In the quest to burn fat, build muscle and attain a flat belly right in time to show it off at the park or beach this summer there are many obstacles and challenges that will get in the way.  Getting to the gym has become much easier than eating right.

This is where a good protein shake comes in handy.

There are so many options available now that it makes it even more confusing.  However, knowing what to look for will make this process a convenient “no brainer”.

What To Look For

First look for a brand of whey protein powder that is 100% All Natural.  It should state “no artificial sweeteners”, “no artificial flavors”, “hormon free”, “antiobiotic free”, and “BSE free”.  On the ingredient list you’ll ideally want to have 10 ingredients or less on the label.  Depending on the brand they may have a combination of whey protein sources, and that’s ok.  The flavor protein powder you choose will depend on which recipes below seem tasty to you.  For more variability it’s usually easier to go with vanilla.

Shake It Up

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

Mix one serving of chocolate protein powder according to directions with a heaping tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter and half of a banana.  Blend it with crushed ice cubes and enough water to your liking in terms of thickness.

Banana Split

Mix one serving of vanilla or chocolate protein powder according to directions with half a banana, half cup of chopped pineapples, and four frozen strawberries.  Blend it with
crushed ice cubes and enough water to your liking in terms of thickness.

Cookies and Cream

Mix one serving of vanilla or chocolate protein powder according to directions with four to six drops of peppermint extract.  Blend with ice for about 30-45 seconds, then add about four low-fat all-natural chocolate wafers, and blend at a slow speed for an additional 10-15 seconds.

Cinnamon Roll

Mix one serving of vanilla or chocolate protein powder according to
directions with half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.  extract.  Blend with crushed ice cubes and enough water to your liking in terms of thickness.  This one is especially good with skim milk, soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk.

PB & J

Mix one serving of vanilla or chocolate protein powder according to
directions with a heaping tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter and four to six frozen strawberries (or any berry of choice). Blend
with crushed ice cubes and enough water to your liking in terms of
thickness.

Post-Workout Power Juice

Blend six to eight ounces of all-natural orange juice with one serving of vanilla protein powder, half a banana, half cup of plain yogurt, and ice cubes to your liking.

So these are just a few easy protein shakes to get started.  Add more or less fruit or other ingredients to suit your taste buds.  If you opt for milk as your fluid of choice try to stick with skim milk, low fat soy, rice, & almond milk, or non-fat to low-fat plain yogurt.  Keep the juices for ONLY post-workout shakes, but try to keep it between six to eight ounces (gotta still watch out for the excess sugars).

Are you already a protein shake aficionado?  Share your recipes in the comments section.

PS – These are my brand recommendations,

MRM 100% All Natural Whey (Vanilla or Chocolate) – for protein only, and can be found in most local health food stores

Prograde Lean – for a full meal replacement shake

Prograde Workout – for pre or post workout only (has been university tested and featured in Men’s Health)

[Photo credit: Shootsnikon]

Having trouble sticking to your fitness routine?  Shake it up a little by working out first thing in the morning.  It’s a huge mental shift, but with the sun coming up earlier, early morning workouts will help you jump start your metabolism for the rest of the day.

In addition, you can avoid the stress of battling decisions between your workout and possible last minute evening activities that would have competed with your time, you won’t have to think about getting your workout in, and you’ll find yourself getting more work done during the day.

So challenge yourself to get up earlier and in less than two weeks I guarantee you’ll see and feel a difference.

PS, Still need some pick me up help in the morning? Here are two quick dynamic flexibility exercises to get the blood flowing.

Perform 2 sets of 10 reps for each exercise.

1. Cat/Camel

2. Opposites (aka Bird Dog)

You may or may not have heard of the term “TEF”, or “Thermic Effect of Food”.  For whatever reason “TEF” isn’t widely discussed.  Maybe it’s because talking about good nutrition can be boring, or because there’s so much advice out there that we almost become immune to it.

However, you might want to listen up for this one simple tip, because it’s going to help you (if you apply it) burn an extra 100-300 calories per day.

Here we go.

Every time you eat, at least 10% of your calories is being used for digestion.  This is your body’s natural furnace, aka “TEF”, and it represents the calories burned in order to process the calories consumed.

[Photo Credit: sheedypj]

Protein has the highest TEF at 25-30%, with carbohydrates and fats not even being close at 7% and 3% respectively.  For every 100 calories (25 grams) of protein you eat, your body burns 25-30 calories to simply digest and use the protein.  This is one of the reasons we recommend that you build your meals and snacks around good sources of lean protein, especially if your goal is fat loss.

In comparison, if you ate a meal or snack that was 100 calories of carbs only, such as toast and jam, your body would only burn 7 calories.  Obviously, not the way to go if you want to burn more calories so throw away those useless “100 Calorie” snack bags pronto.

[Photo credit: 3liz4]

So again, if your goal is fat loss then imagine if you combined lean protein with a good carb source that totaled 400 calories and half of those calories came from protein.  That’s 50-60 calories burned from protein, and 14 calories burned from carbs totaling at least 64 calories of TEF.  If you ate four meals like this that would be an additional 256 calories you burned in a day not including the fat blasting calories from your workout.

The simplest thing to do to burn more fat and increase your energy levels is to increase your protein intake, and not only your meal frequency but the regularity of those meals.  Doing this will boost your metabolism quickly and will keep it elevated for several hours.  Talk about an easy way to fight fat, especially if your combining the right foods.

Now go chow on some fat-burning protein!

- Rommel Acda, MATS, CSCS

Have questions or comments?  Please let me know in the comments section.

With spring in full effect most people are hitting the gym hard to achieve that flat belly.  However, a lot of people are also seeking to achieve amazing looking arms to show off during the summer as well.  Most of our female clients are concerned with getting rid of the “back-of-the-arm” jiggly wiggly’s, and are tired of it jiggling long after they’ve stopped waving.

Good nutrition will of course help, and interval training will improve the fat burning process, however specific weight training will boost the “toning” effect.  (I can’t stand the word “toning”, but hey I gotta use it).

Follow this three exercise “superset” to attack the stubborn “jiggly” in your triceps so that you can break out the tank tops and show off your newly shaped arms!

The Workout

Perform each exercise for the prescribed amount of reps.  Make sure to select a weight that will fatigue your triceps for the prescribed reps.  Transition between each exercise with little (no more than 10 seconds) to no rest.  After you perform the third exercise rest for one minute, then repeat for two more times to complete three sets.

Exercise 1: Narrow hand position pushups – 5 reps

- Use a full range of motion!  Don’t wuss out and only go half way down.  Your chest should almost touch the floor.  If you can’t complete 5 full reps, then do whatever you can and move on to the next exercise.

Exercise 2: Plank to pushup position – 10 reps total

- Start from a plank position on your forearms then transition into a pushup position.  You will not perform a pushup though.  Do five reps starting with your left hand and the other five transitioning with your right hand.

Exercise 3: Rope Pressdowns/Extensions – 15 reps

- Using a rope attachment from a high cable pulley, hold the ends of the rope with your palms facing each other.  Keep your knees soft and slightly lean your upper body forward, while keeping your back flat.  Start with your elbows bent at 90-degrees, then straighten your arms as you slightly pull the rope apart.  Do not separate the rope too much as this will create too much pressure in your shoulders.

[Photo credit: figureathlete.tmuscle.com]

Here’s a video that demonstrates exercises 1 and 2.

Work Hard!

- Rommel Acda, MATS, CSCS

Here are some surefire ways to burn off an additional 100 calories to help you burn extra fat and attain a leaner physique.

1. Raise Your Intensity

It’s a well known fact now that increasing your intensity during your workout will create an “afterburn” effect.  If you haven’t heard of the term “afterburn” in the fitness world, it simply means a disturbance in your metabolism causing you to burn more calories after an intense strength training or interval training workout.

2. Ditch The Sugar

One 8 oz glass of juice has an average of 28 grams of sugar and 120 calories. One packet of sugar is 4 grams and 16 calories. Do the math. In one glass of juice you just consumed 7 packets of sugar. Get rid of the white stuff; your body will appreciate it.

3. Ditch The Sugar Substitutes

Research has shown that our body reacts the same way to sugar substitues (sucralose – aka Splenda, aspartame – aka Equal, saccharin – aka Sweet’N Low). Insulin levels still spike, wreaks havoc on our metabolism and causes the body to store more fat.

4. Eat Healthy Fats

Studies have shown that consuming more healthy fats, aka essential fatty acids, allows our cells to burn more fat and shrinks existing fat cells. A supportive diet rich in healthy fats also helps to break down the visceral fat around our organs, which is the dangerous body fat.

5. Turn On The Heat

If you’re into the hot stuff (get your mind out of the gutter) research has shown that adding more spice (hot sauce and chili peppers) to your meals can elevate your caloric burn by 25%.

6. Stand Up and Let Go Of The Handles

If you’re one of the machine cardio goers, let go of the handles on the elliptical already! If you’re stuck on the bike, change it up and get on another machine that has you standing instead.

7. Sleep Well

A lack of sleep and poor quality sleep drastically affects your fat burning hormone, leptin, and your appetite controlling hormone, ghrelin. A good eight hours of sleep will keep these hormones working full-time versus part-time. If these hormones aren’t operating optimally it can cause cravings.

Did this post help? There are a lot of other tips out there, let us know what else you’ve heard. Share in the comments section below.

- Rommel

Valerie Bertinelli was on the Today Show this morning and talked about how she lost 40 pounds and looks and feels sexier than ever at age 48.  She’s the face of the new Jenny Craig campaigns, which took her goals to a whole new level of responsibility and accountability.  It allowed her to stay true and hold strong for her fitness goal in front of a national audience by not only losing the weight, but to prove to herself and to us that she can keep it off.

I can’t stress this enough when it comes to weight loss.  Social support and accountability is a huge component to get you to your goals.  It’s often overlooked or downplayed, because too many people are afraid of putting themselves out there.  Who cares what people are going to think.  They can’t make you feel inferior without your consent anyways so forget about the naysayer’s.  

Valerie didn’t care about what people would have thought, and by putting herself out there she was able to help many women believe in themselves to go for it too.  Especially in their late forties where most women think it’s nearly impossible.  It’s never, ever too late.

So how did Valerie do it?

Believe it or not, she lost majority of her weight without hiring a personal trainer and by doing five days of moderate walking, and sticking to the Jenny Craig nutrition plan.  The Jenny Craig system focuses on a fixed diet plan, and a reduced calorie diet using a 60/20/20 ratio (60% – carbs; 20% – fat; 20% – protein).  Most people would have a hard time losing weight with this plan, but it worked very well for Valerie.

As for her exercise, I would have incorporated at least two days of strength training, because it further stimulates your metabolism by building fat burning muscle.  However, I believe her routine worked well for her simply because she BELIEVED it would.

You see, most people overlook what’s going on in their heads and are usually somewhat skeptical of trying out a new fitness program.  Losing weight is not rocket science, but the problem is that most people have poor follow through, get frustrated, try a different routine (but still have doubts), get frustrated again, and then it becomes this vicious cycle over and over.

The result is being obsessive about exercise, but see absolutely no results.  If this is you, I encourage you to take a step back.  Choose a workout routine and nutrition plan that will complement your schedule.  Then implement it with a passion and believe that it will give you the results you desire.  

If you can do this I guarantee you’ll enjoy your journey.

Ok – Comment time.

Did you enjoy this post?  Have you tried Jenny Craig, and if so how was your experience?

Please share in the comments section below.

- Rommel

PS, Take a look at my simple home/office workout routine ==> Click Here.

The James Bond Girls have become as famous as 007 himself.  With exotic looks and far out names it’s hard not to notice the women who portray Bond’s girls.  Their presence is almost as necessary as all of 007’s cars and cool hi-tech gadgets.

I came across an article in which three of the Bond girls shared their secrets to maintaining a sexy physique.

The latest Bond girl, Olga Kurylenko said she cross-trained with martial arts and high-intensity circuit weight training.  Her nutrition tip was to not overdo it with sugar, and said “The only time I had dessert was at friend’s houses!”

Halle Berry’s tip was along the lines of using an external motivator.  Her motivation was knowing that she had to wear that orange bikini in Die Another Day, and to “walk sexy” coming out of the water.  She too cut out sugar, ate more fruits and veggies, and focused on short, intense, and effective circuit weight training.

Michelle Yeoh explains that regular exercise is part of her life, and it’s important to incorporate it into your everyday lifestyle.  She doesn’t diet, eats most things in moderation, but eats a lot of fruits and veggies.

These tips are great examples of how you don’t need to overcomplicate your fitness routine and eating habits.  Cutting out refined white sugar and increasing your consumption of fruits and veggies is something we’ve been preaching consistently.  Make exercise a priority in your life, but find a way to make it fit seamlessly even if it’s literally just doing 1-2 sets of bodyweight squats and pushups.  You perform those two sets intensely enough it will still provide you great benefits in as little as four minutes per day.

So get off your butt right now, bust out as many squats as you can in 20 seconds, followed by as many pushups as you can in 20 seconds, and repeat that five more times.  You’ll be worked for sure, and when you’re done you can bite into your favorite fruit.

Have fun with that!

- Rommel

Last Saturday I held a grocery store tour for a few clients.  As we approached the meat section one client mentioned that they’ve pretty much cut out red meat from their diet, that people should stay away from meat, it causes a lot of problems, it’s linked to cancer, and the “China Study” reveals why.

I agree and I disagree.  But let me explain something first.  The “China Study” was written by Dr. Colin Campbell – a well known vegan.  Of course he’s going to be anti-meat.  As my business partner, Belton, and I have stated numerous times, please consider the source.

Now I’m not completely bashing Dr. Campbell, because there are very good and legitimate points stated in his book.  However, there are way too many factors to consider before concluding that eating meat is the devil.  Yes there’s definitive evidence that links meat with increased cancer risk, but some factors to question are,

• The type of meat that was eaten – is it hormone pumped, grain fed beef? Or, naturally grass fed beef?
• Were the meats processed?
• How was the meat cooked? Grilled or Charred?  (Charred beef contains cancer causing carcinogens)
• What was eaten in combination with the beef? More saturated foods like cheeses? Or heart healthy whole grains and fruits and veggies?

Do you see my point yet?  Again, there are way too many things to consider, but let me simplify what I’ve learned from my own research, and in discussions with numerous nutrition experts.  It’s more about the way you combine your foods that will dictate your overall health and your physique.

We utilize these simple methods in our fat loss programs from Jayson Hunter, registered dietitian and Director of Research and Development for Prograde Nutrition:

• For each meal fulfill one serving for each category: lean protein, fibrous carbs (any fruits or veggies), starchy (but high fiber) carbs
• For starchy carbs do your best to choose whole, unprocessed grains such as whole grain or whole wheat breads, or other complex starchy carbs, such as sweet potatoes, yams, quinoa, and brown rice.
• Consume more healthy fats in the form of nuts, cold water fish, or supplementing with heart healthy, fat blasting essential fatty acids (we recommend Prograde’s EFA Icon, and read this blog to learn more about how essential fatty acids helps beat the battle of the bulge).
• Drink more water! We recommend a minimum of 64oz per day.

These methods are not rocket science, and they’re definitely not new.  The problem is that most people are oversimplifying the concepts (considering how we Americans tend to react to information, this isn’t surprising).  Remember the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle?  Take small steps by focusing on one bullet point each week.  Master that bullet point then move on to the next.  I guarantee you do that and you’ll be seeing results in no time.

Now back to the issue of eating meat, if you love it don’t avoid it, just make sure to eat the naturally raised grass-fed beef, and eat more fruits and veggies to go with it.  Eating the right amounts of meat can be helpful in an overall supportive nutrition regimen.  Not only is good quality meat high in muscle-building protein, but it’s rich in iron, and energy producing B-vitamins.  Again, just make sure to add in high quality fruits and veggies for added antioxidants, and lots of fiber to round out your nutrition plan.

Yours in health,

Rommel

PS – If you’re not a participant in one of our fitness and fat loss programs and would like more information about the nutrition guidelines stated above, please fill out the form on our home page and we’ll send you our “Nutrition Crash Course” guide.

**Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian.  The dietary recommendations are
not intended as a substitute for any treatment or dietary regimen that
may have been prescribed by your physician.  If you have high
cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or any other metabolic
disorder please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or
a registered dietician.

With the holidays around the corner, it’s hard to keep your head on straight when you’re constantly surrounded by sugary sweets, fattening dishes, and calorie-busting entrees. Some might say, “It’s not my fault I gained 20 pounds over the holidays. My kids, my co-workers, and even the ads on TV were always shoving food in my face!”

This reminds me of an article we wrote earlier this year entitled Seattle Eastside’s Top Personal Trainers Say “You’re Not to Blame for Your Weight Problem!”

“What if you’re not to blame for your weight problem?” The February 3, 2008 edition of Seattle Times posed this question in an article entitled It’s Not My Fault I’m Fat? Not surprisingly, this immediately caught our attention. What if it’s not your fault if you’re overweight? You may as well cancel that gym membership, re-stock your cupboards with potato chips and cookies, and call it quits. Because according to this article, until the government starts regulating our environments by getting rid of vending machines, outlawing “Super Size Me” meals, and black-listing certain deep-frying, calorie-busting restaurants, you won’t be able to change your habits and get healthy. It’s just too hard. Here’s a quick outline of the main points in the article and our thoughts on each:

“Eating is an automatic behavior that has little to do with choice, willpower, or even hunger…Automatic behavior can be controlled, but only for a short time.”

True. Many of us have hard-wired programming that makes us reach for that doughnut for breakfast. Old habits die hard. However, they can die and be replaced by new habits. With enough persistence and with the right mindset, choosing the right foods in the right quantities can become automatic as well.

“Changing routine behavior is painstaking and slow. It sometimes takes years to change one little thing.”

True. No one said that adopting a healthy lifestyle would be easy. But if you keep selling yourself short and convincing yourself that change is too hard, you’re absolutely right! And it will take years to stop reaching for that doughnut. It comes down to how bad you want it and why. It comes down to your mindset.

“If people rely on willpower alone, they are expecting too much of themselves..It’s easier to change the environment than it is to change people.”

False. This statement frankly depresses us. Are we really giving in to our own weakness and taking the coward’s way out? Pointing fingers and putting the responsibility for our own lives in other people’s hands? We believe that willpower – or “energetic determination,” as defined by Merriam-Webster.com – can accomplish anything. Granted, we do give some credit to the above statement by admitting that willpower should be accompanied by knowing what the right foods are, by a deeply compelling purpose driving the willpower, and by a belief in oneself and one’s worthiness. However, blaming anything or anyone else for our shortcomings is still just a “good story.”

We, personally, have more hope in the human race than this, and we hope you do too. This article drastically sells us short as human beings. If we told a 3-year-old not to take his sister’s toy, but he did anyway, is it entirely not his fault because she was sitting there playing with it right in front of him? We’re afraid this is the message this article would give to our kids: It’s not your fault. You’re a victim to your environment.

We’re not saying that government restrictions on the use of trans-fats or requirements to label restaurant foods with nutritional information wouldn’t help. But we can’t sit on our rears and wait until the environment around us changes before we change ourselves. A wise man once said, “As within, so without.” Real change won’t come until we decide to change ourselves. Then the food manufacturers and marketers, restaurant operators, and food vendors would have no choice but to conform. It all comes down to personal accountability. In the words of Dr. Wayne Dyer, “If your problems were the result of others in your environment, you would go broke sending everyone else to the psychiatrist.”

If you truly want to enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner and holiday festivities without dealing with added weight on your belly, it is all in your hands. The key is having a strong mindset. ??Most people approach the holidays with the mindset of “I deserve to indulge and I shouldn’t have to workout – it’s the holidays and I deserve it”. This is fine if you don’t mind entering 2009 with an added spare tire, a little less healthy, and with lower energy than ever before. Believe you deserve better, because YOU are more than that! Believe that you don’t have to wait until 2009 to get into better shape than you are today. Believe that you deserve to have a healthier lifestyle and have more energy NOW than you ever thought possible!

I’m always available to help – call or email me to set up a fitness consultation and let’s get started on making lasting changes over the next few weeks to come.

Contact info:

Phone: 425.296.9305

Email: rommel@element5fitness.com

Website(s):

http://www.element5fitness.com

http://www.strongandsexybootcamps.com