Your Body is the only valued asset you have!

Body scan of 250 lb woman and 120 lb woman. If this isn't motivation to work out, I don't know what is! I'm NOT implying that a women needs to weigh 120 lbs...that's no where near realistic for some people...but it is about health and longevity and the damage obesity causes. Look at the size of the intestines and stomach; how the knee joints rub together; the enlarged heart; and the fat pockets near the brain. Not good.

 

Our Bodies are often taken for a roller coaster when it comes to health and fitness. One day we really care the next we are shoving a Hershey bar down are throat like we haven't eaten in weeks. Our society is set up to make losing weight and being healthy a very difficult life style to live. The prices of crappy foods are often way cheaper to buy, the effort to get up and go to the gym after long hours at work is an exhausting thought. The Care isn't there, because a lot of our society is overweight as well. Denial is also a big factor , admitting you actually have an obesity/ weight problem.

 

There are many factors to making a healthy lifestyle a little more difficult. However none of these excuses are worth your life being cut short, if you walk up your stairs and you lose your breathe, how is that comfortable? If your belly gets in the way of you helping your child put there shoes on, How doesn't that upset you? 

Yes i am a trainer, yes i believe in exercise as the answer, yes it is my job. But did you know, i struggle with my weight badly, did you know i have a very low self esteem when it came to my image and sometimes throws me for the loop even now. I work out for 22 hours a week, and I'm not 100% satisfied with my abs etc. I am just like you, I don't like to eat salads with no dressing, i do like my carbs and sweets. I am just like you. I get sad when i look at myself naked too sometimes. With the BAD comes the good, you need to work really really hard, to make better food decisions and you honestly need to work harder then you think to see an inch of result. Its not too late to start, it never is. For a while there i thought to myself I'm never ever going to skinny, going to be good enough for myself.

 

But i worked worked and I worked and now I'm starting to control my food cravings much better and I for the first time IN YEARS, looked in the mirror when i got out of the shower, i flexed in the mirror and i smiled BIG! I said to myself " you look amazing" i felt like a million dollars, and it pushes me to keep going everyday. I don't want to be like anyone else, i want to be happy in my skin and feel strong and look strong. Its very simple, i enjoy the feeling i get. So if your planning on embarking on a fitness journey, don't do it , to please someone else, don't do it to look like someone else. Do it for yourself, do it for your life, do it for your family and loved ones, who want to see you live a long and happy life. Do it for your happiness.

That photo above is life changing, and should make you think about your health. If your already on a great healthy lifestyle right now, but you have a loved one who is falling apart, try to get them passionate about there life. Lets make 2012 a healthy active adventure.

10 exercise's for a SEXY LOWER HALF!

If you follow a good diet, see yesterdays blog for more info.

All you need is to Work it out! 

These are 10 Body Bootcamp Lower body exercises

 that I Love to use in our classes..

 Proper formation is the key to results so before trying any of these exercises be sure to do your research each of them to know proper formation.

1. Weighted Squats, squats are fantastic because they work many of the major muscles in your buns and thighs. You can have a barbell on your shoulders, or Hold two 15lb kettlebells in each hand. This is fantastic for the lower half.
2. Jump Squats, LOVE these they are a killer but crazy beneficial. You need to stand hip distance apart, launch yourself high in the air and land in the low squat and then from the bottom shoot right back up. legs will be burning and results will be coming quick.
3. Lunges, alternating lunges are great for defining the legs as well as your butt.
4. Jump Lunges, great to take it up 10 levels. By adding the jump switch in the middle, speeding up the heart rate, and killing the legs with burning.
5. Sumo squats, Love doing sumo squats for defining the inner thighs they work fantastic and they seem a little easier when being done. Great for the inner thighs.
6. Plea squat, as ballerina's do, we do too. our heels are pressed together and we dip down squeezing the butt and up. Killer inner thigh workout.
7. Kangoo jumps, Kangoo is our latest class, they are amazing for sculpting beautiful legs, trimmed waists and shoulders. Kangoo is killer on your legs and whats great is you burn double the calories during the exercises.
8. High Knees, although it wouldn't seem like this exercise is essential, it seems more cardio based. but if you hike those knees up into your chest , your butt and thighs are getting a great great burn going. Add in a skipping rope and you will be calling it a calorie burning day.
9. Fire Hydrant, to my clients known as mimicking a twinkling dog on a hydrant. your on all fours and hinging from the hips. My god the corners of your gluts are on fire within seconds. defiantly this is a fantastic lower half workout, for an extra challenge you can even straighten the leg while hinging from the hips.
10. Kardashian kick backs, Your on all fours and you straighten the leg out and up. Pulsing about 10-15 times then alternating legs.  

Eating is the KEY to success!

Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you. Again like any fitness challenge, food is your biggest. It's all about getting into a healthy and enjoyable routine. 

Here are a few of my tips:


# 1: Forget the CRAZY DIETS! The only eating plan, I suggest to my clients is the old Canadian food guide. It outlines exactly how to eat correctly. Canadian food guide get your copy!

#2: Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references. 

#3:Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size of your fist? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings.All this info again can be Referred to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes. 

#4: EAT ALL THE TIME. You should be eating way more often then you think. Its recommended that you have at least 6 small meals a day. Of course Breakfast being your largest, Lunch Second Largest and Dinner being the lightest. With 3 small snack size meals in between. Approx every 3 hours you should be eating something. Your small meals could be some Green beans, an apple, some non fat popcorn, nuts etc. As soon as your body tells you its hungry, you have already begun storing your body fat and we need to burn it!

#5:Eat Power Foods, Power foods make up a large part of our diet and will help you get chizzled and stay that way.They have proven to: Builds muscle, Helps promote weight loss, Strengthens bone, Lowers blood pressure, Fights cancer, Improves immune function and Fights heart disease.

• Incorporate two or three of these foods into each of your three major meals and at least one of them into each of your three snacks.
• Diversify your food at every meal to get a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
• Make sure you sneak a little bit of protein into each snack.

1. Almonds and other nuts.
2. Beans and Other Legumes, Including soybeans, chickpeas, pinto beans, navy beans, kidney beans, lima beans.
3. Spinach and Other Green Vegetables
4. Dairy Products
5. Instant Oatmeal
6. Eggs
7. Turkey and Other Lean Meats
8. Peanut Butter, natural sugar free
9. Olive oil
10. Whole-Grain Breads and Cereals
11. Extra-Protein (Whey) Powder
12. Raspberries and Other Berries.

 
For More info on power foods see this awesome website, which explains each category in detail.

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-12-power-foods-never-go-hungry.html

To conclude, Sorry folks, there are no magic pills, no magic diets, and no ab blasters will help you and your body lose fat. It's hard to accept sometimes isn't it?

Fat loss is about the ratio of calories in vs. calories out. Plain and simple. But what most magazines and infomercials do not tell us is that in order to achieve our fitness goals the ratio is actually 70% nutritional and 30 % exercise. But that does not mean starve yourself and do as little exercise as possible. It means eat sensibly, have 5-6 smaller meals per day to balance the blood sugars, that will also keep the metabolism stoked, and exercise on a regular basis, which should include strength training to maintain and develop lean muscle mass. This too helps boost your metabolism.

Hope you enjoyed, and please become a follower on my blog. 

Samantha Giovannelli

You need to be 1000 % Ready!

I have met so many amazing clients throughout my years as a trainer, and many stayed on track achieved there personal goals then beat them twice over again! But they were ready. Then i have met other clients who talk the talk at first but then don't walk the walk.

Fitness is always and always will be tough. Its hard work. I tell so many of my new clients that enter my gym looking for memberships, Are you ready? are you going to change your life? are you going to take time off when you hit a plateau? are you going to stay committed to your healthy eating? If you cant confidently answer yes to the following questions. Please don't waste your money purchasing this membership, because i know you fail, because your mind set is already set that way!

There is one thing to " want it bad " and another to work for it bad. Fitness is not a 6 month contract, its a life commitment. You have to commit to your health for life. I explain it to people like cars. We all put gas in our cars, get oil changes because we need to take care of our cars, or they will need to be replaced. Our bodies are the same, we need to workout daily for life, we need to eat healthily always , yes we can have treats because that healthy. The worst thing a person can do is STOP once they reach there goal. Your body will stop running well , it will gain the weight back , you will lose your definition its the way it works. if you stop putting gas in your car it will break down! Before barking on a fitness lifestyle, change your mind set, and get real.

You have all the tools, in your hands, don't procrastinate. Change your life today.

Thanks for reading,
Goodluck on your journey!
Samantha...

Why cant I get rid of my awful BELLY FAT???

One of the biggest questions I get is "how do I lose my belly fat? I've tried several things but nothing worked". When I ask what you tried I hear 100 daily sit-ups, cutting calories drastically, excess cardio, fat burners, etc. If you can't lose your belly fat, you're using the wrong approach. You don't need endless sit-ups, supplements, starving yourself or worse surgery. Here are the 10 best ways to lose your belly fat - quickly and naturally.

1. Stop Doing Crunches. Crunches will strengthen your stomach muscles, but won't burn the belly fat that covers your abs. Spot reduction is a myth. You're wasting time & effort doing 200 daily crunches.

Crunches can also cause lower back pain, slouching shoulders & forward head posture. The Reverse Crunch doesn't cause these problems, but again: spot reduction is a myth. To lose your belly fat, you need more. Keep reading.

2. Get Stronger. Strength training builds muscle mass, prevents muscle loss and helps fat loss. The Squat & Deadlift work best to build strength.

• Your lower back keeps you upright from the back. Your abs from the front. Both muscles will work hard during heavy Squats & Deadlifts at keeping you from collapsing under the weight.
• Squats & Deadlifts allow you to stress your body with heavy weights, working all your muscles from head to toe. This helps getting stronger quickly and building muscle fast, including ab muscles.

Spot reduction still doesn't exist, so Squats & Deadlifts won't burn your belly fat directly. However they'll strengthen your abs and lower your waist size. If you never did both exercises, check StrongLifts 5x5. Only takes 3x45mins/week.

3. Eat Healthy. As the saying goes “abs are built in the kitchen”. You can train hard & build muscular abs, but if you eat junk food all day, you won't lose your belly fat. Stop eating processed food. Eat whole, unprocessed foods.

• Proteins. Meat, poultry, fish, whey, eggs, cottage cheese, …
• Veggies. Spinach, broccoli, salad, kale, cabbage, …
• Fruits. Banana, orange, apple, pineapple, peers, ...
• Fats. Olive oil, fish oil, real butter, nuts, flax seeds, …
• Carbs. Brown rice, oats, whole grain pasta, quinoa, …

No need to be perfect. Eating junk food actually helps fat loss by keeping your hormones sharp. Don't overdo it though. Eat junk food 10% of the time max. That's 4 junk meals/week if you eat 6 meals/day.

4. Limit Alcohol Consumption. To lose your belly fat, what you drink is as important as what you eat. Alcohol from time to time is OK. But forget about losing your belly fat if you drink beer & sweet alcohols daily.

Beer drinkers always have a peer shape: belly fat & man boobs - especially as they get older. Alcohol also stresses your liver which has to overwork to clear the toxins. This can get in the way of building muscles.

Drink alcohol 10% of the time. Example Friday & Saturday night. Normal alcohol consumption, not the get drunk. Rest of the time: water, water with squeezed lemon, green tea, etc. Either that or forget about losing your belly fat.

5. Eat Less Carbs. You need carbs for energy. Problem is that most people eat way more carbs than they need. Your body will stock the carbs it doesn't need as fat. And this is often how you get belly fat.

Unless you're a skinny guy who needs to gain weight, lower your carb intake. Keep eating fruits & veggies with each meal. But cut back on potatoes, pasta, rice, breads, ... Eat these post workout only.

6. Eat More. Eating tons of healthy foods won't make you fat. Especially not if you exercise 2-3x/week. Starving yourself is the number 1 nutritional mistakes. Healthy nutrition is important for 3 reasons:

• Energy. Food is energy. Your body uses food for weight lifting, working, digestion, etc. Lack of food means lack of energy, in all areas of life.
• Fat Loss. Eating the right foods helps fat loss: protein has the highest thermic effect and satiates, healthy fats promote fat loss, ...
• Maintain Muscle. If you starve yourself, your body will burn muscle for energy - NOT fat. You'll become skinny + fat.

Hunger means you're not eating enough. Don't worry about calories. Just eat breakfast and eat every 3 hours from there on, including post workout. Eat healthy foods 90% of the time to lose your belly fat fast.

7. Eat More Protein. Protein has a higher thermic effect than other foods: your body burns more energy processing proteins than it does processing carbs and fat. That's why high protein diets work great at burning your belly fat.

How much protein do you need daily? Do like I do: eat whole protein with each meal without worrying about the numbers. Check the 10 cheapest sources of protein to keep it budget-friendly.

8. Eat More Fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Bad nutrition and lack of exercise do. Eating fat actually helps fat loss. Your body won't stock fat as easily if your give it a constant intake of healthy fats.

Fish oil is the best source of fat to lose your belly fat. Fish oil naturally increases testosterone levels and increases fat loss. 6g omega-3 per day is a good start. Check Carlson Fish Oil: 1600mg omega-3 per tbsp.

Stay away from trans-fatty fats present in products like margarine. Trans-fatty fats are bad for your health. Eat whole unprocessed foods 90% of the time as I recommend in point 3 and you'll avoid trans-fatty fats easily.

9. Lower Your Body Fat. As a man, your belly is the last place where you'll get rid of fat. If you have man boobs and a double chin, you'll have to lower your body fat to lose your belly fat. Here's how:

• Get Stronger. Strength training builds & maintains muscle, increases fat loss, helps sticking to diet, ... Check StrongLifts 5x5 if you don't know where to start: it only takes 3x45mins/week.
• Eat Healthier. Apply the 8 nutrition rules. Eat breakfast. Eat every 3 hours. Proteins, veggies & fruits with each meal. Carbs post workout only. 2 cups of water with each meal. Whole foods 90% of the time.
• Add Cardio. 15mins post workout, build up to 3x45mins/week. If you have less than 15% body fat, just get stronger and eat healthier. That will lower your body fat and make you lose your belly fat.

Check the fat loss guide for more info about how to lower your body fat.

10. Stay Motivated. Looking at your belly or in the mirror gives you inaccurate feedback. What you see is influenced by food intake, water retention, light and your own perception. Self-image issues can make the last one tricky.

• Measure Body Fat. Every 2 weeks using a fat caliper. It doesn't need to be accurate. What matters is that the trend goes down.
• Measure Your Waist. Also every 2 weeks. If you get stronger and eat healthy, your waist will go down fast. Your pants will start to feel loose.
• Take Pictures. Shoot pictures of yourself every 2 weeks: front, back & side. The side pictures will show the most change.

Success breeds success. Track progress accurately so you know where you are and stay motivated to keep working at losing your belly fat. Don't just read this post and go back to what you were doing. Take action. Lose your belly fat.