Monday, December 12, 2011

Give yourself the gift of fitness this Holiday season



On the First Day...Give yourself the gift of Burpees. 
Created in the 1930's by psychologist Royal H. Burpee, the burpee is an intense full body exercise that helps burn fat and tone muscles. A burpee is done in the following 5 steps: 1) Stand with feet shoulder width apart. 2) Drop to a squat with your hands on the ground. 3) Kick feet back while lowering into a push-up. 4) Return to squat position. 5) Jump up with arms overhead. 

On the Second Day...Give yourself the gift of Fiber. 
Stocking up on fiber will do wonders for your body. High fiber foods are nutrient dense and low in calories. Try these high fiber favorites: raspberries, pear (with skin), artichoke, peas, apples (with skin), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and carrots. 

On the Third Day...Give yourself the gift of a Medicine Ball.
The first medicine balls were created in Persia over 3,000 years ago, made with sand filled bladders and used by wrestlers as part of their conditioning. Today you can get the same rippling abs by incorporating medicine balls into your exercise routine. Do a chest pass with the medicine ball or throw the ball of your hip to the wall and back. These exercises will not only increase heart rate, but will give you a great ab workout!



On the Fourth Day...Give yourself the gift of Reduced Salt. 
Too much salt leads to water retention—and that spells disaster for your six pack. Pay attention to the sodium content of your food. Limit salt intake by not eating packaged foods and by putting down the salt shaker. 

On the Fifth Day...Give yourself the gift of Oblique V-Sits.
Who really wants a muffin top? You don't, so incorporate Oblique V-Sits into your routine in 3 simple steps. 1) Lie on your side with legs straight and hands behind your head. 2) Raise your arms and legs simultaneously, while exhaling and squeezing your obliques. 3) Repeat on the other side. 

On the Sixth Day...Give yourself the gift of Lean Protein. 
Along with fiber, your meals should be packed with lean protein. This will help support muscle growth while controlling blood sugar – all important factors when it comes to a lean body. 

On the Seventh Day...Give yourself the gift of Sprints. 
The days of long slow cardio sessions are long gone. We now know that short intense bursts of cardio is the ideal way to melt fat. Run 60-90 second sprints in between resistance training sets to really kick your fat burning mechanism into high gear. 

On the Eighth Day...Give yourself the gift of No Sugar. 
Sure, sugar tastes good, but indulging in it causes your body to store layers of fat. Enjoy fresh fruit, rather than refined sugar. If you really want washboard abs, then say no to sugar. 

On the Ninth Day...Give yourself the gift of Hanging Leg Raises. 
This is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your abdominals. 1) Hang from pull-up bar with legs fully extended. 2) Exhale and drive your knees up toward your chest. 3) Inhale as you slowly lower your legs back down. 

On the Tenth Day...Give yourself the gift of No Grain. 
If you're serious about that six pack then put down the bread basket. Grains are full of insulin-spiking carbohydrates—the perfect combination for fattening you up. Learn to love grain-free meals that center around lean meats and vegetables. 

On the Eleventh Day...Give yourself the gift of Mountain Climbers. 
Here's another intense exercise that really targets your abs while also burning fat. 1) Get into push-up position. 2) Exhale as you alternately drive your knees in toward your chest, keeping your back flat. 

On the Twelfth Day...Give yourself the gift fitness
Sign up today for my 90 Day Fitness Challenge! Not only will you change your life/body for the better, you will have a change to win an iPad!



For any questions concerning the 90 Day Fit challenge, feel free to email (awoodfitness@gmail.com)

Monday, December 5, 2011

90 Day Fit Challenge

This January I will be putting on a competition. The goal: to see who can change their body/life most drastically! It's going to be amazing! The grand prize winner will receive an iPad!
Registration and pricing details will be posted soon.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

7 "secrets" for fat loss

I found these great "secrets" to fat loss. Like many of the tips and tricks that I give you on this blog, they are pretty simple in concept, but application can be a bit tricky.

Secret #1: Keep on Moving
If you're serious about keeping the weight off, you need to be serious about your workouts. Keep your activity level high, both in and out of the gym. Your workouts should consist of both cardiovascular training and strength training. While out of the gym make an effort to move as much as possible by taking the stairs, going for walks or jogs and participating in recreational activities. 

Secret #2: Be a Healthy Eater
Sorry, you can't go back to eating at the drive thru and expect to maintain your weight loss. Focus on these 3 aspects of healthy eating:            
               *Keep calories low. Gone are the days of eating mindlessly. Be aware of everything that goes into your mouth, whether by journaling or simply keeping a mental tally.
               *Be careful. Eat small portions, avoid high-calorie foods and check nutrition labels. You don't have to swear off chocolate forever, just eat it occasionally with portion control.
                *Eat a balanced diet. Include a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.

Secret #3: Turn off the TV
The average person watches a whopping 35 hours of television each week. People who successfully maintain weight loss, on the other hand, watch an average of 7 hours or less. TV watching encourages snacking and puts you in a sedentary position on the couch. Spend less time in front of the TV and enjoy longer lasting weight loss.


Secret #4: Keep it Simple
While it is important to keep a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet, your diet should be fairly simple. Create a repertoire of basic whole foods: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, beans and nuts. When you cut down on your options it becomes easier to stick to your plan, making weight loss guaranteed.

Secret #5: Track Yourself
Your biggest fear is gaining back every solitary lost pound, but don't be afraid of your scale, and tape measure. Weigh and measure yourself at least once each week to monitor any gains. If the numbers begin to climb then reduce calories and increase your exercise.

Secret #6: Eat for the Right Reason
Emotional eating is one of the top reasons that people are overweight. It's very important that you view food as fuel, not as an answer to deeper emotional needs. When food becomes more than just fuel, the pounds quickly add up. If you want to keep your weight under control, you're going to have to eliminate emotional eating.

Secret #7: Forget All-Or-Nothing
No one is perfect – not even you! There will be days when you eat more calories than you should have. There will also be days when you miss a workout. Don't let small slip ups send you into a tailspin of all-or-nothing sabotage. Simply get back to your healthy lifestyle rather than letting yourself backslide into your old habits.

Don't try to tackle these all at once. Remember, make one simple change at a time. This way you will be able to stick to your goal(s) and build life long habits!
Every small change you make is one step closer to your ideal body, and lifestyle!


Thursday, November 17, 2011

The perfect workout for when you have no time, or equiptment

I have been loving this, no equipment required, 10 min workout lately!
It's great for both cardio and strength conditioning, and you can make it as hard, or easy as you need/want to.
It's the perfect workout for those days when you just don't have anytime.
Here's how it works;
Below I will list several exercises, I usually rotate between a few of these and switch them up, so I don't get board...
The routine is 30 sec on and 3 sec prep for the next exercise. If you can't handle them back to back use a 30 "break" to jog in place.

*Frog Jumps
*Scorpion Thrusts (30 seconds on each leg)
*Burpees
*High Knee Skipping
*1 Leg Glute Walkout (30 seconds on each leg)
*Donkey Kicks (30 seconds on each leg)
*Walking Lunges (forward)
*Walking Lunges (backwards)
*Low Jump Backs
*Eccentric Push Ups
*Split Squat Jumps
*Ski Jumps
*Front Plank
*Side Planks (30 seconds on each side)
*Mountain Climbers
*Push Ups (clapping, or normal)

I usually will chose 8-9 of these, and repeat them twice, (or three times, if I'm feeling awesome...)
Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

How to "cheat" this Thaksgiving, without all the guilt

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. We all know what that means... rolls, potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and lest we forget...pie
I, like all of you, want to enjoy this holiday spent with friends and family, without feeling awful the next day, or gaining 10 pounds in one meal. I am going to let you in on a little secret. It is possible to enjoy your holiday meal and keep your slim figure!
It's going to take a bit of work, but trust me, it's worth it.
As I have mentioned earlier, our bodies handle carbs (the kind that come from rolls, stuffing and even pie crust) and starches (such as mashed and sweet potatoes) much better right after a good workout.
What does this mean for you on Thanksgiving? You now have even more motivation to workout while the turkey is still in the oven!
It's simple, do a good 20-30 min workout, a few minutes to 3 hours before dinner,  and have some yummy rolls without all the day after bloat and guilt attached. Now remember, gorging yourself is not healthy at any time, so keep your portions reasonable, and stop eating when you feel 80% full, but overall, just enjoy!

Here are a couple of other tricks to help you have a healthy, and delicious Thanksgiving.
    
      *Enjoy your sweet potatoes, not only are sweet potatoes delicious (even without the marshmallows and sugar added) but they are packed with vitamins and anti-oxidants! Eating sweet potatoes in place on your standard white/mashed potatoes will save you on some unnecessary starch and give you a good vitamin boost!
     
       *Make wheat, or whole grain  rolls. This way you will get way more bang for your buck as far a whole grains and nutritional benefit than with your standard white bleached rolls.
      
      *Try to eat fruit or pumpkin pie as they are going to have more vitamins and a bit less fat than a cream pie.
    
     *When making your Thanksgiving plate, fill it first with the healthier options (white turkey meat with cranberry sauce, steamed vegetable medley, salad, etc...) once you have loaded  up on these then you can add the less healthy options, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, rolls and what not. Once you start eating, eat the healthier foods first, leaving less room in your tummy for those other options.


I know this feels like a lot of rules for you to follow, but it's actually pretty simple, and trust me, you will thank me later.

Tomorrow I will post a perfect, "no time to workout" workout for you to do on Thanksgiving.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Help me name my video!

I am making a workout video, and I need your help!
I need a name for the video, it's going to be a fat-blasting combo of resistance training and cardio.
The only things you need are: a resistance training band, and an exercise mat!
If your name is chosen for my video you will receive a free copy!
Either leave a comment on my blog or Facebook page!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Low Carb Pumpkin Muffins

The Holiday Season is officially upon us.  Who are we kidding? "Weight gain season" is officially upon us.
I found a recipe for some yummmy low carb pumpkin muffins. Just because you are trying to stay fit does not mean that you can't enjoy a sweet treat every now and then!

Here's what you need...

1/2 cup coconut flour (find at natural foods store)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canned pureed pumpkin
6 eggs, beaten (I like to use Omega 3 eggs)
3 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 pecans for topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil muffin pans.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut flour, spices, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl, place the pumpkin puree then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add melted coconut, honey and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, blend with a whisk until most lumps have disappeared.
Spoon into prepared muffin pan, filling each muffin 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
Place on wire rack to cool.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 127 calories, 7g fat, 230mg sodium, 11.7g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 5g protein.


Enjoy!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

How to avoid fattening, creamy, sugary foods

"Alright friends... anyone have any good tips on how to find a little discipline when it comes to eating healthy? I'm finally exercising regularly, and loving it, but I seem to have no self control when it comes to saying no to tasty, fattening, creamy, sugary, delicious food... "

This was posted on Facebook by a friend of mine. She, like many, is trying to improve her overall health and body composition. This inspired me to create a list of tips that have proven helpful for me, as well as my clients. These tips are simple in concept, the trick is applying them to your life. 

*Do not buy unhealthy and fatty snacks. 
              It's simple, if you don't own it, you can't eat it. 

*Do a kitchen "detox"
              Go through your cupboards and throw away all that garbage that you have left over from your less healthy days. Same concept as above if you have it you will, eventually, eat it. 

These first two will help you while you are at home and have control over what is and is not available.  
But what is going to help you when you are at social functions, parties, or other special events?

*Fill up on healthy foods
        If you go to a restaurant that happens to serve amazing desserts, order an amazing entree. A hardy salad or broiled salmon with veggies. If your stomach is full of healthy foods you will be less likely to over do it on the junk. 
             If you are going to a party or event eat dinner before, also if it's not too takcy you can bring some carrot sticks or other easy to transport snack with you. 
  
*Fiber and protein are your new best friends
          Not only are fiber and protein good for you, but they are filling, and digest slowly, so you will have the sensation of being full for a longer time. 

Fiber can be found naturally in fresh fruits and veggies (broccoli, avocado, raspberries, and blackberries, just to name a few)  black beans and lentils. The brighter the colors of your fruits and veggies the better they are for you.

Protein, specifically lean protein can be found naturally in: fish, chicken, black beans, omega 3 eggs,  and nuts (almonds are my favorite) If getting enough protein is difficult for you consider getting a protein shake. 
Read here for more info on protein shakes.  

*Allow yourself small, occasional, indulgences 
                The key here is to keep the indulges to a minimum, and remember small. Not the kind of thing that is going to basically erase all your hard work (ie an entire chocolate layer cake) also if you are serious about fat loss, you can't get away with eating your favorite treat everyday of the week, or even every other day of the week. 

*Find healthy replacements for those fattening foods 
                    If you have a specific dessert that tempts you (chocolate lava cake for me) try to find a healthy, or at least healthier, replacement. This might be a struggle at first. Start by getting super dark chocolate, bit sized candy bar or something like that. As you progress you will be able to have a nice juicy apple or pear instead of your devilish favorite.   
*Avoid fast food restaurants
          We all know these places and perhaps have fond childhood memories of them. Let's be honest though, deep down we all know that even their "healthy" foods have more calories than we need in an entire day, let alone a single meal. If it's unavoidable try and get something that is as "natural" as possible. An nu-breaded chicken breast, salad with dressing on the side and no bacon bits, and most importantly no French fries! 

*Be sure to eat a healthy meal post-workout
         Post-workout I am starving. This when lean protein is most important. Once again filling up when that hungry feeling is the strongest will help you have more self control when presented with temptations. 

Eventually your body will become accustomed to eating this way. You will sort of "train" your body to not "need" or actually just want the tasty, fattening, creamy, sugary, delicious foods. 
At first it might be a struggle, but stick with it and before you know it, you will be saying "no thank you" to those fattening treats.  

For more tips and advice feel free to email or leave a comment on this post.  



  


Thursday, September 22, 2011

The answer is yes

Should I workout today? A questions that I am sure you have asked yourself before, a question that I am currently avoiding by writing a blog. 
A client sent me this funny little tidbit that inspired this blog. 
                                                                


I have kidney stones, they have been the highlight of my life for the last... month. Yeah it's been fun. I took it easy for the first little while, I mean really easy. 
One day something happened that was kind of frustrating, and I flipped out, just totally lost it. In talking with my supportive and kind husband he pointed out to me that my mood had been less than amazing since I   stopped working out. Yes kidney stones are hard, but I still could of done something easy, gone on a walk went to the park and thrown a ball around with my hubby.
So, should I workout today? Yes, the answer is yes! Sometimes it's hard, inconvenient, or just downright uncomfortable. The point is, you can do something.  
Start off slow if you have to, but start!


For tips and exercise ideas feel free to comment or email me. 
I also offer a FREE one week trial, if you are in the Orem UT area.  

Friday, September 16, 2011

Structure

As a free spirited, and slightly rebellious toddler, child, teenager, and now 20 something things like schedules, bedtimes and structure have always been... less pleasant to me.
Recently, I have been talking with one of my clients, who has the same mind set as I do about how structure and schedule are actually our friends and not our enemies.
I look at my life and realize when I am living well I eat the same foods workout at the same times and am healthier and happier than when I am not. Even mornings I don't work throw off my groove, so to speak.
What's the point, you ask? the point is routine, schedules, and structure are what we, as humans need to live happy, healthy, and productive lives!
What to do next?
Make a schedule, set aside a time each day to workout. Even if you only have 30 min early in the morning, it'll change your life, and your body! The next step, get regimented with your food, include vegetables in every meal, prepare all your food for the week on Sunday evening. Make a plan and stick to it!
Don't try and do everything all at once, the key is one change at a time. You CAN do it!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Strength training, and why every girl, and guy, should do it

For years I was a runner, I would spend hours on every workout. I was in good shape, but not great shape, and the most frustrating part was that I was actually gaining weight! What is a girl to do?!
The simple answer is resistance, or strength training.

Strength training is using muscular force against resistance

The resistance can be a heavy object, one’s own body weight, elastic resistance from bands, or other types of machine resistance from pulleys or hydraulics. The heavy object could be a kettlebell, free weight, log, rock, another person — anything that has mass.







   

 




What makes strength training so amazing, you ask?


For starters.... it helps with

  • building muscle tissue 
  • improving inter- and intra-muscular coordination — in other words, the ability to coordinate your moving parts 
  • improving rate of force production — how quickly you can generate force to move against the resistance 
  • strengthening connective tissues such as tendons 

Not to mention...
Strength training also:

  • Preserves and enhances metabolic rate 
  • Improves bone density 
  • Improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity 
  • Lowers risk of injury 
  • Improves ability to engage in daily activities 
  • Improves balance 
  • Improves self-esteem 
  • Enhances strength and endurance 
  • Enhances speed, power, and agility 
  • Improves overall body composition 
  • Decreases bad cholesterol levels 
  • Decreases blood pressure 
  • Improves aerobic capacity 

Along with all these amazing benifits it helps get rid of excess fat! 

There are several methods of strength training, including, but not limited to:

  • Body weight, such as squats and push ups
  • Static, such as wall sits, plank, and yoga
  • Free weight and weight machine, such as bench press and weighted squats
  • Other forms of resistance, foam rollers, resistance bands,TRXs, etc
  • Plyometrics, explosive exercises such as jumps and clapping push ups
Is one form better than the other? Honestly no, your program should be based on your goals, and your current health.

What about reps?

  • Your reps (number of times a repetition is performed) should be proportional to the weight, or amount of resistance you are using. The heavier, or higher the resistance the lower the weight should be, and the lower the weight or resistance, the higher number of reps. 
How often should I strength train?

  • Again, this will vary based on goals, generally though, you should strength train between 2.5-3 hours distributed evenly through out the week. 
                   For example:
                       Monday/Wednesday/Friday for 60 minutes
                       Or
                       Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday for 45 minutes



However, with sufficient variation in intensity, volume, and exercise choice, along with proper rest and recovery, more experienced trainees can do up to 5-7 hours/week.

A couple of tips (especially for the ladies)

  • Do NOT be afraid to work your upper body! I am sure you have heard rumors that if you do push ups your upper body will look like a man. It's not true!  Working your upper body is going to give you toned arms and a beautiful back... not to mention it will help things stay in their proper place as you age, if you know what I mean..


  • Lift heavy! I'm not saying to start off bench pressing 300lbs or anything crazy like that. Start off light and as you build your strength gradually go heavier. This will help keep you from hitting a plateau while you continue to gain tone and strength. Please notice I did not say bulk!  If you are concerned that you  are going to start looking like one of those huge muscle women fear not. Without the use of steroids, diet manipulation, and intense weight training most women will remain relatively small while still developing strength and beautiful sleek body lines. If you do happen to start getting bigger than you want to be, lift a little bit lighter and do more reps.  

If you have any questions feel free to post them as a response to this post or message me on my Facebook page!



For a more in depth article about weight training follow this link.


Please remember you should consult your doctor before starting any exercise program. 




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