Exercise and Diet Tips
Hi, this is Lawrence, IHP instructor and creator of STREETFIT. Thanks for joining me in a recent fitness class around the Bay Area. I recommend you stick with it and join my, and other instructor’s classes at least 3 times a week so that your you and deserving body maintains and improves its fitness level over time.
It has always been my dream to help people, get in shape, lose weight and look great! (Which helps us feel great and emotionally and mentally stable as well.)
Many people have asked for playlists, tips and resources on diet & exercise so here they are… An updated list of videos and resources that I use, and I think you will enjoy as a starting point. You can bookmark this page as I will add things periodically. I hope it helps you to better achieve your fitness goals. If you have any questions, please email me at lawrence@streetfit.com
1. My Cool Playlists – My Secret Sauce:
(August IHP – 2021) Click Here
(Summer IHP – 2021) Click here
(Spring III IHP – 2021) Click here
2. Next, here’s the routine I pattern my abs workout after. (You may recognize the music from my classes. She is an inspiration to many. Lay down your mat, click play, and just do it! You can also subscribe to her channel, put it in your calendar, and try all her workouts at home. ) Courtesy of Pamela Reif from Germany (video below): https://youtu.be/Q-
Weight Loss
3. Third, if you are looking to lose weight (or weight stabilization), or target a certain area of the body, you’re not alone. And to do this, we first need to educate ourselves about what happens in our bodies when we gain weight. Weight gain, is a “stress response” it should be noted. Like a puffy layer of protective “insulation”, insulin is released into our blood like an alarm bell, when our body cannot handle the amount of sugar and carbohydrates we put in it. It is perceived as a “stressor” on the body, as well as whenever we are under stress, do not get enough rest, quality sleep, have stressful situations and circumstances in our life. Insulin is sugar stored as a fat. So when we see someone who is obese, we know that either from a dietary perspective, or emotionally, that person is under stress.
Therefore, it is said that weight loss (or weight stabilization) is 70% diet, and other factors, and 30% exercise. That said, exercise raises our metabolism, reduces stress, releases toxins, improves our endurance, muscle tone and fitness levels and helps us to curb our appetite, so exercise (along with the proper rest and removing stress factors) helps us achieve weight loss or weight stabilization as well as boosts our confidence and self-esteem.
Before we get to the 70% diet, one last and important note about exercise to achieve maximum results and to receive all the health benefits, including detoxification of the body, oxygenating the blood, stress release and weight loss is the breathing. (Muscles use the oxygen and sugars in the blood for energy to perform, fat breaks down into carbon dioxide and water.) Full inhalations, and exhalations, (beyond what may seem socially acceptable in other settings) are essential when we exercise to get the maximum benefits.
For me, the perfect workout incorporates a warm-up, stretching, strength training, cardio, balance and coordination, yin-yang balance of softness and intensity, and focus on the breathing.
This Japanese, 2-minute-a-day-exercise for weight loss is all about inhaling to oxygenate your muscles and then flexing them tight as you exhale, releasing Co2 and water which again, is how fat burns. (It forces you to breathe deeply.) Try it once in the morning, and once in the evening (Takes only 2 minutes a day! Remember to de-stress and rest well. ) Here it is (video below): https://youtu.be/0vvRNd9RLpo
4. I’m also going to give you 2 more related videos: One is ‘My Secret to a Small Waist’ (vacuum pose) here: https://youtu.be/fY2ecfQXhuA
and, “Lose weight fast – Drop one size in one week’ – Dr. Berg (combines diet and exercise and rest) here: https://youtu.be/6kECxmz0uw‘
Diet Education
In this next part, I am going to take you down a road which may be new to you. It’s about your body and what you put in it. (aka Diet.) I hope you find it interesting. What I learned in the last few years as a fitness instructor truly opened my eyes and contradicts much of what’s out there / what I learned growing up in New York. Here are a few videos:
5. ‘What happens when you stop eating sugar for 14 days’ (positive effects, weight loss, less hunger, gut health): https://youtu.be/mRj1RKh4xyY
6. ‘I quit sugar for 30 days’ – (cravings, addiction, fixing poor habits and changing lifestyle): https://youtu.be/Ufm0yPA-kWc
7. ‘If Bread is so Bad, Why are the French People So Thin?’ – Dr. Berg. https://youtu.be/m11PixK4G90
8. ‘Good Fats vs. Bad Fats’ – Dr. Berg https://youtu.be/Yn29mdxEw9w
9. ‘History of Fasting’ (video below): https://youtu.be/APZCfmgzoS
Intermittent Fasting
The previous video illustrates that the body respond better to fasting, than reducing calories. This lends itself well to the idea of Intermittent Fasting and eliminating certain foods from our diet completely.
Intermittent Fasting is a more scientifically enlightened approach to weight loss. I suggest that everyone become aware of their food intake first; not only what they are consuming, but when, eating habits, snacking, sweet cravings, alcohol and any other uncontrollable food addictions, and even keep a daily food intake diary for a week. (Be kind to yourself during this process.)
Then, you’ll be empowered to make changes and ready for the next step. Enter the world of Intermittent Fasting!
10. ‘Introduction to Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss’: https://youtu.be/lwCRjwDs1Ek
11. ‘More do’s and don’ts of Intermittent Fasting, including doing HIIT, Hot Yoga, Bikram & IHP Training’: https://youtu.be/aHKaygC0PnQ
12. ‘How Intermittent Fasting Affects your Body and Brain’: https://youtu.be/Sgeh2w0j51w
13. Also ‘Celeb Terry Crews’, https://youtu.be/dW_99QcCTzE
14. Finally, ‘Autophagy’: https://youtu.be/-mKvLQxaTvo
Conclusion
Learning about Diet and what we put in our body is truly and amazing journey. It’s important to “Get Healthy First” then lose weight by adjusting our habits gradually (Over 6 months to 1 year) educating ourselves along the way. Just like it’ it’s important to “Get in Shape” gradually, with good form, in order to see consistent gains with less stress and risk of injury, and build in intensely gradually (Over 3-6 months).
I’d like to share with you one more secret for success: Our brains get rewired for fitness and keeping a healthy diet, just by visualizing ourselves doing it. That means, by watching these videos, and others, watching sports, the olympics, athletes, hanging out with others who keep fit (and not so much with those who don’t), understanding a bit about nutrition and getting clear about what the put in their bodies, where we shop, looking at the ingredients of what we buy, etc. you will get in shape, lose weight and look (and feel) great, because you are changing your lifestyle and mentally rewiring yourself for success.
If the people around you have poor habits and addictions around eating, snacking, sugar, drinking, smoking and want you to accompany them, just say no. If someone creates stress in you life, find ways to say no, or don’t be bothered by focusing more on you. If you have any questions or comments please email me at lawrence@streetfit.com . Namaste! <3 <3 <3