All Entries Tagged With: "fitness"

High Protein Diets & Recipes

When sports supplements, vitamins and protein powders are concerned there’s a lot of misinformation and false marketing aimed at increasing product sales.  It’s important to note that you can achieve any and all of your fitness goals, even the seemingly unattainable ones, through a natural diet and proper fitness training program.  To give you an idea of the right types of foods to eat, our nutrition expert at Lucas James Personal Training in Scottsdale, Arizona weighs-in on the benefits and effects of consuming a high protein diet for both weight-loss and lean muscle gains.   We’ve even included some delicious chicken recipes and high-protein vegetarian options to help you on your way to a leaner body!

While goals for weight-loss and gaining lean muscle might seem like two completely opposite concepts, they’re actually quite similar processes.  Physiologically, the more lean muscle you have, the easier it is for your body to burn fat. Vis-vera, the less fat you have, the easier it is for your body to metabolize the foods you eat and build more dense, leaner muscle tissue.  Current research also suggests that protein may satisfy hunger better than both fats and carbohydrates.

With either fitness goal in mind, eating a high protein diet will help you both burn fat and reduce your body weight, while helping support lean muscle growth, weight loss, and reduce muscle catabolism or breakdown.

Aside from its dietary functions, our bodies use protein at all stages of growth and development throughout our lives for a variety of bodily processes. Protein is a major component in all body cells, including both muscle tissue and bones. It is also a crucial component of our immune systems, helping to fight off infection and protect our bodies.

In terms of eating too much protein, there are no real dangers associated with high protein intake unless you have specific digestive problems or kidney disease.  If this is the case, the high nitrogen content found in protein can place added stress on an already damaged kidney filtration system. Too much protein can have side effects if it comprises too large a part of your total diet, causing gastro-intestinal disorders or problems with proper nutrient absorption. Keeping this in mind, protein is important, especially for weight loss and healthy muscle growth, but so are carbohydrates and fats within a balanced diet.

The best sources for protein are typically lean meats, but also include plant sources such as tofu, beans, soy, nuts, saitan and quinoa.  For animal protein sources  we suggest incorporating foods such as chicken breast, lean fish such as Tuna, ‘fatty’ Omega-3 fish such as salmon, egg whites, turkey, skim dairy products, shrimp, veal or lean cuts of pork.  Depending on your dietary preferences you might decide to eat only a few of these options, but all will provide you with healthy helpings of protein! However, not all sources of protein are equal. Here’s a list from the United States Department of Agriculture describing the differences in amounts for some of the foods listed above.

There are no real dangers associated with high protein intake unless you have specific digestive problems or kidney disease. Too much protein can have side effects. If they take up too large a part of your diet it can cause gastro-intestinal disorders the likes of which you have never seen.  The chances of consuming too much protein is typically unlikely, but it’s always important to consult your physician or dietician before starting any new diet.

The main concern with high protein diets is a lack of carbohydrates. When there’s an insufficient carbohydrate intake, you have a drop in blood sugar and your body if forced to convert stored glycogen or sugar from the liver and muscles to its usable form.  The main issue is that this process known as ‘gluconeogenesis’ results in muscle breakdown.  Another concern is that high-protein diets are often high in saturated fat as well from animal sources such as red meat. For this reason, its important to limit the amount of red meat you eat to 2-3 times a week maximum, while focusing on leaner sources of protein.

Here are a few healthy, high-protein, low-fat chicken recipes:

(Sourced: about.com)

This baked honey mustard chicken makes such a simple yet delicious everyday low fat chicken dish. It also uses few ingredients, ones that you’ll likely have in your pantry already. Serve with some rice and your favorite vegetables.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 six-ounce chicken breasts

Preparation:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a rack on top and spray with cooking spray.

-Combine honey, mustard, oil, curry powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Brush chicken pieces all over with the honey mustard mixture, then place chicken breasts on the rack.

-Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning half way through. Baste every 10 minutes or so with the remaining honey mustard glaze.

Per serving: Calories 268, Calories from Fat 52, Total Fat 5.9g (sat 2.2g), Cholesterol 82mg, Sodium 483mg, Carbohydrate 21g, Fiber 0.3g, Protein 32.9g

Here’s a simple summer chicken w/ tomatoes recipe that makes the most of fresh tomatoes and basil, and a generous dose of garlic. I like to use the punnets of mini heirloom tomatoes or at least a mix of red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 4 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ounce basil, slivered
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes

Preparation:

-Preheat broiler and spray pan briefly with nonstick cooking spray

-Place chicken breasts on broiler pan.

-Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic together

-Brush half of vinaigrette on to chicken breasts, and sprinkle half the slivered basil on top of chicken.

-Broil 5-6 minutes, then turn over. Brush second side with remaining vinaigrette and sprinkle remaining basil.

-Add tomatoes to broiler pan, surrounding chicken.

-Broil for 5-6 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Serving: Calories 198, Calories from Fat 48, Total Fat 5.4g (sat 1g), Cholesterol 82mg, Sodium 98mg, Carbohydrate 4g, Fiber 1.1g, Protein 33.5g 

This low fat baked chicken and rice dish has become a staple in our house. It’s quick and easy to prepare, and the whole family will eat it.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 4 5-6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped (1/2 a six-ounce bag)

Preparation:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Place chicken breasts in a single layer in baking dish that can accommodate the chicken in one layer.

-Combine uncooked rice, chicken broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic and oregano in a medium bowl. Stir in chopped spinach. Spoon mixture over chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35-40-minutes, until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees f) and rice is tender.

Serves 4.

Per Serving: Calories 372, Calories from Fat 23, Total Fat 2.5g (sat 0.6g), Cholesterol 82mg, Sodium 266mg, Carbohydrate 48.3g, Fiber 3.8g, Protein 38.9g

Here’s some High-Protein Vegetarian Recipes:

This Mexican casserole recipe is a one dish vegetarian casserole perfect for those busy nights. You can get this meatless vegetarian enchilada baked Mexican casserole in the oven in just a few minutes. A simple Mexican-inspired meal the whole family Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped onion, fresh or frozen
• 1 1/2 cups chopped red pepper, fresh or frozen
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 15.8 ounce cans black beans, drained
• 12 6-inch corn tortillas
• 2 cups Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend cheese shredded
• 3 tomatoes chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)

Preparation:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Combine onion pepper, garlic, salsa, cumin and black beans in large skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes.

-Arrange 6 tortillas in bottom of 9″ x 13″ baking dish overlapping them as necessary. -Spread half of bean mixture over tortillas and sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat layering process with remaining tortillas, bean mixture and cheese.

-Cover dish with foil and bake 15 minutes. Carefully remove foil and serve warm.

-Garnish with tomatoes, sour cream and olives.

Makes 8 servings of Mexican enchilada casserole.

Nutritional Information per Serving: (excluding optional ingredients)
Calories: 605
Fat: 11.5 grams
Fiber: 21.4 grams
Cholesterol: 25 mg
Protein: 34.9 grams
Vitamin A: 24% , Vitamin C: 51%, Calcium: 40%, Iron: 39% 

Easy Whole Wheat Vegetarian Lasagna. Make your lasagna just a bit healthier by using this recipe, which calls for whole wheat lasagna noodles and spinach. Even though it uses whole wheat noodles, this Italian spinach lasagna is incredibly rich and creamy as it uses plenty of mozzarella, Parmesan, and low-fat cottage cheese. Recipe courtesy of the Wheat Foods Council.

Ingredients: 

• 1 8 ounce package whole wheat lasagne noodles, cooked slightly (al dente)
• 1 9 ounce package frozen raw spinach
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 3 cups pre-made or store-bought pasta sauce
• 3 cups grated low-moisture part skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

-Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

-In medium mixing bowl, beat eggs; add cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spray a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

-Put one layer of slightly cooked lasagna noodles flat across the bottom of the baking dish. Add 1/2 the leaf spinach, pressing down lightly and evenly over noodles. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles. Top this layer of noodles with the cottage cheese mixture; add the remaining spinach. Then add the last of the lasagna noodles laid evenly on top of spinach. Spread pasta sauce evenly over the top; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Press down lightly.

-Cover baking dish with foil, using foil sprayed with cooking spray and keeping foil off the center of the lasagna. Secure sides tightly over baking dish.

-Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes in oven. To lightly brown the top, remove foil for a few minutes at the end of baking time.

-Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Servings: Provides 10 servings

Calories/Serving: 373 calories/serving

Nutrition: One serving provides approximately: 373 calories, 33 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 12 g fat (7 g saturated), 110 mg cholesterol, 142 mcg folate, 3 mg iron and 671 mg sodium.

Exercise Equipment: What’s Right For You?

Here are a few pieces of exercise equipment that may help you achieve your health and fitness goals with a description for various applications and workouts from Lucas James Personal Training.

Stability, Core & Resistance

*Exercise Ball Exercises: Seated Crunches, Side Crunches, Back Extensions, Stability Ball Shoulder Press, Stability Ball mountain climbers, Squat & Reach

Swiss / Stability Ball – The greatest benefit of training with a stability or swiss ball is that it helps target your core muscles that are essential for stability and flexibility.  Another added bonus is that you can incorporate your stability ball with other equipment at your gym such as dumbbells, barbells and other free-weights to augment your typical workout.

*Kettle Bell Exercises: Dead Lift, Bent Row, Front Squat, Single Sided Ab Cross-over

Kettlebells, for as simple as they are, often look like intimidating pieces of equipment. However, they’re simple to use just like a regular dumbbell and actually make traditional dumbbell exercises more challenging.  Since the weight in a kettlebell is not evenly distributed you are forced to engage accessory stabilization muscles to workout harder. Kettle bells can be used to target your arms, shoulders, back, gluts, and core muscles.

*Medicine Ball: JackKnife Crunches w Medicine Ball, Medicine Ball front squats, Russian Twists, Medicine Ball Abdominal-Toss, Wood-Choppers with Medicine Ball.

Like Kettlebells, medicine balls are weighted and can be used for a variety of exercises.  They vary in weight depending on your intended use and proficiency.  Medicine Balls are often used in tandem with core abdominal exercises to add resistance and increase muscle tone.

Resistance & Strength

*Resistance Band Exercises: Resistance Band Chest Flys (Incline, Flat & Decline), Tricep Extensions, Tricep Kick Backs, Bicep Curls, Reverse Back-Flys, Lat Pull-Throughs, Side Deltoid Raises, Front Deltoid Raises, Shoulder Press, Abductor Side Leg Raises, Squats, Lunges.

Resistance bands are widely used for both general strength and conditioning, as well as, rehabilitation and injury prevention. They are inexpensive and highly portable, making them ideal for exercising at home or within a circuit training routine to help condition your cardiovascular system. Since they are light-weight pieces of exercise equipment they are easy to travel with as well, so no excuses!

*Light Dumbbells: Core exercises with dumbbells braced between your feet or legs. (Hanging Leg or Knee raises), Bicep curls, Tricep extensions, Tricep kick-backs,  front rows for your traps, Shoulder press, Shoulder Side and Front Raises, Lying chest flys and chest press.

Dumbbells are a great and versatile piece of equipment, but can be highly immobile and difficult to bring around if you need to be mobile.  You can use them individually or together, depending on the exercise and your personal goals and preference. There are adjustable dumbbells available that allow you to manually adjust the weight and change between different exercises and movements. Most commonly however are fixed dumbbells of a specific weight that require you to spend money on additional sets of varied heaviness.   A majority of Dumbbell exercises can be done just as easily with resistance bands, as noted above.

Flexibility

*Pads & Foam such as a Yoga Brick or Foam Roller: Exercises typically include stretching movements to elongate muscle fibers and help stretch your muscles.  Some stretches are: Calf Stretch, shin stretch, hamstring stretch, gluts stretch, IT band stretch, quad stretch, lats-back-spine stretch.

Foam roller exercises are sometimes referred to as self-myofascial-release (SMR) exercises, because they can be used to relieve deep muscle tension without any assistance.  SMR is a form of soft-tissue muscle therapy that helps reduce muscle pain and tension and increase range of motion. It is essentially a way to massage and stretch your while increasing your flexibility to allow for increased muscle fiber development and strength. Foam rollers are often used for injury rehabilitation as well.

Endurance:

*Cardio Machines & Exercise Bikes: Can be use for…you guessed it: Cardiovascular conditioning / endurance and toning.

Since Treadmills, Ellipticals and Exercise Bikes are quite expensive, they are typically the last piece of exercise equipment you’ll invest in, unless advised by a doctor.  Even then, they are available for use at most sports and athletic clubs and gyms.  Exercise Bikes are the best piece of cardio-equipment for building your leg muscles while engaging in cardio exercise.  While you can increase the incline on a treadmill and resistance on an elliptical, you don’t quite get the isolation effect that you do from sitting on a bike.  When exercising on any piece of cardio equipment, make sure to vary your routine, just as you would with resistance training.  Try alternating between fast sprints and long medium paced intervals to confuse your muscles and increase your calorie burning potential!

High-End Fitness Equipment & Manufacturers:

When looking for high-end or professional fitness equipment, don’t be fooled…pay attention to the details! Machines might look similar but perform completely different!  If you’re looking for an elliptical machine note that the Precor brand invented the Elliptical Fitness Cross trainer.

Keep your eyes open for ellipticals with:

*Adjustable incline – changing the degree /motion of your workout and therefore the way you’re targeting your muscles.

*Adjustable resistance – changing the degree of difficulty, increasing resistance allowing for a strength training effect.

*Electronic Features – such as a Heart Rate Monitor option & Calorie Counting function.

*A true ‘Elliptical motion’.  Its important to note that the elliptical motion provides the truest simulation to walking and running available without impact force on your lower extremities.  When trying a machine note the feel of the motion. Some machines may have a bad spot or ‘kick’ where your heel can come off of the platform. You want to avoid this bounce in your motion.

*Dependent upper body motion. Various machines will include upper body levers to add an upper body workout element.  This can also help with stability and balance while cross training.

Treadmills are the most popular piece of fitness training equipment. Star Trac is a pioneer in new technologies for treadmill training such as integrated video screens with personalized digital trainers to take you through a cardio workout.

*Look for a 60 inch deck for runners with a wide stride.

*Nicer treadmills have a top speed of 12 mph and 12% maximum incline. They often have stronger motors with a longer lifespan than cheap models.

*Look for a prominent gauge luster with buttons you can read while engaging in exercise.

How to Read Nutrition Facts, Information & Labeling

Choosing between McDonalds, Starbucks or Subway might be the toughest dietary choice you’ve had to make recently.  But for the rest of us who struggle with interpreting the nutrition information and data on a nutrition facts label at the super market, it often feels like we’re reading an ancient manuscript.  That’s why our expert nutritionist Jason Apfel, at Lucas James Personal Training, has broken down food labeling into a few simple steps so you can easily understand all that nutrition mumbo-jumbo!

If you’re concerned with maintaining a healthy body weight, the most important nutrition fact to note is proper serving size and portioning for each food or meal. With this in mind, the first place to look on the nutrition facts label is the serving size and the number of servings per package.  Why is this so important? Well, while you may be eating healthy foods, it’s just as important to eat the right amount of food to ensure healthy weight maintenance, weight-loss or growth, all of which depend on your total daily calorie intake.

Remember, when you take in more calories than your burn throughout the day, even when engaging in exercise, you’ll gain weight. Vis-versa, if you eat less than you burn, you’ll loose weight.  When weight-loss is concerned, you need to reduce your calories by a total of 3,500 calories per week, or 500 each day, to loose one pound of body weight.  You can keep track of calories through noting the proper serving size on any food product package.  Serving sizes are now standardized for similar foods to make it easy to compare like-products.  The measure for serving size is even provided in the same units, such as cups or pieces per serving, to make items easier to compare.                                         *American Heart Association Image

Aside from the obvious reasons, why is serving size important? It ultimately influences the listed amounts of everything else on the nutrition label such as carbohydrates, fat, protein etc. This is because the amount of each listed nutrient is based on the portion size.  For example: the larger the portion, the more grams of each nutrient listed. Often foods that are unhealthy, such as butter or processed chips, have relatively small serving sizes to make them appear healthier than they are! Ask yourself “How many servings do I consume”? To help you keep track of calories.

When you hear the term ‘calories’ you may think amount weight.  However, calories actually provide a measure of how much energy you receive from eating a given amount of a specific food. Calories come from the three main macronutrients Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins, not from micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Each of the main macronutrients contains a different amount of energy or calories per gram.  For example, carbohydrates and proteins contain 4 calories per gram while fats contain 9 calories per gram, making them more calorically dense.   Aside from the biochemical structure of fats and the way they are metabolized, fats are ‘worse’ for us when weight-loss is concerned, because they contain more calories –making it harder to loose weight.

Some foods are also higher in calories than others. For example, fruits and vegetables tend to be lower in calories, especially fat, and are devoid of saturated fats found in animal products.  Plant foods also typically contain more minerals and vitamins than animal products do.  On the flip side, animal products such as milk and meat tend to be higher in protein content and important minerals such as iron and calcium.

Since calories are really a measure of energy, the calorie section of the label can help you manage your weight through energy balance as previously described. It’s crucial to remember that the number of servings and portion size you consume determines the actual number of calories you take in.

Nowadays, when deciding on your favorite restaurant and fast-food items the calorie content and even nutritional information is available on the menu depending on where you live.  This may be startling, but recent legislation had required every large restaurant chain in the nation, including fast food chains, to provide caloric information on their menus and drive-throughs. This new federal law passed in 2011 by the Obama administration requires restaurant chains that are comprised of twenty or more locations to disclose the caloric content of their food items, as well as a description of the daily recommended calorie intake for a healthy person (~2000 calories per day. The legislation takes this one step further, requiring that vending machines also list the amount of calories in the food items they’re selling.

So next time you’re considering a Big-Mac at McDonalds, Frappucino from Starbucks, or tuna sub from Subway, you might just be staring down at a sign, reminding you how bad some of these food choices are.

Just how bad are some of these items & what should you eat instead? Well, just for fun we’ll fill you in!

At Subway:

AVOID- Their 6″ version of a Tuna Sammy has 530 calories and 31 grams of fat, and over 1000 mg of sodium (more than half your recommended daily intake).

The Healthiest Subway Options:

-6″ Ham Sub has 261 Calories, 4.5g fat, 17g protein and 39g carbs

-6″ Roast Beef has 264 Calories, 4.5g fat, 18 g protein and 39g carbs

-6″ Roasted Chicken Breast has 311 Calories, 6g fat, 25g protein and 40g carbs

-6″ Subway Club has 294 Calories, 5g fat, 22g protein and 40g carbs

-6″ Veggie Delight w/o cheese has 200 Calories, 2.5g fat, 7g protein and 37g carbs

-6″ Honey Mustard Turkey w/ Cucumber has 275 Calories, 3.5 g fat, 22g protein, 42g carbs.

At Startbucks:

AVOID – A Peppermint White Hot Chocolate has 730 calories, A Mint Chocolate-chip Frappucino has 680 calories, and a Tazzo Green Tea Frappucino even has 650 calories!

AVOID the Blueberry Scone with 460 calories and 22 grams of fat.

The Best coffee:  Drip coffee has only 5 calories! A little extra if you decide to add a splash of dairy.

The Best breakfast selection:  Starbuck’s ‘Perfect Oatmeal’ is fiber-packed with heart healthy oats and only has 140 calories. If you add their ‘Perfect Nut Medley’ containing almonds, pecans and walnuts add an additional 100 calories to the total.

At McDonalds:

AVOID – The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 740 Calories, 42g of fat (19g saturated fat) and 1380mg of sodium. Even their Grilled Chicken Club has  570 Calories,  21g of fat (7g saturated fat) and 1720mg sodium (almost a total day’s worth of sodium!!!)

The Healthiest McDonald Options are:

-The English Muffin with only 140 Calories, 2g Fat, 4g Protein and 25g Carbs

-The Chicken McGrill w/o mayo has 340 Calories, 7g Fat, 26g Protein and 45 g Carbs

-Their Hamburger has 280 Calories, 10g Fat, 12g Protein and 35g Carbs.

The Best Workout Programs & Workout Routines

                 Finding the time to exercise while balancing a busy work schedule and personal life can often be both emotionally and physically draining. However, when your health is concerned, it’s important to prioritize and make time for a regular and consistent workout schedule.  Figuring out how to workout, what kind of exercise is best and how much is enough can be a daunting and difficult task, especially if you’re not a fitness professional. For this reason at Lucas James Personal Training we’ve taken the guess-work out of creating a workout routine that best fits your daily routine, that you can do on the go and with minimal to no equipment. Here’s some of the best workouts and exercise routines for maintaining a healthy body and mind while still leaving time for family, friends, work and leisure.

• On-the-go (Quick 15-30 minute workouts)

-Lunges With your shoulders back, chest forward and back straight, step one leg forward into a lunge position. Make sure you’re on the ball of your back foot with your front foot flat on the ground in front of you. Drop your back knee straight down making sure the knee of your front leg does not come pass your the ankle.  Pretend as if there is a wall directly in front of your torso making sure not to ‘lunge’ forward. The movement is a lunge straight down.  After 15-20 reps on one leg, alternate sides. Remember to breath! Inhale on the downward movement and exhale on the way up.

-Squats With your back straight, shoulders back and chest forwards, step your feet out sideways – shoulder distance apart with a slight bend in your knees.  ‘Sqaut’ straight down, maintaining a straight back, and sit into the squat as if you are about to rest on a small stool. As you squat downwards, raise both arms out in front of you for stability and to maintain proper posture. Remember to breath! Inhale on the downward movement and exhale on the way up.

-Push-ups Lying face down towards the floor, place your hands shoulder distance apart at chest level and feet making sure your body is perfectly inline.  Keeping your back straight and hips level with your legs and torso press downwards towards the ground until your arms are bent at a ninety-degree angel.  Push upwards back to your starting position. Remember to breath! Inhale on the downward movement and exhale on the way up.

-Vertical Jumps Starting in the ‘Squat’ position as described above, jump upwards, exploding off your feet using your quads and squeezing your gluts to propel you upwards.  Jump as high as possible.  Make sure to keep the intensity high, to increase your cardio-vascular endurance.

-Sit-ups / Crunches Lying in the prone position, bring your feet towards your gluts and plant them flat on the ground in front of you so that your legs are bent slightly. Resting with your hands crossed in front of your chest – crunch upwards, engaging your abs. Make sure to bring your shoulders and upper-back up off of the ground to ensure you are using your core muscles.  Remember to breath! Exhale on the way up.

-Burpies This is a cardio-plyometric exercise comprised of two exercises mentioned above (push-ups and vertical leaps).  Start by standing straight, drop down and kick out your feet into a push-up position, do one repetition, kick your feet inwards to your chest and stand up quickly, moving directly into a vertical leap, and explode upwards. This is one repetition. Repeat for a minute straight to get ample resistance and cardio training.

-High-knees  End strong with one-minute of jogging in place, making sure to bring your knees up tight to your chest. Remember to get into a good rhythm and breath normally throughout the duration of the exercise.  Make sure to time yourself!

• Workplace Workouts

Don’t drive to work…walk, run or ride your bike!

Clearly you’ll reap more health and fitness benefits by exercising on your daily commute to work.  If you ride the bus or take other public transit, try getting off a few stops earlier than usual and walk, jog or run the rest of the way.  If you’re one of those people who just lives ‘too far’ and drives a car to work, try parking at a near by business or far away from your building in the parking lot and walk the rest of the way to your office.  Keeping this in mind, always take the stairs no matter where you are rather than an elevator!

Stand more than you sit!

Your body burns more calories standing than it does sitting.  If you’re on the phone in your office stand while talking.  Even better, try pacing while you talk or even try static lunges in the same spot, alternating legs, while in your office.

Take a fitness break

There are many simple exercises you can perform at work without any fitness equipment at all.  Some simple examples are:

-Wall-sits: 30 Seconds to 1 min or More! (Glutes & Legs)

-Desk Incline Push-Ups: As many as you can do at a time! (Chest & Arms)

-High-Knees: 30 seconds- 1 min So you don’t get too sweaty! (Cardio)

-Sit-Ups or Crunches: Until you feel the burn! (Core)

Try keeping simple fitness equipment at work.

If you need equipment to keep you motivated, try bringing an inexpensive resistance bands, small hand weights or a stability ball to work.  Try doing bicep curls, tricep extensions and other exercises throughout the day. You can even trade in your office chair for a stability ball!  Not only will you have an arsenal of fitness tools to keep you in shape during those short coffee breaks, but you’ll improve your balance and core strength by sitting on a swiss-ball behind your desk.  You’ll be engaging in passive exercise and no-one will be the wiser. You can even use your swiss ball for wall squats, plie squats or throughout the day and power up before meetings!

• The Best Cardio Exercise Routine (Interval Training)

The majority of fitness journals and university research studies suggest working smarter not harder. This means exercise efficiently not for ridiculous amounts of time.  When cardiovascular exercise is concerned this is especially true.  Instead of going for a few short sprints or jogging for 20 miles, switch things up.  By changing your resistance (incline) and speed throughout your cardio exercise you force your body to alternate between burning carbohydrates and fat for energy.  Not only will this boost your metabolism, but increase the toning effect for your lower extremities! Also, you’ll spend less time on cardio, but reap the same benefit of long jogs!  A simple twenty-one minute example of a cardio interval is:

• The Most Efficient Workout (Full-Body Circuit Training)

If you can’t decided between cardio training and weight-lifting, do both! Circuit training is an easy way to workout a variety of muscle groups and is a simple way to get a quick total body workout by combining multiple forms of exercise.  Circuit training helps to train for both cardiovascular endurance, promoting weight-loss and enhances resistance-training routines by elevating your heart rate throughout resistance exercise to help augment your muscle building potential and increase strength all at once.  Circuit training forces our bodies to adapt to multiple forms of exercise and physical stress.   A circuit workout is typically comprised of multiple exercises, training both your lower and upper body muscle groups through a series of repetition or time-based intervals with little to no rest in between each set.  Each training circuit is normally repeated 3-4 times.

Here’s how to create an effective circuit training workout:

Guidelines from: http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/circuittraining.html

Ultimate 6 Pack Abs Workout & Diet

At Lucas James Personal Training, we know finding ab exercises and the right abs workout for a sick six pack and perfect lower abs can be tough.  We also know that an abs diet can help you achieve the most shredded physique because nutrition is seventy-five to eighty percent of accomplishing any fitness goal, 6 pack abs included.

Here we’ll make it easy and give you the break down of the different muscles that form your abdominals, the best exercises for each group, the best ways to work-out your abs, as well as nutrition tips for cutting down the ‘ab-flab’ and burning that pesky belly fat.

• The Abdominal Muscles: Form & Function

When you hear the term ‘6-pack’ abs come to mind.  But just like a case of beer, your abdominals are comprised of multiple muscle groups, each varying in function.  The muscles that form your abdomen include:

1- The rectus abdominis, which we know as the 6-pack, includes both your upper and lower abdominals.  The rectus abdominis is the most prominent and visible portion of the abdominals. It travels the full length of the abdominal region, from your pubic bone to right under your lower chest.  When we contract this muscle, as in a traditional crunch, we’re flexing our torsos.

2- The external obliques, commonly referred to as your obliques are the visible side abdominal muscles that run downwards diagonally from your lower ribs and attach to the top portion of your hips and your ‘6-pack region’ or rectus abdominis. Similar to your external obliques, your internal obliques travel diagonally across your torso, but in the opposite direction from the external obliques.  Together, they work to help rotate your upper body at the core. Both sets of oblique muscles also work to compress your torso when they contract simultaneously along with your rectus abdominis. The obliques primarily serve as rotators that help our bodies twist at the waist and straighten when bent over sideways.

3- The transverse abdominis, is the internal portion of your abdominals that is located within the abdomen. It lies underneath the oblique muscles and acts as a structural support for our organs. It also helps us with our respiratory functions, similar to the diaphragm.  Instead of helping with core rotation, it pulls the abdominal wall inward when we ‘suck-in’ our belly.

Together, each of these muscle groups provides structural support, aiding our movement as well as assisting with lung function and breathing. Aside from the obvious functions, our abs are a critical component of our ‘core’ working along with our back muscles to provide proper posture and physique.

• Specific exercises for each abdominal muscle group

When working out, its important to work smarter not necessarily harder to see the results you’re looking for and that perfect six-pack. When weight training for better abdominal muscles and improved core strength, its crucial to note that high repetition exercises will help burn abdominal fat, but you must also include resistance exercises to increase abdominal bulk and muscle size.  Here are some exercises specific to each goal, in order by each abdominal muscle group.

mens-6-pack-abs-six-ab-workout-diet

Upper & Lower Abs (Rectus Abdominis)

Upper:

*Fat burning: Swiss Ball Crunches, Bench Supported Crunch, Bosu ball chop, ab deck crunches, un-weighted ab-master machine crunches.

*Muscle bulking: Weighted Crunches, Lying Cable Crunch, Roman Chair Weighted Sit-Ups, Standing cable crunch, decline cable sit-up, resistance ab-machine crunches.

Lower:

*Fat burning: Reverse Crunch, Hip Thrust, Reverse Crunch on Decline, Hanging Bicycle Crunches, Scissor Kick, Swiss Ball Roll In, Hanging Leg Raise, Hanging Knee Raises

*Muscle bulking: Weighted hanging Leg Raises with dumbbell, weighted hanging knee raises with dumbbell.

Obliques (External Obliques)

*Fat burning: Side Oblique Crunch, Bicycle Crunches, Lying Resistance Ball Windshield Wiper, Cross-over Crunch, Side Planks

*Muscle bulking: Russian Twists w/ medicine ball, Windshield Wiper with medicine ball or dumbbell, Side Planks with weight-belt or dumbbell, Dumbbell Oblique Crunch, Standing Oblique Cable Crunch

Core Specific Work (Total Abdominals)

*Fat burning: Planks, Hanging Knee Raise w/ Twist, Double Crunch, Toe-Touches, Jackknife Crunch, Exercise Ball Transfer

*Muscle bulking: Cable Wood-Chop, Decline Medicine Ball Throw, Exercise Ball Transfer.

• Core Circuit Workouts

Due to the fact that both your abdominals and back muscles compose your ‘core’ and affect overall core strength, it’s important to build each muscle group gradually to ensure proper muscle growth and reduce the likelihood of injury.  When engaging in an exercise routine to increase core strength and muscle definition, try incorporating lower back exercises as well in your ab circuit.  Aim for one exercise for each abdominal and core muscle group i.e. One Upper Ab, One Lower Ab, One Oblique and One Lower Back exercise. Here’s an example for a complete core circuit workout.

1. Swiss Ball Crunches
2. Hanging Leg Raises
3. Bicycle Crunches
4. Roman Chair Back Extension

Your fitness level and progression will depend on the amount of reps and sets you perform, along with the types of exercises incorporated in your circuit and applied resistance.  Remember, as you progress from beginner workouts to intermediate and advanced programs the type of core exercises may change as well.

• Abdominal Workout Equipment  

As your Ab routine changes you may choose to incorporate various pieces of equipment such as an ab roller, bosu ball, swiss ball, medicine ball, cable machine, resistance bands, weight-plates or dumbbells.  Different equipment will help you with different goals as well as aid with flexibility, comfort, body positioning and the way you are training your abdominals.  For example, Bosu Balls and Swiss Balls help reduce hot-spots, pressure points and unnecessary strain on your back when performing core exercises, by adding a cushioned support. They also increase core strength due to proprioception training that requires balance to challenge an individual’s normal range of motion.  Ab rollers, resistance bands and added weight can be used to keep constant tension on your abdominals to train for a more well rounded physique and increase overall core strength.  You can find any of the above mentioned pieces of equipment at your local Scottsdale, Arizona fitness equipment store.

• Ab-Training for specific goals and body type

You should also choose exercises that support your personal goals and promote growth specific to your physique, body-type and frame.

For example, if you are lean, but lack definition focus on lower rep exercises with increased resistance using either weight-plates, dumbbells, medicine balls or resistance ab-machines.  If you are overweight, start with simple movements and core exercises to build strength before attempting to increase muscle size and bulk. This can be accomplished through timed intervals and high-repetitions such as a minute of scissor kicks, flutter kicks, bicycle crunches, standard crunches etc.  Remember no matter what your body type and training goals are, consistent fluid breathing is important to provide the high levels of oxygen your muscles need to perform at their optimal level, burn fat most efficiently and promote increased blood-flow and nutrient transport for energy.

• The Ultimate 6 Pack Ab Diet

“Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym” – Lucas James

When trying to achieve the perfect 6-pack abs, diet is key.  Since people tend to store fat on our torso, men especially, the only way you’ll see your awesome abs is to eat a high-protein, low-fat diet.  A lower body-fat percentage will increase your chances of noticing the abs hidden underneath your belly fat. The weight we store above our abs is primarily fat and water weight, so it’s important to eat the right amount of calories and the right types of foods to shed excess fat.

When shedding extra pounds to see those abs try incorporating more veggies and high-fiber foods in your diet. Here’s a few suggestions of ab-busting foods:

-Turkey
Turkey has one of the highest amounts of protein pound-for-pound of any lean animal meat. It also has less fat calories than red meat and is even leaner than chicken!

-Quinoa
Quinoa is a high protein, high-fiber and low fat grain. All properties of a fat-burning diet!

-Bok-choy
Like broccoli, this leafy vegetable has a crunch—and less than half the calories and carbohydrates of its cruciferous cousin.

-Persimmon
This sweet Asian fruit is a better source of vitamin C than your average apple.

-Edam cheese
This Dutch cheese is semi-firm, unlike the semisoft Muenster, and has more protein, fewer calories, and a richer, nuttier flavor.

Fitness Circuit Training for Weight-Loss

When it comes to exercise, Scottsdale, Arizona based celebrity personal trainer Lucas James and nutrition expert Jason Apfel suggest working out smarter not harder.  In terms of maximizing the benefits of physical activity, both believe efficiency is key. Resistance training and aerobic exercise are beneficial for and essential to helping reduce body weight and improving one’s overall health.  Combining weight training, plyometrics and cardio within one routine as a circuit, is an excellent way to improve strength, endurance and flexibility, while helping to shed those extra pounds the quickest.

Circuit training provides a quick and effective total body workout by combining multiple forms of fitness one.  It helps to train our body’s cardiovascular endurance, while enhancing into muscle performance and increasing strength at the same time.

Since our bodies adapt to physical activity, as well as in response to our diet, it is important to constantly change our workouts to confuse our muscles. With circuit training, the body must adapt to multiple types of exercise and physical stress.   A workout circuit is comprised of multiple exercises, each based on a specific set of repetitions or time-based intervals leaving little to no rest in between each different activity.  Each round of exercises is repeated 3-4 times, resulting in the same impact of resistance training in normal workouts, but at a higher intensity.  An ‘active rest period’ can be simulated within each circuit by incorporating  exercises that focus on isolating opposing muscle groups. With this approach to fitness clients can work towards varied health goals simultaneously in less time than with traditional workout programs.  This is accomplished by keeping an elevated heart rate throughout the workout because of the way the intervals, exercises, and rest periods are laid out.  Circuit training ultimately increases the number of calories burned per minute.

One recent study in the Brazilian Archives of Cardiology suggests that resistance exercise combined with aerobics helps to decrease the risk of metabolic disorders, reduce cholesterol levels and aid in weight loss.  Other American studies note that circuit training can help burn 30 percent more calories than tradition exercise.

Aside from the health benefits, circuit training is great to break up the exercise to the next, your mind doesn’t have time to wander or get bored.  More so, a circuit e monotony of lifting weights. By constantly moving from one that combines both cardio and strength exercises will help to sculpt muscle physique and tone your body. 

A simple circuit workout can be done at home with little or no equipment at all. Try integrating squats, lunges, push-ups and crunches a minute of quick sprints, high-knees and mountain climbers in between each exercise.

If free weights, resistance bands or even a jump rope are available, you can incorporate simple resistance and cardio exercise that will aid in quicker weight-loss and strength building.

Try A simple Routine:

Exercise #1 
Squat Jump 10-15 repetitions

Exercise #2 
Standard Push-ups 8-12 repetitions

Exercise #3

Burpees

Exercise #4 
Calf Raises on a step-up or raised ledge 15-25 repetitions

Exercise #5

Jumping Jacks 1 min.

Or-

Exercise #1 
Lunges

Exercise #2 
Jump Rope

Exercise #3

Planks or Toe Touch Abdominal Crunches

Exercise #4 
Leap Frogs

Exercise #5

Switch Squats

Personal Trainer Certification Guide

When looking for a fitness trainer or personal trainer, it’s important to find a credentialed Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) who knows their business.  While the criteria for different certifying agencies may vary slightly, you want a trainer with a diverse background in physical fitness and exercise planning.  Even with a nationally accredited personal trainer certification many new trainers are inexperienced or lack a background in physiology, kinesiology or nutrition.    The best trainers have not only worked within the fitness, health and wellness fields previously, but have prior knowledge to health from an academic institution.

The top ten most well known nationally accredited certifying agencies for personal training, accepted by most national gyms such as LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, Golds Gym & Equinox are ACSM the American College Of Sports Medicine, NASM the National Academy Of Sports Medicine, NSCA the National Strength And Conditioning Association, NCSF the National Council On Strength And Fitness, NFPT the National Federation Of Personal Trainers, ACE the American Council On Exercise, CI the Cooper Institute, NESTA the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association, IFPA The International Fitness Professionals Association and ISSA the International Sports Science Association.

Each of these certified fitness-training agencies are NCCA-accredited programs (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) aside from the ISSA. This national commission only accredits programs that meet or exceed its standards for personal training and physical fitness training curriculum.  While there are various other accreditation organizations, in terms of personal training, the most valuable certifications are NCCA recognized.

Each of the nationally accredited CPT programs mentioned above vary slightly in terms of curriculum, program format i.e. emphasis on nutrition, exercise planning, kinesiology etc, recertification requirements, program materials & cost, but all share specific similarities.  For example, any worth-while agency will include education concerning client health-fitness assessment, exercise technique, fitness program design, nutrition, client relations & administration, as well as a CPT professional scope of practice and responsibilities.

As mentioned previously, it’s also important to have a personal trainer with an academic background in the health-science fields such as biology, physiology, kinesiology or nutrition.  This is due to the fact that anyone can study to become a personal trainer through one of the accredited programs, but at the same time might lack the background to thoroughly understand the underlying scientific principles of health, exercise, metabolism and diet. In fact, individuals who have a diverse medical or science background often have a better understanding of the effects of proper exercise than a CPT.

Another option for personal training certification is receiving a personal training degree, diploma or certificate from a trade school or college program that is accredited by the government instead of the NCCA.

Becoming a certified personal trainer can often be costly, with the exam alone costing anywhere from $50 to $279. More so, if you choose to buy all of the test preparation materials, take a workshop and purchase textbooks, the cost can total upwards of  $800, with even more costs for re-certification.

Here’s the breakdown for our top four picks personal trainer certifications:

*Both NCCA & non-NCCA accredited

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

A NASM personal trainer certification is NCAA-accredited and accepted by most employers and gyms. The exam alone costs $549, but is included in all of the study packages. NASM preparation packages rang from $599 to $799.  The requirement for recertification is every 2 years and costs $700.

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

ACE is also an NCAA-accredited personal trainer certification that is highly recognized within the personal training and sports club industry. The current cost of the PT exam is $219.  In addition to the cost of the exam, ACE study materials range from $150 to $580.  Unique from other agencies, ACE also offers an online study program in addition to their study materials. The requirement for recertification is every 2 years for $400.

National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

NSCA is another highly respected NCAA-accredited personal trainer certification.  Different from other agencies, NSCA is known for their preparation for special-needs populations.  For this reason, their exam is known to be one of the more difficult certifications processes. NSCA exam fees range from $235 to $400 depending on membership type. The requirement for recertification is every 3 years for $500.

International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)

The ISSA is one of the only non-NCAA-accredited personal trainer certification that we’ve discussed, which is also reasonably well recognized within the fitness and sports clubs industry. ISSA certification is ideal for first time trainers seeking part-time or free-lance employment. The program fee is $595, and the course and exam are 100 percent available online. Recertification is required every 2 years for $600.

Building Muscle Mass

For many people, increasing lean muscle mass can be just as difficult a task as loosing weight. When exercise is concerned, proper training style, technique, and form are all crucial components for maximizing muscle growth, body toning and overall results.  Scottsdale, Arizona based celebrity personal trainer Lucas James and nutrition expert and trainer Jason Apfel have created a customized ‘Lean Muscle Mass Fitness Program’ for both men and women looking to increase lean body mass, expand their athletic abilities and augment their physical edge.  We’ve decided to share our insight here with you so you can safely and effectively start on the path towards reaching your peak performance.

Nutritionally speaking, gaining lean muscle mass takes work, aside from getting into the gym.  When trying to increase muscle, protein is king.  It’s important not to eat the wrong type of calories or foods when fueling your body for lean muscle growth.  Make sure to eat foods that will give you energy in the gym as well.  This means complex carbohydrates.  Complex carbs give our bodies the fuel they need in the gym, while protein helps reduce muscle breakdown and promote muscle growth after exercise. You should have one gram of carbohydrate for each half gram of protein eaten an hour before a workout. This combination not only gives you the energy to lift, it also helps repair muscle damage and fully enhances the recovery process following the exercise.  It is ‘essential’ to consume essential amino acids –the building blocks of protein- found in animal products like dairy, meat, eggs, and fish protein.  These versions are much more beneficial for building lean muscle mass than their vegetable-protein counterparts. Remember, since everyone is different, it is important to receive proper nutrition counseling so that you don’t over eat, including protein which can cause detrimental effects on metabolism and body function if not taken in the proper amounts at the right time.

In terms of your training regimen, start by lifting heavier weights.  People often get carried away with performing the same exercises, lifting the same weight, at the same intensity level every time they get to the gym.  The “same” effort will only produce the “same” results.  Performing any one exercise for a prolonged period of time is a waste.  Not only do your muscles get use to the exercise, but your muscle building capabilities plateau as well.  Your body eventually will make all the changes it’s going to make in response to those exercises. To break this pattern and build more muscle mass lift progressively heavier weight with each set.  Repeat 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps max so that your muscles are fatigued on the last rep! With each set increase your weight and decrease the number of reps for each consecutive set.

When lifting be careful not to over exert yourself, as injuries usually occur during mass-building programs. Thoroughly warm up with at least 15 minutes of light cardio exercise and stretching and always have a spotter when using free weights, especially on your max-reps.  Try creating a power circuit to give your muscles a rest in between sets and employ supersets.  For example, if you are working back and shoulders alternate shoulder press with pull-ups so that you engage opposing muscle groups.  Make sure you have a proper exercise split so that you don’t over work specific muscle groups. Your muscles need time to recover, otherwise you continually break-down the muscles you’re trying to build up.

Stay motivated, stay dedicated and eat your spinach!

A Dangerous Diet: Weight Loss & Diet Pills

Nutrition Expert Jason Apfel from Lucas James Celebrity Personal Training in Scottsdale, AZ offers some advice when considering fat-burners and weight-loss pills.

You’ve heard this from us before, but for the sake your wellness and staying consistent, there is no ‘quick-fix’ when your health is concerned.  The same holds true for healthy, sustainable weight-loss.  Keeping this in mind, ninety-nine percent of all sports-nutrition and health products, including supplements, vitamins and fat-burning weight-loss diet pills are all hype and marketing ploys.  Often, these products boast university or private lab studies to validate their efficacy. However, some reported studies never actually take place or use altered results for advertisement purposes. More so, ‘before-and-after’ pictures for success stories are often used for generating increased sales, but the displayed weight-loss is not truly attributable to the actual products.

Due to a lack of market and product regulation for nutraceuticals and fitness supplements the reported testimonials and benefits of use are often glamorize stories or complete fallacies.  Since, dietary supplements and weight-loss aids are not subject to the same rigorous standards as prescription medications, they can be sold with limited proof of effectiveness or safety.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only monitors product safety once a product in on the market, in terms of banning or recalling detrimental or harmful supplements.

So how do these pills supposedly work?  

Calories and fat are burnt through three ways: Firstly, through maintaining normal body function ie. Breathing, heart-rate etc.  Secondly, through exercise or physical work that uses calories as a source of energy, and lastly through maintaining our internal body temperature and burning calories by emitting body heat.  This last method is what ‘nutrition’ companies focus on to promote their latest, greatest miracle pill. Otherwise known as ‘fat-burners’ these products are typically filled with stimulants such as caffeine, that literally increase your resting heart rate to make you sweat in order to burn more calories.  Most burners and weight-loss products are often untested, and contain trace amount of ingredients that are either harmful, or on the flip side helpful for weight-loss but ineffective in the incorporated amounts.

A healthy fat-burning alternative: For the same calorie crushing effect try drinking green tea or coffee.  A daily cup of coffee can rev up your metabolism by 5 to 8 percent—enough to burn 98 to 174 calories.  If you are interested in loosing weight or burning fat more efficiently try eating more protein.  It will help increase your protein synthesis, building more lean muscle which means burning fat more efficiently. Gaining three lbs of  increases metabolism by about 7%., meaning you’ll burn roughly 100 more calories per day. Protein also help to keep you fuller longer.  A recent medical study showed eating 5% more protein leads to consuming 10% fewer calories throughout the day.

The bottom-line: Aside from avoiding possible health problems and side-effects due to weight-loss pills, you still have to ‘diet’ or eat fewer calories than your body burns in order to lose weight while taking these products.  If a product helps you to lose weight initially, once you stop taking it, your weight-loss will return rapidly. If you are considering taking a weight-loss product, make sure to speak with your physician beforehand, especially if you have current health problems or are taking prescription medications.

Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2010; Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2010

Amazing Gluts: Workouts for a Bigger Butt

Working out can be difficult, even with specific goals in mind.   Here are a few tips from the pros for those looking to enhance the glamour muscles we like to refer to as your booty!

Your gluteal muscles or ‘gluts’ comprise what we commonly refer to as your rump, behind, butt, booty…well you get the point! There are three gluteal muscles in total that make up the buttocks; the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus.  The gluteus maximus is the largest muscles of the three and one of the strongest muscles in our bodies.  Structurally speaking, the gluteal maximus inserts at the iliotibial or ‘IT’ band that runs from inside our thigh around the side of the hip to the femur.  The primary action of your gluts helps you move your thigh out to the side of your body, as well as rotate and extend your leg backwards. Since the butt is comprised of more than one muscle, there are a variety of exercises that can help you to strengthen and shape your gluts.

Exercises that use compound movements, or movements that involve accessory leg muscles can help to increase the size, shape, and power of your butt. A few examples of compound exercises include squats, plie squats and lunges, which involve multiple muscle groups including the hamstrings and quadriceps, along with the gluts.

Before starting your exercises, consult with a personal trainer or exercise physiologist who can explain and demonstrate proper form, alignment, and weight. Each of these components are crucial for safe and effective exercise.  One-on-one training accounts for individual fitness and health, which can help individuals to quickly reach their goals.

Always begin with a 10-minute warm up by walking, jogging or running on a treadmill, elliptical or other cardio equipment, as a bike, to increase your heart rate and the blood flow to your muscles.  Remember that when size is your goal, stretching prior to exercise can help increase muscle fiber length and enhance flexibility and range of motion during your workout.  This preliminary warm up will help to decrease your risk of injury!

Here are a few exercises to help firm, tighten and enhance your tooshie!

Squats
Stick your butt out, bending slightly first at the hips (3 – 4 count), then at the knees, going down until your upper leg becomes parallel to the floor. (The idea is to simulate sitting back in a chair.) Your knees are not to extend past your toes. Aim for a 90-degree angle between your thigh and your shin. Do 8 – 12 repetitions per set, depending on your fitness and experience level.

Plie squats
With your legs in a plie-position — legs apart a little wider than your hip width, toes slightly turned out so they are pointing away from your midline, and hands on hips — squat down to no farther than a 90-degree angle, making sure that your knee does not extend past your toes. Unlike the regular squat, you don’t bend forward at the hips, just straight down. Do 8 – 12 repetitions.

Dumbbell Squat

This weight training exercise is going to give your butt a round, firm look. In other words, it helps you develop your gluteal muscles. And by building muscle, you are increasing your metabolic rate, which accordingly gives you the benefit of fat burning. Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat with abs in and knees behind your toes. Squeeze butt to stand up straight. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps. Add weights for more intensity.

Pilates Hip Lift

Lie on your back with your calves resting on a swiss ball. Bend your knees and keep your legs together. Exhale and roll your bottom and lower back off the mat very slowly until your legs are straight and your body is in a straight line.  Inhale and stay in this position for about 5 seconds. Squeeze your butt and the back of your legs.

Exhale and roll back to your starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Static lunges
Stagger your legs, one in front of the other, far enough apart so that your front knee does not go past your toe, forming a 90-degree angle (upper leg parallel to the floor) as you lunge forward. Allow your back knee to bend down to assist in lowering the body; it should approach, but not touch, the floor. The idea is to drop the back knee while the front leg stabilizes the back leg and the body. Switch legs and repeat. Start off doing 8 – 12 lunges per leg. As you advance, you can work up to 20 lunges per leg.

Hamstring curls
This is performed using a machine at the gym. Lying face down, position your body on the machine with your knees just below the edge of the pad and your ankles under the rollers. Knees need to be slightly bent. Press down with your hips as you slowly curl your heels towards your butt. Do 8 – 12 repetitions.

Leg extensions
Using the machine that resembles a chair, place your legs under a pad and lift your legs until they extend to form a straight line. Start with minimal weight, and be careful not to hyperextend your legs out to a straight line. You don’t want your knees to lock. Do 8 – 12 repetitions.

Stair Climb

Walking up the stairs / walking on a treadmill on an incline or up a hill
Walking uphill uses all leg muscles, including the gluts. When walking on a treadmill, pick a speed that you are able to walk on a grade/incline of at least 2 percent; gradually work your way up in grade as your fitness level increases. For walking up stairs, similar to stairs at a stadium, use long strides, allowing your lower body to do the work while your upper body acts as a stabilizer; keep your abs tight and pump your arms. When walking down stairs, be careful not to allow all of your body weight to come down at once; this incorporates your lower body as well and protects your knees.

Biking

Biking is an incredible cardio workout for your heart and targets almost every muscle in your hips, thighs and booty. Pedaling and balancing during side-to-side weight shifts demand a lot of work from your gluts. Your butt, in short, is the main source of your cycling power. Biking, therefore, initiates strenuous movements that can tone up your butt much faster than all of the above exercises combined.