Total Body Blast/Time

I was training one of my clients this morning. She is young, only 20, but none the less, she is a very inspiring, motivated, and talented lady. As we were running, IN THE RAIN mind you!, we began talking about how complacent some people are in life and with themselves. Not necessarily lazy, or un-motivated (although I am sure that is part of it!), but just complacent with where they are at this given point in time. Here I have a 20 year old who is working 2 jobs, both jobs relating to where she wants to go with her career, while also going to school and STILL she manages to meet her fitness goals, where I have some people and clients that can’t commit to coming into the gym more than twice a week. I couldn’t be more proud of her.
But anyways- I want to get the point across that there is ALWAYS time for fitting your workout in. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out, make you sore for 3 day workout, but it does have to be WORTHWHILE. If you are one of those people who are always pressed for time, always in a hurry or have something better to do, make the most of the time you do have and make your workout efficient. Do a lot of combined or compound moves, such as a squat and press, so you can kill two birds with one stone. Add in cardio intervals of mountain climbers or high knees in between each strength exercise.

Here are two simple circuits that you can do next time you find yourself in a pinch. Do each circuit for 30 seconds, then move along to the next exercise.

Circuit 1
-Jumping Jacks
-Bent over rows
-Mountain Climbers
-Alternating Hammer Curls
-Jumping Jacks
-Plie’ Squats
-Rest for 60 to 90 seconds and move to circuit 2

Circuit 2
-Overhead tricep extensions (or skull crusher)
-Mountain Climbers
-Push ups
-Side to side quick jumps
-Overhead shoulder press
-Mountain Climbers
-COOL DOWN!!

If you are feeling feisty and have extra time- go through one or both of the circuits again!

With the strength exercises- use weight that becomes a struggle about 15 to 20 seconds in. If your not struggling- it’s not heavy or challenging enough

Remember, no excuses, just results! Enjoy!!

Powertec Spokesmodel

I know, I know, another voting thing… I am so sick of seeing these all over Facebook, myself included! I just couldn’t pass this opportunity up though! Powertec Inc., is the World’s Best Selling Plate Loaded Home Gym. It is a high-quality brand that already boasts a loaded cast of world-class fitness models and athletes as its partners, and now they are searching for ladies and gents who look and live the part to join their team.  The winner will have the opportunity to be on the cover of their product catalog and monthly newsletters.  Pretty cool!!

If I win, I would get a one week membership to work out at the World Famous Gold’s Gym in Venice, California, home to legendary bodybuilders and fitness models. Not to mention a full day’s worth of photo and video shoot with internationally-acclaimed fitness photographer Natalie Minh, this is all along with the  catalog, advertisements and infomercials and any other opportunities that arise.

So please take the time to ‘like’ Powertec and then ‘LIKE’ my photo on facebook!  It only takes one second, and I am forever grateful!!  Every vote counts!   I am picture number 8 on the Powertec facebook page- or just click the picture below.  Thanks again for all the support.

 

 

The deal on protein

So you always here about high protein diets,  protein drinks and shakes, and how protein ‘helps build muscle’.  But what exactly IS protein and why do I need it?!

Plain and simple, protein is one of the most basic building blocks of the human body. Protein is actually about 16 percent of our total body weight, sometimes it can be even more.  Proteins are made from amino acids; aminos usually are referred to as the ‘basic building blocks of protein’.  And protein can come from both PLANT and ANIMAL resources. Although our bodies are usually good at ‘recycling’ protein, we use protein constantly, so it is important to continually replace it. That is why it is SO important to replenish protein by having a shake or a hearty meal AFTER you work out to replace the depletion and re-build the broken down muscles from lifting weights.

So, why do I need protein? 

• Build Muscle: Like I said before, muscles get broken down from workouts and lifts, therefore you need protein to build up muscle, eating enough protein will ensure your body has what it needs to build new one.
• Maintain Muscle. Getting your body the protein it needs will help improve muscle recovery and prevent muscle breakdown when you exercise.
• Fat Loss. Protein has an extremely thermic effect: your body burns more calories digesting proteins than it does burning carbs or fat. And another perk, you feel full longer after eating a protein-rich meal! TOTAL bonus!

Protein is fairly easy to come by.  Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and nuts all have substantial amounts of protein.

Here are some of my favs!

Hamburger patty, 4 oz – about 26 grams protein

Steak, 6 oz – about 40 grams

Chicken breast, 4 oz. – about 30 grams protein (dice it up and eat it cold/in a ziploc)

Tuna, 6 oz can – about 40 grams of protein (super easy to carry!)

Egg, large – 6 grams protein (try hard boiled!)

Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons – about 8 grams protein (try to get LOW SUGAR, or NATURAL!)

Almonds, 1/4 cup- about 8 grams  (great to pack in your bag or purse!)

Now that you know a little more about what protein exactly is, and how to get it, how much do you need?

For general strength gains and muscle increase, you should aim for 1.0-1.6 grams per pound of body weight.  For those that are dieting, .4-1.0 grams per pound of body weight.  This again is a GENERAL rule, for those that are seriously dieting or competing, it is best to add in other factors such as weight, age, workout routines, etc.
My favorite protein shake, which I had mentioned in a previous post, is ‘Jay Robb’ brand whey protein.  It’s all natural, great tasting, and you can make your own recipes and get creative with it. It comes in 5 different flavors.  Chocolate and Vanilla are staples in my kitchen. My favorite one is the dreamsicle flavored protein mixed with almond milk and a dash or orange juice.  SO GOOD!!

Olympic Bar Workout

A great and challenging workout that can be done with minimal equipment is what I call the “Olympic Bar Workout”.  All you need is either a barbell (if you are a teenager, a female, or anyone new to weightlifting) or an Olympic bar.  An Olympic bar is the bar that you commonly see on a bench press or squat rack and it weighs 45 pounds.  If the Olympic bar is a little heavy for you, grab a 20 or 30 pound barbell (not dumbbell!) and use that until you can complete the workout with the true Olympic bar.  From the Olympic bar, you can add plates onto each side once you improve.

The workout is as follows:

*20 deadlifts

*20 squats

*20 Split Lunges

*20 upright rows

*20 shoulder presses

It doesn’t seem too challenging, but the goal is to complete these 100 repetitions as quickly as possible, but remembering to have a controlled motion with every rep.

Go through each of these 5 exercises, 3 times to start, working your way up to 5 full circuits. Keep track of your times and see if you can repeat each circuit within a fairly close time of one another.  As for rest time, aim for 60-90 seconds in between each full circuit.

The reason why this workout is so effective is because the smaller muscle groups often act as synergists or assisting muscles for the larger muscle groups during certain exercises. Therefore, if the smaller muscles get fatigued first, when you perform the exercises for the larger muscle groups later in the workout, those exercises are likely to be less effective.  So in this workout we concentrate on the bigger muscle groups of the body.  They also tend to burn more calories and are good for increasing your heart rate.

R.o.W.

Okay people! Here is my next recipe for ya!!  Healthy, full of protein, and again, easy to transport and can be eaten cold or hot!! This recipe will usually make about 15-20 medium sized meatballs.

No excuses for you not to eat healthily!!

Chesapeake Turkey Meatballs

½ pound of lean ground turkey (you can also use beef or chicken!)

1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon diced minced onion (fresh is the best!)
1-2 tablespoons of old bay seasoning (depending on your taste!)
1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs (Gant and Safeway have them!, check by the spices)
2 tablespoons low fat or fat free milk
salt and pepper to taste
dash or two of hot sauce (if so desired!)
Mold together, bake on 425 for 15 minutes.  DONE!!  Super easy to make!  I eat them as a snack as well- not just for a  meal.

 

This is one of my favorite recipes to make.  Easy, full of protein, and tastes great.

Pair with a bowl of broccoli or a veggie of your choice and you have a dinner ready in less than 20 minutes.

Let me know what you think!   Enjoy!

Interview with Da Fam!

I had the opportunity to do an interview with my ol’ classmate from Annapolis High School (class of 2003!) For those out there who don’t know Joshua Johnson (aka Zoe), he’s a 24 year old guy from Eastport, which is located in Annapolis, Maryland.  After a very successful career at Annapolis High School, Joshua continued on to play basketball at Bowie State University.  After Bowie State, he then received a contract to play for KK Zagorje in the country of Slovenia.  After Slovenia, he then went to Ireland to play for the UCC Demons.

Zoe now works for ‘Da Fam Inc.’ where they’re focus is quality branding, representing the finest athletes and healthy lifestyles, as well as developing the best music talent around.  We catch up on Personal training, my mma training, fitness modeling, and life in general. It was great to do an interview and re-connect, as well as support, an ol’ classmate and friend.

Check out my interview with Zoe here!

http://dafaminc.com/2011/03/cammiejfeature/#more-518

This was a great interview for those of you who follow me to catch up on what is going on in my ‘world’ right now!

Recipe of the week!- ROW!

Okay, my new thing for everyone is now going to be a ‘ROW’- Recipe of the Week.  I am a firm believer in dieting and making the right food choices as one of the hardest parts of reaching your goals.  Eating too much, not eating the right things and not knowing WHAT to eat are all problems that people run into on a day to day basis.  And if you don’t, well kudos to you!  I know that I sure do love food, but I have found some amazing recipes that continue to make food enjoyable. I try to help all my personal training clients with a diet that will work for THEM, because it is usually is one of the, if not THE hardest part of getting into a fitness routine as well as making a lifestyle change.

The first one almost isn’t even a recipe.  It’s so simple its silly.  AND it can be eaten cold or room temperature.  So for all you people that say, ‘I am never home!’ or ‘I don’t have time!’ this probably takes 2 minutes to put together, 15 seconds to put into tupperware, and pop it in your lunch bag, purse, or backpack and be on your way!

Here it is:

*1 Can of Garbanzo Beans

*1/2 cup of freshly made pico de gallo (you can buy in any grocery store in the produce section!)

*1/4 cup of feta cheese

*Dash of Olive Oil OR italian dressing (depends on the taste of the pico!)

**For a lil’ extra flavor and texture, add some sliced avocado.

Mix everything together, and there ya go, a healthy, fresh, bean salad.

Chickpeas are high in protein and are actually one of the earliest cultivated vegetables.  Nutritionally speaking, in aobut one hundred grams of chickpeas contains about 164 calories, 2.6 grams of fat (of which only 0.27 grams is saturated), 7.6 grams of dietary fiber and 8.9 grams of protein.  Low in calories, high in fiber and protein, and actually tastes good!

And as a bonus, some recent studies by government agencies have also shown that they can assist in lowering of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

So keep up to date on my blog for other simple recipes that I will post early in the week for you to try.  I hope you enjoy!

Can’t let emotions get the best of you.

An emotional let down is the only way to describe my thoughts after not having a fight at the tournament this past weekend. You can train hard, have the best training camp of your life, and do everything right, but when it comes to the actual emotional rise you put yourself through, and then the sudden huge crash you experience when you hear that no one else is there to compete against you.  Very challenging. There is so much more than just the physical aspect of fighting and competing that is commonly overlooked and put on the back burner.  But just as much emotional preparation needs to be put into training as the physical aspect.  I’m over the fact of getting a black eye, or suffering a ‘dead leg’, or getting the wind knocked out of me. It’s nearly harder to go the week before a fight, toss and turn sleeping, over-think about the competition coming up, stress out, cut weight, than it is to just go in and perform the way you have been trained.

So upon getting to weigh-ins on Friday, I found out then that there was no one else that would be participating in the women’s MMA portion at the tournament that I have been training for.  Last year there was a solid 6 or 8 girls at the same tournament.

BUT…the upside- I have the opportunity to represent the US in the World Championships held in Germany later on this year.

It’s hard because you want to be able to put all the hard work and skills you have learned ‘into play’ and showcase your improvements.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do that this time.  There will be other options coming up in the near future where I will be even MORE prepared, and MORE ready than I was on Saturday.

On another high note- fellow Ivey League team mate of mine (and fellow high school classmate!) Jack Dawson won his division of 185 MMA.  Jack and I both trained hard together for the past 2 -3 months and kept each other motivated.  We both suffered bad flu’s in the past 6 weeks, but we kept pushing through, rested and healed, and fortunately Jack was able to dominate and show his skills off in the cage.  He had 3 fights over the course of the weekend winning his first by TKO, his second by submission and the final fight by another TKO!  Straight DOMINATION!

Cardio!

Anyone that personal trains with me, or has gotten any sort of fitness and training advice from me now knows that my favorite piece of equipment in the cardio area is the……STAIRMILL!!  The Stairmill burns more calories because you’re actually lifting your body weight up as if you were on a real staircase! There is a huge cheat factor though- those handrails! Grab the handrails lightly, as if to just maintain balance and let your lower body do the work. Maybe you won’t be able to go quite as long as when you hang onto those handrails, but that means you are getting an almost equal workout in less time (never thought of that benefit, did you, huh?!)

Here is a breakdown of some of the basic pieces of cardio equipment that you can find at your gym.

• Stairmill : This machine hits just about every single muscle in your lower body; even after continued use, you will feel the benefit of this equipment. Focus on squeezing your booty and hamstrings with each single step. You can also change your body positions in order to target certain areas. Step facing forward, sideways, and also change your stride length!  There are always things on this machine you can do to keep it fresh and new.
• Treadmill with an incline: Walking alone is a great cardiovascular exercise BUT when you set the treadmill at an incline, you are going to get more bang for your buck. By doing this, you are forcing your lower body to work much harder. Set the machine as high as you can tolerate and at a speed that you can maintain without holding on.  Just like the stairmill, stay away from the handles!!  When first starting out, this might seem super difficult and challenging, but work towards a goal in small steps. Just like I wrote about in my previous blog, set SMALL and ATTAINABLE goals.
• Elliptical: This piece of equipment is definitely going to make you work hard.  The main perk I like about this piece of machinery is that it is much easier on the joints than running and will help you to reach your physique goals by constantly challenging almost every inch of your body. You can use this machine and stay at a steady state pace or even throw some intervals into your routine.

Keep it fun! Cardio is important, but so is weight training.  You can and will not get the physique you want if you do not do a combination of these two crucial elements (and of course diet!).  Not to mention, cardiovascular training keeps your heart healthy and strong, lowers your risk of heart disease and stress, and has been proven to lower anxiety and even feelings of depression.

Supplementation

With so many supplements on the market, it can be quite over whelming on where to begin- or IF to begin- taking any sort of supplements and adding it to your diet and workout regimen.
So I am going to share with you what I USE, this way you can get an idea of what might help you reach your goals.  It will also give you an idea of what all those crazy big jars you see at the gym and vitamin stores really are.

First and foremost- Protein Powder.  My favorite (and what I ‘prescribe’ to all my personal training clients!) is ‘Jay Robb Whey Protein’.  Not only is it low calorie, and low fat, it contains no sugar while supplying your body with 25 grams of protein per scoop!  And it TASTES GOOD!! My favorite (at the moment!) is the ‘dreamsicle’ flavored protein made with vanilla light soy milk, or almond milk.  DELICIOUS!!  You don’t even need a blender, just grab a shaker, add 8-10 oz. of milk or water (or both!) and you are good to go!!  Another great thing about this product, you can buy single serving packages at most vitamin stores in order to try each of the flavors before committing to a big jug!

And WHY should I be taking this stuff?! Some benefits include

• Increase in lean muscle mass
• Enhances immune function
• Increases muscle recovery
• Improves fat oxidation and produces energy in the body

 

Moving on- Branched Chain Amino Acids. These can come in pill form, powder, or even sweet tart like candies.  If you get the powder, it can even be added into your shakes!  I just started taking these consistently about 1 month ago.  BCAA’s are mostly known for one thing, to stimulate protein synthesis. BCAAs by themselves have been shown to independently stimulate muscle protein synthesis. In other words, they have shown the ability to induce muscle gains, even in the absence of weight training! Next comes an increase in endurance. Supplementing with BCAAs may enable you to maintain your training intensity and endurance as energy normally provided by your diet decreases. Anyone who has ever been on a very low carb or low calorie diet for extended periods can definitely appreciate this!   And one final perk it that it may stimulate fat loss. Supplementation of BCAAs has been shown to trigger significant loss of visceral body fat. Visceral fat is located in the deeper layers of tissue and sometimes can be stubborn and resistant to your normal dieting and is hard to lose.

Next Up- Glucosamine.   Glucosamine and chondroitin are important for joint strength, lubrication in those joints and for flexibility. Together, these two remarkable compounds work together to provide awesome joint support, helping to strengthen, nourish and lubricate your connective tissues and cartilage.  I highly recommend this supplement not only to to prevent injuries, but to help any previous in juries heal more quickly and to the fullest extent.  Again these can be found in a powder form or pill form, but I usually just add a lil’ teaspoon of powder to my protein shakes.

I could go on and on and ON about all the supplements that are on the market, as well as all the supplements I have TRIED that are on the market.  It can be a lot to take in! But when push comes to shove, these are the top 3 supplements that I consistently use, and will continue to use, as well as suggest for people to add into their daily regimen.