Burn More FAT! with Prairie Life Fitness Personal Training

lose the first 10lbs or the last 10lbs

2011-06-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

Here are 70 fat loss tips to help you lose weight successfully:

1. Set Up Weight Loss Goals.

It's important to set up goals if you want to lose weight. Your weight loss goals should target what you want to achieve with your weight loss, and how you are going to do it. For example I want to lose 20 pounds in 2 months by reducing my intake cookies and sodas. Try to write down your goals on a paper or post-it notes or similar, and put them up at places where the temptations could be the highest, for example in your kitchen or at the refrigerator. It's also important that your goals should be realistic and possible to achieve as well.

2. Eat 5 - 6 Smaller Meals per Day Instead of Starving Yourself.

Research has shown that eating smaller meals more often, will help you increase your body's fat burning metabolism, which also helps you burn more fat. This is why you should try to eat 5 - 6 smaller meals per day, instead of 2 or 3 large meals per day. Try to have breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, together with healthy fruit or vegetable snacks between your meals. You could also divide your 3 large meals into 5 - 6 smaller meals which you eat more often.

3. Avoid Soda, Soft Drinks & Juice.

Soda, soft drinks and juice contain a lot of sugar, and are not healthy for you. This is why you should try to avoid these types of drinks if you want to lose weight. Instead you should try to replace these types of drinks with water, low fat milk, or fresh fruit instead of juice.

4. Drink Plenty of Water During the Day.

Water will help you rehydrate your body, as well as help you increase your body's metabolism. This is also why drinking plenty of water during the day, can help you create a proper digestion, as well as help you lose weight. By drinking more water, you will also be able to flush out a lot of toxins and excess water from your body. It's recommended to drink at least 6 - 8 glasses of water every day, as well as to have a glass of water or more to every meal you eat.

5. Have Healthy Fruit Snacks.

Your should try to avoid snacking on unhealthy snacks such as cookes, sweeties & ice cream if you want to lose weight successfully. Try to replace these types of unhealthy snacks with fruits & veggies, which won't add up as extra pounds on your body, and works great as snacks if you would get hungry between your meals.

6. Make Healthy Food Choices.

The food you eat is very important if you want to get rid of those unwanted pounds. Lean meats, chicken, turkey and different types of fish are all recommended food choices if you want to lose weight successfully. Try to add plenty of fruits & vegetables to your menu as well, and remember to avoid fried types of food, which contain a lot of unhealthy fats & calories. Spicy food can help you increase your metabolism, and this is also why you could try to have more spicy foods in order to lose those unwanted pounds.

7. Adapt Some Type of Exercising & Move Your Body.

Another way to burn off unwanted fat is to move your body more often. Walking, jogging, running, swimming, stair climbing, bike-riding and different types of games or sports are all types of exercises and movements you could do in order to burn off more fat. These types of exercises & movements doesn't require any expensive gym cards, and could be made on a daily basis as well.

8. Keep a Note of Everything that You Eat and Drink.

You do not need to estimate calories. Just write down what it was that you had and the approximate quantity. You will find that being more aware of what you are eating helps you to plan healthy meals and snacks.

9. Halve your Intake of all Pure or Added Fats.

This means using half as much butter or spread on your bread, toast, muffins and potatoes; half the usual amount of mayonnaise or sauce on your salad; and half the oil in the frypan every time.

10. Limit Treats Containing Sugar to Three Times per Weeky.

This includes chocolate, ice cream, desserts, cake, pastries, cookies, etc.

11. Have at Least Two Servings of Fruit Every Day.

This can be for dessert or snacks. Choose fruit that is in season.

12. Drink Water Instead of Sodas, Juices, Milky Drinks or Alcohol.

Avoid diet soda - the sweet taste only encourages you to crave sugar. Hot water with a slice of lemon can be very refreshing in the morning.

13. Include at Least Two Servings of Vegetables at Lunch and Dinner.

If you are getting hungry, have more.

14. Eat Slowly.

The body is slow to register when you are full and it is easy to eat too much if you are racing through your meals.

15. Choose Food that You can Chew.

The fiber will give you a fuller feeling and also help your digestion.

16. Plan Your Meals and Snacks Ahead of Time.

Plan your shopping too - make a list of what you need and stick to it. If you just grab something when you are feeling hungry, you will probably choose high calorie food.

17. Grated Carrot Makes a Great Snack.

You will find that a grated carrot is much more filling than a whole carrot. Strange but true.

18. Use Whole Grains Wherever Possible.

The fiber will give you a fuller feeling and also help your digestion.

19. Have Lean Meats.

Avoid fried types of food, and instead arm yourself with lean meats such as chicken breast, turkey, fish such as tuna, salmon & cod.

20. Use Smaller Plates for Your Meals.

By using smaller plates, you will not risk to overeat. If you use big plates, the risk is also higher that you will have too much food on every serving you have.

21. Stop Eating When You Are Full.

It's important to stop eating when you are full. Otherwise you will just risk to overeat.
So remember to eat regularly, and to stop eating when you are full.

22. Don't Eat Late in the Evening.

Remember to not eat after 8 PM in the evening.
Your body won't have time enough to burn fat if you eat too late, and this is why you should avoid eating late.

23. Always Eat Before You Go Shopping.

You should not go shopping when you are hungry.
The risk is then just that you will buy something that contain a high number of calories.

24. Build Muscle.

Muscle Building is an often overlooked technique, and can be a great way to get rid of fat.
Building muscle helps you burn fat, as well as helps you increase your metabolism, which helps you burn fat.
This is also why you can successfully burn fat several hours after your workout has been done, because your metabolism runs on a high level.

Another secret is that Muscle Can Never Turn Into Fat.

This means muscle can decrease in size if you not continue to train them, but can never become fat again.
This is also why muscle training and building muscle is a great way to burn fat, and to create a lean & sexy body.

25. Never Skip Breakfast.

By skipping breakfast you will probably just overeat at the next meal.
This is also why you should eat breakfast every day if you want to lose weight successfully.

26. Look for a weight loss "Buddy," Club, or Personal trainer.

This will motivate you to stay and enjoy your weight loss program.

27. Engaging in Aerobics.

Aerobics are not only good for the heart by increasing cardio-vascular endurance. Aerobics also help in increasing lean muscle mass while simultaneously decreasing excess body fat.
Aside from these, aerobics make the metebolic process more efficient and its rate high, even after a long while. Imagine burning fat efficiently while driving along the freeway or even while watching television.

28. Have Oatmeal as Breakfast.

Oatmeal is great to have as breakfast. This is also something that bodybuilders and fitness-models eat on a regular basis. The reason why oatmeal is so great is because it consist of a good combination of carbs, protein and good fat. So try to have oatmeal every morning if possible, and replace sugar with for example applesauce or cinnamon which tastes great together with oatmeal.

29. Eat More Potatoes.

Potatoes contain fiber, vitamins and mineral, and are a natural type of food. Potatoes also contain a low amount of calories. So try to have more white potatoes if possible, which makes a great addition to your meals.

30. Use 100% Whole Grain Bread.

Avoid white bread and instead use whole grain types of bread, which will add more fiber to your body, and help you create a proper digestion.

31. Eat More Fish.

Fish is a good recommendation if you want to lose weight.
Fish won't add up as extra pounds on your body when prepared right, and contain a lot of healthy omega oils.
Salmon, tuna & cod are recommended fish types here, and you should also remember to avoid fried types of fish, which contain a lot of added fats.

32. Avoid Bacon & Sausage.

Bacon and sausage is actually one of the worst foods you could eat.
One strip of regular pork bacon has 130 calories and 30 grams of fat.
So remember to stay away from fatty and processed meats, and instead stick with lean meats such as chicken breast, turkey, fish and egg whites. Your body will thank you!

33. Don't Eat White Bread.

White bread is treated in the body in the same way as sugar.
Whire bread contain no nutritional value, and should be avoided.

Whole grain bread (100% wheat, rye) is another story.
In whole grain bread, the vitamins, minerals and fiber has been left intact.
So if you want to get rid of fat, give up the white flour, and instead eat whole grain.

34. Limit Your Intake of Potato Chips & Nachos.

Chips contain lots of calories, fat, flavour additives and refined oils.
If you still want o have chips, you should try to go for the fat free types that can be found at the health food stores today.

35. Avoid Sugary Breakfast Cereals.

Most types of boxed cereals contain a lot of sugar, and some even contain more ten 50% sugar.
So remember to check the list of ingredients before you buy any cereal, or instead replace it with healthier alternatives such as oatmeal or high fiber musli.
The hidden sugar in breakfast cereals can easily turn to fat.

36. Keep Away from Fried Food.

Keep away from fried foods especially deep-fried as this contains a great amount of fat. Although fish and chicken appear leaner than beef, this white meat can contain more fat than when a beef is fried. It is recommended for those on strict diet to opt for grilled food as this does not have or contain less amount of fat after the food is cooked.

37. Make Exercise Easy so You Do it Every Day.

How many times have you said to yourself, "Today's the day I start exercising!" Probably quite a few times. The trick is to make exercising easy. If you haven't started exercising then you are making it too hard. You need to make exercising easy and accessible. Try taking a walk when you get home from work. Or walking on your lunch break. Or keep your gym bag at work. Do something to make exercise easier.

38. One Way that you can Lose Weight is to Develop Some Sort of Hobby.

Have you ever noticed that when you are busy with a hobby that you do not end up craving food as much?
You have to keep your mind off of your cravings if you want to lose weight quick.

39. Have Egg Whites.

An important part when it comes to burning fat, is to have lean protein with every meal.
Egg whites contain zero fat, and is a great source of protein. Here you could for example have omelets without the yolks.

40. Get A Scale.

That's one of the first items you'll need. But you don't just need a scale for your body. You also need a scale to weigh your food. When people "eyeball" their food and they think that they've got their portions down, often they are completely wrong. Getting a food scale helps keep you honest. When you see the numbers right on the food scale - there's no argument. Getting the numbers - both from how much you weigh and how much the food weighs - these are excellent tools for your success.

41. Use Notebooks.

Every dieter needs a big notebook and a little notebook. The big notebook is to start a journal and to write in every day. The little notebook is to write down every morsel of food that goes into your body. These are called your food journals. The larger notebook is meant for your thoughts and you don't always have to write about food - because often we eat because of our problems. By writing your problems down you'll keep yourself from overeating because of problems that you have. You are giving yourself an outlet.

42. Focus on Doing, Not Losing.

Rather than saying that you are going to lose a pound this week, say how much you are going to exercise this week. This would definitely make up of a sensible weight loss plan. Keep in mind that your weight within a span of a week is not completely in your control, but your behavior is.

43. Build Bit by Bit.

Short-term weight loss plans should not be "pie-in-the-sky." This means that when you have never exercised at all, your best weight loss plan for this week should be based on finding three different one-mile routes that you can walk next week.

44. Use Measurable Measures.

Saying that you are going to be more positive this week or that you are going to really get serious this week is not a goal that you can measure and should not be a part of your weight loss plan. This is another reason why you should incorporate exercise on your weight loss plan and focus on it. You should be able to count up the minutes of exercise in order to be successful in your plan.

45. Walk More.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to burn more calories, and to reduce fat successfully. You could for example walk to your local grocery store instead of using your car. Another tips is to get down a block before your destination, and walk rest of the way, if you go by bus or subway. Long walks together with a friend or partner can also be a great choice, which helps you burn more fat.

46. Have Baked Food Instead of Fried Food.

When you prepare your food, try to bake it without fat instead of frying it. Baking is a far healthier method of preparing food than frying, and requires lesser oil or fat as well.

47. Dancing.

Dancing can be a great way to burn more calories and unwanted fat. This is also why dancing could help you get rid of those unwanted pounds successfully. You could for example turn on your sound system at home and start dancing like wild. You could also join a dance class, where you will get to move plenty, and hopefully meet a lot of new friends as well.

48. Keep Up the Self-Encouragement.

An all-or-nothing attitude only sets you up to fail. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fall short of some goals, just look ahead to next week. You do not need to have a perfect record. After all, self-encouragement should definitely be a part of your weight loss plans. Otherwise, you will just fail in the end.

49. Eat Only When You are Hungry.

Some of us tend to eat whenever we see food. Instead it's important to remember to eat only when you are hungry. You could for example ask yourself every time you are about to eat something, do my body really need this right now.

50. Sleep More.

According to research, it is riskier for people who do not get enough sleep to gain weight.
Also, muscles are regenerated during the last couple of hours of slumber.

51. No Sugar (artificial sweeteners included).

In many diets, sugar is the number one culprit when it comes to putting on weight, especially around your stomach. Simply by eliminating sugar, most people can lose 10 lbs in one month.

Some of the main foods that you need to look out for would be…

-> Soda (even diet soda)

-> Juices and Sweetened Teas (orange juice, apple juice etc…)

-> Processed Foods

Make sure you read labels and see how much sugar is in the food you are eating. If you are following the nutritional guidelines from the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure, then you wont be eating many foods that have food labels, so sugar should not be too much of a problem.

52. No Whole Grains.

Usually when I tell people they need to stay away from whole grains, they look at me with a puzzled look. Food companies and the government have been telling us for years that whole grains are part of a healthy diet.

Your body was designed to eat meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds. Not processed foods like bread, cereal and pasta. Foods such as whole wheat bread and whole grain cereal are marketed as healthy, yet when I ask clients to drop these from their diet they ALWAYS lose fat, and feel so much better.

You'll instantly notice you have more energy, feel better and you'll probably lose 5-10 lbs of stomach fat in just a few weeks…

53. No Dairy.

Dairy is another one of those things that people think they need for “bone health”. Well guess what… Calcium helps you have strong bones, and you can find plenty of that in foods like spinach leaves, nuts, oranges, broccoli and celery.

Not only is dairy calorically dense, but its also VERY processed. One of the big things I preach is staying away from processed foods and making sure you focus on real foods!
The main culprits when it comes to weight gain with dairy are yogurt, milk, ranch dressing and cheese (note: eggs are not considered dairy, they come from a chicken, not a cow).

If you were to eliminate just these 3 foods from your diet (sugar, whole grains, dairy) then I guarantee you will easily lose 20 lbs+ of stomach fat.

54. Eat More Fat During the Day.

Increasing your healthy fat intake can make you feel full and reduce the urge to eat when you shouldn't. Avocados are an excellent choice and a small handful of walnuts is my go-to crave buster. Nut butters are great with a few sticks of celery – just make sure nut butter you choose (I prefer almond butter) does not have any added sugar or salt.

I also don't hold back on the balsamic vinaigrette on my spinach salads – if you make your own, extra virgin olive oil should be the main ingredient.

55. Crunch this not that.

There are plenty of options to satisfy the urge for something crunchy without devouring a bag of potato chips. Celery is my favorite option. I've also found carrots, thickly sliced cucumbers, and bell peppers great when I want to crunch. And of course a nice crisp apple is an excellent choice.

56. Get Some Sweetness.

Many of us have a seemingly uncontrollable sweet tooth. When you can't fight the urge any longer, I recommend a piece of fruit as you first line of defense. nd go with the really sweet fruits – pineapple, banana, cantaloupe, mango, and watermelon will give you the sweet taste you are craving without piling on the calories.

But be warned, I have seen clients have trouble losing weight when these foods are eaten in very large quantities. So have just enough to satisfy your craving and then be done with it.

57. Cut out Whole Grains & Dairy.

I'm assuming you already have a good diet if you're worried about your lower abs..

When it comes to showing off those lower abs, the #1 priority will be your nutrition. You can do crunches and situps to your heart's content, but if you want to actually see your lower abs, then you'll need to dial in your nutrition..

My recommendation here is to knock out all whole grains and dairy products.

The main problem foods usually are..

- Milk

- Yogurt

- Ranch Dressing

- Rice

- Bread

- Pasta

- Cereal

By eliminating these foods you'll see major loss in belly fat especially in your lower abdominal region.

58. Squats.

The squat is another effective full body exercise that places its main emphasis on the glutes and the quads. Hamstrings, calves and lower back are also exercised during squats.

Make sure you start with a small amount of weight when you start out doing squats and work on your form. Also, do NOT use the Smith Machine for doing squats no matter how much easier it seems to make them. While using the Smith Machine, many things can go wrong because it promotes an unnatural range of motion which can result in improper knee flexion and problems with the lower back because of foot positioning.

Learn how to squat properly the old fashioned way with a bar in the cage and you'll see major improvements in your muscle gains.

59. Deadlifts.

The deadlift is excellent for overall body development. I firmly believe that the deadlift and the squat are the two most useful exercises you can do while at the gym.

The deadlift exercises the lower back muscles primarily, the abdomen, quads, hamstrings and glutes. As you see it works a load of muscles. The deadlift feels awkward to new lifters, and it takes a while to perfect the technique. Start training with only the bar or with a very light weight until you have refined your technique.

60. The Crunchy.

Missing the crunch of potato chips, corn chips, or any other chip that comes in a brightly colored bag? Try replacing them with crunchy fruits and vegetables. Apples are my go-to solution for this. They require zero preparation and are easy to transport - grab it and go for all of your crunchy cravings. Other good options are celery, carrots, thickly sliced cucumber, nuts and bell peppers.

61. The Sweet.

If you are really aching for a sugar fix, allow yourself a serving of some of the sweeter fruits. Bananas are a good one to start with. Other options are cantaloupe, pineapple, and watermelon. But do not make these the focus of your fruit servings; I have seen clients halt their weight loss by overindulging in the sweeter fruits. But a banana or pineapple once per day can really cure your sweet tooth.

62. Have Scrambled Eggs with Veggies for Breakfast.

For those with time to cook in the morning, eggs with vegetables scrambled in is the way to go. First, sauté vegetables in a pan with olive oil, then add beaten eggs, including the yolks, and scramble. What an "eggs-cellent" recipe!

63. Omelet a la Leftovers Works for Breakfast as Well.

Since so many like eggs as a part of their morning, this is another great option. Leftovers from your previous nights' dinner often give you a buffet of options to fill an omelet.
Try that leftover stir fry, or put your chicken and vegetables into an omelet with a little salsa or avocado for southwest flavor.

64. Dark Chocolate.

Need I say more? I love dark chocolate! I eat a small piece nearly every day. You'll want to select a good quality bar (I'm a Green & Black's fan) and try to select a chocolate with at least a 70% cocoa content.

And to get lean, you have to stay away from the salty and sugary snacks that you might crave. But when the crave becomes too much, you have options before reaching for the junk food.
Instead increase your healthy fat intake, eat veggies that crunch and fruits that are sweet, and reward yourself for your efforts with a little piece of dark chocolate.

65. Eggs.

They're not just for breakfast. I often have an omelet made with two eggs and lots of veggies for lunch or dinner. And if you like your eggs hard-boiled, they make a great transportable snack.

66. Beef.

I'm partial to sirloin and grass-fed when I can find it. But any lean cut that you like will do. usually make my steak stir fried in a wok with olive oil or grilled on my clamshell style contraption that bares the name of a former heavy weight champ.

67. Chicken Breast.

I buy my mine boneless, skinless, and free range when I can find it. And if you prefer the thighs and legs, those are fine too. Just avoid the deep fried drenched-in-sauce chicken wings.

68. Tuna.

Tuna steaks on the grill are great, but I'm talking about good old canned tuna. I'm partial to the albacore in water variety that comes in the smaller 3 ounce cans. I usually just drain it and eat it straight from the can with some carrots or celery.

69. Whole Milk.

Over the years, I've had fitness clients that actually want to put on some weight. and when they do, lots of whole milk is always one of my recommendations. But if you are trying to lose weight, stay away from the milk even though it can be a good protein source.

70. Chicken Sausage.

Your standard beef or pork sausage is often loaded with preservatives and other stuff you'd rather avoid. But you can find chicken sausage in the "gourmet" section that has only all natural ingredients. I like the precooked variety (although I usually still grill them) as an emergency protein source. If I'm in a rush, I can grab one of the sausages and eat it in the car with no problem.

athletic cardio burns more fat

2011-06-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

Athletic cardio exercise will burn more fat and burn more calories during and after your workout. All of my workouts are based on my Burn More FAT! Training System. You don’t have to be an athlete to workout like one. And, the workouts are tailored to your fitness level and/or limitations.

Try this workout technique to burn fat and sculpt your body faster. If you can’t do an exercise at full speed then go at the tempo that you can maintain and progress from there.

Remember that cardio exercise doesn’t have to be aerobic. Aerobic exercise is an activity that is done continuously for more than 2 straight minutes (like running on a treadmill). Research has proven that the heart health benefits of anaerobic exercise (short bursts like jumps or sprinting) is superior to aerobic exercise.

Here is a good athletic cardio workout:

Do 30-45 seconds of jump rope, mountain climbers, thrusters, burpees and squat jumps full speed. Rotate each exercise to complete one circuit. It’s just that simple and that tough! Try to do the whole 20 -minute workout without any rest between exercises. Rest 2-3 minutes after completing the circuit and repeat the circuit 2 or 3 more times. This is an advanced workout technique and is guaranteed to give you maximum fat burn.

3 key training tips

2011-06-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

1:HAVE A GOAL
Knowing what you want and when you want it is a huge advantage. Priortize your fitness goals and give yourself a workable timeline in which to acheive them

2: PLAN YOUR MONTH
Before each month, circle training days on your calendar, writing down exactly which activities you'll perform on those days. This helps you plan your days off, which is essential for recovery.

3: MANIPULATE REPS
Mix up your rep count every 2 weeks. For example, go 2 weeks of 12-15 reps, 2 weeks of 10 reps and 2 weeks of 6-8 resp. This keeps your body guessing and challenges the muscles to adapt to diversity.

Bonus workout rule:
Work smarter not harder. The early bird gets the worm, but the 2nd mouse gets the cheese. Put simply, this means we should learn from the training mistakes of otherso what we have done in the past. Proper planning will take your body composition and performance to the next level.

question?

2011-06-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

From a member of our gym:
Q:So I'm sure this is an entirely silly question, but I've only recently joined your gym and have no clue.

Before I actually start in on a weights program, I'm getting myself in the habit of going to the gym daily. I joined on June 1 and have gone every day since signing up.

I've been doing 60 minutes of cardio. Mostly recumbent bike, a little elliptical when sitting down gets annoying.

On the bikes there's this wacky chart that says 'Fat burn zone' and 'Cardio zone'

At my age it says to aim for 124 beats per minute, so this is what I've been doing for the past few days.

That said, what exactly is the difference between the two, am I not getting the exercise I should be by only shooting for that heart rate as opposed to a higher one?

Advice/Explanation would be greatly appreciated.

A:
For me, HIIT in 12 to 20 minute sessions is VASTLY more effective in preserving muscle, keeping your heart rate up, and removing fat. Most current research from universities supports that view as well.

HIIT, with its "spurts", is much better for conditioning, produces less damage, and preserves muscle, especially in those not getting enough calories because of dieting.

Good examples of HIIT are sprints, running the stairs, intervals on the bike, basketball, running with intervals. If you're a real jock, you'll remember football practice, wrestling practice, or basketball practice. That's HIIT.

Too much cardio, for too long, with too few calories, teaches your body the feast famine syndrome, and turns it into a fat storing, slow-running, machine. That's stupid, and counter-productive.

As a man, understand that every pound of lean muscle you carry can burn up to 20 calories per day, just sitting there. The easiest way to get lean is to gain muscle. You do that by eating, and lifting in a way to promote sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.

In addition, lifting has none of the issues of impact exercise like running, and it strengthens your bones, and can raise your metabolic rate AS YOU GROW OLDER.

Do HIIT, 12 to 20 minutes, every day for the best results. Lift several days a week. Eat small meals often. Keep your calories up, if you want to make any gains. Failure to eat is a plan for failure.

When I want to get lean for the summer, I'll start out with two 20 minute HIIT sessions per day, but, typically, don't need that after just a few weeks. I take my calories UP and I get busy. You have to have energy to train hard, and you get that by eating. I'll often take my calories as high as 3800 a day when I go to lean out.

At 29, my max heart rate is 220 - 29 or 191. When I'm training, I'll bring my heart rate to 190. Right now, when I HIIT, I bring my heart rate to 165 to 175, or about 90% of my maximal heart rate. For most folks, who haven't been doing it for so long, they probably don't want to take their heart rate so high.

Drink lots of water

More than calorie in VS calories out

2011-06-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

If there existed an airtight mathematical relationship between caloric intake and weight loss, cutting daily caloric intake from 3000 to 1000 calories would result in a 60,000 calorie deficit and, correspondingly, a 17-pound weight loss in the first month - that's possible (although much of it would be water and glycogen loss, not fat loss) - and would result in a 200-pound weight loss after a year. What if the person began the diet weighing 200 pounds, would he disappear?

Clearly, there exists a weight-regulating mechanism, mediated by genetic and hormonal factors, which determines how much, if any, extra calories will be stored, and how much will be burned up or "wasted." The genetic influence accounts for wide inter-individual differences; a 1999 study published in Science found ten-fold variation in fat storage among subjects in response to overfeeding. Insulin and glucagon are the principal hormones involved in weight regulation, and we will examine them more closely in later posts.

The effort to explain weight regulation has led to the elaboration of a "fat setpoint" theory. The setpoint theory holds that bodyfat is maintained in each individual according to a predetermined, "preferred" level. The setpoint theory meets this standard by plausibly explaining why bodyfat tends to hover around a certain level, which varies with the individual, in defiance of mathematical predictions of the outcome of caloric restriction or excess.

While there is considerable merit to the setpoint theory, it is important to bear in mind that it only describes a genetically ordained advantage or disadvantage in relation to losing fat, Ultimately, though, as with anything else, disadvantage does not mean defeat, nor does advantage mean victory. This is especially so with respect to fat loss as studies show that neither the number of fat cells one possesses, nor the size of fat cells, is genetically fixed. Likewise, the fat setpoint is not unalterably dictated by genetics.

My Burn More FAT! program aims at tweaking two factors that can lower your fat setpoint; 1) insulin/glucagons 2) quantity of metabolically active tissue (i.e., muscle mass). Hence, it is both possible and practically feasible to change your fat setpoint, but it requires sustained effort and a sound plan. Fad diets and quick fixes won't do the trick. To override your fat set point and build the body you want regardless of genetic advantage or disadvantage you must change your metabolism and your internal hormonal environment.

The Calorie Theory Refuted

The problems with the calorie theory go even deeper, At the most fundamental level, the concept of calories as human energy units is questionable. The calorie counts you see on food labels and calorie charts were determined without reference to human biochemistry. Rather, calorie counts for foods are obtained by burning food in a calorimeter and measuring the heat produced. To assume that the same rules that govern combustion in a calorimeter govern human metabolism is like assuming that because life exists on Earth, life must also exist on Pluto.

Nonetheless, the values of four calories per gram for carbohydrate and protein, and nine calories per gram for fat, which are approximations conceived almost a hundred years ago, have become a central fixture of dietary mythology.

Fat metabolism provides one example of how the intricacies of human metabolism defy calorimeter-derived generalizations. The textbook rule, which is one of the many faulty rationales underlying the "fat makes you fat" myth, is that fat contains 2.25 times as many calories as carbohydrate (9 and 4, respectively). The practical reality of the matter, though, is that the caloric value of fat varies depending on hormonal state and type of ingested fat.

When the insulin/glucagon ratio is low for several days as result of a diet low in carbohydrate and high in fat, fat molecules are burned incompletely, yielding less energy and producing fat fragments called ketones which are excreted via the breath, stool, and urine. Under these metabolic conditions, more fat must be burned to provide a given amount of energy. Similarly, the chemical structure of fats, particularly the degree of unsaturation, influences their fate within the body. Specifically, unsaturated fats are less likely to be stored as fat because they burn at a higher rate.

There is an even more basic reason why the calorie theory should be discarded. Even if the popularly accepted caloric values were correct, ultimately what matters is not how many calories you ingest but how many calories you absorb. Fiber, by binding with fat and by speeding the transit of digested food through the intestines, reduces the bioavailability of ingested fat. The upshot is that butter is less fattening when eaten with broccoli than with white bread, because less of the butter eaten with broccoli is absorbed.

In the final analysis, whether a gram of fat has 9 calories or 900 is a immaterial if it is not absorbed. Although the difference in fat absorption rates for fat plus fiber versus fat by itself is marginal when viewed on a per meal basis, it can add up - and my point is that the calorie theory ignores fat absorption rate differences.

Along the same lines, protein and essential fatty acids, in contrast to carbohydrate, serve vital functions in the body aside from their role as an energy source. Essential fatty acids and protein form the structures of the body, all the way down to the cellular level. Fats and proteins that are used for building purposes are not available for use as energy or for energy storage in the form of bodyfat. The calorie theory does not take this basic fact into consideration, and instead it incorrectly assumes that all calories are equally available for use as energy.

There are two practical consequences of all this:

1) Calorie restriction, while it may be logical on paper, is not effective in practice. As millions of star-crossed dieters can attest, upon quitting a restrictive diet the missing fat comes bounding back like a golden retriever playing fetch. The setpoint theory, described above, explains why fat returns so doggedly after a period of reduced caloric intake. In order to lose fat, you must change your approach to the problem, addressing it from the inside, out - by altering your metabolism and the hormones that influence it, rather than using a simplistic ploy like calorie restriction to try to outsmart your body.

2) Because your metabolism will speed up or slow down in response to how many calories you consume, you have a certain amount of "wiggle room" in regard to calorie consumption. In other words, more calories does not necessarily translate to more fat storage. Within a certain range, greater or fewer calories does not make a difference because your body will up-regulate or down-regulate metabolism to match caloric intake.

But what if you go outside that range on the upside - will consuming excess calories make you fat? It may, but that virtually never happens to people on the Burn More FAT! Eating Plan even though calorie counting is strictly prohibited. The reason for this relates back to the human body as a "brilliant adaptive organism."

The first step is to change your metabolism from reliance on glucose for energy to reliance on fat. The metabolic shift from sugar burning to fat burning is achieved during the first 7 days of the Burn More FAT! Eating Plan. This period is a one-time feature. Macronutrient cycling, the centerpiece of the Burn More FAT! Eating Plan, does not begin until after 7 days.

Unlike the doctor or dentist who, before performing a procedure on you, tells you that you may experience "a bit of discomfort" only for you to discover that he really meant “a lot of agony," I will be honest with you: the first 3 or 4 days of this 7-day period is likely to be difficult. However. equally honestly, if you get past the initial period, and you follow the Burn More FAT! Eating Plan diligently, you will be well on your way to achieving your fat loss goals. So please, commit yourself. Think of the rewards and remember that 7 days in the scope of a lifetime is like a grain of sand on the beach.

Getting Out of the Sugar-Burning Mode

In order to get out of the sugar-burning mode, you must see to it that glucose is unavailable to your metabolism. This means not only incoming glucose in the form of carbohydrate, but also glucose stored inside your body as glycogen. Recall from previous posts that carbohydrate is broken down to glucose and stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver, or converted to fat when glycogen stores are filled. After about 3 days of strict carbohydrate restriction, liver and muscle glycogen will be depleted.

As glycogen levels wane, your body, being the versatile adaptive organism that it is, adjusts by recruiting energy (ATP) from a different source - fat. Your body will begin to use the fat from your body and food in much the same way that it currently uses sugar. Triglycerid, the storage form of fatty acids, is the analog to glycogen, the storage form of glucose. After making the metabolic shift, triglyceride will displace glycogen as the primary energy substrate in your body. And, instead of "low-octane" glucose, your body will run on "high-octane" fatty acids.

The Metabolic U- Turn

Energy levels will increase after the first four days and cravings will disappear as you make the metabolic shift. However, during the first 4 days you will likely experience some version of the "sugar-burner-deprived-of-sugar" syndrome. Energy levels may sag, and you will probably experience some degree of carbohydrate craving, possibly intense. And then, you will make the metabolic shift and these symptoms will disappear.

Think of the 7-day metabolic shift period as making a sudden U-turn in your car at a high rate of speed. All of a sudden you slam on the breaks and cut the wheel sharply. There is a lot of screeching and friction. Then, before you know it, you have regained control and you are cruising in the opposite direction. In effect, your metabolism is going to make a similar U-turn. The screeching and friction may or may not be as bad as I have portrayed it. In either case, you'll overcome it - I know you will.

How Much Carbohydrate?

During the 7 -day metabolic shift period, you should aim for fewer than 20 grams of active carbohydrate each day. In addition to initial cravings, this period will be difficult from a practical standpoint because carbohydrates are ubiquitous in our sweet-tooth society. By consuming smaller meals more frequently, rather than larger meals less frequently, you will go a long way toward defeating the cravings that will likely arise during the first few days of the metabolic shift period (but smaller meals consumed less frequently can aggravate cravings, so make sure to eat enough food).

What to Eat during the First Seven Days

Basically, you should focus on meat during this period: steak, fish, shrimp, ribs (without barbecue sauce), lobster, chicken, etc. As well, cheese, eggs, and cottage cheese are good choices during the first 7 days. Don't worry about fat consumption during this period - eat as much fat as you want. In fact, fat will facilitate the metabolic shift to fat burning and it will help quell cravings. The key factor here is the carbs. If you stay under 20 grams, you will make the metabolic shift; if you don't, you won't.

What about Vegetarians and Vegans?

If you are a vegetarian, soy-based products, like tofu, are the solution during this period and will prove valuable later, as well. Making it through the first seven days without meat (and especially, as is the case with vegans, without meat-derivatives) will require initiative and creative effort. Visit your local natural foods store; there you will find an assortment of soy-based "meat analog" products. Some are quite tasty, but check that label. Many such products are dressed-up with barbecue sauce or other sugar-containing flavorings.

In order to stay under the 20-gram carbohydrate limit, I recommend that you limit yourself to the following vegetables, eaten in moderation: cabbage, celery , broccoli, lettuce, carrots, spinach, onions, garlic, asparagus, radicchio, mushrooms, cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, and radishes. Although it is not necessary to eat vegetables in order to make the metabolic shift, I recommend that you eat at least one serving per day of fresh vegetables during the metabolic shift period. Otherwise, you may find yourself constipated from the switch to a protein- and fat-based diet.

If none of the vegetables listed above appeals to you, try melting some butter or cheese on them. It's amazing what melted butter or melted cheese can do to spruce up the taste of an otherwise unappealing food. You may wish to snack on pieces of fresh broccoli, celery, or cauliflower dipped in high-fat, low-carb dressing. French dressing is out of the question, while most blue cheese dressings are fine. Check the label and be wary of "hidden carbs."

What Not to Eat

Essentially, everything except those foods mentioned in this post are to be avoided during the metabolic shift period. Starchy or sugary foods, obviously, should be forsaken. Less obviously, fruits and nuts, while not nearly as high in carbohydrate as starches and dessert foods, are off-limits during this period. Remember, we are trying to totally reverse your metabolism in 7 days, and this requires eliminating incoming carbohydrate and depleting internal sugar stores (i.e., glycogen). To achieve this feat, you must be very strict and very vigilant about what you eat.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important these first 7 days are to your success on the Burn More FAT! Eating Plan. It will reset your metabolism, give you fat-burning momentum, and subdue your appetite making it easier to get into the groove of macronutrient cycling which begins on the 8th day.

Changing Your Body Requires Changing Your Mind

In addition to the metabolic benefits, there is a psychological advantage to the first 7 days. After this 7-day "boot camp," the moderate carbohydrate restriction of the Burn More FAT! Eating Plan will be a breeze. On the other hand, after a period of eating whatever you want (which is the mode that most Americans are in when they are not dieting) any structured dietary program, no matter how flexible, would seem like an imposition by comparison. In addition to changing your metabolism, I want to change your perspective about what, in terms of diet, constitutes "difficult." As you can see, you are about to embark on a dietary program that attacks bodyfat from every conceivable angle.

I will now go one step further in transforming your perspective on eating. Before I do, let me assure you, you will never have to eat any food that you dislike on the Burn More FAT! Eating Plan. Having said that, the prevailing outlook on eating in the U.S. and other Western nations is a strange anomaly caused in large part by the billions of dollars spent by the food industry to promote their products. Somewhere along the way, people have acquired the notion that every meal has to be a source of great pleasure.

In our society, eating is viewed similarly to sex. However, people rely more on food for pleasure than on sex. You don't see people constantly seeking pleasure from sex in the way they do with food. Unless, they are a politician or golfer. Rather, sexual pleasure, pleasure from hobbies, pleasure from playing sports, and pleasure from interacting with friends and family are all treated as enjoyable activities to be indulged in at appropriate times. I don't see people fornicating in the streets, nor do I see people leaving work in the middle of the day to play basketball or go fishing or do whatever else they find pleasurable.

When it comes to eating, though, the underlying, subconscious idea that has been instilled in peoples' heads is that every meal, of every day, of every week, must taste so good that you are overwhelmed with pleasure. Very few people that I know dislike the taste of apples. But few Americans eat apples with the same frequency as they eat starchy or sugary snack foods, even though apples are more healthful. Similarly, very few people that I know dislike the taste of water. But few Americans drink water with the same frequency as they drink soda or other sweet-tasting fluids. Why? Because apples and water don't cause people to go ummm when they consume them.

Outside of Western culture - in rural India, China, and Africa, for instance - eating is viewed primarily as a source of nourishment, not pleasure. Sure eating is one of the pleasures of life, but that's not the purpose of eating. Few people realize how completely they have been brainwashed by powerful market forces in society; Long-term success requires that you replace this self-defeating mindset with a self-empowering one.

How to increase your metabolism

2011-06-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Metabolism is the process by which our bodies combine nutrients with oxygen to produce the energy our body needs in order to maintain normal bodily functions. This energy is measured in calories, and calories are considered fuel to our bodies.

When our main source of energy (glucose) depletes, the process of metabolism turns to fat stores (body fat) for it’s primary energy source. On the other hand when our supply of blood sugar is too high, the process of metabolism stores excess "energy" by converting it into body fat causing the weight scale to move in an upward direction.

If you want to increase your metabolism you should first consider all the factors involved. Sex, age, the amount of muscle tissue on your body, weight, activity level, and current physical condition. RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate), is the number of calories you would burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours. RMR is the minimum amount of energy required to maintain normal bodily functions (heart beating, breathing, normal body temperature, brain function, kidney function, and so on).

Proper diet will increase and speed up your metabolism. It is important to never skip a meal or go on any type of starvation diet. You should always eat healthy snacks between meals. The idea is to eat frequently to prevent hunger pangs, and to keep your energy levels consistent which in turn will increase and speed up your metabolism.

Our bodies were designed with a survival mechanism just in case there is a time of famine. Because of this mechanism, it is easier for the body to store fat. If we go on any calorie deficit diet or some type of starvation diet you can forget about increasing your metabolism because our body's metabolism decreases in order to conserve energy. In this mode, it is much easier for the body to store what we eat as body fat and burn energy from muscle tissue. Since muscle tissue burns a higher amount of calories, the less we have the lower our metabolism will be.

Increase metabolism by eating several smaller meals per day. The idea is to never let yourself get hungry. One way to accomplish this would be to eat three healthy nutritious meals and eat healthy nutritious snacks in between those meals keeping yourself satisfied throughout the day.

It will be very important that the snacks are healthy, and that the meal sizes are reduced to compensate for the additional calories the snacks provide to prevent weight gain.

So many people try to lose weight on their own and unfortunately suffer the consequences by negatively altering their metabolism, thyroid, and hormonal function. When this occurs weight loss becomes impossible unless you know exactly what to do to reverse the damage. Why play with your health when you can get professional support today.

How to Increase Metabolism Through Exercise

When we exercise, our bodies require more energy and our metabolism increases in order to supply it. However, most of the time we are not all that active, which is the reason people want to increase their metabolism. The idea is to burn more calories when doing very little, like sitting around or even sleeping.

Metabolism: "Chemical changes that utilize energy and result in tissue and compound building (anabolism) or breakdown of substrates and release of energy (catabolism)." The preceding definition of metabolism was taken from the Dictionary of Sport and Exercise Sciences. From this definition one will be able to understand how strength training can influence metabolism.

There are three ways strength training can increase metabolism.

the workout session itself

the post-training oxygen consumption following exercise

the addition of lean muscle mass.

The Workout Session: Muscles contracting under heavy loads require energy. They also produce heat which is a by-product of muscular contraction. How much strength training will increase metabolism will vary depending upon the amount of muscle tissue involved in an exercise and the level of resistance weight that is used. For example, doing squats using your leg muscles will require far more energy than doing bicep curl's using your arms.

The metabolic rate or energy expenditure has been estimated to vary from five to ten calories per minute, depending on whether large or small muscle groups were involved in the exercise. For those who are interested in body composition changes such as weigh loss they should train at 60 to 80 percent of their one rep max weight. The metabolic rate is higher at increased loads, thus causing a greater number of calories utilized.

Adding New Muscle to Increase Metabolism:

It has been proven time and time again that properly performed high intensity strength training stimulates the development of muscle mass which in turn will alter metabolism in two different ways. First, resting metabolic rate is increased when one gains muscle mass. While the energy expenditure per pound of lean body mass does not change, the addition of more muscle mass means higher energy expenditure or increased metabolism at rest.

Second, the more muscle mass an individual has the greater the post exercise oxygen consumption. When strength trained individuals were compared to non-trained individuals, there was no difference in post exercise oxygen consumption per pound of muscle. However, since the strength training individuals have more muscle mass, they burn more calories during the post exercise period.

Post-Workout Oxygen Consumption to increase metabolism:

There are several factors which influence the excess post exercise oxygen consumption (resynthesis of creatine phosphate in muscle, lactate removal, restoration of muscle and blood oxygen stores, elevated body temperature, post exercise elevation of heart rate and breathing, elevated hormones). In one study researchers examined the post-exercise oxygen consumption of strength training exercise to increase metabolism. Metabolic rate was measured for nine subjects after 40 minutes of cycling (80 percent of maximal heart rate), 40 minutes of circuit training (50% of individuals' 1 RM x 15 repetitions for 4 sets), 40 minutes of heavy resistance lifting (80-90% of 1 RM x 3-8 repetitions x 3 sets), and a control interval. All forms of exercise increased the metabolic rate immediately after exertion. For circuit training and heavy resistance lifting, the metabolism increase was also significant 30 minutes after exertion. The absolute total increment in caloric use after exertion was comparable among circuit training, heavy lifting, and cycling. However, cycling alone was far less than both forms of weight training.

In any case when one actually examines the energy cost or calories burned during the post-exercise period it is relatively small. Some researchers have commented that the post-exercise effect is sufficiently small and that it does not have a major role in the control of weight loss by itself. However, if you combine the entire exercise session with proper diet, weight loss and an increase in metabolism can be substantial.

The other factor to consider with the post-exercise is the fuel which is utilized. Strength training exercise tends to burn/utilize carbohydrate during the actual training session. However, after a workout more fat is burned to meet the energy demands of your body. The more carbohydrate burned during an exercise period, the more fat burned after exercise. The higher the exercise intensity, proportionately more fat will be burned during the recovery (resting) phase.

Recent research at Colorado State University examined the effect of a resistance training session on post-exercise energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate, concluding that strenuous strength training can elevate metabolic rate for extended periods, and that this increased metabolism is due to the oxidation of body fat.

Conclusion to Increase and Speed Up Metabolism:

Strength training increases energy expenditure during a training session. The high intensity or anaerobic nature of strength training indicates a higher utilization of carbohydrates during a training session. During the post-exercise recovery period, energy expenditure is elevated for a period ranging from two to fifteen hours. The increased energy demands are obtained by burning more calories, and a good portion of those calories are coming from stored fat.

The addition of muscle mass on an individual will cause an increase in the number of calories that are utilized at rest. So it is comforting to know while one is exerting themselves through a high intensity workout, that the hard work will result in an increase in metabolism that continues to burn calories hours after a workout.

So many people try to lose weight on their own and unfortunately suffer the consequences by negatively altering their metabolism, thyroid, and hormonal function. When this occurs weight loss becomes impossible and no diets will work. JOIN TODAY and let us help you!

Weight gains follow marriage

2011-06-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

What is it about wedded bliss that turns some of us into wedded blimbs? According to the journal Obesity getting hitched is a surefire way to pack on the pounds. Researchers charted 11,000 individuals transitioning from being single to married or cohabitating status and found the transition doubled a person's risk of becoming obese. Just what is it about a stable, long-term romantic relationship that seems to make us fatter? The main factor appeared to be a marked decline in the desire to maintain body weight or general appearance for the purpose of attracting a mate. Of course, I can't, in good conscience, support that outlook - you ought to keep yourself in fine physical condition whether you have a ring on your finger or not. For a little help, don't hesitate to contact me.

How to Lose Leg Fat- 6 Tips On Loosing Leg Fat

2011-06-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

A lot of people are wanting to know how to lose leg fat. Fat on the legs is a common problem in both men and women, but especially women. Everyone has those specific areas of their body where they gain the most weight. For many, just the mere thought of the excess fat surrounding their thighs and calves is disgusting. A lot of people have so much leg fat that their legs are covered in stretch marks. Fortunately, there is good news. You can get rid of your leg fat.

Walking

Do you really want to know how to lose leg fat? Then it’s time to get in motion. Walking is an excellent exercise for getting rid of fat around the legs because it obviously involves a lot of leg movement. In addition, you’re burning fat all over your body, which speeds up your overall metabolism.

Running

Some people prefer to run when burning leg fat. Running is considered a bit more hardcore and aggressive. If you’re interested in getting rid of your fat fast, then running should work out perfectly for you. Be sure to run everyday, preferably uphill and on flat surfaces. For even quicker results, alternate running with walking. Walk at a moderate pace for about two minutes, and then run as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Continue to do this for about 30 to 45 minutes, three to five times per week.

Cycling

You can choose to ride your bike or hop on the bike at the gym. Either way, biking is great for the legs and it also helps to build muscle. A lot of people are afraid to build muscle when attempting to burn leg fat because they are afraid that building muscle will contribute to a more bulky appearance. Fortunately, this is not true. Building muscle will increase the amount of calories burned and help you to display a leaner, tighter, and toned appearance.

Stair Climber

Using a stair climber is another way on how to lose leg fat effectively and quickly. Although you may not think so, your legs will not get bigger, but slimmer and more attractive. Building muscle and burning calories at the same time is one of the best ways to get rid of that fat for good.

Dancing

Have you ever considered taking up dancing? We have ball room dancing and Zumba dancing classes here at Prairie Life. Dance lessons designed for tightening and toning the entire body, including the legs.

Swimming

Perhaps you’re more interested in swimming. Swimming involves the entire body and requires a great deal of focus. When you’re mentally aligned with your goals, you’ll achieve them quicker. Focus on using your legs while swimming. Fortunately, unlike the other above-mentioned methods, you won’t have to worry about breaking a sweat, but you’ll certainly feel it the next day.

Knowing how to burn leg fat isn’t rocket science. It’s simple common sense. The only problem you may have is sticking to your routine. Remember to start off slowly and gradually ease into it. Don’t be afraid to switch up your exercises to keep it interesting and exciting.

Bonus tip!
Don't forget to do your resistance training. You can't burn the fat on your legs if you don't do resistance training.

step out for more power

2011-06-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

Barbell Side Lunge

Why you need to do this:
Your legs are designed to work on all different planes of motion, not just forward and backward. Training lunges in a multitude of directions works muscles from new angles,strengthening ligaments, tendons, and stabilizing muscles while building size and improving sports performance.

Targets:
Glutes, quads, inner and outer thighs and calves

Set-up:
Balance a barbell across your shoulders and traps and stand with your feet hip width apart, knees soft and toes forward. Lift your chest and stand up straight

Action:
Take a large step to the side with your right leg, bending your right knee deeply while straightening your left leg. When your right thigh comes parallel to the floor, push off explosively with your right foot, bringing your legs back together in the starting position.

core stability

2010-10-11T15:11:00.000-07:00

If you imagine your trunk as an onion with layers of rings from the inside (core) all the way to the outside this will represent our muscle support network. Typically, the center of the onion is engaged and supports the spine (in ideal situation). This provides our brain with a feeling of security, i.e., stability, which allows for us to excute a full range of motion across that particular joint. In simplest terms we require stability for full mobility to be executed safely and efficiently.

Mobility without stability is what leads to repetitious stress, degeneration and injury. If your joint is unstable internally and you create motion across this joint it leads to micro trauma that accumulates over time.

If the center of your onion is weak your brain will naturally look for help in providing the much needed stabilization. So, what does it do? You guessed it. The brain will start to recruit other layers of the ‘onion’ and squeeze the inside, ‘core’, from the outside in.

Can you begin to see how inefficient this is?

What’s more is that these muscle groups were not designed to fire all day and support the spine. This is why they begin to fatigue, ache and cause you pain.

It is the Multifidus, External/Internal Oblique muscles and the Transverse Abdominis that play a crucial role in stabiliation of the pelvis and the spine so that full range of motion can be achieved with proper stability.

The Psoas muscle also plays an integral role in core support and stability. A deconditioned core will tend to cause a gradual 'unraveling' of your muscular support network from the inside out. This is often the missing link in a lifelong struggle with chronic low back pain.

Often times in the clinical setting this simple step is overlooked. At Prairie Life Fitness we pride ourselves on integrating advanced technologies in health care.

Call us now to start enjoying the benefits of a healthy and conditioned core

how to lose weight easily

2010-10-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

Weight loss programs and diets?

What is the best and easist way to lose weight and show a weight loss? You are about to learn two simple secrets that will guarantee easy weight loss.

The first big secret:
The most powerful factor in weight loss
Have you ever noticed this:

People who have shed a lot of weight through successful dieting and exercise always want to encourage everyone else to lose weight. “If you want to lose weight,” they say, “I will show you how I did it.”

But even though they tell this to all the overweight people they know, the “fatties” will always ignore the advice — unless one factor is present. And this is the biggest secret to weight loss. If this factor is present, any overweight person can lose weight easily.

What is this secret? It is motivation.

What is motivation?
Motivation is the answer you give when someone says “Why do you want to lose weight?” Do you have a strong reason?

If you desperately want to lose weight before your upcoming wedding, that is a powerful motivator. If your doctor has told you to lose weight or you will be dead in 12 months, that is a powerful motivator too.

If you want to lose 10 lbs before your wedding, or you are an overweight actor who has landed a film role to play a skinnier person, you too have a powerful motivating factor.

Whatever your reason, it must be a strong motivation for you to lose weight. Without it, you are not yet ready to lose weight. It's as simple as that. That's why not everyone who goes to weight-loss clinics or tries hypnosis loses weight. They are too content with their life as it is. Motivation is missing.

Of course the motivation could simply be to lose weight so you will look better and find it easier to move around. Overweight adults often diet to lose weight to look more attractive or to get slimmer for their wedding, or to stop wrinkles. Overweight teens can feel shunned until they determine to lose weight. If your motivation is strong enough, you will find it much easier to lose weight.

“Think thin”
So, find a strong reason why you want to be thinner — you must be thinking more of the thinner, better looking, healthier, leaner, lovelier you than of how nice that cream doughnut looks. If you can imagine that cream doughnut sitting on your hips or tummy when you look in the mirror, it will help you decide whether you want to eat it and be about the size of a cream doughnut fatter, or ignore it and look a cream doughnut thinner.

So the first big secret to losing weight is motivation. If you have a powerful reason to lose weight, you will. It's as simple as that!

Got motivation? Then read on for two easy weight-loss plans that will work for the rest of your life. (There are other tips in throughout the blog that may also help desperate fatties)

One plan below lets you eat what you are already eating and slowly lose weight. This may be enough if you want to lose 10 lbs before you get married in 12 months time. The other shows how breaking up your meals better and choosing good foods can help you lose weight more quickly.

Another big secret:
Plan No.1: The “non-diet” diet
If you are overweight and find it difficult to stick to weight-loss programs, try this “non-diet” diet. We have never heard of a failure with this diet for those who genuinely make it part of their eating routine. It is natural, painless, and sensible.

The 10 per cent diet doesn't require a change in what you eat, just a slight change in how much you eat. It will help you steadily lose weight for as long as you like.

Avoid that last bite
The 10 per cent diet works in a similar way. It means you eat about 10 per cent less than you normally would. Take nine bites and leave the tenth. Cook nine spoonfuls instead of 10. Mentally divide your meal into 10 parts and give the tenth part to your dog (if one part looks bigger than the other nine, make sure the bigger one goes to the dog!)

It doesn't seem much, but after 10 days you will have eaten only nine days of your normal food intake. If you are getting married in 10 months' time, by the time your wedding arrives you will have eaten only nine months' supply of food and will have saved a whole month of food bills and will fit better into your wedding outfit. If you make sure you do even simple exercise (such as walking briskly or bike riding for 30 minutes) and cut down on foods loaded with fat or sugar, it may contribute another 10 per cent or more weight loss.

This easy way to lose weight makes you think before you eat. You don't cut down so much that you still feel hungry, yet you continue to eat what you eat now — if you want to. You can lose weight even more easily if you replace high-fat/high-sugar foods with low-fat/ low-sugar foods.

Simply buy less, cook less, and eat less. You will feel better while you save money and watch that excess weight slip off to reveal the real thinner, lovelier you!

Plan No.2:
The Eat More Meals Diet
To lose weight more quickly, you can follow the Eat More Meals Diet.

The Eat More Meals Diet changes your pattern of eating to give you healthier eating habits without leaving you hungry. It is designed to get you into the habit of eating for health instead of for pleasure.

You need to get out of your regular routine of having 3 big meals a day (with constant in-between snacks), or skipping meals to try to lose weight. Instead, plan 4 meals a day of better food that is filling enough to prevent you from wanting to snack.

It works like this. For the next 10 days, plan 4 meals a day made up from the following foods. Eat two or three of the items in each meal, but over the day try to get a variety — so you will be getting a good mixture of vitamins, fiber, protein, dairy, and nuts.

Salad or cooked vegetables
skinless chicken or chicken slices
skinless turkey slices
ham
fish
fruit
baked beans
cheese
milk
frozen yogurt
nuts.
Cross out anything from that list that you can't stand.

Drinks should include lots of water, but you can also have coffee and tea as long as you use an absolute minimum of sugar and honey as sweeteners — if you have to use them.

The idea is to get you through the day with healthy foods that stop you from feeling hungry. Leave at least two-and-a-half hours between each meal.

Example
Four meals (some are really snacks to fill you until the next meal):

1. Ham or tuna salad (lots of lettuce and tomato, plus maybe cucumber, celery, and onions), and a couple of handfuls of peanuts. 2. A pear, an orange, and a plum, with some cashews. 3. Turkey slices and cheese slices (as many as you need to feel satisfied). 4. Grilled, steamed or baked piece of fish (no batter or crumbs), plus a salad made of beans, lettuce, celery, tomatoes.

Try to get some nuts in at least two meals each day, with just one other item accompanying it (grapes, cottage cheese, salad, etc.). Vary some of the items you put in your garden salad or cooked vegetables so that each tastes a little different.

And get out of the habit of thinking you always need cereal for breakfast (or ham and eggs or sausages or whatever). Try a different breakfast, like a bowl of mixed vegetables and a frozen yogurt, or chicken and fresh fruit. Once or twice in the 10 days you could have a sandwich with one of the other items, or have a bowl of unsugared cereal.

Stagger your 4 meals across your day, but make sure you have the 4 meals, even if you don't eat much at one and eat more at another.

Weigh yourself early on the first morning, before you have anything to eat or drink, then again every three days, and again at the end of the 10 days. After 10 days, spend the next 2 or 3 days having something different (if you want to). You should now be getting an idea of what satisfies you and how much you need to keep going without feeling hungry.

You will need to impose a sensible limit on portions. You just need to feel satisfied, not full. Remember, to lose weight you have to eat for health, not for pleasure.

shake receipe

2010-10-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

I've had several readers ask me for smoothie and/or protein shake
recipes that taste good and meet all of the criteria that I laid
out in previous emails. Because I consider you all my good
friends, I'll give you my super secret recipe for a great tasting
chocolate peanut butter shake! These shakes are a great way to get
that critical protein and carry you over in the afternoon!

If you don't have one by now, get yourself a high-quality blender.

And my favorite place to get the protein powders listed below is
Netrition.com. I've been using them for years - their service is
unbeatable, they are extremely quick to ship, and their prices are
some of the best on the Internet.

Ok - here it is:

2 scoops chocolate whey protein - my recommendation is Nature's Best Isopure Low Carb Chocolate
2T of natural peanut butter - NOT the regular peanut butter that has added sugar - try the Smuckers smooth or chunky
2T of Jello Fat Free/Sugar Free Instant Chocolate Pudding
1T of unsweetened cocoa powder - lots of good antioxidants in cocoa
Ice

50 grams of protein, 16 grams of healthy fats, and minimal carbs -
and tastes pretty darn good!

Be creative - for example, you can throw in a small banana if your
daily intake allows it or use skim milk or nonfat dry milk instead
of water. Just make sure you take into account everything you are
putting in when you are figuring out your daily intake.

Chocolate not your thing? How about a Root Beer Float?!

1 can Diet Root Beer - I like Barq's the best
2T of heavy cream - this is OK for your diet, trust me! Just don't drink it by the gallon!
2 scoops vanilla whey protein - my recommendation is Nature's Best Isopure No Carb Vanilla
Ice
Great way to get 50 grams of protein in you with about 10 grams of
fat and no carbs!

Are you tough enough? The Extreme Kettlebell Cardio Workout

2010-10-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

The following will rip you through a blistering set of ball-buster kettlebell drills designed to raise the bar on your athletic potential—then leap over it.

This pounding Extreme Kettlebell workout will give even the most seasoned athlete fresh legs—and the inspiration to take his game to the next level.

Lesser mortals: simply use lighter bells to start with, until you are ready to join the serious ranks of the super-conditioned.

Become a well-oiled, unstoppable machine and discover what toughness is really all about, with The Extreme Kettlebell Cardio Workout.

Here's a breakdown of what you need to do:

The Manmaker
Bang off with a series of challenging, hi-octane drills: 10 thrusters/side, 10 clean and presses/side, then 10 OH squats/side, 10 windmills/side, and finally 10 swings or snatches/side.

The Upper Body Blast
Continue with a blistering series of upper body oriented exercises strung together in push-pull fashion in order to prevent over-emphasizing one particular movement pattern and to avoid burning out too early. One side of the body, preferably the non-dominant side, is worked first, then the other. This places deliberate and unforgiving stress on the respiratory muscles. The exercises include, in order, windmills, push presses, cleans, clean and presses, rowing, pushups, upright rowing, then finally the hot potato drill.

The Leg Burner
You ain't kidding! If you're not ready for this you could feel like you'd sucked on gasoline then thrust a burning torch down your throat. Could be called the lung burner as well because of the intensity of this series. Just be prepared… 10 overhead sq/side, 10 squat kicks/side, 10 overhead lunges/side, 10 tactical lunges/side, 10 swings/side, and finally 20 bodyweight squats.

The Swing Workout
Still standing? Then pound out a series of swing variations interspersed with the hot potato drill to allow the hip and thigh muscles to recover slightly, while keeping the heart rate high and working the core in a different way. The swing variations include one handed swings, high pulls, clean and presses, cleans, then back to standard swings. When I did this every cell in my body screamed for relief…

The Slingshot
But wait, there's more savagery to be enjoyed: between the legs pass variation of the Slingshot is performed between sets of 2 handed drills including squats, overhead push presses, tactical lunges, thrusters. That'll teach you!

The Turkish Getup
A "nice" way to finish off. 5 sets per side consisting of 2 getups, 2 overhead squats, 2 windmills, then 10 swings (2 handed) before switching sides and repeating the sequence. A good focus training as it is difficult to breathe, concentrate on form, and keep pushing through the fatigue at this stage of the training session. Also a dynamite routine done on its own.

Core Workout/Cooldown
Administer the final smacks to your battered body with this highly demanding routine cunningly crafted to scorch the pre-fatigued core muscles as well as hammer the last remnants of your cardiovascular system. This workout is unorthodox in the sense that the reps are high relative to what would be recommended for pure strength purposes. Live with it!

Do you like the psycho-satisfaction of murdering your abs? Is that what you get off on? Do you feel that you haven't really worked out unless your abs are contorting in pain? Then here's the perfect Killer drills for you, you devious twisted person…

The evil drills span from situps with the bell, crunchs, lateral leg raises, floor wipers, Russian twists, partial get-ups for the obliques, frontal leg raises, followed by a brief stretching session, to bring you back from hell…

If you feel you're not yet man enough to follow along for the entire Extreme Kettlebell Workout in one shot, then I have some advice for you:

I designed the routines to be as different as possible from one another so if a person wanted, they could do one routine a day and have worked their entire body by the end of the week. I also wanted it to be possible to do the entire workout in one session by carefully distributing the load so a person would not have to quit because a particular bodypart was too fatigued to continue.

The only reason a person should be unable to complete the whole hour would be more due to a low lactate threshold and/ or difficulty tolerating the pain associated with prolonged oxygen debt. I made the rep counts all to 10 so a person could start out doing say 5 reps of each exercise in a routine, then progress up to 10 as their fitness improves. Also, some people I have talked to said they like to alternate between a heavier and lighter bell depending on their goals for that day."

Have at it—and let us hear about your results!

Mini Meal Diet

2010-10-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

The six mini meal a day diet plan has been a proven successful fast and healthy way to lose weight. As a matter of fact it is a great change of lifestyle plan as well.

Dieting doesn't mean you have to die while you at it. Dieting doesn't have to make you feel sluggish and starving all the time either. I have found this to be a workable plan

Instead of three tasteless low-fat meals where you engorge on green beans just to feel full and then discover you only lost 1 pound; try six tasty small meals that keep you feeling full and build your metabolism for fast weight loss 5-10 in a week.

The secret is your are fueling your metabolism where it has to work continuously while burning out excess fat.

Here are a few of my menu choices that you can try or inspire you to create your own.

MENU # 1

Breakfast: 1 egg, 1 piece of high fiber toast ( can spray with fat-free butter spray),1 cup of skim milk.

Mid-morning Snack: 1 apple sliced with 1 TBS of peanut butter spread on slices. Drink a large glass of water or Splenda tea.

Lunch: Tuna Salad sandwich ( made with fat-free mayo or miracle whip),1 small bag of Baked Lays and a small dish of sugar-free jello for dessert.

Mid-Day Snack: 1 orange or 1 protein bar

Supper:1 Marinated broiled or grilled chicken breast, steamed veggies, side salad sprinkled with cheese and low-fat dressing. Dessert: 1 cup of lite vanilla ice-cream.

Evening Snack: 4 crackers with thin slices of cheddar cheese

Drink lots of water and splenda tea throughout the day and exercise!

________________________________________________________

MENU # 2

Breakfast: 1 ruby red grape fruit , 1 1/2 cups of low calorie cerial and fat-free milk

Mid-morning snack : 2 slices of cheddar cheese

Lunch: 1 chicken with steamed broccoli. Dessert : 1 cup of sugar-free fat-free pudding.

Mid-day snack: 1 banana and 2 low-fat cookies

Supper: Simmered Turkey Gourmet Sandwich ( Take deli turkey and simmer it in Swiss cheese, then add lettuce, tomato, onions ect., put it on toasted bread; very scrumptious). Dessert: Grapes ( You can sprinkle with light Splenda for sweetness).

Evening Snack: 1 cup of fat-free yogurt

Drink lots of water, splenda tea and exercise!

___________________________________________________________

Menu #3

Breakfast: 1 cup of lite vanilla yogurt,1 cup of grapes. Sprinkle granola or Kashi cereal on top.

Mid- morning snack: 1 orange

Lunch: salad with grilled chicken, chopped bananas and jello with fat-free whip topping on top.

Mid-Day snack: 6 baby carrots dipped in low-fat ranch

Supper: Grilled Chicken salad with cheddar cheese and low-fat dressing. Dessert: Low-fat brownie

Evening Snack: 5 pretzel sticks, 1 cup of skim milk

Drink lots of water and splenda tea and exercise!

____________________________________________________________

What is great about this diet is you don't have to feel hungry, you can also interchange a few of these selections, but be careful I tried to balance out the more fattening foods with proteins and veggies.

muscle building for skinny guys

2010-09-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

Note: If you want a step-by-step proven workout plan for packing on slabs of muscle, I highly recommend coming in and getting a tailored personal training program.

With that out of the way…I’ve been getting a bunch of email lately with guys always asking me how can skinny guys build muscle.

Well here’s a no B.S. program to get you on the right path. It really comes down to three things. Lift. Eat. Recover.

Lifting to build muscle
As usual, we’re going to focus on compound movements using barbells (Pull Ups and Dips being the exceptions to the rule). We’re going to combine the 5×5 strength building protocol with a mid-range weight and rep format to promote hypertrophy (that means getting those muscles big!).

We’re also going to use the superset (doing two different exercises in a row without rest in between) to keep the workouts short and get you out of the gym in 30 minutes or less.

Muscle building workout plans
Phase 1

Workout A: Deadlift 5 reps x 5 sets.
Superset Shoulder Press with High Pulls 8 reps x 4 sets.

Workout B: Squat 5 reps x 5 sets.
Superset Bench Press with Pull Ups 8 reps x 4 sets.
You should stick with the same weight and try to finish all of the sets with that weight. So if you are bench pressing 150 lbs for 5 reps x 5 sets, you should use 150 lbs for all 5 sets. If you make it through that, the next time in the gym you should try 153 or 155 for 5×5.

You should always be trying to break your personal record from the last time in the gym. If you lift the same weight for 8 weeks straight, the muscle WILL NOT GROW. You gotta increase the weight if you want to increase the muscle size.

For Phase 1 you will train 3 days per week, alternating the above workouts. As an example, you may train on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. During the first week, you would do Workout A on Monday and Friday and Workout B on Wednesday. The second week, you would do Workout B on Monday and Friday and Workout A on Wednesday. Continue with the format and stay on Phase 1 until one of two things happen: 1) your results plateau, or 2) you get bored and don’t look forward to hitting the workouts anymore. Either way, you should stick with Phase 1 for a minimum of 4 weeks.

Phase 2

Workout A: Deadlift 5 reps x 5 sets.
Power Clean 8 reps x 3 sets.

Workout B: Shoulder Press 5 reps x 5 sets.
Superset Bent Over Rows with Bench Press 8 reps x 4 sets.

Workout C: Squat 5 reps x 5 sets.
Lunge 8 reps (each leg) x 3 sets.

Workout D: Pull Ups 5 reps x 5 sets.
Superset Dips with High Pull 8 reps x 4 sets.

For Phase 2 you will train 4 days per week, training two days on, one day off, two days on, two days off. As an example, you may do
• Monday – Workout A
• Tuesday – Workout B
• Wednesday – Rest
• Thursday – Workout C
• Friday – Workout D
• Saturday – Rest
• Sunday – Rest

Muscle Building Diet

Gaining weight is like going to war, and your weapon of choice is a fork.

In the most basic sense, eat more than you’re eating now. A lot more. In a more specific sense, where I commonly recommend a carbohydrate restriction for weight loss, I recommend eating carbohydrates with each meal for muscle building. When trying to put on muscle you should be eating anywhere from 3000-5000 calories per day depending on your current weight. Building muscle is 80% diet and 20% lifting. Your diet is that important.

But that’s not license to go crazy with Krispy Kreme and crapolla. Oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pastas and breads, and potatoes should be included in every meal. But that’s not at the sacrifice of your protein source: you should be eating a good protein source with each meal. Ideally about 6 oz. per meal. Unless of course you’re of the vegetarian persuasion, then no problem. . . tofu will work, as will beans and rice.

And to keep your vitamin and mineral content on point, eat at least one serving of fruits or vegetables with each meal. Nuts are another fine addition as they are calorically dense and nutrient packed.

Also, bring on the dairy! I’m typically not a big fan of dairy (is there another animal besides humans that drinks the milk of another animal?). But if you’ve been afflicted with Skinny-Man Syndrome your whole life, slurping down the cow juice will go a long way in adding the calories you need to pack on slabs of muscle.

Drinking 1/2 gallon – 1 gallon of whole milk per day is a good idea if you’re super skinny. It’ll add an additional 1200-2600 calories to your day. Super skinny guys can put on 10-15 lbs in a month by doing this.

Get protein right after your workout
An important thing to remember is you need to make sure you are eating breakfast everyday and also getting a lot of protein in right after your workout. Most guys that are skinny, have problems getting enough protein, so 20 oz+ of chocolate milk right after a workout will help. You can also eat protein after your workout, but chocolate milk is just much easier to deal with.

Strive to eat 3 meals per day with 3 snacks, with about three hours between meals.

A sample meal plan follows. When in doubt, just friggin’ eat!
Meal plans for gaining weight and building muscle

6:00am 4 eggs scrambled. Serving of homefried potatoes with green pepper and onion. Cup of oatmeal with mixed berries.

9:00am 8 oz glass whole milk. Large handful of walnuts. Fruit cup of melon and pineapple.

12:00pm Stir-fried chicken and broccoli with a large serving of brown rice.

3:00pm Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and mustard. 1 apple with natural peanut butter.

6:00pm Grilled steak with tomatoes, peppers, and onions wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with cheddar cheese and black beans. Side salad of raw spinach.

9:00pm 8 oz. glass whole milk. 1 banana. Large handful of raw almonds.
The hardest thing about getting bigger is eating enough food. To make it easier I suggest cooking your meals ahead of time so they’re always ready. You can cook on Sunday and have meals that will last until Thursday. Things like burgers, chicken, pork, eggs, mashed potatoes, chili and veggies can all be prepared ahead of time.

Recap – what you should be eating
Protein – Eggs, chicken, pork, steak, burgers, almonds, walnuts, peanut butter, chili, beans

Carbohydrates – Potatoes (mashed or baked), whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, rice (w/beans)

Vegetables and Fruits – Bananas, oranges, apples, strawberries, green beans, lentils, broccoli, cauliflower

Dairy – Whole milk, plain yogurt with fresh berries

Proper recovery is crucial for muscle building
In today’s fast-paced world, recovery can often be the most difficult component to get in place. Do the following and your body will have the opportunity to process all of the lifting and eating into the muscles you desire.
• Sleep: Do your damnedest to get in 8 hours per day. A quick 20 minute nap in the afternoon is also great if you can squeeze it in.
• No more circuits: I love high intensity “Oh, shit I’m gonna puke” circuit training. But it will be counter productive if you’re trying to pack on the muscle. You have to be stingy with your calories: save ‘em for the heavy lifting and revisit the circuits when you’re ready to get lean.
• Take Off Days Off: Pay the neighborhood kid to cut the grass. Forget about off-day “cardio” nonsense. And unless your mortgage depends on it, avoid sport specific training if you can. Again, we’re being stingy with the calories and providing the body time and energy to recover from the intense lifting sessions.
• Relax!!!: Meditate. Read a book. Pet the dog. Or find a hobby that doesn’t involve jacking your heart rate. Whatever you do, make time for activities that help you de-stress.

I’m trying to get bigger but it’s not working
If you’re following the plan above and you’re not seeing results, there are a few reasons for it.

1. You’re not eating enough
This is plain and simple. If you’re following the plan above and you’re not gaining weight, then you’re not eating enough. Even if you think you’re eating a lot, you’re obviously not because you’re not gaining any weight!

My tips for making sure you always have food around to eat are as follows…
• Prepare meals in advance – You can prepare meals ahead of time for the next 3-4 days. You might think “this sucks I dont want to eat the same thing”….well TOUGH! What you’re doing right now obviously isn’t working, so it’s time to try something new. When trying to build muscle food should be seen as fuel, not a delicious meal.
• Keep your cupboards full – If you don’t have food to cook you’ll end up eating something that’s not going to help you build muscle. Keep food around at all times.
• Slurp the milk down – Seriously, if you’re not drinking 1/2 gallon – 1 gallon of whole milk per day, then get on it. Buy 2-3 gallons in advance, and drink them throughout the week.
2. You’re not pushing yourself hard enough when you workout
When you workout, you should be grunting out the last few reps of every set. That’s how intense each set should be. If you’re doing shoulder presses and you float through each set without a “tough rep” then you need to add more weight to the bar.
If you find it hard to push yourself like many people do, find a workout partner who is motivated like you that will help push you during a workout.
Your biggest muscle gains come in the last few reps you crank out when you think you can’t do anymore.

cardio-vascular workout

2010-09-15T05:55:00.000-07:00

To accomplish a good cardio-vascular workout all you really need is a good pair of running shoes. Most cardio-vascular exercise needs little or no third party apparatus to help you accomplish your routine. Running, dancing, walking can all be done with no equipment (well, if dancing, then maybe some music would help). Other forms of cardio are step, circuit training, bike riding, swimming, aerobics and more...

With most exercise you should always remember to warm up first and cool down afterwards. This means gently stretching and moving your muscles to start off with. Suddenly moving into full exercise without building up first will cause problems such as stiffness and cramps. Ease yourself into it. Then after exercise, the cool down is basically gently moving the muscles and joints to stretch and relax, as your body returns to its normal pace.

Running:
Make sure you have a good pair of running shoes. The technology put into these shoes nowadays is highly researched and designed to reduce shock to the feet, ankles, legs and back. So don't skimp on these - you get what you pay for.

Before you start your run, be sure to warm up first. Start with a brisk walk ensuring you move your arms vigorously gradually breaking into a slow jog. It is better to run at a speed to which you can still converse. If you find yourself losing breath, slow your pace down until you've recovered. If you are a novice runner try running and walking, until you can hold your run for 15 minutes.

Now increase the length and time of your run by a couple of minutes every other time you hit the road or treadmill, until you can run for 30 minutes without stopping. Try to increase your run time by 10% each week, remember not to over do it and don't forget to warm down at the end of each by slowing down gradually. When your run is complete stretch your legs for 30 seconds per muscle, hamstring, calf and thigh.

Cycling:
Cycling is one of the best ways to get a good cardio-vascular workout.

First of all, if you are riding on the roads safety is paramount, always use the appropriate safety equipment when road riding. You can stay fit by riding a bike to work, most people work within a five mile radius of there place of work, which is a perfect distance for a bike ride.

Exercise bikes can be used in a variety of ways, general riding for specified length of time, this is like going for a bike ride with out the dangers of road riding and the weather. Warm up riding you can use an exercise bike for warming up the legs before a leg workout. Also exercise bike classes, these classes are taken by an instructor, who will put you through various levels of pace, quite like a circuit training exercise with a bike.

You may find it surprising to find that riding a bike five miles 3 times per week will improve your heart rate, your posture, skin and weight control. Some even say that riding and running are great ways of relieving stress.

Swimming:
One of the best ways to firm up and trim your body down. Due to the resistance the water has on the body swimming involves all the major muscle groups this allows the body to burn up to 20% more calories than swimming through air. Swimming a few lengths per day will keep you fit and give you an excellent workout. Swimming also has less impact on the joints than say, running.

If you wish to take your swim a little further try picking up the pace of your swim, you can work up to a great aerobic exercise and give your body an excellent workout.

Start off by swimming 1-2 lengths at a time resting between sets if necessary, after you have swam ten lengths call it a day. The next day repeat the process until you can swim five lengths without a break. Progress to ten lengths in by adding an extra length each time you return.

You can put together your own cardio raining routing in the gym, if you have a problem with this then the staff on hand will write one for you and show you how to achieve your goal. Try to make your cardio last between an hour and an hour and a half. A good start point for cardio is always a run.

This cardio workout will work for a person of medium fitness, however adjust the times and pace according to your fitness levels.

1. Run at a light pace for 20 minutes, start off at a walking pace and gradually move to a run, this helps you get warmed up and the blood pumping.

2. Rowing machine- set the rowing machine for a countdown time of 15 minutes or keep a check on your watch or the clock. Start off with a slow rowing motion to get the pace up, maintain this steady pace throughout the full 13 minutes and use the 2 minutes to slow the pace down.

3. Move immediately on to exercise bike take a stead paced ride for 12 minutes with a sprint finish for the remaining 3 minutes.

4. After the exercise bike move directly on to the step climber for a period of 15 minutes climbing on a light level to get the legs going. Try to move at a swift pace for the full 15 minutes as this is the last of the leg work you will be doing.

5. When you have completed the step climber, move onto the abs bench for some crunches. 4 sets of crunches to failure is your target for this exercise. Try twisting your body and touching your left knee with your right elbow and vice versa.

6. The last exercise in this quick cardio workout is the leg raise apparatus. Bring your knees up to your chest for 3-4 sets for as many reps as possible (failure)

After the completion of this cardio workout, remember to do a full warm down by stretching the muscles. The full workout should take you around 1 hour 20 minutes.

cardio compensation

2010-09-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

I used to be shocked at the number of people I saw in the gym who put so much time into cardio workouts without seeing any results. Many of these people are putting forth much more effort than me, but don't have the results to show for it. I feel bad, because I know their challenge comes down to diet. Did you know that the type of cardio you do, can play a big role in your craving for food? It is possible that many people are sabotaging their ability to lose body fat, by choosing a type of cardio that makes them desperately crave food.

[Have you ever been so hungry that you ate everything in sight? I have had problems with hunger in the past, but adjusting my cardio has helped a ton in this regards. The wrong type of cardio can make dieting a tough deal!]

Cardio Compensation – Eating More Calories Than You Burned

Some people have a tendency to crave more food after a cardio workout and "compensate" for their calories burned. They may burn 300 calories each and every cardio workout, but increase their daily calorie intake to make up for those calories burned. This is why a large percentage of people doing cardio workouts, get stuck at the same weight for long periods of time. Note: Studies have shown that longer, steady state cardio workouts are the type of workouts shown to increase craving for food (in some people).

Willpower Plays a Role, But Why Torture Yourself?

It takes a certain amount of willpower and discipline to lose weight, but why make this harder than necessary. What if there was a way to burn a lot of calories in your workout without having stronger-than-normal food cravings? There is!

Interval Training Has Been Shown to Reduce the Appetite

I'm a big fan of interval training for fat loss. Things like HIIT and body weight circuits are an extremely efficient way to jack up your metabolism and drop body fat quickly…they can also reduce your appetite! Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in research that interval training increases hormones called catecholamines. These hormones actually reduce your appetite. So instead of compensating with calories, you eat less than normal.

Reminder…You Can Lose Fat Without Cardio

To be honest, if you were on a strict diet you could get as lean as you wanted without cardio or any type of interval work. Believe it or not, it doesn't require typical "fat burning exercise" to lose body fat. I recommend intervals as a way to stay healthy while getting lean and to experience quicker results, but it really isn't mandatory. If you were crunched for time, you could 2-3 resistance training workouts each week and diet hard and get pretty darn lean. The resistance training would insure that you maintain muscle while on a low calorie diet.

Intervals and Cardio Should Just Speed Along the Process

I like to look at intervals and cardio workouts as a way to accelerate fat loss results that are already happening. My outlook is that my diet is already getting the job done, but the intervals and cardio are going to help me reach my goals much quicker than diet alone…plus I like being "in shape". I think this is different than how a lot of people view exercise when it comes to fat loss.

Your Workouts Should Not Cause You to Crave More Food

If your workouts are causing you to crave much more food than normal, you may want to consider changing things up. Another thing that happens is that many people use exercise as an excuse to eat more calories. If you do this, then you will always have a tough time getting lean. My suggestion is to eat "as if" you weren't going to do intervals and cardio…but add in intervals and cardio to turbo-charge your fat loss results.

A Way to Do Steady State Cardio Without The Food Cravings

People who have read my blog for a while know that I recommend 15 minutes of Interval Training followed by 15-20 minutes of steady state cardio. Besides the added fat burning this combo provides, the intervals insure the release of catecholamines…which should reduce your appetite.

Note: Some people have the ability to do long cardio workouts without craving extra food. This post is just geared towards people who have an increased appetite from exercising. Also, I'm a big fan of intervals, HIIT, and cardio…done strategically with the proper diet is the best way to quickly and easily get lean.

Eating to build muscle

2010-09-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Eating to Build Muscle

If you’re wanting to learn what foods to eat to build muscle, and how to lose weight and build muscle, you’re in for a treat here. I’ve written the following article that addressed all of these issues, including information on foods that build muscle, the best way to lose weight, and exactly what to eat to build muscle.

How many of you have heard from your clients or friends, “I am a hard gainer and no matter how much I eat, I can’t gain weight”? Maybe that is how you feel yourself. Or I’m sure many of you want to lose fat and maybe build a little muscle too. Even if your weight training goals are just to remain healthy and maintain your current physique, there are certain “rules” you should follow. Therefore, I thought I would compile a list of what I’ll call the “Ten Commandments of Training.”

1. Eat a balanced diet. Some of you may think I am a bit biased since I’m a trainer; however, training is at best half the battle. If your goal is to pack on slabs of muscle, you can lift until the gym staff has to scrape you off the floor with the trash, but without refueling those muscles, your efforts are futile. It is actually after training, when you allow your muscles to rest, that they will grow. The best way to refuel and recover your muscles is by eating a sufficient amount of calories, high quality carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Similarly, if fat loss is your goal, it will be next to impossible to be successful if you change nothing about your eating habits and only increase your exercise. Not monitoring your food intake while training hard is like riding a bicycle with one flat tire; sure, you may get to your destination, but there will be ton of wasted effort.

2. Keep a food log. This may be a barrier for many of you, but how do you plan to monitor your changes without writing them down and seeing what can be altered? This journal does not have to be detailed; record the portion sizes and foods you eat and beverages you drink, the calories, carbohydrate, protein and fats each contain. This will allow you to see what foods or food groups you may be missing or limited in, what foods you can eliminate or reduce if your goal is to lose weight, or just closely monitor your intake if you are trying to gain muscle and limit fat gain.

3. Keep a training log. Similar to the above recommendation, you can’t effectively track your progress if you don’t know what you’re doing. You may learn from recording and watching your physique that a particular exercise or series of exercise is effective and maybe some that is not. Similarly, it will help you track your progress to ensure you are on track.

4. Vary your routine. To be ultimately successful in the gym, you need to vary your workouts. In fact, there is no other aspect of your life that is stagnant—why should the gym be any different? However, this probably describes many of you: Monday is chest day, in which you start with 3 sets of 10 reps on flat bench, followed by 3 sets of 10 on incline press, and maybe 3 sets of 10 for dumbbell fly’s. You then move to triceps, where you do pushdowns and maybe lying tricep extension. The rest of the week follows suit. You always pair back and biceps together, legs are granted their own day, and shoulders fit somewhere in the mix. Mix it up-do a different body part(s) on Monday’s, do dips instead of flat bench, pushups on a stability ball, 4 sets of 5, whatever. If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.

5. Rest!!! When was the last time you took some time off from training? Go ahead, get out of the weight room for a week. I’ll rarely tell you to be a couch potato, but here’s your opportunity. OK, fine, don’t undo what you’ve worked so hard at by sitting with the remote in hand and a bag of chips at your side for a week straight, but being active doesn’t mean you must live in the weight room. Remember, growth happens during recovery, not when you’re in the gym. If you hit the weights day in a day out, you are never giving your body a chance to recover. A week off now and then is great for the body and I bet you’ll come back stronger.

6. Stretch. I bet there are a lot of you out there who do not stretch at all or if you do, stretch the muscle you’re going to work for about 5 seconds. Stretching helps muscles recover, increases muscle elasticity and decreases the chance of injury. Make sure you leave plenty of time to stretch after your workout, do a number of stretches for the body parts you just worked, and hold each stretch for about 20 to 30 seconds. I’m not asking you to mimic Gumbi, just do some basic stretches. Heck, try a yoga class for a change of pace.

7. Lift heavy weights. If I had a nickel for every time I heard “I don’t want to lift too heavy because I will get bulky,” I would be giving Trump a run for his money. Yes, I’m picking on the women here because they are usually the group who is afraid of looking like Hercules. But flapping your arms with 1 lb dumbbells like you are trying to take off will do nothing more than bore you to tears while you claim that weight lifting is useless. Challenge the muscle and lift heavier weights within your comfort zone.

8. Use proper form. I know I was guilty of this the first day I stepped into my high school weight room. I was trying with all my might to bench press 135 lbs since I saw someone else using that weight. Any ounce of “coolness” I had as a gawky freshman left my body faster than the weight falling straight to my chest. I would have rather been injured than suffer through the embarrassment of an upperclassmen “rescuing” me from underneath the bar between his laughing in the corner. I looked like I was having a seizure as a squirmed and twisted to get that weight up. Save yourself from the embarrassment and more importantly a potential injury. If you can’t lift the weight in a controlled manner, it is too much weight. Take it from me; it is not pretty when you let the weight “control” you.

9. Cross train. Weight training is a great form of exercise, but you will ultimately be much better off health wise if you try different activities (both aerobic and anaerobic in nature). Hit your local high school and run some bleachers, ask a friend or spouse to play tennis, swim, do some sprints at the local track, pull together a group of friends for some flag football, mountain bike, etc. The list can go on forever, but cross-training will not only make you stronger, it will help your body recovery by hitting it with varied movements, and will also decrease your chance of injury.

10. Drink like a fish. My college days are over; I’m talking about non-alcoholic beverages. Keep in mind that if you are thirsty, mild dehydration has already set in. This may not sound very important, but even mild dehydration will be a decrement to your performance. It’s not only important to carry a water bottle with you to the gym, but you should be consuming fluids regularly all day. Shoot for 8 cups of water for every 1000 calories you consume (that is ½ gallon for every 1000 calories). Of course this is most important during the summer months when the mercury is nearing triple digits, but should not be negated during the colder months too.

Keep these “rules” in mind to help keep you healthy, strong, and injury free.

this weeks workout

2010-09-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

Monday: pushups in morning
as many sets as it takes to get 100 pullups
go for run
do a fun outdoor activity with the family on labor day, like hang boarding or wake boarding

Tuesday:
Hike 3mils
offset pulls
aerobic class
abs
stabilizer work

wednesday:
100 pullups
legs
core
run as per marathon
do fun activity with family outside only a few more nice days left

thursday:
rope exercises
tire flips
Push exercises
run 5 mile further than you did on your longest run last week

Friday
100 pullups
run 1 mile further than yesterday
ab
Pull exercises

Saturday: Long outdoor hike

Sunday: rest

workout

2010-07-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

Each day you'll do a mini circuit or tri-set for each body part do 3 rounds 8-10 reps
Day 1 and 4
tri-set 1
Pushups
Tecno gym chest press
hammer chest

tri-set2
latpull
pullup
bentover row

Day 2 and 5
triset 1
chinup
seated hammer curl
reverse curl

triset 2
close grip bench
dips
oh tri ext

Day 3
triset 1
squat
jump squat
squat and press

triset 2
squat
lunge
bird dog

week of July 12th workout

2010-07-10T10:40:00.001-07:00

Monday;
box squat 5x5
leg curl 3x10
back ext 3x10
2 hand DB swing 3x10
Weighted decline situp 3x10

Tuesday
Bench press 5x5
Pressdown 3x10
Face pull 3x10
Shrug 3x10
On arm bentover lateral raise 3x10

Thursday
Rack Pull Deadlift 5x5
leg curl 3x10
one leg back ext 3x10
good morning 3x10
weighted decline situp 3x10

Friday
Bench 3x10
pressdown 3x10
facepull 3x15
shrug 3x15
one arm bentoverlateral raise 3x15

2010-06-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

Have you tried everything under the sun to get a flat stomach, only to come up disappointed? Have you fallen prey to all the gimmicks, fad diets and shameless infomercials promising you that elusive flat stomach that you desire?

Well fret no more, I’m going to let you in on the two ‘secrets’ that will help you shed unwanted fat and reveal your toned, flat stomach once and for all.

The first secret for a flat stomach is eating supportively. While this doesn’t seem like a secret at all, most women get this wrong in spite of their best – but misguided – efforts. Women have fallen prey to low-fat, low-carb, Hollywood, grapefruit, South Beach and every other over hyped diet that marketers can dream up, all in hopes of shedding those unwanted pounds. But eating supportively isn’t about dieting or deprivation; it’s about moderation and balance. While cutting carbs or fats out of your nutrition plan might give you a temporary loss of a couple of pounds, it’s typically followed by a drop in metabolism and a weight gain of more than you lost in the first place once you go back to your old eating habits.

So what is eating supportively? Eating supportively is having protein and carbohydrates at every meal. It’s grazing on 4-6 meals or snack each day instead of missing meals and then gorging yourself. It’s enjoying a healthy breakfast and not drinking your calories. But most of all, eating supportively is enjoying the foods you love in moderation instead of in excess.

If eating supportively is the first secret to a flat stomach, then what’s the second? The second flat stomach secret is resistance training. Unfortunately, just as fad diets have stood in the path of women achieving the flat stomachs they so desired, so have the myths of spot reduction and cardio being the best method for fat loss. Late night infomercials have long promoted gadgets that promised to spot reduce those trouble spots that women struggle with and sucked us in with testimonials from fitness models that undoubtedly picked up a nifty paycheck for endorsing their wares. But spot reduction is a myth. Think about it – have you ever met someone with a flat stomach and fat arms? Didn’t think so. If spot reduction was possible then undoubtedly one of these happy customers would have toned and tightened their stomach, yet kept their flabby arms.

The other myth that has led women astray is the belief that cardio is the best solution for fat loss. Treadmill manufacturers have sold the virtues of the ‘fat burning zone’ and led us to believe that we could plod along on a treadmill watching Oprah and before long a flat stomach would be ours. These two myths have diverted us from the path of what really does work – resistance training. Resistance training is a flat stomach’s best friend because not only does an effective resistance training session burn plenty of calories while you’re doing it, but it keeps you’re metabolism revved long after you’re done. One recent study showed that you’re metabolism would stay elevated for over 36 hours after a resistance training session.

Try to get that out of an aerobics class.

And there’s another benefit of resistance training when it comes to getting a flat stomach. The lean muscle that you gain will raise you’re resting metabolic rate and help you burn more fat all day long, each and every day.

There you have it, two ‘secrets’ that are guaranteed to boost your metabolism and give you that flat stomach you’ve been longing for. So ditch the diet books and the aerobics classes and start eating supportively and resistance training. Before long that flat stomach will finally be yours.

Viseral Fat

2010-06-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Following menopause, many women experience a natural increase in obesity, particularly around their intra-abdominal area, which refers to fat that stored in and around the internal organs.

What is Visceral Fat?
Body fat comes in two varieties. There’s subcutaneous fat, a noticeable layer of fat that lies just below the skin, and then there’s visceral fat, which is buried beneath the muscles. Visceral fat is the more worrisome variety because it surrounds vital organs and is metabolized by the liver, which turns it into blood cholesterol.

Visceral fat can go largely unnoticed because it’s not visible to the naked eye. In fact, the only effective way researchers can locate visceral fat is by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses magnetic waves to take a picture of the inside of the abdomen. Researchers can use this picture to estimate the amount of visceral fat a person is carrying.

What Causes Visceral Fat?
Your genetic makeup is between 30% and 60% responsible for the amount of visceral fat you carry. Nevertheless, research shows that both your diet and your level of physical activity contribute to your level of visceral fat. People who consume large amounts of saturated fat and people who perform little or no physical activity are likely to have high stores of visceral fat.
Short of talking a physician into performing an MRI on your abdomen, how do you know how much of this unhealthy fat you have? Check your waistline. A trim waistline is a good indicator that you don’t have a large buildup of visceral fat.

Identifying women with visceral fat
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have set the following cutoff points to identify women who are at high risk of developing obesity-related diseases:

Women with Waist Circumference Greater than 88 centimeters (35 inches)

If your measurements fall above these cutoff points, there is a good chance that you are carrying a dangerous amount of visceral fat. Even if your waist circumference does not exceed the cutoff value, making an effort to reduce your waistline can still significantly improve your health.

Getting Rid of Visceral Fat
Research shows that people whose diets contain polyunsaturated fats in place of saturated fats have less visceral fat. Polyunsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils, as well as in fish. Also, just exercising moderately—doing things such as walking, swimming, or playing tennis—on most days of the week will help you prevent visceral fat from accumulating. What’s even better is that doing regular bouts of vigorous exercise can markedly reduce the amount of visceral fat you already have.

Building muscle—through weight lifting or other resistance exercises—will help, too. Muscle burns calories and helps you maintain your metabolic rate. The more muscle you have, the bigger your body’s engine, and the more likely you will be to burn fat.

Once adipocytes get the signal from hormones and release fat into the bloodstream, they shrink just like a balloon that you let air out of. When they shrink, so does your body fat. But if you eat excess fat once you’ve shrunk your adipocytes, chances are it will find its way right back to the adipocyte, and once again you’ll gain fat.

No matter how much physical activity you do, adipocytes never shrink so much that they disappear entirely. Like a balloon that you let all the air out of, you’re always left with some remnant. The only way to totally remove adipocytes from your body is with a surgical procedure such as liposuction or excision. But even with these procedures, if you go back to eating excess fat, you’ll put all the fat back on.

A Recent Study
In a study (in the Nov. 2004 issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism,), conducted by Dr. Nicklas and her colleagues, who examined 58 obese, postmenopausal women, one-half of whom had metabolic syndrome, to determine whether four factors: aerobic fitness, body composition, body fat distribution and inflammation, differed between women with and without metabolic syndrome.
"We found that where the body fat is stored was the main determinant of who had metabolic syndrome," Dr. Nicklas said. "We were not just looking at whether the fat was carried on the hips or in the abdomen. We determined whether abdominal fat was stored between the skin and the abdominal muscle wall, what we call subcutaneous fat, or stored as visceral fat, which is beneath the muscles and wrapped around the internal organs. There have been a number of studies that indicate that visceral fat is worse because it surrounds vital organs and may lead to more fat metabolism by the liver."

"There was a dramatic difference in percentage of visceral fat between those women with metabolic syndrome and the other women in the study," Dr. Nicklas said. "Women with metabolic syndrome had 33 percent more visceral fat, but were similar in all other respects, including the waist circumference, with almost exactly the same amount of subcutaneous fat and identical fat cell size."

"The study makes it clear that all fat is not alike and points to the importance of improving our understanding of visceral fat," Dr. Nicklas said. "We need to learn what causes the fat to be stored beneath the muscles or around the internal organs and determine treatment options to reduce this visceral fat. More studies are also needed to determine whether measurement of visceral fat could be used by doctors for more accurate prediction of cardiovascular disease risk in obese individuals."

While we need much more research to understand these risk factors, there are things people can do to reduce their risk," Dr. Nicklas said. "High intensity exercise seems to preferentially reduce visceral fat and general weight reduction helps, too"

diet tips

2010-05-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Count carbs not calories

I aim to eat carbs high in fiber and low in starch. Vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts and peppers are low in calories so I can eat as much as I like. For refined carbs, I go for minimally processed, raw rather than roasted nuts, and whole grains such as barley, quinoa, and oats. Fiber doesn't raise your blood sugar, and helps you feel full. Starchy foods do the opposite. Fast-rising blood sugar triggers the release of insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar but also tells your body to store fat. Pick foods with the greatest ratio of fiber to total carbs and you'll regulate your insulin levels and reduce hunger. The end result: eating fewer calories becomes easier.

Keep it clean
I try to stick to foods that are produced naturally and are free of synthetic components. If it doesn't grow, walk, swim or fly, I tend to avoid it. Processed foods are loaded with trans fats, added sweeteners, artificial colouring and flavouring which we know affect your health. So it stands to reason they'll mess with your metabolism and your weight, too. How can you tell whether a food has been processed? Well if it has, it'll often come in some form of packaging, so it should have a label. If you can't understand it, don't put it in your body

Eat fat to burn fat
Not all fats are created equal. While I avoid foods with trans fats, I add natural fats to my meals. Such natural fats are good for your body and include olive oil, coconut oil, organic meat, oily fish and poultry, fatty fruits such as avocados and olives, nuts and seeds. Have eggs, put avocado in your salad, eat the steak and use real oil on your salads. Eat fat and enjoy it without guilt. In fact, a University of Connecticut study found eating these foods while cutting carbs reduces key risk factors for heart disease. And it does that more effectively than eating a low fat diet does.

Cheat and indulge
Treat yourself once in a while. I don't eat junk but I am partial to the odd serving of ice cream. Not feeling bad about an occasional indulgence is an important factor in sticking to any eating plan. So whether your poison comes in a bowl or a bottle, consume it wisely and it won't be a problem. With ice cream we advise eating it after dinner when you have fewer hours to allow one bowl to turn into three or four. Choose any natural variety that contains only cream, eggs, sugar, and milk. Half a cup, topped with fruit or nuts, once or twice a week is fine - any more may slow weight loss.

burn more fat with these breakfast foods

2010-05-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

You can give your body a little fat-burning advantage by including items like these in your morning meal: eggs, yogurt, and whole-grain cereal.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day if you're trying to control your appetite and lose weight, but these three items in particular have been credited with extra fat-burning and pound-dropping powers in recent studies.

How They Help

Eggs: When people on low-calorie diets ate two scrambled eggs with toast and jam for breakfast, they lost 65 percent more weight than the dieters who started their day with a bagel and cream cheese. The protein in eggs probably helps control appetite, so people eat less.

Yogurt: Calcium and other helpful compounds in yogurt may help stop fat storage and turn up fat burn. In one study, obese people on reduced-calorie diets lost 61 percent more fat overall -- and even more belly fat -- when they ate three 6-ounce servings of yogurt every day. This was compared with the people who had no yogurt in their diets.

Whole-Grain Cereal: Research shows that people lose more belly fat when they replace refined-grain foods with whole grains. All the appetite-controlling fiber they pick up in the process probably accounts for the slimming effect. Plus, whole grains can help control blood sugar and lower blood pressure, and they can even reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

russian strength workout

2010-05-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

Monday and Thursday
you will do ladders: start with a weight you can do 10 times, begin with 1 repitition rest 1-3 minutes then go to 2 reps, and so forth until you can no longer get all the reps. that is 1 ladder do 3 ladders of each of the following exerices.
here is the kicker: you must pause for 5 seconds and the bottom of each of the exerciese before you continue. For example on the bench press you will hold at the bottom for 5 seconds on each rep before pushing back up

only 3 exercises
Bench
Front Squat
Standing low cable row

Cardio:
monday
20 min bike 50-100%

Tuesday
5 min warm up
5 min easy: 5 min hard as you can x2
5 min cool down

Wednesday do outside if nice
15 min bike
15 min run
15 min bike

Thursday:
treadmill 10 min
stepmill 10 min
rower 10 min

Friday
10 min treadmill 1:1 0% grade:5% grade
10 min bike 1:1 hard to easy
10 min track Sprint long jog shorts

train like an animal

2010-05-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY
turkish get up 1x2
done as a circuit 2times no rest between circuits
trx single leg suspended pushup 6-8
speed skater w band 20
trx inverted row 12
bosu ball bicycle crunch 20
db squat and press 12
feet elevated side plank crunch 15
dips 15
balance 15
pullup 10

TUESDAY/THURSDAY
done as a circuit 3 times no rest
100 jump ropes
db bentover row 15
squat 15
back ext 15
jumping jacks 25
db bench 15
deadlift 15
bicycle crunch 15
stepups 15
dbmilitary 15

is LSD good for burning fat?

2010-05-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

I know not everybody has the series on cardio that I posted earlier this year. Otherwise, people would have a greater understanding of the topic.

LSD by the way means long slow distance

Simplistically
As you move from low intensities to higher intensities, the amount of fat vs. carbs burned shifts from one to the other

At low intensities, you may burn near 100% fat
At the highest intensiy (acually just about anything above lactate threshold), you burn 100% carbs

at any intensity between, you burn a proportion of the two. As you move from lower to high intensity, you burn proportionally less fat and proportinally more carbs until you reach a point that the body can only burn carbs.

The issue with the 'fat burning zone' concept is that people confuse %ages with absolutes

Say you're walking at 3mph and burning 5 cal/min, but you're burning 100% fat. That's 5 cal/min of fat.

Say you're running at 6 mph and burning 10 cal/min but you're burning 50% fat.

Ruh roh, that's less fat, isn't it? No, it's not. 10 cal/min * 50% 5 cal/min of fat. It's the same amount of fat in absolute terms although it's a lower percentage. But you're also burning 5 cal/min of carbohydrates.

Say that at 6 mph you're burning 10 cal/min but still 65% fat. That's still lower by %age than at 3mph. But you're burning 6.5 cal/min of fat which is higher. And you burn more total calories. And you deplete some of the carbohdyrate in your muscle.

Some studies have shown that that maximum absolute amount of fat burned occurs right around the lactate threshold (the highest, hardest, most painful intensity that you can sustain for an extended period) although it depends on training status and some other factors

When you deplete muscle glycogen (via burning it during exercise and/or carbohdyrate restriction), this increases whole body fat oxidation. And, for the most part, what you burn during exercise is less relevant than than what you burn the rest of the day and none of this matters if you aren't in a deficit). So say you do a hard session where you burn a combination of fat and carbs. Not only did you burn those calories, by depleting muscle glycogen

a. your body will burn more fat for the rest of the day (I'm not saying more in terms of 'metabolic rate' is increased, but more in terms of the proportions used)
b. incoming carbohdyrates tend to go to refilling muscle glycogen instead of being used for energy

Which is why, to a certain degree, it doesn't matter what you do as long as the calorie burn is roughly similar

Low intensity activity is sort of a direct fat burner, you burn mostly fat for fuel but that's all you get out of it.

Higher intensity burns some proportion of fat/carbs but impacts more greatly on what you burn later in the day

Intervals burn only carbs during training but the glycogen depletion and other factors may make you burn more fat later in the day

I think the bigger issue is that, if you do too much high intensity activity too frequently, you get overtrained and that causes too many problems.

I'll make a few points regarding the intervals vs. steady state issue:

Basically, do whatever you can to burn the most calories as possible during exercise. For example, a 5-10 minute workout that absolutely destroys you is not likely to burn as many calories as say 30-60 min of low intensity steady state work. Intervals can give you more bang for your buck, but don't think that Tabatas will burn as much calories as steady state work. Ten minutes of 1 min high intensity/1 min low intensity may burn about the same as 10 min of steady state work...just something to keep in mind.

Whether you use intervals or steady state work to burn extra calories generally does not matter as long as you are burning calories EXCEPT when you get down to bodyfat levels for men of about 10-12% and for women of about 18-20%. That's when all this matters, but I'm not going to explain that right now.

about that lower stomach

2010-05-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today we are talking about the lower abdominals and a very common mistake that might change your thinking about them a little.

There are two basic areas of confusion when it comes to abdominal training. The first of these is that of the much sought after lower abdominals. Many folks (including my new personal training clients) say that their upper abdominals are starting to really show, but the lower abdominalsare not coming in at all regardless of how muchtraining they do. These are also usually the samefolks that are always on the lookout for the miracle lower abdominal exercise. But if you look at the anatomical picture of the abdominals you can clearly see that the rectus abdominus is a single muscle running from sternum to pelvis. Thelower abdominals do not exist. The reason that the lower abdominal area seems to take forever to show is not because of your abdominal training but because mother nature has chosen the lower abdominal region as one of her favorite fat storage areas. I know, it sucks.

So long story short, the lower abdominals ARE getting trained from all that time in the gym it's just that you can't see them under the fat! Just to prove a point, try this: lie on the floor and get ready to do some crunches. Take one of your hands and put it on your lower abdominal area and the other on your upper abs. Now slowly do a proper crunch and curl up vertebrae by vertebrae so that your sternum and pelvis are closing towards each other. You will feel both areas contract at the same time as you curl up. I'm going to go into this in depth in another blog post about the second issue in regards to abdominal development but what I want you to takeaway from this information is that seeing yourlower abs or definition in any muscle for that matter is a matter of reducing body fat and not finding that one wonder exercise that will make your muscles show. If you would like more specific information that deals with ONLY how to get a flat stomach and washboard abdominals, contact me today.

chisel your 8 pack

2010-05-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Cardio exercises helps to speed up your fat loss. You are required to perform some form of cardio workouts, in the morning, on an empty stomach, for 30-45 minutes while keeping your heart rate at about 140-160 beats per minute. This cardio workout may not seem like a lot, but it is the ideal range for fat loss.

What exactly is Cardio?
Cardio exercises can be considered any type of exercise or activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system. Some of the indoor cardio exercises are elliptical trainer, stair climbing, treadmill, stationary bicycle.

Why Morning?
Studies have shown that cardio exercises in the morning will help to burn more fat, because you will not have eaten for that eight hour period that you are asleep. Your muscles will have used up just about all of their glycogen (sugar used for energy) stores. Once this happens, your body turns to using stored body fat for fuel.

Cardio exercise benefits :

The point of doing cardio exercises is to increase metabolism, which causes you to burn more body fat.

Cardio exercise that trains your heart to rapidly increase and rapidly decrease will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress.

Highly Variable Cyclic Training
Highly variable cyclic training teaches the heart to respond to and recover from a variety of demands making it less likely to fail when you need it. Exercises will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress. Stress can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase rapidly. Steady state jogging and other endurance training does not train your heart to be able to handle rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure.

Some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic cardio training compared to steady state endurance cardio training are as follows: improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, increased muscularity (versus decreased muscularity with endurance training), increased residual metabolic rate, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors.

Stop-and-Go Training
Most competitive sports such as football, basketball, volleyball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, etc. are naturally comprised of highly variable stop-and-go motion which trains the heart through a higher range than just steady walking or jogging.

One of the absolute most effective forms of variable intensity cardio training to really reduce body fat and bring out serious muscular definition is performing wind sprints. Wind sprints can be done by sprinting at near max speed for 10-30 seconds, and then taking 60 seconds to walk for recovery before your next sprint. 6-12 total sprint intervals is usually a very challenging cardio workout for most people. There are so many different and fun non-traditional training styles out there to help get the lean ripped body that you've been looking for.

Interval Cardio Training
High intensity interval cardio training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is yet another training method that utilizes exertion and recovery periods. For example, an interval cardio training session on the cardio equipment like treadmill could look something like this:

Warm-up for 3-4 minutes at a fast walk or light jog
Interval 1 - run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute
Interval 2 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes
Interval 3 - run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute
Interval 4 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes
Repeat those 4 intervals 4 times for a very intense 20-minute cardio workout.

Alternative Exercises
What are the alternative cardio equipment like treadmills and elliptical trainers? Here are some of favorite types of the alternative cardio exercises:

Jumping Rope - great mind / body connection (try speed jumping, crosses, double jumps once you get skilled at it)
Bodyweight Training - Bodyweight squats, pushups, lunges, jumps, bear crawls, rock climbing, planks, and the list goes on and on
Outdoor Wind Sprinting - The ultimate for a rock hard ripped body... just look at the chiseled powerful bodies of world class sprinters, and compare that to the weakling withered physique of a typical marathoner.
Hill Sprinting - Yet another classic cardio workout for a rock hard powerful body.
Rowing Machine - The rowing machine is actually a great full body workout that actually uses resistance.
Heavy Bag Punching / Kicking Workout, Speed Bag, Rebound Bag... all great forms of training and much more interesting than boring cardio machines (requires an intense mind / body connection)

Full-body strategically-designed resistance training programs along with high intensity cardio training programs guaranteed to strip off body fat when combined with a healthy diet are included in my BURN MORE FAT! weight loss program. Stop wasting your time in the gym and contact me today for a complimentary personal trainnig sesion.

workout

2010-05-14T07:49:00.001-07:00

Monday
chinup 3x6-10 superset with
Nuetral grip db military 3x9,6,10

Leg raise 3xfailure superset
facepull 3x8-12

ez bar curl 3x8-10

jump rope 10 min x 60 sec on: 30 sec rest

Tuesday
10x 1 lap sprints

Wednesday
Jumprope 20 min

Thursday
Bench work up to 5 rep max

Db row 3x9,6,15 superset
db incline 3x6-9

crossbody hammer curl 4x6-9 superset
lying tri ext 4x8-12

10 min intervals on bike 30:30

Friday
Squat work up to 5 rep max
Deadlift work up to 5 rep max

gravedigger 3x10-12 each side superset
back ext 3x6-12

Run 20 min

Saturday
rest

Sunday
30 min walk or run

Shopping List

2010-05-14T07:48:00.001-07:00

BAKERY:
1 loaf whole-grain bread (8 slices will be used)
1 package MexAmerican 100 percent Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas (3 will be used)
1 package whole wheat hamburger buns (4 will be used)

DAIRY:
1 package 2 percent milk string cheese (2 will be used)
1 package grated parmesan cheese
4 Stonyfield fruit-flavored yogurt cups
6 Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Original individual cheeses
1 package reduced-fat Mexican or taco-blend shredded cheese
1 package Sargento Deli Style sliced cheese (2 slices will be used)
1 package crumbled bleu cheese

MEAT/FISH:
1 dozen eggs (11 will be used)
2 medium bone-in pork chops
4 medium sirloin steaks
1 package pre-sliced turkey (8 slices will be used)
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
12 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs (breasts work, too)
1 medium flank steak
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pork tenderloin

FREEZER AISLE:
1 package frozen mixed berries (2 cups will be used)

CONDIMENTS/SAUCES:
1 bottle all-natural maple syrup
1 jar Dijon mustard
1 16 oz. bottle olive oil
1 bottle fat-free Italian dressing
1 bottle vinaigrette salad dressing
1 bottle low-sodium Worcestershire sauce

SNACKS AND SWEETS:
1 package Smart Balance Light Butter popcorn (3 bags will be used)
1 pound raw almonds (about 40 almonds will be used)
1 Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate bar (2 squares will be used)
1 one-pound package raisins (50 raisins—a normal handful—will be used)
1 Larabar Apple Pie Bar
1 package Bridgford beef jerky (2 servings will be used)

CANNED/JARRED FOODS:
1 jar Crazy Richard’s Natural Peanut Butter
1 package all-natural applesauce (1 individual cup will be used)
1 jar St. Dalfour’s 100 percent natural fruit spread
2 cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 carton Swanson chicken stock (1 serving will be used)
1 3 oz. can peas
1 3 oz. can corn
1 can chunk light tuna
1 package whey protein powder (optional)

PASTAS, GRAINS AND CEREALS:
1 can/carton Quick Quaker Oats (3 cups will be used)
1 box instant brown rice (2 cups will be used)
1 box ground flaxseed (optional)

meal plan

2010-05-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Monday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
One-Minute PB Banana Oatmeal
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 medium apple
1 2% Milk String Cheese

Noon
TunaGuac Sandwich
15 Baby-cut carrots

3 p.m.
Smart Balance Light Butter Popcorn

7 p.m.
Chicken Tex-Mex
Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
3 Scrambled Eggs
8 ounces orange juice
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 Stonyfield yogurt
1 medium banana

Noon
2 Power-Packed PBJs
1 medium apple

3 p.m.
25 raw almonds
1 medium banana

7 p.m.
Seared Sirloin with Shrooms (1 serving)
Microwave Baked Potato
20 Green Beans

9 p.m.
Smart Balance Light Butter Popcorn
1 square dark chocolate

Wednesday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
PB/Banana Wrap
8 oz. chocolate milk

10:30 a.m.
50 raisins
1 Stonyfield yogurt

Noon
GobbleGuac Sandwich
15 Baby-cut carrots

3 p.m.
8 oz. chocolate milk

7 p.m.
Maple Mustard Pork Chops
1 cup applesauce

Thursday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
One-Minute Cheesy Mushroom Scramble
8 oz. orange juice
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
50 Raisins
1 Stonyfield yogurt

Noon
Turkey Wrap with 1 slice cheese
1 medium banana

3 p.m.
1 Larabar Apple Pie Bar
8 oz. chocolate milk

7 p.m.
Char Chicken Tacos 3 oz. can peas

Friday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
One-Minute PB Berries Oatmeal
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 medium apple
1 2% Milk String Cheese

Noon
PB Wrap
1 serving Bridgford Beef Jerky

3 p.m.
Smart Balance Light Butter Popcorn
1 square dark chocolate

7 p.m.
Seared Sirloin with Shrooms
Microwave Baked Potato
20 green beans

Saturday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
Ultimate Power Breakfast
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 medium banana

Noon
Man Salad
1 serving Bridgford Beef Jerky

3 p.m.
1 medium apple
2 Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Original individual cheeses

7 p.m.
Chicken Tex-Mex
Steamed Broccoli

2010-04-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

People who have had children, eat too many highly salty and sugary food or tend to drink too many high calorie drinks tend to have too much belly fat. Also known as visceral fat, this type of fat is very bad for the heart. Therefore, it is important to do exercises and eat foods that burn belly fat.

Exercises to Get a Flat Stomach
Cardiovascular exercise burns calories and incinerates fat on the body. Belly fat usually disappears first when a person loses weight. In addition, muscles under the fat become visible. Starting a walking or running program is an excellent way to burn belly fat and lose weight.

Abdominal exercises such as crunches and sit ups help get a flat stomach. Pilates and yoga poses can also firm up the tummy. Abdominal exercises should be done three times a week in addition to cardiovascular exercises. Do not do these exercises daily since the abdominal muscles can get overworked.

Strength training adds muscle tone to the body. Muscles boosts metabolism which will burn body fat even while resting. A strength training routine should be followed at least two days a week. Beginners can use body weight, dumb bells or resistance bands to work out arms. Squats and lunges are exercises that work out legs, thighs and butt.

Foods That Burn Belly Fat
There are foods that can actually burn belly fat. These foods contain monounsaturated fats, vitamin B12, calcium, fiber and protein which are natural fat burners.

Consuming foods containing monounsaturated fats burn belly fat. Also known as MUFAs these healthy fats are filling and provide an excellent source of omega-3s and omega-6s. Monounsaturated fats are found in cooking oils, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, olives, avocados and dark chocolate.

Eggs are a great source of protein which will help and lean muscle.

Oatmeal is rich in fiber which keeps a person full for several hours after consumption. It is important to eat the right kind of oatmeal though. The sugary type can actually increase hunger. Look for unsweetened versions and add fruit or a little peanut butter for flavor.

Beans are low in calories and are packed with vitamins and nutrients. They also contain fiber and protein which burns body fat. Beans are also versatile and can be added to several dishes.

Losing belly fat is achievable. Doing cardiovascular activities, abdominal exercises and strength training will tone the abdominal muscles. In addition, eating foods that are associated with weight loss will shrink the waist.

the T-shirt workout

2010-04-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

Monday:
Incline 4x10
DB bench 4x8
Db incline 3x10
Crossover 3x15
DB military 4x10
upright 4x8
Lateral raise 3x12
Bentover lateral raise 3x15
lying tri ext 4x10
close grip bench 4x10
dips 4x8
pressdown 3x12
3 miles

Tuesday
bentover row 4x10
latpull 4x8
seated row 3x12
straight arm pulldown 3x15
bb curl 4x10
seated db curl 4x8
preacher curl 3x12
rollout 2x25
5miles

Wednesday off

Thursday
squat 4x10
leg press 4x8
hack squat
leg ext 3x15
deadlift 4x10
leg curl 4x8
seated leg curl 3x12
side plank db reach 2x25
db negative situp 2x25
db crawl 2x20
4 miles

Friday
bb shrug 4x12
db shrug 4x15
reverese curl 4x12
wrist roller 4x failure
cybex calf 4x12
seated calf 4x15
swissball russian twist 2x10
5 miles

saturday
2 miles

Sunday off

30 minute sessions?

2010-04-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Is Fat Burning Exercise Possible In Just 30 minutes?

One of the biggest issues a lot of people experience today is how to lose fat fast. And which are the best exercises to burn fat.
Life is super fast paced for most people these days.

Ever forgotten your cell/mobile phone?

You know how lost you’ve felt by not being able to contact people immediately? Yet only 20 years ago nobody but the ‘Gordon Geeko’ crowd had them.

So without a doubt society has changed. It’s been known for years that we have been changing out lifestyle habits and progressively getting more and sedentary and less active. We now have the ability to fast forward through commercials on TV…the world has changed and so has our demand for everything ‘now’.

Unfortunately I haven’t invented a pill yet that can give you all the results you want, let alone instant results (either way I’d probably be the richest person on earth if I did come up with it…hmm!).

The old school way that most people adopt is to try running to lose weight. Unfortunately in the super fast paced world I just outlined, that’s not the most effective way of burn fat off.

So, what is the best fat burning exercise?

Well you have to challenge yourself. Staying within easy limits will lead to small improvements initially but you’ll soon stop changing….that’s the problem with say running to lose weight, especially if time is short and you can’t increase the time you workout for, first up it works but soon your body becomes more efficient and burns less fat….

So with society moving quickly, and with most people lacking the time for 90 minute sessions every day. What is the answer?

Well it’s not the traditional fat loss method of running as mentioned above, but instead using the latest research from the past few decades and designing programs that utilize these scientific principles.

The science has taught us that you can get incredible results in very time efficient bouts of exercise as long as they are structured correctly. We’ve come to understand that if fat burning exercises and the fat burning processes can be manipulated in the right way, they can bring about amazing success very quickly.

Now let me just restate that. I ‘m not saying that someone who can only do a limited amount of exercise could get as fast results as someone who can dedicate 90 minutes a day to exercise, but the relative gains from the extra time don’t warrant it if you are time poor.

Recent studies have reported that just 20 minute sessions enabled the participants to burn fat off at 9X faster speeds when compared to people who had done 45 minutes (steady, no change of pace).

By using these types of methods you can get almost as fast results in just 30 minutes a day as you can in one and a half hours a day. The important thing is having a plan and consistently implementing that plan to burn fat off.

The plan needs to include a system that will challenge you, even if you do start really easily. The best exercises to burn fat are those which require a lot of muscle to be used.

With the correct program that is progressive and coupled with a health dietary plan, fat loss can definitely be achieved in as little as 30 minute sessions.

2010-04-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Being in the position I'm in as a nutrition and fitness professional, almost everywhere I go I get questions about nutrition, and most of the time, people want to hear ACTUAL examples of what I eat on a daily basis to stay super lean.

So instead of talking about more theory, here's an example of exactly what I ate yesterday (keep in mind this is not a prescription, because everyone has different food intolerances and allergies, but it's just my personal example of how I keep it healthy).

As you look at my typical daily meals, take notice that I do eat some carbs, but I don't eat any breads or pasta at all (except maybe on cheat days). Essentially, I get almost all of my carbs from fruits, and lots of veggies.

Morning Snack - 6am: Isopure whey shake

Breakfast today - 9am:

3 whole eggs scrambled with TONS of veggies (onions, mushrooms, peppers, diced squash, and chopped spinach)
1 large chicken sausage (organic free range chicken with NO nitrates, nitrites, or preservatives... only chicken and spices)
Half of a red grapefruit

Lunch - noon:

1 cup yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup cottage cheese (both from grass-fed cows) combined with pecans, almonds, frozen strawberries, and frozen blueberries. A little bit of stevia and cinnamon for sweetness and extra flavor.

Mid afternoon snack - 3pm:

1 large organic apple sliced up with almond butter on each slice.

Super high intensity weight training workout from 5-6pm

Post workout shake/meal - 6:15pm:

my typical blender mix of milk, a chopped up frozen banana, and 2 heaping tablespoons of organic cocoa powder. Plus I throw a scoop of whey protein into the blender too

Dinner - 8pm:

My "Italian blend" recipe -- This is basically a spaghetti and meatsauce meal but without the spaghetti, and tons of veggies instead.

I used grass-fed bison sausages (again, no nitrates, nitrites, or preservatives of any kind...just grass-fed bison and spices) --

...and then I use a huge cooking dish on the stove to mix in any and every type of vegetable I can find in my fridge (zucchini, onions, garlic, shrooms, snow peas, peppers, asparagus...and whatever else I have laying around).

I mix the grass-fed bison sausage and sauteed veggies with a tomato sauce and some extra virgin olive oil.

Top the whole thing with some fresh grated parmesan cheese and you've got a super-nutritious dinner with high nutrient density and no pasta (which would just pack on the lbs).

I also had a delicious side-salad of arugula, diced yellow peppers, and half of a small avocado.

Late night snack - :

A handful of pistachio nuts

So that is just 1 example of how a typical day might look for me. I mix it up and eat a variety of other things as well, but these are some pretty frequent meals that I use to stay super lean, but maintain muscle.

Let's do this!

2010-04-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

Today is THE DAY, to change your life.

Your exercise challenge for today is below do each exercise for 1 min. repeat 5 times:

=> Jumping Jacks
=> Squats
=> Regular Pushups
=> Lunge
=> Plank

Depending on your current exercise ability, adjust the pushup so it works for you

Nutrition Tip => Small and often

We often eat huge meals when we do eat, and in between, we eat nothing.

You need to change this and eat several small meals throughout the day, since that will keep your metabolism high and your body will get enough fuel equally divided throughout the course of the whole day.

When your body doesn't receive nutrition for a long of period, it gets into "starvation mode", which means your body will start to store body fat, and that's the opposite of what we actually want to do, right?

Try to eat every 2-3 hours (MAX 4 hours in between) to make sure you keep your metabolism high and you stay in focus throughout the whole day!

Alright, that's it for today!

You are officially out of excuses, get to work! Today's workout is only 25 minutes long, and you do have that time, don't you?

I'll talk to you tomorrow!

Get to work

Exercise, Lactic Acid And The Importance Of Breathing For Fast Weight Loss

2010-04-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

The best plan for weight loss is one that focuses on your overall goal. You can lose excess pounds with a combination approach; that is one that successfully combines a healthy diet and by adding a regular exercise program to the mix you will achieve much more than simple weight loss.

It turns a diet into a lifestyle with food choices to reduce weight, a routine to tone and firm muscle allows you to increase your overall health and get some extra muscle tone, fat and overall weight loss.

It is not unusual for breathing to become labored during periods of intense exercise. It’s a common part of cardio exercise and we expect to be breathing heavily or even gasping for breath at the end of our morning run.

Our lungs are automated wonders, expelling a used breath and expanding to inhale as needed. Respiratory muscles in the chest also expand and contract to adjust to the changing size of our expanding and contracting lungs and these same muscle groups also control posture.

Breathing is a two part process. Respiration brings oxygen into the lungs while circulation disperses the oxygen throughout the body to where it is needed. Circulation of the oxygen is possible due to the respiratory muscles such as the diaphragm, the abdominals, and the intercostal muscles. The oxygen we inhale doesn’t provide energy but unlocks energy stores in food we’ve eaten. It basically helps fuel the process by which units of biological energy (ATP) are released from caloric stores (carbs, proteins, lipids)

Alveoli in the lungs allow oxygen to be taken up by the body and only oxygen which reaches the alveoli is utilized when we breathe. Only oxygen that reaches the alveoli can be utilized by our body. This is demonstrated by the physical response of someone who is taking very shallow, rapid breaths during a panic attack. The person may black out from lack of oxygen. The person is feeling the lack of oxygen but the lack is caused by shallow breathing where oxygen is not reaching the alveoli of the lungs.

This is why adequate respiration and ventilation - deep breathing is very important. Your lungs a have a certain amount of volume – called “dead space” that is not involved in gas transfer. Instead these areas are primarily conduits; larger pipes that transport gasses to the alveoli. Because a small part of each breath is used to move gas through these conduits(bronchi) rapid shallow breathing will decrease the volume of gas brought to the alveoli. Fortunately Oxygen transport is a relatively quick process. It is CO2 transport from the blood (carried as lactic acid) that takes longer and is thus – more sensitive to decreased ventilation and gas exchange duration. Even without lactic acid build up, simply hypoventilating will lead to a build up of CO2 and actually have the same effect of increasing lactic acids in your body from sustained muscle work!! (cardio, weight etc)

Yes breathing, and more importantly – how we breathe is very important. The concentration of oxygen in your body is a balance of the supply of oxygen to the alveoli for circulation and the amount of oxygen your body is demanding. When you are at rest, the balance is easily maintained but when you exercise your body demands more oxygen which requires more breaths per minute to supply sufficient levels of oxygen to the lungs. During exercise, deeper breaths turn into faster breaths and eventually the exertion will leave you gasping for oxygen as your body expends more oxygen than it is able to take in.

Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) produced in our bodies and is also referred to as milk acid. If you feel the burn during an exercise, you can thank lactic acid for that.

Exercise causes sugar to be broken down producing energy for the muscles. This breakdown of sugar yields carbon dioxide and water in the end if you are getting all the oxygen you need.

Strenuous exercise may cause a deficit in oxygen and result in lactic acid being produced and accumulating in your muscles. Through a complex chemical process, lactic acid builds up in muscles during vigorous exercise. Muscles may contract more efficiently when lactic acid is present and this is why athletes like to feel the burn during exercise. To them, it signifies their muscle is being worked to capacity.

When lactic acid buildup makes your muscle begin to hurt, you breathe faster and usually slow down to allow your body to catch up with the oxygen it craves. As the depleted oxygen is restored (returning to normal breathing), the lactic acid converts to carbon dioxide and water that are expelled as you breathe.

It is lactic acid buildup during intense exercise that provides need for allowing muscle groups to rest and recover on alternate days. Your muscles may be sore the day after you exercise and this is due to lactic acid buildup. Resting for a day or two allows the lactic acid to dissipate and the muscle to recover.

3 step formula

2010-04-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody,

I hope you’re having a great day so far, b/c I’m about to make it better!

Follow this 3 Step Formula For Ripped Abs and you’ll be stoked:

Step 1: Start eating 6 meals per day.

Eating frequent, small meals is by far the way to go. Restricting calories is a thing of the past. It’s time that you start finding food you enjoy eating, combine them with other sources of nutrients to have a balanced ratio of carbs:proteins:fats with each meal, and satisfy yourself. Otherwise, you’ll continue to crave, eat out of appetite, rather than hunger, and gain weight in the long run.

By eating balanced meals frequently:

Your metabolism will remain high throughout the day
You will have more energy
You will get less sore from your workouts
You will stop eating as much junk (you just won’t have room for it b/c you’ll be stuffed!)

Step 2: Begin and end each day with exercise.

This is like starting the engine in your car 5 minutes before driving. It’s better for your engine, and it’s better for you. While we sleep, our metabolisms slow down and allow us to rest more peacefully without food or water. That said, why not begin each day revving up our engines and going 0-60mph, so to speak?!

By beginning and ending each day with exercise, you will:

Improve your sleep habits (takes a little adjusting to get used to exercising at night)
Be “on” the moment you get to work (because your brain actually is receiving blood)
Ramp up your metabolism for the rest of the day, allowing you to better process your breakfast.

Step 3: Exercise intensely for 30-45 minutes per day, at least 5 days per week.

A lot of people think that you have to spend hours in the gym every day in order to reap crazy results… guess what? They are dead wrong. I’ve proven this time and time again. In fact, that’s why I created Burn More FAT! – to make things simpler, faster…. all around better. Sure, it makes sense to exercise for longer for other reasons…heart health, blood pressure, stress relief, etc.

That said, here’s what will happen if you perform 30-45 minutes of intense exercise every day:

Your abs will ‘Pop Out’ and people will wonder how the heck you’ve done this
Your energy level will go through the roof (but you’ll be drained for about 3 weeks while you get used to this exercise intensity)
Your body will thank you. Plain and simple, people that are looking for crazy results often overtrain. This way, you won’t have to worry about that.
Your metabolism will shoot up, so look out! (you’re going to have to go grocery shopping as a result)

Remember, by following this 3 Step Formula For Ripped Abs,

YOU WILL SEE RESULTS!

The question is:

Are you afraid of success?

Getting lean tone abs has never been so easy – come visit me or my staff for a complimentary personal training session and I’ll show you!

To Your Success,

Brandon R. Musick
Regional Fitness Director

Bikini Fat Burn Super Set

2010-04-14T11:08:00.000-07:00

Slipping into your swimsuit to get geared up for summer?

You know the 1st thing you do – look yourself up and down in that mirror and your eyes go right to all the places that need some work before you step out in the public eye.

How’s your lower body looking?

Need some fat loss, lifting and tightening? Looking to achieve a bikini body butt and bikini body thighs?

Let me help!

Add this lower body super set to your workout to burn more fat in less time, boost your metabolism and help you “tighten” your lower body trouble areas!

Bonus- you also burn more belly fat!!!

NOTE: These moves are QUICK and Intense! Be prepared to work and get ready to LOVE the fact that your workouts are done in a flash! As always, consult with your Dr before beginning a new workout or exercise routine.

A1: Jumping Lunges

Also know as Split Squat Jump – I love this move!

Perform 6-8 times alternating legs between jumps

Lunges in general really help my clients to reshape thier butt and thighs. This is a more challenging move that’s not only going to help “tighten” your butt and thighs…. this move will also pump up your heart rate to help you burn even more fat and calories!

Not ready to jump? Modify by simply performing Reverse Lunges

A2: Front Squats

Perform 6-8 Using a Weight that is Challenging

Forget the dinky hand weights! Based on your fitness level you will want to choose a weight that makes the completion of 6-8 reps feel challenging. I suggest starting with two 10-15 lb weights and work your way up from there. The way you get the most out of this move – is to slowly lower into the bottom of the squat. Once at the bottom, squeeze your butt and thighs to quickly return to start.

How To Use Bikini Fat Burn Lower Body Exercises

Perform these 2 moves back to back as a super set with little to no rest between moves. You can add this super set to your current fat loss plan or use it alone if time is short. Be sure to double your results by cutting out processed foods and sugar!

Your super set will look like this:

A1
A2
A1
A2
A1
A2
REST

Leave a Comment Below to Let Me Know What You Think!

Super sets allow you to get maximum results in minimum time – they boost your metabolism, allow you to increase intensity so you stay challenged, are FAST and FUN!

Super sets are the secret ingredient to my short burst resistance training workouts.

weight gain at midlife

2010-04-13T06:18:00.001-07:00

Toning your midsection, has less to with having babies and more to do with your age...

Have you noticed your clothes feeling a little, ahem, tight these days? You haven't changed the way you're eating, and you're still getting in your daily walks. So why should you be gaining weight?

Blame middle age.

As we age, our metabolism—that calorie-burning engine we rely on to keep extra pounds off—slows. Suddenly that extra bowl of ice cream you're used to eating every night before bed starts showing up on your hips and thighs and belly.

Don't despair—you just need to turn the thermostat up a bit even as you cut back on the fuel. That becomes particularly important in the years just after menopause, when studies find women tend to gain weight somewhat faster than later in life or before menopause. Why?

Researchers aren't quite sure, but it seems that menopause itself is associated with changes in body composition (less muscle, more fat) and in the way fat is distributed in your body. The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism, since muscle cells burn more fuel than fat cells.

As for that fat distribution...well, after menopause, fat is more likely to build up around your abdomen instead of on your thighs and hips. This abdominal, or "visceral" fat, is a dangerous form of fat that increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes. It seems that estrogen is somehow associated with this change, because women taking estrogen therapy after menopause tend to have less abdominal fat.

We're not suggesting turning to estrogen therapy to manage your fat distribution, however. While there are several reasons to take estrogen therapy, minimizing abdominal fat is not one of them.

Instead, your best bet is to turn to those two old standbys—diet and exercise, particularly exercise. When researchers compared total body fat and abdominal body fat amounts in middle-aged female twins, they found physical activity—not age or diet—had the greatest effect.

But who has time for physical activity when you're running kids all over town, holding down a challenging career, exploring new life opportunities, maintaining a relationship, caring for aging parents...you get the picture. Small wonder only half of women aged 50 to 64 report any regular physical activity, while only one-fourth report any high-intensity (think aerobics class or running) exercise.

Why is physical activity so important? Because unlike dieting, which only affects the amount of calories you take in, physical activity helps your body burn more calories, not only while you're working out, but afterward. As you build more muscle, you're also increasing your metabolism. The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn per hour. The more calories you burn per hour, the more weight you'll lose (or at least not gain).

Even if you're happy with your weight, there are numerous reasons to get regular physical activity. Here are just a few to consider:

Living longer. One large study found that exercise reduced risk factors for all causes of death in postmenopausal women.

Getting into the habit of exercise. Studies find that the perimenopausal period—i.e., mid-30s through your 40s—is critical in determining whether you'll remain physically active after menopause.

Reducing blood pressure level and levels of "bad" cholesterol while raising levels of "good" cholesterol.

Slowing your resting heart rate, enabling your heart to work more efficiently.

Increasing bone density and preventing osteoporosis.

Reducing your risk of breast cancer.

Helping you sleep better, faster and longer.

Improving your emotional state, whether relieving depression or simply making you feel better overall.

Helping you cope with stress.

No one is suggesting you head out for a five-mile run. Just add some movement to your everyday life. For instance, did you know that simply walking at a pace fast enough to get you out of breath for about half an hour a day can cut your risk of heart disease by more than a third?

So how about:

Giving up the power tools. Toss that riding mower and leaf blower back in the garage, and cancel the lawn service. Get into the garden and do your own yard work. One of the best ways to maintain your bone strength after menopause is with gardening.

Walking first, driving second. Park at the far end of the parking lot, walk into restaurants to get your food, take an extra lap around the grocery store during the weekly shopping.

Partnering with another woman. You're much more likely to get up at 6 a.m. on a cold morning to walk 45 minutes if you know your neighbor is waiting for you.

Turning your house into a gym. Run up and down the stairs for 20 minutes a day, using gallon jugs of milk as weights, pace around the house while you're on the phone, and carry your own heavy parcels into the house—twice.

Breaking up your exercise into shorter bouts. Can't find a 30-minute chunk of time for that two-mile walk? Take the dog out three times a day for a 10-minute walk. You'll get the same benefits.

One caveat: Aim for an hour or two a week of resistance training—lifting weights, Pilates or yoga classes, even calisthenics (knee bends, lunges, pull-ups, push-ups, etc.). These exercises are essential to improving and maintaining muscle tone—and to burning calories. Muscle tone is critical to maintaining our balance and staying steady on our feet as we age.

Make a chart and track the days on which you get at least 30 minutes of exercise. Like any new habit, it will take about two or three weeks before it becomes routine. And then, just like putting on your seatbelt when you get in the car or flossing your teeth before bed, it will become such a regular part of your life you'll feel strange on the days you miss it.

Better Ab Definition

2010-04-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Today’s topic is getting better ab definition through your workouts. This is a pretty important thing for most people, b/c we are so accustomed to looking at our midsections in the mirror. Well, I’ve got good news and bad news:

The Bad News:

You’re normally going to lose fat everywhere in your body that you don’t care about first. This means you will become thinner in:

Your fingers
Your wrists
Your ankles
Your knees
Your face
Your shoulders
…and then, and only then, will you get Good News:

You will lose fat in your:

mid-section
thighs
and love handles.

I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but spot reduction is a bit of a hoax. Sure, you increase muscle tone underneath fat, giving you a better and more firm appearance. However, you won’t get true definition, as is needed for ripped abs and slender thighs, without losing fat everywhere else first.

Fat loss is systemic, not local.

If you decide to follow my advice, I’ll teach you exactly how to train for faster results, and a quicker reduction in total body fat.

Either way, I’m just glad you’re listening, and I’m happy we had a chance to share with one another today.

If you want me to teach you the fastest way to get a tighter mid-section and shapely thighs,don't hesitate to contact us!

Burn more fat fast with a changed mindset

2010-04-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

Most people that I talk to about health and fitness talk about “getting in shape”. But I don’t think they realize that their words are actually counterproductive to their aspirations of burning fat. You hear a lot of people lamenting about being out of shape and saying, “I need to get in shape and burn fat”, or, “I want to get in shape and burn fat.” What you don’t hear them saying is, “I want to get in shape, burn fat, and stay that way.”

They may want to stay in shape, but their mindset is focused on getting in shape. This makes you more susceptible to the fad diets and latest exercise gimmick on the market. You’re so focused on getting in shape that you’ll try almost anything regardless of how silly or difficult to follow it might seem, because you’re entirely focused on the short term goal.

A simple change in the “quick fix” mindset to one of long term success will steer you down the correct path. You’ll be less enticed by the late night TV hype, and more focused on doing the right things most of the time. Wouldn’t you agree that life long health and fitness is what’s most important?

Of course creating an environment in your body that allows you to burn fat fast is essential to this goal. A person who is in shape in their 50s and 60s is a lot more impressive to me than someone who is lean and fit in their 20s and 30s. That’s because the dedication to maintaining the proper exercise plan and a sensible nutrition strategy for the rest of your life is rare to find. It’s a rare mindset.

If you really want to transform your physique and your health for good, you must make it a lifestyle, a habit. And that starts in your mind. That’s what the people who are lean for life do. In fact, if I think about all of the people I personally know that are in great shape and have been for a while, I start to understand that they have their minds on staying in shape.

They think about it day and night, not obsessively, but with each thing they do…they subconsciously think, “Is this going to positively or negatively impact my long term health and fitness?”. “Am I doing everything I can to burn fat and live a healthy lifestyle?”.

The good news is that research shows you can develop simple habits like those involved in eating and exercising properly in under a month…sometimes even sooner. And with the type of exercise and diet tips I recommend to my Burn More FAT! students, you don’t need to give up your life’s pursuits so that you are working out every day, nor do you need to follow a wacky diet you can’t reasonably make a lifestyle out of.

And after a few months of practicing these methods, I’ve found that your body will start telling you it wants to keep exercising and eating right…you just won’t feel right with out it. Why? Because your body naturally wants to be healthy and lean.

So I urge you to forgo the “get in shape” mindset, and instead embrace the idea of staying in shape and creating that fat burning furnace that is so essential to life long health and fitness.

Imagine yourself in the body of your dreams, today, tomorrow, and 5, 10, 20 or more years from now. What will you be doing then, in your lean, strong, and healthy body? Chances are, you won’t be trying to “get in shape”. Instead, you’ll be burning fat 24/7, and enjoying life as you should…full of vitality and passion.

meal plan

2010-04-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
Loaded Vegetable Omelet
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 Stonyfield yogurt
1 medium banana

Noon
Belly Off! Tuna Melt
3 oz. can corn

3 p.m.
2 Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Original individual cheeses
1 medium apple

7 p.m.
Burritos
1/4 cup brown rice

Loaded Vegetable Omelet
3 eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped tomato, seeded
2 tablespoons pre-sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat a large skillet coated with olive oil cooking spray over medium heat.
2. Add the eggs, allowing them to cover the bottom of the pan.
3. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottom begins to set.
4. When nearly cooked, top one half of the omelet with the bell peppers, tomato, mushrooms, zucchini, salt, and black pepper.
5. Carefully fold the remaining half over the filling and cook for 2 minutes, or until cooked through.

Belly Off! Tuna Melt
2 slices whole-grain bread
1 can chunk light tuna, drained
1 tsp light mayonnaise
2 slices Sargento deli style cheese
1. Combine tuna and mayo.
2. Add to bread. Place cheese slices on top.
3. Broil until cheese melts.

Burritos
(Makes 4 servings)
1 pound ground beef
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 package taco seasoning
Whole grain tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups diced tomatoes
Salsa
1 tsp. olive oil
1. Cook the beef in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until browned. Add the red pepper and continue to cook, stirring, until softened slightly. Add the taco seasoning and water, stir, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the pepper slices are al dente.

Monday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
One-Minute PB Banana Oatmeal
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 medium apple
1 2% Milk String Cheese

Noon
TunaGuac Sandwich
15 Baby-cut carrots

3 p.m.
Smart Balance Light Butter Popcorn

7 p.m.
Chili Mac and Cheese
1 cup applesauce

One-Minute PB Banana Oatmeal
1 cup Quaker One-Minute Oats
1 banana, sliced
1 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
1 cup water
1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

TunaGuac Sandwich
2 slices whole grain bread
1 can chunk light tuna, drained
1/3 fresh avocado
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Mix tuna, avocado, salt and pepper.
2. Spread on bread.

Chili Mac and Cheese
(Makes 4 servings)
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound ground turkey
2 cans (14-ounce) diced tomatoes with chiles
1 cup whole-wheat elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1. Cook the turkey and garlic powder in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon so it cooks evenly. When the turkey is no longer pink, add the beans, tomatoes (including juice), macaroni, and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. During the last minute of cooking, sprinkle on the shredded cheese and mix so it melts into the dish.

Tuesday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
3 Scrambled Eggs
8 ounces orange juice
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 Stonyfield yogurt
1 medium banana

Noon
2 Power-Packed PBJs
1 medium apple

3 p.m.
25 raw almonds
1 medium banana

7 p.m.
Seared Sirloin with Shrooms (1 serving)
Microwave Baked Potato
20 Green Beans

9 p.m.
Smart Balance Light Butter Popcorn
1 square dark chocolate

3 Scrambled Eggs
3 eggs
1 tsp Pam cooking spray
1. Crack eggs into bowl. Whisk eggs to break yolks.
2. Spray Pam on hot pan.
3. Add eggs. Cook and scramble until firm.

Power-Packed PBJ
1 tablespoon 100% whole fruit preserves
2 slices whole grain bread, toasted
1 tablespoon all-natural peanut butter
1. Spread the preserves on one of the toast slices.
2. Spread the peanut butter on the other toast slice.
3. Slap the two sandwich halves together.

Seared Sirloin with Shrooms
(Makes 2 servings)
2 sirloin steaks, 6 oz each
1/4 c chicken stock
1/2 c sliced mushrooms
1 tsp olive oil
Plus: Salt and pepper; 1/4 tsp dried thyme; 1 clove garlic, crushed
1. Sear the steaks in a skillet on medium high (about 2 to 3 minutes per side), seasoning each side with a pinch of salt and pepper as the other side cooks. Remove the steaks from the skillet, and reduce the heat to medium.
2. Put the olive oil, thyme, and garlic in the skillet, stirring frequently and scraping with a spoon to release the brown bits left behind by the meat (about 30 seconds).
3. Add the stock and mushrooms, stirring often until the mushrooms soften (about 3 minutes).

Wednesday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
PB/Banana Wrap
8 oz. chocolate milk

10:30 a.m.
3 clementines or 2 tangerines
2 Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Original individual cheeses

Noon
GobbleGuac Sandwich
15 Baby-cut carrots

3 p.m.
8 oz. chocolate milk

7 p.m.
Chicken with Jerk Marinade
Steamed Broccoli
3 oz. can corn

PB/Banana Wrap
1 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
1 banana, sliced
1 whole wheat flour tortilla
1. Mix banana and peanut butter in tortilla.

GobbleGuac Sandwich
2 slices whole grain bread
4 slices pre-sliced turkey
1/3 fresh avocado
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Mix avocado, salt and pepper.
2. Add turkey to bread.
3. Spread mixture on turkey.

Chicken with Jerk Marinade
(Makes 2 servings)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ bottle jerk chicken 10-minute marinade
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Place chicken with marinade in a bowl. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
2. Bake chicken at 350 degrees until cooked through.
3. Salt and pepper to taste.
Side: Steamed Broccoli
1 head broccoli
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Break broccoli head into bite-sized florets.
2. Boil an inch of water in a saucepan. Add the broccoli to the boiling water.
3. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until florets are easily pierced with a fork.
4. Drain and season with salt and pepper.

Thursday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
One-Minute Cheesy Mushroom Scramble
8 oz. orange juice
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
50 Raisins
1 Stonyfield yogurt

Noon
Turkey Wrap with 1 slice cheese
1 medium banana

3 p.m.
1 Larabar Apple Pie Bar
8 oz. chocolate milk

7 p.m.
Shrimp Scampi
1 cup applesauce

One-Minute Cheesy Mushroom Scramble
3 eggs
½ c pre-sliced mushrooms
1 ounce 2% shredded mozzarella
1 tsp Pam cooking spray
1. Crack eggs into bowl. Whisk eggs to break yolks.
2. Add mushrooms and cheese.
3. Spray Pam on hot pan.
4. Add eggs. Cook and scramble until firm.

Turkey Wrap
1 whole wheat flour tortilla
4 slices pre-sliced turkey
1 slice Sargento deli style cheese
Mustard to taste
Combine ingredients in wrap.

Shrimp Scampi
(Makes 2 servings)
24 large frozen shrimp (the peeled and deveined kind)
1/2 c chopped baby spinach leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried basil
A splash or two of hot sauce
1. Mix all the ingredients in a large microwavable bowl, tossing well to coat the shrimp.
2. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove and toss again.
3. Nuke for 1 minute and 15 seconds more.

Friday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
One-Minute PB Berries Oatmeal
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 medium apple
1 2% Milk String Cheese

Noon
PB Wrap
1 serving Bridgford Beef Jerky

3 p.m.
Smart Balance Light Butter Popcorn
1 square dark chocolate

7 p.m.
Barbecue Chicken
Microwave Baked Potato
3 oz. can peas

One-Minute PB Berries Oatmeal
1 cup Quaker One-Minute Oats
½ cup frozen mixed berries
1 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
1 cup water
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
• Microwave on high for 1 minute.

PB Wrap
1 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
1 whole wheat flour tortilla
Spread peanut butter in tortilla

Barbecue Chicken
(Makes 6 servings)
1/4 cup low-fat vinaigrette dressing, such as sun-dried tomato
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons spicy barbecue sauce
12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat (about 3 pounds)
1. In a small bowl, combine the dressing, Worcestershire sauce, and barbecue sauce. Place the chicken in a large, shallow dish and pour the marinade on top, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
2. Preheat the grill to high. Grill the chicken pieces, turning often, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 170°F, the juices run clear, and the chicken is golden on all sides.
Side: Microwave Baked Potato
1 large baking potato
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Prick the potato all over with a fork.
2. Microwave on full power for 5 minutes.
3. Turn the potato over, and microwave for 5 minutes more.

Saturday:
8 a.m.
20 oz. water
Ultimate Power Breakfast
Black coffee (optional)

10:30 a.m.
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 medium banana

Noon
Man Salad
15 Baby-cut carrots

3 p.m.
1 medium apple
2 Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Original individual cheeses

7 p.m.
Grilled Sausage with the Works
Microwave Baked Sweet Potato
Steamed Broccoli

Ultimate Power Breakfast
1 egg
1 cup low-fat milk
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup mixed berries
1 tablespoon chopped pecans or almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla whey protein powder
1 teaspoon ground flaxseed
1/2 banana, sliced
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1. In microwave-safe bowl, mix egg well, then add next 6 ingredients and nuke for 2 minutes.
2. Remove, let cool for a minute or two.
3. Top with sliced banana and yogurt.

Beef and Bleu Cheese Salad
(Makes 2 servings)
9 oz flank steak
Salt and pepper
2 plum tomatoes, cut into eights
1/3 cup sliced onion
1 small clove garlic, crushed
5 cups, chopped romaine lettuce
4 Tbsp low-fat balsamic vinaigrette
3 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese
1. Preheat a grill pan on medium high. Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper, and cook it about 6 minutes on each side.
2. Remove the steak, let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes, and then slice it diagonally across the grain into thin strips.
3. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Add the meat and lettuce, pour on the vinaigrette, and toss well to completely coat everything
4. Top with the cheese.

workout

2010-04-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

workout
MOnday run 3 miles
Tuesday run 5 miles
Wednesday run 4 miles
Thursday run 5 miles
Friday run 2 miles
Saturday run 6 miles
Sunday rest

Monday Wednesday and Friday
Pushups 6x30
Situps 6x35
Pullups 3x10
Dips 3x20

These workouts are designed for long-distance muscle endurance. Muscle fatigue will gradually take a longer and longer time to develop doing high Repetitions workouts. For best results, alternate exercises each set, in order to rest that muscle group for a short time.

3 scenarios who burns more fat?

2010-03-12T06:52:00.000-08:00

3 Scenarios - Who Burns More Fat?
Here are 3 different ways to create a 300 calorie deficit:

Skip the morning bagel (-300 calories)
Walk on the treadmill for an hour and half (-300 calories)
Perform a very high intensity interval session (-300 calories)

In all 3 instances, the net calorie burn is -300 cals; however, scenario 1 sucks, scenario 2 really sucks, and scenario 3 trumps them all–by far.

And today I want to share 3 other “scenarios” with you, with yet another lesson to be learned.

Out of the below 3 individuals, who will burn more fat and achieve better, faster results?

Scenario #1 - Subject A

Basal Metabolic Rate of 2,000 calories
No additional calories burned per day through exercise
Total calories burned: 2,000
Dietary intake: 1,300
Deficit: -700 calories

Scenario #1 - Subject B

Basal Metabolic Rate of 2,000 calories
Additional 200 calories burned per day through exercise
Total calories burned: 2,200
Dietary intake: 1,500
Deficit: -700 calories

Scenario #1 - Subject C

Basal Metabolic Rate of 2,000 calories
Additional 600 calories burned per day through exercise
Total calories burned: 2,600
Dietary intake: 1,900
Deficit: -700 calories

Paying careful attention to the 3 scenarios above, you see that Subject A, Subject B, and Subject C all have a Basal Metabolic Rate of 2,000 calories, and all subjects are creating a -700 caloric deficit daily.

Who will be more successful?

If fat loss were simply a mathematical phenomenon, then all three subjects would have equal success and would experience the same exact fat loss.

But, just in case you didn’t already know, there’s MUCH more to fat loss than just the numbers.

Fat loss, by and large, is largely hormonal (yes, I’m aware, that was redundant). Indeed, a caloric deficit must be in place for fat loss to occur, but not all deficits are “equal”.

Subject A, while still being negative 700 calories, is creating a hormonal environment in the body resistance to fat loss. Subject B is slightly better, but still far from optimal.

Subject C is the clear winner here. Although Subject C is creating the same exact numerical -700 calorie deficit, this individual will without a doubt experience greater fat loss and overall results.

Why?

When you decrease calorie intake, the body’s anti-starvation mechanisms are alerted and it creates a hormonal environment conducive to fat storage.

So, 1) if you need to create a calorie deficit to burn fat, but 2) you DON’T want to drastically reduce calorie intake for the reasons mentioned, what are your options?

It’s called energy flux.

Eat more. Exercise more. Lose more.

It really is THAT simple.

Simply put, the more calories you burn through exercise (versus a dietary caloric deficit), the greater your fat loss results will be. Every. Single. Time.

Fat burning enzymes will be elevated, the body will remain happy from a nutritional standpoint, and let’s fact it, eating an additional 600 calories per day is a lot more livable from a psychological standpoint than attempting to create a large caloric deficit through diet alone.

My challenge to you: Starting this week, on top of what you are already currently doing, add an additional 300 calories to your daily diet, and strive to burn an additional 300 calories via exercise.

Watch what happens. You’ll be surprised.

Or maybe now that you’re “in the know”, you won’t be.

Questions? Comments? Respond below.

I’ll be checking in throughout the day and responding below, so bring on the discussion!

Talk to you in the comments section!

lifesaver on weight loss hurdels

2010-03-12T06:41:00.000-08:00

We all have days like this when our motivation is low and our need to overeat or be a couch potato takes over. But it's best to bust those excuses before they become a well worn mantra of failure.

Cultivating true resilience is a lifelong process.

Lifesaver #1: Use the buddy system
Corny but proven: You get by with a little help from your friends. Nine out of 10 women in a recent study said they relied on their friends for emotional support – but not just any friends. It's about quality. People who survive adversities usually have one or two close friends from early in life. Having a social life is one thing, but having someone to talk to is the thing.

Lifesaver 2 Mine that silver lining
In order to remain resilient, you need to learn how to dig the positive treasures out of the muddiest pit, but – pessimists, stay with us – true optimism is not just thinking annoyingly happy thoughts all day long. Rather, it's believing that you have the power to bring about good results, or at least fix the bad ones,

Lifesaver#3 Look for better excuses
Keeping fit and exercising needn't cost a penny or be painful or inconvenient. Why not start a walking club with others who want to lose weight? This is a great way to socialize and keep each other motivated - not to mention an enjoyable way of earning extra exercise points. The courageous among you could start a beginners' jogging club. Set yourself realistic goals and see yourself improve. Exercise isn't something that should be constricted to the realms of dieting and weight loss, it should be, and indeed anyone who undertakes any sort of regular exercise will tell you, it is fun.

Lifesaver#4 Create better habits
Something you do for a couple weeks to a month is not going to change your life. Create habits that you know you'll be able to keep up every day for the rest of your life, and, even if it's one habit at a time, dedicate yourself to making the changes for good. This way, your weight loss will be for good, too! Celebrations like weddings, parties, and birthdays don't have to be a weight-loss nightmare. Again, pre-planning helps. Decide to budget for the occasion by sticking to your weight-loss program and exercising up to the event.

Lifesaver#5 Be realistic.
If your expectations for weight loss are too high, you're bound to get disappointed, and your frustrations could lead you to stray from your healthy eating and exercise efforts. Set a realistic goal for your weight loss -- no more than one or two pounds a week -- and keep in mind that you may occasionally hit weight-loss plateaus.

Lifesaver#6 Plan your meals in time
Cook your foods on the weekends. Freeze lunches for work and always have a protein bar or energy bar in your purse or duffel bag. This way when plans change your diet doesn't have to. Always have almonds, water, and protein bars with you at all times. Plan your meal for the day in advance (chop vegetable, beans, stock fruits); in order to prevent jeopardizing your diet. Once you have a goal and diet plan on paper, you are ready to get behind the starting line of that race track. If you do stray drastically from your healthy eating, don't throw in the towel in despair. Forgive yourself and get back on the straight and narrow the very next day.

Lifesaver#7 Learn to cope with stress
A recent Harvard study found that the most common triggers for stress-related weight gain are work and bills. In men, hot buttons include feeling a lack of authority, and in women, family pressures and perceived life constraints. We're wired to eat when we're under stress. Evolutionarily, that was a good thing. If you needed to escape a dangerous situation, high calories would give you the energy to do it; but in today's modern society, the stress-food response no longer works in your favor. Every time you reach for food when you're stressed, you deepen the wiring. To compound the problem, the release of stress hormones causes a surge of insulin, which turns extra calories into belly fat.

Lifesaver#8 Avoid Deprivation
Depriving yourself of your favorite foods is a powerful trigger for overeating. Humans naturally want what they can't have. In order to avoid certain foods you tend to focus on them more, increasing the risk of bingeing. Plus, a diet of low-calorie foods simply isn't satisfying, so it's easy to eat too much. A study in the Journal of Consumer Research, found that when people go to "healthy" fast-food restaurants such as Subway they choose sides (such as chips), beverages, and desserts containing up to 131 percent more calories than they would have consumed if they'd gone to a restaurant they perceived as less healthy. Focus on fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, and eat healthy but calorie-dense choices such as nuts in moderation. Any food, including chocolate or butter, can have a place in a balanced diet. To reintroduce foods you've come to think you shouldn't eat, experiment with them mindfully. Pay attention to every single bite.

Quick weight loss is inspiring, but it is important to think ahead too: you need to retrain your palate and eating habits and reassess your physical activity so that you can lose weight and stay slim. You cannot expect to achieve miracles in a few days, but you will see a difference within three or four weeks if you eat properly and exercise regularly. Losing weight successfully is like getting fitter: you need a horizon - or goal - ahead of you to help spur you on.

week of march 15th workout

2010-03-12T06:34:00.000-08:00

wow if you were able to do everything for last weeks workout you should be in great shape!!

This week will be a total body workout 3 times per week. Do the same workout 3 times this week with at least 1 day of rest between. Best part is you don't have to come to the gym to do this workout, you can do it at the park or even at home if you have a pullup bar

repeat the following circuit 3 times
20 pushups
5 inside grip pullups
20 diamond pushups
20 band curls
20 reverse lunges
5 inside grip pullups
3 minutes of shawdow boxing
30 scissor kicks
30 flutter kicks
15 v-ups

how to lose belly fat

2010-03-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

How to lose belly fat is a question that many people ask. It seems that the stomach is a very common problem area for people from all walks of life.

We have all heard that diet and exercise are the 2 key ingredients in staying healthy and fit. Eating healthy has gained a lot of attention since the release of the documentary "Super Size Me" and the importance of exercise has also had its share of time in the spotlight with shows like "The Biggest Loser" and the different exercise equipment popping up across paid programming.

But what exercises can we do to lose belly fat and lose it fast?

One exercise that targets the stubborn stomach area is called The Bicycle.

To do The Bicycle, simply lay on the floor pressing your lower back to the ground. Your hands are beside your head. Bring your knees to an approximate 45-degree angle and slowly go through the motion of pedaling a bicycle. Your left elbow will touch your right knee and then your right elbow will touch your left knee.

The second exercise you can do to target your belly fat is the basic Crunch.

You will start by laying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your hands will be positioned by the side of your head with your fingertips resting just behind your ears. Press your lower back into the ground. Slowly curl up until both shoulders are lifted off the ground a few inches. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly release back to the floor.

Lastly, if you have a large exercise ball you can use this as part of your abdominal exercises. Sit on the ball and place your feet flat on the floor. Slide down the ball until it rests against your back and lie back on the ball until your torso is parallel to the floor. Slowly raise your torso up off the ball until you are at about a 45-degree angle while contracting your abdominal muscles. Hold for a few seconds and then release.

It is also important to remember that Aerobic exercise is still one of the best ways to burn calories and manage weight.

how to burn more fat off your chest: for men

2010-03-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

How To Burn Off Chest Fat in 12 Minutes or Less

Can you really burn more fat in 12 minutes then doing 60 minutes of aerobics? Can you lose your man boobs fast this way? Should you use gynecomastia supplements and do they even work? Read this article now for the answers to these questions and more!

I know you want to drop those excess pounds for two reasons:

You know it will decrease your estrogen levels and increase your testosterone levels which will help you lose those man boobs… and…
You know when you burn off fat, it gets taken off EVERYWHERE on your body, which means you’ll burn off chest fat fast when you burn off “regular” fat too!
So, today I’m going to tell you what REALLY works, and what works fast to burn off body fat, especially chest fat.

It’s really simple too - only two words, here they are…

Interval training!
Interval training is usually defined as hard-all out intervals (like sprinting) followed by brief, less intense intervals (like jogging). Work periods and rest periods vary depending on the protocol, but that’s the idea. Get it? Intervals - now the name makes sense.

You should know that intervals are the best for your health, here’s why:

* The famous tabata study: Researchers found that guys who used the routine five days a week for six weeks improved their maximum aerobic capacity (a measure of your body’s ability to consume oxygen-the more oxygen you can take in, the longer and harder you’ll be able to run) by 14%. What’s more, it also improved anaerobic capacity (which measures your speed endurance, or the duration you’re able to sprint at full effort) by 28%. Basically you get better all around results with intervals versus steady-state aerobics.

* Interval training can lower blood sugar by up to 40%. To put it into perspective, the commonly prescribed drug Metformin does so by a paltry 19% while putting users at risk of obesity, if they can tolerate the constant vomiting and diarrhea!

* Interval training makes your heart and lungs stronger not just bigger. Marathon runners keel over after marathons (look it up) even though their heart and lungs get enlarged - they’re more stressed. Sprinters get strong hearts. Sprinting is better for you

* Interval training mimics life and is more functional than endurance training. You ever picked up a heavy box for a slow steady state over 60 minutes? Hell No! You have to pick up a heavy box quick… change a tire… chase a kid down snatch him up and yell at him for running down the street. Everything you do in your every day life is anaerobic not aerobic. So Interval training is more functional

* Sprinting increases testosterone while aerobics lowers it. Although not a well designed study, Journal of Sports Sciences, Vol. 23, Issue 2, February 2005, pg. 187-188 (no abstract). Here they compare testosterone levels among different groups of males: Sprint Trained - 9.11 (ng/l), Endurance Trained - 7.05 (ng/l) and Sedentary - 8.19 (ng/l) Since this data is a cross-section, it does not establish cause-and-effect. In other words, it’s possible that men with low testosterone self-select into endurance running, and men with high testosterone self-select into sprint running. However, this data is very suggestive that sprint training may increase testosterone in men. But logic plays a part here, since we know that staying in the gym longer than 45-60 minutes depletes T levels, it makes sense that long, steady-state aerobics would do the same.

* Sprinting increase Human Growth Hormone: In a new study, researchers compared growth hormone levels in several ways - resting, after a 6 second cycle sprint, and after 30 second cycle sprint. The 6 second sprint method did move HGH some, but didn’t come close to the body’s potential to release this powerful hormone. The 30 second all-out effort sprint experiment increased HGH by 530% over resting baseline and 450% over the lesser intensity sprint. (A summary of this study can be seen at the National Institutes of Health.)

Interval training is key to fast weight loss
Besides being VASTLY better for your health, Interval training burns more fat than aerobics too.

In fact, in the Tabata protocol mentioned above the Japanese scientists discovered that the people following the tabata protocol burned 9 TIMES MORE FAT than the group that exercised for an hour a day. And your metabolism stays revved up and burns more fat for up to 48 hours after the Tabata protocol.

So, if you want to burn off more body fat each time you exercise you should do interval training as opposed to slow, steady state aerobics.

Here’s a simple interval program to burn off more chest fat
1. Pick an exercise like rowing on a rowing machine or sprinting either outside or on a treadmill, jumping rope, biking, etc.

2. You’re going to workout for 12 minutes, this is an easy interval program to start.

3. Warm up for 2 minutes then…

4. Do a 30 sec all out hard effort of your exercise (let’s use sprinting for this example)…

5. Then do 2 min of recovery exercise (a light jog for this example)…

6. Then 30 sec hard… 2 min. recovery… 30 sec hard… 2 min recovery… 30 sec hard… 2 min recovery

7. You’re done! You will have done a:

2 min warm up with 8 rounds of:

30 sec hard
2 min easy
30 sec hard
2 min easy
30 sec hard
2 min easy
30 sec hard
2 min easy

And you will have burned off more fat and done more for your health than with 60 minutes of aerobics exercises, and you’ll continue burning fat for fuel over the next 24 hours!

If these interval times are too hard you can adjust them so you’re not running as long for the hard time and resting more… just stay within the 12 min. time frame and adjust for your fitness level… and eventually try to work your way up to 1 min hard X 1 min easy (when you can do this you’ll be in GREAT shape!)

Finally, you want to do this interval workout 2-3 times a week.

Now, here’s something I get asked a lot…

Can supplements help?
The answer is YES! They will help you burn fat. But notice that key word “help”. They’re not a replacement for exercising (especially not intervals)… and eating clean (to promote muscle building, fat loss, and optimal hormone levels)…

That’s it!
So I hope you enjoyed today’s lesson on interval training for fat loss… optimal hormone levels… lean muscle building… and overall health. Get on this program right away and you’ll be burning off chest fat and losing those man boobs in no time flat!

Back pain prevention

2010-03-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

I sure hope your day is off to a great start...

A lot of people tell me that the one thing that stops them from being in a great mood when they wake up is a back ache as soon as they step out of bed. This usually happens b/c of restrictions, decreased blood flow, and too much extension while laying down in bed at night.

You see, your joints fill with fluid when you sleep, thereby trying to heal. When an area is restricted, it becomes very difficult for the blood to get out of the joint space, leaving you with an ache.

All of this is preventable if you know what you're doing. Do yourself a favor and let a personal trainer show you how to strengthen your back and wake up pain free.

make your workout burn more fat

2010-03-09T15:04:00.000-08:00

Here’s how to use insights from new weight-loss research to help you peel off the pounds fast and efficiently.

It’s an old chestnut of the fitness industry, the notion that for every 3,500 calories you burn you’ll lose a pound of fat. As a personal trainer, though, I often see guys slogging through week after week of running, walking, lifting, whatever — workouts designed specifically to reach that 3,500-calorie-per-week mark — only to weigh exactly the same when it’s over. What gives?

The problem with that old weight-loss formula, researchers now say, is that it doesn’t take into account what goes on when you’re not exercising: the calories you would have burned anyway, the calories you’ll add from overeating after overtraining, and the ones you won’t burn the next day because you’re too sore to move. The old weight-loss math assumed that your body was like a block of marble and that by systematically chiseling away at it with exercise you could gradually get rid of the undesirable stuff and end up with Michelangelo abs. But your body’s not a block of marble; it’s in a constant tug-of-war between consuming and burning calories, whether you’re eating, sleeping, reading, or watching TV. So the calculus for getting rid of that pound is far more complex than just subtracting the “calories burned” number from your weekly goal at the end of each workout. “The 3,500-calorie figure is theoretically correct,” says Ralph La Forge, the managing director of Duke University Medical Center’s Lipid and Disease Management Preceptorship Program. That is, if you burn that fat in a closed container under laboratory conditions.

Weigh yourself regularly to measure results.La Forge’s work points to a number of reasons why you can sweat your ass off on a daily basis and yet still end up with the same size ass. And they all go back to a failure to understand the way the body really burns calories. For starters, you may overestimate the number of calories your workout effectively expends. For the average 180-pound guy, walking slowly for an hour uses approximately 200 calories. Trouble is, you can’t just take that 200 and subtract it from your 3,500-calorie goal. You also have to consider the calories you would have gone through during that hour even if you were sitting on the couch. A 180-pound guy burns around 90 calories per hour just by being awake, so during your one-hour walk you will have burned just 110 more calories than if you weren’t exercising at all. That number — what La Forge calls the “net energy cost” — is the important one. It’s how many extra calories you’ve actually used.

You may also be building muscle while you lose fat, particularly if you’ve started a new program or if you’re lifting weights. This is a nice problem to have; the more muscle you add the more readily your body will burn calories. But if you aren’t keeping track of your body-fat percentage, the lack of results on the scale can be a demoralizing kick in the gut at the end of a rigorous week of training.

You might also be sabotaging your weight loss goals by training too hard. Burning 700calories on a hard bike ride is good, but if you’re so dead afterward that you spend the rest of the day on the couch, you have to consider the calories that you won’t use because you’re too tired to walk the dog. Plus, overtraining can lead to an increased appetite. If you’re so hungry after your bike ride that you eat an extra cheeseburger (310 calories), the net calorie burn for your workout drops from 700 to 390.

The bottom line: You’ve got to exercise more than you thought.

week of workout

2010-03-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

This week we focus on agility, balance, and strength drills. there is lots of core cardio and abs to create a hard physique. Please give your feedback.

Monday:
single leg deadlift 3x12
Cable rotation 3x12
One arm med ball throw 3x12
seated balance on swiss ball 3x30 sec
jump squats 3x12
Jump rope 3x60 sec
shadow box 4x3min rounds
situps 3xfailure
35 min flat run

Tuesday:
High knees 1 lap
Butt kickers 1 lap
Single leg deadlift on bosu 3x12
jump squats 3x12
One leg balance raise opposite leg to front then kick it to back 3x12
lateral jumps 3x12
Forward bound to squat hold 3x12
single leg cound to single leg squat hold 3x12
Bosu squat and hold 3x12
Situps 4xfailure
1 hr hill climb

Wednesday:
Jump onto bosu and hold squat 3x12
Bosu ball single leg stand 3x60sec
5 x 1 lap sprints
calf raise 3x12
db row 3x12
jump rope 4x60sec
shawdow box 8x3min
situps 4xfailure
4x 1 lap sprints
4x 2 lap sprintnes
4x 3 lap sprints
4x 4 lap sprints

Thursday
single leg squats 3x12
power stepups 3x12
deadlifts 3x12
walking lunge 3x12
squat 3x12
bench 3x12
jumping lunges 3x12
squat thrusts 3x12
situps 4x failure
35 min flat run

Friday
Bosu tuck jump 3x12
weighted ball crunch 3x12
stability ball pushup 3x12
plyo dips 3x12
plyo pushup 3x12
jump rope 5 x 60 sec
shadow boxing 12 rounds x3 min
situps 4x failure
1 hr hill climb

saturday
4x400meters
4x800 meters
4x1000 meters
4x1500 meters

sunday REST!!

7 steps to instant fat loss

2010-03-08T15:01:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody,

Today, I’m going to speak to you about 7 sure-fire ways to guarantee faster fat loss results than you ever thought possible:

1) Do something different.

Mix it up. Your body wants to get used to movement, thereby save energy and burn less calories. Never let this happen. By mixing things up, you are constantly ’shocking your system’ and skyrocketing your results. Exercise creativity has never been so important as it is with fat loss exercise.

2) Do compound movements.

Compound movements are movements that involve 2 or more joints. For example, you should choose a ‘lunge’ over a ‘leg curl’ and a ’squat’ over a ‘leg extension.’ By involving multiple joints with compound movements, you are igniting the fire in more areas. This fire will burn and burn and burn if you just take the time to set it from all sides.

3) Improve posture.

By improving posture, you are improving oxygen delivery to muscles. Better oxygenation of muscles = better recovery. Better recovery = more tolerance to exercise. Is this making sense yet? You can last longer, recover faster, and burn more calories. Plain and simple, improve posture.

4) Do intense exercise.

If you exercise intensely, you produce lactic acid. Removing lactic acid from your system is a process that lasts for days. Any process uses energy to sustain itself. This use of energy raises your metabolism (total body processes) for a period of days. Burning more energy at all times for a period of days is a good thing when it comes to fat loss. …and, this is without mention of improving exercise tolerance. If you can tolerate more in the gym, you can do more in the gym.

5) Take plenty of rest.

Most people who lift hard do not rest enough. In fact, they probably have no idea that they are getting less out of workout, increasing risk of injury, and possibly overtraining. Unfortunately, overtraining means less results. By resting properly, you are allowing your muscles adequate time to recover for maximal exertion to follow. ‘Maximal exertion’ is key (see #4)!

6) Drink water.

Too many cellular processes depend on water to be ignored. Cellular processes slow down when the cells are dehydrated. Don’t risk sabotaging your hard-earned workout results by dehydrating your body at a time it needs water the most. For every pound you lose while in the gym, be sure to drink 16 ounces of water.

7) Eat the right food following a workout.

Eating a combination of protein and carbohydrates (with little to no fat) is key for muscle recovery and an energy surge. Make sure you nourish your body properly following a workout if you want to get the best results.

If you start following all 7 of these fat loss tips today, I guarantee you’ll see your fat loss efforts become more recognized. It’s not as hard as it once seemed, is it??

sexy abs revealed

2010-03-08T14:04:00.000-08:00

There's a Reason That You Have Excess Stomach Fat

I'll show you in this article below why you've been doing the wrong types of exercises and eating the wrong types of foods. Change just a few of these aspects and you'll start to lose stubborn belly fat and get a flat stomach MUCH faster!

5 Facts You MUST Understand if You Are Ever Going to Lose Your Belly Fat and Get Six Pack Abs

1. Many so-called "health foods" are actually cleverly disguised junk foods that actually stimulate you to gain more belly fat... yet the diet food marketing industry continues to lie to you so they can maximize their profits.

2. Ab exercises like crunches, sit-ups, and ab machines are the LEAST effective method of getting flat six pack abs. Contact a trainer to explore what types of exercises REALLY work.

3. Boring repetitive cardio exercise routines are NOT the best way to lose body fat and uncover those six pack abs. Ask a trainer to show you the exact types of unique workouts that produce 10x better results.

4. You DON'T need to waste your money on expensive "extreme fat burner" pills (that don't work) or other bogus supplements. A special class of natural foods is much more effective.

5. Ab belts, ab-rockers, ab-loungers, and other infomercial ab-gimmicks... they're all a complete waste of your time and money. Despite the misleading infomercials, the perfectly chiseled fitness models in the commercials did NOT get their perfect body by using that "ab contraption"... they got their perfect body through REAL workouts and REAL nutrition strategies. Again, contact a trainer to learn some of their secrets and what really works.

workout

2010-03-02T06:35:00.000-08:00

tuesday thursday and saturday

run 5 laps
each exercise is performed for 30 sec with 30 sec rest
kettlebell clean to overhead press
kettle bell swing
pushups
squat and band chest press
squat and band row
goblet squat
band squat and overhead press
run 5 laps

workout

2010-03-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

Monday Wednesday and Friday

WARNING: This is a tough workout. DO NOT attempt if you are not ready, go to another week that is easier. If you are ready, this workout will kick your ass and get you in great shape

Front squat to overhead press to back squat to overhead press 3x5
Split jump lunge to pushup to kettlebell swing 3x10
Powerclean to mountain climber to pushup 3x10
Med ball chest pass to kettle bell swing 3x10
Burpee to box jump 3x10
Burpee to pull up 3x10
Lunge to DB curl and press 3x10

GOOD LUCK, let me know if you are brave enouth to attempt

how to lose belly fat

2010-02-26T06:06:00.000-08:00

Spare Tire
Love Handles
Muffin Top
Pot Belly

All somewhat comical terms for belly fat. Most people don’t like having that extra flab around their midsections, but we tend to just put up with it. There is much conflicting advice out there, and besides, we’ve failed in the past so there’s no guarantee we’ll succeed anyway.

Take heart, there is a truly effective strategy to lose belly fat, but you may have to loosen up some old preconceptions. Please note that in this article I am specifically talking about fat loss as opposed to overall weight loss (fat, muscle & water).

How To Lose Belly Fat – The Guide
The strategy involves both diet and exercise – nothing new there. However, it entails 2 unique ways of going about it.

The Diet – Become a Fat-Burner
Low-carbohydrate nutrition is the most-effective way of shedding pounds of fat from the body.

Why?

Basically, the body burns energy in the following order:

Carbohydrate (from food and stored glycogen)
Fat (from food and bodyfat)
Protein (from food and muscle tissue)
If you eat what most government guidelines recommend you eat, you are a carb-burner. It then becomes obvious that in order to become a fat-burner, you should remove the current primary energy source i.e. carbohydrate.

When you do this, your body takes a few days to flip a ‘metabolic switch’ and become a fat-burning machine. At that point, the fat you eat gets consumed first, and then you start burning away bodyfat as your primary source of energy. Obviously, you don’t therefore consume copious amounts of fat, and you don’t need to go zero carb to benefit. Anything under 100 grams of carbs a day is considered ‘low-carb’, but ideally under 60 grams would produce great results.

On low-fat diets (which by nature are high-carb diets), when your ‘food calories’ are gone, the body will burn a mixture of both fat and muscle tissue (protein). As muscle is ‘metabolically active’ — it burns calories all day long just by being there — losing it is a disaster for the dieter. Their metabolism will continually slow down over time.

This is one of the main reasons why low-fat diets very often produce temporary results: you lose weight for a while, but then it stops working (as your metabolism has crashed) and you pile it back on – and then some!

The Exercise
Loads and loads of cardio, right? Wrong.

Overdoing cardiovascular exercise will also put your body in a state where it breaks down lean muscle tissue (catabolism). So the question is, how do we complement our fat-burning nutritional strategy with fat-burning exercise.

It’s called ‘Interval Training’, or more specifically ‘High Intensity Interval Training’. The idea is to perform some sort of cardio in ‘fits and starts’ i.e. a period of lower intensity followed by a period of higher intensity.

Why?

Research shows that this type of work burns more fat than steady-state cardio, typically by about 50%. In fact, one study showed a 9 fold increase in fat loss for HIIT compared to low-medium intensity cardio.

Also, with respect to belly fat in particular, research has shown (though the reason is not clear at this time) that HIIT can produce more fat loss in this area than other parts of the body. An Australian study found that the HIIT group lost 3 times more fat and significantly more belly fat than the steady-state cardio group who actually exercised for twice as long!

The even better news is that HIIT need only be performed for 10-20 minutes at a time.

Hopefully you can see that these unique approaches to diet and nutrition will work synergistically to produce truly effective fat-loss:

Get your body to burn fat for energy.
Then add exercise that will utilize the most fat possible.
There’s obviously more to talk about on this topic, but a single post doesn’t permit me to get into it all. I hope you enjoyed it and if nothing else, you feel inspired to find any weight-loss program that you feel you can work with to bring permanent results.

eating through the decades

2010-02-22T18:47:00.000-08:00

Eating the right diet is not just about losing weight. It's about gaining health and lowering your risks of for heart disease, stroke and cancer -- risks that increase as you age.

Maintaining a healthy weight is a byproduct of following these dietary changes.

Here are a few guidelines to help you get started. The earlier you start, the better off you'll be. But it's never too late to make positive changes in your diet.

Your 20s: Never Too Early To Start

If you're in the third decade of your life, you can probably eat a bag of potato chips and burn off the calories just by channel surfing for an hour. But just because you can doesn't mean you should.

This is the decade to build good habits. If you need incentive, think of an old guy on the beach wearing a Speedo with his gut hanging out. He once had a speedy metabolism, too.

The changes you make don't have to be drastic. Don't deny yourself all pizza. Simply replace the double cheese, triple meat with a veggie slice every once in a while.

Make friends with fiber, fruit and fish. The good carbohydrates in fiber and fruit will keep your blood sugar steady and may protect you against stroke and many cancers later in life. And cardiologists say the omega-3 fatty acids in fish may protect you against heart disease.

Include calcium-rich foods -- such as dairy products, salmon and leafy green vegetables -- in your diet.

Women who plan to become pregnant should boost their intake of folic acid. Studies indicate that folic acid may help reduce the risk of some birth defects. Sources include fortified breads, cereals, rice, pasta and other grain foods. Folic acid is more easily absorbed by the body than folate and is the form of the B vitamin that studies have linked to decreased risk of birth defects.

Your 30s And 40s

As you enter the middle decades of life, your metabolic rate begins its plunge. You begin to lose lean muscle mass, and it become harder to lose weight. That's because muscle uses more energy in the body than fat; as you lose muscle, you burn fewer calories.

You may also start to develop fat around your abdomen. Studies have linked this to high blood sugar, elevated triglycerides and lower levels of HDL, so-called good cholesterol. All of those increase your chances of having a heart attack.

In a June 2006 study, the American Heart Association found that new cases of type 2 diabetes have doubled over the last three decades among middle-aged Americans. "Changes in obesity rates and lifestyle changes probably influence the increase in diabetes," said Dr. Caroline S. Fox, lead author of the study. "Obesity and weight gain are leading risk factors for diabetes. Type 2 diabetes and obesity are significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke," she said.

To help reduce your risk, eat small balanced meals throughout the day and snack on fruits and nuts to control hunger and maintain steady blood glucose levels.

These years also may be the time to say so long to sugar, salt and refined flours. While it may be difficult to eliminate them entirely, aim toward becoming a watchful consumer. Read labels and watch for sugar disguised as fructose or corn syrup.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture food pyramid suggests that added sugar should make up no more than 10 percent of your daily calorie consumption. If you eat 2,200 calories a day, you should limit added sugars to 12 teaspoons. That might sound like a lot, but that number is for total sugar, not just raw sugar you add to your coffee or cereal.

A regular 20-ounce soda contains about 15 teaspoons of sugar.

Sugar, salt and foods made with refined flour not only contribute to weight gain, they can also raise your cholesterol levels. As for salt, it can raise your blood pressure. The American Heart Association advises you to keep your daily sodium intake under 2,300 milligrams, which is equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt.

You may have heard alcohol may protect your heart. But don't take that as a license to binge. In fact, too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Moderate drinking is defined as having no more than one drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for men. That's single-day consumption, not an average over several days. In other words, if you don't drink during the week, don't assume you can have six drinks on Saturday night.

To keep fat at bay, eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. . Reduce the fat you eat to protect against heart disease, stroke and cancer by choosing chicken or fish over red meat.

At this time in life, both women and men should increase calcium intake to prevent osteoporosis. Women may also consider adding soy to their diet, which may help decrease menopausal symptoms.

The 50s And 60s

As you age, your risk for heart disease and cancer increases. Your metabolism and ability to burn fat also continue to decrease. So, a low-fat diet rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains becomes even more important. Add lean protein to maintain a healthy immune system and prevent muscle loss.

Your risk for high blood pressure also goes up during your 50s. In women, as estrogen levels drop, the risk of heart disease increases. Since even mild hypertension increases the risk of heart disease, physicians recommend that you get regular exercise, limit alcohol intake to fewer than two drinks a day, don't smoke and keep your weight under control.

Make sure you're eating enough fiber to avoid constipation.

The Golden Years

Maintaining a healthy diet in your golden years helps counter the changes your body goes through as you grow older.

Continue to consume calcium to ward off osteoporosis, which can make you susceptible to broken bones. In addition to milk and dairy products, leafy vegetables and broccoli are also high in calcium.

Low water levels in the body can lead to fatigue, so drink enough water to keep you hydrated.

While limiting fat is still important, it can be an important source of energy. Choose low-fat dairy products and lean meats to help maintain your health without the calories of their full fat counterparts.

In addition, talk to your doctor about taking a multivitamin or mineral supplement to make sure you're getting all the necessary nutrients.

No matter what your age, healthy eating is conscious eating. Think about what the food you eat will do to your body before you put it in your mouth. Before making any drastic changes to your diet or consuming any vitamin or supplement, get the green light from your doctor.

Small steps taken over a lifetime lead to permanent changes

week of results

2010-02-19T17:43:00.000-08:00

in an effort to not miss any days of workouts, here is a full weeks worth of workouts

Monday
arm circle 1x20 forward 1x20 backward
arm swing 1x20
side bends 1x20
Power pushup 2x5-8
Bench press 3x4-6
DB incline 3x8-10
Crossover 3x12-15
Bench press 2x50
DB power row 2x5-8
DB bentover row 3x4-6
Lat pull 3x8-10
Straight arm pulldown 3x12-15
DB bentover row 2x50

Tuesday
lunge 1x20
butt kickers 1x20
Lying scorpion 1x20
jump squat 2x5-8
Squat 3x4-6
leg ext 3x12-15
leg curl 3x12-15
Squat 2x50
calf jump 2x5-8
Cybex calf 2x4-6
Seated calf 2x15-20
cybex calf 2x50
Crunch 2x10-15
weighted crunch 2 8-10
leg raise 2xf
cable crunch 2x50

Wednesday
arm circle 1x20 forward and back ward
1x20 arm swing
sidebends 1x20
push press 2x5-8
overhead press 3x4-6
lateral raise 3x8-10
bentover lateral raise 3x12-15
overhead press 2x50
Power shrug 2x5-8
Shrug 2x4-6
DB shrug 2x8-10
Shrug 2x50

Thursday
arm circle 1x20 forward and backward
arm swing 1x20
side bend 1x20
power diamond pushup 2x5-8
close grip bench 2x4-6
overhead tri ext 2x8-10
pressdown 2x12-15
close grip bench 2x50
BB curl 2x5-8; 2x4-6
db incline curl 2x8-10
preacher curl 2x15-20
bb curl 2x50
med ball crunch and throw 2x10-15
weighted decline crunch 2x8-10
cable oblique crunch 2x12-15
crunch 2x50

Get Your Blood Pumping With Cardio Training

To get the best results you must have the stamina to work, run and play harder than you ever have before. The only way to develop that stamina is to GET MOVING! A good cardiovascular workout means using your large muscle groups, mostly your legs and heart, to the point where you are breathing harder and sweating. Maximum heart rates for optimal cardio training can be calculated mathematically or you can push yourself to the point where you can carry on a light conversation but you cannot sing.

There are many cardiovascular activities to choose from. Your best choices are running, jogging, hiking, stair climbing, bicycling, swimming, and rowing are all good cardiovascular exercises. Take an aerobics class. The important point is to do it consistently and at the proper intensity. You should be sure to have an aerobic work out 3-5 times a week for 20-60 minutes, not including warm-up, stretching or cool down time.

wednesday

2010-02-16T18:01:00.000-08:00

everything 3x6-8
Step up
Crossover step up
Step up to single leg deadlift
Single leg swiss ball leg curl
Back ext
Bench press
Squat
Deadlift
Hammer chest press
Nautilus chest press

tuesday's workout

2010-02-15T18:44:00.000-08:00

60 minute cardio

monday's workout

2010-02-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

run 1 hour
DB Bench press 3x6
latpull 3x6
Db military 3x6
Db curl 3x6
Pressdown 3x6
Explozive step up 3x6
Box jump 3x6
Twisting box jump 3x6

Saturday workout

2010-02-12T14:24:00.000-08:00

warm up 1x50 bodyweight squats
lunges 3x12-15
Squats 5x10-12

Fridays workout

2010-02-11T05:44:00.000-08:00

Hammer Chest Press 5x15
Decline situp 5x15
Ab Roller/wheel 5x10
Decline situp with medball rotation 3x20
Pogo Jumps 3x30
Cybex Calf raise 3x20

EXERCISES FOR SUPER FAST FAT BURNING AND MUSCLE BUILDING !!!!

2010-02-11T05:40:00.000-08:00

What if I told you that you could burn more fat by doing less cardio? Well, with High Intensity Interval Training (also known as HIIT) you can do just that, burn more fat while spending less time in the gym. In this article I will explain how to get the best results from this new and cutting-edge type of cardiovascular training.

You have probably been told, just like the rest of us, that in order to burn the greatest amount of fat you need to do cardio for 20 to 60 minutes at a moderate intensity. This will indeed melt the fat away, but HIIT is a more efficient and athlete-friendly way to train and burn fat at the same time.

How HIIT Works

With HIIT, you will be working harder than you normally work but for about a quarter to a half of the time that you would normally spend on the cardio machine of your choice. HIIT is so intense and effective that you only need 15 to 20 minutes, tops!

Here’s What You Do:

Pick the cardio machine of your choice (treadmill, elliptical, rower, bike, swimming) and perform a 5 minute warm-up.

Then take time to stretch properly and you are ready to begin.

Start at a moderate pace for 1 minute, then crank up the pace to 90 or 95% of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR).

Continue at this effort for 15 to 20 seconds, then slow down to your starting pace for another minute followed by another all-out sprint for 15 to 20 seconds.

Or do like me and jump as high as you can, as fast as you can for 30 sec and rest for 30 sec

Do this for no more than 15 minutes.

After that finish your workout by cooling down for 5 minutes and thoroughly stretch afterwards.

If you perform this right I guarantee that you will be totally exhausted after 20 minutes of this.

Benefits Of HIIT

A study at Laval University in Quebec, Canada found that HIIT cardio helped trainees loose nine (yes, 9!) times more fat than those who trained the traditional way (moderate speed for 20-60 minutes). Combine HIIT with your weight program and you boost your metabolism through the roof!

The Reason HIIT Is So Successful Is This:

When you work at a high intensity, you burn more total calories per pound of body weight.
High Intensity workouts such as weight training and HIIT boost growth hormone levels.
Elevates the body’s metabolism throughout the entire day!
What does this mean for you? The more calories that you burn in a day, the more weight you are able to lose. Even if weight loss is not your goal, HIIT is for you. Athletes will see better gains from doing HIIT cardio as opposed to traditional cardio.

Unless you are training for a marathon, you do not keep a constant pace during your sport. All sports whether it be soccer or football, even baseball or basketball have a point where you need to change gears and hit a full sprint.

HIIT will not only help your cardiovascular system, but will train the anaerobic ATP/CP system as well. Not only will you increase your cardiovascular endurance, but improve your raw speed and explosiveness as well!

What Is ATP?
Otherwise known as Adenosine TriPhosphate, ATP is critical to the release of energy. ATP is an adenosine-derived nucleotide that supplies large amounts of energy to cells for various biochemical processes, including muscle contraction and sugar metabolism, through its hydrolysis to ADP.

Conclusion

I will let the study speak for itself. HIIT provides a more effective workout in much less time! Everyone can benefit from HIIT cardio, whether it be the person who is trying to lose weight or the professional football player training for the upcoming NFL season! Give HIIT a try and I am sure that you will not go back to the traditional way of performing cardio again!

how many calories do you need to loose weight?

2010-02-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

href="http://walking.about.com/cs/calories/l/blcalcalc.htm"> Use this link to find out how many calories you need per day. For more accurate measurement contact any personal trainer to find your true metabolic rete

thursday workout

2010-02-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

Overhead press 5x10-12
Shrug 3x20
Bentoverlateral raise 1x8
Lateral raise 1x8
Front raise 1x8
upright row to overhead press 5x10-12
Lying tricep ext 5x10-12
Overhead tri ext 5x10
Pressdown 100 reps

wednesday's workout

2010-02-09T13:59:00.001-08:00

Bentover row 50 reps
DB row 1x30
Latpull 5x10-12
Seated row 5x10-12
Seated leg curl 3x20
Deadlift 5x10-12
leg curl 5x10-12

tuesday's workout

2010-02-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

cable crunch 4x25
side bencds 3x15
side plank crunch 3x10
pogo jump 3x30
seated calf raise 3x20

Bench press 3x10,8,6 superset with
Chinup 3x10,8,6

DB overhead press 3x12,10,8 superset with
Bentover row 3x12,10,8

monday's workout

2010-02-08T07:33:00.000-08:00

We are going to work on volume training this week.

Training with more volume will result in more frequent and deeper micortrauma or muscle fiber tearing. Microtraumas stimulate growth once rest, recovery, sleep and nutrition repairs the muscle. If you add volume in a way that keeps your recovery on point, it can produce added muscle and strength gains as well.

Training intelligently means planning your workouts so you can train as hard and as long as you can without overtraining. Some people respond very well to simply adding a few reps to each set or an extra exercise at the end of a session. Others may need to go as far as doubling thier work. Just make sure not to over do it.

Even when you add volume, you still need to begin your workouts with compound lifts such as the bench squat and deadlift. Pay attention to how increasing your volume affects these lifts, and plan your training accordingly.

How do you recognize if the extra volume is affecting your training?

Track your progress in writing. Keeping tabs on your volume and adjusting it based on your goals and results is important when looking for cause and effect relationships in your program.

A great way to increase volume is to ramp it up one week at a time and monitor your progress. This high volume workout this week features a few new training tools: the "total rep" concept of performing as many sets as it takes to do a fixed number of reps with a specific weight, some high rep finishers exercises for arms, chest and quads, a handfull of uncommon moves and two movement based exercises that'll help stimulate significant gains in lower body muscle.

For your bench press, bentover rows and squat sets you'll work up to a certain weight, then use that weight for your work sets, This is your bench mark weight

Doing high volume work on your compound lifts can kill you, so don't do this workout for more than 3-4 weeks.

Monday's workout
Bench 50 reps
DB bench 5x10-12
Hammer decline press 5x10-12
dips 50 reps
Ez bar curl 5x10-12
Hammer curl 5x10-12
Reverse curl 5x10-12
Band curl 100reps

16 ways to burn stobborn fat

2010-02-08T07:18:00.000-08:00

Eat less ... lose weight?!? Here's the other stuff you can do to get leaner.

1) Don't diet to extremes. Reducing calories by 15-20% a day will almost exclusively burn fat while larger cuts in calories will burn a combo of muscle tissue and fat. Muscle drives the metabolism - calorie burning. If you're currently eating 3000 calories, reduce to 2400-2550, but do so according to smart guidelines.

2) Graze all day. Professional athletes and models eat all day long yet keep their total calories under control. The grazing method, 5-6 small meals, elevates the metabolism. Each time you eat, the metabolism increases, and over a 6-10 week period, that increase can parlay into another 2-3 pounds of extra fat loss.

3) Increase Protein. Carbs, protein and fat - are equal in their efficiency to be stored as body fat, but protein exerts a greater metabolic boosting effect than carbs or dietary fat. When calories drop, protein saves muscle which helps keep the metabolism elevated. Aim for 1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight daily.

4) Play with Carbs. Carbs help retain metabolic boosting muscle yet they can stimulate fat storage. Following a modified low carb diet - staggering your carbohydrate intake is one of the most effective ways to jump start your metabolism and to burn stubborn fat fast.

5) Go Backward. One reason fat loss comes to a halt; the body downgrades its metabolism to meet its dwindling intake of calories. The solution: dramatically increase your calorie intake once every 2-3 weeks. The one day splurge "re-sets" the metabolism by restoring thyroid levels, the calorie burning hormone that declines with dieting.

6) Skip the Late Night Carbs. Carbs eaten before bedtime are more likely to be stored as body fat so focus on lean proteins and fiber based vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and salad fixings. The lone exception: if you train late at night and your goal is to build muscle mass, you'll need the carbs to replenish glycogen and support growth.

7) Go Fish. When calories are controlled, the inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, trout and sardines may promote speedier fat loss. One study revealed dieters who ate fish on a daily basis lost more weight than those who ate fish just once a week (Am Journ Clin Nutr 70:817-825, 1999)

8) Go Spicy. Red peppers, the spicy ingredient in Mexican and Indian dishes contains Capsaicin which can increase the metabolic rate by effecting the Sympathetic Branch of the Nervous system. Spiking your chicken dishes with red might be a small benefit or you can gulp 5 to 10 encapsulated grams of Capsaicin from your local health food store. (Journal of Nutrition 116:1272-1278, 1986.)

9) Don't Be Cardio Crazy! Radically reducing calories slows the metabolism short circuiting fat loss. Same is true with radical caloric expenditure. You know: 2 cardio sessions a day. Excess cardio slows the metabolism, promotes a loss in muscle and even can lower testosterone levels. For real results, stick to 4-6 sessions a week, 30 - 45 minutes at a clip and maintain a high level of intensity.

10) Separate Cardio From Weight Training. What happens when you do cardio first and follow it up with weight training? You don't build as much muscle density. How about cardio after training? You risk overtraining and the negative hormonal milieu that can stifle the metabolic rate. The best scenario; hit the cardio in the morning - on an empty stomach - get in a few meals and return to the gym later in the day to build muscle density.

11) Serotonin Control. Serotonin is a brain chemical that helps controls hunger. Guess what? It can take a nose dive with dieting. ( R.J. Wurtman and J.J. Wurtman, "Brain serotonin, carbohydrate-craving, obesity, and depression." Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 398 (1996): 35-41.) One way to prevent a drop; smaller, more frequent meals.

12) Garlic Chicken! Mother Earth's flavor enhancer stimulates adrenaline and uncoupling proteins (UCP). Adrenaline triggers fat breakdown and UCP, located in metabolically active "brown fat", increase calorie burning. Garlic also controls cortisol levels which can supports muscle retention while dieting. For best results use fresh raw garlic in your salads or on your other meals, but if you can't handle raw garlic then use fresh bulbs in you cooking or give supplements a try. (Oi Y, et al., Allyl-containing sulfides in garlic increase uncoupling protein content in brown adipose tissue, and noradenaline and adrenaline secretion in rats. J Nutr 129:336-342,1999.) (Wang HX, Et al., Natural products with hypoglycemic, hypotensive, hypocholesterolemic, antiatherosclerotic and antithrombotic activities. Life Sci 65:2663-2677,1999.)

13) Sip Green Tea. Green tea contains caffeine and polyphenols called epilgallocatechin gallate which have been shown to increase calorie burning. These special calorie burning compounds help burn an extra 100 or-so calories a day, about equal to a brisk walk. In maximizing fat loss, every calorie counts. (Dullo, A.G., et al., Efficiency of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr, 1999. 70(6):p.1040-5.)

14) Fat? Yes Fat! To rip up, you have to eat fewer carbs, but on occasion - say once a week - you can add a little healthy fat, 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, some red meat, walnuts or cashews. The reason? Dietary fat can make the body more effective in using and burning fat - as long as calories and carbs remain under control. (Thomas CD et al. Nutrient Balance and Energy Expenditure During the Ad Libitum Feeding of High Fat and High Carbohydrate Diets in Humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1992;55:934)

15) Thyroid Support. Irony of Ironies. When you eat less and try to dump body fat, a lot of times the metabolism adapts and burns quite a bit fewer calories. One way to get around the slowdown is with phosphates. A combo of 537 mgs of calcium phosphate, 107 mgs of potassium phosphate and 25 mgs of sodium phosphate given to strict dieters yielded a 12-19% more elevated metabolism than dieters who did not use phosphates.

16) Write It Down. This one seems simple, but it's one of the most overlooked tips in shedding fat. Dieters who record what they eat, meal by meal, day by day, not only make better choices, but cheat less and eat fewer total calories. Writing it down "keeps you honest" and is a tool for reminding you that getting lean is a day by day process.

Friday's workout

2010-02-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

Balance on one leg take your right hand and touch your left foot repeat 10 times do 3 sets
Jump Squat 3x3
Pushups 3x15
Pullups 3x9
Front squat 2x5

mini circuit A
Dips 3x10
Side lunge 3x10
seated row 3x10

mini circuit B
Jump squats 3x10
bicycle crunch 3x10
latpull 3x10

Cable Crunch 4x12,10,8,8

To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

2010-02-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice!

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso. This would be funny

5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write ' For Marijuana.

6. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get.

7. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

8. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go'

9. Sing Along At The Opera..

10. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.

11. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream 'I Won! I Won!'

12. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'

13. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'

And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity

14. PICK UP A BOX OF CONDOMS AT THE PHARMACY, GO TO THE COUNTER AND ASK WHERE THE FITTING ROOM IS.

workout 3

2010-01-28T13:11:00.000-08:00

Wide Deadlift 2x3

mini circuit
dips 3x15
stepups 3x15
Dumbbell Row 3x15

mini circuit 2
Jump squats 3x15
Russian Twists 3x15
Inverted row 3x15

Side bends 3x15,12,6

reminder

2010-01-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

Eating right starts in the cart! Don't bring temtations into your home or office!!

thursday

2010-01-27T15:04:00.001-08:00

warm up 10 min

run 1 mile as hard as you can

cool down 10 min

the is now impossible only a limited thought of what is possible

2010-01-27T15:01:00.000-08:00

"Who Else Wants a Top Personal Trainer to Show Them How to Get More Energy, Be More Productive, Feel Great... AND... Lose Weight!"

Our system of exercise, nutrition, paradigm shifting and stress relief has worked for our many clients...we're sure it can work for you too! In fact, we guarantee it!

We've just finished working with another personal training client who had some fantastic results using our unique exercise, nutrition and stress relief program. We asked for her permission to share her story with you and she agreed just as long as we changed her name!

"Sara" came to us at a point in her life where her self-esteem was getting pretty low. She felt a personal trainer was her best bet.

She was a smoker, she wanted to lose 10 pounds, she was tired of looking at her "ugly" legs, she had literally no energy and most of all she wanted to feel good about herself.

We worked with her over a three-month period-addressing her specific needs and abilities--and you wouldn't believe the progress she has made.

Now, she looks great, she feels great, she has stopped smoking, has tons of energy, finally has some definition in her legs, and best of all, she managed to bring her confidence to a level that soars above where she was only 3 months ago.

She tells me that everyone she runs into tells her the she looks great! She still calls me from time to time to tell me that she's finally able to do a new exercise that she wasn't able to do when she started working with us--one that she imagined she would NEVER do!

We'd like to take the time now to share with you what Sara wrote to us because we're honored to have given her the tools to change her life.

"Brandon and the PLF trainers, You guys have not only helped me set fitness goals that I thought at one time to be impossible, but your kind motivation has moved me to start changing my negative thinking into a positive attitude! I now have clearly defined goals that I strive to achieve everyday. Your willingness to share your knowledge and experience have made it a comfortable and easy transition into a new and healthy lifestyle." - "Sara"

We've worked with many people like Sara, who needed a boost and wanted to finally take control of their health. You'll read about some of them on our wall of fame.

Maybe you're feeling like Sara was right now and want to find the right person to bring you out of that rut.
If you are, we'd like to have to opportunity to meet you and see how we can work together. We think we can help.

Successful personal training is more than just exercise. Personal training is about identifying your goals and having someone hold you accountable, so you will succeed.

So please, take some time to look over our information, then give us a call or comment at the bottom of this page and we'll talk about how we can help you reach the level of health and fitness you deserve.

wednesday workout

2010-01-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

Incline press 2x5
Pullups as many as needed to get 50
cable pull through 3x15,12,6
Dumbbell Bench 3x15,12,6
Dumbbell Curls 2x10
Overhead tricep extension 2x10
Front raise 3x30
Bicycle crunch 4x20-25
Plank 3 x 30+ sec
perform the following exercises in succession:
Burpees
pushups
jumping jacks
body weight squats
spend 20 seconds on each exercise do as many as possible
repeat 1 more time

tuesday workout

2010-01-25T08:37:00.000-08:00

run 2 miles

Small changes make a big difference

2010-01-25T08:27:00.000-08:00

How many times have you told yourself that you need to lose weight? I'm not talking about a couple pounds either – I'm talking about 20 or more pounds of extra fat that you'd like to see disappear. I've come to notice a trend.

Most people psyche themselves out before they ever start losing the weight. It's as if the enormity of their goal simply puts them into shut down mode, and they give up on the idea entirely. Has this ever happened to you? You try out a diet or exercise plan for a week or so, and then you get frustrated when your body looks the same as before.

So you give up. Weight loss isn't a speedy thing. It takes time to gain weight – many people put on weight for years and then expect to lose it in a few weeks or months. It doesn't work that way. So instead of pressuring yourself into losing 50 pounds in two months, how about sticking with a realistic, proven way for long term weight loss: Small changes to your lifestyle over time will make the difference.

In practical terms, make it your goal to drop one pound a week. Now, this may not seem like that much, but if you did this consistently for one year it would result in 50 lbs lost. All it takes are small changes in your daily lifestyle.

Let's break the process down... How to shed a pound a week: Burn 3500 extra calories. It really is that simple.

Try the following three steps:

Record your normal weekly exercise – look at everything from walking to participating in sports to exercising in the gym. This is your starting point. You need to burn an additional 3500 calories on top of your normal weekly exercise. If you don't currently exercise, then this step is really easy for you, a simple blank page will do.

Record your normal weekly food intake – this may be hard to do honestly, but remember that you are only cheating yourself by not recording everything. Calculate the total number of calories that you eat in an average day. In your quest for dropping inches you shouldn't exceed your normal daily caloric intake – you should, rather, work at slowly decreasing that number.

Remember, we are going for a 3500 calorie deficit each week – this can be done by a combination of increased calorie exertion (exercise) as well as a decrease in calories consumed (eating less).

Chart the difference - now that you know your starting point for both calorie exertion and calorie intake it is time to turn the tables in your favor. Take every opportunity to exert more calories by increasing your physical activity, and to decrease your calorie consumption by eating fewer calories and by making healthier selections. Record your progress in a notebook and refer back to it often. You will be surprised how encouraging it is to see your progress written down on paper.

Remember, if you burn up 500 calories a day you will drop a pound in a week. Here are some practical ways to lose calories:
If you normally...
Drink regular soda pop
Eat a snack from a vending machine
Hit the snooze button in the AM
Skip your workout

Do this instead...
Drink water or diet soda pop (160 calories lost)
Enjoy an apple (180 calories lost)
Jog for 30 minutes before work (150 calories lost)
See me for an invigorating workout (changes your life!)

Weight loss doesn't have to be allusive. Make small changes each and every day toward a healthier, fitter you. Remember that small changes make a big difference. I'm always available to help – call or comment to this email to set up your free consultation.

monday

2010-01-22T13:16:00.000-08:00

Squat 2x5

Deadlifts 3x15,12,6 superset with
Shoulder press 3x15,12,6

Shrugs 3x15,12,6 superset with
Dumbell lunge 3x15,12,6

Weigthed situps as many sets as needed to get 75 reps

8-10 1 lap sprints rest 30 seconds between sprints

weekend

2010-01-22T13:15:00.001-08:00

4 miles on saturday

rest on sunday

friday workout

2010-01-21T15:27:00.000-08:00

everything 3 sets of 15 reps
Chinups
Overhead press
Ez bar curl
Dips
DB curl
Lying tri ext

Good luck

thursday's workout

2010-01-20T13:45:00.001-08:00

easyt warm up 15 minutes but should be sweating

Run 1 mile as fast as you can

Cool down 10 minutes

wednesday workout

2010-01-19T09:49:00.001-08:00

This is a repeat of monday's workout but now you will do 4 sets of 10 reps for each exercise, decrease the weight so you can get all 10 reps

tuesday workouts

2010-01-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

run 3 miles

moday workout

2010-01-18T13:32:00.000-08:00

Chin up 5x5
Overhead press 5x5
Ez bar curl 5x5
Dips 5x5
DB curl 5x5
Lying tri ext 5x5

we are working on upper body strength today

saturday and sunday

2010-01-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

for those that started late and missed either monday wednesday or friday strength training complete the following workout on saturday or sunday

everything 3 sets of 10 reps
ez bar curl
Overhead tricep extension
upright row
bentover row
overhead press
squats
lunges
trunk twists
front raise
shrug

For those that got everything in this week; rest either saturday or sunday and complete 1 hr of cardio on the other day.

5 most outrageous Fat loss myths

2010-01-15T07:19:00.000-08:00

These days you can't go anywhere without hearing about a new weight loss breakthrough. A pill, a cream, or a new fad diet - you name it and it's going to solve all of your weight loss problems in 30 days or less. Or not. The truth is that most of the things you hear about weight loss are hype. Plain and simple.

Here are the top 5 myths about weight loss:

Myth #1: You can spot reduce fat from specific areas of your body
This myth is as old as the hills, yet it persists. It must be that the thought of melting fat from any desired part of the body is so appealing, however untrue it may be. In reality your body will lose weight wherever it wants to. It's safe to assume that you'll lose fat 'last place on, first place off'. So if you put on weight first in your thighs and then on your waist, then expect it to come off your waist first and then your thighs.

Myth #2: You have to count calories for weight loss
There are so many fad diets out there that paint the picture that weight loss is a complicated process. You have to eat certain foods at certain times and avoid other foods at all costs. Of course all of these popular diets conflict over which foods you should or shouldn't eat. The truth is that you don't have to make weight loss such a science. Simply eat healthy fresh foods that haven't been processed, and eat smaller amounts than you're eating today. No brain science there, just results.

Myth #3: You will bulk up with resistance training
I can't tell you how many times I've heard women tell me that they won't do resistance training because they don't want to bulk up. Each time I have to hide my smile. You see, the process of bulking your muscles takes a lot of hard work. You have to consume high amounts of protein and you have to consistently tax your muscles to fatigue. And you have to have the male hormone testosterone coursing through your body. In short, there is no way to accidentally bulk up.

Myth #4: You can get a six pack from crunches
Just focusing on crunches will not make your midsection chiseled. Hey, ab crunches are great, and you should do them, but don't rely on them to get into great shape. A trim midsection will only come as a result of proper nutrition, effective cardio and consistent resistance training.

Myth #5: Cardio is the most important exercise for fat loss
Most people think of cardiovascular activities when they think of working out. Going for a run, riding a stationary bike, or taking an aerobics class. Well, times have changed and so should your workout. The benefits of resistance training now trump straight cardiovascular training. Resistance training strengthens your heart while toning muscles and increasing bone density. Cardio workouts are not completely a thing of the past, they should fit into your overall plan for health and wellness. The benefits of resistance training, especially in fat loss, are astounding.

Do you have other weight loss beliefs that simply aren't delivering results? Call or email me today and I'll help you bust the myths, discover the truth, and create a fitness and fat loss program that will give you the body that you deserve.

Too Little of a Good Thing

2010-01-15T07:18:00.002-08:00

Do you know the absolute BEST way to GAIN weight? Not eating. Does that come as a surprise? Fasting for extended periods of time actually slows your metabolism (your body's rate of calorie burning). Add to that the fact that you will lose muscle and energy by not supplying your body with proper nutrients. Instead eat small healthy meals every 3 hours.

Another way to gain weight is to not sleep. Yes sleep is that important. By not sleeping we elevate cortisol levels which lead to abdominal fat gain. This is a stress response and cortisol production increases in relation to any stress, good or bad. Also, by not sleeping we cannot recover from our workouts, which will also increase cortisol production. So cortisol is bad and there are ways we can control it which include; eating every 3 hours, sleeping at least 7 hours each night, and exercising regularly with adequate recovery time. Yes things you already know but are truely important.

Rosemary Lamb Chops

2010-01-15T07:18:00.001-08:00

This recipe pulls tantalizing flavor from rosemary, garlic and pepper. Broiling is a healthy cooking method since it doesn't require that you add fat. Remember to trim any visible fat from the meat before cooking. Servings: 4Here's what you need...
· 8 (4oz) loin lamb chops, trimmed of fat
· 1/2 cup dry red wine
· 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
· 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
· 4 garlic cloves, minced
· Freshly ground black pepper
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat broiler. Generously pierce lamb chops with fork. Place in shallow dish; add wine. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to marinate.
In a small bowl combine Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and garlic; mix well. Set aside.
Remove lamb from marinade; discard marinade. Place lamb on broiler pan. Spoon half of sauce mixture evenly over chops; sprinkle generously with pepper. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned.
Turn chops. Spoon remaining sauce over lamb; sprinkle with pepper. Cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or to desired doneness. Sprinkle lamb with salt.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 190 calories, 9g fat, 1g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, and 26g protein. Motivate your friends, family and co-workers! Use the "refer a friend" link below to forward this newsletter and subscribe your friends.

Friday's workout

2010-01-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

Repeat the same circuit you did monday and wednesday but increase the weight on each exercise you were able to get 15 reps on. complete it as a circuit and only rest after you have done all 6 exercises then repeat 2 more times.

Fitness Challenge between friday and sunday take 2 group fitness classes.

Is your goal SMART

2010-01-14T16:56:00.000-08:00

The much anticipated 2010 winter Olympic games are about to start. I find it inspiring to watch athletes perform at the top of their game, don't you? It's amazing to see what the human body is capable of when it's trained for a particular event. Every athlete in the Olympics has trained for thousands of hours in a very specific way for their sport. These athletes know precisely what they want their bodies to do and they train in a focused manner to be the best.

You can bet that they see a gold medal every time they close their eyes. Now that's focus. What about you? What do you train for? You see, whether you realize it or not, you too are training for a specific reason. Maybe your goals are more in line with losing 15 pounds rather than winning a gold medal, but your training needs to be just as specific in order to achieve your desired results. Do you know why you exercise? Is it to lose weight? Is it to lower your blood pressure? Is it to shrink your waist? Is it to pick up a bag of groceries with more ease? The first step toward getting the body of your dreams is to set a goal. This simple act, when done correctly, will instantly calm your frustrations and fill you with hope.

Here's how to make your goals SMART.

Specific: Ask yourself questions like: How many inches do I want to lose? What pant size do I want to be? Be painstakingly specific with yourself. It has been proven that the more specific your goal is the more likely you are to achieve it.

Measurable: You've got to be able to measure your results. It could be in pounds or body fat percentage or inches. It could even be fitting into a particular pair of pants that you haven't worn in years. The key is that you need to be able to physically measure your progress.

Attainable: If you have fifty pounds to lose it won't all come off in one month. Setting unattainable goals simply sets you up for failure. If you have a major fat loss goal then break it down into small attainable goals. As you achieve each smaller goal you will reinforce your progress and ultimately can attain any desired goal.

Realistic: This step is all about knowing yourself. What type of program would you realistically stick with? If you despise running then don't base your weight loss program on 6am jogs. Look honestly at your abilities, but don't underestimate yourself either. You'll need to push yourself to achieve your goal.

Timely: Every great goal is set on a timeline. Keeping the above steps in mind, give yourself an exact date and time that your goal needs to be accomplished by.

Now it's time to get to work. Write down your SMART goal and place it somewhere that you see often then tell three people of importance in your life about your goal. Have the focus and the drive to pursue your SMART goal, just like the Olympians, and go make yourself proud! I love nothing more than seeing my clients achieve their goals. Call me at 816-309-1659 or post a comment on this blog to get started on a fitness program that is specific to your goal.

sugar and fat loss

2010-01-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

I actually talked about this a little in our first meeting, but I have been asked several times for more detail so I thought I would talk about it some more. Enjoy!!

Today now more than ever sugar is everywhere! Glucose, Fructose, and Sucrose are in everything we eat, so how bad is it really? Sugar is chemically addictive and is responsible for your potential to store fat. If your body composition levels are higher than you would like, and you have a sweet tooth, you can bet the two conditions are related. On the plus side, you can take control of your metabolism and be on the road to fat loss in no time!

When you eat a simple sugar, even one that is in a “fat-free” food, all of that sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream immediately, and for the moment you experience an elevation in blood sugar. In response to the temporary hyperglycemic condition, your pancreas will increase its production of insulin. Insulin’s job is to remove excess sugar from the bloodstream and store it in the muscles and in the liver as glycogen (stored form of carbohydrate.) There is also another hormone produced by the pancreas called glucagon. While insulin’s job is to “store” nutrients, glucagon does the opposite. It is a “releasing” hormone. In fact, glucagon is the hormone primarily responsible for releasing bodyfat. When the pancreas has to suddenly make increased amounts of insulin to deal with sugar induced blood glucose levels, it will back off the production of glucagon. Now, fat loss will come to a grinding halt!

Pay close attention because it gets worse! Your pancreas actually makes more insulin than you need. So 30 to 45 minutes after the rush from your sugary snack, you actually end up with residual low blood sugar. In order to restore normal blood sugar levels, you begin to get cravings for……wait for it……..sugar! So, if you eat sugar then you are pretty much guaranteed to crave sugar.

The goal is to stop the insulin / blood sugar roller coaster. If you eat right in a supportive manor (lean protein, fibrous carbs, with some healthful fats every 2 to 3 hours) the fibrous carbs (complex carbs) will provide a slow release of sugars preventing those sudden insulin spikes and the insulin/glucagon levels will remain stable (along with stabilizing sugar cravings.) If you abandon sugar you will usually experience severe cravings the first few days. Typically, on day one you experience a headache. Then on day two, the headache may become worse and may be accompanied by insomnia. Work to get through those first three days and those sugar cravings will become an old memory! Your blood sugar levels will stabilize, energy levels are consistent, and fat release can take place all day long.

But, if you absolutely must eat sugar or eat foods that contain sugar (like fruit) eat them with protein. Protein will slow the absorption rate and minimize the insulin spike that you should be avoiding. Plus, protein is very thermogenic, meaning it actually speeds up your metabolism. That’s right, 25 to 30 calories out of every 100 calories you eat from protein are used just to break down and metabolize the protein! Now there is some food for thought.

Glazed Chicken & Couscous

2010-01-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

Transform your boring chicken dinner into a tasty, tangy delight with this amazing glaze. Spicy mustard, apricot preserves, and orange juice make this dish one to remember. Preparation time is only 25 minutes. Servings: 2Here's what you need...
· 1/2 up frozen sweet peas
· 3/4 cup water
· 1/8 teaspoon salt
· 1/8 teaspoon ginger
· 1/2 cup uncooked couscous
· 2 tablespoons orange juice
· 1 tablespoon apricot preserves or honey
· 1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
· 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Place the peas, water, salt and ginger in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in couscous. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine orange juice, preserves and mustard; mix until well combined. Pour half of mixture (about 2 tablespoons) into another small dish; reserve for topping. Brush chicken with remaining orange juice glaze; place on broiler pan.

Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes. Turn chicken. Brush again with glaze; discard any remaining glaze. Broil an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear.

Stir couscous mixture lightly with fork; divide evenly onto 2 serving plates. Top each with chicken, drizzle with reserved orange juice mixture. Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 370 calories, 4g fat, 49g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 34g protein

Thursdays workout

2010-01-13T14:12:00.000-08:00

What a great turn out! I can't wait to see the progress of everyone. Please read past blog posts to get more tips. Here is your first workout, we will do resistance on friday. So for thursday you need to:

Warm up by walking 1 mile

Then run 1 mile as fast as you can. If you have to walk this mile also that is ok, just don't stop and go as fast as you can. If you need a walk break take one, recover, and then keep going.

Walk 1/2 mile cool down.

Post your mile times!

Wednesday

2010-01-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

Repeat monday's weight workout, on each exercise you could get 15 reps increase the weight by 10lbs.

Instead of biking Run 5 miles.

tuesday's workout

2010-01-11T15:19:00.000-08:00

Bike 3 miles
Run 1 mile
repeat 3-5 times