Want a Stronger Core, Counselor? Do These 3 Exercises.
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Take a break from crunches and situps and “resist” your way to a fit middle. Check out these tips and videos from my latest Law.com Fit Counselor column.
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12 Moves for Killer Arms
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It's summertime and that means plenty of opportunities to express your constitutional right to bear arms. For bigger, stronger biceps and triceps try incorporating these 12 "Sun's Out, Gun's Out" moves into your program.
Read MoreFast and Delicious Fish in a Pouch
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While "Fish in a Pouch" may not sound delicious, this quick, clean and tasty dish is one of my favorites. Taking less than 10 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook this all in one meal is perfect to make for one person or a big dinner party and requires almost no clean up. You can use any starches, veggies and fish you like including cod, halibut or salmon and you can also toss in shrimp or scallops.
Read MoreJJFit/DEXAFIT 8 Week Body Comp Challenge
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My good friend and fellow fitness professional @MichaelBonella is offering JJFit.com readers a great deal on DXA scans booked in July. As I've blogged about, the information these tests provide helps me build the most effective exercise and nutrition programs for my clients. Check out the details in this flyer and book your appointment with him via email at Michael.Bonella@dexafit.com.
Read MoreBrides, Body Image and Building a Strong Fitness Foundation
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I recently started working with a young, successful and fierce bride-to-be who has infinitely impressed and charmed me. It's easy for clients to succumb to pressure (from themselves, the media, family, etc) to look "perfect" on the big day. Sometimes the quest for the ideal body can lead to negative self talk, unhealthy behaviors and mental and physical stress. What impresses me about Erica is her primary desire to BE healthy and happy. In this post she shares her journey and perspective with us on body image, building a strong fitness foundation and setting expectations.
Read MoreAnd the Category is... June Pride Playlists
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It's June and that means Pride season in San Francisco. I'm super proud to be marching this year with the Equinox contingency and to get in the mood I put together this Spotify Pride Playlist we'll be rocking in my Body Challenge class this month. And my AMAZING student and pal Jake Eidson created this AMAZING Body Challenge Pride Playlist too. Best. Pride. Present. Ever.
Read MoreWhat I Learned from a RUNANATOMY Assessment
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If you follow me on social media you've likely caught on that I'm running the SF Half Marathon in July with #teamunicorn. But I wanted to be smart about this. I realized there could be some dangers to running 20-30+ miles per week over many months. So before I really amped up my training, I worked with the awesome Dr. Justin Jellin, DPT, ART to have my running gate, muscle output and form professionally analyzed in a RUNATOMY assessment. I interviewed Dr. Jellin for JJ Fit 24/7 so you can learn more about RUNATOMY and decide whether you could benefit from a similar experience.
Read MoreLentils with Chicken, Shiitake Mushrooms, Walnuts and Feta
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When writing my last post about getting enough protein I was reminded how AWESOME lentils are. Packing as many as 40g in one cup they are an affordable source of protein, easy to prepare and loaded with vitamins and nutrients like folate, iron, potassium and manganese. Plus they are super tasty when mixed with veggies and healthy fats. Give this quick and easy recipe a try. It makes up to four servings loaded with protein, fiber and yummy goodness. I added chicken, but if you are vegetarian or looking for a break from meat, skip the chicken and it's still delicious.
Read MoreFive of the Most Effective Methods for Reducing Body Fat
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I get so tired of gimmicky, unsafe and ineffective products promoting unrealistic promises of trim waistlines and washboard ads. While fat loss is generally a function of "calories in, calories out" there are some helpful cardio and nutritional methods for helping stimulate fat loss. These five methods have helped many of my clients over the years get lean and more healthy safely and with minimal kicking and screaming.
Read MoreJJ's Body Challenge Workout and Playlists
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I've had the privilege of instructing my Body Challenge strength class at Equinox Pine Street for over a year. We started with Tuesdays at 6a and when folks asked for more we added Thursdays at 6a. Over time my crew of morning ninjas has grown and my core students have gotten stronger, improved their posture and become more athletic. They've learned how to safely perform all the main lifts (squats, deadlifts, lunges, pulls and presses) and how to create stability in their cores. When my students travel they tell me they really miss my class and their community. So now you can take a little piece of Pine Street with you on the road. Just toss an ankle band in your carry on and you'll be good to go!
Read MoreWorried About Calluses? Here's What You Need to Know.
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Hardbody? Heck yes! Calluses that inevitably result from lifting weights in an attempt to become said hardbody? That’s a nope. But alas, hard pads of skin and lifting weights tend to go hand in callused hand, with calluses most often appearing at the base of the fingers. There are, however, a few simple tricks to prevent and remove calluses (and all those other pesky skin ailments) caused by hitting the gym. Checkout tips from me and dermatologist Rajani Katta in this article from Ian Lecklitner from the DSC blog.
Read MoreYou Exercise and Eat Right. Now, About Those Sleep Habits
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As a personal trainer and a wellness consultant I work with a lot of folks struggling to balance the stresses of life. Those who carve out time to exercise and eat healthy often sacrifice sleep to get it all done.Only 2.5% of the population has a sleep need less than six hours per night. The average person needs 7-8 hours of QUALITY sleep. Making sleep a priority can be challenging, but it is equally as important to our well-being as nutrition and exercise. These 11 tips have helped my clients improve their sleep behaviors making them healthier humans and better professionals.
Read MoreA Typical Day in the Life of an Equinox T3+ Trainer
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I was asked by my recruiting team to chart out a typical day in my life so new trainers or those considering a career in personal training can get a glimpse of what to expect. I've been lucky over the years to expand my work to also include group fitness, massage therapy, corporate wellness, blogging and mentoring. I should note, this a real, typical day in "this" Equinox Tier 3+ Trainer's life. I don't speak for Equinox or other trainers. Just me. And yes, I change my clothes A LOT during the course of day depending on what I'm doing. Ok, here we go.
Read MoreBook JJ for a Smoothie Making & Tasting Workshop at Your Office
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I do a lot of corporate presentations, workshops and consulting. I love helping companies like Nixon Peabody, BPM and Union Bank improve employee wellness, productivity and culture through various health initiatives. My favorite these days is my Smoothie Making & Tasting Workshop. I give attendees three smoothie recipes and in a hands-on demo we make them and everyone gets to taste and pick their favorites. We talk about how to make the perfect smoothie to maximize nutrition and dispel common myths about popular ingredients. I bring everything. All I need is a blender set up in the kitchen or conference room. Folks love it. But don't take my word for it. Email me at JJ@JJ-Fit.com to book a wellness workshop at your office.
Read MoreDon't Skip These Key Warm Ups (They Only Take About 5 Minutes)
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If you're one of those people who struggles to find time to workout, much less time to warm up properly, I can relate. One of the biggest complaints I hear from clients, especially those who have gone through physical therapy to recover from an injury, is that their list of warm up exercises would take them 30-45+ minutes to finish and they just don't have the time to get them all done. So they skip their warm up alltogether even though they know it will likely lead to more pain and injury. So, if you are short on time and can only muster a few minutes to warm up before your run, bike ride or any other form of cardio, here are the most important things NOT to skip.
Read MoreNutrition Labeling Laws for Chain Restaurants May FINALLY Be a Thing in May 2018
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What I thought was a simple information request has turned into a complex legal research project, a one-sided social media battle with a restaurant chain and the uncovering of perhaps the biggest example of government ineptitude I've ever witnessed (and I worked as a consultant to the government in Washington, D.C. for many years). This is some Erin Brockovich sh*t, ya'll.
Read MoreWhat Does Proper Posture Look Like…and How Do You Get It?
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Check out my interview in ACE Certified News for tips on how to improve your posture through mobility and strength work.
Read MoreThe Best Time of Day to Weigh Yourself
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Curious why the scale can be such an unreliable tool for measuring your progress? Checkout my interview in MEL Magazine for some better ways.
Read MoreLow Carb Eggplant "Lasagna"
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One of my nutrition coaching clients in Rochester, New York recently pleaded with me to create a hot and hardy recipe to help her make it through the cold months ahead. Nothing is more warming and filling than lasagna! So my amazing Greek meal prep guru and partner Peter worked out this FANTASTIC adaption of traditional lasagna using eggplant instead of noodles. It's relatively easy to make and when you do you can get at least six solid meals out of it that are easy to save and re-heat for lunches and dinners. So if you're craving some comfort food give this one a try.
Read MoreKinesiology Taping for Pain, Posture and Performance
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I recently spent an entire weekend geeking out over fascia, feet and movement with the amazing Dr. Courtney Conley. It was awesome to be in a room with dozens of physical therapists, chiropractors, emergency responders and massage therapists all focused on helping our clients reduce pain and improve their movement. I left the weekend not only with two FMT certifications for assessing clients and applying kinesiology tape, but with a renewed passion and fascination for how the brain and body are connected and how we can improve that connection through physical stimulus like kinesiology tape.
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