1: Think FRUIT FIRST – Got a sweet tooth that won’t let you sleep? Instead of grabbing for that high calorie snack, reach for a yummy piece of fruit on your counter. You’ll be happy you did and that you’re still on the healthy track.

2: Find Fitness Friends – Though you may enjoy that early morning run by yourself through the neighborhood, research has proven that working out with a friend can actual help you see better results. Likewise working out with friends and being social has been proven to motivate and help you reach your fitness goals.

3: Police your Portions – Does that juicy steak take up half of your plate? If so maybe cut it in half and fill the empty space with yummy veggies. Portion control is vital to a balanced diet and accomplishing your healthy diet goals.

4: Cheat Days – Cheat days aren’t horrible for your diet however the horrible part is what comes after the cheat days. People tend to justify other ways to cheat on their diet and soon enough all your hard efforts has gone down the drain. The secret to success is to find something that works for you EVERY DAY of the week. That way you can get rid of cheat days all together and live a balanced lifestyle.

5: Think Positively – All diet and fitness success starts in your mind. You have to envision your success. You have to envision your healthy self then your body will follow. Many times we talk about the goals we want to accomplish and the healthy lifestyle we want to live but we doubt ourselves and prevent us from reaching success. BELIEVE you can do it.

These are just a few of the diet and fitness tips that we’ve found to be successful. For more diet and fitness tips click here.

Sincerely,

Joey Rice

Ingredients: 

• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 catfish fillets (about 5 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

For complete Directions on how to prepare this amazing dish please CLICK HERE. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

James Bischoff

Birmingham Area  Director

1: Plank on Elbows

2: Mountain Climbers with hands on Bench

3: Side Planks

This list of ab exercises gradually gets harder and helps you to tighten and get results. If you are wanting assistance with any of these exercises we are here to help. Our certified Personal Trainers are here to help you. They can even help you cater any of these work outs to function for you.

For the complete list of all 10 Ab Workouts click HERE for more information. We hope to see you real soon at Riviera Fitness.

James Bischoff

Birmingham Area Director

1: Eat Your Breakfast

2: Watch Your Portions

3: Be Active

4: Get to know Food Labels

5: Drink More Water

These healthy tips can really keep you motivated and energized for the remainder of the year. For the complete list of health tips click HERE.  If you have any questions or are needing more advice on how to stay fit in 2013 please see one of our certified professionals. 2013 can be your best year yet and we’re here to help.

James Bischoff

Birmingham Area Director

When you hear the words, deposit or withdrawal, what do you think of? If you’re like me, you probably think of your bank account. Most of us look at our bank statements line by line, seeing the deposits that are made and the withdrawals that are taken out.

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to hear an awesome interview with Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour. During that interview, he spoke about deposits and withdrawals but he wasn’t making reference to his bank account. He was talking about the attitude of his staff on a day to day basis. He related this concept to the work place by explaining that when you come to work, you have an opportunity to make an emotional/mental deposit (positive attitude, good energy, leader) or an emotional/mental withdrawal (poor attitude, low energy, energy drainer). And that there is basically an emotional/mental bank account that is either being added to or taken away each day.

Just like your real bank account, this mental/emotional account can be running high or running low depending on if you are adding to it each day or taking from it on a regular basis.

I’ve thought a lot about that over the last few months and it has really helped me to realize that the more I deposit on a regular basis, the larger that account gets and the more of a positive impact I have in my own life and in the lives of others.

So I challenge you to ask yourself on a regular basis, whether you are at work, school, home, the gym, wherever, “Am I making a deposit or a withdrawal?”.

-RJ Rice

RPT Director

Pushup/Crunch Superset:

Repeat 10 cycles of:
- 10 regular pushups
- 10 crunches
- 10 wide pushups
- 10 crunches
- 10 tricep pushups
- 10/10 Left/Right crunches

Leg / ab Superset:

Repeat 5 cycles of:
- 20 squats
- 20 crunches
- 10 lunges per leg
- 10 crunches
- 20 calf raises
- 20 crunches

Spartan Run:

- Run 1 mile
- 100 pushups in as few sets as possible
- 100 crunches
- Run 1 mile
- 75 pushups in as few sets as possible
- 75 crunches
- Run 1 mile
- 50 pushups in as few sets as possible
- 50 crunches

For more information please CLICK HERE. 

James Bischoff

Area Director

Bottom layer:
4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup) $
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup butter, melted $
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten $
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
Cooking spray

Mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted $
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips $
3 tablespoons butter

For recipe and full instructions CLICK HERE. 

Mandy Oaklander of prevention.com said the following… “ In a small study published in the Journal of Breath Research, a team from Loughborough University and Imperial College London observed 23 men and women during two separate, and very different, test periods. In one session, the group sat comfortably listening to classical music. In another, they underwent a stressful math exam while watching a video of themselves answering questions. Wrong answers were greeted with a loud alarm. Researchers measured the participants’ blood pressure and heart rates throughout both sessions, and administered breath tests before and after each one.Not surprisingly, participants were mega-stressed during that second test period—and their breath exhibited significant changes in response.”

This isn’t the first time that our breathe has betrayed us. In this same article there are some great tips on how to control our breathing and calm ourselves down.

1: Breathe to the MAX – take deep cleansing breathes that will bring you back to center.

2: Stop and Smell the Roses – when your body is stressed your smell actually becomes heightened. Take a minute to smell something good around you and focus on that.

3: Take a Breath Walk – Oaklander says to “Take four short breaths in through your nose, followed by four short breaths out. Time these breaths to each step you take, and you’ll gain calmness and clarity on a simple stroll around the block.”

For more information on how to relax and say goodbye to stress through breathing read Mandy Oaklander full article by clicking on the link below.

James Bischoff

Birmingham Area Gym Director
Read more: http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/stress-test-using-breath#ixzz2Nubjmx00

Try a few of our bonus exercises to kick up the intensity of your yard work. Not only will your body look and feel great, but you’ll have one of the most well-kept yards in the neighborhood.

ADD WEIGHT: Mow the lawn wearing ankle weights or pick apples wearing wrist weights.

PICK UP THE PACE: Run or lunge across the yard instead of walking.

SQUAT DEEPER: Instead of bending over to pull those weeds, try a wide legged sumo squat. This will target your inner thighs and buttocks versus your back.

USE YOUR LEGS: Always use your legs instead of your back for heavy lifting. This prevents debilitating back injuries.

Casey Crozier

Certified Personal Trainer

1: Probably the most obvious and simple thing you can do is wash your hands. Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds will greatly help you to avoid the flu. If you aren’t close to a sink and soap use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Be sure to wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

2: Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes. If possible do not come in contact with those people who have recently touched their noses, mouth, etc.  Germs spread this way.

3: It seems pretty basic, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t  cover their mouths when coughing. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your elbow. Dispose of tissues in no-touch trash receptacles. Wash your hands after disposing of soiled tissues.

4: Keep frequently touched common surfaces clean, such as telephones, computer keyboards, doorknobs, etc. This is greatly eliminate bacteria and will keep you safe from germs.

5: Do not use other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment. If you need to use a coworker’s phone, desk, or other equipment, clean it first.

6: Most importantly DON’T spread the flu! If you are sick with flu-like illness, STAY HOME! Symptoms of flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, tiredness, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. It’s recommended that people with flu-like illness stay home for at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines.

7: Get vaccinated against seasonal flu. Many think that getting flu shot can cause the flu. This is FALSE! Get a flu shot and save yourself from misery.

8: If a vaccination is out of the cards for you then live a healthy life. Get plenty of  rest,  eat a balanced diet, and EXERCISE! This is the natural way of taking care of any illness.

For further questions and ideas on how to avoid the flu CLICK HERE

James Bischoff

Area Director