Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Slip Into Your Bathing Suit Again Is Easy As 1-2-
Cedar Park, Texas – June 12, 2009 – Local fitness expert Scott York has helped more people fit into their bathing suits again than he can remember. And he insists it is much easier to lose weight fast than people may believe.
“Seriously, if people would just follow these three quick weight loss tips they would be well on their way to fitting into their bathing suit this Summer, “ York emphasized. The fat loss expert believes he can help most anyone who wants to lose weight fast.
“I want people everywhere to realize just how simple weight loss can be, “ York added. “They can start with these three tips and they will be well on their way.”
Bathing Suit Season Tip #1:
Avoid soft drinks, juices and other drinks loaded with sugar. These types of drinks are very high in calories. A twelve ounce soda can contain 150 calories of almost all sugar.
Bathing Suit Season Tip #2:
Eat 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. This will help most people meet their micronutrient needs for the day. And since they are a good source of fiber, they will help people curb their appetite and control hunger.
Bathing Suit Season Tip #3: Record what you eat and drink. York uses a free application for his iphone called “Lose It!”. People will be amazed at how much they really consume over the course of a day without really realizing it. Keeping track of food intake is critical to success because it gives people the true picture of what they are eating (and how much) each day.
Scott York is the owner of FullForceFitness Boot Camp and has been a fitness professional for over 24 years. York is available for interviews or to discuss other story ideas related to weight loss and fitness. He can be reached at 512-913-6344 or via email at Scott@fullforcefitness.net For even more information please visit www.fullforcefitness.net
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The 5 Biggest Obstacles for Busy Moms
Scott York is a local Cedar Park, Texas fitness boot camp owner. Today he reveals the 5 obstacles a busy mom faces in her eternal quest for a better body.
FullForceFitness Session 41 starts on Monday, May 25th. Click here to register!
I have had the pleasure of personally working with hundreds of busy moms over the course of my fitness career.
Mother’s are without a doubt the most selfless clients I have ever worked with, almost to a fault. Honestly, I wish they would just be a little more selfish sometimes and give their personal physical and mental health a bit more of a priority.
Unfortunately, many mothers miss the boat when it comes to their fitness. In general, they tend to think that it’s okay to put all of their personal ambitions aside for the good of their friends and family. But in reality, moms are not as effective as they could be when deviating from a healthy lifestyle.
After all, a mom who doesn’t workout and doesn’t eat the right foods at the right times will not be running on all cylinders.
Multi-Task Much?
In retrospect, I have identified the 5 anchors that tend to hold most moms back from getting the better body and better health they so desperately are seeking. Here they are, in no particular order:
Obstacle#1- Too Many Missed Meals- Especially Breakfast!
Many moms are simply on a roller coaster ride from dawn until dusk, dealing with the stresses of parenting and/or challenging careers. Mornings can be especially difficult since there is often the need to feverishly multi-task to get the kids fed and off to school. Not to mention the fact that many busy moms today have to deal with their own demanding, high-stress jobs.
Set that alarm 5 minutes earlier and make it a point NEVER to miss breakfast!
So missing breakfast becomes a reality, often leading to a host of other missed meals and snacks throughout the day. This leads to a series of events that can deprive your body of lean, toned body mass while simultaneously priming your body to overeat junk food later in the day and store ugly, unwanted fat. Furthermore, this starvation protocol creates low levels of blood sugar which zaps your energy and leaves your feeling foggy, irritated, and lethargic all day long.
Look- there’s always room for break fast if we just make the time! Better yet, plan and prepare a breakfast high in lean protein and fiber in advance the night before to best ensure you stay the course.
Mix water in the tupperware container and your are set!
This meal provides approximately 500 calories and 30 grams of protein.
Obstacle#2- Failing To Make The Daily Workout Appointment
This one is simple, yet oh so powerful. Think about it- moms never miss an appointment for their kids. Why? Well yes, it’s because they love them, but more importantly, it’s because they love their kids enough to religiously schedule their appointments!
Schedule your workouts and stick to them like they are a family obligation!
If you are a busy Mom who is serious about your fitness, then you absolutely need to take the same approach with your workouts.
In addition, you need to be sure that you schedule in your daily workouts when you are most likely to do them rather than when you prefer to do them. For example, I prefer to workout in the early afternoon, but that just doesn't work for me right now so it’s best for me to get my workout done first thing in the morning. This way the stresses of the day never get in the way of my fitness.
In my experience, most Moms work best when doing their workouts either first thing in the morning while the kids are still sleeping, or right after they drop their kids off from school. It seems that too many unexpected obstacles come in the way of an afternoon or evening workout for the typical mother. But, regardless of when the best time may be, just schedule it in and stick to it like it’s a family commitment!
I can’t tell you how many times I have had a Mom who as “been following the nutrition plan” with limited success to later find out there were some extra eats and treats in the mix. It wasn’t that they were being dishonest about it- rather most people don’t really comprehend how much they actually put in their mouth every day.
Think about it- how many times do you see most people just mindlessly eat something during the day. All of us do it and trust me, it can add up and fast!
Many moms spend LOTS of time in the kitchen around tasty food all day- and they eat a lot more of it than they realize!
I know, I know- you have to sample the goods to know if it’s good. But, you need to understand that the occasional taste test can sabotage your fat loss goals.
Furthermore, moms get into trouble with the frequent snacking practices of their children and it’s tough to pass on food when it’s always in your face. A couple goldfish here, a couple goldfish there, and before you know it you just killed the whole dam bag!
My advice is to guard your mouth with lock and key. Ask yourself every time you bring something close to your lips the following question: “Will this help me burn fat and build muscle?”
If NO- put it down and go thumb through a fitness magazine, book, or watch a quick music video to distract yourself.
Interval training burns nine times more body fat than long, slow, boring cardio. Aerobic training burns calories but it simply doesn’t increase your metabolism like interval training does. And the true power of interval training comes from the intensity of each work period.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love to see moms being active. It’s great to get outside and move with your kids! However, we need to be honest about the fact that it’s not really feasible to train with intensity while pushing a stroller. Fast arm movement is the key to getting your wheels moving during sprints, so if you are pushing a stroller you’re losing out on some much needed speed to maximize your results.
Honestly, how much intensity can your cardio workouts have when you are pushing a stroller?
Furthermore, I don’t think it’s safe to perform sprints while pushing a stroller. I know that I certainly wouldn’t trust my clumsy-self doing intervals with a baby’s safety literally in my hands. So, get out and push a stroller, maybe even jog a little, but don’t think that you are getting anywhere close to the same kind of benefit that you can get hands-free and in open space with high-intensity intervals.
Nobody wants to hear that a glass or two of wine at night is going to stop your fitness goals in its tracks. But the reality of the matter is that alcohol has the double-edged sword of both paralyzing the fat-burning process while simultaneously creating fat within the body. Plus alcohol tends to lower inhibitions leading to the consumption of other junk food. Not good!
A couple glasses of wine per day is a your one-way ticket to cellulite city… sorry!
So I say “zip it” to all of those who say: “consuming several glasses of wine a day is healthy because it has anti-oxidants and that keeps you from getting sick.”
Fruit and veggies have more anti-oxidants and tons of other health benefits, so we just need to cut the BS that wine is an integral part of a healthy diet.
Now, I want to be sensitive to those busy, hard-working moms who have a glass of wine at the end of the day to unwind and take some of the load off of their shoulders because I understand that. But I also know there are other healthier ways to de-stress that don’t have such a negative effect on your body composition. Such activities are stretching, foam rolling, taking a bath, reading a book, etc.
P.S. Session 41 starts on Monday, May 25th. Register at www.fullforcefitness.net
Saturday, April 18, 2009
"I Stuck With My Diet" (For Stay At Home Moms & Dads)
As a stay at home Dad who has just switched gears with my eating plan in order to lean up for Summer and a trip to Cancun, I know how hard it is for you stay at home Moms and Dads.
In fact, yesterday as I was struggling a bit, I said to myself "I'm sticking with my diet".
Then, my 4 year old wet his pants and it leaked all over the floor.
But I stuck with my diet.
Then the dog barked at the mailman who promptly drove off without picking up the box on the back deck.
But I stuck with my diet.
Then my 8 month old began screaming to high heaven because he is teething and I couldn't find the oragel.
But I stuck with my diet.
I'm behind on a couple of video projects and need to get caught up on orders, emails and a dozen other business related tasks.
But I stuck with my diet.
Just then my 6 year old came crashing in the front door, home from school, talking 90 miles to nothing, while the dog was still barking, phone was ringing, pee on the floor, screaming baby and rumbling stomach (mine).
But I stuck with my diet.
No matter what, I'm sticking with my diet.
Because any accomplishment requires major will power especially in the early stages.
Repeat after me- "I'm sticking with my diet!"
30 days from now your friends and family will ask you what you've been doing to get so lean.
To which you will say -
"I stuck with my diet!"
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Follow These 4 FullForce Fitness Tips To Get Firm and Tight!
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…
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
"Start Telling Yourself You Have 100% Control Over Your Level Of Fitness"
"Fat people believe that diets don't work...FIT people believe that people don't work.
Americans have been programmed to believe diets don’t work because of the inability of the average person to stick to them, and their unwillingness to take responsibility for their own failure.
Make no mistake: many diets work very well. Because an individual lacks the mental toughness to stick to a diet doesn’t make the diet any less effective. Fat people have a difficult time accepting responsibility for their own behavior, so they blame their diet. That’s no different than a college graduate begging for money on the street and then blaming the school for his failure to succeed.
This delusional thinking is a hallmark of the middle-class mindset. World-class thinkers know the real problem lies in the thoughts, beliefs and philosophies of the individual. They know diets work, but people often don’t.
Exacerbating the delusion of the masses are the weight loss companies telling people getting fat isn’t their fault. Of course, this makes fat people feel comfortable with their failures, and comfort is the most important thing to the middle-class consciousness.
So in addition to unhealthy foods, they begin ingesting pre-packaged meals and magical pills that promise to turn them into the next supermodel. To add insult to injury, these diet companies have the audacity to brainwash the masses into believing losing and maintaining their weight will be easy and effortless.
Fortunately for these companies and unfortunately for their customers, fat people want to believe this so badly they lie to themselves. Human history is filled with examples of the masses willingly deceiving themselves into believing things that aren’t true for the sake of psychological comfort.
They lack the mental and emotional toughness to cope with objective reality. All this self- deception eventually leaves the person frustrated, unhappy and fatter than ever. At the same time this preventable tragedy is occurring, fit people are taking advantage of brilliant diets and getting superior results." - Die Fat Book, Steve Siebold, CSP, CPCS
Scott
www.fullforcefitness.net
 | ||
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Cedar Park, Texas Personal Trainer Reveals the Top 5 Diet Tips For Those In A Hurry To Get In Shape
I have worked with a lot of people and one of the most important components in getting my clients the best results around is by piggybacking on some sort of deadline.
There is no better example of this than with a new bride to be, someone preparing for a cruise or a sun drenched beach vacation. It’s amazing what happens to women as soon as they set a wedding date- they are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to get in their dream dress and inspire awe in all those who attend the most important day of their life. 
It’s the same for a guy who’s getting ready for Spring Break at the beach or a couple preparing for a vacation on a cruise ship.
All of these individuals still need a dietary blueprint in order to get the job done. After all nutrition is 80-90+% of building a leaner, sexier physique. The following dietary guidelines have produced both body and life-changing results for many, many clients around the world (I have a Cedar Park, Texas fitness boot camp and I train clients using cutting edge technology online).
Typical results are losses of 2-3 pounds of ugly, unwanted body fat per week and a reduction in at least 1 clothing size per month. Remember- the focus must be on improving overall health, body composition, and performance, NOT weight loss!
The Fit Body Mentality:
EAT to Elevate Metabolism and Lose Fat (NOT Weight)
Tip#1- Stay Hydrated:
- Drink at least 2-4 cups of water immediately upon waking and then drink at least 1-2 cups of water every 2 hours you are awake. A dehydrated organism cannot effectively lose body fat! Fat burning is a dehydrating process and water helps the body along the way.
- Drink 1-2 cups of water for every 15 minutes of vigorous activity to maintain optimal performance and to prevent dehydration during your workouts.
- Consume at least 3 servings of antioxidant-rich green tea per day to boost your immune system and accelerate recovery from exercise.
Tip#2- Eat Early and Eat Often:
- Eat immediately upon waking (unless you workout first thing in the morning – in that case eat or have a protein drink right after the workout) and then again every 2-4 hours after that for a total of 6-8 feedings per day.
This is a staple for any solid fat loss nutrition plan because it allows your body to starve the fat and feed the muscle, optimizes performance, and prevents your body’s starvation signals from going off- signals that will slow fat loss to a snail’s pace.
- The dietary breakdown is 3 total meals per day consumed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time, 3 total snacks/day consumed between meals and before bed, and workout nutrition in the form of a protein or amino acid supplement consumed around your training sessions. Snacks are typically half the caloric value of meals.
Tip#3- Focus on the Essentials:
- Consume a wide range of organic lean high quality proteins at each feeding. A great rule of thumb is to consume at least a fist-sized portion. Protein is not only the only macronutrient responsible for building and repairing that lean, sexy muscle tone but it also allows your body to best starve its ugly, unwanted fat stores.
In addition, the sheer consumption of protein elevates metabolism and burns calories through the thermic effect of feeding since protein is more than twice as energy costly for your body to digest than fat or carbs.
- Consume a wide range of natural fats at each feeding (olive oil, coconut oil, beef, salmon, whole eggs, avocado, mixed nuts, flax, full-fat cheese, etc.). Sufficient dietary fat intake is critical to beneficial hormone production, which allows for optimal fat loss. Furthermore, your body cannot optimally burn stored body fat without a sufficient amount of healthy dietary fat.
- Consume a wide range of fruits and veggies at each feeding (with a special emphasis on green veggies). A great rule of thumb when it comes to produce is to consume at least one green item AND as many other colors as possible at each and every meal to get the most health benefits.
Sample One-Day Menu
Breakfast- 6am Scrambled Omega-3 Eggs, Greens, and Turkey Sausage or Bacon
Mid-Morning Snack- 9 am Mixed Raw Nuts and Fruit/Veggies of Choice
Lunch- Noon Chicken, Salmon, or Shrimp Caesar Salad
Mid-Afternoon Snack- 3 pm Full-Fat Cheese and Fruit/Veggies of Choice
Dinner- 6 pm Turkey or Beef Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash
Pre-Bed Snack- 8 pm Wonder Bowl:
Mix of Full-Fat Cottage Cheese, Protein Powder, Flax Meal, and Raw Nut Butter
Tip#4- You NEED These 2 Supplements:
- Take a daily whole food based multi-vitamin for your gender. Ensuring adequate intake of vitamins and minerals is essential for your body to function optimally, especially for people who struggle to get at least 8-12 servings of fruits and veggies per day.
- Take a high quality essential fatty acid (EFA) or fish oil supplement. Omega-3 fats found in fish oil are scientifically proven to increase metabolism and generate increased fat burning, besides having a host of other benefits like preventing cancer, reducing inflammation and joint pain, enhancing skin and hair quality, etc.
Tip#5- Think Fiber First When It Comes To Carbs:
- It is critical to focus on carbohydrate quality first AND then quantity second. In terms of quality, all carbohydrates (outside of dairy) that you eat should contain AT LEAST 3 g of fiber per serving and offer LESS THAN 10 g of sugar per serving.
In terms of quantity, we have found most females achieve the best fat-burning effects by limiting their total daily carb intake to 50 g or less, NOT including their unlimited daily fibrous carb intake from green veggies (fruit can be used in moderation) nor the trace carbs from protein and fat foods.
- Use The Carb Reduction Blueprint: Use the following step-by-step process in the exact order listed to breakthrough any plateaus in your quest to get into that dress:
Step#1- Replace all white carbs with 100% whole grain carbs and all refined sugars with natural sugars found in food choices with ONE ingredient (e.g. fruit, honey, etc.). This will results in much more stable blood sugar levels, the key to maintaining high energy levels and burning fat.
Step#2- Limit all 100% whole grain starch and natural sugar consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout or immediately upon waking for breakfast. Your body best handles these types of carbs at these times without excessive risk of this energy being stored as fat.
Step#3- Replace all starches and sugars with fruits and veggies. Fruits and veggies are the most nutrient dense carbs loaded with tons of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and stomach-filling fiber, making them the staple of any good fat loss meal plan.
Step#4- Replace all fruits with green veggies (or any other veggies BESIDES corn, peas, carrots, and potatoes) to weed out any remaining dietary sugar (fructose- fruit sugar) that will prevent your body from maximally using stored body fat for fuel.
Green veggies like broccoli, spinach, dark leafy lettuce, green beans, asparagus, etc. have the most figure-friendly benefits of any carbohydrate out there and can be consumed in an unlimited amount throughout the day to keep you full and satisfied.
Step#5- Use strategic carb and calorie cycling to take your body to next level (my clients and I have had great success with this but it is beyond the scope of this article).
Well, those are my top 5 diet tips to help you look your best on the biggest day of your life, Spring Break or a get away vacation at the beach. When it comes to nutrition, keep it simple and stay the course. And remember, it’s not about weight loss- it’s about being as visually stunning as possible via losing inches in all the right places.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
The Problem With "Big Box" Gyms
I just wanted to tell you that last week I went to a "Big Name" gym.
I was watching what was happening in the gym.
Now I have never belonged to one of these places, and have only been inside one or two in my life.
I was very disappointed to see that few people interacted with each other.
In all fairness, I was near the elliptical and treadmills, but they just got on the machine and stared at the TV.
Obviously I am a bit biased as I LOVE your class, but I can't imagine paying to go to such an impersonal place.
Anyway, just wanted to give you a pat on the back for creating such a great atmosphere, in your classes, and taking a personal interest in all of us."
A FullForceFitness Member
Cedar Park, Texas
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
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).
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
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.
Friday, December 19, 2008
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