This is a bonus post I wanted to throw up in addition to our earlier workout related post that went up this morning...since nutrition is 80++% responsible for optimal ab fat loss, it's worth the time.

There are all sorts of crappy supplements on the market you don't need. Some of the stuff is flat out useless. Some of the stuff is good, but the actual product and brand is lousy.

And then, there are some products that are just flat out amazing for you.

Bottom line: The health benefits associated with a quality Krill Oil supplement are just too powerful to ignore. I don't know if I can be any more blunt about it.

Besides the fact Krill Oil doesn't cause "fish burps" like fish oil capsules do, its just one of the best sources of Essential Fatty Acids.

Krill Oil can also:

Help protect your heart

Improve your memory

Strengthen your immune system

Minimize the damage caused by free radicals

Reduce joint pain and PMS symptoms

Aid the fat loss process

I'm telling you, it really is one heck of a powerful supplement. And the only brand I recommend is the brand I personally trust is - Prograde Nutrition.

Their EFA Icon is the best Krill Oil product on the market, as far as I'm concerned.

Crank the intensity!

Curtis

PS - Again, believe me when I say that there are all sorts of lousy supplements on the market. But a solid Krill Oil product is NOT one of them. It's an extremely powerful nutritional product with extraordinary benefits. For the best quality Krill Oil get Prograde Nutrition's EFA Icon

PPS - Prograde also includes the research studies on Krill Oil. Just click on one of the links above to check those out. You'll find them at the bottom of the page.

With a zillion diets and even more workout plans than you can shake a dumbbell at, it is no wonder that so many well meaning folks get confused when it comes to getting in shape and burning off the belly flab…fast.

Today, I want to share 4 comprehensive keys with you that pretty much sums up what all of us need to do to get lean and stay lean for life.

It doesn't get any simpler than this…simple is good, simple works!

TOP 2 WORKOUT TIPS



* Be Efficient, Be Effective with total body workouts: Forget "leg day". Forget "chest and triceps day". This approach is outdated and not nearly as productive as using full body training for fat loss and fitness. This could mean doing a five-exercise circuit (designed to work your entire frame) at least three times per week. Within each session, you will alternate between 50 seconds of peak intensity effort and 10 seconds of rest for each a double-leg (ie: squat), push (ie: push-up), single-leg (ie: lunge), pull (ie: row), and core (ie: plank) exercise. Perform up to 4 continuous rounds without rest for a 20-minute total body fat slammer workout.

* Use the Power of Intervals: It is a scientifically proven fact: interval training is will burn nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 48 hours following your workout. Perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Selecting your cardio exercise of choice, alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest and repeat this 30 second interval eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat for up to 20 total minutes. This routine works best with a body weight cardio exercise like running in place, jumping jacks or jumping rope.

TOP 2 DIET TIPS



* Get up, eat early and frequently: Don’t wait around and skip the chance to jumpstart your metabolism with the proper fuel for your lean, mean sexy machine. Eat immediately upon waking and then every few hours to starve body fat (burn) and feed muscle (build). By continuously stoking your metabolic furnace, and eating some high quality animal protein (meat, eggs, cheese, etc.) at every feeding, you'll also keep your metabolism cranked up all day and prevent binge eating later in the day. (Yea, I know…that “late-night” snacking sounds familiar, I was once guilty!)

* All Carbs are NOT created equal: Eat an unlimited amount of fibrous, nutrient dense green veggies to fill your belly both during and between meals. To ramp up fat burning performance, try to limit fruit and other carbohydrate consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout when your body is looking to soak up those particular starches and sugars.

Implement these easy to follow guidelines today and you’ll start building a newer, leaner beach-ready body you can be proud of…I'll bet my organic omega-3 eggs on it!

Hey everyone...I wanted to share something sweet (literally) with you this week for V-Day.

If you love healthy and yummy dark chocolate, this is your chance to try some Craver on-the-go snacks.

You've got to try these things. The taste is out of this world good.

They are touted as the best tasting healthy snack on the planet for good reason - they taste THAT good.

And I really love this part...they have no preservatives, are only 180 calories and they come in three delicious flavors: peanut butter, almond butter and spirulina. (I am partial to the peanut butter, myself...and YES, these have been cleared for safety by the FDA).

The even better news is they are on sale all this week for Valentine's Day.

Here's everything you need to know:

- Again, because it's Valentine's Day, the sale is 14% off all purchases of Prograde Cravers

- When you checkout you will enter this coupon code to save the 14%: vday0909

- Shipping will take 3-5 days, so while I HIGHLY recommend you jump all over this sale, don't purchase these as a gift expecting them to be their for Valentine's Day itself. Buy them as a healthy gift for yourself or others.

- The offer cannot be combined with others from Prograde and it ends this Saturday, February 14th at 11:59pm EST.

- Prograde Cravers are NOT available in stores anywhere. You can only find them online here: Prograde Cravers

Look, I'm not kidding about how great they taste. They are the EXACT opposite of the bars you are used to that taste like cardboard and chemicals. In fact, if you go to Prograde Cravers and watch the video of a real life taste test, well, I know you will be blown away.

It's all about the love! ;)

Curtis

PS - Remember, it's 14% off all Prograde Cravers purchases this week only. The sale ends this Saturday, February 14th at 11:59pm EST.

There is a reason few people reach their goals and make their dreams come true.

Know what that reason is?

It's because they actually HAVE goals written down. The vast majority of people on this planet do not.

And not only do people that achieve goals actually set goals, they also create a a plan to make sure they make things happen.

So where does that leave you?

Do you keep telling yourself you are going to "lose some weight?" Or do you have specific goals and a plan to reach them?

Do you have a plan for what you're going to eat each day so you're not tempted to fill up on fast food? Do you have a deadline for when you're going to reach your goal?

Here's another one: you KNOW you need to be eating breakfast every day. Do you have nutritious food in the house you PLAN on eating each morning?

If not have you looked into taking advantage of a delicious meal replacement shake like Prograde Lean?

This is YOUR life. Whether you want your body to look better naked, you want to improve your health, you want to have more energy, or whatever your goal is, you MUST have written goals and a plan to achieve them.

Till next time everyone...

Curtis

PS - Fail to plan, plan to fail. Life is easy when you plan for it to be.

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

Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is almost here…AGAIN! I love to go to Mom’s house and watch football while waiting for the big bird to come out the oven. Oh, the appetizers, mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing…people tend to relate this massive meal with sinful excess and horrible food comas (yes, we’re all guilty of slumping into the easy chair after we stuff our faces, resulting in the “I’m so bloated” feeling).

Now you can blame the stuffing, all the buttered-up mashed potatoes and gravy, maybe the pumpkin pie for all the extra calories and waistline invasion, but leave that terrific turkey out of it!

After all, turkey is packed with lean protein that simultaneously elevates metabolism and promotes fat burning and lean muscle growth. It is also a lean protein, meaning there is very little fat in it, as long as you remove the skin.

Protein is the PRIMARY macro nutrient responsible for building, repairing and revitalizing your muscles (fat and carbs simply provide your body’s energy source).

More specifically, regular, quality protein intake is vital in accelerating the repair of muscle damage from high-intensity activities like strength training and cardio interval training (as you see in our boot camp program). In addition, adequate protein intake every two to four hours is essential in maintaining your current levels of lean muscle mass. This is important because the more muscle you have the larger your metabolic engine, thus the more calories (and fat) you burn on a daily basis since muscle tissue requires lot of energy to sustain itself. Protein is also the least likely macro nutrient to be stored as body fat and the mere act of digesting protein requires more than double the energy to digest than carbohydrate and dietary fat.

So, what does all this mean? If there is ONE food choice that you can truly get away with overeating this holiday season, it will be turkey.

Another key benefit to eating turkey is that it is easy to prepare in bulk and thus will save you much needed time in meal planning and preparation during the busy holiday season. You can roast a big old turkey and then have tons of meal options for days.

Just think of what you can do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers! (I love grabbing a few strands of cold turkey breast from the leftovers in the fridge, delicious!)

To inspire your turkey consumption efforts I’ve got some awesome Rapid Fire fat blasting recipes that you can create with turkey as your lean protein foundation. Enjoy!

Turkey Salad

Ingredients:

- 6-8 oz. Turkey Breast chopped into small cubes

- 1⁄4 red bell pepper

- 1⁄4 green bell pepper

- 1⁄4 red onion

- 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil mayo

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy over a bed of greens.

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese Roll-up

Ingredients:

- 6-8 oz. Sliced Turkey

- 1 Tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese

- 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries 1⁄2 Clove of Roasted Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste

- 2 Whole Grain Tortillas

Directions:

Soak cranberries in water for 20 minutes or microwave until soft if you are short on time. Mash the 1⁄2 clove of garlic. Mix cranberries, garlic, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture into the inside of the tortilla(s). Add turkey breast. Fold up sides, roll up, and enjoy!

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Medallions With Cranberry Glaze

Turkey Medallions:

- 6-8 oz. Turkey

- Non-stick spray Turkey Seasoning

Cut Turkey Breasts into small medallions, sprinkle lightly with seasoning. Reheat in a pan sprayed with non-stick oil on medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Drip Cranberry glaze (below) over the medallions.

Cranberry Glaze:

- 1 Cups Dry white wine

- Turkey or chicken stock, as needed

- 1 1⁄2 Cups Dried cranberries

- 1⁄4 Cup of Pine nuts, toasted

- Pinch of Salt

Add 1⁄2 cup of white wine and 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock to pan. Add other 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock, cranberries, pine nuts and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced in volume by half, about 4 cups.

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Shepherds Pie

Ingredients:

- 2 cups cubed cooked turkey

- 3⁄4 cup turkey gravy

- 1 small can whole kernel corn

- drained 1 cup of chicken stock

- 1 cup of water

- 3 cups steamed cauliflower

- 2 cups celery, chopped 2 carrots

- chopped 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic

- minced 1 bell pepper, any color

- chopped Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. First you must make the gravy. Take the garlic, 1 cup of celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper, chicken stock, water, vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Add to a pot, boil until vegetables are soft and blend in a blender or food processor.

Next, you will take the steamed cauliflower and mash it, or place it in a food processor until the consistency is like that of mashed potatoes.

Next, in a baking dish, layer the turkey, gravy, corn, remaining celery and mashed cauliflower. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Makes 2 male servings and one female serving.

Turkey Florentine

Ingredients:

- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach

- 2 tablespoons smart butter

- 1 cup cooked whole grain fettuccine

- 2 cups diced, cooked turkey

- 1 cup turkey or chicken stock 1

- (8 ounce) package fat free sour cream and onion dip

- 1⁄2 teaspoon onion salt

- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

- Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

Cook spinach according to package directions; drain. Stir in smart butter. Place noodles in a non-stick sprayed baking dish; top with spinach. Combine turkey, stock, onion dip and onion salt and spoon over spinach. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Turkey Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

- 1 bag of frozen green beans

- 6-8 oz. of cubed cooked turkey breast

- 1 can of organic cream of mushroom soup

- 2 cups Kraft all natural fat free cheese

- Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients into a casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until completely hot. Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Fire it up and have a great Thanksgiving!

Curtis Hoekstra

http://www.ArizonaFitnessBootCamp.com

Just thought I would remind everyone of a healthy (even sexy) snack, something I found in the book "Eat This, Not That".

Ants on a Log (celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins)

It might be kids foods, but it has some very grown-up implications.

Here's why: Celery Every stalk of the stuff is packed with androstenone and androstenol, two pheromones that can help men attract women the way Tom Brady attracts tacklers (or ways to cheat, however you view the subject LOL)

Celery:

Every time you chew on a stalk of celery, you release these odor molecules, which helps boost your arousal, turning you on and causing your body to send off scents and signals that make you more desirable to women.

Peanut Butter (NOT Jiffy/Skippy/etc...the good kind without HYDROGENATED oils):

Research shows that men with diets high in monounsaturated fat—the kind found in nuts—have higher testosterone levels than those who don't eat enough of the healthy fat. Plus, nuts are also the best food source of arginine, an amino acid that improves bloodflow throughout your body—including below the belt.

Raisins:

Raisins are loaded with lignans, phytoestrogens that play an important role in balancing hormones for women. They’re also a potent source of antioxidants, which help encourage bloodflow to the nether regions.

Here's another little nutritional tidbit I learned...

It has to do with portion size.

And if you eat out at restaurants, there's a great chance

your portion is about double what you should be eating.

It's virtually impossible to "measure" food when you are eating out,

so here's a handy guide to help you visualize portion size.

-1 oz. meat: size of a matchbox

-3 oz. meat: size of a deck of cards
(btw, this is the recommended portion for a meal)

-8 oz. meat: size of a thin paperback book

-3 oz. fish: size of a checkbook

-1 oz. cheese: size of 4 dice

-Medium potato: size of a computer mouse

-2 Tbs. peanut butter: size of a ping pong ball

-1/2 cup pasta: size of a tennis ball

-Average bagel: size of a hockey puck

And here's my BIG tip of the day for you, my fellow boot camper...

When eating at a resturant, I try and order a kids-size meal.

I've found a kids meal is about the right size for an adult.

It's sad but true. This is why we have an obesity epidemic

among our youth. If you order a kids meal, just make sure to skip the mac 'n cheese.

Here's to a healthy meal,

Curtis Hoekstra
(623) 486-6622
Curtis@ArizonaFitnessBootCamp.com
www.ArizonaFitnessBootCamp.com