Category: Workout

Philadelphia Diva Dash - Team FitYaf

2/20/2014

Are you a runner who wants to take things to the next level? Or maybe you want to just have some fun with your girlfriends? Do you live in the Philadelphia area? Well, I have JUST THE RACE FOR YOU!

What is the SHAPE Diva Dash?

Forget barbed wire, fire pits and mud. We’re talking a women’s-only 5k course dotted with fun obstacles sure to challenge your agility, balance, strength and speed. Add in copious amounts of tutus, boas and bling, plus enthusiastic camaraderie, and you’ve got SHAPE Diva Dash.

Join the competitive wave and battle for a top finish and prize or saunter along at your own pace. We’ll time your efforts (if you want), but there’s no pressure to finish fast, so have a great time as you run, walk, jog or slog your way to the finish.
Tackle tough obstacles that challenge you or take the easy route. It’s your call. Different degrees of difficulty on some obstacles give you the chance to make the Dash as hard…or easy…as you want.
Sign up with your favorite ladies so you can be in the same starting wave. And don’t forget costumes! Tutus, boas, bling, and whatever other embellishments you can dream up are all the rage at the SHAPE Diva Dash.

What is the SHAPE Diva Dash Course Like?

The SHAPE Diva Dash course covers about 3 miles of trail, sand, and road. Each course is different. And just to keep things interesting, we throw in some crazy obstacles to test your strength, agility, balance and sense of adventure. Some obstacles will have both tough and easy options so you can choose the level of difficulty that feels right to you. And if you’re just not up for an obstacle, skip it altogether. We won’t tell! You should expect 10-12 constructed obstacles, not including obstacles from natural terrain. Whatever you fancy, there will be something for you. You’ll wish every 3 mile run was like the SHAPE Diva Dash!

The course will be different at each of the Diva Dash venues, but here’s a general idea of what to expect.

It’s not ‘World’s Strongest Woman’ – but you’ll have to flex a muscle or two. There will be options to choose from for varying degrees of difficulty.

You’re gonna run fast and we’re gonna try to slow you down. It’ll be fun!

What do you think of when you hear ‘ropes’? Maybe climbing or swinging? That sounds about right!

There will be some ‘strategy’ - you’ll have to make a choice or two… hope you choose correctly!

You know, just like they do in Cirque de Soleil…well maybe not quite like that. But you’re going have to FOCUS on this one.

How do you sign up?

Are you as excited as I am? Even better, want to get $10 off registration? Go to the Diva Dash Website and click on Sign Up. Or use THIS DIRECT LINK to get to the Philly race page! Use the coupon code AXDIVAJILLIAN to get your discount.

Don't know how to prepare? Sign up for my training plan!

In addition to $10 off your registration, you can also sign up for my 2-month training plan and virtual training group. Just email me or comment below, and details of the training plan will be emailed as we get closer to the training start date (July).

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FitYaf answers, 1st edition - Finding Balance

2/14/2014

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I was recently contacted by one of my readers, and I thought her question is probably one that many of you have, so I decided to answer it here.

Dear FitYaf,
How do you find the right balance between strength training and cardio? I know that most fitness advice out there tells you not to ignore the former in favor of the latter (even though cardio always seems to work better for me for weight loss, even though I know the logic is that strength training helps your metabolism). How much strength training do you need to do per week (time wise and number of days wise) to get benefits? And what do you find is a good weekly balance between strength training, cardio and rest days? Additionally, do you tend to "count" yoga as strength training?
Missy

FitYaf answers, 1st edition - Finding Balance

Thank Missy for your question! I think it's a great one and one that many people struggle with - finding that perfect balance. Like any situation in finding balance, it's a give and take. There are only so many hours in the day and so much your body has to give.

First things first - finding that balance depends on your own personal circumstances as well as your GOALS. Maybe you're training for a race? Maybe you want to fit into your skinny jeans? Maybe you are training for a figure competition? Maybe you just want to improve your health? Believe it or not, your final goal is going to dictate your training or workout schedule.

Your primary goal will give you a general starting point for figuring out exactly how to balance your training, as well as what type of cardio and weight training you should be doing. In addition to your primary goal, you will also need to take into account two other major factors:

Your body type - Are you naturally slim? Do you gain muscle easily? Do you tend to hold onto fat readily?
The type of training you're doing - Is it high intensity or low intensity? Does it fatigue you for weights? Does your weight training fatigue you for your cardio?

Training to gain muscle

You might be gaining muscle because you want a certain appearance, increase your metabolism or prevent injury. A good starting point is three strength training sessions per week, 20 to 30 minutes per session. Weight training three times per week should be sufficient to maintain and even build muscle mass.

Training to lose fat

With fat loss, your primary goal should be burning calories while sparing as much muscle as possible. Since you're most likely eating fewer calories, your body is not going to be eager to add muscle, therefore it's best to focus on keeping what you've got. Aim for 2-4 cardio sessions/week as well as maintaining proper nutrition so that you can make the most out of he fuel you give to your body. And let's not forget that proper nutrition is KEY to any training plan!

Training for a specific sport

If you are training for a specific sport, how many cardio sessions you need will depend greatly on the cardiovascular and muscle mass and strength requirements of your sport. Naturally, a long-distance runner is going to have far different requirements than a hockey or football player. The type of cardio training you do will also come into play.

Types of cardio training

The type of cardio training you do will have a tremendous impact on the frequency at which you can do it and still get the results you want.

Low-Intensity Cardio: Low-intensity cardio training, such as walking or slow cycling, can be done practically every single day (even several times a day) for longer periods of time. This type of training is very easy for your body to recover from, regardless of your body type and your goals. It will have very little negative impact on muscle gain and can help you burn calories for fat loss.

Moderate-Intensity Cardio: Moderate-intensity cardio training, such as jogging or swimming, will need to be done a little less frequently. This type of training requires more energy both to perfom and for your body to recover from. A person trying to lose fat can generally perform four to six moderate-intensity sessions per week at around 20 to 30 minutes each. A person trying to gain muscle should reduce this amount to two to three sessions per week.

High-Intensity Cardio: High intensity training is the toughest of the bunch but can actually net you the greatest and fastest results. This type of training is exemplified in activities such as sprinting and interval training. If you've ever had a coach make you run up and down hills, you've done high-intensity cardio. Basically, anything that you do as hard as you can for a short period of time could be considered high intensity training. In fact, intense weight training with short rest periods is very good for cardio capacity (the theory behind Cross Fit workouts).

High-intensity training is extremely effective for fat loss as it not only causes you to burn a lot of calories during the activity, it also raises your metabolism for a long time after the activity is done. This type of hard training should be done less frequently than the more moderate forms of cardio as it is much harder for your body to recover from. If you are training for fat loss, you should do at least two but no more than three high-intensity cardio sessions per week. If you are training for muscle gain, once or, at the most, twice per week should be the limit.

So what should YOU do?

The bottom line is that there is no perfect training plan that will fit everyone. You're likely going to have to experiment with different training plans and schedules to find something that works best for you. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, you might plateau and decide you need to switch it up again. So make sure you're doing both cardio and strength training no matter what your goals are, do workouts that you enjoy and challenge you and be sure to mix things up to avoid plateaus.

And YES, Missy! Yoga "counts" as strength training! Unless your goal is to do a pull-up, in which case, you'll probably want to work on your pull-ups instead.

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MASH Up Conditioning review and a giveaway!

2/10/2014

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I was recently contacted by Jamie at MASH Up Conditioning to review one of their home-fitness DVDs. One of the things I love about home-fitness DVDs is their reliability. With all of the snow and ice we've been having in Philadelphia lately, I know that I can count on my home-fitness DVDs! I couldn't wait to try this one out!

From Jamie:
My business partner and I are two moms on a mission to help others achieve optimal wellness in less time. We produce fitness DVDs and certify instructors to teach our group training format. Our workouts are based on the science of high intensity intervals which are 5-6 times as effective as steady state exercise. Our format combines Mind/Body, Agility & Strength, and High Intensity Intervals and are designed for 3 different fitness levels for safety and so that everyone can benefit.

The DVD I was sent was the Tempo DVD, which consists of 7 15-minute workout, split up into three sections:

Agility and strength (5 minutes)
High intensity interval training, or HIIT (5 minutes)
Mind, body and core (5 minutes)

I did both the T1 and T2 workouts back to back for a 30-minute workout. Each move had a beginner, intermediate and advanced version so that anyone of any fitness level could complete the workout and stay challenged. The DVD started out by saying that you don't NEED dumbbells for the strength moves, but if you're an seasoned exerciser, you're going to want them for the extra challenge (anything between 5lbs and 10lbs should be enough).

The thing I like about these workouts is that you can custom design your workout to fit your schedule and your training plan. If you're pressed for time, you can do a 15-minute workout, or if you want to hit it hard, you can combine 4 workouts for a 60-minute workout. The moves in the workout were unique, and great for cross training or adding variety to your workout. There is even a free eating and exercise guide that comes with the DVD!

HIGHLIGHTS

all fitness levels are shown for every exercise
includes yoga/pilates, strength training, and high intensity intervals all in the same workout
includes an eating and exercise guide
the workouts are supported by Dr. Mercola (world-renowned natural health physician)
the DVDs are great if you're short on time

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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21 Reasons to Try The 21 Day Fix™

2/3/2014

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21 Day Fix Challenge Pack is on sale for the month of September 2014 - don't miss out on this great deal!

Need a reason to try Beachbody’s 21 Day Fix™? How about 21 reasons? Using simple portion control and effective 30-minute workouts, The 21 Day Fix is designed for real people trying to lead a healthy lifestyle in the real world. Read on to learn why you don’t want to miss out on Beachbody’s newest program! And when you're convinced, sign up for February's Challenge group!!

21 Day Fix is the first Beachbody program to place equal emphasis on nutrition and exercise. It’s simple. It’s straightforward. And it was created with two main goals in mind: to help you lose weight and get fit—fast.

It that doesn’t hook you, we have 21 more reasons to love the newest addition to the Beachbody family:

1. Rapid Results in just three weeks - Who says you have to bust your butt all spring to get a bathing-suit-ready body? 21 Day Fix is designed to help you lose up to 15 pounds in just 21 days. Slim down and tone up in under a month!

2. No room for nonsense – The most simplistic Beachbody program ever, 21 Day Fix is designed for actual people who don’t have time for complicated food math, or lengthy exercise regimens. Using portion control and effective 30-minute workouts, this program is easy to get on and stay on—even after your 21 days!

3. Shakeology’s new best friend- Already a Shakeology lover? You don’t have to miss out on your daily dose of dense nutrition with this program. It’s integrated right into the meal plan!

4. Give calorie counting the boot – Say goodbye to the labors of counting calories. Complete with seven food-storage containers specifically designed to measure correct food portions, this program let’s you ditch the calculator so you can spend more time enjoying your food!

5. Save BIG on the Challenge Pack Promotion – Save $20 off your Challenge Pack when you buy in February. Our Challenge Pack is reduced from $160 to $140 and makes a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for yourself and your loved ones!

6. Eat what you want - Lose weight by eating the right serving sizes—not by eliminating your favorite foods. Finally, a fitness program where you can have your wine and chocolate, and eat it, too!

7. FREE shipping for the month of February (Base Kit) – Need we say more? Rescue your waistline and your pocketbook by taking advantage of this limited-time, free-shipping offer.

8. Easy-to-follow workouts – Fitness trainer Autumn Calabrese’s 30-minute, total-body workouts have no complicated dances moves or choreography, so people at any fitness level can start the program and wind up a workout champion!

9. Modification for every move - Autumn’s workouts are designed to get your body moving while keeping you injury free. Whether you’re ready to push harder or need a modification, she provides the option you need so you get the workout you want.

10. No complicated recipes or weird food ingredients – 21 Day Fix is designed to help you make smarter choices about real food—none of that funky stuff you have to buy at a health food store. By eating your food in a smart way, you’ll set the routine for healthy eating habits that are sustainable for life.

11. A trainer you can relate to - A single mom, Autumn understands that real people don’t have time for complicated fitness and diet regimens. Workout with a trainer who understands what will work out for you.

12. All of these testimonials are amazing reasons: Chelsea O. – Lost 10 lbs. & 14 “Finishing the Fix, I don’t think I have ever felt this healthy, this strong, this accomplished in my entire life. I’m going to look my best on my wedding day and that is the biggest gift I could have ever received.”

13. Neil B. – Lost 11 lbs. & 9″ “I went from 168 to 157. To be able to do that in 21 days was amazing. I feel light. I feel fresh. I feel renewed. The 21 Day Fix, it’s my new secret weapon.”

14. Mary C. – Lost 64 lbs. & 57” “The way I look and the energy I have is just fantastic. I feel like I’m at least 20 years younger. It’s never too late to lose the weight. 21 Day Fix has definitely changed my life.”

15. Deon C – Lost 111 lbs. & 58” “After completing the 21 Day Fix and achieving my results, I will continue to do the 21 Day Fix for as long as I live. I’m not stopping. It changed my life. It saved my life.”

16. Beachbody Co-founder and CEO, Carl Daikeler, even got amazing results! – Lost 12 lbs. “I was blown away at my 12-lb. weight loss and visible transformation in 21 days!”

17. Restaurant guide included – There’s no need to give up your social life in the name of weight loss. Using the 21 Day Fix Restaurant Guide, you’ll learn how to make smart choices while dining out with friends and family.

18. 21 days to a free t-shirt – Enter The Beachbody Challenge to get a free t-shirt and a chance to win up to $100,000! A shot at big money prizes and an ability to wear your hard-earned effort (literally) on your sleeve? Don’t pass this opportunity up.

19. Containers are perfect for meals on-the-go – Don’t let travel get in the way of your healthy eating. Your seven, perfectly portioned food containers are BPA free, DEHP free, top-rack dishwasher safe, and microwaveable, making them perfect to take to work or on your next vacation.

20. Keep cooking for your family – Unlike other diet plans that have you eating pre- packaged meals or unpalatable dishes, 21 Day Fix let’s you eat real food, including the recipes you cook for your family. As long as your portions fit in your containers, you can still enjoy chowing down with the people you love.

21. Stay on track with the post-FIX maintenance guide – The hardest part about getting fit is staying fit. With the 21 Day Fix maintenance guide, you’ll be able to keep those hard earned results long after bathing suit season is over.

Need more details about the program and the February Challenge Pack offer? E-mail me or comment below!

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SweatSync - the social fitness GPS

1/28/2014

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Do you remember reading about my partnership with FitMapped? I'm so excited to be sharing this BRAND NEW TOOL SweatSync with all my Philly Yaffies (If you're in Chicago, NYC, Boston or Los Angeles, you can participate too)! I often encourage people who want to reach specific health and fitness goals to increase their level of accountability by becoming part of a group, and this can be the perfect way to do just that!

Sweat Sync is a tool to motivate fitness seekers and encourage them to maintain their fitness routines through a social platform. Through this platform, you will be able to see friend’s fitness activity, plan workout meet-ups, compare fitness ‘scorecards’ and find other fitness enthusiasts who share the same fitness interests. In addition, you will still be able to search for fitness entities through FitMapped. The goal is to help you stay motivated and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The concept is available to residents of NYC, LA, Chicago and Boston, and NOW PHILADELPHIA!

It's super easy to sign up and get connected. Just START HERE!

Once you've signed up, login to SweatSync.

Now that you're signed up and logged in, you can view you stream. This view gives you a snapshot of your account.

Your calendar is where you'll add your workouts, allowing your to set a schedule and schedule a meet-up with a fellow fitness enthusiast.

Earn badges for logging your workouts, friending other fitness enthusiasts and writing reviews!

Write reviews to help spread the word about your favorite place to sweat! Then read the reviews your friends write!

I can't wait for everyone to create a profile, tell us where you sweat, and start planning your sweat sessions with your social circle. Don't forget to add me as a friend! Research demonstrates that social support is a strong indicator in helping people achieve long-term weight loss or weight maintenance.

Is your favorite place to sweat not listed on FitMapped? Comment below and we'll get it added ASAP!

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8 signs you're a gym rat

1/24/2014

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When people you know see you outside of the gym, they don't recognize you

You schedule your day (and possibly life) around your favorite group exercise class, which sometimes includes stay up until midnight to sign up online.

You know your "friends" by their workout routine and favorite brand of sneakers, but you may not know their names

After a long and tiring day at work, you still go to the gym because you're afraid people might notice if you're not there

You shower more times at the gym than in your own shower at home - you even have a favorite shower stall at the gym

You have at least on one occasion scheduled a date that involved working out

You wouldn't consider booking a vacation at a hotel that doesn't have a gym

You keep extra gym clothes at your desk or in your car just in case the opportunity arises

Are you a gym rat? How do you know?

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The 21 Day Fix

1/20/2014

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21 Day Fix Challenge Pack is on sale for the month of September 2014 - don't miss out on this great deal!

Now there's a program that makes losing weight so simple and easy to follow, you'll never have to diet again! Introducing 21 Day Fix, the latest breakthrough from Beachbody®.

What is 21 Day Fix?

The 21 Day Fix program takes the guesswork out of weight loss. It's a unique portion-control system combined with easy-to-follow workouts that fit into anyone's busy schedule. Trainer Autumn Calabrese shares her passion for food and fitness as she shows you how to make simple choices that add up to life-changing results.

Who is Autumn Calabrese?

Autumn Calabrese is a celebrity fitness trainer and national-level bikini competitor. A rising star in the fitness community, she's made a name for herself by helping people lose weight and get fit through simple portion control and consistent exercise.

Autumn holds personal training certificates from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and the American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA). Her supportive, motivating style has made her a highly sought-after expert among celebrities and the fitness industry.

Building on a foundation of good food choices and exercise habits, Autumn empowers her clients to reach their goals in a healthy, sustainable way. In addition to her celebrity clientele, Autumn is the fitness specialist for ModernMom.com. Her workouts have been featured in C magazine, LA Parent, The Palisadian-Post, and Daily Candy, and on TV shows like Home & Family. With a passionate, entrepreneurial spirit, Autumn is the perfect addition to the Beachbody family of trainers.

The 21 Day FIX Program that focuses on a 21 day Nutrition meal plan to follow with PORTION CONTROL TOOLS to get it right, it also includes a awesome 30 minute cross training exercise program. The 21 Day Fix comes out THIS FEBRUARY! E-mail me or comment below to get on the mailing list for more information!

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FitYaf's 30-20-10 Fitness Friday Workout

1/17/2014

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This weekend, I'll be saying goodbye to the year 30! It has been a great year for me both professionally and personally, but I have a feeling 31 is going to be just as great! I put together this workout to share with you as a tribute to my 30th year. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

FitYaf's 30-20-10 Fitness Friday Workout

Notes about this workout:

Some of the moves in this workout are high-impact. Please feel free to modify the workout to make them low-impact if necessary.
If you're unsure about any of the movements, check out the videos linked to the name of the exercise or google them before you start the workout. You don't want to lose momentum, stopping after every exercise to look up how to do them.
This workout is designed as a circuit. Do each exercise in completion (30, 20 or 10), before moving on to the next. When you finish the circuit, go back and do it again, so that you do each circuit for 4 (beginner), 5 (intermediate) or 6 (advanced) minutes.
Rest in between circuits if needed, but no more than 1 minute!

Circuit 1

30 squats
20 tuck jumps
10 pushups

Circuit 2

30 bicep curls
20 overhead presses
10 tricep pushups

Circuit 3

30 seconds high knees
20 jumping jacks
10 in & out abs

Circuit 4

30 hammer kicks (each leg)
20 alternating reach situps
10 tricep dips

How many rounds did you do of each circuit?

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What's playing on my iPod - Winter 2014

1/16/2014

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It's time for another round of "what's playing on my iPod! Check out these tunes straight off my brand new 2014 running playlist! I'm still rocking my Fall 2013 playlist too - I can't get enough of Katy Perry's Roar!

Timber, Pitbull Featuring Ke$ha
Bounce That, Girl Talk
Wake Me Up, Avicii
Mike Will Made It, Featuring Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J
Royals, Lorde
Shoes for Running, Big Boi
The New Workout Plan, Kanye West
Run the World (Girls), Beyonce
Radio Stereo, Duck Sauce
On Top of the World, Imagine Dragons

What's your favorite song to run to this season?

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Friends of FitYaf - How I Became a Fitness Blogger: Melissa Bender Fitness

1/13/2014

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Melissa and I met when we were both participating on a dance team in Pittsburgh almost 10 years ago. We haven't seen each other in a while, but thanks to social media, we've kept in touch. Melissa now runs her own blog and YouTube channel which features full length workout videos. Her workouts are amazing and great for all levels! If you haven't checked out her videos, you're missing out! Give them a try - most of them don't even require any equipment! Thanks Melissa for sharing your story with us!

Friends of FitYaf - How I Became a Fitness Blogger: Melissa Bender Fitness

It started with a blog...

My fitness blog started in grad school. Graduate school was hard, and stressful. Jesse (my husband and blog videographer) and I went to grad school together, and we lived off campus. Our commute typically took us 1.5 hours each way. Our class schedule was equivalent to a full time job, before factoring in homework and reading assignments. Jesse and I also worked part time at a restaurant so time was short, and we were very busy.

Prior to starting graduate school, I was enrolled in a yoga certification program, teaching yoga 5X per week, and running with Jesse. I found that I really missed teaching. Sometimes in between classes I would teach yoga to our classmates in the park across the street, or even in the hallway outside of our classroom.

I was also experimenting with new workout styles. Running and yoga both take a lot of time, which I was very short on. Soon I was teaching these new workouts to my classmates, and I found that when I was teaching I felt much happier and more fulfilled.

At the same time I was getting more and more questions about what I did to stay in shape. When people found out that I didn't workout in a gym they were perplexed. How was I staying in that kind of shape at home and without lifting weights?

My background in yoga had helped me form a very holistic view of creating strength and balance in the body. In graduate school we had a wonderful anatomy teacher that expected us to do more than memorize muscles and planes of movement. We were required to understand the functional movements of each muscle, and which activities and motions would be limited if these muscles were weakened or paralyzed. We also learned which muscles were activated when moving your body through different planes and the biomechanics impact of inefficient movement patterns. We physically saw these muscles in our cadaver lab courses, which was very mentally and emotionally challenging for me, but expanded my understanding and appreciation of the human body.

Throughout this process, my workouts and my body were changing, and people continued to ask about my workouts. My passion for wellness was also being further cultivated in my courses as I learned how many diseases and illness processes could be prevented through healthy lifestyle changes. It occurred to me that many people didn't know what they could do to improve their health and fitness at home. So many people think that exercise only occurs in a gym, and it takes hours each day to get in shape.

As we entered our second year of graduate school, I was feeling tired. I knew that I needed to do something that was not school or work related for the pure pleasure of the pursuit. I wanted to help people on a larger scale, and share something that I loved and was passionate about. I wanted to right an occupational injustice that occurs when people think it takes a lot of time and money to be fit and healthy. Everyone has the right to a healthy and fit lifestyle, and that should be free. There is a lot of talk about prevention and wellness programs, but it is an emerging area. A lot of wellness programs have a mission, but they lack a method of sharing that mission on a large scale. I turned to my blog and youtube channel and I started sharing my workouts in the hopes of showing people that they could do this at home.

I started my blog in 2011, and since that time I have shared every workout that I do to get in shape and stay in shape. As of the time that I am writing this, that is over 450 different free home workout videos. I started my blog out of a passion for fitness, and I continued to share that love. I have been amazed at the response I have gotten throughout this process. Some people don't understand why I spend so much time blogging, but for me it is very rewarding. To see people make positive changes in their lives, their health, and their self perception is an amazing thing. I believe that fitness helps improve the quality of your life, your health, and your future. When people send me pictures of their results, or of themselves doing my workouts with their families I feel that I am making a positive impact on people's lives.

I am thrilled at the success my blog has experienced thus far. If you are a blogger, fitness or otherwise, my advice to you is to share something you love. Share something and be consistent. If your blog is driven solely by increasing your views it may be time to rectify your approach. Drive your blog by creating content that you are passionate about and offer your readers something that will benefit them.

If you want to spice up your workouts and try something new you can join me at www.BenderFitness.com

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and a special thank you to Jillian for asking me to share my story.

Have a great day!
Melissa Bender

Be sure to follow Melissa:
www.BenderFitness.com
www.facebook.com/MelissaBenderFitness
www.youtube.com/mdloughy

Which Bender Fitness workout will you try first?