This very weekend last year, I participated in my first ever off-road Triathlon. It involved a 3/4 mile swim, 15 mile mountain bike course, and 5 mile trail run. I had completed the course in 2:50.21. I was pretty happy with the result because I had really only signed up 1 week prior to the race.

I have always felt that I keep myself in good race shape to where I can finish any such endurance event at the drop of a hat or on short notice. The Rocky Gap Xterra Off-road Triathlon in 2009 proved just that. It wasn’t without a lot of pain though. I do love to push the limits of physical abilities. Not only mine but those of my personal clients.

I was hooked on this event. I couldn’t wait to do it again this year and see how much I could improve. I signed up about 6 weeks from the event and trained strictly for it. Nothing but running, biking and swimming.

On race day, I gave it everything I had. The pain is unreal. The heart rate never dropped below 165bpm and often was seen at the 180bpm mark while wheezing for air on some of the steep rocky climbs on the Mountain bike portion. (As you can see below)!

I managed to improve on all 3 of the disciplines. Overall I improved by 9 minutes to finish the race in 2:41.24. I was stoked by this improvement. It was not at all easy but the training paid off.

Its funny how many times your mind tells you to stop because it’s too hard. I shut that voice out of my head really quickly during an event like this and replace it with one of encouragement and persistence. It’s so easy to tell ourselves we can’t do it. In fact, I think it is part of our inherent nature.

It was on my way to this very race last year that I heard one of the most eye opening mind-set theories that I have ever heard in my life…
On my 1.5 hour drive to Rocky Gap State Park (where the race took place), I popped in a book on tape that was lent to me by a good friend. The book is called “The Story Of You: And How To Create A New One” by Steve Chandler.

I got to listen to the first 8 chapters on my drive up and I’ll tell ya… it had me pumped up more than any pre-race music I had queued up in my Ipod. The book talks about how we all have a story about who we are and how we tell it to ourselves and others; and how this story we tell is the most false and limiting part of our lives. How we are motivated by the stories we want others to tell of us. Sometimes, it’s the story that others have wanted us to live for them as they want us to be(twisted but very true). But is it the story we think we are stuck in; what we really want for ourselves?

It also discusses how certain challenging obstacles in life have stories attached to them of how difficult they are and therefore, we listen to the story associated with it and never challenge ourselves to do it(i.e. Triathlon or other event).

Within the first 5 chapters Steve Chandler put into words something about personal trainers that I don’t think I have ever heard said so well (and couldn’t agree with more)…
“People Hire Personal Trainers to physically inspire them to do things they did not believe they could do. They are story busters who work not with your story but with your body’s energy, your potential. People hire coaches, consultants, trainers who see their potential and don’t care at all about the story that was previously running the show”
Wow!

This was extremely reaffirming to me about why we do what we do and it couldn’t be more true. I love what we do and love to share this passion with you. I love helping people change their story of themselves. Helping you reach goals you may have thought were never possible.

Therefore, I’d like to make you a special offer to help us be able to share our passion for fitness with you…

You may remember Mike made you a special offer a few weeks back that he didn’t want me to know about until after he did it to see if it worked. It was the “Please Call me ASAP” email. Well, I’m glad he did it. The response was pretty over-whelming.

If you didn’t call him, you really missed out on a special opportunity. But, since I’m still on such a “high” from my triathlon, I’m letting him make you that same crazy deal again.

There’s one catch, you still need to call him ASAP to receive it
The offer will run until the end of July. Therefore, call 1-888-872-7961 right now and press 1 to talk to Mike and mention “The Story of You” to receive this incredible deal.

I’m doing this because I can not imagine my life without fitness and the way it allows me to challenge myself. I really just want to share that feeling and help you reach your true potential and change the story you keep telling yourself and others about why you can’t lose weight and finally get in shape.

Here’s to your new story,

Dennys Passeto

PS: If you’d like to check out “The Story Of You”, here’s a link to where you can check it out and grab your own copy…
The Story Of You

PPS: Here’s a link to the race results from the Triathlon…
Xterra Triathlon Results AND a great pic of the finished product!
http://www.xterraplanet.com/races/view_results.cfm?race_id=1053&page=2
PS. Have you tried any events/races recently? If so, I’d love to hear about them or any personal records you may have achieved.

We want this blog to be about building a community of fitness-minded, health conscious individuals who can share their struggles, triumphs and training tips with us and our community!

Please share this article with anyone you know would be inspired by it or have anything to add. Click the button below to share it with your friends on Facebook!

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Ever since the birth of artificial sweeteners, we’ve wondered if there was a definite link between these popular sugar substitutes and weight gain, or more specifically, obesity. Varying opinions exist on this controversial topic and it’s difficult to filter through all the information and research out there, much of which has been discredited.

It’s rare that you see fit, lean people walking around drinking diet soda. And just the same, it’s rare to encounter someone who is struggling to lose weight who doesn’t have a 3 diet soda per day habit! Also, when you look at the major jump in the obesity epidemic, it coincides very definitely with the introduction of artificial sweeteners into large quantities of the American food supply. So, common sense tells me that there is a definite correlation between the two, but what does science and research say?

A huge body of research has proven that the human body undergoes a series of hormonal and physiological responses that prepare the body for food intake. This response can be initiated by something as simple as smelling or thinking about food. (We’ve all had the experience of having your mouth water when you smell your favorite treat baking in the oven).Your brain begins to send signals to your body to prepare for the arrival of nutrients in order  to maximize nutrient absorption in the small intestines and to minimize the effects that the food will have on your natural hormone balance.

The trouble is, this same metabolic response occurs when the body is given the sweet taste that is contained within sugar substitutes. When you feed your body non-caloric and non-nutritive sweeteners like aspartame (Nutra Sweet and Equal), saccharin (Sweet and Low), or sucralose(Splenda),it gets confused. These sweeteners make the brain start to send the signals that calories are on  the way and trigger a whole set of metabolic responses and hormone surges. However, when the calories don’t arrive, your brain tells your body to go out and get them! Your appetite naturally increases, even if you’re full, and cravings usually come in the form of high carbohydrate foods to quickly fill the void and feed the insulin response that has already occurred.

A great study was published in the Journal of Behavioral Neuroscience by a group of scientists, doctors, and medical researchers from Purdue University which closely examined the effects of  artificial sweeteners on weight gain. The researchers gave two different groups of rats  some yogurt, one batch sweetened with natural sugar and one with saccharin, then monitored their behavior, eating habits, and physiological changes over the next few weeks. Their findings were eye opening.

The researchers found that the total food consumed over the next 14 days dramatically increased only in the artificial sweetener group. Despite them taking in fewer calories from the yogurt itself, their overall caloric intake following the consumption of the artificially sweetened yogurt increased substantially. Second, this group gained a significant amount more weight than the natural sugar group, and of course, their body fat increased as well. The third finding was that the rats that were fed the artificial sweeteners actually lost several  degrees in their core temperature, which is a definite sign that their metabolism slowed down.

So, not only did the artificial sweetener group of rats gain more weight and body fat, but  their metabolism was indefinitely affected, which led to increased caloric intake well after their initial intake of the sugar substitute.

The point is, not all calories are created equal. Quality can be just as important as quantity.  When foods are low in calories, they don’t necessarily translate into being good choices for weight loss. Furthermore, artificial sweeteners are just that – artificial. The human body is not designed to metabolize chemicals or other unnatural substances! Though sugar is obviously not the answer for weight loss either, at least your body recognizes it and can metabolize it naturally.

One final thought if you’re still not convinced. The number of Americans who consume products that contain sugar free sweeteners grew from 70 million to 160 million from 1987 to 2000. During this same time period, the incidence of obesity in American has doubled from 15 percent to 30 percent. In addition, within this time frame, the number of Americans who are considered overweight has grown from 30 percent to nearly 65 percent! Wow!

So what’s the bottom line? Avoid artificial sweeteners like the plague! Your weight loss efforts and your overall health will thank you!

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Between work demands, family obligations, and fighting the DC
area traffic everyday, you’ve probably noticed that it’s
extremely difficult to prepare healthy meals everyday when
you’re in the middle of the grind. We’ve all had the experience
of being stuck feeling hungry with only two minutes to dash
into the closest convenience store or fast food joint to get
a quick bite.

While this certainly isn’t an ideal scenario, it happens to
the best of us from time to time. So, are there healthy options
out there that are still quick and accessible? Of course! But
first, I’d like to caution you that many of the foods that
have gotten the “healthy” nod are actually laden with sugar,
fat or preservatives, despite being marketed as health foods.
I will share a few of the main culprits with you.

Protein Bars. Most of these are basically glorified candy bars.
They’re packed with sugar or artificial sweeteners, and I
challenge you to find a single ingredient on the label that
you actually recognize or can pronounce. The point is, they’re
loaded with junk. The end result – your body can’t properly
metabolize them.

Bran muffins. This is a big one. Many people think the word
bran is synonymous with healthy fiber. Bran muffins contain
two of the worst ingredients for spiking your blood glucose
levels- sugar and refined flour. The fact that they might
contain a few grams of fiber is insignificant. What’s worse -
most bran muffins you pick up at your local 7 Eleven or
Starbucks contain upwards of 450 calories and over 25 grams
of fat!

Frozen Diet Meals. Weight watchers and Lean Cuisine come to
mind. Just because they have a “healthy” label on them doesn’t
make them open game. Most of these frozen meals average about
600 milligrams of sodium and offer very little nutritional
value, if any. In addition, they’re often so low in calories
that chances are you’ll be running back for a second helping
soon after eating them.

Fruit smoothies. I’m talking about the ones you pick up at a
store. You can perfect a healthy fruit smoothie at home if you
know what’s going into it. Most of the fruit smoothies that you
get as quick pick ups contain very little fruit at all. Almost
all of them have added sugar or high fructose corn syrup, and
are usually made with ice cream to give them a sweet flavor.

SUBWAY. I know, this is disappointing. Jared wouldn’t possibly
twist the truth about Subway sandwiches being good for you,could
he? Sure, if you have the choice of turning into the Subway
parking lot or hitting the drive thru of McDonald’s, then
Subway is your healthier option. But you do have the option, so
my advice is – opt out of this one. Their 12 inch subs, even
on their “healthy” breads contain about 92 grams of carbohydrates
and are loaded with over 2000 mg of sodium. Talk about a great
way to shock your metabolism. Yuck!

There is hope, however, you just have to know what you’re
putting in your body. There are plenty of quick foods that you
can grab on the run that will not destroy your weight loss
efforts. Opt for foods that don’t contain ANY ingredients.
When I’m stuck out on the road or working all day, I stop for
an apple and a bag of almonds. If you’re absolutely stuck
having to reach for quicker options, then you can still reach
for jerky, low-fat cheese sticks or trail mix.

Train yourself to question the actual content of the foods
that are marketed as good for you, and you will make some
shocking discoveries!

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In the midst of one of the hotter Summer seasons in the Washington D.C. metro area, the risks of heat related illness are drastically increased. The Center for Disease Control(CDC) estimates that nearly 320 Americans die every year from heat related illnesses. Add this to the fact that many people are taking their workouts outdoors for the Summer,and the potential for disaster becomes rather significant.

Now, I’m not discouraging anyone from exercising outdoors. Our
bootcampers are out there 3 days a week sweating it out in the
heat! However,there are some important factors to consider when
you’re working out in the heat and humidity that the Summer
brings. After all, no exercise program is effective if you’re
not protecting your body and staying safe!

Dehydration is usually the basis for all heat related illnesses.
When it’s severe, dehydration can cause heat exhaustion that
affects the entire cardiovascular system. Fluid is lost from
the entire body, including the bloodstream, forcing the heart
to work harder to maintain the same level of physical output.

This may only occur in extreme situations, but even mild
dehydration can cause symptoms that make it uncomfortable, and
perhaps dangerous to exercise outdoors. Some of these symptoms
include headaches,dizziness, nausea, cramping and poor
concentration, among others. To help you get the most
out of your exercise program and be able to maximize your
performance, here are some tips to ensure you stay well hydrated
during activity.

Drink fluids before, during and after exercise, instead of
trying to rapidly replace fluids during exercise only. Drinking
at intervals will provide more adequate hydration and urine
production during periods of exertion.

Account for the sweat loss that occurs during exercise when
determining how much water you should drink to replace your body’s
lost fluids. As a guideline, you should drink at least 16 ounces
of water for each pound lost during exercise. In addition, you
should consume about 8 ounces of water every 20 minutes during
bouts of higher intensity exertion.

Thirst is a poor guide for dehydration. If you’re feeling
thirsty, you’re already dehydrated! Be proactive in getting
adequate quantities of fluids prior to your workouts.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol consumption, as well as many energy
drinks. These are natural diuretics, and will increase urine
production, which will promote rapid dehydration as the body
releases fluids faster than normal. You can also monitor your
urine stream to determine if you’re well hydrated. Clear or pale
urine usually indicates adequate hydration, where as thick or
concentrated urine streams indicate dehydration.

Replace your body’s electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium.
Unfortunately, water alone does not accomplish the replenishment
of these vital substances. Sports drinks, such as Vitamin Water
will help to restore your depleted electrolytes and can also
provide a quick dose of carbohydrates to the working muscles.
Beware of drinks like Gatorade, as they are sweetened with
High Fructose Corn Syrup and other artificial food colorings.

Finally, avoid excessive water consumption as well. If water
consumption is so extreme that diluted sodium in the bloodstream
occurs, it can cause a condition known as hyponatremia, which is
rare but can be fatal. It has been known to take the lives of
several endurance athletes like marathoners. The symptoms are
very similar to those of dehydration so it can be difficult
to detect.

The point is, be aware of your hydration while you’re outdoors
in the heat that we have been experiencing. Don’t make it an
afterthought!

This is the best time of the year to get in shape and stay active
while enjoying the elements. Just be sure to do it intelligently
and safely!

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As a fitness professional, I could probably give you fifty “scientific” reasons why people have trouble losing weight  or achieving any of their fitness goals.

There are definite challenges to achieving a high level of  fitness and health,and weight loss is no different. There are  several barriers that come to mind when I think of people  trying to figure out “how to” find the right weight loss solution.

Sure, it’s possible that the answer lies within a scientific formula. Maybe it is that people struggle because of genetic dispositions, hormonal imbalances, or naturally slower metabolism. Or maybe it’s because they’re not eating the perfect balance of macronutrients. Or, sure, it could be because their exercise program doesn’t have the perfect balance of cardiovascular and strength training. These are all possibilities.

Luckily, science and research has come a long way in the  world of fitness, and there are hundreds of ways to lose weight that are scientifically backed. No wonder weight loss is a multi million dollar a year industry!

My point is, you already know “how to” lose weight, get fit,  and achieve a high level of fitness. And if you don’t, you  certainly have an abundance of resources at your fingertips to show you the right way. There is so much information out there on exercise science, nutrition, stress management and supplementation, that you’re sure to find a solution that works for you.

The problem not that people do not know “how to” achieve their fitness goals, it’s that they lack the real desire within themselves to relentlessly pursue their goals. Desire is not merely a hope or a wish, it is a keen pulsating drive that comes from within to achieve a goal. In other words, they lack the “want to.”

I don’t mean “want to” as in “I wish it could happen” or “I’d  like to but…”.  I mean want to as in “I’m committing to this because it’s what I want to prioritize in my life”.  When you  really, truly take that leap and take ownership of this desire, nothing can stop you.

The fact is, you can find the “how to” anywhere when it comes to losing weight. Books, nutrition plans, home workout programs, and of course… personal trainers!  These are all great resources, but until people find the burning drive inside of them to  pursue their fitness goals regardless of the obstacles, these resources mean nothing.

You can ask any of our trainers which of their clients are most successful in losing weight, and they will all tell you that it’s the ones who have decided to. It’s just that simple!

So, if you’re finding yourself struggling, search within  yourself, only there will you find the REAL solution to achieving your goals.

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By: Chad Ciri

Being a total health and fitness fanatic, I’ve experimented with just about every eating and exercise plan out there. That alone has brought me to despise just about every fad diet that has hit the streets! While bits and pieces of all the fad diets out there like the low fat diet, the Atkins, the South Beach Diet, etc. make some sense scientifically, they’re all either unsustainable for a long period of time, or they’re fundamentally flawed.

After discovering Mark Sisson’s website (marksdailyapple.com), I realized that his belief system on nutrition and exercise was very much in line with mine, in that a lot of the “conventional wisdom”, or what we have been led to believe are facts,are actually inaccurate when it comes to health and nutrition. So I bit the bullet an ordered his book.The short of it is, the way I look at nutrition has been forever changed!

While I won’t get into every detail of the Primal Blueprint, the eating plan is what I found particularly powerful. Mark uncovers an overwhelming amount of evidence and research that strongly suggests that the start of the obesity epidemic, along with the skyrocketing numbers of cases of heart disease began with the emergence of agriculture. Many anthropologists suggest that the human species reached its peak in terms of body composition, bone density and brain size about 10,000 years ago. Our physical decline occurred at the development of agriculture when humans began to harvest wheat, rice, corn and other grains.When you look at the relationship in timing, it’s an eye opener!

Unlike what the modern day Food Pyramid would prescribe, the Primal Blueprint eating philosophy recommends an essential elimination of grains from the diet. While most of us know by now that processed carbohydrates and sugar are unhealthy and hindering to weight loss efforts, most people still look at whole grains as “healthy” carbohydrates. The fact is, grains still have the ability to spike your blood glucose levels, which in turn trigger the insulin response. Moderating your insulin levels is absolutely essential to achieving or maintaining a healthy body weight. Quite simply, if your insulin levels are constantly elevated, your body will always be in fat storage mode…and NO amount of exercise will reverse that!

So how does this eating plan break down? Good question. To simplify it, it allows you to eat just about anything you want…as long as it comes from a natural source!

The Primal Blueprint eating plan prescribes an abundance of foods solely from animal and plant sources. Included in this are (some of these may surprise you), eggs, bacon, salads, burgers, steaks, nuts, seeds,fruits and raw vegetables. In short, if you can grow it from a seed or you can kill it, you can eat it! Your carbohydrate intake will likely be lower than usual, but you still get plenty of good carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables.

When you eat according to the Primal Blueprint laws, you may be surprised by how much it allows for fat intake. I sure was! Before I sampled this eating plan, about 30% of my overall intake came from fat, and I calculated that about 50% of my intake now comes from fat after shifting to this plan.I went into this a little skeptical of the higher fat intake, but was pleasantly surprised by the results.

After 6 weeks of eating on this plan, I lost nearly 12 lbs. and lost almost 3 percent of my body fat…no joke! That’s a significant decrease in such a short period of time, especially considering that I wasn’t overweight or carrying excessive body fat prior to starting the plan. Specifically, I dropped from 175 lbs. with 12 percent body fat to 163 lbs. with 9 percent body fat. The point is, this eating plan can work for you whether you’re trying to lose 100 lbs. or if you’re already fit and just trying to shed that last stubborn ten pounds. The best part of it was that my energy levels actually skyrocketed, which surprised me given the rather drastic decrease in carbohydrate intake (about 125 grams per day). And honestly, the only real change I made was replacing oatmeal with fresh fruit and brown rice with steamed vegetables. This plan does not require you to make drastic changes nor eliminate all of the foods you love.

Sisson also emphasizes the importance of intelligent exercise. Intelligent is the key word here. Changing your body does NOT mean having to sweat it out through an hour and a  half of spin class every day. Instead, bring it back to how our primal ancestors moved when they were fighting for survival – occasional heavy lifting, occasional high intensity sprints (presumably from evading the danger of being attacked by wild animals), and LOTS of moving at a lower intensity level. Yes, I’m simplifying here, but walk, lift, and sprint…and you will achieve changes in your body that you may have thought were impossible.

There are many other “primal” laws to live by that Sisson discusses in detail, all of which are powerful and are scientifically backed by research and history. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be inspired to make some positive life changes. I have no personal investment in whether anyone buys this book (though I’m starting to think Mark should pay me for writing such a good review), but I can say with confidence the primal eating philosophy alone drastically helped me make some huge changes to my body composition, and I’m absolutely certain it can do it for anyone else who may be struggling to lose weight! Integrate this eating plan and a guided “intelligent” exercise program from a fitness professional, and you WILL see the changes you deserve!

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I have a special gift for everyone today. I’m dead serious. No gimmick, no sales, no nothing. Just some good inspirational content.

I’m sitting here waiting for my return flight back from my friend Keith’s wedding that just took place in Key Largo Florida and I’m listening to an audiobook that has some phenomenal nuggets for ideas, inspiration, information and I just had to share them with you.

If you hadn’t been able to tell by now, I’m really into self improvement books as I’ve mentioned them several times in the past. You also have probably heard me reference one of my favorite authors and coaches many times recently – Steve Chandler.

Some how Steve always seems to say something that resonates with fitness or with me personally.

In his most recent audio book “Mindshift” Steve discusses the shift that needs to take place in the mind in order to kick your life into high gear and achieve everything you’ve always wanted to achieve. Whether it be in your own fitness, business, relationships, etc…

The part that I really wanted to share with you was the part where Steve discussed a peculiar but powerful method to light a fire under his own ass to lose 20 lbs.

Steve meets monthly with his mastermind group to exchange ideas and network with other business owners. At the beginning of his turn to share, he looked at all 20 members of the group, turned around and wrote his weight on the white board behind him. He then looked back at all of them and said, “If the next time we meet, I do not weigh 20lbs less than this number I put up on the board, I will put
$1000 in each one of your chairs prior to your arrival here the next time we meet”

WOW! I think that is the single biggest act of commitment to lose
weight that I have ever heard. Steve goes on to explain the psychology behind this bold undertaking.

He doesn’t want to shell out 20k(even as rich as he probably is, that’s a lot of money), he taps into his human ego because he doesn’t want to look like a failure in front of his most respected peers, and he wants to create a sense of urgency to get it done now, etc… He access all the shallow fears that we have as man and used them to create a positive response within himself.

He doesn’t want to come back and have them look at him like he still chubby. He doesn’t want to appear weak and show that he has no inner strength. he doesn’t want his desire to indulge in food to appear greater than his desire to his commitment.

I thought this was an amazing commitment strategy. This may not be the right strategy for everyone or the absolute way to do it. But it is another place within yourself that you can tap into to help yourself achieve your goals.

People commit to things they want to make a priority every day. Make your health a priority.

He explains this topic and many more way better than I will be able to so please listen for yourself (More on how you can do
this below).

So, how can you apply this to yourself? You could make this commitment to some of your peers with a much smaller dollar amount that suits your budget. You can make it a competition between friends, but best of all, this strategy doesn’t have to involve money.

You can commit to mow your friends lawn, watch their kids while they get away for a weekend, etc.. Be creative, come up with something that you really DO NOT want to do.

But most importantly, this is about not wanting to fail

Make your goal realistic. Even if it is 5lbs in one month.

The goal of this is to light a fire under your own ass. It’s putting your money(so to speak) where your mouth is. It’s creating something instead of waiting for it to happen. Its taking planned,decisive commitment.

Now if you hung in there with me until now, here’s the gift
that I want to give to you. Steve Chandler is an extremely
generous and selfless man. He actually gives away his new
audio book absolutely, 100% for free. It’s a free download.
I put it on my Ipod and listened to it in the car, on the plane,
on the beach, on my computer, etc… And so can you…

Click here to download Steve Chandler’s Mindshift for Free

And again, Steve’s site is www.ClubFearless.net if you’d like
to learn more about him and his other books. One of my
favorites to this day is “The Story Of You” which you can see
my review here…

The Story Of You Review

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do,

Dennys Passeto

PS: If you have any friends or family that would appreciate
this audio, please share it with them.

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You may have old visions of a drill sergeant leading a group of new military recruits through push up drills when you hear this phrase. However, this is likely a vision of the past. For some reason, the push up has become a forgotten art form. And as a fitness professional, I don’t understand why!

The push up truly is the ultimate barometer of overall fitness. Unlike
other forms of standardized fitness testing, the push up can show you
your strengths and weaknesses in almost every aspect of fitness. It’s a great indication of what kind of overall physical condition you’re in,
as it tests the entire body. Push ups take strength and core stability
to perform, and endurance to perform with any kind of volume.

The benefits of incorporating push ups into your exercise program are
endless. They build strength in the shoulders, chest, triceps, abdomen,
and yes, even in the legs when performed properly. They are also a
great way to build the ever important core strength that is necessary
to safely execute any kind of weight bearing movement. If you are new to exercising, a push up is a great place to start, as it teaches you to move and control the resistance of your own body weight before you move on to heavier loads.

The push up is one of the more functional movements you can perform, that is, it can be easily translated to every day movements. Therefore,it can be used to safely and effectively train everyone, from the elite athlete to the elderly. For the well-trained athlete, the ability to perform push ups with proper technique is needed before progressing to more complex movements and exercises. For the elderly, the push up can simply be used to train for stability and can be an important indicator of the capacity to withstand the rigors of aging. Specifically, the push up will build the strength and muscle memory to break a fall.

The point is, this movement can be to benefit ANYONE, and we’ve gotten too far away from it!

For those of you who are inspired to re-incorporate push ups back into
your exercise regime, here’s a simple guide for you. The American
College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) standards for the push-up test are as follows:

Men up to the age of 40 should be able to perform about 29
push ups within a minute, resting only in the plank position at the top
of the push up. For men over 40, 25 push ups puts you in the average
range. For women up to 40, 18 modified (bent-knee) push ups is the
golden standard. For women 40 and up, 14 is the magic number.

Though I think we should raise our standards a bit, I still see many
people who cannot properly perform a single push up with good form! So if you’re struggling, don’t despair! Here are a few push up
progressions that will put you on the path to achieving elite volume.

Practice bent knee push ups. This will give you a feel for what the
movement of the push up feels like, but bending your knees inhibits the plank position at the top of the push up, so don’t get too used to this variation.

Move on to incline push ups (illustrated here). Find a surface that is elevated from the floor (like a step or a counter top) so you’re taking on less of your body weight.If you’re working out in a gym, you can use a barbell or a bench. You may even have to start by pushing your weight off the wall.Once you can perform 25 push ups without resting at full range of motion (chest hits the surface, elbows fully extend at the top), you are ready to move on. Slowly bring the surface closer and closer to the floor until you don’t need it anymore.

Focus on your form. Long term development of the push up will never
occur unless you perform this movement at the full range of motion. So,if your chest doesn’t make contact with the surface you’re pushing off,you won’t be fully engaging the muscles you’ll need to develop
strength. It’s always better to perform two perfect push ups than 10
push ups with lousy technique.

Strengthen the muscle groups that assist you in the push up. While
there’s no true replacement for a push up itself, strengthening the
chest, shoulders, triceps and abs using other methods will eventually help you to increase your push up volume. You can do this using a hundred different exercises, but to name a few – dumbbell chest presses, assisted dips and tricep extensions will help!

Integrate this movement back into your exercise program and you WILL see the results you want. Soon, you can laugh when you hear “Drop and Give Me Twenty!”

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When most people think of excess body fat, they tend to visualize  the type that you can easily see, poke or pinch. This is the type of fat that sits directly beneath the skin and often creates the “spare tire” image around the abdominal region. While this type of fat, known as subcutaneous fat, certainly isn’t desirable from a visual standpoint, it’s actually much less of a risk to your health than another very dangerous type of fat known as visceral fat.

Visceral fat, also known as intra-abdominal fat, is internal fat that surrounds the organs within your body. It pads the major organs like your heart, liver and kidneys, and can eventually fill up the space within your entire abdominal cavity.

Visceral fat serves as a perfect storage bin for all types of toxins that can easily enter the bloodstream. The liver is primarily responsible for metabolizing visceral fat, and when it does so, it releases into the bloodstream as LDL (bad) cholesterol. This in turn builds up into a plaque that blocks the major arteries. Therefore, people who have excess visceral fat are virtually guaranteed to develop heart disease. In addition, excess visceral fat drastically increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cancer, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension.

Most of the causes of excess visceral fat accumulation are similar to those of overall weight gain, including lack of physical activity, diets that are high in processed or refined carbohydrates, excess alcohol consumption and overall sedentary lifestyles. However, there are other factors that influence visceral fat accumulation such as heredity and hormone imbalances that occur in women after menopause.

The scary part of visceral fat is that you don’t have to be overweight to have it. In fact, it’s estimated that nearly 30 million Americans who are considered to be a normal weight by BMI standards have higher than average levels of visceral fat. So there is such a thing as a “skinny fat person!” You may have a thin appearance on the outside but have an dangerously high level of internal fat.

Visceral fat can be particularly challenging to lose because it’s so deeply embedded in your body’s tissue. So here are a few tips that will help you in combating visceral fat.

Focus on shorter, high-intensity bouts of exercise. Most fat burning is achieved in the recovery period after your exercise is performed. Higher intensity exercise, such as interval training, will place the right demands on your body to have to work to recover for hours after you’ve finished exercising.

Be physically active everyday! Though you should use a healthy combination of strength training and cardiovascular exercise on a regular basis, you should also keep your body moving at a lower intensity on your rest days. Recover actively!

Keep a healthy diet that’s rich in whole, natural foods. Excess body fat always starts with insulin production, which is caused primarily by ingesting too many simple carbohydrates and refined sugars. Replace your simple carbs with complex carbs like fruits and vegetables.

Work your deeper abdominal muscles. Having a six pack is great, but the muscles that lie deeper within the abdominal wall are just as important! You can work these muscles by simply performing “abdominal hollowing” exercises or by drawing the belly button inward. (This is also great for midline stability!)

Combine these tips with maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle and you’ll drastically reduce your health risks…AND your waistline!

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I have been looking forward to this upcoming weekend for months.  It is the 15th running of the Pike’s Peek 10k.  It’s a race I’ve been training to participate in for months.  I will be going for my 10k personal record and plan to leave nothing out on the course.

The reason I’m telling you this is because I want to share with you some of the strategies that I’ve used to stay focused and persevere through injury and illness during my training program.

I’ve often discussed in the past the importance of 3 key factors in achieving your fitness goals.  Nutrition, exercise and mindset are certainly vital elements to success in any fitness or weight loss program.  But today, I’d like to talk about the importance of the intangible elements that are critical to succeeding in ANY of life’s endeavors, but specifically to achieving your personal fitness, weight and athletic goals.

These factors include goal setting, vision, determination, perseverance and discipline. Though these are only words, living by them is what will ultimately determine whether you live your dream and accomplish your goals or stand on the sideline wondering – “What if?”

I’d like to share with you some insight from one of our trainers, Chad Ciri, who recently competed in the Crossfit sectional competition in Northern Virginia, the first step in his journey to qualify for the Crossfit games in California.

“It has been my goal to qualify for the 2011 Crossfit games for the last 2 years, which is one of the most highly regarded strength and conditioning competitions for some of the best athletes in the world!”

“As I entered the competition this year, I wasn’t really expecting to qualify for the next step toward the games for 2010, rather, I was there to discover how much more work I needed to accomplish my goal of reaching the 2011 competition.  It was a stepping stone towards my ultimate goal.”

“To make a long story short, I finished somewhere in the middle of the pack. I originally felt frustrated by this and my journey to even qualify for the 2011 games seemed that much more daunting. For days, I thought about abandoning my goal of continuing to train for 2011. Then I realized, I had absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. I was out there giving it everything I had, and at the end of the day, I hung in there with some of the best athletes on the east coast. ”

“Though I may not be proud to share the outcome of this competition with my clients or to a huge list of strangers for that matter, I am proud to say that I left it all out on the table. I have to remind myself of why I signed on the dotted line in the first place to enter the competition. And mainly, for me, it was so I didn’t have to sit on the sidelines and wonder “What If”. I learned more about where I stood in comparison to the competition, and now I can formulate a better action plan of how to qualify next year.This must be my mindset if I’m going to ever achieve greatness.”
- Chad Ciri

This is something that I think everyone needs to keep in mind as they pursue their own personal fitness goals. Sure, not everyone is pursuing exercise competitively, but everyone is chasing a dream of their own.  Their best possible body, a goal weight, a certain fitness feat.  At the end of the day, if you can look at yourself in the mirror and honestly say that you’ve given it everything you have, you WILL get to your goal in time.

What we may perceive as failure is seldom accurate.  Instead, each time we miss a goal, we discover one more opportunity to improve and reformulate our path to success.

I was discussing goals and success with my good friend Steve Hefferon and he said something that really stuck with me.  He said… “In any room full of people, the most successful person is also the person who has had the most failures”.  This couldn’t be truer.  Only through failing do you learn and realize what you have to do to get it right next time.  This is perseverance.

One of my new favorite authors, Steve Chandler who runs www.clubfearless.net shared a very good Michael Jordan quote on this aspect the other day…

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.
I’ve lost more than 300 games.  Twenty-six times I’ve
been trusted to take the game-winning shot, and missed.
I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. . . and
that’s why I succeed.”

- Michael Jordan

The last few months of my training for this race have not been without bumps in the road that I could’ve easily let stop the momentum I was building in my training.  I had to sit on the sidelines for 4 out of the 12 weeks at different times with a bulged disc in my back, a nasty sore throat, and then a cold.  I also twisted my knee in a near mountain biking crash just last week.  Most would take just one of those as excuse enough to stop their momentum.  I won’t.  My goal is clear.  I will be out there giving it my all.

Will you take on that same attitude for your goals? I sure hope so.

Never give up.  No matter what seems to be impeding your success.  Analyze where you went wrong in your previous approach, make corrections, and there’s nothing that can stop you.

Be Fearless,

Dennys Passeto

PS: If you want to participate in the 10k this Sunday, you can find out more about the race here http://pikespeek10k.com.  I’ll be the guy running with the Achieve Fitness shirt hoping to finish in under 46 minutes.

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