The Ultimate Hard Body Exercise

It’s all about being fit, feeling strong and leading a healthy, authentic life!

What exercise will get you there the fastest?

My personal opinion is the bicep curl that brings the fork to your lips

BUT, if I had to choose only ONE physical exercise to do the rest of my life?

It would be a Squat or a Lunge.

If you’ve spent any time with me personal training or in our Strategic Boot Camp program, or our newly begun Lean Out Lakeland, you have experienced this exercise in every workout session in some form or another with me.

I have three quotes I use a lot:

“The Squat is King!”

“Squats and Lunges are a girl’s (and guy’s) best friend.

“The squat and deadlift are the only two exercises you need to build a beautiful body.”

And I mean it.

These exercises use more muscle groups under a heavy load than any other weight bearing exercise known to man,

This, in turn, affects your hormones (growth, testosterone, etc.) in a great way that helps you lose fat and build muscle.

Many university research studies have been done that show the inclusion of squats into a training program increases upper body muscularity and strength even though those joint movements were not specifically targeted when performing the squat.

Pretty amazing.

Squats are the basis of building a lean and strong body. Get away from the long, boring cardio session and add some into your workouts for 2 weeks. You will see a major difference in your physique.

Squats can simply be done with your body weight if you’re a beginner. In fact, I suggest you support yourself by holding onto a wall or a rail to support your weight as you lower yourself slowly to a position that remains comfortable, reaching back with your rear as if you were going to sit in a chair. You may even choose to lower yourself into a chair to begin your squat training.

My suggestion is that you utilize any free-weight object such as a dumbbell, kettlebell, sandbag, milk jug, suitcase, or even your family pet. It’s important that your body follow a natural biomechanically correct path.

Avoid the machines. Make your body function the way it was designed. You’ll end up working harder and getting better results.

Go for it!

Tags: healthy eating, Lakeland Boot Camp, Lakeland Personal Trainer, lunge, Nutrition, Squat, ultimate hard body exercise
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Becoming a Corporate Athlete

A while ago, while studying for my Wellcoaching certification, I ran across an article called The Making of a Corporate Athlete. The basic premise was that sustained high achievement demands physical and emotional strength as well as a sharp intellect. To bring mind, body, and spirit to peak condition, executives need to learn what world-class athletes already know: recovering energy is as important as expending it.

Interestingly enough, the article applied the principles of High Intensity Interval Training that I use to physically train my clients to the executive work day.

It recommended that after periods of intense focus on a singular task, you take a short break, get up and walk around, hydrate, or eat something of nutritional value, fueling yourself for the next intentional focused task. The research showed that it is a simple and easy way to increase work efficiency and decrease stress levels!

I love simple!

Exercise is extremely beneficial to our productivity at work as it increases the blood and therefore oxygen flow to our brains, and releases those ‘feel good hormones,’ endorphins, keeping us in a good mood.

Here are some simple, practical ways that we can introduce more physical activity into our work life.

Choose one or two that you can incorporate seamlessly.

1. Use your legs!- walk or bike to work. Many of us actually live relatively close to our jobs. Sometimes the traffic is so bad, that it would actually be a quicker commute to use your own horse power, be it cycling or walking. Be sure to wear appropriate shoes. You can stash a spare pair at the office.

2. Stair climbing – take the stairs instead of the elevator. Stair climbing burns significantly more calories than jogging at a moderate pace for half of the time.

3. Replace your chair with a physioball – This is one of my favorite tips for my executive clients! Using a ball as your “chair” forces you to work the core, thereby improving balance, tone and burning calories!

4. Schedule a walk over lunch- Many of my most successful clients schedule a 10 minute brisk walk during a coffee or lunch break every day. (Sometimes two) Take it outside and get your 15 minutes of sun to build some Vitamin D reserves! Consider walking to the sandwich bar, but remember to pick something healthy, or if you bring lunch with you, walk to the local park and eat it there.

5. Start a lunch-time exercise group – try to get other co-workers involved, having a regular routine, and the support from your friends, will help you to stick with your exercise program. You’ll be surprised how many “takers” you’ll have in January! I have a few clients in town that work for a large corporation and they meet to “do stairs”.

6. Personal delivery service – rather than sending an email, deliver messages, or discuss issues, in person with your co-workers. The additional exercise will really add up over the course of a week.

7. Make an exercise schedule – plan for your physical activity just as you would any other appointment during the day. Don’t allow interruptions to change your plans. If you exercise after work, plan ahead the night before by packing your gym clothes. If you wait until morning, you’ll be REALLY lucky if you can find both socks and shoes, your favorite workout shorts AND your water bottle. It pays to be ready the night before. Do all you can to minimize excuses!

8. Join a Boot Camp Class (Or Lean Out Lakeland if you live in Central Florida) where you will have a group of people expecting you, holding you accountable and providing you support and planned workouts and hopefully solid nutritional guidance.

What will YOU choose to seamlessly integrate more exercise into your work day and become a more productive and healthy Corporate Athlete?

Tags: boot camp, bootcamp, Corporate Athlete, Florida, healthy eating, HIIT, Lakeland, Lean Out Lakeland, Weight Loss, Whitney Cabrera BSN
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Lose Some Serious Fat!

Are you desperate to lose fat?

Have joined the ranks of the insanely bored, yet focused cardio worshippers?

Do you feel guilty if you have not spent your hour a day rocking the elliptical machine?

Is your whole workout ruined if someone beat you to the only functioning, coveted
“revolving stair case” ? (Otherwise known as the death mill)

If so, then allow me to be sac-religious for a moment:

“Endurance Exercise is NOT a necessity for fat loss.”

Yes, I said it.

If you don’t like doing endurance work, stop doing it!

You can lose fat rapidly either WITH it or WITHOUT it!

You choose.

Exercising is about being healthy. And we all know that if we don’t like something, the chances of us continuing to do it after the novelty has worn off, is nil, and we NEED to continue doing it for our health’s sake.

Don’t you have anything you’d like to spend those extra hours doing besides ‘penance’ for eating an extra cookie at the office Christmas party? (We’ll talk about your unhealthy relationship with food at a later date.)

Now, I realize there is a place for endurance work. You may be training for a distance challenge, or possibly even really ENJOY the exercise itself. But this indeed would be a rarity. Most of us just either want to get in shape, or stay that way.

So, how can we lose fat rapidly without doing copious amounts of cardio?

Simple: Incorporate a nutritionally dense eating style and learn to implement anaerobic exercise. (The kind that leaves you gasping for breath!)

It’s not a single answer. You can’t lose your fat and keep your muscle without making changes in your diet, AND building some sweat equity working with weights.

So, here’s the bottom line:

Get a plan, a strategy together to make these two things happen in your life.

1. Eat a nutrient rich diet with 90% of your foods coming from plants. (Soups and Salads are a GREAT way to get this accomplished.)

2. Learn to perform High Intensity Interval Training.

If you are new to the concept of eating clean, and eating for nutritional excellence, I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Joel Fuhrman who is providing an important catalyst for a much needed paradigm shift in our approach to healthcare and weight loss.

Purchase any of his books, or even his audio book, Eat for Health (my personal favorite) as a gift for yourself for Christmas and spend the holidays becoming educated in what it will take to implement the most effective weight loss and disease prevention and reversal method ever.

But beware of the side effects!

Incorporating a Nutrient Dense Eating Style may cause unintentional reversal of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, arthritis, IBS, wrinkling skin, allergies and many other annoying and life threatening issues.

As for Learning to perform High Intensity Interval Training, let’s start very simply:

As applies to any exercise prescription, please check with your doctor to be sure this will be a safe activity for you. I know very few doctors who wouldn’t want their clients to walk…so don’t use this as an excuse to delay beginning your wellness journey.

Lace up your tennis shoes, grab a watch with a second hand and walk out your front door.

Step One: Walk for 5 minutes just to warm up your joints. Easy does it.

Step Two: Walk as fast as you can (and I do mean fast) for 1 full minute.

Step Three: Walk slowly to recover for 2 full minutes.

That’s Round One.

Repeat Step Two and Three 4 more times for a total of 15 minutes of Interval Training.

Step Four: Walk for 5 minutes to cool down.

That’s it.

Now, for those of you who are much more advanced and accomplished. Implement this same protocol, but utilize a more strenuous approach:

Jumproping (Fast Jumping 1 minute/Slow jumping 2 minutes)

Treadmill running (Sprint speed 1 minute/Jogging speed 2 minutes)

Cycling: (Fast and difficult gear for 1 minute/Slower and easier gear for 2 minutes.)

You get the idea. Anything that will bring your heart rate up will suffice.

I will post other HIIT workout ideas utilizing weights and cardio throughout the holiday season. Stay tuned.

Spend your holiday season getting prepared for a Fit and Fabulous 2010. Read, practice eating with nutrient density in mind and practice some HIIT.

If you live in Lakeland, Florida and you’re looking for some guidance in holistic dramatic fat loss utilizing the principles I mention here, you will want to check out this opportunity:

Here’s the Website with all the information you need to participate in the premiere weight loss and educational event in Lakeland, Florida.

Lean Out Lakeland

Beginning January 18th, 100 Lakeland individuals will be participating in a Team Weight Loss Contest geared to educate and empower their health and wellness. We have a few places left.

Are you ready to change? We’re here to help you make the permanent lifestyle change you know you need. Stop the endless treadmill cycle. Get it done! Lose the fat and improve your health!

It’s time for your own personal Wellness Revolution.

Tags: Florida, healthy eating, HIIT, Joel Fuhrman, Lakeland, Lakeland Boot Camp, Lakeland Personal Trainer, Lean Out Lakeland, Nutrient Dense Living, Strategic Boot Camp, Whitney Cabrera
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A Thing of Beauty…..

The only word I could think of as I was indulging in my dinner this evening was the adjective, “BEAUTIFUL!”

One of my special personal training clients uses this word all the time, so Jeanie, I think you’re rubbing off on me!  This healthy eating dish certainly fit the bill!

Marinated Tomato/Basil Salad

Fresh, organic cherry tomatoes

President’s Non-Fat Feta Cheese

15 leaves of FRESH, whole Sweet Basil,  chopped fine. (Thanks Kellie)

1 T Flax Oil or Olive Oil

Dash of Celtic Sea or Himalayan Salt,

A Grind or two of fresh pepper.

Mix together and enjoy!

If you don’t have any, fresh Basil, don’t use the dried version.  Plant your own or buy a plant already started at the farmer’s market or Publix and keep it in your window sill. It will last for weeks (if you water it )

Bon Appetite!

Tags: Beautiful Food!, healthy eating, Strategic Wellness, Tomato Basil Salad
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Sweet Corn Salad

4 large ears of raw sweet corn

1 red bell pepper

3 large vine-ripe tomatoes

4 T Fresh Parsley

4 T Fresh Cilantro

3 Stalks of Celery

1 cup sweet red onion

Cumin to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

Avocado if desired.

Cut the corn off of the cob and set aside.

Put the rest of the veggies except the tomatoes into the food processor and blend until chopped fine but not liquid.

Add tomatoes, pulse to chop.

Pour corn and chopped veggies into a bowl.  Mix well.  Fold in carefully Cubed avocado and spices.

Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.  Or eat immediately!  It’s delicious both ways!

To serve:  Place large Romaine Lettuce leaf on the plate and pile with the Sweet Corn Salad.  Roll up and enjoy!

Recipe from Recipes for Life.

Tags: healthy eating, Strategic Boot Camp, Strategic Wellness
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