How to get in shape on your own
The 5-Factor Diet
Like Harley Pasternak’s first book, 5-Factor Fitness, this nutrition program, released this month, is backed by simple science. Learn how to eat healthfully in the long term without taking any extreme measures.
Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle (BFFM) or this program. I do not like hype. I also do not like inane weight loss, diet and fitness claims that make people leery of great products, which is why I recommend these particular programs.
These programs are not only very easy to understand, but they do not force you to adopt a specific diet and are designed in such a way, that you can follow them at your own pace.
Podfitness
Download a personalized workout for every day, choose music to sweat by and pick a high profile personal trainer to create your routine. They currently offer a free trial; podfitness.com
iTrain
If you workout at the gym and want a customized treadmill, bike, or elliptical routine, try iTrain; itrain.com
For additional resources, I highly recommend a list which was recently published on Diet-Blog. Check it out.
How to get in shape if you live in California
Who are considered the top personal trainers in California?
Rancho Santa Margarita | Dr. John Spencer Ellis
Method Lifestyle fitness coaching. Ellis designs programs that encompass both physical and emotional aspects of fitness. He has 15 certifications including plyometrics, self-defense, fitness kickboxing, water fitness, Pilates and yoga.
Signature Move Basic squat combined with an overhead press. It works most of body’s major muscles and helps promote string bones.
Clients Many “Survivor” cast members, and he is created programs for U.S. Secret Service and Cirque Du Soleil.
Rates $150/hour. Ellis also teaches his signature class “Adventure Boot Camp” in Rancho Santa Margarita for $299/month.
San Diego | Cheryl Sheremeta
Method High intensity functional, compound movements (exercises that work the upper and lower body in unison). A Peak Level Trainer at Pacific Athletic Club, Sheremeta works all the body’s muscles during every session, with focus on balance and core training.
Outside the gym, she is a running coach for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training, which conditions runners for marathons and half-marathons while raising money the cause.
Signature Move Walking lunges with upper body rotation. As you land on your lunge, twist your body on one side. This works all of the major muscle groups with emphasis on the legs, a target problem area for most women.
Clients Physicians, real estate agents, business executives and those looking to really enhance their running.
Rates $80/hour for private sessions. $27-$32 for small groups or four to five individuals. Pacific Athletic Club membership is required to train with Sheremeta in the gym. For marathon training visit teamintraining.org
Los Angeles | Helene and Rick Guzman
Method The Guzman’s training style is movement- and sports-specific. They focus on core stability, explosive strength, balance and cardio endurance. Founders of L.A. R.O.X. Fitness, the husband and wife team work in the gym, track, pool and ocean.
Clients Celebrities like Brittany Daniel, Joaquin Phoenix, Selma Blair and Hilary Swank, along with other high-profile Hollywood directors, producers, managers, agents and editors.
Signature Move Ab rotation using a BOSU ball. With the BOSU flat side up, grip the handles on each side and hold your body in pushup position.
Rotate the ball slowly clockwise and then counter clockwise while keeping your spine straight, and abs contracted. Do 10 turns in each direction.
Rates Vary depending on the projects; larox.net
Los Angeles | Kim Lee
Method Pilates Zen – Lee is in his 35th year of teaching controlled movement with variations on the Contrology theme.
Signature Move Short spine – done with the Pilates performer apparatus. Flat on your back, go into a shoulder stand and slowly roll down your vertebrae. This will strengthen your internal core (abs, back) muscles.
Clients Pilates instructor to the stars – clients include Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Denise Richards, and Matt Damon.
Rates $100/hour; pilateszen.com
Los Angeles | Ashley Borden
Method L.I.S.T. system, an organized program that focuses on form, energy, human performance and posture.
Signature Move Extension down, which is done with a resistance band. Stand with feet hip-width apart, truck and glutes, and keep the chest lifted.
Wrap the band around a pole or staircase then hold the band in each hand with arms at 90-degree angles at your side.
Extend arms and push them down and back so your knuckles point toward the floor. Keep your abs contracted. This works core, rotator cuff, deltoids, and lats to help improve posture and tighten abs.
Clients Everyone from assistant hairstylist to celebrities, which have included Mandy Moore and Christina Aguilera.
Rates $145/hour. Borden is also a Podfitness trainer (see above, How to get in shape on your own); ashleyborden.com
Santa Barbara | Mikki Reilly
Method Functional training, which prepares the body for everyday activities and sports. It focuses on movement instead of individual muscles. Special attention is paid to core muscles. Reilly trains out of Platinum Fitness, a personal training gym.
Signature Exercise Move Reverse wood chop – do this by extending your arms out while holding onto a low cable pulley (at the gym) and rotating your arms and torso while standing.
It is a functional move that follows all three planes of movement (rotation, side-to-side, and front to back), to strengthen core muscles.
Clients Architectural designers, producers and engineers.
Rates $75/hour. Online training $49.95 for a six-week program; fitnesstransform.com Or sbplatinumfitness.com
San Francisco | Antony Their
Method Their’s training has three components – mind, body and attitude (he is an ordained monk). He does functional training in and out of the gym. He also gives two-day ski lessons.
Signature Move Forward lunge with free-weights. Standing straight, lunge forward with one leg, making sure the front knee does not extend beyond the toes. As you lunge, do a bicep hammer curl, then push the arms straight up overhead.
As you return to standing, do the arm motion in reverse. This works the legs, core, chest, back and arms all at once.
Clients All ages and body types, and pre- and post-natal women.
Rates $80/hour for private; $110 for doubles; $75 for biking, swimming and running; healthiertraining.com
San Francisco | Kandi Garcia
Method Coordination of movement and balance. Garcia focuses on agility and the mind-body connection. With a background in physical therapy, her workouts also focus on injury prevention.
Signature Move Body Weight Row. Find a stationary bar that is about four feet off the ground. Hanging from the bar, get in an upside-down pushup position, so your heels are the only thing touching the ground.
Pull up like you are doing a reverse pushup. This works the back muscles, which improves posture.
Clients CEOs and the Warriors cheerleaders (she is one of them).
Rates $95/hour. Equinox membership is required to train with Garcia.
5 Trainer-Owned Studios in California
Fitness Quest 10 Todd Durkin wanted to blend Western and Eastern philosophies when he opened his private and group-oriented gym after years of personal training. San Diego; fitnessquest10.com
TriFit Club & Studios Gina and Bernard Baski have been personal trainers and triathletes for more than 10 years, so their full-service gym is truly an athlete hangout. Santa Monica; trifitla.com
Body & Soul Workout Tevia Celli offers the first ever Ellipticore class at her new Dodd Mitchel-designed gym. Los Angeles.
Synergy Fitness Studio Mark Woods just added a third outlet to his well-established personal training gyms in the Bay Area; synergyfitnessstudio.com
Ojakian Tennis L.A. pro and fitness instructor Chris Ojakian’s Cardio Tennis is a unique blend of fast-paced drills and dashes around the court; ojakiantennis.com [source: C magazine]