Calorie Burning Tip

Here is a very easy way to burn a few extra calories per day by making only one extremely small change to your daily routine. it involves drinking water, so if you have not already started doing that in your weight loss routine, that is your first change. In all the literature I read, the MINIMUM amount of water you should consume on a daily basis is 8 – 8oz glasses whether you are trying to lose weight or not. I will base all the calculations on this blog to this minimum. Most of the current literature that I have been reading concerning cutting body fat and keeping lean muscle mass recommends much more water than that, but that’s another blog post soon!

So, I guess you want to know my not so secret way of burning some extra calories everyday. Here goes. It’s so simple anyone can do it. (yes, even you!) Here goes…. Top easiest way to burn extra calories per day is to drink your 8 glasses of water every day ICE COLD! What??? you say? How can that make any difference at all.

First, we have to go back and look at the definition of a Calorie. A Calorie is simply the amount of heat it takes to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree celcius. Bet you may have thought it had something to do with food didn’t you? Well, a Calorie is a Calorie and that is the definition so here goes my simplified math.

There are a few assumptions that we have to make so here they are.

1. Ice water approximates 0 degrees celcius

2. Average body temperature is 37 degrees celcius.

Hopefully, we can all agree on these assumptions. They seem very reasonable to me so here goes the actual math.

There are approximately 236.59 grams in 8 oz. When you consume those 236.59 grams of ice cold water, you body has to raise the temperature of this water to your body temperature. Raising 236.57 grams by 37 degrees is 8753.83 calories (notice the lower case, which is actually a kilo calorie. We have to divide by 1000 to get what we commonly call a Calorie to get 8.753 Calories. If you agree with my oversimplified version I have spelled out for you, you are probably now saying, “Oh WOW, I can burn a whopping 8.75 calories by drinking an 8oz glass of ice cold water. BIg DEAL”

Ok, I can see your point. But wait. Let’s keep doing some more math. We have decided that (on the conservative side) we should consume at least 8 glasses per day. Let’s see. 8 x 8.75 = 70 calories per day. Ok, OK, I haven’t blown your mind yet I know, but now lets extend it to 90 days. 70 calories per day x 90 days = 6300 EXTRA Calories that we can burn by simply drinking our 64 ounces of of water ICE COLD! What, still not convinced? Let’s calculate what that equals in term of weight loss.

The most popular number I can find for the amount of Calories you need to burn to lose 1 lb of fat is 3500. I somewhat disagree with this number, particularly if you are already fairly lean, but again, I digress. Maybe another future blog post. At any rate, 3500 is the number that all the mainstream sources use, so we will use that here as well. Here is the last math I will do for you. We burned an EXTRA 6300 Calories in 90 days which should equate into 1.8 lbs.

I lied, here is some more math. What if you are like me and think you should drink much more water than 64 oz. per day. I am closer to 128 oz. while on my current Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge, so now, just by drinking my water ICE Cold, I can potentially lose an extra 3.6 lbs in 90 days. You do the math for your particular challenge.

I know, it’s still not mind boggling, but think about it, you didn’t have to change any eating habits, exercise any more, even get up off the couch to find the remote one more time to lose that extra 1.8 lbs in 90 days. Folks, it doesn’t get any easier than that.

I hope you have found something here of use an hopefully mildly entertaining. If so, please leave me a comment so I know you were here.

Thanks,

Michael

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20-Minute Fat Loss Workout Ideas

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

If you’re sick of fluffy weight loss workouts that aren’t giving you any results, then you will love this interview where Hardcore Strength Coach Zach Even-Esh grills me on advanced Turbulence Training for Fat Loss  methods.

Zach Even-Esh: Craig, thanks for taking the time out of your insane schedule to talk with us. Tell us a little bit about yourself, your clientele and your overall training philosophy.

CB:
Zach, I’m a Strength & Conditioning coach in Toronto and I write for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazine.

I work extensively with clients on advanced fat loss for busy people. I’m also the training director at grrlathlete.com where we provide advanced female exercise info.

ZEE: We have a growing number of hard core men and women leading busy lives but still love to train hard. How do you train individuals like this and still get kick butt results?

CB:
I use supersets, moderately heavy weights (allowing 6-10 reps per set), limited rest interval periods, advanced bodyweight exercises, and interval training. These efficient and effective principles are the foundation of my Turbulence Training philosophy.

Turbulence Training workouts are designed to crank up the body’s metabolism because of the intense demands imposed during the workouts.

After the workout, your body has to work hard (i.e. burn calories and repair muscle) to fully recover and return to a normal, resting state (that is why I compare my Turbulence Training workouts to the Turbulence encountered in an airplane – a neat little analogy that people really like and find easy to understand).

I tend to stick with traditional weight training exercises, however, it is easy to adapt the Turbulence Training principles when using strongman implements and advanced bodyweight exercises.

For intervals, I tend to stick with 30 seconds of work and 90 seconds of active recovery, although it will vary between workout phases and for athletes of different sports.

The great thing about heavy weights and intervals is efficiency. You don’t have to do either for more than 20 minutes to get a great response. So if you are a busy executive looking to get lean, build muscle, and lose fat, you can get a great workout and shower in less than 30 minutes per day.

Combine Turbulence Training with the right nutrition, and you are well on your way to success.

By the way, we’ve got a secret bonus for everyone that invests in Turbulence Training – although I guess it’s not so secret anymore!

Anyways, you’ll see what it is when you start your Turbulence Training journey with the fat loss program.

ZEE: If you were limited to a 20 minute fat loss workout, what would that work out look like?

CB:
Providing the individual is injury free, we will move through a general warm-up circuit of bodyweight exercises (3 minutes), and then into specific warm-up sets for the first superset of exercises (2 minutes).

Then we will spend 5 minutes on the first superset pair of exercises, and then 4-5 minutes on another superset pair. We might finish with a third superset pair or some ab work, and a 2 minute cool-down if it is necessary based on the individual’s fitness level.

On non-weight training days, we would do intervals. It would look like this:

5-minute warmup
12-minutes on intervals
3-minute cooldown

The point is, you can get a lot done in a short amount of time.

ZEE: What nutrition approach do you use?

CB:
I had Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., put together the Turbulence Training Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.

I strongly agree with Dr. Mohr’s common sense, easy to follow principles. There is nothing extreme about his plan. It is very healthy and effective for fat loss.

I don’t think that people need to exclude fruit from their eating (in fact we should aim to eat at least 3 servings, and preferably berries, grapefruits, apples, and oranges), but instead we should avoid white, processed carbohydrates from a bag or a box.

Foods that should be in every healthy person’s nutrition plan:
Green Tea
Almonds
Broccoli
Berries
A variety of lean protein sources

Basically, for nutrition, just choose healthy, whole natural food.

ZEE: Last question Craig. What is the greatest misconception that you find people to have when it comes to performing better and looking better when they come to you. In other words, they tell you everything they have been doing in hopes of getting results but the results simply aren’t there. Are there any common mistakes going on here?

CB:
Most of the time I try and get people to be honest with themselves and realize they have to change things if they want to improve.

A lot of people really just want me to approve their current workout (when it is clearly not working). But in reality, they have to change their workouts drastically to finally get results.

And most people think they are eating better and using a better program than they really are.

Even when most people they list out their food intake (as I have them all do on fitday.com), some people (including some trainers that I train) still don’t see the obvious problems in their diet.

I suppose it is human nature not to see our own shortcomings, so it is helpful to have a professional review your training and nutrition or even an honest, knowledgeable friend.

ZEE: Craig, I can’t thank you enough for letting me grill you with questions.

Always happy to help,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

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Are You Suffering From Anabolic Slowdown?

Let me guess, you’re probably thinking “What the heck is Anabolic Slow Down?”

With your weight training experience you probably already know what I’m talking about…you just didn’t know it had a name.

Simply put, you just can’t continue to gain pounds and pounds of muscle year after year.  In fact, if you stop and think about it, when was the last time you really gained a serious amount of noticeable muscle?

Probably been a while hasn’t it?

Can you remember the last time you really grew and added serious muscle mass and serious strength? If it’s been a while then you know something has happened to slow down your gains.

It’s commonly referred to as a plateau but nobody seems to be able to explain exactly what causes it.

Well Brad Pilon thinks it’s something called “Anabolic Slow Down”.

You know this happens and you probably feel like you’re taking crazy pills because it seems like nobody else in the fitness and muscle building industry ever talks about it.

But don’t worry, you’re not the only one, this happens to EVERYONE who is an experienced lifter.

The bottom line:

Everybody who trains hard enough eventually suffers from Anabolic Slowdown which is a combination of metabolic, mechanical and physiological reactions to weight training that make it next to impossible to gain any more muscle.

And this doesn’t mean your workout isn’t effective, it’s actually quite the opposite. The better your workout is the faster you will reach this advanced plateau state called anabolic slow down.

So how do you know if you have anabolic slow down?

Well Brad Pilon is about to blow the lid off of the bodybuilding and supplement industry on thurs June 10^th when he talks for the first time about Anabolic Slow Down and the Anabolic Continuum.

But most importantly you’re going to learn a radical new approach to busting through muscle building plateaus.

Based on a well studied but seldom talked about field of research he has developed a new tool; an assessment guide to determine if you’re suffering from anabolic slow down.

First of all this guide is the first and only one of its kind and probably one of the most important documents you’ll ever read if you take your muscle building seriously and want to ignite new muscle growth.

Secondly and most importantly this Thursday June 10^th is the exclusive teleseminar about anabolic slow down, the anabolic continuum and the new strategy Brad has developed to overcome the problem of anabolic slow down.

This is a MUST ATTEND event, you simply cannot miss this one. This is a free teleseminar and probably the only one that will ever be free so get in and secure your spot while you still can.

I think there are 2000 spots available and from what I’ve heard they’ll be filling up fast.

Simply go to this link and sing up for your free copy of the assessment guide(read it and fill it out before the teleseminar) and secure your spot on the Teleseminar.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE ASSESSMENT GUIDE AND REGISTER FOR THE TELESEMINAR  <– Anabolic Again

If your muscle building effort needs a kick start this is going to be the most important event you attend all year.

It’s time to get Anabolic Again,

Michael

P.S. Brad has told me that this is the only time he’ll be offering both the assessment tool and the teleseminar for free so you should jump on this opportunity.

Click here to get your assessment guide and secure your spot in the teleseminar: CLICK HERE  <– Anabolic Again

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3 Great Reasons Why Intermittent Fasting Is A Good Idea!

You may not have heard of intermittent fasting, and so you may not know why it can and should be a part of your workout and fat loss plan. Intermittent fasting is the practice of abstaining from all but water for a period of usually 24 hours to help with the goals associated with fat loss and weight loss in general. The way in which it helps in this arena is by cutting out a full days caloric intake, while still being able to maintain a full workout schedule. Let’s look at three main reasons I believe that intermittent fasting is a good idea for anyone serious about fat loss and muscle building!

The primary reason I’m fond of a workout plan that involves intermittent fasting is that it promotes maximum fat loss. Most people employ these types of fasts two days a week while working out, and this means they are effectively cutting out a full two days caloric intake from their weekly consumption. This combined with your workout can and does have a dramatic effect on the pace at which you lose excess fat. By working out while doing these fasts, you are attacking your goals with a two-edged sword, slashing it from both ends of the spectrum.

The second reason would be that this type of fasting allows you to maintain a moderate to intense workout load while still maintaining your energy and metabolism. Many people think that fasting drains both of these aspects, and while that is true for other, particularly longer fasts, for intermittent fasting the opposite has proven to be the case. You often have more energy and a higher metabolism while engaged in this type of fasting, making it the best of both worlds. Many other fasts are so debilitating that you are left at the end of the day so drained you are unable to do anything. Intermittent fasting is not like that at all.

The third reason why I believe intermittent fasting is a good practice to include in your workout plan is that it has beneficial aspects to it that are a little less easy to see, but of great benefit all the same. There is a cleansing of your system that takes place with any fast, as your body adjusts to less content being put into it. There are also undeniable psychological benefits, such as a very affirming sense of accomplishment that can help you in many areas of your life. Knowing that you are not a slave to food is a major part of that.

I’m a firm advocate of intermittent fasting as a way of enhancing your fat loss and workout routines. There is in my mind no faster way of getting maximum fat loss while still being able to handle a full workout load. Investigate it today. I think you might be surprised at the results you’ll come up with!

Brad had created a workout/intermittent fasting program second to none. Check it out. It is called Eat Stop Eat

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Top 5 Weight loss Strategies

Losing weight sounds simple but it can get confusing if you don’t know where to start. This is the top 5 most important things you can do to lose weight and keep it off.

1. Eat Less – This one sounds obvious but it can’t be stressed enough. The only way to lose weight is burn more calories than you consume. One easy way of doing this is eating less. As a matter of fact the only way any of the popular diets cause weight loss is because you end up eating less while you follow them. It doesn’t matter if the diet is low carb, high protein or low fat. As long as you are eating less calories than your basal requirement you will lose weight. The easiest and most effective calorie reducing system I have come across is Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon.
2. Do High Intensity Exercise – High intensity whole body circuit training will ensure that you are burning lots of calories and working all the muscles in your body. This works better than traditional ‘cardio’ workouts for 2 reasons. First high intensity circuits burn more calories than ‘cardio’ can. Two, they build and tone muscle which keeps your metabolism up.
3. Get A Weight Loss Team – Social Support is the most important factor to realizing your weight loss goals. Get as many of your close friends and family on your side as possible. The more people that are pulling for your success the better. Make sure you always have at least two or three people to call that will help keep you on track when you feel like skipping a workout or cheating on your nutrition plan.
4. Eat more Fruits And Vegetables – This seems a bit simple but its one of the most effective things you can do to lose weight. Fruits and veggies take up lots of space in your stomach and fill you up without adding too many calories. They will also take the place of some high sugar and high fat foods you may have eaten instead.
5. Set Short Term Goals – Short term goal setting is often overlooked and is a powerful tool to realizing your eventual long term weight loss goal. Set multiple and attainable short term goals, and the shorter the better. At the start set goals for each day, morning evening and night. Set short term goals for finishing each one of your workouts, as well as for eating your fruits and vegetables. Set them each day, and mark it down each time you achieve one. As you build up your list of goals you have accomplished you will build up confidence and momentum towards your overall long term weight loss goal. Keep the list somewhere safe and keep marking down each goal as you achieve it. After a few weeks you should have a nice looking list of accomplishments to be proud of. Remember, every little bit counts.

Put these 5 strategies into effect and you will be well on your way to achieving your weight loss goals in record time.

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Years ago, I was involved with a company that sold a “one day diet”. Kind of a wierd name but the product actually worked if you did their plan. I have always new that selective fasting should work. After all, over a period of time you are still getting some calorie deprivation. Finally, someone has come up with a plan that actually work! Sets forth guideline that are doable and does it along with a decent workout plan that most anyone can do that prevents you from losing muscle mass while dieting! What more can you ask for. Watch his video, then you decide if this product may be for you!

It is called Eat Stop Eat

I know, this is a short post but he gives you a lot of information on his website. And yes, if you decide to purchase, I will make a few bucks for sending you his way.

Take a look at the videos on his site at least. Great information in there even if you decide not to purchase.

Eat Stop Eat

Hope you have a very successful weight loss journey!

Michael

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I just got through reading a very interesting blog post by Steve Maxwell. Steve is an internationally known strength and conditioning coach. I really enjoy reading his posts which bring reality into the gym. My coach, CRay Knowles, is of much the same mindset and has helped me to dramatically improve my strength over the last year. Steve and CRay have worked together in the past and I can definitely see the resemblance in their styles. They both have a background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, hence, the emphasis on strength and conditioning at such an extreme level.

CRay and I became close friends before he finally convinced me to begin his body weight training program and I was amazed at some of the equipment that he was able to fashion. Most of the equipment in the gym, he either made or has modified. (That Engineering degree comes in handy if you use it).  After actually working out there over the last year, it has become apparent, that CRay’s equipment, simply works! These workouts are what many would call extreme. (I kid CRay by saying his motto should be, “We can get you in shape… if you can stand it!) His gym is noticeably missing nearly any sort of weights. We simply use body weight.

Steve’s latest blog post goes into great depth in explaining the use of the Center Mounted Pull Up Bar. I encourage you to click on the link and read this post. If you want to take your workouts to a new extreme, look no further. Steve and CRay have teamed up to bring you cutting edge equipment that is portable and can be used nearly anywhere. CRay designed the Center Mounted Pull Up Bar out of necessity. It had to be portable and easy to use while still giving one the ability to do a phenomenal workout. Steve had the same trouble finding a place to do pull ups while on the road as CRay did. So after using the Center Mounted Pull Up Bar in various ways, decided to offer it as his featured product on his Strength and Conditioning web site.

With the PS straps, you can do a wide variety of exercises on the Center Mounted Pull Up Bar. These include:

Chin-Ups
Suspended Push-Ups
Body Weight Rows
Ab Roll-Outs
Pec Flyes

CRay and Steve can, and probably will, come up with some other tortuous exercises that this thing can be used for!

Here’s an introductory video from Steve on the Center Mounted Pull Up Bar. Enjoy!

Oh, I nearly forgot, friends of Steve (all of us) can use the Valentines Day special they are running for a 20% discount. The offer code is listed on the front page of the site and will be taken off your order at checkout!

Here’s to taking your workouts with you and taking them up a notch!

Michael

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About 6 months ago, I started working out with a great friend who introduce me to body weight workouts with particular attention to a LOT of pushups with a pushup board. I never realized that there were so many kinds of push ups possible. Overhanded, underhanded, hindu, dive through, scorpion, and more! Oh, you can use a pushup board to do more than just pushups too. One of the worst (or best as you may see it) is a bear squat. Lately, CRay has been, creating all sorts of new twists.

One of the best parts of working out with the pushup board is the variety that you can do with one simple piece of equipment. The seemingly infinite variety allows workouts to be changed ever so slightly. Each little change works the same muscles in a different way creating a much stronger body by challenging the muscle fibers is so many ways. It’s amazing that even after 6 months of working out 3 times a week (ok, so I didn’t quite make all of them) I still get sore every week! Just an indication to me that the workouts are still working.

Here’s a link to CRay’s new website where you can see some of his torture, I mean workout, equipment. Visit RipThatBod.com to see some REALLY cool workout gear designed to maximize your workouts in the least amount of time. CRay designed most if not all of it too! If you are ready to Rip that Bod, especially with a Pushup Board, this is the place to visit RipThatBod.com

Here’s a sample of just a few of the exercises that you can do with a Pushup Board Give it a try, you’ll be glad you did!

Michael

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