This is Ian Lauer and me in Malibu from a couple of years ago, shot by the amazing George Kontaxis. I think you can tell that Ian and I were very much a couple then, but we are now just very good friends. He remains one of the most important and special people in my life and I am blessed to know him.
Originally published on RxGirl on Wednesday, 15 August 2012. The original post was published with white text on white background, so the only way to read it on the site is to highlight the text. To make things easier for everyone, I have copied and pasted the article here for you to read.
http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/6311-booty-building-superset-routine.html
Booty Building Superset Routine
If I had given into my natural genetic setpoint which gave me a relatively flat booty due to my Japanese ancestry, I would never have transformed my posterior into what it is today. In recent years the quest for a round butt has been one of the most highly coveted physical attributes for women. In keeping with this highly sought goal, I am providing readers with a superset routine which will create the full and curvaceous look which fills out a pair of jeans nicely and turns heads in a good way!
THE ROUTINE
Make sure to move from one exercise within a superset to the next quickly, without rest. Once you have completed a superset, rest for 30 seconds then begin your next superset. Complete all sets in Superset 1, then complete all sets in Superset 2, etc.
Superset 1 –
5 sets of the following:
25 jump squats
20 stiff-legged deadlifts with dumbbells
15 stride jump crossovers How to do: Using a bench or plyo box, place one foot up on bench with that leg almost parallel to floor. Jump explosively over bench, springing off bench and landing with your other foot on the opposite side of the bench. Repeat on other side.
Superset 2 –
5 sets of the following:
15 walking dumbbell lunges
20 Butt Blaster
15 prone leg curls
Superset 3 –
4 sets of the following:
20 one-legged dumbbell deadlifts
20 one-legged cable kickbacks
Superset 4 –
20 one-legged leg press (lying on your side and pushing through your heel)
20 plie dumbbell squats holding dumbbell between legs with wide stance and squatting LOW
12 barbell good mornings
Originally published on mensphysique.com on Wednesday, 07 September 2011
There is nothing sexier than a man with a chiseled physique whose skin is like polished wood, healthy, smooth, and even. Yet I see so many male competitors who don’t seem to care about the appearance of their skin, and who sport an epidermis which looks and feels like a piece of driftwood.
Healthy skin that glows looks amazing onstage, takes spray tanner better, and reflects the optimal diet which competitors should be practicing. So how does one get such healthy skin?
There are general guidelines which should be followed:
Avoid long hot showers
Moisturize regularly, preferably right after you shower
Wear sunblock regularly
Increase water intake
Consume healthy fats with omega-3 fatty acids
Exfoliate with scrubs, washcloths or loofahs
Since skin is the largest organ system, and also since it reflects a person’s overall health, it is imperative to take the above steps to ensure that your skin will look its best.
While I am grateful for the boost in exposure and the public following I have built as a result of social media, I believe that for many people, social media channels are arbitrary and false measures of success. I will never believe that someone who builds a huge following on Instagram with a gallery of scantily clad selfies has anything to offer the world except spank-bank material. I also want no part of popularity contests which simply look at the number of followers in determining the value of an athlete, and I am bothered by the idea that my knowledge carries less power than the number of bikini images I have shot over the years. I see that several fitness personalities have built their names almost exclusively on sexy selfies, and truly wonder where they will be after people get tired of just seeing hot pics and no intellectual substance to fall back upon. I honestly think that unless they begin working on their intellectual legacy, no one will remember or care about them in ten years.
Another thing which social media platforms do is that they provide a lottery chance for just about anyone to get his or her 15 minutes of fame. It can be hard to predict what might pass the tipping point and go viral, but when it does, an overnight sensation is often created. The usual prerequisite of talent has been washed away by a jaded, overstimulated society which simply wants to see something different, weird, trashy or disturbing. At the risk of completely offending a certain prominent family, I will boldly state that I think it is entirely unfair that the Kardashian family has basked in the fruits of notoriety and increased wealth simply because they were willing to showcase their affluent, dysfunctional, entitled family dynamics for the world to see. As a strange bonus, the world has been subjected to a full-figured, sexually liberated, narcissistic big sister who derives great joy from slathering her ovoid form with Crisco and posting selfies that scream “It’s all about me”, and certainly not in a way which inspires others. What is so mind-blowing is that this family is globally famous, despite the fact that they fall into the “talentless hack” category.
Even as I write this post, I hope to get a lot of views and likes, and wouldn’t mind if it went viral. However, because this post reveals coherent thoughts rather than what kind of underwear I have on right now, I know that it has less of a chance of sparking interest and reactions in a society which is still very visual and dumbed down by the sexual overtones which drive advertising.
Every year we have the opportunity to start fresh with a brand new set of days to change our attitudes and tackle our goals. Many people start the new year with resolutions to embark on diet and fitness programs in an effort to get into the best shape of their lives, improve their health, or perhaps enter a bodybuilding contest. I am bracing myself for the influx of new gym members this month because I know they will pack my local gym, but I am also well aware of the attrition rate which also occurs each year. I applaud anyone who makes the effort to change old habits and who truly commits to a regular exercise program and clean meal plan, and believe it is important to implement supplements which can boost energy levels and hasten fat loss and weight loss efforts.
Two of my favorite fat burner supplements are SWAT Fuel’s 9mm and 9mm+P, both of which deliver sustained energy with no jitters or crash. These thermogenic capsules were formulated with military personnel and law enforcement offers in mind, who must remain razor sharp through long vigils and who must also wield weapons which require precision aim. A case of the jitters in these individuals could be disastrous, so it is reassuring to know that 9mm and 9mm+P deliver on their promise of steady and long lasting energy. The 9mm+P formula contains an appetite suppressant which is extremely effective in halting cravings and preventing overeating. Both of these products are also excellent for anyone who wants more energy, whether it be for a workout or for work.
Be sure to check out SWATFuel.com and order directly from them!
Original post published on mensphysique.com on Thursday, 02 June 2011
You may have heard that brows work like frames for the face, accentuating the eyes and helping to provide balance to facial features. So when I see a man who has brows which are so bushy that they overpower his features, I feel compelled to pull out some scissors and a tweezer and get to work. Of course the worst is the dreaded unibrow which can inspire fear in any attractive female.
My point is, pay attention to your brows! When you go up on stage, you want to make sure every part of you looks the best it can. If you are unsure about how to tweeze or shape your brows, go to a professional. Attending to this seemingly small detail can make an enormous difference in how you are received.
If you insist on trimming your brows yourself, make sure to use your natural brow shape as a guide, trimming any hairs which extend beyond this shape. Plucking those hairs in the center is a MUST as well.
Original post was published on mensphysique.com on Monday, 23 May 2011
So you’ve been spray tanned and your skin now resembles a piece of mahogany furniture. It’s time to get into the car or back to your hotel room and avoid contact with water lest you melt away like the Wicked Witch of the West.
It can be quite a task remembering not to sweat, get wet or have any restroom mishaps. Below I have provided a general guide to preserve that impeccable color until contest time.
1. Make sure to wear LOOSE clothing without elastic or tight necklines. The general rule is to wear drawstring pants and button down shirts, preferably in a soft cotton flannel material. The greater the surface area of skin covered, the better. It is better to go commando than to try to put on underwear, otherwise you may get smudges and lines from the elastic in your skivvies.
2. Avoid slinging bags over your shoulder. Instead, carry them in your hand by the handles, or better yet, use a roller bag.
3. If you are driving and it is a hot or humid day, turn on the air conditioning and let it run for a couple of minutes BEFORE you sit in the vehicle. Once in the vehicle, fasten the seatbelt loosely so that it doesn’t leave a strap mark across your chest.
4. Try to avoid sweating as much as possible, as sweat marks are trickier to fix than water marks. Sleep with the air conditioning on or point a fan at your bed to keep cool.
5. Do not apply antiperspirant/deodorant once you’ve been sprayed! The aluminum in the product will react with the self-tanner, turning your underarms green. Trust me, it’s not an attractive look. If you are really suffering from body odor, take a body spray and very lightly mist your underarms from at least a 12 inch distance.
6. Water is the enemy. Believe it! You need to avoid sprinklers, rain, sink basins, etc. Try to avoid automatic flushing toilets whenever possible. Be prepared for rainy weather no matter where you are – this means packing closed-toe shoes and an umbrella.
7. Though breast folds are more of an issue for women, men can also sweat in the inferior pectoral area, so be especially aware of sweating in that area and try to keep it as dry as possible.
8. Be careful using the restroom!
9. Do not engage in strenuous exercise or sexual activity until after the final show. Most people think they are being careful when they hit it, then end up frustrating and amusing their spray tanners when they come in for touchups. Unless you want to start all over again with tanning and end up upsetting the tanners, put your libido on the back burner!
http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/5936-excusitis-and-how-to-banish-it.html
The original post was published on Tuesday, 26 June 2012 on RxGirl.com. It is difficult to read on the site, so I have copied and pasted the article here for you to read.
As a physician and fitness professional I constantly encounter people who suffer from something I like to call “excusitis”. It is not uncommon for a patient to lament over her excess weight, using the fact that she has had children as an excuse for refusing to take charge over her life. Another common scenario is the man who is just entering middle age and is despondent over his growing belly, yet has no intention of giving up his preference for daily treks to fast food establishments. The list goes on and on, but every rationalization I have heard has been based on skewed logic and entrenched in a basic refusal to take ownership in a person’s own responsibility for not being in shape.
I understand that making a decision to be healthy and fit can be very challenging because it requires a person to be held accountable for unhealthy patterns and behaviors. This is complicated by the fact that the American diet is so heavily reliant on processed foods that most people have trained their brains and bodies to hold onto fat and function at a suboptimal level. To be truly fit, a mental shift must occur which motivates oneself to obliterate the old patterns which have served as a blockade to attaining better health. Initially these lifestyle changes can be daunting since they are in opposition to how the person has become accustomed to living. However, if one persists in adopting healthy behaviors, cravings for unhealthy foods will dissipate and a transformation of mind will occur, with the body soon following along.
Excuses are an easy way out and are reflective of the pervasive message which society sends out. What do I mean by this? If you think about all the fad diets, diet pills, and other weight loss gimmicks which are on the market, it is no surprise that many individuals are threatened by the idea of being proactive about their own health and fitness. Without sugar-coating it, lifelong fitness and wellness rely on a foundation which takes time to establish and which require commitment on the part of the individual.
I find that by sharing before and after photos and transformation stories of individuals who have lost a tremendous amount of weight or battled cancer only to stand later as a beacon of optimal health and fitness, I can often impact patients and clients in a very powerful way. The stories I share are of ordinary people who were often in horrific shape prior to deciding to take a proactive stance on their own health, many of whom are now fitness professionals who serve as incredible inspiration for others. Once I share transformation stories with a patient or client, I set specific goals and monitor their progress within a program. For those who cannot afford to see a physician, dietitian, trainer or coach, there are a multitude of resources available now, from online training and food logs to online support groups which will help a person to stay on track.
If you have been vacillating between taking charge of your life and wallowing in self-pity, it is time to stop making excuses and choose the former. You will be rewarded with better health, greater vitality, a more fit body and a boost in self-confidence. It’s a win-win situation.
