Der­rière, Tush, Rump, Bum, Don­key...

...bot­tom, back­side, , pooper, booty, bub­ble butt or what­ever you call it…



Summer is here and I am getting a ton of ques­tions about train­ing Glutes (AKA Butt), so I wanted to spend a lit­tle time focus­ing on our favorite rear view.

The main question is always, "How do you get a round, firm butt?"
And…"What are the best exer­cises for my butt?"

First of all, you have to under­stand that if you have extra ‘stored energy’ (aka, body fat) there’s a good chance it’s hangin’ out on your back­side and hips (espe­cially if you’re of the female per­sua­sion: women nat­u­rally tend to carry more body fat around hips, butt, and stom­ach than men). This is one of the rea­sons you don’t have the butt of your dreams

How­ever…Even if you lose the body fat cov­er­ing your pre­cious assets, if you’re not train­ing to build mus­cle in the lower body regions, there’s a good chance (unless genet­ics blessed you with some strong and pow­er­ful hindquar­ters) you may find your­self suf­fer­ing from “Noasa­tal” (trans­la­tion: ‘no a** at all’ or ‘flat butt’ or ‘pan­cake butt’, etc.) and you’ll have to start work­ing hard for some curve.

That said, no mat­ter what your cur­rent ‘con­di­tion’, you’ll still want to con­sider adding some glute spe­cific train­ing to your cur­rent work­out rou­tine, because your bum mus­cles are some of your body’s most impor­tant mus­cles for move­ment, hip sta­bi­liza­tion, and over­all strength.


HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BUTT (with the your goal being: shapely, cur­vey, round, firm and lifted):
There are a few things you’ll need to include in your fit­ness routine:
CLEAN nutri­tion to fuel your fit­ness goals and BUILD muscle
HEAVY lift­ing using exer­cises that tar­get your gluteal muscles
STRETCH daily to lengthen the mus­cles (and to build more) and avoid injury

Let’s assume, for the sake of the post focus today, that you’ve got your nutri­tion down...
TO TARGET YOUR GLUTES, here are some of the BEST BUTT BLASTERS you should be incor­po­rat­ing into your workouts:
Do 3-5 sets of 8–12 reps each (or ea. leg) for max butt-building-benefit!
*Press your weight down through your HEEL to bet­ter tar­get glutes and pro­tect your knees in most leg exercises
• Wide Stance Squats (the deeper the better)
• Walk­ing and/or Sta­tion­ary Lunges (the deeper the bet­ter, keep a 90 degree angle in both knees)
• Step ups
• Sin­gle leg squats (back leg on a bench or step, the deeper the bet­ter, keep a 90 degree angle in front knee)
• Don­key Kick­backs (on all fours, push 1 heel up to the sky for rep count, then switch sides)
• Sumo/Plié Squats (wide stance, toes pint outward)
• Sin­gle Leg Deadlift

REMEMBER: These exer­cises will do you the most good in the least amount of time when you are eat­ing clean, to fuel mus­cle build­ing, and don't forget regular stretching/rolling.
Here’s to your best butt yet!

Have a Happy and Healthy Day! Cheers:)

It's All About Baby Steps!

You’ve seen “What about Bob,” right? (I may be dating myself?!)

Bob gets freaked out about thinking too many steps ahead and overreacts to just about everything.  His doctor teaches him to think of his life in baby steps to stay focused and successful.  And by successful, I mean “walking out of a room” and “opening a car door.”  Fitness is no different, especially if you’re just starting out.  Once you make the decision to be healthy, it can often get pretty overwhelming.  You need to be like Bob: take everything one day at a time, one change at a time.

Being healthy isn’t just “going to the gym three times a week.”  It requires a full time commitment and decision to change your life.  Now if you’re thinking “aw crap I need to empty my fridge, go buy spandex and spend five days in the gym, screw this!” I wouldn’t blame you; that would scare the crap out of me too.  However, it doesn’t need to be so drastic and so sudden.  BABY STEPS!  You have to learn to crawl before you can walk.  

If you haven’t worked out a day in your life, then maybe signing up for Crossfit classes five days a week isn’t the right idea.  Try two days a week, and take it easy.  Trust me, it’s much better to walk out of the gym saying “that was successful, I can’t wait to get back.” instead of “wow that sucked, I’m never doing that again! EVER!”  Take it slow, take it one day at a time, and build on each day of success until you find your rhythm.

• Want to Start Running? Go for a 10 minute walk 1 minute/jog 4 minute the first day instead of taking on a full Marathon.  The last thing you want is to go too far, and then spend the next four days with sore legs as you walk around like a penguin.
• Want to Buy a Gym Membership? Why not hold off for a few weeks and do body weight exercises in your house first?  Go to http://www.youtube.com and type 'in home workouts' and a ton of quick workouts will pop up. There really are no excuses! You can get a lot done without paying for it.
• Gonna Join an Ultimate Frisbee League? Go out to the park a few weeks early, a couple nights a week, and start running around and tossing the disc.  You have to get into game shape before you officially step on the field.  Just like you have to learn to crawl before you walk, you have to learn to walk before you can run.

As for Your Diet, this Accounts for 80% of Your Overall Success when it comes to being healthy, take  baby steps with your nutrition too.  Don’t empty your fridge, don’t give up everything you love to eat…take it one change at a time.  It’s really not that bad, plus eating healthy will add years to your life.

• The 1st Change You Absolutely Need to Make is START EATING BREAKFAST.  This one is non-negotiable.
• If You Eat White Bread ( or Anything White for that Matter ie: rice), change it to whole grain. Within two weeks you won’t even notice the difference.
• If You Eat Steak and Cheese Subs 5 Days a Week…switch to a grilled chicken sandwich instead a few times a week.  Do the research on what you like to eat that is good for you, and start to make the transition.
• If You Drink 5 Mountain Dews Every Day, switch to water. (If you’re drinking it because you need all that caffeine and sugar daily…well the truth is you’re probably addicted and should ween yourself off it anyways).
• Get a Bag of Chips or Chocolate Bar Every Day at the Vending Machine? Save the money and bring in your own healthy snacks so your are prepared for cravings.

Human beings are creatures of habit.  You’re far more likely to change one habit at a time and stick with it than trying to change 76 habits simultaneously.  Make a few changes, and concentrate on sticking with them.  After you’ve made one positive change and stuck with it, use the success and momentum from that to say, “hey look what I did!” and keep the ball rollin’.
Remember, 500 less calories per day (either with exercise, change in diet, or a combination of the two) equals a loss of one pound of body fat per week. Little changes can add up quickly, so just stick with it!


Have a Happy and Healthy Day, Cheers :)

Life Happens...20% of the Time

For anyone who’s ever adopted a new diet plan for weight loss or overall health, it’s a familiar nightmare. The backdrop varies (an all you can eat buffet, holiday party, dark and silent kitchen in the middle of the night), but the suspense is universal. The temptation, a mental struggle, the cautious scanning of the room. A subliminal background track climbs in crescendo. You give into the slightest slip, a minor indiscretion, really, and suddenly there you are, dropping through a trap door, plummeting down a dark, cavernous shoot, screaming in terror, only to fall into a sorry heap of shame at the fiery center of the earth (or other subconscious setting for doom and/or disgrace).

Though the vision itself is imaginary, the performance anxiety is often real. "No Sugar?" “Will I measure up?” “Can I hack it?” “How can I be that strict 100% of the time?” Questions (and doubts) abound as you contemplate a diet and lifestyle overhaul. Perfectionism, the letter of the law, looms large in these moments.

Enter the 80/20 principle….

Don’t let the 'perfect' be the enemy of the 'good'. And for good reason. The target of clean eating is to build habits for the long haul of a healthy, well-balanced life, NOT a brief stop off for 'quick' fixes. The necessary approach, then, is centered around sustainability. 100% compliance to clean eating is ideal, sure, but not realistic. So the baseline is this: if you align your life with the clean eating principles 80% of the time, and account for a few obstacles the other 20%, consider yourself on course.

However…even though 100% compliance isn’t the exact everyday expectation, 100% commitment is the intention. While we concede that real life happens, the acknowledgement is a necessary reality check, not an excuse! The 'Clean Eating' lifestyle does require steady commitment, genuine effort and daily dedication. But the key here is personal commitment – you develop and learn to view decisions through. Think of your clean eating transition and continuing evolution in terms of process-oriented goals rather than the rigid commandments of typical diet plans. Give your 'clean eating' plan 100%, and understand it’s O.K. when daily life moderates the overall picture. An 80% end result will have you well on your way to success and sustainable health.

As you continue the Clean Eating transition, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised. Taste buds have a strange way of adapting themselves. Once you’re off the physiological sugar roller coaster, the psychological habit has a way of falling by the wayside. You find recipes, workouts, stress management practices you genuinely enjoy. In fact, you miss them if you have to or choose to skip a day. You actually look forward to getting back to the routine. Earnest perseverance facilitates compliance, which begins to come naturally. You see and feel the benefits. Going backward seems unrewarding.

Rest assured, in the course of the transition you’ll make the pieces fit comfortably into your own life. As a lifestyle and process-oriented plan, clean eating inherently cultivates an internal compass. Clean eating will become less about regimen and more about natural gravitation toward the style of living that offers vitality and balance. Eventually, the process will take on its own momentum and actually require less effort and thought over time.

The take home message is this. Clean eating is not a white knuckle ride. Loosen the grip, look for smart adjustments, absorb the overall vision and weave it into your life instead of nailing it over top your old habits.


And remember, it’s less about what you do at any one meal or single bout at the gym and more about what you do over the course of a given week or month. Think of where full commitment and full life intersect – that’s the logic of the 80/20 principle.

Have a Happy and Healthy Day, Cheers:)

Exercise = Happy

Want a great way to lift your mood and improve your emotions? EXERCISE! When you exercise, your body feels more relaxed, more at ease and calmer. Plus, after your workouts you experience a sense of euphoria and a higher level of energy. You will also likely sleep better after a good workout, feel more motivated the next day and find yourself in a happier mood.

I will be the first to admit, I have struggles in my mental fortitude and discipline from time to time. I have days when I don't feel like my typical self. There are days that just drag on and the simplest task is too much work. Sometimes, I am not sure how to check my bad state and carry on. But, there is something that never seems to fail me...my remedy to get me back to normal...my workouts.

The other day I was unusually tired. I was craving non-compliant foods and I wasn’t the most pleased with my physique and to boot I was putting off my routine 5K run. To add procrastination to the fire I started looking up inspirational quotes to post for my clients on Facebook. I soon came across the quote "you're only one workout away from a good mood." 'hmmmm' I thought to myself, 'this makes complete and total sense to me.' Then, of course, my deep thinking mind got to thinking how super charged with endorphins my body gets when I train and how great a mood I am in when I am done. So I quickly laced up my Newtons and headed outside.

Without adding scientific jargon to the mix, what are Endorphins? Endorphins are the little butterflies in your body that make you happy. Think of all of the things that make you happy: love, exercise, food, sex, roller coasters, receiving flowers, getting a raise, etc. all of those things making you happy are caused by endorphins released in your body. People often throw around terms like "endorphin rush" or "runner's high" to explain the mood lift that can occur during or after a workout. This sudden burst of euphoria, can produce mood benefits that last as long as 12 hours.

Personally, the most important use of endorphins in my body is for those days when I just don't want to go out on my run or when I don't want to hit the gym. But, those are the days that I really NEED TO PUSH IT, check my bad attitude at the door. I need to get out there and let the endorphins charge up and do their job....to make me happy.

The truth is, we all fall into a rut, and some days we just want to crawl into bed and sleep away the day BUT let the endorphins check your bad mood. The next time you're feeling blue, get up and get out there. Push yourself even when you don't want to. GO to the Gym, GO to Bootcamp, GO for a Run, GO for a walk with your dog etc. I guarantee you will come back feeling energized, excited, most likely smiling and ready to conquer the day.

Have a Happy and Healthy Day, Cheers :)

June Fitness Challenge

Setting a Goal is Easy; Following Through is the Hard Part.

Consider this Commitment Training!

Please Join the 30 Day Challenge to Experience the Benefits & Motivation 

of Committing Yourself to a Small, Daily Physical & Nutritional Goal 

that Accumulates Day by Day into a HUGE Accomplishment!

FITNESS CHALLENGE:  Burpees!

Rules:

• Do 1 Burpee on June 1, do 2 Burpees on June 2, do 3 Burpees on June 3. Continue adding one more Burpee each day until June 30. This will total 465 burpees by the end of the month! 
• If you miss a day, you can make up that day's Burpee count the following day, but remember, this might be manageable at the beginning of the month when the #’s are low, but as we move through the month, I highly suggest doing your Burpees daily because it will quickly add up! 
• Toward mid-month, when the numbers start to get high, you can split up your Burpees into sets with short, quick breaks in order to maintain good form and get through the total reps. These “breaks” should be no longer than 30 seconds – 1 minute. For example, on June 25, you might want to do 5 sets of 5 Burpees. 
• All reps must be completed at the same time. In other words, on June 20th, you cannot perform 10 Burpees in the morning, and 10 in the evening. At some point during your day, commit to the exercise and get it done! You will not see any strength gains if you break them up.

How To Do A Burpee:

• Start with hands on the ground in front of your feet. Keep your back straight. 
• Kick feet out behind you into the top of the push-up portion of the burpee. Your body should be straight and tight in a flat plank.
• Lower your body into the lowest part of a push-up. Your chest and thighs should ultimately touch the ground at the same time. Remember to keep your whole body, especially your midline, tight.
• Push up into the top of the push-up position again.
• Jump your feet up to your hands into your starting position. 
• Jump into the air and clap your hands overhead. Your feet should leave the ground.

Remember, pay attention to your body! If you feel any discomfort or pain during the exercise, stop immediately. Any exercise holds an element of risk if undertaken without supervision. These exercises are recommendations only and are performed at your own risk. Please consult a doctor if necessary before you perform your burpees.

Have a Happy and Healthy Day...& GOOD LUCK!