Preventing Osteoporosis

As we age, the threat of osteoporosis becomes increasingly realistic.  One of the ways we can delay the process is by resistance training.  Most people know this, but do they know what TYPE of resistance training they should perform?

Any resistance training is going to be beneficial.  However, training that compresses the spine will have a greater effect on fighting the bone aging process.  This type of training greatly increases bone density and the restructuring process.  Movements like the deadlift and squat are some of the best choices.  Also, using roughly 65-70% of your one repetition max is the best way to load the spine safely AND use a challenging weight at the same time.

Fight osteoporosis and have some fun doing it!  Lift smart and eat your veggies!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Track Your Calories

It is extremely hard to track our diets in this eat and go world. Most of us THINK we eat better than how we really are. One of the easiest ways to see our macronutrient breakdown is to track it! Once your daily nutrition is written down, you will see all the extra calories that sneak in through liquids, condiments, or serving sizes. Nutrition Together is a great eye opener when it comes to this and can REALLY help point your nutrition in the right direction. Start tracking your calories, talk to your trainer about what needs to change in your eating habits, and then make the next step towards your fitness goals! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Stay Active With Swimming!

Summer is here in full effect! Cook-outs, family gatherings, and just being outside in general! One thing that probably gets overlooked is how great swimming is for you! It allows you to get a great workout WITHOUT spinal loading or putting pressure on joints. So if you are sore from a workout, or your knees are bothering you, swimming gives you an opportunity to burn some calories without added stress. Enjoy your time in the sun and do a few extra laps in the pool for a quick, fun, effective, workout! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Stay Active on Your "Off" Days!

As much as we would like to work with our clients everyday, it is not always possible. Helping clients stay active on their "off" days can help them reach their goals and give them that extra energy boost needed to get through the day. Here is a little sample workout that is challenging, yet requires minimal equipment. Actually, the only tool you need is your bodyweight! Workout: Push-Ups (regular or modified) x 10 Jump Squats x 10 Lunges x 10 Dips (on the edge of a chair) x 10 Plank x 30-60 seconds Depending on your fitness level, gauge what your rest periods should be between movements. Rest just long enough so that you feel slightly "winded", but not huffing and puffing for oxygen. Complete the circuit 3-4 times through! Good luck and we look forward to seeing you at your next session! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Fix Your Posture!

These days, a daily routine might look as such: drive to work, with shoulders protracted, chest caved in, and a hump in the thoracic spine. At work, sit at your desks in the same position. On the drive home, mimic your morning commute posture, and to top it all off, slouch in front of the television at night. Its no wonder most of us show horrible thoracic spine mobility and that "hunched" over posture. While it is understandable that you need to perform those daily tasks (except the television part), there are ways to overcome those posture inhibitors. For one, we can stretch the muscles that become too tight from sitting all day long. Secondly, we can strengthen the opposing muscles to help "pull back" the shoulder blades. Pectoralis major stretch(chest)- Stand at end of wall or in doorway facing perpendicular to wall. Place inside of bent arm on surface of wall. Position bent elbow shoulder height. Turn body away from positioned arm. Hold stretch for at least 15 seconds. Repeat with opposite arm. Anterior Deltoid stretch(shoulder)- Sit on floor. Lean back and place hands flat on floor behind body slightly wider than shoulder width with fingers positioned away from body. Slide hips forward away from hands. Hold stretch for at least 15 seconds. Barbell Row (strengthens rear deltoids)- Bend knees slightly and bend over bar with back straight, approximately horizontal to the floor. Grasp bar with wide overhand grip. Keeping upper arm perpendicular to torso, pull barbell up toward chest until upper arms are just beyond horizontal to the floor. Dumbbell Reverse Flye (strengthens rear deltoids)- Grasp dumbbells to each side. Bend knees and bend over through hips with back flat and close to horizontal to the floor. Bend your elbows slightly and have your palms facing together. Raise upper arms to sides until elbows are shoulder height. By adding these stretches and strength movements into your daily routine, you can fight against bad posture, and keep your shoulder, neck and back pain at bay! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

The Big Three

No no no. Not those guys. I am talking about the "big three" movements that you should be incorporating into your workouts. There is a time and place to add isolation movements in to strengthen specific body parts. However, your training should be focusing on the big compound movements that are multi joint lifts. These big movements will stimulate metabolism and EPOC (excess post exercise oxygen consumption), which means you will be burning additional calories for 24-48 hours AFTER your workout. The big three should consist of a hip dominant movement, knee dominant movement, and a pressing movement. Three perfect examples are: -Squats -Deadlifts -Overhead press Perform these at the beginning of your workout when you are fresh! Perform 3-5 sets, keeping the reps between 8-12. -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Playground Workout

Summer is here! It's time to head outside and catch some rays at the park with your family. You can also utilize this time by getting a quick workout in using simple playground objects. Try this quick routine next time you bring your children to the playground and who knows, you might end up having more fun than your kids! Bench push ups 3 sets of 10 Sitting on swing, lean back leg lifts 3 sets of 15 Monkey bar jump pull ups 3 sets of 8 Bench dips 3 sets of 12 Bench split squats 3 sets of 10/side Perform this circuit using minimal rest and enjoy your time in the sun! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Workout Music

Fueling your workouts with the right nutrients is vital to training performance. Also, proper rest and hydration play a significant role in your energy levels. Still, everyone has those days where it is extremely hard to find the motivation to get a good workout in. A key component that some people forget about is their music choice! The right music can get you amped up enough to push through fatigue and reach your fitness goals. Here is a sample playlist for some of the top songs this year as told by Shape magazine: 1. Lady Gaga- Marry the Night 2. Rihanna- We Found Love 3. Avicii- Levels 4. Grouplove- Tongue Tied 5. Daughtry- Renegade 6. Mary J. Blige- Ain't Nobody 7. The Downtown Fiction- Superbass 8. Gavin Degraw- Not Over You Check out Itunes and amp up your workout playlist today! It might be just what you need to find some extra motivation! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale http://www.shape.com/fitness/playlists/playlist-top-10-workout-songs-january-2011

Water Intake

Water is essential to maintain normal body function. It keeps all the bodies organs running, improves skin health and aides metabolism. So how much water should we take in per day? It depends on activity level as well as the individual but a great starting point is 64oz per day. This amount of water sounds like a lot. However, if broken up into small portions throughout the day, it is quite easy! Other liquids such as coffee and tea count towards the overall total but remember that these liquids can have a diuretic effect. Therefore, water is the best option always! Keep your water intake up and feel great each day! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Post Workout Nutrition

You just finished a challenging workout with us at Fitness Together. Your job is done, right? Kind of, at least the hard part is. To take advantage of that workout you need to supply the body with essential nutrients to aide the body in the rebuilding process so you can come back stronger next time. This goes for people who want to lose body fat and improve body composition. Here is a perfect post workout shake: -15-20 grams of whey protein -Banana or berries Combine the scoop of protein and fruit with some water in a blender. Add a few ice cubes, blend and enjoy! After working so hard in your training session, dont cut yourself short by neglecting post workout nutrition! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Core Stability for a Stronger Golf Swing

Golf season is upon us! A great swing starts with a stable core. So how do we implement some core movements that will improve our game? Adding in a few core stabilization movements can go a long way into increasing distance AND protecting the lower back from injury. Try these movements out. -Paloff Press x 15/side -Superman x :45-60 seconds -Bird dog x :45-60 seconds -Reverse Crunch x 12 reps -Cable Wood chop x 12/side Perform these movements 2-3 times per week and enjoy those extra yards off the tee! -Eric Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Sample Breakfast

A healthy breakfast is key on kick starting your day. With all the conflicting information on what a healthy breakfast consists of, it is no wonder some people are confused on what to choose. Cereal ads push high sugar, low protein, wheat based grains. It is no wonder obesity is at an all time high! The best way to start your day is with a high protein and healthy fat breakfast! This will give you sustained energy for your long work days. Below is a sample breakfast.

-2-3 egg omelet with vegetables (spinach, broccoli, etc) cooked in extra virgin olive oil

-1-2 strips of turkey bacon

-Handful of blueberries or low glycemic fruit (any berry is a great choice)

Try this breakfast out and start your day off on the right foot! You can feel full AND be healthy at the same time.

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Beach Workout

Ok, so I might be a little premature talking about the beach. After that week we had two weeks ago, I got a little over excited. Sticking with the beach topic, I am going to put together a little program you can do at the beach to jack up your metabolism so you are burning some extra calories sitting in the sun!

This routine will only take approximately 15 minutes to do and then you can lounge the rest of the time! Perform this circuit barefoot and make sure you have your water handy!

Mountain Climbers x 20 seconds

Lunges x 15/side

Jumping Jacks x 20 seconds

Broad Jump x 10 jumps

One Finger Cartwheel Push Up x 15

There is one movement you can leave out if you choose so, but complete the other 4 exercises (the first four ones:) ) at a brisk pace. Perform the full circuit 3-4 times and enjoy burning calories while you bask in the sun!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Bodyweight Circuit

You don't always need a lot of equipment to get in a good workout! Here is a sample routine that you can perform on your off days from FT to aid you in your body composition goals.

1. Push Ups (modified) x 12-15

2. Jump Squats x 12-15

3. Chair Dips x 12-15

4. Plank x 30-45 seconds

5. Wall Slides x 12-15

6. Reverse Crunch x 12-15

Perform this circuit 3-4 times through and keep your "off" days fun!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Fasting

The mainstream nutrition advice for a while has been, "Eat a healthy breakfast upon rising". Although this is great advice for someone who tends to binge eat later in the day, it can be hindering your fat loss goals!

My advice to my clients is to take advantage of your "fasted" state upon waking. The bodies primary source of fuel in the morning is fat. Taking in a breakfast with carbohydrates blunts the fat loss.

I am not recommending that you do not eat at all in the morning, but waiting a few hours takes advantage of fat burning. Try going for a short walk to intensify the effects.

Give this a try and good luck with your body composition goals!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

The Cure for Flabby Arms

Everybody wants nice and toned arms. Many downfalls of unexperienced trainers lead people to believe that the only way to more defined arms is to curl, curl, and curl.

Yes it is true that adding curls into a program can help in your quest, but centering a strength training routine around them is not the answer.

Stick to basic, compound movements like push ups, inverted rows, and chin ups. If you feel like doing more work at the end of your session, then by all means do a few sets of curls and pressdowns.

Use the "big" movements to help you reach your toned arm goals!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Dark Chocolate!

Its Valentines Day! That means chocolate upon chocolate upon chocolate! Fortunately, you know the word MODERATION. While I am not advocating you to gorge all day on these sweets, I am telling you to enjoy the holiday and have a few dark chocolate bits.

Dark chocolate constitutes anything over 65% cocoa. These are the ones that will give you some benefit while also satisfying that sweet tooth of yours.

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids which act as antioxidants, clearing up free radicals within the body. Also, the dark variations also stimulate endorphin and serotonin release, which gives you the overall feel of well being (which is why it can be hard to put down after you start eating).

Enjoy a few pieces today, and reap the benefits of dark chocolate!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Avocado Cheesecake

I LOVE cheesecake. So when I found this healthy recipe for a cheesecake, I had to make it! Dont let the avocado part scare you, you cant taste it. Try this out and enjoy a HEALTHY cheesecake (yes, its possible).

Avocado Cheesecake
Ingredients:

Bag of finely crushed pecans or walnuts
Half a stick of Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend with omega-3
1.5 cups Splenda or your favorite sugar-equivalent substitute
1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
1.5 cups of almond milk, unsweetened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 very ripe avocados (almost mushy)
1 lemon for zesting or dried lemon zest
1 package (8 oz) fat-free cream cheese
Topping of choice

Instructions:

1. To make the crust, melt the butter in a pan. Add enough of the crushed nuts to cover the bottom of the pan and soak up all the butter. Thin crust = a little butter and a small amount of nuts. Thicker crust = extra butter, lots of nuts. Up to you. If you want a sweet crust, sprinkle on some extra Splenda.

Stir, kill the heat, then spread evenly into the bottom of a small springform pan.

2. Now let's make the filling. In a cup, stir the gelatin into two tablespoons of water. Let it stand for 5 minutes or so. It may turn into a rubbery hockey puck. This is cool. (And perfectly fine.)

3. Zest the lemon. If you don't know what that means, ask your granny. Or use dried zest like I do.

4. In a small saucepan, combine the almond milk, Splenda, vanilla, and zest. Bring to a boil. Add gelatin puck/mixture, lower to a simmer, and whisk until the gelatin dissolves. This'll take about a minute.

5. In a food processor (or even your blender) add the cream cheese and avocados (both cubed). Pour hot milk mixture in and give it a whirl until it's super smooth.

6. Pour into the crust, cover, and stick it in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Source: Chris Shugart http://tnation.t-nation.com/free_online_forum/diet_performance_nutrition_bodybuilding_velocity_recipe/avocado_cheesecake?id=3532350&pageNo=0

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Flourless Pizza!

The Super Bowl is here! Usually, this day involves a ton of pizza AND drink. I have been telling my clients about a flourless pizza that I have been making the past month, using cauliflower as the crust! Suprisingly, it tastes amazing!

So hang up the phone, no ordering unhealthy pizza, try this easy recipe instead!

CRUST:
1/2 LARGE head cauliflower (or 1 1/2 cups shredded cauliflower)
1 large egg
1 cup finely shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or fresh garlic)
1/2 teaspoon onion salt

TOPPINGS:
1/2 cup low sugar tomato sauce
1/2 cup finely shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Shred the cauliflower into small crumbles. You can use the food processor if you'd like, but you just want crumbles, not puree. You'll need a total of 1 1/2 cups of cauliflower crumbles (which is about half a large head of cauliflower. Place the cauliflower crumbles in a large bowl and microwave them for 8 minutes. Give the cauliflower a chance to cool.

2. Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray (or use a nonstick surface). In a medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups cauliflower crumbles with the remaining crust ingredients. Pat the "crust" into a 9 to 12-inch round on the prepared pan. Spray the crust lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 15 minutes (or until golden). Remove the crust from the oven and turn the heat up to broil.

3. Prepare the pizza: Spread the sauce on top of the baked crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on top. Broil the pizza 3 to 4 minutes, or until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into 6 slices and serve immediately.

Other topping ideas:
Sliced tomatoes

Turkey Sausage

Turkey Bacon

Turkey Pepperoni

Pineapple

Olives

Be creative and enjoy this delicious, healthy dish!

Recipe at recipegirl.com

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Flourless Pizza!

The Super Bowl is here! Usually, this day involves a ton of pizza AND drink. I have been telling my clients about a flourless pizza that I have been making the past month, using cauliflower as the crust! Suprisingly, it tastes amazing!

So hang up the phone, no ordering unhealthy pizza, try this easy recipe instead!

CRUST:
1/2 LARGE head cauliflower (or 1 1/2 cups shredded cauliflower)
1 large egg
1 cup finely shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or fresh garlic)
1/2 teaspoon onion salt

TOPPINGS:
1/2 cup low sugar tomato sauce
1/2 cup finely shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Shred the cauliflower into small crumbles. You can use the food processor if you'd like, but you just want crumbles, not puree. You'll need a total of 1 1/2 cups of cauliflower crumbles (which is about half a large head of cauliflower. Place the cauliflower crumbles in a large bowl and microwave them for 8 minutes. Give the cauliflower a chance to cool.

2. Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray (or use a nonstick surface). In a medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups cauliflower crumbles with the remaining crust ingredients. Pat the "crust" into a 9 to 12-inch round on the prepared pan. Spray the crust lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 15 minutes (or until golden). Remove the crust from the oven and turn the heat up to broil.

3. Prepare the pizza: Spread the sauce on top of the baked crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on top. Broil the pizza 3 to 4 minutes, or until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into 6 slices and serve immediately.

Other topping ideas:
Sliced tomatoes

Turkey Sausage

Turkey Bacon

Turkey Pepperoni

Pineapple

Olives

Be creative and enjoy this delicious, healthy dish!

Recipe at recipegirl.com

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Strengthening For Golf

This is wishful thinking, but I am already looking forward to the golf season. This is the time to strength train so those long par 4's dont seem too long in a few months! Also, greater strength makes it easier to get out of that long, thick rough (not that you are ever in there anyways).

Here are a few movements that you can apply to golf strengthening:

-Birddog x 15 reps each side (better mobility + better core stabilization through impact)

-Medicine Ball Chops x 15 reps each side (better mobility + better turn through impact)

-Dumbbell Shoulder Press x 15 reps (more strength through impact)

-Planks x 60 seconds (better core stabilization throughout the swing)

-Barbell Wrist Curls (forearm strength plays a big factor in getting the ball out of the heavy rough)

Work on these movements for the next few months and add some distance to your tee shot!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Hotel Fitness

We are halfway through our winter (hopefully)! Many of you are thinking of or are already taking vacations. Don't let your fitness slip while you are away for a period of time. Try this routine out before you go outside to bask in the sun!

Hotel Fitness Routine:

Chair Dips x 15

Jumping Jacks x 45 seconds

Push Ups x 15

Mountain Climbers x 25 seconds

Plank x 60 seconds

Complete this circuit 3-4 times through! But above all, ENJOY YOUR VACATION!!!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Sleep Better

Sleep deprivation is commonplace amongst our society. Longer days and nights at the office leave us little time to unwind. Sleep is an important process that gets us hormonally and mentally charged. Yet most of us dont get enough of it. How can we take advantage of our sleep and start to feel refreshed?

Here are a few tips:

-Block out ALL light sources. Even a brighter alarm clock can influence the bodies output of melatonin (this helps keep you asleep). Put a towel over the clock, and TURN OFF YOUR T.V. before bed!

-Perform a "before" bed ritual. Take a warm bath, stretch, or do some light yoga. Drink some decaf green tea.

-Take 2-5mg of melatonin 30-45 minutes before bed on an empty stomach. This helps the body get into sleep mode faster.

Try these and get on your way to a better nights sleep!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

Love Pasta? No Problem!

Coming from an Italian family, I grew up on pasta Sundays. Over the years, as my diet has evolved into a more gluten free, no bread/pasta, type, I have taken out pasta completely.

However, just the other day as I was walking down one of the areas more marketable grocery store, I came across quinoa pasta. I had to give it a shot! Quinoa is sprouted grain but is relative to leafy green vegetables (1)! Quinoa is also high in protein, making it a perfect meal item.

I was rather impressed with the texture and after adding some grass fed butter and salt and pepper it was delicious! Give quinoa pasta a try! Mix some vegetables in with it and enjoy!

-Eric

Fitness Together Newtonville & Auburndale

1.) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice