GOOD DAY ATLANTA & FOX-FIVE NEWS APPEARANCE -

Health Watch: Tone Your Arms
Updated: Thursday, 05 May 2011, 6:49 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 05 May 2011, 6:49 AM EDT

Beth
Galvin
By BETH GALVIN/myfoxatlanta

ATLANTA - It's that time of year when the temperatures heat up and the winter clothes come off and - for a lot of women - that means tank tops and sundresses.

So, what can you do if you're self-conscious about your arms?

Most women don't give much thought to their arms until they hit middle age. And then it's like - bam!

Where did this flabbiness come from? Need help buffing up your arms?

Guess what! You don't even have to leave your house, to whip them back in shape for summer.

Facing summer with arms stuck somewhere between a little-too-hefty and jelly-on-a-stick? You're not alone!

"Women really tend to carry a lot of fat there, right in the triceps. So you really have to focus on that," said personal trainer Chaunda Walls.

Bella Fitness personal trainer Chaunda Walls says you can tone up for tank tops and sundresses right in the privacy of your own home. All you need: a chair, a set of resistance bands, light weights and some hand weights.

"It can be done. And you can look fabulous in your summer stuff!" said Walls.

Start with a chair, what's called a tricep dip.

"So you just want to get on the edge of your chair, walk out a little keeping your bottom as close to the chair as possible. You get as much of a workout as possible in the tricep area, then you're going to bend and extend. Keeping your elbows straight, as you advance, you can raise on leg. Then you can switch to the other leg," said Walls.

To tone your biceps, grab the resistance band.

"So you want to stand on the band, okay and then we're going to curl up. Just like this, 1, 2, 3. So go ahead and do about 15 to 20 reps. And you want to do three to four sets, especially if you're using a light resistance," said Walls.

Next up: the push up. Use your knees if you're a beginner.

"Don't tense your butt up. You want to be right here. Hands over your chest. Dip your arms down and up. So, it's here. Goal is to get your chest to the floor. You won't be able to do it at first if you're a beginner. But if you continue working, you will get stronger and stronger with your pushups."

As your arms get stronger, walls says turn up the intesity with the "renegade row" using your weights.

"You're going to get back in your pushup position. You're going to take it down to the floor. Bring it up, one row. Pushup, row. The beauty of this exercise is that it can also be done without the weights."

Walls says give yourself three months, before you can expect to start seeing leaner, meaner arms. By then, it will be July, but you'll still have a lot of warm days left here in Georgia to show off your arms.

Chaunda was featured in the June 2010 issue of Oxygen Magazine for women! Check out the article below.

Chaunda is also an in-demand motivational speaker and has appeared on several radio shows including:

 The Hicktown Press Radio Blog with host Lynn Green- www.hicktownpress.com.

Listen to the interview in it's entirety here: http://www.hicktownpress.com/chaunda-walls-special-guest-on-hicktown-radio/

Chaunda has also appeared on The Dottie Coffman Radio show on www.wimoradio.com and will be a monthly featured guest. Topics of discussion will include health, fitness and wellness tips for a better lifestyle.

Chaunda & Dottie Coffman WIMO radio

Chaunda was featured in the Health and Wellness segment on Fox-5 Evening News in Atlanta in June, 2010. The feature was an excellent source of inspiration and information for many of those struggling with weight loss and learning how to live with food in a healthy way. Thanks to Beth Galvin and the entire Fox-5 team for putting together such a wonderful piece. See the excerpt from the show below:

may 5, 2010
FOX 5 Special: Mood Foods
Updated: Wednesday, 05 May 2010, 7:11 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 05 May 2010, 7:11 PM EDT

Beth
Galvin
Reported By: Leigha Baugham | myfoxatlanta.com

ATLANTA (MyFOX ATLANTA) - Research shows just one fatty meal can put stress on a person's body. If you're tired of see-sawing between feeling sluggish and cranky, you may want to rethink what's on your dinner plate.

Many people don't always realize it, but what they eat directly impacts how they feel and how they function.

One expert believes that if you can find the right foods, you may be able to eat your way to happiness.

For Chaunda Walls, a size 3X t-shirt is the only reminder she needs of just how much food once controlled her life.

"It was just kind of like this cocktail, I was doing everything the wrong way. I wasn't cooking healthy, I wasn't thinking about the calories, I was so depressed, I just wanted to eat and get it done," Walls recalled.

The Lawrenceville mother of three said that with each child, her weight climbed. "It was the stress of the new baby, taking care of her, being a stay-home mom. It just compounded with each baby," Walls said.

Within a couple of years, the 5'2" Lawrenceville mom went from 140 pounds to 227 pounds.

"I think gaining weight like that and becoming depressed, it kind of changes who you really are," Walls said.

Walls said that suddenly, she needed a nap just to get through the day and she was surviving on sweets, sodas because they were fast and easy.

"I would be, 'Oh, I feel so terrible about what I just ate. I'm never going to change, I might as well do it again today,'" Walls said.

Walls said that back then, she didn't make the connection between bad food and her mood.

For those who are prone to mood swings or running out of steam, but if you're prone to mood swings or running out of steam, Dietitian Page Love said it all starts in the grocery store.

According to Love, the biggest energy-busters are high-fat, hard-to-digest foods like pizza and burgers. Those foods are laden with chemicals that leave you sleepy and sluggish.

Sugary foods like sodas, juice and candy can send blood sugar skyrocketing only to fall minutes later.

"So that short-term energy window may only be a half hour before you crash. Someone who is sugar-sensitive, it could be even quicker and a more severe crash that makes them maybe not even functional during the day," Love said.

Processed foods like sugary cereals, white bread and bakery products all break down quickly in the body.

"Then you feel irritable, tired, you might even feel a little down in your mood," Love said.

Dietitian Elizabeth Somer has released a new book called, "Eat Your Way to Happiness."

Improving what you eat isn't just about getting rid of the unhealthy stuff that could be weighing you down and zapping your energy, but what foods to add to your diet to make yourself feel a whole lot better.

Somer says a good rule of thumb is that 75 percent of what we eat should be the real thing.

That means food that's fresh, unprocessed, as close to its original state as possible. If the label has more than five ingredients, skip it. The deeper the natural color, the more energy-producing nutrients.

So, instead of a handful of green grapes, go for blackberries. Instead of iceberg lettuce, go with dark green kale. Skip the steak, and go for salmon, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that protect against depression.

If you crave something crunchy, bypass the high-fat potato chips, and grab some brain-boosting almonds.

Other top mood foods are whole wheat pasta, soy products, yogurt, dark orange fruits, or dark green vegetables. Even dark chocolate, is good for you, in moderation.

To keep your energy level stable, eat every three to four hours and never miss breakfast.

"It's just key to keeping your blood sugar up, you energy up and as a result your mood elevated," Love said.

You can triple that feel good feeling by combining foods like high fiber crackers with high protein cheese and a piece of fruit.

After making changes, Walls said food no longer has a hold on her.

"I think now where I am in my life, I am probably the happiest I've ever truly been, at this age," Walls said.

Walls has dropped just over 100 pounds and that tired-all-the-time feeling is gone.

"I am not the same person I was when I was overweight and emotionally I'm different, I can see that I have a future and I kind of feel like God has given me a second chance," Walls said.

Walls has not only turned around her eating, and lost the weight, she's become a certified fitness trainer. People hire her to come in and make over their kitchen pantries.

Walls gets rid of the junk food and packs the kitchen with power foods. The key is maintaining your energy so, that means lots of smaller meals, no skipping meals and plenty of water.

 ***

The Bella Fitness Group were the featured trainers for the Christ the King Baptist Church Walk-a-thon  on July 31, 2010 at Dacula Park. 

Chaunda has been a featured columnist in  Kontagious Magazine. She wrote the "Ask the Fitness Phoenix" column. 

Clink our link to the right for column excerpts.

 Chaunda's health and exercise tips are featured in the January 2010  issue of ESSENCE Magazine!

November 2009 marked Chaunda's television debut on the Good Day Atlanta  Show! Chaunda was able to share her story of weight loss, determination and triumph with thousands of viewers across Atlanta. It was a blessing to be able to reach a broader audience with her message of hope and encouragement. There's more to come, so stay tuned!

Chaunda on set at Atlanta's Fox 5 with Good Day Atlanta TV host, Suchita.