Tuesday, December 9, 2008

10 Minute In-Home Christmas Workout!


Christmas time is officially here! With all of the “have to do’s” this month, many people don’t think they have time for an effective fat-burning workout. Well, I am here to tell you that that is not true! In fact, you can get in a great workout in the comfort of your own home!

You may be wondering how you can maintain and even improve your body composition at home with no equipment. Well, to be honest; the possibilities are endless! I’m going to share with you a few workouts you can incorporate into your busy schedule that will allow you to burn fat and sculpt your body in as little as 10 minutes!

For this workout, you will do each exercise for 1 minute each. Perform the first exercise for 1 minute, and then move immediately to the next. Continue doing this until you complete every exercise, and then rest 2-3 minutes and repeat 1-2 more times.

1) Squats
2) Pushups
3) Squat Thrusts*
4) Jumping Jacks
5) Staggered Pushups**

*Squat down, put your hands beside your feet, kick your legs back so you are in a pushup position, and then kick your feet back up to your hands, and stand up.

**Place one hand a few inches in front of the other; do pushups in this position for 30 seconds, and then switch hands for the other 30 seconds.


Here is another in-home workout to help you lose fat and sculpt your body!

Perform the designated number of reps for each exercise, and proceed through the circuit with no rest. After every exercise is completed, rest about 2 minutes and repeat 1-2 times.

1) Squats—20
2) Jumping Jacks—50
3) Pushups—15
4) Mountain Climbers*—10 reps each leg
5) Squat Thrust—12 reps

*Get in the top part of a pushup (arms straight) and bring one knee up to your chest; as you return that leg to the start position, bring the alternate knee up to your chest.

There you have it! Two awesome workouts you can do at home in less than 20 minutes! Now you have absolutely no excuse for not getting in a terrific workout!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

No BS Nutrition Info that WORKS!


Whenever a person plans to go on a diet they envision weight scales, measuring cups, flavorless food, hunger pangs, and even hippies chasing them down with granola. Well, maybe not that last one, but you get the point.

No one ever says, “Yay! I’m going on a diet!” Have you even noticed that the first 3 letters in diet are die? It’s no coincidence. No one wants to go on a diet because they perceive future suffering and misery. Many people think they will have to give up their favorite foods. Many people think they can never eat treats again. Well, in my opinion, many nutritionists and fitness professionals are making nutrition way too complicated.

Is it practical for someone who eats the majority of their meals away from home in the form of fast food, drinks several cokes in a day, and only eats vegetables in the form of fried potatoes to drastically change their eating habits in one day? Would it be realistic (and would it be long lasting) for this person to wake up the next morning and eat all natural foods and drink nothing but water? No! The person may last a couple of days, if even that, before they returned to their old eating habits!

The key is to make small gradual changes that produce long lasting results. Having changes that produce short-term changes only is not enough!

Here are my guidelines for nutrition. No filler, no fluff, and it may not be politically correct, but it’s damn effective.

1) Consume whole, natural foods. These are items that don’t come in a bag or a box, and are usually single ingredient items. Examples: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, raw or dry roasted nuts, seeds, legumes, etc.

2) Do not purchase anything that has these words on the ingredient list: high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated, or colors and numbers (e.g. Yellow5, Blue3, etc).

3) If you consume any grains at all, limit them to post-workout only. Grains are items such as breads, cereals, rice, corn, crackers, tortillas, pasta, etc. By consuming them after a workout, your body uses the carbohydrates in the foods to build muscle and restore muscle glycogen stores. Limiting them to these times (if you eat them at all) helps to prevent potential fat gain.

4) Increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Yes, this is nothing new. Fruits and veggies are loaded with good-for-you nutrients such as phytochemicals, antioxidants, and a host of other things that are necessary for good health. Begin slowly by adding 1 fruit and 1 vegetable to a meal a day. The next week, try to include a fruit and vegetable in 2 meals a day.

5) Consume caloric-free beverages. Drink more water. Period. Caloric-free beverages include water and unsweetened teas and coffees. Here’s a bonus tip: drink a full glass of water immediately before each meal; this will help fill you up quicker if you are trying to lose some extra fat.

6) Be cautious where you get your information. Food corporations who promote their foods as being “figure friendly” and even “healthy” do not have your best intentions in mind. All they want is for you to buy more of their products; not to help you acquire better health, but to get more of your money. General Mills, Kellogg’s, the dairy industry and other food companies don’t give a rip about your health, and they are not qualified to tell you how and what to eat. Keep that in mind the next time you see an advertisement.

7) Make a time to enjoy foods that don’t necessary fit these guidelines. If you plan on restricting your favorite foods for a long period of time, you are just setting yourself up for disaster. The more you tell yourself you can’t have something, the more you want it and the more likely you are to binge on it. Have a meal once or twice a week where you don’t make it conform to the above guidelines. Enjoy these meals guilt-free, and then get back on track.

8) Revolve your eating regime around your life not vice versa. This is another area in which I greatly differ from many experts. Five to 6 small meals a day may be the ideal, but for some people it just isn’t practical. I strongly believe that if you adhere to the principles listed above, the rest is just details for someone looking to lose fat and acquire better health. There are too many important things in life, so don’t spend excess time worrying about your eating habits and exercise regimen.

So now you have some general guidelines, but where do you go from here? As I mentioned earlier, take things slowly. Try to incorporate 1 or 2 principles each day, and go from there. Don’t try to drastically change everything overnight; it’s just not effective.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

What You Should Know!

It is officially Christmas season. People everywhere are putting up lights, trees, shopping, and eating lots of food.

During this time, many people think they simply don't have enough time to workout. Because of this, the same people tell themselves, "I'll just enjoy all of this food and stuff now. I don't really have the time to workout and eat better. I'll just start my workout program and start eating better on January 1st."

Let me tell you something: do not wait until January 1, 2009 to start getting healthy! You need to start today. Think about it: if you start eating whole, natural foods and cut out the processed junk, and you get in 20 minute workouts 3-5 times a week, you could lose several pounds of fat by December 31, 2008!

What are you waiting for? The more you put off something you want and know you should do, the more likely you are to not do it!

It's a busy season, I know. But there are no excuses for not eating better and getting in quick, total body workouts. Remember, you can do a great body scuplting workout in the comfort of your own home.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Beware of the Thanksgiving Thief!



Health conscious people everywhere: Beware! There is a Thanksgiving thief on the loose!

Okay, so here is where I differ from most health and fitness experts: I don’t believe in “dieting” on Thanksgiving. Many experts will tell you to “not eat this” and “don’t cook that” on Thanksgiving. They’ll give you nifty tips on how to cut calories and stick to your diet.

These tips work, and help you stick to your eating habits. But at what price? I mean, who wants to spend a happy day with family strategizing about how to eat at dinner? Who wants to think about the best ways to maneuver around your favorite holiday treats? Why in the world would you want to make a happy day so stressful? It only comes once a year for goodness sake!

Here is my honest opinion: enjoy the day! Eat the foods you want, and don’t stress out about it. If you want some corn-bread dressing and pumpkin pie, go for it.

Now, I do have a few tips that I would adhere to, however.
1) Eat the foods that are special to the occasion. For example: mashed potatoes seem to be a staple at Thanksgiving, but you can have those anytime. Other things like sweet potato casserole (my favorite!) is a once in a year treat. Enjoy the foods you only get on special occasions and leave the other stuff alone.
2) Don’t intentionally overeat. We’ve all eaten so much after Thanksgiving that we want to change into sweat pants and pass out on the couch. There is no need to eat all of that food at once. Get the foods you really want, and don’t eat things you don’t really care for. Who says you have to try everything that is served?
3) Get in a workout. On Thanksgiving morning, be sure to get in a workout. You could easily get in a great bodyweight workout in only 10-20 minutes! Just do pushups, bodyweight squats, and jumping jacks. Cycle through those for 10-20 minutes, and you’ll have gotten in an awesome workout. What a great healthy way to start the day!
4) Enjoy yourself! Some people think they have to feel guilty for enjoying their favorite foods. I can’t think of anything more ridiculous. Enjoy the day and enjoy the company you share food with!
5) Give the leftovers to family and friends. You don’t need to keep pies and what not around your house after it’s over. Enjoy the day, eat what you want, but then get rid of the desserts and other items that don’t adhere to your eating habits.

You can also cook some dishes with healthier substitutions, but don’t do it if it just isn’t the same. For example, I love my Mom’s sweet potato casserole. I’m sure it could be made with sugar substitute and what not, but, you just don’t mess with my sweet potato casserole! No one wants their favorite dishes to be turned into some healthy-hippie version that tastes like cardboard. Only tweak recipes if you have tested them first or you are confident the change will not be noticeable.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy it, get in a workout, and then get back with your healthy eating habits the very next day. Don’t stress about food, life is way too short!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Go Nuts!


Unfortunately, some people still think they must avoid fat if they want to lose fat and get a smaller waist line. Others think that following a low fat diet is healthier.

Well, I'm here to tell you that both of those assumptions are wrong!

Not only can fats help you lose fat, but they are necessary for survival and optimal health. You need fats to provide and help absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and they are used to build many cells in your body.

Fats also help you feel full longer because they slow down the absorption of food. Fats also don't cause a dramatic spike in your blood sugar like refined (and many unrefined) carbohydrates do. Also, fats make things taste better!

Now don't think I'm telling you to load up the shopping cart with high-fat foods like donuts, french fries, and double bacon cheeseburgers. Certain fats have the best health benefits. The two fats that provide the largest health benefits or mono- and polyunsaturated fats. These are found primarly in plant sources: olive oil, nuts, avocadoes and olives, just to name a few.

The fats you want to avoid (especially trans fat) are found in many baked goods and items that come in a bag or box. Look, from research I have read, I will tell you this right now: do not consume trans fats. I would avoid all of them at all costs, even if it's just 1 gram.

Now, on to nuts and why you should be eating them! In 3 large studies, people who ate nuts frequently had a 39 to 60 percent reduction in their risk of dying from heart disease compared with those who ate nuts the most infrequently. Another large study found that consuming a 1-ounce serving of nuts 5 or more times a week resulted in a 27 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who rarely or never ate nuts.

Nuts are loaded with vitamins and minerals, and they are plentiful in healthy fats. The best way to incorporate them into your eating habits is by consuming them raw or dry roasted; no other ingredients should be on the label!

What are you waiting for, get crackin’! (Sorry, I just couldn’t resist the pun!!)

Saturday, November 15, 2008

High Fructose Corn Syrup




If you can recall from a previous post, I mentioned that high fructose corn syrup is one of the greatest contributors to the caloric consumption of Americans.

I think a little background information would be helpful right now. At first, there was just plain table sugar. And at one point, it used to be fairly expensive. This wasn't so for an average person, but for food manufacturers it was a high price item. The cost was a main reason why sucrose (table sugar) wasn't in every single item. As a result of the price, manufacturers were on the look out to find a cheaper replacement for sugar.

This is where high fructose corn syrup came into play.

After processing the corn, a substance is produced that can sweeten products at a fraction of the cost of sugar. The main problem with this substance is that it is now found practically everywhere, including products that didn't used to be sweetened!

Dr. Johnny Bowden said it best: "corn syrup may be natural because it's made from corn, but so is ethanol, and I'm not drinking that either."

The commercials are an attempt by wealthy companies to keep people buying their products. They are not concerned with your health. They want you to buy more of their products so they can make more money. That is it.

I heard a wonderful nutrition tip the other day, and I will pass it on to you.

Look at food labels and avoid all of these items and you will be on your way to better health and a smaller waist line:

1) High fructose corn syrup
2) Hydrogenated oil
3) Colors and numbers (yellow 5, blue 3, etc)




Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Fat Loss Phase

So I took 4 days off from lifting. Instead of going back to heavy lifting, I'm giving my body a break. Right now I am doing a workout I did years ago, it was written by an awesome coach.

I got great results with it, so I'm going back to it; only this time I am changing things up a bit.

The loads are lighter, so I am focusing on lifting as fast as possible.

Each exercise was performed for 10 sets with 3 reps each. I rested 40 seconds between each set.

1) Deadlift 175
2) Chinup w/ bodyweight
3) Front Squat 75
4) Dip w/ bodyweight

I finished off with some intervals on the bike: 60 seconds easy, 30 seconds sprint. I did this for 10 minutes.

It's great to change things up every now and again.

Remember, get creative. You don't always have to do the same thing. Also, do what you enjoy!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Sometimes You Need a Break

I have been training hard for about 10 weeks straight. After my performance declined a little last week, I knew it was time for a rest.

Since Friday, I have decided to take a break until this Wednesday.

I'm not one who enjoys taking a break from lifting, but it is something you need to do every now and then. How often? Well, if you are training HARD, then I would say about every 8-10 weeks you should take at least 4 full days off from lifting.

Some people don't lift with any intensity, therefore it's not really necessary for them to take a break.

After this brief rest, I plan on coming back even stronger on Wednesday.

Keep that in mind: you can't go 100% for ever. You need to allow your body to rest.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

What Have You Done Today?

Today is Saturday. Some people are watching football, others may be playing with the kids. Heck, Christmas is right around the corner, so some could be shopping.

But . . . who has gotten in a workout? No, you don't have to go to the gym. No, you don't need to have any equipment. In fact, you don't have to "workout" at all!

Do you have kids? Get outside and play with them! Play a sport, play tag, run around, do something!

Do you have a dog? Play with your dog! I don't have kids, but I do have a very spastic boxer! Whenever I'm home, I love to go outside and kick a soccer ball around with her.

You don't always have to go to they gym to "exercise." Just find more ways to have fun while you're moving around.

Remember, you don't have to join a gym to get a great body. You don't (and shouldn't!) spend several hours a week doing long boring cardio.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Fat Burning Interval Workout

This morning was one of those times when I just didn't "feel like working out." If I wanted to, I could have easily talked myself out of it.

"I've worked out 3 times this week, and I'll train tomorrow."

"I'm eating whole natural foods, so it won't hurt to skip a workout."

That is self defeating talk. If I would have given in this time, I would be much more likely to skip another workout. Instead of skipping a workout that only takes 20 minutes, I did a thorough warm-up and then got to it.

The warm-up made me feel better and more prepared to do my intervals.

Today I did intervals with DB thrusters. Most people think you have to run outside or use a machine to do intervals. Well, you don't. In fact, I prefer to use bodyweight exercises for intervals.

Here's how to do a DB thruster: get two DBs and hold them at your shoulders. Squat down as far as possible with PERFECT form keeping the DBs stabilized at your shoulders. Squat back up and once your are standing staight, press the DBs overhead. Return the DBs to your shoulders and repeat. It should look like one smooth motion, not 2 separate moves. As soon are you are almost locked out from the squat, start to press the DBs up.

I did the DB thrusters for 30 seconds and then rested for 60 seconds. I did 10 rounds.

This workout will help you burn more fat and scuplt your body better than slow cardio ever could.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Protein Shortage?

It seems like people everywhere are eating chicken breasts, fish, lean meat, and chugging down protein shakes in hope to lose fat. They have heard from "experts" that by eating a lot of protein that they will lose more fat.

I do agree that protein is important, and some people may not get enough (not common in America). However, I don't agree with the need to take in huge quantities of protein.

Let me share something with you. I am a vegetarian, and have been since July. I get the majority of my protein from nuts, beans, legumes, and vegetables. Also included are the occasion egg and protein shakes.

I was curious as to what would happen when I stopped consuming meat. Would I lose muscle? Would I gain fat? No and no. There is no noticable change in my physique, but I do feel much better and have more energy; I also get over illnesses much quicker and they aren't as severe.

Don't get in the trap that you need huge amounts of protein; it's just not true. Many people are chugging protein shakes all day because they think it's necessary.

Let me tell you this: the only time you need to consume a protein shake (if at all) is right after a workout, or if you simply don't have whole, natural food available. Some people need to keep protein powder readily available because they are on the go a lot and they don't want to eat fast food.

Whole food is always better than a supplement. Always has been, always will, and this will never change.

Great Lower Body Workout

Today went much better than Monday's workout. I made sure I recovered properly and got in some good pre-workout nutrition.

Here's what went on:

1) Squat 125x2x8, 150x2x2
2a) DB Split Squat 40x2x10
2b) BB Shrug 135x3x8
3a) Back Extension 45x2x10
3b) Standing Calf Raise w/ 3 sec pause 120x2x10
4a) Cable Crunch 90x2x18
4b) Hanging Leg Raise 2x14

Great workout, and I improved on all of my lifts.

Today in the gym there was a kid doing heavy squats. Now I was impressed with his effort, however, he is a short period away from severly hurting himself. All of the weight was on the ball of his toes and he only squatted down about a quarter of the way.

Please, if you are going to do technical lifts like squats, deadlifts, lunges, cleans, and other movements you're not really sure about, please get a professional to help you.

Get out there and set some PRs!!! (personal records)
It's a sure way to improve your physique.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Election Day Workout

Many schools and businesses are closed today. There are two ways you can view this:

1) Since you don't have to go to school and/or work, you have plenty of time to get a workout done

or

2) You may have to go to work and/or school and the kids are at home. You may not think you have time to get in a workout

Well, you do! Even if you can't get to the gym you have time to get a workout done. If your kids are home, take them to the park. While they're playing, you can get in a great bodyweight workout. You can also use some of the park equipment to assist you.

If you don't have a park near by, do a bodyweight workout at home. You can easily find 15 minutes.

I just finished a great bodyweight workout that took 23 minutes. I did a circuit with squats, lunges, pushups, inverted rows, burpees, and jumping jacks. I went through it twice as fast as possible with very little rest. That will give you a better workout then spending 60 or more minutes on a treadmill.

No excuses. Make use of what you have. If you don't have anything, use your bodyweight!

There are absolutely no excuses for not being able to get in a great workout 15-20 minutes a day 3-4 days a week. Do it!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Fast Effective Fat Loss Tip

Okay, everyone wants to know, "What is one thing I can do that will increase my rate of fat loss?"

Now, while there is no magic pill, potion, or dance you can do that will create immediate results, there are a few things you can try.

One of the most effective things I have seen that has worked with myself and others is cutting out grain products. This means no pasta, breads, crackers, biscuits, tortillas, chips, etc. Not only will you cut out a lot of empty calories, but you will also be eating less processed food.

Now don't think this is a low carb diet. On the contrary, you should increase your fruit and vegetable intake and consume beans, legumes, nuts and leans meats (if you so choose).

By removing all grains from your diet and replacing them with WHOLE, NATURAL foods, you will see an increase in fat loss.

So instead of eating cereal or a bagel for breakfast, have some scrambled eggs with some sauteed vegetables and a piece of fruit. Instead of a sandwich for lunch, have a lean piece of meat or fish with some vegetables, or some chili. Whatever. Get creative. Once again: it's not sexy, but it is effective.

Stick with it for at least 8 weeks and see the results.

Give it a try and let me know the results; you'll be happy with them.

Upper Body Workout

So . . . today's workout was not that great. I did not increase my performance on any of my lifts.

There is a lesson to be learned here. Whenever you don't increase your performance, you need to ask yourself a few questions.

Am I recovering properly?
Am I getting enough sleep?
Am I eating properly?
How is my pre-workout nutrition?
Am I training consistently?

You need to figure out why you are not progessing and fix it immediately.

Here's what went on:

1a) BB Incline Bench 105x7, 6
1b) Chin Up w/ 15lb DB 2x5
2a) Standing DB Overhead Press 30x2x8
2b) Prone Cable Row 100x2x8

Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween!

What better way to start a beautiful than by accomplishing a great workout!

It would have been ideal if I trained outside today since it's so beautiful, but I hit the weights today, so that didn't happen. There is always tomorrow!

Here's what went on today: I increased my performance on every exercise.

1) Deadlift 225x2x5, 155x12 (Finally got 2 sets of 5)
2a) Pistol w/ 10lb DB 2x8
2b) Seated Calf Raise w/ 5 second pause 55x2x8
3a) Double DB Swing 30x2x10
3b) Hang Walkout 2x5
4) Decline Reverse Crunches

To make the reverse crunches more effective, keep your knees bent and your feet close to your butt. Don't allow your legs to come over your head, other wise the moment makes the movement easier.

I know today may be busy, especially if you have kids. But there is no excuse for not getting in a quick 10 minute bodyweight workout at home before/after you take the kids out. Get it done!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Phillies Win! and Fat Loss Workout

Congrats to the Phillies. I managed to see the last few pitches last night.

On to my in-home fat loss workout. Remember, no excuses. You can workout at home with absolutely no equipment.

This entire workout took only 16 minutes. I'm sure you can find 16 minutes in your day to get in a great, fat burning workout with nothing but your bodyweight.

I did 10 pushups, 10 inverted rows, and 15 squats in a circuit. I went through it 10 times with no rest and varied my hand and feet positions on every cycle.

My total for this workout was 100 pushups and inverted rows, and 150 squats.

I worked every major muscle in my body. What about my abs? you ask. They got worked hard as well. They were engaged during every pushup and inverted row. They also stabilized my body during the squats.

That workout will do much more for your abs than 100's of crunches every could.

Remember: No Excuses! You don't have to dedicate 1 hour to working hour. You can accomplish a lot in only 10-15 minutes.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Upper Body Workout

Despite not feeling well yesterday, I felt great today.

Once again, I improved on all of my lifts. Remember, never do the same thing twice!!! Always increase your performance, one way or another.

1a) Standing BB Military Press 75x2x7, 85x3
1b) Parallel Chin Up w/ 10lb DB 2x6, w/ 20lb DB x3
2a) DB Flat Bench 50x3, 3, 2 40x12
2b) Supine Bent Over BB Row 115x2x6, 95x12
3a) DB Tricep Ext 20x9, 8
3b) BB Curl 55x2x6

I finished off with a set of pull ups. I only got 5, but that's expected since I was fatigued from the workout. My goal is to get 10 pull ups by the end of November.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Fat Loss Articles

For more information on fat loss, be sure to check out my articles:

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nia_Shanks

Let me know what you think!

Monday, October 27, 2008

I forgot one thing

On squats I also did 150 for 4 singles. : )

Great Lower Body Workout

Everything felt great today. I improved on all of my lifts.

1) Squat 125x2x7
2a) DB Split Squat 40x2x9
2b) BB Shrug 130x3x8
3a) Back Extension 40x2x10
3b) Standing Calf Raise w/ 3 second pause 110x2x10
4a) Cable Crunch 90x2x16
4b) Hanging Leg Raise 2x12

Once again, a great workout. I like going into the weight room knowing what I have to accomplish: beat my training journal. As long as I improve my performance, I will keep getting results.

Remember that: if you keep doing the same workout, with the same weight, for the same reps, your body will not change. You have to give it a reason to change.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

More Playground Pics




Some more pics from today's workout

Playground Workout


Today my roommate and I headed to a local park for a workout.

NO EXCUSES!!!

We did some pull ups on the swingset, hand walking on the swingset, swing pushups and rows.
We also played with a 50lb sandbag and did some clean and presses, zercher squats, shoulder squats, and some carries.
For bodyweight exercises we did wheelbarrow walks, walking pushups, and more squats. To really set our legs on fire, we did partner carries up a steep hill; these were awesome!
Great workout, and it was even better since we were outside!
Get creative! No excuses!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Upper Body Workout and a Brief Rant

Here's what went on today:

1a) BB Incline 105x8,7 115x2x2
1b) Chin Up 15lb DB 2x5, 25lb DB 2x2
2a) Palms In DB Overhead Press 30x2x8 25x12
2b) Cable Row 110x2x8 90x12
3a) Top Range Close Grip Bench 100x9, 7
3b) DB Hammer Curl 25x2x7

Finisher: 50 Hindu Squats


Okay. On to my rant. There were a lot of people at the gym today; I assume because it was raining. Every person who was in there (men and women) did the following exercises: leg extensions, leg curls, inner thigh machine, outer thigh machine, crunches or situps, bicep curls, lower back machine, and tricep extensions.

What is wrong with that?

I'm going to tell you right now: if your workout looks like THAT, then you need to change. Those exercises have no place in a program designed to give you fast results. Not to mention, some of them are just plain worthless and have no carryover in the real world.

No one did pushups, squats, deadlifts, lunges, overhead presses, chinups, or rows. Those are the best exercises you can do!!! And NO ONE did any of them!

Another thing a lot of women do: they do 30 minutes of cardio on a machine, and then they do crunches and other ab exercises. Again, not to be mean, but that is a waste of time. If you are doing it, I highly recommend you change, too. Everyone can benefit from lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises.

Do compound lifts. Make your muscles work. Build lean muscle and you will burn more fat constantly, even while you sleep. Stop doing crunches. The best exercises you can do for your abs are squats, deadlifts, pushups, overhead presses, rows, chinups, and other compound movements.

Think about it: if those popular exercises everyone does on the machines and isolation exercises actually worked, don't you think that everyone who did them would actually look better?

Think about it and tell me your opinion.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

My New Toy

Today I played with my new sandbag. I'm proud to say I made it myself!

Performed in circuit fashion:

1a) Clean and Press x10
1b) Bent Over Row x12
1c) Shoulder Get Up x5 each side (This is my first time doing these. They were tough!!!)
1d) Shoulder Squat x10 each side
1e) Zercher Carry

I went through it twice

Then I finished off with some 1 Arm Snatches with a 25 lb dumbbell.

Another successful in home workout!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Testimonial


Tammi was one of my first clients. We have had many great training sessions together! : )
Here's what she had to say:
When I met Nia, I was an out of shape, over-weight, mother of 4 small children (ages 1,2,3 and 4 at the time). I was frustrated with my life and the lack of energy I had. I was always considered a thin and even "skinny" girl; managing weight had never been an issue in my life. I am not sure that I ever weighed above 108, even thought I wasn’t at all what you could consider muscular or even well toned.

I have to credit Nia with giving me my life back, and the term "giving me my life back" doesn’t really fit because it was more like she helped me achieve a whole new life. I am now a firm believer in "strong body=strong mind." Working out has given me a confidence in myself that I have never had. I have a figure in my 30's that is much better than what I had in my 20's or even my teens. The energy that came with this new workout and lifestyle is amazing. Keeping up with my 4 kids is now a breeze and I don’t ever again have to worry about "how to get up the stairs" again because I felt so out of shape.

Nia helped me become disciplined and also helped me to learn more about weight lifting and a healthy lifestyle in general. She always made sure I used the proper form in all exercises, which is really important. When you are working toward a goal you sure don’t want to be sidelined with an injury. She also made working out fun. I looked forward to the gym and the way she would change our routines so my body wouldn’t adjust and quit responding. It was exciting to see the changes that our work outs made. It was also wonderful to have energy and to feel so good.

I can never thank her enough for the encouragement she gave me that kept me with it and kept me sticking to my gym routine. Under her direction, I won several pageants including Mrs. Purchase Area 06, Mrs. Kentucky USA International 06 and Top 10 at Mrs. USA International, and Mrs. Kentucky America 4th runner up 07 and 1st runner up 08. I am currently working with her on some new routines and am considering competing in Bikini America and Figure. I have come a long, long way from that frustrated, defeated mom of four whose husband told her she was "heavy."

I cannot say enough about Nia and the programs she has put together for me. I encourage you to start your own journey today....you never know where it will take you.

Lower Body Workout

Deadlifts just didn't feel that great today. I still managed to set PRs on the other lifts, though.

1) Deadlift 225x4, 2 Then I did 6 singles
2a) Pistol w/ 10lb DB 2x7
2b) Seated Calf Raise w/ 5 second pause 35x10, 45x8
3) Double DB Swing 25x2x12 These are one of my favorite exercises for hitting the posterior chain

I must admit, a lot of women see how much weight I lift and automatically think I'm going to tell them to do the same thing. Yes, I definitely encourage women to get stronger, but I don't expect them to deadlift twice their body weight, unless of course the want to. My personal goal is to get stronger on certain lifts, and that's what I'm training for.

I think we need to change the mind set from "lose fat" to "get stronger." Every time we go to the gym, our focus should be on beating our previous workout. Oh yeah, you ARE writing down your workouts, right? If you don't keep a training journal, how will you know what you did the time before? Keep a training journal. Track everything you do. Then beat it.

Use more weight.
Do more reps with the same weight.
Do more work in less time (shorten the rest periods).

ALWAYS increase your performance. This is the fastest way to results.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

What Are You Waiting For?

As the New Year approaches, people will start thinking about New Year's resolutions. Some will make plans to lose weight, others to make money, and many more goals.

But let me ask you: what are you waiting for? Why wait to start something on January 1, 2009 that you can start doing today? Just think, if you started working on your goal (whatever it may be) today, just think of the progess you can make by January!

There is no better time than the present. There is no guarantee that we have a tomorrow. So, why put off things that we can do now?

One more thing: don't just say your goal in your head. Write it down. Keep it where you see it multiple times a day. Tell someone close to you who will support and encourage you and keep you accountable.

Research shows that people who write down their goals are much more likely to accomlish them then people who don't write them down.

So I ask again: what are you waiting for?!

In Home Workout

Who says you can't get a great workout at home?

This was a quick one today.

Circuit:
Jumping jacks
Close grip pushups
Jump lunges
Inverted Row
Wide squats
Burpees

2x through

After that I did some training with my NEW sandbag! I love this already.
Alternating shouldering, clean and press, zercher squat, bent over rows

Be creative. Use what you have. You don't have to have a gym with machines and free weights. You can get in the best shape of your life with bodyweight exercises and some odd objects.

Have fun with your workouts!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Get Strong for Fat Loss

One of my goals in this business is to show women that training for strength is a great way to obtain fat loss. By getting stronger you force your body to constantly progress and do more work. By constantly increasing your performance, your body must constantly adapt to the new stimulus: this brings aesthetic results. Apart from that, training for strength can be fun!

The workouts I have been posting are geared towards my personal goals. You don't have to do exactly this, but I guarantee if you did that you would get great results.

1a) BB Military Press 75x2x6, 85x2x2
1b) Parallel Chin Up w/10lb DB 2x5, w/ 20lb DB 2x2
2a) DB Bench 45x2x9, 35x15 (I did a lighter set at the end for fun)
2b) Reverse Grip BB Row 110x2x8, 90x15
3a) DB Tricep Ext 20x8, 7
3b) BB Curl 55x2x5
Finisher: 50 BW Squats

I know lifting heavy can be intimidating. I must tell you, though, any woman I have introduced to lifting heavy LOVES it. It's empowering to see what your body is capable of.

Don't be intimidated by the men in the weight room. Get in there and claim your spot.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Gotta Love Squats

As I've mentioned before, I am currently training to increase my strength. It's getting back to where it was a couple of months ago, and I want to go beyond that. I can't say enough about women training for strength. You get the aesthetic benefits without having to always think about "fat loss" and IT'S FUN!

Here's how it went today:

1) Squat 125x2x6, 145x4x1
2a) DB Split Squat 40x2x8
2b) BB Shrug 125x3x8
3a) Back Ext 35x2x10
3b) Standing Calf Raise 100x2x10
4a) Cable Crunch 90x15
4b) Hanging Leg Raise 12

Once again, I improved on all my lifts from the last time. Always set PRs: that is the best way to ensure progress and results!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Upper Body Workout

1a) BB Incline Bench 105x2x7
1b) Seated Cable Row 110x2x7
2a) DB Overhead Press 30x2x7
2b) Chin Ups 2x8
3a) Top Range Close Grip Bench 100x2x8
3b) DB Hammer Curl 25x2x6

I improved on all lifts from my last workout. That is the key! Constantly increase your PERFORMANCE and the aesthetic benefits will follow.

Make your body do more than it is used to, other wise, it will not change.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Deadlifting

Started off with a few mobility exercises and then went into deadlifting.

First, several warm up sets:

1) Deadlift 225x4, 3 135x20 (My strength is coming back up; my best is 225x5x5)
2a) Pistol w/ 10lb DB 2x6
2b) Calf Raise w/ 5 second pause 45x10, 55x10

Come on, ladies. It's time to realize your full strength potential. I'm deadlifting 225 (which is about 100lbs over my bodyweight) and I want to pull 300. It's going to happen some day. Challenge youself!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Best Way to Fast Fat Loss

Everyone wants to know the fastest way to lose fat. While there are many methods that will help women lose weight quickly, very few methods allow women to lose fat quickly and safely.

What method do I support? Weight training first and foremost. Yes, ladies, this means YOU. If you want effective fat loss that will last, then you need to lift weights.

Our culture, and even health clubs, have put it in the minds of women that their workouts should consist of useless machine exercises (inner and outer thigh machines) and kickbacks with a 3 pound dumbbell. Health clubs even have a separate room for women to workout in! The rooms may have dumbbells, but they only go up to about 20 pounds, if even that. Other than that, they have a few useless machines.

Well I say it's time for the ladies to get in the weight room. Don't be intimidated by the men, and don't think you don't belong there. You need to realize your potential as a person, and as a woman. Any time I have taken a client out of her "comfort zone" and got her lifting heavier weights than she is used to, the results were amazing! Not just aesthetically, but for her personality as well. Sometimes women need to know that they are capable of much more than they have been led to believe.

There you have it, ladies. The first part of fast fat loss is resistance training. So NO to 3 pound dumbbells and machines, say YES to free weights and effective bodyweight exercises! Don't be afraid to challenge yourself, you will more than likely enjoy the experience.

Fast BW Workout

Yesterday morning I did a quick in-home bodyweight workout.

I had to rig something up to peform the inverted rows; sometimes you need to get creative!

1a) Inverted Row
1b) Pushup
1c) Squat

I used different grips for the rows and pushups, and different stances for the squats.

I rested 75 seconds after performing a round. I did 6 total rounds. Great workout!

Don't be afraid to get creative. You can do a lot more in the comfort of your own home than you may realize.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Upper Body Workout

1a) BB Military Press 70x2x8, 85x3x1
1b) Parallel Chin Up 8, 7 w/ 15lb DB 2x3
2a) DB Flat Bench Press 45x2x8
2b) Reverse Grip Bent Over BB Row 105x2x8
3a) DB Triceps Ext 20x2x6
3b) BB Curl 50x2x7

Fast, and effective. Please, ladies, don't be afraid to lift heavy weights. You will NOT get big and bulky. You WILL increase your lean muscle which will help you burn fat around the clock. Also, it's fun to see what your body is capable of doing.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Fast Workout

This morning I did a quick Tabata workout with double DB swings and running pushups.

Great workout in 4 minutes.

I finished off with some hindu pushups and squats. What a great way to start the day!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Lower Body Workout

Another great workout today. My strength decreased quite a bit from when I did a different program last month. Oh well, I'm bringing it back up.

1) Squat 120x2x8, 135x2x3
2a) DB Split Squat 40x2x7
2b) BB Shrug 120x3x8
3a) Back Ext 30x2x10
3b) Standing Calf Raise 90x2x10
4a) Cable Crunch 80x2x20
4b) Hanging Leg Raise 2x10

I'm not much for direct ab work. However, I need to keep my "core" strong to lift heavy.

I love training for strength. It is a much better mind set than thinking "I want to get in shape" or "I want to lose weight." Give it a try.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Fast BW Fat Burning Workout

This morning I did a fast fat burning workout right in my own living room. No equipment, no driving to the gym, and I got to play my own music!

First, I performed a few warmup and mobility exercises.

10 Burpees, rest 60 seconds for 12 rounds
For a Burpee you squat down and put your hands outside your feet, then you kick your legs back so you are in the top part of a pushup, then you jump back and put your feet between your hands, and then you explode straight up.

That's it. Easy, fast, and effective!

Next time, to make sure I keep getting results from this, I will either:
1) Add another round or two
2) Decrease the rest period

Set those PRs!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Strength Training for Fat Loss

I had a really early workout today.

1a) BB Incline Bench Press 95x8, 100x7, 105x2x5
1b) Prone Cable Row 100x2x8, 110x2x5
2a) Neutral DB Overhead Press 30x3x6
2b) Chinup 8, 7, 6
3a) Top Range Close Grip Bench 105x6, 95x10
3b) DB Hammer Curl 25x2x5
Dragon Fly 6

My primary focus for my training right now is gaining strength. However, through gaining strength I am increasing my lean muscle. By increasing my lean muscle I am burning more fat throughout the day. There are many other ways to strength train for fat loss, but this is my personal favorite: I love lifting heavy. Fat loss doesn't just come from lifting: it is also a result of smart eating habits.

Remember, do what you enjoy!

Saturday, October 4, 2008

DB/BW Cardio

My metabolic workout this morning took 15 minutes. (15:09, to be exact).

This is just one of many examples of metabolic workout without the use of any machines.

Fast and very effective.

Ladder (10 reps of each, 9, 8, 7, etc down to 1).
1a) Double DB Swings w/ 20lbs each
1b) Advanced Burpees

Don't be afraid to think outside the box and get creative. You don't always have to "follow the rules" to get great results.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Are you body smart?

1) Deadlift 195x7, 6 215x2x1
2) Pistol 2x8
3) Seated Calf Raise 50x2x8

Today just didn't feel that great; my strength and energy levels weren't as high as usual. Originally I had planned to include metabolic work at the end, but left it out. This is a great example of "listening to your body." Yes, sometimes we should all suck it up and bust out some exercises, but, after you train long enough, you start to understand your body more. Today, if I had done the additional work, I feel it would have done more bad than good. By this I mean that I probably wouldn't recover from the workout as quickly.

Once you become "body smart," learn how to listen to it. For example, Mark Spitz was known to skip workouts. I believe he had good body intelligence, and, if he had done all of the workouts, he probably would have overtrained. As a result, he won 7 gold medals.

Like I was saying; don't use this as an excuse to not workout consistently. But, if your body feels worn down, listen to it, and give it a rest.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Check it out

Make sure you also check my other blog: http://paducahpersonaltrainer.blogspot.com/

I have put a couple good posts up over there.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Today's Workout

Another good workout at the old, somewhat smelly, college gym.

1a) BB Military Press 70x2x7, 85x2x1
1b) Parallel Chin Up 7, 6, w/ 10lb DB 2x3
2a) DB Flat Bench 45x2x7, 40x8
2b) Reverse Grip Bent Over BB Row 95x2x8, 85x10
3a) DB Triceps Ext 15x2x10
3b) BB Curl 45x2x8

Finisher: 50 Bodyweight Squats as fast as possible

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Women and Soup Cans

Why is it, that you still see pictures of women doing tricep kickbacks with soup cans?

Seriously? Have we not moved beyond this non-sense yet?

I hope to get women to realize that they have the potential to be strong. Not only can they be strong, but they can still look like a woman! Most of the women I have trained get a huge surge of motivation and determination once their strength increases. Heck, some of them get more motivated than the men I have worked with.

Our society has put it in women's minds that they are to be frail, small, and weak. Well . . . I say no more! There is a since of security and accomplishment that I have knowing I can bench press over my bodyweight, and deadlift almost twice my weight. And ya know what? I'm going to lift more! And ya know what else? I still look feminine! I don't have tree trunk legs or traps like a line-backer.

More to come. This is an important topic for me.

And by the way: if any of you women are still lifting soup cans . . . please stop, now. It degrades us all.

Workout

What better way to talk about exercise and training than to include an update of my own?

One thing that I will reveal over time is how I now emphasize gaining strength. There are several advantages to this, which I will discuss later.

I'm back in a strength gaining phase. I have a goal of deadlifting 260 pounds by the end of November. My current max deadlift is 240.

Here's what went on yesterday:

1) Squat 115x8 (115lbs for 8 reps), 125x5, 135x2, 145x1, 155x1
2a) DB Split Squat w/ 40lb DBs 2x6
2b) BB Shrug 115x2x8 (115lbs for 2 sets of 8 reps)
3a) Back Extension 25x2x10
3b) Cable Crunches 80x2x15

I finished off with metabolic work: Burpees 5x10 with 60s rest

This morning I did some bodyweight recovery work. Back to lifting heavy weights tomorrow.

Who says females can't lift big weights and still look feminine??? I could not disagree more.

And so it begins

This blog is a new journey that will reveal my path further into the fitness world.

I will be discussing fat loss, workouts, nutrition, other training aspects, and random things.

This will be fun.