FitSugar

LilSugar Exclusive: Celebrity Trainer Provides Postpartum Exercise Tips

LilSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:28 -0700

Eating for two may sound like fun during pregnancy, but after the baby arrives, the reality of nine months of eating quickly sets in. While 75 percent of LilSugar readers kept track of their weight throughout their pregnancy, the thought of returning to a regular exercise routine is a task few new mamas are ready to tackle. From group exercise classes to at-home videos, there are a variety of methods for shedding baby weight.

Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak, creator of 5-Factor Fitness and Diet Plan who helped Milla Jovovich lose the 70-plus pounds she gained during pregnancy and is now working with Jennifer Hudson, recently provided us with his take on how to jump-start a postnatal workout routine.

Following a vaginal birth with no severe tearing or complications from gestational diabetes, Pasternak recommends checking with your doctor and beginning this routine:

Start slow. Begin with one 10-minute walk each day. Slowly add a minute a day thereafter until you reach the 30-minute mark.

Add strength training. Once the doctor gives you the green light, begin with only one set per body part. Work your way up with multiple sets and gradually increase resistance and intensity.

Keep it simple. Don't turn to the most difficult machines you used prior to delivery. Stick with simple movements using your own body weight, dumbbells, barbells, or a HarleyBar for some light weight training.

Avoid high-impact movements for a while. The body is still filled with hormones that increase joint laxity, so it is important to monitor your activities.

Try a 5-Factor workout. (1) A cardio warm-up (2) A strength circuit with upper body (3) Lower body (4) Abs (5) Finish up with a cardio cool-down

Do these sound like tips you can put to good use?

Can't Run? Celeb Trainer Suggests the Treadmill Climb

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:00:05 -0700

Running isn't for everyone. While it makes me feel amazing, it's not so easy on the joints, which prevents some people from enjoying this form of cardio. If an injury has you searching for an alternative that provides similar physical benefits to running, celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak has a wonderfully grueling substitute.

Pasternak has trained celebrities like Alicia Keys, Eva Mendes, and Halle Berry, and recently he's been whipping The Fast and the Furious actress Jordana Brewster into fantastic shape. Women's Health interviewed Jordana and got the scoop about her workouts, learning that she likes having a routine "because everything else . . . is so unpredictable." She shared her routine with WH and said,

I do cardio six days a week, with weight resistance in between. I also work with [celebrity trainer] Harley Pasternak three times a week. I used to run, but can't anymore because [it hurts my knees]. But what's just as effective? Putting the treadmill at an incline of 12- that's steep!-and climbing for 30 to 40 minutes.

Sounds like a workout that would definitely work up a sweat. Here's an uphill treadmill hike workout for you to try. Has an injury prevented you from running?

Lifting Tip: Work One Arm or Leg at a Time

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak who's trained Alicia Keys, Eva Mendes, and Halle Berry has a little tip for us when it comes to strength training. He recommends a one sided workout like this: "Work with only one arm or one leg at a time when strength training with dumbbells. This way, while you're resting one side of your body you'll keep the other side going strong."

I love this idea of focusing on one side at a time. In some exercises, you can cheat by letting your dominant side do the brunt of the work, so this technique allows you to concentrate on strengthening both sides equally. This workout may take you twice as long, but Harley assures that "your heart will also have to keep pumping hard through your entire workout, which means that you'll actually burn more calories overall." Give it a try the next time you strength train.

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Reality Check: Milla Jovovich's Body Is "Sort of" Back

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Often times, it seems celebs are pregnant one day and the next day they're not. It's as if there is no evidence of the pregnancy, except the new baby. For everyone else, it takes time to get back to your pre-pregnancy bod - they say to give yourself at least nine months; after all, it is as long as it took for you to put on the weight.

Supermodel-turned-supermom Milla Jovovich recently revealed that she has not lost all her pregnancy weight (she's down 62 pounds from her gained 70-plus pounds a year ago). And what's more? She attributes her lost pounds to hard work with trainer Harley Pasternak, not just breastfeeding. She recently said:

I was really good when I was pregnant. I wasn't the crazy pregnant chick. I'm crazy anyway, so pregnancy really evened me out. I was like, "Whatever, I'm 200 lbs. Get me another bagel." I'm sort of back to normal. But, I like this workout, I like to train. It's part of my world. It's good for me to be disciplined, because in so many areas of my life, I'm kind of lazy. It's nice to have some pattern in my life that stays the same and I get to do some working.

I love that she is honest about her weight after the baby is born, and how hard it is to lose it (even with a superstar trainer helping you out). So if you're working to get rid of those pesky pounds that crept up on you during your pregnancy, remember that it takes time for everyone, including the rich and famous.

Flynet

Do You Have a Personal Trainer?

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:30:00 -0700

We usually see John Mayer working out on his own but recently it looks like he has enlisted the expertise of trainer Harley Pasternak. I've been off and on trainers for the past few years, but right now I am going about it on my own. What about you guys? Do you have a personal trainer right now?

Bauer-Griffin Online

Jessica Simpson Gets Into It With InStyle

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:30:00 -0700

Jessica Simpson shows off her hot bod on the upcoming cover of InStyle. She has been working hard in her workouts with trainer Harley Pasternak, creator of 5-Factor Fitness and Diet Plan. She has managed to tone up her entire body, but maintain her feminine curves. Here's what she had to say about exercise and diet.

On her rope jumping skills: I am not a good jumper, all right? I’m horrible at skipping rope. I can’t get the rhythm of it. And it makes me so darn out of breath. It’s so hard, it kills me. When we do interval training, Harley makes me do six sets of 100 throughout a 45 minute workout. It gets your heart rate up real quick.
On food, dieting and indulgence: I let myself taste what I want. I have a couple of indulgent bites, and then I’m satisfied. I don’t want to say I cheat because that is so annoying – to say that having a piece of bread is cheating. That’s such a bad word when it comes to food. Just eat it! And do an extra mile on the treadmill.

To learn more about the 5-Factor just read more

The 5-Factor Plan is a workout plan as well as a diet. The workout combines both strength and cardio in each session of less than an hour, 5 days a week. You start with 5 minutes on a treadmill, bike or elliptical and finish with a cardio cool down as well. In between warm up and cool down is serious amounts of strength training with dumbbells and a bench or an exercise ball, with bits of cardio added in as well.

The 5-Factor Diet is a fairly uncomplicated regimen of 3 meals and 2 snacks daily, consisting of: low-fat protein, fiber, healthy carbs and fats, and a sugar-free drink with every meal (yep, that could be a diet soda or my beverage of choice - water). The diet also includes a cheat day once a week, just to keep it real. Plus, Pasternak says if you follow his plan you will see results in five weeks.

Bauer-Griffin

Guess Who?

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 10:15:00 -0700

One of these celebs is not like the others. They are all gorgeous and fit, but 3 of these starlets workout with Harley Pasternak and follow his 5 Factor Fitness and Diet Plan, and one doesn't. Guess which celeb is different and does NOT follow the 5 Factor. It is worth a try, because if you get it right you'll be rewarded with 25 sugar points!

Jessica Simpson Talks Shop, Body Shop That Is

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:00:00 -0700

We've all been watching as Jessica Simpson tones up using the 5 Factor and she looks great!

We're used to Jessica saying some off the wall things (chicken of the sea anyone?), People.com got the scoop on her recent interview with Harper's Bazaar where she seems to be making perfect sense:

On her butt: One thing that has changed is her body, as she prepares to join the Marines in her upcoming movie, Major Movie Star. "I've started with a trainer, Harley Pasternak," she says. "He's given me a butt, because I have white-girl syndrome. I have to do as many squats as I can to get a little booty. ... I have to be [diligent]. I'm a curvy girl. You don't want to see me not working out."

On her curves: But she's fine with her curves – and she thinks guys are too. She recalls attending a recent fashion party with her friend and hairstylist Ken Pavés and asking him, "Do you think the guys in here are all really looking at all those skinny girls and thinking, Wow, I want to get with her? Or are they looking at the girls with the curves and thinking, Yeah, I want to get with her!"

Simpson, for one, knows where she stands. "Curves are better," she says. "I don't get the whole rail thing. It's not good for your heart, it's not good for your mind; it's emotionally destructive, it really is."

Nice Jessica! I am very impressed with such positive body image messages coming from her. There are more pics of Jess looking fitter than ever at the airport, so read more

View 10 Photos ›

Pacific Coast News

Get the Bod: Jessica Simpson

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Jessica is hard at work on getting in shape for her upcoming role in Major Movie Star. She has joined the 5-Factor the diet / workout plan that is ever so popular in Hollywood these days. Folks are saying she has lost about 20 pounds in a month - which seems like a lot to lose in a month from her tiny frame (she is only 5'3").

We have seen her running with 5 Factor creator Harley Pasternak, tall knee socks and all. Pasternak says "We're making Jessica taut and toned without taking away her femininity." It looks like the plan is working she is still curvy but buff as well.

Want to know a little more about the plan? Then, read more

The 5-Factor Diet is a fairly uncomplicated regimen of 3 meals and 2 snacks daily, consisting of: low-fat protein, fiber, healthy carbs and fats, and a sugar-free drink with every meal (yep, that could be a diet soda or my beverage of choice - water). ET Online is reporting that Jessica is having 1300 calorie meals delivered to her home through the 5-Factor website. I was curious as to the cost of the service and after spending considerable time on the website couldn't find any information on that. She is a star so it seems she is getting star treatment.

The 5-Factor Plan is not just about dieting, the workout is an integral part of the plan to take the weight off and keep it off. It is reasonable, combining both strength and cardio in each session of only 25 minutes exercise, 5 days a week. The entire plan seems pretty doable to me, since there is one diet "cheat day" a week and two days off from exercise. I'm sure it helps to have those meals delivered to your door too.

Check out some 5-Factor Diet healthy trades - recipes and all from Us Magazine. The 5-Factor website is full of information too.

Pacific Coast News

Get the Bod: Katherine Heigl

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Now that "Grey's Anatomy" is on break, we're getting our fix of the doctors in other ways. Katherine Heigl (aka Izzie Stevenson) has been promoting her new flick Knocked Up and apparently a rather revealing love scene was just the motivation Heigl needed to hit the gym (not that she really needed to, aesthetically).

People.com got the scoop from her trainer, Harley Pasternak, on what she did (and still does) to tone up her bod.

Heigl, 28, met with him for cardio and circuit-training sessions of 25 to 50 minutes, up to five times a week for six weeks prior to shooting. On-set, she'd jump rope or lift dumbbells outside her trailer. All the while, she ate Pasternak's 5-Factor Diet, which delivered five high-protein, high-fiber meals a day.

Even with a scheduled weekly "cheat day," says Pasternak, Heigl soon looked "tighter and more toned."

As for the former gym-hater, Heigl says now, a year after filming, she still works out regularly. "I used to have back pain. Suddenly, my body is supporting itself the way it's supposed to," Heigl says. "I wake up and I go, 'My god, I can't believe this is my body!' "

Want to see a sample of her typical workout and diet? Then read more
Typical Workout for Heigl:

5 minutes of jump-roping, jogging, or stair-climbing for a cardio warm-up.
A circuit of 4 sets each of the following:
- 25 dumbbell flies
- 25 lunges
- 25 low-body crunches
Followed by:
- 5-25 minutes of cardio running, elliptical training, stair-climbing or biking, with the last five minutes working as a cool-down period.

Sample Day's Meals:
Breakfast: French toast with ricotta pillows
Mid-morning snack: A mixed-berry shake
Lunch: TexMex salad with chicken and black beans
Afternoon snack: Hummus crudite
Dinner: Sea Bass with brown rice and edamame

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