I love hearing about companies giving back. Paying it forward is the ONLY way to go!!

Planet Fitness, the innovative health club franchise known for its Judgment Free Zone and friendly prices, has a Mother’s Day promotion that gives back in very meaningful ways. From May 8 through May 15, people can join for just $10 down and then $10 a month, and Planet Fitness will donate 100% of the enrollment fee to Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), an independent not-for-profit organization committed to funding scientific research to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime.

$10 never meant so much. Not only can people purchase a truly healthy gift for Mom or themselves with a Planet Fitness membership, but they will help raise important money for breast cancer research as well. This is the fourth year Planet Fitness has run this promotion, honoring mothers and all women touched by breast cancer. Over the past three years, Planet Fitness has donated more than $1 million to BCRF towards this worthy cause.

In addition, to honor all moms throughout the country, Planet Fitness is hosting a special “Mom Nom” sweepstakes to find the Best Mom on the Planet. From May 8^th - 15^th, people can nominate a special mom by visiting www.PlanetFitness.com/MomNoms and one lucky person will be randomly selected to win a year membership for themselves and a mom of their choice.

About Planet Fitness

Founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H., Planet Fitness is now the fastest-growing health club franchise in the United States, and has revolutionized the industry with a combination of extremely low prices and a unique, friendly, and hassle-free environment called the Judgement Free Zone®.

Planet Fitness has approximately 650 locations nationwide and has grown to more than 4.5 million members. The company prides itself on giving people an unbeatable value – top-notch facilities at extremely low prices, and an atmosphere that focuses on the needs of occasional or first-time club members rather than hard-core fitness fanatics. All Planet Fitness gyms feature a wide selection of brand-name cardio and strength equipment, and provide unlimited fitness instruction with all memberships. For more information, visit www.PlanetFitness.com.

This summer I made a promise to myself – to lose 5lbs by my birthday at the end of September. I was getting so frustrated and discouraged by nothing fitting and not really feeling like myself. I’ve been running, realizing I hate running, so jogging and walking, and lifting. What I’m realizing is I need a lot of variety to keep me interested!

I sure got to switch things up a bit Wednesday with an exclusive media and blogger core cardio fusion class with Exhale Spa in Boston. The class was on a gorgeous roof deck overlooking Boston. The views were absolutely breathtaking. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, it was perfect.

Exhale Spa has locations across the US and three locations around Boston. The location I was at, within the upscale 45Province is usually only open for residents including a multi-level fitness studio, state of the art gym, meditation lounge, and an in-ground pool 20someting stories up that’s open year round! All of which I got to tour, it was incredible! Exhale is elegance and relaxation all wrapped in one.

The roof deck was spectacular, there was a full house as we took off our shoes and got ready for a core cardio fusion class. The original core fusion class developed by Elisabeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito is the original core class providing a challenging workout for those that are ready to work. This class was designed to make you *sweat* and sweat we did with the sun beaming on us as we completed sets of plank runs and countless amounts of mountain climbers. Our heart rates got pumping with yoga postures and light weights for a maximized calorie burn. My favorite part is when we got into the punching and kicking!

While the class included far too many mountain climbers for my liking, and it was difficult to follow the instructor at times, it was a great to try something new and incorporate a different workout into my schedule. It was a great workout for cardio! Even though it was tough and moved fast I didn’t give up. I stopped when I needed, got some water, and gave it all I had, and my body is in pain today as a result. OH and they served us white wine when the class was over!! Sweet! I had to pass to get home to lil mama, but how awesome is that! They also gifted media and bloggers with some swag including face masks, socks, and a core fusion DVD!

And look at me; even as a sweaty mess after the class, I had a smile on my face! Don’t look too bad after an hour workout in the sun if you ask me!

 I’m looking forward to an outdoor sunset Pilates class next week in Boston by the water. I love summer!! Get it right, get it tight!!

Weird title right? No worries, I’ll explain A couple of weeks ago I had the honor of having Erin Berry Scott on the blog talking about healthy living and exercising. As a busy working mom I find it extremely difficult to exercise, and the marketing geniuses make unhealthy food more convenient and affordable. I’ve had a rough year personally and I’ve seen my body change in a way I don’t like. I’ve told myself over and over I was going to change-up what I eat and ensure I include exercise in my day. I’ve let myself down, and I’m not happy about it.

But, I’m no quitter, never have been and I don’t intend to start now. Being an athlete in high school I know what my body is capable of, and I know my body is strong…there just a little extra fluff cushioning it! There is no better start than today to start living the life you want to live. So as of Friday I changed things up a bit. I’m going to start eating healthier, drink more water, and work out. This morning I ran 2.69 miles in hot 80 degree weather. Did I want to give up? Did I think I was going to have an asthma attack? Umm, yes!! But I know that it’ll take hard work and getting into a routine will take some getting used to, but I want to do this for myself and for my daughter.

I have to hold myself accountable, because if I don’t then who will? Below are the changes I’ve made since Friday and will continue incorporating in my schedule:

• No bread or pasta
• No starches at dinner
• Run 30minutes 3x a week
• Circuit Training 3x a week
• Eat  breakfast
• Drink more water

When I thought about these changes I thought of all that I was losing out on – and if I look at it like that then I’ll have a hard time getting through implanting all of these changes. Yes I’ll miss my pasta and pesto and pizza and garlic bread – but what I gain from losing is far more beneficial to my life. I gain increased self-esteem and more energy. My legs are burning from the shock I gave them by running today, but I’m so glad I did it. I contemplated the run for an hour this morning before actually getting up to do it. It speaks to the kind of person I am…I won’t let anything or anyone get in my way, and if I see something I want I’ll work as hard as I need to to achieve it.

How do you hold yourself accountable? What changes do you make to live a healthier lifestyle?

Yesterday I posted Part 1 of “Let’s Get Real” a guest post from my friend Erin Berry Scott! She is on the blog sharing some tips on living a healthier lifestyle with advice that we can all use and implement! She’s already shared that we need to set priorities, educate ourselves and find what moves us, and to get help and engage others. Read below to check out her final tips!

HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR
This is a biggie! In fact, this is where I spend most of my time and energy when it comes to living the fit life! Deciding to begin and commit to a new workout when you are not in the habit of working out regularly is HUGE. For some, that kind of commitment level tends to bring people to a pretty serious place mentally and emotionally: “I have no other choice but to make this change…my life depends on it.” That is a LOT of pressure! The wellness journey is a life-long one. Having an attitude of lightness and positivity will make the journey all the more pleasant. Having a sense of humor about your fitness journey is helpful in two ways:

1) laughing is a stress-reliever!! The simple act of smiling almost always puts you in a good mood!! Stress is one of those, what I call, “silent saboteurs” to fitness and wellness goals. I know so many people work really hard in their workouts, stay hydrated, keeping an eye on their eating habits and portions and… nothing. They feel stuck. They are stuck. Upon further investigation, it is the stressors in their lives that are contributing to their slow crawl towards their goals.

2) Having a sense of humor and laughing at yourself along the way actually helps you stick with it!! Believe it or not, I have students in my fitness classes that come to just have fun (and I believe to hear my jokes!) and realize only after the fact, they got an incredible workout. Did they nail every punch and kick with precision and power? Probably not every one. But they stuck with it, continued to get better and better until their form and coordination had improved. Because they are able to just let go, not fret over the errors and just have fun with it, they automatically improve. For some people, their lives are SO FULL this is the only time in their day they have to experience joy! That blows my mind! They come to my classes consistently and that yields results. If someone were to get all hung up on thoughts like, “oh, I have two left feet. The moves are too fast. I’ll never nail it like you. I missed that punch. My jumping jacks are lame. Squats are haaaaaaaard,” they would see little success. If, however, they approach their workout with an attitude of “Haha! Did you see that 1-legged jack I just did?! I just invented a new move for ya, Erin!” or “Squats = jello legs!!” it puts a positive spin on, what can often be, a tough journey.

ONE STEP AT A TIME
Know that all of these steps are realistic and effective–when addressed one at a time or in a step-wise fashion. Did you ever try to hop with two feet up a flight of stairs? Pretty challenging…but when you place one foot on each step at a time, you were able to climb the flight of stairs with much more ease.
Changing too much at once is a recipe for disaster. Determine your priorities first and figure out when and for how long you are free to commit to fitness. Do some homework and find what kinds of fitness styles work for you. Once you’ve nailed down a program/system, get help sticking with it. Support is huge–people will be able to better help you stick with it once you know what it is you’re doing. Lastly, protect your positive attitude and outlook. Belief–or lack of–can surely guarantee success–or failure. The benefits of having a light-hearted attitude about it all go far beyond simply sticking with a program that will get you to your goals. A little bit each day is sure to realistically move you towards a healthier, happier life!

THANKS to Erin for her expertise and advice. I’m all about living a healthier lifestyle and these tips were just what I needed to fulfill my goals!!

About Erin: Erin Scott (BSc, cPT) lives in Boston, MA with her husband, Steve, and 9 year old dog, Angel, who are the center of her world. She is an AFAA-certified group fitness instructor, teaching high-energy classes such as Turbo Kick and PiYo Strength throughout the Boston-area. Erin is the founder of SillyFit and enjoys being an Independent Team Beachbody Coach–helping others become physically and financially fit. She also holds an ACE Personal Trainer certificate and is listed as a certified fitness professional with IDEA FitnessConnect. Erin has always had a passion for lifting others up and helping people see their fullest potential. She is always looking to learn more, improve and grow…and pass it on! When she’s not teaching, training or coaching, Erin is a neuroscientist–researching psychiatric disorders, spending time with her friends, family and loved-ones, serving her neighborhood and community, dancing, bowling, enjoying music and cheering on her favorite Boston sports teams–especially the Red Sox. You can connect with Erin by Email, Facebook, and Twitter.

I have a confession. I desperately want to be in super awesome kickass shape…but I’m lazy when it comes to working out. Juggling being a single mom, employee, and women I always put myself last – which means I don’t put in the time to exercise and eat healthy. Oh I need to work out. Oh I should be eating better. Oh I shouldn’t have that second cupcake. These are the various things I tell myself, knowing that I need to be working out and eating better, but it seems like my health and wellness gets put aside,  after a long day at work the last thing I want to do is exercise! I want to kick my feet up and crack open a bottle of wine! While this is awesome, it’s not going to help me live a healthy lifestyle!

I’m so so happy to have a guest blogger and friend, Erin Scott,  for  part one of “LET’S GET REAL… HEALTHY! Realistic Steps to Living the Fit Life.” Over the course of 2 posts Erin will share 5 tips to get up, get active, and start living a healthier lifestyle. I met Erin last year and I was so drawn to her amazingly positive personality and outlook on fitness and exercise, and knew I wanted her to share with us all some tips about being healthy. Erin isn’t about any quick fixes, she is about LIFESTYLE changes, and knows that you have to put in the work to get the results you want. Erin reminds me when I’m feeling discouraged that my fitness goals ARE attainable, and I dont have to feel alone on the journey. So welcome Erin, and take it away!!!

Let’s face it… Life is… FULL. So how the HECK do we even begin make it all work?

Fantastic question and “make it all work” is not exactly the question I wish to answer here. I will, however, share how we can start to take the steps that will help us lead healthier, happier lives.  Happiness looks different to every person. One of the ways that we can have room for the things that bring us joy is by focusing on our overall health and wellbeing (hey, doctors visits, trips to the pharmacy, sick days from work, can add up to a lot of time lost!).

It’s been my feeling for quite some time–and remains my belief–that fitness and wellness is for everyone. Not just any ol’ fitness & wellness, but FUN, ENJOYABLE lifestyle choices and habits that can lead to a healthier and happier life!

SET YOUR LIFE’S PRIORITIES, SCHEDULE THOSE FIRST… THEN SCHEDULE YOUR WORKOUT
In her New York Times Best-selling book, PUSH, my fit-life mentor, Chalene Johnson has a fantastic approach to helping busy people not only live the life they deserve, but also really help them organize their lives based on their priorities. Determine your priorities (i.e. time with family, time for work, time for yourself), schedule them as best as you can into your life first…then identify the time to incorporate fitness activities. This will take some time and adjustment, but you’ll find that you will stress less, while still managing to make time for exercise and eating well.

EDUCATE YOURSELF & FIND WHAT MOVES YOU
The workout that you enjoy is going to be the workout program you stick to. Whether that means motivating yourself with high-energy music to get you pushing harder or total silence so you can focus on your form, find what motivates you to move. Try different fitness classes. Read articles on the hottest new fitness trends. Check out fitness-related meet-ups in your area that might give you an opportunity to try something new. Explore home-workout options. This, too, will take a little time to adjust and experiment with, but well worth doing the initial homework and research.

GET HELP, ENGAGE OTHERS, TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
Through my facebook page and my website, one of the many things I do is regularly host fitness and wellness “challenge groups” and virtually coach people to achieving their fitness goals. Participants are personally challenged (it is not a competition with other members of the group) to commit to a workout, focus on certain aspects of nutrition, check in with me and the group regularly and track their progress. My challenge group challengers have found incredible success with this formula. Why? Because they are not alone in the journey and they also become motivated by the progress they are seeing. As you embark on a fitness and wellness journey… avoid becoming an island. Seek out people who are either professionally in a position to help or people in your life who care about you and will be willing to hold you to the goals you set for yourself.

Yes, yes, yes! I love that Erin’s first 3 tips are completely doable and all about finding what will work best for YOU! Stay tuned for LET’S GET REAL… HEALTHY! Realistic Steps to Living the Fit Life (Part 2) coming tomorrow!!

About Erin: Erin Scott (BSc, cPT) lives in Boston, MA with her husband, Steve, and 9 year old dog, Angel, who are the center of her world. She is an AFAA-certified group fitness instructor, teaching high-energy classes such as Turbo Kick and PiYo Strength throughout the Boston-area. Erin is the founder of SillyFit and enjoys being an Independent Team Beachbody Coach–helping others become physically and financially fit. She also holds an ACE Personal Trainer certificate and is listed as a certified fitness professional with IDEA FitnessConnect. Erin has always had a passion for lifting others up and helping people see their fullest potential. She is always looking to learn more, improve and grow…and pass it on! When she’s not teaching, training or coaching, Erin is a neuroscientist–researching psychiatric disorders, spending time with her friends, family and loved-ones, serving her neighborhood and community, dancing, bowling, enjoying music and cheering on her favorite Boston sports teams–especially the Red Sox. You can connect with Erin by Email, Facebook, and Twitter.