Taking time off is tough

I had surgery, (nothing major) about ten days ago. Before the surgery, I was told I would have to take an entire month from exercise. I'm able to get up and around, and do most normal daily activities, but I can tell I'm getting a bit ancy. I'm trying to make the most of this situation, and focus on my eating habits and nutrition. Of the three components for weight loss, eating is definitely my weakness. I like to explain the three components for successful weight loss, as a three legged stool. If one leg is broken, the stool will collapse and fail. The three components are cardiovascular exercise, strength training and diet.

I think the reason why I haven't had to worry so much about my calorie consumption was the fact that I exercise A TON! With all my classes and my active lifestyle, I haven't had to worry so much about my daily calorie consumption. Now that my lifestyle has been put on hold, I'm a sedentary couch potato. Thank god I found this really cool website, through my friend Laura, that helps me track my calories, nutrition and my weight loss goals. It's really helped me with portion control and being conscious about what I put in my mouth. I've actually already lost a pound, which is pretty surprising, seeing as the total amount of exercise I've gotten in the last ten days was today- and hour long stroll with my little dog, Dorothy.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

You can use the app for your smart phone so you can easily input your meals/snacks as you go which is really helpful to stay on track. I love it! It's so easy and helpful. It breaks down your carbohydrates, proteins and fats and takes into account your goals and daily exercise. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you are trying to lose some weight.

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

I have three more weeks till I can start moving again, but I think this has been a great learning lesson for me. The rest is nice, I'm learning more about nutrition and I'm able to focus on other hobbies that I haven't had the time for! Try "my fitness pal" and see if you like it... I'm not getting paid or getting any incentives to promote it, I just think it's a really cool, easy and helpful tool. Remember for weight loss, thirty percent is exercise and 70 PERCENT IS DIET. So if you are going to the gym every day and not seeing results- add this tool to your daily regimen.

Inspirations and Goals

Having inspiration is extremely important if you want to achieve your goals and reach your potential. Before I begin a workout, I like to think about what my goal is for that particular workout and my overall goals in general. When I bring purpose to my workout, I'm more motivated, pumped and driven. I like to write my goals out and place them near my fridge- where I can see them everyday. I guess it kind of puts a little pressure on me, if they are visible for not only myself to read, but to friends and family that visit. I'm a true believer in goal setting, whether small or big, there's no better feeling than accomplishing something you have worked hard for. What are your goals? My goal this year is to run my first marathon, take a yoga class weekly and to do a one legged squat, starting with my butt on the ground. I'm honestly nervous about how I am gonna balance my marathon training with all of the classes that I teach, but it's a good challenge for me to learn how to take it a bit easier in my classes so I can avoid injury and overtraining. I'm finally at a mental place in my life, where I can slow down and enjoy a yoga class, it's just being disciplined with my time to squeeze it in. The one legged squat is gonna be tough, I'm nowhere close yet, but hey I've gotta start somewhere. If you are having a tough time staying consistent or motivated in your workouts create some goals for yourself. Make a few that are realistic to meet, and a few that are challenging. Also be specific in your goals. Instead of saying you want to lose 10lbs, think about what your game plan is. For example, running a 10k, competing in a triathlon, eating more vegetables, taking a dance class are all goals that will help you reach your target weight.

I've selected some inspiring photos of athletes that have motivated me as an athlete. It's apparently obvious they have worked hard to attain their athletic achievements and amazing physiques. Good luck with your journey, and don't forget, hard work and determination really do get you far!

Michael Jordan

Gabriel Reece

Serena Williams

Michael Phelps

Suzy Hamilton

Prefontaine

Flo Jo

Brandi Chastain

Zusana from Bodyrock

Watch the video below to check out the one legged squats I mentioned!

Ever tried a Spinning Class?

I've been teaching Spin Classes for over 10 years. Spinning is an energized, fun, calorie blasting, group exercise class on stationary bikes. I really enjoy teaching these classes, participants of all levels of fitness can benefit, it's challenging and the varied workouts stave off boredom. If you have never taken a spin class, I'd recommend coming in early to have your instructor fit you properly on your bike. Bring a towel, water bottle and wear comfortable workout clothes.

In the following video, I briefly talk about getting fitted on your bike and demonstrate the different positions used in class. All instructors have their own style and energy- so give a few a try, and you'll see which instructor you prefer working out with. Classes are usually about 60 minutes, don't let this scare you off because usually the first 10 minutes of class are the warmup and the last ten minutes are cool down. The average amount of calories burned in a class is between 400 and 600 calories. It's a fun and effective workout, and I highly recommend trying a class! For more information on Spinning- check out the following link:

http://www.spinning.com/spinning-enthusiasts/spinning-program-faq.asp

See you in class!

Blow some Steam, Blast some Calories

You ever have one of those days when you just feel like you need to blow some steam? Today I felt like I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and sprint till my legs gave out. I'm not sure if it was waking up late last night to hear about the tragedy in Japan, my bad luck with sleep this week, or some frustrations I've had with typical everyday life stuff, but I knew the second I woke up, and after drinking a whole pot of coffee to myself- that I was in need of a kick ass workout. I really wanted to run stairs at Mt.Tabor, or 400's on the track- but unfortunately I was running out of sunlight due to the errands I had to run and a long meeting with my accountant, (which probably added to me feeling ancy). So I hit the gym instead. Here's a really simple, challenging, cardio workout, that will have you sweating buckets. Put your ipod on and zone out the world for an hour...

30 minute: tempo run on treadmill - the fastest pace you can tolerate for 30 minutes, RUN HARD!
30 minute: alternate jumping rope one song, with hill climb in/out of saddle on spin bike one song

Total 60 minutes

After this workout, I felt energized and much better. Since I don't jump rope consistently, jumping rope was probably the most challenging part for me. Doing a whole hour of cardio can be really boring and monotonous in the gym- so I like how this workout was broken up and varied. Try it- it goes by pretty damn fast! :) Below is a chart the gives the average amount of calories burned per hour of a specific exercise. It gives you a good idea of which exercises blast them most calories.

Okay- now to hit the shower and blow off a little more steam with a few adult beverages! Have a good weekend. Cheers!

Improving your ASSets - the Deadlift

Clients, students and friends ask me frequently how to improve the look of their behinds. The gluteus maximus is the largest and the most superficial of the three gluteal muscles. It gives shape to and has the most influence on the appearance of your back side. I'm not gonna lie- genetics does influence the appearance of your backside, but there are plenty of exercise you can do to strengthen, lift and improve the shape of your behind.

Of the many exercises that target the glutes, my favorite is the deadlift.

The deadlift is a complicated movement, if you have never performed it, I'd recommend having a certified trainer instruct you. I like it because it is a functional movement- meaning you you can use this movement in the "real" world, moving heavy equipment or furniture. I also like the deadlift because it works more muscles simultaneously than any other movement- even squats!

Below is a you tube tutorial that demonstrate the proper technique for the deadlift! There are many variations of deadlifts as well as single leg deadlifts. Have fun with them and enjoy- they hurt soooo good!!





Cautionary note: Those with an existing lower back condition, or any form of heart disease, should approach the deadlift with caution (the deadlift does placed tremendous, although not damaging, pressure on the back, and does significantly raise blood pressure. Anyone experiencing any of these problems should consult their physician first.

Is your Penis Shrinking? Maybe you should eat Organic!

Well now that I've got your attention, I'll give you my reasoning behind eating organic.

"Organic foods are those that are produced using environmentally sound methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives."


I know it's nearly impossible to consume solely organic fruits and vegetables, but it's definitely worth trying. My mother is the reason I started to eat organic fruits and vegetables... At first I didn't take her seriously and thought organic fruits and vegetables were too expensive. I was eating healthy, wasn't I already doing enough? Well finally my mom's numerous emails, forwarded articles and nagging kicked in.I'm so grateful that her relentless effort to inform me of the importance of eating organic finally registered! Maybe I might be able to have a little influence on your choices the next time you go grocery shopping.

Lot's of people bring up cost issues when buying organic comes into conversation. I totally understand how hard it is these days to try to budget and eat healthy, when organic produce runs about 20% more than conventional groceries. But I have to argue that your health is priceless. You might be saving money now, but you may be paying big time with medical bills and health complications in the future.

So, back to why I eat organic (or try to eat organic as much as possible) It isn't really about nutrition. Sure there have been studies that show organic produce to contain a higher percentage of antioxidants. My choice to eat organic is to avoid the scary chemicals and pesticides.

"The real reason to eat organic food is that the thousands of chemicals used to grow chemical foods are causing horrific health and environmental problems....multiple well-documented studies from reliable sources show that chemical pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and the GMO's used in chemically based food production, are implicated in, if not causing, the following health problems: diabetes, obesity, cancer, autism, Parkinson's disease, male sterility, genital deformities, female infertility, miscarriage, infant deformities, ADHD, hormonally caused gender confusion, asthma, allergies, accelerated aging, and smaller penises in boys, amphibians, and other wildlife.

Pretty scary right? Smaller penises? I'm sure every guy reading this is going strictly organic now! Hahaha, But in all seriousness, trying to eat organic isn't a bad decision when it comes to living a life free of health complications and disease.

If you have to cut costs, here is a list of the most important foods to eat organic:

1. Baby Food
2. Strawberries
3. Rice
4. Green and Red Bell Peppers
5. Milk
6. Corn
7. Bananas
8. Green Beans
9. Peaches
10. Apples
11. Cherries
12. Celery
13. Apricots and Grapes
14. Soybeans
15. Potatoes
16. Raisins
17. Cucumbers


Sources: Organic Manifesto by Maria Rodal http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Manifesto-Farming-Planet-World/dp/1605294853

Holy Shit Boot Camp Kicked my Ass today

My Bootcamp class is one of the toughest classes I teach. It's high intensity, challenging and varies from day to day. We use the Spin Bikes in cold/wet weather and go outdoors when it warms up. We use kettle bells, medicine balls, bands, weights, benches, bosu balls and incorporate body weight exercises and plyos. This morning was a rough one- 6:30 am Thursday, Feb 17th 2011 Workout of the Day:

10 minute warmup on bike
1 min kettle bells swings 15lbs
1 min burpees with push up and overhead shoulder press 5- 8lbs
1 min wall ball medicine ball squats 8-12lbs
1 min wall sit with inner leg ball squeeze
1 min torpedo rollups with jump

5 min on Spin bike out of the saddle/jumps alternating every minute

repeat twice

5 min on Spin Bike out of the saddle climb alternating seated race pace every minute

1 min situps
45 seconds mt.climbers
45 seconds knees to floor in pushup plank
45 seconds knee to opposite shoulder in pushup plank
45 seconds floor to ceiling jump squats
20 seconds high knees

repeat

Time to barf and go on the rest of the day!! :)