Ask A Trainer: No time for breakfast?

Q. I know breakfast is supposed to be important, but I just don’t have time to make anything before work and always end up having a bowl of my kids’ cereal or going through a drive through. Can you suggest any easy, quick and healthy breakfast ideas? — Sarah G.

A. Hi, Sarah! This is a common pitfall with a lot of busy nine-to-five-ers and parents. You may have heard that preparation is key, which is definitely true – especially when you have specific health and fitness goals. Understandably, though, not everyone is willing to whip up a gourmet veggie scramble for themselves while helping one kid find a shoe and the other pack their schoolwork!

Like you, I need my healthy morning meals to be fast and filling. If you do have a few minutes the night before, a delicious option is to prepare “overnight oats.” Grab a bowl and dump in ½-cup raw oats; 1-2 Tbsp. either ground flaxseed, chia seeds, hempseeds, and/or nut butter; and about a cup of your milk of choice (I suggest unsweetened almond, coconut, or hemp milk). From there, get creative! Add in a handful of chopped nuts, a large sliced banana or strawberries, and/or a scoop of your favorite protein powder. You can even use cooked quinoa or buckwheat instead of the oats, or organic yogurt as a part of the liquid. Mix everything together, cover, and leave in the fridge overnight. By the time morning comes, the oats will have absorbed the liquid while all of the flavors will have married together for a thick, chilled, ready-to-eat bowl of deliciousness!

Another great go-to option is the basic smoothie. All you need is one cup of frozen fruit (like berries), 1-2 Tbsp. of a healthy fat source (like chia seeds, ground flaxseed, or nut butter), a scoop of your favorite protein powder, 8-12 oz. of liquid (like unsweetened almond milk or coconut water), and – optional but highly suggested – a handful of leafy greens, like spinach. Feel free to add cinnamon, extracts, or sweetener to your liking. Then just blend this all together in a single-serving travel blender (which are inexpensive and widely available) and enjoy it on your way to work! You won’t miss your drive-through a bit!

Q. I just joined a gym and am not sure how to split up my workouts. Should I do upper body one day, lower body the next? Should I just circuit around all of the machines every time? Do I even need to train legs if I mainly want my arms and chest to grow? I hate seeming like I’m lost in my busy gym and appreciate any help! – Richard S.

A. Thanks for writing, Richard! Allow me to get something out of the way first – yes, you definitely do need to incorporate your legs within your training program! Not only is strengthening legs vital towards a balanced physique and strong core, but legs are a big part of compound movements that would benefit your progress. When you train legs, you increase human growth hormone within your body by around 40 percent. This actually encourages optimal muscle growth everywhere – including your entire upper body, chest and arms! Needless to say, there is no question that incorporating exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, leg press, and hip thrusts (just to name a few) will provide the best results when it comes to total body muscle gain.

When it comes to a workout split, it really depends on your goals and how many days a week you are able to get in at the gym. For example, if you want to strength train five days a week, a full-body split may not be the best idea. You may want to start off with a push/pull split – which means alternating pushing movement days (chest, shoulders, triceps) with pulling days (back, biceps). Legs would have their own day. This would look like: Monday – Chest/Triceps, Tuesday – Legs (Squats), Wednesday – Back/Biceps, Thursday – Shoulders/Abs, Friday – Legs (Deadlifts).

This is just one example of the many different options regarding a workout split. If you are seeking more a personalized plan and training, I strongly suggest setting up a consultation and assessment with a qualified personal trainer who can help you get started. Anytime Fitness in Winter Park offers a complimentary training session to all new members and clients, so stop in or give them a call today!

Jasmin Bedria, Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist, is an experienced health and fitness expert at Anytime Fitness, Winter Park. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Anytime Fitness, Winter Park prides itself on providing a friendly, well-maintained facility featuring top-quality exercise equipment. Members enjoy the benefit of being able to use any of more than 2,400 Anytime Fitness clubs now open in all 50 states and 19 countries. Email your questions to [email protected] and get a free personal training session!