Rock Solid Abs!

Hey all,

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend! It's back to the grind! This weeks workout is about everyones favorite region, the abdominals!!! Everyone loves working the core until you can do no more! This workout is sure to give you that abdominal fix you have been craving!

This is bodyweight workout, however if you want to make some of the movements more challenging go ahead and add a weight!! We will be focusing on abs, with some cardio/plyo movements to keep it interesting and that heart rate going!

Equipment: Matt, light weight (if desired), your beautiful self!

Goalies: (can add weight if desired) 10 (each side)x3

Mountain Climbers: 30sec x 3

Corkscrews: 10(eachside) x 4

Step-Ups w/ knee drive: 15 (each leg) x 4

Bicycles: 20 sec x3

Squat Jumps (hands behind head): 15 x 3

Plank: 30sec x 4

There is your rock solid ab workout!! I hope you enjoy! Get that 6-pack!! I'll talk to you on Thursday! Until then stay positive, healthy, and don't stop!! DO THAT LAST SET/REP!!! 

Pistols...Out! 

Xo

Feeling Down? Exercise! It Makes You Happy!!

Hi Everyone!!

It's Thursday yet again!!! You have almost made it thought the week, 1 more day and the weekend is here!

This week I want to share with you just why exercise makes you happy! If you are feeling down in the dumps with little to no energy, get up and get moving!!! Here is why...

The Happiness Effect: 

Ever heard of Runner's high? I'm sure most of you have, but do you know why it is called a runner's high?

Exercise creates a chemical response in the brain which leads to both temporary and long term mental health benefits! Here is how it works:

• Cortisol: this stress hormone is linked to mood, motivation, and fear. It also alters your immune system response and suppresses the digestive system! 

• Adrenaline: This stress hormone raises your heart rate, elevates blood pressure, and boosts energy stores. 

• Hypothalamus: This region of the brain is the body's natural alarm system which prompts the production of cortisol and adrenaline. 

• Hippocampus: Too much cortisol can short circuit cell production in this region of the brain. Impairing thought organization and memory formation. 

It is important to exercise in order to keep your stress levels down! If you have too much stress in your life for a long period of time it can have serious side effects including: 

• Heart disease
• Sleep disorders
• Digestive problems
• Obesity
• Depression
• Increased skin problems
• Memory impairment

When you are exercises there is a cascade of chemicals and events that your body releases/does in order to get you immediately feeling better mentally and physically! 

• Brain derived neurotrophic factor- BDNF protects the brain from emotional disorders and repairs damage from stress and depression. 

• GABA- As we have discussed exercise lowers stress levels. This triggers the release of GABA a calming neurotransmitter. It also builds immunity to stress, which enhances your ability to take on life's challenges.

• Endocannabinoids- This is a natural compound which plays a role in processing appetite, pain sensation, mood, and memory. They are very closely related to the active ingredients of the cannabis plant

• Endorphins- These guys usually then the most credit for feeling of euphoria, but they truly only play a small role in the exercise- induced rush. These pain fighting peptides increase with as little as 20 minutes of exercise! 

• Norepinephrine- This neurotransmitter works with dopamine as a feel good, mood boosting chemical in the decision making process. 

• Antibodies- Both exercise and happiness increases antibody production. Antibodies are special proteins produced by the immune system to help fight viruses, bacteria, and diseases. 

• Dopamine- This neurotransmitter is a feel good, mood boosting chemical. It also controls the brain's reward and pleasure center and it is responsible for feelings of relaxation and euphoria. 

• Serotonin- This neurotransmitter is responsible for feeling of serenity and hopefulness. Low levels of this are linked to depression, but exercise can increase these levels!! 

Did you know that working out on your lunch break can boost your productivity for up to 3 hours following work!

WARNING: be careful intense exercise can weaken the immune system during the recovery period following the workout! 

That's all for today guys! I hope you enjoyed this article! Have a great weekend and stay active! Until next week...

Pistols..Out! 

Xo

Burn, Baby Burn! Those Calories that is!

Hey all,

Hope you are doing well and kept up with your workouts while I've been away! Happy to be back and ready to go!! I hope you are too!

This weeks workout is a fast paced and high intensity. Little rest only in between each circuit. There will be 2 circuits which will be performed 2x each and an ab workout at the start, middle, and end. You will need very little equipment for this, and will also need a treadmill or an open area where you can set up stations. Let's get started!

Equipment: Exercise band, matt, chair/bench/knee level hard/steady surface.

Ab Circuit: 1 Round

Full Sit-Ups: 20

Straight Leg Sit-ups: 15

Toe-Touches: 20 

Grab some water if you need it....

Circuit 1: 

Plank Suicides: 45 seconds 

Sprint: 15 sec or to next station

Reverse Lunges: 45 sec alternating 

Sprint: 15sec or to next station

Band Lateral Raises: 45 sec

• If need to make more difficult put both feet on the band 
• Still need to make it harder, chock up your grip on the band
• Remeber: try to keep your elbows straight and bring them up to your ears. 

Sprint: 15 sec or to next station

Jump Squats: 45 sec

Sprint: 15 sec or to the next station

Over Head Band Tricep Extensions: 

Take 30-60 sec, grab some water....

Circuit 2: 

Plank Rotations: 45 sec

Sprint: 15 sec or to next station

Bulgarian Squats: 45 sec

• pick on side to start, because you can do the alternate side next time around

Sprint: 15 sec or to next station

Front Band Raises: 45 secs 

• If need to make more difficult put both feet on the band 
• Still need to make it harder, chock up your grip on the band
• Remeber: try to keep your elbows straight and bring them up to your ears. 

Sprint: 15 sec or to next station

Split Jumps: 45 Secs 

Sprint: 15 sec or to next station

Ticep Dips: 45 sec

Grab Water if you need it and then immediately begin the Ab Circuit! 

Take 30-60 seconds 

Repeat Circuit 1 with 30-60 sec rest when completed and then repeat Circuit 2. Followed by the Ab Circuit! 

Then you are done!!! Congratulations! 

I hope you enjoy this workout!! Keep moving!! Until Thursday...

Pistols...Out! 

Xo 

Healthy Tips you may or may not know!

Hey guys and gals,


This week I am just touching on a few ways to help you stay healthier. Some tips are more obvious

then others. Regardless I hope you enjoy!

• Go Herbal:
• For varicose veins, try horse chestnut, an herbal extract that's been shown in studies to strengthen veins and reduce swelling. The herb is also available in tropical creams, though there's not as much evidence for these. 

• Get a Good Pair of Sneakers: 
• Is your energy lagging? Though it may be the last thing you feel like doing when you're tired, exercise, even a brisk walk can be more effective than a nap or a cup of coffee at fighting fatigue. 

• Fish and Dry eyes: 
• If you suffer from dry eyes, up your seafood intake. Salmon, sardines, and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which the body uses to produce tears, among other things. Research suggests that people who consume higher amounts of these fats are less likey to have dry eyes. 

• Get a Massage: 
• Certain trigger points (spots of tension in musculoskeletal tissue) can cause back pain. Ask a message therapist or other body worker who specialized in myofascial release or neuromuscular therapy to focus on these points during a massage. 

• Eat More Garlic
• It may make your breath smell bad but adding raw or lightly cooked garlic and onions to your meals may help you keep healthy during those cold days. Both food appear to possess antiviral and antibacterial properties and are believed to boost immunity. 

• Try a Probiotic: 
• Ladies, to keep yeast infections at bay, head for the vitamin aisle. Supplementing with "good bacteria. For example Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium, may help to restore the balance the bacteria living in the female region tract and inhibit the growth of yeast in women with recurrent infections. Food such as naturally fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir, as well as yogurt with active cultures, also contain these bacteria. 

• Add Avocado: 
• For dry skin, add some avocado to your diet. They are rich in monounsaturated fat and vitamin E, both promote healthy skin! 

• Drink that H20
• To treat an acute migraine, drink a full glass of water, dehydration can trigger headaches. Even if you need to take a medication for the pain, try wrapping your head with an Ace bandage so that it covers your eyes, then lie down and breathe deeply. This often helps the pain pass more quickly. 

• Add a bit of Spice: 
• To warm up cold feet, sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper into your socks. This folk remedy may help warm your toes by increasing circulation and improving blood flow. 

• Sip Oolong Tea:


• Research suggests that people with mild eczema who drink oolong tea 3x a day show improvement in itching and other symptoms. Compounds in the tea called polyphenols are responsible for these results.











There you have it guys! I hope these tips help you stay healthy and hopefully you learned something new! Until the 23rd stay happy and healthy! 


Pistols...Out! 
Xo 

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Drop it like it's Hot!

Hey All,

Hope everyone is having a great week, and ready for today's workout! This week we are going to focus on movements that require you to get low. You will be working with physioball, barbells, kettlebells, and dumbbells. As well as some body weight movements. This workout will most likely be done in a gym, unless of course you have all the necessary equipment.

Let's do this!!

Barbell Overhead Squat: 5x10-12

Reverse Lunge into a Single Leg Kick: 3x10

Spiderman Push-ups: 4x12

Phyisoball Reverse Hyper-extensions: 3x10

Kettlebell Figure 8's: 4x20 (10 each direction, for a total of 20)

• You are weaving the kettlebell in and out of your legs to make a figure 8. 

Inchworm with a pushup: 3x10

Squats Jacks: 3x15

Push-ups w/ a hurdler: 3x12 (6 each side)

Alright guys there it is! I hope you enjoy! Keep kicking butt and getting those results! You are doing great, just remember keep moving! 

Also, I will be on vacation next week so there will be no blog action after Thursday until 4/23. I will be celebrating my birthday and enjoying it to the fullest. Don't let this be an excuse, keep fighting for your fitness! 

Pistols...Out! 

Xo

The Real Damage Artificial Sweeteners Cause...

Hi all,

Hope everyone is staying fit and faboulous. This week we are going to talk about the damages of artificial sweeteners. Yes, they are great for the waist line, giving your coffee, baked goods, and teas that sweet flavor we all love without the calories. However, what you may not have known is that these little guys are actually doing more damage then good. These sweet tasting, no/low calorie fake sugars are actually causing your neurons to self destruct.

What are neurons you might be asking. Well a neuron is a nerve cell that is the basic building block for your nervous system. They specialize in transmitting information throughout the body.

Alright let's break this down, now I know most of you have heard of MSG ( monosodium glutamate). It is obviously bad for you, as many of you know. Why though?

It is bad because it can cause brain damage. Excessive glutamate in the brain kills the glutamate receptors and the neurons connected to it. This links to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Scary stuff.... It also, leads to weight gain by increasing the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas. A study using mice injected with MSG proved this to be true.

It also causes retinal (eye) cell damage, increases your appetite, and causes Hypothalamus damage. The Hypothalamus controls glads such as endocrine, thyroid, and adrenals. Now you are probably saying to yourself I don't eat MSG and you may not. However it does disguise itself quite well with some of these names. Be sure you double check those food labels.

• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• Natural flavoring
• Spices
• Plant protein extract
• Sodium casienate
• Yeast extract
• Textured (vegetable) protein
• Hydrolyzed oat flour
• Malt flavoring
• Natural beef (or chicken) flavoring

Moving on let's touch on Aspartame or you may know it as NutraSweet. This too causes brain damage, increased appetite,  but also causes brain tumors. It causes brain damage the same way MSG does. It causes increased appetite by suppressing the production of serotonin. Serotonin makes you feel full, when these levels are not allowed to rise as they normally do when you eat, you end up craving more and more food.

The big one brain tumors, which is quite scary and gets worse. In 1981 the FDA did a safety experiments on this tasty sweetener, using animals. They found that 25 times more animals developed brain tumors after being fed NutraSweet, then those that did not. Is your mind blown? Mine was.

Not only that this sweetener makes wood alcohol. Aspartame is 10% methanol, which according to the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "can give rise to formaldehyde, diketopiperazine (a carcinogen,) and a number of other highly toxic derivatives."

The last sweetener I am going to talk about was my favorite Sucralose the common name Splenda. The good news here is that it doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier and should not cause any brain damage.

The bad news is that it is chlorocarbon, which is known as carcingoen (see above) it is used as a pesticide. It has long been known to cause organ, genetic, and reproductive damage. It also suppresses your immune system by reducing the size of the thymus and the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50%.

All and all is it really worth saving those extra calories when now know the real damage it is causing? Please say NO!!! Just take the extra calories save your body and use that real sugar or non at all! I hope you enjoyed this weeks article! Until next week!

Pistols...Out!
Xo