P doesn’t exercise, she told me, so I launched into my newfound enthusiasm for the benefits of exercise, especially under the direction of LA-based Vann Duke.
“He’s without doubt the finest trainer with whom I’ve ever worked,” I told P. I sparked her interest when I told her that I do four half-hour sessions of cardio and weights with him each week, via Skype. Like I, Pat doesn’t like hour-long sessions, so she thought she might try working with Vann. She said she’d at least have an initial consultation with him.
I assure you that Vann isn’t giving me a commission if I get him business.
I just love how he’s helping me strengthen my muscles, from my legs (I can actually stand on one leg for more than a microsecond, without toppling over) to my heart (I can climb three consecutive steep flights of stairs in the subway without huffing and puffing when I’m done). And when I love something, I love to share it with my FOFriends (except for a man!)
The nice thing about eating well and exercising is that the results of one activity positively impact the results of the other. Before I started eating smartly, five weeks ago, I’d gobble up five cookies immediately after an exercise session. So the calories I consumed doing one activity negated the calories I burned doing the other. Now, I have more energy to exercise and less desire to gobble the wrong foods.
Here’s today’s exercise for you to try.
The bent-over dumbbell row tops Vann’s list because “It trains several of the major muscles of the upper back, so you can expect higher calorie burn, and a direct target to reducing your belly fat!”
He thinks this is one of the best exercises to keep you standing tall and upright, if hunched shoulders are an issue. “Expect shapely and toned arms as well. The dumbbell row might look simple, but it packs a serious punch…right to the gut!” Vann says.
