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Shaila Fitness

Strong Powerful Female

Strength Training with Parkinson’s (Again!)

May 15, 2014 by sumi 1 Comment

Meet Bob. I’ve been strength training with Bob Faber (who has Parkinson’s) for several years now. And  here’s what he’s had to say about it:

“Since starting strength training, my flexibility, mobility and strength have greatly improved. It takes a personal commitment with a knowledgeable trainer like Sumi.”

And here’s what he looks like in action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLlaJ8OHKTM

Because of the Parkinson’s we generally stick to machines and cable stacks, as balance is a big issue and some days are better than others.

IMG_20140514_104932138

I consider myself incredibly lucky, blessed with honor of working with two very hard-working men who both happen to have Parkinson’s. In addition to Bob, I also train another client Al, who I’ve written about here.  And although two is hardly a large sample size, the progress in both Al and Bob that I’ve seen over the course of several years has been nothing short of impressive and inspirational.

Continue Reading …

Tom, Stronger Every Day

July 30, 2013 by sumi Leave a Comment

Most everyone has heard me say strength training is important if you want a strong body and a well-sculpted physique, but it’s also important for many other non-cosmetic reasons.

A study published by a German science journal pointed out the numerous benefits of strength training for aging gracefully and healthily, including: reduction of age related muscle loss, increase in muscle strength and mass (as my client Tom demonstrates in the gym), reduction in the loss of bone density, and improvement in posture and coordination (which helps decrease the likelihood of falls).

Now before you start thinking: “it’s probably too late for me,” or “the gym is for muscle heads,” or “the weight room is intimidating,” I’d like you to introduce Tom, a client of mine for over 6 months, who (as of this writing) is about to turn 76 years young.

Tom, Personal Training Client, Age: 75

Tom, Personal Training Client, Age: 76

Continue Reading …

Lingerie Model Ready

June 16, 2013 by sumi Leave a Comment

Whenever I’d see Tasha at the gym, she was endlessly at it on the treadmill, running for hours at a time. After a few months of watching the sweatfest, I finally got hold of of her in a moment of weakness (loosely translated, I think I dropped a physioball on her head, lol). She told me she was preparing for a photoshoot, and having been down this road before on my own, I knew exactly what she needed to get the look she wanted.

The challenge with Tasha was that she already lean to start.  If you think losing weight is hard (off of an already overweight individual) it’s even harder for a lean individual to lean out further. Hard but not impossible — and Tasha was ready and willing and to take it to the next level for her photoshoot.

Here’s how she got from hot to lingerie model ready.  Continue Reading …

Strength Training with Parkinson’s

May 3, 2013 by sumi Leave a Comment

Getting older doesn’t automatically preclude you from learning how to lift weights and resigning yourself to a loss of strength and functionality. Neither does having Parkinson’s.

The effects of age related muscle-wasting (sarcopenia) may be counteracted by resistance training (J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Feb;25(2):326-33.), and we’re not talking about the little pink dumbbells, either. Somewhere around 60% of a maximal effort weight and higher reps, and even using free weights (not JUST the machines).

Older trainees in the gym normally stick with familiar cardio machines, but if you’ve ever seen Al in action, you might want to clear some space. He’s been strength training with me for 2 years now, and in that time he’s seen some impressive gains in strength and coordination.

Working muscle coordination with battling rope.

Working muscle coordination with battling rope.

He’s done all this despite being in his 70’s and having become involved with strength training with Parkinson’s disease.

Although Al’s determined personality makes our work outs fairly intense, trainees with Parkinson’s can use resistance training pretty much like everyone else. And just like anyone else, he got stronger with a basic program for resistance training.

My clients know how I harp on about maintaining a record (a training log) of your gym workouts. Al’s training logs showed the following improvements over the course of 7 months:

Hamstring Curl: Starting 60 lbs X 20 reps, Current 150 lbs X 15 reps

Leg Press: Starting 45 lbs X 20 reps, Current 135 lbs X 15 reps

Seated Cable Row: Starting 20 lbs X 20, Current: 60 lbs X 15 reps

Stability Ball Squat (a movement to be used with caution with Parkinson’s depending on the stage): Starting Bodyweight X 20 reps, Current: Bodyweight plus two 12 lb dumbbells in either hand X 20 reps

Glute Bridge: Starting Bodyweight X 20 reps, Current: Bodyweight plus Heavy Sandbag (45lbs) X 20 reps.

“I have been diagnosed as having Parkinson’s, scoliosis and rheumatoid arthritis which have caused loss of muscle strength. I believe a regime of regular exercise can significantly retard further muscle atrophy and help increase tone and strength. Sumi has been a great help to me in achieving my goals.” Al

“I have been diagnosed as having Parkinson’s, scoliosis and rheumatoid arthritis which have caused loss of muscle strength. I believe a regime of regular exercise can significantly retard further muscle atrophy and help increase tone and strength. Sumi has been a great help to me in achieving my goals.” Al

I could go on and on with his improvements in a variety of exercises all across the board, but you get the basic idea. If a man diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1998,  and now in his 70’s, is able to accomplish results like these (with a trainer like me, hey selfish plug here! ☺), ask yourself what’s stopping you?

 

Working the rear delts with resistance bands

Working the rear delts with resistance bands

 

 

 

 

Abuela Gets Hot

March 5, 2013 by sumi Leave a Comment

So before anyone scrolls any further down, I got to warn you this girl is hot, hot, HOT!  She’s an online client of mine, a super dedicated trainee, and get this- she’s an abuela (Spanish for grandmother). I’m pretty sure there are 20 year olds that would like to look like her NOW. Although her before and after pictures speak a thousand words, I wanted to conduct an interview to get her perspective on the 8 week journey. Her answers are short (with English being her second language) but she gets the point across.

Q: What made you decide to hire an online coach? What’s makes it different from training on your own?

A: The huge knowledge of Sumi. By my own is like going to the gym blind and lost.

A. Diaz before

A. Diaz before

Q: You’re a native of Mexico. How were you able to incorporate some flavor in your meals?

A: Chiles,cilantro,avocado,limes,onions and some fruits.

Q: What was the first thing you changed about the way you ate to look the way you do now?

A: No more tortillas and fried antojitos.

Q: What did you change about your training?

A: Nothing

Q: How were you able to fit the workouts into your schedule?

A. My workouts are my priority.

Q: Do you have any tips for other moms? Grandmoms?

A: Take time for yourself, love yourself, because now is the time.

A. Diaz After

A. Diaz After

 

 

Running Strong

February 20, 2013 by sumi Leave a Comment

I’m always more than happy to report on the successes of my clients, 1) because it’s fun to brag, and 2) I really do love watching people reach their goals and learn to love lifting. Lori’s story is incredibly impressive; she’s a working professional and newlywed with two children in high school and a step-child in elementary school, and completed her first marathon. What I love most about reporting on busy moms who achieve big fitness goals, is that it makes you think…well if she can, I can too. I was lucky to be able to strength train her for her marathon, so she was able to run STRONG. 26.2 miles is no joke!

How did she do it?

IMG952776

All smiles and strong after 26.2 miles.

q: Congratulations on completing your first marathon! What made you pick such a big fitness challenge?

a: I have been running for years for exercise, stress relief, chat therapy and social time with my friends. All of my running friends had run a marathon except for me. I had always wanted to do it, but the time never seemed right. I finally told myself that I needed to quit making excuses, push myself, and make it happen. I was really blessed to have the support of my husband, my kids, family, and a dear friend who joined a marathon training group with me. I’m a bit of an introvert. So even joining a training group was a bit out of my comfort zone. Training for the marathon stretched me physically, socially, and emotionally. It required me to do a lot more “positive” talking to myself! Instead of worrying about the next mileage goal, I had to tell myself that I’d just run longer than I ever had and that I could do the same plus more on the next long training run.

q: As a working mom, how did you manage to get in all the training? Do you have any suggestions for others?

Continue Reading …

Client transformation: Habit Based Weight Loss

December 11, 2012 by sumi Leave a Comment

Changing habits is hard work, especially if you’re aiming for weight loss. The process can be slow; think months.  Even years. Sometimes you slide, sometimes your weight fluctuates. Don’t expect dramatic weight loss, expect to be patient with the process, as it’s a learning process.

For those of you with insanely busy lives, I encourage you read through the interview answers of this client who is currently engaged in habit based weight loss. As a mother of two daughters, a wife, and busy working professional with a heavy travel schedule and plenty of indulgent work lunches and dinners, this client achieved forty pounds of weight loss. With this amount of weight loss, she enjoyed a better tennis game, a reduction in knee pain,  and improved cholesterol levels.

Sumi: You’ve had what from the outside appears to be a very easy, steady loss on the weight loss journey (40 lbs and counting). Foodwise, what have you done differently?

Client: I think I already had a relatively healthy diet, at least when I ate at home, but instituting portion control and balance on the plate (i.e., a little bit of protein and starch and lots of veggies) made a big difference there. It has also helped me to have regular and routine meals.  Breakfast is Greek yogurt with fruit – every morning. That keeps me from the temptation to swing by the donut shop “just this once” on the way to work. I don’t skip lunch and I don’t wait until I am ravenous to eat it. In addition, it is easier to exercise portion control at lunch when I know there is a snack (generally an apple and some almonds) to get me through to supper. I have also reduced my consumption of processed food and refined sugars and starches. No more Lean Cuisine, which is good because they never taste that good and they are not at all filling.

Continue Reading …

Teenage Weight Loss Success

September 16, 2012 by sumi Leave a Comment

If you remember your teenage years, or are a parent of one, you know the last thing a teenager wants to do is listen to old people. Because usually, we know nothing. And if you were anything like me, sometimes you just did the opposite of what a person of authority said. 🙂

Sumi Singh Personal Training

Teen Athlete Training is Very Rewarding!

So, when my I met my teenage client for her weight loss program I was hoping she’d be open minded to making the changes she’d need to shed some weight, and improve her tennis game.  Lucky for me, working on her training and meal planning was a breeze. Week after week she continued to post steady weight loss, improve her strength, endurance, and agility.  She made the entire process truly effortless, by listening, taking her training seriously, cooking and preparing her own meals, and incorporating the changes into her lifestlye.

So, how did this teenage tennis player lose 25 lbs and 3 inches from her waist over the course of her summer break and get back to school with a new figure, game, and healthy habits?

Continue Reading …

My Latina Mamacita Success Story

September 8, 2012 by sumi Leave a Comment

I know that Latin culture (like my own) tends to favor fuller figures on women. While there’s nothing wrong with that, coupled with a cuisine that’s heavy on fatty meats, fried foods, and plenty of rice, beans, starches, and double fried starches (tostones!), it’s not surprising that obesity rates among U.S. Hispanics is as high as ever.

It’s even more impressive that my latina online client below (MM) was able to achieve her desired weight loss goal, while still cooking with plenty of her native flavors. Not to mention, she’s a full-time working mom.

At the start of her 6 month journey, she was 145 lbs, now she’s at 116. How did she do it?

Sumi:
What made you decide it was time to lose the belly fat?
MM:  First it was the fact that I was wearing a size 8, which I had never done, and the pants were starting to feel a little tight.  Almost at the same time, my husband took a picture of me and my daughter and I was so shocked about how I looked!  I almost did not recognize me!  I talked about this with my great friend and goddess of fitness Sumi and she mentioned starting the program and I knew I had to do something or my weight was going to continue to go up.  I was definitely ready to commit to the program.


Sumi:
What was the first thing you changed about the way you ate?
MM:  The first thing we did was stop eating sweets and pastries altogether.  No more chocolate, donuts, ice cream, caramel macchiattos, cookies, etc. We also stopped going to fast food places.

Sumi:
As a Hispanic woman, was it easy to incorporate the flavors of your native cooking?
MM:  Yes it was.  Puerto Rican food is mostly about the seasonings and that didn’t change.  I kept making my food the same I had always done it, but now I weigh and measure everything (plus I buy lean meats or if they are fatty, I make sure I cut out any of the fatty parts).  We love eating white rice and beans with every meal.  I started cutting back and only had it once a day and I would measure my rice (only 1/2 a cup for me and 1 cup for my husnband).  I made it up with vegetables and salads.  We sometimes had cravings for some of the more unhealthy and fried items in our cuisine, but we would use our “cheat meals” once a week if we really had to have a bacalaito or an alcapurria.

Sumi:
I understand your husband lost a few lbs on the way too, how important was it to have his support?
MM: It made a HUGE difference.  I don’t think I would have lasted as long if he wasn’t committed as well.  We supported each other and helped each other out whenever the other one was feeling like we didn’t want to continue.  As soon as he saw how serious I was about this and that while we had to sacrifice some of our vices (fast foods, sweets, juice, chips), our “native cooking” was not being affected he was on board.  He was also feeling that he had gained a lot of weight and being a Physical Education teacher he knew he needed to get back to a healthy weight and lifestyle.  It made it easier when planning meals and grocery shopping.  I liked knowing that I was making healthier choices for all three of us.  He has lost 46 lbs and is still very committed.

Sumi:
How did you incorporate exercise in your busy schedule? And meal prep?
MM: Finding time for exercise was hard, but I did stuff at home (using your website and videos as guides) and I would use weekends to get a chance to spend time at the gym, when during the week I couldn’t make it.  Meal preps became easier when I started planning my meals ahead of time and preparing multiple things in one day.  For example: On Sunday  I might make 4 different meats (1 on the slow cooker, 1 in the oven, and 2  in the stove) and the rice and beans for the week.  Then again maybe on Thursday I might leave something on the slow cooker before going to work to have for dinner.  This has been very helpful because I don’t have to worry about rushing home to cook, which eliminates stopping at a fast food place to grab dinner when I’m running late, and it gave me extra time to exercise. 

Sumi:
Do you have any tips for working moms? And what about for Hispanic women?
MM: Prep ahead of time.  You never know when you have to stay late at work or you will get stuck in traffic or your child gets sick and knowing that dinner is already done and you only have to heat it up makes it easier to stay on track.  It also frees up your time and you can exercise.  I didn’t think that being Hispanic made a difference because I still got to eat what I liked, I just was careful about my servings.  Cheat meals also saved my life because whenever I felt like I needed to cheat or was tempted I would say to myself “I’ll have that alcapurria on Saturday.  Or I’ll grab a juicy burger next week”.  Our goal was to make it through the week and then we would reward ourselves.  Now, it is part of our life style and I don’t crave the sweets and fatty stuff as much.  But when I do, I still reward myself but with moderation.  I love donuts.  I can’t buy just one, but if someone brings a box to work, I’ll have one.  I have learned that every once in a while I can have what I like as long as I don’t over do it.  But the best part is, now I crave the healthy food, the veggies and the salad, and the fruit.  We had a crazy week when we moved and fast food was all we ate (although even then I would do it in moderation and tried to make better choices) and I found myself wishing I was eating a baked chicken with veggies and a salad.

I think the most important thing is YOU have to want to change (because it is a life style change) and you need support from family and friends.  If the people around you are not in it with you it is an uphill battle.

One For the Working Moms And Vegetarians

August 24, 2012 by sumi Leave a Comment

Working parents have it tough; you work all day long, deal with daycare drop-off and pickups, manage the household, prepare meals for the family, and make sure the little ones are always taken care of. It’s tough to find the time for yourself, because your life will always be busy.

So when a working mother manages to achieve 12 lbs of weight loss in 8 weeks, drop her body fat by 4.6%, and decrease her waist measurement by 2 inches, I’d say that’s pretty amazing.

It’s also commendable that this particular client managed to drop the weight while following a vegetarian diet.  Not that weight loss is impossible for vegetarians , but I knew we had to get creative with cooking and finding her options for protein.  So, how did she do it?

Before, Backside

After, Backside

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sumi: So, what made you decide to get started with personal training and diet coaching?

Veggie Mommy: I have been trying to work out regularly and even did so, for a year or so and made progress. But I felt that for the amount of time, effort and money I am putting in results should be better. And that is when I started thinking about a personal trainer who can guide me through.

Also I’ve been reading online materials and books on nutrition etc, and every time a new (success) story comes up. So I decided it would be good to have a personal coach who is well qualified.

Sumi: What do you love most about strength training?

VM: EVERYTHING, during the training and the soreness that stays for days afterward. A bonus to losing weight, is strength training defines the body better (that does not happen if we just lose pounds doing cardio). Body definition, makes me feel clothes fit better.

Sumi: Did you find following the meal plan harder because you have to follow a vegetarian diet?

VM: Not at all, I have always loved vegetarian food. In fact during the diet coaching it was a revelation that vegetarian food can provide complete nutrition. Also you had provided me extensive veggie options.

Sumi: What was the biggest change or adjustment you had to make?

VM: Prepare myself for the great journey, and being consistent on food choices. It is tough if we eat out often especially in parties or travel.

Sumi: Do you have any tips for working moms in particular?

VM:I think working mom’s probably work the most, so we owe the best for us. Please plan your meals and keep it as a high priority.

Sumi: Any tips for the vegetarians?

VM: The food is still tasty and awesome, there is no loss in being a vegetarian to gain complete nutrition.

 

 

 

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