American leaders realized fitness was vital for our citizens as early as 1956, when President Eisenhower created the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, renamed in the early 1960s by President Kennedy as the President’s Council on Physical Fitness to include people of all ages.

As the President’s Council reminds us, every physical activity counts in your goal to become more fit. Jazzercise Founder and CEO Judi Sheppard Missett reminds us that the time we devote to keeping our bodies moving will reward us tenfold in happiness with the extra energy, productivity and good health we’ll enjoy for the rest of our lives.

Here are some ways to get your body moving:

Be a Sport
Join a community sports league – softball, soccer, basketball, flag football or even Ultimate Frisbee. You will have a blast and get your exercise in at the same time.

Join a Group
Join a group fitness class such as Jazzercise. Working out with others keeps you on target. Your classmates will hold you accountable for attending each day and you’ll enjoy working up a sweat together.

Exercise with Mom
Mother’s Day is May 8 so take some time to help Mom feel great. Depending upon her fitness level, take her for a scenic drive followed by a healthy lunch and brief stroll, or if she’s able, show her some gentle yoga stretches or tai chi motions. If mom is really fit, she might take you for a walk!

Have a Ball with Your Children
Engage your kids in fitness and fun. Toss a football across the yard; kick a soccer ball through a park; or take turns swatting a baseball with a bat and running to get the ball. Return home for a healthy snack accompanied by water or unsweetened juice.

Hip Hoopla
Remember Hula Hoops? Swirling a hoop around your swiveling hips is fabulous exercise for your abdominal muscles and your entire torso from the action and from all the laughing you’ll do. If you have children, have them join in; they might show you a thing or two.

Jack of All Trades
Jumping jacks can be done anywhere. All you need is your body and the desire to feel vital. Try variations such as half-jacks (raise your arms to shoulder height only); power jacks (finish each one with a squat) or scissors jacks (scissors your legs on each jump).

Whatever your fitness level, get moving in May and beyond. Your body will thank you.

Judi Sheppard Missett, who turned her love of jazz dance into a worldwide dance exercise phenomenon, founded the Jazzercise dance fitness program in 1969. She has advanced the business opportunities of women and men in the fitness industry by growing the program into an international franchise business that today, hosts a network of 7,800 instructors teaching more than 32,000 classes weekly in 32 countries.

The workout program, which offers a fusion of jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga, cardio box and Latin style movements, has positively affected millions of people worldwide. Benefits include increased cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility, as well as an overall “feel good” factor.  Additional Jazzercise programs include Junior Jazzercise, Jazzercise Lite and Personal Touch.  For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

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Here’s how to make some of your own products quickly and easily. Try them alone or invite friends over to share the fun.

Honey-Cucumber Facial
1 cup clear honey
10 drops fresh lime juice; mix with honey
1 cucumber

Wash your face with warm water and dry. Massage honey and lime juice on face for 15 minutes. Wipe your face with a warm cloth. Then, lie on your back; apply cucumber slices for 20 minutes and relax. Honey helps soften the skin; lime juice dissolves old tissue; cucumber tightens skin and replenishes moisture.

Egg White Mask
Beat an egg white for 1 minute. Apply as a mask on your face and neck until it hardens. Wash with warm water. Follow with Lemon Toner (see below). Moisturize. Egg white draws toxins from the skin’s surface and tightens pores. This mask is helpful for reviving complexions.

Avocado Mask
Mash some avocado into a soft paste and massage it onto your face using the tip of your fingers. Leave on for 20 minutes. Wash with warm water. Avocado is rich in vitamin E and leaves your skin feeling soft.

Lemon Toner
1 lemon
½ tsp cold water

Blend juice from a lemon with water. Splash on your face. Allow to air dry. Moisturize. Lemon acts as a wonderful and gentle toner after honey, egg or avocado masks.

Avocado Hair Moisturizer
Mash an avocado into a paste and apply to clean, dry hair. Apply a shower cap for increased effect. Leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse out. Shampoo; condition if desired.

Carrot Hair Shine
Grate two large carrots. Massage into damp or dry hair. Trap with a shower cap for 20 minutes. Rinse. Shampoo and condition if desired.

Celery Hair Thickener
Requires a juicer. Juice a few celery stalks. Apply juice to hair and scalp and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse. Shampoo and condition if desired.

Egg Hair Thickener
Whisk two eggs and massage into your hair. Wash off after two minutes. Shampoo and condition if desired.

After you’re done, bask in the enjoyment of knowing you can feel like you’re at a spa even when you’re at home.

Judi Sheppard Missett, who turned her love of jazz dance into a worldwide dance exercise phenomenon, founded the Jazzercise dance fitness program in 1969. She has advanced the business opportunities of women and men in the fitness industry by growing the program into an international franchise business that today, hosts a network of 7,800 instructors teaching more than 32,000 classes weekly in 32 countries.

The workout program, which offers a fusion of jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga, cardio box and Latin style movements, has positively affected millions of people worldwide. Benefits include increased cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility, as well as an overall “feel good” factor. Additional Jazzercise programs include Junior Jazzercise, Jazzercise Lite and Personal Touch. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

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Developed by luxury candle maker Illume exclusively for Jazzercise, this classy candle comes in an 8 oz. silver tin and features the company’s signature saffron lavender scent. Available for purchase NOW from our Center for a limited time only (while supplies last). Pick one up next time you’re in class!

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Cleveland Clinic advises that it is most beneficial and safest to exercise in your target heart rate, which is normally 60 percent to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. In this zone, you are burning calories and strengthening your heart. Working out too hard moves your body from aerobic to anaerobic exercise which is less efficient.

Jazzercise Founder and CEO Judi Sheppard Missett recommends starting any exercise program slowly and only after consulting with your physician, and always pay close attention to how your body feels during any physical activity.

Find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Here’s how the numbers look for a 50-year-old:

220 – 50 = 170 maximum heart rate

Target heart rate = between 102 and 136 beats per minute (60-80 percent of your maximum heart rate of 170).

The American Heart Association tells us that if you can speak or sing easily while walking or exercising, you probably aren’t working too hard and can pick up the pace a bit.

Types of Heart Rate Monitors

Heart rate monitors range from basic models that will tell you what your heart rate is with the push of a button, to high tech instruments that provide continuous heart rate monitoring during your entire workout, display the number of calories burned and recall your heart rates from prior sessions. Others can even display altitude climbed while bicycling.

Simple models begin around $35 apiece. Polar offers a wide array of models helpful for beginners through competitive athletes, some of which come with software for planning fitness regimens.

Most monitors also come with chest straps that some people believe are more accurate and more convenient because you don’t have to stop exercising to find out your heart rate.

Polar Heart Rate Monitors can also be purchased through Jazzercise Elk Grove.

Do It Yourself

You can also find your heart rate on your own while exercising. Place a finger – not your thumb because it has its own pulse – on your carotid artery that runs vertically along both sides of your neck. Count the beats you feel for 10 seconds. Multiply this number by six to get your heart rate per minute.

Track your heart rate to make reaching your fitness goals a snap.

Judi Sheppard Missett, who turned her love of jazz dance into a worldwide dance exercise phenomenon, founded the Jazzercise dance fitness program in 1969. She has advanced the business opportunities of women and men in the fitness industry by growing the program into an international franchise business that today, hosts a network of 7,800 instructors teaching more than 32,000 classes weekly in 32 countries.

The workout program, which offers a fusion of jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga, cardio box and Latin style movements, has positively affected millions of people worldwide. Benefits include increased cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility, as well as an overall “feel good” factor. Additional Jazzercise programs include Junior Jazzercise, Jazzercise Lite and Personal Touch. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

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And he’s bringing a deluge of forms requiring your complete honesty and signature. Now is not the time to be coy, shy or save your deepest, darkest secrets until you’re farther along in your relationship.

You are about to embark on a relationship with a personal trainer, and this time it will be different. This time, you’ll see results. But only if your honest from the get go.

Any personal trainer who has been certified by a reputable certifying organization requires all clients to complete a series of health screenings before creating a customized workout routine and schedule. If you’re not completely honest, not only are you risking setting yourself up for failure, you might also be putting your health in danger. Specifically, the following conditions may negatively affect your training and should be discussed with your new personal trainer.

Cardiovascular Disease/Heart Disease

One of the body’s major muscles is the heart. Cardiovascular disease, or heart disease, is a generic umbrella term used to encompass everything from angina (chest pain), to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries as a result of cholesterol build up). If you have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease by a physician, chances are your arteries are having trouble getting blood flowing to your heart. If you’re already having trouble getting an appropriate amount of blood to your heart, think how much more trouble you will have with an accelerated heart rate from exercise.

Does this mean cardiovascular disease patients cannot exercise? Absolutely not! But it is imperative that you work with your physician closely to get approval to exercise, to learn which exercises to avoid, and to determine how intense your workout should be. Likewise, any medication you are on can also affect your training, so be sure to fill your personal trainer in on all prescription and non-prescription medications you are currently taking.

Also, if you haven’t been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease but have any of the following known risk factors for heart disease, you’ll need to tell your trainer:

• Family history: Heart disease and/or death from heart disease in your father (under age 55) or other first-degree male relative (such as a brother or son), or in your mother (under age 65) or other first-degree female relative (such as a sister or daughter).
• Cigarette smoking: Current or if you’ve quit within the past six months
• High blood pressure: Above 140/90
• High cholesterol: Total cholesterol above 200 mg/dL, or an LDL level above 130 mg/dL
• Impaired fasting glucose: Above 110 mg/dL
• Obesity: BMI above 30, or waist measurement above 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women
• Sedentary lifestyle: If you don’t exercise on a consistent basis, you’re officially a target for heart disease.

If two or more of the above apply to you, you’ll need a physician’s approval prior to beginning your new workout program.

Respiratory Diseases

Bronchitis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are all conditions that affect the way your lungs extract oxygen from the air and transfer it to your blood. Because it is crucial your muscles are constantly bathed with oxygen during exercise, you’re personal trainer needs to know if you have any conditions that limit the transfer of oxygen to your bloodstream. Likewise, your trainer needs to know the medications you are currently taking, and your physician will need to clear you to exercise.

Musculoskeletal Conditions

Any previous injuries to your muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments should be disclosed to your personal trainer. These conditions more than likely will not require a doctor’s consent to continue, but your trainer will need to be aware of any potential weaknesses you are bringing to your training. Often times, a personal trainer given all information about a previous injury can help you improve the injured area.

Metabolic Disorders

Diabetes and thyroid disorders both affect metabolism, and should be disclosed to your personal trainer, who will most likely ask your physician to approve you for exercise. With these conditions, regulating metabolism is a daily battle. Any additional exercise will stoke the flames of your metabolic rate and can significantly affect your current treatment regime.

In addition to the above conditions, be sure to thoroughly discuss with your trainer any medications you are on, if you have a hernia or might be pregnant, and lifestyle information asked of you (such as family support, stressors, career, dietary patterns, hobbies, interests, etc). All of this information helps your trainer understand you more, and determine what workout regime will work best with you.

If you’ve gotten through that first date with your trainer and he didn’t ask for any of the above information, he’s just not that in to you, and more than likely, is in to him instead. Drop him, and find that one trainer out there for you.

Because in this relationship, it is all about you.

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Oh the possibilities!

While I’m here, I want to send a big congrats out to Martha Fornes, who lost 5 percent of her body weight in February and won month one of our Jazz It Off challenge! Yay Martha!

And here’s a lovely test picture, taken by my iPhone and added to this post!

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Classes have started at Family Life!

All Galt Jazzercise classes are held at Family Life Christian Church, 85 Enterprise Ct., Galt (former Someplace Fun building) Pricing

• Monthly EFT (Easy Fitness Ticket): $32
• Joining Fee: $25 (applicable to new customers and those customers with an inactive ticket of 3 months or longer.)
• We accept cash, check, MasterCard, Visa or PayPal.

New Student Offer

Valid on first visit only and not in combination with any other offers.
See and print our National New Student Offer.

Who comes to Jazzercise?

Read real stories, from real people, who have made real changes through Jazzercise & or submit your own! New to Jazzercise?Check out some Basic Jazzercise Moves, as well as:

• Do’s & Don’ts
• Workout Guide
• Comlimentary Fitness Logs
• FAQs

From Another Jazzercise Location?

No problem. With proof of a current, valid registration at another Jazzercise location, you can enjoy classes at this location at NO EXTRA CHARGE.

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