Post Tagged with: "sandra ferrerio"

In addition to looking HOT in a pair of jeans, shorts, or that sexy swimsuit in the back of your summer drawer, your glutes and thighs make up some of  the larger muscles groups in your body. That means these muscles burn a ton of calories both during activity and at rest! Strong, flexible buttocks and leg muscles protect the back and knees from injury and can help rehabilitate existing injuries.

The subgluteal ridge, where your buttocks meet the back of your leg or hamstring muscle is an area many women struggle to keep toned and tight, especially with today’s sedentary lifestyles. Women are generally hardwired to store higher levels of body fat than men store. Our hormonal and genetic make-up make this adipose tissue (fat cells) stubborn and difficult to lose. By using the most recent scientific data to our advantage, we can dispel the myths of the weight loss world and get down to the business of burning fat faster!

In order to really sculpt and tone the lower body, a diversity of exercises must be performed. The following moves are some of my favorites for targeting this hard-to-tone area of the body—because they work! This routine MUST be combined with cardiovascular activity and proper diet in order to see the results you truly desire. Only then will you see the sculpted, lean muscle revealed in true form. Combine this lower-body routine along with 4-6 days per week of aerobic activity for best results. A minimum of 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular activity is necessary to achieve truly amazing results. This can be performed in any of our motivating, high-energy cardio classes,  on our treadmills, elliptical, or bikes, or even outdoors. Be sure to up your post-workout burn (or EPOC – exercise post-oxygen consumption), by making 2 to 3 of those cardio sessions high intensity interval training (HIIT). One of my personal favorites is sprints on the treadmill followed by brisk walking intervals. Try alternating high and moderate intensity drills on any piece of cardio equipment, or hit the running track! Aim for a 1 to 2 ratio. For example, sprint for 1 minute, then walk briskly or jog lightly for 2 minutes.

Toning and tightening the thighs safely requires that you pay special attention to your knees. The knee is a very sensitive area of your body. It is easily injured due to its nature. However, if you wish to attain a firm, tight hip and thigh area, you must engage in the flexing and extension of this joint.

Avoid excessive rotating or twisting movements that may strain the tendons, ligaments, or other vulnerable tissue in the knee area. This patella region (knee area) includes the ACL and PCL. The meniscus has two parts: lateral and medial. Torn menisci or torn ligaments are unfortunate injuries, often requiring surgery. Again, knee safety is imperative when toning the thighs.

Below are four exercises you can do to tone and tighten your thighs. You can try these moves with your trainer or on your own. First, a few words of caution. The old adage goes, “Doctor, it hurts when I do this,” and the doctor responds,”Then don’t do this.” If you have a existing injury, please consult with your doctor before engaging in any formal fitness routine.

Question, from our blog comments:

I just enrolled in the Lucille Roberts gym, and I really want to lose a lot of weight but am confused. I’m 16 years old, and I weight 203 pounds. All my life I’ve tried to tell my mom to put me in a gym…I wasn’t active, my metabolism got really low, and I always feel tired or hungry. I’ve become low in self-esteem, more anti-social, and my clothes are starting getting smaller.

When I went to the Lucille Roberts orientation, they talked about the shake supplement but really didn’t explain it that much. Does the shake help you loose weight faster? What are specific things that I should and shouldn’t eat? What are the best meals to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

Thank you for your time,

–Ludly

Answer, from Lucille Roberts trainer Sandra Ferrerio:

Ludley, I am so happy that you have chosen Lucille Roberts as the place to help you change your life! This is a special place. Here you will be comfortable exercising, learning how to fuel your body with nutritious foods, and working toward your goal. Weight loss is not just about a number on the scale. You will find yourself more energetic, self-confident, and truly enjoying the changes you see in the mirror!

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Before we discuss my favorite ab moves, it must be noted that you can’t simply “crunch” your way to a chiseled midsection. Numerous recent, peer-reviewed studies have confirmed that, in order to reveal tight, toned abs, one must decrease body fat through a combination of cardiovascular exercise and proper diet.

Many women tell me they can’t get the results they seek to achieve, although they spend hours each week working their abs!

Interval Training

I often prescribe interval training to supplement their current aerobic routine, and I help them tweak their diets, in addition to working abs properly. Interval training—specifically, High Intensity Interval Training, such as one of our HIIT classes—has been proven to be superior for reducing abdominal adiposity (belly fat!) for several reasons (Medicine Science Sports Exercise, 2011). Most notably, HIIT increases levels of HGH (human growth hormone) and fight-or-flight hormones, which have receptor sites in the ab region.

I also advise women looking to firm, tone, and decrease the midriff area to increase their cardio to 5-6 days per week. Two to three days of HIIT, such as sprints on the treadmill or a HIIT class, can be alternated with 2-3 days of Steady State Cardio (SSC). SSC can be a walk, run, bike, elliptical workout, or any of our fun, motivating, calorie-blasting cardio classes, such as Step or Zumba. Aim for a minimum of 30-45 minutes for each workout session, and you will see your hard-earned ab work begin to show within a few weeks!

(This is the first installment of “Staying Fit for Baby”, a series of posts from Lucille Roberts trainer Sandra Ferrerio, who is pregnant! She has generously agreed to share her 9-month journey with us and will provide fitness and nutrition tips for pregnant moms as well as updates on her own pregnancy. Congratulations, Sandra! We’re looking forward to hearing about and learning from your experiences!)

When we learned the joyous news, we were truly overwhelmed with happiness! I am going to have another baby! How exciting!

Now that my daughter is 12, I am reeducating myself on the “new” rules of pregnancy. So much has changed in 12 years! Whether you’re a first-time mom or a mother embarking on the miracle of childbirth again, staying fit should be on the top of your list, for the health of your baby and of course for your health, as well.

Bent Over Row

Of all your body’s joints, the shoulder joint has the largest range of motion. It can rotate 360 degrees! This makes it very prone to injury, especially in women, due to hormonal fluctuations. Moves like overhead presses and bent over rows are essential for toning the upper arms, which includes the front, side, and rear shoulder muscles.

Before you engage in any strenuous shoulder workout, be sure to do the exercises with a light weight or no weight at all to warm the muscles, tendons, and entire shoulder capsule before you move on to heavier weights. For most women, 5 lb. or 8 lb. weights are plenty for creating definition in the upper arm and shoulder area. Overhead presses with side lateral lifts (lifting to the side of your body to shoulder level) and bent over rows are amazing for toning all three heads of the shoulder. Your shoulders and upper arms will being to tone when you perform these moves twice a week. Do 2-3 sets of 15-25 reps each. As always, if you have questions, ask a certified personal trainer to help you.

Trainer Tip by Sandra Ferrerio, certified LiveRite weight loss coach, trainer, and class instructor at Lucille Roberts in Yonkers. Read her full bio here.

Numerous studies have linked stress to weight gain, the inability to lose weight, and fat deposition around the abs. A recent study from the University of Texas shed more light on the subject. Stressed mice had much higher levels of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin, causing them to eat higher fat foods and to gain weight.

What can you do to reduce stress? Certain foods can help–egg albumin (egg protein) and whey protein (found in LiveRite shakes) have been shown to reduce ghrelin levels and to increase metabolism better than other protein sources. If you are truly hungry, you must eat! Try a whey shake with fat-free milk or an egg or 3 egg whites with a slice of whole grain toast. Above all, try to de-stress. A hot cup of herbal tea, deep breathing, or a yoga class are all very helpful! A hard sweat session will also cut stress and will increase endorphins! Finally, you can try a meditation CD or podcast.

Trainer Tip by Sandra Ferrerio, certified LiveRite weight loss coach, trainer, and class instructor at Lucille Roberts in Yonkers. Read her full bio here.

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Thanksgiving is next week! For those wondering what kind of holiday desserts can fit in with a diet plan, here’s a recipe for pumpkin pie “mousse” cups made with sugar-free butterscotch pudding and pumpkin filling. It’s easy to make and lighter than regular pumpkin pie. Give it a try!

Pumpkin Pie “Mousse” Cups

Ingredients

• 1 package sugar-free instant butterscotch pudding made according to directions on package (Use fat-free or 1% milk only or lactose-free milk. Light Vanilla Soy will sweeten the dessert far too much.)
• 4 honey graham cracker squares
• 1/2 cup Libby’s canned pumpkin
• Light Reddi-Whip (8 Tbsp. total)
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg

It has been estimated that the average holiday weight gain, between Halloween and New Year’s day, is 7-10 pounds. That is about the size of a newborn on your frame! It’s much easier to head off the weight gain BEFORE it occurs rather than waiting until after to try to lose the weight. I have found that there are a few things common to many of us during this “comfort food” and “comfortable family” season. Let’s talk about how to head off this possible weight gain and make sure it’s kept to 1-2 lb. or NONE gained at all!

A number of well documented, peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that “spot reduction” is possible with high-repetition toning exercises. A landmark Danish study proved that lipolysis (fat burn) increases in thigh muscles after sets of 25 repetitions of leg extensions were performed (Applied Physiology Nutrition Metabolism, 2011). Various studies have demonstrated that fat burn increases in adipose tissue (fat cells) following intense sculpting workouts. This occurs in the fat adjacent to, or in very close proximity to, working muscles. For example, 3 sets of 25 leg extensions will increase fat burn in the body fat near the thigh muscles (in this case, the quadriceps) for about 30 minutes. That would mean, according to the results published, you are burning fat from the front of the thighs, near the working thigh muscles, after you finish your workout!

Unfortunately, the abdominals seem to be the exception to this rule. According to the latest study published in Journal Strength Conditioning Research (2011), spot-reduction in the abdominal area is not possible. This information may help shed some light on why you are not getting the results you desire from your current abdominal training. Does this mean that you should ditch your 3-days-per-week abs workout and give up on reducing dangerous and often unsightly “belly fat?” Absolutely not! There are still solutions for toning the abs, even though they do resist spot-reduction.