Mindset

Best Exercises For A Stronger Core

Published by superadmin on April 5, 2025 | Leave a response

One of the reasons people focus on core muscles is for appearance. You’ll have a flatter stomach and posture that makes you look dynamic and more in control. There are other reasons to work these muscles. If you have strong core muscles, you have better balance. Strong core muscles can reduce pain and make everything easier, from walking to doing jumping jacks. Core muscles are those muscles in your trunk. They keep your abdomen flatter and strengthen your back. Doing core muscle exercises consistently helps your entire body.

The plank has been a key exercise for centuries.

The high and low plank both strengthen core muscles. The muscles it works depend on the form you use. To do a high plank, lay on your abdomen with the palms of your hands beneath your shoulders, your body straight, and your toes on the floor. Push your body upward until it forms a straight line from your head to your heels.

Your core is more than just your abs.

Your core muscles are more than your rectus abdominis, the abs. They’re all the muscles in the front, back, and sides of your trunk. They even include the back muscles and the diaphragm. For a strong core, you must work more than just the abs. You must work the core in all directions. To work the obliques at the sides, hold a weight in one hand with the other placed behind your head. Then, lean to the side that isn’t holding the weight. The twisting actions of the Russian Twist also target the obliques.

Make a bridge to build abs and back muscles.

Start a bridge lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Your arms should be at your sides with your palms down. Using your glutes, lift your midsection off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold, then lower your body. If you want to modify it to make it more difficult, lift one foot and straighten your leg, then return it to the original position before lowering your body back to the floor. Bridge exercises help relieve back pain.

If you have a stability ball, you can modify many exercises to help build abs. Kettlebell workouts are also good. They both have a changing center of gravity to make core muscles work harder.
When doing chores at home, work your core muscles by doing walking lunges as you work. Take a long stride forward, bending the knee of your back leg, then pushing upward to step that leg forward.
Have fun with the kids and build core muscles. You can do hula hoop challenges. You’re moving core muscles to keep the hula hoop spinning and up around your waist. You can also use jump ropes and do high knee jumps.
Riding a bike works core muscles. You can stay off the streets and do bicycling crunches at home. Lay on your back with your hands behind your head and legs slightly off the floor. Twist your body, bringing one elbow forward as you bend the knee on the opposite side and touch it to the elbow.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

Posted in Fitness, Fitness & Wellness, Mindset, Nutrition

How To Stop Feeling Guilty About Overeating

Published by superadmin on May 15, 2023 | Leave a response

People who overeat consistently use food to cope with negative feelings. They stuff down those feelings with food. If overeating is followed by feeling guilty, it adds another negative emotion, and creates a bigger problem. Break the pattern and stop feeling guilty. Guilt drives the compulsion and makes food even more important as an emotional crutch. The shame adds to the feeling of worthlessness and being out of control.

Is it a bad habit, compulsive-addictive behavior, or a way to prove you’re not worthy?

There are many reasons for compulsive overeating. Sometimes, it starts innocently with a desire to look and feel better. Instead of simply looking at healthy food choices, people attach words like good food and bad food, making it more of a struggle of good v evil rather than simply eating a healthy diet. That elevates each infraction to a whole new level. Food can also become your addiction of choice. Foods high in sugar, fat, and salt trigger areas of the brain that cause your body to trigger feel-good hormones. Finding why you overeat will give you a better idea of why, help you control it better, and remove the stigmas.

Learn more about your overeating and guilt with a food/emotion diary.

Instead of tracking every bite of food, track the emotions you felt when you ate the food. Is the message in your head “I shouldn’t eat this,” or “I’m bad if I eat that”? Write down why you should or shouldn’t consume certain foods. Jot down all the self-talk and see how often you taunt yourself with negative input. Before you put your food/emotion diary away, ask yourself if you sincerely want that food and if it’s what your body needs. You might find that sometimes you don’t want it. For those times you do, give yourself permission to eat it without guilt. Eating becomes a decision which gives you control.

Become your own best friend.

Guilt comes with an onslaught of insults inside your head. Ask yourself, “Would I talk to my best friend that way?” If the answer is no, become your own best friend. If you ate the pint of Ben and Jerry’s in your freezer in record time, are you telling yourself you’re a failure, worthless, or something just as berating? Give yourself the talk you’d like to hear from a best friend.

If you’re truly craving a specific food, yet berating yourself after eating it, you’re taking all the pleasure out of eating it. Allowing yourself to feel that pleasure without guilt can reduce the need to do it more frequently.
Seek professional help if you can’t quit overeating or feeling guilty about it. There’s nothing wrong with getting help.
End the deprivation and quit starvation diets. You may be feeling guilty about consuming food that’s necessary for sustenance. Complete deprivation is as bad as overeating followed by guilt. In both instances, you’re punishing yourself.
Eat mindfully. Rather than making shame or guilt your focus, turn your attention to the food and savor the experience. Appreciate its appearance, texture, and taste, savoring each bite. You can get as much pleasure from a small amount without overeating.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

Posted in Mindset, Nutrition

How Not To Gain Weight On A Cruise

Published by superadmin on May 5, 2023 | Leave a response

Even though Louisville, KY, is one of the nicest places to be, sometimes it’s fun to get away from it. People often find taking a cruise is a perfect way. Food plays an important role on any cruise and sometimes people report they gain weight and lose their momentum on a cruise, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can enjoy yourself and may even shed a pound or two when you follow a few easy steps.

Stay active.

There’s a lot to do on a cruise, so take advantage of the situation. Find an active shore excursion you’d enjoy, such as a walking sightseeing tour, snorkeling, kayaking. or biking. You’ll see the sights and make memories, while burning calories. Work out at the gym when you’re not taking an active side trip, swim in the pool, or tour the boat. Don’t forget to use the stairs. When planning a meal, choose an option furthest from you and walk. You’ll burn more calories and aid digestion after a meal.

Go for healthier options and healthier food outlets.

Cruise ships offer a lot of options for meals. Choose healthier options. Instead of a heavy dessert, opt for a sorbet for most meals. You don’t have to deny yourself every meal. Choose one meal you’ll use to splurge. Many people make it to the last night to avoid being tempted every night. Say no to the breadbasket and yes to fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables can become a gourmet treat when prepared by a talented chef. Avoid dishes with high calorie, creamy sauces.

Keep a bottle of water available at all times.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how water boosts your energy and fills you up. Many cruises focus on fun in the sun, so having a bottle of water at your side constantly fits right into the picture. If you’re on a cold weather cruise, make that water in the cabin and green or herbal tea on the deck. Drink a bottle of water before dining and you’ll eat less. Studies show that subjects experienced weight loss by drinking eight ounces of water before a meal, even though they changed nothing else.

Limit drinks to lower-calorie options like white wine, light beer, or vodka. Avoid sugary, creamy ones that may have as many calories as an entire meal.
Give yourself permission to enjoy a treat. You’re on vacation, so enjoy. That doesn’t mean you need to become a glutton. Pick one meal a day to splurge, or one every other day. The rest of the time, enjoy healthy but lower-calorie foods.
Some dining venues offer a healthy menu with more fresh fruit and vegetable options, no fried food, and main dishes fit for a weight-watching king. Do your research before the trip and opt for the healthiest food outlets.
The buffet can be a friend or enemy if you’re trying to prevent weight gain. If you choose the buffet, survey all the options first, then fill your plate. Avoid wearing elastic waistbands and opt for traditional clothing that becomes tight if you overeat.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

Posted in Lifestyle, Mindset, Nutrition

Meal Plan And Hit Your Goals!

Published by superadmin on January 5, 2023 | Leave a response

I hear it all the time. Clients who want to lose weight, boost their health or increase their energy level, come to me and say they’re struggling. I tell them to do meal planning. Within a week or so, they’re back saying it’s just too hard to meal plan but did notice it was easier to stick with a regimen of healthy eating when they did. What can you do to make meal planning easier? You can do several things to make meal planning easier and more successful.

Give meal planning time to work.

Just like anything, when you’re first new to it, it’s hard. After a few weeks, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it gets. Meal planning is so much easier thanks to the programs available. We offer one that only requires you to buy the food and make it, all the planning and even the grocery list is already made. Sure, you have to cook it, but that’s even streamlined. You cook everything at once. That means leftovers are used, your oven and stovetop are doing double duty and you only have to clean the big pots and pans once a week.

Shopping for food is even easier and money saving.

When you shop for your weekly food, make sure you eat before you go. It helps lower your grocery bill by eliminating unnecessary items. Do all your shopping at once. That saves on gas, which is a huge benefit. All the ingredients are on the list for every meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can check your shelves and delete the ingredients you don’t need. Since your program is personalized, it will contain food you enjoy and your body needs.

Get the family involved in making the meals.

You’ll be cooking a whole week’s worth of food at once. Many people double the recipes, particularly ones they find everyone likes. That’s where giving meal planning a chance to work is important. After a month or so, people often have an extra week or two of meals in their freezer, have developed a rhythm for the weekly prep and love meal planning. It makes getting meals ready during the week a breeze. It’s a matter of heating and eating, which is faster than a drive through and wastes less gas.

When you use our meal planning app, you can be sure that not only are your meals well-balanced, but they also fit your calorie needs. You’ll pack individual serving sizes to take away the guesswork at a meal.
After doing meal planning for a month or two, most people have a week of meals for the family packed in the freezer. You’ll be ready for unexpected guests and even be able to take a week or two off from cooking.
Having healthy snacks in the refrigerator or to take to work can be a huge benefit. You won’t be tempted to grab some gas station food when you stop for gas. Your body will thank you.
Planning meals ahead gives you a chance to check out the sales and use coupons, saving even more money. Your grocery bill is often lower and you’ll be amazed at how much further your food budget will go.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

Posted in Fitness & Wellness, Mindset, Motivation

Healthy Eating In Real Life

Published by superadmin on October 15, 2022 | Leave a response

Are you always on the run and don’t have time for healthy eating? That’s how a lot of people in Louisville, KY, feel. Real life doesn’t look like a segment from a sit com out of the 1950s where mom stayed home and cooked all the meals from scratch, families seldom ate at restaurants and there weren’t even TV dinners, let alone the variety of microwave options available today. To eat healthy today, you have to plan ahead and choose food wisely, even if it’s restaurant food.

If you have time to cook at home, make it easy and create a colorful plate.

Not everyone has a chance to cook at home, but if you do, make it nutritious. One simple way to ensure that is by making your plate colorful. If your collection of food isn’t eye pleasing, with a wide range of color, it’s probably not well-balanced. Think about a plate that only contains meat, potatoes and white bread. You only have two colors, with butter melting, possibly three. When you make your plate more colorful, by adding green, red, yellow and purple fruits and vegetables, it’s far more pleasing to the eye and healthy. Artificial coloring, like those used in Skittles or M&Ms don’t count.

Plan your meals ahead.

If you prefer not to study and learn all there is to learn about nutrition, or simply don’t have the time, don’t worry. You don’t have to know all that information. Our nutritionists can do it for you and create meal plans specifically for your needs. All you have to do is buy the food and assemble it. You can make a week’s worth of meals over the weekend and even freeze some for later if you double the recipes. After work, all you have to do is heat and eat. It’s faster than a drive through.

Expect to eat out occasionally.

Even the best laid plans can go astray, so why not plan for contingencies. If you’re going to eat at a fast food place, make it one that offers healthier options and choose those foods from the menu. Panera has a poppyseed salad with chicken that’s healthy. Chick-Fil-A offers grilled chicken options. Starbucks offers sous vide egg bites. Even KFC offers grilled chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans as an option.

It’s also about what you drink. If you’re drinking soft drinks, including diet soft drinks, you aren’t doing your body a favor. While diet soda doesn’t have calories, studies show it can cause your waistline to grow.
Have healthy food in the fridge that you can eat on the run. Cut up fresh fruit and vegetables and have those ready for snacks and mini meals. Individual serving packs of nuts are also good options.
Learn to make smarter choices when you eat. Use Greek yogurt or even pureed cottage cheese in place of sour cream for potatoes and substitute brown rice for white rice as a healthier option.
Avoid frying food and instead opt for other techniques that are healthier, whether it’s roasting, steaming or even air frying, you can save calories and improve the health benefits of your food.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

Posted in Fitness & Wellness, Lifestyle, Mindset, Nutrition

Training Ideas To Get Fit Through The Winter

Published by superadmin on December 10, 2021 | Leave a response

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent est est, semper et mi aliquet, ullamcorper gravida mi. Nullam scelerisque aliquet ullamcorper. Curabitur tincidunt odio urna, a dapibus nunc ultrices eget. Mauris lobortis orci nisi, nec tristique nisi tempor at. Quisque dictum nec felis a tempor. Morbi ac velit a orci ultrices porttitor non vitae diam. Vestibulum a enim tincidunt diam vulputate posuere non non justo. Phasellus commodo sed tortor vitae venenatis. Vestibulum maximus dolor risus, et rutrum urna pellentesque eu. Fusce sed sem mi. Mauris suscipit lacus ut quam sodales, sit amet cursus augue fermentum.

Pellentesque varius velit nec orci condimentum molestie. Sed ornare sapien ac purus pharetra, sit amet vulputate justo dignissim. Donec consectetur nunc nec quam consequat, nec maximus nunc ornare. Aenean quis arcu fringilla, imperdiet sem quis, laoreet libero. Nunc iaculis sed sapien quis lobortis. Sed nec dapibus nunc. Cras eleifend maximus sem, vitae tincidunt purus malesuada quis. In in commodo sem. Integer ultrices vestibulum nulla, ut volutpat erat dignissim sit amet. Quisque aliquam massa non lobortis sagittis. Nunc bibendum turpis eget efficitur mattis. Vestibulum tristique massa lacus, eu molestie dolor congue quis.

Cras ornare ut diam non commodo.
Nulla sit amet justo est.
Donec rutrum odio nec dapibus placerat.
Etiam efficitur mattis feugiat.
Cras eget consectetur ante.

Integer dapibus ac mauris fringilla sollicitudin. Nullam neque metus, posuere cursus facilisis at, fringilla eu erat. Aliquam tristique, ligula id dapibus euismod, turpis purus tempor sapien, sit amet tempor orci urna ut ipsum. Quisque in turpis scelerisque, gravida nibh id, egestas lectus. In efficitur congue libero, in consequat ligula faucibus consequat. Nulla ac aliquet erat. Nullam pulvinar arcu non lectus accumsan molestie. Vivamus ullamcorper lorem id condimentum pellentesque.

Sed consectetur sed est id viverra. Cras sit amet augue aliquet, volutpat nibh et, volutpat enim. Donec nec urna nec metus tempor hendrerit consequat quis ante. Nullam scelerisque eu lorem id cursus. Etiam convallis quam eu dui porta, eu malesuada arcu mollis. Praesent ac odio eu augue bibendum iaculis. Phasellus in tellus eget sem egestas bibendum. Pellentesque tincidunt imperdiet enim vel euismod. Pellentesque in massa varius, mollis velit id, hendrerit justo. Duis mi lectus, condimentum molestie neque ac, congue varius quam. Nunc cursus sit amet nisi nec dignissim. Praesent nisl sem, lacinia eu auctor in, iaculis et ligula.

Posted in Mindset

32 Secret Workouts To Strengthen Your Core

Published by superadmin on December 10, 2021 | Leave a response

Cras ornare ut diam non commodo. Nulla sit amet justo est. Donec rutrum odio nec dapibus placerat. Etiam efficitur mattis feugiat. Cras eget consectetur ante. Proin sit amet velit lectus. Etiam eu sem felis. Mauris diam arcu, luctus id vulputate ac, porttitor rutrum nisl. Ut vehicula est ut nulla luctus efficitur. Cras gravida tortor quis arcu semper hendrerit. Aenean vel mauris quis est ultrices congue eu eget tellus. Maecenas nec consectetur erat.

Posted in Mindset