The 3 Reasons You Are Not Losing Weight

Everyone always asks me this question over and over and over again: "I'm working hard in the gym, but I'm not losing any weight! What is wrong with me?"

If you have ever asked this questions or felt this way I can sympathize because I've been there before. It sucks. But really it all comes down to a few simple things...

For most situations I believe there are always a number of things going on that prevent people from seeing the results they want. Be warned though. I do not pull any punches and I will be straight up.

3 Reason's you are not losing weight

1. It's easier to get your ass to the gym and sweat then change the eating habits that are keeping your body looking the way it's looking.

This is probably the biggest A-HA you should take from the blog post. If you are working hard in the gym but relaxing on what you should be eating (and drinking!), you are destined for failure and disappointment. I should know, I've been there.

They say that losing weight is "80% diet". Well I don't exactly believe in that. I do believe that it is easier to buy a gym membership or get personal training etc.. and work your ass off by doing some SICK metabolic enhancing exercise than it is to change your bad eating habits. That is the reason why nutrition is 80% of the weight loss equation. Because it is the hardest to do.

People are always asking me to write them up fat loss programs but the first thing I ask is if their eating habits are under control. 95% of the time I get a "Uhhh yeah, that part is not so good." If you can put the effort in your workouts, you best be able to put the same effort and desire towards eating the right things at the right time.

Don't be a hero in the gym but a wussy in the kitchen k?



2. You are only focusing on the weight and not focusing on inches or the way your body looks in the mirror.

If I told you that I could give you the beach body you have always dreamnt about but you weight would stay the same? Would you still be hung up on that number? I would hope not.

Don't make the numbers on the scale determine if you are making progress or not. Measure the inches around your waist and hips. Also take monthly pictures of yourself half naked to see how much progress you are making. The camera don't lie.

If you are exercise hard (and smart) and following a simple and effective nutrition plan (like the one I give to my boot camp clients) you will see results. And most of the time it won't show up on the scale.

3. You are waaaaaaayyyy too easy on yourself and you make a lot of excuses.

Look here, if you want to make changes you gotta change in your body, you have to make a mental change as well.

But I don't mean that every time you make a mistake to beat yourself up for it. To make a change you HAVE TO desire it and work towards it as intensely as possible to achieve it.

I do recommend getting really pissed off and having an attitude of "I will do anything to reach my goals!!!" And when I mean anything I mean things like:

- Writing in a food and workout journal
- Putting yourself on strict carb restrictions until you reach your goal
- Having protein at every meal
- Not drinking alcohol until you reach your desired body
- Staying away from processed foods and junk
- Anything and everything ethical to reach your desired body

What do I not mean by "anything"? Anything that involves altering your own body or forcing it to do something that is not natural ie. anorexia, bullemia, steroids is not what I mean by "anything".

What are the excuses I hate the most when it comes to weight loss?

"I have bad genetics"

Hell I have bad genetics too but it didn't stop me from getting the body I want. Some people have to work harder than others. That's okay, for those that do you get to appreciate it a lot more when you get it.

"I'll just focus on the exercise part then I'll focus on the nutrition OR I'll just focus on the nutrition then I'll get to the exercise part"

Get this straight in your mind: Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand with each other like a newlywed couple on their honeymoon. There are two seperate entities but you can't have one without the other to succeed at getting the body you desire.

"I'm going to start my exercise/nutrition program next week"

Yeah I heard this one millions of times. Not many people actually follow through. The more you put off exercising or watching your nutrition the more excuses you'll find more excuses to not do it. Action creates momentum. NO matter what, if you want to make a change you have to make a small action to create momentum in that direction.

The say that the most difficult step to take is the first. Create momentum for yourself by just taking that first step.

Right now is the time to really focus on achieving your fitness goals. Summer is just around the corner and I want you to unveil a body that makes people's jaws drop!

Go Hard or Go Home!

DG
http://www.GoGirlbootcamps.com

The Barack Obama Workout. Aka. The Anytime Anywhere NO EXCUSES Workout

Barack Obama...Ballllliiiiiinnnnnn

Barack Obama is my hero.....well kind of.

Have you seen this guy talk? Man, I can listen to this guy talk for days and always get inspired to take massive action. He is probably the most articulate, sharp and powerful presidents to come in a long time.

Although former president Bush was pretty bad. I'm guessing anyone would look good if they took over after this dude ;)

George Bush...not so ballin

Seriously though, how can someone handle to stress of being the leader of the free world? I can’t even begin to grasp the scope of something like that, can you?

One thing that has always struck me about Obama is his relentless daily workout routine. He plays a ton of basketball and puts in his 45-60 minute workout day 6 days a week. He claims it sets the tone for his entire day- that it gives him the energy he needs to grapple with the world’s problems.

Crazy eh? While people make excuses of not having enough time to workout, this man is in charge of a country but still makes working out a top priority.

I run several companies and I can personally vouch for Obama in this regard. My physical fitness sets the tone for everything I tackle in business on a daily basis. I train hard and I never miss a workout. I bring this same intensity and persistence to my companies.

I always have said that working out is like my sanctuary. It keeps me focused and I constantly challenge myself to improve. Working out is like a metaphor for life. You constantly challenge yourself and you tackle those challenges with the same intensity in the outside world.

Now, I am just going to assume that there are going to be some days when President Obama might not have time to get in his typical 45-60 minute workout. After all, since the first 100 days seem to set the tone of each presidency, Obama is going to have a pretty full plate these days!

So, I am going to lend my expertise in this regard to cut Obama’s workout routine by more than half to keep him on track in case any last minute issues may arise. I personally guarantee this will not only help him maintain, if not increase, his current strength and conditioning level.

And I am going to go ahead and make the process simple for Obama by designing body weight based workouts involve nothing more than resistance bands and dumbbells that can be done in the comfort of the oval office.

And every workout will start “outside in” by first recognizing how much time President Obama has to workout each day and then matching the appropriate workout for that time frame.

The President’s Day Workout- Obama Style

- Perform all strength workouts on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
- Perform all cardio workouts on Tuesdays, Thursday, and Saturdays
- Play some hoops anytime you can get

If Obama or YOU have five minutes to workout:

Strength Workout- Continuous Work: Perform max rounds of 10 reps of an upper body exercise (push-ups, rows, pull-ups, dips, etc.) and 20 reps of a lower body exercise (squats, deadlifts, hip extensions, lunges, etc.) for time.

Cardio Workout- Tabata Intervals: Select one body weight cardio exercise (stationary running, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, alternating split jumps, ice skater jumps, etc.) OR one total body exercise (squat to presses, deadlift + curls, lunge + curl to press, swings, etc.) and perform 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for four straight minutes, followed by a one-minute rest.


If Obama or YOU have 10 minutes to workout:

Strength Workout- Continuous Work: Perform max rounds of 10 reps of an upper body exercise (push-ups, rows, pull-ups, dips, etc.) and 20 reps of a lower body exercise (squats, deadlifts, hip extensions, lunges, etc.) for time.

Cardio Workout- Tabata Intervals: Select one body weight cardio exercise (stationary running, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, alternating split jumps, ice skater jumps, etc.) OR one total body exercise (squat to presses, deadlift + curls, lunge + curl to press, swings, etc.) and perform 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for four straight minutes, followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat this five-minute sequence one more time with the same exercise or with the exercise(s) of your choice.


If Obama or YOU have 20 minutes to workout:

Strength Workout- Continuous Work: Perform two different 10-minute work zones. For work zone one, perform max rounds of 10 reps of an upper body pushing exercise (push-ups, dips, presses, etc.) and 20 reps of a double-leg lower body exercise (squats, deadlifts, hip extensions, etc.) for time. For work zone two, perform max rounds of 10 reps of an upper body pulling exercise (pull-ups, rows, curls, etc.) and 10 reps/leg of a single-leg lower body exercise (lunges, step-ups, single-leg hip extensions, etc.) for time.

Cardio Workout- Tabata Intervals: Select one body weight cardio exercise (stationary running, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, alternating split jumps, ice skater jumps, etc.) OR one total body exercise (squat to presses, deadlift + curls, lunge + curl to press, swings, etc.) and perform 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for four straight minutes, followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat this five-minute sequence three more times with the same exercise or with the exercise(s) of your choice.

I’m sure the President will appreciate this killer fitness plan that works with, not against, his schedule as a courageous world leader. And if Obama can fit in his own personal workouts, you best believe there are no excuses for you not to do the same.

Go hard or go home!

DG
http://www.GoGirlBootcamps.com

25 Random Things About Me

This seems to be the big craze on Crackbook...err...I mean Facebook. I thought I would give this one a shot because we've been talking to each other for awhile and it's just good manners that you know a little about me:

25 Random Things About Moi!

1. I was born in Manila, Phillipines.

2. I am not religious but spiritual in nature.

3. I'm Chinese but I don't know how to speak mandarin, Cantonese or Fukien (my dialect). I know....it's pretty sad.

4. I vow to learn Mandarin!

5. The more I don't care about what people think, the more weight is lifted off of my chest.

6. I love basketball. I love playing basketball. Is that two things or one? I guess they can be one in the same? Whatevs..

7. I love the Raptors, but right now they are really breaking my heart. I can't even bear to watch their games anymore because they make me feel horrible inside. But I still do because I'm a diehard fan.

8. Working out is like meditation to me. Where else can you challenge yourself to be better and be completely in your own world at the same time? When I work out, nothing else matters but myself.

9. I won two Chinese basketball tournaments. There should be an *asterisk beside them because we recruited a ringer to play on our team. While everyone else in the tournament was an average size of 5'8 160 pounds, my teammate was 6'4 240 pounds. It pays to know the right people.

10. People can either play hard or play smart. I choose the latter. I'm lazy like that. DAMNIT thats two things again!

11. My mom passed away when I was 24 years old. She was my most favourite person on this earth. When she died it was the turning point in my life.

12. My Grandfather passed away when I was 28 years old. Even though he didn't speak any English I always understood him.

13. The very first car I bought was a Honda Civic. I will never buy a Civic ever again.

14. I believe everyone on this life has a purpose. I also believe that I'm living out mine and it is always evolving.

15. I believe that I will always keep getting better. I will always keep on improving.

16. I also believe that anyone can change at anytime. It doesn't matter how old you are, male or female, if you want to make a major change in your life there is no such thing as good timing. You can do it anytime, anywhere no matter who you are.

17. My Personal training mentors are Alwyn Cosgrove, Mark Vertegen, Craig Ballantyne and BJ Gaddour.

18. When I started personal training, everyone told me that I was making the wrong choice. I used their words as fire to succeed.

19. My favourite vodka is Grey Goose.

20. I love learning so much that sometimes it acts as a creative avoidance to just do the thing I'm learning (does this make sense?).

21. I really believe that everyday I gain a new insight on myself, business and the world around me.

22. My sister is an amazing Hip Hop Dance teacher. She's danced for Chinese pop stars and Mr. Lova Lova himself Shaggy. If you like dancing hip hop then you gotta check her out: http://www.VybeDance.com <-----Shameless plug but really she's a good hip hop teacher!

23. I have a very dry sarcastic sense of humour.

24. I swear a lot. More than I like to admit.

25. I really do believe that my women's and corporate boot camps are the best in Ontario. I'm not blowing marketing smoke up your ass either. I've been researching fat loss exercise and nutrition ever since I stepped foot inside a gym. It just facinates the shit out of me. Some people are into cars, some people are into playing poker, I'm into fat loss. I have spent (literally) tens of thousands of dollars on the top fitness experts products so I should know a thing or two.

The results do not lie either and if you take my boot camp, follow my plan and don't get results then you can have your money back. I don't want it. If you haven't taken my camp then you have to try it out. Damn, try it out for a week free and tell me in my face that you didn't get the workout of your life.

Well that is it about me. I usually don't do stuff like this, I guess there is a first time for everything. If you are feeling it, leave a comment and tell me something about yourself. I'd love to hear more about you.

Much love and respect,

DG
Http://www.GoGirlbootcamps.com

The Valentines Day Workout - Do This One With A Lovah!

Valentines day is a time to go out with that special someone, eat some chocolates and hopefully get some action with your partner.....in the gym!

Build a better relationship with that significant other by working out together. They say that sweat-driven pheromones are one of nature’s most powerful aphrodisiacs. Do yourself (and your loved one) a favour and get sweaty with each other using this workout:

Today I am going to demo the concept of partner training. Partner training is essentially a workout that involves performing joint exercises with at least one other person or more. There are a ton of benefits to partner training, including:

1.) Social Support and Accountability

2.) No Equipment Needed

3.) Provides a Ton of Variety

4.) Breeds Competition and Drives Better Results

5.) It’s FUN!

Partner training definitely spices things up in our boot camps from time to time. The inner freaks seem to come out of the woodwork whenever people workout with someone else- you are simply pushed to the limit and there is no better way to make your body change and break out of a frustrating training rut.

So grab the love of your life and do this rapid fat loss workout!

The Sweaty Couples Valentines Day Workout - Tabata Style Partner Training

This 20-minute total body partner workout will consist of all body weight-based exercises. For each exercise at each outlined station below you will alternate between 20 s of work and 10 s of rest. You will repeat this 30-second sequence eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest and transition before moving on to the next station listed:

Station#1- Partner Push-ups and Back Rows

Station #2- Forward Lunges and Mountain Climbers

Station #3- Partner Resisted Pillar Circuit (Planks/side planks)

Station #4- Squats and Bicycle crunches

Do these with your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband and get sweaty!

Go hard or go home!

DG
http://www.GoGirlbootcamps.com

How To Wake Up Pain Free Part 1

The look on my face after injuring my back!

Before I get into this post I wanted to say one thing: If you are reading this right blog post now or have read my blog posts in the past....THANK YOU. I appreciate it :)

Just the fact that you are reading this tells me that you are someone that looks to improve throughout life. I hope that I can keep benefiting your life with information that will help you move forward. Again, thank you so much for reading this!

If you are looking for a really effective fat loss program then you have to check out Andrea, Cyn and I on Rogers Daytime live Monday February 2nd at 11am, 5pm and 11pm. I'm going to intro a killer workout that can be done at home and doesn't require any equipment....other than your body :P

So the reason I'm doing this post is simple: I screwed up.

Sometimes it takes a moment of crisis to really let someone know that they have really effed up. I'll admit that I was so focused on finding the most effective fat loss programs, that I neglected to do the things that kept my body pain free in the first place.

Sometimes I can get so deeply obsessed about a subject that everything else goes out the window. Does that ever happen to you? I'm sure it does. Take this as a reminder to pull back. Do the maintenance before something bad happens.

Now I'm back to properly taking care of myself. I'm not only doing my rapid fat loss exercises such as supersets, trisets, tabatas, circuits etc...

But I'm doing the things that will keep my body and my joints healthy enough to stay active. You can say that I'm doing things that prevent injuries from even occurring in the first place.

So what should you do to keep a healthy body? If you are in pain, de-conditioned, feel tightness when waking up, getting up from your seat etc...START HERE.

Oh by the way if you sit at a desk from 9-5 all day long then this might be the most important blog post you may ever read. Don't worry I'll get back to that fat loss stuff next week I promise..

Disclaimer

The techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this document
are not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice.
Always consult your physician or health care professional
before performing any new exercise, exercise technique or
beginning any new diet. Any use of the techniques, ideas,
and suggestions in this document is at the reader's sole
discretion and risk.

Movement Prep

Movement prep prepares the body for movement. It boosts your heart rate, blood flow to muscles, and core temperature. It also improves the function of the nervous system. In laymen's terms: It helps you move better.

Think of movement prep as taking a few minutes to warm up your car. Especially in the cold winter months we are experiencing you can't just put the key in the ignition of your car and start driving.

I swear that immediately after I started doing this I started to move better and wake up in less pain.

Doing movement prep will warm up your body and stretch it at the same time, keeping it pliable to deal with life's surprises. It also beats going on the treadmill for 5 minutes watching CNN and getting depressed with all the bad news coming at you.

Here are the most important movement prep exercises for the 9-5'er:

Hip Crossover (A MUST DO) - 6 reps per side

- Builds mobility and strength in your torso by dissociating hips and shoulders

Hand Walk aka. "The Worlds Second Greatest Stretch" - 6 Reps

- Builds stability in your shoulders and core and to lengthen your hamstrings, calves and lower back muscles.

Forward Lunge/Forearm-to-instep aka. "The Worlds Greatest Stretch"

- Improve flexibility in your hips, hamstrings, lower back, torso, groin, hip flexors and quads.

Ideally I want you doing movement prep every day but for now I want you to do it 2 days a week (preferably before your workout). Do this for a couple of weeks and you will notice an immediate improvement in flexibility and overall movement.

This leads me to the second most important thing to wake up pain free....

Prehab

I compare Prehab to getting an oil change for you car. If you neglect getting an oil change for your car you are going to run into some serious problems.

Same thing for your body.

This Prehab unit takes care of vulnerable areas that get stressed in every day movement: your hips, core, and shoulders.

Prehab is specifically geared towards to strengthen your body so it can move better and stronger as well as decrease your potential for injuries.

You probably spend long hours hunched over a computer screen - most of us do. In time your shoulders will hunch forward and tighten. Here are some other things you may notice if you sit at a desk all day:

- Shoulders round forward
- Lower back starts rounding
- Tightness in hips, less mobile in the pillar area (core)

Do Prehab to prevent and strengthen those troubled areas. You don't want to wait for something bad to happen (like me) to start realizing that this is needed in your life daily.

Do these exercises in the order laid out before you as a warmup.

Pillar (lower back, abs, obliques)

Planks - 30 Seconds

- Creates pillar (shoulder, core, hips) stability and strength

*Make sure to suck your stomach in*

Easier Variation - Keep your knees down

Side Planks - 20 Seconds per side

- - Creates pillar (shoulder, core, hips) stability and strength

Easier variation - Keep your bottom knee down and lift

Shoulders

Stability Ball Y's and T's - 1 set, 6 reps

- Improves shoulder stability, which strengthens your rotator cuffs.

*If you can't use a stability ball do the exercises on the floor or a bench*

Again preferably this would be done every day. But for now just do it 2 times a week with your movement prep as a warm up.

So There you go! Start doing these immediately, especially if you are waking up tight and in pain. In part 2 I will be going over the most neglected part of taking care of your body. Stay tuned because you probably won't believe it.

Much love and respect,

DG
http://Www.GoGirlBootcamps.com
http://Www.GoPersonalFitness.com

Ps. Don't forget to check out Andrea, Cyn and I on Rogers Daytime live Monday February 2nd at 11am, 5pm and 11pm!