KendrickFitness

10 Rules for Summer Running

2011-06-12T15:52:00.000-07:00

So the cold is gone and summer is here. Woohoo! No more logging in the miles on the threadmill. Well, at least for some of us...others whom are living in places like Texas or South Florida may have a little tougher battle running outside. Running and heat simply do not mix well, but educating and preparing yourself can make your summer runs a lot more pleasant!

Here are some tips for a more refreshing summer running experience:

1.) Elevated heart rate and bright yellow colored urine is a sign of dehydration. Keep that in check as you go through your day. Take a water bottle every where you take your cell.

2.) It takes about a month of consistent running in order for the body to get acclimated to the warmer temperatures so be patient and stay consistent.

3.) During your run, drink 6-8 ounces of half water/half sports drink every 20 min.

4.) Learn to drink at least 8 ounces of coconut water per day. Its an excellent source of Potassium (15x more than a banana) Magnesium and Sodium. It replenishes the electrolytes that is lost when running in the heat. Coconut water can help you avoid heat cramps during your runs.

5.) Wear light colored moisture wicking clothing.

6.) Try to get your runs early in the morning before 8AM or after 6PM so you can avoid the heat. Avoid running between 11AM - 3PM

7.) Weight yourself before and after your runs. Drink 16 ounces of fluid for every pound of weight loss....and yes during the summer time a long run of 10+ miles can easily wipe out 3-5 lbs (water weight) from your body. Be sure to replace the lost water and don't neglect it as a method of weight loss. After all, if you are trying to lose weight its all about fat loss, not water weight loss right?

8.) Wear (cool) sunglasses that blocks UVA and UVB rays. It also helps keep wrinkles away so you avoid premature botox treatments.

9.) Apply a sweat-proof sunscreen of at least 15-20SPF

10.) Slightly (key word slightly) increase sodium intake throughout day. Pretzels are a good snack for healthy summer running. You tend to lose a lot more sodium while running in the summer.

Follow these 10 tips and you'll have a much better experience during training and racing.

Train Smart. Race Smarter. And don't forget to enjoy!

Why Are Thin People Not Fat Video Series

2011-06-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

As a Fitness Professional, I consider myself not only a teacher in the world of exercise, but also a student....and a mega geek one at that! In my free time, I'm always reading up on the latest research from both medical and fitness journals. I also spend time browsing the internet for the best methods to train all while developing my own style.

While browsing the web the other day, I stumbled upon a particularly interesting set of video series on youtube. Its called "Why are Thin People Not Fat?" The series goes through a study done on skinny individuals who had a hard time gaining and maintaining weight. Check it out for yourself and find out:

What one food causes fat gain more so than others.
"Survival of Fattest Gene" theory
How some foods are converted from fat into heat for "auto" burn (hence the importance of thermogenic foods in the diet)
And a bunch other interesting, but also perhaps controversial topics...

It is a bit long, each part is about 10 min, but they have really cool accents, so its easy to watch. Try to cover one a day. Go at it and learn:

Part 1-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6-A0iHSdcA&feature=player_embedded
Part 2-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTLXRMV2CE8&feature=player_embedded
Part 3-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fdd0rqIjwOE
Part 4-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dawBBUFwI88
Part 5-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CuX2VycPzwM
Part 6-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T5liKz1X-Tw
Part 7-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nMrtTxwznm8

Committed to Your Health,
Kendrick Ribeiro

Rules for Altitude Running...

2011-05-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

Its no lie, running at high altitudes will challenge you to the max, it can make you feel like a wheezing slow snail. But it doesn't have to be that way if you follow some simple rules:

1.) PREPARE PROPERLY: You definitely don't want to just "wing it." Make sure you are very prepared to take on an altitude race. Higher altitude = less air...and according to Dr Jack Daniels, at an elevation of 6500 feet you lose 10-12% of your VO2 max. At sea level, you want to make sure you incorporate plenty of tempo runs, fartlek runs and hills runs. All of those will challenge your cardio respiratory system and prepare your body to run efficiently even at high altitudes. Don't train at just one pace. During taper week, take it really easy, nothing hard or fast.

2.) HYDRATE: Do so more than usual. At higher altitudes, the air is dryer and dehydration occurs at a much faster rate....so make sure to keep a bottle with you at all times and chug a little more than usual the week leading up to the race (yes, even while you're at sea level so your cells can adjust properly to the increase in liquids)

3.)START SLOWER: This is the hardest thing for people to accept, but its key to having a "comfortable" race. At altitudes higher than 5000 feet, your pace per mile should be 10-20 seconds slower than at sea level. Don't let your adrenalines take over, they may end up taking you right to that "wall" much earlier than expected. Start slow, pace yourself and focus on your form and your breathing.

4.) ARRIVE EARLY: How early? Well, ideally a couple weeks before the race, but most of us have lives beyond just running, so that is not very practical. To minimize discomfort during race day, try to arrive at least 2-3 days earlier and definitely try to get in a short run the day or 2 days before your race so your muscles and lungs can get a little better acclimated.

5.) SUNBLOCK: Believe it or not, a mile higher will attract stronger rays from the sun onto you, so bring some sweat proof sunscreen.

6.) STICK WITH YOUR GAME PLAN: Don't try anything new (that rules applies to any race you do) Stick with the foods you are used to eating, don't wear new shoes on race day and try to relax.

Follow these rules and you'll be fine. Remember, most altitude races offers incredible views that you don't get anywhere else.

Train Smart, Race Smarter and Enjoy the Scenery!

Committed to your health,

Coach Kendrick

Running at a higher altitude on the other hand will make you feel like a slug, and a wheezing slow one at that.

Top 5 Fat Burning Foods !

2011-05-24T12:45:00.001-07:00

So you got your diet in place and you've got a consistent workout routine....but you still seem to plateau in your fat loss quest. If thats the case for you, all thats needed may be one to add of these fat burning foods into your diet:

1.) Green Tea:

Green tea has a chemical called EGCG that causes the brain and nervous system to run faster and helps you burn more calories. EGCG works similar to caffeine except that caffeine causes your heart to beat faster. If you want a mega boost in your metabolism...try combining caffeine and a 90 mg dose of EGCG three times a day and you can burn an additional 80 calories a day.

2.) Grapefruit:

Besides being a low calorie food (80 Calories whole grapefruit) and full of fiber (to keep you full) this fruit actually lowers the insulin levels in the body. This slightly decreased in insulin level prevents the body from storing sugar as fat (This is a great thing!). The importance of keeping insulin levels low also means that you are less hungry. High insulin levels in what signals the brain to eat more.

3.) Fish:

Great source of protein, but also because of the important hormone it triggers in the body, know as leptin. Studies have proven that leptin directly affects metabolism, leading to signals for the body to either store calories or burn them for fuel.

4.) Peppers:

Cayennes, Habaneros, Japalenos all act as amazing thermogenic foods. Thermogenic foods literally "burn" calories by heating up the body. Studies have found that eating a single spicy meal can boost your metabolism by up to 25 %...and the "burning" can last up to 3 hours after your meal...which is perfect because by then you should be on your next meal anyways (if you follow the 3 hr rule, as you should) Try blending them into your next meal, and if you like hot sauce...feel free to use it on your food (just keep it light on the salt as most hot sauces have plenty of sodium already)

5.) Almonds:

Did you know that the higher you insulin levels rise, the harder and lower they fall, leading to incredible hunger episodes which leads to overeating....and usually foods that once again spikes up the insulin levels...and so the cycle continues. By adding almonds to your diet, you'll be able to keep blood insulin levels steady (which is where you want) A recent study from the University of Toronto showed that people who ate almonds with white bread (simple carbs) didn't experience the same blood sugar surges as those who ate just the slice. It acts kind of like an insulin brake man! Good stuff--eat it up.

So incorporate these into your diet and watch that extra fat layer melt away!

Committed to your health,
Kendrick

Donuts, Burger and Fries? YES, Please! 5 Rules to Binging Right and Still Lose Weight

2011-05-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

Now, most of you may have heard of the 90% fail rate of diets outthere. There are many reasons and theories for that. First depriving the body of anything is not good, especially carbs (whos idea was that anyways?) Carbs turns into glycogen in the muscle and is therefore the primary source of fuel for muscle contraction…without it, you experience muscle atrophy or loss of muscle tissue. Very bad situation! Second, most diets focus on loss of water weight. I can make up a diet on the fly for you that will guarantee 10lbs weight loss in 2 weeks….but it will be water weight (which companies will never tell you)…is that cool? Ofcourse NOT! But consumers are still suckered in the whole rapid diet idea.

The truth is that although lifestyle change is good (and advisable for all), sometimes a strict diet is essential if you are looking to lose weight, but you must discipline yourself to a specific protein/fiber diet with proper timing of meals (5-6 small meals throughout the day every 3 hours)

Now for the key element in your success if you want to lose weight without hitting a plateau. BINGE!.....WHAT!? Now you probably think I’m a whack trainer whos trying to fatten you up so I can later convince you to come train with me, but no…there actually science behind my madness, and I’ll explain why:

Diets, besides depriving the body of essential nutrients and dehydrating you causes irregulation of essential hormones in the body, primarily the thyroid hormones.

Thyroid hormones helps convert food to energy and assists with protein synthesis among many other things. By inducing a starvation state through fasting, the body automatically decreases basal metabolism (Yes, your metabolism slows down) by a feedback mechanism at the cellular level on the affected organs (primarily the fat and liver cells) This causes a decrease in the hormones T3 and T4 which slows protein synthesis in the muscles causing atrophy (loss of muscle tissue) Subsequently it leaves you weak and sometimes depressed. In some cases it can lead to hypothyroidism which is when your body cannot make enough thyroid hormones. You’re basically messing with the whole system, and although most people don’t reach that state, because they do bounce back by cheating one to many times, you’re at risk every time you try the “latest” starvation diet.

So, going back to my theory… proper diets ARE ok, but so is proper binging once a week for a couple meals in order to keep hormone levels normal and it’s a fail proof method if done right. Heres how to do it:

1.) First, you MUST have a super strict eating habit throughout the week before your binge day…or else you won’t lose the weight.

2.) On binge day….your breakfast must be healthy and full of fiber (more so than other days) Also, include at least 35 grams of protein! This will speed gastric emptying later in the day.

3.) Drink some coffee or yerba mate tea. Also helps in faster gastric emptying.

4.) Engage in Brief muscular Contraction right before your binge. Squat hold for one min and plank for one min. WHY? Because it brings glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4) to the surface of muscle cells. GLUT- 4 is released during insulin release and also during muscle contraction. When its released during muscle contraction certain gates open up within muscle cells and glucose is taken directly into muscle cells as opposed to fat cells…This is a good thing!

5.) Only do this binging if you are looking to lose weight. Make sure you enjoy your favorite cheat foods on binge day, because the next day, you’re back on that strict diet. Once goal weight is achieved, stick to moderation cheat foods throughout the week if needed.

Ofcourse, don't forget you weekly dose of weight training and interval/cardio training for optimal results =)

PS---You’ll probably feel sick during your first couple binge days, and that’s ok...that will naturally decrease your cravings to gorge down too much junk in the future binge days.

Need for Speed? How to Improve Your Running Speed

2011-02-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

"How can I run faster?" One of the most common question among runners. You can look on the internet and read magazines that feature the next "best workout" or “quick ways to get faster” but the truth is that there isn't one magic workout. The answer to this question is probably simpler than you thought.

Caroline Mather, R.N.; Ph.D said it best, "To get faster, you have to run faster". You don't need to search for secret workouts, all you need to do is pick up the pace. There really is no other substitute that will help you, or anybody run faster without actually pushing yourself from time to time. You body needs to get used to that elevated heart race, extra lactic acid, and all those other physiological processes going on so that when race day comes, you’re ready to go!

This doesn't mean you have to run fast for long periods of time. Alternate your running workouts from hard running days and light running days to break it up a bit. As you improve, you could even use 5K races as your "speedworkout".

You should be able to find at least one or two 5K races to participate in each month. To help you get faster at running, find a runner whom you know is a bit faster than you and then try to keep up with them during the race. You don't have to beat them to improve your own running speed; you're just using them as kind of a guide to challenge yourself….plus remember it’s a training race, so don’t beat yourself up if you can’t keep up with that faster pace. Over time, you’ll improve.

If you can't find local races you can still do your own "speedworkout" with a treadmill or running at an indoor or outdoor track. While you’re running simply pick up the pace every few minutes. A good example is the "45/15" workout. Many runners train with this workout prior to running marathons. What you do is run at a high rate of speed for 45 seconds followed up with 15 seconds of light jogging. Repeat for as many times as you can and then try to increase the number of repetitions you do each week.

Essentially what you want to do is learn how to turn your legs over faster. The faster your legs are turning over, the faster you're running. Another great training method to help increase the rate at which your legs "turnover" is to practice running up and down a hill. It doesn't have to be a really steep hill either so don't try doing this on a mountain - though I'm sure your legs would turn over quite quickly but you'd easily injure yourself as well. As you're running down the hill try to relax and let your legs turnover quickly and repeat a few times during each training session. The uphill is just as beneficial, because although you are moving slower, the legs have to recruit every inch of muscle to help with contraction, and you’re fighting gravity, hence why hills are so tough!

If you have any kind of knee trouble you should definitely not be running up and down hills as you could injure yourself. It would benefit you more to incorporate workouts such as the 45/15 to help you increase your running speed.

One final way to help you increase your running speed is to keep a running log or journal. Each time you run, write down how far you ran and what your time was. This helps you to see where you're at, where you've been and motivate you to get you where you want to go.

And for all my Diva runners.…Don't forget to Run Like a Diva!

Kendrick Alexandre Ribeiro

CSCS, ACE

Diva Running Coach

11 Super K-Tips for 2011....to get you TRIM & FIT!

2010-12-29T13:43:00.000-08:00

Looking to drop some weight in this new year and finally feel great about yourself! Lets do this...incorporate these easy to follow K-Tips into your lifestyle and watch the pounds drop!

1.) Make sure to buy bread, pitas, wrap that are whole wheat, organic and salt free--100% buckwheat is your best choice. There is no better way to ruin a good, healthy sandwich with the wrong buns!

2.) Avoid all foods that contain high fructose corn syrup --that includes diet sodas. High fructose corn syrup messes with you insulin levels, disrupts effective normal digestive processes, and ruins your taste buds.

3.) Before eating something...ask yourself "Do I have my protein? Am I avoiding white flour?""Low sodium?" Remember sodium bloats you up like nothing else....so keep an eye on that!

4.) Drink ginger tea...it acts at the cellular level for weight loss.

5.) Buy an egg genie (boils up to 7 eggs in about 10 minutes) eat 1-2 boiled eggs per day (replace the yolk with hummus)

6.) Eliminate alcohol from your diet until you have achieved your goal weight.

7.) Drink water with lemon and sprinkled lemons on most of your foods....the alkaline of lemons once digested helps neutralize and shrink fat cells.

8.) Replace your butter with Brummel and Brown natural yogurt spread, you won't even taste the difference and its much better for you.

9.) Find a friend to workout with, invest in a trainer or join a group fitness class. Accountability is key to your fitness success!

10.) Learn to do intervals.....your body learns very quickly how to save calories and maintain same pace for a long period. You don't want to save calories!...shock your system and do some hard intervals during your cardio. Try to do with a 1:3 or 1:4 activity to rest ratio for best results. (ie: 30 sec hard, 2 min easy)

11.) Sign up for my FREE fitness newsletter through my website: kbodyfitness.com It will keep you on track and motivated every 2 weeks!

LETS DO THIS! 2011 IS YOUR YEAR!!!

WHY I do WHAT I do the WAY I do...

2010-11-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

Why so many jumps Kendrick?!
Did you just invent that?!
But when I twist that way, its harder!
WTF...do you just sit at home thinking of ways to torture people?!
Ahh...my glutes are burning!
Ahh.....my abs are gonna fall off!
Are we on camera?
Do you want me to activate my ears while I'm at? Got everything else engaged!!

These are just some of the comments that I hear from clients on a daily basis....along with some other profanity made towards me and my exercises......but its ALL GOOD....its a love/hate relationship! At the end of the day...I know that my clients got an effective, safe, full body workout! And they come back for more the next week =)

The other day I was asked: "Kendrick, why do you do what you do the way you do" Took me a good 40 sec to register the question in my brain…(to many dang do’s got me all out of whack)....but I finally answered and I wanted to share with all of you just in case you are wondering as well.

First off, I could not see myself doing anything outside this industry. I have gone through phases in my life in which I doubted myself, but lately its been all positive and I’m heading towards the dream of helping people live a healthier life on a bigger scale.

Since I run 3 separate pages with over 5000 total followers on facebook…..I take full advantage to offer K-Tips of the day, workouts of the week, inspirational quotes, recipes, and other healthy stuff for whoever is interested….The other day I received a short facebook message which reminded me why I’m in this field.

"Kendrick, I have been living by ur K-Tips that you post up everyday on ur facebook since u added me as a friend and obrigada por voce*—and ur tips I have lost 10 lbs on my way 2 getting that pre baby figure back."

* “Obrigada por voce”= “Thanks to you” in Portuguese….and shes not even Brazilian!

That came from someone in Pennsylvania whom I never met before. It feels good getting the day started with comments like that.

If you've trained with me before...you know that I am not your typical trainer.

I don't carry a notepad with me and write down all the reps and exercises you did for that day. One...I am more concerned with observing your form, and training you the way your body is feeling that day....I can't penalize you for not feeling up to par a certain day...everybody has those days. Next, the human body is incredibly adaptable....the way to truly strengthen the muscles is "muscle confusion" Thats the only way they'll get stronger....hence why we never do the same workout 2x....ever! I'll know when getting stronger with some of the basic strength tests exercises that I hide throughout the workouts (ie: single legged exercise, planks..and a few other secret ones =)

3 sets of 12 of same exercise....another one you'll never see at my studio! We may do up to 2 sets of the circuit, but never 3 sets of the same exercise........The reason? Again we want to challenge the body at different angles, so while we may activate the same muscle groups 3 or more times in one session....we'll never do it using the same exercise....plus it makes things more exiting.

Bands, Balls, Bosu and all the other "circus" toys. When you pick up your kids, or your grocery, do you follow the same plane of motion (in a perfect straight line) from the ground up? Never! This works the same in our workouts. The key is functional training.....which trains the body to stay in tune with motions that you'll use in everyday life....all while engaging the core as well. The "circus" toys allow for activation of minor muscles as well, especially around the joints in order to strengthen those joints and improve overall balance and coordination.

Jumps! Yea yea, everybody hates this! But the only way you get out of doing them is if you have some kind of knee/back problem. First we must understand that there are 3 main energy system in the body. Oxidative system: activated when you do any activity over 2 min (usually cardio) Glycolitic system: activities lasting 30-90 sec (most weight training is done in this zone) ATP-Creatine Phosphate system: activities lasting 10 sec or less........and that is the one most ignore...hence why I incorporate jumps into our workout....it recruits fast twitch muscle groups and really spikes up the heart rate! Activating the ATP-CP system also trains the body to flush toxic out faster (lactic acid, stress hormones) leading to faster response times in stressful situations!

Full body exercises! This is a simple one...we have to engage as many muscles as possible during an exercise...you'll never find yourself doing just standing biceps curl. They'll be more like bicep curl with alternating lunges. More muscle activated=more energy required=more calories burned! Period.

Circuits!….I pick 3-4 exercises….either focusing on single sided exercises per round (right leg squat/step up/ lunges) or blood shift exercises engaging both limbs…an upper body exercise followed by a lower body exercise followed by core or cardio. Usually we’ll do the circuit 2 times around and each round lasts anywhere from 3-5 min…with about 15-20 sec rest between exercises and about 1 min rest between circuits. Blood shift exercises basically trains the body to adapt to changes in blood pressure ultimately allowing the body to maintain normal levels in blood pressure as well as adjust to stressful situations more efficiently.

Core! Almost every exercise will engage the core….which is the connection from the upper body and lower body. I can’t stress enough how important a strong core is…..prevents you from many injuries such as back problems and bad posture.

Glutes! Another extremely important area in which we focus at every session. The glute is a huge muscle and it handles stress/weight much better than your lower back (which usually does most of the work if you have weak glutes)

Now I can’t share everything that I do with my clients (gotta keep them on their toes =)

I CAN tell you this: Any clients who has stuck with me long enough has achieved their goals……..trust me, if they are physically able and disciplined, I make sure they achieve their goals in a safe, effective manner.

I love what I do and as long as my clients are getting those positive results (or negative if we are talking weight loss) I’m going to be doing what I do the way I do!

HAVE A HEALTHY DAY!!!

Core Reminder!

2010-11-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

I know you've probably heard it before, but its always a good reminder to continue to train the core! It continues to be one of the most neglected parts of the body when it comes to exercise. Most of us tend to do a couple of pushups or the occasional sit up and move on. Big mistake! The core includes muscles that run from the abs and back to the pelvis region and hips. A weak core can overtax the other muscles in the body and lead to poor posture and balance. Trained muscles, however, learn to work in accord, increasing overall stability and reducing your risk of back pain and injuries when engaged in sports and everyday activities. Not too mention the aesthetic benefits too! After all, who doesn't want a nice trimmed up midsection?

Core exercises are quite simple to do and you are probably already familiar with basic moves such as crunches, plank and pushups. For those uncomfortable exercising in public, no gym membership is needed for core training, moves can be done in the privacy of your home while watching TV. Take no more than 5 min everyday and pick 2-3 exercise to do...and do it with the kids, the hubby, the wifey, the dog....whoever....everyone can benefit. Simply pick up several different exercises that focus on the trunk and take your time to learn the correct technique. Complete a few repetitions to start and as you learn the proper form you can gradually build up to several sets of 10 to 15 repetitions and add in an exercise ball or medicine ball for greater variety. Stay tuned for some videos on exercise ideas! Email me if you want a free core training guide...I'll send it right over to ya!

Got Fat?

2010-10-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

With all of these fad diets out there, many people have developed a quite curious fear of fat. What people need to understand is that there is no reason to fear fat. While there are many types of fat that will lead to bad health, there are healthy fats. Not only can these fats be good for you, but they will actually help you to either maintain your weight, or lose the weight. Sources of good fats can be found in foods like:

Fish
Nuts
Avocados
Flax seeds
Olive oil
Natural peanut butter

Eating foods like these can be a great thing for you. These fats work in a couple of ways.

First, the fats will fill you up faster. If you've ever ate food that is low fat and low calorie, than you might have thought you were doing yourself a favor. However, you might find that you are super hungry not to much longer after you eat them. You see, the body need to process food that is going to satiate it. Eating fat simply means that you aren't experiencing the sensation of hunger, and you are fully satisfied for a longer period of time.

Eating food like the ones mentioned can go a long way to creating a full feeling in your stomach and body. Along with this, you won't have to eat so much food, because you'll stay full longer. This works out especially if you find that you get hungry in the afternoon. If you eat a snack rich in good fats, you'll be able to get through the afternoon, and you won't be so hungry at diner time.

Hollywood is NOT ready for this!

2010-10-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

A couple months back, I was invited to do a video shoot in Fresno (yea, I know..not quite Hollywood) for one of my clients website (www.at1meditation.com) which is scheduled to launch very soon. The website covers mind, body and spirit health and I was the lucky one chosen to be the body/fitness guy.

The experience was awesome. Dr Charles Raison (CNN doctor) had flown in from Atlanta to do an introduction video for the website. He is a super nice guy and I had a chance to chat with him on the break about how to get comfortable in front of the camera since this was my first time. He did his best to try to explain the trick of the trade to me, but as you can see from the blooper video, my A.D.D. absolutely took over at times! Luckily, the camera guy (Jeff) and producer (King Tutt) along with my demo girl (Tannisse) were very entertained and patient, so they allowed me to retake....many, many, many scenes =)

Just a note in some of these scenes I thought the camera was off...and by the way the final product is MUCH BETTER! You are not going to believe this, but they actually had a button for "Delete A.D.D." in the editing program that they had....lucky me!

Before the video...wanted to leave you with a little K-Tip of the day:

Its simple, calories in=calories out for weight loss...Eat just a
little less. Scientists at Harvard and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge found that people who lowered their calorie intake lost an average of 13 pounds in six months no matter what kind of
diet they were on. Cut 100 calories a day and lose over 10 lbs for the
year...cut 250 cal..and you're down 26 by the end of the year!

NOW..here is a link to the VIDEO! Let me know what you think =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb5HtrHoj54

Bloated? Might be that sodium!

2010-10-06T22:06:00.000-07:00

Its 5:30 AM and I'm sitting here at Dallas Airport on my way to the Diva Half Marathon Expo in Long Island and I am feeling pretty good, primarily due to the fact that after training 11 clients the day before and taking a red eye with no sleep, I was pleasantly surprised by a girl that worked at starbucks that asked me if I was a Mexican actor because I looked like one =) Who says you need your beauty sleep??

Ok, lets move on before my head explodes...What I really wanted to share today with you is the disturbing trend that I have been noticing being abused by the food industry.

As most of you know, the media loves to tear down the rep of fat....Fat will go right to your thighs, fat is bad, blah blah blah. Yes, too much fat is ba

d (then again too much of anything is bad right?) but did you know that fat is the most efficient source of fuel in your body and that your body could not possibly survive without enough fat. So before you go for that fat free, low calorie snack, take a closer look at the nutrition facts and you will most likely find the true enemy: SODIUM.

Besides being an incredible preservative, it has a much sought after taste that most people enjoy. Its also responsible for high blood pressure, heart disease, and bloating. Thats right, sodium retains water in the body leaving you with that bloated feeling. To add to the list, recent studies also suggest that eating too much sodium triggers sugar cravings.

And since fat is looked upon as the enemy, the food industy loves to ride that wave and take advantage of cosumers by producing more fat-free or low fat, low calorie foods and "magic" diets.

Since sodium stays out of the media, most people are not aware of its effect...but you can be sure that in that fat-free, low calorie food there is plenty of sodium to make up for the lack of everything else all while preserving the food. Its a win win situation for the food industry...they can make a product thats fat free, low calorie, all while injecting tons of sodium to still add taste so the consumer will buy.

So just keep an eye out next time you are shopping for your favorite foods. Fat free or calorie free may do more harm than good...keep an eye out for that sodium (Unless you are training for endurance events, in which case you need to replace the electrolytes/sodium lost through heavy sweating)

Moderation is key once again =)

Alright..gotta board...Stay disciplined and I'll see you at the studio!

Need a drink?

2010-06-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

Lets face it...who can possibly go through life without having a drink or two? Especially when you have get togethers or simply if you had a stressful day and want to sit back, relax, and have a cold one. Moderation is the key, and that does not change when we are talking about alcohol, but what is your best option? Well, you may know that red wine has its antioxidants, but thats not our first pick.

Sure you can have alcohol...but try Sangria over wine. A glass of Sangria contains about 150 calories with almost every single calorie benefiting you. Vitamins and minerals can be found in the organic orange juice and fruits. Next, there are the anti-oxidants and resveratrol which is found in grape skins and seeds. Studies have shown that resveratrol increases HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) and prevents blood clotting. Just make sure you pick a good red wine.
If possible next time you are out with family or friends, stick with that sangria, you'll be able to "enjoy your drink" all while getting in your nutrients!

Moderation, exercise and happy living my friends!

Can't lose weight...blame it on the CORTISOL!

2009-10-31T14:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been one of those ruts where you just can’t seem to lose weight? You are sacrificing those yummy cinnamon rolls in order to maintain a healthy diet, you exercise 5 times a week blending in strength exercises with plenty of cardio…but you seem to have just hit a plateau and can’t lose weight. The answer may be right under you nose….actually a little further down…right on the top of the kidneys where your adrenal cortex is found.
Adrenal cortex is responsible for the production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is responsible for regulating blood sugar, inflammation, energy production and the regulation of the immune system.
Too little cortisol can lead to problems such as fatigue, exhaustion, and disease of the endocrine system called Addison’s disease. The problem in our society lies in conditions that arise from having TOO MUCH cortisol. Problems such as:

· Weight gain, especially around the abdomen area
· Depressed immune system
· Stomach ulcers
· Accelerated aging

Here is a fun fact for you….diets have a failure rate of about 93-97%. There are several reasons for this, a major one being that we live in a society where time is limited and bad foods are readily available, so we tend to connect the two…quite often actually…leading to a bad habit in diet. Another major factor which you may not know is cortisol….a hormone that is often released in our body in response to stress…..yup, stress…something we experience way too much of. A drastic change in eating habits causes anxiety and stress which releases cortisol.
Its important to know that the release of cortisol is essential to our survival, in fact it’s a defensive mechanism our body has. Our brain is hard wired with automatic responses to protect the body from harm and stress.

Stress=release of cortisol=too much cortisol= fat storage.

Stress can be physical (fatigue), environmental (pollution, drugs), chemical (nutritional deficiency, refined sugar comsuption) or physiological (fear, worry)
An interesting form of physical stress is the “Fight or Flight” response. Imagine your child getting caught in the bottom of the car during an accident. The stress caused on your body is enough for you to have an immediate nervous breakdown, but because of the release of hormones, your body is able to capture an amazing amount of strength to be able to move that car and save your child. During the stress period, the body's self healing mechanisms are held off (healing diverts energy and raw materials away from immediate survival) the immune system is suppressed, glycogen stores in the liver and muscle tissue are mobilized to raise the blood sugar level and digestion. The stomach lining becomes thin and ulcerated and the thymus gland and lymphatic tissue shrinks….Basically what this all means is that all of your body’s energy is put forth to address the stress at hand.

This “Fight or flight” worked well for our ancestors while chasing for their dinner, or running away from becoming dinner. Unfortunately, it does not work so well in today ‘s world of battling traffic, competing for parking spaces, meeting deadlines, watching depressing news. All those things produce the same physiological responses as running for your life. So if the stress does not go away, neither will cortisol.

If you don’t learn to eliminate stress from your life, it will slowly eliminate you! Take a look at the 4 stages that your body goes through while dealing with stress:

(1) REACTION…your body experiences the symptoms from the trauma, infection, cold, heat, chemical irritation, etc. The adrenal glands responds with the release of cortisol and other hormones to neutralize the caused trauma. The heart rate along with your blood pressure goes up, and pupils dilate.

(2) ADAPTATION… after the adrenal glands have enlarged and released large quantities of adrenal cortical hormones (ie cortisol), the symptoms disappear and the individual feels good, is able to regain energy, and is able to function in the presence of the stresses he/she is under. This is one of the most overlooked steps which most people don’t take care of…. which leads to the next state…… exhaustion.

(3) EXHAUSTION…. after an extended period in stage two, your body's reserves of nutritional elements is depleted. The symptoms return and there is now no relief. You may collapse physically, suffer a nervous breakdown, or experience an organ failure (heart attack or stroke.)

(4) DEATH. When the accumulated stress is bigger that the amount of hormones that the body is able to release, the body is no longer able to adapt, rest, or rejuvenate. The consequence is death.

OK--- HOW DO WE CONTROL CORTISOL?

(1) REST---the obvious one, but the very important one. Find the time to take relax, go for a walk outdoors, perform some breathing exercises (see last post) and get a good nights sleep.

(2) EAT---Maintain a low glycemic diet. Sugar handling stress increases cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol, in turn, aggravates the sugar handling situation contributing to the development of high insulin levels and ultimately diabetes.

(3) EXERCISE releases hormones, but within those hormones are happy hormones (endorphins) which neutralizes the cortisol. Exercise also teaches the body how to control hormones naturally. You can literally exercise your stress away.

(4) RELAX….just like number 1, but worth repeating.

(5) SUPPLEMENT YOUR BODY:
Some supplements to control cortisol levels are:

A multi Mineral Supplement once daily.
Mag-C. This is a source of buffered vitamin C and a source of absorbable magnesium.
Advanced Essential Minerals. Mineral absorption and assimilation can be impaired by stressed adrenal glands. Minerals are essential for energy metabolism.
B5 vitamin
B6 vitamin
B12 vitamin

Herbs such as Adaptogens assists the body in coping with stress by restoring hypothalamic cortisol receptor sensitivity. They are a natural combination of Siberian ginseng, Manchurian Thorn Tree extract, Hawthorn extract, Echinopanax elatum and Schisandra.

In summary….it all comes down to lifestyle in order to control that cortisol and get out of that rut. Don’t depend on set workouts, always add a variety of different exercises to every workout. Don’t settle for diets, just remember moderation. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses…learn to relax, meditate, and breathe. You life depends on a healthy lifestyle…so going back to my motto….learn to “invigorate your health, and upgrade your lifestyle.”

Check out my online nutrition store for science based natural products: http://tinyurl.com/ngakw2

Breathe a Better Life!

2009-10-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

Breathe, Breathe, Breathe!!......its not only what nurses and doctors tell their patient during childbirth...trainers use those words everyday....several times over and over! Breathing is essential for not only living, but also important in order to have a great workout.

Lets take a deeper look how to improve your workouts and your life with proper breathing. As you may already know some of the downfalls of improper breathing include:

· Dizziness
· Numbness
· Anxiety
· Shoulder, neck pain
· Stiff muscles
· Chest pain
· Mental Fog

According to breathing expert Dr Andrew Weil “We are taught to suck in our guts and puff out our chests, which causes the muscles to tense and respiration rate to increase. As a result, we are a nation of shallow "chest breathers," who primarily use the middle and upper portions of the lungs. Babies breathe from the belly, but with age, most people shift from this healthy abdominal breathing to shallow chest breathing.”

Stop and smell the roses! You will see significant improvement in your workouts as well as decrease your stress levels. Here are some highlights of proper breathing:

· Supplying oxygen for your energy production pump
· Improves concentration and focus
· Feeds the working muscle with constant and sufficient oxygen to contract efficiently without fatiguing too quickly
· Reduces stress
· Reduces blood pressure
· Increases metabolism, which can help in digestion and weight loss

Among those mentioned above are far more benefits to breathing properly….so how do you breath property? Lets look at breathing techniques both during a workout and while at rest:

During workout:
Inhale during the easiest part of the exercise. For example, during a bicep curl, you should inhale right when you pause and while lowering the weight. Exhale when you are raising the dumbbells, which would be the hardest part of the exercise.
Maintain a rhythm that is neither too fast or too slow which can lead to hyperventilation or dizziness, respectively.

While at rest:
Here is an excellent plan to tranquilize your nervous system:
(The following plan was suggested by Dr. Andrew Weil--an expert in natural health and proper breathing techniques.)

You can do this laying down or sitting up with your back straight. Make sure to place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there throughout the exercise.

1.) Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
2.) Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
3.) Hold your breath for a count of seven.
4.) Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
5.) This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

Make sure that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale through your mouth (loudly). Exhalation takes twice as long as inhaling. This is the ideal exercise to incorporate right after you wake up and right before bedtime.

Try these techniques both in the gym and in your everyday life to improve your workouts as well as de-stress and enhance your life.

10 "Healthy" Foods that make you FAT!

2009-09-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

Like I always tell my clients...it takes small steps to achieve that healthy lifestyle....and remember its not about diets, special weight loss workouts or special fat eating pills--its about changing a lifestyle.

Imagine going up the stairs without breathing heavy, keeping up with your kids when they ask you to play with them, being able to eat your favorite dessert without feeling guilty (after adapting to a healthy diet the other days) being ok with parking far away and walking an extra minute to get to the store.

All you need is discipline and determination. To start, lets take a look at some foods that you can try to eliminate from your permanent diet (you might be able to maintain a couple of them if they are offered in low fat, whole wheat edition).... here is a list I made....I call it:

10 “HEALTHY” FOODS THAT MAKE YOU FAT

1.) Diet soda
Just because its diet, does not mean you can drink 8 cans a day. Diet sodas triggers release of insulin in your body, which makes you crave more food (usually carbs)
Diet sodas also inhibit the hormone leptin, which regulates your metabolism and appetite. Try to drink water as often as possible.

2.) Pretzels
You may think they may be better than potato chips, but they’re made with enriched white flour and loaded with carbohydrates, a big diet no-no.

3.) Fruit juices
Next time you are at the grocery store, take a look at the nutrition facts of any juice and you are going to be surprised at the high amount of sugar that it contains. Also, most juices contain only about 5-10% natural fruit juice. Eat your fruits rather than drink them.

4.) Salad kits
Salad dressings can add hundreds of calories and more fat that you need. Keep your salads healthy and stick to the lighter dressings.

5.) Peanut Butter
If you just need to have it, stick to the reduced-fat version, but use it in moderation because the fat removed from the reduced fat is replaced with fillers with no reduction in calories.

6.) Poultry hot dogs
All hot dogs include skin and fat, even those made from poultry. Try a low fat or fat free hot dog as a lower-calorie alternative for your cookouts. Your friends won’t even tell the difference.

7.) Cereal bars
Many of these “healthy” bars are high in refined sugar and saturated fat. Look for those that are low in fat and contain very little sugar.

8.) Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt contains added sugar, which translates to extra calories. Look for the low fat labels and indulge sparingly.

9.) Rice cakes
These crispy treats can cause your blood sugar to spike, which ultimately causes your body to store unwanted fat by slowing down its ability to burn it off. Also, stay away from the flavored rice cakes. They are loaded with sodium, which triggers your body to retain water. Who needs that bloated feeling anyways?

10.) Cereal
Avoid eating right out of the box, those little flakes add up and you can easily go over your limit. Instead add 1% or non- fat milk which decreases the calorie density. An ounce of cereal with milk has fewer calories than an ounce of cereal alone, so you’ll take in fewer calories but feel just as satisfied.

Remember that cheat days are ok once in a blue moon, but stay consistent and look out for those trap foods that might be “healthy”

Expand your life...not your waist!

2009-09-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

I am currently in Kansas visiting my lovely girlfriend Abby (she is currently attending graduate school here). We spent the day in downtown Kansas City with her family, mainly attending the Good Guys Car Show. Her dad is a huge fan and it was his birthday, so the setting was fitting. While at the car show, I couldn't help but notice the size of some of these people outhere. The saddest part was that a majority of them were kids. I just wanted to go up to each and everyone that was overweight and give them a lecture about how incredibly in danger they were putting themselves and their kids. They are leading their lives down a road that can lead to major health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, joint issues, and many more.

Just the other day I was reading an article from the America Sports Data which listed disturbing details about the obesity problem in the United States:

"3.8 million people are over 300 pounds, over 400,000 people (mostly males) carry over 400 pounds and the average adult female weighs an unprecedented 163 pounds!"

Now to add to that shock factor, the following data from the National Center for Health which has been tracking America’s obesity problem for over four decades lists the following:

"-- Between 1962 and the year 2000, the number of obese Americans grew from 13% to an alarming 31% of the population.

-- 63% of Americans are overweight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) in excess of 25.0.-- 31% are obese with a BMI in excess of 30.0.

-- Childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled in the past two decades.

-- According to the U.S. Surgeon General report obesity is responsible for 300,000 deaths every year."

If those numbers don't disturb you, I am not sure what will. I know one thing is for certain---Exercise and a proper diet can help! Now you don't have to start training for a marathon, but 10 min a day of walking will do as a start. Slowly build yourself up to 20 min within a period of a month--you will be amazed at how great you will feel. If you are one of those people that are active and in shape, instead of judging those that are not, try to motivate them to exercise. If we are to eliminate this problem in our country, we must unite and really help each other out. Don't just look the other way---bring your overweight family member or friend to the gym or park next time you go for a workout. Tell them to do at least a 10-15 min workout (they may even start enjoying it and want to do more). Sometimes a little extra push is all it takes and you could possibly be saving that persons life...or at least expanding it.

The same goes for a proper diet. Don't fool yourself by saying you will completely eliminate all fats and sugar, and you will only eat veggies and fruits for 2 months straight. Start by eliminating a little bit at a time. Maybe the first week you eliminate white flour from your diet, the second week you can eliminate eating after 8PM, and so on. Constantly remind yourself: "This is a complete lifestyle change, I want to live a long, healthy life and have lots of energy!"

Let me just add that I am a firm believer of having what I like to call "cheat" foods. I must confess, I love a good burger with some fries and a diet coke once in a while. I don't ever tell my clients to deprive themselves completely of their favorite treats. Instead I tell them that if they keep a solid diet for 6 days in the week, that 7th day for one meal they can eat whatever there hearts desire (eventually some of them will reach a point where they can go for a few weeks without eating their "cheat" foods because they feel great eating a heathier, balanced diet)

Another thing to remember, which I am sure most of you have heard--Its all about moderation folks! Start using smaller plates for your meals and drink a full cup of water prior to eating to prevent overeating. In addition, try to replace juice for water at the dinner table and maintain the fridge and cabinets clear of junk snacks (cookies, brownies, ice cream, etc) Leave those for the "cheat day." Make sure the fatty snacks are out of the house, so you have to drive somewhere to get it on those cheat days.

Start taking those baby steps toward your new lifestyle thats going to leave you with amazing energy and a superb health!

Check out my online nutrition store for all natural supplements that can help guide you in the right direction Click here for my nutrition store: http://tinyurl.com/ngakw2

Metabolic Boost!

2009-09-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

What exactly is metabolism? Metabolism is the amount of energy (calories) your body burns to maintain yourself. Whether you are walking, sitting, sleeping or eating, your body is constantly burning calories. The challenge and biggest question for most people is how to rev up YOUR metabolism.It’s very simple. The fact is, muscle uses more calories to maintain itself than fat. As a result if you are more muscular, you will burn much more calories by just simply sitting or sleeping due to the higher energy demand that muscles need. The more fat you have the fewer calories you burn—it’s that simple! So, how do we rev up the metabolism? First, you have to add exercise to your lifestyle. Exercise naturally increases the amount of calories you burn. Cardio exercises such as walking, running, biking, and circuit training classes will help you not only burn excess calories but also protect you against American’s number 1 killer (heart disease) by keeping your heart and cardiovascular system strong. In addition to cardio, you need to add strength training to your regimen to add lean muscle. Strength training is an essential tool to burning fat. There are many ways to get muscular without getting bulky…in fact getting bulky is much harder and complicated than most people think. If possible, contact a local qualified trainer to teach you the proper techniques and training when lifting weights. Without guidance, you could hurt yourself and end up spending much more money down the road if you don’t learn the basic body mechanics when lifting.As soon as you get your metabolism going, you will naturally burn calories at a faster rate. It may take 3-5 months until your body gets familiarized to burning calories more rapidly, so you have to be patient and persistent. Remember it took many years for you to put on the weight, so a few months of hard work should not be too bad. 10 Tips to Increase Your Metabolism

1. Start the day with a quick 15-20 min cardio session - walking, running, biking, etc.

2. Cut all carbohydrates after 7pm.

3. Eat every 3 hours - keeps the metabolism working all day long (5-6 small meals a day)

4. Don’t skip meals - your body will actually store more fat when skipping a meal because it signals the body that it is starving.

5. Cut out refined sugar from your diet - soda, donuts, candy --- they are only empty calories which fill you up but eventually turn into fat.

6. Limit yourself to a “cheat day” once a week - eat what you like, but as time will pass, you might actually enjoy the healthy diet and if that’s the case eliminate the cheat day.

7. Trade whole milk for skim milk - it contains all the benefits minus the fat.

8. Avoid white flour - stick with whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat pitas (make your calories rich in essential nutrients)

9. Drink water throughout the day - wherever you take your cell phone, take a water bottle.

10. Include some protein with every meal - chicken, fish, lean meat, tofu, protein shakes or protein bars.

So remember: to build an efficient, lean, calorie burning machine you need to keep a close watch on your diet, drink plenty of water, get your cardio in daily and strength train 2-3 times a week. There’s nothing to lose except CALORIES!Make it happen!

3 of the Absolute Best Ways to Control Overeating

2009-09-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

For those of you that have a hard time controlling your hunger and are contantly in need of having something to eat, here are the best tactics that I have found to work over the years:

1.) CARRY A TOOTBRUSH WITH YOU. Thats right! Leave one at the office, one in the car, and one in your purse. Brushing your teeth will prevent you from overeating or eating when you are really not hungry. Since we are so used to brushing our teeth after a meal, we can trigger or "confuse" the brain into not eating right when you feel hungry, at least not right away.

2.) ALWAYS CARRY A WATER BOTTLE WITH YOU. Wherever you take your cell...or Iphone...take a water bottle. Drinking water satisfies your body because it might be more thirsty than hungry. In addition Chemical processes inside the body works best and fastest in an aqueous or wet environment. That includes the metabolic process!!!

3.) CHEW A PIECE OF SUGARLESS GUM. This gives you an oral satisfaction of chewing and can help prevent trigger that false hunger.

Remember, it takes baby steps to achieve your ultimate goal. We don't want to have a start and finish to your fitness program, we want a complete change in your lifestyle, so it takes small changes to achieve your ultimate fitness goals. So include those 3 things in your everyday life in order to get one step closer to your goal. STAY DISCIPLINED!