Tips and Tricks

You are currently browsing the archive for the Tips and Tricks category.

How To Do Burst Interval Training-Rapid Fat Loss without Boring Cardio

August 27, 2010 in Fitness, Fitness News, How-To, Motivation, Q and A, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized by Dave | 1 comment

Why interval training?

Because long, slow, old school cardio is NOT the best way to lose fat.
I make my case against it in The Dark Side of Cardio-and a Cure

Why should you kill your Cardio Routine?
Because Cardio is:

1.Boring (Like watching paint dry or grass grow.)

2.Time-Consuming (Who has 2 hours for a roundtrip to the Gym?)

3.Ineffective for Fat Loss (Ooops! everything would be forgiven if it actually, you know, worked and got results)

So let’s get into what does work.

Interval training works like a blow torch on fat.

Here’s how to do it.

First you need to be properly warmed up.

Then I explain the basics here-

Keys to success here:
1. No more than 2-3 sessions per week.

2. Intensity is key. Hit your level 7-9 during the work or hard phase. Then back it all-the-way-down to a 3 during the easy or recovery phase. Most common problem is people not going low enough during recovery phase.

3. Use the incline on the treadmill to add intensity but not more than 2%-3% grade. Or add speed, you’ll be surprised how fast you can go for short periods.

4. 6-10 cycles and stop. People always make the mistake of more is better. “If 8 cycles cut fat,16 cycles will cut twice as much!” No! You’ll get less results at best injured at worst.

3 Workouts to Get You Started: Put one into play today!

Workout#1 – 3/2 Power-Walking program-This is if you’re unfit, carrying extra weight, or the knees just aren’t going to hold up start with a 3 minute low/2 minute high routine. Don’t go over 20-30 minutes. Remember the level of intensity is key not time exercising. Hit your level 7 for 3 minutes then back it down to your level 3 for 3 minutes. 4 or 5 cycles and you’re done. You can increase the intensity with the incline to avoid jogging.

Workout#2 – The Intermediate 90-30 Walk/Run- A good program to jump into if you’ve been working out. 90second at a level 3 intensity and 30 seconds at your level 7-9. Don;t even think of the total time just count your 30 second intervals like a set. Do 6-10 sets and stop.
Quality over quantity.

Workout#3 – The Intermediate 30/30 Recover/Run- This is what Michelle is doing in the video. That sound you hear? That’s your heartbeat. Be properly warmed up and jog for about the first minute then crank the speed up to your level 7 for 30 seconds. Jump onto the rails. Complete recovery for 30 seconds, and this may start stretching to 45 seconds or a minute your first session. To get back onto the running treadmill use your arms to lower yourself down, when you get your leg speed up you can let go. Practice at lower speeds if you need to.

Forget the old days of Cardio. People thought the Earth was flat at one time too. No more dreading going to the gym to do hours of cardio with no results to show for it.

Get in-go hard-get out. Enjoy your new found results.

Dedicated to Your Success,
Dave

3 Simple Fat-Loss Tips for You

August 23, 2010 in Fitness, Fitness News, Health, Motivation, Nutrition, Q and A, Tips and Tricks by Dave | No comments

Copy of Michelle Gumm After 135lbs. 003

Michelle Gumm Dropped 16lbs. and 13ins. in 8 Weeks!

Many of you are going to start or restart your fat-loss and fitness programs  this week. It’s that time of the year. Summer is over, kids are back in school,  and the damage from all the summertime eating is showing up. Literally.

Fall is a great time to get into shape.

Unfortunately I see people making fat loss and getting into shape waaaaay….. too complicated.

You can simplify almost anything down to 3 basic things. Here are the 3  most powerful simple tips I could come up with. Get these 3  right and everything else tends to fall into place. Simple.


Tip #1 – Get your exercise in the morning

I get up and train at 4am. Yes it’s too early but it has to be then or it’s not going to get done.

When I’m asked what the best time to train is I always say….

“It doesn’t matter when you exercise as long as you do it, what matters is that you are consistent. And when you exercise first thing in the morning, that means you will be more consistent. And being consistent is one of the most important things in your fat loss program.”

I always tell people too,”The great thing about morning training is there’s no excuse. Your family won’t miss you. The office isn’t calling you. There’s nothing going on at 6am. You’ll have more energy throughout the day and you’ll tend to eat better”

So if you are struggling to be consistent, get up a little earlier and do your workout before life/work/family gets in the way and stops you from getting your workout.

Consistency is key. And morning exercise will help you become more consistent.

Tip #2 – Eat 3 medium sized meals and some very healthy snacks

Keep it simple. Real simple.

If you’re just starting out on your fat-loss nutrition program.If you have no idea where to start. Start by writing down times for your 3 meals. Set a schedule first. Sounds crazy, but if you’re all over the place and you have no idea when or what you’re going to eat, start with when.

A Medium sized meal-3 times a day. Some healthy snacks thrown in. If the snack comes from a bag or a box…um no.

I love to snack on apples, blueberries, carrots, celery , and bananas.  Almonds seem to be popular with my client right now.

This is the kind of diet you can stay on even when traveling.

Simple schedule. Simple foods. Keep it simple.

Tip #3 – Stay active on your off days with fun & playful activity

I’ve spent literally decades of my life in gyms, health clubs, and training studios. Literally inside working and training improving the methods and systems. Do the math 9-13 hours a day. 6-7 days a week for 23 years(71,990 hours!).  I’ve spent more time in these facilities  than anywhere else.

I DO-NOT recommend this. To anyone. Ever.

You need to train 3-4 times per week. Get in get out.

Use your extra time to play frisbee, golf, ride a bike,learn a new sport,go to the playground, hang out with your friends and family,just be active and live your life.

No long, slow, boring cardio either. Don’t do it for fat loss. It’s a waste of your precious time.

Use 8-10 min of Burst training at the end of your resistance days. Maybe 20-25 min on your no-resistance days.Maybe.

I’d rather sprint across the park(or parking lot) any day for fat-loss than read People Magazine on a treadmill or one of those silly elliptical machines.

So bottom line:

1) Do short, burst workouts CONSISTENTLY.

2) Eat 3 mid-size meals and lots of whole, natural food snacks in between meals.

3) Train 3-4 times per week and stay active on your off-days.

Get outside get active and life your best life.

It’s that simple.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Dave

Another Hollywood Weight Loss Success Secret

August 20, 2010 in Fitness News, Health, Motivation, Nutrition, Q and A, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized, success story by Dave | No comments

A 100 Pound Success Story

A 100 Pound Success Story

My blog post earlier this week was about Drew Carey’s 80 pound weight loss. I revealed his fatal flaw to lasting results. Nonetheless, he’s doing a lot right. Points to him because 80 pounds is nothing to discount.

But lately John Goodman has lost a reported 100 pounds! And he’s done it the RIGHT way.

Let’s talk about how he did it.

His Turning Point

“It’s been constant. It’s always been in the back of my mind. It just ate at me the whole time. That may be part of the reason I shoved food in my mouth so much. That satisfaction.”

When John got a role in Santa Clause he said enough was enough, but he finally wised up and didn’t  set the ever-futile New Year’s resolution. He hired a trainer and got on a program.

Whether you have a specific turning point or not, you MUST decide enough is enough. The pain of staying the same must be greater than the pain of change.

His Nutrition

“I had to clear out my own house first. It was built on a bad foundation.”
“…But also fresh vegetables, lean protein… I’m not a real hard-on about keeping strict calorie counts. I know what’s in my wheelhouse, what I can eat and what I can’t. And I’m satisfied eating it. I cannot tolerate sugar. I crossed over to the diabetic side, but I can’t tolerate it anyway because it creates hunger.”

Right on John! First fix the foundation, get rid of the crap. No change in eating equals no results. Now he’s getting protein and cutting the sugar, very important. And if you notice his eating is simple and supportive.

His Alcohol Intake

“Alcohol is alcohol. I’m an alcoholic. I would drink no matter what. That’s just part of being an alcoholic.”
“…and the big key was drinking.”

Goodman has cut out alcohol completely. The problem with alcohol is not just the calories or how many carbs are in your beer, that’s  marketing hype.

Like John said, first the alcohol then the food would follow. The mindless eating that goes along with drinking is what really packs on the pounds. For a lot of people it’s a slippery slope. Alcohol followed by crappy food causes cravings for more crappy food.

If you want to lose fat and see results fast, cut out the alcohol. Completely.

His Identity

This is an extremely powerful point and I don’t think we  give mindset and identity as much attention as we should. The  majority of people I consult with do not identify with their size . Quite often they tell me they feel trapped in a body that doesn’t match up to how they see themselves. If being overweight is “just who you are” or defines you in any way, then IT WILL BE DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO LOSE WEIGHT.

I go through gyrations to not approach weight loss in a negative manner. But how you see yourself will dictate how you think, act, and your probability of success. I identify myself as being a healthy guy. I’ll admit my job helps me stay focused. I’ve avoided fast food simply because I don’t want someone I’m coaching to see me walking into McDonalds, it sends the wrong message.  Will I always stay in shape? I sure hope so. I may eat a donut from time to time, but I don’t see myself not working out, eating mindlessly and without care. Because that’s not “who I am”.

So if you identify yourself with being “the funny big guy” or in some other way with your weight; you”ll struggle to lose it. You might lose some for a period of time, but you WILL gain it back unless your identity changes. (This I suspect is one (but not the only) reason you see former Biggest Loser competitors gaining the weight back.)

So… on weight being apart of his persona and being worried about losing the weight and having problems getting acting parts…

“Hey, that’s too bad. I’ll scream and cry when I’m in the unemployment line, but that’s really secondary. I am what I am. I can act at different weights. It’s a miracle I was hired at all for a lot of these jobs.”

Don’t let ANYONE tell you who you are and what you can or can’t do. Ever!

His Exercise

All cardio John?

“This time we mixed in strength training with resistance bands. They’re great for me because I can contract and release slower, and that builds up better muscle for me.”

“I was doing a job in New Orleans twice a week called Treme. I was only working a couple days a week. I wanted to treat this other thing (exercise) like a job–to get healthy.”

This reflects  how he’s exercising. A well designed fat loss program today is built on getting the eating right first and resistance training to dump fat rapidly. The old programs of cardio, cardio, cardio  for weight loss are boring, time consuming, and ineffective.  Resistance training for maximum fat loss supplemented with short-burst cardio work is proving to be most effective.

His Effort

Does he like it?

“I do. I’m still a sucker for highs, and I get those endorphins. It’s just a feeling of well-being. I’m where I’m supposed to be. I’m doing what I should be doing. I feel good. I’m hopefully extending my life. Before, I didn’t care.”

Being fit, firm, strong, and capable; able to handle stress or any situation that comes your way. It’s not just about looking good, but feeling good… that’s when you have it all. To be able to do what you want when you want, that’s when you can live your best life!

But I can’t really describe what being fit feels like. It’s one of those things that has to be experienced. I think people sometimes feel so bad for so long, they forget what feeling really  good is like.

There are a TON of lessons to be taken from John’s weight loss story. I hope you pick them all up. Of course the 80/20 rule will apply to this instruction.

Many will read this and say, “Well, he’s a Hollywood actor, with money, and time, and blah, blah, blah.” And those people won’t do a thing. They’ll stay the same. Stagnant. Inactive. Unchanged. That’s fine. This isn’t for everybody.

The other camp will take this as another success story (yes, I have given you others) to model and motivate and see they can make a change in their life. What you do is your choice, but do make smart choices.
Dedicated to Your Success,

Dave

P.S. You can read his Men’s Health interview here.

P.P.S. If  you’re overweight and out of shape. Then you’ve come to the right place. You can and will get fast, visible, measurable results (with the only Unconditional Guarantee in DFW) with my Accelerator Personal Fitness programs. Call the office(817.320.0743) for more information or  to schedule your Fast Start Consult.

Drew Carry’s 80 pound Weight Loss and One Possibly Fatal Flaw

August 17, 2010 in Fitness News, Health, Motivation, Nutrition, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized, success story by Dave | No comments

Drew Carrey Looking Good!

Drew Carey Looking Good!

I always enjoyed the Drew Carey Show. I liked Whose Line Is It Anyway even better. My favorite episode of all time was with Richard Simmons. If you haven’t seen it you should.

A couple of years  ago Drew took over Bob Barker’s place as host of the famed Price Is Right. Earlier this year he decided to lose the weight he’s carried for so long. To date he has lost 80 pounds!

You can read the full article on his weight loss here.

You can learn a lot from others successful practices. I’m going to break his program down and point out the good and not so good.

Let’s start with the GOOD.

“I was sick of being fat on the camera.”
Believe it or not, this is good. You’ll only change when there’s too much pain to stay where you’re at. If your current situation is not making you sick, or you’re not in much pain, then you’re likely OK with it. Just because someone may need to lose weight or improve their fitness doesn’t mean they want to. Most people call me only after seeing themselves in a recent photo(that’s how powerful denial is). For Drew it was sick of being fat on camera.

“I’m not diabetic anymore. No medication needed.”
Huge bonus! Obviously good. Type II diabetes is growing more and more and it’s controllable with diet and exercise. Drew knocked this one out.

“I don’t drink anything but water.”
Although not totally necessary, it’s a big step. Alcohol, soda, energy drinks loaded with sugar will all slow down weight loss results.

“Lots of cardio…at least 45 minutes of cardio.”
Meh….There’s a place for cardio in a Body Transformation Program.  He doesn’t mention anything about strength training, but I would guess he is doing some. Resistance training supplemented with short-burst cardio or intervals just crushes tired old cardio for results.  But cardio is important. It’s just usually done wrong, bores people to tears,  and it hurts more people than it helps. But he’s certainly doing it.

“(Losing weight) was easy because once you see the results, then you don’t wanna stop.”
There is no greater force than your own momentum. Once you get the ball rolling it picks up speed and gets faster and faster and faster. Soon you don’t want to stop. And losing weight becomes a lot easier!

He wants to lose weight so he can “be looking that great at 86″ like his predecessor Bob Barker. “I’d love to be able to play with him (his stepson) without getting tired, enjoy my life and watch him grow.”
As I told a group the other day, you must start with goals, motivation, and commitment. Drew clearly has his ‘reason why’ down. He wants to see his stepson grow up, and live a healthy, enjoyable life. Retiring with health problems is no way to grow old.

There’s no denying Drew is doing very well with his weight loss. But as I mentioned, there is a(potentially) FATAL FLAW. Did you find it?

“No carbs…not even a cracker. No bread at all. No pizza, nothing. No corn, no beans, no starches of any kind.” If you guessed this was his fatal flaw, you guessed right. Whether he’s doing Atkins, South Beach or a hybrid he designed himself. This type of total elimination-super strict eating is tricky. You can’t expect to stay on a diet by eliminating one of the macro-nutirents(carbs, protein, and fat)forever. They are ALL essential. It’s not about eliminating an entire category of food. But replacing  habits over time.

(I’m a complete mercenary about getting results: If it works- it works. But every person I’ve ever interviewed that was able to stick with no-carb long enough to lose weight eventually came off and gained the weight back. It’s like the no-carb needs a tappering or exit strategy added onto the back end.)

I’m careful not to make a negative prediction, but it’s possible he will gain his weight back. The no-carb thing is a double edged sword. Fast drop in weight-impossible to maintain for life. I won’t say how much he’ll gain or how long, but he will gain it back. That’s my prediction.

Drew I imagine is a social animal. I’m sure  he goes to some great restaurants and dinner parties. And sooner or later his craving for a donut or carbohydrate treat will cause him to crack. And that will be the start of a slippery slope.

That doesn’t discredit his hard work. The guy is a former U.S. Marine. And Hollywood isn’t for the weak. There’s no doubt there’s hardcore in his DNA. I just hate to see people work so hard and invest so much and not get long term results.

I’ve never in 20 years  seen two people who eat alike. The one size fits all meal plan is a bad idea. Straight old school cardio is boring, time consuming  and a weak tool to use for weight loss.  So make your plan or chose your program with care.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Dave

P.s. If you want to be like Drew-and dump a lot of weight-(without the no-carb craziness ) and get results fast call the office for a Fast Start Consultation-817.320.0743.

How Sally Dropped 30lbs(Her 7 Day Food Journal)

August 13, 2010 in Fitness, Fitness News, Health, Motivation, Nutrition, Q and A, Tips and Tricks by Dave | No comments

Sally over 130lbs.

Sally before over 130lbs.

Sally Joslin is at 48 a  busy mom, wife and educator. When she started her goal was to lose 20-25 pounds and to fit into the clothes in her closet again.

She won client of the month last year after dropping 21pounds and 17inches. Since then she’s dropped a total of 30pounds 21inches and nearly 11%in bodyfat.

Recently I asked her to share with you her actual 7 Day Food Journal. I also asked her to give you some of the tips that she discovered and strategies that worked for her. You’ll notice that this 5′2” now 100lb. dynamo isn’t starving herself.  She works out with us 2X a week does her own cardio and plays tennis 3-4 times a week! She’s eating 5 times a day and it’s all food no processed junk.

The food journal and tips below are pure gold.

After Losing 30 pounds!

After Losing 30 pounds!

Remember there is no “right diet”. Fat loss is almost always a process of a little testing here and there to find what works best for you. But it’s also good for you to see exactly what’s working for others.

Hi Dave,

Here’s the food journal

Mon-
Breakfast:  coffee, 1 whole egg, 100% whole wheat toast, 1/2 grapefruit

Snack:  1/2 c nonfat Greek yogurt; 1/4 c blueberries, a few cashews

Lunch:  grilled chicken breast, 1/2 c brown rice, steamed green beans

Snack:  lowfat cheese stick, grape tomatoes

Dinner:  tilapia with 1 t basil pesto, salad with homemade dressing- 1 T (olive oil/balsamic vinegar), steamed broccoli

Tues-
Breakfast:  coffee, oatmeal, 1 T ground flaxseed, blueberries, almond milk, cinnamon; 1 whole egg with 2 egg whites-scrambled

Snack: 1% cottage cheese with tomatoes, 1 green olive, chopped celery stirred in

Lunch:  1/2 turkey sandwich (clean-no additives or preservatives) on 100% whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomato; 1 c  homemade vegetable soup

Snack:  small orange; 10 almonds

Dinner:  big salad with lots of raw veggies and topped with grilled chicken breast; homemade dressing-1 T

Wed-
Breakfast:  coffee, 4 scrambled egg whites with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, tabasco; 100% whole wheat toast

Snack:  celery with 1 T almond butter

Lunch:  Spinach salad with feta, red onion, 1/2 green apple, a few walnuts, grilled chicken, 2 black olives with 1 T homemade honey mustard dressing; Mary’s Gone     Whole seed and grain crackers

Snack:  Smoothie made with 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 c green tea (I leave a few glasses of water with tea bags brewing in the fridge), 1/4 c berries, 1/4 c nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 T lemon juice, a few ice cubes.  (If I drink this for breakfast I would  add 1/3 banana and 1/4 c oatmeal) – really good!

Bonus recipe:  1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1/3 banana, 1 T all natural peanut butter, 1 cup water; few ice cubes.  1/4 c  oatmeal and/or nonfat Greek yogurt -optional-  depending on when I’m drinking it-

Dinner:  white meat ground turkey meatloaf; roasted sweet potatoes, steamed green beans

Thurs-
Breakfast:  coffee, oatbran topped with ground flaxseed, almond milk, berries; scrambled eggs – 1 whole with 2 whites

Snack:  tuna with raw veggies

Lunch:  1/2 chicken  sandwich with lettuce & tomato (leftover grilled chicken, 100% whole wheat bread), raw veggies with hummus

Snack:  apple and 10 almonds

Dinner:  ground white meat turkey meatballs in tomato sauce on top of  swiss chard (I saute it with a little olive oil and garlic) This sounds weird but it’s actually delicious!

Fri-
Breakfast:  coffee, oatmeal topped with 2 T nonfat Greek yogurt mixed with 1/2 t honey, blueberries, a few walnuts, cinnamon; 4 boiled egg whites

Snack:  Muscle Milk Lite (chocolate)

Lunch:  homemade black bean soup; spinach salad with 1 T homemade dressing

Snack:  1/2 c nonfat Greek yogurt, kiwi

Dinner:  Grilled Salmon, 1/2 c quinoa, roasted asparagus, 1 glass white wine

Sat-
Breakfast:  coffee, 100% whole wheat toast with 1 T all natural peanut butter, 1/2 banana

Snack:  1/2 c nonfat Greek yogurt with 1/2 c berries

Lunch:  homemade cauliflower soup, spinach salad topped with lots of raw veggies and 1 chopped up boiled egg, homemade dressing 1 T

Snack:  hummus with raw veggies, a few 100% whole wheat pita chips (make your own-it’s easy and quick-then they’re clean)

Dinner:  from Mexican Restaurant-salad with grilled chicken fajita meat, (no cheese) and veggies, avocado, salsa for dressing; 1 corn tortilla; 1 Michelob Ultra

Sun-
Breakfast:  coffee, scrambled eggs (1 whole, 2 whites) with veggies; oatmeal with berries

Snack:  1/2 c nonfat Greek yogurt with a couple of drops of Stevia

Lunch:  grilled chicken, baked sweet potato, sauteed spinach in garlic and olive oil; 1 square 85% dark chocolate

Snack:  raw veggies with 10 almonds

Dinner:  Big salad with 1 can water packed tuna and lots of raw veggies,  and 1 T homemade dressing


Daily beverages:  lots of water; 1-2 cups coffee in the morning;  green or black tea most days
Favorite raw veggies:  cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, celery, carrots, bell peppers-all colors-I try to keep these cut up and ready to go.
I make big pots of soup and freeze individual portions so there’s always something I can go to – use these a lot for lunch.
Homemade salad dressings are quick and easy and then I know what’s in them.  They keep in the fridge all week -  family likes them too!

-I also asked Sally for some tips and strategies that worked for her-here they are.

1. Plan Ahead-pack lunch and snacks the night before in case you’re rushed the next morning

2. Have nuts/healthy snack in purse or laptop case so you always have something to eat-important not to get caught without a snack      because you’ll get too hungry and eat too much or make bad choices at the next meal (been there, done that)

3. When you’re cooking, cook extra – this is what you’ll eat for lunch the next few days

4. Freeze food – then actually take it out of your freezer, thaw, and eat it! I’ve always frozen food, but usually threw it away a year later. Soups, extra brown rice, cooked chicken or turkey meatballs  etc.. freeze well.

5. Eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

6. Ditch the Diet drinks -for lots of reasons but I think they increased my craving for sweet things. I haven’t had one since May 2009 – have saved lots of $ and haven’t missed them at all once I made the decision.

7. Remember that dessert is supposed to be a special treat – 1 time per week perhaps?- not a daily thing.

8. Try to get into a routine with a schedule and certain foods for awhile.  When you start, there’s so much to think about, if you have a few healthy foods you like, then keep rotating those until you get the hang of this new way of eating.  It seems like all you are doing is thinking about food and eating at first, but that will lessen in time.  It will become automatic.  So keep it simple at first.

9. When you do get the hang of it, and if you like to cook, try some new healthy recipes.

10. I really don’t go to fast food places at all anymore.  Read Michael Pollan’s book and you probably won’t either.  Look online at the calorie counts and ingredients (chemicals and sodium) and it will surprise you.  You’ll feel so empowered as you pass by them, and go home and eat something healthy.

11. My final and most important tip: Don’t eat any food that you don’t want to make someone else happy.  Only YOU get to decide what you eat or don’t.  Take ownership of that.

Um… What else is there to say? This is great!

Remember don’t try to put it all into play at once. Small incremental changes over time will result in some big changes on the scale,in your clothes, and in the way you feel.

Have a great weekend!

Dedicated to Your Success,

Dave

No Time? No Problem! Afterburn Rapid Fat-Loss Bodyweight Cardio #2

May 3, 2010 in Fitness, Motivation, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized by Dave | No comments

Your time is extremely valuable. It is in fact…. irreplaceable.

Just say NO! to boring, time-consuming, ineffective cardio.

Don’t waste your valuable time on exercise methods that don’t reduce bodyfat, tone and tighten. This rocks by doing all three at once. Afterburn Cardio  delivers results like FedEX delivers packages Quickly, Efficiently and Overnight!

I want you to have an arsenal of fast-action workouts to choose from.  So you never have to ask yourself what to do on your cardio days. It’s simple- do this. There are so many logistical advantages to these workouts.

This is the perfect “Day Off” workout.

The perfect hotel room workout.

The perfect no equipment, no time gotta be at work early workout.

You’re going to use a lot of muscle in a short amount of time and your body will thank you for it by burning fat. And you’ll get stronger at the same time. Double WIN!

Dedicated to Your Success,

Dave

P.s. Get the Support and Coaching you need to get the Results you want. For your FREE Fast-Start consultation and Week of Accelerator Personal Training($179 Value) Call Jennifer at 817.320.0743 to get started now.

Tags: ,

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.

Tags: , , ,

The Big Hairy Audacious Goal- what it means for you in 2010.

December 29, 2009 in Fitness, Motivation, Tips and Tricks by Dave | 1 comment

Who is this post for?
If you’re in decent shape. You’ve reached you initial goals that got you off your butt in the first place. You’ve been training for a while maybe even a long while. You’ve got a handle on your eating and while training isn’t exactly easy you’d like a bit more motivation. Lets call it the “what’s next?” question.

It’s time to set your Big Hairy Audacious Goal(BHAG). I stole the BHAG from business management but it works for individuals too. The BHAG is something far from easy but reachable with much effort. You’ll use what you have now and build upon this foundation to get to the BHAG.
Examples of BHAG’s-

1.Triathlons: any distance is a challenge. Combine Swimming, Cycling, and Running and you’ve got a goal you can believe in. Type A+ personalities do this at your own risk of addiction.

2. Road Races: 5ks- Marathon’s(Cowtown Marathon is right here!) to Marathons in Europe(couple of clients did these in 2009 and loved! the travel and adventure).

3. Ultra-Marathons: got a marathon under your belt? Go longer like 50k or 50 miles to start. The El-Scorcho 25k and 50k is right here in Fort Worth during the summer. I do this one myself. And I get nausea just thinking about it! Good Times!

4.Trekking, Mountain Climbing- You can put these trips together yourself or go to a trusted provider like Backwoods Adventures(Fort Worth) and hike Yellowstone National Park or Utah parks or Trek on one of 4 different Continents.

5. Adventure Vacations: where you have to show it off like Hawaii. Or a Vacation where you have to use it or lose it like Scuba Diving, Skiing, or Snow Boarding

7. Adventure Racing, Mud Runs, Urban Races: all different terrains and all require you to adapt to ever changing environments and challenges.

Two big factors actors make the BHAG so effective to reaching the next level.

First you have to tell others about the event or trip. These type of events can’t be done in private. This is the accountability factor. In a good way. “I’ve already told everyone” will get you out of bed many many mornings.

And the second big factor is the deadline element.It’s the forcing mechanism behind the goal.You’ve made the investment in registration, travel and hotels.
You cannot move the date of the trip or the start of the race back. It’s your deadline. You will surprise yourself at what adjustments you’ll make to be ready on time.

Chose your BHAG. Set the dates. Make the reservations. And tell your friends.

BTW you will never “be” ready. And there never is a “right time”.
So
just
do
it
NOW.

Hope this helps some of my veterans and those coming in that need that extra motivation. 2010 is your year baby. Let’s make it a good one!

Dedicated to Your Success,
Dave

P.s. I know you’re thinking “What about the cost?” A very smart friend of mine says “Collect Experiences Not Things”. With this philosophy he lives a life most people only dream about. Because he got it right. This is an investment in you. To see how good you can really be. I think you’ll surprise yourself.

Tags: , ,

My Wife Likes to Travel on the Heaviest Travel Days of the Year. I don’t know why.

December 24, 2009 in Fitness, Motivation, Tips and Tricks by Dave | 1 comment


Out of town for the Holidays!

If you can’t tell from the pics above We (Tracy, Baby Girl, Gracie, and The Boy) traveled overnight to meet-up with family for Christmas.

Travel events to date.
1. Left an entire suitcase! in the car at DFW.
2. One Stuffed Dog left at luggage pick-up.
3. One GPS unit destroyed.(Don’t ask)

Not a bad start all and all.

What’s this have to do with fitness?

Well if you want to travel with small children. You better be in good shape . Because it’s Exhausting!

Seriously combine travel and the Holidays and you get all kinds of workout consistency problems.

I can give you a couple tips for pulling off flying and travel and not destroying your progress.

(Pro-Tip: plan where you’ll train before you leave town. Google your destination address and the word fitness or gym. That will give you the closest facilities available. Call ahead and get the details on visitor passes and holiday hours.)

1. For a flight, stock up on healthy snacks for the road. Air. Whatever. While you might love your airline pretzels, they aren’t going to hold you over for long.

2. Flying will dehydrate you. Carry an empty water bottle through security and fill it on the other side. Drink plenty of water. Pass on sodas, and especially alcohol(that’s for later), and opt for sparkling or regular water when the drink cart comes around.

3. Best tip is the simplest. Workout before you head to air port. Travel can be, even for the best prepared, stressful. Getting your workout in early can help you deal with airline stress, and help make your trip a smooth one. It will be one less thing to worry about. And you’ll have done at least one thing to preserve your health that day.

Here’s to your safe travel!

I Hope You All Have a Great Great Holiday!

Dedicated to Your Success,
Dave

Fort Worth Running Company: Run Strong Presentation

December 9, 2009 in Club News, Fitness, Q and A, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized by Dave | No comments

imagejpeg950

Great night last night!

Thanks to Jim and James for letting me speak to their training groups last night.

Thanks to Ryan Valdez for talking about what the program has done for him and his running.

Here’s the bottom line for runners and resistance work.

To be a better runner, the first and most important element is to run more.

The question isn’t whether to do resistance training or do more miles. The reason to strength train is to be able to do more miles without injury. And then to use that strength to run faster and/or farther than before.

Dedicated to Your Success,
Dave

Tags: , ,

« Older entries