within a healthy weight range, exercise and eat well, you may have to change your fitness routine or lifestyle one of these ways to trim your belly:

  • Try more moderate intensity cardio work. Moderate cardio calls on fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
  • Stick to those ‘good’ carbs. “In basic form, eating ‘bad’ carbs will cause you to store more of your ingested calories as fat! If you eat a lower glycemic carb in substitution of a higher glycemic carb, you will burn more of the ingested calories as fuel! Pretty cool science!“
  • Get more quality sleep! Poor and insufficient sleep causes an increase in the hormone cortisol, which causes water retention, belly bloat and facilitates fat storage.
  • Reduce alcohol consumption. Alcohol contains almost double the calories per gram compared to other carbohydrates. “You can eat 300 calories of vegetables or 300 calories of alcohol. Because of the digestion mechanism, you will store more of those 300 calories as fat when coming from alcohol!” Aim for no more than two servings of alcohol per week.

More tips and content from Fitness Ambassador Holly Perkins: