Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Had my first double-hitter session yesterday with two awesome ladies! They had been quickly given a machine workout from a gym-rep trainer, and they asked me to assess their workout. I think machines are great for pinpointing that muscle you want to work, but I wanted to give total body stabilization and balance exercises to challenge their core.
My goal was to give them OPTIONS and CORE STABILIZATION.
Welcome to Trainer (HIS) vs Trainer (HERS):
Let’s break out of the machine matrix and go Neo on this workout. GO!
Warm Up: 5-10 minutes of cardio (BOTH) Raise heart rate, warm the body, get blood and oxygen circulating.
Resistance Circuit Training:
1. CHEST Machine Chest Press (HIS) 3 sets of 15 reps – if you choose to do a chest press, keep neck and shoulders relaxed and neutral. This machine is meant to work the same muscles as pushups- really focus on the controlled movement.
Pushups (HERS) – 3 sets of 12 – If you haven’t done these for a while, start on knees, core tight and ankles crossed. Retract shoulderblades (don’t hunch, keep spine straight/neutral). CHALLENGE:*Try at least one full pushup on your toes each session, and I guarantee you’ll be on your toes in a few weeks!
2. LEGS Machine Leg Press (HIS)- 3 sets of 15 – As in a normal squat, knees do not come over toes. Push with the thighs and glutes, and keep it controlled. It’s madness to do machines fast and stress your joints– it’s all about the slow hold!
Squats (HERS ) –
Feet hip distance apart. Don’t let knees come past toes. Put the weight in your heels and feel as if you are about to sit in a low chair.
3. ARMS Bicep and Tricep Extension Machines (HIS). Sorry anonymous other trainer man. I’m not a fan of these because of the stress on the elbow joint. INSTEAD:
One Legged Dumbbell Curl (HERS) –
Challenges your biceps, legs, and core. Keep elbows pinned in (elbows are a hinge here, keep them still). Curl dumbells up toward your shoulders.
Rope Tricep Extension (HERS)
Keep elbows pinned in (elbows are a hinge here, keep them still). Push rope down toward your hips. Ropes are great for triceps because they allow the elbows to follow a natural path of movement.
(+ This girl has the same pattern pants as my FAVORITE capris. Sam’s Club for the win.)
4. HIPS & THIGHS Thigh Adductor/Abductor Machine (HIS)
Lunges (HERS)
Keep front knee over ankle and back leg parallel to the floor. Squeeze your butt to push up. For a challenge, balance on one leg for 3-5 seconds before resetting (standing upright).
5. CORE Ab Machine (HIS)
a. Plank in Pushup Position (HERS) Stabilize for 20-30 seconds, 3 times.
One of the BEST core exercises!
Pull shoulderblades back and down, all the energy goes into the core. Keep spine neutral
Pull navel inward
Remember, BREATHE
To challenge, come down to elbows and put hands together.
b. One Leg Medicine Ball Lift and Chop (HERS)
Works abs/core. Can also be done on one leg for extra balance challenge
COOL DOWN- Elliptical (THEIRS):
More Cardio. Because women love it.
Stabilization and Balance options are ways to:
boost your calorie burn
strengthen essential core structures that support ALL your movements
and feel all the extra muscles you won’t feel with machines.
*Special thanks to Robin and Margaret for the fun training session!
Be brave and stand on your own two feet. Or better yet, balance on one.
————–If you have any questions, feel free to post them at www.facebook.com/HeadstrongHealth!
We all aspire to do, be and have great things. Yet most of us simply aren’t creating the results we want. We complain that we don’t have enough money, romance, success or joy in our lives.
We point fingers and blame outside problems that “happen” to us and make life more difficult. But what we need to understand and keep at the forefront of our minds is that greatness exists in all of us. It is simply up to us to pull it out of ourselves. Regardless of personal circumstances, economic climates, and access to resources, it helps to maintain faith in the fact we each are more powerful than we think.
We all have the ability to create the life we want. We just need to learn how to do it. Is there an exact “formula”? No, but there are certain common features that successful people exhibit and that anyone can practice. They are what can jumpstart your success and attract what you want in life. You’d be hard pressed to find any high achiever who doesn’t live by the following 7 tips:
1. Take No Less than 100% Responsibility for Your Life
One of the greatest myths that is pervasive in our culture today is that you are entitled to a great life and that somehow, somewhere, someone is responsible for filling our lives with continual happiness, exciting career options, nurturing family time and blissful personal relationships simply because we exist. But the real truth is that there is only one person responsible for the quality of the life you live. That person is you.
Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing. Income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviors. That person who reflects back at you in the mirror is the chief conductor in your life. Say hello!
I think everyone knows this in their hearts, but the mind can play games, tricking plenty of people into thinking external factors are the source of failure, disappointment, and unhappiness. But the truth of the matter is that external factors don’t determine how you live. You are in complete control of the quality of your life.
Successful people take full responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images they visualize, and the actions they take. They don’t waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.
2. Be Clear Why You’re Here
I believe each of us is born with a life purpose. Identifying, acknowledging and honoring this purpose is perhaps the most important action successful people take. They take the time to understand what they’re here to do, and then they pursue that with passion and enthusiasm.
If you don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing, then just tune in to the signals around you. Looking toward others for help and guidance is helpful, but don’t forget to stay tuned in to yourself—your behavior, attitude, likes and dislikes, and life experiences. Identify what’s working and what isn’t. If you need to, write it all down. You might be surprised by what you discover.
3. Decide What You Want
It sounds so simple, but here’s the problem: I see plenty of people who are overly-busy yet who feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled. They are physically tired, spiritually drained, and far from where they’d like to be—as if they’ve been running on a treadmill going nowhere fast. Why? Because they haven’t clearly mapped out what they want and then taken the steps to get there. Rather than identifying specific goals, milestones, and dreams (and I’m talking BIG dreams and goals here), they go through the motions day in and day out tackling unimportant tasks. They end up…you guessed it…going in circles and wasting lots of energy. In the meanwhile, they grow increasingly uninspired and out of touch with their authentic selves. This, of course, sets anyone up to living a life out of balance.
One of the main reasons why most people don’t get what they want is they haven’t decided what they want. They haven’t defined their desires in clear and compelling detail. What does success look like to you? Not everybody’s definition of success is the same, nor should it be.
Don’t let your inner devil’s advocate (or that incessant but unimportant To Do list) inhibit you from dreaming big. As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You’ll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, but they also compel others to want to play big, too.
4. Believe It Is Possible
Scientists used to believe that humans responded to information flowing into the brain from the outside world. But today, they’re learning that instead we respond to what the brain, based on previous experience, expects to happen next. In fact, the mind is such a powerful instrument; it can deliver literally everything you want. But you have to believe that what you want is possible.
As you commit to believing in yourself, also make a commitment to toning down the complaint department. Look at what you are complaining about. I’m fat. I’m tired. I can’t get out of debt. I won’t ever get a better job. I can’t stand the relationship I have with my father. I’ll never find a soulmate in life. Really examine your complaints. More than likely you can do something about them. They are not about other people, other things, or other events. They are about YOU.
5. Believe in Yourself
If you are going to be successful in creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen. Whether you call it self-esteem, self-confidence or self-assurance, it is a deep-seated belief that you have what it takes; the abilities, inner resources, talents and skills to create your desired results.
Have unwavering faith in yourself, for good and bad. Make the decision to believe that you create all your experiences. You will experience successes thanks to you, and you will experience pain, struggle, and strife thanks to you. Sounds a little strange, but accepting this level of responsibility is uniquely empowering. It means you can do, change, and be anything. Stumbling blocks become just that—little hills to hop over.
6. Become an Inverse Paranoid
This one is straightforward: Imagine how much easier it would be to succeed in life if you were constantly expecting the world to support you and bring you opportunity. Successful people do just that.
7. Unleash the Power of Goal Setting
Experts on the science of success know the brain is a goal-seeking organism. Whatever goal you give to your subconscious mind, it will work day and night to achieve. To engage you subconscious mind, a goal has to be measurable. When there aren’t any criteria for measurement, it is simply something you want, a wish, a preference, or a good idea.
Sometimes we need to make just one initial goal to get started, and that’s okay. At least it comes with a few actions to achieve. A first step simply can be making an immediate change in a single area in your life. Are you unhappy about something that is happening right now? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself. Making a change might be uncomfortable and overwhelming for you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it, or makes you feel bad about your decision. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice so why continue to complain? You can either do something about it or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.
Bear in mind that you have to be willing to change your behavior if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want. If you’ve already taken an initial step in the right direction, now’s the time to plan more steps to keep moving you forward faster.
Isn’t it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn’t it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?
So if you need just one thing to do different today than you did yesterday, make it this: Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process you’ll discover it is much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts, your visualizations, and your actions!
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Recommended App
Posted on: November 11, 2012
Just got the Livestrong Calorie Tracker App. Looks up nutrition info, calories in food and workouts, and even has water intake option. Try it out if you’re looking into a tech-savvy way to track your intake and output!
10 Popular Diet Tips to Ignore
Posted on: November 10, 2012
10 Popular Diet Tips to Ignore
By Kara Wahlgren
BAD ADVICE: Choose fat-free or sugar-free foods
BETTER ADVICE: Don’t believe the hype. “They usually use fat and sodium to replace sugar, and sugar to replace fat—or chemicals to replace both,” says Denis Faye, Beachbody’s nutrition expert. And Rania Batayneh, MPH, a nutritionist and author of the upcoming book,The 1:1:1 Diet, adds, “Removing fat from a food makes it less satiating, so you ultimately may end up eating more.” Stick with the original versions, and watch your portions or better yet, eat more unprocessed foods.
BAD ADVICE: No cheating ever!
BETTER ADVICE: Relax your diet rules, and you’ll be more likely to stick it out long-term. “If 80% of your diet is tight, then 20% can be a party,” Faye says. “It keeps you from getting stressed—and stress is a huge obstacle in weight loss.” Just plan your splurges ahead of time so you’re not giving in to every temptation that crosses your plate.
BAD ADVICE: Stop snacking.
BETTER ADVICE: Choose snacks that offer a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats—like apples with peanut butter, or carrots with hummus. “A healthy snack can help maintain steady blood sugar levels, which keeps your appetite in check and your energy stable,” Batayneh says. Skipping a snack can cause your blood sugar to dip, leaving you moody and famished—and more likely to overeat at mealtime.
BAD ADVICE: Don’t eat fruit—it’s full of sugar.
BETTER ADVICE: Let fruit satisfy your sweet tooth. “Yes, fresh produce is full of sugar and carbs,” Faye says. “But sugar itself is not the enemy. Fruit is packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals; it’s also rich in fiber, which slows the absorption of sugar. I’ve never met a human being who got fat because of bananas.” When you’re craving sugar, there’s no debate that a handful of grapes is healthier than a hot fudge sundae.
BAD ADVICE: If it’s organic, it’s good for you.
BETTER ADVICE: According to the USDA, organic food is produced without antibiotics, growth hormones, conventional pesticides, and synthetic ingredients.1 The problem is that many people assume organic foods are all low in calories, too, which isn’t necessarily true. Don’t get us wrong—we’d rather eat food that doesn’t resemble a science experiment. But, Faye cautions, “You need to use common sense. If it’s bad for you with conventional ingredients, it’s still bad for you when it’s organic.” A cookie is a cookie, no matter how all-natural it is.
BAD ADVICE: Calories in, calories out—it doesn’t matter what you eat.
BETTER ADVICE: What you’re eating matters. Compare a 100-calorie candy bar to 100 calories of avocado—the latter is packed with nutrients and has healthy fats and fiber to keep you full. Or compare 50 calories of spinach (about seven cups) to 50 calories of ice cream (about two tablespoons). To feel full when you’re cutting calories, look for foods loaded with water and fiber, like veggies or broth-based soups. Plus, “Hormones have a huge impact on our health. Junk food can trigger bad hormonal responses that, over time, can lead to all kinds of problems, including weight gain,” Faye says. Occasionally, someone will pop up in the news claiming they lost a ton of weight while eating nothing but Subway®, Starbucks®, or Snickers® bars—but don’t put too much stock in those success stories. “When you go that route, you’re not educating yourself,” Faye says. “It’s like the teach-a-man-to-fish adage. If you give someone a gimmicky diet, they might lose weight for now; but provide them with knowledge, and they can be healthy for life.”
BAD ADVICE: Try XYZ Extreme Diet—it works for everyone!
BETTER ADVICE: Find a plan that works for you. Gender, age, genetics, metabolism, and lifestyle can all play a role in weight loss—so even if a fad diet has worked for others, that doesn’t mean you’ll get the same results. “There’s no single diet that works for everyone; our biochemical needs are different,” Faye says. Talk to a dietitian or nutrition consultant to find a long-term eating strategy that is tailor-fit to you.
BAD ADVICE: When in doubt, order the salad.
BETTER ADVICE: Choose your greens wisely. Leafy greens and vegetables may be virtuous, but not if they’re slathered in creamy dressing and topped with bacon, candied nuts, croutons, deli meats, or cheese. “Fatty fixings can add hundreds of calories to your meal, and sometimes contain more calories than that juicy burger!” Batayneh says. Salad can be a healthy choice, but order dressing on the side and limit the add-ons.
BAD ADVICE: Don’t exercise—it’ll only make you hungrier.
BETTER ADVICE: Get moving—an hour-long workout isn’t going to make you suck down calories like Michael Phelps. “Exercise isn’t just for losing weight—it improves your cardiovascular health and strengthens your bones,” Faye says. You might feel hungrier while recovering from a grueling workout, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to pack on pounds. “As long as you’re eating clean, your body is amazing at self-regulating,” Faye adds. “It should crave the calories you need to fuel your workouts, not to get fat.”
BAD ADVICE: Treat yourself for a job well done!
BETTER ADVICE: Rethink your reward system. After an intense workout, you may feel like you’ve earned a cocktail or cupcake. But splurging after every workout can quickly undo all your hard work. If you’ve been good all week, go ahead and grab a guilt-free beer on Friday. But, Faye says, “Don’t let every workout become a Pavlovian thing where you need to eat cake afterwards.” After all, the best reward for a killer workout is getting one step closer to the body you want.
What’s the worst diet advice you’ve ever received? Tell us at mailbag@teambeachbody.com!
Resource:
Here’s why you should fuel up before doing your cardio:
Organization Tips
Posted on: October 26, 2012
1. Take a Sharpie your wallet: To easily distinguish between credit cards in your wallet (where is my license!?) use colored permanent marker along the thin edge. (My license is the pink one ;] ).
2. Rubber Band-it- Keep a stock of rubber bands to bag up frozen foods.
3. Tape your receipt to the inside of your cabinet. This serves multiple purposes- Lets you know how much you spent, and how long it lasts. Also shows you exactly what you have when you are hungry or looking for ingredients. Reading a receipt (vs staring down the food in your fridge/cabinet) is much less likely to trigger your eating-habit-reward system.
4. Date the packaging: When putting food away, mark the purchase date with a Sharpie. This lets you know when the food is fresh, but it also helps you gauge how quickly you’re consuming. If you look at a package that you know you bought yesterday, you may be less apt to scarf it down.
I may be a bit of a nerd, but I am fascinated with the brain and the way neurotransmitters (NTs for short) effect -and are affected!- by our behavior. The idea that we can change our brain chemical layout is pretty amazing.
The article below talks about what serotonin, dopamine, and other NT’s do during eating disorders, but also about what we can do to re-route them into better behavior. What’s even cooler is that by changing these behaviors, we can actually alter the levels of the NTs in our brain.
Read it here:
http://www.eatingdisorder-institute.com/?tag=neurotransmitters
Posted on: October 23, 2012
Times of Old: Write Your Goals!
Posted on: October 20, 2012
My Goals from bodybuilding.com — from a couple years ago:
” Goal is to burn fat to 145 (or better!), Reduce body fat % to 15-17%, increase muscle mass and strength, and eat mostly organic!
Goal: Burn 1-1.5 lbs of fat per week until maintenance stage (145)
Have slimmed down face,
toned arms,
muscular but sleek legs,
flat, strong core and abs
smooth back– no folds when i put my arms down!!My family and I have huge food issues. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life battling with calories and fitness. I really need to break free from it. I think about it too much right now, and I want it to be such a lifestyle that it just flows. I want to practice healthy habits now so that when I’m older I won’t have to think about it! I want to stop being a slave to food and have actions that maintain a fit body automatic and totally ingrained into my brain! (I’ve been listening to Tom Venuto)
i.e.- eating organic, stopping when I’m 80% full, developing other coping strategies other than eating, and dedicating my time to more creative endeavors like songwriting, singing, and learning how to dance without embarrassing myself!
also want to learn natural ways to clear up my face and have a smooth, no-makeup-necessary complexionI am burning fat toward a total body weight of 145, with 16-19% bodyfat (or better).
All my life I’ve been slightly-under-satisfied with having an average body. I made excuses because I am healthier than many people who surround me, but today I am deciding to up my level and remind myself it is POSSIBLE to have an “A-list” body. It’s not just possible for other people, other artists in pictures and videos, other women at the gym. It is possible for *ME*!!
I want to sing with confidence, wearing whatever I want, dance with strength and flexibility, stand next to my boyfriend and feel lean and sexy, and I want to WANT to take head shots, performance shots, videos, and fun album photos!”
Which Foods Leave You Hungry?
Posted on: October 18, 2012
A little fun fact I learned from “The End of Overeating”– The rate at which a macronutrient leaves your stomach affects how hungry you are during and after eating.
Protein leaves your stomach at a rate of 4 calories per minute. This is relatively slow, and the brain quickly picks up the signals that communicate when you have eaten enough protein.
Sugar leaves your stomach at 10 calories per minute (which is why we are hungry again so quickly after eating a sugar-based snack)
Fat leaves your stomach at a rate of 2 calories per minute— but wait! Why do we continue to eat fatty foods if it has such a slow rate? (This goes out to you, fellow peanut butter mongers). The reason: fat may move slower, but it takes our brains longer to register that we have eaten a large amount of fatty foods. The signals are slower, so we continue eating before our brain and body realize we have eaten too much. Take it easy on the PB; Divide up your portions, eat slowly and consciously, and give yourself some time to let it sink in.
Headstrong Health: The Psychology of Getting Fit 