Atlanta Personal Trainer experience with the Academy Awards, Hollywood & Fat loss

As I let you know a few days ago I am in LA writing this blog as I speak. It’s been an interesting trip. I am originally from California, but nothern California. If you’ve been to Cali you know the two are completely different. Although I’ve been to LA plenty of times before, this trip was one to remember for a few reasons. On this trip, I specifically was looking at it from a perspective this could be my new residence in the next 4 months or so. I began looking at the way business was conducted, how people lived their lives, learned about some people’s beliefs and mores etc. I’d imagine some people spend thousands of dollars for huts or little space house.

Then there were mansions with camera’s out front of their gated house. The crazy thing is people have invested in these posh homes that are on cliffs overlooking the city. I mean for goodness sakes, all it takes is an earthquake to actually come like predictors say and the house is sliding right down the hill. Street labels with BH, Melrose Place, Bel Air mark where the affluent lived. The Avenue of the Stars has the Fox taping shows, the Governor’s Ball in Hollywood has every big name celebrity you partying the night away right now as I write this.

It was exciting to see this gigantic city has a little bit of everything. Santa Monica Beach is right down the street. Although it wasn’t Venice Beach I did manage to sneak a quick 12 min workout right on the pier. People were out and about enjoying the southern california weather. Being on the west coast, or back in Cali helped me realize it’s a bit different than the south and in particular, Atlanta Ga. There’s probably multiple reasons why, but I’m going to suggest a few reasons why.

1.) After being here for nearly 5 days, I have not seen as many overweight people!

Image is far too important here. Being sloppy and overweight simply isn’t accepted here. Sure I saw a few spare tires, but for the most part, there weren’t any morbidly obese people (greater than 40% bodyfat). It didn’t matter where I went (I even went to a Burger King). The people looked slim, active, and it just seems like the people here manage their weight a bit better than in Atlanta.

2.) People don’t have a problem investing in their health, body, appearance!

Recession or not, these people value themselves and most definitely are taking care of themselves. Whether they have their personal trainer, attend a boot camp, doing group classes, partaking in daily outdoor activities,, doing their own workouts at a home or even on the beach.

Yes I saw multiple tanning and hair salons, plastic surgery offices and even places offering Lapbands where you can lose up to 50lbs fast (as you know that’s the lazy way out) but that just goes to prove they really value themselves and their bodies even in a recession or economic down times. After all, if you want to be a star, this is where you need to be right?

3.) They’re just more active

These people are down right active. Saturday I was driving down Santa Monica Blvd to the beach, I saw so many people walking down the streets with yoga mats……In Atlanta, Everything is Valet. It’s ike people in Atlanta are just too lazy to walk anywhere. You can’t park anywhere in downtown Atlanta or Buckhead without having to pay a valet service. This just aint the case in LA. Even though it may be overcrowded, if anything you may be walking blocks to get where you need to be.

4.) Being tone, slim and lean in contagious

This is LA speaking. I’m sure it almost forces you even if you did have crappy eating habits to eat better, when your friends, roomate, boss, coworkers, church leader, networking partners are all slim. It’s just too contagious. There’s plent of studies to prove it too. You’re overweight, there’s a good chance your sphere of influence is overweight too. The same thing happens with those who are lean and in shape. It just doesn’t make sence if you’re lifestyle is busy, active, eating healthy, cooking and planning meals, making trips to the local farmers market, exercising 6 days a week, taking controland taking care of your body and you hang with those who do the exact opposite. How can two walk together unless they agree?

5.) Restaurants have better options and the people are making better food selections!

We all know there are your typical chains that you see everywhere. But one noticeably different aspect is the usuage of Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese over the more high calories dense more oil based chinese foods and buffets. I saw noodle bowl soup restaurants, people eating sushi, and just making better overall selections. Which ultimately means they’re consuming less calories, hence saving their waistline!

6.) I didn’t see any plus size models

I’ve heard multiple women in Atlanta tell me they were a plus size model and simply weren’t interested in losing weight. Even though they were 60-100lbs overweight. It’s always, if I lost 15-20lbs I could be good, but I need to be this size…..That simply isn’t the case or would it fly in LA.

7.) Working out didn’t appear as foreign

I told you I’d sneak in a quick workout. I ran throught this workout in two places. One was at the beach, the other in hall way of my hotel. Both times, when I filmed it there were people passing by. Now usually if I’m filming in Atl, it almost appears foreign to people when they see me doing exercises in random places. Not in LA, it wasn’t anything new to them. People went about their business, one guy at the hotel asked me about my program and went on to tell me how he uses another fitness professional Zach Evanish’s Underground Strength program.

Overall, this article wasn’t to say LA is better than Atlanta, but there are some noticeable differences in body types that are present. Heck GA is in the top 15 in the nation as being one of th fattest nations. Atlanta is a metropolitan area and LA is pretty much the opposite. It’s one of the bigger cities in California, health and body image is just more important here. If you’d like to be an Atlanta who wants a better body or improve in your lifestyle, you can post a comment or come to a FREE 2 Week TRIAL to Hotlanta Bodies Fit Camp. www.hotlantabodiesfitcamp.com

Atlanta Personal Trainer gives couples Valentine’s Day Workout!

Often times many people use Valentine’s Day as excuse to eat chocolate and hook-up. That’s fine with me. Why not mix things up this V-Day? You can have fun with them, workout and do it in the comfort of your home with your significant other?

Often times many people use Valentine’s Day as excuse to eat chocolate and hook-up. That’s fine with me. Why not mix things up this V-Day? You can have fun with them, workout and do it in the comfort of your home with your significant other?

Today we’ll focus the demo the concept of tandem/partner training. Tandem training is an exercise that involves performing joint movements with at least one or more persons. There’s tons benefits of partner training, some of the big ones include:

1.) Social Support and Accountability
2.) No Equipment Necessary
3.) Provides a Ton of Variety
4.) The Competition Drives for even Better Results
5.) It’s FUN!

We use tandem training from time to time to help change things up at our boot camps. The inner voice inside of you that comes out when working out with others that helps you push yourself to and beyond the limit. There is no better way to make your body change and break out of a frustrating training rut. My clients and I laugh at some of the most ridiculous grunts and animal sounds during partner workouts that we hear, ha!

But, being that it’s the most important holiday of the year (yes the year is still young), let’s make today’s partner training workout a little more intimate if you will.

The Valentine’s Day Workout for Couples- Tabata Style Partner Training

This 20-minute total body tandem workout will consist of Total Body weight-based exercises. For each exercise at each outlined station below you will alternate between 20 s of work (max rounds) and 10 s of rest (transition). You will repeat this 30-second sequence eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest and transition before moving on to the next station listed:

Station#1- Partner Push-up-Row Combo

Station #2- Partner Resisted Stationary Lunges- Static or Dynamic

Station #3- Partner Resisted Pillar Circuit

Station #4- Partner Resisted Squats- Static or Dynamic

Now you got the workout it’s now time to ask your valentine if they want to have some real fun and save your waistline in the process! Some say that sweat-driven pheromones are one of nature’s most powerful aphrodisiacs… you can contact me back and let me know it’s true
And of course, you can always relax your muscles and enjoy some post-workout recovery by dipping in the hot tub!

How to showcase better abs without crunches/sit ups

How to showcase better Abs Without Crunches or Sit-ups!

Truth be told, we all desire a flat, sexy midsection. For this reason, you see people by the masses doing a endless amount of crunches or sit-ups, in hopes that the area they’re trying to target will get the job done. I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me the following questions:

“I do x amount (usually in hundreds) of crunches and sit-ups a day and I still have this flab hanging?????”

Before I reveal to you my blueprint for 6 pack abs, let’s first dispell some very important myths about how to get a six-pack:

Myth#1- Weight loss is the key to seeing the abs ripple

WRONG!

The key to seeing your abs show is through fat loss, not weight loss. Let me further explain: your body consists of fat mass and lean body mass (water, muscle, bone, organs, etc.). In order for fat loss to occur, you want to minimize your fat mass and maximize your lean body mass to build a sexy metabolism: one that starves fat and builds muscle 24/7. When you alter your body composition you will put yourself in the best position to showcase your six-pack.

So if you lose 17 lbs on the scale losing some lean muscle mass in the process you end up slowing your metabolism, losing muscle tone and decreasing your performance. But if you lose 17 lbs on the scale and you manage to keep or gain lean muscle mass in the process, you will increase performance, see more definition in your body, and lose primarily ugly unwanted body fat.

The scale has way too many variables, therefore it should not be your primary judging factor. These variables lead to frequent fluctuations like hydration levels, sodium intake, and for women the menstrual cycle. I personally don’t believe anyone should keep a scale in the house. It’s just too much, especially for women. Get off the scale and get over the numbers.

Your true goal is for fat loss, not weight loss. You don’t know how many times I ask someone would they be comfortable with their weight if they looked slimmer, it never fails, the answer is always yes. Therefore, you should focus on clothing size reduction, digital before and after pictures, and of course the mirror never lies. This is probably the most accurate form of progress tracking.

Myth#2- Do tons of ab work to burn off belly fat

WRONG!

Spot reduction doesn’t work. No matter how much you dont want to hear it, you can’t just work the muscles of a certain area of your body and expect to have the fat in that region go away. I remember back when I had this one client, he’d tell me all the time the reason his belly was poking out was because we never did sit ups!

Think about it: almost everyone does crunches but very few people perform total body workouts. So, with all of these crunches, we’d expect to see nothing but people with flat tummies and fat depots everywhere else on their body (arms, legs, etc.). But think of how many people you know and see on a regular basis who have more than a few inches to lose in their midsection. See what I mean? spot reduction doesn’t work!

Your body loses fat in a genetically pre-determined way when there is the appropriate caloric deficit AND hormonal environment created through proper eating and exercise. So you’re better off focusing on burning as many calories during your workouts as possible by engaging your total body each and every training session (not just your abs). Compound, multi-joint movements like squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. (or better yet, total body exercises like squat to presses) burn way more calories than isolation movements like crunches and sit-ups. So make sure you focus on these movements first and then if you have time, you can do some extra core work.

Myth#3- Crunches and Sit-ups are the best exercises for your abs

WRONG!

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

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

Myth#4- Do lots of long-duration cardio to burn the fat covering your abs

WRONG!

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

Well enought talk

Showcase Better Abs Blueprint without crunches or sit ups:

Step#1- Lose the fat that is covering your abs so that you can see them

A.) Eat to lose fat and elevate metabolism

- Drink at least 2-4 cups of water immediately upon waking and then drink at least 1-2 cups of water every 2 hours you are awake. Drink 1-2 cups of water for every 15 minutes of vigorous activity.

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

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

Sample One-Day Menu:

Breakfast- Scrambled Eggs, loaded with Greens (awe maybe a bit of sausage/turkey bacon but my question is why?)

Mid-Morning Snack- A few Mixed Nuts and Fruit/Veggie of Choice (do not eat the nuts from the bag or handfuls!)

Lunch- Chicken, Salmon, or Shrimp Caesar Salad (ease up on the dressing, better yet, place it on the side)

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

Dinner- Turkey/Beef Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

Pre-Bed Snack- Protein and Flax Shake

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

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

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

Step#2- Limit all whole grain starch and natural sugar consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout or immediately upon waking for breakfast

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

Step#4- Replace all fruits with green veggies

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

B.) Train to lose fat and elevate metabolism

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

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

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

Exercise# Exercise Category Exercise Variation
1 Double-Leg: Bilateral Hip-Dominant Hip Extensions
2 Push: Horizontal Push Push-up Variation
3 Single-Leg: Unilateral Knee-Dominant Single-Leg Wall Sit
4 Pull: Horizontal Pull Body Weight Rows
5 Core: Linear Stabilization or Trunk-Dominant Upper Body Twist Variation

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

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

30-30’s- You will alternate between 30 seconds of maximum effort and 30 s of active recovery. You will perform this 1-minute round up to 20x for 20 total minutes. You can perform this workout on any modality of cardio you choose (airdyne or spin bike, running, etc.) or by alternating between the following body weight cardio exercises for the ultimate in-home workout:

Exercise# Body Weight Cardio Variation Body Weight Cardio Exercise
1 Linear Locomotion Emphasis- Stationary Running
2 Lateral/Rotational Locomotion Emphasis- Jumping Jacks Variation

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

Below is one of my boot camp client’s favorite (and most hated) core workout. It involves no crunches or sit-ups by using all pillar stabilization exercises. Once you master these moves and follow everything else previously mentioned, you will have be able to showcase your abs… I guarantee it!

Pillar Power- Tabata Style

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

For each exercise below you will alternate between 20 s of work and 10 s of rest. You will repeat this 30-second sequence eight times for 4 total minutes followed by a 1 minute rest and transition before moving on to the next exercise listed.

For maximum benefits, you must seek to maintain a tight pillar position during all movements by actively pulling your navel to your spine, engaging your glutes, and maintaining a straight line from the heels through the shoulders. The following coaching cues work really well for our clients:
“Suck in your gut – give yourself a wedgie – be flat like a diving board.”

Exercise#1- Front Pillar Variation (static or dynamic) (static just means to hold, dynamic means create movement)

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

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

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

For a complete video demo of this workout and some other variations of the Pillar, you can just check out the clip below:

Your Super Bowl Sunday Game Plan (A plan for Healthier Recipes)

The Super Bowl is the most televised event and is coming this Sunday. Now is the time to put your game plan and preparation for all the goodies at whatever Super Bowl party attend/host. However, doesn’t it make more sense to make a few tweaks to some the favorite party foods and make them healthier?

Below is a list of approved healthier substitutes for the traditional party foods. Follow this and you’ll satisfy your taste buds/cravings while saving at least hundreds if not thousands of calories. Better yet implement these strategies consistently for parties and social gatherings over the course of the year, and you can easily prevent the agony of 5-10 lbs of fat gain…!

Section A- Appetizers

• Naked Sandwiches (this bun-less, and if need be only use a whole grain bun)
• Thin Crust Whole Grain Pizza
• Fruit Salad (slap a low-carb whipped cream and dash of splenda/stevia to top if needed)
• Super Salad Bowl (use unlimited veggies and meats, dip dressing on the side or use low calorie substitutes)
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Tuna or Chicken Salad
• Nut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Eggs, Cheese and Meat Tray
• Caprese Salad
• Raw Veggies (be careful with the dip and use sparingly)
• Grilled/Sautee Veggies (using extra virgin olive or coconut oil)
• Figure-Friendly Nachos (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, cheese, salsa, and guacamole)
• Buffalo Chicken Bites (skinless, without bread, use low calorie buffalo sauce sparingly)
• Shrimp cocktail : Shrimp is lean, and each one has 1 gram of filling protein. Protein takes longer to digest and keeps you fuller for longer periods.
• Pasta Salad (use whole grain pasta and go easy on the dressings, choosing marina based sauces over creamier versions)
• Chicken kabobs/Shrimp kabobs: Forget the meatballs! Opt in for chicken/shrimp chunks in a light marinade, then broil/grill until crispy and cooked through. Serve on toothpicks. Thread 1 ounce strips of chicken/shrimp onto skewers cut in half.
• Deviled eggs: Again you don’t need all the mayo, half will do and you can save calories and fat. These are another filling, healthy treats. Instead of your typical filling, try using hummus, salsa, or even that smoked salmon mousse. It sounds strange, but it will look just like it’s gourmet dish!

Section B- Accessories

• Natural Whole Grain Tortillas
• Natural Baked Chips
• Natural Cheethos
• Diet Lipton Green Teas (or other low calorie/carb beverages)
• Water
• Natural Salsa, pico de gallo or homemade, spicy or mild, this is a no-fail appetizer. Serve it with baked or whole-grain chips, vegetables or pita chips.
• Guacamole
• Salad Dressings: Vinegars of choice (apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
• Other Low Calorie Condiments of Choice: mustard, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.

Section C- Main Courses

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

Section D- Desserts

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

BONUS- Top 10 Ways to Save Thousands of Calories This Super Bowl Sunday

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

2.) Stay Hydrated: Drink at least two to four cups of water before eating AND one to two cups every 15-30 minutes after you start eating. This helps to fill your stomach and prevent you from overeating. Overeating is something that can be triggered by dehydration.

3.) Avoid Empty Liquid Calories: Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. Choose water, tea, or low calorie/carb beverages and use in moderation. This gives more room for whole food choices that have nutritional value and will fill you up.

4.) Do not fast in preparation for the party. Fasting only leads to turning your body into a famished fat-storing machine the next time you eat. The result of fasting is low blood sugar levels that come from not eating for four hours or more. When this happens you tend to crave junk foods high in both fat and refined sugars.

5.) Exchange All the White stuff with Brown (Or Better Yet… Green!): Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta). Whole grains contain more vitamins and minerals and are rich in fiber, which means they won’t have the negative impact on your blood sugar levels compared to its white counterparts. However, if you want to be a nutritional guru, take it a step further and replace all the brown with green in the form of green veggies (see “Go Naked” above).

6.) Your primary focus should be eating lean proteins and fruits and veggies first. These can be in unlimited amounts as needed to fill you up and best prevent the typical dosage of high carb and high fat meals at the party (e.g. thick crust pizza with extra full-fat cheese).

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

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

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

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

Atlanta Personal Trainer Reveals the Best Butt Exercise Ever!

As a fitness coach, I’m constantly asked, “What exercises are best exercises for the “Butt?”. One of the most common areas of concerns is the lower body, specifically the hip, butt and thighs. Today I’m going to share one of my favorite lower body exercise and the multiple variations that come with it. It’s called the Rear-Foot Elevated Lunge Variation/Bulgarian Split Squat. This exercise is so effective that you’ll pretty much reshape your legs with this move and make you legs thunder-thigh proof when you master it!

Before I get into the movement, I don’t want you to be confused that spot reduction or individual body part training on certain areas of the body is what you should be doing. I am a fervent believer in total body workouts, meaning that we train the upper body, lower body, and core during every single workout. You want better abs, Total Body Train, better legs, total body train, better arms total body train. When you train the whole body at once you maximize and stimulate lean muscle gain, your metabolism and help promote total body fat burning. in order to eliminate the body fat that covers the areas that people are having trouble seeing; the stubborn fat areas that prevent a good body from becoming a great body, you need to focus on Total Body Movements. Plus, a diet high in lean protein, fiber, and green veggies and low in fats and refined sugars and starches is of course a must if you want to see muscle be sexy and ripple. It is also important to know that you lose fat in a genetically predetermined way. You can do endless amount of crunches, but without total body training, proper eating habits, and enough time to get to those stubborn fat areas you will never get rid of your gut, stop the arms from jiggling, reduce those hips and thighs or trim and shape the rear.

Now that we cleared that up: back to the ultimate butt exercise. My favorite leg exercises are lunge variations. I prefer single leg exercise in lieu of their double leg counterparts for many reasons. For people with back issues, single leg exercises allow them to safely perform lower body exercises without putting the lower lumbar spine in jeopardy of hyper flexion or excessive rounding that can lead to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run. Also, I feel there’s often times a strength and/or flexibility imbalance between both legs for most people. Therefore, it’s critical to address one leg at a time to really fire up the weak links from the start.

I prefer a lunge variation called The Rear Foot Elevated Lunge. So basically you elevate the back foot on a chair, bench, box, or any other sturdy foot support, usually about 12-18 inches high for the advanced you may choose unstable surfaces like a stability ball. Put your front leg well in front of you in order to make sure that your front knee and ankle are in alignment. In general, I often tell people to exaggerate how far you can put your front leg forward so that the front knee is almost slightly behind the ankle. This really helps reduce sheer force on the knees. Initiate the exercise, by loading the front heel and sinking your hips as low as you can in a pain-free range of motion. Maintain a really tall posture with a proud chest and shoulders down and back. Finish the rep by explosively driving through your front heel to return to the top of the movement. You can start with body weight only in search of front thigh parallel to the floor or lower depth and then progress by adding speed to the movement or by using dumbbells. You can even incorporate some very cool combination movements with this lower body exercise like adding a curl to press at the top of the movement or even by raising dumbbells overhead to really challenge your core and single-leg balance and stability.

See the video below for a complete demo of all of the different variations of the rear-foot elevated lunge:

I have yet to find an exercise that hits the butt as hard as this one does. In particular, it really helps strengthen your vastus medialis muscle, that inner quad muscle that looks like a teardrop, that’s heavily responsible for tracking your patella and keeping your kneecaps in line. So if you have a history of overtraining or patella-femoral issues this exercise is phenomenal for keeping your knees as bulletproof as possible.

Lastly, this movement provides a very good stretch for the hip flexor of your back leg, an area that is often very tight, especially for those who are seated for long periods. Any exercise that allows you to simultaneously stretch and strengthen your body is a must have. Don’t waste another moment with the useless adductor machine (You know the machine that has the legs go in and out a.k.a. the sex machine) and get off your butt and start doing the Ultimate Butt exercise right now!

Barack Obama’s Inauguration Cardio Blast

It is clear that our President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama live an active lifestyle. We know Mr. President loves to play basketball and just by looking at the First Lady, we can tell that she makes time to exercise. All you have to do is take one glance at her upper body and you can tell, that didn’t come about just sitting around living a sedentary lifestyle.

That being said, questions are now arising asking if they may influence the nation to be more active. It’s not completely ruled out just yet there’s a possibility they can change and impact our nation and help fight this fight of obesity, but only time will tell. I mean for goodness sakes, we’ve had 66% of the population obese for quite some time. Those stats tell me there’s a good chance you are too. And what’s even scarier than that you’re kids may be and on the verge of dealing with type II diabetes, high blood pressure etc.

We do know celebrities, athletes, and others who we see in the media have a big influence on us. These people have paparazzi following their every move. That’s why we get to hear about the latest fad or treatment they did to get their body. The next thing you know, you’re scrambling around trying to get whatever it is they’re doing because it worked for them, it must work for you.

So who knows, if the President decides he wants to implement a program to help our kids be more aware and make better choices in regards to food or if he mandates more physical activities, a change just may occur. All things are possible.

I spent a few minutes friday watching President Barack and Michelle Obama on the train in Maryland. It really was amazing to see. Especially seeing the masses of people in Washington waiting in freezing temperatures upon their arrival. While they were waiting, the crowd was instructed to begin doing some exercises. This was probably for a couple of reasons. The first was to warm their bodies up. The weather was in the teens for sure. Second, they were looking to create mobility, as some of the movements looked like a dynamic stretch.

Now, with however many million that were there that day there wasn’t too much space, but they got the job done and there weren’t any reports of people being trampled or anything like that. Which brings me to the video I want to share with you. I’ve put together some simple cardio based exercises that we use in our Atlanta Boot Camp. You can do these anytime, anywhere cardio movements you can do. Our boot camp is based on interval training. It’s the best bang for you buck and gives you the best chance to burn even more calories opposed to running at a steady pace. Often times, we place these exercise in between sets (active recovery), that way the body is allowed to recover and we’re still working.

Plus the cardio is taken care of for that day. I dare you to give it a try. It will intensify any workout. Choose any one exercise and immediately after the exercise add a high knee sprints or a trot. I guarantee you you’ll be working much harder and you don’t have to waste a bunch of time. Workouts can be done in 4 minutes if need be and there’s multiple variations and forms of cardio you can do.

If you’re the person who thinks you’re just too busy to exercise. Then break your exercise workouts into 4-5min time slots and repeat them 5 times in a day. Plain and simple, you need to be exercising 5-6 times a day for a total of 30 minutes. That’s not a lot of time. Nor do I believe you have to spend endless hours working out. Following the plan mentioned above, that’s around 3 hrs per week. Just like our President and First Lady, you just have to make time for it. Cheers!

Taking a New Years Resolution to Real World Results

For the last six or so years, I’ve been blessed to be in a position to help countless individuals maximize their performance, body composition.  As of the last few yrs the results have come faster than ever.  What’s the secret you might ask?  How do I help these people lose ugly, unwanted body fat faster than most can comprehend?

Well…. make no mistake about it, a big reason for this is because the integrated rapid fat loss training we do and the nutrition system is second to none. I have spent hours upon hours studying many books, diets doing a ton of research with.  This nutrition system is by far the best thing around.  There’s literally hundreds of people who have been used as real world case studies to prove that the system flat out works. But, today I am going to let you in on something that is even more powerful.  This actually must be the chief cornerstone even before you begin to think about following a fitness program.

So back to the question in the first paragraph, what is the secret behind the success of these clients who use this integrated program?  If you answered, “it’s the combination of the aforementioned training and nutrition system you’re spoke about,  you’re wrong. Yes, indeed it’s a fantastic program, but it’s sad but true, the program is useless if a person isn’t unwilling to start it AND stick to it, right?  That being said, the most important component of changing your body is to find your motivation to achieve your goals.  And that’s the main focus of this today blog. I am going to walk you through an initial consultation and three step goal-setting process that everyone new client must adhere to before they begin working with us. This component to weight loss success is so vital, I now require it for any new client to be considered for joining this unique program.

Before we get to the goal setting.  I already know some of you may think goal setting is useless and cheesy.   If you are one of those people, please do us both a big favor and stop reading this blog right now and go buy another exercise gadget, useless weight loss book or pill, or try the model the newest diet you see at the magazine stand because quite frankly I’m not able to a thing for you. I can only help those who want to learn. I don’t nor can’t help those who already think they know it all and think they are too good to take some time to figure out what the heck it is that they actually want to accomplish. The bottom line is that the most successful people out there, and I mean not just weight loss success, I am talking business, lifestyle, etc., are shamelessly goal driven and oriented.  Don’t believe me just check their background.   They know exactly why they want to do something.  They harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every potential roadblock/barrier they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to share with you today, so let’s get it!

Step One- The Why: Why do you even want to do this?

This is where it’s time to be real with yourself.  In almost every single initial consultation, when  the question is asked  “why are we hear”, here is the typical half a** response I get the first go around: “Well….I wan to lose weight and be healthy.”

Huh?

If you think for one minute I’m buying that you’re dead wrong.   Yes, I know they want to some lose weight and ultimately be healthier, I mean who doesn’t? So I ask the question again so I can find out REALLY WHY do they want to do this? Seriously, what is the driving force that’s going to get them up at 5 am to get their breakfast and morning workouts in or take a few extra of hours on Sundays to prepare and plan their meals for the upcoming week? It most certainly isn’t to be healthy.  If that was the case, they probably wouldn’t be in the current situation their in right?  Would we even be sitting down if that was the case?  Yet for some odd reason this just isn’t the driving motivator for most people (don’t get me wrong it should be).

The bottom line: everybody, including YOU and I, wants to look better naked. Stop chuckles, there’s no joking here, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay because the desire to improve one’s appearance is probably the most powerful motivator one can have.  Well besides a near death experience.   And it shouldn’t be such a big surprise since we as humans, or any species for that matter, is to procreate. This is instinctual. And obviously, looking better makes this more of a reality.

So, after a little digging, picking and prying and probing questions on these people I get to the real reason why they want to do this.  You’d be amazed at some of thing I hear.  Quite frankly they’re amazed too.  Their past, fears and pains come out and then we’re able to establish their current and future ambitions.  Yes, at times it gets real emotional.  Tears streaming down their face as they’ve been told they were never good enough, or too fat, never felt accepted.   Some of these people would do anything to be able to mow the lawn in the Hotlanta summer with their shirt off and not feel self-conscious. Others are just looking to get back into their favorite pair of pants that they haven’t been able to get one leg into for over the last five years. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to spark up their relationships and/or put on a their best image for their manager position at work. And of course, my personal favorite is the getting ready for big events that have built in deadlines. Some want to get as lean and tight as possible in that dream bathing suit at the beautiful beach with white sand, or get off the plane when visiting family you haven’t seen in years to blow them away with their new body, or being a classic beauty in your wedding dress on the big day, it all works! This is the stuff that gets people fired up.  Fired up in the way you see football teams and basketball teams jumping around pregame.  These people are ready to commit to making some real changes. How do I know?

Well, I just shared with you word for word the exact answers to the “WHY’S” of some of my own clients.

So, the first thing you do, you need to figure out your personal WHY?and be honest with yourself!

To make this even easier for you,  answer this question:

What are your physical dreams? Once you establish this, everything else is simple!

If you want to be a participate in the Leader of Rapid Fat Loss Boot Camps in Atlanta, All you have to do is
click here www.hotlantabodiesfitcamp.com
We’ll even offer you a FREE RAPID FAT LOSS STARTER KIT and a FREE WEEK TRIAL just click Atlanta’s #1 Fitness Boot Camp

What lies in store for the fitness Industry in 2009

Fitness Trend#1- Fitness Boot Camps will out due One-On-One Personal Training

Unless you’ve been in a cave or out of touch with what’s going on in the world today, we are in the middle of the biggest economic crisis since The Great Depression. The middle class is fading away and as our President Elect Barack Obama has stated, “the economy that will most likely get worse before it gets better.” The fact is the average American simply does not have the income to afford the typical personal training rates that cost on average $60 per hour across the board.

However, with each problem has a solution; fitness boot camps are just that. Boot camps are the hottest thing in the fitness industry right now.  You see reality shows for boot camps and the group support is unreal. The group training business model is the ultimate win-win for both the trainers and clients which makes the one-on-one an alternative obsolete. In boot camps, fitness trainers have the ability to leverage their time and maximize profits by working with an unlimited number of clients per hour. Fitness clients have the same access to the personal training services in a unique and dynamic team environment which provides better social support and accountability at only a the third of the cost of typical one-on-one training rates.  In other words,, the same workouts, the same program, getting results and paying less money.

Fitness boot camps are all over the country and world and for good reason. If you are looking to lose weight in 2009, do yourself a big favor and save your hard-earned money, get better results and join your local fitness boot camp.

Fitness Trend#2- Aerobic Training is dead.  Interval Training is the king For Improved Fat Loss And Fitness Every time

High-Intensity Interval Training is has become more popular and is increasing rapidly because it is the best form for improving both cardiovascular fitness and fat loss. In 2009, we’ll see more people running sprints and doing shorter intervals and less people choosing to run marathons for weight loss. However, make no mistake about it, there are still tons of people who will continue to endless hours working at a snail-paced cardio to burn fat.

Endurance or Aerobic training is essentially going at a slow, low intensity pace for longer periods of time (typically at least 30-60 minutes). In other words, the focus of this type of training is on the total volume of exercise (not quality).  Reflect back on all those speed limpers you see every New Year foolishly running for hours pounding the pavements or treadmills to get rid of the winter adipose tissue they’ve accumulated. A sad truth is, the results are minimal for fat loss and there’s a higher risk of overtraining injuries.

With interval training, the focus is on the intensity of exercise (quality). Intervals usually consist of alternating between shorter more frequent bouts of all out high-intensity effort and active recovery periods.  The result is much quicker and focused amount of time (typically 10-20 minutes of intervals is optimal). Using this method, you are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat AND get faster improvements in fitness than the aerobic alternative.

Here’s two chief scientific studies come to mind here:

The Tabata study compares the effects of four minutes of high-intensity interval training with 45-60 minutes of low to moderate intensity cardio. The interval training group burned as much fat as the endurance group and also had greater improvement in both anaerobic (like sprinters) and aerobic (like distance runners) fitness… in just four minutes!

The Gibala study dipicts the effects of 20 minutes of interval training (30 second sprint followed by four minutes of rest) with 90-120 minutes of endurance training in the “heartrate zone.” The conclusions of the study were that both methods of training that led to the same improvements in oxygen utilization (or aerobic fitness). In other words, intervals handled what endurance training did in only a sixth of the time!

The time is now to jump on the interval training bandwagon. Come 2009, do your body and yourself a favor and start sprinting to look better and feel better.

Fitness Trend#3- Fiber and Lean Protein Are The Carbohydrate Addict’s Answer To Improve Your Health, Performance, and Body Composition

Americans are addicted to carbohydrates. We simply can’t get enough starches and sugars in our diet and we definitely have the bulging belly’s to prove it. One misconception is that eliminated starches and sugars from your diet automatically means low carb. Better yet, eliminating grains (even whole grains) and refined sugars still gives room for consumption of the other carbohydrates such as fruits and veggies. These types of carbs are more nutrient-dense  there are filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber .  They also help to create more stable blood sugar levels to help keep your body burning fat all day long. To get the best results you should follow the guidelines of eating of unlimited veggies (besides corn, peas, carrots, beets, and potatoes).  This is where the notion of eat more and lose weight comes from. In other words, if you really want to see your abs ripple eat lots of veggie carbs, and very little of the other stuff!

Again, there’s tons of scientific literature that proves the fat burning benefits of a diet that is high in lean protein and fiber.  It’s finally grabbing the attention mainstream consumers. Protein is the most important component of that you should look to include each and every meal or snack. Protein helps to builds and maintains muscle.  It really it’s the only thing that truly satisfies you and allows your body to burn fat, increases metabolism through the thermic effect of feeding. Fiber ( from fruits and vegetables, specifically green vegetables or taken as a dietary supplement) helps slow digestion for a more steady supply of nutrients and sustained energy, it also helps to prevent overeating at meals, fiber is another more sustaining and gives you the sense of fullness between meals. When you combine both protein and fiber every two to four hours, you’re providing your body with the optimal one-two belly fat blasting punch for a leaner, sexier you.

Without a doubt, people will be eat more protein and fruits and veggies in 2009, and their bodies will reap the rewards of this.  You’ll see them in fitness magazines and other magazines because it flat out works.

Well, those are my top fitness trends for 2009 that I see happening in the next year. I hope you were able to find the information useful and you can apply these trend setting principles to set your body a blaze this new year.

For more information about our Rapid Fat Loss Boot Camp that offers the best personal trainer in Atlanta please visit www.holantabodiesfitamp.com

The Best Atlanta Boot Camp shares the Top 10 Holiday Fitness Gifts of 2008

Don’t have a clue on what to your family, friends, coworkers or even yourself this holiday season?  Or it’s possible you’re a last minute shopper and don’t want to head to the malls during this busy rush.  Why not look to give them the gift of fitness?  You’d help support them and their fitness goals, but you also may encourage some even yourself to get out and be more active daily.  In the video below I list 10 of the best holiday fitness gifts you can get for 2008.   And if you live in metro Atlanta, you can come join the best personal training in Atlanta.  Just visit www.hotlantabodiesfitcamp.com There you’ll find more  information on how to get started and how you can change your life have you feeling and looking better this New Year.  We guarantee it!

6 Anytime, Anywhere exercises under 5min. A full body baby workout

Yesterday I was driving back from UNC at Chapel Hill, I decided to make a quick 5 min break somewhere

outside of Clemson South Carolina.   From Atlanta, the trip from Chapel Hill is about 5 1/2 hrs or so.  Well I’m

not the type who can stay in a seated position really past 4 hrs.

So in my pit stop/break I decided to take my daughter and go through 6 exercises to get the blood flow circulating back

through my body as well as give me a quick energy booster as well as a quick fat blast before getting back on the road.

I wish I was able to record the look on the faces from the people who were watching me doing these exercises as they pumped their gas.

You don’t necessarily need a 26 lb baby to do this workout.  A medicine ball and even dumbbells will do the trick.  My daughter and I had

fun though.  She absolutely loves it.  Check it out