Just to be clear when I say cardio I mean traditional low intensity, long duration activities like jogging, biking etc.  So why are these types of activities useless when it comes to fat loss?

1. Excessive cardio is shown to elevate cortisol levels.  Cortisol is referred to as the stress hormone which makes it super tough to lose weight…especially around the mid section.  That’s why people who have high stress jobs will carry more belly fat.  In these instances we will take natural supplements to drop cortisol levels.  Also, it makes sense that if cortisol is a stress hormone, why would we want to do activities that elevate it?  Peoples bodies were not meant for running long distances, but rather for short bursts.
2. Cardio produces a lot of free radicals, which might not mean much for fat loss but does accelerate aging.  This is why people that do excessive cardio look many year older than what they actually are.
3. Cardio does not increase Growth Hormone (GH).  GH is a potent hormone that is released naturally by the pituitary gland.  It’s production starts to decrease after the age of 30 by 1% per year or 10% per decade.  This is one of the reasons that it gets harder to lose weight as we get older.  GH is extremely potent at burning fat while increasing lean muscle mass, this is why athletes get caught with taking the synthetic form.  With proper training we can elevate GH naturally.  It is also important to note that GH is often referred to as the youth hormone and many anti aging doctors prescribe it..
4. Cardio does not increase EPOC(Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption).  An elevated EPOC means that metabolism is elevated to a significant degree after the workout session.  This is what is referred to as the after burn.  EPOC is affected by intensity of an exercise and not duration.  Which means it is affected by how hard you work not how long.
5. Cardio does not increase a lot of the important enzymes and proteins involved with helping the body to use fat as fuel.

So how can we manipulate the cardio program to take advantages of all the points that I just went over?  Interval training!  Interval training is all out maximal exertion forces for a short duration followed by recovery then repeated many times.  Interval training is extremely effective for weight loss as it:

1. increases GH
2. increases EPOC
3. increases the enzymes and proteins that are involved with burning fat as fuel
4. does not increase cortisol levels

A recent study in the Journal of Medicine And Science in Sports and Exercise proved this point.  The study took place over 6 weeks and compared 2 groups.  The first group ran 30 second sprints followed by 4 minutes recovery repeated 4 times then increased to 6 times midway through the study.  The other group was the low intensity endurance group which ran at 65% of heart rate max and ran from 30 minutes and increased by 15 minutes every two weeks, to reach 1 hour training sessions.

Now look at the results after 6 weeks:

The interval group lost an impressive  average of 12.4% body fat or 2-3kg

The endurance group lost a measly .5 kg

Now the real kicker to this is that at the end the sprinters only sprinted for .75 of an hour compared to 13.5 hours for the endurance group!  Which means they lost more fat while training for 1/18 of the time.  Do you want to jog for 13.5 hours just to lose 1lb of fat?  I know I wouldn’t.  The take away from this is that you can lose a lot more fat in way less time using interval training.  It must be noted that the interval training must be performed maximally to see these results.  The interval programs I give my clients range from 15-35 minutes and have a significant impact on weight loss.  The best part is you don’t need any equipment to do them as you can just do sprints out side.  It should also be noted that maximal intervals are not to be performed by beginners and should be worked sensibly into the training program.

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First a foremost, the person must go on a diet plan.  Put it this way.  You can lose weight just by dieting, but you cannot out train a bad diet.  The best diet to lose weight is a low carb, high protein diet with a moderate amount of smart fats.  This diet works well as it causes your body to switch over from burning carbs to burning fat as it’s main fuel source.  Also this type of diet keeps insulin in check which is critical when trying to lose weight…especially those dreaded “love handles.”  I offer this diet for free all you have to do is enter you name and email on the right hand side where it says Fat Furnace Diet and it will get sent to you immediately!

The next important thing is to put the person on a properly structured weight training program.  A Lot of people are still in the dark about this, but it has been proven that weight training is way more effective at losing weight than traditional cardio.  The key here is to increase a persons resting metabolic rate (RMR).  When you do standard cardio, your resting metabolism goes back to baseline relatively soon after you stop the activity.  With weight training it attacks RMR with a potent double edge sword.  First of all weight training increases muscle mass.  Muscle burns more calories at rest then fat does.  So essentially by gaining muscle you burn more calories all the time…even if you are just sitting there.  Secondly, weight training causes your metabolism to be elevated for many hours after you are done your training session which is often referred to as “the after burn.”  After an intense fat loss training session you can literally feel the fat burning happenening many hours later.

Weight training is also superior because of its ability to raise Growth Hormone (GH).  GH is extremely potent at burning fat and gaining muscle, that’s why so many pro athletes take the synthetic form.  By manipulating certain variables in the weight training session we can maximize the output of GH naturally thus increasing fat loss even further.  It is important to note that GH is seen as an anti aging hormone and once you reach 30 your levels start to decline.  This is one of the reasons why so many of my clients who are 40+ feel and look much younger once they start training, because now with the training we are elevating their depressed GH levels.

To accomplish these things the weight training program should follow this structure:

• full body workouts done 3-4x/week
• use higher reps (8-20)
• use short rest breaks between sets (10-60 sec)
• use compound movements vs. isolation exercises

It should be noted that a person must push themselves hard for the gains to be seen.  Obviously when a person is just starting out you do not want to push them too hard, but you must scale up density/intensity as they progress.

I would also prescribe a interval training program to be done 2-3x week on non consecutive days. It should last anywhere from 15-40 min.  Interval training is anything like running or biking where you do all out bursts followed by recovery repeated.  This type of training is superior to standard cardio for a few reasons:

• it increases fat loss through the after burn effect.
• it increases GH production
• it increases the activity of various fat burning enzymes that are not seen with standard cardio.
• it preserves muscle mass while cardio breaks it down
• cardio increases the stress hormone cortisol which makes it harder to lose weight.

These are the reason why if you ever look at 100 meter sprinters they are always super lean and muscular because this is how they train.  They train with short sprints followed by recovery, repeated many times.  Now you compare this with marathon runner who in contrast carry more body fat and carry less muscle.  Put them standing side by side and see which body type looks more appealing.  If you have ever noticed most endurance athletes look older than what they should and have a skinny fat body type.  My next article I will go in depth on interval training vs. standard cardio.

So if you are in a bind and need to lose weight quickly for the summer I highly recommend you follow these steps and start losing weight today!

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First of all it must be said that the quality of bootcamps, like any other fitness training will be largely dependent on the person teaching them.  I know of boot camps that are pretty good and also know of bootcamps that are not so good, so if you plan on taking one…then do your research first!

I have done bootcamps in the past, they are really good from a trainers point of view, in the money making perspective.  Most bootcamps charge around $10 per session per person.  So If you have 20 people in a camp and do it 3 x/week, the trainer just made $600 that week off of 3 hours of work!  Now some trainers are doing multiple sessions of these, so you could see why a lot of them are jumping on the bandwagon.

I will go over some of the good points of bootcamps.

• the social aspect-  doing physical activity in groups can help with adherence and many people enjoy the social aspect of it.
• gets you moving- many people who join bootcamps are relatively inactive.  This gives them a way to start exercising.  Anything that gets you moving is better than nothing.  This could be seen as a good or bad thing, which I will go over later.
• price- probably the best quality of the bootcamp is that you can exercise for relatively cheap.  Considering that each bootcamp session is around $10-$15/session (you can sometimes get it even cheaper with specials) most people can afford it.  When you compare this to personal training which is $25-$75+/hour you can see how this might be the only alternative for some people.
• flexibility- bootcamps will have other people in them, so if you cannot make it for any reason then it really is not that big of a deal.  Your overall commitment does not have to be that great.

Now lets have a look at some of the things that I do not like about bootcamps:

• the instructor to student ratio is horrible- It is very hard to keep an eye on so many people at once.  Which means that chances for injury go up.  Also if there is any technical aspect of an exercise to teach then this is a problem.
• the variance of the physical abilities of participants-  This is the biggest issue I have with bootcamps.  Most of the time the people in the class will range greatly in their physical fitness abilities.  So for some people the class will be too easy, giving them little benefit.  For some, the class will be way too difficult, which is not a good thing either.  And then of course for some the workout will be just about right.  Remember if the activity is either too easy or too hard then the benefits of the activity suffer greatly.  There are some instances where this does not happen, like say bootcamps for team sports where everyone is basically on the same fitness level, then this does not apply.  But, for the majority of the bootcamps this is not the case and is quite self evident if you have ever attended one.
• participants with special considerations- many people in the class will have special considerations and will need to avoid certain exercises.  One person may have a herniated disk, another one with high blood pressure, another with diabetes, another with a rotator cuff injury, etc.  You cannot personalize the program for all of these people, which once again will affect the overall benefit that they receive from the training.  As well as cause greater injury or be dangerous for the individual.
• There is no proper progression in the workouts.  You must constantly challenge the person without making it too hard.  This is one of the most important variables of working out.  Once again this is hard to do with such a big class.

So for these reasons I am not crazy about bootcamps.  I feel that the person taking them is not making the best use of their time, if they are planning to workout.  Training 1 on 1 with a trainer will give you superior results with far greater less chance of injuries.  The only time I will say bootcamps are the answer if money is an issue.  Bootcamps are a relatively cheap way to start exercising and doing something is better than doing nothing.  The person must also be realistic when taking the bootcamp and realize that the results will not be as great as working with a trainer one on one.

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Injuries from repeatedly running many hours happen for a few reasons:

• Overuse injuries from doing the same activities over and over.  If you keep stressing the musculoskeletal system in the exact same way day in and day out you will cause damage to certain structures.
• Weakness/Muscle Imbalance-  Runners are well know for being really weak, as long distance running breaks down muscle tissue.  The nature of the running plus the weakness causes muscle imbalances that can lead to injuries.
• Most runners do not follow any system that provides time for recuperation such as varying intensities and volume.

Here is what I do to runners that come in with injuries that have failed to be rehabilitated with other methods:

1. I will make them quit running totally for at least a month, but more often then not it is longer than that.
2. I will make them take high doses of fish oil to decrease inflammation and try to get them off of any anti inflammatory medication.
3. I get them to follow a low carb diet as most carbs are pro inflammatory.
4. I will start them with a muscle building(hypertrophy) weight training program 3x/week.

The initial weight training program will follow these guidelines:

• They will be full body workouts-yes training the upper body does increase running performance.  Also most runners are very weak everywhere.  Posture is usually a problem with them and needs to be corrected.
• Exercises for the lower body will be free weight exercises with a combination of unilateral and bilateral movements.  Important for the knees, hips, and ankles.
• Lower body exercises MUST focus on the VMO and hamstrings as these are critical for knee stability and health.  These muscles are underdeveloped in the majority of people I see-runners or not.
• All exercises are done full range of motion to correct muscle length/strength imbalances.
• Rest breaks start off longer to encourage growth/strength increases, then gradually lowered to improve conditioning which results in better running performance.

There are many other variables to go over when designing the proper program but these are the main points.  It is not uncommon for runners who have been experiencing pain for many months or years to be pain free within a month.  Once the pain is gone we continue to increase strength while at the same time increase conditioning.

The next step is to add in cardio intervals 2-3x week starting off at 15 minutes each and building up to 40 minutes.  Once a person can do 40 minutes 3x week of cardio intervals with no pain it is time to start adding some long distance running back in.  This really makes the runners happy because now for the first time in a long time they are running pain free.  It is important to note that once running volume increases we will cut down on weight training volume while keeping the intensity high to maintain muscle mass and strength.  This can be accomplished with 2 weight training sessions per week at 30-45 min.

It is important to understand that volumes/intensities of the weight training and running sessions must work in harmony together or you will set yourself up for more injuries from over training.

Another important factor that alot of runners do not know about is that long distance running stresses the adrenals and causes cortisol and other stress hormones to be released.  People where not meant to run for long periods of time, they were meant for short bursts of speed.  Interval training does not cause this.  This is why I recommend that once the runner returns back to running I get them to alter long distance running with cardio intervals, to maximize the training effect.

The good news is that once I get a runner to this point, they absolutely destroy their old running times- and do it pain free!

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Losing weight is just one part of the puzzle.  A properly designed weight training program will cause the release of growth hormone which is anti ageing.  Also by adding a lot of fruits, vegetables, water and healthy fats, to the diet we actually start to see a change in the skin that has a better glow and thus looks younger.

But now it looks like there is a supplement which is getting quite a bit of hype in it’s regards to actually making the skin look more youthful.  It is called astaxanthin.  Many people report younger looking skin within a month of taking it.  Astaxanthin is a very potent antioxidant which is 550 times more powerful than vitamin E and 800 times more powerful than CoQ10 and vitamin C.  Here are some of the benefits that astaxanthin can provide:

• reduce the appearance of wrinkles, freckles, sun spots and dry skin
• helps with the brain and nervous system
• promotes the health of the bones and joints
• helps protect from sun exposure
• helps with vision
• helps with recovery from physical activity

It is suppose to act as a natural sunscreen and people who take it notice that it takes a lot more sun exposure for them to burn.  Astaxanthin can be found it Wild Pacific salmon and is what is responsible for giving it its orangish color.  The only problem is you would have to consume 3-4 ounces every day to get the recommended amount which is 4mg/day.  Another problem is that with salmon that is farmed you are more than likely getting synthetic astaxanthin which is not nearly as good.  The best way to get the real stuff is through supplement which is made from natural marine micro algae.  Also make sure to take it with a meal containing some sort of fat since it is fat soluble.  I can see this as a very good addition to a few other supplements to battle the signs of aging.

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So how is the best way to increase bone density?  Well first of all…with weight training.  Using free weights is highly recommended as it puts more forces through the bones.  Also exercises like squats and deadlifts load the axial skeleton more than biceps curls for example.  Also exercise where you move more total weight will benefit more.  You must also make sure that the loading is heavy enough so that the bone has a reason to increase it’s density.  I tend to use reps mostly in the 3-15 range but that is just a general guideline, as I sometimes go as low as one or high as 100 depending on the program.

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1. Weight Train-This should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me.  It seems almost every day there are new studies coming out about the benefits of a good weight training program.  Done correctly weight training is a potent anti aging tool.  It produces the powerful anti aging growth hormone (GH), Increases bone density thus reducing chances of osteoporosis, increases insulin sensitivity which is important to ward off diabetes, it combats age related loss of muscle mass and even improves brain function.  There are also many other benefits.  If you do not know what you are doing in the weight room then get a personal trainer to show you.
2. Interval Training- Doing interval training instead of long distance cardiovascular activities.  interval training is more effective at fat loss and also produces more GH and less cortisol than standard cardio.  The upside is that you can get more benefits in the fraction of the time and everyone wants that.
3. Eat more vegetables- I know you have probably heard this a thousand times but you are going to hear it again.  Besides providing the body with important vitamins and minerals it also makes the blood more alkaline.  Diseases have a hard time surviving in blood that is alkaline and thrive in an acidic environment.  Get a majority of them from green, leafy sources.
4. Eat fruits-especially darker skinned ones as they contain more cancer fighting anti oxidants.  For people that are trying to lose weight do not go over 2 servings/day from berries.
5. Increase vitamin D- I cannot stress how important vitamin D is for optimal health and disease prevention.  For it’s price it’s literally a no brainer.  Almost every other day a new study comes out on the effectiveness of vitamin D and it’s important role in disease prevention.  You can get it either through supplement form (D3) or through sunlight(preferred).  I have seen a lot of smart people lately endorse sunlight as opposed through supplementation.  I have to agree.  We were meant to take in some sunlight.  Everyone looks better with a nice tan and I can speak for myself when I feel much better when I do tan.  Of course in moderation, some people go overboard and this is when problems happen.
6. Take fish oil-  All of my clients take a high quality fish oil.  Fish oil also has tons of studies coming out with its effectiveness on improving health.  It improves everything from your skin,hair,brain,heart and is also a potent anti inflammatory.  It also improves fat loss as it improves insulin sensitivity.
7. Get enough sleep- it seems nowadays with everyone’s busy schedule that most people do not get enough sleep.  This can affect almost every aspect of health as the body regenerates itself during rest.  A good rule of thumb is to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night and remember that the hours you sleep before midnight are more beneficial than the once you sleep after midnight.  A mid afternoon nap is also a great way to recharge during the day.  Keep them 20-40 minutes long as anything longer will make you more tired and affect your sleep pattern at night.
8. Eliminate Sugar-  Eliminate sugar from the diet.  Besides being the culprit behind diabetes, they are finding out that sugar is responsible for many other diseases.
9. Eliminate white flours and grains-  Eliminate white flower and grains from the diet.  They have little nutritional value and are responsible for most people gaining weight.  Once people usually cut these out along with sugar, weight loss will happen quite rapidly.  These ingredients have almost the same effect as sugar on blood sugar levels.
10. Avoid artificial sweeteners-  I just read an article the other day on all the side effects of artificial sweeteners.  The bottom line is that they are chemicals that the body was not meant to process.  The list of side effects was quite profound…and scary!  This  is also backed up by the study in which people who consumed artificial sweeteners also gained more weight than those that did not.  For these reason I would not recommend any amount of artificial sweeteners in the diet.

Here you go!  This is a nice little list that if you follow it, will no doubt make you a healthier person!

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A recurring problem that I get with a lot of people is getting them to stop consuming alcohol, this is especially more of a factor and concern with my younger clients.  After examining their previous diets it is safe to say that alcohol consumption is a major factor in being overweight for some people.

So why is alcohol so bad anyways?

• it causes your body to stop burning fat, to metabolize the alcohol.  So once the alcohol is metabolized  your body will start burning fat again.
• it is a source of empty calories
• a lot of alcoholic drinks are mixed with sweet fruit juices that contain a lot of sugar.  It is staggering to see the amount of calories and carbs in some of those fruity drinks and shots.
• it causes low blood sugar which is responsible for the extreme hunger after a night of drinking.  This usually results in eating foods that are horrible for losing weight such as: fast food, junk food, carb and fat loaded foods.
• many people will continue to eat bad the next day as they are craving salt/greasy foods due to electrolyte depletion.  This is why you will hear a lot of people swear  by a greasy burger as a hangover cure!

In today’s culture alcohol is everywhere and is tied to almost any social event.  So what can we do while we are dieting and don’t exactly want to give up alcohol totally?  Here are some tips that will help with some of the damage that alcohol does:

• try to drink red wine.  Red wine does not impact your hormones like other alcohols.  It also contains antioxidants and resveratrol which are both really good for you.
• try to mix alcohols with water and lemon/lime juice for flavor
• limit the amount of drinks to 5 or under
• have healthy food choices prepared at home so that you are less likely to binge on bad foods
• drink water periodically throughout the night
• continue with your diet the next day as you normally would.

I know its hard to totally give up alcohol but what I try to get most of my clients to do is give it up as much as they can until they reach their weight loss goal.  Of course do this within reason, if there is a big event then sure have few drinks, but if your life has a big event every weekend I suggest you re evaluate what your priorities are.  I personally know people who are perfect with their diets and workouts throughout the week, who still gain weight because they eat and drink very badly once the weekend comes.  So this would be my recommendation and what I tell my clients:  quit alcohol until you reach your weight loss goal.  Once you get to your goal you can drink again because it is actually fairly easy to maintain body weight once you get there.  Once a person gets there, I recommend the 80/20 rule which is: be good 80% of the time and you can do whatever you want the other 20% of the time.   Which basically means be good with exercise and diet throughout the week and take  the weekends off.  I find this approach works very well with everyone…including myself!

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This phenomenon that I just explained has recently been backed up by a scientific study by the Journal of Obesity.  The study lasted for 2.5 years and the subjects were separated into 2 groups.  The first group was the low carb, high protein high fat group and the second group was the low fat group.  What they found after the study was that the people on the low carb group had less preference and less cravings for high carb foods.  They also found out that the low fat group had less of a preference and less cravings for high fat foods.

With this study in mind, a person should totally eliminate foods that will not take them towards their health and physique goals.  This would mean eliminating carbs or only getting them from low glycemic sources as fruits and vegetables.  The major mistake that I see ALOT of clients make is that they will follow 95% of the diet, which causes them to still have bad cravings.  For example, I will have a client that will do the diet 100% but a couple times a week she will have a spoonful of ice cream.  Sure this might not totally derail her fat loss but she is making it way harder on herself as she will keep having these cravings, because she is not totally eliminating it from her diet.  If she was to totally remove the ice cream from her diet for a month, chances are should would not crave it nearly as much.  This would make her diet much easier to follow and much more effective for weight loss.  Everyone has their “go to”  foods that they should totally eliminate, because these are the ones that in the end will cause a person to give up on their diet.  It is in my experience that the people who can do the diet by the book for 4-6 weeks are smooth sailing and I would put money that they would reach their weight loss goals.

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It is known that probable at least 90% of the population have stomachs that don’t work properly.  This is largely a result from antibiotic treatments and the diets of people today.  This destroys the good bacteria in the gut.  The stomach is very important for a few reasons besides the fact that that is where food digestion takes place.   A very important fact that most people do not know it that a large portion of the immune system is located along the gut wall.  Another important fact is that what is happening in your gut affects your brain as two-thirds of your neurotransmitters are made in the gut lining.  For these reasons alone you should see why repairing your gut should be one of your main priorities.

So what are probiotics anyways?  Probiotics are microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast that help promote a healthy gut.  The most effective way is to get them in pill form.  They will help build up the good bacteria in the stomach so that your stomach can function optimally.  If a person is suffering from any stomach problems then usually probiotics can help most of the time.

A recent study has shown that people who supplemented with a probiotic also lost more weight.  This is not surprising because once you start healing the gut you will also be able to absorb nutrients better.  It is also important to note that the study also showed lower cortisol levels(stress hormone),  improved mental functioning, decreased anxiety, and also showed fewer depressive symptoms in people that took probiotics.  By looking at these benefits it is hard to argue against taking a probiotic.  More and more research is appearing everyday how the health of internal systems in the body work in a chain reaction throughout the body.  I know that I now highly recommend probiotics to all of my clients as the benefits are too great to ignore!

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First of all, if you don’t have any goals, then what type of program are you going to follow?  Your goals are going to influence all the key variables of work out design.  Your specific goals are going to influence:

• number of days/week of training
• how long the training sessions will be
• what the diet will look like
• how many reps/sets you perform
• rest break in between sets
• ratio of cardio:strength training

Also it is very important to write goals down and have a date by when you want to meet them.  Make sure that they are realistic, because setting yourself up for failure is not a good idea and could sap your motivation away.  It has been proven by many studies and many articles have been written on how important it is to write your goals down.

Another interesting way to help you reach your goals, well if weight loss is the goal, is to plan a trip in the near future or buy a pair of jeans that you cannot fit into but would like you to one day.  I have seen tactics like this work a lot of times and helps a person really focus on meeting their goal.  Warm trips are always a good motivator since the person knows that they will be wearing a bathing suit.

About half of my clients have some sort of date that they want to “get in shape” by.   Setting goals and reaching them is also a great confidence booster as well.

I would also like to discuss something that happens to fair number of people as well and it’s worth mentioning it in this article.  A lot of times people are not happy with the way they look and want to lose a bunch of weight.  So they set a goal weight which is reasonable and usually around what it should be for them.  Now what will happen next is that they will train hard and diet properly and the weight will come off extremely fast-everyone is happy.  The person is on a roll and as long as they keep doing what they are doing they will reach their goal, nothing complicated.  But then something happens about 50-75% mark of reaching their goal.  First, their diet is not as perfect as it once was….and little cheats start happening here and there.  Next, their workout schedule becomes more erratic and the once  “model client” is now anything but and progress comes to halt, maybe they even start to go back the other way.  Weight loss and weight gain is a slippery slope, once one of them starts to happen it works very quickly, but once it starts going in the other direction it is hard to get back on track again.  This is why I have become more and more strict with my clients when they are on a roll.  If a person gets on a good role for 2 or 3 months then this is when major changes happen rapidly.  I tell them to ride the roll as long as possible because once you stop it’s harder to get on track again.

I believe this happens because for 2 reasons.  Some people unintentionally sabotage themselves, like they are afraid of success.  The other reason, which I believe is the big culprit is that usually once the person loses a bunch of weight they are now feeling better about themselves.  Sure they have not reached their goal but they are no longer in desperation mode to  lose any more weight and are content just to maintain.  There is a couple of problems with this mindset.  First of all they did not reach their goal.  They put in all this effort and time, plus the hardest part is over, it’s all down hill and yet they quit.  Not reaching your goal is not good for self confidence.  Secondly people who do this tend to get back into the slippery slope backwards with the bad eating and inactivity, more often than not they end up back at square one.  It really is a shame after all of that hard work, time and money.

So my advice to you is this:  When you start training, set your goal.  Once you set that goal you go as hard and perfect as you can until you can tell that your on that “slippery slope.”  You will be able to tell when this is happening because the weight will be fly off effortlessly.  You will literally be seeing changes from week to week.  Once this happens I want you to push even harder and be more strict…this is when the BIG CHANGES happen, don’t be one of those people that  quit before they reach this point!

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So how do you find a good trainer?  Well let me tell you, it can be pretty damn confusing if you are not familiar with the industry.  It seems that nowadays personal training seems like the thing to do.  Personal trainers are popping up everywhere and its nothing to get a weekend certification to say that you are a personal trainer.  Let me tell you this, the industry is not very regulated at all!  This is the reason why you will find such a wide range of abilities within the different trainers.

It is also a very competitive industry, so you will see  alot of people charging ridiculously low rates.  I warn you though, watch out as more often than not you get what you  pay for in this industry.  It seems like every week I pick up a new client that tried to go the “cheap route” first.  This is also why private trainers are usually better than ones that you hire at the big gyms.  The big gyms that have trainers working for them usually take about half of their profit.  A lot of these gyms also have a very poor system of hiring trainers as well as I went through it myself many years ago.  Not too long ago I was at one of the well known gyms in the city here doing a drop in visit.  I seen this guy that said “personal trainer” on the back of his shirt.  The guy was at least 30 pound over weight and never looked like lifted a weight in his life.  Like how can anyone honestly pay someone money for this persons service?…It is plain out ridiculous!

Another common trend is the so called internet expert trainer.  They may be decent at advertising and marketing and talk like they are the best around but don’t let these guys fool you.  One look at their physique is more than enough to realize that something just ain’t right!  Then take a look at who they have trained and what they have done.  These guys get on my nerves because some of them even claim to be the best in the city!   Being the best takes more than taking a written certification and training a few people.  Its easy to spot these people because they make very bold claims with little or nothing to back them up.  They also look like they have never lifted a weight in their life.

So how exactly are you going to pick the best trainer for you?  From a trainers point of view and from someone whose been in the industry for a while, here are the best tips I can give you to make sure you do not waste your hard earned money!

1. Ask for referrals-  tell them you want multiple referrals so you can talk about their experience with the trainer.  Of course the trainer is only going to give good referrals, but it is a starting point.  People generally don’t lie so if you ask them how much weight they lost they will tell you.
2. Look at the trainer that is doing the training.  If they are 50 pounds over weight, have toothpick arms, or look like they are on a starvation diet, then it is pretty obvious that whatever they are going to teach is probably wrong.  I’m not saying you have to look like a bodybuilder but don’t look like you sit in front of a computer all day.
3. Ask them what the training program will consist of.  The best programs revolve around free weight exercises period.  If they are doing a bunch of weird circus kinda stuff with bands and balls  then I would probably look somewhere else.  Also if they want to watch you do cardio for half your training session then they are either lazy, incompetent or both.
4. Ask them what kind of certifications or degrees they have.  A good trainer should have multiple certifications.  But watch out, not all certifications are created equal.  Some of them don’t mean anything and some of them are really good.  I know this because I took a bunch of them and there were good ones that really helped me and really bad ones that were a waste of time and money.  The best ones are the week long internships where you work besides top trainers in the industry.  Its hard to find people that have done this because these courses are expensive!
5. Ask them how many years they have been doing it for and how many people they have trained.  Experience is often overlooked but very important to have as a personal trainer.  There is a difference between knowledge and putting that knowledge into practice.  This usually comes with years of experience in the field.  I know of trainers that graduated with top marks in University yet there training programs are not that great at all.
6. The final and best tip I can give is to get individual sessions with a few different trainers.  After an hour session with a bunch of different trainers you will have a pretty good idea of who will be good for you.  Remember…the proof is in the pudding, if you are not seeing the results that you want then maybe it is time to look for a new trainer.  I see people that have been training with the same trainer for years yet fail to make any progress.  Remember the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and experience different results!

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Sometimes I get clients that claim that they are eating good and working out properly, yet are not seeing the results that they should be.  When this happens it is time to zero in on every little detail of their workout program and diet.  Usually its not one major thing, but rather a bunch of minor errors added together that will halt progress.  As world famous strength coach Charles Poliquin says, ” If a person is not losing weight, then either their diet is off, or they are not training hard enough, plain and simple.”  Very strainght forward but very true.

Let’s have a closer look at the two variables and how they affect weight loss.

How hard a person is working out:  Of course when a person starts to workout the intesnity, volume, duration, etc. must be toned right down for proper progress.  Going too hard too fast is very counter productive and usually results in a person quitting very soon.  But, once the initial break in period is over then the workouts can be ramped up rather quickly.  Unless you have a special medical condition then most people are able to train quite hard with no problems.  As a trainer it is very easy to spot out who is going to make the most progress the quickest.  For rapid weight loss a person must train hard.  The people who make the quickest progress are the ones that will literally almost collapse after a hard set of legs.  Their legs will be shaking and yet they will push themselves through it, it is mentally and physically painfull, but it is a skill that can be learned.  They will be sweating and breathing profusely between sets and pretty much the whole workout.  It doesnt matter weight, age, sex, etc. almost everyone can train like this, with the correct progression of course.  If you are not experiencing these symtoms during your workout you seriously need to reconsider how hard you are pushing yourself.  I have had clients that when I say to do as many reps as you can do, they stop once it starts to get uncomfortable, this is not going to work.  The results come from the super tough, last painful reps that you push yourself through.  Stopping any sooner will hamper your progress.  Those reps produce huge amounts of fat frying lactic acid.

Not dieting correctly:  When clients come to me for rapid weight loss I give them the “Fat Furnace Diet”.  They must follow it.  The diet is laid out-follow it.  People often feel they need to make small adjustments and that is ok.  It is not ok.  Follow the diet to the T.  If you have to lose 40 pounds then yes you are going to have to sacrifice, yes it might be a little difficult in the beginning, yes it’s not convenient.  But, guess what?  This is what you are going to have to do to lose the weight.  If anyone tells you any different I would seriously consider what their motives are.  I once had a potential client that had over 100 pounds to lose but would not follow the diet, I refused to take her on as a client.  I did this because I know that they will  not get the results they desire in the timeframe that they wanted.  Realize this: alot of trainers will tell people exactly what they want to hear, not what they need to hear to gain them as a client.  As for some things that commonly come up with the diet are:  even though the diet is low carb high fat/protein remember that the fat comes from good sources such as fish oil, olive oil, coconut oil.  A person also must keep an eye on fat as well as it is easy to over do it.  It is NOT ok to eat sandwich meats, bacon, hamburger, etc.  The diet says lean cuts of meat and nothing processed.  Also nuts is another thing that I see abused quite often and it is very easy to over do it on them.  I even make some clients take them out of their diet if they cant control their intake of them.  Remember that this is not the Atkins Diet.  Fat is very easily abused and must be kept in check.  Alot of the times the client doesnt even realize it, but once we examine the diet we find the mistakes, fix them, then weight loss is back on track.

So the bottom line is, if you are not seeing the results that you desire then  you need to seriously take a look at these 2 things and make improvements where needed.

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On a weekly basis I get clients requesting to alter their fitness program to require more abdominal work so that they can have a better looking stomach, or do more arm training to get rid of flabby arms.  This is flawed thinking and is called “spot reduction.”  It is known that spot reduction is a myth and is now supported by a study at Southern Illinois University.    The study showed a 6 week abdominal program that consisted of 5 exercises that were performed for 2 sets of 10 reps.  They did this program 5 days/week.  This would be considered a fairly high volume of direct abdominal training.  The results showed that after the 6 weeks there was no change in body weight, body fat, abdominal fat or waist circumference.

In contrast to that type of training, a person should perform full body workouts with the exercise, reps, sets, rest breaks all manipulated for the greatest amount of fat loss.  Although a person does not do barely any “direct abdominal”  training in these types of programs the changes that can be seen in the abdominals. as well as other body parts is quite evident.  These types of workouts maximize fat loss throughout the whole body thus making the person more toned.

Another very important variable when trying to lose body fat in certain areas is the proper diet.  This is where most people fail.  It should also be noted that this is probably the most important factor when trying to lose body fat.  If you do not diet properly all the hard work in the gym cannot be appreciated because all of the muscle is covered in fat.  Almost everyone can get 6 pack abs, but it’s not by doing 1000′s of crunches, but rather getting your body fat % into the single digits.  When a person gets this lean they look even more muscular from all the definition.  So my answer to my clients that want 6 pack abs is to be consistent with diet and follow the proper weight training program for 3-4x/week and they will soon get the results that they desire!

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1. Training at Home- I get many people who request that they want to do their fitness program at home.   I am not a fan of home training and although I used to do it, I no longer providing that service.  Unless you have a really big gym with all the necessary equipment then the fitness routine will be compromised greatly.  I cannot count the number of times that I went to go for a home session and all they have is a couple of dumbbells and an exercise ball.   Very few people that I have trained at home gyms actually keep training.  They usually stop very quickly.  To train properly and get results you need the right equipment and enough variety, both are usually not seen in home gyms.  The only upside is that it is convenient.  My personal recommendation is don’t bother wasting your time training at home.
2. Training At A Studio- is a cross between training at home and training at a gym.  Many personal trainers will have you believe that training out of their studio is the best way to go, but usually it only works out the best for them as their down time is minimized because they don’t have to travel and they tend to train multiple people at a time.   I have been in alot of studio’s around the city or have seen pictures of them and most of them are not what I consider to be well equipped enough to give you a good workout.  The reasoning behind this is that good gym equipment is very expensive and having all the necessary pieces also takes up alot of room.  Studio’s can be good if the person has the money to make a really good one, which there are a few, but for most of them I would say stay away.  A little trick is to look at the shape of the trainer who owns the studio.  That is where they most likely train.  Although believe it or not some of them will actually go to another gym to train themselves…how wrong it that?
3. Training At A Commercial Gym-  By far the best place to train is at a well equipped commercial gym.  But remember not all big gyms are well equipped.  There are alot of brand new nice gyms in the city that made very poor equipment selections and are simply under-equipped for the large amount of members that they have.  There are alot of big commercial gyms that are so busy that I refuse to train people out of them.  Nothing is more annoying than constantly waiting for equipment of people stealing the equipment that you are on.  This will affect the integrity of the program greatly and the results as well.  The best gyms are the ones that maybe arn’t as new and nice but still have all the necessary equipment.

Here I will give you my favorite gyms for training people at that do have the necessary equipment, arn’t too busy, and have people that are serious about working out.  You cannot go wrong with any of these gyms:

• Assiniboine Athletic Club
• Fort Rouge Leisure Center
• Pan Am Pool
• Chief Peguis Gym
• Centennial Pool Gym

These gyms cover most areas of the city, so if you are going to train I highly recommend checking them out…you will not be disappointed!

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1. Correcting muscle length imbalances- when muscles at a particular joint are not at the correct lengths imbalance occurs that could result in injury.  We use strength training and stretching to correct these imbalances.
2. Correcting strength deficiencies- many muscles are underdeveloped for optimal performance in most people.  By addressing and correcting this we are able to minimize the risk of injury.
3. Proper nutrition- is important for maintaining the integrity of connective tissue.
4. Proper periodization-  proper periodiztion throughout a workout plan and allowing for unloading phases are not only important for the prevention of injuries but also for optimal gains as well.

Even when following these steps injuries still do happen.  Depending on the severity of it the usual procedure is to ice it and rest it immediately.  For most light strains a person should start light stretching after the swelling has gone down.  Also extremely light weights for many repetitions as well.  This will ensure proper healing of the new tissues.  The increased blood flow will also help with speeding up the recovery process.

When trying to assess injuries and speed up the healing process there are certain people here in Winnipeg that get my full endorsement and I highly recommend going to see them if you have any  injuries.   In my opinion standard physiotherapy and chiropractic treatments are not aggressive enough in treating injuries.  These people I am recommending have special training and offer treatments that flat out work.  They may be expensive and/or hard to get to see but are definitely worth it.   In no specific order:

1. Dr. Mc Kay, Dr. Baydock, Dr. Adam-  these are Sport Medicine Doctors at Legacy Sport Medicine located behind St.Vital Mall.  Dr. Mc Kay is personally my go to guy, but I have dealt with all of them and they all know their stuff.  The only downside is that sometimes it can take a while to get in to see them.  The # is 949-1099
2. Dr. Ian Ledger- he is located at Dowtown Chiropractic.  I am not really a fan of chiropractic adjustments but Dr. Ledger specializes in A.R.T which is extremely effective and treating injuries.  He is one of the few in Winnipeg who specializes in it, he actually even teaches it as well.  Most professional athletes use A.R.T. when they want to heal quickly.  The downside with him is that it can take forever to get in and see him as well.  His seceratary Angela is super nice and really helpful and can usually get you in on a last minute cancellation if you are flexible.  The # is 943-0751
3. Dr. Mike Mancini-  He is located at Health Point Clinic on Pembina.  He is actually both a chiropractor and physiotherapist.  He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to assessment and rehab programs.  He actually worked with and studied under many people who have written textbooks.   He  has traveled all over the world studying and lecturing.   He is also certified in Graston which is another technique that heals injuries fast.  The good thing about him is that you can see him for an injury and he can assess it, make a rehab program for it and also use different healing modalities such as Graston, deep friction etc.  The only downside with him is that the initial assessment is quite expensive but without a doubt is well worth it.   The #is 452-4948

Dr. Greg Chernish-He owns Health Point Clinic and is a M.D. who now mostly specializes in using acupuncture to treat various conditions.  He looks at  problems from both a western and eastern view which is extremely effective.   Apparently he went to China for 2 years to learn eastern medicine.   He can also order and read any kind of medical tests as well since he is a doctor.   He is well known for being able to reduce pain in people that have tried almost everything else.  The # is 452-4948

Sometime injuries can be tricky to treat but you cannot go wrong with any of these guys.  Sometimes an injury will respond better to one type of treatment than the other so if one of these guys can’t fix it try out another one.  With any type of treatment there should be a noticeable improvement after 3-4 treatments, if not the treatment probably won’t work.  Another good thing is about these guys is that if their treatment won’t work they will let you know and not try to keep you coming back just so that they can make money.  This happens alot, especially with chiropractors.

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I’m going to discuss the importance of whey protein powder and why I recommend it to most, if not all of my clients.  First of all whey protein powder is a by product of the cheese making process.  The casein or “curd” is separated to make cheese and the remaining liquid is then dried through a special process to produce whey protein powder.  The protein powders of today are pretty good tasting (especially the more expensive ones).  I prefer to buy vanilla, this way you can blend it with your favorite fruit for more variety.

I often find that most of my clients have a hard time reaching their protein requirements every day.  Failure to reach your protein goal for the day will result in muscle loss and a decrease in fat loss.  New studies are showing that 1.  if you do not consume enough protein your fat loss will slow down.  2. Consuming whey protein actually helps you lose body fat.  What I tell my clients to do is to consume a whey protein drink 1-2x/day to help them reach their protein goal.  For weight loss the protein goal is .6g/lb of bodyweight for women and 1g/lb of bodyweight for men.

Some of the best times to take protein powders is immediately right after your workout, and right before bed.  If you are lean then the post workout shake will consist of whey protein+simple carb, If you are overweight the post workout shake should have protein powder+glutamine+glycine.

Whey protein should be one of the staples of your diet.  Just don’t rely too heavily on it like most people do.  Some people try to get all their protein from shakes which is not recommended at all.  Natural whole food sources should make up at least 75% of your protein intake.

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Fructose is one of the most consumed calories in the North American Diet.  This isn’t healthy fructose from fruits, but rather from refined high fructose corn syrup which is responsible for sweetening most products.  High consumption of high fructose corn syrup is related to obesity, diabetes and a host of other diseases.  It has been proven in studies that fructose turns to fat at a faster rate than glucose.  It is also worth noting that fructose consumed at breakfast will change  how your body reacts to fats at lunch.  This is why many experts believe that by eating fructose you are programming your body to become fat.  This is also a problem with  “low fat” foods as they usually are loaded with high fructose corn syrup.

So what people should be doing when trying to lose weight is to focus more on eating right instead of eating less.  A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the worst food for gaining weight is potato chips, followed by potatoes, and sugar sweetened drinks.  It is pretty much guaranteed you are putting on fat when you consume these foods.  The study also showed which foods were good for weight loss and it was no surprise: yogurt, nuts. fruits and vegetables.  They also mentioned whole grains as well, but since they affect insulin levels I would advise against eating them for people who want to drop weight quickly, plus most people do not tolerate grains well at all.

When it comes to weight loss a person should focus on whole, natural foods.  These can usually be found in the perimeter of the supermarket.

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1.  The control group drank 4 cups of water/day

2.  The second group drank 4 cups of green tea/day

3.  The third group got 2 caps/day of green tea extract supplements of the active ingredient in the tea known as EGCG plus 4 cups of water.

Both the green tea group and the supplement group got the same amount of EGCG.

The researchers found that both the tea group and the supplement group both experienced a significant decrease in body weight and in BMI.  The controls saw no such decrease.

A 2003 study on green tea polyphenols found that it improved both fat and sugar metabolism.    The supplement also enhanced insulin sensitivity and balanced the metabolic rate of fat burning with fat depositing.

The late great nutritionist, Shari Lieberman, PhD, CNS wrote that green tea stimulates the metabolism of brown fat to a far greater degree than a the same  amount of caffeine alone. “It appears that substances known as catechin-polyphenlols, in particular one called epigallocatechin gallate (ECGC), stimulates the production of noradrenaline, which in turns revs up your metabolism”, Dr. Shari says. “Studies have shown that using green tea even without restricting food (dieting) causes weight loss- using it with a weight-loss eating plan should give you excellent results”

Green tea also contains very potent antioxidants.  For these reasons myself, and many other personal trainers highly encourage people to drink or consume a high quality green tea (ECGC) supplement, especially when trying to lose weight.

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We now know that fiber is good for your heart and good for blood sugar management, which plays a crucial role in weight control.  The recommended dosage is 25-38 grams/day.  The average American consumes between 4-11 grams/day.

High fiber foods include beans, nuts, seeds,  whole vegetables, and grain cereals.  For the majority of people that need to lose weight I would recommend against grain cereals, and focus more on the first four recommendations.   A good way to supplement fiber in the diet is to use ground flax seeds.  They are versatile and can be used in many different ways.  They are also good at detoxifying the body as well.  It is important to note that ground flax seeds go bad fast so a person should freshly grind them before each use.  They should also be stored in a cool dry spot as well.

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One of the first supplements that I encourage all of my clients to take is omega 3 fish oil.  Omega 3′s have a wide range of benefits and almost everyone is deficient in them due to the declining quality of the food choices today.  It is very important to make sure you are taking a high quality fish oil because a lot of the cheaper ones are loaded with heavy metals primarily mercury.

Supplementation with omega 3′s has been shown to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.  One study even showed a 50% decrease in cardiovascular events.

Low levels of omega 3′s have been linked to depression, ADD, lower intelligence, behavioral problems, concentration, violent behavior, and even impaired vision.

Omega 3′s are also a very potent natural anti inflammatory.  I have had many clients who’s painful joints have improved dramatically once they have started to supplement with fish oil.

Fish oil is also very important for weight loss as it improves insulin sensitivity.

You can google almost any condition known to mankind and omega 3′s will help with it.  It is anti aging due to its anti inflammatory effects on the body.  Many people also notice that their skin and nails also feel more healthy once they get their omega 3 levels balanced.

For these reasons pointed above you can clearly see why a good quality fish oil is one of the first supplements that I recommend to my clients.

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This is a question that I am often asked by new clients before starting an exercise program.  People seem confused as to what they should use when working out.  You would think that machines would be better since health clubs are packed with the latest and greatest device to get you in shape.  Not to mention some of this equipment costs a fortune!

Well here is the answer:  Free weights are superior to machines when it comes to exercising.  When you use free weights you will use the prime movers to move the weight but you will also be using the small stabilizer muscles as well to control the weight.  When you are locked into a machine your prime movers get worked but the stabilizers do not.  This greatly increases the chances of injury.

Another very important thing to note is that free weight exercises carry over to activities of daily life.  So for example, if you are performing free weight split squats they will carry over to climbing up stairs, sports, whatever.  While performing leg presses that works the same muscles will not.  This is why when you watch athletes train they will very rarely use machines, except for special circumstances.

The only disadvantage with free weights is that you need to learn how to do the exercises correctly for maximum benefit without getting injured.  Nothing irritates me more when I see trainers that put people in machines and count reps.  Either the trainer does not know how to perform the exercises correctly or they are plain and simple lazy.  This happens alot more than you would think.

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Insulin resistance is a precursor for type 2 diabetes.  By following a low carb diet and taking certain supplements ie. fish oil a person is able to improve their insulin sensitivity.  Another great way to improve insulin sensitivity is to weight train.  Cardiovascular training or “cardio”  does not improve insulin sensitivity which is another reason why weight training is superior to cardio for fat loss.

At the end of the 12 week study both groups lost weight.  The low carb group lost 19.6 vs. 16.2 for the low fat group which = to 21% more!  This study confirms the results of a previous study done a couple of years ago where four popular diets went head to head in people with insulin resistance.  That study showed that the Atkins (low carb) was the most effective.

My personal experience with clients and diets is that the low carb approach definitely works best.  Not only does the person lose more weight, but they also feel much better while on it.  If you want to get started on the best low carb diet, sign up for my Fat Furnace Diet and begin losing weight today!

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1.  Set Realistic Goals- It surprises me when I ask people what their main goal is of their fitness program and they say “I don’t know”.  You must have goals or things that you want to achieve with your program.  Once you figure out your goals you can develop an exercise and diet program to help you reach them.  Also, make sure your goals are realistic in the time frame that you are allowing.  For example loosing 5-10 pounds/month is realistic, loosing 30 pounds/month is not.

2.Make Sure Exercise Program and Diet Are Designed For Your Goals- The type of exercise program and diet will vary greatly depending on what your goals are.

3.Take Notes In The Gym- Every session should be recorded.  Date, exercise, weight, reps, sets, tempo, should all be recorded from one workout to the next.  This way you can track  your progress and fine tune your program if you are not seeing results.

4. Time Rest Break Between Sets- It amazes me how many people fail to do this.  Rest break between sets is a very important variable and must be consistent with your workout program.  For example if you did 3 sets of 10 with 100 pounds one workout with 1 min breaks one day and 3 sets of 10 with 105 pounds the next time but you had 2 min break between sets your performance actually decreased because of the longer rest break.  You did less work per unit of time.

5. Change Your Workout Program Frequently- This is one of the biggest mistakes I see in the gym.  Many people follow the same routine for many months.  It has been proven that after doing a workout 6 times that the results begin to diminish.  Beginners might be able to a little more but as a rule of thumb change it at 6.

6.  Train For No Longer Than An Hour- This is about the time it takes for anabolic hormones to start declining and stress hormones to start increasing.  If you are working hard enough an hour is more than enough!  If you can train longer than an hour the amount of effort put in has to be questioned!

Follow these simple rules in the gym and watch your results improve!

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Some good sources of protein are anything that flies, runs, or swims.  Eggs are very good as well.  A person should be trying to get most of their protein from meat as they are complete proteins which means that they contain all the essential amino acids-which are the building blocks of protein.  Plant sources of protein are incomplete which means that you will need to eat a wide variety to cover all the essential amino acid basis.  A good rule of thumb is to for women to consume .6g/lb of bodyweight/day and men to consume 1g/lb of bodyweight/day.  This should be spread out throughout the day with your meals and snacks.  If you find it hard to consume this amount through food then it is a good idea to use a protein supplement to help you reach your goals.

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First of all most people do not have a clue what they are doing in the gym.  I see it all day, every day no matter where I go.  What I don’t understand is that these people must realize that after years of training and  they haven’t made any progress that maybe they would hire a trainer or expert to help them out.  Sure it will cost some money, but it is a waste of time if you are working out without getting closer to your goals.  A well designed fitness program will ensure that you reach your goals, provided that you put in the effort.  For this solution it is simple hire a well qualified personal trainer in your area to get you started off on the right foot.

Another reason is that people go to the gym and simply do not train hard enough.  It is not uncommon to go to the gym and see people talking away, reading books or putting in very low effort.  It is very straight forward, to see results you will have to work hard.  Expect to be sweating and breathing heavy during the workouts.  At the end of the workout you should feel a considerable amount of fatigue.  This is especially true for people who want to lose weight.  Weight training for weight loss is extremely effective but it is very hard, you will be exhausted after an hour of this type of training.  So when you go to the gym do not hold back and push yourself as hard as you can, this is when results happen.

Lastly, people do not diet or know how to do it properly.  No matter what your fitness goals are you have to follow the correct diet to give you results.  Do not think that because you train you can eat what ever you want.  Sure, some people can get away with it, but the majority of the population needs to be diligent with their diet.  Also when it comes to training and dieting I cannot stress the importance of consistency enough.  My most successful clients never miss a workout and follow their diets perfectly.

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Vitamin D has been receiving a lot of press lately and it seems that every week you hear of a new study that links vitamin D from everything from mood to cancer prevention, to physical performance and now weight loss.

It turns out that vitamin D levels are a good indicator of how successful a person will be at losing weight.  The latest study at the Endocrine Society’s 91st annual meeting showed that men and women with higher levels of vitamin D had greater weight loss than those with lower levels.

Researchers measured blood levels of vitamin D in 38 obese patients prior to and following an 11-week diet that contained about 750 less calories per day than the participants needed to maintain their weight. That alone should have caused weight loss. But what the researchers found is that for each 1 ng/ml increase in  blood levels of vitamin D, participants lost an additional half pound of weight!  The researches concluded that vitamin D may have an effect on fat metabolism.

Interestingly enough there is also a link between people with diabetes and low levels of vitamin D as well.  There was a study done that shows that supplementing with vitamin D increases insulin sensitivity and anything that increases insulin sensitivity is good for weight loss.

Most  people are deficient in vitamin D and there is no side effects from supplementing with it.  You can ask your doctor to get a test to see where your levels are at.  Vitamin D3 is what you want and it is relatively cheap.  It is also shown to be safe at 2000 IUs/day and many experts believe in supplementing with much higher dosages.  It is important to note that your body makes 10,000 IUs when you spend 15-20 minutes in the sun.  With this reasoning it is safe to say that if you spend a lot of time in the sun then you probably do not need to supplement vitamin D.  But, for the majority of the population that do not get enough sun then it is recommended to supplement with it.  The benefits are too great to ignore!

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The key to dealing with back pain is to focus on conditioning the core while making sure that specific muscle groups are not overly tight.  The usual suspects are the hamstrings and hip flexors when it comes to back pain and these muscles are more than often tight.    Alot of times just by simply stretching out these muscles that the pain can be alleviated.

As for exercises I always start out with the plank.  Perform the plank for as long as you can and repeat for 3-5 reps.  You will want to be able to get up to 1 minute holds for this exercise for 3 sets.  The next exercise would be side bridges and those are to be held for as long as possible as well, with the same rep/set scheme as the planks.  You can even incorporate them into the plank where you start off in the side bridge then go to plank then go to the other side.  The last exercise is the bird dog or horse stance.  This simple yet effective movement is key to getting rid of back pain.  These you hold for 10 seconds each side and do as many reps as possible.  Once you get up to 10 reps per side you will want to increase the difficulty of the exercise or progress to a totally different one.

Usually by combining the proper stretches with the exercises back pain can be alleviated rather quickly.  People seem to think that getting chiropractic adjustments and message is the only way to heal back pain.  While these are helpful, the underlying weaknesses and length tension at certain joints need to be addressed.  Finding a qualified fitness instructor can help you rid your back pain for good and help prevent future injuries.  Like they say “the house is only as strong as the foundation that it is built on”!

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I have trained many people that have made a remarkable improvement in a very short period of time with their blood pressure levels.  A lot of times with the proper training and nutrition program a person can bring their blood pressure levels down to the normal range without any type of medication whatsoever.

The science behind all of this, is that nitric oxide is released with body movement.  Nitric oxide causes the arterial walls to relax thus lowering blood pressure naturally.  It has also been shown that nitric oxide has the ability to remove plaque from the arterial wall itself.

Remember people this is different than training for weight loss so the intensity and duration do not have to be that high.  A brisk walk for 20 minutes will get the job done.  You can do this with structured fitness programs or just keep active throughout the day to receive this amazing benefit and help protect yourself from heart attacks and strokes!

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Most of the typical breakfasts-the ones that contain alot of sugar, or that are mostly composed of high glycemic carbs (breakfast cereals, toast, fruit juices, muffins, bagels, etc.) are probably the worst thing you can eat first thing in the morning.  For one they contain no protein, they also do not contain any smart fats.  The sugar rush will raise insulin levels that will also crash leaving the person tired and hungry by mid morning.

Eating a breakfast of meat and nuts works extremely well especially first thing in the morning.  It has a good combination of protein and good fats.  What you eat first thing in the morning has a big impact on how much energy you will have throughout the day and also how hungry you will be for the rest of the day.   Also, you want to have protein first thing in the morning because your body will start to breakdown it’s own muscle to use for protein from being in a fasted state.  Make sure you rotate your meat and nuts breakfast over 5 days, getting a variety of each.  Make sure the meats are lean cut and any kind of nut will do except peanuts.   I know it sounds weird but I challenge everyone to try it for a week,  and take note of how much energy and how hungry you are for the rest of the day.  If you are like most of the people that have tried it you may never go back to your old breakfasts again!

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