Author: Joy Page 2 of 5

Personal Fitness Trainer/Coach/Group Fitness Instructor/Fitness Nutrition Specialist

How to Encourage Maximum Metabolism and Nutrient Absorption?

On December 16, 2018

The best way to encourage maximum metabolism and nutrient absorption is with variation in your diet. Having different sources of macro-nutrients throughout the day and week is crucial in variation.

Many people start a nutrition plan and think they will be successful by sticking to a very specific plan and eating the same foods each day and within each meal. The problem is… it will lack variation.

In order to spike the metabolism up and maximize the amount of nutrients your body absorbs and uses, you must vary the foods you eat throughout your day, weeks, months and even seasons.

I follow a few rules each day that help me get this variety into my nutrition plan and I am going to share it with you here:

1) Include all macro-nutrients

A macro-nutrient is defined as a category of nutrients – including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats – that are present in foods in large amounts.

Macro-nutrients supply our bodies with energy to power muscles and cellular functions.

It is important to provide our bodies with all 3 categories of macro-nutrients, not just each day, but spread throughout all meals and snacks.

2) Vary color

It is not just enough to include macro-nutrients into your diet but to also vary the color of those macro-nutrients.

I recommend eating at least 3 colors in each meal and at least 2 colors in each snack.

Different colors in foods mean different vitamins and/or nutrients. By varying the colors you eat in your meals and snacks you are varying the vitamins and nutrients you are giving your body throughout the day.

Vegetables and fruits have lots of bright colors and should be incorporated into each meal or snack. Bright colors mean lots of nutrient value and each color provides different nutrients. Try to vary the colors throughout your day. Don’t just eat all green vegetables, or all red fruit. Try varying the colors of the vegetables and fruits that you are eating.

Proteins and grains will tend to be white, brown, tan and should be included with your meals and snacks along with bright colors of vegetables and fruits. These provide different types of nutrient values for your body and are very important to incorporate.

3) Don’t repeat macro-nutrients

Along with including macro-nutrients and varying colors in your diet, implementing this final rule will really boost your metabolism and the nutrients needed to fuel your bodies needs.

Not repeating macro-nutrients within your day will help to encourage variation and getting different sources of foods in each of the macro groups – carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

If you eat eggs in breakfast, don’t have eggs in any of your other meals as your main protein source. Choose a different source of protein at lunch such as grilled chicken and even another source at dinner such as beans or fish. Mix different proteins into your snacks such as nuts or low fat yogurt.

By doing this you are providing your body with the protein it needs but in different sources. Your body will get different nutrient and vitamin content which it will then use, store or excrete.

Do this with all of your macro-nutrient groups!

By following these 3 rules on a daily basis you will encourage maximum nutrient and vitamin intake, decrease vitamin and nutrient deficiencies and help aide in metabolism. Your body will not have excess absorption and storage of nutrients from repeated foods. Your body will get an efficient amount of what it needs from a varied diet of consistent varied nutrient intake.

Another upside to this is that variety is less boring. If you are mixing up different sources of proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats throughout your day your taste buds also get variety.

There are so many sources of macro-nutrients to spread throughout your day. Here are some macro-nutrient food choices to try:

Proteins – meats, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, dairy

Chicken
Turkey
Pork
Lean Steak
Fish
Eggs
Beans
Milk
Yogurt
Low Fat Cheese
Nuts

Fats

Nuts
Avocado
Coconut
Mayonnaise
Olives
Oils – Olive, Grapeseed, Avocado, Sesame, Peanut, Coconut

Carbohydrates – whole grains, vegetables, fruit

Whole Grains

Oats
Quinoa
Brown Rice
Wild Rice
Popcorn
Whole Grain Bread
Whole Grain Cereal
Whole Grain Crackers
Whole Grain Pasta
Whole Grain Tortillas
Barley
Spelt
Millet

Green Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and Beta-carotene.

Leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, lettuce
Cabbage
Broccoli
Green beans
Zucchini
Asparagus
Brussel Sprouts
Cucumbers
Sugar Snap Peas
Celery
Grapes
Pears
Limes
Apples
Honeydew
Kiwi

Red Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin

Tomatoes
Peppers
Beets
Onions
Radishes
Potatoes
Apples
Cherries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Cranberries
Pomegranate
Grapes
Pears
Watermelon

Orange and Yellow Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C

Peppers
Carrots
Squash
Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Apples
Lemons
Pears
Apricots
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Peaches
Papaya
Oranges
Mangoes

Purple Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin

Eggplant
Cabbage
Beets
Carrots
Red onion
Potatoes
Grapes
Blueberries
Blackberries
Plums
Raisins
Prunes
Figs

White Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, and lignan

Onion
Mushrooms
Potatoes
Cauliflower
Garlic
Ginger
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Corn
Jicama
Turnips
Bananas
Peaches
Brown Pears

Sources:

Find out more about varied colors of vegetables and fruits nutrient values and benefits here:
https://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/nutrition/fruits-veggies/colored.php

All Natural Fruit Popsicles

By Joy

On August 9, 2018

In Recipes

Here is an all natural way to make fruit popsicles for a sweet and healthy, low calorie summer treat!

These fruit popsicles contain no added sugars and are super easy to make. Not only will you love them but your kids will love them too!!!

Ingredients:

Fresh or frozen fruit
Coconut water

Directions:

Grab your blender and add 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit. Pour 1 cup of coconut water over fruit. Blend until smooth. Check consistency if to thin add more fruit, if too thick add more coconut water. All fruit will be a little different depending on it’s water content. Make sure the blended fruit consistency is a little thick but can still pour.

Pour into mold trays and add a popsicle stick or use popsicle trays and freeze.

Experiment with both fresh and frozen fruit. Mix fruits together for even more flavors.

Nutritional Information:

Serving size – 1 popsicle

Each serving is approx. 10-30 calories

Food servings: 1/2-1 fruit

Spot Training – Is it effective?

By Joy

On June 7, 2018

In Fitness

Is spot training effective? This is a complex question with a not so simple answer.

The answer is both yes and no!

I know this doesn’t make any sense and is somewhat contradictory, so lets explain the yes and no to my answer. It really depends on your purpose for using it and how you implement it into your program.

Is it an effective method for overall weight loss? No.

Is it an effective method in your strength training program for overall appearance? Yes.

What you cannot do is spot train to loose weight in a specific area of the body or as a stand alone method to loosing weight or fat. What you can do is spot train to tighten and sculpt a particular area of the body for a better appearance.

Where fat will store and accumulate in your body is in your genetics, this is not something you can control. The best way to loose overall fat is through a healthy lifestyle of exercise and healthy eating habits. With this you will not be able to dictate where the loss of fat comes from or at what rate but, through a healthy lifestyle you will be able to control fat storage and loss.

Spot training or what I like to call “focused training” is working a specific area of the body to develop muscle and strength. This in turn will help the area appear tighter and more defined, especially as you loose surrounding fat.

It is not spot training alone that will help you loose weight and fat but, paired with cardio, full body strength training and a healthy eating plan, spot training can be an effective method for training areas of focus or particular interest to you.

Let’s discuss how to effectively encourage overall fat loss and spot train for focused areas of definition:

First, we need to discuss the methods of loosing overall fat. To loose overall fat will require an exercise program that includes both cardio and full body strength training a few times a week.

cardiovascualar exercise Cardio will help to encourage burning calories and fat stores through exercise and activities such as walking, running, biking, rowing, elliptical, dance, kickboxing, HIIT, step. Or, sports such as tennis, soccer, baseball, softball, basketball or any other activity or sport that gets your heart rate up and requires cardiovascular energy.

strenght training

Full body strength will encourage balanced muscle growth and development throughout the entire body. Strength training is super important in not just physical strength but, in fat loss and calorie burn because the more muscle your body gains, the more energy your body puts out. This means that you burn more calories throughout the day both during exercise and at rest. This helps to accelerate the fat burning and weight loss process.

Now, let’s discuss how spot training fits in:

This is basically the final step in your exercise process and it is to fine tune the areas of your body that interest you the most. This may be the areas you have the most problems with or the ones you want to accentuate the most. This is what I call Phase 3 of my programming (click here to read about phase 3 of my program outline).

This type of training should be thrown in at least once a week in addition to your cardio and full strength routines (not in place of).

This workout will consist of training that particular area or areas with several different exercises and methods. This can be done through weighted, tension band, body weight, and/or plyometric exercises as well as with reps, time, isometric holds or combination of any and all.

The question is… how do we put this all together?

Here is a sample weekly routine to show you how to fit it all in:

It doesn’t have to be done in this particular order. Find what fits best for you! This may vary based on your schedule, if you take specific classes, see a personal trainer or only have access to gym or equipment on certain days of the week.

Monday: HIIT (Hi-Intensity Interval Training) Workout
Cardio and Strength exercises including but not limited to: strength, cardio and core.
- This workout should include both overall strength and cardio. I like it on a Monday to hit that week strong with super intense bursts of both strength and cardio.
Tuesday: Cardio Workout
Strong cardio that gets your heart rate up and challenges your body.
- This workout should be cardio driven and include a workout that uses cardiovascular energy
Wednesday: Rest/Recovery day
Can include a low impact workout such as walking, yoga, stretching or core focus.
- This day should include some sort of rest for your body. You want most of the large muscle groups to have some recovery time. With that said you may include exercises that are beneficial, healing and/or low impact. A workout on this day should not overly challenge your muscles.
Thursday: Overall Strength with Light Cardio Workout
Include either light cardio before or after your strength workout for overall body. 20 minutes on the treadmill with a walk/jog/run would be a good type of cardio for this type of day.
- This workout should be predominantly strength with a little bit of cardio mixed in before, after or during strength workout.
Friday: Cardio Workout
Strong Cardio Day #2
Saturday: Spot/Focused Training
Exercises consisting of your area of focus only. Hit those areas hard with several exercises in several positions (standing, seated, combo of, lying, etc.), several modalities (machine, free weights, body weight, stability balls, tension bands, etc.), and several methods (time, reps, sets, isometric, plyometric, slow, fast, concentric, eccentric, etc.).
- This workout will focus on your particular areas of interest or concern.
Sunday: Rest/Recover Day #2

This is just a sample, however you should be including cardio, overall strength, rest/recovery or low-impact, and spot/focused training throughout your week.

Shoot for at least 2-3 days of cardio, 2-3 days of overall strength and at least 1 spot/focused workout. You may require more spot training days if you have several areas of focus.

You can also combine cardio and strength days or cardio and spot training days into one workout if needed. For example, on my sample, Monday is a HIIT workout and includes both cardio and overall strength into one complete workout.

By following this outline you will ensure that you cover what you need for both overall weight loss and spot area improvements.

Muscle Balance – Calves and Shins

By Joy

On March 17, 2018

In Fitness

muscle balance – calves and shins

Muscle balance is very important when it comes to strength and injury prevention. Most of the major muscle groups of the body have an opposing muscle or muscles that it works with for joint movement and mobility. These muscles work together for movement of the body. If you strengthen or stretch one group of muscles, it is important that you do the same for the opposing muscle group or groups. This will help to prevent developing a muscle imbalance.

In This Series of Muscle Balance – Calves and Shins

I will be discussing the calf muscles, their opposing muscle group or groups, the joints they are connected to, and their actions. I will show exercises and stretches that help to keep those muscles strong and flexible.

The calf muscles are called the Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles. These muscles are connected to the back of the knee joint as well as to the bone underneath the knee joint. They run down the leg and connect to the ankle and heel of the foot. The action of these muscles are extension of the ankle, pointing of the toe, and flexion of the knee.

The opposing muscle group to the calves are the shins and that muscle is called the Tibialis Anterior. This muscle is connected to the bone underneath the knee in the front of the leg. It goes down the leg and connects to the base of the foot by the big toe. The action of this muscle is to turn the foot upward and inward.

There are many exercises that can help to strengthen and stretch these muscles.

Here are just a few you can easily do at home without any equipment:

For exercises do 10-15 reps and 1-3 sets per exercise.
For static stretches hold each one at least 15-30 seconds.

1) Calf Raises

calf raises

For calf raises stand with feet hip to shoulder with apart and in good posture. Place hands on your hips. Lift up as high as you can onto your toes bringing heels off the ground and hold for a moment. Lower your heels back to the floor slowly until feet are flat on the ground.

2) Toe Lifts

toe lifts

For toe lifts stand with feet hip to shoulder with apart and in good posture. Place hands on hips. Lift your toes off of the ground and up towards the ceiling and hold for a moment. Lower the toes back to the floor slowly until feet are flat on the ground.

3) Calf Raises to Toe Lifts

calf raises to toe lifts

For calf raises to toe lifts stand with feet hip to shoulder with apart and in good posture. Place hands on hips. Lift up as high as you can onto your toes bringing heels off the ground. Immediately lower your feet back to the floor and roll back to lift your toes off of the ground and up towards the ceiling. Lower the toes back to the floor and immediately back into the calf raises.

4) Heel Step-Downs

heel step-downs

For heel step downs stand with feet hip to shoulder with apart and in good posture. Place hands on hips. Step one foot forward about the length of your walking stride and place just the heel on the ground keeping the toes lifted up and off the ground. Hold for a moment and then step back to your starting position.

5) Heel Walks

For heel walks simply walk around the room on the heels of your feet keeping your toes lifted off of the ground with each step.

6) Staggered Stance Calf Raises

staggered stance calf raises

For staggered stance calf raises stand in a staggered stance with one foot forward in front of your body and the other foot behind you. Upper body should be centered in between feet. Make sure you are in good posture and place hands on your hips. Lift the heel of your back foot off floor coming up onto your toes and hold for a moment. Slowly lower the heel all the way to the floor or as close to the floor as you can get it.

7) Wide Stance Calf Raises

wide stance calf raises

For the wide stance calf raises stand with feet wider then the shoulders and turn the toes outward about 45 degrees. Make sure you are standing in good posture and place hands on the hips. From this position lift your toes off the floor and hold a moment. Slowly lower your toes back to the floor until the feet are flat on the ground.

8) Rotating Toe Taps

rotating toe taps

For the rotating toe taps stand with feet wider then the shoulders and turn the toes outward about 45 degrees. Make sure you are standing in good posture and place hands on the hips. From this position lift your toes off the floor and turn them inward rotating through the heel of your foot and tap the floor with your toes. Lift your toes up and off the floor from this position and turn them outward and away from the body rotating through the heels and back to a 45 degree angle, tap the floor with your toes.

9) Standing Calf Stretch

standing calf stretch

For the standing calf stretch stand with feet hip to shoulder width apart and in good posture. Step forward one foot and lift the toes off the floor leaving just the heel on the ground. Place your standing leg hand on the top of your thigh and reach your other hand down towards your toes while hinging forward through your hips. Continue reaching towards your foot getting your fingers as close to your toes as possible. Your standing leg should have a slight bend in the knee while the leg that you are stretching remains straight.

10) Seated Flex and Point

seated flex and point

For the seated flex and point sit on the floor with your upper body in good posture over you hips and hands on the floor with arms at your side. Extend your legs out in front of you with your feet flexed bringing toes towards your body and hold for a moment. Point feet bringing toes away from your body and hold for a moment.

11) Lying Flex and Point

lying flex and point

For the lying flex and point lay down on your back with your head resting on the floor and your arms at your sides with palms facing down. Place one foot on the floor with knee bent and extend the opposite leg over hip keeping it straight. From this position flex your foot bringing the toes toward your body and hold for a moment. Point your toe bringing the toes away from the body and hold for a moment.

12) Kneeling Shin Stretch

kneeling shin stretch

For the kneeling shin stretch kneel down on the floor with feet pointed so that the top of your toes are on the floor. Hold here to stretch the shins. For a deeper stretch sit on the heels. For an even deeper stretch sit on your heels and move your body slightly back, shift legs to the sides of your body so that feet are on the outside of your legs instead of underneath.

13) Lying Calf Stretch

lying calf stretch

For the lying calf stretch lay on your back resting your head on the ground. Keep one knee bent with the foot flat to the ground and raise the other leg over the hip keeping it straight. Flex your foot bringing the toes toward your body and reach your hand up towards your foot reaching for the toes. Keep the other arm on the floor at your side with the palm down. To get a deeper stretch grab the toes only if you can reach them while keeping the leg straight. If you cannot keep the leg straight to grab your toes you are not ready to progress this stretch.

Keeping these muscles balanced is extremely important!

These are just a few of the exercises and stretches you can do to keep your calves and shins strong and flexible. Include this routine in your exercise program at least once a week to insure proper muscle balance of these muscle groups.

To experience a live muscle balance class with me as part of my Body Works series at the Mid Island Y JCC click here to see class schedule.

Train for the Physical, not the Visual Benefits

By Joy

On February 6, 2018

In Fitness, Health

Train for the Physical Benefits

Train to feel good, not to look good!

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to training, working out and loosing weight is the reason in which they are doing it. Most people start a training program or diet because they want to look a certain way.

This reason seems very reasonable, but I think that it is a mistake and why many people fail.

Most people need instant gratification to believe something is working and to stick with it. Unfortunately, when it comes to changing the body visually it takes time and patience, something most people do not have.

When someone is eager to change the way their body looks alone, their success rate in quitting is extremely high. They have a hard time sticking to the program because they are not seeing results quick enough. The “well, its not working so I might as well not do it” attitude kills the progress.

Instead of thinking about starting a training program for what it can visually do for you, think about what it can physically do for you.

What I try to instill in my clients is to forget about the visual benefits of a training program, diet, etc. Instead, think of it as beginning a healthy lifestyle for the physical benefits you want to make to your body. These benefits are not visual, you cannot see them. This is a concept most people have a hard time wrapping their head around. It is hard to envision change is happening when you cannot see it, but it is these unseen benefits that you should be focusing on.

Let’s list some of these benefits:

Improve and maintain overall strength and endurance
Improve and maintain balance and stability
Improve and maintain flexibility
Improve posture
Improve mood
Increase stamina
Support bone density and health
Prevent injury
Strengthen immune system
Reduce risk of various common ailments and diseases
Build self esteem

These are just a few of the benefits to starting and continuing a training program that include exercise and healthy eating as part of a healthy lifestyle. Not many of these things on the list can you see visually, but all are extremely important.

If you can eliminate the desire to look a certain way and focus on the desire to feel a certain way, I guarantee you will have more success and gain more benefits along the way.

The upside to this approach is that if you stick with it, the visual will eventually shine through without it being your focus or desire.

How to Choose a Gym or Workout Facility

By Joy

On January 10, 2018

In Fitness

Choosing the Right Gym or Workout Facility

As the New Year begins and resolutions are in full swing many people set out to find a gym or workout facility. One of the questions I frequently get is how do I choose a gym?

With so many gyms to choose from it makes the decision very overwhelming. Choosing a gym should be a process that takes time. After all, this is a huge commitment and one you want to be happy with. By choosing a gym you are happy with you will want to go, making it easier to reach the goals you set for yourself.

Let’s discuss the process you should consider before making your choice.

Ask yourself some key questions
Research local gyms
Visit local gyms
Experience local gyms with free passes and/or groupons/discounts
Make a decision

Let’s discuss each one of these:

First, There are some key questions that you will want to ask yourself before you do your research and they include:

What equipment/machines am I looking for?
Do I want to take classes? If so, what types of classes/workouts am I looking to take?
When do I plan to go and what hours of operation do I need?
Do I need a membership for just myself or for other members of my family as well?
What type of budget do I have?
What other services if any am I looking for? Personal Training, Nutrition, Massage Therapy, Babysitting, etc.?

There may be other personal preferences you have so be sure to write them down and include them in your key questions.

Once you have answered these key questions you now can start to research local gyms based on the answers. Use the internet, referrals, ads and other means to see what gyms are in your area. Research each gyms services and offerings before heading there to see if it has all the elements you are looking for. Create a list of each gym you are interested in visiting for further research.

Now that you have made your list it is time to visit each gym and see what you think about it. Take a tour and ask any questions while you are there, make sure all of your key questions are answered. Find out if they will give you a free trial pass to try their gym out. Another good idea is to check Groupon and search the internet to see if any gym/facility you are interested in has any discounted offerings.

After you have visited each gym and narrowed down the ones that interest you the most, it is time to acquire any free passes or discounts you came across. Be sure not to get free trials all at the same time. Focus on one gym at a time and attend until the time your trial or discount runs out. Make sure you experience everything you plan to include in your daily workout routine while you are at that facility. Any classes, equipment or services you are interested in be sure to try it out.

Taking the time to experience all the gyms you are interested in will help in the final process of making your decision. Reflect back on all of your experiences and decide which gym includes all or most of the things that you want.

Following this process will ensure that you feel comfortable with the gym you choose. This in turn will lead to a more successful experience and hopefully a new healthy commitment to yourself.

5 Ways to Control and Reduce Cellulite

By Joy

On November 9, 2017

In Beauty

Darn you Cellulite, that bumpy appearance underneath the skin! Nobody likes it, nobody wants it, and everyone wants to get rid of it!

Unfortunately, there is no way to rid yourself of cellulite and no way to prevent it. Cellulite is almost completely genetic so you do not have control over whether or not you will have it and when or where it will appear.

Cellulite does not just appear because you are heavy, have a bad diet or don’t exercise. It can appear in the healthiest and thinnest of people.

Luckily, there are ways that you can control or reduce it!

The photo above is of me after 8 months of applying my 5 ways to control and reduce cellulite. I specifically targeted the areas of my thighs and glutes. I certainly felt that there was a difference in the tightness and smoothness of my skin as well as the definition and muscle development of those targeted areas.

Here are my 5 ways to control and reduce cellulite:

Exfoliate
Massage
Moisturize
Exercise
Nutrition

I am going to discuss each one and share my daily routine.

The first two things I do when I am in the shower at least 4x during the course of the week and they include:

Exfoliate

In the shower after washing my body I exfoliate the targeted areas where cellulite is an issue. To do this I use an anti-cellulite sponge from Spongeables. I get this sponge at Ulta.

I love this sponge because it has ingredients contained in it that are supposed to help with cellulite and at the same time begins the moisturizing and massaging process.

I scrub the sponge on my skin for about 30-60 seconds each area with a circular motion.

Massage

Although, the anti-cellulite sponge does some massaging, it does not get deep enough. What I like to do is penetrate the skin a little deeper with a silicone vacuum cup massage. I also do this in the shower after I have exfoliated the area with the sponge.

I got my silicone cup from choicest one for less than $10.

I use coconut body oil together with the vacuum cup to get a massage that penetrates deep below the surface of the skin to help breakup those fatty areas. My favorite body oil is Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration and I also get that at Ulta. This oil leaves my skin so soft and smooth.

To massage I first rub the oil on my skin and then use the vacuum cup to massage the area for about 1-2 minutes. Do this on all areas where you have cellulite.

I leave any excess oil on my skin for hydration and do not use soap to wash off.

The next thing I do directly after the shower and that is:

Moisturize

Even though I have already used moisturizing elements from both the exfoliating sponge and the body oil in the shower, I moisturize my skin outside the shower while my skin is still moist.

To do this I use a regular unscented lotion for my body. For the areas that are prone to cellulite I use a skin firming lotion such as Jergens Skin Firming Lotion which you can get at any drug store.

The last two things I do on a daily/weekly basis and they include:

Exercise

Obviously, the better in shape you are the better chance you have of controlling and reducing cellulite which makes exercise an extremely important factor. For exercise there are two things you are going to want to do and they are cardio and strength training.

Cardio will be important to reduce your overall body fat. You will not be able to reduce fat in the areas specifically where you get cellulite but, by reducing overall body fat you will be reducing the fat in those areas as well.

Strength training will be important to develop muscle that will help keep the skin tight and reduce body fat. Developing muscles specifically in the areas where you have cellulite will reduce the overall appearance.

I add an extra workout a week targeting those specific muscles in the areas where I have the most cellulite. I do several exercises that hit all the muscles of my upper thighs, hips and glutes. I make sure I use enough weight to encourage muscle growth and development.

Nutrition

Last but certainly not least, healthy balanced nutrition is another huge factor in cellulite control and reduction. If you do all the things above and have a high fat, low nutritious diet you will certainly have a hard time controlling cellulite.

Eat a balanced diet from all food groups including lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats. Watch portion sizes as well as calories in versus calories out for your day to day. Make sure you are not taking in too many excess calories that will lead to fat storage.

These 5 things may not eliminate or even prevent cellulite, but if you do all 5 combined on a daily and weekly basis you are sure to help control and possibly reduce the appearance of it. For everyone results will vary and will not come in a day. This will take time, patience and a constant regimen that needs to be followed to have any possible results.

Healthy Potato Soup

By Joy

On October 17, 2017

In Recipes

Here is a nice warm, hearty and satisfying soup perfect for the fall and winter months!

Ingredients:

1 bag of white or sweet potatoes (about 8 medium potatoes, more for smaller ones, less for big ones)
1 or 2% Milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Spices: salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and parsley
Optional Garnish: reduced fat cheese, diced scallions

Directions:

Peel and rinse potatoes

Cut potatoes into chunks and cover with water in pot. Combine seasoning together in a bowl. Add just a small amount of each seasoning. Once cooked you can add more based on your specific flavor preferences. Mix seasoning and put into pot with potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until soft.

Strain out potatoes from seasoned water and mash.

place mashed potatoes back into pot. Reduce heat to medium, add milk and stir until heated.

In a small bowl add butter and flour and mix together to form a dough, this will help to thicken the soup. Add half of the dough into the soup, stir to dissolve and distribute. If it is not thick enough add the remaining dough to the pot.

If soup is too chunky remove some of the potatoes and broth and place into a blender. Blend until smooth and add back to the soup.

Taste and add any more seasoning as needed. Once desired consistency and flavor serve in a bowl and top with reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese and diced scallions.

Nutritional Information:

Serving size – approx. 1 cup

Each serving is approx. 246 calories, 9 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein

Food servings: 2 fat, 2 grain/starchy vegetable, 1.5 protein

Focus On Changing What You Can, Not What You Can’t!

By Joy

On September 21, 2017

In Fitness

How many of you have said or experienced something similar to these comments that have derailed you from your fitness program? These are all issues where you may feel you have lost control, but you don’t have to feel that way.

Focus on changing what you can, not what you can’t!

This is a good rule to follow and something that many people need to redirect their focus to. All to often people are focusing on the wrong things. The things that they have no control on changing. I am here to tell you to stop and redirect your focus to things that you can change.

How can you do this?

I will strictly discuss how to do this for fitness and our bodies, but you can apply this in other areas of your life.

First, you need to evaluate if what you want to change is a wish, an excuse or a problem.

Let’s discuss some of these and how to redirect your focus into changing the things that you can.

A wish is something that we want or desire and do not have. When it comes to fitness and our bodies everybody has something about themselves that they probably want to change or wish they had.

Personally, I wish I was taller but, clearly that is not something that I can change. So, how do I redirect my focus on what I can change?

I can work on my posture. By working on my posture I will appear and feel taller. If I slouch, slump over, or put my head down I will appear smaller than I really am. For years now I have incorporated postural exercises into my workout including exercises in pilates, yoga and strength training to help me work the muscles, bones and joints that directly effect posture. This has made me feel and even appear taller. I have actually had people ask me if I got taller or not believe my height because I appear to be taller than I really am.

Same focus redirecting can be applied to specific areas of the body and weight loss. You will not be able to change the body you have been given but, you can make it the best body it can be.

An excuse is something you try to justify. In fitness and as a trainer we hear a lot of excuses. Excuses are probably the easiest of the three to change because it is usually our own selves holding us back and the mindset we have. In some cases that can be changed and in others it can not. With each excuse you need to look at the parts of the excuse that can be changed. “I have no time to workout” is a very common excuse and sometimes it’s justified and sometimes it’s not. We all have busy lives and things can get crazy, trying to find time to exercise is hard. However, I do find most of the time we can dissect someones schedule and find a way to fit it in.

When it comes to ones schedules there are things that we can’t change and there are things that we can. Some things we can’t change are our work, school, appointments and activity schedules. What we can change is TV, family, friends, shopping and other personal time.

One of the reasons I add family and friends into the things we can change is not because I don’t want you to spend time with them but, because you can change the way you spend your time together. You can do something active while you do spend time with them. Ask your friends or family to go on a walk instead of out to dinner. Partner up with a friend and go to the gym. Find an active activity your whole family can do. These are ways you can fit a workout in and still have quality time spent with your family and friends.

Evaluate your TV time. If you typically watch an hour or more of TV a few times a week. Take just 30 minutes of that time and do a workout. There are tons of available 30 minute or less workouts you can do or follow right from your phone or mobile device including my Build Your Stronger Self 16 Week Program (click link for an exclusive freinds, family and followers discount).

Do the same with your other personal and shopping time. Find out what you really need to do and what you can give up or give less time to to allow more time for workouts.

A Problem is something that is difficult to deal with and will stand in the way of your fitness goals. Some things considered a problem in fitness would be an injury, sickness, medical issue or anything that would truly stand in the way of getting in your workouts. This is something you will not be able to change so let’s discuss what changes you can make when workouts are just not an option.

When workouts are not an option you need to redirect your focus to your nutrition, this you can change and have control over. What you put in your body is more than half of the work to achieving and maintaining your fitness goals. This is going to be really important when you are limited on the activity you are able to do.

Take this time to allow your body to recover and fuel your body with super foods and proper nutrition. This will keep your body in shape and strong. If you limit your activity and practice poor nutrition you are basically giving up. At the same time you will surely loose any progress you made and trying to come back to a fitness program will prove to be extremely difficult.

These are just a few examples of ways you can redirect your focus to the things that you can change. Think of all the time and energy wasted on worrying about things you can’t change and have no control over and start to use that time and energy to focus on the things you can change. This will keep you in better spirits and make you feel in control rather than feeling like you have lost it.

Catie’s Journey

By Joy

On August 31, 2017

In Meet My Members/Clients

Meet my client Catie

Catie is a member of my personal training app and is one of my first online clients to complete the Build Your Stronger Self 16 week program. Catie is solely an online client and although I have never met Catie I feel completely connected to her and her journey.

I offered Catie my 16 week program through a series of challenges prior to the program being released. She jumped on these challenges from challenge 1, day 1 and stayed with me through the entire 16 week process. She is currently an active member of my app and continues to use the 16 week program workouts on a daily basis to maintain her progress.

At the start of this journey one of the first things I had her do was take before photos and enter body stats that we could keep track of and look back on. The first month of the program began with phase 1 – building a strong foundation and she did just that. She started to learn the basic exercises, posture, form and technique of each move.

The second month took her to phase 2 and incorporated more challenging exercises, complex moves and combinations to really get the heart rate up, body moving and feeling challenged. Each month I scheduled updated photos and body stats and by the end of month 2 is when I really started to see some results in her body and in her stats. I also asked about how she felt and if she felt stronger. She said she was feeling stronger and getting through the workouts better.

Here is what she said during phase 2:

“What a difference a few weeks make… did the workout #7 today and yes, it is still hard, but I find that I actually get to try to push myself instead of just trying to make it through the whole workout like I was the first time I did it.”

Heading into phase 3 and 4 she was already feeling stronger. Catie continued to be consistent and get the workouts done. She had some injuries during the last few months and took rest and recovery as needed but, always went right back to it. Catie remained committed and consistent throughout the program and I am so proud of all her progress. She has lost inches and pounds in just a few months and more importantly feels and is a stronger version of herself.

I look forward to continuing to be a part of Catie’s journey and am excited to see her continued progress!

Here is Catie’s experience in her own words:

“Working with Joy through the app on my phone has succeeded where so many other things have not for a few reasons.

First, I learned last year that I definitely am more likely to stick with a workout program when someone is keeping me accountable. Joy continued to check in throughout the process, even if the challenge portion of each session was over, she would continue to encourage me.

Second, the format is great for me. Like so many of us, I have a very busy life. I am a working mom and finding time to get to the gym is nearly impossible. Having these workouts that I can do at home, whenever I can squeeze it in, is perfect for me. Some of the workouts are as little as 17 minutes… and yes, I tend to use those workouts a lot. But, even the long workouts are only about 30 minutes.

Some days I fit in my exercise before the day starts, some days I get my workout in after the kids go to bed, and other days I do the workout and my 1-1/2 year old is climbing across me during the crunches, or laying under me during the plank exercises. I love that they are seeing me taking care of myself, as I think it will help them prioritize it for themselves as well.

Also, the program is flexible. There is enough variety to the workouts that, even with an injury, there is usually a workout that I can still do that allows me to rest that body part, and still work some others. Plus, I can use the app wherever my phone works, I can take it with me when I go away. Some of the workouts don’t require any equipment, except a pair of sneakers, allowing me to easily get exercise in even when I am not at home.

I feel healthier, I feel stronger, and I definitely feel better each day that I get a workout in.”

Meet more of my members/clients

I can coach you through this program with the following options: