Work It Out

Lift and Lose

2008-12-19T18:40:19Z

Our fitness expert on the virtues of strength training.

By Kevin Valluzzi

A few days ago I saw that a friend of mine went to Planet Fitness in New Hampshire. Not surprisingly, he said there were 37 people in the "cardio" section and three people in the strength training area. Now this is not something that only happens in New Hampshire, it happens all over America.

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So what is the best thing for you to do to lose weight and change your body? I'm sure you can guess by now that the answer to that is strength training. Changing your body really comes down to getting rid of fat and replacing it with muscle. You WILL NOT get that by only doing cardio. In order to stimulate your muscles, you need to train them with resistance. And on top of that, to get the results you really want, you need to exert yourself more and more with each workout.

What makes strength training the best choice overall is that you can also turn it into a cardiovascular workout by doing a circuit style program. Which means you would do anywhere from 3 to 5 exercises in a row with no rest in between. Then you would rest briefly (30 secs.) and repeat the routine again. No matter how you slice it, you can't make a cardiovascular workout a strength training workout though.

So do yourself a favor and start doing some strength training. And remember, if you only have time to do one thing, get the best of both worlds and start doing some circuit training.

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness

Holiday Weight Gain

2008-12-12T23:15:33Z

On having your cake and eating it, too!

by Kevin Valluzzi

Yes, it's that time of year: holiday weight gain! I know some of you have already succumbed to the pressure at the office parties, get-togethers with friends, etc. And I bet some of you are even planning to try and trick your body by not eating for a full day before your party. Or by doing the opposite and eating before you go so you don't eat as much when you get there (Does that ever really work?).

]]> and not feeling deprived.

Of course the holidays are going to be a time of the year when you are eating more than normal. That's fine! You should enjoy it and maybe even try out some foods that you wouldn't normally eat. But my question is why do so many of you let the holidays throw off your eating plans? You don't stop paying the bills during the holidays, do you? You don't forget to go to work during the holidays, do you? My point is this: Don't let your nutritional habits change during the holiday season.

If you are applying what I have discussed in the past about healthy, sensible eating -- 5 to 6 meals a day, whole foods, limiting sugar consumption -- then you should continue that during the holidays. Will you splurge and have a little more sugar than normal? Probably. Will you have an extra piece of that yummy lasagna? Maybe. And if you do that's fine. You are not going to gain 5 pounds from that.
But I can tell you this much. If you follow my healthy, sensible eating guidelines this holiday season, chances are you won't gain any weight. And you can still have that piece of cake and eat it too!

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

Diet By Numbers

2008-11-14T19:30:19Z

Kevin breaks down the sad statistics.

By Kevin Valluzi

I recently came across this statistic; the average woman goes on 104 diets between the ages of 18 - 70, and stays on a diet for an average of five weeks. That is approximately 10 years of dieting. I want you to re-read that: approximately 10 years of dieting.

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Also, one overlooked side effect of this lifestyle is the psychological toll it takes on the dieter, whose mindset is one of constant deprivation ("I can't eat that because if I do I will blow my diet!"). She literally becomes a slave to whatever diet she's on. And once she goes off of the diet, she often times feels that she wasn't "strong" enough to stick with it. Or that she doesn't have enough willpower. And this often brings on feelings of depression, guilt and shame.

As I've said time and time again, if you are on a diet you need to get off of it now. Eat five to six small meals throughout your day, which amounts to eating approximately every 3 hours. This is a far more reasonable -- and effective -- weight-loss strategy that won't confuse your metabolism.

Are You Overtraining?

2008-11-10T15:47:07Z

Kevin shares the secret to any successful workout plan: rest.

By Kevin Valluzzi

Here is a topic that does not come up very often: overtraining. Most people today have a hard enough time fitting in workouts or feeling motivated enough to exercise. But what if you are just the opposite and you do have the time to workout? Or you are highly motivated? Can this be a bad thing?

]]> rest.

I know, I know -- that's the last thing you thought I was going to say, right? I once heard of a story about a bodybuilding coach who told 3 top bodybuilders to come fly out to his training center and he would "train" them for 5 days and guaranteed they would leave his facility in better shape, with better bodies and they would feel totally rejuvenated. Do you know what they did the first 3 days? Absolutely nothing! Hung out at the beach, went to the movies, etc. He knew that these bodybuilders were overtrained. Their bodies were desperately in need of some R and R.

When you workout you are literally tearing away at your muscle fibers. I know that sounds bad, but that is a good thing. But it is only good if you give your body a chance to repair these minute muscle tears. How do you do that? By resting. That's why I am a strong advocate of interval and circuit training followed by rest, where you can fully enjoy the benefits of all of your hard work.

Some warning signs of overtraining are getting sick frequently, not looking forward to your workouts, feeling burned out, etc.

With all of that said, I strongly recommend that you give yourself one entire week off from training for every 12 weeks that you workout. Not only will your body thank you, but you will mentally feel ten times stronger and be very excited to jump right back into your workouts once your week of rest is complete.

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness

Which Diet is the Best?

2008-10-24T20:07:12Z

By Kevin Valluzzi

This could quite possibly be the most asked question in the health/fitness/weight loss industry. And each of the "weight loss" companies will tell you why their diet is the best. Jenny Craig, South Beach, Atkins, LA Weight Loss, etc. I could go on and on!
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Not too long ago the queen of Jenny Craig, Valerie Bertinelli, was on Oprah and she opened up her kitchen for the world to see. Do you know what she basically showed everyone? Her freezer full of Jenny Craig boxed, packaged reduced calorie meals. Nothing fresh, just processed, contaminated, substituted food. But this gets back to the mentality of the world we live in: Everyone is looking for the quick fix. Health is not a concern, as long as we look good.

This brings me to my other point about diets. As I mentioned, most people will lose weight initially. But what happens when they reach a "plateau" on that reduced calorie diet? Well, then they are told to keep eating their packaged foods but just don't eat as much anymore. (Thus, reducing their calories again.) I can't tell you exactly when, but at some point, they will splurge and "go off" the diet. And guess where that splurge will go? That's right, straight to the hips, butt, legs, etc. Your body will store that food as fat fearing that you will go back "on" the diet again. And there begins the ugly rollercoaster ride!

So please don't go on another diet again. EVER! Learn more about what I call the anti-diet if you want to lose weight and keep it off

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

Staying Hydrated

2008-10-17T15:52:12Z

Kevin makes waves with his answer.

By Kevin Valluzi

Which one is better: water or energy drinks? I might stir up a little controversy here with my answer but I'm prepared for that because this might be something that you don't want to hear. I feel that, hands down, water is the best thing for you when you are working out. Before I explain, let me make one thing clear: I recommend water for the average, everyday workout. I am not talking about marathon training, ultra-endurance events, etc. ]]>
Of course you should be replenishing your body after your workout by continuing to drink water and then eating some more protein and carbohydrates.

Now I don't want you to be misled and think that the reason you are not losing any weight is because you are drinking an energy drink during your workout. I am not saying that. What I am saying is that drinking these drinks is not necessary and it will definitely not help you in your weight loss efforts. I feel for the average exerciser they are "blindly" just consuming these drinks because they think that they are getting more "energy" during their workout. I'm afraid that just is not the case. All they are getting is just a few extra unnecessary calories.

So stick with the water -- it's cheaper too!

The Dreaded Workout Plateau

2008-10-08T18:59:10Z

Pull yourself out of a workout rut.

By Kevin Valluzzi

When was your last plateau? I know you've been stuck in a workout rut at some point or another. The weight starts coming off and then BAM: You just seem to stay at the same weight. No more progress. Why does that happen?

]]> You're probably not pushing yourself hard enough. How many women go through the same workout week after week without seeing significant changes? The amount of weight lifted remains the same, the amount of repetitions done remains the same, the rest period remains the same, etc. Look at it from your body's viewpoint: There is no reason to burn any more calories if the workout was the same as last time. Your body says, "Oh yeah, we did this same exact thing last time. We don't need to exert ourselves any more than we did before." So how can you make the strength training workouts harder to avoid this plateau? Here are a few ideas: Do one more repetition each time, make the weights heavier and do the same amount of reps as last time, decrease the amount of time between sets (your rest period), etc.

This also applies to your cardio. If you do the same run on the treadmill (or any kind of cardio) over and over you will ultimately reach a plateau, no matter what speed you're at. The key word here is the same. Now if you were to constantly make the workout harder each time you did the treadmill then the sky is the limit. How can you make it harder? Increase the speed every few minutes for a great interval workout. Or keep the speed the same and put the treadmill on an incline every so often.

There is a popular slogan in the fitness industry called "shocking your body." Most so-called "experts" will tell you that you have to change your workouts every time in order to get results. I think that's nonsense. In fact, that can almost be counterproductive. The only true way to "shock your body" is by doing any one of the things I mentioned above. And if you do you will never have to say the word plateau again!

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

Full Body Workout or Split Routine?

2008-10-03T20:19:11Z

Kevin answers the perennial fitness question.

By Kevin Valluzzi

Q:Hi, I've recently started to work out. What I'm really trying to do is work the lower half of my body (i.e., stomach, hips, thighs, and the booty). What are some exercises you can recommend? And is it a good idea to target a different section every time you work out? I have a gym membership and try to go 3-5 days a week. I am 5'3 with a heavier build, and am trying to slim down. What are your suggestions? - Krystal

]]> A: Hi Krystal, thanks for a great question. Lots of women want to know the merits of doing a full-body routine or one that splits the body parts into different workouts (i.e., back and biceps one day, shoulders and legs the next day, etc.). The simple and best answer is go for the full-body routine. If the goal is fat loss and improved physical fitness, you'll get much more out of targeting every muscle in your body with every workout.
I recommend that you don't do exercises that just specifically target one muscle. In other words, don't do leg extensions that only target the front of the legs. Try doing squats and lunges which will target the entire leg. You will also get much more of a calorie-burn effect when you do those types of exercises. Some other exercises to consider for a full body routine are step-ups, chest presses, rows, push-ups, dead lifts etc. Also notice that most of these exercises are not done on machines. You are using dumbbells or your own bodyweight. Thus, you are moving your full body through the entire movement. You can't get that from sitting down on a machine.
Combine the above recommendations with some Interval training for your cardio, and it will only be a matter of weeks before you start to notice some changes!
Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

Cardio, But No Weight Loss?

2008-09-26T21:36:32Z

Kevin shares secrets to losing weight. (Hint: It happens in the kitchen, not the gym.)

By Kevin Valluzzi

Q:I'm pre diabetic, so I work out by jogging at least one mile or by walking two or more a day. I do about 200 or more sit ups a day. Do you have any advice for what else I can do because I'm not losing weight. - Victoria

]]> A:Hi Victoria and thank you for your question. You have a very similar situation that I come across a lot in this business. First off, congratulations on taking the initial steps to lose weight. That's more than half the battle. The other half is what to do during your workouts to lose weight. But before we address that, let's talk about one very important factor--nutrition! There is a very well known saying in my industry and that is, Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym! So before you bang your head on the wall about not being able to lose weight, make sure your eating is clean. What I mean by that is make sure you are eating five to six meals a day, every 3 to 3.5 hours. Make sure you are sticking to real foods found mostly on the perimeter of your grocery store (fruits, veggies, meats, eggs, etc.) and limit your sugar intake and processed foods.
Now as far as exercising goes I would strongly (excuse the pun) suggest you start strength training. Do a complete, total body circuit training routine three days a week. This will increase your lean muscle mass and at the same time have you burning more calories throughout the entire day. As for your cardio, be sure to stop doing slow cardio just for the sake of doing it. Try doing intervals. This will have another huge impact on your calorie burning.
So Victoria, the key to successful weight loss is not only the proper workouts, but what and when you are eating as well. I hope this helps.

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

Dumbbells

2008-09-19T19:17:30Z

With home gym equipment, Kevin says it's all about thinking small.

By Kevin Valluzi

Q:What is the single best piece of home gym equipment that can work out major body parts and is compact enough for small spaces? - Michele

A:Hi Michele. Glad to hear that you are looking into doing some strength training. The best piece of equipment, hands down, is dumbbells. Dumbbells, more than any "machine," will give you a great total body workout.
]]> PowerBlock. This is one set of dumbbells with an interlocking pin that lets you change the weight from as little as three pounds to as much as 24 pounds, in three-pound increments. They are very sleek and comfortable and I highly recommend them

Using dumbbells in your workout program will ensure that you're using your supporting muscles and not just the targeted muscle. It's also much better for you to use dumbbells and do as many exercises as you can standing up. This will again ensure that you are using your whole body and also will get your heart pumping faster which in turn leads to a better overall total calorie burn. Not only during your workout, but long after your workout is over as well.

So there's your answer Michele. A simple pair of dumbbells is your best bet. Good luck with your training!

Tips for the Top Heavy

2008-09-12T20:09:02Z

By Kevin Valluzi

Q:I recently lost a lot of weight but most of it was in my lower half. I'm pretty top-heavy (i.e., stomach, back and shoulders), even though I work out every day. I'd like to know which machines I should use to reduce stomach and back fat. I usually do 45 minutes on the elliptical machine. -- Aida

]]> A:Hi Aida, and thanks for your question.

First, let me congratulate you on losing weight. That's great!

As for workout machines, I don't recommend them. You will get much more out of your workout by using your own bodyweight (squats, lunges, step ups, push-ups, pull-ups, planks, etc.) and using free weights as well (dumbbells). I would also recommend that you do your full body workouts three days a week and use the elliptical twice a week.

As for your strength training workouts, make sure to do full body routines and do your workouts in a circuit-style fashion. This means doing anywhere from three to four exercises in a row without any rest. Then after the third or fourth exercise, take a short rest, and then do it again. As for your elliptical workouts, be sure to do interval-style workouts. You can go back to the previous posts in the archives to read more about interval training.

I hope this helps Aida. And I wish you continued success with your weight-loss goal.

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

The Best Fitness Program for You

2008-09-05T15:30:12Z

Our fitness blogger stresses the importance of consistency.

By Kevin Valluzzi

"What's the best way to get into shape?"

I get asked this question all the time. The honest truth is that there is no one, single workout that is head and shoulders above the rest. There are certain components of a workout program that will give you better results (i.e., bodyweight exercises, free weight exercises, intervals, etc.). But there is only one component of a workout program that will guarantee results: consistency.

]]> that this program is not working for me. But the unfortunate reality is that no matter what else is going on in your life, you're still responsible for your weight and health.

So in order to get the best results possible, if you haven't done so already, start incorporating some strength training and interval training into your daily schedule and you'll be amazed at what you will achieve. But remember one very important thing: You must be consistent to see results.

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

The Skinny on Gym Buddies

2008-08-28T21:10:12Z

The pros and cons of working out with friends.

By Kevin Velluzi

There are significant pluses and minuses to partnering up at the gym: Let me explain.

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This brings me to the other possibility. Sometimes, an exercise partner can be a terrible idea. Maybe she's a little slower with cardio training and ends up setting a slower pace that isn't challenging enough. Or she may just be inconsistent and flaky, which can also be enough of a gym deterrent.

My advice to those looking for a gym pal is to find someone who's at a similar fitness level, highly motivated and committed to reaching similar goals.

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

Go for Gold

2008-08-22T15:49:04Z

What do the Olympics have to do with weight loss?

By Kevin Valluzzi

What a great time of the year -- I love the Olympics! Those of you who've been following the games might have noticed that some of the athletes have pretty decent physiques, right? Actually, most of them have incredible physiques (especially the gymnasts and swimmers).

]]> I often think that for these athletes, their bodies are a testament to the dedication they have for their chosen sport. The shape they're in and the way they look is a result of the countless hours they have dedicated to mastering their chosen sport. The key word here is dedication. I'm sure all of these athletes stopped at nothing to make sure they were at the top of their game: They had a goal and they did everything within reason to reach that goal.

How does this relate to weight loss? It's simple: How bad do you want to lose weight? How bad do you want to fit into your skinny jeans? How important is it to you to be strong and healthy? If you want it bad enough, you'll do whatever it takes.

Were there days these athletes didn't want to get out of bed and head to the gym or the pool? Of course. But they were determined to reach their goal and nothing was going to stop them. Will there be days you don't want to work out? Of course. But if you want it bad enough, you'll do what it takes.

If you have been reading my blog posts for the last few months, you are more than equipped with the right information to lose weight and change your body.

The only question now is How bad do you want it?

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.

Weight Lifting Without Weights

2008-08-15T18:30:21Z

When weight lifting becomes strength training you can workout anywhere you like!

By Kevin Valluzzi

You can have a fabulous weight lifting workout without ever lifting a thing! For starters, let's use the proper term, which is strength training, not weight lifting...and let me explain.

]]> Most of you feel that when starting a strength training program the only way to do that is to actually lift weights, whether that's with machines or free weights (check out why I highly recommend using free weights).

But what if I told you that you can get just as good of a workout, or maybe even a better one, by using your own bodyweight? The fitness industry, in general, is always coming out with new, "crazy," exercise gadgets, machines, etc. But let me ask you a question, when did bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges, push-ups, chin-ups, etc. ever stop giving people results? The answer is that they never did. People just want to do the "newest" thing because it's just that, new. But the fact is that these new gadgets will do little to get you the results you're looking for.

The truth is that most women would be more than challenged with the above-mentioned exercises without ever adding in weights. And not until you can master the exercise without weights, should you even think of adding weight to it. And here's a great bonus, when you travel for vacation or business, and don't have access to a gym--you can still get in a great strength-training workout.

To make this a little easier on you, I'm giving you access to my Travel Workout Program that is one of the bonuses that comes with my Busy Woman Fitness e-book.

So get started today with your new bodyweight exercise program. Remember, no equipment or weights necessary!

Kevin Valluzzi is a fitness professional and is the author of the highly successful e-book, Busy Woman Fitness.