Monthly Archives: April 2012

INTENSE At Home Fat Burning Cardio Workout: No Equipment Required!

Posted on by Posted in Cardio Training, Training, Uncategorized, Weight loss 63 Comments

at home workout

 

For whatever the reason, you aren’t working out in a gym.  While I do think there are some benefits only a gym can provide, it certainly doesn’t mean you can’t get fit, doing things from home.   In particular,  if you’ve got some body fat to lose and really just want to slim down and tighten up, an effective at home cardio program can certainly get you there.

To take that a bit further, a cardio workout that additionally provides muscle resistance is even better.  Working your muscles WHILE doing your cardio is a great way to supercharge your metabolism, which in turn, will help burn loads of calories.  By working out in this format, you’ll slowly see your muscles becoming harder and more toned, while you cut that body fat and slim down.

With that in mind, this cardio workout program is designed to give you a heart-pumping workout, while targeting the major muscle groups in your body.  To make things even more challenging, explosive plyometric exercises are thrown into the mix at key points to really help elevate your heart rate and maximize your caloric burn.

These workouts are done for time, NOT reps.  Set a timer, look at a clock, do whatever you have to do, just make sure you follow the time given for each exercise.  Rest breaks and times are listed.  Do your best to keep pace with this routine and break only when instructed.  I’m not going to lie, this program is tough, but the efforts you put in now will pay you back ten-fold in the way you look at feel.

This cardio workout plan breaks exercises into various circuits; typically three exercises per circuit.  All circuits have elements of strength and cardio movements, but they are more heavily geared towards one or the other.  This strict grouping will keep your body on its toes and prevent the workout from becoming a jumbled list of exercises performed with no rhyme or reason.  During Cardio Explosion circuits, really focus on EXPLODING through each movement.  Generate power in your lower body and perform each rep to your full potential.  During Power Cardio Circuits, focus on engaging your core, utilizing your muscles, and doing full repetitions.  Speed Cardio Circuits are done to jack your heart rate up and maximize burnt calories.  Do these movements as fast as your abilities allow, without sacrificing your form.  Breaking this workout down in this way makes things easier and more efficient in the long run.

*When done according to the times listed, each workout should take just about 1 hour to complete.

Monday/Wednesday/Friday

Tips: Perform each circuit 3 total times.  For example, 3 x 1 minute walking push ups/1 minute jumping jacks/ 1 minute plank/30 second rest.  You would perform 1 minute of walking push ups, immediately followed by 1 minute of jumping jacks, immediately followed by a 1 minute plank, then rest for 30 seconds.  After the rest is up, you repeat exactly what you did above, two more times total.

 

Tuesday/Thursday

 

And that will about do it.  Stick with this cardio workout, possibly add in a day of HIIT running/biking on the weekend, and you’ll develop that lean, mean, athletic build in no time.  Remember to eat right, get ample protein, and keep pushing through even on days you swear you aren’t making any progress.  Success comes to those with determination..don’t give up, and don’t let ANYONE tell you that you can’t get fit just because you don’t belong to a gym.  Any questions, feel free to ask.

Is V8 the Way to Go? The Lowdown on Using Vegetable Juices to Meet Your Daily Requirements

Posted on by Posted in Healthy Eating, Nutrition Leave a comment

v8

We all want to eat healthier…eat more fruits and veggies, less sodium, more protein, etc.  There are of course a variety of ways to go about this.  Turning to a vegetable juice, like V-8, is how many people get their daily servings of vegetables.  But is a quick V-8 really the answer? Dr. PK Newby takes a look at vegetable juice in today’s post and discusses the pro’s, con’s and ultimately, gives her opinion on using a vegetable juice drink to reach your daily veggie requirements…

 

Should’ve Had a V-8?

 

I have some unfinished business I need to complete regarding vegetable juices, and this is the subject of today’s post. It’s almost as thrilling as maple buttercream and pan seared bluefish, I know. (Not served together! Geesh.) In all seriousness, though, I was in fact pretty darn excited when I made homemade vegetable juice, so I’m glad to have the opportunity to revisit the issue.

Truth be told, I have no idea how many people actually drink tomato juice and/or whatever other vegetables juices in the year 2011 – and there are quite a few on our crowded supermarket shelves. I imagine it was more popular a few decades back: in an episode of Mad Men c.1960 a woman ordered a tomato juice apéritif, which came served with a lemon wedge. I laughed when the waiter brought the juice over because it looked exactly like the juice I served up on the video I posted a few weeks back. (See picture, right, and you can also click here to watch how I made it.)

Nevertheless, at least one student in my class drinks it – hence this email – and I know some people enjoy bloody or virgin marys with brunch, so in this post I’ve provided some things for you to consider if you include vegetable juices in your diet. 

For the full article, click here.

Treadmill Interval Workout: Change the Way You Use a Treadmill Forever

Posted on by Posted in Cardio Training, Training 44 Comments

treadmill running1

 

My legs felt like jelly.  If I didn’t know any better, I’d think someone was standing behind me sticking a couple of hot pokers into my glutes.  I was so drenched in sweat, I looked as though someone had just dumped a bucket of water on me.  Judging by the look of disgust on the face of the girl running on the treadmill next to me, I knew I was one hot, and probably smelly, mess.

At the same time, I also knew I got through one of the toughest workouts of my life; burning just over 800 calories in one hellacious hour of work.  Screw how I looked and felt.  The satisfaction inside quickly replaced the feelings of exhaustion and muscle fatigue anyways.  I hopped off the treadmill, beaming inside and out, as the girl next to me was still flipping through her US Weekly magazine, barely breaking a sweat as she chugged along at the pace of a slow jog (and I use the word jog loosely).

If you’re an avid Share It Fitness follower, you’ll know how much I hate on static-state cardio, i.e. running at one pace for an entire cardio workout.  I’ve always been a proponent of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) cardio work, as I’ve seen the incredible benefits it has, on people of all fitness abilities, including myself.  That said, there are going to be times you will want to further mix up your routine.  Doing HIIT day-in, day-out is going to get a bit repetitive.  Sure, it’s nice to see your endurance sky-rocket, get that “tight and toned” feeling that a serious cardio workout provides, and feel the post-exercise hunger only a boosted metabolism can provide, but HIIT isn’t the ONLY way to really burn it out during cardio days.  We’re going to diverge from the standard protocol for a minute and give you another way to burn serious calories AS WELL as target the muscles in your legs and glutes.  Burn loads of fat and develop a tight and toned lower body…anyone interested?

The following workout is done completely on a treadmill.  It’s super easy to follow and suitable for all fitness abilities; just be sure to adjust the miles per hour accordingly.  The miles per hour listed below are a guideline for a healthy and fit individual with a solid base of exercise experience.  Simply slow things down if the prescribed routine is too difficult; no shame in that.

Stick with the program, bump the speed and incline when indicated, follow the interval times as closely as possible, and 1 hour later you’ll have burnt almost half a day’s worth of calories AND completely blasted your quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes.

Two quick tips:  I realize it takes several seconds to raise/lower the speed on your treadmill.  I built the time it takes to do this into the workout, which is why you’ll see a 10 second buffer between interval times.  If it takes a few seconds longer to get to the proper speed, don’t sweat it, just do your best.  Lastly, if your treadmill doesn’t have the ability to incline, just extend the previous interval by the time listed for the incline portion.

treadmill photo1

 

  • 0-2:00 – Jog at 5 mph
  • 2:10-4:00 – Run at 7.5 mph
  • 4:10-5:00 – Run at 10 mph
  • 5:10-7:00 – Run at 7.5 mph
  • 7:10-8:00 – Lower speed to 1.5 mph, perform walking lunges, always alternating legs
  • 8:10-12:00 – Run at 7.5 mph
  • 12:10-17:00 – Lower speed to 3.5 mph, turn around and run/jog backwards
  • 17:10-20:00 – Turn around and run forwards at 7.5 mph
  • 20:10-21:00 – Lower speed to 1.5 mph, perform walking lunges
  • 21:10-24:00 – Run at 8 mph
  • 24:10-27:00 – Raise incline to 12%, run at 5 mph
  • 27:10-28:00 – With incline at 12%, run/jog backwards at 2.5 mph
  • 28:10-32:00 – Lower incline to 0%, turn around and run at 8 mph
  • 32:10-34:00 – Run at 9 mph
  • 34:10-36:00 – Run at 5.5 mph
  • 36:10-38:00 – Lower speed to 1.5 mph, perform walking lunges
  • 38:00-44:00 – Raise speed to 3.5 mph, turn around and run/jog backwards
  • 44:10-47:00 – Raise incline to 15%, run at 4.5 mph
  • 47:10-48:00 – Step off treadmill and perform as many body weight squats as possible
  • 48:10-51:00 – Get back on treadmill, lower incline to 0%, run at 8 mph
  • 51:10-53:00 – Lower speed to 1.5 mph, perform walking lunges
  • 53:10-55:00 – Run at 9 mph
  • 55:10-57:00 – Raise incline to 20%, run at 4 mph
  • 57:10-60:00 – Lower incline to 0%, run at 9 mph
  • Get off treadmill – Perform 40 squat jumps.

 

You’re looking at that and thinking…WOW..that looks complicated.  First off, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed.  Yes there are a lot of things going on, but all it involves is pressing a button or two, and turning around here and there.  That’s it.  I’ve used this workout myself, as well as with clients, both real-life and remote.  The positive changes it brings about are outstanding.  If you can make it through this entire routine without having to stop for a break, congratulations.  This thing is killer, and you my friend, are one bad mother.

This workout is going to change how you look at treadmills forever.  Incorporate it into a complete exercise routine on cardio days, but prepare to feel serious muscle soreness the first couple times.  Keep your head down, stick it out, bump speeds and/or times as you progress and get ready to watch your body transform, both inside and out.

Like This Workout Routine?  Want More?

If you want hundreds of other group fitness classes and DVD-style workouts, available OnDemand 24/7, at the touch of a button, sign up for our premium site, ShareItFitness.com.  We’re giving away FREE premium memberships for a little while longer, so don’t wait!  In addition to our OnDemand library we feature tons of great recipes, workout plans, live health and fitness professionals ready to assist you, and an interactive social network of other like-minded people.  Simply put, Share It Fitness is the greatest internet training tool available.  Don’t do tomorrow what you can do today…let us help you reach all of your goals NOW!

Spring into Salad!

Posted on by Posted in Healthy Eating, Nutrition 8 Comments

healthy salad1

Today’s post from our nutrition expert P.K. Newby, takes a look at salads, and how you can use local, seasonal ingredients to create something magical, both for your tastebuds and health. I know for many of you, salads are nothing more than some chopped iceberg lettuce, a few sliced cucumbers, a small handful of sodium-laden croutons, and a healthy dose of Kraft Italian dressing…maybe the Tuscan Herb variety if you’re feeling a little fancy.  With spring just getting into full swing, it’s time to stop eating the rabbit food and realize just how wonderful salads can be. 

 

 

Spring into Salad!

By: PK Newby

 

 

Garbanzos, artichokes, avocado, pickled egg, whole wheat croutons, and diced red onion atop a crisp bed of spinach.

It was the end of summer when I wrote my first post about having just a “big salad” for dinner. In that particular case, it was accompanied by summer-sweet corn on the cob. I’m revisiting the issue here today to make a few points about salads and encourage you again to think about making a big salad a regular part of your dinner repertoire. Or lunch, if you are vehemently opposed to the dinner idea. If all of this just sounds like crazy talk and I’m losing you completely, then at the very least think about incorporating a small side salad into your diet somewhere to get you started. You just might learn to love it.  And you may even see a positive change in your health and weight over time.

For more information on building a tasty and nutritious salad – along with a cautionary tale about simply adding a salad to every meal – read the full article here.

Welcome!

Posted on by Posted in Site News 2 Comments

Hope you enjoy the new site! We will be continually improving it to make navigation as easy as possible. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to us using the contact form (under the About menu header) if you find anything that does not work or have any suggestions! Thanks for your continued support.

Update: 4/16 – We are aware there are some issues viewing our site with Internet Explorer (IE). Unfortunately IE is lightyears behind Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox in supporting stylesheets but we are working on getting this issue resolved asap for our IE readers!

-Dave @ Share It Fitness

Exercise and Cancer

Posted on by Posted in General Health 4 Comments

Today’s post is a guest contribution from cancer awareness advocate, David Haas.  David is a regular contributor at The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog.  In addition to researching the many valuable programs available to his blog’s users, David often writes about programs and campaigns underway at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance, as well as creative fitness ideas for those dealing with cancer.  

As many of you know, the link between exercise (or lackthereof) and cancer incidence is very strong.  Any bit of information that can inspire you to start exercising, or help you improve the life of yourself or a family member dealing with cancer, is a message we want to get across.  Find the time to live a fit and healthy lifestyle now, or find the time to be sick later.  Simple as that. 

 

Family Exercise Outings Benefit Cancer Patients

When a person within a family is diagnosed with cancer, the entire family is typically affected.  While the cancer patient must often endure surgeries, radiation, weekly chemo treatments, or mesothelioma treatment, the family of the patient also usually experiences worry, fear, exhaustion, and feelings of frustration.  It can be extremely difficult for a family to watch a loved one go through the constant rounds of treatments that are usually so vital to the recovery and remission of the person.

Financial affairs can be greatly affected if a person in a family is diagnosed with cancer.  If a working parent has cancer, the loss of that person’s income can put many families into financial jeopardy.  This can leave a strain on the family that can produce worry and endless sleeping nights wondering how the family will survive financially.  If a child has cancer, the parents will often miss many days of work to take care of the child, oversee treatment, driving the child back and forth to the hospital and for check-ups.  This also places an enormous strain on the entire family.

Exercise is rapidly becoming more and more recommended to families of people who have been diagnosed with cancer.  Not only is it important for the cancer patient to obtain generous amounts of exercise throughout the week, the rest of the family can benefit from the physical exertion as well.  Exercise has long since been recognized for relieving stress and providing a physical outlet that works to fight stress, anxiety, and depression.

When a family has a person within the family who has been diagnosed with cancer, it is imperative that every person continues to take good physical care of his or her body.  This will provide energy that will help the family to be supportive of the cancer patient, and it will also be a tremendous benefit to the cancer patient by strengthening muscles and increasing cardiovascular health.

Working out together at a gym, going camping together, fishing together, or playing tennis together can be important and fun bonding times for families.  Families who have a person diagnosed with cancer can take advantage of the numerous exercise opportunities that are available to relieve stress, get a good cardio workout, and also to spend bonding time together.  Relaxing and working out together are vital to the entire family unit and promote overall good physical and emotional health for people who are struggling with the disease of cancer.

Cancer.net is an informative website that offers many helpful tips for people who have cancer and for people who have a family member that has been diagnosed with cancer. On the website, text states that emotional and physical health can be improved in cancer patients when exercise becomes a regular routine.

For more information from David on cancer and exercise, check him out here.

Blackened Chicken Sandwich with Basil and Balsamic Glazed Bell Peppers – Easy, Healthy and TASTY!

Posted on by Posted in Nutrition Leave a comment

chicken5

Chicken breasts are probably a staple for most of you who are trying to eat and live a healthier life.  They should be a staple as they are very high in protein, very low in fat, and incredibly versatile.  Even so, many people get tired of chicken day in, day out.  With that in mind, I decided to show you another way to have your chicken, that is completely tasty, easy, and healthy. 

Make this to serve as a lunch, in between meal snack, or even a light dinner if combined with a side or two.  All of the ingredients used in this recipe were strictly organic, which I know can increase the cost a bit, but my god…the taste.  There is absolutely a difference between organic, free-range chicken and the generic stuff.  Feel free to eliminate the cheese and/or the bread if you are on a stricter diet than I am. 

Step 1

Start by applying a liberal sprinkling of salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder to both sides of the chicken.  chicken11 Since we are searing the chicken, instead of sautéing it in oil, we’ll want a little crispy crust to form.  The seasoning you add now will help facilitate this.

Step 2

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.  We want the pan nice and hot so a crust is able to form on our chicken breasts.chicken2   Apply a very small (1/2 teaspoon) amount of oil and swirl it around in the pan to form a light coating.  Place the chicken breasts in the pan and, depending on thickness, allow them to sit, undisturbed, 4 minutes per side.

Step 3

In another pan over medium heat, add about a tablespoon of olive oil.  Add one or two thick slices of bell pepper.  chicken3 Season with a little salt and allow to sauté  for 4-5 minutes.  When the peppers begin to soften, add 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and a dash of sugar.  The sugar will help thicken things up and form a glaze.  Toss the peppers around with the balsamic glaze, turn heat to high for 1 minute, then remove from pan.  Set aside.

Step 4

By now, the chicken should be finished.  Remove breasts and set aside.  In the same pan you cooked your chicken, place two slices of whole wheat bread.  Crisping your bread in the skillet, instead of a toaster, will help prevent things from drying out, yet still give you a nice crust.  Cook about 2 minutes per side.  chicken4

Step 5

Place a slice of fontina cheese over chicken breast, add a few pieces of fresh basil, top with your balsamic glazed pepper, and voila, a blackened basil chicken sandwich with balsamic glazed peppers.  Sounds far more fancy and time-consuming than it really is. 

This quick little meal can be made in less than 10 minutes, so it’s perfect for a busy day or evening.  Tastes so much better than the salt/pepper/olive oil baked chicken you’ve been making 4-5 times a week for the past 4 months.  The basil, pepper, and salty fontina create a perfect balance of flavors that give this a “restaurant-quality” taste.  As far as nutrition goes, this thing is packed with protein; almost 70 grams!  Total calories hover right around 475, but to cut down on this, simply eliminate the bread and eat it with a fork and knife.  Got any great recipes of your own?  Feel free to submit them and we’ll happily share them with our readers!

The Greatest Ab Workout in the World

Posted on by Posted in Featured, Strength Training 18 Comments

abworkout1

Can we be honest for a minute?  When most of us are working out, what is the one area that we want to effect the most?  The answer is almost always, the abdominals.  After all, who doesn’t want a nice six-pack to show off?  With warm weather on the way, and skimpier clothing following suit, we’ll finally get to see what everyone has been working on (or not working on) this winter.  The good news is, if you’re ready to get started with this ab workout today, you’ll have more than enough time to develop a tight and toned mid-section.

Understanding Your Abs

Let me back up a second; you still have enough time if you break free from the same ab crunches and other similar core exercises you’ve been doing sporadically over the past however many years.  While they have their place for sure, they need to be intermixed with more complex abdominal exercises to maximize their effects.  After a while of trial and error, and seeing what works and doesn’t, I’ve developed what I believe to be the greatest abdominal workout you’ve ever attempted.  Before we jump into the routine, there are a few things we need to address.

  • All the ab work in the world isn’t giving you a six-pack if there is a layer of fat covering your abdominal muscles.  Diet + cardio work are the two most important things.  Get these two things right and use this routine to develop the muscles in your core.  Unlike other abdominal routines, this workout incorporates intense cardiovascular work that burns fat but also targets the core.  Two birds, one stone.
  • Your “six pack” is actually the Rectus Abdominis muscle.  It is ONE muscle.  Sometimes you’ll hear people say, “Oh I need to work my lower abs because they’re really lacking”.  Well, as hard as they want to try to train their lower abs, they really are still working the Rectus Abdominis muscle.  A vital part of developing beautiful abdominal muscles is making sure to use compound abdominal exercises which hit larger portions of the Rectus Abdominis, rather than isolating specific parts of it.
  • Include this ab workout into the rest of your workout routine.  There is much debate about whether or not working the abdominals every day is appropriate.  It is my belief that while you can work the abdominals more often than other muscle groups since they are more accustomed to stress (keeping you upright, supporting your body weight, etc.) than say your biceps, I still feel they are a muscle and need to be given adaquate rest time.  Aim to complete this routine no more than 3 days a week, with about 48 hours rest between workouts.

The Greatest Ab Workout in the World

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way… lets move on to the ab workout that is going to completely change the way you look at your core forever.

As mentioned above, add days 1 and 3 to your current workout routine; try adding them to the end of a workout day.  Complete day 2 on its own.  If you are on a 5 day a week exercise program, either substitute day 2 of this workout for one of those days, OR (preferably) complete the day 2 workout over the weekend.  If you don’t currently have a workout routine, check around the blog for some pretty killer total body workout programs.

Day 1 - Strictly maintain rest times listed after each set.

  • 4 x 20 Decline plate sit-ups – On a decline bench, and holding a plate against your chest, sit up while slightly twisting your torso to the left.  Lower yourself, then repeat, this time, slightly twisting to the right.  Repeat this for the prescribed number of reps/sets. 30 seconds rest between sets.
  • 3 x 20  Eagle sit ups - 30 seconds rest between sets
  • 3 x 30 V-sits on bench - 30 seconds rest between sets
  • 3 x 15 Hanging leg raises - If this is too difficult, feel free to bend your legs and bring your knees to your chest.  If hanging from a pull up bar is too hard, use a dip machine, like this.  20 seconds rest between sets.
  • 3 x 30 Russian Twists with weight – Complete a full rotation, side-to-side.  Hold a dumbbell, medicine ball, plate, or other weighted object.  30 seconds rest between sets.
  • 4 x 25 Cable crunch - 30 seconds rest between sets.

Day 2 - Day 2 of this ab workout is going to incorporate cardiovascular movements that also hit your abs, giving you a double-dose of six-pack buildling goodness.  This should be a complete workout routine by itself, i.e., 45-60 minutes in length.

  • 4 x 15 Burpees/4 x 20 crunches - Perform 1 set of burpees immediately followed by 1 set of crunches (follow this format for all exercises below). Rest 45 seconds.  Repeat.
  • 4 x 30 Mountain climbers/4 x 100 pilates hundreds - 45 second rest between sets
  • 4 x 30 Horizontal jacks/4 x 40 Hip dips (20 per side) – 45 second rest between sets
  • 4 x 30 Speed skaters holding a plate - If you can’t make your way up to holding a plate, no problem.  Go without the plate until you feel able.  30 second rest between sets.
  • 5 x 1 minute Running high knees in place – 30 second rest between sets.
  • 5 x 25 Reverse crunches – 30 second rest between sets.
  • 4 x 15 burpees/4 x 25 crunches
  • 10 minutes HIIT sprinting (:30 sprint/1:30 jog)

Day 3 – So, in Day 1 we really used heavy weights to bring your Rectus Abdominis to complete exhaustion; you should have felt a deep after burn following this workout.  In Day 2 we incorporated a cardio element and utilized compound supersets to help build your abdominal muscles while burning the layer of fat covering them.  In Day 3, we are going to up our repetitions so your muscles don’t know what the heck is going on.  Take a deep breath, put your seatbelt on, and get ready to go..here’s the final part of this workout…

  • 2 x 50 bicycle crunches - 20 second rest between sets.
  • 2 x 50 Flutter kicks – 15 second rest between sets.
  • 2 x 40 Feet up crunch - 30 second rest between sets.
  • 2 x 100 heel touches – 15 second rest between sets.
  • 3 x 15 Pike ups - 30 second rest between sets.
  • 2 x 40 Windshield wipers – 30 seconds rest between sets.
  • 2 x 1 minute planks – 30 seconds rest between sets.
  • 10 x 15 Crunches – 10 seconds rest between sets.

There you have it guys.  To recap, we’re going to fully burn your abdominals out on Day 1 with a focus on weighted exercises.  Day 2 is going to introduce cardio exercises and compound supersets to kill your core and blast fat.  Day 3 utilizes high repetitions and shorter rest times to completely confuse your abdominals.  The three-pronged approach to this ab workout, using the exercises above, has proven to be extremely effective for real-life clients and remote clients alike.  Stick to the plan, include extra cardio if you could use it (realistically, almost all of us can), and eat a clean and well-balanced diet.  Remember, 60% of the battle for that six-pack will be accomplished by your diet and burning the fat covering your stomach through the use of high-intensity cardiovascular work.   As always, if you guys have any questions or need clarification, feel free to leave a comment.

Stay connected to the Share It Fitness launch (and ensure your free premium membership) by signing up here, and be sure to subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss any of our killer workout programs or expert advice.

Explosive Bodyweight Only Workout: Blast Calories and Tighten Up Fast

Posted on by Posted in Cardio Training 7 Comments

reverse plank

With the launch of ShareItFitness.com just weeks away, we thought we’d take the opportunity to give you a little taste of what you can expect as one of our premium members.  As many of you know by now, Share It Fitness is an OnDemand fitness service, streaming full-length group fitness classes and virtual personal training sessions to any smart phone, tablet, computer, or wifi-enabled television.  Our library contains hundreds of fitness classes and training sessions (more than most people could get done in a calendar year) and is constantly growing.

Over the weekend we had quite a few of our readers ask for a quick, at-home workout, to help them out after a little over indulgence during Easter weekend.  With that in mind, we bring you our Aerobic Express fitness class by Share It Fitness trainer, Casey Kirch.  Casey leads this lesson with nothing more than his bodyweight and a fast tempo, making this perfect for anyone who wants to get a heart-pounding and sweat-inducing workout, at home.  To really rachet up the intensity, run through this class two, or even three times in a row to maximize your caloric burn.

Share It Fitness fitness classes are so effective because our instructors set the tone and pace each class.  All you have to do is keep up with them to ensure you’re getting an effective workout.  Workout plans that simply list exercises to complete are good, and have their own place, but there is no substitute to following along with a real-life trainer leading you through an exercise routine on your screen.  Keep up with Casey as he leads you through various exercises designed to burn calories and blast fat.  If you feel up for the challenge and give this class a try, let us know what you think after running through this class.  Enjoy!

In case you missed the link above, here it is again.

caseyaerobicexpress

Help Your Heart and Tastebuds: Guacamole Nutritional Analysis and Video How-To

Posted on by Posted in Nutrition Leave a comment

Looking for a tasty and heart-friendly option to add to your diet?  Who isn’t.  Check out this gem from our nutrition expert, Dr. PK Newby and learn how to start living (and eating) better today.

Who knew that healthy eating could include guacamole, of all things? Yes it can!

Creamy, delicious guacamole: A fifth optional ingredient, diced tomato, adds lovely color and flavor.

Because of their high energy and fat content, avocados used to get a bad rap. However, not all fats are created equal, which is one of the major things you need to remember when thinking about diet and health. Like peanuts and peanut butter, olives and olive oil, avocados are also very high in fat – about 85% – but most of the fat is monounsaturated, which is important for heart health. They are also a valuable source of many other vitamins, minerals, nutrients, phytonutrients like carotenoids, and phytosterols, which have an anti-inflammatory effect that can help reduce symptoms associated with arthritis. (“Phyto” simply refers to “plant-based”; phytosterols are analogous to the cholesterol found in animal products, only they’re good for you.)

So, if you love guacamole…

…for the full article, click here.