Fitness Tips and Fables
By Gigi Amurao As a fitness professional, I’m constantly being asked questions, many which are pretty crazy and that anyone with a little common sense can figure out. Other questions are more complex, and the answers can differ, depending on whom you ask. Here’s my take on a few that seem to come my way […]
Five Reasons Beginners Don’t See Gains
By Gigi Amurao “If I’m working out, why do I feel bulky?” and “Why am I gaining weight?” are among the most frequent questions I get from my female clients. It’s a common concern for many women, me included. It’s frustrating to work hard and not see or feel the benefits. Still, it doesn’t happen […]
Meal Prep: The Secret to a Controlled Diet
By Evina Del Pizzo Meal preparation, which simply means planning, preparing and cooking meals ahead of time, has become a fashionable tool in the fitness and weight-loss world. People attempting an organized meal-prep program are usually trying to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain weight. All of your meals are cooked in advance, and portion […]
Gut Health: Understanding the Migrating Motor Complex
By Lindsay Kent Your stomach begins to growl and you instinctively decide that you must be hungry. It’s a common association we make in decoding our body’s hunger signals. In fact, a growling stomach does not signal that your body needs nutrients but, rather, that your migrating motor complex, or MMC, is busy at work. […]
Fitness Tips and Fables
By Gigi Amurao As a fitness professional, I’m constantly being asked questions, many which are pretty crazy and that anyone with a little common sense can figure out. Other questions are more complex, and the answers can differ, depending on whom you ask. Here’s my take on a few that seem to come my way […]
Sleep Your Way To A Better Body?
By Gina Aliotti You’re on a weight-loss journey, eating a well-balanced diet of lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. You have removed all processed foods and most sugars from your diet and are eating lean and green. Your exercise program has been consistent, with four to six workouts a week, and your water intake […]
The 20-Step Guide for Busy People
By Gigi Amurao In today’s busy world, we’re always on the go-go-go. Whether it’s work, play, or rushing to the gym; business travel or vacation; chasing the kids around the house or chauffeuring them around town, or any of a myriad of things that keep our schedules full, we’re always away from home. That’s great, […]
The No-Gym Summer Circuit
By Gina Aliotti Summer is in full swing and your schedule may be filling up with family vacations, BBQs, and perhaps driving your kids to camps and activities. If you’re a busy mom like me, your time is limited, and you may have to dig extra deep to find the motivation to stay committed to […]
How Badly Do You Want That Six-Pack?
By Gigi Amurao Many people strive to have six-pack abs, tight glutes, and a lean, flawless physique, but what are the costs? As a competitor, I know all too well the trade-offs. For those who don’t, let me enlighten you. It will, I hope, help you decide if you really want to go that route […]
Nutrition Confusion: Your Top 10 Diet Questions Answered
By Gigi Amurao Paleo eating, juice cleanses, detox diets, calorie counting, low-carb and how to get six-pack abs—as a personal trainer and coach, I get questions regarding nutrition from all sorts of people, from athletes to middle-aged men and women who want to better their health to physique competitors. Often, it’s tough to give a […]
Weight Loss & Cancer Risk
By: Matt Weik It’s no secret that our great nation has an issue with obesity—mainly, putting the fork down and walking away from the table! With more than 60% of our population being overweight, something has to change to ensure longevity and our overall quality of life as we age. Illnesses are on the rise, […]
The Brain – Gut Connection (It’s Real)
By Dr. Doug Kalman, Nutrition Editor Have you ever had the experience of being asked to speak in front of a group of people and you suddenly felt your stomach getting tingly or nervous? You’ve no doubt heard the expression “gut-wrenching” or “butterflies in the stomach”. The truth is, The brain has a direct effect […]
The TEF Factor: Maximizing Metabolism & Energy
By Lindsay Kent The Beauty Blog Getting clients to make important shifts in their nutritional habits and understand the impact it will have on their goals is often a trainer’s biggest challenge. One key change that seems to terrify our clients, especially women, is the notion of eating more to lose weight. Somewhere along the […]
Cancer Drugs to Fight Obesity?
By: Matt Weik IML Research Blog It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while, when researchers are investigating one piece of data, they come to discover something else that could be groundbreaking. When researchers at a Mayo Clinic were running cancer studies on mice, they discovered that the drugs used in the study […]
Cardio for Muscle Contraction?
By Ben Pakulski Most people jump onto a cardio machine with the desired end result of ‘getting their heart rate up’, or maybe to ‘get their body temperature up to burn some calories’. Sound familiar? Of course it does. Basically, we’re all looking for the most effective and efficient way to shed a few pounds […]
Are You Ready to Commit? (Take the Quiz)
By Gigi Amurao The year is still young, and I’m sure many of you are still on the fence about starting a diet or actually getting started on that new lifestyle you have always wanted. You will often hear people say, “Get started NOW,” but they don’t take into consideration what else may be going […]
Avoiding The Post-Diet Rebound
By Nicole Cress The Beauty Blog My first competition was in March 2004, in the figure division. I was a personal trainer at the time; however, I didn’t have a coach or any real knowledge of what competition prep entailed. I did an Internet search and took advice from bodybuilders at my gym. I found […]
Hunger and Hormones: Mastering Your Body’s Cues
By Lindsay Kent The Beauty Blog While often it seems that the body’s hunger and satiety cues set off a totally emotional experience, rearing their uncooperative heads when you are trying to lose weight or gain lean muscle, we have learned in recent years that they are actually part of the body’s physiological processes. That […]
New Research: Children’s Bedtimes and Obesity
By: Matt Weik If you follow my work, you know that I’m a huge advocate for getting kids active and learning how to make healthy decisions with their life. This instills healthy habits early in life which can carry over into adulthood. It’s much easier to form healthy habits early in a child’s life than […]
Portion Control and Serving Sizes: How Much Should You Eat?
By Gigi Amurao Over the past decade or so, portion sizes have tripled in the U.S., a key factor in the devastating increase in obesity among children and adults. Supersized portions at fast-food restaurants have distorted what Americans consider a normal meal, and that affects how we eat at home. Larger portions mean more calories, […]
Stop Making Excuses!
By Evina Del Pizzo Are you always running late? Do you lack motivation to go to the gym? Are you tired of having no time for things you love or even for yourself? Is it difficult for you to make a commitment and keep it? If those questions ring a bell or two, here’s another: Do […]
It’s All About “Getting Started”
By Gigi Amurao So you woke up today, looked in the mirror, and said, “Ugh, I look horrible! I need to get in shape.” Congratulations! You have reached the point where you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, and you are ready to do something about it. There’s just one problem—you don’t […]
Fit Recipe: Fat Free Protein Spinach Dip
From the Kitchen of: Stefanie Antorcha It’s that time of year; summertime is here! It’s time for bathing suits, family vacations and BBQ. The good news is we can do it all AND still stay fit and healthy doing it! Today I’m going to give you a recipe for one of my SUPER popular requests! […]
Plyometrics: Give Your Workouts a Boost!
By: Evina Del Pizzo Power development is not just for athletes. It has tremendous benefits for the general population as well. How is power developed? Plyometrics! The word plyometric is a combination of two Greek words—plio, which means “more,” and metric, or “measure.” Literally, then, it means a “greater measure,” but a practical definition of […]
Is Coffee Making You Fat?
By: Matt Weik IML Blog Coffee, the most consumed morning beverage ever. In fact, they say that around 54% of American adults need their cup of Joe every morning, regardless of the temperature outside. Have you ever gone past a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts and no one was in line? Me neither. I don’t even […]
Fit Recipe: Savory Crustless Quiche
From the Kitchen of Robyn Maher It’s the end of winter, that time of year when we’re ready for spring and dreaming of tropical vacations but still craving comfort food. Now, though, we want it without all the calories. This Savory Crustless Quiche is the perfect answer! It’s a breeze to make, and you can […]
H.I.I.T. Training: New Research!
By: Matt Weik IML Research Blog We live in a society that believes if a little yields a good result, then more would yield an even better result. But more times than not, this isn’t the case. And actually, that kind of thinking can get you in a lot of trouble in certain situations. Just […]
Macros, Food Choices & Long-Term Success!
By Nicole Cress The Beauty Blog Have you ever wondered how many times a day you make choices about food? For some people, the way they eat reflects their way of life. Most people struggle when it comes to dieting because they correlate the word diet with deprivation. Often, they eliminate certain foods because they […]
Maintaining Weight loss: Keeping it Off!!!
By Gigi Amurao After weeks or months of dieting and putting in the work at the gym every day, you finally hit your goal weight. Congratulations, you did it! You stayed committed, worked hard, sacrificed a lot, and here you are—a slimmer, sexier, lighter best version of yourself. Losing weight for a competition, an event, […]
Fit Recipe: Herbal Dynamite (Salad Dressing)
By Ruth Silverman, Managing Editor Who doesn’t love a big, crisp salad? Whatever your pleasure when it comes to dressings, nothing’s better than a bowl of crunchy lettuce and salad veggies to balance out a savory meal. And if you’re on a diet, filling up on salad with lower-calorie dressings is a great tip. When […]
My Journey to Fitness & Health
By Jessica Gilmartin The BeautyBlog For the majority of my life I struggled with being overweight and being the “bigger girlfriend” of other, slimmer women, but when I found myself staring at 268 pounds on the scale, I knew things had to change. I needed not only to become healthy mentally, in terms of the […]
Technology Update: The “Shop Well” App is a Must!
By: Matt Weik With so many apps on smartphones these days it almost seems like our phones aren’t only running our lives, but they’re also allowing us to get complacent and lazy as they do a lot of our work for us. Now there’s a new app. This one actually to helps you make better […]
Understanding Branched Chain Amino Acids
By Matt Samansky Supplement Review Editor BCAA’s have been a staple of the supplement industry since the turn of the century! For the sake of getting scientific, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. As you chew on your chicken breast, not only are you ingesting dozens of grams of proteins, but thousands of […]
Fitness Tips and Fables
By Gigi Amurao As a fitness professional, I’m constantly being asked questions, many which are pretty crazy and that anyone with a little common sense can figure out. Other questions are more complex, and the answers can differ, depending on whom you ask. Here’s my take on a few that seem to come my way […]
Fit Recipe: Skinnier Guacamole
From the Kitchen of Robyn Maher Guacamole!!! A delicious dip that enhances any meal or summer barbecue. If you enjoy it too much, though, the calories from fat can add up quickly. Mixing garbanzo beans with the avocado in this recipe solves that problem. You can’t taste them, and the texture is great because you […]
Goal Setting 101: The SMART System
By Gigi Amurao A new year is underway—a time to start fresh with all the things we want to accomplish. So many of us start out in January with the number-one goal of getting back in shape and becoming healthier versions of ourselves. The process is easy to start. It’s new, we’re excited and motivated, […]
New Study: Serve Yourself
By: Matt Weik If you’re looking to stay on your diet, the worst thing you can do is have an enabler feeding you food that you shouldn’t be consuming. Or someone who leaves out portioned snacks for easy consumption. You almost feel bad not eating it, right? New research says, feed yourself to keep your […]
Research: Can Fiber Fuel Weight Loss?
By: Matt Weik Some might say that we are in a bit of a crisis mode when it comes to battling the bulge. The rate of those suffering from being overweight or obese seems to forever be climbing across this nation. With nearly 70% of adults being overweight/obese, we have a serious problem on our […]
Weight Loss Notes From Dr. Kalman’s Notebook
By Douglas Kalman PhD, RD, FISSN Nutrition Editor A few items from the note pad to pass along this week… 6 out of 10 are Overweight! Weight loss and weight control is not easy for the majority of society. This is evident by the fact that an alarming ~60% of the American population is either […]
Avoiding the Summer BBQ Trap!
By Gigi Amurao Warmer weather is finally upon us! It’s time to clean out the pool, break out the grill, and get ready for those summer barbecues, starting with Memorial Day at the end of this month. Summer is for relaxing, basking in the sun, and spending time with family and friends, and it brings […]
A Connection Between Sneezing & Obesity?
By: Douglas Kalman PhD, RD Have you ever been in a crowded room and all you seem to hear is people coughing and sniffling? I am not kidding!!! This happens every time a room is quieted for some type of speech, or at the start of a movie, or during the singing of the National […]
Stop Comparing Yourself on Social Media!
By Gigi Amurao Is your fondness for social media killing your fitness goals and wrecking your self-esteem? Everywhere you look, people are on their phones, taking selfies, or scrolling through social media. If you want to get in touch with someone, you have at least six different ways to do it—Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat, or […]
10 Tips for Your Fitness Journey
By: Matt Weik When trying to turn poor habits into healthy ones, we often end up falling back into some of those unhealthy choices. Health and fitness is a lifelong journey. There will be ups and downs and your will is going to be tested. Here’s 10 health and fitness tips that you can apply […]
Egg Whites: Don’t Forget the Basics!
By: Matt Weik With all the latest innovations in supplementation, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. This blog is an important reminder that if you’re serious about those gainz, then you better have egg whites in your diet. No matter if you’re trying to lean out or put on size, egg whites will […]
Fit Recipe: Healthy Chicken Parm!
From the Kitchen of: Stefanie Antorcha Hey Ya’ll! If you can’t tell, I have a TOTAL sweet tooth; I love sharing all my healthy recipes and treats with you guys so those that are like me, and NEED your sweet fixes, can satisfy cravings and still maintain a healthy body. However, sometimes, we all want […]
When a Goal is Just a Goal…
By: Matt Weik IML Blog How many times have you said you wanted to do something and never followed through? Probably more times than you can count, right? We don’t have a shortage of wants, needs, goals, and aspirations. The issue comes down to when the reality of the amount of work punches you in […]
Supplement Review: Yohimbine HCI by PrimaForce
Have you ever wondered what’s in your fat burner? What exactly are the magical ingredients that make those tiny capsules so powerful? Yohimbine is one of the most popular thermogenic supplements on the market. Today, we will be evaluating this compound individually. Yohimbine works by increasing adrenaline levels, thus kicking into gear the process of […]
The “Lose 5 Pounds Fast” Workout!
Welcome to my new blog here at DigitalMuscle.com!!! Here’s something to give you a jump start on getting your bikini bod ready for the Summer! Spring is definitely here, and though it’s still pretty chilly in some parts of the country, those long, cold winter nights are slowly coming to an end. Summer is just around […]
Diets Suck! – Get Help With Your Weight Plan
By Evina Del Pizzo Did you eat away your diet last summer? The good news is, your diet sucked; the bad news is, you’re probably going to gain back all the weight you lost and then some. You probably eliminated a food group or a macronutrient, thinking that you would lose some weight quickly. Likely, […]
Calorie Burning 101: Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption
By Lindsay Kent The Beauty Blog This post was suggested by a comment I received during a personal-training session on why we incorporate different movements, use different pieces of equipment, and often change the sequence of the exercises and circuits during our workouts. I always tell my clients that our workouts are structured a certain […]
Understanding Cellulite…and Getting Rid of It!
Cellulite. For some, just the thought of it is a nightmare. I’m sure most women at one time or another have wondered if their legs or rear end would ever be plagued by the dreaded “lumpy-bumpy” dimpling that often strikes women as they age. A once-used term for cellulite was Gynoid lipodystrophy, or “G.D.,” which […]
Springing Into Summer Shape (A Procrastinator’s Guide)
By Evina Del Pizzo Bathing suit weather is coming! When it gets here, some people will be ready to show off the body they’ve been working hard for all year, while others will be hustling last minute to get ready for that special pool party they’ve been planning to attend for months. If you fall […]
Holiday Reminder: 40 Reasons to Keep Exercising!
By Shandy Ortiz The Beauty Blog Presented by BeautyFit The holiday season is entering the home stretch, and sugar and butter are still the stars of every food platter. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, some things do have to be put off for later, but your exercise routine shouldn’t be one of […]
How Many Calories Do You Need?
By Gigi Amurao In my last post, I discussed the importance of portion control in losing weight. Portions mean nothing, however, if you don’t know how many calories you need. What’s the best way to figure out how much to eat? With so many tips and articles available via magazines and the Internet, it’s not […]
50 Ways to Thrash Body Fat
By Dr. Doug Kalman, Nutrition Editor Whether you’re a competitive athlete or you just like the lean look, keeping your body fat in check may help to extend your lifespan. I’ve put together a few tips, 50 to be exact, to help you thrash body fat, and in the process, help you to live life […]
Should You Eat Before Exercise?
By: Matt Weik There has been a debate for quite some time on whether you should eat before you exercise or if you should exercise when in a fasted state. The banter has been enough to turn people blue in the face arguing their point of view. Theories have gone back and forth for both […]
Understanding Sugar Alcohols
By Lindsay Kent The Beauty Blog Planning meals, calculating macronutrients, and carefully reviewing food labels are part of the daily routine of most health-conscious people. To that end, you should be paying attention to sugar, especially if you are focused on carbohydrate control and losing weight. The three main macronutrients are protein, which is calculated […]
Structuring a Diet for Fat Loss
By Ben Pakulski Question: “How do you structure a diet for fat loss? Diet structuring for fat loss is a very popular and often misunderstood topic. There are many different approaches and methods, such as maintaining a constant deficit by simply adjusting as plateaus are reached, or a calorie/carb cycling routine. I think the first […]