By now you’ve heard that our Olympic champion Michael Phelps has gotten into a lot of trouble over his bong pics.  There are lessons that can be learned from this mishap.

First, we must always remember we are role models in some way.  There is always a client, a family member, or a colleague somewhere looking to us for guidance.  Michael Phelps screwed up, and it’s a shame, but what’s done is done.  However, it reminded me that as a fitness professional, I MUST lead by example.

Second, forgiving yourself after a mishap.  I believe in forgiving yourself after recognizing “fitness faults”.  I’m talking about “cheat” days versus a “cheat” meal, or a less than stellar workout week.  After working with hundreds of clients looking to change their body, there’s no doubt you WILL screw up along the way.  When it comes to burning fat, or simply improving your fitness, it’s VERY important to recognize your mishaps, forgive yourself, then move on immediately towards positive action.  If you don’t, you’ll easily be one of those that gives up their fitness goals soon after the mishap.

Third, really has nothing to do with Michael Phelps recent actions, however I was simply reminded of working hard for your fitness goals.  Regardless of his actions, you have to agree that he worked super hard for his six-pack abs and to achieve such a high level of fitness.  He set goals and he tackled them with such ferocity.  You don’t have to be an elite athlete like Phelps, but I encourage you to work hard at becoming the best you can be in relation to your fitness goals.  It’s not easy, so don’t be fooled that losing 20lbs in 12-weeks is going to be a walk in the park.

With that said, have you revisited your “Resolutions”?  It’s been almost 6 weeks into the New Year, and you should have seen some decent changes and results.  If not, it’s probably time to take a hard look at what’s holding you back from achieving the body or fitness level you dream of.  If you want amazing conditioning you need proper nutrition AND proper intensity in your workouts.  Period.

Anyway, anytime I see a story like Michael Phelp’s recent news, I always try to look for the lessons that can be learned in relation to fitness.  Please share your comments on what you learned.

Dedicated to your fitness success,

Rommel Acda

PS – If you’re serious about your training and want the best nutritional products, then use what I use – Prograde Nutrition

As fitness experts, you know we’ll never promise you a pill is going to be the answer to that “jiggle in your wiggle.” If you want six pack abs you’re going to have to work for them.

BUT…

There is some very promising research out there in regards to a dietary supplement you’ve probably been hearing a lot about.

Yes, I’m talking about Essential Fatty Acids. You probably have heard them called something like Fish Oil pills.

How’s this for good news?!

*University of Georgia researchers have found something pretty amazing about Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA. Get this: The actually help STOP the conversion of pre-fat cells into fat cells by causing them to die out before they can mature.

Once a pre-fat cell becomes a fat cell, well, there’s no turning back. You’ve got that fat cell for life. Imagine, actually decreasing the accumulation of fat by taking an Essential Fatty Acid supplement containing DHA!

Now let us do our best infomercial voice for you…

“But wait, there’s more!”

Seriously, that’s not the only benefit of Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA.

According to studies** done at the University of South Australia people that combined exercise with Essential Fatty Acid supplements containing DHA saw greater fat loss than the test group that only exercised and did not take the supplement.

How can you not be excited by these research studies??

Now, personally, we don’t like Fish Oil pills because they cause you to burp like crazy. If you’ve ever taken them you know exactly what we mean. And they aren’t always the highest quality.

We prefer EFA Icon from Prograde Nutrition because they use Krill Oil. It’s been found to be a superior source of Essential Fatty Acids containing DHA. Plus, with EFA Icon there are NO fish burps. And we haven’t even mentioned all the amazing health benefits from this dietary supplement.

If you’re looking to accelerate your fat loss results then we recommend you go with Prograde Nutrition’s EFA Icon. You can get it here, http://element5fitness.getprograde.com/icon

Yours in rapid fat loss,

Rommel and Belton – Element 5 Fitness

PS – Remember, EFA Icon is NOT a miracle solution. You will need sound nutrition and exercise. BUT the research is there. It’s definitely a supplement with powerful fat loss properties.
http://element5fitness.getprograde.com/icon

* Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 136:2965-2969
** American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 85:1267-1274

Ok, I am going to keep this blog short because of TWO main reasons but I have to write it:

1.) I Hate New Years Resolution in the cliche sense; but I do love the idea of it, the increase in fitness participation, and the excited energy people have on 2009 and the re-birth theme.

2.) I Hate some aspects of the show “Biggest Loser” such as their training methods to accomplish excessive extreme goals, and push till you fly off a treadmill and pass out scenarios; but i do love the display of dedication, struggles, goal setting, achievements, and end result celebrations!!

So why am I writing this blog? To share the Biggest Loser secret? To tell you how they lose 5, 10, 15, maybe 20 pounds per week? Let me clarify some things and give you the bad news first.

BAD NEWS:
No, I will not put you in a ranch to train 6 hours per day, hard core, and risk injury like the Biggest Loser. No, you did not start at 350-400 pounds and have alot to lose. Most importantly NO, I DO NOT have $500,000 to give to you for achieving a healthier and happier lifestyle. That should be an internal self motivator. If you need a self motivator, go look in a mirror naked. Seriously…

Let me also clarify some other things first before I talk about the secret of “The Biggest Loser” because it has been irritating hearing it year after year each season it is on. People lost WEIGHT. Have you noticed I did not say FAT weight, or MUSCLE weight, or WATER weight? I said weight and it could have been all three or one or the other.

Imagine this…you have a backpack on that weights about 10 pounds empty. You use that backpack to carry 40 pounds of WEIGHT. The next day, you drop those 40 pounds and throw it away. Ok, so what about the 10 pound empty backpack? Why are you still carrying it?
Imagine you gain 40 pounds in 2 years. Remember, in order to support a heavier weight, your body has accustomed itself to support that new added weight through a heavier frame, whether it has extra tissue or muscle to help lug around the extra 40 pounds. So why am I throwing this tidbit of information? Because I get tired of people saying “Belton, why can’t I lose 15 pounds in one week? How do those guys do it? etc, etc, etc”

You don’t have BIG backpacks!!

You aren’t 350 pounds!!

You don’t live in a ranch and train 6 hours per day. Last I checked you had jobs and a life. Not that it is an excuse, it’s reality and you have to deal with it and properly design a training regimen and fat loss program.

Ok, so let’s move onto the secret of “The Biggest Loser”, since I did say I was going to reveal it for you to kickstart your 2009 New Year. Well, obviously the ”Biggest Loser” show is over, and the winner was a person that I liked, but I did hear some wonderful things at the finale.

Ready for the secret? Were you watching the finale? There were two lines that said it all:

“Live in the Moment” – Vicki was told by Phil

“Surrender to the Process” – Michelle (The winner of “Biggest Loser” 2008 Family Edition)

Those two lines say it all right there. There is your Big Secret. No magic pill, No magic exercise, and No magic gel to rub on your cellulite.

“Live in the Moment” – It’s 2009!! Cmon! Enjoy what you have and know that you are alive, well, and survived 2008! It’s a time for change. New president, New Year, New you. Do something. Goodness! Here is a suggestion, Strong and Sexy Bootcamps. Forget the past, it’s done. Talking about the future is like every other moment you said you were going to start to lose weight.

Act now! The momentum will propel you. Don’t get me wrong, definitely set goals and have a future end goal in mind. But living in the moment means ACTION ACTION ACTION!

“Surrender to the Process” – Strong and Sexy Bootcamps, like other great programs have a plan in place. There is nutrition involved and a proper exercise regimen. Surrender, commit, and hold yourself accountable. Don’t go into it half-a@@. You know what I mean. ‘Nuff said. New Years is around the corner.

Live in 2008 or come join us in 2009.

Readers, I have said enough. You get the point and now you know the secret. What were you expecting anyways?

Your Fitness Coach,

Belton Lubas
View my blog

Here are two quick 4-exercise circuit for an effective total body fat-loss workout!

Circuit 1a
1)Incline Pushups
2)Body Rows
3)Alternating Lunges
4)Core Band Twists

Perform 5 rounds of 10-12 reps of each exercise.
Rest 10 seconds between each exercise.
Rest 30-60 seconds rest between each round.

Circuit 1b
1)Bar Squats
2)Pullups
3)Alternating Lunges
4)Hanging Reverse Crunch

Stay Tuned for more from the Element 5 Fitness Team

Visit our sites
Element 5 Fitness
Strong & Sexy Bootcamps

Being snowed in these past few days has been quite fun, and productive. Playing in the snow was fun, and the productive part was Julie and I did some needed housekeeping which also allowed us to catch up on a few things from the chaos of our professional lives. We’ve been reading “It’s All Too Much” by TLC’s professional organizer Peter Walsh. Peter Walsh is considered an organizational guru and has appeared numerous times on Oprah.

I’ve only read one other organizational book, but this one is unique in that Peter’s approach focuses on helping people let go of the emotional and psychological clutter that drains the life out of your home. His book shows you how to face a BIG question: What is the vision for the life you want to live?
I don’t know about you, but that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that from a professional organizer and it was refreshing. If you are struggling with organization in your home or office and you feel consistently drained by just looking at the unnecessary clutter, I encourage you to go get this book. The techniques are easy to implement in a step by step plan.

So with the advice from the book we shredded tons of old mail and other junk, filled up close to 10 large garbage bags of stuff to give to Goodwill, and rearranged our office and the kitchen. The result was feeling a new sense of energy from all the freed up space and new organization to meet the function of the spaces we worked on.

Asides from the massive housekeeping, Julie and I trekked about 10-15 minutes from our home to the nearest shopping area everyday since last Wednesday. That’s roughly 30 minutes of walking up and down hills in the snow for each trip, and we did that twice today because we forgot something at QFC! It was great because we were definitely burning calories, especially being bundled up in thick jackets.
These past “snowed in” days prompted me to do a follow-up post to our “Post-Thanksgiving Workouts” segment. I recorded two quick workouts that can be performed at home with some bands, stability ball, and a weighted bag (in the video 2 I have a 50lb sandbag) just in case you can’t make it to the gym due to our fabulous weather.

Focus on performing all exercises in a fast manner with GOOD FORM. Intensity is key with home workouts or you’re just wasting your time. Choose a challenging resistance, do these workouts right, and you’ll easily burn 300 calories!

Work hard, stay strong!
- Rommel

View workouts

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