Badass Fitness

For the maximum you, make an appointment

Think about the times in your life when you looked your best, when you performed - at work, at an athletic event, at an audition, etc. - to your maximum potential.

Odds are, the preparation that got you to that point was built around a single date. Maybe it was a wedding, a work presentation, a high school reunion. Whatever.

You marked a date on the calendar and decided, from now until the date: I AM ALL IN. I am focused, determined, and READY TO BRING IT.

So it was for me a few years ago when I entered a fitness competition, and so it was for me these past few weeks when I got ready for a fitness photo shoot with the awesome Tallahassee-based Kira Derryberry.

I had a date - March 26 - and I was determined to clean up my eating and stay strong in my workouts.

I already eat pretty healthy and because of my work as a fitness instructor, exercise is plentiful in my schedule. But I had gotten lazy in my eating habits (a cookie every night after dinner, a handful of chips more often than I should, too much candy from the office jar), and I know my full potential. When the big day came, I wanted to be as confident as possible that I had brought my full game face, so to speak. So out went the alcohol and sugar, in came the brown rice, chicken and veggies.

By photo shoot day, I was leaner (by 4.5 pounds) and felt healthier. More important: I felt confident and proud to have worked toward that date, with the focus and determination of a Badass.

THAT is what this whole Badass Fitness journey is about: Working toward your maximum you. And this experience reminded me that to reach our maximum, we have to MAKE A RESERVATION.

Sometimes the reservation presents itself: A friend is getting married, you're getting married. The 10-year college reunion invitation arrives. But if it doesn't, I encourage you to make your own.

Here's how:

1. Schedule a photo shoot: It doesn't have to be a fitness shoot like mine. It can be a family photo with your child at their one-year birthday - with you looking as good or better as before the little one was a bun in your oven.

2. Find a race: Sign up for a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, whatever. In preparing for it, you will get stronger and more fit.

3. Make a bet: Here's what you do with that best friend or colleague who needs to lose weight or get stronger just as much as you do. You wager on who can reach a certain goal - most pounds lost, most strength gained - by a certain date. You've got a prize to work toward, and the pride of bragging rights when you smoke their Badass!

4. Enter a competition: If your gym or favorite magazine has a weight loss or body makeover competition, ENTER it. Do not fear failure. The failure is in never trying. I was terrified when I entered the competition a few years back, thinking there was no way I'd ever get close to winning. Well, whattaya know? I won the competition. But more importantly, the things I learned along the way about eating and exercise are the things I still use every day. These past few weeks, the clean eating know-how that I put into practice paid off with 4.5 pounds lost and even more energy.

5. Schedule an active vacation: A colleague recently went on a vacation that centered around mountain biking. In the months before, she focused on workouts to strengthen her legs and did lots of weekend rides to build her endurance. A friend last summer went on a biking trip through France and trained for it in the months before. Both of them had a great time - but also got stronger than ever in their preparation for the big trip. That's what you call a Badass Travel Bonus!

So what are you waiting for? If you don't make a reservation, it's too easy to say, "I'll do it soon." Soon turns into later, which turns into never. And before you know it, you have never reached your maximum you.

And THAT is Lame-Ass. So be a Badass, and mark your calendar!

Coming up: Just in time for spring, the yummy possibilities of Chick(peas)!

Monday Move: The Traveling Pushup

The pushup is one of my 'If I Were Stranded on a Desert Island' exercises. If I had no weights, no machines, no gym - I would do pushups every day because they're effective, versatile and require nothing but me, myself and I. They can be done on an incline, on a decline, hands narrow, hands wide apart, slow, fast, etc.

This week, the Monday Move is yet another variation: The Traveling Pushup. You can, indeed, take this move with you during travel for work or vacation - but it is so named because you travel across the floor with each rep.

This requires more core and tricep strength and control than the standard pushup, which means over time, the Traveling Pushup will also make your core and arms significantly stronger.

Plus, it's a way to break up the boredom of the regular ol' pushup. For some of my clients who train with me in half-hour sessions, I have sometimes just done a circuit series of various pushups. They typically walk away saying it kicked their butts.

So here it is: The Traveling Pushup.   See if it kicks yours.

The Move: This is, essentially, a series of regular pushups done while traveling across the floor in a half-moon shape. By that I mean: You start out doing a pushup front and center, like usual. The next rep, you walk your hands over about 6 inches to the left and do another pushup, and repeat that "walking to the left" pattern a couple more times." Then you keep doing pushups while "traveling" back to the right.

   

The Technique: Just like with a regular pushup, you want your core to be in a strong, engaged plank position the whole time. If your back or core are "bowed" or arched too far up, adjust! These can be done on your knees to start, and I recommend that if it means your form is better. Over time, you'll get stronger and be able to do these off your knees.

I prefer doing these with my feet on a step, Bosu Ball or some sort of slightly elevated surface. But the Traveling Pushup can definitely be done on a flat floor. For an extra challenge, do them as decline Traveling Pushups with your feet on a workout bench.

During this move, your feet (or knees) will stay grounded and in one spot. They can be close together (more challenging) or about a foot apart (less challenging).

One set would go like this: One pushup front and center. Walk the hands six inches to the left, do a pushup. Walk them six inches more to the left, and pushup. Walk them once more to the left, and pushup. Now walk them six inches to the right, and pushup. Walk them again, and pushup. Walk them to the center, and pushup. Now do the same thing to the right side, and back again until you are at the front and center pushup position. You'll have done 15 pushups total. Badass!

Incorporating the move: Do one set of regular pushups, followed by one set of tricep pushups, followed by one set of frog pushups. Take a cardio "break" by doing 30 seconds each of high knees and jumping jacks. Do a set of traveling pushups, followed by a set of pike pushups, followed by a set of decline pushups. Take another cardio "break" totaling 60 seconds. Repeat the entire circuit three times, for a total of four rounds.

Coming this week: Tasty chips you can feel virtuous, not guilty, about eating. And a floor mat workout that will kick your butt!

A few thing you maybe aren't doing with protein powder, but should!

Of the foods I have temporarily stopped eating as part of my three-week super-clean eating regimen, I miss most of all chocolate. Like, real chocolate. 70 percent cocoa. Covering nuts. Covering pretzels. Cradling caramel.

Whatever. I miss it, and will be having a piece (or two!) with a big glass of Cabernet on Saturday night - a brief treat before going back to my generally clean eatin'.

Still, this little lean-it-out exercise has left me feeling better and stronger than ever - and it has forced me to get creative with protein powder. Chocolate flavored, of course. I've long used protein powder for my smoothies and in my morning oatmeal, but I have discovered a few other culinary "treats" worth sharing.

I use whey protein powder in the daytime and slower-digesting casein protein powder in the evenings (to keep the metabolism humming). So find a protein powder variety you like, and try these 'recipes':

1. 'Gelato': This is the easiest one. Mix a full scoop, or two, of protein powder with half the amount of water you would typically use for a smoothie.  It should be not quite as thick as pudding, but not so watery as milk. Put it in the freezer for 60 minutes or so, and voila! Chocolate gelato - sans all the fat, sugar and high calories.

2. Protein Pancakes: Yep. You can still have pancakes and live the "clean life." This recipe starts out as my morning oatmeal: Take 1/2 cup dry oatmeal, and mix with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water. Add a scoop of protein powder (vanilla is just as good as chocolate for this purpose), cinnamon to your liking, and mix the "batter" together. In a very lightly greased/sprayed pan over medium-high heat, spoon out the batter into pancakes. Cook just as you would pancakes, until they brown on each side.

You can wrap these up for a quick to-go breakfast, or make a few batches and keep them in the fridge. Or do as I did Sunday: Serve them warm with a small amount of sugar-free syrup and scrambled egg whites with spinach and tomatoes. THAT is a Badass Brunch. 

3. "Truffles": Yeah, I know. These are NOT Godiva or Peterbrooke. But Godiva and Peterbrooke don't make six packs, boys and girls. So give this a try. Mix equal parts protein powder, (no sugar added) peanut butter or almond butter and honey (or agave nectar) in a small mixing bowl. Roll into balls, like truffles, and keep in the fridge for a healthy-fat snack.

4. Pudding: Mix 8 ounces of nonfat plain Greek yogurt with one scoop of protein powder, your favorite flavor, and you have creamy pudding!

Coming next week: Monday's Move; and three "Healthy" Foods that aren't so much.

Monday Move: Several of them, for a chest, back and bi's 'quickie'

It's Monday, Badasses! Time to refocus on the (many) tasks of the week at hand. If work dominates your calendar, finding time to fit in those fitness goals presents the greatest challenge.

Your solution? A quickie weight training session. Yes, it can be done, as long as you AVOID the example set by so many "gym rats" whose "routine" consists of: 1.) Grunt through a set  2.) Wander around socializing for 2 or 3 minutes 3.) Repeat.

I did the following routine this morning in 30 minutes. This consists of 4 rounds of each exercise, 8-10 reps each with enough weight/resistance that you can't do more than 10 reps at a time. Heavier resistance, fewer reps. By doing this circuit-style (going through each exercise, no rest in between, for a total of four rounds), it was no problem finishing within half an hour.

So here it is:

1. Cable chest fly: When you do these, position the cable handles a few notches down on the multi-purpose gym station and with each rep, think about giving someone a big hug. SQUEEZE the chest together on the way in and release it slowly, with control, for each rep.

2. Incline dumbell chest press: Again, slow and controlled.

3. Wide-grip pullups: Use a bench with risers for support and to help you get up to the overhead bar on one of those multi-purpose gym stations. Or use the assisted pullup machine. Use a wide grip, palms facing out. Pull up with control, then slowly lower down.

 

 

4. Cable bicep curls: Attach a long bar onto the cable pulley, and position the cable all the way to the lowest position, near the floor. Grip the bar, palms up, at about shoulder width apart. Slowly curl up and down.

5. Alternating hammer curls: Using a resistance band or dumbbells, with thumbs up and palms toward each other, slowly bring the band or dumbbells up and down, working the front of the bicep. If you use a resistance band, it needs to be heavy tension - and you likely need to step on the middle with wide feet to add even more resistance. Remember, this is heavier weights and fewer reps!

 

Coming this week: How to age in reverse. For real. (Hint: Get OFF that Badass!)

The Badass CEO Returns...and cleans up for a close-up

This Badass is BACK!

Spread the word: New content is coming, every week. More work for me, more fitness knowledge for you. I call that a worthy trade.

After a brief hiatus, I am rested and focused and ready to re-enter the blogosphere. Hopefully some of you are still out there reading, though no doubt sick of re-reading old blog posts for the umpteenth time. As our governor says: Let's Get to Work.

You see those cookies right up there? Yeah, well those are an example of what I WON'T be eating for the next couple of weeks. See those brownies? Also NOT eating those. Sigh.

Here's the skinny: I am eating completely clean in preparation for a fitness photo shoot at the end of this month, and that means stepping up my game when it comes to food. No sugar, no alcohol, no white flour. Lots of chicken, fish, brown rice, egg whites, oatmeal and veggies. Not exciting, but it works. I've done it before, the result being a fitness competition win at my gym. (Poster evidence below)

I figured the clean eating topic is as good as any to reignite this blog, because so many of my students and clients ask me, "How can I clean up my eating?"

The first answer: NO DIETS. You all know I hate that word, and prefer BALANCE. But when you have a goal that's coming up fast, there are ways to tidy up your plate to make you look and feel great.

Basically, clean eating means cutting out the crap and tipping the balance toward "virtuous" eats and away from the snacks, desserts and handfuls of M&Ms from the office candy jar. I actually eat clean most of the time - no fast food, no overly processed foods - but typically don't think twice about eating a cookie or drinking wine a few nights a week with dinner.

The difference when you have a goal - mine being to bring my A-game to that photo session - is that, for a short duration, you skip those indulgences. You skip the wine, you walk away from the candy jar. You plan your eating to ensure there are no "impulse" decisions that land you in the fast food drive-through. And you keep exercising - with intensity.

So here are the top clean eating foods. If you're ready to join me and step up your A-Game, this is your grocery list:

• Chicken breasts (baked, broiled, grilled): Lean protein. Your staple.
• Tuna, canned: More lean protein.
• Shrimp: Easy to cook, low in calories but a good source of protein.
• Salmon: High in protein, and high in GOOD fats. Easy to grill.
• Eggs (hardboiled): Cheap, lean protein in the whites. Make a couple dozen for the week.
• Oatmeal, plain or low-sugar: Complex carbs that stay with you for energy.
• Greek yogurt, plain nonfat
• Whey protein powder: Mix it into the oatmeal for protein plus carbs, or mix with water for a mid-afternoon snack.
• Casein protein powder: This digests more slowly than whey protein, and is ideal as "dessert" mixed with a half-cup of Greek yogurt at night. It satisfies that sweet craving and will keep your metabolism and muscle repair going through the night.
• Brown rice: Mix it into veggies and chicken for lunch.
• Lower-carb veggies and greens: Broccoli, asparagus, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, romaine lettuce.
• Lower-sugar fruits: Think oranges and berries, grapefruit.
• Sweet potatoes: Rich in vitamins and minerals, these plus brown rice and oatmeal will be your main source of carbs. Bake them and serve SANS butter, etc. Savor their natural sweetness.
• Almonds, plain: Snack on 10 to 15 in the afternoon for energy and protein.

Not the most exciting pantry additions, right? But notice that all of this is real food, mostly in its natural form. That's really the essence of clean eating. Nothing is processed. It's fairly low in fat, and most of these foods on their own are low in calories. So when these make up your daily menu, it's pretty easy to fill your nutritional needs without exceeding the daily calories you need.

Maybe you're thinking, how does any of this look on any given day of eating? It looks like this - my "menu" from Monday and Tuesday:

6am: 1/2 cup dry oats, mixed with hot water and 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder

9 am: 1 egg, 5 egg whites and 1 tangerine

11:30: Big salad of spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, 1/2 cup brown rice, topped with 4 ounces blackened chicken and 1 tablespoon light balsamic vinaigrette

2 p.m.: 3/4 cup Greek nonfat plain yogurt, mixed with 1/2 scoop whey chocolate protein powder

5 p.m.: Myoplex Light vanilla protein shake

8 p.m.: Spinach tossed with 6 ounces of light canned tuna, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar.

10 p.m.: 1 scoop of casein protein, blended with water

So this will be my basic template until the March 26 shoot, after which I will no doubt drink a glass of wine and seek out pizza, cookies - or both! Because in the end, it's all about BALANCE.

Coming up: With exercise, you really can age in reverse.