Yesterday I was training at my gym, I was doing step-ups and this man was looking at me while I was doing them. Later on after my workout when I was doing me stretches, he came up to me and felt that he should give me some advice. He recommended that I not do step-ups since it can cause injury. He told me that I should do the hack squat instead and that it would get me the same results as step-ups? Well my first thought was that you can get injured with almost every exercise, particularly if you don’t use proper form, but step-ups are not on my list of high injury exercises! Seriously, doing a step-up is not much different from walking up stairs. This man claimed to be a coach, I am not sure what he coached? It’s really interesting because you will always find trainers giving people conflicting advice. I had one trainer who insisted that I use the Smith Machine to do squats and another who thought Smith Machines where the most useless and injury causing machine at the gym. In cases like that, I listen to both sides and then decide on my own.
Now that it's month end, I have to create a new workout program for myself for next month. I change my workout regimen every 4 to 6 weeks and now it’s time. I had a brutal training program last month. It was extremely difficult because I was doing 2 days of high reps/short rest and 1 day of low reps/longer reps. I am not a fan of high reps exercises. Now it’s time for me to set a new goal and create my workout plan for next month.
One of my favorite trainers, Craig Ballantyne just posted this on his blog today.
“Here's the bottom line...
If you plan, and I mean really plan things out (not just making your lunch the day before, but plan out meal by meal, grocery trip by grocery trip, workout by workout for the next 4-12 weeks), you will lose fat and achieve more than you ever thought possible. This is the stuff of legends.”
Happy Training!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Cover Girl Alicia Marie
I just received my June copy of Oxygen magazine and Alicia Marie is on the cover again. She looks wonderful as usual. Alicia has been competing since 2002 and below an example of her meal plan and training. 
ALICIA MARIE’S MEAL PLAN
Meal 1 • 6.5 oz grapefruit (peeled) or 3.5 oz orange (peeled) • 1 whole egg scrambled with 6 egg whites• ¾ cup oatmeal (measured dry)• 12 almonds (used in oatmeal)• 8 oz 1% lactose-free milk• 12 oz water
Meal 2 • 6.5 oz grapefruit or 3.5 oz orange • 3 oz of one of the following: canned, water-packed tuna, grilled chicken breast, turkey breast, halibut or tilapia• 1 cup cooked brown rice • 3 oz avocado (¼ cup salsa can be used to make guacamole)• 12 oz water
Meal 3 • 4 oz of one of the following: canned, water-packed tuna, grilled chicken breast, turkey breast, halibut or tilapia• 4 oz baked sweet potato• 2 tbsp almond or peanut butter (used on sweet potato or eaten alone)• 1 cup steamed broccoli or 1 cup spinach or green beans• 12 oz water
Meal 4 • 4 oz of one of the following: canned, water-packed tuna, grilled chicken breast, turkey breast, halibut or tilapia• 1/3 cup cooked brown rice or 2 oz baked sweet potato• 3 cups chopped lettuce and 1/3 cup chopped cucumber• 2 oz chopped avocado• 2 tbsp reduced-fat dressing• 12 oz water
Meal 5 • 2 oz grilled chicken breast (chopped)• 4 egg whites scrambled with chicken • 2.5 cups steamed spinach • 2 oz avocado with ¼ cup salsa to make guacamole (used on eggs or spinach)• 12 oz water
Her favourite cheat is Krispy Creme donuts!
ALICIA MARIE’S WORKOUT
Monday: Chest and triceps
Tuesday: Shoulders
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Back and biceps
Friday: Bleacher workout (she runs them – her favorite!)
Saturday: Pilates
Sunday: Rest
She does abs exercises three to four times a week, sliding them in between workouts
ALICIA MARIE’S MEAL PLANMeal 1 • 6.5 oz grapefruit (peeled) or 3.5 oz orange (peeled) • 1 whole egg scrambled with 6 egg whites• ¾ cup oatmeal (measured dry)• 12 almonds (used in oatmeal)• 8 oz 1% lactose-free milk• 12 oz water
Meal 2 • 6.5 oz grapefruit or 3.5 oz orange • 3 oz of one of the following: canned, water-packed tuna, grilled chicken breast, turkey breast, halibut or tilapia• 1 cup cooked brown rice • 3 oz avocado (¼ cup salsa can be used to make guacamole)• 12 oz water
Meal 3 • 4 oz of one of the following: canned, water-packed tuna, grilled chicken breast, turkey breast, halibut or tilapia• 4 oz baked sweet potato• 2 tbsp almond or peanut butter (used on sweet potato or eaten alone)• 1 cup steamed broccoli or 1 cup spinach or green beans• 12 oz water
Meal 4 • 4 oz of one of the following: canned, water-packed tuna, grilled chicken breast, turkey breast, halibut or tilapia• 1/3 cup cooked brown rice or 2 oz baked sweet potato• 3 cups chopped lettuce and 1/3 cup chopped cucumber• 2 oz chopped avocado• 2 tbsp reduced-fat dressing• 12 oz water
Meal 5 • 2 oz grilled chicken breast (chopped)• 4 egg whites scrambled with chicken • 2.5 cups steamed spinach • 2 oz avocado with ¼ cup salsa to make guacamole (used on eggs or spinach)• 12 oz water
Her favourite cheat is Krispy Creme donuts!
ALICIA MARIE’S WORKOUT
Monday: Chest and triceps
Tuesday: Shoulders
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Back and biceps
Friday: Bleacher workout (she runs them – her favorite!)
Saturday: Pilates
Sunday: Rest
She does abs exercises three to four times a week, sliding them in between workouts
Sunday, May 17, 2009
How to get arms like Michelle Obama
Everyone is talking about Michelle Obama’s arms. First my MIL asked me what I thought about Michelle Obama wearing sleeveless tops. I thought that was a weird question since I never really thought about it and my response was if she has nice arms why not go sleeveless. In the next conversation she mentions that Michelle had nice arms. I guess people are not used to seeing a First Lady wearing sleeveless tops/dresses without flabby arms!
The number one question is how to get arms like Michelle Obama. She is said to workout out 90 minutes 3 days a week. Most women have week upper bodies and a simple arm workout like the one below will help tone your arms like Michelle Obama's.
Start with a warmup doing some cardio for about 10 minutes and then stretch.
1. Bar bell curls - 4 sets of 10-15 reps
2. Narrow grip bench press - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
3. Alternate dumb bell curls - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Tricep kickbacks - 4 sets of 10-15 reps or tricep dips on a bench.
A rep number of 8-10 should cause you to fail in that rep range so if you can do more than 10 reps the weight is probably too light and you can increase your weight. Perform each exercise with proper form and try not to swing the weights.
Happy Workout!
The number one question is how to get arms like Michelle Obama. She is said to workout out 90 minutes 3 days a week. Most women have week upper bodies and a simple arm workout like the one below will help tone your arms like Michelle Obama's.
Start with a warmup doing some cardio for about 10 minutes and then stretch.
1. Bar bell curls - 4 sets of 10-15 reps
2. Narrow grip bench press - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
3. Alternate dumb bell curls - 4 sets of 8-10 reps
4. Tricep kickbacks - 4 sets of 10-15 reps or tricep dips on a bench.
A rep number of 8-10 should cause you to fail in that rep range so if you can do more than 10 reps the weight is probably too light and you can increase your weight. Perform each exercise with proper form and try not to swing the weights.
Happy Workout!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Biggest Loser
One of my favourite shows is The Biggest Loser and the finale was this week. I love show and at times it makes me cry (tears of joy), when the contestants reach their goals. The winner this year was Helen Phillips who lost 140 pounds and about 54% body fat. This is Helen's before and after pictures. Amazing! Congrats Helen and to all the winners because they are all winners!
Here is a video of what the final contestants had to say. This is how they did it!
http://www.people.com/people/videos/0,,20278528,00.html
Here is a video of what the final contestants had to say. This is how they did it!
http://www.people.com/people/videos/0,,20278528,00.html
Monday, May 11, 2009
Change your attitude, change your body!
The 2 top reasons people do not exercise/workout/train:
- Lack of time
- No motivation
Lack of time: Unfortunately there is only 24 hours in a day and there isn't much anyone can do to add more time to the day, but what you can do is prioritize so that you can sneak in a 20 to 30 minute workout. That's all that is needed. I personally do not believe that anyone except a professional athlete has to spend more that 1 hour a day in the gym.
Motivation: How to get motivated? That is the million dollar question since everyone gets motivated differently. My husband told me recently that I motivated him workout. I was quite surprised by that statement since for years he sat on the couch while I headed to the gym or trained in our home gym. See we had a small home gym and he insisted that if we purchased the equipment he would use it since it was so be convenient and he would not have to leave the house. I am not quite sure exactly what I did to motivate him but it worked and I wish I could motivate a few more people. What people have to do is find out what motivates them and then use it.
It takes 21 days to change or establish a new habit! Just starting a workout plan and stick to the plan for 21 days. You might just find out that you may actually enjoy working out!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Get Fit for Summer Program
Get Fit for Summer Program!
I just started a new training program and my husband is now training with me. I am happy about this since I’ve always wanted a training partner, but in the past he refused to train with me, we would go to the gym together but never train together. I don’t think he wanted to train with a girl! I also think it’s because one of the trainers at my gym continue to tell him that he is scared to train with me because I will beat him up. That is absolutely not true.
The training program I’ve created for us includes 3 days of weight training consisting of 2 high rep days and 1 low rep day. The high rep days will include 10 reps and 4 sets of 6 exercises and will be done as a circuit with only 30 seconds rest in between. This circuit will keep the heart rate up thus helping burn more fat. The high rep day will be heavier weights and will be only 4 exercises of 5 reps and 5 sets with about 75 seconds of rest between each set. This Get Fit for Summer Program will also include 1day of plyometrics and body weight exercises such as body weight squats, burpees, mountain climbers etc. These will all be done in 1 minute intervals. So far that’s 4 days of training, the other 2 days will be optional cardio. I personally will try to get to the track to run the bleachers and do sprints for 1 day and then do some yoga on the 6th day. Voila, this is my Get fit for Summer Program.
I also think that my husband started training with me because he is seeing my results. In the past, he has always encouraged me to hire a personal trainer and I didn't want to but did anyway. There is absolutely nothing wrong with hiring a personal trainer but I think after all these years of training and reading about fitness, I know enough about fitness where I don't need a personal trainer. Also, I know the areas where I need to improve and I want to focus on those areas. This past year, I've been doing training that focuses on my shoulders, back and biceps since those are areas that I need to improve. I must be doing something right since I (as well as others) have noticed improvements in my shoulder development. What I've I also noticed is people at the gym copying my exercises. Since I've been focusing on shoulder development, I started doing a unilateral should press exercise. This exercise was great for me since I noticed that one shoulder was stronger than the other, and I wanted to even them out. BTW, this is not a common exercise and when I do it I put my hands on my abs so that I can remember to keep a tight core and suck in my stomach. So last week, I am doing this exercise and this girl comes right next to me and starts doing in it as well (with her hands on her abs)! Pretty amazing!
TGIF!
Happy Mothers Day to all!
I just started a new training program and my husband is now training with me. I am happy about this since I’ve always wanted a training partner, but in the past he refused to train with me, we would go to the gym together but never train together. I don’t think he wanted to train with a girl! I also think it’s because one of the trainers at my gym continue to tell him that he is scared to train with me because I will beat him up. That is absolutely not true.
The training program I’ve created for us includes 3 days of weight training consisting of 2 high rep days and 1 low rep day. The high rep days will include 10 reps and 4 sets of 6 exercises and will be done as a circuit with only 30 seconds rest in between. This circuit will keep the heart rate up thus helping burn more fat. The high rep day will be heavier weights and will be only 4 exercises of 5 reps and 5 sets with about 75 seconds of rest between each set. This Get Fit for Summer Program will also include 1day of plyometrics and body weight exercises such as body weight squats, burpees, mountain climbers etc. These will all be done in 1 minute intervals. So far that’s 4 days of training, the other 2 days will be optional cardio. I personally will try to get to the track to run the bleachers and do sprints for 1 day and then do some yoga on the 6th day. Voila, this is my Get fit for Summer Program.
I also think that my husband started training with me because he is seeing my results. In the past, he has always encouraged me to hire a personal trainer and I didn't want to but did anyway. There is absolutely nothing wrong with hiring a personal trainer but I think after all these years of training and reading about fitness, I know enough about fitness where I don't need a personal trainer. Also, I know the areas where I need to improve and I want to focus on those areas. This past year, I've been doing training that focuses on my shoulders, back and biceps since those are areas that I need to improve. I must be doing something right since I (as well as others) have noticed improvements in my shoulder development. What I've I also noticed is people at the gym copying my exercises. Since I've been focusing on shoulder development, I started doing a unilateral should press exercise. This exercise was great for me since I noticed that one shoulder was stronger than the other, and I wanted to even them out. BTW, this is not a common exercise and when I do it I put my hands on my abs so that I can remember to keep a tight core and suck in my stomach. So last week, I am doing this exercise and this girl comes right next to me and starts doing in it as well (with her hands on her abs)! Pretty amazing!
TGIF!
Happy Mothers Day to all!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Top 5 Stupid Questions Asked
Here are some stupid questions I am often asked:
- You are so skinny, do you eat? Why is it okay to tell someone that they are skinny when it is not okay to tell someone that they are fat? And no, I don't like being called skinny, just like no one likes to be called fat!
- You must workout a lot? Okay, I train 4, 5 and sometimes even 6 days a week for 1 hour only. So that's really only between 4-6 hours a week. If you think that's a lot then that is your opinion, but since there are 24 hours a day and 168 hours in a week then training only 6 hours a week is only a bit over 3% of my time spent training. Now, how many hours do you spend watching TV? The average American spends over 4 hours of watching TV a day.
- You lift weights, aren't you scared that you are going to get big bulging muscles? Getting big bulging muscles is the least of my concerns. I started lifting weights since I was in college and I don't have big bulging muscle so I am not worried. But then again, maybe some people think I have big bulging muscle or/and think that I am too muscular. But then, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
- Is that all you are going to eat? Yes it is, and I eat 5 or 6 of these small meals a day. You eat 2 or 3 large meals so leave me alone! I am sure I eat more food than you, maybe not more calories but more good clean food!
- Do you need help getting those weights off that rack? Men at the gym often want to help me remove plates off the equipment, and that's noble and all, but I put them on, so I think I can get them off!
So that was my venting for the day.
Friday, May 1, 2009
FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Hydroxycut Products
An extremely popular weight loss supplement (Hydroxycut) was pulled off the market and the FDA is warning consumers to stop using it. The supplement is linked to one death and other health problems including liver injury, jaundice, kidney failure and other cardiovascular diseases. I am not sure how effective Hydroxycut is but there were about 9 million packages sold last year. Unfortunately there is no magic pill for weight loss and many are dangerous or ineffective. My former trainer’s client did advertisement for Hydroxycut and he claimed that her weight loss results were due to his meal plan and she didn’t really use the product.
My cousin called me yesterday and she mentioned that she is dieting and was starving. I don’t understand why people go on diets and starve themselves? There are so many things wrong with that! One of the main reasons is that as soon as you stop the diet, you gain the weight back because you start eating the same way you were in the past. It’s about living a healthy lifestyle, not starving yourself. The sad part is that there are all these diets out there and people think they need to diet and it's often not about a lifestyle change. There was this man on Oprah this week who weighed over 1000 pounds, he lost about 1000 pounds and was at a comfortable weight of 198 pounds (for about 1 day). As soon as he got to his goal weight of 198 pound he went out and ate hotdogs, french fries, basically a lot of crap and gained all the weight back, and then some. Unfortunately the average American does not know very much about nutrition and there is a lot if ignorance surrounding micronutrients. Micronutrients are carbohydrates (carbs), fats, and protein, eating a balanced meal should include all of those micronutrients. It’s not about eliminating fats or carbs from your diet (unfortunately a lot of people don't even know what a carb is). It’s not about starving yourself or dieting, getting to your desired weight and as soon as you do, gain it all back because you go back to old eating habits It’s about a lifestyle change!
My cousin called me yesterday and she mentioned that she is dieting and was starving. I don’t understand why people go on diets and starve themselves? There are so many things wrong with that! One of the main reasons is that as soon as you stop the diet, you gain the weight back because you start eating the same way you were in the past. It’s about living a healthy lifestyle, not starving yourself. The sad part is that there are all these diets out there and people think they need to diet and it's often not about a lifestyle change. There was this man on Oprah this week who weighed over 1000 pounds, he lost about 1000 pounds and was at a comfortable weight of 198 pounds (for about 1 day). As soon as he got to his goal weight of 198 pound he went out and ate hotdogs, french fries, basically a lot of crap and gained all the weight back, and then some. Unfortunately the average American does not know very much about nutrition and there is a lot if ignorance surrounding micronutrients. Micronutrients are carbohydrates (carbs), fats, and protein, eating a balanced meal should include all of those micronutrients. It’s not about eliminating fats or carbs from your diet (unfortunately a lot of people don't even know what a carb is). It’s not about starving yourself or dieting, getting to your desired weight and as soon as you do, gain it all back because you go back to old eating habits It’s about a lifestyle change!
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