Feel good, French style

Last week, we talked about finding your fitness fixette – activities which maximize your enjoyment and integrate into your daily routine.  My own fixette is two-fold. On the one hand, walking. My feet take me almost everywhere, and I practice focusing my mind, a never-ending challenge.

Lately, I’m also hooked on my Latin dance class. It’s the perfect combination of music, movement, and an addictive instructor, Michael. His Brazilian bumbum is perfection (more on Brazilian bumbums below).

If you haven’t yet sprung into action, here are some more practical ideas to get energized from office to home to hotel room.

1. Office revivers:

- Release some endorphins. Instead of reaching for coffee or snacks, get up, stretch your legs and hit the stairs or a mini-trampoline (order on amazon.com). What better way to feel like a kid again in between your million dollar deals?

- Drink in energy. Make a plan with a colleague or two to replace Starbuck runs with a walk around the block and a green juice. Fresh air and live nutrients will rejuvenate you instead of depleting you.

- Adjust your posture. Good ergonomics at the office keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. Check-in regularly to see that your spine is straight, your feet on the floor, your wrists flat, and your monitor at eye-level.

2. Business trip solutions:

- Give yourself permission to do less. When you’re travelling and over-scheduled, fitness can fall by the wayside. Instead of dropping it entirely, take the pressure off. Jog 15 minutes on the treadmill instead of your usual 30 minute run, for example. Zap business dinner calories by doing this first thing on an empty stomach.

- Play the Pick-up Game. Annemarie Colbin, the founder of the Natural Gourmet Institute (foodandhealing.com), suggests spending a few minutes in your hotel room picking up things and putting them down (i.e. chairs, bags, lamps). A quirky way to get your heart moving and practice lifting from your core.

- Pack your favorite DVD. From yoga to Core Fusion to groovy dance, most of your activities back home come in to-go versions. Gaiam.com offers a complete selection. If you don’t have time for a full class, feel like you’ve done something nice for yourself by doing a portion.

3. “I’m too busy” solutions:

- Hit the Wall. To tone your thighs, try the Invisible Chair. With your back against the wall and your legs as wide as your shoulders, pretend to sit in a chair and hold 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times during the day.

The Lazy Push-Up means you don’t have to even touch the floor. Put your hands flat against the wall and do 20 push-ups, paying attention to your breathing.

- Move your bumbum with a trainer. Getting a professional’s support with your fitness endeavors often makes the difference between aspiration and reality. Recently, I was introduced to a holistic fitness coach, Brenda Vongova, who takes a joyful and intelligent approach to movement.

The Harvard-educated Brenda works with a small number of clients because she saves the world by day at the United Nations. She specializes in slimming and redesigning the body holistically. Her Body Lift program takes only 20 minutes a day and can be done anywhere, without equipment. You can also add on the Vongova Tummy Tuck routine, or her Brazil-inspired Bumbum Lift (vongova.com; tel. 917 561 0451).

Who’s joining me in Ipanema?

Live épanoui*!

Elisa

* in full bloom