Is My Weight Training Bulking Me Up?

 

Hey gang,

I have clients asking me ALL THE TIME about whether or not lifting weight adds bulks.  This is a BIG TIME concern for the majority of women I work with–

Here are 3 ways to make sure you aren’t putting on pounds with the weights, but instead toning, firming and leaning out your body

1. Keep a Food Journal – Working out can make you hungry, and sometimes people will eat extra calories with their new training program.  So the extra calories put on the bulk — not the weight lifting.  The key is to keep track of your diet and curb your appetite by drinking extra water if necessary.

2. Realize its in Your Head – In many cases, your fear is imagined.  Dont’ worry, its more common than you think.  Sadly, many people struggle with issues like anorexia or body dismorphic disorder.  They don’t see the real reflection in the mirror, but instead an imagined image of themselves.  The solution? Be real with yourself, seek counseling and/or ask a trusted friend for their honest opinion.  If you are bulking, it’s from your diet–not the weights.

3.  Increase Your Cardio – The other think you can do to ensure you don’t bulk is to assist  your metabolism by doing cardio.  Cardio for weight loss is best done 1st thing in the morning on an empty stomach.  Amino acids are recommended so you won’t feel hungry, and they actually improve your muscle tone (and prevent breakdown).

In summary, bulking only occurs when you are taking in more calories than you are burning.  If you watch your diet and do cardio, you will avoid bulking, and instead tone and firm your body!

Be your best–live your dream,

 

Trainer Trent

 

PS. If you need assistance with learning how to use the weights, try one of our indoor classes.  Click on the ‘indoor classes’ link and then click ‘Apply Now’ to see if you qualify.

What are the Healthiest Alcoholic Beverages?

Hey gang,

Whats up?

I have to admit, after all the hard work and dieting for the Texas Fit Model show, I was ready to celebrate…and celebrate we did this past weekend!

This brought an interesting question to mind:

What are the healthiest alcoholic beverages?

I mean, we all have days and situations when drinks are offered, or we just want to party–so what ARE the best choices for the fitness conscious person?

1. Sangria

Sangria has an excellent range of vitamins and minerals. Including Vitamins A, C and B6, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Manganese, Copper, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Some dietary fiber and protein.  If you are making your own batch, be wary of adding much sugar or other sugary sweeteners as it already contains a ton!!

2. Vodka (or other clear, hard stuff) + Diet Soda (or on the rocks)

While in a previous post, we talked about the evils of diet soda, if you are out about town and are drinking, getting a diet coke instead of a regular coke would be a great option.  You could also drink vodka on the rocks.  Good luck with that.

3. Light beer

So now I’m beginning to sound like Mr. Obvious, but order light beer instead of the calorie packed original variety.  Yes, the light beer may taste watery, but your belly will thank you later.

4. Red Wine

While somewhat covered by Sangria (it contains red wine most of the time), red wine has been shown to reduce the risk for heart disease–just keep it under 2 glasses a day.

I hope your past weekend was as fun as mine — remember, live your dream and be  your best…now–who’s ready to party?

Trainer Trent

PS. I have a back-to-school special for new clients — Buy 12 or more indoor classes, get 1 FREE!! Help me help more people–tell your friends.

The Easy and Fast Routine to Lose 25 lbs

Hey gang,

I’m sure you heard about my recent participation in the Texas Fit Model Contest.  Unfortunately, I didn’t win first prize (I goofed up and forgot to bring mandatory photos for the judges!!), however, I was one of the few models selected for the exclusive fitness magazine shoot the following day.  Keep your eyes on the newsstands and you will see your trainer grace the pages of exercise magazines in the next couple of months!

That said, I’ve decided to deliver you with some major value and post the routine I used to drop 25 lbs and get really defined abs (photos coming in the next few days).  Several of my female competitor friends used similar routines to get their physiques, so this routine works regardless of your gender.

Cardio:

-Walk approximately 3 miles every morning at a brisk pace.  I took amino acids in order to keep my muscle tone. Make sure you do this FIRST thing in your day and on an empty stomach for best results.  Occasionally, I would run intervals, but the key is doing the cardio consistently.

Weight Training:

-You will never have the tone, lean look unless you do some type of resistance training.  I lifted 4 times a week, doing 3 sets of an exercise with reps of 8-12.  I would also frequently throw in a burn out set as well.  If you need assistance with your plan (what to do), and/or how to lift properly so you don’t waste your time or hurt yourself, I highly recommend our small group classes.

-Weight lifting is a lot more fun if you have a partner or two.  So if you need motivation and accountability, classes are a great way to go.

Diet:

-This is the area most people could improve on, which is why so many blog posts are about nutrition.  The key is to avoid foods that spike your insulin, mainly sugars and simple carbs.  Most of my meals consist of protein, a veggie, and a piece of fruit.  So a good example would be a grilled chicken breast, spinach salad, and an apple.

-Eat every 3 hours–keep the meal size moderate.

-Always drink a shake post workout.

-If you have sugar cravings, eat some blueberries or strawberries to snack on.  They are a far better alternative to candy or any other sugary snack you could eat.

Mindset:

-You’ve also got to give up any excuse you have for not getting results.  If you follow a plan like this everyday–you WILL be successful…its just a matter of time.

-When I was 18, I thought it would be really cool to be a physique model in a magazine, and to actually do it is a dream come true.  Whatever it is you want to accomplish in life is completely within your reach.  It is just a matter of doing a few things right every day on a consistent basis.  Live your dream, because there is nothing worse than having regrets.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the contest to show support, and to those who have been encouraging along the way.  I couldn’t have done it without you.

Be your best–Live your dream,

Trainer Trent

5 Surprising Foods that are Making you Fat

Hey gang,

Recently, I’ve been dieting for the upcoming “Texas Fit Model Search” which is this Saturday night in Austin.  Its basically a contest designed to help magazines find new talent for exercise pictures, etc.

You can read more about the contest here: http://www.texasfitmodel.com/

That said, it’s been a great opportunity to take a closer look at my diet and to make improvements.  I’m happy to pass along some finding to you, my valued reader.

Did you know some of the foods you are regularly eating, that you think are ‘healthy’ may actually be making you fat?

Scary thought isn’t it?

Here are 5 surprising ‘healthy’ foods that are actually making you fat.

1.  Low Fat Yogurt

99% fat free sounds good, right? The bad news is that the yogurt company isn’t telling you that its packed full of sugar.  A better option would be White Mountain’s non-fat yogurt.  It tastes great when you add your own fruit like black or blueberries, instead of their sugary surpey fruit.

2. Diet Soda

While diet coke is certainly a better option than the sugar-packed regular variety, diet coke is notorious for high sodium, unwholesome additives and chemicals, as well as no nutritional value.  Need an alternative for a pick-me-up? Check out something like Advocare’s Spark drink

3. Milk (including 1%, 2%, etc.)

I’ll make this simple: milk is for babies.  If you want to be chubby and cute, then go ahead and drink it, but if you want to be lean and mean–pass on milk.  Now, I know a lot of you love your milk, so if you must get your fix, I recommend almond milk.  If you are female and are looking to fight osteoporosis, I’d recommend supplementing calcium in pill form or by eating more fat-free cottage cheese.

4. Fruit Juice

Fruit juice is a big time culprit for surprising weight gain, since many people assume its good for you.  Juices typically have sugar added– there’s more sugar in a glass of fruit juice than in a candy bar and as much as in a glass of soda . You get no fiber from fruit juice, and the stuff usually has preservatives added to it.  A far better alternative would be eating a serving of the actual fruit with the skin, (like an apple) so you get the added benefit of fiber.

5. Granola Bars

Granola bars are made with corn syrup and/or processed white flour.  These foods will spike your blood sugar,putting you in fat storage mode.  If you have to get your granola fix, make sure you are purchasing 100% whole grain variety for improved nutritional value.

In summary, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that what makes most of these items an unattractive choice is the high sugar content.  To make it even simpler, think of this equation: sugar = insulin spike = fat storage mode.  You want to avoid fat storage mode!

Be your best — live your dream,

Trainer Trent