Club Blog

Are you making enough footprints each day? Think about it. For the majority of the day are you sitting or walking? Most people (due to jobs) sit and are sedentary for the majority of the day. You may think that you do not have the time or energy to increase the number of steps you take per day; however, a little goes a long way. What I mean is there are little, easy, changes that you can implement to add steps to your everyday routine.

 First, take the stairs. Not only will you increase the number of steps you take but you will get the added bonus of stepping up which is great for strengthening the lower body. And, hey if you work on the 75^th or even the 10^th floor just get off the elevator a few floors early and continually add a floor each week.

 Second, park further away at the grocery store, mall, or anywhere there is a parking lot. Besides the added steps you will gain you won’t have to keep circling the parking lot for 15 minutes trying to obtain the “perfect” spot.

 Third, turn leisure time into walking time. Grab a friend, neighbor, spouse, or loved one and go for a stroll around the block on evenings and weekends. Just adding a 10 to 15 minute walk most days of the week can add up to an hour or more of walking.

 Remember, no matter what your fitness level or age there is always time to add walking into your life. So, improve the quality of your life today by following these three easy tips. Happy Walking!

If you’re trying to lose weight, get healthy, build muscle or excel at a sport, you’ll need specific goals. When you don’t have a specific goal, it’s difficult to keep exercising and to track your progress to see how far you’ve come. Before you get busy, take a moment and ask yourself these questions:

1. What do I want to accomplish with this exercise program?
2. Is my goal realistic and attainable?
3. Do I know how to reach my goal?
4. When do I want to reach my goal?
5. How will I reward myself when I reach my goal?

After winning 1^st place in my class at the NPC San Diego Figure Competition in March 2010, it has qualified me for Nationals.  I am now training and preparing for my National Championship Figure Competition in Cleveland, Ohio on September 3, 2010.  My current goal is to gain more muscle, specifically in my upper body.  Therefore, this means I have to lift with heavier weights and increase my food intake to build more lean muscle.  As the weeks progress, my goals will continue to change.  My training and competitor nutrition programs will both change – therefore, lifting lighter weights and decreasing calorie intake.

Muscle gain occurs when you eat more calories than you burn coupled with heavy strength training. If you lift weights, you can build muscle but if you want to put on some serious size, that requires serious work, extra calories and commitment.

Fat loss occurs when you burn more calories than you eat. If you burn an extra 500 calories per day, you would lose about a pound a week. You can’t choose where you lose fat–Spot training doesn’t work because your body draws energy from the entire body when you exercise, not just from the area you’re exercising.

Follow along on my journey and check out my weekly blogs on our website at www.lajollasportsclub.com.  I look forward to sharing my goals and updates with you as I prepare for Nationals, as well as sharing helpful tips and information to help you meet your personal goals.

Ladies, I truly believe in the power of weight training…and yes…heavy lifting, while working your muscles to failure.  
The more muscle you pack on the more fat and calories you burn throughout the day. 1 pound of muscle burns over 50 calories a day and 1 pound of body fat burns about 3 calories.

Don’t worry about getting big, muscle is so much denser than fat and if your diet is clean you will have a physique that will blow you away.

If you are short on time try doing multiple exercises back to back. Rest for 45 seconds and choose another exercise for a different muscle group. I’m sure you have already observed many trainers doing this with their clients. Not only will your workouts be more productive but you’ll burn more calories in less time.

            Some good example would be pairing arm exercises with leg exercises. Such a leg machine (leg press, leg curl, leg extension) with dumbbell curls or dumbbell shoulder presses. These are just a couple options. If you ever need help or advice about exercise prescription please feel free to ask any of the trainers on the gym floor. We would be more than willing to help.

Eat a meal consisting of carbohydrates and protein only within 30 minutes of finishing a workout.  The carbs should generally be a mix of complex (brown rice, oatmeal) and simple (fruit or juice).  Avoid fat in this meal, choosing leaner sources of protein is key for this.

Some examples

 1) a quart of fat-free milk, a sesame bagel and a banana (around 700-800 calories)

2) 4-8 ounces of fish, a plate of rice and beans and a 8 ounce glass of fresh juice

3) 5-8 egg whites (egg whites only have 17 calories each), oatmeal with dried or fresh fruit (this could be as low as 200-300 calories)

The carbs and protein act to recharge your glycogen levels (the sugar your body stores in its muscles) and floods your body with protein to allow you to begin rebuilding the muscle you damaged during your workout.  Adding fat slows your absorbtion of the carbs and blunts the effect, don’t eat fat in this meal.  You should be able to physically feel a difference after trying this just once, highly recommended!