Mornings with Kerri-Anne
Shannon Cleary on Channel Nines Mornings with Kerri-Anne : Wave Goodbye to Tuckshop Arms - September 11, 2009
AT last, the secret to First Lady Michelle Obama's sculpted arms?
"Tricep pushdowns and hammer curls"
So says Cornell McClellan, Mrs Obama's longtime personal trainer, who described the workout routine of his famous client in the October issue of Women's Health magazine.
McClellan said that at the end of an intense cardio workout and weight training, Mrs Obama finishes with the "arm-shaping superset" of tricep pushdowns and hammer curls to tone one of the most commented-upon pair of arms in the world.
So what does Shannon Cleary suggest on the best way to build arms just like the First Lady?
FLABBY FAT ARMS:
First up may I say WELL DONE MICHELLE OBARMA – you’re an inspiration to all women out there showing them you can be fit, strong and toned but also maintain femineity & beauty. Michelle and her family all eat a very nourishing wholefood (such as Animal Protein & Plant based Carbohydrates) PLUS lifts weights on a very regular basis to create such toned sculptured arms. Processed foods like starchy, salt, sugar carbohydrates (cereal, pasta, noodles, chips, crackers, & bread) and lack of exercise leads to an over consumption of inflammatory fluid retentive foods that no only void of nutrients but trigger excessive levels of the “sloppy” hormone Oestrogen. Over time this will inevitably lead to a massive amount of fat storage all over the body but in particular on the back of your arms.
THE SECRET:
Maintaining your muscle is the key because as women get older, their muscle tone decreases as we atrophy with age, which will result in flabby sloppy weak arms, Consistent Weigh lifting training & eating hi levels of animal (red meat) & plant (legumes) protein will help your body increase testosterone production and there for keep you more lean, energetic and stronger.
THE EXERCISES:
It’s bloody hard work and commitment! You can’t buy Michelle’s “arms”, you have to work for them! You must be consistent with a “sensible” eating plan & train your entire body with decent weights to get an overall athletic shape. You can’t actually exercise “spot” reduce fat flab but if your lifestyle, food choices and hormones are all in check then all your hard work with weight lifting will SHOW through as you lean up! I recommend you attend my Body Pump classes (refer to my class timetable) or book in ASAP for some one on one personal training with me before summer hits!
PART OF MICHELLE OBAMA'S ARM TRAINING REGAIME:
Perform one set of tricep pushdowns (8-15 reps) using a straight bar attached to the high pulley of a cable station and then, without resting, follow with a set of hammer curls (8-15 reps) using dumbbells. Immediately repeat the entire process until two or three sets of both exercises have been completed.
Still not sure ? click here to book a personalised consultation with Shannon on Lifestyle, Nutrition or Personal Training, and you too could have arms just like the First Lady !
Shannon Cleary on Channel Nines Mornings with Kerri-Anne : Fun Family Fitness - July 22, 2009
A great way for kids to stay active these school holidays is to make exercise fun for the whole family.
Mornings with Kerri-Anne, Health and Fitness expert Shannon Cleary's TOP FAMILY FITNESS TIPS?
1/ Get kids away from TV - in fact get TV out of their bedrooms rooms (they need to sleep to grow)
2/ Be good role models - Are YOU the parents exercising! Monkey SEE monkey DO!
3/ Play together and make exercise fun- Kids LOVE when Mum, Dad or both join in and spend REAL TIME with them. This is what they remember most when they look back on their childhood.
Make it fun - instead of making exercise a chore, make it a fun day out in the park, a family cycling day or tennis round robin
4/Give them a fitness gift - Inexpensive - frisbee, hula hoops, balls, skipping rope, bike a dog (MUST walk it)
Don't always reward kids with food - reward them with a gift which can build a great experience, even craft in park - important to get them outdoors
5/ Allocate activity time each day - Kids love routine- allocate activity time each day even if it's just a half hour
6/ Actively commute to school and work - Following school holidays maintain good habit - Beat the " kids drop off" chaos at all schools in the morning! Drive half way their and WALK the rest!
7/ Make sure they are fed a sugar free breakfast - Get them OFF sugar cereals, fruit juices, soft drinks and muslie bars! A good breakfast for kids (everyone) is a couple of EGGS on 1 x brown toast and a piece of fruit plus WATER! Brain & Body food!
Click HERE to book a personal or family consultation with Shannon on Fat loss, Lifestyle, Family Nutrition, Strength Training or Hormonal Harmony....."Healthy Fitness - the sensible way!"
Shannon Cleary on Channel Nines Mornings with Kerri-Anne : Sleep yourself slim - June 19, 2009
I always say to my clients "GET TO BED EARLY AND SLEEP IN", and there's a reason for it.
Did you know that lack of sleep or fatigue actually contributes to you putting on extra pounds?
FAT-igue MAKES YOU FAT!
Sleep is one of the most underestimated things in relation to health and weight management. Lack of Sleep can affect our "hormonal harmony" and we have to make sure our cortisol hormone (or stress hormone) is in balance for us to get a good night's sleep. If we don’t sleep our cortisol levels become unbalanced resulting in adrenal gland stress.
So what is adrenal gland stress?
If you're constantly stressed, this will trigger your adrenal glands resulting in excess production of adrenalin (think fake nervous energy) which keeps you wired at night. Given your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys, over stimulation of these glands ultimately triggers those unwanted pit stops to the bathroom in the wee hours of the night, disturbing that much needed sleep resulting in adrenal fatigue.
Adrenal fatigue also comes from poor nutrition, lifestyle and by doing excessive constant cardio training (eg running) which will negatively affect your already stressed adrenal glands resulting in poor sleep.
If your cortisol levels are out of balance you will never wake up fresh in mornings! When the sun comes up your cortisol levels should be naturally rising which wakes you up and gets you going (this is in reverse when the sun sets).
If you’re suffering from any of the following symptoms:
• Blue circles under eyes
• Urinate frequently during night
• WIRED in evenings
• Difficulties in getting up in the morning
• Need coffee or stimulants to get going
• Bloated & inflamed
• Always rundown with colds and flu’s
• Can’t see properly in the morning
• Can’t think straight
• Glandular fever
• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
...you are already in a state of SERIOUS ADRENAL FAT-IGUE and no doubt carrying unnecessary fat!
HORMONE INBALANCE & FAT GAIN
Cortisol is an inflammatory hormone, hence why so many people are tired, bloated and puffy from exhaustion! .....all brought on lifestyle & bad food.
And it all starts when you wake up .....
Lack of sleep = NO motivation = you reaching for that extra large coffee for breakfast, followed by another coffee and biscuits for morning tea. Craving processed pasta for lunch, crash and burn by 3pm, have another coffee as a pick me up, don’t drink any water, haven't had an ounce of fruit and organic veg all day long and all you do is crave CRAP ( ie sugar / chocolate)to stay awake during the day.....Sound familiar ?
When you're eating sugar all day long (ie you never burn body fat because the insulin in your bloodstream is constantly high and is stressing your adrenals further!! Say HELLO to a fat GUT with a muffin top… oh and type 2 diabetes here we come!!!
SO ARE YOU FEELING EXHAUSTED?
Stop getting up at SPARROW TWEET and sleep in until at least 7 - 8am. You will have more chance of controlling your food choices the following day (Leptin hormone – appetite regulator in balance) and therefore more chance of being hormonally balanced and happier.
Forget getting up at 5.30am to bore your self on a bike, go to the gym at lunchtime or in the evening and get off the treadmills. Our life has become like a permanent treadmill so why run on another?
Practice Yoga, meditation and LIFT WEIGHTS for god sake to calm down and support your central nervous system and increase your lean muscle tissue growth… as this will help you to feel well, look LEANER, feel FIRMER and help you burn FAT all day (Testosterone increase)
Steady state "Cardio" constant jogging etc - just makes you more tired, yes possibly "slimmer" short term but "SLIM and SLOPPY!" Plus research shows it gives you a fat butt!
For further tips and advice on re-gaining control of your life, health and body shape, click here for a personalised consultation with Shannon today.
Beating Belly Fat segment on Mornings with Kerri-Anne, Tuesday May 19th, 2009
Shannon Cleary on Channel Nines Mornings with Kerri-Anne : Turn Back the Clock Week , April 8, 2009
Mornings with Kerri-Anne's regular health and fitness presenter Shannon Cleary gives us some simple tips on turning back the body clock.
Fast Facts:
3 tips on why cardio makes you fat!
1. It can increase adrenal gland stress which can lead to an over production of cortisol.
2. It increases oxidative stress which can accelerate ageing
3. It worsens the testosterone/cortisol ratio which limits your ability to build fat burning lean muscle
For personalised tips on health and nutrition or to have one on one training with Shannon herself, click here
