Sugar – Keep under 15 grams daily.  Also, stay away from white flour.

Sleep – 7-9 hours.  Whatever works best for your body.

Walk -  Fast 30 minutes daily

Walking is by far the most popular low impact exercise, but in order to get your heart rate up there are some things you may need to do.

Walk faster. One mistake we often make is walking too slowly to get the heart rate up. Picking up the pace can help you up the intensity of your workouts.

Try interval training. By adding short bursts of speed or an occasional steep hill to your walking workouts, you can increase the intensity of your workouts as well as your calorie-burn.

Use your arms. Make sure you’re not holding onto the treadmill and, when you’re outside, swing your arms to keep the intensity up. Holding weights as you walk is a no-no (it can cause injury).

Squats

Squats work your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves all at once.

How to Do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes facing straight ahead or angled slightly outward. Slowly bend the knees and lower hips towards the floor, keeping your torso straight and abs pulled in tight. Keep your knees behind your toes; make sure everything’s pointing in the same direction. Do not go lower than 90 degrees. Do this move 2-3 non-consecutive days a week for 12-16 reps.  Add another set on the 2nd week.

Push Ups

Push ups, like squats, are compound movements using almost all the muscles of your body. You’ll work your chest, shoulders, triceps, back and abs.

How to Do It: Position yourself face down on the floor, balancing on your toes/knees and hands. Your hands should be wider than shoulders, body in a straight line from head to toe. Don’t sag in the middle and don’t stick your butt up in the air. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body to the floor, stopping when your elbows are at 90 degrees. Exhale and push back up. Variations include incline, decline, wall pushups or, for masochists, one-armed pushups. Do this move 2-3 non-consecutive days a week and add a rep each time you do the exercise.  Add another set the 2nd week.

The Plank

The plank (or hover) is an isolation move that works the abs, back, arms and legs. The plank also targets your internal abdominal muscles

How to Do It: Lie face down on mat with elbows resting on floor next to chest. Push your body off the floor in a pushup position with body resting on elbows or hands. Contract the abs and keep the body in a straight line from head to toes. Hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat as many times as you can. For beginners, do this move on your knees and gradually work your way up to balancing on your toes.

These are simple exercises that you can split up if you need to…walk in the morning and exercises at night!

4 minutes of intense cardio such as stairs, jump rope, jumping jacks or running in place with high knees

3 minutes of resistance exercise such as sit-ups, squats, lunges and/or  tubing exercises

2 minutes of core work such as planking, bridges with legs extended on a ball or bed and side planks

1 minute of stretching and breathing

Perfect when you only have 10 minutes!

These are all sugar!

High fructose corn syrup, beet sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose, evaporated cane juice, honey, molasses, sucrose, turbinado sugar, malt, maltodextrin, maltose, maple sugar, maple syrup, molasses, rice syrup, sucrose….don’t let the disguise fool you!

By the age of seven, Elizabeth Crutchfield was already a fixture at her local gymnastics facility and had recently begun schooling in the art of Cecchetti Classical Ballet. During college, she was a group aerobics instructor, thus beginning her career in the fitness arena.
With 25+ years of experience in health and fitness, Elizabeth has established herself as one of the industry’s central fitness authorities.

• Elizabeth carries the following certifications:
• Personal Training – The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
CPR Certification – The American Heart Association
Group
• Fitness Instructor – The American Council on Exercise (ACE)
Yoga Instructor – The Center for Yoga Studies at Sonic Yoga
Wellness
• Coach – Wellcoaches
Nutrition Specialist – Lifestyle Management Associates

In addition,  Elizabeth lectures regularly and leads seminars on health and fitness-related topics. Elizabeth is the immediate Past  President of  Bryant Park  Toastmaster’s, an international organization that helps its members develop public speaking and leadership skills and is a member of the New York chapter of the National Speakers Association.

Elizabeth, and the level of professionalism she demands from each of her health and wellness professionals, has garnered Homebodies the reputation for excellence it well deserves, and has been featured in such renowned publications as Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Shape, Self, Vanity Fair and The New York Times.

Elizabeth Crutchfield resides in New York City.

She has been in the fitness industry since 2004. After graduating with her BA in Art, she moved from Florida to New York City for the sole purpose of earning her classical Pilates certification through Romana’s Pilates. Allison apprenticed under the Pilates master Sari Mejia Santo and even had the chance to study under Romana Kryzanowska.

Allison also holds certifications from the National Academy of Sports and Medicine, the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, and the American Heart Association.

In 2006, Alicia was certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM-CPT). Since then, she has also completed the NASM Neuromuscular Stretching Course, Pre/Post-Natal Course with Annette Lang, and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Lifestyle and Weight Management Certification. Alicia continues to study various exercise modalities and is working towards additional fitness certifications.

Alicia moved to New York to pursue a career as a professional modern dancer after graduating magna cum laude from the Hartt School, University of Hartford with a BFA in Ballet Pedagogy. Since moving here, she has performed with Adrienne Celeste Fadjo Dance, 277 Dance Project, and other choreographers.

She also performed professionally in Hartford with Full Force Dance Theatre, and worked as a dance instructor and private coach for six years in Connecticut. As a dancer, Alicia has been exposed to many different forms of body conditioning, including Pilates and yoga.

In her spare time, Alicia enjoys the outdoors, going to museums, reading, and writing.

She holds degrees in performance theatre arts, communication and special education. When not training people, Karin has the great privilege of working with parrots!

Established in 1985, Homebodies pioneered the concept of in-home personal training. You benefit by working with a company that is reliable and has an established reputation. This reputation is based on integrity and solid business practices, proven systems of operation that are both accurate and efficient (i.e., billing, scheduling, hiring, etc.), and delivering the results our clients demand. Homebodies is always here for you when you need us.

Elizabeth’s strong interest in the field of health, fitness and Wellness Coaching means that you will be working with one of the most knowledgeable and respected professionals in the business. Elizabeth Crutchfield, who purchased Homebodies in 1993, will tell you without reservation that her enthusiasm for fitness goes way beyond her position as our Director—it’s her lifestyle.

It began with Elizabeth’s extensive training in ballet and gymnastics and now, with 25+ years of study and experience, she is one of the industry’s principal fitness authorities with certifications from the most respected health and fitness associations in the country:

• Personal Training—The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
• CPR Certification—The American Heart Association
• Group Fitness Instructor—The American Council on Exercise (ACE)
• Yoga Instructor—The Center for Yoga Studies at Sonic Yoga
• Wellness Coach—Wellcoaches
• Nutrition Specialist—Lifestyle Management Associates

With Elizabeth’s expertise and oversight, all Homebodies programs are guided by the latest information, discoveries and techniques reported by the most respected leaders and institutions in the medical, health, holistic and fitness communities.

3. Our Commitment To Your Health

Homebodies Well Coaches will encourage you to set realistic goals that can be realized and maintained—this commitment places your health and well-being through lifestyle changes above temporary quick fixes.

Elizabeth devotes a part of each workday wading through vast amounts of health and fitness information provided through the media and on the web—so you don’t have to! As a result, Homebodies does not make unrealistic promises or promote practices encouraged by “fads” that may endanger our clients’ health or safety.

4. Our Ability To Match You With Just The Right Personal Trainer To Meet Your Needs
Honed over many years is Elizabeth’s ability to “read” people—an essential component to Homebodies success. Her educational background, her one-on-one sessions as a personal trainer, and her position as Director of a successful fitness company are at the heart of Homebodies success. You won’t waste time and energy interviewing a variety of health and/or fitness professionals until you find one that matches your needs and personality—a frustrating process that could completely drain your motivation before you even get started. One call to Homebodies, and you’re ready to begin setting and realizing your health and fitness goals!

5. Our Professionalism
With so many years in the health and fitness industry—and with a base of successful and varied clientele from performers to executives—Homebodies has the “real world” experience necessary to operate a successful business with customer service as its number one priority. Homebodies’  procedures and systems are well established, effective and reliable. All of our fitness professionals and Wellness Coaches carry the necessary credentials to their field and must be fully certified by a respected health and/or wellness organization.

6. Our Hiring Practices
We put potential employees through a rigorous hiring process before allowing them to join the Homebodies team. Every applicant must have a minimum of two years of health/fitness related work experience and carry the appropriate credentials to their specialty. Homebodies verifies applicant credentials, contacts references and conducts three separate in-person interviews before hiring.

7. The Homebodies Team
Homebodies employs a large number of fitness professionals, each specialized in one or more health/fitness modalities. From Yoga to Pilates, from strength training to biking, from coaching to nutritional counseling, Homebodies has it all! This means that you may sample and incorporate a variety of practices into your health/fitness program—you never have to feel frustrated or bored again. This also means that you may work with a number of fitness instructors—observe their different approaches, the exercises they prefer, and their personalities. By doing so, you may find one or more Homebodies fitness instructors with a personal style that brings out the best in you and that allows you to really enjoy and look forward to each training session.

8. Our Client Assessment
During your initial meeting with Elizabeth, she gathers information regarding your current fitness level, scheduling requirements, goals and personal preferences. A written summary is prepared and sent to your assigned fitness professional prior to your first meeting. This process provides the fitness professional with the information necessary to prepare a preliminary base-line program that will be modified over time. Elizabeth arranges a meeting with the fitness professional she deems best suited to your needs and personality. She familiarizes that individual with her findings, makes recommendations concerning your program and shares her insights on your personal style and needs.

9. Our Follow-Up
Twice a year (Spring and Fall), each Homebodies fitness professional is required to submit a detailed “Client Report Form” for each of their Homebodies clients. After reviewing each report, Elizabeth personally contacts each client to discuss their report(s) (i.e., Is the report accurate? Is their program fun and challenging? Is the fitness professional meeting their needs both in terms of reaching goals and in their personal conduct?). This is the forum by which clients may openly discuss any challenges, conflicts, problems—or in many cases, even RAVES—about their program and/or Homebodies fitness professional.

After this discussion, Elizabeth contacts the assigned fitness professional(s) to make recommendations or changes to the client’s program, to congratulate him/her on a great job, or to discretely, constructively and courteously resolve any problems or conflicts the client may not be comfortable addressing directly with their fitness professional.

10. Our Staff Performance Reviews
In early spring, after Client Program Reports are submitted and reviewed with the client, each member of the Homebodies team must come into the office to meet with Elizabeth to discuss these reports. We also use this meeting with each Homebodies staff member to observe and comment on their professional conduct, obtain current copies of their certifications, to discuss their personal exercise routine to be sure they are exercising regularly themselves, and any plans they may have to further their health/fitness education.