MyogenicsFitness

Ultimate Kitchen Raid Challenge Part 3: The Pantry

September 2nd, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | No Comments »

It’s time to spend 5 minutes to have your pantry making you automatically leaner–rather than acting as a mercenary (that you’ve paid!) fighting you in the “battle of the bulge.”

If you’ve followed all the of the “kitchen raid” blog posts, your whole kitchen is now your ally in getting you in leaner better shape. Congratulations!

(if you haven’t completed the other two yet, those posts are still live on my blog, right before this last installment)

We’ve gone through your refrigerator and the freezer already, but this may be the most painful/liberating part of your kitchen raid, since so many junk food ends up here.

So, take a moment to give yourself a pep talk before grabbing that garbage bag and opening your pantry.

Dump this: Sugar-filled cereal. Sugar-filled cereal is basically another form of junk food, and will only add inches to your waist.

* Add to shopping list: Slow-Cooking, Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal. There is a huge difference between instant, sugar-filled oatmeal and steel cut oats. Even plain rolled oats without added sugar is not comparable.

Dump this: Refined/White Bread/Rice/Pasta. These highly processed products turn rapidly to blood sugar and promote weight gain and a plethora of other health problems. Do not buy “white” bread, rice or pasta – especially if you want to lose weight.

*Add to shopping list: Whole Grain Bread/Rice/Pasta is a little bit less bad. But if you really want progress, abandon refined carbs altogether and up your indulgence of tasty, nutrient-packed vegetables and berries.

Dump this: Chips/Crackers. While refined chips and crackers are fun to munch on, the extra calories will quickly add up. Do yourself a favor by not allowing these into your pantry.

*Add to shopping list: Almonds. The key to making this snack a winner is to practice portion control. Place a handful of almonds into individual bags for pre-portioned snacks.

Dump this: Packaged Sweets. I don’t really have to explain this one, do I? Cookies and cakes and candies shouldn’t be a regular part of your diet, so keep them out of your house. It’s one thing to enjoy a dessert once in a while, it is quite another to routinely eat processed sweets at home.

*Add to shopping list: See previous suggestions above.

That completes your self-guided kitchen raid. I encourage you to schedule a recurring appointment on your calendar to raid your kitchen every couple of months as a way of keeping yourself on track.

If you have any other thoughts or tips, please comment below!

Talk with your family members about the healthy changes that you’re making, and try to get everyone’s support.

You know that weight loss comes as a result of healthy eating combined with consistent, challenging workouts. Call or email us today if you’d like to discuss how we can help you to get started on a fitness program that will get you on the fast-track to your best body ever.

Ultimate Kitchen Raid Challenge Part 2: The Freezer

August 18th, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | 5 Comments »

In the last blog post, I covered some quick changes you could make to your fridge to have you automatically eating better and getting leaner. (you can see that here)

Today, let’s turn to…

The Freezer

Anyone who has walked the freezer aisles at the store knows how plentiful frozen temptations are. How does your freezer measure up?

Dump this: Ice cream. We may as well get this one over with. Unless you find yourself throwing out full containers of ice cream that went bad–because you never eat it, hiding a gallon or two (or even a pint) of your favorite ice cream is NOT a good idea. Save yourself from that temptation and don’t buy ice cream.

* Add to your shopping list: Frozen berries. When your sweet tooth starts acting up, warm some frozen berries and mix them with some cottage cheese. This makes a high-protein, low glycemic index, nutritious snack. What other ice cream replacement ideas do you have? Please comment below!

Dump this: Frozen Pizza. This is another one of those items that is just too tempting to keep around. Why would you bother to make a healthy dinner when a frozen pizza is calling your name? Ban frozen pizza from your home and watch your waist start to shrink.

* Add to your shopping list: There are some amazingly tasty, low calorie, healthy frozen dinners at Trader Joe’s that aren’t insanely high in carbs (this is rare–be really cautious about most frozen meals!). Here are a few of my personal favorites: Roasted Poblano Peppers (with shrimp), Misoyaki Turbot, Chicken Gorgonzola, and Chicken Serenada. For quick dinners keep your freezer filled with healthy, balanced options.

Dump this: Frozen Breakfast Food. French toast, waffles and pancakes are popular items in the freezer aisle. Don’t fall for the pretty photos and tasty-sounding names. These items are highly processed and contain loads of unnecessary sugar.

* Add to your shopping list: Frozen single servings of ready to reheat steel cut oatmeal (the kind that takes 30 minutes to cook originally). Trader Joes actually sells these, too. Or you can just make a batch of steel cut oats, and freeze single servings. Then eat them with a good portion of protein (like eggs or cottage cheese) to have a quick, tasty, perfectly balanced breakfast.

What other solution have you found? What other impossible temptations are lurking in your freezer? Please comment and interact below.

And in a few days, I’ll be back to discuss the last area of your kitchen to go through…the pantry.

Cheers,
Chad

Ultimate Kitchen Raid Challenge

August 5th, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | 7 Comments »

Today I have a challenge for you that will automatically make your diet a whole lot better–by just adjusting what is in your kitchen.

Your kitchen can make or break your weight loss results.

A kitchen stocked with the makings for healthy meals and snacks will keep you on track, even when late-night cravings strike. On the flip side, a kitchen filled with unhealthy munchies will derail your weight loss efforts every single time.
So what should your cupboards hold and what should be off limits? Start with my quick suggestions below, and then let’s see what you and others can add in the comments section.

Grab a garbage bag, print out the list below, and then head to the kitchen.

The Refrigerator

Let’s start with the fridge, the heart of your kitchen. If you find something in your fridge that is on the “Dump this” list, then you know what you have to do. Get that garbage bag ready.

Dump this: Beverages with sugar in them (any form of sugar, including high fructose corn syrup, etc). Drinking calories is one of the quickest ways to gain weight, so quickly rid your fridge of such beverages.

* Add to your shopping list: Water. It is often stated that most people are partially dehydrated, a condition that is harmful to your health. It’s difficult to verify this, but drinking more water can speed up your weight loss efforts, and will tend to give you more energy and make you feel better. Keep plenty of cold water on hand for proper hydration.

Dump this: Sweet snacks of all kinds.

* Add to your shopping list: Fresh Vegetables. The produce drawer in your fridge should be overflowing with colorful nutrient-rich veggies. In fact, your fridge should hold more veggies than the drawer can hold. Veggies are filled with fiber, vitamins and nutrients and are a vital part of a healthy well-rounded diet.

Dump this: Fruit-flavored yogurt. I hate to break this to you, but that cute individually packaged yogurt is going to do more harm to your waistline than you think. More than 50% of the calories in fruit-flavored yogurt come from sugar. Check out the ingredient list and you might be surprised.

* Add to your shopping list: Plain low-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, or low-fat cottage cheese. If you love yogurt, then get the low-fat plain version. You can even chop up some fresh fruit or berries, and stir them in. Another option is to have a scoop of low-fat cottage cheese with chopped fruit or berries on top. Berries are low glycemic, and have more antioxidants and micro nutrients than most other fruit. Also, frozen berries may have the most nutrition of all, since they are picked when ripe and perfect, and immediately frozen, rather than sitting out for days of transportation.

Now, as you do this, you’ll probably notice other things to get rid of, notice other things you want to add, and perhaps have questions. Please comment below on what other ideas you have, or if you have any questions (or disagreements!) with what I said above.

Don’t procrastinate, do it now! Hey, I know you’re probably still hesitating. Just get started, and I promise you’ll feel really good about yourself for doing it.

In a few days, I’ll be back with another post to take on the freezer.

-Chad

P.S. Don’t forget to comment below, and maybe we can get some more valuable tips.

From the Mailbag – A “Tummy Fat” Question Answered

April 23rd, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | No Comments »

FROM THE MAILBAG…

*****************************
Hi Chad!

…THANK YOU for this. I’ve always been struggling with my getting a right “tummy” and can’t seem to drop 15 pounds~ so am taking her advise. (I do need more greens in my diet). I know the stomach area is the hardest area to work on plus, even die hard work out junkies, complain. I really believe (and have read) that it also has allot to do with your blood type/ethnic background. Do you find this to be true?

-Mariela

*****************************

(Note: this above email was a response to my video blog post HERE)

MY RESPONSE………

Hi Mariela (and everyone else who is wondering the same thing),

You’re very welcome, and I’m glad my video is helpful. Blood type is an interesting hypothesis. I’ve spoken to researchers who’ve tried to test this and come up with no apparent effect at all. Further, the reasoning behind the blood type hypothesis, while plausible on the surface, doesn’t ultimately make sense to me when I think about the details of physiology, as I understand it. Plus, the people I’ve talked to who’ve seen results doing a “blood type diet” have all, it turns out, made some modifications to their diet that are in line with the fundamental dietary principles that seem true to everyone.

I suspect that were they to pay even more attention to such fundamental principles, they would experience even greater results.

Now, there is what appears to be genetic variation in the way that people store body fat and how easily it comes off. However, all of the principles of nutrition seem to remain the same for most all people, regardless of what area of their body is the focus. The same principles seem to drive results in anyone–it’s just that some people may have to apply the principles more thoroughly than others to see results.

The best that I can tell, there is a “combination lock” on your body fat, and the most effective combination I’ve seen involves high-intensity strength training once or twice per week coupled with a nutrient-rich, yet calorie-restricted diet (the video that prompted this question contained some good rules of thumb to help with this), plus adequate sleep.

When I’ve helped people to “dial in” the right combination, they tend to start burning fat at the maximum rate physiologically possible–which is 1-2 pounds of fat per week for most people. (yes, there are reasons that this is the maximum rate, but that will have to wait for another time)

Once this maximum rate is reached, more or less additional activity seems to make no difference.

Think about this. When I understood this point, it made a whole lot of sense why I kept observing for years that my clients who did lots of “cardio” every week outside my gym never seemed to get faster results than my clients who did NO EXERCISE other than train with me for 20 minutes once per week, but who also were getting the rest of the combination right.

Now, back to wanting to burn belly fat (or fat in any other particular area)–if you keep losing fat, eventually the fat loss will get to all of the desired areas. But there is no way to actually “target” one specific area. The often-heard claim of targeted fat loss makes a nice marketing pitch, but it’s a marketing pitch built on wishful thinking rather than evidence. The body works as a system in a way that just doesn’t respond to such wishes.

Without the right “combination” people seem to run into three major problems:

Problem 1: They are never able to reach the maximal rate of fat loss for them, no matter how much activity they do.

Problem 2: The rate of fat loss they do reach is not sustainable for very long.

Problem 3: The fat loss they do achieve tends to be undermined in a way that results in ultimately more fat gain than what they started with.

I believe that getting the right combination is the best way to combat all three of these problems.

Every time I help someone to get the right combination, we see massive results–pretty much without exception. Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to go through the simple steps. And they are simple–over the years, I have discovered more and more simple ways to accomplish this. Nor is doing the steps time-consuming. BUT, they must all be done to work. A combination lock does not open if you only get one of the numbers correct.

If you’re reading this, and you want help dialing in the full combination for you, so it is just right for you, then you’re the type of person we love working with. Click on the “Introductory Workout” link on this page, fill out the form, and I, or my assistant Matt, will be in touch with you soon to arrange a consultation and find out if we’re a good fit to work together.

-Chad

6 Vacation Tips to Keep You Fit

April 21st, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | No Comments »

With summer vacation quickly approaching, you’re probably planning your next getaway.

Whether you go on a cruise, an African safari or a low-key trip to the beach, warm summer days are the best time to get away from it all.

But wait – did you know that the average person gains almost a pound a day while on vacation?

Between missed workouts, extra large restaurant meals and indulgent snacks, lazy vacation days will quickly add belt notches to your waistline.

So before you pack your bags for your next adventure, read the following 6 Vacation Tips and come home fitter, not fatter.

Vacation Tip #1: Make a Decision

Before you leave home, make the decision that you will NOT gain weight while on your trip.

This is the easiest step to take to make sure that you avoid weight gain, but it is also the most overlooked.

Instead of leaving things to chance, harness the power of creative visualization that has been proven time and time again by go-getters such as Michael Jordan, Einstein, Napoleon and Andrew Carnegie.

Visualize what it would be like to return home fitter than when you left. Take a moment to let yourself feel the excitement that you’d experience.

Remember what accomplishing your goal feels like – this will keep you motivated throughout your trip and will help pull you through the inevitable tempting situations that you’ll face.

Vacation Tip #2: Indulge in Quantity of Experiences, Not of Food

It’s easy to spend vacation days sprawled out by the pool, but the inactivity can quickly add up to extra pounds.

Choose to be active every and you’ll burn a few more calories all day long–but likely not enough to make any noticeable difference. People who lose weight while vacationing often mistakenly attribute it to walking more.

HOWEVER, the much more likely reason travelers lose weight when walking a lot is that they are indulging in fewer unnecessary snacks. Being physically active also seems to keep your mood up, which keeps cravings down.

Vacation Tip #3: Indulge in QUALITY of Food with Portion Control

You have no choice but to eat out while on vacation. Whether you’re enjoying 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you’ll be met with the same problem: huge portions.

While it is tempting to simply eat it all – you are on vacation after all – this will quickly lead to extra pounds. Use the following tips to keep your portions under control:

* Pay more, and eat less. Take quality of food over quantity.
* Eat slowly, and savor every bite.
* Stop eating when you are no longer hungry, long before you are full.
* When eating small meals, focus on the benefit of never feeling the heavy, full sensation that keeps you from enjoying going out to have fun immediately after a meal.
* Split your entrees with a travel companion. Half an entree is often just the right amount. Not only can this give you more energy, but it can save you money, and help you to justify nicer meals.
* Remember that you can always stop for more food in an hour or two if you’re still hungry (but you usually won’t be).

Vacation Tip #4: Skip Desserts

Nothing can make you feel sluggish faster than a strong dose of sugar at the end of a meal. This sluggishness deprives you of vacation experiences that would be more fun and rewarding than the momentary pleasure of the dessert.

Do share a dessert every couple of days with someone else, and savor every bite.

You’ll get to try all the major local desserts that way. Plus, you’ll probably enjoy these desserts more, and have better memories of them than if you give in to your whims to indulge at every opportunity.

Vacation Tip #5: Order Protein-Based Entrees

Nibble on high-density carbs as tasty garnishes only, not as the main event.

Even if a dish comes with a lot of rice or pasta, eat it like a garnish, and and your energy level will thank you immediately after the meal. Plus, you’ll be keeping your body from spiking insulin levels and going into “fat storage mode.”

Vacation Tip #6: Do a Hotel Room Workout

If your hotel doesn’t have a gym, or if you’d simply prefer the privacy of your room, do a hotel room workout like the following:

* Body Weight Squats
* Push Ups
* Abdominal Crunches

(If you’re a client, we’ll give you detailed instruction in how to complete an effective hotel room workout that you only need to do once every 3 or 4 days)

Well, now you have 6 tips that will keep away the unwanted vacation pounds. You may even end up losing a pound or two while away.

But let’s be honest, you want to lose more than a pound or two. You want to lose all of those extra pounds.

You may feel that the secret to achieving weight loss is just that – a secret. A mystery. You try, and try, and try but your goals are never met. Your dream body continues to stay out of reach.

In my experience the people who are unable to lose weight aren’t failing due to laziness. In fact, those frustrated with their weight often put in a lot of effort – but on the wrong things. A fad diet. The latest exercise gizmo. An ineffective routine at the gym.

It’s not that you aren’t willing to put in the effort – you’re just doing the wrong thing.

Think about this for a moment…

What if this was the summer that you took control of your body? The summer that you threw your fat clothes away…the summer that you were proud to put on a bathing suit…the summer that your doctor congratulated you on your improved health…the summer that your family and friends – and that special someone – showered you with compliments. It’s possible. Even more possible than you think.

The thing is that you need to direct your effort in an effective way.

This is where I come in.

You see, for me weight loss isn’t a mystery. It’s my passion. I have a proven method that will dramatically transform your body into one that you are proud to be seen in.

However, I can’t promise that it will be easy. You’ll work hard, you’ll feel exhausted, and you’ll even feel sore. You’ll spend less time working out than you’ve feared, but it will be hard work, plus you’ll have to change your eating habits. That isn’t easy, but it’s something we’ll show you how to do. Permanently. And before you know it you will be telling everyone you know about the amazing results you’ve achieved.

So as you plan your next vacation, consider whether you also wish to give yourself the gift that you really want – a new body. A tighter body. A stronger body. A healthier body.

Click on “Apply For An Introductory Workout” now to schedule your first body-transforming workout.

Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals – something that you will appreciate while on vacation and at home.

You deserve it.

Strength Training Benefit, Plus New Video…

March 31st, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | No Comments »

In this blog:
-another strength training benefit
-see my new video
-one of our trainers is on TV tonight!

1. Another Strength Training Benefit
A study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed that after just three months of strength training, gastrointestinal transit time increases by as much as 56%.

Why this matters: gastrointestinal transit time has been associated with a higher risk of colon cancer.

Action step: maintain a regular strength-training routine, and lower your risk of colon cancer.

2. NEW VIDEO:
You can see a new video of the workout experience at Myogenics Fitness, with clips of a number of our clients working out and explaining what they think of it.

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4AQHZnOdVE

Please comment below the video what you thought of it.

3. One of Our Trainers is on TV Tonight!
You can see our very own trainer, Scottie Epstein, as he helps to coach for Team Liddell on this season’s The Ultimate Fighter. The first show airs tonight at 10pm PST on the Spike network.

I was just talking to Chuck Liddell a few days ago, after his last workout at our gym, and I have to say that it is gratifying to have one of the top athletes in the world tell me that nothing compares to the workout he gets with us.

That’s especially gratifying given the fact that we specialize in working with busy professionals and with people who have often never done any exercise in their life before they come to see us.

It just goes to show that the fundamental principles that are most important for someone who is just starting out exercising will still be the most important aspects to get right, even if you manage to become a pro athlete.

-Chad

When You Should NOT “Empty the Tank”

March 23rd, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | No Comments »

Today:
-a story
-a lesson learned
-a 30-second exercise for you, based on the lesson

Of the several positive responses I received after my last post, one in particular raised an issue that I want to discuss further, because I think it’s REALLY important…

Ed wrote to me the following:

“Thanks – what a great tip. The goal is exhaustion. We will try this on every exercise we do, not only weights, but also treadmill and bike.”

Thanks for writing that, Ed–that was a perfect set-up for me to explain when you should NOT try to “empty the tank” on activities outside of controlled resistance training.

Two of the activities that fall into this category are exactly the treadmill and bicycle.

Let me start by sharing a personal story:

I was skiing in Colorado several years ago, and enjoying a beautiful, sunny day with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. Near the end of the day, I started feeling tired, but I was enjoying the day so much that I decided to take one last run down the front face of the mountain to take it in one last time.

As I was skiing, I noticed that my legs were even more tired than I thought, and about half way down the mountain, one ski stuck and went in a different direction from the other ski.

I began to fall suddenly toward the ground, and I didn’t have my usual strength to muscle out of the situation.

My exhausted brain let me do something foolish…I jabbed my right ski pole into the ground, attempting to stop my fall.

As I continued to fall at the ski pole, my weight pushed my right thumb all the way back into my forearm.

That hurt.

It took several for my thumb to heal enough for me to even hold a pen and write…which was a problem, since I’m right-handed.

It was also too painful for me to shift a manual transmission car with my right had for weeks…which I know because I owned a stick-shift car.

The moral: getting physically and mentally exhausted during some activities can be DANGEROUS.

Imagine what could happen if you got totally fatigued on a treadmill.

Not pretty.

Imagine what could be the result of riding a bike when your muscles are too exhausted to quickly maneuver to avoid a sudden large rock in your path, or to recover from something throwing you off-balance.

Not pretty.

If “exercise” is activity performed to improve your health and ability to enjoy life, anything that puts you at a high risk of injuring yourself does not qualify–and it should not be considered exercise.

Hammering nails while blindfolded is physical activity, but I think that it should not be considered exercise.

I believe that the intensity of exertion is the most important factor in generating strength and cardiovascular benefits, after looking at the evidence. Therefore, I recommend that any activities you use for exercise are simple to learn, master, and perform, and are very difficult to do wrong.

The skills/activities you use should be mastered to the point of feeling well within your control before you attempt to really “empty the tank” with them.

Also note that “empty the tank” means to go to the point where you physically cannot move…and beyond–to continuing to try for another 10 seconds just to make sure you really can’t physically move under sustained 100% effort. When people feel that they are absolutely “too exhausted to continue,” that is often a sign that they are about 50% of the way to this point. Maybe 40%

I am not talking about feeling too tired, or mentally giving up–I’m talking about the point at which your muscles are physically incapable of moving the weight–even as you’re exerting a maximum effort.

To get anywhere near this point, a good type of exercise is isometrics (like I demonstrated on the video linked to from the last newsletter), as there is no movement at all to mess up. Also, resistance exercise machines that are totally stable and can be performed with very slow movements are great–performed in the right way, they are nearly isometric.

I avoid anything with instability–including most free weight exercises and DEFINITELY instability devices like inflatable balls and instability boards for two big reasons:

1. To the extent that these exercises destabilize you, they do not allow you to target more intensely. The instability required different muscles to take over intermittently, which gives other muscles rest. There is not sustained effort in one targeted muscle group. No muscles can be thoroughly exhausted in the manner described above.

2. To the extent that you train more intensely with such activities, and get closer to real muscular exhaustion, your risk of injury increases.

If you want to get the most intensity out of your workouts (and therefore the most results), I recommend focusing on activities that are simple–activities that you can completely master and perform totally in control all the way to muscle fatigue with little to no risk of your technique falling apart–even if your muscles become so tired that they simply cannot move at all.

Such intense exercise, performed properly, will take you less time, get you more results, and give you lots of extra strength.

THEN you can go enjoy all of the fun activities you like to do–such as biking, skiing, tennis, hiking, swimming, etc.

As a major bonus, you’ll never have to worry about exhausting yourself during your fun activities–you can just enjoy them, knowing that you already got all the exercise benefit you need.

(And if you don’t believe this, wait until you see the video footage of our clients describing what types of improvements they’ve seen in their performance since switching to once-weekly training the way we do it. We’ve been recording some amazing stories; we’ll put them online soon.)

Your next action exercise:

1. Take a piece of paper and pen, and draw two columns: “High-Intensity Exercise Activities (that I can take to muscle failure)” and “Fun, Non-Exercise Activities.”

2. Write down all of the activities that you do, and put each into the appropriate column.

Now evaluate at what you have.

If you end up with an empty “exercise” column, then perhaps it’s time to think about adding one 20-minute per week block of intense, purposeful *exercise* to your week.

That’s all it takes to be consistently improving your strength, cardiovascular health, bone density, and many other factors of health–if you believe the studies I’ve read and the clients I’ve worked with.

3. Write down, “Considering what I’ve just thought about, my next action to improve my fitness routine is…” and finish that sentence, based on the simple advice in this newsletter.

If you take action on this, I bet that you’ll start feeling stronger and healthier, looking more attractive, and enjoying your recreational activities more.

Comment below, and let me know how you’re using this tip…or if you have any questions.

-Chad

P.S. If you’d like a personal trainer to teach you optimal exercise activities for a once-a-week routine, and also to help keep you accountable every week, click on the “introductory session” link to the right, and find out if you qualify and are a good fit to work with us.

Try This Mental Trick at Your Next Workout

March 16th, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | No Comments »

I was training a client yesterday who commented on how difficult it is to keep going on an exercise when it gets so intense that it feels like “the gas tank is near empty,” and “I might not be able to do another rep.”

This is a common feeling among people who train intensely.

(And if you want to get more results, you want to be training intensely.)

Now, as soon as my client said this, I realized that I personally look at this situation differently–and in a way that makes me both feel more comfortable, and also allows me to get more intensity (and results!) out of my workouts.

I’m want to quickly share what I do with you, so you can use it today:

My goal when I’m lifting a weight is NOT to see how many reps I can do, but, instead, my goal–the thing I’m trying to achieve–is to specifically get the “gas tank” to empty.

When your body produces results, it does so in proportion to how much you used up all the strength in a muscle. Your body does not know or care how many reps you did. The latter seems important because reps are easy to count, but it is simply the wrong goal.

Reps are one way to exhaust your muscles, but exhaustion itself is far more important then how many reps you did.

To illustrate just how much more important, you can do an isometric exercise, with no movement at all, and still exhaust your muscles–and still get amazing results.

(you can see an old video of me demonstrating just that on youtube here)

When I sit down on any weight machine, my goal is to “empty the tank” on the muscles I am targeting as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Because my goal is to get the tank to empty, and NOT to do more reps, I feel more and more satisfied to the extent that my muscles start feeling more exhausted.

Further, I have no desire to cheat or rest during the set, because this would seem to be moving me away from my goal. AND it also would make the set last longer. I don’t want the set to last longer–I want to “empty the tank” sooner and be done with it.

This both gets me more results and gets me done with each exercise faster.

Please try thinking about this today or at your next workout, and let me know how it goes.

So, the next action is to do this right now: take a piece of paper and pen, and write on the paper: “Focus on ‘emptying the tank’ on the muscles I’m targeting. Work to achieve this as quickly and efficiently as possible. Do NOT worry about how many reps I complete.”

Now, place this piece of paper with your gym shorts, your gym bag, or wherever you are sure to see it the next time you go to the gym to work out.

Then comment below and tell me how it went. I look forward to hearing about your experience.

-Chad

A Simple Reason Why You Can’t Lose Weight

March 10th, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | No Comments »

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to lose weight.

Do you want to be slimmer and see muscle definition, but your weight won’t budge?

Fix This: Lack of Support

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail.

Who would rush to the gym if no one was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

It takes time to transform your body from flabby to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight.

Remember that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, it is great to have someone there who is committed to keeping you going.

* Find a workout partner who is equally or more committed than you (or work with a fitness professional) to guarantee your results.

* Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won’t get you the body you want. The only way to achieve your goal is by consistently exercising and eating right, plain and simple. Agree with your workout partner up-front that you will never let each other off the hook for lame excuses.

I’ve learned all kinds of tricks over the years that can make your workout more effective while also saving you time. But none of that does any good if you do nothing.

So this week, I challenge and encourage you to set up a system of real accountability, even if it is just one workout per week–yes, you can get great consistent results training just once per week…if you really do it every week.

Get that in place, and the next simple tip I share to increase the effectiveness of your routine will be worth a whole lot more to you.

-Chad

(And if you want to hire a trainer to accomplish this, I of course suggest trying our gym and trainers, as I think you’ll be impressed.)

Getting Past Mental Roadblocks

February 21st, 2010 Posted in Exercise Tips | No Comments »

As the second month of 2010 comes to a close, where do you stand with your resolutions? Have you made progress or did your motivation fizzle?

Most people wait for motivation to strike them like a lightning bolt. Well, I have news: motivation isn’t something that happens to you – it’s something that you create for yourself.

Now, in the people I’ve worked with, I’ve noticed 3 key challenges that seem to keep most people from achieving and maintaining their physical fitness goals for life:

1. They don’t have enough time.
2. They don’t know what to do at the gym.
3. They can’t stick with a healthy workout/dietary routine consistently.

I’m going to discuss the third one today…

If you find yourself not consistently “sticking to it,” it might be because you don’t feel motivated.

And if you don’t feel motivated to achieve your goals, it may be due to mental roadblocks.

By simply dealing with the roadblocks, the path to the body you want may suddenly seem clear, and you may feel your motivation and excitement return.

Read the following 8 Mindset Tips and see if any of them strike a chord with you:

1. Commit to using all past (and future!) failures as data to learn from–strategies that didn’t work for a good reason, and why. Commit to never again misinterpreting failures as evidence that you can’t do it and it’s hopeless. The story goes that Edison invented superior light bulbs by a process of eliminating thousands of strategies that didn’t work.
2. You can have the body of your dreams, but first you must give up the belief that you can’t.
3. Decide what is important in your life, and focus on that. Get clear about your goals, and visualize yourself accomplishing them.
4. If you don’t know exactly where you want to go, you will likely end up someplace else.
5. Commit to developing the habit of dealing with, understanding, and conquer each negative thought/emotion the moment it enters your mind, when it is weakest.
6. Focus on small, attainable goals, rather than just one monumental goal.
7. Convince yourself that exercise is rewarding, really understand what it means to you, and it will feel rewarding.
8. Excuses or results: you can only have one, and you must be willing to turn your back on the other.

(If you’re suddenly sick and tired of making excuses, and want to take action right now…I’m not going to “leave you hanging” as they say–you can contact us today to get started on a results-driven fitness program. There’s a link in the column to the right to learn about and apply for our introductory workout experience)

Creature of Habit

What do you do every night before getting into bed? You brush your teeth. It doesn’t take much thought since it is such an ingrained habit.

Imagine if exercise was as much of an ingrained habit as brushing your teeth. Imagine how quickly you would achieve your fitness goals…and then continue to steadily improve beyond them for months and years into the future.

Here’s how to make exercise a habit: 1) Exercise consistently each week; 2) Put it on your schedule as a must – not a maybe; 3) Log your workouts track your progress; and 4) The ultimate way to create the habit of exercise is to get someone else to do all of these things for you – talk about guaranteeing your success! (find an accountability partner or hire a trainer)

Now, if at any point in this newsletter you thought “yeah, that makes sense,” I want you to do something right now…

I’d love to see you write down that one thing you realized while reading this newsletter–yes, actually write it down on paper. Yes, right now. Okay, now write down the next action you are committed to doing, TODAY, as a result of what you realized.

Great, now go to it!

-Chad

P.S. Remember those 3 major challenges I mentioned above?

1. too little time
2. not knowing what to do
3. having difficulty following through

…if those struck a cord, we offer a complete solution to all three at my training facility. Contact us today if you want to get started.