Body Rolling

Body Rolling
This is how we do!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Inspirational!

I love what I do. I really do. I liked teaching English and I loved my students, but with the career path that I chose, I love my clients and I love what I do. I am constantly pouring over health and fitness books, yoga journals, taking new classes or seminars based on spirituality, yoga, or fitness. I am constantly learning and sharing what I learn with some of the most awesome people I know.

I have more than one amazing group of ladies that support me with my endeavors as well. First there's my team. I skate on the Bradentucky Bombers Roller Derby League based out of Bradenton Florida. I am proud to say I am homegrown. I started with this league and I will continue with this league through thick and thin.

I am very privileged and honored to not only skate with these ladies, but also to be their endurance and conditioning coach. They have supported me and encouraged me like my family would. I met my best friend on this team on top of developing equally important relationships through the league.

This brings me to my next group of supporters, my awesome bootcampers. I look forward to every Tuesday and Thursday because I get to work with these ladies. They are dedicated, sincere, and ambitious women that I am lucky enough to work with. Even when I make them do bootcamps titled, “Insanity” or “2 minutes of Hell,” they lock and load and give me 100%. Through rain, cramps, puke, sickness, and complete muscle failure, they give me their all and in those moments they are truly inspiring to me. If I ever have any doubts about what I do, those doubts are quickly thwarted by the thought of my bootcampers; faces grimacing with pain during the workout and afterwards giving me a “Thanks Kuz!” or “Great Class.”

Below is a testimonial of one of my girls. I am proud to say that her quickness is nothing short of incredibly impressive and her endurance has skyrocketed. She lost 13&1/2 inches in her first month and she is continuing to shed at a rapid rate. Perhaps she doesn’t realize how much of an inspiration she is to people, but alongside her humility is a powerful radiance that lights up even the darkest room.






"Hello. My name is Nicole Wetherington, but I am better known on my blog and when I skate as Blondefabulous. I am a mom of 3 great kids, wife to an awesome husband, and a player of the great sport, Roller Derby. Recently, my family and I had to move to Bradenton FL for my husband’s work. This was going to make it necessary for me to switch to the local derby team, the Bradentucky Bombers. In the process of this, I was offered a chance to get stronger, lighter, and faster by attending Erin aka Yakuza Girl’s fitness boot camp. I signed up immediately. At the time I was measured and checked at the beginning, I was about a size 14/16 and weighed 187lbs.

The boot camps were held out in the open in a local park instead of in an enclosed room. The exercises were many and varied. I don’t think we have done the same set of exercises twice in a row. While the class did the exercises, Erin would work with each of us individually to correct form, demonstrate position, and encourage us to keep pushing. That was something else that helped me. Erin always texted encouragement, opportunities for body rolling classes and one on one training. Having this support made it easy to stay with the program. I looked forward to going to boot camp.

Today, after just 4 weeks with the program, I am in a size 11. I lost 7 pounds, 2% body fat, and 13 ¼ inches!!! I know I also gained muscle as well, because I have defined quad muscles now!! I cannot even begin to convey my excitement over these results. I immediately re-upped for another 6 weeks of the program.




Now, I can skate longer at derby practice. I can actually run. RUN people! I have never run in my entire life. I feel strong, healthy, and vibrant! Just look at my before and after photos! The time differential is a year and a half, but my after picture shows how much more toned I am. Erin I recommend Erin’s fitness boot camp to anyone who is looking for that extra oomph in their fitness routine, because Erin’s program is anything but routine."




Friday, October 29, 2010

Mind Control


Always recognize your accomplishments even if silently in your own head and don't overanalyze your shortcomings.

These are wise words that can keep perfectionists or as I call them, "Type As," from casting themselves into a black hold of negativity. We may all know someone or be that someone who is the "over-achiever." Nothing is good enough and there's always a driving force to do better. This may sound good on a Nike advertisement or a Marine bumper sticker, but for the "Type A" that never pauses for a moment to enjoy the present achivement will become vulnerable to the smallest disappointment. It is necessary at times to reflect and unclutter any self-criticisms so you can appreciate who you are and embrace it.

As you may have guessed, I am one of these Type A people. I used to be so bad that when I won only 2nd place at a national tournament for Karate, I ditched my trophy silently in a bush and beat myself up mentally for the next few weeks. I failed to reflect that I had bumped up in divisions (I was a brown belt fighting black belts) and that I had fought my heart out. None of that mattered. I went home that night and practiced my katas until I could barely stand. Yep. I was pretty bad.

Today, I am much better. I am not fully over this “Type A” complex, but I’m learning to recognize any self-defeating patterns when they start and with some reinforcement, I can pull myself out of it. One way I do this is by reading articles such as the one below or talking to an unbiased, caring individual or the one I probably do the most: Yoga and meditation. To free myself from ambition used to be like hoisting boulders over a mountain. Now it’s more like throwing small rocks or paper balls and the mountain is more of a hill. So to all my “Type As,” I feel you. Remember that you are amazing and nobody else can capture your individual essence, so embrace it and live it and LOVE IT! This will not only help you to achieve your fitness goals, it will help you to achieve any goal and not be discouraged along the way. Be your own best friend and pick yourself up ^-^

xoxoxo
Erin
Yakuza
Coach Kuz




By: Maia Appleby
When you truly consider the weight-loss process, the battle waged is mostly in your mind. "Should I eat the corn muffin with butter or would it be better for me to have margarine or better yet, have jelly? What am I doing eating this muffin anyway? It's so caloric and filled with saturated fat. I'm such a pig. I have absolutely zero willpower." It's no wonder you'll eat that muffin with the butter and slather jelly on top to quiet that negative self-talk.

What you need more than a diet is a way to shift those negative self-defeating thoughts to more adaptive, positive self-statements. As with most things worth doing, this requires a bit of practice. First, become aware when you're using a negative statement, then determine what about that thought is faulty and finally, replace it with a self-defense response or coping thought. In the corn muffin example, instead of listening to "I'm such a pig" which clearly mislabels who you are, respond with "Pigs are animals and I am human. I don't have to be perfect."
Many people cannot change their eating habits until they change their thoughts about food, eating and drinking. By shedding "distorted" thoughts and replacing them with productive ones, eating habits can be changed. It is possible to rid yourself from many self-critical thoughts, but like any ingrained habit, it takes vigor and vigilance to change. Here are some other thinking distortions to challenge:

Shoulds

Should statements are more about other people's values, not ones chosen by the person who wants to lose weight. Additionally, should statements reflect an attempt by the dieter to motivate herself without really believing in the value. Better to determine what works for you. "I will eat up to two Hershey kisses daily and thoroughly enjoy them."


All-or-Nothing

This kind of reasoning is the foundation for perfectionism. An all-or-nothing individual views the world as black or white. Since there is no allowance for gray areas, the behavior is either perfect or a failure. "I've ruined my diet by eating all that pizza. I can't stay on a diet and I'll just always be fat." Maybe the problem does not arise from the behavior... maybe the problem is with the diet that does not allow for pizza. "I do not want to give pizza up for the rest of my life, so what I need is a way to include pizza in my diet without feeling like a failure. Let me try having a salad (dressing on the side) before the pizza to take the edge off my hunger."


Good Foods/Bad Foods

If the truth be told, foods do not misbehave. Foods are not good or bad. While it is true that some foods have more nutrients or are more fiber-dense than others, all foods can be enjoyed. How we think about food colors what we eat and how much we eat. If a food is labeled as bad (such as fries), then for many individuals that food is taboo.

When one eventually succumbs to eating the forbidden, french fries, bingeing may result. Rather than continue with dichotomous thinking of good food/bad food, shift to allow space for all foods you like without judgement. Instead of "I ate those fries which are so bad for me" to "I really enjoyed that small portion of fries. They really satisfied me."

Body Distortions
Rather than dwelling on how fat or thin you think your body is, it is extremely helpful to view your body in terms of what it can do for you. For example, when you look in the mirror, instead of zooming in on your stomach which "looks five months pregnant, although your last baby was nine years ago" tell yourself "my body has given life" or "my body enables me to go where I want to and allows me to have fun."
The conversations that are going on inside your head cannot be stopped. However, what you can do is to be aware of negative self-talk and understand that it has little to do with actual reality. When you believe this, you can respond to the critical voice with a more objective, coping thought. Although negative thoughts may not be stopped entirely, they can be quieted by listening to your compassionate, caring voice.

In much the same way you would sympathize and listen to a close friend, listen to yourself. Be your own best friend and chances are you'll have greater weight loss success.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

The Power of Positive and Negative




Have you ever walked into a room that was full of tension? Automatically you feel uncomfortable, your body language changes, and you may feel like you must protect yourself or get out of the situation. Shoulders start to hunch, back becomes rigid, knees give out, and the sides of the neck and jaw clench up as a bodily response and the mind gets anxious or withdrawn. Now flip that situation. Have you ever walked into a room with a warm comfy feeling? People are either laughing or smiling, everyone is at ease and relaxed. Your body stays comfortable as you walk around confidently and perhaps join in on a few of the smiles or laughs. What created these two very different environments? Negative and Positive Thoughts

It’s amazing when you think about it. Even if there was no sound in either room, we can still pick up on body language and the aura that people give off. I experienced the power of positive and negative thoughts recently when I attended a Chakra reading workshop. I stood in the center of the room as people felt my 7th layer Chakra. People were commenting on how powerful and energized it felt. As they did that, I decided to think of the most inspirational, happy, and powerful images I could muster up. I thought of everything from a dynamic yoga practice with a beautiful orange sun in the back drop, children laughing, and of course, my best friend and I being complete goof balls. I was able to make the room electric, inviting and actually physically warm. Afterwards, I decided to try out the power of negative. I began to think of the most terrifying and hurtful place I had ever been to…Hiroshima, Japan. I pictured the images I saw in the Peace Memorial Museum of children crying, flames, and all of the other carnage I witness. I noticed while doing this, not only did my body expressions change, but everyone else’s did as well. People started hunching, lowering their eyes and chins, and internally rotating their shoulders. Finally, the room started to feel icy. I was amazed at the power I had. I thought, wow, I knew it, I’m a superhero. Later the teacher burst my bubble and said that everyone has that power….I just knew how to latch onto it.

My point in telling that story is this: Positive and negative thoughts are powerful and impactful and they can affect not only your mental state, but you physical state as well. Have you ever noticed that when you stay positive and happy things just sort of work out in the end? There’s a reason. Everyone has the power to affect the world around them in a positive or negative way. The aura that you emit reflects the person you are inside. Even if you’re having an awful day the worst thing you can do is let negativity take over your brain because it’s a recipe for disaster. Try your hardest to think of a funny situation you’ve been in or a comedy sketch. Think of something to pull you out of the negative hole….otherwise, it becomes a black hole and sucks down everyone around you.



So stay positive. Think happy thoughts. Apply this mentality to your fitness mentality as well. If you get down on yourself and say internally, “I’m so fat, what’s the point” or “I’ll never get to where I want” or “I can’t believe I ate that, I’ll never reach my goals,” then you’ve lost the battle before the fight. Replace “I can’t” with “I can and I will” and replace “don’t with do.” Never let anyone keep you from reaching your goals and if you do come across a “negative nelly,” space yourself out from them. You owe it to yourself to surround yourself with a nurturing, enlightening atmosphere. It will impact not only your fitness goals, but it will also spill over into your entire outlook on life. So keep your chin up and Stay Positive!







Erin Geraghty-Balent is a multi-faceted personal trainer. She is nationally ceritified in Personal Training and Yoga. She is a black belt in martial arts from a mix of Shotokan, Jujitsu, and Judo and has taught women’s self defense and cardio combat in Japan and the United States. As the yin to her yang, she is also a nationally certified yoga instructor and blends elements of Iyengar, Vinyasa, and Chakra yogic styles, martial arts, and isotonic isolation into her practice. In her spare time, she studies nutrition, orthomolecular science, meditation, Japanese and she also skates and trains on Bradenton’s premier roller derby league, the Bradentucky Bombers, as YAKUZA GIRL.
Erin is an athlete in every sense and embodies what she calls, “Kyou Shou teki”,” which translates to “Competitive Spirit.” She trains athletes on a daily basis, but also has experience building foundational fitness through functional and rehabilitative training.

Some of Erin’s favorite quotes include: “When in doubt, Breathe,” “The only thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure” and “It takes strength to survive. It takes courage to live.”

Monday, October 4, 2010

You are what you Eat


As a bootcamp instructor, I see athletic performance almost daily. I run drills in such a way that I know my bootcampers will be challenged, but ultimately they will be able to push past the uncomfortable physical barriers and improve their stamina. This part doesn’t come without some pain…during and after the session, but by fueling the body properly, this pain can be dramatically reduced and results can be greatly enhanced.

Can I just say that the Standard American Diet (We call it SAD for appropriate reasons) is in no way optimal for performance and recovery. If you push your body hard and expect great results, but you do not give the body the proper tools it needs to build and repair, it will exhaust its reserves and start to breakdown. This is why nutrition and physical fitness go hand-in-hand. Some people believe that if they exercise, they don’t need to take proper care with their diet, but actually, the complete opposite is true….YOU NEED IT MORE THAN EVER!

It’s like asking contractors to build you this huge Castle, but only giving them weak crumbly stones and only a couple of the tools they really need. Your body is similar. If you fuel it with processed foods rather than lots of fresh produce (including lots of veggies), adequate protein, and EFAs, then you set the body up to break down. If you’re truly committed to reaching your fitness goals, don’t short change yourself. Lay down the foundation for a strong, beautiful, and healthy body.

I came across an interesting article in the latest USARS magazine. It talks about optimal athletic performance and keeping up energy levels. It was reprinted from the US Olympic Nutrition for Athletes Guidelines. Remember,
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!



NEVER
GET
HUNGRY,
NEVER
GET
THIRSTY:

A Drug-Free Nutritional
Strategy for Optimizing
Athletic Performance
by Dan Benardot, Ph.D., DHC, RD, FACSM

Exercise has two
effects on nutrient
requirements.
It results in an increase in
the rate of energy usage
and, because of the greater
heat production associated
with higher levels of energy
metabolism, an increase in
the rate of water lost as sweat. It should be widely understood
that athletes need to increase energy substrate and
fluid consumption to meet this additional nutritional
burden, yet nutritional surveys suggest that athletes don’t
eat enough and don’t drink enough.1,2,3 Moreover, it appears
that energy consumption is not well timed, which negatively
impacts both body composition and performance.4,5,6

The outcome of this widespread athletic malnutrition is all
too well understood: An excessive reliance on supplements
and ergogenic aids to overcome the deficits created by
inadequate energy and fluid consumption. It is likely that
athletes who pay attention to food and drink intake will
do more to achieve at their conditioned capacity than
any other action they can take. Focusing on food and
drink is a less expensive, more dependable, and a safer
strategy for improving athletic performance than relying
on supplements and ergogenic aids, which may have
indefinite content and unpredictable quality.
ENERGY INTAKE
Much of the discussion on energy intake focuses on the
optimal distribution of the energy substrates: carbohydrate,
protein, and fat. (Although there is no question that focusing
on a diet high in complex carbohydrates, moderate in
protein, and relatively low in fat is performance enhancing.)
But this discussion has little meaning in the face of energy
intake inadequacy. Put simply, it doesn’t matter if you put
high-octane fuel in the system if there isn’t enough fuel
to get you where you want to go. Weight and lean mass
stability are the best indicator that energy intake matches
need. A failure to consume sufficient energy leads to either
a reduction in weight or a reduction in lean mass (or both),
as the body tries to compensate for this deficiency. For
most athletes, a lower relative lean mass and higher relative
fat mass is not desirable and is a physiological marker
associated with decreased performance. In what must be
considered a terribly wrong reaction to this relatively higher
fat mass, athletes commonly reduce energy intake still
further to reduce the fat mass. The impact of this constant
ratcheting down of energy intake is weight loss with a
greater loss of lean mass than fat mass, with fat constituting
an ever-higher proportion of body weight.7,8
It is possible that this cycle of lowering energy intake to
adapt to a constantly rising relative fat mass is predictive
of the eating disorders seen too often in athletes where
‘appearance’ is a factor in a sport’s subjective scoring.9 To
emphasize this point, it should be noted that anorexia
nervosa victims at death have a terrible loss of weight, a
terrible loss of lean mass (the weight of the heart is typically
50% of normal), but a relatively high body fat percent.
Severely deficient caloric intakes, therefore, lead to a
greater cachexia of lean mass than fat mass.10 The concept
that a significant reduction in calories (i.e., ‘dieting’)
results in an improved body profile and body composition
simply does not stand up to scrutiny. While a short-term
subtle lowering of body weight may be temporarily associated
with an enhanced performance, the long-term effects
of such low-calorie ‘diets’ is to lower the intake of needed
nutrients (a problem that can manifest itself in disease
frequency and increased risk for low bone density) and to
regain the weight, which is made up of less lean and more
fat. To make matters worse, the lowering of lean mass
makes eating normally without weight gain more difficult.
A micro-economic view of the energy balance issue may
shed some light on how athletes should eat to achieve an
optimal body composition that enhances performance. A
study of 4 groups of national-level female athletes (rhythmic
gymnasts, artistic gymnasts, middle-distance runners, and
long-distance runners) found that those who deviated most
widely from perfect energy balance highest body fat levels, regardless of whether the energy
deviations represented surpluses or deficits.11 This strongly
suggests that the common eating pattern for athletes,
which is typified by infrequent meals with a heavy emphasis
on a large end-of-day meal, is not useful for meeting
athletic goals because it is guaranteed to create large
energy deficits during the day. While this energy deficit
may be made up for at the end of the day to put an athlete
in an ‘energy balanced’ state, this type of eating pattern
is typified by weight stability but higher than desirable
body fat levels.
Understanding that blood sugar fluxes every three hours
(after a meal, it rises, levels off, and drops in three hours),
the reason for the higher body fat level becomes clear.
With delayed eating, blood sugar drops and the amino acid
alanine is recruited from muscle tissue to be converted
to glucose by the liver. While this stabilizes blood sugar,
it does so at the cost of the muscle mass. In addition,
both low blood sugar and large meals are associated with
hyperinsulinemia, which encourages the manufacture of
fat. So, delayed eating followed by an excessively large
meal, which is typical of the athletic eating paradigm, is
an ideal way to lower muscle mass and increase fat mass…
not what athletes want to do. A number of studies that
have assessed eating frequency have come to the same

conclusion: the more frequent the eating pattern, the
lower the body fat and the higher the muscle mass.12,13,14,15
Frequent eating reduces the size of within-day energy
deficits and surpluses, and helps to stabilize blood sugar.
Athletes concerned about weight have, for a long time,
learned to cope with the feeling of low blood sugar by
consuming a diet product (diet colas are popular). While
these diet products do nothing to resolve the very real
physiological need for energy to maintain an adequate
blood sugar, they do provide a central nervous system
stimulant (usually caffeine) that masks the sensation of
hunger. However, since the status of the blood sugar is
maintained at a low level through this strategy, the outcome
will inevitably be less muscle and more fat. It is clear from
these studies that the only appropriate strategy of weight
loss is a subtle energy deficit that results in only a slight
deviation from a within-day energy-balanced state.
What are athletes to do? Never get hungry. This is not easy
on a typical 3-meal-a-day eating pattern, which provides
for a refueling stop every 5 to 6 hours, and it is less easy
on typical athlete eating patterns which heavily backload
intake. Since blood sugar is known to rise and fall in 3
hour units, it makes sense to have planned snacks. If
you’re weight stable, the best way to initiate this process
so you don’t eat too much is to eat a bit less at breakfast,
and eat the remainder at mid-morning, and do the same
for lunch and dinner. Total caloric intake will remain the
same, but the athlete will avoid sharp energy deficits and
surpluses during the day. Besides the improved nutrient
intake, and better body composition associated with this
type of eating pattern, athletes can also expect improved
mental acuity and enhanced athletic performance.
FLUID INTAKE
Perhaps the single most important factor associated with
sustaining a high level of athletic performance is maintenance
of blood volume during exercise. Despite this, studies
have demonstrated that, even in the presence of available
fluids, athletes experience a degree of voluntary dehydration
that lowers blood volume and negatively impacts
performance.16 Given the tremendous amount of heat that
must be dissipated during exercise through sweat evaporation,
athletes have no reasonable alternative for sustaining
exercise performance than to pursue strategies that
will sustain the hydration state. Failing this will result in,
at a minimum, premature fatigue and may also lead to
potentially life-threatening heat stroke.
Temperature regulation represents the balance between
heat produced or received (heat-in), and heat removed
(heat-out). When the body’s temperature regulation system
is working correctly, heat-in and heat-out are in perfect
balance and body temperature is maintained.17 The two
primary systems for dissipating or losing heat while at rest
are to move more blood to the skin to allow heat dissipation
through radiation and to increase the rate of sweat

production. These two systems account for about 85% of
the heat lost when a person is at rest, but during exercise
virtually all heat loss occurs from the evaporation of sweat.
Working muscles demand more blood flow to deliver
nutrients and to remove the metabolic by-products of
burned fuel, but at the very same time there is a need to
shift blood away from the muscles and toward the skin
to increase the sweat rate. With low blood volume, one
or both of these systems fail, with a resultant decrease in
athletic performance.
Heavy exercise can produce heat that is 20 times higher
that the heat produced at rest. Without an efficient means
to remove this excess heat, body temperature will rise
quickly. (The upper limit for human survival is about
110° F, or only 11.5° F higher than normal body temperature.)
With the potential for body temperature to rise at
the rate of about 1°F every 5 minutes, it is conceivable
that underhydrated athletes could be at heat stroke risk
only 55 minutes after the initiation of exercise.18
Athletes working hard for 30 minutes would create 450
kcal of excess heat that would need to be dissipated to
maintain body temperature. Since 1 ml of sweat can
dissipate approximately 0.5 calories, athletes would lose
about 900 ml (almost 1 liter) of sweat. In one hour of
high intensity activity, approximately 1.8 liters of water
would be lost. On sunny and hot days when the heat of
the sun is added to the heat produced from muscular
work, athletes would need to produce even more sweat
to remove more heat. Sweat doesn’t evaporate off the
skin as easily when it is humid, so still more sweat must
be produced in hot and humid weather. Well-trained
athletes exercising in a hot and humid environment may
lose over 3 liters of fluid per hour.19
No level of low body water is acceptable for achieving
optimal athletic performance and endurance, so athletes
should have a strategy for maintaining optimal body water
during exercise. The problem is that athletes often rely on
thirst as the marker of when to drink. Since the thirst sensation
only occurs after a loss of 1 to 2 liters of body water,
relying on thirst is an inappropriate indicator of when to
drink.20 Instead, the athlete should strategize on how to
V O

never get thirsty. Ideally, this strategy should involve helping
athletes determine how much fluid is lost during typical
bouts of physical activity, and developing a fixed fluid
consumption schedule from that information (typically 3 to
8 ounces every 10 to 15 minutes of a sodium-containing
6–7% carbohydrate solution.)
SUMMARY
Both hunger and thirst are emergency sensations marking
the onset of performance-reducing problems. As such, they
should be avoided through a planned eating and drinking
timetable that is integral to the athletes’ training schedule
and lifestyle. Perhaps no other two factors have the potential
for making such an enormous positive impact on
health and performance. Put simply, athletes interested in
performing up to their conditioned abilities and skill levels
should never get hungry and never get thirsty.
REFERENCES
1 Ziegler PJ, Jonnalagadda SS, Nelson JA, Lawrence C, &
Baciak B. Contribution of meals and snacks to nutrient
intake of male and female elite figure skaters during peak
competitive season. J Am Coll Nutr 2002; 21(2): 114-119.
2 Burke LM. Energy needs of athletes. Can J Appl Physiol
2001; 26(suppl): S202-219.
3 Hubbard RW, Szlyk PC, Armstrong LE. Influence of thirst
and fluid palatability on fluid ingestion during exercise. In:
Gisolfi CV, Lamb DR, (eds). Fluid homeostasis during exercise.
Carmel, IN: Benchmark Press, 1990: 39-95.
4 Hawley JA & Burke LM. Meal frequency and physical performance.
Br J Nutr 1997; 77:S91-103.
5 Deutz B, Benardot D, Martin D, & Cody M. Relationship
between energy deficits and body composition in elite
female gymnasts and runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000;
32(3):659-668.
6 Iwao S, Mori K, & Sato Y. Effects of meal frequency on
body composition during weight control in boxers. Scand J
Med Sci Sports 1996; 6(5):265-72.
7 Dulloo AG & Girardier C. Adaptive changes in energy
expenditure during refeeding following low-calorie intake:
evidence for a specific metabolic component favoring fat
storage. Am J Ciin Nutr 1990; 52:415-420.
8 Saltzman E & Roberts SB. The role of energy expenditure
in regulation: findings from a decade of research. Nutrition
Reviews 1995; 53(8): 209-220.
9 Benardot D & Thompson WR. Energy: The importance of
getting enough and getting it on time. ACSM’s Health and
Fitness Journal 1999; 3(4):14-18.
10 Heshka S. Yank M-U, Wang J, Burt P, & Pi-Sunyer FX.
Weight loss and change in resting metabolic rate. Am J Clin
Nutr 1990; 52:981-986.
11 Deutz B, Benardot D, Martin D, & Cody M. Relationship
between energy deficits and body composition in elite
female gymnasts and runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000;
32(3):659-668.
12 Hawley JA & Burke LM. Meal frequency and physical performance.
Br J Nutr 1997; 77:S91-103.
13 Iwao S, Mori K, & Sato Y. Effects of meal frequency on
body composition during weight control in boxers. Scand J
Med Sci Sports 1996; 6(5):265-72.
14 Jenkins DJA et al. Nibbling versus gorging: metabolic
advantages of increased meal frequency. N Engl J Med
1989; 321:929-34.
15 Metzner HL, Lamphiear DE, Wheeler NC, & Larkin FA.
The relationship between frequency of eating and adiposity
in adult men and women in the Tecumseh Community
Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr 1977; 30:712-715.
16 Hubbard RW, Szlyk PC, Armstrong LE. Influence of thirst
and fluid palatability on fluid ingestion during exercise. In:
Gisolfi CV, Lamb DR, (eds). Fluid homeostasis during exercise.
Carmel, IN: Benchmark Press, 1990: 39-95.
17 Sandor RP. Heat Illness: On-Site Diagnosis and Cooling.
Phys Sportsmed 1997; 25(6)
18 Benardot D. “Nutrition for Serious Athletes: An advanced
guide to fods, fluids, and supplements for training and performance”.
Champagne, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers (c)
2000, pp 77-78.
19 Williams MH. “Nutrition for Health, Fitness and Sport”,
5th ed. New York, NY: WCB McGraw-Hill, 276-277.
20 Maughan RJ and Noakes TD. Fluid replacement and exercise
stress. A brief review of studies on fluid replacement
and some guidelines for the athlete. Sports Med 12:16-31.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

4 Moves to a Fantastic Body!!!



I've compiled a list of my favorite moves to get a sexy and sculpted body. These moves are multi-joint exercises and can be done in a circuit or combined with other exercises. Be sure to use precise technique with these moves (I've listed a few tips). If you feel unsure in your ability to master these moves, get a trainer. Yes, you'll spend a few bucks, but you'll get the most out of your exercise, avoid injury, and you'll have the reassurance and confidence of a health professional.

Happy Workouts!!!!
Deadlift: I love love love this exercise. Not only does it work the core and hamstrings, it works the glutes and some calves too. It is my one stop exercise stop to work all areas below the waist on the back side. Of course there are different methods to this exercise. A stiff-legged deadlift with target more lowback and hamstrings. Personally, I prefer to bend my knees a bit, shift the weight into my heels consciously and isometricly contract all of my muscles in my legs to create more resistance, and sync the lifting of my upper body with the micro-movement straightening of my legs. If you want to lift your butt, firm your hamstrings, activate your quads, and strengthen your core, try this move.

Bench Press: I love the results I get with my bench press. I like to mix it up and do wide and close grip presses to hit slightly different areas of the chest. To get the maximum results from this exercise, it is best to have a buddy or trainer there to spot you. I like to go to exhaustion; to where a would not be able to complete a rep unless I had someone there to give me a boost at the end. Some tips for this move, make sure your traps are down and your shoulder blades are rolled up, back, and down into place and make sure the bar is right across the center of the chest.

Arnolds: I don’t know about you, but I love sexy defined shoulders and this move is full-spectrum. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Arnolds, you hold your barbells right in front of you to start with palms facing you and elbows together. The first move is reminescient of a reverse fly so you will end with your palms facing straight away from you. Once you’ve opened up your elbows and shoulders press up like a standard shoulder press and almost touch the weights together at the top. Bring the weights down and go wide again so your elbow are out to your sides. Rotate the weights so your palms with face each other and elbows and wrists come close together. You can also reverse this move and start by lifting up the weights and your palms face you and the weights are together and then spread them at the top. Either way, if you can pound out a couple sets of these bad boys, your shoulders are on their way to becoming sexified.

Lat Pull Down: When I was first personal training, this move was my first love. You can vary this move in so many different ways. You can use a standard cable or modify with lighter hand weights and keep your arms in a V. I also picture my elbows going into my ribcage as I pull down and I always make sure my wrists stay straight and that my chest pops out so I can hit my lats and really squeeze them good. One caution with this exercise…if your traps are really tight, they’re going to steal the exercise from your lats. If this is the case, try taking a tennis ball or a body rolling class and roll out any tight spots or knots around the shoulder blades.

4 Moves to a Fantastic Body!!!



I've compiled a list of my favorite moves to get a sexy and sculpted body. These moves are multi-joint exercises and can be done in a circuit or combined with other exercises. Be sure to use precise technique with these moves (I've listed a few tips). If you feel unsure in your ability to master these moves, get a trainer. Yes, you'll spend a few bucks, but you'll get the most out of your exercise, avoid injury, and you'll have the reassurance and confidence of a health professional.

Happy Workouts!!!!
Deadlift: I love love love this exercise. Not only does it work the core and hamstrings, it works the glutes and some calves too. It is my one stop exercise stop to work all areas below the waist on the back side. Of course there are different methods to this exercise. A stiff-legged deadlift with target more lowback and hamstrings. Personally, I prefer to bend my knees a bit, shift the weight into my heels consciously and isometricly contract all of my muscles in my legs to create more resistance, and sync the lifting of my upper body with the micro-movement straightening of my legs. If you want to lift your butt, firm your hamstrings, activate your quads, and strengthen your core, try this move.

Bench Press: I love the results I get with my bench press. I like to mix it up and do wide and close grip presses to hit slightly different areas of the chest. To get the maximum results from this exercise, it is best to have a buddy or trainer there to spot you. I like to go to exhaustion; to where a would not be able to complete a rep unless I had someone there to give me a boost at the end. Some tips for this move, make sure your traps are down and your shoulder blades are rolled up, back, and down into place and make sure the bar is right across the center of the chest.

Arnolds: I don’t know about you, but I love sexy defined shoulders and this move is full-spectrum. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Arnolds, you hold your barbells right in front of you to start with palms facing you and elbows together. The first move is reminescient of a reverse fly so you will end with your palms facing straight away from you. Once you’ve opened up your elbows and shoulders press up like a standard shoulder press and almost touch the weights together at the top. Bring the weights down and go wide again so your elbow are out to your sides. Rotate the weights so your palms with face each other and elbows and wrists come close together. You can also reverse this move and start by lifting up the weights and your palms face you and the weights are together and then spread them at the top. Either way, if you can pound out a couple sets of these bad boys, your shoulders are on their way to becoming sexified.

Lat Pull Down: When I was first personal training, this move was my first love. You can vary this move in so many different ways. You can use a standard cable or modify with lighter hand weights and keep your arms in a V. I also picture my elbows going into my ribcage as I pull down and I always make sure my wrists stay straight and that my chest pops out so I can hit my lats and really squeeze them good. One caution with this exercise…if your traps are really tight, they’re going to steal the exercise from your lats. If this is the case, try taking a tennis ball or a body rolling class and roll out any tight spots or knots around the shoulder blades.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Evolution of Diet and Mindset



I must say that I have been evolving and changing my diet for the past 3 years. I like to think of it as weeding. For some background on me, a little over 3 years ago I became very sick with some sort of bacterial infection in my digestive system. I dealt with sharp pains in my stomach, unbearable heart burn, fatigue, fuzziness in thinking and concentrating, and many other ailments. That kept on until one day I just could not get out of bed. I called in sick and I called my doctor (that’s what you’re supposed to do right)?

I wish I knew then what I know now. My doctor spent 7 minutes with me….yes, just 7 minutes and he told me I had an ulcer and something else he wasn’t sure of, so he sent me off with 3 packs of antibiotics and requested testing and x-rays at the hospital. He gave me 4 pints of barium that I was to drink the night before the exam. Can I just say that banana flavored barium does not taste like bananas. It tastes awful like sugared chalk.
So I drank all 4 pints and I went to the hospital and waited for 2 hours for them to finally tell me that my insurance wouldn’t cover any of the tests and they had called my doctor a week ago to have him tell me. Frustrated, I said aloud, “Alright then, I’m going into work.” At that point the nurse told me that as soon as I have a cup of water, barium acts as a laxative. I showed the greatest restraint when the nurse handed me a bill for the barium.

That was when I realized that I had to do something. The healthcare system had failed me, my ailments were worse than ever and my flora was unbalanced (thank you anti-biotics). I couldn’t continue to live like this….sick all the time, too tired to be coherent, constant pain. I was 23. Is this what it’s like to get old? Man, they sure don’t make em’ like they used to. I had to take matters into my own hands.

During this turning point, I began the long process of cleaning up my diet. For some people this maybe simple, like grabbing a trash bag and with one easy swoop, emptying out the cupboards. For me, it was a process. I began paying more attention to food labels and reading almost anything I could get my hands on about nutrition, organic produce, GMOs, Sugar cravings, Food and Mood, Herbal Remedies, Orthomolecular Science, Japanese Cook Books, and so forth. I started meeting with nutritionists, other personal trainers, and I began going to seminars.

As time went on my pantry and refrigerator evolved many times. For example, I went from Jif peanut butter to Nutella to organic peanut butter to almond butter and finally to sun butter (sun flower seed butter). I eliminated things like MSG, HFCS, Sodium Benzoate, Soy and Canola Oil (non organic), anti-biotic laden meats and dairy, and recently gluten and wheat. Now if I have meat or dairy, it is almost always organic and I eat lots of veggies and I feel better everyday.

The toughest part about this evolution is that America’s concept of diet is so backwards. Your diet should not be a “one size fits all” concept. It should be tailored to meet your individual needs and lifestyle. Although it is common, it is not healthy to have to rely on coffee or sugar to get you through the day. Just because a sandwich comes with toppings, doesn’t mean you have to eat it that way. Stand up for your Mind Body Spirit and treat yourself with respect. Consider and evaluate any food allergies or sensitivities. Pay attention to your mood and energy levels after eating a meal. Educate yourself about the dangers of GMOs and preservatives and then start weeding them out of your diet. Keep a food diary so you can accurately keep track of what you ate, at what time you ate it, and how you felt afterwards. The first step is always the toughest, but do this for yourself. It can only lead to good things

“To be passive about health is to be lacking in self-respect and taking for granted our own capacity for beauty and happiness.” ( The Truth About Beauty, James).

Saturday, August 21, 2010

5 Variations of Plank



First I would like to take a moment to discuss the form for a standard plank before we get into anything fancy. We can always build and modify, but we need a foundation first.

A true plank, I mean, one that will have you shaking, keep you in proper alignment, and really activate your core, takes a bit of cueing and focus.

So the basic idea of plank is this:
You are on your hands and the balls of your feet, your core is tight, the ribcage is stitched in, the muscles above your knee caps are pulled up, you are constantly pulling up out of the shoulders, the shoulders are rolled back so you don’t wear them as earrings, you neck in alignment with the spine, shoulders are over the hands, spine is stretching with length (pretending there is an invisible string pulling on the top center of your head and elongating all of your muscles) and belly button is pulled into the spine.

Once you have mastered the basic plank, you can now move on to some of the variations I have provided below. Even if you have done plank before, check yourself with all the above cues and make sure that you are doing all of them. Most of the time you can’t get all of those details from a written source…eh hem…except mine ^_^

Variation #1: Side Plank
You may have seen this plank if a magazine or you may have tried it yourself. I would say that most people find this variation very difficult. The challenge with this variation is keeping stability while in proper form. The hand stays under the shoulder just like with the standard plank as well as lifting up out of the shoulder. I like to cross the legs like scissors at the bottom to avoid slipping by stacking the feet. This is fine as long as the hips stay squared up. Now this is the basic pose, but here’s some cues to really milk that side plank for all it’s worth. Pretend there’s an invisible string pulling up on your top hip, causing you to lift up, keep your neck in alignment with the spine, keep the ribcage stitched in, the belly button becomes a part of the spine, slow deep breaths.

Variation #2: Reverse or Incline Plank
From a seated position, place the hands shoulder width apart behind the back with the fingers pointing towards the feet. Press the hands down and lift the buttocks and take the weight of the body on the hands and feet. The legs can be stretched out in front of you or the knees can bent. Straighten the arms and lift the hips as high as possible.

Some cues: The thighs should be rotating inward, the hips lift until you can’t see your toes, the chest lifts until you can’t see your hips, press the floor away with the palms. Take deep breaths and hold for 5-7 breaths.

Variation #3: Tree Pose plank
From the standard plank position, take one foot and place that foot on the inner thigh. Hips remain square and the core remains very tight. Avoid shifting the hips to one side or popping the hips up. Now, bend the elbows and breath in short blasts. Hold for 10-15 short breaths and switch sides

Variation #4: Alternate Leg and Arm Reach
Start this plank in the basic position. Gently shift some of your weight over to one foot (stay on the ball of it though) and lift the other leg. Keep strength and length in the leg. Once you’ve adjusted here, lift up an opposing arm and pretend like your reaching. Breath in short blasts. Hold for 10-15 short breaths and switch sides.

Variation #5 Rotating Plank
This plank is an advanced pose and requires a lot of core stability, so try it with caution
Start from side plank; variation #1. Take the top arm and reach towards the ceiling. With the bottom leg, extend it in front of you so it’s as even with your hips as possible and then raise it so the foot is pointing up towards the ceiling. Inhale, and rotate your ribcage open and allow the arm to reach back while the leg lowers down almost to the ground in front of the hips. Exhale and pull the arm and leg back to the start position. Repeat this 7-10 times and switch sides.

Well, that’s it for some creative variations. Some you may have heard of, others you may not have. Try them at home or at the gym to add some spice to your workout.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Just to hold you over....



Hello Everyone,

I'm getting ready to post my 5 variations of plank as promised, but it's taking a little longer than expected. Soooo, I typed this up to hold you over ^-^

The Keys to an Optimistic Outlook

1. Stop being your own worst enemy. Be your own best friend.

2. Don't put yourself down. Pull yourself up.

3. Don't permit others to define who you are.
You cannot be a failure without your own consent.

4. Respect yourself. Place a high value on yourself.

5. Take stock of who you are and what you're capable of.
Work on weaknesses and find new strengths every day.

6. Replace "I can't" with "I can" and "I will."

7. Treat yourself generously, the way you want others to treat you.

8. Be compassionate. Love yourself, and others will love you.

9. Remember that you are an individual expression of God. As a work of God’s art, you are priceless and irreplaceable.

10. Visualize what you want from life, then work toward it.
See it, then be it.

11. Allow time to be by yourself, with yourself. Take time to appreciate yourself.

12. Enjoy your uniqueness. Out of all the billions of people since the beginning of time, there has never been, and never will be another you.

12. Realize that you are important to the entire world; what happens to the world begins with you.

Excerpts from “The Path to Success is Paved with Positive Thinking,” Blue Mountain Arts Inc., 2008.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Profound Transformation Doesn’t Happen Until You Find Your Motivation Trigger


When I first started working as a personal trainer I was asked to picture myself the way I wanted to be…the perfect me. In the image, I was to visualize every detail from the sharp curviness of my calves to the suppleness of my biceps and the contrast of my rounded hips to my slender waist. I was able to focus long enough to create my personal paragon of fitness and it made me smile. Afterwards, I was told to picture my face and imagine the way I would feel. That was when I felt an emotional surge. I felt happy and satisfied with myself, I felt relieved, I felt energized and confident, and I felt in tune with my mind, body, and spirit. I almost started crying. It was overwhelming. My motivational trigger was not a fitness model cut body; my motivation was being satisfied with myself, being healthy, and being relieved.

Since that day, my focus shifted from teaching clients to count calories and follow a set routine of cardio and strength according to the book, to really finding their motivation trigger and using that to develop a program to reach that goal. If the journey ends with a goal that is set in the deepest held values of the individual, success becomes easier to reach and maintain.

So, my advice to find your true motivation is to be true to yourself. What do you hope to attain from starting a fitness program? What was the pressing issue or feeling that made you walk through the gym doors and sign a 2 year contract? Remember, be honest with yourself and if you need support or if you work better in a group, hire a personal trainer or join a bootcamp. Personal trainers can give you perspective on what you need to do to reach your goal and boost your training and knowledge. This will give you additional tools you will surely need along the way.

Ganbare!!!!

Erin Geraghty-Balent
CPT/Yoga/Martial Arts
www.fitlorenzo.com

Monday, July 12, 2010

3 Simple things you can do every morning to improve circulation and energy


3 simple things you can do every morning to stay healthy

During my one month excursion in Japan, I took a few yoga workshops. It was refreshing to learn from international teachers and I’ve adopted a new morning routine that has improved my circulation and energy levels. It took about a week for me to notice a difference and after two weeks other people were noticing a difference. This practice should be done upon rising, before eating, and in the order I presented them.

1. Brush your tongue- It’s simple. Take your toothbrush or some toothbrushes have a tongue brushing side and brush in outward strokes. This breaks up the collected plague on the tongue, stimulates the sinuses and tear ducts, and rids the body of accumulated mucous and toxins.
The instructor gave us some side notes I will share. He said when brushing the tongue, you get the very back of the tongue. This may cause a gag reflex which is actually beneficial because it assists in the expulsion of mucous and the body will more effectively flush out the tear ducts. After brushing, always blow your nose and rise your face.

2. Dry Brush your body- This removes fatty and fibrous toxins in the skin, cleans the lymphatic system, clears away dead skin layers, stimulates blood circulation, improves nervous-system function, and helps digestion.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this practice, you should dry-brush your body with a brush that has somewhat stiff bristles. You can find a brush like this at a beauty salon shop. When brushing, always brush towards the heart. So, start with the soles of the feet, and brush upwards to the hip, then begin the process with the other foot. After the legs are done, you can work the arms starting with the hands. After the arms, brush the entire core section and then brush the upper back outwards from the neck across towards the shoulder blade (this is the only part of the brushing not towards the heart). Brush the neck downwards being sure to brush over the collarbone and towards the heart.
*Be sure to hit the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands to stimulate those nerves.

3. Take a hot/cold shower- Brightens and clears the mind, heals the stomach, digestive tract, heart and brain, charges the cells, purifies unhealthy blood, flushes all the organs and glands.
Below is the process
Start with hot and then cold and massage body towards heart (just slipping the hand around the body). Repeat this 3xs and end on cold. Try your best to take some deep belly breaths when massaging (although the shock of the cold water can make this difficult)
This one takes some getting used to but it really energizes the body.

And that’s it. Those are 3 simple things to add to your morning routine for a healthy, happy body and mind.

Monday, July 5, 2010

One of my favorite Inspirational Quotes


Born to Manifest the Glory
Nelson Mandela
1994 Inaugural Speech

Our deepest 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 are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's 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.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Foods that Heal: Garlic

Foods that Heal: Garlic


This first food is one that we all know and love. We all have it in our cabinets in some form, it tastes awesome on any Italian dish, and if you eat too much of it, your date has to be a really good sport to hang around.

Garlic is one of my favorite foods that heal. Garlic has antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. It can be used to heal wounds, kill infections, and boost immunity. Garlic is also a great source of NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) which is a powerhouse antioxidant and a precursor to Glutathione (the body’s main defense against toxins).
Of course the best way to reap the benefits of garlic is to take it daily, but it is also powerful enough to be used at the first signs of illness or to prevent infection in a fresh wound. Fresh, organic, raw cloves of garlic quartered and taken orally give the body a boost to fight of illness.
That’s not all of the benefits though. It has also been proven to help lower high blood pressure, lower cholesterol, assist healing with digestive system disorders, and has anti-cancer properties. In addition, it also promotes cardiovascular health when taken daily.
Here is a link to read in depth about many of Garlic’s benefits.

http://www.emaxhealth.com/19/1024.html


Fortunately for me, my husband is a garlic fanatic so we don’t smell it on each other. We always have fresh cloves in the refrigerator to take daily. This remedy is cheap, easy, and effective. So the next time you feel a cold coming on, keep it at bay along with all vampires and reach for some garlic.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Dozo Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!



Hello Everyone!




My name is Erin Geraghty-Balent and I will be blogging for your fitness and nutritional pleasure. I will keep this as short and sweet as possible.




I'm a fitness professional, ACFE-CPT, Yoga Instructor, Black Belt, Roller Derby Girl, Group Fitness Instructor, Japan Enthusist, and Nutrition and Supplement Advisor. I am passionate about health and fitness, I love to challenge and be challenged, and I live for bringing out the best in people. I have experience working with a wide-range of clients from completely deconditioned and injured to peak-performance athletes. I embrace a life of body/mind/spirit balance, constant progression, and promoting an optimistic and ambitious attitude.




It's hard for me to contain my enthusiam for my love of fitness and nutrition. I have learned how to heal myself and others by applying its principals dilligently and this blog is just one way I can do that.




Arigatou!




Erin