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The only way to get rid of that spare tire
on Thursday, January 28, 2010 3 comments
It’s among the top five questions I am repeatedly asked by clients. If I had a nickel for every time I heard it I’d be writing this blog while chillaxin’ in my private jet, piloted by John Travolta himself, on my way to a weekend shopping extravaganza in Milan.“How can I lose my belly?” “What can I do to get rid of my spare tire?” “What lower ab exercises will shrink my gut?” I know my answer never makes me popular but it’s the only honest one I can offer. You simply cannot spot reduce! In order to get rid of the flab on your midsection, you must follow a balanced, consistent and intelligent program of proper nutrition, calorie control and EXERCISE! I see you rolling your eyes and before you ask….there are no magic ‘muffin top’ pills, no fancy ab roller gadgets and no ‘break through metabolism stimulating, hormone regulating, fat melting, super power foods’ that are going to do it effortlessly for you. Enjoying the luxury of a flat midsection is earned through regular cardiovascular and strength training workouts coupled with a diet rich in nutrients designed to meet and not exceed daily caloric requirements. Bottom line.
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Losing weight at the neighborhood pub
on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 No comments
Just wait for it… it’s inevitable. Sure enough, every time I design a nutrition program for a client whether it’s for fat loss, muscle gain or a combination of the two, I always hear the same million dollar question. Three or four days into their program I receive an email asking “So what can I have for alcohol? Am I allowed to drink?” I expect it and I can totally appreciate it since after all, I’ve been known to guzzle sip a bottle glass or two of pinto grigio in my time. So what’s the harm in a little wobbly pop indulgence every now and then while you’re trying to shed some fat and tone up? How much is too much? What’s the best choice and which ones should stay behind the bar?
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Perfect form ensures a fantastic physique
on Thursday, January 14, 2010 5 comments
I often see people in the gym performing exercises with the best of intentions, yet using less than optimal form. Beginners, intermediates and die hard gym rats may all experience improper technique in their workout routines from time to time. The correct execution of prescribed exercises is crucial to avoiding injury as well as realizing the full potential of your workout.For those that are new to working out, it’s important to learn the proper technique of an exercise from a professional. While there are a lot of people in the gym that may be doing an exercise right, there are also a lot that aren’t, which could lead to injury. Have a knowledgeable personal trainer show you how an exercise needs to be performed so that you can get it right the first time and avoid picking up another persons bad habits.For experienced gym goers, it’s a good idea to periodically re-evaluate your form. After an exercise becomes routine it can be easy to slowly slip into less than perfect technique. It’s best to have a professional take a look at your form and let you know if there are ways to improve. Check in every once in awhile and you’ll continue to reap the full benefits of your workout.A large part of performing exercises properly is remembering to stay mentally focused on the task at hand. Visualize the way the movement should look while you are doing it and focus on the muscles involved. You shouldn’t be talking with the person next to you or your training partner, looking around or making a grocery list in your head. An effective training session takes just as much mental energy as it does physical. Concentrate on the correct posture and movement of your body and save everything else for later.Keep your movements smooth and controlled. For example when performing a bicep curl, after you have raised the dumbbells, control them on the way down as well. Don’t just let your arms fall to your sides. The negative portion of the exercise needs to receive just as much effort and attention as the positive and vice versa.Once you have learned the proper execution of an exercise keep a mental checklist of things to consider in avoiding injury. For example, when performing a squat you want to remember to keep your head up and your core tight. With a chest press done on a flat bench, you want to make sure your back stays flat against the bench to avoid a lower back injury. Learn what the specific cues are for each exercise you do and remind yourself of them throughout the workout.Some other points to keep in mindBe prepared. Make sure your workout is suited to you and that you are working at the appropriate level for your ability. Your workout should be difficult enough in order to get the full benefits, but not so difficult that you can’t do them.Dress appropriately. Wear proper shoes for your particular workout that are comfortable and offer good support. Your clothes should be lightweight, fit well, breathe well and be comfortable. If you are working out in the cold, dress in layers to easily adapt to your changing body temperature.Notice the equipment. If you are working out at a gym or health club, make sure their equipment is in good working order. If you notice any pieces that appear to be missing, frayed cords, deflated stability balls or anything else that doesn’t look right, notify an employee so things can be fixed.If you are working out at an appropriate level for your ability and using proper technique and good form, you will reach your full potential. Sometimes you may just need to make minor adjustments in your execution to see some positive changes. Just make sure you are learning and taking advice from the right people.
I often see people in the gym performing exercises with the best of intentions, yet using less than optimal form. Beginners, intermediates and die hard gym rats may all experience improper technique in their workout routine from time to time. The correct execution of prescribed exercises is crucial to avoiding injury as well as realizing the full potential of your workout.For those that are new to working out, it’s important to learn the proper technique of an exercise from a professional. While there are a lot of people in the gym that may be doing an exercise right, there are also a lot that aren’t, which could lead to injury. Have a knowledgeable personal trainer show you how an exercise needs to be performed so that you can get it right the first time and avoid picking up another persons bad habits.Read the rest of this entry » -
Do’s and don’ts of a successful bodybuilding program
on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 2 comments
If you’ve decided to take on the challenge of adding some muscle to that frame of yours you will no doubt be almost immediately bombarded with “helpful advice” from anyone and everyone that’s ever touched anything heavier than a five pound dumbbell. Be very careful who you listen to, taking most advice and information with a grain of salt. Building muscle is more than just showing up at the gym, picking up a weight or two and devouring pounds of chicken breast. Just like everything else worth having in life, achieving success with muscle building workouts takes knowledge, hard work, dedication and commitment. Acknowledging the things you’re doing right as well as those you’re doing wrong will help you get to where you want to be. -
Break through your weight loss plateau
on Thursday, January 7, 2010 16 comments
If you just started your fat loss workout on the first of January, I’m sure you aren’t experiencing the frustration of a plateau just yet, but without a doubt you will at some point. As long as you’re prepared for it you’ll be able to sail right through with the least amount of hair pulling. Here are a few tips that will come in handy when that number on the scale just won’t budge.Be honest with yourself
Have you been keeping up with your food log? It’s normal for us to get so accustomed to our diets that we become complacent with journaling our meals and snacks. Be honest with yourself and take a good look at everything that goes into your mouth. A little bite here or a taste there can really add up at the end of the day. Get your pencil and paper ready and start being as detailed as possible. You may be surprised by how much is overlooked.
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Make your fitness resolution stick in 2010!
on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 No comments
Are you already struggling to stick with those health and fitness resolutions you promised yourself only 5 days ago? You’re not alone! As a personal trainer and nutrition consultant I see the exact same pattern every January! Good people, with great intentions pack the gyms and line up in health food stores for a solid three weeks, determined to stick with their goals this time! By the end of the month though, they’ve somehow fallen off the horse and the only people that remain at the gym are the ones that are there all year long! So how do they do it? How is it possible to stay focused on a diet plan and workout program when so many other things get in the way? Once again, it all comes down to the plan. Use the SMART technique to keep yourself on the right track and really achieve success this year!
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What’s YOUR New Year’s Resolution?
on Friday, January 1, 2010 No comments
Happy New Year to everyone!
Hopefully 2010 is already off to a fantastic start for all of you!
Along with a potential pounding headache and a craving for a Peptobismol smoothie, January 1st often brings feelings of hope, inspiration and re-birth. There’s a sense of freshness in the air, knowing that this year may bring change and redemption as we wipe past behavior and old habits from our newly cleaned slate.
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Are you planning to get in shape in the New Year?
on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 2 comments
There are only three more sleeps until January 1st and we all know what that means right? The party’s over and the diet starts!For most of us January is the time we plan to get really serious about improving our health, losing weight and getting in the best shape of our lives. Gym membership sales skyrocket, diet books fly off the shelves of bookstores and the word carbohydrate takes a serious bashing. If you are one of the many that made a New Years resolution to shed some fat in 2010, I’ve got some tips to make things just a little easier and less painful for you.
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How to avoid holiday weight gain
on Saturday, December 19, 2009 4 comments
The most wonderful time of the year is well underway again. ‘Tis the season of twinkling lights, eggnog lattes, Christmas carols, good will towards men and almost undoubtedly…holiday weight gain. Every year between the end of November and the first of January, the average person adds seven pounds to the junk residing in their trunks. During the holidays our lives revolve around social commitments (which of course always involve food and drink), Christmas shopping, recitals, and trying to balance the countless other tasks required of us in order to prepare for a joyous celebration. All of this put together is indeed a recipe for weight gain and when you factor in the abundance of cookies, cocktails and canapés coming at you from left, right and center you’d better have a decent plan of attack if you intend on buttoning those pants in the new year.1) Plan ahead. People don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan. You know you’re going to have a long day of shopping at the mall so pack some food to take with you or you’ll end up famished 5 hours in and hit the food court, devouring greasy Chinese and a side of trans fatty fries. Before you leave the house, throw some veggies and fruit in a ziplock, grab some almonds, fix a sandwich or stash some low fat granola bars in your purse. Now you’re prepared to re-energize yourself for more shopping and you’ve saved yourself upwards of 500 calories! Your thighs thank you.2) Accept and embrace reality. Let’s face it…you are NOT going to resist temptation every single time! Perhaps the worst thing you can do is expect yourself to plan total abstinence from all of the delicious edible goodies that surround us this time of year. The key word here is moderation. Indulge in the shortbread, sip a rum and eggnog and pour some gravy on your mashed potatoes, just do it with moderation in mind. If you do happen to go a little overboard in your participation of the festivities don’t beat yourself up, just carry on with a new day.3) Get off that escalator. Ok, so you may miss a few workouts this month but it’s not the end of the world. Try burning some extra calories through incidental activity.Don’t take the escalator, use the stairs.Park further from the entrance of the mall.Go for a brisk 10 minute walk on your lunch break.If you take the bus, get off a stop or two early.Ignore the remote and get off your butt to change the channel.Give the kid at the grocery store a break and carry your own bags to the car.Take the dog for an extra or a longer walk and maybe add a steep hill in there too.Last but not least, remember that January 1st is less than 2 weeks away. If your pants are a little tighter by then WorkoutBOX will help you shed the evidence of all the festive fun. Here’s wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy, prosperous New Year! Cheers!
The most wonderful time of the year is well underway again. ‘Tis the season of twinkling lights, eggnog lattes, Christmas carols, good will towards men and almost undoubtedly…holiday weight gain.Every year between the end of November and the first of January, the average person adds seven pounds to the junk residing in their trunks. During the holidays our lives revolve
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How to own the body of a triathlete
on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 2 comments
Triathlon. An endurance event comprised of swimming, cycling and running in quick succession and varying distances. A physically and mentally demanding sport designed to test an athlete’s commitment, patience, pain threshold and passion.For me, it’s something that offers immense joy. It’s hard work, highly competitive and can be exhausting, while at the same time energizing, exhilarating, gratifying and thrilling. It is an independent yet socially supportive sport that requires self discipline, knowledgeable physical training and immense desire. The triathlon allows for ultimate calorie burning potential while building cyclist’s quads, swimmer’s abs and giving you a runner’s high. With all of that you can also expect missing toenails, chaffed thighs, a helmet head hair do and possibly meeting the occasional lake snake.In my mind the triathlon is really a metaphor for life. It can be long, it can be short, there will be joyful times and there will be agonizing times. Along the way you’ll see beauty and you’ll see pain. There will be uphill climbs and downhill coasts. Sometimes you’ll do better than you’d hoped for and sometimes you won’t. You can count on falling down or getting a flat every now and then, but you can also rest assured that someone will feel compassion and stop to help you. When it comes right down to it, the only one responsible for getting you across that finish line is you, but there are always friends and family lining the sidewalks, cheering you on.In the triathlon, the goal is all about time. Ideally you’ll need to swim, cycle and run your best times while also getting through the transitions as organized and quickly as possible. Aside from the exercise routine there really is a lot of organization involved in getting prepared for a race. While the swim, bike and run training is the meat of the program, triathletes also need to practice shedding the wetsuit as fast as possible, mounting their bike and changing shoes all while performing these things in the proper order so as not to get disqualified. This may explain why so many triathletes are Type A personalities.Triathlons come in many various distances. The most popular are the Sprint, Olympic, Half Iron and Ironman. The Sprint Triathlon (also known as the puke fest due to the short duration yet extreme intensity) consists of a 750 M swim followed by a 20 KM bike and then a 5Km run. Since the distances are short, the intensity is high and ideally all three events are performed at the highest level of exertion.The Olympic distance is the most popular and begins with a 1.5 KM swim, followed by a 40 KM bike and a 10 KM run.The half Iron is half the length of an Ironman with a 1.9 KM swim, 90 KM bike and 21 KM (half marathon length) run.The Ironman which is probably the most famous is also the longest starting with a 3.8 KM swim, 180 KM bike and 42 KM run which is a full marathon in itself.When it comes to choosing a length it’s basically just ‘different strokes for different folks’. Personally I am a fan of the Sprint triathlons because I like to go really really fast!! This distance allows me to put in a full, all-out effort for a short amount of time. The Olympic is also suitable for me because although you can’t go as hard as the Sprint, it’s faster paced than the Iron or Half Iron. The Iron and the Half Iron are extremely long and require an immense capability of endurance. Just imagine a 3.8 KM crowded open water swim immediately followed by a hot, long bike ride that equals the distance from Los Angeles to San Diego, all while sitting on a very small, hard seat. Once you’re done that, hurry up and change your shoes because you have a marathon to finish! Wow! That takes some serious passion and dedication. Yet if you talk to any Ironman or triathlete competing in any distance for that matter, they will likely tell you that they live for it! The training and discipline becomes a way of life, almost an addiction.Have you ever thought about it? It’s such a great sport and a true test of physical, mental and emotional strength. If triathlon is something you have ever considered doing, I highly recommend it! You’ll learn a lot about yourself and feel the intense confidence that comes with crossing that finish line! Most communities offer a Mini tri or a ‘Try a tri’ for beginners interested in getting their feet wet (pun intended). The Mini tri is usually half the length of the Sprint so it is short enough to see how the sport fits before committing too much to it. Keep it fun and try not to take things too seriously which is often easier said than done. Just focus on the completion and not the time on the clock. Check with your local running store, sporting goods store or athletic club for information on how you can get started in the world of triathlon!
Triathlon. An endurance event comprised of swimming, cycling and running in quick succession and varying distances. A physically and mentally demanding sport designed to test an athlete’s commitment, patience, pain threshold and passion.
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