Fitness for Women and Men

Aiming to meet more specific health and fitness needs of Guys and Gals.

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ATTENTION LADIES: Don't Be Afraid To Pump Iron!

I hear it all of the time in one form or another, I don't want to lift weights because I don't want big muscles or I just do aerobics and sit-ups because I don't want to look like a man. Learn the truth about these myths!

I hear it all of the time in one form or another, "I don't want to lift weights because I don't want big muscles" or "I just do aerobics and sit-ups because I don't want to look like a man." Then there is my all time favorite, the turning around while pointing to the rear end advising, "I have to lose weight in this area." Thoroughly convinced that profuse sweating is the key to an optimal physique, these women robotically enter the gym armed with an unwavering purpose... to SWEAT off the extra pounds!

And so, you observe these women frantically peddling on the stationary bikes, furiously stepping away on the stair masters, and feverishly trying to crunch themselves into a smaller clothing size. Don't even mention incorporating strength training into their meticulously planned workouts. These die-hards won't even glance at resistance training equipment let alone venture over into the free weight area.

Commom Female Training Myths

The pervasive myth causing women to forever swear off weight training is the belief that lifting weights causes bulging muscles. The reality? Women simply do not have enough of the hormones that allow for increased muscle mass. In fact, women have ten to thirty times less of those essential hormones than their male counterparts. Unlike most men, women who seek to gain muscle mass certainly do not have an easy time accomplishing this goal. It takes serious dedication, a scientifically engineered diet, a technically precise training schedule, rigorous dietary supplementation, and for some, chemical enhancement.

The truth is that muscle mass does not suddenly appear because you dare to lift weights. However, women that simply accept this myth without scrutiny, miss out on all of the benefits that strength training offers.

Women who incorporate moderate strength training into their workout regime increase their muscle tissue. Yes, this means that when you step onto the scale, you will note an increase in your overall "weight." But don't stop reading! The bottom line is that muscle tissue weights more than fat. Thus, as you increase your muscle tissue, your "weight" will necessarily increase. Muscle by its very nature is "thermogenic." This means that it burns fat. So, you may increase your "weight" as you gain muscle tissue, but do not become disheartened. Understand what this means and put it in perspective. The increase in relative weight, equates to an increase in muscle tissue not fat. And, an increase in muscle tissue translates into an increase in your resting metabolism. The simple truth is that muscle burns calories.

The denser your muscle tissue, the more calories you will burn even at a complete stand still. Those with dense muscles burn more calories by just engaging in their regular daily activities. In fact, research shows that for each pound of muscle earned, you will expend 35 to 50 more calories per day. So, if you gain three pounds of muscle, you will burn 40 more calories per pound, which equates to 120 additional calories per day, which translates into 3,600 additional calories per month and ultimately results in a weight loss of 10 to 12 pounds in a single year.

Another reason that women should engage in strength training is its effect on the bones. Indeed, resistance training is a powerful weapon against osteoporosis, a disease characterized by porous bone and low bone mass. Those plagued with osteoporosis have an increased susceptibility to fractures of the wrists, hips, and spine. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 28 million Americans suffer from this disease, 80 percent of which are women! In fact, statistics show that one in two women over the age of 50 will suffer from an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetime. So, women, especially, should seriously consider resistance training as a type of insurance against becoming represented in these startling national statistics.

The Research

Research establishes that over a six-month period, resistance training increases spinal bone mineral density by 13 percent. This only makes logical sense. As you increase your muscle tissue, the supporting structures, your bones, must somehow adapt to accommodate this increase in muscle. Your bones respond by increasing in density. The result? A stronger osteo-foundation and a reduced risk for osteoporosis!

If you're going to make the commitment to the fitness lifestyle, by dieting and working out regularly, why limit your possibilities and suffocate your own potential? Avail yourself of the numerous benefits that strength training has to offer both physically and mentally. So, don't completely swear-off resistance training fearing that you will transform into Arnold Schwarzenagger overnight! Stop for a moment and realize that if you augment your regular aerobic sessions with strength training exercises three times per week, you will be well on your way to achieving a much stronger, healthier, you.

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Mission Possible: Gain 10 Lbs Of Lean Mass!

The order is received and understood. You have been tasked to find weapons of mass construction that will enable you to gain 5-10 pounds of lean mass in the next year.

Many questions circulate through your mind as the order is read. Do they really exist? How do I find them? Where do I begin? What happens should I fail?

To begin your quest, you decide it's time to conduct intelligence gathering to help focus on the specific areas that will help you to meet the objective. In addition, the data captured will help you determine how you will arm yourself properly so that you are able match or exceed any force that attempts to derail you from your objective.

You will develop a plan that will include all strategic objectives or missions that will lead to the ultimate goal you seek. Before hopping into your all-terrain SUV and heading off to battle, you prepare and pack all essential items that are available to you.

Mission 1:
Grocery Store Assault.

A grocery list is the most important item of all. It is necessary so that your dry land assault on the local grocery store is quick, lethal, yet directed. The list is designed around a strategy that ensures a successful campaign with minimal casualties. It will guide you through the perils of temptation that will be undoubtedly encountered along the way.

As you prepare the list, you reflect on the intelligence you gathered from previous visits. In accordance with gathered facts, the list is constructed in a way that only the aisles and sections that must be traveled are clearly identified. In order, you list:

The dairy, frozen food, meat, bread, cereal, water, and vegetable/fruit aisles.

To avoid wasted time or effort, you detail the specific items that will be sought and captured. For this mission, your goal is to capture the following items.

1 dozen eggs, 4 containers egg whites, five 1 lb. packages of 96% lean ground beef, 1 loaf whole wheat bread, 1 container oatmeal, 1 bottle honey, 2 large packages broccoli cuts, 5 medium sweet potatoes, and 1 lb. almonds.

As you develop the list, you perform a mental walk-thru to confirm the steps to be followed. As you do, you remember one critical detail that was overlooked. Water! 5 gallons and twelve 1-liter bottles of water are added to the list after egg whites. Having the list fully defined, the "go" is given from high command to deploy. So you do.

You barrel into the store parking lot and leap from your SUV armed to the teeth with your list gripped tightly in hand. You take the most direct route into the store and capture and acquire the nearest cart. Cart and list in hand, you begin to advance and follow your developed plan.

To your amazement, the mission progresses smoother than anticipated until you encounter the bakery section while in route to the fruits and vegetables. Your initial reaction is to retreat, regroup, and attempt a flanking maneuver. However, your better judgment determines that a direct assault will prove most effective and less costly overall.

So you charge through to the fruits and vegetables and realize that your decision was correct. You accomplish your final objective and captured all items on your list without loss. You quickly exit the store and head back to your SUV and prepare for your next mission, The Gym Assault.

Mission 2:
The Gym Assault.

Given a successful grocery store campaign, your next mission will be another dry land assault on the local gym. Again, a quick and directed assault is critical for success. Time will be limited and must be constrained or the risk of loss increases greatly. To prepare, a plan is constructed that details the exact routine and reps, as well as the equipment to be used.

The plan will provide the necessary information to arm you with the essential accessories needed to accomplish the objective and nothing more. Today will be a full body day and limited to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Therefore, wrist straps (for planned back work) and boxing gloves (for heavy bag work) are added to gym bag contents.

Specifically, the 1st hour of the full body workout will consist of:

Chest (3 sets each of barbell incline and flat bench work)
Shoulders (3 sets each of front barbell military press and dumbbell press)
Back (3 sets each of barbell rows and seated cable rows)
Legs (3 sets each of barbell and hack machine squats)
Calves (do as many reps as possible for 5 minutes on your favorite calf machine).

Two warm-up sets will precede each exercise. All final sets will use maximum weight where only 5-8 reps are possible. For the final 10 minutes, heavy bag work will conclude the mission. As the battle begins, your mind becomes intensely focused on the current objective at hand.

Sample Full Body Workout

Barbell Incline Presses, 5 sets x 5-8 reps (first 2 sets are warmup)
Flat Bench Presses, 5 x 5-8
Front Barbell Military Presses, 5 x 5-8
Dumbbell Presses, 5 x 5-8
Barbell Rows, 5 x 5-8
Seated Cable Rows, 5 x 5-8
Barbell Squats, 5 x 5-8
Machine Hack Squats, 5 x 5-8
Calf Machine, 5 minutes
Heavy Bag Work (see below), 10 minutes

No thoughts or consideration should be made on any future objectives. The current task at hand should literally consume your thoughts. Each rep and set is met with profound resistance; however, you continue to advance. Set by set, repetition by repetition you continue towards your ultimate goal.

As you take periodic and brief breaks between engagements, you remember to take sips from your canteen. After the first hour is over and you realize you have depleted energy levels and you must decide to press forward to your final encounter or retreat and wait for reinforcements.

After a brief moment of thought and reflection, you conclude that the majority of the resistance is over and a 10-minute heavy bag assault can be completed with remaining ammunition and a surprise attack is your intent. You arm yourself and don your gloves and head for the bag.

As you begin to advance, you are convinced that you are superior and will be victorious. You are. In the end, utter destruction will have occurred and battle-weary fatigue is experienced; however, the objective is achieved! Now, without hesitation, you must move on to your next mission, Strategic Diet and Supplementation.

Mission 3:
Strategic Diet & Supplement Plan.

Pre-Gym:
Meal 1

Prior to the gym assault, it's important to prepare by choosing a first daily meal that will carry you all the way from the beginning of your assault on the gym until its end. A meal containing moderate carbohydrates and high protein is the solution.

Three scoops of your favorite protein supplement that contains 120-150 calories, 16-20 grams protein, and 12 or more carbohydrates per serving and mixed with creatine and water is a good choice.

Post-Gym:
Meal 2

Following the destructive gym assault, the trauma that results can be detrimental to the achievement of the objective. Therefore, timely access and use of proper foods and supplementation can greatly reduce and negate the destructive impacts of a gym assault and stimulate healing.

Within the 1st hour following the gym assault, it is imperative that a 2nd daily meal high in calories and carbohydrates is ingested. Since you are likely you to be mobile, you must make sure that meal two is easily prepared and can be quickly ingested.

Therefore, 2 servings of dry oatmeal sprinkled with a serving of your favorite protein powder (vanilla) and 5 grams L-glutamine and topped with honey provides the nutrients your body requires in order to begin recovering from the post-traumatic gym disorder you will experience.

Rest Of Intake:
Meals 3-6

Two to three hours after the 2nd daily meal, it's suggested that a 3rd daily meal is ingested that provides your body with additional nutrients that will stimulate the additional growth and healing that will prepare you for future assaults. 8 ounces cooked ground beef between two slices of whole wheat bread with condiments (lettuce, mustard and ketchup) is a good option.

Simply put, eat a lean hamburger! Also, add 1 medium baked sweet potato and 1 cup broccoli to the 3rd daily meal to recovery. The 4th daily meal should consist of 1.5 oz. almonds or cashews (your choice). For the 5th daily meal, repeat the 3rd daily meal but drop the potato and add a cup of broccoli.

Finally, the 6th daily meal will be the same as the 1st daily meal with 5 grams L-glutamine or it can be the same as the 2nd daily meal, too, but with cooked oatmeal and adding 5 grams L-glutamine but without the honey. It is important to have your foods and supplements prepared in advance.

This will ensure that food and supplementation are always on hand when the order comes and you will avoid being caught in a situation where you cannot re-fuel properly or the fuel you acquired is insufficient. A well-defined diet and supplementation strategy is meaningless without proper water intake. That leads to your next mission: water intake.

Mission 4:
Water Intake.

No mission will succeed without a sufficient supply of water. Drinking a gallon of water daily will ensure that peak energy levels can be achieved during each mission. The body relies heavily on water. There is a direct correlation between your water intake and your energy levels and cognitive functioning.

To make it most convenient, storing water bottles in the all-terrain SUV will allow easy access and, in the winter months, it will stay cold. To maintain adequate hydration it will be necessary to take time to sip water before, during, and after each mission. As specified in (but not limited to) the Gym Assault, it is imperative that water intake occurs frequently and continuously.

Water will also help with the removal of impurities from the body. If necessary, and to help make water intake a more enjoyable experience, try mixing sugar-free Crystal Light (on-the-go packets) in your 1 liter bottles. Or, try mixing real lemon into your water bottle with a packet of Splenda for inexpensive and convenient lemonade.

With your water intake mission accomplished, the next mission is R&R.

Mission 5:
Rest & Relaxation.

If, by chance, you have survived all previous missions, you will do your mind and body much good by taking time to rest and relax. To facilitate rest and relaxation, you should begin with a warm shower.

A warm shower not only feels good, it helps relax tense muscles and promotes circulation that will deliver much-needed nutrients throughout the body. After a warm shower, you will next perform full body stretching.

The goal is to stretch as many muscles as possible in order to increase flexibility, reduce the chance of injury, keep the muscle pliable, and enhance your muscle growth potential by increasing muscle length or surface area to provide for growth opportunity.

If possible and following stretching, a deep tissue massage is a great chance to work out calcium deposits that, during your destructive gym assault, caused tears to the epimysium which is a protective sheaths that surrounds the muscle. These tears are common during gym assaults.

Remember to drink plenty of water to assist the movement of impurities from the body following your massage.

To conclude this final mission and if you're old enough, a glass of wine (or two), and head straight to bed for at least 8 hours of shut eye before the next day's 4 a.m. battle.

Mission Accomplished

There you have it - the path to a successful campaign begins with a well-thought plan! In order to realize any plan, "action" is necessary. To ensure that any action taken is fruitful, you must prepare! Defining the appropriate weapons of mass construction is mostly an individual decision. There are far too many weapons available.

The ones mentioned herein are only a tip of the iceberg. The only way to know what works is to engage and execute. Engagement will certainly show you what works and what doesn't. The goal then is to minimize your loss at all costs. As any warrior knows, no battle can be achieved without sacrifice.

Now it's your turn. Your road to victory begins now. Get off your candy @$$ (you know what) and get in the battle. We need you in the line with the rest of us and the war cannot be won without coordinated efforts. So, communicate your success to others and share your knowledge. I salute you!

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Ask A Fit Mom - Issue 2

By: Tisha Rodrigues

[ Q ] I am a 32 year old mother of two with no time for myself. I am also a stay at home mom. How do you manage working out on top of being a wife, mother and model?

Good question, I am still trying to figure that out. Seriously though, My life really sounds more hectic than it is. It's all about planning your schedule out accordingly. I workout, while my children are in school. When I have my youngest home with me, she stays in the daycare facility within my gym.

If I can't possible make it to the gym, I will workout in my home. I do my cardio in our toy room, while the kids play or watch TV. I will never find an excuse for myself to let my body go.

I think it is very important to make the complete lifestyle change, involve the whole family if you can. It's all about what you really want. As far as being a wife, marriage is a two way street. Well, it should be. It's a partnership and both parties should help carry each others weight when need be.

The modeling jobs are basically like having any other job and actually less time consuming. You basically do the job and go home. It's much harder to work having three children and therefore the jobs right now have been few and far due to my location and time allowance.

I hope when all three are in school full time this year, I will be modeling a lot more and working on a regular basis. However, at the time being, modeling is not a major conflict.

[ Q ] How do you get rid of the extra skin in the abdominal area after childbirth?

Wow, this has got to be the most asked question and I had a small problem with it as well. For me personally, and this would depend on how bad the problem is. I added more weight to my abdominal training routine and it actually filled out the area of stretched skin.

The problem is caused by the collagen fibers in your skin that create elasticity. When they become stretched out from child-birth weight-loss and aging.

Some evidence shows that Retin-A compounds stimulate the skin to build more collagen. There are also laser resurfacing techniques that treat skin in the same manner, such as microdermabrasion.

Exercise To Tighten The Muscles:

Pilates, Bosu and Yoga are all excellent ways to build your CORE muscles and strengthen the transverse abdominus muscles by rebuilding them.

When All Else Fails:

When you have tried diet and exercise and you cannot lose the excess skin or belly fat, you can turn to surgery. Make sure that you research the procedure and plastic surgeon before undergoing any type of surgery.

Abdominoplasty Or Tummy Tuck:

This is a procedure for women in fairly good shape but happen to have fat deposits or loose abdominal skin that they cannot get rid of after diet and exercise have failed them. Even after the procedure, it is important to continue with a healthy nutrition plan and regular exercise.

[ Q ] My girlfriend and myself are both serving in the military. I enjoy working out, but my girlfriend does not. How can I get her motivated and how can I help her stick with a plan?

For starters, I commend you both for what you do. It's good to hear that you have already started a healthy lifestyle for yourself. This will be a huge factor in her getting started as well.

Having a partner to workout with makes a huge difference. You have each other to push harder and motivate and keep on the right track! It is very easy to get out of routine and give up.

My first advice for you is to have her start a fitness journal which will log her progress. Weight lifted/repetitions, diet, cardio, weigh-tloss, measurements and body fat etc.

Also, it is important to know that when you begin a training routine for the first time, she may turn existing fat into muscle resulting in little or no change according to the scale. So it is important to have her bodyfat% tested and take all of her measurements, before beginning the program.

I would recheck every every 4 weeks. You may be losing inches and bodyfat and gaining muscle and the scale just will not tell you these things.

It can be very discouraging in the beginning to feel as if you are not making any progress. Now she has her journal to look back at and see how she is progressing in all aspects of her new routine.

I hope that you both stick to this and I wish you the best of luck! You know where to come if she slips!