Just a quick post today because we wanted to let you know about a new and exciting partnership we’ve developed with your needs and budget in mind! Recently I was introduced to Linsdey Topolski through her husband, a friend and football teammate of mine. Linsdey is an independent Advocare Representative here in Round Rock, and is active in various other facets of the health, fitness and wellness arenas as well. Myself having used various Advocare products before, was excited to know that someone I knew and trusted deeply was also passionate about their products and wanted to help get them in the hands of the fit fam of FM.

After speaking and meeting with Linsdey, it is now official – clients and friends of FM will have direct access to Lindsey and her complete line of phenomenal Advocare products more easily and most importantly, budget-friendly. Many of you have heard about Advocare somewhere, with the celebrity endorsements by Drew Brees and others, but don’t know exactly how to determine which of the products are right for you and if they are even the right fit for your goals in mind. From a Fitness Professional’s standpoint, Advocare has various different products with different types of individuals and goals in mind. The key here is to get with a rep you trust, get the products a Fit Pro can verify are applicable to your wants and needs, and begin accelerating your fitness and performance results.

You can read the various articles online about Advocare if you would like, but I highly recommend you chat it over with either myself or Lindsey directly. It’s important to note that Fitness Mastermind WILL NOT be a distributor of Advocare, nor will we be independent reps or making any $$$ from sales of Advocare. We are simply trying to bridge the gap between great products at a phenomenal price with a trustworthy representative, and our loving fit fam of Fitness Mastermind.

For more information about Lindsey and her Advocare products, feel free to check out her website HERE, or stop by the studio to check out some of the sample products she dropped off for you just today!

Stay tuned, it’s going to get exciting!

For more info on the Advocare Products:

Lindsey Topolski ; www.LindseySellsAdvocare.com ; (512)657-0295

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Far too often fitness is presented as complicated and confusing, and nothing could be farther from the truth. Any of our readers who have spent even one session with us here at FM will tell you that we have a habit of teaching you while training you, not only what you’re doing and why, but also how simple fitness can be if you use basic reasoning and science. It’s important to know that while there are little tips and tricks here and there that aide in being specific for each individual, if a trainer can learn and retain knowledge to work with all body types – surely an individual can learn and retain the know-how it takes to get and keep themselves fit!

Being fit comes from living the following simple everyday practices:

1. Throw out your big dinner plates. Using small plates at home effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight loss.
2. Make exercise a regular part of your life. Create a network of accountability with workout partners or by working with me, your local fitness expert.
3. Know what you want to accomplish. Visualize the end result of your hard work.
4. Don’t be a wimp. Keep the intensity high during your workouts. Remember that you don’t want to kill time; you want to burn calories and strengthen your body through intense exercise.
5. Drink water all day long.
6. Know when to ask for help.
7. Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your routine by doing bursts of high intensity rather than exercising at a single steady pace.
8. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.
9. Forget will-power; it’s about WANT-power. How badly do you want it?
10. Don’t eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.
11. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount of it that you eat. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from leafy plants and whole grains.
12. It’s OK to be a skeptic. Watch out for products that are labeled as ‘health food’. Always read the nutrition labels and make your own informed opinion.
13. Talk is cheap. Act now and get the job done.
14. Exercise with people that are in better shape than you. This will encourage you to push your limits.
15. Never indulge in negative self-talk.
16. Don’t drink calories.
17. Pay attention to everything that you eat.
18. Be consistent. Exercise at least three or four times each week.
19. Expect more from yourself.
20. Don’t eat foods containing High Fructose Corn Syrup. It spikes your blood sugar levels and encourages your body to store fat.
21. Eat plenty of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, great for good health and weight loss.
22. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to encourage more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.
23. Breakfast should be a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.
24. If you know that you deserve better…then go get it.
25. Challenge yourself during each workout. Try something new and different.
26. Set specific, measurable goals and track your progress.
27. Even if they are whole grain, eat carbohydrates sparingly.
28. Put an end to your struggle to get and stay fit. Call or email me today to get started on a proven fitness program that will change your life and body forever.

Print this list and place it somewhere that you’ll see every day, and watch the changes begin.

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Too tired to workout? Whether it’s getting up to workout before work or grabbing your gym bag when leaving the office, being too fatigued to workout has been an excuse for years upon years, and isn’t always just a “mind over matter” issue – it sometimes has to do with your lifestyle. While we all occasionally get tired, feeling exhausted all the time is not normal and may be a cause for a closer examination of your lifestyle. There are plenty of everyday decisions that contribute to the feeling of fatigue and constantly being tired. Checkout this quick fit tip of the top 7 reasons contributing to your daily fatigue, and combat them with the tips supplied below.

The 7 of the top reasons:

1. Email addiction. It’s amazing how easy it is to be in the middle of something and the little email notification sound can completely sidetrack you.  Checking your email every five minutes is not necessary and in fact can be a huge energy drain. The constant back and forth lowers your productivity and lowers your quality of work. Worse still it trains others to the fact that you are always available to be interrupted by email which perpetuates the problem. Here is a suggestion: choose five times during the day to check your email and batch the process of responding to emails into those five times. At all other times, shut down your email client.
2. Having too much clutter. Many are surprised to find that a cluttered or messy environment can cause you to have less energy than you otherwise might have. Clutter contributes to anxiety and disorder. Think of the relief you felt when you finally got around to cleaning out the garage. There is no doubt that getting organized and getting rid of things you no longer need, will help you to have more energy.
3. No excitement in your life. Boredom could be contributing to your lack of energy. It’s important to the quality of your life as well as your energy levels that you do something exciting and that you really enjoy at least once a week. Many recommend that you do something fun everyday for maximum benefit. Try to incorporate this into your daily routine. For instance, if you travel a lot, make a goal to play golf at various popular courses as you travel around the country. Add some spice to your life, you will feel the surge of energy and excitement come back to you.
4. Slouching can cause tiredness. When you sit in front of a computer for long periods of time like we all tend to do these days, you may notice a lack of energy. Much of that is due to poor posture. Along with other back and neck problems, slouching can cause you to not take in as much oxygen as you need. Also it causes your muscles to remain contracted which restricts blood flow, trains your abdominal area to have a new norm of a “relaxed state” meaning protruding belly, and actually promotes “love handles.” Make sure to watch your posture. Bonus tip: try to get up every 60 minutes or so to stretch and get some water (not soda, coffee, or anything else… just water).
5. Lack of vitamin D. Researchers are now only beginning to realize the importance of this vitamin. Most people in America (as well as other countries) are vitamin D deficient. The numbers are startling and it is estimated to be upwards of 80% of people don’t get enough vitamin D. As it turns out, vitamin D not only helps by boosting your system, it also increases your energy levels.
6. Eating too much at a time. In the US, we tend to have an over abundance of foods. While food is essential for energy, too much can actually cause you to feel lethargic, gain weight, and become unhealthy. Everyone knows the feeling of being stuffed after a big meal. Instead of stuffing yourself or eating until you are full, try to eat until you are content. Don’t worry about finishing your plate (portions in the country continue to increase daily it seems), your health is more important. Bonus tip: Try energy eating. It’s when you eat 5-7 meals a day instead of the traditional 3. At each meal eat as if you are tiding yourself over for just the next couple of hours. Don’t stuff yourself. Think in terms of 300-450 calories for breakfast, lunch and dinner; similarly look for snacks of 100-200 calories for snacks in between major meals. Watch as you start shedding pounds as well as sky rocketing your energy levels. Of course, make sure you eat something that will actually benefit you.
7. Negative people. For me this is a big one. Some people are just a drain to be around. They really can suck the life right out of you. For your energy, success, and motivation – try to avoid these types of people. Instead seek out and hang around with people that uplift, are good-natured, and optimistic. We often underestimate how much we are affected by our spirit and emotions. Negative people will drain your energy, while positive people will contribute to your energy reserves.

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We all love a good snack, but what exactly defines “good?”

If your stomach starts grumbling and lunch is still two hours away, you’re going to need a snack to make it through the day. What you reach for at snack time can make a big difference in your energy level, weight, and overall health. Choose the wrong snack, and you’ll feel bogged down and even more tired. Choose wisely, and you’ll get the boost you need.

Before your next snack break, think twice about what you are about to eat and remember the following information:

Snacking for Energy

If you find yourself fighting sleepiness in the afternoon, what your body needs is a boost of energy. Snacks eaten mid-day should contain good fats and protein to give and sustain your energy level.

Here are a few good options when you need an energy-boosting snack:

• A small apple or sliced banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter. The natural sugars in fruit take longer to metabolize than sugars found in candy, and the peanut butter provides the protein needed for long-lasting energy.
• 1/4 cup of nuts and dried fruit. This slow-burning mixture provides protein, good fats (that’s right – fats aren’t always bad), and plenty of fiber, all wrapped up in a delicious package.
• One tablespoon of hummus spread on four whole-grain crackers. Made from garbanzo beans, hummus is a great energy booster and is also full of fiber. And the whole-grain crackers are made with complex carbohydrates, which help fill you up without dragging you down.

Snacking for Weight Management

Many people eliminate snacks when attempting to lose weight. Unfortunately, this is counterproductive, as snacks keep you satisfied between meals and most importantly – keep your metabolism at work thus burning more calories while at rest via BMR(basal metabolism rate). If dinner-time arrives and you’re exceptionally hungry, it’s easy to overeat. Eating several small snacks throughout the day will help keep your hunger in check. However, you should avoid eating snacks when you’re bored, stressed, zoning out in front of the TV, or not paying attention to what you’re eating while you are reading or studying.

The key is to choose snacks that fit with your daily calorie and nutrient needs. If your goal is to lose weight, choose low-calorie, nutrient-filled snacks. If you need to gain weight or if you are physically fit and need to replenish energy from a strenuous workout, go for higher calorie, nutritious snacks.

A few low-carb snack ideas: vegetables, reduced-fat yogurt and cottage cheese or half of an avocado.

Snacks for Healthy Living

What you eat for snacks can help you meet recommended guidelines for the amount of fruits, vegetables, calcium, protein, and whole grains your body needs to stay healthy. Keeping a variety of healthy, ready-to-eat nutritious snacks available for you and your family is important. After all, when healthy food is easily accessible, you won’t be tempted to stop at the vending machine or the nearest fast food spot.

In addition to choosing the right foods, include plenty of variety. If you eat too many carbohydrates for breakfast, snack on some protein. If you’re planning on a steak for dinner, munch on some sliced fruit for an afternoon fill up.

Snacks full of good nutrition for your body include such items as: egg salad for protein, a cheese stick for extra calcium, baby carrots for a serving of veggies, canned tuna, or a handful of almonds.

It’s Your Choice

At every snack break, you have a choice to make. Will it be the leftover holiday candy, chips, and soda? Or will it be a nutritious and delicious portion of food to give you the energy, calories, and the goodness you need to make it through your day? Make the right decision and become leaner and healthier.

If you want to speed up your results then consider working with a certified trainer and nutrition specialist on a nutrition and fitness plan that will burn off that extra body fat while building your healthy habits for life.

Call, email or fill out the online Free Session Contact form today – We look forward to hearing from you.

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I have heard it time over and time again, and you’ve likely read it online or in magazines a million times as well – “if you’re fat or overweight you shouldn’t run because it’s too much stress on your joints, etc.” First, let’s start by clearing up something that might help with the first part of the confusion: there are plenty of “fat” runners. Anyone that tells you otherwise is either not a runner or has never been to a running race. I say this with a certain amount of restriction, because so many people have an image in their heads of the “skinny runner” and today the spectrum of people that run spans every imaginable body type. (The subject of WHY there are “fat” runners is another topic that we won’t go into in this post.)

So if there are “fat” runners, then that leads right into your confusion: how does one start running when they are overweight in a manner that will lead to successful, weight loss inducing, injury-free running and even a degree of happiness? We’ll give you five tips on the subject that we hope will answer this question and debunk a few more myths in the process.

Tip 1: Start Slowly, Be Patient — I realize the ambiguity when I’m advising you to start slowly, but I’m not so much talking about speed here. What I mean is that when you take on a running program, take it in small bites and let the results happen over time. The worst thing any new runner can do is to go and start running say 4-5 miles a day, every day. Within a week, you’ll sitting with ice-bags on your shins wondering what went wrong. Start out with just one to two minutes of running interspersed with one to two minute walking breaks. Doing five run intervals and five walk breaks would take just 20 minutes and this should be a great place to start. If that’s too much, do even less. The important thing is to start small.

Being patient is the other part of the “start slowly, be patient” equation. Patience means that you may not see results in a week or two, but trust me that you will see them if you hang in there over a period of time. One of my 67-year old clients (un-named for now) has been following the advice that I’m giving you here and three months in to his plan, he’s lost 35 pounds and just told me yesterday that he is starting to “really enjoy” his runs. Be patient, don’t rush it, and the results will come.

Tip 2: Get Some Good Shoes – It is important for all runners to be in high quality running shoes, but this is even more important for overweight runners. Running shoes are designs to absorb the impact of your body weight. Heavier runners need to make sure that they have shoes designed to support their weight and they will need to replace their shoes more often than most. Most running shoe brands have a model of shoe that is designed to support women over 140 pounds (men over 185 pounds) to help in protecting your joints and lower-legs. Go to a running store and have yourself fitted for shoes and plan to replace your shoes every 3-4 months, or if you’re tracking mileage – every 600 miles.

Tip 3: Moderation is An Asset – As you likely already know, there is some debate among runners about how often to run during the week. There is very little debate among coaches about this question. For new runners, especially those that are overweight, running on consecutive days is not a good idea. This is a sure-fire way to injure yourself and burn yourself out. Start with 3-4 runs per week, making sure to place a day off from running between each run. On those days in between your runs, you can do other things that are going to help with your strength and weight loss (see next tip), just avoid running to give your legs and joints a break.

Tip 4: Focus On Your Entire Body – Many runners tend to be somewhat one-dimensional in their training. They do a lot of running and nothing else. For someone just starting out and especially those that are looking to lose weight, a more balanced program that includes strength training, upper-body cross-training, and flexibility exercises will yield results across the whole body. On your “rest” days from running, consider lifting weights, doing yoga or Pilates or swimming. The strength and flexibility will help you become a stronger runner and upper-body and core exercises will help slim and tone the rest of your body.

Tip 5: Make Friends With The Person On The Treadmill Next To You – It is pretty common for new runners to start out on the comfort of their treadmill, consumed by their tunes from the iPod, but this will eventually get old. When you’re ready to make a break for it and head outdoors, you’re going to need a buddy. Look to your right and left and I bet you’ll find another iPod clad runner that would love to venture outside too. Having running pals provides a great source of motivation, camaraderie and just plain enjoyment of the sport. I know, I know, schedules are tough to manage, but you’ll be surprised. If that person is on the treadmill at the same time as you, maybe they have a similar schedule even one day a week. Heck, mix up your workout days and you might be able to collect a whole set of friends to keep you company.

The Bottom-Line: Be realistic, take your time and have fun as you start running. You can and will see the results if you give yourself the time and focus on your entire body. And you can have fun out there at the same time.

Have fun and go get ‘em!

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Anybody who has ever talked nutrition with me knows that I’m a sucker for breakfast food, and especially pancakes! So I never shy away from recipes my clients give me for breakfast (and other) foods that can be enjoyed guilt-free, without losing any taste. So enjoy these tasty pumpkin pancakes without guilt. Made with almond meal and packed with protein from eggs, these pancakes are sure to satisfy without shortchanging your results.

Servings: 5

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup egg whites
• 1 can of pumpkin
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dash of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• cooking spray

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.

2. Heat pancake griddle to medium heat and coat with cooking spray.

3. Cook each side about 3 minutes until brown, then flip and cook remaining side.

Nutritional Analysis:

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We have all wondered it at one time or another, but few of us ever take the time to actually determine the answer: how effective is your workout routine, honestly? Maybe you saw great results when you first started to exercise, but now those results have come to a screeching halt.

Want to know why?

If the following 5 statements accurately describe your exercise routine, then don’t worry – you’re doing it right. However, if the following 5 statements don’t describe your exercise routine then there’s no better time than right now to rev up your routine.

1. You Make the Most of Each Move: Similar to getting the most “bang for your buck,” you should strive to get the most out of each individual exercise in your workout. Forget the days when workouts lasted more than an hour and you had time to single out each muscle individually, sitting on a bench doing a single arm dumbbell bicep curl for 20 minutes before moving on to your next exercise. That is a complete waste of your time, period. These days time is of the essence, and compound movements and strategically developed routines/structures deliver far more excellent results in less time than ever before.

If you’re not sure if your routine includes compound movements: Any exercise that uses two or more joints is considered to be a compound movement. Squats and lunges are great examples. If you want to pack even more benefit into each move then try adding a shoulder press with your squats and a bicep curl with your lunges, just to name a few. Any of our readers who have spent even one session with us at FM know, this is our ‘bread and butter’- strategic planning for optimal results in the least amount of time.

2. Intensity is Your Middle Name (metaphor): Let’s be honest, at one time or another you’ve spent time in the gym ‘exercising’ without ever breaking a sweat. Maybe you drifted from one machine to the next or joined an aerobics class for a few minutes, but the bottom line was that your heart wasn’t into it.

Regardless of the back and forth you will read from “field pros” via online articles or even in person, workouts that lack intensity are practically a waste of time. The human body craves a challenge, and you see the most results when you keep your intensity high (and safe). Keep your workouts concise and push yourself with each exercise.

3. You’re Consistent: Anyone can have one great workout, but one workout won’t translate into killer results; only consistency will do that for you. Exercise and challenging yourself must be a part of your daily routine, plain and simple.

One of the best ways to stay consistent with your routine is to do your workout at the same time everyday. We are creatures of habit, so once your exercise schedule has been firmly set you’ll find the process to be automatic, rather than an occasional afterthought.

4. You Seek a Challenge: Just like hairstyles, exercise routines quickly become outdated. That is why the best routines are dynamic, and the worst routines never change. How do you know when your routine needs to be updated?

You’ll know how effective your routine is by the results (or lack thereof) that you experience. If you feel that you are simply going through the motions, then stop wondering about the effectiveness of your routine and start doing something new.

5. You’re Having a Blast: Do you dread the very thought of your session with your trainer or your afternoon jog, but force yourself to do it simply because you have no other thoughts for exercise? Stop right there. Exercise is an enjoyable activity, especially when you find the form that is best suited for your personal preferences. Like I tell all of my clients: Your workout should be a relief and break from your daily stresses and obligations; If your workout has become an additional stressor in your life and feels like a daunting obligation – you need to switch up your workout.

If you don’t like exercise there is a good chance that your technique needs help.  At FM, we pride ourselves in showing our clients the fun side of exercise – yes, exercise can be fun!

If your exercise routine includes all of the above then congratulations – you are doing it right. You’re consistent, you challenge yourself and you’re seeing results. However, if your exercise routine doesn’t include the above, you now have the blueprints to start doing it right.

Want a routine that incorporates everything you need to reach your fitness goals? Call or email today to set up a free consultation and we’ll show you how to get amazing results in less time than you think.

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This is a tricky topic – the do’s and don’ts of fitness training. It’s been published year in and year out in various magazines and newspapers. It’s been posted on every fitness blog by everyone ranging from a first time exerciser, to an experienced 30 year personal training veteran. The fact here is that there are way more than 10 things you should make sure you’re doing in fitness training, and the same goes for the don’ts of fitness training. The thing most trainers and even novice exercisers fail to keep in mind: every individual reading that post is just than – an individual, meaning that there is no one cookie cutter approach to ensuring their success and safety in fitness training.

Although the individuality of each reader keeps specific tips at bay, there are however some concrete “do’s and don’ts” that are science-based and are very easy to modify/manipulate in order to directly apply to the individual reader.

First thing you need to keep in mind: Don’t always read something or hear something that is directed to the mass reader, and follow it directly and completely without modification to your individual circumstances. The ONLY case in which this is okay is when the advice/directions being given to is directly from YOUR trainer, telling you something  to do or not do, directly devised for you with your circumstances and goals in mind.

With that being said, here are the top 10 Do’s and Don’ts that can directly apply to every individual reader, with the ability to be easily modified for each individual.

Top 10 Do’s

1. Fit In Fitness: If you want to stay fit, your fingers and your mouth should not be the only parts moving regularly. Everybody, regardless of their schedule and obligations, has a free 30-minutes each day.
2. Warm-up and cool-down: You just can’t afford to miss this one. A warm-up prepares the body for the activity to follow. Research also shows you can actually increase your total calorie burn per workout by simply warming up for 5-10 minutes and cooling down for 3-6 minutes. Not to mention applicable cool-down and stretching after your workout helps determine soreness and mobility the following day. A good time to stretch is immediately after an exercise session, while the body is still warm. Stretching prevents muscle soreness and increases flexibility. It also relaxes the muscles, mobilises the joints and improves posture.
3. Strength train: Include strength training in your fitness regimen, as it helps maintain bone density and gain strength. For an effective routine, include exercises that target the major muscle groups of the upper, mid and lower body. Strength training can be any type including machines, cables, free weights, dumbells, and even bodyweight. Mix it up for optimal results.
4. Watch what you eat: What you eat influences the results of your fitness regimen. A sound nutrition plan can help you build muscle, decrease percentage of body fat, and look and feel better. Also, if you eat healthy, you will have the necessary energy to exercise and be active.
5. Keep A Journal: This is a must. Keeping a journal for not only your food intake daily, but also your workout details as well as feelings each day – ensures you’re able to self-grade yourself and hold yourself accountable.
6. Rest adequately: When we rest, our muscles get time to recuperate from the stress they go through while exercising. I tell everyone time over and time again – 78% (on average) of muscle and body recovery happens at sleep and therefore, becomes just as important to your program as the exercise and eating.
7. Consult a qualified trainer: Consult a trainer to help you with all aspects of your program. Some people consult a trainer for their fitness regimen, but don’t receive any nutrition programming, lifestyle recommendations, or even accountability pillars. A qualified trainer should analyze each and every aspect of your daily life including activity, lifestyle, nutrition, as well as mental – and only then can he/she develop a program for you that is maintainable, results-producing, and enjoyable.
8. Think positive: I know it sounds like a negligible aspect, but it’s actually the single most important factor determining success or failure. Adopting a positive attitude gives you a greater chance of success. Taking pride in every little victory will make you more positive towards your exercise and push you to stick to your exercise routine, no matter what. Remember, it’s the small changes that we incorporate that make a big difference.
9. Plan Your Workouts: Treating your workouts like a business meeting by planning for the week ahead (at least) is easy, yet produces huge results in your program. Take a little time each weekend and get your journal (from #5) and planner out. Simply take a look and write down which days you’re going to be doing which modes of exercise, and at what time. A qualified trainer is an easy way to do this because your trainer is your penciled in obligation of fitness training.
10. Have Fun: 99% of you reading this post have heard that “fitness can be fun,” and still don’t believe it. Why? Because you’ve been doing the wrong things and forfeit before even getting started. Your task is to experiment with different modes of training, different places of training, different trainers or training buddies, and once you find what you like to do – DO THAT!

Top 10 Don’ts

1. Let monotony set in: There is a likelihood of boredom setting in if you continue doing the same thing over and over. Fitness routines are meant to be fun, exercise should help bust the stress and make you feel lively and energetic; not bored. So, vary your workouts to maintain the enjoyment level.
2. Think skinny: Often people think of becoming thin [read skinny] when they start an exercise routine, and this prompts them to starve themselves and over-exercise. Think healthy, not skinny. Make sure you eat a well-balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats and plenty of water. If you ditch the “skinny” train of thought and adopt “healthy persistence,” the body of your dreams as well as your health are on their way fast.
3. Ignore your breathing: How you breathe when you exercise matters a lot, especially if you doing weight training, yoga or Pilates. When training with weights, most people are ignorant about the correct way to breathe: breathe out when you exert (contract) the muscles, and breathe in when you ease them (stretching; lowering). Example: On a pushup, inhale when you lower your body toward the ground, then exhale forcefully when you push your bodyweight up off the ground.
4. Go overboard: Just like under-exercising, even over-exercising is bad for your health. Don’t get impatient for quick results and do too much, too fast; it causes injury. However, don’t be too overly cautious and take things too easy as it takes work to produce results. A qualified trainer can help you understand and adjust your intensity over time (progression overload) in order to safely push your limits and produce results.
5. Forget the fluids: You lose body fluids when you perspire while working out. The water loss needs to be replaced or you’ll get dehydrated; drink lots of water before, after and while you are exercising. Keep in mind you actually increase your metabolism and aide other body functions such as your immune system, simply by staying hydrated!
6. Ditch cardio training: Cardio exercises are important to raise your overall fitness levels; Your exercise intensity can range between 45 – 85 per cent of your target heart rate depending on your age, fitness level and medical history. It’s important to keep in mind that you can achieve similar results by incorporating cardiovascular training into your other training such as strength training, thereby lowering the amount of sole cardio training time needed.
7. Focus on a single form of training: For a correctly balanced exercise program, your training should include a combination of flexibility, resistance, core, coordination and cardiovascular exercises. By keeping your program balanced, you will build all-round strength – which will help you to progress faster than if you focus all your training on a single discipline such as resistance training, not to mention truly find the mode of training/exercise you enjoy that produces results!
8. Think of Exercise as an Additional Stressor – It’s a Stress Reliever: There are a majority of people who start off with the thought of exercise being an additional stressor, “oh man now I’ve got to go workout,” and other similar statements. The reason? They place it in their mind as a stressor because they began exercising again to lose a certain # of pounds or build a certain amount of muscle, similar to they go to work in order to earn ___ amount of dollars, and therefore being associated as a job and/or stressor. Instead take the stress from your day, your work, your life, and just know that once you get to your workout you can relieve that tension and stress in your workout! Side note: It helps if you have a program designed to implement things you enjoy and still challenge you. Endorphins!
9. Think That Every Workout Completed Warrants An Earned Treat/Splurge: There are many people who think this way. They head to their trainer or gym after work and complete a grueling 900 calorie burning workout, and feel good about it heading home. Then dinner rolls around and they decide the carrot cake sounds so good, and they shouldn’t feel bad about it because they worked their tail off this afternoon in their workout – BIG MISTAKE! Like I tell all of my clients, (depending on your ability to resist temptation and your overall goals) a 10-14 day window is your best outline. If you’ve went 10-14 days consistently busting your butt, showed up to every workout, and have eaten flawlessly for those 10-14 days – REWARD yourself then. If you had a few mishaps here and there, you and I both know that doesn’t warrant a reward.
10. Don’t Give Up: It sounds simple, but 70% of people who begin an exercise/nutrition program give up and quit within the first 30 days! It sometimes takes that amount of time for your body to start producing the results you yourself will notice! Just don’t give up. Nobody starts off eating perfectly right off the bat, it’s a work in progress and healthy choices and eating becomes natural and easy over time. Similarly, nobody finds the perfect workout program or exercise modality right off the bat, it takes time and experimenting with them all.

Obviously a qualified trainer would ease the trouble of the “Do’s and Don’ts of Fitness Training,” but it’s not 100% necessary either. Use the top 10 do’s and don’ts we’ve given you above, and get out there and do something! Don’t be afraid to experiment, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and keep an open mind through the process. It’s within reach, and with better flexibility you will be able to reach out and take what body is rightfully yours!

We would love to help you, and have several qualified trainers on staff that are guaranteed to specialize in your wants and needs. With each trainer having years of experience in their own specific niche of the fitness arena, we are ready for you! Just call (512)366-5795 or email Robby to get scheduled for your free consultation with the trainer that best meets your needs.

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Fit Recipe: Asian Turkey Burgers with Wasabi Sauce 

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 small head napa cabbage, shredded
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten  [I use simply 1 egg]
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, mint, or basil, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, divided
• 1 tablespoon finely grated gingerroot
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons prepared wasabi
• 6 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted  [You can butter the inside lightly and broil them]

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix together the turkey, bell pepper, cabbage, scallions, egg, cilantro, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Shape into 6 patties about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat until hot.
4. Reduce heat to medium; add burgers and cook 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through, adding more oil as needed.
5. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, wasabi, remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.
6. Put a burger in each bun and top with about 1 tablespoon of the sauce.  Add slice of tomato and lettuce.

Number of Servings: 6

Serving Size: 1 burger

Nutritional Analysis (Per Serving):

• Calories: 416
• Carbohydrates: 28 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Fat: 22 g
• Protein: 28 g

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Six weeks is the golden number when it comes to a fitness program. Why? Because there are a handful of things you (or your trainer) should be doing every 6 weeks (give or take a week),  in order to ensure your body continues to grow and produce the desired results. This is a topic that could go on and on, getting more specific with more detailed application to each individual reader, but for the case of this post – we’re going to explain the what and why of the six week timeline.

Every 6 Weeks You Should

• Reassess Your Fitness Assessment: It typically takes an average individual 4-8 weeks to begin noticing results be it strength gains, pants sizes, etc. Therefore, every 6 weeks you (or your trainer) should reassess your fitness assessment to ensure your progress is coming along, what areas have benefited more than others, how to manipulate your program going forward to ensure overall balance of progress, as well as any troubles/difficulties in external aspects including lifestyle, family, diet, etc. Taking too long in between assessments means possibility of wasting time, halted progress, and deteriorating motivation. If you get good news about your progress via your fitness assessment every 6 weeks, what better motivation than to know you’ve spent 6 weeks and achieved 20% (or so) of your overall desired goal?
• Burnout: Everyone calls it something different – a burnout, a max day, etc. Every heard of a fitness plateau? Each individual’s timeline for reaching a plateau will vary; however, the case in point is still the same – if you’ve been doing similar exercises and modalities for the past 6 weeks, eating the same for the past 6 weeks, with nothing changing in your regimen in the past 6 weeks – your body is going to plateau soon. Every time you workout you’re tearing down the muscles used, which is why you refuel with your shake or post-workout meal to rebuild those used muscles so they can come back better and stronger. In the case of a burnout day at 6 weeks, you push your muscles beyond where they have been previously, pushing your physical and mental limits, almost as if to “reset” your muscles way of thinking and saying WAKE-UP!
• Add A New Challenge: Even if it’s simply adding something different to your program, be it a more difficult interval during your interval training workout or simply adding a 20-minute cardio session at the end of each workout. Although you’re going to progress your workout days/times/etc. over the duration of these weeks to come, at 6 weeks you want to add something new into the mix in order to get it lively and keep your body guessing.

Like stated above, a “plateau” of sorts is a wide-range term with even more wide of an application to each individual in consideration of diet, exercise, strength, etc.; however, one thing stays the same regardless of your program direction and overall goals – The 6 Week Musts! Keep the above very simple rules for your 6-week plans, and you are sure to avoid any plateaus or boredom all the while increasing your results and motivation!

“No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change.”

~ Bill Phillips

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