Jamcore Training Blog

I know its tough to go to the gym by yourself and try to follow a routine. It takes serious discipline and commitment. There will always be excuses why NOT to go to the gym, long day, I’m tired, not enough time with my significant other or family the list goes on… Staying motivated is key to reaching your goals whether that is being healthier, physically fit, losing weight or looking and feeling better.

First, set you goal or goals write them down and take a minute to imagine where your goal will take you and what it will take to get there. Prioritize your goals, how important are they for you and remember small steps are the only way to achieve them. Then I would use that as my motivation to go workout, visualizing my goal and knowing that if I work hard enough I will achieve these goals. Now for the additional motivation many of us need, I find that a having a workout partner at the gym is invaluable!

A workout partner who will encourage you to work harder and don’t give up on that last set, even when your muscles may be aching or you are drippin’ with sweat from the previous set. A partner you can set a schedule with and you each expect to be at the gym. A workout partner can make a BIG difference in your motivation.
Now its time to find yourself a partner, this person could be family, friend or others at the gym with a similar schedule. How about starting with your significant other and family, the gym is a great way to spend more time together. Here are some ways to find the right workout partner for you:

• Ask! ask family, friend or other at your gym.
• Post a bulletin at your gym; give some background and goals, your desired schedule and contact info.
• Talk to prospective workout partners and see if they have similar goals and schedule as you do.
• Inform them of your goals, set a schedule and start working to meet each of your goals. Be sure to keep communication open when you are not able to meet.

I can tell you from experience my workout partner is one of my main motivations and actually makes working out more enjoyable.

Let me know your thought on what keeps you motivated, we are alwasy looking for input that can help the entire JamCore Community!

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Have you ever heard someone say, “I want to increase my metabolism?” I often wonder if most people even know what that means, or exactly how to go about doing it. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, metabolism is defined as the sum of all the chemical processes in the body. In lay terms, it is essentially the amount of calories used by the body to perform its daily functions, or, more specifically, the calories “burned” on a daily basis.

Two terms are often used interchangeably to represent metabolism…basal metabolic rate and resting metabolic rate. They represent caloric values, with basal values being lower than resting values. When working with clients, I often tell them that their resting metabolic rate is the amount of calories that their body needs to function if they laid in bed for 24 hours doing absolutely nothing. Basal levels would be lower and need to be determined under much tighter conditions, such as in a university research facility.

For most individuals, metabolic rates fall somewhere between 1,200 and 2,600 calories daily, though there are exceptions. Numerous factors contribute to your specific metabolic rate: genetics, height, weight, age, body composition, diet composition, supplement intake, frame size, activity level…the list goes on. Clearly, some of these factors can be modified to positively affect our metabolism, while others cannot.

Stay tuned for my next metabolism tidbit!! We’ll kick off our discussion of these factors by discussing organ tissue, muscle mass and fat mass. When I’m done, you’ll wish you had an extra set of kidneys or even some additional lobes on your liver. You’ll also realize that simply adding a bit of muscle doesn’t automatically jack your metabolism up to the moon like some people think…

Let me know if you have any specific topics you would like me to discuss in future posts.

Brian

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HIT THE WEIGHTS
Contrary to what many women believe, lifting weights will not make you bulky. In fact, pumping iron will assist in the fat burning process as the earned muscle will cause your metabolism to rise. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism. There are many additional benefits to lifting weights and by no means do you lose your femininity just because you pick up a couple of dumbbells. Visit our site regularly as I will be leading some KICK ass workouts I will be featured demonstrating Women’s Workouts that you can download to your and take with you to the gym!

SET A GOAL
Its easy to say I want to lose 20 lbs!, however getting there may not be. Setting a physical goal for yourself, may actually take your focus off the numbers on the scale and more focus on how you feel. I would suggest anything from registering to run a local race, train and complete it. You’d be amazed at the changes your body goes through naturally when you physically challenge yourself. Most importantly, when you set that goal, announce it to all your friends and family and mean it. Doing this will make you accountable for your goal and those who care will make sure that you’ve stayed true to your commitment.

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Picture me with a wig and high heels (wow what a Kodak moment!!!), well any hair on my head. With the last few posts being targeted towards our female community got me thinking about the best targeted training for women.

Ladies if I had to choose four exercises that can target the keys problem areas for women, I would say they are the following. These require no equipment and can be done at home:

• Walking lunges
Target: Front thigh, back thigh and glutes)

• Glute Bridge
Target: Glutes

• Abs Floor Crunch
Target: Stomach

• Body Push Ups
Target: Chest, Arms and Shoulders

Superset the four exercises back to back for a total of 4 circuits non-stop (Beginners 60 sec break between each circuit). Don’t know what Walking Lunges, Glute Bridge, Ab Floor Crunch, Body Push Ups or Supersets, are click here.

Now it’s easy to give routines like that, now it time to make some changes for the better, try implementing some workout routine with better eating habit. Working on you fitness and nutrition together will get much better results much faster.

As far as the ladies are concerned, what I do a lot with my female clientele is to put a daily meal plan with 5 small meals throughout the day. Those are a combination of protein, carbs and healthy fats.
I will have them consume starchy carbohydrates on meal 1 and 2, then switch to the fibrous form on meal 3, 4, 5.

Some of the best forms are:
Starchy sources: Oatmeal, yams, brown rice
Fibrous: All veggies and salads

Comments and questions for me, our nutritionist or any of our team is always encouraged, give us a shout out!

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So here I am working with Lana on Leg Extensions. This includes important tips on form and why its important to warm up before excersies such as lunges. We are here to teach you great form and work with you to prevent injuries. This is Lana’s leg workout JamCore Style!

So what questions do you have about form and technique?

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EAT WITH A PURPOSE
A breakfast pastry accompanied by a grande latte does not constitute a well-balanced breakfast. Does the thought of eating at least 5 times a day, boggle your mind? Well it shouldn’t if you’re eating the right types of foods, while controlling your portions. If you skip breakfast, NOW is the time to start. Starting your day on an empty stomach, leads to increased hunger, starving your body (not to mention your mind) that by lunch time you literally overeat, not only satisfying your hunger, but eating plenty more to spare eventually turning into fat, if not used for energy.

In order to keep your metabolism high, make sure to eat every 2 - 2 ½ hours, even when your not as hungry. I need to emphasize these are mini-meals every couple of hours; these are not full 5 course meals. Eating frequently trains your body to not go into starvation mode, where it will hold on to the food you eat rather than burning it for energy out of fear that it may not be refueled for a long period of time.

Including quality protein in every meal is a must. Rule of thumb is you should consume 1 gram of protein for each pound you weigh. So for example, if you weigh 140 lbs, you should consume at least 140 grams of protein a day. If you lift weights, you should consume at least 25 50 grams more to help maintain lean muscle mass. Your body works a little bit harder to digest the protein, therefore, even when you’re eating, your still burning calories!

Forget the hype that carbohydrates are bad for you. You absolutely need carbohydrates, but it boils down to what types and how much of it are you consuming. Carbohydrates are in almost everything we eat! They are needed for energy and whatever isnt used for energy ultimately turns into fat. Hence, eating with a purpose is essential for helping you in your road to weight loss success.

Here are some basic items to include on your list to your next trip the grocery store:
• Chicken Breasts
• Ground Turkey
• Lean Sirloin
• Eggs
• Leafy Greens
• Broccoli
• Brown Rice
• Potatoes
• Oatmeal
• Peanut Butter
• Nuts
• Rice Cakes
• Cottage Cheese
• Water
• Fruit

Preparing your meals at home, will help keep you accountable for eating healthier even when you’re on the go. For great ideas on guilt-free snacks and desserts, visit: www.hungrygirl.com Subscribe to their list for daily tips on healthier eating!

HYDRATION
Water is absolutely essential to health and fitness goals. Not enough of it, can cause you to bloat or cramp. The benefits are endless, but my favorite use is as a natural appetite suppressant. Drinking a full glass of water before your meal, actually curbs your appetite causing you to eat less, as you begin to feel more full. If you’re more active, you require more water than the average sedentary individual.

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