Wednesday, 31 December 2008

Happy New Year - To a Fit and Fabulous 2009!


Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope the New Year starts with a bang for you (or a 'pop' of the champagne cork variety!).

If you're feeling a little 'excessed-out' from the party season, then help is at hand! I'm running a 6 Week 'Love Your Body' Valentine's Transformation Challenge starting on Friday - the last 'team' did amazingly well in December for the 30 day challenge (Nikki lost 31/4 inches from her waist!) so imagine what you can do in 6 week! Certainly reverse any festive damage, and then some!

Head over to Mission Slim-Possible, where you can join and introduce yourself on the forum and announce your intention to take part! More info is available there: http://missionslim-possible.ning.com/

And if you want a more hands-on approach, and are fortunate enough to be based in or around Southampton, then you will be pleased to hear that I am running group fitness sessions in Southampton Common, Mondays and Fridays from 12th Jan at 12.30pm.

To find out more check out my site: Perfect Fit Bootcamps

Friday, 19 December 2008

Even More Freebies For You! Hundred of Self-Improvement Products at Your Fingertips!

How would you like instant access to HUNDREDS of self- improvement and personal development products absolutely FREE?

How?

Simple...Just click this link and get access now:
http://www.777SelfHelp.com/vip/228

That's all there is to it!

(Take a look at the site - tons of self-help and
personal development materials are included)

Head on over there now and download all these
products immediately because Henry Gold, Dr. Joe Rubino
and Keith Matthew plan on pulling the site down at
midnight on January 18th.

To Your Success,

Caroline Radway
caroline.radway@gmail.com

P.S. Drop everything right now and GRAB
your F.R.E.E. Gifts immediately. Remember:
downloading all of these products cost you
nothing - the special offers you'll see
are excellent and I recommend you check them
out. They are of course completely optional.

http://www.777SelfHelp.com/vip/228

Wednesday, 10 December 2008

12 Days of Fitness Starts Today - Get Your Goodies Now!


Hey all

Just a reminder to head over to get your 12 Days of Fitness Goodies - today is the first day of gift giving - yippppppeeeee...................

Wednesday, 3 December 2008

Hollywood Fat Loss on Reality TV!


I've just found out about Valerie Waters' cool new online TV show. If you don't know Valerie, she is the ultimate Hollywood trainer!

Now, usually, trainers roll out their one celebrity client or B-lister at this point, to try to impress, but check Valerie's client list out:

Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale, Steven Dorff, Matt Dillon, Benicio Del Toro, Jim Carrey, Richard Gere, J-Lo, Charlize Theron, Cindy Crawford plus many others...

Pretty impressive (jealous, moi?!). So, in true celeb style she now has her own weight loss reality TV show: Red Carpet Ready TV

You can watch in 'real time' as the participants go through the struggles we all encounter on their weight loss journey - only they get to face the cravings in full view of the world!

The show airs 5pm Tuesdays PST, but you can check out the first 4 episodes right now: Red Carpet Ready TV

Monday, 1 December 2008

30 Articles in 30 Days of November Challenge - Started With 2 Days to Go!


EzineArticles.com Platinum Author

I was set a challenge to write 30 articles in the 30 day month of November. An easy task, one a day, no problem.

But I didn't actually take the challenge on until Friday! I suddenly decided I wanted to complete the challenge, as I had a client-free afternoon for once, so I set myself up at my lap top and got started!

I did calculate beforehand that I was likely to fail - logisitcally I didn't actually have enough time, and I wasn't going to sacrifice my weekend for it, I just thought at least getting 15 done would mean I was better off than having done nothing!

The concept of 'Fail Forward Fast' was on my mind - something I'd recommend you consider trying. Better to set a lofty goal and fail (e.g. aim for 30 and manage 15) than set a 'realistic' or 'achievable' goal that doesn't push you, in this case I could have set myself the challenge of writing 5 articles and easily managed it. I would have succeeded in meeting my goal, but been less successful than failing at a harder goal!

So, tip tapping away on the lap top, stopping for a KettleBelleBody training session and a meal Friday evening, I managed 15! I was really pleased, and half thought I'd leave it there and enjoy a weekend off....

But of course, the challenge hounded me in my head, and I thought I could at least get to 20... Or 25... So after training clients and a day out on Saturday, starting at about 4.30pm, I sat on the sofa and continued with the articles. I stopped for yoga and a meal, but then got back on it, and by 10.30pm (36 hours after starting the challenge!) I had managed it!

So, I now have a larger selection of articles, on a range of topics, available for you to peruse at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Caroline_Radway

If there are any topics you'd like me to cover in future articles, let me know! I'm going to try to write an article a day from now on (which means I need to get on and write one today!) so I'll appreciate ideas on what you'd like to read...

Tuesday, 25 November 2008

There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch at Christmas?


Bet you think I'm going to say something along the lines of, 'just because it's free, doesn't mean there's not a price to pay when it comes to your health' don't you?

Well, I could be making that point - we often help ourselves to extra food and alcohol when there's a buffet, or a party, as it's essentially 'free', but we do need to remeber that we'll pay the price later!

But that's not the point of this post at all!

I just wanted to remind you that there are LOADS of FREE GOODIES for you over at http://www.12daysoffitness.com!

This really is a gift-giving extravaganza, over 25o fitness pros worldwide, including me, will be giving out special gifts to make sure you can make 2009 your fittest yet!

I'm giving out a special Kettlebell Workout, that will NEVER be available anywhere else - a complete exclusive!

And I've been checking out some of the other gifts and there are some real treats, I can tell you!

You need to sign up at http://www.12daysoffitness.com and then just wait till Dec 10th when the gift giving will commence!

So, what are you waiting for?

Monday, 24 November 2008

The Starvation Mode Myth

Since reading Brad Pilon's Eat Stop Eat, my views on eating 6 meals or every 3-4 hours a day have been turned upside down.

I realised that I could get by for a lot longer than that and still train hard while getting leaner, losing bodyfat but not my precious lean body mass.

As a woman, aiming for around 15-1600 cals a day, the meal size you would need to eat 6 small meals a day is so small as to be almost impossible to stick to - and for a smaller woman, needing about 1200 cals a day, splitting that into 6 x 200 cal feedings would be soul destroying!

It is such a common dogma in the fitness industry, to the extent that most people don't even question it. But when you look at the science, as both Brad and Lyle McDonald have done, extremely thoroughly, it just doesn't add up...

To see Lyle McDonald's detailed discussion of the matter, and why you no longer need to worry about getting fatter just because you are forced to miss a meal or snack, follow this link: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/meal-frequency-and-energy-balance-research-review.html

http://www.kettlebellebody.com

Wednesday, 19 November 2008

Christmas Time, Mistletoe and Wine, Kettlebell Swinging Makes You Look Fine!

I just wanted to remind you about your very special invite to take part in the world's largest ever fitness information gift-giving at: www.12daysoffitness.com.

An estimated 500,000 people will benefit from the combined fitness expertise of over 250 personal trainers, physical therapists and nutritionists - including me!

You will have the opportunity to download my exclusive '12 Days of Fitness Christmas Kettlebell Workout'...

...My Christmas Kettlebell workout is designed for all of us time-poor people, who need a fast, effective workout we can do at home, or anywhere, for maximum results, fast! It will help offset some of the damage that is almost inevitable over the festive season and give you all you need to whip yourself into shape in the New Year, too.

It's clearly laid out for you with step-by-step instructions, so you really can't go wrong! My main aim with the workout is to make sure you actually do it, so I've done all I can to make that as easy as possible for you.

The workout is created exactly like the many workouts provided in my book, KettleBelleBody (aimed at women, but all the feedback I'm getting is that I've narrowed my audience too far and that it's a killer for the boys too!) but it is a completely EXCLUSIVE workout, that won't ever be seen anywhere again, so you don't want to miss out!

What makes the release of this workout so special is that it's going to be part of a much bigger gift-giving bonanza - the '12 days of fitness'. Over 500,000 people will receive advice and help with achieving their health and fitness goals for 2009.

You can claim your copy of my 'Christmas Kettlebell Workout' and loads of other goodies by visiting www.12daysoffitness.com and getting your name onto the gift list.

Santa will be delivering fitness gifts worldwide from December 10th!

Feel free to forward this link on to anyone who might want some inspiration over the festive season and beyond...

Monday, 17 November 2008

Leading Fitness Experts Give The Gift Of Health To World With Biggest Ever Health and Fitness Giveaway This Festive Season!

On Wednesday, December 10, Dax Moy, myself and over 250 of the world's top fitness professionals will open the doors on the World’s largest ever health and fitness gift-giving, set to generate positive health for over 500,000 people this Christmas

The program, called '12 Days of Fitness’ initially began when the UK's leading fitness professional, Dax Moy, wanted to express his gratitude to his clients and offered them a gift a day for 12 consecutive days as his twist on the 12 Days of Christmas.

Last year Moy shared this idea with fellow fitness professional Pat Rigsby and they expanded the 12 Days of Fitness to include not only their own clients but to the world at large and gave fitness gifts to over 200,000 people who signed up at the site at www.12daysoffitness.com.

This year, with the help of 250 of the world's top personal trainers, nutritionists, therapists and specialist fitness experts, the 12 days of fitness is set to become the biggest fitness gift giveaway in history with expected downloads of over 500,000 between the 10th and 22nd of December. "There’s never been another health event like this, where so many people stand to benefit from the expertise of true professionals for free” says Moy who has been working flat out to make this year’s 12 days a success.

“Fitness professionals from around the globe have contributed hundreds of e-books, reports, videos, meal plans and other free gifts in their hope of making 2009 the year that anyone, regardless or their location, financial situation or past failures, can finally reach their fitness goals and make those New Year's Resolutions a reality once and for all.”

Perhaps the best part of the 12 Days of Fitness giveaway is that regardless of a persons health or fitness goals, there are going to be gifts specifically designed to help them achieve success.

"We've received gifts designed for busy mom's, elite athletes, bodybuilders, back pain sufferers and pretty much anyone else you can imagine covering everything from fat loss to rehabilitation and everything in between.

There literally will be something for everyone this year and all of it free, making it, without a doubt, one of the most important gifts anyone will receive this year. After all, what’s more important than health?”

The 12 days of gift giving starts December 10th but those interested are urged to visit www.12daysoffitness.com right away to sign up for their free gifts.

Once enrolled, participants will get a daily email telling them how to access each of the new gifts that are being added each day as well as a reminder on how to access previous gifts.

To guarantee a healthy start to 2009, simply visit www.12daysoffitness.com today.

Monday, 3 November 2008

The Best Leg and Butt Exercise Ever!

Pistol Squats are the best exercise for creating long, strong and lean legs!

This video shows you how to perform them, as well as some modifications so you can build up to them - as they are HARD!

Thursday, 23 October 2008

Fatblasting for Busy Professionals - Oz Style!



I'm currently on holiday on the magical West coast of Ireland, with lots of surfing, mountain biking, windsurfing and fishing - my Magic Hundred goal of catching a fish to eat was achieved the other night so happy about that!

I'm having a well earned break from Kettlebell training, but getting lots of Yoga in which is good. I hope those of you who have bought my KettleBelleBody Programme are enjoying it and getting lots of kettlebell action in, and I'll be joining you as soon as I get back - despite the yoga and all the other activities out here I am really looking forward to getting back on it with the kettlebells, nothing hits your butt in quite the same way and after 2 weeks away from them I can feel the difference already!

If you want to check it out, visit www.kettlebellebody.com. It's been getting some great reviews and the price is soon to skyrocket, so it's worth getting in there quick!

Anyway, to keep you entertained in my absence I'm handing over to my buddy in Oz, Daniel Munday. He's just launched a fantastic programme designed specifically for the busy professional. I've interviewed him about the AUSSIE FATBLAST system for you here. There are some really unique twists, such as his 'Pulse' Cardio programme, 'Blowtorch' workouts and a whole book of amazing recipes - all do-able in under 13.5 minutes, incredibly!

His nutrition approach matches mine - he has completely re-written the food pyramid in his manual, which I wholeheartedly agree with but have chickened out of doing myself for fear of backlash! But that's Dan for you, in typical Oz style he says it like it is, cuts straight to the point and doesn't beat around the bush!

Caroline: What is the Aussie Fatblast Success System and why is it different to every other fat loss product on the market today?

Daniel: The Aussie Fatblast Success System is the fat loss solution for the busy professional. I truly believe that it is different to everything else out there today first of all because it is designed around the realisation that people are so busy these days and not many people that I know of, myself included, have the time to train the traditional one hour training sessions anymore.

The Aussie Fatblast way is to give you your fat loss results in 20 minutes a day or less when done six days a week or in 40 minutes or less when done only 3 days a week.

Secondly, I call it a Success System because you will get the complete solution. Fat loss is more than just following the right training program. I address the mental side of things, with a great bonus call with a bloke who is known as the Maniac Mental Skills Coach as well as having one of the world's foremost motivational speakers Chris Widener contributing a great mp3 as well.

I also really get to the bottom of many nutrition myths and why most people just are not getting the results that want because of the misinformation that everyone is force fed these days.

Caroline: What type of nutrition myths are you talking about?

Daniel: First of all, I believe that everything most dieticians and fitness pros teach about nutrition is so far off the mark it is just not funny. We are told to eat low fat, or even worse, fat free foods which are full of so much artificial sweeteners and sugars that it is just not funny.

I also recommend that people try and eliminate as much gluten and wheat out of your diet as possible. This basically means everything that is processed. If people eliminate these foods from their diet, I will guarantee that you see changes within days. You will no longer look bloated and you will be well on your way to achieving the fat loss results that you deserve. And yes, you can still eat those foods as a cheat meal 4 times a week max.

In fact I have redesigned the food pyramid and it looks a lot different to the one that we know at present. That alone should be worth checking out the Secret Guide to Smart Eating.

Caroline: You've mentioned on your site that you've got a few secrets that can instantly relieve lower back pain in people, can you give us any insider secrets?

Daniel: Normally I'd keep these secrets for the people who invest in the system, but I can tell you they are both pretty simple tips. People need to be conscious of activating the muscles that are deep down in their midsection. Once they do this which is as simple as sucking in your belly button your back pain will ease.

Simply have a cue for doing it. Whenever your phone rings, suck in your belly. When you get an email, likewise. When you stop at a red light, suck in your belly. Make it something that happens all the time throughout your day so you get into the habit really quick.

The second tip is applicable for guys that sounds so simple that it almost sounds ridiculous, but is really spot on the money. I might keep that one under my hat for now though if that's alright?

Caroline: Sure is, I'll move swiftly on.... What 3 tips can you give to people who don't have time to exercise?

Daniel:
1) You always have time no matter how many hours a day you work. It's a cliché but it's true. It comes down to properly managing your time. So first of all, this is a non exercise tip but reduce the amount of time you spend on email each day. This will more than likely save you a heap of time. Simply block out time in the day to check emails and stick to that period only. The world won't stop if you don't reply back to your facebook messages straight away.

2) Pick the 'big bang' exercises such as Swings, Squats, Deadlifts, Recline Rows or Chin Ups, Push Ups and other multi-joint exercises. Because we are only exercising for a small amount of time you need to pick exercises that will get your heart rate up and use as many muscles as you can with each exercise. Some of my most productive workouts have only taken 6 minutes (which you will have access to in the Optimise Blowtorch Sessions bonus manual).

3) Make an appointment in your diary just like you would a meeting with your boss or important client. Exercise has to have the same priority as everything else. Once that time is in your diary it cannot be moved barring a family emergency.

Caroline: What about cooking healthy meals? Can busy people realistically cook meals in 13 ½ minutes or less as your bonus manual suggests?

Daniel: For sure Caroline. When I cook, I need the meals to be quick. If I come home from a long day training people outdoors in the hot sun I don't want to be slaving away for ages. I want to eat healthy foods that have minimal human interference meaning that they don't have a list of ingredients as long as your arm.

So I played around in the kitchen a bit and timed how long it took me to make a few different meals. The ones that are the quick ones are the ones that made this book.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen (well sometimes I might use some of the same words if I burn myself!) but it is really simple steps and meal suggestions that anyone can easily follow.

From simple things like a great tasting mixed bean and vege omelette that takes 6 around minutes to breakfast options that ensure you can get a fast, healthy feed in the morning to a post workout meal and even my personal favourite banana paddle pop dessert. In fact, people have told me that I should've included more of these so I might have to make part 2 as well!

Caroline: You, like me, are also not a fan of the traditional crunches and sit ups are you?

Daniel: No. I've really stayed away from those types of exercises lately. I started doing a bit of homework and have realised just how bad they are for our backs. Basically, every time you crunch you are placing a crazy amount of stress on your lower back as you compress your spine. Times that by the amount of reps that you do them for and is it any wonder why people are getting bad backs from training?

The other thing that got me off them was that all of my clients are busy professionals who sit down at their desk or in a car all day. That, as we already know, places a huge amount of stress on people's lower backs just from sitting down at a desk that isn't always set up correctly. So I don't want to place any more stress on their already fragile backs.

The final nail in the coffin was that they are useless for burning fat. There are so many better ways to hit your abs. as I answer this question, my abs are still hurting from a tough round of decline push ups that I did 5 days ago!

Caroline: What does the Aussie Fatblast Success System include and what is the investment?

Daniel: This is where I wanted to over deliver to everyone. For a very small investment of $29.77 which is valid during the 5 day launch special ONLY.

The package contains 8 manuals that I have designed to complement each other:

* Aussie Fatblast Success Manual - the main exercise manual

* Secret Guide to Smart Eating - nutrition guidelines
* Pulse Intervals - interval cardio section
* 13.5 Recipes in 13.5 mins or less
* Optimise Blowtorch bonus workouts
* Little Black Dress program to get the girls into their LBD for that special function
* Can the Man Cans program for the fellas to get rid of their man boobs
* Beginners Body Weight Blitz Manual for someone who has never trained or been out of the game for a while

Plus bonuses from 3 other experts
* Chris Widener MP3 of the Best Test: This was a massive coup for me to get. Chris is a motivational speaker who people pay BIG dollars for. People get his advice for free
* Workout Muse Tabata workout and Post Workout recovery guidelines: This is a bonus soundtrack that you just load to your iPod and bust your butt. You don't need to look at your stop watch as the music is programmed for you to work and recover. You also get a bonus manual to help you stretch your problem areas.
* The Maniac Unleashed MP3 audio interview with Tommy Pavia - The Maniac Mental Skills Coach: My favourite interview that I have done to date. This guy got me pumped after chatting to him and I know he will do the same for you

Caroline: How long does this launch special last for?

Daniel: It runs from Monday October 20 until Friday October 24, so 5 full days. That's not long at all really. I want to reward those people who do take massive action. They get the cheaper package, plus the 5 bonuses that are only available until this Friday.

Caroline: Wow, that's a pretty amazing package. What are the fast action bonuses that people get if they order today?

Daniel: I wanted to make your investment an absolute no-brainer so I decided to call in a few favours and throw in a couple of very time sensitive bonuses.

* A PERSONAL Food Diary Review from me where you can fill out the food diary from the Secret Guide to Smart Eating for a full week and email it back to me for a review of your eating habits.

* Benson Manento's 73 Rapid Fat Loss Tips - Benson gives some great secrets here that I begged him to let me include it as a bonus

* Ed Scow's 10 Minute Workouts Manual - the perfect companion to the Optimise Blowtorch Sessions

* The World's Busiest Dad, Chris Lopez on the Aussie Fatblast Hotseat MP3 sharing some of his best secrets to maximise fat loss results.

* UK Expert Noel Lyons Interviewed me on his hot seat about motivation and how to make things happen in your life

Caroline: Any other tips that you can give my readers?

Daniel: You have to take massive action today not tomorrow. Start doing the little things right and the big things follow. That is why I created the tips to totally redesign your eating from something to be embarrassed about to rockstar role model in only 30 days. Simple steps that put together create that rolling effect that gets you where you want to be.

If you want to check his site out straight away, and make the most of his crazy time-limited offer then you can do that HERE: www.australianfatblast.com

Wednesday, 8 October 2008

I Did It - Book Is Launched!


I know I haven't posted here for a while, but I've been head down in my book, determined to get it launched before going on holiday, which I do tonight for 2 weeks!

So mission accomplished! It took lots of long nights and crazy early starts, but it's done, and now I can go and meet Dax Moy the day I get back from holiday, when my Magic Hundred has finished, safe in the knowledge that I took action and ticked that massive goal off the list!

So, where can you find out more?

Check it out here:

Monday, 29 September 2008

Reboot Your Taste Buds

I spend a lot of my time encouraging clients to adopt 'cleaner' eating habits, cutting out the junk and processed foods and basing their diets on whole foods, as close to their natural state as possible.

This shouldn't be too hard, really, and for me I actually would far sooner have a 'clean' meal than a disgusting pre-made ready meal, even if it is from M&S...  In fact, the smell of supposedly healthy pre-made meals being heated in the microwave is now a massive turn-off to me.

But this is because over time, my taste buds have been trained to appreciate the simpler things.  I used to think 85% cocoa chocolate was too dark, but now if I have chocolate I can handle the 99%! 

We think we have 'tastes' but in fact these are very changeable - did you used to only have coffee with sugar in it? It's pretty easy to wean yourself off it over a couple of weeks, isn't it?

The same goes for foods - many of my clients insist something is horrendous the first time they try, and while I will never force anyone to eat anything they don't like (that is a big part of how I get results with clients - ensuring the changes they make are ones they can see themselves adopting for life) I will always ask them to give it a few more tries before dismissing it out of hand.  Sometimes it can just take a bit of getting used to, other times you'll just need to tweak things a little...

There is a great article from Leigh Peele, the 'Fat Loss Troubleshooter' about how you can actually systematically retrain (or 'reboot') your tastebuds if you find you are really struggling with adopting a cleaner style of eating. You can find the article HERE.

Thursday, 25 September 2008

The Killer At Large

Whew.  Just received the link to this vid - you've got to watch it:


Sunday, 21 September 2008

20kg Kettlebell Snatches - First Ever Attempt!

OK, so strictly speaking this is a post for my Kettlebell blog (http://kettlebellebody.blogspot.com) but this is a first on two counts, as well as being two of my Magic Hundred Goals achieved in one go!

(If you want to make the most of the last 100 days of the year then you can check out the Magic Hundred Goal Getting Programme for yourself HERE!)

1.  My first ever YouTube video!!  I know it sounds crazy, but I've had a bit of a mental block about getting video footage.... Finally just (in the words of Craig Ballantyne) 'got it done'.

2. My first ever attempt at Kettlebell snatches with the 20kg kettlebell!  That is why I have posted the clip even though you can hardly see anything because of the sun - I can't exactly re-film my first attempt now, can I??!!

Wednesday, 17 September 2008

The Truth About Abs - It Doesn't Take Any Discipline?

I thought I'd post this interview with Mike Geary at Truth About Abs as it neatly expresses my feelings about discipline and acheiving your dream body.  When you 'diet' using 'willpower' and 'discipline' you have to work really hard to keep going.  But when you make lifestyle changes that you enjoy, it all becomes rather effortless:

"I've been interviewed a lot lately for fat loss teleseminars, radio shows, etc, and one question really caught my attention recently.

I believe I was asked how I maintain so much discipline to always eat healthy and rarely ever cheat.

Well, first of all, I don't always eat perfect, but if I do cheat, it's only a couple times a month and only when I eat out. So basically, I never keep any junk food at all in the house.  And even when I do "cheat"... I still never eat french fries, soda, donuts, or candy.

But I get asked often how I stay so disciplined to eat so healthy and always bypass the fries, sodas, and other junk foods that we're all bombarded with on a daily basis.

I thought about it for a second, and my answer was that I don't really think it's about discipline for me.  Instead, I have something going on in my head that makes the thought of eating deep fried food, candy, donuts, or sodas not appealing at all to me.

In fact, it even goes a step beyond junk food just not appealing to me...

My mindset is that these junk foods actually appear disgusting to me and I have no desire to eat them at all. I actually crave healthy foods instead.

So it made me think... Why do some of us see junk foods and not crave them at all (and even view them as disgusting), while others see junk foods and cannot resist the temptation?

That's a tough call...and when it comes to how our minds work, things can get complicated.

For me personally, I can say that I think the reason why junk food is so revolting to me is that I've spent so many years reading about all of the negative effects that these foods have on your body... and digging into the actual science and the negative cellular reactions that they cause within your body.

Due to the fact that I've read in such depth about what these foods do to your body, I have ingrained in my head over the years that these foods are pure evil and therefore, I have no desire to eat them.

In fact, my dislike of junk foods is so deeply rooted at this point in my life, even the smell of deep fried chicken or donuts sometimes can make me feel sick, whereas the smell of a healthy meal makes me feel energized.

I never realized during all of these years that this was the reason that I eat so healthy on a regular basis. Everyone always said I just had "discipline"... but now that I've actually thought about it more, I've discovered that it's not discipline, but rather that my brain views junk foods with such a negative view, that the thought of eating junk food almost makes me feel sick.

This is interesting indeed. I'm not a brain-science expert, so I can't explain exactly how to adopt this type of mindset. All I can say is... keep continually educating yourself on nutrition and how different types of foods are processed and react in your body.

Hopefully, by learning exactly what is going wrong in your body when you consume trans fats or excess processed sugars, perhaps that will help you to view junk foods in such a negative way that you no longer crave them at all.

Good luck!

Here are a couple additional nutrition articles of mine that might help you make healthier food choices:

Protein Bars or Junk Food?
http://www.truthaboutabs.com/protein-bars-energy-nutrition.html

Healthier Post-Workout Meals and Shakes
http://www.truthaboutabs.com/post-workout-meals-shakes.html

Energy Drinks or Fat-Fertilizer?
http://www.truthaboutabs.com/energy-drinks.html

Don't be lazy... be lean"

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Founder - http://TruthAboutAbs.com & http://BusyManFitness.com
http://AvalancheSkiTraining.com


Positive Eating Winning The Diet Battle

Another article: ENJOYING FOOD

More of is are shunning the deprivation or 'fad' diets in favour of healthful, nutritionally charged, positive eating strategies...

In the long term this is the only way to lose the excess fat and keep it off - we need to address the cause not 'band-aid' the symptom, and this will only be possible if we adopt new habits for life!

There's nothing wrong with enjoying food!  But we need to listen to our bodies - we don't really 'enjoy' junk!

Think Yourself Fat?

A recent study showed that we tend to eat more calories after intense mental exercise!  


So stop thinking so hard about diet and fitness, maybe? And just take some action!

Saturday, 13 September 2008

Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle - My Version Of Tom's Oatmeal Pancakes!

The first ever ebook I bought was the all-time classic Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto.  It was so informative that my Personal Training course taught me nothing new - he'd already taught me everything I needed!  Still a classic today...

So when I was sent a link to this YouTube clip of one of his inner circle members making his infamous 'Oatmeal Pancakes'  (a fat burning yet delicious recipe, perfect for a leisurely weekend breakfast) I thought I'd give it a try.  I actually woke up dreaming about them (sad but true!).




I've played with various pancake recipes in the past, and while Tom's version was nice, I modified it a little, making them somewhat fruitier and creamier!

I simply added a dollop of skimmed quark (you could also use cottage cheese - it's just that I've fallen in love with quark recently - try it blended with vanilla protein powder and serve with berries for a healthy version of cheesecake!) 

I also used frozen blueberries instead of apple (this does make the pancakes bright blue!) and I also blended the mixture in my Magic Bullet.  

I served the pancake with another dollop of quark and a few more berries. 

It even tastes gorgeous raw!  I split the recipe into 2 to make 2 pancakes, but had eaten the mixture before the first one had cooked!

I also preferred the pancake a little underdone - so you get the gooeyness inside the pancake, too.  Adding the creamy quark makes this work really well.

Tom's recipe does say you can add vanilla protein powder, and modify the ingredients according to your calorie and macronutrient requirements.

A really nice treat - but yet it's not really a treat at all!  A nice change from a bowl of porridge, as much as I also love porridge... I love my carb days!

How can you feel remotely deprived when you're having blueberry pancakes for breakfast?  Pity the poor fools eating toast or boring cereal...

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Get Fatter With 14hrs Exercise A Week?

Dr John Berardi from Precision Nutrition has just posted a really interesting article on his blog, regarding training and fat loss.

A while back, he wrote about a recent study that showed that exercise doesn't work for fat loss - something that maybe as a trainer I shouldn't be passing on to you guys!

However, he's not saying not to exercise, just that exercise alone is not the answer - you really need to work the nutrition too.  

This is something I am all too well aware of - even when spending hours a day windsurfing or snowboarding I need to keep a tight rein on the calories or I just get fatter!  

This article takes that study a step further - demonstrating how these girls gained body fat despite a gruelling workout schedule.  Really worth a read:  PRECISION  NUTRITION FORUM

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Revealed: The Number One Reason People Do Not Work Out


So here's the million-dollar question:  

"What's the number one reason people do not work out?"  

Is it lack of money? Lack of motivation? Perhaps they lack the ideal workout plan?  

Nope. It's TIME. Or rather the lack thereof.  

"We know that 50 per cent of the population doesn't [exercise] and the most commonly cited barrier to exercise is lack of time."  This quote comes from exercise researcher Martin Gibala, a kinesiology professor at McMaster University in Hamilton.  

Gibala put his theory to the test in a study that was published in the Journal of Physiology. In it Gibala compared a group who exercised "traditionally" -- 90 to 120 minutes per day -- with another group exercising far less: Only 20 minutes per day and only three days per week.

That's a whopping one hour per week folks.  

Not dissimilar from a programme I've recently discovered, in fact: Jon Benson's "7 Minute Muscle" plan. Working out for a total of about an hour a week with only five 7-minute resistance training workouts (weights or bodyweight) plus only 9 minutes cardio a few days per week.  

And that actually works? I hear you cry! Yeah... you bet it does.  

Guaranteed to be the fastest gimmick-free method to build lean muscle and burn fat, 7 Minute Muscle details Jon Benson's trademarked Power Density Training System. With over 30 scientific studies referenced on the subjects of muscle-building and fat-burning using short, intense workouts, 7 Minute Muscle gives everyone, from beginner to advanced trainee, the exact System of training that builds muscle faster than ever before—and at the same time decreases body fat and increases overall health.

I personally think I would struggle with so little exercise, as I do have time and love to train, but more about how I may be sabotaging my own results later...

Firstly, check it out for yourself HERE: 7 MINUTE MUSCLE: AKA TRAIN SMARTER NOT HARDER!

If you've been receiving my emails (you can sign up a the top of the page if you've been missing out!) or reading this blog, or my KettlebelleBody blog, you will know that I am not an advocate of repetitious long, steady bouts of cardio. I personally have been at my fattest when I cycled a couple of hours most days and rowed for university!

Find out more HERE: TRAIN SMARTER NOT HARDER!

Back to Gibala's study: In just two weeks both groups showed improvement in both exercise performance and oxygen uptake. (Remember, fat burns in the presence of oxygen.) The kicker is that both groups were almost identical in their improvement, despite the 2nd group training far less.

Why? Because the brief exercise group trained with greater focus and more intensity -- exactly how myself and Jon suggest you train.

This is just one of dozens of studies that confirm the benefits of shorter but more intense workouts.  

However, there is a catch: Train too hard and you will shut down your fat-burning furnace.  

Your body perceives over-exertion done over an extended period of time as a sign of pursuit. It can trigger an ancient hormonal sequence that says, "I'm being chased by a tiger! Horde the fat!"  

The body literally shuts down what it considers to be unnecessary activity in favour of self-preservation. And guess what? Burning off those hips and love handles is not a biological necessity.  

You have to learn when to hit it hard AND when to rest and recover.

This is probably where I am going wrong at the moment - I love to train, and to train hard, but still like my hour-long workouts most days! I need to take Jon's advice and avoid over-doing things... Especially as my 'rest days' are then spent windsurfing or kitesurfing....

But enough about me, back to how Jon can help you save time and get results.

As I've mentioned in posts and emails before, you have to put yourself into the proper mental state in order to see greater results in the shortest period of time. Jon actually devotes an entire chapter to putting your mind into your muscle to get results faster than ever before in "7 Minute Muscle." 

You can read more here (it'll take you longer to read than the workouts do!): WORKOUT YOUR MIND AND SEE YOUR BODY TRANSFORM!  

Just remember these three key points:  

1. Time is the greatest barrier to fitness.  
2. Workouts can be short and very effective.  
3. The body goes where the mind directs. 

Train smart!  

Monday, 1 September 2008

Get Long and Lean Limbs With Self-Myofascial Release - Not as Scary as it Sounds!

Do you have tight muscles that stretching alone doesn't seem to affect?  

This is a common situation and can be relieved by one of the most unassuming bits of kit on the fitness market - the Foam Roller.
Foam Roller 6"
Literally, as it sounds, a length of foam, like those you play with in swimming pools or like some of the cricketers last week were pretending to bat with while watching from the bench (unlikely you noticed that one...).

You lay the foam on the ground, then lay on top of it, supporting your weight as you roll part of your body over the roller.  It's like your own personal massage therapist - you find 'trigger points' (the bits that hurt, basically) and stay with them until the feeling subsides, meaning the muscle adhesion, or knot, has been eased off.  You then move to another area of the body (or move around to get all areas of a muscle group).

You'll feel some discomfort as you're rolling (if you can't feel anything you need to ensure you're relaxing the muscles enough...) but afterwards you'll feel that sense of lightness and release you get after a great massage!

This is especially good for runners - the iliotibial band (ITB) is connective tissue, not a muscle, and stretching can only lengthen muscles.  Self-Myofascial Release actually means it releases the fascia of the muscles - that is the connective tissue.  So if you are a runner and getting 'runners knee' or hip pain, you should definitely be rollin'!

It is also great for calves - most people have shortened calf muscles and stretch all you like, if the fascia are not addressed you will not lengthen the muscles significantly through stretching alone.

This is used in the athletic world a lot, but has yet to filter into regular fitness usage.  You can use the roller before your workout, to address muscle tightness in the short term to ensure you're movement patterns are 100% when you work out, or you can use the roller on recovery days, so you are well primed for your next workout. 

There's a great article with descriptions and pics of all the methods of applying the roller HERE

You can get the rollers for about £15 at most online fitness stores.  I get mine from Fitness Mad (click the picture): 
Foam Roller 6"

I must admit, I really don't use mine as much as I should, but it is so easy to use - you can roll away (not literally, unless you live on a big hill and don't hold on...) while watching TV of an evening, all you need is 5-10 mins every few days

You will feel the benefits of one session straight away, and with regular application you will notice a longer lasting effect. 




Saturday, 30 August 2008

Waist Danger Zone - Is Your Waist Over 35 inches?

A recent study by Tufts University in Boston shows that not only is the 'muffin top' or 'beer gut' aesthetically displeasing, but it also poses significant health risks.  This has long been suggested but now there is growing research (no pun intended...) that once our waists creep up to the 'magic' number 35 (men get 2 more inches than us ladies - their major danger zone is above 37in) we are at an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and perhaps even Alzheimers and dementia.  

If your waist measurement reaches 40 ins then you should definitely be taking action to get this situation under control.

Bear in mind that if you are particularly small of stature then a lower number will represent your danger zone - for extremes of height you are better off dividing your height by 2.  That is your personal danger zone - so if you are 5 foot 2 inches, or 62 inches, you are in the danger zone if your waist is 31in or more.

So why is belly fat more dangerous than fatty deposits elsewhere?  Well, it indicates that you are likely to be carrying much more visceral fat - this is fat around the organs including the heart.  So even if you are to all casual observers 'slim' you really do need to know this number - and if you are in the danger zone you need to take action.

My personal fat loss crusade is more health related than aesthetic - I realised this when I bought a pair of (a bit weird looking) Fit Flops today instead of replacing my trusty (and very good looking) Reef Mick Fannings with yet another pair!  I don't care what I look like in them, but I know they will do me good. The same applies to eating healthily and exercising - for me the benefit of looking better is actually just an added bonus. I care a lot more about feeling good, about feeling energetic and healthy.

Anyway, back to the visceral, or 'organ covering internal fat'.  There are a host of hormonal responses that increase the level of harmful fat in the blood as well as disrupting insulin balance, meaning that sugar levels are less well controlled, which is how it can lead to diabetes.

I don't want to spread doom and gloom, though!  The risk is reversible and studies have shown that when you lose weight it will come from the visceral fat at the same time - in fact the layer around the heart reduced by a third when obese patients lost 20% of their body weight, so this 'danger fat' is lost in preference to external fat. Perhaps not what you want to hear when you're panicking to get into a slinky dress and the fat seems to be staying put, but this is really a lot more important in the long run.

So what can I do?

Nutrition and exercise, of course!  

Essentially, you need to burn 500 cals more a day than you take in to lose a pound a week - and it really is this simple.  

To do this as painlessly as possible (it may be simple, but it's not easy!) you want to focus on the most 'efficient' foods - that are going to fuel the body whilst providing maximum nutrition and fullness - so lean proteins, lots and lots of vegetables, good fats (Omega 3 - ideally krill oil), good carbs (sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, sourdough rye breads NOT refined sugar or sugary foods like pastries and cakes or starchy white carbs such as pasta and white bread).  Low fat dairy is also a good thing to include - there is some evidence that calcium may help with fat loss, and that food sources rather than supplements have a much greater effect.

As for exercise, interval and resistance training has been proven to increase belly-fat burning due to the hormones that are produced when you exercise at a high intensity. Given the fact that intervals and resistance also increase fat burning after you have finished exercising, in a way that steady state cardio does not, you are onto a winner.  You should do a combination of resistance training and intervals 3 times a week for optimal results.

You absolutely cannot spot reduce the belly fat with sit ups! Contrary to infuriatingly popular 'wisdom' crunches do not equal flat abs or a six pack!  The only way you get that is to reduce body fat and you only do that by referring to my earlier point of consuming less than you expend, consistently.

For a killer abs programme check out Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training for Abs - not a crunch in sight and as a bonus you get the best nutrition info out there, from natural health expert, Isabel De Los Rios (or you can check her programme out directly: HERE).

If you're wondering about how you can drink alcohol on a fat loss programme, Tom Venuto has some hard hitting advice, and compares the calorie content of most alcoholic beverages (I say 'most' - if you want to spend your free time drinking blue WKD then you're reading the wrong blog!).  If you're looking to lose the beer belly, though, a clue to what you may need to get rid of to get rid of it is in the title!