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!!

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.

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!!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.