Fitness

Why give the gift of Fitness & Wellness this holiday season?

Because December is one of the best times to get inspired and motivated for better health. First of all, January is right around the corner along with all your resolutions that you may or may not make until the very last minute. 2nd, December marks the month of persuasion. Convince someone you love (or just like a lot) to feel better, look better and MOVE MORE by forcing them to unwrap a gift that will jump start their journey. They won't complain as long as it's stylish.

Check out the fit gifts I featured on CBS's "Live From The Couch" show in the video above. I love taking fitness on television, including all the amazing fit companies whose products I'm so in love with. I usually don't get too nervous in front of the camera but CBS's Live From The Couch show is craaaaazy! Lotsa cameras, lotsa lights and lotsa of hurried ACTION! 

But talking about fitness trends is what I do best. It gives me...

Remember when Tracy Anderson trained Madonna? Gone are those days. Enter Nicole Winhoffer, who's actually been working with Madonna for a while...but it was kept under wraps until the duo released their newest fitness DVD--Addicted To Sweat. Nicole is a dark angel with a fitness hex.

In my opinion, she's like the Rihanna of fitness. She's a confident bad-ass whose star keeps rising no matter what you have to say about it. Her irreverence towards existing fitness trends and trainers who think they know it all is compelling. Her sense of pride and accomplishment is enviable.

READ MY CELEBRITY SWEAT INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE WINHOFFER

Nicole who is a mix of Filipino and German, went from assisting on Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour to becoming Madonna's primary trainer, to then becoming the Creative Director of Hard Candy Fitness Gyms (founded by Madonna). She is the reason Madonna stays svelte, on beat and full of youth despite her 50+ years.

When I asked Nicole...

Q.Nicole, you are Madonna's secret no more! Can you share your dance-fitness journey with us?
A.
I started dancing at 7 years old. I studied jazz, hip hop, freestyle, and contemporary dance as well as musical theater. At the age of 17, I booked my first job - Broadway's 1st National tour of 42nd Street! From there I went to Broadway in Bombay Dreams, and then to the biggest Broadway musical in the world--Wicked!

I decided to leave Wicked to broaden my mind-body connection. I studied acting and went to a conservatory for 2 years. I was broke. I catered. I bartended. I stopped dancing and began furiously working out in the gym creating my own workouts. It was here that I applied my existing knowledge of performance, dance technique, and acting exercises to create my own ways of working out.

In 2009, I was given the opportunity to assist on Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour. I immersed myself in anatomy, physiology, and the body and I am now Madonna's primary...

I hate to see Thanksgiving pass because it's my favorite holiday.

Thanksgiving week helps me reflect on what I have and don't have in my life. There was a time I only yearned for what I did not have...for a future full of amazing things that would make my life better. I've since learned, the future is now and the only thing that makes my life better is filling it with love. Take a look at the moments for which I'm eternally thankful and my tips for maintaining a grateful vibe post-thanksgiving.

Don't forget!

After viewing my thankful moments, please take a second to tell me about one of yours in the comments section at the way bottom. I'll pick a winner for a very nice winter fitness prize. More than anything, I like to hear your stories of gratitude because YOU (my readers) are my inspiration.

The Moments For Which There Aren't Enough Thank You's

So thankful for: My good friend Megan Hutt who rushed to my side to help me set up for a Thanksgiving-Fitness...

Mayor Bloomberg caved and canceled the ING NYC Marathon. I won't lie, I was upset. After being evacuated and homeless for over a week because of Hurricane Sandy's hit, the marathon was the 1 thing I looked forward to.

That's me and my boyfriend on the Metro North Train escaping Manhattan to find a warm and safe place to stay.

But sometimes you have to accept the things you cannot change in order to summon the courage to change the things you can. My story begins with the outfit I did not get to wear for the marathon that never happened.

I had planned on dressing colorfully in Lorna Jane running apparel. I tested every piece of apparel during practice runs to make sure I'd be comfortable and temperature appropriate. What you don't see is the Vaseline I had planned on lube-ing my feet with, the Swiftwick Pulse Zero socks that I swear by even though they're pricey, and the ibungee speed laces (30") that I will now never run without. Oddly, I discovered that...