Sunday, September 28, 2008

7 Weight Loss Transformation Secrets -- How to Get the Most of the TT Contests

I asked Craig Ballantyne to contribute today's Post...

7 Weight Loss Transformation Secrets
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training

Millions of men and women want to lose weight because they are sick of their excess body fat and low energy levels. If that sounds like you, then you need to join the Turbulence Training weight loss transformation contest.

There's already been some powerful, emotional stories told in fitness magazines, and folks from all over the world are helping one another to finally change their bodies. Your weight loss transformation is going to be an amazing 12 weeks. So I thought this would be the best time to give you my Top 7 Transformation Tips to help you lose more weight in the next 12 weeks.

Here are my Top 7 Transformation Secrets that you can use to burn fat from all over your body with Turbulence Training.

Tip #1) Clean out the pantry

One of the biggest pitfalls in a weight loss program is added sugar and mindless snacking (especially between getting home from work and dinner).

Get rid of the junk. Toss it. Better the garbage can eats it than you do.

Tip #2) Stop doing slow boring cardio

Increase the intensity of your workouts and switch to interval training. And yes, even beginners can do interval training when using the metabolism- boosting short, burst workout system.

Tip # 3) Use professionally designed, structured workouts such as my Turbulence Training Workouts that have been featured in Men's Health magazine

You should be in and out of your short, burst workouts in less than 45 minutes, three times per week. On the other 4 days of the week, stay active, getting at least a 30-minute walk in each day.

Tip #4) Set up home gym with ball, bench, and adjustable dumbells

That's all you need. If you are feeling frisky, you can add a pull-up bar to
your home gym.

But to change your body, you only need a little bit of equipment at home. You don't need an expensive gym membership or one of those colossal home gyms, or even a pricey bowflex.

Your body doesn't discriminate on price. It simply responds to the turbulence training you put on your body, and you can do that on the cheap.

Tip #5) Use short, burst Bodyweight Circuits at home instead of using cardio machines.

Choose 3 lower body exercises and 3 upper body exercises. Alternate between upper and lower body bodyweight exercises. Watch my youtube video on circuit training for more details.

Tip #6) Plan, shop, and prepare your food


Finding the right nutrition program is CRITICAL to success, and so is planning. You can't out-train a bad diet, but you can out-plan bad habits. So invest 2 hours on the weekend to prepare as many of your fat burning meals as possible for the week ahead.

Tip #7) Get Social Suppor
t

This is the most important Weight Loss Secret that no one pays attention to.

But the bottom line is...you can't do this on your own.

You need support from others to stick to your workouts, to make the right diet choices day-in and day-out and to have someone prop you up when you are feeling down and also to "call you out" when you are feeling like cutting corners.

Get social support on your side today with help from Turbulence Training.

Put these 7 Secrets to use today and you can lose 14-30 pounds in 12 weeks just like our past Transformation Contest Winners. And please refer your friends to the contest. You'll be supporting them and helping them change their bodies & their lives.

I can't wait to hear about your results in the Turbulence Training transformation contest.

About the Author


Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.HomeFatLossWorkouts.com

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

FREE Arm and Shoulder Exercise Video from Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training



In this short exercise video, Craig Ballantyne shows you how to add a little more pump to your arms after doing a Turbulence Training Workout...

And for more information about about a workout plan that you can do in the privacy of your own home...

Go to my website for the full review of Turbulence Training...

Or you can just go straight to the Official TT website and grab your workout program to start immediately...

Monday, September 22, 2008

Healthy Eating Tips -- It is Apple Season Again!

Since you shouldn't be eating any sugar, HFCS or artificial sweeteners... What's left?

Fruit! And which fruit do you think is very healthy and in season right now? (This was a retorical question you know...)

Apples of course! And it should be in your diet... And if you live in one of the three top apple picking regions in the United States -- Michigan, Massachusetts, and Washington State... talk about a bonanza...

So enjoy some of the many varieties of apples... Pink Lady, Gravenstien, Honeycrisp (my absolute favorite), Jonagold, Fuji, Gala, Northern Spy, Fortune, and Cameo apples, as well as the better known Red Delicious and Golden Delicious.

And here is a tip for those who love apple festivals and going to apple farms to pick their own apples... visit pickyourown.org for a list.

There is something to the old phrase... an apple a day keeps the doctor away... your great, great grandmother knew what she was talkin' about! :)

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Hurry, Today is Your Last Chance to Start the 12 Full Weeks of the TT Transformation Contest...

Hi,

09/22/08

Mark it down.

Make a plaque, put it on your wall.

Get it tattooed on your arm.

Because...

Monday, Sept. 22nd is the day you'll remember as being THE day when
you turned your health around.

Perhaps...

You have everything in life. Great spouse, wonderful kids, job you
enjoy, comfortable house. A great life.

But you're tired. You're a little heavy. Can't keep up with the
kids. Falling asleep after lunch everyday at your desk.
Indigestion. Can't sleep at night. Blood pressure creeping up.
Pants ain't fitting. Bathing suit unworn for 3 seasons now. Sick
and tired of looking and feeling like you do.

This is your chance to change it all.

Today is the final, absolute last chance to start your 12 full
weeks of the Turbulence Training Transformation Contest.

Just imagine the difference you can make between now and Dec. 14th
by doing a body transformation that will change your life,
because...

=> You could get a raise, since research shows that overweight
folks are discriminated against when it comes to income.

=> It will give you the confidence to meet the love of your life.

=> Losing fat has already given so many Turbulence Training users
more freedom, less embarrassment, and more happiness.

And remember...

The Contest is Free.

BUT it ends 12 weeks from today...so start now!

AND...

You don't have to spend any money.

You don't have to "register" anywhere.

You don't even need to post your photos on the Internet if you
don't want to...

All you need to do is...

1) Start using the Turbulence Training workouts ASAP

2) Send in your before and after photos by Dec. 14th, along with
your 300-word story about how the contest changed your life.

Take a look at the details and then stop wasting time.

Get started changing your body right now. It's never too late.

Click Here to get the proven TT exercise & diet system:

http://tinyurl.com/CBsite


Your friend,
Matt Taylor

Friday, September 19, 2008

Holly Rigsby is the Author of The Fit Yummy Mummy and She Asks... Hey Moms... How Expensive is Your Workout?

This email is for the busy Moms...
Holly Rigsby wrote a great article that you must read. Since it is too long for this email... I posted the article on my blog... so go here right now to read Holly's article...

Sincerely,
Matt Taylor

PS - If you are in need of an effective workout plan you can do at
home in only 90 minutes a week be sure to grab your copy of Fit
Yummy Mummy.

Check out the 21 Day Trial Offer!

http://tinyurl.com/FYMTrial


##The contents of this email is not to be regarded as medical
advice. Always consult with your physician before starting or
changing any diet or fitness program.##

Taylor Health & Fitness Publication, Inc.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Why is Holly Rigsby Asking the Moms... How Expensive is Your Workout?

Written by Holly Rigsby, Author of the Fit Yummy Mummy

What is your workout costing you?

Time, money, energy, your sanity....?

Ready to turn the tables and create the expense of FAT LOSS?

That is what everyone desires in the first place, right? As you lose the fat, you reveal a new, lean, toned and beautiful body.

However as you begin a fitness plan, it can be quite confusing, for many plans lead you to believe that the best, fastest and most satisfying results are found in "Weight Loss" - only perpetuating the very unhealthy relationship we have with the scale.

Leading us to make the choices that causes the numbers to fluctuate which only drains our mental energies as we fret over what we are doing wrong to make the scale and our bodies so uncooperative with our efforts.

Time to stop the insanity! (once again).

Change your focus to Fat Loss and try what DOES work when it comes to effective and efficient workouts -and stop wasting your time, money, energies and sanity on a system that is not delivering the results you so badly desire.

The System:

Intense Full Body Resistance Training

Intense = Challenging

No lolly gagging, no chatting while working out, no hour long workout sessions.

Just simple, to the point, compound movements, performed in super set fashion. You just have 6 exercises that you perform in pairs, back to back with little to no rest.

This allows you to work the largest muscle groups in your body to the point of CHANGE - initiating the increase if lean muscle.

The more intense your workout, the more EXPENSIVE it is for your body - therefore your body must PAY in the form of FAT LOSS.

Muscle is essential to Fat Loss!

The more lean muscle you have, the more fat your burn, the more inches you lose, the faster you get back into your skinny jeans.

One of the great reasons why the Fit Yummy Mummy workouts deliver results so quickly is due to the intense nature of a Full Body Workout.

The more muscles you work, in a short period of time not only allows you to burn a significant amount of calories WHILE you are working out.....but does so l-o-n-g after your workout ends.

YEP!

You actually Get your body to work FOR you.

How much easier could the process of Fat Loss be?

You simply cannot get this same effect with.....

~ Cardio - no matter how long you do cardio, for cardio does NOTHING to increase lean muscle - and in fact, the more you DO, the more you risk losing lean muscle. In FACT, your body actually begins to break muscle down in order to provide you with the fuel you need to keep going.

Just another reason why Intervals are the Ideal Solution.

~ Hour Long Resistance Training Workouts

If it is taking an hour to do your workouts - you are missing the point of consolidating your workouts into full body, metabolism boosting moves as well as missing out on the intensity and challenge a true fat burning workout can provide.

First, for those of you who do know, there is no way if you were working out intensely that you could go much longer than 15 minutes!

Second, the longer you place your body in a state of stress, the more cortisol - the stress hormone - you will have pumping through your body. STRESS is GOOD for you in Small Doses - as prescribed with the Fit Yummy Mummy short burst resistance training moves for this is what stimulates NEW muscle growth. Hour long Stress Sessions - Not Good and completely counterproductive to your efforts.

Cortisol is known for increasing Fat Storage AND did you know cortisol also breaks down lean muscle? What a double whammy!

Yet another reason why Less is More.

~ Isolating One Muscle Group at a Time

Once again, this misses out on the concept of intensity. Burning out one small muscle group at a time comes nowhere close to the metabolic expense of targeting those SAME tiny muscle groups with compound movements.

This is why each and every Fit Yummy Mummy workout contains lower body, upper body (push and pull) and core moves.

Plus, the main reason why many woman choose to isolate muscle groups is due to the horrid myth of Spot Reduction. You simply cannot burn fat off one area simply by working that muscle. The muscle does not own the fat on top of it.

Short Burst Resistance Training is the System that Works.

Get More Bang for Your Buck! Why would you want to do it any other way?

If any of the scenarios describe your current workout plan I highly encourage you to try a new system.

Time to create the expense that delivers results.


Fit Yummy Mummy

Get MORE out of Doing Less

Burn the Baby Fat and Get Your Body Back in just 90 Minutes a Week...

Hey Mom... Is High Fructose Corn Syrup OK in Moderation? Find Out From Holly Rigsby, Author of the Fit Yummy Mummy

Written by Holly Rigsby, Author Fit Yummy Mummy

==================================


From the High Fructose Corn Syrup Commercial…

“Wow you don’t care what the kids eat, huh?”

“You know what they say about it”……Silence for this mom is STUMPED

Come back:

“There’s no artificial ingredients and like sugar it is okay in moderation”

In Moderation……….That is the KEY, right?

When it comes to a sound health and fitness plan, anything is okay on moderation.

And my son Tyler will be the first to tell you that it is okay to have ice cream and go to McDonald’s…..Once in awhile.

He even asks if it is “once in awhile yet”, especially if McDonald’s is advertising a movie related toy that he is “into”.

So what IS the problem?

Well the commercial is right in the fact that, in moderation, the consumption is okay, just like regular sugar.

However, HFCS is found in almost every type of processed food.

“In Moderation” does not mean “consume 5 to 6 times a day” – when in fact, our children are!

Surprised?

Wait until you Take a Look in your pantry, your fridge, your snack drawer.

You will find it in:
  • flavored milk
  • juices
  • juice boxes
  • granola snack bars
  • cereals
  • peanut butter
  • fruit chews
  • dried fruit
  • fruit cups
  • yogurt
  • whole wheat bread
  • whole wheat crackers
  • and many other “healthy” sounding food items.
HFCS can even be innocently consumed while dining on spaghetti, seasoning with Worcester sauce, topping a salad, or dipping something into catsup.

As a Busy Moms it seems to be so much easier to choose a more convenient form of “health” foods for their children. When in fact, the foods chosen are processed and contain HFCS.

Based on the list above, it is highly likely your child is consuming these empty calories 5 to 6 times a day!

Hardly what anyone would consider “In Moderation”.

The impact?

The USDA suggests most of us limit our intake of added sugar — that’s everything from the high fructose corn to plain old teaspoons of sugar — to about 10 to 12 teaspoons a day.

This is not exactly a campaign that encourages us to do so. On average it is easy to take in over 30 teaspoons of sugar a day, which was more than 15 percent of our caloric intake.

These empty calorie foods are simply taking the place of more nutritious, satisfying, health promoting foods our children should be eating.

The Solution?

You can choose to….

~ Check the Labels of the convenience foods you are buying and seek out a HFCS-Free item or even better

~ Replace all the highly processed foods with whole, natural foods - foods that actually promote health, wellness and a lifetime of fitness when it comes to the future of our children.

Need help?

Try this…
  • Replace the juice with water
  • Replace the granola bars with apple slices and almonds
  • Replace the flavored milk with organic milk - Tyler's favorite, "Horizon"
  • Next…..Refer to your very own lifestyle system - Fit Yummy Mummy.
  • Live the life you want your children to live.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Abs Superset from Craig Ballantyne of TT

Are you ready to rock your world with a challenging Abs superset from Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training?



Enjoy the short but intense workout.

Be sure to check out my review of Turbulence Training from Craig Ballantyne over at my website. And don't forget to grab your FREE copies of fitness ebooks and workout plans.

Legs & Abs Superset video from Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training

Legs & Abs Superset exercise video from Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training



This is another new short video from Craig Ballantyne that is sure to burn your fat...

If you like this video... then you should definitely check out my review of Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne.

You will also find convenient links to his website to grab a copy of your TT workouts... and while you are at my website... don't forget to pick up your FREE workouts and fitness ebooks...

See you there...

Get Your Beach Body With a New Video by Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training...

Turbulence Training



Here is an awesome new video from Craig Ballantyne who is the creator of the popular fat loss program that you can do at home... Turbulence Training. So watch this short video how you can get your beach body.

And check out my review of TT and don't forget to grab the free ebooks and workouts.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Take a Child Outside Week... I've Got a Better Idea... How About Take a Child Outside Whenver the Weather is Great?

Apparently the week between September 24-30 is "Take A Child Outside" week...

The purpose is to encourage parents to take their child out for a hike or enjoy the fresh air...

This is good and bad...

I think it is awesome to meld with the child and do something together...

But one week ain't enough! And this is where it gets sad...

You see, there is a rising epidemic of child obesity everywhere...

Shoot, I remember when I was growing up... my mother would shoo me and my brothers out the door after breakfast during the summer months... and we can only come back for some lunch and then later on when it was time to come home for dinner and bedtime...

That was 25 years ago...

And now... kids prefer to stay in their rooms and use the computer online, watch tee-vee and play their video games.

And eat tons of junk food.

No more fresh air... no more exercises and kid games...

I get a little nostalgic about what life used to be and what it is now...

They say computers and modern conveniences are a boon for productivity and advancement of civilization...

But I don't think so.

Let's make it "Take a Child Outside" whenever the weather is great and shut the computers, tvs and video games off.

Are you with me here?

If Jennifer Lopez or J-Lo Can Rid of Her "Baby Weight"... Then So Can You With The Fit Yummy Mummy by Holly Rigsby

The Hollywood actress and singer J-Lo or Jennifer Lopez just came in 3rd place in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in California...

This was her first triathlon... and Jennifer is 39 years young! And she just had twins back in February...

What can we take away from this? It doesn't matter where you started from... it matters how you end!

For many Moms... I have the perfect solution to help you lose the baby weight...

It is a program called, quite interestingly... The Fit Yummy Mummy that was written by Holly Rigsby. She is a certified personl trainer that lost her baby weight too... and I have read and really respect her well thought out book.

So if you are really interested in getting more information about her book to help Moms lose baby fat... then go here to get started:

Review of The Fit Yummy Mummy by Holly Rigsby

You'll be glad you did...

Sunday, September 14, 2008

It Isn't Too Late... Craig Ballantyne's TT Transformation Contest Starts Today!




This is a short youtube video of Craig Ballantyne giving you fitness tips for an upper body superset that is sure to add strength and burn fat...

Enjoy and don't forget to sign up for the Turbulence Training Transformation Contest...

It starts TODAY!

There is only 12 weeks left and the final pictures must be in... so if you want to get maximum results... you need to get started TODAY!

Here are the RULES!

http://tinyurl.com/5hwcza

And I'm gonna give you 3 great reasons to get start and why you should get started TODAY!

1) You need a dead line to lose weight... no if ands or buts... it has been proven over and over again when we set a deadline... we tend to achieve more... so if you join the TT Transformation contest... you have 12 weeks to show Craig Ballantyne your fat loss success story.

2) Social support... another great reason to get started... and yeah... it has also been proven that social support is absolutely critical for weight loss success! So when you grab a copy of TT to help you through your transformation... you also get 3 fr.ee freakin' months of access to the TT Member's Are... where good folks from all over the world will help you go down the fat loss path...

So what are you awaiting for? Grab your copy here & get the support from the TT Members...

http://tinyurl.com/CBsite

3) Competition! Anyone who watches sports on TV understands this... when you are competing against others... you put more effort into the task at hand... in short... you are CHALLENGING yourself!

As the great John Belushi once said in the iconoclast of a college flick, The Animal House... "Let's do it!!!"


Helping you get fit and healthy for the holiday season,

Matt Taylor

Friday, September 12, 2008

Someone Asked Tom Venuto the Author of Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle How to Gain Muscle...

-----------------------------------------
BURN THE FAT Q & A
WITH TOM VENUTO, Fat Loss coach
-----------------------------------------

QUESTION:

Hi Tom. I have your BURN THE FAT ebook; it's great thanks, but now that I'm lean enough my aim is bodybuilding and muscle gain. I read your information on body types in chapter 5 of your book and it was very interesting. I am definitely an ectomorph body type. I am getting good results gaining about 1 to 2 pounds a week, but I'm pretty skinny so it's going to take a while to get where I really want to be, but that's fine, I'm patient and determined. My question is, can I use all the guidelines in your BURN THE FAT ebook for gaining muscle mass?

Martin

ANSWER:

Martin, first of all, even one pound of weight gain a week is excellent progress provided that weight is all lean body mass and not body fat.

So, if you're not measuring your body composition, use the information in chapter three of Burn The Fat to track your body comp, and if you're doing that already and it's all lean tissue, you're doing great - don't change a thing.

As for using BURN THE FAT for gaining lean weight, the answer is yes.

It's true that BURN THE FAT, FEED THE MUSCLE is primarily a fat burning program and as you are reading through the e-book, you'll see that the entire manual is written with references to getting leaner.

However, with a few simple adjustments, the program can definitely be used for gaining muscle.

The primary adjustment would be the calories.

The #1 reason why people can't seem gain lean weight is because they're not eating enough. You need a caloric surplus to gain lean body mass.

With the BFFM system of nutrition and training, gaining your first 10-12 pounds of lean mass is actually quite easy. The secret is in the proper caloric intake combined with short, intense training sessions using meticulous and continuous progressive overload.

If you're in a calorie deficit (burning more calories than you consume), it's very difficult to gain substantial amounts of muscle. To gain lean body mass at the maximum possible rate, you need a calorie surplus (consuming more calories than your total daily energy expenditure).

The trick in gaining lean weight without the fat is to select a small calorie surplus because gorging yourself is only going to make you gain fat along with the muscle.

Gaining fat and muscle weight is commonly known as "bulking up" and that's the old school approach you should avoid at all costs. The whole idea is to gain LEAN body mass.

Although BFFM is written with a fat loss slant, all the calorie formulas are included in chapter 6, so you can figure out exactly how many you need to lose, maintain, OR gain weight.

What I would recommend for lean gains is to take your maintenance level (also known as "Total daily energy expenditure," or TDEE), and add a 10-15% calorie surplus on top of that as your starting point for the muscle gaining calorie level.

The only other adjustments for gaining lean mass would be the protein-carb-fat ratios (covered in detail in chapter 8) and of course, the amount of cardio.

Weight gain programs require more carbs in the macro nutrient mix and less cardio. In some cases for ectomorph "hard-gainer" body types, no cardio at all.

For the endomorph body type who tends to gain fat easily, I recommend continuing to use a carb or calorie cycling method even for the muscle gaining phase. The difference is in the number of calories.

For fat loss, I typically recommend a carb cycle with a 20-30% caloric deficit for 3 days, followed by one full day at maintenance or even maintenance + 5-10%, with ALL the caloric increase coming from carbs.

For lean muscle gain with out fat gain, I'd recommend a cycle with 3 days at a 15% surplus, followed by 3 days at maintenance or a small caloric deficit of 5-10% below maintenance.

These are just guidelines which have worked well for me and my clients - of all different body types. They are not written in stone. In fact I have seen all types of calorie cycling variations work for different people. Any non-linear calorie approach is superior, in my opinion.

All the other principles in BFFM, such as eating the "foods that burn" fat and avoiding the "foods that turn to fat" apply as equally to weight gain programs as they do to fat loss programs.

In fact, many BFFM "graduates" quickly reached their fat loss goal using these techniques, and then with a few simple adjustments, shifted into a "muscle-gaining phase." Same program, 1 change in calorie levels.

Using the BFFM techniques for muscle mass gains, most people can expect to gain 1/2 pound to 1 pound per week of lean body mass with no increase in body fat, (1/2 to 3/4 of that for women).

These types of gains can be achieved completely natural - and in fact, natural is the only way I'd ever recommend you do muscle gaining programs.

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto, fat loss coach and author of Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle

Thursday, September 11, 2008

How You Can Train Your Abs in Six Minutes from Craig Ballantyne... the author of Turbulence Training

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!!

I thought you would like to know what Craig Ballantyne has been up to lately...

And here is what Craig writes about his experience with the upcoming 6 minute Ab circuit. It is a new bonus that he will be giving to all TT Ab customers...

Do you have a copy of the Turbulence training Home Abdominal Workout program yet?

http://tinyurl.com/CBabs1


Helping you look fit and healthy,

Matt Taylor

=====================================

I hit the local YMCA for a leg and 6-minute abs workout on Sunday morning. Six-minute abs is my latest mini-report and workout coming out in October.

You'll get a bunch of great beginner and advanced 6-minute ab workouts that show you how to get six pack abs in less time than it takes to watch all the commercials in a half-hour TV show. So some of these workouts you can do right at home in front of the TV.

The one I did yesterday was an advanaced 6-minute workout, and it requires a chin-up bar. Here's how it went down...

1A) Hanging Knee Raises (10 reps)
1B) Spiderman Climbs (10 reps per side)
1C) Plank with Arms on Ball (20-30 seconds)

Go through that circuit as much as you can in 6 minutes with as little rest as possible between exercieses. Don't even rest once you've completed the circuit, just start back again at the top.

It's tough. But fun and effective and gets your workout done faster than ever. And it was a far better use of workout time compared to the people I watched doing 15 minutes of crunches. What a waste.

I'll send you the bonus, "6-Minute Abs" workouts on October 1st, as soon as it is ready!

You CAN train your abs in only 6-minutes! Find out right here:

http://tinyurl.com/CBabs1

Find Out Why Bally the Dog Eats Better Than Most North Americans Do... By 9am...!

I interviewed Craig Ballantyne a month or so ago...

We were talking about his dog, Bally at one point and I remember one thing he said that got stuck in my mind...

Craig said, "My dog Bally probably eats more vegetables by 9am than most North Americans do all day!"

And the point of that was most folks are not eating enough raw vegetables and fresh fruit. Instead they are eating the typical western fare of refined sugar, breads and tran fats.

So here is a tip for you... start eating raw veggies. At first you may want to eat them with good quality salsa... but after a while you get used to it...

And now for a little confession... I actually found myself a little fat at the beginning of the summer...

So I decided to make some changes in my life... I'm 44 years old... I felt tired, I felt old and I felt out of control...

So I decided to make time for an exercise program and redesign my eating plans.

And there are a lot of good fat loss programs out there and I think it is a matter of preference... just stick to a good one and don't feel that you have to hop around to another fat loss program.

I tried out and really loved Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne. It is a well designed bodyweight training program that hits all the major muscle groups.

And besides, he also adds a common sense diet program that eliminates refined sugars and breads.

And you know... those two items are horrible for our bodies... they spike the blood sugar and your metabolism goes haywire.

And the summer is drawing to a close... isn't it time to take back control of your body?

Go here for more information about Turbulence Training:

http://tinyurl.com/CBsite



Helping you get leaner,

Matt Taylor
http://www.healthy-weight-loss-fitness-program.com/


P.S. Oh yeah, after two months... I lost 2.5 inches around my waist and my bodyfat went down from 17% to 9%!

http://tinyurl.com/CBsite

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Bodyweight Workout Exercises by Craig Ballantyne

Most guys don't give much thought to bodyweight workouts, but some of the toughest exercises I've ever done have used only my bodyweight. The two that come to mind immediately are the Pistol Squat and the 1-arm pushup. You have to be very strong and fit to do either of those exercises.

If those are too advanced for you, you can try 1-leg Squats (only going down half as far as the Pistol Squat) and Decline Pushups (elevating your feet on top of a second stair of a staircase).

There are also a lot of abdominal exercises you can do with only your bodyweight, and I don't just mean crunches. Better exercises include planks, side planks, mountain climbers, and cross-body mountain climbers. Those are all total body ab exercises and are not as hard on your low back as situps and crunches.

You don't need a cardio machine to burn calories. For years, my clients have been using bodyweight circuits for interval training. Most bodyweight exercises are the perfect hybrid of strength training and interval training, and unlike cardio machines, they don't put as much repetitive stress on your joints (from doing the same thing over and over again) and they help improve your athletic mobility. Bodyweight exercises and workouts are a much better way to train than with machines!

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Saturday, September 6, 2008

My Personal Message for Governor Sarah Palin... STOP Jogging! Instead do this...

This is NOT a political post... so please put away your banners... or please put away your daggers...

Governor Palin from Alaska has made a lot of news lately... and during my daily readings... I noticed this story about her daily runs of 9 miles.

WSJ Running Alaska with Governor Sarah Palin

Although she was pregnant and had to cut back... Governor Palin is trying to get back into running again... she is up to 3 miles a day now.

But my point is this... Why? As far as I can see... there is NO good benefits to long distance running or jogging!

Folks have DIED while or after jogging. James Fixx the Godfather of jogging in 1984 at the age of 52 during his daily run, Dennis Johnson,the former NBA great died last year at the age of 52 after jogging, and how about Skip Prosser? He was the coach of the Wake Forrest college basketball team... and he died after jogging last year at the age of 56.

And this one is personal... I used to work with this guy... he was in fantastic SHAPE man... he died while jogging a few years ago!

Have you compared the physiques of the marathoners and the sprinters in the Olympics over the summer?

BIG difference huh? The sprinters were muscular and ripped while the long distance runners were spindly and enemic looking...

What can we take away from this? Long and borring endurance running or even aerobics are NOT the answer to fat loss! Steady state cardio just trains the lungs to breathe over long distances... it doesn't nothing for the heart or for your muscles.

That is right! You heard it here first...

Instead... try to turn all of your cardio workouts into interval workouts...

That means you should speed up and the speed down your workouts. It gives your heart a workout (which cardio or jogging doesn't). It stimulates your body's hormonal system to boost your metabolism to burn more fat.

And besides... the best benefit of them all? You can do interval workouts in half the time... time that you can spend on your hobbies... your family...

Craig Ballantyne does this for us with his Turbulence Training program. It was designed for busy individuals who want to lose body fat without spending tons of time doing it.

So Governor Sarah Palin... my advice is to stop jogging and do sprints instead... you will live longer and your body will thank you for it.

You are invited to leave comments but know this... I will delete any posts that are political...

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Tom Venuto Says to Listen to Maintainers... Not to Losers...


Listen to Maintainers, Not to Losers: 5 secrets to keeping the weight off for good

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS

I have very little interest these days in all the media-hyped stories of dramatic, rapid losses of body weight. “Big losers” don’t impress me, for numerous reasons. For example, weight is not fat. “Weight” could be composed of mostly lean tissue, or it could be mostly water weight. In fact, I would go a step further and point out that rapid loss of bodyweight correlates very highly with a greater chance of relapse, weight re-gain and long term failure.

So what does impress me? What gets my attention?

I pay attention to what the “long term maintainers” have to say - those are the people who have maintained an ideal weight for over a year… preferably even 2-5 years or more.

The difference between losers and maintainers

As I was researching the subject of long term weight maintenance recently, I was surprised at the huge amount of research that's already been done in this area.

One paper that caught my interest was published by Judy Kruger and colleagues in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, titled,

“Dietary and physical activity behaviors among adults successful at weight loss maintenance.”

This was not an experimental study, but a compilation of data from the “Styles Survey” which was representative of the U.S. population and asked respondants questions about strategies to aid with maintaining an ideal weight.

In this particular survey, only one-third (30.96%) of the respondents said they were successful at keeping their weight off. The researchers wanted to know the difference between the small group that was successful and the majority that were not.

Both groups reduced the amount of food they consumed, they ate smaller portions, more fruits and vegetables, fewer fatty foods and fewer sweetened beverages.

Not really any surprises there, but what we want to know most is not what losers and maintainers have in common, but what the maintainers did that the losers didn't.

Some major differences emerged between losers and maintainers:

First, a significantly higher proportion of successful maintainers reported exercising 30 minutes or more daily, and they also reported adding other physical activity to their daily schedules (recreation, sports, physical work, etc). In addition, more of the successful maintainers included weight training in their exercise regimens than did the losers.

Reducing sedentary activities (TV watching, etc) was also a significant difference between those who successfully maintained and those who did not.

The next big difference that separated the successful maintainers from the unsuccessful was in their “self-monitoring behaviors” including:

* tracking calories
* tracking body weight
* planning meals
* tracking fat
* measuring the amount of food on their plate

Unfortunately, these types of self-monitoring behaviors, especially weighing and measuring food and counting calories, are among the most avoided and even criticized weight control techniques. Some weight loss “experts” even claim that it's detrimental to count calories, weigh yourself or measure and weigh your food.

However, these self monitoring behaviors are being identified more and more frequently in the research as part of “the difference that makes the difference.” I agree, and they have always played a major role in my own Burn The Fat program.

A final difference was that people who reported self-perceived “barriers” to their success were 48-76% less likely to be a successful maintainer.

For example, they said they had no time to exercise, they were too tired to exercise or it was too hard to maintain an exercise routine. I interpret this as: the unsuccessful losers were excuse makers!

THE TOP 5 STRATEGIES TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MAINTAINER

So let’s recap and turn these research findings into some practical action steps you can apply today.

1. Increase your total daily activity level, including formal exercise as well as sports, physical work or recreational activity. Exercise improves weight loss, but more importantly, it is critical for weight maintenance.

2. Decrease sedentary recreational activities by cutting back on TV watching, computer games and web surfing. Take up physical recreation such as sports, boating, biking, walking, hiking, gardening, physical hobbies and playing with your kids, if you have them.

3. Include weight training as part of your formal exercise program, throughout the fat loss phase and even more seriously during maintenance.

4. Track and monitor everything! Count calories and nutrients, measure your portion sizes, weigh your food, plan your menus in writing and monitor your body weight and body fat percentage.

5. Avoid excuses and maintain positive beliefs and attitudes towards your environment and what you perceive as “barriers.” For example, say, “I can always make time for what is most important to me” instead of, “I don't have time to exercise.”

If you're currently on a fat loss journey, and you want to know how good your odds are for being a successful maintainer, it's pretty easy to predict using these 5 strategies. If you're not using all 5 of them yet, then when would be a good time to start today?

There are limitations to survey results such as these, including the fact that they are cross sectional, and therefore cannot prove causality. However, I believe these findings are important and significant.

Not only do they confirm previous similar studies and agree with the findings of other groups of successful maintainers (such as the National Weight Control Registry), I found that these results match precisely what I've seen among my most successful “Burn The Fat” clients.

THIS is the type of advice I'd suggest you listen to the most: Advice about how to lose body FAT, not body WEIGHT, and how to maintain an ideal bodyweight and body composition over the long haul, not how to lose weight as fast as possible.

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

P.S. There was one more “difference that made the difference,” in this study, and this one may surprise you (although it didn’t surprise me). Successful maintainers were LESS likely to take over the counter diet products (pills, etc).

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and freelance fitness writer. Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Who Won the TT Transformation Contest?

You're not going to believe who won the TT Transformation Contest...

Was it Kerry, the 51-year old with 6-pack abs?

Catherine - the Mom who looks at least 14, if not 24 years younger?

Barry - The man who lost 5.5 inches of belly fat in 12 weeks?

or

Karla - The TT user who looks like she should be on the cover of a fitness magazine?

Head over to this website and find out the shocking conclusion of the 2nd Turbulence Training Transformation Contest:

=> http://tinyurl.com/CBTransformation

How to Legally Give Yourself a Jolt of Energy in the Morning...

Within 15 minutes of waking up... I eat a small bowl of 1/3 cup of mixed berries and a spoonful of almond butter.

It does two things... it revs up my metabolism for the day to burn fat.

And it picks up my energy level... I'm not stuffed but at the same time... I'm satisfied... until I eat my breakfast 2-3 hours later.

You should try it... grab a quickie bite of fruit and nuts like I do...

And then just before you are just about ready for work... eat a good quality breakfast of eggs and raw vegetables.

And did you know this?

Coffee doesn't give you any energy... that would be impossible. The only way to give yourself energy is to feed your muscles. Caffeine just simulates your central nervous system.

Eat better and your body will perk up without the coffee...


Also, I wanted to warn you that you should totally expect a lot of fat loss BS from the weight loss industry this month.

Whether it is billboards, info-commercials or whatever...

Those vultures know that the summer is over and many folks want to lose fat in September. So they are champing on the bit so to speak...

Here is my advice... Don't fall for those quick fat loss gimmicks, p.ills or gadgets. They don't work and they never will.

But you do want something... something that brings results... smaller stomach... leaner body... more muscle definition...

And you want it soon! And I completely understand... it can be so frustrating to try over and over again and fail to lose fat.

And the greatest truth is this... fat loss is simple... but it isn't easy.

I'll be posting more article, infomation and insights on real fat loss. So stay tuned...

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Dining Diet Tips -- How to Avoid Becoming a Casualty of 2000 Calorie Dinners!

The 1000 Calorie Diet Tip

If you eat at restaurants, it's easy to eat over 1500 or 2000 calories per meal. Yikes! That's a full day's worth of calories in one dinner...

Pre-dinner bread & butter -> 200 calories
Pre-dinner cocktail -> 150 calories

Appetizer -> This could be a 500-1500 calorie bomb on it's own!

Steak -> 300-500 calories
Potato -> 150-300 calories
Vegetable -> 100 calories
Dinner Drink -> 150 calories

Dessert - 300-750 calories
After Dinner Drink - 150

And that's only if you CONTROL yourself. If you go on a rampage, you could be looking at 2500 or even 3000 calories in one sitting. Those numbers are scary.

Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this dietary nightmare while dining out. Here are 5 rules to cut 1000 calories from your dining-out diet...

1) Plan ahead and avoid restaurants that offer huge portions.

2) Skip the bread. It won't stop you from eating your full meal anyways, so just send it back.

3) No booze or liquid calories of any type.

4) No potates. Stick to your protein and your vegetables.

5) Reward yourself with only the tiniest bit of dessert, if at all.

It's all about taking responsibility for your choices. And yes, choosing between the "Pain of discoipline or pain of regret". What's your choice?

For more diet and exercise tips, visit:

==> Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne