If you're serious about making the most of your exercise time, you should read this article...
Is Your Workout Wasting Your Time?
A no-nonsense look at the often nonsensical world of fitness clubs
Obviously, all gyms are not the same but there are definitely too many one-size-fits-all, cookie cutter facilities out there.
If you're a woman in the Lancaster, PA area looking for results and no fluff workouts, please call me at (717) 509-7777.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Happy Birthday, Tina!
Tina Turner turns 69 today. She is currently on tour and will celebrate her birthday on stage in New Jersey. You read that correctly, the woman is rockin' and rollin' at 69!
Take a look at Tina in action just this month and tell me again how you're "too old to exercise".
Take a look at Tina in action just this month and tell me again how you're "too old to exercise".
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Reminder: Save $20 on Body & Soul's Enrollment Fee
Are you…
...full of energy?
...maintaining a healthy body weight?
...confident and self assured?
...in good health?
Or are you…
...frustrated by clothes that don’t fit?
...hesitant to participate in activities for fear you can’t keep up or won’t fit in seats?
...artificially fueled with mega doses of caffeine?
...too unhealthy or overweight to be active with your kids or grandkids, go for a nice walk, or enjoy favorite hobbies or retirement?
I am far from the Discount Diva and I rarely run specials. I am very confident that the value of a Body & Soul membership will match or exceed that of any other gym in the area. That being said, to encourage women not to wait until the new year to join, I am offering a $20 discount on Body & Soul's enrollment fee through November.
Don't wait until January to drop fat, improve your health and lower your disease risk. There are still over 6 weeks until New Year's. Begin now and be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.
If you or anyone you know is thinking about joining Body & Soul Fitness Studio, now is the time. Starting now will give new members a head start on their health and fat loss goals. Exercising through the holidays will reduce stress and help with weight management. And, in January, when others are just getting started, you will already be enjoying the results of your program.
Exercise is not one-size-fits-all. Included in your $59 enrollment fee (regularly $79) is a personalized workout program and 2 one-on-one personal training sessions to go through it.
Nothing will change until you take action but all exercise is not equal. Don’t waste your time on outdated, ineffective workouts. Call Mickey today at (717) 509-7777 to save $20 and to find out how the right fitness program, designed specifically for you, can change your life.
This offer expires November 30th.
...full of energy?
...maintaining a healthy body weight?
...confident and self assured?
...in good health?
Or are you…
...frustrated by clothes that don’t fit?
...hesitant to participate in activities for fear you can’t keep up or won’t fit in seats?
...artificially fueled with mega doses of caffeine?
...too unhealthy or overweight to be active with your kids or grandkids, go for a nice walk, or enjoy favorite hobbies or retirement?
I am far from the Discount Diva and I rarely run specials. I am very confident that the value of a Body & Soul membership will match or exceed that of any other gym in the area. That being said, to encourage women not to wait until the new year to join, I am offering a $20 discount on Body & Soul's enrollment fee through November.
Don't wait until January to drop fat, improve your health and lower your disease risk. There are still over 6 weeks until New Year's. Begin now and be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.
If you or anyone you know is thinking about joining Body & Soul Fitness Studio, now is the time. Starting now will give new members a head start on their health and fat loss goals. Exercising through the holidays will reduce stress and help with weight management. And, in January, when others are just getting started, you will already be enjoying the results of your program.
Exercise is not one-size-fits-all. Included in your $59 enrollment fee (regularly $79) is a personalized workout program and 2 one-on-one personal training sessions to go through it.
Nothing will change until you take action but all exercise is not equal. Don’t waste your time on outdated, ineffective workouts. Call Mickey today at (717) 509-7777 to save $20 and to find out how the right fitness program, designed specifically for you, can change your life.
This offer expires November 30th.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
If You're Not Injured Or A Bodybuilder
A few days ago in my Collected Wisdom post, I included the following from Paul Scott:
I realize that some readers may have been confused by that so I wanted to elaborate on it today.
Many, probably most, gyms have a machine circuit that contains exercises for different body parts. Typically, some of the machines you'll find are the Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Hip Abduction and Adduction, Pec Flye, Lateral Raise and Bicep Curl.
The object is to move through the circuit and when you're finished you will have worked all the major muscles of the body. The problem with this approach is that the majority of circuit machines work your muscles in isolation, which is rarely how our body works in real life.
Unless you're physically disabled, a bodybuilder or rehabbing an injury you will get far more benefit from performing compound exercises, which work multiple muscles at one time. Regardless of whether your goal is strength or fat loss, compound exercises are the way to go.
Too many people who are trying to drop fat spend way too much time doing exercises that are not the best use of their time. Bodybuilders may need to add some isolation work into their routine because their goal is too make their muscles are large as possible. Rehabbing an injury usually involves a lot of isolation work.
Are you injured? Is your goal to look like a bodybuilder? If not, and your goal is weight loss, Bicep Curls, Hip Abduction/Adduction, Tricep Kickbacks, Leg Extensions/Curls, Crunches, etc. will not give you the bang for your buck that Squats, Presses, Kettlebell Swings, Pushups, Rows, Deadlifts, etc. will.
I think Mr. Scott is right. Many gyms don't want to bother teaching members how to correctly perform free weights exercises; they use the excuse that machines are "safer". I also agree that most people will look for the easiest option when exercising. Of course, they'll also be the people who complain about not getting good results.
Remember, it's called working out for a reason.
"Most of us are neither crippled nor on the verge of entering the Mr. Olympia competition, so why do we train as if either is the case? The answer is a combination of the gyms' desire to maximize profits, and our own desire to find workouts that don't involve work."
I realize that some readers may have been confused by that so I wanted to elaborate on it today.
Many, probably most, gyms have a machine circuit that contains exercises for different body parts. Typically, some of the machines you'll find are the Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Hip Abduction and Adduction, Pec Flye, Lateral Raise and Bicep Curl.
The object is to move through the circuit and when you're finished you will have worked all the major muscles of the body. The problem with this approach is that the majority of circuit machines work your muscles in isolation, which is rarely how our body works in real life.
Unless you're physically disabled, a bodybuilder or rehabbing an injury you will get far more benefit from performing compound exercises, which work multiple muscles at one time. Regardless of whether your goal is strength or fat loss, compound exercises are the way to go.
Too many people who are trying to drop fat spend way too much time doing exercises that are not the best use of their time. Bodybuilders may need to add some isolation work into their routine because their goal is too make their muscles are large as possible. Rehabbing an injury usually involves a lot of isolation work.
Are you injured? Is your goal to look like a bodybuilder? If not, and your goal is weight loss, Bicep Curls, Hip Abduction/Adduction, Tricep Kickbacks, Leg Extensions/Curls, Crunches, etc. will not give you the bang for your buck that Squats, Presses, Kettlebell Swings, Pushups, Rows, Deadlifts, etc. will.
I think Mr. Scott is right. Many gyms don't want to bother teaching members how to correctly perform free weights exercises; they use the excuse that machines are "safer". I also agree that most people will look for the easiest option when exercising. Of course, they'll also be the people who complain about not getting good results.
Remember, it's called working out for a reason.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Reminder - Shape Up For The Holidays!
Exclusive 4-Week Small Group Personal Training Program
Look and feel better by the holidays!
Most people will throw caution to the wind and find themselves heavier on New Year’s than they are today.
Don’t follow the crowd and wait until January to reshape your body and get healthier. Begin now and you can be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.
Body & Soul Fitness Studio in Lancaster is offering a 4-week small group personal training program. Beginning November 25th, we will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 – 10:00 AM.
This program is limited to 4 women who are serious about losing body fat and reshaping their bodies. If you believe in the promises of magic pills, no-effort workouts or eating all the junk you want and still losing weight, please ignore this post. If you want to look and feel better by the holidays and are ready to work for it, call Mickey today at (717) 509-7777 to reserve your spot.
The small group setting will provide social support and accountability, which are huge components of weight loss. At the same time, you'll get top notch instruction, insuring that you're performing each exercise correctly for maximum benefit.
Nothing will change until you take action but all exercise is not equal. Don’t waste your time on outdated, ineffective workouts. For just $199, you’ll get two challenging, fat-blasting, total body workouts per week. Remember, this program is limited to just 4 women so call me today to sign up.
Will you be excited about how you look and feel on New Year's day or will you be making resolutions about getting in shape and kicking yourself for missing this opportunity?
Look and feel better by the holidays!
Most people will throw caution to the wind and find themselves heavier on New Year’s than they are today.
Don’t follow the crowd and wait until January to reshape your body and get healthier. Begin now and you can be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.
Body & Soul Fitness Studio in Lancaster is offering a 4-week small group personal training program. Beginning November 25th, we will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 – 10:00 AM.
This program is limited to 4 women who are serious about losing body fat and reshaping their bodies. If you believe in the promises of magic pills, no-effort workouts or eating all the junk you want and still losing weight, please ignore this post. If you want to look and feel better by the holidays and are ready to work for it, call Mickey today at (717) 509-7777 to reserve your spot.
The small group setting will provide social support and accountability, which are huge components of weight loss. At the same time, you'll get top notch instruction, insuring that you're performing each exercise correctly for maximum benefit.
Nothing will change until you take action but all exercise is not equal. Don’t waste your time on outdated, ineffective workouts. For just $199, you’ll get two challenging, fat-blasting, total body workouts per week. Remember, this program is limited to just 4 women so call me today to sign up.
Will you be excited about how you look and feel on New Year's day or will you be making resolutions about getting in shape and kicking yourself for missing this opportunity?
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Collected Fitness Wisdom
Lately I've been saving bits of articles or e-mails that really nail a topic. I hope one or more of them helps you see something in a new light.
From Paul Scott:
(On using machines and training muscles in isolation)
"Most of us are neither crippled nor on the verge of entering the Mr. Olympia competition, so why do we train as if either is the case? The answer is a combination of the gyms' desire to maximize profits, and our own desire to find workouts that don't involve work."
From Alwyn Cosgrove:
"If you cheat: get right back on track. A lot of people think after cheating- I've blown it- so I might as well REALLY blow it! Let me ask you- if you get a flat tire do you get out of your car and slash the other three? Hey, you have a flat tire- might as well have four, right?"
From Rocco Castellano:
"There is nothing in the world that will change your life, not a piece of equipment, not a diet, not a personal trainer, not a workout...nothing will do the work for you.
You need to take action. YOU can only make YOUR life better."
From Mike Geary:
"In several of my newsletters in the past, I've given examples of how choosing your foods based on the glycemic index can be misleading and useless in many cases.
Case in point...
Watermelon has one of the highest measured GI's of all foods (much higher than even cake and ice cream). However, a normal serving of cake and ice cream may give you a whopping 700 or 800 calories, whereas a typical serving of watermelon may give you 50 or 60 calories max!
Trust me... watermelon isn't making anyone fat!
The lesson... GI is almost useless when you're not considering "Glycemic Load", which also factors in the quantity of carbohydrates ingested in a typical serving."
From Rachel Cosgrove:
(On how her body changed from doing lots of steady state cardio when she was training for a triathlon)
"I now have first-hand experience that steady-state aerobics is absolutely, completely, utterly ineffective for fat loss. After working my way up to twenty training hours a week, I can tell you that long, steady-state endurance is not the answer for a defined, lean physique and it's a waste of time if your goal is fat loss.
It's only the answer if your goal is to complete an endurance event."
From Vern Gambetta:
"If you have a limited amount of time to work out, you're better off ditching the machine to do different kinds of body-weight and whole-body exercises. You'll get more caloric burn for your time spent."
.
From Paul Scott:
(On using machines and training muscles in isolation)
"Most of us are neither crippled nor on the verge of entering the Mr. Olympia competition, so why do we train as if either is the case? The answer is a combination of the gyms' desire to maximize profits, and our own desire to find workouts that don't involve work."
From Alwyn Cosgrove:
"If you cheat: get right back on track. A lot of people think after cheating- I've blown it- so I might as well REALLY blow it! Let me ask you- if you get a flat tire do you get out of your car and slash the other three? Hey, you have a flat tire- might as well have four, right?"
From Rocco Castellano:
"There is nothing in the world that will change your life, not a piece of equipment, not a diet, not a personal trainer, not a workout...nothing will do the work for you.
You need to take action. YOU can only make YOUR life better."
From Mike Geary:
"In several of my newsletters in the past, I've given examples of how choosing your foods based on the glycemic index can be misleading and useless in many cases.
Case in point...
Watermelon has one of the highest measured GI's of all foods (much higher than even cake and ice cream). However, a normal serving of cake and ice cream may give you a whopping 700 or 800 calories, whereas a typical serving of watermelon may give you 50 or 60 calories max!
Trust me... watermelon isn't making anyone fat!
The lesson... GI is almost useless when you're not considering "Glycemic Load", which also factors in the quantity of carbohydrates ingested in a typical serving."
From Rachel Cosgrove:
(On how her body changed from doing lots of steady state cardio when she was training for a triathlon)
"I now have first-hand experience that steady-state aerobics is absolutely, completely, utterly ineffective for fat loss. After working my way up to twenty training hours a week, I can tell you that long, steady-state endurance is not the answer for a defined, lean physique and it's a waste of time if your goal is fat loss.
It's only the answer if your goal is to complete an endurance event."
From Vern Gambetta:
"If you have a limited amount of time to work out, you're better off ditching the machine to do different kinds of body-weight and whole-body exercises. You'll get more caloric burn for your time spent."
.
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Problem with Weight Loss: Your Body Will Do The Opposite by Alwyn Cosgrove
Today I have a terrific article for you from the great Alwyn Cosgrove.
The Problem with Weight Loss: Your Body Will Do The Opposite
Alwyn Cosgrove
Homeostasis is the property of a living organism, that regulates its internal environment so as to maintain a stable, constant condition.
When you don’t drink enough water in the short term — often the body retains water. It attempts to maintain homeostasis by counteracting the stresses we put on it.
When you drink a lot of extra water - your body excretes more water to maintain balance.
When we weight train — we actually break down muscle tissue. And the body responds by building new muscle. It attempts to maintain homeostasis by doing the reverse of the stimulus we placed on it.
When a male takes supplemental testosterone — the body shuts down its own production in a bid to maintain homeostasis.
When we immunize children against disease — we actually inject them with a small dose of that disease. The immune system recognizes the vaccine as foreign, destroys it, and ‘remembers’ it. When the virulent version of an agent comes along, the immune system is thus prepared to respond. In order to prepare the body to defend against a disease - we expose it to the disease - and it responds by doing the opposite - it destroys the disease.
In almost every situation I can think of, the body tries to maintain homeostasis by “doing the opposite” of the stimulus.
How does this apply to weight loss?
Now we know that while you are doing it — low intensity exercise burns primarily fat.
Higher intensity exercise actually burns more carb stores than fat.
But in every head to head comparison, high intensity exercise results in more fat loss than low intensity exercise - even though the more intense work may burn a lesser percentage of fat during the exercise session.
Burning glycogen results in a larger amount of fat lost than burning fat directly.
The body responds by “doing the opposite”…
Break down muscle to grow more muscle. Burn glycogen to lose more fat.
I designed Warp Speed Fat Loss training program to specifically take advantage of this ‘law’ of nature so that when your body “does the opposite” you’ll end up with faster and greater fat loss.
Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit www.warpspeedfatloss.com .
About the Author:
Alwyn Cosgrove, M.S., C.S.C.S. is a nationally renown fat loss expert whose work has appeared in magazines such as Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Men’s Journal, Self, Oxygen, and Muscle & Fitness HERS. His Warp Speed Fat Loss system is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat and exactly what to do for exercise to lose weight in record time.
The Problem with Weight Loss: Your Body Will Do The Opposite
Alwyn Cosgrove
Homeostasis is the property of a living organism, that regulates its internal environment so as to maintain a stable, constant condition.
When you don’t drink enough water in the short term — often the body retains water. It attempts to maintain homeostasis by counteracting the stresses we put on it.
When you drink a lot of extra water - your body excretes more water to maintain balance.
When we weight train — we actually break down muscle tissue. And the body responds by building new muscle. It attempts to maintain homeostasis by doing the reverse of the stimulus we placed on it.
When a male takes supplemental testosterone — the body shuts down its own production in a bid to maintain homeostasis.
When we immunize children against disease — we actually inject them with a small dose of that disease. The immune system recognizes the vaccine as foreign, destroys it, and ‘remembers’ it. When the virulent version of an agent comes along, the immune system is thus prepared to respond. In order to prepare the body to defend against a disease - we expose it to the disease - and it responds by doing the opposite - it destroys the disease.
In almost every situation I can think of, the body tries to maintain homeostasis by “doing the opposite” of the stimulus.
How does this apply to weight loss?
Now we know that while you are doing it — low intensity exercise burns primarily fat.
Higher intensity exercise actually burns more carb stores than fat.
But in every head to head comparison, high intensity exercise results in more fat loss than low intensity exercise - even though the more intense work may burn a lesser percentage of fat during the exercise session.
Burning glycogen results in a larger amount of fat lost than burning fat directly.
The body responds by “doing the opposite”…
Break down muscle to grow more muscle. Burn glycogen to lose more fat.
I designed Warp Speed Fat Loss training program to specifically take advantage of this ‘law’ of nature so that when your body “does the opposite” you’ll end up with faster and greater fat loss.
Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit www.warpspeedfatloss.com .
About the Author:
Alwyn Cosgrove, M.S., C.S.C.S. is a nationally renown fat loss expert whose work has appeared in magazines such as Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Men’s Journal, Self, Oxygen, and Muscle & Fitness HERS. His Warp Speed Fat Loss system is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat and exactly what to do for exercise to lose weight in record time.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Do You Want A "Bargain" or Do You Want Results?
I've written about this before but considering the phone calls I've received in the last week or so, it obviously needs repeating.
Your el cheapo gym membership is no bargain if you are not getting results.
Call #1 came from a woman who's been faithfully attending her discount gym but seeing no results. She had received no direction and they have no personal trainers.
I designed a program for her. She's been amazed at how much faster and more challenging her workouts are now. Instead of wasting hours on the cardio equipment, she's doing far more productive but shorter workouts.
Call #2 was from a woman who's been attending the same cut rate gym as #1 for a year and a half and isn't happy with her results. There's no one there who can give her knowledgeable advice so she'll be coming in to speak with me.
Previously, I had worked with the husband of a Body & Soul member because his entire "orientation" to his new gym (the same one as above) consisted of some pathetic group machine demonstration.
Yes, it's come to the point where some of these gyms don't even give newbies a basic circuit workout and make sure they're set up with the proper seat positions. People are basically on their own.
As someone who has worked in this field for 13 years and really cares about people getting fit, this kind of "service" really ticks me off. I think most of those new to exercise would expect to get at least a minimal level of instruction when they join a gym. I believe that's reasonable.
On the other hand, I don't cut the same slack to those who are previous exercisers. You should be asking what kind of new member orientation the facility offers.
Will you get an individualized routine? If not, will you get taken through some basic workout that incorporates all the major muscles of the body? If it's a circuit workout, will you be properly set up on each piece of equipment by a knowledgeable staff member? Will you get a workout card listing your exercises, seat positions on machines, starting weights, etc.?
If you base your decision on which gym is the cheapest, don't be surprised if you don't get the results you want.
Now, if you're a fitness junkie who is really knowledgeable about exercise and knows the real experts from the pretty boy/girl just out to make a quick buck, that type of gym may be fine for you. That description, of course, doesn't apply to most people.
So, is the cut-rate gym really a bargain ...
* if you spend hour after hour at the gym when you don't have too? What's more valuable than time?
* if you don't get results?
* if you injure yourself due to lack of instruction?
Remember, you get what you pay for.
Your el cheapo gym membership is no bargain if you are not getting results.
Call #1 came from a woman who's been faithfully attending her discount gym but seeing no results. She had received no direction and they have no personal trainers.
I designed a program for her. She's been amazed at how much faster and more challenging her workouts are now. Instead of wasting hours on the cardio equipment, she's doing far more productive but shorter workouts.
Call #2 was from a woman who's been attending the same cut rate gym as #1 for a year and a half and isn't happy with her results. There's no one there who can give her knowledgeable advice so she'll be coming in to speak with me.
Previously, I had worked with the husband of a Body & Soul member because his entire "orientation" to his new gym (the same one as above) consisted of some pathetic group machine demonstration.
Yes, it's come to the point where some of these gyms don't even give newbies a basic circuit workout and make sure they're set up with the proper seat positions. People are basically on their own.
As someone who has worked in this field for 13 years and really cares about people getting fit, this kind of "service" really ticks me off. I think most of those new to exercise would expect to get at least a minimal level of instruction when they join a gym. I believe that's reasonable.
On the other hand, I don't cut the same slack to those who are previous exercisers. You should be asking what kind of new member orientation the facility offers.
Will you get an individualized routine? If not, will you get taken through some basic workout that incorporates all the major muscles of the body? If it's a circuit workout, will you be properly set up on each piece of equipment by a knowledgeable staff member? Will you get a workout card listing your exercises, seat positions on machines, starting weights, etc.?
If you base your decision on which gym is the cheapest, don't be surprised if you don't get the results you want.
Now, if you're a fitness junkie who is really knowledgeable about exercise and knows the real experts from the pretty boy/girl just out to make a quick buck, that type of gym may be fine for you. That description, of course, doesn't apply to most people.
So, is the cut-rate gym really a bargain ...
* if you spend hour after hour at the gym when you don't have too? What's more valuable than time?
* if you don't get results?
* if you injure yourself due to lack of instruction?
Remember, you get what you pay for.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Shape Up for The Holidays!
Exclusive 4-Week Small Group Personal Training Program
Look and feel better by the holidays!
Most people will throw caution to the wind and find themselves heavier on New Year’s than they are today.
Don’t follow the crowd and wait until January to reshape your body and get healthier. Begin now and you can be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.
Body & Soul Fitness Studio in Lancaster is offering a 4-week small group personal training program. Beginning November 25th, we will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 – 10:00 AM.
This program is limited to 4 women who are serious about losing body fat and reshaping their bodies. If you believe in the promises of magic pills, no-effort workouts or eating all the junk you want and still losing weight, please ignore this post. If you want to look and feel better by the holidays and are ready to work for it, call Mickey today at (717) 509-7777 to reserve your spot.
The small group setting will provide social support and accountability, which are huge components of weight loss. At the same time, you'll get top notch instruction, insuring that you're performing each exercise correctly for maximum benefit.
Nothing will change until you take action but all exercise is not equal. Don’t waste your time on outdated, ineffective workouts. For just $199, you’ll get two challenging, fat-blasting, total body workouts per week. Remember, this program is limited to just 4 women so call me today to sign up.
Will you be excited about how you look and feel on New Year's day or will you be making resolutions about getting in shape and kicking yourself for missing this opportunity?
.
Look and feel better by the holidays!
Most people will throw caution to the wind and find themselves heavier on New Year’s than they are today.
Don’t follow the crowd and wait until January to reshape your body and get healthier. Begin now and you can be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.
Body & Soul Fitness Studio in Lancaster is offering a 4-week small group personal training program. Beginning November 25th, we will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 – 10:00 AM.
This program is limited to 4 women who are serious about losing body fat and reshaping their bodies. If you believe in the promises of magic pills, no-effort workouts or eating all the junk you want and still losing weight, please ignore this post. If you want to look and feel better by the holidays and are ready to work for it, call Mickey today at (717) 509-7777 to reserve your spot.
The small group setting will provide social support and accountability, which are huge components of weight loss. At the same time, you'll get top notch instruction, insuring that you're performing each exercise correctly for maximum benefit.
Nothing will change until you take action but all exercise is not equal. Don’t waste your time on outdated, ineffective workouts. For just $199, you’ll get two challenging, fat-blasting, total body workouts per week. Remember, this program is limited to just 4 women so call me today to sign up.
Will you be excited about how you look and feel on New Year's day or will you be making resolutions about getting in shape and kicking yourself for missing this opportunity?
.
Monday, November 10, 2008
For Fat Loss, Limit Liquid Calories
If you're interested in fat loss, the first thing you should do is eliminate liquid calories. Soda, ice tea, lattes, "energy" drinks, etc. are just full of nutritionless, empty calories.
However, if you simply can not function without your designer drinks, check out the article below from Men's Health so you can at least choose the lesser of the evils.
Worst "Healthy" Drinks - And What You Should Drink Instead
However, if you simply can not function without your designer drinks, check out the article below from Men's Health so you can at least choose the lesser of the evils.
Worst "Healthy" Drinks - And What You Should Drink Instead
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Start Now And Look Great At Holiday Parties
Are you…
...full of energy?
...maintaining a healthy body weight?
...confident and self assured?
...in good health?
Or are you…
...frustrated by clothes that don’t fit?
...hesitant to participate in activities for fear you can’t keep up or won’t fit in seats?
...artificially fueled with mega doses of caffeine?
...too unhealthy or overweight to be active with your kids or grandkids, go for a nice walk, or enjoy favorite hobbies or retirement?
I am far from the Discount Diva and I rarely run specials. I am very confident that the value of a Body & Soul membership will match or exceed that of any other gym in the area. That being said, to encourage women not to wait until the new year to join, I am offering a $20 discount on Body & Soul's enrollment fee through November.
Don't wait until January to drop fat, improve your health and lower your disease risk. There are still over 6 weeks until New Year's. Begin now and be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.
If you or anyone you know is thinking about joining Body & Soul Fitness Studio, now is the time. Starting now will give new members a head start on their health and fat loss goals. Exercising through the holidays will reduce stress and help with weight management. And, in January, when others are just getting started, you will already be enjoying the results of your program.
All new members will still receive a personalized workout program and 2 one-on-one personal training sessions to go through it.
Nothing will change until you take action but all exercise is not equal. Don’t waste your time on outdated, ineffective workouts. Call Mickey today at (717) 509-7777 to save $20 (through November) and to find out how the right fitness program, designed specifically for you, can change your life.
...full of energy?
...maintaining a healthy body weight?
...confident and self assured?
...in good health?
Or are you…
...frustrated by clothes that don’t fit?
...hesitant to participate in activities for fear you can’t keep up or won’t fit in seats?
...artificially fueled with mega doses of caffeine?
...too unhealthy or overweight to be active with your kids or grandkids, go for a nice walk, or enjoy favorite hobbies or retirement?
I am far from the Discount Diva and I rarely run specials. I am very confident that the value of a Body & Soul membership will match or exceed that of any other gym in the area. That being said, to encourage women not to wait until the new year to join, I am offering a $20 discount on Body & Soul's enrollment fee through November.
Don't wait until January to drop fat, improve your health and lower your disease risk. There are still over 6 weeks until New Year's. Begin now and be the one getting all the compliments at holiday parties.
If you or anyone you know is thinking about joining Body & Soul Fitness Studio, now is the time. Starting now will give new members a head start on their health and fat loss goals. Exercising through the holidays will reduce stress and help with weight management. And, in January, when others are just getting started, you will already be enjoying the results of your program.
All new members will still receive a personalized workout program and 2 one-on-one personal training sessions to go through it.
Nothing will change until you take action but all exercise is not equal. Don’t waste your time on outdated, ineffective workouts. Call Mickey today at (717) 509-7777 to save $20 (through November) and to find out how the right fitness program, designed specifically for you, can change your life.
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Weird Results of Mike Geary's 6-week Overeating Experiment
The following is an interesting e-mail I received this morning:
My 6-week overeating experiment:
Here's the deal... I decided to use myself as a guinea pig and attempt an overeating experiment over the last 6 weeks.
Basically, I wanted to see how much weight I would gain if I purposely tried to overeat on a consistent daily basis for 6 weeks.
What do you think happened? Did I get fat? Maintain the same? Get leaner?
My theory was that if you eat the right types of super nutrient-dense foods and don't stray from those foods, that the body will automatically rebalance itself (hormones, appetite, etc)... and even though you're attempting to overeat, as long as nutrient-density is maximized, total calorie balance will inevitably end up at a level where I would not gain weight.
This goes along with my theory that calorie counting is basically pointless as long as your nutrient density of your foods is so high that the body obtains all of the nutrition it needs and re-balances your appetite and hormones to account for this.
Think of it this way... if you eat 1000 calories worth of soda, donuts, and cookies, your body needs to readjust hormone levels, increase your appetite and try to force you ingest more food to attempt to get more nutrients, since those 1000 calories were almost devoid of the nutrition your body needs.
However, if you eat 1000 calories worth of healthy foods with high nutrient density such as avocados, whole eggs, nuts, vegetables, fruits, grass fed meats, and other healthy options, your body obtains most of the nutrition it needs and accounts for this by leveling your appetite and hormones in the time period following that meal (the remainder of the day perhaps). In this scenerio, your body is not forcing you to eat more food (via cravings) to obtain the nutrition it needs since it already received a boatload of nutrition.
Ok, here were the caveats in my little experiment:
1. I couldn't just eat any and all types of foods... I would overeat on as much food as I wanted, but ONLY the foods that are "approved" according to my rules... this means all foods had to be unprocessed natural foods.
Some staples during my overeating phase were tons of whole eggs, full-fat grass-fed raw cheese and yogurt, avocados, almonds, pecans, walnuts, lots of virgin coconut oil and olive oil, grass-fed butter, berries, lots of fruit and veggies, sprouted grain bread, raw almond butter, sweet potatoes, and lots of venison and grass-fed beef.
2. I was still training very intensely 3-4 days/week at the gym but nothing extremely different from my normal workouts (this means that my caloric expenditure from exercise was not drastically different than normal).
The end result after 6 weeks of trying to stuff my face with as much healthy food as possible:
>> My body weight stayed EXACTLY the same! I didn't gain a single pound.
I know the first reaction of many people is that I just must have a "fast metabolism" or something along those lines and that's why I didn't gain weight.
But that is false!
The truth is that I have no problem at all gaining weight when I overeat on junk foods, or lots of processed foods in general. I can guarantee you that if I was overeating on pasta, white rice, cookies, white bread, and other processed foods during these last 6 weeks, I would have gained a massive amount of weight.
In fact, as I've mentioned before, in the past I've easily gained as much as 10 lbs in only 1 week when I've been on some sort of vacation and simply eat the normal types of processed foods that everyone else is eating.
This proves that I'm just as prone to gaining weight as anybody else.
However, notice the stark contrast in my experiment with attempting to overeat on all healthy unprocessed foods... I simply couldn't gain weight because my body would be constantly readjusting hormone levels and appetite levels to account for the super-high nutrient density I was giving it.
In the end, this meant that my body automatically maintained calorie balance without the need for calorie counting.
This is the type of eating that pretty much totally eliminates cravings... Remember I've said before that I don't think I've had any real cravings in at least 5 years (that's the time since I've been more strict on the type of foods I eat).
I also think it's actually fun and more enjoyable to eat in such a healthy manner (for the skeptics that think this involves some sort of deprivation).
Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Creator The Truth about Six Pack Abs
My 6-week overeating experiment:
Here's the deal... I decided to use myself as a guinea pig and attempt an overeating experiment over the last 6 weeks.
Basically, I wanted to see how much weight I would gain if I purposely tried to overeat on a consistent daily basis for 6 weeks.
What do you think happened? Did I get fat? Maintain the same? Get leaner?
My theory was that if you eat the right types of super nutrient-dense foods and don't stray from those foods, that the body will automatically rebalance itself (hormones, appetite, etc)... and even though you're attempting to overeat, as long as nutrient-density is maximized, total calorie balance will inevitably end up at a level where I would not gain weight.
This goes along with my theory that calorie counting is basically pointless as long as your nutrient density of your foods is so high that the body obtains all of the nutrition it needs and re-balances your appetite and hormones to account for this.
Think of it this way... if you eat 1000 calories worth of soda, donuts, and cookies, your body needs to readjust hormone levels, increase your appetite and try to force you ingest more food to attempt to get more nutrients, since those 1000 calories were almost devoid of the nutrition your body needs.
However, if you eat 1000 calories worth of healthy foods with high nutrient density such as avocados, whole eggs, nuts, vegetables, fruits, grass fed meats, and other healthy options, your body obtains most of the nutrition it needs and accounts for this by leveling your appetite and hormones in the time period following that meal (the remainder of the day perhaps). In this scenerio, your body is not forcing you to eat more food (via cravings) to obtain the nutrition it needs since it already received a boatload of nutrition.
Ok, here were the caveats in my little experiment:
1. I couldn't just eat any and all types of foods... I would overeat on as much food as I wanted, but ONLY the foods that are "approved" according to my rules... this means all foods had to be unprocessed natural foods.
Some staples during my overeating phase were tons of whole eggs, full-fat grass-fed raw cheese and yogurt, avocados, almonds, pecans, walnuts, lots of virgin coconut oil and olive oil, grass-fed butter, berries, lots of fruit and veggies, sprouted grain bread, raw almond butter, sweet potatoes, and lots of venison and grass-fed beef.
2. I was still training very intensely 3-4 days/week at the gym but nothing extremely different from my normal workouts (this means that my caloric expenditure from exercise was not drastically different than normal).
The end result after 6 weeks of trying to stuff my face with as much healthy food as possible:
>> My body weight stayed EXACTLY the same! I didn't gain a single pound.
I know the first reaction of many people is that I just must have a "fast metabolism" or something along those lines and that's why I didn't gain weight.
But that is false!
The truth is that I have no problem at all gaining weight when I overeat on junk foods, or lots of processed foods in general. I can guarantee you that if I was overeating on pasta, white rice, cookies, white bread, and other processed foods during these last 6 weeks, I would have gained a massive amount of weight.
In fact, as I've mentioned before, in the past I've easily gained as much as 10 lbs in only 1 week when I've been on some sort of vacation and simply eat the normal types of processed foods that everyone else is eating.
This proves that I'm just as prone to gaining weight as anybody else.
However, notice the stark contrast in my experiment with attempting to overeat on all healthy unprocessed foods... I simply couldn't gain weight because my body would be constantly readjusting hormone levels and appetite levels to account for the super-high nutrient density I was giving it.
In the end, this meant that my body automatically maintained calorie balance without the need for calorie counting.
This is the type of eating that pretty much totally eliminates cravings... Remember I've said before that I don't think I've had any real cravings in at least 5 years (that's the time since I've been more strict on the type of foods I eat).
I also think it's actually fun and more enjoyable to eat in such a healthy manner (for the skeptics that think this involves some sort of deprivation).
Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Creator The Truth about Six Pack Abs
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Lose Weight and Reduce Your Cancer Risk
According to research, approximately 33% of cancers could be prevented through good nutrition, moderate amounts of exercise and by maintaining a proper weight. Unfortunately, according to a survey by the World Cancer Research Fund, 50% of people are unaware that being overweight is a direct contributing cause of cancer.
Overweight and obesity is correlated with breast, prostrate, bladder, esophageal, bowel, endometrial and skin cancers, along with cancers of the mouth, larynx and pharynx.
Scientists believe that after not smoking (or quitting), the most important action you can take to reduce your risk of cancer is maintaining a healthy weight.
What are you doing to reduce your risk of cancer? Are you at a proper weight? Do you eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet? Do you have a physically active lifestyle?
Regular exercise will...
* reduce your risk of a multitude of diseases
* help get rid of excess body fat
* improve mental alertness
* increase your energy and self confidence
* build muscle and bone to help you stay active and independent as you age
(For a more complete list of benefits, go here)
You don't need to spend hours in the gym to get health and fat loss benefits. For optimum results, you need to ignore the outdated fitness info that is still too prevalent in magazines, books and on TV.
Stop thinking of cardio as the most important aspect of your fat loss exercise program. Find a good strength training program that consists primarily of compound exercises and use weights that will challenge you in about 8-10 reps. (No, ladies, you will not turn into the Incredible Hulk by using more than 3 lb. pink dumbbells.)
Hours of boring, steady state cardio just increases your body's efficiency and you end up burning fewer and fewer calories during your workouts. Not an effective or efficient way to drop fat. Instead, do cardio intervals or bodyweight circuits.
If you're in the Lancaster, PA area and are ready to get in great shape mentally, physically and emotionally, call me at (717) 509-7777.
Mickey
P.S. If you aren't local and can't work with me, check out Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training program. And, regardless of your age, if you're in need of motivation, take a look at Jon Benson's Fit Over Forty.
Overweight and obesity is correlated with breast, prostrate, bladder, esophageal, bowel, endometrial and skin cancers, along with cancers of the mouth, larynx and pharynx.
Scientists believe that after not smoking (or quitting), the most important action you can take to reduce your risk of cancer is maintaining a healthy weight.
What are you doing to reduce your risk of cancer? Are you at a proper weight? Do you eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet? Do you have a physically active lifestyle?
Regular exercise will...
* reduce your risk of a multitude of diseases
* help get rid of excess body fat
* improve mental alertness
* increase your energy and self confidence
* build muscle and bone to help you stay active and independent as you age
(For a more complete list of benefits, go here)
You don't need to spend hours in the gym to get health and fat loss benefits. For optimum results, you need to ignore the outdated fitness info that is still too prevalent in magazines, books and on TV.
Stop thinking of cardio as the most important aspect of your fat loss exercise program. Find a good strength training program that consists primarily of compound exercises and use weights that will challenge you in about 8-10 reps. (No, ladies, you will not turn into the Incredible Hulk by using more than 3 lb. pink dumbbells.)
Hours of boring, steady state cardio just increases your body's efficiency and you end up burning fewer and fewer calories during your workouts. Not an effective or efficient way to drop fat. Instead, do cardio intervals or bodyweight circuits.
If you're in the Lancaster, PA area and are ready to get in great shape mentally, physically and emotionally, call me at (717) 509-7777.
Mickey
P.S. If you aren't local and can't work with me, check out Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training program. And, regardless of your age, if you're in need of motivation, take a look at Jon Benson's Fit Over Forty.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Just Say No To Cardio
I just found out that Craig Ballantyne has released his first book. Well, his first actual, physical, hold-in-your-hands book. The title is Just Say No To Cardio and there's a complete description of the contents here.
Order today and you'll get all kinds of extra bonuses from Craig.
If you're a regular reader of No Pink Dumbbells, you know how highly I think of Craig and his Turbulence Training system.
If you're ready to get real fat loss results, stop wasting your time doing mindless hours of ineffective cardio and snag this book.
Check it out here --> Just Say No To Cardio
Congrats, CB!
Order today and you'll get all kinds of extra bonuses from Craig.
If you're a regular reader of No Pink Dumbbells, you know how highly I think of Craig and his Turbulence Training system.
If you're ready to get real fat loss results, stop wasting your time doing mindless hours of ineffective cardio and snag this book.
Check it out here --> Just Say No To Cardio
Congrats, CB!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Boost Your Brain Power
As important as a strong body is, it's a lot less enjoyable without a strong mind. Check out this article:
14 Scientifically-Proven Ways to Boost Brain Power
14 Scientifically-Proven Ways to Boost Brain Power
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