Muscle Build Day 2: Yoga

Day 2 of my new Muscle build re-boot plan calls for a 60 minute yoga session. If you have hot yoga in your area, I highly recommend it. I’ve been doing hot yoga for about 3 years, and absolutely love it.

Whether you enjoy the heated/humidified rooms of hot power (or vinyasa) yoga, or simply enjoy a classic yoga class at your local gym or studio, yoga is an excellent addition to your workout regime.

Plenty of research exists to support the notions that yoga can help with anxiety, depression, arthritis, asthma, back/neck pain, blood pressure, immune disorders, and a host of other conditions and diseases.

From a pure fitness perspective, yoga…

• Improves muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina

• Reduces stress and tension

• Improves balance and coordination

• Lowers fat

If you’re not a member of a studio or gym that offers yoga, you can also try this at home. Here are a few great DVD’s for home based yoga:

• Jillian Michaels,  Yoga Meltdown
• Gaiam: Power Yoga
• Body Wisdom: Yoga for Beginners (and others in this series)

So no matter how you do it – just do yoga!

Muscle build day 1: Biceps/Back workout

In my last post, I shared with you my new plan to regain muscle after a 6 week hiatus from real weight training. Day 1 (which I did Sunday, but you can start any day) was the biceps/back pairing.

Now why do we work these two muscle groups together? The back/bicep “split” as we gym nuts call it, is a common pairing given their natural co-dependency in every day “pulling” movements. Think about when you open a door, pick up something off the floor, or in the gym doing a “row” exercise. In all of these, you use both the bicep and the back. Given many exercises already use both of these muscles in compound movements, it only makes sense to follow the natural body mechanics.

 

 

So here is my Day 1 Muscle re-boot workout: BACK and BICEPS (with cardio)

Plan for a 70-90 minute workout depending on your cardio time (see below)

>>Start with a 3-5 minute warm up

Exercise	Weight	Reps	Sets
Single arm bicep curl  – full extension	Heavy – Dbells	10 each arm, alternating	3 – with 60 sec rest in between
Negatives – if you’re not familiar with negatives, see this video	Very Heavy – Dbells	6-8 each arm continuously, then switch	3 – with 2 min rest in between
In & Outs – Perform a regular bicep curl (bi-lateral) forarms facing forward (“in”), then turn forearms outward at 45 degrees and bicep curl (“out”)	Moderate – Dbells	16 total (8 in, 8 out)	4 – with 60 second rest in between
“Serve the platter” – hold dumbbells at waist (elbows bent) and push forward	Light – Dbells or Barbell	15-20 (until muscle burns)	2 – with 60 sec rest in between
Dumbbell bent over row	Heavy – Dbells	15 each arm continuously, then switch	2 – with 60 sec rest in between
Seated Rows (cable machine)	Heave to Moderate – Cable Machine	Drop set: 15 / 12 / 10 / 8	4 part drop set – rest 30 sec rest in between
Lat Pull down (cable machine)	Moderate-Cable Machine	12	3 – with 60 sec rest in between

 

Follow with a mixed cardio set (30-45 min depending on goals). Change up the intensity throughout, about every 2 minutes (e.g. go fast then slow, incline then flat, etc..)

Exercise	Time
Elliptical	10-15
Stationary bike	10-15
Treadmill jog or brisk walk with incline	10-15

 

>>Finish with a 3-5 minute cool down and stretch

Muscle build re-boot workout week

All right it’s been about 6 weeks since I stopped seriously weight training. Why the break? Well I was training for my 5th half marathon! And was busy with logging miles, though I always cross train, there no time for a *real* weight training routine. Now that that’s over, I’m back at it!

thought I’d share my 1st week back plan, for anyone who’s been in a slump and getting back at it. For the next few posts, I’ll share each individual workout:

 

SUN — Biceps, Back, 45 min cardio (15 eliptical, 15 bike, 15 incline treadmill walk)

MON — Yoga (60 minutes power hot)

TUE — Legs (back): Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves (with plyometric intervals)

WED — 60 minute Cycle class + Triceps, Abs

THUR — Shoulders, Chest, Abs + 45 min cardio (same as Sunday)

FRI — OFF

SAT — Legs (front/side): Quads, Outter/Inner thigh (with plyometric intervals)

 

I’ll likely follow this pattern for 2-3 weeks.

..stay tuned for the workouts!

 

In a rut? Go back to basics…

I was having a conversation with another fitness/health nut recently, and I made a comment of how hard eating right is, because nutrition is so complex. Her response: “well, it really isn’t. If you focus on eating whole foods, you’re most of the way there.” I completely agree with this – and I restate my comment that it’s not hard, it’s just not easy. In our society, we need “quick” food and that usually means ready-made or processed. But sometimes going back to one-ingredient, whole foods is really much more simple.

This is a very similar foundation for exercises. Sure, when you’ve been working out a long time, you need to shake up your routine and add more complex exercises – keep your body guessing and all that. But if you’ve been doing this for a while, maybe what your body really needs is to go back to basics.

So as we hit the 6th week of a new year, consider going back to basics, and restarting a new cycle of fitness and health. Here are some top BACK TO BASICS tips for both:

BASIC FITNESS ROUTINE

Use Weights or just your Body Weight; if you are unfamiliar with any exercise, reference http://exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

• MONDAY — Lunges (12 each leg), Bicep curls (12-15 reps), Tricep kickbacks (12-15 reps), Squat jumps (20), Crunches (25)  **Repeat 3 times
• TUESDAY – 30-45 min low-moderate impact cardio (elliptical, swim, or bike)
• WEDNESDAY — Squats (15), Push-ups (as many as you can), Calf raises (25),  Shoulder overhead press (12-15), Plank (60 seconds), **Repeat 3 times
• THURSDAY –  30-45 min low-moderate impact cardio (elliptical, swim, or bike)
• FRIDAY — REST
• SATURDAY — Seated row (15-20), Split Squat (15 each leg), Upright row (12-15), Stiff leg deadlift (12-15), Seated ab twist (50 total) **Repeat 3 times
• SUNDAY – 30-45 min run or jog (outdoors if you can!)

BASIC NUTRITION PLAN

To all meals, drink 10+ oz pure water

• Breakfast (choose 1 option):
  • Grapefruit + Blueberries sprinkled with dry oats
  • Plain Greek yogurt + blueberries or strawberries
  • 2 egg whites + 1 whole egg: scrambled with spinach (top with chopped tomatoes if desired)
  • Oatmeal + soy or nf milk
  • Low fat cottage cheese + pineapple
• Lunch (choose 1 option)
  • Any kind of garden salad (without processed meat or dressing) – use balsamic vinegar or fresh salsa as a topping
  • Tuna, cooked chicken, or fish with quinoa
  • Almond butter and sliced apple sandwich on sprouted whole grain bread
  • Veggie lasagna - cooked eggplant with ricotta and all-natural organic tomato sauce
• Snacks (choose 1 option, up to 2x/day)
  • Baby carrots and all natural peanut butter or humus
  • Piece of fruit + Almonds or Cashews
  • Lara bars
  • Peppermint or Green tea
• Dinner
  • Homemade veggie chilli
  • Butternut squash and veggie curry + quinoa
  • Chicken/veggie stir fry (no noodles) + brown rice
  • Chicken, or Fish with quinoa
  • 1 whole roasted sweet potato + steamed/sautéed kale (with lemon and garlic)

see what you can do with basics!

Make a Choice: Grain or Meat

I’ve been researching the concept of “food combining” – essentially an approach to eating whereby certain food combinations are said to digest better due to the acid/alkaline balance. In a nutshell, proteins + grains = not a good combination, whereas proteins + vegetables or grains + vegetables are great combinations. While some die hard fans of food combining claim this method of eating can lead to weight loss, less gas, and promote natural body ‘healing’, there isn’t any scientifically sound evidence one way or another.

This said, I got to thinking that really – our biggest food meal culprits in this country do seem to come in the form of grain + meat (Pizza, Hamburgers, lasagna, etc..). And at the end of the day, those are the two food categories that hold a large amount of calories. So why not take a leaf from the page of food combining and try this approach for a reduced calorie diet – something we know promotes healthy weight.

Here are some good ideas for trying to go with the “Grain - OR - Meat” approach. Note that, while Eggs are considered “meat”, dairy is not. So if you are choosing grain, but look to get your protein in with every meal, try greek or icelandic yoghurt, nuts, beans, tofu, and other plant based proteins.. Second note – you still have to follow the standard healthy eating rules like lower sugar, limit artificial ingredients, limit trans/saturated fats, etc..

BREAKFAST IDEAS

• Grapefruit & Blueberries with Toast
• Whole grain cereal or Oatmeal with fruit
• Eggs and grilled Tomatoes
• Egg white veggie scramble
• Chicken sausage with wilted spinach

LUNCH

• Salad with Grilled chicken, tuna, shrimp, etc..
• Grilled veggie wrap (eggplant, zucchini, tomato) in a WW wrap
• Veggie “LTA” (Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado)
• Peanut butter, banana, and sliced apple sandwich on WW
• Grilled chicken, or fish with steamed veggies and sliced apple
• Baked sweet potato with steamed grilled kale

DINNER

• Grilled bison, lean beef or chicken with steamed veggies
• Bean burritos with low fat cheddar cheese in WW wrap
• Veggie chilli with Cornbread muffin
• Veggie curry or stir fry with Quinoa or brown rice
• Grilled fish with kale and pineapple slaw
• Eggplant lasagna or pasta

Brainstorm off of these and think of your own great combinations. When adding the calorie count in your food journal, you’ll see the instant reduction of calories by choosing between Grain and Meat.

Workout in your PJ’s!

The most common excuse I get for not working out is “I don’t have time… it takes 10 minutes to put on my gear, 15 minutes to drive to the gym, 45 minutes to workout, then drive back home – it’s more than an hour!”

Ok so for all you time strapped people, here it is – the (less than) 20 minute workout you can do IN YOUR PJ’s.. don’t even bother putting on your gear. You don’t even need any equipment!!! If all you do is this workout 3 times each week when you wake up in the morning, you’ll be much better off than doing nothing.

So hey, give it a go.. I know you can find 20 minutes in your day!

Exercise	How Many?
1. Balance   squats– hold your arms out parallel to ground – sit down onto a chair or   bed but just as you hit it, stand up	15 total
2. Goal   post Place hands on head, elbows bent out to sides. Reach opposite elbow   to opposite knee	20 total (10 each side)
3. Side   lunges – stand tall with arms together – take a large step out with right   foot out to the side – lunge, return.	10 each leg (20 total)
4. High   knees – stand tall with hands at waist level – lift knees up to hands in   a running move, changing back and forth between right/left knees	30 total
5. Push   ups (toes or knees)	10 total
Rest just long enough to catch your breath,   repeat 2 more times

InKredible Kale!

Kale is one of my favorite side veggies!!  Like other cruciferous vegetables (brocolli, cauliflower), this versatile green goes well with fish, chicken, lamb, and even steak. High in Vitamin K, A, and C, Kale is also known for it’s stregnth as an antioxidant, and anti-cancer and anti-inflamatory benefits.

But many people struggle with how to cook Kale. If it’s foreign to you, don’t let the tough leaves fool you – Kale is super easy to prepare, and delicious to eat. Here are 3 great ways to prepare Kale:

1) Steam & Saute — Cut the hard stem from about 5-6 leaves, and then cut the leaves into palm sized pieces. Steam in a vegetable steamer for about 15 minutes. Then in a frying pan, add 1 tbsp. Earth Balance butter + 1 tbsp. crushed garlic + 1 tsp. lemon juice. When butter is melted, add the steamed Kale and saute 1-2 minutes. Enjoy, as I did tonight with Salmon and Quinoa! (photo)

2) Kale Chips –  Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the hard stem from about 5-6 leaves, and then cut the leaves into bite sized pieces. Lay on a cookie sheet, then use a  spray Olive Oil to lightly cover the leaves. Sprinkle with Kosher salt, and bake for 15 minutes.

3) Raw Salad – Cut the hard stem from about 5-6 leaves, and then cut the leaves into bite sized pieces. Mix with cut romaine, and toss in a light caesar dressing.

Read up more on Kale here: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38

12 tips for 2012

Rather than make resolutions you may never keep, start January off thinking of new ways to do things. After all, they say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome – right? So here are 12 tips I can offer for your 2012. Try just one or two and see what a difference they make in your health!

1. Drink more water - I’m sure this is not news to you, but water is the best thing you can add to your diet! Water detoxifies the body, helps your body absorb nutrients, and helps your metabolism – just to name a few benefits. How much? Divide your body weight by 2 to find the # of ounces you should drink per day (eg. a 150 lb person should drink 75 oz/day)

2. Track your daily calories – Studies show that those who write down and monitor their caloric intake lose and maintain weight better than those who don’t. Use a free site like Fatsecret.com

3. Plan your meals weekly - Pick one day a week to sit down and map out your weekly (healthy) meal plan. Then make a list and shop for everything at once. Having all your ingredients at home, ready to go will help you stay on track with healthy eating  – you’re much less likely to eat out if you’ve got all that food at home going to waste.

4. Plan your workouts weekly – Similar to #3, choose one day a week to map out when you will workout and what you will do. If you use a scheduler at work (such as Microsoft Outlook), make appointments for your workouts. If you have a specific plan, you will be far more likely to stick to it.

5. Eat more veggies – Commit to eating at least 5 veggies (or more!) each day. Veggies will not only fill you up for very little calories, but also provide your body with the nutrients it craves.

6. Eat fruit for breakfast and snacks – Fruit is good. Don’t believe all the hype that fruit contains sugar so it’s bad – it’s NOT! Fruit, like veggies, provides you with the vitamins your body needs for health and longevity. The only difference with veggies is that fruit is a simple carb – so it’s higher in calories per volume and will not sustain you for as long as veggies.  So work fruit in at specific times like breakfast and snacks.

7. Try something new - If you’ve always wanted to try  Step, or Zumba, or Body Pump – now’s the time! Give yourself something new and fun to look forward to in the new year.

8. Make yourself a “Star Chart” - remember these in school? If you’ve never done one, try it. Set up a grid with a few goals (like the 7 above!) or even just 1 goal such as your size, fat % or weight. Set Milestones approximately 2-4 weeks apart and rewards (not food related!) such as a pedicure, new pair of shoes/clothing, massage, etc… Track your progress and reward as you go.

9. Read at least one book on health or fitness - knowledge is power, so arm yourself with some new information. My favorites include: The Abs Diet for Women any of The Eat Clean Diet and The New Rules of Lifting for Women.

10. Know your body fat %, and where it should be – There is a lot of evidence that suggests body fat % is a far more accurate predictor of health than weight. You’ve heard the term “skinny fat” – someone who is small but with a high % of body fat. Body fat is unhealthy  – so know what yours is and where it should be. You can measure your body fat on your own (see here) but it’s a lot of math. My advice is to make an appointment with your doctor, personal trainer, or a nutritionist to help.

11. Be average – do 30 minutes of activity daily, 5 times/week. Believe it or not, that is the going recommendation from the CDC and other expert organizations like it. That is, 150 minutes of activity for EVERY adult – which is best done evenly over 5 days (30 min/day). Want to be better than average? GREAT! Do more and you will.

12. Find your motivation – I’ve written about this before but it bears a repeat. What do you like to do? What inspires you? If you hate the gym – don’t go! Find a sport, or other activity you like to do and do it. Don’t like anything? How about walking around your neighborhood to some tunes you love. Whatever it is, find it and DO IT!! Your body will thank you.

Okay that’s a long list. Let me repeat find just 2 or 3 (or more) things here that resonate with you and you will be healthier this year than last. You ready? Do it!

Holiday Helpers

Okay okay – we know you’ve read a hundred articles and blogs on how  to keep fit over the holidays, how to not eat too many holiday treats, yada yada. My philosophy – the holidays is not the time to start worrying about your weight. While it’s always a good time to think about your health, stressing about that extra few hundred calories from parties, treats, and not enough time to workout is going to do no one any good, especially you!

So what can you do over the holidays to ensure you don’t get yourself in too big of a hole? Here are my Top Tips for holiday health:

1) Allow yourself the treats. Maybe not every day, but if you’re going to a party or special event, know that there are going to be treats. Plan for those times by eating healthier during the day leading up to the event – such as a healthy egg white scramble for breakfast and a turkey sandwich on wheat for lunch. This way you can allow yourself the treat without feeling like you’ve totally ruined your healthy habits.

2) Book in your workout time. If you’re a worker bee like me, your Outlook runs your life. So make an apointment with yourself – be it 2 or 3 days in the workweek. This way you won’t have to guess at how you’re going to find the time to squeeze in that workout. Do make time for working out, but give yourself some leeway if it’s less than you usually put in. You can always pick it back up in January!

3) Find exercise where you can. Whether that’s the race to and in the mall, Ice skating on a date, or sledding with the kids – anything active counts as calorie burn, so take any chance you can to counter the holiday chocolates and cookies!

4) Make your own healthy treats. Why not take in some of your own holiday cheer to the office with healthy versions of holiday treats. You can always replace oil with apple sauce in almost any baked goods, lessen the amount of sugar or use a natural sugar, and add protein powder to cookies and bars. Having your own treats will make you feel like you’re indulging yet keep the health in check.

With these tips you can have a little more health with your holiday. Happy happy!

Limitless Legs

I’m always looking for a killer leg workout that I’ll actually notice the next day. For me, I have to feel it to know it’s working – and when it comes to my hips, buns and thighs – I want it to WORK! 

Here is a great routine I worked up the other day and let me tell you – 2 days later I am STILL feeling it! By combining a weighted exercise with a plyometric move together in a superset, this technique works to build both strength and power – two ingredients for long, lean legs.

Try this the next time you want to give your legs a little something extra:

Muscles Worked: Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Adductors)

Time to Complete: 40-45 minutes

You will need: One fairly heavy barbell or two dumbbells (use the same weight for all weighted exercises). For example, I used a 50 lb bar.

The low down: The routine is broken up in 5 super sets – mostly combining one weighted exercise with one plyometric (no weights, quick cardio bursts). For each set, do the first move for the number of reps noted, then the second – repeat for the number of sets noted.

(links go to external site with images of the exercise in case you are not familiar with it)

Super Set #	Type	Exercise	Reps	Sets
1	Weighted	Bulgarian Split Squat	10 each leg	2
	Plyometric	Jumping Jacks	30
2	Weighted	Straight Leg Dead Lift	12	3
	Plyometric	High Kicks (straight leg)	30 total
3	Weighted	Wide Stance Squat	12	3
	Plyometric	Jump Squat	10
4	Weighted	Lateral Step Ups	10 each leg	2
	Plyometric	High Knees	30 total
5	Weighted	Sumo Squat	15	2
	Weighted	Calve Raises – multi angle (toes forward, in, out)	15, 15, 15