All Entries From Nicole Nichols
Nicole is known on SparkPeople.com as COACH_NICOLE
Nicole Nichols is a busy health and fitness writer who moonlights as an exercise instructor. She is always adding to her résumé of fitness certifications and enjoys Pilates and Spinning probably more than anyone should. When reviewing the latest fitness trends, safety and efficacy are her No. 1 priorities, but fun is a close second. Outside the fitness world, her dream day would include sleeping in, eating strawberry pancakes, riding her bike (preferably downhill), and scoring a mid-century modern furniture piece for her collection.
You want to be a fit person, right? That's why I'm sharing my own habits for keeping fit and staying healthy in the ongoing Habits of Fit People series.
Here's one that works for me: turning off the TV.
Sounds simple enough, but most people I talk to aren't willing to give up the guilty pleasure of their favorite shows. I get it: TV is an ideal downtime, a mental and physical respite that we welcome at the end of a hard day's work. But besides freeing up boatloads of time that you didn't know you even had, there are plenty of other ways turning off the tube can help you get fitter and healthier.
Even for me, a person who enjoys exercise (most of the time anyway), exercising regularly and consistently is no small feat. It takes time, commitment, and organization. It involves making some tough choices, like waking up earlier than I'd like to or not following McDreamy and McSteamy's latest adventures (sad, I know). If staying fit were easy, we'd all be fit people. But in truth, the most common excuse we use for not exercising is lack of time. Where does all of our time go? We have jobs/school, social lives, and countless commitments, but many fit people maintain all of those same obligations and still make time for exercise. I have an idea for how they do it, because this technique works for me, too: They limit how much TV they watch.
Posted 9/1/2010 5:58:32 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 140 comments
Many people have a love-hate relationship with the scale. We love it when it gives us numbers that appeal to use, hate it when it seems to be "stuck" or going in the wrong direction. But no matter how you feel about the scale, using it is a reality for most people who are trying to lose weight. Weighing in is a quick, easy, cheap and pretty accurate way to measure your progress compared to other methods, but the scale is just one option out there, since other measures (waist circumference, body fat percentage, how your jeans fit) matter, too.
Will just any scale do? These gadgets run the gamut when it comes to price, features and accuracy. You can find a basic model for $5 or $10 at a big box store, a mid-grade model that stores info and estimates your body fat percentage, or a pricier version that does all that and connects wirelessly to your computer to upload your data and show you progress reports. Then of course there's aesthetics. Some really sleek, modern scales appeal to a certain design-minded consumer, while others are just as happy with the "flamingo pink" scale they've had for 15 years.
When a sleek, modern scale with all the bells and whistles arrived on my desk to test out recently, it led me to wonder: Do you own a fancy scale with a lot of bells and whistles, or just a basic model?
Posted 8/27/2010 6:31:37 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 216 comments
As a young college student studying health and fitness, I never expected that I'd have a desk job. Certainly I'd be on my feet, active, exercising, training people all day long, right? Turns out, my job is the exact opposite. Working for SparkPeople allows me to share my passion for health and fitness with so many people, helping them get fit and reach their goals. I love what I do. But I don't love sitting on my rear for more than 40 hours per week while I do it. Being handed a "desk sentence" at such a young age is not what I expected.
Although I exercise most days of the week and try to maintain as active of a lifestyle as possible, I'm suffering from too much sitting. Lately, my back aches most of the time, sometimes so badly that I can't sit, stand or lie down comfortably for days. My shoulders round forward, which is doing a number on my posture. My head and neck are in a permanent "forward" position, and my hips are tight. Throughout the day, I notice my shoulders creeping up toward my ears with tension and have to remind myself to relax them down. Ten, 30, 60, even 90 minutes of exercise a day doesn't seem to matter much when I'm spending all the rest of my time on my butt (or on my back, sleeping).
I'm know I'm not alone. Women's Health magazine recently reported on a poll of 6,300 people conducted by the Institute for Medicine and Public Health. They discovered that on average, we spend 56 hours a week sitting behind a computer, at the wheel or in front of the TV. A sedentary lifestyle seems to be the most common side effect we suffer from life in a modern world. We drive (or ride public transit) to work, sit all day at our white collar jobs, make the long commute home (sitting again), and then feel so achy, tired or exhausted from our long days of (mentally) hard work that we plop down on the couch and stare at the TV or computer for a few more hours before we lie down and go to bed. We know a sedentary lifestyle is bad for us. It definitely contributes to weight issues, heart disease, poor blood sugar control, and a host of other ailments.
For awhile, I felt hopeless. Destined for discomfort. Banished to a life of back pain. But lately, I've been tackling my issues head on by getting up from my desk throughout the day, targeting the muscles made weak or tight by sitting while I work out, and changing how I use my body while I use the computer. I'm happy to report that it's been paying off. And since many of you struggle with sedentary jobs that create all sorts of muscular imbalances, which lead to pain and discomfort, I'm sharing a new workout plan with you.
Posted 8/25/2010 5:22:13 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 89 comments
When you're trying to eat healthier or lose weight, reading nutrition labels is a must. With all the numbers, percentages and details, what's really the most important?
A recent report shared the top five nutrients consumers look for when they study nutrition labels: total calories, total fat, calories from fat, sugars and sodium. The report also lists which five nutrients consumers are trying to avoid (such as trans fats) and the ones they're interested in eating more of (such as whole grains).
This led me to wonder: What nutrients do you look at first when studying a nutrition facts label?
Posted 8/20/2010 5:46:14 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 174 comments
At SparkPeople, we love 10-minute workouts and often rave about the 10-minute workout DVDs by 10 Minute Solution. But 10-minute workouts plus the fun of the Wii? I'm all ears. The DVD brand 10 Minute Solution recently release their first Wii game (compatible with Wii Fit, too), Knock-Out Body, which is sure to be a hit for any Wii user.
For day four of our anniversary giveaway, 15 lucky winners will each win one copy of this game!
Posted 8/19/2010 6:00:00 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 101 comments
I gave a glowing review to Jackie Warner's first DVD, Workout: One-on-One Training with Jackie a couple years ago, and I am super excited to try her newest title, Xtreme Timesaver Training, due out this October. It's a 30-minute cardio and strength workout in one that's sure to challenge your body.
For day three of our anniversary giveaway, 15 lucky winners will each win one copy of this DVD!
Posted 8/18/2010 6:00:10 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 62 comments
Fitness guru Billy Blanks is famous for his Tae-Bo kickboxing DVDs, but did you know that his son, Billy Blanks Jr. is making his own stamp on the fitness world by bringing his own style of cardio dance to a living room near you? His newest title, Dance With Me: Cardio Fit, available in early September, contains three fat-burning dance routines that are sure to be a fun way to burn calories!
For day two of our anniversary giveaway, 10 lucky winners will each win one copy of this DVD!
Posted 8/17/2010 6:00:25 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 110 comments
When Stepfanie recently told me and then subsequently blogged about a bad experience she had with a personal trainer, I wasn't surprised. I know a bit about what goes on in gyms where the line between trainer and salesperson is a fine one. What surprised me more was the sheer number of readers who replied to her post, relaying tale after tale of personal trainers gone wild—and not in a good way. So many asked, "What qualifies these people to train some else?" and, "What does it take to become a personal trainer?" that I thought I'd answer those questions in a follow-up blog.
I am a certified personal trainer with a degree in fitness and exercise and I have worked as a personal trainer in the past. Plenty of my friends and former college classmates work as trainers. It's an interesting profession and one that I think has potential to do a lot of good in helping people reach their fitness goals. I know some downright amazing trainers who are smart, trustworthy, extremely experienced and well educated in their trade. But I've also seen my fair share of trainers who are the exact opposite, and it's too bad that many of those trainers are giving the profession a bad rap. But even more concerning: Some are putting people who trust them at risk by having them perform unsafe exercises or giving them dangerous advice. You should be able to trust your personal trainer, right? Well, not all the time. Just in time for Friday the 13th, here are 6 scary truths that your personal trainer might not tell you.
Posted 8/13/2010 6:07:39 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 57 comments
One of the most fun aspects of my job is when I get to Spread the Spark during radio, television or newspaper interviews. It's so fun to talk to members of the media and share my passion for healthy living and all things SparkPeople with a new audience. While I have appeared live on the local news a few times, most radio interviews I do take place over the phone. But a few weeks ago, "SparkPeople Dave" and I had a chance to visit an actual Cincinnati radio studio for an hour-long talk show. We discussed the history of SparkPeople, some fun new things that are coming up (you'll have to listen to find out what they are!), and some helpful tips about staying fit on vacation and making the best food choices at your next summer cookout.
We had so much fun on the "What’s Hot with Molly, Kelly and Caitlin" radio show and did a fair share of joking around (none of us take ourselves THAT seriously!) that I thought you'd enjoy listening to the podcast of the show, too.
Posted 8/11/2010 6:41:44 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 8 comments
Adopting my dog a few months ago has changed my life in many ways, and that includes my exercise routine. While I'm even more active than before since I share dog-walking responsibilities with my fiancé, I'm not able to spend as much time at the gym. That means at-home workouts make up the bulk of my routine now, so I've been strength training at home, usually with a few of my favorite workout DVDs.
When Amy Dixon's "Give Me 10!" workout DVD showed up on my desk at work, I was excited to try it. Amy Dixon may look familiar to many of you who are avid readers of women's fitness magazines. She's a regular contributor and fitness consultant for magazines like "Self," "Shape," "Women's Health" and more. She knows her stuff, too. With a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology and a boatload of fitness certifications, she's been training and designing workouts for 15 years.
This DVD features a nice mix of six 10-minute workouts: Fat Blasting Cardio, Upper Body Sculpt, Lower Body Firmer, Core Makeover, Yoga Stretch & Flex, and a bonus Kettlebell Tone Up. So are these workouts for you?
Posted 8/6/2010 11:11:07 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 34 comments
I recently shared seven great tips that will help your healthy habits stick for the long haul and today I’ve got more good news for anyone who’s trying to win the battle of the bulge. What you’re doing right now—simply reading this blog—could be helping you win the weight-loss war. That’s right: A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that people who regularly logged on to a weight-loss website maintained their weight loss better than people who didn’t use the online support site.
Posted 8/4/2010 1:09:59 PM By: Nicole Nichols : 89 comments
In a weight-obsessed world with no shortage of diets, food products and meal plans to choose from, it can be hard to know how to eat. Should you eat low-carb, no-carb, or only complex carbs? Are more snacks better than none at all? Are mini meals throughout the day really better than three solid squares? It can be overwhelming to think about it all, and we haven’t even gotten into specific foods, nutrient breakdowns or calories.
Recently, I’ve been feeling extra hungry. (No, I’m not pregnant. Why does everyone always say that?) I’ll eat breakfast and then a couple hours later feel ravenous. Or I’ll eat my midday snack and be counting down the hours until lunchtime (is 11 too early?). This led me to wonder: Do you eat on a schedule or when you're hungry??
Posted 7/30/2010 5:43:31 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 178 comments
Walking is a great form of exercise, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned athlete. It’s cheap. It’s accessible. It doesn’t require any fancy equipment. And it’s something that nearly everyone can do.
Walking is a big part of my own fitness program. In addition to higher-intensity workouts that include running and Spinning, I get out and walk about 4 times per week to shake things up and get a little active recovery. Bonus: In addition to elevating your heart rate and increasing circulation, walking at a brisk pace can burn up to 300 calories per hour!
When you’re new to fitness, walking is a great way to start. But as you get fitter, can you still make walking work for you without turning into a runner? You bet! Here are some of my top recommendations to step-up the intensity of your walks.
Posted 7/28/2010 6:14:45 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 59 comments
Are you having a fun-filled and busy summer so far? I don't know about fun (so far for me, at least), but mine has been filled with busyness! Between wedding planning, training my new dog, and putting the finishing touches on a kitchen remodel that's 6 months in the making, I've been running (ok, not literally) here and there and almost never have a moment's rest. Sound familiar?
Trouble is, all these to-dos make it harder to do other things—like eating healthy and exercising. If you have many other things going on, you don't have as much time to cook. If you're running errands at warp speed, you may feel like you have no choice but to rely on convenience foods or fast food.
We've all been there, and many of us have had to come up with creative ways to make our healthy habits fit into our hectic lives. Here are some of the strategies I use to eat healthy even when I'm on the go.
Posted 7/23/2010 11:55:03 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 34 comments
There are no shortcuts to living a long and healthy life. By now, it's common knowledge that exercise, a healthy diet, and abstaining from tobacco are critical lifestyle choices that help people maintain a healthy weight and reduce their risk of countless diseases, including heart disease—the number one killer of men and women in the United States. Still, Americans are getting heavier—and unhealthier—despite a growing library of scientific evidence telling us what we should and shouldn't do in order to prevent these problems.
We know what to do. We know which foods are healthy and which ones aren't. We know that we should exercise more, combat stress, stop smoking and get more sleep (among other things). The problem lies in actually DOING it.
How do people change a lifetime of poor habits? How do you lose weight when a toxic food environment tempts you with unhealthy fare to eat at every turn? How do you stick with an exercise plan when it's uncomfortable—or just plain easier to relax on the couch after a stressful day at work? WHY aren't we doing what we know we should be doing?
To answer these questions, the American Heart Association (AHA) looked at 74 published studies on weight-loss, physical activity, and dietary interventions to find out which behavior-change strategies helped people reach their goals and stay heart-healthy. They weren't looking for what to eat or how to exercise; they searched for the specific habits, behaviors and strategies that helped people adopt these healthier habits and stick with them. Their findings, released online last week (view the statement in its entirety here), will also appear in the July 27 issue of Circulation.
They discovered that adopting a healthy lifestyle could boost Americans' average life expectancy by almost 7 years—and doing so is easier than you may think.
Posted 7/21/2010 6:17:21 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 76 comments 
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