Exercise Blues

Feeling frustrated by your program is bound to happen. As with anything in life that's worth fighting for, there will always be the occasional bump in the road. Alright, let's be honest. Sometimes that "bump" seems more like a brick wall. When you find yourself wedged between that rock and the hard place, you should realize that what you've REALLY got is a great opportunity to look at what you've been doing that's been working WELL. By focusing on what you are doing that IS working you will continue to move in a positive forward direction.

Take a look at your eating. Have you been passing on those second helpings of dessert like you should be? Hopefully, you're drinking enough water (which can be tough, but is an absolute necessity). What are the things that stick, and why have they been working for you? Because if you can figure that out, then you're one step closer to making your entire diet work better for you.

Now take a look at your exercise. Sometimes the moves we like least are most important for our particular goals, but see if there isn't a way to incorporate more of the exercises you do like into your routines. This is how you keep your workouts from becoming a chore. Try breaking up the workday with a lunchtime work out, or get it done in the morning if that works best for you. Combining the right exercises with the right time of day may go a long way in keeping you motivated.

Equally important as your diet and exercise routine is your attitude about your goals. Remember that "Why did I even bother in the first place" feeling? When we look at our situation in a positive light we have the opportunity to become more driven and focused. Reassessing where we are allows us to grow by learning about how we work.

Answer each of these points and make a point to be good to yourself. Praise yourself for healthy new habits and redirect yourself with things you would like to see improve. YOU ARE WORTH IT.

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How to Fight the Exercise Blues

It's the single greatest enemy of personal fitness, more inevitable than death and taxes. You've finally decided to go for it with your new exercise routine, with your new diet, with your new... YOU. And then it happens: the Exercise Blues start to set in. You miss a few exercise appointments. You break your diet one too many times. The scale stops moving. You have days where you're convinced that you've gained 25 pounds in the last 24 hours. Your gusto for the gym has slowed and practically vanished, and you start to ask yourself, "Why did I even bother in the first place?"

Feeling frustrated by your program is bound to happen. As with anything in life that's worth fighting for, there are always going to be ups and downs, the occasional bump in the road. Alright, let's be honest. Sometimes that "bump" seems more like a brick wall. But you can't give up. When you find yourself wedged between that rock and the hard place, you should realize that what you've REALLY got is a great opportunity to look at what you've been doing that's been working WELL. By focusing on what you are doing that IS working you will continue to move in a positive forward direction.

Take a look at your eating. What have you done that you are proud of? Passing on that second slice of cheesecake perhaps? (And we all know how hard that can be, especially when your neighbor seems so good at making them from scratch...) Or maybe it's increasing how much water you drink a day by like a thousand percent. That's something I still have to remind myself about from time to time. Sometimes things get crazy, and situations pop up that you have no control over. Like when your office tries to placate the grumbling masses with birthday cupcakes from Sprinkles. Or how about when you've forgotten to eat, you're absolutely starving, and the only thing in arm's reach is McDonald's. These things happen. Such is life. But if you stop to think about it, there ARE some things that you've managed to stick with, despite the craziness (like deciding to switch from soda to tea). What are the things that stick, and why have they been working for you? Because if you can figure that out, then you're one step closer to making your entire diet work better for you.

Now take a look at your exercise. Are you being consistent with any workouts in particular? Because, you know, during any given work out there are exercises you dread doing, and then there are the ones you do really well, because you actually enjoy doing them. Listen to your body! Sure, sometimes the moves we like least are most important for our particular goals, but see if there isn't a way to incorporate more of what you like into your routines. This is how you keep your work outs from becoming a chore that you don't feel bad skipping out on! And the time of day that you exercise is also important. The simple truth is, some of us are NOT morning people. The thought of having to leave our comfortable beds to get sweaty and sore is so not appealing. Maybe breaking up the workday with a lunchtime work out would be better, or perhaps a stress-relieving gym trip is the way to end the day. Still for others, there is no better way to start the day than with a healthy dose of cardio or a jog. Combining the right exercises with the right time of day may go a long way in keeping you positively motivated.

Equally important as your diet and exercise routine is your attitude about your goals. Has your attitude been positive or could it use a tune up? Remember that "Why did I even bother in the first place" feeling? Don't get discouraged! Think back to all the things that inspired you in the beginning. Remember why you're doing this: to look better, to feel better about yourself, to be healthier! (And of course, the many benefits that come along with being healthier...) When we look at our situation in a positive light we have the opportunity to become more driven and focused. Reassessing where we are allows us to grow by learning about how we work.

Answer each of these points and make a point to be good to yourself. Praise yourself for healthy new habits and redirect yourself with things you would like to see improve. HANG IN THERE! Because in the end, it's worth it. YOU'RE worth it.

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A Letter for Moms

Dear Mom,

I want you to know that I see all the things you do for me, and for our family, and I appreciate you.

Moms make the universe go 'round. They protect us when we're young, they care for us when we're sick, and they make us feel important and special. They feed us, they clothe us, they clean up after us, and often times, they do all this while working full time at jobs that also require them to constantly give of themselves.

Most moms spend so much time working and taking care of others that they forget to take care of themselves.

This year, I want you to take some more time for yourself. Go see that play with dad. Enjoy that spa weekend with your friends. And most important, be healthier.

A lot of moms skip their own breakfast (because who has time to eat when you're trying to get your husband AND yourself ready for work while making sure your three kids are ready for school?), choose coffee over water when they get thirsty throughout the day, and snack on sugary sweets and chips instead of taking the time sit down to a well-balanced meal. And who can blame them? I'd like to see you juggle a demanding boss, incompetent coworkers, and an expectant family and still make time for three squares and a power nap.

The point is, despite their best-laid sermons, a lot of moms don't eat as healthy as they should. And when they put on a few extra pounds as a result, it's even harder for them to make the time to get healthy, because that's ONE MORE THING on the to-do list each day. But it's time for moms everywhere to know that it's OKAY to take time for themselves. It doesn't make you selfish, and it doesn't make you a bad parent. And though l like to think of them as superheroes, it turns out that moms are human too, and need the same care and attention that they have made it their sworn duty to provide to us.

Take some personal time, Mom, whatever you have to do. Tell me "no." Make me do a bit more for myself. It won't kill me, but not doing so might kill you.

Moms stay up late helping us with our last minute school projects, mopping our cold sweat-soaked brows, and washing the dishes we "forgot" to do before bed. And moms get up early to make our breakfasts, iron our clothes (we should all be so lucky, right?), and assure us that, yes, they can get Timmy to piano and Laura to ballet, on time, and still make Mikey's baseball game. After a day like that, I'd say you'd earned that double fudge brownie square. But in the long, you know that's now what you need, don't you?

What you need is to carve a little "me time" out of your day. Just 30 minutes when you can be safe from the crossfire for your own mental health. And you need to think about your physical health too. You've got to get moving, get active: anything from a daily walk to a full on work out routine. Exercise will let you blow off steam and give you more energy, which will make your never-ending to-do list a lot easier to get through.

Do it for yourself, Mom, because you deserve to be healthy, happy, and whole. Or, if you must, do it for me. Because what would I ever do without you?

Love,
Me

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New Clothes!

So, you've finally decided, "I am definitely doing this whole exercise thing." Good for you! You've taken the first step on the journey to looking great and feeling better than you have in a long time. But before we get started, sister, there's just one thing I gotta ask:

What are you gonna wear??

Our saying for this part of the journey is not "the clothes make the man" but "the clothes make the plan" ... work! Whether you do your shopping at Barney's (and wouldn't we ALL like to do our shopping at Barney's!) or Target ("Tarzhay" to those in the know), this is the part where you get to shop!

If you really want to feel like you're starting something new, get a new outfit. This may sound crazy, ladies, but trust me: you slip into your hot new gear for the first time, and I guarantee you'll be ready to hit the mats!

The key is finding yourself something beautiful and affordable that also makes you feel COMFORTABLE. It's the gym, girls, not a runway show. Fortunately, most exercise outfits are just cute by nature, so that's one problem you shouldn't even run into.

You know the idea behind "dressing for success." If you were starting a new job at say, a law firm, or a Fortune 500 company, you would want to go in there looking smart, poised, and confident. The people around you would know you came to do business, but more importantly, YOU would know you came to do business, and you'd be much more likely to carry yourself appropriately throughout the day. It's the same idea here! If you try to work out in your favorite t-shirt and shorts, you may be reminded of lazy weekends on the couch watching "The Notebook" and eating ice cream, and before you know it, that's exactly where you'll be! A fancy new set of workout clothes that you wear ONLY TO WORK OUT will always put in you in a productive mindset for when you start your routines.

Just try it out and see! Here, go grab a paper and pen and write about some of your past workout experiences, how you felt, where your level of motivation was, etc. Then, go shopping and score yourself some fabulous new workout clothes, and get to work! After a session or two, jot down how you feel about exercising now. I'll bet dollars to 100- calorie-pack Chips Ahoy that that outfit goes a long way towards motivating you to get the job done.

And hey, if you ever need a little extra push, just remind myself that as you get leaner, meaner, and more amazing-looking, you can always treat yourself to a new outfit.

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Fit Pregnancy

When a woman becomes pregnant, dozens of questions come to mind - so many she may feel overwhelmed. For women who enjoy regular physical activity, the biggest question may be: "How much is too much when it comes to exercise?" The good news is if you are a healthy woman, without physical restrictions or complications, this question can be easily answered. With just a few simple guidelines on how to protect yourself and your baby, many women won’t have to sacrifice fitness/exercise during these nine months.

With special attention being paid to a few key things, most women can continue to exercise just as they had before they became mommies-to-be. First, keep aerobic activity to 45 minutes or less. Overexertion while pregnant is to be avoided because it can be harmful to the unborn child, and recovery takes significantly longer. Second, don't exercise in hot or humid weather - overheating can be harmful to both the developing fetus and the mother. When it is hot out, exercise inside in an air-conditioned room, or if you must exercise outside, be sure to workout in the early morning or late afternoon. Be sure to wear clothing that breathes (like cotton) and make sure to drink lots and lots of water. Dehydration can slow blood flow, which limits the disbursement of nutrition to both you and the baby, and can also predispose you to premature labor.

That being said, your next question may be: "Why take the risk?" Exercise during pregnancy is not a risk if done properly. In fact, there are several benefits to you and your baby if you exercise throughout your pregnancy. For starters, exercising moms gain about 8 lbs less than non-exercising moms. Studies show that 65% of women who exercise until term will deliver in less than 4 hours, and will deliver 5-7 days earlier than non-exercising women. There are several benefits for the baby as well. An exercising mother's placenta will grow faster and bigger than a non-exercising mother. This allows for more nutrients and oxygen to get to the growing fetus, and will lead to a healthier baby. Continuing a regular exercise program during pregnancy decreases fetal fat without decreasing overall growth. This means you can decrease the chances that your baby will have weight issues as a child, an adolescent and an adult. Also, babies whose moms exercised during pregnancy tend to be calmer and sleep better through the night.

Now that you know the basics, let's talk about the types of exercise you should do. Autumn Calabrese, an ACSM certified personal trainer and the pre and post-natal specialist for Body Inspired Fitness, has assembled a few key exercises for women looking to continue exercising throughout their pregnancy. Remember to always get a doctor's consent before starting any physical fitness program.

THE WORK OUT

It is important to start with a 5 min. warm-up. Taking a brisk walk is a great way to get the body moving. You can also use walking as your cardio routine, just pick up the pace a little and keep it going for 30-45 min. Other good forms of aerobic activity are jogging, bicycling, or hiking. After your aerobic activity, it is important to do a few toning and strengthening exercises.

SUPPORTED SQUAT

Hold on to something sturdy for support. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and your toes should be directly forward. Squat down as far as you feel comfortable or until the knee is at a 90 degree angle. Keep the weight in your heels, hold your abdominals in, and keep your chest up and your back straight. Use your thighs to push up, pressing through your heels. Be sure to inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up. Do 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

ABDOMINAL PULSES

Sit with your legs crossed, and your back against a wall, or sit in a chair with your hands on your stomach. Inhale and let your lungs fill with air. Relax your abdominals. Exhale and contract the abdominals tightly by pulling them in. Repeat ten to fifty times for 2 sets. Some women seem to be able to do abdominal exercises on their back without problems, but medical guidelines advise against this after the sixteenth week. There are many other ways of doing abdominal exercises such as lying on your left side or in a semi-recumbent position with plenty of pillows behind you.

BICEP CURLS

Stand up tall with your abdominals held in. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and your toes should be directly forward. Hold dumbbells in each hand (3-7 lbs). Flex your biceps to slowly lift the weight toward your shoulders. Exhale as you lift the weight up and inhale as you lower it down to your starting position. Do 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions. Set the weights down between sets and walk around to keep the blood moving.

Most importantly to prepare you for labor and to have a strong pelvic floor are...

KEGELS

Kegels can be done any time and in any place. They can also be done in several positions: such as standing, sitting, or lying down. Visualize your pelvic floor muscles, starting at the anus; squeeze the muscles around your anus tightly, as if you have to go to the bathroom. Then relax it. After a few times, focus on the more important sphincters around the opening of the vagina. Squeeze them tightly and then relax. Then squeeze and pull the perineum in and up, holding for as long as you can before relaxing. Exhale as you squeeze and pull up, and inhale as you release. Visualize the muscles as if they were on a drawstring and you could pull them in and up. Do 5 kegels at a time hold each one for 6-10 seconds. Although this exercise may be tricky to get at first, keep practicing because it will get easier - and it is a very important exercise.

STRETCHING / WARM DOWN

Last, but not least, be sure to stretch. Stretching is very important - especially for the lower back to keep those muscles from get too tight and uncomfortable. Be sure not to push yourself too hard, or stretch too far. Remember you are trying to relax, and make your ligaments and joints loosen up. Encorporating some deep breathing with your stretching is also a great way to relax and center yourself!

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Top Ten Fitness Tips For Grooms By Sean Neff

• Keep healthy snacks at your workplace for less hunger when passing fast food places on the way home.
• Every little bit of exercise counts. Pump out a few push ups here and there in addition to your regular workouts.
• Find exercise that you enjoy doing and you're more likely to stick with it.
  
• Get a workout buddy who can get you to the gym or out for that run.
  
• Set a goal for how you'd like to look or how much you'd like to weigh for your wedding day.
  
• Exercise with your bride-to-be in a fun environment like the beach. This can help keep the competitiveness down if it's an issue.
  
• Smaller portions at every meal are effective for slimming that waist line.
  
• Watch the empty calories from alcohol. Not necessarily in order to quit cold turkey and be a lightweight at your wedding. Just be sensible.
  
• Cardio cardio cardio to burn off those love handles before the big day!
• Enjoy the journey. Allow yourself to enjoy each repetition knowing that every one adds up to that mental picture from number five.

Wedding Fitness Specialist: Sean Neff

One of the great things about living in California is that every season is wedding season. No matter what time period is most effective to get your friends and relatives and your fiancee's friends and relatives to California for your wedding it will be a doable feat. It is also always a great time to get in fighting trim for your ceremony as well. The California sun shines down nicely upon us so often that there is rarely a rainy day to keep us inside. There are beaches and parks galore to provide the perfect environment and we all want to look great in that tux so there's no time like the present to get started!

Of course looking great isn't the only benefit to beginning a workout regimen in preparation for your wedding. At this time of our lives we may have the biggest "honey-do" list of our relationship in order to relieve some of the huge amounts of stress on our brides to be. Nothing keeps you cool, calm and collected like a great workout. The more that you and your bride have an outlet for all of the pre-wedding stress the easier you'll be able to live into all of the reasons that you've fallen in love to begin with. Take some of the stress out of your mind and body and let it loose in your workouts.

Within nine months of your wedding we focus on you. We see what your exercise and athletic history are, injury history and what you love to do now to stay in shape. Every workout is specialized with all of this in mind as well as the timeline towards your wedding. The key is to create an intense, safe and enjoyable workout routine with your end goal in mind. There is a whole lot of fun to be had on the way to a whole lot of results with each step and each session. It's always nice to have a helpful guiding hand when so much else is on your mind. Let us create the program that is perfect for you, your bride, your parents and even your bridesmaids and groomsmen. We've got something for everyone. Seize the day and make this one your own!

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Maintaining That Positive Attitude By Sean Neff

Fitness is an individual endeavor that can be shared. Whether it be an individual's goal to lose weight, increase flexibility, add strength or shape and tone; finding the right motivation for ourselves is key to attaining our goals. Today I'd like to touch upon some points of interest which may help you stay positive about this fitness journey of ours and empower you to fully enjoy yourselves in the process.

First off I'd like to share one of my secrets for getting the most out of our clients in the personal training area. It is a simple secret yet somehow I don't see it done often enough around town. Find a variety of things that you actually enjoy doing for exercise and mix them up throughout the week. Too often I hear people be moaning having to go to the gym again or pulling out the home pilates dvd that they've done over and over again ad nauseum. We all know that these can benefit us greatly if done regularly but can also sap our excitement for exercise if we do them day after day. Keep these in mind for an "old stand by" if you only have a little time to get some fitness work in but focus on those activities that you really enjoy doing or have even forgotten that you enjoy doing. Take five or ten minutes and make a list of what you enjoyed doing as a child which was active; as a teenager; as a young adult; as an adult. Throughout all of these levels of development you can find literally dozens of activities that you can implement into your weekly routine. So many, in fact, that you may never have to do the same routine twice in a given week or month. Rarely can one be motivated more than by the novelty of exercises and activities that we actually greatly enjoy or have enjoyed at some point in our lives.

Secondly, find someone that you enjoy being around to possibly be a workout buddy. Good conversation and shared goals can go a long way towards either pushing both of you towards where you'd like to be fitness wise or in helping to cure the monotony of your cardio routine. We all know that cardio work attacks those problem areas that can take forever to hone otherwise so why not find someone that can help take your mind off of the hard work that you're treating yourselves to along the way? Less days will be skipped as well when we have someone that we can count on waiting for us at our favorite meeting place.

Lastly today I'd like to focus on staying as positive as possible throughout our days. I can't overemphasize how important this is; especially when living in a thriving metropolis such as Los Angeles where everyone has a set goal in every moment and can trample upon the goals of others in the process. Know that your goals are as worthy as anyone else's and that you have the power to choose to be as positive as possible through all that happens everyday. Beginning any workout with a practiced positive frame of mind can help you attain those fitness goals so much more enjoyably and you'll find yourself looking forward to your workouts more as well.

Enjoy being you! Everyday is another day closer to fulfilling all of your fitness goals...

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Family Fitness Phenomenon By Lilli Harris Lee
Pacific Palisades 90272 Magazine
March 2006

Angela Parker, a 20-something former dancer turned fitness buff, says it's high time kids ditch their video games, ignore their computers and get themselves fit.

"Kids have forgotten it's actually fun to get sweaty!" Angela is the owner of Body Inspired Fitness, which is a personal workout regimen custom-made for individuals looking to get in shape. There's no actual gym, instead Angela or one of her staff will come to your door and coach you both mentally and physically. "We talk, we hang out... I go to their parties, their recitals. We're kind of buds! During that time, I get them moving." Taking clients out of a gym and getting them to the beach, the park or hiking up a mountain keeps it interesting and is an occupational perk for the Pacific Palisades resident. "I love living in the Palisades- it's the best outdoor gym."

Angela started Body Inspired Fitness two years ago. It was originally intended to be a training program exclusively for kids. Today she boasts clients ranging in ages from 5 to 92! What is unique about her philosophy, though, is that when she's working with kids, she does not just target their personal eating and fitness habits but instead takes into account the behaviors of the entire family. "Our specialty is working with the family as a whole and seeing where the holes are and why it's not working."

Angela says that most of the bad habits picked up by kids are due to the actions of their parents and it's impossible to change behaviors in children without starting with the source. "If you can start changing the attitudes of the parents, it trickles down and the whole family slims down and gets healthy."

So, Angela will go into a home environment and if she witnesses parents eating unhealthily, she believes their kids will likely follow suit. If parents treat their slim child differently from the one who may be overweight, that's a problem too. "We get them as a family to make changes. We get them as a family to start supporting each other."

According to Angela, the support of the family is the real key to what makes a child lose the excess pounds. "I'm not a miracle worker, I can't come in one day a week and transform your universe. But I make it very easy and very fun and give these families the tools and motivation to make this work. No exercise or eating program will work unless you're committed to it."

Angela is committed to seeing the look of empowerment on a child's face after working hard and then seeing the results in a mirror. "It's the best, I love it."

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Are YOU worth it? By Angela Parker

I am going to start this column with a guarantee: If you take half an hour out of your day to engage in any kind of movement, your life with be richer and you will feel better.

We all know the feeling of having completed a great work out - tired, sweaty, but coupled with a sense of accomplishment, after having done something good for yourself. Yet so many of us allow every day problems and excuses to get in the way of this feeling. We convince ourselves that our time would be better spent doing a million things for other people. And believe me, our husbands, wives, children, parents, and grandparents are thrilled we are taking time out of our day to do things for them. But what about ourselves? Every day people ignore their own bodies, health, and sanity in order to put other people's needs above our own. And believe me, there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not saying forget your family, or ignore your loved ones, I'm suggesting that each of us take at least a half hour, every day, and give it back to ourselves.

When we don't take care of ourselves we not only begin to lose our waistline but also our tempers. When we do not feel our best we see the ill effects in every area of our life. We snap at our kids, we feel discouraged about our bodies, we become very self critical, and we actually become less productive. These negative feelings seep into every aspect of who we are, and change how we feel about the world around us.

But imagine how you would feel if everyday there was time just for you - to take time to do something you enjoy that not only benefits your body but also your mind. How much more productive could you be if you felt great about yourself? How much more patience would you have with your children, your husband, your wife? What positive changes would happen in your marriage, your home, your life, if you just felt better?

The idea is simple. Take time for yourself every day, honor your body and you will be the best version of you. It takes time, planning, and discipline. But after all, you're worth it. Aren't you?

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My Saturday Date with Fitness Boot Camp
By Alyson Sena, Associate Editor
Palisadian Post
March 8, 2007

I had been hearing about Body Inspired Fitness Boot Camp for nearly two years before I decided to try it. The winter holidays were fast approaching, but it wasn't so much that I wanted to lose weight, offset the effects of turkey dinner and Christmas cookies, or even get a head start on a New Year's resolution. More than anything, I was curious about the Saturday-morning workouts and wanted to challenge myself with a new kind of exercise routine.

My commitment to myself to exercise three times a week often lacked discipline. If my friend couldn't meet me to walk after work, I would head home instead of walking by myself. I have always preferred the group atmosphere of yoga and fitness classes to working out on my own in a gym, but I need a schedule - a time, a place and, most importantly, another person or people to exercise with.

Boot Camp, the brainchild of Body Inspired Fitness founder Angela Parker, seemed to offer exactly what I was looking for: diverse workouts (including cardio, strength training and toning, agility drills, and balance and flexibility work) in a group setting. The best part is that the workouts take place outside, at a variety of locations in Pacific Palisades - from Temescal Canyon and Will Rogers State Beach to the Santa Monica Canyon stairs.

One of my Palisadian-Post co-workers who had participated in a previous Boot Camp session recommended the program, which had inspired her to take weekly Pilates classes. So we both signed up for the eight-week session beginning November 18.

I worried a bit that "Boot Camp" was going to be as grueling and unpleasant as it sounds, but actually it's a playful name for a fitness program that is both serious and fun. Four enthusiastic fitness instructors - Parker, Sean Neff, Autumn Calabrese and Amy Greene - alternate teaching each weekend, and their creativity in dreaming up new exercise activities for the group is refreshing.

Our first workout was at Will Rogers Beach, at Temescal and PCH, at 8:30 a.m. (Each workout was 90 minutes, which always seemed to go by quickly when we were on the beach.) Our group of 10 women, mostly age 30 and up, were instructed to bring a towel (for exercising on the sand) and a bottle of water. (Because no men had signed up, Parker announced that this group would remain a Ladies Boot Camp, so anyone who enrolled after that first Saturday had to be female. We gained two members, and nobody dropped out.)

We wore nametags and talked briefly about why we were there and what our goals were, which helped me focus my energy on what I wanted to work on: making exercise a more regular part of my week, and challenging myself a little more in individual activities, such as jogging instead of walking.

Many of the women were Boot Camp veterans who had been motivated to return because the program had helped them reach their previous fitness and weight-loss goals. Our group included people of all fitness levels, and Parker assured us that we would all be pushed according to our abilities and goals.

We warmed up by walking and jogging on the beach, keeping track of how many "laps" we could do in 20 minutes. Parker and Greene walked with us, encouraging some of us to jog if they knew or thought we could. They partnered a few of us up so that we could motivate each other. My partner remained my walking/jogging buddy throughout the eight weeks, and we even set dates to exercise together outside of Boot Camp.

After stretching, we learned how to do lunges, strengthening our leg muscles. Then, we moved onto our towels to work on the upper body and abdominal exercises. Greene led us in a series of "animal" sit-ups, based on animal poses like "frog" (with legs bent at the knees and spread apart). Parker taught us varying techniques for push-ups.

All this instruction and close attention was helpful to me, and I appreciated learning or re-learning exercises that I could do on my own at home. Our workout ended with a "cool-down" stretch and deep breathing. My co-worker recommended that I go home and take a hot bath, as I might be a little sore the next day.

Later that evening, I received an e-mail that Parker had sent to our group, congratulating us on a great first workout and encouraging us to "get out and move" on Sunday to help relieve some soreness. "Make a plan as to what you will do this week for exercise," she wrote. "Call your friends and set some workout dates. Drag your kids out for a walk. Just make a plan and stick to it!" This was the kind of motivation and energy I needed.

Over the following weeks, the instructors incorporated yoga, Pilates and kick boxing into our Saturday-morning routines. Each instructor had a specialty, so every workout was a little different, which kept me interested and motivated. We also received weekly e-mails from Parker, who told us where to meet each weekend and checked in to see how we were doing with our personal fitness goals.

Body Inspired Fitness made exercising fun again for me. It also got me outside on Saturday mornings and, subsequently, on Thursday mornings when I would meet my Boot Camp jogging buddy to climb the SM Canyon stairs. The program made me realize not only the importance of setting realistic goals and maintaining a regular exercise routine, but exploring diverse workouts in order to discover what I like to do.

I'll admit, it was hard to get up Saturday mornings, but I always did it because I had signed up to meet my group every week, and I wanted to be with them. Even when I was tired, once I got to the beach and felt the ocean breeze and saw the sun out, I was so thankful to be there.

The Saturday-morning Ladies Book Camp is $180 for 12 sessions, $150 for eight sessions, $88 for four sessions and $25 for an individual session.

Body Inspired Fitness will also hold a four-week Boot Camp on weekdays beginning May 7. The cost to participate in this program is $350 (five days a week) or $240 (three days a week).

Contact: (310) 454-0506, or visit their Web site: www.bodyinspiredfitness.com.

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