Archives 2014

Lean eating does not mean complicated eating…it just means eating smart, and it will make fat loss second nature. And don’t worry, lean eating can still be very delicious. In fact, you’ll find many of your new, lean meals to be better in flavor and more satisfying than your old, fattening eats.  

Lean Eating Rule #1. Eat the RIGHT Type of Carbs

There is a hierarchy of carbs a lean diet, which rank from healthy (good) to empty (which will only fatten you up.) The success of your eating plan rests squarely on which of these carbs you regularly include in your diet.

1. Green Vegetables
2. Non-Green Vegetables
3. Fruit
4. Whole Grains and Starches
5. Refined Grains
6. Foods with Added Sugar

The top 3 ranked carbs should comprise 90 percent of the carbs in your diet…in order to get that lean physique that you want. Immediately cut out the bottom 2 (refined grains and foods with added sugar), and on occasion include a limited amount of Whole Grains and Starches.

Lean Eating Rule #2. Track What You Eat

The only way to improve upon your diet is to actually know what you’re currently eating. Keep a food journal, or use an app (like VIVO), and input all of the calories that you consume over the course of a week. This will give you a broad look at where your low quality calories are coming from (high sugar, empty calories). Your first step will be to eliminate these fattening calories and to start replacing empty calories with nutrient-filled whole foods.

Lean Eating Rule #3. Never Restrict Calories to the Extreme

There’s a certain allure in the idea of temporarily restricting calories to the extreme. The idea that one can drop a down a size or two in just as many weeks is quite tempting. I hate to be the one to burst your overambitious bubble, but extreme calorie restriction NEVER WORKS. It’s terrible for your body, and it is not something that is sustainable (namely because you’d starve to death) so the pendulum inevitably swings in the other direction, resulting in binges.

The key to being lean for life is to eat in a way that you can sustain forever. Eat whole foods. Eat a moderate amount of the RIGHT calories. Every day, ongoing, forever.

Lean Eating Rule #4. Eat Veggies First

This may go against all of your instincts, but hear this one out. When you sit down to a meal first eat all of the veggies and salad, before moving on to the main dish. This simple strategy helps to fill you up with lower calorie foods first, before moving on to the higher calorie items.

By making this a habit you’ll naturally and effortlessly consume fewer calories at each meal, which will have a big impact on weight loss.

Lean Eating Rule #5. Include Protein at Every Meal

Each of your meals should be built around a healthy serving of protein. This protein could be meat (chicken breast, fish fillet, roasted turkey, braised beef etc.) eggs, or protein powder (such as Beverly International UMP.)

Having protein as the focal point of your meal is important for two reasons: 1) You’re fueling up in a way that builds muscles rather than stores fat, and 2) By default, you’re avoiding high calorie main dishes, which are what really cause most weight gain.

Lean Eating Rule #6. Ban Liquid Calories

Liquid calories have no place in a lean eating plan. No place at all. Anytime that you are drinking calories, it’s safe to assume that you’re adding inches to your waistline. Put down the beer, just say no to the blended coffee drink, and forget about fully loaded soda pop. Filtered water and unsweetened tea are the best alternatives to calorie-laden beverages.

Lean Eating Rule #7. Avoid Prepackaged Foods

Prepackaged foods and snacks have no place in a lean eating plan. These processed foods contain numerous fattening ingredients such as refined sugar, sodium, grains, fillers and other artificial ingredients. If you are currently eating packaged foods on a daily basis, cutting these items out will quickly translate into pounds lost.

Lean Eating Rule #8. Swim Upstream

As a society we are overweight, riddled with obesity related ailments, uncomfortable in our own skin, and craving weight loss. So…it’s safe to say that whatever you see the masses around you do, when it comes to food and exercise, you should aim to do the opposite.

See a line wrapped around that fast food joint’s drive thru? Do not enter. Instead, eat a simple meal made with vegetables and lean protein.

See all 5 people ahead of you in line at the coffee shop order a sweet drink? Do not follow suit. Instead, order an unsweetened drink.

See the movie theatre parking lot packed to the brim, and the gym parking lot empty? Skip the movie and hit the gym.

Swim upstream, be different than the masses by living in a desirable, healthy, lean body.

There is no magic machine, pill or diet that will accelerate weight loss. Call or email me today to get started on a nutrition plan that really works, or to review your current plan. Or, schedule an appointment to get back on track.

It’s here – whether you’re ready or not. Just look at the seasonal shelves in your favorite store. Retailers like to call it ‘holiday season’ but let’s be more accurate.

Weight Gain season begins now and runs straight through New Year’s.

The next two months will bring ample opportunity for you to expand your waistline. Of course the choice is yours.

Why discuss it now and not mid-way through December? Because now is your opportunity to plan for the weeks ahead. Once the craziness begins, you’ll be too busy to put a plan into action.

So let’s take this moment of clarity, this calm before the storm, to outline a two-part plan that will save your waist from unwanted holiday inches.

Part One: Your Exercise Plan.

Exercise is the first thing people cut when they get busy, and the holiday season is notorious for empty gyms. This year do something different-obligate yourself to exercise. Promising to yourself won’t do it, you need to promise to others so that you won’t drop the ball.
• Schedule your workouts in advance – This is the perfect solution for consistent, challenging and effective workouts. I’ll give you the attention and assistance that you need to power through the holidays in better shape than ever – talk about motivating!
• Join a class – You won’t be as effective exercising on your own during the busy holiday season, so join a class for accountability – there are 2 HIIT and 3 bootcamp classes every week, and plenty of spinning opportunities with Chandra. Find something challenging that gets your heart rate elevated and uses strength training.
• Get a serious exercise buddy – Some friends can be an awesome help, while others end up pulling you down. When looking for an exercise buddy consider the following questions:

– Do they share your fitness goals?
– Are they fairly encouraging?
– Do they give up easily?
– Are they at your fitness level?
Part Two: Your Nutrition Plan.

The holidays offer ample opportunities to indulge, so you need to hammer down some guidelines before hitting that buffet line. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t indulge in any seasonal treats, but use moderation. Don’t use the holidays as an excuse to eat until the point of being uncomfortable – will you really miss that bloated feeling? Decide which treats to cut out this year.

Don’t bring edible treats to the office or to parties. Leftovers have a tendency to make their way back home, and you’ll end up eating far more than your share. This year, do everyone a favor by not gifting fattening treats.

When faced with a buffet line, load your plate first with greens, vegetables and lean meats before breads and heavier foods. Also drink water with your meal and keep alcoholic beverages to a 2-drink maximum.

Beware of holiday drinks – most are brimming with calories. Hot drinks from coffee shops, cocktails at parties and creamy eggnog are all very enjoyable, but also all filled with empty calories. Stick with hot tea or unsweetened coffee.

Everywhere you go during the holiday season brings you face-to-face with a plate of sweets. To avoid adding inches to your waist, try the one treat rule. Each time you’re in a social situation that involves sweets just eat one, and enjoy your treat slowly.

You don’t have to gain weight this holiday season. The key is your mindset.

If you approach the holidays with the mindset of, ‘I deserve to indulge and I shouldn’t have to exercise’ then you’ll enter 2015 a few pounds heavier, a little less healthy, and with lower energy than ever before.

I believe that you deserve better. I believe that you should enter 2015 in better shape than you are today, healthier than you’ve been in a long time, and with more energy than you thought possible.

As a personal trainer, a common question I hear from clients is about managing muscle soreness, especially at the onset of a new training routine. It will also sometimes come up when a client is training for a marathon or triathlon and pushing themselves extra hard, or training more frequently than normal. I anticipate these scenarios as a personal trainer, and frequently counsel clients about sore muscle prevention to avert any mishaps, especially if I know they haven’t worked out in a long time, or are heading into intensive training to reach a goal or milestone.

Injury Prevention

Prevention involves being smart about your body and your exercise routine.
Properly fitting shoes, most importantly for running, but also for weight and personal training sessions, go a long way toward preventing shin splints, hip pain, and even lumbar discomfort. Cross training shoes that provide proper side and impact support are optimal for weight training sessions and cardio sessions, which I often include in my personal training appointments. This type of support mainly helps protect against foot and ankle injury.

Improper form or too much weight during a lifting session can stress muscles to the point of over exertion and pain. Going to an open gym on your own shows you have great motivation, but it’s only half the battle. Faced with an enormous room full of equipment and not knowing how each operates can be intimidating, not to mention dangerous. In a one-on-one personal training session I can fine tune the small details of a client’s form, whether it’s their stance, grip on a machine or arm and leg positioning. It may sound surprising, but just a slight adjustment can mean the difference between a great workout and great pain. This is especially true when lifting too much weight. After the first one or two reps, I can instantly tell whether a client can press on and handle the weight, or if the amount will stress them to the point of injury. As a personal trainer there are certain cues that I look for in the hundreds of different exercises I use, and because of my years of experience, I know when to encourage and push, and when to back down on the weight. This is essential to the overall health and progress of my clients.

Muscle Pain Management

It’s just a fact of life that injuries do happen however, and I have five key components to a successful recovery that are very effective.

1. Soak in a hot tub – The warm water will soothe the muscles and relax them.

2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – Dehydration can make muscle soreness more painful (not to mention cause hunger and light headedness). Drinking adequate amounts of water also helps flush the toxins out of your system.

3. Sleep, sleep, sleep – Your body goes into recovery mode when you sleep. When your body isn’t moving, it can repair muscles more easily. Your body also synthesizes protein when you sleep, another essential building block of muscle repair.

4. Stretch – Speaking of toxins in the system, gently stretching sore muscles will help break down the lactic acid that builds up after exercise and makes muscles hard and sore.

5. Work Out – On a scale from 1 – 10, with 10 being the worst pain, if you are an 8 or above; take the day off. If you are at a 7 or below, go ahead and work out. Both working out, and a light cardio session will increase the blood flow to the sore muscles, which helps break up lactic acid; the main culprit of muscle soreness.