First, I had to take my headphones out, as she apologized profusely for interrupting. Then she proceeded to ask:

“What exercises do you and your friends do? You’re in such good shape!”

Well, well, well! I didn’t know I’d be getting compliments at the gym today. *Blushes*

Of course, I thanked her first for her kind words. I don’t make a habit of doling out advice at the gym, especially since I don’t work there, but she was especially sweet and I felt honored to be able to help her. But, before confusing her with a whole bunch of nonsense about compound lifts and high intensity interval training, I asked her what she was doing currently, and what her goals were.

As it turns out, Blondie just wants to get strong and lose a little body fat. She actually intimated to me that she would prefer an athletic, lean physique.

Yet, when I asked her what she was doing to accomplish these goals, her answer was quite counterproductive. You see, strength gains are dependent on either lifting weights or manipulating your body weight as leverage. Strength goals don’t typically respond well to cardio classes, which is what said gym-goer was accustomed to. Moreover, she was interested in building up her booty and rocking a bikini in the next few months. Since booty building is kind of my thing, Blondie and I settled in for a chat.

`What she described to me is what I call the lean and lovely physique: A muscular, fit, feminine, beautiful body that is actually as strong as it looks. And it just so happens, that I know a recipe for the lean and lovely physique.

Bottom Line: Long bouts of cardio do not build a lean and lovely physique.

If your goal is to create a lean, muscular physique then cardio-kick classes, Body Pump, Zumba and whatever else your health club might offer is not going to give you what you want. Sure, they might be fun and sweat inducing, and perhaps even something to add to the bottom of your fat loss hierarchy (after lifting, intervals and food considerations) but they will not build a bodacious booty. They just won’t.

I’m not saying that cardio has no place in your training regimen, rather that doing cardio, and only cardio, will not produce a body that looks strong. This is a common problem I see when working with clients; often the actions are not conducive to the objective. This is why many gym-goers experience the frustration that comes with a lack of results, despite their consistent gym attendance.

The only way to accomplish a goal is to first clearly identify it, then design a plan that is actually in line with said goal. True, the plan might not prove immediately fruitful, and you might need to make some tweaks, but at least you’ll know you’re on the right path. At least you’re not doing cardio classes to get strong or muscular.

So how does one get this enviable muscular physique?

Well, by smashing weights, of course. But although it’s simple, it’s not always that cut and dry. In my 12 years of training clients, I have seen countless women at the gym, day in and day out, lifting weights and failing to see results. Lifting weights is key, but the way you lift them, and how you match your eating habits to your training habits, is essential. Keeping it simple, let’s say that movement and nutrition are the ingredients and the program, or the way you incorporate the ingredients, is the recipe.

So, if fat loss with simultaneous strength gains is the goal, then the recipe should include not only the ingredients to achieve it, but step by step instructions as well. Again, while the recipe is simple, the steps are important. And, because I love you so damn much, I’m going to share the lean and lovely recipe with you. All I ask is that you share it with the ladies you love, too.

Work on specific strength goals FIRST

If leaning out is important to you, but you have specific strength goals such as a bodyweight deadlift, or achieving an unassisted pull-up, it’s imperative that you work on those goals in the beginning of your training sessions. You’ll want to be fresh, rather than fatigued from various other dynamic, fat loss focused activities. I suggest picking one or two lifts per training session to be the focus of your strength initiative, and spend about 20 minutes practicing technique and increasing weight with low rep schemes. This can be done 2-4 times per week before you move on to Metabolic Resistance Training, which we’ll discuss in the next section.

Lift weights faster

This sentiment is courtesy of my good friend Jen Sinkler, who when asked what she does for cardio answered: “I lift weights faster.” This is where the term Metabolic Resistance Training comes into play. MRT circuits can take place after you’ve spent the first 20 minutes on your important lift(s) and can be performed 2-4 times per week depending on your schedule and how you design them.

MRT is essentially lifting weights (or performing bodyweight movements) for either reps, or time, with very short breaks in between. Typically exercises are multi-joint, compound or combination movements and are grouped into circuits of 3-5 exercises. The concept behind this type of training is that you will achieve greater metabolic disturbance, using the entire body to achieve favorable body composition, increase work capacity and in most cases, improve strength levels.

An example of a circuit from one of my own MRT sessions:

1a-Alternating Barbell Reverse Lunges (85 pounds) x8-10 R/L

Rest 15-30 seconds

1b-Dumbbell Bench Press (40-45 pound DBs) x8-10

Rest 15-30 seconds

1c-Rolling Planks 

Rest 15-30 seconds

1d-Bent Over Barbell Rows (75 pounds) x8-10

Rest 15-30 seconds

1e-Alternating Lunge Jumps x8-10 R/L

Rest 1-2 minutes, repeat for 3 rounds

It’s important to note that MRT is only effective if you have a strong grasp of all of the movement patterns incorporated in the circuit. Because you are moving quickly, with load, and taking such short breaks, your body has to be able to perform the exercises efficiently without risk of injury.

Do intervals and finishers

Intervals and finishers are a great way to break a sweat and increase metabolic disturbance, but only where time permits and recovery is not hindered.

The point of a finisher is to literally finish your session, and therefore should be placed at the tail end of your strength training or MRT sessions. Finishers are short (15-30 second) spurts of high intensity activity, followed by periods of rest and should not generally exceed 12 total minutes. The idea is that you are working so hard in such a short span of time, that completing more than 12 minutes of a finisher would be madness. Since it’s at the end of the workout, if I run out of time or juice, this is what gets cut out.

Some examples of finishers:

• Kettlebell swings: 15-20 swings every minute, on the minute for 8-12 minutes
• Jump squats: 20 seconds on/20 seconds off x8
• Battling ropes: 15 seconds on/30 seconds off x8
• Sled pushes and pulls, rest as necessary

Interval sessions, however, can be strung out a little longer and done on non-training days if more activity is desired-as long as recovery (especially of the lower body) is not compromised. I prefer to keep interval sessions under 25 minutes.

Some examples of interval sessions:

• Sprints: 15 seconds on/30-45 seconds off x10-15
• Rower: 30 seconds on/30 seconds off x10-12
• Stationary bike (such as the evil air dyne): 30 seconds of work/45 seconds of rest x10-12

*Intervals can also be done with increasing work:rest ratios. For example, you may not experience noticeable fatigue after the first few intervals, so rest periods can be shorter. As you progress through the session, rest periods get gradually longer to allow for more recovery.

Incorporate active recovery

You guys know how much I love yoga. I tout chaturanga like it’s my job, and I do think that just about anyone can benefit from a regular yoga practice. It’s a fantastic means of active recovery, which is an integral part of the fat loss puzzle, but certainly not the only tool in your recovery tool box. Long leisurely walks, playing sports, and dancing (Isaac and I have regular dance parties in our living room) are all excellent ways to move and burn calories while nurturing your body, heart, and soul.

It’s important to add in activities that are less intense, because the pursuit of fat loss can often be accompanied by a “balls to the wall” mentality. More isn’t always better (unless it’s chocolate, of course).

Nutrition Considerations

While training is certainly a crucial ingredient in the fat loss recipe, nutrition is just as paramount, if not more. My operating thesis on food is simple:

Eat in a way that please both your palate and your physique. 

So the general idea is that eating for fat loss is not deprivation or restriction, it’s simply blending your body’s needs with that of your tastebuds, and finding a happy medium that pleases both equally. It’s entirely possible to lose fat, build muscle and enjoy the food you eat. You just have to follow a few simple steps:

Eat enough protein: This is typically .8-1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Eat protein with every meal and break up the total amount however you like over the course of the day. Protein is absolutely imperative for muscle repair and growth, and muscle mass is an integral ingredient in the fat loss recipe.

*I actually look forward to my post workout shake made with either BioTrust Low Carb, Sun Warrior or Vital Whey.*

Some of my favorite shakes:

Mocha Muscle

• 6-8 ounces iced coffee
• 1-2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• ice

Pumpkin Protein

• 1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1-2 scoops vanilla protein
• pumpkin pie spice
• ice

Crush some produce: Preferably organic, with veggies being first in priority and fruit coming second. You’ll want to eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits (or the rainbow, as they say) in order to expand your palate and absorb your vitamins and minerals. Produce contains more fiber than most whole grains, and leaves you feeling satiated and energized without adding unnecessary calories.

I like to keep cucumbers and raw green beans around to munch on with my homemade dip when I feel like snacking. If getting enough veggies in proves to be a monumental task, try Athletic Greens.

*I recommend consuming fruit and starchy vegetables such as butternut squash and sweet potatoes, after especially intense training sessions.*

Go full fat: Fat free products are finally being exposed for what they are-science experiments. Unless something is naturally fat free, you really should avoid it. Healthy fats such as those found in avocados, grass-fed butter, and nuts, can actually be beneficial towards your fat loss goals as long as they are consumed in moderation. Educate yourself as to what a serving actually looks like and incorporate healthy fats into your diet to enhance the natural flavor of whole foods. Also, taking an Omega supplement is always a good idea.

*A giant bag of trail mix is not one serving and will not help you lose body fat. I did that experiment so that you wouldn’t have to.*

Drink up: Water that is. While I do love my Malbec, the effect that alcohol has on fat loss  is rather unfortunate. *Sadface.* However, drinking lots of water will keep you hydrated and energized, which is integral for fat loss. Not to mention, when you drink water with a meal, you are more likely to take not of fullness and satiety.

*Ditch the plastic and treat yourself to a stainless steel Kleen Kanteen. I’ve had mine for 5 years and it’s still going strong.*

Eat enough, but not too much: I’ve seen clients struggle with fat loss and plateaus both because they consumed too little and too much food. There are several ways to calculate suggested calorie and macronutrient intake. You can measure and weigh portions and account for every last gram of sustenance. And guess what? You’ll lose fat. But you’ll probably gain a whole lot of crazy while you’re at it. The funny thing is, if we pay attention to our body, we don’t need any formula to tell us how much to eat.

Food is for energy and enjoyment, so instead of counting calories, try the following steps:

• Start with 1-2 palms of protein, depending on how many times you eat per day.
• Fill the rest of your plate with veggies.
• Add a small amount of fat.
• Eat slowly and mindfully, in order to appreciate your food and be alerted of your fullness.
• If at all possible, consume meals with others.
• Limit sugary treats and alcohol to very special occasions, such as holidays and weddings.

Above all, the most important ingredient in this recipe is YOU. While changing your physique can be a gratifying and life-changing experience, it should never be done at the expense of your sanity or self-esteem. When I cook, I enjoy the cooking process just as much as the finished product, and I encourage you to view your lean and lovely journey in much the same way. Sure, I want you to accomplish your strength and fat loss goals, but more than anything, I want you to build character, enrich your life, and cultivate self love.

The post The Lean and Lovely Recipe appeared first on Eat, Lift & Be Happy.

This little fitness blogger is always on the go.

Seriously, I ride planes, trains and automobiles like it’s my job. Well, it kind of is.

Often, I am packing for a trip when I have yet to unpack from the last one. It’s exciting. And exhausting. Additionally, I split my “domestic” life between NYC and Baltimore, which is simultaneously fabulous and a complete pain in the ass.

As much as I enjoy travel, I don’t particularly care for how it affects my training. While I stay pretty consistent, I end up training at 3 different places every week and often get to the gym right after a 3 hour train ride. Add to that the fact that I get significant motion sickness, and you get a tired, nauseous, stiff girl attempting to move heavy stuff with some level of proficiency.

Therefore, I haven’t been having the most amazing training sessions. They’ve really just been mediocre and maintenance based.

A few weeks ago I walked into the gym directly from the train station, and realized after the initial impact, the foolish thing I had done.

It was a commercial gym. On a Monday night. In January.

Adding insult to injury, the two girls I normally train with were at work, so it was just little ol’ me and my iPod shuffle. Given that I was already feeling blah from the events of the day, the absence of my workout buddies was painfully apparent.

Alas, I was greeted, like manna from heaven, with an open squat rack–which, on a Monday night at your local Globo-gym is akin to an effing unicorn sighting. You can’t really be a brat when you stumble upon an open squat rack; you just have to suck it up and squat. So I popped in my headphones, tuned into my favorite new playlist and wouldn’t you know it: low battery.

Exhausted, unmotivated, companionless…and sans music. Are. You. Serious?

What’s a girl to do? I could leave, sure. I could pout. I’m really good at pouting. I could stay and have the worst training sesh ever. Or…I could take a step back and make the best of it. Ultimately, I decided that I would just be as strong as I could be in those moments; I wouldn’t give myself a hard time for failing to hit the numbers I’d planned and I wouldn’t dwell on the fact that I was dragging. I’d just…be.

Be as strong as you can be. Right now. Today. Whatever that is.

I figured I’d let it ride and see how long the iPod gods would see fit to grace me with the dirty, raunchy rap playlist I’d compiled, then loaded up the plates, and dropped it like it was hot. And, because, ain’t nobody fresher than my clique (obviously), I sent a picture of my lonely squat rack to the girls I train with, informing them how much their presence was missed:

Miraculously, my iPod battery lasted 45 minutes before completely dying. I pushed through the entire workout, and even though it wasn’t the most inspiring training session, it was productive in the realm of consistency.

They can’t all be winners; at some point, you have to make a decision–what kind of session is this going to be? Sure, we have plans and programs, but can we always stick to them? Should we? Often, circumstances necessitate adaptation, and we are faced with the choice of following the program as written, or making changes to ensure our ultimate success. In my extensive lifting experience, I have always found that molding to your surroundings (versus the opposite) produces better results.

There are several factors that can affect your performance, and will determine what kind of training session you’ll have. Just to name a few:

• sleep
• nutrition
• mental preoccupation
• illness
• circumstances
• menstrual cycle
• headaches
• injury/soreness
• emotional distress
• hormones
• etc

So what do you do if you walk into the gym and are experiencing fatigue, discomfort or a lack of motivation due to one of these factors? Well, I have a simple 3 step process that I am going to share with you in order to help you have the most effective training session-regardless of physiological or environmental circumstances.

1. assess

The first thing you need to do is assess your physical and mental state. Are you sore? Are you under-rested or over-trained? Do you have a nagging pain in your left hip, a sinus headache or menstrual cramps? Are you experiencing heartache or just in a plain yucky mood? Bottom line-you have to check in.

One very effective way to assess is by doing a thorough dynamic warmup, including foam rolling, mobility and some type of dynamic movement. Mine usually looks something like this:

• Foam roll, 5 minutes
• Hip flexor stretch
• Spiderman
• Reverse lunge
• Lateral lunge
• One leg deadlift
• Bodyweight squat
• Turkish Get Up

I can always tell by the end of my warmup what kind of training session I’m going to have. If simple bodyweight movements feel challenging, what are the chances I’m going to move some serious weight during my lifts? If my calves are significantly sore, should I really sprint? Using a warmup to gauge the intensity and direction of your training session is a great way to assess.

Bonus tip: When I’m short on time, foam rolling and TGUs will do the trick. 

2. accept

For most of us, this is where the real challenge lies. Over the course of our gym evolution, we have the unfortunate tendency of developing emotional attachments to exercises and workouts. For example, if I told you that you needed to take a break from deadlifting, would you consider punching me in the face? Probably.

Be honest with yourself. How difficult do you think it would be to deviate from your proposed plan, accepting that circumstances can necessitate change? Breaking emotional ties to lifts and acknowledging that modification is imminent will help make your training session more effective.

3. adapt

There is truly no greater skill in life than adaptability. Being malleable in all aspects is integral to success, because let’s face it-things don’t always go the way they should. Conversely, remaining rigid in the face of challenge can often lead to disaster.

As I noted previously when discussing assess and accept, often circumstances can present challenges that impede our ability to complete our workouts as planned. It’s imperative that we have strategies in place to adapt to these challenges. (Relevant side note: Pouting is not an effective strategy).

Personally, although I do follow a program, I train mostly intuitively. Meaning that although I may walk into the gym knowing I am going to perform squats and pull-ups, I am fully aware that I might need to adjust the load or volume, and am open to the possibility that I may need to modify the exercises altogether. If my lats are sore, I’ll switch to chin-ups which place less stress on the lats and more on the forearms and biceps. If there isn’t a squat rack available, I’ll use heavy dumbbells for reverse lunges or do single leg squats instead. And what if I am just feeling beat in general? Should I skip out on the gym completely, or perhaps go through a bodyweight or condensed version of my program? It’s all dependent on the unique situation, and nevertheless, irrelevant if I am unwilling to bend.

The ability to modify in the gym, however, is contingent upon your knowledge of training progressions. If you aren’t familiar with acceptable alternatives, it can prove nearly impossible to adapt when the occasion calls for it. The following is an abridged list of some of the most common modifications and regressions for basic exercises:

• Barbell Squat: BB front squat, one leg squat, DB or BB reverse lunge, goblet squat, split squat, walking lunge, skater squat, step up.
• Barbell Deadlift: one leg deadlift, glute bridge or hip thrust, double KB or DB romanian deadlift, stability ball leg curl, heavy KB swing, skater squat, step up.
• Pull-up: chin-up, parallel grip pull-up, flexed arm hang, inverted row, bent over row.
• BB Bench Press: pushup, dumbbell flat bench press (one or two arm), KB floor press, suspension trainer pushup.
• BB Overhead Press: DB or KB overhead press (single or double), push press, assisted handstand pushup.
• Kettlebell Swing: KB speed deadlift, KB push press, squat jump.

The overarching concept is this: Figure out what the exercise is supposed to accomplish, and if that exercise cannot be performed, find a way to accomplish the same results using a different exercise. This is more easily achieved if you view them as movements as opposed to exercises. Moreover, understand that adaptability encompasses all aspects of your workout: exercise selection, volume, intensity, load and so on.

The next time you step into the gym, run through the checklist: assess, accept, adapt. Notice that “pout” is not on that list; if assessing, accepting and adapting still doesn’t work, then you have my permission to resort to pouting.

But, because I don’t want you to pout (you’re so much prettier when you smile), here is my gift to you: My current favorite playlist to get my lift on to. It pulls me out of a funk every single time, and is the exact playlist that inspired this blog post.

Lift and be happy!

The post Assess, Accept, Adapt: A Guide to More Productive Training Sessions appeared first on Eat, Lift & Be Happy.

1. I fast beforehand and gorge on goodies that are outside of my normal diet (the yummy-yuckies as one of my client calls them!), washing them down with copious amounts of red wine.
2. I abstain from any junk and opt for a veggie tray and seltzer.

Neither one of these scenarios leaves me feeling good. Which is why I embarked on a journey towards active interaction and have been spending a lot more time training and practicing yoga with friends. (Read the post HERE).

But sometimes there are parties, and sometimes they happen when you are in your first week of a Whole30. This is not one of those times when scenario number 1 is appropriate, and scenario number 2-however acceptable-simply promotes a feeling of deprivation. This is a situation where bringing your own food to snack on is a must, and having everyone at the party gush over it? Well, that’s just a nice bonus.

My solution? Almond coconut veggie dip for the win! I spent all night explaining what was in the dip, what in the hell is a “Whole30″ and why am I doing it when I already eat like a freak. My friends like to take pictures of me when I dig into mac n cheese or cake, to use as evidence that I’m not always a carrot munching weirdo. But this time I surprised them with something so delicious-and Whole30 approved-that they spent the better part of the evening hovering over the veggie tray with me, ignoring the two store-bought, dairy-based dips that were on the table.

The inspiration for this magical dip was Melissa Joulwan’s sunshine sauce. If you haven’t already picked up a copy of her phenomenal cook book, Well Fed, do so now. All of the recipes are Whole30 approved and if you have ever had a doubt that healthy food can be delicious, Melissa will eradicate that sentiment once and for all. Her recipes are off the chain.

Initially, I’d planned to make the sunshine sauce and some chicken bites for dipping. But two things went awry. First, I couldn’t find sunflower seed butter with no sugar added, and didn’t have to time order it. And then, I cut the chicken into pieces that were just too small before I threw them into the crockpot. I ended up eating them for dinner the next few days instead. 

But, as my culinary experiences have taught me, sometimes the best creations are the result  of kitchen disasters. I didn’t have sunflower seed butter, but I did have raw almond butter. And I didn’t have the chicken for dipping, but fresh, crunchy, sweet peppers? Yes, please.

You can certainly use this dip as a sauce for meat or a spaghetti squash pad thai, like Melissa’s. But, for party purposes, I discovered that this incredible dip can please even the pickiest palates and entice them to fill up on veggies. While some dips mask the flavor or fresh produce, this one enhances it. It’s pretty damn incredible.

Almond coconut dip all packed up and ready to party

What you need:

• 1/2 cup full fat organic coconut milk from the can (check the label to make sure there’s no added junk!)
• 1/2 cup raw almond butter (the ingredients should just say “almonds”)
• 3-5 sprigs fresh cilantro
• juice of 1 lime
• tsp garlic powder
• about a tsp fresh ginger, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional, more or less depending on preference)

What you gotta do:

• Throw the cilantro into a food processor first to get it chopped up.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until smooth.
• Transfer to a dish and scrape the sides of your food processor with a rubber spatula. Maybe even lick said spatula.
• Taste, and add spices (salt, pepper, red pepper etc) as necessary.
• Serve with chopped fresh veggies. Especially good with the dip are persian cucumbers, organic red and orange peppers and organic baby carrots.

While we’re at it, let’s talk about chopping peppers. It occurred to me recently that something that even though this is completely ingrained in me, a lot of folks don’t know the best way to chop a pepper. Well, if I’m being honest I watch a twenty-something bachelor butcher a red pepper and I got a twitch. Allow me to add a little bonus to this post.

Removing the pith and seeds

How to chop a pepper:

• Slice it in half lengthwise, from the smallest point at the bottom to the stem.
• Remove the seeds, pith and stem in one fell swoop.
• Slice lengthwise into strips of desired thickness.

Ready for slicing

Eat and be Happy!

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1-Yoga is awesome and so effing good for you.

2-Yes, YOU.

For a long time I neglected my yoga practice in favor of lifting. I made all the excuses in the world, including the cliched “I don’t have time” hogwash, and I rationalized that lifting was better than yoga anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal. The further I got from my practice, the more off-center I became. As an entrepreneur spinning multiple plates, I fell deeper into disarray and began to feel terribly encumbered. It took me a long while to realize that there was a giant hole where my yoga practice used to be, and an even longer while to find an instructor and a studio that would properly fill that void.

Now that I’ve resumed my place on the mat, I realize just how valuable yoga can be for gym enthusiasts, and how often it is overlooked. I also found that practicing yoga now, as an advanced lifter, has far more benefits than I had even been aware of 12 years ago when I took my first yoga class. So, if you happen to be a gym-junkie who loves to deadlift, hip thrust and kettlebell swing your glutes into submission, this list is for YOU.

9 Reasons Why Yoga is Good for Gym Junkies

1) active recovery

Yoga is an effective and low impact way to move on your non-lifting days without compromising recovery. Many yoga experts will even go as far to say that hot yoga in particular can stimulate your metabolism and help release toxins from the body. Either way, you will always feel better leaving yoga than when you came in.

2) kinesthetic awareness

Flowing through poses while barefoot and mirror-less requires a great deal of control. Yoga requires you to listen to your body, tapping into your trunk, your feet, your legs-you name it-to enter and sustain postures without visual aid. This increases kinesthetic (or body) awareness and can help when moving through compound lifts at the gym such as squats and pushups. Because yoga carries such an internal focus, it can encourage you to practice more intuition during your lifts.

3) balance

And I don’t mean stability, although you’ll certainly get your fair share of that from yoga. I’m referring to the balance of activity that yoga provides an avid gym goer. Lifting sessions are typically aggressive and weighted, while yoga is intrinsic and uses the body as leverage. This can create a balance between Herculean and Buddha-like activities, which in turn, encourages balance within your life.

4) mobility and flexibility

No matter how many times someone tells us that we need to spend more time stretching our muscles or mobilizing our joints, we would just rather lift, wouldn’t we? I mean, who has time to do all that flexibility work when we have to make sure we snag that open power rack before someone else! But, improving your mobility and flexibility will increase your movement efficiency-benefiting your lifts exponentially. Yoga is a fun way to get bendy that won’t take up valuable gym time.

5) breath control

I cannot tell you how many times I have helped someone out of shoulder pain by teaching them to breathe from their diaphragm or coached a client into a stronger overhead press just by cueing them to BREATHE. Yoga places significant emphasis on the breath, which will keep you aware of your breathing during your training sessions.

6) the goldilocks principle

Understanding when to hold back and when to push through is a delicate dance. You can sometimes set down the weight and think, “I could’ve done more.” Inversely, you might be wishing you hadn’t pushed through that last ugly rep. Yoga teaches you how to feel free within your body, accomplishing challenging poses while fostering ease of movement. You can’t force the poses if you intend to do them correctly, but you are encouraged to look within yourself for what you might be capable of. It’s a beautiful balance of just right that can aid you in your lifting endeavors.

7) bodyweight strength

It wasn’t until I started practicing handstands last year that I discovered my strength training had some critical holes in it. Being able to move heavy iron relative to your bodyweight is awesome, but then discovering that you have little ability to leverage that bodyweight? Well, that was a revelation. Yoga improves bodyweight strength, and puts you in positions that you might not otherwise put yourself in at the gym.

8) noncompetitive environment

Most of us who lift regularly have an inherent competitive nature. We compete with our previous lifts, with others at the gym, or even in an organized environment such as powerlifting or olympic lifting competitions. This is part of what makes us so ambitious and something that should certainly be fueled. However, even when this competition is friendly, it’s still competition and can sometimes blind us. Yoga is a noncompetitive environment that can bring you back to your center when your hunger for big lifts gets ravenous. You’ll have to learn to accept your progressions and avoid comparing yourself to the person on the mat next to you.

9) bigger lifts

You might not typically think of yoga as something that can make you stronger, but it sneaks up on you like that. Yoga poses can translate to lifting strength by waking up muscles you don’t often use, encouraging cooperative multi-joint movements and giving you wicked upper body strength. I can deadlift over twice my bodyweight and perform multiple sets of 10 pull-ups-but crow pose humbles me. This branch of strength can only serve to make your lifts bigger.

Even after reading these convincing reasons to practice yoga, you might still be skeptical. So, in the video below I talk about some of the reasons why you might avoid yoga and discuss how to overcome those stumbling blocks. The most challenging thing I have encountered when it comes to yoga is finding the right instructor, which is why I implore you to seek out your yoga practicing friends and ask them to take you to class. If someone you trust thinks their instructor is legit, chances are that you will too.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The post 9 Reasons Why Yoga is Good for Gym Junkies appeared first on Eat, Lift & Be Happy.

In the week that I’ve been doing this Whole30, I’ve found that I am much more excited to cook than usual. Although I normally eat pretty clean, I don’t think I’ve gone 30 days without wine since I was pregnant with Isaac. That’s almost 7 years, folks. So, saying no to grains, dairy, sugar and legumes is no biggie and nothing new, but no alcohol? Now, that’s a challenge. And I’ll tell you what-I’m effing loving it. I’m crushing it at the gym and my energy levels are through the roof. Plus, as I mentioned, I’ve become more adventurous when it comes to culinary endeavors and I’ve started making a lot more things-like dressings and dips-completely from scratch.

Most of my recipes on this blog are geared towards convenience while still maintaining a clean diet. I’m a busy working mom and I know that sometimes finding the time (and energy)  to prepare meals is really a challenge. Trust me, there were times when I was so exhausted by the time I’d gotten home from picking up Isaac, that dinner was trail mix for me and a cheese stick and carrots for the kiddo.

The great thing about making dips and dressings from scratch is not only are you responsible for exactly what goes into it, but you can make a large batch in advance and use it all week. It takes just a little more effort than buying a jar of salad dressing, but the benefits-both in taste and quality-are well worth it.

I normally just toss my greens with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, but not putting feta or goat cheese on my salads during the Whole30 left me wanting something a little creamier. That’s when I set out to make the perfect creamy avocado dressing. I’d seen something similar to this in the book, It Starts With Food, but being a foodie rebel I hate following recipes and always find a way to put my own twist on things. I’d say I use recipes more as inspiration than instruction.

This dressing is the bomb. F’realz.

Added bonus: It’s Whole30 approved!

I keep a jar in my fridge and use it for salads, as a topping for meat and as a dip for raw veggies.

What you need:

• 2 ripe avocados
• juice of 1.5 limes
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8-1/4 cup water (more if necessary to reach desired consistency)
• About 4 sprigs of cilantro
• 1-2 tsp sea salt
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• pepper to taste

What you gotta do:

•  Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and blend until smooth.
• If the dressing is not your desired consistency, add water, just a tsp at a time.
• Taste, and add more salt, garlic, etc if necessary.
• Place in an airtight jar and refrigerate for up to 10 days.

Eat, and be Happy!

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And because I love you, I’ve decided to give you one last cookie recipe before I put a moratorium on baking. You’ll still see plenty of meal recipes, but “clean” sweets are taking a back seat for awhile. This is mostly because I have no self control, and when I bake a delicious batch of protein muffins or a kick ass pumpkin bread that is meant to be enjoyed in moderation, I eat the whole damn thing. 

I’m sure this comes as no surprise. You know I don’t do moderation. So, as a farewell to sweets, I have come up with this yummy protein cookie recipe that will go quite nicely with your morning cuppa joe and beats cereal for brekkie any day.

What you need:

• 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder
• 2 tbsp coconut flour, or more for texture (I prefer Let’s Do Organic.)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup+ coconut oil (some people have reported their batch being too watery, so I suggest starting conservatively with the oil and then increasing if the texture is too dry.)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• Handful pecans
• Handful raisins

What you gotta do:

• Melt coconut oil in a medium bowl
• Add protein, coconut flour, banana, baking soda, vanilla and cinnamon-mix well
• Add eggs, mix until smooth
• If your dough is not firm (close to the consistency of regular cookie dough) add more coconut flour or protein by the tbsp.)
• Fold in pecans and raisins
• Form into balls with your hands and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet
• Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes
• Makes 12 cookies

Eat and be Happy!

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I like wine.

And by like, I mean I have an affinity for it so strong that I almost don’t want to admit it. I’m not a lush by any means, as I will always stop drinking once I can no longer appreciate the depth and the breadth of it (usually it’s a 4 glass max). But more than imbibing the wine itself, I enjoy the process of sharing wine with friends. It is, in fact, one of my favorite past times.

On any given night, I prefer to stay in drinking wine with my girls, as opposed to go out and partake in shenanigans. The taste, the company, the way it pairs so nicely with chocolate…what’s not to love? Not so coincidentally, that is exactly what I will be doing this evening to ring in the new year.

A few pitchers of sangria with my Bestie

The unfortunate thing is that I am completely incapable of being around wine without consuming it. I’ll say I’m not going to drink, for physique purposes, and then as soon as the delicious red elixir is poured into neighboring glasses, my walls come crashing down and the wine flows right on in.

Sometimes I wish I had a modicum of self-control.

Because I lack this quality altogether, I will often find myself avoiding social interaction when I’m trying to stay especially lean-for example when I’m prepping for a photo or video shoot. Did you catch that? I will actively AVOID spending time with my friends because I don’t want to eff up my nutrition. Now before you judge me for being neurotic and ridiculously lame, understand that number one-I’m fully aware of it, and two-I’m actively working to ameliorate it. Thirdly, and most importantly, how many of you might be facing the same dilemma?

I’d gotten so tired of not cultivating relationships because of food; I felt as though I was missing out on my life due to my own lack of self-control. There had to be away to maintain my clean eating lifestyle and nurture my closest relationships.

So I got to thinking-how much of our social interaction, as a culture, revolves around consumption? And if consumption has become synonymous with interaction, couldn’t we bump up against that transpiration and create a new paradigm?

I’d had it. No longer would food control me and bludgeon me into hermitage.

Rather than go to parties and be restricted to celery and seltzer, I decided to make a concerted effort to engage in more Active Interaction; social interaction based on expenditure as opposed to consumption. Instead of meeting for a glass of wine, I’d meet up with a friend for a yoga class. I’d opt for long walks at the park to catch up on the latest gossip, and invite friends for training sessions rather than dinners out.

The crazy thing? It actually worked.

Now let’s be real–it’s not wine. Or chocolate. But it’s wholly satisfying in a very different way.

Sometimes friends can double as weights.

Being active with others is truly an unrivaled bonding experience. While we can bond over wine and food, there is a special kind of magic that occurs when these bonds are created with physical exertion. Activity stimulates hormones, encourages self-improvement and ultimately, helps create a better version of you.

Sometimes, my active interaction sessions are verbal therapy; we talk about the current muddy waters we might be navigating, flesh out ideas for new projects or help each other through rough patches. Other times, they are therapeutic without words, such as yoga sessions where we release toxic energy and seek balance, all the while knowing a friend is on the mat next to us, quietly supporting us.

Movement is a cogent form of self-improvement. It’s an act of physical intention, a quest for a stronger body, a healthy heart, a vibrant spirit-a better you. Bettering yourself while spending time with the people you care about creates a sense of community and positive productivity.

At the yoga studio with my GGS sistahs

Furthermore, while in the throes of physical activity, I don’t think about food. I wasn’t cognizant of this fact until I started to spend more time working out with friends, but training is the only time my mind isn’t on food. This was a pertinent realization in terms of healing my food relationship; the correlation is too significant to ignore.

There are few things I enjoy more than my weekly yoga date with Alli, my enlightening walks around the lake or evening hill sprints with Josh, and my serious training sessions with Jamie. They have further cemented our relationships and filled my life with exuberance.

As the year comes to a close, and you seek to find ways to create deeper happiness in 2013, I propose this:

Replace one social event each week with an active interaction.

If you do this, by the end of 2013 you will have accumulated twelve active interactions. That means that you will spend roughly 3 days a week engaged in physical activity with friends. I know it seems like a lot, and who really has time for that? Well, you do.

You have time to make your life better and to share that enriched state of living with the people you most care about. That doesn’t mean that you won’t ever share a glass (read: bottle) of wine with the girls or commune with loved ones over a full table; it simply encourages balance in the way we consort, creating habits that will enhance and harmonize our perspective on consumption.

Here’s to a happier and healthier year ahead-make it the most active one yet!

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We love the feeling of being in good shape; lean and strong, muscles bulging and veins protruding—fit feels effing fantastic.

Some of us crazy people even enjoy the act of lifting and sweating-the whole dirty process. But even when you love to lift, and acquire a sense of intrinsic purpose from hoisting iron overhead or pulling it aggressively from the floor, there are times when you just hate it.

There are moments when a sweat sesh is so damn brutal that you want to quit. But you can’t stop just because it gets tough; the reward comes to those who persevere. Sometimes you have dig deep, accessing emotional pathways that inspire tenacity and keep you under the bar, no matter how badly it wants to defeat you.

Getting after a barbell complex

I was thinking about this the other day while I was performing an especially masochistic barbell complex and listening to Mumford and Sons. For me, music is integral to a good workout, perhaps because music is such a fundamental component of my life. On this particular day, I was blasting one of my favorite Mumford songs, “White Blank Page.”

 Tell me now where was my fault, in loving you with my whole heart?

Although I am happily mated, the lyrics stirred me. After all, we’ve all been there, right? The emotional prose, the angst filled melodies-they fit so perfectly with the love/hate relationship I have with complexes.

You might think that “love” songs are the last thing you’d want to listen to during a workout; I certainly did. In fact, dirty rap and vulgar hip hop are usually my go-to training tunes-the dirtier the better! But angry love songs are a whole other story. They extract a certain fire that burns deep within you—that emotional turmoil that fuels every dynamic movement, develops stamina and breeds determination.

Each time you thrust your hips at the top of a squat or explosively push the barbell towards the ceiling in a push press is an act of emotion that is appropriately accompanied by a raging ballad of unrequited love.

This complex was so challenging that I almost skipped the last round. The music is what kept me in the rack, sweating and grunting my way through to the end. I left the gym feeling accomplished, intoxicated and filled with a hard-earned sense of euphoria.

So, from my sweaty, chalk covered hands to yours, here is a killer barbell complex and coordinating playlist to help you dig deep for the drive to push through it. The playlist is about 33 minutes long, which is pretty much the amount of time you’ll need to complete the complex.

99 Problems but a Barbell ain’t One

A complex is a series of exercises in which each exercise is performed for the prescribed repetitions before moving on to the next. Typically the same implement is used and not set down until the round is over.

So, if you were doing this complex, you would load the barbell on your shoulders in a clean grip then alternate 10 lunges, do 5 split jerks each side, clean the bar down and do 10 rows, switch the bar to your back and finish with 10 squats, then rack it and rest.

Start light and add 5-10 pounds every set. I started at 45 pounds and ended at 85 pounds. I used a barbell, but you can certainly do this with dumbbells or kettlebells if you don’t have a barbell available.

• Front loaded reverse lunge x 5R/5L
• Split jerk x 5R/5L (substitute a push press if you’re not proficient in split jerks)
• Bent over row x 10
• Back squat x10
• Rest 2 minutes, repeat for 5 total rounds

The Love/Hate Playlist

The post 99 Problems but a Barbell Ain’t One appeared first on Eat, Lift & Be Happy.

Wait…what?

Yeah, I said it. KILL ZOMBIES.

Most of you know by now that I’m pretty serious a sci-fi geek. I have an inherent, undying love for all things vampire, magic and Battlestar Galactica.

Of all the magic and folklore, I have a special place in my sci-fi loving heart for apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic stories–but I abhor anything scary in the traditional sense. I don’t watch horror films and until Game of Thrones, I couldn’t handle extreme gore. So when I got roped into watching The Walking Dead I thought, there’s no way in hell I’m going to like this. It’s so…yucky.

And boy, was I wrong.

I blew threw two seasons of the show in just a few weeks, and am now officially obsessed with zombies. I even find myself thinking about preparing for the end of the world: Do I need to pack a bag? Should I brush up on weapons training? What about fuel, water and supplies? And Isaac-do I need to prepare him for impending doom?

What about the zombies? Will they be slow and dumb as traditionally represented, or fast and strong like in I am Legend? We can’t depend on the fact that we’ll be able to outrun or outsmart them-we don’t know just how evolved the risen dead will be.

My main reason for staying in shape is simple: Being strong and fit makes everything easier. Life in general is less cumbersome when you can move well, lift things, jump high and climb. Labor becomes more effortless–so adding “kill zombies” to the list of benefits is sort of a no brainer (pun intended). Unfortunately, we can’t defeat the zombies with plants, as some video games would have us believe; You have to be in the best shape possible when the Zombie Apocalypse occurs. It’s either that, or die. (Although a live version of Plants vs Zombies might be the greatest thing ever.)

Now, you might not think our world will meet it’s end by zombies, and that’s cool. Maybe it’ll be Skynet, alien invaders or a dark wizard who shall not be named. Perhaps it will be a more believable Armageddon, in the form of an asteroid or solar storm. Either way, we need to be in stellar shape to ensure our post-apocalyptic survival.

What does stellar shape really entail? Well, from my perspective, someone who is in phenomenal shape will be strong, fast, agile, mobile, resilient, powerful and relatively lean with good endurance and work capacity. Unfortunately, most of us don’t embody these characteristics entirely. Sure, those of us who lift are strong, but maybe we can’t move well. And yes, us Yogis are mobile but we often lack lower body strength and speed. And endurance athletes can run for distance, but pull themselves up over a wall? Probably not.

The point is, survival is based on all around fitness and athleticism, as opposed to specialization. What good will your strength due you in the post-apocalyptic world if you don’t have the endurance to outrun the zombies? And let’s say you’re fast as hell, but lack strength-how will you traverse unpredictable terrain or carry heavy packs? You won’t. Which means you’ll probably get eaten–and I can’t imagine a worse way to die than as a zombie’s meal.

So, in an effort to not get eaten, let’s talk about what we’ll need in order to stay alive in the (un)likely event that the dead rise and the world as we know it comes to an end. (Aka, these are the qualities that you must possess in order to be all around fit.)

1. Strength

It’s imperative to be strong enough to comfortably lift odd objects-including injured people-carry survival packs and climb over walls.

2. Endurance

Adequate work capacity to run a few miles at a time-while evading a herd of hungry zombies-could mean the difference between dead or alive.

3. Speed

You’ve got to outrun those nasty suckers! But zombies aren’t the only threat in the post-apocalyptic world. Some of the living might not be as friendly as those in your camp, and you’ll need to be able to sprint away from hostiles of the human variety.

4. Resilience

Physically and mentally, resilience is necessary for survival. Not only will you need to be less susceptible to injury, but you’ll require the mental fortitude to withstand strenuous situations.

5. adaptability

The ability to adapt is essential during troublesome and precarious times. Adaptability is perhaps one of the most important qualities you can posses to ensure success and ultimately, survival.

Now the question is, how to train in order to achieve all of these survival skills? Well, we are in luck, my friends. Two of the funniest and smartest trainers in the industry have put together a survival guide that will help us do just that.

The Zombie Apocalypse Survival Workout is the brain child of none other than John Romaniello and Roger Lawson. It is the ONLY guide specifically designed to help you slay the undead, protect yourself and your family and survive in the post-apocalyptic world. (Probably because no one else is crazy enough to design such a workout.)

ZAW takes a multi-dimensional approach to fitness, which means that it targets all aspects of training-from strength to endurance; Essentially, the program is Roman’s take on Crossfit. While most programs are designed to help you lose fat, build muscle or improve speed, ZAW helps you get better at all of these things simultaneously. You’ll lift, run, jump and improve your all around fitness levels-exponentially increasing your chances of survival.

The program is broken down into 3 phases, with each phase focusing on a different aspect of fitness. For example, in phase one you’ll focus on building stamina while simultaneously lifting weights. This way, you develop strength but place a premium on work capacity. Personally, I absolutely despise running, but if I want to survive the apocalypse I certainly need to get better at running continuously without cramping and getting winded. ZAW forces you to pay attention to the aspects of fitness that you might often ignore, and gives you a balanced, complete training regimen.

I know it sounds awesome–lifting, sprinting AND zombies? What’s not to love? But you probably still have a slew of questions about this undoubtedly effective program. Thankfully, Roman addresses some of those questions in this video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The bottom line is this: Is there another program designed to help you survive the zombie apocalypse? No. Soon, there will be survival guides popping up all over the internet and it’ll be difficult to judge what’s legit and what’s a scam. But if you pick up ZAW from Roman and Rog, you can be sure you’re getting a premier training program from some of the smartest and most experienced trainers in the industry. Plus, they are totally insane, which makes the program that much more fun.

But what if the zombie apocalypse doesn’t actually happen?

Well, let’s just say that the idea of the dead rising to feed on the living is completely farfetched. Let’s assume it doesn’t actually occur and you end up with thousands of cans of tuna in your basement. You’ll still be in effing stellar shape from following ZAW, won’t you? Best case scenario is you don’t have to run from zombies and you end up in badass shape. That’s a win, as far as I can see.

Today is the LAST DAY to get the Zombie Apocalypse Survival Workout for $30 off the standard price-which is a steal. The guys want you to survive; they don’t want to see the reanimated version of you, groaning for brains and gnawing on human flesh. Ew.

So make sure you pick up your copy of ZAW TODAY, before the civilized world ends. The last thing you want to do is wait until the apocalypse-when the guide is a precious commodity that you’ll have to trade for your a much needed box of ammo and your last can of tuna. Get it NOW when quantities aren’t limited and you still have time to get into survival shape.

I’m confident that I’m going to be fit enough to survive the end of the world as we know it. Are you? If not, make sure you pick up the guide.

Best of luck, friends. Hopefully you won’t need luck, because you’ll have the survival guide to get you through the perilous times ahead.

 ===> Pick up your Zombie apocalypse Survival Workout NOW <===

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As comfy as the bed is, I haven’t been home in 19 days, and Philly is the 4th stop on this trip. This is a typical scene for me over the past year-hotels, airports, train stations…

This year alone I’ve traveled to Thailand, Toronto, Hawaii, San Francisco, Santa Monica, San Diego, Virginia, Minneapolis, and Boston, to name a few. Plus, I’ve spent a significant amount of time traveling between Baltimore and NYC.

Lifting lava rocks in Hilo, Hawaii

What I have discovered as I have traveled and seen numerous hotel gyms and commercial facilities, is that exercise is adaptable. You can always get in a workout, no matter where you are and what is available to you. And although you might not get considerably stronger or leaner, you CAN stay in shape while jet-setting. There’s just no reason to be sedentary, even when most hotels host sorry excuses for gyms.

Sometimes I get lucky and the hotel gym has a pullup bar (yay!). Other times, I am extremely lucky and have an opportunity to train at an awesome gym in the area or have access to an outdoor playground-such as a few weeks ago when I “trained” at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica. I climbed a muthaeffin rope! I was so shocked that I was able to do it, that I couldn’t figure out how to get down.

But most of the time, I am relegated to a hotel gym that is just plain lame. Yet, no matter how lame, there always seems to be a set of dumbbells. Which is why dumbbell complexes have come to be my go-to travel workout. So, while I was in Hawaii I filmed a quick and dirty complex that can be done in 20 minutes with nothing but a pair of dumbbells.

First, I did a quick 5 minute mobility warmup and then 8 rounds of this complex:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I was in and out of the gym in 25 minutes and off to the beach to relax. For this complex, I suggest using relatively light dumbbells, especially if you’re traveling and not getting the quality of sleep and nutrition that your body is accustomed to. To give you an example, at home I would typically use 30-35 pound dumbbells or kettlebells for a complex, and this time I used a pair of 20s.

While traveling might not necessarily help me make progress, doing a workout like this one keeps me from losing the strength and conditioning levels I’ve worked so hard to achieve and maintains a mindset of movement-no matter where I am. It also makes me feel better about all the red wine and chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

Now I’m off to film some workouts for Rachel Cosgrove’s new DVDs, and looking forward to getting home just before Christmas-finally. January is a no-travel month for me so stay tuned for some kettlebell workouts straight from my living room.

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