Plan and get ahead of most

Planning can be the leading factor in future success! Careful planning can lead you to a college education, a career, and economic stability.  When thinking about your future, think about opening a retirement account: Roth IRA or Traditional IRA.  These are retirement accounts – the difference between both is when you would like to pay taxes.  You are going to pay them, the only thing is, do you want to pay taxes as you are contributing to the account or do you want to pay taxes at the end when you get the money (67 years of age now- or later depending on whether the gov. will raise the legal retirement age).  You can research on-line or go to a financial advisor and open a retirement account with only $250 to start and $50 monthly contributions: retirement accounts average an annual return of 10 % to 12 %  and the risks are fairly conservative! There are also 401k retirement accounts (usually through your employer).  If you do qualify for a 401k- take advantage of it! Your employer matches between 50 and 100%, what this means is that they give you anywhere between .50 cents to a dollar for every dollar you contribute.  Most employers will match one for one- so already your contributions are accumulating a 100% return on your investment- where can you get this…???? No where… unless you are a female… 

With planning in mind, how does planning help us stay fit and on task?

Well, very simple, plan your meals ahead of time.  This comes in as early as before going to the super market.  Make a list of proteins, carbs, fibers, and essential fats.  If you buy the right proportions of food, chances are that you will eat the appropriate proportions also.  On the same token, if you DO NOT buy unhealthy snacks- you will not have them at home and you will simply not consume them! (you cannot eat what is not there!)

The same goes for your work-outs.  Plan your exercise ahead of time.  It is easier to stay on task and follow a plan if is pre-determined. Your work outs can even be more effective, efficient and more intense if you put it in writing.  Plan specific exercises, plan days to work out, block out a specific hour and hold yourself accountable.

3 sneaky ways to train your core

“You can turn almost any exercise into one that improves core strength and stability”.

Single arm dumbbell bench press

• Without getting too technical: using one hand instead of two- creates a level of instability that taxes your core.  Your core has to work extra to hold you and the dumbbell in place.

Standing Lat Pulldown

• Standing up forces your body- core to work extra and keep your body stable and erect.

Overhead dumbbell press- while doing a reverse lunge

• Hold a dumbbell over your right shoulder and lunge back with your left leg.

Holding the weight up high forces your abs to stabilize your spine.

How many calories should you consume on a daily basis?

This answer really depends on your activity level and what your goals are.

The math is simple: calories in vs calories out.  If you want to gain weight, then you need a surplus of calories or eat consume more than you waste.  If you want to lose weight, you have to have a deficit of calories (ask our presidents how to achieve this- they are experts on deficits! J - or waste more calories than you consume.  You should adjust your meals according to your PLANED or expected activity level. 
Have a great week!
Your trainer Sebastian :)

“The quarter’ and staying on top of it...

This week, ‘life happened!’ That means that this blog is now late.. J It is now Thursday (not Monday) and still no blog… I also did not work out Monday and semi-worked out tues and weds… Yes- a trainer missed some training sessions L I had to prioritize this week- and decided that studying for my test was more important.  At the same time, I still managed to eat fairly healthy and get some workouts between the studying and working.  With all that said- I’m going to continue with something that I will like to call:

“the quarter effect”… I know for some this might be TMI (too much information) but still a teaching moment!  So one day- I go to shower and while im getting naked and sexy- I see a quarter on the bathroom floor, in the corner- and I think to myself- “I’ll get it after my shower.”  The next day I go to the restroom (nature called) and again, saw the quarter from where I was sitting….and I said—ohhhh hell no!!!…. I am not going to forget again.  In an effort to test my memory, I told myself to get it after I was done.  Well…. That went on for literally, a week… Every day I saw that darn quarter and couldn’t believe that it was still there!  Until, on the 7^th day- I saw it again- and decided to pick it up that instant and not rely on memory ever again.  I know this may sound silly, but this is a classic case of- procrastination!!! How do we relate this to life and specifically, fitness?

Well, we are always saying to ourselves, I’ll do it tomorrow, I’ll start studying tomorrow, I’ll begin my job hunt tomorrow, I’ll start saving next time, I’ll start eating healthier- and exercising tomorrow… next week, next year…. And that day- that hour – that ‘next time’ never comes.  Instead, lets “pick up that quarter” today- right now!  Start taking charge of your life now!  When luck meets preparation + action = success!

Nutrition

How is it best? (Boil, steam, microwave, raw: per Men’s magazine)

** How to eat your veggies to absorb the most nutrients!

Broccoli--------- Best steamed or raw

Carrots------------Best boiled or raw

Bell peppers------Best micro-waved or raw

Brussels sprouts---Best Boiled

Spinach-------------Best steamed, microwave or raw

Asparagus----------best to boil, microwave or raw

When you feel stagnant or simply that you have hit an exercise plateau, it may be that your fitness program needs an upgrade ASAP!

Fix it with new rep counts: Eliminate the 10 rep 3 set routines.  Sure it can be a great work-out but the message here is that you have to train differently to get different results. 

Why it works?

Your body quickly adapts to the number and reps you perform, but it takes a while to adjust to the exercises you do.  (That’s why you can keep using the same exercises.)  By changing your rep ranges on a weekly basis, you’re gaining benefits from the repeated movements while always pushing your body in new ways- and that helps you increase strength.  When you improve in each workout, you add new muscle.

**

Answer to last week's post (How much water should you drink a day?): Answer: Water intake: How much water should you drink each day? It's a simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.

The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about 4 cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace your lost fluids.