Fitness, Nutrition, Staying Fit, and Feeling Great! I'm here to help

[SJFit]

I've been in the fitness industry about 10 yrs now. I currently run a health club, but due to sales and operational duties, I don't have the opertunity to help people as much as I desire.

If you have questions pertaining to results you would like to achieve, or even regarding different gyms etc., I'd love to help out.

-M

[SJFit]

Becoming healthy and fit does not have to be something you have to dread.
Proper nutrition also doesn’t have to be something painful. Learning to
pay more attention to the details of your life, is a great way to start
making the critical changes in your life. Here are a few easy tips to
help you get on your way to becoming the new, more fit, healthy you.

1.) Check the labels – When you’re at the grocery store, review the
labels for sugar and fat content. Compare to other brands or similar
items.

2.) Whole wheat vs. White – Whole grain carb sources are much more
healthy for you in the long run, and changing to a brown rice could make
a significant difference in your nutritional intake.

3.) Less rice, More veggies – Your meal shouldn’t consist of 80%
rice. Adding more vegetables and ensuring sufficient quantity and quality
of protein is essential.

4.) Protein protein protein – Lean chicken breast, fish, lean ham,
are all great sources of protein that are low in both carbohydrates and
fat. Adding the to your meals will help with workout recovery and provide
your muscles with the amino acids to rebuild and create your
transformation

5.) Cooking spray instead of cooking oil – Cooking oil is very high
in fat, and not necessary in all your cooking needs. In many recipes, it
can be avoided completely, while your family will not even notice it’s
missing. Cooking spray is an easy way to add a light flavor, or to
prevent foods from sticking to your pans.

6.) Instead of frying, try steaming veggies/meats/rice.

7.) Use chicken breast in place of darker chicken meat in recipes
if
you want to reduce fat.

8.) White rice can be part of a healthy Asian diet. Sure brown rice
has more fiber/protein and more nutrients, but the veggies and meat in a
stir fry are much better sources of all these. Also, the higher phytate,
which is an anti-nutrient that inhibits the absorption of minerals,
content in brown rice offsets some of its extra nutrient content. There
is the GI to consider. Many BBers like to avoid high GI carbs because
they spike one's insulin which can increase the likely hood of the carbs
being stored as fat as well as causing a "sugar crash". The increased
chance of the carbs being stored as fat should only be a concern on a
bulk, as it is impossible to gain weight if one is eating at or below
maintenance. And if one is eating 6+ meals a day, the "sugar crash"
shouldn't matter that much. The best meal to have white rice is post
workout, as the insulin spike can be beneficial than.


9.) Eat more seafood. Some of the healthiest foods come from the
sea.
When I say seafood, I don't just mean animal products, I mean sea
vegetables as well. Salmon is a great choice, as it is high in DHA and
EPA, certain B-vitamins, and high quality protein. Tuna is also a great
source of high quality protein and B-vitamins. Shrimp and other
crustaceans may have a high cholesterol content, but it has been shown in
a peer reviewed scientific study that it actually raises good cholesterol
more than bad cholesterol, so shrimp and crab can also be great sources
of protein in stir fries.

10.) Replace red meat with chicken or seafood. Red meat is just not
as
high in nutrients as chicken or seafood. It also has lower quality
protein. lean pork, chicken breast, tofu, eggs, top with cashews or
almonds.

11.) Less cornstarch. Cornstarch is a very high GI carb and full of
empty calories. Many Asian sauces and dishes are thickened with lots of
cornstarch. Use less soy sauce as well, since it is very high in sodium.
Buy reduced sodium soy sauce as well. In my opinion, freshly squeezed
orange juice or lemon juice tastes much butter in stir fries than these
sauces.


12.) Add healthy fats like peanuts, sesame seeds, avocados, or
almonds
to stir fries. And use healthy oils, such as olive oil or coconut oil,
for frying. The main fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid, which
raises both good and bad cholesterol nearly equally, having a neutral
effect on blood cholesterol balance. There are also reported health
benefits associated with lauric acid such as a stronger immune system.
Ultimately, it's one of the best saturated fats to add to the diet.

13.) Sauces.. fish sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, chilli sauces,
tomato based sauces are good options. Noodles are probably made from
refined carbs, but if you add a ton of greens into it, a nice broth can
be pretty healthy. Steamboats are great also. If you skip the satay
sauces, virtually fat free

14.) Eat more salads and soups with lots of veggies and mushrooms and
lean protein. Sea veggies are one the best vegetables one can add to
salads and soups and add great flavor.

15.) Use egg whites instead of whole eggs in stir fries to reduce
calories.

16.) For those opting for a low carb diet, but can't live without
rice, shredded cauliflower can be used as a substitute for rice in stir
fries.

[SJFit]

GENERAL TRAINING GUIDELINES FOR BEGINNERS

1. Always start with big the muscle groups first. For example, always do chest before triceps and shoulders, always do back before biceps.

2. Work each body part once per week with the exception of abs and calves, you can work them 2- 3 times per week if you'd like.

3. Allow at least 48 hours before you work the same muscle group again. Never train a sore muscle.

4. For big muscle groups (like chest, back, legs), I recommend 3-4 exercises per muscle group and 3-4 sets per exercise. But use your best judgement, if it burns too much then cut back until your training level increases.

5. For smaller muscle groups, I recommend 2-3 exercises per part, 2-3 sets per exercise as these groups are also worked when you exercise the big muscle groups. Just remember, MORE is NOT always better.

6. Pick a weight in which the last rep or two are VERY hard, on the last set you can even go to failure if you’re up to it, (once you get some experience under your belt) meaning you cannot physically perform another rep, you try and you fail. For rep range I recommend working in the 8-12 rep range. So reps 11 & 12 should be VERY hard to perform, you should not be able to get more reps out past 12. Now, for beginners who have little to no knowledge of proper form, I recommend you work closer to the 15 rep range until you master proper form to avoid injury.

7. Take 1-3 minutes rest between each set of 8-12 reps. Generally, the heavier you lift, the more rest time you should allow between sets. If you are lifting in the 11-15 rep range, you can take as little as 30 seconds rest.

8. Make up your training split based on how many days per week you can go to the gym and how long you want to spend there. Personally, I wouldn't try to do more than 2 body parts per session if you can help it. Reason is cause it's very difficult to maintain your intensity/energy for more than two body parts. If you are really giving it all you got, you will most likely find it quite difficult to still have the energy to train that third body part, especially if you are a beginner.

9. Never do cardio before lifting weights, ALWAYS do cardio AFTER weight training and PREFERABLY on a separate day altogether.

10. Don't overdo it on the cardio, cardio is WAY overrated in terms of burning fat. DIET and weight training (muscle) is what's gonna burn the fat for you. For starters, I'd only do cardio twice a week for no more than 30 min. I recommend high intensity interval training if you're up to it. If you are pretty out of shape then obviously your intensity interval will not be as high as someone who is already conditioned.

EXAMPLE OF A TRAINING SPLIT

Monday - back & abs
Tuesday - chest & shoulders
Wednesday - cardio
Thursday - legs, calves
Friday - arms
Saturday - off
Sunday – cardio”


The key is to find exercises that you can comfortably complete, with enough intensity to create results.

[SJFit]

There is no such thing as toning. So if you are lifting light weights for a lot of reps then that is one reason you are not losing. Lifting a weight that you can lift for more than 12 reps is a waste of time unless you are training specifically for endurance. All "toning" means is that your bodyfat is low enough so that you can see the muscles, low enough that you have muscle definition.

[SJFit]

LEGS

To protect your knees, it is highly advisable that you avoid acute angles, and follow my 90degree rule. An easy way to ensure this form, is to keep your knees behind your toes. To illustrate this, you place a chair behind you, slowly sit down, keep your back straight, chin up, hips pushed back. Look at your toes, and watch that your knees do not pass in front of your toes. This is critical with squats, lunges, and leg presses. The three previously listed exercises are compound movements that are great when utilized in conjunction with leg extensions and leg curls.

BACK PAIN

Many back injuries and training related discomfort are related to improper form. Keeping your back straight is essential to all aspects of daily life both inside and outside of the gym. Chin up, hips back. Utilizing this form will also help increase your core stability and overall posture. Your posture in and out of the gym, along with strengthen your core, will make all the difference.