Lose the fat around the…

If you live in the Atlanta area and are looking to lose fat and inches around the midsection, belly, hips, thighs, or any other body pat I can help.

Through bodyweight exercises, weight lifting , and some hard work I can help you get the body you want and have imagined.

Send you contact info to weightworkout@yahoo.ca to get the help you deserve.

Atlanta Personal Training For Fat Loss of the THIGHS, HIPS, and STOMACH

Nutrition tip of the Week

Mood Eating

Most people eat based on their mood and/or some subjective feelings of hunger. They don't eat based on what their bodies need. Think of it this way: you're about to take a long drive on a stretch of highway with no gas station. Do you fail to stop for gas before you hit the road because you're 'not in the mood?' Of course not. Think of eating in the same way. Eating fuels your metabolic engine. So it's time to start feeling like eating so that you can stop feeling like you're scrawny. by Dr. John Berardi

SEE ALSO: This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.
Showing posts with label free personal trainer answers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free personal trainer answers. Show all posts

Monday, July 12, 2010

11 Ways Those in Atlanta Can Stay Motivated, Lose Weight and Reach Your Fitness Goals

Hello Atlanta!

It's Jason, your Atlanta Personal Trainer and Fitness Expert with what may be the most important post I have ever or will ever put out.

My buddy and fellow personal trainer, not in Atlanta, Craig of TT in Toronto passed this article along that he put together.

Be sure to give it a good read it will change your body transformation results.

my top 11 inspirational tips to help motivate you to stick to your fat loss plan and transform your body and life forever.

11. Never Give Up

If you fall off the wagon, cut your losses. Don't let it weigh on your mind and hold you back because it's only minor damage that can be dealt with. The important thing is to get back on track, immediately. Never, ever, EVER give up. I believe in you.

10. Don't Procrastinate

Do it now. Whether you're thinking of cleaning out the pantry or finally starting to exercise, STOP procrastinating and DO IT now!


9. Identify Exactly What It Is You Want...

...then don't let anything stand in your way of getting it. By setting specific goals along with deadlines you are providing yourself with a measuring stick.

8. Do Your Best With Everything You Have Control Over

Most people fail to control themselves, and end up only with regrets. We trade minutes of pleasure (i.e. fast food) for days, weeks, months, and years of regret.

Remember that the pleasure of eating lasts for only minutes, but you inhabit your body 24 hours per day, 7 days per week for life.

Rather than trying to "out-cardio" your bad diet, you must PLAN ahead to overcome obstacles. Otherwise, you'll never succeed.

7. Replace Bad Habits

Everyday you will be tempted to fall back on old bad habits. To make a lasting change in your health and appearance you must do everything you can to resist that. Try adding a new healthy habit each day to replace an old unhealthy habit.

6. Be Consistent With Baby Steps

The best approach is to build your life one positive step at a time and the way to do this is by taking baby steps to improvement each and every single day. Be a little better than yesterday.

5. Test

There are no failures, only good and bad tests.

You should always be trying something new, monitoring your body's response, and deciding whether or not that food or exercise belongs in your "tool box". Do everything you can to learn more about your body. The more you know, the faster your success will be.

4. Social Support and Role Modeling

You can't soar with eagles if you're hanging around turkeys.

By hanging around others who want to lose weight, you can leverage their knowledge, commitment, support, and success to push yourself harder than you otherwise would be able to.

If you need help with support and workouts



3. Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone

People will do almost anything to stay in their comfort zones.

If you want to accomplish anything, get out of your comfort zone and strive to increase order and discipline in your life.

Discipline means doing the opposite of what you feel like doing. Setting goals and deadlines are the easy roads to discipline.

2. Plan

Planning is the ultimate key to fat loss success.

With a weekly plan of meals and workouts in place, you will be much less likely to hit a road bump that takes you down the wrong path. Try setting aside one day a week to map out your weekly itinerary
and you'll be amazed at how quickly your body transforms itself.


If you need help with a plan



1. Realize YOU Are In Charge of Your Success

Og Mandino once said, "I shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me. Or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or lose; only I hold the key to my destiny."

Translation - Everyone can succeed and reach their goals. It's a just a matter of how badly you want it.

I know you want it. And I know you can do it. And I'm really looking forward to your success.


Atlanta Personal Trainer Jason, CSCS


If you need help with planning workouts or nutrition please get in touch with me.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Number One Mistake All Women Make


By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author of Turbulence Training

Following the cardio mentality and depending on the cardio confessional is the biggest mistake that all women make when it comes to fat loss.

Let me explain...

The other morning I was on my way back from my workout when I passed by a young women, who I would say was around 28. she was on the phone chatting to a friend and I overheard her saying that she was out for a walk getting some exercise, because she was going out for a bad dinner later that night.

And I just wanted to stop her and say, "No - no - no! it doesn't work that way. It never has, it never will."

You'll never out exercise a bad diet!

Every woman I've ever met has made this mistake. They all have had that "cardio confessional mindset" at one time or another, guys are not excluded either.

If lucky this young lady will probably burn around 300-500 calories from her walk, now that is if it is a long walk. On the other hand she's likely to eat an extra 400-700 calories at supper, that may just be the appetizer or drinks. quick side note, I'm assuming you had dinner refers to the meal and not a miserable dinner at the in-laws or something along those lines.

It is crucial that everybody understand, one cardio session cannot make up for bad meal choices.

Now you might be thinking, "At least it's better than nothing."

But is it?

Remember, as I've mentioned in the past, one British study found that some people OVEREAT in response to cardio exercise.

So when dinner comes around, this poor girl might think, "Oh, I did that long walk today, so I can treat myself to a bigger dinner or dessert."

The only thing that comes close to beating a bad diet is interval training and resistance training.

Back in 2007, an Australian research study on interval training was getting a LOT of press for the surprising results. In the study, women who did interval training were able to lose belly fat without changing their diet.

In fact, one subject, named Louise, said this: "My diet was pretty bad back then, with lots of sweets, lots of junk food...doughnuts and sugar -- it was awful."

And yet by the end of this study, interval training helped Louise burn 8kg of fat in just 15 weeks - WITHOUT changing her diet.

Perhaps it IS POSSIBLE for you to out-train a bad diet - but only if you use interval training.

And that's just another reason the best short, burst fat burning workouts are based on this specific type of fat burning exercise.

So here's what you need to do:

  1. Give up the notion that cardio will fix a bad diet, and understand that you can't out jog a bad diet.
  2. Stick to your simple lifestyle nutrition plan 90% of the time and then enjoy your 10% reward meals GUILT-FREE.
  3. Use interval training to burn the fat and resistance training to sculpt your body.

It's that simple - a 3-step system for fat loss success that is guaranteed to work every time.

Click the link below to try out a proven program that shows you EXACTLY what to do:

click here => Try Turbulence Training

Enjoy guilt-free eating and fat loss with this mindset.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Training Progression

How To Plan Strength Training Progression

This is just quick introduction to progressive overload concepts and strength training. If you just want to cut to the chase you can see the full original post by clicking the link below:

Click Here --> Fitness Training Progressive Overload

How long have you been on your current program?
Are you doing the same reps and weight as you were a month ago, a year ago?

Take a look around your local gym or fitness center and you will notice many are doing the exact same thing and why the last time you saw them, and chances are they were doing the same thing the time before that and the time before that.

In order to see results either fat loss or muscle building there has to be a change in the stimulus. Over time there has to be a greater demand placed on the body, or a progressive overload.

Progressive overload is essential to training. Your body quickly adapts to resistance or weight training and before long your body will not respond to current stimulus.

There are many ways you can develop a training program that will implement the principles of progressive overloads. One way and maybe the most common is to simply increase the weights. While this method is simple and common it is not always practical. You're currently using 10 pound dumbbells and jumped to 15 pounds that may be too much, and you may not be able to lift the weight.

The second issue that comes from increasing weights is that the weight will add up quicker than your ability to move it. If you add just 5 pounds a week to say your squat, by the end of the year you're looking at about 250 pounds more than where you started. That's not realistic!

If you don't have a certified personal trainer to help you develop programs that incorporate progressive overloading check out the article on my blog as it will give you some valuable insight. Just visit the link below.

Click Here --> Fitness Training Progressive Overload

Contact me here

Thursday, August 27, 2009

For Atlanta and Coffee Lovers

Atlanta, roast and brew your own coffee for the best taste



Whether it’s the rich taste; the feel-good effects; or the health properties - Atlanta and the rest of the US love our specialty foods.

Especially foods like chocolate, tea, wine, and coffee.

For some reason these foods bring out the inner connoisseur in all of us. And once we get a taste of the really good chocolate, coffee, wine, or tea, it’s hard to go back to the corner store variety.

That’s why I’d like to share with you an excellent way to roast and brew your very own tasty, and healthy coffee.

If you like coffee, this is a must read.

Just click the link below.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

How much Ab Work is Needed?

Everyone wants to know how much work is need to build a ripped, flat stomach. They are looking for the number of reps, how many times a week, do I need to use weights, etc...

If you would like more great tips and workouts sent to you just fill out your name and email below.







Name:
Email:


If you are asking
  • how do I get that V shape line from my abs down and around my waist
  • what muscles do I need to work to get a great mid section and flat stomach
  • how do I work them
  • how many ab workouts do I need to do each week

These are all great questions, some if not all may be on your mind as well.

The key to a great mid section is diet. Endless amounts of sit ups and crunches will not make a difference if you are over weight and need to some help with fat loss. Low body fat will help you get the shape you are looking for. Low body fat for guys is around 12%, and for the women under 17% once you reach this point you can expect to see your top abs.


If you want to those lines that run from your lower abs and disapear into you pants you will need even lower body fat numbers.
A good place to start with the diet is with lots of whole, natural foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables, and you have to eliminate all the processed foods in a bag or a box.

With a good diet taken care of it is time to get some cardio in. For that interval training is the best method to burn the most belly fat possible and get a flat stomach.

To answer the question, all you need is just a tinny bit of ab work, 2 or 3 times a week get in 5 minutes of ab work and you will have a fit flat stomach.

Contact Atlanta Personal trainer here

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

10 Things to Do To Have A Great Workout

As a Personal trainer in Atlanta making sure everyone has a great workout is very important. Below are a few tips I sometimes use to as a Trainer to help people get the best fitness workout.

By Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSS
Director, Staley Training Systems

A warm-up is to prepare yourself adequately for the intense work to come, without fatiguing yourself.

Get into it mentally first: The Mental Warm-up

The experienced athlete has been thinking about the impending workout all week. He’s rehearsed the workout dozens of times in his mind, and is already aware of the possible problems he might encounter (such as dealing with rush hour in the gym or a nagging hamstring pull that might kick up during the workout).

A novice trainee, on the other hand, can be identified by the fact that he doesn’t even know what he will do until he gets to the gym (and maybe not even then!). Since novices typically get novice-level results, I urge you to explore visualization and autogenic training, both of which are established methods of maximizing physical performance both in training and in competition.

Some people learn these techniques on their own, others need instruction. Either way, USE them!

  • If you’ll be training early in the morning, and/or if it’s cold out, beef up the warm-up process commensurately.

  • Training in dry climates requires a more thorough warm-up than training in humid surrounds.

  • Older trainees generally profit from more extensive warm-ups.

  • If you are otherwise healthy but have “creaky” joints, err on the side of being too extensive with your warm-up. After all, the goal of being able to train takes precedence over the fact that you might fatigue yourself slightly with an extensive warm-up.
  • The closer you venture toward 1RM in your workout, the more extensive your warm-up should be. In other words, do a more thorough warm-up for 5×5 than you would for 3×12.

  • You can accelerate your warm-up through passive means such as a hot bath or shower. Although active means are superior to passive, often, a combination of the two leads to great results.

  • On exercises where your own bodyweight is the minimal load possible (chins, dips, etc.), first warm up with similar exercises that allow lesser loads (e.g., lat pulldowns and decline bench presses), and then proceed to the target exercise, using multiple sets of 1 rep. As soon as the next set of 1 does not feel any easier than the set before it, you’re ready to proceed to your work sets.

  • If you are executing exercises for antagonistic muscle groups “back to back” (such as training seated rows with triceps extensions), do your warm-up sets for these exercises in the same pattern that you’ll use for the work sets.

  • If you’ve done it right, your middle work set(s) will feel the easiest. For example, when performing 5×8, the 3rd set should feel the best, and sets 4 and 5 should feel progressively more difficult. If your last sets feel the best, it indicates that your warm-up was not thorough enough. If your first work sets are easiest, you may have warmed-up too much.

On to the Heavy Metal…

If you’ve followed my suggestions, you should now feel warm, strong, loose, and enthusiastic about training hard. It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it? Fifteen minutes ago you could barely tolerate the thought of a hard workout; now you’re looking forward to it!



About The Author

Charles Staley...world-class strength/performance coach...his colleagues call him an iconoclast, a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients call him “The Secret Weapon” for his ability to see what other coaches miss. Charles calls himself a “geek” who struggled in Phys Ed throughout school. Whatever you call him, Charles’ methods are ahead of their time and quickly produce serious results.

Click here to visit Charles' site and grab your 5 FREE videos that will show you how to literally FORCE your body to build muscle, lose fat and gain strength with "Escalating Density Training," Charles' revolutionary, time-saving approach to lifting that focuses on performance NOT pain.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

10 Best Ab Exercises

Great Ab Exercises that do not include crunches

Here are Men's Health expert Craig Ballantyne's 10 best ab exercises
that you can do without cables, ab crunches, or sit-ups.


1. Plank with your arms on the Ball (30% more effective than plain
ol' planks, according to Men's Health magazine)

2. Ball Rollouts (probably my favorite ball ab exercise)

3. Hanging Knee Raises (classic exercise that most folks do
wrong...but if done right, will work your abs safely and
effectively)

4. DB Renegade Row (this is the biggest surprise on the list...but
it works your lower obliques incredibly hard)

5. Ball Jackknife (always a tough one for beginners to get the hang
of...but when they do, they get a lot of six pack ab benefits)

6. Ball Jackknife Rotation (a tougher version of the jackknife)

7. Ball Jackknife-Pushup Combo

8. X-Body Mountain Climber (one of my favorites...so simple yet so
effective)

9. X-Body Mountain Climber with Hands on Ball

10. X-Body Mountain Climber with Feet on Ball (an even more
effective version of the regular X-Body mountain climber)

All of those exercises are in the programs at:

=>http://tinyurl.com/abTraining

Use only the best ab exercises to get more results,

Jason

5 Six Pack Ab Workout Myths



Contact me here

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Protein Supplement Review Report Card

Beyond The Basics

In This Bodybuilding Supplementation Article:
By The Muscle Nerd, Jeff Anderson

Find out if your protein supplement is:
  • primed to build you more muscle
  • or is it more likely to play you like a chump
Find out if your protein supplement:
  • get's an "A+" on the Muscle Nerd Report Card of supplements
  • or if it needs a tutor to make the grade
Find out:
  • the EXACT time of day it is best to take your protein supplements to gain more mass

We all know that to build muscle, you need protein, right?

And unless you're stuffing gifted enough to stuff down 10 cans of tuna a day, chances are you've figured out that supplementing with protein shakes is an easy way to get in some great quality protein to build muscle.

But WHICH protein should you be taking?

With so many options, it's hard for the "Average Joe" to see through all the marketing smoke and mirrors and determine the best choice that will fit into their diet and meet their mass-building goals.

Well, look no further...class is in session and the "Muscle Nerd" has the podium!





Thursday, February 19, 2009

In search of an Atlanta personal trainer?

If you are in search of an Atlanta personal trainer you may have a few questions and specifications in mind.

Take a quick look through the list to help you on your search for the Atlanta personal trainer that is for you.

Before you hire a personal trainer you should ask the following questions:

  1. What are their qualifications/certification
  • Just about any trainer in Atlanta is likely to have an impressive-looking diploma or certificate indicating that he or she is a personal trainer, do not be dazzled. Find out just what organization performed the certification you will soon find that some ar better than others, some are just weekend classes, so beware.

There are about 400 organizations in the U.S. that purport to certify personal fitness trainers. Of those 400 or so only a handful are considered legitimate. Certifications to consider come form the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the American Council on Exercise (ACE). The better organizations have specific requirements based on tested and practical knowledge, mandatory retesting at renewal periods, and continuing education. The ACSM has recently begun to require that its certified trainers have a formal educational degree in exercise science or a related field.

Be sure to read those acronyms closely. Some of the more dubious organizations select names that closely resemble the well-known and legitimate certifications.

Maybe the next most important consideration when selecting your personal trainer is whether you and your trainer are a good match. You and your trainer do not have to be the best of friends but do make sure it is someone you like.

It is a good idea to take your time in choosing a personal trainer. Make sure that you feel comfortable with him or her and that you're not afraid to ask questions. Because if there isn't a good rapport there, you're just not going to want to go back to the gym. Personal training should be a positive experience and possibly a lifetime habit. The personal trainer must fit your specific needs, goals, lifestyle, and limitations.

The American Council on Exercise, a certifying organization, suggests that by passing their certification a personal trainer will have a minimum level of proficiency and theoretical knowledge essential to screen and evaluate you, design a safe and effective exercise program, instruct you in the correct exercise techniques to avoid injury, and respond to the typical questions and problems that arise in a one-to-one setting.

Most certifications require continuing education credits which ensures that the personal trainer keeps current with the available body of knowledge.

Experience is an important aspect as well. Often experience and price go together, as experience increases you can expect the price to go up as well. Some will even say that experience is far more important than any certifications.

most important aspect in choosing a personal trainer
  • goals
You must determine what they want out of personal training, that way you will get the most out of your training.
  • For example, if the your goal is in improving sports performance, then a certified strength and conditioning specialist is the most appropriate person for the job.
  • If your goal is to compete in a bodybuilding contest, perhaps having a bodybuilder as a personal trainer will provide you with the best results.
  • If weight loss is your goal, find a personal trainer in Atlanta who also has a background in nutrition and weight loss. You may find that a weight loss boot camp may work for you as well.
You have to choose a personal trainer that can help you achieve your goal. Your personal trainer’s skills should match your needs. The first step there is to have a clear goal as to wht you want.

Where and how do you want to exercise?
In Atlanta there are a number of options as to locations:
  • at home
  • at a gym
  • outside biking or out on the tennis court
  • private studio
  • outdoor boot camp
  • train with a friend
  • a group exercise class
  • weight training
  • cardiovascular training
  • sports specific exercise
  • or a combination
Personal training sessions can cost as little as $30 an hour to over $150 an hour. Some trainers will offer packages and discounts. It is a good idea for you to develop a budget for personal training and try to find someone who meets all of their criteria within that budget.

Finding a qualified personal fitness trainer can be difficult. Some people base more credence on educational background, some want a trainer they can be friends with, and some will base their decisions on how much the trainer costs. Whatever the end result, the process should still be the same.You will need to have a clear-cut idea of your personal exercise goals and should interview trainers like any other job interview.

Guidelines for Choosing a Personal Trainer
  • Set your fitness/exercise goals before meeting with the trainer
  • Determine if certification, education, specialization, or experience is most important
  • Make a budget for personal training and know what your limit is
  • Decide where you want to exercise and how you want to exercise
  • Determine if you want to be alone or with a group
  • Interview the trainer to determine philosophy, personality, and flexibility
  • Rate the Trainer

To help the determine which Atlanta personal trainer is the best for you try this checklist. Rate each attribute on a scale of 1-4, with 4 being the best, and total each column. At a quick glance, this chart can give the client a comparison of trainers.

Trainer’s name:
Certifications:
Education:
Years of experience:
Personality:
Philosophy:
Rate:
Availability:
Flexibility:
Other:
Total:

For more information you can contact
Grounded Personal Training and Sports Performance

Monday, December 29, 2008

Grounded Personal Training and Sports Performance

Wanted to let people know of the new websites that we will be moving to

If you live in the Atlanta, GA in the Buckhead Midtown area and are looking for a personal trainer take a look at the new site: Grounded Personal Training In Atlanta

Weight loss and workout training tips and articles will be moving to the: Grounded Personal Training Blog

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Carving Definition Into Every Inch Of Your Back

Training and Looking for a Personal Trainer In Atlanta

With Full-Range Pulldowns

While chins may be a better mass-builder, this version of the pulldown

works WAY better for bringing out eye-popping detail in your back.
And if you've ever had a hard time feeling your back working, THIS

exercise will fix that in an instant!

For me, it's rare that I do pulldowns, hins or weighted chins hit the back for targeting growth much better. But when I DO perform pulldowns, THIS is one my very favorite versions of it.

Believe me, if you have a hard time feeling your back working when you train it, this is the cure...your lats will be BURNING by the end of the set...heck, after just a couple of reps!

This exercise is a combination of a pulldown movement and a rowing movement - the two BASIC planes of movement for the lats. The trick here is that you're going to go from one directly into the other without releasing the tension in your lats. It's VERY tough but VERY effective.

The good thing is, you don't need to be super-strong to perform this exercise - even a total beginner can do it. Just adjust the weight to what you're able to use.

Basically, all you need is a pulldown machine. I prefer a close, underhand grip but you can do wide-grip as well. Use a weight that's lighter than you think you'll need for this one - about 1/2 to 2/3 of what you'd normally use for pulldowns (trust me on this - don't be a hero).

  • Start the movement like a normal pulldown.

  • Pull the bar down to your upper chest.

  • Now the CRITICAL part...holding the bar IN PLACE IN SPACE, lean a ll the way back. You'll now be in a vertical rowing position.

  • Now row the bar all the way down as far as you can.

  • You're hitting a peak contraction on the lats TWICE in this exercise. It's quite an experience!
  • Now come back up, bringing your body up and the bar up at the same time. The way down is a two-part movement but the way up is all at once.

Now do it again!

Believe me, you will get a REAL burn in your lats by the end of the first set of this one. It's one of my favorites for carving definition into the back.

This exercise can be found in my book "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" - one of 53 unique and powerful exercises that will kick your butt out of any training plateau!

------------------

By: Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 17 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises. He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.


Atlanta area personal fitness coach that comes to you.
Weight Loss In the Atlanta area?

Contact me here
jason@inthegym.info

Thursday, November 6, 2008

The "Great" Nutrition Debates Part 1

Contact me for private training In the Atlanta Area

Article By:
Dr John M Berardi, CSCS

While displacement foods (unhealthy foods that fill us up, knocking healthy foods out of our diets) are probably at the root of many of our health and body composition crises, what I call "displacement debates" have also become a real problem in today’s information age.

For example, the average North American barely knows what a carbohydrate, protein, or fat is, yet when they hear well-respected experts at the ADA recommend high carb diets and the highly (though not universally) respected Atkins group recommend low carb diets, they get so confused and frustrated they ultimately do little or nothing proactive to improve their health.

This argument is an example of a displacing debate: an academic argument that pushes the more important problems out of the public discourse. For the average North American, following either the ADA recommendations or the Atkins recommendations would go a long way toward improving their health. But instead of suggesting that people just do something, these groups continue to bicker about who’s right at the expense of an ever-growing obesity rate.

Below I’ve presented six of the interesting displacing debates I’ve heard argued lately. Hopefully by discussing them I can put to rest the idea that these issues are of critical importance to your overall health and body composition. I’d like you to understand that these represent small, fine tuning details which are only relevant to a small percentage of the population, if that. On the whole, these debates do more to confuse and paralyze people than to encourage them to take their health into their own hands.

The Top 6 Displacing Debates

1. Fruit is Bad Now?
We all know fruit provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, and low glycemic index carbohydrates, so it should be no surprise that many experts recommend eating a few servings of fruit each day. Heck, this notion has even been turned into a clichéd rhyme:

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away!"

Yet some experts out there actually suggest that fruit might be bad for us! That’s utter nonsense. So, imagine you’re someone with a lifetime of eating habits that are less than optimal (for some of you, it might not be so hard to do) and you’re exposed to this debate. What do you do? Well, nine times out of ten, you figure that if there’s a chance fruit is bad for you, you might as well stay away from it — probably better to reach for a Big Mac instead. After all, it does taste better.

What to do? Eat the damn fruit – but, as with everything else, don’t overeat!

2. Raw? Organic?
Speaking again of fruits (and vegetables), it’s recommended that the average person consume two pieces of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day as a bare minimum. I recommend 10-15 servings per day. Yet most North Americans (athletes included) consume far less than the standard recommendation of five servings of fruits and vegetables.

However, rather than simply recommend more fruit and veggies (no matter how you can get them, for any fruits and vegetables are better than none), experts spend their time fighting about canned fruits and veggies vs. raw fruits and veggies. And then they fight about raw fruits and veggies vs. organic fruits and veggies! Sure, I agree that raw, organic fruits and vegetables are best since they probably have a higher micronutrient count, but let’s face the facts: any fruits and veggies are better than none!

So again, imagine you’re someone with a lifetime of bad eating habits and you’re exposed to all this bickering. What do you do? Well, you'll probably avoid the fruits and veggies, wait for the experts to finish dueling it out, and reach for a Snickers bar instead.

What to do? Get sufficient fruits and vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they’re organic or not. Once you’ve done that, worry on.

3. Raw Milk vs. Regular Milk
What about milk? In my opinion, it’s not necessary, doesn’t always "do the body good," and should be minimized in the diet (although I see no need for total elimination unless you’re lactose intolerant).

However, if we could simply get more people to drink milk instead of sugary soda, we’d have less obesity and disease. But instead of focusing on healthy behaviors, experts will bicker on and on about regular milk vs. raw milk. Of course, all this does is serve to draw negative attention to milk and away from the other healthy decisions people could be making.

Sure, if it were possible to get raw milk that was guaranteed aseptic, it would be better than processed, pasteurized milk. But faced with the confusion, what do you, the hypothetical sub-optimal eater, do? Well, nine times out of ten, you avoid both kinds of milk and drink another Coca-Cola instead.

What to do? Limit milk, and drink calorie-free beverages like water and green tea instead.

Part 2 to come...

SEE ALSO:
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Atlanta area personal and group training.
Weight Loss and Performance Training In the Atlanta area?

Contact me here
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Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Follow the Path of MOST Resistance!

Training and Looking for a Personal Fitness Coach In Atlanta

Why weight training is the fast track to sculpting your body.

Resistance is NOT futile! When it comes to changing your body for the better quickly and permanently, nothing comes close to good old-fashioned weight training.

The shape of your body is determined by three things: muscle, bone and fat. While there's really nothing you can do about changing your bone structure, there is a whole lot you can do about muscle and fat. This ratio of muscle to fat is commonly known as your body composition.

And what is the fastest way to change your body composition? Weight training. Why is it so effective? Because it builds muscle.

Muscle is the key to changing your body. While fat certainly gives your body shape, muscle is what gives you the shape you actually WANT!

One of the greatest things about muscle is that it burns calories all day long, even when you're lying on the couch. What this means is that the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn during the day and the more you'll be able to eat without gaining weight. Sound interesting? There's more.

Weight training stimulates your metabolism more than aerobic training such as cycling or walking. This means that you'll continue to burn calories long AFTER you've completed your weight training session. The calorie-burning effect of aerobic training generally declines rapidly once you stop the exercise.

Beginning trainers, who are just starting with exercise, are often under the impression that they should stay away from weight training because they might gain weight before they start losing it.

I like to use a car as an analogy. Imagine your body is a car, your muscles are the cylinders in the engine, and your bodyfat is the gas.

With a four-cylinder car, you only burn a minimum amount of gas/fat. Weight training and building more muscle is the equivalent of putting more cylinders into your engine. As you can imagine, you'll burn a whole lot more gas even while idling! And, just like a car with more cylinders, you'll be a lot more powerful too!

The bottom line to you is this...with more muscle, you'll get greater fat loss with less effort.

While it certainly is a possibility that you could gain weight before losing it, if you gauge your success solely by numbers on a scale then you're not getting an accurate picture of yourself. Measure your progress by how you feel, how you look and how well your clothes are fitting, not by which direction the needle on a measuring device is moving.

At the end of the day, I'm not suggesting for a moment that you should eliminate cardiovascular training from your exercise routine, but, if you are struggling to lose fat and keep it off, weight training may be just the thing you need to lose that fat and keep it off for good!


For more information on resistance exercises you can do at home, go to:

http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Begin/exercises.htm

For more information on weight training exercises you can do at the gym, including optimized exercise technique, tricks for improving the exercise and common errors, go to:

http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exercises/Exercises.htm

------------------

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at (http://www.fitness-ebooks.com). He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

Atlanta area personal fitness coach that comes to you.
Weight Loss In the Atlanta area?

Contact me here
jason@inthegym.info

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Sample Workout

Looking for a Personal Fitness Coach In Atlanta

Full Body Workout

The workout below is an example of what a full body workout looks like. No equipment or gym is needed so you can do it while traveling for business or vacation. The workout is easy to modify for all fitness levels. A beginner can take their time as they go through the workout, resting 30 - 60 seconds between each exercise. An advanced person could do 50 reps of each, go through the circuit multiple times. At the advanced level, no matter what they decide to do, the circuit will always be done as fast as possible. For those past the beginner stage but not yet advanced can a mixture of things. Reps can be increased allowing rest between exercise, repeat the circuit multiple time with a short rest between circuits, or see how fast the circuit can be completed.

The variables are endless allowing a different workout each time and that progresses as you do. Just because you are traveling or do not have access to a gym there is no excuse not to get a great workout in. Have fun and burn some fat.

5 Bodyweight Rows
10 Bodyweight Sumo Squats
15 bodyweight squats
15 Pushups
50 jumping jacks
10 spiderman climbs
10 reverse lunges, per leg
25 bicycle crunches




Atlanta area personal fitness coach that comes to you.
Weight Loss In the Atlanta area?


Contact me here
jason@inthegym.info

Saturday, September 27, 2008

What You Should Know About Tea

by Ryan Andrews
Nowadays, pretty much everyone has accepted that tea (especially the green kind) confers some tremendous health benefits.

Indeed, as recent as two years ago, you could hardly find green tea in most grocery stories, convenience stores, or restaurants.

Now, the stuff is ubiquitous. Anywhere you turn, if you want a green tea, you can find it. You can even find it in some fast food restaurants.

So in this newsletter, we'd like to talk about tea - what it is, why it's good for you, and what benefits it offers.

What is tea?
Tea is a beverage made by steeping leaves, twigs, or buds of Camellia sinensis, the common tea plant, in hot water for 1 to 5 minutes.


The fermentation of a tea determines its color. White tea is the least fermented form. Black tea is the most fermented form.

Interestingly, when the tea is fully dried, fermentation stops, and that's how tea leaves retain their color (white, green, black) once dried.

So how does a tea leaf go from its natural state to your tea cup? Well, the leaves undergo fermentation, and are then heated and dried. During this process, flavor enhancers such as herbs, spices, fruits and flowers can also be added.
Note: when the label describes the tea as “herbal tea,” it’s referring to a beverage that contains only fruits and/or herbs with no actual tea leaves. So don't get duped. Most "herbal teas" contain no actual tea.
Tea contains no calories and is a rich source of phytochemicals as well as a specific group of chemicals called methylxanthines (e.g., theophylline, caffeine, etc - although the methylxanthine content is much lower than in coffee and other caffeinated beverages).

How tea works in the body
Tea offers a host of health benefits, which will be outlined shortly. Many of the beneficial effects of tea are due to the flavonoids it contains.

Flavonoids belong to a grouping of chemicals that have strong antioxidant properties and can reduce free radical damage (free radicals produce what we call "oxidative stress" and can contribute to chronic disease).

When thinking flavonoids, think of catechins, specifically EGCG. The catechins are one type of powerful flavoniods that occur naturally in tea. And many believe it's these flavonoids that contribute most of the benefits associated with tea.

In addition to the flavonoids, as mentioned above, tea contains methylxanthines (caffeine is a methylxanthine). The caffeine content in tea is lower than that of coffee and does not have an abrupt effect. Prospective jitters and withdrawal symptoms are unlikely.

How Milk May Ruin Tea
Interestingly, milk has long been added to tea to neutralize tannins (which are the most bitter components of tea) and reduce their acidity - leading to a smoother taste.

However, research has indicated that casein in milk will negate many of the beneficial components of tea. So don't ruin your tea by adding milk. Order it straight up. And if you don't like the flavor, mix your regular tea with a mint or herbal tea.




JB's favorite is a mixture of loose green tea leaves and a bag of mint or pear flavored green tea.

Loose Tea vs. Bags
Tea is commonly packaged in “tea bags” for convenience. Among tea experts, this tea is known as “dust,” due to its poor quality.

The tea in bags is considered a waste product left over from sorting the higher quality loose leaf teas. Furthermore, tea in bags may be prone to oxidation and not steep as well due to the restricted form of the bag.

Now, if you enjoy tea that comes in bags – don’t stress – it can still offer similar benefits. However, we encourage you to try loose tea (or some combination of loose and bagged) to see how you like it.

If you're new to loose tea, check out these infusers below or even a tea press. They'll help you avoid picking leaves out of your teeth!


Tea Infuser B



Tea Infuser C

Tea Press


The shelf life of tea varies based on the degree of processing. Black tea has a longer shelf life than green tea. The shelf life of herbal tea is usually the shortest.
To prevent oxidation, tea should be stored in an air-tight container and placed in a dry, cool and dark location.

Tea Temperature
Recommended water temperatures for steeping tea are as follows:
White tea: 140-165 degrees
Green tea: 170-180 degrees
Oolong tea: 190-205 degrees
Black tea: Above 200 degrees
Don’t get stressed if you don’t feel like breaking out the thermometer every morning. Bring water just short of boiling. That will usually do the trick.
Note: The more fermented teas require higher water temperatures. When water temperatures are too low, the leaves can be devoid of oxygen and the taste can be bland and flat.
Supplements and Extracts
While we're not against using green tea supplements, we want to make sure you don't go getting too happy with green tea extract consumption.
Case reports have been published indicating that a very high consumption of these extracts can induce liver damage. This has yet to be validated in well-controlled studies but it's worth thinking about.
Here's some additional info on this:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/me...ead.php?t=6771
The Benefits of Regular Tea Consumption

Now, let’s outline some of the benefits attributed to regular tea consumption.
Note: These benefits were outlined at the 2007 "Tea and Health" symposium, a conference in which tea researchers world-wide got together and provided some definitive answers on what tea does and what it doesn't do - at least, according to what we know today.
We'll list these benefits by category...
Tea and body composition
  • Green tea increased 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation
  • 3-months of tea consumption decreased waist circumference by 4.5%
Tea and cardiovascular health
  • Tea increased lipid oxidation
  • Tea improved blood vessel function
  • Those who consumed 3 or more cups of black tea per day had a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
  • Drinking 6 or more cups of black tea per day was associated with decreased serum cholesterol and triglycerides
  • Those who drank a cup or more of black tea daily had a 44% reduction in the risk of heart attack compared to non-tea drinkers
  • Those who consumed tea during the year prior to a heart attack were up to 44% more likely to survive following the cardiac event
  • Japanese men and women who consumed just over 2 cups of green tea per day reduced their risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 22 - 33%
  • 5 cups of black tea per day reduced LDL cholesterol by 11% and total cholesterol by 6.5% compared to placebo beverages
  • Those who consumed 4 cups of tea per day had a 69% lower risk of atherosclerosis
  • Tea restored blood vessel function in those with coronary artery disease
  • Tea helped to prevent atherosclerosis
  • Tea enhanced dilation of blood vessels
  • Regular tea drinkers had a 65% reduced risk of developing high blood pressure
Tea and cancer
  • Tea inhibited oxidative damage
  • Tea decreased the growth of abnormal cells and inhibited uncontrolled cell growth
  • Drinking tea combated free radical damage
  • Tea boosted the immune system
  • Tea helped prevent prostate cancer
  • Those who drank tea had a reduced risk of skin cancer
  • Tea assisted in the regression of oral cancer
  • Tea drinkers had decreased ovarian cancer risk
Tea and immune function
  • Tea boosted natural resistance to microbial infection
Tea and oral health
  • Tea inhibited the plaque forming ability of oral bacteria
Tea and bone health
  • Although caffeine intake has been suggested to be a risk factor for reduced bone mineral density, research indicated that drinking tea does not negatively affect bone mineral density
  • Older women who drank tea had a higher bone mineral density than those who did not drink tea
Tea and kidney stones
  • Those who drank tea had a lower risk of developing kidney stones
Tea and neurological decline
  • Drinking tea resulted in a reduced risk of Parkinsons disease
Tea and spouse selection
  • Those who drank 5 cups of green tea each day had a more attractive spouse (are you still paying attention to my article? This one has yet to be confirmed by research - but you never know).
Tea Recipes
When talking to folks who don't consume enough tea, their excuse is usually that they don't like the taste. However, this excuse is fairly lame.


Just like with other healthy meals and drinks, you've gotta be a little creative. To this end, here are a few recipes that can make including tea in your diet a delicious proposition:
Mint Chocolate Shake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup strongly brewed green tea with mint
1 cup ice
2 scoops chocolate whey protein
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tbsp flaxseed oil or vanilla flavored fish oil
1 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips or cocoa nibs
Instructions:
Prepare green tea by steeping for 5 minutes or using tea press/infuser. Allow to cool.
Pour tea in the blender and add 1 cup of ice.
Add to the blender, protein, yogurt, oil, and chocolate.
Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy.
Nutrition Information:
Makes 1 large 593kcal shake (22fat, 36carb, 61 protein) or 2 small 296kcal shakes (11fat, 18carb, 30 protein).
Blueberry Oatmeal
Ingredients:
1/2 cup strongly brewed green tea with berry flavor
1 cup of water
1/2 cup Old fashioned large flake oats
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp pure honey
1/4 cup low fat milk or soy milk
1 scoop vanilla protein
1/4 cup frozen berries
Instructions:
Prepare green tea by steeping for 5 minutes or using tea press/infuser. Allow to cool.
Pour tea and 1 cup water into a pot.
Bring pot to a boil on high heat and add the oats.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid is absorbed (approx 7-10 mins).
Remove from heat and stir in flax and honey.
Combine milk and protein in a blender and pour over oatmeal.
Add frozen berries.
Nutrition Information:
Makes 1 large 472kcal serving (10fat, 60carb, 35 protein) or 2 small 236kcal servings (5fat, 30carb, 15 protein).
------------------------------------------------------
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Final thoughts
Most benefits are seen with around 3 – 4 cups of green or black tea per day. So make sure you start there there.

In the research, regularly steeped tea was used in most trials. To this end, be careful with pre-bottled teas as they may have excessive amounts of added sweeteners and degraded beneficial compounds. Therefore they may not offer the same benefits as regularly stepped tea.

For more great training and nutrition wisdom, check out Precision Nutrition. Containing system manuals, Gourmet Nutrition, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.


Monday, August 4, 2008

Why Your Glutes Are Small, Flat and Shapeless…

Body position and posture has a HUGE impact on how you look. Get the inside scoop on how
something as simple as how you stand could be why your
glutes are small and flat (and your back hurts!).


If you're one of the MANY men and women who want larger, firmer, rounder glutes but haven't had much luck in building them, THIS is the article for you.

I know it's popular to say "it's not your fault" about almost anything these days...but in this case, it actually COULD be your fault...and you don't even know it!

You see, something as simple as your everyday posture could be responsible for the tough time you're having building up those glutes of your dreams.

Let's set genetics aside for a moment - while it's true that genetics CAN and DO play a big part in how your body develops, blaming a small, flat butt completely on genetics then just giving up is just not an option I'm going to let you get away with... :)

First, a little functional anatomy - we need to know and understand HOW the glutes work. Relax - nothing too technical here - just a little info so you'll be able to take these concepts and put them to work for you right NOW.

Everybody knows WHERE the glutes are, so I won't get into that. If you don't, you're sitting on them right now...heck, they're following you everywhere you go!

The glutes are among the biggest muscles in the body because their main function is movement (technically, it's to extend the hip backwards) and movement is VERY important. This backwards extension of the hip is what moves you forward with every step you take. It's what moves your body up when you take a step up on a stair. It's ALSO what helps keep your body upright and stabilized while standing.

So how can your posture and how you STAND possibly impact this big muscle and how it works and grows?

Well, I'll tell you!

First, you'll need to do an easy visual test on yourself in the mirror. This is going to help determine if your posture is causing your glutes to shrink up and not respond well to training.

Go to a long mirror and stand beside it so that your side is towards it (you're not facing it right now). Don't look in the mirror yet. Now stand like you're waiting for a bus or you're in line at the movies - "normally." Make sure you're standing on both feet with your weight evenly distributed (not on one foot or the other). Relax and don't try and do anything differently than you do in everyday life (if you try and fix yourself now, you'll mess up the test).

NOW keeping that exact same body position, turn JUST YOUR HEAD and look in the mirror. We're going to look at where your hips are in relation to where your shoulders are.

Ideally, you want your hips to be in a direct up-and-down line with your shoulders so you're standing up straight.

But what we'll often see (especially in the cases of those who have trouble building their glutes and feeling them working when training glute exercises) is that the hips are FORWARD of the shoulders and the butt is kind of "tucked" under the hips.

So instead of a vertical line like this: |

The body forms a forward angle kind of like this: <

When the hips shift forward like this, the glutes are taken almost completely out of the postural chain - they become relaxed and little work is required of them.

The immediate problem with THIS is that the glutes then get weaker and smaller. But the REAL problem (and the one that affects your glute-building) is the STRUCTURAL change that takes place in your body in the long term.

Over the course of YEARS of this "hips-forward" posture, your body will strengthen OTHER muscles and tendons to take over the loads and functions that the glutes were supposed to be in charge of. It can also lead to back pain and overstretching of the abdominals, which makes your stomach LOOK bigger than it actually is!

Don't have a mirror? Another good way to test yourself on this without a mirror is this: stand up right where you are and stand up straight with posture like you're a soldier standing guard. If this feels EXTREMELY weird to you and it's an effort to hold that position for more than a few moments, chances are your body has undergone the structural changes I talked about.
Eventually, these structural changes in your body will carry over to walking and exercising! Your body will not properly recruit the glute muscles when it comes time to do squatting and lunging movements even if it LOOKS like you're doing them correctly.

The thighs will tend to take over the movement to compensate for the reduction in glute function. The body, quite simply, isn't USED to using the glutes anymore and has a hard time activating them.

This means even when you do direct exercises to work the glutes, your body is unable to properly USE the glutes to perform the exercises!

And when you walk, instead of using the glutes to actively PUSH yourself forward with each step, you'll have a short stride and a more "shuffling" gait (this happens because your leg isn't coming back far enough behind you).

You're using your hip flexors (the muscles on the front of your hips) to bring your leg forward with each step but you're using GRAVITY and momentum (in a way, you're almost falling forward with each step) to keep moving, NOT pushing with your glutes!

SO HOW DO WE FIX IT?

Well, the first BIG step is to be mindful of your posture and how you stand. It's going to be strange at first - you're going to forget yourself and have to constantly be your own "posture police" to keep yourself straight and upright. You might have even to recruit friends and family members to "keep you honest" and remind you when your hips start drifting forward.

We're basically going to be looking to reverse YEARS of "glute-reducing" posture here, so it's something that will take time. The upside is, you will most likely start feeling more confident and looking better almost immediately when you make the effort to stand up straight!

The extra work your glutes are going to get simply by doing what they're supposed to should start helping you increase glute size and firmness rapidly as well.

Abdominal exercises can also help here, by tightening up abs that have gotten overstretched from this "hips-forward" posture. Keeping your abs tight and "in" will help you keep your hips back and in the right position.

Finally, when you're walking, you should focus on actively PUSHING yourself forward with the glutes with each step you take. You'll end up taking longer strides and getting places sooner, which is not a bad thing either.

Bottom line (no pun intended!), we have to RETRAIN your body to use the glutes properly. Now I know it's not a quick fix but it IS an effective fix and can be done with relatively little effort.

Because once your body starts learning how to use the glutes again, you'll have a MUCH easier time developing the glutes that you're looking for!

Changing how you stand won't give you a bigger butt overnight but it WILL set the stage so that the work you ARE doing to improve your glutes will be more effective!

In Atlanta area and Looking for Fitness Results?


Contact me here jason@inthegym.info

Monday, June 30, 2008

Weekly Health and Nutrition Tips

Nutrition Tips of the Past Weeks

Fiber Facts Shoot for about 40-50g of mixed fiber per day, but no more. The absolute lower limit is 20g per day. Your main fiber sources should be (in order of importance): vegetables, beans, nuts, fruit, and grains (like oatmeal). If you eat 1 oz of mixed nuts, 1 apple, 2 cups of kidney beans, and 2 cups of mixed vegetables each day, you'll be getting 41g of fiber. Also, a small amount of supplemental fiber is okay. You can get soluble fiber from psyllium, guar gum, and apple pectin, and insoluble fiber from flax seeds.

Eat Fat, Lose Fat To lose fat, sometimes you have to eat fat. Monounsaturated fats and certain polyunsaturates actually speed up the metabolic rate. Lipid researchers believe that the best of the fat burning bunch are the highly unsaturated omega 3s called EPA and DHA. A diet supplemented with omega 3-rich fish oil promotes losses of body fat with simultaneous gains in lean mass.

The Organic Debate
The average person should consume two pieces of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day as a minimum. Athletes probably need even more - I recommend 10-15 servings per day for each of my athletes. Expert often spend too much time arguing about organic vs. regular fruits and veggies. I agree that raw, organic fruits and vegetables are best since they have a higher micronutrient count, but any fruits and veggies are better than none! Get sufficient fruits and vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they're organic or not. Once you've done that, worry on.

The 10% Factor

If some people eat one food not on their plan, their failure to be perfect sets in motion a psychological chain of events that leads to frustration and the inability to get right back on the plan. The all-or-nothing mentality sets in and BAM, they're back to nothing. But it doesn't have to be this way. 100% nutritional discipline is never required for optimal progress. The difference, in results, between 90% adherence to your nutrition program and 100% adherence is negligible. So allow yourself the extra 10% wiggle room. This will allow you the freedom to eat a few extra things not on your menu without the guilt and subsequent crash.


Revving Up Metabolism

I recommend more calories than most do. That's because there's no such thing as a stagnant metabolic set-point. Instead, metabolism chases intake. So, if you want a bigger metabolism, you need a bigger food intake. And if you're worried about fat gain with this approach, just use outcome-based decision making and adjust energy (calorie) intake every two weeks based on your results. Not much 'damage' can take place in only two weeks. So if you end up boosting your metabolism, you'll be thanking me eternally, if it turns out you're consuming too much, you can just adjust down.

The Sunday Ritual

To ensure that good foods will be available when you need them, use the Sunday Ritual. This is performed by setting aside three hours every Sunday to write out your menu for the week, shop for the week, and prepare your meals for the week. Cook all the meat, chop all the vegetables, measure out all the yogurt and/or cottage cheese, and distribute all the powders. Have them ready and set aside so that you can grab them in the morning and bring them with you regardless of what your day holds in store for you.

Eat Pasta... Carefully

I have to admit that I love pasta. But, as a gut-fearing weight lifter and athlete, I definitely have to choose the lower GI, nutrient dense whole-wheat variety. During training phases that require or allow for higher carbohydrate intake (higher volume training) I'll eat one whole-wheat pasta meal per day. During other phases (like where I'm trying to lose fat), the pasta stays on the shelf in favor of a higher lean protein, good fat, and fruit and veggie intake.

Fish Oil Rules

I consider fish oil to be an essential supplement for fat loss. Data from the University of Western Ontario shows that fish oil supplementation increases lean body mass (during non-dieting conditions), increases BMR (by up to 400kcal/day), decreases inflammation, and improves the ratio of fat/carb oxidized (sparing carbs, burning fat). Recommended dose: Start with 6-10g per day of total fish oil (assuming 30% EPA and DHA). by Dr. John Berardi



For more Nutrition Tips:

This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.




Email: weightworkout@yahoo.ca