Here is a great one written by Personal Trainer Eric Turner. You can find more of his blog post on his web side called The Hot Bod Squad.
If you’re like every other fitness enthusiast, you view the abdominal muscles as the pinnacle of a hot body. Many can have a chiseled chest, python biceps, a wide back, and/or tree trunk thighs, but unless they’re accompanied with washboard abs, many gym rats understand that you’re not ‘dialed in’ with your physique.
Don’t get overwhelmed by the spare tire around your midsection. The world of excuses tells you that 1) unless you’re born with proper genetics, you’ll never have a great six-pack; 2) the older you get, the more fat you’ll store around your midsection so there’s no point trying; and 3) you can be fit while still having spare fat around your tummy. Though genetics does play a part, and the older you get the more fat you store around your organs (which shows by your lack of toned abdominal muscles) excuses are just that! So stop making excuses, and follow these ten tips to speed your way to a six pack!
1. Suck in your gut more often. It might sound crazy, but that little trick you do to impress others does some slight strengthening of your stomach muscles. This doesn’t mean you have to hold them in a hard clench all day (which is likely to cause indigestion), but the more you do this, the more habit-forming tightening your abdominal muscles will become.
2. Begin, if you haven’t, a regular program of aerobic exercise. There are many forms of aerobic exercises: aerobics classes, running, brisk walking, swimming, bicycling, or using equipment like the stationary bicycle, elliptical machine, rowing machine, and stair climber. When you get bored, vary the type of aerobic exercise you’re doing. Remember, you don’t want your body to plateau by getting so used to something that you’re doing that it stops responding to it.
3. Don’t forget to stretch your abs. Lie on the floor, before and after your crunches, stretch your toes and your arms above your head. Arch your back slightly if you can’t feel the ab muscles when you stretch them.
4. Know that unlike other muscles, the abdominals can be worked every day. They don’t need the resting phase that other muscles do. Many personal trainers, however, recommend that you take at least a day off every week or two.
5. Build strength training into your routine, especially chest exercises. Having larger pectorals and arms creates the illusion that your waist is smaller. But there’s an even better reason: muscle burns more calories than fat. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll be burning, which will help you achieve your goal of a chiseled stomach.
6. To juice up your abs and get stronger, do back exercises. That’s right. Your lower back muscles help support your abdominal area, and the stronger your back is, the more crunches you can do. Practice better posture. Pull your shoulders back. You help your stomach look smaller, and it’s better for your back.
7. To reward yourself for hard work, give yourself a break in some other aspect of your life. Take a vacation. Do something fun and rewarding. When you have high stress levels, you will pack on more fat. You’ll never get abs as long as you’re storing extra fat!
8. Don’t get discouraged if not much happens the first week of your new ab-training routine. You might lose some water weight, but you probably won’t look different. It takes at least three weeks for a pattern to be established, say psychologists, and it takes time to build muscle and lose fat- especially when targeting such a specific area of your body.
9. View your efforts as setting a lifetime routine, rather than just being a short time to get your abs lean. That’s the fad-diet mentality. Do you want to end up back at the point where you are now 6 months down the road? Also, you’re human. Give yourself a break if you lapse into previous habits and slide back a little. As long as your progress overall continues to go forward, you’ll see success. Throw away all of your “fat pants.” Saying you will need them again is just setting yourself up for failure.
10. Control what you eat! The biggest hurdle to getting a great set of abs is what foods you’re putting into your body. Control what you put into your body, and you control how it looks. Eat fatty, sugary foods, and you’ll look just that. Eat a balanced diet, and control your calorie intake and you’ll see results almost immediately!
For more great fitness tips from Eric Turner check out his blog at www.thehotbodsquad.com.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Workout Switch Up! (Always about the Nekkid)
Here is two great workouts that you can us on their own as part of the rest of your training or together for a really solid day at the gym. One of them you do not even have to set foot in a gym all you really need is a skipping rope and you can get those everywhere. Both workouts are Crossfit style workout and the Workout of the Days from the past week or so.
Workout 1 (From February 21, 2011 WOD CrossFit Calgary)
12 Alternating Pistols (or single leg alternating squats)
12 Sit-ups (full sit ups)
36 Double Unders (or skip for 5 min) as i cannot really do double unders that well so I just did 5 minutes of skipping.
Do this 3 - 5 times through and you will get a good sweet on. You can take you skipping rope to the park on a nice do and do this one or just find some small space almost anywhere and do this workout. Great for traveling to.
Workout 2 (From February 14, 2011 WOD at CrossFit)
Five rounds of:
5 Dumbbell deadlifts
5 Dumbbell hang cleans
5 Dumbbell push presses
5 Dumbbell squats
Each time you do this one add some more weight. For most people the highest weight will be determined by your push presses. You should feel the work on all the rounds but the last two (especially in the push press) should be almost to hard to complete all 5 reps.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. I did it yesterday and I am felling it today!! It was AWESOME!
Workout 1 (From February 21, 2011 WOD CrossFit Calgary)
12 Alternating Pistols (or single leg alternating squats)
12 Sit-ups (full sit ups)
36 Double Unders (or skip for 5 min) as i cannot really do double unders that well so I just did 5 minutes of skipping.
Do this 3 - 5 times through and you will get a good sweet on. You can take you skipping rope to the park on a nice do and do this one or just find some small space almost anywhere and do this workout. Great for traveling to.
Workout 2 (From February 14, 2011 WOD at CrossFit)
Five rounds of:
5 Dumbbell deadlifts
5 Dumbbell hang cleans
5 Dumbbell push presses
5 Dumbbell squats
Each time you do this one add some more weight. For most people the highest weight will be determined by your push presses. You should feel the work on all the rounds but the last two (especially in the push press) should be almost to hard to complete all 5 reps.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. I did it yesterday and I am felling it today!! It was AWESOME!
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Julie & Julia Project Again! Boeuf Bourguignon
OK so I made the BEST stew I have ever made or had in my entire life the other day. I decided to have some people over for dinner for a special occasion. I was going to go all out. I have wanted to try this recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking ever since I the movie Julie & Julia. Boeuf Bourguignon! AMAZING! Of course as I was I cooking I watched the movie Julie & Julia all afternoon. I served the stew with boiled potatoes, and my guests brought salad, appetisers, and some veggies and dip. 8 people over and double the recipe for the stew to serve 12 people and there was only a tiny bit left. It went like crazy!
Want to have a special night in with your loved one or some close friends do this recipe and people will love it. Pairs so nice with a lovely red wines as there is red wine in it. Make this and let me know how it goes! It will make for a GREAT night I promise.
Below is the recipe it is amazing everyone should try it and everyone should have a copy of Julia Child's cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. So get one if you do not have it and enjoy many more great recipes and food.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.
Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.
Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers
very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.
When the melt is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.
Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.
For immediate serving: Covet the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.
For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.
Want to have a special night in with your loved one or some close friends do this recipe and people will love it. Pairs so nice with a lovely red wines as there is red wine in it. Make this and let me know how it goes! It will make for a GREAT night I promise.
Below is the recipe it is amazing everyone should try it and everyone should have a copy of Julia Child's cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. So get one if you do not have it and enjoy many more great recipes and food.
Servings: Serves 6
Ingredients
Kitchen Supplies:
- 9- to 10-inch, fireproof casserole dish , 3 inches deep
- Slotted spoon
Boeuf Bourguignon:
- 6 ounces bacon
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil
- 3 pounds lean stewing beef , cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 sliced carrot
- 1 sliced onion
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti or Bourdeax
- 2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 cloves mashed garlic
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- Crumbled bay leaf
- Blanched bacon rind
- 18 to 24 small white onions , brown-braised in stock
- 1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms , sautéed in butter
- Parsley sprigs
Directions
Remove rind from bacon, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.
Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.
Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers
very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.
When the melt is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.
Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.
For immediate serving: Covet the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.
For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.
Monday, 14 February 2011
LOVE: the Secret to being Healthy!
Valentine’s Day is TODAY, and love is definitely in the air. When we think about love, it’s usually in the context of our boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands or wives. But what does love have to do with a healthy lifestyle? In my opinion, a lot.
If you add the secret ingredient of love into your relationship with your body, mind and soul, it changes everything. If you love your body, you’re much less likely to make decisions that are destructive. Loving your body means making decisions that honor it. Suddenly, McDonald’s seems like a less tempting choice. Healthier foods are more appealing. And as our bodies also crave movement, going to the gym can be an expression of love.
Most of us have a hard time loving our bodies. We don’t always like what we see when we look in the mirror. But I think it’s okay to start small:
1.Start by loving your body for the functions it performs. Loving your body for how it looks may be a big leap, so start by loving your body for what it does. It’s the vessel through which you’re able to experience this world, and it tirelessly breathes, moves and functions so that you can experience it all. Surely, you can love your body for that. Express gratitude for all that your body does.
2.Use kind, uplifting and loving words to describe your body. Catch yourself when you say,”Oh, that’s a terrible picture of me.” Or, “I feel so fat and ugly today.” These words are powerful, and they are charged with a great deal of energy.
3.Dedicate time or gifts to yourself. These gifts need not be grand or expensive, and instead can be quite simple and small. Like sipping on a cold glass of ice water, and dedicating the experience your body. Or taking a walk. Or my favorite, a candle-lit bath.
You can approach a healthy lifestyle one of two ways. You can make changes in your life from a place of discontent and frustration (which is what most people do). This approach comes from a place of weakness. Or, you can make changes in your life that are driven from love. This approach comes from a place of power.
It’s up to you. But it seems to me, a little love can go a long way.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
If you add the secret ingredient of love into your relationship with your body, mind and soul, it changes everything. If you love your body, you’re much less likely to make decisions that are destructive. Loving your body means making decisions that honor it. Suddenly, McDonald’s seems like a less tempting choice. Healthier foods are more appealing. And as our bodies also crave movement, going to the gym can be an expression of love.
Most of us have a hard time loving our bodies. We don’t always like what we see when we look in the mirror. But I think it’s okay to start small:
1.Start by loving your body for the functions it performs. Loving your body for how it looks may be a big leap, so start by loving your body for what it does. It’s the vessel through which you’re able to experience this world, and it tirelessly breathes, moves and functions so that you can experience it all. Surely, you can love your body for that. Express gratitude for all that your body does.
2.Use kind, uplifting and loving words to describe your body. Catch yourself when you say,”Oh, that’s a terrible picture of me.” Or, “I feel so fat and ugly today.” These words are powerful, and they are charged with a great deal of energy.
3.Dedicate time or gifts to yourself. These gifts need not be grand or expensive, and instead can be quite simple and small. Like sipping on a cold glass of ice water, and dedicating the experience your body. Or taking a walk. Or my favorite, a candle-lit bath.
You can approach a healthy lifestyle one of two ways. You can make changes in your life from a place of discontent and frustration (which is what most people do). This approach comes from a place of weakness. Or, you can make changes in your life that are driven from love. This approach comes from a place of power.
It’s up to you. But it seems to me, a little love can go a long way.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Our Tablet Life!
Big trend in Technology is the Tablet for this year. It was started with the iPad last year and the bar has been set very high. I feel this trend will sick around and make its way right into the standard for small portable computer alternatives. The netbooks never really caught on but the tablet will and has.
It has been a race for the tablet war since Apple launched their iPad. Here is what I think will be the top 4 tablets in the coming year. 3 of them are yet to hit the market but the specifications and first look reviews have been very promising (looks good on paper). The last one has been SOLID for the last year and is already rumored to have an upgrade coming in the near future.
In no specific order:
1. BlackBerry PlayBook - The smallest tablet of this list sporting a 7 inch display. On paper this is a very powerful and very capable device. It will also sport duel core (simple saying twice a fast), and have front and rear facing cameras. The PlayBooks is also HD ready in both camera and video. If you are already a BlackBerry user (like I am) the PlayBook will ship with an app called BlackBerry bridge. This bridges all your smart phone functions (BBM, e mail, calendar, contacts and files) to the PlayBook. You use any of those app on either device and the other will automatically update and change. Pricing has been rumored to be $499.99 for the 16 GB but will also be in a 32, and 64 GB memory size. Office Depot, Sprint, and Staples have confirmed they will be selling the PlayBook when launched.
2. Motorola Xoom Tablet - Another very powerful (again on paper) tablet that has had some very great review by some big names. CNET named it their pick for tech at the Consumer Electrics Show in Vegas. the Xoom will be running Android's optimized (for tablet) OS called Honeycomb. Those who are used to Android phone OS will be very familiar with Honeycomb and its operations. Honeycomb is still very user friendly and has more customization then all the other tablets listed. If you are brand new to tablet and mobile computer Xoom will have the largest learning curve for you. The Xoom will have 32 GB storage and will have an expandable for up to 32 GB SD card. The Xoom tablet will be sold at Best Buy (among other places) and will be at a $799 price tag. UPDATE* Will be available at COSTCO starting February 24th.
3. Toshiba tablet - As Toshiba is know for in some of their product lines to be tough and rugged. Sturdy and rugged are the name of the game for this tablet. The back as a special grip so it is easier to hold with glove or dirty hand on a constructions site. Or if you are just clumsy this is a good one for you. It is the biggest tablet of this list size wise. Toshiba tablet is slated to hit the market for later winter or early spring and is said to be competitive with iPad pricing.
4. Apple iPad - this one is the only tablet that is currently on the market out of these picks and it is AMAZING. It works very well. It has proven that mobile computing can work and is working. If you are used to how and iPhone or iPod touch works the iPad is the same UI but does do bigger scale things. It also have all the familiarly Apple and Mac apps that is for file sharing and editing on the go called MobleMe. This is a proven product so if you want something that is great right now the iPad is the way to go. It is so ahead of the game there will be a second generation iPad out near the same time many of these other tablets are introduced to the market. Something the iPad does not have but all other tablets listed here have it front AND rear facing cameras. The current iPad has no cameras but Generations 2 is rumored to have both front and rear camera upgrade. You can get the iPad in 16, 32, and 64 GB sizes either WiFi or WiFi and 3G connectivity at Apple or many tech store like Best Buy and Future Shop. Price start $549 and go to $879. It does appear that the iPad has the easiest UI and thus the smallest learning curve of all four devices that i have listed.
All four other these tablets should be great. We have seen the iPad in action for almost a year now and it was amazing! I would totally get my own PlayBook, Xoom, or iPad, one day I will have all three!
It has been a race for the tablet war since Apple launched their iPad. Here is what I think will be the top 4 tablets in the coming year. 3 of them are yet to hit the market but the specifications and first look reviews have been very promising (looks good on paper). The last one has been SOLID for the last year and is already rumored to have an upgrade coming in the near future.
In no specific order:
1. BlackBerry PlayBook - The smallest tablet of this list sporting a 7 inch display. On paper this is a very powerful and very capable device. It will also sport duel core (simple saying twice a fast), and have front and rear facing cameras. The PlayBooks is also HD ready in both camera and video. If you are already a BlackBerry user (like I am) the PlayBook will ship with an app called BlackBerry bridge. This bridges all your smart phone functions (BBM, e mail, calendar, contacts and files) to the PlayBook. You use any of those app on either device and the other will automatically update and change. Pricing has been rumored to be $499.99 for the 16 GB but will also be in a 32, and 64 GB memory size. Office Depot, Sprint, and Staples have confirmed they will be selling the PlayBook when launched.
2. Motorola Xoom Tablet - Another very powerful (again on paper) tablet that has had some very great review by some big names. CNET named it their pick for tech at the Consumer Electrics Show in Vegas. the Xoom will be running Android's optimized (for tablet) OS called Honeycomb. Those who are used to Android phone OS will be very familiar with Honeycomb and its operations. Honeycomb is still very user friendly and has more customization then all the other tablets listed. If you are brand new to tablet and mobile computer Xoom will have the largest learning curve for you. The Xoom will have 32 GB storage and will have an expandable for up to 32 GB SD card. The Xoom tablet will be sold at Best Buy (among other places) and will be at a $799 price tag. UPDATE* Will be available at COSTCO starting February 24th.
3. Toshiba tablet - As Toshiba is know for in some of their product lines to be tough and rugged. Sturdy and rugged are the name of the game for this tablet. The back as a special grip so it is easier to hold with glove or dirty hand on a constructions site. Or if you are just clumsy this is a good one for you. It is the biggest tablet of this list size wise. Toshiba tablet is slated to hit the market for later winter or early spring and is said to be competitive with iPad pricing.
4. Apple iPad - this one is the only tablet that is currently on the market out of these picks and it is AMAZING. It works very well. It has proven that mobile computing can work and is working. If you are used to how and iPhone or iPod touch works the iPad is the same UI but does do bigger scale things. It also have all the familiarly Apple and Mac apps that is for file sharing and editing on the go called MobleMe. This is a proven product so if you want something that is great right now the iPad is the way to go. It is so ahead of the game there will be a second generation iPad out near the same time many of these other tablets are introduced to the market. Something the iPad does not have but all other tablets listed here have it front AND rear facing cameras. The current iPad has no cameras but Generations 2 is rumored to have both front and rear camera upgrade. You can get the iPad in 16, 32, and 64 GB sizes either WiFi or WiFi and 3G connectivity at Apple or many tech store like Best Buy and Future Shop. Price start $549 and go to $879. It does appear that the iPad has the easiest UI and thus the smallest learning curve of all four devices that i have listed.
All four other these tablets should be great. We have seen the iPad in action for almost a year now and it was amazing! I would totally get my own PlayBook, Xoom, or iPad, one day I will have all three!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)