Brian Neal Fitness & Health Foundation

Apply for a Full Scholarship Steel Gym Membership

briannealfitness — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:40:20 +0000

Brian Neal fitness & Health Foundation is proud to announce that the application process for a “FULL SCHOLARSHIP” for a “STEEL GYM MEMBERSHIP” scholarships are available. Applicants must earn $2,000 a month or less and have a documented life altering ailment such as HIV/AIDS Heart Disease, Diabetes, etc. Good luck to all applicants. Take a step to make your life the best it can be!

APPLY HERE

Dancing With the South Florida Stars III Recap

briannealfitness — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:38:41 +0000

Dancing With the South Florida Stars, Season Three, packed the Epic Theater at The Manor Entertainment Complex on Monday, April 8, in the latest turn of the much-anticipated annual fundraiser for the Brian Neal Fitness and Health Foundation.

Hosted by the legendary female impersonators Diva and Tiffany Arieagus, with Red Carpet introductions superbly handled by veteran Miami show host Kitty Meow, the two-hour dancing competition featured the judging talents of drag performers Misty Eyez and Erika Norrell, plus last year’s reigning champion Greg Santis and businessman Reece Darham.
Using a format similar to the nationally successful “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC Television, DWTSFS3 was headlined by nine celebrity dance couples, who competed against one another for the coveted crystal first place award. This year, the winning couple, representing Boardwalk Bar and Restaurant, was Krystal K. and Felipe Bedoya Sierra dancing a meld of sexy Spanish numbers in original costumes.

Audience applause decided the first place winners, after a dance-off with Tom Runyan (of Tom Runyan Law Firm) and partner Jimmy Pagan who performed a country-Western themed number featuring the two-step, the Turbo Twang line dance and a polka.
“I am thrilled how the Dancing With The South Florida Stars Event continues to grow each year,” said Brian Neal, founder of the fundraiser for his Fitness and Health Foundation. “The talent from the community was nothing short of amazing and superb. I’d like to thank the community and the 40-plus sponsors that made this event possible. Because of the generous support of the community, we are able to add more recipients to our program again this year.”

“As producer of DWTSFS, I would like to thank the participants, sponsors and the incredible Manor ownership and staff in working so closely with me in putting on this event,” said Bobby Blair, chairman of Multimedia Platforms LLC. “It took an army this year, which allowed us to bring the event to a whole new level of fun and excitement. This annual event is my pride and joy,” he added.

The special Community Fitness Making a Difference Award was given to J. Michael from MBS Fitness for his selfless contribution to helping those with HIV/AIDS. In winning the special award, Michael was serenaded on the dance floor by singer Jonathan Wiley performing. “I Won’t Give Up.”
Also dancing in this years event was Atlantic Realty’s Kip Reynolds with Twat LaRouge, Village Pubs Greg Phelps and Deja Devonier, Georgie’s Alibi’s Jeff Shincarick with Nikki Adams, Push Fitness’ Peter Jackson with Charleze Angel, Brian Neal’s Fitness and Heal’s Brian Neal with Marvin Nathan, Rumors Bar and Grill’s Brendan Corman and Velvet Lenore, plus Great Florida Bank’s Jerrod Jones and Andrew Larochelle.
Special entertainment featured the Boardwalk’s Dancers Harlem Shake, as well as a fantastic dance from Velvet Lenore and a great vocal performance by Rych Niel.

All proceeds from the evening’s event and silent auction went to benefit the Brian Neal Fitness and Health Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides a year-round health and wellness program for people challenged with living with HIV/AIDS and/or other life-threatening illnesses. The program has specifically been structured for those who have financial burdens that would prevent them from normally being able to afford such fitness and health programs.

Dancing with the South Florida Stars III Videos

briannealfitness — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:47:22 +0000

Dancing with the South Florida Stars, an annual event held at The Manor to benefit the Brian Neal Foundation. These videos were shot by Big Dewitte. The Brian Neal Fitness and Health Foundation helps individuals with HIV-AIDS to stay healthy with fitness and nutritional advice.

Krystal and Felipe

Velvet Group

Tiffany Solo

Runyon and Pagan

Nikki and Jeff

Kip and Twat

Boardwalk Models do the Harlem Shake

Jonathan

Greg and Deja

Peter and Charlize

Brian and Marvin

Brendan and Velvet

Bobby Blair Presents

Aging and Your Diet

briannealfitness — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 22:49:08 +0000

When three meals a day are no longer enough

It is inevitable. Every day we remain alive, our bodies age. For most of us, that means wrinkles, some fat, and not so few degenerative diseases. Fortunately, many of these diseases can be prevented, if you take the necessary small steps to keep them at bay.

Medical studies over the years have taught us that good nutrition is one of the best ways to prevent many of the debilitating and degenerative diseases that can plague us as we age, among them osteoporosis, diabetes, and heart disease. Up to 50% of these diseases and others are caused by improper diet. Knowing these facts makes it imperative that we care about our day-to-day food intake, especially if we want to live a long and healthy life.

Believe it or not, older people are the most malnourished of any group in America. This is mainly due to the dulling of the senses as we age. It begins with the sense of smell lessening, which in turn causes our taste buds not to pick up as much flavor. Ultimately food becomes less appealing. Add in some difficulty chewing, heartburn, lactose intolerance, constipation and other digestive problems, and this eating stuff starts to become a real chore.

Having fixed incomes or the sudden loss of a partner will also add to less-than-proper nutrition. These situations do not have to be the death of us, especially since fresh fruits and vegetables are some of the most inexpensive items at the grocery store you can buy.

During the aging process, muscle mass decreases, mainly due to disuse, and fatty tissue increases from a slowing metabolism. This means cutting back calories as we age gracefully. The average person must cut calories back 10% every decade after he turns 30 years old. People who fail to cut back their calories find that they can put quite a bit of weight on quickly. Extra weight means extra stress on the depleting joints, putting you at risk for other health problems. Mobility of the joints gives us our independence, which is a big deal as we get older, even if it is just to walk to the grocery store.

As your age increases, your body’s ability to absorb and use vitamins and minerals decreases. This decrease means there must be an increase in supplementation if you are not eating a well balanced diet. Older people are more likely to need extra essential nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin E, zinc, potassium and fiber. A daily vitamin with 100% of these ingredients is optimal and most cost effective.

As you age, eating will become more pleasurable if it is done at scheduled times, rather than snacking. Make your dinner plate more appealing with foods contrasting in taste, texture, and color. Try setting the table with the good silver and china to make a meal more of an experience in fine dining. If you dislike eating alone, gather some friends around the table and make it more social. Do whatever it takes to make eating pleasurable.

Along with your healthy diet, remember to drink plenty of water to wash it down and keep your digestive tract running smoothly. Proper hydration is as important as diet, especially if you take a lot of medications.

In the time it took you to read this article, you just got a bit older! Remember these facts when it comes to eating and you will be a bit wiser, too.

About the Author

Andy Kress

Andy Kress is a certified fitness trainer, nutritional counselor and author in the Fort Lauderdale area. He may be reached via phone at 954-789-3930 or email at andyfitnesstrainer@gmail.com.

Zumba with Obey

briannealfitness — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 03:33:54 +0000

briannealfitness — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 02:47:27 +0000

Written by: Andy Kress

There are always far too many excuses why people on the go can’t eat a well-balanced diet. They are experts at coming up with a litany of reasons why their diets and nutrition are placed toward the bottom of their busy calendars. The irony, of course, is that these are exactly the people who should be most conscious of the fuel that will keep their bodies functioning properly at an accelerated pace. Read more….

Truly Awesome Arms: Part One

briannealfitness — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 02:44:57 +0000

Written by: Tom Bonanti

When a client begins training with me, one of the first things he tells me is that he wants bigger, more defined arms. Because that is a pretty much a universal goal for anyone who hits the gym, I’d like to present a three-part series on how to build a really dynamite set of awesome guns. This week, let’s take a look at some basic principles of effective arm training.

In order to build your arms, you need to work them twice a week, using about two exercises for biceps (front of the upper arms) and three exercises for triceps (rear of the upper arms). I suggest 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps for each exercise. Triceps require more attention because they are a larger muscle, making up nearly 75 percent of your upper arm development. I like to super-set tris and bis together on the same day. I separate arm training from back and chest training simply because if you really train like an animal, your arms will be utilized and “tired out” on back and chest day, and you’ll only be giving them your second best.

As with all muscle groups, train your arms to fatigue and never to failure. This way you can enjoy the pump and avoid the tendonitis that comes from over-use. There are several biceps and triceps movements which can contribute to tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons) in the elbow. You must immediately stop using such an exercise or else cut down drastically upon the weight you are using. Ice your elbow and rub it down with an anti-inflammatory balm before, after, and during workouts. If pain persists for 10 days, consult your physician.

According to bodybuilder and author Robert Kennedy, there are four vital qualities that make up a great arm:

You need size. This includes thickness and roundness from the top of the arm near the shoulder to the bottom near the elbow.

You need good shape. This is largely hereditary. You are born with a certain amount of muscle fibers. You cannot increase the number of fibers, but through weight training you can make the ones you have thicker and stronger. To this extent you can shape or sculpt your muscles by the exercises you perform.

You need separation. This is the distinct delineation of the various muscles that make up an arm.

You need vascularity and definition. Here you’re talking about lowering your body fat through diet and cardio as you progressively build quality lean muscle mass. Veins grow in size along with the arms, especially if plenty of pump is achieved in your workouts.

Next week I’ll talk about several exercises for biceps that are sure to have you filling out your sleeves in no time fast. Until then, remember to be regular with your workouts, keep good form, eat well, and sleep so that your muscles can grow. Contact TrainerTomB@aol.com anytime with your workout questions or problems. It’s always great to hear from you!

About the Author

Tom Bonanti

Tom Bonanti is a certified and licensed fitness trainer with The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) with six years of fitness training experience. Bodybuilding has been a hobby for Tom as well as a way for him to stay healthy and relieve daily stress.

Cruising the Buffet or Dinner on the High Seas

briannealfitness — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:51:08 +0000

Ahhhhhh, the exhilarating joys of sailing the seven seas on a luxury vessel to anywhere your heart desires. The choices are almost endless for places to go and things to do. But no matter what luxury liner you are on, or to which ports you intend to go, one place you will definitely visit repeatedly will be the ship’s buffet or dining area. This is not an area to be avoided or denied. If anything, we encourage you to sample its temptations while setting specific limits for yourself.

Your dining experience on the ship should be just as memorable as the places you intend to visit. Each meal can be another chance to add a wonderful new memory to your unforgettable trip. The ship is not moving very fast from port to port, so while sailing, take the time and stop to enjoy your meals, even if you are traveling alone.

Eating slower gives your body a chance to recognize that it is getting full, thus enhancing a slimmer and trimmer you while vacationing. It takes 15 minutes for your brain to recognize that your stomach is full. Taking the time to reminisce about the day’s events between bites not only brings you closer to the people you with whom you are are sailing, but it also gives the body a chance to process the delectable dishes the chef has prepared for you.

When there is buffet-style dining on the ship, most people’s decision-making choices go downhill. This plethora of food is often too much for some people to handle. A buffet is set in place so that you have a variety of tastes and choices, so use it for just that. Try sampling a small amount of all the foods that attract you at the buffet line, but refrain from making a pile of any one thing while filling your plate. Be adventurous when choosing your items, try healthy choices that are different than your usual foods at home.

Taking small plates back from the line keeps your portion sizes down. And remember, you’re not denying yourself anything because you can always go back for more. If you do go back to the buffet table, try replacing your second helping with fruit. Fruits have natural sugars that can be just as sweet as desserts that use cane sugars. Fruit also has lots of hydration and insoluble fiber; both of these are requirements if you are going to have a few drinks while setting sail.

There is also plenty of table-side dining available on any cruise line and I strongly encourage this style of eating. Cruise liners large and small offer sit-down restaurants. If your willpower is weak, this is a great alternative to the buffet line. Sitting at a table and being served a gourmet meal while sipping on a glass of fine wine sounds good to almost everyone, so take the time to treat yourself while vacationing and make your evening meal an experience. Additionally,table-side dining can make your meal on the high seas that much more of an intimate experience if traveling with your significant other. This is a great time to splurge on romance, rather than dessert. Your partner and your waistline will love you for it.

Remember to use these eating tips while you are cruising around the world, and look just as fabulous as the places you are about to explore.

Fitness and nutritional expert Andy Kress will be conducting group and private classes aboard the MSY Wind Star on its February 23 cruise to Costa Rica and the Panama Canal.

About the Author

Andy Kress

Andy Kress is a certified fitness trainer, nutritional counselor and author in the Fort Lauderdale area. He may be reached via phone at 954-789-3930 or email at andyfitnesstrainer@gmail.com.

Ulcers are No Fun

briannealfitness — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:48:33 +0000

It’s Not Just a Tummy Ache

Many Americans each year mistake heartburn and indigestion for a larger underlying problem—an ulcer. Many of these ulcers are caused by unregimented eating habits and lifestyle, as well as over-consumption of NSAID pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen. Ulcers are very common, occurring across race and gender, and they tend to go untreated due to wrongful self-diagnoses and treatment.

There are three kinds of ulcers that are named for the area of the body in which they develop. Any sore that erodes the mucus membrane lining of the digestive tract is called a peptic ulcer, so named because they are formed in areas exposed to stomach acids and pepsin. Another type of ulcer that also exists in the digestive tract is called a duodenum ulcer, which occurs in the upper part of the intestine. The final type is a gastric ulcer, and can be found in the stomach lining. Duodenum and gastric ulcers are much less common then peptic ulcers, but are just as excruciating.

The burning sensation that these ulcers create can be almost pinpointed by the victim and usually occurs two to three hours after eating. The burning sensation is usually confused for heartburn and indigestion, typically letting the ulcer worsen, as it then goes untreated. This turns the ulcer into a raging and painful addition to daily life. And just as some ulcers are painful, others are pain-free, making their diagnoses even harder to detect. These ulcers reveal themselves through intestinal bleeding, bloating, and gas with possible nausea and vomiting.

Doctors have found that most ulcers are created and develop when a common bacterium, called Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) infects the intestinal tract. However, there can be many underlying lifestyle factors other than the bacteria that contribute to obtaining an ulcer. Some of the main factors are heavy smoking, overconsumption of alcohol, emotional and physical stress, and hereditary predisposition. Please note, smokers with ulcers often have reoccurrences and poor healing until they quit smoking altogether. Stress-related ulcers can subside in the same environment, but usually you must remove the stress-related activity.

Treatment for ulcers may vary and doctors usually first prescribe an antibiotic to eradicate the H. pylori bacteria. Home remedies of over-the-counter drugs typically do more harm than good: As these remedies are not targeted for ulcers, but rather for the short term treatment of heartburn, they commonly create more unwanted symptoms (such as headache, nausea, and weakness). Over-the-counter treatments like Pepcid make peptic ulcers worse by further disturbing the balance of pepsin in the stomach. Some prolonged cases have led to kidney damage. The best way to treat and prevent an ulcer and its reoccurrences is through diet.

Watching what goes in your mouth is the most important thing when subsiding an ulcer or preventing a new one. And no, a bland diet of high fiber and lots of foods you hate to eat is no longer necessary, even though it may still be prescribed. Treating the ulcer is more about avoiding foods. Certain triggers can vary for many individuals, but the main ones include caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, peppermint, tomatoes and tomato products, and fatty foods.

Now that you know the facts on ulcers, don’t let your eating habits and lifestyle create a daily reminder that you can’t forget. Be well and be strong, through good nutrition.

About the Author

Andy Kress

Andy Kress is a certified fitness trainer, nutritional counselor and author in the Fort Lauderdale area. He may be reached via phone at 954-789-3930 or email at andyfitnesstrainer@gmail.com.

Eliminating Influenza

briannealfitness — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:47:53 +0000

Giving the Boot to the Bug

Influenza or the flu has been wrecking havoc during the holidays for years, and at exactly the time you don’t want to get sick. This highly infectious and contagious virus has the potential to affect a wide majority of the population, and does, particularly in the winter months. Influenza tends to attack the upper respiratory tract, nose, throat and possibly the bronchi of the lungs. The toll the flu takes on the body varies from person to person, but seniors and children seem to have the most severe effects. There are many steps that can be taken to prevent and cure influenza. The most obvious is getting a flu shot; the least obvious and most ignored is through proper nutrition.

Stress at home and at work negatively affects your overall health and tends to exacerbate flu symptoms. Being overworked (at either place) can lower your immune system’s resistance to fighting off infection, thus letting germs take over. Living and working in stuffy and cluttered areas leaves room for germs to contaminate the spaces you frequently touch and spread the flu virus quickly throughout the home or place of employment. Lack of proper exercise leaves the body weakened, not performing at its full capacity, making it tougher for your natural defenses to rid the body of the flu. These factors contribute to a toxic, run-down system that leaves you vulnerable to influenza’s ruthless onset.

When influenza does strike, strike back with some fire power from the kitchen. During the first few days of uncomfortable conditions, try to abstain from all solid foods. Drinking only fruit and vegetable juices diluted with water–about a 50/50 ratio–for the first three to five days will help rid your body of the flu. Carrot and spinach juices have been found especially beneficial during this time. It is important to wash all fruits and vegetables before juicing as pesticides and other bacteria could be lurking. Increasing fruit intake will help cleanse the bowels and lower flu related fever by helping the body temperature go down.

When the fever breaks and symptoms start to subside, an all-fruit diet should be implemented. Three meals a day of all fresh fruit should be consumed, such as apples, grapes, oranges, pears, pineapples, peaches, and melons for best results. No other foods should be added at this time, so not to compromise the value of the treatment.

Milk and dairy can be added after a few days of the all-fruit diet. After this period of time and the flu symptoms seem to subside other food groups can be re-instated, such as seeds, nuts, and grains.

There are some foods and drinks that should be avoided during bouts of influenza. Bananas, stewed or tinned fruits should be avoided during the all fruit diet. Strong teas and coffees may over stimulate the system prolonging negative effects of the flu. Foods such as potatoes, any meats, rice, refined and processed foods will irritate the delicate digestive system the all fruit diet is trying to correct. Alcohol and tobacco are very detrimental during this time as well. Tobacco impedes the respiratory system from recovering from congestion influenza brings; and alcohol lowers the body’s immune system adversely effecting the recovery process.

Good lifestyle choices before and after influenza’s unwanted invite should be maintained to prevent future reoccurrences. No one wants to be sick during the fun times surrounding the holidays, so taking the time to take care of your health is very important. Not only will your healthy co-workers and family members thank you, your own body will too.

About the Author

Andy Kress

Andy Kress is a certified fitness trainer, nutritional counselor and author in the Fort Lauderdale area. He may be reached via phone at 954-789-3930 or email at andyfitnesstrainer@gmail.com.