MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM BEAUCOUPFIT!!!

Hope your holidays is a blessed one! I have caught a little stomach bug which has kept me from doing anything spectacular. Anyway, don't eat too much! Enjoy the holidays and let's get ready for one hell of a NEW YEAR!!!

Should you do ab work everyday?

Should you do ab work everyday?

Well, it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. The reality of it is this, if you want a six pack then you are better suited changing your diet and upping your cardio output. We all have abs, however our genetic make-up is different so some people will show a 4 pack, some will show a 6 pack, and some will show an 8 pack. However, the more fat you have covering your "pack", the harder it will be for it to be visible. Melt the fat, and your abs will begin to show.

Now there are ways to make your abs more pronounced! Some people have really small abs and some people have thick full abs. In my opinion, both are aesthetically pleasing, however if you prefer a thicker, fuller, ab outline then I would suggest doing weighted crunches, pulldowns etc… The weight will make the muscle bellies take on a fuller look.  So with that out of the way let's get to the meat and potatoes of the argument.

---Training for strength---
Whether or not to do abwork everyday comes down to your goals! If you talk to any professional track and field athlete you will hear that they work abs everyday! Numbers vary between 500-1500 ab reps on any given day depending on the intensity of their main track and field workout. This may seem like a lot but the goal is to have a strong core. This leads me to my point! If you want a strong core, there is nothing wrong with doing abs everyday. Your stomach muscles are stabilizer muscles, they are constantly in work everyday so working them won't lead to overtraining. For example, if you are a track athlete, on your high intensity sprint days you would do less reps. On your low intensity cardio days, you would do more reps. Trust me, your muscles recover quicker than we give them credit for.

Always try to vary the ab exercises so that you target the different regions of the midsection: Obliques, upper abs, lower abs. Great exercises to incorporate are hanging knee raises, oblique crunches, knee to elbows, alternating plank work, and jack knifes!!!

---Training for the six pack---
The six pack means tells nothing about a persons core strength! I have seen numerous people over the years with ripped stomaches who were weak as a baby! Conversely, I have taken ab classes with instructors who look like they have never even thought of a six pack however their classes were the hardest I've ever taken and yes, they were able to hang the whole time. This is because they train for strength vs aesthetics much like if you compare a powerlifters body to a bodybuilder. So basically, if your goal is to acquire that cover model six pack, think diet diet diet.  Abs are made in the kitchen. Remember, we all have ab muscles some or just hidden under what we eat everyday.

---Summary---

Remember, changing your body is a marathon not a sprint. Make healthy eating choices, and workout consistently and over time you will see your results. Fall in love with the process. Enjoy the journey and not just the thought of the destination. Working out is a great lifestyle so remember that you are taking steps to keep your body healthy which will in turn lead to a higher quality of life. I didn't really give a specific ab routine because the options are almost limited. Just remember to always challenge your self because if you are not challenging yourself you are not changing!

Let me know what you think.

Be sure to check us out on Facebook and subscribe to the youtube page!!!
-MarkBFitness

My junk food rant!!!

Hello my fit family! Been a while since I've been able to post so I figured I'd at least post a relevant video on a relevant topic. Working out is easy but the dieting/nutrition is hard. Even harder is choosing cheat foods(Junk foods) that won't kill ya! Below is my rant on MSG, ASPARTAME, and the like…

Enjoy!

The infamous 3000 rep challenge is back!

In fairness, I should have posted this challenge Friday instead of today but I was busy actually trying to finish the challenge myself. The first time I posted it, no one completed it. I mean come on 3000 reps is insane. That takes alot of endurance and most importantly mental strength. But, today I can tell you 100% certainty that it can and has been done. It took me probably a little over 3 hours give or take of total work time to complete but I took alot of breaks and did other things to keep the workout from feeling too arduous. So once again here's the workout

Being that I posted it a day late, your deadline can extend until Monday or if you are reading this during the week, you can just impose a three day deadline and give it a shot. But, just know that it takes time and discipline to get through it. 

The first time I tried it, I thought I would do my pushups on one day and my body squats on another. For me, this was very ineffective. I felt more productive breaking down my numbers into smaller sets/reps and just knocking through the workout one row at a time. 

Give it a shot and let me know what you think!!!

Working out is my drug, what's your's??

Turbo charge your weigh loss through juicing!!!

Watch this guys 100 day juice fast!!!

Juicing provides your body with the proper nutrients it needs to function and repair itself while eliminating processed harmful foods in your body. It gives your body a chance to detox and "reboot" if you will. It's funny because when I decide to go raw or start a juice fast  my mother will always comment to be careful but if I go to Popeye's and get a 3 piece or drink a 2 litter of Coke then this is considered acceptable behavior. We have been brainwashed as relates to eating and what the body needs to function. At the end of the day, if it doesn't decompose then you probably don't want to eat it.
Live food give you life! Dead food gives you death! The sun is energy, thus you should eat food that captures the power of the sun and releases it into your body!

Have a blessed day
-Mark

Motivation : 64 y.o fit grandpaw!

Explosive Leg Workout

Build speed, quickness and strength with this lower body workout!

Top 10 detox foods- "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food"

It's easy to get into the habit of looking at your outer appearance and using that to decide whether or not we are healthy. However, our outer appearance can be very deceptive. Our bodies are bombarded with toxins from a variety of different sources on a day to day basis. Therefore, it is important to "Reboot" our bodies or give them a chance to purge some of these impurities from the system. Here is a brief video of some of the top 10 detox foods you can use to "help" our bodies out! Enjoy!

Have a Beaucoupfit day!!!

Push-ups and pull-ups! A great 1, 2 combination

Nothing conveys fitness more than a strong looking upper body. When you see someone with a defined chest and back you think wow, that person is DIESEL! Two of the best exercises you can do to improve your physique are push-ups and pull-ups.Push-ups target mostly your chest and tri-ceps, while pull-ups involve your back muscles, triceps and biceps. Furthermore most men and women can not even do 1 pull-up!!! In my opinion, everyone should be able to handle their own bodyweight.
Life is crazy and you never know when you will need to hold yourself up for some reason!!!

Push-ups can be done in two different ways, modified or traditional. If you are new to pushups or haven't built up your strength enough to do a traditional push-up, you can do them from your knees.
The keys are to try to keep your hands under your shoulders and lean forward away from your feet in the straightest line that your arms can support. The traditional push-up involves the same concept, flat back, straight line, hands under shoulders.

Pull-ups are done with your palms facing away from your face. Chin-ups are a bit easier as your palms grip the bar facing you. The change in arm position makes your biceps help in the pulling action. Even if you do have significant strength it is still a good idea to vary your hand positions because every one targets the muscles in a slightly different fashion. When doing your pull-ups or chin-ups think about using your back muscles to pull yourself up to the bar. The natural tendency is to try to use all arm strength but try to focus on engaging your back muscles.  If pull-ups and chin-ups are too hard for you, you can either do dead hangs( just hang from the bar as long as you can). You can do negatives, which involve jumping to the highest point and slowly allowing yourself to lower down. You can also try using elastic bands or a chair to "spot" you as you go up and down. Either way, just stay patient and consistent and your strength will increase with your numbers...

So here's a workout that I love to use. I call it " Going up the mountain!"

Start with 1 push-up, the do 1 pull-up. Next 2 push-ups, 2 pull-ups, 3 push-ups, 3 pull-ups ....
keep going until you get to 10 then head back down the mountain 10 push-ups, 10 pull-ups, 9 push-ups, 9 pull-ups ... all the way back to 1.  This is great as a full workout or as a warm-up depending on your fitness level and skill. Once I start, the goal is to finish as fast as possible so
think 0 rest time.  I love this workout because the warm-up is built into the workout and it doesn't take a long time to get a good sweat going.


Give it a try and let me know what you think!!!
-Mark BFitness

Drugs don't heal! Your body can only heal itself.

The above picture courtesy of Hallelujah Acres says it best. Drugs only deal with symptons but never HEAL. Healing occurs when the body has the building blocks necessary to recover. This comes from proper nutrients and minerals, not synthetic drugs. Proper sleep, and good nutrition promote healing, plain and simple. Just a little food for thought.
Have a Beaucoupfit Day!

-MarkBFitness

5 Snack “Hacks” to use this week

Hello again! I hope your weekend was a great one! Football season is back in full swing and my Saints won so I am feeling pretty awesome! If you are like me, football season means tailgating, parties, food, food, and more food. Today's post is from a guest writer and she will give you 5 great ways to snack a little healthier. 
Ms. Caitlin contacted me a few weeks back and told me that she was interested in writing guest posts for the site. Wow, I couldn't believe someone would actually want to write for little ol Beaucoupfit.com. Haha, I am elated to have her working with us and look forward to many more posts from her in the future. So without taking up too much more time.... -----------------------------------------------Here's CAITLIN!!! ----------------------------------------------

Hi all, I'm Caitlin Hudson, a full-time SAHM, nature lover, writer, and health nut! I am in the process of starting my own blog, but in the meantime, Mark has been kind enough to have me as a guest on his awesome blog. Today, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite "Snack Hacks" I like to call them! If you have any questions feel free to email me!

5 Snack “Hacks” to use this week

1. Chobani Substitutes

The Hack: Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream, butter, mayo, and cream cheese; not only is it good for you, but it also and

helps you maintain a healthy weight by providing plenty of protein to keep you full & satisfied longer.

**Bonus! Check out this list of  83 healthy recipes substitutes via Greatist.com**

2. Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup

The Hack: Reynolds slow cooker liners ( No mess, no fuss!)

Ingredients

Reynolds™ Slow Cooker Liners

1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed

1/2 cup frozen chopped onion (from 12-oz bag), thawed

1 medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth

1 cup water

3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)

1/4 cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

Preparation

1. Place slow cooker liners (I use these) inside a 5- to 6 1/2 -qt slow cooker bowl. Make sure that liner fits snugly against the bottom and sides of bowl and pull the top of the liner over rim of bowl.

2. In lined slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.

3. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

4. In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High.

5. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens.

6. Stir in cheese until melted.

7. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.

3. Vanilla Protein Pomegranate Pancakes

The Hack: Whey protein

Ingredients

·         1 table spoon of chia seeds

·         1 egg

·         1 scoop of vanilla protein (I use this whey protein)

·         ¼ cup of almond milk

·         ¼ cup of whole wheat flour

·         1 teaspoon of baking powder

·         ½ teaspoon of baking soda

·         1 table spoon of pomegranate seeds

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl mix all dry ingredients

2. Mix in egg and almond milk. Continue mixing for 30-45 seconds for a smooth consistency

3. Pour the batter and cook until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake - it takes between 3 and 5 minutes.

4. Turn over and cook on the other side until golden.  (Should make 3 medium size pancakes.)

4. Healthy Veggie Dip

The Hack: Light Mayo

Ingredients

·         1 package (10 oz./300 g) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry

·         1 container (16 oz.) sour cream

·         1 cup Hellmann's® light mayonnaise

·         1 package Knorr® vegetable recipe mix

·         1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)

·         3 green onions, chopped (optional)

Preparation

1.        Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Chill, if desired. Serve with your favorite dippers.

5. Low Calorie Blueberry Muffins

The Hack: Unsweetened Applesauce

Ingredients

·         1 3/4 cups rolled oats

·         1/2 cup oat bran

·         3/4 tsp baking soda

·         1/2 tsp cinnamon

·         3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

·         1/2 cup honey

·         1 tsp vanilla essence

·         1/2 cup nonfat milk

·         3 egg whites (lightly beaten)

·         1 cup blueberries

Preparation

1. Pulse rolled oats & oat bran in food processor (if handy) for 10 secs. Reserve 2 TBSP oat mixture.

2. In medium bowl, combine remaining oat mixture, baking soda, & cinnamon. Mix well & set aside.

3. In small bowl, combine apple sauce, honey, vanilla and milk. Pour into oat mixture. Stir until just blended.

4. Gently mix in egg whites

5. Dust well-drained blueberries with 2 TBSP reserved oat mixture. Gently fold the blueberries into batter.

6. Divide mixture evenly into greased muffin pans and bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes.
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Personally, I think these recipes are awesome and can't wait to try them. Let us know which one's you try or are looking forward to trying. Lastly, I want to personally thank Caitlin for reaching out to me and sharing your ideas with my audience. Your hard work is greatly appreciated, so on behalf of myself and the Beaucoupfit family, THANKS!!!