Whether it’s the fulfillment of a long-awaited plan or a complete surprise, the facts are what they are – you’re pregnant! First, of course, congratulations! You’re about to be in for a significant number of changes, a few of which will be almost instantaneous. Once the initial glee begins to calm, the mind starts to focus on the immediate alterations to your daily routine; the major change many are aware of is the diet. A common misconception is that a woman is now “eating for two”. This, unfortunately, causes many…

  Americans have become obsessed with the idea of eliminating all fats everywhere. I ran across a shampoo a few weeks ago claiming it contained no “harmful fats”. Seriously folks – never forget that you are a mammal, a convoluted evolutionary algorithm whose input determines your output. Fats exist, in the most basic form, as an energy source for organs, both in functional and survival senses. In addition to assisting the body in the absorption of base nutrients, production of hormones, and promotion of HDL cholesterol (beneficial, also known as…

Your combined protein intake for the day, including both dietary consumption and supplementary intake (shakes, bars, etc) should total around 1 gram per pound of body weight. For supplementary protein, the ideal time to take a shake is within 30-45 minutes of exercise due to the body being in high metabolic uptake (best absorption with the least amount of loss during processing). Similarly, shakes can be taken immediately upon waking, preferably after a glass of water, as it helps to stimulate the metabolism into a higher drive for the day.…

Without a doubt, eggs the unofficial red-headed stepchild of the natural foods industry. With a history of conflicting studies on everything from blood pressure and cholesterol levels to bone density, the egg’s “secret” is the same as all others; a food where quality over quantity is the ultimate determinant for consumption benefits. In the early 1900s, the egg industry was primarily based on small-farm and independent housing operations. A key component of the permaculture system of farming, chickens provided not only eggs and meat, but also natural pest control and…

Over the next few weeks, I will show you how I shake up cardio and utilize it as a fat loss and strength training combination. I lift weights four to five times a week, and I work out five to six times a week. Usually Tuesdays are a good cardio day for me. Mondays have recently consisted of supersets with biceps and triceps often taking no breaks except to go to my next group of exercises. I finish off with running speed work mainly outdoors when the weather is nice.…

If you train with a CASS Fitness trainer, you more than likely have experienced a battle ropes routine with one of us if we have enough space to set them up. You may also see my videos or Instagram posts with the Battle Ropes. Why do I like them so much? Here are a few reasons why they have popped up in many CASS Fitness workouts, including the regular routines of our trainers: Battle Ropes are an excellent tool to spice up your cardio and strength routine, no matter what…

CASS Fitness would like to give a warm welcome to Adrian Nicotra. He is our newest certified personal trainer. Adrian is an NASM Certified Personal Trainer and he is currently working on his NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist certification. Adrian lives in Alexandria, VA. He trains in Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Tysons, McLean, and Vienna. He specializes in strength training, corrective exercise, fat loss, weight loss, and bodybuilding. Adrian is an excellent motivator to his clients inside and outside of the sessions. He inspires them to be their very best and…

The Bird Dog or the Alternating Quadruped Opposite Arm/Opposite Leg Raise is an exercise to help strengthen your lower back, abs, and glutes. It is a low impact exercise that frequently is used to help relieve lower back pain and to help prevent it from happening in the first place. Instructions: Place yourself in a prone position with both hands and knees on the ground. Your hands are directly beneath your shoulders and your knees are directly beneath your hips. Keep your core tight and maintain a neutral alignment in…

We are proud to announce our new one hour nutritional consultation option. In this one hour consultation, you will get a full breakdown of how to count calories and track macro nutrients. You will learn how to calculate your resting metabolism rate (RMR) and your lean body weight (LBW). Another thing you will learn is why carbs and proteins are represented it by the number 4 and why fats are represented by the number nine. You will see how that plays into your daily nutritional intake. We also will answer…

If you are not familiar with Muay Thai, it is the national sport of Thailand, and one of the most effective stand up fighting systems in the world. Practitioners of Muay Thai are incredibly fit and develop strong, athletic bodies. This system of martial arts uses powerful strikes with the hands, elbows, knees and feet. This is why Muay Thai is known as “The Art of 8 Limbs.” In the past, martial arts based fitness programs were either too “dance oriented” or they limited the instructor by only offering a…

Here is a quick five minute CASS Fitness ab routine that will challenge you. Now, I am not going to say some nonsense like this will get you ripped. Remember, proper nutrition and exercise will get you there. However, core strength is built through ab routines like this. Core strength is something all CASS Fitness personal trainers preach and implement heavily in our workouts. Your core is the most important part of your body. Do not ignore and skip your core workouts! You will do each of the ab exercises…

Over the past two years there have been quite a few new protein bars which have less sugar, high amounts of fiber, and low calories released. A big reason is the higher demand of healthy bars without tons of added sugars, artificial flavors, sweeteners, and GMO soy. Quest bars exploded in the marketplace, now pretty much available almost anywhere. Many of the flavors taste great, and I do consume Quest bars. However, they are not a vegan product and some of them contain sucralose. I still do not understand why some contain stevia…