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Loud Fitness by Tanja Djelevic

Ask Tanja: How Can I Look More Womanly?

TanjaPortrait3Q: I have always been very thin/skinny, though recently I have been able to jump up in weight. Now I am approximately 131 pounds at 5’5″ and I work out a little bit at home. I do squats and your Gaiam Resistance Cord DVD.

However, my upper body (core?) still seems too narrow and almost childlike to look at. I have a small bust also. Is there a way to broaden my upper body without losing size in my bust and without goofing up and turning what little body mass I have into unhealthy looking/skinny muscle? If that makes sense. I wish to look more womanly. – Angela

A: Hi, Angela! I have to say that I am not 100% clear on what the problem is. Let’s see: you don’t want to lose weight, but you want to look toned, but not too fit – am I getting it right?

Well, as I also have a small sized bust, I think I understand what you are getting at. No, you cannot grow a bigger bust. You can train your pecs a little so that the bust gives the ILLUSION of being bit bigger, but unfortunately, as you lose fat tissue on the body, usually the boobs get smaller. :( I know. Sad story as we don’t have a lot, anyway. Haha.

To give the illusion of a “bigger” upper body, I think you should not be afraid to build some muscle. It is hard for us girls to do that, anyway, but giving the body symmetry is the trick to the illusion. It sounds like you are healthy, and in a healthy shape, and if you want to build a little upper body, focus on body weight exercises like push-ups, dips from a bench or chair, etc. Also, what you can do is add some protein (instead of carbs) to your diet, and you will see a difference, albeit slight, in body mass.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. :)

Do you have a question? Don’t be shy – ask it here!

Expert Tips: Juicing & Blending

I recently asked holistic nutritionist Kitty Martone for tips on juicing and blending. What’s the difference, and is one better than the other? Check out Kitty’s expert advice and recommended brands:

Juicing & Blending are two different animals.

Blending is preferred because it’s the whole vegetable, fiber and all, plus minimal damage to the vegetable compared to being juiced. However, you can’t get as many minerals because you get full on all that fiber so fast.

Juicing is awesome for concentrated mineral uptake in large volume.

So I do 1 green smoothie (blended) in the morning and 2 to 3 quarts of veggie juice throughout the day (pre-juiced).

I have a Vitamix blender that you could probably run over with your car and it would still work – love it.

I also have an Omega Upright 350 Masticating juicer. It literally chews the vegetables up and there is less damage and it yields a bit more juice than the ones that spin like the Breville and the Jack LaLanne. These juicers ‘damage’ or oxidate the juice more by spinning the vegetables.

The best option is the Norwalk juicer. This presses the juice and is 100% not damaged. However, it’s really pricey and really high maintenance. That being said, I had a Jack LaLanne for 2 years and loved it.

For a person who’s just starting, I say just get the damn juice in you! But when you’re getting particular and good at it, then a masticating juicer is best. In my experience and preference. :-)

Thanks, Kitty!

Image: gadl

The Perfect Workout

I wish there was a Perfect Workout! This is what every single class, gym, trainer, DVD, gnome, diehard, gadget sells. The Perfect Workout.

In theory it’s the Perfect combination of a few movements put together with Perfect timing at a Perfect pace … well, you get what I’m saying. It’s pretty tricky to define what constitutes this Perfect way of packing all the good things into a short and effective period of time. Commercially, though, it sells on the notion of that there is in fact a perfect ONE size fits ALL. This, however, is far away from any conceivable truth.

I was prompted to write this by two things. One lady asked me how many calories a specific DVD burned. Also, I have been doing these fun little Reluctantly Healthy segments with my client Judy Greer for Yahoo and they have definitely got different styles of attention.

As a professional and as someone who has the safety of all types of people exercising in mind (being mindful of this is a clear responsibility in our field), I can define the Perfect Workout through my own eyes and hope that you will leave this blog with a little bit more awareness. As always, question everything, even what I say – it is GOOD for you!

The Perfect Workout is the one that CORRESPONDS to your exact, individual needs and goals. Period.

If you are a 300-pound, 50-year-old man, your workout needs and requirements are CLEARLY going to be different than 130-pound, CrossFit, 20-year-old power girl.

I know this is Fitness for Dummies, but aren’t we all sometimes victims to actually believing that there are shortcuts, magic pills, gadgets, and combinations that WILL get us there FASTER? Yes!! Even I get duped into doubting sometimes … but I fight it. :)

So, in essence: the moment you decide to actively educate yourself about what you need, and why, you are moving closer the reality of Your Perfect Workout!

Nevertheless, here are a few workouts that I really LIKE the set-up, response, combination, and effectivity of:

Bendable Body: A flexibility workout that targets ROM (range of motion), joint mobility, core stability and postural health and strength. Foundational training that most people need!

Barry’s Bootcamp: Intense tread running (you really are born to run!) and traditional resistance training in intervals.

Metabolic Conditioning or MetCon: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) at its best. Full body training at a fast pace!

Swimming: Great cardio moving the WHOLE body, and being in the water has rehabilitory effects! Transformative!

TRX: LOVE the suspension workout for the whole body and you can just put it up in a tree and do resistance training with focus on the core, anywhere!

Let me know what workouts you like for your body and how it makes you feel! It can be great to try and do something new and just get fresh ideas!!

Reluctantly Healthy with Judy Greer

In this latest episode of Reluctantly Healthy, I show host Judy Greer The Workout in a Box – an agility workout that requires nothing more than a large square space.

Opening Your Heart

Love

I try my best to live a positive life. It’s probably partially because I’m born with a sort of (some would say annoyingly) happy disposition. But also because I choose it. I choose it every day.

Yes, I get pissed off like anyone else. I get tired, anxious, insecure, and fall flat on my face in so many ways. But I have made a conscious choice to get up again. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. When it works, I also credit myself for the good. When it doesn’t work, I know I might need some help, some extra love, or to let myself be low.

My cultural heritage is one of Eastern Bloc melancholy and Scandinavian introverted emotion. In Sweden we have our famous Jante Lagen, which is like an unwritten law that states that One should not think One is different from anyone else, and shouldn’t stand out. Sounds dazzling, doesn’t it?!

When I was old enough to come to terms with what was hurting me in my life – my own way of thinking – I decided to make a change. I wrote my own law for myself. Cliché or not, every day is a gift. Every person you meet has a special gift and is beautiful.

People feed into negative behavioral patterns for reasons we don’t have to take into account, but one thing I know for sure:

Everyone can make the choice to be loving and kind hearted. Everyone can choose to come from a place of gratitude and understanding.

All of us are not equally blessed with material means, physical looks, health, freedom. When we do have a fraction of it, why not celebrate it?!

I was inspired to write this because I experience people every single day. It’s my job. I have clients in all areas of life. I meet millionaires and people of simple means, hardcore go-getters and those who are happy with the little things in life. And what it continues to teach me is that everyone just wants to be loved. Everyone has a need to be accepted the way they are.

The more Love I extend to my surroundings, the more power it seems to gain, and it gives right back. It spreads like rings on water, and inspires more of the same. Why would there even be a question which one you would choose?!

Try this audio meditation to get you on the path towards an open heart and mind:

Meditation on Opening Your Heart

Image: Dyanna

Loud Fitness by Tanja Djelevic
Loud Fitness by Tanja Djelevic
Loud Fitness by Tanja Djelevic
Loud Fitness by Tanja Djelevic

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Loud Fitness by Tanja Djelevic