First Notice: Schedule Revision For May & 2 Happy Events

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Man I am getting old! Ok, I don’t feel old, but since this is the second of my kids to get married in the last couple of years you would think so!

Because of the marriage of our son Jeff to the wonderful Kimberly on May 21st, that week training will be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday only (May 16, 17, & 18). We will be leaving early Thursday May 19th to head down to North Carolina, and be back for training on Monday May 23rd.

This is a happy event, but it is also a happy coincidence for those of you who wanted to run/walk the Rock ‘N Race but didn’t want to miss evening training. Because there is no evening training that Thursday night, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for you not to get out there with Team Captain Coach CJ and get after it!

If you have never done the Rock N’ Race you do not want to miss out on the party. All ages and levels of fitness participate in the fun event to benefit a great cause – the Payson Cancer Center at Concord Hospital. It is not too late to get in on the action, so register for the 9th Annual Rock N’ Race Here!

You have been informed, now go Make It Happen!

Coach Dean

No Wedding Day Jitters With This Workout

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Only 10 more days until Tim and Deb get hitched, so I thought I’d follow up on last week’s nutrition tips for brides to be, and talk about the training part of the equation.

Let’s face it, if you are getting ready to walk down the aisle you don’t need one more thing to be stressed out about. Your fitness plan doesn’t need to be complicated or take a ton of time.

Remember last weeks (http://getfitnhbootcamp.com/what-can-you-learn-from-a-wedding/) article where we talked about nutrition?

Here is the key point from that article – EAT to Elevate Metabolism and Lose Fat (NOT Weight)

This week let’s – TRAIN to Elevate Metabolism and Lose Fat (NOT Weight)

Exercise Tip#1- Get Strong to Get Lean:

Strength training strengthens muscle and bone leading to increases in lean body mass that increases resting metabolic rate, which is the number of calories your body requires to function on a daily basis regardless of activity. In other words, strength training will ramp up your metabolism so that you will be burning more stubborn fat 24-7. Who doesn’t want that?

Most people who strength train perform straight sets of the same exercise with super long rest periods in excess of 2-3 minutes. You can accelerate your fat burning and cut your training in half by  performing alternating sets of non-competing exercises with short rest periods between sets. Dumbbell

For example, perform an upper body exercise, then a lower body exercise, and then a core exercise. This will allow for full recovery for each exercise, since you are resting your upper body while performing lower body and core exercises. Furthermore, short rest periods allow for both the completion of more total work at each training session and also create the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss.

Here’s an example of what we are discussing.

50-10 Interval Five Exercise Total Body Circuit- You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for each exercise in the following five-exercise circuit. Perform this 5-minute circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body workout. Be sure to switch between the 2 exercise options within each category for best results:

Exercise#    
Exercise Name
1 Squats OR Deadlifts
2 Push-ups OR Dips
3 Lunges OR Single Leg Hip Extensions
4 Rows or Pull-ups
5 Front OR Side Planks


Exercise Tip#2- Intervals Burn More Fat Than Ordinary Cardio:

With interval training, the focus is on the intensity of exercise (quality), rather than how long you are doing it (quantity). Intervals consist of alternating between shorts bouts of all out high-intensity effort and active recovery periods for a much quicker and focused amount of time. This approach is scientifically proven to burn nine times more fat AND lead to faster improvements in fitness than the aerobic alternative (going slow for long).

The Tabata study compared the effects of four minutes of high-intensity interval training (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off) with 45-60 minutes of low to moderate intensity cardio. The interval training group burned just as much fat as the endurance group and also had greater improvement in both anaerobic (think sprinters) and aerobic (think distance runners) fitness… in only four minutes!

Below is a sample Cardio Interval Training Workout:

20-10 Tabatas- You will alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10s of rest. You will perform this 30-second set up to 8x for 4 total minutes followed by a 1-minute rest and transition. Perform this 5-minute sequence up to 4x for 20 total minutes. You can perform this workout on your cardio machine of choice (airdyne or spin bike, running, etc.) or by alternating between body weight cardio exercises like stationary running, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, mountain climbers,etc.(my preferred way) for the ultimate fat burning workout.

Exercise Tip#3- Take Advantage of Non-Exercise Physical Activity (NEPA) In Your Daily Life:

What are you talking about – NEPA? NEPA is the activity you do outside the gym. For example, don’t fight for the spot closest to the grocery store door, fight for the one farthest away. It won’t be much of a fight I assure you. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you golf, walk – don’t use a cart. I think you get the idea.

If you find yourself at a desk all day, I would suggest you make your own NEPA – take a 30-60 minute walk on your off days. You don’t need to do a bunch of extra intervals, or another day of lifting weights (see Tip#5), but a walk can do you good.

Exercise Tip#4- Use Total Body Exercises to Build Stunning Arms:

You don’t have to be a genius to know that most brides are really focused on working their arms and shoulders since these areas of the body are often highly exposed in wedding dresses. But, doing a bunch of single-joint, isolation exercises like curls and triceps extensions is not going to get the job done. Spot reduction is a myth- no number of triceps kickbacks will ever put a dent in the arm jiggle.

Rather, you should focus on performing compound, multi-joint movements that work as many muscles in your body as possible (including your arms and shoulders) for best results. Not only do compound exercises allow you to use heavier loads which stimulate maximal lean muscle gain (think push-ups over triceps extensions), but they also burn the most calories and create the optimal hormonal environment for burning the fat covering what you are working so hard for!

To take it to the next level, use total body exercises exclusively in your workouts. Whole body movements that work your upper body, lower body, and core at the same time will allow you to get lean all over in addition to ensuring that you are working your upper body during every moment so that you are ARM-ed and ready for the big day. For example, instead of doing presses, do squat to presses.

Exercise Tip#5- Recovery is Key: Puppy Sleep

Though this may be the least glamorous tip of all, I truly believe it is the most important. Recovery from exercise is where all of the beneficial changes from high-intensity training occur. Don’t forget, a tough workout actually causes small micro-tears in your muscles that stimulates growth and repair. If all you do is work hard and break your body down this can lead to overtraining issues that may results in you limping down the aisle on the big day – not good!

Do yourself a favor and invest in your own personal massage therapist in the form of a foam roller. It’s cheap and easy to use. Simply spend at least 5 minutes post-working performing 5-10 rolls on the most tender and sore areas of your body, with a specific emphasis on your hips and thighs and your upper/mid back area.

This corrective self-massage both lengthens your muscles and improves tissue quality, preventing nagging aches and pains in your joints that can leave you on injured reserve in your quest. Furthermore, self-massage brings blood flow and nutrients to your muscles which accelerate recovery and reduce soreness from high-intensity exercise.

If you don’t have access to a foam roller, you can also use a tennis or lacrosse ball to achieve the same effect.

Well, those are my top 5 workout tips to help you look your best on the biggest day of your life. When it comes to exercise, keep it simple and stay the course. And remember, it’s not about weight loss- it’s about being as visually stunning as possible via losing inches in all the right places.

What Can You Learn From A Wedding?

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As many of you know, our oldest son Tim is getting married on April 3rd. This got me thinking about a few things (besides the fact that I’m way too young to have married kids), but primarily about how having a deadline can be a crucial part of reaching your fitness goals. We have had a few “brides to be” come to bootcamp to get ready for the big day, and I want to warn you – don’t get in her way! It’s amazing what happens when you have an absolute deadline in reaching a milestone – and brides are a perfect example of that – they will do whatever it takes to get into that dream dress and look fabulous on that special day.

But here’s where all this applies to you, even if you are not walking down the aisle anytime soon. You still need a blueprint to get the job done. And when it comes to fat loss, nutrition is the name of the game. These guidelines have and continue to produce body and life-changing results, and when applied consistently can get rid of that ugly, unwanted fat. Remember – the focus is on improving overall health, body composition and performance – don’t zone in on the scale only!

In honor of Tim and Deb, I am going to call this outline the “Fit Couple Mentality”.


EAT to Elevate Metabolism and Lose Fat (NOT Weight)

Tip#1- Stay Hydrated:

  • Drink at least 2-4 cups of water immediately upon waking and then drink at least 1-2 cups of water every 2 hours you are awake. A dehydrated organism cannot effectively lose body fat!
  • Drink 1-2 cups of water for every 15 minutes of vigorous activity to maintain optimal performance and to prevent dehydration during your workouts.
  • Consume at least 3 servings of antioxidant-rich green tea per day to boost your immune system and accelerate recovery from exercise.

Tip#2- Eat Early and Eat Often:

  • Eat immediately upon waking and then again every 2-4 hours after that for a total of 5-6 feedings per day. This is a staple for any solid fat loss nutrition plan because it allows your body to starve the fat and feed the muscle, optimizes performance, and prevents your body’s starvation signals from going off- signals that will slow fat loss to a snail’s pace.
  • The dietary breakdown is 3 total meals per day consumed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time, 3 total snacks/day consumed between meals and before bed, and workout nutrition in the form of a protein or amino acid supplement consumed around your training sessions.

Tip#3- Focus on the Essentials:

  • Consume a wide range of organic lean proteins of animal origin at each feeding. A great rule of thumbs is to consume at least a fist-sized worth of anything that had a face or a mother and ran, fly, or swam at some point (sorry, doesn’t sound as appetizing this way, but it’s one way to remember!).  Protein is not only the only macronutrient responsible for building and repairing that lean muscle tone but it also allows your body to best starve its ugly, unwanted fat stores. In addition, the sheer consumption of protein elevates metabolism and burns calories because the thermic effect of feeding since protein is more than twice as energy costly for your body to digest than fat or carbs.
  • Consume a wide range natural fats at each feeding (olive oil, coconut oil, beef, salmon, whole eggs, avocado, mixed nuts, flax, full-fat cheese, etc.). Sufficient dietary fat intake is critical to beneficial hormone production, which allows for optimal fat loss. Furthermore, your body cannot optimally burn stored body fat without a sufficient amount of healthy dietary fat.
  • Consume a wide range of fruits and veggies at each feeding (with a special emphasis on green veggies). A great rule of thumb when it comes to produce is to consume at least one green item AND as many other colors as possible at each and every meal to get the most health benefits.

Sample One-Day Menu

Breakfast- 6am
Scrambled Omega-3 Eggs, Greens, and Turkey Sausage or Bacon

Mid-Morning Snack- 9 am
Mixed Raw Nuts and Fruit/Veggies of Choice

Lunch- Noon
Chicken, Salmon, or Shrimp Caesar Salad

Mid-Afternoon Snack- 3 pm
Full-Fat Cheese and Fruit/Veggies of Choice

Dinner- 6 pm
Turkey or Beef Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

Pre-Bed Snack- 8 pm
Wonder Bowl:
Mix of Full-Fat Cottage Cheese, Protein Powder, Flax Meal, and Raw Nut Butter

Tip#4- You NEED These 2 Supplements:

  • Take a daily whole food based multi-vitamin for your gender. Ensuring adequate intake of vitamins and minerals is essential for your body to function optimally, especially for people who struggles to get at least 8-12 servings of fruits and veggies per day.
  • Take a high quality essential fatty acid (EFA) or fish oil supplement. Omega-3 fats found in fish oil are scientifically proven to increase metabolism and generate increased fat burning, besides having a host of other benefits like preventing cancer, reducing inflammation and joint pain, enhancing skin and hair quality, etc.

Tip#5- Think Fiber First When It Comes To Carbs:Wheat

  • It is critical to focus on carbohydrate quality first AND then quantity second. In terms of quality, all carbohydrates (outside of dairy) that you eat should contain AT LEAST 3 g of fiber per serving and offer LESS THAN 10 g of sugar per serving. In terms of quantity, we have found most females achieve the best fat-burning effects by limiting their total daily carb intake to 50 g or less, NOT including their unlimited daily fibrous carb intake from green veggies (fruit can be used in moderation) nor the trace carbs from protein and fat foods.
  • Use The Carb Reduction Blueprint: Use the following step-by-step process in the exact order listed to breakthrough any plateaus in your quest to get into that dress:

Step#1- Replace all white carbs with 100% whole grain carbs and all refined sugars with natural sugars found in food choices with ONE ingredient (e.g. fruit, honey, etc.). This will results in much more stable blood sugar levels, the key to maintaining high energy levels and burning fat.

Step#2- Limit all 100% whole grain starch and natural sugar consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout or immediately upon waking for breakfast. Your body best handles these types of carbs at these times without excessive risk of this energy being stored as fat.

Step#3- Replace all starches and sugars with fruits and veggies. Fruits and veggies are the most nutrient dense carbs loaded with tons of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and stomach-filling fiber, making them the staple of any good fat loss meal plan.

Step#4- Replace all fruits with green veggies (or any other veggies BESIDES corn, peas, carrots, and potatoes) to weed out any remaining dietary sugar (fructose- fruit sugar) that will prevent your body from maximally using stored body fat for fuel. Green veggies like broccoli, spinach, dark leafy lettuce, green beans, asparagus, etc. have the most figure-friendly benefits of any carbohydrate out there and can be consumed in an unlimited amount throughout the day to keep you full and satisfied.

Step#5- Use strategic carb and calorie cycling to take your body to next level (my clients and I have had great success with this but it is beyond the scope of this article).

So there you go – Wedding day, class reunion, family gathering, whatever drives you to look and feel great – sticking to this plan will make sure you show up looking and feeling great!

Congratulations Tim and Debra – May your marriage be a blessed one full of joy and happiness in life and with each other.

Love, Dad

Tim and Deb