Post Tagged with: "trainer tip"

luuux.com

We are just about a month away from the official first day of summer! It’s time to bust out those sleeveless numbers that have been itching to be unpacked since the warm weather first started creeping its way back in.

What’s that you say? You would rather sweat it out all summer and hide your arms with your long sleeves? Nonsense! Here are some moves that will help you obtain those tank top-ready arms you are looking for!

Workout Outline:

• Complete this set of exercises 2-3 times.
• Rest only for 60 seconds between sets.
• For best results, complete this workout 3 times a week on non-consecutive days.

1. Warm-Up Just as we did for the first wedding workout, lift your arms out to your sides at shoulder height. Point your fingertips upwards so your wrists are flexed and make small forward moving circles with your arms for 30 seconds. Pause and reverse the direction of your circles for an additional 30 seconds. Repeat both directions.

weddingdressesguide.us

Hello my fellow brides-to-be! The one-year countdown until my wedding has begun! Each month, for the next twelve months, I will post a new Wedding Workout to help you get ready for your big day, too! (Even if you’re not planning to walk down the aisle anytime soon, you can still enjoy these workouts!)

Wedding Workout #1 will be targeting our arms. Whether we want to wave our hands in the air all night without worrying about that pesky arm jiggle or we want to be able to toss that bouquet the length of a football field, let’s get those arms ready and picture-perfect!

Workout Outline:

• Complete this set of exercises 2-3 times.
• Rest only for 60 seconds between sets.
• For best results, complete this workout 3 times a week on non-consecutive days.

1. Warm-Up Lift your arms out to your sides at shoulder height. Point your fingertips upwards so your wrists are flexed and make small forward moving circles with your arms for 30 seconds. Pause and reverse the direction of your circles for an additional 30 seconds. Repeat both directions.

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2. Hammer Curl into Shoulder Press Start with your feet hip width apart, a dumbbell in each hand, and palms facing in. Curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders and then continue the motion by pressing the dumbbells straight up over your head. Slowly reverse to start. Do 12-15 repetitions.

For an added challenge, pick one foot up slightly off the floor and alternate when you are half way through your repetitions.

runforawareness.ca

It seems like everywhere you turn, celebrities are talking about adopting a vegan diet. Alicia Silverstone, Natalie Portman, and even boxer Mike Tyson are doing it.

A vegan diet–one that includes no animal products–can be a healthy decision. But it can also seem like a daunting challenge, especially for those who are on a budget and can’t afford to spend a huge chunk of their paychecks at stores like Whole Foods. (Tip: opt for your local farmer’s market instead.) And where does a vegan go out to eat in NYC without dropping a fortune at high-end vegan restaurants like Candle 79, Blossom, or Pure Food and Wine? Fortunately, there are many NYC spots offering extremely affordable, tasty food. Here are just a few!

Candle Café (1307 3rd Ave., Manhattan, 212.472-0970) Not only does this eatery serve only vegan food, it’s also organic. No menu item exceeds $20, and there are a variety of salads, soups, and entrées for less. Allergies are also considered.

Kate’s Joint (58 Avenue B at W. 4^th St., Manhattan, 212.777.7059) Since 1996, the comfort food at Kate’s Joint has been unparalleled. Options include veggie burgers, pizza, and “meat” loaf, and they offer vegan or regular cheese. Brunch is only $10.95. Their highest price item is $16.95, and that’s a dinner for two. Fun rock music played by the staff makes for a lively atmosphere.

Wild Ginger (212 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, 718.218.8828) A pan-Asian café offering soy and seitan versions of “meat”, this Williamsburg spot is never more than $15 per dish. (Note: Wild Ginger has multiple locations, and prices and menu items may vary.)

Foodswings (295 Grand St., Brooklyn, 718.388.1919) Your wish for vegan fast-food has been granted! While most offerings here are typical fast-food fare (like french fries), there are salads for the calorie-conscious. No item costs more than $10.75.

Some honorable mentions include Terri (sandwiches), B.A.D. Burger (diner) in Brooklyn, The Loving Hut (variety) in Manhattan, V-Spot (empanadas), and Asian Bowl in Forest Hills. Of course, many meat-serving restaurants include plant-based dishes.

Even if a vegan diet isn’t something you want to stick to long-term, you can enjoy trying one of these affordable restaurants for a healthy change of pace!

Trainer Tip by Sharon A. Gordin, personal trainer at Lucille Roberts Forest Hills.

abcnews.com

How many minutes of your day do you spend just waiting around for something to happen? Whether we’re waiting for the traffic light to turn green or waiting for our turn at the checkout line, we spend a good portion of our days simply waiting. Why not turn that waiting time around into something much more constructive? Work out while you wait! Here are some mini workouts you can incorporate into your daily life to break up the doldrums.

1. Time-Killing Calf Extensions. While waiting for the train, subway, or children’s school bus to arrive,  get up on those toes and do some calf extensions. Try to do 3 sets of 12 repetitions. On your 12^th repetition, stay up on your toes, and hold it for 12 seconds, then release. (Added bonus: if it is cold outside while you are waiting, you will be keeping your body warm by circulating your blood.)

2. Chef’s Squats. As the saying goes, “A watched pot never boils.” So, instead of simply waiting for the water to boil, why not throw in some squats? Try to do 3 sets of 12 repetitions. On your 12^th repetition, squat down slightly lower and pulse for a count of 12 seconds.

Lose It! app

When somoeone asks me why they are not losing weight, the first thing I ask is, “Are you eating enough?” Because if you are not eating enough calories, you won’t lose weight; rather, your body will go into “starvation mode” and store every calorie you eat.

Then I ask, “Are you writing down what you are eating?” Keeping track of calories is half the battle with working out!  They work hand in hand together. I always tell all my clients to write down all of their calories and measure everything out. One of my clients who just started this texted me this morning to tell me she just lost 3 lb. this week after logging her calories and working out hard!

A large percentage of females have self-esteem issues. They constantly look in the mirror and think, “I’m so fat. I’m not pretty. I’m not good enough.” Unfortunately, many women just hold in all these feelings and make themselves feel even worse. This is not the answer! Before you can begin to improve your self-esteem, you will have to recognize and admit that you have an issue. Once you have recognition of the issue, you can start putting together a plan for working on the problem. Working out is one way to improve how you feel about yourself.

I remember my mother telling me as a young girl, “Do not slouch down. Pick up your head, shoulders back, and walk like you can conquer the world.” Those are words I live by and will never forget. To help boost my self-esteem, I started exercising, including playing sports. After working out or playing a sport, I felt a sense of accomplishment, a feeling a self-worth.

Always remember, you are working out for YOURSELF–not for anyone else.

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.

Push chair against wall to stabilize.

Getting a workout in is probably not something you’re thinking about while you’re at work, even though exercising should be one of our top priorities. Working out is not only good for the heart and the soul, but it is a good stress reliever.

We all make excuses for not working out, and the one I hear the most is, “I don’t have time.” Actually, we all have time to work out! Yes, there will be days when you cannot go to the gym for legitimate reasons–family emergency, working late, no child care, etc. You have to ask yourself, “If I can’t make it to the gym today, how can I still get in a workout?”

There are a number of ways to work out without having to go to the gym. The most common place besides home to exercise is at work. Yep! Working out at work, while you are working, is convenient and very easy to do! How is this possible? You don’t necessarily need gym equipment to have great workout. All you need is motivation and imagination.

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.

Run in Place

Ok, so you’re bogged down with homework, dinner, and after school activities and just can’t seem to hit the gym. Don’t worry–it happens to the best of us! Below is a workout you can do at home while dinner is cooking or while the kids are getting ready for bed. All you need is 20 minutes 3 days a week. Each exercise should be done for 1 minute; then move on to the next exercise. Repeat for 3 times with no breaks.

Ready, get set….SWEAT!

1. Run in Place

Pump those arms and get those feet moving! You can run in place, jog in place, or march in place, as along as your arms are moving.