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How To Break a Fat Loss Plateau

Here there....it's Dan here. I hope things are going awesome for you...things have been going crazy....pretty frikkin crazy.

I'm currently in the midst of changing up my workout programs (to make them even more sicker, wickeder and nastier....muahahaha) and planning for my 6 Week July Boot Camps.

I just got back from watching the Russell Peters show at the ACC and it was friggin hilarious! Big thanks to my body Dave for hooking up the tickets. Although I wish he made fun of Asian people a bit more....ah well....BTW I'm asian so I can say that ;)

We are in the midst of summer and it seems that everyone is looking for that "Look great FAST" routine for their bodies.

There are times where you know exactly why you don't see the results you want to see ie. Bad eating habits, not working out consistently etc..

But there are other times when you work so hard, see results initially but end up reaching a plateau. This could quite possibly be the MOST FRUSTRATING THING EVERRRRR.

So why do our bodies hit this plateau? I'll give you 3 reasons:

1. You are on the wrong exercise plan

Basically this means that the program you are on is not working in the first place. Examples of bad programming are:

- None or Very Light resistance training using 3 pound weights that will NOT CHANGE ANYONE'S BODY AT ALL...No you will not get bulky if you use bigger weights ok? I promise.

- Tons of aerobic activity ie. cardio, fitness classes

- Eating too little or too much calories for your body

Solution: The easiest way to avoid this plateau is to work with an exercise program that has a proven track record of achieving fat loss results.

2. You have a great plan but you just are not following it

This is probably the biggest problem. It reminds me of this post from fat loss expert Alwyn Cosgrove. You can have the greatest plan in the world.....BUT if you don't follow it the plan becomes ineffective.

You could be working out and revving up your metabolism with some sick workouts but if you end up eating crappy during the nights you are bound seeing the same body the night after.

Solution: Make small positive changes to your lifestyle every week and laser focus on them to make them habits.

3. You gotta BE DIFFERENT!

After 3-4 weeks your body adapts to the type of exercise program you are on. You always have to change up the workout program to keep on seeing results. So the plan that was supposed to help you burn 3 pounds of fat per week will only last 4 weeks.

Where workout programs fail is when you keep on doing the same old thing week after week after week after week....and expect to see results. It's like taking crazy pills.

Solution: Make sure you are changing up the program every 4 weeks so you can keep seeing results and show off that new body come July.

That's it. With a properly designed fat loss program that takes into account everything we talked about above you can get anyone - I mean ANYONE - to get that lean stomach and toned up legs.

Talk soon,

Dan

51 Universal Success Tips For a Better Body

My definition of success is being satisfied with yourself and to always keep on searching for ways to grow and improve. Successful people just don't rest on their laurels when they reach their goals.

But hey that's just me.

When I came up with the idea for this post I was in the shower. It shot into my mind like a bat out of hell and I had to jump out of the shower and jot down EVERYTHING that was coming out.

A lot of these things are things I have had to learn and re-learn myself. I'm definitely not a perfect person but I have learned a lot of things from the screw ups I produced along the way.

When I was done I came up with 51 tips for a better body and general world domination ;)

Here they are...in no particular order....I hope you like'em

1. You can never out exercise a bad diet.

2. When eating out make sure you ask the waiter to fill up your plate with two servings of veggies rather than the mandatory carb that comes along with it.

3. Always write down goals for yourself. Don't type them. Write them.

4. Make sure those goals are so out of this world that everyone will be looking at you like you are crazy. Shoot for the stars and you'll end up in the clouds. It's so cliche but true.

5. Take a before picture of yourself. Front, side and back.

6. Front load your carbs in the beginning of the days. On workout days you can have more than normal carbs. Non workout days I would have little to none.

7. Drink water. A dehydrated body will not lose fat.

8. 99% of the time do full body workouts with little to no rest in between.

9. Don't bring a cell phone with you to the gym.

10. Don't take fat loss advice from someone that doesn't look like they practice what they preach.

11. 90% of personal trainers suck. Research them out and make sure they have testimonials so they have a proven track record of getting results.

12. You will end up living up to the expectations of everyone else around you. Put yourself in the company of people who have achieved what you already want to achieve.

13. There is no one perfect fat loss program.

14. There are only a few fat loss principles.

15. If you screw up (which you will eventually do) don't beat yourself up for slipping up. Focus on the solution rather than the problem.

16. Thoughts equal things. Focus on what you want ie. Flat stomach, toned thighs etc.. rather than what you don't want ie. "I don't want to get fat", "I don't want to eat badly" etc..

17. Always measure yourself every single month to see if you are making progress. Most important measurements are the hips and waist.

18. Have less than 10 seconds rest time between sets for a circuit or Tabatas. The less rest you have in-between sets the more your body turns into a fat burning machine.

19. Always aim for the "Afterburn effect". Afterburn happens when you end a day of exercise but an hour later you are still sweating from the workout. This is your metabolism on FIRE.

20. Buy clothing that is a size or two down from what you normally wear. Make it your goal to fit into that piece of clothing in two months.

21. Fitness classes (Step classes, fake weight classes, tae-bo classes, etc...) are fun but ineffective at helping you burn fat and achieve the body you want to achieve. Avoid them at all costs.

22.Yoga is awesome for developing an injury resistant body but horrible for fat loss. An average yoga class burns 130 calories. Sweeping your floor burns 130 calories.

23. Doing exercise with a friend is the best way to stick to a workout program.

24. If you do exercise with a friend, make sure they are AS SERIOUS AS YOU ARE in terms of achieving your goals. Which leads to...

25. If you can have a full out conversation when working out....you are NOT WORKING OUT HARD ENOUGH.

26. Always change your exercise program every 4 weeks to never let your body plateau. This means changing the entire program and doing something totally different. Don't just think types of exercises. Think ENTIRE program.

27. Always do your cardio intervals after your strength training.

28. Always take a post workout protein shake after a workout. This will boost your metabolism and increase the effectiveness of the workout.

29. Always aim for protein at every single meal.

30. Aim for 5-6 meals spread apart every 2-3 hours every day.

31. Always take a fish oil supplement and a multivitamin at least once every day.

32. Always seek a coach or a mentor to help you achieve your goals especially in areas you are weak in. I hire a business coach to help me out with my business. He costs a ton but he is worth every penny.

33. Adopt a long term mindset when trying to achieve a goal. Nothing happens overnight. We live in an instant gratification society where we wants things done FAST. The truth is it took us "X" number of years to develop the body we have.

It won't take as long to lose it but you have to be patient if you don't see anything happen in a couple of weeks or even months. Keep at it and don't quit.

33. Stop rationalizing. We rationalize and lie to ourselves to soften the blow. We gotta be radically honest with ourselves and push for the solution.

34. It takes more energy to be positive than negative, to be optimistic than to be pessimistic. Choose to consciously be optimistic and positive and you will attract more good things in life to you. This sounds a little esoteric but it's a universal law just like gravity.

35. Make sure you have one day a week (if you are eating right) to do/eat whatever the hell it is you want.

36. Always look for ways to stay active while doing something that is fun for you. Mine are basketball and beach volleyball. What are yours?

37. Always try various workout programs from different experts. I always use my body as a laboratory and try out as many fitness programs as possible not only to make myself a better trainer but to submit my body to different types of stresses so it can always keep getting leaner.

Right now I'm using Mark Verstegens Core performance workout. I'm cutting down using Alwyn Cosgroves After burn 2 program.

38. Stay outside of your comfort zone as much as you can. Doing uncomfortable things will result in more confidence, more growth as a human being and more skills.

39. Never whine, bitch, or complain....EVER. The more you whine, bitch or complain about a situation the more that situation will get worse. It never helps. Plus no one wants to hear about it.

40. Intensity EQUALS results.

41. Get away from using machines at the gym. Use your body weight, free weights, kettle bells elastic bands...use them ALL! But don't use the machines. They just absolutely suck.

42. Always aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep a day.

43. Ladies aim for half a gallon of water a day. Guys aim for a gallon of water a day.

44. Have only ONE GOAL and stick to it. Don't have a goal to lose 10 pounds and win a marathon. Confucius says, "Man who chases two rabbits, ends up with none". Have one goal and laser focus on it until you achieve it.

45. Keep a nutrition journal to keep track of your eating habits.

46. The best Ab exercise is pushing yourself away from the dinner table.

47. Understand that there are three kinds of business in life. Your business, other peoples and life's business. Your business is your thoughts and actions. Other peoples business is their thoughts and actions. Life's business are things like the weather and the traffic. Focus only on YOUR business, because it's the only thing that matters, the other stuff you can't control so don't worry about it.

48. Only do things for yourself not because someone else wanted you to. Ride your own race and compare your results only to yourself.

49. Always take action but don't be attached to the outcome.

50. When working out for fat loss stick with compound exercises that hit multiple muscle groups such as squats, pushups and lunges.

51. In Guy Ritchie's kick-a** film RockNRollla there's a chase scene that just goes on and goes on ( the secene is funny as hell by the way )… the bad guys just won't give up no matter what… where most people would have keeled over and died, these dudes just keep comin' at ya… that is how you get the body you dream of. <----Borrowed from my business coach.

52. (Bonus) It may sound totally cliche but we only get one chance at this thing called life. Enjoy the ride as much as possible and don't take anything too seriously ;)

What tips do you have to add on this list? Please add them below...

Want to join other women who have successfully transformed their bodies in my guaranteed results boot camp? Here's how: Http://www.GoGirlBootCamps.com

The Cure For Diabetes

If you have been affected in any way by Diabetes then you HAVE TO READ THIS article.

Diabetes is one of the worlds rising epidemics due to lack of exercise and high carb diets. It gets even worse when you read about what the leading authority on diabetes The A.D.A. (American Diabetes Association) is recommending to treat the disease.

Even if you don't have diabetes or don't know anyone that does do yourself a favour and read this article piece. Reading this will take 10 minutes of your time but will provide you with chance to possibly SAVE someones life:

The Cure for Diabetes

6 Pack in 28 Days

I really don't know where to start with this so I'll repost my original email that lead to all this craziness....

"Trust yourself. Think for yourself. Act for yourself. Speak for yourself. Be yourself. Imitation is suicide." - Marva Collins

"My body is my laboratory." -Chris Shugart

This is first article I have written where I have absolutely no idea where to start. So I thought I would start from the beginning...

In elementary school, I was a jock. I was co-captain of the volleyball team and playing beach volleyball in the summer. I was active just like most kids at my age.

In high school I was more of the same. I played basketball regularly, beach volleyball in the summer and, embarrassingly, I was on the table tennis and badminton team. I was - and still am - a big time geek, but I was still physically active.

Then I took a year off after high school and my body started falling apart. I hung around the wrong crowd and my physical activities took a back seat.

Before I started working out, I was what you would call A FAT SLOB: I was smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol frequently, eating crazy amounts of junk food (a bag of chips in one sitting was my favourite snack), and just generally inactive. My form of exercise was sweating in a pool hall playing Foos Ball and really intense games of Super Mario Brothers.

Even my friends would make fun of me and call me fat <*tear*!>. Cry me a river!

I won't get into the specifics of it, but at some point I got really pissed at myself and decided to do something about it. Thanks to my big brother and my dad I started to work out... AND I LOVED IT. I could go on but as they say, "The rest is history."

Fast forward to today.

I am doing a job that I LOVE. I am in the best shape I have ever been in my life. I am 29 years old, I work out 3-5 times a week, play basketball twice a week, and in the summers I spend my days at the beach playing volleyball. The only thing is... I still don't have that well-defined stomach that everyone is searching for.

This has been the elusive holy grail I have been chasing for the past 8 years. I have a good shape and shades of ab muscles, but not a ripped, defined, "Let me wash your shirt on my stomach" type of abdominals. My muscle tone is good but not where I want it to be. Never being satisfied is my gift and my curse.

The Holy Grail of Fitness

Enter the V-Diet. I have been researching this diet for the past 4 months and it is the craziest thing I have ever come across in my life. It is essentially what the headline to this email says: Reduce fat at a rapid rate while keeping/increasing your muscle and achieving a crazy defined six pack.

Instead of going through the logistics of the diet I'm going to ask you to read this site: www.velocitydiary.blogspot.com

This is my journey and I want to include you all into it. So instead of having 30 friends keeping me accountable I have the 1600 people who read this to be accountable to. I know most of you will think I'm crazy. I'll let you know what: I am crazy! Crazy enough to experiment on myself and see exactly what I am made of and how effective this can be.

Have a GREAT week everybody and stay tuned in to my journey!

DG

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