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Showing posts from 2012

Mediterranean Do It Better

Apart from living in Greece, you can still lead a Mediterranean lifestyle, by eating the foods they eat on a regular basis. Why should you eat like the Greeks? Because over the years, countless studies have proven that specific foods in the Mediterranean diet are linked to longer life, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as reduction in the risk of being overweight or obese. If that’s not a good enough reason for you— then I don’t know what is! Mediterranean diet are items like fish, cheese, yogurt, fruits, vegetables and grains, olive oil, nuts, legumes, seeds, herbs and spices, grape leaves and, YES, red wine. All of these foods have one thing in common and that is that they are nutrient-dense—meaning they are full of the vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and antioxidants our body benefits from. Good sources of protein and ones most commonly found in the Mediterranean menu are fish and shellfish, eggs, lean b

Proper Squat Execution

  Squats have long been criticized for being destructive to your knees, but research shows that when done properly, squats actually improve knee stability and strengthen connective tissue.   Below are safe squat techniques for proper execution.  Warm up Stand with your feet just over shoulder width apart Keep your back in a neutral position, and keep your knees centered over your feet Slowly bend your knees, hips and ankles, lowering until you reach a 90-degree angle Return to starting position -- repeat 15-20 times, for 2-3 sets for beginners (do this two or three times a week) Breathe in as you lower, breathe out as you return to starting position Be mindful if the Mind-to-Muscle Connection!   If you are uncertain of your capability, it is alway best to consult with a personal trainer! www.FlexFitnessPersonalTraining.com.  Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced, do not underestimate the benefits of a properly performed squat! 

Today's Workout: SHOULDERS

Shoulder Press Machine 1 set: warm-up moderate weight, 20 reps 2-4 sets: increase weight w/each set, 12-15 reps Lateral Dumbbell Raises 4 sets: 15-20 reps Bent-over Single Arm Posterior Flys 1-2 sets: 15 reps 3-4 sets: (weight increase) 12-15 reps Dumbbell Alternating Front Raises 1-4 sets: 15 reps Posterior Dumbbell Flys on Incline Bench 1-2 sets: 15 reps 3-4 sets: (weight increase) 12-15 reps 3-Way Barbell Delts (Narrow Upright Row, Wide Grip Upright Row, Shoulder Press) 1-4 sets: 10x10x10 consecutive reps Posterior Cable Flys 1-4 sets: 15 reps

Freezer Section: DO NOT ENTER!

If we want to see different results, we have to make changes. Changes in our daily activity levels (EXERCISE) and changes in our nutrition. Not everyone looks forward to their daily workout and not everybody wants to eat "like a bodybuilder". Although, eating "clean" is not torture contrary to popular belief! You don't have to sacrifice good food. I enjoy eating as much as the next guy. It's all in the choices we make.  For instance, when you're next at the grocery store, study the labels before you put an item in your basket. My advice for the freezer section: unless it's frozen-fresh veggies you seek or frozen poultry & seafood...STEER CLEAR OF THE FROZEN FOOD! Yes, that includes the "healthy" frozen meals. It may be convenient, but with a little planning and preperation, you can accomplish a greater ready-to-eat meal by cooking your meals in advance. For more tips and advice feel free to email me @ Charisse_Fruge@yahoo.com. If you

Sample Workout

Flickr Tags: Juan Araujo , Charisse Fruge , Flex Fitness , Personal Training , Workout , Weights I promised a sample workout for a sweet friend. So here is an example of what a week's worth of training might look like consisting of only three lifting days Monday: 30-45 min CARDIO Tuesday: LEGS •legs extensions •squats •lunges •lying hamstring curls   Wednesday : 30-45 min CARDIO   Thursday : BACK, BICEPS & TRICEPS Back •lat pull downs •bent-over barbell rows •back extensions Biceps •standing barbell curls •preacher curls •hammer curls Triceps •cable push downs with straight bar •cable reverse pull downs with straight bar •bench dips   Friday : SHOULDERS, CHEST & CALVES Shoulders •lateral dumbbell raises •front dumbbell raises •barbell upright rows Chest •barbell chest presses •dumbbell incline presses •pushups Calves •seated calve press •standing calves raises   Saturday : 30-45 min CARDIO   Sunday : REST   Each exercise might consi

IS YOUR CARDIO TIME EFFECTIVE?

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When you step on the elliptical, do you just start pushing buttons? " “The FAT BURNER Program…if I push this one the pounds will start melting away!!” Not necessarily so, ladies! And don’t think this is 30 minutes of uninterrupted phone time where you can catch up on your sister-in-law’s latest debacle! Want real results? Put forth real effort! Here is an interval program I personally love. Give it a shot! You won’t become magically sculpted overnight, but if you stick with it, incorporate a weight training regimen and prepare healthy meals for yourself and your family…YOU WILL SEE RESULTS! “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” ~Mark Twain

Just a Girl & Her...DUMBBELLS!

With a nine-month old baby, I know how hard it is to get to the gym and get a good workout in. On those days when we just can’t seem to make it don’t give up! All you need is a set of dumbbells! Here is a sample routine for a TOTAL BODY workout! Any remember to challenge yourself, not cheat yourself. If you don’t feel the muscle burn your efforts are null; increase your weights or reps…or both! Muscles Worked: CHEST AND TRICEPS Position: Lie flat on a bench with a dumbell in each hand. Hold the dumbells with an overhand grip and position them near the sides of your chest. For extra stability, place your feet firmly on the floor. Start: Press the dumbells straight up until the two dumbells are nearly touching above your chest.  Finish: Slowly lower the dumbells back to the starting position. Tip: At the topmost part of the exercise, try to squeeze your chest muscles as much as you can. Whether you're at home or in the gym, if you use heavy weight, make sure there's so

Drew Manning Goes From "Fit 2 FAT 2 Fit"

  There is more to it than meets the eye! Be healthy – Mind, Body & Soul!! Meet the personal trainer who made himself obese then lost all… Drew Manning Goes From "Fit 2 FAT 2 Fit"

Burn fat for 16 hours after training!

When it comes to fat loss, there is a pecking order of exercise effectiveness, according to a growing body of research. At one point, all of us were certain that doing steady-state aerobic work between 65 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate would melt pounds mercilessly. Of course, we all learned that this type of cardio was mind numbing, and even your current playlist couldn’t speed up perceived time on the treadmill, the stepper, the rower or any other piece of cardio equipment. But with the improved ability of researchers to measure fat loss more precisely, what we believed about fat loss and cardio has changed. Sure, steady-state cardio done in a particular zone will help you drop pounds, but we now know that cardio intervals do it more efficiently, often in less time. And recently, as it turns out, research shows that resistance training, especially circuits, is on par with cardio intervals . Of course, the additional benefit of is that it adds muscle, which itse

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken With Mushrooms and Sweet Potatoes

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Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 10m | Total Time: 55m Ingredients 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice kosher salt and black pepper 4 4-ounce chicken cutlets 1/4 cup walnuts 2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed well 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon plus 3 teaspoons olive oil 1 large sweet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, halved if large 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar Directions In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Heat oven to 450° F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool and coarsely chop. Meanwhile, cook

Beat Arm Jiggle!!

The Answer: A simple but taxing routine that pairs up two sets of two moves for maximum results. Here’s how to do it: perform exercises 1a and 1b back-to-back with little to no rest. Recover for 90 seconds and repeat twice, then do the same with exercises 2a and 2b. Try this gym workout two to three times per week, leaving at last one day of rest in between routines (for example, Monday/Wednesday/Friday). Can’t make it to the gym? Anchor a resistance band high for the pressdowns and low for the cable overhead extensions. 2. 1A. Two-Handed Overhead Dumbbell Extension Target Muscles: triceps brachii (long head emphasis) Set Up: Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground. (Bring up the incline for back support, if desired.) Hold one heavy dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms overhead [A] . Action: Keeping your upper arms in the same vertical position, bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head as far as you can [B] , then extend to return to the star

MYOFUSION CINNAMON ROLL PROTEIN PANCAKES – GLUTEN FREE

Holy Moly! This sounds so yummy! If you’ve tried it, we welcome your “comments”! A ‘Stronger, Healthier, Happier YOU’ does not mean you have to eat boiled chicken six times a day! MYOFUSION CINNAMON ROLL PROTEIN PANCAKES – GLUTEN FREE 2 egg whites 2 oz cooked sweet potato, skin removed 1 scoop MyoFusion Cinnamon Roll protein Blend all ingredients together. (I use a Magic Bullet for blending). Pour into a skillet that has been set to medium heat and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook as you would normal pancakes. Yields 3 medium pancakes. Serve plain, with sugar-free syrup or another topping of your choice. 230 calories | 32g protein | 21g carbs | 2g fat Yields 1 or 2 servings (depending on your nutritional needs) NOTE: You can also cut recipe in half for a smaller portion. Compliments of: http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/win-the-day/1411-jbs-protein-pancakes.html

“Should I Count Calories?”

ABSOLUTELY!!!! Calories DO matter! The “point systems” the major weight-loss companies promote…just a fancy way of saying “ CALORIES ”! The bottom line: CALORIES IN/CALORIES OUT . If you consume more than you expend you are not going to lose! There are many variables that one also must consider when it comes to nutrition and designing a plan that will work for you; macros is just one to mention. Get with a professional or email me today a free consultation .

Booty Blasting Exercises

Tighten, Lift, and Tone Your Backside! -Straight Leg Dead Lifts -Bench Step Ups -Glutes Cable Kickbacks -Walking Lunges -Side squats with Resistance Band The key to working your gluteus is to focus on that mind muscle connection, proper form and squeezing!

Bathing Suit Trends 2012

What areas of nutrition or fitness would YOU like tips on? Please comment below or message me on Facebook and you're question(s) will be the feature of my next blog! Stay strong, ladies!!

Post-Baby ABS!

Okay, mommas!! My baby girl is seven months old now. My how time flies! As we all know, just getting to the gym is a major challenge. I, for one, am still not comfortable taking my princess to childcare at the gym. It may just be that I am a first-time mommy, but I also have concerns about cleanliness. Anyway...so I have recently bought a jogging stroller second-hand from a friend of mine. Ava Baby is rolling in style now in her JEEP Stroller! It's great! My advice, if you're shopping around, is to buy one with a stationary front wheel. Yes, they are a bit harder to maneuver; however, if you are using it as intended...for JOGGING...you don't want that front wheel to swivel or shimmy. So my GYM DAYS now primarily consist of legs workouts. If you're a follower of my blog, you know that I split my legs days to maximize muscular development...one day for Glutes & Quads then another day for Hamstrings...and Back. My biceps, triceps and deltoids I squeeze in where I can

10 Foods That Detox the Body

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When it comes to detoxing your body, there are many techniques you can follow and supplements you can take. I am not able to participate in the incredible 24-Day Advocare Challenge because I am nursing. So alternatively, and naturally the best way, is to eat lots of foods that detox the body. Below is a list of detox foods that I thought would be an great addition to everybody’s diet. 1. Fruits Fruits are extremely high in liquid-content, helping the body wash out toxins. They are also very easy to digest and are high in antioxidants , nutrients, fiber and many important vitamins like vitamin C. 2. Green Foods When you are ready to detox your body, fill your refrigerator with blue green algae , barley, wheatgrass, kale, spinach, spirulina, alfalfa, chard, arugula or other organic leafy greens. These plants will help give a chlorophyll-boost to your digestive tract. Chlorophyll rids the body of harmful environmental toxins from smog, heavy metals , herbicides, cleaning

FIVE FAT-LOSS MYTHS SET STRAIGHT!

MYTH 1: Temperature of foods or beverages does not matter. FACT 1: The actual temperature of a food or beverage that you eat or drink can have a direct impact on how many extra calories your body burns throughout the day. Think of this as using what we eat or drink to force the body to be more inefficient at metabolizing food or beverages. Let me explain this concept to you this way: the body normally maintains a temperature homeostasis (around 98.7 degrees Farenheit). When we eat or drink foods/beverages that greatly vary from our normal temperature, the body must either “heat up” the item or “cool it down” while it travels from your mouth, through your esophagus and into your stomach. If we did not have this ability, every time you drank hot chocolate or ice cream, you would burn or freeze your upper GI tract and this clearly does not happen. MYTH 2: As long as you eat less than what you need, it does not matter what you eat. FACT 2: The reality is that what you eat matters. Ho

CHOCOLATE for MUSCLES!!

I finished my workout week strong on Sunday with a second round of LEGS and touched up SHOULDERS. I was able to get to the gym only three times this past week, but I made the most of my time… TUESDAY: Back, Biceps & Triceps WEDNESDAY: Legs & Calves SUNDAY: Legs & Shoulders I’m feeling great! Although its being advised that I need to focus on getting in my daily meals to retain muscle and keep from dropping my body fat any lower. I am technically “off-season”, but more importantly, I am still nursing. So my focus this week is less supplementation & more real meals! With a four-month old this means PREPARATION! And very likely eating cold chicken & asparagus with my fingers! :) With the onset of muscles soreness already present from yesterday’s workout, I started the day with the addition of one great natural muscle recovery ingredient to my oatmeal…COCOA! Although, the recommended consumption is 30-45 minutes post-workout. Try adding cocoa to your post-wo

24 Day Challenge

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It's A New Year, A New YOU! Call me today or order online ! Let's take advantage of this promotional offer (expiring 01.17.2012) and get back on track to a healthier you! Its not just about the next 24-days, its about the rest of your life! If you have questions about the challenge, PLEASE call me! It's your body...EARN IT! In Health & Happiness, Charisse FrugĂ© | Direct: (281) 932-9102 www.CharisseFruge.com | My Advocare | www.YouLiftLikeAGirl.com | Visit My Facebook Page Post-Partum Progress Pix…taken 01.09.2012…   And my angel…taken 01.08.2012…will be 16 weeks old on 01.11.2012.