So what have you been up to??

Apr 15, 2021 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Sorry it’s been so long since I blogged last!! I just wanted to check in with everyone to see what’s up? What have you been doing to keep yourself physically fit and busy during the pandemic?

I personally am now going back to the gym three times a week with a bare bones three day split. I can’t remember a time when haven’t hit the iron and it’s really nice to be back in a gym environment.

Otherwise I have been doing 2-3 days of elliptical a week and I try to get a least two days of marital arts training. Fortunately with the coming of Spring I can get back to more full fledged martial arts workouts outdoors. I also stretch for about 45 min at least twice a week.

I’d be curious to know what has been keeping you busy?? Some things to consider are beefing up your home gym, personal training by Zoom or FaceTime. Peloton’s have become very popular (my wife loves hers). We are in Spring now so biking, hiking, walking, running, jogging, roller blading (which I do whenever I can with my kids) and of course the all time favorite – yard work are great options!!

Anyway keep pushing hard and try to keep yourself healthy.

Train Hard, Train Safe!!

Planning for the New Year

Dec 28, 2020 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

What is your exercise plan for the New Year? Do you have one? Is it even on the radar? Well this is a great time of year to start planning or revising your exercise goals for the coming year.

Maybe this will be the year you start exercising, maybe this will be the year you set higher goals, or possibly start a new sport or exercise pursuit.

I personally will be continuing to strengthen my right knee/leg (just recently got a partial knee replacement). I will also be focusing on improving my kicks as well. I got a new set of kicking targets that I am having fun with.

I plan to keep with my lifting routine of three times a week, cardio at least two times a week, long stretch routines twice a week and martial arts training whenever I can, weather permitting (my school is still closed due to Covid-19). In a perfect world I do martial arts training two to three times a week.

I also plan to start using the Lose It app again to better track my input vs. output.

Other than that I will just keep keeping on…because that is how to get it done, consistency and persistence are always the way.

Let me know what your plan is, I’m curious to know.

Testing out some new neck training equipment

What do you do to help get you through your workouts?

Oct 5, 2020 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Having been an exercise enthusiast all my life there are times when it can be a bit of a grind. So what’s to be done to help with boredom or need for motivation?

My first go to is of course music…if it drives I listen. Have a play list ready, and work on updating it every so often to keep it fresh.

On occasion I might try a new supplement or revisit an old one. I’m actually about to try Animal Paks again.

New fitness gear and clothing are great go to as well. New outfits, especially new t-shirts are top for me. Then of course any new fitness gear is epic, I am now trying out some new neck training equipment.

I also like to use fitness trackers, and diet apps they are great ways to track progress and viewing the results of your efforts. One of my favorites is LoseIt.

And last but not least I like doing research – getting books on exercise theories and techniques and checking out YouTube.

What do you like to do to keep yourself motivated I’m curious let me know.

Train Hard, Train Safe

-JETT

What is enough?

Sep 17, 2020 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

How much exercise do we need? You hear it all the time one hour of cardio day, make sure to lift weights, stretch, and so on.

Well I’ll just let you know I do, and it’s not necessarily what I recommend as everyone is different but here it anyway.

I like to lift three days a week, I usually will train a three day split routine that I vary every six weeks or so. 

I train martial arts two to three times a week, which is a challenge these days as our school is still not open unfortunately.

I will stretch on average two days a week, I could use more!!

Cardio will usually be two to three days a week, that has been a little less since I am still in physical therapy for my partial knee replacement but can do about twenty-five minutes on the elliptical so far.

Is this enough…I don’t know but its a routine I like and it makes me feel good and that is as important as anything else.

Let me know what you like to do?!

Train Hard, Train Safe!!

JETT

Are You Exercising?!

May 13, 2020 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

Be it an albeit obvious subject for a blog post considering its source, it’s still a valid relevant question. We are in strange times and it’s extremely easy to let healthy pursuits fall to the wayside.

Just because you are stuck at home is no excuse to side step the attentions of your physical well being. There is always a way to make it work and in many ways we are now afforded with much greater control over our day to day and even hour to hour activities.

Do a little research and get it done!! Start a new exercise routine, start a new diet (check with your Doctor if you have any health concerns with any new program you are about to begin). Just do something!!

If this isn’t convincing enough take a look at this article I came across and pay close attention to what exercise does for your immune system https://www.norwalkhospital.org/newsroom/article-listing/adults-exercise-and-covid19.

Pandemic or not, exercise is something everyone needs!! Take advantage of the time you have and establish healthy habits.

Be well and be safe!!

Great Time for a Diet!!

May 4, 2020 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

So we’re home and we’re eating healthy right?! Not necessarily, we certainly have the ability to cook and prepare everything for ourselves, but food is good and it provides comfort. And let’s face it we are in some need of comfort in these trying times.

Some of my clients are struggling with their diminished ability to get out and about/lower levels of activity and their increased intake of food. Input vs. output will catch up to you and quickly if you’re not careful.

So what to do?! Simple, take advantage of the extra time you have and start a diet. You’ll never find better circumstances to control your food intake, prep and meal choices. That being said pick a diet you like and start it. I’m sure most of you have a diet book or two collecting dust on your shelves.

Grab that book or maybe buy a new diet book or find something online and make it happen!!

How we come out this mentally and physically will have a great deal to do with how we take advantage of of the time we have been given. 

Don’t squander this opportunity.

Have you ever thought of going Vegan?

Nov 18, 2019 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

It was recommenced to me recently that I watch a Netflix documentary – The Game Changers https://gamechangersmovie.com . I was reluctant and said I would watch this movie with a piece of steak in my mouth.

Within the first fifteen minutes I was starting to think that I may seriously try to become a Vegan. I really can’t do any justice in trying to reiterate the powerful appeal that this movie has to move the needle with diet and overall health but I do highly recommend that you watch it.

I am currently on day three of my new dietary experiment. I have noticed that my gut is going to need a little time to adjust to this new fuel source. Some minor bloating and a few rumbles, fortunately nothing too bad and as I understand it is quite common while adjusting.

My energy levels are high and my strength is good…I am lifting heavy (as much as my 48 year old body can handle lol) and will be at my martial arts school tomorrow…I’ll let you know how it goes.

It has been fun and interesting shopping for foods I would normally never even know existed or ever eat. Over the weekend I bought oat milk, cashew cheese, lentils and tofu. I don’t know if this will be sustainable but I am giving it the old college try.

I can’t say that I would recommend this to my clients but I would definitely recommend watching the moving just at the very least to gain a better understanding.

I’ll let you know how I am feeling in a month or so…

Train Hard, Train Safe!!

How Much Should You Exercise?

Feb 6, 2017 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

This is a question that has been much debated over the years and does not come with an easy answer. I can tell you what has worked with my clients over my twenty years of training.

I cater to the general population, which let’s face it, thats most of us. I like to see two days of lifting a week, three to four days of cardio and a sound diet. Let me now elaborate on my three tiered approach.

With weight-lifting or negative resistance training I like full body workouts set up in a push/pull fashion, with a heavy emphasis on functional movements. I also like to focus on corrective movements based on the Functional Movement Screen (http://www.functionalmovement.com/fms) that I give to all my clients.

The cardiovascular approach we take is very low risk. Two days of elliptical and two days of spinning. Both are no impact cardiovascular options which is key to safety and continuance of regular cardiovascular training. Elliptical training should be done at 55-65% of maximal heart rate to help build a strong cardiovascular base. Spinning covers the need for interval training which is essential. See link for good explanation: http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=7_good_reasons_to_try_interval_training.

As far as diet is concerned, we have a very specific approach that combines a detox cleanse and simple to follow five meal a day approach. It is very much based on being able to fit into the busy schedules that everyone seems to have these days. For more details see link: https://jettllc.biz/services/nutrition/.

I hope this helps and if you are interested in further explanations or just general FAQs please feel free to peruse our website www.jettllc.biz.

The New Year

Jan 1, 2017 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

What will you be thinking about when Auld Lang Syne is playing? I should frame this a little more particularly, I am referring to your health and fitness in the past year…this is not me trying to be Tony Robbins.

I myself have had ups and downs in 2016. I was able to focus for better or worse on a lot of weight lifting à la bodybuilding. To the point that I was contemplating entering a contest/show. This style of lifting however does come with a cost. It is all consuming, very painstaking and the rewards comes slowly. You cardio suffers, your flexibility and speed as well. But boy do you love looking in the mirror, it becomes very narcissistic.

That being said my martial arts training very much fell by the wayside, but not only due to bodybuilding. I have been having foot issues, more specifically – Morton’s Neuromas. This led to surgeries in each of my feet. The second round of surgeries will be January the 13, 2017 (yes I need two surgeries in each foot). This for all intents and purposes has brought me to a complete halt. I have only recently gone from using the upper body cycle (UBC) to recumbent elliptical and I swim when I can.

The last time I lifted was Thursday November the 17, 2016. For those that bodybuild you know thats enough to put you into absolute freakout mode. Fortunately I have vacillated from aerobic to anaerobic training so many times over the years it doesn’t really bother me and it actually sets me up for the New Year.

My plan for the New Year, although due to my next surgery really won’t go fully into effect until Spring will be focused on cardio, flexibility, speed and martial arts. I will also try my hand at grappling as well to compliment my Kung Fu training. My strength training will be greatly reduced most likely two days a week.

I am looking forward to this change of pace and programming, and pushing the limit with my new focus for 2017.

Diet Time Now!!!

Dec 31, 2016 Eric Toussaint 6 Comments

The New Year is here and the time for diet draws nigh!! I must admit with my greatly reduced mobility (thank you foot surgeries) mixed with holiday vacations and all the food and good cheer that come with I have been struggling to maintain my schoolboy physique.

I am up about ten pounds and since I have not lifted weights in six weeks (again thank you foot surgeries) I am losing muscle mass rapidly. I don’t mind the ego hit that comes with the muscle loss but muscle mass burns calories (one pound of muscle burns about 40 calories a day).

I have had some success with the upper body cycle and the recumbent elliptical. I have struggled with getting to the pool for lap swimming; I just need to buckle down and make it happen.

That being said, it’s time to address diet. I have been sucked into holiday mode and have quite frankly been eating horribly. I think partially due to the fact that with my reduced level of activity I’m not mentally as focused on diet and exercise as much. This morning I upgraded to a premium membership on my LoseIt app and will be using it everyday until I reach my goal weight.

I am still trying to figure out what my goal weight should be, I have been as heavy as 200 hundred pounds when really lifting heavy and as light as 164 pounds when really pushing the mountain biking and triathlete pursuits. My focus in the New Year will be martial arts and general endurance. This course of action of course is best helped by staying lean and mean, most likely I’ll shoot for 165 pounds.

My time will be split between lots of cardio with an emphasis on interval training, some weight lifting (most likely only two days a week) and martial arts training.

The main thing to remember for myself and anyone else reading this is simple…there is no exercise regimen that can outperform a bad diet. So even though my exercise regimen will change, my real focus will be on using the LoseIt app and really watching what I eat. Otherwise I will not hit my goal weight. I hope to hit my goal by March at the latest. My starting weight is 179 pounds.

I’ll keep you posted…