Wheatgrass and how come it's so good for you!

Just about everyday I stroll into my local health food mart and deli called Rainbow Acres. In the back there's a little deli-juice bar that serves great food and makes the most delicious natural juices around. Everyday I go in for my usual two ounces of wheatgrass with ginger and pound it down. The health benefits of wheatgrass are amazing. Here are a few of the perks:

-Aids in the prevention of and fight against infections and improves the body's ability to heal wounds

-helps removes heavy metals from the body

-helps with skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis

-Chlorophyll in wheatgrass helps eliminate body odors

-The high magnesium content in chlorophyll builds enzymes that restore the sex hormones 

-helps prevent tooth decay

-the chlorophyll helps purify the liver 

-arrests the growth of unwanted bacteria

-is an energizer for the body and mind

-is great for constipation and keeps the bowels open

-is non-allergenic

-aids in the prevention and fight against cancer

These are just some of the benefits that this little patch of grass once juiced can give you. 

I highly recommend it to anyone out there. Sure the taste at first is not so pleasant. But like anything , it can become an acquired taste and as soon as you have it regularly , you'll enjoy it. 

So here's a shot to salute to. DRINK UP!!!! 

Early Morning Bootcamps and breakfast!

Bootcamps in Pasadena are getting more more and fun every week. Not just that , but I've been stepping it up and making it more challenging every time. Got to keep them on their toes ya know? But Armando andmy girls are kicking ass. Sure , they grunt a bit and don't like me for the moment , but what trainer hasn't gotten that before. That is after all why I'm there. To motivate and push you to that limit that you wouldn't yourself. Their intensity , cardio , stamina and endurance are improving so much more every time that we've been stepping it up to longer runs down the block. Light weight training and my favorite , boxing.  Of course the final part of the workouts are abs. No ones favorite really , but it must be done! There really is no choice. They're all goodsports about it. 

The best part of the workout is the delicious , light and healthy breakfast that Marissa prepares for us afterward. It varies from week to week. Last week she made sprouted wheat bagels with tofu cream cheese called tofutti , toss some sliced tomatoes, alfafa sprouts and cucumbers on them. Delicious and fulfilling! By the way , she is for hire to cater any and all events and can cook any and all kinds of meals. Her email contact is MarissaRose@mac.com 

The perks of training

The greatest thing about being a personal trainer are the people. I'm lucky in the sense that I've got a good clientele. No one has ever really been a problem in any sense of the word. But the greatest thing about training are the relationships and friendships that I've developed with all my clients. During our sessions our conversations can stem from anything going on in their lives to pop culture or even to how cool it would be to be Darth Vader. You know you've pondered that yourself from time to time? 

So the bottom line is that I'm pretty damn lucky. 

Have some JUICE!!!!!

My favorite kitchen tool is the juicer. The thing RULES!!!!! My Mom and Pop's gave my wife and I a Jack La Lane Juicer a while back and ever since we've been juicing everything we can. We'd juice a shoe if we could get it in there. 

Just yesterday my Wife and I made a delicious blend of orange , apples , carrots , parsley and lime. Not only is it great in nutritional value but it tastes great and gives me a much better burst of energy than a red bull or any energy drink out on the market. Which by the way, you want to stay away from. The energy drink that is. 

What you get: 

-Oranges are a good source of minerals such as calcium , iron , and potassium to name a few and like other citrus fruits , is known for their vitamin C content. Oranges also help in absorbing calcium into the body and help maintain the health of teeth and bones.  Bottom line! Oranges are good! 

-The health benefits in apples are enormous. Making it one of the most the most valuable and savored fruits throughout the world. Apples like oranges contain many great minerals, but the best one is the dietary fiber , which helps in reducing the bad cholesterol levels.

-Carrots are a god source of beta carotene(which is converted into Vitamin A by the body). The rewards one reaps from carrots is amazing. They are good for eye disorders , skin care , nervous disorders , indigestion , constipation , diarrhea  ,arthritis , gout and even lung cancer. 

-The parsley and lime are just really for flavor. But parsley contains Vitamin K , C , A , folate and iron. And is also a very good antioxidant. 

Limes contain Vitamin A , C and also Folate ( which by the way is a very important vitamin during pregnancy). 

All in all , this little cocktail of fruit and veggies is not only a delicious drink but is also a great source of vitamins and minerals your body needs. So drink up! 

Bootcamp at the Fernandes'!

Today was great! My wife Stephanie and I  started the day off early and headed out to Marissa and Armando's house in Pasadena to begin our first bootcamp with Marissa , Armando , Elena and Claudia. We began a bit after 7 am with some light stretches and then leading in to some lunges with medicine balls and a few more extra exercises. It was early so the sun hadn't made it's way out just yet so the morning mist was still in the air but it was slightly muggy though. But just enough to make everyone get a good sweat. We continued on with some explosive ball tossing , tricep work and then my favorite , BOXING with Sparring gloves and finished off with some ab work. Everyone did exceptionally well. My goal was to make them work hard and tire them out and make them not like me very much. It would seem I succeeded in doing so. As a trainer , that's my job. To make you work hard and not like me during the one hour you're with me. 

Afterward , Marissa made us all a delicious breakfast and we all sat around and chatted for a bit. Armando is an awesome blues guitarist and showed me around his collection. We talked music , politics , gas prices and health and fitness. Stephanie and I had a great time and are looking forward to next weeks Boot camp. Wish I had some pics to post but maybe next week. 

Till next time. 

Is Drinking Cold Water During or After Exercise Good or Bad?

Last week someone asked me wether drinking cold water during a workout is bad or good for you? Good question! 

Cold water is absorbed faster by your body than water at room temperature or body temperature. Even The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that water be chilled when used for exercise. Plus, it feels very refreshing going down when your dog tired during a hard workout. 

Research has shown that cold water passes through the stomach faster and is sent to the intestine for quicker absorption. During and after exercise , you want to rapidly replace fluids lost due to sweat , so cold water is definitely preferred. 

So keep that water bottle chilled and cold before hitting the gym. 

Personal training in the Blog World!

Hello! 

My name is Luis Gascon. I'm a Personal Trainer in the city of Los Angeles,Ca and am mainly based out of the Playa Vista area at Evolution 180 , a One on One Personal Training Full Fitness Facility. But as always I am willing to travel if the clientele needs me to. I've been working in the fitness industry for so many years ,working at and managing gyms, that it wasn't until over two years ago I decided to look into Personal Training.  With the help and encouragement of the great Michael Reeves and Eric Redd(also personal trainers) I've been fortunate to have gained a great , loyal and core clientele who are not only hard workers but also great people to train and be around. Currently I've been busy working with my clientele of course , but also am going to begin teaching a small bootcamp in the Pasadena area. This Saturday will be our first class and am very excited to start. 

The type of trainer I am is an easy going one. Yes , I can be tough. After all people hire me to give them that motivational push that sometimes you can't get on your own when your working out. But I'm also here to guide you on your way and introduce you to new and healthy lifestyle alternatives. 

So ,that's all for now. I will try to keep this blog updated as much as my time will allow. But keep checking regularly for updates , workout tips , recipes and other fitness related topics. And of course if you want to contact me regarding training , feel free to contact me anytime at Louie.Gascon@yahoo.com or call me at 323.359.8781.