I love seeing folks at boot camp but I know life gets busy and makes it hard to be consistent at times.  With that said I want to provide you with a quick workout you can do at home with minimum equipment.  It’s called the complete workout because it targets the whole body and uses the complete number seven.  This workout is designed to keep you consistent with your workouts even when you can’t make it to the gym.  My goal is to help you maintain the habit of working out.

The Complete Workout requires a set or two of heavy dumbbells (heavy for you) and a heavy kettle bell or two for the squats and one arm row. Get a weight that’s going to challenge you on a shoulder press at 7 reps, so make it as heavy as you can tolerate.

Complete the 7 exercises below circuit style with 20-30 seconds rest as needed between exercises.  Do 7 reps each and complete the circuit 3-7 times dependent on how much time you have.  You may add the dumbbells or kettle bell to any of the exercise you feel comfortable with.  Remember challenging yourself every day is key.

Exercises:
Push-ups or Modified Push-up
One Arm Row
Shoulder Press
Squats
Lunge
Jump Squats (No Weight)
Shoulder Tap Planks (7 taps each shoulder)

Helping you maintain a habit of training every day,
Jeff

Hey,

Why is it harder for women to lose body fat than men?  Well there’s two reasons.  Number one, men have a slightly higher metabolic rate genetically than women and there’s nothing you can do about that.

Number 2, men have more muscle mass than women and this is something you have complete control over.  Increasing your muscle mass is the single most important thing any woman can do to improve fat loss.

So, how do you increase muscle mass.  Hit the weights and hit them hard and heavy.  The more weight you lift the more muscle mass you grow.  Muscle drives fat metabolism. Lifting weights breaks down muscle tissue and is the reason you get sore.  The muscle then repairs itself much like a mason puts more mortar down while laying bricks.  This grows muscle mass resulting in a faster metabolism.

In addition, a growing body of research suggest doing short bout of high intensity aerobic training.  Short bouts are interpreted as 20-60 seconds of hard aerobic training followed by a recovery period.  These short intense bouts increase growth hormone.  Think about women Olympic sprinters.  These women are extremely lean, have considerable muscle mass and never run more than 10-90 seconds at a time.

Increase your muscle mass and become a sprinter to lose fat as a woman!

Helping You Stay Healthy and Fit
Jeff

My diet used to be horrible until I was diagnosed with high blood pressure at age 39 and the doctor wanted to put me on blood pressure medication.  I decided to see if I could lower my blood pressure with food and I did.  The smoothie recipe below is just one of many things I started eating in the 6 months following my diagnosis.  This smoothie is loaded with natural foods that act as anti-inflammatories and dilate blood vessels naturally.  In addition, it tastes great.

Blood Pressure Smoothie
½ cup milk, ½ cup yogurt, ½ cup frozen strawberries, ½ cup frozen blueberries, 1 banana, ½ cup broccoli, 4 slices canned beets, ½ tsp cinnamon

Blueberries contain the most antioxidants of any fruit and are low in calories.  You should be adding these to your breakfast, smoothies or snacks.

• Contains the highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruits.  A true SUPER FOOD!

• Loaded with anthocyanin:  Research demonstrates potential health benefits in the following areas.  Cancer, aging, neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes, bacterial infections, fibrocystic diseases.

• Loaded with the antioxidant vitamin C:  Improves immune function, iron absorption, detoxifies the body and repairs cellular damage.

• Packed with B complex vitamins:  Research suggest it improves symptoms associated with depression and anxiety also essential to healthy nerve and muscle function.

• Full of vitamin E:  Promotes healthy skin and hair, removes free radicals, thins blood and improves immune function.

• Contains vitamin A:  Improves immune function, eye health, and urinary tract health and fight oxidative stress.

• Selenium:  Antioxidant for skin regenerating vitamin E and C maintaining youthful skin.  May help fight prostate cancer in men.  Improves mood and fights fatigue.

• Zinc:  Found in every tissue in the body.  It improves sex drive, acts as an antioxidant, fights cancer, and is needed for normal kidney, pancreas and liver function.

Turmeric is a spice found in almost all Indian dishes. However, over the past several years this spice has shown to have some amazing health benefits that range from cancer prevention/treatment to weight loss. I found this spice when I was searching for foods that lower blood pressure. Because blood pressure was linked to chronic systemic inflammation I started using Turmeric as an anti-inflammatory and feel it’s a major reason I was able to quell my blood pressure with diet alone.

*Can be used to disinfect cuts and burns. Antibacterial and antiseptic agent and speeds wound healing.

*Potent anti-inflammatory; works as well as other anti-inflammatories without the side effects. Recent research suggest it aids in the treatment of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.

*When used with cauliflower has been shown to prevent prostate cancer and slow growth of tumors already present.

*In animal studies prevented the spread of breast and lung cancer.

*May prevent melanoma and inhibit its growth.

*Improves liver health; natural detoxifier.

*Slows or prevents Alzheimer’s disease removing amyloyd plaque in the brain. Men and women 70-79 years of age in India have ¼ the Alzheimer’s diagnosis as men and women in the US. Indians use turmeric in most foods.

*In animal studies it’s slowed the progression of multiple sclerosis.

*A natural pain killer; a cox-2-inhibitor.

*In research it’s stopped the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors.

*In laboratory research it’s programmed the death of colon cancer cells. More research must be accomplished.

*Suppresses inflammation in the digestive tract associated with inflammatory bowel disease.

*Preliminary studies suggest it may help in the treatment of psoriasis.

*Research suggests it may work as an antifungal treatment.

*Curcumin used prior to cancer treatment makes cancer cells more vulnerable to chemo and radiation. Curcumin gives turmeric its yellow color.

Notes:
Should consult with your doctor before using if you have been diagnosed with gallstones or bile obstruction.
Should consult with your doctor before using if you’re pregnant. Turmeric is a uterine stimulant.

–Dim the lights one hour before bed time

• Lights shut off pineal gland production of melatonin

–Green salad with chicken or turkey for dinner

• Chicken and turkey contain tryptophan and green leafy vegetables have B-vitamins than convert tryptophan to melatonin

–Stick to a routine

• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day

–Sleep in pitch black darkness

• Darkness increases melatonin production

–Eat a handful of nuts or a glass of milk

• Contains tryptophan which is converted to melatonin and seratonin

–Go to bed early

• Traditional Chinese Medicine claim the hours between 10 PM and midnight can provide twice the sleep rejuvination

–Avoid Alcohol

• Alcohol consumption prior to bed time results in less REM sleep

–Vigorous exercise during the late evening

• Raises the bodies temp four to five hours prior to sleep and drops the body temp as you begin your sleep cycle

–Avoid Caffeine 2-3 hours prior to bed time

• Caffeine is a stimulant and can decrease REM sleep

The next time you’re in Walmart take a look around and see what lifestyle choices can do to you and for you.  Take a look at the 70 year old gentleman who walks with youth and vigor.  He still has the muscle tone of a young man and seems to be defying age.  Then look at the 40-50 year old guy who’s slightly overweight moves a little slower and probably looks older than he is.  What is the difference?  Why the vast contrast between the two?  Plain and simple it goes back to lifestyle.  If you followed the two around the grocery store and study their habits with the eye of a private investigator you will see the stark difference in habits.

The older gentleman who looks to defy the aging process will stay on the outside of the grocery isle’s buying fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, and dairy.  You will see him buying very few processed foods in the middle of the store.  He provides his body with nutrient dense food.  The kind of food that fuels and regenerates health.  The middle aged man will do just the opposite.  His shopping cart will be loaded with potato chips, cereal, soda, white bread, snack cakes, and macaroni and cheese.  These foods contain little or no nutrients.  They cause an increase in sugar, insulin and leptin levels.  The results are a gradual increase in obesity and a decline in health.

If you were to follow them home and study their habits farther you will see something else.  The 70 year old with a muscular build will be active.  He will put on running shoes and go for a run.  Not a jog but a run.  He will run for 20-25 minutes with short 30 second speed burst about every two or three minutes.  After the run he will lift weights or do calesthenics using body weight.  This type of intense fitness training increases and maintains human growth hormone a key ingredient to maintaining youth, muscle mass, bone density and health.  The slightly pudgy 45 year old guy will go home and turn on the television, sit on the couch and begin eating a bag of chips.  The aging and obesity process slowly accelerates and health markers decline.

The choices are simple, it’s not rocket science.  The choices we make about food and exercise impact the way we age and ultimately our quality of life.  If you’re 20-70 pounds overweight and have no energy I encourage you to begin an exercise program and change your diet.  Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet and decrease the sugar and processed foods you eat.  Thirty minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week will be a great start.  Focus on short 30 second bouts of hard exercise with 2 or 3 minutes of recovery between for 15-20 minutes.  We are learning the key to a great exercise program is not length but rather intensity.  Intensity always trumps length.

Get started today and improve your quality of life and your health.

Improving and maintaining fitness is the most important thing we can do as we age.  If you want to have the ability to do the same things at 80 that you did at 40 it’s all about maintaining and improving fitness.  It’s never too early or too late to start.  The key is being consistent and doing it.

It improves physical strength. The only thing separating any of us from a nursing home is the physical strength to take care of our self.  Lose the strength we currently have due to an illness or a fall and boom we’re in a nursing home.  Research shows us that men and women well into their 80’s and 90’s can increase muscular strength.  The first step is doing it.

It improves glucose and insulin management. For years we’ve known that exercise makes our cells more sensitive to insulin and decrease risk for Type 2 diabetes.  However combine a healthy diet with daily activity and you can reverse Type 2 diabetes and put it in remission without medication.

Decrease depression symptoms. Several studies have shown that exercise decreases depression symptoms as well or better than depression medication with none of the side effects.  Include the added social aspect to a fitness class and you have the recipe for beating depression all together according to researchers.

It improves confidence. Research show that older adults who maintain or build physical strength increase confidence because they are able to do and enjoy the same things they did in their 40’s and 50’s.  Increase your strength and see your confidence soar.

Decrease your pharmacy bill. Exercise is the best drug on the market.  No drug out there has the health potential of exercise without any of the side effects.  Daily exercise has the potential to improve blood pressure, decrease chronic systemic inflammation, prevent Type 2 diabetes, decrease the risk of heart disease, some cancers, and even Alzheimer’s.

Get up and start moving today and improve yourself and your health.  In the three short weeks my business has been opened I’ve had the incredible opportunity to meet a couple of leading edge boomers who are making huge strides in their fitness.  They impress me everyday.