thebodymaster

Get Back on Track: So you went away, saw a new part of the world, and now you’re back. You ate, you drank, you relaxed, and then you ate some more.

And now it’s time to face the music.

As you wake up on Monday morning after your week of less-than-healthy eating… Your body is puffy and bloated. Your joints are achy. Your clothes feel tight.

Maybe you are feeling that way right now.

Here are 5 steps to get you back on the fitness fast track after your trip.

Step One: Focus

Your vacation happened. You ate things from the “never eat these” list, you drank more that you should have…but now it’s over.

Draw a line in the sand. You’re back home so the bad eating stops now.

If you’re serious about your fitness goals, then your vacation was the exception, and not the rule. Don’t beat yourself up for letting loose on your trip. Simply get back up, dust yourself off and get focused.

Step Two: Hydrate

While travel days can take on many forms, the end result is most often dehydration and water retention. The only way to restore your balance is to get hydrated.

Your first priority in getting back on track is to drink plenty of water throughout your first few days home. Start with a tall glass of water in the morning, and carry a water bottle with you to sip throughout the day.

Don’t add any artificial sweeteners or stimulants to your water – these will sabotage your hydration efforts. For flavor, add sliced fresh fruit, herbs or vegetables to your water, just like at the spa.

Step Three: Cleanse

For your first few days home I need you to be extra picky about what you eat. Stick with only whole, real foods like fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Whole, real foods will help to restore balance and block out cravings.

Don’t eat any packaged foods for the next few days. This means no snack foods, processed meat slices, dairy, baked goods or alcohol.

Try the recipe for Quick Chicken Stir Fry below – this is a wonderful, whole food dish.

Step Four: Rest

As relaxing as vacation days are, most end with the feeling of exhaustion. Make catching up on sleep a priority over the next few days.

When your body is low on sleep, it becomes easier to make poor eating choices. You’re also less likely to get back into your workouts if you don’t give your body a chance to rest.

Aim for getting a full 8 hours of sleep each night.

Step Five: Exercise

It’s time to sweat out all those vacation indulgences. So lace up your shoes and put on your favorite gym clothes. When you start your first workout, ease in slowly. Take the time to warm up and stretch your muscles before powering up to a solid 30-minute routine.

I have just the exercise plan for you – one that will not only help you recover from your vacation, but will help keep you motivated and going strong in the future.

If you haven’t joined yet, now is the perfect time for you to start. Together we will get you to your goals with my results-driven method.

Simply call or email me today to set up your first workout.

Get Back At It

You may feel tempted to skip your workout the day after you return home from vacation, but be warned that it’s a slippery slope. After all you’re tired, you have unpacking to do and you’re stiff from the ride home. That day slides into the next day and the next day. Before you know it you’ve been home for a week and still haven’t gotten in a workout.

Jump into your workouts immediately once you return home. Sure, you’re going to feel a little rusty on that first day back, but remember that the sooner you get back into the swing of your routine the better. You can do it!

Quick Chicken Stir Fry

This recipe meets all the requirements for a healthy dinner. By baking the chicken and using cauliflower for rice, this recipe has half of the calories and 80% less fat than a traditional stir fried chicken meal.

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need…
1 head cauliflower
¼ cup coconut aminos
¼ cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 Tablespoon coconut nectar
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons organic chicken broth
3 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 ounces snow peas, halved lengthwise diagonally
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Wash cauliflower, discard the leaves, and chop into small pieces. Grate the pieces with a food processor. In a large skillet heat the coconut oil over medium. Add the shredded cauliflower. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve as you would traditional rice.

Combine coconut aminos, mirin, coconut nectar, apple cider vinegar and chicken broth in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken breasts to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer to a cutting board; cool slightly. Cut into 1-inch slices.

Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil to pan. Add snow peas and onions; sauté 2 minutes. Add coconut amino mixture and chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is syrupy and chicken is thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Place 1 cup rice in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1 cup chicken mixture.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 256 calories, 6g fat, 621mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 28g protein.

Have you ever been frustrated over a lack of results from your workout routine? If so, you are in good company. Even the most seasoned athletes experience times when their results plateau.

When you continue to put in the same effort day after day with little or no results it is safe to say that you’ve hit your own fitness plateau.

Your body adapts quickly to any repetitive routine. The definition of ‘insanity’ is to do the same thing over and over while expecting different results. This holds true for your workouts. When your results stop then it’s time to do something new.

I have good news—the following 4 tactics are guaranteed to crank your workouts up to the next level and to deliver the fast results you want.

#1: Focus on Negatives

Each time that you do a weight lifting repetition you are utilizing three types of strength. These are:
Positive strength: the motion of lifting the weight.

Static strength: holding weight in a contracted position.

Negative strength: the motion of lowering the weight.

Most people completely miss the benefit of the negative in each repetition by allowing the weight to drop quickly with little control. It is understood that the negative portion of a repetition is just as important as the positive portion, and possibly more important.

Focus on the negative portion of each repetition by lowering the weight very slowly. Concentrate on the negative contraction, and make each repetition count.

If you are advanced, then use a training partner to assist you in moving heavier-than-normal weight into a contracted position, then lower it very slowly.

Another way to utilize negative repetitions on a machine is to lift the weight using two limbs but then lower it with just one. For example, use both legs to lift the weight on a leg extension machine, but then lower it back down slowly using only one leg.

#2: Do a Drop Set

Drop sets have long been used to fight off exercise plateaus. This technique is great for adding muscle strength, endurance and for increasing the cardiovascular benefit of your workout – resulting in more fat burn.

Here, in a nutshell, is how to do a drop set: When you perform an exercise to exhaustion, don’t stop there. Drop the weight by 80% and do another set.

You could take it a step further by dropping the weight twice, making it a double drop. Or drop the weight three times for a descending drop set.

Use this technique only once or twice per workout, on the final set of the exercise.

#3: Modify the Exercise

There are certain exercises that are considered ‘staples’ in the gym. The squat. The lunge. The chest press. The shoulder press. The bicep curl. You get the idea…

While you shouldn’t throw these exercises out the window, find creative ways to modify the familiar motion in order to challenge your muscles. Try these exercise modifications:
Squat on a Bosu ball or balance board.
Place a weighted bar across your shoulders and do walking lunges.
Use an exercise ball for chest presses instead of the bench.
Do a full squat between each repetition of shoulder presses.
Do a shoulder press between each repetition of bicep curls.

#4: Use Active Rest to turn each workout into High Intensity Interval Training

Every minute of your workout is an opportunity to increase intensity and to burn more fat. Don’t waste precious minutes with long rest periods between exercises.

While it is important to catch your breath if you feel winded, most of the time you would benefit more from an active rest than a passive one. Perform one of the following activities for 30 seconds between exercises and turn your regular workout into High Intensity Interval Training.

High Knees with Alternating Punches: Alternately bring each knee high to your chest in a quick jumping movement while alternating forward punches at shoulder level.

Burpees: Start in a sanding position and bend at the waist. Once your hands hit the floor, push your entire body back, extending your legs until they’re straight and you’re in the push-up position. Go down for a push-up, and when you push yourself up, jump slightly to bring your feet back near your hands. Finally, jump in the air with your arms fully extended over your head.

Side-to-Side Jumps on Bench: Stand on one side of an exercise bench. Place the foot closest up onto the bench, jump up and switch feet, then land on the opposite side of the bench.

Mountain Climbers: Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart on the ground in a push-up position. Bring one knee to your chest and then back to the starting position, alternate each leg quickly.

Side-to-Side Ab Twists: With feet close together, jump and twist your legs left to right – holding your abs tight. Keep a bend in your knees and swing your upper arms with each twist.

Jump Lunges with Pop Squat: Start in a lunge position, lunge down then quickly jump up, switching your leg position in midair, land in an opposite leg lunge. Once you’ve done both legs, jump straight into a squat.
Medicine Ball Squat Jumps: With feet wider than shoulder-width apart hold a medicine ball at chest level. Squat down until your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Explosively jump up, raising the medicine ball straight over your head.

If you’d like a sure-fire way to break through your fitness plateau and to melt away unwanted fat, then contact me for a fitness consultation.

Call or email today – I look forward to hearing from you.

My custom-made fitness programs remove all of the guesswork for you. I know what works, and I make it my mission to see you reach your goals.

Call or email today and we’ll get you started on the program that’s best for you.

Push Yourself

Get the most from your workouts. Use compound movements (train multi joints at a time). Big muscle groups burn more calories. And to get even better results, cut your rest period in half and push yourself harder – results will come faster than you ever thought possible.

Herb-Coated Halibut with Zucchini and Whole Wheat Couscous

Not only is this meal delicious, it’s also incredibly healthy. A tangy herb paste coats both the fish and zucchini, which roast on the same pan. The entire meal is ready in 30 minutes – perfect for busy weekday dinners.

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need…
6 scallions, chopped
1 cup packed fresh cilantro
½ cup packed fresh mint
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped, peeled fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 zucchini, cut into spears
4 skinless fillets firm white fish
1 cup dry whole-wheat couscous

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Throw the scallions, cilantro, mint, oil, ginger, coriander and ½ teaspoon salt into a food processor and pulse until a coarse paste forms. Season with pepper.

Toss zucchini with 3 tablespoons herb paste in a bowl. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes.
Rub remaining herb paste onto both sides of fish fillets. Push zucchini to edges of baking sheet, and arrange fish in center, leaving about ½ inch between each fillet. Roast until fish is opaque and semi-firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare directions. Serve fish and zucchini over couscous.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 354 calories, 10g fat, 29g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 32g protein.

You head to the gym because you know that exercise burns calories and helps you to shed extra pounds.

Knowing this, you may think that losing weight should be easy with enough exercise. However the truth is that if you aren’t accustomed to exercising and are out of shape, beginning an exercise program may actually lead to an initial increase in your weight.

This fact, however, shouldn’t stop you from exercising, as you’ll eventually turn the weight corner and start losing.

What is it about exercise that may cause some people to gain instead of lose weight?

Muscle

One of the main reasons exercising can lead to initial weight gain is that it promotes the growth of muscle.

If you are not used to working out and haven’t used certain muscles regularly, after exercising your muscles will be sore and will increase in size. While you may burn off fat, muscle is denser than fat. Therefore, the weight you gain is in your muscles.

Don’t sweat it. Since muscles take up less space than fat, your extra weight doesn’t necessarily translate to larger size. In fact, once you start working out, you’ll become thinner, even if you maintain your previous weight. Instead of using a scale to determine if you are slimming down, have your body fat tested regularly or measure your body at certain areas.

If you see that you’re losing inches, then you know you’re on the right track.

Cardiovascular activities like walking, running, or swimming will encourage the growth of lean, toned muscles. Other activities such as weight lifting promote the growth of larger, stronger muscles.

But there is good news in this. If you stick with the exercise program, your muscles will soon stabilize in size and after a time, become toned. After your muscles are strong and able to handle more strenuous workouts, you will be able to burn calories faster.

While it may be frustrating and disappointing to see the scale go up after starting an exercise routine, it shouldn’t stop you from exercising. You may just be building muscle faster than losing body fat. This can be especially true if you’re genetically prone to building muscle fast. The key is to incorporate bouts of cardio exercise in addition to strength training. That way you will burn plenty of calories during your routine and be more able to shed pounds.

Eating Habits

When you work out and burn calories, your body will feel the need to replace those burned calories.

This may make you feel hungrier than usual, which can cause you to eat more than normal—sometimes without knowing it. A good idea is to keep a food journal to track of the actual number of calories you are consuming.

You may also end up eating more calories and justifying their consumption since you’re exercising. After a good workout, you may see an ice cream sundae as a reward for the calories you burned. Just be careful. If you’re interested in losing pounds, you can’t simply break even with your caloric intake and the amount of calories you burn.

At the same time, eating too few calories can be counterproductive and slow your weight loss. Without enough calories, your body may slow its metabolism. So eat plenty to keep your body well fueled, but choose healthy calories that will help your body recover after a workout and grow stronger.

Hydration 

Depending on the time of day you weigh yourself, the scale may read differently. Your weight can fluctuate as much as five pounds depending on the amount of water or food you have recently consumed or the amount of water you have shed in sweat. It is therefore important to weigh yourself at the same time each day.

My exercise programs are specifically designed to produce results quickly.

Call or email today to test drive a program that will get the numbers on your scale headed in the right direction.

Give It Time

Whatever the cause of your weight influx after exercising, don’t give up! Not only is exercise the key to slimming down, but it is also vital for overall health and well-being. Give your body time to respond to a new routine. It can take several weeks for your body to “recalibrate” itself to increased activity and changes in eating habits. But once it does, you’ll begin seeing the results that you seek!

Zucchini Pizza Boats

Pizza cravings have derailed many well-intentioned dieters, so it’s essential to have a solution that doesn’t leave you filled with regret and excessive calories. This recipe for Zucchini Pizza Boats delivers all that you love about pizza – the flavors of basil, marinara, pepperoni and cheese – and swaps out the calorie-laden crust for guilt-free and fiber filled zucchini. Enjoy as a meal, an appetizer or as a snack.

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need…
6 organic zucchini
½ cup organic spaghetti sauce
½ cup mozzarella, shredded
¼ cup sliced olives
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
3 oz uncured pepperoni, sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish with olive oil
2. Wash the zucchini and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out some of the zucchini flesh to make little boats. I used a knife to slice down the sides and then a spoon to scoop it out. If the zucchini is soft then you won’t need to use a knife. Arrange the zucchini in the prepared pan.
3. Spoon some spaghetti sauce in each zucchini boat and then top with mozzarella, olives, basil and pepperoni. Bake for 20 minutes or until the toppings are cooked and the zucchini are soft. Enjoy!

Being and staying fit. Not only is it a goal but it should be a lifestyle. It’s a surefire way to setting yourself apart from the legions of people who are too timid or scared to really make the changes necessary to get physical fitness. If you are already among the individuals who have yet to genuinely commit to being healthy, knowing the perks of physical fitness might actually help you dig in and choose physical fitness, starting today.

So what can you expect from your life when you are fitter? Here are a list of things you’ll go through when you turn the corner on physical fitness.

Thing #1: You’ll Definitely Want More

If you are new, you’ll have difficulty believing it, but there will come an occasion when you crave exercise. It might not be during those first few days or weeks. Yet once the body becomes fit and begins to do just absolutely how it’s built to do, you’ll hunger going to the gym everyday, and you’ll give it your all once you’re there. Miss each day in the gym? You’ll feel guilty and lazy enough to never miss again!

Thing #2: Bedtime Will Be Even Better

That one doesn’t involve your sex life (though becoming fit will improve that as well). Rather, it’s about your sudden ability going to the hay, drift off quickly, and stay asleep all night long. Because you’re simply fit!

Thing #3: Your Confidence Becomes You

Feeling your best when not fit is impossible. Not being physically active leaves you feeling…well, frumpy. Be fit and watch your self-image skyrocket. Alongside it, your confidence. Your confidence won’t necessarily push you into cockiness. Nonetheless it can make you more enjoyable to be around, as it’s awkward to be around people who are down on themselves.

Thing #4: You Eat Better

Just as becoming fit makes you want to get in the gym everyday, additionally it inspires one to want to eat well. In the end, you spent all that point eating the proper things to have fit. The past thing you want to do is throw all of it in the trash just for the passing and momentary pleasures of two slices of pecan pie.

Thing #5: Showers Feel Better

Unlike popular belief, sitting at a table all day long everyday doesn’t allow you to get dirty enough to have a shower. On the contrary, when you’re living the fit lifestyle, you’re in the gym regularly, allowing sweat to cover every pore of your body. After a hard day at the gym, your shower feels magical, because you actually deserve it!

Thing #6: Heavy Isn’t Heavy

Spend plenty of time not being fit and perhaps you are surprised that fit folks can cope with things in life that need strength. Whether it involves carrying a baby through the food store, picking up several bags of groceries, moving a stack of bricks from your own truck bed to your garden, or perhaps getting up the stairs, fitness allows you to get it done with ease.

Thing #7: Your Body Functions Improve

Get fit and your heart will work more efficiently. You know that. But becoming fit gets your other body systems in line also. Whether you’ve were struggling to think clearly on the feet, plagued with constipation, or always out of breath. Getting fit remedy every one of these issues and more.

Thing #8: You’ll Go Shopping

You most likely know individuals who have to upgrade their closets every couple of years to support their ever-growing bellies. Not you. When you go fit for a lifetime, you should have to go shopping, but only because your waist slimmed up and your muscle tissue tightened up and now situated where they belong.

Thing #9: You Won’t Fear Sore

At one time, sore always meant something was wrong. Being sore is something that you welcome when you’re getting fit. In the end, you realize the soreness means you’re working the body in new ways that will only improve your physical fitness. If it is a bad sore, you’ll realize that also because, well, fit people know their bodies.

Now could be the best time to get going on a fitness program. A program that will allow you to get into the best shape of your life. What have you been waiting for? Becoming fit feels too good for you to lose out on. Call or email me – Personal Trainer Houston – today!

A dose of motivation will change your life almost overnight.

The best part of my job is seeing clients achieve amazing results. Whether they drop a few sizes, lose the baby weight, get off their blood pressure meds, or shrink their waist, the excitement is always contagious.

There really isn’t a clear way to describe the euphoria that settles in once you’ve realized your fitness goal. Thus, you have to experience it.

Though each successful client is unique with different goals, one element unites them.

They are all highly motivated.

You see, I am in a unique position. So I know how to get you (or anyone else who walks through my door) into great shape and coach you through a 50-pound weight loss. I can guide you to a healthier body and can even train you into a toned athlete.

But there is one catch.

You’ll need to be motivated.

See, saying that you want to get into great shape isn’t enough. You need motivation—and that’s just half of the equation. The other part (and the most important) is ACTION.

Nothing happens until you take action.

So you can want it, think about it, mull it over, ponder it, plan it, and then re-plan it. But nothing happens until you take action.

While I may not know your story—it’s probably safe to assume that you are dissatisfied with your body and know that you can improve your fitness level. You want to look better, to have more energy, to experience fewer aches and pains, and to enjoy sweet satisfaction as you achieve your goals once and for all.

I know that all of my successful clients were once in your shoes. They wanted to change their bodies. They felt urgency. And then they did what most fail to do. They took action and contacted me.

But there is more to it than that. They then committed to a program, put in the exercise, stuck to their diet and met their goals. There’s nothing more gratifying than getting back into those jeans that now sit in the back of your closet.

People who take massive action get massive rewards. And so those that simply talk about losing weight will continue to put weight on, pound after pound. I hate to put it that way, but it’s the truth.

So what do you want?
To drop 20 pounds
Feel younger
Look better in your birthday suit
Become healthier
How bad do you want it? How much motivation do you have? Enough to take MASSIVE ACTION?

The rewards are great IF you do.

(Your first step is to call or email me now to get started.)

Stressed Out?

Regular exercise is a simple solution to get you feeling good fast.

This is because every time you exercise your body increases its production of endorphins, which are responsible for that feel-good euphoria you get after a great workout or while chomping down on a piece of chocolate.

However, before you turn to chocolate and skip the gym, remember the end result of each and choose which one will help you reduce stress in the long run. (Hint: It’s not the chocolate!)

Sausage and Cabbage Comfort Soup

Homemade soup is a wonderful way to enjoy healthy, quick meals at home. This recipe for Sausage and Cabbage Comfort Soup is packed with wholesome fiber from fresh vegetables and protein from sausage. Make a big pot on the weekend and then reheat bowls throughout the week for fast, nutritious meals that will keep you on track with your fitness goals.

Servings: 20

Here’s what you need…
1 ½ pounds mild Italian sausage, loose
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼” rounds
1 head green cabbage, core removed and shredded
3 large tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons sea salt (plus more as needed)
fresh ground black pepper (about 5 cracks)
1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
8 cups chicken broth
Basil leaf to garnish *optional

1. Brown the sausage at the bottom of a large soup pot over medium high heat, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Remove the cooked sausage from the pot and set aside in a bowl, leaving the oil from the sausage in the pot.
2. Add the onions, garlic and carrots to the pot with the hot oil. Continue to cook over medium high heat, stirring often as the veggies become tender, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and tomatoes, and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Mix in the remaining ingredients and bring the soup to a low simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add more salt and pepper to taste and serve hot. Enjoy!