Exercise

Want a slimmer waistline in a few weeks’ time?

It’s certainly possible. And easier than you may have thought.

When it comes to losing that bulge around the middle, most of the advice you’ve probably heard is completely wrong.

It’s not surprising. There are quite a few myths out there when it comes to getting a flat stomach.

For example:
* “You’ve got to do 100s of crunches to lose that belly”
* “You need to starve yourself”
* “All you need is XYZ brand’s diet pill.”
* “You must do hours on end of low-intensity cardio, like walking on the treadmill.”

The truth is that it’s not that complicated to lose your abdominal fat.

Here’s all you need to know:

EAT RIGHT. Sounds simple enough, but how many people are really doing it? Based on the obesity rate in America, not many. Eat right means eating properly to fuel your body, boost your metabolism and burn more fat. Avoid all junk foods, including fried foods, soft drinks and heavily processed foods. Stick to foods that have only a few ingredients that you can identify as real food. That means good protein sources, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats (nuts, olive oil, flax seed oil, avocados, etc.) Also, try to eat 4 – 6 small meals evenly spaced throughout your day.

TRAIN WITH WEIGHTS. This one’s a given. Train 3 – 4 times per week. Focus mainly on compound movements. This means the “tough” exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, cable chest press, barbell rows, etc. These are effective at building muscle and priming your metabolism to burn fat like nobody’s business. Plus, these kinds of exercises are more functional and will provide the strength you need to go about your day-to-day life.

DO CARDIO SMARTLY. Once you’re eating healthy and working out with weights, it’s time to add in a little cardio. But not the kind of cardio you see everyone else at the gym do. The goal isn’t to see how long you last walking on the treadmill. Instead, you’re going to do HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT).

Simply put, this means alternating between all-out exertion and resting. For example, if you’re on the treadmill, you’d warm up for the first 2 minutes, then sprint as fast as you can for 1 minute. Then rest the next minute. Do this for 9 more sets of 1 minute exertion followed by 1 minute rest. Doing cardio this way burns more calories in less time, since you’re “upping” the intensity factor.

So there you have it. Follow these three tips starting today and you’re bound to lose belly fat before Summer’s out.

And if you’re truly serious about improving your health and fitness level once and for all, take advantage of our FREE Fitness Consultation (an $87 value) and a FREE HIIT Training Session designed just for you.

During your consultation, you’ll receive detailed information on the best way to get fit based on YOUR body.

This means that you’ll be on the path to burning fat and getting the slim body you’ve always wanted in no time at all.

There’s no obligation and it’s totally and completely free. Interested?

CALL US NOW! 301-249-1814

If you’re a senior, or know one, who wants to exercise, but are uncertain or afraid of injury, then you need to read today’s article [and you'll love today's quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes].

Yours In Health,

Dimitri Louis

Are You Too Old To Exercise Safely?

Often, seniors think it’s safer to stick to a sedentary lifestyle than to exercise. But the research is pretty definitive that exercising – even moderately – not only improves your health at any age, but can also slow the aging processs and ultimately improve your quality of life.

Here are a few tips for exercising safely, at any age, and getting the best results:

Always maintain form – Make sure your movement is fluid. Avoid jerking movements, and working out at top speed.

Workout with a partner – This is really great for everyone but especially when you’re older — it’s good to have someone watch out for you when you’re training to ensure your safety.

Listen to your body – Being a little sore and tired after a workout is expected, but acute pain and exhaustion is not.

Consult your physician – Prior to beginning an exercise program, have your doctor check you out and advise you on things you should stay clear of. Your physician may also be able to refer you to an exercise specialist that will look after your best interests.

Use safety equipment – a helmet and pads if you’re going cycling, or joint support if you’re running… Whatever you’re doing, try and make it as safe as possible and utlize the recommended gear.

Common sense goes a long way. Don’t push yourself excessively. Allow your body to tell you where your limits are. If you do, you should be able to exercise well into your 80′s, 90′s and beyond!

“Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

Dear Friend,

Imagine if you’re making exercise mistakes – without knowing it – that are slowing your results… If you’re like most people, then chances are good you are.

But fear not, I am going to share with you 3 common exercise mistakes that slow results – so you can fix them – and transform your body even faster!

Yours In Health,

Dimitri

Do You Make These Exercise Mistakes?

I bet you do. See for yourself…

Putting speed over form – Don’t confuse speed with intensity. Intensity is important, the harder you work, the quicker results will come. Speed, on the other hand, can get you injured. Because speed for speed’s sake almost always compromises form. And when you break form, not only are you improperly working the muscles, you’re also possibly putting yourself in a position where a muscle, ligament or tendon can be improperly stressed…and damaged. Nothing will stop your results in their tracks like an injury will, so please, please be careful and use correct form. This is one of the many places where it is so valuable to get expert guidance, feedback and coaching. Just looking at a picture in a magazine or book, or even watching the exercise performed by someone else on a video, can be deceiving. For optimal results, use optimal (correct) form at high intensity. If you’d like a primer on form, function, proper technique and injury avoidance, I encourage you to give us a call, before the end of April, and come in for a complimentary workout. Our gift to you! [Just mention Newsletter April 20.]

Reading a magazine while doing cardio – Reading takes your concentration away from the task at hand, which is an intense, heart-pumping workout. And all sorts of bad things can happen when you’re not focused on what you’re doing while running along at 6mph on the treadmill, or even when you’re on a stationary bike. I’ve seen it all, and some of the spills I’ve witnessed weren’t pretty. If the person could get back up, he’d get up with an embarrased look on his face, that’s for sure. But really, it’s not about embarrasment, it’s about safety and getting results. I’m not trying to be a scrooge, I just want you to know that getting results, particularly if you want them fast, requires focused effort. You can’t do that while reading about “Brangelina” or even about the price of oil! Instead of a magazine, put on your Ipod with some motivating music…and rock it out!

Ignoring weight training – Guys obviously understand the benefits of weight training, but ladies…not so much. And I get it. You don’t want “bulky” muscles. But the truth is, that just won’t happen. Remember, muscle is more compact than fat. And women don’t have the muscle building testosterone men have. So, when a woman trains with weights, your body literally shrinks. It doesn’t expand, and certainly won’t get “bulky.” Instead, you’ll enhance your feminine curves by toning them up, and tightening them down! Tight, toned and terrific is what you get from weight training done right. Again, come in and we’ll show you the right way…for free.

OK, so now you understand a few of the common mistakes that sabotage results. I hope you will avoid them and focus on having more great, productive workouts. And if you need help, you know how to reach us!

Dear Friend,

I hope you had a wonderful Easter and Spring Break spending time with the family and relaxing. It’s probably a safe bet that you indulged a little (or a lot) in some chocolate eggs and other goodies when the kids were out of school! Hey, it’s Spring after all!

Well, no worries – because today I’m going to show you how to burn off those extra calories. And what’s more, you can do these highly effective “office” exercises anywhere and anytime without even breaking a sweat…like, even right now!

Yours In Health,

Dimitri

Get Fit In Your Home/Office

Doing a little exercise while you work allows you to kill two birds with one stone. You can improve your health and save time. But it get’s even better, because by doing the simple exercises listed below you oxygenate your blood, stoke your metabolism, get the endorphins cranking, ramp up your energy, sharpen your focus…and get a lot more done in less time (and you feel really good, too).

And you can do it all in five minutes, right at your home/office desk…without even breaking a sweat! It’ll brighten your eyes, put color in your face and make your office mates wonder why you’re so darn perky! (You know, when they give you that look that says, “There’s something different about you, and it’s good, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is!”). Here goes:

Chair Squats – While sitting in your chair with legs bent 90 degrees at the knee, put your arms straight out in front of you so they’re parallel to the floor. Now tighten your abdominals and press through your heels to stand straight up. Try not to “cheat” by leaning forward. From the standing position, lower your backside down to the chair as if to sit down, but only touch (don’t bounce) the chair seat with your rear and drive through your heels to raise your body back up. Try and do at least 10 repetitions. You can do 2-3 sets of 10 of these in less than 4 minutes. Believe me, it will get your heart rate elevated! Plus this exercise works ALL the core muscles. Do it right now, OK? C’mon, I’m serious!

Ab Squeeze – While sitting at your desk with good posture (shoulders back, chest out, eyes forward), squeeze your abdominal muscles tightly and HOLD for a count of 10-20 seconds. This is an isometric (static) exercise…and it really works! Again, do at least 2-3 sets. This is something you can every hour on the hour if you like. You WILL feel it tomorrow!

Deep Breathing – Slow, deep breathing is incredibly beneficial. Most people go through their entire day without taking a really deep breath. All that shallow breathing never properly oxygenates the blood and allows carbon dioxide to build up in your blood stream, which can cause fatigue and keep your brain from functioning optimally. So here’s what to do. Exhale thoroughly through your mouth. Keep blowing out as long as you can. When you’ve completely expelled all the old, hot air then slowly inhale deeply through your nose allowing your stomach to relax so you can take in the maximum amount of fresh, cool air. Hold it in for a count of 5, then slowly exhale through your mouth again. Repeat 3-5 times. You’ll notice almost instantly how much better this makes you feel. Yes, that is an exercise! And a great one!

Take a Walk – If time permits, go take a BRISK 5-10 minute walk outside. If you have stairs, take the stairs (down and back up). Walk with purpose – this isn’t a leisurely stroll, this is a mini-workout. And every bit helps. It’s all cumulative. That’s one of the wonderful things about exercise. Some days you can’t fit in a full workout, but you can still do a couple simple exercises like these that DO benefit you. They burn calories, accelerate your metabolism and make you feel great.

Okay, that’s it for now. Ready…Squat!

Dear Friend,

Although most people have their own “best time to workout,” the morning is usually most popular because you get your “personal victory” first thing – and that makes your day so much more positive, productive…and fun!

If you’ve been struggling to find the time to exercise during the day, then morning might be the right time for you as well. The trick is getting out of bed, shaking off the cobwebs and getting started! I’m going to show you how — keep reading.

Yours In Health,

Dimitri Louis

How To Get Out of Bed For Exercise

Get a “Sunrise” Alarm Clock – A sunrise alarm clock has a big bulb on it that gradually gets brighter, until it reaches full brightness at your desired wake up time. This wakes you up slowly, as opposed to jarring you awake. It’s more natural and sets you up for the day feeling great and full of energy.

Remove Your Alarm Clock From Your Bedside – Sunrise alarm clocks aren’t cheap. A less expensive alternative to ensure that when you wake up, you get up, is to place your alarm clock at the other end of your bedroom. When it sounds, you have to get out of bed to turn it off. And when you’re up, you’re up!

Get to Bed Earlier – If you’re going to bed late then it’s going to be harder for you to get up early. That’s just common sense. Plan your workouts into your daily routine to ensure that everything gets done in good time.

Make Exercise the First Thing You Do – If you settle down to have a full breakfast, then you will possibly begin reading the newspaper, checking your e-mail or watching TV. Before you know it you’ll have missed your window of opportunity and it will be time for work. Start warming up right away.

Remember How It Feels! – Remember just how good it feels as you breeze through the day full of positive energy and confidence, invigorated from your morning workout. Exercise really does make everything better – even work!

The start of your day is a good indication of how the rest of the day will go, so use these tips, try exercising in the morning and see if it feels as great for you as it does for everybody else.

Quote Corner
“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.” – Jon Hammond

What do you know? You know you should be doing some form of cardio 3 to 6 days a week. You know you should be doing resistance training 2 to 3 times a week. You know you should be taking your multivitamin every day. You know you should be drinking half your bodyweight in ounces of water per day. You know you should be getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night. You know that you know a lot more than you give yourself credit for. So what’s stopping you for making the progress that you would like to make. The answer is not in what you know but in what you do. Today I will identify 3 secrets to bridge that gap, in future posts we will break them down more in depth. The 3 secrets are strategy, stimulus and support. Strategy -the step by step approach to behavior modification. Stimulus – knowing why you want what you want. Support – the environment that will fuel you to success.