How many times have you told yourself you are going to make it it to the gym at least three times a week only to find that your best-laid plans have been torpedoed? You know you need to work on your fitness goals but somehow the time and/or motivation just isn’t there?

In addition to my regular job as a marketing executive, I am an executive coach. I’ve noticed of late that all of my clients share a common struggle – taking care of themselves in the midst of managing a demanding career and busy home life. Their struggles resonate deeply for me because it was (and continues to be) my struggle.   How is it that most of us can squeeze in another meeting request but we can’t make time to tend our own well-being? I believe that working professionals (and especially busy working moms) really benefit from working with a personal trainer on a regular basis.  Think about it. You wouldn’t tackle a major project at work without putting a team in place. Why should it be any different for one of your most important projects – you?

What about group fitness you ask? I love exercise classes like Zumba and Spin but the challenge is that those classes happen on someone else’s schedule – not mine.  I’ll have all the intention of going but work or home life gets in the way. So how do you know if you need a trainer?

1. You need extra support to set and stick to your fitness goals. Ideally you have in your spouse or a best friend the perfect work-out companion. Years ago when I lived in New York, I had a small group of friends whom I regularly met up with at 5:30am a few times a week to run in Prospect Park near my Brooklyn home. Some mornings I didn’t feel like going but knowing my friends would be there waiting kept me feeling accountable. A trainer will do the same thing for you. He or she will encourage you, light a fire under your rear when you need it and hold you accountable to the goals you’ve set.

2. You don’t like to work out or you haven’t had a fitness routine in years. If it’s been ages since you’ve seen the inside of a gym or you simply hate working out, a personal trainer can really help. Your idea of fun may not be grinding it out on the weights but a good trainer will have a whole tool kit of exercises that may range from boot camp-type calesthenics to plyometrics.

3.You keep losing and gaining the same 5 pounds over and over. I’ve been a victim of this one more than I care to admit. One week you eat well and get all of your scheduled workouts in and the next week you go off the rails. A trainer who is knowledgeable about nutrition and exercise can provide great guidance on how to best eat. Equally important, she will switch up your routine frequently to make sure your body doesn’t adapt to your workout.

4.You’ve been doing the same workout routine for months and have stopped seeing results. Let’s face it. We’d all love to do as little as possible to stay fit. The reality is that our bodies need to be challenged. If you’ve been logging your same 30 minutes on the treadmill or elliptical trainer or doing the same weight circuit with diminishing returns – it’s time to switch it up. A good personal trainer will monitor your progress and alter your workout periodically.

5. You want to challenge yourself to accomplish a major fitness goal.  Maybe you’ve set a goal to run a marathon, compete in a triathalon or sign up for your first body building competition. An experienced personal trainer will tailor a program to optimize your fitness and prepare you physically to meet your goal.

I know what you’re thinking – that you can’t afford a personal trainer even if you wanted to hire one. A personal trainer can run anywhere from $65.00 to $100.00 an hour depending on where you live in the country.  To keep it affordable, you can do what I do and meet with your trainer once a week. I workout with Quincy on Fridays and he gives me a five day workout plan that I do for the rest of the week. Some trainers offer special discounts for buying multiple workout sessions. You could also go in on a trainer with a friend and workout together. Finally, you can find a qualified trainer who is just starting out and looking to build a client base. Newer trainers often will lower their rates to develop their new client roster.

Still at the end of the day, it’s going to be up to you make the commitment. Even the best trainer can’t turn you into a California beach goddess if you aren’t willing to do the work. Think about it. For all that you do for others, aren’t you worth the investment?

What do you think? Is a personal trainer worth the investment or a waste of money? Have you ever hired a trainer? How was your experience and what advice would you share?

Crockpot Porridge from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook

Earlier this month, I resolved to accept the realities of my slowing metabolism, clean up my diet and lose the tummy pooch I gained from my pregnancy with D2. Armed with Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet Cookbook and a copy of Clean Eating Magazine, I’ve been working on changing my family’s diet by weeding out white sugar, white flour and incorporating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables into our meals. Because I love to cook and we’ve always eaten relatively healthily, it hasn’t been as big of a change as I thought. The biggest challenge has been breaking our (my) addiction to carbohydrates and sugar. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that all of the recipes I’ve made thus far have left me feeling satisfied and without the normal carb jones that I get from eating certain meals. Bonus? I’m feeling much more clear-headed and energetic. I truly feel that the food I’m eating now is fueling my body and not just filling it up. Here are a few recipes I’ve tried this week.

This recipe for Crockpot Porridge from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet Cook book and companion website  is my new favorite breakfast. It’s super fast to make and is very tasty. I eat it with a side of scrambled egg whites and it keeps me feeling full until late morning.

Cook’s notes: Keep an eye on this dish and stir frequently as some crock pots cook faster than others. Also, I couldn’t find rye flakes at my local Whole Foods so I substituted bulgar and also added a dash of cinnamon.  I’ve made this dish now with both milk and almond milk and both versions were very tasty.  You can whip up a batch of this cereal and then refrigerate and store in a tupperware container for up to a week. To reheat, simply add a little milk or water and then heat for 1-2 minutes. Fab!

Crock Pot Porridge

• 1/2 cup / 120 ml cracked wheat
• 1 1/2 cup / 335 ml steel cut oats
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml rye flakes
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml brown rice
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml wheat germ
• 6 1/2 cups / 1.5 L water or any combination of liquids including water, rice milk, soy milk, almond milk, goats milk and/or water to equal 6 1/2 cups
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml raisins
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml chopped dates (or other dried fruit like cranberries or raisins)
• 1 1/2 tbsp / 22 ml best-quality vanilla
• Pinch nutmeg

Preparation

1. Place all ingredients in a 3-quart-or-greater crock-pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Cover.
2. Set on lowest cooking temperature and cook overnight. If your crock-pot cooking time is set by length of cooking time, set for the longest cooking time and lowest heat.
3. Spoon into cereal bowls in the morning and serve piping hot!

I also tried out a couple of other recipes from the October issue of Clean Eating Magazine. Below is Garlic-Cilantro Shrimp Rotini, a clean recipe submitted by a reader. Made with whole-wheat pasta and fresh shrimp, this is a lighter, healthier version of a traditional pasta with pesto sauce dish. The combination of garlic, cilantro and olive oil is so fresh tasting, you’ll wonder what took you so long to discover this dish. We loved it!

Garlic-Cilantro Shrimp Rotini

Southwestern Turkey Meatballs

I also tried my hand at the Southwestern Turkey Meatball Skillet Supper from Clean Eating Magazine. The recipe makes four – six servings and I had hoped to get a couple of meals out of this recipe but Dr. D. loved the dish so much he ate nearly the entire thing in one sitting. Next time, I’ll double the recipe. The flavor was fantastic and at only 4 grams of fat per one cup serving, this dish will be on regular rotation at Chez Boss Mom. Have you made any changes to your family’s diet? What worked and what didn’t? Do share!