What do you do when there’s pain in the body that affects your daily activities? You can address the pain with rest and/or with controlled stretching exercises. Depending on the specific injury and severity of your pain and injury – it’s best to consult your Doctor on that – I would recommend both. As for sciatica relief (from leg pain due to compression of the sciatic nerve) here are some simple stretching exercises that can help. Always remember to breathe slowly and deeply and send your positive energy to the area of discomfort. And smile! Enjoy your 5 minute fat burning workout #20 – R
Another day, another fat burning workout
In keeping with our theme to burn fat while sculpting your thighs, workout #3 of my 5 minute fat burning series employs the age old exercise most commonly referred to as the lunge. For anyone looking to start a new fitness program, keep it simple and make sure you do something everyday – even for only 5 minutes. It will help establish a strong foundation that will propel you to greater fitness heights. Enjoy your workout – R
Sculpt your thighs
Who doesn’t want to burn fat and sculpt and beautify their thighs? It’s a human thing, right, but workout #2 of my 5 minute fat burning series uses that powerful Warrior stance named after the Hindu folklore’s warrior Virabhadra. In yoga terms, the Sanscrit for warrior is Virabhadrasana. So get your warrior on and come sculpt those thighs!
Making Progress with a Pass-Fail Approach
About a month ago I gave my 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts to a friend in New York City. He was actually one of my “prototype” users when I was customizing the full body low-impact exercises. Think Tony Soprano but shorter. He’s also late 40’s with amazing abilities in the kitchen. Albeit, his love of food has certainly helped sustain his 70 lbs. of extra weight. And since he’s never been much of a gym person – nor would he be caught dead in a yoga studio – the 1% or 15 minutes of your life routine works great. It’s also one that anybody can complement with power walks or abdominals & stretching. And in my friend’s case, I’ve encouraged him to take my Pass-Fail Approach. It goes as follows: At the end of each day you write a P or F into your calendar, P for pass if you worked out that day (15 minutes or more) and F if you did not; at the end of 7 days you’ll grade each week with a P or F, Pass if you have more Ps than Fs, and Fail if vice versa; and at the end of the year or 52 weeks later, if you have 26 or more Ps, you PASSED for the entire year. Which means you worked out at least one hour a week for at least half the year – 26 hours – which is excellent if you really don’t workout. Like my friend who says he’s making excellent progress. Progress with his personal Pass-Fail Approach, and progress with all the challenging yoga and balancing I’ve got him doing as he gets stronger and more confident with each workout. So take a Pass-Fail Approach and keep on progressing. I’ll see you tomorrow – R
Triceps anyone?
Sometimes you just don’t have the time or just don’t feel like changing into workout clothes just to workout, right? Well who says you have to find time or wear something workout-ish? Do one thing for a couple of minutes and you’ll get your workout in – at least part of it. Like when you’re waiting for that email, or that phone call, or your girlfriend to get ready, or that client to show up. Check out me working triceps here on my favorite reading chair (dining room and office chairs are even better). Apply “yoga principles” as you plant your feet slightly apart with knees at right angles pressing together. Keep your chin parallel to the floor, your spine straight and dip slowly until your elbows reach right angles (no need to go further), pointing your elbows toward each other. Do not to jerk your head or neck. Note: always be sensitive to any tweaks or pains in your neck as well as your shoulders, elbows and wrists. Move with slow and deliberate movements. Nothing fancy and make sure the chair is properly weighted to support this exercise. Strengthen your arms and build stamina with these simple dips using whatever’s available to you. Do as many repetitions as you can per set, and as many sets as you can – with short breaks in between until you feel the burn and can’t do any more. It’ll happen quick. And always maintain good posture, close your mouth and breathe slowly and quietly like the sound of the ocean, and pick a point of focus to wipe your mind clear. Enjoy – R
Point of no return
I just visited my thirty-something year old friend who was speaking about her weight when she said, “I know what it’s like to be past the point of no return”. She spoke with such conviction about how everyone struggling with weight loss reaches a specific point of no return. Last week I gave her my 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts and stopped by today to check in on her and to drop one off for her girlfriend. She hasn’t started the workouts, but said she would today – after much cajoling on my part. When I asked her why not, she said it was “mental”. Actually she’s doing quite well, mentally and physically, considering she weighed 218 lbs. two years ago. She also said her exact “point of no return” was 180 lbs, and that once she reached that point she pretty much gave up hope – and desire – of getting the weight off and skipped right past 200 until her final stop at 218. And can you believe this adorably funny gal started college weighing 106 lbs? The good news is when she finally reached 218 she started with a well-known weight loss program that helped get her down to today’s weight of 180. Hmmm. I suppose now it’s the “point of return”. Next stop 140. So she says. And so I believe – as long as she believes and continues to make good choices. Because with a daily fitness program complemented by a positive mindset and positive lifestyle choices, anything is possible. Enjoy your workout – R
Based on yoga principles
When I refer to exercises being based on yoga principles, I’m referring to the how you do the exercise as compared to what you do and how often you do it. In the gym this morning I overheard this twenty-something guy ask Mr. Adonis (check out my earlier blog “External Motivation”) what he should do for his biceps and how often he should do it. He also said he only read about it on the internet and found many different opinions. That’s correct. When it comes to asking any weightlifter or certified personal trainer their opinions about weightlifting, they all vary. Just like yoga teachers are like snowflakes – they’re all different – so are opinions of what you should do in the gym. But here’s something that I’ve brought into my workouts – and you can too – where you can’t go wrong: think yoga principles in everything you do. Like biceps. Take a look at my posture and balance in the left picture – much like my posture and balance in the right picture. In yoga terms that’s chair pose or Utkatasana (in Sanskrit). Make sure the energy is radiating straight down through the crown like a steel rod going all the way through your spine down to the middle of your heels planted firmly on the ground. Relax your toes and try not to swing or alter your posture when curling. And curl slowly and deliberately for a better burn. This way is more challenging than the usual swinging people do to get the dumbbells or bar up. It’s also much more focused and effective. And for specific lessons on bringing yoga principles into your everyday life – and the weight room – check out my Yoga Survival Guide. There’s expert instruction on 100 key yoga poses filmed throughout the streets of Hollywood, Venice Beach and the LA Zoo! There’s even Baking Yoga, Traffic Yoga and Prison Yoga – made especially for Lindsay Lohan. So think yoga principles and enjoy your workout – R
Everything worth doing takes time
Have you heard of the new 787 Dreamliner that’s due to hit the market this fall? It’s promised to be the most advanced, fuel-stingy passenger jet ever made – at a mere $200 million each. But it’s three years overdue and billions of dollars over budget. No worries! Because once it’s ready, travelers will experience shorter and more comfortable trips in a passenger plane that’s the fastest, largest, brightest, lightest, and cleanest – with the purest air quality – ever made. Sounds great to me. Because everything worth doing takes time. Like building a better and more durable plane to achieving a healthier, leaner and better looking body by way of daily fat burning. That’s why my 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts are designed to be effective and easy-to-follow without all that jumping around. More importantly, I believe a simple and attainable workout program is worth doing, but also one that’s successful over time. And I say attainable because they’re low impact exercises based on yoga principles that anyone can do for only 15 minutes a day – 1% of your life. Unlike most high-impact fat burning programs that are more complicated and require much more time. So take a long term approach to your health and fitness, and just like the new Dreamliner, look forward to the results you patiently desire. Enjoy your workout – R
Cultivate self-discipline
The topic of my horoscope today was self-discipline and how no one is born with it, but is something that must be fostered. I believe self-discipline is something you can cultivate everyday with conscious thoughts, feelings and actions. And since actions lead to results, than it’s best we take positive and deliberate actions on anything in our lives that will lead to positive and desired results. In the case of physical well being, it’s therefore important to take action that will lead to a healthier, leaner and longer life. By embracing a daily fitness program, whether it be walking, biking, weight-lifting, yoga, or any other preferred form of exercise, you’ll be cultivating self-discipline everyday in the realm of physical well being. Which also helps strengthen your mental well being. So if you’ve already broken that New Year’s resolution to workout every day, don’t despair. Leave those negative thoughts behind and start your new routine today. Because who doesn’t have 15 minutes a day to achieve a strong body and a clear mind? Enjoy your workout! R
A good hurt
I just got off the phone with my sister who’s been doing my fat burning workouts for past two weeks. She says she loves them and after every workout she feels the burning which she eloquently calls “a good hurt”. She especially favors Thursday’s core and abdominal workout – which she usually does in addition to whatever day she’s on. Something I highly recommend, as you can certainly tell, since I’m quite the fan of working your abs every single day! And today she made it a family affair by having my niece (age 11) and my nephew (age 10) join her for Sunday’s workout. They loved it too! So if you’re looking for something the whole family can do on a rainy Sunday afternoon, well there you have it – 15 minute fat burning workouts for anyone of any size, weight, age or gender. And I’ll see you tomorrow – R