by Steven Hefferon, CMT, PTA

If you go to the gym to get healthy and fit, look good, feel good and pamper your ego, then I urge you take a minute to think about something,

Do you remember the old adage, “People like to do what they are good at and comfortable with”? Are you living that old adage at the gym? Most people do. They have a set routine at the gym, yet it’s that very routine coupled with the mechanics of the equipment that can lead to trouble-either very quickly or over time.

As beneficial as we know exercise can be, there are some things you need to be aware of before starting. The challenge is in knowing injuries can happen and how to prevent them. There are two basic categories of injuries: the sudden accident (a.k.a. trauma) and what can be described as a process injury (in other words, the long, slow development of a condition.) My goal is to protect you from both types of injury.

Traumatic Injury at the Gym

Let’s start with the 5 basic concepts of working out in order to show you how easy it is to injure yourself in a traumatic way.

•    Intensity: How hard you work out.
•    Frequency: How often you work out.
•    Duration: How long you work out.
•    Progressive Resistance: Using more resistance with each set you perform.
•    Progressive Overload: Starting at a higher level of resistance at subsequent workouts.

Each one of these principles has the ability to cause injury. But when you couple them the drive to eek out one more  repetition as you fatigue, you go into all kinds of contorted positions to get the job done.

All of a sudden, Bam-O! A hundred different injuries can happen. And they will take a long time to heal. You will have defeated the entire purpose of going to the gym in the first place. Please understand that the body can tolerate a lot of abuse before you pay the penalty of an injury. Just know that injuries can happen in seconds and the effects can last a lifetime.

Injury as a Process

Traumatic injuries do happen. But more often it is the slow progression injuries that are far more sinister and very well may  be the root cause of some traumatic injuries. So I would like to focus on what happens over the long term so that you can make a change now to prevent injuries.

I have spent the last 10 years of my life dealing specifically with what are called muscle imbalances and their effects on the back and body. In describing the concept I will use some examples and try to make you aware of what possible injuries you could be facing.

Muscle imbalance can be defined as strength and flexibility of one muscle group compared to the opposing muscle group. So if you compare the strength and flexibility of the quadriceps to the opposite muscle group, the hamstrings, in nine out of 10 people the quads will be overly strong and overly tight compared to the hamstrings. That’s the definition of having a muscle imbalance.

How Back and Body Injures Start!

The quads are always going to be stronger then the hamstrings, so you may be wondering what is wrong with that. Let me give you some possible examples of what can happen if your quads are drastically stronger than the hamstrings. As I give this example, understand that there are other imbalances that often happen at the same time to develop this condition. For example, the hip flexors and the glutes can be out of balance too.

When the quads are out of balance with the hamstrings, there can be uneven and excessive wear and tear on the cartilage and ligaments of the knee.  The knee will not function correctly and conditions will develop to the point that running and other basic physical activities will be painful, or even impossible.

Second, balance between the quads and the hamstrings keep the pelvis in a neutral and stable position. But when you have overly strong and overly tight quads, your pelvis will be pulled in several different directions. In some cases the whole pelvis is pulled excessively forward. In other cases one side of the pelvis comes even more forward and the hip elevates,
causing the pelvis to rotate. This is very common in physically active women over 40.

When the pelvis is not in the most neutral and most stable position possible, the spine may go into abnormal curvature. It is that abnormal curvature caused by the muscle imbalance that can set you up for hip problems, SI joint problems, back pain and sciatica.

How Does This Happen?

The very equipment you are using at the gym is either directly or indirectly helping you develop your muscle imbalances and setting you up for future problems.

Let me give you some examples. You cannot help but develop raw quad strength when you use the leg extension machine. As I asked you before, do you stick to exercises that you like to do? Let’s face it, everyone hates to work the hamstrings because they are weak and it is difficult. So most people overwork their quads and under-work their hamstrings.

Another example is the calf raise machine. Again, the calf muscle will always be stronger then the muscles in front of the shin, but when you blast your calves and do not work the muscles in the front of the shin you are setting yourself up for plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, Achilles tendonitis and even knee problems.

To recap, working out with gym equipment puts enormous unnatural force through the joint, restricts movements to linear motions and can very easily overdevelop muscle groups. This combined with the development to muscle imbalances is a hidden root cause of most if not all physical injuries at the gym.

Action Steps

As with any new desire to make a change in your life, you must first have a starting point. There is no easier way to get started then to take an inventory of where you are right now. It will not help you at all to make subjective assessments about yourself and not be honest, so I have a few suggestions:

•    Take photos of yourself. I would not always recommend this.  But in cases were your health and wellness are at stake, why not? Here is what you can do. Put on a bathing suit and have someone take photos, front, back and both sides, making sure that you see head to toe. Then take a look–not with a judging eye but a caring eye, looking for areas that are not in balance. For example, is your head straight? Is your head over your shoulders or is it forward of your shoulders? Are your shoulders level? What about your hips, are they level? (Look at your side view and suit line as a guide.)

Those are just some of the areas that you can gauge yourself on. You can also use the photos as a reference of how you are now so you can look back at how you were then.

•    Feel the pain. The best way to assess pain is by asking yourself how you feel in the morning, during the day and at night. With this one you will need to be honest with yourself, and I suggest that you write this down. You can even mark up the photos you took by writing on them at the body part or parts where you feel pain.

•    Listen to your body. If you are working out and you feel a little something and you’re not quite sure what it is, rest assured it’s your body telling you it does not like what you are doing to it.

•    Build your awareness. If you live with fear, worry or doubt about your weight, health or medical condition, the best way to overcome that it is to build your knowledge on the subject. Study what others already know.Working with a professional fitness trainer can drastically improve your chances of developing a safe, sound and effective exercise program.

And remember to always stay enthusiastic about the process. That is the secret to achieving your goals. If you listen to your body, you just might learn something about it!

by Chad Ciri

The Crossfit prescription is simple, and involves “constantly varied, functional movements performed at a high intensity.” The Crossfit method of training prepares trainees for any physical contingency. Simply put, Crossfit’s primary objective is to increase work capacity. In essence, Crossfit’s specialty is achieving ANY desired fitness result through constant variation of physical training.

The core Crossfit movements are all “functional”, that is, they are universal motor recruitment patterns that duplicate movements that are applicable to the real world. They are performed in a wave that recruit muscle fibers from core to extremity. No aspect of functional movements is truly more important, regardless of your fitness goals, than their capacity to move large loads over long distances, and to do so quickly.  These variables (load, distance, and speed) qualify functional movements for the production of high power or intensity.

The Crossfit method of achieving fitness varies greatly from traditional strength and conditioning programs. Typically, fitness and health professionals will prescribe slow, isolated movements such as bicep curls, calf raises, leg extensions and lateral shoulder raises, etc followed by 20 – 30 minutes of traditional “cardio” performed on the treadmill, arc trainer or stationary bike.

Crossfit works exclusively with compound (multi-joint) movements and shorter, high intensity cardiovascular sessions. Leg extensions are replaced with squats, curls are replaced with pull-ups, and so on. Why? Because, simply put, this type of training has proven to be drastically more effective at achieving nearly any desired fitness result, including weight loss, toning, increased endurance,etc.

There’s a distinct benefit to this type of training (other than its results) in terms of efficiency. Busy professionals, parents, students or anyone else who has limited time to exercise because of life’s other demands can use this form of training very effectively without dedicating more than a few hours a week to their workouts.

To demonstrate this, here’s a video of one of Crossfit’s signature workouts called “Fran.” As you’ll see in the video, the athletes complete the entire workout in less than 3 minutes. While it takes a high level of fitness to be able to perform this workout in such a short time, even the most deconditioned people would likely be able to complete a scaled version of this in 15 minutes or less! Check it out:

The “Fran”

This approach of focusing on compound, functional movements and high intensity anaerobic cardio sessions has been scientifically proven to elicit greater fitness gains, even among elite athletic training programs (including military and police personnel, firefighters and any sports requiring complete physical prowess).

Crossfit looks at fitness as physical competence in each of ten recognized fitness domains. They are cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy.

The view of their fitness model is that fitness is about performing well at any and every imaginable task. In practice, this would encourage you to separate yourself from any set notions of of sets, rest periods, order of exercises, and routines. Nature frequently provides endless unforeseeable challenges! The only way to prepare for that is to keep the training stimulus broad and constantly varied.

Now, this may seem a little intense for some people,  so don’t be surprised if you find yourself asking: “What if I don’t  want to be an athlete, I just want to be healthy?” Let’s take a look at what defines health. Health has several measurable parameters, including blood pressure, cholesterol, resting heart rate, metabolism, body fat, etc. The good news is that the Crossfit method will help you improve each and every one of these parameters. Furthermore, by focusing on performing functional movements at high intensity, you will be better prepared (and therefore “healthier”) to take on any task that requires you to be fit or healthy.

Probably the most unique benefit of a Crossfit training regimen is its ability to improve anaerobic function. It develops competency and training in each of the three metabolic pathways- the phosphagen, the glycolytic, and the oxidative pathways. The first two (the phosphagen and glycolytic) are anaerobic pathways, that is, they are accessed without the presence of air. They are challenged through short, powerful bursts of speed and intensity in exercises like sprinting, powerlifting, rowing, etc. The oxidative pathway is aerobic (accessed with the presence of air) and can be engaged through low power activities like distance running, biking, etc. Both forms of training benefit cardiovascular function and decrease body fat – all good baby!!

However,people who engage in activities where the majority of their efforts are spent in the aerobic zone will experience decreases in muscle mass, strength, speed and power. In addition, aerobic activity has a pronounced tendency to decrease anaerobic capacity. Unfortunately, many traditional weight loss programs over emphasize this type of training.

On the other hand, anaerobic activity has proven to be unique in its ability to improve overall strength, speed, power and muscle mass, or at least the maintaining of lean muscle.  In fact, anaerobic exercise is far superior to aerobic exercise for fat loss, contrary to popular belief.

Good news! Crossfit has tested its methods on people from all fitness levels and has proven to be effective for the sedentary, the deconditioned, the overweight, and the elderly.

While every person’s  goals and needs will vary greatly, the program will work with anyone! This can be done by scaling the load, the rep counts, the range of motion and the intensity level. You can duplicate the exact same movements that are prescribed in a Crossfit regimen and use them to get results without drastically changing the program. Remember that using something even as complex as an Olympic lift will duplicate critical motor recruitment patterns that are used in real world movements, therefore will help you comfortably perfect human movement!

If you think this is too over the top for you or if you feel like you may never be able to achieve a high level of fitness, have a look at this video. All the women in this video trained hard to get to this level, but it shows you what you can achieve when you dedicate yourself to fitness!

‘The Women of Crossfit’

We currently have trainers who are certified Crossfit instructors, so if you’re interested in taking on a new physical challenge and getting some truly amazing results, we have the resources to help you using this style of training! Also, don’t forget that we are offering Gift Certificates for our personal training services in any amount for the holidays. If you’re still stuck on gift ideas, why not give the gift of health to your loved ones! Call Mike at 888-872-7961 ext. 1 by December 19th to make sure you have your gift certificate by Christmas!

And Be sure to leave your comments about the videos and any questions you might have below.

Helping You Reach New Heights,

The Achieve Fitness Team

by Dennys Passeto

Last Tuesday I was a guest speaker at a local 12 week long weight loss challenge that concluded last week.  It was the final weigh in for the contestants that had participated in the 12 week long challenge.

They were all local people just like you and me who had just 1 goal in mind, to lose weight and get in shape.

The purpose of my speech was to give these individuals some ideas and knowledge to take with them to continue to propel their great results now that they were going off on their own.  This is the most valuable tool I can give them as a trainer to empower them to take control of their lives.

Needless to say, I was blown away by their progress as the organizers first announced the inches and total body fat percentage lost followed by presenting the winner their cash prize.  Nice prizes too.  The winner took almost $300 in cash!

It was very much like the biggest loser except the contestants did all the work on their own with the help of a weekly group meeting and weigh in at the Kentlands Nutrition store. This became their headquarters  where they received a motivating and informational speech on a different aspect of weight loss every week.

I was honored to have been invited and to get to witness this.  I wanted to let you know that they are starting a new 6 week weight loss challenge on December 1st.  Yes, I know that was yesterday but you can still sign up and be only 1 day behind. With this powerful system in place, you’ll make up the results in no time!

Anyways, if you are interested in signing up, please contact Kimberly Strickland at 240-388-2537 or by email at wlc.strickland@gmail.com. Be sure to tell her I sent you.  I’ve also attached the flyer for the upcoming challenge.  This could be a great way to motivate yourself into making some positive changes.

And don’t forget about spreading the gift of great health by giving a Gift Certificate for Personal Training to someone you love this holiday season.  Gift Certificates are available for any amount you desire.  However, you must order before December 16th to ensure you have it by the 24th so don’t put this off.  I know we all procrastinate every year including myself so let’s break the cycle.  Please contact Mike for more information at 1-888-872-7961 ext. 1.

by Dennys Passeto

There is an abundance of misinformation that exists when it comes to developing nutritional plans that support weight loss. The majority of people who are striving to lose weight or transform their bodies by dieting end up failing, not because they lack the motivation, but because the information they receive on how to do so is inaccurate.

There are tons of fad diets that we have come across in the past few years that force people to make extreme changes in their diet by either excessively restricting caloric intake or by drastically cutting out certain macronutrients. These diets are not only detrimental to your metabolism, they also require a huge amount of effort.

However, there is a solution that will not require you to  work harder on your diet or to make drastic changes. By implementing a simple technique that is relatively easy to execute, you can make positive changes to your metabolism and to your body. This powerful technique is know as calorie cycling.

Calorie cycling accomplishes weight loss through constantly  varying your eating routine by reducing your caloric intake in short, 2-3 day cycles. In most of today’s fad diets, you end up shocking your body into a rapid weight loss scheme and your body reacts by slowing down your metabolism so it can store fat for energy use later. Calorie cycling, however, does not allow your body to fully acclimate to a particular routine, and, in turn, your metabolism stays up to speed.  This enables you burn off more fat with regular exercise.

So, how does this technique actually work? Let’s look at  an example. If you are used to eating a 2000 calorie/day diet, then your body becomes accustomed to burning that amount of energy each day. With calorie cycling, you would cut 400 or 500 calories out of your regular intake for a short period of time, about two days or so. Luckily for us, our bodies will take about 2 days to recognize this change,  and in the meantime, will continue to burn the 2000 calories a day that it is used to getting.

Therefore, if your body is still burning the 2000 calories but you’ve only been feeding it 1600, it must find the  energy elsewhere. As long as your diet consists of some core healthy foods in the form of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, then your body will use those missing calories in the form of stored body fat. The beauty is, you don’t  need to make enormous sacrifices or changes to your current diet for this technique to be effective.

Obviously, this type of strategy has to be done correctly to be effective, so you have to exercise some common sense. Ideally, the calories you cut out of your diet for those  short periods should be calories that come from unhealthy foods, primarily flour, sugar, and any heavily processed foods. In addition, your cycles of calorie restriction should not be permanent, about a day or two before you return to your normal intake.

The powerful part of this program is that you can continue to increase the efficiency of your metabolic system by continuing  to cycle your calories. In other words, your metabolism will continue to increase throughout the cycles until it has reached  its maximum fat burning level!

The end result of this “diet” is that you’re not really dieting at all! You are simply eating healthy foods in varied caloric cycles, therefore you’re not shocking (and damaging) your metabolism. Once your metabolism is in high gear, with the assistance of regular exercise, you’ll start to see that stubborn fat be blowtorched!!

Anyone who has followed the Bartendaz or seen their videos can attest to their amazing display of strength, power, balance and explosive athleticism. The group has blown away what was once the physical performance standard for athletes!

Yes, their style and presentation may be obnoxious to some, but once you get past the talk at the beginning of their clips, you can really appreciate the time and dedication it takes a human being to perfect these movements. Considering the fact that it can take months for a person to develop the strength to perfect a single pull-up, the ease with which they execute these exercises is truly amazing.

This group has come to redefine elite fitness. The perfectly balanced athlete displays tremendous core strength, flexibility, body control, agility and accuracy. These guys bring that to an entirely different level. Ok, enough pumping them up - check out their video below. Again, ignore the first minute of talk and try to absorb the incredible display of fitness!

Truly breathtaking, isn’t it? It’s hard to imagine what kind of training program they used to perfect some of these movements. You can see the true mastery of skills across any possible modality of training - plymetrics, gymnastics, power lifting, resistance training….the list goes on.

The one thing that is truly inspirational about this video is that it makes all of our fitness goals seem that much more attainable! Whether your exercise program is geared toward weight loss, hypertrophy, increasing flexibility,sports performance enhancement or just improving your nutritional habits, this video shows us what the human body is capable of when pushed to its limits.  These guys aren’t even Olympic athletes!

Hopefully some of us will use this as fuel the next time we step in the gym. If your body tells you that you can’t get that last rep (or you don’t believe it when your personal trainer says you can), remember what is truly possible when you push yourself!

If you liked that video, check out this other performance they put together with some new and improved moves!  Again, please feel free to leave your comments below.

Whether you’re a serious gym rat or a sometimes fitness buff, you are trying to lose weight and strengthen the body. Funny yet how so many people are hesitant to join a gym, eat well or even hire a personal trainer at first to help get them going.

There’s something about overcoming inertia… once you get going, moving is easy. In other articles I‘ve written about the motivation “to do it.” In this article I want to share something different with you.

The other side of the coin is that once people get into the nuts and bolts of their own training and nutrition… they just love it! They feel good. They see results. They can’t imagine not doing it, or even skipping a day. And they want more and more. But there are only so many hours in a day to train… or are there?

Almost every day I have clients asking me for simple ways they can stoke their metabolism, keep their energy levels up, stretch their muscles, burn calories and get strong throughout their day. They’re addicted to the fitness lifestyle, and crave more of it. I love when I hear this and have compiled a list of daily activities you can do that keep you in fitness mode all day. Keep in mind that none of these are replacements for a sound, steady fitness program, rather supplemental things you can do everyday to improve your overall health. Here they are, by topic.

1. Avoid Driving Whenever Possible
In today’s day and age we’ve become extremely dependent on the automobile. Think of how many things you actually walk to from home or work? Walking is so great because it boosts the metabolism, strengthens the legs and keeps the hip flexors supple. And a mere 20-minute walk can burn 100 calories. To increase all of these good things, make it a brisk walk and be sure to swing your arms!

No time for a special walk, no problem. Here are some of my favorite ways to fit it in:
A) Park at the far end of your work lot and walk into the office(this avoids the stress of parking, door dings and forces you to walk)

B) Skip the elevator and always take the stairs(10 flights at a brisk pace will burn 50 calories, get your heart and lungs working hard and improve circulation which is severely diminished sitting in a chair all day. Ever notice how your feet get cold when you sit for too long)

C) Forget driving to your local market or store and walk instead. Carrying a few bags in each hand will add to the exertion and accelerate calories burned. You can also walk to lunch or go for a walk after lunch if you brought your lunch to work.

D)For a quick shot of energy and rejuvenation, instead of a cup of coffee to get you through your afternoon, drop to the floor and do as many pushups as you can. This will give your body a good quick shock and you’ll avoid the 350 calorie Caramel Macchiato.

E)How about riding your bicycle to work? This would extremely healthy not only to you but to the environment. You’d be reducing the stress of rush hour traffic and helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. Of course, if you have a 20 mile commute each way, that might not work for you, but you get the idea.

2. Housework
When you are home, forget sofa time and instead get busy with straightening up the house or cleaning. While it may seem mundane, doing your chores offers an instant metabolic boost. And the flexibility/strengthening effects of all the pushing, pulling, reaching and lifting add to your fit day.

Not sure what to do, well 20 minutes of these simple activities burns 100 calories each. Combine three things and your will burn 300 calories, elevate your heart rate, tone your arms and keep the blood moving. Try these three:
A) Vacuum the entire house, room by room.
B) Fold a few loads of clean clothes while standing
C) Clean the windows, mirrors, sinks and tubs.

3. Just for Fun
We all know the many health benefits of being outside. We draw fresh air into the lungs, get plenty of Vitamin D, tend to move about more, and walk, run, bike or play. But you can have fun inside, too, while living the fit life.

For the working adult with or without kids, fun is often limited to the weekends. Not to worry, there are things you can do during your normal week that will also keep the metabolism stoked, burn calories, tone the muscles and keep the blood moving. Here are some examples:
A) Jog or Run to get your mail from the box instead of walking

B) Walk/play with your dog or the neighbor’s dog, and let them lead you at a quick pace. Animals are a great way to get you to move about more
C) make a lunch or after work appointment with a friend and go for a power walk, a run or enjoy a quick game of tennis
D) Turn on the radio and dance yourself crazy for a song or two—talk about a stress buster! (If you’re a bad dancer, just don’t let anyone see you
E) Interactive video games like the Wii Fit is a fun indoor calorie burner and a great way to play and bond with the kids.

The best part about all of these tips is that they get you up off your seat, keep you active throughout the day, reduce muscle stiffness and slowing of the metabolism, increase weight loss capability, and help maintain a healthy, strong and supple body that feels alive and refreshed all day!

So give these little things a try and see the difference they make when they all add up at the end of your day and your week. I know you will be surprised!

Also, don’t forget that our rate increase for personal training will be effective as of November 1st. Don’t miss your opportunity to get grandfathered in at our current below market rates AND get 2 additional FREE sessions when you sign up by October 31st. Because of the overwhelming response we’ve had to this promotion so far, we may have to limit the total number of people who can take advantage of it. So call Mike now at 888-872-7961 ext.1 to get set up!

If you’re looking for a personal trainer in Virginia and are ready to take control of your health and fitness, you’ve come to the right place.  Achieve Fitness has been serving the Northern Virginia since 2001.  We have helped hundreds of clients Achieve their Fitness and weight loss goals through custom workout program design, coaching, accountability and nutritional guidance.

If you have never worked with a personal trainer, boy are you in for a treat.  Many busy professionals like yourself come to us from all over Northern Virginia and tell us that they have been working out some on their own and are in decent shape but want to get to the next level.

99% of the time, when we hear this, we immediately know what the problem is… Intensity.  See, too many people work within their comfort zones.  Never challenging themselves and their bodies to perform outside of their comfort.  Yes, whipping your body into shape isn’t easy.  It requires hard work.  Sure, if you’re completely out of shape, some light and progressive workouts are needed to get your mind, muscles, joints, ligaments, heart and lungs, accustomed to the new exertion.

Once the foundation has been put in place, you need to train like an athlete.  You need to identify your maximum and strive to improve upon it with each workout.  This is where the trainer comes in.  Motivating you to push past this identified threshold.  This threshold can be measured in many ways but the 2 most commonly used are heart rate and muscular failure.

Serving the following cities in NOVA - Alexandria, Arlington, Springfield, Vienna, Tyson’s, Woodbridge, Annandale, Reston, Herndon, our trainers will bring the necessary equipment to train you in your home, condo gym, office gym, or outdoors.  Whichever is preferred by you.

Give us a call today at 1888-872-7961 or sign up for a free, no obligation trial session.

We look forward to working with you,

Dennys Passeto, CPT
Owner of Achieve Fitness Personal Training, LLC

Yes, you read the subject line correctly. Exercise is NOT
linked to weight loss, according to Time magazine’s most
recent article written by John Cloud. The article emphatically
implies that exercise has no substantial role in weight loss
or weight management.  Among several other misleading
assertions made in this article, the most prevalent one is
that exercise automatically increases appetite and therefore
single handedly becomes the culprit for promoting over eating.
Wow!

This article is as reckless as it is completely false, and
frankly – irresponsible. I’ll share the link with you shortly,
but first, let’s explore some reasons why his claims are so
ludicrous.

First and foremost, there is an overwhelming amount of
scientific, evidence- based research that proves the positive
role that exercise plays in weight loss.  The author’s
assertion that exercise uncontrollably increases appetite is
simply erroneous. In fact, studies done by the most credible
authorities in the fitness industry including ACE and ACSM
show that appetite may actually be suppressed for up to 90
minutes following vigorous exercise by affecting the release
of particular appetite hormones. Unless you’re an elite
athlete following a high intensity workout program
consistently, your body’s demands for additional calories
will not drastically increase with a moderate exercise program.

Second, weight loss is a matter of simple mathematics. You
must expend more energy than you take in to lose weight. This
fact has proven time and time again and continues to be
accepted, with good reason, in the modern age. Most of the
individuals described in the article (including the author
himself), are not able to meet their weight loss goals because
they are simply eating too much. To attribute this to exercise
alone is completely unsubstantiated.  The author assumes that
the majority of individuals are powerless in their weight
loss efforts and simply lack the overall will power to keep
their caloric intake at a healthy level. The bottom line is
that exercise and proper nutrition go hand in hand, and you
simply cannot discount one or the other when it comes to
studying weight loss.

Disappointingly, the author also fails to effectively
emphasize the effects that exercise has on overall health.
As we have all seen, people who are “light weight” are not
always healthy. Health can be achieved through exercise in many
different ways including improved muscle composition, lowered
blood pressure and cholesterol, improved cardiovascular health,
and one more “minor” thing known as DISEASE PREVENTION. The
scale is simply not the only indicator of overall health and
well being.

We encourage you to read this article yourself and draw your
own conclusions. Click Here to read about it.

After you read it, also be sure to read a follow-up article
written by Dr. Claude Bouchard, who is the executive director
of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, which is an
organization that Time magazine “claimed” to have obtained
some of its research from. As you’ll read, this claim is also false.
Check it out  HERE

Top 4 Benefits of Partner Training

Fitness is such an amazing activity and lifestyle choice. Aside from it being undeniably good for you, it is also fun and often down right exciting. There are just so many kinds of fitness activities and places to do them, that it is hard to believe anyone could tire of personal training.

Most people tend to fly solo when it comes to getting in shape. They lift weights, go running, swimming or do aerobics. Sure, they may be in a gym full of people, but the swimming, treadmill, weights and cadio classes are essential individuals training at the same time. Even when you have a trainer, you are still alone in your efforts of doing the fitness routine.

But there is another way to train, one that may be more fun and challenging. It is partner training, and today I would like to tell you about the four top benefits of this type of training.

1-Motivation

One of the biggest problems with getting into and staying in shape is actually getting up and doing it. It is a fact that millions of gym memberships are bought and never or only rarely used. Personal trainers help with motivation, because you have someone to account to. But if you also had a fitness buddy, a training partner, chances are you would be more motivated.

Motivation is what makes us decide to do something, like getting into shape, changing our eating habits, going to the gym. And while many of us do follow-through, there is nothing like having an actual fitness partner to motivate you to get together and work out. You’ll want to, you’ll look forward to it!

2-Competition

Training together with a partner also provides a little competitive edge to each workout. Because there is someone by your side, doing what you are doing, you get that little extra “push” and encouragement needed to give it everything you’ve got.

And when you’re tired and either don’t feel like going to the gym or are there but feel like giving up, that partner next to you will give you the reason to push and do. You know, no matter what you might say in public, that you will never lose to Jane or Bill. You would sooner show up sick then feel like you let the partnership down. And there’s no way you’d allow Becky to do one more push-up than you!

3-Accountability

Training with a partner also makes you more accountable—to yourself, to the trainer, to your friend. Just by being committed with you, your partner will help you remain on track by being not only accountable to you but also to them. They are also sacrificing time, money and effort… and are counting on you to be there for them.

Between workouts is when having a partner who is a friend really pays off! It’s like Big Brother or Big Sister is watching you all the time. They will make sure you are eating right, sleeping right, getting ready for the gym on time. They, like you, want a partner to watch over them and help them achieve their fitness goals!

4-Costs

One of the biggest barriers to getting into shape and committing to a workout or gym is financial. It costs money to do all the things necessary to get and stay fit and healthy. Well, having a fitness partner will help alleviate some of those costs by contributing to your trainer fees. While it may cost more money per hour for two people to have a trainer, the cost per person is less than paying as an individual.

So what are you waiting for? Go and grab your best friend, life partner or co-worker and become fitness partners! And with our new promotion… there’s no reason not to!

With our new promotion, we’re offering 3 FREE partner training sessions with the purchase of a package of 18 sessions or more. That’s right, in addition to your free trial session to see if your trainer is a good match for you and your partner, we’ll also give you 2 additional training sessions!

Also, if you missed it, don’t forget that our “Cash for Chunkers” promotion expires on August 31st. Don’t miss your chance to get $200 OFF any personal training package of 12 sessions or more.

Nutrition Made Simple

In today’s health conscious world, there’s a lot of information out there on nutrition and healthy eating. With all the fad diets and companies releasing an abundance of“weight loss” products, it’s difficult to know where to turn for sound, credible advice on eating for weight loss. It becomes overwhelming when the information you get seems to change constantly, and you can’t go a day without hearing about a new extreme weight loss diet.

So let’s keep it simple. I’ve worked for several years with people who have struggled to lose weight. Almost all of them have tried fad diets in the past with minimal success. Rather than bore you to death with the science behind why these diets don’t work, let’s talk about what will work and what has proven to be effective for my clients. Here are some tips that ANYBODY can follow to put yourself on a faster, healthier track to achieving your weight loss goals. No nonsense, no lengthy scientific explanations, just functional tips that you can use as your guideline to jump start your weight loss efforts.

You must expend more energy than you take in. I don’t care if you’re eating broccoli and carrots all day, if you’re consuming more calories than you expend, you will absolutely, positively NEVER lose weight.

Eat breakfast every day. This is the only way to jump start your metabolism each day. If you’re not giving your body a consistent enough energy source, it will hold on to everything you put in it. Unfortunately for us, this storage always comes in the form of body fat!

Don’t think low-carb, think right carbs! Carbohydrates themselves are not the enemy. In fact, they are our main source of energy, especially when supporting an exercise program. However, our carbohydrate intake should come from fruits, vegetables and healthy whole grains. The main carbohydrate source from these foods is fiber, which promotes healthy digestion and is critical to maintaining the efficiency of our metabolism.  The two carbohydrate sources that will absolutely destroy your weight loss efforts are sugar and enriched flour. These are the real culprits. Trust me, America didn’t become obese by eating too many apples!

Get your fats from 3 sources only! Fats are also not the enemy, as long as we chose them wisely. The primary dietary sources of essential fats are seafood, flax oil/seeds, and mixed nuts. These essential fats are touted for their heart health properties, aiding in recovery, and reducing the risk of several serious diseases as well. Not only should you not avoid these foods, you should seek them out as part of your weight loss plan. In fact, essential fats should make up about 30% of your overall intake.

3 words for success – Whole, Natural Foods. This is one to live by!  Our bodies are simply not designed to digest processed foods. You work your body hard enough as it is, don’t make it work harder just to digest the junk you may put in it. A good general rule here is that if you don’t recognize the food’s ingredients, it’s not natural. All of the essential nutrients your body needs to sustain health and support weight loss are contained within fruits, vegetables and lean protein sources.

Keep a food journal. I can’t emphasize this one enough. Tracking your nutritional intake is a critical piece to your success. Sometimes we don’t even realize how much we take in every day until we’ve written it down. Once you’ve seen it on paper, it becomes real and you will be way less likely to cheat if you have to write it down and admit it to yourself!

These are some pretty basic concepts, but if you stick to them as your guideline for healthy nutrition, you’ll be in a better position to achieve YOUR weight loss goals!!

By the way, if you missed it, check out our promotion for the month of August…

“Cash For Chunkers”

As most of you know, the U.S. Government recently passed legislation providing vouchers valued from $3,500 to $4,500 when you trade-in a vehicle and purchase a new one that meets higher MPG standards.  While we don’t have 4 grand to give to every new customer, we’d like to give you an opportunity and an incentive to trade in your old body for a newer, leaner, healthier one (and we don’t care how many miles per gallon it’s currently getting)!

For a limited time only, we’re offering $200 off any personal training package of 12 sessions or more until August 31st! There’s no catch, nor is your body required to meet certain standards.Because we’re not using taxpayer money to bail you out of your current body, we’re limiting this offer to 5 NEW CLIENTS ONLY! All you have to do is be ready to work hard and be willing to change your lifestyle.  The best part is, you don’t even have to come into our “dealership”, our trainers will come to you. What’s more,you can even take your trainer for a test drive before you commit to a program. If you feel your trainer won’t succeed in putting you into a new body, then there’s absolutely no obligation on your part.

If you’re ready to trade in your body and start making positive,healthy life changes, then now is the time to get in the best shape of your life! Just contact Mike at 888-872-7961 ext. 1 to set up your free test drive with the area’s best personal trainers, and we’ll put you on the road to fitness success. Be sure to mention the “Cash for Chunkers” promotion in order to receive your bail out check.