Tag fitness

Gym Etiquette

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gymetiquette
Starting today, fitness centers and gyms will be jammed with new members anxious to get into shape in the new year, filled with hope and enthusiasm, while those of us who are regular gym-goers will watch with dread. We will brace ourselves for the new faces, knowing that many them have no clue about gym etiquette. In honor of all gym rats, I am posting this list of guidelines so those of you who are new to the gym environment are alerted to the pet peeves which we harbor.

GYM ETIQUETTE 101:

1. Do not sit on equipment between sets, put your gym bag on a machine you are not using, lean on a machine you are not using, or otherwise hog equipment.
2. Bathe and wear deodorant before coming to the gym. No one wants to smell your stench while working out!
3. Wipe down machines after using them, using a fresh paper towel and sanitizing spray. Do NOT use your sweat-laden towel, sweatshirt or t-shirt.
4. Allow others to work in on equipment. Someone else can knock a set out while you are catching your breath between sets.
5. Do not hit on the ladies while at the gym. This is SO annoying! I have heard just about every pick-up line you can imagine while at the gym.
6. Don’t grunt excessively while training.
7. Don’t make a habit of checking yourself out in the mirror.
8. Don’t drop the weights on the floor. It damages equipment and is extremely irritating to those around you.
9. Re-rack your weights. This is a MAJOR pet peeve with me! If you want to prove that you are a beast by racking eight 45 pound plates on each side of a leg press machine, REMOVE them when you are done! I recently asked someone very nicely to re-rack this same quantity of plates and he pitched a fit, throwing a couple of the plates onto the floor then stomping off.
10. Leave your negative attitude at home. Do not yell, swear, throw things, hit machines or start arguments.
10. Do not wear strong fragrances. People are often allergic to certain scents and can go into asthma attacks from such triggers.
11. Do NOT interrupt people when they are in the middle of a set! I honestly do not know what goes through some people’s minds to believe that it is acceptable to rudely interrupt one’s set to talk to them. Don’t do it!

Gymrulez

Modeling Is Hard Work

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Ah yes, the life of a model. Many people believe that modeling is glamorous and easy, and that all a model needs to do is to look pretty and stand there while a photographer keeps clicking the camera shutter. Well, I am here to tell you that modeling is hard work. Before you start snickering, consider this: you often have to work in climate extremes, so imagine modeling swimsuits in 40 degree Fahrenheit weather, or parkas in 100 degree Fahrenheit weather. Though you may be freezing or unbearably hot, you must look like you are having a great time during the shoot. You have to be ON when you are in front of that camera.

I actually remember a photographer bitching at me in 2010 about having goosebumps in several shots on the beach. Despite my smiling face and proper posing, those little bumps gave away the fact that I was freezing my butt off. It infuriated me that a photographer could be that insensitive and complain about a physiological process I had no control over. This was also after 16 wardrobe changes and 7 hours straight of shooting.

Models are often expected to work in hazardous environments, perched on a rock, standing on the edge of a cliff, lying in the middle of a road, etc. I have actually done all of these things and was fortunate enough to work with photographers who were concerned for my safety and comfort during those shoots. Sometimes the weather refuses to cooperate, usually by throwing gusts of wind into the mix to make hair and wardrobe rebel to the point of frustration for both the photographer and model. If a photographer’s assistant or makeup artist is not on hand to assist with the shoot, the model must be aware of small details such as tags hanging from clothing, strands of hair falling the wrong way, etc

Good models know how to evoke different moods through their facial expressions and body language, and are also able to read the photographer’s cues so that the shoot goes smoothly. There is a joke in the fitness industry about men giving the “blue steel” look in EVERY SINGLE IMAGE. Guys, that look gets very old very quickly. For the ladies, doing the “Ohhhhh” expression with the mouth may look sexy, but when it is done incessantly, it begins to lose its appeal as well. The most interesting models know how to deliver a myriad of different smiles, sexy looks, scowls or whatever expression the shoot calls for.

Models also may be asked to work for many hours with no breaks at all. We are often asked to hold poses for extended periods of time so that the photographer can adjust the camera angle, exposure, or lighting. I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten cramps from holding one pose for several minutes. The pose which I am pictured in here was one I held for ten minutes straight. Pretzel Pose

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely adore modeling and I have a very positive attitude whenever I shoot. I just wanted to dispel any misconceptions about modeling and make it clear that it truly is work.

When Your Body Says Slow Down…Dealing With Injuries

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Bodybuilders and fitness people are the most driven people around, but they often lose sight of the fact that rest days are an essential part of the muscle recovery and building process. Even injuries won’t stop them from continuing to train. I can relate and have to admit that I have been practicing this for the past two months. The fear of muscle atrophy and descent into something less than muscle goddess status has kept me locked into a regular lifting routine, and though I train with less intensity than I am accustomed to, I am always pushing the envelope to see what I can perform without aggravating existing injuries.
tennis elbow
It has been frustrating to say the least to deal with such significant pain in my forearm, shoulder and neck that I can’t even lift a drinking glass without experiencing dagger-like pain in my forearm. I want to push through the pain, but the associated muscle weakness and nerve irritation are at times so severe that I am not able to. For those of you who are wondering what loss of strength I am dealing with, I can do lateral raises on the left side with a 10 pound weight, while a 3 pound weight on the right side sends burning, shooting pains and cramping along my arm and elbow. Consequently, I am training my upper body at about 60 percent of the intensity level I usually train at.

It has also been a real eye opener for me to discover how much I rely on my right hand for activities. Though I write and draw with my left hand, I perform all sports with my right hand and used to play guitar right-handed. So the tennis elbow which crept up on me has been more crippling than I had ever anticipated.

Normal people would just back off from training completely. I have continued to train, albeit at a reduced intensity. I have also employed the use of muscle creams, ibuprofen, arnica, massage, stretching, ice, sports bands, all to no avail. They say that doctors make the worst patients and I am no exception.

I advise patients to avoid doing what I have been doing! Listen to your body and allow your injury to go through a full healing period without training. Though you may lose muscle, you will be far less likely to re-injure yourself.

January Ironman Magazine Hardbody Feature

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2014-01-Jan-TOC
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/january-2014-table-of-contents/

Check this out! I am so honored to be chosen for the Hardbody Feature in the January 2014 issue of Ironman Magazine. You will find the six-page feature starting on page 118.

You can download the PDF of the magazine or find it on newsstands.

“But I Can’t Cook!”

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Chicken breastsNutritional consultations are always interesting for me because I find out how truly weird some people’s eating habits are. Busy work and life schedules are often to blame for poor eating habits, but when I hear patients say that they are completely devoid of any cooking skills, I begin to wonder if they were ever encouraged to learn how to cook. I truly believe that every adult should have basic cooking skills. It is not that difficult to cook eggs in a skillet, throw meat on a broiler, cook oatmeal or bake a potato. It’s not as if any of those items require advanced culinary skills in order to make them tasty!

You should be able to cook different types of meat without much effort. Other than meat (and this includes red meat, poultry and fish), you can simply purchase frozen or fresh vegetables and eat them with minimal prep beforehand. Get a cookie sheet and some nonstick cooking spray. Take chicken breasts, pre-formed turkey or beef patties, or fish fillets and place them on the sprayed cookie sheet. With poultry and beef, you can broil these meats for about eight minutes, then flip over, broiling for another eight to ten minutes. If the chisken breasts are very thick, slice them lengthwise so that they cook more quickly and more evenly. Make sure the centers of the chicken breasts are cooked through and not pink. With fish, you are better off baking them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for six to eight minutes, flipping over, then baking for another six to eight minutes. If you are feeling adventurous, you can add some light salt-free seasoning or salt and pepper.

It really isn’t that difficult to cook, so why not try cooking up some lean protein this week?