Love Your Cardio - 5/23/10 - 5/29/10

If weight loss and/or toning is your goal then cardio is essential. ACSM and the AHA recommend a minimum of 30 min of cardio 5 days a week for all healthy adults (under 65). For those of you who hate running, I have great news. There are literally hundreds of ways to get your cardio on. If you don't like to sweat, jump in a pool and take up swimming. My favorite mode of cardio is dancing; although longboading is becoming a new fav. If you have tried everything and hate it. My only question is, "How's that working out for ya?" A small change of attitude can change you body and your life.

Remember fitness is best when it's fun, safe, and set to some killer music!

David Levison

ACSM Certified Personal Trainer

Excess Abdominal Fat 4/18/10 - 4/24/10

When I wear my red "Certified Trainer" shirt in public I get the strangest questions. At Publix people ask me which fake mayo has less fat. (I don't recommend over processed anything, i.e. fake mayo.) At Target people ask me where the appliances are. However the most common question I get is: "how do I get abs like yours?" This is kind of a trick question, because everyone has abdominal muscles (abs) but genetics greatly varies the shape of them. For example I, no matter how hard I work, can never have "Brad Pitt Abs". In addition to the genetic complications, people store excess body fat in their abdominal area, especially men. Women on the other hand tend to store more excess fat in their hips and glutes (ass). And here's the part no one wants to hear: Abdominal exercises stregthen the core and can assist in toning the abs, however the only way to loose the excess abdominal fat is diet and cardio. At best this is a challenge and not an obstacle, because you don't have to be a fitness guru to make real changes in your body.

Remember fitness is best when it is fun, safe, and set to some killer music!

David Levison

Certified Personal Trainer

No Phone Zone 3/7/10 - 3/13/10

When I got my first mp3 player I thought I had finally found the perfect piece of workout equipment. When I got my first ipod nano I wanted to marry it. *If you want the world's best supplement ask me about my itunes playlist.* About a month ago I got my first iphone, and (for a moment) it made me believe god wasn't dead (see Hersey by NIN). But after two weeks with the iphone, I noticed I was spending more and more time answering texts, emails, downloading apps, etc. The very thing that fueled my workouts was not distracting me from them. I say in the fitness world we jump on the Oprah bandwagon and make our workouts a "NO PHONE ZONE." So as much as I love the iphone, for 1 hour a day(or in my case 2), I keep the phone in my car or gym bag and whip out the nano. Technology that keeps you from your workouts is hardly progressive.

Remember fitness is best when it is fun, safe, effective, and set to some killer music!

David Levison

Certified Personal Trainer