Steve Zim and the Hollywood Body

CBN.com THE BODY OF A MOVIE STAR                

Steve Zim is a Hollywood trainer and fitness expert. Steve believes that by combining cardio and weight training in just 30 minutes a day, three times a week, we can sculpt a phenomenal physique faster and easier than we ever thought possible.

“By combining your cardio and strength training, you’ll burn more calories while you work out by keeping your heart rate up,” he says. “More important, you’ll increase the rate at which your body burns calories as it works to rebuild healthier and stronger muscle fibers. The body needs to be worked in a balanced way.”

STRENGTH TRAINING

Steve says that muscle is your best weapon when it comes to burning fat. For every pound of lean muscle we add to our body, we will burn an extra 35 to 50 calories per day. Lifting weights will improve metabolism, so we’ll burn more calories throughout the day. Steve focuses on the heart rate in his program.

“You’ll do only one set of any exercise per workout, but it will be based on time, rather than on a given number of repetitions,” he says. “Every set is a minute long.” How do you know you’re using the right weight? Steve says, “You’ll want to choose a weight that you can do at a consistent pace for the entire minute.”

CARDIO CONDITIONING

The 30-Minute Celebrity Makeover Miracle uses cardio for two main reasons: to strengthen your cardiovascular system and to burn a lot of calories in a short time.

“Your lats, quads, biceps and so on – get stronger when you continuously challenge them,” he says. “The muscles of your heart also get stronger from a continuous challenge.”

The five phases of celebrity makeover cardio are: walking, marching, jogging, stepping on a stair or a platform, and finally, lunging.

NUTRITION

Here are a few tips from Steve Zim’s nutrition program

1. Eating fat will help you lose fat.

2. Orange juice is one of the worst things you can have for breakfast.

3. Bananas, corn, and certain vegetables can actually make you fat. The key to weight management, as well as to energy management, is controlling your blood-sugar levels. In order to maintain a healthy diet, we need the right amount of carbs (which is our body’s primary fuel for energy), the right amount of protein (which are building blocks that help to construct and repair our muscles), and fats (to help regulate our hormones and to help us better absorb nutrients from food).

IT’S A THREE-PART PROCESS           

Steve says that losing weight and getting into shape is a three-part process: aerobics, nutrition, and weight bearing exercises. 

“You have to do all three parts to get from point A to Z,” says Steve. 

Aerobics can be anything from walking to jogging, riding a bike, or using a Stair Master. An individual should sustain his or her heart rate between 60 and 80 percent of the person’s maximum for at least 20 minutes three days a week.  If 20 minutes is too difficult in the beginning, Steve suggests building up to it.  Find an enjoyable activity otherwise there is a temptation to quit.  Nutrition should feed muscles and starve fat.  Steve says if a person eats 200 more calories than they need every day for a year, they will gain 25 pounds of fat!  One sugar soda a day for a year could account for 12 pounds of new fat to your body. Also remember that the most important meal of the day is breakfast. 

“By skipping breakfast, people think they eat less and will lose weight,” says Steve. “Our bodies will not use fat for energy until they have been fed.” 

Muscle burns calories so the leaner the muscle, the faster our metabolism. 

“The idea is to create lean muscle so that our muscles become a furnace that burn calories and keeps us lean and strong,” says Steve. 

Snacking is great and necessary. The biggest problem is what kind of snacks to eat. Steve suggests fruit (berries, apples, oranges, and plums), sugar-free jello or popsicles, and celery or apple slices with peanut butter. 

He offers tips on losing weight: 

1. Brush your teeth after a meal (takes away the craving for dessert).

2. Drink a cup of water every morning (water is the #1 remover of fat in your body).

3. Eat a salad before lunch or dinner (makes you feel fuller).

4. While dining out, don’t eat the bread, and ask for the dressing on the side.