Nutrition Frenzy

Personal trainer says even a 10-minute workout gets you closer to fitness goals

NUTRITION

Dr. Melina Jampolis, a San Francisco, California, physician nutrition specialist, is the diet and fitness expert for CNNhealth.com. She focuses exclusively on nutrition for weight loss and disease prevention and treatment.

1. Go for very specific goals.

Make an actual list. Don’t be vague. Instead if “looking better,” write down specifics, such as being able to run around with kids at the park or not wearing a baggy T-shirt to the beach. It’s an internal motivator.

2. Volunteer.

Good karma could be good fitness. Volunteer activities such as coaching a youth soccer game, walking shelter dogs or cleaning up a beach encourages movement and exercise, Jampolis said. When it comes to burning calories, think outside the gym.

“Look for active volunteer opportunities with any form of movement,” she said.

Cheryl Forberg is a behind-the-scenes nutritionist for NBC’s show, “The Biggest Loser.” She is a registered dietitian and chef. She has a weekly blog and is the author of the book “Positively Ageless.”

1. Make over your kitchen.

Get rid of foods that have lower nutritional values, such as white sugar, bread and pasta. If junk food isn’t in your kitchen, you can’t be tempted, Forberg said.

2. Healthy snacking helps.

Having a snack sustains healthy blood sugar levels and energy. This way you don’t feel famished and end up overeating. She recommends a piece of fruit with a protein or healthy fat — perhaps a few nuts with an apple, a cheese stick or a carton of yogurt for a snack.

“Combining protein and carbohydrates keeps you full longer and sustains blood sugar longer and keeps your energy levels,” she said.

FITNESS

Cathe Friedrich is a certified group fitness instructor who launched a video empire of step aerobics in the 1980s.

1. Sneak in a workout at the grocery store.

Carry a basket instead of pushing a shopping cart around the store. Switch the arms and bend them to hold the basket at a 90-degree angle to isolate the biceps.

“Pop out a few curls with it if you don’t care what people think,” Friedrich said.

2. Do easy workouts in the office.

“If you’re officebound, get a stability ball,” Friedrich said. “It puts you in good alignment, and you’re getting work done.”

The ball forces the body to balance and activates the lower back.

If you have a private office, squeeze in a few lunges, squats crunches or push-ups.

Patrick Murphy is a personal trainer who has worked with celebrities including Eva Longoria, Mario Lopez and Judd Apatow. He trains stunt coordinators and actors for action films.

1. Schedule your workout at the same time

“We’re creatures of habits,” he said. “One way to reach a fitness goal to becoming healthy is to create a body clock for exercise. If you exercise at 7 a.m. two to three times a week, your brain will trigger it — telling you it’s time to go and you’ll crave exercise.”

2. Visualize what your body is going to be.

In the same way that athletes visualize achieving their goal, use this mechanism to reach personal fitness goals. Visualize what you want your body to look like.

Murphy said it’s like meditation, to be done before going to bed or after getting up. Visualize your ideal body and try to shape your habits and behaviors.

Robert “Trainer Bob” Dothard is a personal trainer, martial arts expert and motivational speaker. He owns a Fitness Together franchise in Atlanta, Georgia, and has worked with CNN’s Fit Nation programs.

1. Make a daily 10-minute workout commitment.

“People have a million and one excuses, and many are legitimate,” he said. “Ten minutes is a great start. It’s a creation of habit, that’s going to move you in the right way.”

Although a 10-minute workout will not make you fit or lose much weight, it’s a step toward change.

2. Get a workout with your kids.

When Dothard weight trains in his basement gym, he brings his youngest son and a few balls. This way, Dothard can keep an eye on his son while exercising.

“He throws [balls] around the room while I work on weight training,” Dothard said. “He wanders around the room, and I get 30 minutes of exercise in.”