For Strong Shoulders and Back, Give it a Shrug

Small movements can generate big results–especially in the gym where it is important to recognize that in order to see gains on any body part, you’ll have to do multiple exercises.

Each move impacts a different area of that body part, different sets of muscles–all ultimately work together for strength, coordination and endurance.

The shoulder shrug is a move I don’t see too many people doing, unfortunately. Why? Maybe because it’s a small movement that seemingly doesn’t require much effort nor produce significant results.

Wrong on both counts!

Done properly and regularly, the shoulder shrug anchors your effort to build a strong overall back. Not necessarily a big, muscular back but one that offers you a solid foundation for everything from walking and running to simply sitting at your desk without pain or doing damage to your body.

They’re typically done with dumbbells, which allow for the hands to hang at your side.

The move is simple: raise your shoulders towards your ears simultaneously, hold it for a beat, then lower.

Don;t try for maximum weight here. I prefer more reps on this move with a weight that is about 75% of my max.

Do five sets of 10 reps, perhaps adding weight on the third and fifth sets.

Beyond the straight move, add variation by bringing the shoulders from back to front for 10 reps, then front to back.

That helps work the full range of shoulder muscles, adding balance and even flexibility.

Challenge yourself!

Monday is Not Too Early to Plan for Friday Dinner with Friends.

TGIM! Yeah, Monday. But before you know it, it’ll be Friday. And chances are you’ll go out  with friends or co-workers. Amen. After the week you’ll have, you deserve it!

To kickoff your weekend, you and your friends decide to start out the night with dinner at a popular restaurant. This is where a little planning can go a long way towards helping you stay on your healthy regimen.

Don’t pass on dinner because you are worried about putting a dent in your routine. Simply get a game plan together and stick to it. By making a few decisions ahead of time, you can have a tasty meal of your choice and enjoy your evening.

First – Because you have been eating properly all week, rest assured that this one meal out will not undo all of your good choices. It is very easy to go to a restaurant and observe good nutrition principles.

Second- So how to do that? Look at the menu ahead of time. It’s the digital age, so that’s easy. Almost every restaurant posts its menu online. Read through the choices and–while you’re not hungry, or a bit tipsy from a couple of pre-meal cocktails–narrow down what you think you may want. Your clarity will at least plant a few healthier options in your mind.

Third- Pick one “poison”: cocktails or dessert. Both contribute empty calories to your diet (unless of course you order fruit for dessert). While a frozen margarita may be on your favorites list, so might the chocolate layer cake. By choosing just one of these, you can help to minimize excess sugar and calorie consumption. (Also, consider sharing- if the cocktails and desserts are large, you can always split with a friend.)

Fourth- Choose foods prepared in healthy ways. Anything that is baked, grilled, broiled or steamed tends to be lighter in calories and fat than anything deep fat fried or covered in breading and cheese. And don’t be afraid to make substitutions. I am a huge fan of buffalo sauce on chicken, so to save calories I usually ask if the chef can grill my chicken rather than fry it.

Fifth- Remember side dishes. A plain baked potato will have fewer calories than creamy, buttery mashed potatoes or fries. If your meal is a sandwich, sub out the side of starch for extra vegetables or a salad with light dressing on the side.

Sixth- Follow portion control. Unfortunately, many restaurant meals can be quite large in size. Don’t feel compelled to clean the plate. Bring home leftovers or split the meal with a friend. You can also order two healthy appetizers in place of an appetizer and an entrée.

Seventh- Condiments count! This includes: sour cream on the potato, blue cheese dressing for the buffalo chicken wings, and ranch dressing on your salad. Always ask for light dressings and keep them on the side. If something comes with a creamy sauce, use it very sparingly if at all. Remember, ketchup and mustard are lighter in calories than mayonnaise and other cream based sauces.

Finally, enjoy yourself. This is a time out with friends. Have fun and relax. Choose a light meal to compliment your wonderful evening and you can’t go wrong. To make life even easier, many restaurants are even creating “lighter” dishes for patrons. Ordering something from this menu may also help to put your mind at ease. Make smart choices and you will be fine!

Until next time,

Sammi (@flwsammi)

How to Shop ‘Til You Drop (a Few Pounds)!

This post was written by one of my loyal (and fitness obsessed!) blog followers:

It would take Halle Berry to get most guys to the mall before Christmas Eve.  More women, too, are resorting on shopping on-line rather than waiting in line.

Well, although Black Friday is now in our rear-view mirror, there is plenty of holiday shopping still left to do! There are gifts to be bought,  halls to be decked, mistletoe to be hung (and used) and egg nog to be made (and chugged).

So for the rest of us–those for whom shopping is like oxygen, especially around the holidays–here are a few tips that might help you drop some pounds while you shop ’til you drop.

1. Before you leave the house, pack a small healthy snack.  Carrot sticks are a great choice. It might save you from the food court at the mall, where the smells alone can add inches to your waistline.

2. Pay no attention to the wonderful gourmet chocolates at the check-out counter at the high-end stores. I always tell myself I’m buying them as a stocking stuffer for a friend. Truth is, they never even makes to the car. If you start breathing hard, refer to tip 10 and pop a carrot stick instead.

3. Park as far away from the store as you can. The extra walking is good for you.

4. Embrace those heavy bags you are carrying! They are not only full of the goodies you’ve purchased, but they can also help you work on your arm strength. Try alternate curls as you stroll from store to store.

5. Use the stairs! I was shopping at one of the major malls in downtown Chicago yesterday and noticed the stairway next to the huge escalator. Most people were riding up. I took the stairs. Do it especially when only going up  one or two floors. It’s like doing the stair-climber with weights!

6. Take a sip from every water fountain you encounter. Water is always good for you, and it’ll help you stay hydrated while you’re hauling all those weights, er, bags.

7. In the dressing room, try to get into that dress or pair of jeans in the size you aspire to be. Nothing like a reality check to keep you motivated.

Follow my plan and so you’ll fit into that dress or jeans in time for the New Year’s Eve party!

Fa la la la la… la la la la!

Cure the Post-Turkey Blahs–Starting Today!

“I can’t believe I ate the whole thing…”

Remember that commercial? It showed someone sitting on the edge of their bed in the morning, lamenting the food orgy they indulged in the night before. It was fun then, but today, oh boy…

Welcome to the day after Thanksgiving, the day when we wake up still feeling as if we had just pushed back from the table or lifted ourselves off the couch after hours of eating and drinking and eating again.

And now, we can’t believe…

That original commercial was promoting Alka-Seltzer to relieve the feeling that an entire turkey was still wrestling with the sweet potato pie somewhere in your large intestines.

My remedy? Water and walking. If you don’t workout regularly, today is a great day to start!

Counterintuitive, I know. But that’s the point. Shake up your body (and your life) by doing something it doesn’t expect you to do.

And what better day to start?!

Nothing major. Just commit to drinking a glass of water every three hours and this afternoon take a long, brisk walk. You’ve not only feel revived but you’ll rid yourself of that wrestling match going on in your abdomen.

Then tomorrow, walk two minutes farther before turning around. Do that for five days, then start a job walk routine–all the while continuing to drink a glass of water every three hours (except when you’re sleep, of course!)

If you do workout regularly, you’ve probably already been to the gym. Or you’re on your way. Do not let this day go by without getting back into your routine.

Take a spin class. Lift weights. Play some rigorous one-on-one. Take a swim.

Yesterday was the holiday, not today!

Working out today, and promising yourself to continue through the holidays, is the best gift you can give yourself.

It’s also the best way to stave off the holiday blues, which starts to affect millions of people at this time every year.

Yesterday was a day of thanks. Today is the first day when you begin giving yourself something to be really thankful for–a fitter, healthier stronger you!

Challenge yourself!

 

Our Thanksgiving Tale

Thanksgiving is a quirky holiday. I love what it calls for us to do–give thanks. It’s a simple, wonderful action that we all too often forget to embrace.

But the day’s roots are, at best, shaky. As my 14-year-old daughter explained: “The pilgrims came over and took the land from the Indians, then invited them to dinner to celebrate and say, ‘Hey, thanks for letting us take your land. Now eat up!’”

Pretty much sums it up!

Now, when I was in school, Thanksgiving was romanticized to such an incredible degree that we often dressed up as pilgrims and Indians and put on plays celebrating those wonderful people from across the sea and the wonderful thing they did for us.

Well, I’m grateful that my kids know better.

And I’m grateful that we can now have a chuckle about it.

Find something to chuckle about today–and every day.

And be grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Build Ripped Abs and Strong Core with the Barbell Swing

Everyone wants a strong core. There are plenty of ways to build your own, and I’m sure you’re probably already doing a few of them: crunches, Russian twists, bicycles, leg lifts, planks, etc.

Here’s a new one to add to your repertoire: the barbell swing.

All you need is a barbell and a corner.

Tuck one end of the barbell into the corner on the floor, and lift the other one with both hands, holding it in front of you.

Keeping your arms straight, swing the bar to your right, twisting until reaches just above your waist. Then slowly swing the bar your left side.

Go back and forth for between 12-15 reps to start.

Do three sets.

This move not only works your core and obliques, but also your arms and shoulders. It’s a great all-body move.

Incorporate it into your ab regimen through the winter and thank me in the spring!

Challenge yourself!

Mike Chang’s Barbell Swing

Step Up for Real Strength, Core and Fat-Burning!

“Anybody can do a standing curl!”

That was just one of Rene’s exhortations this morning as she pushed us through our Tuesday all-body “hell” class, as I call it. At the time, we were doing left-hand dumbbell curls while stepping on and off the right side of an aerobic step, then diagonally to the back.

After doing the same thing on the other side, right-hand dumbbells this time–we did another move: holding one dumbbell (I had a 15-pounder) while standing with two feet on the right side of the step, then stepping down with the right foot and twisting the dumbbell down and to our right. We then stepped back up, lifting the dumbbell up and to the right in a diagonal.

And we repeated all those moves what seemed like a gazillion times.

Rene loves compound moves, which I’ve written before. They’re efficient and allow you to not only exercise more than one body part at a time, but also burn more calories.

Using a step while doing upper-body weight training is an ultimate fat-burner that offers you the chance to work your core, legs and butt while also building strength in your arms and shoulders.

Add a step to your regimen next time you have an upper-body day.

Even better, find a set of stairs and get a real fat-burning workout!

There’s an escalator right outside the front door of my gym. On days when I’m feeling particularly strong (or crazy), I grab a medicine ball and do ten “sets”–down the escalator and back to the top–holding the ball and either twisting it side-to-side or holding it over my head.

Stairs can be used to strengthen the calves and for push ups–another Rene fav! Try these tough moves from Self.com

Running stairs while using light weights can be a great workout on its own. Here, courtesy ofBobybuilding.com, are several ways to transform the steps at a stadium or in your office building into a no-cost gym!

I mean, anybody can walk the stars!

Challenge yourself!

Our 8-Step Stay-Fit Plan for Thanksgiving ’11

The following post was written by our Chief Dietitian Samantha Mark, RD, CDN

Whether your Thanksgiving is filled with family or football, there is always one constant: food!

The holiday is synonymous with turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, and, of course, pie. And let’s not forget the millions of other side dishes everyone brings. So what does all of this mean for your diet and all the hard work you’ve put in at the gym? Trouble! Those calories add up fast.

According to the American Council on Exercise, the average American consumes 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat in one Thanksgiving meal. Really puts a damper on having seconds, huh?

So how does one enjoy Thanksgiving and not regret it?

Here’s my official Fit! Live! Win! 8-Step Turkey-Day Stay-Fit Plan:

Step one: Plan ahead of time. Knowing Thanksgiving is just a few days away, avoid “cheat” foods, starting on Monday. Save your indulgences for Thursday.

Step two: Exercise! Again, starting on Monday, hit the gym as hard as you’re going to hit the calories on Thursday. While trying to burn off every single calorie isn’t the sole answer to your dilemma (hence, the 8-Step Plan!), staying extra active this week will help keep that metabolism moving!

Step three: Make or bring a healthy dish–something you know is light in calories and fat. Remix some of your favorite classics in healthier ways. Instead of mashed potatoes (usually made with butter and cream), try baked potatoes or incorporate the potato skin into the recipe for added fiber. Another tip: choose lighter milk and a butter substitute whenever possible. Not only is a healthy dish a nice gesture, but it allows you to have at least one dish you know is a little healthier than everything else on the table.

Step four: Okay, T Day has arrived. You’ve avoided “cheat” foods, amped up your exercise regimen and made a healthy dish. Now, fill your plate with a gut-friendly combination of foods. Make half of the plate vegetables (no, potatoes do not count)–non-starchy vegetables like cabbage, salad, green beans (no, not casserole), or any steamed vegetable. Eat these first to help you feel full. Don’t save them for the end. And limit your starch to ¼ of your plate. If you can’t decide on just starch to choose, take very, very small portions of your favorites.

Step five: Make smart turkey choices! While there is a new trend of deep-fat fried turkey, it is obviously healthier just to bake the bird in the oven. Avoid the skin and dark meat. And maybe most important: Go light on gravy. Better yet, avoid it entirely!

Step six: Watch your beverages to avoid “empty,” unsatisfying calories! Choose water, seltzer and unsweetened or diet beverages over non-diet soft drinks, hard liquor and juices.

Step seven: Thanksgiving is not a competition, so eat slowly! Sometimes we forget to put our fork down between bites. Enjoy the taste of your foods and don’t rush to get it all in. Eating slowly will help you ingest fewer calories.

Step eight: Now comes the tough one. Pick just one dessert! In my house there is usually an assortment of pies, cakes and cookies. Pick one dessert and stop there.

Thanksgiving only comes once a year. It is something many of us look forward to. Make the most of this special holiday by eating your favorite foods, but be smart about portions and food preparation methods. You can do it!

Until next time,

Sammi (@flwsammi)

Friday Focus: Leave Your Comfort Zone Behind!

My spin teacher overslept this morning. But she was still in my head. One of the phrases she screams repeatedly during class is “Get out of your comfort zone!” And while she wasn’t there today, her challenge followed me around the gym.

Get out of your comfort zone.

In the gym, that means pushing yourself beyond the pace your body might be used to. It might even be a rigorous pace–if you’re in pretty good shape already. Staying there doesn’t hurt; exercise is exercise. But it doesn’t help, either.

Staying in your comfort zone will not help you get in better shape. It won’t help you get stronger or leaner. And it won’t help you know more about yourself, or be more confident.

We need to get out of our comfort zones outside the gym, too. For the very same reasons.

Staying in your comfort zone in life is not necessarily a bad thing, if you are in a good place. If things are going well at work and at home. If you’re in great shape, and in great spirits.

But a) Who’s actually there?!

And b) why stop there?

Get out of your comfort zone.

Push through that place and discover new limits. How? Maybe take on some new, more challenging duties at work. Tackle new tasks at home. Offer to talk about things with your spouse or loved one that you been uncomfortable discussing before.

Take a few minutes today to think about your comfort zone. Understand it. Acknowledge it. Then take a few more minutes to see how you can break through it next week. How you can use it as a stepping stone to another level of opportunity. Or success.

Do it to learn more about yourself.

Do it to gain new confidence.

Do it to grow.

Challenge yourself!

 

A Strong Grip = Strong Performance!

Not every workout is done for show. That is, to look good–in our clothes and (ahem) out of them.

Some training is done for functionality, to build a foundation for the things we do every day.

One of the most used yet most overlooked muscle groups in our bodies are those comprising our hands and wrists.

Oh, we notice them when, say, we shake someone’s hands. Strong grip = good. Weak grip = yuk. Right or wrong, we’re often initially judged, in part, by the strength and conviction of our handshake.

Our grip.

A string grip also helps us in our everyday lives–whether we spend hours at a keyboard (guilty!), work construction, or anything in between.

And, of course, strong hands and wrists help us in sports. Any sport. We don’t always notice them. I mean you’re wrists and forearms don’t get “tired,” per se during a triathlon. But having strong forearms, wrists and hands can certainly help you during swimming and biking.

When training the muscles in our hands and wrists initiate just about everything we do. Think about it. Weight-resistence begins with how we grip the dumbbell or bar bell. Push-ups and pull-ups largely depend on the strength of our hands and wrists.Even spinning requires extended use of the handlebars.

And just about every sport requires strong hands and wrists–from tiddlywinks to tennis, foosball to football, billiards to basketball. And triathlons.

One of my favorite sites-the Art of Manlinessrecently ran a column on the value of a strong grip. Check it out here. It offers some unique training tips, including many you can do at your desk while at work.

Here are a few more.

One simple move: Squeeze and re-squeeze a rubber ball, one with some substance, but not hard as a rock, either.

You can also do wrist-loosening moves, such as simply flexing your wrist upward and down with your fingers straight. For those of us who live with our keyboards, do this move at least three or four times a day.

Challenge yourself!