By: Becky Wenner

Want to gain muscle, lose fat but have no time to spend hours at the gym!  No problem!  Push Ups are the answer!  This exercise will sculpt your arms, back, chest, shoulders and core, help you gain strength, build muscle and burn fat!  All you need is a few minutes a day, practice, patience and you will see changes within a few weeks!  In addition, push-ups can be performed anywhere, anytime with no equipment and most important- no cost!  It is a great form of exercise when traveling, or just trying to reach your goal of a healthy fit body!

This is a simple exercise to perform – and there are modifications if you don’t have the strength to perform one full rep (with legs out in plank formation) when you begin.  Follow these simple instructions and set your goal for maximum reps! 

How to perform a push-up:

• Place your body in the plank position; toes tucked, heels pressed back, legs straight and activated, abs tight, hands placed on the floor, palms down, directly underneath your shoulders.
• Be sure to keep your neck straight and look ahead of you while you bend your elbows and slowly lower your body to the ground; your goal should be to touch the floor with your chin.
• Now, press out with your breath, exhale and push back up – making sure to maintain a straight back and proper form.  You will have to flex your quads and abs to help assist you with the motion.
• Repeat the movement to failure (as many reps as possible)

 Video:

• If you are new to exercise or do not have the strength to perform full out push-ups – you can modify this exercise by dropping your knees to the floor.  This will decrease the amount of your body weight that you are lifting. 
• Be sure not to be intimidated!  Practice and patience will have you stronger than ever and doing more reps then you ever imagined possible!  Try mixing it up with walks, jogging, biking or other exercise to get a full body blast in a quick amount of time!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment below!  Remember, the pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret!  Eat, exercise and be happy!  That is what life is all about!

Stay Focused Until the Miracle Happens!

To Your Success & Health,

Becky

www.BeckysFitnessCompany.com

Have you ever heard of Adventure Racing?
Have you ever thought of running a race for motivation to get fit? Then after contemplating the idea you realize you are not interested in participating in the typical marathon, half marathon or triathlon? I don’t blame you! Training can be isolating and redundant! The races can also be competitive and overwhelming and ultimately BORING!
I am a leisure athlete. I train to stay healthy, have fun and be fit. I love to participate in competitive sports, but I do not focus on running, swimming and biking alone. I am a cross trainer, and want to participate in a race that reflects my free spirited, fun, cross training abilities. If this describes you – or someone you aspire to be, then read on…..
If you want to get fit, need motivation and really want to have one of the absolute best times in your life while training and competing then give Adventure Racing a try! These races typically involve mountain biking, orienteering (trail running and map reading), and kayaking! Some even involve rappelling and mud pile conquering! This is right up my alley! Running around in the woods, playing with compasses, kayaking, mountain biking, rappelling and jumping in and out of mud (depending on the race you choose)! This is the type of race you can get your friends and family to sign on for, you can train in groups and have a total blast participating in the event!
First you need to select your event. Then start generating excitement about your event. You can make it an office competition, a family event, a race amongst or with friends as a team, you can raise money for charity whatever you want. This is going to be your day, your race, your event. Make sure that whatever type of activity is involved in the race, you are able to train for it. Next start to plan your training. The publicity you have created about your race will create motivation to stick to your training plan and follow through with the race. Finally, be sure to start focusing on the fuel / food you consume to ensure your body is properly nourished for your training and to help you attain your goals on race day. Proper rest is also essential.
Now get to it! Start a training journal including an overview of the exercises you perform, the foods you consume and your feelings during your journey. When race day arrives you will have ventured on a personal adventure to a better self and you will have the most fun ever competing in your Adventure Race! Leaving you with a memory and health benefits that will last a lifetime!
Here is a list of some of my favorite adventure races! I am participating in the Muddy Buddy this year and hopefully a traditional 8 hour Adventure Race as well! May this article inspire you have find your inner child, go out exercise, eat right and make a change in your life and others! Have fun and train hard!

Here are some cool Adventure Racing Websites I found:

Muddy Buddy

Down and Dirty Mud Run

Tough Mudder

New York Adventure Racing Association

Want to workout with me- but are too far away to schedule personal training sessions? Can’t make my 530AM boot camp? Well I have the solution! My NEW Audio Workouts – Downloadable into your IPOD/MP3 player – to take with you anywhere – anytime!

Becky’s Personal Training Traxx – The TRAINING is VIRTUAL- Your BODY will be REAL

Founded by Becky Wenner and Robert Chilingirian, Becky’s Personal Training Traxx provides you with the ultimate downloadable audio workout by Becky set to the back drop of sweat inspiring music produced by world renowned artist Robert Chilingirian. Becky dictates the entire workout right to your ears – coaching you though the exercises, form, speed and rhythm of the workout, inspiring you to work harder, run further, and sweat more! She is there motivating you every step of the way!

Becky’s Personal Training Traxx is a series of interactive workouts – providing you with a great alternative to pricey personal training sessions, standard fitness classes and boring gyms. Her personal training routines are proven to create discipline, motivation and help you attain the body of your dreams! Each workout is filled with Becky’s unique personality, philosophy and energy – as she dictates your entire workout right to your ears! So get ready, download the workout of your choice, and pump up the volume!!

Becky’s workouts are challenging! Lucky for you downloading and working with her Personal Training Traxx is not!! Should you run into any problems- you can blog or email for help directly through this site! Everything you need to get fit happy and healthy is right here at your finger tips!

Take Becky with you wherever – whenever and have your own personal trainer to coach you through your workout! These workouts are all written and created by Becky including routines for all fitness levels, with both beginner and advanced options! Simply choose your workout, purchase it, download it, and get moving!

Please be sure to check with your doctor before commencing any new fitness program.

As Always,
Stay Focused Until the Miracle Happens!
Becky
www.BeckysFitnessCompany.com

Imagine how easy it would be to lose weight if you absolutely knew that you could do it.  If you knew for a fact, if you were CERTAIN, that you could actually look slim and healthy, the daily steps along the way would come with ease and joy.  It comes down to having a vision of what you want.  Because once you have a strong vision of your future, the confidence and certainty will immediately follow.  As your vision on the inside becomes more compelling than external impressions, change is in the making.

Think back to any point in your life where you wanted something beyond your current situation – maybe it was a new car, or bigger place to live or something else that required you to expand from your current situation.  How did you make it happen?

First you knew what you wanted, then you had to see yourself as growing into that new situation.

Once you saw yourself, once you got the vision of yourself in that new situation, that is when you developed the CERTAINTY that you could do it.

And when you had that vision and certainty, that is what gave you the courage to make the changes so that your vision would become a reality.

It all came back to when you SAW YOURSELF in the new situation and you believed in it.

Once you knew your future was CERTAIN, everything else fell into place.

Grab a strong vision of your future and let the universe make it happen for you.  Enjoy the journey!  Let The Vision Empower You!

Hey everyone!!!

Lots going on here at Becky’s Fitness Company these days!!!

WORKOUT WITH BECKY ON THE RADIO! Launches March 2! Check it out!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/becky-wenner

MUDDY-BUDDY FUNDRAISER FOR SAMUEL FIELD Y –

http://www.firstgiving.com/beckysfitnesscompany

http://muddy-buddy.competitor.com/

Join our team – help raise money – come out and support us!! Feel free to email me with any questions!

NEW KETTLEBELL AND POWER YOGA PROGRAM ADDED TO QUEENS BOOT CAMP!
Many thanks to www.ironforeverybody.com for joining the Becky’s Fitness Company TEAM!!!

HOTTEST TRENDS IN BODY SCULPTING EVENT! Come see Becky appear to discuss the HOTTEST TRENDS in Body Sculpting with renowned surgeon Dr. Kevin Terhani on March 10 2010 at 7pm

BECKY APPEARED AT LULU LEMON IN MANHASSETT TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF HER PERSONAL TRAINING TRAXX AUDIO WORKOUTS! Check out the fun!

BECKY’S FITNESS COMPANY PARTNERS WITH LANCOME – TO BRING YOU THE ULTIMATE FUSION OF FITNESS AND BEAUTY- Together Lancome and Becky’s Fitness Company want to help you achieve total wellness and feel as beautiful as ever! The kickoff event in January was a blast! Here are pics! Future events, giveaways and more will be posted on this site!! Keep checking back to be sure you are a part of the next one!

I look forward to meeting you at one of the upcoming events! Come on out- join the fun – join the community – get fit!

Remember Eat Exercise ad Be Happy! That is what life is all about!

As Always,
To your success and health,
Becky
www.BeckysFitnessCompany.com

From March 2010 Clean Eating

Hey Everyone!!!

So here it is- the bi monthly – Tried and True or False – recipe tester post…….last time – I tested the Almond Milk Rice Pudding – from the January Issue of Clean Eating – and it was AWESOME! I made some minor tweaks to the recipe- posted it and STRONGLY encourage you to try it! I made it for a dinner party – and my guests loved it! This time around – I tested the Coconut Cream Cups from the March 2010 issue of Clean Eating….I have been trying to ADD some new good foods into my daily diet – and with enthusiasum – I purchased my FIRST pound of TOFU ever for this recipe! I thought if it came out good- it would encourage me to try and cook more tofu at home (even though I try to avoid SOY products – it is a good meat alternative…..) So then I got to work!
And here is my review…..

MY DOGS WOULDN”T EVEN EAT IT. GROSS. The recipe was not complicated, looked exactly like it did in the picture……but the tofu based custard just did NOT work. It had an after taste and psychological effect – that just could not be overcome – even with extra coconut!!! So save your money, and your time and pick another recipe to try this week!

Do you have any good healthy coconut custard recipes to share??? POST THEM IN THE COMMENTS FOR ALL TO ENJOY! Please be sure the recipes are tried and TRUE!

As always,
Stay Focused Until the Miracle Happens!
To your success and health,
Becky
www.BeckysFitnessCompany.com

Here are some of the things I have been thinking a lot about recently – and I wanted to share them with you all!

In 2009 three elders in my family passed away within a 3 month period. While it most certainly was a sad time for my family, for me it was very enlightening as well. Being back at the same church, saying the same prayers, saying good bye to loved ones 3 times over in three months made me realize – WOW – our time here on this planet is very short. While 85 years may seem like an eternity when you are 20 – it can go by very fast! I realized, in this modern society – that many of us act like robots, checking the blackberry, having no peace of mind EVER, working non stop – for what? A car? A bigger house? I can tell you this – when all 3 of my relatives were buried this summer – they were not buried with their money! So it was my promise to myself and them- that in 2010 I would change!

For Christmas this year – I got an amazing gift- a book of inspirational quotes- and I want to share some of the few that I think are important for everyone to read and consider…..

Life is not a journey to the grave with the goal of arriving safely and insignificantly at the end! This is YOUR LIFE, your one and only life. Don’t keep a beautiful thing like that to yourself!

Share it with your loved ones, with people who need your help and live each day as though it was your last!

This year I promise to have one new adventure each month – I want to try something fun and new each month – I will post pics as well as info on what I tried and my experience…..

JOIN ME!!! LOG IN TO THIS BLOG- SIMPLY OPEN AN ACCOUNT AND POST!

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver

I look forward to your posts!

As Always,
To your Success and Health!
Becky

So I was in CVS this past Sunday, and I had an experience that had a profound impact on me and I wanted to share with you all. It is a rare occasion that I am at the prescription counter of any pharmacy as I am relatively healthy ….but this past weekend I went in to CVS to pick up an RX for my dog Arnold. I went to the counter and there was a line in front of me, so without thought, I stood there waiting to be helped. In front of me, there were 2 women and a child. Having no idea who they were, from their interactions, and looks, I could tell it was a woman in her mid – late 30’s with her young daughter, about 6 or 7 years old, and the grandmother, who was in her mid to late 60’s. Both of the women had excess weight on them (about 50 pounds each give or take), but I thought nothing of it until…..the younger woman told the clerk her name and said she was there to pick up her prescriptions. The pharmacist found her bag of pills, rang them up at the cash register and called out her total of $270.64! The woman gasped! And questioned how this could be she was only getting, lipitor and other meds of the sort. Well it seems she has a deductible to fill at the beginning of the year, and she was forced to put the meds on her credit card. I was mortified! $270+ for prescription meds????

I looked at the young girl and felt sorry for her that her Mom’s money was just spent on these meds and I felt terrible for the young mother as clearly with a child I am sure she has better things to spend her hard earned money on! After the transaction was complete, the grandmother stepped up to the register and went through the same song and dance…..$100+ in prescription meds – I recognized a cholesterol med as well as an rx to quit smoking (and by the rasp in the grandmas voice you could tel she was trying to quit). Again, I felt terribly sorry for this woman. 65+ years old, spending money on meds.

I was forced to think and ask myself- if these women had simply taken a little bit better care of themselves, just ate a LITTLE bit better, maybe walked each night after dinner for 30-60 minutes….or even exercised a few hours a week, could this expense and pain these women were now enduring be prevented????

All of the research says YES – there is a GOOD possibility that these women would have been able to spend the $400+ they spent in front of me on that morning ANYWHERE else – had they just taken a little bit better care of themselves……..WOW I can’t tell you how many things I could do with $400!!!

So now I ask you – are you taking care of yourself? No time? Not interested? Think about the situation these women are facing and maybe their lessons can be a motivator and lesson to you! It certainly was enlightening and heart breaking to me……

I was really bothered by this whole ordeal and wanted to share it with you…..to give you some real food for thought……Sometimes the actual truth is a little more empowering than me being a constant cheerleader…..I am here for you – but I need you to be there for you too! Forge ahead and go take a fitness class this weekend! Do wait a moment longer!

As Always,
To your Success and Health,
Becky

www.BeckysFitnessCompany.com

So here it is! just like I promised – the NEW segment of my Blog –

Tried and True? or False!

We have all been there – reading a popular fitness magazine – glancing over the beautifully photographed recipes that look sooo yummy! Then we get inspired, go out, purchase all of the ingredients and decide today is the day I will start to eat healthy, and it will begin with this fantastic recipe I took out of _____ magazine. Then you spend the time, cook it, and it comes out looking absolutely NOTHING like the picture and tasting far worse then anyone could imagine, and with no other option because at this point you are starving, Chinese take out is on the menu for dinner! I want to help END the discouragment, the wasting of time and money – and put the trust BACK into the readers and testers of these recipes! So each week (or maybe every other week ;o)) I will try a NEW recipe from a national fitness / healthy eating magazine. I will then offer my HONEST opinion as to whether it was easy and quick to prepare, whether it looked anything like the picture in the magazine and most importantly – a taste rating!
The recipes that will receive the highest ratings will be fast, easy, fresh and TASTY! I will even take picture of the food I prepare! Now – the whole picture thing – that idea just came to me – and since I tested my first recipe – and ate it all – a picture of this first review is impossible….LOL – so the pictures will be in the next post for sure!

This week – I tested
Almond Milk Rice Pudding in Clean Eating Magazine (p37 January February issue 2010)

- 4 Cups original unsweetened almond milk
- 2 Cups cooked brown jasmine rice
- 3 4 inch peices orange peel, no white pith
- 1tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, divided
- 3 tbsp unsalted almonds, sliced and toasted, divided
- 6 unsweetened dried apricots, thinly sliced, divided

In saucepan set over medium heat, add milk, rice, orange peel, vanilla, salt and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 30 – 45 min. The pudding will need more stirring as it thickens into custard. Remove rice misture from heat, let cool, divide among 6 bowls and drizzle each with 1tsp maple syrup and garnish with almonds and apricots.

REVIEW: This recipe makes this yummy dessert a little more complicated then need be. Generally speaking – it was AWESOME! Yummy, VEGAN, healthy, ……..just a few tweaks make it a little easier…..I made the recipe a second time – with the following tweaks and it was much easier, quicker and just as yummy! I skipped the orange peel, salt, vanilla extract, toasting the almonds (what who does that???), and thinnly slicing the apricots – let’s face it – I will never do that…..and it would inhibit me making the dish on a week night….Here is my modified, QUICKER version of this great recipe!

THIS RECIPE GETS A TWO THUMBS UP FROM ME! ENJOY!