Move Of the Day

From my favorite magazine in the world (Oxygen)..I bring You the HAMMER CURL

Target Muscles: brachialis

Set Up: Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip, palms facing each other [A].

Action: Curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders by bending your elbows until your forearms are perpendicular to the ground [B]. Hold for a second, really squeezing your biceps, then return to the starting position and repeat.

I'm A Stone Cold Fox!

Make no mistake, when its come to a fitness routine or a work-out regiment prepare yourself for the bumps along the road. It's not easy to stick to something when you have no motivation or your just tired from a days work. Many people that start something new, more then likely never fall through with the end result. How do you stay motivated? Why do you over eat on your rest days? Why don't you push your self to your full potential?

Here are a few tips to staying motivated and being that stone cold fox! (yeah, I took it there):

1. Buy a small calender you can post on your refrigerator that outline your workouts for the week

2. Cut out a picture from a fitness magazine of a body that is realistic goal, and tape it to your bathroom mirror. Let that be a reminder of what you have to look forward to.

2. 3. Don't buy junk food! Easier said then done. Buy fruits and yogurts for snacks instead. And if you feel like you need a junk food fix, buy trail mix.

4. LEAVE THE SCALE OUT OF IT!!!!! Stop stepping on the scale everyday. If you are weight training and you feel like you are not losing weight, but your clothes feel looser....That means your beginning to tone up. Lock your scale in a closet, better yet tell a friend to hold on to it for 6 months.

5. A work-out buddy is another way of getting yourself out the bed on a rainy day, with no excuses. You don't want to let them down, do you?

6. Get a personal trainer! And if you Can't afford one, take aerobic classes.

7. Buy new work-out clothes. I always get motivated when I buy new yoga pants or running shoes. Who wouldn't?

8. Upload new work-out or running music . My personal fave Dj Laz (move, shake,drop).

9. Subscribe to a work-out magazine, and try the work-outs in them. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I get a new magazine in the mail.

10. And lastly, wake up in the morning and tell your self "I'm a stone cold fox!"

See you in the gym,

Alicia Nura

This one goes out to you, and you and you!

Hey My Platinum bodies! I feel like lately I've been finding it hard to find something to blog about, but then I thought about my readers. So here goes, I've been getting e-mails and notes on advice on how to lead a healthier lifestyle and now I'm going to answer some of your questions. So this goes out to you, and you and you.....




Dear Alicia,


I'm having trouble trying to get the results I want.My diet is I think pretty normal. I eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies everyday. I Also eat cooked veggies everyday. I do eat bastmati rice or mashed potatoes with most meals. BBQ chicken or curried chicken or fried fish once in a while. I have drastically cut down my sweets like cookies and cakes. But I do not use any processed foods at all. Other than my cereals in the morning. Or I'll eat oatmeal or Cream of Wheat. I also eat lots of beans like lentils, navy, red beans, and or black beans. I have also tried cutting down my portions. I do not get to exercise as much as I would like. I do and hour or cardio and and hour or strength training 2-3 times a week. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I think I may not be pushing myself hard enough in the gym. But I really don't know.



Truly yours,
Ms.North Carolina








Dear Ms.North Carolina,

Well from what I'm hearing its sounds like you are on the right track, except for a few things. Some of the foods you have in your diet need not be there. Although curried chicken and BBQ chicken may be very tasty it also contains alot of sodium just from the sauce. BBQ chicken alone contains over 476 mg of sodium depending on how much you consume. The average in take of sodium allowed per day is 2,000-3,000 mg and if you are have more then one piece of chicken that 476 mg doubles in just one meal. Try baking your chicken with natural herbs like tarragon or oregano. Also mashed potatoes another tasty meal option, but it also contains lots of additives that may not sit well with someone trying to loose weight. Most mashed potatoes contain butter,sour cream, salt and other things you may need to stay away from. Instead of mashed potatoes try a baked potato with out all the added NO-No's, put some chives and light "i cant believe its not butter". Lastly, try writing down everything you eat and track what's in it, as far as the calories, fat, sodium, protein and carbohydrates. Each body is different and I cant tell you how much your body needs as far as the calories, fat, sodium, protein and carbohydrates but go on this website and it should tell you http://www.fitsugar.com/calculator.



Good Luck,
Alicia Nura



***********************************************************************************
Dear Alicia,

yoga helps me the most!!! :) running coming soon. any advice on how to get started? I've never ran before (at least regularly).....

Yours Truly,

Esoteric Prose

Dear Esoteric Prose,

There are many training plans for those who are beginner runners. Me myself always had a tough time getting into the swing of things with running, but I had to do what I had to do to get my tail on the trail. Start off with a light jog for the first week for at least 20mins or 2 miles and see how that works for you. Every week add another 5 mins or half mile to it to build your momentum. Run at least 2-3 times a week and add some crosstraining to it twice a week. Pretty soon you'll be a mean lean running machine.


Good luck,
Alicia Nura



************************************************************************************


I love to give advice to those seeking a better lifestyle so keep em coming..


See you in the gym,
Alicia nura