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Small changes yield big results….
Posted by: | CommentsSmall changes yield big results over time. Every little bit really does add up. This can work for you or against you. If you were happy with your weight before but aren’t now, chances are you’ve made some changes that have added up over time. A few extra calories here and there, a little less exercise each month which includes losing some lean muscle and next thing you know, you’ve got an extra 20 or 30 (or even 50 pounds) you’re carrying around of “dead” weight.
The great thing is this can work in reverse as well. If you start making small changes today, you can get big results over time. Here’s an example: If your weight is steady right now (not losing or gaining) and you were to eat 250 less calories per day and burn an extra 250 through some exercise, you would have a 500 calorie per day calorie deficit. Doesn’t sound like much but at the end of the week, that would be 3500 calories which equals approximately 1 pound of fat and in theory is 4 or so per month and about 50 lbs over the next year. If you get serious about your exercise and nutrition, you could easily double those numbers. Add some muscle in there and you’ll burn even more.
So what small changes are you going to make this week that will add up over the next weeks, months, year? Depending on what those changes are, is what kind of results you’ll get. It’s your choice…
Body By Buck in the News
Posted by: | CommentsIn case you missed it, check out our latest coverage…
You can read the full story here. And if you’re interested in bootcamp, our next phase starts on Monday, March 1st. Sign up for our “1 Week for 1 Buck” trial…!
Save $15 On Prograde Protein Today
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I get a lot of questions about supplements and protein and what kind to take. Well there’s a lot of junk out there so be careful what you take. If it’s really cheap, it’s really cheap for a reason. I want to use high quality stuff because my health is at stake. So honestly I only use Prograde products. They are high quality and have very strict manufacturing standards. And right now, you can save $15 on any Prograde Protein purchases to celebrate President’s Day but you only have a few hours left.
Sure, it ends TONIGHT at 11:59pm EST, but you need to order NOW before you get busy and forget to do it.
And Jayson Hunter has delivered yet again with his best recipe of the week. He’s saved the best for last with his incredible Vanilla Cinnamon Pudding!
The recipe and the coupon code to save $15 is all right here: http://bodybybuck.getprograde.com/protein-recipe-3.html
Fat-Blasting Interval Training
Posted by: | CommentsIf you spend any amount of time in a gym, you know you see this (or maybe even do it!). The same person that’s been in there for years, lifts some weights, then heads over to their favorite cardio machine, gets on it for 30-45 minutes at a moderate pace while watching TV, maybe heads over to do some crunches, then leaves. And even though they are there all the time, they get frustrated because they are spending all this time in the gym, yet they aren’t seeing the kind of fat-loss results they are hoping for.
If you want to cut down the amount of time you spend in the gym without sacrificing your fat loss goals, then adding interval training to the right strength training program is the only way to go.
Imagine spending half the amount of time doing cardio, and getting way better results! Who doesn’t want that? For some of you though, the thought of giving up your usual cardio machine/routine is too painful. But not to worry because you can still use your favorite machine, but you can just change things up a bit so that you get more out of your workout in half the time.
There are many ways to do interval training, but here is one example of a great fat-blasting interval training workout on any piece of cardio equipment you choose:
Let’s use the elliptical machine as an example, but you can do this on the treadmill, bike, arc trainer, stair stepper, etc.
- Warm-Up for 5 minutes at a moderate pace
- Bump up the resistance as high as you can and go as hard as you can for 30 seconds (a 9-10 out of a scale of 10)
- Take it down to a level of 6-7 for 60 seconds
- Repeat that 90 second interval 4-8 times
- Cool down for 5 minutes
The same intervals can be done with a 1 min on/2 min off time period. These can even be done with body weight exercises at home! Don’t limit yourself to the gym. This is a great way to challenge your body and can be done anywhere.
You will great a great fat-blasting workout in 15-20 minutes, and it won’t be boring either! Nothing quite challenges your heart, body, AND melts fat like interval training. The benefits are numerous. Try it-you will see results!
The Dark Side of Super Bowl Sunday
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Whether or not you’re a football fan there is a very good chance you’ll be heading to a Super Bowl party this Sunday. And as you are fully aware, these parties can be VERY hazardous to your waistline (pictured above). But hey, it’s not hard to keep the pounds from packing on while watching (or ignoring) the Colts vs. the Saints.
Here are four Super Simple tips to keep you slim this Sunday:
1) Do some squats and pushups or take a 15 minute walk during halftime to stimulate your metabolism and improve digestion
2) Limit alcohol consumption. Not only are these “empty calories”, but they also cause you to make poor food choices. And if you’re hungover on Monday, well, you’ll make poor food choices the day after the game, too!
3) Eat a healthy meal before the party so you don’t show up starving and then make smart choices. Try to fill up on the protein, veggies, fruit and plenty of water.
4) Sure, you can enjoy some of your favorite “guilty pleasures” but you MUST avoid hanging around the snack table nibbling on everything in site.
See, it’s not so hard! Enjoy the big game.
BONUS TIP: Oftentimes when we feel hungry it is our body craving the proper nutrients it needs to be fueled with. That’s a great reason to take a Whole Foods based multi-vitamin like Prograde Nutrition’s VGF 25+for Women or Men. Yes, I’m a Prograde partner and I really believe in the VGF 25+ and use it.
Drop And Give Me Twenty!
Posted by: | CommentsWhile fitness fads come and go, some exercises will outlive any trend. One of those exercises is the push-up, which uses your own body weight and gravity to tone and condition muscles. Some fitness experts have called the push-up the closest thing there is to a perfect exercise. And with good reason.
They don’t require any equipment, can be done anywhere, use multiple muscle groups in the body, and everyone-from beginner to advanced fitness levels-can do them and benefit from them. Don’t be intimidated by them, they are not just for the military!
The primary muscles that are worked are the chest and tricep. However, if you look at the form needed to do a perfect push-up, you muscles from your neck all the way to your toes are engaged in some way. This includes the all important core muscles, back, shoulders, legs and hips.
They are an all-around great exercise. Most people don’t love doing them, and many people don’t do them at all. Many people claim that they can’t do push-ups, even though they have never really tried (or they are just unwilling to push through because they are difficult). But the benefits are well worth the hard work. You have to start somewhere to train your body to do them! Start with the modification on your knees, and slowly build up to being able to do full-body, on your feet, push-ups. You will love seeing yourself get stronger as you are able to do more reps on your feet. It’s a great way to measure your progress! Also, once you master the basic movement, there are many modifications to change it up and to increase the level of difficulty.
To Perform:
With feet together and with hands placed (fingers pointing forward) as wide or slightly wider than shoulder width. Keeping the body straight, lower body to the ground by bending arms at the elbows. Raise body up off the ground by extending the arms. Repeat.
Body weight should be lifted by the arms; don’t be tempted to use your butt, stomach or the lower half of your body to pull yourself up. To maintain correct body alignment, imagine a straight line running from your head down to your ankles.
Modification: “Knee” push ups – to reduce the lifting load, you can do the same exercise, but do it on your knees. Keeping a straight line from neck to torso is still important, so please pay attention to correct body alignment as you do them.
Snowed In Home Workout
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Since you’re probably not traveling to the gym today to exercise (whether you were planning to or not) because of our crazy “Snow Storm,” I thought I would put together a quick bodyweight workout for you to do at home today. This should warm you up…
- 50 Pushups
- 50 Good Mornings
- 60 second Plank
- 50 Alternating Lunges
1 round equals completing all 4 exercises. The goal is to complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes (or 15) based on your fitness level. Make sure to spend about 5 minutes warming up before you start.
*If this is too advanced, you can modify by cutting each set in half: 25 Pushups, 25 Good Mornings, 30 Second Plank and 25 Alternating Lunges.
Push yourself. You should be sweating and breathing hard if you’re getting after it. Enjoy and post a comment to let me know how you did.
*Bootcamp Highlight Video
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s a quick highlight video of some random bootcamp footage. Enjoy…!
**The next phase starts on Monday, February 1st. Now is your chance to lock in at our lowest rates to date before they go up!!
Fitness Bootcamps Are Dangerous – Part 2
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Indoor Bootcamp
The Top 10 Bootcamp Safety Checklist – Continued
To catch up, read the first post: Fitness Bootcamps Are Dangerous – Part 1
6.) The Training System Must Focus on Body Weight Circuit Training and Cardio Interval Training. High-Intensity Interval Training is scientifically proven to burn 9x more fat than the aerobic training alternative, so it is critical that both the resistance training AND cardio programs provided incorporate intervals since the goal of 99% of fitness enthusiasts is fat loss. Furthermore, most people are seeking for the lean, athletic look of a men’s health or women’s health cover model respectively, and this can be easily accomplished with body weight resistance training movements organized in a circuit fashion with the proper pre-programmed work to rest periods between exercises. Plus a truly skilled trainer has mastered the art of intensifying movements without the need for extra loading.
7.) The Program MUST Provide Nutritional Information. Nutrition is easily 80% of the weight loss battle. Without it, you are joining an incomplete program and wasting your money since there is no amount of exercise that can compensate for poor dietary habits. As I always say, “You can’t out train a poor diet!” People are too busy, and frankly too lazy to follow something complicated, so the nutrition program needs to be clearly outlined and easy to follow. It should provide some sort of Quick-Start Nutrition Guide that will have you eating to support your fat loss goals in 5 minutes or less. The program should also provide other regular nutritional advice and accountability to help you make lifestyle changes in this area.
8.) The Program Must Have A Website AND Social Networking. Bottom line, if the boot camp program in question does not have a website in this day in age it is not worth your time and money. Personal training is not just about “training,” it is a business and it needs to be approached that way. Furthermore, social support must extend outside of the boot camp workout. You need social support to be successful. Whether it’s keeping up through facebook, twitter, blog, forum, etc., this is a must.
9.) The Program Must Have Social Proof And Raving Fans. If the program works, there should be proof in the form of client testimonials. Their previous clients should have results and be raving about all of the benefits that they have received from the program. Ask for before and after pictures and written or video testimonials of their services before signing up (again, this should be made available on the company website). And remember, it’s NOT just about the weight loss. Benefits should include, but not be limited to, increased energy levels, dress/pant size reduction, improved health profiles, increased strength and flexibility, less joint pain, etc.
9) The Program Must Be More Than Just a Workout. Changing your body and health is hard work. Anyone that tells you different is liar or some freak of nature. And there are a lot of variables to it. So the bootcamp should provide plenty of resources to help you reach your goals outside of your workout time and this should continue to grow and improve. If all they offer you is to come get a good “workout”, then your should start looking elsewhere. Anyone can take you through a workout, but to really be successful, you need a program in place. So make sure to do your homework and find out what all is involved in your program!
10.) The Program Must Offer A FREE Trial. If the program is confident about what they have to offer, then they will let you come in and try it out or they will guarantee your satisfaction. A results-based program looks to minimize barriers of entry for prospects into their boot camps because they know that once the prospect experiences the benefits of the program firsthand they will surely continue! So make sure you can come try it out if you’re not sure and look for social proof in the form of client testimonials.
If you’re looking for a bootcamp (or personal training) in the Charlotte, NC area, I’m confident that we meet these criteria and would love to have you join us! Our next phase begins Monday, Feb 1st. Lock in before our rates go up. More info here.
3 Reasons You’re Not Squatting Low Enough (the Squat-Part 2)
Posted by: | CommentsPreviously I mentioned some of the benefits of squatting but with that, there is still much skewed information out there regarding this exercise. Many “so-called experts” like to say how they are bad for your knees or your back…blah, blah, blah but have no legit evidence to back up their claims. If you do any exercise wrong, there’s a good chance you can harm some part of your body. That’s why you need to learn proper form/technique with all exercises, especially the squat.
When done properly, the squat is very beneficial and will actually strengthen your knees, back, etc. But most people that squat, don’t get low enough. They only perform “partial squats” instead of full squats. This happens for 3 main reasons.
1) Laziness: They just don’t want to work that hard. It’s much easier & more comfortable to do partial squats.
2) Pride: They have to use less weight or do less reps to perform full squats so they don’t appear as strong (happens very often with guys).
3) False Info: They have heard and believe squats are bad or “Getting too low is bad for your knees” but the pic below speaks for itself.
So if you’re already squatting, then continue to work on your form and perform full squats (make sure you are getting low enough). Then after you master that, add weight, increase the amount of repetitions you can do in a certain amount of time, etc. And if you’re not squatting, you’re missing out and need to start…today!
