Love Notes by Jari Love

Weight Gain while training for a marathon

by Jari Love

“Weight gain is very common in marathon training, especially in first-time distance runners,” says Carissa Bealert, a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified personal trainer and race announcer. She says, “First-time runners start [marathon training] as a ‘bucket list’ item with the notion that they’ll definitely lose weight due to all the extra activity and miles they’re running.” It’s true, I’ve seen this with a few of my personal training clients over the years. This is a real problem that affects many people starting to train for marathons. It is quite discouraging if you take up training for long distance running to lose weight, and you end up gaining weight. Read on for an explanation…

 And she’s not talking about a few extra pounds due to muscle gain, but adding pounds of fat despite the grueling training regimen. “Training for and completing a marathon is no easy task,” suggests Bealert. She continues, “Training for a marathon and trying to lose weight is like trying to serve two different masters.”

“Most new runners, particularly those who are trying to lose weight, start out with relatively poor eating habits,” says Kim Watkins, running and functional fitness coach and CEO of inShape Fitness. She explains that despite the body’s need for more calories to keep up with the increase in exercise, many first-time marathon trainers reach for “reckless carbohydrate products,” which “curtails the body’s ability to utilize stored fat as its energy source.”

 Watkins mentions that the “reckless carbohydrates” in a runner’s diet can be due to “poor replenishment choices,” including sugary sports drinks — a favorite beverage choice among marathon trainers. “Marathoners often consume sugary sports drinks and other food products that promote the idea of hydration, but add calories in the process,” she adds.

 Bealert adds that weight gain may also just boil down to overestimating and overeating. “We runners, myself included, love to use a long run as an excuse to eat our favorite ‘not-so-healthy’ foods,” she says. Clarifying, she adds, “You may burn 1600 calories on a 16-mile run, but it’s not that cut and dry. Add in a 300-calorie breakfast, 200 calories of fuel during the run, 100 calories of sports drink and 200 calories of banana and protein post run. You’ve just consumed about half of your calorie burn, however when you sit down to your burger, fries and beers, you are overeating and extra calories equal weight gain.”

 Since gaining weight is likely not the result you’re hoping for after months of hard work and training, you need to be aware of what you’re eating. “Make good food choices even though you are burning more calories,” advises Dr. Scott Weiss, a licensed physical therapist, board-certified athletic trainer, registered exercise physiologist and advanced personal trainer.

 He points out, “Just because your hunger levels spike, and your calorie burn is high, it doesn’t mean it’s time to snack on ice cream and cake. Maintaining a sense of discipline with your food intake while training will prevent any unexpected weight gain from calories.”

 Weiss also shared that during rigorous training, your body becomes better at storing carbohydrates for energy so making good food choices is important — even if you’re not actively running. “When you are plateauing in your training, or your training goes down, be very conscious of your food intake, and really only reach for what you need,” he adds.

 What you eat isn’t the only thing you need to be aware of when you’re training for a marathon. Water and a healthy electrolyte balance are a part of the puzzle too. “Drink plenty of water,” advises Brandon Roberts, M.S., certified strength and conditioning specialist and exercise physiologist.

 He continues, “Even up to a gallon [of water] a day is fine. Also, try to consume a 3:1 ratio of sodium to potassium — like Gatorade — before and after your runs,” which may help with any weight gain due to water retention.

 What you eat before and after your race is just as important as what you eat while you train. “The body needs fuel post-run with a balanced meal of protein, fat and carbohydrates within two hours,” recommends Emily Bailey, registered and licensed dietitian, board-certified specialist in sports dietetics and director of nutrition coaching at NutriFormance & Athletic Republic St. Louis.

 She adds, “When someone is unable to eat after a run, later they become starving and when we are that hungry, the rational to make a healthy choice or portion is difficult and we overeat.” That means committing to making healthy food choices needs to be made a large part of training as well as how many miles your shoes take you.

 If you’re struggling with meeting your nutritional and caloric demands while training for a marathon, seeking professional guidance is always a smart choice. “Meet with a registered sports dietitian to learn your individual fueling needs for training. Look for those who have the credentials R.D., L.D. and C.S.S.D. or a master’s degree in sports nutrition,” says Bailey.

Via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Benefits of Eating Clean

by Jari Love

What does it mean to eat clean? Here’s an even better question: What really happens to your body when you jump on the clean eating bandwagon?

 Clean eating is a buzzword that you have seen used by celebrities and thrown around in hashtags on Facebook. Simply put, clean eating means: Don’t eat crap. “Crap” may be defined as processed foods, grain-fed meats, dairy, starchy carbohydrates and sugar, depending on which diet you ascribe to.

 Clean eating can be as complicated as you make it. For me, clean eating translates to eating fresh, whole foods (with as many vegetables as possible), making every meal count with high-quality nutrients and, of course, cutting the crap.

 More than a year after drastically changing my diet, I can personally vouch for 10 unexpected clean eating “side effects”:

1. Better mood

While I still struggle with mood swings at a certain time of the month, my overall outlook and general happiness have improved after cleaning up my diet. As Drew Ramsey, M.D., The Happiness Diet co-author and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, explains in Yoga Journal, how you feel is directly affected by what you eat. He says, “Emotions begin in biology, with two nerve cells rubbing together, and those nerve cells are made of nutrients in food.”

2. Boundless energy

Here’s all the proof you need: Even as a working mother of two toddlers, my energy soared after I quit eating processed foods. Devon D. Herndon, L.P.C.C., L.A.D.A.C., N.B.C.T., C.P.T., of BeMeBetter cites an energy boost as one of the prime outcomes of eating clean, saying, “If you are chronically exhausted or experience a post-lunch midday slump, it could very well be your diet. Diets that are high in refined sugar and carbs cause dramatic spikes in blood sugar. They might provide a temporary surge in energy, but it is followed by a crash.”

3. Deeper sleep

Eat better, sleep deeper — what more can you ask for? The Balanced Brunette explains, “Vitamins and minerals found in whole foods will allow your body to regulate hormonal function throughout the day and promote deeper sleep at night. Eating healthy foods will also calm your nervous system and trigger a sleep-inducing hormonal response which helps you rest better at night.”

4. Fewer cravings

From personal experience, I can tell you that clean eating takes a while to get used to, but the longer you do it, the better your body responds. Sugar and carbohydrate cravings may be a struggle at the outset, but months later, you’ll find it hard to muster up a taste for a sweet treat.

5. Flat stomach

When asked about the good side effects of clean eating on the Bodybuilding forum, user Ayekay put feeling leaner and less bloated at the top of his list. In translation, if you want your pants to fit better, load up your plate with Mother Nature’s foods.

6. Gorgeous hair

Looking for long, luscious locks that would make a Pantene model jealous? The Lean Clean Eating Machine says that plant-based foods are the secret — specifically, radishes, pumpkin seeds, dulse and carrots.

7. Higher self-esteem

What are the pros of clean eating? One Redditor keeps it short and sweet: “I feel better about myself, [along with] knowing I’m getting all the goodness of micronutrients.”

8. Perfect poop

Sorry, but I had to go there. As Wellness Mama points out, bowel movements are a prime indicator of your inner health. Clean eating yields cleaner poop with a digestive tract that is neither moving too fast nor too slow.

9. Radiant skin

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and refined sugar is its enemy. The Clean Eating Survival Guide stresses that a no sugar diet is the number one rule for a clear complexion.

10. Raging libido

According to Cosmo, Gwyneth Paltrow attributed the state of her union to her clean living. Though dear Gwynnie is now consciously uncoupled, research still proves that nutrient-rich foods, like asparagus and watermelon, can help to heat things up in between the sheets.

 via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Steps to Eliminate Belly Fat for Good

by Jari Love

Belly fat is something that a lot of people complain about. Why? There are the obvious reasons, such as the fact that it is unattractive and unhealthy, and then there are the less obvious reasons. For instance, belly fat is some of the toughest fat to eliminate from the body.

When you start to understand how and why the body places fat around the abdominal area, however, it can help you to begin to get rid of it “for good”.

The body uses the calories or energy (same thing) that you consume in a few ways. The energy that it gets from fat is something it knows how to use up (burn) almost immediately. The energy that comes from carbohydrates might head directly into storage. This ends up as fat around the body and even on the organs of the trunk or midsection.

Considering the source of calories is a useful way to almost immediately reduce the chances for midsection fat storage. Cut your daily caloric intake of carbohydrates to around 40% or less of total calories.

Do BOTH cardio and strengthening. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that a lot of cardio is the best way to blast belly fat, but the truth is that people with a higher volume of muscle will always burn calories as they exercise and for a much longer period of time afterward. So, when you want to really tap into any stored fat (whether visible or visceral) you will want to work on strengthening as well as cardio.

Go for fiber in the daily diet. Studies have shown that people who begin consuming around ten grams of soluble fiber each day (and without making any other changes in their diets) will become far less likely to develop belly fat. That translates to a large apple, a handful of cooked beans, or a full cup of peas.

Get more sleep and less stress. Though this has very little to do with diet and exercise, if you are not properly rested and living with too much stress, it will trigger the body to store fat. This is the type of fat that usually appears on organs and the midsection.

So, with just a few fairly simple facts, you can begin to make the changes needed to eliminate belly fat, and keep it off forever.

Source: Martin, Laura J., “How to Lose Belly Fat”, WebMD

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

What’s Better for Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?

by Jari Love

When you set your sights on weight loss, the formula seems easy: work out more, eat less. But a new study in the International Journal of Epidemiology shows that it might be more about what you eat, putting truth to the idiom “abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.”

In 2013, researchers from Loyola University began looking into the relative power of diet and exercise as they relate to moving the scale. They thought they’d discover that exercise would prove to be a crucial component for weight loss. Two years later, though, the science shows that the largest driver behind obesity is not how sedentary people are but instead how poor their diet is.

“Physical activity is crucially important for improving overall health and fitness levels, but there is limited evidence to suggest that it can blunt the surge in obesity,” the study authors explained. Why? The more you work out, the more your appetite increases.

Of course, this new Loyola study isn’t the first to come to this conclusion. Research has consistently shown for years now that exercise doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss. In a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics last year, for example, researchers found that people only lost noticeable weight if they combined exercise and calorie restriction.

This is the problem with most weight-loss advice, the Loyola researchers said, which often puts statements like “take the stairs instead of the elevator” or “walk 10,000 steps a day” on par with calorie restriction. Study authors Richard S. Cooper, M.D., and Amy Luke, Ph.D., said they’re not trying to drive people away from fitness, but rather expose problems with current health campaigns. Take this new one funded by Coca-Cola—it (falsely!) emphasizes exercise over a healthy diet.

But don’t you dare drop your gym membership! Being active has a ton of benefits that go far beyond what the scale says. Increasing your strength and endurance has been shown to help prevent cancer, improve mental health, help diabetes, and help you live longer. Plus, research shows that dieters who exercise are better able to maintain weight loss and are also able to lose fat while keeping valuable muscle. You just need to make sure you’re logging your gym time and your food intake.

via shape.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Vegetarian Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles Recipe

by Jari Love

Do you love meatballs but are looking for a healthy or vegetarian alternative? These bite-size, meat-free meatballs will do just the trick without leaving your taste buds deprived.

Sautéed vegetables are combined with cooked quinoa, Italian breadcrumbs and flax “eggs” that act as a binder for these meatless meatballs. They’re perfect for those who eat a plant-based, vegan diet or for sneaking in some vegetables for picky eaters.

The whole family will enjoy this Italian dish gone veggie friendly. We enjoy serving ours over fresh spiralized zucchini noodles, but you can certainly use pasta if desired. Look for a spiralizer online or in most home goods stores.

Quinoa-veggie meatballs over zucchini noodles recipe

This vegan dish uses quinoa and vegetables that are formed into “meat”balls and then baked and served over zucchini noodles for an easy healthy dinner.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds 
• 1/4 cup hot water 
• 1 small sweet onion, diced 
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms 
• 2 carrots, chopped 
• 2 celery stalks 
• 4 garlic cloves 
• 1 teaspoon onion powder 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• 1 cup cooked quinoa 
• 1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs 
• 1/2 tablespoon dried Italian herbs 
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 
• 1 (24 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce 
• 4 large zucchini 
• Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the flaxseeds and hot water. Mix well, and let sit for 5 minutes. Using a spiralizer, prepare the zucchini noodles, transfer them to a large bowl, and set them aside until ready to use.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, garlic and olive oil. Season with onion powder, salt and pepper, and cook the vegetables until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. To the bowl of a food processor, add the flax mixture, quinoa, breadcrumbs, herbs, nutritional yeast and roasted vegetables.
5. Pulse the mixture several times to blend and chop until the desired consistency is reached. (If the mixture is too sticky to handle, add a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs.)
6. Roll the mixture into balls, keeping them uniform in size. Bake the meatballs for 20 to 25 minutes or until firm.
7. Once baked, add the meatballs to a saucepot, and cover with the jar of tomato sauce. Simmer until warm, about 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Divide the zucchini noodles among bowls, and top with the meatballs and tomato sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve.

via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Heart Rate Training and Working Heart Rate Zones

by Jari Love

 Why is Heart Rate Training Effective?

Your heart is the most important muscle in your body. It is always functioning and maintaining itself. In most people, the heart operates at a fairly low level every day, but as with any muscle, regular exercise over time can increase its capacity to deal with more tasks with less strain.

Heart rate is an indicator of how hard you are working because it has a direct correlation with oxygen consumption (% VO2 max) when exercising. Monitoring your heart rate during exercise and training within specific heart rate zones will allow you to know more accurately what intensity you are working at, and allow you to exercise much more efficiently (less time!).

We know that as exercise intensity changes (through a combination of adjusting resistance and cadence) there is a linear increase in VO2R and heart rate. This is why monitoring heart rate is such an effective way to determine training intensity.  Heart rate monitors have made the ability for the average person to do this.

Determining Maximum Heart Rate
Heart rate training requires you to know your maximum heart rate (HRmax), which is the maximum number of times the heart can beat in one minute. The physiological testing that is required to obtain a true measure of HRmax is expensive and requires an individual to perform exercise at a maximal effort – not everybody wants to do this.

Fortunately, there’s an alternate way to determine HRmax through maximum heart rate prediction formulas, which are based on regression equations. It’s important to note that there are multiple formulas available to determine your HRmax and few researchers and exercise physiologists can agree on the best one.  Although using a standard formula will results in a degree of error due to genetic and gender differences, it is still a great way to get an approximation of where your heart rate should be for each of the heart rate training zones.

When it comes to group exercise, the most common and widely used Age Predicted HRmax Formula is:  HRmax = 220 – your age

Example:  An individual who is 43 years old would have an age predicted HRmax of 177bpm.  Answer: 220 – 43 = 177bpm

Checking Your Heart Rate as You Train

An excellent way to monitor exercise intensity is to take your pulse periodically by pressing lightly on your radial artery (the thumb side of your wrist, between the tendon and the bone). Use your index and middle fingers to exert pressure just light enough to feel the artery throb as your heart beats. Count the number of times your heart beats over 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to get your heart rate.

For a more accurate measurement, consider getting a heart rate monitor. These days, you will find that heart rate monitors are relatively inexpensive and are easy to use. In addition to its greater precision in measuring your heart rate, it can also act as a motivational tool during your workout sessions.

Heart rate monitors consist of a transmitter that fits around your chest area and a wireless receiver that is worn like a regular wristwatch. Using a heart rate monitor is an effective way to stay within specific heart rate zones during workouts. Instead of relying on guesswork, you will know exactly how you are performing and if you need to slow down or step things up.

 Heart Rate Training Zones

There are five heart rate zones that go from least to most intense. Each target heart zone is expressed as a certain percentage of your maximum heart rate.  Exercising within your target heart rate is a great way to make sure that you are not under-training or overtraining, and serves as one of the best guidelines for achieving personal fitness goals. Heart Rate Zone training will get you on the fast track to fitness success.

Determining Heart Rate Training Zones

In order to take advantage of exercising within heart zones, you will need to determine the heart rates that correspond to the different training intensities. Using the chart below as a guide, calculate your heart rate training zones using your HRmax.

Next, you will simply join the percentages together in order to determine your heart rate training zones.  Copy the chart below into a notebook that you can keep with you while you are training.

 Example:  An individual who is 43 years old would have an age predicted HRmax of 177bpm (220 – 43 = 177bpm).  Their charts would look like this:

 Zone 1 – Healthy Heart Zone – Getting Fit!

• In this zone, you stay at 50% to 60% of your maximum heart rate; this is gentle exertion
• When working in Zone 1, your Rate of Perceived of Exertion (RPE) on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 2-3 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 1:  10% carbohydrates, 60-85% fat and 5% protein.
• This is not a hot calorie-burning pace: you only burn ± 5 calories per minute.
•  In this zone you’re at 55-65% maximum aerobic capacity (VO² Max, a body’s maximum capacity to carry and use oxygen during exercise).

Five things to know about Zone 1:

• Even at this comfortable pace, the health payoff is huge: a Zone 1 workout lowers blood pressure, builds muscle mass, reduces body fat, improves our immune system and cholesterol levels, and lowers your heart attack risk.
• Most of the calories burned in this zone, even though you won’t burn a huge number, are fat calories. That’s a good thing.
• This is a safe zone, so it’s ideal for inactive people trying to become more active.
• To get the benefits of working in Zone 1, you must spend at least 10 minutes in the zone every day.
• You will feel fatigue after a time in Zone 1 because your energy and fluids are being depleted. Drink water!

Zone 2 – Temperate Zone – Staying Fit!

• In this zone, you work at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 2, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 3-5 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 2:  10% carbohydrates, 50-80% fat and 5% protein.
• You burn ±10 calories in Zone 2 – twice as many as in Zone 1.
• In Zone 2 you’re at 66-75% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 2:

• This is the level at which most people exercise every day – a moderate and comfortable zone.
• You’re still burning mostly fat calories in Zone 2 – more than in Zone 1 – and building muscle mass at the same time.
• With more muscle mass, you burn more calories even when you’re inactive.
• The more you train in Zone 2, the more efficient your body gets at using fat for energy, because your fat-burning enzymes are more active overall.
• When you develop more stamina, you’ll be able to use Zone 2 as a recovery zone or a long, slow endurance zone.

Zone 3 – Aerobic Zone – Getting Fitter!

• In Zone 3, you’re working at 70-80% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 3, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 5-7 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 3:  60% carbohydrates, 35% fat and 5% protein.
• Your calorie burn in Zone 3 increases slightly to ±13 per minute.
• In Zone 3 you are at 76-80% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 3:

• This zone is the “sweet spot” of training; it’s where you get the most benefits in the least amount of time.
• You’re in good company here; this is the zone where high-performance athletes will spend most of their time.
• In Zone 3 the emphasis of calories being burned shifts from fat calories to carbohydrates.
• Two major benefits of working in Zone 3: here your body builds resistance to fatigue, and you improve your VO² Max.
• The body can only hold so many carbohydrates needed for energy, so it’s important to make sure you are getting adequate nutrition before long periods of Zone 3 training, or any work in Zones 4 or 5.

Zone 4 – Threshold Zone – Getting Even More Fit!

• In Zone 4, you’re working at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 4, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 7-9 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 4:  80% carbohydrates, 15% fat and 5% protein.
• The calorie burn increases only slightly again in Zone 4, to ±15 per minute.
• In Zone 4 you are at 81-90% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 4:

• Benefits of working in Zone 4 include increased aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways, a higher anaerobic threshold, a better oxygen transport system and higher lactic acid clearance.
• For most fit athletes, Zone 4 is an anaerobic threshold – the point at which oxygen is consumed more than it’s delivered. Also, your body produces lactic acid faster than it can be metabolized in this zone.
• Training at or just below the anaerobic threshold allows your body to buffer, recycle and clear waste from lactic acid production. For that reason, endurance athletes work to get their anaerobic threshold as high as possible.
• Your body transports oxygen better in Zone 4.
• This is the maximum sustainable heart rate; staying at this threshold for too long may cause your arms and legs to feel rubbery and your breathing to become shallow and erratic.  Make sure you know your limits!

Zone 5 – Red Line Zone – Getting Fittest!

• In Zone 5, you’re working at 90-100% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 5, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 9-10 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 5: 90% carbohydrates, 5% fat and 5% protein.
• Calories burn at a rate of ±20 per minute in Zone 5.
• In Zone 5 you are at 91-100% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 5:

• Benefits of working in Zone 5 include increased anaerobic energy sources, better speed and improved neuromuscular coordination.
•  Zone 5 workouts are very difficult but they sharpen muscle efficiency and coordination.
• If you’re running a race, you would use Zone 5 to break away from the pack early, or to finish a long run with a sprint.
•  You cannot work in Zone 5 for sustained periods without slowing for a breather; you will fatigue quickly.
• Too much time spent training in a Zone 5 may increase your risk of injury and becoming over-trained.  When it comes to Zone 5, think quality over quantity!

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Creative Partner Workouts

by Jari Love

Creative Partner Workouts with Bands and Balls

Creative 8-move partner workouts with bands and balls!

Playing with resistance bands and stability balls at the gym is a little like enjoying an adult-approved recess. And the only thing that makes playground time more fun? Sharing it with a friend.

Grab the Thelma to your Louise, a stability ball and resistance band, and put yourselves through the paces. Your muscles may scream as you do each exercise, but you’ll be laughing so hard you’ll hardly notice.

Perform the series of exercises as a circuit, then repeat two or three more times.

1. Resistance run

Wrap a resistance band around Thelma’s torso, gripping each end of the band. Step a few feet back, planting your feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart. Sink down into a squat, pressing your hips back and keeping your weight in your heels. Extend your arms fully in front of you and engage your core.

Once you’re in place, tell Thelma to “go!” She runs in place against the resistance of the band — you’re keeping her from running away — for 60 seconds.

Switch roles and repeat.

2. Stability ball squat

Place a stability ball between you and your buddy, so you’re both leaning your backs into the ball. It can be a little tough to find the right balance, so be sure to talk to one another to make sure you both feel reasonably stable. Step your feet out slightly in front of you, your weight in your heels. On the count of three, both of you bend your knees and press your backs further into the ball to sink down into a squat. Talk to one another to stay in sync! When you’ve gone as low as you can into the squat, reverse the movement: Press into your heels with your back pushing against the ball and return to standing.

Continue for 60 seconds.

3. Chest press and row

Stand a few feet in front of Thelma, gripping the ends of a resistance band in each hand so the center is looped behind you. Thelma should grab the center of the band with both hands about chest-distance apart — her arms extended forward at shoulder height. Starting with your fists at your shoulders, palms facing down, press against the resistance of the band and extend your arms fully in front of your chest. Return to your starting position.

Once you’re done with your chest press, prepare yourself to provide resistance for your partner. Engage your core and lean slightly forward, keeping your fists steady at your shoulders. Thelma squeezes her shoulder blades together, drawing her elbows back as she pulls the band to her chest.

Continue this chest press and row exercise for 60 seconds before switching roles.

4. Stability ball lunge

This one takes communication, so be sure to talk with your partner!

Place a stability ball on the ground between you and Thelma — both of you turned with your back to the ball. There should be a couple feet of space between your feet and the ball. Working as a team, each of you should reach your right leg behind you, placing your right foot on top of the ball. Check your balance, centering your weight on the heel of your left foot.

When you’re both reasonably steady, bend both knees, lowering your torso toward the ground while maintaining a strong core. When you’ve gone as far as you can, try to keep your front knee aligned with your front toe, press through your heel and press yourself back to standing.

Continue for 30 seconds before switching legs.

5. Superman lats and biceps curl

This one’s especially fun, and when you’re in the superman position, it really works the entire back side of your body.

Lie on the ground on your stomach with Thelma kneeling a few feet in front of you — gripping the ends of the band in each hand, her upper arms tight to her sides, her elbows bent and palms facing up. Reach forward, grabbing the center of the band with your palms down about shoulder-width apart. The band should be taut between you.

Tighten your core and lift your hands and feet up off the ground in a “superman” position. Tighten your upper back and shoulders and draw your shoulder blades together with your elbows bending out laterally from your body as you pull the band to your chest. Reverse the movement and extend your arms.

From this position, prepare to provide resistance for Thelma’s biceps curl. As you hold your hands steady, Thelma engages her core. While keeping her upper arms “glued” to her sides, she bends her elbows and pulls against the resistance of the band to draw her fists to her shoulders. She then returns to the starting position.

Continue for 60 seconds before switching roles.

6. Squat and triceps extension

Stand a few feet behind your buddy. She should stand tall, feet hip-distance apart, her arms extended overhead while holding the ends of a resistance band in each hand. The center of the resistance band should hang behind her. Grasp the center of the resistance band, pulling it taut at shoulder height with your arms extended in front of you.

From this position, Thelma bends her elbows behind her, keeping her upper arms close to her ears. Once she’s set, squat down by pressing your hips behind you with your weight in your heels, pulling the resistance with you as you keep your arms steady at shoulder height.

When you return to standing, prepare to provide resistance for your friend. Tighten your core and work to maintain your arms at shoulder height. Thelma then uses her triceps to press up against the resistance band, extending her arms overhead without allowing her elbows to bend out to the sides.

Continue for 60 seconds before switching positions.

7. Stability ball plank

You’re going to get up close and personal for this one — be sure to communicate throughout the exercise.

Kneel on the ground with a stability ball between your partner and yourself. Lean forward as a unit, placing your forearms against the ball. Press into the ball for support and step your feet behind you so your weight is balanced on the balls of your feet and your forearms. Your body should form a straight line.

Pull your core tight and hold the position for 60 seconds.

8. Stability ball sit-ups

Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels touching the ground with the balls of your feet pressing into Thelma’s. Holding a stability ball in your hands, engage your core and roll back onto the ground, reaching the stability ball behind you before reversing the movement as you use your abs to pull yourself back to sitting. As you come to sitting, toss the stability ball to your partner so she can perform the same sit-up.

Continue alternating sit-ups for 60 seconds.

via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Quick and Easy Chopped Chicken Salad

by Jari Love

This Chopped Chicken Salad is quick and easy and is is filled with wholesome ingredients, protein and fiber to enhance your hard earned fitness results. It’s ideal for a low-key date night dinner or a delicious solution to the age-old question, “What’s for dinner?” You can also change it up a bit by swapping chicken breast with steak or tuna fillet.  The end result is a salad, not overly heavy, nutritious  and easy to prepare – a perfect dish for any time of year.  Servings: 6

Here’s what you need:

For the Salad

• 2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
• 1.2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 Tablespoon red onion, minced
• 1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
• 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 4 strips, cooked nitrate-free bacon, chopped
• 1 avocado, chopped

For the Dressing

• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 packet stevia
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Mix to combine.
2. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over the salad and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 218 calories, 12g fat, 189mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 22g protein

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Clean Eating Foods

by Jari Love

Clean Eating Foods That Keep You Full

A stomach that won’t stop growling won’t just turn you into a hunger-crazed jerk. It’ll also destroy your ability to refuse the unhealthy crap you normally don’t have much problem saying no to.

So instead of subsisting solely on salads and green juices that leave you famished in an hour, add more of these heavy hitters to your diet to help you stay fuller longer. Your friends will like you more, and you’ll feel really good about not devouring an entire box of crackers or cereal. Here are some clean eating foods that will keep you full.

1. Smoothies

Yes, most drinks—including green juices—are less filling than foods. But smoothies are the exception to the rule because they’re packed with air—and the longer you blend them, the fluffier (and more filling) they’ll get. In one Penn State University study, men who drank shakes that were blended for a full 5 minutes ate about 100 calories less at lunch, compared with those whose smoothies were blended for just a minute and a half, even though both smoothies contained the exact same calories and ingredients.

2. Baked potatoes

If you’re doing carbs with your meal, you might want to think about saying yes to spuds. In a study that ranked the satiating properties of 38 common foods—including fruit, steak, beans, and fish—boiled potatoes came out on top. In part, that’s because they’re loaded with fiber—one medium potato packs 5 g of the stuff. Just remember to leave the skins on (that’s where most of the roughage and nutrients are) and to not go crazy with the butter and sour cream. (Instead, try topping it with a dollop of Greek yogurt and salsa.)

3. Apples and pears

Unlike most other fruits, apples and pears contain pectin—a special type of fiber that’s especially good at slowing digestion and helping you feel fuller longer. In fact, one recent Harvard study found that eating an extra serving of apple or pear led to more weight loss than eating an extra serving of any other type of fruit. Try one sliced up with a spoonful of almond butter and see if you aren’t full ’til dinner.

4. Vegetable scrambles

Eggs are loaded with appetite-quashing protein, which might be why people who loaded up on eggs every morning lost more weight, felt less hungry, and were less tempted to chow down on junk, compared with people who ate bagels for breakfast, according to one British study. Throw in a couple of handfuls of fiber-rich vegetables (like artichokes or broccoli), and you’ll be good to go for hours.

5. Flaxseed

Here’s a pro tip: Make almost any meal more satisfying by sprinkling on some ground flaxseed; a measly 2 Tbsp serving packs almost 4 g of fiber. Try stirring them into yogurt, dusting them on top of salad or roasted vegetables, or using them instead of bread crumbs.

6. Oil-popped popcorn

Like smoothies, popcorn is loaded with air, so it literally takes up lots of space in your stomach. The crunchy snack is also a good source of fiber, and you can eat a ton of it for not a lot of calories—4 cups packs 4 g of fiber and around 200 calories. Sure, you could cut the calories even more by doing air-popped popcorn, but everyone knows it’s tasteless and unsatisfying, so don’t bother.

7. Oatmeal

Half a cup of rolled oats packs almost a third of your daily fiber—most of it in the form of soluble fiber, which actually turns into a sort of digestion-slowing gel in your stomach. (Mmm!) Cook ’em with water or milk, and all that extra volume from the liquid makes them even more filling.

h/t prevention.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Weird (But Proven) Benefits of Exercise

by Jari Love

It’s widely known that exercise leads to weight loss, better sleep, stronger bones, reduced chronic pain and cuts the risk of diseases including diabetes and cancer. However, science shows that there are also unexpected, but medically proven, benefits to exercise.

A sedentary lifestyle is associated with an increased risk of gallstones (ouch!). But endurance-type exercise five times per week can prevent 34 percent of cases of symptomatic gallstones.

Numerous studies indicate that exercise can reduce the symptoms of depression. People who exercise also tend to have high self-esteem, improved quality of life and better rates of happiness. Scientists don’t know the exact mechanism, but exercise may trigger the brain to generate serotonin and endorphins that help with mental well-being.

Painful periods can be debilitating, but exercise can decrease the intensity of the pain — as well as decrease the use of sedating pain medications.

Exercise helps curb withdrawal symptoms and cravings. One study found that even people who smoked for more than 20 years were able to quit smoking through cognitive-behavioral therapy and exercising only 40 minutes three times per week. Another benefit? Former smokers who exercise can minimize post-smoking cessation weight gain.

Exercise coupled with a healthy diet can fight a variety of skin conditions, including psoriasis. It may not necessarily be the increased blood flow which has the positive effect — it could be the impact of weight loss.

A very specific type of exercise — pelvic floor muscle training, known commonly at Kegel exercises — can actually improve or even cure urinary incontinence in women. Yes, I’m still counting it as exercise.

Exercise has been associated with improved cognitive function in young adults; and newer research shows it can improve daily activities (like showering, dressing and mobility) in older adults who already have dementia.

So, what is the best type of exercise routine? The one that you stick to on a regular basis.

via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.