There’s no denying that spring has finally arrived, Boise. And that means summer—and swimsuit weather—is right around the corner. If that just caused a fluttering sensation in your stomach, don’t worry. There’s a great new tool kit to help you get into swimsuit shape, all at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home. My Trainer Fitness has teamed with the formidable Carla Birnberg, aka MizFitOnline, to create two easy-to-follow six packs of fitness cards, 100 Calorie Workouts and At Work.
If you’re not familiar with MizFitOnline, you can click on this link and get acquainted. But here’s what the Boise Healthy Living Examiner can tell you about Carla: She understands the challenges of a busy, working mom, as well as the simultaneous struggle and need to squeeze fitness into the equation. Her energy is infectious. She genuinely cares about the community she works so hard to create. As a former personal trainer, she knows her fitness inside and out. Her down-to-earth, “real mama” personality is a refreshing change from the long line of cookie cutter Barbies in the fitness field. To wit, she sports a rather detailed tattoo of Dr. Suess characters strewn down one leg, so elaborate that some have mistaken her body art for tights.
Most importantly, Carla has a real passion for reaching out to all who will listen and could benefit from her unique talent/knowledge equation. One thing Carla really loved about being a personal trainer was the one on one environment, but she realized that the cost could be prohibitive to some, even in a group dynamic, and she hated the idea of seeing those in need slip through the proverbial cracks. So she founded MizFitOnline as a way to reach more people with her message, that “fitness isn’t about fitting in.”
And then, as they say, she was off and running, hypothetically, on her Suess-tattooed legs.
The collaboration with My Trainer Fitness was a natural one. “I wanted to come up with a way to convey to people what I do for workouts, as I am frequently asked,” she says. “The idea was to create a circuit workout that can be made more or less challenging by changing positions, or adding resistance bands or weights. I wanted it to be carried easily for travel, or just plain life on the go. And I also wanted them to be cost effective. At $12, I think it’s something most people can afford, and you can use and reuse and tweak and shift around the workouts forever.”
And, truly, that’s the beauty of this product. You get six different workouts, all easily explained and demonstrated by Carla on the cards and clipped together with a handy carabiner, that you can mix and match as you like. The result is an effective circuit training workout that requires minimum time and equipment. In fact, if it’s just you, some open space, and the cards, you’re good to go. If you want to add dumb bells, or soup cans, or books, you can do that. If you want to increase repetitions, you can do that, too. Or don’t. It’s all up to you.
Carla was drawn to the card format because although she loves the variety of fitness DVDs, she finds that they can be limiting. Like many work at home moms, her day to day routine is, well, anything but routine. Slipping in a DVD isn’t always possible when there’s room for a workout on the agenda. So the cards are perfect. “Before these, I knew I had enough exercises in my repertoire to create circuits, yet I never did that. It was just too much thinking for me. With the cards, I can pick and choose which routine to do, and they’re all there for me in a tiny package which doesn’t take up space in my bag.” She adds that she does a traditional workout with the cards about three days a week, with other exercises thrown into the mix depending on her needs, and those of her child, each day.
The two titles featuring Carla are just part of the My Trainer Fitness line of workout cards. At Work is geared toward professionals who only have snippets of time throughout the day and can’t change into workout clothes. The 100 Calorie Workouts pack features a quick (20 minute) routine on each card, easy enough to fit into your day for quick toning, or combine for an allover workout. You can also find titles geared specifically for kids, men, at home, and outdoor workouts. So far, they’re only available online. But don’t let that stop you. Click here for more details on how to order.
Now, who says the approach of swimsuit season is so scary? Shuffle up a new workout each day and you’ll be feeling fitter in no time. Want a chance to win both At Work and the 100 Calorie Workout packs? Carla’s doing a giveaway on her blog—click on this link for details.
Talk it up:
What do you think of My Trainer Fitness card packs featuring MizFitOnline?
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