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Articles from Jini Cicero | Selfgrowth.com
- Strength, the Marines & A Gawky Kid who Discovered Her Purpose in a Weight Room - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2016 from Jini CiceroI get most of my news online, though the other day I found an LA Times lying in my gym’s staff break room and passively flipped through it as I chatted with a coworker. Much as I wanted to read the latest headlines, I also wanted to check after-holiday sales. Except one headline completely ...
Views: 1179(1 vote) - Lean, Healthy & Gorgeous: A Complete Plan to Detox Intelligently - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2016 from Jini Cicero“Detoxing is such B.S.” he smugly said across the table, and I suddenly realized why I didn’t like this guy my friend was dating. Among his know-it-all assertions throughout dinner, this one took the cake. My friend was discussing a recent cleanse she’d read about in Cosmo. Her date didn’t ...
Views: 962 - 7 Reasons Your Detox or Cleanse Could Make You More Toxic - by Submitted on Feb 24, 2016 from Jini Cicero“Screw it, I can’t do this any more!” my friend snapped as we drove to The Grove one unseasonably chilly day (at least for Los Angeles) last January. “Let’s get chocolate chip pancakes and mimosas before we hit Barneys.” I sighed, bit my tongue, and gave her an I told you so look. You see, ...
Views: 864 - 9 Budget-Friendly Gifts for the Impossible-to-Buy-For Fitness Fanatic - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2016 from Jini CiceroI have one and so do you. Mine is a coworker at my gym. Every time she concocts some Paleo recipe, she brings me samples. Brownies, granola, carrot cake… If the recipe contains Paleo-legal ingredients, she makes it and I become her guinea pig. A few months ago, my car broke down across town, ...
Views: 860(1 vote) - 10 Secrets Gyms & Fitness Experts Don’t Want You to Know - by Submitted on Feb 10, 2016 from Jini Cicero“How do you know it’s early January in Los Angeles?” I asked my friend the other day as we waited in line at Starbucks. He looked at me perplexed and replied, “Surely not the weather?” Nope, we don’t get much snow or other winter weather here. What we do get in early January is an influx ...
Views: 916 - 9 Strategies to Kick Your Hangover to the Curb - by Submitted on Jan 27, 2016 from Jini Cicero“Don’t judge,” she said a little too loudly, sitting down and frantically flagging our server for coffee. I had seen my friend at her very worst during a particularly nasty flu where I brought over chicken soup, and she didn’t look half as bad as she looked this morning. She didn’t need to give ...
Views: 1155 - Do You Really WANT to be Healthy? - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2016 from Jini CiceroDo You Really WANT to be Healthy? From time to time, I like to re-post some of most popular blogs. This one was very popular with my readers and I admit that it really resonated with me too-so enjoy: Any reader of Throwing a Fit knows, I am huge on education. I have not stayed on the ...
Views: 875 - These 10 Factors Can Help You Become Leaner, Stronger, and Younger - Part 2 - by Submitted on Jan 13, 2016 from Jini CiceroLast week I discussed five determinants within your control to stay leaner, stronger, and healthier. You can’t turn back the clock, you can’t control your genetics, but you can make the best daily decisions to become your very best self. While Biomarkers: 10 Determinants of Aging You Can ...
Views: 766 - These 10 Factors Can Help You Become Leaner, Stronger, and Younger - Part 1 - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2016 from Jini CiceroAs a researcher and science nerd, I always stay on top of the latest research. Early this year, a study showed DHEA combined with burst training could boost testosterone levels in middle-aged men. I use that kind of information to help my clients become stronger, leaner, and more ...
Views: 751 - Is the Glycemic Index an Effective Tool for Athletes (or Anyone)? - by Submitted on Dec 31, 2015 from Jini CiceroA few years ago my aunt revealed some grim news at a family dinner: she had type 2 diabetes. Within her news was a silver lining: after delivering the news, her doctor asked her to follow a low-glycemic diet to control her blood sugar levels. I consider that a silver lining because, contrary ...
Views: 953 - The Ultimate Workout Dilemma Solved (Sort of) - by Submitted on Dec 23, 2015 from Jini CiceroMy client was 20 minutes late and I wasn’t happy. I have a strict 15-minute no-show rule, and this was his fourth time violating that policy. Since he was my day’s last client, I began packing my bag when finally he rushed into my office, breathless and apologizing. “I lay down to rest for a few ...
Views: 857(1 vote) - All in Your Genes: Can Genetic Testing Determine Your Perfect Workout? - by Submitted on Dec 16, 2015 from Jini CiceroI’ve long proposed a combination of burst training and weight resistance provides the most efficient, effective exercise for most people. Earlier this year, I had a client who challenged that belief. “You talk often about biochemical individuality and avoiding one-size-fits-all programs,” she ...
Views: 780 - Crossfit: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2015 from Jini CiceroRecently I traveled to a rather remote area of Southern California to visit an old friend I hadn’t seen for several years. Living in Los Angeles, I’m always rather stunned to not see Starbucks along every corner. Well, her small town didn’t have one Starbucks; just a local coffee house that ...
Views: 927 - Muscle Testing: Science or Pseudo-Science? - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2015 from Jini CiceroI meet two types of people at conferences. One includes those hard-boiled guys (and occasionally gals) who demand empirical evidence to support something. “Show me the science,” is their mantra. If I say blueberries are brain food, they want to see three studies to support that claim. If I ...
Views: 1658 - 7 Myths Debunked about pH-Balanced Diets - by Submitted on Nov 18, 2015 from Jini CiceroI have a reputation at my gym for being a myth-buster. Not a week goes by that a client doesn’t ask me whether a particular “muscle-enhancing” supplement is legit (usually not) or how many studies support creatine’s efficacy (a good many, actually). I admit: sometimes I have to research these ...
Views: 1186 - Can We Officially Declare Carbophobia Dead? - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2015 from Jini CiceroI have a friend who lost over 60 pounds on Atkins Induction. A year later, she’s kept off the weight and looks fantastic. Over that time she also became a carbophobe, evidenced recently at dinner when she asked our server to substitute her sweet potato for another green vegetable. “Why the ...
Views: 1018 - Why I Don't Recommend (Most) Supplements - by Submitted on Nov 05, 2015 from Jini CiceroAbout a year ago, I received a call from my brother Tony concerning his recent physical. At 45, he was in excellent health: he had a decent diet, is naturally lean despite taking an extended break from exercise, and other than an occasional beer, doesn’t drink much alcohol, nor does he smoke or ...
Views: 1020 - Master the Possibilities: Why A Mastermind Group Can Change Your Life - by Submitted on Oct 29, 2015 from Jini CiceroI have them at my gym and you do too. They’re content doing the same machines, maybe thumbing through a few magazines on the treadmill, or just half-heartedly slogging though a workout. They look fine. Yet you’ve seen them at the gym for years and they don’t make progress. You’ve also got ...
Views: 725 - Deep Sleep for Fat Loss & Muscle Building Begins with these Strategies - by Submitted on Oct 22, 2015 from Jini CiceroLast week I described my client who did everything correctly, yet struggled with fat loss and muscle gain. After a lot of trial and error, I eventually discovered she wasn’t sleeping soundly. Consequently, she couldn’t build muscle, suffered low libido, and struggled to ditch those last few ...
Views: 976 - My #1 Secret to Getting Lean and Muscular… In the Bedroom - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2015 from Jini CiceroSeveral months ago a top client began stumbling in 10 minutes late to our sessions with some lame excuses. Suddenly she wasn’t performing at peak capacity, she complained about gaining fat, and her sex life was virtually non-existent. I had trained her for years so I knew this wasn’t like ...
Views: 809 - Why Fitness Gadgets Can Change Your Workout… For Better or Worse - by Submitted on Sep 22, 2015 from Jini CiceroOne of my best friends eats a mostly organic Paleo diet, hits the weight room three or four times a week, always looks for a staircase in her airport or mall for burst training, and swears by eight hours’ deep sleep every night to keep her fit and toned. In every endeavor, she likes to ...
Views: 1231 - 7 Ways to Naturally Boost Energy without Energy Drinks - by Submitted on Sep 15, 2015 from Jini CiceroLast year 19-year-old Alex Morris went into cardiac arrest and was immediately pronounced dead from a cardiac arrhythmia when he arrived at the hospital. His mom is now suing Monster Energy Drink, which she believes was a culprit in Morris’s death. She’s not alone. Anais Fournier’s family also ...
Views: 1070(1 vote) - The #1 Success Principle of Lean, Healthy People - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2015 from Jini CiceroI’ve done it and so have you. You arrive home from work after a day from hell and then sitting in traffic to open your fridge and, save for a pork roast that would demand an hour to cook (never mind the prep time), realize you have next to nothing for dinner. Conveniently, a menu sits ...
Views: 768 - Sweat It Out: How Sweating Can Keep You Healthy, Happy, and Beautiful - by Submitted on Sep 03, 2015 from Jini CiceroLike with most of America, a heat wave engulfed Los Angeles during the past few months. Much as I love breaking a sweat working out, walking out of my house and instantly becoming a sticky mess exceeds my admittedly wide comfort zone. Sweating isn’t sexy and it often gets a bad rep. You’ve ...
Views: 832 - Your Chances of Winning the Lotto are Better than Finding Someone in Shape (Well, Almost…) - by Submitted on Aug 26, 2015 from Jini CiceroAre you hustling to hit free weights or make that new burst training class at your gym? Congratulations: you’re among the 20% who stay on top of your fitness game. You read that right. Only 1 in 5 people comply with governmental fitness regulations. That’s what a new study in The Journal of ...
Views: 780 - Fiber for Life - by Submitted on Aug 18, 2015 from Jini CiceroFruits and vegetables will make you thin. But how? If you’re hoping to accelerate your rate at which you burn off that fat, if you simply want to have better health and overall physical function on a daily basis, fiber is going to be your best friend. Far too many people get caught up in ...
Views: 969 - 8 Easy Ways To Get More Pedometer Steps - by Submitted on Aug 10, 2015 from Jini CiceroLooking to improve your health and fitness? One of the simplest ways to go about it is to focus on taking more total steps all throughout your day. By increasing your total step count, you’ll naturally be burning more calories, you’ll increase your heart health, and you’ll take one giant ...
Views: 1064 - Green Tea-The Miracle Drink - by Submitted on Aug 05, 2015 from Jini CiceroWhether you’re currently looking to enhance your fat loss progress or you simply want to optimize your health, one beverage that you’re going to start consuming regularly, is green tea. Yes, you are. So, what makes green tea so special? Why is it touted over and over again as being the ...
Views: 931 - Gardening: Not Your Grandma’s Workout - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2015 from Jini CiceroIf you’re someone who is looking to maintain their fitness but doesn’t really want to spend yet another hour in the gym doing the same old routine you’ve been doing for months, the great news is, fitness can come in many different, often unexpected, packages. One particular activity that gets ...
Views: 831 - The First Twenty Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer– by Gretchen Reynolds - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2015 from Jini CiceroThe First Twenty Minutes is a reference to the minimum length of time from which benefits can be derived from a given bout of exercise. If the exercise is of a high enough intensity, that’s all you may need to derive maximal physical benefits for general health and well-being. This is excellent ...
Views: 978 - Snack Attack - by Submitted on Jul 09, 2015 from Jini CiceroLet me just start by saying: I don’t believe in snacking. Snacking allows for a consistent release of insulin at regular intervals in response to each meal; regardless of the meal size. Insulin must then modulate the blood sugar response with each of those meals. Insulin is a fat storing ...
Views: 868 - Do You WANT to be Healthy? - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2015 from Jini CiceroAny reader of Throwing a Fit knows, I am huge on education. I have not stayed on the "cutting edge" (an overused term but one I do not throw around lightly), in this industry for nothing. I go to seminars, workshops, get specialized certifications, read books, magazines, journals, blogs, etc. to ...
Views: 877 - Gourmet Nutrition-The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover-by Dr. John Berardi - by Submitted on Jun 23, 2015 from Jini CiceroIs it wrong to talk about how well an author’s intense blue eyes are set off by his dark brown hair when you’re about review his book? Could that be considered a conflict of interest somehow? Well, be that as it may, Dr. John Berardi is much more than a pretty face (besides; he’s married) (and ...
Views: 1106 - Grain-free Chocolate Chip Cookies - by Submitted on Jun 19, 2015 from Jini CiceroBy now, you pretty much know how I feel about chocolate. Then again, is there a person alive who doesn’t love it? I suppose there is but seriously, what’s wrong with them? You can also add homemade chocolate chip cookies to my list of obsessions-and probably yours too. But, they have to be ...
Views: 905 - 10 Stupid Things That Are Keeping You from Having the Body You Want - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2015 from Jini Cicero1) Stupid Cardio-Are you still hanging all over the Stairmaster with your arms “rolled in” for 45? 60? minutes or more? Even Shape magazine doesn’t still promote that kind of cardio. In case you haven’t noticed “we” don’t do cardio like that anymore. It’s a waste of time and may even be ...
Views: 1033 - Plank Power - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2015 from Jini CiceroThe practice of yoga is 5,000 years old. I knew that! And as Wikipedia and the other internet info centers mentions, no one knows who created yoga because 5,000 years ago because human beings weren’t putting pen to paper quite yet to record that. The traditional purpose of Yoga, I’ve found ...
Views: 909 - Guiltless Chicken Breast Tenders - by Submitted on May 27, 2015 from Jini CiceroThank you Tana Amen, RN for this great recipe bringing chicken fingers out of junk food land and into the health food realm. I chose to continue following the recipe to make these crispy (I had no regrets.) Enjoy Healthy chicken fingers? Yes, honestly! Ingredients 1 teaspoon ...
Views: 1017 - 5 Cool Tools to Jumpstart Your Workout - by Submitted on May 19, 2015 from Jini CiceroIf you’ve been working out for months or even years and your progress has been slow to undetectable or, you’re doing fine but your motivation could use a kick in the pants; listen up. A piece of equipment alone will not likely transform your body. But, a new toy can get you charged up and ...
Views: 1653 - It Doesn't Get Better Than (Healthy) Chocolate - by Submitted on May 13, 2015 from Jini CiceroIf you believe that the four major food groups are milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffle, we really understand each other. But believe it or not, chocolate can be good for you. Dark chocolate containing 72% cocoa solids or more, is best enjoyed when it hasn’t ...
Views: 883 - Food-Labeling Voodoo: Serving Size Manipulation - by Submitted on May 06, 2015 from Jini CiceroMy friend Dr. Jonny Bowden's got this all figured out. Find out below in this guest post, just how manipulated us consumers are by big (food) business. You won't believe this! Suppose for the moment that you are a manufacturer of little yellow snack cakes with a creamy filling inside. ...
Views: 1154 - Turkey Apple Walnut Goodness - by Submitted on May 02, 2015 from Jini CiceroThis recipe was given to me by my friend Evelyne Lambrecht of Health Coach San Diego (www.healthcoachsd.com.) Evelyne is a talented, educated, high-energy health coach based in the San Diego, CA area. This is really a tasty and balanced breakfast creation that she passed along to us; thanks ...
Views: 985 - The Charlie Francis Training System - by Submitted on Apr 24, 2015 from Jini CiceroI first discovered The Charlie Francis Training System through Bret Contreras, someone whose work I admire and respect. Only available in Kindle edition, I wasn’t sure what to expect from an interview with a 1980’s track and field coach conducted by the coach’s wife; but it was excellent. ...
Views: 1429 - Valslide Hamstring Curls - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2015 from Jini CiceroValslides are the invention of celebrity personal trainer Valerie Waters. Val had the clever idea of taking two pieces of plastic and gluing a square of foam rubber to each of them, packaging them, selling them, and is now getting rich. Actually, I don’t know how rich she is or isn't but the ...
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