Memphis personal trainer (me – Tonya Tittle) wants to say that I hope the following story I relay to you motivates you to workout and control your portions in your diet. This is going to be a short post because really I don’t want to drag it out.  I just merely want to give you something to ponder.

I was at a charity event last weekend that had lots of wine tasting and food stations.  I had to use the ladies restroom.  As I was in the stall doing my thing I heard a man’s voice as he entered the stall right beside mine.  Apparently he had to come in and with three separate attempts had to hoist his wife/lady friend, or girlfriend off the toilet because she couldn’t get up on her own.  They were whispering and trying not to draw attention to themselves.  I tell you it was pretty odd to see a mans feet in a woman’s stall with a woman also in there.

Upon my exiting the bathroom after washing my hands I just had to see what the woman and the man looked like.  They were standing right outside the bathroom door against the wall.  She was still recovering from the ordeal.  I was not surprised that the couple looked to be in their early 60s and very much overweight and did not possess the healthiest glow in their skin.

As a trainer and health enthusiast I was pondering two things: 1) if they were both quite embarrassed 2)would the woman have gotten stuck on the toilet she had made different choices in her life such as implementing exercising and eating healthy at an early age.  I understand if maybe she had knee surgery from an injury such as a car accident or other misfortune but still if different choices were to have been made she could have had enough strength in her upper body to use the walls of the stall or push off the toilet.

As for me I do not want my husband or children years from now or even now have to help lift me off of any toilet, especially a public toilet.  I want to always have the strength in my legs to hover over the germs in public.  Ladies… You know the hover I am talking about.  Squats in the gym here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Morgan Guthrie (Mark Guthrie’s 17 year old daughter & previously featured success story) found a way to lose weight after being sidelined from Pom Squad with a knee injury.

Click her to see full Commercial Appeal Story

Morgan has done so well with weight training and cardio sprints. She really sticks with it to get the results she wants.  Every 6 weeks during her post assessments we discuss more changes she can gradually make with her current diet (diet as in her daily diet / lifestyle eating patterns).  We love how she knows that this is going to be a lifestyle choice for her and what we teach her is going to make a difference immediately (keeping her from gaining the freshman 15 when she starts college next fall) and in the future.  She has great support from her father (Mark) see blog post about his transformation.

The staff at Energy Fitness are so proud of the father daughter duo and wish more families would do fitness together as it brings them closer.

If you have a family member you want to give the gift of fitness and nutrition or want for yourself give us a call at 901-523-2348 for a Free Consultation (value $87).

Energy Fitness, 552 South Main, Memphis, TN  38103,  901-523-2348,  www.EnergyMemphis.com

Mark Guthrie, An Ultimate Success Story

For full Commercial Appeal Story click here

Meet Mark Guthrie, he has been working out at Energy Fitness for a year and within that year he has really hit new heights in his workout. If you missed the story the Commercial Appeal ran on Monday, October 24th then let’s do a recap for you… the Energy Fitness version. Mark is someone who comes in for his sessions and works hard on the target areas the Energy Fitness trainer has him do. The focus is heavy weights and cardio, for those who are not verse on how the Energized Method works. Mark dropped 45 pounds, 25 total inches, and his blood pressure drastically reduced to healthy levels. Even Mark’s doctor phoned to congratulate him on a job well done after reading the Commercial Appeal article.  This is Mark before…

What was on Mark’s Plate before? No breakfast or coffee for breakfast, barely eating all day having at night all his caloric intake and heavy carbs; water was a few glasses a day

Now.. Mark has 100 fluid ounces a day, eats breakfast every morning, watches what he takes in a night, reducing the carbohydrates.

His 1800 calorie diet consists of a high protein diet with fish, chicken, vegetables, fruit and healthy fats like the fish, avocados and almonds. His portions have also decreased.

He has noticed that he is stronger and generally feels better overall. Now he is fine-tuning what he has learned over the year and applying it strongly to his daily new lifestyle walk. From the a year ago, 19 pushups were squeezed out of Mark, now he is easily doing 50!

As of this summer, Mark encouraged his daughter to start training at Energy Fitness and after school twice a week she comes in and has really improved too! Watch for her story in the Commercial Appeal coming up.

STRENGTH TRAINING

Hello runners! Hope week 6 of running has been awesome despite this sudden cold weather we’ve had. This week, week 7, we will be briefly discussing the importance of strength training; both in general, and pertaining to your running training program.

Strength training is of vital importance for endurance and performance athletes, both during years of training and throughout the rest of your life. Adding strength workouts to your regimen will:

Increase muscle mass

Muscle burns more calories than fat; thus, by adding more muscle to your body, your metabolism will increase.

Help to slow down or halt muscle loss that accompanies aging

Adults lose up to ½ pound of muscle per year after the age of 20, resulting in loss of energy and an overall weaker bodily make-up.

Maintain or increases joint flexibility

Performing a proper warm up and stretching routine in conjunction with your strength training will improve your joint flexibility, which also helps to enhance performance and decrease injury.

Increase your endurance and reduces fatigue

Strength training allows your muscles to perform longer before becoming fatigued because a proper strength training program helps your body to better handle with the stresses of running.

Improve fitness variables

Your strength training will enhance your: glucose metabolism, blood pressure, muscle strength/endurance, body composition, and even insulin sensitivity

Improve your mood

Helps to alleviate depression among older adults.

Improve brain function

Performing various strength training exercises improves your overall coordination.

Help you sleep more soundly

Help to control and reduce pain from ailments such as arthritis/old injuries

& Improve balance and decreases risk for injury

Most runner injuries are a result of muscle imbalances and weakness; these include most knee and hip related issues. Performing a strength routine for your lower body and core are particularly important when training for distance running events.

Regarding our training program this Fall/Winter, Mondays and Wednesdays should be the days when you incorporate strength training into your cross-training routines. Supplemental exercises can be added to your workouts on Tuesdays and Thursdays so long as they aren’t overdone.

Always be sure to continuously hydrate, warm-up, cool down, and stretch!

Happy running!!

We want to thank everyone who participated in the first 24 Day Challenge Nutrition Seminar and Grocery Store Tour! We had an awesome turnout. But don’t worry…If you missed the first round, you can visit www.24DayMemphisChallengeSeminar.viprespond.com to register for the next seminar on October 27th and grocery store tour on October 29th. Don’t hesitate! Spots are limited.

WATER

Can you do this an smile at the same time?

Couldn’t resist taking this picture to motivate and inspire at least one person to start weight training.

We have several clients that start with us here at Energy Fitness in Memphis Tennessee with back, neck or shoulder issues and can’t even pick up their own children.

After only a few months most clients forget they even had back pain and say they have so much more energy then they had before and can get up and down off the floor easier, go up stairs without totally being out of breath, and the list goes on…..

You may not think you need a personal trainer, however, if you give it a try you will be suprised at how much you learn.  I like it best when our client Greg Lord, a golfer here in town said “I had to get over the fact I am paying for a trainer because there is no way I would get these kind of results doing this on my own.”

Ready or not…..Give us a call for more info on our programs and how you can feel better and be stronger – 901-523-2348

You asked for it…  Many of our clients don’t know what to do when they have to miss their sessions and begged us to do a blog post of what exercises they can do while away.

If  you’ll be away from the gym on vacation or just travel a lot this can be the perfect opportunity to get stronger and stay in shape until you return. We have created a workout just for you! This workout will help you get cut or stay cut while you’re away. You won’t need any weights or equipment, just an open space in your hotel room or early in the morning on the beach or a new city.

Let us answer the question before you ask it.  HOW MANY REPS DO I PERFORM OF EACH EXERCISE?  Well, that’s a tricky question. Here’s a somewhat simple explanation.  Just remember….If you do the same thing all the time don’t expect different results.  In other words, No two workouts should be the same.  Mix it up by going for time intervals, maximum reps, plyometrics, order of exercises, pumping, holding, etc….

Short on time? Do 1 leg exercise, 1 upper body exercise, 1 ab and 1 stretching exercise.

Cardio Workout – do as a stand alone on non weight training days or incorporate as part of your strength training workout.

Floor Runs - do as a warm up for 50 to 100 each side (that’s 100 to 200 for those of you who think that I am always tricking you with the numbers)

Start                                                                                       Finish

Chest Workout & gets some back muscles also (the Lats)

Spiderman Push-Ups - a client Love/Hate exercise. These can be done many different ways, stationary, bouncing with or without a clap (plyometrics), dynamic (moving across floor), or negative (going down super slow then getting back up into position without actually doing push up)

Start                                               Moving                                              Other Side

Back T-Row - this can be done as pictured as well as many other ways such as follows:  in a plank position on the floor, over a stability ball, face down on an incline bench, I recently have been having clients do this move combined with a spiderman push-up across the floor with a 20 to 45 pound weight, etc…)

Start                                                                     Finish

Shoulders

Shoulder Push Ups Easy – this can be done on the floor as pictured and the following variations as well depending on your strength: on the floor with 1 leg up (pictured below),  on stability ball with both feet flat on ball, feet on a stair/couch/bed, bench, feet up the wall, or even with someone holding your ankles if you are strong enough.

Start                                                                           Finish

Shoulder Push Ups One Leg
Start                                                                   Finish

Arms

Tricep Push Ups Level 1 -YOU MUST PUSH YOUR ELBOWS IN TOWARD THE BODY.   For those of you not strong enough to go to a 90 degree angle with your elbows then stick your butt up i the air a little.  This is also great for the core.  For variations try holding a the bottom for 5 to 20 seconds or do each rep with a pump.
Start                                                                                 Finish

Tricep Push Ups Level 2 – this can also be done on push up handles or a medicine call with handles.  It can also be done with the feet together.
Start                                                                              Finish

Legs

Jump Squats – what a great exercise to do without equipment.  This can be done stationary (staying in one place), dynamic (moving across or in different directions).  If you are doing outside then try jumping off a curb and back onto a flat surface, or try jumping on a stair (hold a side rail in a hotel stairway if inside)
Start                             Jump

Bench Lunge – this can be done holding a chair or other stationary object for balance and might make you get a larger range of motion. To make it harder, add a jump to it (plyometrics),  pump with every rep, or hold in the down position for 5 to 15 seconds.
Start                                                                                  Finish

Abs

1 Leg Up Crunch  -  can be done lying as pictured below or make it harder and balance on your butt while the bottom leg if hovering just above the floor.
Start                                                                                       Finish

Double Crunch - 
Start                                                                                      Finish

Side Double Crunch
Start                                                                              Finish

Some Cardio

Burpie – this can be done as cardio alone or as a combination exercise with the following exercise(s) added to it: push up, t-row, jump squat, jumping jack. Get crazy with it!
Start Floor Position                                        Finish Plank Position

Stretches

Downward Dog One Leg Up – hold for 20 to 60 seconds each stretch.

Hip/Butt Cross Leg

Tabletop – excellent for people with poor posture

Chest/Shoulder Behind Back Stretch – excellent for people with poor posture

Need help finding healthy recipes for your lifestyle? We’ve decided to let you in on some of Tonya’s recipes secrets!

So we have an idea to help many of you learn how to eat healthy by visual presentation of foods Tonya and her family and to eat to stay trim and heart healthy.  We would love to hear your feed back on if and how this helps you.

Feel like you are too busy to eat healthy?  Tonya knows what busy is.  It’s hard to run a business, raise 2 boys under the age of 6, be a good wife, clean house, and make time for herself but you just have to make it a lifestyle.  So no excuses!!!!

Check back soon for more posts.  Tonya says “I feel like i am always taking pictures with my phone and can’t seem to post them fast enough”.  We post a lot on our facebook page.  click here to like us on facebook.

Juiced Banana Orange Popsicle

Juice oranges and bananas using a juicer or food processor.

Homemade Buckwheat and Brown Rice Waffles

-Buckwheat flour (from Whole Foods)

-Organic brown rice flour (from Whole Foods)

-Home waffle maker machine

-Vanilla soy milk

-1 egg

-Baking soda

Healthy “Chicken Dog” Stir Fry

-Chicken breakfast links (from Whole Foods)

-Bell pepper

-Squash

-Zucchini

-Cherry tomatoes

-Avacado

-Avacado oil

Craving Something Crunchy?

-Tera Chips

-Sweet Potato & Beet Chips (Walmart)

-Hummus (great source of protein)

What does a trainer’s 5 year old son eat?

-Raw bell pepper

-Organic chicken breakfast link (cooked, but cold)

-Hummus

-Cherry tomatoes

-Raw carrots

-Terra Chips (Sweet potato and beets)

Acceptable Trail Mix (Only 80 grams of sodium!)

Tonya’s Favorite No-Sugar Cereal

-I use this in many of my recipes, such as waffles, pancakes, crispy rice treats, trail mix with unsalted cashews, almonds, raisins and agave and nectar, and of course just plain with soy milk and a side of sunflower nut butter

Snacks for Carb Lovers….

These are available at most grocery stores and are a healthier choice than traditional high fat chips and trail mix. If you simply must have processed carbs, then reach for these. I personally do not eat these snacks as I avoid wheat and gluten.

Dinner for Kids….Eaten Cold with Babysitter

BBQ Ground Turkey and Veggies

-Beets

-Raw Peppers

-Zucchini

-Brown rice tortilla chips

*This meal was supposed to be a wrap but when I reached for the tortilla in the package, it was broken in many pieces so I just cooked in a pan sprayed with olive oil.

Lot’s of you always want to know what I eat and think if you just follow me around and eat what I eat you will be skinny. Probably so, but I have my weak moments too. 80% of the time eat healthy and live clean and the other 20% enjoy what makes you happy.

As of this post as 1 full day in on a sheet of paper that I have been toting back and forth from home to work as I meant to blog about this weeks ago. The other is from yesterday June 29, 2011.

1 day

6:45 am – 4 egg whites and 1 yolk, 1 tablespoon almond butter, 1 cup kix cereal, 1.5 cups brown rice puff cereal, 1 cup vanilla soymilk, handful broccoli sprouts, vitamins
9 am – orange
10 am – large apple
12 pm – 3 boiled egg whites & 1 yold
1pm – 1 tablespoon almond butter
3pm – fruit leather
4:45 pm – protein shake with banana
6:30 pm – brown rice tortilla, raw red peper, raw slices squash, few sprays of olive oil in pan for tortilla shell, 3 ounces turkey slices, 1/2 capful zesty italian dressing, 1/4 fresh tomato, 2 tablespoons avacado
8:30 pm – 2 cups puffed rice cereal, 1 tablespoon almond butter, 1 cup almond milk

Total protein for day about 81 grams – NOT ENOUGH for this day. i need to get between 90 and 120 everyday to keep my muscles feed (or as many of you like to say toned)

Today – I ate 8 meals/snacks
6:30 am – 4 egg whites and 1 yolk, 1.5 cups of kix cereal with 1 cup of vanilla soy milk, 1 table spoon almond butter
9:30 am – fruit leather
workout – weights and cardio (total 45 minutes)
10:50 am – post workout shake
11:30 am – large banana and about 2 handfuls of unsalted cashews
1:30 p.m. – large apple
3 p.m. – 4 giradelli chocolate squares
3:10 p.m. – raw cabbage salad, 4 baby carrots, 2 egg whites and 1 yolk, 1/2 capful of zesty lime italian dressing
6:30 p.m. – dinner with a neighbor – 2 ounces baked salmon (olive oil seasoned), 4 ounces of ground turkey patties I made (ingredients: dry quiona, puff rice cereal, eggs, olive oil and water for pan, pepper), butter leaf lettuce, 1 shitake mushroom, 1 sweet potato chip with salsa, carrot slivers, pepper slices, dressing with olive oil and balsamic vinagrette, 1 cup steam broccoli (no seasoning), 1 cup rice, water

Total grams of protein for the day equals about 90 grams.

Do you notice how I pretty much graze all day long? That’s the biggest secret (meal timing) to reaching and maintaining your goal weight.

One research study in England selected a group of participants that ate 4 meals each day. One group was instructed to cut out the forth meal but get the same number of calories within 3 meals. The group that cut out the forth meal but continued to consume the same number of calories gained weight. Conclusion: eating more frequently (meal timing) smaller meals (as eating large meals teaches your body to store fat) leads to a greater control over a healthy weight as people tend to choose more wisely when the presence of hunger is not as great.

I hope you get inspired to write down what you eat at least for a few days so you can see the holes in your nutrition and get on board to lose that weight. It may be a real eye opener for you.

***I am seriously thinking of taking pictures of everything i stick in my mouth for two weeks (lots of clients have expressed an interest) if I can find an app for my iphone that i can name the pictures immediately and don’t have to wait to download to name (any suggestions?). It will be a pain in the butt, however; if at least 7 people say that if would help them then i will do it.

Comment on this post…..I want to know what your thoughts are. Tonya