Cedar Park, Texas Fitness Boot Camp Owner Kicks Off The Super Bowl Weekend With Tasty Low Calorie Snacks

Super Bowl kick off time is right around the corner. While Pittsburgh and Arizona are trying to outscore each other with the pigskin, millions will be watching and eating.

That’s where the trouble starts.

Beer will be guzzled. Pizzas will vanish in astronomical numbers. And calories will skyrocket.

And by the time a lot of us try to get up off our couches we may find that we are a few pounds heavier.

To avoid this fitness setback, check out the tasty recipes below that are perfect for snacking on during the Super Bowl festivities.

You’ll get great taste, better nutrition and you won’t sacrifice the hard work you’ve already put in towards realizing your 2009 fitness goals.

The following is a comprehensive list of both approved food choices and/or healthier substitutes for traditional party foods. Use this list to satisfy your taste buds while saving at least hundreds if not thousands of calories in the process. If you use these strategies consistently for parties and social gatherings over the course of the year, this could prevent 5-10 lbs of fat gain… easily!

Section I- Appetizers

• Naked Sandwiches (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Thin Crust Whole Grain Pizza
• Fruit Salad (throw low carb whipped cream and dash of splenda/stevia on top as desired)
• Super Salad Bowl (use unlimited veggies and meats, dip dressing on the side or use low calorie substitutes)
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Tuna or Chicken Salad
• Nut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Cheese, Eggs, and Meat Tray
• Caprese Salad
• Raw Veggies (use dip sparingly)
• Grilled/Sauteed Veggies (use extra virgin olive or coconut oil)
• Figure-Friendly Nachos (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, cheese, salsa, and guacamole)
• Buffalo Chicken Bites (skinless, no breading, use low calorie buffalo sauce sparingly)
• Pasta Salad (use whole grain pasta and go easy on the dressings, choosing marina based sauces over creamier versions)
• Greek Yogurt with berries mixed in (blackberries and raspberries)



Section II- Accessories

• Natural Whole Grain Tortillas
• Natural Baked Chips
• Natural Cheetos
• Diet Lipton Green Teas (or other low calorie/carb beverages)
• Water
• Natural Salsa
• Guacamole
• Salad Dressings: Vinegars of choice (apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
• Other Low Calorie Condiments of Choice: mustard, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.

Section III- Main Courses

• Lettuce Burgers (use extra lean sirloin or bison, preferably bun-less only using whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Rotisserie Chicken (choose “plain” and remove skin and dab off any grease as needed with paper towel)
• Extra Lean Kosher Hot Dogs (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Chili (preferably bean-less, only use if absolutely needed and feel free to swap extra lean turkey for the beef version to cut down fat intake)
• Pizza (see “appetizers” above or use whole grain/thin crust options from restaurants or frozen food isles)

Section IV- Desserts

• Edy’s Grand Light Ice Cream
• Larabars
• Cocoa Via Bars or Packs
• Low Carb Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory
• Protein Cookies (swap in protein powder for flour)



BONUS- Top 10 Tips to Save Thousands of Calories on Super Bowl Sunday

1.) Go Naked: Replace all buns or breading for sandwiches with a lettuce wrap alternative to cut calories, stabilize blood sugar, and boost fiber and micronutrient intake.

2.) Hydrate: Drink at least two to four cups of water before eating AND one to two cups every 15-30 minutes after you start eating to fill your stomach and prevent overeating that can be triggers by dehydration.

3.) Eliminate Empty Liquid Calories: Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. Opt for water, tea, or low calorie/carb beverages in moderation to leave more room for whole food choices that have more nutritional value and better fill you up.

4.) Do not fast in preparation for a feast as it will turn your body into a famished fat-storing machine the next time you eat. The resulting low blood sugar levels that come from not eating for four hours or more make you crave junk foods high in both fat and refined sugars.

5.) Replace All White with Brown (Or Better Yet... Green!): Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta). Whole grains have more vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber which means they won’t have as negative of an impact on your blood sugar compared to its white counterparts. However, if you want to be a nutritional boy or girl scout, go one step further by replacing all brown with green in the form of green veggies (see “Go Naked” above).

6.) Focus on eating lean proteins and fruits and veggies first. Use these in unlimited amounts as needed to fill you up and best prevent the typical party “killshot” of high carb and high fat meals (e.g. thick crust pizza with extra full-fat cheese).

7.) Never eat directly out of the bag or community bowl and use smaller plates to put your food on while limiting yourself to a pre-set plate total (e.g. four plate maximum during a three-hour football game).

8.) Replace Gold With Green: Opt for guacamole over cheese for your salads and chips. Guacamole is not only low in saturated fat and high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats but it also has a ton of fiber that will help fill you up fast and prevent overeating. Though cheese is a true super food in moderation, it is very easy to overeat especially when mixed with refined carb sources like white chips and pizza.

9.) Replace Flour with Protein Powder: Few people know that protein powder makes a great cooking or baking substitute for flour (e.g. protein cookies). By adding protein and reducing carb intake you will boost metabolism.

10.) 20 Chews: Eat slowly and require a certain number of chews before you swallow to allow your brain enough time to get the “I’m full” signal (e.g. 20 pre-swallow chews).

FullForceFitness Video Tip #3 (Something For The Guys) Jan 09

How To Turn Your New Years Fitness Resolutions Into Results!

In my 20 plus years of fitness training, I have helped countless people maximize their overall health, performance, and body composition faster than ever before.



Nobody knows better how to get in shape than bodybuilders. I spent 13 years as a competitive bodybuilder and currently work with some of the top professional fitness and figure competitors in the world.



At the professional level, it’s a business. If you are not in shape, you don’t make money.




If you don’t make money, then you better go find something else to do.



Getting in shape is no different for them than it is for the rest of us.



One of the biggest areas in which people misstep and don’t reach their fitness goals is due to their lack of setting a concrete goal.



Put bluntly, I know how to help people lose ugly, unwanted body fat faster than most people can fathom.



I have done the countless hours of research and trial and error and I have had hundreds of people as real world case studies to prove that our system flat out works. But, today I am going to share something more powerful; something that must be set in place before you can even start to think about following a fitness program.



So what is it?



What do you think the real secret behind my client success is? Well, if your answer was my aforementioned training system, then your answer is wrong. Yep, it’s an incredible program, but unfortunately it’s useless if someone is unwilling to start it AND stick to it, right?



So, it appears that the most important component of changing your body is finding the motivation to achieve your goals, and that’s the main focus of this article today.



Before I get into this goal setting process, I just need to get something off of my chest.



I know a lot of people think goal setting is just a cheesy, useless thing. Unfortunately, these people just don’t get it and frankly if you are one of those people, please do us both a favor and stop reading this article and go buy another useless weight loss book or pill because I simply cannot do anything for you.



I can only help people who want to learn. I simply cannot help people who already think they know it all and think they are too good to take some time to figure out what the heck it is that they actually want to accomplish.



The bottom line is that the most successful people out there, and I mean not just weight loss success, I am talking business, lifestyle, etc., are shamelessly goal driven. They know exactly why they want to do something and harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to discuss today, so let’s get to it!



Step One- The Why: Why do you want to do this?



This is where it’s time to get real. In almost every initial telephone consult I do, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:


“Well, I just want to get healthy and lose weight I guess.”


Nope, I don’t buy it.


Sure, I know they want to lose weight and be healthy, I mean who doesn’t, but really WHY do they want to do this? I mean, what is it that’s going to get them up at 5 am to get their morning workouts in or take a couple of hours on Sunday to plan and prepare their meals for the upcoming week? It sure isn’t “being healthy” because for some reason this just isn’t a very powerful motivator for most people (though it should be).


Let’s face it: everybody, including YOU, wants to look better in his or her bathing suit. Stop giggling, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay because the desire to improve one’s appearance is probably the most powerful motivator that there is.




So, after a little digging, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; I find their past or pain and then establish their current and future ambitions. Some people want to be able to mow the lawn in the summer with their shirt off and not feel self-conscious.



Others want to get back into their favorite pair of pants that they haven’t been able to get one leg into for the last five years. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships and/or put forth their best image at work. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines.



Wanting to get as lean and tight as possible to rock that dream bathing suit in Argentina, or get off the plane in Texas when visiting family you haven’t seen in two years to blow them away with your new body, or being a classic beauty in your wedding dress on the big day, it all works! This is the stuff that gets people jacked up and ready to commit to making some real changes. How do I know? Well, I just shared with you verbatim the exact “WHY’S” of some of my own clients.


So, the first thing you have to figure out is your personal WHY. To make this even simpler for you, just answer this question: what are your physical dreams? Once you establish this, everything else is easy.



Step Two- The What and When: What do you want to accomplish and when?



So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look better (and feel better)! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this subjective dream.


Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three major ways I track “look better” progress with my clients, in order of least important to most important:


1.) Using The Scale: This is by far the least important goal, but it gives a number that’s worth tracking. Though body fat percentage would be a much better method of tracking progress, it is simply too inaccurate on a small scale and too costly on a large scale.




The key is to taking your initial weight before you start and then not weighing more than every 2 weeks. I have found most people to do better with tracking their weight every month. There are simply too many variables for controlling your body weight and the natural fluctuations based on diet (and for women, their menstrual cycle), means the less frequently you do this the better.




If the scale is just too de-motivating for you in general, then just skip this one altogether if you must, because the next two markers are far more important.

2.) Dress/Pant Size: This is probably the most simple and effective unused method of tracking whether or not you look better. I think it’s safe to say that if you are dropping dress and/or pant sizes that you will be looking better, right?


Your best bet is to also select one dress or one pair of pants that you really want to get into since that is the true end goal in mind. For those of you would want to argue that every outfitter has different sizes, well that’s a mute point if you use the same pant or dress size to track.


There’s nothing more powerful than being able to literally feel yourself comfortably get into clothes that use almost rip when you put on.

3.) Digital Pictures: Pictures don’t lie, that’s the bottom line. If you want to look better, what better way is there to assess this than pictures? I cannot begin to tell you how important this is. Taking a before picture is essentially you telling the whole world that you are ready to change and that you are ready to do whatever it takes to make those changes.


The key is to take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Ouch! Maybe it’s taking pictures of you in the dress or pair of pants that you are using to track your dress or pant size. Or maybe it’s a sleeveless shirt and tank top that you want to wear during the summer.


And if you want to see your abs, then you best believe that you need to take pictures of your abs to track how much more definition you get. Take a front, side, and rear view picture and be sure to note the exact conditions in which the picture was taken (lighting, distance from camera, time of day/week, etc.) to be as accurate as possible in your assessment. The clients whom I’ve transformed that failed to take before pictures in the past have nothing but regret about it.


Your before pictures will become your trophy and they are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count.



Step Three- Planning and Preparing for Roadblocks: What are the big obstacles that will prevent you from having the success you desire? What’s contributed most to past failures?


Now that we know what you want to accomplish, it’s time to plan and prepare for any obstacles that might get in your way of getting the job done based on your own personal schedule.


In general, the number one thing I hear is that people are too busy and tired and don’t have enough time to get their workouts in or make their meals. Well, I don’t care how busy you think you are, there is always hidden time throughout the day and week that can be freed up if your re-prioritize.



Again, think back to why you wanted to do this in the first place and then examine what’s most important to you. Make your workouts and your meal times just like work appointments. Either you make the appointment or you don’t. And if you want to keep your job (or get your dream body) then you better make that appointment.


Another big obstacle is alcohol. People like to drink and unfortunately alcohol is about as detrimental to burning fat as it gets. Again, what’s more important to you, looking sexy or getting hammered. The choice is yours. Remember, once you achieve your goal(s), alcohol can be added back in with moderation. But know this, lean people just don’t get wasted unless they are genetic freaks.



Low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and that’s a fact.


Lastly, many people deal with boredom by doing what is called emotional eating. Boredom eating means just that, eating to fill up dead time when you have nothing better to do. The best way to deal with this is, you guessed it, to do something! Find an active hobby to keep your mind off of eating when boredom strikes and you can beat this trend.



Emotional eating describes the use of food to cope with stress or to reward for accomplishment. Food is not unlike drugs or alcohol in this regard, it can be very addictive. There is no quick fix for emotional eating other than avoiding trigger situations (bars, parties, etc.) and trigger foods (starches, sugars, fast food, etc.) in the short term to break bad habits.


At the end of the day, whether your roadblocks are very individual or if they fall in line with the general roadblocks our clients encounter on a regular basis, the key is to be honest about them and to plan and prepare for them. And that’s where social support and accountability come into play.




The clients who have had the most success with us have undergone their transformation with the support of other friends or family members. This is so critical, especially since most of the poor food and drinking choices that sabotage one’s progress occur on the weekend, when most people hang out with their friend and family. If they are committed with you and your goal to get fit and look better, you can put yourself in a much better position to realize the success your desire and deserve.



The last thing anybody needs is sabotage or peer pressure from those closest to you, so get them on board and get them on board early.

The Future of Fitness in 2009

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

Holiday Gift Ideas for Fitness Enthusiasts

If you're stumped about what to give your friends and loved ones for the holidays, why not consider a present related to fitness?


Just for fun, why not add a few fitness gifts to your own wish list this holiday season? After all, who doesn’t want to look or perform better?


Here are my top gift ideas for the fitness enthusiasts on your list:


1. A Foam Roller


If you happen to be like the majority of people, you are glued to your desk most of the day. And when you actually do have time to work out, all you usually can fit in is the workout itself. In today's fast paced world, who really has the time to stretch daily?


A foam roller is useful at this point. This self-massage tool is remarkable and it greatly helps to avoid injury along with also improving performance. It is optimal to have five minutes after workouts to help speed up the healing of very small tears in muscle tissue that can result from a strenuous workout; foam rollers can rapidly start the recovery process.


Plus, a foam roller both kneads out and lengthens your muscles and connective tissues thus alleviating, if not eliminating, nagging aches and pains in your back, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows.


If you’re going to get a foam roller, get a good one. The really inexpensive versions have a habit of wearing out and turning into limp noodles within a few months. The brand that I prefer is the EVA Premium Foam Roller (roughly thirty dollars), I use them often and I stand behind it! Check Academy.com, walmart.com or any local sporting goods store.


2.) Resistance Bands


Resistance bands are far and away the most simple, handy, and least costly choice of gear in the fitness equipment arena. They allow you to do quick and effective workouts no matter where you are.


Traveling professionals do well to use bands as a lightweight training tool for workouts on the road because the bands can easily fit in very small bags. Bands are useful too, for stay at home Moms (or Dads) who would like to work out in the comfort of their own home. For a bit of added variety to your weight training, try bands, which need no set up, are joint friendly and they're fun to use.

Find them at your local sporting goods store. Speaking of which...



3.) Gift from Your Local Sporting Goods Store


It doesn't get much better than a gift from your local sporting goods store for the weekend warrior on your list. It is never a bad idea to opt for a gift card in this case since everyone has their own tastes, especially in terms of fashion sizes and styles.

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!

13 Key Diet Strategies To Keep A Tight Waist This Holiday Season

Do not let the upcoming Holidays serve as an excuse to “fall off the wagon” with your regular eating habits. It’s too easy to add 5 – 6 lbs or more with all of the extra cookies, cakes, sweets, etc that will be passed around at Holiday parties and get togethers. Below are 13 great diet strategies to help keep off the dreaded holiday weight gain.

Here are numerous ways to help prevent overeating at the dinner table during the Holiday Season. A little splurging is, of course, OK but know when to say when. Otherwise that tearing sensation might be your pants serving as an overload warning!

1.) Get In Some High-Intensity Activity Before and/or After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

I know, I know. I promised diet strategies, but I simply cannot go without recommending some sort of exercise. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training. Even a 20-30 plus minute walk a few hours afterwards can serve as a bit of damage control.

2.) Do NOT Fast in Preparation for a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

Fasting is a big mistake for a few reasons. Our energy levels drop, we lose muscle tissue, our metabolism slows down and we end up what I call “skinny –fat”. Do yourself and your body a favor by eating every two to four hours as you normally would to prevent yourself from becoming a ravenous, fat-storing beast this holiday season!

3.) Do NOT Overdo It

Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. You can always have more later. The food will not keep up and walk away. Eat a little. Take a break. Repeat. People who are lean do not make a habit out of overeating. It is imperative to understand that that holiday meals are not a ticket to eat as much as you can in as little time as possible. However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.

4.) Eat a High-Fiber, Protein-Rich Meal An Hour Before a Holiday Event

Have a protein drink. Have some all natural peanut butter. Or a handful of raw almonds. By having a meal that is protein based, you will help prevent overeating by making your body feel more full which in turn means less calories consumed during the ensuing feast. My favorite strategy is to drink a protein shake with added fiber and healthy fats (e.g. 2-4 Tbsp. flax meal) and 1 liter of water before such a meal to help keep me nice and full upon arrival. This way you won’t lose any friends by eating their entire dinner platter and you’ll save your midsection from a fluffier existence!

5.) Eat Lean Proteins, Fruits and Vegetables FIRST

Try the 8 bites of healthy food, 1 bite of not so healthy food method. The ratio is 8 to 1. For every 8 bites of healthy food that you take, you can have 1 bite of desert. Have fun with it. Make sure to load up on healthier food choices first and try to eat as much lean meat, fish, and fruits and veggies as possible at the start of each holiday event. This will leave less room for the unhealthier, higher calorie treats. At least this way you know your body is getting in some good nutrition and you are not putting yourself at excessive risk for sickness and/or other health concerns.

6.) Drink, Drink, Drink Water!

Carry a water bottle in your car and on your person wherever you go. Drinking water will keep you fuller, give you more energy and make you feel better. At least it does for me. For every plate of food that you eat, try to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. After that second plate, when you have 1 full liter of water in your stomach, I bet you might just be ready to get away from the dining table for a while!

7.) Do NOT Eat Again Until Hungry Following a Large Meal

It’s easy to socialize and reach for the pralines. It’s fun to try all of the sweets that Aunt Martha has been baking and stockpiling for over a month now. Now I know I already told you to eat every 2-4 hours, but there is one exception to this. If you eat a huge meal, it is important not to eat again until you are hungry and/or no longer full.

If your body is not used to eating such a big meal, then it will take a much longer time to digest all that food and the worst thing you can do is put more food into an already full stomach, unless you goal is to do the stop, drop, and roll drill. Only when you are hungry again should you resume your normal eating plan following a big holiday meal. Also, after a big meal, look for a few bites of fresh pineapple or papaya. These 2 fruits contain digestive enzymes that should help to make that full feeling go away more quickly.

8.) Back On Track To Your Regular Eating Habits

You probably will be ready to eat less and feel better after gorging at that one big meal. Remember weekly caloric intake is far more important than daily caloric intake. For example, let’s say that you need 2800 calories per day to maintain your current body weight.

Well, all that you need to do is make sure the average daily caloric intake each week is 2800 calories per day. This means that you can fluctuate your daily caloric intake and yield the same results as if you ate that same amount each day. So if you have one day of big eating where you eat 9,000 calories (just an example, not a recommendation), but you only eat 2,000 calories per day the rest of the week, you will still end up at the same caloric balance.

Again, I am not recommending that you eat in such an extreme manner; rather I am suggesting that you do not have to obsess about being perfect. Enjoy some indulging in moderation at your various holiday festivities knowing that the week in review trumps a day in review, even when you are particularly naughty on any given day.

9.) Never Eat Junk Food Before Bed

This could be the worst thing to do. You’re on the couch relaxing, the dishes are clean, the house is quiet and your emotional eating buttons have been activated. You reach for the left over chocolate chip pecan pie, then the vanilla ice cream, then the egg nog…STOP IT!

Eating at night will make your blood sugar levels go crazy for the rest of the day resulting in greater junk food cravings and uncontrollable hunger. Plus all of those unused calories will most likely be stored as body fat! This is not the way to reach our fitness goals.

10.) Control your Portions

Try to eat only two thirds of all the servings on your plate of unhealthy food that you choose. Two thirds of the portions equal only two thirds of the calories!

11.) Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol

One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you can gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Instead choose regular food calories. Sugary juices and/or alcoholic drinks will blunt fat burning and wreak havoc on your metabolism.

Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the liver processes the poisonous alcohol out of your body. Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!

12.) Substitute Whenever Possible

Instead of using sugar, substitute with zero calorie alternatives like splenda or stevia. They can deliver a similar taste without all of the extra sugar and calories. Your goal should be to find the minimal amount of calories that can provide the same great taste that makes the holiday treats enjoyable rather than simply overdoing it because you can!

13.) Avoid Them Like The Plague

One of the worst things that we can do is to eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbohydrates. The high amount of carbs will lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and thus large increases in the potent fat-storing hormone Insulin. The high amount of fat will lead to a large increase in free fatty acids in your bloodstream.

Since Insulin is already present in large amounts, in addition to there being a large amount of free fatty acids now available in your blood, the stage is set for all those free fatty acids to be gobbled up and stored by your fat cells. This is the equivalent of becoming the next New Years Day float, so it is imperative to use caution at your holiday meals when it comes to combining fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and carbs (particularly starches and refined sugars). In general, it is best to choose one over the other.

But since most people crave carbs at their free meals, it is essential to keep the fat low at this meal. Want pasta? Instead of alfredo sauce, opt for marinara sauce with whole grain pasta. Want pizza? Make your own pizza with whole grain crust and fat-free cheese. Want mashed potatoes? Well then be sure to skip the gravy and go easy on the butter.

These small changes can literally save you hundreds, even thousands of calories, and more importantly will prevent your holiday feasts from creating the optimal fat-storing environment that will set you back from achieving your health and fitness goals.