A study published in The Lancet monitored 416,175 men and women from 1996 to 2008 and found that the group that exercised only 15 minutes a day,  (about 90 minutes a week) had a 14% reduced risk of all-cause mortality and a 3 year longer life expectancy.

So what are you waiting for?

Here’s a quick workout you can do at home in 15 minutes.

Warm Up

• March – knees high 30 seconds
• Jumping Jacks – 30 seconds
• Jump Rope – 30 seconds
• Hop side to side – 30 seconds

Perform the group of exercises as a circuit.  Do as many reps as you can in 60 seconds. Finish the circuit, rest 30-60 seconds and repeat.

Cool Down and stretch before you call it quits.

Medicine Ball Slams

Hold a ball over your head and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. While keeping your elbows slightly bent, explosively lift the ball up and then slam it to the floor in front of you. Grab the ball on the rebound and repeat.

Air Squat to bench

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your chest up, bend your knees and lower your bum until it touches the bench/chair. Try not to let your knees extend over your toes. Return to a standing position.

Push-ups

Do the Push-ups against the wall or with hands on a bench if you aren’t ready to do a full push-up on the floor.

Mountain Climbers

• Start in a straight arm plank position
• With a straight body line, step in towards the hands with one foot
• Simultaneously switch feet position (the forward leg extends back and the extended leg comes forward).
• Progress this exercise so that it is done quickly.

Climb the Stairs

When you’re ready for more of a challenge, grap a set of dumbbells and hold them at your side as you climb.

Reverse Crunch

Lie on your back, lift legs so they are perpendicular to the floor, hands on the floor at your sides. From here raise your tailbone up off the ground and slowly bring back to starting position.

Review by Judy Garlough

Author Jillian Micheals

Copyright 2009 by Empowered Media

You will learn lots from “Master your Metabolism”:

• That there are 12 hormones in the body that effect how you store and burn fat.
• That hormones affect more than menopausal women.
• How the enviornment and food supply disrupts your body’s natural balance.
• Why you do not lose weight no matter how little you eat or how much you exercise.  And why the weight does not stay off.
• First you need to be healthy to be thin.

Jilliam Micheals was once a total chubster and addicted to caffeine.  She’s human just like the rest of us.

Jillian does not give you the theory and then leave you hanging, she provides you with a step by step plan to remove the toxins from your body and environment, restore your lost nutrients and re-balance your energy levels.

Master your Metabolism provides you with meal plans, recipes, and shopping lists.   A book that you definitely need to keep as a reference guide.

What I enjoyed about this book was the fact that it took me through the journey of the author’s personal struggle.  Her issues were solved by research and developed into an extensive, detailed solution.

After reading “Master your Metabolism” you’ll learn that hormones are not an excuse to be unhealthy. In “Master your Metabolism” there is a step by step solution to ends to years of frustration and disappointment.

Get the most out of your bicep work.  Double up and lift a dumbbell while holding a band!  It’s really tough.

The band provides more tension at the top of the movement, the dumbbell is harder to move at the bottom of the movement.  Couple the two tools for a consistent contraction on the muscle.  Whoa… try it any let me know what you think.

Enjoy & build those biceps!

by Sophie Roy

Omega 3 Fish Oils are one of the largest categories in the industry today.  We all know that we should be taking a high quality fish oil, but why?  Here are a few reasons to remind you just how important a fish oil supplement really is:

1. Arthritis and Inflammatory Conditions

The powerful anti-inflammatory properties of Omega-3 oils from fish help reduce stiffness in joints and help relieve joint and muscle pain.

2. Attention Deficit Disorder and Memory

Recent research reveals that Omega-3’s, specifically DHA, help increase focus and memory retention in children and adults.

3. Cholesterol, Blood Pressure & Heart Disease

Omega-3 oils promote healthy cholesterol levels in the body by helping to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and raise good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Clinical research also reveals reductions in blood pressure with the intake of Omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Depression and Mood Regulation

Regular supplementation of omega 3 fatty acids helps to elevate mood and lessen depression and anxiety. High potency fish oil with added Vitamin D is very useful in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder or the “winter blues”.

5. Digestive System Health

Regular Omega-3 supplementation helps to soothe and lubricate the bowel, ease elimination and support overall digestive health.

6. Healthy Eyes

Fish Oil supplements reduce the risk of age related vision problems including macular degeneration. The DHA found in fish oil is important for the visual development in infants.

7. Diabetes

Fish oil can help to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

8. Improved Brain Function in Babies

Pregnant women who took a high quality fish oil supplement had babies with higher IQs and fewer learning disorders, and were less likely to develop mental retardation or cognitive delays.

9. Skin disorders

The Journal of Lipid Research announced in 2005 that a few benefits of fish oil regarding skin condition are oil production regulation, increased hydration, reduced acne and fewer wrinkles.

10. Weight Loss

Studies show that fat loss benefits of fish oil combined with diet and exercise were significantly greater than diet and exercise alone.

Over 7000 studies on omega-3 fatty acids seem to support the fact that virtually everyone should be using fish oils. Have you taken yours today?

My goal will be to maintain my current weight over the holidays….  & that might be hard enough! OMG I embarrassed myself last Friday night at the Indian Buffet —  I think I ate my own weight in food!

So here’s my plan for the holiday season:

MOVE – At the party mingle, take picture, sing at the karaoke station….  Anything but hang around the food table.  And when you do nibble at the table, limit the complex carbs.  Have a number in mind before you head out to the event — allow 1-2 pieces for the evening.

BALANCE – Eat mindfully the day you’re going out.  Eat smaller meals during the day to allow a few extra calories in the evening.  If you’re planning to have a glass of wine, reduce the intake of fruit for that day.

WATER – Water down alcoholic drinks; I’ve gotten into the habit of indulging in a white wine spritzer:   Ok so the buzz may not be as good, but it’s 1/2 the calories.  Totally worth it. : )

EXERCISE – Keep the focus on your training regime.  If it’s hard to get motivated, invest in a new exercise program, try a new exercise class or give yourself an early Christmas gift of new workout cloths.

The following information is taken directly from Consumer Lab  - An independent research company that test nutritional and health products.  Read on to understand the many benefits of vitamin D (including weight loss and the prevention of depression).

When to take Vitamin D & how much is equally important and are included at the bottom of the article.

A recent study found that older women (69 years and older) whose vitamin D levels were low had a greater risk of being frail. Frail individuals were those experiencing at least three of the following criteria: weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, slowness, and low physical activity.

Research has found that men with low levels of vitamin D in the blood were at increased risk for heart attack compared to those with sufficient levels. This may contribute to the higher rate of cardiovascular mortality among black Americans compared to white Americans, as blacks tend to have lower vitamin D levels.

More recently, an analysis of two large studies showed that men who consumed 600 IU or more per day of vitamin D from foods and supplements were 16% less likely to have cardiovascular disease and stroke over a period of approximately 20 years compared to men consuming less than 100 IU per day. The same association was not seen among women; the reason for this is unclear but one possible explanation given is that women may need higher intake of vitamin D because they tend to have a higher percentage of body fat than men and vitamin D is fat soluble.

Lower levels of vitamin D are also associated with a higher risk and severity of depression.  A study in Italy, for example, showed that older women with low vitamin D levels were twice as likely to develop depressive mood as those with higher levels.  Older men with low levels were 60% more likely to develop depressive mood. Data from the same study showed that those who were severely vitamin D deficient were approximately 60% more likely than those who were vitamin D sufficient to experience substantial cognitive decline. 

A study from Finland suggested that high vitamin D status provides protection against Parkinson’s disease. People with the highest vitamin D levels had a 65% lower risk of developing Parkinson disease than those with the lowest vitamin D levels.

Low levels of vitamin D are also associated with a higher risk in women of developing rheumatoid arthritis. There is conflicting evidence about whether vitamin D helps reduce the overall risk of dying from cancer, although studies have consistently shown that higher vitamin D serum levels were associated with decreased risk of death from gastrointestinal cancers.

Studies suggest that vitamin D may also improve balance and reduce the risk of falls in older adults, for reasons that aren’t clear. However, a recent study in women aged 70 and older who were at-risk for bone fracture showed an increase in falls and fractures among those given an extremely high, single, annual dose (500,000 IU) of vitamin D_3. 

A review of studies found that daily vitamin D intake over 500 IU decreased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 13% compared with intake of less than 200 IU. However, vitamin D supplementation was not shown to effect glucose tolerance among people with established type 2 diabetes. There is preliminary evidence that giving vitamin D supplements to infants might decrease the risk of type 1 diabetes later in life.

Weak evidence hints that if women avoid vitamin D deficiency it might reduce their risk of multiple sclerosis.

A study in post-menopausal women showed 400 IU of vitamin D₃ and 1,000 mg of calcium daily were less likely to gain small to moderate amounts of weight compared to women taking placebo.

Take Vitamin D with Food

It is not uncommon for a person being treated for vitamin D deficiency to fail to achieve adequate serum levels. A small but striking study at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Bone Clinic suggests that one reason may be that such people are taking vitamin D supplements on an empty stomach or with a small meal, usually breakfast or lunch. In the study, 17 such people were instructed, instead, to take the same supplement with the largest meal of the day, usually supper. After 2 to 3 months, researchers found that serum vitamin D levels had increased, on average, by 56.7%. This magnitude of increase was seen across a wide range of vitamin D dosage and forms (D₂ and D₃). As vitamin D is fat soluble, it is generally recommended that it be taken with a meal containing fats. However, based on this study, it may be best to take vitamin D with your largest meal of the day, which is likely to contain the most fat.

 Foods containing Vitamin D include:

• Fish-liver oils
• Fortified milk
• Fatty Fish

The recommend dose is 1000IU/day

Down to 13% body fat.  Not going to lean out anymore until after New Year.  Ordered my “bedazzled” competition suit today!

Most of you know that I’m competing in a Ms.Figure competition in April of next year — I’ll need to get to 13% body fat percentage.   I posted a picture – currently at 117 lbs & about 17% body fat.

As a Personal Trainer I definitely want to represent a healthy lifestyle but I’m getting mixed messages about my physic.

At 48 I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life & love the training.  I find it difficult to put myself out there, but I decided to post my progress so far.  what ‘cha think?  feel free to share your honest feedback:  too thin & shouldn’t lose any more, add some weight or keep going?