Fat Loss Expert & Personal Trainer Dr Brad Campbell

Fat Loss Tip- Don't Cheat Yourself Out of a Cheat Day

2009-05-25T20:09:00.011-07:00

Common sense would have you believe that limiting yourself to one cheat "meal" each week would be better than indulging throughout an entire cheat "day," right? WRONG!

Many things in life don't make sense and fat loss is no exception. Well, it does make sense when you learn the story behind it....

Being that most people on weight loss diets will be consuming moderate to low calories on a daily basis...it's actually better to have a high-calorie DAY once a week to 'reset' the hormone that triggers starvation mode (when your body stores more fat because it feels as though you aren't getting enough calories).

Studies show that it takes at least 7-8 hours of high-calorie intake to positively affect (switch off/reset) the starvation mechanism.

Sorry to break it to ya, but one frozen pizza is not good enough....you will promote MORE fat loss by pigging out all day long!

Just remember....it's important to have 6 'clean' eating days and 1 total binge day to crank up the metabolism and burn more fat. It doesn't work the same if you have one bad meal or snack here and there several days per week.

Enjoy your cheat DAY and buy some skinny jeans because fat loss doesn't have anything on you!

Dr. Brad Campbell

Fat Loss Expert & Arizona Personal Trainer

Hottest Exercise Trends to Lose Fat Fast

2009-05-24T07:32:00.006-07:00

THIS SITE HAS MOVED TO: Top Fat Loss Trainer Please visit my new site for FREE fat loss workout videos you can do anywhere in 15 minutes or less with no exercise equipment! Also, download your free Fat loss ebook!

Sorry for the inconvenience....

As we reach the half-way point of 2009, I am beginning to notice several major workout trends that are quickly gaining in popularity and will be replacing standard forms of exercise by 2010.

For those serious about losing fat, toning up and accomplishing this in less time than ever before...you may want to jump on the fitness bandwagon before you get left behind on a $3k 'dust collector' (oops, I meant elliptical machine).

Here are some of the HOTTEST fat loss trends that I guarantee will become the norm in the next 1-2 years....

Group training and/or boot camps. The reasoning behind this is simple- more affordable, closer to home, time efficient, more support, energy, accountability and motivation.

Online personal training. Is there anything we don't do on the Internet these days? With the emerging popularity of online videos, webcams, personal trainer software, and social media 'giants' such as Twitter, Facebook and Myspace....it isn't hard to envision having a 'virtual' personal trainer thousands of miles away.....yet, this might be even more accessible (no matter where you are in the world) than a standard, in-person personal trainer.

Body weight (only) workouts. If you want to be successful at fat loss, learn body weight training! Why is this so important? Simple, anyone can do body weight training FOR FREE, anytime, anywhere....

Traveling out of state for work? Going on vacation? Visiting your family in Iowa? NO EXCUSE to fall off the fat loss plan, because with body weight training you don't need access to a gym, you don't need fancy equipment and you certainly don't need thousands of square feet to perform your workout.

Strength training. It shouldn't be a secret any longer that weight training is an absolute MUST for everyone....young, old, male, female, looking to bulk up, wanting to lose 150 lb of fat....doesn't matter! Strength training works wonders in all of these situations.

The key is designing the perfect program to meet your fitness goals. Strength training my be performed with free weights, body weight only exercises, medicine balls, kettlebells, random items around the house or in your garage, etc.

Interval training mixed with strength training. As a Chandler AZ Personal Trainer and Fat Loss expert, I use strength training as a form of interval training. We all know that they key to a killer fat loss exercise regimen is performing both strength training and interval cardiovascular workouts.

So what do you think we'd get if we combine strength training and interval-based workouts? Fat loss on kryptonite, that's what!

I like to take all of the proven fat loss techniques of interval training and mix that with the best metabolism-boosting weight training exercises, to form an alternative and highly effective fat loss workout.

Variety. I feel bad for the corporate gyms....I really do. I honestly don't see why people would continue to pay expensive gym memberships, make the commute to and from the gym and continue to see no changes in their bodies.

Eventually people will figure out that they can get more results (and have more fun) by jogging to the nearest park, cranking out 10 minutes of body weight exercises, finishing off with 5 minutes of intervals and jogging home to cool down.

Without spending a dime, they will have finished a more effective fat-burning workout in about the same time it would have taken them to get ready and drive to the gym!

Don't get left behind....

Dr. Brad Campbell Chandler Personal Training Expert

You're Tripping If You're Not Doing Total Body Workouts

2009-05-22T21:04:00.005-07:00

Seriously, don't trip. I hope you aren't one of those people who fell (get it?) victim to the popular bodybuilding and fitness magazines....you know, those countless articles printed month after month detailing some crazy 'split' routine, where you work legs one day...arms and shoulders the next....chest and back on another day....and so on.

Sure, this works great for professional bodybuilders taking steroids, eating special diets and pumping hundreds of supplements into their system on a a daily basis.

Split workout routines will work for these individuals because of enhanced recovery and a more favorable hormonal balance created with drugs, supplements and extreme diets.

For the average Joe, however, this split routine is just not practical and has several drawbacks.

Whether you're looking to gain muscle, tone up, or lose a ton of fat....total body workouts are far superior to the highly-publisized split exercise regimens. Here are some of the major advantages total body workouts have over the popular bodybuilder-type split workouts:

--> They make you mentally tough. Full-body workouts are very demanding. Think about the crazy amount of muscle fibers you are taxing in a total body workout, as compared to working just 1 or 2 muscle groups per session.

You will be more likely to raise your heart rate, create larger amounts of lactic acid, place your body in 'oxygen-debt' and crank up that metabolism to burn fat even faster with 'head-to-toe' workouts.

Battling through an intense and challenging workout such as this will make you feel as though you can go kick life's fat butt!

--> Save time. Because total body workouts do put more stress on your body, you can blast through these baby's in a shorter amount of time without losing (in fact, gaining) effectiveness.

I like to incorporate super-sets (multiple exercies back-t0-back with no rest) to really push my personal training clients and get a ton of work accomplished in a short amount of time.

--> Increased frequency. With total body workouts, you will generally hit each muscle group about 2 to 3 times as often as compared to a split routine. Common split routines will divide all muscle groups out into a 5 to 7 day cycle, where each muscle group is only worked once weekly.

With total body training, you can attack each muscle group as often as 3 times weekly....because muscles and hormones will be recovered and ready to rock after 48 hours. If you want results, especially in certain areas of your body.....doesn't it make sense to work that body part more often than once a week?

--> Deliver the best results for NORMAL people. When I was younger and didn't know any better, I too bought a lot of workout magazines in search of the next best routine that would transform my body. Every article seemed to suggest this extravagant split routine with a very believable theory to support it.

The only problem was that most of the fitness models who were pictured performing these routines were using juice to get their results. Almost any workout is going to work wonders when steroids are involved!

For those of us working hard to obtain a better body naturally, we need to understand that most magazines are sold for one purpose....to sell supplements!

Don't fall victim to fancy programs that promise insane results....stick to basic, total body workout routines that will save time, increase mental toughness, provide faster and more profound results and work for the average person who wants to do it the right way!

Dr Brad Campbell CFT PharmD

Chandler Personal Trainer

Body Weight Only Workout For Quick Fat Loss and Muscle Toning

2009-05-19T17:10:00.008-07:00

"Baby recommends body weight exercises, such as push-ups, to blast through fat, tone muscle, and thus have everyone thinking you're as cute as he is..."

Here is a quick body weight only workout that you can do in the comfort of your own home or while you're on the go....no gym membership or expensive equipment necessary!

The best part is, you can be on your way to major fat loss and muscle toning in less time than it would have taken to drive to the gym.

Warm up- 30 sec of jumping jacks, 10 squats, 10 push-ups, repeat x 3 rounds.

Workout- Perform each of the following body weight exercises for 20 seconds, rest 20 seconds and then immediately begin the next exercise.

1) Prisoner Squats

2) Push-ups

3) Mountain Climbers

4) Jumping Jacks

5) Bench Dips (may use steps, chair, park bench if outdoors, etc)

6) Bulgarian Split Squats

7) Burpees

8) Plank

Repeat the entire circuit 3 times and follow with light cool down and stretching.

Allow at least 1-2 days of recovery before repeating and aim to complete more reps each time (without sacrificing form).

There you have it- a simple workout that requires NOTHING, takes very little time to complete, yet will burn fat like crazy and leave you wondering why you wasted thousands of dollars on gym memberships over the years!

The key to fat loss is to train as SMART and EFFICIENTLY as possible! Never waste time performing exercises or cardio that is nowhere near as effective as other options, such as the highly metabolic workout I outlined above.

Dr. Brad Campbell

Gilbert AZ Personal Trainer and Fat Loss Expert

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone With a Chandler Personal Trainer

2009-05-18T22:23:00.014-07:00

One of the main benefits to using a Chandler Personal trainer (or other local personal trainer in your neighborhood) is the fact that you will be forced out of your comfort zone. To really make progress in any aspect of life (and especially in the fat loss department), you will at some point have to push past what you perceive to be your limits.

We as humans will do almost anything to stay within our comfort zones. I think a great life lesson is to experiment once in a while and force yourself to conquer intimidating circumstances. You will find that doing this can turn into a very rewarding experience that boosts confidence and grants a new outlook on life.

The same goes for fitness and exercise....the only exception being that pushing past a workout comfort zone is more PAINFUL than intimidating! If you're like most people who lack that "I'll do whatever it takes" attitude to achieve your personal fitness goals, then I'd strongly suggest investing in a Chandler Personal Trainer.

An efficient and knowledgeable personal trainer, like myself, will be able to take you to that next level of effort, where the results will come much quicker.

Working with a Chandler personal trainer will make you accountable for your fitness success and provide you with the necessary motivation and energy required to push right past the comfort zone you'd otherwise be hanging out in.

If you are serious about making healthy changes and creating a new body, with a new attitude, check out Personal Trainer Chandler AZ for more information on my exclusive Arizona personal training services.

Dr. Brad Campbell
Arizona Personal Trainer and Fat Loss Expert

The Single Most Important Rule of Successful Fat Loss

2009-05-18T15:10:00.004-07:00

It seems as though people are always searching for the next big secret to fat loss. They buy books, read magazines, join support groups and online forums, watch weight loss TV programs, etc.

As an Arizona Personal Trainer and fat loss expert, I've narrowed this highly sought after 'answer' down into one simple principle by which I base all of my personal training workouts after....So what is the single most effective principle you must follow to burn fat quickly?

You simply need to create the highest energy demand possible and you will never struggle with weight loss again. Your metabolism will tear through body fat to provide much needed energy.

How can we place this high energy demand onto our bodies to drastically increase metabolic (and fat-burning) rate?

--> Intense exercise. My personal training clients are 'put through the ringer' because I know the harder I push them, the greater the stress on their body, the more caloires they burn up trying to return to normalcy....and thus, the more fat they burn!

There are actually 3 subcategories to this: during exercise, after exercise, and during repair. I design metabolic resistance programs combined with interval training to ensure all 3 aspects are affected to the greatest extent.

There are far too many exercise programs that will only affect your 'during' phase....and not even to a great extent, so be careful in designing your workouts or you could be spinning your wheels.

--> Eating 'high maintenance' foods. Your body can easily break down unhealthy fats and simple carbs. However, your body is very inefficient at breaking down and digesting protein, which leads to extra burning of calories just to process the protein source. Now think about eating high quality protein sources in each and every meal throughout the day- this leads to a significantly higher metabolism because of the extra work involved in processing.

--> Building lean muscle mass. Your muscles are cells that continually break down and rebuild...this requires a greater amount of calories just to maintain the lean muscle, let alone build additional muscle mass. This is why some form of weight training is SO CRUCIAL to the overall fat loss process.

Consider the fact that adding just 10 lbs of lean muscle (remember, muscle is very dense and doesn't take up much space) will burn an extra 500 calories per day, which is equivalent to 1 lb of fat per week! For some reason, however, most people in search of fat loss think they need to do hours of slow cardio, which actually strips lean muscle off the body. Do not make this mistake!

It's really a pretty simple outcome to achieve once you understand how the body responds to stress (exercise) and nutritional intake. Once you fully grasp just how easy it is to alter your metabolic rate, the sky is the limit in terms of burning fat and making major changes to your body.

Dr. Brad Campbell
Gilbert AZ Personal Trainer

4 Reasons Diets Lead to Fat Gain

2009-05-17T14:17:00.007-07:00

Sure, I've heard stories of all kinds of crazy diets that have worked for different people....but most of the time we don't hear how those people are doing today. Are they still sticking to that 'grapefruit diet' or the 'chocolate cake' diet? If so, are they as healthy and lean as ever?

I DOUBT IT! In fact, statistics show us that over 90% of those 'dieters' will gain every last pound back (and then some) after completing this madness.

What do you think of when you hear the word diet? I think of restriction, deprivation, lack of enjoyment and eventually failure. This is not something I'd recommend to any of my Chandler Personal Training or Gilbert Personal Training clients.

I much prefer my clients make healthier choices and follow a "NUTRITION PLAN" that is designed to meet their fitness goals. Doesn't that sound more enjoyable? If I do slip up and say the word 'diet,' I am referring to a way of eating and not some highly restrictive and technical, point-counting, carb-abolishing craziness.

Let's take a look at why diets ultimately fail and lead to even more fat storage...

1. Shutting down metabolism. Like I said, most diets are restrictive in nature. Whether it be drastically reducing daily calories, doing away with carbohydrates, eliminating fats, or any other guideline that takes away or limits an aspect of your intake.

As you eat less and less, your metabolism will be forced to slow down and store fat for energy. It does this as a safety precaution to protect you from starving! It's ironic that the one thing people do most to lose fat (stop eating) is actually making their bodies to store more fat.

Another factor to take into consideration is the thermic effect of eating. In other words, the process of eating burns calories to digest, absorb, and eliminate the food you are taking in. Those who don't eat much or who do not eat often lose out on a great deal of calorie-burning when compared to the person who is eating every few hours.

2. Loss of calorie-burning muscle tissue. Due to lack of adequate protein intake, insufficient calories, or going too long without eating, you will undoubtedly lose lean muscle tissue. Any exertion will most likely lead to muscle break down for energy, as this is an easier solution for your body than burning fat for energy.

This is actually where many people can trick themselves into thinking their diet is working. After restricting calories and working out, they begin to see the scale going down....so they are succeeding, right? WRONG! They are losing lean muscle and water- two of the absolute worst things you could do if you want to lose fat.

3. They stress you out. Literally! As you begin to diet, you place an increased stress on your body, which responds by increasing cortisol production, lowering thyroid function and thus decreasing metabolism. Not good!

Add to this the mental stress of constantly avoiding certain situations and defending your DIET constantly by saying: "No, I can't eat that...I'm on a diet." Again, more cortisol and more fat storage.

4. All good (BAD) things must come to an end. Any diet that is restrictive in terms of calories or types of food, will eventually come to an end. I have yet to find someone who has super-human discipline and can ignore all cravings and temptations indefinitely. Yes, even the most creative and 'good-in-theory' diets will fail in time. You'll be left saying: "Hello belly fat...I think we've met before." And don't be surprised if this belly fat brings friends to the reunion party :)

So please...stop looking for the next diet that will magically transform your body. Instead, adopt a NUTRITION PLAN that consists of healthy choices that have been proven time and again to promote fat loss and maintain lean muscle.

On this nutrition plan you can even schedule in one cheat day each week to enjoy the comfort foods we all love. This is the only way to remain balanced and ensure long term success. See Personal Trainer Chandler for more information on how to use 'binges' to your fat loss advantage.

Dr. Brad Campbell

Arizona Expert Personal Trainer

How Many Calories Should You Consume For Fat Loss?

2009-05-17T07:53:00.007-07:00

With all of the conflicting literature and complicated equations out there, fat loss can become a little overwhelming. Most people have no idea how many calories they should be consuming on a daily basis to successfully lose fat without stripping the body of important muscle tissue.

So How Many Calories Should You Eat Daily to Promote Fat Loss?

Well, my job as a Chandler Personal Trainer is to make the fat loss process as easy as possible. I don't want my clients to have to break out the old graphing calculator just to see how many calories they should be eating in a day.

For this reason, I recommend using the following estimate: take your body weight in pounds and multiply this by 11.

Using this example....a 168 lb female should consume 168 x 11 = 1,848 calories per day to achieve weight loss.

The only exception to this estimate would be for very obese individuals- because their calculation would result in a higher total, I would recommend that they aim for a maximum of 1,900 calories per day.

Also keep in mind that lower is not always better. Consuming fewer calories than what is recommended by the above equation may lead to muscle loss, which will HURT your fat loss results in the long run.

I would never suggest eating fewer than 1,300 calories per day....and most individuals will be well above this mark.

When combined with an effective exercise routine (such as my Personal Trainer Gilbert metabolic resistance training program), following this daily caloric estimate will produce consistent fat loss!

Dr. Brad Campbell

Chandler Perosnal Trainer's 5 Rules of Performance Nutrition

2009-05-12T21:44:00.003-07:00

I always stress that exercise can only take you so far and that there is virtually no workout I can create to "out-train" poor nutrition.

The following are five important rules I encourage my personal training clients to adhere to.

#1) Eat at least 5 times per day, everyday. Two to three meals per day will simply not cut it. Two of these meals may be classified as "snacks" as long as they are providing adequate calories and energy to last until the next meal.

In following this rule, your blood sugar and insulin levels will be controlled, you will receive small and consistent protein intake throughout the day to promote muscle growth and recovery, and (most importantly) body fat will be burned for energy and not stored!

It is crucial to follow this rule, as eating too infrequently will activate hormones inside your body to store fat in preparation for (what it believes) to be a "famine" situation.

#2) Each of your meals or snacks should contain an approximate caloric ratio of 1 part fat, 2 parts protein, and 3 parts carbohydrate. This is a great place to start-- depending on your body type, training regimen, and training intensity, we may need to adjust this slightly.

For those looking to lose excess body fat, I would suggest a 1:2:2 ratio (ie reduce the carb intake so that it is equal in serving size to your protein choice).

Fat is essential for overall good health and is used to make many different hormones, so please do not avoid fat! Rather, avoid the "bad" types of fat (i.e. saturated fats from animal sources) and fill up on the "good" types of fat (i.e. unsaturated fats from olive oil, natural peanut butter, almonds, fish, etc).

Low glycemic carbs (i.e. whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, etc) should be consumed because they are absorbed slower than high glycemic carbs, thus controlling insulin levels and reducing the chance of fat storage.

Finally, lean protein sources (i.e. chicken, turkey, eggs, tuna, fish, etc) are needed in EACH meal/snack to promote muscle growth-- this will in turn burn more fat!

#3) I've used this saying many times-- when you sit down to eat each meal, ask yourself the following question: "What will I be doing for the next 3 hours of my life?"

If you are going to watch tv or go to bed soon, try to avoid carbs and opt instead for veggies and protein. If you are meeting me at the park for an intense workout, I'd suggest eating some complex carbs with protein (about an hour beforehand) to fuel the personal training workout I have planned.

In other words, adjust you carbohydrate intake to account for the expected energy output. In doing this, you will be less likely to store unwanted fat.

#4) To lose fat quickly, we must produce a negative calorie balance. In other words, I must get you to burn more calories during our personal training workouts (combined with what you naturally burn off throughout the course of the day) than what you are taking in.

Conversely, to gain muscle, we need to take in more calories than what you are burning off throughout the day.

So how can we increase muscle and lose weight at the same time? Well, I design a comprehensive personal training plan where we alternate periods of negative calorie balance with periods of positive calorie balance.

It does not matter if your goal is to lose body weight, gain body weight, or stay the same.

By altering types of personal training workouts and our daily caloric intake, we will benefit by: readjusting your basal metabolic rate upward, making it easier to keep fat off and support recovery and lean muscle building by controlling insulin and sugar levels.

Don't read into this too much- for those whose primary goal is to lose body fat and tone muscle....I'm not going to put you on a 2-week bulking period, followed by a cutting period.

This process is actually as simple as having 1 higher calorie, "carbohydrate-loaded" day of eating each week to reset the metabolism. See Personal Trainer Chandler AZ for more details on how to binge on junk food to promote fat loss.

#5) It is very difficult to obtain all of the vital nutrients your body needs to remain healthy and active from food alone. It is therefore often necessary to supplement your diet with vitamins and/or minerals or other supplements.

A basic multivitamin (in my opinion) can help to ensure that your body will be in prime condition to tackle those weight loss, muscle building, or body-shaping goals! Especially if you have a difficult time eating veggies with each meal...a standard multivitamin will go a long ways towards supporting recovery and preventing illness.

*Always consult your doctor before taking any nutritional supplement.

These 5 rules for performance nutrition will make our hard working Gilbert Personal Trainer sessions much more likely to produce fast results that stay long term!

If you are serious about your health and about making positive changes, you must be serious about exercise, nutrition AND lifestyle....although it's possible to make some minor progress working on just 1 aspect, I wouldn't recommend it!

Dr. Brad Campbell, CFT, PharmD Personal Trainer Arizona

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Feel the Burn and Lose Fat Faster With MRT

2009-05-11T09:57:00.006-07:00

When designing my Arizona personal training workouts, I don't pay any attention to what a given workout will accomplish in 1 hour. Instead, I focus on what this workout can do for my clients over the next 24 to 48 hours...

If you desire the absolute quickest fat loss results, high intensity exercise is a MUST.

Exercise that is short in duration and high in intensity can be performed in many different ways, but today I'd like to address the most effective- metabolic resistance training.

After spending thousands of hours of very thorough research, evaluation and trial and error....I've concluded that metabolic resistance training (aka butt-kicking cardio workouts performed with weights) is DA KING when it comes to losing fat fast!

Multiple well-designed and reputable studies show that metabolic resistance training creates a major "afterburn" effect, where your body maintains a highly elevated metabolic rate for up to 40 hours after the workout has ended.

Why is this so important? Well, let's say you train with me Monday morning and I push you through one of my killer circuit weight workouts....you will actually still be burning extra calories from this workout Tuesday night while watching TV!

Compare that to "slow-go" standard cardio workouts, where your metabolism returns to normal almost immediately upon stepping off that treadmill.....and you can see that the total fat burning potential of these 2 workouts is quite different!

Another study I reviewed shows that adding metabolic resistance training sessions to a healthy diet burned through an impressive 44% more fat than those who simply dieted without exercising.

Remember nutrition is still 'numero uno' when it comes to losing body fat, but once you're on track with a sensible meal plan, metabolic resistance training will amp up your fat burning results BIG TIME!

Other studies have shown that standard (slow-paced) cardio sessions actually REDUCE metabolism over time and strip the body of calorie-burning lean muscle tissue. This is a double whammy when it comes to fat loss.

Conversely, resistance training has been shown to maintain or even increase lean muscle. This is yet another reason that metabolic resistance training is KING when it comes to losing fat fast!

Dr. Brad Campbell - Chandler AZ Personal Trainer and fat loss expert, providing personal training services to Chandler, AZ, Gilbert, AZ, Mesa, AZ, and East Valley AZ residents.

Gilbert Personal Trainer Says "Forget the Crunches!"

2009-05-10T19:25:00.004-07:00

Think great abs and a slimmer waistline are the result of thousands of crunches and sit-ups?

Think again!

Many of my personal training clients begin to question me after the first week has passed and we haven't completed any direct abdominal work. I have to inform them that we are indeed working the abs a great deal in many of the compound weight training exercises we perform.

More importantly, however, I have to teach them the unfortunate reality that crunches and sit-ups will do absolutely nothing to reduce belly fat!

Consider the following...

The Guiness World Record holder for sit-ups is an average looking man with no visible abs! Although he undoubtedly has amazing strength and endurance throughout his abdominal muscles….he also has just enough body fat to cover them up.

This is an outstanding real life example that supports the 'truth' about getting a lean, sexy stomach...

All of the crunches, sit-ups and hours spent using that ab machine you purchased because of the tempting infomercial are pointless if you fail to cut your body fat down to a level that allows visibility of the underlying muscles. This level is generally in the single digits for males and around 13-15% body fat for females.

Bottom line is that most people would need significant work in decreasing their body fat percentage before they should even let the phrase '6-pack' enter their imagination.

If a tight and tone midsection is what you would like to achieve, please do not waste another minute with ab exercises…you’d be much better off making healthy dietary changes and incorporating intense weight training and cardiovascular sessions in effort to burn through some of that excess body fat.

Remember, everyone has a 6-pack. The difference between the fitness cover models and the rest of us has nothing to do with sit-ups and everything to do with maintaining a low body fat percentage, which can most easily be controlled through sound nutrition intake.

Dr. Brad Campbell Gilbert AZ Personal Trainer

Personal Trainer Chandler AZ- New Blog

2009-05-08T16:40:00.001-07:00

Test to check out my new blog feed at www.TrainerAZ.com

Dr. Brad Campbell, Fitness Trainer AZ

10 Ways to Make Your Weight Training Workouts Burn More Fat

2009-05-07T11:54:00.011-07:00

THIS SITE HAS MOVED TO: Top Fat Loss Trainer Please visit my new site for FREE fat loss workout videos you can do anywhere in 15 minutes or less with no exercise equipment! Also, download your free Fat loss ebook!

Sorry for the inconvenience....

In today's blog, I wanted to quickly share some of the MAJOR fat loss techniques I regularly incorporate into my Arizona personal training sessions.

Before I can touch on these fat burning principles, I want you to understand that losing body fat is hard work!

Nothing angers me more than seeing these phony infomercials or "hypey" ads that show sexy fitness models smiling as they pretend to use whatever product or service is being marketed....to apparently sculpt their perfect physiques.

The truth is that they probably never actually used this product or service to get in amazing shape....and if they did, you can bet they were working a lot harder than the advertisement would suggest!

To burn fat you must expend a significant amount of energy. This cannot be accomplished while talking on your cell phone, reading a magazine, smiling, or acting in any other manner that limits intensity.

With that being said, let's look at some key factors that must be included in any successful strength training workout that is designed to melt away body fat:

-> create A TON of lactic acid

-> create an oxygen debt

-> use mainly compound and functional exercises that are practical to everyday life

-> keep the weights as HEAVY as possible

-> keep the rest periods SHORT (30 seconds is ideal...any shorter and you may sacrifice intensity during your sets)

-> use a maximum of 8 to 10 reps

-> keep the volume and length of workout slightly higher than non-fat burning workouts

-> perform total body workouts and super-set opposing muscle groups

-> slow down lifting tempos to provide greater time under tension for your muscles (ie instead of lowering the weight in 1 second, try slowing the lowering phase to 3 seconds, then pause 1 second and return to starting position)

-> train while FATIGUED and get out of your comfort zone

There you have it! If any of these fat-burning principles are currently absent from your weight training sessions, try implementing immediately to see faster results.

Dr. Brad Campbell Personal Trainer Arizona

Binging On Crap to Promote Fat Loss? My Controversial 3 Step Process

2009-05-06T13:46:00.012-07:00

THIS SITE HAS MOVED TO: Top Fat Loss Trainer Please visit my new site for FREE fat loss workout videos you can do anywhere in 15 minutes or less with no exercise equipment! Also, download your free Fat loss ebook!

Sorry for the inconvenience....

What if I told you that binging on junk food could actually HELP your chances of losing fat? That's right- just follow these 3 steps and enjoy binging your way to a slimmer waistline...

Step 1- Create an efficient metabolism by eating every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day.

Remember K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid!) Load your fridge and cupboards with the absolute best choices for each macronutrient- ie high quality proteins, veggies, healthy fats and complex carbs. Simply mix and match one selection from each food group to incorporate into every meal (or snack) throughout the day.

Drink only water and green tea....any liquid calories need to be eliminated immediately.

Step 2- Follow a weekly fitness regimen that consists of 2 or 3 total body weight training sessions and at least 3 interval workouts.

Now for the pizza, cookies, ice cream, or whatever else you may be craving...

Step 3- Select 1 "cheat/treat" day each week and GO NUTS! Binge on as much crap as your stomach can possibly handle.

Disregard any literature you've read that encourages never eating bad or having just 1 measly cheat meal per week. Honestly, who can knock out all of their cravings in just 1 meal?

"Not I...." says the personal trainer who sports a 6-pack year round!

For me, this day of over-indulgence is Sunday and I generally consume around 6,000 calories worth of low-quality, great tasting, and highly processed "food." I simply eat whatever sounds good in ridiculous quantities all day long.

By the end of the day I am feeling a little sick and come Monday morning, junk food is the last thing on my mind! I can now easily make it through the rest of the week without giving in to temptations, or even experiencing temptations for that matter.

Ironically, by dramatically increasing caloric intake in this fashion on 1 day per week, I have actually increased my chances for fat loss by ensuring my metabolic rate doesn't slow down due to long periods of caloric restriction.

The technical term for this fitness phenomenon is 'carbohydrate cycling' and it is truly a beautiful thing.

Dr. Brad Campbell
Chandler AZ Personal Trainer

Fitness Trainer Gilbert AZ

Weight Training and Women- Fitness Myth Revealed

2009-05-05T16:37:00.007-07:00

It is a common misconception that weight training for women will cause bulky, masculine physiques. However, due to lack of testosterone, women actually have an extremely difficult time putting on any significant muscle size.

Female bodybuilders are an extremely rare exception to this rule. Many of them utilize supplements and/or hormones to help achieve muscular gains.

Additionally, they eat a special diet and undergo hours of intense weight training day after day, week after week, and year after year before obtaining this muscular look.

Trust me when I say that you will never 'accidentally' get too big and bulky from weight training- this goes for guys as well!

Okay, so we're on the same page in agreeing that women aren't going to magically turn into the 'Incredible Hulk' after 1 week of strength training with weights. But why is this important to women and how can it help them to look tone and fit?

Let me paint a body composition picture for you…fat takes up about 3 times as much space as muscle does! This means that if we replaced all of the unwanted fat from a particular area of your body and replaced it with the exact same weight in muscle, that area would get smaller.

The scale would read the same as before, but we have clearly made you look leaner and healthier.

It is therefore not surprising that we are seeing exponential rises in women who are actively taking part in weight training. After all, it is your body composition that actually accounts for how one looks…and NOT body weight as most people tend to think.

If we successfully replace unwanted fat with new muscle via weight training, we can produce excellent transformations without having to lose a ton of body weight!

A more appropriate concern for women should be not having enough muscle, rather than fearing they will gain too much!

All females who desire reductions in overall fat and a leaner physique should most certainly be incorporating some form of weight training into their fitness regimen!

Dr. Brad Campbell
Arizona Expert Personal Fitness Trainer

If You Desire a Healthy and Lean Body, You MUST Consume Protein

2009-05-05T08:04:00.004-07:00

I'll admit, there aren't many times where I have a major craving for a watered-down protein shake or a cup of super bland fat free cottage cheese. Furthermore, scrambling a dozen egg whites is time consuming, very messy, and I hate washing dishes!

When it comes down to it, the only protein source I really enjoy eating is a nice grilled chicken breast. Of course, grilling takes time and planning as well.

So you see, the cards are certainly stacked against us when it comes to consuming adequate amounts of protein. It is for these very reasons that many of my personal training clients get 'scolded' when I review their meal plans and point out just how scarce their respective protein intake has been.

Fruits and veggies are great.....complex carbs and healthy fats- even better! BUT, you still need protein every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day if you desire a toned, healthy, and lean physique!

We all need to eat like bodybuilders- just on a slightly smaller caloric scale. These individuals live off of high quality protein sources, veggies, healthy fats, and SMALL amounts of complex, high-fiber carbs.

Still not convinced? Consider the following 4 reasons to consume high quality protein with each and every meal to achieve your ideal body:

Protein is a great appetite suppressant. After ingesting protein, you will not be hungry for longer periods of time and this will help to prevent over-eating.
By lowering insulin levels, protein allows your body to burn off fat, rather than store it. Therefore, a steady intake of protein throughout each and every day will provide a safeguard against fat accumulation.
Protein helps you build new muscle and maintain the muscle you already have. A single pound of muscle will burn approximately 50 calories per day…so for every pound of lean muscle you add to your body, you can expect to lose 5 pounds (of ugly body fat) per year!
Your body has to work harder (burn more calories) to process and digest the protein you eat. This is a nice advantage in the fat loss department, especially when you consider the alternative—eating too many carbs will lead to unwanted fat storage.

Hopefully after reading this you are tempted to make a quick run to the grocery store to stack up on chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products....maybe even a whey protein powder.

One thing is for sure- most of us will have an extremely difficult time achieving a lean and tone body without incorporating these 'protein principles' into our fitness meal plan!

Dr. Brad Campbell, AZ Expert Personal Fitness Trainer

10 Most Effective Bodyweight Exercises

2009-04-30T19:41:00.008-07:00

10 Most Effective Bodyweight Exercises for toning muscles, boosting metabolism and burning body fat....

If you think that a great workout requires a trip to the gym and millions of dollars worth of dust collectors (I mean workout machines), think again! The majority of exercises I incorporate into my personal training workouts require one thing only....YOU!

Bodyweight-only workouts can be performed anywhere, cost nothing and can be the most effective way to achieve your fitness goals (if done correctly).
Don't believe me? Just ask one of my personal training clients or join us for a few of my exclusive AZ small group personal training sessions! Within the first 10 minutes, you'll be gasping for air and noticing the lactic acid buildup that is starting to overwhelm your struggling muscles.

Yes, all this pain and discomfort (aka 'progress') can be achieved without expensive gym equipment or infomercial gadgets.
So without further ado, here are my top 10 most effective bodyweight exercises for toning muscle, boosting metabolism and burning flab:
1) Squat Jumps (shown above)- 10 of these completed in explosive fashion will have your metabolism going crazy for hours post-workout.
2) 1-Leg Squats- (most clients will need to start with a basic squat using both legs and gradually progress to this highly advanced and effective movement). This is also great for improving balance and agility that will carry over into everyday activities.
3) Pushups- no one is too tough for pushups....and if you think you need a bench, barbell and a stack of heavy plates just to work your chest, then kindly drop and give me 15 strict-form 1-armed pushups. I DIDN'T THINK SO! No one has any business lifting heavy weights if they cannot handle their own bodyweight!
4) Dips- find a picnic table or bench outdoors or use a chair at home and feel the burn in your tri's and chest with bodyweight dips. Try taking a full 3 seconds to lower your body until you form a 90-degree angle at the elbow joint, before returning to the start position.

5) Bulgarian Split Squats- 2 words.....LACTIC ACID!
6) Pull-Ups- find a playground with monkey bars and get ready to be humbled- most people cannot do 1 single bodyweight pull-up without assistance! So start out with a small jump off the ground and progress from there.
7) Burpees- I've had even the most well-mannered clients slip up and curse after just 30 seconds of this total body killer! In fact, if you are looking to lose fat, boost metabolism and tone muscle....and wanted to know the single most effective bodyweight exercise to achieve this, I would have to go with the infamous burpee.
8) Mountain Climbers- another great calorie-burning exercise that will help you tone your backside.
9) Jumping Jacks- I know, this is probably brining back memories (or nightmares) of your grade school P.E. classes. Incorporating intense intervals of jumping jacks into your workout will help tone and shape, as well as improve your cardiovascular and respiratory function.
10) Plyometrics- I was indecisive and couldn't pick just 1 plyometric exercise, but the take home message is this: challenge yourself with explosive jumping exercises to burn fat quickly (way better than long, slow cardio for fast results).

If you are unsure of the correct form on any of these exercises, you can always do a Google Search and find pictures and videos that will walk you though the steps.

Try incorporating some of these bodyweight exercises into your current workout or making a new workout that focuses entirely on the movements listed above.

Dr. Brad Campbell

AZ Personal Fitness Trainer

Personal Trainer's Top 5 Reasons You Aren't Losing Weight

2009-04-24T19:51:00.006-07:00

THIS SITE HAS MOVED TO: Top Fat Loss Trainer Please visit my new site for FREE fat loss workout videos you can do anywhere in 15 minutes or less with no exercise equipment! Also, download your free Fat loss ebook!

Sorry for the inconvenience....

As a personal trainer I am often asked: "Brad, why am I not losing weight?!" Of course, this question is then followed by a statement claiming that the unsuccessful loser (of weight, that is) has been eating perfectly and working out every day without any progress.

The problem is that I'd honestly have to follow someone around for an entire day to point out the MANY overlooked mistakes and missed calorie-burning opportunities that are hindering their weight loss results.

However, I can provide 5 major factors that everyone can work on to make sure you aren't the next person in line asking this question! So, here are my top 5 reasons you aren't successful in losing weight....

1) Your life is too sedentary. If you are sleeping 7 to 8 hours a night, only to make it to work and sit at your desk for another 8 hours or so, and then rush home to sit on the couch and watch TV for the remainder of the night….this is a problem!

Am I suggesting you get a different job or sleep less? Of course not—but you must become more aware of your daily caloric expenditure. To become successful at weight loss, you must become a calorie burning machine!

Always take the stairs, jog to and from your car, park farther away, take the long route to the break room, fidget like a hyperactive child who missed their morning dose of Ritalin, clean your house more often, etc, etc….I think you get my point, which is simply this: move as much as possible every single day. Never underestimate the small things that really add up day in and day out and lead to major differences over the span of a few months. Throw in some intense exercise on top of this to start seeing results!

2) You are expecting too much. With all of the fitness gimmicks being marketed today, the cheesy infomercials jam-packed with unrealistic promises and reality TV programs (i.e. The Biggest Loser) showing extreme weight loss, it’s not surprising you are expecting immediate and drastic weight loss from the smallest of changes.

I'd like to issue a fair warning: Don’t believe the hype! Real world weight loss will be much slower and most people will be lucky to average 2 lbs lost each week. Yes, I said “average,” meaning some weeks you may gain, some weeks you may stay the same, and others might be exceptional. If you are consistently doing the right things, however, weight loss will indeed happen….just be sure to give it time and reassess your plan when you hit plateaus. Or, start training with a fat loss expert like myself to guarantee results (shameless plug, but it's my blog...so I'm entitled, right?).

3) You aren’t working hard enough. This probably should have been numero uno! There aren’t too many things in life that provide us with great satisfaction that are easily attainable. Dream jobs generally take difficult degrees, years worth of hard work to climb the corporate ladder, or major financial risk and the ability to take chances others wouldn’t. Material possessions require the hard-earned cash you worked your butt off to save up. And the examples can go on and on.

A great body is no different….and if having a great body was easy, everyone would have one and you wouldn’t be reading this. If you think a 20 minute walk several times a week with your best friend or spouse is enough to lose weight, think again! Light walking is actually a horribly inefficient way of burning calories.

Weight loss requires HARD WORK….the type of work that raises your heart rate, causes you to sweat, and makes you feel like you want to stop. If you are not getting to this level (most people don’t), it's time to switch things up a little. As I have talked about in previous blogs, high intensity intervals offer a more efficient alternative to longer, slower-paced cardio workouts such as walking or jogging. If your current weight loss plan does not involve some form of intense intervals (biking, sprinting, boxing, jump rope, jumping jacks, etc), don't even think about asking me why you aren't losing!

4) You aren’t lifting heavy enough weights (or you just aren't lifting weights, period). This goes hand-in-hand with reason #3…weight training, along with cardio work, needs to be strenuous! Women especially, are prone to unintentionally slacking in this department. The common misconception is that women should lift lighter weights for higher reps. The truth, however, is this: women need to work even harder at lifting to ensure they are creating a metabolic disturbance that will appropriately reap the fat-burning benefits of weight training. This is, after all, the reason you are lifting in the first place.

Most sets should be taken to failure, meaning another rep or two would be literally impossible to complete. The same thing goes for the type of exercises as well—single joint exercises like bicep curls are important for symmetry, but will not stimulate the metabolism like squats or chest presses…the multi-joint movements recruit more muscle fibers and force the body to work harder.

5) This one shouldn’t be a surprise—poor nutrition. The biggest mistake I see with inadequate nutrition isn’t that the person is slacking, but rather that they have a misinformed sense of what is healthy. The quickest way to correct this is to pick up a good fitness book or magazine, or search the internet for reputable fitness sites.

Teach yourself as much as possible and avoid the gimmicks and unrealistic promises because there are a lot out there. Try keeping a strict food log for a week (don’t change anything about the way you’d normally eat) and take this to a professional to assess and offer recommendations.

One last thing—if you see the word “diet,” RUN! There are no magical “diets” that will produce results in every individual. Some will work in the short term, but most all will fail in the long run. Healthy nutrition is a much better option that will allow you to achieve weight loss without depriving your body of certain foods or of adequate calories in general.

Nutrition is an extremely broad and difficult subject….being that this is probably the single most important factor in successfully losing weight, please do not make the mistake of assuming your thoughts on nutrition are absolutely correct. This is a surefire way to prevent weight loss before it even starts!

Find a Partner or Two and Let's Boogey

2009-04-23T21:41:00.004-07:00

At Health Is Wealth Personal Training, we are all about TEAM!

One of the best ways to ensure your workouts are intense and effective every single time is to train with a workout partner (or five)! Numerous studies have shown that working out with at least 1 workout partner leads to increased motivation, frequency, intensity and effectiveness of the workout sessions. It is for these reasons that I have switched my focus as a personal trainer away from individual training and solely towards small group personal training.

Of course, another major bonus of training in groups is the reduction in price! This makes personal training more accessible to everyone, regardless of income.

Additionally, you may find it less intimidating to make the often times intimidating 'personal training plunge.' Before you know it, you'll be tackling new exercises and pushing yourself harder than you could have imagined with your new support system.

Having others who encourage you along the way and who can relate to what you're going through is the best way to make fitness fun!

And no more ducking workouts or finding excuses to validate skipping your personal training sessions.....now you have more accountability because the other members of your group are counting on you!

My team of fat loss experts will lead each group through creative and challenging outdoor workouts that are designed to burn fat, boost metabolism, tone muscles and enhance energy and confidence.

So find some friends or join a group that is not yet full and see for yourself why my exclusive Arizona small group personal training sessions are gaining in popularity each and every day.

Coming soon to a park near you....care to dance?

Dr. Brad Campbell- Arizona Expert Personal Trainer

Owner of Health Is Wealth Personal Training

P.S. YOU'RE AWESOME :)

Is It Wrong For a Personal Trainer to Use a Personal Trainer?

2009-04-22T08:52:00.004-07:00

As a certified personal trainer in Chandler, AZ, I am known as a fat loss expert and one of the more qualified personal trainers available in the fitness industry. So, why would I be considering hiring a personal trainer to train me?

After all- shouldn't I have the knowledge and skills to guide myself when it comes to working out? Of course I do.....but that is only part of the fitness equation. You see, I struggle just like everyone else when it comes to motivation and consistency. I definitely have my good weeks, but the last 2 have been anything but productive when it comes to workouts!

At first thought of actually hiring a personal trainer for myself, I honestly felt a little guilty. I was quick to assume that everyone would think I'm a hypocrite who is unable to practice what he preaches.....but after throwing the idea around a little more, it became clear to me that my initial thoughts couldn't have been farther from the truth.

In fact, the reason I think it would be so beneficial for me to hire a personal trainer is because I believe in what I do! I get to see the positive effects that hiring a personal trainer has on each of my clients. I hear them tell me day in and day out that there is no way they would have worked out (today) if they hadn't hired me. Even more, clients easily confess that even when they do workout without me....their respective workouts are at best 50% as intense as compared to a session with yours truly.

What really cracks me up is that we rely on professionals for everything in life- you wouldn't dream of performing surgery on yourself, you wouldn't attempt to drill out your own cavity, most of us don't even know how to change a tire let alone flush the radiator and we therefore seek out mechanics, and I certainly would not know how to go about representing myself in a major court case......okay, I'm sure you get the point by now....

YET, I see hundreds of people every day at the gym throwing weights around and doing whatever they see fit to their bodies! Do you know how much damage this can cause? And even if you are fortunate enough to avoid injury, most people are not doing the most efficient exercises to achieve their desired outcome....in essence, they are wasting a lot of time and money.....but if you would ask them, they'd tell you it's crazy to pay for a personal trainer and they simply don't have the funds to afford this 'luxury.'

Two years from now, this hypothetical person has still managed to spend over a thousand dollars on their gym membership, commuting to and from the gym, smoothies after each workout, tanning sessions, etc....they've wasted hundreds of hours trying to work out under their own discretion....and guess what- they've GAINED 15 LBS! This hypothetical person is named America and let me tell ya, America needs help!

Okay, I went off on a little tangent there, but let's get back to me! Yes, I think even personal trainers who are in fairly good shape and have abundant knowledge of fitness, can benefit greatly from hiring another expert personal trainer to hold them accountable and push them past their comfort zone en route to a better body and healthier life!

Train Smarter, Not Harder....

Brad- Expert AZ Personal Trainer

Best Weight Training Exercises to Build More Muscle

2009-03-10T08:57:00.004-07:00

The Best Skinny Guy/Gal Weight Training Exercises Proven to Build Serious Muscle Size and Density

Are you wasting your precious time on the wrong weight training exercises? Can you imagine that every weight training exercise you are doing is relatively ineffective at building serious muscle mass? Skinny guy's (and gals) must be very skeptical when choosing the most effective weight training exercises for maximal muscle growth. The exercises I list here will probably not take your breath away, but ask yourself how many of these 'staple exercises' you actually incorporate into your regular weightlifting sessions.....It may be way less than you think!

So here we go- the 'cream of the crop' in the muscle building world:

Chest: Bench Press and Flat DB Chest Press

Back: Bent Over Barbell Rows and Close Grip Chin Ups

Shoulders: Seated DB Shoulder Press and Standing Military Press

Triceps: Dips and Tricep Pressdowns

Biceps: Standing Barbell Curls and Incline Bicep Curls

Quads: Squats and Lunges

Hips: Deadlifts and Stiff Leg Deadlifts

Lower Back: Good Morning

Calves: Standing Calve Raises

Abdominals: Weighted Ball Situps and Weighted Cable Crunches

I know, I know- there are many great exercises that did not make the list. However, if you want to actually LOOK like you've been in the weight room before, you must incorporate these mass building exercises into your regimen.

Again, for the most comprehensive and effective muscle building program that allows skinny guys and gals to reach their genetic potentials in less time....check out my buddy Vince's NNMB.

How To Build More Muscle- 6 Week Muscle Building Workout

2009-03-08T11:15:00.004-07:00

Gain Serious Muscle With This 6 Week Workout Designed To Add Muscle Mass Fast...

Here is another video that shows you an excellent muscle building workout plan. If you have hit a plateau and do not seem to be gaining any additional strength or size, give this workout a shot for the next 6 weeks.

Remember to follow the paramaters exactly and really concentrate on increasing your weight for each exercise as the weeks progress. Stronger muscles equal larger muscles, so focus on getting stronger and the size will follow!

Give this routine an honest effort for the next 6 weeks and I guarantee you'll see an increase in lean muscle mass. To receive FREE video coaching lessons tailored to helping us 'skinny guys' ditch the 'hardgainer' title once and for all, check out No Nonsense Muscle Building and simply opt in.

Good luck and enjoy! Feel free to share your comments and results regarding this 6 week muscle building workout.

Dr. Brad Campbell, CFT, PharmD

Build More Muscle With These 7 Exercises

2009-03-05T13:50:00.004-07:00

For those of you spending hours in the gym cranking out set after set of bicep concentration curls and not getting any significant muscle mass to show for your efforts....it's time to revert back to the basics.

I have uploaded a video showing 7 of the most important exercises you absolutely MUST incorporate into your weightlifting regimen if you want to gain noticeable muscle mass once and for all.

Enjoy and please leave your comments below...

As a personal trainer and fat loss expert, I have spent the majority of my career mastering the art of weight loss and ab-sculpting. Just recently, I turned to Vince and his No Nonsense Muscle Building Program to guide me in my quest for putting on serious mass. I will be uploading progress pics each month to assess the effectiveness of his program. I must say...this is by far the most comprehensive muscle building program I've seen and in just 3 weeks I am already noticing changes! I will keep you posted and would be interested in hearing from anyone else who is currently on this muscle building program.

Overcoming Ugly Belly Fat- 3 Simple Steps

2009-03-01T16:06:00.008-07:00

Overcoming Belly Fat- 3 Simple Steps

Almost everyone wants to lose some excess fat on their body somewhere. For the vast majority, they're looking to lose belly fat and they want to lose belly fat fast!

Whether you want to admit it or not, most of us spend far too many months of the year overeating and then scramble at the first sign of warm weather in order to remove what's accumulated over the time. Unfortunately, if you're trying to learn how to lose belly fat, it's not exactly a quick fix.

The problem most individuals run into is they overlook how difficult it can be to lose belly fat off their body. If the truth be told, a fat belly is probably one of the hardest areas to successfully remove because it's made up what is known as 'stubborn' fat.

You're body is actually physiologically slightly different when it comes to fat around the abdominal region. What's the reason for this? Primarily, it's the first place we tend to store fat and where body fat is needed for protection the most - to protect the organs and internal structures.

As such, your fat belly is going to do everything it can to hold onto it. Not a good situation in your quest to lose belly fat.

In order to outsmart this, you're going to have to work really hard. That's not to say it can't be done - it most certainly can, you just have to have realistic expectations about the time line you will achieve this goal over and how much effort you'll have to put in.

First things first, lets talk about exercise to lose belly fat. First, hit the weights. When lifting, be sure you are lifting as heavy as you possibly can, as this is what will ramp up your metabolism the highest. You want to shoot for the 6-10 rep range, as this is most appropriate for metabolic effects.

Second, get that cardio up there. Don't do hours on end though, focus on doing sprints. In fact, better yet is to sprint first, then do more steady state cardio afterwards. This will help to release the fatty acids from the tissue (mobilize them) and then burn them off during the steady state cardio. This type of set-up can be far more effective at getting that stubborn fat off your body than doing a typical cardio session is.

Lastly, check over that belly fat diet. Too many fat or carbohydrates calories will slow your progress, while protein, generally speaking will help due to the fact the body burns more calories just digesting it.

This can be taken too far though - there is no need to exceed 1.5 grams per pound of body weight, but keeping it up around that level is your best approach. Then, fill in the remainder of your calories with carbohydrates around the workout period and fat during the other times.

As long as you are patient with the process and continually push yourself in the gym, there is no reason why within time, you can't be sporting your own set of six-pack abs.

And if you'd like a comprehensive program that tells you exactly what to eat and how to train to get that 6 pack in minimal time, check out Your 6 Pack Quest.

Weight Training Tips and Perhaps the Most Difficult Lift Ever!

2009-02-27T21:09:00.008-07:00

Weight Training Tips and Perhaps the Most Difficult Lift Ever!

I got a kick out of this...hope you did as well :)

Now, on to some more serious content...

Weight training properly is known by few. If it was easy then you would see a lot more muscular and lean physiques on the streets. Before you learn how to weight train properly, it is critical that you learn these five weight training tips before you even step foot in the gym.

1. Write down a realistic short term and long term goal.

2. Make a commitment to stick to one program for at least 12 weeks.

3. Educate yourself prior to starting.

4. Hire a trainer to teach you proper technique.

5. Focus on gradual progression.

Weight Training Tip #1: Goal Setting: Inch-by-inch life is a sinch. Yard-by-yard life is hard. Treat your goal setting the same way. Do not expect to be on the cover of Men's Health by next summer. Decide how much muscle weight you wish to achieve in three months. Six months and one year. Decide where you wish to finish and work backwards. If you wish to gain 50 pounds by the end of the year, than create a game plan that allows to gain at least one pound per week.

Weight Training Tip #2: Commitment: The only reason you will fail is if you are not truly committed to your goals. Do your homework and find a weight training program ideal for your specific goals and situation. Study the program fully prior to commencing. Comprehend every detail of the program and if you don't, contact the author of the program to ensure you have no excuse to misunderstand or perform the workout incorrectly. After you chosen a program, take responsibility for your decision and follow it to it's full completion. Do not try it out for three weeks and than say, “It's not working...” and try another program. This will create a failure's attitude and begin the deadly bad habit of program hopping.

Weight Training Tip #3: Education: How much do you really know about building muscle? Let's put it this way, if you had to teach someone else how to transform their body in the next twelve weeks, could you help them? Never mind, could you transform your body in the next twelve weeks? If not, you probably do not know enough about how your body works from a training, nutrition and recovery stand point. Order a book, visit a reputable website and find out everything you must know, about proper weight training, before you start the guessing game.

Weight Training Tip #4: Proper Technique: You wouldn't try and drill your teeth? You wouldn't try and do your own taxes? You wouldn't try and fix your own car? Assuming you have no expertise in dentistry, accounting or automotive repairs. So why would you try and teach yourself proper weight training technique? It boggles my mind why so many people across North America sign up for a gym membership and jeopardize the health of their tendons, ligaments and joints with the attitude of “I think I'll try it on my own,” or “My friend is going to teach me,” or “I am self taught from watching others...” Do not be cheap and leave your ego at the door and hire a reputable fitness trainer who can teach you proper weight training technique.

Weight Training Tip #5: Progression: I'll say this again. Inch-by-inch life is a sinch. Yard-by-yard life is hard. Approach each workout with this attitude. Your bench press does not need to go up twenty pounds in the first week. But just imagine your bench press went up consistently 2.5-5 pounds every week for the next year? That would some serious muscular and strength gains! Your goal is to simply out do yourself from workout-to-workout, week-to-week. Whether you do one extra rep, one extra set, a extra 2.5 pounds or a shorter rest period, these are are measurable signs of weight training progress.

Conclusion:
Make your weight training life easy by starting with the the above weight training tips and look forward to a rewarding and fruitful adventure in the gym.

The Main Component to Sculpting 6 Pack Abs...And One Creative Hippie With His Own Solution

2009-02-27T10:47:00.005-07:00

Everywhere you turn, someone's promising the next secret to getting 6 pack abs. Some of these so called 'secrets' have some degree of accuracy, while others, not so much. Deciphering which are the best methods to getting 6 pack abs is going to be critical to your having success with this goal.

The biggest area you need to focus on when trying to obtain 6 pack abs is going to be on your diet. Like it or not, the old saying that 'abs are made in the kitchen', is probably one of the most truthful statements in the fitness industry. If your diet isn't in line, your stomach is going to show it.

So, what should you be doing with your diet?

First, ensure you are getting enough protein. Not only is protein going to form the key building blocks you need to build muscle tissue, but it's also going to provide you with a better feeling of fullness than eating just carbohydrates alone would for example. Protein is more "expensive" than any other macronutrient meaning that your body will burn more calories breaking down protein compared to carbs and fats.

Next, don't be afraid of dietary fat that comes from primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oils, fish oils, a mix of nuts, natural peanut butter and avocado. While it's true that eating fat will increase your calories fast, as long as you keep it between 20-30% it can be one of the best things to get 6 pack abs fast. The important point here is that dietary fat helps keep your insulin level stable, which, when high enough can actually cause fat gain itself.

Furthermore, dietary fat will keep you feeling the fullest for the longest duration in time; longer than both protein or carbohydrates would. Interestingly, some diets high in fat can get you 6 pack abs fast because your body learn to metabolize fat for energy. So, while you do need to watch it, be sure you are getting some in your diet.

Finally, when it comes to carbohydrate intake and getting 6 pack abs, you want to focus most of your carbohydrate intake around the post workout period.

Why?

The biggest reason for this is because this is when your body is going to need those carbohydrates the most and will really suck them up into the muscle tissue. When you eat them at this time, it is least likely that they will turn into body fat.

Additionally, consuming carbohydrates during this period will also help to aid with muscle recovery and repair, so that means less down time from the gym for you.

If getting 6 pack abs fast is your goal than each meal you should consist of 1-2 cups of raw vegetables to control insulin levels, improve absorption of your protein and flood your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

So, if you are aiming to get 6 pack abs in the coming months, have a good hard look at your diet. That is the big secret that must not be overlooked if you are to succeed.

If you want to check out an amazing program designed to take you step by step all the way to your own 6-pack- without drugs, supplements, or gimmicks - take a look at how to get abs fast!

How To Build Muscle Like It's Your Job

2009-02-27T07:42:00.005-07:00

How To Build Muscle Like It's Your Job...

Could you teach me how to gain muscle fast? Could you teach me how to pack on an extra ten to fifteen pounds of muscle mass before my next vacation? Could you help me get ready for my first bodybuilding or fitness model competition? Could you help you look like someone who actually lifts weights? Could you help me build a body that turns heads and demands respect?

As a skinny guy muscle building expert, I get approached these questions daily in my office. Every single hard gainer I consult with wants to know how to gain muscle fast and how to do safely and effectively.

Hard gainers, please listen up! There is hope for you. I am happy to say that learning how to gain muscle fast is not as hard as some would make you believe but it also not as easy as you might think. But you must be prepared to train smarter and not harder. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about wimping out during your workouts. I am referring to the big picture of training more intelligently.

Here is some of the most popular advice I give to the hard gainer when he wishes to gain muscle fast...

1. Never Perform More Than 10 Reps.

If you are lifting weights beyond 10 reps than you are emphasizing your slow-twitch muscle fibers which have the smallest opportunity for muscle growth. You are a hard gainer and you need recruit the maximal amount of muscle fibers in every set. Always choose your weights knowing that a 11th rep is forbidden and trespassing into 'skinny land.'

If you really want to gain muscle fast than get your mind into heavy lifting mode. Every single set and every single exercise. Keep the weights heavy and never more than 10 reps. Approach every workout knowing that you are going to be venturing into new territory and waging war on your skinny genetics. I recommend these workouts with a workout partner so you can eliminate any safetey issues, not slack off and push your limits every inch of the way.

2. Reduce Your Workout Time

Perform more work in less time and you have increased your work capacity. Work refers to the number of sets, reps and poundage within your workout. Who is fitter? The guy who can do 4 sets of 185 pounds bench press with 30 second rest or the guy who can do 4 sets of 185 pound bench press with 90 second rest? The one who can do the same amout of work in less time. Guess who is more muscular? The one who has a higher work capacity.

Next time you enter the gym, try to complete your current workout in less time. Take shorter rests. Move from one exercise to the next much quicker. Don't be surprised if you feel out of shape! This is one of the easiest tips you can take away to increase your muscle density and take your fitness to a new level. Be prepared to humble yourself and get out of your comfort zone.

3. Do Only One Exercise Per Muscle Group
Only one? Yes, only one, unless you want to buy into the notion that you must mutilate a muscle for over an hour to get any growth out of it. Consider this typical day in the gym. Today is your chest day. Your first exercise is bench press. You perform your first set with 185 lbs, second set with 205 lbs, third set with 225 lbs and fourth set with 245 lbs.

Assuming this is your max weight for the desired number of reps, is it not safe to say that you have used the maximal number of muscle fibers? Your goal is to simple spark your muscles into growth. Not exhaust them to death. Once they experience a unknown assalut (stimulus), your body will be forced to adapt and create new muscle to prevent future assaults! Therefore, your take home lesson is this: Once you have out performed your last workout, it is time to move onto the next exercise.

4. Do No More Than 3-5 Sets Per Muscle Group

I question a hard gainers workout intensity if they must do more than 3-5 sets per muscle group. Now if you are using anabolic steroids or have muscle friendly genes than you can safely dismiss this advice. Remember, learning how to gain muscle fast for the hard gainer requires following a new set of rules.

Consider the first 1-2 sets at 85% maximal effort. The third set at 95% maximal effort and the fourth (and sometimes fifth) set at 100% maximal effort. It is only this last all out set that contributes to the greatest muscle growth. Anything over and above this last go till you blow set simply exhausts the muscle beyond reason and delays your recovery ability to hit the muscle again. It is this last set that you should perform at least 1-2 extra reps or 5-10 extra pounds than last workout. Mission accomplished. You have sparked your muscles into growth. Time to move on.

5. Increase Your Strength 5% Every Two Weeks

One of the biggest mistakes I see hard gainers make in the gym is not track there progress. They return week-after-week to simply reherse the same workouts with the absense of progress. How do you expect to gain muscle fast if you continue to lift the same weights each workout? Your body is designed to tolerate stress. Assault it and let it get bigger. Assault it and let it get bigger. It's a simple concept.

So your take home message is to aim for a minimum of 5% strength increase every two weeks. You might progress a little quicker with larger muscle groups like back and legs versus smaller muscles like biceps and triceps. Just think, in six months from now, you will be over twice as strong as you are now! I would actually recommend writing down your strength goals for six months from now and than work backwords. If you are currently dead lifting 135 lbs, aim to be deadlifting 270 lbs over the next few months!

Conclusion I know these five tips were not your typical Muscle and Fitness 101 advice and not your typical generic bodybuilding advice. I learned a long time ago to question everything you read and hear. Learn for yourself by doing and not by talking about it. As a skinny guy once myself, 149 lbs to be exact, I defeated my skinny genetics and learned how to gain muscle fast by not following the herd and training smarter and not harder Will you?

For the most comprehensive 'Skinny Guy' workout plan available today, check out Build More Muscle Now and discover a program that works fast!

6 Muscle Building Tips That May Surprise You Part 2

2009-02-26T18:32:00.004-07:00

6 Muscle Building Tips That May Surprise You Part 2

So you think you have heard everything there is to know about muscle building? If you have read everything, tried everything and heard everything about muscle building but still resemble the silouette of a Calvin Klien model instead of a buff fitness model than I promise these next three 'little-known' muscle building tips will accelerate your muscle gains immediately!

4. Never Train More Than 2 Days Consecqutively But the bodybuilding magazines say to split up my program into 5 seperate days... Yes, I am more than familiar. I call these 5 day splits 'drug programs.' They treat your body simply as a 'muscular system' and neglect the other systems such as your central nervous system, hormonal system and immune system. Each of these systems have a unique part in muscle growth. Not to mention that these 'drug programs' only work if coupled with a few thousand dollars a month on drugs.

Just because you trained your chest on Monday does not mean your immune system, or hormonal system or central nervous system has FULLY recovered. What happens when you return to the gyn NOT FULLY recovered? Will you be able to lift more weight?

If you are not able to lift more weight than guess what happens to your level of fitness? It certainly will not go up because you will be depleting your energy reserves further into a deep, dark hole called 'over-training.' If you can not lift more weight or 'out-do' yourself from your previous workout than how do you expect to create any NEW muscle? It is literally impossible.

Taking a full rest day every two days will minimize the chance of overtraining and ensure your energy reserves are replenished.

5. Go Home If You Are Not Stronger Than Last Workout

Multiple choice question:
Q. You train your chest on Monday and you averaged 4 sets of 8 with 225 pounds on bench press. This workout would be considered a personal best. Your following chest workout, let's say five days later, you come to the gym with great anticipation to out-do your last workout. To your disappointment you discover that you can barely do 4 sets of 8 with 185 pounds this week. What happened?

A. Your body had not fully compensated from the previous workout and required a longer recovery period.

B. Who cares! You toughed it out and made the most of the workout.

C . Complain to the gym owner that his weight plates are messed up and you want a refund on your gym membership.

If you picked A than say hurray and pat yourself on the back. The rational decision would be to admit the recovery error, assess the factors that could of resulted from not fully recovering (did you take all your supplements, did you sleep enought, did you follow your nutrition plan etc) and plan for success next time. This is the 'trial and error' process.

The emotional and irrational trainee would take option B and slug it out. Consider what is actually happening when you take this approach to your workouts:

1. You will be using weights within your threshold so your muscles will simply laugh back at you because there is no new unaccumstomed stress on your muscles. Remember, your muscles only grow if you give them a reason to.

2. You will be training in the hole and prolong the period of time that it takes to come out of the hole and supercompensate.

3. You will have no new muscle to work with because you have not fully recovered or grown bigger so it will be literally impossible to lift more weight or more reps.

4. You will be using your precious energy reserves, that could be going towards building muscle, instead to fueling an useless workout.

5. You will lose motivation and grow frusturated and confused because of your lack of progress.
This is a very tough and mature training decision one must face. After commencing a workout, if you discover after a few sets that you are on tract for a crappy worout than I would suggest to drop the workout and go home. Plan to come back the next day. If your goals are to simply train to train, than you will probably not follow this rule. However, if your goal is to get huge muscles and pack inches of new muscle onto your frame than this is a critical training decision.

To ensure your trip to the gym does not go in complete vain – have a flexibility session to make use of the time and than try and pick up the cute receptionist phone number on your way out!

6. Find a mentor What does this have to do with muscle building? Everything – finding a mentor can make all the difference in how much muscle you build! If you plan on becoming successful in the gym than surround yourself with someone who has already walked the path. Would you agree that the quickets way to achieve success is to find somone who has gone before you and done what you want to do – and model them.

So why do millions of fitness enthusiasts wander aimlessly following generic advice in text books, magazines or websites? Although these methods of learning can provide a theoretical perspective, they are absent in accountablity, a formal system, time and financial comittment and assessment of performance.

A wise mentor will guide you step-by-step of the way with a formal system that includes a higher level of comittment and accountablity on your part. You will be required to fulfill tasks, change habits, meet deadlines and perform at a higher level than you would without a mentor.

The premise of having a mentor is that he has been there and done that. He has walked in your shoes and will give you the appropriate advice in a timely fashion. If you do not perform and follow the advice than you are wasting the mentor's time and he will 'fire' you! If you do perform and follow his advice than you will be successful and build the muscle you deserve in less time!

Serioulsly consider hiring a fitness coach, a personal trainer or anybody who has done what you wish to do and be prepared to enjoy the same results!

Please leave your comments and input on these articles. I hope this information will help take you to the next level!

Again, for the best muscle building program I've seen to date....check out my buddy's complete guide for "Skinny Guy Muscle Building"

6 Muscle Building Tips That May Surprise You- Part 1

2009-02-26T17:40:00.002-07:00

6 Muscle Building Tips That May Surprise You Part 1

So you think you know everything about building muscle? If you have read everything, tried everything and heard everything about muscle building but still resemble the silouette of a Calvin Klien model instead of a buff fitness model than I promise these three 'little-known' muscle building tips will accelerate your muscle gains immediately!

1. Body Weight Training. This was once a popular muscle building technique but is very commonly ignored. Why? Perhaps because most body weight training is simply hard and can put a dent in your precious ego! As far as I am concerned, if you can not work with your own body weight than you have no freaken business using external loading such as barbells and dumbbells.
It’s incredible how many attempt to use heavy weights with a microscopic range of motion but can’t do a set of push ups, a squat to the floor or even one chin up. Don’t get me wrong, there is definitely a place for external loading with heavy weights but not until you have the ability to master the following bench marks:

Males should aim for 1 set of 80 push ups, 1 set of 20 chin ups, 1 set of 20 1-leg squats, 1 set of 40 dips and 1 set of 20 pull ups.

Females should aim for 1 set of 40 push ups, 1 set of 5-10 chin ups, 1 set of 10 1-leg squats, 1 set of 10-15 dips and 1 set of 3-5 pull ups.

These standards will ensure a solid foundation of general fitness and muscular endurance and lead to building muscle mass more easily in the following stages of your weight training program.

2. Flip Your Program Upside Down Every 3 Weeks This is an extremely powerful tip to building muscle mass, not to mention one of the easiest tricks to ensure your body side-steps plateaus forever. Consider that you have been training your chest shoulders and triceps every Monday.

In you next phase, three weeks later, you should do the complete opposite. You will train your triceps, shoulders than chest on Friday. This will prevent plateaus because each muscle group will have an opportunity to train completely fresh.

Let's say you are training your back, biceps, forearms and abs on Friday. Than you will train your abs, forearms, biceps, and back on Monday (in the opposite sequence). You will literally switch everything upside down. Again, this will ensure that these muscles receive an opportunity to train first in the week when your body is the most fresh.

You will curse my name when you blow the heck out of the smaller muscles first and than train the larger muscle groups last. Yes, I know this months issue of Bodybuilders Digest said to never train the smaller muscle groups before your larger muscle groups. I have heard it before so stop analyzing, trust me and give it a try. You be the judge and don't be surprised if you see new levels of muscle mass and strength after this one technique.

3. Spend More Time At The Grocery Store If you are serious about building muscle, accept the fact that you will need to spend more time than you do right now in the grocery store. Have you ever opened the fridge for something to eat and all you found was Aunt Wilma's Thanksgiving turkey leftovers with mold on it? Ever gone into the cub boards and discover only a few leftover bags of potato chips from last weeks Super Bowl party?

To ensure a optimal environment for building muscle and fat loss you must ensure your cub boards and fridge are constantly stocked. This will mean more frequent trips to the grocery store. Chuck the crap that is in your kitchen right now and replace it with good stuff and keep on replacing it. Don't ever let that supply of good food run low.

For a sweet comprehensive program that was designed to help us 'skinny guys' actually build lots of quality muscle in only a few months, I would highly recommend this muscle building program created by my buddy, Vince.