Collection of Fitness Tips of the Day

Health tip of the day: Eating junk food is the same as filling your car's gas tank with sand and wondering why it isn't starting.

Health tip of the day: If you wear a size 0 - don't ask anyone," Does this outfit makes me look fat?" Your health could be in jeopardy

Health tip of the day: Diet pop does not make your mix drink any healthier. It just makes it taste like shit.

Tip of the Day: The best gift you can give is your health. Good health gives you the freedom to be able to do what you want to do.  It also gives the security for your family that you are going to be around.

Health tip of the day: Train like an Olympian and sleep. Sleeping eight hours not only refreshes you, but it reduces stress -stress produces cortisol, cortisol produces visceral fat, which is your tummy fat. Now you can say you train like Olympian, but I would not challenge anyone to a race just yet.

Health tip of the day: Have a beer instead of water for post workout recovery. Retains liquid as well as water, bubble quenches thirst and the wheat & barley refuels you from lost calories. It is true: Guinness for strength. So when you walk in your favorite dive bar you are in the presence of elite athletes. (My disclaimer is your workouts must be vigorous exercise of 60 minutes and only one beer after exercise if you are 21)

Health tip of the day: If you have a dog walk it. He/she will love you for it and so will your heart.

Local school wants to promote yoga in their curriculum, but gets blocked because some parents think this promotes Hinduism. Bonus Tip of day: Don't be such a close-minded ignoramus.

Health tip of the day: Wearing a Tap out shirt and every once in awhile you work on the heavy bag does not constitute you as a mma fighter - so be careful when liquid courage arises

Tip of the Day: Push-ups - lots and lots of Push-ups

Make sure every push-up; your chest touches the floor and your back is straight at all times.

Here is a pointer when you are getting fatigued

1 Make your hands like a claw or talon and press your finger & thumb pads into the surface.

2 Rotate your forearms as you press up.

You should be able to crank out a few more push-ups this way.

Remember to always give yourself 24-hours of rest between your push-up routines

LISA'S TIP OF THE DAY: You must include high quality fats in your diet throughout the day. They are important for fat loss, hormones and overall health. An increase in Omega-3 fats (those found in fish, nuts, olive oil and avocado) can actually boost you body's fat burning ability. You do not have to be afraid of fat!

Tip of the Day: I took this concept from Navy Seal Master Chief "Matto." Strive to be a "B" student in your fitness - meaning: don't just be stellar in one fitness aspect, but strive to be good at everything.

Tip of the Day: Has doing the minimum of anything ever achieved anything that was great or worthwhile? So what would you expect just doing the minimum requirement for your health. Give your fitness the effort that you truly deserve. You are worth it.

Bonus tip of the day: You can stock up on all the cold meds you want - take your flu shot - stay in a plastic bubble, but nothing increases your immune system than exercise (as long as you wash your hands and stay away from that coughing guy)

LISA'S TIP OF THE DAY - Did you know that muscle is the primary energy consumer for your body? Every pound of muscle burns between 40 & 120 calories a day to sustain itself. Every pound of fat only burns 1 to 3 Calories! Strength training is the answer to adding that muscle!

Tip of the Day: Don't do the same body part in weight resistance exercise two days or more in a row. Give a least 24-hour to recoup. Calisthenics is weight resistance. If you don't allow rest - you will slow down your strength gains.

EXAMPLE: You bench pressed on Monday - don't do push-ups on Tuesday.

Tip of the day: These 3 must exercises you need in your routines for strength - period: Dead lift, Squat & Military Press. You don't have these exercises in your strength program... you don't have a strength program.

Tip of the Day: Train as if there were no cars, roads or any type of transportation. Train as if there were no grocery stores. Train as if you had people relying on you. Could you survive? Could you be counted on?

Tip of the Day: Don't use the size of the weight you lift as a gauge of how fit you are - look at the weights as tools to your health. You wouldn't use the largest screwdriver to tighten your eyeglasses. The same goes with your free weights.

"Early to bed, early to rise makes a man (or woman) healthy, wealthy, and wise"! Ben Franklin. Remember to get at least 6 to 8 hour of sleep a night. This is important for recovery after a workout and to aid in your results! - LISA'S TIP OF THE DAY

Tip of the day: There is no special secret diet! You just need a colorful plate consisting of fruit & veggies. Quit buying diet books and buy produce (unless Griffin Fitness writes one - kidding -sort of).

LISA'S TIP OF THE DAY: AT 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water comes steam. And with steam, you can power a train. It's your life. YOU are responsible for your results. It's time to turn up the HEAT. - S.L. Parker Why not start today and turn up the heat with YOUR workout and get the body your best body!

Tip of the day: There is no such thing as a New Years resolution in the fitness world. You have to start now or you just won't

Bonus tip of the day: Personal training shouldn't be treated like your housekeeper. How many people clean up before the housekeeper comes?

PERSONAL TRAINING YOU COME AT THE FITNESS LEVEL THAT YOU ARE AND WE WILL GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. You don't have to get in shape first.

Tip of the day: Doing free weights will better aid you in losing body fat and it is easier to do than cardio for people who are overweight.

LISA'S TIP 0F THE DAY: " Never let anyone in life tell you that you can't have something that you are willing to work for" - New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees. What are you willing to work for? We can help you...

Lisa's tip of the day: The only place where success precedes work is in the dictionary. In other words, don't expect results unless you are willing to put in the time and effort...

Tip of the Day: The second most important fitness investment is your shoes. People have many injuries from wearing improper shoes. Go to a shoe specialist and get suited up. It is not always about fashion - it is function

Tip of the day: incorporate deadlifts into your workout then you just did 265 muscles at once in one fell swoop.

Tip of the Day: Stay away from fitness programs or supplements that offer a quick fix. There is no easy way of getting into shape. You took the time to get out of shape- you going to need to put the time to get back into it. The good news is you will feel better physically and mentally heading in the right direction.

Fitness tip of the day: There is always time to exercise - you just have to make it.

Griffin Fitness Lisa's tip of the day: "The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing" - Walt Disney. So take that first step today and get off the couch - get moving and add strength training to your life and you will change your life (and your body) guaranteed

Tip of the day: Don't be a kind of sort of exerciser. You get the worst of both worlds.

1) Every time you workout you get sore.

2) You do not get results!

Stay consistent and committed, you will get results and your body will feel better for it.

Lisa's Tip of the Day: If you want to change your body, you must do something that it is not used to doing. Doing the same thing gets the same result. Doing something different gets a different result. You must get out of your comfort zone! Don't wish it was easier - wish you were stronger

Health tip of the day: Do at least 3 hrs of weight training and 6 hours of cardio a week. This greatly improves your chances of survival when the zombie apocalypse comes

Lisa's tip of the day: A thought from one of my personal favorite fitness guru's, Rachel Cosgrove, "No sugary food or salty treat tastes as good as lean and sexy feels"... I always think about that during a weak moment

Tip of the day: You want to improve your bench max? Take a week off every 6-weeks and let your testosterone replenish.

Tip of the day from Lisa: Eating chocolate can keep you slim. It's true. People who eat chocolate a few times a week have a lower body-mass index (BMI)! It's antioxidants may rev up the metabolism and offset the calories. I'm off to find some chocolate...

Health tip of the day: Both pictures are both wrong. 60% carbs dominated by fruits & veggies, 12-15% protein by clean meats, 20-30 fats from clean oils

Health tip of the day: Don't be faithful to your exercise routine - change it at least every 4 to six weeks. Keeps your hormones up for the person you need to be faithful too.

Tip of the Day: sit-ups - lots and lots of sit-ups

1 Make sure every sit-up; your arms are across your chest and hands touches the shoulders or the chest at all times.

2 Your legs need to be bent at least 45 degrees

3 Heels of your feet must make contact to the ground at all times

4 Your elbow must make contact on your thigh close to your knees

5 Your shoulder blades must make contact to the ground on each rep

Remember to always give yourself 24-hours of rest between your sit-up routines

 Breaking your goals down to reasonable bites. Having big goals is great, but can be daunting if not broken down.
Example: I want to fit in my New Years cocktail dress for 2013. Before we go on - I don't own a cocktail dress and Lisa won't let me borrow hers.
Wearing the cocktail dress is the big goal. This is how we are going to break it down from big to smaller chunks.
1) Schedul

e for a fitness plan
2) Schedule times for exercise program
3) Make it to exercise class
7) Make it through exercise class
6) Make it through first exercise
5) Make it through first exercise set
4) Make it through first exercise rep
Although the top from down order goes from bigger to smaller - the number order does not. Why? The reason is if a person is able to focus on and repeat #4 over and over again the rest of the steps 5-7 take care of themselves up to the big goal. Now you just have to focus achieving one rep at time instead of the Big Goal, which one rep at a time will get you there.

My Thanks and Turkeys

In the Thanksgiving spirit here are my Thanks and Turkeys for the fitness world.

• Thanks for all the growing number of people that are finding exercise and other physical activities an important part of their lives.
• The Turkeys who are the multi-million dollar athletes who complain about their jobs on things the rest of us would do for free.
• Thanks to all the trainers (even the ones who do not work at Griffin Fitness), which truly care, change and help better the lives of their students or clients.
• The Turkeys who are the trainers (none who work at GF) who care only how they look in spandex, although I admit I have stared in the mirror once or twice.
• Thanks for fruits & vegetables that mom forced me to eat as a kid.
• The Turkeys are all the quick fix diet supplements that give false hope.
• Thanks to all the role models who promote health.
• The Turkeys who are celebrities who have a ton of plastic surgery and come out with a fitness video.
• Thanks to all the running events that give out a medal to every finisher because it is not about winning it is about participating and everyone truly deserves it.
• The Turkey is the Monterey medal mode out of play-dough.
• Thanks to ONS running shoe truly the best fitness equipment investment you can buy, besides Griffin Fitness personal & group training.
• The Turkey is all the crazy ab machines that claim you will lose 30 inches in just one week for just using their equipment 5 minutes a day.
• Thanks to all the youth coaches who understand it is just a game and it is about the kids.
• The Turkeys are the coaches who think they are Bobby Knight or Mike Ditka at an 8- year event.
• Thanks to all the 40 and over athletes, who have found the real fountain of youth.
• The Turkeys are all the people who say, “You are to old for that.”
• Thanks to Michelle Obama’s school programs that promote healthier foods in cafeterias.
• The Turkeys are cutting any fitness programs from the curriculum, but if I had it my way school would have 8 periods of P.E.
• Thanks for coffee, great for a pre-workout jolt.
• The Turkey is the entire whip, whip, the caramel, mocha, sugar and calling that a coffee, when it is a calorie infested shake.
• Thanks to the bike lane.
• The Turkey is not enough bike lanes and not enough protection from traffic.
• Thanks to dri-fit it really does what it says.
• The Turkey is how dri-fit dries out your wallet.
• Thanks for our state park and local parks in town.
• The Turkeys are the ones who continue to litter, pick your junk up!
• Thanks for the invention of the skateboard, it is amazing what tricks the kids in this town alone can do, and skateboarding is great for balance, core strength, and cardiovascular exercise.
• The Turkeys are the skate pros that do not where protective gear and kids emulate them.
• Thanks to Berkeley Krav Maga Institute (close combat fighting) where you can burn up to 700 calories in hour in their classes and not to mention learn how to defend yourself.
• The Turkeys are wannabes who wear Tap & Affliction t-shirts.
• Thanks to SPEC program that is going to elevate fitness to new heights
• Turkey is I wished I thought of it sooner

I hope you all have a healthy and fun Thanksgiving, and yes you can have fun and be healthy at the same time- CHEERS!

I Believe…But

I believe in working hard, but playing harder.

I believe a fitness lifestyle is a continuous journey, but you better have results.

I believe the car you drive can make an impression, but the body that comes out of the driver’s door can make a statement.

I believe starting to exercise when you are young, but it is never too late to start.

I believe in eating 6 healthy meals, but pizza should be included in your diet every once in a while.

I believe everybody has a busy schedule, but there is always time to exercise.

I believe in striving for the perfect body, but your body is the ideal blueprint and not anybody else’s.

I believe that dunking a basketball is a pretty cool, but keeping up with your kids is even cooler.

I believe Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places in the world to see, but being able hike all over the national park is bliss.

I believe flaunting your body can be tacky, but it is nice to have the choice.

I believe in reaching personal fitness goals are great, but helping others reach theirs goals is euphoric.

I believe you have to respect your injuries and ailments, but you should not use them as a crutch, but a challenge.

I believe the glass is half full, but you should drink the rest of it until you hit 64 oz. of water daily.

Jump-Start Your Cardio

 

            Do you want to find a fun way to exercise and bring out the child in you?  How about an exercise that will burn 1000 calories in an hour?  This exercise not only burns fat it also strengths your heart, improves your coordination, increases your speed and quickness.  Best of all, it will only cost you 7 to 12 dollars to buy the equipment.  Before I sound like a late night infomercial, I will tell you what this fitness phenomenon is…jumping rope.

            I was re-introduced to jumping rope by my Krav Maga (Israeli close combat class) instructor.  My Instructor is a polite, soft- spoken man who knows a million ways to seriously wreck your day.  So, when my instructor advised me to take up jumping rope to improve my foot quickness and endurance; I figured it was coming from a good source.

             I became hooked, sometimes literally, and started implementing jump rope into my clients’ workouts.  Their results were great, and they still continue to jump rope.  Here is a breakdown of how to get started:

1)    Find your rope size by stepping with one of your feet on the center of the rope.  Grabbing the handles they should reach right above the chest or close to your armpits.  You just found your rope size.

2)    Lightly grip the handles.  Your shoulders should be relaxed with your elbows close to the body.

3)    Keep your knees slightly bent.

4)    Turn the rope with your wrist and form an arc with the rope over your head.

5)    Jump low to reduce impact on your ankles and knees.

6)    Keep your back straight and look forward during jumping.  You are now jumping rope!

As you get more familiar with jumping rope you can add different variations to your jumping such as alternating your feet.  Try this jump rope routine.  First try to jump for 3 minutes straight a day for one week (it is ok to get tangled and continue).  Work your way up to 12 three-minute segments, resting one minute in between by jogging in place or twirling the rope from side to side.  Bring out the kid in you and start jumping to your health!  Next month I will go over the amazing fitness benefits of hopscotch…just kidding.