I’m going to say it again and again—muscle is the quickest way to a hot, healthy body. If you just go on a diet, or if you just diet and do aerobics, you may end up a little thinner, but unfortunately, you’d have to work so much harder to keep your weight down. Muscle is the only thing that speeds up your metabolism so that you can consistently burn calories for hours and while resting. So for any noticeable body change, you need to develop muscle, and you do that through resistance training. This means using weights, your own body weight, or sculpting tools like exercise bands in your workout.
I hear time and again from women who are afraid to lift weights. Instead, they gravitate to aerobic-type exercise because they’re afraid they’ll look “thick.” Relax. Women have less muscle mass than men because they have less testosterone and fewer of the cells that make up muscle fiber. My program is designed to help you get the best out of your genetic body type by decreasing your fat and increasing your tone. When this happens, you lose inches, too, because muscle is dense and compact, while fat is loose and makes your figure look like jelly. So throw away all your old conceptions about resistance training, and let me re-inspire you. Start looking to the Nike models, not the supermodels, for inspiration. Skinny fat is out and sexy tone is the hot new look of today. Resistance training is the quickest way to your sexiest body.
If you push yourself with a good, intense resistance-training program, your muscles will respond. Not only will the pounds start dropping, but you’ll completely change your body shape for the better. You’ll lose fat thighs, flabby arms, and soft bellies. Your skin will appear firmer, too, and your bones and ligaments will become stronger.
The more lean muscle you have on your body, the more your metabolism rises. It is estimated that one pound of muscle requires fifty to a hundred calories per day to function. Increasing your lean muscle by as little as three to five pounds can have a profound effect on your daily caloric burn by raising your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories you expend while sitting or sleeping. So if you add three to five pounds of muscle to your body, your BMR will increase by 250 to 500 calories per day. If you maintain or decrease your calorie intake, that’s equivalent to one to three pounds of fat loss per week.
Great trainers know the importance of muscle. Many of us are able to eat whatever we want—not because of exceptional genetics, but because of muscle. So the more muscle, the more allowances in food you can eventually give yourself, or at least your battle to get thin will be so much easier.
I’d like to emphasize that starting this work-out program is not an excuse to pig out. Why would you spend hours burning off calories just to pile them back on? The goal is to be calorie-deficient each week, and exercising makes that happen. If you’re eating like a pig on workout days or rewarding yourself with too much food after every workout, you’ll be breaking even and not seeing strong results. If you burned five hundred calories during your workout, for example, then allow yourself a splurge or help yourself to second helpings at dinner every time, you’re wasting time and effort. When I feel tempted to overeat, I think to myself: Eating this cake means I have to triple my cardio tomorrow. That usually does the trick, because I hate cardio! Don’t blow your workouts with bad snacks.
Resistance training also changes the hormonal environment in your body—for the better. Two of the major fat-burning hormones, testosterone and growth hormone—which assist in building muscle and eliminating fat—skyrocket during your exercise sessions. Afterward, DHEA kicks in. DHEA is an amazing hormone, responsible for fat burning, muscle building, mood, sex drive, and immunity. Supplies dwindle with age, so do everything you can to keep levels high, including exercise.
Maybe you’re wondering: Do I have to join a gym to do this workout program, or can I do it at home?
You can absolutely do this workout at home, and not a lot of equipment is needed. You’ll want to invest in an exercise mat and two sets of dumbbells. One set should be lighter in weight (between three and eight pounds) and the other should be heavier (between twelve and fifteen pounds). Most of my exercises use the resistance of your own body weight, which is why you don’t need to buy much equipment.
There are advantages to being able to work out at home. You save a lot of excess time if you don’t have to drive. You can just walk into any room of your house you’ve designated as your workout area, and do your exercises. And you have complete privacy. My exercises can also be done in a hotel room, so you never have to miss a workout while on the road.
Of course, if you’re someone who likes the gym atmosphere, you can definitely do my program at a gym. There are lots of pluses to joining a gym. The people you meet there can be a very positive force in your life. They’re great role models who can provide an excellent support system. So if you join a gym, make friends with other members. It’s inspiring to be around people who are trying to accomplish the same goals you are.
If anybody knows about proper gym etiquette, it’s me. I own a gym and have to constantly stay on top of my staff to follow the rules. A lot of clients tell me that they’re intimidated by gyms because they feel they don’t know how to use the equipment or feel they are out of place, in the way. Part of feeling comfortable in the gym is knowing the rules of a gym. I’ll clear up a few of these for you, so you can go into any gym with confidence.
* Learn the proper operation of equipment. If you’re unsure of how something works, ask for assistance.
* Pick up after yourself. Put your weights away. The next people in line don’t want to hunt around for the weights they need or, worse yet, try to remove the weights you left out.
* Allow people to “work in.” Many people do multiple sets on the weight machines, then sit on the equipment during their recovery time. If someone is waiting to use the same machine, the proper etiquette is to allow her to work in or do her set while you recover. So do your set, get off, and let the other person work in. Don’t be shy about asking someone if you can work in, either. However, don’t work in if there are already two people waiting to use the same equipment.
* Don’t drop weights. Not only is dropping weights dangerous for your toes, but it damages the equipment and the floor. The rule of thumb is: If you can lift it, you can put it down gently.
* Observe time limits on cardio equipment. Some gyms have time limits (usually thirty minutes) on the cardio equipment (treadmills, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, and so on), especially during peak hours. If you see people waiting around to use your type of machine, be especially conscious of the time limit.
* Wipe your sweat off the equipment. Gyms are notorious places for spreading nasty germs like staph infections, so practice good hygiene. And always lay a towel on the equipment to protect yourself.
* Don’t disturb other gymgoers. The gym can be a great place to meet other healthy people. But don’t be too chatty. You are there to work to intensity. Stay focused on your goals.
If you’re going to do my program, you’ve got to be familiar with the workout language spoken. A quick read-through of the following terms, and you’ll be fluent.
* Rep. One complete motion of an exercise from starting position back to starting position.
* Sets. The specific number of reps you perform on one exercise.
* Form. The correct technique involved in performing an exercise. This typically involves proper posture and control of reps. A common mistake among exercisers is to do reps with rapid, jerky movements. This adds no real resistance and can actually damage your joints. Without resistance, muscles aren’t properly challenged and won’t respond as well.
* Routine. The complete series of exercises that you perform during your workout. A whole-body routine can be done in one session and repeated several times per week. Other routines are “split routines,” in which you work certain body parts like chest and triceps in one workout; legs and abs in another; and back, biceps, and shoulders in a third, with each body-part workout done on a different day.
* Circuit routine. This is a routine in which you perform numerous exercises back-to-back with little rest in between. An example is my Power Circuit training routine, which I’ll cover in chapter 10. One reason circuit training is so effective is that it targets more of your muscle fibers. This will help you burn more fat and get more definition.
* Contraction. Squeezing or tightening the muscle you are working.
* Resistance. The challenge (in the form of weights, resistance bands, or your own body weight) applied to muscular contraction.
* Failure. When you can no longer do another rep in good form. Your muscles have been exhausted.
* Rest. The time taken either between exercise sets or between workouts. Rest is necessary for muscle to repair and rebuild. During a workout, it takes one minute for your body to replenish muscle energy (technically known as ATP). In my routines, you rest your upper body while working your lower. That way, muscle energy is still being replaced, so you don’t have to slow down the pace of your workout. After a workout, allow the muscles you worked to rest for forty-eight hours. Don’t rest longer than two days, however. After two days of inactivity, less glucose is taken into your muscles as energy and is instead packed away as fat.
* Breathing. In resistance training, breathing means inhaling during the lifting phase and exhaling with the return movement. Make sure not to hold your breath during an exercise or you may become dizzy. When you hold your breath too long, blood flow to the head slows down, reducing the supply of oxygen to the brain.
* Frequency. How often you work out during the week. On my program, you’ll do Power Circuits three times a week, and cardio five times a week.
* Duration. How long your particular workout lasts. I believe in thirty-minute resistance routines that are very intense and twenty-minute cardio routines performed prior to resistance training.
You can do my program with or without a personal trainer. The advantage of working with a trainer is that he or she can keep you from plateauing, make you accountable, and push you harder than you can push yourself. When thinking about hiring a personal trainer, watch for these things:
* Certifications. Look for certification from one of the major health and fitness organizations. These include National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF), the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), the National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT), the American Fitness Training of Athletics (AFTA), the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), the International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA), and the American Fitness Institute (AFI). Also, ask about their background and length of experience, and whether they’re certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid. (Most certifications require CPR training, but it’s good to check anyway.)
* Experience. Ask how many years of experience a personal trainer has working with clients. Does he or she have expertise in a certain area of fitness that you enjoy or would like to learn? If you’ve always wanted to learn how to box, for example, make sure your trainer has the expertise to incorporate some boxing moves into your routine. A trainer should know your exercise history, injuries, training goals, and any pain you might have—and design sessions that account for this. If you are under the care of a medical or orthopedic physician, your personal trainer should also ask the doctor for medical clearance.
* Gender. I’m a strong believer that women should train women and men should train men. Women know another woman’s pain threshold and will not listen to whining and excuses. In my experience, men let a female client off the hook too easily the moment she complains. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. The most important thing is that you get a knowledgeable and experienced personal trainer who fits your style—because that is the professional who will help you achieve the best results.
* Cost. Decide how much you’re willing to spend and allow for that budget for at least three months. This will give you motivation and time to achieve your goals. Trainers can cost anywhere from twenty-five to two hundred dollars an hour or more, depending on their professional background, clientele, and services.
* Personality. Developing a personal yet professional relationship with your trainer is very important. Trust your instincts. Ask yourself if you think your trainer is willing to work hard with you. A personal trainer should be passionate and be willing to teach you how to empower yourself. Remember, your trainer is your life coach, not your friend. It never ends well when trainers and clients socialize too much together, because your workouts become chatty and less effective. Remember, it should be all about you! Many times, a personal trainer takes on the role of a therapist and should maintain that professional relationship.
* References. When possible, always talk to gym owners or managers about whom they would recommend for you, based on your goals and interests.
Now you’re ready to learn my exercises. I’m not going to give you the same old, boring exercises you’ve read about in every other fitness book. Take it from someone who has trained for more than twenty years: Variety is the key to success, especially with exercise. You can’t get consistent results if you’re bored. I don’t want you to be bored, so I’ve come up with a challenging program to which your body will quickly respond.