Cyndi: The Road to Body-in-the-Works

Week 9

One of my favorite fall comfort foods is mashed potatoes. I could do red potatoes on my cheat day, but I figured it would be a good time to try mashed cauliflower. It takes less time than potatoes and requires no peeling. The recipe I wanted to try called for almond milk and mozzarella. I was out of almond milk so I used a suggestion from another recipe, which called for Greek yogurt. Not a great idea. The flavor of the Greek yogurt was not what I expected. Now that I think about it I am not sure I like the idea of the almond milk either. It’s a work in progress I guess….

I am still struggling with cardio, but am keeping up with the weights. Some workouts last longer than others. My back work outs seem to be over faster while arms, chest, and biceps take the longest. The introduction of negatives has also had some effects. My abs hurt for days after the pull ups with negatives. No joke – I sneezed and cringed. Guess that’s why they say, “No Pain No Gain”.

Week 10

This past week and a half has been extremely stressful. I was the maid of honor for my friend’s wedding, which has left no time for work outs. On top of that, I am also in the final stretch of a class for my masters and then there’s still chores so my house doesn’t fall apart. 

The wedding came first this week and even though I didn’t make it to the gym, I got a little lifting in with the 30 pumpkins we hauled, moving stuff from car to car, decorating, and general running around. I danced at the wedding and kept my diet up for the most part. I probably could have paid more attention to my macros, but I feel like I did a fairly decent job. My only regret is not making it to the gym, but I had a blast and looked pretty good too. ;-)

I will say, when I finally returned to the gym I felt behind. It’s like my muscles had lost some of their memory. It definitely took a few days to get back on track. 

Catching Up With Cyndi on the Road to Saturday's Physique Challenge Show

Thanks Cyndi for a view into the time leading up to the Physique Challenge on Saturday, November 15th!  

Week 7

It’s starting to be fall and this is my favorite time of year for food. Good timing; I know. Apple cider, apple cider donuts, apple pie, stews, and all the other good comfort foods. Thankfully I also enjoy apple picking and being outside this time of year. So far I have stuck to the picking and eating of just the apples. I did cave and buy the donuts and pies, but I didn’t eat them. Promise. My husband and friends have been helpful enough to take care of the temptations. 

Luckily I also like squash and have added spaghetti squash to my diet. It’s a great way to have some comfort food without too much “comfort”. I haven’t found a substitute for the pie and donuts, but it’s all for a good cause.

My sacrifices are paying off, which makes it easier to say no. Before this challenge, I wasn’t seeing results and it made it harder to say no. I’m quickly beginning to see all the faults of my previous “diet”. When I reach my goal I will eat a slice of pie now and then, but now I will know how to maintain and indulge now and then.

Week 8

Phase 3 workouts are pretty intense but I like the way they are structured. They are challenging and I can see how each phase has built on each other. I probably couldn’t have done this at the beginning. The leg exercises are my favorite because I know I am working big muscles. Big muscles burn more calories.

I am having hard time getting my cardio in. I know that is one thing that I am really having trouble with. In general I don’t like cardio, I have just always done it because it was necessary. It was always hard and the results were very slow. Since gaining more muscle, cardio has become so much easier. I have improved 100% on my run time and overall endurance with intervals. Before I dreaded cardio and now…it’s not so bad. Still wouldn’t say I love it. It’s a work in progress.

From the Training Studio, a Word from Jasmin: Two Exercises You are Not Doing but Should

Two exercises you are not doing but should

(Not all exercises are appropriate for all.  See a trainer for a specified plan that is appropriate to your needs)

Turkish Get Up is a compound exercise which works your entire body in all three planes of motion. Turkish Get Up re-introduces developmental movement patterns (rolling, bridging, kneeling, squatting, standing) which some of us have lost due to today’s lifestyle (too much sitting and spinal flexion).

It promotes:

a) Lower body stability (knee) and mobility (ankle and hip),

b) Lumbar (lower back) spine stability

c) Thoracic spine rotation and extension,

d) Shoulder closed (“unloaded” arm) and open chain (“loaded” arm) stability;

e) Shoulder stability

f) Balance and Proprioception

g) And yes it does make you Super Strong

h) And yes it does burn a lot of calories

Kettlebell Swing is a ballistic type of exercise which purpose is maximal force production. In addition to maximal force production it develops entire posterior chain musculature (hamstrings, glutes, lower and upper back) and abdominal wall. Kettlebell swing can be also used as a conditioning exercise. If you perform it for high reps (20 or more) it will increase your heart rate and burn about 20 calories per minute, which is equivalent to running at a pace of 6:00 min/mile (10mph)

To learn how to do these 2 powerful exercises sign up for our KB class on Mon-Fri at 7am

#flashbackfridayvideo 

Small Group Training!

Trainer Tips: 5 Reasons You are Not Seeing Results

5 Reasons You are Not Seeing Results By Jasmin Lepir

1. Inconsistency
2. Incorrect Intensity
3. You are suffering from case of F.A.D.D. (Fitness Attention Deficit Disorder)
4. You are doing someone else’s workout
5. You are in Love with your Exercise Selection

1- People who work on achieving a goal on a more consistent basis are more likely to be successful than people who do not. It is as simple as that. Fitness is no different. Consistency is a skill. And, just like any skill, it needs to be practiced on a daily basis. Some people are better at it than others. Hiring a Personal Trainer is a great way to stay consistent with your training.

2- Does the intensity of your workout match your goals? How about your frequency? Many gym goers train at the wrong intensity level. Check with one of our fitness professionals to make sure that you are working at the right intensity and getting the most out of your workout.

3- People are made to believe (by some genius marketing firms) that, if they want to see results, they have to do different things all of the time in order to “Confuse their Muscles.” By doing that, you never give your body enough time to see any of the results. Have a professional design you a simple plan and do it for 8 weeks.

4- Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, burn fat, jump higher, run faster or all of the above, you need your own plan. If you are doing something you saw in a magazine or online that promises all of this - you are doing someone else’s plan.

5- We all do this. We tend to do things we are good at. However, they may not necessarily be the most effective or most appropriate way to achieve your goal. More often than not, things we “hate” doing in the gym are the best things for us. Have a fitness professional assess your program and make changes if necessary.  

Cyndi: Physique Challenge: The Halfway Point Already!

Week 6

Midway Point. I can’t believe that we are already half way done. In some ways I’m getting anxious to see results and nervous about showcasing them in a bikini on stage. YIKES. I have promised myself that I will get on stage no matter what though. It definitely stays in the back of my head when I have the option to have an extra cheat. Either way, time is really flying by.

I have recovered from my week 5 setback and am back on track. This week, I was challenged by another contestant on our leg work out. It really pushed me and I lifted a lot heavier than I usually do. Another boost was when I did my measurements and lost 4% body fat, lost 7lbs of body fat and gained almost 4lbs of muscle. 

WIN!!!

An interesting experience was when my husband and I went to the Deerfield Fair. Turns out that Fairs aren’t that fun when you are on a diet…lol. I had a pickle (not fried) and a lemonade. Pretty dull. On the plus side I got to see draft horses. 

Cyndi: Physique Challenge Week 5, Food is Fuel!

Week 5

DIET and Exercise. I learned a valuable lesson about routine and diet this week. I have been very good about eating enough protein before and after my workouts. This week I ran out of the Almond Breeze Coconut milk (about 35 calories per cup) and so I skipped a protein shake as well as worked out late Friday night and then went back to the gym Saturday morning. The combination really threw me off and messed me up for the rest of the week. Talk about discouraging. I couldn’t understand why my weights were basically being cut in half. I keep hearing that food is fuel and diet is 80% of reaching your goal. This week’s experience really drove that home. NO MORE SKIPPING PROTEIN! 

This was also week one of phase 2 and I LOVE IT! This kind of routine is definitely something I could keep up when it’s all over. What I like about phase 1 was working the muscles in pairs, but phase 2 really focuses on the muscle group. I can really feel it and am starting to notice the buildup of muscle, and that is definitely good motivation.

Sandy: Lunchtime Fitness

Hi all, it's been a while, and I’ve missed you!  

I have had some incredible opportunities to meet some of you in person, slipping into classes here and there, and all I can say is that you are ALL crushing it! 

After speaking with many people, I would have to say that the general consensus is that there just isn’t enough time in the day to squeeze a workout in, then day after day goes by of having no time, then before you know it’s been weeks since you’ve seen the gym.

Well, did you know that you could get a very effective workout during your lunch break!  It’s true!  Even if you can squeeze in 15 minutes of time, it will help keep you on track.

If you only have time to stop in at the Works for a quick workout, check out the Expresso Bikes located in the "Keiser" room at the top of the stairs from the main entrance.  They have some short, yet challenging programs you can choose from that will really get your heart pumping as you climb hills and race the other riders on the screen. 

Are you more familiar with the treadmill or the elliptical?  Do some interval training.  Warm up at a moderate pace for 5 minutes, then do 5 – 8 minutes of intervals, increasing your speed or workload for 15-20 second intervals, and for those 15-20 seconds you give it your all, then rest for the remainder of the minute before you bring it up again, at the end be sure to cool down for 2 to 5 minutes.  All in all you are just doing 5 to 8 challenging, calorie burning intervals that will keep your body burning fuel long after you are done.

Want a full body challenge?  Try rowing on the Concept Ergometer, doing the same interval load I mentioned above.  Rowing utilizes all of the muscles in your body if you pay attention to form.

Time is no excuse for falling off the exercise wagon.  You don’t need hours to get the job done!   Give yourself 15 minutes  if you’re in a crunch for time. 

Rock on my friends!