Don’t have much time for a workout today, but want to blast some fat? Try the workout below that I’ve suggested for both the Rockets Power Dancers and my Bombshell Bootcamp for the days that they don’t meet with me. It’s a quick routine (should take you less than 45min) that will hit all your major muscle groups and keep your heart rate elevated with quick cardio mixed in.

FAT-BURNING WORKOUT:

I’m excited to be featured again this week on Shape Magazine’s website for the article: “The Best Workouts You Aren’t Doing” by Jessica Smith! Check out the article below for some cool new workouts and tips including one of my favorites: sandbag training!

Can I have a cheat Day??

I get asked this question a lot. This is what I told someone today when they asked me on Facebook:

“I don’t really believe in “cheat” days because it means you are rewarding your good behavior with food. That’s a vicious cycle. However, I’m not opposed to having a cheat meal as long as it’s not crazy bad. Most people that are overweight are overweight because they don’t know when to stop and have problems limiting trigger foods. So, be careful – even if it’s a cheat meal because you could wind up consuming more than a day’s worth of calories in one meal. If you get in the habit of fueling your body with good stuff – you won’t “crave” crap.”

Last week, we have had fun doing some Valentine-themed workouts at Bombshell Bootcamp (we even put hearts on the sidewalk – see right)!

Below is a quick sample of what we did last Tuesday night, if you want to try it on your own!

 Valentine’s Day Workout:

Cupid Shuffle (Forward/Back): Do a low traveling squat for about 3-4 yards then back-peddle (shuffle) back to the start. Repeat for 5 min.
Cupid Shuffle (Left/Right) : Do side shuffle runs (in a low squat) left and then change directions. Repeat for 5 min.
Kiss the Ground Shoulder Presses: Get in downward dog position and slowly lower your head towards the ground as if you were going to kiss your mat. This works your shoulders and upper back. 20-30 reps x 2.
Heart Pumping Stair Hops: We did about 3 minutes on each leg and also incorporated a reverse lunge on each side for about 1 minute. Stair hops (aka box blasts) look like this:

Heart Squat Jacks: Make a heart shape with your arms and do a regular squat-jack. Squeeze your biceps when you make the heart!
The Lovebug: Sitting on the mat – left your left leg in the air and do 5 tricep dips, then repeat with right leg in air. Then, flip over and do a 1-leg pushup with the left leg up and then one with the right leg up. Flip back over and repeat. Do 15-20 sets.
Love Handler: Side planks for 20 seconds plus 1 minute of dips. Do both sides.
Cupid’s Arrow Plank: Do 1 forearm plank for as long as you can hold it.

Looking for something different to do this weekend? Check out the third annual Texas Yoga Conference! It’s going on all weekend at the University of Houston campus! New to yoga? No problem! There over 60 classes, lectures and seminars (plus the “Bhakti Bash”!) suitable for all levels.  This is actually a great place to go if you ARE new to yoga. There are many vendors with cool gear,helpful handouts and info on the best yoga studios around town.  Over 20 styles of yoga with be featured and live performances by nationally and internationally renowned recording artists. Over 1,000 participants are expected over the 3- day event and you can buy a full pass, day pass or even a half-day pass!

If you are in Houston, stop by the Whole Foods store on Waugh from 6:30-7:30pm. I’ll be doing a fitness lecture, giving out a sample workout and answering questions about working out and staying fit! This is all part of Whole Foods new Health Starts Here Challenge aimed at getting the community fit for the new year! They have a lot of other free events coming up, so be sure to check their calendar online to find out what’s happening at your local store. I hope to see some of you tonight!

For most people, the act of doing “cardio” can seem complicated. What exercises count as cardio? How long do I go for? How many calories am I burning? Well, first of all…in order to lose weight or burn fat, you really need to do 3-4 days a week of cardio. At the gym this can include using the treadmill, elliptical machine or stationary bike. Or, if you prefer to be outdoors, you can bike, jog, walk fast or swim. Another good cardio option is to go take a class at the gym. The best cardio classes have “cardio” in the name or description. Spinning classes are also good sources for cardio because they keep your heart rate up most of the time. This ties in with the next question…”how long do I go for?”. Your cardio should be a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes if you really want to see results fast. But, the key is that you must have your heart rate elevated the entire time. Does cleaning your house count as true cardio? No. Does walking around the mall for an hour on Saturday count? No. But- it’s definitely better than nothing and it is a step in the right direction! Yes, light walking is definitely good for you. But, in order to lose weight you have to make it a challenge and most importantly break a SWEAT!

Here is where the RPE (rate of perceived exertion) comes in to play. You should be varying your RPE so that you get a full range during the workout. This means that your warmup (first 5 min.) should be at about a 3-5 on the RPE scale and the rest of the workout should be between 6-9 (for best results do intervals!). If it’s really easy to carry on a conversation during the whole workout, you are not making it hard enough. Do you ever see those people at the gym reading a book while on the treadmill?? They are NOT using their RPE scale! Here is a guide:

RPE 1-2: Very easy; you can converse with no effort.
RPE 3: Easy; you can converse with almost no effort.
RPE 4: Moderately easy; you can converse comfortably with little effort.
RPE 5: Moderate; conversation requires some effort.
RPE 6: Moderately hard; conversation requires quite a bit of effort.
RPE 7: Difficult; conversation requires a lot of effort.
RPE 8: Very difficult; conversation requires maximum effort.
RPE 9-10: Peak effort; no-talking zone.

So, next time you hop on the treadmill… test yourself using the scale and see how hard you are really working. You’ll probably find that you can push yourself harder in a 30min session than you would in an hour of boring steady cardio. Use this RPE scale and mix it up to really get the results you are after!

Three weeks ago I ran the Chevron Houston Marathon and I had another great experience! We had good weather (unlike last year’s rain) and the spectators were better than ever! I also had a lot of my friends and clients out around the course (thanks guys!!), so that always gives me something to look forward to! I ended up going a little slower than planned and didn’t set a PR (I finished at the same time as last year). But, because I went slower I recovered really well and now I’m off to run my first ULTRA MARATHON (50k) at the end of February! Wish me luck : )

*If you are wondering what it feels like to run 26.2 though Houston, read this article I wrote for Culturemap the week before the race!

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I’m not a huge football fan, but when it’s time for the Superbowl I get in the spirit! For most, this usually means eating lots of traditional football and game day foods including wings, dips, fried foods and other things that will sabotage your diet. So, this year – get your own game plan and try some healthier options so that you don’t end up with a food hangover in the morning. Also, I would recommend that you start the day with a workout and eat healthy all day. Then, about an hour before the game, or party, eat a healthy snack. You can also offer to bring something to the party like veggies with lowfat dip (see below); portobello mushrooms, zucchini or other veggies for the grill or even low-cal popcorn.

Below are a couple of dips (courtesy of CookingLight.com) that are perfect for crowds. Also, FitSugar.com has some great recipes including kale chips, more dips and fruit skewers. Yum!

Spinach Parmesan Dip

At first, the spinach will seem to overflow in the skillet, but keep stirring–as it begins to wilt, it reduces in volume. Serve this creamy dip with crudités or hearty wheat crackers.

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