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Monday, January 31, 2011

Stretching With a Friend: Partner Stretches


Partner Stretches - Make Stretching More Effective With A Friend
Stretching can be done extended and deepened with the help of a partner. This is not a new concept at all; PNF stretching has been done for years. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation is what PNF stands for. Done safely, you can have someone at home help you with your stretching pushing you beyond the passive stretch. With natural reflexes it make is tough for us to stretch ourselves in certain ways. Using a wall or towel helps but having a partner increases the efficacy.
You must be clear about the partner moving slowly and be in full communication during each inch of movement ensuring that they understand they must stop or back off immediately if you say so or you can pull the muscle. All this is discussed clearly prior to beginning. Ensure they follow your instructions step by step so that you are ready.
Chest and Hamstring stretches are most popularly used for this type of stretching and ironically are the two stretches every human should do at least once per day partnered or not.
With the chest stretch you have the partner sit behind you and you put your arms out to your sides, level with shoulders and palms forward as they hold your palms and slowly, evenly bring the arms back and slightly downward until you indicate you are at a mild stretch point. You then can also lean forward into it a bit but let your partner know you are doing this so they remain stationary. After 20-60 seconds have the partner release about an inch off the stretch and you will pull against them for six seconds while they brace themselves and remain stationary. Once you are done pulling away, they should then pull the stretch deeper by an avg of two inches or so. Repeat this process for a total of 2-6 times. Release out of this very slowly having the partner ease your arms back once you are done your stretching.
You do this same process with the hamstring stretch which is done lying on your back with a leg in the air. Have them stand at your feet and in a lunge position so that your foot is on their shoulder by their ear and they can cup your knee with one or both hands. This allows you to push against them during that phase without them loosing balance. During the stretching process the other leg should be like limp dead fish. Maximum relaxed.
After a session of stretching like this you should make sure to take in a few liters of water to help flush the toxins you just released out of the muscle and into your system. Now you will have fresh blood brewing with oxygen filling the muscles and you may even feel this by getting slightly light headed once you get up. This allows healing and lean muscle growth. You are also preventing injury and avoiding simple pains many suffer because of not stretching.
All the best in your health and flexibility can be done extended and deepened with the help of a partner. This is not a new concept at all; PNF stretching has been done for years. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation is what PNF stands for. Done safely, you can have someone at home help you with your stretching pushing you beyond the passive stretch. With natural reflexes it make is tough for us to stretch ourselves in certain ways. Using a wall or towel helps but having a partner increases the efficacy.You must be clear about the partner moving slowly and be in full communication during each inch of movement ensuring that they understand they must stop or back off immediately if you say so or you can pull the muscle. All this is discussed clearly prior to beginning. Ensure they follow your instructions step by step so that you are ready.

Chest and hamstring stretches are most popularly used for this type of stretching and ironically are the two stretches every human should do at least once per day partnered or not.
With the chest stretch you have the partner sit behind you and you put your arms out to your sides, level with shoulders and palms forward as they hold your palms and slowly, evenly bring the arms back and slightly downward until you indicate you are at a mild stretch point. You then can also lean forward into it a bit but let your partner know you are doing this so they remain stationary. After 20-60 seconds have the partner release about an inch off the stretch and you will pull against them for 6 seconds while they brace themselves and remain stationary. Once you are done pulling away, they should then pull the stretch deeper by an avg of two inches or so. Repeat this process for a total of 2-6 times. Release out of this very slowly having the partner ease your arms back once you are done your stretching.
You do this same process with the hamstring stretch which is done lying on your back with a leg in the air. Have them stand at your feet and in a lunge position so that your foot is on their shoulder by their ear and they can cup your knee with one or both hands. This allows you to push against them during that phase without them loosing balance. During the stretching process the other leg should be like limp dead fish. Maximum relaxed.
After a session of stretching like this you should make sure to take in a few liters of water to help flush the toxins you just released out of the muscle and into your system. Now you will have fresh blood brewing with oxygen filling the muscles and you may even feel this by getting slightly light headed once you get up. This allows healing and lean muscle growth. You are also preventing injury and avoiding simple pains many suffer because of not stretching.
All the best in your health and flexibility! For more stretching advice or exercise tips and workout plans, make sure to contact Elite Personal Trainer Linda Cusmano today. She'll put you on the path towards a new you! lindacusmano.com

Friday, January 28, 2011

Light Leg Day Training Exercises


If you're just getting back into your workouts this month, and by Friday you seem pretty tired, but you know you should be working legs today...but the thought of it scares you...here are some LIGHT leg day training exercises.
Some leg days are also known as 'puke' days because we tend to work really hard and add weight in as much as we can, continually striving to get stronger. Sometimes you need a nice change, an active rest or just to back off in order to keep those results coming. Try out this toning workout with light weights and high reps. It's an overall light leg day of overload by overuse yet within safe boundaries. Using the exercises located in the Shapefit exercise library you can thin down your thighs without the strain of a heavy leg day. This workout will tone and firm the entire lower body.
Rep ranges should be from 15-20 with two sets per exercise shown. Try to work each exercise in the order shown unless you have to wait for equipment in which case you can skip and do the next one, coming back to those you missed once the equipment is free.
Thirty seconds is your average rest time between sets and one minute between exercises. This gives the workout a nice even flow which keeps things moving yet allows enough rest.
First you burn out the quadriceps followed by inner and outer thigh, hamstrings then calves.
By piling each leg area upon itself you enhance the burn and encourage failure which dictates a lighter and lighter weight used until it burns so much you use no weight at all. Sounds similar to the pre-exhaust or drop set plan but it is done by pounding each area with back to back exercises for that muscle.
Lunges around the clock begin the workout so you will want to begin with Barbell Lunges for your first two sets. Next is dumbbell side lunges. Go into some rear lunges then squats. Lastly you hit the hack squats if you have this machine in your gym.
The next section is lying leg curls, seated leg curls, exercise ball curls and one leg cable kickbacks. This will really target your hamstrings and stretching will help avoid cramping as will ample hydration with water.
Staying at the cables you now do your inner then outer thigh work. Moving on to the inner and outer thigh machine after you finish with your cable exercises.
To end your training you will hit the calves but make sure you alternate inner and outer by doing a set with toes in and heels out and your last set with toes out and heels in. This will enhance the inner and outer calve muscles helping to keep your calve shape symmetrical. Seated calve raises, barbell calve raises, single dumbbell calve raises and finishing with hack machine calve raises.
To help alleviate the burn make sure you stretch each area worked during your one minute rest between exercises. Angle the calves stretch in order to hit the inner and outer areas.
Do not bounce during your stretch, hold them without movement because these are meant to be static stretches and are safer.
I would do this workout during an active rest week but if you choose to use it more often I would not do it more than twice per week at most. For more workouts, visit lindacusmano.com. I will make sure you are on a plan that's just right for you.

Fast, EZ and healthy Vegan Pasta Salad


Here is a quick recipe for you to try when you are in a hurry. Its healthy, fresh, light and can be made vegan.

A few of the items can be replaced so you can try to use what you have at home and I suggest everyone keep a can of beans on hand, some veggies and some spelt, kamut or quinoa pasta around. Even the college kids can afford this, just get the sale veggies!!

Grainy Mustard is great for so many dressings and flavor so try to keep that and apple cider vinegar around as well. I like apple cider vinegar due to its healing properties, alike a few other ingredients in this salad. All great for most meals or salads. Lemons are also handy and some believe a healing food.

This is a salad which you can make extra and keep on hand for a few days.
  • You need about a cup of uncooked pasta
  • 2 cups chopped veggies (dark and leafy greens like broc, spinach, asparagus, green beans, some carrot or tomato are great, its up to your palette and what you have at home)
  • 1 cup of beans already cooked or from can well rinsed
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked pasta made up of spelt, quinoa or kamut grain to keep it healthy and lean
  • 1 tbs grainy mustard
  • sprinkle cheyenne pepper
  • sprinkle salt
  • half lemon
  • 2 to 3 tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp Oregano
  • 1/4 tsp Basil
  • 1/4 tsp Thyme
  • 1 tsp Parsley (dry, can use more fresh or just more if you like of either)
  • 1/4 tsp Rosemary
  • sprinkle of cumin
  • 1-2 tbs evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
  1. Simply start pasta to boil and while you wait for the water you can chop your veggies, my choice was carrot and brocolli since that is what was handy. You can add onion or shallot, tomato, cukes, peppers, spinach, mushrooms and even a few cubes of cheese, keep it to an oz or 2 only and only if you are not on a fat loss program. I used about 2 cups of chopped veg and I like it small cut.
  2. You still have time to prep dressing while waiting for the pasta. Gather your grainy mustard (about a tbs), cheyenne pepper sprinkle (you can use black pepper or whatever pepper you prefer but Cheyenne has great healing properties so I go with this), salt sprinkle (I use pink, again properties of healing), half lemon, 2 to 3 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1/4 tsp Oregano, 1/4 tsp Basil, 1/4 tsp Thyme, a tsp Parsley, 1/4 tsp Rosemary (all of which you can use fresh if you have), and a tiny sprinkle of Cumin. Now you can adjust these to taste of course, this is just what I do.
  3. Stir until its well mixed.
  4. I had added a bit of the dressing at the bottom of the bowl then added the veggies so they can soak in a bit of the flavor while I wait for the pasta to cook. Add in some beans of choice, I had black beans on hand but love chick peas, lentils, kidney beans and mixed beans are yummy
  5. Add 1/2 cup or so of pasta and mix.
  6. Add the rest of the dressing and stir. Its ready to eat but can be cooled if you prefer it cold. I like it either way.
Now you have a few servings of healthy quick meal to eat on the go. If you have a family who enjoys this as well, double or triple recipe as needed.

Alternately you can add chopped egg or just eat a whole egg along with, or you can add some chopped chicken for those of you who do eat meat and want added protein.
This lasts a few days in the fridge.
Bon Appetite!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Get it done early or just get it done!


Having asthma/bronchitis means you spend many nights up so today I was up at 2am and having a client at 6am means I won't be going back to bed so why not get my workout done?

I hit the gym early, they open at 5:30am.
  • did my all body supersetting of weights
  • repping 10-15
  • with mild intensity in weight but going non stop to fat burn and pump! Calorie burn in limited time.
I knew I only had 30 mins for weights and 15 for the 'not cardio'...(dont' want to call it cardio)...so I step on the Stair master and kick ass for 10 mins going level 3 for a min, 6 for the next few then 10 for a couple mins and up to 15 for a min, down to recover for 20 seconds and back up to 20 for a min, doing this til i hit 11 mins and over 150 cals. Over to the rower to cool down and hit a few more calories. Stretch and splits!
Ending with cardio works for me best and I can push the client who just came in and is warming up, especially if its a guy and he is competitive!

Train the client, then...........finished by doing with the client 100 prone bodyweight hypers on the floor to condition the back. Nothing shuts the whining up faster than when you get down there and do it with them! "what??? &^%$ a hundred of them????"

Now being early, first meal comes into play so lets go with a light healthy meal. I am eating whole foods, no supps right now and am not taking in high protein at the moment but wanted and needed some sugar so ........poached soft egg on a slice of whole toast, yes I used a small scrape of butter and some PINEAPPLE AND STRAWBERRIES!!! Like candy, so sweet.
Right now I am not really restricting anything, just eating healthy overall- doesn't this look yummy???

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Benefits of Using Food Journals - Tracking Calories To Lose Weight


Benefits of Using Food Journals - Tracking Calories To Lose Weight
If everyone one of my fitness plans, I incorporate diet plans because your diet is just as important as how you workout. What a lot of people have a hard time with is actually keeping track of what they are eating. Oftentimes they believe that they are able to maintain the diet that they are currently on while cutting back on a few snacks. What a food journal can tell you exactly is how much sugar, fiber, protein, etc. you intake per day.
If you are finding it hard to keep track of your eating habits and finding you need to benefit from some fat loss then one suggestion is to keep track of things in a Food Journal.
This can be what stops your dieting merry-go-round and leads you to some success! There are several ways and it is very personal so make it fun. The first thing is to note some goals which are both long term and short term. Long term goals are things such as lose 5 lbs or lose X amount of inches or even to be able to run 4 miles! Short term goals are things such as eliminating or regulating diet items which you are eating more of than you should or maybe to eat more of the good food you resist maybe it be protein or veggies.
Sometimes we need a little help with notes and diaries to keep our day organized so why not a food journal? Kids, work and various appointments in triplicate are realities of our times and we tend to affect the diet by not eating or grabbing something fast…..the food journal may remind you what you may not be noticing accumulatively.
Keeping a food journal does not have to be a chore or time consuming unless you wish to track details in specific so you can go as intricate as you like.
Some people like to track calories, protein, fat and carbs for each item which can be tedious but again it is personal, some like to get detailed while others would fail if they had to keep details so in that case you simplify and add times and foods eaten.
Over viewing the items you log in your food journal will enable you to be able to find areas you can tweak and improve but also when asking advice from a professional the first item they want is a food journal!
These lists show patterns and reality so you may think you are okay or only eating so much of something until you see it in writing and then you realize there are changes needed! "no wonder I gained weight" is a common comment I get from clients who do keep food journals.
Sometimes it is small changes like replacing certain foods and in most cases people just don't eat enough and live with the body in survival mode which won't let them lose weight!
If you need advice on how to maintain your food journal or start a diet plan, sign up at lindacusmano.com.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Building Better Biceps - Gain Muscle & Tone Your Arms



Building Better Biceps - Gain Muscle & Tone Your Arms
Building up better biceps comes by combining several exercises. The biceps are made up of two heads hence its name. You want to ensure an even build of both inner and outer bicep heads to get a nice full biceps peak.
Variations of "super" and "tri setting", alternating high/lo sets and reps with heavy/light load will help balance the growth of your arms. By using dumbbells you will make each arm work for itself where as bar exercises will allow your stronger arm to assist with the weaker. Combining both of these modes is suggested. Some diet and cardio on top and you will drop your body fat enough to show your sculpted arms.
I would start week 1 with 3 straight sets of 12, hitting the biceps twice per week with 3-4 exercises per session. Week 2 would change to 4 sets of 12, week 3 you will increase weight and pyramid sets of 6, 8, 10, 8, and 6. Week 4 you will use super and tri setting.
Building Better Biceps - Exercises Week 1
Building Better Biceps - Exercises Week 2
Building Better Biceps - Exercises Week 3
Building Better Biceps - Exercises Week 4
This will fatigue your forearms and you may need to rest up to 3 minutes between some of your Week 4 super and tri sets. With your alternating and incline dumbbell curls you will want to turn the pinkie inwards on the way up and release it on the way down. This will help focus contraction on the 2nd head of the biceps for fuller shape.
Making your negative or the ‘down phase’ slower than the contraction or up phase, will also enhance muscle growth. Although chins do affect the back as well as the biceps, they do use the biceps as your primary muscle involved yet it is more of a compound movement because of the help that comes with your back assisting in the exercise. Most of the other exercise choices are isolated movements used by the biceps with no help from the stabilizers. I include forearm exercises simply because you cannot train a muscle without conditioning the main muscles that help along the way. Forearms take a huge brunt of biceps work and in many cases may hinder your ability to increase weights lifted due to a ‘super pump’ effect where you fell you can no longer move and fail yet it is not due to the biceps fatiguing but due to the forearms being weaker and failing. Keeping them ‘up to par’ will help your biceps enhancement!


A few weeks on this program and you will find yourself happily shaping your upper arms into sleek mean muscle machines, showing not only a round peak but slight separation distinguishing the biceps as two (accompanied by proper diet of course). For a complete arms workout, with Elite Personal Trainer Linda Cusmano, you can have a customized workout and diet just for you. lindacusmano.com

Friday, January 21, 2011

HITT Cardio - High Intensity Interval Cardio to Burn Body Fat & Calories

On Wednesday, I talked about the different types of cardio you can try for your fitness goals. Today I will go into more detail on HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training.
Do you tend to get bored or tired of the same cardio routine? Do you skip cardio because you hate it? There are multiple choices for cardiovascular exercises both aerobic and anaerobic. You don't have to get bored doing the same things but you also may have limited choice with the machines provided you at the gym or at home. One way to freshen up your cardio and make it more fun is to challenge yourself with HIIT training. It is done according to your level so anyone can do it as long as they are testing their limits during the higher intervals, safely of course. You can use this form of training with machines or with just those legs of yours.


HIIT is a newly popular form of cardiovascular exercise which stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It has taken hard core exercisers by storm. Men and women are using this with excellent results in fat loss and it's also popular among competitors. It takes away from the traditional fat loss cardio work by shortening your total exercise time but intensifying intervals within the exercise time. It brings challenge to the work you are doing for every second you are doing it.
The walk-jog type programs are similarly set up with intervals but the speeds are taken to higher levels and increased over time progressively.
Bodybuilders use this because they feel it does not take away from their bodies' ability to produce lean muscle gains, many do not like to do cardio until lean down and find it can be catabolic. Lifters feel HIIT does not hinder but actually enhances strength, another group who are usually also limiting cardio.

The normal time you do HIIT for can range from 4-15 mins per day in general. One way to do it is to increase your speed on a recumbent bike every minute for X amount of mins, then slowly increasing minutes each session or weekly. To ripen things you can use 30 second intervals and increase that way.
Some people like to add recovery intervals as they will need to catch their breath and rather than stop they decrease for an interval, back to starting speed then resume up to the next level you were supposed to do. So if you were at 72mph after 6 minutes using 30 second intervals and needed to stop you would go back to 60mph for 30 seconds then immediately up to 73mph. Those can be counted or excluded in the count of actual exercise time.
Another way to do it is back step every few intervals until you have a few sessions under your belt then go for the progressive increase. Start at four minutes. This may seem ridiculously low but for some it is the level to begin at and it's much harder than you think if you apply the correct theory.
Fat loss is and always be dependent on diet so do understand that to make HIIT effective for fat burning you will want to eat right and frequently. Portion control is great but you should never be hungry. Choose the right foods and go heavy on dark leafy greens, protein and moderate on starches such as oatmeal, carrots, squash, tubers and grains. For the lifters and bodybuilders the same goes but really pay attention to your macro breakdowns every season - on, off and pre.
I offer cardio programs for anyone with fitness goals, including those are looking to lose weight as well as competitive bodybuilders or lifters. You can read about the programs and then contact me at lindacusmano.com

Rebel with a good breakfast!

So they put a new cupcake joint across the street, and yes I tried one or 2....or 4, and they cost like 3 bux a pop so you know how goooood they were...........well, I had my treat and my fun, won't be in there again for awhile.

So today in rebellion of this cupcake cheat I decided to go with a nice, healthy, light, nutrient dense breakfast.

Since the bout of food issues I had last year I am unable to eat large meals most of the time, and have to eat caloric dense foods to get in calories so normally this would have been a 2 part breakfast, or just a boiled egg, then 2 hrs later a pc of fruit so I am working on slowly increasing tolerance.

The good thing is I need less cardio and get lean easy just off weight training but I have to watch the balance of eating every 2-3 hours so that my metabolism does not slow too much.

Here is my suggested breakfast, not too heavy, not too light where you are hungry, try it out tomorrow morning, its great!!!

1-2 poached eggs on 1-2 pc of rye or whole grain (with a 1/4 tsp butter each)
6 oz fresh squeezed / juiced OJ
1/4 cup fresh berries on 3/4 cup no fat greek yogurt

Now this yogurt is thick like cream, ZERO fat, ONLY 6 gm carb and barely a gram of fat, then to top it off it has 20gm protein and all this in 3/4 cup. ALL HAIL GREEK YOGURT!!!

Have a great weekend!!
Linda

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Different Cardio Workouts


Cardio Workouts - Different Exercises To Burn Fat & Lose Weight
Regardless of what your fitness goals are, whether they are to lose weight, burn fat, increase muscles density, you will have to partake in some sort of cardio exercise. Depending on your goal, here are five different cardio workouts to get you started on the right track! Let's go!
HIT, HIIT and Interval
HIT stands for high intensity training. Typically this kind of workout will have you begin at a low intensity increasing by a notch every minute or increasing by half to a full mph for running, for every minute. This type of workout will start off a beginner with only 5 mins and take you to up at about 20 minutes when you get really good at this. Those who feel melting muscle with cardio seem to prefer this type of training best.
HIIT is high intensity interval training where you would walk for 2 mins, run for 20-60 seconds and so one. The interval times are up you to you and usually start low increasing with progress and time. The rest period is always longer than the intense interval allowing you to go at a higher intensity for short bursts beyond the max you would do for longer periods, then the active resting period allows you to recover without stopping.
Interval training without high intensity would be similar except with the higher interval you are not pushing so you stay at sub maximal intensity.
Circuit
This type of training is a way to be efficient with your program. If you are in a hurry you can circuit through a list of weight machines doing a high number of reps once per station. You can also circuit the cardio machines or blend both. Supersoaker would be a better term for this when you really give it your all as you end up drenched so bad you can barely take off your clothes afterward as they are stuck to you! Of course circuits can be applied at lower levels, reps and paces for those with special needs. For many looking to maintain yet have limited time, this is ideal for you.
Plyometry and Skip Rope
The art of jump height is the main focus for most plyometry work although there is applied plyometry to other body areas now and it has seeping into a larger practice of work. Mainly plyometrics are used for increased hamstring torque in turn increased vertical jump which related to faster take off on runs, faster running, longer endurance. It all depends of course on how you direct the work and to what purpose or sport. In general for fat loss, most drills will work. This is a higher level of risk but can be modified safely for lower levels of fitness and special needs such as post rehab, post op.
Lateral Training and Slide
Almost all the training we do in weights, cardio and sport involve a majority of forward motion. Look at every cardio machine in the gym, all back and forth motions. You get a few lateral leg and arm moves but again with weights it is all mainly back and forth, forward and back.
I like to use lateral training at almost every session. Not only is it a great way to shock the body into more fat loss and conditioning but I find for those seeking specific lower body shaping it is impossible without lateral training.
I had a knee injury early in my career which introduced me to a higher level of lateral training and I have not gone back since. I have my own slide although that fad died off; it was big for a short spell in the 90s although athletes in sports like hockey are still using these regularly. Plyometrics are often applied laterally because it is an excellent way for injury prevention to the lower body joints which are prone to problems during sport play.
Stairs and Elevation
Another excellent heart exercise which works well for the gals seeking to firm up the glutes and thighs is stairs. You can do it at home on a step or on your own stairs in several ways and even laterally, but the hardest is going to the ball park and using the stadium stairs. You should have good knees with no issues for this but otherwise it's flawless. Stair master and stepmill are also excellent. Getting the knees up makes you work harder and burn more fat but also targets the glutes at the point which the knee is above the hip level. I also like to hop stairs mixing some plyometry and using lateral movement.
For more workouts and plans, lindacusmano.com for a personalized workout and diet for your body and your goals.

Monday, January 17, 2011

7 Steps to Achieving Your Fitness Goals


To keep up with the theme of sticking with your New Year's Resolutions, I am going to outline seven steps you can take to achieve your fitness goals...regardless of what your goals are. Should you choose to lose weight, build muscle or just stay in shape, these seven steps will help you achieve those fitness goals.
Step #1 - Plan Goals
It is important to start with a set of long term and short term goals to work toward. Some long term goals are to run a marathon, enter a Figure contest, do a photo shoot, the good old ‘getting married’ wedding goal and even to lose a certain number of pounds or inches. Short term goals would be a pound per week or an inch per month, wear a certain item of clothing within a month or two, and lift 3 lbs more in a certain exercise or muscle group within 3 weeks. Figuring out your goals and setting them is what your mainstay will be. You can and probably will adjust them as you go along because results usually bring new goals!
Step #2 - Benchmark Progress
Before you begin you will want to take photos to show your ‘before’ body and use this to compare to later photos (usually monthly) so that you can view changes as they occur. Along with the photos which are usually front, back and side, you will want to take some measurements around your right arm, chest, upper and lower thigh and along your waist at the smallest circumference as well as along the belly button area. Usually a seamstresses measure tape works best because it is cloth and you can get this at any dollar store. You want to ensure you get the tape equal all the way around so you need someone else to take these for you. Make sure to date these figures and take them monthly on average to view your results and compare. If things are going as planned this will also help you see you need to adjust.
Step #3 - Plan Training
With a little research or the help of a trainer you can plan out your training weekly, monthly and up to your goals with small progressions in cardio and weights.
The goals you have will dictate the training you need but you can work with planning certain areas you wish to focus on but also make sure to work out the whole body at least once per week. Include the cardio, warm up, cool down and stretching so that you are covering all bases. Keeping a log of what you do will assist you in watching the progress and also help if you need to get advice since trainers work best with previous info regarding your exercise and diet history. Extra activities can add up so make sure to log them as well with dates, times and intensity.
Step #4 - Examine Diet
Logging your diet can really help show you where you need to make changes. Key points to consider are meal frequency which should be every 2-3 hours, meal quality which should include proteins, fibrous green veggies, orange veggies, limited but whole clean carbs such as tubers, brown rice, oats, yogurts, beans and high protein breads, some fruits although the type can affect sugars in your system and fats which should be things like seeds, nuts, avocados, olives, coconut and their respective oils.
Step #5 - Water
Eight glasses of water per day really is not sufficient but seems to be a minimal goal because people are so bad at getting their requirements and instead choose coffee, juice, pop and electrolyte drinks.
I say aim for 2-3 liters per day because if you are exercising a bit and eating right then you will need this amount especially if you drink fruit juice or coffees! Fat loss, skin health and overall wellness depend on this.
Step #6 - Convenience over Inconvenience
Make things simple for you. At first you may be overwhelmed with all the info you need to know but eventually it does become a lifestyle change and habit so you have to work slowly toward these changes pegging a few at a time as you get used to things. Carry nuts, fruits, health bars (watch the nutritional values here or make some yourself), water and pre cooked meat balls or chicken breasts or tuna so that you have something healthy at all times you can get into. Prepare foods a week ahead and freeze what you can.
Keep a towel and workout clothes handy, so if you drive keep them in the trunk or ready in a bag. Keep your workout pre-planned and written in a schedule so that you have an agenda and it is easier not to sway and miss training but also keep a home workout back up plan by keeping a ball and a band at home at minimum.
Step #7 - Sleep
The last component that most people ignore is sleep. I know it can be hard with the reality of work, kids and our busier than ever lives of the year 2011 but there must be stress put on these healthy aspects of our lives for the benefit of living a quality life. Seven hours average is really ideal and if you need to workout naps then do so but best is to go 7 hours straight if you can. Eating right and training right will induce proper sleeping habits! Scheduling things and being organized will only boost this!
For more information on how to achieve your fitness goals check out lindacusmano.com and she'll get you started on the right track!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Winter Mental Fitness Barriers

Winter Mental Fitness Barriers - Breaking Bad Habits
Haven't started your resolution to get back into shape yet this year? We all know how it is. We all dread having to go back to a moderate diet and regular working out after a few weeks of Holiday treats and good eating not to mention some time off the gym. I sure don’t want it to be over but getting in shape does not happen unless you pick up and get to it. Having a goal and a plan to get that goal achieved is the first powerful step to motivate you toward success.
You need to be accountable to yourself at the least, and if you are too mushy then include someone else you have to be accountable for like keeping a Blog for support from those who you are using for accountability. Be it family, friends or online pals, it is easy to get support if you are up front with reports on your efforts and results. Some may join you!
Not online? Use a notebook which you can get very cheaply at any dollar store. Find a cute one which will motivate you and track your exercise. I also suggest tracking diet for a spell, at least a few months so you can see things on paper……….I SWEAR it makes a difference. Be honest in your journal so that you can pin point your own areas needed for improvement. Keeping this online for those who have access, will also have others commenting and suggesting toward meal and training improvements.
Plan out some type of diet schedule and workout timeline even if you only plan out days for cardio and days for weights or muscle groups on which days. I detail exercises, sets, reps and weight used, time on cardio, intensity etc. I even include my dog walks!! It all adds up and shows accomplishment making you want to keep each page up with your workouts, making you want to keep up your workouts so you can look back and feel that pride in accomplishment and dedication.
Use the drive that comes with the New Year hype and go with it! To help figure out your goals, jot down what you want to work out. What body parts you wish to hit and what you want to do with that area. For example the popular female goals are tone in butt and legs, arms and chest. Men prefer to look at 6 pack leaning and muscular build. Specific goals would be defined as wanting a 6 pack by a certain time, wanting to lose so much weight or inches within a certain time, fitting a pair of pants, things like that.
Have a home workout back up plan so that if you cannot make it to the gym, you have a band, ball or weights available to you so you can still get training in. Bands can be easily carried and are light so even if traveling or stuck somewhere, if the opportunity allows then get some of your workout in.
If you are uncomfortable with how you look to the point that it hinders you from entering the gym then pre screen the gym you choose so that you know that the crowd is similar and will not make you feel uncomfortable but actually fit in! Many will have the same goals and fears as you. If you still feel uncomfortable going to the gym, check out my custom nutrition and workout plan at lindacusmano.comn and I will set you up with a custom diet meal plan and custom workout plan for your body and goals. Have fun!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Top 5 Fat Burning Tips for Weight Loss

If you're New Year's Resolution this year was to lose weight, then here are 5 fat burning tips for weight loss, from Linda Cusmano.

When it comes to burning fat we find it to be a dicey issue. There are so many ways, so many aids and not all work for everyone because we all respond different. There are some groups who do have like results and respond to like diet or training but we have many groups and each one has a different fat burning threshold.
There are some tips that I can share with you which are general and regardless of the degree of burn, you should respond if you are consistent and patient.
Fat Loss Tip #1
Portion control and what does it mean? Well I personally don’t believe in portion control to the effect of limiting the amount of food so that you are hungry! I do agree that you do not want to push yourself to the point of moaning and unzipping! Taste has to be a bit compromised in the way that you must not over eat items you enjoy. Control portions by having reasonable helpings of foods which are not threatening to your goals. Do have 6+ small meals per day - THAT is controlling your portions in my eyes, but do not limit yourself to less than 3 meals per day or very low calories. Metabolism needs to be fired up to burn fat, by eating every 2-3 hours you are doing exactly this which is the optimal way. Go big on dark leafy greens, large portions of this is great, fill up on that fiber and you won’t feel hungry, then the protein should be lean and will aid in appetite control so that your starchy carb does not have to be a large portion, keep this controlled to moderation. Do eat good fats in moderate portions, going too low or too high is adverse to your goals.
Fat Loss Tip #2
Go dark green. As I mentioned in tip 1, go for the broccoli, green beans, and collard or mustard greens for half of our carb intake. Then you can have orange veggies, legumes, and some higher protein grains such as oats and quinoa.
All these foods are considered whole foods, are easy to prepare, fast to cook and perfect for burning fat.
Fat Loss Tip #3
Do cardio after your weight session. You don’t get into your fat burning zone for about 15-20 mins so if you do the weights before hand you will get into fat burning a bit sooner making your cardio more efficient and effective. There is also the round about way by doing anaerobic type cardio such as intervals or HIT training.
Fat Loss Tip #4
Avoid starchy carbs in the evening. Your bodies work better assimilating proteins at the end of day and while sleeping so go for lean proteins and the leafy green veggies for the carbs. Casein is also said to work best at night but not all dairy has this so watch for which do and go for lower fat options or get the powder. This is also a sleep aid for some people.
Fat Loss Tip #5
Last but not least is resistance training. Cardio and diet alone are not enough. In order to burn more calories naturally you want to build muscle. Not to say you need to build very obvious muscle if you do not wish to, and that is not so easy even if you try! Muscle needs fuel too so by enhancing your lean muscle mass to some degree will also aid in fat burning in a huge way.
Linda offers complete workouts with daily meal plans and workouts specifically to fit your goal. Don't like what you see and want something most customized to your body and goals? 

Monday, January 10, 2011

Too Cold For the Gym? Work Out from Home Now!

I know that the post-holiday blues are inevitable, especially when you live in a cold climate like myself and many up North! When you have to be up early for a full day of work, going to workout in the morning, when it is still dark outside, seems like more of a chore than it should be. Well, this is no excuse not to get your basic daily exercise regime in!
Basics should never be forgotten and you can always get in a simple workout at home with absolutely no workout equipment at all, you just need to be creative!
Even small spaces can work if you are patient and willing. Chairs, beds, pillows and your simplest of surroundings can aid in a great workout.
Chest can be targeted by doing push-ups on toes or knees but if you are too weak to do that then begin by doing them against a wall with feet only as far back as you can tolerate, slowly progressing them farther back until you then move onto the knee push-ups.
Those of you with balcony can use the rail for the push-ups similar to wall push-ups.
For an isolated chest exercise use water bottles to perform chest flys, by stacking a pillow or 2 along your back to give you some height and allow a deeper fly range of motion.
Legs give you tons of variety from different types of lunges, squats, dead lifts, step ups, and calve raises. The step ups, calve raises and lunges can be enhanced when done using a step from a set of stairs in your home.
Isolated exercises like inner and outer thigh or prone butt exercises can be done lying on your side or face down (prone).
Horizontal pull-ups, horizontal chin ups and good old good mornings are all great choices for the targeting upper, lower and mid back as well as the biceps. The horizontal choices are done by anchoring a sturdy bar or wooden pole on chairs in a manner which will not roll around. In the gym I see people use the smith machine by anchoring the bar low or using a squat rack and anchoring the bar low on there.
Tricep Dips are an excellent and maybe only choice other than using water bottles for dumbbell traditional tri exercises. You can use chair, bed, bathtub and low counter edges to do these with a chair to mount your feet up on if you are at that advanced level.
Front Delt Raises and over head presses can be done using a chair as your weight tool or water bottles which will also allow for side delt raises.
Water bottles are also great for condition work such as rotator cuff internal and external rotation, rhomboid squeezes and thumb raises done prone and much more.
A few simple pilates based exercises such as the planks and hundreds more are excellent to end your session and cool down. Of course there is the lower back prone extension, crunches, cross crunches and superman exercises for core which can be done anywhere at anytime!
Whatever you choose from the above just make sure you don’t miss your workout even if you have to perform a selection of these at home. This will keep you on track to your goals and help you get your next day’s workout in to keep up the flow. You can also throw this workout into the mix to change things up once in a while. Finish up with a nice stretch for all the muscles worked on that day.
Still need help with a customized plan? Contact Linda Cusmano for a customized exercise and diet plan just for you!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Beginning Weight Loss



Beginner Weight Lifting - Training To Build Muscle & Gain Strength
If you are getting back into your exercise and training because of the holidays or you made a New Year's resolution to get in shape, here are some tips on beginner weight training. These are especially good for those who may have been out of the game for quite some time, or even those who may have taken a few weeks off and want to get back into their groove. Or maybe you've finally realized the importance of adding weight training to your exercise regimen.
I always suggest that beginners start off with basic 1-2 sets of 10 repetitions and begin with compound muscle group exercises preferably done on a machine. Free weights are excellent but a beginner needs time to condition the body toward this and machines help with teaching the stabilizer muscles what they need to do and strengthen them to work with free weights.

The main muscle groups to target here are legs, shoulders, back, chest and core. I did not forget arms but being they are isolated they would come into play later on. Form is especially crucial here because this is where your body is learning most so be strict.

I would begin with legs by doing the Leg Press machine and you can find all these exercises detailed on the exercise tips page of my website. Make sure to start with light weight and even though you feel it is light, be patient as you will increase theweight later but for now progress slowly and be safe in training because an injury will put you out for a while and you do not want that. Keep knees so that mid knee lines up with outer top of foot, bend to at least 90 degrees and do not speed through. Your rep count is 1-2-3, 1-2-3-4 on the return phase. This control is what makes a better exerciser who does not get hurt!
Next you can do your shoulder exercise. The Machine Deltoid Military Presses work the whole shoulder although it indicates mid deltoid in the diagram.
Your third exercise is Machine Rows. These are hitting the mid back in general but the rest of back does come into play and this is a safer choice for beginners. I would work with a close grip.

Fourth exercise is Machine Bench Press. This is a great introduction for later benching with bar or dumbbells. This is an exercise people usually skip ahead from and end up hurt.

Last is your core representing lower back and abs. This area is crucial to the benefit of all the other exercises and for general ease of life for recreation or work. Medicine Ball Crunches on Exercise Ball is a great way to target this area and end your workout!

For more questions about weight training and nutrition contact Linda 

Clean Eating, Exercise lovin' clients!

I am so impressed with my clients this year having not gained any weight and some exercising daily while on holidays and trips in hot warm countries!!!

I heard one of my gals did CARDIO daily while in Hawaii, she kept her family in check too!

Our newest Trainer to join the group held her weight even without daily exercise, but getting in the minimal while balancing the holiday food 'crap' intake! Way to go Laio! She is raring up to kick some butts in the Fraser Valley and outlying areas as the newest Body Rush trainer. Going back to her roots of being a trainer again! This girl can tell you about battling fat loss!!!

I worked into the New Year this week with very little training done last year so this year I jumped in and began my week with daily all body supersetting workouts with your basic 5lb DBs and a comfy 3x10 set/rep. Cardio is slow, short and easy right now but 15-20 mins muscle hits are a great way to get back into it slowly. Watch out for my 15 min hit videos coming soon to help you fit training efficiently into your full schedule! I will post a few freebies of course.


Getting back into things!
Many of you know I spent most of my life eating some form or veg diet but last year I went back to eating some meat again. Mainly eggs and poultry which I was unable to eat since 1993 due to allergies. March last year I was told the allergy is gone so loving eggs and looking for that protein/muscle boost I slowly introduced them over the months til by summer I was eating it daily.
I was sick daily too........most of the year, not right after ingestion but it was accumulative and it was bad so I had no idea it was the flesh doing this to me..........then in Sept once the dr was in fear I may have some very very serious illness and wanted to run nasty tests...........I decided to really think about this, what was new a year ago...............FLESH! So I dropped it all, detoxed and got better instantly. It was literally killing me! I suspect too much ph acid from meat products do not work with my chemical make up!

I am okay with occasional eggs and rare meat intake if I so choose but my body has been very clear and I am going to stick with lacto ovo but mainly veg diet. Beans and I get along very well!

Competition Front
There is alot happening this year with contests, if anyone needs help with prep or wants to join in on the shows with us let me know.
  • I am going for my pro card again so this means BCs in June/July and then Nationals in SK! Never been there.
  • I will be hitting the Fort St. John show with a Laio who is doing her first Figure, I may try out bikini or if lean enough do Figure but my focus is BCs so whatever the body looks like in June I go with and enter a category accordingly. I cannot just watch, I have to get in there and on stage while I am there!
  • Next year Feb or March will be the Arnolds again, we are going out to do the Fitness/Figure amateur division for this 4 day Ohio weekend and you are invited to join us! We are gathering a team of gals who want to go out to try out the Arnold Classic Fitness or Figure Am divisions and you have a year to prep for it, with my help if you like! Contact me for more info! Things are always more fun as a team!
Talk soon!
Linda