Never ran more than a mile in your life but yet your heart skips a beat when you see that look of satisfaction on a runner after a marathon? That can be you. Whether you’re 25 or 40, if you have the determination and the right training schedule — everything is possible! Here are some quick tips to get you started:

GET FRIENDS INVOLVED
Training with friends brings fun and encouragement into the picture. Involving your friends will keep you motivated to do your runs even on lazy days.

MIX THE IN AND OUT
Don’t do all of your training in the gym. While the treadmill is a good way to start building your endurance, the actual run is going to be outside — so you need to get used to it. Hit the gym on the weekdays, and then run outside on the weekends with your friends.

STRETCH YOUR BODY
Make stretching a part of your warm up and cool down. It’ll prepare your muscles for the stress and help prevent injuries and cramps.

If 26 miles is too much to fathom, why not start by training for a 10k (that’s 20 miles less than a full marathon)! Take little steps towards achieving a satisfying, healthy goal.

Happy running!

There’s this fear by most women that if they do any strength training, they will end up like Conan the Barbarian (no, not the talk show host). Biologically, women do not have the testosterone to bulk up the way men do. Instead, we tend to be toned instead of buff. So break out those weights of yours and get those sexy, defined arms that you’ve always wanted.

The best thing to do to increase tone is to use light weights, about 2 to 5 pounds, and do exercises for about 12 to 20 repetitions. Perform about 2 to 3 sets about 4 times a week. Mixing arm exercises, squats, crunches and lunges in a 20 minute workout at least 4 times a week will guarantee results in about 2 to 3 weeks. You have to include a healthy eating plan as well, but when you exercise more, you tend to choose healthier foods as well.

Tell The Conscious Snob how you work out in the comments below!

I recently started going to a pilates studio and I am loving it! I tend to call myself a yoga-lover, but adding some pilates for core strengthening and toning is great for every body.

Pilates focuses on mind-body movements that improve flexibility, agility and has shown to decrease lower back pain. It uses a floor mat and exercise equipment to challenge your body in a safe environment.

I’ve used Winsor Pilates before, but nothing compares to a class with an instructor to guide your movements. My abs feel tighter and my arms and thighs look more sleek after a few weeks. It takes hard work, but it’s totally worth it. Prepare for summer with pilates and find a studio near you!

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Image Credit: www.pilates.com

We hear all about it in magazines, television ads, everywhere. Take this pill and you will lose weight! Drink only lemon water for a week for a beach body! Eat only cabbage for a thinner you! Please. Keep doing diets and you will go up and down in weight like a yo-yo.

A diet is temporary and usually unhealthy. A person can safely lose 1.5 to 2 pounds a week by lifestyle changes. The key is lifestyle. You are making changes in your life, for the long term. Not one week. Not three days. Eating healthy is forever.

So throw away those Atkins books, the Zone diets, and the South Beach diet guides. Start making changes in your daily routine that you can consistently do in the long run. Yes, you can have that brownie, but not the entire tray. Enjoy that handful of chips, but don’t grab the entire bag. Hungry? Have a piece of fruit and go jogging.

A snob has lots of desires, but she will not sacrifice her health to fit into those leather leggings, no matter how hot they may eventually look. The snob is already fabulous.

You may love to jog and your body may already look great, but your body is getting bored! It’s like eating the same meal every day, all year long. Just like your tongue, your muscles also have a palate that deserves respect and variety. We’ve talked about savoring your foods, so now let’s give your body something to appreciate as well. Here’s a way to make sure you add new challenges to your exercising so that your body gets a great workout.

Every two weeks, try a new exercise or activity. If you switch from doing yoga to doing pilates, you will notice that new muscles are working and firing up. Even changing the type of yoga exercise will give your muscles a run for their money. Bikram yoga anyone? By doing this, you end up building more muscles and burning more calories. If you are an avid jogger, switching your routine and going on a mountain hike can get your heart pounding and quadriceps trembling in a way that’s both refreshing to your body and your outlook on physical activity. If you are a gym buff, try two weeks on the elliptical, and then move to the treadmill. Then swim. Go cycling. Play soccer. Then try out volleyball.

The more you challenge your body to try new things, the greater strength, stamina, agility, flexibility, and endurance you will develop. Not only will you look good, but you will feel awesome. Plus, you end up learning all types of great exercises, activities, and challenges to make sure you’ll never get bored.

Forget those diets and fasting sessions. If you want to fit into a beautiful Diane von Furstenburg sundress and killer Christian Louboutin sandals this summer, then work on these three elements.

1. Nutrition What goes in must come out. You don’t get thin by eating donuts and drinking diet soda. Surprisingly, people think they are eating healthy and find out they are actually eating a LOT more than they assume. Most people under estimate their caloric intake by 1000 calories a day. Start looking at those nutrition labels and start eating FRESH foods. Also, ease up on the portions. You know this. Now do it.

2. Exercise If you don’t have a routine, you aren’t pressured to join a gym and do the mundane elliptical machine forever and ever. Find a physical activity you love to do and commit to do it a couple times a week. Throw in strength training. The more you move, the more your body works and burns off those calories.

3. Support Having a buddy to run with or to talk you out of eating the entire bag of chocolate covered pretzels is priceless. Some find personal trainers, or some pair up with friends who have the same goals. You become accountable for what you do, and vice versa.

It’s summer, and time to show more skin as the temperature rises. So start making goals that will show benefits as you step on the beach! A personal trainer from 24-hour fitness designed a way to make great goals. The key to goals is being S.M.A.R.T.

Simple Make sure that you state exactly what you want to achieve without a lot of complex ideas.

Measurable Establish what you want to achieve in ways that can be measured. Do you want to drop a size or two? How about losing 10 pounds? Maybe fitting into those skinny jeans again. By setting goals that can be measured, you can tell if they are actually being met.

Achievable Can this be accomplished? Your goals have to be something you can do based on a plan that is established and committed to.

Realistic There is no way that you can lose 10 pounds in one week in a healthy manner. Establish goals that you can really do, and believe you can do it.

Time Sensitive Set a time frame in which you want your goals to be achieved. Remember, you can have multiple short and long term goals with different time frames. Everytime you reach a new goal, set another one, and keep challenging yourself.

Now start setting the goals and go forth towards the healthiest summer yet!

As Carrie Bradshaw states beautifully, “Shopping is my cardio.”  While I try to visit the mall every week, my wallet does not appreciate my obsession with fashion and pretty things. So how can we fit in more physical activity into our busy lifestyles? The surgeon general recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day, such as walking. Whether you are walking your dog or parking further away from the mall so you can walk more, there are ample opportunities on a daily basis to fit in some physical activity.

The good news is that physical activity is cumulative, so you can double up on the weekends by taking an hour hike somewhere or adding an extra pilates workout during the weekend. Some suggestions to further increase physical activity to your day is taking the stairs instead of the elevator, work out while watching your favorite reality show, or walking to your coworker’s office instead of emailing her if you have a question.

Check out Fitness Online for several resources on yoga and strengthening workouts as well as finding your body mass index, ideal weight, and how many calories you burn during certain activities.

Making that conscious effort to do a little more for your body will pay off in the long run. Just imagine how great you feel when you can look yourself in the mirror and love what you see back.