No time to get to your gym? Or maybe you just want a change of surroundings for your workout. If you work or live in a building with stairs and hallways (and you're permitted to exercise in them) I have the perfect workout for you to do. Especially a few days before Christmas, where you'll most likely be overindulging in food and drink.
Today, I took my class through these drills, and I know they loved me for it. This is based on having 5 floors in your stairwell. If you have less,or more, you can adjust it accordingly.
50x squats (on the ground floor), run up to the 5th floor
40x squats, run up to the 4th floor,
30x, 3rd floor
20x, 2nd floor
10x, 1st floor
*Let's say you only have one flight of stairs, you can adjust it by doing the 50 squats, then running the stairs 5 times, then do your 40 squats, then run it 4 times, and so on.
Want to make this even more challenging? Reverse it, start with 10 squats and one floor and work your way up.
For your next drill, find a hallway that has low traffic. Try to find a hallway that is a good distance, not too short, but not too long.
Do 10x pushups, run the hallway and back
8x pushups, run the hallway and back
6x pushups, run hallway and back
4x pushups, run hallway and back
2x pushups, run hallway and back
For your final drill you will mix jumping jacks and planks. You don't really need the hallway or stairwell for this, but it's good to finish up with some core work.
20x jumping jacks/1 min. plank
15x jumping jacks/ 45 sec. plank
10x jumping jacks/30 sec. plank
5x jumping jacks/25 second plank
*If you have a partner you guys can switch off holding the plank and doing jumping jacks.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!
Holiday Eating Tips
It's hard to stay on a regimen over the holidays and let's face it; we are all going to splurge a little bit during the holidays. With that in mind let's all remember these tips for making it through the holidays without reversing any of your great progress:
1. Keep working out every day.
2. On a day when you anticipate eating a lot, do a high impact cardio workout beforehand to counter some of the effects of overindulging.
For example, perform a sprint workout. Yes you have to bundle up and go outside.
Do 8-10 sprints (meaning as hard as you possibly can run) about half the length of a soccer field. Sprint on the lap up, and jog back. Repeat this 8-10 times. If you must rest in between, take a short rest. Remember to breathe through your nose when exercising outside.
3. At a big dinner, just have a little bit of everything. Only put a small amount of each course on your plate. Of course make sure you have your veggies and watch those simple carbohydrates! Here’s a hint, serve your food with the opposite hand of which you usually use. For instance if you are right handed, serve your food with your left. This sounds crazy, but you actually wind up serving yourself less food this way.
4. Chew your food at least 10 times before swallowing.
5. Use the 10 minute rule, meaning if you think you must have seconds, wait about 10 minutes and see if you feel the same way. That so called hunger for seconds goes away after waiting 10 minutes. Often people grab more food on impulse when they are not really hungry. The 10 minute rule is a huge help on this.
6. Limit alcohol consumption. (especially on New Year's Eve! )
7. Last but not least, don't deny yourself a Christmas cookie or two, but leave it at that. You don't want to sit there and eat the whole tin of cookies. I guarantee you will regret it. If you think you can't have one without having 15, it's best to stay away and opt for a healthier holiday snack.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!
1. Keep working out every day.
2. On a day when you anticipate eating a lot, do a high impact cardio workout beforehand to counter some of the effects of overindulging.
For example, perform a sprint workout. Yes you have to bundle up and go outside.
Do 8-10 sprints (meaning as hard as you possibly can run) about half the length of a soccer field. Sprint on the lap up, and jog back. Repeat this 8-10 times. If you must rest in between, take a short rest. Remember to breathe through your nose when exercising outside.
3. At a big dinner, just have a little bit of everything. Only put a small amount of each course on your plate. Of course make sure you have your veggies and watch those simple carbohydrates! Here’s a hint, serve your food with the opposite hand of which you usually use. For instance if you are right handed, serve your food with your left. This sounds crazy, but you actually wind up serving yourself less food this way.
4. Chew your food at least 10 times before swallowing.
5. Use the 10 minute rule, meaning if you think you must have seconds, wait about 10 minutes and see if you feel the same way. That so called hunger for seconds goes away after waiting 10 minutes. Often people grab more food on impulse when they are not really hungry. The 10 minute rule is a huge help on this.
6. Limit alcohol consumption. (especially on New Year's Eve! )
7. Last but not least, don't deny yourself a Christmas cookie or two, but leave it at that. You don't want to sit there and eat the whole tin of cookies. I guarantee you will regret it. If you think you can't have one without having 15, it's best to stay away and opt for a healthier holiday snack.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!
Vanity Muscles
What muscles did you work today? Let me guess, if you’re a male you worked your chest and biceps and if you’re a female you worked your legs, thighs, and glutes? It seems to me that in general most men and most women seem to concentrate more on these respective areas.
Why? Because these are the vanity muscles. These are the muscles you see when you look in the mirror. And let’s face it; men are conditioned to think their chest and biceps should be big and developed from childhood and women are bombarded with magazine covers and pop culture suggesting their lower half is what needs to be sculpted But if these are the only muscles you train, your workout is seriously flawed.
You are not going to develop that physique you may be picturing if those are the only muscles you train. If anything you are overtraining them, and you are going to make your body asymmetric, thus leaving you open to more injury and an oddly shaped body. First off, overtraining is not going to help you make gains, it’s counter productive to making gains. Overworked muscles do not grow or develop. Also, any development in those vanity muscles will also seriously be stalled if you do not workout the rest of your body. You will get leaner faster if you work every muscle in the body (yes guys, that includes legs too) at least one time per week.
Doing the same routine over and over is another gym no-no. The body thrives on variety. You will either get bored or your body will plateau and you may stop seeing development altogether. If you did bench press and dumbbell curls last week, this week do an incline dumbbell press and cable curls. If you did squats last week, do lunges this week. There are hundreds of different ways to mix it up.
I know it’s tempting to go into the gym and plop right down to work on those vanity muscles, and this is fine, it just means that you are working those muscles that day, which, in turn means the next day that you go into the gym, you need to work other muscles.
Why? Because these are the vanity muscles. These are the muscles you see when you look in the mirror. And let’s face it; men are conditioned to think their chest and biceps should be big and developed from childhood and women are bombarded with magazine covers and pop culture suggesting their lower half is what needs to be sculpted But if these are the only muscles you train, your workout is seriously flawed.
You are not going to develop that physique you may be picturing if those are the only muscles you train. If anything you are overtraining them, and you are going to make your body asymmetric, thus leaving you open to more injury and an oddly shaped body. First off, overtraining is not going to help you make gains, it’s counter productive to making gains. Overworked muscles do not grow or develop. Also, any development in those vanity muscles will also seriously be stalled if you do not workout the rest of your body. You will get leaner faster if you work every muscle in the body (yes guys, that includes legs too) at least one time per week.
Doing the same routine over and over is another gym no-no. The body thrives on variety. You will either get bored or your body will plateau and you may stop seeing development altogether. If you did bench press and dumbbell curls last week, this week do an incline dumbbell press and cable curls. If you did squats last week, do lunges this week. There are hundreds of different ways to mix it up.
I know it’s tempting to go into the gym and plop right down to work on those vanity muscles, and this is fine, it just means that you are working those muscles that day, which, in turn means the next day that you go into the gym, you need to work other muscles.
Impromptu Boot Camp this Saturday
I've decided to hold an impromptu outdoor Boot Camp class this Saturday, October 22,2011 to get one more in before it gets too cold out. The forecast is calling for about 61 degrees this Saturday, but sunny.
If you're interested in a great workout outside, come by Gilston Park in Catonsville this Saturday at 10:30am. You don't have to bring anything except maybe some water, a towel, and of course, as many friends as you'd like. The cost is only $5 per person(cash, please) for a 45 minute class. At 10:30am it may be a little chilly so dress accordingly.
It's not going to be anything too fancy, we're just going to get in the grass and get to work! All skill levels are welcome.
Here's the directions:
Take 695 to exit 15B to route 40 by HH Gregg (the old Circuit City), veer right off of 40 onto North Rolling Road--pass mcdonalds, subway, 7-11 on your right down to the light at Chesworth Rd.--make a right at the light onto Chesworth, Gilston park is right after the first stop sign.
Not that you'd be at work on Saturday, but...
**SSA or CMS people: this park is located about 5-8 minutes from your buildings.
If you were coming from SSA, make a left off of Crosby road at the Crosby Crossing swim club onto Chesworth road, take this up to a stop sign and the park is on your left a little ways after.
If you were coming from CMS you'd veer right at the 5 Guys and take Rolling Road all the way up to the stop light at Chesworth and make a left. The park will be right after the first stop sign on your right.
Feel free to just show up, but an e-mail or a text to let me know you were planning on coming would be appreciated so I can plan better.
Thanks! Hope to see you Saturday!
If you're interested in a great workout outside, come by Gilston Park in Catonsville this Saturday at 10:30am. You don't have to bring anything except maybe some water, a towel, and of course, as many friends as you'd like. The cost is only $5 per person(cash, please) for a 45 minute class. At 10:30am it may be a little chilly so dress accordingly.
It's not going to be anything too fancy, we're just going to get in the grass and get to work! All skill levels are welcome.
Here's the directions:
Take 695 to exit 15B to route 40 by HH Gregg (the old Circuit City), veer right off of 40 onto North Rolling Road--pass mcdonalds, subway, 7-11 on your right down to the light at Chesworth Rd.--make a right at the light onto Chesworth, Gilston park is right after the first stop sign.
Not that you'd be at work on Saturday, but...
**SSA or CMS people: this park is located about 5-8 minutes from your buildings.
If you were coming from SSA, make a left off of Crosby road at the Crosby Crossing swim club onto Chesworth road, take this up to a stop sign and the park is on your left a little ways after.
If you were coming from CMS you'd veer right at the 5 Guys and take Rolling Road all the way up to the stop light at Chesworth and make a left. The park will be right after the first stop sign on your right.
Feel free to just show up, but an e-mail or a text to let me know you were planning on coming would be appreciated so I can plan better.
Thanks! Hope to see you Saturday!
The Problem With Some Push-ups
The push-up, along with a pull-up, in my opinion, is one of the most beneficial upper body movements one can do. The combination of upper body and core muscles this movement hits in one shot is hard to top.
A push-up should be a staple in any serious exercise routine for men and women.
However, to get the full benefit of it, you really need to do a full range of motion. The problem I see with a lot of push-ups, and this is mostly done by men, is that they sacrifice a full range of motion in order to crank out more reps, or to finish more quickly.
Specifically, when one does a regular push-up, they should lower their chest almost to the ground, but not actually touch the ground, then push themselves all the way back up. I see too many men doing short, choppy push-ups, barely pushing themselves back up at all. These are called 'pulses' and they have their place in certain routines, but a pulse is more of a vibration. A full, regular push-up is with the full range of motion, and it should be done this way to get the full benefit. One should be pushing up at least until their tricep muscle (the "horseshoe muscle") is fully flexed.
I've seen several push-up "contests", where the object is to crank out as many push-ups as one can in a certain amount of time, and the push-ups in these contests are often done as pulses, ie-the guy is not pushing himself all the way back up. I've always had a slight problem with these contests because the guy is not doing a full push-up. He's more or less vibrating, and barely going back up at all. You can spot these push-ups because they become hard to count or keep track of, because they blend into each other and the range of motion is so small.
One should be pushing themselves up almost all the way into a hand plank position. If you want to test this for yourself, your eye level in the 'down' position should be pretty different than your eye level in the 'up' position. If you find your eye level is not moving so much, or only inches, you need to push back up further.
You will get more bang for your buck doing it the proper way. And your "rep count" may suffer, but so what? It's better to do a less, full reps the correct way, then crank out more "pulse" reps the "almost correct way".
Once I see a contest where the range of motion is full, I will take that contest a little more seriously.:-)
But more importantly, fixing your form will be more beneficial to your fitness goals. And this really should be what it's all about.
A push-up should be a staple in any serious exercise routine for men and women.
However, to get the full benefit of it, you really need to do a full range of motion. The problem I see with a lot of push-ups, and this is mostly done by men, is that they sacrifice a full range of motion in order to crank out more reps, or to finish more quickly.
Specifically, when one does a regular push-up, they should lower their chest almost to the ground, but not actually touch the ground, then push themselves all the way back up. I see too many men doing short, choppy push-ups, barely pushing themselves back up at all. These are called 'pulses' and they have their place in certain routines, but a pulse is more of a vibration. A full, regular push-up is with the full range of motion, and it should be done this way to get the full benefit. One should be pushing up at least until their tricep muscle (the "horseshoe muscle") is fully flexed.
I've seen several push-up "contests", where the object is to crank out as many push-ups as one can in a certain amount of time, and the push-ups in these contests are often done as pulses, ie-the guy is not pushing himself all the way back up. I've always had a slight problem with these contests because the guy is not doing a full push-up. He's more or less vibrating, and barely going back up at all. You can spot these push-ups because they become hard to count or keep track of, because they blend into each other and the range of motion is so small.
One should be pushing themselves up almost all the way into a hand plank position. If you want to test this for yourself, your eye level in the 'down' position should be pretty different than your eye level in the 'up' position. If you find your eye level is not moving so much, or only inches, you need to push back up further.
You will get more bang for your buck doing it the proper way. And your "rep count" may suffer, but so what? It's better to do a less, full reps the correct way, then crank out more "pulse" reps the "almost correct way".
Once I see a contest where the range of motion is full, I will take that contest a little more seriously.:-)
But more importantly, fixing your form will be more beneficial to your fitness goals. And this really should be what it's all about.
Your "Beach-Ready" Workout
Headed to the beach soon? Want to get as lean as you can before you hit the sand in your bathing suit? Try this workout a couple of times a week. It's short but intense.
This workout, combined with a healthy diet and steady cardio days will have you on the fast track to getting that sculpted physique you want. It combines intense plyometric drills with body weight strength traning to set the calorie burn and muscle building into overdrive.
It's a tad advanced, but beginners can make minor alterations. Just ask me!
*jog one mile
*medicine ball slam burpie pushup:
Raise a medicine ball high over your head, slam it down onto the ground as hard as you can, drop down onto the ball with your hands, kick your legs back and do a pushup. Repeat for 10 reps, 3 sets.
**No access to a medicine ball? Try a soccer ball or volley ball, just make sure they're pumped up. (For a slightly less difficult alteration, pretend your holding a ball, whip your arms down to the ground and do a ground burpie pushup)
*Stability Ball rollouts/stability ball pikes (superset) :
Rollouts:Lay stomach down on a stability ball, walk yourself out on your hands until the ball is at your shins,roll yourself back until the ball is at your waist. To make it harder, walk yourself out until just your feet are on the ball.
Pikes: Hands on the floor, feet on the ball. Roll your feet into you until your body is in a full pike position, hold for a count, roll back into a straight position.
Do both exercises, one after the other, 5 x each 3 sets.
**No stability ball? Use paper plates at your feet.
*Squat jumps/Clap pushups (superset):
Squat jump: Perform a deep squat then thrust yourself into a jump, land a lightly as you can.
Clap pushup: Perform a pushup, then thrust your body up off of the ground and clap your hands together. To modify this, do a knee pushup instead.
Do the squat jumps for 3 sets, 10x, and the clap pushups for 3 sets 5x.
*Low row
3 x 10 (increase weight each time)
**No access to a row machine, use dumbbells or soup cans.
This workout, combined with a healthy diet and steady cardio days will have you on the fast track to getting that sculpted physique you want. It combines intense plyometric drills with body weight strength traning to set the calorie burn and muscle building into overdrive.
It's a tad advanced, but beginners can make minor alterations. Just ask me!
*jog one mile
*medicine ball slam burpie pushup:
Raise a medicine ball high over your head, slam it down onto the ground as hard as you can, drop down onto the ball with your hands, kick your legs back and do a pushup. Repeat for 10 reps, 3 sets.
**No access to a medicine ball? Try a soccer ball or volley ball, just make sure they're pumped up. (For a slightly less difficult alteration, pretend your holding a ball, whip your arms down to the ground and do a ground burpie pushup)
*Stability Ball rollouts/stability ball pikes (superset) :
Rollouts:Lay stomach down on a stability ball, walk yourself out on your hands until the ball is at your shins,roll yourself back until the ball is at your waist. To make it harder, walk yourself out until just your feet are on the ball.
Pikes: Hands on the floor, feet on the ball. Roll your feet into you until your body is in a full pike position, hold for a count, roll back into a straight position.
Do both exercises, one after the other, 5 x each 3 sets.
**No stability ball? Use paper plates at your feet.
*Squat jumps/Clap pushups (superset):
Squat jump: Perform a deep squat then thrust yourself into a jump, land a lightly as you can.
Clap pushup: Perform a pushup, then thrust your body up off of the ground and clap your hands together. To modify this, do a knee pushup instead.
Do the squat jumps for 3 sets, 10x, and the clap pushups for 3 sets 5x.
*Low row
3 x 10 (increase weight each time)
**No access to a row machine, use dumbbells or soup cans.
If You Want It, Get It! - Simple Eating Tips
I have been all different kinds of weights in my lifetime. In 2001 I weighed 270, in 2010 I weighed 210, and now, in 2011 I weigh 175. Like most people, I fluctuate, I slip, and I stumble. I definitely know and understand the battle. No one ever said it would be easy. If it was easy, everyone would be at their ideal weight, right?
But I am entirely satisfied with where I am weight-wise at this moment in time, and I know what to do and how to eat if you want to lose weight and keep it off. I am 100% confident that following these simple tips in regards to your eating lifestyle will be integral to your progress.
Let me be clear, these tips are not JUST for those who want to lose weight and keep it off, these tips are relevant to anyone, whatever their goals may be. We are all different genetically of course, but we are all human beings, and our bodies more or less operate the same way. Think of it as car repair. Changing the oil on an old Ford Pinto will involve the same process as it would on a 2011 Porsche. They may be built differently with things in different places,etc., but the process is the same.
* Weight Loss=Calories in vs. calories burned. It doesn't get any simpler than this. Burn more calories than you eat and you WILL drop weight. And don't forget, we aren't just burning calories when we exercise, but when we walk from our car into work, when we take the stairs, when we stand up out of our chairs, etc. It all adds up.
• Eat your bigger meals earlier in the day. Your metabolism works faster in the morning than it does at night. So big meals or snacks before bed aren't the best option. You should be hungry when you wake up the next day. If you're not, you ate too much the night before. Pyramid down your meals throught the day.
• Avoid simple sugars and carbs: jams, candies, sodas, desserts, white pasta, white bread, white rice
• Always eat a small meal after your workout, do not wait more than 30 minutes-an hour after a workout to eat. (you worked your muscles so they need to feed afterwards)
• Don’t weigh yourself a lot because weight always fluctuates depending on many factors and most scales are not correct.
• Eat small meals every two hours or so. But, if you are hungry, eat. Don’t think, ‘well it’s not two hours later yet so I can’t.’ Hunger is your metabolism telling you “okay I am ready to eat again”, thus moving faster and providing more energy and clarity of the mind for the day. Don't go overboard though.
* Regarding the small meals every few hours: for someone who feels like they don’t need to eat much or doesn’t normally eat a lot anyway, this may seem like a huge amount of food to eat in a day. For someone who tends to eat more it may seem like not enough. You need to adjust portion size accordingly. You know how long something will fill you up. But regardless, after a few weeks you will get used to it, and after a steady couple of months it will just become part of your lifestyle.
• I wouldn't eat immediately before a workout, often it effects energy and performance, but make sure you are not hungry either; there’s a happy medium. If you're the type to wake right up and exercise in the AM, make sure you're at least hydrated and have something in your stomach though.
• You will hear a million different theories from a million different people and trainers. You need to follow what works for you, not what may have worked for your friend. You should know your own body pretty well, so listen to it.
• Sleep, of course, is very important. 6-8 hours at least. This is the time when your muscles do their thing. But too much sleep can work against you. (i.e., NAPS!)
• Don’t slack on fiber. It is crucial to waste breakdown and proper metabolization. Having to go to the bathroom is a good thing. If you're on the road and your only option is some sort of protein bar at a gas station market, the best option is the one with the most dietary fiber in it.
• Don’t think if it as a diet, this is a lifestyle change. Diets are usually temporary and have too many fads that may work but are not healthy or are short term. Most people who “diet” may lose weight, but will eventually gain it back and then some.
• As far as exercise is concerned, add variety to your workouts for better and faster results. Manipulate your time, duration, and intensity. Doing the same thing over and over will eventually work against you. Routine is the enemy.
• Keep the on-hand healthy snacks everywhere. (car, pocket, purse)
• I know this is hard, but concentrate on how you feel, not how you look, especially at first. This is the healthier and more practical approach.
• If you’re in a restaurant or at a family dinner, don’t bend over backwards to follow a plan, you have to live a little in life. Just try to have a veggie, fruit, and protein and watch what kind of starch you have. Generally you want to stay away from fried foods and white flour starches such as white bread, white rice, pasta, etc. But when you are at a dinner or out, there is always some sort of adjustment you can make.
* Have cheat meals. Like I said, you have to live a little in life. But be confident in yourself to go back to healthy eating afterwards. If you're not confident in yourself to do that, I advise against cheating until you are.
* Where do you find motivation? In you!
Trainers, Nutritionists, Doctors, etc. are only pieces of the puzzle. You have to want it. No one else can do it for you. You really have to want your results and do what it takes to get them, i.e. getting a lot of groceries, cooking and preparing meals ahead of time and taking them out with you. Is it a pain in the ass sometimes? Of course it is, but it is worth it.
It feels 100% better to fit into an old pair of jeans than it does to taste delicous junk food. Compare those feelings: Loose jeans vs. taste of cookies. That good cookie taste is going to be gone in a matter of minutes, and you will feel bad afterwards. The jeans fitting loosely will make you feel great and help your mood throughout daily life activites. Which is more important to you?
I could throw a million cliches and mottos at you. But in the end, if you want it, get it.
But I am entirely satisfied with where I am weight-wise at this moment in time, and I know what to do and how to eat if you want to lose weight and keep it off. I am 100% confident that following these simple tips in regards to your eating lifestyle will be integral to your progress.
Let me be clear, these tips are not JUST for those who want to lose weight and keep it off, these tips are relevant to anyone, whatever their goals may be. We are all different genetically of course, but we are all human beings, and our bodies more or less operate the same way. Think of it as car repair. Changing the oil on an old Ford Pinto will involve the same process as it would on a 2011 Porsche. They may be built differently with things in different places,etc., but the process is the same.
* Weight Loss=Calories in vs. calories burned. It doesn't get any simpler than this. Burn more calories than you eat and you WILL drop weight. And don't forget, we aren't just burning calories when we exercise, but when we walk from our car into work, when we take the stairs, when we stand up out of our chairs, etc. It all adds up.
• Eat your bigger meals earlier in the day. Your metabolism works faster in the morning than it does at night. So big meals or snacks before bed aren't the best option. You should be hungry when you wake up the next day. If you're not, you ate too much the night before. Pyramid down your meals throught the day.
• Avoid simple sugars and carbs: jams, candies, sodas, desserts, white pasta, white bread, white rice
• Always eat a small meal after your workout, do not wait more than 30 minutes-an hour after a workout to eat. (you worked your muscles so they need to feed afterwards)
• Don’t weigh yourself a lot because weight always fluctuates depending on many factors and most scales are not correct.
• Eat small meals every two hours or so. But, if you are hungry, eat. Don’t think, ‘well it’s not two hours later yet so I can’t.’ Hunger is your metabolism telling you “okay I am ready to eat again”, thus moving faster and providing more energy and clarity of the mind for the day. Don't go overboard though.
* Regarding the small meals every few hours: for someone who feels like they don’t need to eat much or doesn’t normally eat a lot anyway, this may seem like a huge amount of food to eat in a day. For someone who tends to eat more it may seem like not enough. You need to adjust portion size accordingly. You know how long something will fill you up. But regardless, after a few weeks you will get used to it, and after a steady couple of months it will just become part of your lifestyle.
• I wouldn't eat immediately before a workout, often it effects energy and performance, but make sure you are not hungry either; there’s a happy medium. If you're the type to wake right up and exercise in the AM, make sure you're at least hydrated and have something in your stomach though.
• You will hear a million different theories from a million different people and trainers. You need to follow what works for you, not what may have worked for your friend. You should know your own body pretty well, so listen to it.
• Sleep, of course, is very important. 6-8 hours at least. This is the time when your muscles do their thing. But too much sleep can work against you. (i.e., NAPS!)
• Don’t slack on fiber. It is crucial to waste breakdown and proper metabolization. Having to go to the bathroom is a good thing. If you're on the road and your only option is some sort of protein bar at a gas station market, the best option is the one with the most dietary fiber in it.
• Don’t think if it as a diet, this is a lifestyle change. Diets are usually temporary and have too many fads that may work but are not healthy or are short term. Most people who “diet” may lose weight, but will eventually gain it back and then some.
• As far as exercise is concerned, add variety to your workouts for better and faster results. Manipulate your time, duration, and intensity. Doing the same thing over and over will eventually work against you. Routine is the enemy.
• Keep the on-hand healthy snacks everywhere. (car, pocket, purse)
• I know this is hard, but concentrate on how you feel, not how you look, especially at first. This is the healthier and more practical approach.
• If you’re in a restaurant or at a family dinner, don’t bend over backwards to follow a plan, you have to live a little in life. Just try to have a veggie, fruit, and protein and watch what kind of starch you have. Generally you want to stay away from fried foods and white flour starches such as white bread, white rice, pasta, etc. But when you are at a dinner or out, there is always some sort of adjustment you can make.
* Have cheat meals. Like I said, you have to live a little in life. But be confident in yourself to go back to healthy eating afterwards. If you're not confident in yourself to do that, I advise against cheating until you are.
* Where do you find motivation? In you!
Trainers, Nutritionists, Doctors, etc. are only pieces of the puzzle. You have to want it. No one else can do it for you. You really have to want your results and do what it takes to get them, i.e. getting a lot of groceries, cooking and preparing meals ahead of time and taking them out with you. Is it a pain in the ass sometimes? Of course it is, but it is worth it.
It feels 100% better to fit into an old pair of jeans than it does to taste delicous junk food. Compare those feelings: Loose jeans vs. taste of cookies. That good cookie taste is going to be gone in a matter of minutes, and you will feel bad afterwards. The jeans fitting loosely will make you feel great and help your mood throughout daily life activites. Which is more important to you?
I could throw a million cliches and mottos at you. But in the end, if you want it, get it.
Outdoor Boot Camp Saturday, July 2nd!
Do you want the ultimate workout that's also quick and efficient?
Boot Camp is a hard core workout that combines cardiovascular exercise and strength training for ultimate calorie burning and muscle building. It involves several drills involving old school military style exercises (sprints, pushups, squats, etc.) that may remind you of a football practice!
There is no better workout!
It's also a lot of fun. Come out for the sun, fun, and great exercise!
Here are the details--
What: Outdoor Boot Camp class with Damon!
When: Saturday, July 2, 2011--11:00am (*class lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour)
Where: Gilston Park-- Chesworth Road, Catonsville, MD. 21228
Directions: Take 695 to exit 15B to route 40 by HH Gregg (the old Circuit City), veer right off of 40 onto North Rolling Road--pass mcdonalds, subway, 7-11 on your right down to the light at Chesworth Rd.--make a right onto Chesworth, Gilston park is right after the first stop sign.
**SSA or CMS people: this park is located about 3-5 minutes from your buildings.
Email me or call me for more details if needed.
Cost: Just $10 a person! Bring your friends!
What to bring: Friends, water, your $10 (cash preferably). All you will need to do when you get there is fill out a quick waiver.
FYI-We will be working out in the heat, but not "dangerous" heat or rain. I will reschedule if the weather is not cooperating.
If you are interested in taking the class please provide me with your name, e-mail address, and cell phone number. I will need your # to call or text you that morning in case it is raining and we need to change the date.
You can feel free to just show up as well, but I'd just like to get an idea of how many people I will have coming, so if interested, please call me.
I believe I have covered everything--Just e-mail me if you have any questions.
Thanks and I hope to see you all there! Here is my info:
Damon Costantini, Certified Personal Trainer
Damon M. Costantini, B.S., C.P.T.
NSPA Certified Personal Trainer
"We don't workout, we train."
"If the mind can conceive it, the body can achieve it."
Boot Camp is a hard core workout that combines cardiovascular exercise and strength training for ultimate calorie burning and muscle building. It involves several drills involving old school military style exercises (sprints, pushups, squats, etc.) that may remind you of a football practice!
There is no better workout!
It's also a lot of fun. Come out for the sun, fun, and great exercise!
Here are the details--
What: Outdoor Boot Camp class with Damon!
When: Saturday, July 2, 2011--11:00am (*class lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour)
Where: Gilston Park-- Chesworth Road, Catonsville, MD. 21228
Directions: Take 695 to exit 15B to route 40 by HH Gregg (the old Circuit City), veer right off of 40 onto North Rolling Road--pass mcdonalds, subway, 7-11 on your right down to the light at Chesworth Rd.--make a right onto Chesworth, Gilston park is right after the first stop sign.
**SSA or CMS people: this park is located about 3-5 minutes from your buildings.
Email me or call me for more details if needed.
Cost: Just $10 a person! Bring your friends!
What to bring: Friends, water, your $10 (cash preferably). All you will need to do when you get there is fill out a quick waiver.
FYI-We will be working out in the heat, but not "dangerous" heat or rain. I will reschedule if the weather is not cooperating.
If you are interested in taking the class please provide me with your name, e-mail address, and cell phone number. I will need your # to call or text you that morning in case it is raining and we need to change the date.
You can feel free to just show up as well, but I'd just like to get an idea of how many people I will have coming, so if interested, please call me.
I believe I have covered everything--Just e-mail me if you have any questions.
Thanks and I hope to see you all there! Here is my info:
Damon Costantini, Certified Personal Trainer
Damon M. Costantini, B.S., C.P.T.
NSPA Certified Personal Trainer
"We don't workout, we train."
"If the mind can conceive it, the body can achieve it."
Get lean with this easy running/leg workout of the day! (5-26-11)
Depending on how long it takes you to jog two miles, this workout may only last about 30-45 minutes, much shorter if you're a speed demon.
It's ideal to do outside on a running trail or a track, and it combines a cardio and a leg workout in one short workout. This is a very time efficient day at the gym (or out of the gym, I should say). And bonus, it's quite simple and easy to remember.
*run one mile
*during your 2nd mile, every time you get .25 of the way through, stop jogging and do a walking lunge for 20 steps, after your done your 20 lunges, resume running, until you hit the .5 mile point, do 20 more lunges, and so on. You should have one more set of lunges to do as you complete the 2nd mile.
(note: These are walking lunges,not stationary. They should advance you in your mile. it can almost act as a break from the run)
And that's it! You will have a 2 mile jog and 80 reps of walking lunges under your belt afterwards, and you will have burned many calories and gained lean muscle mass in a short amount of time.
Note:If you can't get outside, you can do this on a treadmill, just slow it down during your second mile, hop off and do stationary lunges at the quarter mile point instead.
Let me know if you have any questions!
It's ideal to do outside on a running trail or a track, and it combines a cardio and a leg workout in one short workout. This is a very time efficient day at the gym (or out of the gym, I should say). And bonus, it's quite simple and easy to remember.
*run one mile
*during your 2nd mile, every time you get .25 of the way through, stop jogging and do a walking lunge for 20 steps, after your done your 20 lunges, resume running, until you hit the .5 mile point, do 20 more lunges, and so on. You should have one more set of lunges to do as you complete the 2nd mile.
(note: These are walking lunges,not stationary. They should advance you in your mile. it can almost act as a break from the run)
And that's it! You will have a 2 mile jog and 80 reps of walking lunges under your belt afterwards, and you will have burned many calories and gained lean muscle mass in a short amount of time.
Note:If you can't get outside, you can do this on a treadmill, just slow it down during your second mile, hop off and do stationary lunges at the quarter mile point instead.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Step Up
We're coming upon the last days of Winter and if you're like me, you're getting 'gym-ed' out. Not being able to go outdoors to change up your workout every so often can be stifling (unless you like the cold weather workouts, in which case, more power to you!).
People often fall into a rut of either doing the same workout over and over or barely working out at all. Being on the same treadmill or elliptical day after day can get boring. And boredom leads to uninspired workouts, which can ultimately lead to no workouts.
My co-worker and I ran stairs today in one of our building stairwells.This is something I did often back when I worked in SSA's gym, but since I have been over here, I haven't done them. I think it was just a matter of getting comfortable with my new surroundings. But we found a great set of stairs with five flights (SSA had 4, but were wider) and not too much traffic to dodge. The object is to sprint all the way to the top, then walk back down. I don't recommend running back down stairs. Walking back down is safer and offers some recovery time. My co-worker also had the idea to do doubles and triples, that is, stepping over 2 steps at a time, then 3.
This was brutal stuff, but an incredible workout. It's invigorating, gets your heartrate way up, and burns a boatload of calories. And even more so, it's a nice deviation from the same old gym surroundings. You're more isolated with less distractions. It's just you and your music. You really get a good chance to focus and challenge yourself. After running one round of 5 flights, you find yourself saying, 'ok, just one more', but after a while, you keep challenging yourself, and you try another, then another, etc. I stopped because my lunch break was over, but I doubt I would have lasted too much longer anyway. I did 11 rounds with a mix of sprints, doubles and triples. My legs were mush afterwards.
My challenge to you is to find yourself a set of stairs and run them one day instead of going to your gym. Chances are, you have access to stairs in your work or your home. You should base how many rounds you perform on what your stairs look like. If it's only one flight in your home, go more for time instead of rounds. Shoot for 30 minutes of straight step work. If you're on your lunch break in your work building and you have more stairs, shoot for doing rounds. How many you do depends on how many flights there are.
Make sure you go very easy on your first couple. If you go balls-out, as hard as you can on the first couple, your heartrate will skyrocket too quickly and you may get light-headed. This will affect your workout in a negative way. Your first couple rounds should be nice and easy to work out the kinks in your legs and get your blood moving. You should really start to hit your stride in the middle rounds. By the end your leg muscles should be screaming.
This will certainly count as a leg routine for the week, as well as a cardio workout, so you get more bang for your buck this way, as it's a more efficient use of time. I'm a huge proponent of more work in less time.
This is a lot of high impact, and can be hard on the knees, so I don't recommend this as a daily routine, but try to get it in once a week or a few times a month. And if you're new to running stairs, use common sense and take it easy. Try for a shorter amount of rounds and work your way up as it gets easier to you.
Let me know how it works out for you or if you have any questions.
Of course, consult a Doctor before starting any type of exercise program.
People often fall into a rut of either doing the same workout over and over or barely working out at all. Being on the same treadmill or elliptical day after day can get boring. And boredom leads to uninspired workouts, which can ultimately lead to no workouts.
My co-worker and I ran stairs today in one of our building stairwells.This is something I did often back when I worked in SSA's gym, but since I have been over here, I haven't done them. I think it was just a matter of getting comfortable with my new surroundings. But we found a great set of stairs with five flights (SSA had 4, but were wider) and not too much traffic to dodge. The object is to sprint all the way to the top, then walk back down. I don't recommend running back down stairs. Walking back down is safer and offers some recovery time. My co-worker also had the idea to do doubles and triples, that is, stepping over 2 steps at a time, then 3.
This was brutal stuff, but an incredible workout. It's invigorating, gets your heartrate way up, and burns a boatload of calories. And even more so, it's a nice deviation from the same old gym surroundings. You're more isolated with less distractions. It's just you and your music. You really get a good chance to focus and challenge yourself. After running one round of 5 flights, you find yourself saying, 'ok, just one more', but after a while, you keep challenging yourself, and you try another, then another, etc. I stopped because my lunch break was over, but I doubt I would have lasted too much longer anyway. I did 11 rounds with a mix of sprints, doubles and triples. My legs were mush afterwards.
My challenge to you is to find yourself a set of stairs and run them one day instead of going to your gym. Chances are, you have access to stairs in your work or your home. You should base how many rounds you perform on what your stairs look like. If it's only one flight in your home, go more for time instead of rounds. Shoot for 30 minutes of straight step work. If you're on your lunch break in your work building and you have more stairs, shoot for doing rounds. How many you do depends on how many flights there are.
Make sure you go very easy on your first couple. If you go balls-out, as hard as you can on the first couple, your heartrate will skyrocket too quickly and you may get light-headed. This will affect your workout in a negative way. Your first couple rounds should be nice and easy to work out the kinks in your legs and get your blood moving. You should really start to hit your stride in the middle rounds. By the end your leg muscles should be screaming.
This will certainly count as a leg routine for the week, as well as a cardio workout, so you get more bang for your buck this way, as it's a more efficient use of time. I'm a huge proponent of more work in less time.
This is a lot of high impact, and can be hard on the knees, so I don't recommend this as a daily routine, but try to get it in once a week or a few times a month. And if you're new to running stairs, use common sense and take it easy. Try for a shorter amount of rounds and work your way up as it gets easier to you.
Let me know how it works out for you or if you have any questions.
Of course, consult a Doctor before starting any type of exercise program.
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