Elite Training and Performance

Tips to Keep You Eating Clean

2010-01-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Myths about Nutrition

2010-01-08T15:31:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Myth: I should never eat after 8:00pm

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

Healthy Grocery List

2010-01-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

Healthy Grocery List

Proteins -

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Clams
Ground Beef (<10%>
Tuna
Fish (Salmon)
Shrimp (Non breaded)
Protein Powder
Eggs
Steaks
Ground turkey
Beans
Low Fat Cottage Cheese
Pork Chops
Shell Fish
Lean Ham
Veal
Ribs
Liver

Carbohydrates -

Oatmeal
Sweet Potatoes
Beans
Whole Grain Cereal
Rice
Cream of Wheat
Pasta (Whole Grain)
Potatoes
Whole Grain Bread

Fruits

Apple
Orange
Grape
Strawberries
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Lemons/Limes
Pineapple
Mango
Watermelon
Tomatoes
Blueberries
Raspberries
Banana
Peaches
Pears
Grapefruit

Vegetables

Cucumber
Broccoli
Green or Red Peppers
Onions
Asparagus
carrots
Spinach
Lettuce
Corn
Squash
Peas
Radishes
Zucchini

Fats

Low Fat Peanut Butter
Olive Oil
Nuts
Flaxseed Oil
Fish Oil
Walnut Oil
Sesame Oil

Dairy

cottage cheese (low Fat)
Non-Fat Milk (At least 1%)
Yogurt (Low Fat)
Sour Cream (Low Fat)
Light Butter
Cream Cheese (Low Fat)
Eggs
Mozzarella Cheese
Cheddar Cheese

Beverages

Water
Sugar Free Crystal Light
Sugar Free Fruit Juices
Teas
Sports Drinks

Snacks

Crackers
Pretzels
Granola
Popcorn

Medicine Ball Workout.....At Home

2009-12-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top 4 Exercises for Women

2009-11-29T16:35:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready for the Alien Invasion?

2009-11-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

FreeMotion Mc2

2009-11-23T14:06:00.000-08:00

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

One of the greatest ways to gain strength, build muscle and lose fat!

2009-11-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

If you are not incorporating functional training into your workouts, you are being left behind!

What is Functional Training?

Functional training involves exercises or movement patterns that emulate movements and activities that are done in every day life. Functional Training often incorporates variations in stability to enhance total body muscle activation, nervous system activation and balance.

Why is it important?

1. Functional Training enhances our ability to function at our max ability outside of the gym.

2. You lose more fat! The full body movement patterns that are performed in functional training burn more calories than single joint movements often used in basic strength training and weight loss programs.

3. Greater strength increases! Functional training enhances full body muscle activation and enhanced nervous system function. Basically you teach the body to work together!

How Do I Incorporate Functional Training Into My Workouts?

A great way to make your workouts more functional is to add full body movements to your weight training exercises. For example: instead of just doing a shoulder press, squat first before pressing the weight upwards. This makes is a full body, multi-joint movement.

You could also take away stability for your exercises. For example: When doing a chest press, use a cable machine with no back support rather than a bench. This lack of supports forces your abdominal muscles to tighten and to add support to the movement. It's called "working the Invisible." You could also change the level of stability of your exercises. For example: you could stand on one foot, use a Bosu Ball, Balance Disk, etc...

Oh yeah...Do not get carried away and make the exercises so complex that they become "Dysfunctional" exercises. Keep them relatively simple. The picture below is very awesome, however; it is very dysfunctional.

Nutritional Tips to Pack on Muscle

2009-11-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

When packing on pounds of muscle, proper nutrition is the key. You can lift heavy, train intensely, and take hundreds of dollars worth of supplements but without a sound bodybuilding diet, the results will be hard to come by. Here are some steps to help you pack on the muscle and reach your bodybuilding goals.

Step 1: Eat…Eat…and Eat Some More!
Calorie consumption is the most important aspect of building muscle. No matter what supplements or how much protein you are taking, if you aren’t getting adequate amounts of calories you will not grow! Long time bodybuilders say that when trying to build muscle mass you need to eat anything edible that is not bolted to the table. I would however recommend eating clean by not getting all of your calories from; fast food, candy or any other unhealthy foods.

Tip: Eat 5-8 small meals every day, including off days.
If it is hard for you to get the needed calories try drinking more fruit juices.

Step 2: Increase Your Protein
Protein is the most important macronutrient for building muscle mass; it is what your muscles are made of. When you go to the gym and work out you damage and tear your muscle tissue. Protein rebuilds and restores your muscle tissue and makes it bigger and stronger. High quality protein aids in muscle recovery, this will shorten the time needed for your muscles to recover so that you can hit the gym harder. Protein also contains key amino acids which will release hormones, maintain nitrogen balance and prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue.

Tip: Try using high quality protein shakes to get the needed protein. Take protein daily, including off days. (GET 40 grams post workout)

Step 3: Get Your Carbohydrates
If you neglect carbohydrates in your diet you will loose muscle. When your body doesn’t have the carbs it needs it will break down the protein within your muscles to form carbohydrates.

Tip: Get most of your carbs from breads, grains, cereals, fruits and vegetables.
Feel free to eat a large amount of carbs before working out; this will cause the carbs to be stored as muscle glycogen, which will enhance your muscle building potential. (GET 30 grams post workout!)

Step 4: Take Your Supplements
When trying to build muscle mass, it is impossible to get all the nutrients you need from your diet alone, this is why supplementation is important. Supplements allow you to maximize your results and attain the best physique possible.
Some of the most beneficial supplements for body building are; protein, weight gainers, multi vitamins, branch chain amino acids (BCAA’s), Amino Acids, L-Arginine, Creatine, and L-Glutamine.

Recommendations:
Protein: 1gram per lb of lean body mass per day
BCAA’s: 2g pre and 2g post workout
Arginine: 2-5g pre workout
Creatine: 5g post workout.
L-Glutamine: 5g post workout

Tip: Take your supplements consistently and at the right times.

Step 5: Eat a Variety of Foods
A variety of vitamins and minerals are required for all bodily processes including muscle gain. Eating a variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables will ensure that you stay healthy and promote lean muscle growth. Getting these nutrients from a variety of sources will also enhance your immune system so that you may continue to hit the gym and build more muscle.

Tip: Taking a multivitamin and/or fruit and vegetable supplement will help you get needed vitamins and minerals which you wouldn’t be able to get in your normal diet.

Step 6: Drink More Water
Water plays a crucial role in all bodily processes including muscle gain; it will facilitate muscle growth and keep you healthy.

Tip: Drink at least 1 gallon of water per day.

Step 7: Get Plenty of Rest
Growth hormones are released during sleep, therefore more time sleeping will allow for proper hormone release. It will also aid in muscle recovery and keep you energized so that you can keep hitting the gym.

Quick Tips for Getting Ripped

2009-11-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

1. Eat Breakfast Every Day!
This will get your metabolism going so you will burn calories not store them. If you don’t eat breakfast you will store more body fat!

2. Eat 5-6 Small meals every day!
This will keep your metabolism going all day long!

3. Stop Eating Out!
It is hard to find healthy food when eating out. Therefore; you should be getting most, if not all of your calories from healthy, home cook meals. If you are on the run or at work, consider preparing your meals before hand and storing them in a container or small cooler so you can eat them later.

4. Water: Natures Diet Drink!
Be sure to drink plenty of water, around 1 gallon per day! This will help with the bodily processes associated with fat loss. It will also prevent you from drinking soda pop or other unhealthy drinks.

5. Cut the Fat!
Keep your diet low in fat! Especially saturated fats.

6. Cut down on the Sugar!
Sugar is everywhere! Decrease the amounts you eat by reading food labels and not drinking soda or eating candy!

7. Get your Cardio!
Perform at least 30 minutes of cardio every day. This will burn body fat and keep you in the right calorie range for fat loss. Some great cardio activities for fat loss are: swimming, jogging, sprinting, basketball, soccer, aerobics, etc…

8. Pump some Iron!
Weight training will help reduce body fat by increasing lean muscle tissue. The more lean tissue you have the more calories you will burn throughout the day. High intensity weight training is recommended because you will not only burn more calories, but you will increase your metabolism for up to 2 days afterwards.

9. Eat in Moderation!
Think of eating as “fueling your body.” You only need to eat to sustain your body for what it needs to do and nothing more.

10. Get 8 Hours of Sleep Every Night!
During sleep is when growth hormones are released. These hormones will help build lean muscle tissue which will lead to a decrease in body fat. Getting enough sleep will also keep your body healthy and able to meet daily stressors.

11. Reduce Your Stress!
Stress causes the release of excess Cortisol. Excess Cortisol leads to the build up of body fat.

12. Eat More Protein!
Get more protein in your diet by eating more; chicken, fish, milk, yogurt or cottage cheese, or by using protein bars or shakes. Be sure to choose foods high in protein and low in fat and calories!! Get at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight.

13. Time Your Carbs!
Don’t eat many carbs before times of little or no physical activity.

14. Monitor your Progress!
Track your results to see if you need to make any changes to your diet or exercise routine.