Using Exercise as a Weapon in the Fight Against Cancer

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Last week I was invited to lead the warm up for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Santa Monica. I was asked to motivate, inspire and support – things that as a personal trainer, I do quite well! But, what I didn’t expect was that I’d actually be the recipient of all of these great gifts and more!

I was surrounded by survivors, fighters and loved ones walking in memory of their mothers, daughters, sisters and friends. I met a young woman who walked for her mother – a woman who battled breast cancer twice. The second diagnosis was perhaps more devastating than the first. To be faced with cancer again! “Why?” They asked. As it turned out, her mother had a gene mutation that dramatically increased her risk factor for the disease (from about 12% for most women, to more than 60%). This young woman walked not only as a supporter, but also as someone who wanted to educate other young women about their own risks of cancer.

It was also inspiring to see so many women, in the midst of their treatments, walking for the cause – many with pink bandanas tied proudly around their heads. It seems daunting to face chemotherapy, radiation and surgery and still have the courage to get out of bed. But, that’s exactly what they did. And, although it’s tough, exercise has been proven to greatly improve recovery time and long-term health in cancer patients. A recent study out of the UK goes as far as calling exercise “The Wonder Drug” in cancer treatment.

If you, or someone you know is fighting cancer, here are a few ways exercise – even if it’s a walk around the block – can help:

  • Increased energy
  • Reduce stress and anxiety
  • Improve overall health (so as to avoid added health complications)
  • Reduce the risk of blood clots and sores

I encourage you to do what you can and be proud of every accomplishment! And, to the women I met over the weekend – thank you for continuing to inspire me!

 

Your Workout Doesn’t Have to Feel Like Work!

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Santa Monica Personal Trainer Natania Goldberg Talks about Having Fun While Working OutThis weekend I got to have a little fun with friends and work up a sweat at Pound – Rockout Workout, an exercise experience that includes some extreme drumming! The day was a great reflection of my philosophy as a personal trainer – your workout doesn’t have to feel like work to be effective! You can have fun, spend time with friends and play games, all while reaching your fitness goals!

The old way of “get down and give me 20” just isn’t very inspiring to everyone (including me!) I love to find exercises that keep my clients fit, as well as motivated and coming back for more. So, if you’re looking for ways to stay healthy while keeping a smile on your face, try these on for size:

  • Dancing – You can go out with friends, or rock out in your house. Dancing is a great cardio workout that gets the blood and endorphins pumping! If you’re looking for some tunes to use, check out my workout playlist.
  • Surfing – My Los Angeles friends know it’s hot outside! What better way to beat the heat than heading down to the beach and working your core on a surfboard?
  • Sports – Get out with friends, join a team or play games with your kids. Basketball, tennis, even a fun game of flag football will keep you fit.
  • Boot Camp – I love putting together challenging obstacles for clients. You can achieve a goal every time and easily increase the intensity with each session.
  • Fun Runs – Training for a 5K can be a great way to meet new friends and ease in to running. If you’ve been thinking about getting out to walk, run or jog, join my Santa Monica Vision Run Club this September for friendly motivation.

My goal when training clients is to find a smile in every workout. So, what makes you smile?

Train for a 5K in Santa Monica California – The Vision Run Club

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I love working one-on-one with clients. There is a bond formed between myself and the person that I’m training, which helps me best understand their unique needs and the real reasons they’re looking to get fit. But, when it comes to training for a non-competitive run – whether it be a 5K or a marathon – there’s nothing better than getting a group together and keeping motivated.

That’s exactly what I’m doing in preparation for The Color Run this November in San Diego.

If you’re not familiar with the run, it’s three miles of fun, laughter, camaraderie and lots and lots of color! Whether you’re an avid runner or someone just looking to stay active and have a good time – this is the perfect event.

I’ve participated in dozens of runs and each race is always a new experience. This year I’m putting together a group to train and a team to participate with. Whether you just need a one-week warm-up prior to the race, or you’d like to share a motivating, inspiring nine-week session with some new friends, the Vision Fitness Run Club is the place to be!

We’ll be starting on September 9th and meeting in a different Westside location each Saturday morning for eight weeks. Runners, joggers and walkers are all welcome. There will be something for everyone and no man (or woman) will be left behind!

I’m really looking forward to The Color Run and hope you’ll share in my enthusiasm. And, if you’ve been thinking about joining a gym or working with a personal trainer, this is the perfect opportunity to get your feet wet for a great price and surrounded by friends!

So, what do you need to do?
First, register for the fun under team registration (search Vision Fitness Run Club)
Then, train for the run with the Vision Fitness Run Club.

Can’t make the run? No problem. Join the Club, make new friends and train anyway!

Santa Monica Personal Trainer Talks Inspiration!

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Nadia ComaneciMost of us may never feel the weight of a gold medal hanging on around our necks or hear the applause of a crowd. Yet, in each of us is the heart of a champion. The only difference between those who allow their inner champion to fully express itself and those who live vicariously through the accomplishments of others is a decision.

Champions are champions because they think, act and therefore perform as champions. The moment you decide to step out of the stands and into the arena, you are a champion.

With another Olympic games in full swing (and a very exciting gold medal for our US women’s gymnastics team), I thought it was appropriate to share a couple qualities of a champion, which I have observed over the years in the top performing trainers, managers and professionals worthy of emulation.

The Courage to Imagine the Unimaginable
At the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, another gymnast, Nadia Comăneci, performed her legendary routine. Her body effortlessly danced through the air in harmonious movement while she flipped, turned and flew from one uneven bar to the next. The thunderous applause of the crowd was only heightened when they realized, for the first time in Olympic history, a gymnast had received a perfect 10!

Many never experience breaking the bonds and flying because they lack the courage to believe beyond what others suggest as possible. The lack of courage to break boundaries is not a consequence of cowardice but rather conformity.

Conformity is following a script for your life that you did not write. If you have ever heard that quiet yet persistent voice in the back of your head telling you that you can do more then has been realized, if you have ever had a feeling that you were capable of far more than has been demonstrated in your life so far or have seen yourself going further then others thought possible, this by itself could be evidence of the fact that you were meant to break through the bonds and fly.

Perseverance
After making Olympic history by achieving a perfect 10, Nadia was forced to grow up in the public eye. She was constantly being watched, judged and criticized by the masses. With greatness, adversity is sure to follow. It is the challenge that leads you further toward your unrealized potential. The potential would never have been known if the challenge had never been experienced.

In the following years, Nadia was sent to work with another coach away from her family. She faced many struggles and setbacks. After this dark time, Nadia was told to leave gymnastics and lead a simple life. “Take walks,” they said, “Get a job and start a family.” But, Nadia couldn’t do it. She responded, “I must be the best! I must train harder than I have ever done before!”

The difference for champions is they go one more round. Regardless of how many times you are “down,” you are not beaten if you rise to your feet just once more. Nadia went back to original coach and support system. She trained harder then ever.

On your journey through life, there may be times where the patterns that helped you succeed in the past prove to be futile for the future. Because change is constant, you must have the ability to be flexible in your environment. The professional who does not have the ability to adapt and change is the professional who will stay in one place and eventually be obsolete.

You may not score a perfect 10 today. You might not hear a crowd cheer or bring people to tears. But, you are a champion! You’re a champion because you have the courage to compete and the perseverance to stick with it!

Share with me – what has made you a champion today?

Original post can be found on PT on the Net.
Image courtesy of WPRI. 

800M Workout and Playlist by Los Angeles Personal Trainer Natania Goldberg

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It’s Friday and that means it’s the first day of the 2012 Olympic Games! What events are you most looking forward to?

I’m especially excited for the track and field events. So, in honor of the games and my friend KD who is competing, I’ve put together an 800M workout and playlist for you to download.

The best part is, it’s free.

Just click the button below and share with your Twitter or Facebook friends to gain access to the workout and the 30-minute Spotify playlist.

You Are a Champion!

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Throughout my career, I’ve been lucky enough to connect with some truly inspiring individuals. One person who has motivated me toward my personal and professional goals, as well as inspired me with his own commitment to excellence is Khadevis (K.D.) Robinson – runner, coach, motivational speaker and past and future Olympian. K.D. embodies a champion both on and off the track.

Running is one of my true passions. I’m even hosting a local run club this summer (join me!) I’m a sub-master in the 200m and 400m sprints, and I know that even the shortest races require immense dedication and perseverance.

K.D.’s story is exactly that.

A four-time U.S. champion and 2004 Olympian in the 800m, K.D. was primed to make his second Olympic appearance in 2008. But at the Trials, he placed fourth when Christian Smith dove at the finish just in front of him – earning the third and final Olympic Team spot. After the disappointing finish, K.D. considered retiring from the sport, but kept working toward perfection and, just days ago, he made the men’s Olympic Team for the second time.

If you’re like me, this summer you’ll be rooting on the great accomplishments of all of our athletes as they compete for the gold. But, just because you might not be swimming, flipping or running your way to a medal, doesn’t mean you can’t apply a champion’s spirit to your life and health!

What is something you’ve given up on because you’ve fallen just short? Maybe it’s a regular fitness routine that you once loved, but no longer feel motivated to try. What can you change – today – to help get back on track toward accomplishing your goal?

You are not alone. All of us, even champions like K.D. have friends, families and motivators who help us get back on course and working in the right direction. I can be that person for you. K.D. has been just one of the people in my life who has inspired me to be the very best that I can and I want to pass that spirit along to my clients. 

Dedication to be the Best in Health and Fitness

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PTA Global Class Fitness Class with Natania GoldbergIf you read my blog regularly, you know that, for me, wellness is more than how many miles you can run, pounds you can bench press or sit-ups you can do. Wellness is a way of life that encompasses your physical and emotional health. It’s this pursuit of total wellness for my clients that has lead me to an exciting chapter in my own life and evolution as a trainer.

Currently, I’m working with the amazing team at PTA Global in their Advanced Personal Training Course. More than just workout techniques and kinesiology, the advanced coursework focuses on viewing clients through the holistic lens of emotional, lifestyle and physical observation. The class is opening my eyes to the myriad of reasons why people are not well and how I, as a trainer and coach, can explore those reasons and get them back on track. I have earned many certifications over the years, but this is a course that I am especially enthusiastic about.

It asks the trainer to work with the client from the true place of their health, not where you think or want them to be. Having an intuitive sense and holistic view allow me, the trainer, to ensure the client always walks away from a session feeling better than when he/she walked in. Things like doing a check-in with the client at the beginning of the session, reviewing sleep, water intake, food, pain/soreness, rhythm and timing of movement, and level of mental readiness dictate the flow of each session, rather than a predetermined program.

The fitness industry has so much information; where do we begin? I begin with the person standing in front of me and what he/she needs at that moment. Linking a program to individual clients and where they are at that moment is the real art of being a personal trainer.

When you think of your current state of wellness, how do you feel your emotions play a role? Can you pinpoint a time in your life when you stopped feeling well?

Maybe you can’t even remember the last time you truly felt well.

I want to change that. We can work together to uncover the plan that will work to keep you motivated and have you feeling healthier than you have in a long time. Get in contact with me and get on track to wellness!

Healthy Inspiration for a Healthy You

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DSC_0055-1-1-300x250The Internet is an amazingly powerful tool. It can be an excellent aide in your goal to live a healthy and fit life. There are like-minded people, inspirational stories and experts – like me – who can help you along the way. I love having the opportunity to supplement my clients’ training with online support.

But lately there seems to be an influx of unhealthy images accompanied by “motivational” quotes popping up on blogs and social networks. In March, Pinterest even took steps to ban these pictures from its site. These so-called “thinspirations” often target young girls and women with stick thin, augmented, airbrushed images as inspiration to lose often-drastic amounts of weight.

Weight loss can be a great goal and, for many people, is an important step toward living a healthier life. But, what if the number on the scale wasn’t your only measurement of success? What if feeling great, looking good and laughing more were all things you wanted to gain? Wouldn’t you feel more inspired by images of healthy, happy women living the lives they’ve always dreamed of through sustained wellness?

Instead of lusting over the bodies of super models, let’s take this time to be inspired by real women who are taking steps to be active, fit and beautiful.

What are your healthy inspirations? I want to work with you and inspire you in a fun, fulfilling way. We will focus on your physical wellbeing with my expertise as a trainer, as well as your decision-making through coaching. Today, I want you to be your inspiration!

The Best Workouts for your Body Type

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Get in shape - Santa Monica personal trainer Natania Goldberg

Are you an apple, a pear or an hourglass? No matter what your body type, there’s a workout to fit everyone’s needs. Everyday Health recently posted a great article on The Best Workouts for your Body Type. I love the overall message of the article – don’t obsess over stick-thin celebrities or the enhanced bodies we all see in the magazines. There are things you can do to make your shape the best body possible! Knowing your body type – and accepting it – will help you tailor a routine to help you look and feel fantastic!

Do you want to enhance your curves, trim some weight or tone up? Get in contact with me and we can put together a one-of-a-kind routine to fit your needs. And, in between times, check out these suggestions for getting your body type in tip-top shape!

Fighting The Weight of the Nation

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Losing the Weight of the Nation with Vision Fitness and WellnessThe choices we make for ourselves and our children today will have a monumental impact on our health and wellbeing tomorrow. The Weight of the Nation is a scary look at how the steadily increasing size of the American waistline is affecting the health of families in all 50 states.

Today, more than 2/3 or Americans are overweight or obese. This number has doubled since the 1980s. And, sadly, more than 18% of our children are considered obese. The statistics are grim, but there is hope for fighting obesity and lowering your risk factors for diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

According to the documentary, even a 5 or 10% weight loss can improve your health. It is recommended that in addition to exercise, you incorporate lean meats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains into your diet.

You can change!  There are things we should and could be doing to improve our health, but we’re not taking action. Sometimes it just takes a friend – someone to support you in making change – to improve your entire life. I am that person. I know the word “change” can be scary, but as a certified personal trainer and wellness coach, I can help you make modifications – large and small – so that you can see a dramatic change in the way you feel.

“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands resistance.” – Steven Pressfield. Think of all the freedom that you would have if you were able to achieve the goal you wanted and stayed there life long!

Let’s chat about your health goals!