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By smartworkoutmidtown, on February 3rd, 2012 For many people, the abdoinals are marjorly tough to tone. Everyone says that they want to improve their abs and there are some easy and quick exercises that you can do to accomplish this goal. There are a variety of great ways to lean and tone your tummy.
Pilates-this core based workout focuses on strengthening and lengthening all muscles in the entire body while maintaining and developing core strength as the foundation to all exercises
Planks-Before you brush your teeth in the morning get into a push-up position and hold your body frozen there for 1 minute. After a week, see if you are able to do it for longer!
Physio-ball crunches- using a phsio-ball can enhance and challenge your abdominals and make boring crunches a little more difficult. It allows more range of motion, therefore requiring the abdominals to work harder to elevate the upper body.
Cherry Pickers-Try balancing on your tailbone (with your feet just off of the floor) and holding a medium sized weight with both hands, then twist and tap the weight behind each hip without lowering the feet to the ground.
V-Up Challenge-This exercise is designed to challenge and target your core. Lying down on your back on a mat, hold a weight between both hands and place a physioball between your ankles. Curl your upper body to reach the weight toward the ball as the legs lift up toward the ceiling. Then slowly, lower your legs and arms so that each are hovering just above the surface of the ground. Then curl back up to the starting position.
By smartworkoutmidtown, on January 28th, 2012 
Circuits and supersets are a great way to build muscle and incorporate light cardiovascular training into your workout, while saving time. All it means is pairing exercises together back to back, or in a circuit, so that you are constantly moving from one exercise to the next with little or not break in between exercises. This is a great method to use especially if you are ever short on time, which we all often are!
The intensity for circuits and supersets is very high because you are giving your body little or no rest in between exercises, which fatigues your muscles more quickly and may even burn more calories. Ideally you would want to pair together in a set 2 antagonist muscle groups, such as triceps and biceps. Perform about 20 -30repetitions of each exercises and then repeat the set of triceps and biceps 3 times. Then move onto another muscle group.
I recommend pairing two different muscle groups back to back to get optimal results. Try to arrange the weights and equipment prior to beginning so that there is little delay and rest in moving from exercise to exercise.
-written by Gilliam Rinaldo, Senior Fitness Assistant
By smartworkoutmidtown, on January 24th, 2012 The New Year at Smart Workout comes with new and exciting Services for you.
THE PILATES PACKAGE
Pilates Lovers, this package is for you!
It consists of 5 Private Session on the Pilates Reformer, and 5 Small Group Reformer Classes, all for just $425!
NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING
This is a series of 6 private counseling sessions, which educate and motivate, to help you make healthy food choices, and enable you to stick to your diet plan.
Nutritional education helps you identify exactly what you are eating, what the right amount is for you, how to read food labels, and building the right meals for your body and weight loss goals.
Motivational counseling address the underlying factors of stress, emotional eating, trigger foods and social situation which can undermine efforts to reach weight loss goals.
Smart Workout’s program is personalized, and gives you the tools you need for true, sustainable weight loss. The nutrition counseling program is administered by a Certified Health Counselor, and costs just $650 for 6 private sessions!
If you’re ready to really take on those New Year’s Resolutions, one of these packages may be the answer!
By smartworkoutmidtown, on January 21st, 2012 At the beginning of every year, the American Council on Exercise and the American College of Sports Medicine put out a report on what the leading fitness professionals believe will be the biggest fitness trends of the upcoming year. Similarly, nutrition councils and wellness professionals make their predictions for the same buzz around healthy foods and weight loss trends.
According to all things health and fitness, here is a quick look at what to look forward to in 2012:
FITNESS TRENDS
 1.) Unique Training tools like the TRX Suspension Trainer. The TRX trend looks as if it will be skyrocketing through 2012. Some of our trainers here at Smart Workout have already fallen in love with this great tool, “I work out with it all the time, says Senior Fitness Assistant Gillian Rinaldo. “Clients really love the definition they get and it is easily one of our most popular classes.”
2.) Small Group Training. The days of overcrowded classes where it’s easy to get lost are soon becoming a thing of the past. It looks as though in 2012, an increasing amount of gyms and fitness facilities are realizing what us here at Smart Workout already knew worked; Small Group Classes are more focused and produce results faster than larger sized classes.
3.) Zumba is a hot workout. In 2012, Zumba will not lose it’s hot status. This sexy dance class is the No. 9 workout requested by clients according to fitness professionals. At Smart Workout, we actually offer TWO unique Zumba classes!
WEIGHT LOSS/HEALTH TRENDS
1.) Weight Loss / Wellness Programs. More and more clients are asking for intensive weight loss programs and lifestyle coaching. At Smart Workout we offer both the Weight Loss Program AND our All-inclusive Fitness Vacations. Either program helps guide you through effective exercise, how to eat in the real world, and how a healthy lifestyle really is achievable!
 2.) Whole Grains and Local Produce. More people are focusing on eating whole grains and are beginning to explore great new alternatives to basic breads and pasta. Grains like Quinoa, black rice, and Sorghum (a gluten-free African grain) are popping up in more grocery stores. Also expect to also see special “local sections,” where you can purchase fresh, locally grown produce from some of the more mainstream grocers.
 3.) Strong is the New Skinny. It could be thanks to Michelle Obama and her amazing arms, or Jennifer Aniston’s killer Pilates body, but “getting strong” is a top priority for the client seeking a hot bod. The emaciated skinny girl look is not coveted the way it was in previous years. In 2012, a lean, toned body is sexy.
-Written by Sandi Partyka, Senior Fitness Assistant, CHC
References
Healthy Food Trends, Self Magazine
Top Fitness Trends for 2012
By smartworkoutmidtown, on January 13th, 2012 You may have heard many of the benefits of Fiber; it keeps you fuller longer, it can help your digestive system work properly, and can assist in reducing cholesterol levels.
 A recent study from India actually points to the the fact that the decrease of dietary fiber in more ‘westernized’ diets of highly processed foods, can actually be one of the leading factors in the increase of obesity and the growth of type 2 diabetes throughout the world (You can read the full article here).
This study pointed out the facts that a diet rich in dietary fiber can have a huge benefit on the gastrointestinal tract, and if the increase of fiber is introduced into the diet in a gradual manner, many discomforts normally associated with increasd fiber intake (such as bloating and gas) can be combatted.
In the Smart Workout Weight Loss Program, we specifically talk about the importance of Fiber and how it is a great tool to keep satiety when choosing your meal plans. Similar to monitoring the amount of fat grams, carbohydrate grams and protein grams you put into your body, monitoring how many grams of fiber in your daily diet can help put you on a successful path to weight loss!
Foods like oat bran and beans have anywhere between 10-17 grams of Fiber per cup. Even some delicious foods like raspberries, pears and edamame have anywhere between 4-9 grams of Fiber per cup!
So here’s to the next meal with dark, leafy greens, oat bran or berries!
-written by Sandi Partyka, CHC, Senior Fitness Assistant
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What is Smart Workout? Smart Workout is a gym in midtown Manhattan, NYC, specializing in personal training, small group exercise classes, and Weight Loss programs. Smart Workout also offers all-inclusive vacations for fitness and weight loss, set against the rich cultural background of New York City.
FREE PASS OFFER
Enjoy a FREE Personal Training or 3 small group classes, (must all be taken on the same day). Simply fill in your name and email below, and we will send a free pass to you.
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