3 Tips To Help You Get Fit For Summer

Have you looked at the calendar lately? Summer is almost here. But, don’t worry: there’s still time to get healthy, fit and lean for summer!

Here are three simple yet effective tips that you can use to get fit for the summer.

Tip 1: Prioritize

Maybe you have 5, 10, or more items on your to-do list to get your body health-and-fitness-ready for summer. Prioritize that list, and focus on just one weak area. If you try to do everything at once, you’re going to increase your stress levels, which typically leads to inactivity and failure. Each week pick one primary goal for the week, and stick with it.

For example, you might decide to start with alcohol consumption. Alcohol is the fastest way to add empty calories, and it weakens your resolve to choose healthier foods. The average serving of 1.5 ounces of 80-proof alcohol contains about 90 calories before adding mixers. There’s no need to abstain from alcohol completely. Instead, you might choose to drink only one mixed drink per day. Or you might decide to stick with a glass of wine and forgo high calorie mixers. Try drinking mineral water with a slice of lime at a cocktail party instead of alcohol.

By prioritizing your to-do list, you’ll keep your goals manageable and feel successful. Each small success breeds even more success, and before you know it you’ll make progress in every area on that list.

Tip #2: Prepare

As the saying goes, “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” Plan out what you’re going to eat for breakfast and lunch. Limit yourself to one or two breakfast choices, and just a few lunch options to keep it simple and hassle-free. Plan for a easy lunch such as grilled chicken with some fresh steamed veggies and a half a sweet potato or a dinner or pan seared salmon on top of a bed of mixed greens with olive oil and vinegar.

Plan ahead for a weekly massage to work away stress. Take a 5 minute walk outside in the middle of the day to let the sunshine revive your spirits. Before you step into a stressful meeting or pick up the phone to call a difficult client, take 5-10 deep, slow breaths. Let the air fill your lungs and energize your body, and exhale away stress and tension. You will be amazed at how much breathing and focusing on your breath can clear your mind.

#3: Recover

If you view any slipup as a defeat instead of a bump in the road, or you demand perfection in your eating habits, you’re more likely to increase your stress levels and strike out on your health and fitness goals. Resetting yourself by doing something active and concrete helps you restructure your thinking so you avoid an all-or-nothing attitude that cripples your success.

Use a Protein Day after a day filled with eating disasters to get right back on track. Base your meals and snacks around protein: eggs or egg whites for breakfast, grilled chicken or fish in a salad for lunch and with steamed vegetables for dinner, and canned tuna or sliced turkey for snacks. A Protein Day gives your body a break from carbohydrates and breaks the cycle of overeating and then feeling terrible.

Another recovery tool is to treat yourself to a healthy cheat meal once a week. Simple things like a chicken burrito from Chipotle, or a Hamburger from La Tub. Yes, you guessed it these are my favorites. This is because I know dieting gets hard and we all need a break. Enjoying Cheat night dinner helps you regroup, so you wake up the next morning feeling light and ready for a balanced breakfast.

With the tips outlined here, you’ll be beach-ready before you know it!

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Fittron.com professional Danielle Hollenshade wrote this article. Come visit her profile page and see about enlisting her services to help you on your journey towards a happier and healthier lifestyle.

http://fittron.com/danielle_hollenshade

Women and Self-Esteem

As a trainer to so many women, I have worked with all shapes, sizes and issues. Every woman has her own fitness goal when she begins working with a trainer. Whether it is too loose weight, tone up, learn new exercises, or prepare for a contest. But what I have seen in most of my female clients is the desire and need to improve their self esteem. Whether you know it or not when your self esteem improves everything else does too, from the way you walk to the way you dress and the things you do.

Our society puts a lot of pressure on woman to be thin and stay thin. We see it everywhere we go. In advertising whether it’s for sneakers or cat food the models are skinny. The models in the magazines, whether it is fashion, fitness or maternity are skinny, the movie stars on the screen and in tabloids are skinny, the clothes and styles are made to look great on skinny ones too. So what gives? When are woman going to catch a break? It’s time that all of us woman be happy with who they are as an individual and happy with their bodies and what God gave them.

Every woman is beautiful in her own special way and because society has put this stigma on what a woman is suppose to look like, it makes every woman who is curvy or full figured feel that nothing is quite right with their body.

In psychology, self-esteem reflects a person’s overall self-appraisal of their own worth. People need to realize that your self worth is not based on your outward appearance but is based on the person whom you are from the inside. Being healthy is part of this. Eating healthy and exercising improves not only a person’s overall health but begins to improve their overall appearance which improves a person’s self confidence.

It is amazing to watch the transformation of my clients from when they first walked in the gym. They are not happy with how they look and feel on a daily basis. But just after a few short weeks of training with me, I see them walking in with a brighter smile and a more energetic walk. They express to me how much happier they are with themselves. My client the other day told me she was shocked because now men were looking at her again and she forgot what that felt like, another client told me how great it was to fit in her skinny jeans again and one told me how much sexier she felt with her husband.

Helping a woman reach her goals both mentally and physically is what brings me the most joy about my job. I see so many women battle daily, including me with body image issues. The first step to being happy is being happy with yourself and in your own skin. Until that day we will never be happy.

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Danielle Hollenshade, a Fittron.com professional, wrote this article. Come visit her profile page and she what she can do to help you live a happier and healthier lifestyle.

http://fittron.com/danielle_hollenshade

Nutrition Tips

Nutrition plays a crucial role in an athlete’s performance and physique. This is especially true among bodybuilders and figure competitors. The only way to truly reach your fitness or athletic goals is to understand the concept of good nutrition and nutrient timing. You not only need to understand what to eat, but arguably even more importantly, you need to understand when to eat certain foods. Often times people ask me things like “how do I get legs like that,” and I always tell them its 90% diet. You can train with maximum intensity 2 hours a day, 7 days a week, but if you are not fueling your body with the proper nutrients you will never reach your goals of gaining muscle mass, loosing fat, or “toning up.”

Another important thing to understand is that one diet does not fit all. There is no “cookie-cutter” diet that is right for everyone. You need to figure out what works for you and what is in line with your goals. Becoming more familiar with your body type can help determine what works best for you. Whether you are an ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph, one thing remains constant for all people: you have to be consistent! Living a healthy lifestyle and training to be a physique competitor both require one to “live it.” The best and fastest way to reach you goals is sticking to that diet 24/7.

Although I occasionally enjoy a “cheat meal” in the off-season (sushi, sub, etc.), I never stray from my diet when preparing for a show and always eat extremely “clean” year round. It is important to stay lean in the off-season so that when it is time to diet down, the journey is much easier.

However, in order to make muscle and strength gains, I think it is important to not worry too much about putting on a little extra weight in the off-season. I have found that staying within 5lbs of contest weight does not really allow for the muscle growth I am looking for in the off-season. I feel that I am the strongest and that I create a very anabolic environment when I am closer to 10-15 lbs over my contest weight. Additionally, where I generally recommend people eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals, I usually end up eating 8 or more times a day. The important take away from this is that I have been able to figure out what works best for my body, and it is important for you do the same. If you are looking for help in figuring out the ideal nutrition plan for you, please see the services section of my site, and I can help you reach your goals.

 The first step in understanding proper nutrition is understanding the basic macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) and the idea of nutrient timing.

 

Protein

Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein and proteins are the building blocks for muscle tissue. When you train with weights you break down your muscle tissues and in order to grow you need to be constantly feeding your muscles with the amino acids and proteins they require for rebuilding. Protein should be consumed at each of your meals throughout the day and for physique competitors I recommend 1 to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight.

The average person these days does not eat nearly enough protein and adding or substituting a couple extra protein sources to your meals each day may make a dramatic impact on your physique and, more importantly, how you feel. Protein sources that I recommend include: Lean (93% or leaner) ground meats, top round steak, boneless/skinless chicken and turkey breasts, fish and most seafood, canned tuna or chicken, egg whites, fat free cottage cheese, ostrich, buffalo, and protein powders.

Carbohydrates

The main function of carbohydrates is to provide energy or fuel for the body. Most people are either “carb-o-holics” or have “carb-phobia.” While carbs provide energy for your workouts they can quickly be converted to fat stores if you consume too much. Because of this fact, recently people have become afraid of carbs. When people tell me they are on zero carb diets, I cringe. To many peoples’ surprise, in addition to providing energy, carbohydrates themselves are anabolic and are essential for maintaining and gaining muscle. It is important to note, however, that not all carbs are created equally and it is important to figure out which carbs sources are beneficial, how much should be eaten for your body type, and when they should be eaten.

There are 2 types of carbohydrates. Fast acting carbs are usually simple sugars and provide the body with a quick source of energy. The only time I recommend simple sugars would be post workout. Fast acting sugars like dextrose or maltodextrin will help maximize glycogen (form of carbohydrates stored in muscles) storage post workout. This is also the only time of the day where you are looking for a spike in insulin to help reduce cortisol (muscle-wasting hormone) levels, which rise during intense training.

Complex carbs are slow acting carbs and provide for longer periods of energy. These carbs digest slowly; therefore the body needs a longer period of time to release them into the blood as glucose. Complex carbs can be eaten throughout the day and are great to have at breakfast and preworkout so that your body will have fuel for the day and during your workout. Good complex carbohydrate sources include: baked potato, sweet potato, brown rice, wild rice, pumpkin, old fashion oatmeal, whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and fiber cereals.

It is also extremely important to get your vegetables in throughout the day. Vegetables are extremely high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber and can help you feel satisfied without eating too many calories. Good vegetable sources include broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, lettuce, beans, peppers, brussel sprouts, zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, peas, and leafy green vegetables.

In terms of how many carbs you should eat each day, this can only be determined through trial and error. Regardless of your carb intake, I recommend a carb cycling diet in order to keep your body guessing and tricking it to constantly burn fat for energy.

Fats

Fats are also important for building muscle and assisting the body in functioning properly. They are essential for helping absorb fat-soluble vitamins, they play a crucial role in many metabolic functions, and they are the essential to proper hormone production and function. While most saturated fats should be avoided, you should make sure you are consuming enough essential fatty acids (EFA). Some examples include nuts, nut butters, olives, olive oil, salmon, fish, natural peanut butter, flax seed oil, and avocado. Remember not to go overboard on these, however, as they are extremely calorie dense.

Nutrient Timing

In order to obtain a competitive physique or perform at your absolute best, it is important to constantly fuel your body throughout the day. Properly spacing meals out throughout the day every 2-3 hours is a must. This helps keep your body in an anabolic state and can keep your energy levels from dropping. There are a couple of meals during that day that are absolutely crucial: breakfast, preworkout, postworkout, and bedtime.

Preworkout

For preworkout meals, I recommend slow digesting carbs, such as oatmeal and a blend of fast and slow digesting protein approximately 30-60 minutes before weight training.

Postworkout

After extended periods of training, your body is craving recovery nutrients. I recommend a liquid meal immediately postworkout as it is more easily digested. As mentioned previously, this meal should consist of a fast acting carb such as dextrose and a fast acting protein source such as whey isolate. The combination of these carbs and proteins will help maximize glycogen storage and protein synthesis while minimizing protein breakdown and catabolic (muscle wasting) hormones.

Breakfast

Come wakeup time, your body is in a catabolic state due to not eating over the course of approximately 8 hours. Eating breakfast at this point is a must and should never be skipped! Carbs and protein are a must at breakfast, and this should be one of the biggest carb meals of the day.

Before Bed

Eating before bed is not a bad thing. There is a misconception that you need to stop eating after a certain time because your body will store food as fat if you consumed it too close to bed. This is not necessarily true. Although you should limit your carb intake right before bed (unless postworkout), it is important to get in some form of protein before retiring. I recommend a slow digesting protein and some EFAs. This gives the body a steady supply of amino acids while at rest and assists in muscle growth and recovery.

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Another great article by a Fittron.com professional. Come contact Stephanie Miller for additional personal training and nutrition support.

http://fittron.com/stephanie_miller

Blueberry Muffins!

Ingredients:

25 cup buckwheat flour

.5 cup oats

1 cup blueberries

.5 cup egg whites

1 scoop Vanilla Whey protein powder

1 tsp. Almond butter

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Makes 4 Muffins

Preparation Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Put muffin cups into muffin tins or grease the tins.

3. Mix blueberries and eggs together in a large mixing bowl.

4. Pour milk into a mixing bowl.

5. Mix in dry ingredients last.

6. Spoon mix into paper cups in muffin tin.

7. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.

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Visit Vanessa’s Fittron profile for some additional nutritional and personal training help.

http://fittron.com/vanessa_van_overmeer

Healthy Habit #1: Why an Increase in Protein Intake is Important for Fat Loss

If had a nickel for every time some one walked into a supplement store asking for fat burners to help them lose their gut, I would be rich. Okay maybe if I had a dollar for every time, but that is not my point. People think that fat burners are the answer to weight loss. Although these pills do “help” in controlling your appetite and increase your metabolism slightly, if you still eat one huge meal that consists of beer and late night pizza then you can just kiss your dreams of having a “six pack” good-bye.

So what is the problem? Well, it’s our diet. The average American diet gets 20% of their daily calories from snack foods. Which usually consist of processed carbohydrates like cookies, crackers, and any fast food that seems quick and easy. Eat too much, and 1) you’ll send your blood glucose level up higher than you expected; 2) you’ll fill up but without the nutrients that come with vegetables and grains; and 3) you’ll gain weight.

So why is it that we can’t stop eating even after we have had an ample amount of calories to refuel our bodies? The answer is the effect carbohydrates have on our blood sugar when eaten alone. When we consume a simple carbohydrate it gets broken down at a fast rate and sends our blood sugar soaring as well as our appetite. So how do we control this? We slow down this process by adding a lean protein to EVERY meal.

I know your thinking that there is no way you’re going to spend half of your day cooking up chicken breasts to eat at each meal. You don’t have to. One serving of Whey protein contains 20 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 1 measly gram of carbs, for only 80 calories. It also comes in different flavors that will be more exciting to the taste buds then 5 meals containing chicken or tuna.

My favorite breakfast is .5 cup oats cooked with cinnamon and blueberries topped with one serving of banana flavored Whey Protein. This meal is about 250 calories 23 grams of protein and 45 grams of slow burning carbs to get my metabolism ready for the rest of the day’s activities.

Protein doesn’t have to be just for body builders and those trying to put on muscle. It’s a vital part of a healthy, lean diet.

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Visit Vanessa’s Fittron.com profile and contact her for additional nutritional and personal training support.

http://fittron.com/vanessa_van_overmeer

Gym Workout Video

Check out Lauren’s workout at her local gym. You can use this video as a reference to perform similar workouts.

Come visit Lauren’s page and contact her directly for some additional fitness help.

http://fittron.com/lauren_beckman

Track Workout with Lauren Beckman

Watch fittron.com professional Lauren Beckman show you her workout at the track. You can use this video as a reference to perform similar workouts at your local track.

Come visit Lauren’s page and contact her directly for some additional fitness help.

http://fittron.com/lauren_beckman

Cardio: What type is best and how much is too much?

We often get asked these questions so I thought I’d attempt to make some sense of this often misunderstood component of training. For this discussion we’ll limit the topic to cardio as it relates to body fat and weight loss. Cardio for sports performance or heart health would lead us down a different path.

Most research suggests that you burn somewhere in the range of 70% fat while at “rest.”. Fat is a very efficient fuel source so if you go slow enough (what’s slower than rest?) then you can count on burning mostly fat. Even though the PERCENTAGE of fuel burned at rest is mostly fat, the TOTAL calories (energy) burned is low. Most people do cardio because it will take them too long to see the effects of fat burning from rest, especially if their diet is less than perfect (which unless you are a competitive bodybuilder, it most likely is. Let’s face it. You gotta live right?).

So you decide to do some cardio to speed up the fat burning process. But how much and what type is best? Walking burns mostly fat, where as running burns more carbohydrates (3 main sources: muscle glycogen, liver glycogen, blood sugar). The higher the intensity of exercise (from rest to walking to running) the higher the PERCENTAGE of carbohydrates burned. Intense weight training is at the top of this spectrum, deriving most of it’s energy from carbohydrates. This is why it is important to have ample carbohydrates prior to weight training or you may become light headed as a result of low blood sugar during an intense weight training session. You should also consume ample carbohydrates following the weight training workout to replenish lost muscle and liver glycogen due to the training session. When we design meal plans we design carbohydrate intake around a client’s training schedule to allow for fat loss while providing the right amount of carbohydrates at the right time in relation to their training.

If a client has been sedentary and is considerably overweight then the first goal is simply to set the calorie equation out of balance: eat less and move more. Where the calories come from is not as important to this person, at least in the beginning. We want them to start losing body weight and feeling good about the results they are seeing. Their training program is not designed to maximize muscle growth while getting to extremely low levels of body fat. Interval training would be great as would any of the fun programs on any of the cardio machines in the gym. A simple jog-walk program outside would elicit results and be fun for this type of client as well. As this person progresses, however, or if we are dealing with a more advanced client, then it’s important to be aware of how many carbohydrates the client is burning during cardio as it relates to recovering from their strenuous weight training schedule. If muscle tone or mass is the goal then the client should keep their cardio sessions in the “fat burning zone” that we hear about so much. All this means is that it’s going to take this client longer to burn the same amount of calories when compared to the previous client, but the calories they do burn will be more from fat and less from carbohydrates. This will allow them to replenish muscle and liver glycogen and thus spare muscle tissue more effectively while on a calorie deficient diet. For this type of client a slow walk on a slight incline would be advised, as would a moderate pace on a stationary bike. Slow and steady should be this client’s goal for cardio.

Now how much is too much? Well after years of anecdotal evidence suggesting that extremely long bouts of cardio (of any type) will decrease muscle mass and tone, there is now some good scientific evidence to support this claim. Basically, if a person does long bouts of cardio (45-60 minutes or more) their DNA expression actually changes to tell their muscles to get smaller! I continually see it in bodybuilding, especially at the local level. I’ll see a guy who looks incredibly thick and full in the off season show up to a contest scrawny and flat because he was doing 2 or more hours of cardio a day. This new research suggests that if your ultimate goal is at all muscle related then you should keep your cardio sessions short. How short? Well I’ve found that I see a very significant change in my physique when I go over 35 minutes of cardio per session. Cardio bouts over 35 minutes cause my upper body to deflate. This is not good for me, as my legs are my most developed body part to begin with and I’m working very hard to NOT be “bottom heavy”. These concepts are partially what HIT cardio training is based on. Short intense bursts of cardio that aren’t supposed to “burn” muscle, or in this case “signal” muscles to get smaller. The exact time which a person’s DNA expression changes are impossible to predict so play around with it and pay attention. It might be 30 minutes or it might be longer depending on how your body reacts.

You’ve just read another great article by a Fittron Professional. Come visit our site and browse fitness professional profiles in your location or visit our “pro page” for update nutritional advice, videos, recipes, and tips; all posted by certified fitness professionals

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