5 more Last Minute Fitness Gifts

Here is the final part of my Top 10 Last Minute Fitness gifts of 2008. If you have already done your shopping well done!

If you haven't done your shopping yet well...SHAME ON YOU. But thats okay, now you have a gift list to go by and thousands of shoppers at the mall to compete with.

6.) Supplements that Work: Protein Powders, Fish Oil, Multi-Vitamin

I have helped hundreds of people lose thousands of pounds of fat. In my journey, I have found only three supplements to be a mandatory part of the optimal fat loss program: protein powders, fish oil, and multi-vitamin supplements.

Protein powders provide great liquid workout nutrition and a convenient meat alternative for on-the-go snacking. For a protein powder, look for a brand low in sugar and carbohydrates and with a mix of both whey and casein (fast and slow absorbing proteins). I like Metabolic Drive available at https://www.t-nation.com/free_online_store.

Fish oil, or more appropriately entitled an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement, is critical to providing key omega 3’s to maximize overall health, performance, and body composition. Studies show that krill oil provides the most effective dosing of EFA’s.

A multi-vitamin provides keys vitamins and minerals that are tough to obtain unless your diet is near picture perfect. I don’t know about you, but I like to cover my bases when it comes to my health. Be sure to choose a multi-vitamin supplement that is made from whole foods rather than synthetic materials, in addition to being made specifically for your gender.

My clients and I rock with VGF+25 and EFA Icon, both included in Prograde’s Health+ Package available at Prograde Nutrition

7.) Sport-Specific Gift

This one’s pretty basic: if you want to give a great gift to an athlete then get them something unique that compliments their sport, whether it be fitness equipment, apparel, or both.

8.) Fitness Book or Subscription to Fitness Magazine

Everybody need bedtime or bathroom reading baby! If you have just read a good fitness book that you know a friend or family member would benefit from, hook them up with their own copy. Better yet, people love magazine subscriptions. Personally, I am a big fan of Men’s Health and Women’s Health. These magazines are filled with tons of workout, nutrition, and lifestyle tips catered to each sex and I never miss an issue. I know it sounds funny that I read Women’s Health being a dude, but I work with a lot of women so I need to keep up with the lingo like skinny jeans and muffin-tops, ha ha!

9.) Wireless MP3 Headset- KOSS Tugo

This one’s a bit pricey, but man is it worth the unparalleled listening pleasure and convenience. It’s this simple: drag and drop your workout MP3’s onto the headset using a USB cable and then press play and rock out while you workout. There are no annoying wires to deal with and the headphones are comfortably, yet firmly locked on your head so they never fall off and you never miss a beat.


10.) A Gift Card to a Fitness Boot Camp

Boot camps provide a fun and exciting team environment that guarantee better results than one-on-one personal training for only a third of the cost… it’s a total no-brainer.

Look for a local fitness boot camp with tons of social proof (client testimonials, especially in the form of pictures and video) to make sure they have a solid reputation and a bunch of raving fans of people just like you. Plus, any good boot camp worth its weight offers free trials and money-back guarantees to all newcomers because they are so confident their program works that you’ll more than likely continue after a test-drive, This way there is typically no risk on your part… besides getting you butt kicked, in a good way ;)

So join a fitness boot camp with at least one other friend or family member or buy a boot camp gift card to give to your loved ones. As a boot camp instructor myself, I know firsthand that clients always get better results when they embark on a fitness journey with others.

And if you live in the local Markham area, come work with us for the best personal training in Markham by visiting http://Www.gogirlbootcamps.com. We’ll change your life and have you looking better naked this New Year, guaranteed!

Go hard for the holidays and have a safe and Happy New Year!

DG
Go Girl Boot Camps

The Future of Fat Loss

Man, time flies don't it? I feel like I just blinked and a year passed me by. When I look back on 2008 I feel pretty damn proud of myself. It's always nice to look back and realize how much you grew within one year. What did I do?

- Watched a live UFC event in Las Vegas then ended up going the after party with the fighters, Eddie Griffin (comedian) and Josh Smith (Atlanta Hawks Basketball team)
- Took a 3 week much deserved vacation in Asia (Shanghai and Hong Kong)
- Lowered my body fat percentage significantly since last year.
- Started a women's boot camp in Markham and corporate boot camps for Direct Energy
- My hamstrings are finally flexible as I can touch my toes easily :)

and much much more. I am definitely looking forward to more growth in 2009!

But when I look at the obesity epidemic that is hitting Canadians I can't help but feel that the fitness industry as a whole is not progressing at all. More and more people are getting fat. No joke! And it doesn't look like it is slowing down anytime soon.

The only thing I can focus on is providing you guys with the information that I KNOW will push you and your body forward in a positive direction. Here are the next trends in fat loss exercise as well as the fitness industry.


Fitness Trend#1- Fitness Boot Camps Will Rise, One-On-One Personal Training Will Fall

You’d have to be living in a cave to not be aware of the fact that we are in the midst of the biggest economic recession since The Great Depression. With the disappearance of the middle class and an economy that will most likely get worse before it gets better, the average Canadian simply does not have the disposable income for typical personal training rates that run about $60 per hour (probably more than that!)

However, with every problem emerges a solution; fitness boot camps are just that. Boot camps are probably the hottest thing in the fitness game right now. The group training business model creates the ultimate win-win for trainers and clients making the one-on-one alternative obsolete. Fitness trainers get to better leverage their time and maximize profits by working with an unlimited number of clients per hour.

Fitness clients are able to better access personal training services in a unique and dynamic team environment that provides better social support and accountability for only a the third of the cost of typical one-on-one training rates. Personally I feel that fitness boot camps are 10X better than one on one training just due to the social support you get from every single member in the camp. It's an unbelievable experience.

Fitness boot camps are popping up all over the country, and for good reason. If you are trying to lose weight in 2009, do yourself a favor by saving your hard-earned money to get better results by joining a local fitness boot camp.

Fitness Trend#2- Interval Training Destroys Aerobic Training For Improved Fat Loss And Fitness 100% Of The Time

High-Intensity Interval Training is rapidly gaining popularity as the best form of improving both fitness and fat loss. Thankfully, 2009 will see more people doing sprints and less people doing marathons to lose weight. However, make no mistake about it, lots of people are still going to do hours of snail-paced cardio to burn fat.

I'll also make a bold statement that has been proven over and over again (this statement is so bold I have to put it in bold): Fitness classes absolutely positively SUCK at helping people lose fat. Studies have actually shown that if people have done the same fitness class for over one month they may actually be getting fatter instead of losing it.

Aerobic or endurance training is essentially going at a slow, low intensity pace for a long period of time (typically at least 30-60 minutes). In other words, the focus of endurance training is on the total volume of exercise (not quality). Think about all those speed limpers you see every New Year foolishly running for hours pounding the pavement or treadmill to get rid of that winter blubber. Sadly, this results in minimal fat loss and lots of overtraining injuries (e.g. ______-its).

With interval training, the focus is on the intensity of exercise (quality). Intervals consist of alternating between shorts bouts of all out high-intensity effort and active recovery periods for a much quicker and focused amount of time (typically 10-20 minutes of intervals works best). This approach is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat AND lead to faster improvements in fitness than the aerobic alternative.

Two landmark scientific studies come to mind here:

The Tabata study compared the effects of four minutes of high-intensity interval training with 45-60 minutes of low to moderate intensity cardio. The interval training group burned just as much fat as the endurance group and also had greater improvement in both anaerobic (think sprinters) and aerobic (think distance runners) fitness… in only four minutes!

The Gibala study compared the effects of 20 minutes of interval training (30 second sprint followed by four minutes of rest) with 90-120 minutes of endurance training in the “heartrate zone.” The conclusions of the study were that both methods of training lead to the same improvements in oxygen utilization (or aerobic fitness). In other words, intervals accomplished what endurance training did from a fitness standpoint in only a sixth of the time!

The time is now to jump on the interval training bandwagon. Come 2009, do yourself and your body a favor and start sprinting to look better naked.

Fitness Trend#3- Lean Protein And Fiber Are The Carbohydrate Addict’s Answer For Improved Health, Performance, and Body Composition

Canadians are carb addicts. We simply can’t get enough starches and sugars in our diet, and we have the bulging midsections to prove it. One of the biggest misconceptions about diet today is that eliminated starches and sugars from your diet automatically means low carb. Better said, eliminating grains (even whole grains) and refined sugars still allows for consumption of the other carbohydrates: fruits and veggies. These nutrient-dense carbs are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber and create more stable blood sugar levels to keep your body burning fat all day long. All of my clients who have lost the most fat have followed our guidelines of unlimited veggies all day long (besides corn, peas, carrots, beets, and potatoes). In other words, eat lots of veggie carbs, and very little of the other stuff if you want to see your abs!

The overwhelming scientific literature proving the fat burning benefits of a diet high in lean protein and fiber is finally catching the eye of mainstream consumers. Protein is the most important component of each and every meal or snack you consume. It builds and maintains muscle, allows your body to preferentially burn fat, increases metabolism through the thermic effect of feeding, and fills you up. Fiber (ideally obtained from fruits and vegetables, specifically green vegetables) helps slow digestion for a more steady supply of nutrients and sustained energy, it prevents overeating at each meal, and it helps keep you more full between meals. Thus by combining protein and fiber every two to four hours, you provide your body with the optimal one-two belly fat burning punch for a leaner, sexier you.]

Without a doubt, people will be consuming more protein and fruits and veggies next year, and their bodies will reap the rewards of this.

Well, those are the top fitness trends for 2009 according to my crystal ball. I hope the information in this article gives you the push you need to be the trendsetter for your own body and the bodies of those whom you care most about in the New Year!

Go Hard or go home!

DG
Go Girl Boot camps

Top 5 Last Minute Fitness Gifts!

If you are like me I leave my Christmas shopping to the last minute. This means that on December 24th I am empty handed, trying to find a parking spot in Yorkdale, fighting a mom of 2 for the last tickle-me-elmo in Toys R us. Not a pretty sight.

I'm going to make it easy for you this holiday season. Here is my top 10 list for Best fitness holiday gifts. Just don't leave to the last minute ok?

1.) A Foam Roller

If you’re like most people, you spend a lot of your day nailed to a desk. And when you actually do have time to workout, all you usually can fit in is the workout itself. Really, who has time for daily stretching?

Well that’s where a foam roller comes in. It’s a phenomenal corrective self-massage tool that will dramatically bolster injury prevention and improve performance. It’s ideal to use for at least five minutes post-workout to promote healing of the small micro-tears in your muscles that result from high-intensity training to jumpstart the recovery process. Plus, a foam roller both kneads out and lengthens your muscle and connective tissues thus alleviating, if not eliminating, nagging aches and pains in your back, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows.

If you’re going to get a foam roller, get a good one. The cheaper options tend to wear down into a limp noodle for larger individuals after a couple of months. I get all of my foam rollers from Perform Better. My brand of choice is The EVA Premium Foam Roller (about $30), I have used it every day for the last several years and I swear by it!

2.) Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are by far the most simple, convenient, and affordable equipment option in the fitness industry. They supply total portability for killer workouts that can be done anywhere. If you are a busy professional who does a lot of traveling, bands are the perfect lightweight training tool to take your workouts with you on the road as they can fit in the smallest of bags without a problem. If you are a busy Mom looking to workout in the comfort of your own home, bands can make this happen too. Bands provide the perfect compliment to your body weight circuit training workouts for added variety, allow for multiple levels of resistance with practically zero transition and set-up time, are easy on the joints, and are fun to use!

In my travels, I have had the pleasure of meeting and befriending the world’s premier resistance band training expert, Dave “The Might Band Man” Schmitz. This guy is a total nut job who creates the most innovative fat loss workouts with bands that you’ll ever see. He has his own line of resistance bands that are virtually indestructible and I use them year round to crank it at home or on the road.

3.) A Gift Card to a Sporting Goods Store For Fitness Equipment and Apparel

You can’t beat a sporting goods store like Sportchek to get the best fitness equipment and apparel on the market today. I always recommend going with a gift card here because everybody has their own preferences, particularly when it comes to clothing sizes and styles.

4.) A Gift Card to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or Other Premium Grocery Stores

Rather then waste money on an overpriced restaurant, why not give a week’s worth of groceries to a 100% organic grocer like Whole Foods to a friend or loved one. After all, everybody’s got to eat, but how many of us actually eat the right stuff to support our fitness goals?

I must admit, several years ago I thought Whole Foods was just for rich people or hippies, but boy was I wrong. I shop there almost exclusively these days, particularly when buying produce to avoid foods that are typically loaded with hormones and pesticides at other regular run of the mill grocery stores. The key is to go in with a budget in mind (e.g. spend $50 bucks on protein, $20 on fruits and veggies, and $10 on miscellaneous items) only buying what you need.


5.) A Gift Card to a Massage Therapist

Most of us are crazy busy and super stressed out during the holiday season and nothing eases the tension like a good massage. This is about as can’t miss of a gift as it gets, unless you know someone who doesn’t like to be touched. It’s nice to be pampered on occasion, and though the foam roller I mentioned above can do wonders for the majority of your body, nothing can alleviate tension in your upper back, neck, and head like a good massage therapist!

13 Must Do Diet Tips to Save Your Waistline This Holiday

There are a bunch of handy damage control diet strategies that you should employ to best prevent yourself from overdoing it at the dinner table this holiday season. Use the tips below to allow yourself to stay social and to be able to indulge in moderation without splitting your pants before the New Year:

1.) Perform High-Intensity Activity Before and/or After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

I know, I know. I promised diet strategies, but I simply cannot go without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training.

If you want bonus points, you can take a nice 20-30 minute walk after your meal to help digest and burn a few calories.

2.) Do NOT Fast in Preparation for a a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

Fasting in preparation for a free meal will not only lead to overeating, but worse: overeating foods that are extremely high in sugar, fat, or both! Your body is a survival mechanism. If it hasn’t had food in a while it anticipates a famine state. This means that the next time that you eat your body will use as much of the incoming food as possible to store as body fat (survival energy) in anticipation that it won’t see food again for another long period of time. Do yourself and your body a favor by eating every two to four hours as you normally should to prevent yourself from becoming a ravenous, fat-storing beast this holiday season!

3.) Do NOT Gorge Yourself

Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. Remember this: binge eating is not the habit of lean individuals. It's important to understand that holiday meals are not a ticket to "Eat whatever you want". However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.

4.) Eat a High-Fiber, Protein-Rich Meal An Hour Before a Holiday Event

A meal high in fiber and protein before a big holiday meal will help prevent overeating by making you feel more full which in turn means less calories consumed during the ensuing feast. My favorite strategy is to drink a protein shake with a added fiber and healthy fats (e.g. 2-4 Tbsp. flax meal) and 1 liter of water before such a meal to help keep me nice and full upon arrival. This way you won’t lose any friends by eating their entire dinner platter and you’ll save your midsection from a fluffier existence!

5.) Eat Leans Proteins and Fruits and Vegetables FIRST

Just because it’s a holiday meal doesn’t mean you can’t eat any nutritious food. Make sure to load up on healthier food choices first and try to eat as much lean meat, fish, and fruits and veggies as possible at the start of each holiday event. This will leave less room for the unhealthier, higher calorie treats. At least this way you know your body is getting in some good nutrition and you are not putting yourself at excessive risk for sickness and/or other health concerns.

6.) Drink, Drink, Drink Water!

Water competes for space in your stomach and truly helps suppress that appetite. For every plate you eat, try to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. After that second plate, when you have 1 full liter of water in your stomach, I bet you might just throw in the towel!

7.) Do NOT Eat Again Until Hungry Following a Large Meal

Now I know I already told you to eat every 2-4 hours, but there is one exception to this. If you eat a huge meal, it is important not to eat again until you are hungry and/or no longer full. If your body is not used to eating such a big meal, then it will take a much longer time to digest all that food and the worst thing you can do is put more food into an already full stomach, unless you goal is to do the stop, drop, and roll drill. Only when you are hungry again should you resume your normal eating plan following a big holiday meal.

8.) Immediately Resume Your Normal Eating Schedule at the Next Meal

What’s done is done. Now it is time to get back to your regular eating plan. Remember weekly caloric intake is far more important than daily caloric intake. For example, let’s say that you need 3,000 calories per day to maintain your current body weight. Well, all that you need to do is make sure the average daily caloric intake each week is 3,000 calories per day. This means that you can fluctuate your daily caloric intake and yield the same results as if you ate that same amount each day. So if you have one day of big eating where you eat 9,000 calories (just an example, not a recommendation), but you only eat 2,000 calories per day the rest of the week, you will still end up at the same caloric balance. Again, I am not recommending that you eat in such an extreme manner, rather I am suggesting that you do not have to obsess about being perfect. Enjoy some indulging in moderation at your various holiday festivities knowing that the week in review trumps a day in review, even when you are particularly naughty on any given day.

9.) Never Eat Junk Food for Breakfast or Before Bed

Eating a highly refined carbohydrate meal first thing in the morning will make your blood sugar levels go crazy for the rest of the day resulting in greater junk food cravings and uncontrollable hunger. On the other hand, eating a big meal before bed will result in a bunch of unused energy that will be stored as body fat and you very well may have trouble sleeping with all of that extra food volume in your stomach!

10.) Control your Portions

Try to eat only half of all the servings of unhealthy food that you choose. Half of the portions equal half the calories!

11.) Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol

One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you will gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Opt for regular solid food calories versus empty liquid calories (e.g. juices and soft drinks), for at least the food will fill you up and provide some nutrition where as liquid calories, particularly alcohol, have no such effect. Rather, sugary and/or alcoholic drinks tend to make you hungrier in general and often hungrier for junk food in particular. Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the alcohol is processed out of your body in addition to the fact that alcohol consumption actually lowers leptin levels thus defeating one of the main purposes of this flexible eating (decreased leptin levels increase hunger and decreases your body’s use of fat for fuel). Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!

12.) Use Lower Calorie/Carbohydrate Substitutes Whenever Possible

Instead of using sugar, opt for zero calorie alternatives like splenda or stevia. They can deliver a similar taste without all of the extra sugar and calories. Even try replacing yeast with protein powder when you bake. The extra protein and reduced carbohydrates will result in a slimmer you while still providing some great tasting treats! Your goal should be to find the minimal amount of calories that can provide the same great taste that makes the holiday treats enjoyable rather than simply overdoing it because you can!

13.) Avoid Eating Meals that are High in Both Fat and Carbohydrates

The absolute worst thing that you can do is to eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbs. The high amount of carbs will lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and thus large increases in the potent fat-storing hormone Insulin. The high amount of fat will lead to a large increase in free fatty acids in your bloodstream. Since Insulin is already present in large amounts, in addition to there being a large amount of free fatty acids now available in your blood, the stage is set for all those free fatty acids to be gobbled up and stored by your fat cells. This is the equivalent of becoming the next Goodyear blimp, so it is imperative to use caution at your holiday meals when it comes to combining fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and carbs (particularly starches and refined sugars). In general, it is best to choose one over the other. But since most people crave carbs at their free meals, it is essential to keep the fat low at this meal. Want pasta? Instead of alfredo sauce, opt for marinara sauce with whole grain pasta. Want pizza? Make your own pizza with whole grain crust and fat-free cheese. Want mashed potatoes? Well then be sure to skip the gravy and go easy on the butter. These small changes can literally save you hundreds, even thousands of calories, and more importantly will prevent your holiday feasts from creating the optimal fat-storing environment that will set you back from achieving your health and fitness goals.

Use these fat-fighting diet tips to make this your fittest holiday EVER!

Go hard or go home!

DG

http://Www.Gogirlbootcamps.com

4 Quick tips for a Fat Free Holiday Season

We all know how busy the holidays can be. The biggest mistake you can make is letting your holiday errands and parties take importance over taking care of your body. It is a big mistake to risk losing the lean muscle mass and strength that you have worked so hard to build and maintain. Why you ask? Losing lean muscle mass will lower your resting metabolic rate, which accounts for the vast majority (about 60-75%) of your total daily calorie burning. This means that everyday you will end up burning less calories and packing on MORE POUNDS! Plus, losing strength will mean that the next time you start to work out your performance will be sub par and you’ll get smacked in the face with that ugly word that no one ever wants to encounter when it comes to their training: regression!

There are many clever ways to maintain or increase the number of calories you burn per day, both from exercise and from your normal daily activities, to make this a fat-free holiday season. Use these strategies to turn your body into a fat burning furnace and to help avoid the "Holiday Bulge".

1.) Perform at least one intense strength training session per week

Studies show that only a single strength training workout per week during times when you cannot train as frequently as you normally do is an effective way to maintain your current levels of strength and lean muscle mass. So, to best maintain your strength and lean muscle mass, shoot for at least one good strength training workout per week to stay buff during the holidays and to prevent unwanted regressions in fitness. To best prevent weight gain, aim for three total body strength workouts per week. To maximize fat burning, perform three total body strength workouts per week and also perform three cardio interval workouts per week on non strength-training days.

2.) Hit Your Totals

Your body is a moron. In other words, it cannot differentiate between 100 push-ups performed in a row versus 100 total push-ups performed in a day. When you honestly cannot find a five to 20-minute time slot to complete an effective total body workout, look for hidden chunks of time during the day to get in a certain number of daily repetitions for a certain number of exercises that work your entire body. Got a free moment from now until you need to take the turkey out of the oven? Then, bang out 10 push-ups, 10 rows, and 20 squats. Using this method throughout the day will lead to big numbers by the end of the day that will burn the same amount of calories in addition to creating similar muscle building effects as if you did all of the exercises at once during a single workout.

It is important to note that this “Hit Your Totals” routine is merely a back-up option to the ideal 20-minute interval training workouts which are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise (see my article How to Build 5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workouts for the Holidays for more info). Short rest periods between exercises create the optimal hormonal environment for rapid fat loss and lean muscle gain, where as the long rest periods (full recovery) between movements do not. However, it comes down to effective (“Hit Your Totals”) versus optimal (50-10 Total Body Circuit Interval Training Workouts), so be sure to at least be effective this holiday season!

Make sure to pick multi-joint, compound movements that hit as much of your body’s major muscle groups in the shortest amount of time possible (e.g. squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows, etc.). Use the plan below as guide to build your own “Hit Your Totals” workout. Adjust the repetition ranges accordingly based on your current strength levels. The only thing you need is your body weight and adjustable dumbbells and/or resistance bands. Perform this plan up to three times per week, resting a day between workouts. Make sure to alternate between Plan A and Plan B for more variety. You can either hit your total by doing one exercise first (e.g. perform push-ups rest-pausing as needed until you get 100 total), or by simply employ circuit style training (e.g. 20 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 rows, repeat 10x throughout the day to hit your totals).

The Hit Your Total Workout For The Holidays
Plan A-

Body weight Squats or Hip Extensions: 100-200 total
Push-ups: 50-100 total
DB/Band Rows: 50-100 total

Plan B-

Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Extensions: 50-100/total per leg
Off Chair/Couch Dips: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (feel free to swap pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)

3.) Rage Against The Machines

Machines have made us an incredibly out of shape and overweight society. This holiday season make it a point to not use them! Now I don’t mean to say that you cannot drive to the mall during the holidays. However, when you get to the mall, try to park further away so you can do more walking to get inside. Avoid using elevators and escalators and opt for the stairs; all those steps truly do add up. Instead of having your naughty kids carry the bags, burn more calories by carrying the bags yourself (sorry, that was the former naughty kid in me raging, ha ha). Stay on your feet as much as possible and resist the temptation to let a robot or machine do the work for you.

4.) Engage in more outdoor holiday activities

I have been in some pretty incredible snowball fights in my day. Though I was always having a blast while pelting my friends behind cleverly built igloos, I was never aware of how exhausting a good snowball fight can truly be until I came indoors afterwards. My snowsuit was soaked with sweat and I had spent the last 30 minutes or so in total fight or flight mode. Talk about an awesome way to burn calories without even thinking about it! Get outdoors this holidays season and throw around the pigskin or have your very own “Ice Bowl.” Once again, all these calories here and there truly do add up and could make a difference between you fitting in your pants or ripping your pants by the time the clock strikes midnight this New Year!

Go Hard or Go Home!

DG
Http://Www.Gogirlbootcamps.com

Ps. I'm doing a FREE week of my Women's Boot Camp in January. Email me at go.personalfitness@gmail.com to reserve a spot!

Goal Setting Technique that Guarantees your Success

When I talk to successful people I always like to pick their brains and ask a lot of questions. I am in the belief that success is a mindset and can be learned rather than being something somebody is automatically born with.

The one thing I am always picking up on is that successful people always know what their goals are for their lives and their businesses. They know what benchmarks they want to set and when they want to set them. They know what their goals are as if they are written on the back of their hand.

On the other hand I do talk to a lot of people on the other side of the fence: Stuck in a job they don’t like, not liking their body knowing they need to do something about it but don’t, and overall not satisfied with the way their life is going. The one thing I notice is that they don’t know what they want out of life, they don’t know what their goals are and they refuse to take an hour to even sit down and write them out.

If you have never written goals out for yourself ever or you do but want more direction, here is your chance to follow a step by step goal setting outline that is guaranteed to help you achieve your goals without fail.

The Ultimate Goal Setting System

Start today by selecting your goals!

1. Take out a sheet of paper and title it “Life’s goals” or whatever you want to call it.

2. Make a list of everything you want to accomplish in life. Ideas: Six pack abs, 9% body fat, $$$, travelling destinations, etc…

3. Convert that list into long term life goals and narrow your list down to four. Think in terms of a long-term wealth-building goal, a long-term health goal, a long-term personal-relationship goal, and a long-term personal growth and development goal. These are your top priorities, your bottom line objectives.

4. Convert those goals into 5 year mid term objectives. For example, let’s say that your long term financial goal is have a net worth of 5 million dollars. By year 5 you would have to be at a 2.5 million dollar net worth.

5. Now use the 5 year objectives and break them down into yearly objectives.

6. Take those yearly objectives and break them down into monthly bit sized objectives.

7. Then break those monthly objectives into 4 weekly goals. So if your goal is to get your body to 9% body fat then your weekly goals would be to hit the gym 3 times that week and follow your nutrition plan to an 80% compliance.

8. Finally work your way down to breaking the goals down into daily goals. So the objectives for the week would be on your to do list for the day.

Expect to spend a good chunk of time planning out your year. Once a month, you'll sit down for two or three hours to map out your goals for the next four weeks. Once a week, you'll spend one hour establishing your goals for the next seven days. And you'll spend about 30 minutes each morning organizing your day.

I know that sounds like a lot, but you're really spending no more than the equivalent of a few days a year to map out your strategy for achieving your long-term Life Goals.

This is how I establish my own goals, focus my objectives, and set daily tasks. It's not, by any means, an entirely original system. It's a patchwork of systems that have been developed by others and added to by me. But there is something about this particular system that seems to work.

It works so well, in fact, that I encourage everyone who works for me to use it. Those who do find that it works very well. I think you will too.

Go Hard Or Go Home!

DG
http://Www.GoGirlbootcamps.com

The Best Exercises for Rapid Fat Loss and Lean Muscle Gain

As a former fat kid who has researched every fat loss method and helped hundreds of people lose weight, I know a thing or two about exercise selection. The one question people always ask me is: What are the best exercises to burn fat AND gain muscle fast.

I’ll keep this as simple as possible for you. The best exercises for fat loss are also the best exercises for muscle gain and visa versa. These exercises all have one thing in common: they provide a UNIQUE challenge to your body AND involve as many muscles in your body as possible.

Both the scientific research and the real world case studies have shown that total body workouts are superior for maximal fat loss and muscle gain. But let’s take this one step further…

Let’s dramatically accelerate results by preferentially selecting TOTAL BODY EXERCISES within each TOTAL BODY WORKOUT! For example, squats are well known for being one of the best muscle-builders with a serious a fat-shredding effect. However, the squat goes from great to UNSTOPPABLE for changing your body for the better when you make it a combination movement by adding a row or press to each squat rep. It’s obvious that you can reap more benefits this way since you have now involved your upper body into the king of lower body exercises.

It’s as simple as the Dream Body Equation below:

Performing Total Body Exercises Within Each Total Body Workout -->

More Muscles Involved =

More Calories Burnt + Greater Muscle-Building Stimulus =

Greater Fat Lost + Greater Muscle Gain

I must be honest in that I have a true love-hate relationship with the following movements I am about to share with you. Love because of the unparalleled fat-melting, muscle-building results they provide to help maximize my sexy. Hate because they break me every single workout by leaving me in tears while in a pool of my own sweat. In other words, these are not for the weak of mind, body, or soul!

Without further adieu, here is the official top 10 list of my favorite exercises in the world for fat loss and lean muscle gain:

Exercise#1- Power Clean + Squat to Overhead Press Combo

Exercise#1- Any Squatting Combination Exercise- Squat Thrust/Burpee Variations, Squat to Overhead Press, Squat to Row, Squat to Chest Press, Braced Core Squat, Single-Leg Squat plus Curl to Press, etc.

Exercise#2- The Swing- Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Med Balls, or Sandbags

Exercise#3- Any Lunge Combination Exercise- Alternating Lunge plus Curl to Press, Alternating Lunge plus Twist, Alternating Lunge plus Chest Press, Alternating Reverse Lunge plus Row, Split Jump plus Jerk, Split Jump plus Curl etc.

Exercise#4- Any Push-Up Combination Exercise- Push-ups plus Knee-Ins, Push-up Rows, T-Push-Ups, Spiderman Push-ups, Squat Thrust Push-Ups, Four-Way Push-up Crawl, etc.

Exercise#5- The Chop- Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Med Balls, Bands, or Sandbags

Exercise#6- Olympic Lifting Variations: Dumbbell or Kettlebell Cleans, Snatches, High Pulls

Exercise#7- Dynamic Back Pillar plus 1-Arm Dumbbell Chest Press

Exercise#8- Rear Foot Elevated Deadlift plus Curl to Press

Exercise#9- Med Ball Snatch-Slam Combo

Exercise#10- Dumbbell or Kettlebell Single-Leg RDL plus Row

Use these exercises in the format I explained in my last blog post and you will be burning fat, gaining muscle and enjoying your sexy body in time for your next vacation!

Remember to keep an eye on my blog for the next few days. I'll be posting a video using the top ten exercises and give you more killer exercises for those trouble areas (e.g. legs, butt, abs, chest, arms, etc.)

Go Hard Or Go Home!

DG
Www.GoGirlbootcamps.com

How To Create An Effective Circuit Training Program For Rapid Fat Loss

In the past (and even to this present day) people have followed a traditional approach to weight training in a straight set format. This means that you perform a specific weight training exercise that is followed by a rest period of anywhere between 30 seconds to five minutes depending on your training goals. For more of a fat loss and lean muscle gain emphasis shorter rest periods are ideal. For more of a strength or power emphasis, longer rest periods are prescribed.


So, what’s the problem with this format? Well, though straight sets are extremely easy to comprehend for people new to fitness, they are also an extremely inefficient way to order your exercises. In most commercial gyms you’ll typically see someone perform three sets of 10 reps for let’s say the bench press. They pump out 10 reps, go to the water fountain, talk with some buddies, watch a couple of highlights on TSN, and then gingerly walk back to the bench area to hit up their second set. In general, most people, guys in particular, tend to take about 3-5 minutes between sets. In the case of three sets of 10 on the bench that means it would take up to 15 minutes to complete only one movement pattern (a horizontal push). That means you’d need at least in hour to perform four different exercises!

A much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth.

Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program. There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:

Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges)

Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges)

Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises

Though supersets and trisets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option time and time again. To demonstrate why, let’s examine my favorite circuit training template using timed set intervals:

The 50-10 Five Exercise Circuit: You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for all five exercises in the following 5-minute circuit:

Exercise#1- Squats

Exercise#2- Dips

Exercise#3- Single-Leg Hip Extensions

Exercise#4- Pull-ups

Exercise#5- Leg Raises

Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.

Basically, in the same 15 minutes that it took to get in three sets on the bench you could have gotten in three sets of five different exercise for a staggering total of 15 work sets! Plus, the intensity on each exercise will be just as high as in the straight set format because in this five exercise circuit you will have full recovery with over four minutes before you return to any given exercise (just as you did with the straight set format described earlier).

To recap, the key to creating the ultimate fat loss environment for your body is to do each exercise to maximum intensity separated by a small rest periods so you can get the most work done in the least amount of time. Circuit training gives your body the best of both worlds and is unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain. Use the following template I use with my many bootcamp clients for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:


Exercise#1- Double-Leg

Exercise#2- Push

Exercise#3- Single-Leg

Exercise#4- Pull

Exercise#5- Core

I’ll be sharing some more great circuit training workouts from my boot camps in the weeks to come ;)

Go hard or go home!

DG

Http://Www.GoGirlbootcamps.com

"I probably can't do that"

When I told people about the crazy ass DIET I was trying out their first response was "I probably can't do that."

Well you know what? They are right.

Your beliefs are the contracts you hold with yourself. When you have a belief that you are too busy to hit the gym you are basically signing a contract with yourself saying that you don't have enough time to bother with the gym.

Whatever beliefs you hold near and dear to yourself are probably true.

If you believe that you are a failure at everything you do, you are right.

If you believe that whatever you put your mind into you can succeed at doing, you are right.

Be careful with the beliefs you place in your head on a daily basis. These are contracts that you are signing that bind you until a better/worse one comes along.

Start believing that you can make a difference in your own life and you'll be amazed at what happens.

DG

Rant: Just because it looks cool doesn't mean it works

So I saw this personal trainer dude do a pushup with one leg on the stability ball and two hands on an elevated surface. Then he made his overweight client attempt it.

His reasons for doing this were for strength and stability. What he really accomplished was that I thought he was a complete idiot and he should get his certification revoked as well as his gym membership cancelled.

I see a lot of stupid things go on in the gym that make me just cringe.

Look, just because it looks cool doesn't mean that it is effective. I remember the story where famed personal trainer Juan Carlos Santana was doing 180 lbs squats with his feet ON A STABILITY BALL (for the same reasons "strength and stability"). He has done the squast before but this time his footing was not right and he fell the ground breaking a lot of bones.

He did this in front of hundreds of people at a seminar.

When he recuperated he informed everyone to never attempt what he tried and vowed he would never do it again.

When looking for effective exercises look no further than the fundamental ones. Squats, deadlifts, chest press, pull ups. When I prescribe a fat loss program, athletic conditioning program or mass building program these exercises are still the foundations of where I work from.

Next time your personal trainer asks you to do a stupid ass exercise like the one I just mentioned please give him/her a cocked eye and question the shit out of why you are doing such an exercise in the first place.

If you get a bunch of muttering, stuttering and stammering about why they prescribe it, take the back of your hand and subsequently slap it across your trainers face.

You will probably get a more effective workout doing that instead ;)

DG

Follow your gut

My gut told me to write this blog post.

My gut tells me to do a lot of things. Some things I do are logical and some things I do are totally illogical but if my gut tells me to do it I usually do. Sometimes I ignore it. That gets me in more trouble.

Where am I going with this?

At this moment you probably have a gut level feeling about something in your life. Whether it be your job, your current situation in life or that ridiculous exercise your personal trainer is making you do. Instead of questioning it do something different for a change: Follow it.

Chances are that your gut is right in all cases. It is what you are truly feeling inside without the b.s. of following societies rules or someone else's expectations of what you should be doing. You gut is probably the key to your happiness. You just have to start listening to it.

DG

Ps. My gut told me to do this Diet. It has probably been the dumbest yet life changing decision I have ever made.

Charles Poliquin: Break plateau's with Double training

Charle's Poliquin:

Break Plateaus with Doublé Training

Doublé is a French term that means to do something twice. I learned it from Pierre Roy, who's probably Canada's best weightlifting coach. Basically it involves doing the same exercise twice in the same workout. Whatever lift you want to improve, you do it twice. So for example if your squat is weak, you squat at the beginning of a workout, then you squat again at the end. It's a great plateau buster that can work for strength specialization or hypertrophy specialization. Let's say you have shitty calves. You can do ten sets of calves at the beginning of the workout, then train chest and back, then do ten sets of calves at the end.

Now THAT'S interesting!

DG

Cardio is a joke...

Quote of the week

"Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everybody I've ever known." - Chuck Palahniuk

Hey,

How are those "Summer Bodies" coming along? The first official day of summer is June 21st. 3 months until you unveil your summer body to the world. Are you working towards it or are you still stuck in the winter slumber?

Are you going to be proud wearing your bathing suit to the beach or are you going to wear a shirt over your belly that currently hangs out? Tough questions indeed.

You still have time to change your body. 3 months is a lot of time to shape up and make this the best sumer ever! So what are you waiting for? No one is going to push your butt into the gym (except me of course) so you have to take the initiative and do it NOW!

Okay enough of my rant...

Here is an article from one of the best fitness trainers in the world Craig Ballantyne.

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training
Strong statement, I know, cardio is a joke, but I really believe that cardio for fat loss is a joke. Although, not a very funny one...

One woman wrote, "I started out doing 5 hours of cardio per week. No results. So I upped it to 7 hours per week. Still nothing. Do you suggest I do more? I'm worried if I use your program, I won't get any results because you don't even have an hour of interval cardio per week. Please help!"

And from a gentleman on the Men's Health forum, "I took up running and didn't take up stretching until it was almost to late and almost destroyed a knee. What happened was that my IT bands got really tight and my inner quads didn't gain any strength so my knee cap got pulled out of place. I had an MRI done on my knee and have found that my knee cap has bruised my femur. "

Cardio horror stories are a dime-a-dozen. So here's the bottom line on cardio...

Long slow aerobic training remains the biggest practical joke in fitness. Marathon running for the average overweight person? Why don't you just tell someone to go play in traffic...oh wait, that's exactly what they are doing - all while crushing their joints with excess weight and repetitive pounding.

If you do long, slow cardio, its only a matter of time before you end up in a physiotherapist's office with all the others that do too much of the same thing...whether its running or spin classes, overuse injuries are far too common in the cardio world.

After all, what's easier to overdo, total body strength training done 3 times per week for 20 minutes, or the same cardio activity done for 6-9 hours per week?

Heck, I once knew a physiotherapist who was so addicted to spin classes that she had overuse injuries that prevented her from walking normally! Physio,
heal thyself!

Cardio is a joke...

But cardio fits our "more is better" mentality, doesn't it? We go right from a 3000 calorie meal at the Outback Steakhouse to our 60 minute cardio confessional sessions on the elliptical. More, more, more, more. And yet get
less results?

There is a better way.

Take a peek at the weight room when you are in a gym. Then compare the bodies there to the bodies on the elliptical. You'll find the sculpted, toned physiques lifting dumbells and doing pushups, and the plump, "never changing physiques" spinning their tires over on the cardio equipment.

No matter what the city, no matter where the gym, its the same old story.

Burn fat, get lean, and boost your metabolism with resistance training. Finish with short interval training or even bodyweight circuits and you are off to the fat burning races.

Or get left behind on the cardio equipment that is getting you nowhere,

CB

PS - Turbulence Training is Guaranteed.

If you aren't thrilled with the decreased workout time and increased fat loss and energy from the Turbulence Training system in 8 weeks, let us know and we'll refund your order. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Turbulence Training has already been trusted by the biggest fitness magazines in the world (Men's Health & Shape), and I guarantee it will work for you too!

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men's Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training.

Funny thing I observed today

Something doesn't seem right here....I can't seem to put my finger on it....maybe I'll figure it out later

So I was parking at my gym today (I like to park as far away as possible) and I saw this car getting out of a parking spot.

I really didn't think anything of it until I saw the same car park at a free spot just a couple spots closer to the gym (I'm talking like only 3 spots closer).

Hey you know what? Maybe we should just add escalators and those moving walkways leading up to all of our gyms. That would just make it sooo much easier for everyone to work out.

Right?

DG

What's your motivation?

What are the reasons you do the things you do? Why do you work out? What is the reason you are doing the job you are doing?

I'm just wondering what drives you to do what you do in life?

Is it comfort? Is it risk? Is it fun?

What is your purpose?

Just wondering.....

DG

Ps. If you don't know the questions to these answers grow some balls and find out.

Toxic People - Do you have a couple of these in your life?

Toxic People by Chris Shugart

I got an interesting PM (private message) from someone already trying the Velocity Diet. While the diet was going well, the PM'er was being called "crazy" and "stupid" by his family for doing it.

Only in America.

It's funny that a person who eats rancid fat (fried food), drinks sugar (colas) and doesn't move off the fucking couch (the average person) is "normal," but a person who eats healthy and trains is "stupid." I know the Velocity Diet is extreme, but I'd pit its nutritional worth against the typical fat American's diet any day of the week. Believe it.

Anyway, it reminded me of something I wrote a while back for T-Nation that hasn't been published. I think these people in the PMer's life could be toxic. Maybe not, they could just be ignorant. What do I mean by toxic? Here's the article excerpt:

The Saboteur

The concept of "toxic people" was popularized by Lillian Glass, PH.D. in her book by the same name. A toxic person is basically anyone who cuts you down, holds you back, makes you experience negative emotions, and general makes you miserable. They may do this on purpose or they could just have "issues" of their own which adversely impact you just because you're around them. A toxic person can be a co-worker, a family member or, sadly, a girlfriend or spouse.

In Glass's book, she outlines 30 different types of toxic people including The Mental Case, The Fanatic, The Accusing Critic, The Instigator, The Opportunistic User and the Smiling Two-Faced Backstabber. After reading the book, I came up with a couple of my own related to diet and fitness. My favorite (or least favorite actually) is The Saboteur.

The Saboteur seems to be out to ruin your diet and/or training program. The Saboteur can do this overtly or covertly, and through physical or emotional manipulations. Let's go through some examples:

* A co-worker who knows you're dieting keeps offering you junk food. This person could even go as far as coming into your office and handing you a doughnut.

* Your spouse tries to talk you out of going to the gym or makes you feel guilty for going: "You can go later. Stay with me." "Why can't you spend time with me and the kids instead of running off to the gym?" "We're strapped for cash and you drop $60 a month on a stupid gym membership?" "Are you seeing someone at the gym?"

* A family member cooks your favorite cheat food or encourages you to cheat on your diet. "Oh come on, a couple of slices of pizza aren't going to hurt." (While it's true that a little pizza won't hurt you much, it's the pattern of this type of behavior you have to watch out for. Ask yourself: Is this person doing this to me on a daily basis?)

* A friend drops seemingly casual but negative comments about your goals. "Yeah, you've lost some weight, but you ain't exactly Brad Pitt, bro!" "Yeah, you're getting big, but all that muscle will just turn to fat when you get older." (Note: There's no such thing as a "casual" negative comment. Watch for these and keep an eye on the person doing it.)

* Your training partner is always trying to hold you back or talk you into quitting early. He may show up late, talk too much between sets or make negative comments about your strength. Maybe he's just a crappy training partner, but he could also be purposefully poisoning your efforts in the gym.

As you can see, The Saboteur is usually not a recognized "enemy," but a person close to you. Co-workers can be notoriously toxic, but I'd say The Saboteur is most often a loved one!

Okay, so why do they do it? Keep in mind that The Saboteur may be doing this consciously or unconsciously. It's done out of hatred or competition sometimes, but it can also be done out of fear. Example: Dana sees her boyfriend getting more muscular. His body is looking great. She's afraid he'll leave her for a better looking girl, so she tries to sabotage his progress in order to "keep him."

By the way, the most extreme example of this I've ever seen was with a married couple. The husband was insanely jealous. His method of controlling his wife and keeping other men from paying attention to her was to keep her pregnant. After all, a pregnant woman was less desirable to other men. Her being pregnant also displayed his ownership. (Yes, he had major issues and I feel sorry for his four kids.)

Along with fear, the most obvious motivating factor for The Saboteur is jealousy. Let's look at the co-worker example. She sees your body changing because of your discipline and hard work. She's failed at fat loss many times in the past and she's jealous of your achievements. Her sabotaging may take the form of nasty comments, tempting you with bad foods, or spreading rumors that you're "on something." She does it to make herself feel better.

Nothing pisses off these types of people more than seeing you succeed!

Another reason for this type of behavior actually doesn't have much to do with you. Glass refers to this type of toxic person as The Self-Destroyer. If you have dreams and goals for financial success or for a great body, avoid the Self-Destroyer at all costs.

This is the type of person who's hell-bent on making the worst possible choices for himself. These unstable and often out-of-control people seem to be doing everything possible to destroy themselves out of a sense of self-loathing. They may do it with food, alcohol, drugs, money, sex, stupid risks, or by getting involved with other nasty people (a self-destructive woman may get involved with a string of physically abusive boyfriends for example.)

The Self-Destroyer isn't really out to sabotage you personally, but just being associated with this type of person will thwart your efforts. A common example of this is the guy who gets involved with the beautiful but self-destructive girl. Maybe he's trying to "rescue" her or maybe she has him dancing on a string like a puppet because of what's between her legs, but ultimately he quits training and wrecks his diet because of her.

The best advice? Run. Run like the wind from self-destructive people or they'll take you down with them.

A quick note: Sometimes the so-called Saboteur is doing the right thing. Example: The anorexic who weighs 97 pounds and whose hair is falling out because of malnutrition, will often attack those trying to get her to eat. In her mind, they're just trying to sabotage her. Another example: The 17 year steroid user is convinced other people are just jealous because they tell him not to be juicing at his age.

So, you have to be careful when labeling someone a Saboteur. You just might be the one in the wrong.

The lesson here is to be aware and on the lookout for The Saboteur. Just recognizing The Saboteur will keep you from becoming his or her victim. A co-worker can often be ignored, but you'll eventually need to confront a close friend, girlfriend or family member if their behavior continues. You can do this with humor or with anger, but I suggest a straightforward approach:

"Why do you always try to keep me from going to the gym? Why do you offer me cookies when you know I'm on a diet?"

If this is a spouse or girlfriend, try to get her involved. This will make you more of a team instead of being opponents. If she's a hopelessly self-destructive Saboteur, kick that bitch to the curb.

Surround yourself with good people and you will become a good person. I made a decision a long time ago that the people I hang around would be a reflection of myself and who I want to become.

I not only surround myself with good people but I surround myself with successful people at that. Success is just a by-product of having great values, a great mentality, great family and great friends.

DG

Getting pissed off is a GOOD thing?

I think he needs a hug. Awww...

How can something that is perceived to be negative become positive?

Now I'm not talking about getting pissed off at other people or other things. I'm talking about getting pissed off with yourself.

That really doesn't make this post any better does it? Just bear with me....

No positive great change has occurred in one's life without a strong emotion attached to it.

- Mother Theresa got pissed when no one would help the dying civilians in Calcutta. She decided that she wouldn't stand for it anymore and turned into an global icon.

- Albert Einstein probably wasn't too happy when everyone was calling him an idiot. He managed to come up with this little thing called "The Theory of Relativity"

- Michael Jordan wasn't mildly annoyed when he didn't make his Varsity basketball team. The next year he came back, whooped everyone's ass and became a starter. Oh and he went to on to become just the BEST basketball player in the world.

- I would go on to say that 90% of obese people who have lost all their weight and changed their bodies were not mildly annoyed. They were PISSED OFF!

Anthony Robbins calls it being "Disturbed". He says that before a change can occur in someone's life you have to get really disturbed to do something about it.

Here's a little story.....

I have what I call F.F.B.S. short for Former Fat Boy Syndrome. I stole that term from Chris Shugart ;)

When I was younger (ahhh the days of youth...) I wouldn't take my shirt off in front of people due to embarrassment, my friends would call me fat (in a loving joking way of course riiiight) and I was an overall slob of a person eating a whole bag of chips to myself in one sitting. I am sure I'm leaving out a lot more but you get the point.

What changed? How come I became the person I am today? I got PISSED OFF.

Just the fact that I wasn't living up to my full potential and conforming to the lowered expectations of myself and others was annoying at first.

Then one day...

Someone asked if I had been working out because my chest got bigger since the last time I saw them....

Let's just say I wasn't working out. The kids use a slang term for this: I had "Bitch tits"

I took a long hard look at myself in the mirror that day and used a couple phrases that were a little more then harsh. I used words and phrases that would get this blog BANNED. Basically I got PISSED OFF with myself.

Now what happened after? Let's just say that I never experienced or even entertained the thought of having "Bitch tits" ever again.

Now I'm not going to tell you to get pissed off at yourself and start calling yourself names. This is just what worked for me. But I am going to say that if you are not "Disturbed" enough with a particular weakness you have, the chances of changing will be slim to none.

Be honest with yourself. Don't sugar coat things like, "Oh I'm just a little overweight." or "Oh this job ain't so bad". It won't do you any good. GET PISSED OFF. Use strong words. Then do something about it.

And btw if you are a man and you are sporting a pair of "Bitch tits" like I was in the past let me tell you one thing: The look is not the "IN" thing these days and your chances with the ladies (or men if you roll that way) will be severely reduced. You are not living up to your potential and you know it.

Get PISSED OFF and cry about it. Once you are done with that, get your ass in a gym and don't leave until you have sweat on every square inch of clothing. Curse me all you want but you'll be thanking me for it later.

DG

DG the Mad Scientist/Wanna be Philosopher

I like to think of myself as a scientist and test subject all rolled up in one.

I study the greats Alwyn Cosgrove, Craig Ballantyne, Chris Shugart, Chad Waterbury etc..

I not only study the greats, I also do their programs, buy their products and test it out on my own body.

This is what gets me psyched up when I hit the gym. Currently I'm doing a Waterbury program. Here is what day one looks like:

Loading: Use the heaviest load you can manage with perfect form for all sets.

Tempo: Perform the lifting and lowering phases as fast as possible while maintaining perfect form.

Monday

A1 Wide-grip pull-up for 3 reps
Rest 30 seconds

A2 Overhead squat for 3 reps
Rest 30 seconds

A3 Dip for 3 reps
Rest 30 seconds and repeat A1-A3 six more times

Two sets of side plank hold for 60 seconds on each side

Note: As an advanced gym goer, you probably know this, but here's a quick review. Those A1, A2, A3 designations mean that you perform one set of the A1 exercise, then one set of the A2 exercise after resting, and finally the A3 exercise. After one more rest, you perform all three exercises again for the required number of sets.

In the Monday workout above, you do a set of pull-ups, rest 30 seconds, a set of overhead squats, rest 30 seconds, then a set of dips. After another 30 second rest you repeat those exercises six times. At the end of the workout, you perform the side plank holds.

If you see B1, B2, B3 etc. that means you perform that circuit of exercises after you're completely finished with the "A" movements.

Crazy shit eh?

In the very beginning I was guilty of coming up with my own training programs, using them on myself and my clients with limited progress. I thought I was making progress with my body. I saw my clients achieve progress with their own physiques. I thought I was a BIG TIME expert....

WRONG.

The funny thing is the more I study and the more I apply, the more I realize that I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

I used to think that I knew everything when I was younger. Now a few years older and a few years of studying I feel that I know less and less.

My training methods have no doubt become better. My results with my own physique have gotten better. My results with my clients physiques have gotten better but I know less. Ain't that a bitch?

"The dumbest people I know are those who know it all." - Malcolm Forbes

As of now my approach to things is to have no approach at all. A lot of times we can get caught up in our own egos and automatically have built in responses before we even hear information.

Right now my initial response to anything new I learn is: "I'm an idiot. Can you please explain this to me?" I'm not being negative. I'm putting myself in a position where I can learn the most.

They call it a "Beginners Mind". Approach everything (I mean everything) with a beginners mind and you will be able to come away with at least one piece of information that will help you grow.

Learn one new thing a day without attaching your ego to it. After 365 days you will have learned 365 new things. Will you grow and become smarter with 365 new things in your arsenal? Oh hell yes.

The by-product of growing is the knowledge that you are in actuality an idiot.....but in a totally good way ;)

DG

Thoughts....

Hmm....Is he wearing a brown belt with black shoes? This is not a good sign....

Thoughts can be a crazy thing. They can either serve you or break you down. Most if not at all times it is better to not be thinking at all.

Your best "You" comes in the moments when you are not thinking and are completely involved in the moment of whatever you are doing. A lot of times when we do things, we are thinking of other things at the same time.

When you work out you might not even be thinking about working out. Your mind could be on your kids, your spouse, your boss, your job, what to do after you are done working out and the list goes on....

I know in the Law of Attraction it says that "Thoughts become things..." and I agree. Most times when the regular Average Joe/Judy is thinking, their thoughts are negative or they dwell on negative things, negative outcomes.

But I do also believe in the power of now. When you are totally concentrated on what you are doing in the very moment that you are doing, it is when you are at your best. When you are not thinking of an outcome but rather focused on the task at hand is when you become your best "you" that you can be.

Next time you are doing anything whether it be driving your car, taking a shower, playing a sport, working out etc.. try quieting your thoughts and focusing on what you are doing. You will be amazed at what you will be able to accomplish. You will be even more amazed at how much stress has been relieved by not thinking of other things or outcomes.

Be your best in this exact moment. That is when you truly become great.

DG

Midday report

So I just did my first workout under this nutrition plan and I'm pretty encouraged that I was able to keep my energy up before and after. I did get a little woozy when I took my recovery shake after but it was good.

I don't know if it is me or if I'm doing this whole thing wrong but I'm not suffering as much as I thought I would be.

After reading other people's notes on the Velocity diet it seemed like I was going to go through hell for 28 days. Right now I'm thinking that this structured type of program is just what I needed.

The 4lbs drop in weight is cool. But the real cool factor comes in when I am not reaching for food whenever I'm bored. I reach for my water. I don't have to think about my caloric intake at all because it is all laid out for me before I even get out of bed (I prepare my shakes before I sleep).

It' s only the second day but I'm feelin good about this.

DG

I haven't posted in a long time. I am doing another blog based on a current diet program I am on. Here is the url: My Velocity Diary


Here is a post I just did today:

BTW just a little note this program and other programs....

I have researched this nutrition program extensively and I intend to follow it to a T. No modifications of my own. Just following what I have researched exactly like it was outlined.

Now a lot of people who take on new programs like to add this in, take this out...basically bastardize the program to fit their own strengths/weaknesses. Just like this guy: www.velocitydiet.blogspot.com

"I've read the principles of the diet over and over again, and the more I study it, the more I'm convinced that it's the only way I can possibly lose the 10kg of fat hanging in my belly. Ofcourse, I need to couple the diet with rigorous physical training which I will also track down in this blog. I still haven't finalized my training regimen, but it would most likely include the following: weight-training (6 times/week), running (3 times/week), swimming (3 times/week), yoga (6 times/week). I know, I know it's fucking rigorous and I might just faint doing the regimen while on this diet---but I already have pledged to myself that I will *tweak* the diet (actually, quite substantially), by adding OATMEAL at every protein shake I will eat. In fact, I plan to add about 6 scoops of OATMEAL per shake, which will really up the carbohydrates level of the diet than it originally is."

If you look at his blog his first post was his last post. Now does that mean he wasn't successful? I can't assume such things but it leads me a question: If you decided to tweak a certain program then why follow the program in the first place?

You can't expect to see the same results that you are promised if you are doing your own thing. When I take on programs I always intend to do the program as is. Not more, not less.

The formula for success is:

1. Imitate the best
2. Understand where they are coming from
3. Come up with your own value system
4. Innovate on what you have learned

Now I can't say whether or not this guy has achieved his goals but if his blog is any indication of success I would say........probably not.

DG

Empty your cup

A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor's cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's overfull! No more will go in!" the professor blurted. "You are like this cup," the master replied, "How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup."

----

A lot of times my clients email me and ask me questions regarding fitness and nutrition. Some of them have been training with me for almost 5 years now, shouldn't they know everything by now?

No.

These clients are the most successful people I have ever trained or even seen but they still ask questions and they still yearn to learn more. This is what makes people successful in any field.

They don't have a know-it-all attitude and they know that there is always a next level. Always more knowledge to gain.

Compare this to the out of shape guy asking me how to lose fat and how to workout in the gym. Instead of me answering the questions he goes on a diatribe of what he thinks he should do.

Who is going to be more successful in the long run?

Empty your cup.

---

DG

Excuses

Review of Turbulence Training: The Program that Promises Maximum Fat Loss in Minimum Workout Time

Turbulence Training promises fast fat loss results for men and women who don't have a lot of time for exercise. This is a bold promise, and the workouts promise maximum results in only three workouts per week.

Let's take a look at this claim, and see if it really measures up!

Before we get to the program, let's take a look at the expert behind the workouts. I've come across Craig Ballantyne's name many times in popular fitness magazines such as Men's Health and Men's Fitness, and even in Oxygen and Shape magazines. So the program is clearly put together by a trusted fitness expert.

I've also talked to Craig about his training and education background, and I'll be honest, it was impressive, unlike the trainers with weekend certifications that pop up at large commercial gyms. Craig's experience goes back to the mid-nineties, in both the gym and in the research lab. He's actually led research trials on sport supplements, strength training, and cardiovascular training.

Plus, Craig has been a strength coach and has worked with hundreds of clients in thousands of training sessions. This is a unique, and thorough background, so its not surprising he's come up with a new training system for fat loss.

In fact, Craig's articles are always pretty hard on traditional aerobic cardio workouts. So if you're looking for new ways to spend 30 or 60-minutes doing cardio, then this program is not for you. But if you only have 45 minutes to workout, a couple of times per week, and you have access to only a bench, dumbells, and an exercise ball, then you'll like what Craig has for you here.

Now one of the biggest questions about the program is simply, "What is Turbulence Training?" Well according to Craig, its the combination of resistance training and interval training used to boost your metabolism so that your body burns calories and fat between workouts. He says, "Cardio doesn't boost your metabolism after exercise. Only strength training and interval training do that - while you work, sleep, and eat - your body will be shedding fat."

Fortunately, Craig's unique system of bodyweight exercises, dumbell exercises, and interval training can all be done at home, with minimal equipment (if you are really strong, it might help to have a chinup bar). So again, if you are one of those people who loves machines, or cardio equipment, or marathon workouts, then this program is not for you.

Frankly, I've used the program myself and recommended to many others. Why? Because no one has time for long workouts! That's why. After an eight or ten hour workday, a round-trip commute of 90 minutes, and spending time with my family, I just don't have time to do another 90 minute workout every day of the week.

In fact, I either get up early and do the workout before work, or I do it just before bed. This workout is perfect for busy men and women. But its not the type of routine that is going to turn anyone into a pro bodybuilder. If you want maximum muscle and want to bulk up, try another one of Craig's programs. But the Turbulence Training system is best for burning fat without sacrificing muscle - so you end up lean, defined, chiseled and toned.

And its fun! So many workouts are boring (i.e. long cardio) or repetitive (i.e. doing the same bodybuilding workout over and over again). But Turbulence Training uses a lot of unique (but not fluffy) exercises, including some cool, killer bodyweight moves that will make you more athletic and increase your functional and core strength - again, all with minimal equipment needs.

But, I am even able to recommend this program to friends who are just starting out, because Craig has put together a 6-week introductory program, and a 4-week intermediate program in addition to the 16-week advanced training phase (PLUS, the Turbulence Training program comes with a massive amount of bonus workouts for muscle building, bodyweight only, advanced fat loss, and even a female specific bonus).

But each workout progresses into the next. He's used all of these workouts with hundreds of clients - so they are safe and effective. Sure, you can get other programs that leave you smashed and puking after the first workout, but Turbulence Training is not like that. Soreness doesn't matter, only results matter! And you are in expert hands with Turbulence Training, and Men's Health expert, Craig Ballantyne.

Craig's Turbulence Training also contains a contract -- basically, your pledge to being committed to the program. It also includes an ebook on Nutrition Guidelines from expert, Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., and an extensive Q&A section, a 21-Healthy Habit Building Plan, plus the complete Turbulence Training workouts for beginner, intermediate and advanced level individuals.

All users will benefit from the Turbulence Training MP3 audio where Craig goes over the program, plus you can find every single exercise explained in detail, complete with photos.

Okay, so bottom line. Turbulence Training is NOT....

• Long, slow cardio workouts
• A machine-based exercise circuit
• A bodybuilding program to gain bulk
• A workout with lots of time-wasting isolation exercises
• A restrictive eating plan

Turbulence Training provides NONE of the above. On the other hand, Turbulence Training is perfect for busy men and women who want to burn fat in the comfort of their own homes without spending a lot of money on equipment or space on exercise machines. Oh, and you'll actually have fun and you won't "dread" these workouts - heck, they will be over before you know it!

If you're in the slightest bit curious, I recommend you look closely at Craig's program. I was very impressed with all of the Turbulence Training workouts, the bonuses, the guarantee, and Craig's expertise. For the money, it's the best deal in the fitness and fat loss industry - so much better than diet pills! And remember...

Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training is backed by a 8-week money back guarantee. And this is a real guarantee... if you are not completely satisfied, you will receive your money back, no "ifs," "ands," or "buts." So you really have nothing to lose.

If you want to lose fat and look great for the summer then you have to read:

Turbulence Training

Do you cost less than your car?

How much do you value yourself?

Now before you answer that question I will let you in on my own personal philosophy: Working out to me is a metaphor for how much one values themself. People take their cars in for oil changes every 3000-5000 kilometres but don't even step foot inside a gym every 6 months.

Working out to me is like brushing my teeth. If I don't do it I feel absolutely dirty. Should you feel the same way? Fuck Yeah!

People renovate their homes, make a nice garden and clean their house weekly but cannot even allot 3 hours a week to being active. The problem with today's society is the fact that most people value material objects moreso than they value their own health and wellbeing. They would rather invest their time into things rather than investing time into themselves.

What is the problem here?

When I talk to sedentary people about being more active and spending more time on themselves they tend to look at all the bad things involved with it rather than the benefits. They stress to me that it takes too much time, it makes them tired, they are too lazy etc...

Rarely do I get the person who says that working out will reverse the aging process, help them lose weight, give them self confidence, give them more energy, help them sleep better, have more sex, make more money and LIVE LONGER just to name a few.

When you are starting out on a new journey such as working out you MUST MUST MUST stress to yourself the benefits and stay away from the negatives.

Working out is the ultimate way you can give yourself value. You are putting YOURSELF first before your car, your home, your job and everything else you may think are important but are not.

Taking care of your body gives you the ultimate power anyone can have. You put ME first before anything else and that is what people need to start doing to live a quality life.