The Superbowl is a day that many people overindulge in thousands of empty calories without even realizing it. Now I know you may be saying to yourself it’s just one day, well I’m sure you said that at Thanksgiving, Christmas, News Years Eve, barbecues, birthday parties, graduation parties, barbecues etc..Many people don’t realize that all these overindulgence’s add up over the year to 10-20 pounds of unwanted weight gain.So managing the amount of calories you eat at all these events throughout the year can make a big difference in your waist line and health.

In my last post I gave healthier alternatives to traditional Super Bowl recipes, but if your attending a party and you have no control of whats being offered then use these 10 tips to keep your calories in check.Just by following these simple tips you can literally save yourself from eating thousands of calories.

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

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 triggers 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.) 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.

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. However, if you want to be a nutritional boy or girl scout, go one step further by replacing all brown with green in the form of green veggies (see “Go Naked” above).

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 and use smaller plates to put your food on while limiting yourself to a pre-set plate total (e.g. 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).

Bonus tip:

Before the big party put yourself through a damage control workout, one in which you will deplete all your glycogen stores in your muscle(sugar) and also elevate your metabolism. This is a great way to limit the damage as your muscle will be able to store and burn more of the carbohydrates you eat rather than storing it in your fat tissue. This is another great way to limit the damage from eating foods that are high in sugars and fat.

This is an example of what we did for out Thanksgiving damage control workout, just substitute any exercise in for one you don’t know or just google it:

Station#1:

Level 1:Stationary Running Low Knees/Mountain Climbers

Level 2 : Stationary Running High Knees/ Mountain Climbers

Level 3: Stationary Running side to side/ Push-up+ Mountain Climber

Station#2:

Level 1: Jumping Jacks/Push-up Jacks no push

Level 2: Jumping Jacks/ Push-up Jacks with push

Level 3: Jumping Jacks/ Push-up Jacks with feet and hands

Station#3:

Level 1: Skater Jumps Slow/T-Stabilizer

Level2: Skater Jumps Fast/ T-Stabilizer

Level3: Skater Bounds for distance/ T-Stabilizer + Push-up

Station#4:

Level 1: Ground Zero Jumps/Plank to Push-ups

Level 2: Ground Zero Jumps / Plank to Push-up

Level 3: Ground Zero Jumps / Plank to Push-up

Level 1: Running Lunges/Side Planks Knees

Level 2: Running Lunges/ Side Plank Feet

Level 3: Running Lunges/ Plyo Side Planks

Station#6:

Level 1: Hops Slow/ Push-up Walkouts Limit ROM

Level 2: Hops Medium/ Push-Up Walkout Increase ROM

Level 3: Hops Fast/ Push-up Walkout Increase ROM

Station#7:

Level 1: Triple Extensions/ Cross Body Mountain Climbers Slow

Level 2: Squat Drops/ Cross Body Mountain Climbers Slow + Push-up

Level 3: Iso-Explosive Squat Jumps/Cross-Body

Mountain Climbers on Elbows Knees To Elbows.

Station#8:

Level 1: Shadow Boxing/Crab Plank Dynamic

Level 2: Shadow Boxing/ Crab Plank Hold

Level 3: Shadow Boxing/ Crab Plank March

Make sure to use these tips and save yourself thousands of calories, not only on Superbowl Sunday, but anytime you find yourself hosting or going to a special event.

Have a great time this Sunday:)

Tim

With Super Bowl Sunday just around the corner, the time is now to start prepping for the smorgasbord of goodies for your football party. However, why not make a couple tweaks to some of your favorite party food recipes to make them healthier and more figure-friendly come kickoff?

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 and dash of splenda/stevia 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

• Caprese Salad

• 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

• Diet 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)

As you can see eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring, it just takes a little imagination and the willingness to be different. So avoid thousands of unwanted calories and give these a  recipes a try on Super Bowl Sunday

Everywhere you go people are looking for ‘energy’. Have you been seduced in by the ads promising “such and such” beverage will “give you wings”, or by stores offering sky-high cups of coffee. Where do you go for your fix? And is it really a fix at all? Or just a patch that leads to an inevitable crash and burn?

In reality, the “energy” we’re chasing is simply mental alertness.

And it’s no secret that coffee and cigarettes contain drugs that stimulate your brain, giving you the mental alertness we mistakenly call ‘energy’.

If you are searching a better way of living, a life that doesn’t depend on chemicals – literally, drugs! – to keep you awake and motivated, if you are tired of being tired, then being wired, and then being tired again, then set the coffee cup down, step away from the supersized Diet Cokes, and turn to holistic living.

There are better, healthier ways to achieve higher levels of physical and mental energy.

Here are 3 ways to get more energy, naturally.

1) Exercise

It doesn’t matter what time you exercise, just be consistent. Fit it in based on your schedule and personality. If you have to do it first thing when you wake up, just do it. Don’t even let yourself think about it. Just get started.

A lot of people think too much about their plan. That’s why Fit-2-The-Core Training works for so many people…they don’t have to think, they just follow the workouts and get done fast.

Focus on Metabolic strength training for 20 minutes followed by a brief interval training session to boost your metabolism all day long. It doesn’t have to be rocket science, here is an example of an at home workout you can get done in 20 minutes:

Each exercise is completed for 30 seconds with a 15 second transition to the next exercise, rest 60 seconds between each round:

1) Split Squat Left Leg L1: Bodyweight L2: Elevate rear foot L3: Add Resistance

2) Split Squat Right Leg L1: Bodyweight L2: Elevate rear foot L3: Add Resistance

3) Push-ups: L1: Elbow Push-ups L2: Elevated Upper body L3: Regular push-up

4) Body Weight Squat L1: Decrease ROM L2: Full ROM L3: Add Resistance

5) Front Plank L1:Ground L2: Elevate Feet L3: 2 pont or 3 point

6) Burpee: L1: Hands on elevated surface L2: Hands to ground L3: Add Jump

Complete 3 more times for 4 total rounds for a killer 20 minute workout.

Exercise is a drug. Like caffeine and nicotine, exercise causes the release of many chemicals into your blood, resulting in mental stimulation and an improved sense of overall well-being. Exercise just makes you feel good.

 2) Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Skip the cycle of starving and feasting characterized by no breakfast, a high-carbohydrate lunch, and a huge dinner. Instead, eat breakfast and then continue to eat every 3 hours for the rest of the day.

Research shows that a high-fiber breakfast helps control appetite and increases mental alertness all morning, and improves your ability to process information.

Do not skip breakfast and rely on a coffee to get you through the day. Got no time? C’mon! You’re an adult, you can get up 10 minutes earlier to have a protein shake, some almonds, and an apple. You’re not in high school anymore. No excuses!

3) Eat only whole, natural foods:

Eat more fruits, vegetables, organic proteins, raw nuts (not roasted in oil), Green Tea, water.

Trying to run on processed foods is a recipe for an energetic disaster. Stick to whole, natural foods during the day, snacking rather than binging on big meals, and you’ll never feel like dozing off.

If a food is from a bag or a box, it doesn’t deserve a place in your nutrition plan. Avoid all added sugars. Surely, you’re already sweet enough!

Bonus Tip!)

Take mini-breaks during the day to work on your mobility and Posture.

Work environments zap our ‘energy’. From poor posture, to eye-strain from computer screens, your office, cubicle, and car seat will suck the life out of you.

“British researchers recently found that when people exercised during their workday — regardless of the duration or intensity of the movement — they were less likely to feel fatigued, and that translated into a 15 percent improvement in job performance.”

Daily exercise breaks are essential to not only boost energy, but mobility. Each day, as your computer sucks you into its visual vortex, your upper body becomes rounded forward and tense. You need to reverse that movement. Here’s how…

 Wall Slides:

Stand with your back to the wall and feet about 4 inches from the wall. Place the back of your arms against the wall with upper arms parallel to floor and forearms at 90 degrees. Stick up your arms over head while keeping your arm against the wall at all times.

Slowly return to below the starting position tucking your elbows into your sides and bringing shoulder blades together. Repeat for 12 reps. Do this every 60-90 minutes.

In addition, get outside into natural light whenever possible.

There you have it 3 Simple Tips will give you higher energy levels and bonus a better looking body:)

Today I want to share an article written by Dewey Nielsen (http://impact-pt.com/about/) on StrengthCoach.com.

Crossfit is the big rage now and many people are joining the ranks. I get asked all the time when someone new comes to our facility, is this like crossfit , and I give them a resounding, not even close. That’s why we give free trials so they can see the difference and why what we do falls in line with what is appropriate and effective for their goals, whether it is fat loss or sports performance.

See I know what crossfit is from a different perspective than all that participate and most that coach it. I’ve been in this field for over ten years and spent thousands of hours and counting studying, attending hands on workshops and mentorship programs from some of the top fitness and sports performance specialists in the world, and most importantly applying this knowledge to our fat loss and sports performance training programs with great success.

So just like in my classes with my general population and my athletes, my job as a coach is to safely and effectively get them to reach their goals and also educate them in the process. I feel this article is in lines with that education process and something I could have not written better myself.

What Crossfit Is and Isn’t

Dewey Nielsen

To start, this is not a bash on Crossfit. This is not a personal attack on Greg Glassman, Crossfit coaches or anybody who participates in Crossfit. This is simply my view of what Crossfit is and isn’t. With that said, I will bet my bottom dollar that I will personally be attacked by the Crossfit community and most likely see a drop in numbers on my oh-so-important-Facebook-Friends-list.

I am in the business of making people fitter and healthier. Understand that this is what people pay me for. People come to me to learn how to move better, eat better, lose fat, gain muscle, fix muscular imbalances, avoid/prevent injuries and get better at their sport.

I choose training modalities that support these goals and tackle these goals in this order of importance:

1. Avoid injuries during the training process/DO NO HARM (If this is not every strength coaches #1 rule, they are do a disservice to the industry)

2. Reduce the risk of injury in sport or life

3. Attain the clients goal, be it fat loss, muscle gain, sports performance, etc.

I hope that gives you a clear and simple overview of how I go about this whole fitness and health thing.

What Crossfit is and isn’t

I’m sure there are good Crossfit facilities and coaches but I’m sorry, when you associate you’re name and reputation with non-sensical training and irresponsible coaches, how good are you really? When coaches are able to post horrendous videos on Youtube under the banner of Crossfit, the good coaches are instantly thrown into this category. If Crossfit ever had a goal of promoting intelligent fitness, videos like this don’t cut it.

(Yes we understand this is not a power clean in the video. It is a strong-man lift called the continental lift. Even if it looked good, its still not an exercise that should be prescribed for general fitness or athletes….. they are not strong-man competitors)

This video blew up on Facebook recently and I made a comment about what I think Crossfit is. Here is what I said: “This is another example that Crossfit is not a thought-out progressive exercise system, it is an extreme sport done with strength training tools. That’s what it is. No different than MMA, motocross, etc. It’s not a system meant to safely improve health, strength or work capacity for general pop or athletes. If I had a mid 40′s house wife that wanted to lose body fat, I wouldn’t ask here to go get punched in the face by our fighters. It’s scary that these folks can get certified over a weekend, open a gym and start coaching humans.”

What do I mean by a progressive exercise system? Simple. Not everyone is capable or ready for just anything. They must progress into performing specific tasks. Everything should be scaleable. Simple to complex movements. Lighter weight to heavier weight. Slower tempos to faster tempos. Common sense stuff.

But this is exactly what Crossfit lacks. There is no progression. Everybody does the same exercise, with the same load, for the same reps with absolutely no respect to form and technique. Get it up with any means necessary. But I’m sorry for the common sense here….. If Jane Doe can’t front squat 115 lbs for 1 rep, then she can’t front squat 115 lbs for 20 reps.

Now, before the Crossfit community starts calling me a pussy and sending me death threats, I can comfortably say I am not. I love extreme sports. I own a BJJ/MMA gym, I grew up skateboarding and I am a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I have always loved the rush that extreme sports give me. But I keep my love of extreme sports to myself and I would never push them upon a client that is simply looking to get in better shape.

With classic Crossfit quotes like “If you are afraid to fall off the rings and break your neck, we don’t want you in our ranks”, it should be obvious that this was not a system (technically it’s not a system at all) dedicated to making people healthier. This is where things get bad with Crossfit.

1. CF coaches have no idea it’s an extreme sport.

2. CF participants have no idea it’s an extreme sport.

3. People wanting to safely get in shape and are thinking about trying Crossfit have no idea it’s and extreme sport.

So the folks from category #3 see the bodies (because many of them are great) of the folks from categories #1 & #2 and think, “I want to look like that”. Since #1 & #2 don’t recognize the reality that crossfit IS actually an extreme sport, they go ahead and encourage #3 to join Crossfit. Unfortunately for #3, the lack of this understanding of what Crossfit is from #1 & #2 typically gets them a case of rhabdomyolysis, a bilateral shoulder dislocation, a blown achilles tendon, 3 herniated discs, etc, etc, etc, and they NEVER got the body they wanted because they have now spent more time recovering from non-sense injuries than they have spent actually training.

In Crossfit, only the mutants survive. Just like MMA, only the Randy Coutures survive. Ever wonder why you don’t see more 45-50 year old MMA athletes?? It’s because that shit’s rough. It’s an extreme sport and only the mutants age gracefully through years of extreme sports. They are the exception, not the rule.

If you love to participate in Crossfit, more power to you. Just understand what it is so that you don’t push it upon someone that shouldn’t be doing it. Hey, I love Jiu-Jitsu and it’s not the safest thing to participate in….. but I know the boundaries of who should and shouldn’t do it.

To any of the good Crossfit gyms and coaches out there (because I’m sure they exist), why, PLEASE ASK YOURSELF THIS, why in the world would you associate your name, your lively hood and your character by standing behind this banner?

First, before we get into today’s list, I want to share three rules that me and my trainers live by at Fit-2-The-Core when coaching our members through our Results Based Metabolic Resistance and Cardio Classes.

1) Absolutely NO talking during the performance of an exercise

2) Perfect form must be used in every exercise

3) This ties into number 2…Bodyweight progressions before ever adding weight. In other words if you can’t do an exercise with your bodyweight with perfect form, you can’t add weight.

Sometimes this doesn’t go over very well with some clients who like to “gab” more than they liked to workout, or clients who liked to say they could do 5 push-ups, when all they could REALLY do was 5 “quarter reps” with their elbows flared and their chin and hips getting closer to the ground than their chest. And it seems they just can’t except that right is right and wrong is wrong.

The bottom line is that we take our training serious her at Fit-2-The-Core. You want a buddy to chat with? Train somewhere else. And if you want someone to throw you through a workout no matter how you perform the exercises, then go somewhere where beating you up is the norm and pain is expected.

Sorry, but I care too much about my clients to let them get hurt or getting irritated by people who want to talk more than work.

And because we take our training seriously, I’ve built up a list of exercises that should no longer be in your workouts because they are ineffective or downright dangerous.

Here are the top 10 exercises to remove from your program right now.

#1 – The Elbows Flared Push-up

The shoulders flared push-up – where your hands are placed wide on the ground and your elbows are pointed out to the sides – which is the most damaging to your shoulders, and also doesn’t do any favors for your neck and lower back. Simply this position allows your shoulder to impinge, your chin to drop and your lower back to hyperextend.

To make this exercise safer for your shoulder joint, rotator cuff, neck and lower back, simply tuck your elbows to your body – so they point more towards your feet – and bring in your grip by 1-2 inches which will save your shoulder, relax your shoulders and keep your neck neutral(No flexion or extension) which will save your neck and keep your core stiff, so your lower back stays neutral, which will save your lower spine.

In fact anyone who can’t do a push-up correctly should start with simpler progressions, such as elevated push-ups, front planks (to develop appropriate stability in your core), push-ups on the knees, Elbow push-up on feet and then finally progress to a traditional push-up.

#2 – Anything done with a rounded back (even picking up dumbbells)

It doesn’t matter if you’re squatting, dead lifting, straight-leg dead lifting, rowing, or even doing triceps kickbacks, you must STOP doing these exercises with a rounded lower back.

That’s a one-way ticket to a herniated disc. In other very bad if you dont like back pain.

So make sure that you brace your abs, and keep your back in the neutral position – and even with a slight arch in your low back – as you do dead lifts, squats, and Stiff Leg Dead lifts (RDLs).

If you don’t know what I mean, or you still aren’t comfortable with those exercises, by all means DROP them and just ask for a substitute exercise. There are plenty of other movements I can recommend.

And one more thing…I see a lot of people (including my clients) who use great form in all exercises and then pick up Kettle Bells, Medicine balls, even their towel off the floor with a rounded back.

That’s another no-no.

You can just as easily hurt your back doing that as you can in an “official” exercise. So always, always, ALWAYS pick stuff up by bending at the knees and keeping the object close to your body – but NEVER by rounding your back (even when tying your shoes!).

Even if picking up the towel off the ground won’t hurt your back, it’s just a bad way to teach your body to get in correct positions correctly. There is a great quote that  is so true “The way you do anything, is the way you do everything”. Practice makes perfect!

#3 – Bench dips (where your hands are placed on the bench behind you)

Here’s the problem with these bench dips according to Bill Hartman Wrold Renown rehabilitation and corrective exercise expert …

“To achieve that much range of motion the scapula must tilt forward which is a pretty unstable position. This also means that the shoulder joint is unstable and increases demands on the rotator cuff especially the subscapularis”.

“Over time this is a lot of undesirable stress leading to impingement of the cuff. This doesn’t even consider the stress on the AC joint. It’s also a crap exercise for overload.”

In other words bad for your shoulders. So cut those out of your program immediately. I can think of many other exercises that are much better for health and body compostion su ch as Push-ups, Hands on MB Push-ups, TRX Tricep Extensions, close grip bench press etc…

#4 – Behind the Neck pull-downs or presses

I believe most people just don’t have enough shoulder and scapular mobility to perform these types of exercises safely. And because my clients health is of utmost importance to me,  I’m putting all “behind the neck” exercises on the no-fly list for your workout.

Some coaches say they are fine, and other coaches say it depends on the individual. And while I agree that some folks can do these without a problem, I look at it this way:

There’s NO good reason to risk your shoulder with these exercises when you get equal results from modified, safer versions of these exercises or simply by using other movements.

The risk is just not worth the reward. So be conservative and do your shoulders a favor by dropping all behind the neck movements and go with the front version instead.

#5 – Crunches

I recommend dropping crunches, and so does Mike Robertson, Men’s Health fitness expert, who recently wrote this about the crunch debate:

“I can’t believe we’re still arguing this stuff. I would’ve hoped by now that we’ve all thrown crunches and sit-ups by the wayside…think about the body-wide effects of crunching – a crunch trains the rectus abdominus by pulling the rib cage down.

“When we pull the rib cage down, we increase the thoracic (upper spine) kyphosis. This sets off a cascade of events – we increase the kyphosis, thus losing thoracic-spine extension. This consistently puts our scapulae in a poor position, not to mention putting our gleno-humeral joint( Shoulder Joint)at an increased risk for impingement as well.”

Let me translate Mike’s science…

Basically he said, STOP doing crunches!

#6 – Side bends

Unless you’re a power lifter or strongman competitor, you can stay away from side bends.

You don’t want to repeatedly bend your spine sideways any more than you want to flex your spine forward with crunches and sit-ups.

And besides, who has ever gotten sexy abs with side bends? Train the core for function. Also if you really want to see your abs, check your diet, no matter what exercise you do, you will not see your abs if your nutrition is crap.

#7 – Plyometrics to Failure

Hey, I appreciate the fact that people are putting more athletic movements into their fat loss programs. After all, you will get more results with athletic training than slow cardio.

But…you must be smart with your training. Doing “explosive” exercises to the point of muscle failure – and therefore, to the point of improper form – is simply wrong.

That’s what causes injury. And that causes people to drop out of their fat loss program.

So listen…be conservative. YES, you can use jump training in your fat loss program…after you have built up through progressions that teach you to land properly and develop strength in your muscles and tendons to handle the ground forces developed from this type of training.

And even then you can’t be doing plyometrics to failure. You can’t be doing plyometrics with sloppy form. And you can’t be getting hurt.

Train hard, but train safe.

#8 – Russian twists

Don’t do this exercise. It combines spinal flexion and rotation, and is unsafe for your low back. Sorry, it belongs in Siberia!

A safer version would be to get in the same position but keep the rotation in your upper back by keeping the arms and hands from moving outside of your shoulders while keeping your shoulder retracted and your core braced. This way you turn it into an Anti-Rotation movement for the spine and an upper body rotation for your thoracic spine where you’re meant to have it.

#9 – Sit-ups

Sit-ups are far worse for your low-back than crunches. As Mike Robertson wrote in his ab training article:

“You may not like Stuart McGill (expert on lower back health), but the guy has done his homework on the spine. If you want to get your lower back healthy, there are safer and more effective ways to train the core than performing sit-ups until you enjoy the unique pleasure of a herniated disc.”

I agree with him 100%. I think we do enough sitting nowadays anyways that causes more than it’s share of problems.

#10-Most Machines Based Exercises-

Machines have no place in any exercise program with the exception of cable column machine exercises that can be used for rows or other standing variations of pushing and pulling. We should train in a way that targets movements not muscles and also challenges the stabilizers of our joints which play a huge role in joint health throughout the whole body.

Single-joint, isolation exercises involve the use of only one joint at a time. Classic examples are leg extensions and leg curls (only involve the knee joint) and biceps curls and triceps extensions (only involve the elbow joint). Though these single-joint, isolation exercises may result in a better “pump” or “burn” in a specific muscle that makes it feel more effective, it doesn’t mean that they are providing the optimal muscle-building stimulus when compared to their multi-joint, compound counterparts.

Multi-joint, compound exercises involve functional movement patterns that occur in the real world across multiple joints at the same time thus resulting in greater total muscle activation and heavier loading and subsequently greater calorie burning, fat loss, and muscle growth.

So instead of leg extension go for KB Goblet Squats which involves more joints and muscles and resulting in a higher metabolic boost and more fat calories burned throughout the day.

So there you have it, 10 exercises to avoid. Your fitness goals should include body composition health and performance. And staying away from the exercises on this  list  is a great start for a fitter and healthier body in 2012.

Take advantage of our 14 day no obligation metabolic jump start program and see why we can guarantee our clients results. I’ll give you a hint on one reason why: We actually care about you and your fitness goals, thats right your more than just a member to us, your goals are our goals!

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

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

I know, I know. I promised diet strategies, but I simply cannot go without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20-40 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training. Even a 20-30 plus minute walk a few hours afterwards can serve as a bit of damage.

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

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

3.) Do NOT Gorge Yourself

Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. Remember this: binge eating is not the habit of lean individuals. It is imperative to understand that that holiday meals are not a ticket to eat as much as you can in as little time as possible. However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.

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

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

5.) Eat Leans Proteins and Fruits and Vegetables FIRST

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

6.) Drink, Drink, Drink Water!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.) Control your Portions

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

11.) Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol

One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you will gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Opt for regular solid food calories versus empty liquid calories (e.g. juices and soft drinks), for at least the food will fill you up and provide some nutrition where as liquid calories, particularly alcohol, have no such effect.

Rather, sugary and/or alcoholic drinks tend to make you hungrier in general and often hungrier for junk food in particular. Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the alcohol is processed out of your body in addition to the fact that alcohol consumption actually lowers leptin levels thus defeating one of the main purposes of this flexible eating (decreased leptin levels increase hunger and decreases your body’s use of fat for fuel). Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!

12.) Use Lower Calorie/Carbohydrate Substitutes Whenever Possible

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

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

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

Let me know if you have any strategies that have worked for you during the holidays!

Happy Holidays!

Tim Rudd

Halloween season is here and the time is now for a big-time reality check: pumpkin season is REALLY when the holiday weight gain starts! While the month of December is typically blamed for holiday weight gain, the fact remains that the pounds actually start to get packed on in late October.

The amount of eats and treats that people consume is alarming. One of the main problems is the smaller “snack sizes” that the candy manufacturers have made available. Eating several “mini” chocolate bars is something people see as “ok“because of their smaller size. In other words, it becomes a lot easier to convince yourself to indulge in these gut-swelling goodies and then you end up eating even more than before!

So now let’s focus on what we can control. Use the following three fat loss friendly Halloween tips for keeping the pounds off while still allowing for the occasional indulgence this trick or treat season:

1).Workout with Pumpkins:

Engage in some amazingly fun and effective seasonal fat loss workouts involving only your body weight and you guessed it… a pumpkin! This orange fruit can be used njust like a medicine ball except for the smashing or throwing aspect, unless that’s your goal! Make your very own 20-minute total body pumpkin fat loss workout, using the provided template below (the options are endless):

Exercise#1- Double-Leg Lower Body: Pumpkin Squats @ 30 sec max reps, 15 sec rest and transition

Exercise#2- Upper Body Push: Pumpkin Push-ups @ 30 sec max reps, 15 sec rest and transition

Exercise#3- Single-Leg Lower Body: Pumpkin OH Reach Lunges @30 sec max reps, 15sec rest and transition

Exercise#4- Upper Body Pull: Pumpkin Bent-Over Rows @ 30 sec max reps, 15 sec rest and transition

Exercise#5- Core Ant-Rotation: Seated Upper Body Russian Twists @ 30 sec max reps, 15 sec rest and transition

Exercise #6- Total Body:Pumpkin Squat-Thrust-Jumps @ 30 sec max reps, 15 sec rest and transition

- Perform this 5-minute circuit 4x for 20 total minutes

These high-intensity, metabolism-boosting circuit interval training workouts only take 20 minutes to complete and will have you burning tons of calories during the workouts AND even more calories while you’re resting… or having those scary for fat loss Halloween treats!

2) Make Healthier Halloween Recipes:

Think outside of the box when it comes to preparing Halloween snacks. One great strategy is to use fruit as a main component in your baked goods. The most popular fruit of the fall, the Pumpkin, is a health food in disguise. Loaded with betacarotene and packing 7 grams of fiber in just one cup, adding this to any treat immediately improves it’s health profile.

For example, make a healthier version of the classic pumpkin pie recipe by substituting the loads of sugar with Stevia and replaces high-fat condensed milk with only half the amount of low-fat or fat free condensed milk. Simple changes like this eliminate the high-sugar, high-fat combination that is responsible for the major weight gain around the holidays.

3) Use Common Sense:

- Only buy enough candy so that you expect to run out before the evening is over. It’s crucial to weight loss success to not have “trigger” foods lying around – the temptation is often too great.

- Allow yourself just one piece of candy in the morning and then one at night. Skip any Desserts that you would normally eat after dinner. Also, be sure to increase your exercise activity by thirty minutes on every day that you eat your two pieces of candy.

This will counteract the increase in calories that you are consuming.

- Furthermore, if you indulge a bit too much it’s important to forgive yourself and move on. Dwelling on the past will not help your success.

We must break out of the frustrating emotional eating patterns that sabotage our fat loss efforts during the holidays. Our brains are wired to crave the sugar-laded treats that typify the Halloween season. So, instead of using Halloween as a reason to justify eating a bunch of junk food we spin the seasonal event to spice up our boot camp workouts by using pumpkin exercises and healthier holiday recipes. Halloween thus becomes a fat loss tool for us, an approach that is key to adopting a healthy lifestyle for long-term weight loss success.

No Boo Excuses, Just Scary Results

Tim, Donnie and Dana

Seeing your abs, or any other muscle group, for that matter – is almost entirely the result of having low body fat levels. You get low body fat from proper diet (as well as High Intensity cardio and strength training), not from doing hundreds of ab exercises every day.

My guess is that it may seem like your lower ab muscles are “hard to develop, “but it’s not really an issue of “muscle development” at all, you simply have too much body fat and are storing it in your lower abdominal region more readily than other parts of your body and you can’t see the muscles through the fat.

Most people don’t have their fat distributed evenly throughout their bodies. Each of us inherits a genetically determined and hormonally-influenced pattern of fat storage just as we inherit our eye or hair color. In other words, the fat seems to “stick” to certain areas more than others.

MEN often tend to store fat more readily in the lower abdominal region (the “pot belly”, “spare tire”, “beer gut”, or “love handles”).

In WOMEN, the “stubborn” areas are usually the hips, thighs (“saddlebags”) and the triceps (“jiggly arms”).

You could focus on more “lower ab” exercises like hanging leg raises, SB knee tucks and hip lifts (“toes to sky”), but even these won’t help as long as you still have body fat covering the muscles.

You can’t “spot reduce” with abdominal exercises or any exercise for that matter.

The lower ab area is often the first place the fat goes when you gain it, and the last place it comes off when you’re losing it.

Think of ab fat like the deep end of the swimming pool. No matter how hard you try, there is no way you can drain the deep end before the shallow end.

I would suggest cutting back the volume on your ab training and spending that time on more full body strength training and High intensity Interval cardio work and focusing on proper nutrition instead.

Here is an example of a great belly fat blasting workout:

Resistance Phase: (20 min): This is a multi station circuit. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with 15 seconds rest between exercises and 1 minute rest between rounds for 4 rounds equaling 20 total minutes: Level 1=Beginner, Level 2=Intermediate, Level 3=Advanced .

1a) Split Squats Variation R-Level 1: Limit Range of Motion Level 2: Full ROM Level 3: Rear Foot Elevated

2a) Split Squat Variation L- Level 1: Limit Range Of Motion Level 2: Full ROM Level 3: Rear Foot Elevated

3a) Push-ups Variation- Level 1: Hold Level 2: Knees Level 3: Push-ups on Feet

4a) DB or KB Swings Variation- Level 1: RDL Level 2: Swing Level 3: Add Resistance

5a) Stability Ball Pike Variation- Level 1: Knee Tuck on shins Level 2: Knee Tuck on Feet Level 3: Pike Tuck

6a) Squat-Thrust -Jumps Variation- Level 1: Body weight Squat Level 2: Squat-Thrust Level 3: Add Jump

Interval Phase: (10-20 minutes) Do 4 continuous sets

Beginner Interval: Day 1

1a) Squat-Thrust- 10-1

2a) Push-up on Knees- 10-1

3a) Wide-outs- 10 reps constant

Perform as a circuit laddering exercise 1A and 2A down from 10 reps to 1 rep while keeping the wide-outs constant at 10 reps throughout the circuit.

Intermediate Interval: Day #1

1a) Squat-Thrust-Jumps: 1 to 10

2a) Push-ups on Feet: 1 to 10

3a) Jump Rope: 10

Perform as a circuit laddering exercise 1A and 2A down from 10 reps to 1 rep while keeping the jump rope constant at 10 reps throughout the circuit.

Advanced Interval: Day #1

1a) Squat-Thrust-Jumps: 20 to 11

2a) Push-ups on Feet: 20 to 11

3a) Jump Rope: 20

Perform as a circuit laddering exercise 1A and 2A down from 20 reps to 11 rep while keeping the jump rope constant at 20 reps throughout the circuit.

If you would like to receive a video of the above Interval workouts with a Day 2 included then all you need to do is like us on face book and we will send you over your private link for the workout video!

   Click Here To Like Us  and Then Comment “You Want Your Free Interval Video” and We Will Reply With Your Private Video Access Link To The Video.

As far as nutrition goes, here are a few fat-burning nutrition guidelines in a nutshell:

- Don’t count CALORIES! Just focus on eating Whole food sources throughout the day Like Lean Proteins, Fibrous carbs and good fats.

- Spread your calories into 5-6 smaller meals instead of 2-3 big ones. Be very conscious of portion size, too much of anything and you can say goodbye to your abs. Period.

- Eat a source of complete, high quality lean protein with each meal (egg whites, lean meat, fish, protein powder, etc). Always have a lean protein with each meal and always try to have a fruit or vegetable with it.

Choose natural, complex carbs such as vegetables, oatmeal, yams, potatoes, beans,brown rice and whole grains. Avoid refined, simple carbs that contain white flour or white sugar and only eat the starchy unprocessed carbs within two hours after your workout( ezikiel bread, sweet potato, brown rice etc…) Most of these have one to three ingridients and thats it, anymore and your eating fat storing foods.

The rest of your carb intake should come mostly from vegetables. Fruits can definitely be a part of a healthy fat loss plan, just ensure your portion sizes are controlled. But if you’re looking to lose belly fat I would limit your fruit intake to 1-2 meals a day or less if you struggle with fat loss. Always eat protein with your carbohydrates.

Learn to love healthy fats.There are 3 types of fat– saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Forget about that old “eating fat makes you fat” maxim. Eating all three kinds of fat in a healthy balance (about equal parts of each) can dramatically improve your health, and even help you lose fat. Your saturated fat should come from your animal products and you can even toss in some butter or coconut oil for cooking. Your monounsaturated fat should come from mixed nuts, olives, and olive oil. And your polyunsaturated fat should from flaxseed oil, fish oil, and mixed nuts.

- Drink plenty of water – a gallon is a good ballpark to shoot for if you are physically active. And avoid calorie loaded drinks such as Gatorade, juice and sodas etc…

Supplement with a high quality Omega 3 supplement as well as a whole food based multivitamin.

So while doing 1000+ reps of ab work four days a week is an amazing feat of endurance, it’s not how you get visible, rock hard, 6-pack abs! But could be how you eventually hurt yourself!

You might have outstanding development in your abdominal muscles, but if your abs are covered up with a layer of fat, you won’t be able to see them even if you do 10,000 reps a day!

You “get abs” from reducing your body fat and you reduce body fat mostly through diet, resistance training and high intensity interval cardio.

  Click Here To Like Us  and Then Comment “You Want Your Free Interval Video” and We Will Reply With Your Private Video Access Link To The Video.