What's In My Kitchen Cupboards

What's In My Kitchen Part 1: The Cupboards

by Dr John M Berardi, CSCS


If you’ve read my theoretical nutrition articles you’ve likely familiarized yourself with the macronutrients, when they should be eaten, etc. However, it's easy to talk the nutritional talk -- the question is, do you walk the nutritional walk?

By offering you a glimpse at the contents of my kitchen, I hope to give you the opportunity to check your own practical nutrition habits against my own, and see how nutrition theory is put into practice. So let’s go through a tour of my cupboard, covering both pantry items and supplements. By the end of this article, you should see that good nutrition practice involves limits and discipline, but not the austerity that most people assume it does.

Pantry Items:


Rolled Oats

Quantity: 3 lb. bag

Mixed Nuts

Quantity: 2 lb. bag

Mixed Beans

Quantity: 1 lb. bag

Dried Fruit Mix (no added sugar)

Quantity: 1 lb. bag

Legumes

Quantity: 2 x 2 lb. bags (1 bag lentils, 1 bag mixed beans)

Quinoa

Quantity: 1lb. bags

Whole Wheat Pasta

Quantity: 2 x 2 lb. bags

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Quantity: 1 bottle

Canned Tomatoes

Quantity: 3 cans

Canned Beans

Quantity: 3 cans

Flax Seeds

Quantity: ½ lb bag


Miscellaneous Grains

Including oat bran, wheat bran, oat flour

Green Tea

Quantity: 2 boxes of 20 packets each

Spices

Salt, pepper, fresh garlic, basil, oregano, chili powder, onion powder, and cinnamon are a good start. Seasoning mixes are also handy and take the guesswork out of flavoring. For example, right now I have Italian, Indian, Mexican, and Thai mixes in my cupboard.

*Note: the pantry is where the average kitchen goes horribly awry. Cookies, crackers, potato chips, baking supplies, and other hydrogenated and over-sweetened junk, all perched high above on a shelf, ready to snipe away at your hard-earned health and body composition.

If this is your kitchen, carefully position a large trash receptacle directly beneath said shelf. With a smooth sweeping motion, use your forearm to plow these enemies into the abyss below.

The items above are most likely the only ones you need since most of your nutrition should be coming from fresh, perishable foods – those listed in my previously published article discussing what’s in my fridge.

Supplements


Biotest Metabolic Drive (Protein Supplement)

Quantity: 2 x 2lb. containers

Biotest Surge Post-Workout Drink (Workout Drink)

Quantity: 2 x 1lb. containers

Prolab Creatine (Basic Creatine
)
Quantity: 1 300g container

Concentrated Enteric-Coated Fish Oil (Fish Oil)

Quantity: 3 x 50 capsule bottles

Genuine Health Greens+ (Green Food Supplement)

Quantity: 1 x 2lb. container

Biotest ZMA (Zinc-Magnesium)

Quantity: 1 90 capsule bottle

*Supplementation should be determined by your training goals and your resources, both time and money. Other than your post-workout drinks, fish oil caps, the occasional scoop of protein or a MRP, and perhaps some necessary micronutrients, no supplement should be taken year-round. And while it should go without saying that supplements should supplement and not replace a solid training and nutrition program, this is one of the most common mistakes I see, even in intermediate trainees. This is an example of my list based on my goals.

In the end, if you wish to expedite the process of reaching your goals, you'll do the following:

Perform an inventory of all the food in your house, excluding nothing. Everything goes on the list, even if you didn't buy it and don't intend to eat it. If it's in the house, either you, someone you love, or someone you marginally tolerate will eventually eat it, so everything is fair game.

Compare your list to mine (both the items on this list and the items in my fridge article).

See how close you’ve come. If you’re close (on both the items to have and the items not to have), keep up the great work. If not, round up all the offending grub, and give it a warm send off as it pulls away in the back of a garbage truck.

For those who think it would be more charitable to drop it all off at a food bank, I have news for you: the poor don't want your mother's half-empty box of Ho-Ho's either. If you really want to help, make a donation, drop off some good food, or volunteer your time.

Populate your kitchen with the foods above, and you will have built the foundation for nutritional success.


SEE ALSO:
For more great training and nutrition wisdom, check out Dr Berardi’s complete system, Precision Nutrition. Containing 5 nutrition guides, two audio CDs, two DVDs, and our Gourmet Nutrition cookbook, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

And what's more, you get a free lifetime membership to his private, members-only website, where you can talk exercise and nutrition 24/7 with thousands of fellow members and the Precision Nutrition coaches.

Find out more about Precision Nutrition

10 Most Common Workout Mistakes

10 Most Common Workout Mistakes!

By Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS, ACE

Although regular exercise is good for body and soul, diving head first into an advanced exercise programme is not encouraged. It can even be dangerous if you don’t avoid some common mistakes.

If you're a beginner, your body isn’t prepared for the types of strains exercise can place on it. As a result, engaging in an exercise programme with little foresight and planning can lead to burnout, frustration and injury.


If you want to maximise your workout, it's going to take a combination of motivation and the correct information. So let's review the 10 most common mistakes that can be easily avoided.

1. Skipping the warm-up. Muscles need time to adjust to the demands placed on them during exercise. Before hitting the gym or jumping into your regular cardio workout, you should take a few minutes to gently walk, cycle or whatever you choose to prepare the body for heavier activity. Breaking a light sweat will get your blood pumping, warm up muscles and ligaments, greatly reduce your risk of injury and increase the effectiveness of your workout.

2. Skipping the cool-down. Due to time constraints, many people head straight to the showers after their last repetition or as soon as the timer on the treadmill dings. Instead, take a few minutes to lower your heart rate close to its resting rate. This will reduce your risk of injury and give you a few minutes to incorporate some relaxation into your routine.

3. Not stretching. Flexible muscles are far less likely to be pulled than tight ones. Stretch before a heavy workout or after your workout as a warm-down. Never stretch a muscle without warming up first to reduce your risk of injury even further. Regular stretching greatly increases your flexibility.

4. Lifting too much too fast. Placing demands your muscles are not prepared to handle is the best way to injure yourself. Gradual, progressive resistance is a far more effective and safe way to increase muscle strength. You should select a weight that allows you to do 10–15 repetitions. If you can’t do 10 reps, the weight is too heavy. If you can easily do 15, then increase the weight by five percent.

5. Using too light a resistance. If you are doing over 15 reps or have not increased your resistance in over two weeks, it is time to progress. If you want to improve, you have to keep your muscles stimulated. If you continue to do the same weights with high reps, you will maintain your current physique and not advance.

6. Being a Weekend Warrior. The mistake of the person who tries to fit a week's worth of exercise into a Saturday afternoon! For weight loss, it's more effective to sustain a moderate workout for longer periods of time than to exercise intensely for only a few minutes. For others, the expectation that a workout must be intense to be effective can lead to burnout or injury while others abandon their training altogether.

7. Waiting until you are thirsty to drink. Only camels can go without water! For the rest of us it's a necessity! Don’t wait until you feel thirsty because you are already dehydrated at that point. Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after your workout.


8. Using bad form. It's much more effective to choose a lower level, speed or weight and perform the exercise properly than it is to go too fast or too heavy and use poor form and momentum. Lower the intensity to the point at which you can maintain good posture. An example of poor form would be leaning on the Stairmaster handrails or swinging the dumbbells during a bicep curl.

9. Resting too much. While it's true you don't want to overdo it, taking too much time in between exercises can decrease the training benefits and set you up for injury. Allow for about 30 seconds between toning exercises -- which is usually just enough time to move to the next station and set up. You should exercise intensely enough to work up a light sweat, get your heart beating and feel a sense of satisfaction for having completed your workout.

10. More is better. It's not necessary to spend over an hour doing cardiovascular exercise. Studies show that the risk of injury outweighs the benefits after 60 minutes. Sessions of around 45 minutes most days of the week are recommended for weight loss.

Remember, exercise is only one link to a complete programme of well-being. Mental, spiritual and psychological "workouts" are just as important. Your body will repay you! The only thing left is to just do it... safely.

Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS, 2004 Personal Trainer of the Year - Online Training. Kelli is a 20 year fitness industry leader. She has 3 fitness related degrees and 24 Fitness, Nutrition and Lifestyle related certifications. Kelli is the former Lead Fitness Expert for eDiets and eFitness and remains a regular contributor. Kelli is the author of Feminine, Firm & Fit - Building A Lean Strong Body in 12 Weeks www.FeminineFirmandFit.com.
She has transformed thousands of bodies just like yours. She is available for phone coaching, online training, grocery shopping tours, seminars, and media opportunities. For more information go to www.KelliCalabrese.com

or e-mail Kelli@KelliCalabrese.com

Learn about Good Nutrition

Can You Really Learn Good Nutrition in 8 Days?

by Robert Adams, CPT, Head Fitness Expert

My FREE Online Personal Trainer



When my colleague and friend, Dr. John Berardi, dropped me an email the other day letting me know about his new nutrition course, I admit I had some doubts.

Don't get me wrong, I like JB and respect his work, but I was skeptical about the course itself. 'Body Transformation with Precision Nutrition -- in 8 Days' -- indeed. Eight days?

But I'll read anything, and I'm always looking for new ways to approach and teach nutrition, so I decided to give it a look. And in the end, I really enjoyed it.

The course starts with three consecutive online questionnaires, which were cool - they get right to the point, highlighting your weaknesses and offering solutions. Even just reading the questions called attention to some of the areas I could improve upon, and I know this stuff.

Each lesson offers a concise, no-nonsense message, one that beginners and experts alike will benefit from hearing. John does a great job of putting aside the fads and getting down to the point. He makes no mistake about telling you exactly what will lead to failure, and what will lead to success.

John also does a great job of going beyond the actual food to talk about how to ensure you actually follow the plan. What good is a great diet if you don't follow it?

And best of all, he tells you exactly what rules to follow, in no uncertain terms. His 10 Rules cover everything from what to eat to when to eat it. Very good stuff, which I didn't expect in such a short course.

Now, nothing's perfect and this course is no exception. My one gripe is that I wish there was a little more detail on meal plans, perhaps a recipe or two, or some examples. But in fairness, you can get a good idea from the rules and lessons, and JB covers meals and meal plans extensively in Precision Nutrition (his superb nutrition program, which I highly recommend). So it's a small, forgivable gripe.

All in all, this is an excellent little course, and in eight days you'll learn more about what really works nutritionally than most people do in a lifetime.

The bottom line is that if you're not in the shape you want to be, and you want to learn how to turn things around with nutrition, I strongly recommend that you check the course out yourself. It's available for free at:

The Precision Nutrition 8-Day Course

Hire a Personal Trainer or Fitness Coach

Hire a personal trainer or fitness coach - It is proven that having a motivating and positive support system will help you stay with your goals long term. How many times have you started and exercise program and stopped? Remember those New Year’s Resolutions? How many have you kept? Was losing weight or eating healthier part of those resolutions that are now on a shelf collecting dust? Do you have multiple pieces of exercise equipment that you bough on an infomercial late at night that you now hang your clothes on collecting dust? Get motivated and use a Fitness Coach or Personal Trainer to help support you in your life long mission to Permanent Weight Loss and Better overall Body Perfect Fitness and Health.

Rob Head Fitness Expert @

My Home Personal Trainer

Reward Yourself For Fitness Success

Reward yourself - It never ceases to amaze me how hard we are on ourselves when we don't accomplish, and how hard we are on ourselves when we DO accomplish. Whenever you reach a milestone, have something in mind, like a trip to the day spa, new shoes or clothes (as long as it's NON-EDIBLE).


Rob Head Fitness Expert @ My Home Personal Trainer

Don't Give up on your Fitness Goals

Persistence! - Violate this step and you'll never achieve permanent results. We recently concluded conducted a 10 year study which proves that persistence is the single most important aspect of any diet or exercise program. The study followed a group of people (group #1) who exercised and dieted very strictly, but sporadically and compared those results to a group of people (group #2) who exercised mildly and followed a very basic diet, but this group never varied from their routine. Even though group #2 exercised and dieted far less (but did so persistently) they got 68% better results than those who exercised and dieted VERY STRICTLY but only occasionally.

Rob Head Fitness Expert @ My Home Personal Trainer

Exercise and Fat Cells

Exercise and Fat Cells

Exercise may be especially helpful in reducing the size of fat cells around the waistline -- more so than diet alone, a study suggests. That's important, because fat specifically in the abdomen has been linked to the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Among a group of obese women who were placed on a regimen of calorie cutting alone or diet plus exercise, those who exercised showed a reduction in the size of fat cells around the abdomen. Women who only dieted showed no such change.
In contrast, both groups trimmed about the same amount from fat cells in the hip area.
The findings suggest that exercise may "preferentially increase" the body's breakdown of fat cells in the abdomen, said lead study author Dr. Tongjian You. It's possible, for instance, that hormonal factors cause fat cells in the abdomen and hip area to have different metabolic responses to diet and exercise, he told Reuters Health.
The bottom line for people trying to shed pounds is that both exercise and diet are important, and exercise may be particularly key in the ultimate distribution of a person's body fat, You said.
The researcher and his colleagues at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, report the findings in the International Journal of Obesity.
The study included 45 obese middle-aged women who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: one that cut calorie intake alone; one that cut calories and walked at a moderate pace three days per week; and a third that dieted and walked at a more intense pace three days a week.
After 20 weeks, all three groups showed improvements in their weight and body fat percentage. But when the researchers took samples of body fat from just below the skin's surface, the differences between exercisers and non-exercisers emerged.
Women in both exercise groups showed about an 18 percent reduction in the size of abdominal fat cells, whereas dieters showed no change.
Losing abdominal fat is more than a matter of fitting into a smaller dress. Research shows that people who are "apple-shaped" are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease than "pear-shaped" individuals, who carry much of their fat below the waist.
So people who include exercise in their weight-loss plan may lower their risk of such diseases to a greater degree, You said. What's more, he noted, even if people fail to lose a significant amount of weight with regular exercise, the changes in abdominal fat cells might still benefit their health

No Machines Just Body Weight

No Machines Just Body Weight

Can you build a strong chest without any machines or weights??

Is it possible?

How about the old fashioned push-up!!

Yes, in some ways pushups are even more effective than a bench press. A pushup is referred to as a closed-chain exercise, meaning you move your body through space, instead of using a bar.
In order to make all that happen, you need to engage your core muscles to stabilize your torso. This means you use about 75% of your own body weight during each rep, while targeting your chest, shoulders, triceps, and your core.
This movement works a lot more muscles than you would by bench press alone.

Pushups also can be done in many creative ways!!

• Vary the distance your hands are apart
o The wider the hand position – outer chest
o The closer the hand position – inner chest

• Do pushups in an incline or decline position
o Use a bench – incline or decline position
o Use a stability ball – more stabilization required

• Vary Technique of Pushup
o Use one arm
o Clap between reps
o Use round dumbbells to force you to stabilize

• Advanced Techniques
o Incline Pushup on using stability ball – full body weight and balance
o Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball
o Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball, hands holding dumbbells

So if you don’t have weights don’t fret….. Your own body weight with a little creativity will develop the chest you have always wanted.. Toned, Tight and Defined..

Determining Calories for Muscle

Determining Calories for Muscle

This formula is based on putting on muscle, not strictly body fat loss.

FORMULA FOR MEN:

A very active male seeking weight (muscle) gain = ideal body weight x 17

A moderately active male seeking weight (muscle) gain = ideal body weight x 16

Inactive male beginning a weight (muscle) gain exercise program = ideal bodyweight x 15

FORMULA FOR WOMEN

A very active female seeking weight (muscle) gain = ideal body weight x 15

A moderately active female seeking weight (muscle) gain = ideal body weight x 13

Inactive female beginning a weight (muscle) gain exercise program = ideal bodyweight x 12

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE:

A moderately active male currently weighing 160 pounds wants to put on muscle. His goal is to add five pounds of muscle to his frame. Here is the formula: 165 (ideal body weight) x 16 (moderately active male) = 2,640 calories. Please keep it realistic! If you're 160 pounds and you place 250 pounds into the formula as your ideal weight, you’ll just get fat!

DETERMINING RATIO OF PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE AND FATS

Now that we know how to determine calories, let’s take a look at how to calculate ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fats. If you’re looking to put on muscle, a ratio of 55 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent protein and 15 percent fat is an excellent balance.

The 55 percent carbohydrate (keep refined carbohydrates to a minimum) will provide ample energy for intense workouts, and the 30 percent protein will provide the necessary building blocks for muscle. Also, the 15 percent fat will help with strength levels. Most people interested in building muscle will actually lose strength if dietary fat is reduced too low.

Below is an example using our imaginary male, who will be consuming 2,640 calories.

Fifty-five percent of 2,640 calories = 1,452 calories from carbohydrate

Thirty percent of 2,640 calories = 792 calories from protein, 15 percent of 2,640 calories = 396 calories

There are metabolic differences between various individuals, so sometimes these ratios need to be slightly skewed.
Keep in mind that this is about gaining muscle, not having fat loss as your primary goal. Fat loss ratios and calorie calculations are different than the above.

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Do Muscles Turn into Fat?

This age old question about Muscle and Fat can be answered in one quick way..

Muscle is always muscle and Fat is always Fat..

You cannot turn one into the other. When you stop any fitness training program, your caloric demand will be reduced.

Most people have a difficult time adjusting to the changes in their fitness program in relationship to food consumption.

Also within 72 hours since your last workout, the body begins a gentle, almost undetectable slide into sloth. In time, muscle mass decreases. Muscles that used to incinerate calories and crank up your metabolism while at rest, do not work as efficiently and hence less calories burned.

The body at this point does not burn fat as efficiently and then Fat gains get accelerated and this process is compounded by a declining metabolism, diminished muscle mass, and failure to adjust your caloric intake.

So muscle doesn't turn into fat at all!!!

The Fat just consumes and takes over your Body!!!

NOT a Pretty Sight......

So when you are ready to Build more Muscle, Lose more Fat and Lose weight the most efficient and permanent way then

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Never go on a diet!

Statistics show that going on and off diets will actually increase your chance of permanent weight gain. Skipping meals is a common mistake that dieters make. While this will lead to a lower calorie intake, it will also trigger your body to slow down your metabolism in order to conserve energy, thus causing you to burn fewer calories.

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Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

As Americans continue to struggle with obesity in the United States, we must ask ourselves some very important questions:



What makes our life style different than other cultures around the world?


Why do we suffer so much from diabetes and heart related diseases?


How can we make better decisions in choosing the right foods to support a healthy lifestyle?


Well I learned many things about how different cultures live in my most recent trip to South America about the eating habits that help support a much more healthy life style free from prescribed medications and free from the struggles of obesity and weight related diseases, such as heart and diabetes.
I really observed some striking differences about how the people of South America live their lives both in their eating plans as well as how they approach life itself.
I really believe we can learn many things from other cultures that we can pass on to our children in the form of healthier living and creating a life style change that will reduce the risk of obesity in this country.



Here are some of my observations:



What you don’t see are fast food chains on every corner.


What you don’t see are people eating tons of processed snack foods like potato chips and nacho chips that are loaded with bad fat, high sodium, high bad carbohydrates, and tons of preservatives.


You do not see donut shops or convenience stores on every corner


********************************************************


What you do see are people making lunch their main meal of the day and dinner the smallest meal of the day.


What you also see are foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals that are completely organic and eaten from there most natural state.


The South American Culture consumes tons of organic and natural and I might add unbelievably delicious fruits and vegetables along with seafood and meats that support a natural healthy lifestyle.


The other key is they consume most of these rich in nutrient foods early in the day and reduce their food consumption later at night, as well as consuming 5-6 meals per day.


Sounds familiar with some of the latest advice from some of the current diet books out promoting smaller more frequent meals and reducing your food intake as you move towards bedtime.



So now that we have a place to start from, let’s talk about the foods that make you FAT!!!


Foods that can make you fat have a few things in common:


High in total calories

High in total fat

High in refined sugars

High in calorie density

Low in nutritional value

High in Sodium

Loaded with preservatives

Loaded with artificial fillers and additives

Come in a box from the middle aisles of the grocery store

Have words that you cannot pronounce on the label


Of course over the years we have called these foods “junk foods” and in the United States, these “junk foods” have continued to grow in popularity for many reasons.


They are ready to eat right from a box (convenient)

They really tease our taste buds with tons of :

o Salt

o Sugar

o Fat

They make you want to eat more and more of them





Here are the Top Food Groups that help make you FAT


Ice cream, Donuts, pastries, cakes, pies and cookies

o Typically high in:

Bad fats

Refined white sugars

Refined white flours


All fried foods

o High in fat

o Refined white flours from the breading


Soda and Fruit juices

o High in refined sugar and artificial additives

o Look out for other forms of sugar

High fructose corn syrup

Corn syrup

Sucrose



Snack Foods- potato chips, nacho chips, etc.

Typically high in:

Bad fats

Refined white flours

Sodium

Refined white sugars

Artificial flavors and colors

Preservatives – that you cannot even pronounce


Processed meat items-Typically fast food

o Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Bacon, Sausage

High in bad, bad, bad, fat

High in Sodium

Usually served on Refined white flour breads


High Sugar Breakfast cereals

o High in Refined white sugars

o High in Refined white flours




If your meal plans are made up of a high percentage of My FAT Food group, then you are probably not reaching your fitness and health goals and are struggling to keep the weight off.


Next month we will be talking about FAT Burning Foods!!!


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Do you really burn more fat?

If you are like me .. you have heard... the following

Do your cardio first then weights.
Do your weights first then cardio
Don't do cardio on the same days as weights.....

and on and on and on and on.........

It if very confusing.. But here is one thing you can take to the bank when it comes to cardio and weights...

There is a fat loss myth that suggests that the stored carbs your body uses for the fuel for your workout is depleted in your resistance training workout. and in its absence, your body is forced to burn fat.

In reality, even the most challenging weight training workout won't deplete more than 70% of your glycogen stores and that's only within those muscles that you worked out with that day.

The whole purpose of doing cardio after your weights, is that cardio can be, especially if you are doing what I advocate (hi intensity interval training), very fatiguing

So do your weights first so you can get maximum resistance training results.

So... If you do plan on doing a combination workout, then make it weights first and cardio after....

Rob Your Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach

For a completely balanced nutrition plan check out....

My Nutrition Plan - Your Balanced Meal Plan Solution

An old fashioned exercise with maximum results

How to build a strong chest without any machines or weights??

Is it possible?

How about the old fashioned push-up!!

Yes, in some ways pushups are even more effective than a bench press. A pushup is referred to as a closed-chain exercise, meaning you move your body through space, instead of using a bar.
In order to make all that happen, you need to engage your core muscles to stabilize your torso. This means you use about 75% of your own body weight during each rep, while targeting your chest, shoulders, triceps, and your core.
This movement works a lot more muscles than you would by bench press alone.

Pushups also can be done in many creative ways!!

• Vary the distance your hands are apart
o The wider the hand position – outer chest
o The closer the hand position – inner chest

• Do pushups in an incline or decline position
o Use a bench – incline or decline position
o Use a stability ball – more stabilization required

• Vary Technique of Pushup
o Use one arm
o Clap between reps
o Use round dumbbells to force you to stabilize

• Advanced Techniques
o Incline Pushup on using stability ball – full body weight and balance
o Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball
o Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball, hands holding dumbbells

So if you don’t have weights don’t fret….. Your own body weight with a little creativity will develop the chest you have always wanted.. Toned, Tight and Defined..

Until next time…. Rob Your Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach

Breaking your Weight Loss Plateaus

You exercise regularly. You watch what you eat. And, still you can't seem to lose those last few extra pounds. Is it hopeless? Is there no solution to the weight plateau problem?

Don't get discouraged. I, too, have found myself in this predicament in the past. And, it is possible to overcome. But, there are a few things that need to be considered.

First of all, are you constantly stepping on your scales to see if you've lost any more weight? If so, STOP! Avoid weighing yourself too frequently, or you may find yourself feeling a bit despondent. Even if you lose several pounds rather quickly in the beginning of your weight-loss program, the closer you get to achieving your weight-loss goal, the slower the weight tends to fall off. This is partly due to the fact that your body likely hasn't as much fat to lose! It now has more lean tissue.

Also, as you work out, the muscles in your body become more developed. And, as most of us know, muscle weighs more than fat! Then, there are days when you simply retain fluids and weigh a pound or two more than you did the day before! Let's face it! The scales can be deceptive. I try my best to stay away from them!

A better way to judge whether you're slimming down is by monitoring the way your clothes fit. If a pair of pants fits looser now than it did a couple weeks ago, then, chances are that you're making progress towards your goal! Something else to consider, too, is whether your weight-loss goal is reasonable for your body type. Are you trying to lose more weight than your body can afford to lose?

Keep Track of What You Eat

Secondly, keep track of what you eat, and be sure to exercise. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume! In fact, to lose just one pound of fat, you need to burn approximately 3,500 calories! This generally takes from 3 days to one week. You may try to control your weight by merely controlling your food intake. Ideally, however, you should both watch what you consume and burn calories through exercise, if you really want to drop those last few pounds.

By tracking what you eat, you may discover that you're actually consuming a great deal more calories than you had imagined. Stay away from those potato chips and soft drinks! But don't starve yourself, either! If you eat too few calories, your body will try to protect itself by slowing down its metabolism and hanging onto its fat for survival.

If you continue to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet, but those last few pounds still won't fall off, perhaps, you need to give your metabolism a little boost by increasing the amount of exercise you get or by increasing the intensity of your workouts. If you usually walk for 30 minutes, why not try to add another 15 minutes to your walks? Or, instead of walking, how about giving jogging a chance?

Add weight training to your workouts, as well, if you haven't already done so. Lifting weights helps build muscle mass, which, in turn, burns more calories than does fat. Sometimes, simply by changing up your exercise routine a bit, the weight-loss will start again.

If you seem to be stuck on a weight-loss plateau, don't give up hope! Just remember:

o Avoid weighing yourself everyday! Once a week, or even less, is often enough!

o Pay attention to your diet! Eat healthy, balanced meals. Avoid too much fat and too many calories. Don't under-eat!

o Drink plenty of water! Water helps speed up the metabolism. Additionally, if you drink a glass before each meal, it will help to decrease your appetite, and encourage you to eat less.

o Get plenty of exercise. If necessary, increase the length of your workouts and/or the intensity of your workouts. Vary the types of exercise you incorporate into your workouts, as well.



Remember...... Get the support you need as you move forward in breaking your weight loss plateaus...


Your Personal Trainer is just an email away....


Please Use me...... I am here to support your fitness and health goals for a lifetime...


Maybe you have a question about your meal plan or using proper form in your current exercise program that I put together for you.


Maybe you just need a motivational call from your coach.


Whatever it is... I am here to support your Personal Weight Loss and Fitness Goals..


So Drop your Fitness Coach a note...


Ask for help......


And break your Weight Loss Plateaus


Rob Your Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach


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