TOP FITNESS TIPS by celebrity personal trainer Grace Lazenby

Developing a fitness routine and staying healthy should become a part of your life. Just like eating and sleeping, it should take priority over all else.  Working out can be entertaining and productive at the same time.  Try an mp3 download from a fitness site like iTRAIN.  

This hot new online offering will help guide you through your workouts.  iTRAIN offers over 85 workout choices within 10 different categories – iTREAD, iCYCLE, iCLIMB, iSTRENGTH, iSCULPT TRADITIONAL, iSCULPT BALLET, iSTRETCH, iTEENTRAIN HIP HOP, iTEENTRAIN BOXING – and the downloads combine hot new music to help get you motivated.  My advice is to select a workout that compliments an activity that interests you.  If you don’t like to run then why not try the elliptical, Stairmaster or bike.  If you like to dance then try a hip hop workout or ballet routine.  This will make your workout more enjoyable and motivational.

Avoid body burnout. If you are beginning a workout regime, begin with 3 days a week, so that your body can recover and repair.  Then increase to 5 days a week.  If your body doesn’t have time to repair then it will break down and burn out.  

Stretch it out. Yoga and Pilates are a great way to lengthen and strengthen the body to create the long lean look of a dancer.  The workouts allow you to stretch and breath, create muscle tone and definition, and even increase your metabolism (certain poses help stimulating your organs).  Both of these disciplines create a mind and body connection that increases awareness and helps relieve the everyday stress of school and life in general.

No gym needed. You don’t have to have a gym membership to get a great workout.  Many workouts can be done outside such as walking, jogging, running, hiking or cycling.  In addition, a portable downloadable workout or a fitness DVD allows you to workout at home.  This is a great way to get in your workout — even at odd hours when you can’t make the gym.

Balance is the key. To achieve a well-rounded program, be sure to balance your workouts with cardio, strength training or sculpting, and flexibility.  Each component should be divided into a percentage of your routine (60% Cardio, 30% Strength and 10% Flexibility). 

Loose weight and burn fat. Increase your calorie expenditure and decrease your calorie intake.  One pound =3500 calories.  If you were to walk for an hour a day at a fast pace, you could loose 1lb a week without changing your diet.  This is a healthy way to lose weight without wasting money and risking health problems with dieting. 

Stop late night snacking. Late night snacking is ok if you are snacking on the right things—such as fruit, veggies and low fat, low sugar products.  It’s the late night binges that will add on the pounds and lead to an unhealthy lifestyle.  If you know you will be staying up late and will be tempted to snack, add an extra workout that afternoon or early the next am to balance everything out. 

Timing is everything.  If you want to burn fat and get the most out of your workout, make sure that your cardio segments are 45-60 minutes in length.  This will create a rise in your metabolism and make your body a fat-burning machine.