Shopping for a new swimsuit this summer and want to look and feel your best?
Do NOT believe the hype when it comes to revealing
your sexy 6 pack abs...
I've got 5 myths you have to AVOID.

But first, check out camp workouts so
far this week!

Boot Camp Workout of the Day
**Special Welcome to all our returning campers and new tryout members
for our Phoenix location and new Desert Ridge location -
You guys ROCK!**

Day 1 - Motivation 101
50-10 5 Exercise Complex
Dynamic Front Pillar
Reverse DB Lunge – Front Loaded
Pillar BW Row (DB Option)
Burpee with Knee Ups (Walkouts)
DL Hip Extension

** CAMPER OF THE DAY (6-22-09):
PHOENIX 5:30AM: Danita C.: Congrats on giving 100%, being motivated and dedicated to changing
her body for the better!
DESERT RIDGE 6:30PM: Carolina R.: Congrats to Carolina - this girl is a fireball
of strength and energy...she seemed quite and reserved, but when she cranks the intensity - you gotta step back, she's on serious fire. Nice job, girl!



Here's what we did on Tuesday:

30-60-90 Super Circuit
Zone #1
Squat Variation – Goblet Press/Y-Squat
Mountain Stepper
SL Hip Ext.
Zone #2
DB Deadlift with SA Curl to Press
Split Stance Lunges
Side Reach+Row
PLUS we rocked out an additional 15 minutes of our new
"Afterburn Training" to tap into massive fat burning
after our peak intensity interval session.

Wow!

CAMPER OF DAY (6-23-09)
Ms. Sarah L.: Sarah is seriously impressive - she is
so intense and so fun to have in camp - I can't wait to
see how far we can take her progress!

DESERT RIDGE: CAMPER(S) OF THE DAY: Morghan, Carolina, Lisa and Maureen...so much hard work put in, can't begin
to describe how proud I am of these 4 strong ladies!





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5 Myths for Beach Body Abs

There's a pretty good chance that you'll find yourself in a bathing suit sometime this month…poolside, on vacation, the beach – the time is here.

If you are like most people then that realization will 1) bring a grimace to your face and 2) will motivate you to lose some weight.

While I commend your desire to slim down before baring it all, I'm here to warn you of the 5 myths that most people fall for. Don't waste precious time on the following nonsense:

Myth #1: Starve the pounds away.

Attempting to lose weight by starving yourself is not only ineffective, it's also dangerous. It may seem that severe calorie restriction would deliver the quickest weight loss, but your body is complex and by doing so you'll disrupt your metabolism and slow your results. Not sexy.

Tip: Don't starve yourself - instead eat whole food, healthy small meals throughout the day.

Myth #2: Take diet pills to boost your effort.

It's so tempting! The commercials make compelling claims about the power of diet pills, but don't fall for it. Did you know the popular one “Hydroxycut” was recent RECALLED by the FDA for the damage (and death) it is has been proved to cause?

Tip: Don't pop a pill - instead incinerate the calories with proper exercise.

Myth #3: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.

People spend about 217 BILLION a year on products to help them flatten their tummies and reveal 6 pack abs. Newsflash: Save Your Money. And stop doing crunches or sit ups in pursuit of the elusive sexy core. You need focus on burning off the layer of fat that is covering up your abs.

Tip: Don't obsess about crunches - instead focus on fat burning.

Myth #4: Eat packaged diet foods for speedy results.

All the money spent on pricey “diet” foods is mind boggling. More often than not these products are packed with refined sugar and other artificial ingredients that your body doesn't need.

Tip: Don't eat packaged diet foods - instead stick with nutritious whole foods.

Myth #5: Avoid all carbohydrates in order to slim down.

NO NO NO. Carbohydrates have been given a bad rap, which is unfortunate because you can (and should) eat carbs while losing weight. Yes, you need to eliminate the processed sugars from your diet, but increase the whole fruits and veggies. The key is to stick with the majority of your carbs from with whole grains, oatmeal and brown rice while avoiding processed and refined flours and sugars.

Tip: Don't eliminate ALL carbohydrates - instead stick with nutritious, fiberous carb sources like green vegetables and select fruits. Oh…and it them at the right time of day – but that’s a whole other story ;)

Now that you know what NOT to do in order to look sport some s.exxy abs this summer, it's time to go over your beach body game plan. Here's what you need to know in 3 simple steps:

• Step One: Cut out the junk.

The best way to do this is to start by purging your kitchen. Look at the ingredient lists. Get rid of sugary, processed foods. Once the junk has been cleared out don't buy any more of it. Remember that your beach ready abs depend on what you eat - don't eat junk!

• Step Two: Focus on whole foods.

Replace the junk food in your life with plenty of the following: cooked and raw vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, moderate amounts of seeds and nuts, lean meats and low fat dairy. Clean eating really is that simple.

• Step Three: Come train with the most elite fitness system on the planet.

This is pretty obvious. With the proper accountability, motivation, efficient fitness systems and expert coaching, you’ll be on the fast track to the beach looking like a million bux. Grab your 2 week free tryout for the fastest, most effective rapid belly blubber burning system possible by calling 480-981-6877 or shoot me an email at curtis@arizonafitnessbootcamp.com to lock in a spot at our Phoenix or new Desert Ridge location.

Father’s Day is an awesome day to celebrate…a time to honor dads who try so hard to be role models and who have worked so hard so we could have so much.

But there is also a darker side to this story…many dads (30+, 40+, 50+ years old) are now in the worst physical shape of their lives. Sad, but true.

A lot of fathers are suffering from a dangerous condition
called “Metabolic Syndrome X”.

One of the main indicators of someone who has this metabolic disorder
is “abdominal obesity” (as pictured here). The really scary part is
that far too many are in this exact shape.

One of the main indicators of someone who has metabolic disorder
is abdominal obesity, as clearly demonstrated in the picture above.
The scary part is that many of our father’s look just like this!



So WHAT exactly am I talking about? Please read below for a
description of Metabolic Syndrome from www.MedicineNet.com:

What is metabolic syndrome?

An association between certain metabolic disorders and
cardiovascular disease has been known since the 1940s.
In the 1980s this association became more clearly defined and the
term metabolic syndrome (also known as syndrome X or the
dysmetabolic syndrome) was coined to designate a cluster of metabolic
risk factors that come together in a single individual.
In more current times, the term metabolic syndrome is found throughout medical literature and in the lay press as well. There are slight differences in the criteria of diagnosis – depending on which authority is quoted. Regardless,
the concept of a clustering of risks factors leading to cardiovascular
disease is well accepted.

The main features of metabolic syndrome include insulin resistance,
hypertension (high blood pressure), cholesterol abnormalities,
and an increased risk for clotting.

Patients are most often overweight or obese.

Insulin resistance refers to the diminished ability of cells to
respond to the action of insulin in promoting the transport of
the sugar glucose, from blood into muscles and other tissues.
Because of the central role that insulin resistance plays in
the metabolic syndrome, a separate article is devoted to insulin resistance.

How is metabolic syndrome defined?

The definition of metabolic syndrome depends on which group of experts is
doing the defining. Based on the guidelines from the 2001 National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III),
any three of the following traits in the same individual
meet the criteria for the metabolic syndrome:

1. Abdominal obesity: a waist circumference over 102 cm (40 in) in men and over 88 cm (35 inches) in women.
2. Serum triglycerides 150 mg/dl or above.
3. HDL cholesterol 40mg/dl or lower in men and 50mg/dl or lower in women.
4. Blood pressure of 130/85 or more.
5. Fasting blood glucose of 110 mg/dl or above. (Some groups say 100mg/dl)

And though Metabolic Syndrome actually affects more women than men, there is certainly no shortage of men 40 years and older who have that “deadly beer gut” that literally makes them a ticking time bomb for a slew of serious medical conditions.

But there is good news amongst this frightening reality: The most common cause of metabolic disorder is of course a vicious combination of a lack of exercise and poor diet.

OK, fellow dads…here are my top 3 fitness tips to help save your life.

If not for yourself, do it for those that love you!

Life Saver Tip #1. Ease up on the brew-hahas.




For most, it’s no secret how a lot of daddy bellies end up looking more like a keg than a 6 pack…beer…and lots of it.



It is truly amazing how detrimental alcohol can be on your body composition
…check it out:

How Alcohol Makes You Fat

-Alcohol first passes through the esophagus as it travels to your stomach.

-From there, 20% of the alcohol is absorbed immediately by your bloodstream.

-The remaining alcohol travels to your intestines and is absorbed from there.

-The alcohol in your bloodstream then travels directly to your liver.
It is here that the body breaks the alcohol down, something that is
absolutely essential since alcohol is toxic to the body.

-Alcohol brakes down into acetate and acetaldehyde which IMMEDIATELY
signals to your body to stop burning fat. Even worse, another waste product of
alcohol, acetyl CoA, actually starts to make more body fat.

If you’re boozin’, you AIN’T losin’!

What Does this Mean?

-Your body can only effectively process 0.5 to 1 ounce of alcohol per hour

-How much damage? A 12-ounce beer contains about 0.6 ounces of alcohol. If
you consumed 5 of these, your body would be inhibited from fat burning for up to
6 hours. This is aside from the fact that your body will actually be storing fat
during these 6 hours!

The more you drink, the longer your body is inhibited from
burning fat in addition to a greater fat build up from excess acetyl CoA.

As you can see, just one day of over the top drinking can set you back days (probably more like a week) when it comes to fat loss!


-What’s the worst-case scenario? Mixing alcohol with sugary beverages
promotes even further fat gain due to the resulting insulin surge
that triggers fat storage (e.g. regular beer or cocktails mixed with
soda, juice or “energy drinks” like Red Bull)

The Bottom Line?

If you want to be lean and keep your fat burning furnace stoked to the max, you must minimize ALCOHOL consumption!

If you just gotta drink:

a.) Choose wine or hard liquor and “light” beer
b.) Limit alcohol consumption to 1-2 days per week with a 1-2 drink per day max
References:
Campbell and Volek, “TNT Diet: Targeted Nutrition Tactics”

Life Saver Tip 2.) Spend less time working on the “Mirror Muscles”.

Most dads I see in the gym just want to imitate the meatheads they read about
in the latest fitness magazine, emphasizing the mirror muscles…”big chest, big biceps, big chest, big biceps” as they spend a good majority of their workout
focusing on these areas.



Look, I think I know why most guys won’t spend the same amount of time working their legs…unless they wear a speedo to the neighborhood pool party (please, fellas – don’t), legs are not the first thing on display.



Do not underestimate the power of strong, muscular legs…they are the key to torching your gut. After all, the majority of your body’s muscle mass, and thus metabolism, is contained within your lower body.

Not giving proper attention to your lower body is like going to a gun fight without a gun, and here’s why:

a.) Training your whole body (legs included) not only helps you burn more calories each workout, it also maximally depletes your body’s glycogen stores (the sugar in your muscles) to allow for more total body fat burning

b.) The more lean muscle mass you have in your lower body the more calories your body will be burning 24-7-365 outside of your workouts

c.) Whenever you work your legs you generate the largest increases in natural anabolic hormone levels which translates into more total body muscle and less ugly, unwanted body fat

So in other words, if you want better abs, you better start working those legs in total body fashion! This can be easily accomplished with 3 full body workouts per week that train your upper body, lower body, and core within the same workout.


Life Saver TIP 3.) The “no pain-no gain” mentality will beat your body into serious submission.

The “no pain, no gain” mantra is quite possible the most misunderstood battle cry inside the gym.

“Pain” is a good thing as long as it’s the right “type of pain”, as explained here:
When a workout BURNS YOUR MUSCLES and you working them to fatigue, that’s a good pain.

This means you are now pushing past your comfort zone to inspire change, working with intensity to torch calories and build muscle, and burning sugar so your body can burn fat for hours and hours after your workout.

When a workout HURTS YOUR JOINTS that’s a bad pain- it means you are quickly wearing down the structural integrity of your joints and will soon be unable to do anything without pain or stiffness. This is most often caused by a combination of using too heavy of loads, poor exercise form and technique, strength imbalances, and lack of mobility and/or flexibility- more reason to seek professional fitness guidance!

So there you have it. Nothing is more disheartening than watching dads who don’t train for longevity…and in turn, are not able to fully play (or keep up) with their kids or grand kids, or even participate in everyday recreational activities with their buddies.

Do yourself, your family and friends a huge favor stop training like such a meathead when it comes to working out.

Take good care of yourself and I wish you the best of luck!

PS: I love you Dad!

(photo below is my little boy Lincoln with my dad, Curtis Sr.
…yes, I am Curtis Jr. ;))



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So you are at home with the kids, but you still want to get
a good, total body fat-burning interval workout in.

What do you do?

Try this 4 minute 20-10 interval sequence with "weighted"
push ups and "loaded" squats. :)

Enjoy...

Boot Camp Workout of the Day:

"Crunches Suck for a Sexy Core" Circuit

50-10 5 Exercise Complex
Dynamic Opp Hip Touch
Side Pillar T-Stab (L Side)
Side Pillar T-Stab (R Side)
Upper Body Twist
Spider Climb (NL: Add Push Up)



Want in on the most exclusive boot camp training in the valley?
Activate a FREE 2 Week Tryout for the upcoming phase, starting on June 22 -
and also be a part of the ultimate "Sexy in 6 Weeks" Boot Camp Transformation
Contest - with winner(s) walking away with lean, beach ready bodies and over $2000 in prizes.

Call Curtis at 480-981-6877 to be included...spaces are filling, and time is limited!

Before we get started, don't forget that we have some fantastic things in store for all of you:
- Sexy In 6 Weeks Summer Transformation Contest starting June 22
- pending launch of a new Scottsdale/Desert Ridge Location

To participate in the transformation contest or be put on the waiting list for the new Desert Ridge location, please call me at 480-981-6877 right away.

###

Last week, I packed for a long weekend trip to New Jersey...and I knew I wanted to eat as clean and healthy on the go - and airport food was NOT going to be an option ;)



So, I took a little extra time and prepared my brief case with some bare fat loss essentials:



- Pre/Post Workout Protein Powder (put in baggie or travel container)
- Meal Replacement Powder (put in baggie or travel container)
- Shaker bottle
- Daily Multivitamin
- Trail Mix snacks (organic, no sugar added, no preservatives, etc.)
- Green Tea packs
- Raw Almonds
- Snack Bars (Organic Chocolate Cravers or LaraBars work great)

Just remember, you don't have to eat crappy when you are on a trip, just prepare a little ahead of time and you'll do great.

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While in Jersey, I had the chance to mastermind with some of the most talented and skilled fitness professional I've ever met...I even helped demo what I so affectionately called the "Abs Workout from Hell"

Here it is (I'm the one in the middle)...the sound quality in the room wasn't very good, but you'll get the idea:

A brutally effective workout, ZERO crunches, ZERO sit-ups...just results.
Sounds familiar, huh? ;)



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Getting back into the swing of things back home, we had a FREE BONUS bodyweight cardio workout at camp...no machines (you know how I feel about silly ellipticals), and no dumbbells...just good ol' fashioned motivation, as displayed by Amanda (our latest Boot Camp Superstar).

Here's a 'treadmills suck' cardio workout you can do anywhere, anytime to blast body fat and crank metabolism...



Your Total Body Transformation Coach,
Curtis
curtis@arizonafitnessbootcamp.com
480-981-6877

PS: If you haven't done so, please take a quick 60 second survey to help me fine tune our program to give you even better results:
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