Nearly all people who develop painful back conditions have movement flaws. Perhaps the most common is to move the spine when it is under load. Repeated compression of the spine while it is bending almost guarantees eventual disc bulges. The spine can withstand high loads if it is postured close to its neutral curvature.
If you have health and fitness goals, look at them closely.
Next, look at your behavior.
Does your behavior match your goals?
If you want to lose 10 pounds are you tracking your diet?
Do you know how many calories you ate yesterday, the day before that and the day before that?
So the 64, 000 thousand dollar question becomes, does your behavior match your goals?
If yes, congratulations, you are well on your way to reaching your goals.
If no, then you either have to change your behaviors or change your goals.
If, for instance, you are trying to lose those 10 pounds that just won’t go away but you are only willing to change your diet to only things that are really easy to eat and taste good to you, then
“Houston, we have a problem.”
It’s one thing to have a goal but it’s quite another to line up your behaviors so that you reach that goal.
Is it tough to do?
Sometimes.
Is it worth it in the end?
Every time!
Here’s a personal example.
In January of this year, I weighed 208lbs.
As of today, August 2009, I weigh 195lbs.
I’ve done this by tracking my calories using a fantastic free tool called ‘Lose It!” available for the iphone .
It takes about 30 seconds to log each meal and I know exactly how many calories I can eat to reach my goal.
Some days, I work out twice a day – once with my boot camp class and then again with my training partner at the gym.
My goal is 190lbs by September 26th 2009.
I have about 5 weeks to get there.
That’s plenty of time to do it in a safe and healthy way.
And there are 3 words to which all of this really boils down to.
They are:
As Dan John talks about in his book, “Never Let Go”, “There’s certainly a value to each level, but success in life and lifting only occurs during the “must phase” of goal-setting.“
“I should lose 10 pounds”
“I should eat healthier”
“I should workout more”
This approach is worthless.
The person accepts the issue but then lets the problem slide by him as he reaches for the TV remote and the bag of chips.
The “could phase” is the beginning to the path of success.
“You know, I could lose 10 pounds and I could do the low carb thing.”
“You know, I could keep an eye on my diet a little more and include more healthy foods.”
“You know, I could workout in the morning before work and have my husband watch the kids.”
Knowledge is power in the could phase.
You know what to do but just don’t seem to find the power to do it.
So enter the “must phase”.
And you know what?
Not one thing in this article matters at all because to be truly great at accomplishing your health and fitness goals, you’ve got to make your goals MUSTS.
“I must go to bed by a certain time at night in order to get up at 5am to kick some tail at my boot camp class tomorrow!”
“I must pack my lunch each day with high quality protein, low glycemic carbs and one or two fresh fruits in order to fuel my body properly”
“I must understand that there will be days that I want to eat the entire display at Krispy Kreme doughnuts but I know that that thought will pass”
“I must not focus on being hungry because I just ate a healthy 500 calorie meal so my body has everything it needs to operate at its highest level.
Those thoughts that I am having are pure emotional triggers.
And they will pass.
In fact they will all but disappear as I start looking forward to eating healthy and as a result feeling better!”
I want to share four quick tips with you today that, when you boil it all down, sum up what all of us need to know to get lean and stay lean for life.
It's simple and it works!
TOP 2 EXERCISE TIPS
* Obliterate Fat Using A Total Body Workout: This means doing a five-exercise circuit (designed to work your upper body, lower body, and core) at least three times per week. Alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest using exercises like squats, pushups, lunges, rows and planks for core. Perform up to 4 rounds without rest for a killer 20-minute total body workout.
* Discover the Power of Intervals: Interval training is scientifically proven to burn nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 48 hours following your workout. Perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Selecting your cardio exercise of choice, alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest and repeat this 30 second interval eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat for up to 20 total minutes. This routine works best on a stationary bike or for body weight cardio exercise that you can do at home like running in place or jumping jacks.
TOP 2 FOOD TIPS
* Eat Early and Often: Eat immediately upon waking and then every two to four hours to starve fat and feed muscle. By continuously fueling your furnace, and eating some animal protein (meat, eggs, cheese, etc.) at every feeding, you'll also keep your metabolism revved up throughout the day and prevent overeating.
* Think Fiber First When Consuming Carbs: Eat an unlimited amount of fibrous, cruciferous green veggies to fill your stomach both during and between meals. For optimal fat-burning, try to limit fruit and other carbohydrate consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout when your body best tolerates starches and sugars.
Live by these 2 training and nutrition rules and you will have a body to be proud of... I guarantee it.
Scott
www.fullforcefitness.net
PS- Read about one of my best friends, Dr Joe Vitale, and me in the latest issue of Austin Fit Magazine (http://www.austinfitmagazine.com/). There’s also my new video project called “Kick Mo’s Butt” in this issue.
Find the free magazine all around the Austin area…
PPS – Some random pics from days gone by…
Since 2009 is right around the corner, I wanted to make a few predictions based upon my 20 + years of experience in the fitness industry.
I make it my business to keep my fingertips on the pulse of the industry to determine what trends are emerging as well as what trends are disappearing.
The bottom line tells me that while people are becoming more informed and aware of the pitfalls of poor health and wellness, they are still not taking action as evidenced by our continuing obesity epidemic.
It appears as though the fitness industry as a whole has again failed to produce any significant results on a broad scale to effectively reverse the scary obesity epidemic that is plaguing our society.
More specifically, the sickening fact that American adults keep getting fatter, more lethargic, and less healthy has mirrored the unabated deterioration in the health and fitness of our youth population.
However, on a positive note, I predict that 2009 will be see rise to several growing fitness trends that will provide the long-term answers to solve this ever-growing problem:
Fitness Trend#1- Fitness Boot Camps Will Grow, One-On-One Personal Training Will Not
If you are one of Santa’s little helpers and have been busy at the North Pole, then perhaps you are not aware that we are in the midst of the biggest economic recession since The Great Depression.
With an economy that will most likely get worse before it gets better, the average American simply does not have the disposable income for typical personal training rates that run about $60 and up per hour.
However, thanks to good old American ingenuity, behind every problem lies an answer.
The answer is fitness boot camps.
Boot camps are probably the hottest thing in the fitness game right now.
Why? Because they work – they get results!
They have a built in social element that keeps everyone honest regarding their attendance and as a result this is a huge key to fitness goal success!
The group training business model creates the ultimate win-win for trainers and clients making the one-on-one alternative obsolete. Fitness trainers get to better leverage their time and maximize profits by working with an unlimited number of clients per hour.
Fitness clients are able to better access personal training services in a unique and dynamic team environment that provides better social support and accountability for only a the third of the cost of typical one-on-one training rates.
Fitness boot camps will continue to spring up all over the place, and for good reason. If you are trying to lose weight in 2009, do yourself a favor by saving your hard-earned money to get better results by joining a local fitness boot camp.
The money that you spend is an investment - not an expense.
You will feel better, sleep better, have more energy, be happier, less stressed, be stronger mentally and physically and as a result be able to deal with any obstacle that comes your way.
Fitness is an investment that pays you back multiple times over.
Do not shortchange yourself or your health.
Fitness Trend#2- Interval Training Beats Aerobic Training For Improved Fat Loss And Body Shape Remodeling
High-Intensity Interval Training has been around for a while but it will continue to gain fans due to its more efficient means of improving fitness levels and for superior “body cosmetic effect” (creating a lean and mean body.
Thankfully, 2009 will see more people doing sprints and less people doing marathons to lose weight. However, make no mistake about it; lots of people are still going to do hours of snail-paced cardio to burn fat.
Aerobic or endurance training is essentially going at a slow, low intensity pace for a long period of time (typically at least 30-60 minutes). In other words, the focus of endurance training is on the total volume of exercise (not quality). Think about all those speed limpers you see every New Year foolishly running for hours pounding the pavement or treadmill to get rid of that winter blubber.
Sadly, this results in minimal fat loss and lots of overtraining injuries.
With interval training, the focus is on the intensity of exercise (quality). Intervals consist of alternating between shorts bouts of all out high-intensity effort and active recovery periods for a much quicker and focused amount of time (typically 10-20 minutes of intervals works best).
This approach is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat AND lead to faster improvements in fitness than the aerobic alternative.
Two landmark scientific studies come to mind here:
The Tabata study compared the effects of four minutes of high-intensity interval training with 45-60 minutes of low to moderate intensity cardio. The interval training group burned just as much fat as the endurance group and also had greater improvement in both anaerobic (think sprinters) and aerobic (think distance runners) fitness… in only four minutes!
The Gibala study compared the effects of 20 minutes of interval training (30 second sprint followed by four minutes of rest) with 90-120 minutes of endurance training in the “heart rate zone.”
The conclusions of the study were that both methods of training lead to the same improvements in oxygen utilization (or aerobic fitness). In other words, intervals accomplished what endurance training did from a fitness standpoint in only a sixth of the time!
The time is now to jump on the interval training bandwagon. Come 2009, do yourself and your body a favor and start sprinting to look and feel better.
Fitness Trend#3- Lean Proteins And Fiber Are The Carbohydrate Junkies Answer For Improved Health, Performance, and Body Composition
Americans are carbohydrate junkies. We simply can’t get enough starches and sugars in our diet, and we have the bulging midsections to prove it. One of the biggest misconceptions about diet today is that eliminating starches and sugars from your diet automatically means low carb.
Better said, eliminating grains (even whole grains) and refined sugars still allows for consumption of the other carbohydrates: fruits and veggies. These nutrient-dense carbs are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber and create more stable blood sugar levels to keep your body burning fat all day long.
All of my clients who have lost the most fat have followed our guidelines of unlimited veggies all day long (besides corn, peas, carrots, beets, and potatoes). In other words, eat lots of vegetables, and very little of the other stuff if you want to see your abs!
Believe it or not, I actually look FORWARD to grilled chicken, mixed vegetables and 16 oz of water at lunchtime.
Because I know that not only is it going to make me FEEL better but I’m also going to get FASTER RESULTS with my workout program.
This is how I lost 13lbs leading up to my vacation to Cancun, Mexico in October 2008.
And now that that excess weight is gone, my metabolism runs better, my clothes fit better, I have more energy and I am lighter on feet.
The overwhelming scientific literature proving the fat burning benefits of a diet high in lean protein and fiber is finally catching the eye of mainstream consumers.
It’s what bodybuilders and elite athletes have known all along.
Protein is the most important component of each and every meal or snack you consume. It builds and maintains muscle, allows your body to preferentially burn fat, increases metabolism through the thermal effect of feeding, and fills you up.
Fiber (ideally obtained from fruits and vegetables, specifically green vegetables) helps slow digestion for a more steady supply of nutrients and sustained energy, it prevents overeating at each meal, and it helps keep you more full between meals.
Thus by combining protein and fiber every two to four hours, you provide your body with the optimal one-two belly fat burning punch for a leaner, stronger you.]
(Speaking of a 1-2 punch and becoming leaner and stronger, check out the 45 second video of one of my clients, Monica Brant performing a recent kickboxing style workout with Jake.
Does she look wiped out or what at the end of this video?)
Click -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGovqNyHHkg&fmt=18
(turn up your speakers to hear)
Since our indoor boot camp location in Cedar Park, has heavy bags, gloves, pads and more we are going to be implementing more of this style of training in 2009 during our boot camp classes.
Hopefully, people will be consuming more protein and fruits and veggies next year, and their bodies will reap the rewards of this.
That wraps up my “Fitness Forecast” for 2009, hope to see you in the gym and I hope that the information in this article gives you the “kick” that you need to be the trendsetter for your own body and the bodies of those whom you care most about in the New Year!
“I wanted to tell you that I am really enjoying your class and appreciate your patience, motivation, professionalism and obvious passion for what you do. It really is contagious... !”
R. Armour
Cedar Park, Texas
P.S. I hear from people all of the time who would like to enroll in my boot camp but are nervous or apprehensive about joining due to one thing or another.
I can assure you that nearly everyone feels that way before taking that first step.
Remember, it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish that matters!
Scott
Scott@fullforcefitness.net
512.233.0756
4.) Food
Everyone has to eat, right? Consider giving 7 days of healthy food from an organic grocer like Whole Foods to a friend or loved one instead of throwing away money at an overpriced restaurant.
Years ago, I had the impression that Whole Foods was some elitist store for wealthy folks or hippies. Boy was I mistaken. I shop there somewhat regularly these days, particularly when buying produce to avoid foods that are typically loaded with hormones and/or pesticides. The key is to plan ahead and stay on a budget. I aim for $20 on fruits and veggies, $10 on miscellaneous items and spend $50 bucks on protein.
5) Massage
My boot campers hear me mention this one a lot. Most of us are busy and stressed during the holiday season and nothing eases the tension like a good massage
This gift is as close to being a can't miss idea as they get, unless it's for a person who can't stand being touched! It feels good to indulge once in a while, and while the foam roller I talked about above can do great things for most of your body, nothing can relieve stress in your upper back, neck and head like a highly trained massage therapist!
6.) Supplements that Work: Protein Powders, Fish Oil, Multi-Vitamins
I have helped hundreds of people lose lots of fat. Over the years of trying different supplements, I've found three that have become a mandatory part of a fat loss program: protein powders, fish oil and multi-vitamins.
For a quick, easy meal alternative, snack or post workout drink, try protein powders. When looking for a protein powder, you should try to find a brand that has low sugar with a mix of both casein (slow absorbing) and whey protein (fast absorbing).
I like Cytosport’s Muscle Milk. I got my Mother to try Muscle Milk years ago and it has since become a staple in her daily diet. Find it at your local health food store or buy it online at www.amazon.com. All of the flavors are good.
Fish oil, or more appropriately an essential fatty acid (EFA) is critical to providing key omega 3’s to maximize overall health, performance, and body composition. Find it at Whole Foods or even at your local supermarket.
A daily multi-vitamin provides key vitamins and minerals which can be very hard to get unless you have a diet that is almost perfect.
And who does?
I like to pull out all the stops when it comes to taking care of my body, how about you?
Make sure that you pick a multi-vitamin supplement and make sure it is made from whole foods instead of synthetic materials, along with also making sure the supplement is specifically made for your gender.
7.) A Gift Card to a Fitness Boot Camp
Boot camps provide a fun and exciting team environment that can get better results than one-on-one personal training for only a fraction of the cost… it’s a total no-brainer.
Look for a local fitness boot camp with tons of social proof (client testimonials, videos) to make sure they have a solid reputation and a bunch of raving fans of people just like you.
Plus, any good boot camp worth its weight offers free trials to all newcomers because they are so confident their program works that you’ll more than likely continue after a test-drive, This way there is typically no risk on your part… besides getting your butt kicked, in a good way!
So join a fitness boot camp with at least one other friend or family member or buy a boot camp gift card to give to your loved ones. As a boot camp owner myself, I know firsthand that clients always get better results when they embark on a fitness journey with others.
We’ve all heard the media telling us not to buy gift cards as businesses are failing and the sky is falling, blah, blah, and blah.
Still, just make sure that the business has been around a few years before springing for a gift card.
And if you live in the local Cedar Park, Texas area, come join us for the best boot camp experience in the Austin, Texas area by visiting FullForceFitness. Our workouts will change your body and give you more energy in 2009!
