 We ALL fall down.
I was talking with a dear friend and client the other day who travels regularly. She was explaining how after her last trip it seemed harder to get back in the swing of meal prep, regular sleep, and prioritizing workouts. She was tired, grabbing easy food options, and skipping cardio sessions. Understanding the long term importance of lifting weights, and with me there waiting for her, she showed for her scheduled training sessions, though she said would have been VERY easy to skip. She went on to explain that in the past this is where she would quit. So many times we have the all or none mentality. The “I didn’t do this so why do that” thought process. With her mind made up, my friend listened to her body. Focusing first on rest and nutrition, she prepared her meals and made herself go to bed at a decent hour. Being a night owl this was a very hard task for her, and required some discipline. Within the week she began to feel amazing again, and is back on track. This friend of mine is down 60 pounds, and through this journey has realized that there will be times she falls. She realizes that this is not a deal breaker, and the given efforts are not lost. She knows all that can be done is to get back up, dust off, and move forward. As we parted ways, with a big smile on her face, she assured me that the difference between this time and the other attempts of living a fit and healthy lifestyle, is simply not giving up after a fall. She says- “It is not the end, just a bump in the road, and I feel fantastic!” As her trainer and nutrition coach my heart is completely full. The struggles of balancing life and fitness is a huge reality. I highly recommend the pursuit of Persistence over Perfection! You will get there! Don’t give up! If you need guidance I am here to help. Nutrition is absolutely key to any successful program, and the perfect start to living a fit and healthy life. Learn more about nutrition here, and let’s start your success story today. Sincerely, Cassandra Gann
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The season of jeans and leggings is upon us. Do them justice with this booty lifting routine! Warm Up - 50 Plie Squats in as few sets possible
3 sets of each: Walking Lunges with Kickback - same leg - 15 reps each leg Cable Squat Bounces - stay low - 15 reps Cable Squat to Hip Thrust (squeeze glutes hard at top) - 15 reps Hack Squat - 8 to 10 reps Reverse Adductor - 15 reps Cable Squat Bounce Super Set with Cable Squat to Hip Thrust - 10 reps each Finish - 1 round of each in as few sets possible 50 GHD - (chest up and don't go too far down -squeeze those glutes to power your raise ) 50 Plie Squats Enjoy!!! Cassandra Gann Browse more workouts  Are you robbing your body of the benefits from your nutritious food?
TRUTH IS - You can have a great diet, but without proper hydration your nutrients aren’t being broken down and transferred into your cells. This causes your body to miss the advantageous power of the nutrients you ingest. Picture your cells. Each cell has a membrane. Your water intake directly affects the fluidity of your cell membrane. If the cell membrane is hard, the nutrients bounce off. However, if the cell membrane is fluid, the nutrients are easily transferred in to do their job! Water also aids in digestion. The enzymes found in saliva, the basis of which is water, help break down food and liquid, dissolving them into minerals and nutrients to be used by the cells. Two thirds of your body water is held within the cell. This water is responsible for a large number of metabolic reactions within the cell, creating an environment where fat burning magic happens! Drink water to break down food and make the nutrients easily accessible to the cells for optimal living, maintaining a healthy weight, and superior energy! Cheers to fat loss, living lean, and enjoying life! Learn more about Nutrition Reference: Berardi, John PhD. and Andrews, Ryan MS/MA,RD (2013). Nutrition: The Complete Guide, International Sports Sciences Association's Specialist in fitness Nutrition Program. BOLD BACK - Routine #1
I hope you enjoy this routine as much as I did! Back is one of my favorites to train :) When you are lifting, remember to focus on the muscles you are using and purposely engage them! Here's to a BOLD BACK! Sincerely - Cassandra   Weight Loss and Fat Loss - Understanding the Difference So just great - You stuck to your diet and cut carbs, did a ton of cardio, and you finally fit into those jeans… just to have that muffin top hanging over? Then every time you eat something “forbidden”, or skip that cardio session, five pounds reappear? What gives? Let’s look at weight loss. Fast Weight Loss, Weight Loss Pills, Weight Loss Foods, Weight Loss Supplements, and many Weight Loss Programs may make you lighter on your feet fast - but the bad news is they leave you losing weight you really needed to keep… Yes, cutting carbs grants instant weight loss gratification. Carbohydrates retain three times as much water as proteins and fats. So when you don’t have carbs you are carrying less water and you weigh less. Period The Bad news about less water is that muscle is 70 percent water, and when your muscles have less water they shrink. This is called atrophy, or muscle loss. On top of the carb restriction you are probably also trying to eat less in general, which usually means less calorie and macro-nutrient ingestion. Without enough protein intake your body can’t rebuild muscle. Even worse your body will break down its own protein sources (muscle tissue) to sustain. Double Whammy! Weight Loss Programs calling for too much cardio is the nail in the fat loss coffin! Strictly focusing on dieting and cardio for fat loss will no doubt yield a drop on the scale. That drop unfortunately will also include some precious muscle mass, leaving you looking like a smaller fat person, aka skinny fat. Weight Loss = Losing Fat, Losing Water, and Losing Muscle.  Fat Loss = Losing Fat. Because muscle needs constant energy to maintain itself, the amount of muscle you have directly impacts your metabolism. Muscle is an active tissue made of living cells containing mitochondria. Mitochondria are the power plants of the cell where fat is converted to energy. When treated correctly through resistance training and nutrition, muscle will use your fat stores to maintain its integrity, whether you are working out or sleeping. The more muscle tissue, the more cells. The more cells, the more mitochondria. The more mitochondria, the more energy needed. The more energy needed, the more fat burned! Therefore, it easy to understand that less muscle tissue you have the fewer calories, and less fat you will burn on a daily basis. Muscle also directly affects how well your body utilizes nutrients. When you lose muscle, the nutrients you do take in are less likely to be uploaded into your muscle cells and therefore turned into fat! All Counterproductive wouldn’t you say? I want to lose fat - How do I fix this problem? Solid Nutrition and Strength Training. PERIOD Strength training builds muscle and prevents muscle loss. Proper nourishment in the right quantities guarantees nutrient upload and cell regeneration. Together, Nutrition and Strength Training turn your body into an efficient machine that utilizes fat without losing muscle. And please don’t give me the “I’m scared to get bulky” spill! Do not worry - You won’t! Even if you were a freak of nature and could pack on pounds of muscle easily and quickly… Let’s get back to those jeans - that fat lapping over the waistband IS bulky! It’s bulk FAT! Which looks better to you?
If you really want to set your body up to have a high resting metabolism and burn fat all day long, for the rest of your years, condition your body with resistance training, and do it regularly.
Mix up your training routines, challenging your muscles to respond with a variety of movements. Focus on consistently making progress. Schedule your workout times, and purposefully train your muscles, increasing the intensity of your workouts as your strength progresses. By maintaining a regular workout regimen and proper nutrition, you will master fat loss, reach your goals, and look fabulous in those jeans! References: Maughan, RJ. (2003). Impact of Mild Dehydration on wellness and exercise performance, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 57, Suppl 2, S19–S23. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601897 Mitch,William E. M.D., and Goldberg, Alfred L. Ph.D. (2006). Mechanisms of Muscle Wasting - the Role of the Ubiquitin - Proteasome Pathway, N Engl J Med 335:1897-1905 DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199612193352507 Enoka,R.M. (1988). Muscle Strength and It's Development, Journal of Sports Medicine 6: 146. doi:10.2165/00007256-198806030-00003 |
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