Since I’m the personal trainer for the Houston Rockets Power Dancers, I get asked all the time about their workouts and what a typical workout is for an NBA cheerleader or dancer. Right now, the girls are actually working out quite a bit with 2-3 days of dance practice, plus 2-3 games per week and then on top of that they have 2 workouts a week with me. So…no wonder they are in great shape, right!? Think you have what it takes to workout like an NBA Dancer? Try the sample workout below to see if you are pom-pom ready!

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This week’s challenge with ExerciseTV is pushups! In the video, I demonstrate beginner, intermediate and advanced versions. See how many you can do of each!

Ask any of my friends and clients…pushups are my favorite exercise! Don’t worry if you can only do a few. If you practice every week you will be able to do all 45 (or more!) without resting in between!

I know many of you are still trying new gyms, workouts, classes, etc. since it’s still the start of the new year. Getting a trainer is a great way to jumpstart your workouts and get you on track. But, choosing the right trainer can be hard and most people don’t know what they should be looking for or what makes a good trainer.

Make sure they are certified and I would ask them who their certification is through or see if they have that info. on their website. Good ones are ACE, NASM, AFAA, etc. Nutrition advice can be hit or miss with trainers. Really, they should have a nutrition degree or RD certification to give you a specific diet plan….but most trainers (including me) will give tips or advice. If it sounds too crazy, like no carbs or consuming too much protein, then get a second opinion. Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know that January & February are the best months for broccoli?I just picked up some fresh broccoli from Whole Foods this week and decided to use my Sleekstor Veggiesteam (silicone steamer) to cook it. All I did was place the steamer inside a pot with about 1-2 inches of water then, wash the broccoli and trim off the stems and then place it on top of the steamer. Cook on med/high heat for about 10-15 minutes until the broccoli is tender. To speed up the process you can place the lid on your pot but allow a small vent/crack to let some steam out. I served my broccoli with a tiny amount of shredded cheddar cheese, sea salt and pepper. You can use this steamer to cook all your veggies: carrots, mushroom, zucchini, etc!

Well, I survived my second Houston Marathon on Sunday! Surprisingly, my injured knee held up. I was orignially shooting for around 3:40 so I could qualify for Boston, but since I had to basically take a whole month off of training in December, I had to re-evaluate. So, I went slower overall than I had planned and then even slower the last 6 miles because my knee started to tighten up.  I finished with a time of 4:02 which isn’t too bad.

Here is the article I wrote the day after about my experience:

*Coming Soon…my video about the Houston Marathon and Marathon Expo!

I’m part of ExerciseTV’s “Breakfast Club” where we try to challenge viewers and members to a new workout or food challenge each week. This week’s challenge is to balance while you do your bicep curls! Try it out and let us know how you did!