High-intensity interval training, is a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. Not only does this require no equipment, but this type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time. 

Stetson turned 5 a couple weeks ago (I know this post is pretty late) but I guess I just needed the time to process this milestone. I’m not sure how this happened so quick because it feels like yesterday that I was just holding him for the first time. 

Stetson counted down the days this year for his birthday this year. He was adamant on having a Spider man themed birthday party-For the second year in a row. It didn’t help when the cartoon spider man 3 came out. He always loved the concept that spider man could shoot webs, crawl on walls, and fight off the bad guys. Somehow it’s become a part of our morning movie routine instead of cartoons. 

Here are some of the themes we have done in the past:

• First birthday: Dinosaurs 
• Second birthday: Cars
• Third birthday: sports theme
• Fourth birthday: Spiderman

As I started planning for his party, I realized how easy it is to make fun snacks and spider man themed food. For treats I created spider man candy apples, fruit, and spider man rice krispie treats. Stetson requested cheeseburgers as well for the main meal. Cheeseburgers… delicious. Why are they just to- die for? Even when I’m trying to eat lighter I still won’t reject a perfectly good cheeseburger because there are so many ways to turn it into a healthy option! Buying  98% lean ground beef, turkey patties, and even substituting the bun for a lettuce wrap is a great idea. It can still be a flavorful burger topped with cheese, tomato, and a mouth-watering spread is always a winning combo. 

Life is so precious. It’s crazy to me how time goes by in a blink of an eye. We hear everyone say this but when you have children it takes on a whole other meaning. Its funny how when we were younger time felt as though it couldn’t pass fast enough. Moms, when times are tough and the days feel long please remember that years are so, so short. We often feel like we need to be perfect but we must realize that we need to simply do our best and all that we are is exactly what our children need. I had absolutely no idea what ways motherhood would change me. Especially after having stetson at such a young age. I owe so much of who I am today because of my son. I can truly say that my life did not really begin till I had this little boy. I am grateful for the day to day lessons he taught me through my efforts to teach him.

Building your core muscles

Despite numerous advertisements that claim things like “one simple trick to lose belly fat,” there is no short cut to reducing your waistline. As a personal training consultant I hear more often than not from clients that all they want is a solid 6 pack. I have to remind people that you can’t lose belly fat by only exercising abdominal muscles. To lose fat anywhere on your body you need a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training, and most importantly a healthy diet. All movement and forms of exercise may burn calories helping with weight loss, however if washboard abs are your holy grail, I think it’s far more important to consider incorporating core exercises for a well-rounded workout.

Why strengthen you core?

• Core exercises improve your balance and stability

Core exercises train the muscles in your lower back, hips, pelvis, butt, and abdomen to work smooth and simultaneously. When all these muscles work together in harmony it leads to better balance and stability. Having stability increases performance in sports, lifting, and even simple daily activities.

• Core exercises prevent injury

Developing a stronger core will help support your spine and prevent lower back injuries, sprains, or muscle spasms. Studies have shown that most back injuries taking place while working out, are often a result of having weak core muscles. As a result, people may even harm other parts of their body like their shoulders, hips, and knees. Athletes, especially runners, who have weak core muscles will have more fatigue, less endurance, and are more susceptible to injuries.

• Core exercises can help tone your abs

If you are striving for more defined abs, core exercises will do the trick. Although it takes aerobic activity to burn abdominal fat, core exercises can strengthen and tone the underlying muscles.

• A strong core can keep you from being able to complete or continue an exercise-even in movement not primarily working your abs

Some things I look for while training a client: During his or her push-ups are there hips dipping down? Are their lower back arching and stomach touching the ground first? With an overhead press, does their lower back arch and ribs pop forward to help with getting the weight up? Or deadlift, does their back ache or are they forced to either hunch forward or extend (arch) their back? For any of these instances it’s likely they have weak abs.

What is a core exercise?

Any exercise that involves using your belly or back muscles in harmonized fashion counts as a core exercise. So for example, if you’re using free weights while maintaining a stable foundation, it can train and strengthen several of your muscles, including these core muscles.

• Core exercises don’t require gym memberships

People may perform several specific core exercises to stabilize and strengthen their core without the use of a gym membership. Some exercises include planks, sit-ups and fitness ball exercises.

Whether you’re taking your first steps to healthy fitness goals or a fitness fanatic, it’s important to stay committed to a well-rounded fitness program. I encourage you to remember the next time we find ourselves counting our six pack in the mirrors, It’s everything underneath that really counts.

Any type of body movement that works your muscles delivers a whole lot of benefits. Thanks to endorphins we can even feel not only physically but mentally better afterwards. Following your exercise poses the question- Are you self sabotaging your fitness goals? There’s a lot of conflicting workout advice so it may become confusing with the do’s and don’ts. I have heard all types of things but here are a few common ways you will  find your errors. 

Supplements vs. nutrients

Although supplements are beneficial, it’s important to remember these are called “supplements” for a reason. They should add, never replace real food. Food scientists have proven that there are something called trace elements that are part of natural foods which aren’t contained in supplements.They simply can’t replicate the wide array of  nutrients of real foods and the fiber and other vitamins they contain. As a result of a fast paced lifestyle, people are eating and consuming more fast food because it’s only more convenient. The supplement industry has capitalized this on-the-go lifestyle and have given the illusion there is a quick guide to weight loss. Its safe to say that anything with the words “quick” means you should RUN! As women we are constantly bombarded with false information and body images that are most likely unreachable. There is no magic pill, tea, cream or fix on this great earth. The simple truth is that if you want results it takes effort and consistency. 

Water Vs. Gatorade or Sports Drinks

Serious sports drink companies  such as Gatorade, Powerade, Kool Aid, ect . hype their product into our market so we drink their sports drinks to rehdytrare before or after physical activities. Not only are these drinks stacked full of sugar, but about two-thirds the amount of sugar in soft drinks. You should be consistently rehydrating with water and making sure that you’re drinking about 2 liters or more a day. Water aids in flushing out toxins as well as burning fat leading to more muscle mass.  

Overestimating calories burnt Vs. Actual amount

People easily undo the hard work at the gym by having a giant unhealthy meal after. Exercising does not magically speed up your metabolism. No matter what body type or size you are, it’s crucial for your overall health to truly know the amount of calories you’ve burned. You cannot just guess. If your primary goal it to try to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit by burning more than you consume. This means that even if you’re making healthy food choices, consuming too much will prevent you losing weight. On the contrary, if you’re not eating enough it will slow down your metabolism and you will lose muscle mass. 

These are just a few of the most common errors I find when it comes to post workout mistakes. In addition to these top four errors, I think Its important to note some additional things to consider prior to our exercise routine. Try eating 25 grams of protein in your 30-40 min after your workout. Getting an adequate amount of protein will help promote tissue growth and repair. This will help build lean muscle mass and even keep you full longer.

What Are Macros?

Macros (short for macro nutrients) may sound like an intense diet lingo used by major body builders or nutritionists, but it’s actually a lot less complicated. Macro nutrients are the nutrients in our food that deliver the most energy and are required in the largest amounts.The different macro nutrients are carbohydrates (carbs), proteins, and fats. Everything aside, such as vitamins and minerals, are categorized as micro nutrients that provide smaller energy, and are only required in small amounts. As its name would suggest, macro diets focus on the three macro nutrients and how to utilize them to get the results we are after.

-Carbohydrates (4 calories per gram)

Carbs are a macronutrient required and when broken down provide the largest source of energy to fuel daily activity. Carbs provide energy, regulate blood sugar, and remove toxins through waste. They can be broken down into two groups- complex and simple. Complex carbs are in fruits, veggies, oats, potatoes and whole grains while simple carbs are basically sugars that break down very quickly.

-Proteins (4 calories per gram)

Protein is broken down into amino acids that help to then produce new protein enzymes. This helps with the growth and repair of muscle tissue, immune function, and energy to muscle.

-Fats ( 9 calories per gram)

Not all fats are bad. Some are required for certain human functions, and if healthy can aid in weight loss. Fats help supply the body with fatty acids, such as omega-3 acids (used to promote heart health), Absorb vitamins and minerals, and regulate hormones that control blood pressure. The three basic types of fat are saturated fats common in animal products like meat, milk and poultry. Second, unsaturated Fats which are in plants, vegetable oil, nuts and seeds. Unsaturated fat are your healthy fats that helps lower heart disease and promote blood flow. Third is Trans-fat, known as the bad fat, which is found in processed foods

The Macro Diet

Living a macro counting lifestyle can benefit anyone really, not just the extreme. On a surface level, this diet provides a deeper understanding of nutrients and calories that make up our food and how they affect the body. In retrospect, the 100 calories in a piece of chocolate is quite different than counting 100 calories in a piece fruit. This helps make informed decisions about food choices. They may not even require any dramatic or far-reaching lifestyle changes, as they are customizable to any dietary preference, body type, or other goal. This is different from other diets because it’s not a one size fits all approach. Everyone starts with a target macro ratio based on their basal metabolic rate(the amount of calories your body burns at a resting state). For example, in order to lose weight someone might have their daily macros set to 30 percent carbohydrates, 45 percent protein, and 25 percent fat. Providing your body, the correct amount of protein, carbs, and fats, will help you reach the desired goals and learn the art of manipulating macros to your greatest benefit.

Growing up I enjoyed playing sports. I was no rookie when it came to psychical activity. However, going to the gym and having fundamental knowledge of nutrition was a whole other ball game. Eventually eating fast food and putting whatever cravings I had into my body caught up with me. I became extremely overweight and even began to feel physically sick. Without a doubt it affected my athletic performance and self esteem. During this time I had an extremely busy schedule and was rarely home to prepare myself dinner. This was my ultimate excuse to grab quick unhealthy options.

At the time I didn’t even notice that I was carrying an extra 25lbs. The weight slowly kept coming until I saw my self in a swimming suit picture. Then and there I developed a great desire to change. I decided to try something different than I had before. I stumbled upon Macro Counting also known as flexible dieting. A key component to staying true to this diet was to plan ahead of time. Trying to put a meal together at the last minute only raised the possibility that I would fall back into old habits. I was not going to let that happen. I kept a food log  in the early stages of counting macros which helped me make smart choices. I began keeping track of my overall calories and protein amounts but allowed my carbohydrates and fats I consume to vary each day. I found it was possible to eat the things I wanted if I fit it into my macros. It was the ultimate way to give my body the nutrients in needed. Our bodies need a certain amount of carbs, fats, and protein to maintain or lose weight, when we deprive ourselves of thee things it makes the process that much harder.

A strict regimen of daily exercise after having my son helped me begin to not only look but feel healthier. I realized that there was no such thing as instant gratification, it is a process that would take patience and time. I was able to enjoy the process, and because of that I developed a love and desire for fitness. I also developed a desire to help others. I want to note that exercise was not what got me into shape, it was eating properly. No amount of cardio or time in the gym will help improve your health if you have unhealthy eating habits to begin with. Once I figured this out, my busy schedule was no longer an excuse. Making quick home-made meals in advance was a simple solution and the exercise only sped up that process. It was easy too! While maintaining a sustainable meal plan, I performed specific exercises that helped speed up my metabolism and recovering postpartum body. I chose to document my journey and soon enough I began to help influence women who were struggling like I was. My Solid body program will spark a change and motivation in your life. Don’t miss out!

https://newsroom.heart.org/news/yo-yo-dieting-may-increase-womens-heart-disease-risk

A lot of mothers ask me time to time about abdominal separation post baby. This gap between your tummy muscles is known as Diastasis Recti or DA. This is a medical issue that must be addressed depending on the level of severity. The best workouts to heal this are

1. Lay on your back on the floor with your knees bent, bottoms of your feet flat on the ground.

2. Place one hand on your abdomen with the tips of your fingers across your belly button.

3. Now, place your fingertips on your stomach, along the “imaginary line” that separates the two halves of your abdominal muscles. (make sure your belly is relaxed and not flexed)

4. Next, you are going to complete a crunch movement, curling your upper body towards your knees (make sure your back is level on the ground).

5. Move the tips of your fingers along the separation line and feel for any gaps in between the two halves of your abdominal muscles.

*If you experience a gap in between your abdominal muscles of 2 to 2 1/2 finger widths, then you have Diastasis Recti. Anything under two finger widths is usually considered mild and should heal on its own.