Linzi Martinez Answers 7 Hot Fitness Questions!

She has been passionately hosting, producing and directing Happy Healthy Stronger, a web based weekly TV series on health and wellness since January 2015. The show currently has over 100,000 viewers and continues to grow.

As a Nutritional Therapist and Personal Trainer, she has had the honor of guiding professional athletes, junior athletes, aspiring health and fitness enthusiasts and seekers to not only achieve their goals but to maintain them effortlessly.

Women Fitness asks Linzi Martinez 7 Hot Fitness Questions, that everyone wants to ask a trainer!

1. Diet Plan

I have a 30-day program that will set you on the path to a lifestyle that will not only maintain your new found weight loss but also make your feel better than you ever have before!

The basis for the program is Intermittent fasting! What does this mean? Will I be starving???

I recommend the 8/16 hour method…. You have an 8-hour window to get in your nutrients!!! So, for example, you would eat three meals from 12pm until 8pm and not eat again until 12pm! No food is allowed during the 16-hour window! Shockingly, you will be eating more fat than your mind will want you to have, thus leaving you completely satiated and not hungry!!

Here’s the WHY AND HOW ON INTERMITTIANT FASTING!

We have one fat storing hormone, insulin! (called into play each time you eat) We have 6 fat storing hormone – the most prevalent being growth hormone!

KEY…. Growth hormone cannot be excreted in the presence of insulin! Thus, making it really hard to lose weight unless you are starving yourself!!! No thank you!!!

Your body is use to making energy (ATP) from glucose so when there is none, it is forced to go to another energy producing process – the fat burning cycle! This happens only when you have used up all of the glycogen (what your body convert glucose to) and you are still in need of some energy! This system TURNS ON!!!! YES, THE FAT BURNING SYSTEM – WE ALL HAVE IT!!! It is important to remember that fat cells are where a lot of your toxins are stored and thus, we need to detoxify so that the fall cells and actually spew their fat into the blood stream to be converted! Therefore, the fast must be broken daily with something GREEN (which detoxifies your body) followed immediately with your protein and fat.. if you are still hungry then, and only then can you have a complex carb choice with a low glycemic index like berries and quinoa!!!

This is the fastest and healthiest way to lose fat! There is no starving, no craving, no dieting! Just a matter of timing!!!

2. Workout Plan

You MUST set goals. It is extremely important to your long terms gains to set reasonable goals and not set yourself up for failure! Start with committing to 3 days per wk and if you get in anything extra days, well… that’s an added bonus! People make the grand mistake of working out everyday and then burning out every day soon after!!!! NOT GOOD!

My goal in training will never be to take a client from a size 2 to a zero, but instead to provide the client with the tools they need to re gain control of their lives, increase their energy, feel and look rejuvenated and be physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. The aesthetic gains often become the secondary benefit of my training.

My clients’ goals range from wanting to get rid of unhealthy fat, people who want to run their first marathon, all the way to elite athletes who are getting ready for competition.

The wide range of clients that I serve has helped me to develop a method of training that utilizes mostly the person’s body weight. Although each person has individual needs, I have found that this type of training benefits everyone and can be easily adapted to each individual’s capabilities and fitness level.

I focus on functional exercises to activate and engage more than one muscle group at a time, consistently prioritizing the core. These exercises mimic real-life movements and aid in preventing injuries… specifically back injuries. Body weight exercises help rebuild muscle wear and tear that develops as we age. They build lean muscle mass that is great for your heart, blood vessels hormone production, brain activity, sleep patterns, energy levels and so much more. My program is three times per week and is a full body workout each time!

Once the client shows improvements and relative ease throughout their routine, I add light weights, med balls and weight vests.

I rarely work in a gym; but rather, I go directly to my client’s homes. Over the years, this has definitely proven to show a greater compliance and longevity to their program.

My clients who complete half and full marathons, often have never run a mile alone before training with me! They are taken through my 3/2, then 5/2 program (3-minute run/2-minute walk) for a series of weeks, depending on the duration of the race. EVERY person that has gone through this program with me has crossed the finish line. Watching their faces as they achieve what they thought was the impossible and witnessing their extreme sense of accomplishment is incredibly beautiful to me.

I run with each and every one of them, so I never miss it!

3. 5 Weight Loss Tips That Are Essential

There are some hidden truths to natural weight loss that are so simple they are often overlooked!

Drink more water: why you ask? …thirst is often masked by hunger…. Meaning that people that do not drink as much as their bodies need will have a hungry feeling when in fact they are thirsty!!! Their bodies are used to getting the fluids it need from food!!! Extra calories one does need – just drink a glass of water! How much? Half your weight in ounces! I always tell my clients to make sure they have a glass of water (8oz) prior to giving in to a craving and prior to going to a restaurant!!!

Get enough sleep! An oldy, but perhaps the real reason has not been revealed! When you are tired your body needs instant fuel to stay awake by nature! Instant fuel is only in the form of simple carbohydrates like chips, cookies, cakes, muffins, pasta, breads white anything! These simple carbohydrates will call for insulin which will store whatever you do not burn into fat… and if you are tired.. you’re probably not burning that much! You will actually crave this type of food when you are asking your body to stay awake when it need to sleep!!! Your caloric intake will be less with a solid night sleep! (8 hours are best!)

NEVER bring it home!!!! The golden LINZI RULE! I can promise you that you will more than likely not change out of your PJ’s to go to the store at 10pm if you are craving chips! However, if they are in your home…well they’re going down the hatchet! …consider the easy access as an extra pound or two!!!

Never shop hungry!!!! The worst thing we can do is go to the supermarket hungry!!!! We end up bring all sorts of dangerous yummies that would not have been on or list!!!

Get satiated at the cellular level!!!! When you eat majorly rich nutrient dense foods, your satisfied at the cellular level and will CRAVE LESS! Green juices and powders are best for this!!!!!

5 Weight Loss Myths That Need To Be Busted!

Often the idea of eating any fat is associated with “gaining fat” this is simply not the case – contrary actually!!! Counterintuitively, fat helps you lose fat!!!! Good fat that is … Like avocado, olive oil, hemps seeds, nuts and more, WHY YOU ASK? Well… fats take a long time for your body to break down and thus you are satiated much longer usually resulting in a lower caloric intake for the day!!! More so, fats take so long to digest that they don’t raise your glucose levels helping them remain steady … thus… YES weight loss!!!!

Breakfast is a must!!! This is a myth… the best thing you can do for yourself is to allow your digestive system to rest! Intermittent fasting (not eating for 16-18hours) has proven to be insanely beneficial for your health and for your weight loss goals! Remember, there are six major fat burning hormones none of which will even show up in the presence of insulin, a fat storing hormone present as soon as you eat! Thus, by fasting part of the day, you utilize the fat burning system and rapid fat loss is ALWAYS THE RESULT!

ANY DIETS~ one must create a lifestyle and not a diet in order to maintain results for life! – a goal I hope that everyone has! A diet may get you temporary results, but that is just it, temporary!

You must be perfect!!! NO NO NO!!! We need to live and love our life!!! Perfect is boring!!!!!!! Here is the truth – follow it and your life will be enhanced…”If you eat YUCK most of the time and occasionally get well… this does absolutely NOTHING! Fortunately, the opposite is true, if you eat well most of the time and occasionally eat YUCK… this DOES ABSOLUETLY NOTHING EITHER!!!! So enjoy your life and be smart!!!!

Bottom line … Life is EXACTLY WHAT YOU MAKE IT!!! People make the mistake of thinking Love your life then you will love yourself…oh no… love yourself and I will promise you, you will love your life!!!!!

5. 3 Favorite Fitness Tools

BODY WEIGHT exercises! It is important to train with just your body weight regularly! This is functional training that translates across your regular everyday life that will in fact protect your body from the natural and unfortunately usual issues associated with getting older like back issues, posture and more! (and bonus!!! This training makes you look amazing too!!!)

Running – I train my clients for a ½ marathon and encourage ALL OF THEN TO TRY! Why? Because there is a mental reward that you gain from going past your perceived notion of your capabilities! I train 5/2, that’s five minutes run and a two-minute walk for the entire marathon (Or half) – not only is this do-able, but this training is usually without pain after and comes with tremendous weight loss as we train in the fat burning zone and not the cardio zone!!!!!

SWIMMING~ I have many beautiful clients that need to lose more than 30lbs! WELCOME THE POOL! This non-weight baring exercise is AMAZING FOR YOUR BODY and is a crazy workout providing cardio, resistance and more!!!

6. 4 At-Home Fat Burning Exercises

The ABSOLUTE BEST EXERCISES TO DO AT HOME FOR FAT BURNING ARE LUNGE WALKS!!!! Anything that engages and challenges your glutes and quads tremendously are the exercises that you want to stick with if your goal is weight loss!!! The quads and the glutes are responsible for your metabolism as they are the largest muscle groups! Bottom line, if they need more, they burn more!!!!!!!!!!! Start with 20 and add ten each day!!! You will be amazed how INSANE YOUR LEGS AND BACKSIDE LOOK!!!! WORK YOUR WAY TO 500!!!

STAIRS!!! Once again, engaging your glutes and quads are the most effective exercises to do at home yielding you the most results! If you have stairs at home … USE THEM MAMA- they are an amazing tool for weight loss and for getting firm, hot legs!

So many women complain about the back of their arms sagging or waving with your hand when they are not supposed to – (Nor are they invited to join your hand!!!) Well, say hello to your coffee table!!! As long as it is sturdy and stable, this table is your dipping tool to solid tight arms!!!

SQUAT CHALLENGE! There is nothing nicer than a tight tush!…and squatting is one of the best ways to get there! Start with 25 and each day add 5!!! Be sure your knees don’t go past your toes and your chest stays up!! Touch the ground with your finger tips with each drop and fully recover to an almost straight leg thereafter!

7. 4 Favorite Fitness Brands

My favorite brand of clothing will be “Body on Fire shape wear by Linzi” – my clothing line! After years of listening to what plagues a woman when she gets dressed, I have taken some action!!!!!!!!!!! No more muffin tops and lets shape the backside and raise it! YES, coming this winter … Body on Fire.. because every woman working out is hot! It is important to feel fantastic prior to leaving the house – it sets the mood for the day! Just about every woman can attest to this!

I have a great love for Asics running shoes – prior to introducing my fickle feet to Asics, running was a pain in my feet!!! I am grateful for their smart technology and products!

Under armour shorts ROCK! Sexy yet practical – the fit is fabulous!

TOTAL GYM – I am not one to use much but personal body weight, however for the TOTAL GYM, I am willing to make an exception! This mastermind is nothing less than amazing as it utilizes your body weight as a mechanism to which it functions! You get a total body workout which always has your core engaged! Just brilliant technology!