OK, so we laid out a pretty reasonable plan for the Super Bowl buffet food spread...now it's time to grab a quick halftime body weight only workout.
Check it out and let me know how it goes!
Scottsdale Personal Trainer Reveals 4 Quarters of Waist-Saving Super Bowl Sunday Recipes
According to the Calorie Control Council and the Snack Food Association, the average viewer will consume 1,200 calories and 50 grams just on snacks, excluding meals and appetizers on Super Bowl Sunday.
When it comes to the big party, a solid plan needs to be in play regarding all the snacks and party foods that come along for the ride.
So aside from getting a quick interval session before kickoff or even taking an early morning hike, there are lots of ways satisfy the taste buds on the biggest football day in the world.
How about changing up the play and tweaking some of these traditional calorie bombs into something a bit more waistline friendly?
Let’s take a peek into a healthier Super Bowl party playbook:
**********
1st Quarter Appetizers
• Bun-less Sandwiches (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
• Organic Peanut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Raw Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Cheese, Eggs, and Meat Tray
• Raw Veggies (use dip sparingly)
• Grilled Veggies
• Touchdown Nachos (my personal favorite) (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, organic mozzarella cheese, salsa, and real guacamole)
2nd Quarter Accessories
• Whole Grain Tortillas
• Baked Chips
• 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.
3rd Quarter Main Courses
• Better 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)
• Pizza (see “appetizers” above or use whole grain/thin crust options from restaurants or frozen food isles)
4th Quarter Desserts
• Protein Cookies (swap in protein powder for flour)
• Larabars
• Prograde Cravers (100% organic chocolate snacks bars)
OVERTIME BONUS - Top 10 Tips to Save Thousands of Calories on Super Bowl Sunday
1.) Get Naked: No not that kind of naked, silly! Strip away all buns or breading for sandwiches with a dark green lettuce wrap alternative to cut calories, stabilize blood sugar, and boost fiber.
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.) Dump the Empty Liquid Calories: Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. Opt for water, green tea to leave more room for whole food choices that have more nutritional value and better fill you up.
4.) Don’t skip meals, or fast, leading up to the big game, in hopes of “saving calories”. This slows your metabolism and causes you to often over-do it when you finally get around to stuffing your face. This will do nothing good…your blood sugars will be all off and you’ll end up craving garbage food that has tons of fat and processed sugars.
5.) Skip White, Go Brown! Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta) (A lot of this can be found at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market). Whole grains have more vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber which means they won’t blast your blood sugar levels like the white refined stuff surely will.
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 overkill of high fat meals like deep dish pizza. Grab those veggies and grilled (lean) proteins before anything else!
7.) Never eat directly out of the bag or community bowl and use smaller plates to keep track of your intake. Otherwise, you could just start eating randomly and be headed for trouble.
8.) Time for Some Green: Opt for real 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, most have trouble defining “moderation”, especially when it comes to slamming a load of it with white flour corn chips or heavy 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.) Take It Easy: Slow it down and chew your food! Your mom was right…because eating slower will allow your brain to signal the “cut-off” and send in the “I’m full” signal.
When it comes to the big party, a solid plan needs to be in play regarding all the snacks and party foods that come along for the ride.
So aside from getting a quick interval session before kickoff or even taking an early morning hike, there are lots of ways satisfy the taste buds on the biggest football day in the world.
How about changing up the play and tweaking some of these traditional calorie bombs into something a bit more waistline friendly?
Let’s take a peek into a healthier Super Bowl party playbook:
**********
1st Quarter Appetizers
• Bun-less Sandwiches (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
• Organic Peanut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Raw Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Cheese, Eggs, and Meat Tray
• Raw Veggies (use dip sparingly)
• Grilled Veggies
• Touchdown Nachos (my personal favorite) (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, organic mozzarella cheese, salsa, and real guacamole)
2nd Quarter Accessories
• Whole Grain Tortillas
• Baked Chips
• 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.
3rd Quarter Main Courses
• Better 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)
• Pizza (see “appetizers” above or use whole grain/thin crust options from restaurants or frozen food isles)
4th Quarter Desserts
• Protein Cookies (swap in protein powder for flour)
• Larabars
• Prograde Cravers (100% organic chocolate snacks bars)
OVERTIME BONUS - Top 10 Tips to Save Thousands of Calories on Super Bowl Sunday
1.) Get Naked: No not that kind of naked, silly! Strip away all buns or breading for sandwiches with a dark green lettuce wrap alternative to cut calories, stabilize blood sugar, and boost fiber.
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.) Dump the Empty Liquid Calories: Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. Opt for water, green tea to leave more room for whole food choices that have more nutritional value and better fill you up.
4.) Don’t skip meals, or fast, leading up to the big game, in hopes of “saving calories”. This slows your metabolism and causes you to often over-do it when you finally get around to stuffing your face. This will do nothing good…your blood sugars will be all off and you’ll end up craving garbage food that has tons of fat and processed sugars.
5.) Skip White, Go Brown! Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta) (A lot of this can be found at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market). Whole grains have more vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber which means they won’t blast your blood sugar levels like the white refined stuff surely will.
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 overkill of high fat meals like deep dish pizza. Grab those veggies and grilled (lean) proteins before anything else!
7.) Never eat directly out of the bag or community bowl and use smaller plates to keep track of your intake. Otherwise, you could just start eating randomly and be headed for trouble.
8.) Time for Some Green: Opt for real 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, most have trouble defining “moderation”, especially when it comes to slamming a load of it with white flour corn chips or heavy 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.) Take It Easy: Slow it down and chew your food! Your mom was right…because eating slower will allow your brain to signal the “cut-off” and send in the “I’m full” signal.
3 Nutrition Quick Tips and Warning Video!
As important as proper interval-based training is to fat loss, you can’t ignore the power of proper nutrition. Here are 3 quick tips to get you started…
1 ~ Chow down! (Eating, good…Skipping meals, bad)
You need to eat to keep your metabolism peaking at its highest point. Don’t skip breakfast. Include healthy snacks. Prepare a plan for your other meals. Eating every 4 hours or so will keep you feeling full, will help avoid binging and boost your energy levels.
If your body suffers from not having proper nutrients or your calorie count falls way under an average of 1200 calories (and yes, I’ve seen ridiculous “diets” out there on right now that recommend eating just 500 calories a DAY), you are sabotaging your fat loss efforts, not helping.
Easiest way to say it? Metabolism slows, fat stays.
2 ~ Chown down on supportive food choices!
Duh…that was obvious, but as you can tell from the video below about a recent encounter I had at Costco with a “healthy chocolate” food demo…things can get confusing out there.
Take a walk through a typical grocery store and you’ll see tons of food labels that try to get you to believe it’s good for you.
Listen, and this is vital…just because something is touted as fat free, no trans fat, whole grain, sugar free, etc…does NOT mean it’s good for you!
Why not?
Because MOST of these products have loads of processed chemicals, fillers, man-made artificial junk, dangerous toxics and the list goes on.
As a general rule of thumb, stick with plenty of unprocessed lean proteins (meats, eggs, fish, nuts, beans, dairy) with lots of fresh fruit and veggies.
Think “Little House on the Prairie” days…they grew, harvested, picked and hunted their food…no fancy factories, no extraordinarily processed foods…nutrition was much simpler back then, and so should your food choices.
Take look at what I mean by artificial sweetener-filled products that are supposed to be “healthy”:
3 ~ Scrap the Crap
Yes, avoid sugary beverages (a no brainer).
Yes, diet soda can make you fat (the artificial sweeteners cause real sugar cravings which lead to binge eating/drinking with loads of calories).
Put things to the test…look directly at the ingredient list, not just the cool package the food comes in.
Trust me, food manufacturers know the buzz words you want to see on the front label…all the “fat free” mumbo jumbo, etc.
If you can’t pronounce the word or the ingredient list is a mile long…that can't be a good sign.
Bon appetite!
1 ~ Chow down! (Eating, good…Skipping meals, bad)
You need to eat to keep your metabolism peaking at its highest point. Don’t skip breakfast. Include healthy snacks. Prepare a plan for your other meals. Eating every 4 hours or so will keep you feeling full, will help avoid binging and boost your energy levels.
If your body suffers from not having proper nutrients or your calorie count falls way under an average of 1200 calories (and yes, I’ve seen ridiculous “diets” out there on right now that recommend eating just 500 calories a DAY), you are sabotaging your fat loss efforts, not helping.
Easiest way to say it? Metabolism slows, fat stays.
2 ~ Chown down on supportive food choices!
Duh…that was obvious, but as you can tell from the video below about a recent encounter I had at Costco with a “healthy chocolate” food demo…things can get confusing out there.
Take a walk through a typical grocery store and you’ll see tons of food labels that try to get you to believe it’s good for you.
Listen, and this is vital…just because something is touted as fat free, no trans fat, whole grain, sugar free, etc…does NOT mean it’s good for you!
Why not?
Because MOST of these products have loads of processed chemicals, fillers, man-made artificial junk, dangerous toxics and the list goes on.
As a general rule of thumb, stick with plenty of unprocessed lean proteins (meats, eggs, fish, nuts, beans, dairy) with lots of fresh fruit and veggies.
Think “Little House on the Prairie” days…they grew, harvested, picked and hunted their food…no fancy factories, no extraordinarily processed foods…nutrition was much simpler back then, and so should your food choices.
Take look at what I mean by artificial sweetener-filled products that are supposed to be “healthy”:
3 ~ Scrap the Crap
Yes, avoid sugary beverages (a no brainer).
Yes, diet soda can make you fat (the artificial sweeteners cause real sugar cravings which lead to binge eating/drinking with loads of calories).
Put things to the test…look directly at the ingredient list, not just the cool package the food comes in.
Trust me, food manufacturers know the buzz words you want to see on the front label…all the “fat free” mumbo jumbo, etc.
If you can’t pronounce the word or the ingredient list is a mile long…that can't be a good sign.
Bon appetite!
On the go? Short on time? No equipment? Here's a GREAT 9 Minute Workout for you!
President Obama is now leading our great nation...and with
such a busy schedule, he will likely be the most traveled man in all the land.
You might find yourself taking trips, traveling, or just really busy as well.
With limited time and no equipment, here's a 9 Minute Fat Burner Workout for you (or even President O) to do..let's get into it!
Wouldn't you just love to see the Prez bustin' out some spiderman pushups? ;)
such a busy schedule, he will likely be the most traveled man in all the land.
You might find yourself taking trips, traveling, or just really busy as well.
With limited time and no equipment, here's a 9 Minute Fat Burner Workout for you (or even President O) to do..let's get into it!
Wouldn't you just love to see the Prez bustin' out some spiderman pushups? ;)
The Best Lower Body Exercise On The Planet - Revealed!
As a boot camp and fitness trainer, I get a lot of commonly asked questions and near the top of the list would be “What’s the best exercise to work my legs and butt?” Today I’m going to share my personal favorite butt burning, leg sculpting, lower body exercise and a some cool bonus moves you can add to enhance the effectiveness. It’s called the Rear-Foot Elevated Lunge Variation, or sometimes referred to as the “Bulgarian Split Squat”. So powerful and beneficial for toning and shaping, using this in your workouts will eliminate “jiggle thighs” syndrome forever!
First, I have to post a disclaimer. I don’t buy into the myth of “spot training” a certain body part. For instance, working your “just” your legs, or “just” your abs. Our boot camp program is designed to burn fat from your “total body”, because we train the upper body, lower body, and the all important core during every single interval-based camp workout. By training the entire body at once, we stimulate lean muscle gain and increase metabolism, that will, as a whole, burn fat from “trouble spots” or “target areas”. Complement this efficient and functional style of training with a proper diet high in lean protein, fiber, green veggies and low in unnatural fats and refined sugars and starches is a must-do if you want to see that muscle definition start to take shape. Ladies, that means sexy, lean curves and for the gentlemen, the man-boobs go away.
So, listen…you can do all the crunches or long, boring cardio that you want…but without proper full body interval-based strength training and proper nutrition, the muffin-top, belly fat and jiggly arms are going to hang around for a long time.
OK, so having said that, here’s the breakdown of the Rear-Foot Elevated Lunge. Basically we’re going to elevate the back foot on a chair, bench, box, or any other sturdy foot support, usually about 12-18 inches high. You’ll put your front leg well in front of you in order to make sure that your front knee and ankle are lined up. This is critical so that we can easily keep that knee from sticking out over your foot and causing immense (and unnecessary stress on the knee). Initiate the exercise by loading the front heel and dropping your hips as low as you can in a pain-free range of motion while staying really tall up top with a proud chest and shoulders down and back. Keep good form with no hunching or no rounding of the shoulders. Staying focused with your core tight, finish the rep by explosively driving through your front heel to return to the top of the movement. It would be advisable to start with body weight only, then progress to more advance variations like holding dumbbells, adding a curl and press or even just holding the dumbbells overhead while completing each repetition. This will really challenge your core; increase your balance and strength like none other.
See the video below for a complete demo of all of the different variations of the rear-foot elevated lunge:
Want in on a bonus to this? It will also be a fantastic stretch for your hip flexor muscles, which is an area that can hold a lot of tightness and discomfort.
So stop wasting your valuable time with useless gym machines or single joint movements that give you very little “bang for the buck”. Get up and try the most effect lower body movement on the planet today!
First, I have to post a disclaimer. I don’t buy into the myth of “spot training” a certain body part. For instance, working your “just” your legs, or “just” your abs. Our boot camp program is designed to burn fat from your “total body”, because we train the upper body, lower body, and the all important core during every single interval-based camp workout. By training the entire body at once, we stimulate lean muscle gain and increase metabolism, that will, as a whole, burn fat from “trouble spots” or “target areas”. Complement this efficient and functional style of training with a proper diet high in lean protein, fiber, green veggies and low in unnatural fats and refined sugars and starches is a must-do if you want to see that muscle definition start to take shape. Ladies, that means sexy, lean curves and for the gentlemen, the man-boobs go away.
So, listen…you can do all the crunches or long, boring cardio that you want…but without proper full body interval-based strength training and proper nutrition, the muffin-top, belly fat and jiggly arms are going to hang around for a long time.
OK, so having said that, here’s the breakdown of the Rear-Foot Elevated Lunge. Basically we’re going to elevate the back foot on a chair, bench, box, or any other sturdy foot support, usually about 12-18 inches high. You’ll put your front leg well in front of you in order to make sure that your front knee and ankle are lined up. This is critical so that we can easily keep that knee from sticking out over your foot and causing immense (and unnecessary stress on the knee). Initiate the exercise by loading the front heel and dropping your hips as low as you can in a pain-free range of motion while staying really tall up top with a proud chest and shoulders down and back. Keep good form with no hunching or no rounding of the shoulders. Staying focused with your core tight, finish the rep by explosively driving through your front heel to return to the top of the movement. It would be advisable to start with body weight only, then progress to more advance variations like holding dumbbells, adding a curl and press or even just holding the dumbbells overhead while completing each repetition. This will really challenge your core; increase your balance and strength like none other.
See the video below for a complete demo of all of the different variations of the rear-foot elevated lunge:
Want in on a bonus to this? It will also be a fantastic stretch for your hip flexor muscles, which is an area that can hold a lot of tightness and discomfort.
So stop wasting your valuable time with useless gym machines or single joint movements that give you very little “bang for the buck”. Get up and try the most effect lower body movement on the planet today!
"Can The Fat" Charity Workout Is Coming Saturday Jan. 24!
Join us for FREE boot camp workout that will have you burning fat, gaining lean muscle and benefiting local food banks all at the same time!
What: Arizona Fitness Boot Camp’s “Can The Fat” Charity Workout
Where: Paseo Highlands Park, 3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85027 (just west of the I-17 on Pinnacle Peak/35th Avenue) (We will gather near basketball court)
When: Saturday, Jan. 24 from 9:00am-9:30am. Please arrive by 8:45 for proper warm-up and instruction.
Expect: Interval-based fat loss and strength training circuits using bodyweight exercises only.
Cost: FREE with donation of at least one canned food item to benefit local food banks.
What to Bring: Exercise Mat, Water and Lots of Energy. For best results, please be sure to have a small breakfast 1 hour prior to workout. Don't forget your canned food donations!
Bonus #1: Each person who donates 10 or more canned food items will be entered into a drawing for a FREE 1 MONTH MEMBERSHIP to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp!
Bonus #2: ALL participants will receive a FREE 2 WEEK MEMBERSHIP to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp!
Visit www.ArizonaFitnessBootCamp.com to learn more about our unique fitness program.
More Ways You Can Help This Special Event:
1. If you can’t attend the workout, you can still help by stopping by and dropping your canned goods starting at 8:30am.
2. Spread the word! Let everyone know about this event. Encourage them to participate, donate or just come out and watch everyone get some great exercise.
What: Arizona Fitness Boot Camp’s “Can The Fat” Charity Workout
Where: Paseo Highlands Park, 3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85027 (just west of the I-17 on Pinnacle Peak/35th Avenue) (We will gather near basketball court)
When: Saturday, Jan. 24 from 9:00am-9:30am. Please arrive by 8:45 for proper warm-up and instruction.
Expect: Interval-based fat loss and strength training circuits using bodyweight exercises only.
Cost: FREE with donation of at least one canned food item to benefit local food banks.
What to Bring: Exercise Mat, Water and Lots of Energy. For best results, please be sure to have a small breakfast 1 hour prior to workout. Don't forget your canned food donations!
Bonus #1: Each person who donates 10 or more canned food items will be entered into a drawing for a FREE 1 MONTH MEMBERSHIP to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp!
Bonus #2: ALL participants will receive a FREE 2 WEEK MEMBERSHIP to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp!
Visit www.ArizonaFitnessBootCamp.com to learn more about our unique fitness program.
More Ways You Can Help This Special Event:
1. If you can’t attend the workout, you can still help by stopping by and dropping your canned goods starting at 8:30am.
2. Spread the word! Let everyone know about this event. Encourage them to participate, donate or just come out and watch everyone get some great exercise.
6 Week Total Body Transformation Contest Is Starting Jan. 26!
Did you know that a mere 12% of people achieve their
New Year's resolutions of losing weight, getting fit and eating right?
That means about 9 out of 10 people won't be losing any weight, getting fit or eating better. They'll just be back making the same resolutions for next year.
What if you could change all that and guarantee yourself success?
What would transforming your body (and lifestyle) mean to you?
When you transform yourself, you do much more than lose weight and trim off a bunch of inches….
- You become more confident.
- Your self-image improves.
- You gain control over your body and your eating behaviors.
- You realize that you are much stronger than you previously thought.
- You find out that you have the power to inspire and motivate others!
That's why this could be the most important thing you do
for yourself all year…
Announcing the “6 Week Total Body Transformation Contest” with Our Rapid Fire Results Workout System!
-Starts Monday, January 26 through Thursday, March 12, 2009 (just in time to get into shape before Spring Break)
-3 challenging, and time-efficient 30 minute workouts per week (not long, boring ineffective workouts)
-Weekly nutrition plans (which includes no dangerous weight loss pills or useless fad diets)
-Exclusive 24/7 personal trainer e-mail support to answer all your fitness and nutrition questions
-Offer good at Phoenix and Scottsdale boot camp locations
-Our website/blog viewers will vote on who they think has made the biggest transformation
-Prizes will include FREE MEMBERSHIPS to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp, Old Navy Gift Cards (because you won’t fit in your old clothes), private training sessions, and Fridge Makeovers…but most of all, your biggest prize will be a healthier, stronger YOU!
-Entry is just $225 per person for the 6 week contest
So are you going to wait another year to make real changes in your health and fitness?
Get started and invest in yourself today!
Get over to our Registration Page to secure your spot in this life changing challenge!
New Year's resolutions of losing weight, getting fit and eating right?
That means about 9 out of 10 people won't be losing any weight, getting fit or eating better. They'll just be back making the same resolutions for next year.
What if you could change all that and guarantee yourself success?
What would transforming your body (and lifestyle) mean to you?
When you transform yourself, you do much more than lose weight and trim off a bunch of inches….
- You become more confident.
- Your self-image improves.
- You gain control over your body and your eating behaviors.
- You realize that you are much stronger than you previously thought.
- You find out that you have the power to inspire and motivate others!
That's why this could be the most important thing you do
for yourself all year…
Announcing the “6 Week Total Body Transformation Contest” with Our Rapid Fire Results Workout System!
-Starts Monday, January 26 through Thursday, March 12, 2009 (just in time to get into shape before Spring Break)
-3 challenging, and time-efficient 30 minute workouts per week (not long, boring ineffective workouts)
-Weekly nutrition plans (which includes no dangerous weight loss pills or useless fad diets)
-Exclusive 24/7 personal trainer e-mail support to answer all your fitness and nutrition questions
-Offer good at Phoenix and Scottsdale boot camp locations
-Our website/blog viewers will vote on who they think has made the biggest transformation
-Prizes will include FREE MEMBERSHIPS to Arizona Fitness Boot Camp, Old Navy Gift Cards (because you won’t fit in your old clothes), private training sessions, and Fridge Makeovers…but most of all, your biggest prize will be a healthier, stronger YOU!
-Entry is just $225 per person for the 6 week contest
So are you going to wait another year to make real changes in your health and fitness?
Get started and invest in yourself today!
Get over to our Registration Page to secure your spot in this life changing challenge!
Most Stupid Snack Advice...EVER!
It's no wonder people have gained so much weight.
With TV commercials as misleading, people get confused – a lot of times, it’s just not their fault.
You're inundated with crummy information and myths every time you turn on the TV.
Cookies for breakfast? High fructose corn syrup “ok” because it’s “made from corn”.
Yeah, those are real commercials out there right now. I know, I know - don't get me started on that...well, OK - just a couple words ;) :
Are you joking? A while back they were even running a commercial for some silly Rice Puff product. It was in an office setting and someone had brought in cupcakes for everyone to enjoy.
One woman looked worried she was going to ruin her "diet" because of the temptation and decided to "fill up" on a Rice Puff product.
Come on. You have got to be smarter than that. You know darn well that a rice puff thingy is not going to fill you up and stop you from stuffing your face with cupcakes.
For one thing, you need to expect these junk food offers to arise. Whether you want six pack abs or just want to get to a perfectly healthy weight, you have to have a plan for temptation.
Second, that means you need to plan meals so you aren't completely starving when someone brings cupcakes to your office or something.
You know you need to eat small, frequent and nutritious meals if you really want to achieve fat loss.
Third, if you are looking for a great tasting healthy snack that fulfills your love of chocolate then look no further.
Prograde Cravers are just what the fitness pro ordered.
( Check them out here: http://curtis.getprograde.com/cravers )
Cravers are only 180 calories and they are made with 100% organic dark chocolate. They are completely delicious and just like our fast fat burning workouts, they are perfect for busy people on the go.
They even come in three flavors. Personally, I love the chocolate/peanut butter ones :).
Anyway, don't buy the hype on TV. You know better than that.
Keep healthy,
Curtis
PS - It ends this Thursday! Remember, Prograde Nutrition is currently having a BIG 10.9% off everything January Celebration Sale to celebrate the New Year and the fact they are now shipping to the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Yes, that's 10.9 as in January of 2009 ;-)
Here are some other details I want to make sure you know about:
- Again, you receive 10.9% off all Prograde products.
- Offer expires Thursday, January 15th at 11:59pm EST.
- Yes, that 10.9% off will be applicable to SmartShip orders. But it only applies to that first purchase. Not ongoing.
- The coupon code you enter at checkout is:
012009
- The website is http://curtis.getprograde.com
- If you want to check out Prograde Cravers right away go here: http://curtis.getprograde.com/cravers
With TV commercials as misleading, people get confused – a lot of times, it’s just not their fault.
You're inundated with crummy information and myths every time you turn on the TV.
Cookies for breakfast? High fructose corn syrup “ok” because it’s “made from corn”.
Yeah, those are real commercials out there right now. I know, I know - don't get me started on that...well, OK - just a couple words ;) :
Are you joking? A while back they were even running a commercial for some silly Rice Puff product. It was in an office setting and someone had brought in cupcakes for everyone to enjoy.
One woman looked worried she was going to ruin her "diet" because of the temptation and decided to "fill up" on a Rice Puff product.
Come on. You have got to be smarter than that. You know darn well that a rice puff thingy is not going to fill you up and stop you from stuffing your face with cupcakes.
For one thing, you need to expect these junk food offers to arise. Whether you want six pack abs or just want to get to a perfectly healthy weight, you have to have a plan for temptation.
Second, that means you need to plan meals so you aren't completely starving when someone brings cupcakes to your office or something.
You know you need to eat small, frequent and nutritious meals if you really want to achieve fat loss.
Third, if you are looking for a great tasting healthy snack that fulfills your love of chocolate then look no further.
Prograde Cravers are just what the fitness pro ordered.
( Check them out here: http://curtis.getprograde.com/cravers )
Cravers are only 180 calories and they are made with 100% organic dark chocolate. They are completely delicious and just like our fast fat burning workouts, they are perfect for busy people on the go.
They even come in three flavors. Personally, I love the chocolate/peanut butter ones :).
Anyway, don't buy the hype on TV. You know better than that.
Keep healthy,
Curtis
PS - It ends this Thursday! Remember, Prograde Nutrition is currently having a BIG 10.9% off everything January Celebration Sale to celebrate the New Year and the fact they are now shipping to the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Yes, that's 10.9 as in January of 2009 ;-)
Here are some other details I want to make sure you know about:
- Again, you receive 10.9% off all Prograde products.
- Offer expires Thursday, January 15th at 11:59pm EST.
- Yes, that 10.9% off will be applicable to SmartShip orders. But it only applies to that first purchase. Not ongoing.
- The coupon code you enter at checkout is:
012009
- The website is http://curtis.getprograde.com
- If you want to check out Prograde Cravers right away go here: http://curtis.getprograde.com/cravers
Top 5 "Save Your Back" Snow Shoveling Tips
It’s January, and although we don’t see much snow in the Phoenix area, northern Arizona is a winter wonderland this time of year. This has everyone heading to the ski slopes, and while the winters can a fun time, it can be a dangerous time for your body, especially if you have to shovel out from under a blanket of the cool white stuff.
So if you are heading up to the high country or have family and friends in other snowy parts of the country, you might want to check out some my “safe-shoveling” secrets. Even for those who live in a climate that doesn’t usually see snow, you need to listen up. Why? Did you see Las Vegas snow storm in December? Snow in Vegas? Yup, it shut down the airport and took everyone by surprise. Just be prepared no matter where you live and you’ll be all the better for it!
So let’s get into it:
1.) Perform a Proper 5-Minute Warm-up Before Shoveling
Just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercises, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Let’s face it, snow, especially when it’s wet, is a real workout to start moving around. So goes with physical exercise, if your body is not properly warmed up and prepared for action, you could be setting yourself up for immediate or long time injury. Plain and simple.
I have created a great shoveling specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to rock. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, the two most commonly injured areas of broken down snow shovelers:
Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:
Exercise#1- Stationary High Knee Run
Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)
Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist
Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch
Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head with finger interlocked)
2.) Shift and Split Your Stance When Shoveling
Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for avid shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to best remedy this). More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of the lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run. However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.
3.) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling
This is actually part 2 of the last tip. Even when you shift your feet your stance, you can be setting yourself up for injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize too much torso rotation that can often wrench your back, cause immediate pain and/or pinched nerves.
4.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides
Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further unbalanced strength and flexibility issues that can put your body at greater risk for injury. I hear people in our boot camp say “this side seems stronger than the other”. That’s muscle imbalance. So, while splitting your stance, pointing your toes in the shoveling direction, you should make regular shifts to each side. I’m talking equal snow tosses, here. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward.
5.) Move to Phoenix
This is my personal favorite, and no, I’m not joking. I grew up in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Trust me, I know snow. In fact, I delivered newspapers for 2 full winters as a young boy, so again, I know snow. It’s not all that fun dragging 20 pounds of periodicals through waist deep snow drifts in zero degree weather. In 1986, our family decided enough was enough and that we had our fill of the bone-chilling snow and moved to Phoenix, and I haven’t seen a snow drift since…except for on TV.
But seriously folks, take a little time and do a proper warm up, use the proper techniques and keep yourself (and your back) safe when movin’ and grovin’ in the snow!
So if you are heading up to the high country or have family and friends in other snowy parts of the country, you might want to check out some my “safe-shoveling” secrets. Even for those who live in a climate that doesn’t usually see snow, you need to listen up. Why? Did you see Las Vegas snow storm in December? Snow in Vegas? Yup, it shut down the airport and took everyone by surprise. Just be prepared no matter where you live and you’ll be all the better for it!
So let’s get into it:
1.) Perform a Proper 5-Minute Warm-up Before Shoveling
Just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercises, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Let’s face it, snow, especially when it’s wet, is a real workout to start moving around. So goes with physical exercise, if your body is not properly warmed up and prepared for action, you could be setting yourself up for immediate or long time injury. Plain and simple.
I have created a great shoveling specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to rock. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, the two most commonly injured areas of broken down snow shovelers:
Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:
Exercise#1- Stationary High Knee Run
Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)
Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist
Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch
Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head with finger interlocked)
2.) Shift and Split Your Stance When Shoveling
Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for avid shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to best remedy this). More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of the lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run. However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.
3.) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling
This is actually part 2 of the last tip. Even when you shift your feet your stance, you can be setting yourself up for injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize too much torso rotation that can often wrench your back, cause immediate pain and/or pinched nerves.
4.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides
Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further unbalanced strength and flexibility issues that can put your body at greater risk for injury. I hear people in our boot camp say “this side seems stronger than the other”. That’s muscle imbalance. So, while splitting your stance, pointing your toes in the shoveling direction, you should make regular shifts to each side. I’m talking equal snow tosses, here. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward.
5.) Move to Phoenix
This is my personal favorite, and no, I’m not joking. I grew up in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Trust me, I know snow. In fact, I delivered newspapers for 2 full winters as a young boy, so again, I know snow. It’s not all that fun dragging 20 pounds of periodicals through waist deep snow drifts in zero degree weather. In 1986, our family decided enough was enough and that we had our fill of the bone-chilling snow and moved to Phoenix, and I haven’t seen a snow drift since…except for on TV.
But seriously folks, take a little time and do a proper warm up, use the proper techniques and keep yourself (and your back) safe when movin’ and grovin’ in the snow!
4 Quick Fat Blasting Breakfast Ideas
It’s the start of the New Year…are you still looking
for ways to eat a quick way to start burning fat
from your body? If you want to sizzle some fat off
your belly you need to burn THIS into your brain first.
Eat breakfast.
Look, you can make fat loss as difficult as
you like. You can make it out to be super
complicated if you so choose.
But one of the easiest things you can do to
start melting the fat off your frame is to
start eating a breakfast that boosts your
metabolism and sets the tone for fat loss
all day long.
Now, there's a very good chance you're
shaking your head in agreement with me,
but saying something like, "That's great.
I know that. But what the heck do I eat?"
Glad you asked ;-)
Here are three simple fat fighting breakfasts
from Registered Dietitian Jayson Hunter:
1- Cottage cheese mixed with real fruit
2- Hard boiled egg and yogurt mixed with real fruit
3- 2 pieces of fruit and a scrambled egg wrap
Seriously, would that be so hard? Don't
you think you can manage that in the morning?
Well, if you can't Jayson, who is the Head
of R & D at Prograde Nutrition, has another
suggestion. You can use a nutritious meal
replacement shake like Prograde Lean.
The product is solid and worth every penny.
OK, so there are 4 options for a Belly Fat
Blasting Breakfast. Enjoy!
PS - Remember, Prograde Nutrition is currently
having a BIG 10.9% off everything January
Celebration Sale to celebrate the New Year
and the fact they are now shipping to the UK,
Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Yes, that's 10.9 as in January of 2009 ;-)
- Here are some other details I want to make
sure you know about:
- Again, you receive 10.9% off all Prograde
products.
- It will run from Thursday, January 8th until
Thursday, January 15th at 11:59pm EST.
- Yes, that 10.9% off will be applicable to
SmartShip orders. But it only applies to that
first purchase. Not ongoing.
- The coupon code you enter at checkout is:
012009
- The website is http://curtis.getprograde.com/
- If you want to check out Prograde Lean right
away go here:
http://curtis.getprograde.com//lean
My Best To You In
The New Year!
Curtis Hoekstra, Head Trainer
Arizona Fitness Boot Camp
480-981-6877
for ways to eat a quick way to start burning fat
from your body? If you want to sizzle some fat off
your belly you need to burn THIS into your brain first.
Eat breakfast.
Look, you can make fat loss as difficult as
you like. You can make it out to be super
complicated if you so choose.
But one of the easiest things you can do to
start melting the fat off your frame is to
start eating a breakfast that boosts your
metabolism and sets the tone for fat loss
all day long.
Now, there's a very good chance you're
shaking your head in agreement with me,
but saying something like, "That's great.
I know that. But what the heck do I eat?"
Glad you asked ;-)
Here are three simple fat fighting breakfasts
from Registered Dietitian Jayson Hunter:
1- Cottage cheese mixed with real fruit
2- Hard boiled egg and yogurt mixed with real fruit
3- 2 pieces of fruit and a scrambled egg wrap
Seriously, would that be so hard? Don't
you think you can manage that in the morning?
Well, if you can't Jayson, who is the Head
of R & D at Prograde Nutrition, has another
suggestion. You can use a nutritious meal
replacement shake like Prograde Lean.
The product is solid and worth every penny.
OK, so there are 4 options for a Belly Fat
Blasting Breakfast. Enjoy!
PS - Remember, Prograde Nutrition is currently
having a BIG 10.9% off everything January
Celebration Sale to celebrate the New Year
and the fact they are now shipping to the UK,
Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Yes, that's 10.9 as in January of 2009 ;-)
- Here are some other details I want to make
sure you know about:
- Again, you receive 10.9% off all Prograde
products.
- It will run from Thursday, January 8th until
Thursday, January 15th at 11:59pm EST.
- Yes, that 10.9% off will be applicable to
SmartShip orders. But it only applies to that
first purchase. Not ongoing.
- The coupon code you enter at checkout is:
012009
- The website is http://curtis.getprograde.com/
- If you want to check out Prograde Lean right
away go here:
http://curtis.getprograde.com//lean
My Best To You In
The New Year!
Curtis Hoekstra, Head Trainer
Arizona Fitness Boot Camp
480-981-6877
Turn New Year Resolutions Into Reality - Steps 2 - 3
Step Two- The What and When: What do you want to achieve and when do you want to achieve it by?
So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look better, be desirable and feel healthy! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this personal dream.
Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three popular ways to track your “look better” progress, in order of importance from least to most important:
1.) Scale Weight: 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. The 3 little numbers on the scale are not that critical…the following 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. I tell my clients to assess how they are fitting in their preferred dress/pant size tracker on a weekly or bi-weekly basis as clients follow our training program. Be sure to stick with this piece of clothing, so you are not confused by different manufacturers and their size variations. There’s nothing more empowering than to feel yourself fit better and better into your favorite clothing.
3.) Digital Pictures: Pictures don’t lie, that’s the bottom line. If you want the truth, what better way than pictures? This is of overriding importance. 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 take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Maybe the jeans you’re trying to fit into, 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 midsection 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. These “before” pictures will become your trophy shots of your past life and are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count. We tell our clients to take new pictures either bi-weekly or monthly until they reach their goal(s).
Step Three- Plan and prepare for roadblocks: What are the big obstacles that will prevent you from having the success you desire? What has 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 healthy, nutrition friendly 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, non-negotiable deadlines. 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. One more thing for you on being busy. You don’t need any special whiz-bang fitness gimmicks. You’ve got everything you need built right in…your bodyweight. There are amazingly effective bodyweight workouts that could take only a few minutes a day to complete. Problem solved.
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 understand something, low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and that’s a fact. Don’t give me that garbage about having just one-drink-a-day. Quit sabotaging yourself and grab your water bottle.
Lastly, many people deal with boredom eating or 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 takes over and you can easily 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 unique to you or fall within the realms of what I see everyday with my training clients, 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 loved ones. 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 you desire and deserve.
So what is your what/when/plan/prepare thoughts?
Post them here and let's help get you on track for 2009!
Keep healthy,
Curtis
Arizona Fitness Boot Camp
So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look better, be desirable and feel healthy! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this personal dream.
Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three popular ways to track your “look better” progress, in order of importance from least to most important:
1.) Scale Weight: 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. The 3 little numbers on the scale are not that critical…the following 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. I tell my clients to assess how they are fitting in their preferred dress/pant size tracker on a weekly or bi-weekly basis as clients follow our training program. Be sure to stick with this piece of clothing, so you are not confused by different manufacturers and their size variations. There’s nothing more empowering than to feel yourself fit better and better into your favorite clothing.
3.) Digital Pictures: Pictures don’t lie, that’s the bottom line. If you want the truth, what better way than pictures? This is of overriding importance. 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 take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Maybe the jeans you’re trying to fit into, 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 midsection 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. These “before” pictures will become your trophy shots of your past life and are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count. We tell our clients to take new pictures either bi-weekly or monthly until they reach their goal(s).
Step Three- Plan and prepare for roadblocks: What are the big obstacles that will prevent you from having the success you desire? What has 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 healthy, nutrition friendly 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, non-negotiable deadlines. 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. One more thing for you on being busy. You don’t need any special whiz-bang fitness gimmicks. You’ve got everything you need built right in…your bodyweight. There are amazingly effective bodyweight workouts that could take only a few minutes a day to complete. Problem solved.
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 understand something, low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and that’s a fact. Don’t give me that garbage about having just one-drink-a-day. Quit sabotaging yourself and grab your water bottle.
Lastly, many people deal with boredom eating or 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 takes over and you can easily 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 unique to you or fall within the realms of what I see everyday with my training clients, 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 loved ones. 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 you desire and deserve.
So what is your what/when/plan/prepare thoughts?
Post them here and let's help get you on track for 2009!
Keep healthy,
Curtis
Arizona Fitness Boot Camp
Great News From Friends at Prograde - Special Notice!
I just got this notice in my e-mail this morning and had to put it up for you to see ASAP...to see the Step 1 New Year Resolutions Post...scroll down this page just a little bit :)
As you probably already know, Prograde Nutrition was started by a couple of fitness pros to be a resource for ethical trainers, such as myself. They created a company that I can have complete faith in recommending to you.
I think a lot of people in my industry were laughing behind their backs hoping they would fail. Well, not only have they silenced their critics, their products are so in demand they are now shipping to the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand!
Plus, they will soon be able to ship to just about anywhere in the world.
Yes, the products are THAT good and they are that much in demand.
So to celebrate their new shipping destinations, and just to ring in the New Year, they are having a 10.9% off everything sale.
Yes, that's 10.9 as in January of 2009 ;-)
Here are some other details I want to make sure you know about:
- Again, you receive 10.9% off all Prograde products.
- It will run from Thursday, January 8th until Thursday, January 15th at 11:59pm EST.
- Yes, that 10.9% off will be applicable to SmartShip orders. But it only applies to that first purchase. Not ongoing.
- The coupon code you enter at checkout is:
012009
- The website you need to click is HERE.
Oh, and you should definitely check out the Organic Chocolate Cravers - those are my favorite Prograde products. Forget the drive-thru, THIS is a terrific "on-the-go" snack :)
Yours in health,
Curtis
PS- Remember, this Celebration Sale ends next Thursday, so be sure to order right away and take advantage of these BIG savings.
As you probably already know, Prograde Nutrition was started by a couple of fitness pros to be a resource for ethical trainers, such as myself. They created a company that I can have complete faith in recommending to you.
I think a lot of people in my industry were laughing behind their backs hoping they would fail. Well, not only have they silenced their critics, their products are so in demand they are now shipping to the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand!
Plus, they will soon be able to ship to just about anywhere in the world.
Yes, the products are THAT good and they are that much in demand.
So to celebrate their new shipping destinations, and just to ring in the New Year, they are having a 10.9% off everything sale.
Yes, that's 10.9 as in January of 2009 ;-)
Here are some other details I want to make sure you know about:
- Again, you receive 10.9% off all Prograde products.
- It will run from Thursday, January 8th until Thursday, January 15th at 11:59pm EST.
- Yes, that 10.9% off will be applicable to SmartShip orders. But it only applies to that first purchase. Not ongoing.
- The coupon code you enter at checkout is:
012009
- The website you need to click is HERE.
Oh, and you should definitely check out the Organic Chocolate Cravers - those are my favorite Prograde products. Forget the drive-thru, THIS is a terrific "on-the-go" snack :)
Yours in health,
Curtis
PS- Remember, this Celebration Sale ends next Thursday, so be sure to order right away and take advantage of these BIG savings.
Turn New Year Resolutions Into Reality
Since 2002, I have been able to help hundreds of people improve their health, burn fat, build muscle and get into the best shape of their lives. Now, make no mistake about it, a big part of this is our properly designed rapid fat loss interval training program and nutritional guidance. I have done the research for you and trust me when I say, 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, here it is:
What do you think is the real secret behind my clients and their success stories? Well, if your answer was my aforementioned boot camp training and nutrition systems, then your answer is wrong. Indeed, it is one of the most time efficient and effective programs you’ll ever see, 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. I want to explain the exact process wew go through when it comes to identifying who is going to succeed as a training client. It’s a “consultation” and three step goal setting process that each one of my clients undergoes before they start working with us.
Before I outline this process, let me just come clean with something. There are a lot of people who think defining real goals with a real plan is a little far fetched, almost useless. They just want the “magic bullet”. Right here, right now, no real plan, no hard work.
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 diet pill or some fitness magazine down at the book store, because I simply cannot do anything for you.
Take no offense, but I can only help people who want to learn and are committed to changing their life. 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. In addition, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to teach you how to do 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 client consult, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:
“Well, I guess I want to get healthy and lose some weight.”
That is good start, but if you think that’s all, you’d be mistaken. There has got to be more to this. 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 wants to look better naked. Stop giggling, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay. Because whether you admit it or not, the desire to improve one’s appearance is the most powerful motivator on the planet. You want to feel strong, empowered, sexy AND attractive, if not for a significant other, then for ourselves…but probably a combination of both.
So, after a little more digging, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; I want to pinpoint 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. Others want tighten up their skin, and “see” muscle definition. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships or improve their physical image for work or career. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines. Maybe you want to get as lean and tight as possible for you new bathing suit, sitting on the beach during your big Hawaiian vacation. Maybe you or a family member is getting married and you want to “wow” everyone with your new body. Whatever it is, there IS a motivation behind putting in all the sweat equity that comes with our boot camp training. This is the stuff that gets people hyped up and ready to commit to making some real changes.
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.
Be sure to leave a comment here telling me about YOUR "why"...
PS- Stay tuned for steps II and III later in the week...
So, here it is:
What do you think is the real secret behind my clients and their success stories? Well, if your answer was my aforementioned boot camp training and nutrition systems, then your answer is wrong. Indeed, it is one of the most time efficient and effective programs you’ll ever see, 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. I want to explain the exact process wew go through when it comes to identifying who is going to succeed as a training client. It’s a “consultation” and three step goal setting process that each one of my clients undergoes before they start working with us.
Before I outline this process, let me just come clean with something. There are a lot of people who think defining real goals with a real plan is a little far fetched, almost useless. They just want the “magic bullet”. Right here, right now, no real plan, no hard work.
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 diet pill or some fitness magazine down at the book store, because I simply cannot do anything for you.
Take no offense, but I can only help people who want to learn and are committed to changing their life. 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. In addition, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to teach you how to do 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 client consult, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:
“Well, I guess I want to get healthy and lose some weight.”
That is good start, but if you think that’s all, you’d be mistaken. There has got to be more to this. 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 wants to look better naked. Stop giggling, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay. Because whether you admit it or not, the desire to improve one’s appearance is the most powerful motivator on the planet. You want to feel strong, empowered, sexy AND attractive, if not for a significant other, then for ourselves…but probably a combination of both.
So, after a little more digging, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; I want to pinpoint 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. Others want tighten up their skin, and “see” muscle definition. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships or improve their physical image for work or career. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines. Maybe you want to get as lean and tight as possible for you new bathing suit, sitting on the beach during your big Hawaiian vacation. Maybe you or a family member is getting married and you want to “wow” everyone with your new body. Whatever it is, there IS a motivation behind putting in all the sweat equity that comes with our boot camp training. This is the stuff that gets people hyped up and ready to commit to making some real changes.
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.
Be sure to leave a comment here telling me about YOUR "why"...
PS- Stay tuned for steps II and III later in the week...
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