Fantone Fitness

It's about Fitness. A fit life is a fun life!

Archive for the tag “fitnessfun”

Real Life Real Fitness

Here’s the thing. Health is a lifestyle. Yes, there are so many things you can’t control. So, we’re going to put those aside for now.

Time to focus on what you do have control over.

  1. Nutrition (What and how much you eat)
  2. Activity (Exercise)
  3. Mental health (Coping skills)

That’s why I believe that

FITNESS

Is comprised of

F-unctional

I-ntegrative

T-raining

And

N-utrition

E-xercise

S-upport

S-ystem

That’s where I come in. Without a support system for your fitness, you are on your own. If that’s working for you the I say more power to you. If it’s not, then why not make some changes?

I will make sure you get in better shape. I guarantee it.

Give me 10 sessions and you will see and feel the difference.

Fitness is my game. My life. My domain.

Leaning into 63!

Well if it isn’t me again? I’m thinking about life as I often do and I’m wondering where this is all going. And suddenly I freeze in my tracks and it hits me. This moment! That’s all there is. I mean, what a relief! I just don’t think I can handle any more than that. Well, I suppose I could try but why? If I really want to live, and I do then I think I need to stay present. Right here, right now.

Yes, I think I’m okay now. For a moment I was sidetracked. Started thinking I needed to be “normal.” Thought I ought to try to fit in. You know surrender my soul to society. Whew! I’ve come to my senses.

And now the reason for this post. More photos of me. That’s right, I am holding myself accountable for my own happiness and part of that is taking care of my body! I’ll be 63 in August and I’m looking for to it. “One day at a time” of course.

This ain’t no joke! Leaning into 63!

Life’s a roller coaster of a ride and definitely has its ups and downs. Most people would say 2020 was a bad year. I wouldn’t. I just don’t speak like that. I don’t use the word, “bad” to describe things. It’s a bit lazy. I would say that there have been some incredible challenges, that’s for sure. I am very careful about the words I use when speaking to myself or anyone for that matter. I have made an agreement with myself that I would be impeccable with my word. My words have power, so I use them wisely.

Am I still talking?

Here are some pics I took after the first month of 2021. I’m down 2 pounds and my body-fat is around 10.5% Progress, not perfection! One day at a time. Sober, strong and leaning into 63!!

61 and still having fun!One year after a total shoulder replacement.

It’s been one year since the operation. I’ve been working on building strength while quarantined, how about you?

How do I get rid of this?

Many people grab their belly and say this, “How do I get rid of this?” Which exercises will get rid of this. I have the secret, but just like many mysteries, the answer doesn’t always make you feel better.

The secrets of a sixpack!! I am fortunate enough to be very vain. It’s practically an obsession! I say fortunate because it drives me to stay lean. I know one of the deepest darkest secrets of having visible ab muscles. Brace yourselves! In order to see your ab muscles you must be LEAN. That means that without any ab exercises, if you’re lean you could have a sixpack, but without a proper nutrition plan, all the ab exercises in the world won’t uncover that coveted sixpack.

Okay so if you still want to see those abs, I mean really want to. There are some exercises that can build up your abdominal muscle and help with your desire, (very strong desire) to make them more visible once your bodyfat percentage is low enough. Here they are!

  1. Exercise your abdominal muscles often. They can be worked out every day.
  2. Lower your bodyfat with cardiovascular exercise and a clean diet. (cut out sugars) there are many ingredients to achieving a sixpack and beer ain’t one of them.
  3. Be realistic. It takes time. Sometimes a long time. But it’s worth it!
12 weeks Apr 3 2020 b
140 lbs 10 % bodyfat

After 12 Weeks of Hindsight! 2020

 

Hello from my living room! We are experiencing something totally new! This world we live in now has changed so much since my last post it’s hard to believe. I am always saying, stay in the present moment. This is all we have. Everything could change tomorrow. Enjoy your life because you never know how things could change and when.

We are living in that unimaginable future! If you would have told me life could change this much back in January, I would have scoffed, I’m sure. Unimaginable!

Yet, here we are. So, I’ll say it again. Live in the present moment and enjoy what you have right now. Everything could change tomorrow! Believe me now?

Cool down! No equipment needed

Don’t forget to stretch! Even though we’re not as active as we’d like, it’s still important to stretch. It helps you relax and de-stress. In this difficult time of social distancing, we’re kind of on our own to take care of ourselves. Stretching is one way to loosen up and relax. Take full, deep breaths and let go of tension. 10 minutes a day will change your life!

Home Gym

Always thinking positive! That’s me. No matter what. This is why I’m happy. No matter what. Using my time to work out at home and get ripped. More to come. I also do video training sessions, phone consultations and email coaching. Stay happy.Home Gym

Full Body, 5 Tabatas, 20 Minutes

This is a sample of the workout I put together today. Since we can’t go to the gym, we’ve got to work out at home. Here is an edited version of my 20 minute workout today. I just didn’t want you to have to watch every 20 second round for 20 minutes. But I assure you I didn’t stop for 20 minutes. What a great workout!

I didn’t realize how dark it was until I was 2 Tabatas in.

Push/Pull Tabata-Full Body Workout

So Here we are Fantone Fitness fitness buffs! This is a Tabata drill designed to work the upper body. Because we’re using the TRX and Bosu ball, we get the added value of an excellent core workout!

Hindsight is 2020. Back onna Plan!

Six pics! First two are from the beginning of January 2020. Gotta admit I have a sweet tooth and December of 2019 was a sweet tooth binge. Okay, I got that out of my system. Here we go starting off at 152 pounds and 15.2 % body fat. Then I got the flu. January was a really tough month. Travel to Ohio to see mom and while I’m there she passed away. Here’s to my sweet family for how wonderfully they cared for her in her last few months. I feel blessed to have been there to see her go and to see the love she got from everyone. So, we start again in February. The second two pics, from February 2nd, 148 pounds and 13.3 % body fat.  Finally starting to feel a bit better. And now for the last two most recent pics. March 2nd. 2020. 144 pounds and 12.4 % body fat. Moving a bit slower than normal this year. Stiil, I’m committed to staying the course and finishing strong. This year is the year of rebuilding. Oh yeah, I had my left shoulder replaced last May. Here we go! 61 is so much fun!

The Year of the Shoulder

Another 12 week challenge complete! I managed to drop 12 pounds and 3.5% body fat in 12 weeks. This year is especially important because it’s “The Year of the Shoulder” I’m 60 and I’m finally going to bite the bullet and get that long delayed shoulder operation. I’m going in fit and ready for a strong recovery. Here’s me at 140 pounds and 8.5% body fat! Wooohooo!

Two Months into the Year of the Shoulder, 2019!

Okay people, how’s it going? We are well into 2019 and I hope you’ve made some positive changes to your fitness routine and diet. If you’re like me, the last two months of the year are not the best for that! So now we are two months into this year, we are back on track, right? I started with a plan and a mission. To get in the best shape of my life! I’m living now in my 61st year and I’m calling it “The Year of the Shoulder”. We’ll get to that another time.

As of January 2nd, I cut out the sugar and the starchy carbs that I lived on in December. I have worked out almost every day and cut back on coffee. (Now I just have one giant cup, instead of four).

The result is 2.5% reduction in body fat and a 12 pound weight-loss. More importantly I feel 200% better. I’m good at this. As a matter of fact I am somewhat of a fitness icon. A legend in my own mind. Seriously, I know how it works amd I’m willing to help you gain the knowledge you need to be a fitness icon too. Please don’t hesitate to laugh.

140 lbs. 9.5% body fat
140 lbs. 9.5% body fat.

Back Onna Plan 2019!

So, it’s that time of year again. You might think I mean New Year’s resolutions, but I don’t. It’s the time of year for me when I am reminded of why I do what I do. I am a fitness professional. That means my life is about fitness. Mine and the people I am fortunate enough to work with. I eat clean and exercise every day for myself and for them. It makes me feel good and I am a power of example to those I encounter every day, whether I am training them or just talking in the elevator. I have been at it for almost 30 years. That means, I’m no spring chicken, if you know what I mean. Hmmm, chicken. I’m hungry. Anyway, at 60 years old, I am feeling as if I’ve been around for a while, I have. I know how to stay in shape. I know how to get out of shape. Listen closely, here it comes.

I eat clean and exercise every day. Unless I don’t. Around the end of the year, every year I allow myself to eat food that I enjoy eating, but that makes me feel less than stellar. In other words, around the holidays, I eat junk!! I usually start in November and from then until the end of the year, I go on and off of my regularly healthy diet and I eat pumpkin pie, ice cream, cookies, pastries and an assortment of sugary, sweet “just about anythings”. By the time January first rolls around, by the way, can you believe it’s 2019? I can, it was 2018 all year, I am ready for it! By the end of the year, I am sick of it! I wonder how people eat like this all of the time. I feel sick! Literally, ill. No wonder people are overweight and unhealthy.  Everyone knows that eating right and exercising is good for you, but it’s challenging stick with it. Well, in our media driven society where the hot body is always dangled in front of us, and presented as the optimal version of the “us”, we should strive for, accompanied with a constant barrage of ads for food, snacks, and instant gratification, of course it’s hard! We are fed a huge pile of dung and expected to create a beautiful, sweet smelling work of art! How can we cut through the muck we live in and learn to create a version of “us” that feels good and is sustainable? IT’S NOT AS HARD AS YOU THINK! As a matter of fact, it’s not hard at all. It just takes a willingness to take things “one at a time”, and an ability to be honest with yourself.

If you can be honest with yourself about yourself, you will be a lot better off. I can’t tell you how many times someone has said to me “I just don’t have time to exercise.” That is like saying, “I don’t have time to stop for gas!” You don’t have time not to. Everyone wants to look and feel good, right? Well, just like fueling your car, you have to fuel your body. Go ahead and put sugar in your car’s gas tank and see what happens. DON’T DO IT! I don’t want to be responsible for anyone ruining their car. Google it and see what happens. You must treat your body like it was an expensive vehicle, because that’s exactly what it is.

So, the answers are simple ones. Eat clean. Exercise regularly. That’s it. If you really don’t know how to do this on your own, then reach out to someone who does. I am a fitness professional. It’s what I do. I know the answers. I have included some pictures of me taken at the end of the year when I am at my “less than stellar” self. Remember, I am 60. No excuses. My intention is to start here and see just how much better I can get in the first three months of this year. I know how to do it, now I want to show you how. Just call, text or email me if you want to join the challenge. It’s going to be fun!

Check out my most recent article in the Neighborhood Trainer August newsletter!

Urban FitnessJim

by Jim Fantone, personal trainer

It’s just another day in the city. Not just any city though. We, here in New York City are fortunate to have opportunities on every corner and in every neighborhood for exercise.

First of all, we walk. A lot. I do anyway. It’s a choice to walk 20 blocks each way to my next client rather than take the bus or subway. If I do ride the subway, at the end of each ride is yet another opportunity. Subway stairs are notorious for taking your breath away. I see a set of stairs and I see quads and glutes in action! Take two steps at a time and I see extreme walking lunges. Man, that feels good. A little bit of cardio too. Just don’t stop right at the top please. Don’t get me started!
I find exercise everywhere. As I’m walking up Broadway toward home, I encounter people walking haphazardly across the sidewalk. My friend calls them Diagonerds. You know those people who seem to be angling to the left until you try to go around to the right, and just then they change tactics and begin to go to the right, right in front of you! Back and forth they go. Almost like they’re blocking for you. My take on this is they are my offensive line and I am a running back following my blocking until we get clear of the oncoming traffic (the tacklers) and then I don’t need them anymore and I shoot the gap and fly past them. Thank you!
With so many obstacles and challenges in a city like this, there is no excuse for not exercising. None! Use a backpack so your shoulders are even and the weight of your stuff is not hanging off to one side and get out there and move! Raining? Snowing? It just adds resistance to the exercise. Use the energy to navigate rather than complain. Let’s use our bodies the way they were meant to be used. Moving! You will feel better, guaranteed.

 

Leaning Into 60. Finally it is here!

60 Is The New Sexy! Well, that’s what I’ve been telling myself all year. It’s a good example of my approach to life. I want to lean into it, rather than fear it.

Today is the 60th anniversary of my birth. That’s right, I have now been alive for 60 years. Man, I am amazing! Wooohoooo!

I spent a good part of my life fearing things. Basically everything! That makes for a rough road! As a result of getting sober in 1979 I have a new lease on life. Aside from a four year relapse in the early 2000’s I have spent most of my adult life working on a change of attitude.

Now, I like to live in the present moment. It makes life so much easier but not only that, it’s more fun! So, one day at a time, I have managed to stay alive for all of these 60 years and for that I am grateful.

All of that being said, I think staying physically fit is so important to enjoying life. I don’t fear aging, rather I look forward to it. There is always something new to learn. I am wise because of my age. I am experienced because of my age. I am leaning into 60 because I know I will continue to get better with time.

How’s that for sexy!

 

Loud Trainers

Trainer Talking Too Much

Do you know how loud you are?

 

Please don’t be the loudest trainer in the gym, unless what you’re saying is to motivate your client. I listened to a trainer today who was so annoyingly loud that I wanted to ask her to ratchet it down a notch. But she was so aggressively bragging about herself, I was pretty sure it would have caused a scene I didn’t want to subject my client to.

Anyway, we all share the space and common courtesy goes a long way in these tight personal training gyms. If you’re making noise cheering your client on, we will be much more understanding than if we are listening to you talk about yourself. It screams of insecurity!

Breathing 101-Breathing is Fundamental

Chloe’s Plank/Leg Lift

Here’s a great workout! 8 Minutes of fun!

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