Whether your reading a fitness magazine, talking to a friend, or hearing about a celebrity’s latest workout, fitness myths are everywhere! Aside from an overload of information, we risk injuring ourselves if we listen to the wrong advice. Our team of fitness experts decided to explore the most popular myths and clear the air so you can train the right way. Here’s what the experts have to say:

True or False? Muscle weighs more than fat.

Answer: False. One pound of muscle weighs the same as one pound of fat! So why do people always insist that muscle is heavier? They’re confusing the density of muscle compared to the density of fat. One pound of muscle literally takes up 3 X LESS space in your body than 1 pound of body fat. The other great thing about building muscle? Every pound of lean muscle mass you build, your body burns an extra 50 fat calories a day, thus boosting your metabolism and turning your body into a fat burning machine!

True or False? I should work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach to burn more fat.

Answer: False. Though there’s nothing wrong with working out in the morning, it’s critical to eat something first to stabilize your blood sugar and prevent your body from becoming hypoglycemic and burning lean muscle mass during your workout. Remember while you are sleeping at night, your body is in fasting mode and so it’s critical to re-fuel first thing in the morning. Not a breakfast eater? Even a ½ of a balanced protein bar or protein smoothie is better than not eating at all. Having a balanced meal or snack complete with protein, carbohydrate and fat prior to your meal sets your body up to burn fat only during your workout and will protect your lean muscle mass (which in turn increases your metabolism!).

True or False? I only need to eat right and do cardio to get lean

Answer: False. It’s true that the foundation of any healthy lifestyle is great nutrition, and the right cardio can protect lean muscle and burn body fat. You also need to strength train to build lean muscle mass and increase your metabolism. Remember lean muscle mass burns body fat, builds bone density and will help you to create the lean toned physique your after. We recommend that you work with a personal trainer or physical therapist to create a full body strength training routine for best results.

True or False? I need to train my abdominals every day for best results.

Answer: False. Your abdominals are like any other muscle group; they need adequate rest and recovery in order to develop and to prevent injury. Toned and strong abs stem from proper nutrition and consistent cardiovascular exercise (both of which burn the fat covering the abdominal muscles). The last piece of the puzzle is proper training. Aim to train your abs every other day or 2-3 times per week with a variety of exercises to strengthen and build your core.

True or False? I don’t need to strength train if I’m doing yoga regularly.

Answer: False. Though yoga is incredibly beneficial for strength, toning, stretching and peace of mind, a regular weight training routine is critical for great results. Weight bearing exercises help to build lean muscle and bone mass and will help you to burn more body fat. Adding strength training into your routine, along with yoga is ideal.

True or False? If I’m out of breath during cardio, I’m getting an effective workout

Answer: Not necessarily. There is a time and place for an intense cardio routine. This type of intense, out of breath cardio is called interval training and does require a lack of oxygen in order to be most effective. What most people don’t know is interval training should only be performed a few times a week (and only if you are physically fit). The challenge most people have is they over-exert themselves during EVERY cardio session and are always out of breath. These same people can’t achieve the fat burning results they are looking for. Red fiber or fat burning training is critical and the base of a great cardiovascular routine. To burn fat most effectively you should never be out of breath . In fact a good rule of thumb is you should be breaking a great sweat and also be able to hold a conversation. It is critical to work both red fiber (fat burning) and white fiber (sugar burning, interval ) training into your routine. Please see your online member handbook for complete details on how to perform both types of cardio correctly and get ready for the best results of your life!

Your at the gym with the intention of getting in a full workout; your cardio exercise and your weight training routine.  The question is, "which should you do first?".  Both cardio and weights are necessary to build lean muscle mass and burn fat to reach your goals.  The way to get the best results?  Weight train first, then follow it with your cardio.

By weight training first, your able to put your all into it, and really make the most of your workout.  If you hit the treadmill or stair climber first and try to follow it with your lifting routine, your resistance workout will suffer. It all comes back to blood sugar stabilization- if you exhaust your sugar stores with cardio first, you won't have anything left for a great lifting routine.

So if you typically begin your workout with cardio, try weight training first to get a better workout and faster results.  A few tips for success:

-A 5 minute walk on the treadmill to warm up prior to weights, followed by your full cardio routine is ideal

-Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and prevent exhaustion

-If you find that you "crash" mid workout, a few bites of a protein bar will help to restore your blood sugar levels.  And remember that the best way to prevent a dip in blood sugar during a workout is to eat a balanced meal or snack before and after your routine.

Your BMI (body mass index) is a measurement of health based upon the ratio between your weight and height.  Alot of people falsely believe that if they are in the "safe zone", they are healthy and free of risk from disease.  The truth is, this outdated measurement does not take into account one's body fat vs. lean muscle mass, which is most important in determining one's risk of disease and overall health. 

So what can you do to keep yourself healthy and aware?  First of all, take the number on the scale and your BMI with a grain of salt.  For a more accurate measurement of success, use a good body fat scale to see how much of your body is fat vs. lean muscle mass.  You can also have someone do measurements in places like your waist and hip (this ratio is important in relation to obesity related diseases), your thigh, bicep, calf, etc.  A good personal trainer should be able to help you to take accurate and regular measurements.

Everyone should get regular blood work done including fasting blood sugar levels, cholesterol, blood pressure and even thyroid levels.  Check with your physician to make sure you are on track with all of your blood work and make sure to get it checked regularly. 

If your blood work comes back unfavorably or your body fat percentage is higher than what it should be, now's the time to take action.  Venice Nutirtion can help you to not only achieve the body  you want, but lower your body fat, increase your lean muscle mass and metabolism, increase your energy and improve your health which may help to prevent disease.  We will provide you with the health plan, tools and most importantly the support you need to shift your health in a positive direction. 

Alot of people, particularly women, fear that weight training and eating clean will lead them to get big and bulky.  This misconception actually prevents some peopl from working out and eating well, thus sabotaging their efforts to be lean and fit.  The truth is muscle actually takes up 3 times less room than fat.  In other words if you were staring at 5 lbs. of lean muscle mass and 5 lbs. of body fat, the muscle would actually be 3 times smaller.  Muscle does not weigh more than fat (another huge misconception!).  It is just more dense and best of all, muscle is responsible for burning body fat.  Every pound of lean muscle mass burns approximately 50 fat calories a day.  So the more lean muscle mass you have, the leaner and fitter you will be!

That being said, some people, including some women, have a body type that naturally packs on lean muscle and size.  We believe a muscular body is a beautiful one, but for those that are trying to lean out, it can be frustrating.  Here's what you need to know to lean out but still protect your lean muscle mass.

Eating clean should be your number one goal for the reason listed above; it helps you to protect lean muscle which takes up much less room than fat.  Most importantly, it helps you to burn fat faster.  People who look bulky usually have great lean muscle mass but it is covered up by a layer of fat, thus adding too much "bulk".  Eat clean to reduce your body fat.

Add the right cardio.  Make sure that your doing both your red fiber and white fiber training.  Not sure of the difference?  Check out the exercise section in your online handbook under the Help/Support Tab.  Doing the right kind of cardio, the right way will help you to lean out and boost your metabolism.  Believe it or not, not all cardio is created equal!

Weight train the right way.  Even if your naturally muscular, you still need to have a resistance training routine to keep your metabolism revved up and to burn body fat.  The key is working with a personal trainer or expert who can customize a routine specific to keep you lean, not bulk you up.  Typically this includes lifting lighter weight with higher repetitions.  For example, instead of 3 sets of heavy squats at 10 reps, you may want to do squats on air (lifting only your body weight) on a bosu ball to engage your balancing muscles until fatigue.  Applying this principal overall can help you to burn fat, protect muscle and lean out.  We also recommend looking into yoga and pilates to stay limber and elongate the muscles.

Lastly, make sure to stretch.  Not only does it prevent injury, it also helps to elongate your muscles.

Like we mentioned before, we envy a muscular, fit body!   Your goals are your own and if one of them includes leaning out and preventing bulk, the tips above should help you to achieve that.  Good luck!

If you've ever felt initmidated in the gym, you are not alone.  Usually this leads to quitting the gym altogether and plenty of excuses.  In fact, most likely your still paying for a membership that you don't even use!  Our team have been in and out of health clubs all over the country for years and it's one of our goals to help our members feel comfortable enough to get their money's worth at a gym and get in a great workout.  Here are some suggestions.

1. Choose a gym that you feel comfortable in right away. If your new to the gym scene, you may want to avoid a health club that is only geared towards athletes and the same goes if your a seasoned gym goer.  Look for a place that you feel at home in.

2. If you can help it, avoid peak times- usually this is 7-9 am in the morning and 5-7 pm at night.  This is when the gym is most likely to be packed,, and if your already intimidated, waiting around for machines can make you feel even more uncomfortable.

3. Dress for success.  Wear gym clothing that you feel comfortable and good about yourself in.  It will be hard to concentrate on chest presses if your tugging on your clothing the whole time.

4.  Hire a personal trainer or ask the sales team for a free walk through and how to use the equipment.  Understanding how the equipment works gives you focus and confidence.

5.  Find a workout buddy.  Enlist a friend, neighbor or co-worker to join you at the gym for morale, a good spot and someone to talk to.

6.  Bring your ipod and listen to music that makes you feel good and takes your mind off everyone surrounding you.

7.  If you see someone who looks friendly or is doing a unique exercise, don't be afraid to say hello.  Chances are, if they are a fitness fanatic, they will be more than happy to "show off" their moves and help you.  If they are new to the scene like you are, they will most likely be relieved to find a friend.

8. Write out your workout plan before you leave the house so you have a map to follow and feel like you have some direction.

9.  Walk in with the right attitude!  Remember that your in the gym to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.  Your not there to worry about what anyone thinks about you and to be honest, they're probably not really thinking about you at all because they are so focused on themselves!  One of the biggest misconceptions is the fear that, "everyone's looking at me!".  Not true.  If everyone was focused on everyone else, who would have time to get in shape?

Good luck!

After struggling with frequent low back and glute pain, I finally started to see an excellent physical therapist.  I was shocked to learn that "weak abdominals", specifically weak transverse abdominals were largely to blame for my discomfort.  Why was I shocked?  I had been training my abs and core with a well rounded and diverse routine since the age of 15 years old and I had the six pack abs to prove it!  Turns out, though my rectis abdominals (the six pack) were strong, the transverse abs, which are responsible for supporting and protecting my low back, were never really targeted through my years of training.

So why should you train your transverse abs?  Well for starters, having strong muscles in this area will protect and support your back through rigorous training, hours sitting in an office chair at work and keeping up with your family.  I learned the hard way that you can look fit and strong and actually be weak.....very humbling!  Some ways to test to see if your transverse abs are weak?  Does your back hurt after sitting for extended periods of time in an office chair?  Does your back hurt after long walks or being on your feet?  Ultimately if your transverse abs are weak, your back and glute have to work overtime to compensate and this leads to pain.

There are many ways to train your transverse abdominals and you should always work with a great personal trainer or a physical therapist.  Check references, training certificates, and years of experience.  I recommend working with a physical therapist who specifically does "body work" and myofascial release training.  Some of the exercises I now include daily in my routine include "100's" (anyone who does pilates will know that one!), scissors with legs in the air and a resistance band wrapped around my ankles, and mini crunches with a nerf ball to support my low back.  Most important, I've learned how to purse my lips and breathe correctly to specifically target the transverse abs and make my workout that much more efficient. 

If your struggling with back pain, I highly recommend that you seek out a professional.  I've learned that there's no reason to struggle through the pain (I was always a believer of no pain,  no gain until the pain got to be too much to stand and I couldn't work out at all!).  It takes only minutes to properly train your core to prevent injury and pain.  I'm also happy to report that my new ab routine has my abs looking better than ever!

Valerie Cogswell

Nutrition Coach and Head Chef

No money for the gym?  No problem.  You can get an effective (and free!) workout anywhere, anytime.  All you need to do is get creative.  Below are our favorite and affordable ways and places to break a sweat.

Hit the beach.  You'll engage more muscle fiber and burn more fat due to the sand's naturally uneven surface.  Whether you choose a walk, a run or a game of volleyball, you'll get an excellent workout.

Take the stairs and not just in your office building.  If you have access to a set of stairs like at an apartment complex or outdoor park, incorporate them into your cardio routine for better glutes and legs.

Invest in portable and inexpensive equipment like resistance bands, medicine balls, small dumbells, an aerobics step, etc.  Create a simple home gym complete with a mirror so you can check your form.  You can even pack the resistance bands when you travel or bring to work for a quick mid-lunch workout.  Even a sturdy chair creates a great base for tricep diips, push ups and stretching.

Hiking is a fun and effective way to burn alot of calories and enjoy the outdoors with a friend.

Organize a walking or running group with friends, neighbors or family and hit the pavement.

Workout videos that feature pilates, yoga, ab routines or aerobic workouts are inexpensive and can easily be done in your living room at home.

Remember, you don't need to invest in a gym to get a great workout!

A member recently wrote to us and asked for some advice.  "My family and I are getting ready to take a week long vacation to the beach.  I know what kind of food to pack for our mini kitchen.  What I'm struggling with is how to make our days at the beach alot healthier.  Mine usually includes mindless munching while watching the kids.  Please help!"

We're happy to help.  The beach is the perfect place to stay fit.  Because you already mentioned that you pack or buy food at the local supermarket to stock your fridge and pantry, we wanted to share our staples with you.  Our grocery list includes protein powder, protein bars, fresh fruit, nuts, skim milk, fresh veggies and salad fixings, lean low sodium deli meat, cheese, eggs, chicken, shrimp, whole wheat pasta and whole grain wraps.  Your doing a great job by having some healthy foods on hand. As far as packing for the beach, why not try a simple deli turkey wrap with a slice of cheddar or avocado for fat with lettuce, tomato, and onions on a whole grain wrap.  It's easy, delicious and balanced.  And chances are your used to packing a cooler for your kids anyway.  For quick snacks, try a protein bar, string cheese and fruit or even edamame, which is great for mindless munching.

Speaking of mindless munching, you may just need something to keep your hands occupied.  Now's the perfect time to relax by the water with a great book or crossword puzzle.  Bring something to keep your hands busy and prevent you from overeating. 

As far as working out, nothing is as beautiful or fun as walking the beach.  The sand is naturally an uneven surface, which forces your balancing muscles in the lower half of your body to work harder, thus burning more fat in less time.  A simple walk, light run or even volleyball game won't feel like a workout and is a great way to stay in shape.

At night, take advantage if you have access to a grill.  Toss your favorite veggies like asparagus, portabello mushrooms, peppers, onion or zucchini in olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Grill with your favorite lean protein like pork tenderloin, fish, shrimp or chicken.  Serve with a green salad and you have a delicious and healthy meal. 

Have a great vacation!

As you probably have heard by now stress and weight gain go hand in hand, thanks to our hormones. The good news is, anyone, and I mean anyone, can beat stress if they want to.  I interviewed a handful of my clients, friends and our nutrition and fitness experts to get their take on how they relaaaaxxxx.  Read on.

"No matter what, before I go to bed at night, I read a good book.  Nothing that requires alot of thought, just a simple, easy to read novel by one of my favorite authors.  It clears my head and I end up focusing on the characters in the book instead of my own hectic life, and this helps me go to sleep faster and stay asleep!"  Kimberly

"I used to stress out about what to eat, but as a member of this program I now know what to do.  Then I started stressing about how I would get my meals in, have the food on hand and basically make it all work.  Then I came up with a plan.  Every Sunday I spend an hour and a half prepping easy foods in bulk for the week- my grilled chicken, some veggies, some sweet potatoes.  Then I throw all of it in containers, and the food is always on hand.  No excuses, no stress."  Jaclyn

"I hit the gym after work.  I sweat it out and take my stress out through my workouts.  I've gotten some of my best workouts that way."  Steve

"I used to think massage was an indulgence, but now I call it health maintenance.  I'm active and I've learned that not only do I look better, get faster results and prevent strains and pains with deep tissue massage, but I also get my stress out.  Honestly, what other activity can you do where you just lie on a table and get taken care of and actually reap helathy rewards from it? I can't tell you how much I look forward to that one hour every two weeks."  Mel

"Dinner and movie night.  My wife and I do this religiously and it honestly erases the work week every time."  Jack

Valerie Cogswell

Head Chef and Nutrition Coach

Do you know how to beat fatigue and make the most out of your workout? The truth is that if you walk into a gym with low blood sugar, it is nearly impossible to burn body fat and protect your lean muscle, which is the point of any great workout!  So set your body up for success with the right nutrition before you even hit the gym. 

You should strive to eat a meal or snack one hour within working out, that is balanced in protein, carbohydrate and fat.  The goal is to feel satisfied and not full after the meal and to fuel your body for your tough workout. 

Here's how to handle some challenges along the way:

Even if your not a "breakfast person"  but like to work out in the a.m. you should still get a quick, balanced meal or snack in to get your metabolism going.  Try even just a 1/2 protein bar (one that has a balance of protein,carbohydrate and fat), a smoothie made of protein powder, skim or soy milk, fruit and peanut butter or nuts, or even string cheese and fruit.  The goal is to eat something with a balance of protein,carbohydrate and fat, even if it's only a few bites.  You can always eat again once you return from your workout.  You should never be weak or starving during or following a workout. This is a clear sign that your blood sugar is low and your body may be fueling on lean muscle instead of fat!

If you have a weak stomach and worry about feeling sick during your workout after a meal, aim for a half meal (cut each ingredient in the meal in half equally) or something light like a smoothie or string cheese and fruit. 

If you like to train after work or mid-afternoon and worry about not being prepared, make sure to pack a protien bar or quick snack in the morning or the night before so you can munch on it before your workout.

And lastly, don't forget the water!  Staying hydrated will help you from feeling too fatigued or dehydrated during your workout.  A balanced meal sets the tone for an effective workout and optimal results.

As a nutrition coach and fitness enthusiast, one of the questions I am most often asked is, "How do I get great abs?".  Just ask anyone with a perfect six pack or flat and toned abdominals that question, and the one answer you WONT get is "Just do more crunches".  Sadly, that's one of the biggest mistakes I see; people  needlessly over-training their abdominals in hopes of fast results.  As many of you know, the only thing this method does is waste alot of precious time! 

Here's what you need to know to get great abs.  For starters, your diet is everything when it comes to getting flat and built abdominals.  I know you've heard us say it time and time again.  Stabilize your blood sugar consistently and your body will become a fat burning machine.  Improve your quality of foods (see your quality of food chart under your help support tab) and your body will become an even faster fat burning machine.  When your body is a fat burning machine, you lose body fat all over, including your mid section.  In all my years in this industry, I've yet to meet anyone with a six pack that has a terrible diet (unless you count the lucky few "genetically gifted" individuals out there.  Sadly, I'm not one of them!).

Next, cardio is critical to reveal any abdominal muscle you do have.  The trick with cardio is to train both your red and white muscle fibers for optimal results.  See your help support tab within your program for details on how to perform cardiovascular activity correctly.  Remember you can build great abdominal muscles and without the right cardio routine to melt the fat on top, no one will be able to see them! 

Next, crunches and abdominal work are very effective.....if done correctly.  A strong core routine will provide the foundation you need not only for great looking abs and also for injury prevention.  Invest in a personal trainer or a good book on abdominal training to learn  how to train your entire core in a variety of ways. There is a whole big world of ab exercises out there besides the traditional crunch!

What else do you need to know?  A big secret those who do have envy-worthy abs know:  Abdominals are like any other muscle; they must be properly exercised and PROPERLY RECOVERED to grow. Translation: train abs every other day or a total of 3 times per week so that your muscles have time to recover.  You wouldn't train your hamstrings every day so why over-train your abs?  Without proper recovery, your abs will never reach their full potential.

Sleep is another one of those overlooked but critical components to great abs; and a great body for that matter!  Restful, consistent sleep aids in recovery and is the foundation for a toned mid-section.  Again, see your help support tab for tips on how to create a good night's sleep.  Don't forget to check out this blog too- there's plenty of great tips here that will help.

And lastly, add what I like to call the "extras".  Being properly hydrated will flush out water weight and give you a flatter midsection.  Avoiding sodium and high sodium foods will help eliminate excess water weight and bloat too. 

Great abs are typically a combination of an optimal nutrition plan centered on blood sugar stabilization, a great ab routine, an efficient cardiovascular plan that includes both fat burning and interval training, consistent sleep and the "extras".  One thing to remember; though genetics determine alot of how we look, we each have the control to make the most of our bodies by the choices we make.  Good luck!

Valerie Cogswell

Head Chef and Nutrition Coach

One of our goals at Venice Nutrition is to teach you how to use your time efficiently, particularly when your working out.  Let's face it; time is precious and if your taking an hour out of your day to invest in your body and health you should learn how to make every minute count. 

So why is a heart rate monitor so important?  Have you ever seen someone at the gym who trains every day yet their body never changes? Maybe he or she slaves away on the treadmill or in an aerobics class with no noticable results?  This is a great example of someone not using their time efficiently.  A heart rate monitor can help you to avoid this!

A heart rate monitor is typically a chest or wrist strap along with a "watch" that reads your heart beats per minute.  By monitoring your heart rate and staying in your individual "heart rate zone" you can ensure that you are breaking down body fat and protecting your hard earned lean muscle mass.  This is called red fiber of fat burning training, meaning training at a pace that you are breaking a great sweat but not out of breath.  Your individual target heart rate is given to you inside your personal plan.

We also need to train our "fast twitch" muscle fibers otherwise known as white fiber training.  This includes interval training; which can have a major and positive affect on your results, but only if done correctly.  Your heart rate monitor ensures that you are hitting the right intervals and making the most of the workout. 

See your personalized plan to get your target heart rate and make sure to read the cardiovascular sections in your online manual to learn how to perform both fat burning and interval training corrrectly.  Remember your time is important, and your results depend on it!

This time of year alot of my clients, myself included, travel for pleasure.  All too often, I see people try to go into "strict mode" with their nutrition and fitness leading up to their vacation and as soon as they get to their destination, all bets are off!  We are all guilty of this; we eat and drink to excess and blow off exercising altogether.  The challenge is how sluggish, discouraged and heavy we feel once we get home.  To counter this, I like to give my clients the "fast four" tips to bring with them on their trip so they stay in control and maintain their results while away.  First, I recommend to pack the right "tools"; plenty of protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, protein powder, and water for the plane or car ride and for quick snacks inbetween meals.  The second rule of thumb is to drink more water than usual to ward off bloating and fatigue and to prevent overeating.  The third rule is to have only one "off" meal per day.  For example, if you know that you plan on having a big dinner with drinks, aim to eat a balanced breakfast and lunch with snacks inbetween (for ideas look through your meal plan book and don't be afraid to ask your server for healthy suggestions).  Lastly, aim for "fun" exercise every other day. Maybe it's a walk on the beach or kayaking lessons; take advantage of your new surroundings!  The "fast four" will keep you in control of your body and your health even while having the time of your life on vacation!  Remember, your goal is not necessarily to achieve any new goals while away, but to simply maintain all that you have worked so hard for.  Have a great trip!

Valerie Cogswell

Head Chef and Nutrition Coach

As much experience as our team of nutrition and fitness professionals have working out in the gym, we know that the same old routine day in and day out can get stale, both mentally and physically.  By changing your workouts and trying new classes and endeavors, you can avoid the dreaded “plateau” that so many of us get caught up on.  How do you find something new that you’ll actually enjoy?  Re-discover what you loved as a kid.  Maybe it was dancing, roller blading or swimming.  Chances are these are still activities that you’ll thrive in to this day.  Find a new workout trainer or friend to keep your workouts fresh.  Some of the easiest ways to scout out a new partner is to speak to your gym and ask if they have a “buddy” system or could suggest someone to pair you up with.  Talk to people in your health club to see what trainers have the best track record and are a good match for you.  And don’t forget to grab a copy of the fitness class calendar that comes out each month and give a few new classes a try.  Many people find that a fun and structured class is just what they need to get to that next level.  Change can be intimidating for many of us and it always gets easier.  Keep your mind open to exploring new activities and your body will thank you for it.

We all know how challenging it can be to fit in a half- hour to an hour a day of exercise. And most of us also know how important that hour of exercise is both mentally and physically.  That hour is your “me time” and it is incredibly important.  It’s your time to unwind and relax.  Physically that hour keeps your bones healthy, strengthens your muscles and immune system and brings you one step closer to the physique you’re trying to achieve.  So how can we all find the time to fit exercise into our hectic day?  The first step is considering your workout a “necessary” part of the day, just like brushing your teeth or paying bills.  Take the time each day to add it to your appointment book (in ink!) and you will be more likely to stick to it.  Most of our members find that even if they promise themselves to workout for only 15 minutes, they will keep going because of the endorphins they feel.  Will you have days, even weeks, when your workout schedule becomes irregular, and working out falls a notch on the priority list? Absolutely.  Our best advice for fitting in your “me time” is making yourself a promise to make it happen.  We all have 24 hours in the day; it’s up to us how we choose to use them.