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Discussion On Glute Exercise #4: Stiff-Legged Deadlifts

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In the Top Ten Glute Exercise Video Series Ian Lauer CSCS and IFBB Men’s Physique Pro and I presented ten exercises which we felt were the most effective for building and tightening up the glutes. Number four on the list was the Stiff-Legged Deadlift, which I will describe here.

Stand with feet close together with a barbell on the floor in front of you. Bend forward only at the hips with knees straight (but not locked out) and grab the barbell in front of you with a close grip. NOTE: some lifters like to do an “over-under” grip, where one hand is in an underhand grip while the other is in an overhand grip, but I tend to prefer a bilateral overhand grip. Keep the barbell very close to the body as you extend at hips while driving through the heels and squeezing the glutes as you stand up. When you come back down to the floor, exaggerate pushing your booty out to maximize the stretch in the glutes and hams. Make sure to keep your back straight and do not arch.

Recommended rep range is 12 to 15 repetitions, 5 sets total.

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Discussion On Glute Exercise #5: Diagonal Lunges

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In the Top Ten Glute Exercise Video Series Ian Lauer CSCS and IFBB Men’s Physique Pro and I presented ten exercises which we felt were the most effective for building and tightening up the glutes. Number five on the list was the Diagonal Lunge, which I will describe here.

Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with feet together. Step with right foot forward and to the right at a 45 degree angle, then return to start. Repeat with other leg. When you step forward, emphasize the heel strike and make sure your body weight drives through the heels.

TIPS: When you step into the lunge, the back knee should almost touch the floor. Also make sure that the front knee does not extend beyond the toes.

This exercise can be done stationary or walking. The difference if you are doing walking diagonal lunges is that after you step forward into the lunge, the back leg will be brought forward as well. You will shift your weight onto the front leg, then step forward with the opposite leg. Basically, you will be making a zig-zag lunge walk across the gym floor.

Recommended rep range is 12 to 15 repetitions, 4 to 5 sets total.

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Discussion On Glute Exercise #6: Plie Squat

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In the Top Ten Glute Exercise Video Series Ian Lauer CSCS and IFBB Men’s Physique Pro and I presented ten exercises which we felt were the most effective for building and tightening up the glutes. Number six on the list was the Plie Squat, which I will describe here.

Hold a dumbbell at the end (not at the handle) between your legs and stand with feet wider than shoulder width apart. Make sure toes are slightly turned out. Flex deeply at the hips and knees so you are squatting low. Avoid hunching or leaning over and keep upper body upright. Keep your heels planted on the floor and emphasize pushing into them during the movement while squeezing your glutes in the resting phase. VERY IMPORTANT: when you come up, do not come up all the way, but only halfway so you are still engaged in a squatting movement throughout the set.

Recommended rep range is 12 to 20 repetitions, 4 to 6 sets total.

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Discussion On Glute Exercise #7: Single Leg Press

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In the Top Ten Glute Exercise Video Series Ian Lauer CSCS and IFBB Men’s Physique Pro and I presented ten exercises which we felt were the most effective for building and tightening up the glutes. Number seven on the list was the Single Leg Press, which I will describe here.

Place one foot on the middle of the leg press platform and place other foot firmly on floor to maximize a stretch in the glutes. Push plate with foot, straighening out hip and knee without locking knee while driving through the heel and squeezing your butt. Move relatively quickly during this exercise so that you get maximum glute recruitment and really burn out the muscle. Complete a full set with one leg, then switch legs without resting.

Recommended rep range is 10 to 25 repetitions for each leg, 4 to 6 sets total. For a challenge, aim for 30 repetitions on higher rep days.

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Discussion On Glute Exercise #8: Cable Kickbacks

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In the Top Ten Glute Exercise Video Series Ian Lauer CSCS and IFBB Men’s Physique Pro and I presented ten exercises which we felt were the most effective for building and tightening up the glutes. Number eight on the list was Cable Kickbacks, which I will describe here.

Put ankle cuffs on. attach one cuff to low pulley cable. stand so you are facing weight stack. hold onto handles for support. kick leg that is attached straight back, keeping leg straight but not locking knee. squeeze that glute. don’t arch back.

Recommended rep range is 12 to 20 repetitions for each leg, 4 to 5 sets total. If you can, work up to 25 repetitions per set on higher rep days.

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Discussion On Glute Exercise #9: Bench Step-Up

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In the Top Ten Glute Exercise Video Series Ian Lauer CSCS and IFBB Men’s Physique Pro and I presented ten exercises which we felt were the most effective for building and tightening up the glutes. Number nine on the list was the Bench Step-Up, which I will describe here.

Stand with a bench in front of you, holding dumbbells in each hand. Step onto bench with your right leg and extend leg fully so you are standing on the bench with the right foot. When you do this make sure to concentrate your weight on the heel of the foot and squeeze your right glute at the top of the movement. As you extend the right leg, you will flex the left leg at the knee and hip so that it is tucked next to the right leg.

Switch legs.

Recommended rep range is 12 to 20 repetitions for each leg, 4 to 5 sets total.

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Discussion on Glute Exercise #10: Bench Hip Raise

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In the Top Ten Glute Exercise Video Series Ian Lauer CSCS and IFBB Men’s Physique Pro and I presented ten exercises which we felt were the most effective for building and tightening up the glutes. Number ten on the list was the Bench Hip Raise, which I will describe here.

You will need a bench which is what your shoulders and head will rest on during the exercise. Your body will be perpendicular to the plane of the bench surface. Plant your feet on the floor about shoulder width apart and knees bent to 90 degrees so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Place a weight plate (I usually use a 45 pound plate but you should start with a lower weight until you feel comfortable with this move) on your thighs. This is your starting position.

Flex at the hips so that you sink down with your glutes almost touching the floor, then come back up while squeezing your glutes to return to the starting position.

Recommended rep range is 10 to 15 repetitions, 4 to 5 sets total.

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Cheat Meals

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If you ask a competitor about favorite cheat meals, you had better expect the person’s eyes to glaze over as he or she lovingly describes his or her most beloved foods. You may wonder if cheat meals are only incorporated into the lives of fitness people, but they actually serve a purpose for anyone who is committed to healthy eating. Perhaps you have just embarked on a healthy food regimen and are struggling a bit with it. When you incorporate one or two cheat meals into your plan each week you will boost your metabolism and foster a more balanced relationship with food.

Let’s face it. We are only human, and we carry our emotional relationship with food with us throughout our lives. If we were to practice a rigid adherence to a healthy meal plan without any fun meals, we would feel guilty if we were to ever indulge in a bad food in a moment of weakness. If we know that we are allowed such a fun meal (I prefer this terminology over “cheat” meal), we can rest in the comfort that it is acceptable and that there is no reason to feel guilty about consuming it. This also works nicely if you tend to go to events on the weekends and don’t want to be the stick-in-the-mud who can’t eat anything that is being served.

When you eat a more calorie controlled meal plan during the rest of the week, a fun meal will speed up your metabolism and satisfy cravings that have been accumulating during the week. I believe it is important to eat something you truly crave instead of doing a small cheat like a dinner roll with a chicken spinach salad. Have the two slices of pizza or the burger! Just make sure to eat an acceptable amount of food and don’t gorge yourself.

I am often asked by weight management patients if a cheat day or a cheat weekend is acceptable. My response is no, for the simple reason that this creates a slippery slope which causes many individuals to lose self-control and spiral into a guilt-ridden “I messed up so why stop now?” mentality. If it is too difficult to do one fun meal per week, incorporate two fun meals spaced by at least one day so that your body can recover.
woman-eating-fast-food-burger

You Don’t Eat ENOUGH To Lose Weight – Why Diets Don’t Work

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Lettuce supersizeYes, you read that title correctly. If you have been on one diet after another in an effort to try to lose those last 5, 10, 15, or however many pounds, perhaps losing some weight only to gain all of it back plus some bonus weight, then it is highly likely that you have damaged your metabolism via severe calorie restriction. There is a very good reason why the weight loss industry is so successful and why certain well-known weight loss programs keep their customers coming back. The reason has everything to do with not eating enough, skipping meals, eating the wrong foods, and binging when food is finally available.

When you skip meals, you wreak havoc on your metabolism by causing it to slow down. Why does this happen? When there is no food to break down, the body’s furnace slows down and becomes so sluggish that when you actually do eat something, your body is less equipped to break down the food quickly, so much of it is stored as fat. Depriving yourself of food also causes sharp drops in blood sugar, robbing you of energy and increasing insulin resistance. Increased insulin resistance over time can precipitate the development of diabetes.

Other consequences of skipping meals include the following:

• Malnutrition – If you do not feed your body regular, balanced meals, it is highly likely that you are depriving it of essential nutrients. Malnourished states can lead to weight gain, poor health and progression of disease over time.

• Poor concentration – This is due to the depletion of glycogen stores which occurs. The brain simply does not have enough fuel to run on, resulting in fogginess.

• Hunger pangs – When you skip meals, you may experience intense feelings of hunger along with anxiety, dizziness or nausea. In addition, such feeling may lead to overeating when you finally sit down to eat something. Loading the body with a large meal is overkill, and leads to poor digestion and absorption as well as increased storage in body fat stores.

Do yourself a favor and practice the following guidelines. If you do, you will be rewarded with a healthy weight for a lifetime.

1. Don’t skip meals.
2. Make sure to eat enough protein to sustain your energy levels and satisfy your hunger.
3. EAT BREAKFAST.
4. Commit to healthy meals.
5. When you turn to snacks, make sure healthy alternatives are available so you aren’t tempted to reach for a nutrient-poor convenience food.

What I Want To Be When I Grow Up

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Little girl wishingI have had a surprisingly large number of people ask me what makes me tick, and what my ultimate goals are.  The problem I have had throughout my life is that I am a chronic overachiever and want to try everything that I believe I may have a talent in.  My biggest life interests outside of medicine and fitness are listed below.

Drawing, Illustration, Painting

Graphic Design

Crafts of all kinds

Knitting and Crocheting

Modeling (print, commercial, fashion, swimsuit, fitness, glamour, runway)

Acting

Fashion Design

Personal Assisting

Makeup Artistry

However, my BIGGEST passions lie in the fields of medicine and fitness.  From the time I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, I have been completely committed to fitness and leading by example.  My medical degree is another feather in my cap which increases my knowledge and my influence, but I always strive to combine all my talents and interests together as much as I can in order to lend a number of perspectives on health, wellness, anti-aging and fitness.

My ultimate goals in medicine and fitness are to:

1) Have my own TV show.  A couple of years ago I began stating that I wanted to become the female version of Dr. Oz.  I said this in jest at first, then when I realized what I was saying, I became more intrigued by the idea until it became one of my ultimate goals.  If Dr. Oz can command the attention of women around the globe (viewer demographic appears to be mostly women between their early 20’s and late 60’s), why couldn’t an attractive female doctor in her 40’s who models, competes in a bikini nationally, and who is also highly experienced in aesthetic medicine, nutrition, fitness and anti-aging?  Hmmmm…

2) Launch my own specialty skin care line.  I have wanted to do this ever since I held the position of Director of Cosmetic Research at a Los Angeles area hospital.  Since I am of mixed ethnicity I would love to tailor a line of skincare products and cosmetics towards individuals of multiple ethnicities who have unique concerns.

3) Establish a foothold in the fitness industry as an icon for the over 40 crowd.   This is also HUGE for me, whether it manifests via workout content, products which are sold with my name or endorsement on them, or even a specific show on television or the internet.

4) Design women’s fitness apparel and swimsuits with a distinctive edge.  I have yet to see clothing and swimsuit designs which incorporate the design elements I have always wanted to see and which are edgy and appealing.  The only thing that has been my real stopping point here is that I cannot stand sewing!

What do I want to be when I grow up?  Lots of things!  I will keep my nose to the grindstone to make these goals and dreams manifest.