Fitness Together - Coconut Grove

Accountability and Planning: The Keys to Fitness Success

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:10:00 -0500

Let’s be 100 percent honest – working out is not always fun. In fact, as a fitness enthusiast myself, I’d go so far as to venture to say working out is usually not fun. Forgive the overused fitness industry cliché but “that’s why its called ‘working out ‘ – its work!” Except for the few masochists out there, most of us don’t wake up at 5:00am to get to the gym at 6:00am to do a semi-exhausted workout 3-4 days per week before an 8 hour work day because we want to…we do it because we need to.

Just as we do it because we need to not necessarily because we want to, we need to be accountable to see the best results from our hard work. What do I mean by accountable? Set up specific days and times of the day that you will be at the gym, no matter what. Its an appointment time that you cannot break. If you are working with a personal trainer – great! As that has a built in accountability mechanism of showing up for your appointment – but it’s the same concept whether you are working out with a trainer, with a friend or by yourself. Set the appointment time in your phone, on your agenda, on a sticky-note and you know you have to be at the gym at 6:00am or 7:00pm. Its not an option or something you can just cancel on.

The same concept applies to nutrition. If you plan to wing it during the day chances are that nine times out of ten, you will end up eating the same calorie dense lunch and snacking on M&M’s from the vending machine by 3:00pm. Our bodies are, unfortunately, preprogrammed to prefer sugary and fatty foods and usually grilled chicken breast and baby spinach is not the first choice of most. Just like setting up workout times, though, nutrition requires planning and accountability. Pack your lunch ahead of time. Bring some healthy, low calorie snacks. Do not give yourself the option to eat something else!

We exercise because we have to – for our health, for our physical appearance, for our mental wellbeing. Accountability and planning are the two best tools one can have on his or her side to ensure the best possible results from the hard work put forth in the gym. Its not always fun, and its not always tasty – but the results are definitely worth it…besides, you can always set a reminder for your weekly cheat meal, too!

Why Your Exercise Program Isn't Working

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:32:00 -0500

Through my years working as a personal trainer as well as an avid exercise enthusiast in my own personal life, I have come to two realizations regarding most people’s exercise programs:

1) Most people’s want to “lose weight”

2) Most people never see results.

In the personal training business, when a prospective client is interested in your services, you often will sit down with him or her and discuss the respective goals. Nine times out of ten, goal number one is “weight loss”. Why do I put the cynical quotation marks on that phrase? Because nine times out of ten, body weight is completely irrelevant. Most people need to change their body composition. Build muscle mass and lower body-fat percentage. Some of the most dramatic changes I have ever seen have been a net weight change of only a few pounds but a shockingly different before and after!

Now, lets look at point #2 as this pertains to the overall subject of this very article; results – or lack thereof. The unfortunate truth about the fitness industry is that day in and day out, ninety-nine percent of people in the gym look the same every day, every month and every year. Before we understand why this is, and how to fix it, lets get one thing clear: if you started exercising to change your body and you look the same after a few months, something is wrong with what you are doing!

Exercise is not rocket science and neither is changing your body. Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions and errors that tend to screw up people’s success. Once again, we have two main reasons why most people don’t see results:

1) Too much cardio and not enough resistance training

2) Bad diet!

Cardio does not “burn fat.” It allows for greater caloric expenditure and creates a net effect over the twelve hours or so of greater fat metabolism – that’s about it! I’ve worked with plenty of marathon runners who have wanted to get rid of their belly fat and love handles! Resistance training, which builds muscles is really what changes your body. If you want toned legs a tighter butt or getting rid of that jiggle in the back of your arms - that’s from weight training. Even more important, the more muscle the more calories you burn and the easier it is to stay lean. You don’t have to become a bodybuilder, but training with weights about 3 times a week will do more to change your body than all the marathon cardio sessions you can think of.

Lets look at #2 on our list – bad diet. Fat loss happens in the kitchen! It does not require a million different supplements or any complex, painful diets. A diet high in protein (because protein is very filling, and actually uses a lot of calories to digest) with moderate amounts of carbohydrates coming from fruits and vegetables will change your body. It really is that simple! In all my years in the fitness industry I can’t think of one person that told me they became overweight from eating chicken, green beans and apples.

Exercise is great for our health and longevity, but many of us decide to start working out to change our physical appearance in some way. If you’ve been working out for a fair amount of times (a few months) and have not seen any difference in the mirror – you are doing something wrong and chances are its not enough resistance training and poor diet choices.

Working out and changing your body should be rewarding. Make it that way by making the right choices.

Low Calorie Indulgences That Will Fill Your Cravings!

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:21:00 -0600

Losing weight and getting in shape can often be daunting when many of the diets out there alternate between insane fads, such as soup only, or the effective but ever-miserable bodybuilder style chicken and broccoli five times per day. While there are definitely foods that have no role in a healthy nutrition plan – let alone a diet geared toward weight loss – often times, with a little creativity, one can enjoy delicious, low-calorie variations of favorite meals and not suffer the consequences on the waist-line.

There are a plethora of healthy recipes that are truly only limited by one’s own imagination, but here you will find 3 delicious, filling, low calorie meals that can be eaten by those trying to lose weight or just trying to stay fit and healthy.

Caramelized Apple
Apple pie is always a favorite dessert but is packed with calories coming from lots of carbs and fat. Recreate the same delicious flavor but without the nutritional damage: cut up slices of an apple, add some stevia and cook in a pan (Stevia is a sweetener that has practically zero calories but unlike the other artificial sweeteners, it is natural). Once the stevia has caramelized, top it off with some cinnamon – again, practically zero calories – and enjoy.

Mashed Cauliflower
Instead of mashed potatoes, which are often very calorie dense (and almost all those calories coming from carbs!), have mashed cauliflower. Steam the cauliflower first and then mash it with salt and pepper to taste. Cauliflowers are very low calorie as they are mostly dietary fiber – a type of carbohydrate that the human body cannot actually digest.

Eggplant or Zucchini Lasagna
Yes, thats right, lasgna is actually on a list of healthy, low-calorie foods. Instead of using pasta, thinly slice long strips of eggplant or zucchini and add plenty more vegetables, tomato sauce and a sparing amount of cheese. Unlike your usual lasagna, this meal is low on carbs, high in vitamins and antioxidants from the veggies and just as tasty.

Losing weight, eating healthy and staying in shape does not need to be about self-deprivation. Incorporate these delicious, low-calorie meals into your diet as well as a regular exercise regiment and your body will thank you.

What results?

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:47:00 -0500

Results. How do we define results? What are results? Most people who begin an exercise program do so because they want results. And most people who quit their exercise programs do so because they have not seen “results”. It is important to define results and be realistic about what those can be and, even more importantly, should be.

You don’t have to lose 30 lbs, wear a size 4 or have a six-pack set of abs to get great results. It is not realistic for anyone who is not extremely genetically gifted, and willing to follow a RIDICULOUSLY strict diet and extreme exercise program, to have a goal of looking like someone on the cover of a fitness magazine. (And by the way, they are generally all airbrushed and using performance enhancing drugs.) I am sorry if that ruins your day but it is the truth. However, there is more to the story. If you can let go of unrealistic expectations and focus on “real” results, you will be happy.

Who cares if the 45 year old mother of three never gets back in a size 4? The fact that she can rock a sexy size 8, beat the heck out of most 25 year olds in the gym and still turn heads is pretty darn awesome!

Who cares if the 50 year old man doesn’t have a 32 inch waist? A 36 inch waist looks pretty cool when it’s beneath a strong back and shoulders, solid arms and beats the youngsters in a 5K!

Who cares is the 65 year old who has never exercised before still can’t run very fast? They have more energy to chase after their grandkids and will live a longer and more fulfilling life because of their new exercise program.

Who cares if the girl who has always been heavy and insecure is still not “skinny”? She is strong, confident, happy, fit, fast, and athletic now and she can kick your *ss!

That is what results are all about people. Now put down the Muscle and Fitness magazine and get to the gym. :-)

Click here to get started on your "real" results!

Strength- The most often overlooked aspect of fitness

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:57:00 -0500

Are you neglecting the most important part of your exercise routine?

Experts agree that a consistent exercise program is the key to health and quality of life. However, many people are neglecting one of the most important types of exercise.

When most people think of exercising, they think of something “cardiovascular” in nature. Perhaps they think of going for a jog or a bike ride, taking a walk or an aerobic class. Strength training is often considered to be reserved for the high school football team and the wanna-be bodybuilders. The fear of accidentally becoming muscle-bound and looking like Arnold Schwarzeneggar have kept many people from discovering the many benefits of one of the world’s most effective forms of exercise.

Proper strength training can improve your quality of life in more ways than you may have ever imagined, and is arguably more important to your daily life and health than any other form of exercise. Consider the following examples. Have you found yourself in any of the following situations?

Have you:

Had trouble carrying a heavy box or suitcase up a flight of stairs?

Had a child on one hip and dropped your keys? Did you worry about your back and your knees as you knelt to pick up the keys?

Had a hard time putting that slightly oversized carry-on item into the overhead compartment on an airplane?

Thrown out your back while rearranging the furniture in the living room?

Had to say no to your child or grandchild who wanted you to pick him up, carry him or play with him because you were too tired or too weak? Maybe worried about hurting yourself?

Stopped playing your favorite sport because you just don’t feel strong enough anymore or are afraid of injury?

Think of how limiting your life can be if you don’t feel strong and confident in your physical abilities. No longer being able to play the sports or be involved in the activities that you may have enjoyed before. Strength training can change all that.

Forget the old stereotypes of musclebound men and masculine women. Think more along the lines of today’s Olympic athletes, like swimmer Michael Phelps and skier Lindsey Vonn, who have used resistance training to build strong, athletic and toned bodies.

A good resistance training program will strengthen your lower back and abs, tone and firm your entire upper body and legs, and add the lean muscle that is necessary to speed up your metabolism for greater fat loss. You can use this incredible form of exercise to build a body that not only looks and feels better, but can perform the tasks of daily living confidently, comfortably and pain-free. So the next time you are on the tennis court, at the playground or on the beach, you will be much happier knowing that you can handle the task at hand and look good doing it.

Scott Baumann is the operating partner of Fitness Together in South Miami and Coconut Grove. “Where excellence in personal training meets privacy and luxury.”

www.fitnesstogethermiami.com

Fitness Tips from a stewardess (Oops, I mean flight attendant)

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:56:00 -0600

**VIDEO** Does it seem like you just can't find the time to exercise? Too many other priorities? Kids, work, house, etc.. Well, before you decide that you just don't have the time, think about what is most important.. Watch this short video..

Please just drop the dumbbells now!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:29:00 -0600

It’s a beautiful day out today and lots of people are out jogging and trying to get in shape. This is awesome and I love to see it but there are always one or two people doing something that just makes me want to scream “Please drop the dumbbells right now!” What is it that makes me so crazy?

Running with light hand weights and doing curls or presses at the same time. You know what I am talking about and you’ve either done it yourself or you have seen someone doing it. If that is so, then read on. Now the idea behind this makes sense. Kill two birds with one stone and get toned up and some strength training in at the same time as you are doing some cardio. Perfect , right? Wrong.

Strength training (the ONLY way to build muscle and “tone”) is only effective with resistance that limits you to a maximum of 15-20 reps at a time. So if you can do 25, 35 or 500 reps with your 5lb dumbells while you run, you are not strength training. As a matter of fact, you are not doing much at all other than asking for an overuse injury. There is virtually no benefit to curling or pressing a light weight hundreds of times and the repetitive nature of these movements will likely cause shoulder or elbow problems.

So drop the hand weights, do your jog or run, and then get some real weights and do your strength training. You don’t need 50 lb dumbbells, but the weight does need to be heavy enough that you cannot do more than 15-20 reps or you will not see the benefits of strength training. And let’s face it, running and curling with pink 5 lb weights just looks silly. J

What makes FT different?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:26:00 -0600

Fitness Together is different than a typical gym or bootcamp program because we take the time to sit down and meet with each and every client individually, and determine the best program for them as an individual. Many gyms and group workout programs treat everyone the same, as if they have the same goals and the same challenges. We know that each individual has different goals and different likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. We customize each program and nutriton plan as we get to know each ciient personally, and that personal relationship with each and every client is what makes Fitness Together, in the words of one client, "a place where I can be successful."

The top 5 ways to "cheat" on your diet

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:32:00 -0500

We all know how tough dieting can be. The thought of letting go of those foods we love so much can be stressful and downright depressing. As a man that chooses happiness in hand with health, I have devised a few methods of having my favorite foods and still keeping a lean, healthy physique. They are not intended to ruin your meal with outrageous substitutions or empty your pockets by the use of some magical powder. Here are the top 5 techniques to “cheat” on your diet.

“Splitting”

Play out this scene in your head: You approach your trainer and tell him/her that you just finished having that 600 calorie omelet you’ve been longing for. Your trainer’s jaw will likely drop low enough to hear a crack and your workout would be pulled out of the “Pain” file.

Try this out for a change: Buy that cheesy omelet and split it in half. Eat half and take the second had to go and have the second half a few hours later. You have just successfully cheated the system two meals in a row. You have managed to keep two meals within reasonable size without ordering the ever-tasteless “light” or “fit” omelet.

2.“Coring”

The sandwich is the staple of flavorful guilt on the go. It is the one thing you can always count on to love you back, hugging your taste buds as you sneakily snag bites behind your desk. However, you know what your trainer will say 500 calories later when you’re forced to confess your love.

Here is your 150 calorie cutting solution: Core the bread out! Pinch off as many chunks of the inside of that bread as you can without making holes. Better yet, ask the person making your sandwich to core it out for you and then toast it for an added crunch. Will it affect the flavor? Not one bit.

3. “Water it down”

Portion sizes are hard to control and they are usually the biggest culprits. When grandma serves you four plates or your boss insists you try the ten course option, you tend to go a little overboard. It’s not your fault! During times like these, what you need more than an antacid is an excuse to not eat so much.

Here is your savior: Drink water. Yes, it’s that simple. The more water you drink prior to a meal, the less space you’ll have in your stomach to have another helping of grandma’s anti-diet recipe.

4. “Timing”

You have come to the point in your diet when you have spinach growing under your finger nails and egg whites circling you brain. You’re eyeing the chocolate, the burgers, the salami, the DOUGHNUTS; oh it’s all too much! Yes. The time has come to cheat. That food truck by your office is calling your name. It is no longer a question of “if”, but “when”. Not when is your boss not looking, but when will this meal least affect your goals?

This is the trickiest cheat I know because it has such a slippery slope behind it so pay attention carefully. The best time to eat that cheat meal is after your hardest workout. Your muscles cry for any nutrients they can get right after a workout in order to begin repair so a few treats here and there after a workout can be beneficial. HOWEVER, you still need to watch your portion sizes so go ahead and give the other 12 doughnuts back to the cashier.

5. “Do it yourself”

Let’s be honest here. Restaurants cook for taste and cost before ever considering your hope for beautiful abs. With that in mind, you have two choices. The first one involves several requests and possible consequential yells from the chef.

Here is the more reasonable option: Cook your own meals. I realize the thought of cooking for your own meal may evoke memories of flaming pans and overcooked meat, but if you form a partnership with cooking shows, you just may survive long enough to enjoy a healthier meal made to your liking.

There you have it. Five surefire techniques to help you “cheat” on your diet, stick to your healthy eating commitment and save your sanity in the process!

Top 3 Fat Loss Tips

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:02:00 -0500

“Lose 10lbs in 1 week!” “Six pack abs in 10 minutes a day!” “Drop 4 inches off your waist in the first month!” We have all heard these exaggerated weight loss promises either spouted off by late night infomercials, plastered in a colorful magazine advertisement or on the radio driving to work. Ultimately, though, these are nothing more than catchy slogans and empty promises driven by a multi-billion dollar industry with the hope of capitalizing on the American population’s (in which one out of every three adults is clinically obese) seemingly never-ending quest for physical perfection. The truth is that weight loss is not rocket science and the good news is that the most effective route toward dropping inches off your waistline is also the simplest.

The following are 3 simple tips that will assist you in your journey toward fat loss and ultimately a happier, healthier and longer life.

“Calories In versus Calories Out” A calorie is simply a unit of energy coming from a food source. Dependent on one’s age, height, weight, gender and activity level everyone requires a certain amount of calories to maintain their weight; appropriately this is called one’s “maintenance calories.” Thanks to the convenience of high calorie fast foods and snacks combined with the overwhelming level of inactivity of the average American, most of us eat far more calories than our maintenance level and gain fat. So what is the solution? Read the nutrition facts, eat foods that are relatively low in calories and be more active!
High intensity exercise at least 3 times per week. Everybody has seen those commercials that advertise weight loss “with no exercise required!” Sure, you can lose weight without exercise but after four weeks of starvation you will look in the mirror and see the same reflection staring right back at you! Yes, you may weigh less but your body composition will be the same. If you want six pack abs, a little definition in the back of your arms or a tighter rear end than you need to workout – and workout hard. Buy a heart rate monitor and wear it to the gym because you want to keep your heart rate between 135 and 155 beats per minutes for optimal fat loss results. Try this simple exercise prescription for weight loss and toning: after every set of weights, go hop on the treadmill, elliptical or bike and run or pedal as fast you can for 2 minutes. Try that for forty five minutes three times a week and take a look at your body in a couple months – you won’t be disappointed!
Eat more often! The average American skips breakfast, eats a snack when he or she gets to work, waits a few more hours to have lunch then waits sometimes 6-7 hours to consume dinner. Not coincidentally, dinner (and then dessert) is usually the biggest meal of the day. While this may not seem like a lot of food, the calories add up quickly because one ends up binging at meal-time because they have waited so long to eat. Eat breakfast when you wake up in the morning (and switch out the coffee and donut for oatmeal and egg whites!) and snack on some fruit or mixed nuts between meals. Start going for green vegetables instead of the French fries and get your chicken grilled, broiled or baked instead of fried or breaded.

Remember, fat loss does not need to be complicated or stressful. Whether you want to lose some inches on your waist for the beach or you are struggling with high blood pressure, if you consistently apply these three simple steps to your daily routine you will see the results. We live in a time where there is a new drug developed to treat a new symptom or disease that has been diagnosed or discovered practically everyday, we often overlook the most simple and effective solution: exercise is truly the world’s only real panacea.

"Hey don't get mad at me!"

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:13:00 -0500

I am happy that so many people are reading this blog, but why does everyone say "Scott I love your blogs. But they always make me feel so guilty." Hey, I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer and my intention is not to make you feel guilty or to remind you what a crappy job you are doing with your workout, diet, whatever.. More importantly, my intention is certainly not to eliminate all fun and enjoyment from your life.

On the contrary, my goal is to bring you even more joy, more happiness, more confidence and more zest for life! If you are already super confident in the way you look, feeling great and have energy to the moon, then don't even bother reading my blog. Tell me to go scratch and keep doing what you are doing because you have got it going on! But if you are like most people who come to me for advice, and you don't feel so great about the way that you look and you don't feel confident naked and you are tired all the time, then understand that what I am telling you can change all that. Yes, you may have to s-a-c-r-i-f-i-c-e some of the things that you "love", things that make you happy, etc., but you will be making decisions that will make you happier in the long run.
The short-lived happiness of pastries, and piles of starchy carbs and sugary sweets is ruining the long-term happiness of good health, a slimmer waistline and muscles that you didn't even know you had.
Sure, sleeping an extra hour is nice but losing 20 lbs. in six weeks from getting up an extra hour earlier to workout feels even better. Having dessert every night tastes good but putting on a bathing suit and standing in the bathroom for 20 minutes trying to figure out how to hide your love handles in it doesn't feel very good. Does it? Think of how good it would feel to slip back into your skinny jeans? Or go shopping and not be afraid to look in the 3 way mirror!
The term is delayed gratification and if you don't know what it means, google it. Nobody wants to go to college but it sure is nice to get a college degree. Get it??
*check out our Fitness Together Resolution Makeover winners and how they have lost 9, 10 and even 18 lbs. in just 4 weeks of our personal training program..
www.youtube.com/fitnesstogethermiami
www.facebook.com/fitnesstogethermiami

Try this simple step to increase weight loss

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 06:08:00 -0500

The easiest thing you can do to speed up your fat loss and improve your athletic performance is to increase your water intake. Most people are chronically dehydrated and this can cause both mental and muscular fatigue and overeating. How can this cause overeating? Dehydration causes overeating because often the brain will misinterpret the signal for water as a signal for food. The body has a greater need for water than it does for food, but we tend to reach for food first. So when you need water but eat a bagel, your body is not satisfied and will continue to send you the "signal" for water. If you are interpreting that signal as hunger, you will most likely eat even more and yet still be left feeling hungry. If, in fact, you had gone for a large glass of water first, you may have found that all you needed was that and saved yourself from an additional 400 calories that you did not need. What's more, being hydrated will immediately improve your energy, stamina and mental focus. And the best part? It is FREE and anyone can do it! So go out and get a nice, large BPA (nasty chemical) free container and bring it with you to work, in the car, etc. to make sure that you have water with you at all times and drink up!

"You call that personal training??"

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:44:00 -0500

Saw a "personal training session" at the big gym today which consisted of a woman doing 15 reps on a machine, talking for 2 minutes, doing another set and then repeating this for 10 machines while her trainer watched with arms folded. If this is your idea of personal training, you better watch this..

Watch a short video of an FT conditioning and fat loss training session..

“Every time I’ve tried lifting weights I’ve just gotten bulky. I want to get leaner. What am I doing wrong?”

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:26:00 -0600

“Every time I’ve tried lifting weights I’ve just gotten bulky. I want to get leaner. What am I doing wrong?”

There are many ways of “lifting weights” and many of these ways result in bigger, stronger muscles. For most people who are lifting weights to get bigger and stronger, this is a good thing. But for those who are lifting weights to achieve a lean athletic look this is not a good thing. Here’s the deal: Most trainers, like myself, initially learn about working out by doing it themselves. Most men begin lifting weights to get bigger and stronger by using a bodybuilding lifting style. When these men become trainers, this is usually how they teach their clients to workout. Good for clients looking for big muscles, not good for clients, particularly women, looking to be more athletic and “toned” looking.

In the pursuit of a streamlined and toned athletic body it is important to take whatever is good for building bulk and do the opposite. To start with, most machines were designed with bodybuilders in mind to allow the bodybuilder to isolate only one muscle at a time and overload it with lots of stress so it can grow to an unnatural size. So for athletic development, stay away from machines. Instead, use primarily free weights, cables and bodyweight exercises that use multiple muscles at one time.

The other way to build big bulky muscles is to do lots of exercises and sets for the same muscle group in the same workout. A bodybuilder looking for large arms will typically do 3 to 4 sets of 3-4 different exercises in one workout all for just the arms. You need to do the opposite. Do only 3 sets of 1 or 2 exercises per muscle group during any particular workout. Your workouts should be full body workouts so the muscular stress is spread out over a larger group of muscles.

Much of what is perceived as bulk is what bodybuilders strive for and is known as “the pump.” “The pump” is an accumulation of blood and fluid in the muscle that engorges and swells the muscle to above normal size. Continuously performing a high volume of exercises that pump the muscles over a period of time will lead to an increase in size and bulk of that muscle. That is generally the difference between nice defined muscles and bulky puffy looking muscles. Defined and solid muscles are built by hard work and good nutrition without the puffiness of fluid retention that is created by bodybuilding methods.

In a nutshell, for an athletic looking muscular physique without bulk, perform full body workouts in a circuit fashion, moving quickly from one exercise to another. Circuits can consist of anywhere from 3 to 10 exercises, with 3-4 being the most popular. Use enough weight to make 10 -15 reps challenging and go through each circuit 3 times. Circuits should be built with exercises that use large muscle groups and have a high core involvement. The following is an example of a circuit workout for a lean and athletic look.

Muscle without bulk.
• Push ups with feet on stability ball
• Alternating dumbbell rowing
• One legged skater squats
• Bicycle crunches
Peform all four exercises in a circuit for 10-20 reps per exercise with little or no rest between exercises and repeat the circuit 3x. We would do another 1 or 2 circuits like that to complete the full body workout and do this 2 or 3x per week. Come in and try one of our Athletic Conditioning Circuit workouts for free!

Beat the HEAT: 5 Ways to Keep Your Outdoor Summer Workouts Safe

Tue, 31 May 2011 12:17:00 -0500

It’s summer and baby it’s HOT out there! Maybe you are planning on a scenic bike ride along the river, hiking in the mountains, or spending the day working in the garden. That’s reason enough to ensure that you brush up on the basics for safely exercising outdoors in the heat. The long dog days of summer have arrived and what you need to know is that exercising in the heat can be risky if you aren't careful. So relax, chill out with a tall iced glass of green tea, and learn the safety basics before embarking on outdoor summer workouts. Here are five tips to keep you fit and safe this summer:

Stay hydrated. Dehydration is the biggest problem facing outdoor exercisers. The body cools itself off by sweating—if you become dehydrated, your ability to sweat and cool yourself off becomes limited. Make sure to drink, drink, drink before, during, and after your exercise bout. And don’t forget that diuretics like caffeine-containing drinks and alcohol, when consumed before exercising in the heat, can accelerate the effects of dehydration.
Know your sweat rate. The goal for safe exercise is to match your liquid intake to your sweat rate. Weigh yourself before and after a typical outdoor workout. You lose about 2 1/2 cups of water per pound of body weight lost on the scale. As a rule of thumb, to maintain good hydration for summer workouts, drink about 20 ounces of water two hours before exercise, a minimum of 8 ounces of water before getting out in the heat, and then a gulp every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.
Heat and humidity will SLOW you down. Heat and humidity are the true culprits in causing heat illness when exercising outdoors. That’s because these conditions both hinder your ability to sweat, so your ability to cool yourself off is compromised. Understand that you will not be attaining any PRs on really hot and humid days! SLOWING down is the body’s way of protecting itself and should be expected on days such as this. You can even check the heat index for the relative humidity before you go. If the heat index is in the danger zone…exercise indoors!
Dress for the elements. If you plan on exercising in the dog days of summer, then you must dress for them. Protect yourself by wearing LIGHT-colored, breathable fabrics. Cover your skin with sunscreen (the kind that stays on with sweat), and don’t forget to shield your eyes from the strong UV rays with a good pair of sunglasses. A well-ventilated hat with a large visor is also helpful. If you partake in sports where you wear a helmet, be sure to take it off during water breaks to cool down.
Exercise early or late in the day. It is not wise to exercise during the hottest part of the day when the sun’s rays are strongest, typically between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Your best bet is to get out there early in the morning or late in the day.

Follow these five tips with the support of Fitness Together and you’ll surely be staying fit safely this summer. A Fitness Together trainer will develop a program designed to meet your specific goals. You’ll also receive nutritional counseling through the Nutrition Together program, which will complement your workouts. To find the Fitness Together studio nearest you, visit fitnesstogether.com.

Let Fitness Together help you make this “summer of 11” your best yet!

2011 Resolution Makeover Contest WINNERS

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:20:00 -0600

Congratulations to the following 4 winners whose lives are about to be transformed! Thank you to all of the amazing contestants! It was an extremely difficult decision process and thank you to all of the incredible vendors who are joining us in this great event. Our winners are:

Christopher Fritzius

Sara Khan

Maria Lisette Rebibo

Bea Rosabal

2011 Resolution Makeover Contest - SEMI FINALISTS

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:48:00 -0600

Here we go! Congratulations to the following contestants who have made it to the Semi-Final round of the contest. We had over 80 amazing entries and thank you to everyone who entered. If you see your name on this list, check your email today for further details and instructions on how to go to the next round!

Ana Ducasa-Rodriguez

Craig Bohn

Christopher Fritzius

Bea Rosabal

Sara Khan

Jason Pittman

Debla Baradat

Monica Pettigrew

Maria Lisette Rebibo

Do you want 5 extra lbs. of fat for the holidays?

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 10:24:00 -0600

I don't think any of us asked for 5 more lbs. of fat this year, but if you don't watch it during the holidays, that could be just what you get! If you are having trouble with your weight then you are not alone. A study by the National Center for Health Statistics predicts that 100% of all adults could be classified as overweight or obese by the year 2048. 100%! That is an astounding number and it is even more upsetting when you realize that it is our children we are talking about. Let’s start getting our weight under control now so we can enjoy the holidays and start teaching important lessons to our children so we can ensure that they will have a long and healthy life.

Follow these Four Rules of Fat Loss:

*Increase your activity level.

-Studies show that those participants whose activity levels remained high did not gain weight and some even lost weight during the holidays. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, take the kids to the park instead of watching TV, put down the Wii and go play the actual sport. Exercising with your kids is a great way to spend quality time and to teach them healthy habits that will last a lifetime. Don’t use the holidays as an excuse to skimp on your workout routine. The tendency is to say "Forget it, i'll just get back on track after the holidays but that will put you way behind by then! Keep your program going, even if it's not 100% and you are stressed or rushed, something is much better than nothing. Trust me, if you take 3 weeks off for holidays, it will be like starting all over again when you come back and that is not good! If anything, step it up a notch as the holiday parties are much more fun when you are feeling good about the way you look!

*Control your portions.

-Of course you will want to enjoy the Christmas cookies and the holiday classics and you should. Just keep an eye on your portions. It’s not the plate of turkey and stuffing that is the problem, it is the second and third helpings that will end up on your waistline. If there is a particular cookie or treat that you just can’t resist, don’t buy a huge bag and keep it in the house. You will just set yourself up for failure. Also, don't overindulge on everything just because it's holiday time. If it’s the pumpkin pie you really love, don’t stuff yourself with the crackers and cheese that you could eat anytime. Save your calories for the ones you really want.

*Don’t starve yourself.

-A big mistake though is to “save” your all of your daily calories for that one big meal later in the day. Never do that. Eat breakfast every day and some small snacks so you are not starving by the time dinner comes. If you starve all day you are setting yourself up for failure. Studies show over and over that those who skip breakfast and don’t snack end up overeating at dinner and are more likely to gain weight. It is important to keep your metabolism running high all day and you accomplish that with small meals eaten frequently throughout the day, even during holidays!

*Start strength training tomorrow.

-Strength training is the number one way to increase your metabolism. By adding lean muscle tissue your body will burn more calories every day, even at rest! The reason your metabolism slows as you get older is that you lose 1-2lbs of lean muscle per year. For every pound of muscle that you lose you will most likely add a pound of fat and lose a percentage of your metabolism. The good news is you can reverse this process with as little as 30 minutes of strength training performed 3x/week. Even better it will improve everything from your tennis game to your mood to the way you look in your bathing suit! It’s not about big muscles and bulk as strength training has come a long way in the past few years. Think more Michael Phelps and Dara Torres and less Arnold Schwarzenegger.

By following the Four Rules of Fat Loss you can minimize or eliminate holiday weight gain and get started on the track of long term weight control and fat loss and that means Happy Holidays for everyone!

Enter to win our 2011 Resolution Makeover contest and you could win 8 weeks of personal training and nutrition, a new outfit and a personal style makeover!!

Afraid of getting bulky from your workout program?

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:07:00 -0600

Most women (men this applies to you too if your goal is to be leaner and smaller, not bigger) know that they should be including some resistance training in their workout routine, but many have been discouraged after seeing the wrong results. Jeans getting tighter, shirt sleeves becoming constricting and not fitting into your skinny jeans is not the direction you should be going with your workout routine. You should be finding that your clothes fit better, your measurements are going down and that your muscles feel stronger and tighter, not thicker. If you have been getting "thick" from your training program, read on..

Getting unwanted "bulk" from your resistance training program? Here are the top 3 seasons for that.

1.) Overeating, thinking that you are working out so hard that you have earned a big meal. Wrong. You have not. You may burn 200-600 calories for a workout (if you are really pushing it) and you can eat twice that amount in a single meal no problem. Eat clean and control your portions. I can't tell you how many times I have seen exercisers complaining about how they can't lose weight, sitting down to a big meal of carbs after their workout. Wrong strategy.

2.) Resting too long between sets and performing bodybuilding style workouts. Speed it up and make your workout more cardiovascular in nature. Your exercises should be done in metabolic circuit fashion, with rest periods of less than 60 seconds between sets and exercises. You should be huffing and puffing with your heart rate up the whole time if your goal is fat loss and definition.

3.) Not incorporating enough cardio into your weekly routine. (And by cardio I don't mean reading a magazine on the stationary bike.) Get that heart rate up and keep it there for at least 30 minutes, for at least 4 days per week and preferably more if you have more weight to lose.

Click here to learn more about getting started on your way to leaning out and looking great!

Our philosophy on fitness

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:21:00 -0600

The FT Miami Philosophy of Fitness

Fitness is about feeling great. When a client tells me he or she wants to “get in shape” that usually means to look and feel better. It’s that simple. That’s the beauty of what personal fitness can do. You have the ability to change the way that you look and feel. Through weight training we can literally change the shape of your body. You can lose excess body fat through cardiovascular training and nutrition. By becoming more fit you can spend more time playing a favorite sport or chasing after your kids. It is about improving the quality of your life.

Fitness is about feeling like you can overcome any challenge, whether it be physical or emotional. Physical strength and conditioning is very empowering and kicking butt through a hard workout will make a stressful day at the office seem like a walk in the park. We will push you to be more fit than you have ever been and look better than have ever dreamed you could. But more than that, you will be feeling great on the way there. This is the part that most people don’t realize until they begin training. You will feel better almost immediately because the process of getting into shape is hard work, but it is incredibly rewarding.

We are going to have fun. We are going to teach you, laugh with you, encourage you and push you to be able to do things you never thought you could do. You will not be scolded for eating dessert or for not being in the mood one day, instead we will make the best of it and come back another day to try again. We will work hard, very hard; but in a way that has you feeling victorious, not defeated. You will leave each workout feeling like you can conquer the world, or at least your day. And after all the hard work is done, you will be rewarded with a body that looks and feels 10 years younger than it is.

Try a Miami personal trainer today! Personal training Miami.

Personal Training Miami. Private training Miami. Fitness Training Miami. Personal Trainer Miami.

"Is there an 'A' in success?"

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:19:00 -0600

“Is there an “A” in success?”

People often ask me “What is the secret? How are so many of your clients so successful at getting and staying fit?”

There are many factors involved in being successful at losing weight and getting into shape, including the right exercise program for your body, the proper nutrition program, consistency, and hard work, just to name a few. But the single most important factor is ATTITUDE. The right attitude is what separates the successful from the “wanna bes” and the “should haves”.

I’ll give you an example. Let’s call him Henry. Henry is really tired of carrying around the extra twenty pounds around his midsection and has decided it is time to do something about it. He doesn’t want to spend one more summer dreading the beach or avoiding taking his shirt off. He thinks it’s finally time to take action and make some changes. Sounds good, right? He seems serious.

Henry gets all set to join the gym or call some personal trainers when he realizes he has a business trip coming up in two weeks. Hmnn.. He also has a family vacation scheduled for the following month. That will take him away for a week also. “Well, I don’t want to start now and then get off track next week. Then I’m going to miss another week next month. I’ll just wait until I get back and then I’ll start up big time.” Sound familiar? I bet it does. We’ve all done it.

Henry is not going to get into shape anytime soon. There will never be a “perfect” time to start his exercise program. He will spend the next few years waiting and thinking about it and even worse, he will get more and more out of shape and farther away from his goals. The farther away he gets, the harder it will be to start because it will begin to seem impossible.

The right attitude, the attitude that the successful people share, is that I have made up my mind that the time is now and I am going to make it happen no matter what. I will start now and on my business trip I will find a way to sneak in a few workouts. When I get back from the trip, I will work extra hard until my vacation, where I will enjoy a much needed break but I will stay active and watch what I eat. When I get back from vacation, I will be refreshed and right back on track. Doesn’t that sound like a better plan? That person, the person with that attitude, will be successful.

Which attitude do you have?

Scott Baumann is the General Manager of Fitness Together in South Miami and has been motivating and inspiring people of all ages for over fifteen years.

www.fitnesstogethermiami.com

Personal Training Miami. Private training Miami. Fitness Training Miami. Personal Trainer Miami.

305-665-3694

20 Worst Drinks in America

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500

20 Worst Drinks in America 2010

20. Worst Water

Snapple Agave Melon Antioxidant Water (1 bottle, 20 fl oz)

150 calories
0 g fat
33 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
While “Worst Water” may sound like an oxymoron, the devious
minds in the bottled beverage industry have even found a way to
besmirch the sterling reputation of the world’s most essential
compound. Sure, you may get a few extra vitamins, but ultimately,
you’re paying a premium price for gussied-up sugar water. Next
time you buy a bottle of water, check the recipe: You want two parts
hydrogen, one part oxygen, and very little else.
19. Worst Bottled Tea
SoBe Green Tea (1 bottle, 20 fl oz)
240 calories
0 g fat
61 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
Leave it to SoBe to take an otherwise healthy bottle of tea and
inject it with enough sugar to turn it into dessert. The Pepsiowned
company’s flagship line, composed of 11 flavors with
names like “Nirvana” and “Cranberry Grapefruit Elixir,” is
marketed to give consumers the impression that it can cleanse
the body, mind, and spirit. Don’t be fooled. Just like this bottle of
green tea, all of these beverages are made with two primary
ingredients: water and sugar.
18. Worst Energy Drink
Rockstar Energy Drink (1 can, 16 fl oz)
280 calories
0 g fat
62 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
None of the energy provided by these full-sugar drinks could ever
justify the caloric load, but Rockstar’s take is especially frightening.
One can provides nearly as much sugar as half a box of Nilla
Wafers. In fact, it has 60 more calories than the same amount of
Red Bull and 80 more than a can of Monster. If you’re going to
guzzle, better choose one of the low-cal options. We like Monster;
it offers all the caffeine and B vitamins with just enough sugar to
cut through the funky extracts.
17. Worst Bottled Coffee
Starbucks Vanilla Frappuccino (1 bottle, 13.7 fl oz)
290 calories
4.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
45 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
With an unreasonable number of calorie landmines
peppered across Starbucks’ in-store menu, you’d think the
company would want to use its grocery line to restore faith in
its ability to provide caffeine without testing the limits of your
belt buckle. Guess not. This drink has been on our radar for
years, and we still haven’t managed to find a bottled coffee
with more sugar. Consider this—along with Starbucks’
miniature Espresso and Cream Doubleshot—your worst
option for a morning pickup.
16. Worst Soda
Sunkist (1 bottle, 20 fl oz)
320 calories
0 g fat
84 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
Wait . . . but aren’t all sodas equally terrible? It’s true they all
earn 100 percent of their calories from sugar, but that doesn’t
mean there aren’t still varying levels of atrocity. Despite the
perception of healthfulness, fruity sodas tend to carry more sugar
than their cola counterparts, and none make that more apparent
than the tooth-achingly sweet Sunkist. But what seals the orange
soda’s fate on our list of worsts is its reliance on the artificial
colors yellow 6 and red 40—two chemicals that may be linked to
behavioral and concentration problems in children.
15. Worst Beer
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot (1 bottle, 12 fl oz)
330 calories
0 g fat
32.1 g carbohydrates
9.6% alcohol
Carbohydrate Equivalent:
Most beers carry fewer than 175 calories, but even your average
extra-heady brew rarely eclipses 250. That makes Sierra’s Bigfoot
the undisputed beast of the beer jungle. Granted, the alcohol itself
provides most of the calories, but it’s the extra heft of carbohydrates
that helps stuff nearly 2,000 calories into each six-pack. For
comparison, Budweiser has 10.6 grams of carbs, Blue Moon has 13,
and Guinness Draught has 10. Let’s hope the appearance of this gutinducing
guzzler in your fridge is as rare as encounters with the
fabled beast himself.
14. Worst Kids' Drink
Tropicana Tropical Fruit Fury Twister (1 bottle, 20 fl oz)
340 calories
0 g fat
60 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
Don’t let Tropicana’s reputation for unadulterated OJ lead you to
believe that the company is capable of doing no wrong. As a
Pepsi subsidiary, it’s inevitable that they’ll occasionally delve
into soda-like territory. The Twister line is just that: a drink with
10 percent juice and 90 percent sugar laced with a glut of
artificial flavors and coloring. You could actually save 200
calories by choosing a can of Pepsi instead.
13. Worst Functional Beverage
Arizona Rx Energy (1 can, 23 fl oz)
345 calories
0 g fat
83 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
Obviously Arizona took great pains in making sure this can came
out looking like something you’d find in a pharmacy. But if your
pharmacist ever tries to sell you this much sugar, he should have
his license revoked. And if it’s energy you’re after, this isn’t your
best vehicle. Caffeine is the only compound in the bottle that’s
been proven to provide energy, and the amount found within is
about what you'd get from a weak cup of coffee.
12. Worst Juice Imposter
Arizona Kiwi Strawberry (1 can, 23 fl oz)
345 calories
0 g fat
81 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
The twisted minds at the Arizona factory outdid themselves with
this nefarious concoction, a can the size of a bazooka loaded
with enough of the sweet stuff to blast your belly with 42 sugar
cubes. The most disturbing part isn’t that it masks itself as some
sort of healthy juice product (after all, hundreds of products are
guilty of the same crime), but that this behemoth serving size
costs just $.99, making its contents some of the cheapest
calories we’ve ever stumbled across.
11. Worst Espresso Drink
Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with Whipped Cream (venti, 20 fl oz)
660 calories
22 g fat (15 g saturated)
95 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
and Creamy Coffee Ice Cream
Hopefully this will dispel any lingering fragments of the
“health halo” that still exists in coffee shops—that misguided
belief that espresso-based beverages can’t do much
damage. In this 20-ounce cup, Starbucks manages to pack
in more calories and saturated fat than two slices of deepdish
sausage and pepperoni pizza from Domino’s. That
makes it the equivalent of dinner and dessert disguised as a
cup of coffee. If you want a treat, look to Starbucks’ supply
of sugar-free syrups; if you want a caffeine buzz, stick to the
regular joe, an Americano, or a cappuccino.
10. Worst Lemonade
Auntie Anne’s Wild Cherry Lemonade Mixer (32 fl oz)
470 calories
0 g fat
110 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
There is no such thing as healthy lemonade, but Auntie’s line of
Lemonade Mixers takes the concept of hyper-sweetened juice and
stretches it to dangerous new levels. See, sugar digests faster
than good-for-you nutrients like protein and fiber, which means it’s
in your blood almost immediately after you swallow it. Drinking the
3 or 4 days’ worth of added sugar found here jacks your blood
sugar and results in strain to your kidneys, the creation of new fat
molecules, and the desire to eat more. Ouch.
9. Worst Hot Chocolate
Starbucks White Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream
(venti, 20 fl oz)
520 calories
16 g fat (11 g saturated)
75 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
See that stack of Rice Krispie Treats? It’s just three treats shy of
two full boxes. Unless you were a contestant on Fear Factor—
and there was a sizeable monetary prize on the line—you’d
never even consider noshing down that much sugar at once. But
here’s what’s interesting: While that stack is the sugar
counterpart to this atrocity from Starbucks, it still has 40 percent
less saturated fat. Makes us wonder what’s going on in the hot
chocolate. Stick to beverages with single-flavor profiles instead of
pile-on recipes like this and you’ll fare better every time.
8. Worst Frozen Coffee Drink
Dairy Queen Caramel MooLatte (24 fl oz)
870 calories
24 g fat (19 g saturated, 1 g trans)
112 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
Coffee-dessert hybrids are among the worst breed of beverages.
This one delivers 1 gram of fat and 4.6 grams of sugar in every
ounce, making even Starbucks’ over-the-top line of Frappuccinos
look like decent options. Maybe that’s why DQ decided to give it a
name that alludes to the animal it promises to turn you into. If you
can bring yourself to skip DQ and head to a coffee shop instead,
order a large iced latte with a couple shots of flavored syrup and
save some 600 calories. But if you’re stuck where you are, you’re
better off pairing a small treat with a regular cup of joe.
7. Worst Margarita
Traditional Red Lobster Lobsterita (24 fl oz)
890 calories
0 g fat
183 g carbohydrates
Carbohydrate Equivalent:
Of all the egregious beverages we’ve analyzed, the Lobsterita
surprised us the most. The nation’s biggest fish purveyor is one
of the few big players in the restaurant biz to provide its
customers with a wide selection of truly healthy food options. We
would hope they’d do the same with the beverages, but obviously
not. Drink one of these every Friday night and you’ll put on more
than a pound of flab each month. Downgrade to a regular
margarita on the rocks and pocket the remaining 640 calories.
6. Worst Float
Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Soda (vanilla ice cream and cola)
(large, 28.6 fl oz)
960 calories
40 g fat (25 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
136 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
Done right, an ice cream float can be a decent route to indulgence.
Go to A&W and you’ll land a medium for fewer than 400 calories.
Order it with diet soda and you’ve dropped below 200 calories. So
why can’t Baskin-Robbins make even a small float with fewer than
470 calories? Because apparently the chain approaches the art of
beverage-crafting as a challenge to squeeze in as much fat and sugar
as possible. Whatever you order, plan on splitting it with a friend.
5. Worst Frozen Fruit Drink
Krispy Kreme Lemon Sherbet Chiller (20 fl oz)
980 calories
40 g fat (36 g saturated)
115 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
Imagine taking a regular can of soda, pouring in 18 extra
teaspoons of sugar, and then swirling in half a cup of heavy
cream. Nutritionally speaking, that’s exactly what this is, which is
how it manages to marry nearly 2 days’ worth of saturated fat
with enough sugar to leave you with a serious sucrose hangover.
Do your heart a favor and avoid any of Krispy Kreme’s “Kremey”
beverages. The basic Chillers aren’t the safest of sippables
either, but they’ll save you up to 880 calories.
4. Worst Frozen Mocha
Così Double Oh! Arctic Mocha (gigante, 23 fl oz)
1,210 calories
19 g fat (10 g saturated)
240 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
A frozen mocha will never be a stellar option, but we’ve still never
come across anything that competes with this cookie-coffeemilkshake
hybrid from Così. Essentially it’s a mocha Blizzard
made with Oreo cookies and topped with whipped cream and an
oversize Oreo. The result is a beverage with more calories than
two Big Macs and more sugar than any other drink in America.
3. Worst Drive-Thru Shake
McDonald’s Triple Thick Chocolate Shake (large, 32 fl oz)
1,160 calories
27 g fat (16 g saturated, 2 g trans)
168 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
There are very few milk shakes in America worthy of your
hard-earned calories, but few will punish you as thoroughly as
this Mickey D’s drive-thru disaster. Not only does it have more
than half your day’s caloric and saturated fat allotment and
more sugar than you’d find in Willy Wonka’s candy lab, but
Ronald even finds a way to sneak in a full day of cholesterolspiking
trans fat. The scariest part about this drink is that it’s
most likely America’s most popular milk shake.
2. Worst Smoothie
Smoothie King Peanut Power Plus Grape (large, 40 fl oz)
1,498 calories
44 g fat (8 g saturated)
214 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
If Smoothie King wants someone to blame for landing this high on our
worst beverages roundup (and truth be told, its entire menu is riddled
with contenders), the chain should point the smoothie straw at
whichever executive came up with the cup-sizing structure. Sending
someone out the door with a 40-ounce cup should be a criminal offense.
Who really needs a third of a gallon of sweetened peanut butter blended
with grape juice, milk, and bananas? Sugar-and-fat-loaded smoothies
like this should be served from 12-ounce cups, not mini kegs.
1. Worst Beverage in America
Cold Stone PB&C (Gotta Have It size, 24 fl oz)
2,010 calories
131 g fat (68 g saturated)
153 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent:
In terms of saturated fat, drinking this Cold Stone catastrophe is like
slurping up 68 strips of bacon. Health experts recommend capping
your saturated fat intake at about 20 grams per day, yet this
beverage packs more than three times that into a cup the size of a
Chipotle burrito. But here’s what’s worse: No regular shake at Cold
Stone, no matter what the size, has fewer than 1,000 calories. If
you must drink your ice cream, make it one of the creamery’s
“Sinless” options. Otherwise you’d better plan on buying some
bigger pants on the way home.

The "secret" one hour cardio fat loss solution

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

If your answer is yes, and you would like the "secret" cardio exercise that in only one hour per week you can virtually guarantee your weight loss success, you have come to the right place. Do you want to know what that secret cardio exercise is? I'm sure you do. You can do it with bad knees, you can do it with a bad back, you can do it if you hate running and you can do it if you hate all forms of cardio. It is shopping! That's right! It's food shopping and a little preparation. If you take one hour per week, and dedicate it to buying the healthy foods and snacks you need, and preparing your food for the week, you will virtually guarantee your success. The biggest challenge that most people face in trying to stick to their healthy eating plan is being "stuck" without good food choices or healthy snacks. Too many of us leave it up to chance. Are we at a restaurant that serves what we need? Can we find a healthy snack somewhere near the office? Can we find a healthy meal at a drive-thru? At Starbucks? No, we usually can't. So the solution is to be prepared. Cut some veggies and put them in plastic bags for the week. Do the same with some nuts, some pieces of cheese, some fruit, some slices of cooked chicken breast or turkey. Hard boil some eggs, make some tuna sandwiches in a pita. You get the idea. Spend the time to do this every week and it will pay dividends far greater than any hour of cardio could ever do!

Bread on your table sir?

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

We've all heard of low carb diets for losing weight and fat loss, but whether they are always healthy is another story. I have done much research into this topic, and although medical research shows varying results, and there are opinions a-plenty on the topic, a few basic concepts appear in almost every study or book. Virtually every doctor and/or weight loss and healthy authority recognizes that there is just about no such thing as too many fruits and vegetables. Even the old Dr. Atkins recognized the value of lots of fresh fruits and veggies. So Rule #1, eat a LOT of fruits and veggies. The next thing that is almost universally recognized is that dramatically cutting down on or eliminating refined carbohydrates is the best thing you can do for you health and physique. Refined carbohydrates include, but are not limited to, crackers, cookies, breads, most cereals, waffles, pancakes, bagels, dougnuts, pretzels, etc. Almost anything that the first ingredient is enriched flour (even if it is wheat) is a refined grain product. Refined flour has been tested and shown to increase blood sugar levels and insulin levels even faster than table sugar. What does this mean and why is it important? Well, when sugar levels in the blood rise fast, the body produces insulin to "store" the sugar into muscle and fat cells, usually fat cells. Not a good thing and even worse, this results in a low blood sugar situation in which you get very hungry again and start the cycle all over. This is why restaurants put white bread on the table. Did you think it was to fill you up before you order so you order a smaller and less expensive meal? Nope. It's so you start the "simpe carb hunger cascade" and your appetite goes up and up and you eat and eat and spend and spend. Sound familiar? That's how it works.

So what we need to do is cut down all refined carbohydrates and replace them with fruits and vegetables. Eat a small to moderate amount of healthy, low fat proteins like fish, eggs and chicken and exercise regularly, at least 4x per week with a good blend of cardio and strength training.

See the real people dramatic transformations here!

The FT Miami Philosophy of Fitness

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

- Written by Scott Baumann, co-owner of Fitness Together South Miami Personal Trainers

“I just want to lose weight. How many calories do I have to burn each workout?”

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Losing weight is not just about how many calories you burn during your workout or how many calories you eat or don’t eat. It is a very complicated equation that is not quite that simple. Playing the calorie game, burning lots of calories with excessive cardio or eating extremely low calories is something that provides only a short term answer. You will lose weight, but will you look better? Probably not. Why? Because losing weight in a hurry usually means loss of muscle and water, not fat. What most people want when they say they want to lose weight is to lose fat. Less fat and more muscle is what most people actually want. If I were to show you a picture of someone whose body you admire, it most likely carries more muscle and less fat than yours. So how do you get that?

We need to change your metabolism so it burns more calories. Not just during a workout, but all day long. So in addition to restricting the calories that you eat, we increase the calories that you burn, even at rest. This is done by adding muscle through weight training. Now even if you haven’t built a lot of muscle yet, the process of building muscle and repairing broken down muscle tissue from intense training burns lots of calories. That is a very important point to remember. The afterburn (the burning of calories after exercise) from intense weight training or intense cardiovascular training is much greater than the afterburn of lower intensity aerobic training.

Cutting calories too drastically causes your metabolism to slow down and survive on less food. That is why this type of dieting only works for a short while. When your body catches on to what you are doing, it simply slows down your metabolism to burn less. It does this by losing muscle tissue because muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in your body, meaning that it burns the most calories. It is important to track your eating habits and keep of calories, to be sure that you are taking in the right amount of calories to lose weight. Most of us take in too many calories for the amount of exercise that we do, which leads to weight gain.

Not eating for hours at a time will slow also your metabolism. Eating small, nutrient dense meals all day long will build your metabolism so it is imperative that you eat every 3 hours to build a fast metabolism and lose fat. If you do not do this, you will not lose fat. Period.

Cardiovascular conditioning should be done with the goal of increasing your body’s ability to burn fat, not simply to burn calories. You must do high intensity cardio (intervals, jump rope, kickboxing) to crank up the burning of calories and build the cell’s ability to burn and low intensity cardio (walking, jogging) to enhance the fat burning process.

In summary, to lose fat you need to do the following:

Weight train hard 2-3x per week. Do high intensity cardio 2-3x per week.
Do low intensity cardio (walk or easy jog) 3-6x per week.
Eat nutritious, small meals of protein and veggies every 3 hours.
Do not skip meals.
Track your meals and calorie intake

Remember, to lose fat you must build a fast, fat-burning metabolism. Always remember that it is about building and feeding that metabolism and not simply about reducing calories.

- Written by Scott Baumann, co-owner Fitness Together South Miami Personal Trainers

What do you want?

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In my fifteen plus years of personal training, I have found that people exercise for two reasons.

To look better.
To feel better and be healthy.

It is important to recognize which of those reasons is your priority and I will explain why with a conversation I had recently with a friend of mine who is a bodybuilder. This friend, let’s call him J, looks very good all year round. I have noticed him recently start to look exceptionally defined and lean. When I asked what he was doing differently, J told me that he “normally” eats five small meals a day and in the course of a day will eat twelve egg whites, two cups of oatmeal, two pounds of chicken or turkey and lots of vegetables. He will work out five days per week and eat some occasional “junk.” But come summertime when he wants to get really lean, he turns it up a notch. He eliminates the “junk”, eats exactly the same thing every day for eight weeks, and exercises every day. Can you imagine doing that? No way right?

The point of that story is not to tell you that you should eat like that, but to realize that to dramatically change the way you look and to drop your body fat to the level of your favorite sexy celebrity or cover model requires extreme commitment and dedication. Do not get discouraged if your workout routine is not giving you a “cover model body”. It is not realistic to expect to look like a fitness model if you are not able to make that kind of extreme commitment. Take comfort in the fact that by working out two or three times per week and eating healthy you are doing wonderful things for your body. You will look better. You will feel better. It has been documented over and over that you will reduce your risk of the following health conditions:

Coronary heart disease (the leading cause of death)
High cholesterol
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Depression
Anxiety
Colon and breast cancer

These terrific benefits of exercise are often forgotten in our pursuit of six pack abs or a perfect set of thighs. It is great to set your sights high and to have a physical goal in mind, but don’t forget that many of the benefits of exercise cannot be seen with the naked eye.

You will dramatically improve your health, your mood and your quality of life with moderate, regular exercise and a healthy approach to diet. If you are still set on getting that “Hollywood Beach Body”, recognize the level of discipline and dedication it will take and get started right away as summer is here!! Make an appointment with me to sit down and put together a plan to get you there.

We all have a list of our favorite things

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

We all have a list of our favorite things. It may not be written down anywhere, but you know the things that make you happy.

The list holds your favorite foods, music, TV shows, movies and even people in your life that you can't get enough of. This is the stuff that you really enjoy. It's the stuff that makes your life worth living.

Somewhere on the list is your health and appearance. You know that looking and feeling great make a good life even better.

The interesting thing about your list is that without fail you'll always make time for it.

When your TV show airs, you watch it or record it to watch later.
When your favorite actor stars in a new movie, you do your part by going to the theatre.
When you're hungry, you turn to your favorite foods.
When the weekend rolls around, you do everything you can to spend time with the special people in your life.

Yet when it comes to exercise you automatically say, "I don't have time."

Time for TV, but no time for exercise... We live in an age where life is full. You don't have extra time anymore.

You no longer have time. You make time.

You make time for your TV show.
You make time for your hobby
You make time for your friends.

It's time to drop the charade of "I don't have time to exercise" and call it what it really is.

An excuse.

You know how to make time for your favorite things. You know you want good health. You know you want to look great. You know you want more energy.

Exercise delivers all those benefits - and more.

I believe that exercise belongs on your list of favorite things.

Make It A Favorite: How do you turn something that you've dreaded into something that you enjoy?

Block the Negative: Your thoughts play a big part in determining your favorite things. Block out any negative thoughts you may have about exercise. Focus your energy on creating a positive attitude that will get you excited about hitting the gym, rather than dreading it.
Focus on the Benefits: With exercise you have so much to gain and nothing to lose. Exercise makes you stronger, sexier, happier, and gives you more energy. Pick the benefit that moves you the most and fixate on it.
Get Guidance: The easiest way to put exercise on your list of favorite things is to experience it at its best. Get onboard with one of our personal training programs and we'll show you the most effective and enjoyable techniques that will get you into the best shape of your life.

No Pain No gain?

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

No pain, no gain

“I don’t want to be sore all the time or work so hard that I feel sick. Is it true that it has to be ‘no pain, no gain’?”

“No pain, no gain” has been the mantra for competitive bodybuilders and college athletes since California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was just an 18 year old bodybuilder from Austria. While this is a motivational concept for the intense competitive athlete, it is not the rule for “Joe the plumber” or your average exerciser. The key to a successful exercise program is consistency. Continuing with your program long enough to see and feel the lasting changes is the key. Consistency is very difficult if you dread every workout!

Workouts may not be everyone’s idea of “fun” but they can and should be enjoyable. The exercises should be changed frequently to eliminate boredom and exercises that are appropriate to your specific goals and abilities should be chosen. As for intensity or difficulty, for most people a difficulty level of 7 or 8 on a 1-10 scale is about right. There is no need to workout at a level 10 every time. That will ultimately be counterproductive, particularly if you dread your workouts so much that you stop doing them!

So make your workouts challenging but keep them fun and appropriate to your abilities and your goals so that you can stick with it and make it a habit that lasts a lifetime!

Reality Check

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Reality check

As a personal trainer and now the operator of a busy fitness studio, I have seen my share of clients. Most are happy and some are not so happy. We love the happy ones but today let’s focus on the unhappy ones. Whether you are working out with us at FT, on your own or with your own personal trainer there are bound to be times when you are discouraged with your progress. I want to take a moment and address some of the most common concerns that I see.

If your goal is to lose weight and you are working out twice a week, you need to have a realistic understanding of what is involved in losing weight. To lose a substantial amount of weight and body fat, you need to be exercising at least four and preferably six times per week. If you are not doing that much, you should not be upset about not losing weight because it is almost impossible to do so without it! You should be doing weights/circuit training two or three times per week and additional cardio for at least thirty minutes for a minimum of three to four times in addition to your other workouts. If you are doing that, you can lose fat. And you still have to change your eating habits to a reduced calorie diet with healthy choices. I’ve said it a million times but you can exercise all you want and if you don’t eat properly, you will not lose weight. Period. So if you are working out hard (see next paragraph) at least four to six times per week and not losing weight, you are not eating properly. It is that simple. You are eating too much or the wrong foods or most likely both but the problem lies with your eating.

If you are getting disappointed with your weight loss or your fitness gains take a look at your workouts. Are you putting everything you have into them? Or are you going through the motions? Even with the guidance and push of a personal trainer, you need to push yourself. You need to try hard. It is hard work. Without hard work you will not get outstanding results. You know if you are working hard or not so if you are not, step it up!

Are you consistent? Without consistency, you will not get to where you want to be. Consistency is the key to results of every kind. Whether it is weight loss, muscle gain, flexibility or cardiovascular endurance, you have to be consistent. If you miss a week of workouts every three weeks, you will not see outstanding results. You may not move backwards but you will not make much progress. You have to be consistent with your diet too. Eating clean for 4 days and then eating poorly all weekend will not cut it. You have to eat clean consistently for 2 to 3 months and you will be amazed at how your body will change! Believe me, I have been doing this for years and it is amazing when it is happening!

Nothing makes me happier than seeing the glow of a happy client who is losing weight and getting fit. And it never fails that it is always the clients who are working the hardest, who are putting the most into it, who are the most consistent and who have the best attitude that are getting the best results. So get your attitude right, work hard, be consistent and get outstanding results!