Fight Forever Onward

"Today could be your day that all your dreams come true. The only thing that can stop you is YOURSELF. Never give up and always believe in what lives inside of you."
Love As Always,
Dofitness

Set YOUR Tone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Everyone! Hope everyone is having a good year so far...crazy how fast time goes by.  So that is why it is so important that you get after it and work hard in everything you do.  Don't waste any more time....Go Get It! This Is For You...  


Here is a workout that will challenge you and I think you will like. Make sure that you go at your pace and work up from there....so the next time you do this workout you will be stronger and it will become easier.  Make sure you watch your form on all exercises...full range of motion people! Do Not Sell Yourself Short! And don't forget to breathe. One of the biggest things people do is hold their breath during high intense workouts, which in turn will make them fatigue faster and they won't be able to workout to their potential...leading to disappointment! Vicious Cycle People! If you do not know how to do an exercise, please don't hesitate to use your comment button at the end of the blog entry with questions and concerns...I am more than happy to help you. 

Or your next option would be to substitute that specific exercise with one of your own.  Be Creative! Makes training more fun and adds variety to your training.  Always Challenge Yourself! Go Hard But Go At Your Pace...don't worry about the person next to you.  Worry about YOU and only YOU!  

And last but not least, pick challenging weight BUT weight that you can lift.  I have a hard time seeing people lift heavier weight than they should be lifting because in their minds it's about how important the number on the dumbbell is...BUT WITH AWFUL FORM! Remember, you want to pick a weight that is challenging, but one that will allow you to perform your exercises with perfect form and full range of motion.  My motto is : IT IS NOT HOW MUCH YOU LIFT...IT IS HOW YOU LIFT!!!!!!!!


Round One: Three Sets 
1. M.B. Sit-ups (keep ball at your chest/if you are a beginner use a basketball or soccer ball/this position doesn't allow you to use momentum from your arms/plus it adds a little resistance on the up and down motion of your sit-up)- 20x
2. Mini Crunches- 100x (Crunch up and pulse up as high as you can without your lower back coming off ground/do not let the back of your shoulders touch the floor/continuous crunch/Pulsing)
3. Alternating Corkscrews- 20x (Legs straight up in the air/similar to a hip raise but with a twist at the end of that motion/raise your butt of the ground and turn at the end of your raise)
4. Push-Ups- 20x
*Try Not to Rest Between Exercises (1-4)/Complete the set and then repeat until you have completed three sets total/Try to Rest at the end of the round- 1min


Round Two: Challenge Round/GO AT YOUR PACE/ TIME IT: Go down the list of exercises and complete the round as fast as you can BUT with perfect form and full range of motion...DO NOT CHEAT YOURSELF. I only care about the time if you have honestly completed exercise with good form and full range of motion)/Document your time and then the following week try to beat your time! You will be amazed by the end of the month (saying that you attempt the round once a week), you will have improved your time dramatically.

1. DB Squats- 100x (Use Challenging Weight if you are Moderate/Advanced Level/Beginners Use Body Weight Only/Put a bench/step behind you and tap your butt to bench...this will help you keep your form on your squats/gives you a target to aim for when squatting/will help you sit back instead of allowing your knees to shift over your toes.  ALWAYS SIT BACK ON YOUR SQUATS!!!
2. DB Standing Shoulder Press- 20x (Press dbs over head)
3. Jump Rope- 100x + Push-Ups- 20x (Advanced- If you mess up...start over/Moderate Level- Push Yourself and try to do all your push-ups on your toes/Beginner Level- do the best you can...if 100x is too much for you/take your time or reset that number working your way up to 100x/if you can't do 20 push-ups; take your time or reset the number)
4. DB Walking Lunges- 100x (Use challenging weight/sit back on your lunges/ beginner level- use body weight & remember you are developing your foundation so don't injure yourself trying to push when your muscles are not conditioned to go at this intensity...baby steps...Know in your mind that you are working up to being the strongest you can be.
5. DB Alternating Punches (Forward)- 50x (Flow with your punches/turning your hands at the end of your punch/bending your knees to support and stabilize/go moderate-to-fast/light weight)
6. DB Alternating Punches (Upward)- 50x (same as above)
7. Jump Rope- 150x + Push-Ups- 20x (same instructions as #3)
8. Squat Push-Press- 50x (Place bench behind you/have dbs at your shoulders/squat down as you come up Press DBS overhead/as you bring your press back down to your shoulders, stabilize yourself by coming down in a squat/think one unit....squat up; dbs go up/as dbs come down & squat down)
9. DB Bent-Over Flye- 20x (Bend your legs, this will help support your back/bend over as if you are diving in to the floor/arms are straight down to the floor & slightly bend them and raise arms up as if you are flying; spread arms open- squeezing shoulder blades together)
10. DB Standing/Alternating Bicep Curls- 40x
11. Jump Rope- 200x + Push-Ups- 20x (same instructions as #3 & #8)


Round Three: Push!
*Cardio of Your Choice- 20 minutes/moderate level but still hard...PUSH! (You may choose to do two-three different cardio machines/you may decide to go longer than 20 minutes....GO FOR IT! This is for you! Soooo Embrace It and DO IT! 


Proud Of You.....Keep Up The Good Work! Thanks for tuning in!
Love Always,
Dofitness

Be Kind To Fruit

The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." -Barbara Kingsolver

When I was growing up, my mom (a 3rd grade school teacher) made sure that my sister and I were both getting proper nutrition in our daily regimen. She believed in making healthy choices and rewarding us with foods we loved when appropriate. In the morning, she believed in breakfast no matter what (because it gave us energy and it helped with our focus in the classroom)...each breakfast was well-balanced and included some sort of fruit. She packed our lunches and again they were all well-balanced, which also included fruit and a cookie for dessert. Our afterschool snack was always some sort of fruit instead of cookies, candy, or donuts. Or when I would come in from riding my bike, I would say, "Mom, I'm hungry." And she would always answer, "Mija, get a piece of fruit to hold you over until dinner."

I believe that the fruit she had us eat gave us the energy we needed throughout our day, it helped us focus in the classroom, and because fruit has sugar...it tricked our bodies into thinking it was getting the sugar it craved for like a piece of candy or a cookie. I remember after eating my piece of fruit, I didn't have that sugar craving that I had prior to eating the fruit. Moms and especially if they are school teachers always know what is right. She somehow knew that fruit wouldn't give us that crash you experience with candy, cookies, and donuts. Or that hyperness you get when eating too much sugar from twinkies, candy, or cokes.

Now don't get me wrong, I have the sugar tooth in the family and I would always express my feelings of having fruit all the time while my friends were eating ding-dongs. I remember telling my mother it just isn't fair. It didn't matter though because she stuck to her guns and very rarely gave in to me. She knew what she was doing all along, which was building a strong healthy foundation for me and my sister. And that foundation has continued to be strong for both of us as adults. At the time I thought she was being unfair but now I know that she was giving me a special gift. She was having me eat the proper foods that were going to promote a strong, healthy body . She was training the body to be familiar with these foods and to know what to do with these foods, so we would grow up to be healthy.

Many people struggle with their weight as adults because of certain eating habits they had as children BUT I also believe that you can have a healthy foundation later in life. It is never to late to start making the right choices. I am always asked what fruits should I eat or what fruit would be good for me to eat before I workout. Below I have included the right fruits to choose before a workout (preworkout), in the morning, and after a workout (postworkout). I think you will find it very helpful and it will help you make the better choices if you haven't already.

PREWORKOUT
These fruits provide higher fructose than glucose for sustained fuel that won't block fat burning. Eat one or two servings.
1. Pear (1 medium)> Total Sugars-16/Fructose-11/Glucose-5
2. Watermelon (1 wedge)> Total Sugars- 18/Fructose-12/Glucose-6
3. Apple (1 medium)> Total Sugars- 14/Fructose-9/Glucose-5
4. Cantaloupe (1/2 melon)> Total Sugars- 22/Fructose- 12/Glucose-10
5. Grapes (1 cup)> Total Sugars-24/Fructose-13/Glucose-11
6. Strawberries (2 cups)> Total Sugars-14/Fructose-8/Glucose-6
7. Raspberries (2 cups)> Total Sugars-10/Fructose-6/Glucose-4

IN THE MORNING
These fruits provide equal or nearly equal fructose and glucose to restocke liver and muscle glycogen to help halt muscle breakdown. Eat two or three servings.
1. Pineapple (1 cup diced)> Total Sugars-13/Fructose-7/Glucose-6
2. Honeydew melon (1 wedge)> Total Sugars-13/Fructose-7/Glucose-6
3. Orange (1 medium)> Total Sugars-12/Fructose-6/Glucose-6
4. Banana (1 medium)> Total Sugars-18/Fructose-9/Glucose-9
5. Blueberries (1 cup)> Total Sugars-14/Fructose-7/Glucose-7
6. Nectarine (1 medium)> Total Sugars-10/Fructose-5/Glucose-5
7. Kiwi Fruit (2 medium)> Total Sugars-12/Fructose-6/Glucose-6

POSTWORKOUT
These fruits provide more glucose than fructose for restocking muscle glycogen and enhancing muscle growth. The last five fruits from the morning fruit category are also decent choices postworkout, for their ability to fill glycogen stores. Eat one or two servings along with white bread, baked potatoes, or a carb drink.
1. Cherries (1 cup)> Total Sugars-14/Fructose-6/Glucose-8
2. Peach (1 medium)> Total Sugars-8/Fructose-3/Glucose-5

Give Yourself A Soothing Gift

According to music researcher, Stephen Halpern, Ph.D., certain wind chimes produce harmonious, soothing sounds that can actually lower your breathing and heart rate, increasing calm and contentment. Test it out: Strike a chime a few times and notice if your breath slows as you listen.

Make sure you really embrace the moment and allow yourself to listen to the chime. Make sure your mind is clear and free from noise and stress.  **Give this one moment a gift to yourself. Remember, each moment is special.

Ryan, M.J. Instant Health and Happiness. Pg. 48.

Stop Counting

One of the best pieces of information that I can give you is stop counting your calories. First of all, most people don't have the time or discipline to record every pretzel stick they eat or weigh the three slices of turkey breast they carved. Secondly, all calories are not made equally when it comes to metabolism. Instead, the important thing is to eat the right foods. And if you do this, your body will essentially regulate your caloric intake all by itself.

Some of the problems many people face when they count calories or set a number of calories to take in...is they end up not taking enough calories and their body goes into starvation-survival mode and your metabolism slows down. Please understand that you need enough calories to power you through your workouts. Calories give you the energy to exercise with intensity. It is mostly true that a calorie is a calorie-the difference between eating 1,500 calories of Oreos and eating 1,500 calories of chicken is fairly minimal in terms of actual weight gain. So the most important thing to think about in regards to calories is that leaner bodies need more calories than less lean ones.

Zinczenko, David. Eat Right Every Time Guide. Pg. 61. 
Michaels, Jillian. Making The Cut. Pg. 10, 12.

Foods That Will Ensure Some Serious Shut-Eye

We all know how important it is to get enough sleep each night. Nothing makes it harder to fall asleep than knowing how important it is to sleep. Here is an interesting fact for you...DID YOU KNOW that Harvard scientists found that people who slept for 5 hours or less a night were 32 percent more likely to pack on major extra pounds (33 pounds) that those who dozed a full 7 hours.

Below is a list of snacks that you can try right before bedtime to ensure some serious shut-eye.

1.Nonfat Popcorn- Pop a bag half an hour before bedtime. The carbs will induce your body to create serotonin, a neurochemical that makes you feel relaxed. Skip the butter-fat will slow the process of boosting serotonin levels.

2. Oatmeal with Sliced Banana and Walnuts- Sleep is inspired by the hormone melatonin, but stress or excitement can disrupt melatonin's release. Bring your brain back down to earth by whipping up a bowl of instant oatmeal and topping it with a sliced banana and crushed walnuts, both rich in melatonin.

3. A Handful of Sesame Seeds- These are one of the best natural sources of tryptophan, the sleep-inducing amino acid responsible for all of those post-Thanksgiving turkey comas.

NOT THIS: A Glass of Warm Milk- Forget what your mom told you: This popular remedy for sleeplessness could be making matters worse. The protein in milk boosts alertness. Plus, unless it is skim, the fat in milk slows down digestion and make sleep more fitful.

SECRET WEAPON: Cherry Juice- Researchers at the University of Texas found that tart cherries are one of the best natural sources of melatonin. You can keep the pits off the sheets by drinking juices made with cherry concentrate, they have 10 times the melatonin content of the fruit. Try Knudsen "Just Black Cherry", with 100% cherry juice and no added sugar.

Zinczenko, David. Eat This Not That. Pg. 282.

The Russian Cannonball

"The kettlebell is the ultimate tool for extreme all-round fitness. It has been proven that no other single tool does it better."

What is a super effective tool that will help you build strength, endurance, flexibility, and core strength all at once? What is a form of training that will not only improve the appearance of your physique, but it will give you strength and mental toughness that you didn't even know was possible? THE EXTREME KETTLEBELL!

The kettlebell is a russian cast iron that looks like a cannonball with a handle and provides you with a very effective way to build muscle and supports the body to work as one unit.

*Accelerates- the development of All-Purpose Strength

*Boosts- your physical resilience

*Builds- your stay power

*Ensures- the correct blend of strength and flexibility

*Hacks- your fat off

*Gives your independence- makes you as strong as you want anywhere, anytime

I believe that it is important that you understand the benefits of this training and how it works. I frequently get the question, how is a kettlebell different from a dumbbell? First, kettlebells are much harder to handle, and in this case, harder is much better. KB handles are much thicker then DBS, which will give you a vice grip in no time. It is an outstanding grip, wrist, and forearm developer. Also, if you notice that the weight of a DB is equally distributed, while the weight of a KB is not. The off centered weight of a KB will force you to use more stabilizer muscles and work the targeted muscles through a longer range of motion. The thick and smooth handle combined with the ballistic nature of many exercises loads the grip like rock climbing. It is also an amazing type of training because it gives you infinite freedom of lifting...offering wiry strength, explosive agility, and never-quitting stamina.

Next, kettlebell training offers an increase in shoulder flexibility and stability. Its offset center of gravity maximizes shoulder strength, flexibility, and health. It not only helps to improve shoulder strength but it has been known to help people with back problems...making the back more resilient. It conditions your back from every conceivable angle, statically and dynamically. And as a result, many chiropractors are using kettlebells with their patients for rehab.

Another interesting fact about kettlebell training is that it gives you the benefit of getting stronger without getting bigger. Many women have taken up this type of training all around the country because it helps them tone and lose fat without over developing muscles. Another interesting point is that it is a definitive tool for developing hip thrust (the power generator in all athletics)...remember that a jump, a kick, and a punch all come from your hip.

So if you get the opportunity, do not rule out this type of training. I think that you will be pleased with the variety and effectiveness that it brings to the table. Overall, your results will be endless. Kettlebell training is considered to be "one of the most effective means of strength development" representing " a new era in the development of human strength-potential."

Mahler, M. Kettlebell Training Article. Bodybuilding.com.

Stop And Eat

We eat for three main reasons...to provide the energy we consume to stay alive, to build and repair the body, and to enable parts of the body to function efficiently. Energy for INTENSE physical effort comes principally from carbohydrate, which is stored in your liver and in your muscles in the form of glycogen. There are three forms of carbohydrates: natural sugars (fruits and their juices), refined sugars (jam, honey, and soft drinks), and starches (complex carbs and found in foods like potatoes, pasta, and bread.

The other major source of energy is the fat that is stored around the body.  Fat has a higher energy density than carbs, which means that per gram it supplies more fuel: it is estimated that if all the energy stored in the fat reserves of a lean, 150-pound bike rider were there as glycogen, they would weigh about 275 pounds. Most people have enough fat in their bodies to fuel many hours of activity, which means there is no need to eat fat in any great quantity, particularly as any excess carbohydrate or protein is converted to fat and stored for future use.

Proteins play the major role in building up and repairing the body: they are found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products, in vegetables such as beans, lentils and peas, and also in carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes and bread. In extreme situations, protein is also burned to produce energy.

Vitamins and minerals enable the body's processes to function normally. For example, Vitamin A is important for maintaining healthy skin, helping fight infection and maintaining good eyesight--One source of this vitamin is carrots. Fruits, vegetables, fish, dairy products, meat and eggs are all important sources of various vitamins.

The final element is fluid. The body can function for some time without solid food by running off  stored energy and protein, but without water, a vital part of  all bodily processes, death soon results. A drop in your body water, through sweating, of just two percent will reduce your performance, five percent will cause fatigue and ten percent could be fatal.

Your intake of energy providers is vital if you are not to run out of the "fuel" stored in the muscles and liver. Body repair materials are equally important if you are to rebuild the muscle fibers you break down as you train, and if you are to construct stronger ones, which is the whole point of training.

Fotheringham, W. Cycle Racing. Pg. 52.