OKC Thunder Cheerleader, Kelsey Williams, Under Attack

Thanks to my FB page, earlier this week someone posted a link to a story that broke on The Daily Mail, asking my thoughts.

The accompanying message to her post said: “Did you see this? UGH! Why can’t women in the industry support each other? Disheartening.” And linked to this article where a Houston (go figure!) sportswriter called an OKC Thunder cheerleader “chunky” noting her “pudgy waistline.”

The original article even has a poll that asks people, the general and super mean public, to vote with one of the options being: “She has no business wearing that outfit in front of people.” To me, that’s the worst part.

Let me be very clear: I am not the nicest person. I say dumb and unedited things A LOT, most of the time wishing I had a filter or the ability to retract those statements. I’ve written things I wish I could take back. I’ve taken sarcasm to levels far beyond necessary multiple times. I can’t dance to save my life, as in, I have ZERO rhythm. I have an extreme adoration for cupcakes and Veuve champagne and I too, have a pudgy waistline. (Never has this last statement been more clear than the past month I’ve spent in Hawaii lounging around in bikinis all day everyday watching these tiny-waisted locals surf, skate, skin-board, bike, or run on by.)

Some of my BEST articles have been about professional cheerleaders/dancers in the NFL and MLS and I know how hard these women work to keep their bodies in shape and smiles on their faces even in some of the toughest times.

This Houston writer should have been much more understanding of women’s body issues before writing this, but here’s my kicker:

This is the blogger who picked apart another gal’s appearance.

Shame on her for MULTIPLE reasons, but Anna-Megan Raley calling anyone less than pretty is the equivalent to Tori Spelling picking on Reese Witherspoon’s acting resume – we’ll just leave it at that.

(See what I did there? There went a Lifetime Movie reference…)

Anyways, this post probably isn’t nice either, and I’m not trying to stir any pots as there’s already enough drama in the Houston sports media world, but the picture to the right is the blogger who made fun of the cheerleader. Just proof none of us should make fun of the other. We’ve all had chubby or “pudgy” days, we’ve all worn something and looked back on the outfit in pain and I look hammered in most of my photos. I will say that Raley’s past work has been pretty good, let’s just hope this blogger blooper doesn’t keep her from doing the job she’s still probably pretty qualified for.

Also, WHEN did being a sportswriter result in an “article” at only 151 words? I write longer texts to boys. By no means am I perfect, but if we’re talking about where there’s too much or not enough MEAT, it’s in your ARTICLE, not her midsection.

The cheerleader in question is taking the high road, as she should, posting this message on her Twitter account just a few days ago: “To be womanly always, discouraged never,” which should be a testament to women everywhere.

And lastly, it’s not the 1800′s anymore (nor are you Mark Twain I might add), or maybe I’m just too vain of a person, but who uses pen names anymore? Unless you’re getting paid beaucoup bucks to write for someone else (I’m looking at YOU whoever is writing Lauren Conrad’s books) or you’re seriously embarrassed for people to know what you really think…oh wait…that’s it isn’t it?

And next time I say something mean about someone else (unless they are on the Dallas Cowboys roster), please remind me of my own rant. In all honesty, we all go that extra mile to drive web traffic, but none of us, myself included, are better than anyone else. Unless you’re A.J. McCarron’s girlfriend because she’s better than pretty much all of us.

Note, this story about the unwarranted criticism from Raley or Crawford or whatever her name is, even made US Weekly, and Good Morning America. As a writer looking for fame and your byline in new places, something tells me this wasn’t on her hit list.

The Blonde Side’s Photoshoot with Jamie Leigh Photography

It’s no secret Lindsay Lohan is a trainwreck nor is it that The Blonde Side loves photoshoots. Actually, it’s become quite a sick obsession. Whether it’s for an upcoming magazine feature, something on the blog or just for the hell of sporting a new lululemon outfit or tutu, The Blonde Side has worked with a number of local photographers over the years hoping to showcase her stylish yet sporty side – all in one pretty lil’ image.

This latest set is from an amazing shoot with Jamie Leigh Photography taken at Memorial Park a few weeks ago. Hair and makeup by the amazing Andrea Simmons of FaceForward Weddings and champagne and balloons were added to help loosen things up. And it was Friday, so why not?

The photoshoot was fab and fun and all that good and glittery stuff in between.

Like what you see? What say you? YOU WANT YOUR VERY OWN PHOTOSHOOT WITH THE AMAZING JAMIE LEIGH BECKWITH? Here’s your chance to get your VERY OWN photoshoot with the talented photog.

TO ENTER IS SIMPLE:

Go to the photo gallery on Facebook and comment on your favorite picture. Once

The Blonde Side’s Photoshoot with Jamie Leigh Photography

you’ve done that, you will automatically be entered to win a FREE photoshoot IN HOUSTON with Beckwith and her amazing lens and creativity. As an added bonus (sorry if we’re starting to sound like a midnight infomercial here, but we’re excited!), if you LIKE the FB page for FaceForward Weddings you’ll also get a complimentary mini hair and makeup session to accompany your brand new amazing FREE photoshoot.

You will also get an extra entry for LIKING each of the 3 FB pages: The Blonde Side, Jamie Leigh Photography, & FaceForward Weddings (if you already like them, it will still count).

And leave a comment on this blog post for one final entry too.

The Blonde Side’s Photoshoot with Jamie Leigh Photography

One lucky and random winner will be selected at the end of this week and announced via FB.

All good? Ok, go LIKE your favorite photo.

Polite Reminder: The photoshoot must be in Houston, but if you don’t live in the area keep in mind this would be a badass gift as you can surprise a friend or family member with this prize, as long as it’s within Houston City Limits. So be thinking “Birthday Present” or a “Random Act of Kindness” to pass along, etc.

The Blonde Side reserves all rights for this contest (i.e. if you’re a jackoff to anyone involved, that won’t be cool).

The winner must set up an appointment time within 60 days of notice of winning with the photographer and the hair and makeup that is provided through winning this contest. Keep in mind, these are busy gals with huge businesses, so planning in advance is key and your shoot will be on a first come, first serve basis. Weekday evenings at sunset are probably your best bet. They will only be available on dates they don’t already having bookings, so get your calendars out and coordinate ASAP in order to make this a smooth process. This shoot is what you want it to be, so if you want a family shoot, a boudoir session, a corporate or business headshot, one with your furry animal, etc. be sure to let the photographer know in advance. You will be responsible for any props you’d like at your shoot (i.e. balloons, cupcakes, decorations, etc.).

Boston Marathon Bombing

I can’t take my eyes off the news today. I’m not one to commit myself to violent news scenes and partake in media frenzies often, but this one, the one that took place this afternoon at the Boston Marathon has my full attention.

Maybe it’s because it hit so close to home, having two of my best friends running the race (both are thankfully safe), or maybe it’s because I just signed up for my very first full marathon in Philadelphia later this year and just trying to imagine what I’d be thinking if I were in Boston running today. If you’ve ever run a big race or played in a big game or had to give an important speech, you know all the scary thoughts running through your head. What if I can’t make the full 13.1 miles and my ankle gives out? What if I forget my lines and don’t know what to say and everyone laughs at me? What if I make a bad play and lose the game? Those are thoughts we’ve all had on our own big days as we put so much pressure on ourselves to succeed, but today’s tragic acts show those are the least of our worries, at least for right now.

The Boston Marathon is one of the most storied events in athletic history, dating all the way back to 1897 drawing an estimated spectatorship of 500,00 people and runners from 96 countries. And this marathon is no average marathon; it’s one of six World Marathon Majors where runners must have a qualifying time in order to even lace up their shoes and participate. This was some people’s very first crack at a marathon and this was the final hoorah for many elite runners wishing to go out on top.

The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) stated there were 23,326 official starters and 17,584 finished the race before the first explosion took place around 2:50pm EST, causing remaining racers to divert and evacuate the original course path.

Running a marathon is no piece of cake and it’s not for the faint of hearts either. It takes hard work and dedication, both mentally and physically, in a sport that does not discriminate in age or size or anything else for that matter. To be able to accomplish 26.2 long, hard miles is tough work, and sadly, for those geared up for today’s race, they experienced a nightmare instead of the euphoric finish line they all worked so hard for.

JJ Watt of the Houston Texans and 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year knows just how hard today was and what these athletes were robbed of when he tweeted this:

Today’s 26.2-mile race wasn’t just another race, it stood for something so important to so many people around the world as each mile honored one of the 26 Newtown victims from another recent tragedy. NFL writer, Dan Durkin (@djdurkin) really summed up the violence our nation is currently facing in this tweet:

Sending our children to school and participating in races isn’t something we should ever have to question or dread. But in a time like this, we must remain positive and stick together for the common good; something the running community has long been known for, which was captured on so many Twitter feeds over the past few hours.

Our friends at Runner’s World (@runnersworld) helped spread valuable and timely information to those monitoring the #BostonMarathon hashtag by supplying phone numbers:

Other avid and experienced runners put their common sense and social media into overdrive for the common good, like Kevin K (@kkee20), who suggested this to ABC and his followers:

Runnerspace.com (@runnerspace_com) shared Google’s new people finder so families could easily track their loved ones in or near the course:

Even folks like SB Nation (@sbnation) shared links of stranded race participants in need of a place to stay for the night or trying to connect those with places:

And finally, my vote for most uplifting tweet of the day goes to Pete Manning who had this to say earlier in the day:

Thoughts and prayers to all those affected by today’s tragic events and a sense of thankfulness that our community can band together to help one another in a time like this.

To see the original blog on the Women’s Health Action Hero blog, click here.

To read The Blonde Side | Jayme Lamm’s profile on the Women’s Health Action Hero blog, click here.

HTC Cheerleader Tryout Tips

What it really takes to become an NFL cheerleader: Most Beautiful squad’s coach gives Texans tips

The big day is almost here. Houston Texans Cheerleader tryouts start Saturday.

You’ve detoxed, spray tanned, touched up those roots, whitened your smile and practiced your highest kicks — but there are still a few more things you can do to up your chances of making the beloved Texans’ cheerleader roster. It won’t be easy. The Texans were named the Most Beautiful Cheerleaders in the NFL after all.

Although registration is closed, odds are, you know one hot lady who needs some last minute tips.

I had the chance to chat with Alto Gary, the only cheer coach in the 10-year history of the Texans franchise, about last minute tips for cheerleader hopefuls. Coach Alto has a tough task ahead of her — choosing approximately 32 women out of the expected 1,000-plus who will strut their way into the Methodist Training Center for tryouts. Although she’ll have some help thanks in part to a few social media contests, Alto has the final say in who makes the squad.

It’s always taken a lot to be a Texans cheerleader, but if you yearn to be part of the squad that reps the back-to-back AFC South Champs — or just want to know what hurdles must be leaped — follow Alto’s expert cheerleader tips.

Don’t fret on wardrobe.

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money on an outfit for tryouts — you can buy a triangle top from Target or wherever. You can rhinestone it yourself if you want a little bling or leave it plain as long as it looks good on you. Also choose a good color for yourself. Add some black hotpants and you are set.”

Why not?

“There are many different positions we are looking for at tryouts. Not only cheerleaders, but we also look for the Grid Iron Gang (spirit promo group) and sometimes even select media game day hostesses. You have nothing to lose by coming — there’s something for everyone.”

HTC Cheerleader Tryout Poster

Leave the wardrobe malfunctions to Janet Jackson.

“Always make sure you stay in your outfit. Make sure you tie your knot on your top very tight and safety pins are your best friend! Support is always good. You can wear a convertible bra underneath your outfit. (You can find them at Victoria’s Secret, Target, Walmart, JCPenney . . .)”

Not all blondes are the same.

“What tryout number you get is important. When you get in line to get your number on the day of tryouts, make sure you’re not behind a person who looks like you. If she is a blonde and you are a blonde, try to find someone else to get behind who doesn’t look anything like you so you won’t be compared to the other blonde. That will get harder to do in the further rounds, but at least it will buy you some time.”

Beware of muffin top.

“Do not wear pantyhose that have the panty control top line. Make sure your pantyhose are sheer to waist.”

Good rule of thumb for life in general.

“Always be nice — you never know who’s looking at you. A few people have been cut before they even walk in the door.”

And if you need a last minute charge to get you going for Saturday’s tryouts, check out this video courtesy of the Houston Texans cheerleaders. Good luck to all and tweet your tryout photos to @CultureMap if you want the chance to be featured in a future story.

This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.

Houston Modern Luxury April 2013 Men’s Issue

Nick Esquer with Houston Modern Luxury profiled three of Houston’s “prettiest and wittiest sportswriters” and The Blonde Side was one of the lucky ones featured in this story in the April 2013 Men’s Issue. If you’re lucky enough to get one of the glossy mags around Houston, turn to page 60-63.

Wearing a Miami Heat T-shirt and a blonde ponytail for coffee, Wisconsin-born sports blogger Jayme Lamm, 31, demonstrates her effortlessly breezy look. And her sense of loyalty. “I get a lot of guff from Rockets fans here because I’m all for the Heat,” she explains.

But this is certainly a woman who can take guff. She’s not only an athlete in her own right, having learned about sports through her own bumps and bruises, sustaining a variety of sports-related injuries, including a complete shoulder replacement and multiple knee surgeries. (“You really start to appreciate what these guys go through,” she says.) She’s also a survivor of the ill-fated Carnival Triumph cruise that suffered an engine room fire in February, stranding the vessel, and all passengers onboard, at sea.

The Blonde Side featured in Houston Modern Luxury’s April 2013 “The Write Stuff”

Lamm worked for five years in sports public relations, including a stint with the Astros, before she realized that an office job wasn’t the best place to be artistic. “I had to get out of such a uniformed environment,” she says. A die-hard sports buff, she powered up her computer and got to blogging.

Her blog, The Blonde Side (theblondeside.com), a far-ranging project on which the petite scribe holds forth on

everything from basketball stars to cheerleading, hit the web in January of 2010­—and has recently seen a larger following, and opened up freelance writing gigs at major media outlets. Catching the attention of magazine editors, Lamm has landed writing opportunities for Women’s Health and ESPN online, including items on Roger Clemens and Jeremy Lin.

Read the full story here.

Photos by Laurie Perez and hair and makeup by FaceForward Weddings.

The Blonde Side | Jayme Lamm’s Profile as a Women’s Health Action Hero

Some of the latest and greatest news from The Blonde Side is being selected as one of a handful of Action Hero bloggers for Women’s Health Magazine. Check out Jayme’s profile on the website, where Lamm jokes (but not really joking) that her favorite music to run to is Jagged Edge and Lionel Richie, “To go along with the whole theme of not being normal.”

Other questions on the profile:

Guilty Pleasure: On a healthy and active blog, is it inappropriate to say Champagne?

Sign: Sagittarius, but “feisty only child” is a bit more fitting.

Girl Around Town SPRING TRAINING Guide

The lovely ladies (Leigh and Mary) over at Girl Around Town contacted The Blonde Side once again to help out with their 2013 spring shopping guide.

To see the full guide, click here (The Blonde Side’s Spring Training stuff is on page 25, but definitely check it front front to back).

Thanks to Tootsies for the shoot and some of the great clothes, FaceForward Weddings for hair and makeup and Running Game Clothing for the awesome Houston Texans SWATT T-shirt. If you want one, be sure to use code THEBLONESIDE at checkout for 10% off your entire purchase!

George Mason taking on University of Houston in the CBI Quarterfinal

I feel like that really uncool kid eating lunch at the edge of the cafeteria all alone, except replace the lunch table for a high-def TV and that’ll be me tonight.

No, it’s not the Madness that comes with March. It’s not even the NIT, but big news in The Blonde Side’s world is George Mason is set to take on University of Houston for the first time ever tonight in the CBI Quarterfinals at home inside the Patriot Center.

Why is this game important? Well, because Mason is my alma mater and secondly, I live in Houston, so it’s kind of a world colliding kind of thing for me. Oh and don’t forget, once upon a time (back in 2006 that is), George Mason was relevant during March Madness. You remember that Cinderella story, right?

And lucky for YOU, the Sweet Sixteen doesn’t start until Thursday, so your TV is wide open to watch this game.

The Patriots (19-14) in the Colonial Athletic Association and Cougars (20-12) in Conference USA will be meeting for the first time. While Houston has won five of their last six games (the last and most notable against Texas), the Patriots have struggled a bit more alternating ticks in the win and loss columns to get to the Quarterfinals.

Mason, led by head coach Paul Hewitt, had a buzzer-beater against the College of Charleston to get to this matchup. And not playing on the big stage like they did a few years back, the Patriots are hungry for attention and relevance once again – something they haven’t had much of since the departure of Jim Larranaga almost two years ago. It seems he too decided to take his talents (and subsequent growing bank account) to South Beach.

The Patriots are 7-6 while at home in the Patriot Center and averaging 67.1 points/game with a free throw percentage of .719, but the red and white Cougars, who are just 5-7 on the road this season, are on their own mission. Houston is one of 98 teams in NCAA Division I with 20+ wins this season (out of 345) and remain just one of two Texas teams still alive in the College Basketball Invitational (Baylor the other).

Houston Cougars headed to CBI Quarterfinals

The winner of tonight’s game advances on to the Semifinals on Wednesday where unlike traditional tourneys, the CBI is re-bracketed after the quarter round.

Let’s go MASON!

Honestly – cheering for and paying attention to the CBI while Dick Vitale and the Madness is going on around the corner feels weird. But a W by the Patriots will sure as hell help this awkward feeling. While the CBI may not sound like much now, the two teams have clearly had success over the years and it’s just a matter of a better record next season where you might see more action from either team. U of H has had 5 NCAA Final Fours, 19 NCAA Tournaments, 13 Conference Championships, 24 All-Americans, 3 Hall of Fame Inductees, 24 NBA Players, 2 No. 1 Overall Draft Picks and Mason (while not nearly the same kind of success), has had 3 NBA players, 6 NCAA Tournaments including one glass-slipper Final Four finish, and made it to the NIT 4 times.

[Please tell me someone somewhere cares about this game as much as I do? And did I already mention March Madness is on break tonight?]

The Sports Network PRedicted Outcome is Houston 72, George Mason 66. (I call BS y’all.)

Stats and game notes courtesy of UH media department.

Created by http://www.cable.tv

CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE TO CAST YOUR FREE QUICK AND EASY VOTE FOR THIS GREAT CAUSE.

Here’s the nitty gritty about March Madness – you have no say or pull whatsoever on who goes dancing, who makes it to the end, who avoids an egregious upset, or anything else for that matter.

But March is all about heart. I know this for two reasons:

1. Having listened to Dickie V. practically scream at high octaves for years and years at the TV with spit coming out of the corners of his mouth, it’s all about heart.
2. George Mason Patriots. These green and gold men made a huge NCAA run to the Final Four back in 2006 and is still considered one of the greatest Cinderella story in the history of the dance.

The hearts of players, coaches and fans are filled with excitement and angst. Tensions run high between teams, whether rivals or not, players showcase their true personalities and packed arenas roar with excitement for every single game.

And here’s a third reason: show you have heart by supporting your team – and a good cause – this March.

You, the fans, are what helps make or break your team in March! So what are you waiting for? Vote for your team to win March Madness BRACKETwars and also give back to your community!

It’s for a good cause – a donation will be made in the name of the winning team to the local Boys & Girls club.

Tweet, pin and Like to prove that YOUR TEAM has the best fans in the NCAA!

And for what it’s worth (probably nothing other than ONE vote), I went with Miami on this one. That’s who I have winning the whole thing this year, but it’s only because of Coach Larranaga. I totally believe in that guy and have enjoyed my time at Mason Athletics getting to know him, his coaching style, and all around good spirit.

Winner Selection and Announcements: The BRACKETwars winning school will be announced on or around April 9th based on total votes collected during the tournament.

And if you’re looking to make March Madness a bit more interesting (without wagering any cash, that is), join The Blonde Side’s FREE bracket from CBS. You must sign up with your bracket picks no later than Tuesday, March 19th. Click here to join and be sure to use password: BLONDE. There will be a prize for the winning bracket, TBD.

Few fun facts about the schools up for votes in BRACKETwars:

Louisville: 38 NCAA appearances
Rick Pitino’s salary: $3 million

Kansas State: Bruce Webber’s salary: $1.5 million
26 NCAA appearances
10,739 Facebook LIKES

Syracuse: 1 Championship
Jim Boeheim’s salary: $1.2 million
239,659 Facebook LIKES

Gonzaga: 15 NCAA appearances
Mark Few’s salary: $1 million
90% basketball player graduation rate

Michigan: John Beilein’s salary: $2.2 million
23 NCAA appearances

New Mexico: Overall tournament record 8-14
Steve Alford’s salary: $1.1 million
29% basketball player graduation rate

Kansas: Overall tournament record 93-40
Bill Self’s salary: $3.7 million
100% basketball player graduation rate (!!)

St. Louis: #4 seed
1,379 Facebook LIKES
7 NCAA appearances

Duke: Mike Krzyzewski’s salary: $5 million
36 NCAA appearances
4 Championships

Michigan State: Tom Izzo’s salary: $3 million
#3 seed
69,399 Facebook LIKES

Georgetown: John Thompson III’s salary: $2 million
8,548 Facebook LIKES
28 NCAA appearances

Marquette: 30 NCAA appearances
#3 seed
Buzz Williams’ salary: $2 million
Dwayne Wade’s college (!!)

Ohio State: Thad Matta’s salary: $2.5 million
1 Championship
32,906 Facebook LIKES

Miami: Jim Larranaga’s salary: $1 million
6 NCAA appearances
87% basketball player graduation rate

Florida: Billy Donovan’s salary: $3.3 million
17% basketball player graduation rate (WHOA)
17 NCAA appearances

There’s An App For That.

Talk about the overstatement of the year, especially when fitness and losing weight seems to be on everyone’s mind. There truly is an app for everything, including my favorite: “I travel a lot and love to eat cupcakes and drink Veuve Rose six nights a week and it’s making me fat.”

Technically, that’s not the real name of the app, but the one I’m referring to and have considered my mobile BFF throughout the country for over six months now is the Nike Training Club App (NTC). It’s a free app you can download directly from the iTunes store and has been a lifesaver during my crazy travel times.

We have enough excuses for skipping the gym, travel doesn’t need to be one anymore.

All the workouts can be done in small quarters (i.e., your hotel room) and more than half don’t need any additional equipment like mats or weights. While most hotels have gyms, not all do (or like the ones in Vegas, it’s an additional $23/day for a one-time use). We have enough excuses for skipping the gym, travel doesn’t need to be one anymore.

My favorite part about this app? The Get Focused program, which offers 14 different body-focused workouts, each lasting only 15 minutes. Even if a scheduled workout isn’t on your agenda for the day, for whatever reason, we almost always have 15 minutes to spare and NTC makes it too easy to skip.

Workout scenario

Imagine this scenario: You’ve finished your day of meetings and you have about an hour to get ready for dinner with a few co-workers. You know it takes only 40 minutes to get ready, including shaving your legs and drying your hair. Instead of logging onto Facebook or Pinterest, open your iPhone or iPad and turn on the 15 minute “Cardio Killer” app, set it to your favorite playlist or Pandora station, and get your sweat on.

Don’t worry if phrases like “alternating froggers” confuse you, there is a quick video that shows exactly how to conduct the movement in a safe and efficient manner.

No equipment is required for this workout, and in just 15 minutes (albeit hard and sweaty ones), you’ll do a minute of alternating froggers, a minute of burpees, 30 seconds of squat holds, 30 seconds of squat jumps, a minute of 2 -feet plank side hops, 30 seconds of  tuck jumps, 30 seconds to recover and repeat the sequence twice.

That’s less time than two entire Dave Matthews songs, trust me. It goes by fast. And don’t worry if phrases like “alternating froggers” confuse you, there is a quick video that shows exactly how to conduct the movement in a safe and efficient manner.

Once you’re finished, you can track and save your workouts, track progress and even get bonuses and rewards.

Custom-built workouts

NTC has more than 60 full-body custom-built workouts with 90+ multi-dimensional drills exclusively created by Rihanna’s personal trainer Ary Nunez and followed by some of the world’s best athletes, including Paula Radcliffe, Hope Solo, Alex Morgan, Kara Goucher, Shawn Johnson and many others. All of the workouts are set up interval style and can be completed in 15-, 30- and 45-minute increments.

The other great thing about NTC is that once it’s downloaded, you don’t need an Internet connection to work out (again, don’t let that additional hotel fee keep you from working out). Users can share workouts, and unlock reward content throughout milestone workouts.

For every minute of training, you get closer to exclusive rewards like personal training advice (again, this is free!) where your hard work unlocks embedded reward content as you reach training milestones and earn badges.

You can opt for a workout in one of the following categories:

Get Lean: High interval cardio drills to slim down

Get Toned: Light weights and intervals to add definition

Get Strong: Increased weights and reps to build strength

Get Focused: 15-minute workouts to target specific areas (like butts, arms, legs, back, abs and more)

The different workouts range from beginners to advanced, so the app developers (and I) firmly believe there are programs to suit every individual’s needs. According to the Nike website:

The app descriptions make workout selection an easy and intuitive process. Make sure you preview the drills for each workout before you start, so you know what to expect and what equipment you might need. Detailed instructions and videos ensure you know how to perform each drill.”

It’s literally a technological advancement that allows you to have a personal trainer in your room for free. With no invasion of your privacy.

Successful workout and fitness goals rely heavily on setting and meeting goals and NTC can help there as well. Say for the month of March you set a goal of working out 900 minutes the entire month. Sounds lofty and difficult to calculate, but not with NTC where you can set goals and track your progress each day. It’s a great way to keep yourself accountable and on track, even while out of town.

So next time you want to complain your hotel room is making you fat, just remember: There’s An App For That.

This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the “No Excuses/Fitness” section.