Soccer Mom with Big T-shirts - Amber Shawhan of Sexy Back Boot Camps fights to win the Kansas City Weight Loss Challenge

Let's cheer on Sexy Back Boot Camps member Amber Shawhan, in orange, as she goes against 6 others in Kansas City to bring sexy back and win!!

Watch a preview of Amber as she talks about growing up, weight gain, daily struggles, and more... ==> WEIGHT LOSS STRUGGLES

Every week there will be a new movie with their updates... stay tuned...



The winner will be in the February 2010 issue of Kansas City Fitness Magazine and win a $1000 cash prize!!

Let's wish Amber luck!! Add her on Facebook HERE

Kentucky Grilled Crap

By now, I am sure you have heard all about this new Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

And while I have no doubt that this is a better option than the Church’s fried chicken alternative, it’s still nowhere near an ideal food choice.




Congratulations! You are eating “grilled” chicken with a bunch of garbage on the side. Lord knows that mac and cheese and biscuits aren’t going help you look any better naked!

KFC says the grilled chicken has significantly fewer calories and fat, plus much less sodium, than its Original Recipe fried chicken that launched the brand more than a half-century ago.

After all, just as, if not more, damaging to our waistlines are the high calorie side dishes accompanying the chicken which are filled with refined starches and sugars and unnecessary amounts of saturated fat.

For too long now the fast food industry has made a killing on misinforming consumers about what is and isn’t healthy.

KFC claimed that it recently did switch cooking oils to eliminate all trans fats from their products- a noble effort indeed.

But upon further review, this does not look to be the case…

Here are the ingredients directly from their website:

KFC ® Grilled Chicken

Fresh Chicken Marinated with: Salt, Sodium Phosphate, and Monosodium Glutamate Seasoned with: Maltodextrin, Salt, Bleached Wheat lour, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Monosodium Glutamate, Spices, Palm Oil, Natural Flavor, Garlic Powder, Soy Sauce (Soybean, Wheat, Salt), Chicken Fat, Chicken Broth, Autolyzed Yeast, Beef Powder, Rendered Beef Fat, Extractives of Turmeric, Dehydrated Carrot, Onion Powder, and mot more than 2% Each of Calcium Silicate and Silicon Dioxide Added as Anticaking Agents.

Contains Wheat and Soy

I don’t know about you, but this certainly doesn’t sound like a nutritional powerhouse. First of all, “Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil” is not good for you and is a form of trans fat.

Trans fats are synthetic fats that are essentially foreign agents in our bodies. There is truly no room for them in a healthy diet.

Plus, a great rule of thumb is that the fewer ingredients in a food item the better it is for you, ideally less than 5 ingredients being a good marker. Well, if you count the ingredients in this “health” food, there are well over 20!

Fast food and convenience store marketing campaigns make it very hard for us trainers to do our jobs.

When a company says:

“Our _____ (name of product) is good for you because it’s low in fat or fat-free”

OR

“Our _____ (name of product) is good for you because it’s got no sugar”

OR

“Our _____ (name of product) is the perfect snack because it’s only 100 calories.”

In general, here are some great user-friendly guidelines to cut through all of the BS these money-hungry B!+ches are sending our way:

Beware of “Fat-Free or Low Fat” Foods:

These food choices are often high in sugar or contain added sugar to make up for taste lost which wreak havoc on your energy levels and prevent fat loss.

Look Out for “Sugar-Free” Products:

These food choices are typically made with artificial ingredients and sweeteners and/or are sometimes higher in fat to make up for taste lost and/or often contains sugar-alcohols that tear up your digestive system.

Stay Away From “100 Calorie” Items:

These low calorie bags contain ZERO nutritional value with little to no protein and are low in fiber and natural, healthy fats. Plus, these weight-gainers by another name do not fill you up between meals.

Probably the most infamous “healthy” marketing campaign is 100-CALORIE SNACK PACKS.



Which is better for you body: 100 calories of carrots or 100 calories of mini-muffins?
GET IT?

I know personally I could easily eat 10 of these packs without getting stuffed- I guess that would be a 1,000-CALORIE SNACK PACK ;)

Unfortunately, we live in a calorie-conscious society, and marketers truly take piggyback on this.

But you don’t need to be a freakin’ idiot like the rest of them.

Educate yourself.

Educate your friends.

Educate your family.

Remember, the market determines the direction companies will go. If we choose not to put this garbage in our bellies anymore, they will make less of it!

Twork it out!

Kri

PS- I just know you have got something to say about this hot button issue. Please make a comment to this blog post about what pisses you off the most about this KFC Grilled Chicken, or any other fast food marketing campaign for that matter!

Kansas City Personal Trainer Offers One-Month Free Training

Those who are on D.iets, get the fawk off of them right now!! I'm serious.

You've heard of people doing them. You may have even gone on a stupid d.iet before.

Here's reality... If it worked so well for you or your friends, why aren't you content with how you look and feel right now?

Because d.iets DO NOT work for a lifetstyle change!! Short term sexiness... maybe. Long term sexiness... NO.

Let's bring sexy back the correct way!



I network with the best trainers in the world, like BJ who designed the Workout Muse Soundtracks we use in class. And Jayson Hunter, a Registered Dietician from St. Louis. Jim Labadie, the master of marketing to trainers. And many others.

On May 29, 30, 31 I will be traveling to New Jersey to a fitness seminar where we'll put our Master Minds to work and design programs and products that will help our clients achieve real life fat loss in the quickest amount of time.

Everyday, we communicate online to provide and help each other with things that are going on in the fitness world. We use what works, and discard what does not work.

Jayson has designed some eBooks that he said I can distribute to my clients to help with Nutrition.

He's not a master of program design or personal training. I am. But I am not a master of nutrition, Jayson is. He is a master of how to combine nutrition with a well-designed training program to promote fat loss.

Take the time to read through all the information that I'm sending.

As you'll see, there will be clients who end up on April 24th, the end of the Biggest Loser Transformation Contest with a big goose egg! What does that mean?

A big ZERO!! Zero inches lost. Zero fat lost. Zero pounds lost. Why?

These are the folks who don't apply what they know. They make excuses. They don't ask questions. They assume that what they're doing is right. They do the same things day in and day out. They "know" what to eat and "know" what to do, but aren't doing jack shiznit about it.

Let's make a deal. Do you want some more free stuff? How about this?

Today is February 19th, so the first 19 people who leave a comment below AND send me a recent "before" picture of themselves, will get a FREE Sexy Back Boot Camps workout t-shirt!

All you have to do is leave a comment. That's it.

You have to comment on my BLOG on WHY you think you deserve to be the Biggest Loser of Kansas City and win a year of free training and tons of other prizes.

That's not it!!

You'll also receive a one-month free pass to join the class if you haven't been with us or give to a friend.

You have until Tuesday February 24th @ 11:59 PM CST.

Let the games begin!!

Twork it out,

Kri Chay
Email: kri@sexybackbootcamps.com
http://www.SexyBackBootCamps.com

Get A Sexy Stomach Without Doing A Single Crunch or Sit-up

What’s the main area everyone wants to improve and drop the fat from? The midsection! To get a sexy midsection, it’s gonna take some work. But for many of us no amount of crunches or sit-ups seems to get the job done. I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me the following questions:

“I do hundreds of crunches and sit-ups a day and I still have a flabby midsection. What the hell’s going on?”

Well, before I reveal your six-pack abs blueprint, let’s first straighten out some very important myths about how to get six-pack abs:

Myth#1- Weight Loss is the Key to Seeing Your Abs

WRONG!

The key to seeing your abs is fat loss, not weight loss. Let me further explain: your body consists of fat mass and lean body mass (water, muscle, bone, organs, etc.). You want to minimize your fat mass and maximize your lean body mass to build a sexy metabolism: one that starves fat and builds muscle like clockwork. By improving body composition you will put yourself in the best position to rock out your six-pack.

So if you lose 17 lbs on the scale at the expense of losing some lean muscle mass in the process you will end up slowing your metabolism, decreasing performance, and losing that good looking muscle tone. But if you lose 17 lbs on the scale and you manage to keep or gain lean muscle mass you will increase performance, see more visible definition throughout your body, and lose primarily body fat. Traci Fadler has lost close to 5 lbs and has gained over 1.5 lbs of lean body mass in less than four weeks!! That’s awesome and a big congrats to her!



The scale has far too many variables to account for that lead to frequent fluctuations such as hydration levels, sodium intake, and for women the menstrual cycle. I firmly believe one should NOT keep a scale at their home- it is such an anchor, particularly for women. Get off the scale and get over the numbers. The true goal is fat loss, not weight loss. Focus on clothing size reduction, digital before and after pictures, and of course the mirror for the most accurate progress tracking.

Myth#2- Do Lots of Abs Work to Burn Off Stomach Fat

WRONG!

Spot reduction DOES NOT WORK. You can’t just work the muscles of a certain area of your body and expect to have the fat in that region go away. Think about it: almost everyone does crunches but proportionately very few people perform total body workouts. So, with all of these crunches, we’d expect to see nothing but people with flat tummies and fat depots everywhere else on their body (arms, legs, etc.). But think of how many people you know and see on a regular basis whom have more than a few inches to lose in their midsection. See what I mean- spot reduction doesn’t work!

See, your body loses fat in a genetically pre-determined way when there is the appropriate caloric deficit AND hormonal environment created by proper eating and training. So your best bet is to focus on burning as many calories during your workouts as possible by engaging your whole body each and every training session (not just your abs). Compound, multi-joint movements like squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. (or better yet, total body exercises like squat to presses) burn a lot more calories than isolation movements like crunches and sit-ups. So be sure to focus on these movements first and then if you have time, you can do some extra core work to please the abs training Gods. These are the types of workouts we do in class every session.

Myth#3- Crunches and Sit-ups Are the Best Exercises for Your Abs

WRONG!

The scientific term for your six-pack muscles are your rectus abdominis. For years now, we have been conditioned to think that the best way to work your rectus abdominis is by doing endless crunches and sit-ups since these trunk flexion exercises make the muscles you want to see in the mirror “burn.” However, the true function of the rectus abdominis is to prevent hyperextension, not to flex forward over and over again. Anytime you brace your abs (think slight crunch before you get punched in the gut) and pull your navel into your spine you effectively stabilize your spine into a safe, neutral position. And the moment you relax your abs and lose that braced abs position, your back will begin to hyperextend putting you at greater risk for injury.

So, we focus on stabilization exercises in all three planes of movement (sagittal - front to back, frontal - side to side, and transverse - rotational) by using plank exercise variations. Besides training the true “anti-extension” function of your superficial ab muscles, these bridging/stabilization exercises also activate the key transverse abdominus muscles, or your deep abdominal stabilizers, that wrap around your spine and support your internal organs. Strengthening these inner ab muscles is the key to optimal posture and performance in addition to injury prevention, yet another benefit to performing planks over primitive crunches and sit-ups that often cause unwanted neck and back pain.

Myth#4- Do Lots of Long-Duration Cardio to Burn The Fat Covering Your Abs

WRONG!

Both scientific research and real world case studies show that aerobic training for fat loss alone DOES NOT work. Total body resistance training is the true foundation of any solid fat loss plan. In addition, interval training, where you alternate between bouts of maximum effort and active recovery, is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise. Please note that you can perform both resistance interval training and cardio interval training to combine the best of both worlds. More on this to come!

Alright, enough with the warm-ups, let’s get right to the “workout” >>

The Anti-Crunch Six-Pack Abs Blueprint:

Step#1- Lose the Fat That Is Covering Your Abs So That You Can See Them

A.) Boost Your Metabolism – Eat To Lose

- Drink at least 2-4 cups of water immediately upon waking and then drink at least 1-2 cups of water every 2 hours you are awake. Drink 1-2 cups of water for every 20 minutes of vigorous activity. Drink more on warmer days. I love drinking green tea every day to rev up my metabolism. It doesn’t have much caffeine and it has tons of antioxidants.

- Eat immediately upon waking and then every 2-4 hours after that for a total of 6-8 feedings per day (3 meals, 3 snacks - half the size of your meals, workout nutrition)

- Focus on a wide range of organic lean proteins, natural fats, and fruit and veggies

Sample One-Day Menu:

Breakfast- Scrambled Eggs, Greens, and Turkey Sausage or Bacon (Omelettes are good)

Mid-Morning Snack- Mixed Nuts and Fruit/Veggie of Choice

Lunch- Chicken, Salmon, or Shrimp Caesar Salad

Mid-Afternoon Snack- Cheese and Fruit/Veggie of Choice

Dinner- Turkey or Beef Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash (Cupini’s in Lee’s Summit is awesome!!)

Pre-Bed Snack- Protein and Flax Shake – Mix either 1 cup of water or skim milk with protein powder with flax or pre-made protein shakes like Muscle Milk Light.

- Take a daily multi-vitamin for your gender and an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement

- Use The Carb Reduction Blueprint: Use the following step by step process in the exact order listed to breakthrough any plateaus in your six-pack abs quest

Step#1- Replace all white carbs with 100% whole grain carbs and all refined sugars with natural sugars

Step#2- Limit all whole grain starch and natural sugar consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout or immediately upon waking for breakfast. (You need to replenish your blood sugar)

Step#3- Replace all starches and sugars with fruits and veggies

Step#4- Replace all fruits with green veggies

Step#5- Use strategic carb and calorie cycling to take your body to next level (my clients and I have had great success with this but it is beyond the scope of this article)

B.) Train To Lose Fat and Skyrocket Your Metabolism

- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday- Perform Total Body Circuit Strength Training

Sample Total Body Circuit Strength Workout- 20 Minutes (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down)

50-10 Interval Five Exercise Total Body Circuit- You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 s of rest for each exercise in the following five-exercise circuit. Perform this 5-minute circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body workout:

Exercise#
1 Single Leg Step Ups - Sagittal
2 Push-up Variation
3 Single Leg Squats
4 Inverted Bodyweight Rows
5 Medicine Ball Russian Twist

- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday- Perform Cardio Interval Training

Sample Cardio Interval Training Workout- 20 Minutes (not including five minute warm-up and cool-down)

30-30’s- You will alternate between 30 seconds of maximum effort and 30 s of active recovery. You will perform this 1-minute round up to 20x for 20 total minutes. You can perform this workout on your cardio machine of choice (stairmaster, elliptical, recumbent bike, jogging, etc.) or by alternating between the following body weight cardio exercises for the ultimate in-home workout:

Exercise#
1 Stationary Running
2 Jumping Jacks Variation

Step#2- Train your abs based on their true function: STABILIZATION

Below is one of my boot camp client’s favorite (and most hated) core workouts. It involves no crunches or sit-ups by using all plank stabilization exercises. Once you master these killer moves and follow everything else I previously listed above, you will have a sweet pair of rock hard abs to show for it… I guarantee it!

The Power to the Plank Workout- Tabata Style

This 20-minute total body core workout focuses entirely on plank stabilization. The plank collectively consists of your shoulders, hips, and core. It is your body’s powerhouse, foundational to all movement.

For each exercise 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 exercise listed.

For maximum benefits, you must seek to maintain a tight plank position during all movements by actively pulling your navel to your spine, engaging your glutes, and maintaining a straight line from the heels through the shoulders. The following coaching cues work really well for our clients:
“Suck in your gut – squeeze your butt like you have a million dollar lottery ticket in it and you don’t want it to fall out – be flat like a table top.”

Exercise#1- Front Plank Variation (static or dynamic)

Exercise#2- Left Side Plank Variation (static or dynamic)

Exercise#3- Right Side Plank Variation (static or dynamic)

Exercise#4- Back Plank Variation (static or dynamic)

Core training should be and will be the best exercise for functional training and of course, sexy abs.

Til next time, peace out!!

Twork it out,

Kri

Dishing Out The Best 10 Super Bowl Tips To Cut Thousands of Calories

Super Bowl Sunday is six days away. Other than the BIG Holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, this event has become a traditional celebratory day in America which we need to start preparing our stomachs for the goodies to come. This year, you can save yourself thousands of calories by using these party food alternatives at kickoff time.

The following is a comprehensive list of both approved food choices and/or healthier substitutes for traditional party foods. Use this list to satisfy your taste buds while saving at least hundreds if not thousands of calories in the process. If you use these strategies consistently for parties and social gatherings over the course of the year, this could prevent 5-10 lbs of fat gain… easily!

Section I- Appetizers

• Naked Sandwiches (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Thin Crust Whole Grain Pizza
• Fruit Salad (throw low carb whipped cream on top as desired)
• Super Salad Bowl (use unlimited veggies and meats, dip dressing on the side or use low calorie substitutes)
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Tuna or Chicken Salad
• Nut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Cheese, Eggs, and Meat Tray
• Raw Veggies (use dip sparingly)
• Grilled/Sauteed Veggies (use extra virgin olive or coconut oil)
• Figure-Friendly Nachos (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, cheese, salsa, and guac)
• Buffalo Chicken Bites (skinless, no breading, use low calorie buffalo sauce sparingly)
• Pasta Salad (use whole grain pasta and go easy on the dressings, choosing marina based sauces over creamier versions)

Section II- Accessories

• Natural Whole Grain Tortillas
• Natural Baked Chips
• Natural Cheetohs
• Natural Lipton Green Teas (or other low calorie/carb beverages)
• Water
• Natural Salsa
• Guacamole
• Salad Dressings: Vinegars of choice (apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
• Other Low Calorie Condiments of Choice: mustard, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.



Section III- Main Courses

• Lettuce Burgers (use extra lean sirloin or bison, preferably bun-less only using whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Rotisserie Chicken (choose “plain” and remove skin and dab off any grease as needed with paper towel)
• Extra Lean Kosher Hot Dogs (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Chili (preferably bean-less, only use if absolutely needed and feel free to swap extra lean turkey for the beef version to cut down fat intake)
• Pizza (see “appetizers” above or use whole grain/thin crust options from restaurants or frozen food isles)



Section IV- Desserts

• Edy’s Grand Light Ice Cream
• Prograde Cravers (100% organic chocolate snacks bars)
• Larabars
• Cocoa Via Bars or Packs
• Low Carb Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory
• Protein Cookies (swap in protein powder for flour)


BONUS- Top 10 Tips to Save Thousands of Calories on Super Bowl Sunday

1.) Do not fast in preparation for a feast as it will turn your body into a famished fat-storing machine the next time you eat. The resulting low blood sugar levels that come from not eating for four hours or more make you crave junk foods high in both fat and refined sugars.

2.) Hydrate: Drink at least two to four cups of water before eating AND one to two cups every 15-30 minutes after you start eating to fill your stomach, and prevent overeating that can be triggered by dehydration.

3.) Eliminate Empty Liquid Calories: Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. Opt for water, tea, or low calorie/carb beverages in moderation to leave more room for whole food choices that have more nutritional value and better fill you up.

4.) Go Naked: Replace all buns or breading for sandwiches with a lettuce wrap to cut calories, stabilize blood sugar, and boost fiber and micronutrient intake.

5.) Replace All White with Brown (Or Better Yet... Green!): Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta). Whole grains have more vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber which means they won’t have as negative of an impact on your blood sugar compared to its white counterparts. You can also go one step further by replacing all brown with green in the form of green veggies.

6.) Focus on eating lean proteins and fruits and veggies first. Use these in unlimited amounts as needed to fill you up and best prevent the typical party “killshot” of high carb and high fat meals (e.g. thick crust pizza with extra full-fat cheese).

7.) Never eat directly out of the bag or community bowl. Use smaller plates to put your food on while limiting yourself to a pre-set plate total (e.g. three-four plate maximum during a three-hour football game).

8.) Replace Gold With Green: Opt for guacamole over cheese for your salads and chips. Guacamole is not only low in saturated fat and high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats but it also has a ton of fiber that will help fill you up fast and prevent overeating. Though cheese is a true super food in moderation, it is very easy to overeat especially when mixed with refined carb sources like white chips and pizza.

9.) Replace Flour with Protein Powder: Few people know that protein powder makes a great cooking or baking substitute for flour (e.g. protein cookies). By adding protein and reducing carb intake you will boost metabolism.

10.) 20 Chews: Eat slowly and require a certain number of chews before you swallow to allow your brain enough time to get the “I’m full” signal (e.g. 20 pre-swallow chews).

Top Fitness Trends of 2009

I can't believe it's already the middle of December. Let's briefly look back at 2008 and let's see what happened. The fitness industry has tried but sadly has failed on changing enough lives to reverse the obesity epidemic that will hit us in 2009 and into 2010. More specifically, the sickening fact that American adults keep getting fatter, more lethargic, and less healthy has mirrored the unabated deterioration in the health and fitness of our youth population. However, on a positive note, I feel that 2009 will be host to several growing fitness trends that will provide the long-term answers to solve this ever-growing problem:

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

You've heard about Wall Street. You've seen big companies get "Bailed Out". We are living in 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 American simply does not have the disposable income for typical personal training rates that run about $60 per hour.

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 third of the cost of typical one-on-one training rates.

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.

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. pulled calves and hamstring, hip flexors...).

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

Americans 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!

Top 10 2008 Fitness Gifts for Last Minute Holiday Shoppers

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 an awesome corrective self-massage tool that will dramatically strengthen injury prevention and improve performance. It’s ideal to use for at least five minutes pre and 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. It’s like having a personal deep tissue massager in the house!

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! You can get it here
Perform Better Foam Rollers

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 crazy dude 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. To get the best bands in the business check out Resistance Band Training

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


You can’t beat a sporting goods store like Dick’s Sporting Goods 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, Nature’s Pantry, 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 man 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! Beauty Brands has a HUGE discount on massages, almost 50% off for first time folks. Check it out here at Beauty Brands

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 100% Whey Protein by Optimum available by www.musclesurf.com.


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 Products


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 guy, 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 ha!

9.) Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headset – Motorola S9


You can find this one below $100, but man is it worth the unparalleled listening pleasure and convenience. It’s this simple: drag and drop your workout MP3’s onto the your phone’s memory card 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. You can compare prices and get one here at Motorola S9



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 Kansas City area, come work with us for the best personal training on the Eastside – Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs, by visiting www.SexyBackBootcamps.com. We’ll change your life and have you looking better naked this New Year, guaranteed!

Twork it out for the holidays and have a very safe and happy New Year!

Oprah Winfrey says she weighs 200 pounds!

Again? Wow.

I got on the internet today and clicked on Yahoo.com and this story popped right up! I was so surprised....NOT.

Everytime I see her on the cover of a magazine, they're always talking about how Miss Oprah is awesome and her food and diet plans on television are awesome.

So if they're so awesome, why isn't she following her own advice?

Oprah says she's "fallen off the wagon."

She also says, "I'm mad at myself."

To my readers, diets DO NOT WORK!! You have to learn how to eat the right things at the right times...to keep it simple.

No carb diets lack....duh....carbs. The body needs carbs to function. Plus, the majority of your daily intake will consist of carbs so of course you'll drop weight when on a No carb diet because you're taking away 40-60% of your daily calories.

However, I guarantee you that when you go back to eating regular meals, your weight will jump right back up!! and maybe even more. Has this ever happened to you?

Oprah's goal is no longer to be thin; instead she wants to be strong, healthy and fit.

Finally!! She's figured it out.

I'm proud of her on that sentence. Folks, do not focus on the number on the scale. Try to set performance goals instead of weight loss goals. Something like, "I want to do 100 push ups in two minutes or run a half mile in under 4 minutes". Something like that.

A bathroom scale doesn't tell you how much muscle or fat you have, only how much you weigh...period. It doesn't tell you how strong, healtlhy and fit you are. People can fluctuate between 1-10 lbs. a day. And that mainly depends on how hydrated you are.

So to my clients and readers, Do Not focus on the scale. You may be skinny and fat, or you may be big and healthy.

Oprah goes on to say "I was talking the talk, but I wasn't walking the walk. And that was very disappointing to me."

She has a personal trainer so what happened? How and why did she get off track?

Who knows.

We often think of celebrities and their amazing bodies and we say to ourselves, “of course that person has an great body. They are rich and can afford to hire a personal trainer and chef and dietitian to work with them every single day.”

Training does not have to be expensive and it doesn't have to be hard. If you join my camps, SexyBack Bootcamps, you can get all of these things and more for a fraction of the cost of what gyms like 24 Hour Fatness is charging.

This Might Offend You

I'm going to start by saying that this might offend you.

That's not my goal, but the price of clarity is the risk of ruffling some feathers. Well, I believe that the fitness industry is about as efficient at providing lasting solutions for fat loss as the government is at providing solutions for a sagging economy.

They want to just provide Band Aids.

Pouring billions into broken companies doesn't un-break them.

Joining a gym and attending 2 hours a week doesn't cure the 166 hours of gluttony each week.

In fact, changing 35 years of bad habits in 12 sessions is about as likely as getting the winning lottery ticket.

To make a difference, it starts with the foundation.

Broken companies need to look at what they're fundamentally doing wrong instead of taking their bailout money and using it to keep doing stupid sh&t.

Gyms need to help people embrace new lifestyle habits instead of selling them access to equipment that has them sitting on their a<$ and pushing or pulling something for a few minutes.

Trainers need to focus more on helping clients think differently about food and exercise.

Workouts are short term.

Programs are better, but still temporary.

Changing lifestyles is the goal.

That's a big reason why I got involved in the IYCA.

It's a heck of a lot easier to educate and empower someone from the start instead of getting them to unlearn what they currently know and believe.

In fact, IYCA created a resource for parents to help them raise happy, healthy and active kids.

Well, I say it's for parents - but really, I've never met an adult that shouldn't read it.

You can see what I'm talking about here:

The Youth Obesity Solution

That project helped remind me, it all starts with a solid foundation.

If you have that, you don't have to continually try to cover up problems with Band Aids.

P.S. - Why should every adult read The Youth Obesity Solution. Three reasons:

1. You'll think differently about kids that struggle with their weight. Doesn't matter whether you have kids or not - you don't live in a vacuum.

2. Like it or not, if we really do want to cure the Obesity Epidemic, it hinges on re-infusing physical culture back into the lives of children.

3. 95% of the book's message is applicable to adults and will help you help them.