Go Live With Anti-5

#LiveEvent Stay in the game this holiday season! Did you know half of all annual weight gain in the U.S. occurs during the holiday period? And to boot... weight gained during the holiday season is rarely lost. -Mayo Clinic & Prospective Study About Holiday Weight Gain, published by the New England Journal of Medicine. JOIN ME because you don't want to be a statistic! #Anti5#IgniteYourInnerAthlete

The Athlete's Kitchen: Fuel For The Casual & Competitive

You've heard it all before - do this, not that - to lose fat more quickly, increase energy and/or perform better. Eating shouldn't be complicated and I'm a firm believer that food is meant to be enjoyed. Many times people ask what I eat and it's often face-to-face in the grocery store. I'm pretty creative in the kitchen when I take the time, and I can also be very boring. Regardless, I don't skip meals and I'm not afraid to eat, even clean my plate and go back for more. I recently read and reviewed a great article, Sports Nutrition: What's Old, What's New? published in American Fitness by Nancy Clark MS, RD, CSSD, who provided a run down with expert advice.  

Whether you consider yourself an athlete or not is beside the point. If you participate in any form of physical activity and are looking to change your body composition, or even enter some sort of race challenge, you're an athlete. Now that I verified this, you can keep reading!  

Here we will resolve any confusion about how you should fuel your body for success! Warning: Don't let the headings fool you.

Thin at any cost. When elite female swimmers restricted calories in the pursuit of thinness, they lost speed. You're now thinking... wait, I'm not an elite athlete and I don't care to be one, but you told me to read ahead?  Here's why you should care: the research also showed that these elite swimmers also DIDN'T lose ANY body fat. All that training and they didn't improve their speed or lose body fat over a 12-week training cycle. Hmmmm??? Now you should ask yourself, am I sabotaging my efforts by not eating enough? Thin at any cost comes with a high price tag.

Eat fat, get fat. Yes & No. Yes, excess calories will easily convert to body fat. However, healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts, olive oil and salmon are an important part of a sport diet (any diet) because they help reduce inflammation. Athletes -YOU!- also need dietary fats to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. Fats' benefits don't stop there, it fuels muscles; small amounts get stored within the muscles and have been shown to improve stamina and endurance. According to research, runners who switched from a very low-fat to a moderate-fat diet enhanced their endurance. Choosing healthy fats is key!

If you want to lose weight, you need to go on a diet.  Diets usually DON'T WORK! If they did, everyone who has ever gone on a diet would be lean.  We know this not to be the case.  Next time you think it's a good idea to diet, try these basic changes instead: 

1. Choose fewer processed snacks in wrappers and instead enjoy more fruits, nuts or veggies.
2. Get more sleep. Yes, I said it. Rest is important and lack of sleep contributes to weight gain and poor performance.  

Don't drink coffee before exercise, it's dehydrating. A study published by the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, found that pre-exercise coffee is not de-hydrating and can actually enhance performance. Caffeine boosts alertness and reaction time, and can make the effort you're putting in seem easier, allowing you to work harder. However, if you are caffeine sensitive, it's best to skip the Cup of Joe.  

Don't eat before or during exercise. Your body can digest food during exercise as long as you are able to maintain your working pace for more than 30-minutes. Casual athletes (fitness exercisers) can benefit from a light pre-exercise snack, such as a banana, granola bar or packet of oatmeal to get their blood sugar level on the upswing, according to Clark.  

Endurance athletes who exercise for more than 90-minutes can benefit from both a pre-exercise snack and carbs during an extended workout session. Clark suggests that your target is ~250-350 calories of carbs per hour. It takes practice to learn what sources of fuel work for you prior to and during exercise.  

Refuel right after your workout. If you do two exhausting workouts per day, you will benefit from eating soon after your first exercise session to help fuel up for the next. Casual athletes can simply back workouts into the next meal. 

Energy drinks contain magical ingredients that make you soar like a unicorn.  The only magical ingredients in energy drinks are caffeine and sugar. You can save money by adding a tablespoon of sugar to your coffee, you'll get the same boost. You can even eat well and get enough sleep and you won't need an energy drink. Most of us can perform just fine with real food and rest - orange slices,-weren't those the best?!-pretzels and water provide more nutrients and electrolytes (sodium and potassium) than sports drinks.  

Did you learn something new? Or did you just like the unicorn pic? Stop daydreaming about unicorns and orange slices and comment below about a small change you can make and as always, sharing is caring.

14-Day Two-A-Day Challenge

August marked the return of football and a time when players suit up for two separate practices per day, it's a tradition known as "two-a-days."

Has summer separated you from your inner athlete? Let's spend time recapturing YOUR drive and discipline!  There are no excuses - the kids are back in school, Labor Day is past, and the perfect time is now.  Live Powerfully!

*This challenge is for all fitness levels, and low impact exercises will be provided.  

This online training will be divided into two sessions:
One workout and a healthy eating challenge each day.  The program will be well balanced to allow recovery time over the two weeks.  

1. High intensity interval training that incorporates yoga and Pilates principles to improve overall fitness and refine core conditioning.
• You will receive 30-minute guided workout videos that can be done anytime, anywhere and don't require equipment. These workouts progress every 3-days and will help IMPROVE overall STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY and FITNESS!
2. Teaching strategies and tactics needed to make healthy eating choices.
• A certified clinical nutritionist will be your daily guide to building healthy eating habits.  For example: day one may be - eating your last meal of the day 3-4 hours before bedtime.  Day two-three will build upon day one... implementing the 3-hour before bedtime rule and let's say, adding in a green smoothie (recipes provided for meals and snacks).  By the end of the two weeks, you will have NEW TOOLS, a new PERSPECTIVE on healthy eating and some new HABITS!

Just like football players you will learn to execute "plays" effectively, efficiently and reflexively without needing time for conscious thought or cognitive processing.  

To get you ready for the fall season, this kick start program will provide accountability, daily guidance & motivation! It will require you to post daily in the private challenge forum once you complete the challenge and the percent you completed.  The workouts will be progressive, and the food challenge will be cumulative, allowing you to implement 4-5 new and simple practices within two weeks.    

You will RECAPTURE the DRIVE and DISCIPLINE needed to live POWERFULLY and RELIEVE habitual ACHES & PAINS.  

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Do You Suffer From WBS?

Let's talk about butts!  Jordan Metzl, M.D., says, "a strong butt is the key to a happy life."  I hands down agree for a number of reasons.  Metzl is an author, marathoner and sports medicine specialist who has seen many patients with what he calls, weak butt syndrome. I'm constantly emphasizing to my clients and class participants that glutes are the powerhouse.  You can have great quads, but with weak glutes you lack engine power. Metzl says that weak glutes not only make runners more injury prone - they also hamper performance, and that's with any activity.  If you suffer from WBS or simply want buns of steel, here's what you can do:

Try these 3 moves twice a week to build a butt that won't lie.  In about a month, you'll feel stronger and will not experience fatigue as quickly.  This routine will also help relieve aches and pains in your knees and hamstrings.  

Lunges - alternate legs for 3 sets of 12 reps

How to do'em: lunge one leg fwd while keeping your trunk upright, your front knee over your ankle and your back shin parallel to the ground.  Push through the heel of the front foot to return to standing.

Plyometric lunges - perform five sets of 15 reps on each leg (30-sec rest between sets)

How to do'em: lunge forward as described above, however instead of stepping back to standing, spring into the air to switch legs using controlled motion and landing lightly as possible (you don't want to hear a loud thud on the ground ;). 

Squats from a chair - work up to 6 sets of 15 reps, then try up to 3 sets of 15 reps of single-leg squats (my classes hate these). 

How to do'em: stand in front of a chair with feet slightly wider than hip-width.  Keeping your back as straight as possible, slowly squat to sitting, then return to standing. 

I challenge you to do these exercises as recommended over the next month.  Before, during and after - share the changes you experience below.  Do you currently suffer from WBS?

Amp Up Your Workout!

Tired of doing the same workout routine? Kick it up a notch!  Here I demonstrate 5 combination moves that will target your arms, abs and legs: 5 Combination Moves to Amp Up Your Workout (Step-by-Step Video Included)

Accountability Is The Name Of The Game

We all have our reasons for wanting to be in great shape. Some people love the feeling of slipping into a smaller pair of jeans, other people love being super confident all the time, and some people want to run races and win.

Whatever your reason, every single person I know has days where they just don’t want to work out. It’s human nature to forget our initial motivation and want to stay on the sofa instead of putting on our gym shoes and heading out the door.
In order to head off this quitting mentality, it’s important to put some accountability structure in place. Here are some ideas of how to make sure you’ll stay on track even when you reeeally don’t want to.

Group Activities

It’s a lot more fun to work out in a group than on your own. In fact, I recently wrote an entire blog post about it! Check it out HERE.

In the post, I specifically talk about the social aspect of group exercise. When feeling like you just don’t have it in you, you’re way more likely to show up if you know your best friend is waiting for you.

Normally group classes tend to be the same people on the same days, so you’ll get to know other participants in class and it can be a lot of fun. I know clients who have become close friends through their work out classes and depend on one another to stay in the zone.

Work With A Trainer

When you’re further along in your exercise journey and preparing for a race, whether it be running, swimming, biking or some other form of competition, a trainer can be really helpful.

You have a set time to be there and you know that they will be waiting for you if you don’t show up. And it can annoy your trainer if you continually cancel. It may get you fired as a client.

Trainers are really imperative when it comes to pushing yourself to improve your time or lift more weight. They will always push you outside your comfort zone so you can truly be your best competitor.

Accountability Buddy

Sometimes, it’s just nice to have another person to exercise with. One of my mom’s coworkers is on a weight loss regime, and asked my mom to walk with her during their lunch break.

It works out perfectly because my mom wants to get away from the computer at least once during her day. I always remind her how important it is to move her body and breathe outside air!

Now, when one buddy doesn’t want to go, the other comes along as a reminder why they started in the first place. What a great system!

My Accountability

Sure I'm capable of working out on my own, but I usually choose not to. I love doing one-on-one sessions with my Pilates trainer. It keeps me accountable and she pushes me (and I also prepaid, so I’m not going to ditch out on that!). I love showing up knowing she’s already planned out our hour. All I have to do is be a good sport and follow instructions. Plus, I learn a lot about myself and ways to challenge others!

How do you stay accountable? Need help getting on track? Contact me today and we can figure out a way to help you work out smarter and more consistently.

5 Exercises You'll Love to Hate

Don’t have time to hit the gym? Try these 5 exercises that my clients hate because they’re so hard (but they also love them because they get the job done). Efficiency is key when time is limited. And don't stop reading further if you think these exercises will be too hard, I provide modifications. Gotta start somewhere!

Burpee Tuck Jump

People love to hate burpees, and to make sure my clients don’t get too set in a burpee routine, I constantly change them up. People complain that I’m making it worse, but when I hear that, I just smile and remind them that they’re paying me to challenge their limits and keep them engaged.

How to do it: Just like a regular burpee, start in a squat position with your hands on the floor, jump your feet to plank position, do a push-up, jump your feet back to squat position, jump up off the ground, but then add a tuck jump after that. This extra jump will make your heart pound through your chest. It’s terrible!

What it works: This movement will work your entire body. When you jump into plank, you activate your core, chest, back, arms, glutes, quads and hammies. When you jump straight up, you’re using power from your quads, glutes and hammies. The extra tuck-jump uses core power and builds agility.

Lateral Jump with Weights

People sometimes think I’m evil, but I’m not. I remind them if they do what I tell them, they will see results and live a healthier life.

How to do it: Place moderately heavy weights on your shoulders, I like 8 lbs. You can choose 5 lbs. or no weights to start. Do a narrow squat with your legs hip distance apart. Staying low, jump to the right and then to the left without standing in the middle, so you’re holding the squat position. It’s killer.

What it works: This exercise blasts your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core. It’s also going to get your heart rate up too.

Bad Ass Crawl (aka Total Body Torture)

I’ve been using this movement in class with gliders so you can easily slide your feet across the floor, but you can also walk your feet forward if you don’t have them. You can use paper plates or towels too as a gliding device.

How to do it: Start in a high plank position with your arms straight. If you have gliders, set them right under the ball of your feet. If you’re using a mat, start with your hands at the end of the mat and walk forward, gliding your feet behind. When you get your feet to the end of the mat, come onto your forearms and walk back in reverse. When you get back to your starting point, come onto your hands once again and repeat.

What it works: The bad ass crawl is full-body and really works your core, along with spinal stability and balance. Be careful not to stick your butt in the air because that shifts all your weight into your shoulders and puts undue pressure on your front delts (they really shouldn’t be bearing your body weight).

The Cross Donkey-Kick

This one is a lot of fun and has a great name. It's like break dancing! Maybe.

How to do it: Come into a pike position, so your body creates a triangle. Your butt should be pointed up to the air and forms the point of the triangle (the other two points are your hands on the floor in front of you and your feet on the floor behind you). Do a little hop up with your feet to kick your booty. When you come down, take your right leg across your body and then your left leg across your body - dropping your hip toward the floor. Hop to center again, and repeat.

What it works: This movement will work into your back, chest, shoulders and arms, as well as your core muscles.

Side Plank, Side Leg Lift, Front Kick

How to do it: Come onto one forearm with your elbow under your shoulder, lying on your side with your feet, knees and hips stacked. You'll lift from your hips and side body up off the ground doing a leg lift, then a front leg kick. So if you’re on your left arm, lift your right leg and lower it down, then lift and kick it out to the front.

Add an optional hip dip when you’re in the side plank to make it a little tougher.

What it works: This move will get your core, outer thigh and glutes. When you kick your leg to the front, you’ll zap your quad and your abdominal muscles, not to mention that the plank works into your obliques as well.

For a heart pounding & time efficient workout: Try these moves as a Tabata set - 4 minutes total for each exercise, with 20 seconds on and 10 seconds rest for a total of 8 rounds.

So, which exercises do you love to hate? Leave a note in the comments below to join the conversation.