Total Gym

Total Gym Weekly Workout – Torso Combo

Today Tom describes a Torso Combo developed by our talented GRAVITY MasterTrainers.  Build upper body strength with with this Torso Combination that includes a trunk rotation for core strength, move into a chest fly and finally a bicep curl.  Change position on the glide board to build a workout that meets your needs.

These and more great workouts ideas can be found at GravityClubhouse.com.  Membership is free and it’s a great way to keep your Total Gym workout fresh. See you there!

Have suggestions for a workout you’d like Tom to perform? Let us know in the comments box on this blog post.

Tara's Friday Bite – Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips

Every week I have at least one client who walks into my office and says “I really wanted to eat healthy this week, but I just couldn’t get to the grocery store.” I then picture my local Von’s (Safeway for my east coast friends) surrounded by a crocodile filled moat and at least one fire breathing dragon. Clearly this is not the case but sometimes the simple act of grocery shopping can seem like an epic adventure.  Follow these easy steps and I promise you will be in and out of the store before you know it!

Image courtesy of edibleportland.com

1. Create a Plan – Take a few minutes and plan out your week. What do you have going on with work? Will you be chauffeuring your kids around? Do you have dinner planned with friends? Then decide what you are going to eat this week and make a realistic grocery list. Notice I said realistic…more on that later.

2. Stick to the Perimeter of the Store – Pretty much everything you need can be found on the perimeter of the store—mainly the healthy options like fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats. It’s the interior aisles where we tend to get in diet trouble! Next time you are at the store just look at the cereal isle. It’s HUGE and full of neon boxes covered in cartoon animals that are “Grrreat!” It’s terrifying for me to just think about. So stick to the perimeter and then just dart into the interior for something here and there. You’ll know exactly what you need because you have your list from tip #1.

3. Buy in Season – Produce that is in season is going to be much less expensive and better for you. It is less expensive because there is more of it and it is better for you because it hasn’t traveled as far. Grocery stores will stock the produce that is in season right at the front of the produce section so it’s easier to grab on the go!

4. Organic? – In a perfect world I would want everyone to eat all organic; however, I understand that this isn’t in everyone’s budget. When it comes to choosing where to spend your money, my advice is to start at the top of the food chain. Always choose good quality meat, fish and poultry. Next, opt for organic produce where you will eat the skin (i.e., strawberries) and after that produce where you won’t eat the skin (i.e., oranges). Grains should be at the bottom of your list as there is little difference when it comes to these products.

5. Be Realistic – Sometimes the grocery store on Sunday can feel like the gym on January 2^nd. Everyone is bright-eyed and full of hope that this will be the week where they will have oatmeal for breakfast, bring their lunch every day and cook extravagant dinners. Then they get home, realize they hate oatmeal and haven’t turned on their oven since the Clinton administration. I encourage you to be realistic.  Start by bringing your lunch 3 days this week. Achieve that and then next week we can talk about turning on that oven.

I wish you happy, healthy grocery shopping!

Did you follow Tara’s advice? Let us know how your shopping trip went by leaving a comment below.

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist living in San Diego, CA, and the newest spokesperson for Salada Tea. She will guest blog on Total Gym Inside twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave us your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com.

Tara’s Friday Bite – Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips

Every week I have at least one client who walks into my office and says “I really wanted to eat healthy this week, but I just couldn’t get to the grocery store.” I then picture my local Von’s (Safeway for my east coast friends) surrounded by a crocodile filled moat and at least one fire breathing dragon. Clearly this is not the case but sometimes the simple act of grocery shopping can seem like an epic adventure.  Follow these easy steps and I promise you will be in and out of the store before you know it!

Image courtesy of edibleportland.com

1. Create a Plan – Take a few minutes and plan out your week. What do you have going on with work? Will you be chauffeuring your kids around? Do you have dinner planned with friends? Then decide what you are going to eat this week and make a realistic grocery list. Notice I said realistic…more on that later.

2. Stick to the Perimeter of the Store – Pretty much everything you need can be found on the perimeter of the store—mainly the healthy options like fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats. It’s the interior aisles where we tend to get in diet trouble! Next time you are at the store just look at the cereal isle. It’s HUGE and full of neon boxes covered in cartoon animals that are “Grrreat!” It’s terrifying for me to just think about. So stick to the perimeter and then just dart into the interior for something here and there. You’ll know exactly what you need because you have your list from tip #1.

3. Buy in Season – Produce that is in season is going to be much less expensive and better for you. It is less expensive because there is more of it and it is better for you because it hasn’t traveled as far. Grocery stores will stock the produce that is in season right at the front of the produce section so it’s easier to grab on the go!

4. Organic? – In a perfect world I would want everyone to eat all organic; however, I understand that this isn’t in everyone’s budget. When it comes to choosing where to spend your money, my advice is to start at the top of the food chain. Always choose good quality meat, fish and poultry. Next, opt for organic produce where you will eat the skin (i.e., strawberries) and after that produce where you won’t eat the skin (i.e., oranges). Grains should be at the bottom of your list as there is little difference when it comes to these products.

5. Be Realistic – Sometimes the grocery store on Sunday can feel like the gym on January 2^nd. Everyone is bright-eyed and full of hope that this will be the week where they will have oatmeal for breakfast, bring their lunch every day and cook extravagant dinners. Then they get home, realize they hate oatmeal and haven’t turned on their oven since the Clinton administration. I encourage you to be realistic.  Start by bringing your lunch 3 days this week. Achieve that and then next week we can talk about turning on that oven.

I wish you happy, healthy grocery shopping!

Did you follow Tara’s advice? Let us know how your shopping trip went by leaving a comment below.

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist living in San Diego, CA, and the newest spokesperson for Salada Tea. She will guest blog on Total Gym Inside twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave us your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com.

Fire Fighters Get Hero's Workout on Total Gym

Firefighters from across the nation gathered in downtown San Diego for the annual IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters) convention. The IAFF is headquartered in Washington, DC, and represents more than 297,000 full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics who protect 85 percent of the nation’s population.

There are a few fire stations in the U.S. that have Total Gyms to keep their men and women fit and ready for the call of duty! At the IAFF convention, we introduced attendees to our GRAVITY Ride ‘n Glide workout on Total Gym (see photos below). The participants went back and forth between spinning and GRAVITY strength exercises – pretty exhausting!

Any fire fighters reading this? We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a note so we can thank you for your service.

UPDATE: We’ve created a new CATEGORIES section under “Connect With Us” on the home page so you can conveniently find categorized posts – from Fitness Wisdom Wednesdays to Tara’s Friday Bites! Check it out and let us know your thoughts.

Fire Fighters Get Hero’s Workout on Total Gym

Firefighters from across the nation gathered in downtown San Diego for the annual IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters) convention. The IAFF is headquartered in Washington, DC, and represents more than 297,000 full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics who protect 85 percent of the nation’s population.

There are a few fire stations in the U.S. that have Total Gyms to keep their men and women fit and ready for the call of duty! At the IAFF convention, we introduced attendees to our GRAVITY Ride ‘n Glide workout on Total Gym (see photos below). The participants went back and forth between spinning and GRAVITY strength exercises – pretty exhausting!

Any fire fighters reading this? We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a note so we can thank you for your service.

UPDATE: We’ve created a new CATEGORIES section under “Connect With Us” on the home page so you can conveniently find categorized posts – from Fitness Wisdom Wednesdays to Tara’s Friday Bites! Check it out and let us know your thoughts.

Total Gym Weekly Workout – Hip and Glute Workout – Lunge Sequence

What’s your favorite Total Gym exercise?  We like them all!  And we love to hear from you about what keeps you motivated to reach your goals, or maintain your fitness.

This week we are focused on a Hip, Thigh and Glute Workout in a great Lunge Sequence.  With just a few position changes you can reach these large muscle groups for a lower body workout.  If you feel good, add in some upper body rotation to incorporate your core.  Thanks for stopping by and check back next Monday for more great exercise videos!

Fitness Wisdom Wednesday: Turning Indulgence into Moderation

I saw a preview for Julia Robert’s new movie “Eat, Pray, Love” the other night and in one scene, her character is shown indulging in pizza in Italy; throwing all no-carb diet restrictions to the wind. The movie, by the way, is based on the book by Elizabeth Gilbert about a newly-divorced woman on a quest for self-discovery around the world. I won’t give too much away for those who want to see it. Nevertheless, this preview made me think about indulgence…

It’s no secret that we are an indulgent society. We are constantly in need of more … more food, more money, more time off work. I mean, who doesn’t want just a little more dough to pad the bank account? However, I think if we lived life in moderation, we’d all feel a bit more fulfilled.

Moderation also translates to living a healthy lifestyle. Fitness experts agree that moderation in diet and exercise can lead to desired results. We don’t need to starve ourselves or log hours on end at the gym to get into shape. In fact, eating too little or over training can actually have adverse effects on your quest for a fitter body, including slower metabolism, which could lead to weight gain; insomnia; moodiness or irritability; prolonged muscle or joint pain and even muscle loss. Balance your diet and exercise regimens to reap the true rewards of weight loss.

Follow the 80/20 rule when it comes to your diet. Eat a balanced diet – preferably a clean diet (read more about clean eating here) – 80% of the time, but take that 20% to enjoy the occasional (note I say “occasional”) treat, whether it’s a slice of pie for dessert or an alcoholic beverage. If we don’t indulge just a little we’ll be prone to binging later!

As for exercise, shoot for 5 to a maximum 6 days of moderate to vigorous activity a week. Your muscles need rest to repair, rebuild and strengthen. It may be hard for fitness enthusiasts to imagine taking time off exercise, but fitness experts say you will see welcome gains.

So let’s move forward with “moderation” in mind and see if we can’t all live a happier, healthy life! Until next time …

Cassie is the Communications Manager for efi Sports Medicine/Total Gym and a published fitness writer.