Meet the trainer Linda White Linda was previously employed in the Quality Control Engineering Department for a medical device company prior to finding her passion for fitness. She has since been employed as a trainer at Phoenix Fitness for 4 1/2 years. During her time at Phoenix Fitness she has trained a wide variety of clients, both male and female ranging from ages 8-85. From the athletic to those wanting to lose weight (and everyone in between), Linda finds inspiration in those people taking the steps to better themselves through fitness. Q: How often do you work out? What are your favorite work out activities? A: I generally workout 5-6 days per week where 2-3 days include some sort of strength training and the other days are cardio based (45-60 minutes). I really don t have a typical workout, I like to mix things up and keep it fun. I enjoy jogging outside, spinning, bikram yoga, pilates, cardio kickboxing, and lifting weights just to name a few. I am always willing to try something new. I tell my clients to find what they enjoy doing, or at the very least don t hate doing, and stick with it. Most important is to get up and MOVE! Q: How do you maintain your weight loss? A: For those that do not know, I was about 100 lbs. heavier a few years ago. There is no magic pill, no magic workout, and no magic diet! Basically speaking I practice moderation with my eating and consistency with my exercise. Food preparation is key for me; I try to avoid pre-made and preservative laden meals. If I am cooking the meal then I have control over what goes into it - this includes primarily fresh fruits and vegetables with lean meat and a large variety of spices. I also believe it is OK to have that piece of cake or slice of pizza so long as you are eating well most of the time and that your treats are kept under portion control. Q: What motivates you to exercise? A: I actually have a few o My wedding photo I was much larger when I got married and I did not feel pretty on the one day when I should have felt beautiful. o Vacations Knowing that I can go kayaking, hiking, zip-lining, and bridge climbing without getting winded. o Setting a good example for my clients. I would never ask them to do something I am not willing to do myself.
o o Family & friends There is no better gift to give those that love you than for you to take care of yourself. I also love being able to chase my niece and nephew around Six Flags. Most important - Being able to slide into a great pair of jeans that makes your butt look fabulous! Q: What do you snack on and how often? Tips for those on the go? A: Some of my favorite snacks include apples, oranges, granola bars, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, or pretzels with hummus. When you are on the go it s important to plan ahead and have some pre-cut fruits and veggies or granola bars in your bag and to stay hydrated. Try to avoid getting ravenous, that s when poor choices are made. Q: In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes clients make while exercising? A: Loose core No matter what exercise you are performing, the abs should be tight. Heart rate Maintaining an increased heart rate (so long as you are healthy) is especially important for those trying to lose weight! You need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable it s called work ing out for a reason. I would rather see someone do 20 minutes of hard cardio than an hour of minimal and the upside is you re done quicker! Variety Be open to trying new exercises. If the same exercises are done the same way, all the time then the body will adapt and your muscles will no longer be as challenged as they once were. This is why trainers try to mix things up even if it may seem confusing to the client
EPOC By Ken Calories are burned during the workout, but did you know calories are expended after the workout as well? This phenomenon is known as EPOC or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption when the body expends energy to recover from the workout (restoration of glycogen, lactate clearance, hormonal restoration, and protein synthesis to name a few). The degree of EPOC is dependent on the intensity of your workout. The main idea is to safely work a muscle to fatigue. The more you do so, the more energy (calories) the body expends to restore the levels listed above back to normal. Research has shown that EPOC can last as long as 72 hours post-exercise and burn an additional ~300 calories. There are many ways to take advantage of EPOC. 1. Shorter rest intervals in between exercises/sets. This will place additional stress on your body to make it work harder. However, rest enough so that you can still lift challenging weights. 2. Lifting heavier weights. Doing so will challenge your muscle fibers and stimulate growth while increasing your heart rate. If a pre-existing condition prevents you from lifting heavy weights, lighter weights can achieve similar results as long as you train the muscle to fatigue. 3. HIIT High Intensity Interval Training. A great way to get an aerobic workout in on a tight schedule. An example of HIIT is sprinting on the treadmill or pedaling hard on the bike for 30 seconds and resting for a given period of time. Then repeat and keep going for 10-20 minutes. Add on more time to the sprint, increase intensity of the sprint, or increase the total time as you progress. Phoenix Goal / Accomplishment Board For those who haven t noticed or been to the studio recently, a new white board has been put up where you can write down personal goals and achievements once they are met. We hope this promotes a sense of accountability between trainers and clients as well as members of the Phoenix family. Perhaps spark a little friendly competition? Don t hesitate to put something up!
3 Day Food Log With all our efforts to lose weight, exercise is half the battle. Nutrition makes up the other half. A proper diet* will help keep our bodies fueled and functioning properly. If you feel that your diet can be better, try keeping a 3-Day Food Log. This will allow you to examine what modifications you can make to a new and healthier you! Bring your food log in and ask any of our trainers for healthy eating tips! * Many people automatically think of starving themselves when they hear of the word diet. Instead, think of this acronym: Did I Eat Today. Make healthier choices without depriving yourself of food! Sample Food Record: Time Place Amount Description Comments/?s 8:00 AM Home ¾ Cup Corn Flakes Breakfast 1 Medium Apple 8 fl. Oz. Coffee, black 10:30 AM Work 1 Medium Banana Snack 12:00 PM Work 4 oz. Chicken Breast Lunch 1 Medium Baked Potato 1 cup Romaine Lettuce 6 whole Cherry tomatoes 2 Tbls Ranch dressing 16 oz. Water 2:30 PM Work 1 Protein bar Snack 16 oz. Diet Soda 6:00 PM Home 6 oz. Salmon Dinner / Daily protein needs? 1 cup Rice, white
3 Day Food Log Time Place Amount Description Comments/?s