All Entries Tagged With: "scottsdale personal trainer"

Scottsdale Personal Trainer Shares His Secrets on How to Lose Weight Fast

Lucas James, Scottsdale weight loss expert and celebrity personal  trainer and I will share with you my tips to achieve weight loss goals the healthy way.

Quick weight loss isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible either. Everyone loses weight at their own pace, but it is important to keep your eyes on the goal and not fall into the trap of fad diets. These might leave you thinner for a while, but you will also be much less healthier than ever before and more susceptible to gaining it all back.

Eat Healthy

Nothing is more important than a healthy meal diet plan that limits starches and sugars. Cutting out sugars and starches from your diet leads to quick weight loss. But don’t get fooled by the initial rapid weight loss, as in the start the body isn’t losing any fat; most of the weight lost is just the water and fluids leaving the body. Our resident Scottsdale Nutrition Expert says that real weight loss happens with long-term dedication to diet and exercise.

Reducing starches, salt and sugars can help you lose fluids resulting in a weight loss of up to 5 pounds in the first week alone. It is recommended that you also include fruits, vegetables, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry, fish and at least 95% lean meat into your diet to reap the benefits of a healthier, thinner lifestyle.

Vegetables are important because in addition to providing essential nutrients, these also keep you fuller for longer. Give up the habit of grazing when standing in front of the refrigerator; this is where bad eating habits begin. Same goes for eating in front of a television. Instead, get a plate, decide on portions and eat whilst being seated properly at the table.

Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated for the long bouts of exercises that are soon to come and also to get full in between meals. Many people can’t differentiate between thirst and hunger and start eating every time they should be drinking water. So keep a bottle of water handy every time you feel like eating something and only eat when it is time to eat. Also make sure to stay away from sugar and caffeinated drinks.

If you suspect that you are an emotional eater, get a food diary to write down what you ate every time you eat. It also helps to write down what you were feeling when you decided it was time to eat something.

Get a hobby! Most people eat because there is nothing better to do. And if weight loss is your number one priority, then skipping meals shouldn’t be on your agenda. Eat nice, big meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner and snack in between religiously. But remember to keep it healthy.

Fish, poultry and lean meats come together to make extremely healthy, protein heavy meals. High protein diets can help you lose weight the fast and healthy way. Combine a high protein diet with an exhilarating exercise regimen to lose weigh fast.

Cardio exercises

I also suggest that you find the best personal trainer to help you through full body workouts that aim to burn at least 500 calories in an hour. If you can burn 500 more calories than you eat everyday for seven days straight, you will witness a weight loss of about 2 pounds or more per week. Yes, it’s hard work!

Cardio and strength training experts should become your best friends. Weight loss Phoenix experts suggest cardio as the most effective exercise to lose weight. It burns the highest number of calories and is perfect for those aspiring to lose weight. But to top it off, it would be best to conclude your exercise sessions with a bit of strength training. Or you can opt to alternate between the two throughout multiple workouts if you can’t combine both into one session.

Remember, if you are already suffering from chronic obesity, it is best to consult your doctor before getting into any exercise program. They can assess whether you are fit to take on a certain amount of exertion and stress to get you ready for the workout.

Importance of Sleep

According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleeping for less than 7 hours results in an increased risk of becoming obese and diabetic. So keep your sleeping habits in check if you want to lose weight quickly and effectively.

Be Consistent In Eating Healthy and Exercising

Though you should exercise more, be sure to pace yourself and make sure to exercise responsibly to avoid injury.  Losing weight requires close to an hour a day of moderate exercise, one study shows.

Lucas James, Celebrity Personal Trainer, Shares Tips On How to Remedy Low Testosterone in Men Naturally

According to our resident Scottsdale Personal Training guru, Lucas James, low testosterone is not just an old man’s problem. In recent years, men in their 30’s and 40’s are also reporting low testosterone counts to their doctors. But many don’t get that something is wrong until they have to see a doctor about erectile dysfunction.

Normally testosterone in bloodstream is somewhere between 300 and 1000 ng/dl. But, testosterone levels start to wane with progressing age. By the time a man hits 40, he has started experiencing brittle bones and muscle loss leading to impotence by age 60. That is if he gets to live that long, as low testosterone levels in blood have been known to cause heart attacks and other fatal problems. This slow and fatal decrease in testosterone in a man’s body is called hypogonadism, and may be caused from a long list of things including prescription drugs, a pituitary gland disorder and testicular injury etc.

Research shows that men over the age of 45, suffering from low testosterone levels, are more susceptible to suffering from obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure than others with normal testosterone levels. Although there is no indication that hypogonadism causes these conditions, in fact, the causality may be the other way round. But the fact remains that men suffering poor health are also prone to develop low testosterone levels.

Our Scottsdale personal trainer shares the following tips to safeguard from low testosterone levels and how to raise those using safe and completely natural methods.

Best Exercises

Lucas James, Celebrity Personal Trainer, suggests that it’s best to stick with the tough exercises. Studies support this advice as there is evidence that squats, bench pressing and back rows are far more effective for increasing testosterone. And even though it may seem that you are actually using the same amount of effort when doing bicep curls and triceps push downs, these exercises aren’t nearly as beneficial as the ones mentioned above.

It is also important to squeeze out at least five repetitions per set. According to a European study, the best workload to increase testosterone is started by using a weight that is heavy enough to be lifted five times only. Or you can stop by the best facilities for personal training for all the pointers.

It is also recommended that do a minimum of three sets of each weight-lifting movement to get the full benefits for your testosterone levels. According to a research conducted at Penn State University, doing at least three sets of each exercise results in greater testosterone level increases than doing just one or two sets.

It is also imperative to get complete rest; doctors recommend at least a minutes rest between sets. So you can regain your strength and continue lifting for maximum benefit.

Healthy Food

If you feel the need for midnight snacks then nuts should be your number one choice. AZ fitness lovers should know that men who eat diets rich in monounsaturated fat have the highest levels of testosterone according to a study. Monounsaturated fat can be found in peanuts, olive oil, canola oil, and peanut butter. Scientists aren’t sure why monounsaturated fat has such an amazing effect on testes, but it does.

Next, make sure to eat a healthy, balanced diet if you want to maximize your testosterone levels. A healthy meal plan is important and can do a body a lot of good when combined with lots of exercise and the right attitude.

Zinc is also shown to affect testosterone levels positively. So consult a doctor and get multivitamins that contain Zinc along with Vitamin B6 and Magnesium to aid in Zinc absorption. These minerals can greatly aid in raising testosterone levels.

Other Healthy or Natural Ways to Raise It

Testosterone is affected by lifestyle decisions. So make some basic modifications to your life such as reducing alcohol. Normal healthy men can experience a 30% drop in their testosterone levels when consuming personally reasonable levels of alcohol.  So for those of us already running low on testosterone, indulging in even acceptable levels of alcohol is a big no-no. Chronic alcoholics can have their testosterone levels reduced by up to 50% resulting in the loss of facial hair, impotency and increased fat deposits in the chest area.

It is also important for men to build muscle mass that is healthy and natural. Keep a tab on your sleeping patterns as a reduction in sleep can have a huge impact on testosterone. Keep your bedroom cooler than the rest of the house. Always use the bathroom before going to bed and don’t sleep in tight pants or on your stomach.

Follow these simple rules for a better, happier, healthier lifestyle.

Sources:

Men’s Low Testosterone

Low Testosterone Cure

Male Testosterone Problems

How to Increase Men’s Testosterone Naturally

Women’s Fitness & Nutrition Program

No, you don’t have to go on crazy diets, pop pills or starve yourself to get in shape. Those methods don’t work, and the temporary results they deliver come at the price of your health; bad idea. Instead, what you need is a solution that balances exercise and nutrition, delivering the best fitness and health that your body can get. This is exactly what our Women’s Fitness and Nutrition program delivers.

You can tone your muscles, slim your waist or enhance your butt all through the well thought-out Women’s Fitness & Nutrition plan. It’s a complete fitness solution that combines custom workout plan, healthy diet meal plan and private training.

The Ultimate Weight Loss & Fitness Solution

Slimming down is not just for looking saucy, but for being healthy as well. Every inch you lose through our fitness program is a step towards a leaner, healthier body. So you can get your curves while avoiding the pitfalls of unhealthy weight loss methods. Lucas James shows you how it’s not too difficult to achieve your weight loss goals. As you follow the program, you will understand what you are doing and why. Your robust health will shine through your personality, making you even more magnetic and charming.

Higher self-esteem is one of the most awesome things that you will experience as a result of the fitness and nutrition plan. A more beautiful, well-toned and eye-catching body will make you proud more times than you can count. Whether it’s the viewing pleasure of your mate or the countless compliments you will receive, there are numerous reasons why this is the Scottsdale fitness solution.

The workout plan, customized for your needs, is a simple sheet that you can follow for the duration of the program. Our private training makes it very easy to focus and stay on track. As the plan is personalized, you can see why it will work for you. This belief is an excellent motivator and works wonders for you as you workout.

Healthy Diet Meal Plan

Avoiding all the “a moment on your lips, forever on your hips” food items can be more difficult than you think. The good news is that you don’t have to. A professional nutritionist will draw up a customized meal plan that will keep you on the right foods without turning off your appetite.

With 30+ pages it’s an extensive document, but it doesn’t put you to sleep. The meal plan includes all of the most relevant diet information you need. That YOU need. Fully customized for your stats & measurements and of course your goal, the plan is designed for your health.

It even accounts for your weaknesses. So if for instance you have a tendency to overeat at dinner, skip breakfast or being too tired for exercising after work, our expert nutritionist will create the meal plan accordingly. Furthermore, the plan will complement your workout routine.

Private Training Now, Public Impress Later…

All of the benefits of personal training are packed into our Women’s Fitness & Nutrition plan. The private training will keep you moving towards your goals swiftly and steadily. The privacy also means you don’t have to primp and just go!

You can also overcome a variety of problems such as emotional eating or menopause-related issues. Resorting to pills or other medication is often not the best way to solve many health problems. We help you resolve such issues through the combination of exercise and nutrition, educating you throughout the process. We will also guide you for yoga and Pilates if required.

A lot of exceptional qualities make Lucas James the best fitness trainer in Phoenix. You will observe and appreciate how genuinely interested he is in helping you lose weight, tone your muscles or whatever fitness goals you enter the program with.

Five Star Rating

Lucas James is a “Five Star” rated celebrity personal trainer, an honor he owes to his exceptional knowledge in and passion for women’s fitness & nutrition. He complements this by using versatile training methodology that is tailored for your needs and goals. This personality-fitting approach is rare among fitness trainers, making Lucas James the best choice.

Dependability

Lucas James’ remarkable dependability helps you accomplish challenging goals such as losing 30lbs or enhancing your curves in so and so time. The reliable, communicative and honest relationship you form with him through the fitness and nutrition plan will help you achieve bold fitness objectives that make you more beautiful.

Superior Personalization

The success of fitness programs depends most on how relevant it is for you and your unique needs. Our expert workout trainer and professional nutritionist work together under Lucas James to create highly personalized for you. Your needs, strengths, weaknesses and goals are the foundation of the fitness regimen.

Even after your program is completed, you can easily continue to lead a much healthier life and maintain your rousing body thanks to the counseling that is central to Lucas James’ programs. He has helped countless women be prouder of their bodies and more confident of their health and can do the same for you. Try our women’s weight loss program today!

Create a NEW Healthy Lifestyle Today!

Are you stressed out, gained weight or lost motivation to be healthy? Has work overtaken you and has your health, sleep, and stress got worse? Make a change for yourself. Start a new healthy lifestyle with me by creating an enjoyable balance between living healthy, work, family, and friends. All I need from you is commitment and consistency.

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.

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.

Proper Diet & Exercise for Building Lean Muscle

It’s important to remember that there are no shortcuts when your health is concerned.  The same goes for gaining lean muscle mass or ‘bulking up’.  Here’s some insight and advice from celebrity personal trainer Lucas James and nutrition expert and trainer Jason Apfel on maximizing workouts for those looking to build lean muscle and augment their strength and power.

During the first few weeks of any new training regimen, gains in strength and endurance develop quickly as your body begins to recruit new muscle fibers and acclimates to an increase in physical activity.  At first, muscle mass does not increase as quickly as its size does. This is primarily due to an increase in metabolism, which helps your muscles burn fat more efficiently giving them a more defined appearance.  An increase in water uptake by your muscles enhances their apparent size and aids blood flow and nutrient transport to the muscle tissue giving you a ‘pumped’ feeling. Adequate hydration is essential to proper health and building muscle. It is important to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water, or about 70 oz daily as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

While your strength and endurance improve you eventually set the groundwork for incorporating increased resistance and heavier weight with more dynamic exercises and movements that aid in building actual mass and lean muscle weight.

Even if you are focused on building your upper-body musculature, it is crucial to incorporate legs into a well-rounded routine at least once a week.  Performing lunges, squats, and other exercises that work your quads, hamstrings and gluts prompt an increase in muscle building potential.  This is because the muscle groups of the legs are the largest muscles in your body.  As you exercise these large muscles they produce increased levels of testosterone and other natural hormones that are beneficial to building muscle and burning fat.

It is also important to be sure that resistance levels, or the weight used, and the number of repetitions you do are high enough to fatigue the muscle and maximize your potential for growth.  When lean muscle growth and muscle mass is concerned, it is recommended to perform three to four sets of 8 to 12 reps for each exercise.  Aside incorporating the right exercises and using the proper weight, working out the right way is best.  When trying to build muscle mass, it is crucial to work out efficiently.  This means, giving yourself ample time in between sets to allow your muscles to rest, as well focusing on isolating the right muscles and focusing on perfect form.

Make sure to create daily splits throughout the week that alternate the working muscle groups. Weight training creates tiny micro tears in muscles, which repair and rebuild during periods of rest.  If you neglect to let your muscles repair by continually working the same muscles every day, the muscle will start to breakdown instead of buildup.  More importantly serious injury can result if muscles are not allowed adequate time to repair.

In term of your diet, muscle building requires a careful balance of carbohydrates, fats, and protein as well as plenty of vitamins and minerals.   It is important to note that the best source for all of these nutrients is from natural foods rather than supplements or food products.  Aim for healthy carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while avoiding simple sugars that can cause a spike in insulin levels and inhibit growth hormones that prompt muscle growth.  Make sure to shoot for ½ -1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight and opt for five to six small, balanced meals every day.

2012 Thanksgiving Day Healthy Eating Tips

Thanksgiving Day 2012 is approaching this week and for eating healthy this Thanksgiving here are some tips to help with over eating and weight gain. Thanksgiving dinner is generally a time when friends and family indulge over delicious Thanksgiving turkey, apple pie, wine, stuffing, mashed potatoes and many other favorite foods and recipes. Keep in mind that it’s ok to indulge over these tasty foods, but it’s important to be able to control your portion sizes. Overeating is generally the number one problem that people have during Thanksgiving day dinner.

- Don’t skip breakfast. Eat a regular breakfast that includes dairy, carbohydrates, and sugars. For example, oatmeal with bluberries, four egg whites, low fat yogurt, coffee and a 8 ounce glass of orange juice.  First off all, remember to eat breakfast. Generally,  people tend to skip breakfast and even lunch so they can indulge in the annual Thanksgiving dinner.

- Start the dinner with a side salad. If there’s a salad available, eat it prior to the main course! A salad will help you out with your portion control and keep you on track for the rest of the meal. Remember to use light dressing and avoid heavy cheese and croutons.

- Drink a full glass of water or beverage after salad. Often at times people forget to drink liquids while eating special meals, such as Thanksgiving. Drinking liquids throughout the meals well help break down the food digested and help suppress your appetite.

- Stick to White Meat. 8 oz portion and the white meat has 368 calories and 8 grams of fat while the dark has 400 calories and 16 grams of fat.

- Gravy Train Will Wreck You. Limit your gravy servings to one or none your Thanksgiving dinner.

- Alcohol. Wine, beer and liqouer will add calories and sugars quick. Avoid excess amount of drinks and avoid fruity drinks.

- Bread and Buns Equal Tons of Rolls. Thanksgiving dinner rolls can be a life changing experience, literally. Eat your  dinner roll at the end of the meal and stay clear of dosing large amounts of butter on those buns, rolls and bread.

- Veggie Out! Veggies can be your life saver. Make sure they’re on 1/3 of your plate and avoid the cream and butter soaked vegetables.

- Instant Stuffing – Quick and healthy.

- Replace up to half the fat in baked goods with apple sauce or pureed prunes. For corn bread, use pureed sweet potatoes to replace some of the fat. Check the baby food aisle for purees. Or try ripe, well-mashed bananas in place of some of the fat.

- Replace cream or whole milk with evaporated skim milk, especially in mashed potatoes and cream soups. Make a lower fat, yet very flavorful turkey by slipping herbs or poultry seasoning under the skin and basting with nonfat chicken stock rather than butter.
Make twice-baked potatoes with nonfat ricotta cheese mixed and top with part-skim shredded cheese.

- Use whole grain bread rather than white bread for the stuffing. Try whole-wheat flour in your baking recipes (start with replacing a quarter of the regular flour and experiment with what works best for that particular recipe).

- Make low-fat roasted vegetables by spraying with a little bit of olive oil (rather than pouring it on), and sprinkling with dried thyme, salt & pepper.
When you’re mixing in ingredients such as sour cream or ricotta cheese, you can easily use the low-fat versions and no one will know the difference.
Cook your vegetables and grains in low-salt vegetable or chicken broth rather than butter. You’ll add lots of low-fat flavor.

- Butter. If you want to add butter to a recipe, add a small amount just before serving. It’ll be the first thing you taste and smell, so a little will have a big impact.

Lucas James is the top rated celebrity personal trainer in Arizona. James specializes in helping men and women achieve weight loss through 1-on-1 private personal training, custom meal plans, and the best fitness programs and routines!

Scottsdale Personal Trainer

The BEST Scottsdale Personal Fitness Trainer 

Choosing Lucas James for your Scottsdale Personal Trainer will be of the best choices you could ever make! Lucas James is the best Scottsdale personal trainer because he works with each client on a one-to-one basis and provides all the support, motivation and education to make sure that you reach all of your health and fitness goals! Lucas James provides each personal training client with a custom meal plan with a variety daily food options to make it easy to transition to your everyday healthy lifestyle. He also recommends vitamins and supplements to help you with your skin, energy, and many other great health benefits. Clients receive one-hour personal training sessions with Lucas James, and they will also get a custom workout plan and cardio fitness program to do on their own to help improve results and to develop a consistent exercise routine. Lucas James is one of the top Scottsdale personal trainers in Arizona and has been recommended and reviewed as a “5-Star Rated” celebrity personal trainer in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Personal Training Services Offered in Scottsdale, AZ

One-on-One Personal Training | 1-on-1 Personal Trainer

Get the experience of working with Lucas James with 1-on-1 personal training sessions. Don’t worry about having to wait for machines or others during the workout. Each personal training session provides a unique experience with Lucas James giving each client full attention without having to deal with overcrowded gyms.

Mobile Personal Training | Mobile Personal Trainer

Lucas James specializes in mobile fitness training in Scottsdale to accommodate you and your lifestyle.  Lucas will travel to your preferred location which could be your office, home, condo, house, gym, park, school, fitness center, community center, community gym, or any other location. Each personal training session Lucas James will bring his own fitness equipment to make sure you’re getting all the benefits of a great workout in Scottsdale, AZ.

In-Home Personal Training | In-Home Personal Trainer

Are you sick of going to crowded gyms and don’t want to be seen working out? Well, Lucas James can travel you house, condo, townhome, duplex, trailer, or community and can give you a personal training session right there. Fitness equipment is also brought to your home as another added benefit!

Office Gym Personal Training | Office Gym Personal Trainer (Executive or Corporate Personal Training)

Do you work in an office building that has a gym already in it? If so, Lucas James can travel to your office gym and provide you will personal training just like if you were at a large gym or health club. He can also show you different routines and exercises, provide you with custom programs, teach you how to use the machine and most importantly help you achieve your health and fitness goals! If you have a busy work schedule and never have time to workout this is a great service to hold you accountable to show up and to give you motivation!

Gym & Studio Personal Training | Gym & Studio Personal Trainer

Lucas James has gym and private studio locations in Scottsdale to provide a close location for your conveince

Fitness Equipment & Training Equipment

“It’s not the equipment that get’s you in shape, it’s how hard you push yourself.” – Lucas James

Equipment is a very important part of the personal training fitness program. All of the equipment Lucas James uses is top of the line and is gauranted to help you produce long term results and keep you safe from injury.  Each fitness program is designed to use different training equipment, which is based on the level of experience, flexibility, injury, medical condition and physical condition. The following equipment is used for a variety of fitness programs, fitness routines, and fitness exercises for weight lifting.

Dumbbells, Barbells, Cardio Machines, Medicine Balls, Rubber Bands, Step Machine, Stationary Bike, Elliptical Machine, Spin Bike, Swiss Ball, Squat Machine, Flat Bench, Incline Bench, Decline Bench, Kettle Bell, Shoulder Press, Smith Machine, Leg Press, Hack Squat, Cables, Leg Extension Machine, Leg Curl Machine, Stair Stepper, Hip Abductor, Chin Up Machine, Pull Up Machine, Lat Pull Down Machine, W Bar, Straight Bar, Seated Leg Curl, Yoga Mat

Scottsdale Zip Codes for Personal Fitness Training | Personal Trainer

85250  85251  85252  85254  85255  85256  85257  85259  85260  85261  85262  85266  85267  85271

Scottsdale Neighborhoods | Scottsdale Communities | Scottsdale Neighbors | Scottsdale Associations

Offering In-Home Personal Training, Home Gym Personal Training, Condo Personal Personal Training in the following areas: