Fitness & Wellness

Get Rid Of That Muffin Top

Get Rid Of That Muffin Top

One of the things that many of our clients in Chino Hills, CA, love about kickboxing, is that it helps them get rid of that muffin top. Not only do they take off extra pounds, all that kicking and twisting the body works the obliques and helps tighten the waistline. Muffin tops are also called love handles and even if the names are cute, the actual flab isn’t. It dangles over the waistband of your jeans and looks like you’ve got a tire around your waist, which brings us to the other nickname, “spare tire.”

All types of muffin tops start in the kitchen.

Whether you’re talking about the top of an actual muffin or that roll of flesh that hangs over the top of your jeans, it begins in the kitchen. No matter how much you exercise, if you’re overweight, you’ll still have excess flesh that’s primarily fat coating the outer layer of your body, so your hard efforts won’t show. Start with a healthy diet that consists primarily of whole foods without extra sugar or processed foods. Cardio workouts help burn calories and so do strength building ones. You need to tone while you shed those extra pounds.

Working on your core muscles is important.

Whether it’s your belly, back or sides, toning your body, particularly core muscles, helps slim you down and improve your silhouette. You can start to eliminate love handles by doing exercises, such as Superman. Superman tightens the lower back and abdomen. Lay on the floor with your face down, arms straight ahead and legs stretched out straight, looking a bit like Superman in flight. Now the real work begins. Tighten your core muscles and lift your arms and legs up at the same time and hold for 10 to 20 seconds.

A bicycle crunch can help tone those obliques.

When you tighten and tone the obliques, you’ll be smashing that muffin top. For a bicycle crunch, lay on your back, lifting your feet as you bend your knees and have your calves parallel to the floor. Put your hands behind your head and bring your left knee to your right elbow as you straighten your right leg. Then bring the right knee to the left elbow and back down, as though you’re pedaling a bike.

  • Do a Russian twist, sit on a mat and press your feet into the ground with knees bent. Lean your body back. Join your hands together and rotate to one side and then to the other side as you twist your torso. As you get stronger, hold a dumbbell.
  • A butt lift can smash those muffin tops and tighten your tummy. Lay on the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your bottom until your body for a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Lower and repeat.
  • Add weights to your workout. Whether it’s a cardio workout or not, carrying a little extra weight in the form of a dumbbell or ankle weights can help burn up extra calories.
  • You’ll watch those muffin tops melt when you use our personal training option or sign up for kickboxing. Try our special five kickboxing class offer that includes gloves to learn how kickboxing burns fat.

For more information, contact us today at One Love Fit Club


Have You Tried Infused Water

Have You Tried Infused Water

Have you tried infused water? Do you know what it is? Infused water is water that has had fruit or vegetables in it for at least two hours or up to overnight. Those additives bring flavor and some extra nutrients, but not the extra calories you’d have if you drank juice. If you’ve ever had a glass of water with a lemon in it, you know how refreshing that bit of extra flavor can be. Infused water has many benefits for those who drink it.

You’ll probably drink more water when you drink infused water.

After air, water is a top priority. Consider the rule of three. You can go three minutes without air, three days without water and three weeks without food. Water is important for all your bodily functions. In fact, approximately 60% of the human body is water. Water is important in all bodily functions. It even helps protect the brain by acting as a cushion. It also protects the joints. You’ll improve your heart health, aid your joints and muscles, while also cleaning your body of toxins and promoting healthy blood sugar level, healthy skin and relieve headaches when you drink more water.

You can boost your immune system by drinking water with additives that have antioxidants.

For a boost to your immune system, infuse water between 2 and 4 hours, especially if it has citrus fruit that can make the water bitter after four hours. An immune system boost can contain cucumber, mint, mango, ginger, lemon or orange. Adding strawberries, cranberries, blueberries or raspberries can boost antioxidants, which also boosts your immune system.

Infused water can be great for weight loss.

When you increase the amount of water you drink, you’ll often lose weight just by doing that! It’s especially true if you drink a glass before lunch or dinner. It fills you up so you eat less. Some times thirst masks itself as hunger, so making sure you’re hydrated can help you avoid eating at those times. Boost your weight loss capabilities by infusing your water with mint, lemon, cinnamon or strawberries. Each of these can speed your metabolism to make weight loss easier. You’ll also feel more satisfied when you drink infused water, which can lower your caloric intake on snacks and meals.

  • Make sure you wash the fruit or vegetables thoroughly and use organic for fruits and vegetables on the dirty dozen list, which includes strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery and potatoes
  • You can reuse fruits, herbs and vegetables a second time for infusion, but your water will have less flavor than the first time you used them.
  • Get pain relief from infused water containing pineapple, lemon, grapes, raspberries, pomegranate or cucumbers.
  • You can even lower your blood pressure with infused water that contains kiwi, pomegranate, guava, cherry or passion fruit.

For more information, contact us today at One Love Fit Club


Are All Processed Foods Bad For You

I know you’ve heard it or read that you should avoid processed foods if you want to eat healthy. I’ve even had it in my blogs. While it’s a generalization that is often true, it doesn’t mean all processed foods are bad for you. Processing may take away some of the nutrition, but what makes food unhealthy is often the additives. Cooking any food means you’re processing it, so unless you’re on a diet of raw food, processing isn’t always bad.

Whole foods are foods with the least amount of processing.

Processed food includes food that’s dehydrated, milled, canned, cooked or frozen. In some cases, the concern is that the nutritional quality of the food is lowered, but most of the time, it’s all about the changes made to the food with additives. Sugar and salt are two of them to watch for in food. Sugar, is often called other names, like fructose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, honey and etc. To make food look like it has less sugar, manufacturers often use several types of sugar, so it’s not at the top of the ingredient list. It’s important to be able to interpret the labels.

You can save money and time by making smart choices when it comes to processed food.

The fewer the number of ingredients in any processed food, the traditional thinking is the healthier it is. Food like canned beans, which contains beans and salt, can be rinsed and put on a salad to add nutrition without taking hours of time. Water packed tuna, canned salmon, frozen fruits and vegetables without extra additives are all healthy alternatives to their fresh counterparts and can save money.

Nix the refined grains, food with added sugar, those with chemicals with names you can’t pronounce and food with added salt.

When you start reading a label and it feels like you’re back in chemistry class, it’s time to put down the food and walk away from the grocery shelf. Processed food that contains refined grains, like white flour and even white rice, has no place in a healthy diet. All the good nutrients in the bran and the germ were milled away. Studies show that too many refined grains can lead to health issues.

Some frozen fruit and vegetables without added sugar or salt is often fresher than those you find in the store. The frozen options are normally picked closer to ripening and studies show they may have the same or even more nutrients than fresh counterparts found in the grocery.

Don’t read the front of the package with all the health claims that make you want to pick it up without checking. Always look at the ingredient list. The fewer the ingredients, the better.

You can often make your own nut butter, such as natural peanut butter, at whole food stores free after you purchase the nuts, but that’s not the only place for wholesome nut butters. Healthy natural peanut butters on the market only contain peanuts and sometimes a bit of salt.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to cost a fortune when you know how to save money. Neither should staying in shape. You can start your journey to fitness at One Love Fit Club for just $29.99.


Meal Planning Can Save Money

Meal Planning Can Save Money

You might think that eating healthy can cost a fortune. After all, organic food costs more than traditionally grown fruits and vegetables. However, it doesn’t have to cost more, especially when you plan ahead. You’ll find that meal planning can save money, while improving your overall health. Many of my clients in Chino Hills, CA say that once they got into the groove with the program, it actually saved time, too.

If you find many of your meals are carryout or from the frozen food section of the grocery, it’s time to start planning healthier alternatives.

Starting a program of healthy eating means changing a lot of old habits. In fact, the core of those changes is planning ahead. It all starts by first finding what’s on sale at the grocery that week. Focus on the fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly the seasonal ones. Then find healthy recipes that use them. Plan every meal, making sure to use all the ingredients or can freeze what’s not used for that particular week. Many fresh herbs can be frozen and used later.

Save money on buying organic.

It’s not necessary to make sure all fruits and vegetables are organic. That can save money. Select organic for food on the Dirty Dozen list. The Dirty Dozen is a list of fruits and vegetables created by the Environmental Working Group that after washing and testing, still have high levels of pesticide. The list includes: Strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pear, tomatoes, celery and potatoes, in that order. You can save money by buying traditionally grown fruits and veggies from the Clean Fifteen list, those with the least pesticides. They include: Avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, frozen sweet peas, onions, papayas, eggplants, asparagus, kiwis, cabbages, cauliflower, cantaloupes, broccoli, mushrooms and honeydew melons.

Save time by making extra for the freezer when you cook for the week on the weekend.

Once you get started, you’ll find it’s far less expensive to make your own meals. Not only does it provide healthy food with ingredients you control, it also saves money and time. When you make meals, double the recipe so you have a meal to freeze. Eventually, you’ll only have to make one or two meals a week, using the extra you made.

  • You’ll find it’s far less expensive to create your own meals than opt for carryout or premade frozen dishes. You’ll end up with a fatter wallet, with less fat on your body.
  • Don’t forget to prepare healthy snacks ahead. Having snacks ready to eat, like freshly cut melons or nuts and seeds, can boost your nutrition and help keep weight under control.
  • Get the family involved in making meals. Everyone can help. It’s a good way to teach children about planning ahead, nutrition and saving money.
  • While eating healthy is important for weight loss and good health, so is a program of regular exercise. At One Love Fit Club, you can get five classes and official One Love Fit Club Boxing gloves for just $29.99. That’s a huge savings, too.

For more information, contact us today at One Love Fit Club


Weight Loss Over 40

Weight Loss Over 40

Weight loss and getting in shape over 40 isn’t nearly as easy as it is for a 20 year old. What once took a few months may take twice as long and you won’t bounce back as quickly after a tough workout. The body starts losing muscle tissue naturally in the mid to late thirties. You can lose between three and five percent every decade with about 30 percent muscle tissue loss for most men during their lifetime. The lower amount of muscle mass you have the slower your metabolism, since muscle tissue requires more calories for maintenance than fat tissue does.

If you’re inactive, expect to lose more muscle and gain more weight.

Not only does working out reverse the loss of muscle mass, it also burns calories. Excess calories are what put the weight on in the first place. When you workout, you’ll boost your circulation, which sends oxygen and nutrient rich blood to all parts of your body, so your skin will look younger, too. Strength training for both men and women can help burn off tons of calories, build muscle and take off weight.

Eat healthier.

Obesity has become epidemic in America and now, because many of our fast food restaurants are worldwide, has become a problem everywhere. At one time, the Japanese had little problem with obesity, but now it’s running rampant as their cultural eating patterns change. Eliminating sugary products in your diet and focusing on whole foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables or lean protein, can help you shed those pesky pounds that seem to want to stick.

Eating healthy isn’t dieting.

One of the biggest problems with dieting is that diets always end. Sometimes, they end in success and sometimes with a pizza, beer and bread sticks. Either way, you go back to old eating habits that packed on the pounds in the first place. Instead of dieting, making smarter choices when it comes to food will never leave you feeling deprived or hungry. In fact, you can eat some of your favorite foods, just not frequently and keeping portion control in mind.

  • What you drink makes a difference. Soft drinks add extra empty calories and diet drinks are bad too. Studies show that both can add inches to your middle, which means more visceral fat, the most unhealthy type to have.
  • Getting adequate sleep can help you lose weight. When you lack sleep, your body makes less leptin, the hormone that makes you feel full and your body goes full steam on producing ghrelin, the hunger hormone.
  • Eat more of your carbohydrates in the morning for extra energy and less at night. Make your dinner your light meal and lunch your main meal. The earlier you eat, the better and the less chance the food has to turn to fat.
  • Come in to One Love Fit Club and start a workout program. I offer personal training if you want extra help. You’ll love our kickboxing classes that burn off calories quickly, while you’re having fun!

For more information, please contact us today at One Love Fitclub


Lose Those Love Handles

Lose Those Love Handles

If you can pinch more than an inch, you probably have love handles. While the name love handles is a cute way of saying fat that rolls at the side of your midriff, it’s not so cute when you have them. It’s what brings a lot of people to One Love Fit Club in Chino Hills, CA. There are many reasons people develop love handles. It’s basically fat that has settled on your midsection around your waist and are most noticeable at the sides. Cortisol from too much stress, lack of activity, poor diets, lack of sleep, age and even some diseases that slow the metabolism can cause it.

You can reverse the problem and wear those skinny jeans without worrying about a hangover.

Start by eating healthier. Love handle come from excess fat around the middle, so getting rid of fat is the start of combating the problem. Making dietary changes, such as eliminating sugary food and highly processed food in favor of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain food and a lean source of protein is a start. Cutting down on salt and reducing sodium intake also can prevent fluid retention that makes love handles more noticeable.

Start a program of regular exercise.

You have to lose fat to truly get rid of love handles, but strengthening the underlying muscles is also necessary. Even if you trimmed down several pounds, you’ll still have loose skin and flabby muscles that look like true love handles. Bicycle crunches, side planks, twists, windmills and many other exercises can strengthen your core muscles. Focusing on the back, abs and hips will tighten the area and help get rid of those love handles.

Exercise helps in other ways, besides tightening the muscles.

Cortisol contributes to the development of abdominal fat, which causes love handles. Your body produces cortisol when it’s under stress. You can learn to deal with stress through meditation and breathing exercises, but until you do, burning off the hormones of stress with exercise is the best way to relieve it and get rid of those hormones. By doing that, you’ll be discouraging the accumulation of abdominal fat.

  • What you drink is also important. Many drinks are laden with sugar, with cola and soft drinks being particularly bad. Don’t even consider diet soft drinks. A recent study showed that people who drank diet soft drinks had more visceral fat—the fat around the belly—which includes love handles.
  • Get adequate sleep. Lack of sleep increases the hunger hormone and decreases the hormone that makes you feel full, plus adds to stress. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.
  • While it might sound counterproductive, eating food with healthy fat can help you get rid of love handles. Avocados have healthy fat and one study showed people who ate them regularly had less abdominal fat.
  • Join One Love Fit Club. Our program takes weight off quickly and can make those love handles disappear. We have several specials that you’re sure to love and offer a free ebook on ab exercises you can get.

For more information, please contact us today at One Love Fitclub


Find More Energy With Kickboxing

Find More Energy With Kickboxing

If you continuously run out of energy before the end of the day, exercise will help. You may say that you don’t have time to exercise, but think about the time you use online or watching videos or TV! You may say, “Hey, that’s my entertainment. It’s my way of getting rid of the stress of the day. I enjoy it.” We get that. Everyone should have something they enjoy as a treat after a full day of work. That’s why kickboxing can be the perfect way to get the workout that builds your energy and burns off stress. It’s so much fun!!!!

The body is amazing. The harder you work it, the more energy you have.

Sure, the first time you go to a kickboxing class, you’ll go home feeling dragged out. It’s a good kind of tired, since you’ll also have that euphoric feeling from burning off stress and increasing those happy hormones that happens when you exercise. The longer you attend kickboxing training, the more energized you’ll feel as it builds your endurance and strength.

You’ll start to feel more energized after you workout.

When you kickbox, it boosts your circulation and sends oxygen and nutrient laden blood to all cells of your body. It energizes you as it improves your focus and cognitive functioning, which includes your concentration. It provides a type of high-intensity interval training that has been found to increase attention and short-term memory. You’ll be ready to take on the world.

You’ll get better sleep after you start kickboxing.

That exercise helps you to get a better quality of rest and even helped people with insomnia. One study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, April 2015 edition, found that as little as 150 minutes of exercise every week reduced the symptoms of insomnia and improved sleeping patterns. Not only does it reduce stress and improve overall mood, it helps reset the circadian rhythm that dictates the awake/asleep cycle. More sleep means more energy the next day.

Kickboxing can help you lose weight. Losing weight can help with several sleep issues, such as sleep apnea, acid reflux or back pain. The higher quality of sleep you get, the more rested you’ll feel.

You’ll have fun when you use kickboxing as your type of exercise. There’s nothing more energizing as having fun.

The longer you workout, the more you’ll notice a boost in your energy. It won’t take long before you’ll find you get everything done faster and have energy to spare at the end of the day.

If you’re feeling exhausted at the end of the day, it’s time to change all that. Call, message or come in and find out how we can help. At One Love Fit Club, we offer both kickboxing classes and personal training, which can help boost your energy level quickly.

Want to Learn More About KickBoxing?

Contact me today here or call me at 909-529-2201.


Lose Weight With MMA

Lose Weight With MMA

If you want to lose weight, consider doing what many people in Chino Hills, CA do. Choose MMA to help them burn extra calories and shed those extra pounds. It’s more than just a workout in the gym that includes a portion of the workout for strength building, part of it to build endurance and a section for flexibility. It does all those things at once, plus is a whole body workout. It can burn a huge amount of calories and then continues with after burn, where the body continues to burn calories to get back to its normal state. That means shedding pounds faster.

Kickboxing incorporates all the benefits of many martial arts.

That full body workout means you’ll be working more than just your arms and back, but also your shoulders, abs, legs and glutes. Unlike most cardio workouts, kickboxing builds muscle tissue, too. The more muscle tissue you have, the easier it is to lose weight because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue does. Because it does provide cardio intensity, it burns an average of 67 percent more calories than just resistance training alone.

Burn off the stress when you kickbox.

Seriously, imagine how great you’ll feel after a frustrating day, kicking and boxing away those stress hormones. It helps get rid of stress hormones like cortisol, which is associated with abdominal fat. Not only will you burn off all that stress and anger, you’ll also get a boost of endorphins. If you’re a stress eater, either turning to crunchy foods for an outlet or sugary comfort foods, you’ll eat far less.

You’ll improve your posture and confidence with kickboxing.

When you strengthen your muscles, boost your endurance and flexibility, you also see a noted improvement in your posture. That improvement gives you a confident appearance and when you look confident, you feel more confident. Try it yourself. Slump and see how you feel, then stand straight and proud. The difference is amazing. That good posture also helps you look slimmer and trimmer, too.

  • No matter what type of exercise program you use, sticking with it is what actually makes the difference. You won’t have a problem with kickboxing, since it’s loads of fun. You’ll look forward to each session.
  • You get an extra benefit when you kickbox, a great self-defense tool. While you should always be aware of your surroundings and avoid danger, knowing how to defend yourself does bring empowerment.
  • Core strength is a huge benefit of kickboxing. It whittles your waist and gives you a svelte curvy appearance. You’ll feel sexier and build a new self-image.
  • Come into One Love Fit Club, call or send us an online message if you have more questions. We’re always glad to explain our program. Better yet, sign up for our kickboxing class special that is low priced and also includes a pair of gloves.

Want to Learn More about Losing Weight with MMA?

If you want more information about losing weight, contact me here today or call 909-529-2201.


Develop A New Healthy Habit

Develop A New Healthy Habit

There are so many different ways to change lifestyles to a healthier one, that trying to do everything at once can be daunting. It’s much easier to develop one new healthy habit or maybe two, at once, then move on the next one. For instance, choose the one that’s the hardest for you to do, such as eating healthier or working out. Then move on to the next.

Trade a bad habit for a good one.

Some people find that quitting smoking is easier when they build the habit of exercise at the same time. There’s a good reason for it. Exercise can help relieve stress and quitting smoking can create a lot of stress. The two work well together. Short periods of physical activity help eliminate the urge to smoke during the exercise and for up to 50 minutes after it’s finished. You’ll strengthen your lungs and heart at the same time. It helps burn calories at a time when weight gain often occurs and improves your mood to keep you on track.

It takes anywhere from 21 days to 6 months to develop a habit, but most of the time sixty-six days will have you doing it automatically.

Do you have to wait two months to start the next new habit? Absolutely not. Two to three weeks to get into the groove of the first new healthy habit is enough. If you started with exercise, it’s time to add healthy eating to your new healthy goals. That can start slowly, like cutting out sugar first until you no longer crave it. Next eliminate processed food from your diet. You can build on those two things until you automatically choose healthier options when you eat.

Identify the new behavior or habit you want and create a goal to help you achieve it.

Maybe you find you don’t drink enough water. That might sound silly, but dehydration can cause health issues. Find ways to include more water in your diet. Instead of grabbing a soft drink or cup of coffee on a break, make it a point to drink a bottle of water. Carry water with you at all times at first and sip on it at least once or twice an hour. Track your progress. While drinking more water is the example, this works for all new habits.

  • Stay vigilant, particularly when you first begin the change. Put the new habit you want to develop on your schedule. Create an alarm with your cell phone to remind you. Track your successful completion each time you do the new habit.
  • Don’t worry if you mess up at first, just get back on track as though you didn’t miss a day. Habits take time to develop, so give yourself that time.
  • Make sure you get adequate sleep while you’re developing the new habit. Lack of sleep can ruin your resolve and make sticking with your program harder. If you have an erratic sleep schedule, you might want to start there.
  • Remember every step you take to live healthier is a step in the right direction. It took you years to form bad habits, but changing them doesn’t have to take years. However, it won’t happen overnight. Just keep your focus and stick with it.

How To Exercise In The Heat

How To Exercise In The Heat

Even though it’s a dry heat, any temperatures over 90 degrees is still hot! Daytime temperature of 90 degrees are common in Chino Hills, CA in the summer. You need to take precautions and be smarter when you exercise in the heat. For instance, don’t workout in the middle of the day when it’s the hottest. Instead, working out in the morning, while it’s still cool can keep you safer, while still getting the exercise you need. After four in the afternoon works, too.

What you wear makes a difference.

Wear clothing that breathes and reflects heat. Natural cotton, linen and jersey help sweat evaporate easily and light colored clothes reflect the heat of the sun. There are newer materials made specifically for athletes that help keep you cooler and wick the sweat. Keep clothing loose to help the sweat evaporate and avoid chaffing.

Whether you’re exercising inside or outside, staying hydrated is important.

You should always have a bottle of water on hand when you workout. You lose a lot of fluid when you sweat in a tough workout. It’s even worse when you’re working out in the heat. Carry more than one bottle if you’re running any distance. Sip it every 15 minutes, even if you don’t feel like you’re thirsty. Check into hydration packs if you’re going a distance. If you’re exercising more than an hour in hot weather, a sports drink to replenish your electrolytes may be in order. Studies also show that taking a salt tablet with a sports drink helped marathon runners finish faster, but isn’t normally necessary for the average workout.

Choose your path wisely if you work outside.

Just like exercising outside in the morning to avoid the sun is good, so is exercising or running on a shaded path. The less exposure to the sun that you have, the cooler you’ll be. Don’t forget the sunscreen either. While you need some sun to help boost your vitamin D, those should be controlled exposures for short periods, not a full workout session or run.

  • The best way to avoid heat stroke on hot summer days is to workout inside, in an air conditioned gym. Not only will you avoid heat stroke, you’ll avoid sunburn, too.
  • Acclimate your body to the heat. If you’ve never exercised before, don’t try to do it all at once. Take more frequent breaks, reduce the intensity and make the workout shorter, gradually increasing the time.
  • Pay attention to the warning signs of a heat related condition. Muscle cramps, weakness, nausea, fatigue, headache, dizziness, low blood pressure, increased heart rate, visual impairments and confusion are a few.
  • Watch the weather forecast. If there’s a heat warning, make alternative plans to go to the gym or workout in your home where it’s air conditioned.