How to get a nice BUM

There are 3 basic types of bum problems, and here are some solutions by Steve to get the bum of your dream!

I personally am number III as I hardly have one at all, 33" hips.

This is good in some ways because it doesn't "spread" so to speak but then again, it means I have to do abs all the time to keep a small waistline. I guess we are just always trying for what we feel is our best body.

By Steve Mc Kinney

I. Help! My bum is too big.
If you are suffering from an over sized behind then do the following 3 fat-blasting workouts to reduce, tighten and shape your bum.

Fat-Blaster #1: Run

Running is a great way to burn off extra body fat while developing strong glutes. Follow these 4 tips to target your glutes while running:

1.To target your glutes focus on extending your hips and keeping your chest lifted.
2.Roll all the way forward onto your toes with each step, in order to engage more of your glutes.
3.Run up hills, stairs, or on the treadmill at an incline.
4.Run on a sandy beach or gravel path – the uneven surface forces you to work harder to stabilize your lower body.

Fat-Blaster #2: Elliptical

The elliptical works well for streamlining your behind – but only when used properly. Follow these 4 tips to get the most from your elliptical workout:

1.Posture matters. Don't drape your upper body over the front of the elliptical machine – this will bring the focus to your quads and lower back instead of your glutes. Instead keep your back straight and posture good.
2.Put the incline of your machine higher than seven percent. This will ensure that the emphasis is on your glutes instead of your quads.
3.Push down with your heels with each stride. Also sink down into a squat for 30 second intervals while striding.
4.Let go of the handles. This will force your core to stabilize you.

Fat-Blaster #3: Swim

Swimming laps is a sure way to burn tons of calories. Follow these 4 tips to get the most from your time in the pool:

1.Start each lap with an explosive push from the wall. Place the soles of your feet flat against the side of the pool, bend your knees and explode forward with your legs.
2.Use flippers. Sounds silly, but try a few laps with a kickboard and flippers and you'll quickly feel the intense emphasis on your glutes.
3.Vary your kick. Go from flutter to froggy kicks to target all of your glutes.
4.Try some in-water squat jumps: stand in chest-level water with feet shoulder width apart, toes turned out. Bend your knees and lower your hips down then explode upward, pushing through your heels.


II. Help! My bum is too saggy.
The solution to a saggy bottom is to target your glutes. Try the following 3 bum-lifting exercises at home – these require no equipment.

Bum-Lifting Exercise #1: Hyperextension with leg curl
Lie facedown on the floor with your arms extended above your head and knees together. Bend your knees and curl your heels toward your glutes, contracting your glutes. Lower your feet back toward the floor, raise your chest and shoulders up and hold for one count before returning to the start position. Do 15 repetitions.

Bum-Lifting Exercise #2: Plank pull
Get into a plank position with hands directly under your shoulders and feet spaced shoulder width apart. Contract your core, lift your left leg with flexed foot, then raise your heel up in a quick motion for 15 reps. Keep your core contracted throughout the exercise and back flat. Repeat with right leg.

Bum-Lifting Exercise #3: Side-lying bicycle
Lie on your right side with your elbow directly under your shoulder and legs stacked on top of each other. Bend your right knee back slightly. Lift your left leg about 6 inches into the air, then draw if forward to a 90 degree angle, keeping your foot flexed. Swing your leg back, pointing your toe and extending your lower back. Do 15 repetitions and then repeat with right leg.


III. Help! My bum is too flat.
In order to build a shapely behind you'll need to head to the gym. The following 3 booty-building exercises will give your bum a serious shape-changing workout.

Booty-Building Exercise #1: Dumbbell Squat
Place your feet wider than shoulder width apart, and turn toes out. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Inhale as you squat down, keeping your back straight and tummy pulled in. Exhale as you press up through your heels and return to a standing position. Do 15 repetitions.

Booty-Building Exercise #2: Dumbbell Lunge
Stand with feet together and a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Inhale as you lunge forward, keeping your lunging knee directly over your ankle. Exhale as you push off with your lunging heel, and return to the starting position. Do 15 repetitions and repeat on the other leg.

Booty-Building Exercise #3: Straight-legged Deadlift
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing your thighs. Inhale as you bend forward at the hips, keeping your back flat. Lower the dumbbells down until you feel a pull in your hamstrings. Keep the dumbbells close to your legs as you exhale and straighten your legs, focusing on contracting your glutes. Do 15 repetitions.

Time to get BUSY! Tonight Yoga Core class with a new teacher, I can't wait.

Off for a run at lunch.

NO EXCUSE I MAKE IT HAPPEN

P90X Day 2 Yoga X

P90X Yoga X is such a long workout....I have still never finished the full hour and a half. Acutally I only know a few people that have.

I have done one half one day and the second half the next if that counts but to devote 90 minutes to a workout just seem doesn't happen. If I take 2 back to back classes at the gym but other then that, nope. A split, yep.....total, I just never have that much time *sigh.

Today's workout was good and relaxing. I am going to a jewellery party tonight and then relaxing and getting some projects done over the weekend.

If your into some good recipe ideas I really like Ginas blog, here is the link
www.skinnytaste.com/

3 ways to cut back on BAD stuff:

1.Switch to fake sweeteners or "wing" yourself off completely, just add less and less each week you wont even miss it.

2. Take 1/2, always just take 1/2 of whatever it is.....then go back after 1 full glass of water...bet you won't want it.

3. Divide all things that are packaged AS SOON AS YOU BRING THEM HOME. You may buy some wheat thin crackers, or nuts sit down right away after putting way your groceries and just DO IT. Then when mindless munchies come calling you will you be ready.

I am glad my stats are better this week, but I still have work to do the reunion is just 3 weeks away! YIKES........*sigh

Workout - P90X Yoga
Mood - Relaxed
Wt - 119
Time of workout - 40 minutes (20 minutes)
Cals = 86 (44 calories)

Friday Stats:
WT- 119
BF% 23.9
BMI 20.6

Last Week:
Wt - 119
BF% 24.8
BMI 20.4

Mountain pose
Reverse Swan
Chateranga
Minata
Plank
Downward Dog
Runners Pose
Crescent Pose

ps:
Here is my latest
www.examiner.com/x-28813-St-Louis-Fitness-Trends-Examiner~y2010m7d23-How-to-look-busy-while-burning-calories


NO EXCUSES I MAKE IT HAPPEN

Easy Way to Reduce Calories 18%

Here is an article about eggs that I wanted to share for those of you that do have eggs or egg whites in your diet.

www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-04/epr-eef040210.php


No surprise that protein in the morning helps with hunger, just as fiber to keep you feeling full longer but 18% is a huge!

Also these tips about hard working eyes:

1. Don't forget to blink. People tend to blink less when working at a computer, blink more to prevent dryness and irritation.

2. Your eyes need exercise too. Every 20 minutes or so look at something far away. This relaxes the focusing muscles of the eyes.

3. Give yourself a break. Get up from the computer as often as you can, even if only to stretch and look around briefly.


Yesterdays workout:
30 min Biggest Loser last chance workout
45 min walk inclines

Today's workout:
45 min walk inclines
3 mile run
Stretch

I am still on my diet, doing pretty good so far. I hope to see some results by next week on week 3 as I am holding at 119-120lbs and feeling good but not "tight". My sugar cravings have consisted of Altoids mints, I think that's helping me out and a few chocolate Cheerios....is that bad??? Those darn things are great with coffee, just a handful really!

Lastly I also want to share this inspirational blog today from my good friend Oksana:
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3086082

NO EXCUSES, I MAKE IT HAPPEN!

How To Tell Your Dehydrated

If your thirsty, your dehydrated!!! Water, water and more water. You can if needed, add some fresh lemon or lime if you don't like it plain but try to keep it as natural as possible. (Tea does not count as water)

Drinking enough water is essential to good health. Dehydration can cause headaches, constipation, lower back pain and chronic pain in your joints and muscles. WOW!

If you feel thirsty you're already dehydrated....its true, thats your body talking to you telling you what it needs. LISTEN UP!

Healthy people typically meet their fluid intake needs by drinking liquid with every meal and when thirsty, as well as eating fruits and veggies. For me its apples, grapes and plums.

General daily recommendations range from 91 oz for women and 125 oz for men (from food and beverages) but specifics depend on your health, climate and activity level.

Of course when working out you want colder water because it is delivered faster and you should have a drink approximately every 15 minutes of exercise. I can't do without it!

Here is yesterdays and last night class workout. I only had 4 in class so we really got to crank it up!

45 min - Run walk at lunch inclines = 127 cals
30 min - Circuit = 187 cals
Total cals = 314

Circuit:
3 times each circuit = 1 min

Chair tricep dips
Step ups w/kick
Bicep curl w/band
Ball crunch w/weighted ball 6lb (front and obliques)
Kettle bell swings - 12lb
High jogs

Cool down stretch
Downward dog calve
Laying hamstring
Cat
Back ball rollers
Shoulder-tricep stretch

Todays workout:

Post workout = I did put this in the blender it was very vanilla-ee, it was not really a smoothie per say since it was minus the banana.

1/2 c vanilla non fat yogurt
1/2 scoop 100% gold standard whey protein (vanilla)
1 tsp olive oil
a SMIDGE of soy light milk

= 1 full cup of delicious energy, yum!


JM 30 Day Shred Level 3 (3-2-1 Strength, cardio and abs)
20 Min workout - 30 Day Shred level 3
WT = 120
Cals burned = ?
Time of workouts = 25 mins

Warm up:
Arm crosses
Backward windmills
Double jump rope
High kick to touches
Butt kicks
Knee circles

Workout:
Walking planks
Supermans
Plank
Walking planks
Supermans

Plank
Mountain climbers
Sumo squats
Plank pose
Mountain climbers
Sumo squats

Abs
Pike crunch
Sissor crunches

DB Cleans – 5lb R
Jumping lunges
DB Cleans – 5lb L
Jumping lunges

Shadow box – 3lb db
Butt kicks – 3lb db
Shadow box – 3lb db
Jumping jacks – 3lb db

Sit ups – straight leg

Travel pushups
Plank w/leg raise rows – 5lb db
Traveling pushups
Plank w/leg raise rows – 5lb db

Jump squats
Rockstar jumps
Jump squats
Rockstar jumps

Side rise plank

Cool down:
Seated split stretch
Shoulder
Standing hamstring

NO EXCUSES, I MAKE IT HAPPEN!

ACTION APRIL How I Stay Motivated

" Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful." Mark Victor Hansen

I am all about ACTION April right now, NO slacking!

2 Days in a row, NO snooze button I popped right up out of bed on the first alarm sounding....yup right to ACTION! I can't really blame my motivation for that I think its because spring is here and that always makes me feel better, want to get up earlier and accomplish things.

Some ways to keep motivated and take action that I use is:

Wake up to music, a buzz puts me in a BAD mood

Cute workout clothes, who cares who sees me its for ME

Gratitude's, I say them right when I get up. From being alive to having a home, food and family and everything thing else. These few minutes set the tone for the day GRATEFULNESS

Grab my love handles, right when I sit on the potty in the morning.....time to get to work! Nuff said......

Stretch, a good morning stretch makes me come alive and be less lazy...really exhale it feels so good

Drink 1 full glass of cold water right away, awakes the soul (or until I can't swallow no more)

March....just march while I brush my teeth

Head into my fitness studio, where I do 50-100 jumping jacks right away......T. doesn't mess around I need ENERGY!

Keep my belly sucked in, keeps me feeling strong and supports my back and core

If I am doing yoga, I get my mat and then I just do some neck rolls getting loose and get ready to roll putting on my yoga paws

If I am doing strength training then I do a few standing fast toe touches, some arm swings right and left, then get my db lined up. This keeps me energized to be picking up and switching dumb bells.

If I am going to do a cardio session I do jumping jacks 50-100 followed by neck rolls, shoulder rolls, tippy toe to heal up and downs, standing hamstring stretches, put on my music and hit the pavement.

Always stay in motion, that's what keeps the motivation

Never stretch cold, I get up right from bed so start with ballistic movement stretches not holding stretches or static on a cold body. That is why I always use marches to jumping jacks as my warm up

On your recovery to your static stretches, laying hamstring stretch and runners lunges, shoulder and tri stretches things like that, holding stretches

Music is the key element for movement, faster music faster cardio

I don't eat anything before a cardio session of 30-45 mins if its going to be longer then that I will have a granola, and whey - carb-protein combo

For strength training days, I stay motivated by a 10 min cardio warm up then hit the weights. I have whey protein prior to my session, followed by carbs and whey after

I always do splits, if I do cardio in the morning (6.15-6.30am) I will do ST at night. If I do weights in the morning, I do cardio 45 mins - 60 min at night (sometimes 1/2 at lunch 1/2 after dinner)

Breathe, if I run long distance I use sugar free altoid mints in my jaws 1 each side and I breathe through my nose, mint = ENERGY

When I am done, I thank my body for a good workout. That keeps me motivated. Thanking me for my hard work and efforts to be healthy.

These are just what work for me, you may have better ideas but the bottom line is find a way to keep you going forward, pushing to do more and be the BEST that you can be. Perfect is NOT an option, it is NOT attainable. (Except for God)

Yesterday I also got in the 45 minute incline walk and burned an additional 158 cals, Go T. Should get my walk in today as well.

JM Yoga MeltDown Level 2 (This is Hybrid yoga using your own body strength training for lean muscles - JM)

Mood - happy
Wt - 120
Time of workout = 35 mins
Cals burned = 76

All moves are followed by 15 sec pose hold

Warm up:
3 Sun salutations w/leaning back bends

Workout:
Bent knee triangle w/lifts and arm overhead - R
Revolving triangle - R
Halfmoon leg lifts
Full moon
Bent knee triangle w/lifts and arm overhead - L
Revolving triangle - L
Halfmoon leg lifts
Full moon
Mountain
Chair lifts
Leg ext big toe hold - L
Twisting crescent - R
Goddess lifts
Leg ext big toe hold - R
Twisting crescent - L
Goddess
Crow
Boat pose toe taps
Tabletop lifts - L
Leg lowers straight leg - 3 count
Boat post toe taps
Tabletop lifts - R
Leg lowers straight leg - 3 count

Bonus:
Wheel - this is a back bend

Cool down:
Staff pose
Twisting spinal stretch
Pigeon

NO EXCUSES I MAKE IT HAPPEN!

What do YOU want?

Today's is my off day, rest and rebuild.

"You get out....what you put into it" and good things happen when you go for it!
Stop letting the voice in your head tell you otherwise. What is it that you want to happen for you?

That is my thought for today, people do so much with so little and others do so little with so much. It makes me think about balance, desire, and timing.

You know everyone's life changes every 3 months, 6 months and a year so much. You can change careers, lose a job, get married, have a child, get an illness, get more money, loose more money, or just have life happen to you.

It is all about timing, and what you are going to do when "life happens" to you.
Are you putting into it, what you want to get out of it? What are you going for?

Sometimes things are drawn to you by your attitude, the people you surround yourself with and your mind set. I try to surround myself with people that are smarter then me so I am constantly learning, family and friends that are loving and attentive, because that is what I put in, and that is what I want out.

Are you educating yourself, taking care of yourself, and doing things that bring good to your life? Or are you drowning in a pity party of self indulgence?

If there is not a reward you would not be doing what you are doing, right? Like over eating for pleasure, or not sleeping because you have too much to do, or self medicating in a destructive pattern.

If you open your mind, educate yourself to know what you want, then you will get what you want out of your life. Focus on the plan, stay steadfast and be in control.

Think about what you want, really want out of your life start with your top 3 ideas.....the possibilities are endless. Go 4 it!

Yesterdays workout:
Walk at lunch 20 minute inclines
Taught 30 minute cardio mix class:
1 minute intervals squats
slow squats
fast squats
count 3 down, 3 up
back lunges
march to a kick
plank
20 pushups (10 reg, 10 modified)
cat to cow pose
downward dog
bridge, hold and up & downs
childs pose

Getting the Rockstar Body........

8 Minute Abs...WORKS!

With Jamie Brenkus Fitin15LLC

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWjTnBmCHTY


8 Minute Abs one of my favorite workout videos.
(sorry I tried to load this as a video but it would not let me at work)

I did this workout today, and I rate this a 10.

Fast fun and you really feel them, I have had this for years and got it at a Big Lots for $5. It also includes arms and some other workouts, and a GREAT 8 minute stretch.

It's a bit old school 1995, but I still go back to this when I want a fast good workout or stretch.

Ps: You can get this on Amazon
www.amazon.com/Minute-Abs-VHS-Jamie-Brenkus/dp/6303499988

Frosty Caused Me To Miss My Workout...*sigh!

Frosty caused my to miss my workout today!


Yup we ended up with about 4-6" in STL which is not as bad as some areas but I had to get up early, and miss my workout! Today was shoulders and arms and I like that workout, so the goal is after work. Tony Horton and I have a date prior to Biggest loser.

Workout so far - ZERO!

Thank goodness the snow held off and I got in class last night, with 6 students. Well that was fine by me, I was glad so many showed up.....really I was doubting with the forcast.

Class:
40 Min Kickboxing
20 Min Power yoga

I wrote a new program and it flowed pretty darn good.

Kickboxing:
Walking alt jabs L & R w/speed bag hops
Center marches with J Jacks
Punch combo: Double cross R, Double cross L, Upper cut R, Upper cut L, Single cross R, Single cross L

Walking jabs L & R w/speed bag hops
Center marches with front Kicks
Punch combo Repeat
Traveling Kicks, with jabs


Power Yoga flow through:
Mountain
Walk down to plank - hold 30 sec
Chatarunga to updog to plank (repeat 6 times)
Childs pose (30 seconds)
Head stand hold with bent knee, back to childs pose
Walk up to Chair (1 minute hold)
Forward bend with hands behind knees stretch
Warrior 1,2 and reverse
Triangle L and R (hold 1 minute each side)
Mountain

I only had 1 student thats older that could not do all the moves, the rest I was very proud of them!

Getting the Rockstar Body..........

Ps:
Here is how to shovel snow safe, warm up and cool down moves.
www.examiner.com/x-28813-St-Louis-Fitness-Trends-Examiner~y2010m2d9-Snow-in-StLouis-equals-BIG-calorie-burn

Tom Venuto = Rockstar Body

The 6 Points of Energy Expenditure by Tom Venuto

I found this article by Tom and wanted to share it. I feel it covers many questions people have about how to get the most out of your body and training.

What really counts on this is look how many calories weight training burns compared to cardio. I usually burn 1-1.5 calories per minute during my cardio sessions and not quite 2 on an HIT session.

Enjoy.......I did

Here’s some good news: There are a total of six ways to increase your energy expenditure each day. Even better, you can influence every one of them, sometimes in a big way. The key to increasing your metabolism and burning more calories is to break down your total daily energy expenditure into each of its individual parts, and then rev up each area to the highest degree possible.

1. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)
Resting metabolic rate, or RMR, is the amount of energy you use just for essential body functions. Your RMR is the largest component of your daily energy expenditure, representing 60 to 75 percent of the total calories you burn every day. Increasing the number of calories you burn at rest will have a huge impact on your body-fat level over time.

The long-term effect of cardio on RMR is still being researched, but there are two things we know for sure: First, you can temporarily elevate your RMR with intense cardio, as well as strength training. Second, your RMR is directly related to the amount of muscle you have. If you lose muscle from extreme dieting, then your RMR will decrease. If you gain muscle from supportive nutrition and weight training, then your RMR will increase, making it easier to maintain your ideal weight.

2. Weight Training
Many people avoid weight training because they believe it has nothing to do with fat loss. It does. Many women avoid weight training because they think it will make them bulky. It doesn’t. Weight training has the potential to burn as many calories as cardio while simultaneously revving up two other points of energy expenditure: RMR (through increased lean body mass) and postworkout metabolic rate.

Weight training is not simply for building muscle and getting stronger; you also create a hormonal environment that tells your body to hold on to lean tissue while you burn off fat.

Effective weight training can burn seven to nine calories per minute and more, even when you count the rest intervals. If your primary goal is fat loss and your time is limited, then full-body workouts with supersets (two exercises performed consecutively without rest in between) will always be one of your best choices to stimulate metabolism and fat-burning hormones.

When you focus on total calories burned and recognize the impact of weight training on lean muscle, you’ll realize that weight training may be the most important but underappreciated and neglected type of exercise for burning body fat.

3. Cardio Training
Cardio training is another excellent way to burn calories and reduce body fat. As long as your food intake stays the same, there will be a direct relationship between the volume of cardio you do and the amount of fat you lose.

The number of calories you burn during cardio varies based on intensity, duration and frequency. As noted, what type of cardio exercise you choose to do depends on your fitness level and personal preference: You can work continually at a steady pace for a long period, or in intermittent bouts at a higher intensity separated by bouts of rest or lower-intensity work.

When you’re first starting out, begin with low- to moderate-intensity training and build up your duration gradually until you reach these optimal time frames. If the best you can manage is 10 minutes on your first workout, that’s great. Gradually increase your duration as your fitness level increases.

Exercise physiologists and weight-loss experts have deduced that there’s a minimum threshold of cardio necessary for optimizing your rate of fat loss. That amount is usually three days per week at 30 minutes with sufficient intensity to burn at least 300 calories a session.

Steady cardio sessions of approximately 45 minutes at moderate intensities or 20- to 30-minute sessions at high intensities can burn very significant amounts of energy. If the intensity is high enough, some calories are burned after the workout, as well as from increased postexercise metabolism. But in most cases, the majority of the calories are burned during the exercise session itself.

4. Excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)
After intense or prolonged exercise, your metabolism stays elevated for up to 12 to 24 hours, and in extreme cases, for up to 48 hours. Exercise physiologists call this “excess postexercise oxygen consumption” (EPOC). Some trainers call it “the afterburn effect.”

The number of extra calories burned from EPOC is related to intensity and duration, but intensity is the critical factor. Increases in duration produce a linear increase in EPOC, while increases in intensity produce an exponential increase in EPOC. The downside is that EPOC only kicks in after very intense exercise such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). [For more on this strategy, see “HIIT It!” in the December 2008 archives.]

If you can’t tolerate intense exercise right now — either physically or psychologically — then don’t do it until you feel ready. Low- and moderate-intensity exercise is by no means ineffective, it simply takes more time or volume to burn the same amount of fat. As you continue exercising, you’ll find that your tolerance for brief stints of more intense exercise will increase. Begin building brief periods of jogging into your walking routine, or brief periods of sprinting into your jogging routine, and you’ll find that you get better results in less time, and also feel your energy levels, strength and endurance increasing.

Just do what you can and continue to challenge yourself a little more each week. But remember, your first priority has to be building your health and vitality, which will naturally make all kinds of exercise easier and more effective. Your desired outcome is to be lean and healthy, not one or the other.

5. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
Every time you eat a meal, your metabolic rate increases due to the energy expenditure required by digestion. This is known as the thermic effect of food (TEF), and it accounts for about 10 percent of your energy expenditure.

One way you can increase TEF is by eating more highly thermic foods. Protein has a thermic effect of 30 percent. This means that if you eat a lean-protein food that has 100 calories, 30 of those calories are used to digest and process the food. Carbohydrates have a thermic effect of 10 to 15 percent, while dietary fat has the lowest thermic effect of only 3 percent (remember, though: healthy fats and carbs are still essential to proper nutrition).

This may be why a high-protein diet can produce a slightly greater weight loss than the same amount of calories at a lower intake of protein. Protein is also an appetite suppressant, and when you’re in a calorie deficit, eating enough protein helps spare your muscles. Research has shown that substituting just one daily serving of lean protein for one serving of refined carbs can make a difference in body composition.

6. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
As the name implies, Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or NEAT, is all the physical activity you do throughout the day outside of formal exercise or sports. This includes standing, pacing, walking, shopping, gardening, housework, and even things like talking, chewing, changing posture and fidgeting.

For most people, NEAT accounts for about 30 percent of physical-activity calories spent daily (the rest is RMR and exercise), but NEAT can run as low as 15 percent in sedentary individuals and as high as 50 percent in highly active individuals. If you manipulate your NEAT in minor ways throughout the day, the results can add up in a big way over the long term.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator, do yard work, and run more errands on foot. In other words, do your best to spend less time in a chair and more time walking. You may want to invest in a pedometer, which will tally up your steps every day. A 2006 study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion found that in previously sedentary overweight adults, subjects who met a 10,000-steps-per-day goal saw large improvements in body composition.

Tom Venuto is an internationally recognized fat-loss expert, nutrition researcher and natural bodybuilder.

S.W.E.R. To do better.........

S - Spending - track it all = $0
W -Workout - how many minutes of fitness = 25
E - Eats - every thing you ate that day = circle right choices post number = 7
R - Relationship - did you lift someone up, kiss or hug a loved one? = yes


Last night Zumba class went great we only had 5 because of the holiday and 3 others we sick. I'm going to add some new moves to this class next time and we finished class with a core workout.

25 minutes Zumba
Core:
25 reg slow bent knee crunches
25 bicycles foward/25 backwards
25 bent knee obliques each side
15 supermans
15 swimmers
1 min plank
Downward dog w/calve stetch
Childs pose
Corpse pose

Here is my workout today, I had the same Green Monster smoothie as yesterday, blueberry bannana.

P90X Chest and Back Day 58 part 2

10 wide pushup
20 heavy pants 10lb db
12 decline pushups - did regular
25 lawnmowers 10lb db R
25 lawnmowers 10lb db L
4 diamond pushups - did regular
20 back flys 10lb db
10 dive bomber pushups

Getting the Rockstar Body........

Whats It Like To Loose 1/2 Your Body Weight?

I'm not sure of that feeling but Danny from the Biggest looser sure does! And he sure does look great and his wife does too. I am very proud of him and his family for support and winning, he was my choice. (I only got to see the last 10 minutes of the show I was at church service)

I wanted to do this blog about what does it take to do that, even though this is nothing I have never achieved personally.

In all my years of working with others, trying to change how their body looks I have never had someone loose 50% of their body weight. (30lb is my clients record for loss)

It would mean you could do things, you could never even think of doing before and doing it with confidence. Getting your life back. When I saw Danny win, and he made the comment "I was determined to win" that was all that was needed to be said.

Period.

That is the secret to weight loss success, and two other BIG elements:
Support
Goals

His support came from his family, people on the show (especially Liz) and his trainers.

His goals were to beat Rudy, period. Sure it was also to get healthy for his family but his goal was to be better then Rudy. To beat Rudy each and every week on the scale.

If you have lost more then 50% of your body weight, please let me know and what was your secret? I believe if you think about it, It will come down to the 3 things that I feel are the secret to any transformation, or with any weight loss.

1. Determination
2. Support
3. Goals

You can say what ever you want about a turning point in your life or wanting to make a change in your life, I feel these principles are in my opinion the true key to lasting success. A determined person can not be stopped.

Period.

Todays workout should have been P90X day 43, still a twinge in my back left lower side so I did pilates.

Workout snack:
1 scoop choc whey
1 c 1% milk

Workout = Pilates
Mood = Cold 50 mph winds!
Wt = 115.5
Time of workout = 20 min
Cals burned = ?

20 min Pilates
Saw
Twisting saw
Side bridge
T-stand side bridge
Roll up
In and out Vs
25 reverse straight leg crunches
Pilates 100
OMY - Upward facing dog

Getting the Rockstar Body.......

#1 Male Fitness Trainer Videos Online

Meet Ahmad Baari CPT

Making the best

http://www.makingthebest.com/youmadeit.html Offers a free download that you must simply check out!

I had the pleasure of writing about Ahmad and viewing his tough workouts online and he is a very fierce trainer. He has over 7,000 watching and doing his online videos, and has helped many loose weight and get healthy.

Here is a small sample from one of Ahmad's webesites:

Congrats, for taking the first big step! Okay, now we have to get to serious business. You need to get a garbage bag and go to your kitchen now. I need you to throw away HALF (just half) of anything that has the words:
ie.
-Sugar
-High Fructose
-Saturated Fats over 2.5 g
-Hydrogenated Oil

Next I need you to get a calculator, pencil and paper. This will be quick. I need you to: subtract your age from 220.
ie. 220 - (put your age here) = answer

Take the answer and multiply it once by0.65
and 0.85

ie. answer x 0.65 = lower end
and
answer x 0.85 = higher end

This is the formula that most never use when doing their cardio. When you do your cardio keep your heart rate in the (lower end - upper end) zone for the full 25 minutes or more.

To see your muscles, you have to shed fat. Fat does not come off in just one place. It is shed from your whole frame at one time. There is NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCING!

Learn more about Ahmad and watch his amazing videos

Are You Label-Literate?

• 
  Are you label-literate?
  
  Plenty of food packages carry claims, and the US Food and Drug Administration has strict guidelines for the use of certain food label terms.
  
  Here are a few of the most common claim and what they mean:
  
  Low calorie – Less then 40 calories per serving
  
  Low sodium – Less then 140 mg of sodium per serving
  
  Low cholesterol – Less then 20 mg of cholesterol and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving
  
  High fiber – Five or more grams of fiber per serving
  
  Good source of – Provides at least 10 percent of the recommended daily value of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving
  
  Don’t be misled by some claims. To be fully informed, read the label yourself to determine exactly what your getting in every serving.
  
  Source: GHP Living Well
  www.GHP.COM

Help T. Fight Obesity In Kids!

I'm asking for support on the Trainer T. Foundation, it won't cost you anything.

It's FREE!

Here is the link to the blog about my vision, and its taken 6 months to the day but its happening!
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=2058715

(Please note: I did not reveal the exact complete details, since I plan to keep the legal end private and don't want anyone stealing my concept)

We will be challenging kids in a fun, fitness environment, and educating them on a healthy lifestyle, getting them up and moving is the mission.

Trainer T. Foundation = Mission Possible save our kids!

If you would like to support this effort, I am writing now and the proceeds are going to fight against obesity in kids at the Trainer T. Foundation. This is set up in a seperate account, strickly for this vision.

Please subscribe, bookmark or forward this to ANYONE you know that may be interested in helping me with this cause.

Here is the link, we get paid by clicks:
www.examiner.com/x-28813-St-Louis-Fitness-Trends-Examiner


Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to read this, and or supporting this cause.

Teresa aka Trainer T.

HIIT Training With A Chair

Interval training or HIIT high intensity interval training is one of the best workouts! Last night I did HIIT with a chair workout.

FYI:
Interval training is basically exercise which consists of activity at high intensity for a period of time, followed by low intensity exercise for a period of time. These 'sets' are repeated.

Since I only teach one day a week, I try to make the most of the time we have together. I also try to include things that they can do at home, and show the correct form, and why we do it the way we do for the maximum impact. Class last night was GREAT everyone worked up a good sweat! We had a good time and had 16 total, our biggest class yet. I can always tell when its going strong because the talking goes away, which means they are bringing it!

If you have never tried this type of training, I recommend that you do because I personally love this type of training. Rather then me describing all the benefits of this type of training I found this great site that does a fabulous job of what its all about and how to do it.
www.intervaltraining.net/


We did 40 minutes HIIT with a chair workout routine. You can do so much with chair workouts, and get great results.

5 min warm up wide reaching steps/stretches/runners stretch
3 min Shuffle shoot the basket
30 second recovery heel kicks
25 J- jacks
30 second recovery heel kicks
3 min Shuffle chair squats (T. created)
30 second recovery heel kicks
Chair calve raise
Chair side leg lift/back leg lift/glute press
Side lunges with arms overhead

Finished up with core
50 superman's (25 were bonus round)
50 climb ladder crunches
25 each side reverse bent leg crunches
Yoga stretches cool down, back stretches, laying glute stretch, standing stretches, head rolls and deep breathing.

I wanted to add tri-dips and wall pushups, but time ran out.

Today is my Plyo day workout day number 25. I will split this at lunch and after work. 3 workouts yesterday and I was too sore this morning!

Today smoothie was:
1 cup grapes
1 cup plain vanilla yogurt
1 tsp olive oil,
1/2 scoop choc whey
1 cup water

Getting the Rockstar Body..........

Iron Gym Pull Up Bar

I finally got the "Iron Gym" Pull up Bar!

Bed Bath and Beyond sent me a $5 off coupon so off I went to get it. It was $29.99 there and $39.99 at GNC so I was thrilled to get it so cheap. I was hoping for a sale, but then the mailer came so I went to get it on Sunday. I could have also ordered it from Beach body, but after shipping it would have still been more.

Now when I do the P90X program I can actually do some assisted pull ups. I can't do a full pull up yet, and never have since my injury however I was at a 45lb assisted and I am happy with that for 10 reps. (which means I was lifting 70lb of my body weight 115-45=70) In case you have never used one

I lined up a chair to be able to do this, and its going to workout great and the really good news........I did 2 sets of 10 this morning! I was using a body bar and placing it over some chairs and doing them from the floor or using the bands from a door and laying on the floor.

Wow this is so much more of a challenge!

I started my new eats this week, with some more good fats so lets see if T. can get good mass going on. I didn't really care for my pre-workout meal, but I will be glad to get some good results with these new foods and macros. I'm not happy that even my 2's are big, so NOT good. Then I have legs that go to the moon, its just not pretty unless I was still modeling. I mean eating an orange, nuts, string cheese and milk was kinda overload on the taste buds you know? Glad that days meal is done!

I teach kickboxing tonight, and I took a nice incline walk at lunch and did the Yo-vember Yoga challenge. We have weather in the 60's, so I also got in 3 sets of 20 tricep dips, 25 incline pushups, along with triangle.

Halloween was fun, I'm just glad there are NO more treats.

Bad Things T. Ate last week:
1 small piece of coconut pie
2 scoops of coffee icecream
2 banana laffy taffy
2 mini candy bars

Here is my workout today:
Round 2 Day 17 P90X

Workout - Chest & Back
Mood - Ok
Wt - 115
Time of workout = 40

Jumping Jacks 40
Pushups 2x20
Military pushups 2x15
Wide fly pushup 20
Decline pushups 8
Heavy pants 2x25 - 10lb
Diamond pushups 15 & 10 on knees
Lawn mowers 25 - 10lb
Divebombers - 0
Back flys 20 -10lb
Pull up asst with chair 2x10

Getting the Rockstar Body...........

Is It Safe To Do Cardio Everyday?

Don't you just love how you feel after a good sweating cardio session?

I do!

Just knowing I am sweating like a dog, makes me feel high, and I like that I am removing toxins from my body. I can also say that I feel powerful, accomplished and even clear headed after a knock-out cardio session.

Not that strength training does not make me feel good, it does! But in a different way, more like strength, super power, focus, clarity and as if I can conquer anything that comes my way. I found this article and wanted to share since I thought it was well written, and I get so many questions on this subject.

Is It Safe To Do Cardio Every Day?

By Martica Heaner, Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

Good question. You’re probably not alone in wondering what the difference is between working your glutes and thighs while riding a bike or hiking a hill, and working them while doing a series of squats and lunges with a barbell. On the face of it, it may not make sense based on official exercise guidelines such as those from the American College of Sports Medicine or the USDA Dietary Guidelines. Both recommend that moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (such as walking) be performed on “most days of the week,” while resistance training is recommended to be performed less frequently (once or twice a week for beginners, two or three days per week for experienced weight lifters, and up to four days per week for the highly-trained—but only if a split routine is used—resulting in the same muscle groups only getting exercised twice a week.)

The key difference here is the intensity of the muscle contractions used in cardio versus resistance exercise, and as a result, how hard the muscles are worked and the type of muscle fibers that are stimulated.

Cardiovascular activities, aka aerobic exercises, tend to move the whole body so that many muscle groups are worked and the activity is sustained for an extended period of time. The forces acting on the body tend to be light. As a result of these conditions, muscles generally are not overly challenged. Also, slow-twitch fibers are the predominant type of muscle fibers activated. Fat is the primary type of fuel used by this type of muscle fiber. Because of the low-to-moderate intensity of the exercise, and the fuel and muscle fiber types that are activated, you can walk, run or bike for hours (assuming you’re fit enough to do so).

On the other hand, resistance exercise, or weight lifting, tends to target a select group of muscles intensely. So, the muscle fibers (fast-twitch variety) are required to produce a high level of force. If resistance training is done properly (that is, if the weight used is heavy enough to make the muscle fatigue at the end of a set of repetitions), then a greater degree of glycogen depletion will occur in those target muscles. Glycogen is a stored carbohydrate used for fuel by muscle fibers. Because of the intensity of the exercise, the fuel used, and muscle fiber types that are activated, you can only perform resistance exercises for a few minutes. The muscles poop out because they are worked extra-hard, and the fast-twitch fibers aren’t meant to endure for long periods of time.

When muscles are challenged intensely (or “overloaded”) in this way, there is microscopic breakdown in the muscle fibers. During the subsequent 48 hours, the body mends these tissues and makes them more resilient. That’s how you get stronger. The weight-lifting exercise is the stimulus; the recovery is the strengthening period.

If you don’t give your body proper recovery time between bouts of weight lifting, the rebuilding processes may be hampered. (Other factors that influence recovery are getting enough sleep, drinking water and eating healthful foods.)

So, what if your cardio workout is super intense?

Running distances of 10 miles, or hiking up very steep hills, could, theoretically, challenge the muscles to work much harder than they would during the normal cardio workout. A fit person may be able to handle this overload without becoming overly fatigued. But, an untrained person would have intensely challenged their muscles. In some instances, the activity may be extremely intense—such as when running a marathon or running a race at full speed or biking up hills. These types of intense workouts would definitely trigger more fast-twitch muscle fibers to work and result in greater glycogen depletion, similar to a resistance workout. And because of that, a tough cardio workout is probably self-limiting: You can’t run a marathon every day, plus perform super-intense cardio sessions. This would leave most people so sore that they’d naturally want to skip their workout the following day.

But, as I described earlier, the typical cardio workout is a different mix of machinery at play compared to weights workouts, and so muscle groups don’t typically get overworked. Therefore, it’s OK to do cardio every day. And, for a variety of reasons, including increasing one’s weekly calorie burn, it’s recommended that you do. It’s a good idea to cross-train, that is, vary the activities you do to minimize over-use of any particular muscles or joints.

Here is my workout.... My pre-workout Green Monster today:
1/2 banana
1/2 c skim
1/2 c nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 tsp peanut butter

P90X Round 2 Classic Week 2 Day 4

Workout - P90X Yoga
Mood - Relaxed and sleepy
Wt - 114.5
Time of workout - 35 minutes
Cals = 74


Moutain pose
Reverse Swan
Chateranga
Minata
Plank
Downward Dog
Runners Pose
Cresent Pose
Warrior 1
Warrior 2
Reverse Warrior
Triangle

Getting the Rockstar Body.......