Personal Trainer Los Angeles | Science proves that nagging can save your life!

May 8, 2012 – 7:45 pm

(SANTA MONICA, CA May 9, 2012)Did you know that behind many healthy and physically fit men there may be a nagging woman?
That’s the finding of a new study from the University of Lincoln in England, which reports that inactive men are more likely to turn to exercise if nagged by their significant others to lead a healthier lifestyle.
An earlier study from Surrey University also showed that both men and women are more likely to exercise regularly if urged by their partners.
“There are several conclusions that can be drawn from this research,” says Jason Kozma, owner and personal trainer at Los Angeles Personal Trainer. “First, that some of us need encouragement to start exercising – whether it’s nagging or gentle persuasion – and second, that support from people around us, be it our spouses, family, or friends, is very important in achieving our health and fitness goals. And, this is equally true for both genders.”
Of course, encouraging others to get fit – which encompasses physical activity and healthy diet – will probably backfire if you don’t follow your own advice.
“To inspire people around you to exercise and eat well, you must set an example yourself,” Kozma says. “You can nag all you want but if you sit on a couch all day and snack on junk food, nobody will take you seriously. So put your own house in order before motivating others.”
If, on the other hand, you lead a healthy lifestyle, you should certainly try to persuade your family and friends to do the same. What arguments should you use to motivate people around you to start an exercise program? Kozma’s suggestions:
Give a good reason: Let them know what specific benefits they can expect if they exercise. For example, if your partner or friends are overweight, tell them how physical activity will help them burn off calories and fat. Remember to give them reasons that are personal, not just general and generic arguments that are not relevant to their lives.
Be a positive example: Talk about how exercise has improved your own life and health; be specific about the beneficial changes, whether on weight loss, strength, endurance, flexibility, or general conditioning.
Share your enthusiasm: It is possible that inactive people don’t work out because they think exercise is boring and / or hard. Let them know that it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. An exercise program can – and should – be enjoyable and adapted to each person’s level. This is where a trainer can be of big help.
Be a workout buddy: Offer to exercise with your friend or significant other, so you can offer your support and encouragement. If you train at a different intensity than a novice, a fitness coach can devise specific routines to match your individual levels.”
About Personal Trainer Los Angeles:
Launched by fitness expert Mr. America Jason Kozma in April 1997, Los Angeles Personal Training is a co-ed personal training fitness program which specializes in the areas of body transformations and next level training. Program details and client testimonials are available at www.smpersonaltraining.com. Kozma has been featured as a fitness expert on MTV, Fine Living, ESPN and Discovery Channel just to name a few. He is a certified fitness expert with 28 years experience in the fitness industry and can be contacted here by email or 310-772-5105.

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Best Exercises for your Booty

March 18, 2012 – 6:47 pm

Here’s the article that you’ve been waiting for – everything you need to know to shape up your booty for swimsuit season.

Don’t allow past failures get you down. It can be frustrating waiting for results, but by a combination of cardio exercises, a healthy diet, and the right resistance workouts targeted for the butt and thighs, you will reach your goal.

Here are the essential exercises that target your gluteal muscles to give it the shape and tone you desire.

Exercise 1: Hip Lift
A great exercise to work your glute muscles is the hip lift. To do this exercise, lie on the floor with your back flat, knees bent, and feet resting on the ground. While keeping your arms at your sides on the floor, lift your bottom and lower back off of the floor. Hold for a few seconds, and then slowly lower yourself. Repeat. To work your muscles even more, lift a leg in the air when you raise your bottom off the ground. Lower yourself and then repeat, lifting the other leg.

Exercise 2: Leg Lift
To do a leg lift, lie on your side and prop yourself up on your elbow. Raise your top leg slowly into the air, as high as you can, so your legs make a “V” shape. Hold for a few seconds, and then slowly lower your leg. Repeat 10 times, turn onto the other side, and lift the other leg.

Exercise 3: Banded Shuffle
This is a great exercise to get your heart pumping and work your butt. To do this exercise, you’ll need an elastic sports band. Stand up straight with your legs hip-width apart and tie the band around your lower legs. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, your back is straight, and your abdominals are tight. While in this squatting position, take several steps to the left, then several to the right. You may need to use your arms for balance, but your butt muscles should feel a workout.

Exercise 4: Plie Squat
Another form of squat is the plie squat. If you don’t have an elastic band, this is the exercise to add definition and shape to your butt. Start by standing with your legs slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed out to the sides. This is what ballerinas call the plie position. For balance, hold your arms in front of you. While keeping your back straight, slowly squat to the ground until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold this for five seconds and stand back up. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise 5: Lunge
A fifth exercise that targets the muscles of your butt, thighs, and hips is the lunge. Putting one foot out in front of the other, lower your body toward the ground, keeping your abdominals tight and your torso straight. Lower until the front knee is bent at 90 degrees and not extended past your toes. Stand back up and then extend the opposite leg and bend. Perform 10 repetitions. For an increased workout, hold dumbbells in each hand.

Exercise 6: Run or Walk
Running or walking outside or on the treadmill are other great exercises that work your butt while giving you a cardio workout to burn fat at the same time. Make it your goal to exercise 30 to 45 minutes at least three times a week, including walking or running each time.

Burn, Baby, Burn! These exercises are excellent ways to burn extra fat off your butt while adding the definition you desire. Not used to working your gluteal muscles? You’ll definitely feel the burn the first few days, but the end result will be worth the effort!

If you’re serious about transforming your body then contact me today to set up a consultation with me. Together we will create the perfect program that will quickly get you into the body that you deserve.

Don’t wait – contact me today to get started.

No More Excuses

Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage.
•Don’t skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself.
•Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you’ll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning.
•Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?

Don’t allow excuses to ruin your life any longer.

Mr. America Jason Kozma is a professional Los Angeles Personal Trainer in Southern California. Jason and his High Performance Training Team are helping residents all over Southern California lose weight and get in the best shape of their lives. Find out more by visiting Personal Trainer Los Angeles

By chainsaw | Posted in Fitness Santa Monica, Los Angeles Personal Trainer, Personal Training Los Angeles, Personal Training Santa Monica, Personal trainer, Santa Monica Personal Trainer, Santa Monica Personal Training, Weight Loss Santa Monica, fitness, weight loss, workout | Tagged | Comments Off

Your New Year

January 29, 2012 – 9:47 pm

We are four weeks into the New Year – how are you doing with your resolutions? If you didn’t make any resolutions this year, consider taking the time to commit to one small healthy change. Here are some suggestions:

  • Don’t eat after 7pm.
  • Drink a healthy protein shake for breakfast.
  • Cut out that daily sugary snack.
  • Exercise a minimum of 4 days each week.
  • Join one of my exercise programs.
By chainsaw | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Killer Fat Burning Exercises!

October 30, 2011 – 8:58 pm

Four Ways to Burn More Fat

There is nothing quite as frustrating as seeing your results fizzle out. This is a common place to end up, usually after a few months on the same exercise routine. In the beginning your body responds to your routine with lost pounds and gained muscle tone, then one day all results screech to a stop.

Why does this happen? And, more importantly, how can you prevent it?

Your muscles adapt quickly to any repetitive routine. Remember that the
definition of ‘insanity’ is to do the same thing over and over while expecting
different results. This holds true for your workouts.

When your results stop, it’s time to do something new.

The problem: Your muscles have adapted to your routine.

The Solution: It’s time to apply the concept of muscle confusion.

Muscle confusion is a way to keep your body guessing by changing your routine.
I have good news – the following 4 strategies are guaranteed to crank your workouts up to
the next level and to deliver better results.

Strategy #1: Use a Drop Set
Drop sets are often used to fight off exercise plateaus. This technique is
great for increasing muscle strength, endurance and for adding to the
cardiovascular benefit of your workout – which results in more
fat burn. This is how to do a drop set: When you perform an exercise to exhaustion, don’t
stop there. Drop the weight by 80% and do another set. You could take it a step further by dropping the weight twice, making it a double drop. Or drop the weight three times for a descending drop set. Use this technique only once or twice per workout, on the
final set of the exercise.

Strategy #2: Focus on Negatives
Each time that you do a weight lifting repetition you are using three types of
strength.

1. Positive strength: lifting the weight.

2. Static strength: holding weight in a contracted position.

3. Negative strength: lowering the weight.

Most people completely miss the benefit of the negative in each repetition by
allowing the weight to drop quickly with little control. It is understood that
the negative portion of each repetition is just as important as the positive
portion, possibly more important. Focus on the negative portion of each repetition by lowering the weight very slowly. Concentrate on the negative contraction, and make each repetition count.

If you are advanced, then use a training partner to assist you in moving
heavier-than-normal weight into a contracted position, then lower it very
slowly.

Another way to utilize negative repetitions on a machine is to lift the weight
using two limbs but then lower it with just one. For example, use both legs to
lift the weight on a leg extension machine, but then lower it back down slowly
using only one leg.

Strategy #3: Use Active Rest
Every minute of your workout is an opportunity to increase intensity and to burn more fat. Don’t waste precious minutes with long rest periods. While it is important to catch your breath if you feel winded, most of the time you would benefit more from an active rest. Do one of the following activities for 30 seconds between exercises and turn your regular workout into High Intensity Interval Training.

High Knees with Alternating Punches:
Alternately bring each knee high to your chest in a quick jumping movement
while alternating forward punches at shoulder level.

Burpees: Start in a sanding position and bend at the waist. Once your
hands hit the floor, push your entire body back, extending your legs until
they’re straight and you’re in the push-up position. Go down for a push-up, and
when you push yourself up, jump slightly to bring your feet back near your
hands. Finally, jump in the air with your arms fully extended over your head.

Side-to-Side Jumps on Bench: Stand on one side of an
exercise bench. Place the foot closest up onto the bench, jump up and switch
feet, then land on the opposite side of the bench.

Mountain Climbers: Place your hands wider
than shoulder-width apart on the ground in a push-up position. Bring one knee
to your chest and then back to the starting position, alternate each leg
quickly.

Side-to-Side Ab Twists: With feet close together,
jump and twist your legs left to right – holding your abs tight. Keep a bend in
your knees and swing your upper arms with each twist.

Jump Lunges with Pop Squat: Start in a lunge position,
lunge down then quickly jump up, switching your leg position in midair, land in
an opposite leg lunge. Once you’ve done both legs, jump straight into a squat.

Medicine Ball Squat Jumps: With feet wider than
shoulder-width apart hold a medicine ball at chest level. Squat down until your
knees are at a 90 degree angle. Explosively jump up, raising the medicine ball
straight over your head.

Strategy #4: Modify the Exercise There are certain exercises that are considered ‘staples’ in the gym. The squat. The lunge. The chest press. The shoulder press. The bicep curl. You get the idea…

While you shouldn’t throw these exercises out the window, find creative ways to
modify the familiar motion in order to challenge your muscles. Try these
exercise modifications:

Squat on a Bosu ball or balance board.

Place a weighted bar across your shoulders and do walking lunges.

Use an exercise ball for chest presses instead of the bench.

Do a full squat between each repetition of shoulder presses.

Do a shoulder press between each repetition of bicep curls.

If you’d like a sure-fire way to break through your fitness plateau
and to melt away unwanted fat, then contact me for a fitness consultation. To find
out more, contact me today! I look forward to hearing from you.

Mr. America Jason Kozma is a professional Los Angeles Personal Trainer in Southern California. Jason and his High Performance Training Team are helping residents all over Southern California lose weight and get in the best shape of their lives. Find out more by visiting Personal Trainer Los Angeles

By chainsaw | Posted in Fitness Santa Monica, Los Angeles Personal Trainer, Personal Training Los Angeles, Personal Training Santa Monica, Personal trainer, Santa Monica Personal Trainer, Santa Monica Personal Training, Uncategorized, Weight Loss Santa Monica, fitness, weight loss, workout | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Transform From “Before” to “After”

September 2, 2011 – 4:35 pm

personal trainerHave you ever seen a really impressive “before” and “after” photo on a weight loss product or my website?

Well, there’s something that the diet industry doesn’t want you to know. There is more involved than just the diet product, and it’s the same across the board.

Look into the eyes of any person in their “before” picture and you’ll see that they are deeply disturbed. The body they have is no longer in sync with the body they are able to accept.

They changed the body that they accept, and became disturbed.

Now look into their eyes in the “after” picture – see the sweet satisfaction? They now live in the body that they decided they could accept. What an amazing feeling that is.

Why are you still living life in your “before” body?

Sure, you have obstacles that get in your way – your schedule, your job, your kids, the weather, your knee injury from college…but ultimately you have the body that you accept.

I’m going to repeat that so it will really sink in.

You have the body that you accept.

Transform from “Before” to “After”
You may not realize it, but you already posses everything you need to transform your body, and it all starts with taking responsibility for the body that you have today.

You are in your current shape because, until this moment, you’ve been OK with it.

Oh I know you aren’t thrilled with it, and you even talk about losing weight and getting fit – but you haven’t changed what you’ll accept.

Here’s how to transform your body in 3 steps:

Step One: Feel Disturbed
It has been said that emotion creates motion. This is essential when it comes to personal transformation. Just like those folks in the “before” pictures, to transform your body you must first decide that you can’t live another day in the body you currently have.

Get your emotions stirred up. Make a list of all the reasons that you’re ready to lose weight and get fit. Get disturbed.

Step Two: Decide What You Want
Without clarity you’ll never get where you want to go. Now that you’re disturbed with the body you have, decide what the body you can accept looks like.

Think in concrete and specific terms. Just like the captions under ‘before” and “after” pictures – “Shannon lost 50 lbs,” “Matt lost 8 inches from his waist,” “Catherine went from a size 20 to a size 4.”

Get a clear picture in your mind of what you’ll look like in your “after” picture and decide what the caption will read.

Step Three: Take Action
The time spent between your inspiration (now) and taking action determines whether you will succeed or fail. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck between inspiration and action – there is always something that you can do immediately.

Take action by emailing or calling me now to set up a fitness consultation.

I am here to take you from your “before” picture to your “after” picture. What will your “after” caption read?

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What’s the Right Exercise for You?

June 11, 2011 – 11:35 am

personal trainer Los AngelesWait! Don’t just skim down to see which exercise I’ve labeled as the best, get the whole story…

I’m often approached and asked to pin down a single exercise as the one that will help lose the most fat and sculpt the quickest. That’s not an easy question to answer.

You see, I’m very aware of the fact that though an exercise may be perfect for Client A, it may not be the best choice for Client B—hence my hesitation to label any exercise as the universal best.

That being said, some exercises are definitely better than others. And, yes, there are even a few that I would call the best.

What makes an exercise the best?
When you decide which exercises to include in your routine, it is important to consider the type of movement involved. The simpler the movement, the fewer calories you’ll burn and the fewer muscles you will strengthen. On the other hand, the more complex the movement, the more calories you will burn and the more muscles you will strengthen.

To put it simply, exercises that use complex movements will deliver better results than exercises that use only simple movements. Complex movements recruit multiple muscles, some to stabilize and others to perform the movement. This process keeps your heart rate higher than a simple exercise would, giving you a more intense workout.

What is a complex movement?
A complex movement is a multi-joint movement that recruits large portions of the body to complete the exercise. Let’s compare a simple movement leg exercise with a complex movement leg exercise:

The leg extension machine uses a simple, isolated movement to work the quadriceps. You’re in a seated position moving only your knee joint. There isn’t much involvement, if any, from other muscles and it doesn’t burn very many calories.

Now let’s look at a free weight walking lunge. You start by standing with your feet together and a dumbbell in each hand at your sides (or a barbell across your shoulders, or a medicine ball held at your chest, or even with no weight at all). You take a large step forward and lower your back knee, keeping your front knee at a 90 degree angle. Now you push off your front foot and pull your back leg forward, repeating the movement.

How many muscles did you utilize while performing the lunge? Probably too many to count.

You certainly worked your quadriceps, gluteus, hamstrings, calves, abdominals, supporting muscles in your shoulders, arms and back- just to name a few. You also raised your heart rate and really kicked your metabolism into high gear. That’s what I call a great exercise.

Other ways to increase intensity
Using complex movements are just one of many ways to kick your workout intensity up a notch. Try incorporating a Super Set into your routine. To do so simply perform two or more exercises in a row and then take a short rest.
Or how about a Compound Set? Perform one exercise, rest, then perform an exercise with opposing body parts. To find exercises that compliment one another, choose ones that have similar but opposite motions such as a chest press and a row.

The key to finding the best exercise is to find the ones that bring your workout intensity to a whole new level.

I’d be shortchanging you if I named any exercise as the best. The fact of the matter is that it is a combination of changing your workouts up, using interval training, and even some good old cardio that will ultimately see you to your goal.

These methods will help you to burn more calories, increase your metabolic rate, and will stimulate the production of more fat burning and muscle toning hormones. Of course, there is more involved to achieving your fitness goals. You need to incorporate fat burning into your routine. You need to consistently challenge yourself during workouts. You need to take control of your eating habits and to get your diet dialed in.

So what’s the best exercise for you? Find out – call or email me today to schedule your no obligation fitness consultation.

By chainsaw | Posted in Fitness Santa Monica, Los Angeles Personal Trainer, Personal Training Los Angeles, Personal Training Santa Monica, Personal trainer, Santa Monica Personal Trainer, Santa Monica Personal Training, Uncategorized, Weight Loss Santa Monica, fitness, weight loss, workout | Comments Off

Reach Your Goals

April 15, 2011 – 11:37 pm

personal trainer los angelesDo you have unmet goals?

You aren’t alone. In fact, many people live with unfulfilled aspirations and the self-help industry is booming.

Unfortunately, many widely used self-help techniques fail to deliver results.

Case in point: You’ve probably heard of the “Yale Goal Study” in which researchers were said to have interviewed the graduating Yale seniors in 1953, asking whether or not the students had written down specific goals that they wanted to achieve. Then twenty years down the road the researchers looked up each student and discovered that the 3% of the class who had written down their goals had accumulated more personal wealth than the other 97% combined.

Very compelling story, but complete fiction.

The “Yale Goal Study” never happened, though motivational speakers and self-help books have quoted it for years.

Best selling author and psychologist Richard Wiseman went on a mission to craft a no-nonsense response to the bogus self-help techniques. Using a diverse range of scientific data he uncovered a proven approach to achieve any goal.

The following 5 successful techniques (Do This) and 5 unsuccessful techniques (Not That) are from Wiseman’s book, 59 Seconds Change Your Life in Under a Minute.

Do This: Make a Step-by-Step Plan. If you are serious about achieving your goal, then you need to create a step-by-step plan on how to do it.

Successful goal-achievers break down their overall goal into sub-goals. Each sub-goal needs to be concrete, measurable and time-based.

Not That: Motivate yourself by focusing on someone that you admire. Studies show that focusing on someone you admire is not a strong enough motivator to see you through your goal. Do This: Tell Other People About Your Goal. Just how important is it to achieve your goal? Let others know what your goals are.

This works in two different ways. First, you’ve put yourself on the spot by letting the world in on your goal, so it’s all-eyes-on-you. Failure would be public. Second, your friends and family are there to offer support and encouragement. Don’t underestimate the psychological power of having someone in your corner.

Not That: Think about the bad things. When you focus on the negative it becomes your reality. Do This: Focus on the Good Things When Achieving Your Goal. Remind yourself of the benefits associated with achieving your goal.

Make a checklist of how life will be better once you have achieved your aim. This gets your focus on a positive future, one that’s worth the effort.

Not That: Try to suppress unhelpful thoughts. Rather than trying to erase that image of chocolate cake from your mind, learn to deal with the reality of temptation head-on. Do This: Reward Your Progress. Allowing yourself a reward each time you meet a goal or a sub-goal is a great way to succeed.

Your rewards should never conflict with your major goal. When your goal is to lose weight, food should never be used as a reward.

Not That: Rely on willpower. Willpower alone rarely gets anyone to their goal. Do This: Record Your Progress. Make your plans, progress, benefits and rewards concrete by expressing them in writing.

Use a hand-written journal, your computer or a bulletin board to chart your progress. This process is priceless for maintaining motivation.

Not That: Fantasize about life after achieving your goal. Daydreaming is fun, but simply fantasizing about your new life will not make it a reality. Are you ready to achieve your fitness and weight loss goal once and for all? Contact me now to get started on the process that will put an end to your yo-yo dieting and your fat jeans.

Right now is the time for you to get in the best shape of your life.  Contact me today!

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5 Ways to Kick-Start Your Metabolism

January 16, 2011 – 10:38 pm

personal trainer Los AngelesThe goal of boosting your metabolism is to have the calories you eat match the calories you burn or they will turn into fat. Here are five tricks to boost the metabolism and get the body we always wanted.The goal is to have the calories we eat match the calories we burn or they will turn into fat. Following are five simple tricks to boost metabolism and help you lose weight.
Eat your breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up

You know that eating breakfast is important but don’t wait too long before you eat. By doing this, your body begins to starve itself and slows down metabolism to save energy. What to eat? Egg white omelet with green veggies or a half cup of cooked steel-cut oatmeal with berries are your best bets.

Drink Coffee and Tea

Studies have shown that those who drink caffeinated coffee and tea have a higher metabolism that those who drink decaf. Caffeine is a stimulant and helps boost your energy and speed up metabolism. Stay away from caffeinated colas though, they work the opposite and fool your brain to make your crave salty and sweet things.

Work Out Less Intensity

Of course, intense exercise will burn calories and build lean mass, but it is the steady and consistent workouts that will ultimately speed up your metabolism. For best results, alternate intense exercise with continual moderate exercises.

Drink Your Water Cold

Researchers say that people who drink 8 to 12 glasses of water per day had higher metabolism than those who drank only 4 glasses. Be sure to drink lots of cold water. Your body has to work harder to heat that water to your core temperature.

Spice Up Your Meals

Not everyone likes it hot, but studies show that certain spicy foods can boost your metabolism. Try to use red peppers, cayenne, jalapenos, habaneros, and tabasco in your recipes. Another perk: The active ingredient, capsaicin, also works to decrease appetite. And ginger is another special ingredient: It’s great not just for digestion, but it also increases body temperature and metabolism after eating.

Mr. America Jason Kozma is a professional Los Angeles Fitness Trainer in Southern California. Jason and his High Performance Training Team are helping residents all over Southern California lose weight and get in the best shape of their lives. Find out more by visiting his Personal Trainer Los Angeles website at http://www.LAtrainer.com

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Personal Trainer Los Angeles : How to make it through Thanksgiving without gaining weight

November 20, 2010 – 12:45 pm

We all love Thanksgiving and can’t wait to gather around the dinner table with family and friends. Do you know that most Americans will consume more than 4,500 calories and close to 200 grams of fat on Thanksgiving day alone? Research shows that most of those calories are not just from the traditional meal (a whopping 2000 calories!) but from the all-day snacking in front of the TV watching Thanksgiving Day parade and then sports events.

Here are some eating tips that can help you stay on your diet without depriving yourself.

Don’t snack all day!

 Prepare healthy snacks for when you watch the parade, like veggies and hummus, a bowl of berries or sunflower seeds, my favorite snack for TV watching! Not only are sunflower seeds rich in protein, if you buy them unpeeled, they are a lot of work too.

 Don’t go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry!Eat a big healthy breakfast and lunch so you don’t overeat at dinner.  You know how it works, we end up eating more and faster when we are hungry.

 Drink lots of water

 Fill up your stomach with water, which has no calories.  Limit and even avoid your alcohol and coffee during dinner…they will dehydrate your body and make you hungrier.

 Avoid high-fat sides

 Just say “no” to macaroni-and-cheese, casseroles and all those fried, creamy and sugary items.  Stay away from mashed potatoes that are made with butter and milk, cream of mushroom soup, candied yams, marshmallows and gravy. Instead, choose mashed sweet potatoes with salt and garlic and steamed green beans.

 Have your turkey skinless

 Be smart about the turkey portion you select.  Go for about 4 oz of turkey breast with no skin.

 Watch your portions

 Don’t go for seconds and thirds. And if you absolutely cannot resist fatty sides, just have a small helping.  Remember, moderation is key!

 Eat slowly

 Stop when you are full and keep talking to your friends and family.  Don’t get tempted by more food, get up and walk around if you feel you are having a hard time to resist.

 Offer to host Thanksgiving

 If you are in charge of the meal, you can control the ingredients and make the holiday healthy not just for yourself but for your friends and family as well. Substitute high fat ingredients with lower-fat or fat-free items, like egg whites instead of eggs, skim milk instead of milk, greek yogurt instead of sour cream, etc. Prepare lots of vegetable sides with green and colorful fall veggies. Mash your potatoes with just salt and garlic instead of milk and butter.

Personal Trainer Los Angeles Jason Kozma and his Los Angeles Personal Trainer team at feature personal training services, diet and nutrition advice with fast visual results as well as dramatic increases in strength and health. We work with people of all fitness levels: from beginners to competitive bodybuilders and fitness competitors. We also offer a comprehensive online personal training and nutrition program. Contact us at www.lapersonaltraining.com or call at (310)772-5105 to make an appointment to change your life.

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Los Angeles Personal Trainer Explains 7 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Bodyfat

August 11, 2010 – 9:45 am

Los Angeles Fitness

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to lose weight. You want to be slimmer and to tone your body, but your weight won’t budge.

Read the following 7 Weight Loss Blockers to discover what is standing in your way and how to quickly and easily begin your weight loss journey.

Blocker #1: Your Mind

Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you. Take a few moments each day to visualize yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how it feels to look the way you’ve always wanted. Protect your mind from any negative self talk. If a negative thought comes to mind, immediately reject it. You want to be thin and fit, and yet you think of yourself as out-of-shape and fat. Re-program your mind to think of yourself as fit and attractive, and you will be well on your way toward achieving your goal. Give up the belief that you can’t achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of. See it first in your mind, and then in the mirror.

Blocker #2: Your Fear

Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your weight loss efforts will be blocked by self sabotage.

Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change. Believe that something MUST change. You can’t be wishy-washy about it. You can’t be considering it. You can’t even be pretty sure about it. You’ve got to be rock solid. Believe that YOU must change it. You can’t pass the buck of responsibility and expect to lose weight. It’s on your shoulders. Other people will prove to be great assets in your journey, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this weight loss enough to make it your personal mission. Believe you CAN change it. You may have failed in the past, but that doesn’t matter. When you put your mind to it, you’re able to do amazing things. Do you believe that you are capable of losing weight? Once you own the belief that you can, you’ll be unstoppable.

Blocker #3: Your Excuses

Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don’t allow excuses to ruin your life any longer. Don’t skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself. Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you’ll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning. Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?

Blocker #4: Your Commitment

How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it’s no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose weight then your commitment to the process is a must. The margin between success and failure is bridged by your commitment. Don’t give up until your goal has been achieved. Treat exercise with the same importance as a work meeting, and you’ll never skip it at the last minute. Find three available 60-minute time slots in your schedule and mark them (in pen) on your calendar. Now stick to your schedule. If you don’t give up, then you’ll never fail. Blocker #5: Your Diet

If you consistently eat the wrong food, then you’re weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits. Don’t eat processed foods. Even though processed foods are accepted by our society, they contain tons of chemicals and empty calories that will make you sick and fat. Fat contains twice the caloric density of protein and carbohydrates, so make sure to limit the amount that you consume. Eat lots of lean proteins and wholesome carbohydrates from plants and whole grains. Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds are filled with fiber and antioxidants which are vital for healthy weight loss. Snack on these instead of packaged treats.

Blocker #6: Your Patience

It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following: Review your goal. Is it specific and measurable? Is it small and attainable, rather than monumental? Focus on your goal when the going gets tough. Make each workout a new experience. Challenge your body with different resistance, new exercises and a varied pace. Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won’t get you the body you want. The only way to achieve your goal is by consistently exercising and eating right, plain and simple.

Blocker #7: Your Support

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster. Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet, work with me, your local fitness expert, to guarantee your results. I am passionate about seeing you achieve results – don’t waste your time, energy and effort on mistakes. When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. I’ll be in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement when you need it most. Get serious about your results and begin the last weight loss program that you’ll ever do.
 

Mr. America Jason Kozma is a professional Los Angeles Personal Trainer in Southern California. Jason and his High Performance Training Team are helping residents all over Southern California lose weight and get in the best shape of their lives. Find out more by visiting his Los Angeles Personal Trainer website. 

Mr. America Jason Kozma is a professional Los Angeles Personal Trainer in Southern California. Jason and his High Performance Training Team are helping residents all over Southern California lose weight and get in the best shape of their lives. Find out more by visiting his Personal Trainer Los Angeles website.  We also feature a Santa Monica Boot Camp and a Los Angeles Boot Camp.

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