Building a Booty

Hi Friends,

So I spend many hours a day teaching my clients how to build the perfect butt.  Not just any butt, but a butt that is round, defies gravity and one that transforms the whole backside of your body.  Yep, it's time to be proud of that backside.

Here's my workout today for glutes:

• Warm Up - Stairs (15-45 mins depending on your goals.  I'll be doing 15 mins as a true warm up rather than cardio before training).
• 30 Plie Squats with a 15lb. kettlebell, dumbbells, or medicine ball.
• Band Stamps 30 left leg, 30 right (can be done without the band)
• Walking Lunges for a few minutes...Just until I really feel the burn.
• Band Walk 30 steps left, 30 right
• Band Kick Backs 30/30 (can be done without the band)
• Bridging exercises for a few minutes

I will probably get through this workout once, since I'm busy with the kids.  It would be amazing to do this whole circuit twice though and that is what I would recommend if you have the time.

Xo
Ash

Exercising While Trying To Get Pregnant

I've gotten a few messages lately about friends wanting to know what types of workouts they should be doing now that they are trying to get pregnant.  Trying to conceive can be such an exciting time, but it can also be a bit discouraging and just plain crazy.  There's so much advice out there about what you should be doing, what you should be eating, what you can't eat, how much sex you should have, what you shouldn't do...like I said just plain crazy!  Your best bet when trying to get pregnant is to do what you already do, but at a lower level. Light Running, strength training, Yoga, Pilates, Body Pump, Cycle are all fine methods to train while trying to conceive and while pregnant.  

It took me about a year to get pregnant with my first child.  I really had to re-evaluate my fitness regime and figure out what was really necessary.  I also had to put on some weight.  I ended up gaining about 8 lbs. of muscle and stopped a lot of my daily cardio sessions.

A lot of women are over training, have a low body fat percentage and in turn do not ovulate regularly, which makes it much harder to get pregnant.  Most doctors suggest that your body fat percentage be 18% or over.  Any woman with an 18% body fat is considered to be "ultra lean",  so there is still room for a woman to train and to prepare her body for pregnancy, but you have to train smarter not harder.

Exercises to do Pre and Post Pregnancy:

• Restorative Yoga helps to balance out your hormone levels, and to boost your body's relaxation response, immune system, etc. 
• Pilates (mat and/or reformer) elongates your muscles while sculpting them.  It combines breath with movement, so it also can help to calm you down.
• Strength Training:  Before, during and after pregnancy strength training is key.  Muscle has memory and it will help your body bounce back to your pre-baby weight.
• Light Cardio:  My personal favorites are walking hills, hiking, or climbing stairs.  That way I can firm and tone my back side while I'm strengthening my heart and lungs.

Just remember too much of anything is never a good thing, so allow yourself to take it easier than normal.  Eat as clean as you can, maybe even do a detox a few months before you get serious about trying to conceive.  As per usual advice from Rachel and myself do some sort of activity that YOU love and check with your doctor first.

Xo

Overtraining and Still Not Seeing Your Results

 I wish I could say that I knew nothing about overtraining, but unfortunately it's one of the most common mistakes that we all make.  We can either get addicted to the feel of exercising and endorphins, or we train at the last minute for a major event (vacation, wedding, summer in general).

Here are some symptoms of overtraining:

• Chronic fatigue
• Imbalanced hormone levels
• Moodiness
• Lack of motivation
• Lack of ability to build muscle
• Insomnia
• Lower immune system
• INJURY

As we get older we must get smarter about the ways in which we breakdown and build our bodies.  Train smarter, not harder!!!

Strength training causes your muscles to tear.  It's only with adequate rest and with proper nutrition/fuel that our muscles can rebuild stronger.  Training everyday gets old and can mentally/physically exhaust you.  We all have a list of daily activities to do that do not revolve around working out.  It's important to train as efficiently as possible, so that we have energy to do it all and to look hot while doing it. ;)

One example of this can been seen with a lot of fitness instructors.  You would think teaching numerous classes a day and working out for hours and hours would give these teachers the best bodies ever.  However, most of the time the teachers are capable, but they still look soft and have a higher body fat percentage than their students.  Overtraining at it's best!

It's a much smarter and more effective way to train by creating training splits.  You don't have to stick to the same training splits weekly, but here is a great one to start with:

Day 1- Chest and Triceps
Day 2- Legs and Core
Day 3- Back and Biceps
Day 4- Shoulders and Cardio
Day 5- Enjoyable Class or Activity (Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Bike Ride, Wakeboarding, etc)
Day 6- Rest
Day 7- Rest Again

Watch how much cardio you do as well.  The same overtraining rules apply with cardio.  If you have to do an hour of cardio daily to feel as though you are burning enough calories to lose weight then you should adjust your nutrition.  Certain body types need more cardio and it depends on one's goals/overall look, but for the most part my max cardio time is 30 mins, maybe twice a week...maybe.  Last week I did cardio once.  I'm more concerned with keeping my muscle mass, which burns more calories at a resting rate everyday and all night long.

Learn about muscle mass here and why you want a stronger body.

PLF Daily Tip:  Less is more sometimes.  Listen to your body and train smarter to see your results.

xx

What's Next?

Did you know that 25% of people who start an exercise program, quit the first week? Another 25% quit within the first six months. Let's be a part of the 50% who make exercise and eating healthy a a way of life.

The 30 day challenge is over, so what's next? It's time to assess how you did after these past 30 days and plan what to do next.

1. Re-take measurements
2. Look over your food journal
3. Set new goals

After taking your measurements(Be sure the measure in the exact places you did last month), ask yourself "how did I do?" Have you lost inches? If not, don't get discouraged! It's a new day, a new week, and a new month! Assess, what you need to improve upon. 

Take a look at you food journal. Where could you make small improvements? Could you cut out snacking after dinner? Could you add in more dark leafy green vegetables? Reduce your caffeine? Find a small change to make each week or even once a month. "When changes are too big, they may be too overwhelming," said registered dietitian Ellie Krieger, author of "Small Changes, Big Results: A 12-Week Action Plan to a Better Life." "People don't want to start, or they don't know where to begin so they don't at all."

Set new goals. A 30-day challenge is meant to be a jump start to a new lifestyle. Keep the momentum going. Set reasonable goals. If you are new to working out, a P90X style program is too much to start with. Walking 3 days a week is a reasonable goal that will yield results you can build upon. If you intermediate, add in a day or two of intervals to your cardio program to boost weight loss. If you are intermediate to advanced, a P90X or other rigorous exercise programs may be what you need to get to the next level.

Stay motivated and have fun!

xo,

R

My Goals

We are half way through January and half way through the 30 day challenge. Today I want to share with you all my goals, workouts, and nutrition.

I had my precious baby, Lauren, 10 months ago. 

I have lost all but 3lbs of my pregnancy weight. I know that sounds fantastic, but I also lost a lot of my pre-preggers muscle too. That's a bad thing when skiing and mountain biking (two of my faves). Over Christmas, I felt like Bambi down the ski runs. Weight loss is not my main focus, while it is a nice result, if I focus on weight loss, I somehow pack on the pounds. Being strong, healthy, and fit are my goals for 2013.

For this 30-day challenge, which I like to look as a jump start for the sporting activities I love to do all year long (and I encourage you to look at this as a lifestyle change), I decided to try a P90X style of working out, with a little Tracy Anderson thrown in. The first week, honestly I was board to tears. This week, I feel pumped up. Excited to start my workout. Feeling the energy boost I got every day from working out, helped me want to keep the momentum going! I am working out six days a week. My workouts look something like this:

Day 1: Chest/Back 
Day 2: Plyometrics
Day 3: Shoulders/Arms
Day 4: Yoga 
Day 5: Legs/Back
Day 6: Cardio Dance 



As far my nutrition goes I am making small changes, while still chocolate remains my nemisice to my ideal food journal entry, I am limiting my sugar and eating nutritionally dense foods. I start my morning with a 8oz glass of water with lemon. I eat a variety for breakfast- granola with plain goat yogurt or two pasture raised eggs with gluten free toast. For my mid-morning snack, I traded my chocolate dipped KIND bar for celery with hummus or a super green shake (see previous post for the recipe). For lunch and dinner, I eat a variety of high quality foods focusing on a balanced meal. I'm focusing on filling up on healthy foods so I don't reach for the sugary snacks and treats. The key for me to be successful with my nutrition is to listen to my body. Eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full. I don't deprive myself, but enjoy my favorite foods in moderation.

I am on my way to hitting my goals through 2013, I hope your 2013 is off to a great start too!

Jumpstart Weight Loss With These 10 Nutrition Tips

1. Start your day with a glass of water and juice from half a lemon. It will help you fight cravings all day long.

2. Eat 3 meals and 3 snacks every day. It will keep your metabolism running high.
 
3.  Get rid of the white stuff. Cut out white sugar, white flour, and white table salt whenever possible. Weight loss is a lot about balancing your blood sugar. Eating foods that cause spikes in insulin, causes weight gain. Foods containing white sugar, flour and salt also cause a host of different diseases.

4. Drink green tea. Green tea can help you burn extra calories during the day.

 
5. Eat pumpkin seeds (preferably soaked and dried before eating). Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein and they have high levels of zinc. Both help keep your body strong and hormones balanced. Balanced hormones lead to greater weight loss results.

6. Drink coconut water. Coconut water increases your metabolism and helps replenish nutrients after a hard workout.

7. Eat Before going out to eat. Before going out to eat, eat a snack. One containing protein and fat. Skip the bread or tortilla chips before your meal. If your blood sugar is balanced, you will not see a spike in insulin. When your insulin levels are balanced, it is easier to make better food choices and exercise portion control.

8. Don't deprive yourself. Learn to eat your favorite foods on occasion. Everything in moderation.

9. Fill half your plate at lunch and dinner with dark green veggies. When you fill up on veggies, you are filling up on nutrition. When you eat nutritionally dense foods, foods rich in vitamins and minerals, your body registers that it is full. When you feel full, you eat less of the bad stuff.

10. Focus on gratitude. When you beat ourselves up, you are almost certain to not see the results you desire. Instead of focusing on weight loss, focus on enjoying life and being thankful for all of the blessings you have.

Super Green Shake

This shake is great for breakfast or for a post workout boost. It is packed with antioxidants from the blueberries to aid in preventing many diseases.  Immune boosting vitamin A and C come from from the mango, banana, and kale, The coconut water provides electrolytes and minerals to aid in muscle recovery after your workout. Almond butter is a good source of protein and magnesium to help keep your bones strong and heart healthy. You can do all blueberries to keep sugar lower. Try it this week!

1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen banana or mango
1 cup of chopped kale or spinach or green powder (I like Juvo)
1 cup of coconut water (less or more depending on desired thickness)
1 Tb raw almond butter
1 date, pitted.

Blend until smooth. Enjoy!