The fitness world loves the debate: cardio or strength training? Which workout is best, and which can you cut from your exercise routine? The reality is cardio and strength don't need to be mutually exclusive – nor should they be. Both forms of exercise offer unique benefits and work well together. I was honored to be quoted in this discussion in this U.S. News & World Report article.
Read MoreI’ve been in a bit of a meal prep rut lately. I rely on my go-to recipes for breakfast and lunch (smoothies, protein muffins, curry chicken salad—all the usual suspects) and Freshly for dinner. And they’re still awesome! But this week I had a craving for something different. Thankfully my meal prep guru partner Peter stumbled across this super tasty and easy recipe on EatingWell.com for Thai Coconut Basmati Rice with Mango Seared Scallops.
Read MoreMy pal Ian at MEL Magazine came to me with an interesting question. How taut does your butt need to be to bounce a quarter off it? While I had to defer to Alex Klotz, a professor in the department of physics and astronomy at California State University, Long Beach, with the technicals of the "Coefficient of Butt Restitution", as a booty-building specialist I lent my tips for "firming up dat ass" you may find helpful.
Read MoreThanks to Dr. Seeds and the folks at Authority Magazine for featuring my story about how I transitioned from a corporate consultant to a fitness professional and my advice for lifestyle tweaks that can positively change your wellness. Spoiler alert, this includes a shout out to my mentor Marcia Robles and a declaration of love to Madonna. Read the full interview.
Read MoreOver the past 20 years, almost one million Americans were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to weight training. I was asked by my friends at MEL Magazine "which exercises will get me ripped, and which will literally rip my body apart?" Nowadays just about anybody can toss on a microphone and lead a group fitness class. And Instagram is crawling with “trainers” telling folks what they should be doing in the gym. It can be hard to tell what’s based on facts and science and what’s bunk. So here's a ranking and explanation of an assortment of exercises by how beneficial they are — from muscle-building to (literally) back-breaking.
Read MoreWant to amp up your cardio and endurance fitness in 2020? Join me in my new 6-week RunFit Boot Camp! Classes will consist of a mix of speed work, hills, tempo and endurance running both indoor and outdoor, as well as strength circuits designed to improve your mobility and strengthen your core, back and glutes. Perfect for all levels and experience, this scalable 18-class program is open to Bay Club members as well as non-members.
Read MoreFor this post I’ve enlisted the help of one of San Francisco’s most talented and credentialed chiropractors, soft tissue specialists and athletes—Dr. Nick Cruze. Chronic sitting, typing on devices and stress leads to shoulder, back and hip pain (not to mention unwanted body fat and other health issues). While I recognize it’s not always possible to abandon the office or laptop to hit a yoga class or to go for a walk, it IS possible to spend a minute or two several times a day to stretch and give those tight, shortened muscles some relief before they turn into serious issues. In this video Dr. Cruze shares five stretches he most often recommends to desk-bound patients to safely provide relief.
Read MorePart of my job as a group fitness instructor is to curate motivating playlists for my students. A good song can make all the difference between “f-ck it” and “f-ck yeah”. Over the years I’ve created and archived over 100 playlists from my Equinox Body Challenge, Pure Strength, Metcon and Ropes and Rowers classes. So if you’re looking for some inspiration for your next cardio or lifting session I’ve got over 80 hours of killer music for you. Check me out on Spotify.
Read More“Offset training” when you perform a complex exercise carrying weight on just one side of your body can be a great way to challenge your core, build stability and improve athleticism. Bracing your core, locking in your shoulders and maintain tension are key for successfully performing any offset exercise. In this post I share three videos of my favorite offset exercises which, depending on your goals and baseline fitness, are perfect as a primary exercise, warm up or finisher.
Read MoreI get asked all the time by clients, gym members and colleagues who I trust for care when I’m in pain or injured. Dr. Brad Bailey and Dr. Nick Cruze at SF Premier Chiropractic are hands-down my go-to guys for keeping my body in great working order. They have successfully helped dozens of my clients recover from injuries, reduce pain and improve posture. Literally every person I have sent them has improved and raves about the quality of care. They are the real deal and I’m so proud to have them as JJFit partners. And I’m grateful that Dr. Cruze took a few minutes to be interviewed here for those curious about their practice.
Read MoreAre you JJFit.com strong? Show you are part of the JJFit.com family with a custom embroidered JJFit.com/Nike Epic Dri-FIT warm up. These lightweight knit zip ups have side pockets and elastic at the cuff and hem and are great for casual wear or keep warm post workout. Availability is limited. $60 per jacket and price includes US shipping. Order yours today!
Read MoreEtiquette aside, some evidence suggests that a hot shower before exercising can increase your body temperature, encouraging blood flow and loosening any tense muscles, which should theoretically result in an easier workout. Unfortunately, though, since your body temperature will be higher to begin with, the chances of you burning out earlier in your workout are also higher. On the flip side, studies indicate that taking a quick cold shower, particularly before some cardio, can help the body withstand prolonged exercise at higher intensity levels, since the cold temperature lowers your heart rate, leaving both your muscles and heart with more room to keep on pumping during a workout before they inevitably overheat. For more on this “heated” topic, checkout my interview on the DSC Blog.
Read MoreWe're constantly surrounded by sugary treats and temptations. And not just around Halloween! These days hidden sugar is lurking everywhere in the products we buy. In my post last week I shared the facts about sugar in our diet, how much is ok to eat and whether popular sugar substitutes are actually healthy. Just in time for Halloween here are a few of my favorite “healthier” treats. So if you need a sweet treat fix try this microwave chocolate mug cake (only 100 calories!) or this pumpkin mug cake. And these homemade peanut butter cups are fantastic (because remember, healthy fat can be good for you!). And finally, spruce up your fruit with these spooky ghost fruit kabobs.
Read MoreHitting the gym hard but not seeing the results you want? You might assume it’s time to add heavier weights to your bar or increase the amount of time you spend at each session — but that’s not necessarily the case. Check out my interview in Oxygen Magazine by Jill Schildhouse to learn how to implement three of my most effective training variables: time under tension, eccentrics and plane of motion training. And to see these moves demoed by my amazing client Sarah Henderson checkout this video library.
Read MoreEver wondered what a calorie actually is and what happens when we “burn them”? Check out my interview with the zany Hannah Stocking from this episode of Science Party.
Read MoreBefore you throw the book at all sugars, let’s review a few facts. If you were around in the 80s and 90s you likely recall the low-fat diet craze (who didn’t kill an entire box of SnackWell’s pulling an all nighter in college?). Nutritional experts, government agencies and industry pointed the finger at fat as the culprit for our obesity epidemic and a slew of other health issues like diabetes and heart disease. Fast forward to today and we now know that fat is not the demon we once made it out to be and in fact fat is a necessary part of our diet that helps control hunger, absorb vital nutrients and help fight against disease. Having acquitted fat, sugar (most notably “processed” or “added” sugar) now sits in the witness stand and is taking the wrap for our health problems. So let’s review some hard facts about this fundamental molecule and our complicated, and sometimes emotional, relationship with it.
Read MoreIn this video I show you six of my current favorite lower and mid back strengthening exercises that also force you to work your core and arms making for a terrific workout. If you are working on weight loss you can circuit these moves in sets of ~15 or more reps with 60s rest between sets. If you are working on basic strength you can increase the weight and try 3 strict sets of 12 reps with 60s-90s rest in between. Or if you're looking to hypertrophy (build muscle) up the weight even more and try 4 sets of 8-12 reps and give yourself 90s-120s rest in between sets. For more info on how to build a strong back and for more advanced back moves check out this blog post.
Read MoreYogurt is a good go-to healthy snack, but a yogurt smoothie is an extra-special, tasty treat that combines the creamy thickness of yogurt with a variety of other nutrient-packed, delicious ingredients, from fresh fruit to chocolate, honey, kale or spinach, and so much more. Check out my favorite recipe and recipes from 24 other fitness pros in this Edible Arrangements Blog post.
Read MoreProtein shakes seem like a convenient way to cut calories and lose weight, but are they really worth all the hype, especially when it comes to weight loss? As with most questions like this though, the answer depends. The folks from Eat This, Not That asked me and other health experts to weigh in with our best thinking when it comes to protein shakes.
Read MoreMy good friend and amazing yoga instructor Ross McIntire shares with us in this video the ONE stretch you should do every day, how to safely stretch your wrists and how to avoid one of the biggest mistakes in yoga.
Read MoreOnce a month I gather the best fitness and nutrition news, tips and videos from my blog into one handy email. I never share email addresses with third parties and you can unsubscribe at any time. Check out past issues.
