Use the secrets of the stars to transform your body into a work of art! 

To get Arms and Shoulders like Halle Berry, Jim Ryno tells us that you need to challenge your muscles by lifting heavy weights. The great thing about the shoulder area is that it is one area that does not hold a lot of body fat and so you can tend to see results pretty quickly.

To get a back like Hilary Swank, jump rope; it’s a phenomenal way to train the upper body. Jump rope, which is often associated with boxing, is a high-intensity, highly effective cardio activity that you can mix in with your strength training program.

To get glutes like Jennifer Lopez, you can perform your cardio on an incline - such as climbing stairs - it’s a great way to tone your glutes. Good form is crucial when working this area, as we often put our backs into these exercises instead of our glutes.

For amazing abs like Sheryl Crow, you’ll need to not only include cardio to your strength and endurance training, but you’ll need a sensible diet as well if you want to see results in this area.

For legs like Lisa Rinna, you should do cardio that involves climbing, or an incline to help develop your shapely legs. We all now know that Lisa is a phenomenal dancer and that also helps her look so great - dancers have some of the best legs around, so why not mix it up?

Adria Ali

(CES, PES, CPT, BS)

   If you want to burn more calories and lose weight faster; then maybe this is the tool to help you do it!  This new gadget helps you to track your activity, calories burned, fat burned, distance, and steps.  This could also be a GREAT Christmas gift with the holiday season around the corner

Easy & Convenient. We also make it effective. Without a pedometer, people always overestimate the actual amount they’ve walked. With our pedometer, there’s a 27% increase in the number of steps walked! But you need an accurate measure of steps

Experience walking with the Rolls Royce of Pedometers

The key to a walking program is having a medical-grade pedometer. Cheap ones that come in cereal boxes – well, there’s a reason they’re free. Most people end up throwing them away because they know they aren’t keeping accurate step counts. Instead of being motivating, they’re demotivating – because 10,000 steps is 5,000 one day and 15,000 another. You never know where you really stand.

Even the pedometers you buy in most stores aren’t accurate. They’re easily fooled.

WalkingSpree’s Omron USB Pedometer is the most accurate pedometer on the marketusing accelerometer technology like the one found in the Nintendo Wii. And, it’s also the easiest to use. If pedometers were scored for medical-grade, our’s would win hands down.

The Pocket Pedometer doesn’t get fooled – it doesn’t think a step is 10 steps or 10 steps are only one. Its noise-reduction algorithm guarantees you a smooth ride – with an error rate of less than one percent!

Besides counting steps, our pedometer tracks aerobic steps, calories burned, and fat reduced. It even tells you how far you’ve walked. And it stores these figures for 6 weeks – just in case you can’t upload your statistics every day.

Upload your data from home, work, vacation, anywhere you have access to a computer.
Some devices require a base or docking station to transmit your data. With WalkingSpree, you can easily upload your data from any computer location by a quick install of software (no CD required). The USB cord is the same kind that is used with many digital cameras, so no need to take several cords when away on a trip.

If you’re out stepping in a remote location and can’t upload for two weeks, no worries, the pedometer holds 41 days of data. You can just upload when you have access to a computer.

Accessorize or Conceal
Unlike most pedometers which have to be worn in a clip on a belt. This dual sensored pedometer means you can wear it in your pocket, bag, around your neck, tucked in your bra or in a clip on your belt. From a dress to fitness wear, it’s convenient to wear anywhere.

99+% accurate tracks steps tracks aerobic steps tracks calories burned tracks fat burned tracks distance uploads to online profile via USB. Secured Data can be worn in pocket, purse or around neck as well as belt clip easy to use and program clock + event timer

    Why wait till January 1st to start your resolution?  Start it now and keep the holiday pounds away!  If you don’t chose to use this tool to help you get to your goal, then make sure you keep track of your progress in another way. 

Adria Ali

    This move is great for people who are trying to make the most of their gym time, and still get a great work out!!!  You can use this exercise in it’s entirety, or you can seperate the moves to make it easier. 

1. Starting Position:  Both feet should be straight.  The front foot is flat and the back foot is on it’s toe.
2. Bend both knees; keep the front knee always lined up with the ankle.
3. Push off the front heal and bring the back foot up to a balance.
4. Hold the pose and preform a bicep curl.
5. Return to starting position and repeat.

   Try this move.  It will burn tons of calories, increase your heart rate and improve your balance.  Make sure you keep your stomach tight so you can work your abs as well.  You don’t need to spend  hours working out in the gym everyday; you just have to work smarter, so you get the most out of your time.

Adria Ali

(CES, PES, CPT, BS)

   If you aren’t familiar with what a “Kettlbell” is; it is basically a weighted ball with a handle.  Usually, kettlebells are made of pure metal.  Recently, they adapted medicine balls to mimic this product as well.  Here are some fun exercises that you can do with a kettlebell, a medicine ball (with handle), or even dumbbells.

Kettlebell Cleans
1. Keep torso straight but bent forward at the hips slightly.
2. Explosively raise the kettleballs by extending the hips, knee and ankle in a “jumping action”.
3. Keep your elbows out and shoulders directly above the kettleballs as long as possible. Keep the kettleballs close to the body.
4. Once you have extended the lower leg shrug your shoulders and at maximum elevation of the shoulders start pulling with the arms. Keep the elbows high during the pull until the highest point.
5. Rotate elbows around and underneath the kettleballs. Rack your hands across the front of the shoulders. Slightly flex the hips and knees to absorb the weight.
6. This should be a fluid motion where all the steps flow together.

Single Arm Kettlebell Row
1. Stand with feet hip width and knees slightly bent. Bend at hips with back straight and knees bent.
2.Take one hand and place on stationary object that is approximately waist height to support upper body.
3. Hold kettleball in other hand with a neutral grip and let arm hang straight down (perpendicular to floor).
4. Keeping elbows close to body, pull kettleball up to body and squeeze shoulder blades together at top of movement.
5. Return to start position. Remember to keep back and head straight - hyperextension, flexion, or trunk rotation may cause injury.

Alternating Floor Press
1. Lie on your back holding a kettleball in each hand.
2. Alternating with your arms push up one kettleball at a time.
3. Slightly rotate your trunk when pressing the kettleball up. Repeat with the other arm.

Kettlebell Front Squat
1. Grasp kettleballs and hold them at chest level in front of you.
2. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip width apart. Knees should be slightly bent.
3. Lower body by flexing at the hips and knees. Upper body can flex forward at the hips slightly (~5°) during movement. Be sure to “sit back” so that knees stay over the feet.
4. Once thighs are parallel to floor, return to start position.

Single Arm Kettlebell Jerk
1. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Position kettleball to ear level with an overhand grip (palms facing forward).
2. Go into a quick ¼ squat. Immediately extend legs and stand up and at the same time press hands up above head keeping wrists over the elbow and arm moving parallel to body at all times.
3. Return to start position. This is an explosive exercise and the legs are used to be able to lift more weight overhead

Kettlebell Swing
1. Hold one kettleball between your legs and your body is in a bentover stance with your back flat.
2. Swing the kettleball backwards and then forcefully swing the kettleball forward to a chest level. Keep your arm straight and forcefully extend your hips, knees, and ankles.

Kettlebell Windmill
1. Place one arm overhead full extended with a kettleball. Bend forward at the hips keeping back flat to grab the other kettleball with the free hand.
2. While holding one kettleball overhead continue to raise and lower the other kettleball.
3. Continue for the desired repetitions and repeat with the other arm.

There are literally dozensof kettlebell exercises you can perform. Just as with other free weights, the combinations and variations are endless. However, athletes should remember the principle of specificity. Pick kettlebell exercises that most closely match the movement patterns of your sport.

Kettlebell exercises may not be as effective as more traditional free weights for developing maximal strength - an important phase in the athlete’s overall program. The movement patterns and loads they incorporate makes them better suited to converting maximal strength into explosive power and / or strength endurance. See the Strength Training Programs for Sport article for more details on how a resistance training plan should be structured (source).

Adria Ali

(CES, PES, CPT, BS)

     With the cold season approaching fast; most people like to have some warm comfort food.  If you were considering eating McDonald’s Cinnamon Melts then “buyer beware!”  This may seem like a small treat to some, but enjoying this dessert could cost you! 

    If the calories don’t kill you then the carbs and the fat will!  Who would have thought that something so small could be SO bad!  Eating one of these fun little treats just once a week could pack on an additional 3 pounds of fat in the next 6 months. 

Adria Ali

(CES, PES, CPT, BS)

   If you haven’t checked out the new “Eat Clean” Magazine; then it time you bought one at your local store.  This cool magazine was created by the writer of the “Eat Clean Diet.”  It is also distributed by the same company that makes Oxygen Magazine (a women’s weight lifting publication).  It’s full of great recipes to keep you eating healthy on a daily basis.  It offers a new twists on some of the most classic recipes and how to make your favorite foods work to your advantage.  Check out this low fat recipe for Chicken Marsala. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tsp ground fennel seeds

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

• 4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 16 small carrots, peeled

• 3½ cups marsala or low-sodium chicken broth

• 8 pieces dried porcini mushrooms

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, smashed

• Vegetable oil cooking spray

• 4 tbsp nonfat yogurt

• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

 

 

 

 

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix fennel seeds, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over chicken and set aside.

Boil carrots for about 4 minutes and remove; dry on a paper towel and set aside.

Bring marsala to a low boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Season

with more salt and pepper. Simmer until sauce reduces, about 20 minutes. Discard garlic and set sauce aside.

Coat grill with cooking spray and grill chicken for 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Grill

carrots for about 5 minutes, rotating until charred.

Return sauce to stove; bring to a simmer, remove from heat and whisk in yogurt. Divide carrots among 4 plates

and top each with chicken, sauce and a sprig of rosemary

  

 

cleaneatingmag.com

Calories: 338 / Fat: 7 / Carbs: 28

   Variety in your healthy diet could make the difference between losing weight and gaining weight.  Make sure your meal plan gets a health dose of new recipes every month.

Adria Ali

    The new Iphone isn’t just fun and futuristic, it’s also a good way to get you in shape.  The Iphone gives you the ability to log your food and customise your workout routines on the ifitness program. 

For gym enthusiasts, iFitness allows you to follow a pre-loaded workout routine or create your own using a list of exercises, complete with pictures. You can then log your routines as you complete them, and the program will keep a record of your past month of exercise. Gym Buddy allows you to keep a record of weights and reps for lifting while RunKeeper monitors your running speed and pace. Several applications use GPS to allow walkers and runners to track their distance.

   For those of us keeping track of our food intake; iphone also comes with a “My net diary.”   The diary allows you to log your food and exercise routine for a small monthly fee of $7. 

The gadget is also useful beyond help with weight loss and maintenance. Several applications allow users to create a portable medical file on their iPhones. For example, MedfileOnline stores information like your allergies and current medications on your phone, allowing you to access it anywhere. Others applications cover a host of medical conditions and concerns, such as allowing women to track their menstruation cycles and plan conception, and diabetics to monitor their glucose readings.

There are also iPhone applications that are aimed specifically at medical professionals. Life Record allows physicians to keep online records that can be accessed with an iPhone. Heart Imaging Technologies has an application for viewing medical images on the phone, complete with animations. Unbound Medicine has two iPhone applications: MEDLINE provides access to millions of articles in medical journals and References allows physicians to search for clinical information (source).

 

     With all the new and successful weight loss and health gadgets on the market; no one will have any excuse to be over weight!  So keep up with the times and lose that access weight that’s been holding you back!

Adria Ali

    It takes years to learn the “tricks of the trade.”  I learned this trainer trick when I worked at a performance enhancement facility.  The main goal of any ab routine should be to do as much (and for the longest time) possible. 

     The “old school” way, is to do one set of any ab exercise and then rest.  However, you will get the best results if your try to combine 2 or 3 exercises in a row.  Then follow this mini circuit with a rest period.  Next repeat your circuit 2-3 times.  As you get in better shape you can add an additional exercise.  This will “burn” really bad at first.  Overtime, you will feel your abs change and get stronger. 

Adria Ali

(CES, PES, CPT, BS)

    The body of a celebrity can be their claim to fame.  Without the right look, they could miss their opportunity for a leading role in an upcoming film.  So who best to tell you how to stay fit?  Here are some of the biggest celebrities and how they manage to stay in great shape when they aren’t able to hit the gym.

Kate Hudson - “I jog everywhere. It’s one of those things that you can do regardless of where you are and it keeps me in great shape.”

Petra Nemcova - “I use resistance bands… They’re easy to pack.”

Minka Kelly - “I make sure there is a gym in the hotel, but if there’s not, I do jump squats and crunches in the hotel room. And I do as much outside as I possibly can - I make sure to run 45 minutes every day.”

Sophia Bush- “I tend to overpack, so lugging my suitcase through the airport is good for the arms!”

Monique Coleman- “I bring ankle weights or a Pilates ring in my bag, and I just do simple leg and arm exercises.”

What are some things you do to stay in shape when you’re traveling (source)?

 Adria Ali

(CES, PES, CPT, BS)

  Originally, I thought this program would be just like all the other weight loss biographies on tv.  However, after watching it, I was totally sucked in.  I love watching people transform their lives through diet and exercise (hence the job as a trainer).  This new series, “Ruby” not only shows an over weight person’s struggles, it also lets you inside her physiological struggles with her food addiction.  Ruby’s has a somewhat addictive personality.  Her very high spirited out look on life is both charming and entertaining. 

   I think this program will really shows people what it takes to lose weight.  She has enlisted the help of every source needed to fight her obesity.  This list includes a trainer, nutritionist, psychologist and all of her family and friends. 

    The bases of the show is obviously to get Ruby to change her life and lose the weight before it kills her.  She tips the scales at over 400 pounds.  She lost the love of her life due to her love of food.  She suffers from diabetes and manipulates all of her friends, and family to get her the food she loves so much. 

    She has now started on the path of weight loss and she is determined to change her life.  She hopes to live the rest of her life the way she has always wanted to live it.  Even if you don’t have weight to lose, it can still serve to inspire you.  If you want to watch this show it is on the style network at 8-8:30 on Sunday

Adria Ali

(PES,CES,CPT, BS)