I can’t possibly count how many times people come to me and are struggling with losing weight but are working their butts off at the gym to do so. Though their effort is there and they’re putting the time in, they just can’t seem to lose weight or change their bodies. When I hear this scenario, I can almost instantly diagnose the problem nine times out of ten. It’s the result of having gone “cardio crazy.”

Generally, the people who fall into this category have the same frustration. They spend 1 hour a day, 5 days a week, sweating it out on the treadmill, the elliptical or the recumbent bike. Some of them burn up to 800 calories per workout, but are just not seeing the results. It’s difficult to understand because they’re burning such a high volume of  calories, and we’ve all been taught that it’s all about calories in versus calories out, right?

Yes, you DO need to expend more calories than you take in to lose weight. If this simple mathematic equation doesn’t add up, weight loss will be impossible. Unfortunately, however, this is NOT the only part of the weight loss equation. Let me explain…

The real key to losing weight, and more specifically burning fat is not how many calories you burn during your workout,  but what your body does to recover afterward.

Traditional cardio, like the kind I described above, usually  entails 30 to 60 minutes of a low to moderate intensity exercise like walking, jogging or biking at a pace that is sustainable for a long period of time. No one would argue that this type of exercise doesn’t have its health benefits and can produce some gains in fitness. However, the problem is, as soon  as you’re done performing this type of exercise, your body stops reaping the benefits of it. It simply does not take your body much to recover from the stresses of pure aerobic activity.

If you live in this zone of cardio, you WILL NOT see significant improvements in your fitness level or your weight loss efforts!

To truly improve your fitness level and increase your metabolism,  you must constantly vary the stimulus, and therefore constantly change the metabolic demands of your workouts. There are so many  ways to vary the stimulus provided by your workouts. These  variables include the modality of exercise,load, tempo (intensity), distance, duration of exercise and rest periods. Once your body fully adapts to any stimulus, the cardiovascular system stops being challenged, and therefore ceases to make further improvements.

One of the keys to getting more out of your cardiovascular  program is to periodically work out at an extremely high  intensity for shorter durations. This is where interval training becomes so powerful. Rather than running for 45 minutes at one speed, you can perform 30 second sprints at 90 - 95% of your maximum heart rate, resting one minute between each sprint.  If you push the pace properly, you only need to perform about 5 repeats of this interval to reap its metabolic benefits. Why? Because different work to rest ratios have different energy demands, and this will shock your metabolism way more than a leisurely 30 minute jog!

Study after study in exercise science has shown that the  higher the intensity of the stimulus, the longer the post-workout metabolic rate is elevated. If your current workload is not causing you to fatigue, it’s time to start pushing it further! Overloading is absolutely necessary in achieving any positive physical change in your body.

The problem with the traditional cardio programs that people  tend to follow is that they never challenge their anaerobic  threshold. Simply put, anaerobic activity occurs when the body cannot produce enough energy for the muscles with oxygen alone. The beauty is, you can train anaerobically using just about any modality. Sure, you can stick to running, swimming, or biking using interval training. But you can also push your anaerobic threshold using strength training, plyometrics, or body weight resistance.

Remember, variation is the key to success. Routine truly is the enemy when it comes to producing positive physical change. You  can get just as much benefit (if not more) performing fast- paced  intervals of air squats or push ups for 10 minutes as you can in a 45 minute aerobics class. Mix it up and watch your body transform!

All of us, as human beings, require a certain level of stress in our lives in order to remain stimulated and motivated. If  stress existed solely for this purpose, it would be a purely positive thing. Unfortunately, in today’s world, stress levels are excessive in most people and for the most part are negative in their nature.

But what does that have to do with overall health, and more specifically, weight loss? The answer is - everything!

One of the ways the body reacts to stressful situations is  by releasing a stress hormone known as cortisol. Cortisol is a scary word, but it really shouldn’t be! After all, it’s a good thing! Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands for energy production to respond to stressful events. In the days of our ancestors, cortisol is what was generated to elicit the “fight or flight” response in the face of danger.

We certainly can’t argue that having this hormone running through our bloodstream isn’t a positive thing when it comes to evading danger. However, when the stress response is being triggered repeatedly over time, the adrenal gland becomes fatigued and eventually loses its ability to release cortisol at normal levels. Just like any other hormone in the body,when its levels are constantly elevated, it loses its effectiveness.

Now, in this day and age, chances are we’re not going to come across a Bengal tiger while enjoying a leisurely stroll through the National Mall. However, we are constantly in a  state of stress to meet the demands of the hectic pace of a busy, driven lifestyle. Battling traffic, fighting for  parking spaces, meeting deadlines at work and watching the  evening news elicit the same physiological responses as  running for your life! Unfortunately for us, however, these stimuli never go away.

Therefore, without proper stress management techniques in our lives, stress levels and cortisol levels remain chronically elevated. If you’re trying to lose, or even maintain your weight, this is a recipe for disaster. Chronic stress and elevated cortisol can lead to weight gain in several ways.

Sugar Cravings - When you’re stressed out, are you reaching for a nice bowl of mixed greens or are you gravitating toward the candy dish? My guess is the latter. People just tend to  use sweet foods as a coping mechanism for stress. This of course spikes the blood glucose levels and ultimately leads to excess fat storage.

Slowed metabolism - Another bad side effect of over an over-stimulated adrenal gland. Cortisol eventually slows down your metabolism, which in turn slows your body’s ability to use calories efficiently.

Emotional Eating - This is a powerful thing! Increased stress levels create excess nervous energy which can often cause people to over eat as a way to cope with a situation. I’m sure we’ve all found ourselves absent-mindedly munching on food when we’re stressed out even when we’re not hungry.

Sleep Deprivation - When stress levels are high, we generally  don’t sleep well. When the body doesn’t get enough rest, the first thing it will crave to achieve an energy boost is a  glucose spike. Where do we get glucose? From sugary, processed foods. And so the viscous cycle continues.

Decreased energy levels - Remember that the adrenal gland is responsible for producing hormones for energy production. If it becomes fatigued from over stimulation, so will your body. With declined energy levels, obviously the motivation to exercise decreases as well. With all the other demands on your schedule, the tendency is going to be to plop in front of your television from exhaustion, not to exercise.

So what’s the solution? You certainly can’t eliminate stress from your life all together. If I could find a way, I’d be the first to share it with you. The key to making stress manageable (and in turn making weight loss more manageable as well) is finding stress reduction techniques. Everyone is different, but there are a few things that you can do that tend to work for  most people. Among these are exercise, different forms of meditation and breathing techniques, Yoga classes and low glycemic eating. You have to find what works for you, but you will find your weight loss struggles drastically easier once you do!

Also, don’t forget that time is running out to get FREE Personal Training! January 31st is the last day to take advantage of our offer to get 3 FREE sessions when you purchase a package of 12 or more. Call Mike at 888-872-7961 ext. 1 to get signed up!

Throughout the last few years, the fitness industry has evolved faster than anyone could have imagined. One of its most significant improvements has been its adaptations to making exercise more convenient and more accessible to today’s working Americans.

As a result, home exercise video programs have become increasingly popular, as they deliver the workouts directly to your home, usually as a series of instructional DVDs. Some of the more popular programs have emerged as the industry leaders -P90X, Hip Hop Abs, and the Jillian Michaels Boot Camp series, to name a few.

It’s true that some people have achieved some great results  from these programs, but how effective are they overall? Let’s take a deeper look into some of the home exercise programs and if they truly deliver the results that they promise.

Hip Hop abs is a home workout program that contains high-energy dance routines that focus on abdominal strengthening. Most of its followers report that the workouts are fun, fast and produce a high calorie burn. While it certainly has its benefits, the program is too narrowly focused on aerobic training and abdominal strength. It neglects training through multiple modalities, therefore your body can easily adapt to the demands of the program. The result - you will plateau very quickly!

P90X, quite frankly, knocks it out of the park when it comes to avoiding plateaus. The program provides 13 different workouts that are performed at a random sequence and challenge multiple muscle groups. The power of this program is that it provides a total body focus, including upper and lower body strengthening, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, flexibility and core strength and stability. Fundamentally, P90X is truly an effective exercise program. So, what’s missing? Well, if you’re performing the workouts consistently, you’re executing your form to perfection,and you’re maintaining the right intensity level, then the answer is….nothing! The question then becomes - how do you know if you’re really doing all these things?  This program is very intense for people who are not in some sort of shape.  One recommendation I give people who ask me about it is to start with just the first 20 minutes of each 60 minute CD per day. The following week move up to 25, then 30, etc…

The Jillian Michaels home workout series is another great program for burning fat, building strength and sculpting a lean, muscular physique. Jillian gained national recognition through the Biggest Loser and is a world-renowned trainer. The results she’s gotten out of the Biggest Loser contestants speak for  themselves. Her home workout programs aren’t much different.They combine high-intensity strength training with mostly anaerobic conditioning routines across various modalities, including plyometrics, core strengthening movements, fast-paced weight lifting, and body weight resistance. If you’ve never tried one of her workouts, I’d recommend doing so - they are brutal! So where is Jillian’s home workout program lacking? Again, if you’re consistent with the program and can hold yourself accountable day in and day out, her program is not fundamentally lacking anything!

The bottom line is that these programs were created by true  experts in the field and they certainly have the ability to  help people make significant fitness gains. However, once  the program is delivered to your home, what are you left with? You are still ultimately responsible to take the ride on your own with guidance of nothing more than a DVD.

NOTHING truly replaces the value of having your own fitness coach. You can have access to the greatest exercise program in the world, but if you’re not being held accountable to executing it, what good is it doing? Having the constant expertise and feedback from a fitness trainer is what really ensures the success of an exercise program.

That’s why, as you saw in one of my recent emails, we’ve decided to roll out our Virtual Trainer Program. I realized that despite the value that home gym equipment and home exercise programs provide to their trainees, they lack the true follow through and commitment from a fitness professional after the product is delivered. So why not have a personalized exercise program designed specifically for you, with the constant follow up and knowledge of a certified personal trainer? All of this  will be offered through our new program, which will be rolled out within the next week. Stay tuned!  If you’re interested, please reply to dennys@achieve-fitness.com to have your name put on the waiting list for the program.

Clients are always asking me advice about their diet. But more than anything, I get asked about the popular diet programs that are out there. Do they actually work? Are they actually healthy for you? Can you lose weight if you do them? In this article I will show you the advantages and disadvantages of the four most popular fad diets.

The Atkins Diet
Probably more than any other, the Atkins Diet has held a position of controversy. I mean, who would follow a weight loss diet that told you to eat fat and cut carbs. Well, tons of people! So let’s look at it more closely.

Pros — The diet has proven that people who follow it do in fact lose weight and improve their blood lipid profile(HDL LDL cholesterol and triglycerides). And if you love to eat meat and dairy and fats in large quantities this is surely diet heaven for you. However, you are steered away from eating carbohydrates, which is difficult for many people. That means that pasta, rice, potatoes, bread and whole grains and even fruits are off limits. Yet the diet claims that once you successfully cleanse these from your system by eating nothing but proteins and fats, their cravings disappear.

Cons – Since this diet is based on a no-carb regime, it begins losing its traction and benefits when even “low-carb” items are eaten. Atkins essentially eliminates an entire macronutrient all together. In terms of non-weight health issues, this diet does place a lot of stress on the body, forcing it into a state of relative ketosis, or the “I am sick” state. This creates marked energy loss, tiredness, and lack of energy available for exercise. If you’re going to stay active and exercise regularly, your body needs some carbohydrates from healthy food sources.

Conclusion — Making yourself ill to lose weight does not seem as important as being robust and healthy with the drive and energy for all life has to offer. In short, Atkins is an unhealthy way to lose weight.

South Beach Diet
Like Atkins, South Beach is a low-carb diet, but somehow managed to be structured in a way that didn’t bring on controversy.

Pros – The biggest pros of this diet is that it does bring with its weight loss aspect other positive health results, including reduction in triglycerides, blood sugar and blood pressure while raising good HDL cholesterol. The diet provides a simple form to follow, as it does not require people to track caloric intake with too much detail. It conveniently places foods in various lists to choose from. It also offer a tiered system designed to work back in more of the foods you would like to eat.  Thus making it a more sensible approach but with a definite shock factor to kickstart it initially.

Cons – The biggest complaint from dieters is the difficulty of the first phase of South Beach due to its tight food restrictions. In fact, they are so restrictive that even the author doesn’t recommend people stay there more than a few weeks. This makes it even more difficult for its followers to transition into the second phase of the diet where they are allowed to slowly re-introduce carbohydrates. There are no true guidelines to the quantities that are allowed in this phase and most followers report that the urge to carb load becomes extremely overwhelming.

Conclusion — For the most part this is not a terrible diet. It begins with a no-carb, low saturated fat phase then slowly brings you back into a more balanced eating approach. However, the diet is a bit “dated” in that it emphasizes the glycemic index of foods. This causes the diet to recommend quite a few foods that have a high glycemic load, as this concept was not really understood until after the book was written.

The Zone Diet
The Zone Diet isn’t a low carb diet but it follows a pie chart of macronutrients: 30% of the calories derived from protein, 30% from fat, and 40% from carbohydrate. And it is the strict balance of this equation that leads to the success or failure on the plan.

Pros – According to Dr. Sears, the founder of The Zone, if you are able to maintain a 30/30/40 balance of protein/fat/carbs then you will successfully maintain steady blood sugar levels. When insulin production is at the correct levels your body is able to effectively burn fat. The best part of this diet is that its proponents claim to have elevated energy and mental alertness and many athletes subscribe to it for this very reason. What’s more, with stable blood sugar comes a decrease in cravings for simple carbs and sugar laden foods, so weight is easier to keep off.

Cons – You have to follow a strict guideline of portion control, even when hungry in the initial stages. Also people say the rules are difficult to follow and the structure requires quite a bit of time to plan out meals and stick with its restrictions. If you don’t pre-plan your meals or portion them out in advance, it is extremely difficult to stay within the guidelines.

Conclusion – It is true that athletes say the diet gives them more energy. Yet many sports nutritionists and trainers are now saying their athletes are bottoming out during practice and games after long bouts of Zone dieting. This, they claim, is due to the lack of complex carbohydrate intake. Though, this is still avoidable within the Zone standards.

The Low Fat Diet
Pros - Eating low fat can be an effective way to eliminate harmful substances from your diet, including trans fats, hydrogenated oils and excessive amounts of animal fats. These, as we know, have been linked to several serious health issues including heart disease and various types of cancer.

Cons- Eating low fat substantially decreases your intake of an entire macronutrient that is critical to your overall health. As I’ve pointed out in other articles, there are definite benefits from eating the right fats, including the infamous saturated fats. Eating the right fats supports heart health and a healthy metabolism, and therefore is a critical tool for weight management.

Conclusion - Your body needs a steady, consistent intake of fat to properly dispose of stored fat, so why would you drastically restrict fat if you’re trying to burn it off? “Low fat” has also become synonymous with “high sugar” in most foods, so eating a low fat diet simply is not an effective weight loss tool.

The Bottom Line
All of these diets bring both positive and negative aspects to the table. So what’s the best approach to take? The best advice I can give is not to follow any fad diet. Rather, you must educate yourself in the pros and cons of all aspects of nutrition and focus on eating clean, quality calories.

When all is said and done, a healthy diet must contain a balanced combination of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, fruit, vegetables and plenty of water. This will ensure that you’re eating to support  ANY of your fitness and wellness goals.

So if you’re considering jumping on one of these diets in 2010 to meet your weight loss goals, you might want to reconsider. We are still offering a more effective way to achieve your fitness goals this year. Until the end of January, we are giving away 3 FREE Personal Training sessions when you purchase a package of 12 sessions or more. Don’t miss your opportunity to pursue your goals the right way this year. Call Mike at 888-872-7961 ext.1 to get set up for your free trial with one of the area’s best personal trainers!

Is Fitting Into An Old Pair of Jeans Better Than Sex?

Sorry for the provocative subject line but it is a quote I heard when watching the news the other night that left me to ponder its validity.

Here we are, starting out 2010 with a clean slate! This is a time when most people start reflecting on the improvements they want to make in the upcoming year. Amongst others, getting in shape seems to become an important goal for a lot of people as the new year turns.

However, here are the sad statistics…

Despite our best intentions, only about 5 percent of people
who set New Years resolutions actually achieve them. A big
part of this failure comes a result of not developing a true
action plan for achieving success. A goal without an action
plan is nothing more than a daydream!

This is where the help of a fitness professional can become
extremely powerful. Our personal trainers not only help you
create effective exercise programs, they also serve as fitness
and life coaches. They will help you set challenging, yet
realistic goals, then will assist you in executing a plan that
gives you the results you want, need and deserve!

So, I come to you today with a challenge AND an irresistible
offer. I don’t want you to be part of that 95 percent of
people who fail to achieve the goals they set out so eagerly
to accomplish in 2010. If you’re willing to put in the work,
our trainers are ready to help you achieve your fitness goals!

There may be several barriers that will make it more challenging for you to pursue fitness success, so I’d like to do my part in making sure that money IS NOT one of them! Until January 31st, you will receive 2 FREE Personal Training sessions when you sign up for a package of 12 sessions or more. Add in your free trial session, and that gives you 3 FREE sessions! Or 15 for the price of 12.

Here’s what one of our happy clients recently had to say:

“Yeah, it’s true that it’s not cheap to do this, especially these days, but I can safely say this was one of the best and easiest choices I’ve ever made, and given the chance I’d make the same choice over and over again. Working with Ashley was the absolute best investment I could have ever made in myself, and I hope to continue working working with her to get that PT score up higher and higher.  Thank you guys!”
- Jaime G

Like Jamie, we’ve helped over 400 clients reach their health and fitness goals.  So make the investment in your health like Jamie did.  But hurry, this special deal only lasts through the end of the month.

Stop making excuses and make 2009 the year you REALLY DO ITl! You can reach Mike at 888-872-7961 ext. 1 and he’ll get you matched up with the trainer that is right for you based on YOUR goals.  Then receive a FREE In-Home, 1 on 1 consultation with them.

You have nothing to lose except unwanted weight and fat! If our program isn’t right for you, there is no obligation to commit!

And heck, we even guarantee your success or you get your money back.  We know that if you do everything that your trainer lays out for you to do, you can’t not see great improvement in your health and fitness.

We can’t snap our fingers and POOF your fat is gone… but we can work with you step-by-step, showing you exactly what you need to do to get rid of excess fat once and for all… Forever!

So imagine yourself once again wearing that pair of jeans that has been hanging in your closet and that you haven’t been able to wear in years.  How good will that feel to put it on and button it up comfortably?

Here’s to a happy, healthy and purposeful New Year!

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!!

by: Dennys Passeto

For years, the media has come to vilify saturated fats in all of its forms. These  include butter, red meat, cheese, and the most talked about culprit - coconut oil. While some research would suggest that saturated fats are associated with a host of serious diseases, is it possible that saturated fats can also have some major health benefits?

The short answer is yes! There is a form of fat called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which is a natural form of healthy fat that occurs in meat and in the dairy from grass-fed animals such as cattle, bison, deer, goats, etc. CLA has been shown to provide many health benefits, including lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol and increased levels of HDL
(good) cholesterol.

While CLA has been proven to be beneficial to your overall health, keep in mind that not all saturated fats are created equal when it comes to their CLA content. Only meats and dairy products that come from grass-fed meats contain the most natural form of CLA. Typical grain-fed meats that are typically found at your local supermarket only contain about 20% of the CLA content that is found in the meat from ruminant animals.

Coconut oils have also been one of the most criticized forms of saturated fat by the media. Yet, study after study has been conducted, only to discover that coconut oils can actually lower your cholesterol, boost your metabolism, and decrease your waist size. Unlike other fatty acids that have been publicly accepted as healthy, coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides.

For all intensive purposes, medium-chain triglycerides are small enough to enter the mitochondria of your cells directly. This enables your cells to use these fatty acids for energy immediately. Otherwise, fat would be stored for later use. When fat is being used for energy instantly, it won’t have a negative effect on your body composition.

Overall, many saturated fats perform a critical role in allowing our body to absorb certain fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E and K. They also play vital roles in the health of our bones, joints, and immune system functions. Probably the most powerful function of saturated fats for the general public is the fact that they actually slow down absorption from our foods, allowing us to go longer without feeling hungry. This sounds like a critical piece to the weight loss equation if you ask me! However, keep in mind that fat is the most calorie-dense macro-nutrient, so should be consumed in moderation when trying to support weight loss efforts.

The fact is, saturated fats provide a concentrated source of energy in the body and help provide the building blocks for a variety of key hormones. Without these building blocks, your body would not be able to perform everyday functions that are essential to life.

A great example of this is that the media encourages us to replace butter with lower-fat, “healthier” substitutes like margarine or other artificial spreads. These alternatives that are marketed as healthy replacements contain hydrogenated oils that are produced artificially (man-made) and their altered form has been linked to a host of
life-threatening illnesses. Yet, these products continue to be promoted as health foods.

The popularity of these replacements over otherwise healthy saturated fats represents a triumph of advertising duplicity over common sense!

It all comes back to eating a healthy, balanced diet that is comprised of natural foods. And yes, saturated fats occur in natural foods!

These nutrition tips combined with a sound exercise program will get you on the road to achieving ANY fitness objective. If you feel like you’re already on the road to success - great!  But if you know someone that needs a little extra help, we’d like to let you know that we offer Gift Certificates for all of our personal training services.

If you’re looking to get an early jump on your holiday shopping, simply pick a package that you would like to give to a friend, co-worker, or loved one and we will send you a very nice certificate to give as a gift.

And since we hardly ever think about ourselves during the upcoming holiday season, I’ve got something special FOR YOU!

Sign up for a package of 12 sessions or more by Nov. 30th and we’ll give you a 3 session Jump Start Gift Certificate Absolutely Free to give to anyone of your choice.  This is a $300 value!  You can see it on our website for yourself: Jump Start Personal Training Package. The only requirement is that the individual reside in the Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia Metro area.  So go ahead, get your metabolism ready for the holiday debauchery starting now and cross a gift off of your list for a friend or family member.  They will BOTH thank YOU for it.

Call Mike to take advantage of this great offer at 888-872-7961 ext. 1.  Don’t miss this opportunity to get yourself and your loved ones back into shape for 2010!

There’s a nasty word out there in the weight loss world, and it’s “fat.”  Everyone is trying to lose weight, to lose “fat.” All the diet foods are labeled “fat free” to be appealing to dieters, even if they are laden with sugar. When people see an overweight person they say, “Oh man, look at that fat person.”

But fat is not just a bad word. In fact, there is an entire family of fat that is beloved by healthcare professionals, dieticians and is healthy for you.  In fact, these fats are not only healthy they are essential for your body and can aid in weight loss efforts. They are known as Omega, or the Omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3s are the good-for-you unsaturated fatty acids comprised of the polyunsaturated trio of a-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

While the Omega-3 fatty acids are the big buzz word of today where healthy living and weight loss are concerned, they were discovered way back in the 1930s. During that decade it was found that these polyunsaturated fats were actually necessary for normal human growth to occur.

In the 1970s researchers studied the diets of the Eskimos of Greenland and it was discovered that two of the 3 Omegas (DHA and EPA) were essential to heart health. These fatty acids were eaten in large doses via the Eskimos’ seafood-rich diet. Moreover, they showed almost no cardiovascular disease as these Omega-3 fatty acids naturally reduce triglycerides and arterial plaque while reducing heart rate and maintaining healthy blood pressure. What an amazing family of fats!

Now where most supplements have to add the tag line “these claims have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration,” two of the three Omegas HAVE been evaluated. In fact, EPA and DHA have both been awarded “qualified health claim” status by the FDA.

Here’s the statement from the FDA: “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA [n-3] fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”

The Canadian Government has done additional research and has publicly stated: “DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, supports the normal development of the brain, eyes and nerves.”

As one might guess, with the rise in popularity of the Omega-3 fatty acids, advertisers are producing supplements and adding it to foods or just prominently labeling those foods that already have these good fats in them. A diet high in fish is all that is needed. But for those of you who either don’t enjoy fish or who want more Omega-3 in their diet, the places to get the highest dose are in fish oil and flax oil supplements.

No matter how you look at these Omega fats, they are good for you and essential for health. Who said all fat was bad?

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!