I LOVE Cardio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cardio, cardio, where for art thou cardio! That is the phrase that you need to lock in your mind if you have any plans on getting in shape. You can not get in great shape unless you include cadio in your workout. Cardio is short for cardiovascular exercising. It involves aerobic, and anaerobic activity which increases your heart rate, while burning calories. Cardio is very, very, very important when it comes to fitness. One, it helps burn calories. And two, it builds your stamina. An increase in stamina increases the intensity and duration of your workouts, which like a cycle, increases your ability to do more cardio, which burns calories and improves stamina, which increases.......you get the point.

What type of cardio should you do? Well there are a number of things that could be considered cardio. Running, as I have mentioned before, is a great cardio exercise. If you decide to run, I suggest that you find a pace that is closer to a sprint as possible, and do it for as long as you can keep up that pace. Exercise bikes are a good form of cardio. But again; make sure that you exert yourself and put forth the effort to actually break a sweat. There are many rec centers and gyms that offer step=aerobic classes, and spinning classes. I suggest you find one and get in there.

Cardio is even important for power lifters. Muscles are at their strongest when you have good endurance. So even if you are trying to put on weight and become stronger through power lifting, you still need to include some form of cardio into your workout plan.

So don't forget: cardio is your friend. It may be one of the most important parts of any workout plan as it has so many wonderful benefits. It is a vital part of a cycle that also includes stamina and endurance. 

Did I mention that cardio helps you get cut. You will definitely see improved muscle tone as you begin to get in better shape from doing cardio. 

Be Efficient

Over the past 8 years, there has been a trend towards being more efficient. Living an efficient life requires that you not be wasteful, and maximize your time and energy. This movement is very important to the environment, as well as the human body. Cars are being made that run on less fuel. And our bodies are being re-created to run on less food. The belief of having to eat three meals a day is fast fading. No longer do we need to eat three meals a day unless we are doing some very strenuous work. Those among us that perform physical labor require as much food as possible to have the strength and endurance to work at peak performance. But for those that sit behind a desk for 8 hours a day, and then go home and sit in front of the TV for 6 hours, they do not need to eat as much.

This trend towards efficiency is very beneficial to us if we apply it to our lives. Being efficient can save you money, it can save you time, and it could improve your health. All good things.

There is no need to waste time, energy, or money.

Maximize your workouts by staying focused and determined to accomplish you fitness goals. Eliminate that which works against what you are trying to accomplish.

5 day workout

Many of you may recall that I previously wrote about a workout plan that I personally use. It consists of a five day workout in which I work a different body part each day. 

I start off on Mondays by doing chest. I do every workout that I can think of that works the chest(pec) muscles. I go hard, as this will be my only time working these muscles for a week. This will give my body time to recover, and during the recovery process your muscles and your body gets stronger.

On Tuesday, I do back(lats) exercises. I use the exercise machines to do lat pull downs and I try to find  bar that will allow me to do pull ups. Again, go hard. You will have 7 days to recover.

On Wednesday, I do shoulders(delts). Thursdays are designated as Arm (triceps and biceps) days. And Fridays are reserved for legs(quads, glutes, hammies). I  figure I should do legs on Fridays so that if my legs are sore after the workout, I will have all weekend to rest.

Sunday mornings are reserved for running. Notice I said running and not jogging.

Remember, if you adopt this workout plan, make sure that before you leave the gym, you can not do another set. You want to  workout to exhaustion. If you feel like you can do a little more. Do it! 

Someone once told me that they work out very hard but they don't sweat. I told them that that means that they are not working out hard enough. If you exert yourself, you are going to sweat. You have to make sure that you are pushing yourself. That is the only way that your body will respond with the results that you desire.

So push it to the limit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stay Hydrated!

Recently, some one inquired as to how much water is enough. Many people are under the impression that water is so beneficial that you can never have enough of it. This is false. The amount of water you need to consume depends on your daily activity level. If you are running a marathon, of course you would need to hydrate more so than a person that is just sitting behind a desk all day long. 

Many people drink water for different reasons. Water is good for keeping your skin looking fresh and hydrated. Water has many benefits, and it is very important to weight loss and fitness. 

You want to drink enough water as not to feel thirsty. You don't want to have too many episodes where you are feeling thirsty. Constantly feeling thirsty could lead your body to hold water as it does not know when it will get water again.

Some feel that drinking 8 cups of water a day is appropriate to maintain proper hydration. Again, this is dependant upon how active you are, and whether or not you are perspiring from the temperature.

With regards to exercising and losing weight, water plays a big part in the digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals. You may have seen power lifters at the gym carrying around gallon sized jugs of water while they work out. Those guys do that as they are taking many vitamins and supplements, and they want them supplements to be absorbed into there bodies. The water helps in that instance, but unless you are doing a three hour, heavy workout, you don't need to drink a gallon a water during your workouts.

Just try to make an effort to drink water. The amount that you drink all depends on your activity level and your perspiration level. If you are a heavy sweater, you want to replace the water that you loss do to sweating. But don't drink too much water, as you could dilute your system and that is not a good thing. 

So drink up, and stay hydrated.

A New day=A New You

January 20, 2009 will go down as a date that will mark an era of change in The United States. The swearing in of a new president, who happens to be Black is a historic moment in the history of this country. It shows that more Americans want change. This ideal of change is also important to those of us that want to live a more healthy and prosperous lifestyle.

Let the events of this historic day serve as motivation for you to achieve all of your goals. If you have visualized yourself dropping those extra pounds around the waist, make it happen starting today.

Change is the new catch phrase of the day. To start off, we must change our minds and stop thinking the same way as we we did before about food and dieting. Food is fuel. We must eat to live, not live to eat. Your diet is what your meals consists of on a daily basis. Dieting does not mean starving yourself and denying your cravings. You can eat what you want as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort to work off the extra calories and fat that are associated with that double chocolate cake.

We must also change our minds about how we think of our bodies. Your body is a well tuned machine. The more you run this machine, the better it will become. Don't think of exercising as a hindrance or a tedious task that you dread thinking about. But think of it as a fun activity that gives you life and gives you energy. It is hard to think about anything that is troubling you while you are working out. Exercising is therapeutic as it relieves tension, stress, and worry. 

So from here on out, let today be the day that we decide to change. Change our minds, change our hearts, and change the way we do things; for the better.

Email me at nivram1ohio@aol.com with any questions or comments regarding your workout or your diet. If you are stuck at a plateau (a level where your workouts are not producing any results) I can help you by offering free workout plans and routines to get you over the hump and make your workouts fresh and fun again. 

Happy MLK Day!

I was on my way to the beach to get my "Run On" for the day. Just wanted to say to all of you that today is a good day to get that workout in early. Just because it is a holiday and you have time to sleep in; don't! The time that you would have normally been at work could be used to get a great workout in. 

Make no excuses when it comes to accomplishing your fitness goals. If you really and truly want it, you have to visualize it and get it. Remember, it's nearing the end of January already, and the summer will be here before you know it. Don't you want to get yourself ready now!

There will be more to come later today, but for now, get up, get out and do something!

Remember, for free workout plans, fitness tips, diet tips, and recipes email me at nivram1ohio@aol.com . 

One of those days

Have you ever had one of those days where you did not feel like doing a damn thing!? I am sure we all have. With regards to your fitness plan, just keep in mind the goals that you have set for yourself. You may not want to go to the gym, or go running or jogging but you should never put off doing anything that will help you obtain your goals. Whether they be fitness related or not. 

On the days where you dont feel like going to the gym or working out, GO ANYWAY! You will thank yourself afterwards. If you are having a "BLAH" day, your workout will help produce chemicals in your brain that make you feel happy. A hard workout releases some of the same chemicals in the brain that sex does. I bet you didn't know that. And if you don't like sex raise your hand....I'll wait. I see there are no hands raised.So get that workout in. No matter how you feel.

At the beginning of my week, I like to do a sort of cleansing to my body. Kind of like getting rid of all of the stress and other stuff that I don't want to take into the next week. A great way to help you relax and get that "icky"-ness out is by going to a sauna room. Sitting in a sauna room for as long as you can stand it is great. I know many people can not stand to be in a room that is so hot, but trust me, you will feel like a new person when you emerge from the heat. Try it. 

If you have any questions, comments, or anything that you would like to add to this blog, email me at  nivram1ohio@aol.com . You can also leave a comment on this page. 

Maximize your week

Doing isolated exercises that concentrate on specific body parts is a great way to obtain strength, endurance, and muscle tone. For those of you that are fortunate enough to make it to the gym five days per week, this is a great routine that you can adopt.
You can lift weights and do exercises that target specific body parts. Assign a day that you will do a specific body part.
For example:

• Monday=Chest
• Tuesday=Back
• Wednesday=Shoulders
• Thursday=Arms
• Friday=Legs

Find and do exercises that work the muscles of that specific body part. Do all the workouts and exercises that you know of, until you can do no more. For chest, I start out by doing 50 push ups, followed by bench pressing, followed by pec-dec machine, and end with push ups to failure.

Again, this is a great way to workout to your fullest potential while not overworking the same muscles everyday. Muscles grow as they rest, so if you are only doing chest once a week, you will get better results.

Abs can be done everyday. So what I do 500 crunches at the end of my workouts, per day.

Working out 5 days a week will give you great results. You will build your stamina and you will burn calories, which will allow you to look and feel your best.

For free workout tips, diet tips, fitness routines, and personalized fitness plans, email me at nivram1ohio@aol.com .

Bike It.

Bike riding is a fun activity that the entire family can participate in. Not only is it healthy, and provides a great workout, but bike riding can also save you money. Instead of driving your car to the store, you should try riding your bicycle to the store. Just throw on a backpack to carry the items that you just purchased back home with you. There is no need to fire up the car for short trips around the neighborhood, when you can turn that that short trip or errand into a workout.

Bike riding is a great exercise because it encompasses cardiovascular exercise with strength training. It is a great way to build muscles and improve muscle tone in your legs. You can also drop a few pounds very quickly by taking your bike out and riding around for a few miles a week.

If you have any concerns for the environment,which you should,bike riding could help you do your part in saving the environment from toxic emissions that cars produce. If more and more people would ride bicycles, they would not only improve their health, but also improve the environment. 

Bicycles are not expensive. You can easily find a used bicycle at a garage sale or on Craigslist.org. You don't have to spend a ton of money. 

For free information regarding your workout and fitness goals, please feel free to contact me at nivram1ohio@aol.com 

BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

In many parts of the country it is snowing like crazy. The temperature is dropping as is normal for mid-January in many parts of the North and Midwest. But don't let that stop you from accomplishing your fitness goals.  If you find yourself snowed in the house, try doing push ups or sit ups at home. 

You can start by getting a deck of playing cards. Shuffle the deck and pick a card. For every card that you pick, do that number in push ups and sit ups (or crunches). You can be creative by giving face cards a value of 20. Aces could have a value of 30; it all depends on your level of strength and stamina. 

If you want to exercise your legs. You could use the same deck of cards to do squats. Here's how:

1. Pick a room where you would be able to walk from one wall to the next without any obstruction 
2. Hold the deck of cards in your hand
3. Stand with your back 
   
4. take one step from the wall, squat down(keeping your back straight) and place a card on the floor in the spot that you squatted 
5. Stand back up and take another step
6. Squat down and place another card in the spot where you squatted.
7. Repeat this process until you have reached the far wall
8. Now turn around and take a step towards the cards that are placed on the floor.
9. At each card, squat down and pick it up.
10. Repeat this until you have picked up all the cards from the floor

As you become more advanced, try squatting down and placing two cards on the floor, one at a time, which would give you two squats per step.

You will see that this exercise will have your legs burning.

This routine is often used by boxers to build strength and endurance in the quads(thighs). You will also improve your definition.

Try it.

 As you can see, there is no excuse for missing a workout. When you cant make it out of the house, you can still get a good workout in. 

Speaking of snow: Be careful while shoveling snow in extremely cold weather. Even if you are in tip top shape, shoveling wet, heavy snow for a long duration in cold weather puts extreme stress on your heart and could lead to you passing out. If you have to shovel snow, do it in small phases and/or try to get someone to help.

For free tips, personalized workouts, or diet pans feel free to contact me at nivram1ohio@aol.com 

Soy:The Other Meat

If you have made an effort to lose weight for the new year, you may want to include a change in diet to your plans. Exercising and working out alone will not guarantee the results that you want to achieve unless you change your diet and your eating habits. Soy products are a good source to help you achieve that change.
Soy products are healthier for your body. Many soy products are naturally fat free. Soy products are also high in protein, which is very essential to keeping that blast furnace inside of your body fired up, and burning calories.
You can purchase soy milk, soy burgers, and even veggies made of soy. It is a good substitute for those that may have decided to leave red meat out of their diets (good idea).
So while shopping for more healthier products at the local supermarket, try looking in the organic section of your local supermarket to find healthier alternatives to your recipes. The belief that soy and other organic products are more expensive is not always true. But what price are you willing to pay for good health?

Remember, as always, for FREE personalized workouts, diet plans, workout plans, or any suggestions you may have for me, contact me at nivram1ohio@aol.com .

Burn Baby, Burn!

Those among us that can eat, and eat, and eat whatever they like, and still not gain a pound have the advantage of having a high metabolism. That means that their bodies burn the food that they consume at a very fast rate. The older we get, the slower our metabolism becomes.
If you are trying to lose weight, you have to burn off, or workout strenuously enough to burn more calories than you have consumes.
One good way of increasing your metabolism is to run. Running is the best exercise by far in terms of burning calories.
If you use dumbbells, or free weights, or even exercise equipment, you can increase your metabolism by doing higher reps per set. In other words, if you are looking to burn calories and increase your metabolism; instead of doing 50 lbs. curls 10 times, do 35 lbs. curls 20 to 25 times. Choose a weight where by the time you get to the 17 or 18 rep, you are really feeling a burn. If by the time you get to 20 and you feel as if you can do more, you may have to increase the weight.
Also, you can find a weight that is comfortable to you and do this weight until failure. Meaning do it until you can't do anymore.

Remember, for free workout tips, diet tips, workout plans, or recipes, feel free to contact me at nivram1ohio@aol.com

Eco Fit Bailout!!!

In these trying times of economic instability, it is good to know that if you have your health, you have everything! Be happy and thankful for the fact that you are an able bodied person that can get up and walk, jog, or run. There are many people that would pay all that they have to be able to do the little things that many of us take for granted. All the necessities to survive a workout are free: Air and Water.

So when you are running on that treadmill, or contemplating cutting your workout short, just think of how fortunate you are to even be able to exercise. When your muscles get fatigued and your lungs start to burn, keep pushing! Don't stop until you have finished your workout.

With that said: Good Health=Good Life! Everything that you do, do it with enthusiasm and passion. By doing so, you ill see that all of your fitness goals, as well as life goals, will be achieved.
You have everything that you need to succeed. Now get your workout on! The summer will be here before you know it.

Early to bed, early to rise........

If at all possible, getting your workout in before going to the office is a great idea. It will ensure that you have a great day. Your body releases hormones while you workout that cause you to feel good. This good feeling will transfer over to the rest of your day. Knowing that you have gotten your workout out of the way for the day allows for you to plan for other things. Getting in shape involves efficiency. Use your time wisely. Also, the gyms are not as crowded in the morning as they are in the evening. You will be able to get in and get out of the gym very smoothly.
You will notice how much better your day goes and much better you feel after a morning workout. Afterwards, eat a healthy breakfast and be on your way.
For those that do not have time to make breakfast, you can try making a protein shake that could hold you over to lunch time. Here is my recipe for a protein shake:

• Two scoops of Twin Lab No Whey vanilla protein powder
• 12 oz. of your favorite 100% juice
• 1 banana
• 4 cubes of Dole pineapple(canned)

Place the ingredients in a blender and blend for one minute, or until fruit is in little pieces. Then enjoy. This is a great source of protein and it also has vitamins and minerals that your body needs after a workout. Of course you can substitute your favorite fruits into this recipe.

Beware!

There are many commercials for diets and pills that advertise that they can burn fat off of your body without you having to do a thing. This is not true! The only thing that will get skinnier is your wallet from buying all of the misleading products on the market. There is no magic pill. If there were, everyone would be taking it, and it would not be $19.99 if you order now!

You have to get in the gym. You have to get active. That is the bottom line. Increasing your physical activity will get you in shape. Whether you are walking more, running more, lifting more, or doing more cardiovascular activities; it will all help you get in better shape than you were before.

I understand that joining a gym is not an option for many people due to time restraints(having children to care for) and due to monetary reasons. The economy has effected many industries in America, including the fitness industry. That is why now is a great time to join because many fitness centers are dropping their prices to get people back in. So consider joining a gym.
If you can not find an affordable gym, there are recreation centers in every city. You can find some treadmills or stationary bikes there, I'm sure.

If that doesn't work, just going out, taking a walk or running is free. You can even take the kids.

A consistent workout plan, along with healthier eating, will get you the results that you desire. So get busy.

For free personal workouts plans, fitness advice, or diet plans, contact me at nivram1ohio@aol.com

Time to Get Started.

The New Year officially begins on Monday. All of the parties and celebrating is over. It is time to get to work. It is time to work towards achieving all of your goals for 2009. 

With regards to fitness, there is nothing like starting the week out with a great workout. As you know, the gym is going to be extra crowded this time of year because of the Resolution Warriors. They tend to fall off about February, so stick in there and have some patience when you see that all the workout machines are being used. While waiting to use a specific machine, make sure that you use that time wisely by warming up and stretching. Warm and loose muscles work best. 

For those of you that do not plan on attending or joining a gym this year, Monday is also the first day towards you achieving your fitness goals. Whether doing push ups at home, or laps up around the block; just stay motivated and never lose sight of your goals. 

Happy New You Year

This time of year gives us all a new sense of motivation and inspirations to start the year off on a good note. We make resolutions and plans to have a better year than the year before. This is evident by the crowds that you will see at the gym during the month of January. But why do the crowds seem to wear thin after January? By March, all of those that promised themselves that they would lose weight have stopped trying to acheive their goals. People that make plans to lose weight and become more fit fall of because losing weight and getting i shape is not really that important to them. If it were, they would not stop until they have achived their goals. By the end of the new year, they are making the same false prmise to themselves again, and again with the same results.
You can never sow seeds of being a quitter into your soul. Make realistics goals and do what ever you need to do to accomplish them. If your goal is to lose weight, make sure you tell everyone who will listen. By doing this, you sort of put pressure on yourself because you have told all of these people that you were going to lose weight and get in better shape. Now you must keep your word as to not look like you were just blowing smoke.
It takes commitment, desire, ability, and motivation to maintain your workout plan. Find a partner that you can workout with. By doing this, you will be accountable to your partner which will ensure that you show up. And it will also help push you as competition is always healthy.
So Happy New Year. Get up, get out, and get that body that you have always wanted. 2009 is going to be the best year ever!




For workout plans, recipes, and other information you can email me at nivram1ohio@aol.com