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Dubail Fitness Institute

Weight Lifting Boosts Your Libido

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Science suggests lifting weights improves sex drive by encouraging your body to produce more testosterone. Since healthy testosterone levels are associated with sexual desire, doing exercises that can increase testosterone may also amp up your libido. There’s no denying that when people feel stronger and look better, it boosts their self esteem. This impacts every part of your life; personal and professional.

The Science of It

While endocrinologists still have a lot of additional work to do, preliminary studies indicate testosterone boosts from 15 minutes to an hour after lifting weights. People who lift weight also experience surges in testosterone in the morning while it decreases in the afternoon. Another reason an after work workout may be a good idea.

Weight Lifting Boosts Self Esteem

Besides the physical impact of weight lifting, the emotional side affect starts to kick in week 3. After 21 days of consistent working out, people start to feel stronger and their confidence increases. They are standing taller, making calculated movements and focused. When it comes to attraction, confidence is always appealing and people will start noticing those changes.

Ready to start your journey?

 

START TODAY

How to Get Over the Hump

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As an owner of a Miami personal training gym for 17 years, I know It can feel overwhelming sometimes.

You’ve been living your life, maybe raising kids, running your own business or showing up at someone else’s business.

You find you have less and less time to do the important things in life. Things like exercise daily, eat right, sleep enough, and hydrate all day.

Maybe you’re the type of person who already takes pretty good care of yourself, but have gotten away from it recently because of all the other demands of life.

Or maybe you’re the type of person who has “tried” to “get healthy”, but you struggle to be consistent and stay committed.

So you set big goals for yourself.

  • Run 10 miles a week.
  • Eat vegetables with a little protein and fruit.
  • Sleep more. Get to bed at 9:30 every night.
  • Hydrate; drink 10 glasses of water every day.

Sure, those are important to your health, but it’s challenging to make those sorts of big changes all at once.

As a Miami personal trainer, I have worked with hundreds of clients, so I tell you; “The secret?” “Tiny habits”. It’s actually a real thing!

Tiny Habits Make a Difference

Professor BJ Fogg, from Stanford University, created a program called “Tiny Habits” that helps people make big changes over time, by first making really tiny changes.

Here’s an example: Your dentist has been berating you because you don’t floss (lots of people don’t floss!). But you like your gums the way they are – not, you know, diseased – and you decide, “I simply have to floss every day, even though it’s a pain in the neck.”

Professor BJ says you should first decide to floss just ONE TOOTH. Can you handle that? No?

OK, then start by taking the floss out of the drawer.

Seriously. If that’s the first step in the process of flossing all your teeth, just start by taking the floss out of the drawer. Then celebrate! “Yipee! I took the floss out of the drawer! I’m on my way to healthy gums for life!” 🙂

Usually, that’s the hardest part of making change: just STARTING the process. Getting going. Overcoming the inertia of not doing anything.

Once you get going, most of the time, it’s like you just climbed to the crest of a challenging hill, and then the ball starts rolling down the hill; the rest of the process becomes easier.

You can actually stop here, if that’s as much as you can handle today. You accomplished the one small step you set out to accomplish in order to begin this new, bigger habit.

And that brings us to the next step: actually turning this task or action into a habit. Habits are things we do unconsciously, without thinking about it.

Developing a habit

How many habits do you have each day? Probably hundreds. All those things you do without much – or any – thought, are habits. Things like which way you turn when you get out of bed. The way you stroke your hair or your beard. Biting your nails. Brushing your teeth first thing in the morning. You get the idea. All those things you do without even thinking about them.

So the key to starting a NEW, positive habit, is to attach it to something you already do.

Professor BJ says he wanted to start doing pushups. So he decided he would do ONE pushup every time he went to the bathroom. That meant he was doing 5 to 7 a day.

After a couple of days, he added one pushup each time, which doubled his total. Eventually he was doing a lot of pushups every day!

What about getting ready to go out for an early morning run? You can attach one small, new action to something you already do.

For instance, when you brush your teeth at night, then set out your clothes for the morning run so they are all ready for you. If that’s as far as you get the first day, no problem. When you’re ready, figure out what would be the next step.

Now let’s say you’ve put your running clothes out 2 or 3 nights in a row. You’re feeling a little sheepish about not actually going running.

So the next morning when your alarm comes on, you get yourself out of bed and go to the bathroom. Immediately after using the toilet – let’s make that your “trigger” – you put your running clothes on. That’s it. That’s all you have to do today, if that’s all you want to do.

Celebrate! Yipee! You put on running clothes! Give yourself a high five in the mirror! (Seriously. But that’s a topic for another day.)

You get the idea. Next steps would then include: going outside and standing on the sidewalk… walking out to the road… walking down the road… jogging down the road… jogging down to the tree a block away… etc.

You see? Once you get started on the bigger process, it’s much easier just to keep going.

Once each new action becomes automatic, make it the trigger for the next action.

OK, let’s review.

  • Pick a new, healthy habit you want to start including in your life.
  • Break it down into the absolute tiniest steps you can imagine, if doing that new habit seems overwhelming.
  • Attach the very first tiny step to something you already do anyway. Do it for a few days, celebrating and congratulating yourself each time you accomplish it
  • When you feel ready, do the next tiny step.
  • Repeat.
  • Don’t forget to celebrate each of your tiny wins! Your brain thrives on those good feelings. You don’t have to wait for other people to make you feel good; do it for yourself!

Look it’s hard to develop new habits and break old ones, I know, I’ve been helping people change their life for for almost 20 years a Miami personal trainer.  Push through and start with the small steps.

Got it? Cool! I’d love to talk with you about what your next healthy habit is going to be. Or chat with you about whatever other habit you’re already working on, and maybe you need a little support.

Go ahead and reach out to me and we’ll get you set up for a call. I’m looking forward to speaking with you!

 Live Elite,

David Dubail

Why I Drag My Sorry Butt Out of Bed at 5 am

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Why I drag my sorry butt out of bed at 5 a.m.

As a Miami Personal Trainer, I start my day early, the alarm clock rings and I generally pop out of bed.  That wasn’t always the case. It took a long time to get used to that.

I used to hit snooze a few times… but then my mind begins to wake up, I start remembering the things I planned for the day, and I manage to put both feet on the floor and shlep across the room and down the hall,  into the bathroom.

For months, mornings were like that. It doesn’t matter if the alarm comes on at 4 a.m. or 8 a.m. (let’s face it; that never happens!), it’s a challenge to drag myself out of bed.  

I finally dragged myself out of bed and slink into the bathroom in the dark, where I make myself as presentable as a zombie can be. I try not to bang around too much; the last thing I want to do is wake anyone else in the house or I’ll never get out the door.

You see, owning a Miami Personal Training gym as long as I have, I’ve learned that I had to get my workout done first thing in the morning.

I know I won’t do it later.

Working out in the morning gets me pumped up for the day.  I generally eat better, feel better and sleep better.

Another reason I started getting up early and exercising is because it’s a great way to start my day. Before I have a chance to fall behind, I accomplish something challenging!

Like I was saying earlier, mentally, it’s a big boost. I know if I can get the day off to a good start, the rest is more likely to fall into place. It’s much better than sleeping in, then rushing around like a mad person, trying to catch up for the next five hours and still realizing I need to fit in a workout.

If I approach my day like that, I know the workout will never get done.

And of course, when I start my day with exercise, it means I get those endorphins running through my body. Endorphins are chemicals that diminish your perception of pain, and increase a feeling of euphoria. I don’t know about you, but I like starting my day with a bit of a natural high!

And after a few months, I now spring out of bed, (ok maybe spring is a little of an over statement)  but I will say its all about retraining your body and mind.

So if you’d like to have a chat with me about what your best morning routine might be, and get some help figuring out how to begin with a bang, I invite you to check out my website and see what we do.

elitemiamipersonaltraining.com

If this sounds interesting, then let’s connect and go over your routine to see what works best for you.

 

Live Elite,

David Dubail

I Want You to Be a Thermostat

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I Want You to Be a Thermostat

Once I was at a Miami personal training seminar and the presenter said, “I want you to be a thermostat.  Not a thermometer.”

He then stopped talking.  The room was quiet as everyone tried to digest what the heck this guy was talking about.

We were pretty sure he wasn’t crazy.  He was a Harvard graduate who worked with celebrities, presidents, and ultra-successful business owners.

It seemed like a long time passed before he started talking again.  He gave us a hint and said, “What does a thermometer do?”

“A thermometer takes the temperature of the room,” we proudly said – feeling all smart again.

It merely goes up and down based on the outside environment.  Said another way, if the temperature suddenly dropped then the mercury level in the thermometer would go down.

He then went on to tell us that a thermostat controls the environment.  In other words if we set the thermostat to 70 degrees, then the environment changes to meet the request of the thermostat.

The thermometer has no say.

The thermostat is the one in charge.

See the difference?

I loved this little analogy for many reasons.  As a Miami personal trainer for over 17 years, I know getting healthy is tough for many people. They try, and fail.

They try again, and fail.

Over time they lose hope.  They get frustrated.  They feel like a failure.  They think that it’s out of their reach.  They think there’s a secret pill that will come out one day.

And there is a secret – kinda.  It’s to be a thermostat.

I gotta be honest, I never thought I’d tell someone that… lol.

A huge part of permanent weight loss is a mind shift from what you’ve done before to what is proven to work.  And what’s proven to work isn’t sexy and flashy.

Believe me, after owning a Miami personal training studio for over 17 years, I wish I could just sell you a pill that made you drop all the extra fat that you don’t want and relieve all aches and pains.  But that’s just not reality.

Part of the mind shift is made easier when you have someone to help you on the journey.  Someone to carefully guide you through the mine fields of self-doubt, confusion, frustration, and giving up when things don’t seem to be going as you want.

Leaders, a more reasonable term for thermostats, set goals, follow through, and get the support they need to reach those goals efficiently.

 

 Live Elite,

David Dubail, Owner

Dubail Fitness

 

 

Grocery Shopping Guide to Clean Eating

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A big problem I find members have with reaching their fitness goals is food.  So today, I am going to explain how I shop and get all my groceries. A solid food program is the bases of any good fitness program.  Train hard, eat the right food to recover and you will be reaching your fitness goals in no time.

If you’re just starting a fitness journey or you just need a little refresher course on eating clean, the best place to start is with your grocery list. Don’t let all of your hard work in the gym go to waste. Stack your home with food that helps you reach your goals.

There are 2 ways to shop for food. First, let us discuss the new way to grocery shop.

1) The New Way:  I hate grocery shopping and I hate to cook, so I have taken advantage of the great things the internet has to offer.

A. Instacart:  This is a cool new way to buy groceries and it is easy and convenient.  I pick my favorite foods and add them to the cart. It’s that simple. This includes proteins (eggs, fish, chicken and turkey), fiber (lots of frozen veggies) and carbs (oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes, Ezekiel bread, and high fiber wraps). Then I click place order and my groceries are delivered within 2 hours for $5.99.

B. Do not forget to order spices, hot sauce and salsa to add flavor your foods. The great thing about shopping this way is one, it saves me a lot of time.  Two, I am never tempted to buy processed or fatty foods that are not part of my fitness plan.

C. Amazon:  This is where I order PB2, Kodiak Pancakes, and a few other items that may be hard to find in stores. Also, buying online is cheaper.

D. www.CleanPlanetFoods.com  I love this company.  Like I said earlier, I hate to cook.  I order 80% of my proteins from this website. This company sells cooked chicken and other meats that are individually wrapped and the food is never frozen. Proteins are moist and taste great.  Since the food is vacuum wrapped, it makes your chicken last at least 40 days in your refrigerator. Just so you know; you have to order at least $100 worth to get free delivery and it arrives to your door step in just 2 to 3 days.

NOTE: After reading this, it may sound like I am a sales person, but I do not make any money or profit from this company. CleanPlanetFoods.com has made it so much easier for me to stay on track with my food plan.  This is how I am able to eat clean and stay lean.

2) The Old way.  Going to the Grocery Store:

I still go to Publix once in a while, so if you still go to the grocery store, I am going to give you the low down on how to shop and eat clean. When shopping, do not go hungry and try to get in and out as quickly as possible while making the healthiest and most cost-effective choices. When you don’t have a plan, you end up rolling up and down the aisles and grabbing food you don’t need. Not only does that often mean a higher probability of walking out with some unhealthy choices, but it means you will be paying more to make yourself fat.  So buy only what you need, not what you want.
There are Two types of people 1) Variety.  2) Boring.

I am ok eating the same things every week. But I also know that people who eat the same food every day are going to struggle to stay on track with their nutrition.  Start with changing your protein – fish, chicken, pork, lean steak and include two different vegetables per week.  The most important thing for variety is adding spices and flavoring.  Go crazy with it so you are not tempted to use butter or creamy sauces.

Here are some options to add variety to your diet:

Seasonings: garlic, oregano, paprika, rosemary, ground black pepper, sea salt, shredded coconut, low sodium soy sauce, low sodium teriyaki sauce, parsley, paprika, mustard and cinnamon.

Fats: MTC oil, Almonds, almond butter, peanuts, peanut butter, cashews, cashew butter, walnuts, chia seeds, coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil and hemp oil.

Here is a list of additional proteins, carbs, veggies, and fats

Protein: Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cod, eggs, egg whites, lean ground chicken/turkey/beef/pork, salmon, flounder. Ground meat should be 90% lean and 10% fat or even leaner.

Complex carbs:  White/brown/jasmine rice, Ezekiel bread, low carb high fiber wraps, traditional oatmeal, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, steel-cut oats,  Legumes: Black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and pinto beans.

ADD color to your diet, TONS of Vegetables, some fruits: Apples, asparagus, avocado, beets, broccoli, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, celery, dates, garlic, green onions, green beans, dates, kiwi, lemons, oranges, pineapple, kale, mushrooms, red bell peppers, romaine lettuce, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes and zucchini.  This is great way to add color to your diet.

3. No liquid Calories or Junk

You already know you should avoid cakes, cookies, chips, ice cream and soda if you want to get lean. But what about those so-called “healthy” items that are really diet busters in disguise? Watch out for juices made from concentrate (get 100% juice or make your own), frozen vegetable blends with sauces, and packaged rice blends. Some frozen vegetable blends with sauces pack a bunch of unnecessary preservatives, sugar, and carbs.  Since you now know how to shop, this is the last thing you need to do…

4.  Clean out your kitchen.   Throw it away or DONATE !

Okay, it’s time to take a hard look at what’s already lurking in your refrigerator and cabinets. If your goal is to be lean and healthy, you shouldn’t have any foods in your possession that threaten your new goals. Go back to the above list. If you see items that do not fit into these categories, throw them away or donate them to a local food pantry. Just get them out of reach!

If you like to set up a consultation to review your food plan or training program, email me at dubailfitness@elitemiamipersonaltraining.com or call me at 305-859-2345.

Live Elite,

David Dubail

Should You Read Fitness Magazines?

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Should You Read Fitness Magazines?

Earlier this week, I had a conversation with an Elite Miami Personal Training client about all the misinformation in the health and fitness industry.  She told me that in her old life, meaning before she was a member of my Brickell personal training gym, she would read magazines and try to piece together a diet or workout plan.

The only problem was that each magazine, and sometimes articles within the same magazine, contradicted one another.  In one, she would read that Paleo was the way to go, and yet another told her that being vegan was the only true answer.

It was the same with exercise.  She’d piece together routines from different exercises she found, but in the end the routines were ineffective and dare I say “unsafe”?

Magazines must keep you interested in reading month after month. They purposefully go out of their way to create controversial topics and provide half-hearted solutions to tough problems.

After all, we all want a lean body and rock hard abs in just 15 minutes a day, right?

You see, if magazines really gave you the answer they’d be out of business.  They’d basically say to eat as many real, whole foods as possible.  Limit sugars as much as you can too.  Basically the more “real” you can eat – the better.

As for working out… be active every single day.  If you want a specific routine then focus on functional exercises – ones that mimic every day activities like a row or squat.

Magazines can’t tell you the whole answer because it’s not really that complicated or sexy.  So they sell you the sizzle instead of the steak and hope you don’t mind.

My job as a Miami personal trainer is to get you results.

That’s a huge difference.

I know a few fitness models who have graced covers of fitness magazines and I can tell you that they do not look like the cover you see.  They go into prep mode and once they get the shot… they go into recovery mode.  Meaning they go back to doing healthy things like drinking water.

It’s a weird world, my friends.

The point of this article is one thing: most of us spend time and money trying to piece something together for our health.  The results are non-existent in most cases.  This leads to burn out and frustration and the dreaded yo-yo’ing of the number on the scale.

So as with anything, if you want to see results in the fastest, most efficient, and safest way possible then the answer is to work with an expert.  Get on a plan or program to help you reach your goals.

If we haven’t had the chance to meet yet, then let’s get something scheduled.  You can call me at 305-859-2345  to book a private 30-minute consultation with me.  There’s no hard sell and no pressure to join.  We just spend some time together chatting about your goals – what is it that you really want from life?

I’ll share what we do here, answer all of your questions, and show you around.  If you like what you see and hear, then we can talk about the services I provide.  If not, that’s ok too.  Like I said, it’s just a conversation and I’m looking forward to it.

Live Elite,

David Dubail