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 7 list of the best last minute fitness gifts for 2008:

1.) A Foam Roller

Think of the foam roller as your secret weapon to less pain and better posture.  The “A-typical worker” usually spends more than 8 hours a day hunched over a desk causing tight muscles and a kyphotic posture.  And, to loosen up those tight muscles a series of stretching exercises need to be incorporated on a daily basis so we decide to stretch when we workout.  However, after working 8+ hours a day and finally deciding to go to the gym, stretching is the last thing we think about.  Who has time for stretching?

What we really need is a massage therapist waiting after the workout to give us a deep tissue massage to loosen up those tight muscles.  If you can’t afford having daily massage then foam rolling is the next best thing.  This is a phenomenal corrective self-massage tool that will loosen dense muscle tissue and reduce the possibility of injury.  Foam rolling is ideal to use five minutes pre or post-workout to promote healing of small micro-tears in your muscles that result from high-intensity training.  Using a foam roller has many benefits like helping to eliminate nagging aches and pains in your back, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows.

After foam rolling, perform a stretching program to increase muscle length, improve posture and also help prevent injuries.         

2.) The Most Affordable Workout Equipment

Invest in a set of resistance bands because they are, by far, the simplest, most convenient, and super affordable choice in the fitness industry.  Don’t be fooled by their small stature, although these bands are portable, travel ready, and lightweight, they can deliver a highly effective workout.

So if you’re an on-the-go young professional, bring it with you in your carry-on (trust me, TSA won’t take a second look).  Or if you’re a busy mom, or a road warrior, create an intense resistance workout in the privacy of your own home.  These bands compliment a structured workout, add variety, are easy on the joints, and are fun to use!

3.) Ask Santa for a gift card

If you have a Christmas wish list this year, let’s make the wishes count.  Ask for a gift card to a sporting goods store so you can get the items you need to improve your fitness level and build confidence.  Since our goal is to get fit and stay fit, let’s also request a gift card to a whole foods store or other premium grocery stores.  These stores normally carry healthier and natural items compared to regular market places.  Finally, once we’ve improved our workout schedule by making it to the gym and we’ve kept a good food journal with all the healthy foods we’ve been eating, lets reward ourselves with a gift card for a good massage…mmmm, doesn’t that sound great?  Won’t you be excited once you know you’ve earned this treat?  Let’s get Santa on the right track of keeping you on track for meeting your fitness goals for now and into the New Year.

4.) The Must Have Supplements

In an effort to improve your fat loss goals I can’t stress the NEED for these supplements enough: a good protein powder consisting of a whey/casein blend for the on-the-go person who doesn’t have time to stop and prepare a meal.  Also, taking omega 3 capsules and a multivitamins will help promote fat loss and keep energy stores high.   My clients and I rock with VGF+25 and EFA Icon, both included in Prograde’s Health+ Package available by clicking here.

5.) A Gift for the Inner Athlete

This is a pretty simple gift that is often overlooked but is always appreciated:  give something unique to the person that compliments their interest, fitness level, or skill be-it fitness equipment, apparel, or both.  This is where you have to be cued into their wants but this gift, again, is highly appreciated.  I gave one of my clients a kettlebell and a workout routine.  Sounds really simple, but it meant a lot to her.

6.) Give the Gift of Knowledge

You can never go wrong with a really good fitness book or a fitness magazine.  With the obesity epidemic the way it is, a good fitness book may be just what your friend or family member would benefit from.  People also 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!  If you don’t like those ideas, how about a healthy nutrition cook book.  Everyone could benefit from having some additional healthy recipes in their arsenal.

7.) Fitness Boot Camp Coupon

If you’re a member of gym and they offer gift certificates or coupons, pass it on as a fitness gift.  This can be just what a friend or a family member needs to jump start their workout regimen.  And, once they lose those unsightly inches, you’ll be all the rave.

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 your 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 Ambler area, try us out Free for 2 weeks by visiting www.amblerbootcamps.com. We’ll change your life and have you looking better naked this New Year, guaranteed!

Enjoy the holidays and have a very safe and happy New Year!

How Bad Do You Want It?

Blair

http://www.amblerbootcamps.com

This is not my typical blog post, as it will be very short. It seems a lot of people are over complicating the whole process of fat-loss. Here are 5 tips to get you started.

1.  Only eat lean proteins

When I say lean proteins, I’m referring to fish, chicken breast, turkey breast, & egg whites.

2.  Eat vegetables and fruits as only source of carbohydrates

Eat any type of green vegetables you want in unlimited quantities.  Be sure to consume at least 2 servings of vegetables for every one serving of fruit.

3.  Take your Omega 3′s daily – click here

If your not taking omega 3′s daily, you must be living under a rock.  All the science is clear. 

4.  Stay away from grain, corn, sugar, and white flour

No I am not anti-carb, but remember, this plan is only designed for people who aren’t losing weight on their current plan.  The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result.

5.  Have a recovery shake at the conclusion of your workout – click here

According to world renowned nutritionist Dr. John Beraradi, “great abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym”.  If you’re not consuming a recovery shake with-in 30 minutes of training, you are really sabotaging your results.

Now I know this list isn’t all inclusive, but if you’re not losing weight on your current nutrition plan and workout routine, start here.  Give yourself at least two weeks of following this consistently, and watch the pounds will begin to melt off.

We don’t just claim do have the best gym in the area, we know we do.  Want to see for yourself?  For your FREE 2 week trial  – click here

How Bad Do You Want It?

Blair

Just because you’re dieting doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the holidays.  If you follow these helpful tips, you can still be sociable without overeating into the New Year:    

1.) Complete an Intensive Workout to Earn that Holiday Feast

Before I give you any diet tips, let me start out with a workout tip.  A good way  to keep calories in check during the holidays is to workout before and/or after a big meal.  However, since we’re real world people and I know you have time restrictions, just work out before you eat.  Now when I say before you eat, it doesn’t mean directly before, but with-in about a 3 hour window to that meal.  Working out before you eat allows your body to burn carbohydrates more efficiently for up to three hours after the workout.  And let’s face it, during the holidays, you’re going to be eating plenty of carbs.

2.) Do NOT Allow your Eating Habits Fall by The Way-Side

Don’t let the planned dinners with family and/or friends prevent you from eating every 2-4 hours and maintain good eating habits.  Waiting all day to eat with friends and family can lead to overeating and cause you to make poor meal selections by choosing foods high in sugar, fat, or both!  Waiting all day to eat will also slow your metabolism and signal survival mode to your body.  Yeah I know it sucks, but the body doesn’t care how you look in the mirror.  It only cares about 2 things, survival and the ability to reproduce.  Eating every 2-4 hours prevents overeating, keeps your metabolism working, and helps you continue to burn fat.

3.) Don’t Stuff Yourself Like a Turkey

During the holidays listen to your body and eat in moderation.   Don’t overstuff yourself, instead, eat to the point of satisfaction and not discomfort .  Most people just eat and eat during the holidays.  If you’re desiring something sweet, have a little to kill the craving and get back to your senses of eating sensibly.

4.) Prevent the Holiday Binge by Eating One Hour Before Dinner

Try to eat a high protein, high fiber meal one hour before your holiday dinner.  Meals that contain lean protein and are fiber rich will keep you feeling fuller longer, stabilize your blood sugar, and give you longer-lasting energy.  Protein and fiber together are slowly digested and helps keep hunger at bay.  This will help you consume less, prevent binge eating, maintain your lean physic, and stop you from becoming all soft and squishy in the middle.

5.) What you Should Eat FIRST

If you missed your high protein/high fiber meal before the holiday feast, all is not lost, just make healthier choices at the dinner table.  Load up on the lean protein such as, meat and fish, followed by vegetables and fruits, which will lower your cravings for those higher calorie treats.  

6.) Don’t Drink Your Calories!

Stay away from soft drinks and juices and drink water instead.  This can save you from consuming an extra 1000 calories per day from liquids alone, which can cause you to gain and extra 2lbs of body fat.  Not only will these drinks, along with alcohol, cause you to drink more but it will also make you want to eat more and they offer no nutritional benefit.  Not to mention that alcohol prevents the fat burning process from continuing for up to a week.  So if you’re goal is to become fatter while consuming your beverage of choice, by all means, drink to your heart’s content but I have a feeling that this is not the ultimate goal.  Drink water instead. 

7.) What To Do After the BIG HOLIDAY MEAL?

If you couldn’t resist temptation at the table and decided to eat the BIG HOLIDAY MEAL, don’t worry.  If you’re body is not used to the BIG MEAL, it will take time to digest and the worst thing you can do is eat more on an already full stomach.  Only eat again when you’re hungry and resume your 2-4 hour feeding schedule on the next meal.   This puts you back on the fast track to achieving your fat loss goals.  

8.) Stay Away From Trigger Foods

Eating a complete breakfast in the morning along with continued feedings every 2-4 hours consisting of lean proteins, vegetables/fruits, healthy fats, and drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help prevent you from indulging in those “trigger foods.”   Trigger foods are typically  junk foods that can cause you to go into a feeding frenzy, screw up your blood sugar levels, and if eaten before bedtime, will be stored as fat and cause you to rest uneasy.  

If you missed the workout before the meal and have not EARNED your high carb meal by revving up your metabolism, modify the portion and the presentation of the meal.  Remember, consuming a meal both high in fat and carbohydrates will cause an increase in blood sugar and insulin levels, which will cause your body to store unwanted fat.  If storing unwanted fat is NOT the goal, here are some suggestions for portion modification: pass the candied sweets and eat the mashed potatoes instead with no butter or gravy.  If you have to have rice or macaroni-n-cheese, eat a smaller portion size and enjoy your holidays.

10.) Get Back On Track at the Next Meal

What’s done is done.  Now I need you to resume your normal eating plan.  Weekly caloric totals are 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. All 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 a few holiday treats in moderation at your various holiday parties knowing that the week calories will win over that one days calorie totals, even when bingeing.

Need help with your fat loss plan?  Click Here

How Bad Do You Want It?

Blair

I heard someone say that most people know what to do to lose body fat.  My question is why is the obesity epidemic in America so high then?  Check out my list below.  If you’re making any of these mistakes then there’s a strong possibility you are self sabotaging your fat loss efforts.

1. Not Using An EFA (essential fatty acid) – The studies are very clear.  Every man, woman, and child should be taking an EFA supplement.  Whether you are looking for a health benefit, or just looking to boost your metabolism, EFA’s will help.  You can read more specifics about it by clicking here.

2. Not Having a Strong Enough Why – You need to really want to lose weight. I mean really. People talk about it casually to their friends and say things like “yeah, I’d like to lose 20lbs”.  That sounds like the right thing to say, but you must have an emotional reason to want to lose weight.  I heard it said that if your “why” is strong enough, the “how” becomes easy.  You must find a reason that has deep rooted emotional ties. If you can’t think of one, think harder. You don’t have to tell anyone (you probably won’t want to). But you need it.

Get back to work and stop goofing off

4. Missing Workouts – Although you can’t out train a crappy diet, I thought I’d put this in here anyway.  Don’t think you can skip training sessions and still expect to reach your goal.  Don’t try to rationalize it in your mind. If you are scheduled to train, then do it. There is no…“oh, I’ll just do it tomorrow attitude.” That kind of attitude is a slippery slope.

 5. Not Reducing/Modifying Carbs – Moderate to lower carbohydrate diets out perform higher carbohydrate diets in every study when it comes to dropping body fat.  Stay away from processed carbs.  The bulk of your carbs should be fruits and vegetables, with at least two vegetables to every one fruit you consume. 

Now that's a good looking shopping basket

6.  Not Consuming Enough Protein – Let’s face it, you’re not going to get really lean with out consuming enough protein.  This is why vegetarians have a harder time building muscle.  Protein is the essential building block of lean muscle tissue.  Remember, more muscle = less flab.  Protein also has greater than twice the thermic effect of carbs, which means you can get away with eating more of it.  Fat and carbohydrates are inversely proportionate. 

 7. Reducing Calories Too Low – If you want to slow your metabolism down in a hurry, cut your calories down really low.  But since I know your goal is maximum fat loss in minimum time, increase your energy expenditure first, and THEN reduce your food intake.  When you lower your carbs, you need increase your fat intake for sustained energy and that feeling satiety.  Any sound fat loss program should have you eating a higher protein diet, moderate to low carbs, and a good amount of healthy fats (if not buyer beware). 

8. Trying To Accomplish Two Things At Once – Burning fat and building muscle are on two opposite ends of the spectrum.  To build muscle you need a caloric surplus, to lose fat, you need a caloric deficit.  Can you do both at the same time? Yes. However, you can accomplish it a whole lot faster by focusing in on one goal at a time.  If you don’t know which one to do first, follow this – if you have more than 20lbs to lose, focus on fat loss (caloric deficit) for at least the first 4-6 weeks, then muscle building (caloric surplus) for the next 4-6 weeks.  Most people only need about a 12-16 week fat loss plan to see their abs. 

9. Dieting Too Long – We all know that person (some better than others) who is always on a diet, but never seems to make any progress.  I call this person the eternal dieter.  An eternal dieter is really annoying because they are always telling you what they can’t eat.  You know the kind of person you go out to dinner with that orders just a salad.  Successful fat loss is done in moderation.  Go hard for a few weeks, then enjoy the fruits of your labor.  It’s easy to tell your friends, “hey I’m on a strict fat loss program for the next 4 weeks, I’ll have a dinner with you next month”.  Your friends will respect you rather than try to sabotage your efforts because you are always perceived as on a diet.

10. Diet Hopping – Everyone is looking for the next greatest diet.  You can’t be on Weight Watchers for breakfast, Atkins for lunch, and The Zone Diet for dinner and then wonder why you’re not losing body fat.  Here’s the thing, most diets work if you follow the principles.  Unfortunately people are easily tempted to try the latest new fad diet.  Regardless of what plan you choose, you must follow it with at least 90% compliance to know whether it works or not. 

11. Not being Honest With Yourself About Your Compliance – Let’s be honest, you can lie to me or anyone else, but results don’t lie. Eating cookies and cakes and writing it down will only disappoint you when you don’t reach your goal.  Just be honest with yourself so you can fix the problem rather than avoiding it and be stuck saying “I don’t know why I’m not losing any weight.”

12. Trusting Your Eye – Don’t trust your eye!  Studies show most people under-estimate how much they eat and over-estimate how many calories they burn working out.  You can’t look at a piece of food and estimate the caloric value of it if you’ve never measured or weighed anything before.  Even if you are just using food choices to guide your fat loss plan – you should at some point measure everything to have a more accurate grasp on how much you are eating.  I like all my clients to weigh and measure everything for at least the first month.

I eyeball all my portions

 13.  Keeping It In The House – I have a colleague in Florida who goes into his clients’ home and  collects all the junk food they have in the cupboards and kitchen, and throws it in the trash!  Some of you would probably cry if I did that.  Like John Berardi once said, “If it’s in your kitchen, at some point, you will eat it.”  And I don’t want to hear it’s for the kids either.  So if you’re serious about getting into shape once and for all, it’s time to do a complete kitchen overhaul!

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

Studies show by performing 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, here’s what I need you to do, get in a bare minimum of one good strength training workout a week for the next four weeks. Don’t tell me you don’t have time either. We all have the same 168 hours in a week. All I’m asking for is at least 30 minutes a week. Ideally, I would like you to perform three total body workouts per week, but I’m trying not be greedy. And for maximum results, perform three total body workouts per week and three cardio interval workouts per week on separate days.

2.) Have A Daily Number

Desperate times call for desperate measure. Forget trying to do everything at once. Maybe you don’t have 30 minutes a week to work out, and that’s okay. We’re going to set some totals for you to follow over the course of a day. For example, instead of doing 100 push-ups in a row, perform the same 100 total push-ups over the 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 large amounts of calories in addition to creating similar muscle building effects as if you did all of the exercises at once during a single workout.

Please understand this is not something I am recommending for long term success. This is just our back-up option to the ideal 20-minute interval training workouts I usually recommend which are scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat than ordinary exercise. For optimal fat loss, short/incomplete rest periods between exercises will always out perform longer rest periods. However, you don’t have a lot of time this holiday season, so we need to get it in where we can.

Be sure to pick exercises that use the most muscles, also referred to as compound movements. Examples of these types of exercises would be (squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows, etc.). Below I’ve outlined a short plan for to use as a guide. Feel free to make similar exercise substitutions if needed. 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 5-10x throughout the day to hit your totals).

Your Plan For The Holidays

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

Plan B-

Body weight Reverse Lunges, Split Squats, Single-Leg Hip Extensions or Step-ups: 50-100/total per leg
Off Chair/Couch Dips or Shoulder Press: 50-100 total
DB/Band Curls or Pullups/Lat-Pulldowns: 50-100 total

3.) Stop Being Lazy

Machines have made us an incredibly out of shape and an overweight society. Since you’re not able to hit the gym like you would like too, you must burn calories everywhere you can. At the mall and at work, I need you to park further away. Take the stairs instead of the elevators and the escalators. It may not sound like much, but those extra calories will begin to add up over the course of the month. Instead of having your kids carry the bags, burn more calories by carrying the bags yourself. Stay on your feet as much as possible and resist the temptation to let a robot or machine do the work for you.

4.) Stay Active

During the holidays, people spend an enormous amount of family time and most of it is spent sitting down. I don’t care what you do here. All I need you to do is stay as active as possible. Go for a walk with your spouse and the kids. Build a snowman if it snows. Wash the car, clean the house, play Wii with the kids. Don’t make the same mistakes this year as you made in all the previous years of waiting until the New Year to start over on your exercise program. Once again, all these calorie burners 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!

How Bad Do You Want It?

Blair