January 2010

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Find Your Comfort Zone- and Stay Out of it

January 29, 2010 in Fitness, Motivation by Dave | No comments

I was reading on LATimes.com about Dr. Jeffry Life, and his prescription for a life long exercise regimen.

One of the things he said made me want to jump out of my seat and shout it from the rooftops…

Find your comfort zone, and then stay out of it.”

If intensity is the key to results, then your comfort zone is your worst enemy.

Your comfort zone comes in many forms: doing exercises you are familiar with, training methods you are used to, the same time every week, pushing yourself just as far as you think you can go, or as far as you went your last workout. 40 minutes on the treadmill because you did 40 minutes the day before- sound familiar?  Routine, routine, routine.  Staying in your comfort zone is going to keep you in the same size pants and with the same body fat percentage. 

Doing the same thing each time and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

Pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone also takes many forms: trying new exercises, new ways to break a sweat, doing more and lifting heavier than you ever thought you could, working out more often, pushing yourself as far as you can go, and then pushing a little further.  That is how you get results.  You challenge your body.  You continue to grow, change, improve.

Comfort is complacency.  You should not be comfortable when you work out.  You should be uncomfortable, exhausted, sweating and out of your element. 

How can you grow if you don’t challenge yourself?  How can you know what you are truly capable of if you never try?

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Guest Post: Is Your Salad Hiding a Dirty Secret?

January 27, 2010 in Nutrition, Tips and Tricks by admin | No comments

salad1

You want to lose weight- so what is your go-to meal?  Salads.  Full of veggies, low on starchy carbs, and toss in a little bit of lean protein and you have a low calorie delicious meal made in weight loss heaven, no?

Probably not.

Most people trying to lose weight, or those trying not to consume their daily allowance in one sitting, will automatically order a salad when they go to a restaurant, feeling like it’s the only safe bet.  More often than not, those salads contain the same amount of calories as a burger.  Seems like a waste.

Just because you throw a bunch of crap on top of a bed of lettuce, doesn’t mean it’s going to be good for you.  To get the most (and the least) from your salads, listen up:

• Choose nutrient-rich dark green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, romaine, and endive over iceberg lettuce which offers little nutritional value.  It’s pretty much water,m which is low in calories, but doesn’t nothing for your health.
• Fill up with tons of veggies like cucumbers, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes. The brighter the colors, the more nutrient packed the veggie is so look for deep greens, bright reds, yellows and everything in between.
• Add a little lean protein to keep you fuller longer. Opt for beans, lean meat, turkey, and tuna over fatty meats like ham, pepperoni, salami and definitely anything deep fried.
• All salads are not created equal.   Pasta salad, potato salad, tuna salad, chicken salad and macaroni salad are loaded with fatty mayo and oils.  I feel like I shouldn’t even have to say that, but there it is, just in case.
• Skip extras like croutons, crackers, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheeses, and go easy on healthy, but calorie dense extras, like nuts and seeds. These little additions can easily add hundreds of calories to you salad.
• Dressing is probably the easiest way to undo a healthy salad. Choose low fat or fat free dressing, oil based dressings, or just a little vinegar. Always put dressing on the side and dip each bite so you control how much you use.
• Add some sweet with fruits. They are great on the side, or try interesting combinations on top of your salad, like pineapples, blueberries, orange segments or strawberries.

Fast food salads are pre-made and rarely give you the option of choosing your toppings. However, they usually give you the topping in individual packets so you can choose what you put on. Skip crunchy noodles or croutons, bacon and cheese. Always ask for the low fat or fat free dressing choice, even if it isn’t the dressing that comes with your order- most places will accommodate.

Never order an already designed salad for you at a restaurant.  Make substitutions and eliminations.  Their job is to make it taste good, not to ensure you can button your goal jeans, so be your own watch dog.

Salads can be your be your best friend, or your worst diet enemy. Make smart choices with what you load onto your lettuce.

Kelly Turner is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and health and fitness writer from Seattle, WA.  Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines, and she currently blogs for Breathe Magazine, Kidglue.com is the Health and Fitness Expert for Twirlit.com and feature fitness writer for FitPeeps.com.  To contact Kelly with any questions, you email her at kellycturner@hotmail.com.

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Snacks that Travel With You

January 22, 2010 in Nutrition by Dave | No comments

healthy_snacksPeople generally eat the most unhealthy foods when they are stuck in a bind or short on time.  You hit the drive thru to grab something quick on your way home of in the middle of a busy day, you grab a scone in the morning on the way to work instead of making a healthy breakfast at home, or you stock up on freezer meals that basically prepare themselves.

Stocking up on healthy snacks and stashing them in the places you need them most will keep you from consuming unnecessary calories and fat just because you don’t have anything else on hand.

In order for this to work, you have to have portable snacks that you can easily stash anywhere you need them: your car, your purse, your gym bag, brief case, etc.  Here are some delicious, low calorie, healthy and portable snack ideas you can take anywhere:

* Celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins on top

* Low-fat cheese sticks or cubes

* Hard boiled eggs

* Trail mix- make your own with your favorite nuts and dried fruits

* Half a turkey or tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread

* Yogurt and granola

* Healthy fiber rich, whole grain cereal. Eat it right out of a baggie (Quaker Oatmeal Squares are great plain.)

* Dried fruit

* Any fresh fruit is already portable (apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, etc)

* Whole wheat crackers with low fat cheese

* Skim milk latte (order a “skinny” at Starbucks, they are made with fat free milk, sugar free syrup, 90 calories for a tall)

* Air popped popcorn- sprinkle with taco seasoning, cinnamon, or Parmesan cheese

* Fat free Graham crackers

* Baby carrots with hummus

* Peanuts

* Raw almonds

* Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread

* Leftover chicken or turkey slices (great cold.)

* Cottage cheese with sliced tomatoes- add pepper for more flavor

* Fruit smoothie in thermos

* Veggies with a packet of low fat dip

Yeah, you guessed it: you are going to have to put in a little prep work.  But just like anything worth doing, if you put in the effort, you’ll get the results.

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You Can’t Out Exercise a Bad-Diet pt.2

January 21, 2010 in Uncategorized by Dave | No comments

Burger, fries and a soft drink. Please.
What? What was that? You thought I was trying to get my weight down?
No. No worries…..I’m exercising… I’ll burn it off!

Uh. How about no.

Want proof? Hit play. It’s all the proof you need.

So going into the Weekend. Keep the above lesson in mind. When Spring Break rolls around in 6 weeks. You’ll be glad you did.

The guy killing himself on the stepmaster is Craig Ballyntine. He’s Canadian. But it’s not his fault he was born there. So we still like him.

Dedicated to Your Success,
Dave

Guest Post: Is Your Scale Lying to You?

January 19, 2010 in Fitness, Motivation by admin | 1 comment

black-scale

It’s me again.

It’s the same old story: You’re standing on the scale, watching the digital numbers tick by, wishing you could have peed one more time, until, finally, the scale settles on a number.

Love it or hate it, can you trust it?

There are a lot of different factors that can affect your scale’s reading, either by adding a few pounds or taking them away.

Next time you fixate on tenths of pounds every morning, keep a few things in mind:

When did I last eat?

If you just have a big meal, all that food hasn’t had a chance to digest yet, and is just sitting there in your belly. It’s just like you were holding that meal in your hands when you stepped on the scale; the food has weight and that weight gets added to yours.  Meals take anywhere from 6-12 hours to digest.

What did I last eat?

Often, the healthiest foods are the heaviest in terms of weight. Fruits and veggies are great for your health and your waistline, but because they are so full of water and bulky fiber, they can temporarily add pounds to the scale.
If you ate a salty meal, like canned soup or a frozen dinner, the scale may also take a temporary jump. Your body retains water after you eat a lot of salt to dilute the excess sodium in your system, which can cause you to bloat.
Going light on carbs could explain a false lower reading. Carbohydrates, your body’s number one source of energy, are like a sponge- they hold water in your body. If you cut carbs, you risk dehydration, as there is nothing to prevent water from going straight through your system. The scale may read a bit lower, but it’s just because you are missing water, not from fat loss.

What did I have to drink?

If you just polished off a bottle of water, the weight of that water will show up on the scale. A liter of water weighs about 2 pounds, so if that water hasn’t had a chance to get through your system, it’s going to add to your weight.
If you had a few drinks last night, or a few cups of coffee this morning, you are probably dehydrated, as both are a diuretic, and you may be weighing in a few pounds less that your actual weight. Once the missing water is replaced in your system, your weight should return to normal.

Water is one of the biggest causes of inaccurate scale readings. It takes 3,500 calories to gain or lose a pound of fat; that’s nearly impossible to do in a day.

So, if you get an unexpected scale reading, take it with a grain of bloat-inducing salt. And remember, it’s just a number. Don’t let it make or break your day.

Body fat is the only true way to measure the composition of your body, and track real progress, so to get your body fat checked, make an appointment.

Don’t Sabotage Yourself.

January 15, 2010 in Motivation, Nutrition by Dave | No comments

The Wothington Ladies

MSNBC.com claims self control is contagious.

Want to be a Winner? Surround yourself with Winners.

Choose your friends and associates carefully.

Self-control is contagious, a new study suggests.

In one study, the researchers randomly assigned 36 volunteers to think about a friend with either good or bad self-control. Those who thought about a friend with good self-control persisted longer on a handgrip task commonly used to measure this behavior, while the opposite held true for those who were asked to think about a friend with no restraint.

And on the other side they say, “people with lousy self-control influence others negatively. The effect is so powerful, in fact, that just seeing the name of someone with good or bad self-control flashing on a screen for 10 milliseconds changed the behavior of volunteers.” They also say that the opposite is true, and thinking about someone with good self control will help others have better restraint.

Its happens.  You go out to dinner with a friend, they order first and get hi-cal appetizers, a huge meal that usually involves fries and possibly a dessert.  Suddenly the salmon and salad you were about to order sounds. Not so tasty, and you say “screw it, I’ll have what their having.”

No one else is responsible for you or the decisions you make.  Don’t allow others to unwittingly sabotage your goals.

Now. Change the stats.  Reverse the order. Your influence will positively impact them. What you do that’s in your best interest weight and health wise. The very choices you make. Helps others that are nearest to you. If you can’t  do it for yourself. Do it for them.

And the easiest thing to adjust. Surround yourself with like minded people with similiar goals. You’ll move farther faster than you ever thought possible.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Dave

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Guest Post: Meet Kelly Turner. Gasp! A Girl!

January 12, 2010 in Fitness by Dave | No comments

Female_weights

Yeah, that’s not me.


Ahhh, time for some estrogen up in here.

My name is Kelly Turner, I am an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and health and fitness writer.  Dave asked me to post on the blog every so often to offer a fresh, female perspective on everything fitness, to which I happily agreed (cause you know you can’t say no to Dave, right?)

To start things off right, I’m going to complain about fitness for a bit.  Yes, I have devoted my life and career to fitness and healthy living, but there are a few things about the fitness industry that drive me insane, especially as a woman.

I mainly blame the misinformation about fitness on women’s fitness magazines.  You know who you are.  First, they assume that every woman wants to lose weight, which I find insulting. I’ve stopped reading you, magazines, because even though I do not need to lose weight, you keep telling me I do.  Therefore, you are not allowed in my house.  I get enough of that from the TV and internet and I will not let anyone tell me how I should look.

My biggest gripe with those magazines, though, is that they shove all women into a box, and then give them The Perfect Workout and Diet Plan (even though they have no idea what your goals, injuries, health, weight, age and attention span is) which goes against what, you know, actually works. They shout “cardio and cutting calories!” with every article and whisper about strength training, or their version of it, which usually caps at 5 pound dumbbells.  Or a towel.  How the hell do you work out with a towel?

Ladies, weights are your friends.

Do not be scared of weights.

Weights are what gives you that awesome tricep line that will have you wearing halter tops in the winter.  Weights are what will lift your butt higher than any surgery could ever hope to.  Weights are what will get your metabolism running it’s fastest, your heart rate up higher than any treadmill, and give you the satsifaction of knowing you can carry your kids, the groceries and your purse all while fighting off a would-be attacker.

And guess what? The heavier the weights, the better.  But what about bulking up!?  What about building so much muscle I can’t fit through a doorway straight on?   Short answer: what crack pot gave you that idea, and anyways you don’t have enough testosterone.  For my mildly professional answer: click here.

Here is the truth:

Cardio will burn some calories, which may result in weight loss, but you are just going to be a smaller version of your soft self.  Soft is not attractive.  Firm and ripped and confident are attractive. I’m 5′6″, 120 pounds but, while I have a smaller frame, I love me some heavy weights and it shows.  Not to toot my horn, but I have the 6 pack, I have the Kelly Ripa arms, and I can lift more than most people think- and I can tell you, cardio had nothing to do with it.  I fell in love with weights because they are the only way you can truly change your body shape, which is actually what most women who say they want to lose weight are looking for.

I view my job as a personal trainer as being responsible for teaching clients everything I know about fitness so they can weed out the crap information they get other places, go into a gym setting and be comfortable because they know exactly what to do, how to do it, and where to go from there once it becomes too easy.  I feel women struggle with this most because they get a watered down version of what true fitness looks like.  With my next upcoming posts, I will smash common fitness myths and misconceptions that have women chained to their treadmills and calorie counters with nothing to show for it.  Maybe you guys will even learn a little something, too.

Kelly Turner is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and health and fitness writer from Seattle, WA.  Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines, and she currently blogs for Breathe Magazine, Kidglue.com is the Health and Fitness Expert for Twirlit.com and feature fitness writer for FitPeeps.com.  To contact Kelly with any questions, you email her at kellycturner@hotmail.com.

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ALERT: Nutrition Crash Course this Saturday.

January 12, 2010 in Uncategorized by Dave | No comments

If you’re reading this. You probably know me already so spread the news.
You and a friend are invited to
DISCOVER the ULTIMATE BODY TRANSFORMATION SECRET for FREE!
(and it’s not what you think)

FREE SEMINAR Jan. 16th. Fort Worth-Founders Activity Center- 11am
Hurst –The Body Firm Studio- 2 pm

The Rapid Results Nutrition Crash Course . One hour full of the hardest hitting fat melting strategies, tactics, tips, and tricks!

Diets Fail. And it’s not you. It’s them. And the 3 Big Reasons are.

#1 Diets are CONFUSING- one book says no carbs, another says no fats, the next says protein is bad. Aren’t you dreaming of the day you can walk into a grocery store and not be terrified or torture yourself with guilt, no matter what you eat?

#2 Diets are CHALLENGING- just like you I can’t possibly keep up with all the “breakthrough” diets that rain in from the sky each-and-every-day.

#3 Diets are CONSUMING-being consumed with food is affecting your mood and self-worth. And life is way too short to be downright depressed because you ate some some garlic toast for lunch!

In less than an hour you’ll discover:

-How to fire up your metabolism with 3 simple secrets(the weight-loss industry doesn’t want you to know)

-Why eating less and exercising more is a recipe for disaster(yo-yo dieting comes from this)

-The Top Twelve WORST foods you should never eat.

-The Top Twelve Best foods you can eat all the time

-Why this one group of foods will never be stored as body fat(also how to take maximum advantage of negative calorie foods)

-Why counting total grams of fat is an antiquated weight-loss technique( and what works better instead)

-How to boost your energy levels higher than you ever thought possible – almost instantly (you’ll feel the difference the very next day)

-the Single most important thing you must do before you even set foot in a gym or start any fat loss program ….(it’s more important than any diet, training routine, supplement, or drug known to mankind!)

I know you hate having your time wasted as much as I do.
I guarantee not to waste your time.  This is no bait and switch. You will walk away from this talk. With not just what to do. But how to put it into play and maximize your results.

Want to attend? Call Corry at the office 817-320-3845. She’ll reserve your seats for you.

The .003% Solution

January 11, 2010 in Uncategorized by Dave | No comments

After talking to Sally it really got me to thinking. How much time we waste. How many times I’ve heard this. “I knew what I needed to do, I just didn’t do it’
And she knew for herself the accountability was the factor.

The coaching and accountability is a huge factor for success. Everyone needs more and less of different components. For Sally it was the coach making sure she was eating and training. Minor tweaks to her diet delivered dramatic results. Most of the weight, like 11pounds, came off in the first month. The rest in about 12 weeks.

Oh! and since we did this interview she’s down another 9 pounds for a total loss of 30 pounds! She’s 5′2″! do you know how hard it is for women under 150 pounds to lose weight? I do. Your margins of error are so small. When you’re a female and petite your engine(bodies,metabolism) just isn’t very big. The numbers aren’t big. So you better know what you’re doing.

So for you. How long will it take? How fast to make a dramatic difference in you and your body and improve your life? in ways you can’t even grasp right now?

The .003% Solution is the Body Firm 12 Week Advantage Program.

On average you’ll live 70 years.  Thats 3640 weeks in your lifetime. 12 Weeks is only .003% of your total time here on earth. .oo3%! Do the math.

In 12 weeks you can completely change your body, mind, and life. They all go hand in hand.

You look in the mirror now. And see who you are. The vibrant outgoing high energy with-it person isn’t looking back at you. A fat person is looking back at you. And that fat person somehow has your mothers arms! And that fat person is going to have to go.

Because life is short. And you better live it to it’s fullest now. And you can’t live fully when your body holds you prisoner. Holding you prisoner by keeping you  from doing the things you want. When you want.

You have to realize the 12 weeks is going to pass anyway. Where will you be?

I hope you’re with me. I wouldn’t write this if I didn’t. Like Sally you’ll be smaller, toned, leaner and you’ll feel like a million bucks!  I want you to enjoy your body, life and just feel better overall. Getting up in the morning with a lot of energy. Looking in the mirror and seeing the real you looking back.  Who you really are. Looking younger and feeling better than you have in 10 years.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Dave

P.s.The next 12 weeks will pass no matter what. and I only have a limited number of consults available for the Advantage  Program. Get yours’ by filling in the free consult request form on the left hand of this page. You’ll get A full Body Diagnostic consult and a Free Week with the program. This thing is Fully Guaranteed. Because it works.

P.P.S Today is the first day of Rapid Results Fitness Camps. The 4 Week cycles are so 2009. No more. The fat burning train is now non-stop. You can join anytime of the month. As long as their are openings and this thing closed out last February. Do not get left behind.
Because then you’ll have to ride the elliptical for 3 hours a day, still get no results, and be miserable while you get hit on by the smelly guy at LA fitness. And no one should go through that.

Weekend Post: The Legend of Toben Cocklin.

January 10, 2010 in Uncategorized by Dave | 1 comment

Two Minutes Straight as Fast as He Can as Many as He Can Get.  How Many did He Get? A Lot!

Toben Cocklin- Part man Part myth. You may not know him now. But you will.

Shortly after taking care of orphans while volunteering overseas with the Peace Corp. Toben Cocklin decided to use his Good looks and Genius level I.Q. for the greater good.

First while trying to break into Hollywood he was quietly asked by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon to do something else. They didn’t need the competition.

So he searched for a way to do the greatest good. That’s right he became an attorney.(Finished his undergraduate degree at Notre Dame in 2 years. But waited 2 more to graduate so his classmates wouldn’t feel bad about themselves.)

After arriving in Fort Worth and getting settled in. When not pursuing his part-time hobby of working on a Cure for Cancer. He worked out pretty consistently. But he got Tired of the same old routine.
Running stairs and spending hours in the gym lifting weights. Nothing challenging, nothing new. Not really falling out of shape not getting into better shape.

My client and his co-worker Ryan Valdez heard his concerns and said “come with me try it out.”

I knew it on the first day. Just like a Ferrari. Toben didn’t have just 4 or 5 gears. He had 6 Gears! and a 7th! and Overdrive! Some people just have it.
So why not tap into it?

Few weeks later he’s leaner, lighter and stronger than ever before. And then the fun began.

Toben currently holds the World Record for least amount of training for a Marathon.(Remember the general recommendation is 1-2 years of  consistent training to build up to a 26mile attempt)

His training consisted of over a 4 week period.(BTW. I did not put this together nor do I recommend it)

1. a run of 4 miles
2. a run of 9 miles
3. a run of 12 miles
4. a run of 16 miles

Freakish Tenacity and Strength. Want proof.
He Bench Pressed 315lbs for 6 reps in training 4 days before the marathon.
I can honestly say I’ve never seen that before and probably won’t ever again.

Because he’s destined for Greatness the run was recorded.

Taffy’s Marathon from Ryan Valdez on Vimeo.

That set the course for Toben.Shortly after finishing his volunteer work at the Childrens Hospital. And being the only person in Texas approved to practice law shirtless. He set his sights on the longer distances.

And true to his nature of Excellence Always.

Tobin Cocklin went loooooooong this weekend at the Bandera Endurance Run in Bandera Texas. Completing 50k of the most up and down godforsaken  hellacious uneven unforgiving terrain in our great state in 7hours 30min.

Is there anything he Can’t Do? I doubt it. And He’ll do it while wearing a Tuxedo.
And yes Ladies, He’s single.

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