Free Report Women & Fitness Peak through the psyche of a woman and understand why they are different than men and how they can get the body of their dreams. Exclusive interview with Fitness Expert Kelli Calabrese Author of Feminine, Firm & Fit Interviewed by: Alain Mokbel Author of www.All-About-Fitness-Planning.com Copyright © 2007 All-About-Fitness-Planning.com All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author or publisher. DISCLAIMER This book is for reference and informational purposes only and is no way intended as medical counseling or medical advice. The information contained herein should not be used to treat, diagnose, or prevent a disease or medical condition without the advice of a competent medical professional. This book deals with in-depth information on health, fitness, and nutrition. Most of the information applies to everyone in general; however, not everyone has the same body type. We each have different responses to exercise depending on our choice of intensity and diet. Before making any changes in your lifestyle, you should consult with a physician to discover the best solution for your individual body type. The author, writer, editors, and graphic designer shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any damage or injury alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 3 www.kellicalabrese.com Women & Fitness How are Women different from Men? An Exclusive Interview with Fitness Expert Kelli Calabrese by Alain Mokbel author of www.All-About-Fitness-Planning.com Alain Mokbel: First, I'd like to thank you Kelli for taking time to answer our questions. I've read a lot of your material and I've listened to your interview with Scot Colby many times. I found you to be both knowledgeable and experienced, especially regarding women. In your articles, you talk a lot about the biology of women and how women are different then men. What I would like to talk to you about today are about the different beliefs that women have that seem to slow their progress or do nothing. These beliefs are things I've heard from family members, friends and women at the different gyms I've trained in. I hope that we can use this interview to break through these myths and help women understand what really needs to be done to achieve their goal. Many women I've met talk about their hips. As you mentioned many times, women store fat in their hips and men, in their belly. Some of them are extremely think, and also defined, in their upper body. Some of these women give up saying "this is genetics, my mom is like me, my aunt, cousins and sisters all look like me". What would you say to these women? Kelli Calabrese: There has been much research in the areas of nature versus nurture when it comes to fatness. Most over fatness is a disease of lifestyle much more than genetics. Everyone has the ability to shrink fat cells. Our body is so amazingly efficient that when a negative caloric deficit is created, fat will be released from the area the body most feels like releasing it from. It may come from the chin, the inside of the knee or the love handles. The area we put fat on first tends to be the area we loose fat from last. Ultimately we become a smaller version of our current shapes as we release fat. Where we predominately store fat has more to do with genetics than our ability to release fat. In some families the women have bigger hips and others thicker waist circumferences. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 4 www.kellicalabrese.com It is possible to reduce fat from your body – we just can't choose where it’s released from specifically. We can choose where to strengthen and shape muscles. There is no sense in giving in! Where will you be if you give in versus working to overcome some trouble spots? Women also need to learn to love themselves even if they are not going to look exactly like the covers of fitness and fashion magazines. Focus on being the best you can be. There are not limits to how much you can improve. Alain Mokbel: Is there a way to target fat loss in the lower body? Such as increase the muscle mass in that area? Or training that part of the body more often than the rest? Kelli Calabrese: There is no way to target fat loss in the lower body specifically. You can target muscle strength gains and muscle endurance gains in the lower body, but not fat loss. It always helps to have more muscle to fuel your metabolism. The more muscle you have in the gluteus maximum for example, the better your back side may look even if you still have extra fat there. The muscles help to form your shape and can give a lifted appearance to the hip area. As long as there is a thick layer of fat over the muscles, the fat is going to determine the shape more than the muscles, however its always better to have fat on top of strong, lean shapely firm muscles than weak muscles which themselves have lots of intramuscular fat. The upper body (torso) has more alpha receptors which are more prone to releasing fat and the lower body (hips & thighs) have more beta receptors which are more prone to storing fat. As a woman is losing weight, she will typically loose from the waist and chest first and the hips and thighs last. Then when she re-gains the weight, it will be the hips first and waist second. If a woman has yo-yo dieted for years it will be obvious by the smaller waist and larger hips. Focus on training your entire body. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 5 www.kellicalabrese.com Alain Mokbel: What would you suggest for a woman (in nutrition and exercise) who asks you to help her lose her hips? Kelli Calabrese: Depending on her ability, I would work her up to doing sprint type exercises of shorter duration and higher intensity. For example, assuming she could handle things like sprints on a stepper, incline treadmill or on a track or box jumps, any short duration high intensity exercise helps to burn calories, increases the after burn (the calories burned once exercise stops) as well as increases performance. For traditional strengthening I use squats, lunges, deadlifts, hip raises, hip extensions, etc. One of the keys however is the variety. For example, I might do a sequence of stationary lunges with a barbell over head, then falling lunges to the front, then side, then back. Then I might do repeated lunges on one leg, the walking lunges, curtsey lunges, roman lunges, lunges driving the back leg towards the front, lunges passing a dumbbell, etc. I like to hit things from all angles and keep the body challenged. I may also change the speed i.e. first 20 seconds is slow to learn the movement pattern and adapt neurologically, second 20 seconds is performed to tempo (a little quicker) and the last 20 seconds – assuming they can safely do it, double time. The idea is to challenge the muscle so that a stress is imposed and an adaptation has to occur. Alain Mokbel: I've heard of "body-specific-fat-burning" diet. For example, eat more avocados and your hips will shrink. Have you heard of these and is there any validity to it? Kelli Calabrese: Wow – I though I had heard them all – Hollywood diet, Gods Diet, 3 Day Diet, 8 Minute Diet, Duct Tape Diet, Peanut Butter Diet, Grapefruit Diet, Metabolic Diet, etc, but I have not heard the body part diet. I do not know of any validity to that what so ever. It does not stand to reason scientifically. There are different receptors on our body that store and release fat and there is brown and white fat, but as far as I know avocados do not release fat on your hips any more than coconuts or any other food deemed as magical. People need to grab hold of their common sense when they are approached by such “solutions”. Their desperation is many times prayed upon by those hungry to sell books. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 6 www.kellicalabrese.com Alain Mokbel: Why do women always resort to restriction their diet when they want to lose weight? Kelli Calabrese: Dieting is the lesser of the evils when it comes to diet and exercise. Women feel in control when on a diet. They can control the food they eat – and choose not to eat. They can start every morning, every Monday or with every meal. It gives them hope and if they can stick to a sensible diet for even a few days they can see and feel a difference. Most people can cut out a meal or cut back on meals without making big changes to their lives. Many times it saves them time and money to eat less. Exercise on the other hand takes planning, takes effort, takes time, takes high levels of motivation, may cost money, and is hard work. Just like I would not know the first thing about fixing the engine on my car, most people don’t know the first thing about designing an effective exercise program. In fact, many trainers are confused or not producing results so it’s no doubt consumers don’t know where to begin. They may have had bad experiences with exercise in the past, may have gotten injured, not stuck with it long enough to see results or over due it and feel too sore in the 24 – 48 hours after exercise to continue their routine. Dieting produces almost instant results as people can lose up to 5 pounds of fat in the first week (mostly water) exercise on the other hand (when done too vigorously) leaves you feeling fatigued, exhausted, sore and even a little beat up. Alain Mokbel: I've heard of these massages that help "unlock" fat cells and "move them around". A friend of mine recommended this to me once as a solution to losing the fat in my belly. Do these work? Is it worth my money? Kelli Calabrese: You may be referring to endomology (sp) where a vacuum like massager is run up and down over the fat cells to help break them up and mobilize them to shrink them. That procedure may help to get some water out of the area, but fat cells have very little water. It may produce temporary minimal changes to the area, but its not a long term solution, its expensive, it does not get rid of fat cells (nothing does except liposuction) and it certainly does not teach the person new lifestyle habits to shrink the fat cells all over their body – for life! WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 7 www.kellicalabrese.com I was watching a report on the news last night where a doctor was putting some mixture including acid injections in to the abdomens of people needing to loose between 10 and 35 pounds. Visually after weeks of over 100 injections in their abdomens, they did seem to have a smaller waist, however it’s not FDA approved and who knows what toxins may be in the injections that get into your blood stream or that does not agree with your body or that has long term damage. Ultimately, everyone can release body fat. They should use all of the basics first: · Engaging in regular and intense exercise · Eating wholesome and nutritious foods in their most natural states · Drinking 8+ eight ounce glasses of water daily Sleeping 7 – 8 hours a night · Managing stress · Taking a multivitamin and multi mineral Beyond that, they can look into weight loss resistance factors such as neurotransmitters or hormones that may be off balance, insulin and leptin insensitivities, gut disbiosis, poor quality or quantity sleep, high levels of stress, etc. Alain Mokbel: I heard a lady in the gym say once "I don't want to lose weight, just one pant size". Can this be done? Kelli Calabrese: That is kind of an odd thing to say. Women get hung up on a number on the scale. As we age, we lose muscle and gain fat at twice the rate. So the number on the scale may still be in the range a woman is looking for, but she may be a fat skinny person. It’s possible to be normal weight (or even under weight) and be over fat. You can not turn muscle to fat or visa versa. They are two different systems. I do not stress the number on the scale as much as a healthy body composition which for woman is between 22 and 28%. Those who are fit can be under 22%. Once the fat on a woman’s body goes over 30%, it can begin to affect her health. A woman’s weight may stay the same, but her body composition can change – for the better or worse – at any time depending on her lifestyle (food intake, exercise, stress, sleep, etc). Alain Mokbel: The most popular belief amongst women that weight training will make them look like men… We both know that in order to "bulk-up" a surplus of calories is required. Additionally, women are not 'built' to bulk. How do you convince your female clients to pick up the dumbbells (not the pink ones) and get working? WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 8 www.kellicalabrese.com Kelli Calabrese: I convince them by results. I build a relationship with them so that they trust me. Within a few short weeks they are seeing the benefits and become followers. I show them the testimonials from my clients who are thrilled with their new bodies – not just the fat and includes lost, but the changes to posture, the reduction in pain, the gains in confidence and more. Genetically it’s not possible for women to bulk up with out hours of strenuous conditioning on a regular and intense bases and with out enhancement from outside supplements (legal or illegal). Alain Mokbel: Can full body and bodyweight workouts be a good alternative for women who do not wish to pick-up the weights? Kelli Calabrese: Your body has no idea what the resistance is. It can be a gallon of milk, a kettle bell, and your body weight against gravity or a 4K exercise machine. I teach boot camps in the morning with up to 65 women. They bring dumbbells between 5 and 10 pounds and everyone leaves sweating and seeing astounding results. We use a variety of body weight exercises as well as dumbbells, kettelbells, fitness tubing, bands, medicine balls, hurdles, cones, etc. The combination works best. Some of the most challenging exercises are the body weight exercises such as a plank series. Alain Mokbel: The infamous treadmill seems to be the best friend of all women. Why is that? Kelli Calabrese: Walking is an easy and convenient form of exercise. Its something they are familiar with, it gives them feedback, they are comfortable, they can talk to friends or watch TV, they can do it year round, there is no risk of them looking foolish in the gym, they are lead to believe long slow distances on the treadmill will lead to fat burning – especially in the lower body. Alain Mokbel: As a guy, I eat about 5 to 6 meals a day. Most women, however, don't. They prefer to snack between meals. What is your favorite snack? Kelli Calabrese: I have always been a grazer, although lately I am trying to eat a very well balanced meal that can hold me longer, until the next meal so that I am snacking less. The theory is to be able to go a little longer stretch without eating so that you get beyond digestion and into fat burning. When I do snack, I enjoy the following: WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 9 www.kellicalabrese.com · Scoop of protein powder with frozen berries, ice and water · 10 almonds with an apple · An apple or any veggies with natural cashew butter · A Paleo Bar · Tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and basil with a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar · Plain yogurt with fresh berries and flax seeds · Anything healthy that’s left over. Alain Mokbel: Finally, I'd like to finish by asking you to give us an example of a workout routine for you and a day's worth of meals. Kelli Calabrese: I change my workouts daily and seasonally. Right now I am into the sprint type training. After I finish up coaching boot camp in the mornings, I come home and set up a circuit for my husband and me in our courtyard. It may consist of 8 stations such as jumping over hurdles, sumo squat with a kettelbell toss, jump rope, weaving through cones, single leg dead lift, sprint up and down the driveway, pushup row combo and crunches with a medicine ball on a bosu. We do each exercise for one minute and repeat twice. It’s a major calorie burner. Later in the day I do short bursts for example I may sprint on my bike to the guard house and back (2 miles) or when I take an unexpected phone call I get on the x-iser mini stepper in my office. I’ll sprint to the mail box when the mail comes, etc. I am always looking for ways to “BURST” throughout the day. It’s a quick way to get your heart rate up and burn extra calories and keep the after burn going. Meal 1: Egg white omelet with spinach, tomatoes, zucchini (or what ever veggies are in the bin), cup steel cut oats or some natural mixed grain hot cereal, strawberries Meal 2: Scoop of Protein powder with frozen berries, water and ice. Cashew butter on Ezekial bread Meal 3: Salad with shrimp (or chicken /salmon) ½ yam Meal 4: Salmon (or shrimp or chicken or ground beef) with ½ yam, (or brown rice) any hot or cold veggies in a salad or grilled or steamed. Meal 5: Almonds with apple Alain Mokbel: Great! Again, thank you very much for taking the time to answer. I'm sure that our readers, women and men alike, will find this interview very informative. Thanks again! WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 10 www.kellicalabrese.com BONUS ARTICLE – WEIGHT LOSS AFTER PREGNANCY By Kelli Calabrese, MS When a woman first has a baby, she is typically never more motivated to get her body back than in the weeks and months following the birth of her child. Occasionally I meet women who are still claiming to hold onto the baby fat, only now their baby is 13 years old. So the question begs, is it possible to regain your prepreggnanc body – or even better? Below Kelli answers your most pressing questions on losing the fat and regaining a firm body after your baby. Do you feel that varying an exercise routine helps in revving a woman's metabolism and jumpstarting weight loss? Variety is absolutely one of the main components to seeing progress with an exercise program. If you continue to repeat the same exercise sequences at the same intensity and for the same duration, you are missing out on one of the key principles of training which is to overload your body. By using a variety of cardiovascular techniques including continuous training, cross training, interval training, speed play as well as a variety of strength training techniques like super slow, break downs, and changing the repetition range you continually keep your body challenged and steer clear of a plateau. Is there a trend towards interval training or short bursts of exercise to prevent a plateau in weight loss? There is significant research to support bursts of exercise for burning additional calories both during the acceleration period as well as in the time following the cessation of exercise -known as after burn. These periods of acceleration can be performed during cardio sessions and can also be incorporated in to a strength training session. One example of a strength can cardio combined format would include performing 3 leg exercises followed by 3 -5 minutes on the stair master. Then 3 back exercises followed by 3 -5 minutes on the rower, then 3 chest exercises followed by 3 -5 minutes on the elliptical trainer and so on until all of the major body parts had been exercised. This is a highly efficient way to combine strength training with cardiovascular conditioning and burn the maximum amount of calories during a strength training session. What is the optimal amount of time (minutes per day/days of the week) for women to exercise for weight loss? And can it be divided up into shorter chunks and still be beneficial? The cardiovascular prescription for fat loss is 20 -60 minutes. Time and intensity are inversely proportional. Those who can work at higher intensities can burn more calories in a shorter period of time. For example, a walker may burn 100 calories in 15 minutes, where a runner may burn closer to 200 calories in 15 minutes. 20 minutes is thought to be the minimum amount of time to see health benefits and add to a negative caloric deficit at the end of the day. Once cardiovascular exercise exceeds 60 minutes, the risks of injury begin to outweigh the benefits. The goal is to have approximately 500 -1000 caloric deficit at the end of the day to average 1 -2 pounds of fat lost at the end of the week. Burning 250 calories through exercise and eating 250 less calories is a safe and effective way to lose a pound of fat a week -permanently. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 11 www.kellicalabrese.com Concerning health benefits, studies have shown that intermittent bouts of exercise are just as effective as continuous sessions of cardio exercise. As long as the total time adds up to 20 -60 minutes in your target heart rate zone, you can expect similar benefits as someone how had performed their exercise in one session. Regarding fat loss, you may actually be better off having several short bursts of activity during the day because of the after burn effect. If you rev up your metabolism several times throughout the day, your metabolism may remain elevated for up to an hour following activity. When exercise is preformed several times throughout the day, those after burn calories do add up. Why are small meals throughout the day better for weight control? Do you recommend this type of eating plan for your clients? When you eat, your body heats up. This is known as the thermic effect of food. The heat is the result of the intense metabolic action involved in digesting and absorbing the food you've eaten. It can last for as long as three hours following a meal. By eating 5 -6 smaller meals throughout the day you are putting this scientific fact to work for you. Think of it as breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, dinner and evening snack. Most people unconsciously eat this way, but in the form of BLTs. BLTs are Bites, Licks and Tastes which add up to considerable calories by the end of the day. A handful of pretzels here, a few French fries there, a biscotti with your Starbucks and suddenly those non-nutritive, empty calories count. This is known as grazing and is not what is meant by 5 -6 small meals a day. When you eat mindfully, using a combination of lean protein, complex and fibrous carbs and low fat, you turn your body into a fat-burning machine instead of a fatstoorin machine. Skipping meals, especially breakfast leads to low energy, cravings and overeating later in the day. People who don't eat breakfast tend to be heavier than those who eat a lean breakfast. By eating every 3 hours you will never be hungry and never feel like you are on a "diet." Eating smaller portions of food every few hours helps with digestion. In addition, the brain will never send the body into starvation mode and you shouldn't crave sweets. Because of the balanced natural foods consumed, blood sugar will remain stable, there are dips in energy and there is a chronic feeling of satisfaction. Frequent fueling is a great way to stave off hunger and fuel your metabolism, but the meals will likely have to be smaller than what you are currently accustomed too. Active women can eat considerably more on a daily basis and yet weigh less than those who exercise at low levels or are sedentary. Active women maintain a lighter and leaner body with a lower body fat percentage even though they eat more than their sedentary counterparts. Consciously or unconsciously, active people tend to eat a small meal every few hours. I personally eat this way and I encourage all of my clients to do so. More information can be found about this topic in my program called Feminine, Firm & Fit which will be available in January 2003. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 12 www.kellicalabrese.com Do you have any fitness tips or specific exercises for postnatal clients? Delivering a baby and taking care of a newborn are probably the most physically challenging times of a woman's life. Combining the fatigue during the ninth month of pregnancy, with the energy required for labor and delivery, along with the tireless effort necessary to care for a new born, typically moves exercising off of the to do list. Regardless of the exhaustion felt, new mothers are more often than not at their highest point of motivation to get their bodies back -especially following a cesarean section. In a cesarean delivery (c-section), a surgical incision is made through the mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver the baby. After a c-section, physicians will likely recommend a new mother can begin cardiovascular exercises after the 6th week following delivery. How soon after a c-section a new mom can begin exercise normally depends on her level of fitness prior to pregnancy, her exercise levels during pregnancy and how the incision is healing. Cardiovascular exercise will be preceded by the reintroduction of strengthening and stretching exercises. Returning to exercise should be thought of like going backwards through pregnancy. As pregnancy progresses, exercise naturally tapers off. After birth the reverse should happen to gradually work towards pre-pregnancy status. Benefits of Exercise Regular exercise can help restore muscle strength even in an abdominal muscle that was cut through. Exercise raises energy levels, provides a sense of well-being and can ward off post partum-depression. It can also help restore pre-pregnancy shape, increase metabolism and regulate hormones. I've seem some new moms transform their bodies to better condition than before they were pregnant. Getting Started Cardiovascular conditioning: Once cleared for activity by your physician, walking is a good way to get back in shape. Start with as little as 10 minutes of moderate exercise and gradually work up to longer and more vigorous exercise as energy levels increase. Strive for a minimum of 20 minutes 3 -5 days weekly. When walking, focus on keeping good posture including keeping the chest lifted. When the spine is erect in a natural position, the abdominals will be lengthened which is encouraged, since they are shortened when sitting. Walking should be performed on grass, sand, a wooden or carpeted surface. Allow plenty of time before you return to any competitive activities. Exercise in a temperature controlled environment to avoid overheating. Warm up for 5 -10 minutes and cool down for 5 -10 minutes proceeding and following each cardio session. Eventually swimming, cycling and other pre-pregnancy exercises can be reintroduced, but, jumping and jarring motions and rapid changes of direction should be avoided to prevent possible overstretching and injury. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 13 www.kellicalabrese.com Physicians, should determine a target heart rate and establish the duration and frequency of the exercise program. Strength Training: Even in the absence a vaginal delivery, it would still be beneficial to perform kegel exercises for the vaginal and pelvis area. The abdominals should not be lengthened beyond their natural position, however they can eventually be shortened in exercises like the basic crunch. Isometric exercises are also recommended where the abdominal muscle is contracted, but no movement takes place at any of the joints. Simply, contract, hold for 6 seconds while breathing and then relax for 2 seconds and repeat 10 -15 times. The knee, hip, and back are particularly susceptible to injury during and after pregnancy, so resistance training can help to strengthen these lax area's. Flexibility Training: Stretch cautiously. Joint tissue laxity continues after pregnancy and therefore, stretching should not be the focus of your exercise routine The abdominal region should not be stretched for some time. Wait until the incision is completely healed and you have approval from your physician prior to stretching your torso. You should however stretch other joints like the neck, ankles, hips, shoulders and wrists. When approved to stretch, perform mild stretching where each pose is held for 10 seconds. Never stretch to the point of pain and avoid ballistic (bouncing) movements and deep stretching. Be careful when rising from the floor after stretching. Get up slowly to prevent fainting or dizziness. Hydration: Water is very important during this time of resuming activity. Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise. If necessary, stop your exercise to drink fluids. When to exercise: The time taken for exercise should be guilt free. The better care taken of a new mothers body, the better she will be able to take care of a new born. If breast feeding, breasts may be full and tender, and it is important to adequately support them. It will be more comfortable exercising after feeding the baby. Exercise scheduled earlier in the day is usually best for a new mom. As the day progresses, fatigue sets as do obstacles to taking the time for exercise. Supplements: Once you are cleared of your post natal vitamins, consider a multivittami for your health. Since your time becomes highly in demand with the needs of a newborn, consider a meal replacement drink or bar for some on the go nutrition. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 14 www.kellicalabrese.com When to stop exercising: A number of symptoms may develop in the postpartum period which indicates that exercise should cease and medical attention should be sought. According to Dr. Raul Artal, a nationally renowned researcher on exercise and pregnancy, they are: · Pain of any kind, including headache and chest pain · Vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid · Dizziness or faintness · Shortness of breath · Palpitations (pounding heartbeat) or tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) · Persistent nausea and/or vomiting · Back, pubic, hip, or knee pain · Difficulty in walking · Generalized edema (swelling) · Soreness, tearing or infection at the point of incision Any pain associated with exercise means all activity should be stopped immediately. Any rush to achieve peak condition is likely to result in injury, even if you haven't undergone the extreme physiological changes of pregnancy and a c-section. Exercises to Avoid -Exercises that require jerky, bouncy movements and being outside in hot weather should be avoided. Also avoid sports involving speed or possible collisions like downhill skiing, rock climbing, and horseback riding. Take care in engaging in any inner thigh exercises. This is a time to pamper yourself, enjoy your new baby, and plan a gradual, pain free return to pre-pregnancy state. This article does not provide medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for visiting your doctor. If medical care is needed,, please contact your obstetrician-gynecologist. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 15 www.kellicalabrese.com KELLI CALABRESE BIOGRAPHY Kelli Calabrese is a renowned fitness expert, business owner, international presenter, author, spokesperson, editor and mother of two preschoolers. Her passion for fitness began when Calabrese joined her first group fitness class at the age of thirteen. The knowledge that she came from a family prone to heart disease and cancer drove Calabrese, at a young age, to make health and fitness a top priority in her life. After attaining her first fitness certification at the age of seventeen, she made the decision to reach out to others to help them to make fitness a part of their lives. At the age of 22 Kelli had completed 3 Science degrees including an Associates in Biology, a Bachelors with High Honors in Exercise Physiology and a Masters in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Science. Since 1987, Kelli has also acquired twenty fitness and nutrition-related certifications allowing her to prescribe exercise programs for healthy adults as well as children, athletes and those with special needs and health conditions. She is certified to instruct kick boxing, SPIN, Pilates, PACE, strength training and more. Calabrese's fitness career began in a local health club in New Jersey where she worked her way from fitness trainer and aerobic instructor, to personal trainer, director, club manager, and partner of a four-club chain. Some of her corporate fitness clients included Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Beneficial Insurance, Nabisco, Gill St. Bernards School, and The Pingry School. Seeing a need for more qualified fitness professionals, Calabrese then opened the first school for preparing candidates for the American Council on Exercise's Personal Training exams. In 9 years, her school prepared over 3,000 students with a 90% passing rate, to become Group Fitness Instructors, Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultants, Clinical Exercise Specialists, and Personal Trainers. To deliver the fitness and weight loss message to more people, Calabrese decided her consulting company would focus on reaching people online and through magazines, TV, radio, audio programs, books and live seminars. Through her website, Calabrese was able to combine her passion for helping others with her quest to train professionals. In addition to receiving fitness advice, clients can register for online personal training and coaching. Fitness professionals can use the site Calabrese Consulting to learn about growing their business through Calabrese's published articles and Coaching Services. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 16 www.kellicalabrese.com From 2000 -2003 Kelli was the Lead Fitness Expert for eDiets.com; the leading weight loss destination, and was the lead expert responsible for the launch of eFitness.com. Calabrese is the co-author of "Feminine, Firm, and Fit", a twelve-week fitness makeover program for women. She has been spoken internationally on fitness-related topics, and is published in hundreds of magazines and professional journals. She is the editor of “Personal Fitness Professional” and “Wellness and Fitness Entrepreneur” magazines. For the book "The Power of Champions", Calabrese assisted in hand picking fifty four of the world's top trainers and invited them each to contribute a chapter to the book. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Personal Trainer Business Alliance and is an Expert Fellow and Advisor for the National Board of Fitness Examiners. She is a Fitness Expert for iParenting.com and Family Energy Magazine. Kelli is the 2004 Personal Trainer of the Year for Online Trainer and is the Lead Exercise Physiologist and Advisor to NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Training Association). Calabrese is a former spokesperson for The American Council on Exercise. Kelli’s personal mission is to provide individuals with the tools to make health and fitness a permanent part of their lives through teaching methods to improve behaviors, make wholesome and nutritious food choices, incorporate a regular commitment to exercise and to practice recovery. You may find more information at www.KelliCalabrese.com and you may contact her at Kelli@KelliCalabrese.com. WOMEN & FITNESS – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KELLI CALABRESE www.all-about-fitness-planning.com 17 www.kellicalabrese.com ALAIN MOKBEL BIOGRAPHY Alain Mokbel started his fitness career with martial arts. His interest, drive and curiosity led him to try different styles of martial arts, starting with Kyokushin Karate. He then progressed to Kick-Boxing. Fitness has always been a passion for him. Although trained as a chemical engineer, he always found time to fit in exercise and fitness into his lifestyle. During this time, he always kept a lean physique and was highly active. During his first full time job as an inside sales person, his activity level dropped, making him gain about 15 lbs in 8 months and progressed from 170 lbs to 200 lbs in about 2 years. Like most people, he first accepted his condition until, one day, he decided it was enough. He began his search for ways to lose weight in a proper and healthy way. This led him to lose 20 lbs in year following different programs online. His passion for fitness and exercise was renewed. In order to help him stay focused, he decided to create www.all-aboutfitnnessplanning.com. A website dedicated to regular people who are looking for information on fitness, nutrition, fat loss and muscle gain. He uses his training in engineering and project management to give ideas, tips and tricks to create a proper fitness plan and stick with it. You can sign-up to his newsletter at here. You may find more information at www.all-about-fitnessplannningcom and you may contact her at info@all-aboutfitnnessplanning.com.