fitness training

Is Sitting the New Smoking?

Tags: burning fat, Fitness, fitness training, get in shape, healthy living, workouts for work

A new study has shown that sitting for long periods of time may be as bad for you as smoking! Inactivity is definitely a contributor to heart disease and obesity. Being sedentary is not natural for our bodies; when we move towards less activity our bodies move towards acting as storage containers versus the agile and energized machines they should be. The workplace CAN be a health hazard…or you can turn it around!   Read more about the study here.
I have a desk job, what can I do?

Many of us are sitting at our desks 7-8 hours—or more—a day. If it’s the nature of your work, you CAN break up the sedentary cycle with a few brisk breaks. People may think you’re always in a hurry or just suddenly more energetic or maybe even a little kooky, but that’s okay. The key is to take brisk breaks and to be BRISK.

1.  FAST walk, inside or out, every time you walk.

2.  Take the stairs whenever possible, two at a time if you can

3.  Exercise in your office or break room.  See MTF for At Work.

4.  Stretch to increase circulation and blood flow

These simple steps will go a—surprisingly—long way toward enhancing your overall health and well-being and you are worth it.

And the most sedentary US city is?
2011: Lexington, KY. “What hurt Lexington most was the actual amount of activity, or exercise, people reported engaging in — any physical activity at all, which was relatively low.  And they did have higher rates of deaths from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as well,” said Matt Marion, deputy editor of Men’s Health.

Good news: Seattle, San Francisco and Oakland, California were the most physically active!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110627/od_nm/us_usa_cities_odds

The Week Magazine

Tags: burning fat, fitness trainer, fitness training, personal trainer, training for women

My Trainer Fitness is featured in The Week Magazine as a great way to step up your workout!

The Week Magazine, Nov. 26, 2010

TIPS for Healthier, More Peaceful Thanksgivings

Tags: better workouts, Fitness, fitness training, healthy living, lose weight, Nutrition

Holiday meals don’t have to be something we dread or have to approach with caution. Suggesting a new healthier traditional dinner for Thanksgiving and other holiday meals to your family and friends can be a great opportunity to try new recipes and put a twist on the standard holiday fare.

1. Decide on the most favored dessert and make only that so that there’s only one dessert to try. And explore recipes online that are lower in fat and calories but taste just as great! http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/ is one of our favorite recipe resources and their recipes also provide the nutritional breakdown.

2. Plan a balanced menu around the top 3 or 4 dishes to make, and make or bring only that. For instance, if you have stuffing, then don’t have bread. We’re less inclined to overeat if we have fewer choices.

3. Reduce or substitute the fat used for cooking, dressings, etc., by 1/2. Time and again I have reduced the oil or butter in a recipe by half without anyone even noticing it. Similarly, substitute 2% milk for half and half. Apple sauce is another fat substitute used in many baked goods.

4. Invite everyone to go for a brisk walk around your block or neighborhood immediately after your meal. Once you sit, full, it can be harder to get up or want to get up. A brisk walk will energize everyone while still providing an opportunity to converse. This is such a great tradition to set in motion for the kids. If the weathers too messy, then try something active like an active Wii game.

5. The most important thing for a peaceful and enjoyable Thanksgiving is this: remember to appreciate and be thankful for all that we do have, not what might be missing. Counting blessings means to focus on those blessings and when we do that, our blessings grow, diminishing the worries and challenges because whatever we put our attention on tends to grow.

If you are faced with the challenge of attending a holiday meal that you cannot contribute to then watch your portions. Stay away from the empty starchy carbs and high fat gravy and buttery dishes. Lean protein, salad and veggies are usually options at most meals. Indulge in a favorite or two if you like and you will feel empowered by your choices and not laden with guilt at a time when we should be enjoying family and friends and appreciating our many blessings.

The bottom line to help your bottom line: eat the healthiest items first and you’ll be less likely to overindulge on that which your body doesn’t need.

From your friends at My Trainer Fitness: Fitness on the go!

Hit the Gym During Economic Hard Times

Tags: better workouts, Circuit Training, depression, fitness training, personal trainer, recession, weight training

If you are currently unemployed you may think that the last place you should be spending time is at the gym. Any place dedicating time to something OTHER than finding work can be hard to justify.

Getting laid off or downsized from work can be an intensely stressful time and can lead to depression. The number one best thing anyone can do for both, stress and depression is exercise.  Not only will exercise alleviate stress and elevate endorphins–the “feel good” natural neurochemical–but staying fit while looking for work will help you make a good impression on prospective employers.  Invariably, an energetically fit person will have an edge over one who is not.

Networking at the Gym?
The gym is also a great place to meet fellow members from all areas of business and the community and build relationships that could lead to mutually beneficial opportunities. My Gym Trainer books for fitness on the go are a great conversation starter: almost everyone asks “what are those cards?” In an environment where energy is upbeat and dynamic, people are more likely to chat a bit about what it is they do.

Support for Moms and Dads
A good gym is a great resource in hard times by utilizing the services offered by many gyms, such as free childcare, plenty of classes, great equipment and some with pools, hot tubs, saunas and showers.  The free childcare is a huge perk, so parents should scout around for a gym nearby that offers this.   Adding up childcare plus all of the other benefits often means parents and singles, can actually SAVE money by fully utilizing all that their gym has to offer.  However, if gym membership is not for you, remember YOU are your greatest asset, so take care of yourself.  Investing just a little in your fitness will reap tremendous benefits in your physical, emotional and mental well-being, and help to keep you energized in your job search.  And, if you can’t get to a gym My Trainer Fitness offers inexpensive portable workouts that you can do at home, inside or out.My Trainer Fitness for At Home or My Trainer Fitness for Outdoors is perfect AND economical at just $12 ($10 through October) for 6 complete workouts. So, as the saying goes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”, and as is the motto at My Trainer Fitness:  never easy…ALWAYS worth it!  You will never regret getting fit.  You are worth it.

Family Circle Online Edition, featuring… us!

Tags: fitness training, get in shape, healthy living, lose weight, my gym trainer, my trainer fitness, new workout, personal trainer, six pack, training for women, women's workouts

25-Minute Best-Body Workout!

My Trainer Fitness Brings You Outside!

Tags: better workouts, fitness training

Summer is in full swing and though we love gym workouts of course, we can’t
help but want to bring the My Gym Trainer concepts outdoors to get a great,
heart-pumping, fat-blasting workout in The Great Outdoors. Something about
being outside brings back the invigorated feeling of youth and reenergizes us for
the day.

So, we are excited to be bringing you our very own outdoor book, called “My
Trainer Fitness for Outdoors!” It is a “6-pack” of workouts that are designed to be done outside, anywhere!

Six complete workouts, each containing both cardio and weight-training for only
$15 (including shipping & tax). They will be ready for purchase on our website
www.MyTrainerFitness.com within a week! Great, fun workouts that get you
measurable results! Here is a taste of what you can expect:

Complete a 5-minute warm-up consisting of jogging or quick walking, light
lunges, squats, side steps, high knees and skips. Be sure to get nice and warm
before beginning the circuits. Here is your sample 30-minute outdoor workout!

Circuit #1: 15 minutes – Upper Body & Cardio
Perform the following exercises in a circuit, completing as many rounds as
possible in 15 minutes. Rest as needed.

Circuit #2: 15 minutes – Lower Body & Cardio
Perform the following exercises in a circuit, completing as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes. Rest as needed.

My Gym Trainer Favorite Leg Circuit: 20 Minutes to Leaner Legs in 1 Month

Tags: building muscle, burning fat, Circuit Training, fitness training, leg training, training for women

At My Gym Trainer, we are all about getting results quickly and effectively: short, easy-to-follow workouts that deliver. Each of the three My Gym Trainer books (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced) contains 8 leg workouts (2 per week). A minimum of twice-per-week lower body workouts will yield best results, and also offer plenty of variety. Here is an example of a leg circuit that will generate great results in only 20 minutes. It contains our 5 Must-Do Moves for Leaner Legs in 1 month!

In all of the My Gym Trainer books, we use circuit-training exercise like this exclusively because it is great for both cardiovascular fitness and strength training, not to mentions burns ton of calories in a short period of time. It is a way of exercising that maximizes fat-burning by keeping the heart rate and breathing up throughout the workout, and generates an after-burn so the metabolism stays elevated for hours after the workout is over. Instead of doing 1 set of an exercise and then sitting and waiting to do the next set of the same exercise, circuits are designed so that you move from one exercise to the next with little rest in between. For more workouts like this, grab a copy of My Gym Trainer at www.MyTrainerFitness.com or www.amazon.com!

Directions:
• Do the following leg circuit 2x/week for 1 month (3x/week for best results), allowing at least 48 hours’ rest in between each leg workout.
• To complete the circuit, perform the allotted number of reps for the first exercise, then immediately move to the second exercise and perform the allotted number of reps for it. Go on to complete the 3rd exercise, then the 4th and then the 5th.
• Once you complete one full cycle of all 5 exercises, begin again at the top, continuing to cycle through the movements until you complete 20 minutes. o Each time you do the workout, record how many “rounds” you complete in the allocated 20 minutes. On your next time through, try to beat your previous measure. Good luck!!

Bat Wings. Wobble Arm.

Tags: better workouts, fitness training, my gym trainer, weight training, workout book

For many women the back of the arm or the triceps region is considered a trouble spot.  This is considered a “testosterone point” which means that the higher the levels of testosterone in the body, the less likely fat is to be stored here.  That means that exercises targeting this area must utilize a challengingly heavy weight, and work to the point of failure.  Some great exercises to include in your triceps arsenal include:

1. Triceps Dip: This is an exercise staple and should be performed at the beginning of a triceps workout. Advanced trainees should attempt to complete a few repetitions with no assistance, for a guaranteed failure.  Once you get there, add some assistance and rep them out until failure is reached again.
2. French Press:  Also commonly known as “Skull-Crushers”, if you have ever attempted a heavy set of these, you probably know the name of the exercise rings all too true, so be sure to use a weight you can manage on your own, starting lighter and working your way up if you’re not sure.  Check out My Gym Trainer for instructional photos on this technical exercise, which is one of the best for isolation of the triceps and will guarantee soreness for days.
3. Heavy Squats: Squats for triceps?! Believe it or not, incorporating other exercises that use multiple muscle groups across several joints are huge generators of testosterone release which can also benefit the triceps.  Though it sounds counter-intuitive, getting to failure using a heavy weight on squats is a great way to prevent fat storage in the triceps!  Other exercises include Cleans and Presses, Push Presses and Deadlift Rows.

Best Exercises for Women’s Trouble Spots

Tags: burning fat, fitness training, get in shape, lose weight, training for women, weight training

Part 1:  Hips, Thighs, Glutes
My Gym Trainer specializes in designing great workouts to target the whole body for lean tissue building and fat burning.  Though, we do always get asked, “What are the best exercises for getting lean legs or for the back of the arms or for the midsection?”  For many women, these are some of the hardest areas to tone up because genetically and hormonally, our body wants to store fat there.  In addition to lowering overall body fat via full-body weight training, intense cardiovascular exercise and proper fat-loss nutrition, there are specific exercises that target these areas better than others.

Saddlebags.  Thunder Thighs.  Junk in the Trunk.
Many women see a couple extra pounds immediately in their thighs, hips and glutes.  They can feel the difference when they try to zip up their jeans.  So how do we get beautifully sculpted legs and glutes, while burning the fat on top?  From an evolutionary perspective, the fat that sticks to thighs and glutes is fat that the body wants to be there.  For childbearing purposes and because estrogen receptor densities are highly active in this area, women’s bodies hold onto fat in these places stubbornly.  Thus, you can imagine just how hard it is going to be to break through this evolutionary barrier to reduce fat and sculpt the underlying muscles there.

Train Heavy and Induce Failure. If you are new to weight training, be sure to practice your form specifically on squats and lunges for a few weeks with light weights.  Once you perfect your form, begin adding weight.  If you want to convince the body to give up these fat stores and coax the muscles out of hibernation, challenge legs and glutes from several angles with challenging weight and with various exercises.  To optimize the hormonal imbalance in the hips and thighs, induce testosterone and growth hormone release by training to the point of failure throughout each workout (both of these hormones have incredible fat burning potential in women—yes, natural release of testosterone in women is a good thing!).   Here are some great exercises to incorporate:

1) Heavy lunge: Within a few weeks of incorporating heavy lunges into a leg routine, inches will start coming off and definition appearing.  There exists a common notion among women that lifting heavy weights will make you “bulk up” or just grow the glutes outward.  Unfortunately what many don’t know is that as long as attention is paid to fat-burning, inches will be lost and sculpted muscle will appear.  For example, take someone who performs a lot of cardiovascular activity and never weight trains.  This person is probably slim, but with zero definition or curves.  Try fat-burning cardio mixed with intense weight-training to failure and you have the recipe for overall lean limbs.

2) Stiff-legged Deadlifts:  These exercises isolate the hamstrings (back of the leg) and target the area below the glutes called the “glute-hamstring tie-in.” If attempting deadlifts for the first time, be sure to check out the photos contained in your My Gym Trainer books.  This movement is technical, but if executed correctly, it is one of the most effective exercises to shape the entire back of the leg.  Just be sure to keep your back straight while you hinge at the hips and engage your abs, which helps to protect from injury.

3) Plyometric movements can be a miracle on the path to coaxing your leg muscles out of hiding.  Plyometric movements are jumping movements and they are vital in breaching the intensity threshold needed to lean out the legs.  Many people shy away from these exercises because they are scared of injury or they have bad knees.  If you do have bad knees, these exercises are probably not for you.  However, with a clean bill of knee health, begin incorporating these movements into your leg routine and watch the muscles appear.  Some examples that you can also find in your My Gym Trainer books include:

• Squat Jumps
• Switch Jumps (jumping junges)
• Squat Thrusts
• Bench Jumps

MGT Reviews: The Fabulous Finds

Tags: burn fat, fabulous finds, fitness training, lose weight, my gym trainer, personal trainer, weight training

Reviewed by: Melinda, ID

I am very impressed with My Gym Trainer 3. For someone who enjoys exercise, I love the way it has a different workout every day, targeting different areas each day. I also love that it has tips and facts throughout the book.

The pictures are very helpful and the core workouts seem challenging but achievable. I would use this product with a few of my own variations. One downfall is that it can be very difficult to get to the gym 6 days a week.

It would also be helpful to have a few examples of meal ideas and types of foods that should be eaten with each workout day. Overall, the My Gym Trainer seems like a great tool to help tone and achieve a peak fitness level and I am excited to see the results!

For more MGT reviews on The Fabulous Finds, CLICK HERE!

CLICK HERE to purchase My Gym Trainer! For more information, visit: http://www.mytrainerfitness.com

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