Total Body Circuit Training With A Medicine Ball

Lately, I have been posting exercises and workouts that require minimum, if any, equipment. This is strictly for the purpose of you not having to make excuses about not having a gym membership, having a busy work schedule or just not having the time to take care of yourself. Here is a killer routine for you to add to your arsenal that can easily be done at home, your hotel or even at you “busy” job. All you need is a 10 – 20 lb. medicine ball or a phone book. To get your own medicine ball, click here.

The Origins of the Medicine Ball

A medicine ball is a round weighted, leather ball. It’s mass ranges from two to about thirty pounds. It is a device often used and seen in physical therapy and rehabilitation clinics but can also be found in the gym for weight training and general exercise. Although this weighted ball may look simple with limited qualities, it is a great tool to improve your overall core strength, stability and especially muscle toning and weight loss goals.

Burn a rediculous amount of calories in less than thirty minutes with this total body circuit routine. Each of the five exercises are performed for thirty seconds before resting for forty-five to ninety seconds. Repeat the routine four more times for a total of five sets.

Total Body Medicine Ball Circuit Routine:

1. Medicine Ball (MB) Deadlift with Jump
2. MB Burpee
3. MB Woodchop
4. MB Pushup
5. MB Situp
6 Rest then repeat for a total of five sets!

Post a comment or question and let me know how effective this one was for you.

Make it happen!

Damon Reio

PS – Get yourself a medicine ball and make it happen here.

The Best Leg Exercises…Ever!

Leg muscles can really make a world of difference in our overall physique.

Summer is here and most of are still concerned about how to look better at the beach and in “cool” clothes. I thought this post would be interesting to many of you because our legs and butt are one of the most common areas of concern. Many people ask me “how can they tighten their hips and thighs?” My reply has always included the three major tools to shaping any trouble area on your body: cardio, resistance training and consuming less calories than one consumes. This rule is always key and should never be undermined. But, in my experiences, that explanation is not enough.

Next to our back, the legs are the largest group of muscles on our bodies consiting of many compartments that help us to move efficiently in the world and get the job done. The quadraceps (thighs), gluteus maximus/ minimus (butt), hamstrings (back thigh), gastrocnemius (calves) are general groups of muscles, in addition to others in our legs, that work interconnectedly so we can sit, stand, walk, squat and perform whatever else is required of us.

Despite the anatomical functions and benefits that may, perhaps, go in one ear and out the other, one thing is for certain – we all to have want sexy legs – except the meat heads with the light bulb physiques that only work their upper extremities, while banning shorts from their entire wardrobe.

Try the following routine for firmer, tight and sexier legs this summer and forever. Below, are the best leg exercises guaranteed to transform your lower body into an thunder thigh challenged eye magnet. Each exercise strictly targets your thighs, buns, hamstrings and calves (trust me, I’m feeling it now );)
As a circuit, choose four of the following sixteen exercises per week and perform your routine at least twice before choosing four more exercises the following week. Continue this routine for one month then change routine the next month. Perform each exercise for one minute before resting forty-five to ninety seconds. Repeat the routine for three to five sets. Here is an example:

1. Prisoner Squat Jumps
2. One-legged Squats
3. Jump Split Squats
4. SB Hamstring Curls
5. Rest

Make it Happen!

Damon Reio

The Only Fountain of Youth

Several years ago, I attended my aunt’s funeral service. She was fairly young but passed away because of her preventable health conditions such as diabetes and obesity (to name a few). Anyhow, there I was sitting and listening to the minister’s eulogy and message as he went on telling the audience how God told my aunt that “it was time to come home (to heaven)”. I knew of her poor eating habits and lack of physical exercise, therefore it was very difficult and rather disappointing to swallow his premise. What if her severe lack of exercise coupled with her terrible food decisions were the catalysts to her demise?… Moving on…

Last week, megastar Michael Jackson left us at a very young age of fifty years old. Despite the 750 million albums sold and the possibility of furthering his influence and potential to the rest of the world, we all can at least agree with one thing:his death came about prematurely. Surgery, implants, Botox, stomach tuck or even make-up will not hide your shortcomings as they relate to your overall health. True health and fitness are the only ways to prevent disease and escape an untimely death.

I don’t want to make any speculations or theories as to what happened, for this is not the aim of this blog. Therefore, I am not making any assumptions or adding to the gossip as to how one of the most popular figures on the face of the planet meet his demise. Michael was overwhelmed with ridiculous gossip during his life, so I’m sure the rumors have not ceased because he is no longer with us. We can probably only put our finger on what did not happen.

But, being that he or anyone for the matter, would pass away when they’re still young in age gives reason to believe that it could have been preventable. This shocking occurrence is nothing new but happens all of the time. What am I talking about? Death from or the onset of preventable ailments and disease. It is our number one priority to take control of our personal fitness in order to live and ultimately reach our fullest potential.

What is a preventable ailment or disease?

Any of a group of illnesses that can be averted through health care measures such as vaccination or healthful behaviors, such as exercise is defined as preventable ailments and disease. For example, obesity hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes and colon cancer are illnesses that can easily be prevented through exercise and wise nutritional choices. Even the rate of wrinkles and poor joints during the process of old age can be prevented by fitness.

How do poor healthy habits bring on premature death, other ailments and old age?

Despite what your doctor will have you to believe, diabetes, high blood pressure and some cancers are not directly hereditary. If your parents grew up eating greasy food and they continue to eat greasy foods, more than likely you’ll eat greasy foods. In addition, the by-products of consuming greasy foods will probably follow generation to generation. This is how ailments are passed on from generation to generation – through learned behavior.

Nutrition
Now, let’s take diabetes for example. The abundance of sugar in your blood stream due to consuming candy, soda and other foods high in simple carbohydrates makes your pancreas work overtime as a buffer in order to even out the high levels within your blood. Over time, your pancreas becomes “wiped out” and stops producing insulin, which was the counterbalance of your high sugar diet. As a result, now you have diabetes. This is how the lack of proper nutrition brings on the fruition of a preventable disease.

Physical Exercise

Exercise and resistance training does not only help you to have a sexy stomach, big muscles or run for longer periods. It also prevents you from attaining ailments such as osteoporosis and heart disease. It is known that weight training (resistance training) drastically improves bone density while cardiovascular exercise improves your heart and cardiovascular system, all which help us to live longer. Without engaging in regular exercise and cardiovascular training, the possibility of setting yourself up for the onset of a future disease like heart disease is rather high.

No matter what you do in life, whether you like it or not, your health and fitness are primary. The things that you do in life are dependant on your health and fitness. I know we’re all busy people with the daily responsibilities of work, school, parenting and making upcoming decisions, but understand that you will not be able to fulfill these responsibilities unless you take control of your health and fitness. You will have to answer to your health needs one day if you continue to ignore them.

Ways to improve your health and prevent early disease and death.

1. Do your cardio: According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) it is recommended that one should do thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise four to six times per week. Cardio exercise is considered to be something that improves the circulatory system such as walking, running, biking or boxing. It also includes yard work, painting or playing with the kids. Being this is a minimum exercise requirement, there should be no excuse for you to not begin doing this today. Cardio is known to prevent heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart attack etc.

2. Resistance Training: In addition to preventing you from developing the list of ailments mentioned above, it is proven that resistance training also helps to prevent osteoporosis and stimulate your metabolism, thus lowering the chances of obesity and cardiovascular ailments. One of my most disciplined clients (and she’s middle aged!) has a workout you can try that will add years to your life! Check it out!

3. Make smarter nutritional choices: If you know that eating foods high in sodium, simple sugar and fat are detrimental to your health, then you know that not eating these foods are beneficial to your health. A general macronutrient ration for what you should take in (in calories) is 55-30-15. This means 55% of your total caloric intake should consist of complex carbohydrates (wheat, grains, vegetables), 35% of protein (lean chicken, fish and other meats) and 15% of good fats (omega 3 FA’s, fish oil, nuts). This ratio will help you to maintain optimal health and overall body function.

4. Watch what you eat: Many foods that we eat contain excessive levels of hormones in order to make the food, such as chicken, bigger. These chemicals, along with carcinogens are consumed when we eat these foods. As a result, intestinal cancers, high triglyceride levels and even premature puberty are issues to consider when eating these foods on a regular basis.

5. Minimize and eliminate your alcohol consumption and other drug use: This is a no-brainer so I’m not going to elaborate and hit you over the head with this one. “Just Say No.”

6. Be happy and don’t sweat the negative stuff: Life hits us with so many curve balls that its amazing that we’re still able to get up at times. But, did you know that stress encourages obesity and high blood pressure – all of which are precursors to other critical ailments? Exercise releases the good hormones that make us happy. So, once again, exercise and stop stressing and you’ll live a long time.

7. Take a multi-vitamin: The typical American diet lacks all of the basic vitamins and micronutrients necessary for efficient human function. As a result, over 85% of all people living in the US are deficient in at least one vitamin or nutrient. Invest in a multi-vitamin that contains at least 100% of the Recommended Daily Values (RDA) of each vitamin. This should give you all of the vitamins you are missing from your regular diet. Go to my recommended website at http://physiques.getprograde.com/ for all of your vitamin and supplement needs.

Well, I’ll always miss MJ. He was definately an inspiration to me and epitomized a sense of undying hard work. His death was an example of how we all need to take control of our personal health in order to be the best for another day.

Make it happen,

Damon Reio

Healthy Restaurants in Downtown, St.Pete “Go Central Cafe & Organics”

People usually think that all the super healthy restaurants in the downtown St. Petersburg area are non existent. Infact, I am often asked “where is a good spot to get something for lunch?” There is a hidden gem downtown (central avenue and 3rd street south) called Central Cafe and Organics that serves nothing but the healthiest and tasty meals for dine-in, take-out or by delivery. I often go here to get some healthy fast food during my lunch break. I recommend you give them a try and I promise you will leave feeling you knocked out two birds with one stone: you will be nutritionally satisfied and will not leave feeling bad that you ate something terrible which contradicted your fitness lifestyle.

People will complain that eating healthy on the go is “difficult” or “expensive” but at Central Cafe and Organics you can get a good meal at the same price that most people would get at a McDonalds or your local neighborhood pizza and burger joint.
Watch the video below and PLEASE leave your comments.

I will try to see if I can “borrow” some if these great recipes so you can make them at home but check out the recipe I have for you after you watch the video.

Mediterranean Tuna Wrap: Prep Time – 13 minutes

Ingredients
- 2 (6-ounce) cans albacore tuna in water, drained well
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped calamata olives
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups pre-washed mixed greens
(about 3 ounces)
- 4 whole-grain wrap breads (about 2 ounces each)
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced

Directions:
In a medium bowl combine the tuna, onion, parsley, olives.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour about 2/3 the dressing over the tuna mixture and toss to combine. In a separate bowl, pour the rest of the dressing over the greens and toss to combine.

Place some tuna salad onto each piece of wrap bread. Top with 1 1/2 cups of greens and a few tomato slices. Roll the wraps and serve.

Enjoy the recipe and let me know what you think by leaving your comments below.

How Much Do You Really Love Your Fat and Sedentary Child?

Parents, beware: a dangerous epidemic is sweeping our nation’s youth. Your child may be at risk of life-threatening complications, psychological problems and decreased quality of life. More than 15 percent of children in the US are estimated to have the disease, and the number is growing at an alarming rate. What is this frightening condition? CHILDHOOD OBESITY.

My mother was an outstanding parent that assumed the upmost responsiblity toward the care of me and my younger brother. She was the force-field that shunned from us, life’s dangers and downsides. I didn’t even know what outside looked like after 9pm until I was a freshman in college because I had better be home (Well, not really – but you know what I mean). Anyway, despite her “A+” strategy of raising her only two boys into becoming men, my brother was diagnosed as a diabetic at the age of nineteen. He was a 302 pound fat kid who loved video games, music and “Sicky D’s”, I mean Mickey D’s. The lack of health education and encouragement of physical fitness from my parent was probably the main reason behind my brother’s now resolved ailment. I believe leaving this critical tool out of your caretaker equation is as criminal as not preparing your child for the real world. Caring for your child goes beyond defending and preparing them for the outside world, but also entails caring for their physical health and fitness. Otherwise, I dare to say that, your parenting skills are incomplete without practicing a healthy lifestyle.

Throughout my life, I have met thousands of parents who rightfully consider themselves as “fit” mothers and fathers – I also consider them to be. Out of these lucky people who are experiencing the blessings of parenthood and raising a child or children, I would not be wrong to say that all of them proclaim to be good parents based on their generalized definition of what a “good parent” should be. You can pull out the old “Good Parent Checklist” and check off all of the requirements that qualify them as a fit and nurturing caretaker which includes: the famous “enforcing study time”, “coming home at a reasonable hour” and “making sure they (the child) brush twice a day” etc. Yet, when it comes to the child’s overall health and nutritional lifestyle, these responsibilities are secondary or overlooked altogether. Frankly, if a son’s physical and nutritional fitness was a factor by law that determined a mother’s or father’s parental abilities, most parents can easily be alleged with child neglect. In fact, overall, the youth of today are fatter than ever before.

Childhood obesity has been described as an epidemic. It places all of our children’s health at risk, making them more susceptible to complications involving their cardiovascular and endocrine systems as well as affecting their mental and psychological health. Type II diabetes mellitus, depression and low self esteem are just on the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to the critical problems looming over the heads of our overweight children. Thus, making the grade at school, the transformation into adolescence and the school bully are not the only issues that children face. Obesity and it’s indirect complications also creates a major dilemma for your loving child.

Compared to a generation ago, children are falling into the obesity camp mainly because activities that were once popular outside are now non-existant and replaced with things that kids can do in the comfort of their own home. Not only does this have implications on their physical fitness but it may also have overwhelming effects on their overall self-esteem and social skills with other peers and individuals – but that’s another story.

Technology no longer makes playing street football, Saturday swimming, double dutch or “hide and go seek” fun. Instead, the average kid wants to be Lebron James, Dale Earnhardt Jr., or Wonder Woman on Play Station 3 or Xbox. Netflix and delivered pizza (by phone or internet) also take away your babysitting burdens while making the life of your prodigy more enjoyable in the short term but, with deadly consequences in the future.

If you and your child don’t fit into this camp, I’m sure you personally know of kids who are parent-abiding students by day but video game, cheese burger inhaling junkies by night. With so much passive entertainment- whether it’s television, the computer or video games — at their fingertips, many kids choose to spend time sitting and snacking. This lifestyle is very different than the “good old days” when parents sent their children to play outside regularly. Today’s parents feel their children are safer inside, but the lack of physical activity among American children is putting their health in danger. Therefore, you are doing a great diservice to yourself and your children if you place them in these condition. Furthermore, the foods that we feed them adds insult to the injury.

Below are some physical problems obese children may develop:

- joint pain
- diabetes
- heart disease
- arthritis
- asthma
- sleep apnea
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- Overweight and obese children are also at increased risk of depression, low self-esteem and other psychological issues.

I know several children (I used to be one of them), whose parents are so careful to make sure their kid doesn’t watch the nude shot on the rated “R” movie, don’t swear or talk back, make good grades, wear clean clothes and stay out of trouble and harms way. Yet, these same responsible parents (mine included) would absent mindedly feed their children foods that they would never put in the mouth of their pet canine. Foods from “Burger Kill”, “Taco Hell”, and your local fast food restaurant are saturated in bad fats, high sodium and calories that may make your son happy in the short term but physically miserable in the long run. Finally, these same parents encourage, and sometime impose, sedentary lifestyles on children by allowing them to spend excessive amounts of time home on the computer, playing video games or checking out Netflix movies.

Tips to encourage a healthy lifestyle for your child

1. Cook (real food): Parents are especially busy these days – especially if they are the single parent in the household. TV dinners and fast food often saves the day for these parents because it provides a quick solution and justifies them feeding their child. Long term ailments are almost inevitable if you depend on hamburgers, french fries and pizza to satisfy your childs nutritional needs. Take time to prepare meals in advance if you’re to busy cook when it’s “dinner time.”

2. Be the adult: Yes, we all know that kids love fun foods. At time, they would rather pick over the veggies and jump straight to the ice cream for dessert. Other times, parents feed their child only things that they like. I know several moms who spend unecessary time in the kitchen preparing two meals: one for themselves and another for their kid that prefers a cheeseburger over grilled fish or chicken. Children learn from your tendencies and generally do not have the ability to depend on themselves. Therefore, be the grown up in the relationship and determine what is best for your child. I’m sure you dictate what she watches on television; why not follow the same script when it comes to monitering your child’s food consumption?

3. Limit in-home activities: Sendentary lifestyles promotes obesity. If you are not moving, you are not burning calories. At the same time, food consumption will continue to add the weight gain if there is not an outlet for the calories to be used as energy. Therefore, limit the time that your child spends on the Playstation and encourage other activities such as sports activities and meeting new friends. This will also improve his overall grades in the classroom and social skills.

4. Spend more time with them: Technology and fast foods often become convenient for us because it acts as a babysitting tool for your child. But, If you would spend a little more time with them, poor health choices and sedentary tendencies can be minimized because you are calling the shots and not John Madden Football on Xbox.

5. Enroll them in a program: Summer is the time where children are more suseptable to getting fat because school is out. On the other hand, there are many programs available that you can enroll your son or daughter in which encourages physical education. Youth camps such as St. Pete Youth Camps are springing up to address the issues of childhood obesity. You can personally enroll your child in my program to get him in the best of his life and undermine complacency. Youth camp begins Monday, June 29 and is an eight week program that promotes safe exercise and nutritional and fitness education.

Lets be more responsible and do something about child obesity and break the cycle.

Make it Happen!

Damon Reio