Quick Fitness for Beginners

I get many messages requesting , fitness advice for beginners. I send similar responses and sometimes don't have the time to send individual messages in a timely fashion. Therefore, I've created this article with pieces of some of my responses to be accessed by everyone at anytime. It's not EVERYTHING about fitness , but just enough to help some beginners on their new journey :)


I am going to be very straight forward with you and tell you it is all your diet. Eliminate white flour based items , such as white bread, pasta , donuts, cookies etc. and replace them with wheat / whole grain pasta and breads. Milk is also not a great component when changing to a healthier lifestyle, I suggest trying almond or soy milk if you dont have an allergy of course. If you are Lactaid has great alternatives. And no frying , and eliminate salt intake. Proteins I suggest egg whites, chicken, fish , shrimp. Beef only once a week. Try to eat 5 times a day that is 3 meals and 2 snacks: breakfast , snack, lunch, snack, dinner. Snacks I have a rice cake with pb, protein shake or some fruit. Also incorporate some cardio, and plyometric work to burn fat.Also weight training for increased metabolic rate and muscle tone.





Now for the consistency , that took me a little bit of time. It stems from making it a lifestyle to creating my blog, and helping others. I just don't think it's right to give advice and not follow it myself. And rule of thumb if you can't do the work outs make sure the nutrition is almost perfect. Nutrition is the most important part. Also be sure not to completely deprive yourself because that's when disorders can kick in. I mean I even have days when I'll have cookies and icecream but that's like once every 2 months. You also learn that it is a lot easier to undo all your hard work than it is to create the healthy life you wanted, so it's not worth it to have "cheat days" every week like some people do. The only time I actually am at the gym everyday is when I'm about 3 months out from competition. But otherwise I just live a healthy lifestyle and it keeps me where I want to be.

Hope this helps !
-Pam

Know your Fats!

Fats can be harmful to the body too much may increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and cause coronary diseases. However there are good fats ! Yes, good/ healthy/ essential fats !

Your body needs fat, it uses it for energy. If you have looked at the labels of some food items you may have noticed some words such as unsaturated fats,  monounsaturated ,polyunsaturated, saturated, trans fat or hydrogenated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.

Not sure if you readers have noticed but there are some food items now that state in bold " NO TRANS FATS" or " LOW IN SATURATED FATS" , but do you ever ask yourself what exactly does that mean? Well I'm going to break them down for you.

First we'll start with
1.Saturated Fats : These fats are solid in room temperature and derive from animals such as : meat, dairy and eggs, however some may be plant based such as coconut oil. These fats raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

2. Trans fat or Hydrogenated Fats: These are unsaturated fats that can raise your total LDL and lower your HDL (good) cholesterol. These fats can be found in processed foods items such as cookies, cakes, fries, donuts and many more.

3. Unsaturated Fats are divided into two: these fats are healthy fats. They are liquid in room temperature and solidify when in cold temperature. They derive from vegetable and plants.
           * Monounsaturated Fats: are found in olives, nuts, peanut oil, canola oil and avocados. hey lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol and maintain your HDL (good) cholesterol.
           *Polyunsaturated Fats: are found in safflower, sesame, corn and soybean. They reduce your LDL (bad) cholesterol, however too much can lower your HDL (good) cholesterol

4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids:  These are the fats that are essential to your diet. They include cold-water fish, flaxseed, soy and walnuts. These fats help reduce coronary disease and boost the immune system.


Fats are essential to the body, you should never try to eliminate them completely, instead learn to eat the right ones and live your healthy lifestyle :)

                                 ***Little Advice : stick to liquid fats instead of solid

Brown or White Rice?

by @PresidentElla       

        From my personal experience, sometimes, it's easier to make a "healthy" choice if you understand why that's the healthier choice. So... what makes brown rice so different from white? Call it unreliable if you'd like, but Wikepidia helped me find the sources to all the answers :) My favorite Chinese food spot in midtown is Ginger's on Fashion Ave. While some feel like their rushed in & out of the place, I appreciate the fast service. What I always struggle with ---no matter where I'm eating lunch --- is choosing my starch. I'm not quite a lo mein girl, so rice is always the option for me. The word "fried" says enough for me to stay away but, between white and brown rice, I never really knew the difference.  Until today, that is!!! 

Combining Aerobics + Weight Training

By: @PresidentElla

      If you're anything like me, you have NO IDEA of the different "types" of exercise or when you should do which. I'll let @PFungFitness provide details later, but for now, I'll share what I've read  :) 

Is Weight-Watchers for You?

by: @PresidentElla

A couple of the girls at work have taken on Weight Watchers and they seem to like it. Not that I'm the type to count numbers all day, but perhaps that's for people other than myself -_- Either way, I suppose the key is to eat healthy and maintain a stable diet. I mean, if it works for someone else, that doesn't mean it'll work for you. But it might *shrugs* You should know your options!

CLICK HERE to check out CNN.com's article on Weight Watchers! 

Core Strengthening Yoga!

Healthy Stir "Fry"

         

          Looking for that oriental flavor without the extra calories? Here’s alternative to healthy stir “fry” rice which taste the same, if not better than what you would order out; it’s also so simple that you won’t need to wait the 45 minutes to start eating.

****Note I don’t have much time so; I try to find things I can cook/steam in the microwave.

Ingredients

One minute Brown rice

 Frozen Stir Fry Veggies

2Tbs (40 Calories) Olde Cape Cod Fat free sesame Ginger Marinade

1Tbs (10 Calories) La Choy Stir Fry Teriyaki sauce and Marinade

Kikkoman Less sodium soy sauce (only a pinch due to sodium count)

Shrimp or chicken or even both!

Steps

1.    Prepare your shrimp or chicken, shrimp is a lot simpler, but with chicken I just cook it in my George Foreman Grill and slice it into think pieces, prior to mixing it in with the veggies

2.    Spray pan with Pam spray or alternative

3.    Steam stir fry veggies in pan

4.    Microwave or cook your minute brown rice. I use ½ cup cooked rice. This varies on your weight and size.

5.    Add chicken or shrimp to veggies

6.    Add Teriyaki, soy sauce and sesame ginger marinade, mix and let cook for a few minutes

7.    Add cooked rice mix, let simmer and serve!

It’s a very quick and simple recipe and super tasty. Feel free to add more veggies or experiment with different protein substances. Enjoy ! 

The Body (women)

       I get many messages, where women describe to me their ideal body and it seems to be the exact same shape; “hour glass” frame (small waist, maintain their chest and create or maintain a bigger lower body) I wanted to write about it , because if I didn’t I was soon going to find myself re-writing the same exact email!


        Diet is the key to the toned abs (small waist). Yes, you should do ab workouts to tone the muscle but everyone absolutely EVERYONE has a six pack it’s part of our anatomical muscular structure, it is just hidden underneath layers of fat. After the hundreds of crunches you will have an amazing set of six pack abs, BUT they will be underneath layers of fat. Therefore, in order to have this show you need to reduce your body fat, by having a consistent healthy diet and increasing or beginning cardio. However it’s mostly has to do with your diet, hence the quote “Abs are made in the Kitchen”. Remember the 75/25 or 80/20 rule of diet vs. exercise. The issue that some woman have with this, is that they not only lose the extra fat on their bellies, but they also begin to reduce fat in the buttocks and thighs (something many of you who sent me these emails want to keep)


         The problem here is “spot reduction” you cannot pick an area of the body in which you‘d like to tone or decrease, simply because the body does not work that way. Your body converts fat into fuel for energy but it collects this from multiple areas of the body not just one. In some cases you may lose the buttocks and thighs before you lose all of the fat over your stomach.  It’s just a process, I went through the same. 


          The trick is, that after losing, rebuild. Incorporate heavy leg workouts to build muscle and create a bigger lower body.

To name a few exercises:

·       Leg press

·       Dead lifts

·       Weighted Squats

·       Hamstring curls

·       Leg curls

·       Box jumps

·       One legged squats

·       Stair master

       I know that it may sound like a bit more work then what you expected but after losing and then rebuilding you will end up with a more lifted, toned bum, and if you do it right, a reduced or cellulite free one! J 

**** everyone is shaped differently, not everyone has the same body type. The three different body types are mesomorphs, ectomorphs and endomorphs.

Mesomorphs:

·          Athletic

·         Hard body with well defined muscles

·         Rectangular shaped body

·         Strong

·         Gains muscle easily

·         Gains fat more easily than ectomorphs 

Ectomorphs:

·          Small “delicate” frame and bone structure

·         Classic “hardgainer”

·         Flat chest

·         Small shoulders

·         Thin

·         Lean muscle mass

·         Finds it hard to gain weight

·         Fast metabolism 

       Endomorphs:

·         Soft and round body

·         Gains muscle and fat very easily

·         Is generally short and “stocky”

·         Round physique

·         Finds it hard to lose fat

·         Slow metabolism

 All of which will determine the results you get and how you are shaped. 

        However what is most important is that you’re living a healthy lifestyle. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and what matters most is that you love yourself. Until Next time!

Busy Body

            This blog is intentionally made for real people, who have their real life problems and obligations so I want this all to relate to everyone because I’m a real person.

          
      I know I’ve mentioned the ideal meal plan is 5-6 meals per day, and I’ve gotten many messages, saying that it’s almost impossible. I’m changing this to at least, 4. Just four! - 3 of which are actual meals and 1 is a snack. If you are really feeling dedicated have 2 snacks. What people sometimes fail to understand is that you don’t HAVE to have a “sit down” snack, with veggies, healthy carbs, and protein, they are just snacks, a small fruit, or a protein shake will do, just fine. Trust me with school, work, training and studying I completely understand where you all are coming from.  

Preparation is Key

           So I know many of us have started school and it's very easy to slip and start living off vending machines and w.e burger they're giving in the cafesteria, or that with these 3 hour classes it's impossible to eat anything! I'll show you how you can have a clean diet while at school! It'll just take a little preparation...

          Between school, studying, work and training it  honestly is difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I mean with all these other tasks how are you going to find time to cook, eat 5-6 times a day and exercise? As complicated as this sounds it is NOT impossible, as a matter of fact, that's what I do most months of the year, and you can too! You just have to be organized and all this organization helps you with everything else, at least it helped me. I realized I'm one of those people who like schedules and knowing there is a time for everything, even relaxing, so as I organized my fitness schedule, I organized my daily routines as well.

       "Fail to plan, plan to fail" is a proverb I've been living by lately. If you want to succeed in a healthy lifestyle some work is involved, and to add more quotes “anything that is truly worth it, doesn't come easy".