Join Reality Fitness' 6 Week Weight Loss Challenge! Are you up for the challenge? Click here to find out!
Articles Archive
Successful Weight Loss Requires "Readiness"
Written on February 10, 2011
This morning while I was doing my run on my treadmill (-5 makes outside running no fun for me), I was channel checking and came across the Oprah show. She had Jennifer Hudson on her show so I stayed glued as I listened to her weight loss story. Jennifer shared how she's lost her weight and even included some family members that have experienced their own wei...
Shoveling Tips to Stay Injury Free this Winter
Written on February 01, 2011
Old Man Winter has hung his hat and decided to stick around for awhile — no doubt. Given that we live in the Midwest, it’s not a surprise when snow blankets the ground and ice is hidden beneath. Between the two, winter-related injuries increase. According to Dr. Timothy Faulk...
Here's to Great 2011 Resolutions!
Written on January 06, 2011
When I think about the millions of resolution makers, I can’t help but think about those who once again look to January as the miracle month. As far back as I can remember, January has always been the “clean slate” month in that everything you’ve done before can somehow be magically washed away because, well, it’s January....
Dr. Oz - Just 10 lbs.!
Written on October 29, 2010
This past week, I once again has the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Oz and the Fox Chicago "Ozzer's." Dr. Oz wanted to talk to the Chicago group about their weight loss challenges and successes since starting his ...
Join Reality Fitness for the President's Fitness Challenge!!
Written on September 25, 2010
You are officially invited by Reality Fitness to join in the President's Fitness Challenge TOGETHER! So what is The President's Challenge? It is a series of programs designed to help improve anyone's activity level. Joining a group will be a great way to make staying active easy. If you'd like to learn more about the President's Challenge, visit http:...
Olive Oil, Beware of Fraud
Written on August 03, 2010
Olive Oil Fraud: Is it Really Extra Virgin? Study finds frequent adulteration of imported “extra virgin” olive oils; Vital Choice brand passes the key tests and comes from an anc...
Naperville Magazine Names Reality Fitness Best Fitness Club in Naperville!
Written on August 01, 2010
-(Naperville) For the second year in a row, Reality Fitness was voted Naperville's Best Fitness Club by Naperville Magazine. A voting process that the magazine promotes mid-spring, goes until the end of June allowing residents to go online and vote for their favorite business. With over 20 categories, Naperville Magazine c...
Dieting Increases Stress and Cortisol!
Written on April 20, 2010
From USA Today by Nanci Hellmich Trying to lose weight raises a person's stress levels, even if the dieter doesn't realize it. The stress comes not only from trying to avoid the refrigerator or fightin...
Nicki Anderson named one of Chicago's TopTrainers!
Written on January 26, 2010
Nicki Anderson has been named one of Chicago's Top Trainers! This article has been released in the Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 issue of the Chicago Sun-Times. View the original article:...
Addicted to Sugar? Some Great Insight.
Written on January 26, 2010
A great article worth sharing. To Your HealthJanuary, 2010 (Vol. 04, Issue 01) Addicted to Sugar How to Avoid the Unavoidable By Clair Whiteman Sugar has become a standard component of the American diet. In fact, Americans have become so dependent upon dietary sugar that many health care ...
How Lack of Exercise Shortens Lives
Written on January 09, 2010
By Dr. Gabe Mirkin Two important articles show that people die from inactivity, not just from aging. We know that as people age, they lose muscle, their immunities weaken and because of their weakened immunity, they are more likely to die of cancer and infectious diseases. A study in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research shows that older men and younge...
Dietary Fiber May Help Prevent Weight Gain
Written on January 08, 2010
...
Nicki's Top 10 Reasons You Shouldn't Make "Dieting" a Resolution!
Written on December 29, 2009
Below are My Top 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't t Diet This Year! (and every year following). 10. Name one diet that's worked... permanently. (You can't count the one's where you lost 5 pounds here and 10 pounds there or even 25 pounds. They don't count if the weight came back.) ...
Eat This, Not That Review
Written on December 29, 2009
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD WebMD Expert Review Eat This, Not That: What It Is Most diet books tout a secret formula, or mystifying scientific-sounding plan to melt away pounds but not Eat This, Not That, the latest diet book from Men's He...
Keep Track of Your Food with Journaling
Written on November 15, 2009
Write eating patterns in a food journal to reveal diet-busters and poor nutrition X ...
Basics to Keep Your Immune System Strong
Written on October 20, 2009
Maintaining a strong immune system during cold & flu season The miserable symptoms of a cold or the flu are actually signs that your immune system is working to fight off the offending virus. You get a fever, for example, because your immune system’s cells work better at a higher body temperature, while germs don’t reproduce as well at higher temperatures. The swellin...
Bigger Loser Risks Contestants Health for Ratings
Written on September 22, 2009
I don't know about you, but my hunch is that you know someone that would risk the reputation of someone else so they could make themselves look better. It has never been more apparent than on the recent episode of, The Biggest Loser. Not only did 1 contestant head to the hospital, but 2 contestants. I don't watch the show, I refuse to, but I have clients fill me in and I read the ...
Nicki Anderson's Book Makes a Splash in California!!
Written on August 19, 2009
(Naperville, IL) Nicki Anderson's Single Step Weight Loss Solution (101 No-Nonsense Tips for Healthy Living, Weight Loss and a Diet Free Life) made its debut at IDEA World Fitness Convention in Anaheim, Ca. "This book is the culmination of 25 plus years in the health and fitness industry. I continue to see people battle with the maintenance part of weight loss. Anyone can lose weight, b...
Time Magazine Article Missing on Some Points
Written on August 09, 2009
I love my clients. They are great about bringing articles to me about weight loss, exercise, etc. that I may have missed. This past week, a client brought in Time Magazine. There was an interesting article written by John Cloud, Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin. While there were many interesting points, as a ...
Strong Mind, Strong Body, Good Life.
Written on June 11, 2009
By Jennifer ThomasHealthDay Reporter by Jennifer Thomas MONDAY, June 8 (...
Study Offers Clues About Overeating
Written on June 11, 2009
By RONI CARYN RABIN (New York Times) Published: June 10, 2009 People usually gain weight because they overeat, but what makes them overeat? A new study suggests that obese people have a different physiological response to food: they continue to salivate longer in respo...
So You Think You're Eating Healthy?
Written on May 29, 2009
Deceptions about so called, “Healthy” Foods A lot of Americans think they're eating a healthy diet these days. But it's easy to be fooled by our assumptions and the ways that food manufacturers play on them. Take chicken. The average American eats about 90 pounds of it a year, more than twi...
Making Exercise Time Efficient
Written on May 12, 2009
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30688003/...
Blueberries Reduce Belly Fat and Diabetes Risk
Written on May 09, 2009
Eating blueberries could help you get rid of belly fat, and a blueberry-enriched diet could stem the conditions that lead to diabetes. New research gives tantalizing clues to the potential of blueberries in reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The effect is thought to be due to the high level of naturally occurring antioxidants called phytochemicals c...
Why Obesity Causes Disease by Dr. Mercola
Written on April 30, 2009
How Obesity Causes Disease An inflammatory factor already linked to several diseases, including pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and arthritis, may also be responsible for the insulin resis...
Your Body Knows What It Needs - Are You Listening?
Written on April 19, 2009
Intuitive eating means listening closely to what your body needs and honoring that. -Nicki It's been almost 30 years since I made the switch from a sedentar...
Easy Ways to Increase Caloric Expenditure
Written on April 19, 2009
http://www.ncsf.org/enew/articles/articles-EasyWaysIncreaseCaloricExpenditure.aspx...
Nicki's Blog - Jump Start Weight Loss Often Backfires!
Written on April 11, 2009
I was really bummed this past weekend when I received an email from a magazine that I have respected for many years. This particular magazine has a nice reputation for giving it’s readers some pretty solid information. In fact, I’ve recommended this magazine to many of my clients. However, I may rethink that after receiving this email from this company touti...
By Judith Graham - WARNING - Weight Loss Products
Written on April 11, 2009
Originally posted: March 20, 2009 FDA warns consumers about weight loss products The Food and Drug Administration has issued a new alert about weight loss products tainted by potentially dangerous ingredients. Many of the products claim to be "natural" or "herbal" but include drugs, sometimes in much higher dosages than are recommended....
Minority Children Impacted More by Obesity
Written on April 07, 2009
How can we make a difference? Finding ways to help children move more and see that better quality foods are offered to children in school and public food programs! By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: April 7, 2009...
Obesity Amongst Children Still Too High
Written on April 07, 2009
Parents, Educators, Aunts, Uncles, Granparents all need to strive to improve the quality of life for kids by offering healthier snacks, meals and less sitting time. It will only continue to get worse if we don't take more control of the health of our children. ...
National Nutrition Month puts focus on good health
Written on March 08, 2009
Every March, we celebrate National Nutrition Month. It is a month to focus on the importance of good nutrition and healthy lifestyles. We can all reflect on our current eating behaviors, level of physical activity and total life balance, including how much stress we feel. Good nutrition helps us to better cope with our emotions, thus better enabling us to manage stress, depression and a...
Women's heart rate helps detect health risks
Written on February 05, 2009
LONDON - Measuring a woman's heart rate at rest can help predict her risk of heart attack or dying from heart disease, giving doctors a simple, inexpensive way to monitor health risks, researchers said on Wednesday. The study published in the British Medical Journal showed that postmenopausal women who had the highest resting heart rate were 26 percent more likely to suffer a heart atta...
'The Biggest Loser': Should you mimic its weight-loss methods at home?
Written on November 10, 2008
On "The Biggest Loser," contestants arrive fat and leave thin. And in between, they go through an intense fitness regimen that is, to put a good face on it, grueling. The hours-long, athlete-level routines take place from the get-go. Some contestants have completed a quasi-mini-triathlon consisting of a 250-meter swim, a 2-mile bike ride and a climb up 42 flights of stairs. Others hav...
Parkinson's Disease and Exercise
Written on October 14, 2008
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological movement disorder that effects each person differently. The loss of dopamine in the brain causes slow movement, tremors, shuffling gait, loss of balance, and eventually the inability to care for oneself. In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, it is difficult to diagnose. There are no laboratory tests that show that a person has Parkinson'...
Exercise and Sound Nutrition are True Secrets for a Healthy Body!
Written on September 14, 2008
Last week I was talking to a group of women and of course the topic of discussion was weight loss. Eventually, the discussion made it's way to exercise. One of the women there looked at me and said, "You're lucky, you don't have to exercise, you just do because you're a fitness person." I thought that perception was interesting and as I responded to her comment I realized t...
Everything that's Old is New Again
Written on September 14, 2008
For the past few years, I have delivered a lecture that highlights the history of diets. People find it rather fascinating when they see how little has changed in the hundred plus years of dieting. Check this out: Early ideas about dieting originated in the 1800’s. The relationship between health and food prior to this point was not understood...
The Olympics Serve to Inspire!
Written on September 14, 2008
I don’t know about you, but I am still mourning the end of the Olympics. Two weeks of witnessing athletic excellence was almost more than I could handle. Many late nights of watching athletes compete, made getting up in the morning my personal Olympic event. For me, simply climbing a flight of stairs with grace is a challenge yet these Olympians flew through the air with su...
How to Maintain a Healthy Weight
Written on August 01, 2008
To maintain a healthy weight, you gotta kick it up! – Nicki It isn't at all unusual for clients to call my studio and say, "I've been exercising consistently for years and I'm starting to put on weight, I don't get it. Can you help?" You've heard me say it before but I'll repeat it, with exercise you have to keep it fresh, and includ...
The Secret to Successful Weight Loss
Written on August 01, 2008
When it comes to successful weight loss, the message has always been the same, "Eat right, move more." But sometimes it's not what is said, it's how it's said. When people are ready to change, they will hear the message that inspires them to change. Nicki Over the years I find that the questions people ask are often repeated. I find that the questions are alw...
Nicki Anderson Honored as 2008 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year
Written on
On Wednesday July 9th, 2008, Nicki Anderson was named the IDEA Health & Fitness Association International Personal Trainer of the Year. IDEA is the world's leading organization of fitness trade professionals with more than 22,000 members in over 80 countries. The award recognizes an IDEA member who is a practicing professional in the fitness industry who spends 15 or more hours ...
Body Obsession is an Equal Opportunity Obsession
Written on June 01, 2008
I read it and I couldn't believe it. I read it again, thinking for sure this is just another attempt by the media to harass Oprah Winfrey about her weight. But the deeper I dug, the more I had to say to myself, "Say it ain't true!" But alas, Oprah is going on a diet.........again. Well, maybe you wouldn't call it a diet, but given that she's attempting to change her diet to only vegan ...
Don't Just Focus on Results, Learn from the Journey
Written on June 01, 2008
First, let me wish all the Mother's out there a belated Mother's Day! I hope you were all spoiled! This past week I was in South Carolina lecturing, beautiful area by the way. Anyway, one of the lectures I give discusses a system I developed years ago called, VBR. VBR stands for Value, Benefits and Results. Over the years you have been "trained" focus on results before anything...
Never Compromise Health for Weight
Written on June 01, 2008
This past week I was watching a popular morning show and they were discussing diets and weight loss. Of course, I watched closely as they talked about different diets, the success with some and failures with others. Earlier in the week I caught a segment (it's a weeklong series) featuring a woman who decided to take a deto...
Exercise...The Best Medicine?
Written on March 01, 2008
We all know about the benefits of exercise, right? For a country that is told time and time again the benefits of regular exercise, why then are we still tied to our computers? Part of the reason is the belief that popping a pill or swiggin' down a teaspoon of medicine seems much easier than the actual ritual of exercise. After all, with exercise you have to wear special clothes, have...
Getting Serious About Healthy Changes
Written on March 01, 2008
I'm sure by now you have all heard about the new show, "Honey, We're Killing Our Kids." The show started in the UK and has found its way over to the US. Basically, the show focuses on a family that is leading a very unhealthy lifestyle and urges the parents to make some serious changes. During the course of the show they take a current photo of the children and through enhanced imaging, they s...
Summer Solutions
Written on March 01, 2008
A Great Alternative to New Year's Resolutions! I'm about help you with your New Year's resolutions for the rest of your life with what I call Summer Solutions. You see a resolution is the act of simplifying something and a solution is the act of solving a problem. Generally, resolutions don't work to simplify things; it's usually quite the opposite, New Year's resolut...
Food as a Reward? Not so Fast!
Written on February 15, 2008
I remember growing up and every time there was a crisis or cause for celebration, food was the reward. I can still hear my Grandmother saying to me, "Here Nicki, let me make you something to eat, you'll feel better." Or after the heartbreak of a major break-up, ice cream was the perfect consolation. Food in most cultures is often used for celebrations but in our society it is used as a ...
Finding the Solution to Healthy Living
Written on February 15, 2008
Well, January has come and gone. Our resolutions were set, our gym memberships were renewed and life was good -- weight loss was just a few short aerobics classes away. Right? WRONG! Here we are heading into spring and without a single change. According to studies that focus on weight loss, by February almost 60 percent of people have abandoned their New Year's Resolutions. By May close t...
Building Blocks for Healthy Kids
Written on February 15, 2008
Published on ediets 3/14/06 Now that I've got two of my children in college and two in high school I find myself smiling more often than not. No, it's not because two have left home, I actually miss them. It's because I figure that if I've survived parenting to this point, I've pretty much gotten past the worst, i.e. 4 teenagers in the house at one time! As I look b...
The Glamorizing of "Junk" Food
Written on January 01, 2008
According to the American Obesity Association (AOA), obesity amongst our children has more than doubled in the last 30 years. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this dramatic change is due largely to increased computer use, decreased body use and increased fast food. It goes without saying that when the body gets excess fuel without the opportunity to burn it off, it will res...
The Low-Fat Bubble Bursts
Written on January 01, 2008
For those of you that follow my work, you can only imagine how elated I am with all of the news that has come to light over the last couple of weeks. Where do I start? Have the stars finally aligned? Between the diet pills being blasted, French fries being found to be worse for you than originally thought (How do you say bottom line???) and now the real story about low-fat diets. Why, I believe...
Reality Fitness Annual New Year New You Essay Contest
Written on
Reality Fitness is looking for one individual that believes he or she needs 12 weeks of one-on-one training more than anyone else! That's right, it's the time of year where we ask individuals that have tried unsuccessfully on their own to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle to submit a brief letter sharing their struggles and challenges with health and weight loss. The ...
About More Than Weight, It's About Quality of Life
Written on October 01, 2007
"It's got to be about more than weight, it's got to be about the quality of your life. Just being thin can only take you so far, being healthy can take you anywhere!"– Nicki The following information is from the IHRSA Wellness report. World deaths from "lifestyle" diseases will double by 2015 unless all-out efforts are taken to combat t...
Our New Spring/Summer Classes!
Written on April 01, 2007
Reality Fitness Boot Camp! Isn't part of the reason exercise is short lived is because it's boring and you don't see results? For many people it is, so the staff at Reality Fitness has developed a boot camp that will invigorate, inspire and excite you by offering various methods of exercise throughout each class sure to help you reach your fitness goals. Each ...
Why Weight Loss Maintenance is So Hard!
Written on March 01, 2007
More than half of the clients I work with have struggled for years with weight. It has been a major part of their life. Repeatedly I hear, "I KNOW exercise is good for me. I KNOW eating a whole box of Oreo cookies is bad for me, yet I don't exercise and I continue to mindlessly knock off an entire box of cookies." They continue to beat themselves up, writing themselves off as a chronic weight l...
Don't Confuse, "No Trans Fats" with No Fat
Written on February 01, 2007
You've probably heard a lot about trans fats lately and the health concerns tied to trans fats. Trans fats are created when hydrogen gas reacts with oil. Many snack foods contain trans fats in order to improve shelf life along with bottom line dollars for food manufacturers. The problem however is that numerous studies show that trans fats raise the risk of heart disease along with total choles...
Building a Healthy 2007
Written on January 01, 2007
"It's amazing to me that people who are able bodied will not do what they need to do to reach their potential. I just don't understand that if you are able bodied and minded, why wouldn't you shoot for the stars?" ? Christopher Reeve The above quote is without question one of my favorites. Every January, everyone sets their intention to once and for all lose weight and com...
5 Strategies to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain!
Written on December 01, 2006
O.K., here we go again, November is over you're still going through withdrawals from turkey, potatoes, gravy and pie?..oh, my! Does it ever end? For me, when the holidays creep up I refer back to the Boy Scout motto, "Be prepared!" Being prepared for the holiday onslaught of culinary delights can make the difference between enjoying the stuffed turkey or feeling like a stuffed turk...
Ready, Set, Go..........Change!
Written on November 01, 2006
If you have a chance, stop by your local grocery store, drug store or convenience store and pick up a copy of the November 1st issue of Family Circle magazine. In this issue there is an article about health and fitness professionals that have lost weight and kept it off, and well, you will see yours truly! Someone asked me what was the deciding factor in agreeing to be featured as an "expert" ...
Are You Ready for Change?
Written on November 01, 2006
This past month has been a tough one for me as I've been traveling more than usual thus not being able to meet with my clients on a regular basis. Now that I'm back in town for a while, I have been able to reconnect with my clients and see how they've been doing on their own, without any help from me. Some have done really well, while others not so much. As long as I've been in this b...
Modern Technology - Help or Hindrance?
Written on November 01, 2006
I'm sure it comes as no surprise as you look back on the explosion of modern technology, you can see how these modern conveniences have compromised your health along with playing huge a role in the dieting craze. Thing about little things that would expend extra calories like opening up a garage door- manually, washing/drying dishes- manually, hanging clothes on the clothesline, getting up and ...
Annual Birthday Reflection
Written on October 01, 2006
For those of you that have been reading my website for the past few years, you know that every year around my birthday, I like to reflect back on things that have enabled me to get through another year feeling good about the process of this thing called life! Also to shamelessly solicit your well wishes! :-) This birthday is #45 for me. It's sort of weird to see it in print because I ...
Repetition is the Master of Skill
Written on September 01, 2006
It goes without saying that there is never a shortage of conversation when it comes to diets and the confusion surrounding weight loss. No matter the age, the desire to figure out how to be healthier is always there. Unfortunately, for many it's more about being thinner, not healthier. There is nothing unusual, or unhealthy about wanting to be attractive or fit, but the steps to achie...
Healthy Junk Food for Kids is Just a World of Make Believe!
Written on August 14, 2006
Goldfish crackers with calcium! Hershey's syrup with added calcium! Cocoa Puffs with less sugar! Wow, junk food gone good? Well, not actually. In a culture where pandering to kids' taste buds is a top priority for food manufacturers, they have come up against an obstacle and that obstacle is parents. Parents are finally beginning to realize that junk food is negatively affecting the h...
Are You a Scale Watcher?
Written on August 14, 2006
Even though we may have made strides in eating healthier and increasing our exercise programs in an effort to lose weight, believe it or not most people rank their "real" success in the numbers reflected on their scale. Yes, we've all heard that muscle weighs more than fat and that water retention can skew the numbers, and yet the scale holds the most weight (yes, pun intended) when d...
Finding the Solution to Healthy Living
Written on August 14, 2006
Well, January has come and gone. Our resolutions were set, our gym memberships were renewed and life was good -- weight loss was just a few short aerobics classes away. Right? WRONG! Here we are heading into fall and without a single change. According to studies that focus on weight loss, by February almost 60 percent of people have abandoned their New Year's Resolutions. By May close to ...
Breaking the obsession with food means breaking the obsession with dieting
Written on July 01, 2006
This past week I attended a local festival in my area. Of course with summer festivals come mass quantities of food and beverage. Though many believe that summer offers more options to be active, unfortunately the same can be said for food. There are more picnics, more festivals and more outdoor celebrations, all of which include copious amounts of food. As I was making my ...
As long as you understand lifestyle change is a process, perhaps you can recruit more patience
Written on June 01, 2006
Everyone is in a hurry, whether it's to lose weight, attend a meeting or meet a deadline, everyone seems to be rushing to something or somewhere. We are a country of immediate gratification and time obsession. You'd think with all the advances in technology we'd be less stressed. Unfortunately, it seems the more advanced technology becomes so does our stress level. But more important to me is t...
Exercise is Your Ticket to a Great Quality of Life!
Written on May 01, 2006
According to a recent article published by Medscape Internal Medicine, Harvard Medical School's Dr. Harvey Simon states, "In the U.S., and throughout the industrial world, insufficient exercise is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In America, it is an important contributor to 4 of the 6 leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. In all, a sedentary lifestyle accou...
Healthy Eating is a Family Affair
Written on April 01, 2006
This Illinois State Board of Education voted this past Thursday to ban the sale of soda, chips and candy during the school day for elementary and junior high school students. I guess they figure high school kids are a lost cause. Governor Rod Blagojevich encouraged schools to get rid of junk food and instead focus in healthier fare. More healthy nutrition translates to bett...
Exercise Need Not Be a Dirty Word!
Written on March 01, 2006
"Look, exercise is not always fun and you may not look forward to it but it is the "price of admission" for life. It helps your body function and it keeps you living longer." -Reality Fitness client There was some great discussion this week at Winning Sessions. Much of the discussion focused on why diets fail and reaffirmed why I am such a proponent of helping oth...
OTC Counter Weight Loss Pills
Written on February 01, 2000
"This new pill can cause gastrointestinal problems such as oily stools, rectal discharge and excess gas, and about half of all patients experience them." ? Reuters Update - 1/23/06 Well, I'm sure you've all heard this past week that the FDA is just weeks away from approving an over the counter weight loss pill, "Alli". And you also probably know that I am going to have a field day with ...
Nicki's New Healthy Eating Discovery!
Written on January 17, 2006
At least once a month I've got someone trying to get me to promote their weight loss product and/or gimmick. Because I can only endorse things that are natural and healthy and contribute to a healthy lifestyle, most of it gets sent back with a "thanks but no thanks" However, I am thrilled to say I have finally found a product that not only am I willing t...
Weight: A Heavy Burden
Written on January 01, 2006
There isn't a day that goes by that we're not bombarded with updates about the growing childhood obesity epidemic and the danger our kids face. Is there actually an obesity epidemic or is it a lifestyle epidemic? And with that decline in lifestyle (i.e. healthy food and regular activity) comes a culture that expects nothing short of physical perfection. Thus the question becomes, is weight...
Happy New Year!
Written on January 01, 2006
Well it's January and I m sure you've all jumped into your New Year's Resolutions with determination, right? Well, I hate to be the purveyor of bad news, but 88% of folks who set New Years' resolutions do not keep them. So come February 1st, everyone is beating themselves up because once again they failed to stick with a diet. Well, before that happens to you, pull up a chair an...
Reality Fitness Annual "New Year, New You" Essay Contest!
Written on December 01, 2005
Once again, Reality Fitness is offering one lucky winner 12 weeks of personal training and Nicki Anderson's Real Life Weight Loss program. Simply write an essay, no longer than 250 words about why you believe you should win the 12 weeks of Personal Training. 2nd and 3rd place runner ups will win a fitness assessment and consultation with Nicki. Deadline for the con...
A Holiday Greeting from Nicki
Written on December 01, 2005
Happy Holidays! Another year quickly comes to a close. It was a year of excitement, challenges, heartache and hope. Hope being the most valued, though heartache being the most vivid. For lives that were lost at war, or from natural disasters, our emotions have been tested. One never knows how deep emotion goes until we are confronted with a situation that tr...
Getting Past Excuses and On With Exercise
Written on November 01, 2005
Unless you've been exercising regularly for most of your life or exercise has been medically prescribed, excuses not to exercise will come much easier than exercise itself. And the longer you're away from exercise, the easier excuses come. According to the Center for Disease Control approximately 65 percent of Americans still do not get enough regular exercise. So, what's ...
Raise a Healthy Family
Written on October 27, 2005
As an adult, it's hard enough to stay focused on healthy living, never mind keeping track of an entire family! After a couple of vacations or birthdays, boom, we find we've gone back to old, unhealthy eating patterns and sedentary living. The fact is that as childhood obesity continues to grow so does the risk of diabetes and other associated health concerns. As parents, it's time for us...
How Much Exercise?
Written on October 24, 2005
Dear Nicki: How much exercise should my toddlers be getting? They seem to be glued to the TV and I worry about their activity level. --Upset in Utica The average child ends up watching anywhere from three to six hours of TV daily. This sets them up for a sedentary lifestyle and with the over-saturation of junk food commercials, they're not learning anything a...
When it comes to exercise, do something you enjoy
Written on October 10, 2005
Q. In your opinion, what is the best overall exercise for good health? A. Your question doesn't specify whether you're looking for the best cardiovascular activity or best strength training exercise, so I'll address both. When it comes to cardiovascular exercise, the most important thing to keep in mind is to do something that you enjoy. Too often, cardiovascular programs are...
The Diet Myth
Written on July 01, 2005
"The diet industry has created fear and loathing surrounding body fat with little or no scientific basis for that fear, except in the extreme cases of too thin or morbidly obese." -- Paul Ernsberger, Ph.D. exerpt from The Diet Myth by Paul Campos I have been reading a book called, The Diet Myth, by Paul Cam...
Live Without the Scale
Written on September 01, 2005
Don't let the scale determine your fitness success, rather follow how you feel mentally, physically and spiritually. This past week I was working with one of my clients who was feeling great. She has made some fantastic lifestyle changes that have taken awhile to develop, but overall she's feeling better than she has in a long time. When our session was over sh...
Happy Fall!
Written on October 01, 2005
I'm not sure what happened to summer, but as we find ourselves in the midst of transition with regard to seasons we begin a mental fast-forward to the holidays, weight, diet, food, etc. Between September and January it seems that our focus on food and weight is amplified. But thank God for January, because that's the time we can "ask for forgiveness" and start our...