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5 Posture Fixes for a Leaner Body

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Posture is often overlooked when people embark on a new workout and nutrition plan.  But proper posture is key to a leaner body and bad posture can derail your fitness goals. We all spend too much time hunching over our laptops, slumping in front of TVs, sitting in traffic in our cars.  The result: poor posture that not only affects the way we look, but also takes a toll on our spine, shoulders, hips and knees. If not taken seriously, posture can cause a cascade of problems from joint pains … Continue reading →

Sitting can kill you – here’s how to stay alive and healthy – Personal Trainer Los Angeles

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(SANTA MONICA, CA November 14, 2014) A new study has revealed that sitting for long periods of time can actually be the cause of your death. Those is the United States are the main concern as millions of Americans can be classified as “couch potatoes,” meaning they sit on one place for a long stretches of time watching television. Of course, this can also apply to those who spend hours and hours working on a computer. The Physical Activity Council has recently released a survey that indicates that the inactivity … Continue reading →

Benefits Of Supplements

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For those of you who know me, or know me by reputation, you’ll already know I’m a fan of nutritional supplements. In fact, you can even access my supplement store directly from my website. However, I’m not here to sell you supplements today, or any day. I’m blogging today about the benefits of supplements and what they can do for you. When most people think of supplements, they think of a multi-vitamin or calcium, because that’s what you see in advertisements. Unless you’re reading health, fitness or sports related magazines, … Continue reading →

Optimal Fitness

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Maintaining Optimal Fitness – Diet and Exercise Alone Aren’t Enough Have you ever wondered why some people look and feel great most of the time while others seem to drag themselves through each day? What is it about the ones who always appear to be at their best? What are their secrets? Some will tell you it’s all about working out. Others will say “You are what you eat.” Still others will say “I don’t do anything special, I’m naturally like this.” I can tell you it’s all of the … Continue reading →

Weight Lifting Myths Debunked!

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Weightlifting Myths and Why Lifting Weights is a Must for a Lean Body I see many women who come to work out with me and want to lose weight. “I can’t seem to lose those last 10 pounds,” they tell me. “I don’t like how I look in jeans,” or “I miss feeling sexy with my partner.” Then they tell me that they’ve done it all but worry that weight lifting will make them bulk up. So, I decided to finally spill the secret of those women who look lean … Continue reading →

Abs Are Made In The Kitchen

the best personal trainer in Los Angeles Jason Kozma
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Maintaining Optimal Fitness – Diet and Exercise Alone Aren’t Enough Have you ever wondered why some people look and feel great most of the time while others seem to drag themselves through each day? What is it about the ones who always appear to be at their best? What are their secrets? Some will tell you it’s all about working out. Others will say “You are what you eat.” Still others will say “I don’t do anything special, I’m naturally like this.” I can tell you it’s all of the … Continue reading →

Soups for Bodybuilding?

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As a bodybuilder, I’m normally against fad and trendy diets. I know they don’t work; they help you lose weight temporarily but you end up losing muscle tone and the moment the diet is over, the weight climbs back up. My regular diet is pretty simple: protein, vegetables and complex carbs in the form of meat, broccoli and rice or sweet potatoes. So, when I started training a vegan client who owns a healthy soup company, I was skeptical at first. Can soup help you lose weight, keep you fit … Continue reading →

Jason’s Pet Peeves – Basic Gym Etiquette

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Basic Gym Etiquette Pet Peeve # 1: Rack Your Weights If you’re strong enough to take the weight off the rack and use it for your workout, you’re strong enough to re-rack it when you’re done. Enough said. When you start an exercise, you walk over to the rack to pick up the weights you need. You expect them to be there, don’t you? You don’t want to walk all over the gym to find the plates or weights you need, they should be on the rack nearest the appropriate … Continue reading →

The Dr. Oz Scandal and Why Weight Loss Supplements Don’t Work Like That

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We all dream of a miracle pill to help us lose weight. It’s so much easier than worrying about proper nutrition and regular exercise. No wonder then when America’s favorite TV doctor, Dr. Oz, told us that the miracle pill does exist, we all ran as fast as we could to buy it. Months later, Dr. Oz is facing congressional hearings and grilling by U.S. senators about the promotion of weight loss supplements that do not work. “I don’t get why you need to say this stuff when you know … Continue reading →

Physicians Recommend Strength Training For Health

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When was the last time you talked to your doctor about exercise? For some people, the answer may be “never.” In fact you should make a discussion about physical activity a priority as part of your annual well checkup. Moreover patients should feel free to ask questions about exercise at any doctor’s visit. “A discussion about exercise often is overlooked” in doctor’s offices, says Moin Salahuddin, MD, primary care sports medicine physician at Providence Medical Institute’s Torrance Urgent Care and Primary Care Clinic. “But exercise is a great, proactive measure … Continue reading →

Why Vitamin C and Omega 3 are good for you

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Vitamin C is good for you WebMD notes with some authority the truth that most doctors and most moms know already, explaining that vitamin C is good for you.  Vitamin C is thought to be a great way to alleviate the more serious symptoms of the common cold, which is why a lot of doctors recommend taking supplements or drinking orange juice the moment the sniffles start to manifest. Furthermore vitamin C includes protection against a wide variety of ailments, including immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and … Continue reading →

The Importance of Recovery Days

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As your Los Angeles Personal Trainer, I can attest to the fact that getting ripped isn’t just about pumping iron. Planned rest and recovery days are vital to your muscle development. Most new clients don’t realize how the human body works.  What we do when we train is we break down the muscle tissue.  All of the gains in tone, firmness, strength, muscle size and metabolism building comes from the recovery period – that’s the days and nights after the actual workout.  Your body’s mechanism for self-repair is what gives us the results … Continue reading →

All Calories Are Not Created Equal

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Let’s see how nutritionally smart you are.  If you follow me, or my blog, you know I’m an advocate of eating 5+ small meals a day.  Depending upon where you are with your target goals – weight loss, muscle weight gain or physique and health maintenance, you may be allowed 1-2 healthy snacks per day. This is where it can get complicated. What’s my idea of a healthy snack versus a client’s idea of a healthy snack?  We both agree, all snacks must meet these criteria: Healthy 100 calories or less Nutritious Filling … Continue reading →

What does Mr. America Jason Kozma eat for breakfast? – Los Angeles Personal Trainer

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Pop Quiz #5 What does Mr. America, Jason Kozma, eat for breakfast? A) Small children B) Godzilla or Mothra, depending upon who’s trying to invade this week C) Denny’s Grand Slam Breakfast D) Oatmeal and Egg Whites While I can eat any of the above and suck the nutrients right out of them, I prefer to eat oatmeal. Yes, I know, boring, right? Maybe, but there’s no better option for breakfast that a great bowl of oatmeal. Not the sugary kind you ate as a kid, but the slow cooked, … Continue reading →

What’s the best way to get back in shape for summer?

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Pop Quiz #4 What’s the best way to get back in shape for summer? A) Cardio B) Weight lifting C) Stretching D) Sunless tanning lotion E) All of the above Yes to all, except maybe “D.” Summer is almost here. You know you’ll be outside, enjoying some great outdoor activities. Maybe the pool or beach, maybe biking, hiking, golfing or even your summer softball team. You know you want to look good and feel great. And you’ve even been reading all of my great blogs, but you have yet to … Continue reading →

What’s the best way to recover from injuries? – Personal Trainer Los Angeles

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Pop Quiz #2 What’s the best way to recover from injuries? A) Rest B) Ice C) Heat D) Elevation E) All of the above Nobody is infallible, not even me, Mr. America, Jason Kozma. I’ve had my share of lumps, bumps and injuries, just like everyone else. And I’m smart enough to know when I’ve overdone it or hurt myself. I do give myself permission to recover, as should you. The answer, of course is “E – All of the above.” Whenever you have a minor injury, you need to … Continue reading →

Weight Loss and Nutrition: What Aspiring “Losers” Need to Know – Los Angeles Personal Trainer

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Most adults today can remember the low-carb dieting frenzy of the 2000s that had people with college degrees – some of them in the medical field! – thinking that potatoes or oatmeal was bad for you while steak and eggs were a good choice for a weight loss breakfast.  Looking back, it seems inconceivable that so many people were so willfully misinformed about both weight loss and nutrition as to think they were doing themselves a favor by eating a bacon double cheeseburger without the bun. Fortunately, the Atkins diet has fallen … Continue reading →

Real Weight Lifting vs. Group Classes – Personal Trainer Los Angeles

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Individual Weight Training Vs. Group Classes I recently read an article regarding great ways to get in shape. This particular article was touting the benefits of group classes at some of the specialized gyms in Southern California. The author highlighted a few key points about group classes, but I felt a need to add my own two cents here. Yes, a group class, whether its aerobics, interval training, core essentials, crossfit or anything else, will get you into the gym and help you work up a sweat. I can certainly … Continue reading →

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