10 Reasons why you need to take strength training seriously!!!!!

We know that increasing and maintaining adequate muscle mass is one of the best ways to keep body fat at bay and to improve overall fitness, particularly as we age. We also know that weight lifting is the best way to build muscle mass. Still, the number of women who actually participate in any formal or consistent weight training workout is still extremely low. Most women who exercise are spending most of their gym time on cardiovascular exercise. Whatever your reasons for avoiding the weights, if you are a woman, here are ten reasons why you need to take strength training seriously.

1.       You Will Be Physically Stronger.
Increasing your strength will make you far less dependent upon others for assistance in daily living. Chores will be easier, lifting kids, groceries and laundry will no longer push you to the max. If your maximum strength is increased, daily tasks and routine exercise will be far less likely to cause injury. Research studies conclude that even moderate weight training can increase a woman's strength by 30 to 50 percent.

2.      You Will Lose Body Fat.
The average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3.5 pounds of fat. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day..

3.      Gain Strength Without Bulk.
Women typically don't gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle hypertrophy. You will, however, develop muscle tone and definition. This is a bonus.

4.      You Decrease Your Risk Of Osteoporosis.
Weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density (and enhance bone modeling). This, coupled with an adequate amount of dietary calcium, can be a women's best defense against osteoporosis.

5.      You Will Improve Your Athletic Performance.
Whatever sport you play, strength training has been shown to improve overall performance as well as decrease the risk of injury.

6.      You Will Reduce Your Risk Of Injury, Back Pain and Arthritis.
Strength training not only builds stronger muscles, but also builds stronger connective tissues and increases joint stability. This acts as reinforcement for the joints and helps prevent injury.  Weight training can ease the pain of osteoarthritis and strengthen joints.

7.      You Will Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease. 

       Weight training can improve cardiovascular health in several ways, including lowering  LDL ("bad") cholesterol, increasing HDL ("good") cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. When cardiovascular exercise is added, these benefits are  maximized.

8.      You Will Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes.
Weight training may improve the way the body processes sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for women and men. weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months.

9.      It Is Never Too Late To Benefit.
Women in their 70s and 80s have built up significant strength through weight training and studies show that strength improvements are possible at any age.

10.   You Will Improve Your Attitude And Fight Depression.
Strength training helps reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did. Women who strength train commonly report feeling more confident and capable as a result of their program, all important factors in fighting depression.

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Frances Anza Fit 4U!: re·demp·tion= Recovery of something!!

Frances Anza Fit 4U!: re·demp·tion= Recovery of something!!

re·demp·tion= Recovery of something!!

Finally the day arrived!!! The minute I got to the airport I was so ready, and excited,  I din't know how it was going to unfold, but it was clear in my mind that I was going to  enjoy every minute of the event,  do my best and let everything else in God’s loving hands…So… I won my category Class B Figure Open @ the NPC Diamond Classic Figure Event this past Saturday, April 9, 2011, in Florida.

More than winning the event, it was a kind of redemption, because I gain back my life, I recover it after being away from everything in general.  When you go  through a  painful event in  life, in my case  my mom died a year and a half ago,  I just  lost interest in life in general, things that I would normally enjoy competing, training, etc. didn’t matter anymore to me.  I step away from stage for almost 2 years.  Looking back now and taking everything in, this is really my come back to life, lots of new and excited things are happening to me since that day.

I had enjoyed the journey,  learn so many lessons that I’m now applying to my life in  a personal and professional matters.  I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t give up on life, it doesn’t matter what storm you are going through at this moment, just ask for God’s guidance and He will prevail and see you through  all that’s going on. We need to have a propose, meaning or direction in our life’s, and no matter what the outcome will be go for it, because we can’t put our lives in hold, life is movement, its energy even if you don’t realized it; just take it one day at the time, and little by little you will see improvement.  Life happens but we can’t stop living it; today I can say this from the bottom of my heart!!!

“I have studied many times
The marble which was chiseled for me --
A boat with a furled sail at rest in a harbor.
In truth it pictures not my destination
But my life.
For love was offered me and I shrank from its disillusionment;
Sorrow knocked at my door, but I was afraid;
Ambition called to me, but I dreaded the chances.
Yet all the while I hungered for meaning in my life.
And now I know that we must lift the sail
And catch the winds of destiny
Wherever they drive the boat.
To put meaning in one's life may end in madness,
But life without meaning is the torture
Of restlessness and vague desire --
It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid”

By George Gray

Remember catch the winds of destiny where ever they drive the boat! I have to thank my loving angels that God sent me through this process of this past 12 weeks and even way before they were all ready there for me: Veronica & Vanessa Martinez you’re the sisters that I dint have growing up but life gave them to me! My Diva Angels thank you God Bless you! And we still have to keep training after the margaritas!!! And a wonderful and special person in my life, he was and is in my corner all the time not letting me give up even when I wanted to, My (PITA)  JDR, your more than my best friend you’re the reason I’m constantly smiling you’re my other trophy! God Bless You too! Can’t wait for life to show us the next chapter!!!

Training Tips:

People ask me what type of training they can do when they are constantly traveling and and the hotels they're  staying don't  have a gym or even if it does sometimes they don’t have a whole hour to work out. So this is the best way to continue your training: 

Resistance Bands Benefits:

• They don’t take to much space in your luggage
• They are light weighted
• Portable to any place
• They don’t limit you to work out only in the gym you can use them in your hotel room, beach, park, any were
• You can work out your whole body:

1. Shoulder presses combine with lateral raise
2. Lunges with triceps extensions
3. Squats combine with bicep curls
4. Chest presses combine with fly’s
5. Rowing combine with lat pull down

Enjoy the video!

B Healthy! B Fabulous

Frances Anza Fit 4U! Lifestyle and more!


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Week #2 & 1, Introspection= self-observation!

Week # 2 is finished and in a couple of days I’m finally leaving to compete and as the days go by I can’t help to get a little anxious, at some point is normal. This past week has been so intense in every possible way, it seems that the closer you get to your goal or finish line there are obstacles that appear and if you’re not careful it can easily take your peace and focus towards what you’re supposed to be doing. 

Introspection is the self-observation and reporting of conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations that we have while we are in a process of life. It is a conscious mental and usually purposive process relying on thinking, reasoning, and examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and, in more spiritual cases, one's soul.

At this point being so close to the event I have to trust the process and specially God that he will always take care of me because He guides my life. So  looking inward; specifically, the act or process of self-examination, I have to keep thinking positive.  And guess what?  This week at the very end of it, everything finally falls in place.  I kept doing what I needed to, training, cardio, diet, working with my clients and during this process God had everything lined up to help me going.

From positive messages coming  my way, to special and amazing persons surrounding me during this whole process: My Diva Angels Vanessa & Veronica your vision and comforting advice held me through all. And a special person that God sent into my life, he has been pushing me all the way since the beginning, making sure that not even for a second that the thought of quitting could come to cross my mind. So to you my sweet P.I.T.A. THANK YOU!!!! And that word dosent even starts to cover it! Just thinking of my chocolate brownie and bananas that I will enjoy Saturday night!!!

So my friends it doesn’t matter if you’re getting ready to compete or anything new that you decide to do in your life lose weight, run a marathon, etc. never forget:  Why are doing it?  Enjoy the process getting there; be opened minded to try new methods, learn all the lessons that are in store for you, and have fun so when you arrived to the finish line it doesn’t matter the outcome, always remember:  just for doing it that makes you a winner!!!!

Keep posted and the next time we meet I will be sharing my experience of the whole competition with you guys, thank you for joining me during this process!!

 Training Tips: You can do any combination of muscles that you want to workout

• Super set of Chest: without resting move from Incline Press to Flyes
• Super set of Back: Lat Pull Down/Dumbbell Row
• Super set of Legs: Lunge with waist twist/Squat with Front Raise
•  Cardio you can mix them to doing 20 mnts of each selection like: 20 minutes jogging-20 minutes elliptic machine-20 minutes bicycle

Nutrition Tips:

• Make sure you eat your three full meals and snacks every 2 ½ hours to 3 that way we keep our metabolism burning more calories
• For snacks chose healthy choices like fruits they provide exceptional nutritional benefits they contains its own set of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other important nutrients.  Each color offer different values:
• Blue/Purple- fruits are especially good sources of  phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolic compounds. Blackberries, Blueberries, Plums, Purple Figs, and Purple Grapes
• Orange/Yellow- fruits are especially good sources of antioxidants such as vitamin C, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids.Apricots, Cantaloupe, Lemons, Mangoes, Nectarines, Oranges, Papayas, Peaches, Pineapple, Tangerines, and Yellow Watermelon
• *Red/Pink-fruits are especially good sources of phytochemicals such as lycopene and anthocyanins.  Red Apples, Blood Oranges, Cherries, Cranberries, Red Grapes, 
  Red/Pink Grapefruit, Pomegranates, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tomatoes, and *Watermelon
• *White (also Tan/Brown) the white fruit group also includes tan and brown fruits; they are good sources of anthocyanins and other Bananas, Brown Pears, Dates, White Nectarines, and White Peaches
• Green- fruits are especially good sources of potent *phytochemicals such as lutein and indoles. Avocados, Green Apples, Green Grapes, Green Pears, Honeydew Melon, Kiwifruit, and Limes

   Enjoy the video!!

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B Healthy! B Faboulus!

Frances Anza Fit 4U! Lifestyle & More..!

Week #3; Triple D! Discipline; Determination & Direction

Finally week #3 is gone, and at this point is a mind game with myself to keep on going and being focus.  When I was thinking  what to write this week on my blog, for a minute I thought I was only going to talk about my training, but then someone ask me how can I do this, get ready for a competition and be on a diet and training for 20 to 16  weeks until you get to the day of the event.

Without any hesitation I blurb my answer right away I dint even have to think about it: and the first thing I mentioned was discipline, then determination and finally direction.

Discipline: without it you can’t do anything in life, your daily routine, job, errands, family, you need to be organize, plan your day, your week, and your month, and keep everything in your schedule book. When you plan ahead everything seems to run smoother, you can have a clear look in how is going to be your day and what needs to be done. Keep in mind that you have to continue with your daily responsibilities and the only way is to be organize and in order to be organize you need to have discipline and stick with your plans try to accomplish most of them or all of them.

Determination:  focus on what you choose to do, nobody said it was going to be easy, let’s face it things that are worth fighting for that fulfill you don’t come that easy, it takes a lot of hard work, tired days and sometimes sleepless night trying to figure out how you’re going to accomplish certain things that you need in order to continue. Trust that you have taken the necessary steps to accomplish your goal and let God do the rest, and if the outcome sometimes is not necessary what you excepted don’t give up and try again until you get it right, a very special person in my life told me these words and they have stock with me: Shoot for the stars & land on the moon! Just for trying to do it that right there makes you a winner, learn from the experience and see what has to be change in order to get the total success that we want.

Direction: you need to know where you have been in order to know where you need to go. Make sure you know what you want and what the goal you’re aiming for is. Visualize getting there, making the journey, taking the necessary steps and have very, very, very clear picture of yourself obtaining your goal, dream, your success! When you make your plan and stick with it, but also give it a little room to change for improvement, you’ll do the necessary arrangements in order to make it work, and again it doesn’t matter the outcome, you can never fail because you gave it your 100% and that makes you a winner, it’s always healthy to compete against ourselves, to try to take a step farther than the last time.

I have 2 more weeks to go, this is for all the marbles, push myself even more even harder, trust the process and can wait to see what excited and Bless things God will bring!

Training:

 This time I’m adding a video of my training so you can follow it more easily, I’ll be doing my leg work out:

Compound exercise:

•                 Reverse lunge with lat pull down
•                 Sumo Squat with cable rowing
•                 Step up Lunge

Nutrition:

•                 Healthy snacks don’t need to be tasteless you can eat almonds they are low in saturated fat      and     contain many other protective nutrients - calcium and magnesium - for strong bones, vitamin E and compounds called phytochemicals, which may help protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer.
•                 Greek yogurt happens to be a better pick than the standard ones. It has higher content of protein. When you take a low-fat, plain yogurt, you obtain between 10 - 12 grams of protein, and that is good, but g.y. product can provide you with 20gms, its low in carbohydrates, around 9 or even less in some brands. Not to mention, it’s a better choice for   diabetic diet.

Enjoy the video, leave me your comments!

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B healthy, B fabulous!

Frances Anza Fit 4U! Lifestyle & More…!

Week #4, where I go to find Inspiration?

The days of the competition are getting closer, I’m little more tired and got to admit somehow sometimes it’s hard to maintain focus and energize; especially when your job is to keep others inspired and motivated to keep going and don’t give up. This has been a very intense week: training is harder, diet tighter than ever, and your daily life has to keep going as normal as possible dealing with your family, friends etc. Watching the news what’s going on around the world, we are human and it affects us even if you don’t want it to (if your sensitive towards others sad and tragic situation).  At some point I just needed to shut down and regain my strength, not that I lost my motivation because is still there, but being tired and overwhelm takes a lot out of you.

Where I go to find inspiration? Besides having great people supporting your goal and cheering for you, we need to have the inspiration from inside because that’s the one that will always be there for you when everything else is not. The strength that comes within is greater than anything else, is that force, energy and voice that tells you to keep going, that loves you no matter what, that says to you Trust Me I will not leave you never had and never will, that strength is God in me, guiding me and letting me know that while I’m tired and fell like I can’t take one more step because life happeneds, His taking them for me, caring me and all of my worries.  And to make sure that I received all the messages, there was always a sign a signal, in all the possible ways that I could and couldn’t imagine, loving angels are always surrounding me!

This is how I got my Inspiration and fuel to keep going:  through daily messages from different sources such as: http://www.thedailybibleverse.org/ ; Joel Osteen daily messages: http://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/Index.aspx ;  Reiki from a dear friend and client Vanessa,  I truly recommend it, wow! it does wonders; words of encouragement and great vision from Veronica thank you girls you don’t have an idea, how much you have helped me (you’re both my diva Angels);  My PITA a.k.a  TB (words can’t describe all your support and I'm still craving for bananas) also  through songs,  Billboards on the road while I’m driving and at the right moment I turn my head in read the message; and of course kind and loving words from friends that support my dream and goal. And most of all during this process is to enjoy the journey and the lessons that have nourish and train my mind and soul to become stronger and be proud of myself for doing what makes me happy and fulfills me.

This time I’m focusing on the journey, the prize is being able to do it again, the rest is giving all I got in me,  for the next 3 weeks 150% and the outcome will be knowing that I gave it all and Trust God and his loving angels! You see all we have to do is ask and He will be there for us!

Tips for this week:

• Build your net support group, positive friends and people that support you, and positive is the key word, shut, kick, and get rid of all the negative people or at least block their energy
• Surround yourself with positive material: books, webpage’s, and your iPod with great positive songs
• Booked a massage, Reiki, or arrange to take a couple of hours off for yourself, go to the movies: “Adjustment Bureau” highly recommended  
• Training:If you don’t feel like it push yourself, once you start you’ll feel great and when finish even better
• Do Giant sets mix exercises it spices things and changes the energy of the training
• Nutrition: Change the way you cook your meal:  instead of eating the breast buy ground chicken season it with garlic, onions & cilantro and form patties you’ll feel like you’re eating burgers with your veggies and if you’re not getting ready for a show you can eat it them in a wrap or pita bread.
• My clients often ask me for healthy snacks here are a few that are good for you: Fat free jello, homemade granola (with oatmeal), almonds, Whey Protein Shake, Greek yogurt to name a few

 I got 3 more weeks ahead of me, this is the final ¼ of mile getting closer to the finish line OMG can’t wait to get there!

B Healthy, B Fabulous!

Frances Anza Fit 4U! Life style & More…!