Tis’ The Season To Get In Shape.


Tis’ the season to get in shape.

 

If you have a friend of family member who loves to stay fit. How about purchasing one of these fit gifts to bring in the New Year.DSC00279

 

Jump Rope- Stay indoors or take it to the great outdoors. It’s portable cardio. On average jumping rope can burn about 11 calories per minute.

 

Blender- It’s easy to be in a hurry and skip a meal.  Blending allows you to whip up a healthy and fast snack. Look for single serve blenders so you can blend and go.

 

Portable cooler- Give your hungry friend a lunch box that allows them to manage their nutrition and eat clean through the day. You can purchase coolers that allow multiple meals making it impossible to miss a meal.

 

Fitness Journal- Stay accountable and consistent by tracking your past, present and future fitness goals and accomplishments. Online applications are great for the person on the go.

 

Fitness Magazine subscription- Keep up to date with the latest training and diet trends. Give a gift that will last for months and also remind them of you with each new magazine.

 

Personal Training- Perfect for the beginner or advanced gym member. It can be intimidating to walk through the gym doors for the first time, keep them inspired and accountable with a training session or package. Your more advanced gym member might want to spice up their program or need a little extra push.

 

Massage- Most people enjoy a massage but let’s face it in today’s world one might consider a massage as a “luxury” not a necessity.  Give your loved one some much needed R & R. They have earned it.

 

I will wrap this up by saying that it is the thought that matters most. You may consider giving your loved one a lending hand, perhaps a break from the kids or daily chores to allow them a few minutes to exercise.

Happy Holdays!

 

Cool finds-

Six Pack fitness–  http://www.sixpackbags.com Pack all your daily essentials in one bag- Nutrition – Gym Gear – Electronics

Ninja- Rule The Kitchen-  http://www.ninjakitchen.com/index.shtml

LifelineUSA -Power Jump Rope- http://www.lifelineusa.com/products/power-jump-rope-144.html

Massage Envy- http://www.massageenvy.com/directory-of-clinics.aspx

 

 

Is it possible to spot reduce? (part 2)

 

It’s not the amount of time we spend in the gym but rather the quality of the program. Often times we feel like more is better. In reality we could be utilizing our time more efficiently and reaching our goals faster with less gym time. I witness many gym goers “going through the motions”.  They come in day after day, hop on their cardio equipment and work at the same intensity. Some of these people come to me for advice and wonder why they haven’t seen any progress. If weight loss is the goal, cardio should not be your only focus. We need to focus on building lean muscle tissue through weight training. This will help shape our body and give us the definition we desire.  The more muscle we have the more calories we burn.

 
Having a program with proper intensity will not only save time but will keep your heart rate elevated and get the results you are after.  You don’t need to spend endless hours doing weights. The trick is to get an effective workout in utilizing less time.  You can see amazing results in 45-60 minutes of weight training
3 times per week. I typically recommend lifting “heavy” and keeping rest time at minimum; 30-60 seconds between sets depending on the program and conditioning of the individual.  As your overall condition improves you will recover faster and be able to take less rest between sets or circuits.
 
 
There are many types of programs and training methods a person could follow to add high intensity. As you get more experienced you can play around with intensity and mix things up. I recommend changing your program every 4-6 weeks to keep things fresh and your body from hitting a plateau.
 
One of my favorite high intensity training methods is supersets.  A type of training where you alternate back and forth between two moves until your desired amount of reps and sets are complete.  There are many ways to incorporate supersets into your workouts.  You can train same muscle groups, opposing muscle groups or add a cardio move to a strength move. It all depends on your training goals. The basic idea is to do two moves back to back without rest.
 
Same Muscle Groups: (biceps)
  • Bicep Curl
  • Hammer Curl
 
Opposing Muscle Groups: (biceps/triceps)
  • Bicep Curl
  • Triceps Press Down
 
Strength Move followed by Cardio:
  • Squats,
  • 30 Seconds Cardio (jump rope, mountain climber, jump squats)
 
Below is an example of a full body workout utilizing supersets to save time and increase training intensity. Make sure you are familiar with the exercises and form prior to starting this or any other exercise program. If you are fairly new to fitness, you may want to start with 1-2 sets of each super set. I recommend 3 sets of 10-12 reps each with a weight that is challenging and you can still complete using proper form. Rest is 30-60 seconds between sets. Finish all sets in the super set prior to moving onto your next set of exercises.
 
FULL BODY WORKOUT:
 

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  • Squats
  • Pull-Ups (assisted pull ups or could do a pull-down if you can’t lift yourself up)
  • Step-Ups
  • Military Press
  • Deadlifts
  • Push-Ups
  • Narrow Stance Squat
  • Biceps Curl
 
  • Plie Squat
  • Triceps Dip
 
 
If you train at the proper intensity this is going to keep your heart rate elevated and you’re going to feel like it was a cardio workout as well. We don’t need to live in the gym. Utilize your time wisely and step into the gym with a plan. Get focused about making some gains, save the chit-chatting for after your workout. If you want results, don’t be the person just going through the motions.

Is it Possible to spot reduce? (part 1)

Did  you ever ask the question “What can I do to get rid of this belly fat?” or “How can I lose the fat on my thighs?” As a trainer I hear this question often.  You can target a muscle through specific exercises, however, you can’t spot reduce. In other words, no matter how many sit ups you do you will never see your muscles if you have an extra layer of fat hiding them. We have no control of where we lose body fat. In order to lose fat over any specific body part, one must follow a proper nutrition plan and have an adequate fitness plan in place.

There are no short cuts to being healthy and fit. Working out is only a small portion of your results. A big portion of your success will happen in the kitchen. Here are some guidelines to help you eat for life.

What is a portion?

Most of us are not sure what a portion is. We either over estimate or underestimate our servings. More than likely we are over indulging, which is why some of us can’t seem to lose weight. Although our food guidelines may vary depending on our personal fitness goals, in general I recommend eating a palm size portion of a protein, carbohydrate and a fibrous food at each main meal. (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

protein

What’s on your plate?

It’s time to plan your meals. Here are a couple examples of how you could pair up your meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.  The rules are simple. Palm size portion of a protein, carbohydrate and Fiber for your 3 main meals.

breakfast Breakfast Ideas:

  • Eggs, fruit, oatmeal (stay away from pre-packaged oatmeal that is full of sugar).
  • Greek Yogurt, fruit, whole grain bread.
shake Snack Ideas: (No carbs at snack time)

  • Protein Shakes. Be cautious of what you put into your shake or you will end up with a high calorie drink.  Example: Protein, water, ice, frozen fruit.
  • Natural Peanut butter and celery.
 lunch Lunch Ideas:

  • Chicken salad, baked potato. Keep in mind that just because it is a salad, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Keep it clean; chicken and fresh vegetables. Use dressing sparingly.
  • Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread, apple.
dinner Dinner Ideas:

  • Fish, asparagus, rice.
  • Chicken, broccoli, sweet potato.
Notes: No carbs at snack time or after 6:00 PM.

 

In a nutshell, you can’t spot reduce. You can help eliminate body fat through proper nutrition and exercise. Plan your meals. Drink plenty of water and get some exercise in your day.

 

Stay tuned for part two of can you spot reduce? Having a proper fitness plan can set you up for success.

 

 

Set a fitness goal and stay committed.

Set a fitness goal and stay committed. ~Without a plan, we plan to fail.
 
Everyone wants to get in shape but what are your reasons for getting fit? Maybe your doctor told you need to lose weight or maybe you have a High School reunion to attend where you want to wow your class mates. Whatever your reason for getting fit, you have to have to a plan in place. Without a plan, we plan to fail. Here are some steps to create a plan and help reach your goals.
 
Set your fitness goal. 
(short term & long term) In order to reach your fitness goals, you must have a goal in mind. Maybe your goal is to lose 50 pounds by next year. That would be a long term goal. Now you need to set a more attainable goal. Break that down and say I would like to lose 4-6 pounds by the end of the month. By having a smaller attainable goal in mind you will become less discouraged and see yourself reaching your goals. 
 
Stay consistent. 
In order for you to progress and see results, you need to stay committed to your daily routine. You cannot expect to see results if you only do part time work. Lay out a schedule and follow it. When things are written down on a calendar you are more likely to stick to it. Think of going to the gym as an important meeting. You wouldn’t skip out on the boss if you had a scheduled appointment. So why would you skip out on the scheduled gym appointment? Another thing I recommend is having a set schedule. If you know that you exercise each day at 5:00 PM, you are more likely to go. It will become a habit after 21 days and part of your daily routine.
 
When you are motivated you will work harder & longer. Here are a few things to consider before lacing up the shoes.
 
Music- The right tunes can be a great tool to give us a little push to get ourselves moving. Research confirms that the right music can distract you from discomfort, elevate your mood, increase your endurance and reduce your perceived exercise effort. It may even promote metabolic activity (i.e., help you burn more calories). 
 
Personal Trainer Having a qualified personal trainer will help you reach your goals faster & safer. You will learn a wide variety of exercises with emphasis on good form. They will teach you how to eat for life and keep you accountable. 
 
Workout Partner- If you don’t have extra cash for a trainer, find a workout buddy. This keeps the both of you motivated and you will have fun in the meantime. Workouts are planned out ahead of time and you know exactly when and where you are working out. You are more likely to stick to schedule knowing someone is waiting and counting on you.
 
Reward yourself for reaching your goals- This can be a fun way to motivate yourself. You could reward yourself with a new pair of running shoes, workout clothes or any other thing that motivates you. Maybe you allow yourself a night out with a scheduled cheat meal.
 
Think about your goals and write them down. Learn to keep them short and attainable. Stay committed! Find ways to keep you motivated towards reaching your goals. Once you reach your goal, reward yourself! Then it’s time to make a new goal.

 
~Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other. ~Walter Elliot