Hello Blogstars!! I have so much to talk about, but none of which I am going to tell you! Good one, eh?

I can talk about your life, though...only because you ask me. I get questions all time. I ask questions all the time. It's my job. And like all of you, I have stressors. It's life. One thing that helps me is exercise.

I am fully aware of the of the terrible state of our economy and although the recession may impact how many times you go out to eat or enjoy a movie, I hope that it does not affect your fitness routine. If there is one area of your life that needs to be resistant to the volatility of the economy, it is exercise!

There are many good reasons why you should continue working out even when times are tough. Exercise can alter your mood, increasing the production of endorphins that are natural mood elevators.

Additionally, working out makes you fitter and stronger, AND, helps you look better. When you look and feel better, you are more confident in your abilities and less likely to undergo the severe mood swings that financial stress can cause.

Potential clients often ask: How many days a week should I train? How much cardio do I need to be doing? How many days per week do I need to be doing something active?

The answers to these questions, while they may differ for some, are generally the same for everyone. Ideally, you should be working out with your trainer 3 days per week. Two times a week is the absolute minimum you need to see any kind of results. In fact, a simple equation goes like this: The bigger the weight loss or fitness goal, the more often you should be training with your trainer.

Let’s face it, no trainer can perform miracles. The real miracle is the transformation that the client is able to make within themselves. The more often you train, the easier it is to transform you body and most importantly your way of thinking.

On the days that you are not working with your trainer, you should be doing something active for at least 30 minutes a day. This can be anything from a brisk walk to a jog on the walking path. You could also try taking a class at your local gym or save money by working out on your own on your days off from your trainer.

I suggest doing something active 6 days per week. If you are not doing the work on your own, you are wasting your money on a trainer.

Also, do yourself a favor…don’t cancel sessions with your trainer. The more you cancel, the easier it is to fall off the wagon. If your trainer is periodizing your workout plan, canceling sessions can really mess up the current training cycle you are on. If you are canceling frequently, your fitness goals are not going to improve and each session is going to be like the first training session all over again. Remember how hard the first session felt?

I totally get that exercise cannot fix all of life's worries. I am only reminding you that even though the temptation may be strong to abandon things in your life that seem expensive or time consuming, do not give up on the one thing that you can totally invest in and always get a solid return!

Until next time, train hard and smart.

~Your Ironladydoc