How to build a strong, sexy back while doing your cardio

Yes! There are many ways you can do your cardio workout while building a strong, sexy back. This not only saves you time in the gym, but it also challenges your fitness ability to a whole other level — improving your body composition and its functional efficiency. 

Anything that challenges you can change you! It can make you stronger — make you better! Not to mention, this type of high intensity workout can burn some major calories in a small amount of time, speed up your metabolism and blast fat fast!

Proper form is KEY! So please refer to the tips below to prevent injuries.

Cable Lat Pulldown (Wide Grip)

Primary muscles worked:

Latissimus dorsi, teres major, posterior deltoid, rhomboids, mid and lower trapezius, levator scapulae, biceps group.

Concentric phase (the movement of pulling the bar down while contracting and shortening the muscles being used):

Your back should have a slight lean back (15-45 degrees). Pull bar toward chest. Pull scapulae (back of shoulder area - shoulder blades) down and together, creating a natural arch in the lower back. Keep scapulae depressed (down) and retracted (squeezing shoulder blades toward each other).

Eccentric phase (releasing the bar back up to its original position while lengthening the muscles being used):

Let arms back up slowly to original starting position while keeping tension in the latissimus dorsi (broadest muscle of the back). There should be no change in the angle at the hips once original degree of lean is established.

Be sure to make time to stretch your back muscles after the workout (and even on a day-to-day basis) to release tension, maintain flexibility and prevent injuries. Watch this video and stretch with me! :)

Watch now: Back stretches you can do at home or at work.

Behind the scenes "sneak peek" of photoshoot with MuscleMag

MuscleMag, world's leading magazine in training and fitness, features celebrity fitness personality, Penny Phang. Here’s a sneak peek into some behind the scenes footage of the photoshoot. 

See more photos here. 

How we can achieve our ultimate goal—together!

We are all the same. Deep down, at the core of each and everyone of us, we all have the same needs. We may be different in our approach, but that does not make us all that "different." We all have the capacity to love and to hate, to be kind and to be destructive, to be hurtful and to be caring. 

Some people have so much battling in their mind, they may temporarily lose their way (or lose themselves). It could very well be you, or me. So before we judge others who have done "wrong" or did things we do not agree with, perhaps we should have some compassion and be thankful that life hasn't yet provoked us enough to show our own dark colors.

Even if you haven't yet been pushed to completely unleash your distasteful side, it doesn’t mean that given the "right" circumstances, you wouldn't become "that person" you dislike. So as it stands, you would be wiser to have compassion, understanding, and deep acceptance that life is challenging for each of us... and that you and I are equal — no matter what our exterior may show.

Deep down we are no different. Whatever it is that we are doing, we are doing it because we all want to be happy, we all want to be safe, and we all want to be loved. No matter how you look at it, you really only have one ultimate goal; and that is, fulfillment. Whatever you're doing, you're doing it because you want to feel fulfilled in some way. 

Only YOU know what truly fulfills you. So choose the things (attitude, people, places, events, materials) that can bring more fulfillment to your life, and pay less attention to the things that take you away from it. Try to keep it simple. There's no reason to make things complicated.

Don't take life so seriously to a point where you forget to be "child-like" — to be young at heart. Remember, you have an inner child that lives deep within you who needs nurturing and attention. Let that inner child out to play often. Don't lock them up and shut them down. It's okay to cry, be angry, get frustrated and feel sad. A child would not hide these feelings for they are authentic... and so it is that you, too, are authentic when you express your true emotions. 

Don't lose that inner child within who's filled with love, wonder and compassion. Don't confine to logic all the time. Be courageous and use your imagination. Sure, logic can get you from one place to the next, but imagination will take you everywhere!

Use this world as a discovery center. Explore everything as a child would. Get curious, wonder, inquire, try new things, mess around with new ways of doing things, toy with ideas, play with nature, venture out of your comfort zone. Don't take yourself so seriously... when something goes "wrong," instead of saying "Oh, no!" learn to say "Oh, well..."

What does it mean to eat a balanced meal?

"Eat a balanced meal!" 

What the heck does that mean anyway? Well, generally, what that means is that you should enjoy your foods to FUEL up, NOT to fill up! To give you an idea, allow me to share with you a quick video of the lunch I'm making today...but keep this in mind while you watch:

The nutrients from food, and the portion size is KEY to creating a balanced meal. Without the details of your body's current state, I can only offer a VERY general guideline here: Have about a palm size (your palm) of lean protein, half cup to a full cup of good carbs, a ton of colorful veggies (at least 2 cups). BUT... 

..saying this, however, you've got to be flexible with your portions depending on your goals. So for example, for me, my portions are slightly different from day-to-day depending on the intensity of my schedule for that day. I ask myself: Do I have a jam-packed day of running around? Will I be working out today? If so, is it an intense workout or just an easy one? Or will I be having a relaxed day altogether?... 

...Maybe I'm recovering from an intense workout and need to replenish glycogen stores (sugar/energy) in my muscles for the next time I workout? Or maybe I want to really clean up my food today to make up for my "naughty-eating" from the past few days?

All these factors guide me to premeditate how much I eat, and what I eat day-to-day to supply me with all the necessary energy to thrive or maintain my ideal physique all year round. Want a clearer mental picture of what a balanced meal could look like? Check out my video above.

Happy eating! :)

Are you using your mind wisely?

Before we go into the weekend, ponder on these wise words for a moment:

"I had a lot of tragedies in my life — most of them never happened." –– Mark Twain, famous American philosopher

"I find inner peace when I'm 'out of my mind'" –– Lyrics from a Music/Rap genius

Do you see what these famous lines have in common? They are encouraging you to get out of your head. Stop living "in your head." Come out of there and live in the here and now — yes, live here in THIS EXACT MOMENT where nothing is wrong; in this exact moment where "problems" cannot survive. The only thing "really happening" right now is you reading this article. That's it. Nothing else.

Most of us are so conditioned to create frightful or discouraging thoughts in our heads. But here's the thing: if those thoughts are in your head, then they are really only illusions. Illusions can only appear real once your attention is strongly focused there. So if you want peace of mind, get out of your head and be here, be present to this moment. Don't let the illusions in your head run your life and take you over.

Whether a "problem" is simply a prediction in your mind due to anxiety, or an imagination created by fear, your body cannot tell the difference. It cannot tell the difference between something that is happening RIGHT NOW in front of you and something that is in your mind. So as long as you're conjuring feelings of stress, your body will react accordingly by releasing stress hormones (such as cortisol), which can cause more disturbances in your body. 

Good news is your body can handle this kind of setback, however, the bad news is too much secretion of stress hormones over long periods of time can cause problems. This prolonged exposure to elevated levels of stress hormones can cause havoc in your system and eventually negatively affect the functional efficiency of your entire body. As a result, weight can fluctuate, dis-comfort will arise, and dis-ease can show up in various forms. 

So use your mind wisely. Use it to remember past mistakes and lessons so you can do better today. Use it to plan your day-to-day, moment-by-moment, to live a more enriching life. Use it to focus on ways to make things better for yourself and others.

DO NOT use your mind to worry and make a "problem" bigger than it really is. Do not dwell there in the past and be completely consumed and rendered paralyzed by it. The past is only but a memory and has no power over you unless you choose to focus all your attention there, and in doing so, energizing it and re-living it day after day.

Here and now is the only place you can make things happen, make things better; not there in the past, living in your head! Do not use your mind to predict the worse future or case scenarios unless you are doing it strategically with confidence to solve a problem. Otherwise it would only be counterproductive. 

Do not use your mind to make yourself sick or keep yourself sick. Practice being here. Start today. When you catch yourself getting lost living in your head — thinking of this, that, and everything unsettling (which will happen over and over again) — just kindly recognize that you're doing it, and bring yourself back to here and now by being intensely still and focusing on your breath. 

Be stubborn in this practice no matter how many times your ego tries to steer you back into living in your head. It is only in time, with repeated, uncompromising effort that this practice will open doors to a whole new world of peace and fulfillment so grand that your little ego mind could never have imagined.

Remember: A lot of the pain that we are dealing with are really only thoughts.

Weight loss tip: Forget the scale! Here's why

Try to aim for "real overall results." Don't fixate only on your weight. "Losing weight" does not always ensure you are better, healthier, stronger, or more empowered. There are too many other factors that can be used to measure your success. Here are some examples:

- I have so much energy now. I can even run faster, jump higher, lift heavier than ever before! Grrr!

- I lost inches everywhere and can now fit into those jeans and actually look GOOD in them. Yes!! 

- My arms, legs and abs look strong, tight and defined — no more flabs for me, thank you very much! 

... you get the picture! ;)

Remember, the scale is not always the best indicator of success. I know for a fact that I weigh the same as most of my petite friends (I'm only 5'3"), however, though I may weigh the same as them and in some cases even weigh more than them, I still wear smaller clothing sizes than them (size 0-2 believe it or not). They wear bigger sizes than me (ranging from size 3-4). 

Why is this? Well, with my short intense workouts, I'm able to build lean muscle mass, burn fat, and keep it that way! With more lean muscles on me, I'm quite dense for a petite girl and therefore weigh more than I look. My muscles may render me heavier, but they also make me much leaner and tighter looking. Hence, I wear an extra small. So you see?...sometimes you've just got to say, "Who cares what the scale says if I drop inches and I look good in my clothes!" 

So no need to focus on the scale all the time. Focus on your performance and you will be TRULY EMPOWERED. You'll be able to workout with your body in a way that you couldn't before. Better performance will result in better body strength, shape, stamina and more! All these factors go hand-in-hand. So if you focus on drastically improving your performance, rest assured your body (inside and out) will drastically improve itself to match up!

If you want to workout smart to maximize your efforts; spend less time to burn more fat; learn short, intense workouts that work; feel free to get some ideas here by clicking the link "Fat-Burn Workouts" on the top bar. Or just click here.

A lesson on "perfection" you need to understand

“That's perfect!" I exclaim (with a huge grin) when someone is doing their best to make positive changes in their lives. Most would then reply somewhere along the lines of, "Really? I have such a long way to go... How will I ever get it perfect?" And my respond would then usually go a little something like this:

Don't aim to be "perfect." Aim instead, for improved performance! Aim to do your best in every given scenario. As long as you're doing your best you'll always get better; this in itself is perfection — that continuous journey of making a conscious effort to do your best, to try your best. 

And your best will not always be the same. And that’s perfect, too. It will be different when you're happy as oppose to sad. It will be different when you're sick as oppose to healthy.

But doing your best, given the circumstances you’re in… well, that’s perfection! It doesn't mean you won't still make mistakes or have challenges to overcome. But by doing your best based on what is available to you in that moment, those so called "mistakes" and "challenges" will come with their own set of rewards every step of the way. They will be exactly the journey you need to learn, grow and evolve into the fullest expression of your best Self. 

This twisting and turning journey called life that we so daringly embark on is just the thing that makes us nothing short of perfection. So next time you see someone (including yourself) doing their best, just thank them for displaying perfection. Tell them, “You’re perfect for doing your best!" 

After all, is there anything more perfect than a person doing their best?

I am now homeless: How can I care for my body?

I appreciate all the emails I receive; one in particular last week really struck me. It came from a man who recently became homeless due to financial crisis and is now living in his car. 

One great question he asked was: "What is a dietary regime to follow? One that is cost-effective, easy/portable and provides adequate nourishment for what may be a prolonged period of frugal and austere living."

He doesn't have much other than his protein shake and access to a shower/sink in a local facility. Regardless of circumstances, I feel my advice to him could be helpful to others as well. So please feel free to share.

Dear Matt,

Thank you for sharing your email. I do hope things turn around for you soon. In the meantime, because I don't have all the details on your current circumstances — health wise, etc., I can only do my best to advise on a more general basis (based on the info you did provide).

No matter what, you'll always NEED to have all your macronutrients: protein, carbs, good fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and lots of clean, fresh water, in order for your body to function optimally. That said, I'll try and keep it as simple and cost-effective as possible. 

First, you may need to get a portable mini cooker (or stove)—basically something you can boil water with or do some simple cooking or warming up of food. This way, you can make your instant oatmeal and things like that. To give you a general idea:

- Whole grain instant oatmeal (just add water). This will give you long lasting energy all day, as well as, fiber to keep your intestinal tract healthy. 

- Eggs — you can make hard boiled eggs to get your protein and good fats. They are also very filling.

- Canned tunas (and other fish) are cheap as well, and are filled with protein. You need protein to maintain and build your muscles. It also helps build many other parts of you like your hair, nails, etc.

- Whole wheat (brown) bread and peanut butter, add some jam if want.

- Fruits for vitamins and mineral. Get whatever is in season as they will be well priced. The more colorful your fruits and veggies, the better!

- Bananas will certainly fill you well. Your protein shake will be great to go with it.

- Get bags of greens where you can steam or just eat raw: spinach, broccoli, lettuce. You could get the canned ones if it's cheaper. But you must get your green veggies for vitamins and minerals your body needs, and to keep your energy and vitality. Not to mention, they can care for your skin.

- Canned items can be cost effective given your scenario, so please get stuff like lentils, beans, or peas. This will keep you full while providing the fiber, good carbs, good fats and protein your body NEEDS.

Adding to this: drink lots of clean water. Your body is 70% water so you must match that everyday with at least 8 glasses per day or more, especially more if you're moving around a lot. If you can, boil the water to ensure it's clean. Also, squeeze lemon in your water for Vitamin C, alkalinity, cleansing and many other benefits. Also, important thing to add...

...Please take good care of your teeth and gums. Make sure to brush, floss and rinse everyday. This can help prevent health problems in your mouth that would otherwise easily absorb into your system and compromise the health of your body.

Aside from that, moving your body in a productive way is essential for good health (workout, exercise, stretch). This will keep your mind, heart, circulation, bones and muscles strong no matter what you're going through. You can do body weight exercises like the kind of workouts I have on my website. Check out all my earlier workouts that do not require any equipment.

Also, proper rest is essential to put all the food to good use in your body and for your body to recuperate, heal and maintain balance — to thrive day-to-day — to think clearly and move in a positive direction.

Take this time to also find a helpful book to inspire you. I recommend "Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. I believe it will carry you through this journey as he, too, was once homeless. This highly sought-after spiritual leader is such a success today because of his experience from being homeless for 2 years. 

My well wishes to you, always, 

Penny

Body weight exercise to burn fat, strengthen muscles, increase stamina

Get super fit with this high-intensity combination of strength and cardio exercise that targets every muscle in your body, gets your heart racing and burns loads of calories. No messing around here — no wasting time! Just get it in and get it done. Less time in the gym means more time for other things. Besides, all you really need for this workout is a bar and you can do it anytime, anywhere.

Don't worry, there are also modified versions of this workout for beginner and intermediate. :) Get all the details on this workout, as well as, modified moves here:

Quick tip on choosing the right weight for this workout if you're using free weights or machine: Choose a load where you can complete the reps recommended, providing the last few reps present a major challenge to complete, but you manage to complete it in proper form regardless. (That's generally how you want to choose your weights.)

Beginners:

Repeat this as many times as possible — minimum of 5 rounds. Each time you repeat this entire sequence, decrease the first exercise by 1 rep. In this case, the first exercise is the seated row. First round is 10 reps, next round is 9 reps, and then 8 reps and so on, but no less than 5 reps.

- 10 seated row (machine)

- 5 push up on knees

- 10 half jump squats

Intermediate:

Repeat this as many times as possible — minimum of 5 rounds. Each time you repeat this entire sequence, decrease the first exercise by 1 rep. In this case, the first exercise is the seated row. First round is 10 reps, next round is 9 reps, and then 8 reps and so on, but no less than 5 reps.

- 10 seated row (machine) or lat pulldown (machine). Alternatively, you can do assisted pull-ups with bands or steps set up in advance.

- 5 regular push ups

- 10 jump squats with a half knee tuck

Advance:

Follow the program instructions on the video to execute the exercises below. :)

- narrow grip pull-ups (hanging or supine)

- alternating one-leg push ups

- jump squats with full knee tuck 

Want to join me for a 10-Minute Body Burn to blast fat fast? We can do the entire workout together. Can you keep up? ;) Check it out here.

One way to maintain a healthy weight with food

When it comes to food, your day-to-day does NOT have to be the same in variety or amount, even if you're trying to lose weight. You've got to eat according to your plans for the day.

To give you an idea: my eating choices are for the most part quite premeditated. I eat according to my goal/schedule for the day. If I know I'm going to have a busy day of meetings, running around, or teaching, then I know I have to eat more for the right kind of energy to keep me going and alert. 

If I plan to do one of my intense short workouts in the morning, then I'll eat a little more (carb) and good fats the night before to provide my body the best fuel for a quality workout. Then after, I'll make sure to get a little more protein that day to help my body recover after the workout.

If I know I'm going to have an easy day or may be sitting around on my butt for the most part, I'll lessen my food intake and try to keep portions small and clean.

However, if I should decide I want to eat whatever, or if an unexpected event takes place, no problem! I don't beat myself up. I just go with the flow. I will allow myself to enjoy (with mindful awareness), and I would plan to clean up my eating tomorrow; I could do a quick intense workout, or clean up my eating, or do both if I felt it was necessary.

I make an effort to be mindful of my actions (from what I eat, how I move, to what I think, say or do). I choose to make a conscious effort to restore balance and harmony in my body. This way of living for me did not happen overnight. I had to slowly rid of old habits that were not serving me well in order to get to a healthier lifestyle. 

Maintaining a healthy weight requires a holistic approach that combines proper rest, good workouts, being mindful of when and what you eat, and how much; and take action when it's time to clean up your act.

If you take care of your body, it will take care of itself.

Careful what you ask for cause you WILL get it

Most of us believe we don't usually get what we ask for in life. But the thing is—beyond the superficial, on a much deeper level—we have always gotten, are getting, and will continue to get what we ask for.

If you ask for more courage, everything will happen to challenge you to have more courage; if you ask for success, you will experience mistakes or failures to drive you to succeed; if you wish to find true love, somehow you will be challenged to remain loving even when others are not. Paradox, isn't it?

Perhaps it would be wise to embrace the paradox of life. This is the only way you can build more courage, strength and wisdom, and be rewarded along the way. Embrace the light and the dark because both light and dark cannot exist in their fullest expression without their counterparts.

In other words, you need both light ("good") and darkness ("bad”) in order to create a whole picture. And so it is that you, too, have to experience your “good” and “bad” in order to be whole. See the irony here? 

Everything that is happening is not happening "to" you but is happening "for" you. Everything is happening to help you grow into the fullest expression of yourself – nothing is out of order.

The more you realize this, the friendlier your life experiences will be. So next time you wish or ask for something, be ready to let go and let things flow if you want it to work. What does this mean for you? Perhaps my article can help. 

Read more here: The Nature of Life: What It Means To Go With The Flow

Here's a cleansing and delicious drink for you!

Want another cleansing, delicious drink to nurture your body? Try this tasty treat with ginger. 

Ginger, like garlic, is used to treat many conditions. It helps with seasickness, dizziness, cold sweating, inhibitor of inflammatory compounds, antioxidant properties, nausea and vomiting that is usually associated with pregnancy and much more.

It is also used to promote the release of intestinal gas, due to its carminative compound. ;)

Put into a blender a one-inch-size (diameter) slice of ginger, 1 celery stick, handful of parsley, 1/4 pineapple (remove skin), and add water if you find it too thick (optional). Then, blend until smooth. Enjoy!

You should just eat what you want and enjoy!

Why not just eat what you want and enjoy it?? Life is for enjoying, so go ahead, eat! Have fun! We're only human and we won't be alive forever anyway...

BUT here's the thing you need to understand: you want good health so you can live a "quality life" while you're here. Most people take feeling tired, groggy, run down, depressed as NORMAL... It's not... It's only normal if you do not know what wellness feels like. In other words, you haven't yet created your own happy balance – mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. 

Wellness means finding YOUR balance... the kind of balance where you're able to enjoy eating the things you like and still maintain your health and enjoy your life without feeling deprived in any way.

Here's a quick tip: If you're eating well-portioned, clean, nutritious meals most times of the week (let's say 70% of the time), then the other 30% of the time, reward yourself and have some fun! Your body is an incredible machine that can handle the "bad" days you have some of the time IF you're good to it MOST of the time. Find a way to cooperate with your body. Remember, you are what you eat!

If you don't know how to go about this the right way for you, please contact me here on penny@wellnesswithpenny.com. I've been able to teach people how to enjoy eating to lose weight or simply get healthier. And in as little as 5 days, they've been able to feel empowered in their bodies. 

This knowledge I share with clients also allows for HEALTHY weight loss. So if they want to, they can lose 5 lbs in 5 days and keep it off FOR GOOD... Or, take it even further and achieve even more good. I make it my priority to keep things super fun, simple and self-sustaining so you cannot help but want to follow through! 

Contact me for your customized 5-Day Plan to a better body. Email: penny@wellnesswithpenny.com

No more excuses starting today - March 1!

No more excuses. If you really want to get your wellness in order, just do it already! Start now, first day of the month! Wellness With Penny.com has been diligently offering you information and inspiration so you can't say you don't know where to start. Please take advantage of this and enjoy living well!

- Want to stop eating junk food, but don't know how? Quickly drink a glass of water, rinse your mouth with mouthwash (or toothpaste). This will help switch your taste buds and appetite off from your cravings! Want more quick tips? Click here.

- Want healthy, delicious food/meal ideas to nourish your body and keep fit? Click here for ideas.

- Not sure how many calories to consume to maintain your weight, gain weight or lose weight? Check this out.

- Feeling low in some way? Get some insight and inspiration to nurture your spirit and get some clarity. Click here.

- Don't have time to workout? Don't have equipment? Or need motivation? Try these killer 10-minute fat-burning workouts with me sure to change the way you look and feel. Click here to get started.

…Be sure to try out the WOW's (Workout of the Week). I've offered modifications there so no matter what your fitness level (beginner, intermediate or advance), it will challenge you in a way that it should.

Remember, if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you!

One way to clean up after a bad day of eating

Had a BIG bad food day yesterday… burgers, fries, chicken wings, you name it! Time to clean it up today! Having one of my extremely nutritious, delicious and cleansing drinks made with only some of the world's healthiest ingredients.

A handful of spinach, half a red bell pepper, one glass of water (250 mL or 8 oz), a nickel-sized chunk of ginger, and mint leaves. There's so much goodness in this glass of juice!..

…just to name a few: there's a ton of natural vitamins and minerals; not to mention the high vitamin C in the peppers helps the body absorb the (non heme) iron in the spinach. The peppers also add natural sweetness, so put more if you like.

Ginger and mint are cleansing, and also provide antioxidants among many other benefits. :)

Drink 2-3 glasses throughout the day adding to it 1-2 "clean" well-balanced meals. Here are some ideas on clean, lean and delicious meal combos. Click here for: 3 meals that change the way you look and feel.