fitness

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The 7 Things I Hate About Fitness

Posted by Professor Stern on November 11, 2014
Posted in: Lesson of the Day. Tagged: , , , , , .

Top 7 things I hate about Fitness. Now I use the term “hate” lightly here. I don’t hate anything. I just strongly dislike the following 7 things.

1) “there’s a new study…” There is ALWAYS a new study about some magic food or exercise to “burn fat.” A new study showed if you eat 100 apples a day, you will live to be 100 years old. Try it. Eat the CORE too!

2) Infomercials: This may come as a surprise, but I hate the stories on infomercials. Most of them are so exaggerated. You didn’t lose 90 pounds in 60 days. You lost 90 pounds in 3 sets of 60 days. I’m proud of you, but don’t deceive people.

3) “Crossfit” now don’t get all mad & defensive. What I mean is I hate the “oh my workout is better than yours.” The only reason crossfit is taking the heat here is because numerous crossfitters have tried to tell me “I don’t workout.”  Fact is you can dispute crossfit, HITT, Zumba, yoga as number one. It is a matter of opinion. Your workout is suppose to be about what you enjoy and what works for you.

4) Gyms. I love em’ & I hate em’. The gym has becomeBroken-lift more of a social setting & a fashion runway. Trying to pick up a chick at the  squat bar is worse than the Applebee’s bar. No offense Applebee’s, I still love ya! Speaking of squat bar..

5) Instagram fitness “models.” Fact is, you are in yoga pants doing squats in the gym & recording yourself. Looking for likes or looking to give a professional fitness tip? I get it “sex sells,” but the incredible amount of female IG ‘celebrities’ is ridiculous. The caption will either be “I woke up like this” or she will inspire you with some motivation. She KNEW she looked good in skin tight spandex (add a great filter), but since she is spreading a positive message, it is socially acceptable.

6) The “healthy chocolate cake” By the time you read the ingredients and make it, you could have had a normal piece and burnt off the caloscreen-shot-2014-01-03-at-10-13-26-amries. All these healthy substitutes are ridiculous. You want a piece of cake? Enjoy a piece. You can’t tell me a “healthy” chocolate cake keeps that “healthy” label after you eat 5 pieces.

7) Day after Leg Day complaints. Great your sore. You should have stretched. Can’t walk? You worked out wrong because now yesterday’s workout hinders today’s

Why 7? Well to be honest, I was a fan of Miley’s 7 Things I Hate About You song back in the day. So if you don’t like the list, blame Miley.

Special shout out to our Veteran’s on this special day!

-Professor Stern

Valedictorian Challenge

Posted by Professor Stern on December 9, 2013
Posted in: Fitness Trends, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Did you know just 8% of people achieve their New Year’s Resolution? That’s because we set these high, but vague self-improvement goals. “Save Money” “Lose Weight” “Spend More Time with Family” While these are GREAT, they are so broad! How will you save money? How will you lose weight? Get the point? New Year's Resolutions

We are here to help improve your body! Give you that flat, toned, and sexy body you always wanted. In just 6-weeks you will see a HUGE difference in your body. You will have a chance to show off that fit body on  FREE VACATION. Hit the tropical sand and flaunt what you worked so hard for!

How It Works:

  1. On January 1st, visit COREiculum.com and fill out a simple registation form which includes basic information and your starting weight. Registration is open from Jan 1st-19th.
  2. Your Enrollment into the Challenge comes with our 1st Semester DVD Program, Nutrition Guide, Resistance Band, and COREse Planner. You also receive 24/7 support!
  3. The Valedictorian Challenge is from Monday January 20th –  March 3rd
  4. Follow COREiculum’s 1st Semester and get in the BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE
  5. Just 6-weeks later you will weigh yourself again! The challenger with the greatest percentage of weight loss will win the FREE VACATION!

It’s that simple! Don’t start 2014 with a vague plan. Start 2014 with a kick-ass plan! This is YOUR YEAR. Start Motivated! Stay Ambitious. Set Goals &  let COREiculum HELP you get there! Any questions? contact us! Info@COREiculum.com

 

Motivation

Posted by Professor Stern on October 31, 2013
Posted in: Lesson of the Day. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

This story will sound all too familiar for most of you. It was that point in time when you were on-point! You were on that gym grind. You never missed your favorite workout class at the gym. You had salads for lunch. You avoided beer at all costs. You were good. You were real good. You were pinning all the fitness things on Pinterest. You were following every motivational twitter account. You were liking all the inspirational pictures on Instagram. You might have even thrown a “Progress Pic” up there yourself! Whatever your motivation was– vacation, summer, beach, etc., you had it and nothing was going to stop you!!!

Until that one week….

Either the vacation happened, summer happened, or just life in general caught up and you missed a week in the gym. You could “afford” to eat that piece of chocolate here and there or maybe “relax” with just a couple beers after a long week. “I’ll start up again on Monday.” That turned to “I’ll start up again the 1st of the month.” Weeks pass and you look back disgusted because you see  yourself and all that hard work has disappeared!

We have all been here before! Unfortunately you will probably be here again, but realize one thing, today is a new day to start. Today is an opportunity to start a journey, that at first may seem like you are “playing catch up,” but in-fact use it become STRONGER, FASTER, BETTER than you were before. The road will be long, but time is all you have! Mark the calendar with an “end date.” Let this be a goal and reward yourself once you reach it. Don’t fall backwards once you hit it.

The hardest part is not getting in the best shape of your life. It certainly is not hard to quit. The hardest part is starting over. It is taking those set backs and making them your comeback. If you are tired of starting over… STOP GIVING UP!

fit-stop-giving-up

Fit Fam

Posted by Professor Stern on September 26, 2013
Posted in: Lesson of the Day. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

One of the most common conversation pieces at family gatherings is the “diet.” Around the table you have those who KNOW EVERYTHING. They know everything! In reality they are simply preaching what they read online or heard on a TV Show from a “Doctor.” Then across from them are the family members that are “starting.” They are ALWAYS STARTING. They use the same excuses each time you see them. Then there is the quiet cousin who is in great shape. Not because she is young. Not because she knows the magic diet, but because she joined the real FitFam. So what is the “FitFam?” Consider it  a motivational support group. A place where people share similar goals, dreams, and ambitious. While there is no Fit Fambloodline. There are no family gatherings. Hell there are hardly even real default pictures, but the FitFam is REAL.

Sometimes it is used as an escape for that ordinary person to feel special. It makes them feel accepted. The FitFam accepts ALL shapes, sizes and kinds of people. It is a family where opinions are only formed to motivate each other. It also hold people accountable. If you post that you are going to the gym, you almost feel obligated to do so. You feel obligated to be truthful to this ‘family.’ You can easily lie to your real family about your diet and how strict you’ve been, but to the ‘FitFam’ it is about honesty with each other and honesty to yourself.

For anyone just starting out into the fitness world or for anyone restarting. I encourage you to search for #FitFam You will find a world of incredible people who share their stories, share their fears, share their challenges. They don’t see obstacles as roadblocks, but as stepping stones to a new path. You have the motivation inside of you. The ‘FitFam’ has your back whenever you feel like giving up. Welcome to the Family !

Mud Runs

Posted by Professor Stern on September 9, 2013
Posted in: Fitness Trends. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

Over the last 5 years one of the biggest fitness trends has been the ‘mud run.’ Testing your ability to not only run a course of 12 miles (some longer, some shorter), but to overcome Photo Credit: Mud Runmilitary-like obstacles. What posses people to run through fire, carry tires, swim in freezing water, or sludge through muddy trenches?

Our own Professor Stern comments on his completion of 3 Tough Mudders and how he is prepping for his 4th this coming October.

“My first Tough Mudder was BRUTAL. I was in good shape, but I never ran 12-miles before, nor could I prepare for the bizarre obstacles I was about to face. The hardest part about Mudder 1 was the water. To say I didn’t think about quitting would be a lie. I was miserable the first 5-6 miles. I conquered every obstacle, except for the monkey bars. I got to the top of the vertical bars and fell to the freezing water. That was the moment I KNEW I was coming back for Mudder 2. I needed to conquer the bars! It is still a hard course each year, but I learned to prep for it. I learned how to make the 12 miles of mud, rocks, and water into a fun personal obstacle course.”

Below are Professor Stern’s Top 5 Ways to Prep for a Mud Run Professor Stern and Team

1) Cardio! Don’t think of the 12 miles as a race. Many people walk to the next obstacle, and with the course being filled with these obstacles, there are usually small lines to wait on- giving yourself a much needed breather.

2) Team Up! The addition of your friends alongside of you will push you to new limits and past obstacles. It is not only encouraged, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to do tasks such as the Wounded Warrior Carry or even get over the Berlin Walls without a helping hand. Find a friend or two and help eachother out. This will also help you prepare for the event because you now have a training partner.

3) Sneakers. Do not invest in a crazy expensive pair of running sneakers, but remember 12 miles on a track is A LOT different than mud and water. You will certainly need a decent pair that won’t rip during the first mile. A bad set of sneakers could give you blisters or make it feel like you are running barefoot. Invest in a decent pair and be prepared to donate the muddy pair at the end.

4) Music. Clearly you can’t run with headphones in. If you are like me, cardio is not an option without my ipod. Unfortunately that was one thing I had to train myself for. Running simply with the music in my head.

5) Plyometrics. The best workout I did to prepare for my mud runs was a plyometric based workout. It exploded my legs to not just build endurance, but strength and speed. It helped me jump over the logs in the woods and push myself over the muddy mountains.

Mud Runs are an excellent want to motivate and take your training to the next level. Again, do not be scared of the distance. Make this a personal goal to FINISH the event. Don’t compare yourself to the guy next to you. If you are ready to challenge your body and don’t mind getting a little muddy, then find a mud race near you and start to prep! If you have any other questions on preparing for the courses, e-mail us at info@COREiculum.com !

 

Kickoff to Football

Posted by Professor Stern on September 5, 2013
Posted in: Food & Drink, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

With the return of football, the weekends are often filled with ‘catching the game’ at a friend’s house or a bar. More recently, it is not just the guys screaming at the TV, but the wives and girlfriends have joined in the fun. As you scream at the screen cheering for your team, yelling at the ref, or making last minute fantasy team changes, you are surrounded with temptations. The wings, the pizza, the dips, the Photo Credit: GuysGirl.comchips, the beers. For us college students, saturday is for tailgating and supporting our school. Sunday is for supporting “the team.” How can we still watch the game without throwing in the towel on our diets. Afterall, you can’t out work a bad diet!

Take a look at these Top 8 football-foodTips to Keep the points off the scale.

1) Chicken Tenders over Buffalo Wings. Tenders have a fraction of the fat, calories and sodium compared to wings!

2) Dips. Go for dips that are filled with black beans, fresh vegetables, and salsa as opposed to cheese!

3) Make a Plate. If you are at a house party, make a plate and sit away from the temptations. Portion control on your plate will help eliminate casual picking.

4) Popcorn! A healthy snack to add to the list would be popcorn. Look for low-sodium and avoid “buttery blast”

5) Pre-game. Before the big game, wake up a little earlier than usual. Eat a healthy breakfast and exercise! Don’t use this an excuse to double dip in the treats!

6) Thin Crust! Don’t go ‘deep’ with the crust or add extra cheese. Dab the oil and reach for the thin crust pizza

7) Drive! That’s right…drive! We HOPE you will be responsible and not drink over the limit and drive. Go enjoy a beer or two in the first half than relax because you are responsible!

8) Host! Instead of driving, host the game. You can control which snacks to put out!

All or Nothing!

Posted by Professor Stern on September 4, 2013
Posted in: Lesson of the Day. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

As Fall approaches, the leaves start to change, the pumpkin craze returns, and school starts up again! Besides New Years, the week after Labor Day is the biggest “Time to Change.” As we put away the bathing suits till 2014, we fantasize how toned and cut our bodies will be next Memorial Day. “It starts after Labor Day! I will go to the gym everyday. I will eat right. I will get in the best shape of my life.”

While we applaud you for your motivation, we fear that it won’t even last till Halloween, but we are here to help! Why is “NOW” be a great time to start? September is 4-months away from January. The most famous time of the year for New Years Resolutions to get fit. Coming quickly just after weeks of holiday parties which consists of over eating, wintery drinks, and warm treats, it is very difficult to just drop everything; however, September is different!

Think of September as a warm up. As an opportunity to start to make the smallest of changes in your diet and workout schedule. Back to school means more of a schedule. If you start to gradually build your mindset to this healthier standpoint, not only will you dramatically see results, but January will bring a wave of motivation to take it to the next level!

Our Top 10 Small Change – Big Results Photo Credit: Golf Digest

  1. Drink More Water!
  2. Don’t Skip Breakfast. Avoid the High Carbs (Bagels, Pastries, Pop Tarts!)
  3. Adopt a Sleep Pattern. “All Nighters” will cause you to reach for sweets to stay awake.
  4. Be Happy! Unhappiness increases your chance of getting sick by 35 percent
  5. Daycation- Give YOURSELF a break from social media. Relax your mind 30-minutes a day
  6. Happy Hour? If you drink alcohol with diet soda, try switching to regular soda, lemonade or iced tea. Artificial sweeteners pass through your digestive system faster, making you feel more inebriated.
  7. Making a Sandwich- Choose Mustard over Mayo. It has no fat, compared with mayo, which has 11 grams and 99 calories in 1 Tbsp.
  8. Smaller Plate- Substitute a smaller plate for a dinner plate. Your mind’s eye will think you ate more than you did
  9. No Elevators! Take the stairs!
  10. SHOP! Go buy a new pair of running shoes and fitness apparel. You will be more motivated to workout when you see yourself in the new outfits.

Start Today! Rid yourself of “All or Nothing.” If you start to make the small changes each day, you will see results. If you drop all “bad food” and workout for hours 7x a week, you will crash and do more harm than good to your body.

‘Fit’ Habits Into Your Life

Posted by Professor Stern on July 24, 2013
Posted in: Lesson of the Day. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

Finish the Summer STRONG! Here are 10 helpful tips to enjoy the rest of Summer 2013 !

1.      Practice long, slow eating

In a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2011, researchers in New Zealand looked at the relationship 2,500 women had between their self-reported speeds of eating and their body mass indexes. For each step up in speed (on a five-step scale from very slow to very fast), BMI increased by 2.8 percent. By slowing down, you give your mind a chance to process that your body is full.

2.      Go all DIYPhoto Credit: thehotbodybootcamp.com

Throwing something together for yourself at home is almost always going to involve fewer calories than dining out because you can control the ingredients and the portion sizes.”

3.      Plan Ahead

“Know when you’re going to eat and what you’re going to eat,” says Suzanne Girard Eberle, M.S., R.D., author of Endurance Sports Nutrition.

4.      Eat Often

Aim for three healthy meals and two small snacks a day, which means you’re eating something around every three hours.

5.      Repeat Yourself

The National Weight Control Registry is a compendium of more than 10,000 people who have maintained a weight loss of at least 30 pounds for at least one year. These successful losers “limit their exposure to temptations,” says J. Graham Thomas, Ph.D., a co-investigator on the study, “and have a repertoire of healthy foods they pull from regularly.”

6.      Don’t Drink Sugar

Unsurprisingly, those who drank the most sugary beverages, like soda, had a higher risk of obesity and a lower intake of fiber. When you celebrate, opt for wine, beer, or a drink mixed with club soda. “Margarita mix, orange juice, and Coke often have more calories than the alcohol,” Dimmick says.

7.      Veg and Fruit Up

Aim to have fruits and vegetables make up half of each meal.

8.      What’s your intake?

Count your calories. It’s the only way to actually see what and how much you are having to eat each day.

9.      Take it easy on Nut Butter

Athletes love peanut and almond butters, and for good reason: They offer protein, healthy fats, and fiber in a convenient package. But a serving size is two level tablespoons. “People often end up eating three tablespoons,” says Dimmick. “That’s an awful lot of calories.”

10.  Make fiber your friend

Fiber passes through your system undigested, so your body has to work harder and longer to move it out, which helps rev your metabolism and give you a feeling of fullness. Aim to eat at least 25 grams of fiber a day: beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

 

 

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/20-habits-thatll-fit-summer-144700467.html