Fitness & Weight Loss Blog

Feeding for fitness and weight loss from San Jose Boot Camp

Several of my San Jose Boot Camp members have had concerns about weight loss this past week, and it prompted me to share what I consider to be a major problem in weight loss especially with women.

Sarah came in for measurements at Prime Physique Fitness and asked:

"I'm watching my diet, eating incredibly healthy, working hard at San Jose Boot Camp, running, and actually completing half marathons in record time… But I'm gaining weight and not losing fat, I don't understand why this is happening. I'm frustrated and I should be losing weight!"

Sarah is correct, she should be losing weight, and she should be losing fat.

So I questioned her about her eating habits…

• She has not been tracking her diet.
• She has been restricting calories.
• She has not been consistent on the number of meals she's consuming.

What she has been doing is:

• Exercising very hard.
• Exercising a lot.
• And basically training her body to store fat!

That's right… Store fat!

Here's the deal:

Not burning fat is not your fault!

The body, especially the female body, has one goal: Survival!

The body does this by storing fat in preparation for time of famine. 

So what's going wrong here?

Exercising hard, exercising a lot, restricting calories… Is too much on the body and puts it into a state of starvation. Therefore the body will store fat to preserve life.

Sarah can exercise, and exercise, and exercise, and she will continue to store body fat.

It is not just calories in, calories out. It just doesn't work that way.

So what does Sarah need to do?

Sarah needs to:

• Increase her calories
• Increase her number of feedings
• Increase her frequency of feedings throughout the entire day.
• Sarah NEEDS MORE CALORIES TO BURN FAT & LOSE WEIGHT!

What?

You read that right, she needs more calories.

The first thing that I told Sarah was that I need her to:

• Eeat six meals per day
• Continue to eat healthy
• Eat balanced meals
• And not worry so much about calories right now.

This will help the body get out of the state of famine… Bottom line is we have to increase calories to start burning fat again.

Now you may think that I'm crazy, but with 20+ years of experience as fitness and weight loss expert, I seen this before, I've seen it with many clients (especially women)… And it may be hard to digest, but it is true.

I will report Sarah's results back to you on the Prime Physique Fitness and Weight Loss Blog at our next measurement session in three weeks.

But even more than that, over the course of the next 10 months (fitness and weight loss is an ongoing thing) I KNOW we will see many more changes and improvements in Sarah's body that I'm happy to share with you...and Sarah will be incredibly happy to! (By the Way, Sarah said it was OK to print this :-)

If you have any questions about your diet, if you're stuck losing weight, or if it's time to get the proper help and get into great shape this year… Let me know!

And be sure to sign up for your
FREE strategy session at Prime Physique Fitness right now!
(FREE for a limited time ONLY!)

Click the button below and come in and try out our all new personal training program and start getting results… Fast!

Post Thanksgiving Syndrome: Look and feel better after Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is over...It was great, the food was spectacular, and there was a lot of it!

Now Thanksgiving is over, there is still a TON of leftovers, and clothes are tight. Now what?

My inbox has been blowing up with what I call "Post-Thanksgiving-Syndrome-Emails" like this one from Sherrie in Los Gatos:

Hi Brett,
   I read your emails and blog posts all the time and they are great, thank you. I try to do a good job on my diet and exercise, and am doing pretty good (I'm actually going to be signing-up for your boot camps).
   But Thanksgiving really set me back and I'm not sure what to do now.
   Thanksgiving was great. My entire family was at my house and I cooked a meal for an army; the problem is that my family is the size of a platoon so there are a ton of leftovers, even after sending a bunch away with guests!
   To be honest, I ate way too much and have not exercised since last Wednesday. I spent Friday shopping and Monday was cyber Monday (most of my Christmas shopping is done!). And I am still eating the leftovers!
   Help! I feel fat and sluggish. I let myself down because I was doing so good and now it is all ruined and my clothes are tighter again. I'm not happy with myself at all.
   What should I do?

-Sherrie

Well Sherrie, first off know that you are not alone. Lots of us (note the word "US" because I had a damn good time this Thanksgiving WEEK too) went overboard on the food, fun, and lack of exercise.

Second is even more important...It is over, done, finished, and time to move on! Forget about it and get back to business, right now.

After helping literally thousands of members, just like you, get through the holiday season for the past 20+ years, there is one piece of advice that is constant:

The holiday season is full of stress and beating yourself up over what you did during Thanksgiving is just not worth it to you are your body, and it is not going to undo what has been done...so FORGET ABOUT IT.

Stress produces "Fat-Storing Hormones" that don't help you to reach your goals for your body. So eliminate as much stress as possible and get back on your program now...and leave the past where it is: in the past!

Now is time to get back on your fitness program, clean out the left-over's, and restart your healthy diet so you are ready for the rest of the holidays.

Here are my top tips for Post Thanksgiving:

1. Clean out the bad stuff from the refrigerator.  This includes everything made with a ton of butter or sugar.  Sugar and butter are horible for your weight loss program and should be dumped from the refrigerator now.  Doing this is best for the entire family.  Thanksgiving is over this year.
2. Dump the rolls...that is all they are good for on your body;-)  Get back to the grains and whole grain breads (if you have any breads at all).  Thanksgiving is over this year.
3. Restock.  Time to go to the grocery store and restock your shelves with all the goodies you need for a solid diet:
• Healthy Grains
• Veggies
• Lean Meats
• Fruits
• Good Stuff!
• Thanksgiving is over this year.
4. Prepare.  Time to get your foods for the week ready to go.  Do your cooking and set your meal plan for the week.  Thanksgiving is over this year.
5. Use good leftovers. 
• Pick the turkey clean and use the meat for your diet, it is great tasting and great for your weight loss diet!
• Use the bones in a soup.  Load veggies and wild rice into a pot and cook them up into a nice thick soup that will be healthy, filling, nutritious, and good.
6. Workout.  Get your butt back into your workout program or get one started today.  The holidays are the most important time to exercise, AND the most neglected!  Register for:
• San Jose Personal Training
• San Jose Boot Camp
• Or get outside and exercise...Starting Today!
7. Stick with your program throughout the holiday season and stay light years ahead of everyone else who waits until January 2nd to get started!

Remember that the secret to changing your body and being happy is taking action.  So take action today and you will get the body of your dreams.

Here is a link to download my FREE Guide  "Hot Body For The Holidays:  The Woman's Guide for Getting & Keeping Your Dream Body Through The Holiday Season...And Beyond!" Call it a "thank you" for reading my articles and leaving your comments.

 
Download NOW!

 

 

Biggest secret to results in fitness, diet, and weight loss

One of the ladies out at San Jose Boot Camp and I were talking the other day and she shared her frustration with lack of results in her 10,000 different diet programs she has tried over the years. 

Seems that right now she is eating a couple times per day, and not eating very much at all...and she is not losing weight.

"My calories are so low that I should be losing a ton of weight, but I am not!  I was for a while, but now nothing."

Honestly, I can't tell you how many times I hear stuff like this...especially from my female clients (BTW, that's like 90% of who I work with!).

So this is what I told her...(let's call her "Jane" for the sake of having a name here)

BRETT:  What is your primary goal out here at boot camp with me?  Why are you up at 5:30AM and working out in the cold? (it was winter and we were outside in the park)

JANE:  "I want to lose weight and have more energy so I can keep up with my kids and look and feel better."

BRETT:  Awesome...I get that.

Here is the biggest secret to getting results in your body through an exercise and/or diet program...

It's not what you might think...and it is a secret because most of the fitness and weight loss "professionals" just don't get it...Not at the level of importance it deserves!

It's not how much you exercise....

It's not how much you eat...

It's not what you eat...

It is how often you eat.

You see, when you restrict calories and don't eat enough, your body goes into "survival mode."  In survival mode your body will do a couple things that you don't want it to ever do:

1. Slow down your metabolism to match your food intake
2. Cannibalize muscle tissue for energy (that means burning muscle for energy)

You never want to lose muscle, you only want to gain more...

Wanna know why?

JANE:  "Yes"

BRETT:  Because muscle is active tissue and the more of it you have, the more claories (and fat) your body burns.

By the way...muscle takes up less space than fat too, so gaining muscle does not mean you are going to get BIG, you actually get smaller. 

I got a smile there...that was cool!

Do you want your metabolism to slow down? (I knew the answer...wanted impact;-)

JANE:  "No way!  It is too slow now, I want to increase it as much as I can!"

BRETT:  Cool!  Then you have to eat more.

You should have seen the look on her face...actually just look in the mirror right now and you will probably be able to see the same look.  (I think she thought I was insane...but whatever;-)

Every time you eat, you increase your metabolism.  Every time you increase your metabolism, you can burn more fat without sacrificing valuable muscle tissue.

The value of eating frequently can actually outweigh some of the stuff you eat because you are burning more calories...

NOW that doesn't mean you can eat a bunch of crap and expect to look hot, but it does mean that you should be eating every 2-3 hours all day long.

I got another smile.

Figure that if you do not eat at least 6 times a day, you are not losing fat like you should be...if at all.

JANE:  "So you want me to eat MORE?"

BRETT:  Yep.  If you eat 8 times a day, you will do even better than if you eat 6!  Got it?

JANE:  "Yes, I'll start working on it today."

BRETT:  Awesome...you will start losing weight again too...actually it will be FAT weight!

Prime Physique Client Party & Awards Presentation

The Prime Physique Client Party and Awards Presentation was a total blast with members of both Prime Physique Witness and Weight Loss as well as San Jose Adventure Boot Camp showing up for a great afternoon of food, fun, and festivities!

First off, thank you to everyone who showed up and thank you for all the awesome comments on the food I prepared for you to enjoy!  It sounds like the Wild Rice Salad was the biggest hit of all!

So we started off with a BBQ that I rented and towed in behind the Boot Camp Mobile.  Chef Mike Rogers helped me out with the grilling of Marinated and glazed Chicken Tenderloins and Thighs (they were skinless;-), and the Grilled Garlic Bread (OK...it wasn't low fat, but also was not totally smothered in butter...but it was pretty darn good!).

Honestly, Mike pretty much handled the entire grilling...so thanks Mike!

We enjoyed a beers, courtesy of Rock Bottom Brewery and their lightest brew: Kolsch; and a couple glasses of Chardonnay, and had fun mingling and laughing.

The lunch rocked with the Glazed Chicken, Garlic Bread, Wild Rice Salad, and a nice Green Salad with Balsamic vinaigrette.

After lunch we got to dive into the Awards Presentation for the 5-Week Body Transformation which was a very close contest, as usual. 

In the end, Mandy was the winner with Mark coming in second, and Josie in third.

But all of the participants lost a bunch of weight, most in the 10 pound range...Not bad for 5 weeks!  You guys ROCK!

This was an awesome party and I am very grateful to have been able to host this for the active members of Prime Physique Fitness and Weight Loss and San Jose Adventure Boot Camp.  Thank you all for your hard work and for trusting your fitness programs to my team.

Get ready for more results and some awesome future surprises!

Now Go Workout!

Better Butt Workout from Your San Jose Personal Trainer

The truth is that you are always kicking it, working it off, and checking it out, so why not get your butt the way you want it?  Well ladies of San Jose, this is just for you, a better butt workout that will help tone, firm, tighten, and lift your butt.

Pretty much all day long you are doing one of 2 things with your butt: your butt is either being used actively OR you are just sitting on it, in which case you are still using it for something!

So why is it so hard to get the butt to look the way you want it?

Simple, you don't have the Better Butt Workout from your San Jose Personal Trainer...So let's fix that right here!

Your butt is actually the glute muscles and they are used for activities like standing up, sitting down, extending the leg behind you, and stabilizing the body.  The great thing about the glutes (butt) is that is is a really big muscle group and the big muscle groups burn the most calories, so working it in a great butt workout will have massive effects on your metabolism.

Beyond the size of the glutes (butt muscles) there are serious supporting muscles which also are quite large and have a large effect on the metabolism:  the muscles of the hamstrings (back of the legs) and quads (front of the legs). 

So most leg movements will work hard to crank up the metabolism, burn calories, and results in a toned butt.

Better Butt Workout

Follow through the exercise routine keeping rests to the time span shown, and you will have one serious butt workout and a better all round butt.

Warm-up:

• 5 Minutes of medium paced cardio using the legs AND arms
• 4 Minutes on the Foam Roller to loosen up the butt and legs
• 2 Minutes of light stretching of the 3 primary muscles: butt, hamstrings, quads

Workout:

We are going to do a repetition based workout here with minimal rest breaks between each

set and do the exercises in a circuit fashion.  So each exercise should be performed for 12-15 repetitions, followed by a 30 second break, and then move to the next exercise, and repeat the circuit 2-3 times depending on your fitness level. 

Weights are optional for the Better Butt Workout, but should be used once your form is perfect and you can still perform all the repetitions in all the sets of the circuit without difficulty.

1. Dumbbell Squat
2. Stability Ball Hip Raise Leg Curl
3. Step Up with Leg Extension & Butt Squeeze
4. Forward Tapping Lunge
5. Stability Ball Hyper Extensions
6. Squat Jumps
7. 1 Leg Hip Raises (each side)

Simple exercise descriptions:

NOTE:  Every exercise - Keep your abs tight like you are going to get hit in the stomach, chest up, shoulders back, and only look down if the exercise required it (tapping lunge).

Dumbbell Squat:  Hold a medium weight dumbbell in each hand beside your body, lower your butt and upper legs down until parallel to the ground while inhaling and sticking your butt out behind you, pause for a second and stand back up while exhaling. Repeat. Do not let your knees extend beyond your toes.

Stability Ball Hip Raise Leg Curl:  Lay on back with heels on stability ball, lift butt off the ground, bend knees and pull toward body, pause, and extend back to starting position.  Repeat.

Step Up with Leg Extension & Butt Squeeze: Alternating legs, step up onto a bench or step with one leg, extend other leg straight back behind you and squeeze butt muscles, pause, slowly lower back to ground.  Repeat with other leg. Repeat repetitions with each leg.

Forward Tapping Lunge: Hold light dumbbells at one end, step forward with one leg, bend both knees while reaching down to touch the dumbbell to the ground in front of your forward foot, return to starting position.  Repeat on other leg.  Repeat repetitions with each leg.  Do not let front knee go beyond toes.

Stability Ball Hyper Extensions:  Anchor feet while laying on stomach on stability ball, hands behind head, lift upper body as high as possible, squeeze butt, hold for 1 second, return to starting position, repeat.

Squat Jumps:  Same as the Dumbbell Squat, except without the dumbbells, and add an explosive jump straight up.  Repeat.

1 Leg Hip Raises (each side):  Lie on ground with both legs straight, bend one leg and place foot flat on ground beside knee of the other leg, press off the heel of the bent leg and drive the hips and straight leg into the air, hold for 1 second, and lower to the ground.  Repeat on one leg until all repetitions are completed.

Try this out, building up in volume for 4-6 weeks, and watch your butt get firm and tone!

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*Note that you should always consult your physician prior to starting any exercise program.

 

San Jose HCG Diet for Weight Loss

One thing in the weight loss and exercise industry is always consistent, everyone wants the quick fix for weight loss.

Unfortunately the quick fix is never a permanent solution and actually can have devastating effects on the body and metabolism, especially for women.

Now the hormone HCG has been introduced to the world, and unfortunately the San Jose area, and it has been introduced as a rapid weight loss program.  The San Jose HCG diet for weight loss touts dramatic loss of body fat and weight loss in a very short time frame.

Average caloric intake is a mere 500 calories per day!  Like there is a chance that the body won't lose weight on a 500 calorie per day weight loss program!

The drug HCG is introduced to aid the weight loss program by helping cut the hunger cravings and enhance the HCG weight loss program.

HCG is not a new drug, in fact it has been around for a very long time.  HCG is short for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, which is a hormone found in pregnant women and excreted through the urine.

Bodybuilders have used it for years to attempt to get their bodies working correctly after loading up on anabolic steroids.

Generally the HCG drug is injected into the abdominal area with a diabetic needle for the HCG weight loss program.  So right there people should se a RED FLAG! 

Injections of a drug for fast weight loss...come on! Not to mention the fact that the injection is derived from pee (gross!).

We can do a hell of a lot better than this with a real change in diet and exercise and proper weight loss coaching.

The factor to remember here beyond just the use of a drug for weight loss is the exceptionally low caloric intake and the potential for slowing of the metabolism.

The goal of a proper weight loss program SHOULD be to take in as many calories as possible to accelerate weight loss through creating a caloric deficit obtained by diet manipulation, proper exercise, and healthy supplementation. 

These factors will help to RAISE the metabolism and burn fat off while creating a strong, lean, fat burning body...without slowing the metabolism.

What Do You Think? 
Drugs for weight loss or the Healthy Weight Loss Program? 
Leave Your Comment Below:

Restarting the Weight Loss Diet Program in San Jose

So about 36 hours ago I returned from a great 2 week vacation, and I must say it was much needed!

Working practically 24/7 can truly drain the mind, body, and soul...So a trip up the Oregon Coast and then a vacation/honeymoon/anniversary down in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, was a great way to unwind and relax.

However, there is work to do and less than 12 hours after returning from vacation, it was time to get back to the business of helping clients with their San Jose weight loss diet program thru San Jose personal training and San Jose Boot Camp.

AND...

Self-Work...I got on the scales and found that 10 pounds had been added (that is being quite generous) to my own butt!

So I want to share what to do the DAY after returning from vacation and how to get the weight loss diet program re-started.

Steps to Re-Starting the Weight Loss Diet Program in San Jose:

1. Get up early and workout!  A simple cardio routine is a good start and will get the body moving, with little chance of injury...after sitting on my ass for 2 weeks, the body needs to be gently coerced back into exercise (I will go harder today;-)
2. Go Grocery Shopping!  With ONE single goal in mind: Buy ONLY foods that will help resume a healthy weight loss diet program.
• Grocery List:
• 80 XL Eggs - Boil half use the rest for omelets (whites only)
• Veggies (Honestly I didn't buy much because the summer garden is still ROCKIN!)
• Frozen Chicken Tenderloins - Nice and tender and LOW fat.
• Frozen Shrimp - Same as above.
• Water - LOTS...There was some drinking during vacation (no lie there;-) so hydration is critical!
• That is it...nice and simple!  Buying only what you need to get back on track will help keep you on track.  Don't load the shelves with stuff that you don't need because you/I already had enough of that while on vacation!
3. Get Nutritional Supplements!  Needed to refresh my Protein Powder supply and get more supplements to enhance and support my weight loss diet program!
4. PLAN!  Plan out the exercise program for the next week or hire a top personal trainer or fitness boot camp to get moving.
5. Commit!  Make a complete commitment to your return to being in shape and happy.

Then get your butt to work! 

Be sure to have fun, because that is the key to successful body transformation and re-starting the weight loss diet program...especially in San Jose!

Enjoy...Now Go Workout!

Extreme Flavor Weight Loss - Enoteca La Storia, Los Gatos Wine Bar

The other day I took my beautiful wife, Denise Riesenhuber, out to an afternoon "date" in downtown Los Gatos. 

We went to a new Los Gatos Wine Bar called Enoteca La Storia...a place we have been going to on occasion for several months...and it ROCKS!

Now this article is not so much about Enoteca La Storia in Los Gatos, but what they served us...and what we can do with my NEW IDEAS to flavor our weight loss diets.

First let me go back a wayyyyzzzzz....to my first Truffle experience...

I was first served Truffles (not the chocolate stuff, but the actual truffles that are famous in Europe...the mushroom/fungi stuff that expensive cuisine is noted for) at my first visit to French Laundry in Yountville.

The French Laundry is renowned as one of the best restaurants in THE WORLD, and their Chef/Owner, Thomas Keller, seems to love working with Truffles...Now I don't think he looks at them as a great component of a weight loss diet, but that is my job!

THE MEAL...

Our meals were $150 EACH, PLUS wine, but they had a "Truffle Menu" that was DOUBLE at $300!  (BTW, this was for their "Lunch Seating")

Now based on these prices many will know that our dining experience was not recent since prices have gone up by close to a factor of 2 since then...but for the time, it was the most expensive lunch I'd ever even thought of!  It was also the best meal I'd ever experienced...but that is another story. (I think it still stands as the "Best Meal I Have Had")

The thing was that I didn't choose the Truffle menu because I didn't know about the things.  AND since it was Truffle Season, there were other Truffle dishes on the menu.

Honestly...I though Truffles tasted like crap! (ok, I was a lot younger then...but still had MOSTLY good taste)

But as all things in life, palates evolve...

Now I have grown to not only enjoy the flavor of the Truffle, but totally desire it and LOVE Truffles!

OK, so back to Enoteca La Storia...

They serve wines (duh...Los Gatos Wine Bar!) and also serve meats and cheeses.

Guess what?

They have cheese and meats flavored with truffles! 

And they are among my favorites.  I order these things every time I go to Enoteca La Storia...Usually by request, specifically.

The big deal came to play, and the BIG IDEA, when they served me a special plate the other day...

The manager, Joe, is an awesome guy...with an awesome sense of humor (you know me...gotta have the fun thing happening;-)...and when I wanted their daily meat and cheese platter, but heavy on the Truffles, he hooked me up BIG!

Now before you go in there and ask for the "Brett Special" or the "San Jose Boot Camp" platter (he knows what I do;-)...he told me that this was a once in a lifetime plate!

Joe put together a plate with great stuff...cheeses with Truffles, cured meats with Truffles, and ONE SPECIAL BOMB...

Truffle Honey.

OK, no joke...this stuff was INSANE!

The flavor when combined with a hard cheese ((lower in fat)) was totally OFF THE HOOK!

So I had to ask about the Truffle Honey...and they had a couple SMALL bottles for sale for like $21.  Not cheep...but I had to get one!

So it made me think...

Truffles create such a massive flavor in dishes...

Truffles WILL work in weight loss diet recipes.

Think about adding a dash of something that is SO strong, and SO good, and  SO rich tasting, to a simple weight loss dish...and think about how much it will enhance the recipe and make the flavors EXPLODE in your mouth!

All while maintaining your weight loss diet?!?!?

One word:  YEA-BABY!!!  ;-)

Truffle can be found in the honey that I purchased or in Truffle infused oils...Not inexpensive, but massively flavorful!

A drop her and there can change your diet meal from normal to extraordinary with minimal calories.

BUT Don't go CRAZY Here...Truffles are EXPENSIVE!  Something like $2000 per OUNCE!!!  But they are POWERFUL in flavor, so a little bit goes a LONG way...

So go for the infused stuff, like oils and honey!

Otherwise DRUGZ may look like a better habit!  (Joke...don't take that too seriously;-)

This is something I will be experimenting with in the future...Truffles, not Drugz... and I will share my findings, and recipes, with you in future articles. 

But be sure that a few drops of the Truffle honey will be going onto tomorrow nights' chicken and veggies!

Hey, if you have experimented with Truffles and Weight Loss Recipes, share them below!

Fruit and Your Weight Loss Programs

The question of fruit and weight loss comes up very frequently when speaking with personal training and boot camp clients.

Actually the topic comes up so frequently that I decided to devote an entire blog article just to the subject of how fruit impacts a weight loss program.

First let's clear up a very important point about weight loss and diet...

There are 2 ways to look at foods when evaluating for weight loss diet:

1. Is this food "Good For Me?"
2. Is this food "Good For My Weight Loss Program?"

If the answer to both is "NO!" then the obvious is true:  "Don't Friggin Eat It!"  ;-)

The question needs to be addressed to things that can be considered "Good For Me" BUT may NOT be "Good For My Weight Loss Program."

For example:

A glass of wine may, as viewed by many, be good for me.  But it is not really good for a weight loss program.  The calories and the fact that the body looks at alcohol as a toxin, just don't add up to being good for weight loss programs.

Now don't get me wrong...I LOVE my wine baby!  There is a time and place for it though.

So a bit of Vino may be "Good For Me" but may not be "Good For My Weight Loss Program."

Another example is Fruit Juice.  Sure fruit juice is generally loaded with vitamins, BUT fruit juice is also loaded with SUGAR.

Think about how many oranges it takes to make a glass of orange juice.  Now think how many it takes to make a glass of orange juice the size YOU like to drink!

A Lot, right?  Well there are a ton of calories in "A Lot" and there is also hardly any of the pulp that goes with eating an orange...and you would NEVER sit down and eat that many damn oranges!

So fruit juice MAY have some added "Good For Me" characteristics, but it clearly is not "Good For My Weight Loss Program."  (Honestly, fruit juice generally has so much sugar that I have to argue the "good for anything" idea of fruit juice when you take into consideration: Insulin!  But that is another article...and I think I have already written it here somewhere;-)

So what about FRUIT?

Isn't fruit "Good For Me?"

Yep!

Well isn't fruit "Good For My Weight Loss Program?"

Nope!

Think about the goal of your weight loss program:  Burn Fat!

The goal isn't to lose weight, it is to lose FAT. 

Weight is just what the fat is making your body weigh and take up mass.  So we want to burn the fat and weight loss is what comes from that.

Ideally we actually want to GAIN muscle and burn more fat...to an extent (don't freak out on me here ladies...we want to do it right...Guys: Sure, add as much muscle as humanly possible as fast as humanly possible...I know that is your goal;-) 

The reality is that we DO want to increase muscle tone and decrease fat mass.  Can we agree on that? 

Yep!

OK, so can we also agree that burning fat is hard?

Yep!

Burning fat is tough for the body to do too.  The body would rather sit on the couch and watch soaps too (OK guys, football).

What is easy for the body to burn?

Ready?....

SUGAR!

Guess what is in FRUIT?

SUGAR!

So when we work our asses off in the gym to get it to burn fat, then add in sugar...even in the form of fruit...we let the body off the hook and allow it to burn the easier fuel:  Fruit Sugar.

Think about it for a second and it will be crystal clear:

Fruit is sugar, fruit has great nutrients, fruit is easier for the body to burn than fat, THUS fruit will slow down the body's ability to burn fat.

AND the worst time to take in fruit is immediately AFTER a workout!

Right after a workout you should stick to lean protein or lean protein and a starchy/fibrous carbohydrate.  Fat and sugar are totally wrong to add into the diet after a workout and should be avoided at all costs.

So enjoy fruit, but in moderation.

When on a weight loss program, cut it back as much as you feel comfortable because it won't help you to burn fat.

On your scheduled cheat days, go for it and enjoy the hell out of fruit! 

But think about it when you are on your weight loss program diet...

Now Go Workout!

Did you learn something? 
Leave Your Comments Below!!!

 

 

The 5 Best Ways to Tone Your Butt and Thighs

Do you hate the way your butt and things look?  Well many women, and men too, feel that way and here are the top 5 ways that you can add muscle tone to your butt and thighs!

Hike!  Not what the Quarterback says to the Center, but rather up in the hills.  Hiking up hills forces the legs to work harder that they would when walking on a flat surface.  The glutes, hamstrings, and quads are all activated...along with the lower leg muscles, so call that an added benefit.  Beyond the muscle toning created by the hills, you will also be burning more calories and ramping the heart rate up due to adding an uphill climb to your workout.

 

Lunge!  Lunges are a tough exercise, even painful, but one of the best ways to tone up the thighs and butt.  Start off with your feet parallel and a slight spread in the stance, shoulder width is good.  With a dumbbell in each hand step forward with one foot and bend both knees, dropping the rear knee straight down towards the ground.  All pressure should be on the front thigh and the front knee should not go past the toe.  The rear knee should drop straight to the ground:  imagine a point or dot on your shoulder, hip, and knee, and all are in one straight vertical line.  Stand back up and repeat on the other side (preferable more than once;-)

 

Squat!  Squats are the king of all exercises.  Squats will tone your butt and thighs AND burn more calories than any other exercise due to the powerful combination of all the muscled used in the motion.  Pretty much all the muscles in the body are engaged to either perform the actual movement or stabilize the body, with the 2 largest muscles doing most of the work:  Glutes (butt) and Quads (thighs).  Grab a barbell and put it over your shoulders, or dumbbells held either beside the body or at the shoulders (best!).  Keep your eyes looking forward and slightly up while maintaining a shoulder width stance.  Squat down like you were sitting on a chair or a low toilet seat (seriously, it works...toilets are usually kind of low) and get your thighs down to a point parallel to the ground.  Stand back up and repeat!

 

Skate!  The movements involved in skating create a ton of work for the entire leg and lead to great muscle tone and strengthening of the legs.  The thighs get most of the work, and it is a lot of fun...as long as you don't fall down!  The other cool thing about this activity is that it also burns calories.  So Ice, in-line, or roller...Skating is great for toning the things and butt!

 

 

 

Diet!  Yep, you knew that was coming!  You have got to watch the diet in order to burn the fat off your thighs and butt.  There is no way around it and you have heard me say it before:  you can't out train a crappy diet.  So watch the calories, cut back on the starch, and dump the processed crap while you are eating 5+ small meals every day and staying well hydrated.

 

One of the keys I always love to share with everyone about getting fit, staying fit, and toning the body, is to have fun and be consistent with your exercises.  Enjoy and go out and get those legs and butts tone, trim, and hot!

Share your favorite ways to tone up the butt and things below!