GET RIPPED! With TRX RIP TRAINER

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I LOVE TO LIFT WEIGHTS! 

Whether it is the impossibly motivating adrenaline rush that surges through one's body during an uninterupted "swell session" where the blood courses through the veines to the muscles causing a near skin splitting effect.  Or, that natural high, knowing that for 45 minutes to 1 hour you are UNTOUCHABLE! 

Whatever your motivation, KEEP GOING! 

As much as I love lifting weights, there are several different types of lifters.  There's the power lifter, the olympic lifter, those lifting for sports (performance), those who lift for cardio, the body builder, functional trainer, and the all too often seen beach muscle only lifter (yeah! YOU TINY LEGS!)  DO A DAMN SQUAT!

Well today, is the day we talk about functional training and the revolutionary TRX RIP TRAINER!
I love this piece of equipment because it pushes the body in ways ordinary strength training does not.  With its design alone it forces the body and its muscle(s) to work asymetrically, providing you with a more complete total body workout. 

Asymetrical training has become a more sought after style of training for the complete athlete and everyday warrior as it more closely relates to our everyday activities allowing us to train in multiple plaines simultaneously.  By working through multiple plaines it allows us to isolate specific muscle groups, target our core (core strength is the foundation of all elite athletes), and increase total body endurance.  All of this, with one piece of equipment, without ever having to change or pick up a weight.  Check out the video above.

Contact Hummel Health & Fitness (Gretna, NE) to sign up for your Free RIP TRAINER Session Today!



BEST WISHES,
DEREK HUMMEL

NEW HHF TRAINING FACILITY COMING SOON!!!

HEY EVERYONE,

HUMMEL HEALTH & FITNESS IS GETTING A BRAND NEW FACILITY! 

GRETNA, NE

CONTACT ME TO TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT! 

CALL 402 981 2524
EMAIL DEREK@HUMMELHEALTHANDFITNESS.COM


DONT HESITATE, SPACE IS LIMITED!!!!

Train Your Mind, Train Your Body

Welcome Back,

As a trainer it is easy for me to have success with my own training because it is my life.  If I miss a scheduled workout for myself, my day just is not the same.  The reason being is that for me training is as much mental as it is physical.  If my mind is not ready, my workout(s) tend to suffer and the (training) day is lost. 

I am a huge stickler on NOT good, but EXCELLENT form when training, as even, the slightest mishap can lead to injury.  And the only way to excellent form is to pay attention and focus on the movement and muscles at hand.

As I work with my clients I repeatedly ask them to "focus" and by that I mean pay attention to the exercise at hand and the muscles we are trying to recruit for "work."  Too many people enter a gym or training facility with everything on their minds except for the task(s) at hand, keeping them from their full fitness potential. 

Take for example a simple push-up.  It is almost never ending, when I ask someone to perform a push-up that their triceps are doing 90% of the work and the big muscle we're trying to target (the chest) is doing little to none of the work.  When the client returns the next day or when I ask them as they finish up, how their chest is feeling, they reply "we did chest?" Or "my arms are sore."  We then have to return to the basics and re-train their minds to train their bodies.  As trainers, clearly we are not able to contract your muscles for you and without a severly invasive hands on technique, we can not tell if you are even using the "target muscles."  Typically the name of the exercise explains the muscle groups being worked, (with the exception of a few) so when asked to perform a Chest Press you should assume you will be using your chest.  If you are not feeling it in the chest, chances are you are not doing it correct and you should seek advice. 

Which brings me back to "train your mind to train your body."  Fitness and healthy living is a state of mind as much as it is an activity.  Too many people just go through the motions, which leads to boredom, which typically leads to a gym membership that is just another bill instead of what it should be, an "investment in your life."  If you can train your mind to see fitness as a way of life and increase its level of importance to you, rather than it being just another thing on your list of "things to do" going to the gym will matter and the likely hood of you continuing on to fitness success is far greater. 

It so much easier to quit something that takes work and effort especially if you are not "ALL IN" and unfortunately our health and wellness is the first thing kicked to the curb when life becomes too "busy."  I call BS!  It should always be in the forefront of our minds and the first thing thing to stay, its far less expensive to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle than it is to pay for perscriptions (and trips to the doctor) that may help one thing and hinder another.  Avoid the status quo and be different! 

TRAIN YOU MIND FOR SUCCESS, put fitness first and the body shall follow.  Your bosses will have to understand ;) because what good are you to them, if you're laid up in a hospital or WORSE! 

Best Wishes,
Derek

Revolutionized Calorie Counting!!! My Fitness Pal

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It has been too long!  I could make the excuse to you that I have been too busy to keep you updated with the latest and greatest in the fitness world but I won't. 

Now, I am sure most of you already know about the software/app that I am going to share with you but if you do not know what I am talking about, PAY ATTENTION! 

If you're like most people trying to shed a few pounds, you have probably tried counting calories and more than likely have failed at it.  The reason being that it does take time and it is not always convenient.  Therefore, the calorie counting goes out the window and the results suffer. 

I have clients telling me all the time that they know "HOW" to eat and that they "DON'T EAT BAD" but the point they are missing is, not that they do not know how to eat or that they are eating bad, it is the simple fact that they are EATING TOO MUCH if weight loss is the goal.  Or, they are not eating enough if weight gain is the goal. 

With all of the technology, (smart phones, tablets, and computers) logging your nutrition and guessing has become a thing of the past.  I can't think of anyone who does not have their phone on them at most hours of the day.  In fact, I bet you have it right next to you as you read this, or you're reading this on your phone.  Either way, my point is, if you want to be successful whether it's weight loss, weight gain or simply to maintain it is important to know how much is going into your body and whether or not you are able to burn off those calories throughout the day.

With the help of a handy little app on your phone, tablet or computer called My Fitness Pal it takes the guess workout out of calorie counting and puts you back in control.  This app is perfect for those on the go.  There are over 1.8 million different food items and it even comes with a bar code scanner to help eliminate tedious data input.  Best of all!  It's FREE!

MFP has made this app to help keep you accountable and keep you on track all along your journey whatever it may be.  It allows you to interact with friends via their integrated social network so you and your friends, trainer or family can keep each other in check. 

If you are the type of person who thinks that logging food is a waste of time I have living proof that it works.  For 9 weeks my then fiance (now wife) used MFP to log her nutrition while working out diligently, she managed to lose 6% body fat and 5lbs. before our wedding day.  All the while she was able to indulge in some of her favorite foods while staying within her designated calories for her particular weight group. 

One of the greatest things about this app is that it allows you to eat some of the foods you enjoy while keeping you honest about portion sizes.  (Keep in mind eating the foods you like is fine but there are other consequences to be aware of not just weight gain.) 

My Fitness Pal is a fantastic, user friendly app that helps assure positive results.  Give it a try, you wont be disappointed.


Best Wishes,
Derek

Push Up Nation!

Hello again,

In America we have grown accustomed to instant gratification. Everything we do is fast paced, on the run, Go Go Go! So much that we make the excuse when it comes to fitness that we don't have enough time. I can't miss my show(s). Or we use our kids as a scapegoat. Well not anymore.

A workout can be done and done well in less than 30 minutes, whether its total body, cardio or body part specific. It can be done in your room on the road, in front of the tv in your house or in the break room at the office.

My favorite exercise that requires no equipment at all is the push up. There are so many different variation of the push that targets not only your chest muscles but your muscles throughout your body all the way to your toes. The push up is an excellent catalyst for muscle recruitment. It stimulates the muscles in your back, your chest, your core, and even your legs in some instances.

Below is a list of various push ups that can rock your body in less than 30 mind and keep your metabolism pumping all day.

Standard push ups
Incline push ups
Decline push ups
Spider mans
Burpee's w push ups
Diamond push ups
Alternating push ups (rt arm to lft arm)
Marine push ups (challenging)
Single arm push ups

And the list goes on, Master these exercise and you could be well on your way to a more chiseled physique.

Best wishes,
Derek

P.S. don't forget about nutrition!

Diet Drinks Add Up!

Hello Again,

Do you drink Pop?  If so, do you drink regular or diet?  If you answered diet, pay attention. 

When you reach for a pop, why do you chose diet over regular?  (keep in mind I am not saying one is better than the other)  Do you chose the diet because it says zero calories?  Smart thinking.  Or is it? 

A study done at the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill found that when people chose the diet version of their favorite soft drink, they were more likely to indulge in other sugary treats and more bread than people who chose water.  "Artificial sweeteners may increase your hunger for sweet things,"  says study author Barry Popkin, Ph.D. 

Keeping that in mind.  If you choose the zero calorie diet pop over the regular version, which on average is 120 calories/ serving, there is a far greater chance that you eliminated your sole purpose for choosing the diet pop in the first place.  In fact, there is a chance that you may have doubled or even tripled your calorie intake by choosing the diet version. 

Next time you reach for a diet pop think about it!  If you do chose the diet variety, pay attention to how much you actually snack and to what snacks you're craving and the ones you're choosing.

By eliminating these unconscious calories, you can increase the potential for positive results.

Best Wishes,
Derek

CAN YOU CARDIO TOO MUCH???

Hello Again,

My apologies for not posting last week. :(  But I was in Disney World. :) 

There is a common misconception in the fitness world when it comes to building muscle and losing weight.  That misconception is that tons of cardio gets results.  NOT NECESSARILY TRUE! 

Yes, cardio can and does help, but too much cardio can have negative effects too.  If your primary goal is to lose weight, then adjust how you eat, how often you eat and how much you eat and how you train. 

Cardio should be part of everyones repretoir, but it should never be the only thing.  Doing cardio can help to lose weight, but when done incorrectly and too much, you may be losing the good weight that you want to keep.  MUSCLE! 

Too much long distance running can cause your body to store fat and burn muscle (good fuel) during such cardiovascular bouts.  So, if find yourself on the treadmill or elliptical for hours at a time at the same pace chances are that you are not burning as much fat as you like.  Try switching things up and performing more sprint oriented workouts when doing cardio. 

Sprinting activates fast twitch muscles, which in turn, helps to build muscle instead of breaking it down.  Thus, allowing for a better fat burning session than ever before.

So, if you've been busting your butt running mile after mile to lose weight, although you may be losing weight, you aren't seeing your trouble spots go away, change how you train.  Unless you're training for a marathon or a distance run, try incorporating more short burst, high intensity, explosive exercises into your training to start seeing the results you've been working for. 


Best of Luck,
Derek

HHF's TOP 5 Total Body Exercises

Hello Again,

As a personal fitness coach it makes me happy to see people in the gym, but there are different types of people in the gym and a select few who make me really happy.  Don't get me wrong if you are there and you are working out with a purpose GOOD FOR YOU! But there are too many people in the gym who don't have a clue, not one iota of what it takes to get the results they are looking for.

  You have the person who comes in and sits on the elliptical or bike at a pace where, someone standing up from a seated position would break a better sweat.  The former high school athlete at age 40 who tries to re-live their old football training days.  The water cooler guy who spends more time getting drinks than actually training.  Oh and lets not forget the beach muscle guy with the tiny tiny legs.  And then, you have the warrior(s), the ones who come to the gym and get creative with their workouts and push themselves to the limits in order to achieve maximum results.  You are the ones who I love to see in the gym!  If the results aren't quite what you expect don't quit, they are right around the corner.  KEEP IT UP!

So for those of you who like to get creative and mix things up a bit I am going to reveal to you my absolute favorite total body exercises that will help tone, rip and sculpt your body the way you've always imagined it!

NUMBER 1
Weighted Burpees- This is an exercise that should take you back to your elementary Phys. ed. days.  With a set of dumbbells light enough to lift over your head, secure one DB in each hand in the standing position squat down into a crouched position DB in hand, weights on the ground, kick both legs back simultaneously, perform a push-up, hop back into crouched position from the crouched position stand or jump up finishing with a shoulder press (weights overhead) and repeat action.  Try doing 8-10 at a time for 2-3 sets.  (Body parts targeted: chest, legs, glutes, abs, back shoulders, biceps, triceps)

NUMBER 2
Kettle Bell Snatch- Using a kettlebell or dumbbell, whichever is available.  Take the KB in one hand feet slightly wider than shoulder width.  Let the KB hang between your knees, legs slightly bent.  In one movement drive your elbow up toward the ceiling, flip the kb up allowing it to rotate in your palm letting it land on the backside of your forearm.  Finished move should result in full arm extension overhead with kb on the backside of your wrist.  (TIP: get your legs involved to provide momentum to move the kb)  Perform exercise for each arm for 8-12 reps 2-3 sets.  (body parts targeted: legs, abs, shoulders, back, triceps)

NUMBER 3
DB Front Squat w/ Arnold Press- Using two db's stand with db's in hand (chin height) palms facing you and feet shoulder width apart.  Keeping the db's stationary perform a squat pushing your hips back and sitting down through your heels. (do not rest the weights on your shoulders, the should remain in front of your body at chin level) at the bottom of the squat return to the starting position pushing the db's overhead rotating the palms 180 degrees away from your body.  Repeat.
Perform 8-10 reps, 2-3 sets.  (body parts targeted:  glutes, hamstrings, quads, abs, shoulders, biceps, triceps)

NUMBER 4
Dead lift- This is a difficult exercise to master and requires a lot of core strength to perform correctly.  Using either DB or barbell.  Select a weight that you can do for 6-8 reps each set.  Starting with the weight in hands feet shoulder width apart lower your torso towards the ground keeping your back as flat as possible and your knees slightly bent.  (AVOID locking your knees that is for a different exercise)  Using a Mirror will help you with form.   When your torso is parallel to the ground return to upright position still keeping a flat back pulling through with the hips at the top of the lift.  (TIP for maintaining a flat back, keep your eyes in the mirror and the bar close to your shins.  (body parts targeted:  glutes, hamstrings, low back, abs)

NUMBER 5

HEAVY BAG-  Ladies and gentlemen, if you are looking for an amazing total body workout that requires no lifting, but can result in a shredded figure.  Head to the gym for some heavy bag time.  Not only does this provide you a great total body workout but allows you to release all of the pent up aggression you might have stored.  I just purchased a heavy bag for my home and I love it.  Punching allows you to target all of the muscles in your back, chest shoulders arms and core.  Kicking SMOKES the legs; quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core as well.  With this combination not only can you develop a rock solid foundation, you can also increase overall strength and power and its one HELL of a Cardio workout!  30 minutes on the bag and you may never want to run again. :)

WELL, there you have it my top five total body exercise to get you on your way to the rock hard body you've been after. 

BEST WISHES,
Derek Hummel
HHF

Osteoperosis: Exercise to the rescue

Hello Again,

When people think of exercise, chances are they think weightloss, muscles, and cardio.  What you're probably not thinking about is the positive effects it has on your bones.  The structural foundation of the human body. 

As we age our bodies begin to deteriorate (breakdown) and can become brittle and weak.  Now sometimes certain things are unavoidable and unfortunately we are not the "Man of Steel" (ie. Superman) so we're not impervious to disease, infection and other illnesses. 

This blog is directed more for the ladies, however, the gents can take something from this as well.  Osteoperosis is the deterioration of the bones causing them to become brittle and weak increasing the chances of breaks as we age.  Now, we can take an active roll in preventing and/or slowing the process of osteoperosis or we can just sit back and let it overcome us.  You Choose! 

Attached is a link to an Exercise and Osteoperosis webmd article I found very informative.  Take a look and then take action. 


Best wishes,
Derek

Sunlight= Vitamin D= Postitve Attitude= Positive Results

Hello Again,

I realize I have been gone for a while.  Sorry! 

As humans there are certain things in life we need to live healthy, happy lifestyles.  Obviously exercise (physical activity) and a good nutritional foundation are the most common.  But one we tend to over look from time to time is our natural need for sunlight to survive.  Unfortunately living in the midwest we do not have the luxury of it being 80 degrees year around, so we do have to make due with what we have.  But have you ever noticed how different our moods are during the winter months than in the spring and summer. 

Unless you use artificial tanning to maintain your "year roun' brown" there is a good chance that you have experienced these slight changes in mood.  When you are regularly getting sunshine, the UV rays, provide your body with vitamin D which has been shown to enhance positive attitudes in human beings.  And on a more superficial note people tend to feel better about themselves when they have that radient bronze tone.  (Note:  Artificial tanning does increase the chances of skin cancer.)  However, like tanning from natural sunlight, artificial tanning does have safety precautions that can be taken to decrease the risks. 

So, if you're down in the dumps, TRY GETTING YOUR BRONZE ON!


Best Wishes,
Derek

GOOD FATS!!! BAD FATS!!!

Welcome Back,

In today's society there is a common misconception that we should avoid fats in our diet.  When in fact fats are a vital nutrient and incredible source of energy.  Below is a very informative article I found on WebMD.com about good fats vs. bad fats.  This is only part of the article if you would like to learn more follow the link at the bottom of the page. 

Best Wishes,
Derek

The Skinny on Fat: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

How fats fit into your healthy diet.

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Fat, fat, fat! Would all of our weight loss problems be solved if we just eliminated fat from our diets? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. We actually need fats -- can't live without them, in fact. Fats are an important part of a healthy diet: They provide essential fatty acids, keep ourskin soft, deliver fat-soluble vitamins, and are a great source of energizing fuel. But it's easy to get confused about good fats vs. bad fats, how much fat we should eat, how to avoid artery-clogging trans fats, and the role omega-3 fatty acids play in heart health.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults get 20%-35% of their calories from fats. At a minimum, we need at least 10% of our calories to come from fat.

The problem is that the typical American diet is higher in fat: Roughly 34% to 40% of our calories come from fat. Why? Because they taste so good and are widely available in our food supply. Fats enhance the flavors of foods and give our mouths that wonderful feel that is so satisfying.

Does Dietary Fat Make You Fat?

So you might assume that fat is to blame for the obesity epidemic now plaguing our nation. Actually, fat is only part of the problem. Obesity is much more complicated than just overeating a single nutrient. Eating more calories -- from fats, carbohydrates, protein, and alcohol -- than you burn off leads to weight gain. Simply put, people who get little physical activity and eat a diet high in calories are going to gain weight. Genetics, age, sex, and lifestyle also weigh into the weight-gain formula.
That said, dietary fat plays a significant role in obesity. Fat is calorie-dense, at 9 calories per gram, while carbs and protein have only 4 calories per gram, and alcohol has 7 calories per gram. It's easy to overeat fats because they lurk in so many foods we love: french fries, processed foods, cakes, cookies, chocolate, ice cream, thick steaks, and cheese.
And eating too much fat does more than expand our waistlines. Our love affair with fat has helped to trigger an increase in the rates of type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease.   
 ...continued

Are You One Dimensional?

Welcome Friend(s),

How do you train?  Do you train on your own? With a partner or a trainer?  Either way there is a pretty good chance that for the most part you do a lot of the same (if not similar) exercises more often than you would like.  CORRECT?  For example bench press, curls, squats, etc.

If so, get out of your one dimensional way(s) and mix things up a bit.  There a three different planes in which your body can move in: saggital which runs front to back dividing you into right and left halves, frontal which runs from left to right dividing your body into front and back halves and the transverse plane which divides the body top and bottom halves.  Each plane allows for different movements such as leg extension and biceps curls in the saggital plane, lateral raises and shoulder shrugs in the frontal plane, and trunk rotations in the transverse plane. 

My challenge to you is to try and incorporate movements from at least two of these planes simultaneously in one exercise inorder to increase functional training effeciency and decrease the boredom.  We don't opperate in a one dimensional life so why should we train in one?

Listed is a list of my favorite muli-plane exercises to get you started.

1. Burpees w/ or w/out push-up- (saggital/frontal) hands down my absolute favorite!
2. Ski-Jackers-(saggital/fontal) (transverse with a twist)
3. Dead-Lift- (saggital/ frontal)
4. Lunge w/ med-ball twist (saggital/ transverse)
5. 3 jacks (saggital/ frontal)

Feel free to give these a try and see what it adds to your training.

Best Wishes and Good Luck,
Derek

Kickin' The HABIT

Welcome Back,

In the health and fitness industry we encounter many obsticals.  Whether it is with food, exercising regularly, or simply finding motivation to want to be healthier.  Whatever it may be there are no impossible obsticals, they are only as difficult as you make them.   More often than not they appear difficult because we are so use to doing things the only way we know how.  Therefore it becomes HABIT. 

Obviously not all habits are bad, if they were, we would all be in trouble!

Habits are made and fortunately they can inturn, be broken for good or bad.  However, we are going to focus on breaking the BAD and making them GOOD. 

Research shows that it takes on average 21 days to break a habit.  Unfortunately, most of us don't ever make it to the 21 day mark to see any sort of positive change.  Instead we tend to think with the mindset that "if it hasn't killed me yet, it can't be that bad for me."  YET is the opperative word there.  Hasn't killed you YET! 

The United States of America is the #1 obese country in the world and it is because of that irrational thinking that got us to the TOP SPOT on a list I personally am not proud to be on.  We live in day and age where our children are dying before the parents because of preventable diseases like childhood diabetes (typically due to childhood obesity) primarly because of poor eating HABITS!  Allowed by who?  THE PARENTS!

Children do not know any different. It is up to the parents to take an active roll in the childs' lives and set good examples for them at an early age in order to prevent unnecessary illnesses throughout their lives. 

Now don't get me wrong, I think a kid should be a kid and be able to enjoy a candy bar from time to time.  But parents come on lets be a little bit reallistic about this and keep the garbage out of your house.  Good habits start in the home and they start with YOU! 

You are like superheros to your kids whatever you do they want to do too.  If they see you drink a pop they want a pop, if you have a candy bar they want a candy bar.  The list goes on and on.  So why not create the imprint in their minds at a young age that fruits and veggies are delicious and nutritious.  I know it's not always the most convenient snack but that is the problem with people to day is that we are so spoiled by convenience that we neglect to take the time to prepare a health conscious meal or snack not only for our kids but for ourselves as adults.  Instead of the morning pop have a CUP (6-8oz.) of BLACK COFFEE and a water with your breakfast and rather than wake up with just enough time to race out the door to work wake up 30 minutes earlier and have some breakfast with your kids.

I understand people don't like change, believe me I didn't either but I knew that if I didn't change in the profession I am in why should anyone else to want to either.

Take for example my love for Dr. Pepper. I will admit that there was a time where my vice was Dr. Pepper and believe me I LOVE Dr. Pepper!  But I realized that even though I enjoyed the taste of it, I knew that it was one of my obsticals I had to adjust to for me to achieve the goals I was trying to obtain.  First of all pop is aweful for you regardless of the delicious taste, but 90 percent of the time so is most anything that taste great.  But you learn to adapt.

I use to drink at least one pop daily and now I am lucky if I drink one a month.  I was able to kick the habit in less than a week because what I was working for meant that much to me. I was running a do as I say not as I do business and in fitness that just frustrates people more than motivates, so I had to make some changes. And I did!  I no longer crave pop, in fact I find that I can't get enough water and a pop just doesn't hit the spot anymore. 

All it takes is a little will power and the motivation to want to take the steps toward living a healthier and happier life. 

I KICKED my habit. And you can too! 


Best Wishes,
Derek

IT'S TIME TO BE SELFISH

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have a bone to pick with you!  How many of you read these blog posts and apply them to your everyday life?  And, How many of you read them and shrug them off as "same old crap just a different day"? 

Either way we need to chat!  Now as a personal health and fitness advisor it is my job and personal goal in life to help each and every one of you achieve personal fitness success. Keep in mind I am not a miracle worker and I DO NOT have a magic pill that gets immediate results.  NO BODY DOES!  And if they do, chances are, it's probably not safe for you. 

So enough with the rambling.  Because I truly want to help you, it's what I love to do!  So if you would like my help and guidance.  I will give you everything I have got to get you to where you are going.  But what I am going to need from you is a little SELFISHNESS!  That's right be selfish for once in your life, stop doing what everyone else wants/ expects you to do and do something for yourself. 

To life a healthy life means change.  Believe me I know, change is scary. But change is also, GOOD!  You're thinking, well, what do you mean change.  ("I don't want to give up my weekends of fun"(ALCOHOL) or "Eating healthy is too, expensive.") You are somewhat correct on the latter, eating healthy is expensive, but it doesn't have to cost you anything extra, if you could/would just make a few sacrifices. 

Let me ask you this, What is one of your vices you think you can't live with out?  Try getting rid of that and take the money you save from one of your daily/weekly habits (that I am sure isn't all that good for you) and apply that towards healthier foods. 

Back to being selfish.  This can all be done with baby steps but no one else is going to do this for you.  If you find yourself doing everything for everyone else and can not for the life of you remember the last time you did something for you, take this time to reflect and declare it "YOU TIME" or "ME TIME" whichever you prefer and do not let anyone or thing interrupt you for however long you determine.  "BREATHE!"  And say to yourself, "THIS IS FOR ME AND NOBODY ELSE!" 

Once you can declare a "me time"  let it become routine, routines are healthy.  If you say your are going to run 3 miles at 5:30 am then get your butt out of bed and RUN! If you are meeting with trainer at a certain time do your best to keep that appointment, who cares if you inconvenience someone else for 45 minutes.  Let them know you will make it worth their while.  BECAUSE THIS IS MY TIME TO DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO FOR ME!

SELFISHNESS IS A NECESSITY!

CONGRATULATIONS! Now go do YOU!

BEST WISHES,
DEREK

AHH, THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS!!!!

Hello Again,

I know, I know!  It has been far too long since my last blog post and I apologize.  I suppose I could use the excuse I hear all too often, "I'm BUSY,"  but I will not.  As a matter of fact I really don't have an excuse that would satisfy your distaste for my lack of commitment this summer to you as readers, fitness enthusiasts and friends. 

On a daily basis I continue to reiterate to my clients that their excuses do not matter to me.  There is always time to exercise it just takes a little extra commitment both physically and mentally.  Now, I understand that with summer, comes vacations and parties and all of the fun things that we all love to do.  I am guilty of it too! 

However that does not relieve me from my moral obligation to motivate and help each and everyone of you be successful in your fitness endeavours. 

So HEAR IS MY PROMISE TO YOU...
Summer is coming to an end and as much as I really hate to say this it has been a hectic but a good one at that.  My one true excuse I will use is that I did get engaged this summer and on top of that bought a house, so if you could grant me this one excuse it would be appreciated. 

So Starting AUGUST 15th, my promise to you is to post a minimum of two health and fitness related posts monthly but my goal will be to hammer out 1 post weekly. 

SO READERS IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ME AT LEAST TWICE  DO NOT HESITATE TO HARASS ME AND SAY "LET'S GO!"

NO MORE EXCUSES!

DEREK

Some-er Distractions

Hi there,

Well, Summer is finally here!  Hopefully you were ready for it.  You worked hard all winter long and through the spring to get in the best shape of your life and now you're ready to sport that hot new swimsuit you've been dying to fit into. 

My question to you is, Are you the type of person who puts all of your efforts into getting ready for the summer only to party and watch everything you worked for go away?  Or, are you disciplined and continue to fine tune that body you worked so hard for? 

Throughout my years of training I have encounted far too many people who work their "tail" off right up until about the the first sign of nice weather and then they disappear from the gym.  Maybe they are taking advantage of the weather and participating in an outdoor fitness camp or prefer to run, walk or bike outside.  If so, GO YOU!  Unfortunately, a greater majority of those people are indulging in other "extra-curricular" activities. 

These I call "Some-er distractions" because some, not all, of the activities we choose to partake in have an unfortunately powerful strangle hold on our decision making when it comes to working out in the summer.  Keep in mind I am not saying you can not or should not enjoy your summer and have fun.  Just remember that more often than not these distraction come with consequences.  If you can live with potentially gaining back most if not all of the weight your worked so hard to lose than by all means go for it, it's your body, your life. 

However, a little note, sometimes indulging in too many "some-er distractions" will actually add unnecessary weight that you might find even more difficult to get rid of.

Best Wishes this Summer,
Derek

To Cardio, OR Not to Cardio?

Welcome,

Everyday I meet people who's goals are to lose weight, tone-up, and just look and feel better.  Unfortunately, those same people are the instant gratification type who want the quick fix to a problem that more than likely did not happen over night.  You did this to YOU and YOU can fix it.  It is just going to take a little time and a lot of effort and discipline.

You can try all of the fad diets and pills you want and you may lose a few pounds here and there, but you can almost guarantee that you will put it back on (often time(s) double the weight) just as fast as you lost it.  Now, if you do not already know, let me be the first to tell you that 80 percent of successful weight loss begins and ends with good nutrition.  The rest is exercise and SLEEP!(8 consecutive hours, minimum)  So unless suffer from insomnia or sleep apnea, this is the easy part. 

Exercise is great!  But there are different types of exercise(s) for different results.  Although weight training is great for toning and building muscle, the most effective form of exercise to assist in your weight loss journey is cardiovascular training.  Keep in mind, for this to be most effective you must first find your optimal training zone (Heart Rate) and then maintain that zone (fat burning) during bouts of cardiovascular activity. 

Please understand that I am not saying that you can not lift weights to burn fat.  You simply have to lift weights at a rate at which it increases your heart rate to the optimal training zone and maintain it as you would during a run, walk, or bike ride. 

Formula for finding your training zone:  220 - AGE= max heart rate(HR)   Cardiovascular endurance training (Max HR x .75 =  cardio training zone),  To burn fat you should train at 50-60 % of your max HR, to find your range take (Max HR x .5-.6= Fat burning zone).

Thank You for Stopping By,

Derek

The Ever Confusing Carbohydrate **???** To EAT or NOT To EAT

Hey there,

As a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Coach, keeping up with all the changing trends can be rather exhausting.  Do I eat this? Can I eat that? How much do I eat? And, when do I eat it?  WELL, I am here to try and help with some of the confusion as it pertains to a much needed macronutrient and major source of energy, the Carbohydrate.

Carbohydrates are a one of three major macronutrients that the body uses for energy.  When you here about high endurance athletes "carb loading" the night before an event they are in fact filling up their bodies tank(s) to allow for optimal performance.  Keep in  mind "carb loading" does not mean that they are ingesting "twinkies" and cupcakes but, complex carbohydrates that will stick with them for an extended period of time as fuel for their event. 

If your thinking, "why can't I carb load?" " I Love Carbs!"  The reason is that most people carb load at the wrong time of day and with the wrong type(s) of carbs.  Simple carbs are carbohydrates that are burnt off quickly and spike the glycogen strores (blood sugar) providing a quick burst of energy, however, with the possibility of a crash at the end.  Then there are Complex carbs.  These are what fuel you throughout the day. 

So now you're thinking, why don't I just eat bread all day if it gives me so much energy.  Well, because if you're like the majority of Americans the chance that you're going to burn all of that fuel as energy is highly unlikely and unless you're eating breads made from WHOLE GRAINS you are missing the picture.  We as Americans are lazy, and after a long day at work the tendency is to want to come home and veg-out on the couch.  We want food that tastes good and not like cardboard, therefore, we opt for the foods high in sugars and artificial sweeteners. Which in turn causes that unused energy to be stored as "FAT". 

Because we have other energy sources that our bodies draw from at different times for different levels of activities carb loading is not necessary.  Especially if the end goal is to shed unwanted fatty tissues. 

Although it is important to balance your proteins, fats and carbohydrates, if you want to burn unwanted adipose tissue (fat) try to keep your carbohydrates to that of the complex form (whole grains, oatmeal, vegetables) keeping the majority of the carbs in the morning for breakfast and taper your carb intake as the day gets longer.  My recommendation is to try and eliminate "bread" carbohydrates after 2pm.  Vegetables are good to eat anytime.  The more fresh (uncooked) the vegetables the more nutritional value they have.


Also, feel free to check out my new website.  http://www.hummelhealthandfitness.com/

Thank You,
Derek

Side note:  If your workout sessions are later in the day do not be afraid to eat some sort of complex carbohydrate 30-60 minutes prior to your workout.  Small enough to fuel your body but not so big it comes back up mid workout. 

4 Month Check Up

Hello Again,

Every New Year we find it necessary to make a resolution to do something we have not done or change something we have not changed.  And most of us are committed for a month or two, some of us a little longer but too few actually stick with the original plan.  Don't get me wrong, I am sure every resolution was made with the best of intention.  Unfortunately, LIFE HAPPENS!  I get it, YOU'RE HUMAN, aren't we all. 

We all slip up from time to time, no one is perfect.  Although we were taught not to be selfish, well some of us, but when it comes to your health it is OK to be selfish.  We as humans tend to get side tracked on doing everything for everyone else that we put "us" off for later.  Most times we forget about "us." Yes, sometimes it is second nature to put others first, but at what point to we have to draw the line and say, it's my time now!

Now this is a health and fitness blog, at least it is supposed to be.  So, if you are reading this and your New Year resolution was to go the gym more, get in better shape, run or walk more, lose weight, decrease body fat, or simply live a healthier lifestyle, this is for YOU.  However, if your resolution has nothing to do with health or fitness, this is still for you. 

Having said that, IT IS APRIL!  What have you done?  Are you on track to reaching your goals?  Or, are you the majority and have given up on what you set out to do?

This is your 4 MONTH CHECK UP!  If you are someone who made the resolution to better your health and fitness but have done nothing to help yourself, IT'S NOT TOO LATE!  This is where you reevaluate what is important to you and then do something about it.  It all starts with accountability and accountability begins and ends with YOU and only you. 

If you have given up on your resolution(s), MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS, renew your resolution and get back on track, stop with the excuses and finish what you set out to do.  Life happens and unfortunately, it waits for no one.  So make time for NUMERO UNO!

Sincerely,

Derek

What do you Rock?

Welcome back!  Sorry I took so long. 

I assume if you're reading this you either workout because you have to or workout because you're like me and you love to.  Either way, today's blog is not necessarily one for information that I provide to you but information for me, about my readers.

Now, I love listening to music and I especially love listening to music while I work out.  Music that gets my blood pumping and wakes me up and gets me moving.  I typically don't care what kind of music it is just as long as it has a good beat and a great tempo.  I try to coordinate my music for the type of training I am doing.  If am hitting the gym heavy I really enjoy listening to Linkin Park and bands of that nature and I will mix a little bit of rap/hip hop in as well, I'm not picky.  But like I said earlier I'll listen to anything that gets me moving. 

So, my question to you is, what gets you moving?  What motivates you to push through that last rep or finish that next mile, whatever it may be?  What type of music gets your mind correct and blocks out all other distractions?  Are you Punk? Country? Rock? Rap? Pop?  Maybe you got Beiber FEVER!  I'm not judging. Im just saying. 

Feel free to post what you Rock on your headphones or stereo in the comments or on the Hummel Health & Fitness Facebook page. 


Sincerely,
Derek