I honestly love food shopping. My FAVORITE part of ANY food store is the produce section. I love walking into a food store and seeing all those fresh fruits and vegetables – SO yummy! Some days it takes me nearly 15 minutes just to get through the first part of the store – there are SO many tasty options!

Apples, bananas, broccoli, strawberries, blueberries – I could go on and on – but that’s not the point of this post today. Read the full story

So, I just got home from the gym…after a week off!

Eep! I know I know – its not something I should be doing – especially when at least 10 weeks away from show time. But I promise it was necessary.

I spent last weekend in bed with the stomach flu – which is a GREAT way to lose 5lbs REAL quick. However, the lack of food for two days + a little leftover queasiness made it impossible to go to the gym Monday and Tuesday. I also made a promise to myself to take it easier this week as the excitement/stress of a new job last week + workouts led me to get the stomach flu.

Since health really is most important…I took it slow. A then snowstorm prevented me from going to the gym another day and by Friday I was too pooped to wake up early and get to the gym. SO, that leaves me to today…and my refreshed body that’s been WAITING to go to the gym!

I changed the workout up a bit – did a quick full body workout – just to wake up all my muscles and let them know its time to get back to business – haha. Let me tell you – a few of the moves were completely different and my buns are ALREADY burning! Haha…here’s today’s workout:

This was then followed by 20 minutes of intervals on the Stair Climber – 1 minute low speed – 1 minute HIGH speed. It was definitely the PERFECT way to get my body back into it! Can’t wait for Monday!!!

An effective flat stomach workout is key to getting a flat stomach.  This doesn’t mean that you spend hours doing crunches to get a flat stomach.  One important part of a flat stomach workout is a body weight program. The following video is a great example of a full body workout, done three times a week, that will help you burn fat and get a flat stomach.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH0WhZe7Khc[/youtube]

With all the flat stomach workout information you see online and in magazines it’s hard to figure out what’s the best and most effective way to create a flat stomach workout that will work and get you results.  So I’m going to take the time right now to help you with some basic guidelines to follow to help you get the flat stomach you’ve always wanted.
Interval Training

Stay away from your standard steady state cardio regimen, such as walking or jogging at one speed, as it will not get you optimal fat loss results to get a flat stomach. The most effective flat stomach cardio is Interval Training.

This means you are alternating a certain time period of high intensity work (or sprinting) with a slow intensity work (like a slow jog or walk). This type of interval training will help you burn fat faster and up to 48 hours after your workout.

The best part about this type of workout – you can use it on any cardio machine in the gym – the bike, Treadmill, Elliptical, even the Stair Climber.
Here is an example of what your interval training could look like:

Week 1-3: 15 Seconds Sprint, 45 Seconds Walk/Jog (repeat for 5 minutes)

Week 4-6: 30 Second Sprint, 30 Seconds Walk/Jog (repeat for 10 minutes)

Week 7-10: 1 minute Spring, 1 minute Walk/Jog (repeat for 15-20 minutes)

Workout Program

In order to get flat abs, your workout needs to incorporate weights – not just cardio and crunches.  A full body weight workout is the most effective and efficient type of workout for a flat stomach. This type of weight workout will keep your heart rate elevated, therefore, burning more fat throughout your workout.

Also, when you lift weights you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn, which will get you the flat stomach that you want.

Full body workouts allow you to train every muscle group, three times a week (with a day of rest between each workout).  This type of training promotes muscle growth as well as fast fat burning, due to the increase in fat burning enzymes in your body. The more fat you burn the sooner you have the flat stomach you’ve always wanted.

Below is a sample of a full body workout

A follow along flat stomach workout video.

Diet

The hardest part of any flat stomach workout is the diet. When you think of working out, you don’t really think about what you eat – you are most concerned with what you have to do at the gym. However, a flat stomach diet is a key element in getting the stomach of your dreams.

If you’re post workout attitude about eating sounds like this, “I just worked out so I can eat whatever I want” – will only make it harder for you to get a flat stomach.  A flat stomach diet must consist of protein, healthy fats, and ‘good’ carbohydrates.  Making sure you have the right mixture of these foods in your meals is important to getting a flat stomach.

Lately I have been receiving a lot of questions about what to eat after a workout.  So, I wanted to take the time to make sure that we all understand the importance of post-workout nutrition and how it can affect how quickly you reach your fitness goals, without getting too scientific.

There are two major things to consider with your post-workout meal:
1)  How soon after your workout you have your first meal
2)  What to eat after your workout

How Soon After my Workout Should I have My First Meal?

Timing of your post-workout meal is VERY important. If you wait too long to eat after your workout your body will store the food you eat as fat, instead of feeding it right into the muscle.
Ideally, you should eat 30 minutes to 60 minutes (at most) after your workout. During this time, immediately after your workout, your muscles are in the most optimal state to absorb the nutrients, from your post workout meal, directly into the muscle.  It is also a time where glycogens, the energy reserve in your muscle, can most efficiently be refueled. Waiting too long to eat will then starve the muscles and make your workout less effective.

What to Eat after My Workout?

The best post-workout meal should consist of a proper proportion of protein and carbohydrates.  If you are working out to lose weight, you want to make sure that you have more protein in your post-workout meal than carbohydrates. However, if you want to splurge on carbs, having them post-workout is the most optimal time, as your body will not store them as fat.
Also, make sure to stay away from fat in any post-workout meal. Healthy fats are a great source of nutrition; however, during the time right after your workout, fats will slow down the digestion of the protein and carbohydrates that you have. By slowing down the digestion process you are slowing down the absorption of nutrients into the muscles.

The simplest and one of my favorite post-workout meals is a protein shake. I use a whey protein, combine it with water in a shaker cup, and sometimes have a piece of fruit to go along with it. This liquid meal absorbs into your body quickly and works immediately to restoring and rebuilding your muscle. Or, if I am not in a rush I’ll make myself a ‘fancier’ post-workout shake and combine the same ingredients in a blender.  Another option, if you have more time, you can always cook egg whites, or chicken breast for a post-workout meal. But you want to make sure that you are getting it into your system as quickly as possible.

What you eat after your workout is one of the greatest determining factors in how quickly you reach your fitness goals. Keeping in mind these simple nutrition tips will help make each workout that much more effective and keep your fitness goals a reality.

I know the topic is not 100% fitness/workout related, but while I was trying to get through my 20 minutes on the StairMaster after my leg workout this afternoon, I couldn’t help but look around at the people in the gym [singlepic=14,260,190,,left] and I just had to share what I saw and thought.

First of all I would just like to say that the gym is a GREAT place for people watching. Yes, I’m totally focused on my own workouts, but honestly there are some VERY interesting characters walking around the gym (at least MY gym) that it’s really hard sometimes not to notice and take a moment during your brief rest and stare (in the most polite way of course).

However, not all stories are silly/annoying/’what are you doing?’ situations, there are those few moments that you take a look at a person who is working SO hard and you are truly inspired…however, that doesn’t happen that often.

Here’s some of the things I’ve seen or thought about when in the gym the last week and thought I’d share:

- A man with two dumbbells in his hands, swaying back and forth, trying to scratch his armpits with the weights in is hands – okay I’m being too polite here – he looked like he was a gorilla. The way he was swaying back and forth – I’m still trying to figure out what muscle group he was working on. Any ideas?

- A man doing a dead lift with a ROUNDed back. I looked at him and could only say, ‘OW. Please sir, straighten out your back, mine really hurts looking at yours.’ (I always wonder – can I say something? Would he be offeneded? I just want to help him not hurt himself…but I’m sure that would hurt his ego if a girl came and corrected him, so I just stay away). [singlepic=13,280,200,,center]

- Some poor man fell on the treadmill. Lost his footing and went face first into the treadmill. Ouch. He was definitely seeing stars, he got up…he was walking and looked okay…now I’m nervous I’ll be the next to fall…

- There are a lot of interesting outfits at the gym. I am always so curious to know what people thought about when they got ready for the gym. You can tell that some people didn’t think, which is totally fine, and others put WAY too much thought into their outfit.  Just be comfortable in whatever you are wearing, that’s all that really matters.

- People who bring coffee into the gym. I’d love to know why. And I can’t imagine after a really hard set going and gulping my coffee to quench my thirst and feeling refreshed and ready for the next one.

Well, I think that’s enough ranting and raving for one day. Hope you had a laugh or a smile or may be able to relate to one of these stories. Honestly, I love the gym and all the interesting people that go there. I will miss seeing them when I have my own gym one day, well, maybe I’ll make sure to go back and visit every once in a while.

I’d love to hear your stories…what are crazy things you’ve seen at the gym?

“Nobody’s a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to get better. Its hard to stay on top.” Paul Coffey

A recent study by the CDC revealed that about 25% of Americans are prediabetic, however only about 4% of them are aware they have the disease.  Those who have prediabetes are at an increased risk for getting Type 2 Diabetes (also known as adult-onset diabetes), especially those who are not aware they have this disease.

What are prediabetes?

This is a disease that is caused when a person has above-normal levels of glucose in their system. Their bodies don’t have enough insulin to help metabolize the glucose. This then causes the glucose to accumulate in the body, causing the body to have high levels of blood sugar, which can lead to serious complications in the long run.

How to avoid prediabetes?

Besides a change in diet (including vegetables, lean meats and nonfat dairy products), research suggests an increase in exercise.  Exercising daily, has found to lower the risk of developing full blown diabetes by 71%.

So…avoid the risk of diabetes and prediabetes with a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. You don’t need to run a marathon – start small, just walking 20 minutes a day and see your risk decrease.

“If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end.” – Julias Erving

Thursday’s Trick to Flat Abs

To keep yourself interested in cardio – change up the equipment. Try out different machines at your gym and find out which ones you like.  There is no point in forcing yourself to use a piece of cardio equipment because everyone else is using it – that will only make you hate the process more.

Try a hill climb on the elliptical one day and sprints the next day on the treadmill. Or try the StairMaster for 20 minutes and then go for a bike ride along a rolling path for another 20 minutes. Keep your mind stimulated and body guessing what’s next and you’ll see your weight loss results and flat abs sooner than you expected.

What’s your favorite cardio workout?

I’ve changed up the workout routine yet again and it was another kick butt, fat burning, heart pumping workout. It was fun though, knowing that I was burning fat and getting another step closer to my goal.
Today’s workout was based around the idea of high intensity and little rest. I focused on no rest between exercises and 30-40 seconds rest between sets. This type of workout keeps your heart rate up and burning fat for longer.
The workout:
Warm-up: Bridges + Clams
Set 1
Single Leg Machine Leg Press (4 sets/ 10-15 reps)
Calf Raises (3 sets – Regular/Toes In/Toes Out)
Set 2
Dumbbell Chest Press (20/15/12/10 – Increased weight on 3rd set)
Supine Lat Pulldown (4 sets/8-10 reps)
Set 3
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (Heavier weight 4 sets/8-10 reps)
Resistance Band Flyes (4 sets/20 reps)
Set 4
Machine Assisted Dips (4 sets/10-12 reps)
Stiff Legged Deadlifts (4 sets/15 reps)
Set 5
Crunches (3 sets 50 reps)
Plank (hold for 30 seconds)

I ended today’s workout with 30 minutes on the treadmill – doing an incline walk – focusing on a heel toe walk to work a bit more on the hamstrings.
I made it out of the gym, but we’ll see how I’m walking tomorrow!

Every woman wants tight toned arms.  Spending hours on the treadmill or elliptical is not going to do the trick.  So, what do you do to make sure that your arm flab goes away?

You need to start lifting weights.

Yes, ladies, I should not be the only woman in the free weight section of the gym. Every woman should get off of the elliptical and join me!

One exercise that is going to help you tone your arms and drop body fat is the Chest Press. Its good for people at every level of exercise because you can easily adjust the exercise to fit your fitness capabilities.

Take a look a the video below, I talk a bit more about the benefits of the Chest Press and go on to show you three variations you can try.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phpkAJ7hCf8[/youtube]

Have questions? What did you think? Leave a comment or email me and let me know!