Thursday, February 23, 2012

What's the IDEAL amount of fitness????

Happy GORGEOUS day!!  Just finished another good workout with a mix of cardio/weights followed by FOAM ROLLING and am ready to enjoy a 78 degree day...in February!  Before I head out to enjoy what this day has to offer, I want to answer an awesome blog followers question which is "what is the ideal amount of fitness?"

Now, I of course am going to give my PERSONAL opinion of what the ideal amount of fitness is.  I am a Nationally Certified Personal Trainer who has trained hundreds of clients with different fitness goals so each recommendation is catered specifically to my client's needs.  If you were to ask a doctor, most of them would tell you that you must do at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 times a week (or so I've heard).

Here's what I think....the best thing for MENTAL DE-STRESSING, HEART REWARDING, RESULTS...RESULTS...AND RESULTS... to first of all, get in no less than 10,000 steps a day.  Now does that mean go out and run 5 miles 7 days a week?  Nope!  It means MOVE!  I am a true believer in 30 to 40 minutes MINIMUM of cardio 5 days a week (especially if you're weight loss).  This can be walking BRISKLY, jogging outside, elliptical (my favorite), row machine, treadmill at an incline, and stairclimber to name a few.

If you get bored easily doing cardio and just the thought of 30 minutes of non-stop cardio makes you want to scream, have no fear!  Interval training can be fun too.  This can consist of bursts of cardio in between weight resistance training.  Do 25-50 jumping jacks followed by 25 squats, 60 seconds of high knees followed by 15-20 push-ups, 60 seconds of mountain climbers followed by 30 ball crunches.  This is just an example, but if you like this example, perform it 3-4 times with 30-60 seconds of REST in between.

The bottom line is this, I personally exercise 6 days a week.  One of my six days is a fun family day which usually consists of a 8-9 mile bike ride outside with a stop in between at a park for our son to play on a slide or run and throw a frisbee back and forth to.  Anything is better than sitting on the couch "thinking" about working out.  GET UP and GET OUT and move, move, move!

As I always say, FITNESS IS FUN!  Get it in 5 days a week and you, your family, friends, co-workers and people you come into contact with will appreciate you so much more because you will feel good about what you did for yourself to help give yourself a stronger heart and a healthier YOU.

Today's video shows various ab exercises that you can do from the comfort of your home.  Pry'nce and I demonstrate ab crunches, planks, side planks and more planks...do these and you will see a tighter mid-section and a smaller waistline...have fun and enjoy!! :-)
Thanks for reading and watching today's video!  If you haven't done so yet, please join TODAY as a follower and feel free to share this with your friends and family.  Have a Healthy and Happy week!!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Do I NEED to be in the EXCELLENT category for Bodyfat %????

Happy fitness filled day to you!  So I had another one of my hard but FUN workouts this morning and wanted to stop by and blog real quick before we go off to enjoy another beautiful day in Paradise!  So today's blog is about a question from one of my awesome blog followers which is "Should one try to achieve the LOW end of bodyfat percentage or just stick to being in the recommended area?"

First let me say, it's so refreshing to have females actually care more about what their bodyfat percentage is rather than what the SCALE says.  Unless you're trying to model on the runways in Milan, there is absolutely no reason to want to weigh 110 lbs just so you can say you weigh 110 lbs...and frankly, high fashion runway models these days are weighing more of a healthy amount than back in the day, but I digress. 

Ranges of bodyfat percentages based on a four site (taken from the bicep area, tricep area, subscapular "bra fat" area underneath shoulder blade and illiac crest "love handle area") are determined by age range.  The one thing I can say is if you are a female of ANY age and are below 9% bodyfat, you are now in a risky area and it is not healthy to continue to live a healthy and normal lifestyle with that number...now if you're about to go on stage for a Figure or Bodybuilding Competition, you can get that low but it isn't recommended to stay at that number or below it.  If you are a male of ANY age and are below 6% bodyfat, it's the same situation as I stated above regarding a female. 

So here's the deal, focus on staying within a HEALTHY/GOOD number which can be anywhere between 21-30% bodyfat depending on age for a female and 14.9-22% bodyfat depending on age for a male.  The best way to keep yourself on track is with 3-4 days of weight resistance training for no less than 30 minutes but 60 minutes preferred.  By incorporating this into your daily exercise routine you will find yourself LEANER, with inches LOST, and a healthier, happier YOU staring back at you in the mirror!

Moms, do not be scared to lift weights!  It's not going to make you BIG and BULKY!  It's going to make you LONGER and LEANER!  Just make sure you use proper form and if you have any questions about what type of weight training to do, some great things you can do are bootcamps (mine always include FULL BODY resistance training mainly with your own body weight and some weights), weight training with a certified personal trainer (such as myself) or even a friend or a family member as your workout buddy, resistance bands, tubes and kettle bells.  All of these things can help you DROP bodyfat and make you LEANER.

So get your bodyfat checked and then start MOVING!  Speaking of moving, today's video blog takes you outside with my son Pry'nce and I playing in the greenbelt in our neighborhood....ok, he does most of the playing and exercising in this one!  But enjoy watching it today with your kid(s) and get outside today and RUN, PLAY, EXERCISE...JUST MOVE!  Enjoy!!
Thanks as always for taking the time to read my blog.  If you enjoyed my blog and video, please join TODAY as a follower!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

Thursday, February 9, 2012

PROTEIN SHAKES...ARE THEY GOOD FOR YOU?

Good morning my friends!  And what a GORGEOUS one it is so far...77 degree February day and I'm ready for some fun with my son.  Before we head off into the beautiful sunny day, I will make today's blog a QUICK one!  A blog question I was sent today is "what's the deal with all these protein drinks and are they good for you?"

Well, my answer of course is going to be based on not only my PROFESSIONAL opinion but PERSONAL opinion as well.  I do like to have at least one protein shake a day and I also have most of my clients drinking at least one to two a day as well. 

There are many types of protein shakes, the ones already made and in a cooler for you to just grab and go; then there are the ones that come in a powder form that you can make yourself.  For those of you on the go, grabbing one already made is a quick smart choice but if you like to turn your protein shake into a "shake" then it's good to purchase the powders. 

Protein is best consumed AFTER a hard, weight training or full body workout.  It helps REPAIR your muscles as well as helping with muscle growth.  My suggestion is to purchase a protein powder that gives you 25 to 45 grams of protein in one serving...that's a great amount to consume after a workout.  I also suggest drinking protein shakes that contain BCAAS (branch chain amino acids).  BCAAS help alleviate the amount of soreness you will feel the next day (or TWO) after a hard workout.

Here are my 5 favorite protein powders:  APEX LITE (less calories and fat grams...taste delicious), APEX SUPREME (alittle more calories but also contains BCAAS and taste good), ISO-PURE (if you're lactose intolerant, this is the one for you!  Nice pure protein and also tastes good), NO XPLODE (great for muscle building AND repairing, plus it tastes like kool-aid) and finally Myoplex (high protein and tastes good).  Now Muscle Milk LIGHT also tastes delicious, but you have to be careful that you consume the "light" and not regular due to high calories and fat content.

So, if you find yourself putting in some serious work today at the gym, outside doing a circuit, bootcamp, weight training and/or even yoga session...drink a protein shake afterwards so you can repair your muscles.  And don't be afraid to put a scoop of peanut butter (good fat) and banana (great potassium) into it if you blend it up for a nutritious AND delicious treat!  Enjoy!

Since today is such a BEAUTIFUL day outside, I am showing last week's video in case you missed it.  Watch this video and get outside with your kid(s) and enjoy exercising TOGETHER...because Fitness is FUN! 
Thank you as always for reading and please join TODAY as a follower of my blog if you haven't done so yet, share with your friends and family.  Have a Fabulously Fitness Filled Week!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

DOES IT MATTER IF YOUR CALORIE BURN COMES FROM EXERCISE?

Good morning everyone!  It's another BEAUTIFUL day and time to get into what today's blog topic is about.  Well, one of my blog followers asked me "does it matter if your calorie burn comes from exercise alone or is it okay if you reach your calorie burn without exercise?"

Here's my answer:  As a huge advocate for Fitness and a Certified Master Personal Trainer...I believe getting to your calorie burn via exercise is the answer.  However, if you need to reach a certain calorie burn for the day vs. your intake and you reach it without any exercise at all...then you're working towards your goal positively by being on top of your food intake.  But isn't it more fun to do it thru the power of fitness?!

If you reach your calorie burn GOAL by exercising, you are helping put a boost in your metabolism and you are also helping gain a stronger heart, more toned and tighter body and positive mental health.  If you're trying to lose weight, the best way is thru the Law of Thermodynamics; ie: Energy IN vs. Energy OUT.  Burn more than you intake putting yourself at a calorie deficit, then you WILL lose weight.  Here's the deal 3500 calories equals ONE pound of fat, put yourself at a 500 calorie deficit per day and you WILL lose 1 pound a week.  It's that SIMPLE.

Also, when exercising give 110%.  Don't be surprised if you don't reach a calorie goal that you've set for yourself if you are laughing and talking while performing exercise.  Now I do believe that exercise should be fun, however the whole point is to get your heart rate UP and push yourself to where you feel like you just pushed yourself further than you ever thought you could.  If you have an hour allotted for your workout and want to burn as many calories as possible (my magic # that I won't settle for less than is 500 calories), then WORK HARD and DON'T MAKE EXCUSES.  As a Personal Trainer, I hear excuses all the time...STOP making excuses and put in the work!  If your scale doesn't go down, ask yourself did I REALLY eat perfect this week??  Drinking a beer(s), eating JUNK food, high-fat dessert everyday, NOT eating 3-4 servings (easy!) or 4-6 servings (preferred) of fruits/vegetables a day....etc, etc, etc....

So I leave you with this my friends, if you can't get to the gym today or don't belong to the gym that's okay!  Go outside and MOVE!  Whether it be thru a bike ride, a light jog, a brisk walk, shooting hoops at the basketball court, running and playing with your kid(s)...your mind, body and soul WILL be much better off for doing so!  Now go burn some calories!

Today's video takes you OUTSIDE with some fun workouts that you can do that will definitely get your heart rate up and calories burning!  Grab your kid(s), some water and go MOVE, enjoy! :-)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

FITNESS TIP OF THE DAY: FOAM ROLL! FOAM ROLL! FOAM ROLL!

Good morning Fitness Friends and soon to be Fitness Friends!  I have just completed an AWESOME 90 minute workout and am excited to enjoy a beautiful, sunny 75 degree day with my son Pry'nce.  Before I go out and enjoy the day, I want to talk to you about something that is truly important to your fitness routine which is to FOAM ROLL.  Yes, my fitness tip of the day is to FOAM ROLL...

What is foam rolling and why is it so important???  Foam rolling is a form of stretching which in technical terms is called Self-myofascial Release.  Now I like to tell my clients to think of it as a "deep tissue massage."  The only difference is it is done with an actual foam roller which can either be a long one or a short one.  They come in various colors such as black, green, white, hot pink, gray, purple and orange...

Foam rolling is a MUST in every exercise routine.  There are many questions regarding "when" to foam roll.  Before you foam roll, you definitely want to be alittle warmed up.  My suggestion is to do 5 to 10 minutes of cardio to get the blood flowing and then do alittle foam rolling before you do your weight resistance training, bootcamp class, spinning, running, plyometrics or whatever exercise program you are going to do for the day.  After you complete your workout, I suggest foam rolling again.  It will help alleviate some of the soreness you can feel after a workout.

How do I foam roll?  Well, you want to apply the foam roller on your tight areas and HOLD the foam roller on that tight spot for 30-60 seconds.  Do NOT roll it up and down...you must hold it on that area and BREATHE.  Believe me, you will start to feel heat go to that tight area and slowly feel your muscle loosen up.  Definitely try and foam roll everyday or at least everyday that you exercise.  Your body will thank you!

Today's video blog is actually my son Pry'nce and I showing you how to foam roll.  We demonstrate on the most common tight areas...Glutes (butt), Lats (side of your upper body starting at your arm pit), Hamstrings (back of thighs), Quadriceps (top of thighs) and IT band (side of your thigh...most common tight area on women).  Please watch and add this into your daily routine...you will feel much better!!  Enjoy the video!
Thanks for watching and please join as a FOLLOWER if you enjoy my fitness blog!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

Thursday, January 19, 2012

IS PROTEIN REALLY THAT IMPORTANT???

Good morning Fitness Friends!  Today's blog will be a quick one in regards to a loyal blog follower and bootcamper who wants to know my opinion on PROTEIN.  Okay, so let's get into it!

First of all, EVERYBODY needs protein in their daily food intake to SURVIVE.  Believe it or not, we actually need Fat, Carbs and Protein to maintain a healthy mind and body.  So why is protein so important?  Well, protein is great for REPAIRING your muscles that you've either worked out hard with weight training, yoga practice, sport activity, bootcamp or any activity in which you have raised your heart rate in a workout for at least 30 minutes.

The "window" for proper protein intake is NO LONGER than 1 hour after a big workout or any workout for that matter.  More importantly, a workout that has made your muscles work at your max potential needs to be repaired afterwards with some good, solid protein.  So what type of protein you ask????  Well, it's up to YOU and what you ENJOY!

Protein powders are a good quick fix for after a workout if you are crunched for time.  I personally like to shake mine up with some ice water and drink it down fast because I'm usually running to train a client after I've taught one of my bootcamps.  The best type of protein powders to consume are the ones that contain BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids).  By drinking a protein powder with this in it, you are helping alleviate some of the soreness that you may feel the next day.  If you want to drink a protein shake BEFORE a workout, my suggestion is to drink it without milk...it tends to make one nauseous if you're putting in some serious work (IE:  training with me or taking one of my bootcamps).  Just to throw out some brands that I back 100% are APEX LITE (less fat and calories in it...and tastes GOOD), APEX SUPREME (BCAAs plus good taste), NO XPLODE (pure protein with BCAAs in it...taste alittle like kool-aid!!) and if you're really looking for some good pure protein and are lactose intolerant...ISO-PURE is fantastic!  All of the brands I suggested are low in fat grams, sugar grams and actually taste DELICIOUS!

Lastly, if you're not really into protein powders but still need to increase your protein intake...get it from FOOD!!  The obvious choices are chicken breast, lean turkey meat, black beans, tuna, veggie patties, steak (if you MUST have red meat...preferably a filet or sirloin), and MILK.  I could really give alot more suggestions on foods high in protein but the ones listed above are the easiest and most likeable ones I like to suggest to clients.

I hope this helps!  So after your BIG workout today, be sure to get in your protein...at least 20% of your daily food intake should be from protein.  Now go MOVE!

Now, let's get into today's video...today we show you busy Moms, Working Gals and Daddies out there a quick 5 to 10 minute workout that you can do to get your heart rate UP and some toning done for your body.  Please be sure to do 3 sets of EVERY exercise that my son Pry'nce and I show you!  Enjoy the video and feel free to share with your friends too...

Hope you enjoyed watching today's video and found today's blog informative!  Have a fabulously fitness filled week!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

Thursday, January 12, 2012

CAN U REALLY CHANGE YOUR GLUTES?!!

Happy, healthy day to you my friends!  Once again, I have had one of my amazing workouts this morning and am feeling energized and ready to take on the world!  Ok...maybe I'm sounding a bit dramatic but I'm truly feeling great and ready for another fun day with my son filled with lots of activity.

So let's get right into today's blog topic...and I quote "Famisha, can this girl with a flat butt really give myself a butt?"  Well, the answer is a EASY one and the work to do it is HARD but...YES YOU CAN!  Before you schedule yourself an appointment to go get some butt implants (which more and more people are getting these days) get yourself into the gym OR the living room in your house and get to work!

I am going to list my TOP FIVE guaranteed results based glute exercises for you today...are you ready?!  Here you go!  Let's count down from #5...Cardio is key, one of my favorites for glute boosting results is the TREADMILL, hike that incline up to 15 and keep it there!  15 incline with a 3.1 RPM for no less than 30 minutes and PUMP YOUR ARMS...do not, I repeat do NOT hold on.  By doing so, you defeat the purpose.  Enjoy feeling the burn in not only your quads (top of thighs), hamstrings (back of thighs) but also in your glutes!

#4...SQUATS!  You knew this one was coming.  It can be any and all squats...Ball Squats holding 10lb (minimum amount of weight...you want resistance) free weights and do 3 sets of 20-30reps.  Squat to touch, meaning squat down and touch your glutes lightly onto a chair or flat bench.  BOSU squats, stand on the half moon and squat at a 90degree angle and not only will you work your glutes but your abs as well.  Half moon squats (it's the inflatable round and soft all over ball that has bumps on it)...this is for the more advanced person because it takes a lot of balance to stay on it while squatting.  Now remember, when you squat pause at the bottom of your squat and SQUEEZE your glutes when you stand back up.

#3...Bridges...Floor bridge, lay on the floor in a supine position (facing up) and bend your knees with your feet flat.  Slowly lift your hips up off the floor and squeeze your glutes as you do this.  Feeling like a challenge?  Put your feet on a physio ball and do the same exact thing.  Really feeling like being challenged???  Put your feet on a physio ball and roll the ball in and out with your hips up off the floor.   You will definitely feel this!  Do 3 sets of 20-30reps.

#2...Deadlifts...stand with your feet hip width apart and slowly bend at the waist keeping your back nice and flat until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings and then slowly bring yourself back up to a standing position.  Keep your legs STRAIGHT the entire time and squeeze your glutes when you come back to a standing position.  Have access to a gym?  Grab a 20lb bar (or more if you're more advanced) and hold the weight as you do these for added resistance or grab free weights.  No access to a gym?  No problem!  Grab some canned veggies from the pantry and use those in each hand for resistance.

#1...DRUM ROLL PLEASE....my FAVORITE...LUNGES!!  They work!  Alternating front lunges, alternating back lunges, walking lunges with a twist to work abs, walking lunges with free weights, walking lunges with a straight bar on your back.  Do them!  They absolutely work!  My bootcampers AND clients know I'm the Queen of Lunges!  They burn but the results are amazing.  If you do alternating ones...do 3 sets of 20-30 each leg.  For walking lunges go down and back (down your hallway and back) 3 times.  Btw, there are many more lunges with BOSU, plyo boxes, physio balls, dyna disks that I could also mention but those you want to have a personal trainer with you to definitely check your form to avoid injury.  NEVER let your knee go over your toes when lunging.  But do them!!

So I hope you take today's TOP 5 GLUTE BOOSTING exercises and start them today.  Do these exercises 2 to 3 times a week and after about 3 weeks you should start to see results.  Let me know how it goes!  Good luck!

Now today's video is going to be a fun one that we shot out at the local high school.  Unfortunately, Pry'nce was sick earlier this week so we were unable to shoot a new one.  I hope you enjoy watching this one again if you've already seen it and if you haven't...grab your kid(s), get to your local highschool and MOVE!  Next week, NEW VIDEO will be shown...remember, Fitness is Fun with your Kids!!

Thanks as always for reading and your continued support!  Feel free to share my blog with your friends and leave me any comments and questions you may have.  Have a beautiful, fitness filled day and week!

As Always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)