Tips to Keep You Eating Clean

1.Plan out your meals
It is important to know what you are going to be eating for each meal every day. This will prevent you from choosing an unhealthy meal or fast food just because it is available or convenient. This will also allow you to get the appropriate nutrients for fat loss and muscle gain, which you would normally neglect by eating for convenience. This may require you to prepare meals in advance so you can have them the following day. Using protein shakes or meal replacements is a convenient way to get your needed calories and nutrients so that you can eat clean and reach your goals.

2.Monitor you food intake
Keeping track of your food intake allows you to see exactly what you are eating so that you may remove the unhealthy food choices that may be keeping you from reaching your fitness goals. It also allows you to calculate the amount of calories and macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat and water) you are eating so that you may maintain an appropriate balance.

3.Eat for performance not pleasure
Think of food as fuel for your body! The only reason you should be eating is to give your body the calories or “fuel” it needs to meet its daily requirements. The more active you are the more “fuel” your body will need.

4.Eat a variety of foods
Eating a variety of foods will ensure that you are getting the right amount of nutrients but the truth is that eating clean for every meal can get quite repetitive and irritating. You will eventually get sick of eating the same foods over and over again, so do yourself a favor and eat a variety of healthy foods so that you may continue to eat healthy of an extended time period.

5.Allow yourself to eat 1 “cheat” meal per week
Eating clean may restrict you from eating some of your favorite foods like; ice cream, pizza or cheese cake, but eating these foods on a regular basis will make it hard to reach your fitness goals. If you cut you favorites out of you diet completely you may go crazy! So allow yourself to eat 1 “cheat” meal per week, only if you are staying physically active and eating well the others days of the week!

6.Get Support
Having support from a friend or family member will greatly increase your chances of sticking to a clean, healthy diet. Whether you have someone eating clean with you or you have a close friend, family member or personal trainer watching what you eat, having a form of support will greatly enhance your results.

7.Eat a small meal every 2-3 hours
If you eat every two to three hours, you will not only increase and maintain your rate of metabolism but you will also keep yourself from going hungry which often results in unhealthy food choices.

8.Eat at home
When you go out to eat, not only are your choices for a healthy meal limited but you often get too large of portions, with too much fat and calories. Instead of eating out, buy healthy foods from the grocery store and prepare them at home.

Myths about Nutrition

Myth: Dieting will help me “spot treat” body fat, so that I may improve my problem areas.

Truth: When dieting to loose body fat, you will loose fat throughout your whole body not just problem areas like your stomach or thighs.

Myth: Everyone needs the same amount of calories, nutrients, protein, etc…

Truth: Everyone has different nutritional needs based on; body type, activity level, body fat percentage, height, weight and age. What works for one person may not work for others.

Myth: Removing all fat from my diet will help me healthier.

Truth: It is true that reducing fat from your diet will promote greater levels of health and fitness but some fat is necessary for proper health and bodily functions.

Myth: I can reach my goals by eating 3 large meals per day.

Truth: To ensure maximal results your body needs a consistent delivery of nutrients throughout the day. This is why you should be eating 5-6 small meals every day.

Myth: Removing all carbohydrates from my diet will improve my health.

Truth: Your body prefers to use carbohydrates as its fuel source. Without them your body will breakdown important muscle, brain and heart tissue for its energy.

Myth: All supplements are a waste of money and don’t work.

Truth: It is true that there are a lot of supplements out there which make unrealistic claims. But there are also a number of supplements backed by scientific research that are safe and effective for enhancing ones health and fitness.

Myth: I only need to maintain proper nutrition for the time needed to reach my goal.

Truth: Being healthy should be a lifestyle change not a “quick fix.” You must continue to maintain proper nutrition throughout the life course if you want to remain healthy.

Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to loose body fat.

Truth: Skipping meals will force your body to assume a pre-starvation mode in which it will slow down its metabolism to store body fat.

Myth: I should never eat after 8:00pm

Truth: There are a number of bodily functions and metabolic processes occurring while you sleep. Therefore, you still need calories and nutrients but just in smaller amounts.

Healthy Grocery List

Healthy Grocery List

Proteins -

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast

• Clams

• Ground Beef (<10%>

• Tuna

• Fish (Salmon)

• Shrimp (Non breaded)

• Protein Powder

• Eggs

• Steaks

• Ground turkey

• Beans

• Low Fat Cottage Cheese

• Pork Chops

• Shell Fish

• Lean Ham

• Veal

• Ribs

• Liver

Carbohydrates -

• Oatmeal

• Sweet Potatoes

• Beans

• Whole Grain Cereal

• Rice

• Cream of Wheat

• Pasta (Whole Grain)

• Potatoes

• Whole Grain Bread

Fruits

• Apple

• Orange

• Grape

• Strawberries

• Cantaloupe

• Honeydew

• Lemons/Limes

• Pineapple

• Mango

• Watermelon

• Tomatoes

• Blueberries

• Raspberries

• Banana

• Peaches

• Pears

• Grapefruit

Vegetables

• Cucumber

• Broccoli

• Green or Red Peppers

• Onions

• Asparagus

• carrots

• Spinach

• Lettuce

• Corn

• Squash

• Peas

• Radishes

• Zucchini

Fats

• Low Fat Peanut Butter

• Olive Oil

• Nuts

• Flaxseed Oil

• Fish Oil

• Walnut Oil

• Sesame Oil

Dairy

• cottage cheese (low Fat)

• Non-Fat Milk (At least 1%)

• Yogurt (Low Fat)

• Sour Cream (Low Fat)

• Light Butter

• Cream Cheese (Low Fat)

• Eggs

• Mozzarella Cheese

• Cheddar Cheese

Beverages

• Water

• Sugar Free Crystal Light

• Sugar Free Fruit Juices

• Teas

• Sports Drinks

Snacks

• Crackers

• Pretzels

• Granola

• Popcorn

Medicine Ball Workout.....At Home

You don't need a lot of equipment to get a great workout. An awesome tool that you can use to shape your body is a medicine ball. Here are a few of my favorite med ball exercises. (Sorry no Pics Yet)

Med Ball Burpees: 1. Hold the med ball in both hands 2. squat down and touch it to the ground in front of you 3. Shoot your legs back to assume a push up position 4. Bring your legs back and stand up straight while bringing the med ball above your head.

Med Ball Squats with Rotation: 1. Hold the med ball in both hands 2. squat down and bring the med ball towards your left knee 3. Stand back up and keeping your arms straight, bring the med ball upwards, as if you were throwing it over your right shoulder. (Allow your body to rotate to involve the core muscles.) 4. Repeat for other side

Med Ball Bridge: 1. Place both hands on the med ball 2. assume a push up position and hold for at least 1 minute.

Wall Balls: 1. Stand in front of a wall, while holding med ball in both hands 2. Squat low and toss the ball upwards against the wall 3. catch the ball after it rebounds off the wall 4. squat back down and repeat

Med Ball Shoulder Press: 1. Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you 2. Sitting up straight, press the med ball from your chest, above your head.

Med Ball Push Ups: 1. Place one hand on the med ball and one hand on the floor 2. assume a push up position and begin push ups 3. repeat for other side.

Top 4 Exercises for Women

Hey Ladies.....Want to know the 4 best exercises for women? Here they are!

1. Lunges
They hit all of the "target areas" in the legs. (Glutes, Hamstrings, Inner and Outer Thighs)

Tip: Try different variations of Lunges like; reverse lunges, diagonal lunges, jumping lunges, lunges with a pause, walking lunges, lunges on and off a box or platform, etc...

2. Incline Trainer
Using an incline trainer at around 30 percent incline, will target the glutes and hamstrings. An area of concern for a lot of women. It will also burn tons of fat, and have you looking super lean!

Tip: Try doing different movement patterns on the incline trainer like; side steps, walking backwards, lunges, skipping, etc...

3. Push Ups
Push ups are one of the best exercises for working the chest, triceps, and shoulders, all areas that women need to strengthen.

Tip: Try limiting stability when doing push ups by putting one hand on a medicine ball or by picking one foot up off the ground, When you are strong enough of course!

4. Bicycle Crunches
One of the best core exercises that allows for good development of the entire abdominal region, including obliques.

Tip: Remember to fully extend the legs outward and keep your elbows pointed directly to the side.

Are You Ready for the Alien Invasion?

Sitting in my office, I await the arrival of my next client. It is his very first training session and I hear he is quite the athlete. Consuming his neon green, caffeine filled, pre-workout beverage he enters my office and wonders what he can learn from me. I have seen him in the gym time and time again, spending hours lifting weights to improve his health and performance, yeah he looks good but is he REALLY FIT??

After talking about his goals we decide to get right into the workout, I ask him, "on a scale from 1-10, what is your current fitness level. 1 being completely out of shape and 10 being an awesome athlete, what are you?" With a confident smile he replies, "I am at least an 8!"

After only 5-6 minutes into the workout, consisting of dynamic movement patterns with short intervals of rest, he was done! Color had left his face, nausea was setting in and a quick nap (or passing out) was in his future. But I though he was at least an 8!

Too many times I have trained individuals who lift weights day after day, to build lean muscle but neglect the total aspect of being fit. Yes they may look great but force them to actually move and their DEAD! This brings me to the point of an ALIEN INVASION! If there were an alien invasion, we must be able to; run, jump, lift, swim, rotate, climb, push, pull and throw. If not you will be dead! Train yourself this way!! become completely fit! Incorporate cardio, weights, multi-joint movements, high repetitions, rotational movements, plyometrics, etc...Don't just lift weights, get big muscles and think you are fit! PREPARE FOR THE ALIEN INVASION!

FreeMotion Mc2

As you all know, I am a FreeMotion Master Coach and a huge advocate of their MC2 workout.
Here is a great video of what MC2 is! get hold of me if you want to try it youself!