Workout Tips to Get You Through the New Year

Would you pay attention if I regurgitated all the reasons to stay true to your workout commitment in the coming year? Probably not. So I won’t. Instead, I will offer you some tips to make your fitness year go easier by helping you prepare for as well as recover from workouts, even though I simply know you will want to hurl 4-letter words at me from time to time.

Stay hydrated and have a bit of protein before and after each workout.  It's important to drink water before, during, and after exercise. Water regulates your body temperature and lubricates your joints. It also helps transport nutrients to give you energy and keep you healthy. As for protein, make sure you ingest at least 20 grams before you see me or workout on your own and 20 more within an hour afterward to help your body recover.

Get plenty of sleep. Did you know that getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night can both reduce and undo the benefits of dieting? In a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, dieters were put on different sleep schedules. When their bodies received adequate rest, 50% of the weight they lost was from fat. However when they cut back on sleep, the amount of fat loss was only 25% —even though they were on the same diet. Sleep-deprived subject also reported feeling significantly hungrier, were less satisfied after meals, and lacked energy to exercise. When your body is sleep deprived, it suffers from “metabolic grogginess,” also referred to as “sleep debt.” 

DO SOMETHING between workouts.  I know. You savor those days between your workouts, but by not doing anything between your gym visits you are actually setting yourself back. Even if it’s a morning stretch, a short walk, 50 minutes of yoga or roughhousing with your kids, any form of exertion is better than none.  Don’t consider your weekends or between-workout days as “off” days; consider them semi-rest days. Why? Because they serve a vital role in building anti-fragile body capable of leaping tall buildings with a single bound. A good rule of thumb is to schedule something every day at the same time you normally train.  

Consider every morsel of food as medicine. Practice mindful eating, even if you are around friends and family. Your food regimen is 80% of the fitness equation even before the first push-up of the week. People understand more than ever how difficult it is to get and stay healthy, but you may still need to offer a convincing narrative when you are over someone’s house for a football game and everyone around you is drinking beer and eating nachos. “My trainer will kill me if I stray off my eating regimen” (you are welcome to use me as the bad guy at all times). Or make that pre-emptive phone call. “I can imagine all the great food you are going to serve, but I hope you don’t mind that I bring my own snacks today.” 

When you are sore, exercise those sore muscles a bit.  I know it sounds a bit absurd, but the best way to soothe sore muscles is to use them. Remember how, when you were a kid, you hated it when you bumped your knee and cried, but it didn’t stop your mom from rubbing the hell out of the place that got bumped? You thought it would make it worse to touch the injured area, but after she stopped, it actually hurt less. Think of this the same way. 

If you can fit it into your budget, a sports massage is one good way to reduce the effects of muscle soreness.  I know a number of massage therapists who offer economic packages geared to shorter but more frequent visits to their treatment tables. Massage moves the fluid and blood around in your body, which can help heal the micro-trauma your muscles are suffering from. Other ways to alleviate soreness include foam rolling, contrast showers (alternating between hot and cold water), Epsom salt baths, increased protein intake (to increase protein synthesis), omega-3 supplementation (to reduce inflammation) and, as I mentioned earlier -- sleep.  

As we enter a new year, we also enter a new chapter in your fitness journey. While New Year’s resolutions are only a start and you will no doubt see more diet ads on TV than any other time of year, it’s best to take this journey one day, one week, one month, and even one workout at a time. I am here to help, so feel free to use me as your shrink in 2017 – whether it’s for food regimens, advice on how to up your game, or just as a  sympathetic/empathetic ear. 

In the end, it’s all about adding days to your life. But it's also about adding life to those days.

Tips on Choosing a Personal Trainer

Did you know that according the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of personal trainers in America will jump 24% by 2020? That means you’ll need to do some prudent research to find the perfect fitness coach. But it’s a fact. Not all personal trainers are created equal. Some actually listen to you and focus on your needs and others are friendly but merely put you through your paces, occasionally ragging on you when you miss a workout. I pride myself in being the first type and not the latter. So if you are looking around now or in the future for a trainer, whether it’s me or anyone else, I’ll try to save you some stomach acid wondering how to do it. Here is what to look for:

(1)  Listening skills.  Yes. Just like a shrink, a trainer should first assess your motives and learn about your past successes and failures. Fat loss? Health improvement? Flexibility? Marathon running plans? Balance? Post-surgery therapy? More energy? A better golf swing? Is there a timeline? What has held you back in the past? Are you committed to making your eating regimen an integral part of your journey, especially since it’s usually 80% of the equation? Some of my clients are simply training for the anti-aging benefits, others have been in gyms all their lives, and yet others are determined to slim down and tone up. If a trainer you are interviewing can’t customize a program to precisely the needs you have and explain their plan of action, keep looking.

(2)  Personal attention and safety.  If you are taking private training, my attention has to be on not only the exercise I am asking you to do, but also on how you are doing those exercises.  Often I see another trainer tell a client to do 15 pull-downs, and then walk away to speak with someone else. In the meantime, I cringe as I watch that person dangerously hunch forward, flail their elbows and do the pull-downs entirely the wrong way. I do group training, but I watch my clients like a hawk. Why?  Because one wrong move, one out-of-position pull, push or lift can cause an injury you’d hate me for. And I don’t like being hated.

(3)  Patience is virtue. For any client-trainer relationship to thrive, it should be understood that what works for one client may not work for another.  Training is not a contest. Your trainer should be able to find a comfortable pace for you that both challenges but encourages you. I personally love being able to remind my clients about how far they have come, because it seems many of them forget how out-of-shape or weak or unbalanced they were when we started out. I recall one of my clients actually falling off the parking lot curb after her first leg workout. Now she lunges back and forth across the workout floor like a pro. I simply love taking you on a journey of body re-discovery.

(4)  Communication. It goes both ways. I will hold your hand. I will explain everything to you – what muscles are being worked, why you are doing a particular exercise, and how doing it may affect your well being. And I make it a point of pride to be there at the agreed-upon time for you come hell or high water. But I also expect commitment and communication on your part, too. If a client cancels on me frequently or on very short notice, I am – simply – bummed. Why? Because you once told me how serious you were about all this and now your actions demonstrate otherwise.

(5)  Being professional and helpful. Watch a potential trainer training others. Does he or she carry their client’s water bottle or run across the floor to the cooler for them? Does he pick up and hand weights to his client instead of making him or her find them or pick them up of the floor? How about the floor mat? Do you see the trainer occasionally helping a client stretch worn out legs and arms by using their own body weight at the end of a training session? One of my pet peeves is seeing a trainer chomp down on a burrito while they watch their clients work out. What’s with THAT? Don’t forget that your trainer is employed by YOU. His or her focus should be on making your workout as efficient, timely and stress-free as possible.

If you are in the market for a personal trainer, ask the ones you are considering if you can observe them for about 15-20 minutes with one of their clients after interviewing them or reading what they have to say on their web site. It will offer you a wealth of information about whether you want to work with them. Or you can go farther than that – see if they will give you the email address or phone number of someone they have trained for a reference. Hiring a trainer is serious stuff, just like any other business decision you make for yourself. You are entrusting not only your health and safety to that person -- you are also investing your hard-earned money. Hopefully, it will be a match made in workout heaven.

When Misery Can Thrive on Company

Working out can feel grueling to some folks. Keeping that appointment with your trainer twice or three times a week can feel overwhelming at times, especially when the only person you are measuring yourself and your commitment to the cause against is – YOU.  When you partner up, however, all kinds of magical things can happen both when you train with me and when you exercise on your own.

Don’t get me wrong. I adore my private clients, especially the one who rarely fail to keep their appointments. But I do notice that for others, working out with someone else has huge advantages for a number of reasons:

·      A University of Southern California study using 117 adults cited that those who worked out with a buddy said they enjoyed exercise more than those who sweat alone.

·      Did you know it’s actually safer to be partnered up for exercise? Checking one another’s form (like when your butt is in the air during planks or push-ups) or leaning forward too much during squats or lifting weights can save you from injury as well as a lot of residual pain that may follow.

·      You’ll probably push yourselfa tad harder when you don’t exercise alone, not to compete with your partner, but just to finish the exercise or complete the requisite number of reps, because there is someone there to help you stay accountable to. People who exercised with someone they thought was in better shape than they were work out up to 200% harder and longer than others, according to researchers at Kansas State University.

·       You won’t find as many reasons to cancel a workout or skip a workout when someone is counting on you to show. You may even limit your social media and texting breaks when there is someone there to rag on you.

·       When you work out with a trainer present, you’ll save money! When our budgets are limited, splitting things with a workout partner may make you both able to afford your trainer and you’ll train longer! 

I have seen the interactions between my clients when two or more work out together. Some love watching their buddies go through their paces just to know which exercise they may be doing next. Others offer reassurances to their workout partners, since they may have already been where their partner is going.  Whatever the dynamic, when you find someone who is just as committed to making changes as you are, the chances are good that it’s going to be the beginning of a beautiful (and healthy) exercise relationship….

What Comes First? The Chicken or the Pain?

Without trying to lessen the importance of being/getting fit (after all, that’s what I’m here for!), I often talk to my clients about how diet and the quality of your eating regimen constitutes an easy 80% of your fat loss and size goals.  I know. Few of you want to face that unalterable fact that food plays a gigantic role in all this and find it hard to face a lifetime of watching what you eat. Now I want to get into the nitty-gritty about protein and how important it is for all KINDS of reasons, not the least of which is your body’s ability to recover from the torture I put you through!

It’s no secret that protein is the magic bullet when it comes to everything from muscle building to beautiful hair and skin. This is not lost on health food marketing, since you can find hundreds of products packing upwards of 30 grams of protein into a single nutrition bar or a smoothie, along with a photo of a flexed bicep on the wrapper.

So when I ask you if you ingested protein BEFORE our workouts and how soon you plan to ingest it AFTER we finish, I am asking not just out of concern about your nutrition levels. I am also posing the question out of sheer concern for pain – the pain you’ll feel following a challenging workout. Why? Because well-timed protein can lessen that pain.

You may ask: what is the optimal amount, type and timing of protein needed in order to lessen training-induced soreness? Research tells is that the current dietary reference intake (DRI) for protein for persons over 18 years of age – whether they exercise or not -- is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day (i.e., 80 g. of protein for a 220-pound person). But a number of sports nutrition experts have concluded that protein requirements are higher for athletes in order to promote muscle adaptation during recovery from exercise.

Protein can:

• …aid in repair of exercise-induced damage to muscle fibers as well as the synthesis of new proteins that are involved in energy production

• …facilitate the replenishment of depleted energy stores

• …help you build more muscle. Protein endurance athletes are 1.2 to 1.4 g per kilogram of body weight per day, but resistance training actually requires more – as much as 1.6 to 1.7 g per kilogram of body weight per day. 

I’m not telling you to down ten smoothies or eat a slew of protein bars every day. Most of the recommended intake of protein can be accomplished with diet alone and without the use of supplements. A fist size of good protein (chicken, eggs, or salmon are best) surrounded by a forest of veggies is a good way to get it. Food nutritionists tell us that age, activity level, and your size will affect your protein needs.

The average woman needs to hover her intake around 50 grams per day if she is not active, 75 grams if she works out a few times a week,  and 100 grams or more if more muscle is the goal. To give you some context, two eggs have about 12 grams of protein, lentils have 26 grams of protein in a half-cup, and one cup of quinoa has eight grams of protein. But it’s not recommended to take in more than 30 grams of protein in one meal.  More all at once is not better, since research tells us that too much can actually backfire because the body simply does NOT store protein! Once we go beyond the 30 grams at a sitting, it can turn into-- OMG – FAT!

So space it out. Protein is slow to absorb but spreading it out during the day can actually give you more energy. That’s why it tends to keep us more satisfied. Ideally, you should fuel your body about an hour pre-workout and no more than another hour afterward.

Some examples of pre-workout fueling include a PB & J,  Greek yogurt with berries, oatmeal with low-fat milk and fruit, an apple and peanut/almond butter or a handful of nuts and raisins. You may notice that each of these include some protein as well as carbs because carbs are the fuel while protein is what rebuilds and repairs, making amino acids available for your muscles.

Post workout? It’s even MORE important, even if you’re not hungry! Your body uses stored energy (glycogen) in your muscles to power through your workout or game, but after that workout, you need to replenish the nutrients lost. So get carbs and protein immediately into your body in order to give your muscles the ability to replenish the glycogen they just lost. Help those tired muscles rebuild and repair!  A post workout meal could be anything from a smoothie to a low-fat chocolate milk to yogurt to a turkey-veggie wrap.

The key is not to forget that pre and post-workout fuel. Believe me, your body will thank you for it later, and you’ll last longer as my client because you won't swear at me under your breath when your muscles are sore a day or so after our workouts....

When Little Things Make a BIG Difference in Your Workout

It’s easy to understand how workouts do a number on you; how they begin to shrink fat on the outside while building muscles underneath, and how increasing your reps/weights as you go lead to a more toned body.  But sometimes it’s the little things that get you there: breathing, hand placement, deliberate control, and body angles. That’s what I want to talk about today.

You breathe, therefore you ARE …

As you swim or run, good breathing techniques mean your working muscles will continue to receive the oxygen they need to keep contracting. According to researchers at the University of New Mexico, however, proper breathing is also key to non-aerobic forms of exercise as well, such as weightlifting, yoga and pilates. Why? Okay, if you want to get technical….. As you inhale, air is pulled into microscopic air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, where oxygen is delivered to red blood cells and carbon dioxide is transferred from the blood into these alveoli. The oxygen-rich blood flows to your heart, then it pumps it out to your body and you exhale the carbon dioxide.

Did you know that the respiratory center of your brain automatically sends messages to your respiratory muscles, telling them when to breathe? It’s all on autopilot; you don't have to think about it. But researchers found that when you exercise, your brain notes that there is an increase in carbon dioxide and lactic acid in your blood. This is a byproduct of exercising muscles, telling your respiratory muscles to increase the speed and depth of your breaths so you can offload all that extra carbon dioxide and deliver additional oxygen to your working muscles. So don’t hold your breath at ANY time, even if you think it makes the exercise easier or permits you to lift more weight. You won’t be doing yourself any favors! 

The laying on of hands…

Okay, I am not speaking religiously here. I am talking about how what seems like a small change in your grip can work an entirely different muscle. Body position matters head to toe, but it’s important to remember that muscles don’t work in an isolated manner, which is why tiny changes in how you grip a bar, cable, handweight or dumbbell can make a difference in which muscles you stress. There is no right or wrong – just different areas you work. So when I tell you where to grip something, don’t go to the gym between our workouts and forget where those hands are supposed to grab on any given machine or weight. If you have to use your smart phone to video us for some exercises so that you don’t forget, I am totally up for that!

Be a control freak …

You may not realize why I am telling you to slow down or to stop swinging a weight around like it’s a shot-put, but it’s really about helping you work each target muscle through its natural range of motion for complete development as well as to reduce the risk of injury –- that means from complete extension to complete contraction.  Muscle strength and joint flexibility are enhanced when you use the proper technique and maintain constant tension. That means avoiding locking out a joint to rest it or using gravity to let a weight find its position. It’s important to try to lower the weight at the same pace you lifted it. Try to picture the kind of deliberate control you see Olympic athletes use when they go through their motions. They may make it look easy, but it has taken them years of practice to make it appear that way. No bouncing, and no fast changes of directions as you lift weights, do leg curls, bench press, or use machines. You may or may not notice that I tend to go from larger to smaller muscle groups, and that is no accident. It permits optimal performances of the most demanding, major body part movements while you are at your strongest and freshest, offering you better weight lifting technique when fatigue is low and focus is high. 

Position yourself for success …

How many times have I demonstrated the body position I want you to use, but I have to correct you as you go? My goal is not only to build the muscles, balance and flexibility you seek, but also to prevent aches, pains and serious injuries. My biggest nightmare is that you try doing exercises on your own without remembering to flatten that back as you dead-lift or keep your spine straight as you squat, etc. It’s not a matter of just getting through that last set of reps – it’s about making that last set of reps count while keeping you safe as your body is fatiguing. So next time I squawk at you, pay attention! 

One thing I don’t crab about but I should: use your abs ALL the time. Contracted abdominal muscles create more tension, aid in every exercise and take the load off some of the other muscles you are using. Want to strive toward that washboard stomach? Even doing simply arm curls while engaging your abs can mean a world of difference!

Four Ridiculously Simple Reasons to Work Out ...

You may recall one of my first posts here, where I broke down the different types of clients I’ve experienced, along with their perceived motivations and workout habits. I ran the risk of alienating a few folks with my frankness, but I am all about transparency these days. I simply don’t like taking your money unless I can help make a difference in your fitness level and affect your life in a positive way.

So let’s throw the simple idea that working out makes you look better out the window (that’s a given) and go straight to the simplest reasons for working out:

(1) You’ll be happier.  No, I am not using the “happiness” word in an esoteric way. I mean you’ll feel immediately, intensely, unequivocally awesome after you exercise. See, there is a direct relationship between exercise and endorphins. One study even suggests high-intensity exercise modulates the brain in a very similar way to cocaine use, believe it or not.  It has been found that serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels in the hippocampus are significantly increased by exercise, suggesting physical activity can help manage depression . Today’s ADHD-afflicted and clinically depressed patients are almost always given instructions by their therapists to exercise to help their brains fire in healthier ways, so just imagine what exercise does to people who have no issues to address! 

(2) Being in better shape makes life easier. I can tell you this from personal experience. One of my clients, who began working out with me a few years ago, complained of not being able to carry bags of groceries from her car without breaking up the contents or asking for help.  She now schleps several bags at a time and has more energy than she knows what to do with. Another client complained that she had a tough time bending down to fasten her favorite shoes and was shocked at how she couldn’t manage to take a big step up into a van without help, making her feel positively geriatric. “What on earth happened to my legs?” she asked me when she began her workouts. Now she complains every time it’s “leg day” but is off-the-charts grateful that she moves like someone 20 years her junior.

But wait! There’s more! Getting stronger, leaner, and more capable means you can rearrange the furniture, hoist a suitcase into the overhead rack and even help carry a friend home from the company Christmas party. Just THINK of the possibilities! When you improve your capabilities, life becomes increasingly more manageable.

(3) You’re not doing this just for yourself; you are also doing it for those you love! I’m not trying to sound like Deepak here, but the people closest to you rely on your love, energy, and compassion. Mismanaging your body is a disservice to them and may even rob them of a full life with you, whether you are a young mom, an aging grandparent, or a single auntie/uncle. Applying the oxygen mask to yourself is the first step toward taking care of your relationship with others. Looking at it this way should convince you that exercise is NOT an act of selfishness; rather it’s an act of generosity. Those you love deserve your best.

(4) Exercise is a blessing. Seriously. Okay, aching, panting and sweating may not kick this fact into top-of-mind awareness, but think about how fortunate that you are to possess the knowledge and the means to exercise!  The ancient Greeks knew it: a healthy body is truly a work of art. Two legs to carry you, two arms to lift a child or help your aging dog onto the couch, and a strong heart to help you scale those trails at Yosemite. It’s downright impressive what you are capable of, so don’t take ANY of it for granted!

These four reasons alone should convince you to:

• start exercising regularly
• keep your appointments with me –- that means planning life around your workouts and not the other way around, and/or
• make you take stock of how life is too short not to start now

Are you okay with spending half your life feeling unsure of your balance while doing something routine, not being able to get up off the floor without help, having to sit down to pull your jeans on, or only recalling nostalgically how strong you used to be when you were younger (as if that can never happen again)? If not, then I am part of the universe telling you that time waits for no one.  

See you in the gym. SOON!

When Stress and Emotions Overwhelm – EXERCISE!

Let me ask you this: have you ever had so much stress or emotion going on that the only way you could relieve it was to clean out a garage, reorganize a closet or weed the garden until you dropped? How often do people going through break-ups suddenly become exercise fanatics and get into shape just because they want to get their minds off the sadness (or anger) or simply don’t know what to do with what they're feeling? 

Finding Nemo’s Dory had it right. When life starts to get you down, just keep swimming!

These tendencies to use up energy during stressful times are not only natural; they also do us good and make us feel alive again. That’s why so many of us choose exercise as a way to let off steam, quell emotions or just make our problems seem smaller. Did you know that any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever?  You don’t have to be an athlete to find out that a little exercise can go a long way toward stress management. 

Running, walking, biking, hiking, playing a round of tennis or doing yoga – all of it increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, in turn giving you a shot of energy. But exercise also relieves stress in ways you may never have thought about.  It bumps up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters (endorphins), giving you a high that can last more than just the hour or so you perform the exercise. It will make your blood flow faster, raise your sense of awareness, and put your entire body on alert, making it more prepared for what’s to come. An article in the Mayo Clinic’s web site called it “meditation in motion.” Zoning out on laps in the pool can make you forget the day's irritations and instead focus your concentration on movement. 

You can start small, which is probably the best way to begin. You can find that a single task – like walking to the coffee shop instead of driving there -- results in a burst of energy and optimism, improving your mood and even increasing your self-confidence even if it’s your own little secret for a while. Even mild forms of exercise can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety, improve your sleep, and offer you a sense of command over your body and your life. 

You’ll want to build up your fitness level gradually. Overdoing it can lead to pain, which often leads to making excuses to stop, More importantly, it can lead to injury. Of course, engaging the services of a personal trainer to start you on a regimen and keep you accountable is the ideal, but if that’s not possible, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (such as brisk walking or swimming) or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running). I like to recommend a combination of moderate activity combined with sprints of exercise that raise your heartbeat for small periods of time, since the effects of that kind of exercise has the potential to keep your metabolism (and your endorphins) going for up to 48 hours. 

Don’t forget the strength training, though, even if you don’t own a set of weights or any exercise equipment. There are so many ways to increase your strength simply using the weight of your own body! Just ask me and I’ll show you some basics! Striving for balance, flexibility and increased stamina go a long way in making you feel great about yourself, especially as you age. It lessens stress levels and help deal with the emotions that keep surfacing, helping you over troubled waters.  The main thing is to SCHEDULE your exercise just like you would any other appointment. That may mean a morning workout one day and an evening activity the next. Carving out some time to move every day helps you make your exercise program an ongoing priority. 

The key is consistency. The journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but that one step is not enough! Write down your specific, measurable and attainable goals and use your smart phone or online calendar to keep you honest. An appointment with yourself should be just as important as anything else you do for others. A good way to stay consistent is to find a friend willing to wait and see if you show up at the gym or the park, bringing an entirely new level of motivation and commitment to your workouts. It’s important, however, not to think of exercise as a bullet point on your to-do list. It should become a part of your day, like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. 

Let me offer you tips on how to change up your routine, challenge yourself, and exercise in sensible, short bouts of activity so that you optimize your exercise sessions and have an arsenal of things to do when the going gets tough.  When the bad times are over, you just may have gotten hooked and formed a habit that will keep giving back for a lifetime! Once you see how exercise can transform your moods, energy and stress levels, I guarantee  you’ll become a believer!

·        

“Walking the Plank” Means Improved Core Strength!

Arrrrr, mateys! No. We’re not talking Pirates of the Caribbean. We’re talking up toning just about everything you can think of with planking – simple exercises that require no equipment and can be done each and every day. Not a lot of movement involved here, but LOTS of concentration and commitment to making over your own body!

When you see others planking at the gym, you think – “ahh – piece of cake” – but planking is no child’s play. This incredibly popular exercise has the potential to seriously boost your fitness levels and can be done virtually anywhere – your home office, a hotel room (well, place a towel on the floor so you don’t breath in the less-than-clean carpet), the beach, or in your family room while you’re letting the dog lick your face. It engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously and benefits the whole body in a WHOLE bunch of ways.

First, your core strength will improve – fast.  All those muscles, bones, and joints that connect the upper and lower body (the ones we use everyday to lift, turn, reach and bend) become engaged. That makes this the most important area of the body to work on not only now, but as we reach middle and older age, when even a slight movement your brain isn’t ready for can wreak havoc with your neck or back.

By successfully holding the plank position, you naturally have to squeeze and engage all the main core muscle groups: (1) the transverse abdominus (2) the rectus abdominus (3) the external oblique muscle, and (4) the glutes.  It’s amazing to me how, when core strength improves, everyday tasks become easier. My clients report feeling stronger and their athletic ability improves.

Want flatter abs? Forget counting crunches. In fact, they aren’t all that efficient when it comes to getting toned.  Even the military has determined that sit-ups are an outdated exercise capable of causing lower back injuries.  A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that planking offer 100% activation of your six-pack muscles, while crunches only engage 64%. Planks give you more bang for your buck than almost any other exercise!

How about that back? Planks will literally back you up for life!  While some core-focused exercises can actually weaken and potentially injure the back (such as sit-ups or crunches), planking will actually help to strengthen it. That’s because the plank is carried out using a neutral spine (minimal movement) eliminating the constant strain caused by flexing and extending of the spinal column. And because you contract all layers of the abdominal fascia, it’s as great way to strengthen the core. That, my friends, helps to reduce low-back pain.

But wait! There’s more!  Even though planking doesn’t burn as much fat as cardiovascular exercises, it’s a more efficient way of burning fat. Why? Because planking is actually a form of strength training, which translates into your metabolic rate increasing even after you’ve stopped exercising. That doesn’t happen with cardiovascular exercise. And remember -- physical activity doesn’t just keep your heart healthy and your muscles toned. You need it for strong bones so that when your doc orders up those bone density tests when you reach middle age, you'll pass with flying colors and won’t require sometimes scary-side-effect medications to stave off osteoporosis. Weight bearing exercises are a HUGE key to bone health because they place stress on the bones attached to your muscles, stimulating them to rebuild themselves. Planking means you support your own body weight – a fantastic weight-bearing exercise that’s hard to overdo no matter what your age. I can go on and on here. Balance and posture improve. Daily tasks get easier. Fat loss take place. You gain mobility. Your energy levels increase.  Do you work at a desk? Planking improves mood and aids in relaxing those muscles in the neck, shoulders and back that often become stiff and tense from prolonged sitting.

There are variations on planking, and you’ll want to mix them up to get the most out of this amazing exercise. The illustration below shows you the classic plank (elbows on mat), but you can plank on your palms, with straight arms as well, or take it a step further and alternate between the two. Another variation has you diagonally raising one arm and one leg at a time. And a third can find you doing side mountain climbers with your legs. There are also side planks, holding your arm up in the air as you balance on one elbow. I am happy to demonstrate the proper way to plank (back is ALWAYS flat, no rounding at ALL).

So next time someone tells you to walk the plank, DO it! You will find that even if you have a limited amount of time for exercise, planking is a fast and extremely efficient way to improve your fitness levels!

 

Fitness ... With a Side of Confidence, Please?

We all know getting fit isn’t just about numbers on a scale or clothing sizes. Transformations brought about by healthy lifestyles (both diet and exercise) take many interesting and heartwarming forms as these changes begin affecting nearly every facet of our lives.

Many women who enter my little gym for a first time workout are often clad in boxy, concealing (mostly non-athletic) clothes.  But over time, I see them blossom and after a month or so of consistent workouts, the baggy tee shirt becomes a more form-fitting one, new athletic shoes appear, and a smile greets me with every workout. Why? Because getting fit not only releases endorphins and pheromones that can affect mood and energy levels; it also affects confidence levels in ways so gratifying, I can’t even begin to describe it to you.

“I’m wearing almost everything I haven’t worn in years,” says one client who loves fashion. “I thought for a long time I’d never be able to wear some of my favorite pieces again, and now I have an entire closetful of clothes to choose from!”

One of my more senior clients wanted to get fit because she was beginning to feel age truly take hold – she had trouble walking very far and was shocked that she couldn’t even carry a 5 lb. bag of groceries from her car to the house.  After all, no one – at any age -- wants to begin to think of herself as “frail.” So I started her on an exercise regimen that improved her upper and lower body strength, addressing some her core issues that affected balance and flexibility. Now she is shocked over how fit she feels. Does she still hate planks? You bet. But she wouldn’t trade that frustration for a snapshot of how weak she once felt. Now she carries bags of groceries much larger than 10 lbs. and brags about it.

Another of my clients thought she’d just trim down enough to zip up her wedding dress more easily when that special day came. And she did. But the kudos she received from her fiancé/now-husband were all about how much sexier she is to him because of how her newfound confidence has spilled into other areas of her life. Friends and family showered her with positive comments as well. So instead of ending her workouts after the honeymoon, her goal is to make her exercise regimen a priority. I’d call that a win-win scenario…

I’ve had many a client tell me after several months of consistent workouts and a healthy diet change that they’ve been able to get off blood pressure meds or avoid taking “statin” drugs for cholesterol. Others say the boost they get from it is something they don’t even realize is happening until they look back on their day and remember what life used to be like before exercise. It stands to reason that when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you’ll have more energy to go about your daily chores and opens you up to all kinds of physical possibilities.

Are you struggling to fall or stay asleep? Don’t stare into a tiny screen hoping your eyelids will grow heavy!   Many of my clients report that the night after a good workout, they drop off to dreamland faster and their sleep is deeper than ever before. Well … okay. Maybe a 5-year old sleeps a tad deeper…

The bottom line on exercise and physical activity? It’s a great way to feel better, gain health benefits, look better and even have more fun.  And once you “buy into” the idea that what you eat and how much of it you eat makes up the rest of the story, you’ve got a magic combination for all kinds of smiles-to-come in your life. I’m just here to help. Oh yeah. I do love helping you achieve those confident grins…

Proper Diet and Exercise Go Hand In Hand: Stop One and the Other Suffers

You can’t escape it. Maintaining weight, losing weight or sculpting down your size has everything to do with both diet AND exercise. Either/both determine how fast it can happen and how long the results will last.

Sound pretty stark?  Sorry, but it is. There are no magic pills, no potions, and no tricks to tell you about. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met and worked with who got on a great exercise regimen only to gain weight back quickly once they stopped exercising – whether that was because they stopped their workouts, had surgery, or were ill for a while.  It’s as simple (and as complex) as calories in/out and exercise continued/abandoned.

Unless you’re one of those lucky people whose metabolism is unusually fast, most of us naturally add pounds to our frames with each succeeding decade because what once was a calorie-burning machine has now become a calorie bank.  When we exercise and move around more, we eat to fuel that activity.  But the moment that activity lessens, we are so used to eating a certain way, we don’t stop, thinking everything will just even itself out. Sorry folks. That just doesn’t happen.

One of my clients told me she used to admire a woman who lived down the street from her who was a runner. “She was almost constantly in running shorts,” she said. “I envied how toned and slender she was and lamented my own lack of discipline where exercise was concerned.”  Then the neighbor adopted a child, stopped running and everything changed. “I visited her house about 6 months later and I didn’t recognize her,” she told me. So I explained to her how this woman had gotten used to eating for her former activity level and never made the necessary adjustments.

When we want to maintain our weight/size, the rule of thumb is to take in the same number of calories we expend, but few of us know what those numbers are. Devices like Fitbits and Apple watches can tell us how many steps we’ve taken, but there is no exact science to this calculation. 

So I try to recommend that people consider everything they eat to be like taking medication. Scrutinize it. Think about it. Don’t eat mindlessly and don’t eat to be social. Eat to fuel your activity level --  no more and no less.  I often see ladies come into the gym who work exceedingly hard, whether they’re my clients or those of other trainers.  Over time I see their biceps grow, their bellies shrink, and their legs tone up. I even see how fat melts off their backs. But I can always tell which ones realize that getting fit and reducing size is 80% diet and 20% exercise, and which ones probably make the excuse to sit down and eat what everyone else around them is eating.  The process for the latter group takes much longer than for the others who “get” how all this works and stay the course. 

So what is the common denominator in all this? YOU. Not your trainer whose goal it is to reach your fitness goals. Not your mother or your spouse, who might buy your food, prepare it and serve it or for whom you do the same.  Just because someone else can eat 2,000 calories a day and stay slender doesn’t mean you can. Another of my clients told me recently that her goal was to get to a certain (healthy) goal weight not just because she thinks that’s a reasonable size for someone her height and age, but because if she gets there and has to suddenly stop exercising for some reason, she has some “slop room” to adjust her food intake. Makes sense to me. 

If you want to talk to me about eating and exercise, I am always happy to take the time for you. But you have to be honest with me. We can’t be talking about how you barely eat anything but nothing changes. Eating too little is a crime and so is eating too much or eating the wrong foods. Yes, you’ll be building muscle, which weighs more than fat, but to see a major difference take place in as short a period of time as possible, you have to have a balance and sometimes you have to document that effort until it becomes automatic.

So will you gain weight if you stop exercising? Yes, if you don’t adjust your food intake.  It’s a fact and it’s not going away. Good habits are golden, though. And I’m here to help.

Strong Like Bull? Not Quite ...

It’s no secret I train mostly women. While I enjoy helping men with their fitness levels as well, there is little more gratifying to me than to help a fellow female find their new inner “physical core,” always lying just below the surface. For that reason, I wanted to address a common misconception about women and strength training.

Often I get asked about using weights and resistance in strength training when women wonder how they might look if they really dedicated themselves to getting toned. “Will I eventually look like a guy if I keep going up with the weights?” I am asked. The answer is an unequivocal NO.

While research continues to uncover more and more reasons why working out with weights is good for you, a number of women think they should avoid strength training because they fear looking like a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. While it’s true we can’t build bulky muscle like men, everyone builds strength along with its physical appearance differently.  Some women do hit the gym with a vengeance and then wonder why, after several weeks of resistance training, their clothes don’t fit or why the number on the scale can sometimes go up instead of down.

The big T (testosterone) does play an important role in muscle development, but the answer to why some men and women increase in muscle size and others don’t is hidden within our DNA. Even then, it takes years and years of consistent strength training to see even small muscle bulges appear on a woman’s body. Why? Genetics dictate how we individually respond to exercise, determining the types of muscle fibers we have and where they are distributed. It also determines our ratio of testosterone to estrogen and where we store body fat.  All that makes up our body type.

 So I’m sure you’ve seen illustrations of women’s body types, right? We all generally fall under the categories or combinations of them:  mesomorphs (muscular), endomorphs (rounded/voluptuous) and ectomorphs  (slim and linear) in shape. While they may follow identical training routines, mesomorphs respond to strength training by building muscle mass much faster than their ectomorphic counterparts. Endomorphs generally need to lose body fat in order to see a change in size or shape as a result of their training, and ectomorphs are less likely to build muscle mass but will become stronger with a consistent strength training regimen. 

When you overload a muscle, you will increase its size. Aerobic training uses only your body weight, even when changing the resistance of an elliptical machine or a treadmill slope. Step training or stair climbing result in changes in the size and shape of the muscles of the lower body. If you’re concerned about building up larger muscles in the lower body by walking, or stair stepping, then it’s wise to reduce the resistance and concentrate more on speed.

Old rules (but similar ones) apply to strength training: getting stronger depends on working with progressively heavier weights and perform fewer repetitions. To promote endurance, use lighter weights and complete more repetitions. What’s great about all this for women is that -- just like men -- most women will experience a 20% to 40% increase in muscular strength after several months of resistance training.

Women have to worry about more than simply getting to or maintaining a certain size, however. Weight training is a powerful preventive action against osteoporosis, a disease caused by porous bone and low bone density. We are at much higher risk than men for the disease and most of us are likely to suffer from it as we age, leading to  an increased susceptibility to fractures. Strength training can increase bone density; in fact, research shows that only 6 months of weightlifting can increase bone mineral density by as much as 15 percent. As you increase your muscle tissue, your bones must adapt to accommodate this increase in your muscle mass, your bones respond by increasing in density. The result? You will own a stronger skeletal structure and a reduced risk for osteoporosis.

Getting real about your body type and how you might respond to exercise aids in helping you realistic goals and expectations and avoiding comparisons to others working out around you. My best advice? Focus on how good exercise makes you feel rather than how you would like to look.  Small changes lead to bigger overall changes and soon you’ll begin to see the you that resides inside, no matter what the shape may be.

What Are YOU in This For?

When workouts alone are not enough ...

Since my 20s, I have been around a lot of people looking to get fit.  Sometimes it’s difficult to determine the depth of their fitness commitments. We chat as they swear under their breath in a plank position. We laugh when they can’t remember how little weight they were able to lift on their first visit with me. And they breathe a sigh of relief when it’s time to stretch and head home. But unless they tell me their goals for partnering with me, I’ll never know what their true agenda is.

I recently took on a 60-something client who came to me looking not only to support her size-loss goals (she does love clothes), but also to help boost her energy levels, regain more physical balance and bring back the flexibility she once took pride in.  She spelled out her concerns in detail. Among them, her future ability to (1) pull her jeans up from a standing position, (2) fully crane her neck to see cars behind her as she changes lanes on the freeway, (3) get up off a floor without having to get on all fours or grabbing for a nearby chair, (4) wear sleeveless dresses and tops again, and (5) get down to a single digit size that is appropriate for her height. Her fears and wishes are real ones, but younger clients rarely think about the things this woman is concerned about.   I have to salute her for knowing precisely what she wants to get out of our time together, though.

This lady reminds me that everyone’s goals may be different when it comes to getting fit and losing inches. I enjoy helping all people who come to me as long as their goals are reasonable (no, I can’t guarantee you’ll be a size 4 in a month…). But I thought I’d give you a peek into the categories most of my clients fall into:

(1) The health-conscious client who likes company and appreciates my guidance as she gets fit or maintains her fitness levels. My regulars are great. They rarely cancel workouts, they come in ready for action, and they don’t complain about the number of reps or the weight levels I give them. They are simply sold on fitness. Some of these gals have been physically active all their lives, with periods of unavoidable inactivity, but are always able to get back into their “groove” in short order. These are lifers, and I admire the heck out of them because they place a great value in taking care of the one body they were given at birth.

(2) The occasional exerciser who hires a different trainer once every few years when told to exercise by a doctor. OR,  they fear losing a relationship over their looks. Exercise becomes externalized for these souls, since they are doing it to please others and not for the intrinsic value of self-care.  I can talk lifestyle all I want with them, but unless they “buy into” fitness, there isn’t much I can do for them long term. Progress is usually slow for them, because they don’t see all this as a change of life. Their eating habits (clearly 80% of any size loss regimen) are fuzzy because even if we discuss healthy eating, I am not always sure they’re telling me the truth about what they eat on a daily basis.

(3) The means-to-an-ender who usually comes to me in a panic. A class reunion, wedding or special event 6 months away and she wants to look more svelte. She works her butt off with me, learning all kinds of healthy habits, acknowledging how others are noticing the changes in her, and how much more energy she now has.  My biggest fear, however, is that this is a short-term goal and the moment the honeymoon begins, she will stop being so concerned about the fitness level she spent 6 months trying to achieve. She’ll simply fall back into her old habits. She could turn into the “occasional exerciser” as the decades pass, but more often, she will abandon this at one point, reminiscing about how she great looked at the event.

(4) The paradigm shifter who finally “gets” it.  Something amazing takes place in her consciousness, taking her from #2 or #3 to #1. She is mesmerized by the changes taking place in her. No – she is ADDICTED to seeing change. Suddenly she can wrap her head around all of it. She realizes that life is short, steadfastly refusing to let the years limit her. Her goals include a heightened sense of self-esteem, more energy to spend on her other interests as well as her loved ones, and a sharpness of mind that fitness offers entirely drug-free.  I love ALL my clients, but these gals get special recognition because they are a rarity. They do work on themselves no doctor, life situation or relationship can aid with. 

So which one are you? Can you offer me details on what you hope to achieve with me like the lady who simply wants to be able to pull up her blue jeans at age 75? What will change look like to you when even one of those goals is met? How do you think you'll feel?

If you think of fitness as a gift you give yourself and in the process, a gift you give your loved ones, it all makes perfect sense. Communication and goal-setting are the most important components of our partnership, and I will do everything I can to help you make those markers, all of which are movable as well as achievable when accompanied by a great attitude and a never-say-die determination.

Prep and Follow-up: The Details Count!

I know, I know. You walk into the gym ready to get at it, but I won’t let you.

It’s in my crazy-trainer OCD nature. I simply can’t let you begin working out until your body is warmed up.  My directives don’t stop right after we’re done, either. At the end of our time together, when you’d really rather be hopping into your car (ahhhh, it’s OVER!), I stand over you like an army sergeant making you stretch those limbs that just took a 50-minute beating.

So yes, I am about to reiterate the benefits of warming up and the importance of stretching. It’s required reading now that I have a blog, so PAY ATTENTION!

A good warm-up consists of light cardiovascular activity that generally requires 5 to 10 minutes. It can be anything from walking fast on a treadmill to jogging in place to jumping rope, but it’s a must.  Some of you ask if they can get this out of the way earlier in their day, but a warm-up simply doesn’t count if it didn’t take place fewer than 30 minutes before I see you or else it defeats the whole purpose of it!

Warming up elevates heart rate as well as the rate of blood flow and oxygen coursing throughout your body, preparing it to be stretched. I like to use the analogy of how we are told to sit in our cars for at least 30 seconds with the engine running without putting it in gear in order to get the systems ready and the fuel flowing.  While we are not cars, with all that sophisticated machinery and computer circuitry, we do need to warm up just the same.

Here just a few reasons to properly warm up before your weight training regimen:

·      Muscles that are properly warmed up will be able to both contract with more force and relax at a faster rate after a contraction. The warmer the muscles, the stronger and faster the body. Plus, warming up assists in preventing injuries by overextending a muscle.  I may be a trainer, but even I routinely pull muscles by doing something my body was not prepared to do.

·      Get hot (isn’t that the goal here anyway?)! Properly warming up will help your muscles become more elastic. Not only will they perform better, but a warmer body temperature can also lower the probability of a strain.

·      It’s good for your heart! Warming up forces the blood vessels to dilate, reducing the tension physical activity places on your heart, and increases blood flow throughout your body.

·      Cooling down is easier; Warming up triggers sweating and an increased breathing rate, both of which assist in cooling down muscles and joints when they begin to get too hot. By doing a proper warm-up, you can reduce the effect that heat has on your muscles and joints when initially beginning your weight training routine.

·      Bet you didn’t know THIS one: Warming up makes your body secrete additional hormones that provide your body with energy via additional carbohydrates and fatty acids, aiding in more successful and productive workouts.

It’s all about that stretch, ‘bout that stretch, ‘bout that stretch…

I cannot overemphasize the benefits of stretching after a workout. You benefit from it both physiologically and psychologically, and here is why:

·      Lactic acid builds up in your muscles during a workout. This can lead to muscle soreness and fatigue. Stretching helps to reduce that muscle fatigue and your now-warm muscles will benefit from increased blood circulation.

·      Stretching will help your muscles to recover faster from a tough workout. Let’s face it – one of the main reasons people give up too easily on exercise regimens is because they hate putting up with sore muscles. It’s sometimes the underlying reason some clients skip appointments with me. When you stretch, the likelihood is much higher that you will proceed with your next workout and prevent future injury.

·      It’s also a mental thing: when you stretch after working out, you have a chance to tune into how your body is feeling. You breathe through a stretch and pay attention to any aches and pains in the process. The mind-body connection is important for relaxation and stress relief. Stretching is known to calm the nerves and relax the mind.

So have I impressed on you just WHY we can’t suddenly dive into your workout and why you can’t disappear after your last rep?  Warming up and stretching are just as important as the rest of your workout. My fondest wish is that you embrace them as a vital part of your journey to fitness.