Workout Muse

Milwaukee Personal Trainer Shares 5 Safe Shoveling Tips to Save Your Back

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:15:00 +0000

We’re officially in the midst of another winter season here in Milwaukee. I must admit, if there’s one thing that bothers me the most about the winter (besides the sickly cold and lack of natural light), it’s the number of people who hurt themselves shoveling snow. I can’t tell you how many clients of mine have tweaked their backs in their zealous attempts to keep a clear driveway.

Today I am going to reveal my top safe shoveling secrets. For those of you who do not live in Milwaukee like me, you still need to know this information too. Why? Because with the global epidemic that is climate change you really never know when snow is coming your way. I was in Las Vegas this past holiday season and the taxi driver who took us to our hotel told us that it just snowed in the town that never sleeps for the first time in his 25 years of living there.

So, without further adieu, here are my top five safe shoveling tips:

1.) Perform a Proper 5-Minute Warm-up Before Shoveling

Just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercise, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Let’s face it, snow, especially when it’s wet, is a real beast to move around. And if your body is tight and cold then you will dramatically increase your chances of short or long-term injury.

I have created a great shoveling specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to rock. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, the two most commonly injured areas of broken down shovelers:

Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:

Exercise#1- Stationary High Knee Run

Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)

Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist

Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch

Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head with finger interlocked)

2.) Split Your Stance When Shoveling

Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for avid shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to best remedy this). More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of the lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run. However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.

3.) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling

This is a continuation of the last tip. Even when you split your stance, you can be susceptible to injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize excessive spinal rotation that can literally wrench your back.

4.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides

This is a further continuation on the last two tips. Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further strength and flexibility imbalances that can put your body at greater risk for injury. So, we now know you want to split your stance and shovel in the direction your toes are pointing, but you should also be sure do an equal amount of shovel tosses to your left AND right. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward. Repeat until your driveway or sidewalk is crystal clear.

5.) Buy a Condo

This is my personal favorite, and no, I’m not joking. The great thing about a condominium community is that they do all of the outdoor maintenance for your home, including shoveling. Honestly, the winter before we bought our new condo in 2008 was so awful that my fiancé and I made a promise to ourselves that we’d never shovel snow again. This has saved us so much extra stress and time, and if it is a viable option and you live in a harsh winter climate, make the smart move and get a condo. It’s hard to get hurt shoveling if you never shovel.

The aforementioned tips will go a long way in keeping your body as bulletproof as possible during the next blizzard. Seriously, it’s not really cool to get hurt shoveling. It’s a sign of an even bigger problem: being overweight and/or highly de-conditioned. And if you do get hurt shoveling, be sure to lie when some asks why you’re in a wheelchair. Just tell them you got hit by a snow plow truck, it makes for a better story and your co-workers or friends won’t rip on you for the rest of your days, ha!

Crank it!

BJ

New Year Fitness Resolutions Continued...

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Step Two- The What and When: What do you want to accomplish and when do you want to accomplish it by?

So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look better and maximize your sexy! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this subjective dream.

Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three major ways I track “look better” progress with my clients, in order of importance from least to most important:

1.) Scale Weight: This is by far the least important goal, but it gives a number that’s worth tracking. Though body fat percentage would be a much better method of tracking progress, it is simply too inaccurate on a small scale and too costly on a large scale. The key is to taking your initial weight before you start and then not weighing more than every 2 weeks. I have found most people to do better with tracking their weight every month. There are simply too many variables for controlling your body weight and the natural fluctuations based on diet (and for women, their menstrual cycle), means the less frequently you do this the better. If the scale is just too de-motivating for you in general, then just skip this one altogether if you must, because the next two markers are far more important.

2.) Dress/Pant Size: This is probably the most simple and effective unused method of tracking whether or not you look better. I think it’s safe to say that if you are dropping dress and/or pant sizes that you will be looking better, right? Your best bet is to also select one dress or one pair of pants that you really want to get into since that is the true end goal in mind. I tell my clients to assess how they are fitting in their preferred dress/pant size tracker on a weekly or bi-weekly basis since our clients that follow our program exactly as outlined typically lose a dress and/or pant size every month (until they get to their ideal dimensions). For those of you would want to argue that every outfitter has different sizes, well that’s a mute point if you use the same pant or dress size to track. There’s nothing more powerful than being to literally being able to feel yourself comfortably get into clothes that use almost rip when you put on.

3.) Digital Pictures: Pictures don’t lie, that’s the bottom line. If you want to look better, what better way is there to assess this than pictures? I cannot begin to tell you how important this is. Taking a before picture is essentially you telling the whole world that you are ready to change and that you are ready to do whatever it takes to make those changes. They key is take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Now, don’t be sending me nude pictures of yourself, ha (though you can keep these for yourself to track if you’d like). Maybe it’s taking pictures of you in the dress or pair of pants that you are using to track your dress or pant size. Or maybe it’s a sleeveless shirt and tank top that you want to wear during the summer. And if you want to see your abs, then you best believe that you need to take pictures of your abs to track how much more definition you get. Take a front, side, and rear view picture and be sure to note the exact conditions in which the picture was taken (lighting, distance from camera, time of day/week, etc.) to be as accurate as possible in your assessment. The clients whom I’ve transformed that failed to take before pictures in the past have nothing but regret about it. Your before pictures will become your trophy and they are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count. We tell our clients to take new pictures either bi-weekly or monthly until they reach their goal(s).

Step Three- Planning and Preparing for Roadblocks: What are the big obstacles that will prevent you from having the success you desire? What’s contributed most to past failures?

Now that we know what you want to accomplish, it’s time to plan and prepare for any obstacles that might get in your way of getting the job done based on your own personal schedule.

In general, the number one thing I hear is that people are too busy and tired and don’t have enough time to get their workouts in or make their meals. Well, I don’t care how busy you think you are, there is always hidden time throughout the day and week that can be freed up if your re-prioritize. Again, think back to why you wanted to do this in the first place and then examine what’s most important to you. Make your workouts and your meal times just like work appointments. Either you make the appointment or you don’t. And if you want to keep your job (or get your dream body) then you better make that appointment.

Another big obstacle is alcohol. People like to drink and unfortunately alcohol is about as detrimental to burning fat as it gets. Again, what’s more important to you, looking sexy or getting hammered. The choice is yours. Remember, once you achieve your goal(s), alcohol can be added back in with moderation. But know this, lean people just don’t get wasted unless they are genetic freaks. Low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and that’s a fact.

Lastly, many people deal with boredom eating or emotional eating. Boredom eating means just that, eating to fill up dead time when you have nothing better to do. The best way to deal with this is, you guessed it, to do something! Find an active hobby to keep your mind off of eating when boredom strikes and you can beat this trend. Emotional eating describes the use of food to cope with stress or to reward for accomplishment. Food is not unlike drugs or alcohol in this regard, it can be very addictive. There is no quick fix for emotional eating other than avoiding trigger situations (bars, parties, etc.) and trigger foods (starches, sugars, fast food, etc.) in the short term to break bad habits.

At the end of the day, whether your roadblocks are very individual or if they fall in line with the general roadblocks our clients encounter on a regular basis, the key is to be honest about them and to plan and prepare for them. And that’s where social support and accountability come into play. The clients who have had the most success with us have undergone their transformation with the support of other friends or family members. This is so critical, especially since most of the poor food and drinking choices that sabotage one’s progress occur on the weekend, when most people hang out with their friend and family. If they are committed with you and your goal to get fit and look better, you can put yourself in a much better position to realize the success your desire and deserve. The last thing anybody needs is sabotage or peer pressure from those closest to you, so get them on board and get them on board early.

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

How to Turn New Years Resolutions into Real Fitness Results!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:48:00 +0000

Over the last several years, I have helped countless people maximize their overall health, performance, and body composition faster than ever before. Put bluntly, I know how to help people lose ugly, unwanted body fat faster than most people can fathom. Now, make no mistake about it, a big reason for this is because our integrated rapid fat loss training and nutrition system is second to none. I have done the countless hours of research and trial and error and I have had hundreds of people as real world case studies to prove that our system flat out works. But, today I am going to share something more powerful; something that must be set in place before you can even start to think about following a fitness program.

So, let’s just get right to it. What do you think is the real secret behind my client success? Well, if your answer was my aforementioned training and nutrition system, then your answer is wrong. Yep, it’s an incredible program, but unfortunately it’s useless if someone is unwilling to start it AND stick to it, right? So, it appears that the most important component of changing your body is finding the motivation to achieve your goals, and that’s the main focus of this article today. I am going to literally walk you through the initial consult and three step goal setting process that each one of my clients undergoes before they start working with us. This is so important to weight loss success that I now require it for any new client to be considered for joining our program.

Before I get into this goal setting process, I just need to get something off of my chest. I know a lot of people think goal setting is just a cheesy, useless thing. Unfortunately, these people just don’t get it and frankly if you are one of those people, please do us both a favor and stop reading this article and go buy another useless weight loss book or pill because I simply cannot do anything for you. I can only help people who want to learn. I simply cannot help people who already think they know it all and think they are too good to take some time to figure out what the hell 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. They know exactly why they want to do something and 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 possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to teach you how to do today, so let’s get to it!

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

This is where it’s time to get real. In almost every initial consult I do, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:

“Well, I just want to get healthy and lose weight I guess.”

Nope, I don’t buy it. Sure, I know they want to lose weight and be healthy, I mean who doesn’t, but really WHY do they want to do this? I mean, what is it that’s going to get them up at 5 am to get their morning workouts in or take a couple of hours on Sunday to plan and prepare their meals for the upcoming week? It sure isn’t “being healthy” because for some reason this just isn’t a very powerful motivator for most people (though it should be).

Let’s face it: everybody, including YOU, wants to look better naked. Stop giggling, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay because the desire to improve one’s appearance is the most powerful motivator there is. This shouldn’t be such a big surprise since the main life mission of 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, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; I find their past or pain and then establish their current and future ambitions. Some people want to be able to mow the lawn in the summer with their shirt off and not feel self-conscious. Others want to get back into their favorite pair of pants that they haven’t been able to get one leg into for the last five years. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships and/or put for their best image at work. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines. Wanting to get as lean and tight as possible to rock that dream bathing suit in Argentina, or get off the plane in Texas when visiting family you haven’t seen in two years to blow them away with your 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 jacked up and ready to commit to making some real changes. How do I know? Well, I just shared with you verbatim the exact “WHY’S” of some of my own clients.

So, the first thing you have to figure out is your personal WHY. To make this even simpler for you, just answer this question: what are your physical dreams? Once you establish this, everything else is easy baby.

Crank it!

BJ

PS- Stay tuned for steps II and III later in the week...

PPS- Tomorrow, Tuesday January 6th, we have a special rapid fat loss webinar. It's F.R.E.E and will be full of a ton of high content info. Mark your calendars for 7 pm US EST tomorrow. We will also be offering some killer p.rizes, so you won't want to miss this ;)'

Stay tuned for the invitation link tomorrow!

How to Turn New Years Resolutions into Real Fitness Results!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:48:00 +0000

2009 8-Week Workout Muse Transformation Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:41:00 +0000

Workout Muse presents…

The 2009 8-Week Fitness Transformation Contest

Get Beach Body Ready for Spring Break!

Over the last several years, I have helped hundreds of people just like you lose thousands of lbs of fat. Our unique and integrated rapid fat loss training and nutrition system is second to none in producing body altering and life changing results as fast as possible. I am in the process of writing a book to share my fat burning secrets with the whole world. It will not only be a culmination the countless hours of research, trial and error, and real world case studies with my vast client base both on-site here at our Get Sexy Boot Camps in Milwaukee, WI and online with Workout Muse, but will also provide some breakthrough insight regarding the psychology behind fitness transformation. This book will without a doubt change the way people go about losing fat forever. I personally guarantee this.

But before it gets published, I want to get a group of highly motivated people together to experience the AWESOME power of this new and improved program for themselves. I am already doing it with my boot campers her in Milwaukee, but I am now going to open up to our valued Workout Muse subscribers. That’s right, it’s time for our first ever Workout Muse Transformation Contest!

Here’s what you will get if you are selected as member of this elite body transformation group:

- 1-Hour Initial 1-on-1 Transformation Phone Consult with BJ Gaddour, CSCS to set goals and map out your very own personal success blueprint
- Weekly 30-Minute Social Support and Accountability Teleconferences
- Unlimited Email Access
- Our patented done-for-you rapid fat loss training and nutrition program where we will tell you exactly what to do to get beach body ready for spring break, complete with all companion workout muse mp3 soundtracks, workout and nutrition e-books, etc.

Typically, I would charge $1,000/month for this type of personalized programming where I personally guarantee you the absolute best results of your life, but to a select number of our Workout Muse list (a number I will only reveal after carefully studying the applications of those who apply), this total transformation package will be yours for FREE! Not to mention the fact that you will also be eligible to win the following top prize below:

1st Place Winner

- $300 in cash

- A KOSS Tugo Wireless Mp3 headset pre-loaded with all Workout Muse Soundtracks to date

- The Complete Workout Muse Follow-Along Workout DVD Set (coming soon in the spring of 2009)

- A FREE for Lifetime Pass to all current and future Workout Muse products

- Build your own custom audio interval training soundtrack

- Special Bonus:

Option A- If you are a Fitness Trainer (coaches and trains people to get fit and healthy): Monthly 45-Minute phone consults with me for the rest of 2009 where I will work on your boot camp business like it’s my own to help you help more people and realize the financial freedom you deserve

Option B- Special Bonus if you are a fitness enthusiasts (loves to workout and eat healthy): Monthly 45-Minute phone consults with me for the rest of 2009 where I will provide you with the necessary support and accountability to maintain and build upon your results from this 8-week transformation contest for life

2nd Place Winner

- $200 in cash

3rd Place Winner

- $100 in cash

Now, I don’t beat around the bush. This is only for serious people that are ready to change and fully commit both their mind and body to making these changes. YOU WILL HAVE TO DO EXACTLY WHAT I TELL YOU DO… BOTTOM LINE! The clock is already ticking and there are simply NO EXCEPTIONS to the following deadlines, so, here’s what you have to do to be eligible for this contest:

YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO DO EVERYTHING LISTED BELOW EXACTLY AS OUTLINED BY SUNDAY, 11:59 PM US EST IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER AND FOREVER:

- Type a 1-page maximum summary in an email or word document telling your story (health history, goals, past failures, etc.) and explaining why we should select you for this incredible opportunity, then send to us with subject “HELP! I WANT TO CHANGE” at workoutmuse@gmail.com

- Take front, side, and rear view full body digital pictures of yourself (men must have their shirt off and be wearing boxer briefs or swimsuit trunks, women must wear either a one piece or two piece bathing suit, no exceptions here), then send to us as attachments with subject “HELP! I WANT TO CHANGE” at workoutmuse@gmail.com

- Extra Credit (optional, but highly recommended): Film a 1-2 minute video pleading your case, post it to you-tube and send it to us with subject “HELP! I WANT TO CHANGE” at workoutmuse@gmail.com for some extra special convincing

NOTE- PLEASE SEND ALL ATTACHMENTS WITHIN THE SAME (THAT’S ONE) EMAIL!!!

For some of you, this will be the start of a whole new life. Do not regret missing out on this opportunity because it is going to be unreal.

I love what I do and I am never outworked in providing the people I work with the best results possible, and if you want a proven real world fat loss expert in your corner to help maximize your sexy in 2009, ACT NOW!

The contest will officially start on January 12th, 2009 and end on March 13th, 2009.

Crank it!

BJ

The Future of Fitness in 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:56:00 +0000

Well, it’s already December and it’s time for my annual fitness year in review. Sadly, it appears as though the fitness industry as a whole has again failed to produce any significant results on a broad scale to effectively reverse the scary obesity epidemic that is plaguing our society. More specifically, the sickening fact that American adults keep getting fatter, more lethargic, and less healthy has mirrored the unabated deterioration in the health and fitness of our youth population. However, on a positive note, I feel that 2009 will be host to several growing fitness trends that will provide the long-term answers to solve this ever-growing problem:

Fitness Trend#1- Fitness Boot Camps Will Rise, One-On-One Personal Training Will Fall

You’d have to be living in a cave to not be aware of the fact that we are in the midst of the biggest economic recession since The Great Depression. With the disappearance of the middle class and an economy that will most likely get worse before it gets better, the average American simply does not have the disposable income for typical personal training rates that run about $60 per hour.

However, with every problem emerges a solution; fitness boot camps are just that. Boot camps are probably the hottest thing in the fitness game right now. The group training business model creates the ultimate win-win for trainers and clients making the one-on-one alternative obsolete. Fitness trainers get to better leverage their time and maximize profits by working with an unlimited number of clients per hour. Fitness clients are able to better access personal training services in a unique and dynamic team environment that provides better social support and accountability for only a the third of the cost of typical one-on-one training rates.

Fitness boot camps are popping up all over the country, and for good reason. If you are trying to lose weight in 2009, do yourself a favor by saving your hard-earned money to get better results by joining a local fitness boot camp.

Fitness Trend#2- Interval Training Destroys Aerobic Training For Improved Fat Loss And Fitness 100% Of The Time

High-Intensity Interval Training is rapidly gaining popularity as the best form of improving both fitness and fat loss. Thankfully, 2009 will see more people doing sprints and less people doing marathons to lose weight. However, make no mistake about it, lots of people are still going to do hours of snail-paced cardio to burn fat.

Aerobic or endurance training is essentially going at a slow, low intensity pace for a long period of time (typically at least 30-60 minutes). In other words, the focus of endurance training is on the total volume of exercise (not quality). Think about all those speed limpers you see every New Year foolishly running for hours pounding the pavement or treadmill to get rid of that winter blubber. Sadly, this results in minimal fat loss and lots of overtraining injuries (e.g. ______-its).

With interval training, the focus is on the intensity of exercise (quality). Intervals consist of alternating between shorts bouts of all out high-intensity effort and active recovery periods for a much quicker and focused amount of time (typically 10-20 minutes of intervals works best). This approach is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat AND lead to faster improvements in fitness than the aerobic alternative.

Two landmark scientific studies come to mind here:

The Tabata study compared 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 just as much fat as the endurance group and also had greater improvement in both anaerobic (think sprinters) and aerobic (think distance runners) fitness… in only four minutes!

The Gibala study compared 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 lead to the same improvements in oxygen utilization (or aerobic fitness). In other words, intervals accomplished what endurance training did from a fitness standpoint in only a sixth of the time!

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

Fitness Trend#3- Lean Protein And Fiber Are The Carbohydrate Addict’s Answer For Improved Health, Performance, and Body Composition

Americans are carb addicts. We simply can’t get enough starches and sugars in our diet, and we have the bulging midsections to prove it. One of the biggest misconceptions about diet today is that eliminated starches and sugars from your diet automatically means low carb. Better said, eliminating grains (even whole grains) and refined sugars still allows for consumption of the other carbohydrates: fruits and veggies. These nutrient-dense carbs are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber and create more stable blood sugar levels to keep your body burning fat all day long. All of my clients who have lost the most fat have followed our guidelines of unlimited veggies all day long (besides corn, peas, carrots, beets, and potatoes). In other words, eat lots of veggie carbs, and very little of the other stuff if you want to see your abs!

The overwhelming scientific literature proving the fat burning benefits of a diet high in lean protein and fiber is finally catching the eye of mainstream consumers. Protein is the most important component of each and every meal or snack you consume. It builds and maintains muscle, allows your body to preferentially burn fat, increases metabolism through the thermic effect of feeding, and fills you up. Fiber (ideally obtained from fruits and vegetables, specifically green vegetables) helps slow digestion for a more steady supply of nutrients and sustained energy, it prevents overeating at each meal, and it helps keep you more full between meals. Thus by combining protein and fiber every two to four hours, you provide your body with the optimal one-two belly fat burning punch for a leaner, sexier you.]

Without a doubt, people will be consuming more protein and fruits and veggies next year, and their bodies will reap the rewards of this.

Well, those are the top fitness trends for 2009 according to my crystal ball. I hope the information in this article gives you the push you need to be the trendsetter for your own body and the bodies of those whom you care most about in the New Year!

Milwaukee Personal Trainer Shows A Killer Workout for Your Legs and Butt!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:41:00 +0000

Check out the workout of the day for my Milwaukee bootcamp Get Sexy Boot Camps below:

Your legs and butt will definitely be leaner and sexier from this bad boy ;)

crank it!

BJ

www.GetSexyBootCamps.com

www.WorkoutMuse.com

Milwaukee Bootcamp Workout of the Day- Milwaukee Personal Training: 30-30 Strength Cardio Interval Combo

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Check out today's fat loss bootcamp workout of the day from my Milwaukee boot camp Get Sexy Boot Camps to burn fat and lose weight:

Crank it!

BJ

www.getsexybootcamps.com

www.workoutmuse.com

5 More Last Minute Fitness Gifts for the Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:59:00 +0000

6.) Supplements that Work: Protein Powders, Fish Oil, Multi-Vitamin

I have helped hundreds of people lose thousands of pounds of fat. In my journey, I have found only three supplements to be a mandatory part of the optimal fat loss program: protein powders, fish oil, and multi-vitamin supplements.

Protein powders provide great liquid workout nutrition and a convenient meat alternative for on-the-go snacking. For a protein powder, look for a brand low in sugar and carbohydrates and with a mix of both whey and casein (fast and slow absorbing proteins). I like Metabolic Drive available at https://www.t-nation.com/free_online_store.

Fish oil, or more appropriately entitled an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement, is critical to providing key omega 3’s to maximize overall health, performance, and body composition. Studies show that krill oil provides the most effective dosing of EFA’s.

A multi-vitamin provides keys vitamins and minerals that are tough to obtain unless your diet is near picture perfect. I don’t know about you, but I like to cover my bases when it comes to my health. Be sure to choose a multi-vitamin supplement that is made from whole foods rather than synthetic materials, in addition to being made specifically for your gender.

My clients and I rock with VGF+25 and EFA Icon, both included in Prograde’s Health+ Package available at Best Supplements

7.) Sport-Specific Gift

This one’s pretty basic: if you want to give a great gift to an athlete then get them something unique that compliments their sport, whether it be fitness equipment, apparel, or both.

8.) Fitness Book or Subscription to Fitness Magazine

Everybody need bedtime or bathroom reading baby! If you have just read a good fitness book that you know a friend or family member would benefit from, hook them up with their own copy. Better yet, people love magazine subscriptions. Personally, I am a big fan of Men’s Health and Women’s Health. These magazines are filled with tons of workout, nutrition, and lifestyle tips catered to each sex and I never miss an issue. I know it sounds funny that I read Women’s Health being a dude, but I work with a lot of women so I need to keep up with the lingo like skinny jeans and muffin-tops, ha ha!
9.) Wireless MP3 Headset- KOSS Tugo

This one’s a bit pricey, but man is it worth the unparalleled listening pleasure and convenience. It’s this simple: drag and drop your workout MP3’s onto the headset using a USB cable and then press play and rock out while you workout. There are no annoying wires to deal with and the headphones are comfortably, yet firmly locked on your head so they never fall off and you never miss a beat.

I have had the pleasure of helping the CEO of KOSS Stereophones (the company who created the Tugo Wireless MP3 Player) lose 105 lbs of body fat and ever since he kindly gave me my own personal Tugo as a gift I have used it for my own personal workouts. It’s awesome! You can check it out at http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/p?OpenForm&pc^np^Tugo.

10.) A Gift Card to a Fitness Boot Camp
Boot camps provide a fun and exciting team environment that guarantee better results than one-on-one personal training for only a third of the cost… it’s a total no-brainer.

Look for a local fitness boot camp with tons of social proof (client testimonials, especially in the form of pictures and video) to make sure they have a solid reputation and a bunch of raving fans of people just like you. Plus, any good boot camp worth its weight offers free trials and money-back guarantees to all newcomers because they are so confident their program works that you’ll more than likely continue after a test-drive, This way there is typically no risk on your part… besides getting you butt kicked, in a good way ;)

So join a fitness boot camp with at least one other friend or family member or buy a boot camp gift card to give to your loved ones. As a boot camp instructor myself, I know firsthand that clients always get better results when they embark on a fitness journey with others.

And if you live in the local Milwaukee area, come work with us for the best personal training in Milwaukee by visiting www.GetSexyBootCamps.com.

We’ll change your life and have you looking better naked this New Year, guaranteed ;)

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

Top 10 Last Minute Holiday Fitness Gifts for 2008!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:52:00 +0000

If you’ve hit a wall on what to get your friends or family for the holidays, then why not get them a fitness gift. Heck, you could even put some fitness gifts on your own holiday wish list. After all, who doesn’t want to look or perform better? Here is official my top 10 list of the best last minute fitness gifts for 2008:

1.) A Foam Roller

If you’re like most people, you spend a lot of your day nailed to a desk. And when you actually do have time to workout, all you usually can fit in is the workout itself. Really, who has time for daily stretching?

Well that’s where a foam roller comes in. It’s a phenomenal corrective self-massage tool that will dramatically bolster injury prevention and improve performance. It’s ideal to use for at least five minutes post-workout to promote healing of the small micro-tears in your muscles that result from high-intensity training to jumpstart the recovery process. Plus, a foam roller both kneads out and lengthens your muscle and connective tissues thus alleviating, if not eliminating, nagging aches and pains in your back, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows.

If you’re going to get a foam roller, get a good one. The cheaper options tend to wear down into a limp noodle for larger individuals after a couple of months. I get all of my foam rollers from Perform Better. My brand of choice is The EVA Premium Foam Roller (about $30), I have used it every day for the last several years and I swear by it! You can get it at the following link:

BEST FOAM ROLLER

2.) Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are by far the most simple, convenient, and affordable equipment option in the fitness industry. They supply total portability for killer workouts that can be done anywhere. If you are a busy professional who does a lot of traveling, bands are the perfect lightweight training tool to take your workouts with you on the road as they can fit in the smallest of bags without a problem. If you are a busy Mom looking to workout in the comfort of your own home, bands can make this happen too. Bands provide the perfect compliment to your body weight circuit training workouts for added variety, allow for multiple levels of resistance with practically zero transition and set-up time, are easy on the joints, and are fun to use!

In my travels, I have had the pleasure of meeting and befriending the world’s premier resistance band training expert, Dave “The Might Band Man” Schmitz. This guy is a total nut job who creates the most innovative fat loss workouts with bands that you’ll ever see. He has his own line of resistance bands that are virtually indestructible and I use them year round to crank it at home or on the road. To get the best bands in the business check out the following link below:

Best Resistance Bands

3.) A Gift Card to a Sporting Goods Store For Fitness Equipment and Apparel

You can’t beat a sporting goods store like Dick’s Sporting Goods to get the best fitness equipment and apparel on the market today. I always recommend going with a gift card here because everybody has their own preferences, particularly when it comes to clothing sizes and styles.

4.) A Gift Card to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or Other Premium Grocery Stores

Rather then waste money on an overpriced restaurant, why not give a week’s worth of groceries to a 100% organic grocer like Whole Foods to a friend or loved one. After all, everybody’s got to eat, but how many of us actually eat the right stuff to support our fitness goals?

I must admit, several years ago I thought Whole Foods was just for rich people or hippies, but boy was I wrong. I shop there almost exclusively these days, particularly when buying produce to avoid foods that are typically loaded with hormones and pesticides at other regular run of the mill grocery stores. The key is to go in with a budget in mind (e.g. spend $50 bucks on protein, $20 on fruits and veggies, and $10 on miscellaneous items) only buying what you need.

5.) A Gift Card to a Massage Therapist

Most of us are crazy busy and super stressed out during the holiday season and nothing eases the tension like a good massage. This is about as can’t miss of a gift as it gets, unless you know someone who doesn’t like to be touched. It’s nice to be pampered on occasion, and though the foam roller I mentioned above can do wonders for the majority of your body, nothing can alleviate tension in your upper back, neck, and head like a good massage therapist!

Crank it for the holidays!

BJ

www.workoutmuse.com

Bootcamp Workout of the Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:33:00 +0000

Check out the Milwaukee bootcamp workout of the week if you dare:

Crank it!

BJ

www.GetSexyBootCamps.com

www.WorkoutMuse.com

Fat Loss Bootcamp Workout of the Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:53:00 +0000

See below for the fat loss bootcamp workout of the week from my Get Sexy Boot Camps in Milwaukee, WI.

It's a killer 30-30 strength-core interval combo workout featuring 10 different exercises:

Congrats to Tom, our boot camper of the week, who has lost 13 lbs in the last 4 weeks!

Crank it Tom!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

12 Days of Fitness Update!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:52:00 +0000

We're just 7 days out from the start
of this Year's http://www.12daysoffitness.com
and boy, have we been puting together
a bunch of great FREE gifts for you!

There are well over a hundred exercise
programs, diets, nutrition plans, videos,
audios, reports and tons more getting lined
up to hit your inbox from 10th December...

...and all of it is FREE. It won't cost you
a single penny!

All of the contributors (myself included)
are really looking forward to sharing
their gifts with you
but we really need your help
to make this work.

First, we need you to get on over to
http://www.12daysoffitness.com right
away and update your details into the
form we've set up over there. This will
make sure you don't miss out on the gifts
as we release them on the tenth.

Second, we need you to tell everyone
you know about the gift-giving. You see,
we want this to be big. No, HUGE, and
the only way to accomplish that is to get
the word out through everyone who
we know.

That means you too!

You don't have to do much,
just send your family, friends and colleagues
on over to http://www.12daysoffitness.com
to get their own gifts and we'll do the rest.

Can you help?

I hope so, we really want this to help as
many people as possible.

Thanks in advance!

Crank it!

BJ

http://www.12daysoffitness.com

13 Diet Tips to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:32:00 +0000

There are a bunch of handy damage control diet strategies that you should employ to best prevent yourself from overdoing it at the dinner table this holiday season. Use the tips below to allow yourself to stay social and to be able to indulge in moderation without splitting your pants before the New Year:

1.) Perform High-Intensity Activity Before and/or After a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

I know, I know. I promised diet strategies, but I simply cannot go without recommending some activity. Your body is most receptive to higher calorie and/or carbohydrate meals within 30 minutes before and within three hours following high-intensity activity. Ideally you would want to workout out before AND after a big meal, but if you can only do one, that will suffice. It is less important when you do it and more important that you do it. Your best options will be 20 minutes of circuit resistance training or cardio interval training. Even a 20-30 plus minute walk a few hours afterwards can serve as a bit of damage control.

2.) Do NOT Fast in Preparation for a a Big Meal or Holiday Feast

Fasting in preparation for a free meal will not only lead to overeating, but worse: overeating foods that are extremely high in sugar, fat, or both! Your body is a survival mechanism. If it hasn’t had food in a while it anticipates a famine state. This means that the next time that you eat your body will use as much of the incoming food as possible to store as body fat (survival energy) in anticipation that it won’t see food again for another long period of time. Do yourself and your body a favor by eating every two to four hours as you normally should to prevent yourself from becoming a ravenous, fat-storing beast this holiday season!

3.) Do NOT Gorge Yourself

Eat until the point of satisfaction, not discomfort. Remember this: binge eating is not the habit of lean individuals. It is imperative to understand that that holiday meals are not a ticket to eat as much as you can in as little time as possible. However, listen to your body and make sure to enjoy the foods you are craving in moderation and only eat when you are hungry.

4.) Eat a High-Fiber, Protein-Rich Meal An Hour Before a Holiday Event

A meal high in fiber and protein before a big holiday meal will help prevent overeating by making you feel more full which in turn means less calories consumed during the ensuing feast. My favorite strategy is to drink a protein shake with a added fiber and healthy fats (e.g. 2-4 Tbsp. flax meal) and 1 liter of water before such a meal to help keep me nice and full upon arrival. This way you won’t lose any friends by eating their entire dinner platter and you’ll save your midsection from a fluffier existence!

5.) Eat Leans Proteins and Fruits and Vegetables FIRST

Just because it’s a holiday meal doesn’t mean you can’t eat any nutritious food. Make sure to load up on healthier food choices first and try to eat as much lean meat, fish, and fruits and veggies as possible at the start of each holiday event. This will leave less room for the unhealthier, higher calorie treats. At least this way you know your body is getting in some good nutrition and you are not putting yourself at excessive risk for sickness and/or other health concerns.

6.) Drink, Drink, Drink Water!

Water competes for space in your stomach and truly helps decrease appetite. For every plate you eat, try to drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. After that second plate, when you have 1 full liter of water in your stomach, I bet you might just throw in the towel!

7.) Do NOT Eat Again Until Hungry Following a Large Meal

Now I know I already told you to eat every 2-4 hours, but there is one exception to this. If you eat a huge meal, it is important not to eat again until you are hungry and/or no longer full. If your body is not used to eating such a big meal, then it will take a much longer time to digest all that food and the worst thing you can do is put more food into an already full stomach, unless you goal is to do the stop, drop, and roll drill. Only when you are hungry again should you resume your normal eating plan following a big holiday meal.

8.) Immediately Resume Your Normal Eating Schedule at the Next Meal

What’s done is done. Now it is time to get back to your regular eating plan. Remember weekly caloric intake is far more important than daily caloric intake. For example, let’s say that you need 3,000 calories per day to maintain your current body weight. Well, all that you need to do is make sure the average daily caloric intake each week is 3,000 calories per day. This means that you can fluctuate your daily caloric intake and yield the same results as if you ate that same amount each day. So if you have one day of big eating where you eat 9,000 calories (just an example, not a recommendation), but you only eat 2,000 calories per day the rest of the week, you will still end up at the same caloric balance. Again, I am not recommending that you eat in such an extreme manner, rather I am suggesting that you do not have to obsess about being perfect. Enjoy some indulging in moderation at your various holiday festivities knowing that the week in review trumps a day in review, even when you are particularly naughty on any given day.

9.) Never Eat Junk Food for Breakfast or Before Bed

Eating a highly refined carbohydrate meal first thing in the morning will make your blood sugar levels go crazy for the rest of the day resulting in greater junk food cravings and uncontrollable hunger. On the other hand, eating a big meal before bed will result in a bunch of unused energy that will be stored as body fat and you very well may have trouble sleeping with all of that extra food volume in your stomach!

10.) Control your Portions

Try to eat only half of all the servings of unhealthy food that you choose. Half of the portions equal half the calories!

11.) Avoid Empty Liquid Calories and Alcohol

One can easily consume over 1,000 calories per day from liquid calories alone. This means that in one week, you will gain 2 lbs of body fat from just fluids! Opt for regular solid food calories versus empty liquid calories (e.g. juices and soft drinks), for at least the food will fill you up and provide some nutrition where as liquid calories, particularly alcohol, have no such effect. Rather, sugary and/or alcoholic drinks tend to make you hungrier in general and often hungrier for junk food in particular. Furthermore, your body cannot burn fat until the alcohol is processed out of your body in addition to the fact that alcohol consumption actually lowers leptin levels thus defeating one of the main purposes of this flexible eating (decreased leptin levels increase hunger and decreases your body’s use of fat for fuel). Thus over-consumption of alcohol can prevent the fat burning process from resuming until several days later and/or even cause unwanted fat gain and thus set you back as little as a few days to as long as a full week!

12.) Use Lower Calorie/Carbohydrate Substitutes Whenever Possible

Instead of using sugar, opt for zero calorie alternatives like splenda or stevia. They can deliver a similar taste without all of the extra sugar and calories. Even try replacing yeast with protein powder when you bake. The extra protein and reduced carbohydrates will result in a slimmer you while still providing some great tasting treats! Your goal should be to find the minimal amount of calories that can provide the same great taste that makes the holiday treats enjoyable rather than simply overdoing it because you can!

13.) Avoid Eating Meals that are High in Both Fat and Carbohydrates

The absolute worst thing that you can do is to eat a meal that is high in both fat and carbs. The high amount of carbs will lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and thus large increases in the potent fat-storing hormone Insulin. The high amount of fat will lead to a large increase in free fatty acids in your bloodstream. Since Insulin is already present in large amounts, in addition to there being a large amount of free fatty acids now available in your blood, the stage is set for all those free fatty acids to be gobbled up and stored by your fat cells. This is the equivalent of becoming the next Goodyear blimp, so it is imperative to use caution at your holiday meals when it comes to combining fat (particularly saturated and trans fats) and carbs (particularly starches and refined sugars). In general, it is best to choose one over the other. But since most people crave carbs at their free meals, it is essential to keep the fat low at this meal. Want pasta? Instead of alfredo sauce, opt for marinara sauce with whole grain pasta. Want pizza? Make your own pizza with whole grain crust and fat-free cheese. Want mashed potatoes? Well then be sure to skip the gravy and go easy on the butter. These small changes can literally save you hundreds, even thousands of calories, and more importantly will prevent your holiday feasts from creating the optimal fat-storing environment that will set you back from achieving your health and fitness goals.

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

PS- Check out my new boot camp you-tube page which features the boot camp workout of the day from my Get Sexy Boot Camps in Milwaukee, WI @

http://www.youtube.com/user/milwaukeebootcamp

Now you can crank it with us from ANYWHERE in the world ;)

Please feel free to forward this link to anyone you feel can benefit from it!

Milwaukee Bootcamp Workout of the Day- Milwaukee Personal Training

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:26:00 +0000

Milwaukee Bootcamp Workout of the Day- Get Sexy Boot Camps: 12/1/08

Crank it!

BJ

www.GetSexyBootCamps.com

www.WorkoutMuse.com

Milwaukee Bootcamp Shares 4 Quick Fit Tips To Keep Your Body Fat-Free For The Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:08:00 +0000

We all know how busy the holidays can be. However, do not let yourself get caught in the trap of not working out to make more time for holiday errands or events. It is a big mistake to risk losing the lean muscle mass and strength that you have worked so hard to build and maintain. Why you ask? Losses in lean muscle mass will lower your resting metabolic rate, which accounts for the vast majority (about 60-75%) of your total daily calorie burning. This means that everyday you will be burning less and less calories which will put you at a much greater risk of putting on ugly, unwanted body fat during the holidays. Plus, losing strength will mean that the next time you start to work out your performance will be sub par and you’ll get smacked in the face with that ugly word that no one ever wants to encounter when it comes to their training: regression! Furthermore, there are many clever ways to maintain or increase the number of calories you burn per day, both from exercise and from your normal daily activities, to stay fat-free this holiday season. Use the strategies below to maintain and/or increase your current amount of lean muscle mass and maximize your daily calorie burn to best protect yourself against the deadly holiday bloat!

1.) Perform at least one intense strength training session per week

Studies show that only a single strength training workout per week during times when you cannot train as frequently as you normally do is an effective way to maintain your current levels of strength and lean muscle mass. So, to best maintain your strength and lean muscle mass, shoot for at least one good strength training workout per week to stay buff during the holidays and to prevent unwanted regressions in fitness. To best prevent weight gain, aim for three total body strength workouts per week. To maximize fat burning, perform three total body strength workouts per week and also perform three cardio interval workouts per week on non strength-training days.

2.) Hit Your Totals

Your body is a moron. In other words, it cannot differentiate between 100 push-ups performed in a row versus 100 total push-ups performed in a day. When you honestly cannot find a five to 20-minute time slot to complete an effective total body workout, look for hidden chunks of time during the day to get in a certain number of daily repetitions for a certain number of exercises that work your entire body. Got a free moment from now until you need to take the turkey out of the oven? Then, bang out 10 push-ups, 10 rows, and 20 squats. Using this method throughout the day will lead to big numbers by the end of the day that will burn the same amount of calories in addition to creating similar muscle building effects as if you did all of the exercises at once during a single workout.

It is important to note that this “Hit Your Totals” routine is merely a back-up option to the ideal 20-minute interval training workouts which are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise (see my article How to Build 5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workouts for the Holidays for more info). Short rest periods between exercises create the optimal hormonal environment for rapid fat loss and lean muscle gain, where as the long rest periods (full recovery) between movements do not. However, it comes down to effective (“Hit Your Totals”) versus optimal (50-10 Total Body Circuit Interval Training Workouts), so be sure to at least be effective this holiday season!

Make sure to pick multi-joint, compound movements that hit as much of your body’s major muscle groups in the shortest amount of time possible (e.g. squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows, etc.). Use the plan below as guide to build your own “Hit Your Totals” workout. Adjust the repetition ranges accordingly based on your current strength levels. The only thing you need is your body weight and adjustable dumbbells and/or resistance bands. Perform this plan up to three times per week, resting a day between workouts. Make sure to alternate between Plan A and Plan B for more variety. You can either hit your total by doing one exercise first (e.g. perform push-ups rest-pausing as needed until you get 100 total), or by simply employ circuit style training (e.g. 20 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 rows, repeat 10x throughout the day to hit your totals).

The Hit Your Total Workout For The Holidays
Plan A-

Body weight Squats or Hip Extensions: 100-200 total
Push-ups: 50-100 total
DB/Band Rows: 50-100 total

Plan B-

Body weight Lunges or Single-Leg Hip Extensions: 50-100/total per leg
Off Chair/Couch Dips: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls: 50-100 total (feel free to swap pull-ups or pull-downs here if you have access to the equipment)

3.) Rage Against The Machines

Machines have made us an incredibly out of shape and overweight society. This holiday season make it a point to not use them! Now I don’t mean to say that you cannot drive to the mall during the holidays. However, when you get to the mall, try to park further away so you can do more walking to get inside. Avoid using elevators and escalators and opt for the stairs; all those steps truly do add up. Instead of having your naughty kids carry the bags, burn more calories by carrying the bags yourself (sorry, that was the former naughty kid in me raging, ha ha). Stay on your feet as much as possible and resist the temptation to let a robot or machine do the work for you.

4.) Engage in more outdoor holiday activities

I have been in some pretty incredible snowball fights in my day. Though I was always having a blast while pelting my friends behind cleverly built igloos, I was never aware of how exhausting a good snowball fight can truly be until I came indoors afterwards. My snowsuit was soaked with sweat and I had spent the last 30 minutes or so in total fight or flight mode. Talk about an awesome way to burn calories without even thinking about it! Get outdoors this holidays season and throw around the pigskin or have your very own “Ice Bowl.” Once again, all these calories here and there truly do add up and could make a difference between you fitting in your pants or ripping your pants by the time the clock strikes midnight this New Year!

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

PS- For the best personal training in Milwaukee, WI and a FREE 1-week trial to be world famous boot camps, please visit:

www.GetSexyBootCamps.com

Turkey Day Total Body Fat Loss Workouts with a Medicine Ball!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:52:00 +0000

I know you're gonna do your thang and get your grub on come Turkey Day, so why not crank it with some total body med ball workouts so that you can actually earn the feast!

Remember, your body best handles sugary and starchy carbohydrates and higher calorie meals within 3 hours of intense exercise.

It's all done-for-you below so check it out, and if you really over do it, feel free to do the second med ball workout later in the day after the big meal ;)

5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workout#1- Med Ball

- You will alternate between 50 s of work (max reps or max hold) and a 10 s rest and transition for each exercise in the following 5-minute circuit

- Perform this 5-minute circuit 1-4x for a 5-20 minute total body workout based on your schedule (20 minutes for optimal results!)

Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core

*switch sides half-way unless alternating or performing an even number of multiple sets

Exercise# Exercise Category Exercise Variation
1 Double-Leg MB Sumo Deadlifts
2 Push Lying MB Chest Passes
3 Single-Leg MB Alternating Lunge + Twist
4 Pull MB Alternating Rows
5 Core MB Upper Body Twists

Click the link below to view a complete done-for-you workout video demo @

5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workout#2- Med Ball

- You will alternate between 50 s of work (max reps or max hold) and a 10 s rest and transition for each exercise in the following 5-minute circuit

- Perform this 5-minute circuit 1-4x for a 5-20 minute total body workout based on your schedule (20 minutes for optimal results!)

Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core

*switch sides half-way unless alternating or performing an even number of multiple sets

Exercise# Exercise Category Exercise Variation
1 Double-Leg MB Back Squats
2 Push MB Kneeling Shoulder Passes
3 Single-Leg MB Single-Leg Hip Extensions
4 Pull MB Alternating Bicep Curls
5 Core MB Leg Raises

Click the link below to view a complete done-for-you workout video demo @

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

How to Use Your Thanksgiving Turkey to Create Healthy, Fat Blasting Meals

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:59:00 +0000

It's about that time of year again, when that big old bird comes out of the oven for Thanksgiving. People tend to associate Thanksgiving dinner with sinful excess and horrible holiday weight gain. Now you can blame stuffing, mashed potatoes with loads of butter and gravy, and pumpkin pie for that, but leave the sexy turkey out of it! After all, turkey is packed with lean protein that simultaneously elevates metabolism and promotes fat burning and lean muscle growth. It is also a lean protein, meaning there is very little fat in it, as long as you remove the skin.

Protein is the sole macronutrient responsible for building and repairing your body's tissue stores (fat and carbs simply provide energy). More specifically, regular protein intake is vital in accelerating the repair of muscle damage from high-intensity activities like strength training and cardio interval training. In addition, adequate protein intake every two to four hours is essential in maintaining your current levels of lean muscle mass. This is important because the more muscle you have the larger your metabolic engine, thus the more calories (and fat) you burn on a daily basis since muscle tissue requires lot of energy to sustain itself. Protein is also the least likely macronutrient to be stored as body fat and the mere act of digesting protein requires more than double the energy to digest than carbohydrate and dietary fat. So, if there is any food choice that you can truly get away with overeating this holiday season, it will be turkey.

Another key benefit to eating turkey is that it is easy to prepare in bulk and thus will save you much needed time in meal planning and preparation during the busy holiday season. You can roast a big old turkey and then have tons of meal options for days. Just think of what you can do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers! To inspire your turkey consumption efforts we've put together some awesome better body recipes that you can create with turkey as your lean protein foundation. Enjoy!

Turkey Salad

Ingredients:

- 6-8 oz. Turkey Breast chopped into small cubes - 1⁄4 red bell pepper - 1⁄4 green bell pepper - 1⁄4 red onion - 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil mayo

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy over a bed of greens.

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese Roll-up

Ingredients:

- 6-8 oz. Sliced Turkey - 1 Tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese - 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries - 1⁄2 Clove of Roasted Garlic - Salt and Pepper to taste - 2 Whole Grain Tortillas

Directions:

Soak cranberries in water for 20 minutes or microwave until soft if you are short on time. Mash the 1⁄2 clove of garlic. Mix cranberries, garlic, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture into the inside of the tortilla(s). Add turkey breast. Fold up sides, roll up, and enjoy!

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Medallions With Cranberry Glaze

Turkey Medallions: - 6-8 oz. Turkey - Non-stick spray Turkey Seasoning

Cut Turkey Breasts into small medallions, sprinkle lightly with seasoning. Reheat in a pan sprayed with non-stick oil on medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Drip Cranberry glaze (below) over the medallions.

Cranberry Glaze: - 1 Cups Dry white wine - Turkey or chicken stock, as needed - 1 1⁄2 Cups Dried cranberries - 1⁄4 Cup of Pine nuts, toasted - Pinch of Salt

Add 1⁄2 cup of white wine and 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock to pan. Add other 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock, cranberries, pine nuts and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced in volume by half, about 4 cups.

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Turkey Shepherds Pie

Ingredients:

- 2 cups cubed cooked turkey - 3⁄4 cup turkey gravy - 1 small can whole kernel corn - drained 1 cup of chicken stock - 1 cup of water - 3 cups steamed cauliflower - 2 cups celery, chopped 2 carrots - chopped 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic - minced 1 bell pepper, any color - chopped Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. First you must make the gravy. Take the garlic, 1 cup of celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper, chicken stock, water, vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Add to a pot, boil until vegetables are soft and blend in a blender or food processor.

Next, you will take the steamed cauliflower and mash it, or place it in a food processor until the consistency is like that of mashed potatoes.

Next, in a baking dish, layer the turkey, gravy, corn, remaining celery and mashed cauliflower. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Makes 2 male servings and one female serving.

Turkey Florentine

Ingredients:

- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - 2 tablespoons smart butter - 1 cup cooked whole grain fettuccine - 2 cups diced, cooked turkey - 1 cup turkey or chicken stock 1 - (8 ounce) package fat free sour cream and onion dip - 1⁄2 teaspoon onion salt - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese - Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

Cook spinach according to package directions; drain. Stir in smart butter. Place noodles in a non-stick sprayed baking dish; top with spinach. Combine turkey, stock, onion dip and onion salt and spoon over spinach. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Turkey Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

- 1 bag of frozen green beans - 6-8 oz. of cubed cooked turkey breast - 1 can of organic cream of mushroom soup - 2 cups Kraft all natural fat free cheese - Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients into a casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until completely hot. Makes one male serving and two female servings.

Kettlebell Workouts for Fat Loss!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:47:00 +0000

One of my favorite training tools is from Russia with love:

KETTLEBELLS

They offer a unique twist on dumbbells that can add some much needed variety to your training routine.

It's also the best tool for my favorite fat loss exercise: SWINGS

Check out some great circuit training

5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workout#1- Kettlebells

- You will alternate between 50 s of work (max reps or max hold) and a 10 s rest and transition for each exercise in the following 5-minute circuit

- Perform this 5-minute circuit 1-4x for a 5-20 minute total body workout based on your schedule (20 minutes for optimal results!)

Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core

*switch sides half-way unless alternating or performing an even number of multiple sets

Exercise# Exercise Category Exercise Variation
1 Double-Leg KB Swings
2 Push Dynamic Back Pillar + 1-Arm KB Chest Press
3 Single-Leg KB Step-ups
4 Pull KB Alternating Rows
5 Core KB Alternating Rotating Extensions

5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workout#2- Kettlebells

- You will alternate between 50 s of work (max reps or max hold) and a 10 s rest and transition for each exercise in the following 5-minute circuit

- Perform this 5-minute circuit 1-4x for a 5-20 minute total body workout based on your schedule (20 minutes for optimal results!)

Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core

*switch sides half-way unless alternating or performing an even number of multiple sets

Exercise# Exercise Category Exercise Variation
1 Double-Leg 1-Arm Overhead Squat
2 Push KB Single-Leg Shoulder Presses
3 Single-Leg KB Alternating RDLs
4 Pull KB Single-Leg Bicep Curls
5 Core KB Side Bends

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

PS- If you are a trainer, coach, or instructor looking for music interval soundtracks so that you can crank it with kettlebells for your boot camps or corporate fitness programs, check out:

www.WorkoutMusePro.com

Leading Fitness Experts Give The Gift Of Health To World With Biggest Ever Health and Fitness Giveaway This Festive Season

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:58:00 +0000

On Wednesday, December 10, Dax Moy and over 250 of the world's top fitness professionals will open the doors on the World’s largest ever health and fitness gift-giving, set to generate positive health for over 500,000 people this Christmas

The program, called ’12 days of fitness’ initially began when the UK's leading fitness professional, Dax Moy, wanted to express his gratitude to his clients and offered them a gift a day for 12 consecutive days as his twist of the 12 Days of Christmas.

Last year Moy shared this idea with fellow fitness professional Pat Rigsby and they expanded the 12 Days of Fitness to include not only their own clients but to the world at large and gave fitness gifts to over 200,000 people who signed up at the site at www.12daysoffitness.com.

This year, with the help of 250 of the world's top personal trainers, nutritionists, therapists and specialist fitness experts, the 12 days of fitness is set to become the biggest fitness gift giveaway in history with expected downloads of over 500,000 between the 10th and 22nd of December. "There’s never been another health event like this, where so many people stand to benefit from the expertise of true professionals for free” says Moy who has been working flat out to make this year’s 12 days a success.

“Fitness professionals from around the globe have contributed hundreds of e-books, reports, videos, meal plans and other free gifts in their hope of making 2009 the year that anyone, regardless or their location, financial situation or past failures, can finally reach their fitness goals and make those New Year's Resolutions a reality once and for all.”

Perhaps the best part of the 12 Days of Fitness giveaway is that regardless of a persons health or fitness goals, there are going to be gifts specifically designed to help them achieve success.

"We've received gifts designed for busy mom's, elite athletes, bodybuilders, back pain sufferers and pretty much anyone else you can imagine covering everything from fat loss to rehabilitation and everything in between.

There literally will be something for everyone this year and all of it free, making it, without a doubt, one of the most important gifts anyone will receive this year. After all, what’s more important than health?”

The 12 days of gift giving starts December 10th but those interested are urged to visit www.12daysoffitness.com right away to sign up for their free gifts.

Once enrolled, participants will get a daily email telling them how to access each of the new gifts that are being added each day as well as a reminder on how to access previous gifts.

To guarantee a healthy start to 2009, simply visit www.12daysoffitness.com today.

Total Body Fat Loss Circuits with Dumbbells

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:30:00 +0000

You simply cannot beat dumbbell exercises for portability and convenience!

I recommend that ladies use 8-15+ lbs hex dumbbells and guys use 15-30+ lbs dumbbells with the following total body fat loss circuit training workouts:

5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workouts- Dumbbells

- You will alternate between 50 s of work (max reps or max hold) and a 10 s rest and transition for each exercise in the following 5-minute circuit

- Perform this 5-minute circuit 1-4x for a 5-20 minute total body workout based on your schedule (20 minutes for optimal results!)

Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core

*switch sides half-way unless alternating or performing an even number of multiple sets

Exercise# Exercise Category Exercise Variation
1 Double-Leg DB RDL
2 Push DB T-Push-ups
3 Single-Leg DB Rear Foot Elevated Lunges
4 Pull DB Push-up Rows
5 Core DB Diagonal Overhead Chip

Exercise# Exercise Category Exercise Variation
1 Double-Leg DB Braced Core Squat
2 Push DB Alternating Split Stance Shoulder Press
3 Single-Leg DB Single-Leg Good Mornings
4 Pull DB Alternating Split Stance Curl
5 Core DB Reach and Rotate Side Pillar

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

PS- The Ultimate Holiday Survival Guide is coming MONDAY!!! It will feature workout and nutrition e-books and a 50-10 holiday themed workout muse audio interval mp3 soundtrack so you can press play to listen and lose fat fast with these great circuit training workouts!

What's the best part?

IT'S FREE!!!

Bodyweight Exercises- Classic Circuit Training Workouts For Fat Loss Using Your Bodyweight ONLY!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:12:00 +0000

Last week I showed you how to build the ultimate circuit training workout for rapid fat loss...

Today, I've got 2 done-for-you circuit interval workouts using bodyweight exercises ONLY!

These 2 workouts are contain the foundational bodyweight exercises that all of my boot camp clients master to look better naked fast, enjoy ;)

5-Minute Total Body Fat Burning Workouts- Body Weight

- You will alternate between 50 s of work (max reps or max hold) and a 10 s rest and transition for each exercise in the following 5-minute circuit

- Perform this 5-minute circuit 1-4x for a 5-20 minute total body workout based on your schedule (20 minutes for optimal results!)

Exercise#1- Double-Leg
Exercise#2- Push
Exercise#3- Single-Leg
Exercise#4- Pull
Exercise#5- Core

*switch sides half-way unless alternating or performing an even number of multiple sets

Exercise# Exercise Category Exercise Variation
1 Double-Leg Hip Extensions
2 Push Push-ups
3 Single-Leg Lunges
4 Pull Rows
5 Core Front Pillar Hold

Bodyweight Workout A

Bodyweight Workout B

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

PS- If you are a trainer looking for the 50-10 audio interval training mp3 soundtrack so you can automate workouts liked these for your boot camps with a simple click of a button, then check out www.WorkoutMusePro.com

How to Build the Ultimate Circuit Training Workout for Rapid Fat Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:04:00 +0000

In the past, the cornerstone of most resistance training workouts has been performing exercises in a straight set format. Essentially, this means you perform a certain number of reps for a given exercise or you perform as many reps as possible for a given exercise and then you rest anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes based on your training goals before repeating this set a certain number of times based on your goals. For more of a fat loss and lean muscle gain emphasis shorter rest periods are ideal. For more of a strength or power emphasis, longer rest periods are prescribed.

So, what’s the problem with this format? Well, though straight sets are extremely easy to comprehend for people new to fitness, they are also an extremely inefficient way to order your exercises. In most commercial gyms you’ll typically see someone perform three sets of 10 reps for let’s say the bench press. They pump out 10 reps, go to the water fountain, talk with some buddies, watch a couple of highlights on ESPN, and then gingerly walk back to the bench area to hit up their second set. In general, most people, guys in particular, tend to take about 3-5 minutes between sets. In the case of three sets of 10 on the bench that means it would take up to 15 minutes to complete only one movement pattern (a horizontal push). That means you’d need at least in hour to perform four different exercises!

A much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program. There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:

1.) Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges)

2.) Trisets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as push-ups, rows, and lunges)

3.) Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises

Though supersets and trisets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option time and time again. To demonstrate why, let’s examine my favorite circuit training template using timed set intervals:

The 50-10 Five Exercise Circuit: You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for all five exercises in the following 5-minute circuit:

Exercise#1- Squats

Exercise#2- Dips

Exercise#3- Single-Leg Hip Extensions

Exercise#4- Pull-ups

Exercise#5- Leg Raises

Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.

Basically, in the same 15 minutes that it took to get in three sets on the bench you could have gotten in three sets of five different exercise for a staggering total of 15 work sets! Plus, the intensity on each exercise will be just as high as in the straight set format because in this five exercise circuit you will have full recovery with over four minutes before you return to any given exercise (just as you did with the straight set format described earlier).

To recap, the key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and lean muscle gain. Use the following template I use with my many boot camp clients for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:

Exercise#1- Double-Leg

Exercise#2- Push

Exercise#3- Single-Leg

Exercise#4- Pull

Exercise#5- Core

Here is a great workout video showing you a great circuit you can perform anywhere:

I’ll be sharing some more great circuit training workouts from my boot camps in the days and weeks to come ;)

Crank it!

BJ

www.WorkoutMuse.com

PS- If you are a trainer looking to run these same automated interval circuits set to music, then you need to check out www.WorkoutMusePro TODAY!

PPS- We've got a great HOLIDAY-THEMED 50-10 Five Exercise Circuit Soundtrack that will be available real soon ;)

The Ultimate Holiday Survival Roundtable- Learn how to save your waistline this Holiday season...

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:32:00 +0000

Some of us are dangerously on track for the typical 5-10+ lb weight gain that the average American faces during the post-Halloween months of November and December.

So what I decided to do was gather some of the best fat loss experts from around the world to do a no-holds barred holiday survival roundtable to help YOU save your waistline this holiday season BJ!

Click the link below to listen to this amazing F.R.E.E podcast where we spill the beans about the training and nutrition strategies that we have collectively used with thousands of people to maintain, if not lose, weight during the holidays:

Holiday Survival Roundtable Podcast

There is simply a ridiculous amount of f.r.e.e content here. You' be crazy not to take advantage of it.

And please be sure to forward this link to any friends or family members to whom you feel may benefit from it ;)

Crank it!

BJ
www.WorkoutMuse.com

PS- The Ultimate Holiday Survival Kit is coming your way very soon. It will feature f.r.e.e workout and nutrition e-books to help you maintain your sexy this holiday season. And because we love you so much and are so very grateful for your loyal support, it's on us ;)

PPS- If you are a trainer, please feel free to provide this link for the podcast to your list to help them get through this very challenging time for fitness ;)

80 and 85 Years Young: Ageless Tabatas Workouts and Chicken Piccatta Recipe!

noreply@blogger.com (Workout Muse) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:06:00 +0000

On Friday, I showed you a 9-year old cranking it to Workout Muse. Click the video below if you didn't see it yet:

Today, I'm gonna show you two people who are 80 and 85 years young, cranking it to Tabatas.

They are two long-time clients of my good friend and Kansas City's FIRST personal trainer Greg Justice.

Really, this sums about what it's all about to me... living life to fullest and making no excuses! Fitness is classless, raceless, genderless, and AGELESS:

Plus, I've got a great chicken piccatta recipe below for you that will help jump start your fat loss and lean muscle gain efforts ;)

Crank it!

BJ

http://www.WorkoutMuse.com

This is one of my favorite Italian recipes. Most would NEVER think of it as a
health food, but this modified version is loaded with protein and healthy fats! The following serving sizes are for males, so ladies, please be sure to use of the suggested amounts below:

Naomi’s Chicken Piccatta (CP)

Ingredients:
6-8 oz. of boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup of ground almond meal (other nut meal may be substituted)
1/4 cup of egg white
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Italian seasonings
Non-stick cooking spray
1 fresh lemon or 3 tbsp of pure lemon juice
1 cup of white cooking wine
2 tbsp of jarred capers with juice
3 sprigs of parsley

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with non-stick spray and preheat the oven at 325 degrees.
Place egg whites in a small bowl. Take ground almond meal, salt, and Italian
seasonings, and blend together with fingers in a flat plate. Using a fork, pick up
a piece of chicken and dip it into the egg white mixture. Allow the chicken to
hover over the bowl for a few seconds to let the excess egg white drip off. Take
the chicken and lay it on top of the almond meal mixture, patting it down with
the fork, do the same on the other side until it is mostly covered. Place the
chicken onto the baking sheet and repeat until all your chicken is coated. Place
baking sheet in the oven.

For the sauce, place small pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, spoon
the capers making sure to use as much of the juice as possible. Place them into
the pan. Pour the white wine into the pan and stir. Finally cut the lemon in half
and pit it and squeeze one half of the lemon into the mixture or pour the 3 tbsp
of pure lemon juice. Stir until little bubbles form and then place on very low heat
to keep warm.

Once the chicken is golden on one side, flip it over and let the other side cook for
an additional 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and place into the
sauce. Serve by placing the chicken on a plate and pouring the remaining sauce
on top. For an extra kick, you can grate and sprinkle a little lemon zest and
parsley on top of the dish. You may garnish by slicing the other lemon half
and/or by using a few sprigs of parsley.

PS- If you want more recipes like this from our rapid fat loss nutrition system ETERNAL EATING, check out www.RapidFatLossCardio.com