Omaha Personal Trainer - Black Clover Fitness Body Transformation

The Importance of PWO

2012-01-24T11:32:00.000-08:00

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People often ask me what the most important meal of the day is. Without hesitation, I answer with breakfast. This is a no brainer here. We must jump start our metabolism from a long night of sleep, and what better way to do that than with a nice healthy breakfast.

But I'm not here to talk about the importance of breakfast, rather, I am here to discuss the 2nd most important meal of the day, the post workout meal.

Why is the post workout meal so important you ask? After a workout, your body needs to repair your muscles from the stress you just put upon them. Following intense exercise, the body is in a catabolic state, meaning it’s breaking down muscle to fuel itself, trying to preserve its pre-workout state. It’s during this window of opportunity, which is only open for 30-60 minutes, that the body optimizes its ability to replenish lost energy stores, namely muscle and liver glycogen. During this “open window” of 30-60 minutes the body begins muscle protein synthesis for muscle tissue recovery and repair, replaces fluids lost through sweat, and adapts to the stress of the workout.

The amount and quality of the post-workout meal will play a direct role in the how well your recovery takes place. The harder and longer you’re active, the more important it is to refuel the body for the next workout. In order to get the most out of your post-activity meal, it should be made up of carbohydrates and proteins.

Getting enough carbs post-workout is crucial to restoring the glycogen levels within the muscles. Glycogen within the muscle and liver is one of the fuel sources used during exercise.

The best option for a quick absorbing carbohydrate would be dextrose. Simply add dextrose to your post-workout protein shake and there you have it. If dextrose is not an option, ingesting good quality carbohydrates such as bread, fresh fruit, cereal, and chocolate milk provide enough quality carbohydrates to begin refueling the muscles with lost glycogen.

The next macro-nutrient, protein, is an important part of the post-activity meal. Protein consumed within the “open window” of recovery should be about 20-30 grams. Protein is important because it provides amino acids, which are the building block for muscle, and ensures a positive protein balance, which means the protein synthesis exceeds protein breakdown. Because protein is broken down during activity, failure to consume protein can lead to muscle loss.

The best option for PWO protein would be whey protein. You can buy this in powder form and like mentioned above, mix with your dextrose to complete your shake. Liquid is absorbed much faster than whole food, which is why it is highly recommended for PWO. If protein powder isn't an option, opt for eggs, meat, chicken, or fish mixed with a carbohydrate source mentioned above.

There you have it. Protein shake mixture is option #1, and if not available, go with the whole food option. If both are options, opt for the shake, then eat the whole food combo an hour later. Your body is now set to replenish and rebuild from the workout!

www.livestrong.com
www.t-nation.com

Seven Myths about Weight Loss

2012-01-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

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There are many things that you will hear people say when it comes to weight loss. Some are going to be true, but also you will hear many that will be myths as well. Now how do you know whether they are true or not? Some people learn from experience, but also many people know through knowledge. Below are seven ideas that people believe to be true when it comes to weight loss, but unfortunately they are myths:

1. “Eating late night will cause you to gain weight.”

It really does not matter when you eat, just as long as you keep within your calorie limit. Any extra calories that you intake your body will store as fat, so if you are within your calorie limit, go ahead and enjoy a healthy midnight snack.

2. “If you cut down your calories drastically, you will lose weight faster.”

When you cut down your calories drastically all at once, you will make your body turn into “starvation mode.” So the calories that you do consume, your body will be forced to hold onto in order to maintain your weight.

3. “If you skip meals, you will lose weight.”

Much like the statement above, if you skip meals your metabolism will actually slow down, which in turn will prevent you from burning the calories throughout the day. That is why breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it helps kick start your metabolism.

4. “You should eat healthy 100% of the time.”

First and foremost, it is very difficult to eat healthy all the time. Even the most fit and athletic people like to indulge in their favorite non-healthy foods from time to time. As long as you keep it to an 80%/20% ratio in healthy foods to non-healthy foods, you will be fine. Having the OCCASSIONAL cheat meal will help you keep your sanity and help you keep yourself motivated towards your fitness goals.

5. "Spot reduction is possible.”

Whenever you turn on the TV, you hear commercials preaching that if you take this magic pill, you will lose five pounds of belly fat, or use this ab machine only, you will get rock hard abs in a short amount of time. When you lose weight, you lose it evenly over the body, not just in one spot.

6. “Since you workout, you can eat whatever you want to.”

Just because you go to the gym and burn 500 calories, does not mean you can go to McDonald’s afterwards and eat three chicken sandwiches and think you are going to lose weight. Those three sandwiches will account for roughly 1000 calories. So that workout you just had did you no good. You will need to stick to an evenly healthy diet.

7. “All carbohydrates are bad.”

First off, carbs are your fuel source when you exercise. So completely cutting them out of your diet, you will just feel exhausted and not be as motivated. That being said, there are also good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs you get naturally, like from brown rice, whole grain foods, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Bad carbs come from refined and processed foods that are usually high in sugar and white flour (candy, baked goods, white pastas and sodas, just to name a few.)

So make sure you do not always believe in what you hear other people say when it comes to weight loss. There will always be facts and myths when it comes to this, just make sure you know the difference between the two.

Power of Positive Thinking

2011-12-27T11:59:00.000-08:00

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I'm sure that you have all heard Winston Churchill's quote or something along the lines of it, "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." This is a very profound statement as it is so true. I'm also sure that you can all relate that when you embrace a positive attitude everything in life just seems so much better. Then when you feel down and out about things you will only hear others telling you to be positive and happy. So why not be positive more often? In relevance to the world now, specifically football, Tim Tebow is a great example of positive thinking. His positive nature is brought forth from his strong faith in God but anyone can carry the same positive attitude with them throughout the whole day. His positive and encouraging demeanor for himself has transferred over to his teammates making his whole team better. Some people like to call it the "Tebow Factor", but when it comes down to it it is the power of positive thinking that allows him and the team to continue to win.

In terms of positive thinking toward exercise if you go into a workout with a ho-hum attitude most likely you are not going to reap the great benefits of the workout. Whereas if you go into a workout all energetic with a positive attitude you will have a great workout and feel pumped up and experience greater success throughout time. Everyone can most likely relate to the fact that when you are positive going into the workout you will flat out work out with more intensity. I know that it is tough to go into every workout feeling great but if you go into the workout with a positive attitude it will help you break though the low energy levels; mind over matter!

A story that I was told many years ago that demonstrated the power of positive thinking involved a train worker that was accidently locked into a refrigerated train car. After several hours of banging on the door to have someone let him out he began to worry that he would not be let out and freeze to death. He found some paper and a pen and started to write a journal stating how he was getting colder and colder and was going to freeze to death because of the refrigerated train car. In his last entry he said that he could no longer take the pain of the bitter cold and was really going to die. A day later he was found in the train car passed away while laying in the corner all cuddled up The workers who found him found the journal entries baffling as the refrigerated train car hadn't actually worked for several months. This man's mind actually took over his whole body as he talked himself into thinking that the refrigeration unit was actually on. Some sources have stated that this is a true story. Whether this is a true story or a fable of his actual death it sums up that power of the mind.

So next time that you go into a workout go in with a positive mindset and your intensity levels will peak from the power of positiveness!

Make It A Fitness Holiday Season

2011-12-13T13:33:00.000-08:00

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With the holiday season around the corner, I'm sure plenty of you are going crazy with what to get for your loved ones. Well, I am going to offer a few suggestions for the health and fitness buff in your household. Here are a few options that everyone can enjoy:

For the runner – How about a new treadmill? There are many options when it comes to treadmills. I would suggest a quality brand when it comes to treadmills. And, if you are going to be logging plenty of miles on it, I would opt for a commercial quality style as well. The extra cost upfront will payoff in the end with the extra quality components. Also, go with a warranty. You never know when you may need service and how much it may cost. Play it safe.

For the muscle builder – I really like the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells. The nice thing about these dumbbells is you can adjust the weight from 5 – 52.5lbs with the twist of a dial. You won't need to spend a lot on a complete set of dumbbells if you go with this option. And with a trusted name in Bowflex, you are know you are getting a quality product.

For the family – How about a Nintendo Wii? Yes, I am serious. Have you seen how innovative this system has become with fitness in mind? You are up off your butt and using the controllers and your body to play these games. They offer fitness games, Yoga, Pilates, and all sorts of sports games for the youngsters. For an active family, this would be a great buy especially on rainy days.

You need music right? How about grabbing the newest mp3 player on the market? I personally feel music can make or break a workout. You can set up your play-list to your liking and kick the workout in the butt. And with all the options for downloading songs, your options are endless.

GPS – Yes, GPS for running. The new Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver is a watch you simply wear while running. It will track your precise speed, distance, and record pace data. You can also analyze the info with Motion-based, which provides online mapping and route sharing.

These are my top 5 suggestions for holiday fitness gifts. I hope this helps with your fitness minded family and friends.

Interval Training Versus Running

2011-11-29T10:46:00.001-08:00

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We all know that cardio is an important factor in our workout routine. It helps keep the heart rate up, metabolism rocking high and makes for a great feeling afterwards (even though we mostly curse at it before and during it). What many people do not know, is that there are different ways to get your cardio in other than getting onto the treadmill, elliptical, stair master, etc. and just run, step, or pedal for what seems like forever. One of the most effective ways to burn calories faster, keep the heart rate up, and to challenge the body is do what is called interval training.

I know from personal experience that sometimes running on the treadmill for 30 minutes feels like it takes forever, and seems like it takes up too much of your day. An alternative to running for long periods of time is to do intervals. This will save time, make cardio more enjoyable, and helps challenge the body to new heights. Now what do intervals consist of you ask, I will break it down for you. Intervals are simply doing the cardio part for a certain amount of time, rest, and repeat.

Speed of the cardio should consist of a fast jog or a sprint, depending on your ability level. Resting part of intervals can be anywhere from a walk, jog, or simply jumping onto the sides of the treadmill for a certain amount of time. You simply repeat that process for as many times as desired. Best part about intervals, is that it literally cuts the amount of time one does the cardio in half, while still burning the same amount of calories, and is still challenging at the same time.

I know it does sound confusing, but below I have broken it down into ability levels, different interval routines, and the differences between running on a treadmill compared to intervals. Now there is a progression on intervals, so make sure not to overdo it. These can be both fun and a change of pace of what you may be used to. I say try it out, and let me know if you have any questions about them.

Intervals:
Level 1 – Run 10 seconds, rest 20 seconds, repeat 20 times (10 minutes).
Level 2 - Run 15 seconds, rest 15 seconds, repeat 20 times (10 minutes).
Level 3 – Run 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, repeat 20 times (10 minutes).

Now you can adjust the amount of times you repeat it or the length of time you run, but starting off with 10 minutes is a good start.

Calorie breakdown between running and intervals for a 165 lb male:

Running at 6.0 miles per hour at 30 minutes at an incline of 0 = 450 calories.

Interval running at 7.5 mph for 15 seconds, jog 4.5 mph for 15 seconds, repeat for 20 minutes at an incline of 0 = 450 calories.

Breakdown: Same amount of calories burned in less time while performing intervals. Nice little change to your usual cardio routine.

Healthy Appetizers for Football Season

2011-11-14T08:19:00.001-08:00

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With football season now in full force home parties are being held to cheer on their team with friends and family members. While these parties are a good time they are also usually a huge hindrance to continuing on with healthy eating. So the next time that you are throwing a party or going over to someone else's place to watch the big game try making some of the following appetizers to help keep you on the healthy eating trail. Some of the easiest things to fix up for everyone to have would be some sweet potato fries, ants on a log, or

shrimp with cocktail sauce. In addition to those simple appetizer fixings another healthy option would be to make a vegetable pizza.

Sweet Potato Fries

In order to make the sweet potato fries just cut up a sweet potato into fry strips and place it on a baking sheet with approximately 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil. Place into an oven preheated to 450 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until the fries are crisp.

Ants on a Log

Ants on a Log are simply raisins, peanut butter, and celery. Spread some natural peanut butter on a stick of celery and place some raisins on top of the peanut butter to give it the look of ants on a log.

Vegetable Pizza

The vegetable pizza will take a bit longer preparation time but it will be well worth it in order to stay on track with healthy eating and please all of the other game watchers. Ingredients consist of 2 8oz cans of whole wheat crescent rolls, 8oz of fat free cream cheese, 1 tsp of dried dill weed, 1/8 tsp garlic powder 1/2 cup of small broccoli florets, 1/2 cup of cauliflower florets, 1/4 cup of sliced cucumbers, and 1 chopped Roma tomato. You can add any other of your favorite vegetables to this as well. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees
and open both cans of dough. Separate the dough into 4 long rectangles and place dough into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan forming a crust. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown and then let it completely cool. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth and spread it over the crust. Top it all with the vegetables and then place in the fridge to continue to cool.

So now that you have a few healthier options to prepare for the next house party you don't have to worry about falling off track with your nutrition.

Game Day and Game Time Workouts

2011-10-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

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It is that time of the year again, where the weather gets cooler, and football is the main focal point for everyone, or for at least most everyone. When this miraculous season comes around, that also means hours upon hours of traveling, all day tailgating, or football parties at a friend’s house. Which all this can only mean a couple of things: Not exercising as much as you should on game day, over eating, and regretting the next morning of how much you did over eat.

This has happened to everyone, and the temptation seems to become harder and harder at this time of year. Don’t you worry though, there are a few things that you can do to make sure you can get through a game day with no regret (unless your team loses) and still have a good time.

Everyone loves to travel with their team to different and interesting locations and experience new environments around the country. Which you still can, and just because you travel, does not mean your workout stays home with your pets or that jacket that you forgot to bring with. All around the country, about 80% of all hotels will have some sort of fitness facility. As long as they have a few dumbbells and a cardio machine or two, you are set to go.

Traveling Workout

30-40 minutes is all you need, you can still get as good of a workout as you would back home. If you do not travel, then there should not be an excuse to get out and get a workout in before kickoff. A circuit workout (doing 5-10 different exercises one right after the other with little to no rest in between) completed 4-5 times will get your heart rate up, sweat rolling down your face, also make the rest of the day more enjoyable (as long as your team wins). Add in 5-15 minutes of cardio, you will easily burn 400-500 calories in a short amount of time. Make sure to hit every part of the body on your workout.

Game Time Workout

Now whoever said that once the game starts, you are done with your workout? I know I did not. This is where it can get fun yet very competitive. You are watching the game on TV, and a commercial comes on, instead of jumping up to get more food, pop down and hit those pushups. Another commercial comes on, jump up and do body weight squats. Another commercial, burpees, so on and so forth. You will burn at least an extra 15 calories per commercial break. Think of that, 15 calories/commercial break, an average of 16 commercial breaks per game (not counting halftime). Equaling out to be 240 calories on average burned just during the commercials.

Game Time Competition

Now this is where competitive side comes out of everyone. The Oregon Ducks mascot has a routine of doing pushups every time his team scores. Not just the amount of points they just scored their total amount at that time. Example: winning 24-7, Oregon scores a touchdown, up 31-7, he does 31 pushups, as when their score hit 24, and he did 24 of them. You can definitely bring his into your routine as well (substituting in different exercises per score). So strap on that ipod, get motivated, and get that body moving on game day as much as you can, you will not be disappointed when you do.

The Ultimate Tailgating Tool!

2011-10-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

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Nobody loves tailgating more than myself, heck, it is a blast isn't it? The problem is, the food choices are not always in our favor. Well folks, I came across a fantastic device that will deliver some amazing tailgating food and in a healthy way.

Head on over to www.cancooker.com. Yes, that is my shameless plug, but honestly, it is amazing. Here is a little run down on cooker and how you can make it work in YOUR favor. Think of it as a healthier option to a crock pot.

The Can Cooker cooks all of your food with steam. No more deep frying your turkey for the game, you can steam it. This goes without saying is a huge step up in the healthy department. All you do is prepare which type of food you are going to cook with, and set it in the cooker. You will need a heat source, but that is all.

Place all of your healthy vegetables on the bottom of the Cooker and simply place the meat on top. Attach the lid, fire up your heat source, and wait for steam.

Easy right?

It generally takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes to see steam, but it also depends how much food you have loaded in the Cooker. Once the steam starts, start timing your food and sit back and relax with your friends. Once your food is finished, let it sit for a bit to settle, and remove the lid carefully.

Simple huh? There you have it, your healthy tailgating food is finished.

I don't know of an easier way to cook your food with your friends in such an easy, healthy manner.

The recipes are endless, use your head here folks and cook healthy. If you are interested in some recipes that you can use with the Cooker, just check out their website as there are numerous recipes in which you could use and could turn them into healthier options.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy your healthy meal!

Peter's Top Foods for Refueling the Body

2011-09-20T11:12:00.001-07:00

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I would definitely say that I am in the majority of the population when I say that I love to eat. With working out 6 days a week I need to continue to refuel my body from each workout and prepare it with the proper nutrients to be able to workout the next day.

My top 7 choices to help refuel my body are consuming a protein drink or bar, chicken breast, brown rice, sweet potatoes,bananas, fruit smoothies, and almonds.

I'm not too picky when it comes to selecting a protein to drink. However, my preference is usually Myoplex. Most protein supplements are very good for you, it usually just comes down to what tastes best while keeping the carbohydrates low. Chicken is another of my top picks because of its high protein content.

Brown rice and sweet potatoes serve as great sources to get in healthy carbohydrates to help refuel. Brown rice contains a high daily value of manganese which helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, which are important for a healthy nervous system. Sweet potatoes contain antioxidant nutrients in addition to having anti-inflammatory benefits.

Bananas are a great source for potassium, which helps lower blood pressure and in turn helps with muscle contractions. I'm not a huge fruit eater to be honest so in order to get in my fruit I make a strawberry and blueberry smoothie. Both of these fruits are very high in Vitamin C. They also both contain a high percentage of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits to the body.

Lastly, almonds serve as a great source of healthy fat. Almonds are great for your heart and are great for reducing LDL levels. Not that I just live off of these foods but a good ratio of these 7 choices serve as a great basis for a good solid healthy eating plan. So next time that you head to the grocery store try to get these items added into your cart.

www.whfoods.org

E Insulan and it's Relationship to Blood Sugar

2011-09-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

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Many of us hear about insulin spiking in our body when we eat certain foods, yet we don't fully understand what this is and what it means. Hopefully this will help debunk the questions and give a better understanding.

First off, insulin release is mainly a body response produced by the foods we eat. Now, we can control this to a certain degree by consuming certain types of foods and when to eat and when to not eat these foods. I will get into this here is a bit.

The culprit = Carbohydrates. Carbs are basically sugar, and sugar is the culprit in insulin spiking. Now, like I mentioned before, you can control this to a certain degree. When we consume too many fast carbs, (fast carbs being basically sugar oriented foods), or going long periods of not eating, our bodies tend to up-regulate the blood sugar extremely fast. When we consume slow carbs or “complex” carbs, our bodies take longer to digest and the release of blood sugar is much slower causing a much less spike in blood sugar.

Now, how does this relate to insulin you ask?

Well, any sudden changes to your body in terms of blood sugar is bad. Insulin acts upon rapidly stomping down the blood sugar. Sounds good right? Well, not so fast. Insulin acts too fast and sometimes too good. It usually acts too good and will return the body back down to a level well below where your body's blood sugar was at before this. So think to yourself, if you were to eat a higher fast carbohydrate oriented meal, your blood sugar would spike and your friend insulin would come to the rescue to help regulate this rapid release of blood sugar in your body, only to moments later dropping your blood sugar to moderately lower levels. Make sense?

Here is how this works:

Insulin, for a lack of better words, feeds the muscles with the excess sugar from these meals. The amount of sugar being let into the muscles depends on the level of insulin released, which in turn is determined by the insulin receptors in the muscles. However, the bad news is, once this happens, it automatically shuts down your fat burning capabilities and starts your fat storing capabilities.

The logic is pretty simple. Think, with the massive amount of sugar going out into your blood stream, your body makes the assumption you are getting a massive amount of food. Since the load of food is obviously so significant that you need to store the excess energy.

So, to summarize and recap:

When you get a sudden blast of sugar in your system, insulin is released to protect you from it. The insulin tries to grab all the sugar and transport it into the muscles, shuts off your fat burning switch, and turns your body into a fat storing machine.

So your body thought it was getting a load of food from that meal I was talking about it early, remember? Well, since it was a fast carbohydrate meal, your body returns back to the blood sugar levels lower than where it was at before. So what happens now, it taps into protein as an emergency fuel source, more importantly, muscle protein. Muscle protein can be used as an energy source, and in this situation, it will. Do not get to this point people!!

In short, to stop this process from happening, eat small, frequent meals spaced out evenly throughout the day with complex carbohydrates paired with lean protein and fresh fruits and vegetables. This will keep your body functioning with adequate blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Sources:
www.bodybuilding.com
www.T-Nation.com
www.livestrong.com

Speed Training

2011-08-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

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Any person involved with sports will admit that the person who is fastest will generally have a great edge over any slower participant no matter what the sport.

However, speed training is highly overlooked for the general public when they are prepping for a distance race or just getting in shape to participate in a city league playing softball, basketball, or any other sport. They will typically just go for a long run to attempt to get in shape for their run or games; not allowing themselves the chance to compete at a higher level that they are capable of performing. Speed training is needed to help initiate the type II muscle fibers, otherwise known as the fast twitch muscle fibers. There are many drills that can be done to initiate more fast twitch muscle fiber recruitment. Any type of plyometric training (jumping), sprint drills (high knees, butt kicks, power skips), and resistance training will help improve speed performance.

The most basic principle to increase speed is by doing sprint intervals. An example of a sprint interval workout would be to sprint for 20 seconds followed by a rest time before sprinting again. Integrating these drills into your training program will help you increase your speed to help you compete at a higher level. So from now on out don't forget to incorporate speed training into your workouts!

The Pittman Journey

2011-08-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

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It all started, August 30th, 2009, team Trevor and Toni joined forces to tackle a goal which seemed so far away. After 2 years, and many sweat and tears, the 100lbs goal has become reality.

To say it was an easy transformation is too far fetched. There were days when it seemed so far off, yet Toni kept pushing. There were days when the workouts seemed too hard to obtain, yet Toni kept pushing. There were days where the scale wasn't moving, yet you guessed it, Toni kept pushing. And today, after the 100lbs mark has been reached and over 60 total inches dropped, Toni keeps pushing.

The journey has had many hills and valleys, which many face in losing weight. Yet, keeping a positive attitude and always reaching to obtain her goals is what lea us to the promise land. I can remember a few instances where it seemed like the end of the world on Toni's part.

For instance, one morning Toni slipped on the Power Plate and rolled her ankle. I can remember the look in her eyes and the sound of her shaking voice as she says to me in tears, “how am I going to lose 100lbs pounds when I hurt my ankle”? It seemed like the end of the world, yet Toni got up and finished the workout, and continued to push through the coming week with a slight set back.

I recall when Toni was first introduced to our 40lbs weight vest when doing our cardio sessions. I cannot write the words that she said to me, but you get the idea. And you know what, Toni wore it and pushed through the grueling cardio bouts.

Then came the strenuous cardio sessions, 15 miles jogging and 3 hours of the dreaded StairMaster to be done in a weeks time. Yes it was hard, but Toni pushed through. And to this day, when she is asked to do 20 plus miles a week on the treadmill, plus HIIT sprints, and StairMaster work in a weeks time, she pushes through.

Look folks, what Toni did is something special I have only shared with one other client, (still proud of you Nikki), yet it is something that is achievable with a positive mind set, solid nutrition, and great goal setting numbers. It is strenuous, it sometimes seems like the end of the tunnel will never come, but it will if the mind set is there. I cannot express how proud I am of Toni, and folks, Toni is not finished, we are on track to turn that 100lbs mark into 150lbs in the coming months. And have no doubt about it, it will happen.

Congrats Toni, we are all very, very proud of you and your hard work and determination!

Congrats to Our Very Own BIGGEST LOSER – Lost 100 pounds!

2011-07-21T14:52:00.001-07:00

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Hey guys, meet Toni – our very first 100-pound loser who is a MAJOR winner and a true inspiration! We’re so proud of her that we wanted to treat her to a special time in a stretch limo, out on the town with celebrity status for the day. She ROCKS and we want to congratulate her on her weight loss success. Check out her journey on this week’s video blog. You can do it too! Come on in and get started TODAY.

Resistence Training on the Road

2011-07-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

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With summer now officially here and lots of people taking their vacation time to travel it is tougher for most people to make it into the gym or sometimes even find a gym to get in resistance training while on their trips. There are numerous exercises that you can do in your motel room or even while out camping. In otherwords there shouldn't be any excuses to not get in any resistance training no matter where you may be. The basics that can be done without any equipment at all are the standard push-ups, squats, and crunches. However, doing just these 3 exercises may be boring after awhile if you are on a longer trip.

Every motel and camping park will have a chair, bench or picnic table to utilize to mix in a few other exercises. You can perform step-ups, dips, decline push-ups, bench jumps and many other exercises. An inexpensive and light piece of equipment to carry with your during your travels is a simple tubing band. With this you can then target all of your muscle groups while doing bicep curls, shoulder presses, squats, rows, and tricep extensions.

If you are simply wanting to escapse from the confines of the gym during a nice summer day even if you aren't on vacation run or bike over to the nearest park and get in your workout there while performing some or all of the exercises listed above. Enjoy your summer and make no excuses to not get in your resistance training.

Healthy 4th of July Recipes

2011-06-29T07:53:00.000-07:00

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TD's Summer Grilling Specials

Everyone loves to fire up that grill and toss on a special something for dinner. And with the July 4th weekend less than 2 weeks away, here are 2 of my favorite healthier grilling options:

Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh salmon; this will make 4 servings
2 teaspoons blackened or Cajun seasoning
1 small pitted avocado
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
4 whole-wheat buns, toast them, it makes a difference!
1 cup arugula
2 tomatoes, slice thin
½ cup thinly sliced red onion

Directions:
Oil grill rack, preheat grill to high.
Rub salmon on both side with seasoning, grill until cooked through, generally 3-4 minutes a side.
Mash avocado and mayonnaise in small bowl.
Spread some of the avocado mayonnaise mixture on each roll and top with salmon, arugula, tomato, and onion.
ENJOY!

Lime and Pepper Flank Steak Strips

Ingredients:
1 pound flank steak
1 large lime
Ground pepper or peppercorn

Directions:
Slice flank steak into thin, beef jerky type strips. I generally go against the grain and slice shorter strips versus going with the grain and cutting larger strips.
Place strips in a bowl and squeeze the lime juice on top of the strips. Followed by then adding the pepper or peppercorn.
Let sit for 45 minutes.
Oil grill rack, preheat grill to high.
Grill to liking, I generally cook only 3 minutes a side. This may change depending on how well done you like your meat.
ENJOY!

Atrophy

2011-06-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

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In the exercise community it seems that most people have the goal of losing fat and if they are losing fat they are succeeding. However, in the terms of muscle if they are losing, their muscles are undergoing atrophy and in turn they are not succeeding. Atrophy is simply defined as the wasting away and losing of muscle in the body. There are two separate ways for the body to undergo atrophy. One way is because of a neurogenic disease and the other is because of disuse (UMMC).

People with sedentary jobs and senior citizens with decreased activity can lose muscle tone and develop significant atrophy. For individuals in the disuse category they can gain muscle (hypertrophy) by beginning a weight lifting program and stop extra onset of atrophy.

As common sense would say an individual with muscle atrophy finds it more difficult to carry on daily activities because of their decreased amount of muscle than a stronger individual.

Atrophy can occur after only a few days of disuse. It is best to always keep resistance training in an individuals exercise program to prevent muscle atrophy. So those with sedentary jobs and those who are decreasing their activity make sure to add in a resistance training program to prevent your muscles from wasting away.

Muscle Hypertrophy

2011-05-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

Muscle Hypertrophy, you have heard the word tossed around before, but what is it? Muscle Hypertrophy is described as “the increase in size of muscle cells.”

Here is a scientific approach to Muscular Hypertrophy.

First off, there are also two different types of muscular hypertrophy, sacroplasmic and myofibrillar. Now, during sacroplasmic hypertrophy, the volume of sacroplasmic fluid in the muscle cell increases with zero accompanying increase in muscular strength. During myofibrillar hypertrophy, actin and myosin contractile proteins increase in number and add to muscular strength as well as a small increase in the size of the muscle.

Sacroplasmic hypertrophy is characteristic of the muscles of certain bodybuilders while myofibrillar hypertrophy is characteristic of Olympic weightlifters.

Now, the best way to obtain these two types of muscular hypertrophy is resistance training. The first measurable effect is an increase in the neural drive stimulating muscle contraction. Within only a few days, beginning individuals can achieve measurable strength gains resulting from repetitive use of the muscle. Now, as the muscle continues to receive increased demands, the synthetic machinery is up-regulated.

There are some factors that affect hypertrophy. Several biological factors such as age and nutrition can effect this. Hypertrophy occurs at in increased rate during puberty in males. Natural hypertrophy normally stops at full growth in the late teens. Muscular hypertrophy can be increased through strength training and other short duration, high intensity interval training, although those kind of exercises have little effect strengthening the muscles involved in respiration. Lower intensity, longer duration of anaerobic exercise generally does not result in very effective tissue hypertrophy; instead, endurance athletes enhance storage of fats and carbohydrates within the muscles. An adequate supply of amino acids are essential to produce muscle hypertrophy.

Sources:
Wikipedia
T-Nation.com
Livestrong.com

Spot Reduction Myth

2011-05-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

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Probably the biggest misconception about exercise is the notion of being able to spot reduce fat. A lot of the credit to why some believe that spot reduction is possible is based upon those infomericals you hear on television about the so-called new revolutionary device that will give you 6 pack abs.

While the equipment may strengthen your abdominal muscles, the fat that surrounds your abs is not 'owned; by those particular muscles. Simply based upon that general anatomy fact spot reduction of fat is by no means possible. Fat is lost in the body mainly dependent on their genetic makeup. When an individual exercises and begins to burn fat it turns into free fatty acids, FFA; which is then sent into and through the bloodstream to the working muscles. Because the fat is not 'owned' by a particular muscle group that is being used the body burns fat from throughout the whole body.

So if you are wanting have your 6 pack abs show through don't just rely on doing 1000's of crunches but in turn focus on doing full body work and cardio exercises to burn fat.

Weight Training Myths

2011-04-19T11:37:00.000-07:00

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“Won't I get big muscles from lifting weights”? In all my years of personal training, this is the most common question, remark, comment, etc., I tend to get from females. The short answer, NO! It is often viewed, that when lifting heavy weights, you will build big muscles. This may be the case for men, but not for females.

Let me explain.

This all has to do with testosterone. You see, men produce this at a rate where they can build muscle by lifting weights. Women on the other hand, cannot and do not produce enough testosterone naturally to do so. In fact, it is impossible for a woman to build huge amounts of muscle by simply touching weights.

You see the woman whom perform in bodybuilding competitions, and this is the generally consensus that all women will look this way if they touch weights. This couldn't be further from the truth. Many of these women are using a synthetic source of testosterone to produce this muscle mass. It is just not possible for the average women to look like this.

“Women who conduct weight training without the use of synthetic testosterone get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure shows these days.”

For more on this and more fitness myths, check out the link below:

http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/womenmyths.htm

TRX Suspension Training System

2011-04-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

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With us now in spring and summer coming up right around the corner do you have that beach body that you are ready to show off to others? With the winter blues hopefully behind everyone and on the verge of summer fun it's time to really trim the body fat down and tone up.

A great piece of equipment that can get everyone in shape is the TRX Suspension Training System; which we have at Black Clover Fitness and use for many of our workouts. Without lifiting a single dumbbell you can tone up your muscles and lose bodyfat while doing exercises that will target every muscle group in the body. It's as simple as using your own bodyweight as your resistance.

If you are an outdoor person you can even use the TRX outside by simply attaching it around a tree, pole, or other sturdy object. A core set of exercises that you can do on the TRX are push-ups, squats, bicep curls, triceps extensions, squats, leg curls, chest flyes, shoulder presses and rows.

In addition to those there are a plethora of abdominal exercises and many other large muscle group exercises that can be performed. The TRX is widely used for improving an individuals golf games and other sporting abilities. So if you are looking to get in that great summer shape adding the TRX into your workout regime may be the answer.

Tone Up for Summer in Omaha, NE

2011-03-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

With summer right around the corner, many people are searching for the right workout and diet to get them in summer shape in the shortest amount of time. After all, we all want to look our best in the sun right?

Below, I am going to show you some moves that can help tone up your body while using the Power Plate device. “Power Plate machines use the principle of accelerated training to stimulate the body's natural response to vibration. The vibrations transmit waves of energy throughout the body, activating muscle contractions between 25 and 50 times per second.”

Follow these simple ten moves to help get that body tone in no time:

1.Squat – Nothing compares to the basic squat. Plus, when incorporating the Power Plate, you are constantly contracting different muscles.
2.Push-Ups – Want more of a challenge? Place your feet on a Swiss Ball for more core work.
3.Static Squat Shoulder Presses – FYI, Static Squat is holding your squat position.
4.Static Squat Dumbbell Curls
5.Lunges – Alternate steps onto the Power Plate and incorporate a lunge.
6.Close Grip Push-Ups
7.Medicine Ball Oblique Twist – Perform while sitting on the Power Plate
8.Side Lunges – Place one foot on the Power Plate and perform the Lunge. Switch legs after time has finished.
9.Planks
10.Standing Calf Raises. Perform by holding onto the handles.

The Power Plate offers multiple settings such as vibrations and times. I suggest starting on a low vibration until you feel comfortable with the movements, same with the time.

Run through this sample workout as a circuit. Once ran through once, increase the vibration and time and go for a 2nd round. Perform 3 circuits, 3 times a week, and be on your way to a more tone body in no time.

Go get em!

Running in Omaha, NE

2011-03-07T08:12:00.001-08:00

With the warmer weather months right ahead of us I am sure that runners are ready to get outside to train for a race this coming year. Have you set a goal to run in a 5K or longer this year? If not lets make this the year that you set that goal and accomplish a run. Not only would it be a great goal to achieve but it will obviously improve your overall fitness levels. As is with most individuals who exercise their goal is to burn body fat and improve the overall health of their body.

Running is a great component to any fitness plan as it is a great fat burning exercise. In addition to the physical benefits that running gives an individual it is also a great stress reliever. Several studies have shown that runners are happier and in turn more energetic than non-runners. Another key benefit of running is that it will help increase bone density which will fend off osteoporosis. Getting back to fat burning, the main reason the general population runs.

According to a research group at Syracuse University an individual on average will burn roughly 120 calories while running a mile; which is 40 more calories burned while walking the same distance. Adding an incline to the treadmill or hills into your running route will increase your caloric burn during your run and help you build more endurance. So are you ready to pick up your caloric burn and get signed up for a race this year?

Omaha and surrounding cities have several 5K and longer races throughout the whole year. Go to Omaharun.org for a short list of possible runs that you can partake in. Get signed up for the Run for Justin 5K for a good cause or go for the Omaha Marathon if you're really ready to tackle a longer run.

Complex Carbs vs Simple Sugars

2011-02-22T11:33:00.000-08:00

It seems lately, all we hear when talking diets are carbohydrates and how bad they are for you. Well is this really the case? In fact, certain types of carbohydrates may help you lose weight. But choosing the proper types of carbohydrates will determine this. Let's break down the two types of carbohydrates which you will find in your local grocery store.

Let's start off with the “good carbs”. These carbs are known as “complex carbs”, because foods containing complex carbohydrates maintain their natural water content, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A big plus is they help you maintain your fullness after consuming them. Carbohydrates that fall into this category are fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains.

The “bad carbs”, are known as simple sugars or simple carbs. These are usual processed foods. Foods containing these simple carbohydrates have had the nutrition removed from them, leaving you unsatisfied after eating and trigger overeating. This is all due to the increased insulin levels needs to balance out blood sugar levels. Our bodies can only handle so much sugar, any extra sugar is then turned into fat, leading to those extra pounds.

So let's review:

Complex Carbs: Vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, etc.

Simple Sugars: Most baked goods such as pies, cakes, cookies etc, white bread, soda, candy, pastas, and fruit juices which contain corn syrup.

So make sure you check your carbohydrates before eating them. This will not only help keep you full throughout the day, it will also help you keep those extra pounds off the waste line.

Source: www.tryingfitness.com, www.livestrong.com

HIIT Training in Omaha, NE

2011-02-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

Are you looking to break through that plateau to peak your fat burning in your workouts or are you wanting to increase overall cardiovascular endurance and speed? If either of those is correct performing High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT, workouts is the solution. Interval training has always been an important component to help make an individuals fitness levels excel and with more individuals knowing the benefit of HIIT more people are in the best shape of their lives.

There are several ways to perform HIIT but the general rule with this type of training is that you perform a cardiovascular activity typically at 75% or higher of your maximum heart rate for a short duration which is then followed by a short recovery phase before repeating the process again. An example would be sprinting for 20 seconds and then resting for 10 seconds before continuing on. The duration of the sprint and the recovery time can vary dependant on the individual and the exercise being performed. That cycle can be repeated as many times as needed. Tabata training is a form of HIIT in which the cycle is repeated 8 times in a row. Typically steady state running will have your around 60% of your maximum heart rate but with HIIT your heart rate is higher allowing you to burn more fat.

Anyone of any ability can perform HIIT cardiovascular workouts. Any form of cardiovascular workouts can be used such as running, biking, swimming, jump roping etc….So if you are wanting to truly get you on your way of building your best body and being in the best shape that you can be; implement some HIIT cardiovascular workouts into your workout program and you will be well on your way.

Good Fat vs. Bad Fat

2011-01-25T10:58:00.000-08:00

If I were to tell you, you could change your body and become a healthier individual by incorporating fat into your diet, would you do it? All too often, we hear how bad fat is for us. Don't get me wrong, excess fat intake is bad for your health, we all know that. But there is a type of fat out there that can benefit your health. Below I am going to break down the types of fat listed on nutrition labels on our foods and help you make the correct decisions.

1st off, the good fats:

• Monounsaturated Fats – Also known as MUFAs. Monounsaturated Fats lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while also increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). MUFAs help reduce your risk of heart disease, and help with insulin levels and controlling blood sugar. Some examples of foods containing higher amounts of MUFAs include olive oils, nuts, avocados, dark chocolates, and nuts.

• Polyunsaturated Fats – The fats also help lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Items such as salmon, corn, soy, safflower, fish oil, and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. This is the group where Omega 3 fatty acids fall under.

The bad fats:

• Saturated Fats – These fats raise total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. For the most part, saturated fats are found in animal products like meat, dairy, and eggs. Saturated fats are also found in some plant foods such as coconut oils, palm oils, and palm kernel oils.

• Trans Fats – There has been lots of talk of these fats lately. These are found in most packaged foods, as well as fried foods like French fries and fried chicken. They are also found in popcorn and in some cooking additives such as shortening and hard stick margarine.

Reading food labels can be very confusing, no doubt. Hopefully, after this short read, you will be able to choose the healthier foods options. Remember, eating quality fat will not make you fat. In fact, it will help you burn fat. It is up to you to make the right choices about which fat you are putting into your body!

Sources: Livestrong.com, American Council of Exercise

Break Up the Monotony of Winter with Alternative Workouts

2011-01-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

With the colder weather upon us this time of year everyone finds it hard to find different ways to get in cardio especially for those who are summer lovers and do not like to be out in the cold. During the warm times of the year it is easy to go outside for a long walk, run, or bike ride but with that being more difficult this time of year what can you do in order to keep up your cardiovascular endurance? So while you can do those cardio based activites inside on a treadmill or a stationary bike boredom will strike at one point or another after several months of the same routine without changing scenary other than changing the channels on the tv while inside. While the workouts here at Black Clover Fitness are always changing; what to do for cardio work on the off training days at the club here can be difficult but there are lots of fun exciting activites to do away from the club to help break those winter cardio blues.

Some simple exercises in order to raise your heart rate during the winter time while at home can always be walking or running on the treadmill at home (if you have one) but in addition to that implementing an interval circuit of jump rope, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, burpees, and boxing. Doing all of these in 1 minute intervals 5 times will give you a great high intense 25 minute workout without the monotomy of just continuously running. In addition there are always those at home workout videos for those who like them.

However, for those who are wanting to get out and about and not be tied down to the confines of their homes there is always cross country or downhill skiing options. Downhill skiing options are limited within the area but there is plenty of places to strap on some skiis for some heart beating cross country skiing or even snowshoeing. For those with kids, taking the kids out to a sledding hill can be a great hidden workout for you as a parent. Pulling the kids back up the hill or simply running around with them is a great way to get your heart rate up. For those really competitive ones with older kids how about racing them up to the top of the hill each time. Then again if you aren't a cold weather person you can either go to a local indoor swimming pool to swim laps or even find a rock climbing wall to get a little strength and cardio.

With those options and many other options available to keep your cardio going this winter you shouldn't suffer from those winter blues!

The Importance of Exercising As We Get Older

2010-12-30T12:59:00.000-08:00

Being in the fitness industry, I hear all type of questions. However, one stood out to me and I feel I need to address this sooner rather than later.

The question was, “Why is it important to perform resistance training as we age?”

This is a great question, because there are multiple benefits that come along with exercise as we age. In fact, it is very powerful in reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions. Below are some examples:

• Arthritis - Tufts University recently completed a strength-training program with older men and women with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis. The results of this sixteen-week program showed that strength training decreased pain by 43%, increased muscle strength and general physical performance, improved the clinical signs and symptoms of the disease, and decreased disability. The effectiveness of strength training to ease the pain of osteoarthritis was just as potent, if not more potent, as medications. Similar effects of strength training have been seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

• Diabetes

• Osteoporosis

• Back Pain

• Depression

• Strengthening of Bone - Post-menopausal women can lose 1-2% of their bone mass annually. Results from a study conducted at Tufts University, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1994, showed that strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70.

• Restoration of Balance and Reduction of Fall

• Proper Weight Management

• Improved Glucose Control- More than 14 million Americans have type II diabetes—a staggering three-hundred percent increase over the past forty years—and the numbers are steadily climbing. In addition to being at greater risk for heart and renal disease, diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Fortunately, studies now show that lifestyle changes such as strength training have a profound impact on helping older adults manage their diabetes. In a recent study of Hispanic men and women, 16 weeks of strength training produced dramatic improvements in glucose control that are comparable to taking diabetes medication. Additionally, the study volunteers were stronger, gained muscle, lost body fat, had less depression, and felt much more self-confident.

• Improved Sleep

• Health Heart Tissue

As you can see, it is vitally important to take control of your fitness levels. The sooner one can start on this; the faster one can get into shape. Remember, it is never too late to start, but why wait, when you can get started today.

Source: International Sports Sciences Association Fitness Journal

Setting Goals

2010-12-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

With new year’s right around the corner most people are reflecting on this past year and looking ahead to the new upcoming year. Not everyone sets new years resolutions for themselves because of previous year failures in being able to follow through and complete their resolution. However, if you are ‘smart’ in setting goals you should be able to achieve them. An easy acronym to help with your goal setting is S.M.A.R.T. Be Specific with your goal; too many times goals are too vague and allow for failure. If you state that you are going to work out 3 times a week state exactly what days of the week those will be. Make your goals Measurable.

For example if you are wanting to increase strength conclude that you will complete specifically ‘x’ amount of push-ups. Set a goal that is feasibly attainable. If you are only able to do 15 sit-ups in a minute don’t set a goal that you’ll be able to do 60 in one minute in only a few short weeks of working out. When you are succeeding in making progress toward your goal Reward yourself or let someone else reward you. Lastly set a Time frame. Setting a deadline will give you that extra motivation to work hard during the specific time frame.

Simple exercise that you can set goals for would be performing ’x’ amount of push-ups, holding a plank for ’x’ seconds, performing ’x’ sit-ups, and running a mile in ’x’ time. There is no need to wait until January 1st though, if you've already had the ambition to make changes in your health and fitness go ahead and start today. Evaluate your fitness and nutrition needs and make goals for yourself or meet with a personal trainer to help set your S.M.A.R.T goals. Once your goals have been set write them down and keep them in a visible area for you to see them on a daily basis. Get those goals set and work hard to achieve them!

Childhood Obesity

2010-11-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

Let's be honest, we have all heard of childhood obesity and realize it is a problem, but how big of a problem is it really? Is it finally time to do something or is it too late?

One of the most concerning stats of childhood obesity is that studies show that nearly 30% of the entire childhood population are overweight or obese and it is expected that if obesity problems continue uncontrolled, by the end of this year alone, nearly 50% of children population may be overweight or obese.

Now this stat alone tells me, this is a huge problem that could well turn into an epidemic.

In fact, almost 25% of obese adults were obese as children. This shows two things:
1. If not controlled, it will lead to obese adulthood and,
2. There is still hope that times can change with steps taken in the right direction.

Now, what are some causes of childhood obesity:
• The obvious, inactivity. More and more children have come accustomed to living life on the couch and not getting out and doing any physical activity. Because of this, they are not getting the recommended daily exercise they should.

• Parental neglect. Sounds odd right? However, more doctors now feel that parents with obese children are guilty of some form of abuse or neglect. There is dietary neglect where the parent is simply feeding the child too much food, or feeding the child foods high in sugars and fats. Also, some parents cater to the their child's sweet tooth.

• Too much TV. Watching too much TV is a problem as it becomes a substitute for other activities like swimming, biking, or playing sports. Watching TV, movies, and playing video games are not only sedentary activities, they also encourage constant snacking.

• Fast Food. This connection is widely acknowledged and undisputed by many experts in the field. Besides being inexpensive, a lot of fast food is extremely high in fat, sugar, salt, and starch. Take a look at your child's school lunch. Do you see the connection? With fast food being the cheaper option, It's no wonder they are serving burgers, hot dogs, french fries, pizza, soda, and tater tots on a regular basis.

How do we slow this down? After all, this didn't happen over night, nor will it go away that fast. I personally feel this shouldn't be as difficult as people make it out to be. Here is why:

• Get your children moving. There are numerous activities children can participate in. Get them involved early, and they will want to continue throughout their childhood.

• Play with them. Cannot find an activity your child wants to participate with others? Then you get up and get moving with them. Throw the football around, go to the park, or walk the dog, there are many things to do in order to get daily exercise.

• Don't buy junk food. Pretty simple huh. If it is not in the house, they don't eat it. Granted, you cannot control your child's eating habits if they are at a friend's house, but in front of you, you control it and you are to blame.

• Reward. If it comes to this, reward your child for their hard work. If they do X amount of exercise per week, or eat X amount of vegetables, reward them.

It's simple, changes can be made and they need to be made now. This is a problem, yet one that can be shrunk if proper steps are taken.

Water to Lose Weight….REALLY?

2010-10-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

What if I told you I have an effective weight loss supplement that is far cheaper than anything you have seen in stores and on TV? Would you be interested? After all, everyone is looking for that next “new” supplement to help them achieve their weight loss goals.

Well folks, here it is. WATER.

No lie, water can and will help you lose weight. How you may ask? I have listed a few ways in which this works for you:

1. Water suppresses the appetite. People who drink more are proven to be less hungry. It works as an appetite suppressant.

2. Water helps tone muscles. If your muscles are dehydrated, you won't see any toning, no matter how much exercise you do. Up your intake in water and you'll see a difference fast.

3. Water helps liver function. The liver metabolizes fat, which is very important when you are trying to lose weight. However, it requires a lot of water to do this successfully, and if it doesn't have enough, it will just store the fat.

4. A certain amount of water can make the body stop retaining water. If you usually don't drink enough, your body will have retained water to make up for it. This water retention can add pounds to your weight, and make you seem very bloated.

5. Water washes the toxins out of your body. Being in a good health is vital if you are trying to lose weight and nothing does it better than drinking water. Water washes out the toxins, making your body “cleaner” and healthier. This is a very important condition under which your body will be able to restore its balance and get into shape.

6. Water confuses hunger and thirst. It can be very easy to think you are hungry when in fact you are very thirsty.

7. Water helps lower cholesterol. Water has a drastic impact on cholesterol, and will reduce the levels in your body. This should help one slim down a lot faster.

As you can see, the benefits of water greatly outweigh the negatives here. So cheers, to a glass of water!

Eccentric Benefits

2010-10-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

I bet you didn’t realize that you could bring ‘negativity ‘ into a gym and actually make better results while doing so. It is possible, however, I am not referring to a negative attitude but instead a ‘negative’ movement with an exercise, otherwise known as an eccentric movement.

For example, while doing a bench press the eccentric phase occurs when you lower the bar down to the chest or when you raise the lat pull down bar back to the starting position. Another way to describe the eccentric phase of an exercise is by simply saying it is the portion of the exercise in which the weight is being lowered. An eccentric movement lengthens the muscle fibers during the exercise while a concentric (raising of the weight) movement is the shortening of the muscle fibers.

Most people typically only focus on the concentric phase of an exercise but when doing so they are not utilizing all of the benefits of an exercise that they should reap.

Benefits Of Eccentric Training:

-Greater Increases In Strength
-You are able to use a heavier weight with eccentric training causing more muscle trauma to occur which in turn allows you to have greater gains in strength.
-Recruitment Of Type II Muscle Fibers
-Type II muscle fibers are referred to as the fast twitch muscle fibers. These muscle fibers are utilized for more explosive power and speed.
-Longer Gains In Strength
-Studies have shown that individuals who have spent a lot of time focusing on eccentric training are able to maintain their strength for a longer duration of time if they become sedentary.

You can focus a whole workout around eccentric training, while loading up with heavy weights. If you are going to train solely on eccentric training the eccentric portion should be done at a slower rate, typically at a rate of around 3-10 seconds. If doing this type of training always have a spotter present to take the weight back to the starting position for you to return back to the eccentric phase.

Otherwise while doing any workout just make sure that you are never just letting gravity do its things. Keep everything nice and controlled during the eccentric portion of every exercise and you will be able to show better results!!!

Are you getting enough rest?

2010-09-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Are you getting enough rest??

“What does your 2:30 feel like? Sleepy, groggy, dying for a nap?" Sound familiar? We have all seen these 5 hour energy commercials, but why do we feel this way?

Perhaps it's a flaw in your nutrition, or perhaps it's because you are not getting enough shut eye. These are common characteristics we see on the “outside”, but what is going on in the “inside”, may be doing more harm than good.

Did you realize that not getting enough rest can affect your hormones in a negative way? It’s true. It harms them in more ways than one.

Below, I posted a link which shows research and facts which back this.

How important is a good's night sleep? Read on, and you may one individual going to bed a few minutes earlier each evening.

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/lack-of-sleep-hormones.html

Biggest Loser Weight Loss

2010-09-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

Well there is no need to debate the fact that reality television has peaked our curiosity as to what is real in life and what is not. Do you ever find yourself asking, “Was that set up?” “There is no way that could really happen!” Well the fact is reality television isn’t reality, even when it comes to the most believable life changing examples. Believe me, I know about it first hand. (I will save those stories for another time). The truth is that ratings pay the bills and if it’s at the expense of your health, well so be it!

In my eyes one of the most controversial shows on network television today is The Biggest Loser. “Oh I know, you love it, it’s just so amazing how they loose 10, 15, or even 20 lbs. in just one week.” Then you find yourself saying, wow if they can do it so can I! Then two weeks later you become bitter and frustrated with your workouts and results and find yourself in the same old rut……… Sound familiar? Well let me tell you that you are just one of millions that watch that show every week and get on the treadmill and say “I can too.” “Well, let me tell you something else, no you can’t.” Why? “Because it’s not real!”

Oh yes, these people you watch, they are going through a major transformation, and most of them drastically need it. The problem is it’s not happening in the right manner. No one should loose twenty pounds in one week, and it’s wrong that anyone would let you think it’s even possible. I have never seen done, nor should anyone ever try! The fact is everything looks like a week to you because the show only comes on once a week. Those results you see may have happened in two weeks or three or even less than a week. The fact is that it really doesn’t matter to the producers, just as long as you watch, and just as long as people keep saying to themselves “if they can do it, so can I”.

Let me conclude with this, proper weight loss should happen at no more than 2.5 lbs lost per week. Yes there are times it can be more, but sustained weight loss can’t occur when massive weight (10-20lbs) is lost weekly. Your metabolism has to increase along with the weight loss, if that does not occur, which is generally the case with massive weekly weight loss, there is strong potential the weight will be put back on. Please click on the link below and check out how one former contestant feels about the dangers associated with the “Biggest Loser”.

http://www.popeater.com/2010/06/21/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser/?sms_ss=email

Importance of Post-Workout Shake

2010-08-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

After you’ve taken the time to complete your workout suited to meet your goals, the next step is making sure you’re fueling that workout properly. You have about a one-hour window immediately after the workout is finished to provide your body with quality sources of protein and carbohydrates to kick-start the repair and building process.

Some guys make the mistake of skipping their post-workout shake thinking this will enable them to burn fat faster, but the opposite is true: If you want to reduce your calorie intake during the day, the worst place to take away calories is right after a workout because it’s during this time that your metabolism is running fastest -- so fat gain is least likely.

Below you’ll find the steps you need to take to create the perfect post-workout shake to build muscle.

Figure out your protein source

The protein you take in right after a resistance training session is quickly get broken down by the body and used to help repair the muscle fibers so you can grow stronger. Many studies have demonstrated that supplementing with whey protein powder immediately following a resistance training workout will increase the performance gains you get from that workout. Since you’re shooting for the fastest absorbing protein, a whey isolate will work the best.

Determine how much protein you require

For the average weight-lifting workout consisting of between 20 and 30 sets, you’re going to need approximately 25-50 grams of protein, which equates to two scoops of your whey protein powder.

Get your carbohydrate source

Once you’ve figured out your protein needs, then you must look at carbohydrates. Fat in this time period is to be avoided since it will slow down the release of the nutrients to the muscle cells, which is exactly what you don’t want.

In order to get the best results, you should aim to take a fast-acting carbohydrate right after the workout and then follow that with a slower carbohydrate in the hour afterward. This will help to spike insulin levels to drive the glucose into the muscle cells for quick recovery.

Dextrose is the best choice; however, any simple glucose food product will also work. One word of caution is to avoid fructose as much as you can because it is handled slightly differently in the body, being directed to the liver first rather than straight into the muscle cells.

Determine how many carbohydrates to use

To maximize muscle glycogen re-synthesis in the post workout session, you will want to add five grams of carbohydrates for every two working sets performed. Using our illustration of a workout consisting of 20 to 30 sets, this means you’re taking in 50 to 75 grams of dextrose.

Keep in mind that if you are looking to build more muscle mass, you can go higher with this intake to boost your calories and encourage lean tissue building. You will be most anabolic in the time right after your workout, so making use of this by placing a large portion of calories at this time is a very smart move.

To summarize, to create your post-workout shake you need:

• 25-50 grams of whey protein powder
• 5 grams of creatine (optional)
• 25-75 (or more) grams of dextrose

Mix all of this together and consume immediately after your cool-down has finished. Follow this with another meal that consists of a solid protein source, a slower digesting form of carbohydrates and a small amount of healthy fat an hour afterward.

If you want to maximize the results you get from your workout, the post-workout shake cannot be skipped. By getting this right, you’re one step closer to hitting your goals!

Importance of Pre-Workout Nutrition

2010-08-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

Are you wanting to maximize your potential in every workout?

More than likely 100% would answer yes to that; however, not everyone allows themselves the opportunity to perform at their maximum level because they are not fueling their body properly before the workout. You always hear about breakfast being the most important meal of the day but do not ignore the importance of the pre-workout meal.

Many individuals feel as though if they workout on an empty stomach that they will burn more fat during the workout. That belief is partially true but did you know that once the gycogen levels have been depleted that you then start burning off muscle tissue during your workout. I don't believe that anyone wants to be depleting their muscle tissue during a workout, no one has a goal of muscle atrophy but without fueling the body prior to their workout atrophy will be occurring.

The best options to eat before a workout are foods with a lower glycemic index level. Foods with a lower glycemic give you longer sustained energy that will carry you through the whole workout. Go to the internet to check out foods with low glycemic index levels.

When it comes to how much you should eat before the workout a simple rule of thumb is to consume around 150-250 calories 45-60 minutes before your workout. Within those calories should be carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; so do not limit yourself to a strictly carbohydrate based food selection.

If you are looking for specific pre-workout snack options ask us anytime and we'll be happy to help direct you to eating the right foods to fuel your body for the workout. Calorie means energy; so in order to gain that energy to give you that maximal exertion in your workout have your pre-workout meal.

Fun with Cardio

2010-07-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

Here’s the deal, I’ll be the first person to tell you that I absolutely DO NOT like doing cardio. ASK ANYONE! However, I will admit that it is a huge component when it comes to weight loss and overall health. If you want to lose weight you MUST DO CARDIO! No matter how much you hate doing cardio it is really the only truly effective way to hit and maintain that target heart rate and achieve maximum caloric burn.

Now I am sure that most of you out there are just like me in the sense that you would rather avoid doing cardio if you can because you find it someone boring and monotonous. If so, I am here to show you that it doesn’t have to be that way anymore. There are so many ways to make your cardio experience FUN. THAT’S RIGHT! I said cardio and fun in the same sentence. Here are just a few way to AMP up the FUN in your cardio routine.
My ultimate favorite cardio activity is cardio kickboxing because with this not only do you get an incredible workout and insane caloric burn but you get to release some unnecessary stresses by laying waste to something that won’t hit you back.

If you prefer running try new courses or if possible you best bet would be to find some sort of obstacle course where you could incorporate some sort of military style activities into your running adventures. Not only does this provide some fun for you but it also adds some strength training DURING your run.

For those of you who enjoy a good bike ride get online and look for some good off road trails (obviously there aren’t a lot of options for “mountain biking”) not only are they extremely fun but the constant change of direction and varying hill sizes provide for a fairly decent core workout.

And last but not least if you’re lacking some inspiration and motivation grab a friend, co-worker, brother or sister, whomever you like, and attend some sort of body pump or aerobic class to get your cardiovascular pump on.

Again these are just a few ways to spice up your cardiovascular activities. And remember never be afraid to get creative.

BCAA's

2010-07-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

BCAA stands for Branch Chain Amino Acids. They are one of the most overlooked and most effective supplements for anyone looking to build muscle and increase performance. Most people don't know how BCAA's affect their body, when they should be used, or what they even are.

A Little Background:

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and muscle growth. When you eat protein, your body converts the protein into its basic amino acids so you can absorb and use them. The amino acids you get from protein sources are called Essential Amino Acids (EAA). The reason they are called essential amino acids is because our bodies do not produce them naturally, and they must be obtained from outside sources, i.e. complete proteins. There are nine essential amino acids and they are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine. On the other hand BCAA’s only have three amino acids; leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAA's are simpler amino acids that are used to form muscle tissue.

BCAA's make up 35% of our muscles and have to be present in the body for muscle growth. On top of that, they are used to balance hormonal release and brain functions. When you are working out with heavy weights or doing extended periods of cardio, having a supply of branch chain amino acids can benefit you greatly. This is because, when you work out your body quickly depletes your glycogen storage and starts sending a signal to stop protein synthesis. This makes your body become catabolic, which is exactly what we don't want. When you introduce BCAA into your body during a period of high stress (weight lifting), you can reverse this effect and allow your body to continue its protein synthesis. This can lead to better muscle gains, faster recovery between sessions, and greater performance.

Supplementing:

When supplementing branch chain amino acids, you should have around 4-8 grams prior to your workout and 4-8 grams post workout. If you are taking a whey protein supplement that has the full range of essential amino acids, you do not need the post workout BCAA. With BCAA's you can take up to 15 grams to get an even greater effect on recovery and performance.

Another benefit is if you want to do weight training and cardio in the same session it is recommended to take your BCAA drink during your workout or right before your cardio session. This will prevent any unwanted muscle lose during your aerobic exercise and provide extra energy to finish. By ingesting BCAA's prior to cardio you will not hurt your fat burning power. This is because they do not get digested the same way that a normal protein source would.

Also, if you are doing an extended period of cardio, weight training, or sports activity lasting longer than 1 ½ hours, you should consume BCAA's sometime during the activity. This will help stop muscle breakdown that usually happens after an extended period of stress.

Summary:

Overall, branch chain amino acids are one of the most beneficial supplements you can add to your workout or sports training. They are very well researched and have been proven for a long time. If you already have a whey protein, multivitamin, and creatine supplement, this is a great choice to boost your gains to the next level and help retain muscle during a fat loss session.

Personal Responsibility and Nutrition

2010-06-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, one of the toughest parts about a weight-loss program is the nutritional aspect; eating right all the time is TOUGH! What we do not realize is the fact that a person’s nutrition is about 70% of the weight-loss and exercise is only about 30%.

So what this means is we need to put a higher focus on what we take in nutritionally the other 23 hours of the day, while we are not at the gym.

Here are three ways we can beat this food challenge that will hold you accountable for what you truly take in, and at that moment you will see what needs to be addressed and changed.

Write it Down

One of the most popular ways to hold people accountable for their nutrition is having them keep a food journal. This means write EVERYTHING down that enters your mouth; that includes all foods, liquids, and times those things were eaten.

This will be a great layout too see what weaknesses and strengths you have, and what needs to be changed to provide you with the utmost success.

Howdy, Partner

Now another great way to hold yourself accountable is to find another person to always check-in with you to make sure you are following your program.

This person could be a close friend that is trying to lose weight with you, it could be your personal trainer, or anyone you feel you can trust with making sure you stick to your guns. This also gives an outside view on your eating habits to see any other weaknesses that may not be as clear by yourself.

Let’s Make a Deal…With Ourselves

Lastly, a personal contract with yourself is another great way to hold yourself accountable on what you are eating during your weight-loss program.

Make a contract with yourself; type it up with rewards and limitations if you are successful in hitting your goal or if you fail to hit your goal. Sign the contract, make it binding with yourself and give a copy to another person who is close with you to help hold you accountable.

So if you find yourself struggling with your nutrition and not seeing any results, try one of these three great options to help overcome those struggles and start seeing that weight drop off.

If you have any other questions about self-control and weight management (or any fitness inquiry) please feel free to contact us today at 402.991.7700!

"You mean alcohol may actually help me lose weight? Really?"

2010-06-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, alcohol is not void of calories. Not only does alcohol contain 7 calories per gram (a close second to the caloric impact of fat), most drinks also have a fair amount of sugar. The sugar may be natural, such as in wine, or may be part of a mixer, like that used in margaritas and daiquiris.

It is quite obvious that regular, excess consumption of alcoholic drinks can lead to weight gain. Due to the many examples of excess, alcohol is frequently associated with the "beer belly."

However, scientific evidence suggests that responsible, regular, moderate drinking may actually improve weight control and may assist with weight loss. (Moderate drinking is defined as 2 drinks per day for males under 65 and 1 drink per day for females and for males over 65--one drink is equivalent to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.)

Relax, Have a Drink and Be Healthy!

Though the evidence is conflicting, it appears that fermented beverages, 1 such as wine and beer, have been shown to improve the body's ability to regulate weight through a variety of mechanisms including: improved hormonal status (DHEA), improved insulin sensitivity, increased energy expenditure and antiangiogenic effects.

Moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to increase DHEA up to 16.5%, which may account for some of its weight management effects. Among other roles, DHEA directly affects body functions related to weight gain; when DHEA levels drop, bodyweight and body fat increase.

Alcohol's Effect on Insulin

Moderate alcohol consumption may also influence insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, which drives sugar into the cells. Insulin also inhibits fat breakdown and promotes the storage of fat.

As people age or suffer from obesity, they become less sensitive to the effects of insulin, requiring greater levels of the hormone to be released. High insulin levels, caused by reduced insulin sensitivity, lead to progressive fat accumulation. By improving the body's ability to respond to insulin, moderate drinking appears to reduce the risk of excess fat gain and possibly promote fat loss.

What Kind of Calories am I Absorbing?

A third benefit of moderate consumption involves caloric intake vs. energy expenditure. Calories are burned by three main avenues: basal metabolic rate, thermogenesis, and physical activity.

Alcohol may increase thermogenesis in moderate drinkers. Regular drinkers may also see a reduction in the available calories from alcohol consumption, as they up-regulate the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system, a set of enzymes that dispose of alcohol without using it for energy.

Certain alcohols also possess weight management benefits specific to their composition. Red wine, for example, possesses components that have been shown in alternate uses to limit an increase in fat. "Angiogenesis" is a term that describes the growth of new blood vessels, necessary for growing active tissue.

Antiangiogenic compounds have been used as an adjunct treatment for cancer patients, and it has been observed that while blocking new blood vessel growth affects tumor size, it also prevents fat deposits from growing.

Don't Worry, Be "Hoppy"

An interesting final benefit of moderate drinking is linked to the hops in beer. The extract of hops, an ingredient used in the brewing of beer, has demonstrated weight loss effects in rats. Isohumulones are present in hop extract and have many properties that may lead to fat loss. By blocking the effect of digestive enzymes, hop extract appears to inhibit the digestion of dietary fat, resulting in decreased fat calorie absorption.

Isohumulones have been shown to reduce fat cell size in rats, improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood fats (triglycerides). In addition, isohumulones also increase lipid oxidation (fat-calorie burning), decrease fat storage and have an antiangiogenic effect.

Though the individual effects of increased DHEA, improved insulin sensitivity, increased caloric expenditure, antiangiogenic effects, and PPAR-receptor activation are likely of minimal potency, the combination may produce weight management benefits over the course of many years.

Remember though: the amount is key. One to two drinks, depending on gender and age. More than that and your body will have no choice but to store the calories as fat--not to mention battle all the other negative physiological effects of excess alcohol.

So cheers!--to alcohol in moderation.

If you have any other questions or comments about this issue, please contact us at 402.991.7700!

Another Six Pack Summer!

2010-05-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

7 Best Ab Shredding Exercises

Ladies and gentlemen, summer is upon us and that means only one thing, “Swimsuit Season”! If knowledge serves me correct, a great majority of the people out there decided to wait until summer was here to hit the gym in preparation for rockin’ those beach bodies on a boat, at a beach or poolside. Be that as it may some of you have been training hard all year around pushing yourself to the outer limits in search of the ultimate six-pack to flaunt for your summer in the sun.

Well, you are in luck! I am about to share with you 7 of the best AB exercises to sculpt that mid-section to look like it was carved out of stone!

1. HANGING LEG RAISES

This exercise is performed while hanging from a pull-up bar (use support straps if necessary). While hanging from the pull-up bar contract your abs while lifting your knees up to your chest and lowering them back down. (tip: limit the amount of swing in each lift by stabilizing your core by tightening your abs and back muscles)

2. MED-BALL TWISTS

Perform this exercise with a med-ball of appropriate weight in relation to ability. While seated on the ground with knees bent lean your torso back at a 45 degree angle and rotate the med-ball side-to-side touching the ball to the ground on each side. (Be sure to move the torso with the ball and not just your arms.) * For added difficulty lift legs off of the ground.

3. V-UPS

While laying flat on the ground hands over head raise your hands and legs up off the ground to from a “V” with your body. When at the top of this exercise your butt should be the only part of your body touching the ground and the back down flat on the ground and repeat.

4. STABILITY BALL ROLL OUTS

With a stability ball situate yourself into a plank position (resting your forearms on the ball with your feet on the ground). While in this position begin by rolling the ball forward with your arms ONLY! (Beginner: start by moving the ball 2-3 inches or until you feel your core muscles tighten and then back. Continue with this until you are advanced enough to roll your arms completely out and back in.)

5. PIKE UPS

While using a stability ball place hands on the floor and legs on the ball (be sure to maintain control of the ball and your body before beginning). While in this push-up position keep your legs stiff and raise your hips up toward the ceiling. (Modified version: knee tuck with bent knees)

6. RESISTED /or WEIGHTED STABILITY BALL CRUNCH

Laying on the ball in a crunch position rest a weight or medicine ball on your chest and perform a number of crunches and repeat. This exercise can also be done with a resistance band by anchoring the band to a solid base and pulling the handles over the shoulders and crunching upward.

7. TURKISH GET-UP

While this exercise is one for someone a little more advanced it can be done by beginners too. Using a kettlebell or a dumbbell, lay flat on the floor with one knee bent feet flat on the floor. Holding the KB or DB in one hand arm extended toward the ceiling, first movement is crunching up to your knee, second movement from crunched position using free hand to assist, stand up, third movement using core muscles to sit back down to starting position. When performed properly this should be done all in one motion. Perform this exercise each arm for the same number of reps.

With these seven AB exercises and proper nutrition you should be more than well equipped with the right tools for torching those ABS for the summer! Be safe and enjoy a little fun in the sun!

If you have any questions of concerns, please contact us at 402.991.7700!

What can Protein Do for You?

2010-05-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why health and fitness professionals emphasize protein in your diet? If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a hundred times!!!! How much protein should I be taking in, followed with, why so much?

Well let’s start with basic function of the gastric system:

Its number one function is to break down food as fast as possible and then empty that food into your small intestines which then transfers to the blood stream. It’s a simple catalyst to produce energy from food. Here is something else you need to know, some foods are easy to break down and others are not.

For example, sugar is broken down so fast that the only thing faster would be an IV running straight into your arm. The average hard candy can be metabolized in just minutes; for those of you that have kids, you know what I mean… As for protein, things take longer. Your gastric system has to work harder to break down protein to get it to the level of amino acid that can be absorbed into your blood stream. Why is this important? Well the longer that takes the less hunger pains you will have throughout the day.

So What Kinds of Food are Good for Protein??

I often recommend eating eggs or egg whites with your breakfast. What you will find is that you will have a sustained energy that is more fulfilling throughout the morning. The hunger pains you have in the late morning from just eating a bowl of cereal, or toast, or just a piece of fruit will be gone. This is do to the fact that protein lengthens your gastric emptying time, it just takes more time to break it down, and that is a good thing.

The average American losses anywhere form seven to ten pounds of muscle per decade. This is due not only to a lack of exercise but also a lack of protein in the diet. Most people just don’t eat enough; we generally eat too much sugar in its place.

How Much Protein do I Need?

Regardless of your activity level I always recommend that most women get at least 50 to 75 grams protein each day, for men I always recommend at least 75 to 100 grams. Now, understand this is what you need to sustain muscle mass, without protein in your diet you will lose muscle, and the more muscle you lose the more fat you will gain.

Reduce Your Intake of Useless Calories

2010-04-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

Here’s a useful tip which most people tend to forget about when dieting:
Reduce your intake of useless calories.

Many individuals add on to their meals calorie total by drinking sodas and juices. Clearly, research shows that this just adds calories. In other words, you tend not to reduce your food intake to compensate for this. In terms of calories, it's a whopping change to go from a regular Coke to a Diet Coke. Just think to yourself for a second. If you’re drinking 12 Cokes a week, and believe me, this happens very frequently, you are consuming roughly 1680 empty calories.

Now, why do I say empty calories? Well the calories in these sugar filled drinks carry little to no nutritional value, not to mention taking in the evil high fructose corn syrup.

HFCS causes obesity and diabetes and deposits fat around critical organs like your liver. It's also contaminated with mercury from the manufacturing process according to studies done in past years. Even plain fructose (like in fruit drinks) isn't good for you unless it's in fruit that you're consuming whole.

HFCS, aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, and MSG are the worst substances anyone can consume.
Take a protein shake for instance. If you were to consume 12 shakes a week compared to 12 sodas or glasses of juice, you would be adding loads of protein and nutrients to your body which your body could use through the course of the week for muscle building and provide energy. Not so much with the others.

Now if you were to drink Diet Coke rather than regular coke, you would be saving almost a half of pound right there, i.e., since there are 3500 calories in a pound.

Now you see how this can add up?

My suggestions for limiting useless calories:

Replace soft drinks with water all together and limit your intake of fruit juices; use low-fat salad dressing or something else entirely; and forgo sweeteners altogether.

A simple step like having water with your popcorn instead of a keg-sized soft drink can save you 500 + calories.

What are some other foods that would fall under the “empty” calorie department?

Beer, Wine, and other alcohol beverages. A can of beer contains about 150 calories from sugar and not much else. Also, calories from alcohol tend to be stored as fat in the abdomen and alcohol has been shown to slow metabolism.
Candy. Again, loads of calories from sugar with no micro-nutrients.
French Fries, Fried Chicken, Chips, and all other fried foods. Large fries equal up to 600 calories, not to mention 30 grams of fat and nearly 10 grams of Trans fat. Like above, tons of calories from fat and very little micro-nutrients.

Just remember, keep it simple and smart. Empty calories do nothing for your fat loss goals. Make sure every calorie you put in your body counts and is beneficial to you.

The Big Debate: Time vs Intensity

2010-03-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

The Big Debate: Time vs Intensity

Alright everyone, we all have been there or know someone who has gone to work out and spent hours at the gym perfecting our fitness and not really getting the results we want. If you ask me that is a pretty raw deal!

What if I tell you that you can get the same, if not a better workout in half the time that you usually spend at the gym? Well here is the principle everyone, your body actually has a threshold if you were to call it for anaerobic and aerobic activity; this means your body has limit, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, for the amount of weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise you do! This said, your body does not truly benefit more or benefit less if you go past this threshold, so the idea is high, intense workouts.

Now that everyone understands our bodies’ threshold, let’s talk about intensity. I know most of us have been in the gym and have seen those people just flying through their workout, super-setting every set and using big multi-jointed sets. What do they all have in common? Well for one they are usually RIPPED and FIT! So here is the catch, cranking up your work out intensity with super sets and minimal rest in between sets will not only fire up your metabolism, but push your muscles to their limits.

So let us bring this all together, our body has a threshold of work capacity that can limit our success in the gym; along with a lower, drowned out intensity can really ruin our fitness as a whole. The idea is to have a game plan before you get to your workout and know exactly what you are doing so switching exercises is smooth and quick. The whole idea is to get in and get out. So everyone crank up that intensity and fire up those muscles because you will sweat to success!

ATROPHY is NOT A Trophy!

2010-03-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

A recent poll was taken in 24 countries based on 4 categories:
1. Television watching
2. Internet Use
3. Aversion to Playing Sports
4. Calories per day

Among these four categories America ranked first in calories per day and television watching placing us at the top the charts for the “LAZIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.”

It saddens me to know that with all of the privileges people think they deserve as far as cheaper health care, insurance, etc… That a great majority of you are so unwilling to put in the effort to make your lives a little bit healthier. Staying active increases your chances to avoid illness and live a longer more plentiful lifestyle. America has made it far too easy to not be proactive in our lives.

Atrophy: A wasting or decrease in size of a body organ, tissue, or part owing to disease, injury, or lack of use: A wasting away, deterioration, or diminution.

Atrophy is apparent in a great majority of Americans and as we grow older it becomes more difficult to avoid. Every year that we prolong taking any action towards improving our physical activity levels makes it that much harder to gain back the body that we may have had in our early 20’s.

“Lean muscle mass and bone typically decrease, while body fat increases.”(Maintaining Muscle) This can be avoided by committing to daily exercise routines (minimum of 20 minutes, 3 days a week). However some forms of atrophy cannot be avoided for example if it is neuromuscular disease.

Wouldn’t you rather see your family grow healthy and strong together, rather than grow into the couch or recliner in front of the TV?

Get out and do something active! I want to help you get into the best shape of your life! Give me a call at 402-650-5761 or email me at corey@omahabootcamp.com.

15 Ways to LIVE Healthier

2010-01-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

15 Ways to LIVE Healthier
By: Trevor H. Davis

1. Adjust Sleeping Time - Life expectancy may be reduced by sleeping more than eight hours a night. A study found that people who get only six to seven hours sleep a night live longer than those who sleep eight hours or more, or less than four hours.

2. Drink Tea - Recent research studies reveal the antioxidants in tea may inhibit the growth of cancer cells, support dental health, increase bone density and strengthen cardiovascular health.

3. Drink Red Wine - One glass of red wine a day may have certain health benefits by protecting against certain cancers and heart disease, and can have a positive effect on cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

4. NO Smoking – No brainer here. Did you know, within one year after quitting, the risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker?

5. Relax – It helps reduce stress-related conditions such as depression. Try yoga or meditation.

6. Exercise Frequently - Exercise is known to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity. It keeps joints, tendons and ligaments flexible, and contributes to mental well-being by helping treat depression, relive stress and anxiety.

7. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables – They can help ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, and prevent some types of cancer.

8. Be Optimistic - Researchers found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50%.

9. Take Vitamins - A good multi-vitamin contains a full assortment of vitamins with minerals, amino acids, herbal extracts, and other specialty nutrients.

10. Do More Crunches - A study of 8,000 Canadians found that individuals who could do the most sit-ups in 1 minute were also the least likely to die over a period of 13 years.

11. Eat Frequently - A study in the British Medical Journal found that people who eat six or more small meals a day have 5 percent lower cholesterol levels than those who eat one or two large meals. That's enough to shrink your risk of heart disease by 10 to 20 percent.

12. Eat Nuts - Harvard researchers found that men who replaced 127 calories of carbohydrates--that's about 14 Baked Lays potato chips--with 1 ounce of nuts decreased their risk of heart disease by 30 percent.

13. Olive Oil!!! - Men whose diets include as much as 2 ounces of olive oil a day have an 82 percent lower risk of having a fatal first heart attack than men who consume little or none.

14. Eat Berries - Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are all loaded with salicylic acid--the same heart-disease fighter found in aspirin.

15. Get Pricked - Acupuncture appears to trigger the endorphins that help the heart relax and fight off stress, researchers say.

The Sneaky Way to Stay Fit Over the Holiday

2009-12-23T22:07:00.000-08:00

When it comes to fitness, the Holidays tend to throw a gigantic wrench into one’s routine. Whether it is traveling or preparing for family gatherings or the constant urge to want to snack on all of the holiday goodies. Be that as it may I have created a quick yet effective way to burn those unwanted calories and/or relieve some of those holiday stresses (aka family members).

All kidding aside, this workout can be as long or as short as you would like it to be, ideally it should only take you twenty minutes to get a heart pumping caloric burn. Now, you don’t need any fancy equipment or even a lot of space. All of these exercises can be done with furniture (ex. a chair or table) and/or on the floor.

Now for the workout! Each exercise will be performed consecutively so that it is run as a mini-circuit completing each exercise with the designated number of repetitions and sets assigned to each exercise.

Lifts: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

1. Push-Ups
2. Squats (body weight)
3. Core Rows (Exercise performed in push-up position alternating each arm in a rowing motion along the side of the torso.) 10-12 reps each arm
4. Dips (use a sturdy table or chair)

Calisthenics/ Abs: 3 sets of 20-25 reps

- Mountain Climbers
- Abdominal Crunch
- Jumping Jacks
- Bicycles

There you have it, a 20 minute workout that can be done in the privacy your home or in your bedroom if you are traveling. This will help you maintain your metabolism and keep you on track instead of wolfing down mom’s homemade Christmas cookies and/or pie(s).

Remember it only takes one slip to throw you way off track and we all know getting back on track is one of the hardest things to do. Stay focused, be safe and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Welcome to Our NEW HD Video Blog! - How Do I Perform High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?

2009-11-28T15:11:00.000-08:00

Are you looking to get the most out of your cardio workout at the gym? How about a type of cardio that not only burns fat at an alarming rate, but also helps preserve that hard earned muscle tone? Well folks, look no longer, HIIT is here!

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It is a fantastic method used to rid body fat from your body is a timely manner. Now, you must push yourself out of the comfort zone you have been doing cardio in, and really maximize your time effectively. Long bouts of cardio sessions are of the past, get with the program and start HIIT today.

A typical HIIT session can last as long as 20 to 30 minutes. There are a couple different ways of doing HIIT, first and for most, sprints. Hop on the treadmill and get a nice warm up going. 5 minutes of brisk walking to loosen up your muscles will work. Increase the speed so you are at about 80% of your maximum sprinting ability. Run this pace for a minute, then lowering the speed back down to your brisk walking pace. Walk for 1-2 minutes, then proceed to increase the speed again back to your sprinting pace for another minute. Continue on this pace for 20-30 minutes.

Now, the treadmill isn’t the only option for this. The Stairmaster is another great option. Many people are intimidated at the sight of this; get over this in a hurry. You want to burn fat right, well get on it. The same guidelines I showed you before can be used here as well. These are the best two I feel for HIIT.

Sprinting outside and biking can also be used for HIIT. If you do chose to use the bike, you must turn the resistance on high while pedaling. You will not receive the maximum benefit of this type of training if you are using a low resistance.

You want to burn fat right? Well the wait is over. Get with the program, and take your fat loss to another level.