I like to say that athletes train with INTENT and INTENSITY. They have a plan, a road map, to follow and they stick to it. They trust their coach and their program.

Yes, I am generalizing “athlete” but this can be applied to any sport…you know that Tom Brady follows the program Big Bill and his coaches give him.

This can be applied to YOU…the average “Joe” (or Jane;) but I refuse to allow anyone to call them self average…if you are reading this then you’re already a Rockstar in my book

I always tell my clients…if you want to LOOK like an athlete you need to train like one. With INTENT and INTENSITY.

Here are some pointers:

1) Have a plan – ahead of time!

2) Focus – the gym can be full of distractions but remember why you are there…to WORK! Put your headphones on, your head down and hit it hard!

3) Limit yourself – set a specific time you will start and finish and stick to it! This will force you to keep up the intensity and get it done!

Every workout and every exercise can be approached like an athlete if you commit.

In order to maximize your results and unleash your innter athlete…eat clean and train with INTENT and INTENSITY!

xxoo Jen

Enjoy! xxoo Jen

TROPICAL CUCUMBER SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 packet stevia sweetener
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 medium English cucumber, cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 1 avocado, cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 1 mango, cut into 3/4-inch dice (see Kitchen Tip)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving!

xo Jen

15 reps each:

Burpee Box Jumps

Jump Lunge

Jump Squats

Ice Skaters

Bench Hop Overs

x As many as possible in 20 min

*Always consult with a health care professional before you begin an exercise program

CUCUMBER DILL SALAD

2 large cucumbers peeled and sliced thin

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1/4 cup fresh chopped dill

1/2 squeezed lemon juice

Dash of salt and pepper

3 tbsp white vineger

combine ingredients in bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour

It is starting to warm up here in New England. The birds are chirping, the grass is turning green and the flowers are blooming. There is no better feeling then the sunshine on your face and wind through your hair. We are starting to say “goodbye” to winter and “Hello” to outdoor workouts.

Break up your old gym routine by getting outside for a few of your workouts during the week. Many feel that running is the only outdoor fitness option but this is certainly not the case. There are so many alternatives! I’ll help out by listing a few:

• Walking – fast pace walking can more affective than an easy jog
• Biking – get outside with your bike! Tackle really hills and sprint down those flat stretches of road.
• Sprints – we here at NV LOVE sprints. These should be included at least once a week in everyone’s workout routine. You’re tushy will thank you!
• Functional Workouts – create your own boot camp style workout. Take 5 exercises that can be performed outdoors and create a giant superset. Go trough the whole thing 4-5 times with little rest in between.
• Rollerblading – not only is this fun bet it is also a great cardiovascular workout. This is something the whole family can do together.

These are just a FEW options to try out. Experiment and see what works for you. As always variety is the key. Keep changing it up and your body will keep changing!

FYI-Now that the weather is getting nicer, NV small group training classes are starting to take it outside. Stop in and try one out!

*Please remember to get medical clearance from your doctor before performing any new or strenuous workouts. Be safe!

Annie T.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an enhanced form of interval training. It means doing a number of shorts bursts of intense exercise with a short recovery break in between. Studies have proven that HIIT is a time efficient but safe alternative to traditional types of moderate long term exercise. If in this case it is possible to get more by doing less. This form of intense workout improves glucose metabolism and fat burning. One study at McMaster University in Canada demonstrated that 2.5 hours of sprint interval training produces similar biochemical muscle changes to 10.5 hours of endurance training. HIIT increases the resting metabolic rate for the following 24 hours due to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption and has been shown to burn fat more effectively then long aerobic workouts.

HIIT workouts should last about 15-20 minutes and should always include a warm-up before and cool-down after the workout. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. If you can do HIIT for more than 20 minutes then you are not doing it properly. It is a 2:1 ration of work to recovery – for example – 20 seconds of all out sprints with 10 seconds of walking. Tabata is a popular style of HIIT training which includes 20 seconds of intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuously for 8 rounds.

Bottom line is 20 minutes of HIIT training 3 days a week is going to give you better results then conventional cardio methods. This will get your metabolism revving and blast that fat away. Don’t you get bored running on a treadmill for an hour? Well so does your body… so switch it up! As always make sure you are cleared by a doctor to perform high intensity workouts without medical supervision.

The Rectus Abdominus is the most recognized ab muscle because it makes up the “6 pack”. This muscle runs straight down the stomach and attaches the ribs in the direction of the pelvis. It is engaged while performing crunches, sit ups and any other exercise that the vertebrae bends forward against resistance. It also stabilizes the pelvis and the lower back.

The External Oblique is located on both sides of your waist. This muscle goes diagonally from the back of your lower ribs down to your pelvis. The external obliques work on both sides to help your spine bend forward. Any type of twisting, rotation or side-bending will emphasize the obliques.

The Internal Oblique is located underneath the external oblique on both sides of the body. It goes diagonally from the pelvis up to the lower ribs. The internal obliques are mainly for stability since they are deeper and closer to the spine. Side planks are an excellent exercise to target the internal oblique.

The Transversus Abdominus (transverse abdominis) is probably one of the most significant muscles and most people don’t even know it exists. Sometimes it is referred to as your natural corset because it keeps your stomach pulled in. The transverse abdominis works across the abdomen and is the deepest of all the ab muscles. It is the major abdominal stabilizer because it is so close to the spine. The only function of the transverse abdominis is to stabilize the vertebrae and stop it from moving. The muscle is engaged during every movement but more so when you pull your belly button towards your spin. Planks are an excellent exercise to target this muscle.

In order to get a fully effective ab workout you will need to incorporate a few different exercises to engage all the different abdominal muscles. Get off that ab machine! Talk to one of the NV trainers to help you put a plan together to get that sexy stomach.

Annie Taverna

Overtraining is defined as a physical, behavioral, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual’s exercise exceeds their recovery capacity. There is a fine line between working out hard and overdoing it. The body needs rest after exercise in order for improvements in fitness and strength to occur. Without a proper rest period, complete regeneration cannot occur. If this continues than the individual’s performance will plateau and decline. Several days of rest or mild activity will be needed in order to fully restore an athlete’s fitness level.

Exercise can be addicting. Physical exercise stimulates the pituitary gland to release endorphins (endogenous morphine) and they resemble the opiates in their ability to make us “feel good”. Not only do we feel good when we exercise but psychologically we feel like we have accomplished something and are one step closer to getting the physique we want. Rest days can be hard because we feel like we are being lazy and wasting time. We all set goals for ourselves and work as hard as we can to achieve them. This isn’t a bad thing BUT just like everything else we have to use moderation.

Here are some symptoms of overtraining syndrome:

• Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
• Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
• Pain in muscles and joints
• Sudden drop in performance
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
• Decrease in training capacity / intensity
• Moodiness and irritability
• Depression
• Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
• Decreased appetite
• Increased incidence of injuries.
• A compulsive need to exercise

Schedule rest days into your workout schedule. Your body NEEDS that rest to recover. It is just as important as your workouts. If you think you are overtraining then take 4-7 rest days – little to no activity. You will be amazed at the changes you will see once you start up again. As we always say — LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Annie Taverna

I had scheduled to meet my buddy Crystal Kenney for a workout before Cathy Savage Fitness camp. Nauseated, dressed in my fancy baggy clothing to hide the instant pooch I had developed and exhausted I sucked it up and pretended I wasn’t on the verge of getting sick the whole workout!  I was happy to just spend time with my Girl!

Anyhoo…fast forward a few months and the nausea dissipated, thank gosh! Now I was totally focused on the fact that I was growing a tiny little human, I WAS GROWING A HUMAN INSIDE ME. Yes this freaked me out, I didn’t want to be one of those crazy Prego chicks that live in a bubble for 9 months because they are afraid something would happen…but it is not easy.

I maintained my lifestyle of working out daily, often I’d rather have poked my eyeballs out but I sucked it up and did mainly functional/cardio workouts 5-6 days per week. Oh boy did my body change quickly, I felt wider, softer, squishy and overall just LARGE and in charge! I gained a little more than average weight, about 45lbs (I stopped looking at the scale at the doc eventually lol).

About 5 months later I was technically full term and was ready to meet my little man. We had the pleasure of having a 3D ultrasound and my little man was exactly how I pictured him…chubby with a little button nose.

I’ll skip over all the fun filled birth process, believe me you’ll be happy I spared you the details! Beautiful my @ss.

The moment I met my lil meatball I was overwhelmed with love. I know, everyone tells you “just wait, until you have a child you don’t know what love is”…Oh my gosh is that the TRUTH! At that very moment in time I would do anything to protect him, love him, and cherish him forever. I have never known love like this before.

My doctor instructed me not to exercise for 5-6 weeks; I was released to go for walks after 2 weeks. I think my stroller wheels were burning up after week 3 of being home…my neighbors absolutely think I’m nuts if they didn’t already.

Week 5 comes along and WAHOO I am cleared to exercise! I was like a kid in the candy store, all amped up and ready to totally rock it! That night I hit the gym, you know…new workout clothes, new songs on my ipod, workout all planned out …and boy was I humbled. My body wasn’t as strong, I felt weak and I knew I needed to scale it back a bit. I needed to do exactly what I tell all my clients to do, “LISTEN TO MY BODY”.

So…humbled yet motivated I reeled it in, sucked it up and scaled back my initial workouts.  I started off with lighter weights, functional workouts and very little cardio. My goal was and is to retain and grow muscle therefore my cardio comes in short burst and high intensity.

Thirteen weeks later I am back full force! I tackle total body athletic based training workouts that incorporate: core work, joint integrity, plyometric movements, and strength 4-5 days per week with a spin class or sprints thrown in if it works out with my schedule.

Time management, as a mom time is the most precious thing in the world. For anyone that does not have children and tells me they are busy they are NUTS…just wait my little friends just wait. I wake up at 4am, nurse my lil meatball then hit the gym for 5am, I am done by 6am. It is wonderful to have the hour to myself and just get it done.

Andi Martin said something to me when I was pregnant that will forever be in the back of my mind and I love it. She said “being a mom isn’t necessarily hard, you just need to be there”. This is so true, you need to be present. Our life now revolves around Aniello Jamie “AJ” DiCandia and I love every minute of it.

If that doesn’t sound very important to you then think again.

Like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. Young women and men who exercise regularly generally achieve greater bone density and strength than those who do not. In most cases, bone mass peaks during the mid ‘20s and after that time we begin to lose bone. Regular exercise, including weight lifting, can help prevent bone loss. Resistance training allows us to maintain muscle strength, coordination, and balance. This in turn helps to prevent falls and related fractures later on in life.

According to the international osteoporosis foundation 1 in 3 women over 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will 1 in 5 men. Hip fractures are invariably associated with chronic pain, reduced mobility, disability, and an increasing degree of dependence. After sustaining a hip fracture 10-20% of patients require long term nursing care, with the rate of nursing home admission rising with age.

For all you cardio queens (and kings) out there, do yourself a favor and get your butt over to the weight section of the gym. Schedule a session with a trainer so you can learn some exercises and proper form. Trust me it will be worth it.

Trainer Annie Taverna