CosmoPinkStyle Personal Training » Fitness Tips

Be Good to Your Heart!

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:07:52 +0000

February is National Heart Health Awareness month and when it comes to the health of our hearts we need to start paying attention – Heart Disease doesn’t just affect grown ups anymore.

2,200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease every day, an average of one death every 39 seconds. Heart Disease is the number one killer of men, women and children in America today. In fact this is the first generation of children that researchers predict won’t outlive their parents. Children at the young ages of 8-12 are being shown to have the beginning stages of hardening of the arteries and high cholesterol according to researchers. I don’t know about you but that makes me look twice at what I’m putting in my daughters lunch box! The sad thing is that almost all of these diseases are preventable! With simple changes like eating a whole foods based diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources. Avoiding saturated fats and processed foods that are overflowing with MSG (monosodium gutamate),Hydrogenated Oil and other preservatives our bodies were not meant to process.

Tips on cutting Hydrogenated oils from your diet:

1. Look below the label at the ingredient list

2. Most semi solid fat sources like Crisco and Peanut Butter contain hydrogenated and or partially hydrogenated oils. You are better off going with Real Butter and changing out your peanut butter with a”Natural” version.

3. Try to reduce the amount of foods consumed from boxes and or packages. Most packaged,boxed foods contain hidden hydrogenated oil, and other preservatives. Fresh produce is cheaper than the boxes!

4. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store- this is where your healthy items are! Produce, Meats and Dairy.

5. Get creative with your cooking! Have fun make a wacky fruit salad with lots of color your kids will love! Try a Meatless Monday and see what local produce is in season and on sale for inspiration!

YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR HEART WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!

Tips to Tracking and Measuring Your Fitness Goals

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:14:22 +0000

Everyone is excited when they first start a new fitness program, but over time even the most enthusiastic gym goers can lose motivation and direction.

One of the best tools I’ve found to keeping myself and my clients on track is a workout/ nutrition log. How many times have you been in the gym and thought “hmm.. which weight did I do last week? Or did I do the flat bench press or was I was on the incline?” I know I have – especially with what I do, there is no way I can keep all my clients workouts and weights memorized, so the way I keep everything straight and don’t have the feeling I’m losing my mind is to write everything down! Not to mention that it really is rewarding to look back and see where you started and what you have accomplished week by week.

A fitness journal or log is something every fitness buff should have in their gym bag. I have training logs dating back to 2000! I think the quickest way when you’re in the gym is old fashioned note book style journals that you write in, but I have clients who track their progress using a combination of tools.

Searching the internet also offers a variety of websites that allow you to track your progress online at no cost. One that was introduced to me by a client of mine is www.sparkpeople.com. This website offers a way to track your daily calories, weight loss goals and progress along with the calories you expend through your workouts. Definitely worth checking out! Another client of mine uses her iphone to log her cardio and nutrition. Here are some tips to keep you on Track:

Go in with a game plan and write down your workout before you get to the gym.
Set a very specific goal for yourself ; I want to be able to do 10 pull ups by such and such a date.
Be diligent in recording what you accomplish with weights and reps during each workout – it really doesn’t take that much more time during your workout, use the time to write between sets.
Write down your goal daily and keep it in front of you. You may have several different that goals, that’s great, give each of them a place on your time line. This will help you see the big picture and put the necessary steps in place to get there.

Are you a New Mommy looking to get Fit?

Melissa — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:46:58 +0000

I remember how hard it was to get back into the swing of things after having my daughter and how thankful I would have been to have had a place to take her with me and be able to excercise! Fortunately my good friend Leigh Hobson is the owner of Stroller Fit here in Lodi and we are lucky enogh to have her teaching her Stroller Fit class at our Fitness Systems Gym! Welcome Leigh! We are so happy to have you! If you are interested in signing up or just want more information follow the link below!

http//www.strollerfit.com/lodi

Friday Fitness Question

Melissa — Fri, 23 May 2008 07:31:09 +0000

I’m holding steady at 190. I’d like to be 182 but in the mean time untill I figure out how to drop the weight, can I lift to strengthen my knees? After an evening of racquetball, my knees ache, sometimes through the following day. If so, what excersice and heavy weight or low weight? – Chris
Hi Chris,
Congratulations at maintaining your current weight, it doesn’t sound like you are too far off from your goal, 8lbs is very realistic, but sometimes those last 8-10 can be the most challenging to lose.
To answer your question yes you can lift weights to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee and increase your overall knee stability. Sometimes knee pain is caused by an imbalance in the muscles say for example the hamstrings being stronger than the quads or vice versa – when this happens extra stress is placed on the knees to compensate for the weaker muscle. Keep in mind you should always consult a physician or physical therapist to diagnose amd determine the cause of ongoing knee pain and what specific excercises may help or aggravate the situation. Make sure you are icing those knees and stretching after games and on your off days as well – it does help.
Having a complete leg routine that includes the quadriceps, hamstrings, adductor and abductors at a moderate weight and reps of 12-15 is what I would reccomend. Start out with this workout once per week for now and make sure you are fully recovered and not sore before training again.
(Moderate Weight) – The last five reps ought to be challenging
Lying Leg Press – 3 Sets of 15
Leg Extension – 3 Sets of 20
Seated or Lying Hamstring Curl – 3 Sets of 15
Wall Squats with body weight to 90 degrees – 3 Sets of 15 Back is supported by wall, knees and toes face forward feet shoulder width apart begin sliding your back down the wall until your knees are at 90 come back up and repeat – can also be done with a theraband ball in between your back and the wall.
Adductor and Abductor squeezes and presses 3 Sets of 25
Keep in touch and let me know how that works – Happy Training!

Friday Fitness FAQ

Melissa — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:48:24 +0000

My friend Tracy who is also a writer for Family Time, emailed me this week with questions about simple ways to increase the activity level of people who aren’t quite ready for the gym. She came up with the basics like these below which are great starting points to slowly increase your daily amount of movement and calories burned.
1. Take the stairs, not the elevator
2. Walk to the bus stop to pick up your kids instead of driving
3. Park in the back of a parking lot instead of the front
Question : My goal for the article is to give sedentary people really easy, almost without thinking ways, to increase their activity level. I’ll end the article with a prod toward increasing it even more once they become adjusted. Do you have any ideas?

Answer:
Awesome I would love to help; Here is my spring theme:
1. Get your garden ready for spring – raking leaves and cleaning out planter beds believe it or not burns some calories and uses your arms and legs – Natural Cardio!
2. Pruning is great exercise for your upper body – chest and arms
3. Planting is also great for your core muscles like your abs and lower back because you are stationed so low to the ground you have to balance yourself – also when most people plant they are squatting down and standing up which is great for your legs and glutes.
4. Just drink water – quit drinking everything else – your energy will go up – you will drop at least a few pounds.
5. If you have animals – walk them they need the exercise too.

Fitness and Nutrition FAQ

Melissa — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:34:01 +0000

I can’t tell you how many times a day I am approached in the gym by someone looking for an answer on working out or nutrition and often times a lot of you ask the same questions, so I decided to open up a forum that will allow me to share the information with all of you here on the web. There is a lot of information out there and for someone new to fitness figuring out whats fact or fiction can sometimes be difficult. Each week on Friday I will do a post on the stuff you want to know about! If you have a fitness or nutrtion question I would love to hear from you! Send your inquiries to me at melissa@cosmopinkstyle.com.

Fit & Fabulous for Fall

Melissa — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:29:29 +0000

The seasons are changing again and with them they are bringing the promise of holiday festivites to come. I want all of you to stay Fit and Fabulous for Fall this year – You can stay in shape, look great and enjoy yourself this season without the 10lbs each american on average gains! Here are some tips to help you enjoy your friends, food and festivities without the fat!
1.) Never go to a party with an empty stomach - always eat a healthy meal with a balanced amount of lean protien and complex carbohydrates before you go. This will help you to stay on the right track while you’re out, and keep you from over eating you will already be full. Play it smart at holiday affairs and fill up on stuff from the vege – tray!
In fact I will sometimes bring my own just to make sure there is one – its always a nice gesture to bring something anyway right?
2.) Don’t give up on your workout routine just because its the holidays - As americans we are marketed to by the media that durring the holidays all we should do is sit around be lazy and eat red and greeen M&M’s! Keep going to the gym!!!! Plan a vacation somewhere warm – where its still bathing suit season!
3.) Allow your self a treat, depriving yourself all the time is a mental set up for failure - you must allow yourself some leaway – if you want a slice of Grandma Junes pumpkin pie have one! Everything in moderation! By the way – Dr. Oz says pumpkin is a super food! One slice not the whole pie! Yams at thanksgiving are great too, but they really do taste great without all the butter and marshmallows on top – I swear a little cinnamon and maybe a sprinkle of Molly Mc Butter and your good to go – without the excess calories!
4.) Take your workout outside for fall there are so many things to do – Rake leaves, take a walk with your family to enjoy the changing colors of the trees, pruning plants and shrubs, and planting bulbs are great examples of things you can do outside to burn calories. Another great calorie burner is digging with a shovel – not only does it get your heart rate up but works the whole body too! Keep up your cardio durring the winter months, your body naturally slows down when it is dark to prepare for sleep, as the time changes and we are in the dark more – its important to keep that metabolism going!
5.) If candy is your absolute weakness durring this time – you know those festive looking hersheys kisses I’m talking about? – The ones where you can wind up eating the whole bag over the course of day? See if you can keep one bag around for 3 weeks or if you just can’t control yourself – don’t buy them! ( by the way I have no weakness for chocolate and am not speaking from experience at all) ! Know your weakness and plan accordingly! Have Fun this Fall and Stay Fit!!!

Note To Recruits on Last Day of Boot Camp

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:56:49 +0000

Well Last Saturday was the last official day of July Boot Camp 2007 and I am sad to see all of you go! All of you girls and guys made so much progress and I am so proud of you! Seeing all of you advance in your abilities and overcome obstacles is why I love to do what I do and makes these camps worth while! Thank you for participating and really challenging yourselves – you all have it in you to succeed and do well its just figuring it out for yourself. I can’t wait to see you again in October for our Fall Fit Camp!

Stay Strong!
~Melissa

Focus in On Your Training

Sat, 17 Mar 2007 16:37:17 +0000

Some people call it focus others say they are in “The Zone” and that when they are in it they are able to have a phenomenal workout. I call it putting your mind in your muscle – I know my clients have heard me say this time and again – but it works. Its amazing what a difference it makes when you conciously work out and think about the muscle you are training verses just going through the motions. This article gives some great pointers on how to do this if you aren’t already. http://www.building-muscle101.com/staying-focussed-for-weight-training.html

Super Sets

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 17:13:23 +0000

Super setting exercises is one of my favorite ways to train when I need to get my workout in but am short on time. Between juggling the house, kids, business, school, 2nd job and volunteering to be chaufers and coaches to our kid’s soccer, football teams act. Who has extra time? It is hard with all this extra stuff going on to make it in for a workout – if not from sheer exhaustion alone!
So what I do is superset! Basically what a Super Set Does is pair up two exercises for the same body part like a Push Up and Bench Press for chest or; for directly opposing muscle groups like the biceps and triceps. The two exercises are to be performed one right after the other with no rest in between. So essentially you are cramming two different exercises into one set!
Not only does this give you a great pump in your muscles but it also gets your heart rate up a bit and incorporates a little more cardio into your workout – Who couldn’t use more cardio? Well I guess there are some of us who don’t have to do cardio – but that’s just wrong and disgusting alright. I was talking to this guy at the gym the other day who said he had such a hard time gaining weight that he would be picking up and eating extra calories off the floor if he could. Boy I wish I had that problem – Don’t you?
So if you’re short on time but need a great explosive workout try Super Setting your next workout! Here are some examples of workouts I like to do for myself and my clients.

Exercises to Super Set	Skull Crushers or Lying Triceps Press	Standing Barbell Curls
Repetitions	10-15	10-15
# of Sets	4	4

Exercises to Super Set	Incline Dumb Bell Press	Push Ups
Repetitions	10-15	10-15
# of Sets	4	4

Exercises to Super Set	Partner Assisted Pull Ups	Narrow Grip Pull Downs
Repetitions	10-15	10-15
# of Sets	4	4

Exercises to Super Set	Lying Leg Press	Leg Extensions
Repetitions	10-15	10-15
# of Sets	4	4