Good afternoon my fitness friends! I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful sunny "Fall" day...actually if you live in Arizona it's a very 95 degree sunny Fall day. If you're reading this from a state that actually has true seasonal weather...then I wish you a Happy Fall Day! Okay, now that we all know that it's officially Fall...let's get started on what I would like to speak with you about today...stretching! Stretching is KEY to any fitness program but guess what? Even if you don't exactly have a fitness routine that you are doing at this time, stretching can help you in your everyday life. Now as a Master Personal Trainer and Bootcamp Instructor, let me tell you, I can tell when someone's hamstrings are super tight and the word "stretch" is a foreign language to that person...but by stretching those hamstrings, something as simple as a butt-kick (running backwards with you heels touching your glutes or jogging in place with your heels touching your glutes) becomes hard if you don't ever stretch your hamstrings. If you have been sitting at your computer most of today working how are your shoulders right now? I bet you they're rounded FORWARD and your head is also pushing FORWARD. So let me help you out. Stop....slowly roll your shoulders back and now gently place your right hand on the left side of your head with your head facing forward...now slowly keeping your right hand on the left side of your head, gently pull your head towards your right shoulder. Deep inhalation and slow exhalation...try and hold this stretch for at least 30 seconds, now slowly release your right hand from the left side of your head. Repeat this stretch except this time switch sides...meaning place your left hand on the right side of your head and do the exact same stretch. Didn't that feel GLORIOUS?! Is your lower back tight? Stand up, and gently fold over from the waist and try to bring your fingertips as close to your feet as possible and hold this stretch...NO BALLISTIC MOVEMENT (meaning do not bounce as you hold this stretch) just hang forward and breathe in deep and exhale, this is a Static stretch. Another good one for your lower back and tight hip flexors is lay on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you on the floor. Gently bring your knees in to your chest and hold for 30 seconds as you enjoy this stretch, slowly move side to side while holding your knees....this is a gentle massage for your lower back. One more stretch is the kneeling hip flexor stretch. Almost EVERY one of my clients has tight hip flexors...especially you MOMS! Bring yourself down to the floor and kneel down on your right knee, bring your left leg out in front of you (making sure your right knee is comfortable) and bring your body forward...make sure your left knee is not going over your left foot. Bring your left arm down straight to your left side and bring your right arm up, slowly open your body up and twist toward your left side as you bring your body forward...do you feel that left hip flexor? Hold that stretch for no less than 30 seconds and BREATHE through that burn. Now repeat on the other side...meaning left knee down and follow the exact same instructions except using the opposite side. These stretches I suggested to you today are going to help you excel in your fitness programs and will also help you stretch out any tight muscles you may have. There are so many more stretches I could talk about today and if you have any questions on how to stretch out any other areas...send them my way! That's what I'm here for! :-) One last note before I talk about today's fitness video is ALWAYS stretch after you've warmed up for at least 10 minutes or AFTER you've performed your exercises (whether it be a bootcamp class, cardio, or weight resistance training). You are at less risk of pulling a muscle when you perform a stretch once your body is WARM and stretching will allow you to recover better after a workout, so do it!
Okay, let's get into today's video...MOMS are you listening?! Go grab your kid(s) and get ready to have some fun! Today's video shows a quick little warm-up which you will see my son Pry'nce enjoyed greatly followed by 2 different types up squat exercises (every woman...AND men want to have tighter and toner thighs, right), a chest exercise as well as a tricep (tighten the back of those arms!!) exercise. Remember, you can perform each and every one of these exercises in the comfort of your home without needing any equipment. Enjoy!
Thanks for watching! Feel free to leave comments and ask any questions you may have.
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
UNDERSTANDING WHAT COUNTS AS A CALORIE!!
Good afternoon my friends!! I hope you are all having a fantastic day so far. So today I want to talk about CALORIES. Calories can be a tricky thing for some of you out there especially when it comes to trying to "count" your caloric intake for the day and if you're logging your food into a system such as Apex, Fitness Pal or many of the other tons of food logging systems out there. Here's my question to you...are you REALLY eating as CLEAN and PERFECT as you think you are??? No offense, but I bet my professional answer would be NO. It's interesting when I over hear people or even clients say "I eat soooo perfect, why aren't I losing any weight?!" It must be my THYROID or I must have a SLOW METABOLISM... Well, let me help all of you out today by asking you this: Do you drink coffee? If so, do you log your sugar packet(s) that you may add to it, your creamer, soy milk, non-fat milk...whip cream if you're getting something from Starbucks, right? Do you drink Sugarfree Redbull? I do! Hey! We can all have at least one vice, right? Anyway, it still contains 10 calories...so log it! Do you chew gum? If so, is it sugarless? If it is or isn't sugarless, did you LOG it down as food intake for the day? If not, it's time to start! Something as simple as looking at the label on that piece of gum your chewing will show you that you just consumed 5 CALORIES...even if you don't swallow it, you're still taking in CALORIES. Did you take a peppermint candy after your lunch today or dinner last night? LOG IT! It counts as a CALORIE. If you are eating a nice, healthy sub are you just inputting that you had a turkey sub on wheat but forgot to include the 3 slices of tomatoes which is 5 calories? Or the slice of American cheese that's 40 calories? Everything that you put in your mouth counts as a calorie! I know you've heard this before, but if you get a salad...get the dressing on the side and dip your fork in. This helps YOU control the amount of calories you're putting onto your salad. Be aware of fat free dressings...they still have calories...21grams of a red wine vinaigrette still contains 30 calories. Did you grab a handful of nuts out of a dish? LOG IT! Did you take a bite out of one of your child's chicken nuggets (yuck! but let's face it, most kids seem to love chicken nuggets)...LOG IT! So focus on getting your calories from 3 to 4 servings of fruit and vegetables a day....personally, I prefer 5 to 6 servings and my 4 year old son seems to love himself some brocolli, carrot sticks, corn (great starch!), bananas, apples, oranges, and I could go on and on! Remember MOMS, our body is a TEMPLE...therefore, we need to make sure we are incorporating healthy eating habits into our children at a young age so they enjoy fruits and veggies and don't see having to eat them as "punishment."
Lastly, for those of you desperately trying to lose weight and the scale just doesn't seem to want to budge for you and is frankly being darn right DEFIANT. Remember one FACT, 3500 calories equals ONE pound. So put yourself at a 500 calorie DEFICIT per day, MOVE throughout the day (take @least 10,000 steps a day) so you are BURNING THOSE CALORIES and by the end of the week (day 7) you should be down ONE POUND. But starting TODAY, please be honest with yourself about what and how much you are truly eating, chewing and drinking each day. Remember, every calorie counts! I hope this helps you have a better understanding of what a truly honest food log consists of...now get to logging and good luck! Don't hesitate to send me questions if you have any. I have a high success rate with WEIGHT LOSS with the clients I train and the ones who have had the greatest success...understand that EVERYTHING they put in their mouth counts as a calorie, are honest with themselves and their trainer (ME!) and that movement throughout the day all counts in getting to their fitness goal.
So now that I've hopefully educated you alittle bit more regarding calories, it's time to let you know what today's Fitness Video is all about...MOM'S ARE YOU LISTENING? Okay, today's video shows some more ideas of incorporating fitness into both you and your child(ren)'s life. If you only have 5 minutes to spare today to do something healthy, please check out the video. It shows 3 main exercises that can be done with a broom or mop in the house and with your kid(s) play ball in the house. So sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy the video! Please post comments and questions...I would love to hear feedback! ENJOY!
Thanks for taking the time to read and watch today's fitness video blog! Once again, feel free to comment or ask questions...
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)
Lastly, for those of you desperately trying to lose weight and the scale just doesn't seem to want to budge for you and is frankly being darn right DEFIANT. Remember one FACT, 3500 calories equals ONE pound. So put yourself at a 500 calorie DEFICIT per day, MOVE throughout the day (take @least 10,000 steps a day) so you are BURNING THOSE CALORIES and by the end of the week (day 7) you should be down ONE POUND. But starting TODAY, please be honest with yourself about what and how much you are truly eating, chewing and drinking each day. Remember, every calorie counts! I hope this helps you have a better understanding of what a truly honest food log consists of...now get to logging and good luck! Don't hesitate to send me questions if you have any. I have a high success rate with WEIGHT LOSS with the clients I train and the ones who have had the greatest success...understand that EVERYTHING they put in their mouth counts as a calorie, are honest with themselves and their trainer (ME!) and that movement throughout the day all counts in getting to their fitness goal.
So now that I've hopefully educated you alittle bit more regarding calories, it's time to let you know what today's Fitness Video is all about...MOM'S ARE YOU LISTENING? Okay, today's video shows some more ideas of incorporating fitness into both you and your child(ren)'s life. If you only have 5 minutes to spare today to do something healthy, please check out the video. It shows 3 main exercises that can be done with a broom or mop in the house and with your kid(s) play ball in the house. So sit back, relax and I hope you enjoy the video! Please post comments and questions...I would love to hear feedback! ENJOY!
Thanks for taking the time to read and watch today's fitness video blog! Once again, feel free to comment or ask questions...
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)
Thursday, September 8, 2011
FOUR FITNESS TIPS FOR THE DAY!
Hello my friends! I hope you are having a fabulous morning so far today. Today's blog is for those of you looking for quick easy fitness tips for yourself to be able to do in the middle of your busy day. So are you ready??? Here you go!
Fitness Tip #1: Stop! How are you sitting right now? Are you slumped over your computer right now? Are your shoulders rounded forward?? Us Fitness Professionals call that "protracted shoulders." Well, if you are...don't feel guilty! 90% of people in general sit hunched over their computers while reading or working. So my first tip for you is...sit up TALL, roll those shoulders BACK and engage those ABS! Engaging abs means to act as though there is a string attached to your belly button and it is pulling your belly button towards your spine. Are you doing it? If so, good job! You just finished fitness tip #1.
Fitness Tip #2: Do you have some cleaning to do today? Or to be literal...do you have some sweeping to do today? If so, grab that broomstick...rest it on your shoulders and stand with your feet hip width apart, feet straight (not turned out) and gently twist to your left and then to your right. As you are doing this exercise, ENGAGE THOSE ABS! Twist 10 times to each side...you have now worked out your external obliques (ie: your ab muscles). Repeat this at least 2 more times and then get back to sweeping! :-)
Fitness Tip #3: SMILE! There is nothing better than putting a smile on your face during a stressful moment. Moms out there, your child won't go down for his or her nap??? Your child won't eat his or her breakfast/lunch/dinner??? Non-moms out there, your boss just dropped a new assignment on your desk @noon and said it's due TODAY by 5pm??? Rather than tense up...which means you're naturally going to bring your shoulders up to your ears possibly causing a pinched nerve in your neck. Take a deep breath...slowly let it out and SMILE. Smiling is healthy and you know what? This stressful moment is going to pass and you will get through it! So instead of frowning and tensing up, do the exact opposite...SMILING IS HEALTHY!
Fitness Tip #4: Stuck on an hour conference call today? Or how about the only minute you have is sitting at the table with your child as you feed them or help them with their homework? Take a moment and do some calf raises...lift your heels up and put them down...heels up and put them down...repeat this 10 times for 3 sets. Then stand up and sit down...but not all the way! Squats...use your chair as your stopping point...do this 15 times and if possible for 3 sets. Wearing a head set during your conference call or have it on speaker phone? Or sitting at the table with your child? Grab the edge of your chair, feet flat, bend your knees and with hands straight and shoulders DOWN (don't tense up) do some tricep dips. 10 reps...3 times! Guess what?! You just did a 5-10 minute workout for yourself today!
Now if I can have all you MOM'S out there attention...today's video clip is going to once again focus on how to incorporate fitness into both you and your child's life. CHILDHOOD OBESITY is extremely upsetting and a big part of the problem is we don't teach our kids to MOVE and that FITNESS IS FUN! So please take some time to watch my video and post feedback. Also, don't hesitate to ask questions...that's why I'm here! The exercises on the video can be used with water bottles and fun kids balls that most of you moms have around your house. I will not be blogging next week, because me and my family are off on a week vacay to the BEACH and AMUSEMENT PARKS FUN...but will see you back here the week of the 19th. Enjoy the video and please share with your friends! Thanks for your continued support!
Hope you enjoyed the video!
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)
Fitness Tip #1: Stop! How are you sitting right now? Are you slumped over your computer right now? Are your shoulders rounded forward?? Us Fitness Professionals call that "protracted shoulders." Well, if you are...don't feel guilty! 90% of people in general sit hunched over their computers while reading or working. So my first tip for you is...sit up TALL, roll those shoulders BACK and engage those ABS! Engaging abs means to act as though there is a string attached to your belly button and it is pulling your belly button towards your spine. Are you doing it? If so, good job! You just finished fitness tip #1.
Fitness Tip #2: Do you have some cleaning to do today? Or to be literal...do you have some sweeping to do today? If so, grab that broomstick...rest it on your shoulders and stand with your feet hip width apart, feet straight (not turned out) and gently twist to your left and then to your right. As you are doing this exercise, ENGAGE THOSE ABS! Twist 10 times to each side...you have now worked out your external obliques (ie: your ab muscles). Repeat this at least 2 more times and then get back to sweeping! :-)
Fitness Tip #3: SMILE! There is nothing better than putting a smile on your face during a stressful moment. Moms out there, your child won't go down for his or her nap??? Your child won't eat his or her breakfast/lunch/dinner??? Non-moms out there, your boss just dropped a new assignment on your desk @noon and said it's due TODAY by 5pm??? Rather than tense up...which means you're naturally going to bring your shoulders up to your ears possibly causing a pinched nerve in your neck. Take a deep breath...slowly let it out and SMILE. Smiling is healthy and you know what? This stressful moment is going to pass and you will get through it! So instead of frowning and tensing up, do the exact opposite...SMILING IS HEALTHY!
Fitness Tip #4: Stuck on an hour conference call today? Or how about the only minute you have is sitting at the table with your child as you feed them or help them with their homework? Take a moment and do some calf raises...lift your heels up and put them down...heels up and put them down...repeat this 10 times for 3 sets. Then stand up and sit down...but not all the way! Squats...use your chair as your stopping point...do this 15 times and if possible for 3 sets. Wearing a head set during your conference call or have it on speaker phone? Or sitting at the table with your child? Grab the edge of your chair, feet flat, bend your knees and with hands straight and shoulders DOWN (don't tense up) do some tricep dips. 10 reps...3 times! Guess what?! You just did a 5-10 minute workout for yourself today!
Now if I can have all you MOM'S out there attention...today's video clip is going to once again focus on how to incorporate fitness into both you and your child's life. CHILDHOOD OBESITY is extremely upsetting and a big part of the problem is we don't teach our kids to MOVE and that FITNESS IS FUN! So please take some time to watch my video and post feedback. Also, don't hesitate to ask questions...that's why I'm here! The exercises on the video can be used with water bottles and fun kids balls that most of you moms have around your house. I will not be blogging next week, because me and my family are off on a week vacay to the BEACH and AMUSEMENT PARKS FUN...but will see you back here the week of the 19th. Enjoy the video and please share with your friends! Thanks for your continued support!
Hope you enjoyed the video!
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)
Thursday, September 1, 2011
IT'S A GREAT DAY TO GET IN SHAPE!!!!
Hello my Fitness Friends and soon-to-be Fitness Friends!!! I hope you are all having a great start to your days. I just had the most fantastic workout! Some of you may not know this, but I just came off a week of NON-WORKING OUT (ugh!!)...now for those of you who take my Bootcamps and train with me know, I still "kind of" worked out but I truly did what the doctor and my body ordered and that was...REST. How did I hurt my back you ask??? Was it having one of my INTENSE workouts??? NOOOO!! Was it doing yoga???? NOOOO! Was it playing with my son??? NOOOO! Get ready...wait for it...I was sitting in my car and my back decided at that point in time to spasm! Craziness my friends! Well, I've gotta tell you, thank Goodness I...#1 have a fantastic doctor who recommended me to a fantastic chiropractor and #2 have a fantastic client (shout out to Jocelyn!) who recommended me to a fantastic massage therapist and finally #3 I am a Corrective Exercise Specialist and know what each muscle in my body is, what it is supposed to do and what can trigger such a CRAZY intense spasm such as the one I had. Well, my friends...this week I am feeling like a CHAMP, taught bootcamp yesterday early morning and just had a great cardio session followed by light weight training 75 minute workout...followed by, you guessed it! FOAM ROLLING!!!! And now, I am FEELING GOOD!!!
So what am I going to talk to you about today, besides the injury I just recovered from which lets you know hey! Random injuries can happen to any and all of us is...find some time to do something good for your health and fitness TODAY. If you are a mommy since as you know my blog is entitled "MOMS! You CAN get in shape!" I especially want you to check out today's video clip of me and my 4 year old son showing how fun fitness can be. I hope you find the tips I give in my videos helpful and I would love to hear some feed back. Please post your comments onto my blog so I can know how you like the video and also feel free to ask me any fitness related questions you may have! That's why I'm here every week for YOU!
Enjoy the video!
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)
So what am I going to talk to you about today, besides the injury I just recovered from which lets you know hey! Random injuries can happen to any and all of us is...find some time to do something good for your health and fitness TODAY. If you are a mommy since as you know my blog is entitled "MOMS! You CAN get in shape!" I especially want you to check out today's video clip of me and my 4 year old son showing how fun fitness can be. I hope you find the tips I give in my videos helpful and I would love to hear some feed back. Please post your comments onto my blog so I can know how you like the video and also feel free to ask me any fitness related questions you may have! That's why I'm here every week for YOU!
Enjoy the video!
As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)
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