5 Easy Body Fat Reducing Tips
May 23, 2011
Many fitness articles talk about “fat loss”, but I like to use the term “fat reduction”. It is a personal preference of mine that comes from a positive mindset. When you think of “loss” you typically think of something and want it back. For example if you lose your keys you want them back. If you lose a friend or loved one, you want them back. Loss is a mindset that you create. So, since I don’t want to find the fat again, I don’t like to use the term fat loss. (I certainly never get sad when I “lose body fat”.)
Laura Mak Fitness
If I were to use the mindset with “loss in it, my mind may tell me that I want it back again later. The reality is I don’t. I want permanent removal, permanent fat reduction, and a permanent healthy body change.
Use these five key steps in your fat reducing plan.
1. Walking
Numerous studies prove that walking will lead to fat reduction. The key to success when walking for fat reduction is consistency, not intensity. To reduce fat all you need to do is walk at a comfortable pace for 30 minutes a day. Walking is a great exercise and is a great addition to any fat reduction program. Walking is not only one of the best ways to reduce fat it will also improve your overall health and help to decrease stress and fatigue. If you want to speed up the process, then add intervals into your walk, where you walk fast for 1-2 minutes then a recovery walk for 1-2 minutes. Repeat that pattern for 30 minutes and you will burn even more calories and more body fat.
2. Drinking Water
This is nothing new, and I know you have heard it a million times before but here goes again, drink 8 to 12 glasses of water a day. As repetitive as that is, water really has magical properties. Drinking water will help you reduce fat while flushing out many toxins. Muscles are 90% water, and remember, more muscle means a more efficient metabolism. Water helps keep your stomach feeling full and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Water may act as a natural appetite suppressant and fat burner. Water is also the best treatment for fluid retention. So in other words, drink water and reduce fat.
3. Setting Goals
When starting a fat reduction program, it is important to set goals. An easy way to start planning your goals is to plan the final goal, and then break that down into smaller more manageable parts. For example if you want to reduce your weight by 15 lbs, set 3 – 5 lbs weight reducing goals. By achieving smaller goals, the overall objective seems more attainable. In addition, you will have a sense of accomplishment every time you reach your small goals.
4. Be Prepared
Never leave meals up to chance. Plan your meals and plan your grocery trips. Keep your kitchen stocked with healthy snacks. You also always want to carry food or snacks with you. If you have something with you while you are out, you are less likely to be tempted by cheating. Always being prepared will help you avoid setbacks.
5. Rebound to Success
Following a fat reduction program isn’t easy and sometimes we may go offtrack. The key to success is not to let a moment of weakness turn into a day or week of overeating. If you stray, don’t be too hard on yourself. Instead get right back on track and rebound quickly.
Do You Have Exercise “TAO”?
April 4, 2011
Health and wellness requires a certain commitment to the body. Exercising on a regular basis is a large part of the wellness curriculum. In the last nineteen years of my fitness career, I have discovered the three most successful strategies that can help a person in their exercise program. Training, Accountability and Ongoing consistency are the main factors. This is what I refer to as “exercise TAO”. You will be able to stay fit or get fit by actually training, and that can be any number of ways – at home, in the gym, outdoors, group classes, etc. . .movement using large muscle groups, resistance, and elevating that heart rate are keys to improving overall health and wellness. Find your favorite, as opposed to something you dread, physical activities and that will be what will keep you healthy and active.
When a person is held accountable to an expert or even a friend, the health benefits are not only significantly higher, but also longer lasting. Interestingly, it can work for an individual on any fitness level, whether the person is an elite athlete or just beginning a fitness routine. 
Finding a work out buddy can be a great way to improve a formally dull training routine. Recently, I decided to do something I have never done before, work out with someone (and she wasn’t a trainer). I have found that with my busy schedule, like anything, if I don’t plan my appointments, the luxuries of working out can easily become overlooked.
My girlfriend and I decided to meet a few times a week at the gym. We are on a similar training level and time schedule so it works for us. The three main benefits I have enjoyed while training with my friend are accountability, motivation, and fun. First and foremost, training with her has made me accountable. It does not allow me to skip the work out, or “do it later” like I sometimes think will happen. Since we plan a time to meet, I know I need to finish the projects I am working on, and go to the gym during the allotted time. It has also made it easier on me to have a certain time rather than leaving it to a random “fit it in when I can”. Moreover, the workout is no longer just for me, my partner is relying on me. Our training time has become like any other appointment of the day. Excuses are no longer an option.
Secondly my friend and I are great at sharing our motivation with each other. We are both hard workers but sometimes we could have too many other things on our minds, our bodies are sore, or we are just not completely there. By having a workout buddy, we can bring each other back to our main purpose of working out – reaching our fitness goals and challenging ourselves physically. It is nice to have, as well as give, the extra encouragement when needed. In addition, the motivation allows us to push each other a little harder than if we were on our own.
Lastly, our workouts are fun! We take turns leading the workout, which is a nice break from always planning the exercises and routines like I do daily with my clients. We have both been training for a long time, so we make it interesting by trying to remember those “forgotten but effective” exercises. When it is our turn to lead we try to pick two exercises that we wouldn’t regularly do for that particular body part. This challenges our thinking as well as our muscles.
I have really enjoyed having a workout buddy, and remember, this is coming from someone who always done it on her own. It has refreshed my workouts in ways I could not have done by myself. I have enjoyed the regularity, motivation, and fun that has been brought back to my training.
Another option for accountability in your training program is Fitness by Phone Coaching or online coaching. This is perfect for those who are busy with time restraints in their schedules, on a continually fluctuating schedule, or those who want educated feedback and progressions from an expert. I can now work with clients all across the country, not just the ones in my town. You will still train on your own, but you get the expertise from my effective training programs.
According to research from Stanford University and Virginia Polytechnic, participants in a study had a 75-90% greater compliance rate on their own, with only a three minute phone call than those who had worked with personal trainers then continued on their own. In summary, the three minute phone call gave the client the accountability and responsibility to exercise and report their results to an expert. The client was independent and confident in creating and executing their own workouts. Many times with personal training, the client grows dependent on the trainer for motivation, programming, and progressing.
The Fitness by Phone System and Premiere Online Training Club is set up with detailed Fitness Diaries to track progress. The client will learn how to use motivational monitors such as the Polar Heart Rate monitor and the Caltrac (a tool to track the amount of calories used during exercise and lifestyle.) The information and results generated from these tools allows me to advance the client forward, reaching their specified health and wellness goals.
If you would like more information about my online training programs or online nutrition you can go to my website at www.LauraMak.com. In addition, you can check out my fitness and inspiration book, “Fast and Fierce Fitness Made Fabulously FUN!” This is a twelve week program, complete with exercise descriptions, photos of each movement, motivational guidelines, tracking system, progressions for each level of fitness, weekly upgrades on fitness programs, and most of all, FUN creative workouts that leave you more energized, looking great, and feeling fantastic!!!
Spring into an Upgrade for Fitness Training
March 24, 2011
There is so much fitness training information out on the internet, magazines, and books that sometimes it can be overwhelming in what to know is really the right program that is best for you. Well, know this, the best programs are the ones we stick to for at least four weeks. That is how long it takes to create a habit. Then from there it is ok to change a few variables and upgrade your fitness training. For example, you may have gone through different seasons of exercise and fitness workouts. I certainly have. Here are just a few periods of life where I challenged my body and mind depending on my specific area of athleticism. Each one was important for that time in life. You just need to figure out what phase of training you are in to then find and execute the fitness plan.
I have gone through many phases of fitness training during my 21-years of weight training. It began years ago in high school, as “strengthening” exercises for my weakened back due to the excess hours of competitive elite level gymnastics. My gymnastics coach gave me the foundation and proper form for Olympic Lifting techniques which interested me enough to compete int that sport. I enjoyed the challenge so much that I competed in Olympic Weight Lifting and won at the state and national level in this sport.
Next, my body was trained in a more targeted way according to the sport. In college, I trained more “sports specific” – a routine that would be applicable for me as a collegiate gymnast. (Right now most of the conferences just had their championships and are moving on to Regionals and then NCAA Nationals, so all the current television coverage is making me quite nostalgic.) The weight training as an elite and collegiate gymnast was quite different that what I did to become a widely recognized top IFBB Fitness Pro.
For the following several years, I trained for health and physique. The longest phase was training for Fitness competitions, another completely different type of sports specific training. The training strategies for a IFBB Fitness competitor are different than that of a figure or bikini competitor. As a fitness competitor, not only do I have to display a perfectly well toned body, but I also have to have the energy, endurance and explosion for the routine round. This round is full of gymnastics, strength moves, flexibility holds, and lots of high acrobatic jumps. By keeping a regimented training program, it catapulted me to the top ranks as a fitness athlete.
Lastly, I am now training for health, wellness, and overall balanced lifestyle. I must say, after all those intense years of training, this is now pleasantly my favorite phase. It includes a wide variety of activities including dance, yoga, full body conditioning, interval training, beach volleyball, biking, rollerblading, and even pilates. The versatile array of activities keeps my body challenged, my mind stimulated, and my spirits engaged joyfully.
Since I have such a full spectrum of activities that I engage in, there are a few tools that I am a huge fan of using so I can track my workouts. Typically I always have my polar heart rate monitor. The heart monitor tells me how much time in each target heart zone, calories used, average heart rate, and the highest heart rate. This type of information is especially important to track during your fitness program. It will help you gage when you are working too hard, or in some cases not hard enough. Remember you want to burn calories and that is best done by keeping your target heart rate in Zone 3 and Zone 4.
In addition to my heart rate monitor I use my Caltrac. This is one of my favorite tools because it tells me not only the calories that I use when I am exercising but also during my day to day activities. The Caltrac is worn on your hip and has a tiny computer chip that is set to your parameters according to your height, weight, sex, and age. There is a cardio setting and a weight training setting that you can click into. The really cool thing is you can wear this during the day to see how many calories you burn during your “lifestyle activities”. So many times I have clients that say, “I am so busy during the day, I can barely get it all done.” This tool will really show you if you are busy sitting all day and not burning many calories, or if you are busy on the move and really using calories. It is your reality check on your hip.
Lastly, and my new favorite toy is the GymBoss Interval Timer. This tiny timer that can snap on to your top or your hip can be set to your specific interval periods so you know exactly how long you are training. The work periods and rest periods are crucial during different interval training sessions and with the GymBoss you can be absolutely accurate, giving your body the most bang for the minute!
So, no matter what training or fitness phase you are in your life, the most important part is to get moving!! I hope you find these suggestions and tools helpful. If you are stuck in the same routine try to “intensify” your work outs by adding anaerobic training (short intense bursts of large movements). You can increase the intensity for 30-seconds up and two to four minutes rest. Notice the difference in your endurance, energy, and body shape changes. Keep exercising, train hard, and continue to challenge yourself.
Spring into Fitness Perfection
March 10, 2011
Laura Mak Fitness
Spring is just about to be in full swing, so I want to be sure you are ready to make this the best one yet. Hopefully you have been training through the dreary winter months. I know, sometimes our winter training programs tend to change because of the cold weather, difficulties getting to the gym, and that feeling of wanting to hibernate. Those are all excuses, and not great ones either! If you did continue your workout program through these long winter months, then I would like to think you praised yourself for the accomplishments, and are moving forward to new and relevant goals.
The great thing about having your own goals is you don’t have to measure up to anyone else. It is just based on YOU. By creating challenging and achievable goals that have measurable outcomes, you will not only know exactly when you have achieved your goal, but also you will enjoy the satisfaction of completing a task relevant to you. Sure you may have more than one goal, and some goals may take longer than others. But know there is no one perfect way to achieve your fitness goals. In fact, many times I have seen clients get so caught up about being perfect, that when “life” happens (and it always will), they just completely blow all the work they did in the previous weeks that built up to the slightly imperfect moment. For example, a client missed one workout one day and then not only did she take the rest of the week off, but she also stopped eating healthily. Missing one work out isn’t the end of the world, and it doesn’t negate everything you have accomplished. Fitness shouldn’t feel like the “all or nothing” principle. Fitness is an ongoing lifestyle.
Nevertheless, I have been around several industries that are based on perfection. I was an elite level gymnast for numerous years, and then earned a scholarship for gymnastics Michigan State University. Shortly thereafter, my athletic career followed in what became a nine-year professional competitive-fitness career. I enjoyed competing as an IFBB Fitness Pro which included traveling and competing all over the world, ranking top 10 internationally.
In fact, everything (athletically), I have competed in strived for the end goal of perfection. In gymnastics it was the perfect “10” and in fitness it was the perfect routine matched with the perfect body. The problem was, “perfection” was determined by someone else. It was structured for officials to judge me and compare me with others. They used their expertise to see if I was perfect in my physique, performance, and showmanship. Although I completely loved what I was doing when I was competing, I am now happy striving for my own perfection, which is solely concluded by = me.
Have you ever gotten caught up in your “perfect” exercise routine, then somehow fell short? What if your goal was to do 45 minutes of cardio but you only did 30 minutes? It was less time, but you worked at a higher intensity because you knew you were restricted on time. Is this an imperfect routine or does your definition of perfect become slightly changed? Have you allowed someone else’s idea of perfection affect you? These are all points to consider now that we are entering a new year.
Review your fitness training, and see if you are unnecessarily hard (or easy) on yourself. Do you allow for adaptations of “life”? Do you continue moving forward? What is your perfect routine and how can it stay perfect with changes?
My fitness campaign 2011 is about finding passion in your fitness while keeping balance in your lifestyle. Keep the competition within yourself. Allow yourself to adapt to unexpected life situations. Continue to include fitness as a regular part of your daily routine. Most of all, remember that you are already perfect in all that you do.
If you would like more information about my online training programs or online nutrition you can go to my website at www.LauraMak.com. In addition, I just completed my first training and inspiration book, “Fast and Fierce Fitness Made Fabulously FUN!” This twelve week program, complete with exercise descriptions, photos of each movement, tracking system, progressions for each level of fitness, weekly upgrades on fitness programs, and most of all, FUN creative workouts that leave you more energized, looking great, and feeling fantastic
Arnold Sports Festival
March 1, 2011
Laura Mak
It is that time a year again, where I migrate east to Arnold Schwarzenagger and his famous Arnold Sports Festival. It is the largest of all the fitness trade shows – about 200,000 people are expected to go through the Greater Columbus Convention Center this weekend.
Not only is this the most exciting fitness and bodybuilding competition, but it has expanded tremendously since the event started over 15 years ago. It is the most prestigious show to compete in. It is an invitation only – Arnold and his committee decide who get to compete. I was fortunate to compete in this show four years in a row. This year there are 14 IFBB Fitness Pro’s competing.
This year they are even expanding their amateur divisions and having the pre-judging on Thursday evening for fitness, figure, and bikini. I am looking forward to seeing the amateurs as well as the pros! I have two very dear friends competing in the bikini rounds, (different height classes). Gloriela Rosas (below) from Atlanta, GA and Jodi Tiahrt (right) from Las Vegas, NV. Both should do very well in their respective classes!
Tanji Johnson is one of the selected Fitness Pro who will be competing and I was able to catch up with her last week while she was in town doing a photo shoot. Check out the video and see what Tanji has to say about her training and the upcoming Arnold Classic. Tanji also had time to talk about her “Save Fitness” campaign. She gives us the 2011 “what to look for” updates, training motto for the year, and shares who should be part of her team. View what Tanji has to say about Save Fitness.
This year will be especially fun for me, because I scheduled my time for meetings, walk through the venue, and interviews with eMediaStars and Talent. Be sure to check us out, Laura Mak and Jody Pugh, we will be interviewing the top names of the fitness industry.
Now there is not only Pro Fitness, Bodybuilding, Figure, and Bikini but also: Gymnastics, Martial Arts, Dance Sport, Race Walking, Boxinf, Table Tennis, Cheerleading, Strongman, Fencing Archery, Pump and Run, Weightlifting, Arm Wrestling, Wrestling, Active Aging, and amateur Fitness, Figure, and Bodybuilding.
Hope to see you in Columbus!!
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