Zuzka Light » Zblog

Motivation is something many people struggle with when it comes to fitness and wellbeing. As with any kind of inspiration, motivation can be a difficult, inconsistent pursuit, especially as beginners and novices. Unfortunately, it often proves to be as difficult to find as a needle in a haystack. As a result, our workouts, our diet routines, our general sense of being suffer. We think that we must always be motivated to endure our workouts, exhausting websites, articles and books in our desperate hunt to find it. This is simply not the case. The key is to understand that we shouldn’t be constantly hunting for motivation nor do we necessarily need to have it all of the time.

Struggling with motivation should not be at the focus of our fitness routines. Discipline and forming habits should be. These form the foundation of wellbeing with regards to fitness. Consistency, even when the very last thing we want to do is blast through another set of burpees or squats, is what allows us to reach higher goals and achieve greater results. In fact, as one of my articles pointed out, recent studies indicate that the more we consistently exercise the more we strengthen a positive neurological response in our brains when it comes to working out.

Don’t spend your day or morning worrying about how you’re going to get through your workout. Try to tune out any kind of negative emotional response and treat it like you would a job or a chore. We often go to work and run errands with hardly any enthusiasm and motivation and yet we still do these things, partly out of responsibility, but also because we know that they are necessary. Diet and exercise are no different. We are responsible for our wellbeing.

It’s understandable to seek out some degree of motivation – be it fitting into an old pair of jeans or finding just the right song for your workout – but don’t let it dictate whether or not you workout today, tomorrow or next week. Form a routine and stick to it as best as you can. After enough time spent being consistent, you will find that healthier choices become second nature.

The post Don’t Be At The Mercy of Motivation appeared first on Zuzka Light.

Often when overwhelmed, stressed or just plain tired and over it, we seek out stuff that provides comfort. Usually this involves things that fall under that classic term, ‘instant gratification.’ Unfortunately, healthier choices such as exercising tend to go right out the proverbial window depending on how tough our day is (as do most other choices that require will and effort). For example: Tough day at work? Haagen Dazs to the rescue. Awkward exchange with your mother-in-law? I think I’ll watch this Friends marathon for the next four hours.

While these choices provide some degree of comfort, they don’t do much in terms of helping us move forward in our lives. In fact, more often than not, they end up being a step backward. Of course, we are all human and a little instant gratification here and there may be necessary and even a bit of a good thing for our wellbeing. However, when it turns into a habit, chasing comfort and instant gratification can become a difficult problem to deal with.

What initially may feel good and cause some relief from the burdens of our day, may, down the road, add to our stress and anxiety rather than help diminish them. Ice cream and television are great on a rainy, stress-filled day, but as a method to consistently chase stress and the blues away it is actually counter-productive to our wellbeing. Often the harder choices, the one’s that require a bit more discipline, are, ultimately, more beneficial to us than the easier choices.

When we discuss health and wellbeing we are not just focusing on breaking a sweat and looking good, we are trying to emphasize that diet and consistent exercise are crucial for maintaining a positive outlook toward life even with all the obstacles it throws our way. When we consistently workout stress becomes more manageable. Anxiety is reduced. Our energy skyrockets. The dull clouds of depression disappear. So next time you think a stressful day has you beat, don’t be helpless, fight back! Instead of reaching for the refrigerator door reach for a kettlebell instead. Try it and tell me what you think!

The post Chasing Comfort appeared first on Zuzka Light.

The average hectic weekday is often filled with anxiety. Early morning commutes, screaming kids, overbearing bosses and impossible deadlines surround us. The more we try to tell ourselves to just relax the more impossible it seems. We take a few deep breaths hoping for a miracle, but our anxieties still stand before us like thugs in some gangster movie.

Anxiety not only feels debilitating, making us stumble throughout our day, it can also drive us to make poor choices without realizing it. Rather than soothing our anxieties, these choices – junk food, vegging out, alcohol, etc. – end up adding fuel to our anxious fire, making them worse.

The right choice when dealing with anxiety and stress is often the tougher, harder choice. For example, you just ended your workday. You’re beat. Your boss’s condescending demands are still ringing in your ears. Your drive home was even longer than expected due to a congested river of freeway traffic and apparently using turn signals has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Your mind and body are demanding that you relax, relax, relax. The trouble is, you can’t. It seems impossible. You’re overflowing with anxious energy.

What scientific research now demonstrates more and more is that consistent physical activity is perhaps the most effective balm you can use to calm your frayed nerves. Of course, it seems almost illogical after a long, exhausting day to blast through a twenty-minute HIIT routine or even go for a three-mile run, but, in fact, it’s not.

Elizabeth Gould, a neuroscientist who runs the Gould Lab at Princeton University, recently published a study that indicates that people who consistently exercise develop a much more effective neurological response when dealing with stress and anxiety. Aside from all the feel-good chemicals that are released during exercise – endorphins, dopamine, etc. – the brains in people who consistently work out may actively sooth them during moments of anxiety and, more importantly, lessen the duration of such stress.

Gould’s study focused on the hippocampus region of the brain – the area largely responsible for our emotions - and indicated that continuous exercise may reshape this area of the brain in a manner that allows people to cope and manage stress and anxiety in a far better way than those who choose a sedentary lifestyle.

It’s hard not to freak out when we’re anxious, but try to channel that energy into your workouts. You’ll feel the difference over time. Plenty of research supports this and so do I!

The post Working Out May Be The Best Way to Relax appeared first on Zuzka Light.

Hi Warriorz,

This week we'll pick up where we left off with the Guns & Pistols and do three more workouts from this series. We'll be working again towards practicing and perfecting Pistol Squat which is the best bodyweight exercise for building the strength in your legs and making you overall more athletic. We'll be also working on our shoulders and arms with different variations of push ups and kettlebell exercises such as the overhead shoulder press.

Beginners are going to get their weekly workout as well on Thursday and their job is to complete a 12 minute AMRAP. Just because this workout is aimed for beginners doesn't mean that the rest of us should skip it. It's a great change of pace for us and I believe that with certain modifications, and by challenging ourselves, we can make this routine as hard as we want it to be.

The real challenge will be workout #9. Try to give it all you have and complete the 2 rounds as fast as you can. I really struggled through it, but it gave me that high I was looking for and I was really proud of myself for even finishing it at a decent time. Try your best to at least keep up and don't pause the video. Last thing. Try to have fun!

Monday: ZWOW 95

Tuesday: Guns & Pistols #7 (3 rounds for time)

Wednesday: ZSHRED 15

Thursday: Guns & Pistols #8

Friday: ZYOGA 11

Saturday: Guns & Pistols #9

Sunday: Six Pack Abs Series 1

P.S. The links to the new workouts will be up on Monday afternoon (California time).

The post Weekly Zgym Schedule Week Of September 22 appeared first on Zuzka Light.

While it may be true that beauty is only skin deep, ensuring that we have healthy skin, especially as we age, is something that most women obsess over. It’s no wonder skin creams and lotions are advertised and sold as magic potions all over the world. Unfortunately, so many of these products amount to so much snake oil. The truth is one of the most effective ways to ensure healthy skin is by consistently working out.

Two recent studies done at McMasters University in Canada demonstrated that exercise not only prolonged healthy skin, it often reversed damage caused by age. The first study effectively showed that exercise had dramatically positive results regarding skin health all the way down to the cellular level. In effect, exercise was rejuvenating skin cells better than even the best anti-aging cream could ever hope for. Why? Exercise was actually rebuilding and revitalizing the skin cells.

The second study done at McMasters University focused on a group of men and women aged between 20 and 84. Some were active, exercising at least three hours a week, while others were sedentary. The results were startling according to Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, who headed the study. Men and women over the age of 40 who exercised frequently had skin health remarkably similar to individuals in their 20’s and 30’s. These older individuals who maintained a steady exercise regimen had thinner, healthier skin. As Dr. Tarnopolsky recently explained to The New York Times, even under microscopic examination the skin of these older, active individuals shared a much closer resemblance to younger people than with people the same age or older.

Of course, Dr. Tarnopolsky points out that diet and genetics play a role in how our skin ages as well. However, these two studies demonstrate quite effectively the importance of exercise in relation to the health of our skin. So go ahead and sweat it out with me! That’s the real fountain of youth!

The post Exercise and Skin Health appeared first on Zuzka Light.

Fatigue affects us all and can be caused by a variety of factors. The most obvious cause of fatigue is physical, but that is not necessarily the most common type of fatigue nor is it the most challenging. Often mental fatigue can take a greater toll on our energy more than anything else. Juggling our various roles and responsibilities can be taxing on our willpower not just our energy. In general, fatigue is usually a combination of factors. For example, an argument with your boss may create stress that, in turn, causes you to binge on ice cream and chips for lunch instead of that kale salad you prepared the night before. Not only are you mentally fatigued by the argument, but it lead to a poor dietary choice that did little to reenergize you causing physical fatigue. All of sudden, the desire to exercise after work becomes less of a priority as we stumble through our day stressed and exhausted.

Recognizing the cause of fatigue is the key to getting back on track. Addressing the cause is, of course, the next step. Here are four tips to help address fatigue throughout your day.

Hydration – Not drinking enough water throughout the day is an incredibly common cause of fatigue and sluggishness. Hydration is vital for our wellbeing.

Nutrition – A poor diet is another notorious cause of a fatigue. Not eating a healthy balance of proper nutrient-rich food can and will lead to fatigue. Fruits and vegetables are fatigue fighters as are whole grains and sources of lean protein. Avoid too much sugar. As most of you already know, though sugar causes a brief, short-lived spike in energy that energy spike is followed by the classic sugar crash.

Meditation – Mental fatigue can be a lot trickier to deal with than fatigue caused by our physical bodies. Especially in the context of working out, our minds decide to quit well before our bodies do. Sometimes the most beneficial thing to do to fight fatigue, mental or otherwise, is to exercise, but getting past that initial hurdle can seem like an impossible task. Meditation helps, especially if we’re having consistent difficulty quieting the noise in our heads. Overtime, meditation provides focus and acts as a dimmer switch to all the senseless chatter and anxiety that can sometimes overwhelm us.

Rest, Rest, Rest – Perhaps the most obvious cause of fatigue is lack of rest. Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when people routinely get by on four to five hours of sleep due to work, kids, insomnia, etc. Lack of sleep is a guaranteed method of turning yourself into a zombie, especially if this becomes a habit. Follow these tips for a better night’s rest. Also, if you just can’t get a full eight hours of sleep at night, take naps and catch up on your rest during your days off.

The post Fighting Fatigue appeared first on Zuzka Light.

Hi warriors,

Get ready for another week of fun training and new challenging workouts!

Monday: ZSHRED #25

Tuesday: ZWOW #117 (new)

Wednesday: Active Rest or 5 Minute Workout (The Ultimate Fat Burner)

Thursday: TABATA TRAINING #13 (new)

Friday: ZYOGA #22 (new)

Saturday: Lifted Butt Series Workout #8

Sunday: Summer Abs Series Workout #5

____________________________________________________________________________________

P.S. The new workouts will be posted always the day before in the afternoon (California time).

The post Weekly Zgym Schedule Week of September 29 appeared first on Zuzka Light.

If anyone asked me if I regret anything I've done in the past, I'd say sure, but what I really regret are all the things that I haven't done. Whenever we go through any difficulties in life, it always seems that things are just happening to us. That we have no control over anything and we tent to blame the environment we live in. Try to look back when you felt that way. Now you can actually see it from a distance and look at the problem objectively. It's always our actions or the lack of them why we end up in problematic situations.

I'm not saying that there are no accidents or unfortunate circumstances. You didn't get to choose your own family, or the place you were born. It wasn't your fault that the car rear-ended you, and it certainly wasn't your intension to be betrayed by your friend or a business partner. However, we always have a choice to deal with these unfortunate situations in a way that will help us in the future. The biggest mistake we do is think and act for the favor of short term benefits. If we just think about how to avoid pain, risk, discomfort, or chaos right now, without taking the rest of our life into consideration, then we're just asking for more trouble down the road.

Isn't it hard to get yourself off the couch today to do your training? I bet it is, but it's not going to get better with time. If you take action today, you will avoid a lot of pain in the future. Are you unhappy with your job, but scared to make a change and face uncertainty? How long do you want to suffer, before you'll be willing to take the risk and take some action? Is it hard to give up your favorite sugary treats today, because they bring you so much comfort? For sure, but think of the long term benefits. Think of the long term problems if you don't change your habits today.

Most of us know what's good for us and what's bad. We procrastinate and keep putting off the things we know we should be doing. For what? The momentary comfort? Take the pride in taking action for the better of your future, no matter how hard it is right now. You know it's going to pay off.

The post What Shapes our Lives appeared first on Zuzka Light.

With Halloween just around the corner, I’ve been thinking about our skeletons. More specifically bone health and what we can do as women to ensure healthy bones well into old age. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, osteoporosis occurs in a whopping 80% of all menopausal women! Menopause may be a long way away for some of you, but plan ahead! Building and maintain healthy bones now will pay off later. Osteoporosis is a preventable disease and not something we have to live in fear of as we age. We can and should take the necessary steps to insure that our bones remain strong throughout our entire life.

Proper diet is crucial for overall health not just bone health. While the jury is still out regarding just how much calcium and Vitamin D ought to be consumed, they have been studied enough to indicate that they are both important for bone health. Also, a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is vital though if you’ve been with me long enough you already know just how important they are!

What we do know, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, is that exercise, especially weight-bearing exercises (grab your kettlebells!) are crucial for bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises (including bodyweight exercises) puts a beneficial stress on our bones that triggers growth. This growth forces our bones to become denser and stronger.

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Many of us who are still young enough don’t often think about our health and wellbeing in the long-term, but we really should especially as women. Looking good is important, but feeling great well into our twilight years is even better! Think holistically. Much of the work you do now with me - sweating it out at the ZGym and eating right - will pay off exponentially down the road. In fact, it might just make all the difference in our longevity and wellbeing.

The post Exercise and Bone Health appeared first on Zuzka Light.

I’m sure many of you have experienced the following painful symptoms when working out with me: Your muscles feel like they might be caught in some kind of exercise-induced wildfire from all the lactic burn. Oxygen seems to suddenly be at a premium. Your lungs are caught in a bear hug and maybe you’re even a little nauseous. Your timer or stopwatch could not be moving any slower and if you have to do one more squat you’re pretty sure you might turn into jello and collapse onto the floor.

I’ll be the first to tell you that working out effectively and consistently is not easy. In fact, it can be a downright pain in the behind. Some of you may laugh a little if I tell you that consistently working out is actually good for managing the aches and pains in our bodies, but it’s true!

Scientists are well aware that, at least in the short term, strenuous exercise temporarily increases our resistance to pain. Our bodies naturally release natural painkillers in the form of endorphins during tough workouts. Known as exercise-induced hypoalgesia, a whole host of studies seem to indicate that, at least for a short duration of time, working out greatly increases our tolerance for pain.

Still, what about the long-term effects of exercise on pain management? After all, we are trying to focus on longevity and wellbeing, not just looking good (though that helps!). A recent study done at the University of New South Wales and Neuroscience Research Australia indicates that one of the more pronounced effects of consistent exercise is a substantial increase in tolerating pain long-term as well.

While the study was unable to find an exact physiological reason for the increase in pain tolerance, it did discover that working out develops mental fortitude and toughness to better handle pain. However, Matthew Jones, the lead researcher in the study, believes that the brain is providing some kind of neurological response as well. This neurological response seems likely given how much recent research has come out as of late regarding exercise and the brain.

Of course, if you’re injured or feeling a sharp pain anywhere in your body, go see a doctor immediately. Otherwise, get ready to chase those aches and pains away with me!

The post Increasing Pain Tolerance Through Exercise appeared first on Zuzka Light.

You are unauthorized to view this page. Please login to your ZGYM account or sign-up today for access. Username Password Remember Me Lost Password?

The post Weekly Zgym Schedule Week of October 13 appeared first on Zuzka Light.

Just five minutes of exercise, Z? Really? How is that possible? The short answer is yes. Five minutes of exercise has been shown to have a definite, positive effect on our health and wellbeing.

Of course, there are other factors to consider – diet, weight, genetic predispositions, smokers vs. nonsmokers. Still, this recent study demonstrated that five minutes of exercise has a whole host of benefits to our health. The study focused on running, but that didn’t force the researchers to conclude that running exclusively was necessary to draw benefits from at least five minutes of exercise.

An insightful New York Times article provided even more information regarding the details of this study. For example, regardless of the average length of time individuals ran – from five minutes to two hours – runners were 30 percent less likely to die from a cardiovascular-related disease than those who remained sedentary.

Recently I’ve been implementing some workouts based around five minute routines. While these routines are meant to be quick bursts of movement when time is at a premium there is now some definite science behind the benefits of such quick, powerful workouts.

Some of you might still be thinking that study focused on running – quite different than the Zgym. That, again, is not necessarily the case. The Zgym is focused on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT has been routinely demonstrated as being more effective and efficient for our overall cardiovascular health than steady-state exercises such as running and walking.

Also, bear in mind that Dr. Timothy Church, the professor and scientist who co-authored the study on the benefits of running at least five minutes a day, insists that it’s not running in particular that provides such dramatic results to our health, but strenuous exercise. In fact, Church is quoted in the New York Times piece stating: “There’s not necessarily something magical about running…Running just happens to be the most convenient way for most people to exercise intensely.”

Bear in mind though that if your goals are weight loss, muscle building or athletic training, five minutes is probably not going to be enough. However, if all you have is five minutes to workout on any given day, then do it! It’s proven to be better than doing nothing at all!

No excuses, Warriors! I know you have five minutes! Let’s do this!

The post Just Five Minutes? appeared first on Zuzka Light.

I don't know how about you, but I personally don't like to compromise between comfort and style. As much as I like the look of skinny jeans with high heels, and a tight leather jacket, I don't like to get out of my comfort zone like this on a casual day. And as much as I'd like to hang out in my old stretched out sweatpants all day, I won't do it because I wouldn't feel comfortable inside. One is about a physical comfort and the other is about energy. It's no different than Feng Shui, You have to feel good inside and out, to be truly comfortable so picking the right outfit for yourself is just as important as creating a cozy home.

The perfect casual outfit for me will always be a comfortable pair of jeans and a tank top, or some cute active wear. I thought that instead of sharing with you my latest active wear outfit (sadly from a few months ago) I'd rather show you what's in and out there right now, and see if you and I share the same wish list for brand new outfits.

1. Nike - I need this skirt and I need the hoodie. Jesse and I like to go play tennis every now and then, and this outfit would make me want to go even more often.

2. Lululemon - I think this outfit from Lulu rocks. It's so simple, yet chick and sporty.

3. Forever 21 - I'm quite familiar with this brand, but to be honest, I have actually just came across their active wear, and I like it. The tunic and the pullover hoodie were my two favorite pieces from their collection.

4. Fabletics - A new brand co-founded by Kate Hudson. They have cute, affordable outfits, and they offer an interesting membership plan that gets you a new outfit every month for a discounted price.

5. Lorna Jane - There are a lot more outfits to choose from her new collection, and it was really hard to pick only 4 of my favorites.

The post Top 10 Active Wear Outfits appeared first on Zuzka Light.

The interconnectedness between our mental, emotional and physical lives is becoming more and more apparent, at least to the world of science. Many of us have intuitively known this to be true even before there was any science to prove it. While we couldn’t necessarily say why working out and eating healthy affects us in such a positive manner, our guts knew we were on to something vital and important. Thankfully, so much research has been done in the scientific community over the past twenty years or so to confirm what we knew all along!

Recent studies done at Georgia Tech University and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio demonstrated the beneficial role exercise had on memory and, potentially, curbing the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s in individuals as they get older.

The study done at Georgia Tech demonstrated that lifting weights improved episodic memory – another term for long-term memory – upwards of 10% in healthy, young adults. This particular study focused on weightlifting. Previous studies had already demonstrated that aerobic exercise – running, walking, etc. – improved memory as well. All the more reason to workout before a big exam!

The Cleveland Clinic study focused on the role exercise may play in preventing or, at least, limiting the effects of Alzheimer’s disease in elderly individuals. The results were startling and quite encouraging. Alzheimer’s disease changes the physical landscape of the brain causing memory loss and dementia. However, this particular study showed that exercise also changes the physical makeup of the brain, potentially countering the negative effects of this tragic disease. Exercise did not cure individuals, but, according to the researchers, it may very well limit or lessen the effects of the disease though more research is needed to provide conclusive evidence.

If you’re lost in a mental fog, having difficulty studying or with a project at work, take an exercise break. I can almost guarantee that a nice sweat during one of my workouts will, at the very least, reenergize you for the task at hand. More importantly, it may also give your brain a much-needed boost!

The post Exercise and Memory appeared first on Zuzka Light.