Tank Top Arms

Archive for the ‘Exercise(s)’ Category

So you haven’t been very active for the last, let’s say….6 months….ok how about a year! Better yet, you’ve been raising kids…who the heck has time for exercise???? You’ve found yourself in a rut that you just can’t get out of and you’re comfortable with where you are at. Or are you?

Most of the time what I find with clients is two things: They lack the knowledge and/or the motivation. Some of you may be saying “but what about not having enough time?” Sorry, but I have little sympathy for that particular excuse. One kid, two kids, triplets, it doesn’t matter. If you REALLY want to be more physically fit or just healthy overall, you will make the time for it when you are motivated, and you will EDUCATE yourself via a class, the internet or through a personal trainer on all the ways you can train….so be honest with yourself when you give your excuse.

One of the best ways I have found that really works is during lunch breaks for moms that work away in an office setting, or catching just 30 minutes during the day for moms that work at home, like stay at home moms. I stayed home for 10 years to raise my kiddos and now I work in an office, so I know that stay at home moms have THE hardest jobs out there! Another idea is joining a team and setting a goal for yourself. Grab a friend and sign up for a 5K or a 10K down the road. When you’ve spent the money on something like that, you increase the chances of making sure you make some time to train for it. You meet new people along the way too :-)

Being a good role model for the kids is very important. With obesity trends at their peak and will be for a while, it’s important that you find some type of physical activity that you enjoy. Here’s a benefit that you might have not thought about: Increased energy! Yes, you will likely lose some weight, your cholesterol levels will get better and your blood pressure readings will impress those around you….but who cares about all that right? (Yeah, yeah…I thought so). I know that I wish I had the energy levels that some of these little kids have and although I may not have all what they do, I know that even 30 minutes during my lunch time gets me more alert and able to focus on what I need to get done. Again, let me remind you that I was a stay at home mom for quite some time, so I know how tiring it can be, especially when you have more than 1 child under the age of 2.5! But it’s worth it to try and get some fresh air…some alone time if you can….some sunshine on your skin (wear sunblock!) and your kid(s) will love spending that time moving with you. It won’t always be easy. I get it. But it will just get harder as time goes on to get that weight off, or to change your motivation, or to be more energetic. In my book, you don’t have to be a triathlete, a marathon runner, a cyclist, a hiker, or swimmer to be considered an athlete. Put your faith in yourself to do little by little to keep being active. Break a sweat 4-5 times a week. I didn’t ask you to come home drenched. Just break it. You’ll be glad you did!

How many of us have had every good intention of exercising when we travel for work? How about when we travel for fun? Well, actually lots of people pack the running shoes, workout top, shorts or pants and depending on gender, a sports bra! Oh yeah, don’t forget the heart rate monitor and chest strap…and the gloves and beanie! Don’t forget the beanie! All packed yet? Hmmm, nope. Socks,  sunglasses for outside and sunscreen, headphones, towel, and the list goes on and on. So you’ve unpacked, been staying for 2 nights already and still no workout, even though the eating out hasn’t ceased at all. You get the picture? Sometimes it can definitely be a challenge to exercise when you are away from home, but it sure doesn’t have to be.

I’m  currently in Colorado for a work trip for 5 days. The conference is in Colorado Springs….at the BroAdmoor Hotel to be exact. So guess where I’m staying? Yup, the BroAdmoor :-) and if you know about this AMAZING hotel, then you already know what my expectations were of the fitness facility. Just totally awesome, that’s all! And they delivered!!

Ok, ok I’ll stop with the bragging. But seriously, just because you travel somewhere doesn’t mean that you have a pass on exercising or at least getting some kind of physical activity in your day. It doesn’t have to be grueling, but be sure to get your heart rate up a little bit while you’re away so you can enjoy more of the foods you like while you’re away too! Having traveled a good amount in my day for work last year, I can say that not all hotel gym facilities are of this standard…duh! But it shouldn’t matter either. Take it outside on a beautiful day. Go for a hike, play tennis, go swimming, run or walk on the beach, do some yoga outside so you can take advantage of the fresh air (unless you’re in Los Angeles). So the day looks like crap, or it’s REALLY cold or REALLY hot or REALLY humid or whatever. Most places have a treadmill, bike, eleptical trainer, a bench, some dumbbells, and some space for stretching out or doing some core work. Geez, take it to your room and do body weight exercises! Do squats, jumping jacks, push ups, triceps dips on the bed, or abdominal work. Still looking for excuses? Throw one at me, come on! I’ll rebutle :-) Here is a SIMPLE sample of a few exercises that are compound (two of them), meaning each exercise targets more than one muscle group at the same time. Compound exercises are a wonderful way to get a good workout in, in a shorter amount of time but working you pretty hard too.

Squats (quads and butt)

3 sets of 20 repetitions

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, with weight on your heels. Your toes should be able to wiggle. Squat down, making sure to keep your weight back so that your knees don’t extend past your toes. Keep your back straight, eyes ahead. Extend your arms in front of you for balance.

Challenge: Add weight and intensity by lifting your laptop or a phone book, just don’t drop it on your toes!

Modification: If you’re feeling off balance, try squatting over a chair or low table.

Push Ups (arms and chest)

3 sets of 20 repetitions

Begin on your toes or knees. Lower your body to the floor, keeping abs pulled in tight. Use your abs to keep your tail elevated. No sway backs, please! Widen your arms to target biceps. Keep elbows tucked into your sides to target triceps.

Challenge for the Ladies: Do as many on your toes as possible. If you’re traveling for a week, set a goal of increasing the number that you can on your toes by 10%.

Challenge for the Gents: Stay on toes of one foot only, or put your feet on the bed with hands on the floor.

Modification: Move to your knees rather than toes.

Plank (core work) - click on the picture below for a demonstration of the correct plank position

Travel Fit Tips

Do what works for you, including modifications to make things easier, harder, or less boring.

While you’re waiting at the airport to leave for your trip, make a realistic and achievable commitment to yourself for how many times you’ll do these exercises during you trip. Set the goal and achieve it! If you’re gone for 5 days, shoot for 3-4 days of activity.

Schedule these time blocks on your calendar.

Mamas!!!! Don’t forget you too can benefit from doing these exercises at home. Whoever said that you have to have a gym membership to workout????? NOBODY!

“Keep those abs in tight!”, ” Bring your navel towards your spine”, “It BURNS!!”….all of which I either constantly tell my clients or I hear them whining about, but it’s a good whining :-) There are so many different ways to sculpt your abs that there is no excuse for not doing some kind of exercise. What I usually get asked is “how can I get a six pack?” Other than my smart ass comment about going into Safeway grocery store, my response is 99% of the time: “with a good diet and exercise”. How boring huh? I’m sorry that there is actually no magic pill to create ridges in your abs! The bottom line is that you have to work for it. Believe it or not, lots of people do LOTS of ab exercises and still don’t see results. Here’s a clue: you might actually have some really defined abs, but they are hiding under a layer of fat. That’s where cardio comes in…AND the healthy diet.  It’s important to eat clean at least 80% of the time. If you eat clean for the most part, you can treat yourself 20% of the time! It’s important to keep saturated fats at bay, carbohydrates at healthy levels, and portion sizes in check. One of my favorite books that I constantly look through for new ideas is Tosca Reno’s  “The Eat Clean Diet”. If you don’t know who Tosca Reno is, she is one of the few people I really admire for cleaning up her health and truly being a good role model for it. She’s a fitness model for Oxygen magazine, is 50 years old, but doesn’t look over 40!

Ok, back to the midsection. Eating clean is HALF the battle for a good set of visible abs. You’re doing your cardio (riiigghhhtt????) and you’re doing your strength training. Abdominal exercises consist of more than just plain old crunches. Lets shake things up now!! Understanding the anatomy of the general abdominals is necessary to focus on certain areas of your abs. The basics, to make it easier, consist of your upper abs, lower abs and obliques (sides). It’s important to understand that in order to have strong abs, you need a strong back….and again vice versa. Digging in to different exercises will allow you to target just about every area for a sexy set of abs :-)

Drum roll please:……………

1. Basic crunch – your basic crunch that all the rest are based on
2. Planks – engaging back and abs together
3. Side Planks – working the obliques (sides of abs)
4. Supine Bridge Leg Extension- increasing your abdominal fitness….not for the faint of heart
5. Reverse Curl – be very mindful of any lower back issues
6. Bicycle Maneuver, Vertical Leg Crunch, Forearm Plank, Stability Ball Pull-in – great little grouping using stability ball
7. Ab exercises WITH NO EQUIPMENT- This was a great source for a set to do with little rest. Abs are an area for me, in which I have to do really different advanced movements to feel them at this point. I have done Spider Crawls for a while and I love the results. I feel them the next day for sure!

There are SO MANY more exercises of course that could take up this entire page, but this should give you a great start to your ab program or at least (hopefully) give you more out of the box ideas. I know it’s December, and more holiday celebrating is on it’s way, but remember the 80/20 rule: Eat clean 80%, treat 20%. Then keep up on your physical activities each day and incorporate some of these great ab moves. Before you know it, summer will be right around the corner and guess who won’t be shy to wear the bikini this coming year….. ;-)

It’s easy to get sidetracked in the everyday things that we do day in and day out. From eating to exercising, from cleaning to driving,  to yada, yada, yada…you get the idea. So instead of getting sidetracked, just mind your business! Being mindful of the things we are involved with can make a huge difference in our lives. When we are more mindful, it helps us to feel empowered. This in turn makes us less judgmental about ourselves which builds confidence within. This type of conscience effort can improve any aspect of your life!

Keep your eye on the prize! What do you think about that phrase?  Again, you can apply it to just about anything you set your heart on. Stay focused. Concentrate. Be mindful ;-)

Eating: Be mindful when you eat. So you’re trying to shed some weight. Hopefully it’s because you NEED to and not because you’re being unrealistic in your goals. There is a difference you know. It may sound and feel really silly if you’ve never done this before, but the next time you eat, really pay attention to your senses. Think about what you are eating. What kind of texture does it have? Did it go through a process and where did it come from? How does it look? Be mindful when you’re cooking too. Use spices and sweets and sours to add zing to your food. Wait 10 seconds in between bites. It actually takes effort to do this. Amazingly, you’ll also get fuller much sooner, which of course means you’ll be eating less…which again of course will help you tighten your belt. Exercise: Stop the chit chat in between sets if that’s what you’re doing. Stop rushing through your movements, unless they are purposeful explosive moves. Stop paying attention to what everyone else is doing and how much weight they are pushing. Just mind your business! Use the mirrors in the gym. Be mindful of how you are spending your time resting. If you’re going to the water fountain in between every set you do, chances are you’re not getting the full benefit of your training. If you’re able to hold a conversation easily while doing cardio, you’re probably not working your heart the way you should…or burning as many calories for that matter. Watch your muscles contract as you go through the movement of each exercise or how you are breathing when your heart rate is going up.  Be mindful of how the burn feels, and be in the moment of how you are sculpting areas of your choice (I love sexy shoulders!) Thoughts: What you think and how you think can make you go crazy or push you to the next level. Be mindful of your thinking patterns. Stay away from negative self talk! Bad, bad I tell ya! I get on a couple of my clients for this. As soon as the negative talk starts, I nip it in the bud. None of that on my watch buddy! Try to be positive in your thoughts and actions. So what if the gal next to you can do 20 push ups! It’s not that YOU can’t do it, you are just working your way up to 20 at a slower pace. Mind you that she’s probably been doing them for a while anyway. Let me tell you something, I’ve had a number of club members approach me or my clients during a session and are just amazed at the fact that a 220 lb man can balance himself standing straight on a hard medicine ball while doing lateral raises….believing that you CAN do it is half the battle. The list can go on and on, but these three principles of minding your business should be practiced everyday in everything you do. If you look at mindfulness as a supplement to your everyday living, then you’ll be more appreciative of the foods you eat, your workouts and more in tune with moods. You have the power to change a bad vibe. Our attitudes and mindfulness can influence everything that we do and in the same, also help us create great habits while we break ugly ones. You don’t have to give up the cheesecake completely! (I wouldn’t), but maybe by being more mindful, you’ll only eat 1/3 of what you would have had you not taken the time to appreciate it. Create workouts with a great ending! Maybe saving your favorite exercise for the very end can be like a dessert that you would have at the end of a meal. It’s something that you can reward yourself with after eating all your veggies (being mindful during your training session). Go outside and enjoy the Fall air while you workout! That’s my favorite time of year to exercise outside! And no more negative talk! The next time those thoughts start to creep in, just tell them to go mind their OWN business…

Most people I know that currently exercise would hire a personal trainer if they had the option. To be honest though, it’s not for everyone. I mean come on, at $65 per session (average rate), it’s not that feasible always. To add insult to injury, your paying for a trainer to make you feel sore in places you never knew you had! But I have a GREAT second best for that! It starts with an “H” and ends with………eart Rate Monitor! How awesome is a heart rate monitor you ask? Oh Nelly! Let me count thy ways ;-)

A heart rate monitor (HRM) is a great way to keep an eye on several things as you work out. I’m not saying that it takes the place of a trainer, but it sure does push you more than if you were to exercise without one…trainer or monitor that is. As you’re trying to lose weight, maintain, or just increase your fitness level, the monitor can aid in accomplishing those goals. You see, a HRM can keep track of not just the time, but also your calories burned, your minimum and maximum heart rate, and depending on the fanciness of it, it can tell you your running cadence, distance and  a variety of other useful features such as: Heart rate zone alarm- set the zone and it alerts you when you are high or low; Timers- countdown timer, stopwatch, interval timers, clock, alarm; Calories burned; Time in zone- splits; Fitness testing and pre-programmed workouts through a computer link. Is that enough for you? With every client I train, I always recommend getting a heart rate monitor. It’s perfect to keep track of how hard you are training. So again, if you’re not paying someone to get in your face and tell you to stop whining or push harder, then a HRM may be what you need to reach your goals.

Of course there are a plethora of monitors out there. Knowing how to choose one depends on what you’re looking for.

• For Weight Loss or athletes: #2 Seller — Polar FT7 Fitness Heart Rate Monitor Try a HRM that tracks time spent in your heart rate zone and calories burned such as the Polar F7. This is my personal favorite out of all the monitors. I actually only ever recommend Polar’s because they are one of the top line brands for this stuff. This is the one I currently use.
• For Athletes: Consider a HRM, like the Garmin Forerunner, that offers multi-sport support, workout feedback and advanced features such as GPS and downloadable data. Personally, I’ve thought that Garmins are very bulky, but some of them have shrunk in size. So many different Forerunners to pick from too.
• For Techno-Phobes: Look for a basic model that offers your heart rate with one-button functionality like the Polar FS1
• For General Fitness: Try one that helps you improve fitness with information about intensity and training zones, like the Polar FS3.

The watch to the right is what mine looks like. It’s a Polar FT7 and keeps all of my data recorded for 30 days. So if I want to compare my caloric burn or time for “x” number of miles on Sept 3 and compare it to today’s run, I can easily do that! There is obviously some learning that needs to be put into this of course…just with any electronic gadget. The chest strap has come a long way from what it used to be like. Now, it is very flexible and comfortable all the way around the chest. The “chip” is only about 3 inches in length and falls right in the middle of the chest. Before, it used to be a harder plastic that fell under the entire rib cage.

Then we have to talk about price. One person’s $40 monitor may be just as good as another’s $250 monitor. Remember that it all depends on what you are looking for. Brands play a part in it too. Just because you see an expensive brand, doesn’t mean that it is much better than the less used one. When in doubt, go with what the reviews say. Again, my favorite has been the Polar FT7 of all the ones I’ve had. I trust Polar and probably won’t look anywhere else either.

Ahhh, show me the money!!

• $50-$100: This will include a variety of HRMs that track heart rate, calories burned, time in zone and more.
• $100-$200: In this price range, you’ll find more features like the ability to create workouts, track progress and download data.
• $200-$400: This price range will offer more advanced features like GPS, multi-sport tracking, workout comparisons and more.

However you slice it, it’s definitely a benefit to have it than not. It has vamped up my game in the gym or outside. I’ve even used it in the pool to train for races, or when I practice soccer with the kids. Another nice thing about it is that it won’t yell at you to do TWO MORE REPS when you’re spent….or will it????? Up to you.

LOOOOOOOVE the bosu!! Oh and by the way, I really like the bosu too :-) Have you heard of it? No it’s not a detox plan, or a dance move. It’s a ball. Well, a half ball. Actually, a half ball with a flat base. Oh geez, below is a bosu!The BOSU trainer, which means Both Sides Utilized, is designed to encourage muscle fiber recruitment. The unstable nature of the ball demands fiber recruitment in the muscles in order to maintain balance and support. Nowhere is this more on display than with leg workouts! This single piece of equipment is fantabulous and   can be added to any exercise routine through cardio, strength training, core, and flexibility. Once a week, I use this for my entire strength training session. Talk about burning calories! Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve gotten pretty darn good at flipping it upside down, and doing one legged squats and dead lifts with minimal movement. Yeah, I know…pretty cool :-)

You want some HOT legs? The bosu trainer will sculpt them bad girls into next year! Remember that your legs run from your tush all the way down to your ankles. Don’t kid yourself….real men like curves, and when the curves are toned, even better! Aside from legs, you can work on your upper body as well. Push-ups, shoulder presses, lat raises and core. Please, please please visit BOSU exercises!! This page has TONS of info on this magic tool. By far, it is one of my favorite pieces of equipment to use in the gym, at home and at the office. Not so easy to travel with, I admit, but the other three places covers most of us. I can confidently say that I don’t have any problems wearing my bathing suit without a lower cover. It’s true. I have seen such awesome changes in my legs. Not to mention my core too! I’ve incorporated so much balancing exercises in conjunction with legs on the bosu that not only is the tone there, but I feel so much stronger. And THAT’s a great feeling :-)

Have you ever known someone that you admired and/or looked up to, only to find something out about them that doubted what you knew about them? Today at the gym, I was talking to one of my friends who happens to be a trainer. She and I have had many conversations about anything and everything. One of our favorite topics happens to be fitness of course :-)

Anywhoooooo, we both have talked about and agreed on the ramifications that diet pills can have on a person and both of us have maintained that we do not use, nor do we promote the use of any diet pills to accelerate weight loss. Well, as she was getting ready to leave, her bag fell over from the bench and guess what rolled out of it? You got it…diet pills!! I couldn’t believe it! I called her out on it and she apologized to me over and over. Truth be told, I think she needs to come clean and apologize to her clients, not me! Clients pay good money to look up to someone they BELIEVE is living their life in a healthy and safe way. They seek accountability, motivation, support, knowledge and even friendship. To find out that your trainer is cheating to “stay fit” is a slap in the face in my opinion. Now don’t get me wrong, I drink protein shakes after a good strength training workout, so I’m not talking about that protein drinks. According to the FDA, an analysis of the ingredients in 72 over the counter products showed that they contained undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients, including the controlled substance sibutramine, an appetite suppressant legally sold as the prescription drug Meridia; rimonabant, a drug not approved in the United States; phenytoin, an antiseizure medication; phenolphthalein, a suspected cancer-causing agent; and the diuretic bumetanide. No prescription drug—even a diet aid like  an appetite suppressant—should be taken without medical supervision. And because some of the products contained doses higher than the levels approved for prescription drugs, the risks are higher as well. Potential side effects are scary: seizures, heart attacks and strokes. So much for safe and natural.

I can’t stress enough about the importance of a healthy diet and plenty of exercise being the TWO key ingredients to living a healthy lifestyle. Getting “help” in a way that puts your body in danger is not smart. Let me put it to you this way….it’s down right STUPID! First of all, if you are not heavy to start with and are just looking to lose 5-10 pounds, I wouldn’t suggest to lose more than 1 pound per week. On top of that, the National Institute of Health recommends that you only lose up to 10% of your body weight for the first 6 months. If you can keep it off, THEN you can lose a few more pounds.

So if you read a label, or magazine ad, or internet ad, or whatever and the thing promises you to lose 30 pounds in 8 weeks, RUN!!!! Run far….you’ll be better off burning up those pounds that way anyhow :-)

THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL!!!!!

If YOU have any questions that you’re curious about, email me at tanktoparms@hotmail.com and look for the answers in the “Food For Thought Friday” posts!

Q: How important is 8 hours of sleep to your health? Just curious, because I think I’m falling behind.

A: Ahhhhh, the old “8 is enough”….or is it? Well, as most of us have grown up with hearing that we need 8 hours of sleep, for the most part it’s true. Getting enough zzz’s is very important to our health, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that EVERYONE can only function properly as long as you’re getting 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 hours of sleepy time. Sleep is an essential part of our lives. If we don’t get enough of it on a consistent basis, our bodies will give out on us.

Some people may find that they only need 5-6 hours of sleep to function properly, while others need 10-11 hours for optimal performance, so it’s safe to say that each person’s sleep requirement is different. To put it simply though, the average adult functions best with 7-8 hours of sleep a night. But remember, you should probably evaluate how you feel during the day to be certain that you are getting enough sleep at night.

Research has shown that when we don’t get enough sleep, there is an increased risk of diabetes, onset of weight gain, irritability, and your attention span is shorter. Among other things, your reflexes tend to be slower and depression could sneak up on you as you fatigue more and more. Get some rest!! Just be sure it’s the proper amount of rest that YOU need.

Q: What are your thoughts on Honey Therapy for allergies?

A: “Oh the allergies have been killing me!” That’s my daily spiel since Spring came around. I see the little cottonwood pollens floating in the air and I just want to hide! Rather than going the medicinal route, many people look to honey as an allergy remedy. Although there isn’t a whole lot of research for or against it, I can comfortably say that it is safe for the majority of people suffering from allergies.

Because local honey tends to have some of the same local allergens in the air, consuming honey actually helps to build your immunity to those same allergens. It works like this: the bees go from flower to flower, tree to tree, etc. when they go back to the hive and contribute their labors to make the honey, they themselves are covered in many of the same allergens that we suffer from. So consuming honey actually helps to build a slow immunity to these allergens, or so that is what is believed.

A word of caution to honey therapy: If you have never consumed honey, be careful because you may have an allergic reaction and not know it until you’ve eaten it. Try just a little bit of your local honey, like ½ teaspoon to see if there is any reaction. If not, you’re probably pretty safe. But you can always run this by your physician as well.

Q: How far do I have to jog to neutralize a small order of McDonald’s fries? What if I replace the jog with a walk? What if I replace the walk with sitting on the couch? Note: the fries cannot be substituted.

A: I’m going to answer this because it made me laugh! Too funny to pass up you know! Here’s the low down on the question: A small order of McDonalds fries has 231 calories, with a total of 11.5 g of fat, and 18% saturated fat. So, you will probably have to jog about 25-35 minutes, depending on your pace; longer time if you’re going at a slower pace, shorter time with a faster pace. If you’re walking, you’ll probably need to walk about 45 minutes to lose those 231 cals. If you’re sitting on the couch, make sure to have the remote close by because even getting up to change the channel won’t help you much! Enjoy the cheat treat!

Q: What are your thoughts on dietary supplements such as pills, smoothies, etc?

A: With one brow raised, I will answer this as honestly as possible. I take a supplement. It’s called a multivitamin. I also use 100% whey protein to make smoothies with. I never have been a big fan of supplement pills to lose weight, gain muscle, raise the metabolism, or to “burn fat”. For one, they aren’t FDA regulated. Nutritionists say most of us can skip taking vitamins altogether, as long as we’re eating a variety of healthy foods. But I know that I’m probably not getting ALL the vitamins and minerals I need from my diet, so that’s why I take a multivitamin. Go to RealAge to see the most important vitamins and minerals you should be looking for on that bottle.

There are so many different potential negative effects that your body can have from taking dietary supplements that you aren’t familiar with. Unfortunately in today’s society, we are bombarded with magazines, books, shows and internet ads that promote a “perfect” body whether you’re a woman or man. Marketers target desperate people that are looking for a quick fix. Many of these drugs have shown to increase heart rates to unsafe levels, raise cholesterol level as well as blood pressure. The liver, kidneys and pancreas tend to have difficulty processing these pills, but it takes a long time usually to see the side effects. By that time, the damage is done.

Smoothies can be a good source of energy and protein if you prepare them at home with raw foods and maybe a scoop of 100% whey protein. When we purchase smoothies from the outside, such as Jamba Juice, you may think that you’re getting a healthy dose of fruits for the day, but in reality you’re getting a ton of sugar and carbs. As I said earlier, if you prepare your drinks at home, you can make them so much healthier than if you buy it somewhere else. Personally, I use 100% Whey protein from Nectar (brand) in the vanilla bean flavor. I mix it with ¼ cup water, ½ cup skim milk, 1 scoop of protein powder, and I usually add ½ banana, or raspberries, or ½ papaya. For my multivitamin, I take Mega Woman Sport from GNC. Aside from that, I make sure to eat a really healthy diet 80% of the time so I can “cheat” with my food the other 20%.

Q: What are the health benefits of sex, red wine and dark chocolate…

A: Sex: Earlier I blogged a post all about the benefits of sex. Aside from burning about 85-100 calories in roughly 30 minutes (depending on how…ahem…vigorous it is), sex can help relieve tension, improve cardiovascular health and improve intimacy between you and your significant other. Other research has shown that sex can help relieve pain by producing oxytocin, slows the aging process and finally it can help reduce the risk of breast cancer!

Red wine: drinking it in moderation, red wine can have some pretty significant positive effects on our bods. The University of Bordeaux found that moderate wine consumption (about 2 glasses a day) was associated with a 30% reduction in the death rate from all causes; a 35% percent reduction in death rates from cardiovascular disease; and an 18-24% reduction in death rates from cancer. Aside from all the news of chronic illness risk decreasing with red wine consumption, there are also anti-aging effects in red grape skins.

Dark chocolate: According to the Mayo clinic, eating small amounts (notice I didn’t say candy bars every day) of dark chocolate everyday can offer some health benefits. Flavonoids are a naturally occurring antioxidant that is found in teas, red wine and some fruits and veggies. These same flavonoids are found in the deliciousness of dark chocolate. They have been associated with having a good effect on the heart by lowering blood pressure by a couple of points for both the systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) numbers. Bon apetit!!

How many different commercials, magazine ads, computer pop-up ads and books can you think of that offer you the opportunity  to lose inches or even 50 pounds in two days??? I’m exaggerating of course, but you get the point. The truth is, there is no magic pill….but…you did know that already right? Please say you already knew that.

It’s amazing to me how many people, especially women, still fall for this gimmick. You know, I used to like Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser, but she’s really chapped my hide with the recent push for supplements that promise to make you lose weight. I’ve never been a trainer that pushed pills or any specific diet like Atkins or South Beach to name a couple. I like to keep in good fitness health the old fashioned way, through a healthy diet and physical activity at least 80% of the time. Many times, there are long term affects with these “promised” solutions. For example, the American Heart Association states: “Individuals who follow this diet (Atkins) are at risk for compromised vitamin and mineral intake, as well as potential cardiac, kidney, bone, and liver abnormalities overall.” Low carb diets like the Atkins diet may also hasten the onset of type II diabetes. Yikes!! That’s some scary crap people!!

Every New Year’s, millions of people claim that THIS will be the year of shedding those unwanted pounds. “And I’m going to do with hard work….I’m marching myself to the nearest GNC and buying my weight loss!” Yeah. Right. Just doesn’t work that way. Let me rephrase that, it just doesn’t work in a HEALTHY way. These may be temporary fixes, but only contribute to health problems or frustrations at  the end as you may see the weight come back when you get off the diet or supplement.

Lifestyle changes are the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Creating a habit of eating well and being active each day will become a lifestyle change. Did you know that it takes 21 days for something become a habit? Now, I truly do understand that some people have a hard time to lose weight through diet and exercise; I’m not denying that. When that happens, there may be an impending visit to the doc or maybe a registered dietician to see if there is something you may be missing. Perhaps a thyroid problem or very slow metabolism. But for those of you who really haven’t tried as best as you can, are you really struggling? Be honest with yourself please. Denial will get you nowhere.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that we should be getting at least 150 minutes of vigorous exercise each week. That breaks down to 30 min each day for only 5 days! That’s the minimum to keep your heart healthy. Now to lose weight, you should really be expending energy for approximately 60-90 minutes each day with one or two days rest. You don’t have to spend the 90 minutes all at once either. Don’t forget you strength training too.

Keeping a journal of your daily physical activity can help too. If you don’t have a personal trainer, this is a great tool to have and it acts as accountability as well (it just won’t yell at you :) In this journal, you can also keep a log of what your feeding yourself. Now THAT can be an eye opener. We usually don’t think of all the “little” snacks we grab on the go, or those 3 peanut M&M’s you just ate….oh….that was me. Anyway, my point is that you have to be completely honest with yourself, and when you decide to do that, you will start to see the change.

You may encounter a plateau. Damn those last 5 pounds!!!!! Curse you!!!!! Ok, ok, settle down now. If you ONLY had the option of losing weight either through exercise or your diet, do you know which one would win? The diet. Ultimately, if you want to achieve the lean physique and toned muscles, eating a clean diet is what will push you over the edge. So be patient. It takes roughly 6 weeks to really start seeing results if you’ve got maybe 15-20 pounds to lose. Remember that the more weight you have to lose (the heavier you are), the faster you will see results. Don’t get discouraged if you hit a wall. We all do. I’ve hit walls, but punched through them.  Stay focused and put your heart into it because at the end, it will thank you!!

If you’re brave, you can take a “before” picture. Place it somewhere that you can see, albeit a private place. Remind yourself that it DOES NOT have to be Jan 1 to start your weight loss goals. It can be Cinco de Mayo or October 25 for pete’s sake! Who cares!! Just don’t use the “New Year’s resolution” as an excuse to wait for your makeover.

Make it happen. YOU, can make it happen!

How long would you need to exercise to lose weight if you’re 25, 35, 40 or even over 50?

The only thing that I emphasize as far as age groups go within adulthood is that men over 40 and women over 50 should talk to their provider before starting an exercise program if they have been sedentary. In erring on the safer side, if a person is obese and even under those ages, again I would recommend they talk to their provider.

30 minutes a day is a MINIMUM recommendation for a person in a healthy weight range to get benefits from exercise. Simply put though, in order to reduce the risk of chronic disease as adults, you need to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity which you should consider to be above your usual activity that you do from work or home on most days of the week. Of course you will benefit from more intense workouts for a longer period of time. Remember as in posts before, it does not have to be all at once. But for weight loss, maximizing your calorie and fat burning during exercise is very important!! Comprende??

Getting into your target heart rate zone for weight loss is very important! If you are in fact in your target heart rate zone for a longer period of time, you will be able to lose weight at a more efficient rate say if you did vigorous exercise for 45-60 min as opposed to a moderate walk for 90 minutes, regardless if you are 35 or 75 years old. There are a few ways of determining your target heart rate for weight loss, but the best way and easiest way to determine your target heart rate (as I do for clients) is to take your age and subtract your age from 220. This is what is called your maximum heart rate. When doing a cardio workout, you can maximize your calorie burn by working out within 70-80% of your maximum heart rate and sustaining that rate for about 20-25 min. To determine this number, simply multiply .70 x your maximum heart rate and .80 x your maximum heart rate. This will give you the optimal range for cardio workouts. So I’ll use my age with this for example:

220-35= 185 (my maximum heart rate)

.70 x 185= 129.5

.80 x 185= 148

Target heart rate: 129- 148 (approximately) so 148 would be 80% of my MHR for example

Just remember to engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements to lose weight. To sustain weight loss, try to get in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.

As a side note, you will have to increase your level of intensity to    maintain your target heart rate for weight loss because your heart  is getting more fit as you exercise!

Have fun :-)