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Thanks
Bernadette

Single leg Uni - lateral tube row

DO YOU LIVE IN KINGSTON, NY OR SURROUNDING AREA? DO YOU NEED A PERSONAL TRAINER?

<a href="http://www.thumbtack.com/ny/kingston/fitness-classes-and-training/personal-trainer">Personal Training with Bernadette</a>

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WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 LESSONS YOU'VE LEARNED IN LIFE?

I WAS RECENTLY JUST ASKED THIS QUESTION ON A GROUP I JOINED ON LINKEDIN. I LOVED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I HAD TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS [ SINCE I ONLY CAN PICK 3] I COULD'VE LISTED A TON SINCE THERE ARE MANY THINGS I'VE LEARNED THROUGHOUT MY LIFE. PICKING ONLY 3 WAS TRICKY AND I WANTED TO PICK THE RIGHT ONES. THE ONES THAT I PICKED ARE EXACTLY THE RIGHT ONES AND ARE MY TOP 3 LESSONS THAT I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE! THEY ARE:

#1. Always be honest with yourself and others

#2. Accept failures as lessons and learn from them

#3. Don't change who you are to please others

What are your top 3 lessons?
Please feel free to put yours in the comment box below as I would love to hear them.

Hugs,Health,&Happiness :)
Bernadette
xo

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NEED A PERSONAL TRAINER? REQUEST A QUOTE HERE!

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Alternating dumbbell chest press on stability ball

Ball Squat with dumbbell Curl to Overhead Press

WANT TO LOSE FAT? THE TRUTH ABOUT SPOT REDUCING FAT!

If you're trying to lose fat then know this ---> You Can't do a bunch of tricep exercises & expect to get rid of those "bat wings" & you Can't get rid of that "spare tire" by doing a gazillion crunches either. Sure, you will make these muscles stronger,but you wont be able tosee them underneath the fat. Why? Because you can't spot reduce fat, that's why.
Resistance training will in fact burn calories and help you lose weight. Doing total body exercises, bodyweight exercises, and/or working all of the major muscle groups will burn even more because the more muscle you have the more you burn and fat will melt. If you add cardio , then you are on your way for sure! Do this regularly & you win the fight against fat. Finaly, eat healthy nutrient dense foods & stay hydrated!

Hugs&Health
Bernadette
xoxo

HOW TO PERFORM A DUMBBELL CHEST FLY ON A STABILITY BALL

1] Sit on the ball & roll out with your weights while allowing your back to naturally conform to the ball. Do not hold the weights up or anything just yet. Keep the weights down alongside your waist. Your elbows can be supported by the ball until it's time.

2] Position the ball on your upper back and the ball is still supporting your head & neck. Tuck chin slightly so the head doesn't roll backwards.

3] Stabilize your scapula [ shoulder blades ] by depressing them. In other words, put your shoulder blades into your back pocket. If you're still not getting it, then imagine that you have pulleys on the very bottom of each of your shoulder blades and there is a little guy pulling on them. Got it?!

4] Your elbows are still on the ball. Position you feet hip width with second toe pointing forward. Knees, hips, and shoulders should all be in one straight line. Ankles/heels are below the  knees.

5] Draw your belly button inward toward your spine and contract your glutes [ your butt ]. Pretend that there is a little guy standing underneath your butt and his hands are on each butt cheek and he is pushing it up as high as it can go. The word "bridge" in the the title of the exercise, which means that you are to form a bridge. Belly button to the floor and hips to the ceiling while squeezing your butt like you are trying to crack a pistachio nut.

6] Raise the dumbbells up and above the shoulders keeping the elbows unlocked [ a slight bend]. You do not want to "lock out " your elbows. Now open up your arms nice and wide stopping just past your ribs and before you bring the weights back up, pinch your shoulder blades together, contract your glutes again, raise the butt up higher, draw the abdominals in again and squeeze your pecs together. You will also drive force through the heels of your feet.

* During the entire exercise & throughout all of the reps , you must keep the glutes contracted, hips high, belly drawn in, and shoulder blades down. Dont just do these things in the beginning of your set thinking that it will stick throughout. You will have to "reset" these things almost every repitition. So make sure that you do this. Reset your glutes, bring those hips up high, draw in that belly, and stabilize that scapula.

* Inhale through your nose as you open and exhale through your mouth as you close.

* If you are having a hard time getting your hips up high and you're kinda drooping- preceed this exercise with a release and stretch of the hips.

* If you feel it in your neck, make sure your tucking your chin and depressing your scapula.

* If you feel it in your low back, make sure your drawing in your abdominals. You can even preceed this with a childs pose stretch.

* If you have never done this exercise before, but aren't "new to exercise",  practice just doing the bridge and holding form before adding weights. Also, start with a very light weight to road test it. Once you know you've got it, go ahead and go heavier.

* This is not just a chest exercise, but it's a core stabilizing exercise. If done correctly, you wont only feel this in your chest and arms, but you will feel alot in your butt.

Thank you for visiting my blog and having an interest in health & fitness!

Hugs&Health
Bernadette
xoxo

You Tube link for this exercise right here:

Dumbbells Chest Flys on Stability Ball

BENEFITS OF FLEXIBILITY TRAINING

Muscle imbalances occur when some muscles become short or tight, and other muscles become long and weak. Imbalances are created when muscles surrounding a joint change in length. One muscle may become tight and it's opposing muscle becomes long and weak.

Flexibility training is a key component for all training programs. It is used for a variety of reasons including:

~ increasing joint range of motion
~ relieving joint stress
~ improving elasticity of muscles and connective tissue

WHY IS CORRECTIVE FLEXIBILITY SO IMPORTANT?

If you don't do your flexibility before activating the muscle, you will only strengthen the muscle within the ROM [range of motion ] you have [ which isn't optimal ]. Where you need to strengthen the muscle is within the ROM that you do not have [ which has been lost ]. If you don't strengthen the muscle through the ROM you lost, it isn't there, so you wont use it and it will stay weak and allow for reciprocal inhibition to occur.For example: An overactive hip flexor like the psoas will decrease gluteus maximus acitivity. This leads to synergistic dominace to also occur. An example of this is - Synergistically dominant hamstrings during hip extension while possessing weak or inhibited glutes. This will lead to compensation, further deconditioning, and potentially injury.

FLEXIBILITY TRAINING LIMITS THE CHANCES OF THE CUMULATIVE INJURY CYCLE TO TAKE EFFECT.

Muscular imbalance---> Synergistic dominance---> Altered neuromuscular control---> THIS LEADS TO altered reciprocal inhibition, arthrokinetic dysfunction, and tissue fatique.

Look At these Benefits of Flexibility Training:

--Increased ROM
--Decreased muscle stiffness
--Increases neuromuscular efficiency
--Decreases compensation patterns
--May help to increase: balance, coordination, strength, and power
--Decreased risk of injury

Don't underestimate the importance of flexibility training not only before and after a workout, but in your daily life as well. There is no reason to set yourself up for injury if you can prevent it- right?

Hugs&Health
Bernadette

BENEFITS OF USING RESISTANCE BANDS

           BENEFITS OF USING RESITANCE BANDS


Free weights have momentum and is controlled by gravity. This limit's the amount of speed that you can move a particular weight. The bands do not have momentum. By not having momentum, you can actually add speed to the exercise you are doing. You can however, add dumbbells to the bands by holding them at the same time as with a band/DB bicep curl. You can add speed as well as more load by uisng the combo technique.


                                              EXERCISE TID BITS


Dumbbell tricep kickback vs. cable tricep kickback:

With the dumbbell, you don't have constant tension throughout the full range of motion [ROM]. Because of this there isn't any " emphasis" on the actual tricep muscle. Only at about the 1/2 way point of the movement does the tricep get involved, but the gravity of the dumbbell on the eccentric [lowering the weight] forces the tension to basically disappear. With the cable, you will have tension on the eccentric as well as the isometric [ at the curl/the top] and concentric [ as you are raising the weight up].

Cable tricep kickback vs. bands:

With the bands, the further it gets stretched the heavier it gets. This means more fibers of the tricep are getting fired and recruited. Using the bands doing a ballistic movement works well as you can do the movement fast while always maintaining tension. This cannot be done with the cable because there is momentum. So as far as cable and dumbbbell vs. bands go - you can't go for speed while using the cable or dumbbells because they are both controlled by gravity. Using the bands in this case is probably more effective to fire up the fast twitch muscle fibers.

Conclusion:

In the case of a bicep curl, tricep kickback or any other exercise, dumbbells, cable, or bands can be used and will be effective. If you want to put "emphasis" on the muscle you are working, the cable will be better than the free weight. If it's speed you want to recruit the fast twitch type 2 fibers, the band will be best. Again, you can combine the bands with the dumbbells to add volume and speed to the exercise.

Hugs&Health
Bernadette

Glute Bridges on ball

Flexibility video for my sister

JUST A LITTLE WISDOM

 "HOW WE LIVE OUR LIFE IS 10% OF WHAT HAPPENS TO US AND 90% HOW WE REACT TO IT."


"IF WE DON'T CHANGE, WE DON'T GROW. IF WE DO NOT GROW, WE ARE NOT REALLY LIVING. GROWTH DEMANDS A TEMPORARY SURRENDER OF SECURITY."


"BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!"

"LEARN TO OVERCOME SETBACKS AND BOUNCE BACK"

"KEEP PROMISES TO YOURSELF"

"SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVITY AND OTHERS WHO BELIEVE IN YOU"

"A LITTLE HARD WORK GOES A LONG WAY. DON'T WAIT FOR THINGS TO JUST MIRACULOUSLY HAPPEN. NO FREEBIES!"

" WE ALL HAVE STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES. YOU CHOOSE WHICH ONE TO SURRENDER TO."

"FIND INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES LIKE FAMILY, FRIENDS, BOOKS, OR BLOGS LIKE THIS [wink,wink]"

"TOMORROW MAY BE ANOTHER DAY - A NEW SLATE, BUT TOMORROW IS NEVER PROMISED SO MAKE TODAY COUNT! EVEN WHEN ALL HELL IS BREAKING LOOSE, FIND SOMETHING ABOUT TODAY TO BE THANKFUL FOR"

Hugs,Health,&Happiness
Bernadette
xoxo

FEAR CONTROLS YOUR EVERY EMOTION

            FEAR CONTROLS YOUR EVERY EMOTION


"Fear controls your every emotion" is one of my favorite quotes. I learned this a long time ago. It creeps up every now and again, but I've learned to face it & tell it to "get lost".

Im a health & fitness professional ~ the principles of this blog can apply to everyday life & in many situations, but this will focus on fitness and the fears that many have when it comes to their health & fitness.

You have come to the conclusion that it's time to make a change. You want to move foward, but feel blocked by fear & anxiety [e.g. I will not be able to do this, I'm scared to do that]
You feel pressured when change is imposed upon you and you want to stay where you are, in the comfort zone you know.
You are faced with a choice: stay with the known or take steps to move forward into the unknown.

Things that you're confident about and comfortable doing, that is known & safe~ these are your comfort zones. Things that you don't like doing or believe that you are not capable of or feels unsafe, arousing feelings of fear and anxiety are what's called "unknown".
An example of this "unknown zone":
As a child you never learned to swim; therefore you see swimming as being outside of your comfort zone, associating it with feeling of stress or anxiety.
Going into your comfort zone isn't always bad. Comfort zones can and should be respected at times because it helps keep the person be and feel safe. However, people do need to be challenged as they may be blocking development & growth.
Those people are limiting themselves and because of their beliefs they're being prevented from expanding just because they feel that they cannot step out of their comfort zone.
Do you want to be like this?
Are you already guilty of it?
If yes, that's ok- because if you've gotten this far, then you have a closer relationship with your mind and are starting to understand the title of this blog- "fear controls your every emotion". If fear is controling your emotions, then your emotions are controling your actions - which enevidably means that fear controls your actions. Wait - if fear controls your actions, then wont your actions control your outcome? Sounds like fear controls your outcome- your destiny. If fear is the driver and it controls your destiny, well wont that just lead to failure?
Ok, ok, ok,,, You want to succeed! You don't want failure!
So what controls you? Think really hard about this. Ahhh, you probably just answerd this question and you are grinning [maybe,lol].

FEAR CONTROLS YOUR EVERY EMOTION
FEAR CONTROLS YOUR EVERY EMOTION
FEAR CONTROLS YOUR EVERY EMOTION

What controls your actions? your outcome? your destiny?

If you operate from a place thats fear, you're setting yourself up for failure, but if you operate from a place of " I'll try" you will succeed!

Yes! Succeed! This is how you will Succeed!
It's easy to say, "don't let fear get in the way of your success", but how do you stop it? I tell it to get lost!

You must start believing in your strength and stop thinking about the weaknesses.

You have what it takes. We all do.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. It means alot to me and as a personal trainer I apply this to my clients as well as myself.

Hugs Health & Happiness
Bernadette
xoxo

EMPTY CALORIES

                                                          EMPTY CALORIES

　

　

Empty calories refers to foods that contain low or no nutritional value but have high amounts of calories. Calories that can result in inches adding to your waistline and that do nothing to benefit your body.

Empty calorie foods provide plenty of energy but do very little to support health and in some cases will even rob your body of essential nutrients that may already be in short supply in your diet. One common problem with these foods is that they can taste great but will have minimal effect for satisfying hunger – and a lot of the time will stimulate it even further so you end up eating even more of them.

If your aim is to maintain a healthy, fit body with healthy body fat levels then a high priority should be to avoid empty calorie foods. Instead focus on foods that are nutritionally dense containing high natural levels of health boosting proteins, good fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

We don’t have to look far to find an endless supply of troublesome empty foods – the majority of processed items on supermarket shop shelves fit the description of empty calories. Sometimes they will even be cleverly cloaked as healthy options. Food producers refine foods so that they will ‘stay fresh’ for a long time – this process unfortunately reduces nutrition value through the removal of natural properties which would otherwise keep you well. One of the most problematic of these types of foods includes products made from white flour.

The modern invention of processing and refining of white flour has virtually obliterated the natural components that would once have kept your appetite in check, blood sugar stable, and cardiovascular and digestive systems healthy.

Let’s take a closer look at Wheat, the humble grain that White Flour is made from. Wheat consists of several components, the Germ or Seed containing natural oil, the Endosperm surrounding the Germ which is the starch, and then the outer layer, Bran, which contains fiber. The nutrients that can help keep you healthy are found in the Germ and the Bran. Milling processes strip away and remove the Germ and the Bran leaving the ‘empty’ Endosperm which is further ground into the highly refined carbohydrate we all know as White Flour. White Flour contains little of its original nutrient value but high amounts of carbohydrate calories (unfortunately your body responds to these sugars in a similar way to normal table sugar).

Wholegrain products made from ‘Wholewheat’ contain the important health providing nutrients that White Flour lacks. For this reason it is wise to choose Wholewheat alternatives instead of White Flour options. On food labels look for 100% Wholegrain in the ingredients.

The lesson from the Wheat example is that in nearly all cases better food choices are those that resemble their natural and unprocessed form as closely as possible – these foods are called ‘Whole Foods’. Minimally processed they contain natural components essential for good health.

Here’s a list of ‘empty calorie’ foods to avoid followed by a list of healthy ‘whole food’ options. By focusing your diet on whole foods you may find yourself achieving a leaner look and put an end to unwelcome body fat gain.

EMPTY CALORIE FOODS:
White Flour (Found in White Bread, Pastries, Crackers, Cakes, and Biscuits)
White Pasta
White Rice
Refined Cereals
Soft Drinks
Alcohol
Fast Food
Sugar


WHOLE FOODS:
Wholegrain Flour (Found in Wholewheat Bread)
Wholemeal Pasta
Brown / Wild Rice
Oats and Rolled Oats
Bran
Vegetables
Fruit

*Note:
I indulge in empty calorie foods myself from time to time. This is not about avoiding it forever. We will go out to an Italian restaurant and have a spaghetti dinner along with some Italian bread, a glass or two of wine, ending in Tiramisu. This is normal and it's allowed without doing any harm to your health or your figure. If you did this kind of thing 2 or more times a week, each week, then you will have a problem. Moderation, moderation, moderation. Eat good whole foods most of the time so you can enjoy the other stuff without stress.

Hugs&Health
Bernadette

QUOTE

" Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate,
our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?"
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God, your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear our presence automatically liberates others."

Nelson Mandela quoting Marianne Williamson

RISKS OF NOT EATING ENOUGH

NOT EATING ENOUGH?

Loss of muscle tissue, weaker bones, vitamin & mineral deficiencies, hair loss, brittle nails, impaired congnitive function, hormonal problems, menstrual cycle issues, irretability, & heart failure.
Just to list a few...

DON'T STARVE YOURSELF!!!

Your metabolism slows down to preserve calories for important bodily functions like breathing & circulation of the blood.
Starving yourself results in feeling sluggish, trouble thinking and concentrating, makes you more susceptible to colds and other health complications. It will affect muscular strength, bone health, & may cause organ failure.
Starving yourself or restricting your diet will cause weight gain as your body stores whatever calories you eat as fat. This means that the very next thing you eat will be directed straight to your fat stores rather than be utilized as energy.

Restricting calories, especially over a period of time can develop in becoming nutrient deficient. This includes iron, folate & vitamin B-12. Being deficient in these nutrients cause anemia, a disease that affects red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the  organs and tissues of the body.

Not getting the nutrients you need may cause an electrolyte imbalance. You get electrolytes from the vitamins in your diet that your body needs to function. Low electrolyte levels can lead to irregular heartbeat, confusion, changes in blood pressure & bone disorders.

Starving yourself or restricting your diet will cause muscle atrophy. This is basically your body eating itself. Your body goes into emergency mode or self-preservation. It will store as much fat as it can while eating away at your muscles in order to survive.

Hypotension- aka- Low Blood Pressure, is caused by low body temperature, malnutrition & dehydration, all of which are caused by not eating enough and can cause heart problems.

Calcium deficiency is the result of the reduction of bone mass, otherwise known as osteoporosis. When you dont eat enough you are not getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs for healthy bones.

Low blood sugar or Hyopglycemia is brought on by not eating enough. This will eventually cause liver, kidney, & brain damage.

***YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE STARVING YOURSELF. IF YOU ARE, CONACT AN EATING DISORDER SPECIALIST OR CALL A HOT LINE.

If you skip meals or arent sure if you are eating enough, go speak to a registered dietician or licensed nutritionist.
If you have experienced any of the symptoms in this article, SEE A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY to make sure you are not in danger. When you are all clear, go see an RD!

Being underweight can be just as dangerous as being overweight. You dont necessarily have to be underweight to suffer the concenquences - you can still be in danger if you are not  underweight, but restricting your calories or starving yourself.
You should not lose more than two pounds a week during safe weight loss!

Hugs,Health,&Happiness
Bernadette
xoxoxoxoxo

HEALTHY NEWS

Ultimately, weight loss comes down to eating less and moving more. With that said, it’s important to understand that different exercise intensities require your body to use different amounts of fat for energy. Typically during low-intensity cardio a higher percentage of the calories you burn will come from fat; however, because it is not as strenuous, your total calorie burn will be lower than wit...h higher intensity activities. High-intensity cardio is effective for fat-loss because you burn more calories per minute while doing it– when compared to low-intensity cardio, as well as during the time it takes your body to recover from the strenuous workout. Therefore, for successful weight loss to occur it is best to incorporate a mix of both low and high-intensity cardio, not only to maximize your body’s ability to use and burn fat, but also burn more total calories overall.

 

 Hugs & Health

Bernadette xoxo

GRIT

"Grit enatails working strenuously toward challenges & maintaining effort & intrest despite failure, adversity, & plateaus - While some people cut their losses when faced with disappointment or boredom, those with grit stay the course"

Hugs,Health,&Happiness
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

LACTOSE INTOLERANT? ARE YOU SURE?

LACTOSE INTOLERANT? ARE YOU SURE?

First off, lactose intolerance is the incomplete digestion of the lactose in milk due to low levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase.

Lactose intolerance is far less prevalent than commonly believed. Many factors unrelated to lactose including strong beliefs, can contribute to this condition. Studies have demonstrated that among self-described lactose-intolerant individuals, one-third to one-half develop few or no gastrointestinal symptoms following intake of lactose under well-controlled, double-blind studies.

Don’t self-diagnose yourself as lactose intolerant! Even if you experience symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, or diarrhea.

This could lead to unnecessary dietary restrictions, expense, nutrient deficiency, and failure to detect or treat a more serious gastrointestinal disorder.

People with real [maldigeston] or perceived lactose intolerance may limit their consumption of dairy foods unnecessarily and jeopardize their intake of calcium and other essential nutrients.

A low intake of calcium is associated with increased risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, and colon cancer.

AVOIDING ALL LACTOSE IS NEITHER NECESSARY NOR RECOMMENDED BECAUSE SOME LACTASE IS STILL BEING PRODUCED!

Lactose maldigestors need to determine the amount of lactose they can comfortably consume at any one time.

Lactose maldigestion is prevalent among Asians, Native Americans, and African Americans. In these individual lactase activity declines with weaning. Lactose maldigestion occurs in about 25% of the U.S. population and in 75% of the worldwide population.

Lactose intolerance can also be secondary to diseases or conditions [e.g., chohn’s disease, celiac disease, gastrointestinal surgery, and certain medications] that injure the intestinal mucosa where lactase is expressed. Secondary lactose maldigestion is temporary, and lactose digestion improves once the underlying causative factor is corrected.

***HERE ARE SOME STRATEGIES for including milk and other dairy foods in your diet without developing symptoms:

1) Initially, consume small servings of lactose-containing foods such as a half cup of milk. Gradually increase the serving size until symptoms begin to appear, then back off.

2) Consume lactose with a meal to improve tolerance.

3) Adjust the type of dairy food. Whole milk may be tolerated better than low-fat milk, and chocolate milk may be tolerated better than unflavored milk. Yogurt with live, active cultures are another option [ the bacteria will digest lactose]

***BOTTOM LINE:

With the exception of a rare inherited disorder in which infants are born without lactase, infants have sufficiently high levels of lactase for normal digestion. However, lactase activity declines with weaning in many racial/ethnic groups.

***DONT SELF DIAGNOSE!!!

Some Dr’s may even be too quick to diagnose you as lactose intolerant. Lactase is produced at some level and lactose should be able to be tolerated at some level. Becoming nutrient deficient is the likely result among other risks.

I hope if you have been told that you are lactose intolerant you look into it further and if you are a self-described individual, then I hope after reading this - some light has been shed on the subject.

Hugs & Health
Bernadette xoxo

Ricci Fitness Facebook Page

Check out my Fitness page! It's full of positive and motivating posts along with super information on being healthier & happier! Swing by and even "Like" the page if you would like to recieve super information in your news feed!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ricci-Fitness/712969525399904

Thank You!
Hugs&Health
Bernadette

THE GLUTE BRIDGE EXERCISE

THE GLUTE BRIDGE IS AN EXCELLENT EXERCISE!

Some may know it as a hip thrust.

You must pay close attention to where the exercise is felt. Form can be summarized as maintaining a neutral pelvis and performing maximal voluntary Glute contractrion through the full available range of hip extension.

Watch out for Biceps Femoris Dominance! [ when you feel it in your hamstrings instead of your butt].

When performing this exercise, push up with your butt. Do not rock back and forth. When I cue my clients, I tell them to imagine a little guy standing underneath their butt with each of his hands on a butt cheek and pushing straight up like a bench press. Im not joking when I say that after a weird look and a little laugh that this actually works,lol.

If you are doing this and you feel it in your lower back. Proceed this with a simple childs pose stretch and hold it for 30 seconds and when you go for it again, use abdominal bracing. Draw your belly-button to your spine contracting it and holding the contraction during movement.

If you arent able to get any higher with your hips, you will want to release and stretch your hip flexors prior.

If you feel a lot in your inner thighs, this may be caused by the posterior pelvic tilt and abduction of the knees. An adductor stretch followed by a glute medius activation exercise should proceed the glute bridge.

This exercise can start on the floor and progress using an exercise ball.

I personally skip the floor with my clients and go right for the ball. I find that most can actually handle this with my cueing.

Thanks for your time

Hugs&Health

Bernadette

You Tube link on this exercise right here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92R8tfxptmc&list=UUk_vMdbetlPtMOuZtbOcfUQ&index=4

STRESSED OUT?

STRESSED OUT?

Yes, stress can cause weight gain. Stress may cause you to eat more. The type of food people crave when stressed are usually high fat/sugary foods. Stress also causes the body to produce more of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol promotes body fat, especially around the stomach. Stress can also affect your sleep. Sleep loss causes the hormone ghrelin to rise. Ghrelin is the primary hunger hormone.

Stress may also contribute to high blood pressure, heart- racing, headaches, muscles tensing up, & stomach problems. Getting a good nights sleep along with daily exercise can help lower your stress. You maly also want to eliminate [within your power] some of your stressful situations - and reduce or change behaviors that cause stress in your life. Practice deep breathing exercises. Sit in a quite place & just breath. Your health is greatly affected by stress. You really don’t want to be stressed, so really try to get a handle on it so you can have better quality of life.

Hugs, Health, & Happiness
Bernadette xoxo

Wearing High Heels

Wearing high heels shortens the calf muscles by approximately 13%.
Women who wear high heels should release & stretch regularly so they feel less pain when switching to shorter heels.

Hugs&Health
Bernadette xoxo

TODAY

                               TODAY

This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it...or use it for good.
But what I do is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes,
This day will be gone forever.
Leaving in its place
Something that I have traded for it.
I want it to be gain and not loss,
Good and not evil,
Success and not failure,
In order that I shall not regret
The price that I have paid for it.

BERNADETTE'S HOMEMADE LOW SODIUM CHICKEN SOUP

            This is just something I made up and put together while completely winging it.
I will do my best to give some sort of measurements, but I kinda just go with the flow.
If you're a wiz in the kitchen already, you can probably put this together and even add your own special touches. The idea of this recipe is that it's easy and made for the busy person [ like myself]. You can make this very yummy soup in no time at all. The other thing is that its full of flavor without any added salt. Does'nt need it at all!
Here it is:

You will need- Frozen veggies [ whatever you like] - I always use a bag of string beans,corn, and carrot mix, and either broccoli & coliflower mix, or just brocolli, or brussel sprouts. Always frozen in the bag.
   - 1 big onion [ spanish, vidalia, yellow]
   - 4 big hearts of celery
    -1 can of plum tomatoes
   - either 4 small or 2 large chicken breasts
   - oil- I use canolla. If you want, use what you like. I find the canolla is perfect
   - Frozen in the bag, either- brown rice or brown rice with black beans. Or your favorite pasta [ I only use whole grain and I like the bow tie for this recipe]
   - Ms Dash for chicken
   - any herbs or your favorite spices. I use a blend of herbs for poultry.
   - onion powder
   - black pepper
   - Collage Inn Low fat and Low Sodium chicken broth. Big box

What to do:
Preheat oven at 350

In baking dish with olive oil , put in chicken breasts covered in Ms Dash for chicken. Cook until mostly done. You dont want to over cook. You want the chicken to be nice and juicy.
Meanwhile, cut up the onions and celery [ any other veggies that you want is up to you]
I use about 6-8  of the plum tomatos and I cut them length wise and thick. In fact, everything is cut thick.
In pot put canolla oil, heat up on low heat, add the onions and celery and some Ms Dash, onion powder, and pepper. Toss around and saute until soft.
Next, add the sliced tomatoes and some of the juice from the can [ gives soup a rich color]
Oh, I almost forgot, lol- while you are doing all of the above, you are cooking your frozen veggies in the microwave.
Ok now, so next - add the mixed veggies and toss, the other veggies of your choice and toss. You may want to adjust your seasonings at this time. Maybe add more Ms Dash. I dont use alot of onion power, but I do go a little nuts on the Ms Dash,lol.
Next, add your cut up chicken. How much is up to you. I also like nice big chunks. Toss.
Next, add appoximately 3 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Toss, turn heat all the way up and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, taste test. Adjust seasonings if need be, then lower heat, cover and simmer for 15min up to a half and hour.
Next, take your pre-cooked pasta [ you will want to under cook the pasta just a bit so it will continue to cook in the soup and not get all starchy and nasty] Or your frozen, but cooked rice and add it to the soup. If using pasta, use as much as you like. Also, sometimes I add in chick peas or kidney beans from the can. Again, this is added right at the end of the simmering.
Simmer for about a minute and serve.
Serve with a few croutons on top or your favoite bread.
This usually lasts us [ two of us] about 4-5 days. This is because we end up eating it for lunch and dinner. If you have a bigger pot and you want to double or tripple the recipe to feed more mouths, go for it!
I posted some pictures and some videos of the proccess. I hope you enjoy ;)

Hugs&Health

Bernadette xoxo

GET RID OF " I CAN'T!!!"

I can't do this, I can't do that. I want to do it, but I can't. I wish I could do that, but I just can't.
Ask yourself, " why can't I?" This can refer to anything in life, but this will be about health, fitness, & a healthy mental attitude. Alot of the reasons why some believe they can't is because they are only looking at the finish line, the last chapter, & the final result. If you started to read a book and you are on chapter 1, do you think you will get the full story if you decided that you didn't want to read everything and jumped straight to chapter 10? Sure, you will know the outcome, but you wont have the experience or the appreciation of the story itself. There would have been no dedication and you would not have gotten much out of it. Ironically, there are more obese, overweight, & unhealthy individuals out there that would take more time and apply more dedication to sitting and finishing a novel than would take the time to get moving for better health. Why is that? Could it be because reading a good book is easier and more entertaining, not to mention more relaxing than exercising? Perhaps... Now don't get me wrong- I am all for unwinding your mind and relaxing. I am a big fan of reading and wish I could do more of it. If you are overweight and unhealthy and claim to not have time for exercise, but you can pound down 2 books a week- well, I dont have to tell you what I am thinking. Meanwhile, you have low self esteem, poor body image, depression over how you look and feel. You dont want to look or feel this way anymore and you have given up because you think it's hopeless.
You read about success stories all of the time. You may find that a family member, freind, neighbor, or co-worker just lost weight and is living a healthy lifestyle. Why not you? Why are you different? There can be several answers to this question, but there is one answer that is worth entertaining. GET RID OF " I CAN'T!!!" Clear your mind of this very Negative and disruptive way of thinking! It's all in how you think! What you tell yourself is what you will believe! If you tell yourself that the reason why Ms Jones lost her weight is because she has a better metabolism than you, or that her body is different, than you are just tricking your mind into accepting that losing weight is something she can do, but you can't. Now, your back to reading that romance novel curled up with a cup of tea and a danish. Do you ever get jealous of other women because they are thinner than you? Do you make jokes about your weight? "Big is beautiful" , "Beauty comes in all shapes & sizes", " There's more to love". Being overweight doesnt mean that you arent beautiful or that your not worth loving. If you are joking around this way, that means you are accepting it and believe that you "Cant" change it. Beauty is only skin deep- How about your heart, lungs, organs? How about the fact that you can be the best, most loving mother, freind, wife, sister,brother, and have the biggest heart? How about all of those who do love you for you- whatever your size? Have you thought about how crushed your family and freinds would be if you were no longer here? Being overweight doesnt make you a bad person, it just make you sick. Very, very sick. Now because you are such a great person, you would never, ever want to put them through that! How can you prevent this? GET RID OF I CAN'T! Adopt a New Attidude! Once you've told yourself, "I can't", you already lost. Repeat after me >>>> I CAN....I CAN...I CAN DO IT...I CAN DO IT...I CAN & I WILL!!! Not only will just saying these words make you feel better, but you will do something right away! You would normally go sit in your favorite chair with that book, or TV, or computer- But not after saying these words! What will you do? That's up to you. Go for a walk, join a gym [ big leap,lol], ask someone to do it with you, just get moving! Spend 30+ minutes being Active. You will fee great! Remember that feeling! Take the word "I Can't" out of your mental dictionary. You may wake up one morning and feel groggy and say ," I ***'* go for a walk today, I just dont have the energy" That's ok- old , bad habits die hard. Just shake yourself and say," What are you talking about? I CAN...I CAN...I CAN DO IT...I CAN DO IT...I CAN & I WILL!!!" Live out each and every chapter of your life. Experience every step to better health, better quality of life, & be your own novel. This is the story of your life- everyday may be different and you will have hurdles and challenges. You are strong, because your mind is strong. You are beautiful inside and out. You arent looking at the finish line anymore. You are looking at each day individually- enjoying and appreciating everything. I already know that you can sort of feel what Im saying. If not, read this again- except this time really pay attention :)
YOU CAN & YOU WILL!

Hugs&Health
Bernadette xoxo

My Friend Karl Sterling Interviewing My Mentor, Dr Brent Brookbush

Are You an Emotional Eater?

Are you an emotional eater? You can stop it before it starts! One tip would be to keep a food journal to help you identify your emotional eating triggers. Emotional eating happens when you lose your connection to your grounded self. Don't think that stress makes you overeat! We need the physical stress of exercise to keep our bodies in good shape just as we need the stress of intellectual and emotional challenges to keep our minds healthy. What really leads to emotional eating is your mind getting caught up in " worst case scenarios" projections, misinterpretations and all the emotional overreactions that come with these thoughts. This turns a managable challange into something that makes you feel helpless and over whelmed - and sends you into an eating frenzy in hopes that these feelings will go away. Here are some ideas  to keep you grounded when your feelings start to spiral out of control: Inhale deep through your nose- then exhale like you're a ballon that's deflating- getting all of the air out of you. Do this slowly and do it 2-3 times. Next, breath normally and count to 10- then back to 1. Next, stop and see your surroundings, noticing and naming the colors and shapes in the space around you. What physical sensations are you experiencing?  Is it a sinking feeling? Knots in your stomach? Tension in your hands or jaw? Shortness of breath? Try to name the feelings that go with the sensation [ fear or anger?] The idea here is to stay in your body and in the moment. Instead of getting lost in your mind where all those unreal scenarios are just waiting to spin out of control.

Hugs&Health
Bernadette xoxo

Excess Weight bad on the knees

Excess weight is especially aggravating to hip & knee joints. For every extra pound of body weight you carry, you put over three times as much load on your hips & knees. so if your're carrying an extra 20 lbs, your knees have to bear an extra 60 lbs every time you take a step. Nutrition is the first step. Make a change to your diet. Are you eating too many calories or not enough? Are you eating fast foods and processed foods? Do you drink soda? These are questions to ask yourself. Drink more water and less of the sugery stuff, eat more fruit instead of the sweets, add nuts and yogurt to your snacks instead of chips. Make 1 or 2 substitutions to your diet and see how it goes. When you're ready, make 1-2 more and so on. How sedentary are you? If you can get up and walk, you can get enough exercise to burn some calories. If you can do more, than do it! As much information as there is about how to get healthy, I believe it comes down to motivation and that push to get started. Joining a gym, getting a freind with similar goals to go walking or workout with you, exercise DVD's, etc... You want healthy joints and you dont want to mess with the knees. Although there may be other underlying issues going on with your knees which only a doctor can diagnse, there is no doubt that losing wieght will take away some of that added pressure and may give you some releif.

Hugs&Health
Bernadette xoxo

Fitness Training - Bernadette Ricci

http://www.magisto.com/album/video/Onp7BwFCFFU5PyoGDmEwCXp-

Ricci Fitness- Power Walk pt 2

Power Walking

INCREASE YOU FIBER INTAKE!

WHOLE GRAINS:

Whole kernels of grains consist of four parts: germ, endosperm, bran, & husk.

The germ is rich in protein, oils, vitamins, & minerals.

The endosperm is high in starch.

The bran is rich in dietary fiber.

The husk is an inedible covering.

When grains are refined- making white flour from wheat, for example, or making white rice from brown rice- the process removes the outer husk & bran layers & sometimes the inner germ of the grain kernel. Because the bran & germ portions of the grain contain much of the dietary fiber, vitamins, & minerals, the nutrient content of whole grains is far superior to that of refined grains.

Although food manufactures add iron, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin back to white flour through enrichment, they usually do not add back dietary fiber and nutrients such as vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, & zinc, which are also lost in processing.

READ LABELS CARFULLY TO CHOOSE FOODS THAT CONTAIN WHOLE GRAINS.

Terms such as 100% whole wheat, 100% whole grain, rolled oats, & brown rice indicate that the entire grain kernel is included in the food.

TO INCREASE YOUR FIBER INTAKE:

> Eat more whole-grain breads, cereal, pasta, and rice, as well as more fruits, vegetables, & legumes

> Eat fruits & vegetables with the peel if possible. The peel is high in fiber.

> Add legumes- such as lentils & pinto, navy, kidney, & black beans to dishes or as a meat substitute.

> Substitute whole-grain flour for all-purpose flour in recipes whenever possible.

> Use brown rice instead of white rice.

> Substitute oats for flour in crumb toppings

> Choose high-fiber cereals

> Choose whole fruits rather than fruit juices.

When increasing your fiber intake, do so gradually & drink plenty of fluids to allow your body to adjust. Add just a few grams a day; otherwise, abdominal cramps, gas, bloating, & diarrhea or constipation may result.

Hugs & Health

Bernadette

HOW DOES A PERSONAL TRAINER MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIVES?

In our  society today, there are many professions that can make a difference in improving the quality of our lives. One of these professions is the personal trainer.

I believe that personal trainers are important in society. Doctor's cure diseases, perform life-saving surgeries, and repair broken bones, but personal trainers actually play a role in keeping people out of the hospitals.
Obesity has become a major problem in America. It's actually considered a chronic disease. Diseases like diabetes and heart disease can be prevented or possibly reversed by living a healthy lifestyle.
Personal trainers have the tools to help people who are overwight or obese live a lifestyle that will add years to their lives. With exercise programming and planning, nutrition advice, and motivation, personal trainers help save lives.
An individual diagnosed with high blood pressure can stay on medicines to control it, but do nothing about their lifestyle, ie;, stress, diet, physical activity. That individual will end up staying on medicines for the rest of their life while remaining a high risk for heart attack or stroke.
If a personal trainer took on this individual, he or she would give nutrition advice [like the DASH eating plan] and motivate this person each and every session - guiding them through an exercise regimen that will bring them closer and closer to a healthier weight, and lowering their blood pressure.
In the end, this means they are no longer at risk for heart attack or stroke.
Another example as to how personal trainers make a difference in improving the quality of lives is after someone has had an injury.
Many individuals in sports get injured. Some more serious than others. Anything from an ankle sprain to a torn ACL, to a rotator cuff injury.
Doctor's and surgeons do their part and then usually a phyiscal therepist comes in to finish the recovery process.
In many cases personal trainers pick up a client after having time with a physical therapist or in some cases after the patient recovers from the injury.
Again, personal trainers are playing a role in that persons recovery process and well-being. The personal trainer will help that individual gain range of motion back along with strength and self confidence.
The profession of a personal trainer is important to human kind and like an insurance policy on your life.

Bernadette Ricci
NASM - CPT