FIT 1 BLOG

YES!!!

One thing I have noticed repeatedly is the lack of balance people seem to have in their training program. Why does this matter you ask? Well, an imbalanced training program makes for an imbalanced physique,which inevitably will result in muscle strains,tears,and joint instability!

Men tend to train mainly upper body,and usually only the parts they can see [ie: chest,biceps,traps,shoulders] and neglect the parts they don’t see[ie:back,rear delts,legs,and glutes].

Women on the other hand tend to focus more on their lower half .Hoping that lots of cardio and leg training[usually glutes] will bring their size down.

Now.. those that know me  know I would NEVER scoff at someone taking the time to improve their fitness level.BUT… fitness needs to be more about health than than just the physical aesthetics of it! Creating a balanced physique takes time and patience. The end result is a more efficient body. Your metabolism is increased, your risk of injury is lowered,and …. yes… your physical form will be more appealing.So Ladies! HELLO… all you cardio queens out there, try balancing out your firm  butt  by creating a wider back and thicker shoulders. This will give the illusion of a smaller waistline and narrower hips. Widen your back with LAT PULL DOWNS

Your lats are the largest back muscles you have ,and are are the reason you can bring your arms into your torso. They begin at your hips and attach to your arms. Building them a little will give  you a wider upper body to balance out the width of your hips. Adding a little more size to your shoulders will give you just the shape you need to complete your form for good symmetry.LATERAL SHOULDER FLYES.

Now ,symmetry for the female counterpart….MEN THIS IS YOU!

Think how silly puny tires look on a sports car?…See where I’m going with this??

If you have been neglectful with you wheels, then I suggest you start your building process with the legs press machine. This machine is a great intro to leg training. It supports your lower back and will assist in you overall leg and glute development. From calves to upper glutes,this is where I would suggest you start.[This machine is just a start. There are many more advanced exercises that will build and tone,I will get into these at a later post.]

To ensure proper form, make sure knees never bend beyond toes,and bring legs to 90 degrees to engage glutes .Try to press directly through heels to maximize hamstring and glutes. LEG PRESS MACHINE

Let’s keep it functional!

Very rarely do you pull a heavy object off the top shelf of your closet and put it behind your head,right?

That said,when you are performing a lat pull down ALWAYS bring the bar to your chest! This way the weight is better supported and you  will avoid injury.Also make sure that your wrists are always over elbows when at 90 degrees[as shown in picture]

Since glutes are responsible for external rotation,keep toes pointed out slightly when using the leg press machine.This will make sure your butt is always engaged. Keep knees slightly bent,even at full extension. Not only will this save your knees,it will help keep tension on your legs and glutes,helping to build a stronger lower body!!

There may be a reason for this.LEPTIN.

Leptin is the enzyme your body produces that tells you when you are full after eating. However,foods high in saturated fats inhibit the production of this valuable enzyme. You may have just consumed a  cheeseburger,fries,and a chocolate shake but your brain is telling you that you are still hungry!Crazy huh?….

How do you beat this?…Lower the  saturated fats in your meals and see how much fuller you feel! Better yet,ADD essential fats to your meal to produce more leptin and curb your hunger for hours!!

Guacamole
3 ripe avocados
2 Roma tomatoes[diced]
1/4 white onion[diced]
2 serrano peppers[diced]
pinch coarse sea salt
juice from 1/4 fresh lime
mix all together until smooth
Serve with unsalted corn tortilla chips…or….up the fiber and lower the carbs and use celery stalks,cucumber,and cauliflower
F.Y.I.
This super healthy tasty authentic Mexican snack is rich in essential fatty acids including vitamin E. And served with vegetables is an excellent source of fiber!!

When it comes to ab development your form is more important than the number of repetitions you do. There is no point in doing 1,000 reps when, if done correctly, 20 will do. Smarter training is the key to strong defined abs! Abs are like every other muscle and need adequate rest in order to grow.So training them 2X per week is plenty.

Basically there is 3 main areas you should focus on,upper ,middle,and lower abs. Let’s get started!

Upper abs-TOE-TOUCH

lay on your back with your feet in the air,reach up with your fingertips to touch your toes. Hold at the top for a count of 2 then lower your torso…nice and controlled to the starting position.
Middle abs-V SITS

Sit at the end of a bench. Support your torso by holding the bench just behind your hips. Keep knees slightly bent and lower your legs to just touch the bench ,then bring your legs up to meet your torso[at the same time bring your torso in to meet your legs].
Lower abs-REVERSE CRUNCH

Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Bring your knees to your chest and hold for a count of 2, then lower your feet back to the starting position.
Turn this into an AB WORKOUT!!!

Do each ab exercise 12 times with no rest in between. Then take a 45 second rest and repeat 2-3 times. Just in case that wasn’t enough for you to feel the burn…. finish off with a total ab exercise.This one works from top to bottom and really makes them burn!!
Total ab-FLAT CRUNCH [i do this one to failure]

Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Keeping your hands at your side, slide your fingers along the floor until you reach your heels,hold this position for a 4 count and return to starting position.Do as many of these as you can…rest…repeat!!
FIT TIP
When it comes to obliques[you know...the abs at your sides]I always make sure if I train them that I use a crossover motion. This will ensure that they get the work they need to stay toned,without building them…’Cause BUILDING your side obliques also means you will be losing your waistline and potentially building yourself a nice strong MUFFIN TOP!! Rotation is the key here!! so make sure you are using a twisting motion when training obliques!So instead of straight side raises try bicycle crunches or [with feet in the air] touching opposite hands to ankles!

F.Y.I
For back safety..always keep your belly button pulled in.And to avoid neck strain,imagine you have an apple tucked under your chin. These two simple reminders will keep your lower back supported and your neck in neutral and help to create a strong tight abdomen!

It’s not that hard to have a flat tummy! Sometimes just a little discipline  will go a loooooong way! Try eating your last meal 3 hours before going to bed. Since digestion doesn’t really happen when you are sleeping,there will be no food left to sit in your tummy overnight. Undigested food can cause gas and bloating! Now…if you not only eat 3 hours before bed time,but when you do eat,have protein and greens!! You will FOR SURE wake up with a flat tight tummy!!

RECIPE

SUMMER SPINACH SALAD

4 oz grilled chicken breast

2 cups washed baby spinach

2 tblsp toasted slivered almonds

thinly sliced red onion[to taste]

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

1 tsp feta cheese

toss spinach,onion,almonds,and blueberries,top with warm chicken and feta cheese.Add a little Udo’s oil,apple cider vinegar and a pinch of sea salt…Yummy recipe for a flat tummy  tomorrow morning!! And… you will be keeping those muffin tops in the bakery…. WHERE THEY BELONG!!!

Does it mean..we switch all our food to lo or no-fat labels?Do we cut out ‘carbs’ altogether?or does it mean we eat one meal a day for a month?..No!No!No!..It means simply this,utilize more calories than you are taking in[net intake to be exact].As I mentioned above,there are many ways to do this,all of them work,NONE of them are healthy!

The best approach to weight loss nutrition is to eat a balanced meal approximately every three hours. Ideally each meal should consist of a protein[3 oz for women,5 oz for men], carbohydrates,and  fat[good fats]These smaller balanced meals provide all the nutrients a healthy body requires. Here is the neat part… it also requires more calories just to digest these smaller meals,thus resulting in more calories burned…and all you did was EAT!! net intake=calories consumed-calories burned in digestion.Throw in a little more training into your schedule..maybe an extra walk or one more day of  weights and now you have a more effective weight loss program!

Fit Tip

Eating at least 1 hour before training will ensure enough energy to get through your workout. Equally,if not more,important is your after workout meal! Make sure to eat a balanced meal within 1 hour of training to replenish any depleted nutrients you body needs for recovery . A post workout shake is always a good option.If that isn’t available…try a good ol’sandwich!! Opt for whole wheat or rye bread,some turkey,and loads of veggies[hold the mayo and butter please]Even better…have half the sandwich now and half later.

High processed usually means hi-calorie! If the label says lo-cal,take a good look at the label for portion size. Anything is lo-cal if you can only eat a SPECK of it!! Opt for whole foods[or the least processed] they are usually lower in calories and higher in fiber and nutrients than their higher processed counterparts. The portion sizes are more filling and definitely better for you!

Here is a great start to your day breakfast!

Protein Pancake

1/4 cup whole oats

1 whole egg

1/4 cup pasteurized egg whites

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 packets splenda[or tsp honey or cane sugar]

mix altogether,add blueberries,nuts,or sliced banana,and cook in a hot pan until top starts to bubble.Flip pancake to brown on the other side.To  amp up the protein factor,add a scoop of your favorite protein powder and mix well!Top with a  Udo’s oil and a little more fruit to make this complete!

F.Y.I..I make a few in advance and take them to work to have as snacks!!