Fat Burning Workout Videos, 12 Day Fitness Plan, Diet and Workout Tips to Burn Fat Fast

Bust a Fat Burning Plateau - 3 Tips to a Beach Body

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:35:00 +0000

Summer is right around the corner, and in order to achieve the beach body you want, it's going to take some special tips to break through a fat burning plateau. I'm going to share 3 of my top tips that I personally use to turn my body into a fat burning furnace so as to shed excess body fat and reveal the underlying muscle tone. These fat burning tips will get you on you way to achieving your best beach body ever this Summer!

Before I get into these plateau fat burning tips, I'm going to assume you're already doing my fat burning workouts, and following my other fat burning tips and tricks. These plateau busting tips are going to be all new, and a great addition to your fat burning plan!

If you haven't done so already, download my Fat X Program, it's packed with fat burning workouts and you should be able to complete the program by the beginning of Summer, which this year will begin Friday, June 21!

Plateau Busting Fat Burning Tips

Tip #1: Change your workouts to a different time of day. For example, if you usually workout in the morning, switch it up and work out in the evening. I discovered this secret tip by necessity. I normally workout in the evening, but I had to change to morning workouts for a while. That first week I noticed a big change. It seems that the slight shock to my body's internal clock kicked up my metabolism and revved up my body's natural fat burning furnace.

After a few weeks of morning workouts, I switched back to evening workouts, and then again I notice an uptick in results. Experiment with this technique and see how it works for you.

Tip #2: Add kale to your diet. I add it to my morning protein smoothie. I've started doing this a couple of months ago. I've noticed a big difference in when I do and when I don't include it in my protein smoothies. It seems to add some fat burning, metabolism boosting benefits. Just more fuel to add to your body's fat burning furnace. I would suggest starting with a small amount to gauge your taste for it. It's definitely a great addition to a list of fat burning foods.

Tip #3: Change your workout location. This is one of those mental tricks and hacks that kicks up motivation. There is something about changing locations that seems to enhance workouts. Remember, the better your workout, the more it's going to tax your body's metabolic processes, which will turn up the heat on it's internal fat burning furnace (metabolism).

So there you go, three simple tips that if you add on to the Fat X Program will get you even better results! Don't slack, get started ASAP! Summer is right around the corner and so is your best beach body ever!

If you have any questions, as always, feel free to e-mail me, or contact me on Twitter or Facebook. If you're in or around the city of Pasadena, contact me, mention this article and get a free personal training session.

Lions Roar Pasadena - Youth Fitness and Self Defense

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 08 May 2013 03:50:00 +0000

I worked at the toughest middle school in Pasadena, Eliot Middle School, for six years as a Behavior Aide. My duties required me to deal with discipline and discipline problems. In that time, I realized that one of the major causes of discipline issues was the lack of a positive outlet for kids.

Let's face it, kids have a lot of energy, and the truth is that they're either going to use that energy in a positive way, or a negative way.

I left the school a few years back to dedicate myself to my fitness training business, but I have to admit, I miss working with kids. It's tough running a business, especially when it's both online and offline. I haven't had much extra time, but I realized that I need to make time! Especially when it comes to helping in the development of our society's future

With that being said, I started putting together my Lions Roar Program a few weeks ago. I'm happy to announce that it's ready to go! I made the decision that this fitness and self-defense program would be FREE and solely run on donations and sponsors. I've been lucky to have opportunities, and I want to do my part to make sure that kids in and around the Pasadena area, despite their economic situation, also have some opportunities.

My Lions Roar Program will focus on developing a foundation of physical fitness with self-defense applications in order to enhance self esteem, self discipline, develop a sense of honor and community (team work).

I will only be able to take in 10 kids for now (ages 9-15). It will be free to join. Donations will be accepted but not required. You can donate in person, or via PayPal.

If you would like to enroll your child, e-mail me at CoachRollie@gmail.com.

Where: McDonald Park in Pasadena
        1000 Mountain Avenue Pasadena, CA 91104

When: Sundays at 10 a.m.
            May 12, 19, and 26

        Thursdays at 4 p.m.
             May 16, 23, 30

If all goes well, and there's enough interest, I will continue the program in June.

Free Fat Burning Workout Video - Dungeon Doom Workout

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:18:00 +0000

Every so often I add a new free fat burning workout video to my Bonus Series. These free workout videos are an addition to my 12 day Fat X Program. They can be used after completing my Fat X Program to add some variety. These workouts still follow proven methods of increasing your fitness level and boosting your metabolism so that you burn of excess body fat efficiently. I titled this workout video the Dungeon Doom Workout. This is another showcase of how you can get a fat burning, metabolism boosting, after burn effect creating workout, with very little space and or equipment. I'd like to thank my friend Sarah Joy for helping me demonstrate the workout. That's her in the photo.

With that somewhat long intro out of the way, here's the Dungeon Doom Workout Video:

The Dungeon Doom Workout features a four exercise circuit that is to be completed for two 10 minute rounds. In each round, the idea is to get through the circuit as many times as possible (AMTAP). The exercises are: Rock and Press, Swing Pull, Squat, and Reverse Crunch.

As always, warm up properly, an for the best results, I advocate using the heaviest weight that you can use safely. Always check with your doctor before doing a workout or workout program.

If you're in or around the city of Pasadena and you're in need of a fitness coach, a.k.a. personal trainer, feel free to contact me. I'm more than willing to put you through a free workout and consultation.

E-mail me at CoachRollie@gmail.com
Twitter
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Here's an easier, beginner type workout: Resistance Band Workout.

And here's one of my Toughest Workout Challenges, The Apocalypse. Be warned about the Apocalypse, even hard core Crossfit enthusiasts have trouble with it. Last Fall, I put together a challenge and invited the Crossfit gyms around the Pasadena area to compete. I put up $200 cash and sponsors added prizes valued at over $100. At the end of the day, it wasn't a Crossfit member that won, it was actually a former Fat X Program graduate, and my older 40 year old brother that dominated the competition and completed it in under 7 minutes. Here are highlights from the Apocalypse Workout Challenge.

If you have any fitness related questions, feel free to contact me. If you don't succeed, I don't succeed! So, I'm more than willing to help.

Summer Beach Body - 12 Day Fat X Project

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 01:39:00 +0000

Over the weekend I completed my latest Fat X Project. For those of you new to Fat X 101, a Fat X Project is when I publicly coach someone through my 12 day Fat X Program. I do this as a review, and a showcase of this powerful fitness plan. For this project, it was time to get Dantonio Cortez ready for the Summer by beginning to chisel out his beach body. The before photos were taken on March 12, and right after we started with Fat X Workout 1. After photos were taken on March 24, the morning after I put him through Fat X Workout 12.

As with all my fitness coaching (a.k.a. personal training) clients, my number one goal is to get them healthier and more fit. Responsible personal trainers and coaches know that this is the key to both short term and long therm results. Fat loss (fat burning) is a byproduct of a healthy diet, and a better, fitter, stronger body.

I developed my 12 day Fat X Program not only as a fat burning (fat loss) plan, but as a method to quickly develop a better, healthier, fitter and stronger body through properly designed, short in duration, after burn effect causing workouts and a healthy, non extreme, or starvation diet.

As you review the photos, you can see that Dantonio definitely lost a lot of body fat. The first day, right before we took pictures, I measured his waist (around the belly button) and it was 36 inches. Right before we took the after pictures, I measured again, and the measurement had dropped down to 34 1/8 inches. It was no surprise as my previous Fat X Projects have lost 1 1/2 to 3 inches around the belly area.

While the results in the pictures look good, keep in mind that the full effects of the Fat X Program aren't really shown on the 13th day. I'm confident that because of Dantonio's improved fitness capabilities, his increased metabolism, and healthier diet habits, he will continue achieving fat burning (fat loss) results, as well as reaching other fitness goals.

Are you ready to start working on you Summer beach body? If so, download the 12 day Fat X Program and get started today! If you miss a day for whatever reason, don't quit! Pick up where you left off and keep chipping away. Before you know it, you'll be done with the program, you'll be a lot more fit, and you would have chiseled away some of the body fat that has been lingering around your body.

Do you live near Pasadena? If you do, contact me and I'll personally coach you through the program. You can e-mail me and I'll send you my private coaching (personal training) rates for you to review. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via e-mail, Twitter, or the official Fat X 101 Facebook.

I don't mine answering questions! I don't succeed unless you succeed, so I'll do whatever I can to make sure you are successful in your fat burning and fitness goals.

For more fitness and diet tips, don't forget that the free Fat X 101 Podcast is now on Itunes!

7 Habits to Improve Fat Burning

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:01:00 +0000

Developing good habits is essential in achieving success in whatever goal it is that you might have. If you're reading Fat X 101, most likely, your goal is to become more fit and to lose body fat by increasing your body's fat burning capabilities. In this post, I will go over 7 habits that will help you achieve your fat loss and fitness goals. These 7 habits will go a long way in helping to improve your fitness level, health and metabolism, which will all in turn help you fat burning capabilities.

Before I get into these 7 habits, let me give a quick and easy definition of "fat burning" so that we're all on the same page. By fat burning, I mean the breakdown of body fat via a boosted or enhanced metabolism brought on my specific diet, lifestyle and workout methods.

So with that out of the way, let's get into these 7 Habits to Increase Fat Burning.

Habit 1: Drink at least one glass of water before every meal. This has many benefits. One, it will help pre-load your stomach. Two, it will prevent fatigue, both mentally and physically (symptoms of dehydration). Three, It will help digestion. Four, it will help your body run it's metabolic functions including but no limited to delivering nutrients.

Habit 2: Make healthy "Fat X Approved" snack bags and or platters. By having snacks readily available, you will stay on track with you daily nutrient requirements without straying away and adding excess non-nutritious calories from junk food. I've had clients tell me they have trouble eating 6 meals a day. Usually it's because they feel they need to sit down and have a three course meal every time. A snack bag can be considered a meal and can fill in gaps between breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bed time. I would suggest foods such as nuts, veggies, low fat cheese, jerkey and berries for these snack bags. Mix and match the food in you snacks to your liking.

Habit 3: Make time for physical activity every day. By physical activity, I don't mean you need intense workouts or heavy exercise every day. This just means to move your body more than the average person. You can do this by parking on top floors in a parking lot and taking the stairs. You can also do this at work by skipping the elevator as much as possible. Instead of driving a few miles to run errands, make it a walking adventure. All in all, try to drive less and walk more.

Habit 4: Plan your meals. Planning is a requirement of successfully achieving any goal. Diet is essential in achieving a fat burning and fitness goal. Your meals make up your diet. Therefore, make sure that you plan your meals so that you can successfully achieve your fat burning and fitness goals. "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Make it a habit of knowing today, what food you will eat tomorrow!

Habit 5: Take mental breaks. If your mind is stressed, your health will suffer. Take time to unwind every day. Five minute mental breaks can go a long way. Get in the habit of taking a few minutes to pray, meditate, zone out, day dream and or think of all the good things you have going for you in your life. These few minutes of positivity will go a long way in relieving stress and improving your health. A healthier mind, will pave the way for a healthier body.

Here's more on relieving mental stress:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-relievers/MY01373/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Habit 6: Strive for better workouts. Going to the gym is good, but going to the gym and getting a productive workout is better! One way to do this is to log in what you're doing at the gym. Then, do it better, do it faster or do it with more weight. My Fat X Program requires that you track your workout so that the next time you do it, you have something to shoot for, times to beat, more work to be done, a challenge to accomplish. This forces your body to push itself in order to adapt. That extra push is one of the factors that will create the intensity required for a good after burn effect (EPOC)(Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). And this folks is one of the secrets to boosting your metabolism with a fat burning workout program so that you can burn body fat even while at rest.

Habit 7: Drink coffee or tea. Tea and coffee are healthy beverages you can consume which not only will help in boosting your metabolic rate (metabolism), but they also have a variety of other anti-oxidants.

Here are two articles on coffee and one on tea:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-food

http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/947/Ten_Benefits_of_Coffee_for_Health_Performance_Body.aspx

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/tea-health-benefits-cancer-heart-disease_n_1826138.html

Some of these habits to increase your fat burning capabilities I've gone over before, but with Spring around the corner, and everyone now motivated to get their Summer body, I thought I would bring them back up and wrap them up into one article.

These habits are things that I work on getting my private clients and boot camp members to do consistently, those that do, get great results, and those that slip, I make sure to get on them and find strategies to help them implement all 7 habits on a daily basis.

If you're in the Pasadena area, contact me if you're in need of a fitness coach (personal trainer). If I can't fit you into my schedule, I'll make sure to recommend another fitness coach or personal trainer that I trust in or around the city of Pasadena.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions on fitness, diet and or my 12 day Fat X Program.
CoachRollie@gmail.com
www.Twitter.com/FatX101
www.Facebook.com/FatX101

Workout Music Mix 2013 - Fat X 101

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:25:00 +0000

Last fall I took on a private client who is a Los Angeles area radio station disc jockey (Power 106). Gabby V. has done a great job on my workout program and as a thank you for being her fitness coach (personal trainer) she has recently helped produce a workout music mix as a gift to Fat X 101 and myself. I'm a big fan of music and it can be one of the best motivational tools to get you off your butt and into the right mind set for exercising and working on that Summer body. I'm posting the workout mix so that you can preview it, and if you like it, you can download it free!

This special workout music mix by DJ A_Ron might, or might not be your cup of tea, but you can check out the music mix in this free youtube video.
***Youtube video not viewable on mobile. WMG content on Youtube mobile rule.

You can also listen and download the MP3 of this workout music mix here:
https://soundcloud.com/lovegabbyv/mixtape-work-it-out
http://www.sharebeast.com/c56vjb8t1w3o

Get your body ready for Summer! The journey needs to start now! If you want to hire me to be your private fitness coach (personal trainer) and you're in the Pasadena area, e-mail me and we can get started.

If you're not in the Pasadena area, invest a few bucks, download and complete my 12 day fat burning workout program. You'll knock off an inch or two of belly fat for sure, and you'll be well on your way to showing off a better body this Summer!

Don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter, and if you have a Facebook, check out the official Fat X 101 Facebook.

Tough Mudder Pros and Cons

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:14:00 +0000

Last Summer, my friend, Vivianna Landeros encouraged me to sign up for the Tough Mudder. Interested in a new challenge, I teamed up with her and signed up. On Sunday, February 10, 2013, both Viv and I completed the Tough Mudder SoCal Winter event held in Temecula, California. It was an interesting and motivating experience. If you're thinking of doing the Tough Mudder, I'll go over some pros and cons as well as some advice that will help you get through it.

First the pros:

The Tough Mudder cultivated and environment of camaraderie and it was clearly evident in how all the Mudders (competitors) were more than willing to help each other. It was pretty awesome to witness people helping each other get through obstacles.

The Tough Mudder was mentally challenging and very rewarding once the 12 mile course was completed. While each individual obstacle was physically challenging, but very doable, the real challenge would lay in the mental grind of the 12 mile course and multiple obstacles.

The Tough Mudder event was well run. There was plenty of staff on hand to keep things running smoothly. From the staff running the registration and bag check-in, to the staff running the water and snack stations, everyone was helpful and really nice.

The cons:

The Tough Mudder is not cheap! When I registered in July of 2012 for this event in February, the base fee was already $105. Then, there was the hidden fees added to that. A $15 charge for insurance, and another $8.80 online fee. My total sign up fee ended up being $128.80 I hate hidden fees and found those ridiculous! Just include everything in one simple fee Tough Mudder!

You can not transfer your Tough Mudder entry to someone else. The person that signs up, is the only person that can do the course.

If you suffer an injury or illness and need to transfer to a different Tough Mudder event at a later date, there's a $30 fee. I found this out the hard way when my partner, Viv, came down with a kidney infection the week before. She couldn't pass on her entry to someone else, and when I e-mailed Tough Mudder, they informed me that medical documentation would need to be shown, and that it would still be a $30 transfer fee per person!

Luckily, Viv felt better the week of and decided to suck it up and do the event. Yup! She's brave! I was a bit worried for her but she did and awesome job!

Parking was $10 and it was a mile away from the registration and start area. WTF? That's just bad planning!

How to prepare:

One of the reasons I decided on doing the Tough Mudder is to prove that short intense workouts will transfer over to endurance events. If you can do my 12 day Fat X Program, I'm confident you'd be able to complete the Tough Mudder. Although, I would add in some hiking and jogging so that you condition your joints.

I'm not a runner and my joints were taking a beating on the 12 mile course. Especially on the downhills. Make sure to wear good running shoes. I didn't and I payed for it the days after the event. My left knee really hurt and my right foot was swollen and painful. Donating my shoes at the end of the 12 mile course and then walking a mile back to the parking lot was no fun! It probably added to my joint issues.

Make sure that you eat well the night before and also that you hydrate. Get in your electrolytes! I saw many people cramping. Hydrating and getting in your electrolytes will prevent any unnecessary suffering.

Ready for a Tough Mudder in 2013? Here's one of the Tough Mudder training workout videos I put together last year as a bonus to my 12 day Fat X Program that will help you prepare.

By the way, if you're wondering. Yes! I have cut my hair. No more long locks, the long hair phase is over. I must admit, it's easier to wash up after tough workouts. ; )

If you're interested in training with me, and you're in the Pasadena area, contact me for rates, and availability.

Belly Fat Explained

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:55:00 +0000

Episode 4 of the Fat X 101 Podcast, Belly Fat Explained, has been out for a couple of weeks, but I've been so busy that I'm just getting around to posting it here on Fat X 101. In episode 4. I go over a basic explanation of belly fat in hopes that you don't get fooled by fitness marketing and waste time on useless methods to get rid of "belly fat".

I believe that if you can get a solid understanding of belly fat (body fat) and how it basically works, you can achieve better results faster, by avoiding fads and gimmicks. Check it out, and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

CoachRollie@gmail.com
www.Twitter.com/FatX101
www.Facebook.com/FatX101

Here's the episode on Stitcher.

You can also download and subscribe to upcoming episodes on iTunes.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/coach-rollies-fat-x-101/id586842702

Stay tuned for the next Fat X 101 Episode. In that one I'll reveal some quick meals that will help you on your fat loss (fat burning) journey. Spring is around the corner and these will definitely help reduce you body fat.

Also, this past Sunday I completed the Tough Mudder in Temecula, California. I'll be posting an article soon recapping the event and giving a few tips you can use if you plan on doing it in the future.

Fat X Project 2013 Results

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:24:00 +0000

Click to See Bigger

Every year I try to get at least one public fat burning Fat X Project done. For those of you new to Fat X 101, a Fat X Project is a client that I personally put through my 12 day Fat X Program. A public Fat X Project is when I put out the before and after transformation pictures on the internet publicly. I do these public Fat X Projects, not only to prove the efficacy of my 12 day Fat X Program (FX12), but it's also meant as motivation. I want everyone to know that this fitness plan is not just for athletes, workout fanatics, or fitness enthusiasts. Anyone that is willing to focus and dedicate themselves for at least 12 days can get great results with it. Also, any personal trainer or fitness coach can put their clients through it to burst through plateaus and achieve new fitness, and fat loss (weight loss) goals.

Recently, Gabby found me when she was searching for a personal trainer in Pasadena and she bravely stepped up and agreed to have her before and after photos posted. She was extremely self conscious, so I decided I would only post partial photos (for now). She was extremely happy with her results and has signed on to continue her training workout program with me, so I will post more photos at a later date.

Once Gabby decided she was willing to go ahead with the project, we set a start date, I walked her through the basics of the Fat X Diet and we got started on the FX12!

This project from the jump had several difficulties we had to navigate through. Actually, there are always difficulties, but in this case, a very important one was scheduling the workouts. On several occasions, because Gabby is a local radio DJ and works the overnight shift, she had to come to me for morning workout sessions on only a few hours sleep.

Another difficulty was that I had to cut her off cold turkey of her morning Starbucks addiction. Not that I have a problem with coffee and or caffeine, I'm actually a big fan, but not her choice of drink which had been a White Chocolate Mocha. That drink has 18 grams of fat and a whopping 63 grams of carbohydrates (59 grams sugar). It's definitely not conducive to a fat loss goal and it can be a huge dagger in the heart of healthy diet.

For the most part, Gabby did a really good job of sticking to the Fat X Diet. She replaced the White Chocolate Mocha with either black coffee, or green tea. I OK'd the use of light dairy creamer for her morning coffee and she did that occasionally.

She did have one big slip! After the sixth day of the FX12, she almost derailed the project by going out with her friends and having several beers that night. The next day her workout was not up to par and I was extremely disappointed. But, I did have a talk with her that reinvigorated her motivation and she did really well the rest of the way!

Unfortunately for my marketing purposes, Gabby's biggest problem area and largest body fat deposit was a bit covered up in the before picture. I should have had her wear a swimsuit on both photos, but since I hadn't done one of these Fat X Projects in a while, I did make the mistake of forgetting details such as that and I also didn't want to scare her away. Keep in mind I do these public Fat X Projects without any help, meaning the photos are taken by me and while I dabble in photography, I'm no pro.

In any case, this first Fat X Project for 2013 was definitely a success, and while you can see a big difference in the photo, that's just the beginning. It was taken the day after she completed the FX12. Due to her improved fitness level, and revved up metabolism, I'm confident that the fat burning (fat loss) results will continue to snowball.

Feel free to contact me with any questions. Have you been looking for a personal trainer? Contact me ASAP and start getting better results faster with my brand of unique fitness coaching. I'm in the city of Pasadena, and I'm always willing to work with new clients that are ready to get fit and shed some unwanted body fat (lose weight).

E-mail Me
www.Twitter.com/FatX101
www.Facebook.com/FatX101

Fat Burning FX 12 Workout 10 - Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:05:00 +0000

After an active rest day on day 9 of my 12 day Fat X Program, comes one of my favorite workouts. This one will continue to kick up your metabolism and really propel you towards your fat burning and fitness goals. But, there a few tips to keep in mind to insure that you get the best metabolic system stimulation and long term fat burning effects. Check out the free workout video, and then I'll point out some quick tips.

Tip 1 : If you're a combat athlete (MMA, Submission Wrestler/Grappler, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) you can substitute sprawls for the basic burpee.

Tip 2: If each set takes you longer than 6 minutes to complete, use lighter weights. If you can complete each set in less than 3 minutes, use heavier weights.

Tip 3: If you don't have the variety of dumbbells required for this type of drop set system, use a barbell and load it up accordingly.

Tip 4: If you don't have the flexibility required to do a full squat (a.k.a ass to the grass), substitute them with box squats.

Keep those tips in mind when you get to day 10, workout 10. As always, keep track of your numbers in the workout manual so that when you repeat the program, you have statistics and personal bests to beat. Keeping track and pushing yourself to beat personal bests is a great way to motivate yourself to put forth the effort to stimulate you metabolic processes sufficiently to create the fat burning EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption) effect, more commonly referred to as the after burn effect.

Would you like me to personally coach you through the workout program? If you're in the Los Angeles area, I'm located in Pasadena and you can e-mail me at CoachRollie@gmail.com. I'll forward you my private fitness coaching (personal training) rates. If I can't fit you in my schedule, I'll give you info on other trusted personal trainers and fitness coaches in the area that can assist you.

More Fat Burning Tips - Fat X 101 Podcast Ep 2 & 3

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:29:00 +0000

I started the Fat X 101 podcast in December and was planning on doing a weekly show, unfortunately the holidays slowed things down a bit. Luckily though, it seems that people have enjoyed the simple fat burning, fitness and health tips I've been giving out, so I'll definitely be continuing it. Episodes 2 and 3 are out if you want to check them out. I'll be recording episode 4 soon, and will be answering reader and listener submitted questions. Stay tuned.

In Episode 2 I discussed a couple more easy to implement tips that will help you achieve your fat burning, fitness and health goals in 2013.

In Episode 3, I discussed the Fat X Diet.

Here's the iTunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/coach-rollies-fat-x-101/id586842702

If you have any questions on any of the past episodes, or just general questions in regards to my Fat X Program, fitness, exercise, and or diet, e-mail me, and I will try to answer them on upcoming shows.

As always, you can always contact me on Twitter, the Fat X 101 Official Facebook, or even on Youtube.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, or in the City of Pasadena and want a free consultation for private fitness training (personal training) contact me and we can set that up. I can also recommend another trusted personal trainer or fitness coach if I don't have room in my schedule.

Tough Mudder Training Workout Video - Pasadena

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 04:24:00 +0000

One of my best tips to those that want to get in great shape, or stay in shape, is to enter a competition. Committing yourself to competing, and knowing that you have to be in great shape by a certain date, has a way of lighting a motivational fire. I've competed in everything from powerlifting, to combat sports, and committing myself to these competitions has always helped me stay on track, or to get back on track with my fitness, and or fat burning (fat loss) goals. This February, I will be doing the Tough Mudder. As an addition to my free fat burning workout video Bonus Series, I decided to film one of the workouts I will be using to prepare for the Tough Mudder.

Check out part one of my Tough Mudder Training workout videos.
As you can see in this Tough Mudder Training video, you don't need much to get in a good workout. All I used for the exercises was a homemade sled, some sandbags, and weight plates. Nothing fancy or expensive is necessary and any of those items can be substituted.

This Tough Mudder Training workout video features the following exercises:

Uphill Sled Drag
Downhill SpiderMan
Uphill Sprint
Downhill Overhead Carry
Uphill Sprint
Downhill Sandbag Carry
Uphill Sprint
Downhill Sled Carry

You can do the workout video as is, or just use it to get some workout and exercise ideas .

If you enjoy my free workout videos, feel free to pass them along. The more views and feedback I get, the better I can evaluate what people want and need. I'm always looking to put together free workout videos that are helpful and can fill a need. As I always, say, If readers of Fat X 101 or my clients don't succeed, I don't succeed. So, you can bet I will do my best to help you succeed.

By the way, I'm not taking on any new clients this year, but if you need a fitness coach a.k.a personal trainer, and you're in the Pasadena or Los Angeles area, contact me and we can set up a consultation to get you started early in 2013. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

CoachRollie@gmail.com
www.Twitter.com/FatX101
www.Facebook.com/FatX101

Stay tuned for more free workout videos, including but not limited to Tough Mudder Training videos. If you're ready for a complete 12 day jumpstart workout plan, download my Fat X Program.

2 Easy Fat Burning Fitness Tips - Fat X 101 Podcast

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:45:00 +0000

I've been told several times that I should do a fitness podcast. Unfortunately, I've been too busy with running this website, shooting and editing the free workout videos and of course, being a fitness coach and personal trainer in Pasadena. Attending to my private clients and boot camp classes takes up a lot of time, but, I began to realize that I can probably help my clients, as well as readers of Fat X 101 even more, by doing the podcast. Obviously, not everyone has the time to come on the site, watch the workout videos, or read up on all the health, diet, and fitness tips that I post, but downloading a quick podcast that can be heard while sitting in traffic or on other down times can be a good alternative to digest valuable information.

So, with all that being said, check out the first Fat X 101 podcast where I discuss two actionable tips to get you started on a fitness, health and fat burning (fat loss) journey. If you're a beginner, you can do them today, if you're more advanced, it will serve as a reminder of important things you should be doing everyday.

Now available on iTunes as well.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/coach-rollies-fat-x-101/id586842702

Feel free to post any questions or comments. When possible, I will try to answer some of those questions either on a written post, or in the podcast. Keep in mind, I want to help you succeed. If you don't succeed, I don't succeed.

Are you in the Pasadena area? Need a fitness coach (personal trainer) to get you on track with your health, fitness and fat loss? Contact me today and lets get the ball rolling on a great body for 2013!

E-mail Me
www.Twitter.com/FatX101
www.Facebook.com/FatX101

Resistance Band Workout Video - Pasadena Trainer Coach Rollie

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:44:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from three different people with each person requesting a specific type of workout video. One person wanted a workout video for beginners, another requested a workout that could be done on vacation with little to no exercise equipment, and the third, wanted and example of a no impact workout. I figured I would continue to add to my Bonus Free Workout Video Series with a resistance band workout that would grant all three requests.

So, with that quick intro out of the way, here's the free resistance band workout video that is perfect for beginners, if you're on vacation, or if you need some no impact exercise ideas.

Resistance Bands at Amazon

If you were wondering about the location, I decided to venture a bit outside of the city of Pasadena and shot this video near Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Once again, one of my clients, Nickii Jean Alex helped me demonstrate some of the exercises.

I purposely had her do this workout blind, meaning I didn't have her practice it, so that you can see how easy it is to pick up. Also, keep in mind that the resistance band that I used in the video had no handles. You can use bands with our without, and you can also vary the way you grip the resistance band. It takes a little practice, but you'll easily get the hang of it.

The exercises are set up in a complete, full body workout. There's a pushing movement/exercise (Chest, shoulders, triceps). There's a pulling movement/exercise (back, biceps) a lower body exercise and a core movement.

If you have any questions on this resistance band workout, my downloadable12 day fat burning and fitness, Fat X Program, or if your need a fitness coach (personal trainer), feel free to contact me via E-mail, on Twitter, or Facebook.

I'm here to help you get results, because if you fail, I fail, and I wont let that happen! So if you need help, feel free to contact me.

6 Fat Burning Quick Tips - Coach Rollie

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 23:35:00 +0000

A couple of days ago, I received an e-mail with a request from a reader. Her and her husband are desperate to lose weight (fat loss). She found Fat X 101 as she was searching for a personal trainer in Pasadena. She complimented me on all the straight forward information on fat burning, exercise, workouts and diet, but she also said she was lost in all the info. She requested a quick fat burning tips recap. The e-mail made me realize that I have written over 300 posts/articles and it brought to my attention that someone new can easily get lost. I thought her request for a quick recap going over some of my best tips was great and would be especially helpful for those that are new to Fat X 101 as well as those that are interested in doing my 12 day Fat X Program. It should also serve as a reminder to Fat X 101 veterans of methods, tips and the basics that go along way in achieving fat burning (fat loss) and fitness goals. So with all that out of the way, here are the fat burning quick tips in response to that e-mail.

6 Fat Burning Quick Tips
I'll discuss each tip just briefly, since I've written other articles/posts discussing them in more depth.

Fat Burning Tip #1 - Drink Water First Thing in the Morning
Overnight, while you're sleeping, your body's metabolic processes and functions are still putting in work. When you wake up, you will always be at least, slightly dehydrated. Dehydration causes fatigue, and it will limit your metabolism's ability to function optimally. Leave a bottled water next to your bed and drink it first think upon awakening.

Fat Burning Tip #2 - Eat "Good" Fat at Night
The last thing you want to do right before bed is to eat a high carb (carbohydrate) meal causing an insulin spike and messaging your body to store body fat. Instead, eat something low carb and containing "good" fat (EFA's)(Essential Fatty Acids). This will help your body shift over to using fat for energy and with the absence of carbs, your body will start breaking down stored body fat for the energy required to run it's metabolic functions and processes over night.

Fat Burning Tip #3 - Use Several Exercises in Circuit Form
Constantly having to stop and shift directions or movements will intensify and enhance a workout helping to create the afterburn effect (EPOC). For example, running as fast as possibly in a zig zag line requires more work and energy than running in a straight line. In the same way, doing 3-4 weight training (resistance training) exercises in circuit fashion will require a lot more work than just doing one exercise at a time. Workouts done in circuit fashion are also more efficient and done correctly will help your fat burning goals by kicking up the afterburn effect (EPOC).

Fat Burning Tip #4 -Use Heavy Weight When Exercising / Working Out.
The heavier the weight, the more work that is required to move it. This is an advanced tip and fat burning technique that should be used intelligently. Safety first! Using more weight and doing more work will help your fat burning goals via the afterburn effect (EPOC).

Fat Burning Tip #5 - Time Your Workouts
Time your workouts and everything involved within your workout (circuits, rounds, rest periods etc.) Random workouts will produce random results! Make your workouts more like a science and track your data. I do this extensively with my private clients, and the results that I've gotten from doing this has made me one of the top fitness coaches (personal trainers) in the Pasadena and Los Angeles area.

Fat Burning Tip #6 - Eat Green Stuff!
Well not anything green! I'm talking about vegetables and some fruits. I'm a big advocate of eating vegetables. They're usually really low in calories, yet they're nutrient dense! Perfect for fat loss and overall health and fitness. So stalk up on broccoli, green beans, spinach, kale,

I've been a professional fitness coach, a.k.a personal trainer, since 2001. These 6 fitness and fat burning tips have helped me become one of the best in Pasadena and Los Angeles area. My long list of clients are proof that these tips and techniques work and if implemented correctly and consistently, they will work for you. Don't hesitate to e-mail me or contact me via Twitter or the Fat X 101 Facebook if you have any questions. You can also post the questions here in the comments section.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, or in the city of Pasadena, and need one on one fitness coaching / personal training, contact me and we'll set up a consultation. If I can't fit you into my training schedule, I'll recommend another trusted personal trainer in Pasadena.

Feed the Muscle, Burn the Fat	Measure Progress With A Body Composition Analyzer

Better Sex Workout Video - Pasadena Fitness Trainer

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:53:00 +0000

Legs and hips are very important in athletic performance, and when you think about it, sex can be an athletic event! As part of my fat burning Bonus Workout Series, I've put together a better sex workout. The exercises in this free workout video are designed to improve the strength in the legs, mobility in the hips, and improve your over all fitness abilities. This workout video, like my others, also stays true to the afterburn effect (EPOC) which will help your body kick up it's fat burning ability! I filmed this free workout video in one of the beautiful parks in the City of Pasadena, Eaton Sunny Slope Park. Check out the video:

The Better Sex Workout video consists of five exercises that are to be done in circuit fashion for 20 minutes AMTAP (as many times as possible). Keep track of how many times you were able to get through the circuit, and then next time, challenge yourself to beat your number! Those of you that have downloaded and done my 12 day Fat X Program are already familiar with this method of tracking workouts. As always, you should warm up properly before starting any of my workouts, and also remember to take some time to stretch after you're done.

Exercises in the Better Sex Workout video:
Front Squat
Thrusts (jump thrust)
Sandbag Slam
Mountain Climber
Hip Raise (Bridge)

I wanted to use a sandbag for this workout and I filmed it outdoors, to once again show that you don't need a gym, or fancy equipment to get in a good workout. Sandbags work great, and they're easy to make. They're also versatile and can be used in many exercises instead of a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebells.

If you need one on one fitness coaching (personal training) and you're in or around the City of Pasadena, feel free to contact me. If i'm not available, I will do my best to recommend a great personal trainer that can help you meet your fitness goals.

If you have questions on this free workout video, my 12 day Fat X Program, or general fitness questions, feel free to post on the Fat X 101 Facebook page, my Twitter, or e-mail me at CoachRollie@gmail.com

Crossfit Pasadena, Fitness Fans, Tested in Apocalypse

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 22:02:00 +0000

The Apocalypse has come and gone, and now one man stands tall as the Fittest Man in Pasadena! What was the Apocalypse? Over the Summer, as part of my Bonuse Workout Series, I made a workout video of one of my toughest workouts. It quickly gained thousands of views on Youtube and became legendary among many fitness and workout enthusiasts, including but not limited to Crossfit, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and other extreme fitness athletes and fans. This gave birth to the Apocalypse Contest, an extreme fitness contest that would pit the fittest vs. the fittest in a test of overall strength endurance. Early on, with so many Crossfit gyms in Pasadena, Crossfit was favored and many thought one of their gym members would easily win the $200 cash prize, $100 gift basket from Nutrition 4 Less Pasadena, and the $50 credit from Headblade.

Here's a highlight video showcasing a few of the Apocalypse Survivors as well as the eventual winner of the contest and now, officially, the Fittest Man in Pasadena.

So what happened to Crossfit? Well, while Crossfit training methods are good for general fitness, random workouts, will produce random results. When training for a fitness challenge, a specific sport or event, random workouts and exercises aren't enough. Top Fitness/Strength and Conditioning coaches know this, and that's why "workout programs" are favored over single exercises, or daily random workouts.

I'm very proud of the Fittest Man in Pasadena, Ricardo Robles, not only did he survive the Apocalypse, and put up the best time, he's also a Fat X Program graduate! I personally put him through it. He's also my older brother, an MMA fighter and elementary school teacher.

If you're in the Pasadena area, and you're in need of getting in shape and losing some body fat, contact me for private fitness coaching (a.k.a. personal training).

You can e-mail me, contact me on the Fat X 101 Facebook, or follow me on the Fat X 101 Twitter.

Free Workout Video by Fitness Trainer - Coach Rollie

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 07:03:00 +0000

I had a rough September where I came down with a flu, and had other personal issues that really set me back. Luckily, I'm finally back and healthy and can start working on more helpful fitness and fat burning tips as well as more free fat burning and afterburn effect inducing workout videos for the Bonus Series. This video, as most of my workout videos, requires minimal equipment, you can do it with or without the chains (shown in the video). The chains are used to add resistance (shifting resistance) and to increase the intensity of the workout. Here's the video:

This workout is designed for five, three minute rounds. The same principle as some of the workout videos in my fat burning 12 day Fat X Program applies, you are to proceed through the exercises and complete as many circuits as possible in each three minute round. Next time you do the workout, the idea is to challenge yourself to beat your numbers or stats. Those of you that have done the Fat X Program are will already be familiar with this system of tracking workouts.

By the way, because my most of my workouts and the exercises I utilize require minimal equipment, you can do this indoors or as you can see in the free workout video, you can do it outdoors. There is no gym necessary!

Going from doing your workouts indoors and in a crowded gym, to changing up the environment and going outdoors can do a lot for your exercise motivation. The city of Pasadena has beautiful parks. I shot this free workout video at one of the city of Pasadena's parks, Gwynn Park.

If you live in the city of Pasadena, or any of the surrounding areas, Los Angeles etc., feel free to contact me if you need one on one personal training (fitness coaching). Hiring a personal trainer (fitness coach) is a good idea so that you're not wasting your motivation, time and or money aimlessly wandering the gym. Many have labeled me the best personal trainer (fitness coach) in Pasadena, and the results that I've produced do point in that direction. I'm proud of my clients that have worked hard and have elevated me to that stature.

Feel free to post any fitness, exercise, or workout related questions you have for me here, on the Fat X 101 Facebook, or on my Twitter. I'm more than happy to answer them. It helps you, and it helps me by keeping me sharp and on my toes.

Fat Burning Tips: Workout Video 10 (FX 12)

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 04:29:00 +0000

I created my 12 day Fat X Program over four years ago and I'm really glad that many of you have tried it, enjoyed it and have gotten great results with it. I'm also humbled by the positive response I've gotten for it. With that being said, the program is like a fine suit, sure it's great off the rack, but with a few alterations (tips in this case), it can fit even better. Here are a few tips for one of the most important workouts in my Fat X Program (FX 12). Make sure to follow these tips to get the most, out of the best fat burning and fitness workout plan online!

Day 10/workout 10 is the return to intense training after day 9 which is active rest. Active rest day, a low intensity, longer duration workout of your choice is meant as a physical as well as mental break that prepares you for the home stretch of the Fat X Program (FX 12). Workout 10 is the beginning of the final stretch and here are some important tips to get the most out of it.

Fat X Program Workout 10 Day 10 by Coach Rollie

Tip 1
On the squats, start with the heaviest weight you can handle. Push yourself and within reason, reach outside of your comfort level. I've personally trained people that I've had start with 70 lbs and drop the weigh down from there.

Tip 2
Use good form on the full squats. These squats take advantage of a full range of motion, but they're easy to do wrong! In the full (ass to the grass) bottom position, make sure that your feet stay flat on the floor and that your knees stay behind your toes. On the way up push through the floor and try to force your knees out. And careful with the dumbbells! It's a different, and more challenging stimulus than using a barbell.

Tip 3
The burpee in this workout is the secondary exercise and is meant as an intensity rest/active rest exercise before getting back to the squat. It's why I chose the "basic" burpee and not the full burpee or advanced burpee. Also, by skipping the push up it gives your chest, and shoulder muscles a bit of a break since they've been worked hard in previous workouts in the program. Giving these major muscle groups a rest will have them somewhat fresh to get hit hard in workout 11. With all that out of the way, here's the tip: If you're a combat athlete (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Sambo, Wrestling, Submission Wrestling, MMA) substitute sprawls for the burpees.

Tip 4
Use the workout manual! Keeping stats is the most important thing in any good fitness and or strength and conditioning plan. Can you imagine a business not keeping stats and a record of what's going on? It would be ridiculous! Consider this program a business, and get the most out of it in the present and in the future by keeping accurate stats.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. If you're in the Los Angeles area, or in the City of Pasadena, contact me for private fitness coaching (a.k.a personal training). My goal is simple, to help you succeed! If you don't, I don't!

Secret Fat Burning Super Food

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 07:18:00 +0000

Some of the greatest discoveries in the world have come from someone falling ass backwards into them. Take viagra for example. It was originally meant as a treatment for angina. But boom! it gave dudes hard ons! Anyway, in an effort to find great tasting meals for better and faster fat loss that fit into my night time Fat X Diet strategy, I also fell ass backwards into somewhat of a personal fat burning discovery. I was using a vegetable in these night time meals (turns out it's technically a fruit). The only reason I was using this fruit in these meals was because a family friend had given away a large box. He had a huge tree and was just trying to get rid of all the excess fruit that was falling in the backyard. The collision of these somewhat random events began my secret fat burning super food discovery!

It actually took me a while to pin point that this fruit was what was optimizing if not amplifying my fat burning (fat loss) results. I slowly began to notice that my results where better when I used it consistently, as opposed to when I was eating other "healthy" foods. After pin pointing that this fruit was in fact a main cause in my best fat burning (fat loss) results, I began to research it. I then realized that it made total scientific sense as to why it's a super food, and why it so helpful in a fat burning (fat loss) program. So what is this secret fat burning fruit? Well, some people know it as the alligator pear, but more commonly, it's known as the avocado.

The avocado is extremely high in nutrients that directly and indirectly help with muscle building, metabolism, and fat burning (fat loss). When the avocado is implemented in a fat burning program in a specific way, it becomes clear as to why fat loss results are optimized if not amplified.

Reasons why the Avocado is a Super Fat Burning Food:

*High in panthothenic acid (Vitamin B5). Vitamin B5 is as required to synthesize and metabolize proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

*High in Folic Acid. Folic acid is essential for healthy cell and tissue development as well as for the production of red blood cells.

*High in Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is involved in metabolic processes such as, amino acid, glucose and fat (lipid) metabolism as well as normal nerve and immune system function.

*High in Potassium. Potassium is an electrolyte essential for proper function of cells, tissue and organs. It's also necessary for protein synthesis, amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism.

The avocado is also high in vitamin K, and the antioxidants vitamin C and E. It also contains lutein, magnesium and other beneficial nutrients. Fiber and monounsaturated fats are two other benefits of eating avocado. I could go on and on, but I think that's enough to prove that the avocado is a super food and great as part of a fat burning diet and program.

Here is the rest of the nutrient make up of the avocado according to the USDA Nutrient Database (per 100 g/ 3.5 oz):
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults

Energy    670 kJ (160 kcal)
Carbohydrates    8.53 g
- Sugars    0.66 g
- Dietary fiber    6.7 g
Fat    14.66 g
- saturated    2.13 g
- monounsaturated    9.80 g
- polyunsaturated    1.82 g
Protein    2 g
Water    73.23 g
Thiamine (vit. B1)    0.067 mg (6%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2)    0.130 mg (11%)
Niacin (vit. B3)    1.738 mg (12%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)    1.389 mg (28%)
Vitamin B6    0.257 mg (20%)
Folate (vit. B9)    81 μg (20%)
Vitamin C    10 mg (12%)
Vitamin E    2.07 mg (14%)
Vitamin K    21 μg (20%)
Calcium    12 mg (1%)
Iron    0.55 mg (4%)
Magnesium    29 mg (8%)
Phosphorus    52 mg (7%)
Potassium    485 mg (10%)
Zinc    0.64 mg (7%)

The way I like to eat avocado to help in my fat burning and fitness efforts is usually at night, with a little bit of garlic salt and a chicken breast. For more on why this makes a great night time meal, especially if you're trying to lose body fat, check out my "How to Lose Fat While Sleeping" article.

If you're in the Los Angles or Pasadena area, feel free to contact me for private fitness coaching (a.k.a personal training). Or, if you haven't done so already, download my 12 Day Fat X Program and knock off a couple of layers of body fat while getting extremely fit!

Feed the Muscle, Burn the Fat

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 07:04:00 +0000

There's an old adage "feed the muscle, burn the fat" which props up an important concept. This concept is vital in the health and fitness realm. Whether you just want to burn fat (lose body fat) so that your body looks better, or you want your body to perform better in athletic endeavors, feeding the muscle is of the utmost importance. There's all kinds of nutrients that take part in helping to build and or maintain muscle. The most important of those, is the macro nutrient protein. Feed the muscle with protein, and that muscle will help you stay fit, as well as boost and maintain your metabolism so that you can burn fat (lose body fat) effectively and efficiently.

In order to build and or maintain muscle, your body requires adequate amounts of protein. How much is enough? Well, this is Fat X 101, and I like to keep things simple, I'm a big fan of the KISS principle (Keep it Simple Stupid). So, with that said, I normally shoot for my lean body weight in grams of protein. For example, I normally hover around 170 lbs, and I would estimate that at least 150 lbs of it is lean body tissue. So, I try to consume at least 150 grams of protein per day. There are all kinds of scientific formulas and variables you can plug in to be more exact, but estimating works really well, and it's a lot easier. It's worked well for my clients as well as myself.

Where can you get protein? Protein can be found in most foods, but in high concentrations, you can find it in chicken, turkey, fish, red meat, eggs and or you can also supplement with it for ease and convenience. Protein supplements are usually available in a powdered form. Supplementing with protein can be advantageous in the sense you can control the other macro-nutrients which you can't do if you're eating, for example, eggs or red meat. Eggs and red meat along with high amounts of protein also have high amounts of fat, which you may or may not want in your meals.

If you choose to supplement with a protein powder, which I do, there are two main things I look for. Number one, that it tastes good. Let's face it, if it tastes like powdered rat turd, sooner or later you'll stop putting yourself through the ordeal of the consuming it. And believe me, there are some terrible tasting protein powders on the market.

The second thing I look for in a protein supplement is that it mixes easily. If you have to put it in a blender, it loses a bit of the convenience factor. Also, if you have to mix it too long, some protein powder supplements tend to sponge up and become a fluffy, sudsy, mess. I hate that! I'm sure everyone that's experience that, also hates it.

There's one more thing that's important if you want to feed the muscle via a protein powder supplement. Price! Supplements are pretty well regulated, and protein is no exception. If the label says it's protein, it better be protein! If you get it from a reputable store, whether online or offline, chances are you're going to get at the very least, a decent product and the only real difference will be the taste, how it mixes and the marketing of it. By marketing, I mean this product has protein, plus X, Y, and Z, and that product has protein, plus, double XX, and Z, and the third product has a roided up bodybuilder that endorses it. Basically, protein is protein! I've never noticed major differences in how I feel or how my body looks after taking different protein supplement products regardless of the extra ingredients.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you feed the muscle with proper exercise and enough protein. Don't get a headache trying to choose a protein supplement. As a matter of fact, if you're new to supplementing with protein, I suggest you try different brands until you find one you like. The exception is soy protein if you're a male. Soy protein will kick up estrogen levels and you definitely don't want that!! I would suggest a whey protein powder that has a decent taste and mixes easily.

The easiest, usually most affordable, and most convenient place to buy a protein powder so that you can feed the muscle, and burn the fat, is online. Amazon usually has great prices. If you're going to try supplementing, I would go with one of my favorites, Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard. Here's a short video on that specify product:

Click Here To Go the Amazon Page

I live in Pasadena and I'm often asked If I know of a good place to purchase a protein powder in the area. So a few weeks ago, I decided to visit a few of the supplement stores in Pasadena incognito, so that I could give and unbiased and insider review. I decided I would judge them only on this visit, the price of a comparable whey protein powder that I've used in the past, the price of the product and last but not least, customer service. The three stores I visited were:

Ordered from best to worst, both in price, and customer service.

Nutrition 4 Less
777 S Arroyo Pkwy #103, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 737-1234
Yelp Rating for Nutrition 4 Less

The second I walked in to the Nutrition 4 Less store, the guy behind the counter put down whatever it was that he was eating, and asked me how I was doing and if I needed help. I told him I was just looking and I walked over to check out the price of their Intek Whey Protein. It was $45 for the 5 lbs jug.

The Vitamin Shoppe
181 South Lake Avenue #5 Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 405-0209
Yelp Rating for The Vitamin Shoppe

When I walked into the Vitamin Shoppe, it was buzzing with activity and their sales people were busy with customers. I walked to the protein section and took a look at their Optimum Whey Protein. It was priced at $53 for the 5 lbs jug. Eventually a sales person got to me, but I already had the info I was looking for and I was on my way out.

Max Muscle
117 North Lake Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 793-5658
Yelp Rating for Max Muscle

Max Muscle was the smallest of the three stores. When I walked in, I was the only customer with the exception of two Pasadena Police officers that seemed to be hanging out at the counter having lunch. There were two people behind he counter and I must have had my invisible cloak on because I walked around the store twice and they never asked me if I needed help. The most comparable protein powder they had was the Max Muscle 4 lbs protein jug. To my extreme surprise, it was $65 dollars! Wow! I was going to ask them if it was a mistake, but again, I must have had my invisible cloak on, so I just walked out.

Ok, so back to the main point of this article. Feed the muscle! Maintaining and building muscle will help boost your metabolism and help you achieve your short and long term goals, whether it's just to lose body fat, or to become more fit and athletic. If you're in the Los Angeles or Pasadena area, feel free to contact me for private training/coaching (personal training). I also run a small group boot camp workout class based on the Fat X Program if private training, private coaching (personal training) is out of your financial reach. In any case, good luck to you in achieving your fitness goals!

Whey Protein Alternative Review

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:16:00 +0000

When it comes to supplementing with protein, whey protein is widely accepted as the standard for fitness and health enthusiasts. Whey protein digests quickly and it is easily absorbed by the human body, but it does have it's drawbacks. One of those drawbacks is that it is a milk byproduct, so vegetarians, and those that don't do well with milk products, need to look somewhere else to supplement their diet with protein. While supplementing with protein isn't absolutely necessary, it is definitely helpful, and it will assist in achieving your fat burning (fat loss) and fitness goals faster. Nutra Fusion Nutritionals has come up with an alternative to whey protein and other milk (casein), and egg based supplements.

In the past, soy based porting supplements where the only alternative to milk and egg based protein powders. Unfortunately, studies showed that soy wasn't a good alternative for men, as soy negatively affected testosterone levels, not a good thing if you want to build muscle and keep your metabolism revved up so that you can burn fat (lose body fat) efficiently.

Nutra Fusion Nutritionals has come up with PlanFusion. PlantFusion is a 100% plant sourced protein with no dairy, no soy, and no animal ingredients. It's hypoallergenic, gluten free, easily digestible and it doesn't cause bloating. About a month ago I was asked to try PlantFusion and write a review. I agreed, but I also made it clear that I write reviews as unbiased as possible. So here it is.

After using the PlanFusion product for about a month, I must say that it's worked as well as some of my favorite whey protein powders. By "work", I mean muscle soreness and recovery time between workout sessions was very good, as opposed to when I don't supplement with protein. When I'm short on protein intake, I tend to feel sore longer, and recovery time between workouts seems a bit slower. So, in that regard, PlantFusion is definitely on par with some of my favorite high quality whey protein supplements.

When I recommend a protein supplement to a client, taste and how easily it mixes is highly important. Taste is where PlantFusion falls a bit short of their "amazing taste" claim. It wasn't horrible, but it definitely wasn't amazing. I would describe it as a chalky, plant taste. Which isn't necessarily bad, especially if you are going to be making smoothies with it. But, for me personally, it took me a few days to warm up to the taste. Mixing it without a blender was a bit more difficult than other protein powders that I've used in the past. But, again, not a huge deal, especially if you really want something other than a milk or egg based protein.

All in all, PlantFusion is the best alternative to whey protein powders that I've tried. The positives greatly outweigh any negatives. You can find out more about PlantFusion at www.PlantFusion.net.

If you need private fitness coaching (fitness training), feel free to contact me at CoachRollie@gmail.com I'm located in the city of Pasadena and have worked with clients all around the Los Angeles area.

Apocalypse Afterburn Workout Video Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:21:00 +0000

It took me a little longer than I wanted to take to get part two of the Apocalypse Workout video done, but it's finally ready! In part 1 of the Apocalypse Workout video article, I mentioned that this workout is not for beginners. I suggest that you be able to my fat burning,12 Day Fat X Program, before attempting it, or that you are at an advanced fitness level and are familiar with afterburn effect training.

Part 2 of the Apocalypse Workout video covers the last seven exercises of the ten exercise workout. The ideas is to complete all ten exercises for ten reps each using 40 lbs dumbbells. You start with the first exercise and move on to the next one, once you've completed ten reps. If you're looking for that fat burning, afterburn effect, this workout will definitely get it done!

Here's the free workout video:

The last seven exercises of the Apocalypse Workout are:
Push Press
Deadlift
Shuffle
Power Push Up
Thrusts
Power Swing
Lunge (10 reps per leg)

Can you survive the Apocalypse??

If you have any questions on this free workout video, my fat burning 12 day Fat X Program, or any of the other free workouts in the Bonus Series, feel free to contact me.

Need one on one hands on help? I'm available for private fitness coaching (a.k.a personal training) and I also run a small boot camp workout class (FXBC). Contact me if you want my VIP help and you're in the Pasadena or Los Angeles area.

I will be holding a contest for the Apocalypse Workout so if you're in the Pasadena or Los Angeles area, you will have a chance to compete, show off your fitness and win a nice cash prize and possible more! Stay tuned for the rules on that.

Apocalypse Afterburn Workout Video: Fat Burning Bonus

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:11:00 +0000

I've been away for a while working with my clients and setting up a few things outside of Fat X 101. But, recently I had a chance to start working on another workout video for my fat burning Bonus Workout Series. I call it the Apocalypse Workout! It's a ten exercise workout that will definitely help you get the best fat burning and fitness benefits in a short amount of time due to the long lasting afterburn effect. By the way, I gave it the Apocalypse name because it's a killer workout! I have some workouts for beginners, but this one is definitely not one of them. Each exercise can be difficult on it's own, but rack up all ten together and good bye body fat, hello beach body!

So anyway, here's a glimpse into the first three exercises. Check out the workout video:

In this workout, each exercise is performed for 10 repetitions before moving on to the next. You track the total time it takes you to complete all ten exercises. Then, you try to beat that time next time you do the workout.

The first three exercises in the Apocalypse workout are:
Advanced Burpee
Front Dumbbell Squat
Dumbbell Rows

I'm using 40 lbs dumbbells in the video. I'm working on setting up a fitness contest where the person who completes the Apocalypse Workout using 40 lbs dumbbells (25 lbs for women) the fastest wins a prize. Stay tuned for details on that. Contact me if you're interested in becoming a sponsor.

I would suggest downloading and doing the 12 day Fat X Program (FX 12) a few times before starting on the Apocalypse Workout. Like I said before, it's definitely not for beginners. You can look through the Bonus Workout Series for beginner workouts.

I'll be working on part 2 of the Apocalypse Workout this week, and hopefully I'll have it up some time next week. As always, feel free to contact me with any fitness, workout or diet related questions.

If you're in Pasadena, or the Los Angeles area, I'm available for private fitness training (personal training) a.k.a fitness coaching. Or, I also do small group classes, fitness consulting, and you can schedule a two hour seminar for your institution.

You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail me directly at CoachRollie@gmail.com

Workout Routines: Good, Bad and ROI

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Rollie) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 22:06:00 +0000

When it comes to workout routines, there are plenty of them. You can find them both offline and online. With so many of them out there, it's hard to choose. It becomes even more difficult to choose a workout routine because of the slick marketing and the continuous perpetuation of myths and misconceptions by the fitness industry which tends to place profit over truth. In this post, I will help and show you how to separate the good workout routines from the bad and why ROI (Return on Investment) is important.

First, lets start by discussing what makes up bad workout routines. One thing you will notice about a bad workout routine is that it focuses more on the exercise tool or tools, rather than the method. The fitness industry and fitness equipment companies are notorious for this. Through their big budget slick marketing ad campaigns, they will attempt to make you believe that a particular piece of exercise equipment stands above all the rest, that it's the only thing you need, that it can accomplish anatomical impossibilities (i.e. muscle toning) and that it is the holy grail of fitness. This kind of misleading marketing and perpetuation of myths sets the foundation for the creation of bad workout routines.

You've probably seen a few commercials and examples of this where treadmills, kettlebells, battle ropes, home gyms, ellipticals and the multiplicity of abs exercise devices are shoved down our throats. What you need to understand is that pieces of exercise equipment are just tools. In order to improve your fitness, remodel or maintain your body, you need more than just the tool, your workout routine will require a proven method, a plan, and several tools (basic and inexpensive will suffice). Just like if you were to remodel or build a house, buying a hammer and a paint brush isn't going to magically make it happen. You still need a proven method, a plan, and the right tools (not necessarily the fanciest or most expensive).

Another important thing to understand about bad workout routines is that they tend to follow or regurgitate bad advice, old wives tales, and or methods based on tradition rather than proven science. A great example of this, are workout routines that perpetuate the myth and misconception that high rep training is for toning muscle (an anatomical impossibility) or burning fat, while low rep training is for building and increasing muscle size. Body pump type classes and workout routines are based on this "muscle toning" myth. People usually take those classes or engage in those so called "toning" workouts because they're led to believe that light weight, high rep training is the best method to "tone" an lose body fat.

I'm not sure how or where this workout myth started, but a basic anatomy class will teach you that muscle either gets bigger, or gets smaller (hypertrophies or atrophies). There is no such thing as "toning" muscles. If you want to see muscle tone, you need to lose body fat. Body fat is what covers your muscles and makes it difficult to see muscle tone. These myths, misconceptions and old wives tales are believed by the masses of uninformed casual fitness enthusiasts, and their ineffective and or inefficient workout routines show it.

On the other hand, good workout routines don't focus so much on the piece of exercise equipment or exercise tool, rather they focus on the science of fitness, proper methods, proven philosophies and time tested techniques. For example, if you want to work your chest muscles, there are several ways to to it and several methods with or without equipment that can accomplish that specific goal. You don't need a specific tool, you can use a barbell, dumbbells, a kettlebell, dip bars, sand bags etc. (or your own bodyweight). A good chest workout routine will focus and place emphasis on the movement required to work the chest muscles (kinesiology), and not so much on the exact exercise tool that will help provide resistance. This goes for all other body parts as well.

The method is what will ultimately make a workout routine successful, not the tool or tools. If you take a look at Fat X Program Workout 1, you'll notice I suggest using dumbbells, but, if you don't have dumbbells, you can easily substitute in a barbell without losing the workout's effectiveness. I actually suggest that for the Deadlift exercise, advanced users should use a barbell so that they can utilize more weight. If you're creative enough, you can actually make your own equipment with sandbags and other things.

Another important feature of a good workout routine is that the exercises, rep range, and the order of exercises are set up to work synergistically to accomplish a goal. If your looking for efficient results, a good workout routine should fit together in a complete workout program so as to take advantage of the synergy principle and produce better results faster. Random exercises, in a random order, within a random workout, will only produce random results.

The bottom line is that good workout routines provide the best ROI (Return on Investment). Any workout routine can get you decent fitness results, but if it requires months of hard long training, eating a strict diet, day in and day out, is it a good workout routine? I say no! I say a good workout routine gets you specific fitness results, in an efficient manner, without needing to revolve your life around long, drawn out workouts every day while having to follow a super strict diet.

It's no surprise that good workout routines have a good ROI. In order to have a good ROI, workout routines need to follow the tenets of fitness science while avoiding common misconceptions, myths and old wives tales that only lead to excessively long and unproductive workouts. Those workout routines that have a good ROI produce solid short term and long term results, while those that don't……well, they easily fall into the bad bucket of inefficient and ineffective workout routines that will do more to waste your time and money than they will to help you build a better and more fit body.

If you need a workout routine/program that will help you get extremely fit while helping you lose body fat in an efficient way, take a look at my 12 day Fat X Program.

Are you in the Pasadena or Los Angeles area? Need private a.k.a personal training or fitness coaching? Feel free to e-mail me at CoachRollie@gmail.com