San Antonio Fat Loss Success

Why I’m in the Business of Fitness and Youth Sports Performance

2011-02-04T11:49:00.005-06:00

I spent the last weekend of May 2009 in New Jersey with a bunch of fitness professionals from across the US and Canada for 2 reasons, and received a bonus as well. Here I am with one of the folks I met: The Fit Yummy Mummy herself, Holly Rigsby. (By the way, could my head be ANY larger?)

Let me tell you a little bit about WHY I went to New Jersey in the first place. I’m going to need a few sentences to set this all up, so please keep reading.

The night before I was to leave for New Jersey, I called a local taxi company and requested a cab for 5 a.m. sharp in order to get me on time to where I hold my morning boot camp classes. I was very specific with them about needing a cab at precisely 5 a.m., gave them my address (even spelled it out and had them repeat it back to me) and ended the conversation with the words, “It is imperative that the cab arrive no later than 5 a.m., is that understood?”

The person who took down my info assured me that they would be there on time. Famous last words…

I’m sure you can tell where this is all leading…and the cab got to my house at 5:16 a.m. It was not the drivers fault, the dispatcher sent her to the wrong address.

Strike 1.

When, after many flight delays, I finally arrived at the Newark airport, I called the shuttle service I was told about and, true to form, he arrived in about 15 minutes. That was great.

I was paired to ride with a man from California who was in NJ for a business conference, and he was staying at the Marriot Courtyard in Bridge-something New Jersey. Morristown, where I was staying, is about 15 minutes from the airport. We left the airport at 7:05 p.m. and, once again, I’m quite certain you can see where this is going.

I arrived at my hotel at 8:30. I saw quite a lot of New Jersey, however…all for just $40 bucks. What a steal, huh?

Strike 2.

Sunday, I departed the conference and rode back to the airport (thanks to my daughter and son-in-law) and made the 15 minutes ride in comfort. My flight was scheduled (key word) to leave at 2:35 p.m. Jersey time, so I ate a little something before arriving at the gate at around 2:10 p.m.

As I was walking up to the gate my wife called to inform me that she was locked out of the house. She’d had a friend visiting for the weekend who apparently had set a door lock we never use, one in the actual door handle. No fault to my wife’s friend, it was just one of those things. I told my wife to either break a window or call a locksmith. She opted for the locksmith.

I wish now that she’d broken a window.

What do you think it costs to have a locksmith who lives less than 5 minutes from your home open a door for you in under 3 minutes on a Sunday afternoon?

If you guessed anything less than $177.50 you’re wrong.

Strike 3.

Here’s the point I want to make with regards to all of this:

This could have just as easily been you over the course of a weekend dealing with “service” businesses throughout your week. You could have just as easily been frustrated, had your time wasted and not received value for your hard earned dollars.

I refuse to operate in that manner.

I went to New Jersey to:
A) further my education on the business of business, and to
B) hang out with my peers, the “best of the best” in the industry.

I wanted to pick their brains as to what they do to give great service, to provide value and to excel in their chosen field of endeavor. I went to learn from the top 1% of the industry.

I went there to do that for you. I want to improve for you. I want to be your “go to guy” when it comes to fitness, health, fat loss and youth sports performance.

I don’t take the honor of your having placed your trust in me to be your fitness or sports performance provider lightly. I am deeply humbled and moved by these things. I also want to constantly work harder to do more, to be better and to earn your trust every day.

From the depths of my soul, THANK YOU for the honor and trust.

While I was in New Jersey I also became a member of two organizations: The Association of Professional Personal Trainers (APPT) and the International Youth Coaches Association (IYCA). I joined these organizations to further my education as well as increase my legitimacy and credibility in the field I cherish so much.

This is also one of the reasons why I like doing business with folks who understand the fitness business, professionalism, quality service and value. It’s why I’m a Prograde Pro. To see what I mean, and why I do business with these guys, please go to their website and watch these very brief videos. These guys are more than fitness and business professionals, they’re my friends.

Please go here now to watch the videos: Prograde Behind the Scenes

Conclusion

Please do me this favor: If you can tell me any way that you think I can improve upon my level of service toward you, please write me: steve@firestormfitcamps.com

And the bonus I mentioned at the outset of this article? I got to meet my son-in-law, Randy, and my see my beautiful, very pregnant (6 months along) daughter, Stephanie, and spend some time with them. That made the entire trip spectacular.

Thanks again,

Steve

"Listen, it's just bass fishing!"

2010-06-20T14:16:00.001-05:00

I had a conversation recently with a client about her concern over whether or not the number she read on the scale was a big deal or not. Her entire existence, it seemed, was wrapped up in "that number."

I tried, in vain I felt, to put some perspective on it...but it didn't seem to really have much impact. Then it struck me.

I said, "You're married, right?" She said, "Yes"

"Happily?", I queried. Again she said, "Yes."

"And what about your kids, are they doing well and are they healthy?" She looked at me kind of strangely, smiled and said, "Sure...they're fine. Why do you ask?"

I stepped closer to her, looked into her eyes and said, "You're a beautiful, happily married woman with healthy and happy kids. The rest is just bass fishing."

Now she looked really confused, shook her head and replied, "What on earth are you talking about?"

I told her a story I had heard about several years ago.

It was a news story about a professional angler who had appeared on TV regularly and won a lot of big time tournaments. He had apparently been enjoying a large degree of success when something happened that changed, and more specifically, ruined his life.

It appeared that right before one of the major tournaments he was accused of using illegal bait. I never found out whether or not this guy was guilty or innocent, and it doesn't really matter as that is an ancillary portion of the story.

What I do know is that the guy became so intoxicated with worry, anger and stress about the accusation that he ended up becoming depressed, taking medication, splitting from his wife and even losing his home.

I remember reading this story and thinking, "Dude, it's just bass fishing. It ain't cancer, it's not the war in Iraq or starving children in Darfur... it's just bass fishing.'

This guy had become so enamored with his sport that, what probably begun as a fun and relaxing hobby, had in turn become his entire universe; it had consumed him and become everything. It was more important to him than his wife, his family and his home. It was also apparently more important that his health and his sanity.

What I really wanted this young lady to recognize was that her energy wasted by focusing on this "number" was nothing more than bad information or opinions of others akin to bass fishing.

It was an opinion. And in my own opinion, it was a very bad one at that.

Here's the way I see it: the scale has a purpose - it's to measure meat and produce. That's it.

If you're really concerned whether or not your fat loss efforts are taking shape, do these 4 things:

1. Grab a tape measure. Measure your arms at the biceps, your waist around your belly button, your hips around your butt and your thighs, about three inches above the kneecap. Check each of those locations once weekly and keep track of them for 30 days. See what happens.
2. How do you look in the mirror naked? That's where you will see subtle changes in your physique. Bumps going away and new lumps of muscle appearing.
3. How do your clothes fit? When they start getting baggy, celebrate. If they're not, tighten your diet and increase your training intensity.
4. How do you feel overall? How is your eye color, the look of your skin, your hair. These things are indicators of overall health and if you're going to look good you might as well be lean AND healthy.

I once had a good friend who's uncle was a Battan Death March survivor. He told his Uncle about a "problem" he was having, to which his Uncle replied, "Is someone going to kill you?"

My friend said, "No."

"Then you don't really have a problem," was all his Uncle said.

Sometimes it's just bass fishing.

Steve
Your Prograde Professional

Resistance exercise reverses aging in human skeletal muscle.

2010-06-06T15:01:00.006-05:00

Human aging is associated with muscle decrease and a decrease in daily function, also known as sarcopenia.

Recent research shows that this can be reversed in as little as six months!

Yes...6 months!

Multiple lines of research suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction (one of the little, yet REALLY important parts of every cell in your body) is a major contributor to sarcopenia, which is to say a loss of function.

However, following exercise training the cellular signature of aging was markedly reversed back to that of younger levels for most genes that were affected by both age and exercise.

Read that again: Reversed, not just stopped or even slowed.

Reversed!

A brand new study of more than 150,000 women has rocked the medical community!

Recent research shows that women who gain as little as seven pounds in between pregnancies increase their risk of serious complications in their second pregnancy...

diabetes
high blood pressure
toxemia
caesarean birth
stillbirth

What's even more surprising is that this increased risk applies to women who are not necessarily overweight. It applies to all women who gain an additional seven pounds (or more) between the time they got pregnant the first time to the time they get pregnant again.

This new study says a woman's risk of getting diabetes or high blood pressure during her second pregnancy increases by about 30%.

Double the weight gain and the risk of getting diabetes or high blood pressure may increase by 100%

Doctors are calling the finding from this study "staggering" and "thought-provoking."

It's in the best interest of your child for you to take care of your own health. That way, you'll have the positive energy you need to take care of them as well. And if you decide to have another child, it's extremely important.

"What do they want us to be--anorexic?"

And the answer to that is a great big NO!

As a matter of fact, this study did not entail examining whether or not the woman's beginning weight was ideal. It was only examining the effect of weight gain between pregnancies. The conclusion was that you should not gain weight in between pregnancies. The conclusion had nothing to do with being dangerously thin!

Two take home points before you worry too much:

Large, longitudinal studies such as this one do not take SO many other factors into context. They drew a conclusion from one correlation. Other negative factors could be involved as well, rather than just weight.
If you gain 7+ pounds that certainly doesn't mean that something negative WILL happen, it just increases the risk, that is all. It is just like driving fast in your car, you might be alright, but you increase the risk.

Just understand that it is always healthier to be in good shape. Just like it's safer to drive more slowly in your car.

Now you think about that...

Steve
Your Prograde Professional

What are you missing?

2010-06-02T07:55:00.007-05:00

In the winter of his ninth year, Frank Lloyd Wright was walking across a snow covered field with his reserved, no-nonsense uncle. As they reached the far end of the field, his uncle stopped him. He pointed to his own tracks in the snow, straight and true as an arrow, and then to young Frank's own tracks, which crisscrossed and meandered all over the field.

"Notice how your tracks wander aimlessly from the cattle to the woods and back again," his uncle stated with a scowl. "And see how my own tracks aim directly to my goal. There is an important lesson in that."

Years later, the famous architect relayed how that single experience had so affected his outlook on life. "I determined right then," he said, "not to miss most things in life...as my uncle had."

Where is your focus?

What are you missing out on?

Is your narrow vision of life keeping you from experiencing the world around you?

"The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Now you think about that...

Steve
Your Prograde Professional

Never Forget...

2010-05-29T15:17:00.002-05:00

This Memorial Day, take some time to remember those brave men and women who stand in the gap on our behalf. Then do something to thank them for their service.

"What do I do?", you may be asking. Why not shake their hand, look them in the eye and say, "Thanks so much for your service."

Would that be so difficult?

Thanks and God bless the American soldier.

Steve

What kind of person gets results?

2010-05-21T14:58:00.004-05:00

I stared in disbelief as the resident “master” trainer in the gym put her client through a set of TRX single leg squats (suspension based exercises done while holding a set of straps connected to a chin-up bar). The problem that I had with the scene being played out before me was this: his technique sucked…he was doing less than partial squats. And all the while he had a look of sheer boredom on his face.

This “master’ trainer never took the time to correct his technique, encourage him to push himself more or to even comment on his form. She just stared blankly at him like a drunken horticulturist watching a hibiscus grow.

And the client, who I assume is training with her to drop some of the 50 plus pounds of excess fat he’s currently carrying, is simply getting fatter and fatter. I've observed this first-hand over the last several weeks.

All of this made me ponder the following question: What kind of person gets results from their training?

My answer: everyone.

I guess what I’m trying to convey here is that in order to achieve some level of success in the gym or from your training, you’ve got to better define what “success” means to you. You’ve got to have a goal.

In truth, everyone gets results. A bank robber gets results. A heroin addict gets results. An overeater gets results. The measure of those results, for the purpose of this exposition, is this: are they measurable, positive and life affirming results?

In my view, a successful life can be boiled down to one thing: many years of overall success.

Let’s think in terms of baseball…my favorite sport. If we approach the plate and hit singles and doubles consistently, we will have a successful baseball career. Success in these terms means A) getting to bat often, and B) making contact with the ball and putting it in play often.

If we do that, we stay in the game and have opportunities for more success. Failure to hit little victories on a regular and consistent basis means we risk being pulled from the line-up or being kicked off the team. Therefore, we’ve got to do our best each and every day.

When we do this, every so often a pitch comes across the plate that is so good we simply hit it out of the park. Not often, maybe…but often enough that it spurns us on to greater and greater achievement and keeps our spirits high. But it is all contingent upon staying at bat and hitting those simple little grounders and base hits. Failure to do that ruins every chance for the homer.

The bottom line here is this: No one gets a free pass. You cannot “coast” yourself to a successful life, or in this case, successful fat loss and good health. You must approach each and every day with a positive mental attitude and desire to compete. Consistency and effort in everything you do will produce astounding results, beyond anything you may be able to comprehend.

And just so you know, when I talked about “results” earlier, I mean results that are measurable and positive and almost without exception in your long term best interest. Remember, everyone gets results…regardless of the nature or motive of their actions.

What results are you after?

What are you doing on a consistent and regular basis to achieve them?

If you’re not currently satisfied with the results you’re getting from your fitness and fat loss program, come see me. The Firestorm Fitcamps may have the answers you’ve been looking for.

Steve

Your Prograde Professional

The Richest Place on Earth...

2010-05-19T05:46:00.003-05:00

With so many minds focused on the economy, the talk of a recession or the upcoming elections, it is easy to lose focus on true treasure. Let me ask you a question: where is the wealthiest treasure on earth buried?

It’s not the oilfields of Kuwait...

It’s not the diamond fields of South Africa...

It isn’t in the goldmines in Alaska...

It’s in the cemetery.

Buried beneath that sacred ground are dreams that never came to fruition, songs that were never sung, books that were never written, ideas never shared, inventions never designed.

There are plans for wondrous things that never made it past the drawing board of the mind and purposes that were never fulfilled.

Why? Only a tiny fraction of those who ever inhabit this planet will ever discover and fulfill their true potential. God placed abilities and talents in each and every one of us. What are you doing to bring them to the forefront of your life so that they may be shared with others to their benefit?

Here are four great questions to ask to seek your true potential:
1. “Who am I?”
2. “What skill or ability did God me that I enjoy so much I'd do it for free?”
3. “How much potential do I have?”
4. “How can I maximize my potential to the benefit of others and to glorify the One who gave it to me?”

Ask a better quality question and you may receive a better quality answer.

Steve

Your Prograde Professional

How much time is wasted in the gym by the average gym-goer?

2010-05-06T16:42:00.002-05:00

First and foremost, I believe that there are several distinct, different persona's within the confines of a gyms "arena". Many previous articles have discussed them and brought them to light for the enjoyment and connectedness of us all. For the purposes of this message, I will restrict my comments to three basic phyla of these types of individuals.

The first is the "Puritan"; the individual who simply comes to the gym to "get 'er done", if you will. They are often defined by the sweat, headphones and lack of eye contact with others. These people are usually devoid of humor, seldom "work in" with other members and often have a "don't talk to me" type of body language. They do not waste time. That's cool, as long as they carry a towel to wipe up after themselves.

Then there's the "Socialite"; it's usually a guy (but not always) who's been married for a number of years, has a couple or ten kids and a wife who serves more as a mom than a partner. He saunters about from piece to piece, training a set of bi's and tri's between solving all of the world's problems (a skill at which he is MOST adept) and soliciting and/or inciting "smack" and chatter from whomever will respond to his taunts. This is his version of "Happy Hour", usually conducted at a specific time each day. Hey, at least he's not driving under the influence of anything stronger than an obnoxious attitude.

The next type is in a class all their own. The worst offender in the bunch, bar none, is the one who pays double for the privilege of being at the gym. The "Therapy Session Client"; you know this one. Not only do they pay gym dues, they pay a “trainer” as well. They hire a PT to "train" them and then spend the bulk of the session talking about...whatever. These folks are under the impression that they are doing well, when in reality they are being deluded into a false sense of security.

Personally, I blame the trainer; they should know better. I have clients that want to talk about their "issues". Believe me; I'm not insensitive...much. The way I figure it, there's two ways to handle it. 1) We can talk and train and talk and you can pay me and feel like you accomplished something, or 2) I can add weight to all of your sets where the only thing you can focus on is not being crushed and you'll forget all about your problems for a while. This, for most people, is what they really want to do in the first place.

Am I a genius or what?

I hope you see that I'm having some fun with this. The people I've mentioned above are real, even if their circumstances and situations have been exaggerated by my eloquence and skill of prose. (Kids, don't try writing like this at home. I'm a professional. Just ask me.)

People waste time in the gym for several reasons. Usually because they don't know what they’re doing but are too scared, egotistical or pride-filled to ask for professional assistance, so they muddle along.

And then there are those who THINK they know what they’re doing, (because they’ve read the latest issue of Ironhead orMuscle & Fiction magazine) and probably suffer from the same afflictions. Either way, these folks all waste days, months or sadly, years by never seeing any appreciable progress or results for their efforts. If others simply want to waste time by being overly talkative or appear affable in some way, that is their choice...I guess.

And if you see me training, please don't interrupt my session. I'm probably doing a quick set between my own personal conversations...in my own head.

Steve

Your Prograde Professional

The Penalty of Leadership

2010-04-25T13:17:00.002-05:00

Oftentimes things that don't initially make sense to us can have something innately powerful to offer. For instance, look at this ad, which was run for Cadillac in the Saturday Evening Post, on January 20, 1915, almost a century ago.

As an ad to sell cars, it appears fairly useless. However, read it slowly. Really think about it and pay close attention to what it's saying. It's a little hard to process because of the “lingo” that was common back then. Nowadays it is antiquated gibberish, but it has a very important meaning inside the message that goes WAY beyond 'Cadillac'.

The headline read 'The Penalty of Leadership' and here's what it said:

“In every field of human endeavor, he that is first must perpetually live in the white light of publicity. Whether the leadership be vested in a man or in a manufactured product, emulation and envy are ever at work.

“In art, in literature, in music, in industry, the reward and the punishment are always the same. The reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and detraction. When a man's work becomes a standard for the whole world, it also becomes a target for the shafts of the envious few. If his work be merely mediocre, he will be left severely alone - if he achieve a masterpiece, it will set a million tongues a-wagging.

“Jealousy does not protrude its forked tongue at the artist who produces a commonplace painting. Whatsoever you write, or paint, or play, or sing, or build, no one will strive to surpass, or to slander you, unless your work be stamped with the seal of genius. Long, long after a great work or a good work has been done; those who are disappointed or envious continue to cry out that it can not be done.

“Spiteful little voices in the domain of art were raised against our own Whistler as a mountebank, long after the big world had acclaimed him its greatest artistic genius. Multitudes flocked to Bayreuth to worship at the musical shrine of Wagner, while the little group of those whom he had dethroned and displaced argued angrily that he was no musician at all. The little world continued to protest that Fulton could never build a steamboat, while the big world flocked to the river banks to see his boat steam by.

“The leader is assailed because he is a leader, and the effort to equal him is merely added proof of that leadership. Failing to equal or to excel, the follower seeks to depreciate and to destroy, but only confirms once more the superiority of that which he strives to supplant.

“There is nothing new in this. It is as old as the world and as old as the human passions: envy, fear, greed, ambition, and the desire to surpass. And it all avails nothing. If the leader truly leads, he remains - the leader. Master-poet, master-painter, master-workman, each in his turn is assailed, and each holds his laurels through the ages. That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. That which deserves to live - lives.”

This is a reminder of what Detroit-born former heavyweight boxer Joe Louis once said, 'Everybody wants to get to heaven but nobody wants to die to get there.' Vince Lomabardi said it this way, “You’ve got to pay the price.”

The reality is this: everyone wants to reach the top, to be the best, the leader… but few are willing to pay the price to achieve this goal. Instead, they prefer to criticize and ridicule, jealous with envy instead of keeping their own eye on the ball. On your journey to the top, beware the critic. In fact, you'll know you're close once you start hearing them whispering behind you.

The same holds true in the area of health and fitness. You may have even heard the envy and jealousy behind the so-called well meaning comments of family or friends, “Are you sure you’re not working out too hard?” “You sure are losing a lot of weight. Is everything O.K.?” “I wish I could look as good as you.”

Keep this quote from Glenn Turner in mind: "Many statues have been erected to the criticized. None have been erected honoring critics."

The Firestorm Fit Camps can get you the body, health, fitness and wellness you desire, deserve and yearn for. But you'll have to do the work necessary.

All the information is just a click away, right here.

Are you going to take the challenge or instead listen to the critics in your life?

Steve

Your Prograde Professional

San Antonio, listen up: Fat loss is profoundly simple!

2010-04-18T12:56:00.003-05:00

As in most facets of life, the most profound truths are inherently very simple. In fact, many of these areas of life are so profoundly simple that they are either ignored or overlooked completely.

There is one area that causes, in my opinion, more frustration, unhappiness, and potential failure if it is misunderstood. What is this phenomenon?

Everything counts.

Everything.

Not just the things YOU want to count...no ma'am.

Everything!

Everything adds up.

The great German philosopher, Herman Van Goethe, commented once that the greatest invention in his lifetime was double-entry bookkeeping.

That may sound odd to you, but listen to his reasoning. (He was brilliant, you know)

When asked why a simple accounting method had such a profound impact upon him he said that it mirrored in many ways a person's life. You see, in double-entry bookkeeping, every transaction is recorded as either a credit or debit.

In life, everything you do is either taking you closer to your goals or further from them. In bookkeeping, the more credits or positive transactions a business has, the more profitable that business is and the longer it will stay afloat and prosperous.

As in life, the more positive actions you take you become more healthy, happy and live a more fruitful life.

I recently ate lunch with a friend who is perpetually overweight by thirty pounds or more. When I ask if there is anything I can assist him with, he assures me that he eats nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and drinks only clean water. He laments again and again that he cannot understand why he seems to always be so heavy.

Later in the week I spotted him in a restaurant, unbeknownst to him, and watched him from afar. After his second trip to the desert counter for more cheesecake, and with roughly half of it left on his plate I approached him and mentioned the pastry. He looked me right in the eye, then pointed a stubby finger at the cake and said, "I don't count that."

We live in a world where hundreds of millions of people with too much fat on their bodies hope and pray and wish that some things don't count. But that is a fantasy.

Everything counts, and what you do (or don't do) is either taking you closer to your health, fitness and fat loss goals or further from them.

It's up to you.

Steve

Your Prograde Professional

Can exercise alone change someone’s body make-up?

2010-04-13T14:01:00.003-05:00

I’ve been telling you for quite some time now the cold hard truth of fat loss: No amount of hard work can overcome a crappy diet.

Apparently I’m not the only one who’s noticed this.

In a recent study of almost 100 people who were inactive when the program began, about half remained sedentary and the other half took up some sort of training.

The exercise group was given a training program that equaled roughly 5 1/2 to 6 hours of activity a week and which lasted for 12 weeks. The folks who didn’t exercise just showed up to have their measurements taken until the 12 week study was completed.

Take note: NO ONE in the study trained or exercised prior to the study. It was determined that this fact alone contributed to the folks averaging 35% and 40% body fat. This is also significant because people who have never worked out, who are then put on a resistance training regimen usually ALWAYS make some great measureable gains.

Read on...

The folks trained as a group in this fashion each week: 3 resistance training days and 2 interval training days. These sessions were designed and supervised by some qualified folks.

The interesting aspect of this study is that no guidance or rules were given on eating or nutrition to any of the participants. The study was done to see just what exercise only would have on a person’s frame and body makeup (fat percentage, lean tissue composition, etc).

In other words: Can exercise alone change someone’s body make-up?

Or, “Can exercise alone REALLY overcome a crappy diet?”

12 weeks went by and you know what they found out?

They discovered that even someone who’s never exercised before (and in a body that should respond to the stimuli like crazy) made essentially no changes what so ever to their body’s compositional makeup!

None!

Nadda!

Nix!

Bupkis!

Does that shock you? It shouldn’t.

It’s like I’ve told you again and again, if you want to make changes to your physique and lose the fat, you simply must get control of your eating habits. I think we can see that this study proved that.

Imagine going through 12 weeks of intense resistance training for an hour per day, 3 days per week, and then hitting the cardio equipment for two hours on two separate days.

Five days a week of training for up to 6 total hours for 12 weeks, (by the way, that’s 72 hours worth of time) and for what? The study showed the average individual lost just 1% of body fat.

Statistically speaking that equals about 1 pound of fat lost and 2 pounds of muscle gained versus the sedentary folks.

What?

12 weeks of hard labor for a measly 1 pound of fat lost?

I don't know about you but I’d be really, really, RE-AL-LY ticked off.

The rules are the same as always:

Eat five to six times a day.
Limit your ingestion of sugars and processed foods.
Eat fruits and vegetables right through the day.
Drink more water and cut out high calorie liquids (beer, wine, soda, etc.).
Focus on eating lean proteins at each meal throughout the day.
Save starch containing foods until right after a workout or for breakfast.

I’m here to help folks. You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers. If you’re not seeing the results you deserve, check out The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program, the Firestorm Fit Camps, or one of my personal training programs by e-mailing me here.

I guarantee, if you’ll do exactly what I ask, you will get results like this:

“I just wanted to tell you thanks for all your advice! I never thought I could ever get to where I am at and I have your advice to thank. Anytime I had a question, you were always there to help out. I have lost 52 lbs in 4 months and feel like a new person. Couldn't have done it without you! Seriously, I followed your training and nutrition advice and "ate from the earth". Thanks for the help! I feel like a new person. Started at 224 and finished at 172!” – Brian Walsh

So...what are you waiting for? Click the links above now and let’s get started on YOUR new body.

Steve
Your Prograde Pro

The REAL difference between success and failure.

2010-04-11T10:36:00.003-05:00

Why is it that some individuals can make great gains from a training program while others on the same program struggle to make gains? They may have the same training age, muscle fiber make-up, have the same eating and recovery patterns, but yet do not see similar progress or gains from their training. What, pray-tell, could be the missing link in their training regime?

I believe it is an insidious culprit that I have discussed several times: It’s their quality and commitment to effort and consistency.

In group training, like the Firestorm Fit Camps, every individual within the group receives the same training program. For certain individuals there are the minor tweaks here and there based on injury history, movement capability, strength level and/or body type. Even though everybody has virtually the same training protocol, why aren't equal improvements seen across the board?

The variables I mentioned before obviously play a large role in how an individual responds to training, but I often see that the major issue is that the people who don't improve as much simply just don't work hard enough. Consistent hard work and effort are extremely vital to making physical and mental improvements in training, as well as in life. If these components are missing in my clients and athletes, it is my job to encourage them to strive for more so as get this out of them.

I'll be the first to admit, that can be a challenging and mentally taxing endeavor for the “coach.” It simply may be that I have clients who just don't know how to put out effort. This is where the art of coaching comes into play as I must find out what motivates and drives that particular person to train consistently harder and to eventually succeed.

I know quite a few trainers that are in the money collection business. They bring a client on board and simply go through the motions with that individual, all the while collecting a pay check from them.

I’m not like that. I just can’t, and won’t, do it.

I feel guilty when the people under my tutelage and guidance don’t receive more than their hard earned money’s worth. I feel bad when people don’t make progress, or obtain the results they deserve. People who know me well also know that I often don’t sleep well at night. This is one of the reasons: when my clients don’t experience success, I feel compelled to find out why and correct it.

I'm not sure but there may be a psychological explanation for it, or maybe it’s a “syndrome” that has yet to be graced with a name, but whatever “it” is, I’ve got it.

And I believe I know why: In my mind there’s a difference between a client and customer. With a customer, the transaction is over with the exchange of funds. With a client, that’s just the beginning. A client is someone under the care of another.

I take that translation very seriously. It resonates to the core of my being.

My reputation, integrity and credibility are on the line with each and every individual I am blessed to call a client. When they succeed, I succeed. When they do not, at some level I have failed them. It’s that simple.

Let’s get back to my original comments: I have found that there are two types of individuals when it comes to showing effort:

First are the ones that are easy to coach because they give everything they have in everything they do.

They give their maximum effort on every rep, set and exercise.
They are the folks who are very special and easy to coach.
They make my job easy and are natural leaders.

The other type of individual is the one who gives an all out effort…sometimes.

They either don't understand or know how to push their limits and thresholds and actually hold themselves back.
They see hard work ahead and their mind and body begins to shut down.
They don't allow themselves to be fully engaged in what they are doing.

From a training and performance standpoint, they are the folks who can be fantastic one second and absolutely garbage the next. If an athlete performs like this, they will need to be taught to give maximum effort at all times, both in training and practice. If they can’t do it in those arenas, what makes a coach feel they can perform on the field of play?

For the individual seeking to achieve a goal, the same rules apply. If you give maximum effort at all times, you're only going to know one way to show effort and will lead to great results. If you give maximum effort sometimes, then you'll have marginal results.

As Bill Murray said in the movie “Stripes”, “That’s the fact, Jack!”

Here's the take-away message and please ponder this: the quality of your effort will determine your success in any endeavor with and in which you engage. Strive to reach your full potential by giving consistently high quality effort at all times and your health and fitness goals will be a short distance away.

I promise you that.

Steve
Your Prograde Pro

Attitude by Chuck Swindoll

2010-03-28T20:20:00.001-05:00

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.

It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skills.

It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.

We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

Thanks Chuck.

With that said, what is your attitude with respect to fat loss success?

I can help.

And I “double your money back” guarantee it!

Steve

Your Prograde professional

The Parable of the Talents, part 2

2010-03-18T15:18:00.003-05:00

If you missed part 1 of "The Parable of the Talents" you can read it here.

For the remainder of this message I want to concentrate on three areas:

1. Talent maximization

2. Work

3. Responsibility

There are so many directions that I can envision taking this message, it is difficult for me to stay focused on just a few. You see vision is one of my talents. Focus is not. But I’m working on it.

Talent Maximization

There is a reason that the most talented players do the best in sports. Typically it is because they understand that the clock is ticking, and one day their physical talent will begin to diminish, so they work hard and maximize their abilities while time is one their side.

We’ve all known very talented people from our youth who never became a professional athlete. It probably wasn’t because they couldn’t have made it; they simply lacked the drive, desire and motivation to reach higher.

Some of these folks have no regrets about it. They’ve turned other gifts and talents into a life of value. Others live in the past, the “good old days.” Like Napoleon Dynamite’s Uncle Rico they’re stuck “back in ’86.”

It is my opinion that having a talent and not using it maximally is a slap in the face to the one from whom the talent was received. When one wastes a talent, whether by disuse, neglect or sheer abandonment, the receiver not only deprives the giver the joy of seeing their gift used as hoped, but they potentially deprive others of the gift.

What if Mozart or Beethoven had decided not to use their talent? What if Picasso or Monet had decided not to paint? What if Tim Duncan or Lebron James had decided not to play basketball? Others, who draw enjoyment and pleasure from listening, watching and experiencing the benefits of their gifts, would never have been able to do so.

Maximizing ones talent first stems from gratitude. Cicero once stated, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." When one is grateful for one’s position in life they are inclined to maximize their abilities to produce and be more.

America is the embodiment of potential. Here, anyone can rise above and become just about anything they put their mind to. Many immigrants who come here from other lands do very well because they recognize the potential and are grateful for it. Sadly, many who do not capitalize on this same potential are folks who’ve lived here all of their lives.

They aren’t grateful for what they have because they either don’t know, or don’t really care,

how good they have it.

I have long contended that every man, woman and child should travel to another country south of the U.S. border, just once, to recognize just how good we actually have things. Seeing people who sleep on dirt floors, bathe in creeks and eat very minimal portions, and are grateful to have it, is a very humbling and life altering experience.

Why wait to be grateful for the talents that God has given you? Thank Him for them, dedicate their use to His glory and maximize them.

Coach John Wooden puts it this way, “You have little say over how big or strong or how smart or rich someone else may be. You do have, or you should have, control over yourself and the effort you give toward bringing out your best in whatever you’re doing. This effort must be total, and when it is, I believe you have achieved personal success. Remember; never try to be better than anyone else…but always strive to be the best you that you can be. That is under your control…the other isn’t.”

Work

As in the story, maximizing ones talents takes time, and work. The first two men worked to grow their talents, and over time they did just that. The third man did no work, other than to bury it. My guess is he didn’t do much of anything in any other area of his life either.

The Bible has a whole lot to say on the subject of work. Here’s one of my favorites:

“For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither

shall he eat.” That’s from 2 Thessalonians 3:10.

Here’s another, “Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength (work) of an ox.” (Proverbs 14:4 NKJV)

Now this one is a little deep, but what it means is this: If you do nothing, you have nothing. Sometimes you’ve got to get dirty and get in the trenches to get the job done, and the result is increase.

Work is a part of life. That is the problem with welfare. If people had to work to earn it they’d feel better about themselves and where it came from. I know from personal experience. I was on welfare for about six months many years ago. I hated it. I felt dirty, like I was cheating someone or something. I wasn’t earning it, and it wasn’t a charitable donation.

I also wasn’t a Christian at the time and the rest of my life was a mess as well. Once I came to the realization that work was a necessary component of life and that doing something was better than doing nothing, I found employment and quit the welfare system.

Looking back, I am grateful for the food that it put on my table to feed my children. I am grateful for the hard working men and women who allowed me to benefit by their own hard work. I simply believe that if I had to do something to earn that money, I would have felt differently about receiving it.

It is the same with talent. You must work to develop it. You must earn it.

I once worked with a former professional football player. He was a big man; six feet six inches tall, two-hundred-ninety pounds. He had been drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, played one season and was injured. He claimed he wanted to get back on the team, but would not work hard enough to earn back his spot. He thought his original level of talent would get him back.

He was wrong.

Having great talent also requires a great deal of character. Many have neglected to develop their character to coincide with the benefits and accolades of the talents they possess. Dr. Edwin Louis Cole put it this way, “Your talent can take you where your character cannot sustain you.”

How often have we seen men and women rise to great levels, only to fall because they committed to building their talent but neglected building their character as well?

Michael Vick and Tiger Woods come to mind. Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears do as well.

Work is essential to progressive growth, in all areas of life. Do not shun work and the rewards will be fruitful and many.

Responsibility

As in the story, the master gave responsibility for the talents to his servants. He held each man accountable for them upon his return. The two who acted responsibly were rewarded handsomely. The one who did not was rebuked.

Assuming responsibility for ones actions and life are a basic precept to maturity and personal growth. Here are three things to think about with respect to responsibility:

1. Dr. Ed Cole taught that you cannot be responsible for success until you are first willing to be responsible for failure. Success is often cultivated in the dung of failure. (Remember the clean ox trough?) When you accept responsibility for your failure you can make the necessary corrections and move toward success. Tryon Edwards said it this way, "Right actions in the future are the

best apologies for bad actions in the past."

2. Dr. Cole also taught that you live by preference or conviction. It takes responsibility to live by conviction. Preferences weaken under pressure, convictions grow stronger. You can be negotiated out of your preferences, convictions are non-negotiable.

3. Maturity is not a factor of age, but of the acceptance of responsibility. How many people do you know who are mature at fifteen because of their level of responsibility? How many more are still maturing at forty because they can’t or won’t accept full responsibility for their lives?

On the night of December 9, 1977, Kermit Washington almost (though unintentionally) killed the

Houston Rockets' Rudy Tomjanovich with a single, face-shattering punch. In the years that followed, Washington’s life slowly deteriorated. He was traded often and booed everywhere he played. After his playing days were over, he couldn't find work in the league, even though he offered to work for free.

Why? My guess is because he never accepted full responsibility for his actions. You see, each time he gave an account for what happened, he always stated it this way, “I’m sorry, but…”

The acceptance of responsibility for the use of ones talents, gifts, accomplishments AND failures makes for a life of triumph, free from guilt, doubt and shame.

The Last Word

The parable of the talents is an in-depth look into the love of God for obedience, responsibility and the success He wishes for all of us. I encourage you in this: Take the talents you have and use them to glorify God. Give Him credit for them, and then work to make them grow so that His glory may be magnified.

Then, one day, he will call you to Him and hopefully proclaim, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

God bless you,

Steve Payne

Your Prograde Professional

The Parable of the Talents, part 1

2010-03-16T17:38:00.003-05:00

Here’s a surprise: Quite many people have differing views of the Bible, either in its’ contextual authority, its’ legitimacy as an accurate account of historical events, the validity of its precepts and principles or its author…Almighty God.

I have no such quandaries… but I may be biased.

Jesus is Lord.

I can’t top that. Be that as it may, I often look to the Bible for references and guidance on everyday events, life structure, and lessons that I can learn as well as pass along.

One such set of lessons is “The Parable of the Talents” from the book of Matthew, chapter 25:14-30:

14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.”

How many times have you pondered the gifts and talents you’ve been given by God?

These talents are very valuable things. In the story referenced above, the value of a “talent”

was about a thousand dollars in that day’s money. In today’s money it would be more like a

million. So you can imagine what a thousand dollars was like two thousand years ago.

Likewise, your talents are valuable things as well. As in the scriptural reference, they are given according to your ability. As an example, are you blessed with strength to move heavy objects? Do you have the ability to dunk a basketball? Can you throw a 90 mph fastball with accuracy? Is your 40 time less than 4.5 seconds?

I am not saying that you are less than valuable if you are not physically imposing on the court, field or rink. Just because an individual is able to capitalize on their talent monetarily does not make their value any more or less special. I am merely pointing out one area of talent.

Physical gifts such as these aren’t dolled out in uniform fashion to the masses across the board. If they were, we’d all be like Reggie Bush, Lebron James, Roger Clemens or Michael Johnson. The game of football wouldn’t be as exciting, baseball would be just another pastime and basketball would be nothing but a high scoring dunk-fest.

And just because you possess such physical gifts does not mean that they will grow of their own account. There is a reason that the aforementioned sports figures draw the kinds of salaries they do. Most recognized their talent at an early age and worked to perfect it. They developed a work ethic and discipline that allowed them to grow what they had and turn it into something more. Let’s read on:

19 “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.”

26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.” 29 “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

This story has an obvious message that beautifully illustrates the gift of Jesus Christ to the believer, and our responsibility to share that “talent” with others. It is a privilege and honor to do so, but, regrettably, one that many do not fully comprehend and employ. If you are a follower of Christ, I encourage you to share the Gospel with others.

But we’re talking today about sports, fitness and physical talents.

Therefore, what can we infer from this story, with respect to that? Let’s reflect back

to the beginning for a moment: “to each according to his own ability…”

What talents have you been given? Really ponder them and write them down. You could have a talent for weight lifting, running, high diving, hitting a baseball. It may be cooking, self discipline, instruction, or guidance. Whatever the talent, write it down.

You will notice that it says, “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.”

After a long time…

As I stated earlier, it takes time to fully develop a talent or skill. Do you think that Michael Jordan played basketball at ten years of age the way he did at twenty-five? Do you think that Tiger Woods was always so good at golf?

No. And why is that? Because they, like all the great sports figures, work at being the best they can be. Michael Jordan’s work ethic was renowned. Tiger Woods is becoming known as much for his training regimen as for his skill on the links. And it took a long time.

In the second portion of the story we see that the first man took his talents and worked them into five more. He doubled them and was rewarded with an abundance of both gifts and responsibilities.

The second man also doubled his amount, from two to four. He was also given more in terms of gifts and responsibilities. These men and their example should be the focus of the story. The message is this: value your talents, dedicate them to your Lord and maximize them through intelligent, hard work and reward will come your way.

The third man, well…that is another story. He hid his talent and did nothing to maximize it.

Because of that he was punished, chastised and what he had was taken from him.

For the remainder of this message I want to concentrate on three areas:

1. Talent maximization

2. Work

3. Responsibility

Next time...

Steve

Your Prograde Professional

20 things I've learned

2010-03-07T20:22:00.005-06:00

Here is an abbreviated list of some of the things I've learned in the thirty plus years I've been involved in the fitness industry.

Keep in mind...this is a partial list.

20 things I’ve learned over the past thirty years...

1) Eat right 90 percent of the time. When you do, good things happen, like: lower blood pressure, muscle gain and preservation, bone density, fat loss, connective tissue strength, increased endurance, etc.

2) Train hard, and smart. In the words of Joe Namath, “If you aren’t going to go all the way, why go at all?”

3) Lift heavy weights with good form. The body is meant to work, so just do it.

4) Train often. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out affair. 15 to 20 minutes per day of solid training can have long reaching benefits.

5) Lift as much weight as possible with good form for as many reps as you can. Forget counting reps. Simply focus on technique and let your body do what it is Divinely constructed to do.

6) Use a variety of multi-joint movements...often. The body craves variety. Do not allow your training to stagnate with mundane and boring routines. And DO NOT train like a bodybuilder, unless you want to walk like a zombie, look like a freak and hurt from a multitude of muscle imbalances.

7) Eat foods in their natural, unaltered state. You know… like God made it. You can’t get better than that.

8. Drink clean water frequently. That doesn’t mean carrying around a water bottle like it’s an I.V. drip. Just drink a little at frequent and various times throughout the day.

9) Variety. I've even heard it’s the spice of life. Change up your daily routine. Drive to or from work a different way. Eat something you wouldn't normally eat. Wear something different. Change things up a bit. Don't get stagnant or stale.

10) Laugh often and loud. I heard someone say it’s the best medicine.

11) Go to church. It’s a place to learn about life, joy, love and to remind you that you’re not the center of the universe.

12) Hang out with friends. People who can, and will, tell you “like it is.”

13) Love your wife/husband. Like you mean it. Remember...the kids are watching.

14) Be nice: it doesn’t cost a dime to do so. Former Cincinnati Reds coach Sparky Anderson said this after a game I was watching some 35 plus years ago and I’ve never forgotten it.

15) Buy good wine and enjoy every drop. With friends or loved ones it tastes even better.

16) Read God’s Word as though your life depended on it. Believe it or not, it does.

17) Tithe and watch what happens. The only time in Scripture we are told to test God is in this manner. I dare you to try and “out-give” Him.

18) Tell the truth…always. It’s cheaper in the long run.

19) Practice what you preach. I’m still working on this one.

20) Be a friend. To your wife or husband, an animal, people you know and meet. It’s the surefire way to make a friend.

21) Nobody wants to lose “weight,” despite what they may say to the contrary. Weight implies the number on the scale. What they really want is to lose size, and that equates to fat.

22) Nobody cares how much you know unless they know how much you care.

23) Give more than is expected. Go that extra step. “Pay it forward,” if you will.

Steve

Your Prograde Pro

Dying for sugar

2010-02-28T10:44:00.003-06:00

Remember the book, “The Shangri La Diet”, which came out a couple of years ago and created quite a bit of buzz in the health and fitness community? I bought a copy. In the book, the author espoused drinking a 16 oz glass of water, several times per day with a teaspoon of Light Olive Oil in it, or a teaspoon of sugar.

According to the author, this was supposed to make us less hungry and therefore lose weight. The book sold millions of copies. I doubt seriously anyone still follows this plan.

The correct answer to the following question will shock you.

Would you survive longer on a diet of just water OR on a diet of water and refined sugar?

The answer: You would survive longer on just water.

“Steve, you’ve lost it boy! You’re just crazy!”

Really? Let’s look at five sailors who were ship wrecked in 1793.

The ship was filled with refined sugar and therefore allowed the marooned five a diet of sugar and water. Nine days after being marooned, they were finally rescued and were found to be in a wasted condition due to starvation.

The French physiologist Francois Magendie heard the story of the five sailors, grew intrigued by it and began to conduct a series of experiments in which he fed dogs a diet of sugar. All of the dogs died.

With this study Magendie proved that as a steady diet, refined sugar is worse than nothing.

“Wait a minute, bro…how can sugar be worse than nothing?”

Apparently and quite obviously based on this research, refined sugar is an anti-nutrient.

What starts life as sugar cane, goes through an extensive refining process that destroys all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals. What we're left with are empty, naked and deadly calories.

Here’s the kicker: our bodies require the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals that were taken out in the refining process in order to metabolize sugar and use it as energy. Since refining doesn’t leave any, those nutrients are taken from your own body to complete the process.

(This would make a great horror story: “The Thing that Leaches the Body Dry!”)

Think about it…while you are enjoying that chocolate bar, sugar is sucking vital nutrients from your body. Kind of like a sugar tick. Yumm!

And it doesn't end there…

Sugar produces false hunger which makes you overeat. This is a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in your blood sugar levels. What happens then is a constant struggle with your weight where you never seem to achieve your ideal size.
Sugar advances aging. This is caused by advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar. Sugar, by some, is called “the negative fountain of youth.”
Sugar weakens your bones. This makes you vulnerable to osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth, which increases the likelihood of cavities, both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar.
Sugar in excess is stored as fat. In my humble opinion, all sugar is excess…but that’s me, the rebel. You see, after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms. Wheee!
Sugar can inhibit and impair brain functioning. This is a result of depleted B-vitamin production.

Still need more reasons to avoid the sugar? O.K….

Here are some more maladies tied to sugar and overconsumption: varicose veins, constipation, hormonal imbalances, ADD and ADHD, increased emotional instability, depressed immune system, increased risk of cancer and degenerative diseases.

On average, people consume 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. That equals something like 175 pounds of sugar each year. 175 POUNDS!

Why doesn’t this surprise me? Look at all of the ads for sugary drinks and sodas! It’s big business. These companies sneak sugar into any product that they can.

Right now, go through the foods in your home and you'll see that sugar has been added to everything from ketchup and spaghetti sauce to crackers, oatmeal, peanut butter and even ‘healthy' items like weight loss bars.

“So, where does this leave me, Uncle Steve?”

Well my friend, you may be in unchartered waters for the first time in your life. It’s what we call “a unique position.” As one of my favorite authors, Dr. Edwin Louis Cole, wrote years ago in his wonderful book, “Treasure”, “We each have the power to choose, but once the choice is made we become a servant to that choice. To what are you willing to become a servant?”

Your personal judgment and preference will determine the foods that you eat and the foods that you avoid. It is my sincere wish that you now see sugar with “fresh” eyes.

It is true that all other foods offer you caloric energy as well as some nutritional benefit. Sugar does not. It has, for all intents and purposes, no redeeming qualities. Sugar is simply caloric energy with a sweet habit forming taste, and a hoard of health risks. In the book “Ortho-Molecular Nutrition” the authors demonstrate, rather convincingly, that sugar is more addictive than cocaine. Studies have shown that babies, when given a choice of a variety of foods, will eat from various foods to obtain all the nutrition they need. But when a sugary food is introduced, they no longer choose from the other sources and eat the sugary choice exclusively.

I beg you, use your discernment wisely and eliminate, or strictly limit your sugar consumption, both for yourself and your children. You’ll do yourself and them a huge favor in low sugar living.

And one more thing, should you ever find yourself ship wrecked with nothing more than sugar and water for consumption…go for the water and throw the sugar overboard.

Various Names for Sugar

Next time you’re at the store shopping and want to make sure you purchase the best for your family, remember these names and then put the item back should you see it in the ingredient list:

Sucrose
High fructose corn syrup
Fructose
Lactose
Organic sugar
Maltose
Dextrose
Glucose

If your goal is overall health and/or fat loss the absolute BEST thing you can do is eliminate, or at least severely restrict, the amount of sugar in your diet.

Steve

Your Prograde Pro

Why won't they listen?

2010-02-24T12:15:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I swear I want to scream until I'm hoarse. Sometimes I, like radio and T.V. talk show host Glenn Beck, need a roll of duct tape to wrap around my head in order to keep it from exploding.

Why?

Aerobic exercise.

I was at the gym a few days ago and overheard a trainer tell one of his clients, "Well, in order to get really lean you've got to do more aerobic training." This female client of his has not lost an inch since she started with him over a year ago. In fact she's gained size and weight. How do I know?

I was eavesdropping. . . remember?

No big surprise to me, but then again . . . I don't SUCK as a trainer.

Here are some numbers for you:

In January of 2007 a SIX MONTH clinical trial concluded wherein two (count 'em, 2) different groups were tested.

Group "A” followed a strict diet.

Group "B" followed the same diet AND added 50 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 times per week.

50 minutes . . . 5 times per week!

You know what happened?

NO DIFFERENCE!

Nada. Nix. Nill. Bupkis!

Each group lost an equal amount of fat and the addition of the aerobic activity made no difference in fat loss.

Now personally, if I'd been a member of this study and had just spent 250 minutes a week (that's over 4 hours) for 26 weeks doing aerobic activity for effectively no additional gain, I think I'd need to be held back from ripping someone’s arm off.

Same goes if I was the client of this other trainer.

So what works?

1) Increased meal frequency of whole, real foods followed to 90 percent compliance.

2) A reduced carbohydrate diet. I suggest a low Glycemic Index diet to reduce insulin.

3) Interval training.

4) Resistance training.

5) Supplement with fish oil, CLA and possibly casein.

Oh, and don't hire trainers who stink at what they claim to be able to do for you.

Steve

What came first the big butt or the scooter?

2010-02-03T14:19:00.000-06:00

So I’m at the mall for the first time in years and I’m blown away by A) the number of truly obese individuals, and B) the number of these same people riding around in little motorized scooters.

Humans by nature are inherently lazy. We are drawn to the path of least resistance. Hence the saying, "Never stand when you can sit; never sit when you can lie down. Never run when you can walk; never walk when you can ride."

In my opinion, the majority of people I see who use these motorized devices are those who are not themselves incapacitated from some deleterious cause or genetic defect, rather they have succumbed to the "American" way of life. I do not say that lightly, or with the slightest hint of disdain for my country. They are a product of their environment. They have, in other words, done it to themselves; either by neglect, slovenliness or some other means of self destruction.

As for our way of life, here is what I mean: Because we as a nation have been so blessed, we have lost sight of our responsibility to maintain the first line of defense: our very health. We have become a country of "convenience" seekers. A remote control for the over-abundance of television channels has eliminated the need to walk across the room to switch the station.

Keyless entry systems for our vehicles have allowed us to eliminate having to struggle to find the keyhole and, heaven forbid, exert ourselves and turn a key. Speed dial for the phone so we don't have to work so hard to dial Pizza Hut. We've even found a way to remove mental stress and strain by watching, on average, seven hours of television a day, thereby eliminating the need think for ourselves. Rather than read a book, thanks to IPod we can have someone else tell us what to think, or simply watch others working out on the tube.

Improvements in sanitation, nutrition, and medical science have been responsible for steady increases in longevity throughout modern history. This has been the case for virtually every country on earth, and it's a trend that's likely to continue - except in the United States. According to a University of Illinois study published in the New England Journal of Medicine the average American's lifespan could decrease by as much as five years in the coming decades. In the words of the author of the study, S. Jay Olshansky, "This is not based on speculation ... or unforeseen events, it is based on the future of American health that we can observe today among the very people who will express the health and life expectancy of the future: today's children."

But, how could this be? After all, the U.S. leads the world in the development of "wonder" drugs, high-tech surgeries, and technology for the early detection of disease.

It's because we're too fat.

More than 60% of adults and 30% of children are overweight or obese, putting themselves at a higher risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and a variety of other illnesses. And it is having an impact on folk’s mobility, so rather than train hard and eat right, just get a little motorized cart. That way you don't have to change your life, you can cruise your way, in comfort, ease and style, to an early, morbidly obese death.

Overcoming this phenomenon is not likely to happen. People, like I said before, are inherently lazy. Working out, eating right and maintaining your health takes effort, consistency, determination and discipline. Sadly, most of those qualities are far from inherent in the bulk of the population.

And children today, fortunately and yet sadly, do still learn what they see.

Steve

The Ten Immutable Laws of Effective Fat Loss

2009-12-16T04:41:00.001-06:00

The following Ten "Commandments" of Effective Fat Loss are absolutes when one is attempting to drop body fat. There is no room for compromise, no exceptions and certainly no substitutions. If you will follow these commandments then there is little doubt that you will reach your fat loss potential.

There is no room for “yeah but” or “I have no time for this” or even, “I’m afraid this won’t work for me”. They are weakness displayed as lame excuses because I personally know quite many extremely busy people who’ve made the time and have been enormously successful.

I have trained individuals with slow metabolisms and a sluggish thyroid; I’ve worked with clients over 60, both male and female, and have seen them achieve massive, measurable and positive results when these Commandments were properly adhered to. Time and again, over a huge spectrum of people, these 10 “laws” have held strong and worked in every instance they were properly applied. Consequently they will work for you.

Therefore, if you are truly serious about fat loss…here are the ten commandments to live by.

Commandment #1 – You shall eat a fruit or veggie with a lean protein each and every time you eat. That is five to six small meals throughout the day. By doing this you will ensure that you to get enough protein AND enough fruits and veggies to satisfy your muscles and your body’s need for quality nutrients. Proteins and vegetables have the highest thermogenic effect and fruits add much needed vitamins and minerals helping your body recover adequately.
Calories counting becomes a thing of the past when you follow this commandment as you will feel full longer and more satisfied with each meal, but this isn’t a green light to go hog wild, there is a measure of self control involved here.

Commandment #2 – You shall exercise supportively 4 to 5 times per week. Exercising supportively means performing weight training three to four times per week and performing interval based cardio training two to three times per week. Weight training for fat loss involves short rests and medium repetitions and moderate weight which will translate to high intensity. Circuit based training works well in this format (one set of one exercise then to another after minimal rest, etc).
Interval based cardio training will burn 9 times more fat than steady state cardio AND is time efficient. Interval cardio is alternating high intensity work periods with low intensity recovery periods. A typical work to rest time would be 30 to 45 seconds of work and 60 to 90 second recovery. Think of sprinting and walking as a good method of interval cardio (but this can be done over a broad spectrum and modes of exercise)

Commandment #3 – You shall create a support system with friends, neighbors, family, co-workers and others that will REALLY support your effort. Surround yourself with people that will participate with your or at very least support your efforts entirely. Lean on these people often for help and guidance through the mentally difficult times. Surrounding yourself with unsupportive people is a recipe for disaster and you will eventually give up. Accountability is a tool for success, so use it.

Commandment #4 – You shall plan your exercise and meals ahead of time. Planning and preparation are two very important components of success. I won’t lie, it takes work and it isn’t easy. As one of my colleague’s states, “Fat loss is easy once you realize how difficult it is.” When you shop, chop, and cook your meals in advance you set yourself up for success by eating supportively…especially when life gets hectic. Set aside two hours on Sunday (or your day of choice) to shop, and then prepare your meals for the week. This also means setting a menu for the week and keeping it on your refrigerator so you can easily follow it. This also provides clarity as it gives you one less thing you have to think about during the chaos that is your typical week.
Exercise is no different. Schedule your time for exercise and keep that schedule like you would a doctor’s appointment or any other appointment. Don’t let anything else get crowded into that spot. Prioritize your time and stick to it. The old cliché’s are true for a reason; “Failure to plan is planning to fail.”

Commandment #5 – You shall remain consistent 90% of the time. You should be eating at least 35 meals per week (5 meals a day for 7 days). Of those 35 meals you must eat supportively 32 out of those 35. That means only three times can you eat an unsupportive meal, cheat, or miss a meal (yes missing a meal counts against you). If you are 90% compliant you WILL get results. The key here is to remain CONSISTENT.

Commandment #6 – You shall take in at least ½ your bodyweight in ounces of water per day. But since you are exercising for fat loss you may need to drink a bit more, so think .6 to .7 ounces per pound of bodyweight of water per day. Dehydration shuts the body down, which includes the metabolism, and will prevent your full effort in your workouts. This is because your muscles consist of mainly water. Consider carrying a stainless water bottle (not plastic) with you and drinking from it consistently throughout the day.

Commandment #7 – You shall take in a quality multivitamin and Omega 3 every single day. Even if you are not on a fat loss program this is a must. Multivitamins fill the gaps to any discrepancies in your nutrition plan. And even though you are eating at least five fruits or veggies a day on your fat loss program, you need 7-10 servings of fruit AND veggies per day to satisfy all the vitamins and minerals you need.
Select a quality multivitamin based in whole foods. Prograde VGF25+ for men and for women is a high quality multivitamin that will give you what you are looking for. I also take and personally recommend Prograde EFA Icon as a great source of Omega 3’s.
Commandment #8 – You shall have a strong powerful goal or reason for taking on this project. If you just want to get in shape then stop reading because this isn’t for you. Your goal has to be much broader and far reaching than just getting into shape. Your goal, when you read it should get you fired up and excited. Write down your goal and read it every single day so that your subconscious mind will take over and help you.
Spend a lot of time on this commandment because this will ultimately determine your success. Start with the end goal and work backward so you can set up some midrange goals and several short term goals. Once you have this mapped out and read it every day you have essentially set up a roadmap for your success and all you have to do is hit those mini milestones to keep the motivation burning hot. If you need a map for goal setting, this is a good start.

Commandment #9 – You shall have a realistic approach. Let’s get clarity: You will not succeed with your goals in one day. You will also not succeed by taking some pill or by exercising extra in one week. You will not succeed long term by eating perfect one week and eating great half the time the next. You must be realistic with your approach and understand that this is a journey, not a destination. Achieving your ultimate fat loss goal is your destination but the journey is making it a lifestyle and incorporating new habits that will stay with you forever. Results are only as good as long as they stay results. If you revert back to old habits after reaching your goal, you haven’t achieved anything. Implement strategies that are realistic and that will allow you to KEEP off the fat you are working so hard at losing.

Commandment #10 – You shall not give up if you fall down. Mistakes are going to happen, especially when you are trying to make changes to long established habits. Understand that it may take several attempts before you succeed at just one of these commandments, but when you do others will get easier. It is quite acceptable to be less than perfect, and console yourself in the knowledge that you are working on it and will do better the next time. The more perseverance you have the much more likely you will be to succeed.

There you have it. If you will make a decision to follow these commandments I am positive that you will absolutely be successful in your fat loss goals.

Steve

3 Tips to Halt Overeating

2009-12-03T04:12:00.002-06:00

I feel a good spiritual cleansing coming on, so let's be totally honest with each other, shall we? If you’re hauling around some extra pounds right now, I’m 99.9% sure they are due to your overeating…pure and simple. Call me crazy, but I'm betting it's true!

If that’s the case, then let’s look at a few reasons as to why you overeat? This is a brief list of the three likely culprits:

Habit: Like it, loathe it or just don’t realize it the way in which you eat (i.e., food choices) is a learned model, rather than that of need. Mom & Dad taught you to clean your plate, so that’s exactly what you do. Ignoring your body’s signals that you are “full” you plow ahead with what’s on your plate, never stopping to listen to that little voice telling you, “That’s enough.” You instinctively throw two pieces of bread into the toaster for breakfast, salivating as the timer goes off while buttering them rather than questioning if one piece would be plenty.
Forgetfulness: You absentmindedly “graze” throughout the day. We’ve all done it when we forget to pay attention while we eat. When the movie in the DVD player starts your mind goes on autopilot and you thoughtlessly eat while viewing. Or maybe you keep a few “road snacks” in the care to calm you while you drive. Maybe you’re one of the cooks who likes to taste test the foods you prepare…albeit frequently. These little added moments of absentminded calories add up to extra weight.
A “Deeper” Issue: Some of us use food for recreation or to change our mood. “Comfort food” I believe is the term. While these foods, and the added calories they offer, may lend you a temporary sense of comfort or pleasure, at the end of the day your body, health and mental state suffer from the indulgence.

“So what, if anything, can be done to fix it, Uncle Steve?”

Try these 3 Tips to Halt Overeating the next time you encounter this issue.

Step #1: Pay Attention

That’s it, really. Simply be aware of what and how much you eat. This straightforward idea will prevent you from ingesting hundreds, maybe even thousands, of needless calories each week.

Here’s how to put this principle into practice: Never eat or consume anything so long as your attention is drawn to or distracted by another activity. Make it a conscious effort to “be here now” and to only put food in your mouth when you are A) hungry, and B) conscious of it. For most of you this will mean turning off the T.V., getting out of your car, and (and this is a biggie) under no circumstances are you to graze in the kitchen while cooking.

Step #2: Observe Balance

Take special notice of the types of food that you eat during each meal. Make a concerted effort to ensure that each meal is balanced. By eating a well balanced diet of lean protein, lots of veggies, a few daily servings of fruit and whole grains and some “good for you” fats, (of course, VERY limited sweets), you’ll get more nutrition in the form of vitamins, minerals and such and your body will thank you by losing the urge to overeat.

By nourishing yourself this way in a supportive eating fashion you get more “food in your food” and your body recognizes it. So don’t eat meals that are primarily carbohydrate based, or high fat meals. Take a quick mental inventory of the food groups that you've eaten in the last few days. Did your meals contain lean protein? Did they have plenty of vegetables? Did you avoid eating more than one or two primarily carbohydrate-based meals? Do this now, and do it frequently because it could save you from making food decisions that you'd later regret.

Step #3: Listen to your body’s signals

God designed you very well and as such your body offers lots of feedback relative to your surroundings. Your body will always tell you when its hunger has been satisfied…ALWAYS! The issue is that you've grown so good at ignoring those signals that you often rifle through your meal at breakneck speed. It isn’t until you sit back to breathe that you realize the payload in your stomach is akin to a gut grenade waiting to explode.

During your mealtime, make it a habit to put down your fork, take a deep breath and listen to your body.

A key component of being tuned in is to eat more slowly. Doing this will allow you to pay attention to your body’s signals and notice that point when each bite becomes less and less satisfying. This is your body's way of letting you know that you've had enough to eat and that each continued bite is simply too much. And no matter what your Mother taught you, if your plate still has half the pasta on it and your body says, “Done”…from now on your body wins. O.K.?

Take responsibility for your eating and learn to control your eating habits. In doing so you'll find that fat loss and weight management occur simply and naturally.

And if you’re really serious about losing the fat, getting into shape and keeping it off for good, then we need to talk. I've got knowledge, experience and tools to help you achieve the successful weight loss and fitness goal you want. No guess work, no fad diets, and no super long workouts.

Please write me: steve@safatloss.com or visit my website, http://safatloss.com today and let’s get together to make your dreams come to fruition!

Steve

Your Prograde Professional

5 Fat Loss Mistakes San Antonian’s Make and How to Correct Them

2009-11-10T14:04:00.001-06:00

Here are five of the biggest fat loss train-wrecks that I see men and women making each and every day...fix these, and you'll lose fat.

1) Not having sufficient support and backup.
Trying to lose fat without adequate social support is not the ideal way to lose fat. Ideally, you'd have a medical professional, an RD, a fitness professional, your workout partner, your spouse, your workmates, and your friends all behind you. A substantial amount of research has demonstrated that you will benefit most from a health professional (i.e. a trainer) and a successful workout partner. When you have those two members of your team it is then time to then work on getting the rest of the group.

2) Not using a professionally designed, structured program.
When you go to the gym, do you have a plan for improvement and gain, or do you wander around wondering what to do next? If you said the latter, then you're merely wasting your time. That’s the beauty of The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program. With it, you know what you have to do; you can stick to it, and see it through. No wasted time wandering around the gym deciding where to start and you get guaranteed results.

3) Not changing your workout after 4 weeks.
That's the longest you should go on one program. If it's been 6-months, give your head a shake. That’s a secret of success from The Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps. We never do the same workout twice. Ask yourself this question: If my workout hasn't worked yet, why do I think it's magically going to start now? Change it up frequently. You'll get more results and you'll have more fun.

4) Failing to understand that your results will come more from good nutrition than from training.
You want to lose fat? You have to eat right for fat loss. You've heard me say it before, "No amount of hard work will overcome crummy eating habits."
Try as you might, you can train like an animal and eat junk like a pig and never see any fat loss. No program is that good. Diet beats training every time, like the Celtics beat the Lakers.
Eat whole, natural and unprocessed foods in 6 smaller meals per day. Load up on fiber, lots of protein, and lots of vegetables. Eat healthy fats, but avoid trans fats. Drink lots of water and tea. It’s so simple…and so effective. Eat for energy, not for gluttony.

5) Not knowing when to quit.
Here’s an example of an email I get daily: “Do I need to add more cardio or lift longer to see better results?” It sounds logical, right? After all, if some is good, more training must be better?

Wrong.

If your program is solid, and you’re not making progress, then you’re either:
A) lacking intensity,
B) not following your nutrition, or
C) both of the aforementioned principles.

You have to draw the line somewhere. You simply cannot keep adding more and more exercise.

Have you ever heard of the law of diminishing returns? Well it applies here because for each additional set you do, and from every extra cardio session it gets harder and harder to recover. Also, your body can break down quickly from too much work, particularly when you are calorically challenging yourself from a strict diet.

Overtraining and low calories go together like a Hershey Bar and sardines. Neither of these combos will speed your metabolism.

Instead, set your sights on quality over quantity. The "volume approach to fat loss" popularized in the 80's (lots of cardio and lots of carbs) was a disaster. Guess what? It still doesn’t work...and for good reason. Stick to high quality nutrition, and high-quality training.

Here’s the bottom line: What really matters is results. Not "the pump", not muscle soreness, not feeling exhausted after each workout, and not feeling deprived of food.

Quality work and quality food for a better quality body and life. That’s the REAL solution!

SP
SAFatLoss.com
Firestorm Fitcamps

San Antonio listen, heart rate and fat loss are not synonymous!

2008-10-14T11:01:00.004-05:00

Wading through the myriad of B.S. and junk piles of worthless information on fat loss can be dis-heartening (no pun intended) to say the least. And one of the biggest myths ever to come down the pike is that you've got to reach a certain heart rate and then maintain that rate in order to lose fat.

What a crock...it simply isn't true.

The sad part is that this myth has caused a whole host of folks to jump on the "low-intensity training" bandwagon and struggle for years, with their only conclusion being "I'll never lose weight", all because of this inherently flawed system and failed program.

Research in the last 10 years or so has demonstrated a couple of highly significant findings with respect to exercising for fat loss.

When you increase the resistance load in training (by lifting heavier weights) you cause the body to use more fuel AFTER the training session than if you lifted lighter weights. This is why one of the tools we incorporate into the 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program is to lift a heavier weight for 8 solid reps in each set of exercises (for fat loss) as opposed to 12 reps per set of a lighter weight. We do in fact use a 12 rep scheme, but it is set up in another fashion so as to utilize another effective tool for fat loss.
Because of TONS of research we now have solid proof that interval training style cardio is far superior to slow, steady cardio for fat loss, as well as post-exercise fuel consumption. Therefore it just makes sense that using shorter duration, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in your routine rather than slow, long cardio sessions (like walking 30 minutes on a treadmill) is more effective, efficient and more time friendly.

In my humble opinion, the only time you might even consider your heart rate in the exercise realm is during the recovery period while you're interval training. You need your heart rate to drop, a lot, between sets of interval training. It's important when the time comes to step it up and move during the "high intensity" portion of the training that you have gas in the tank enough to do so. It makes no sense to begin your high intensity interval too quickly and you should strive to make the recovery portion of your interval just enough work where you're still moving...but able to recover as well.

Here's the bottom line:
Worry not when it comes to your heart's rate during exercise. I know, some folks are just "goofy" and like to keep statistics on things like that and that's fine. Just understand it has no real value in terms of fat loss. I would suggest that you spend more time determining if you're really pushing yourself enough while doing the "high-intensity" portion of both your resistance training and interval cardio sessions.

SP
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

Want to jump start your metabolism so you can lose fat San Antonio?

2008-10-11T12:59:00.002-05:00

2 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism and Start Burning Fat

Recently I had a conversation with a woman at a dinner party who shared with me the difficulty she is having losing body fat. She said that she has not always been overweight, but he gained about 40 pounds in the last several years when her career and lifestyle became more sedentary. She explained how frustrated she had become because, as she said, she was "doing everything right" but the fat just wouldn't come off.

This is what she meant by "doing everything right":

She was eating a lot less.
She was eating less frequently.
She was eating a "low-fat" diet.

In other words, she was sabotaging her efforts to lose weight by slowing down her metabolism.

If you want to maximize your fat-burning potential, you've got to really crank up your metabolism. Here are two time tested ways to do it:

Don't starve yourself. Cutting too many calories is a sure way to slow down your metabolic rate. It will also ensure that you are more likely to lose muscle rather than fat. Instead, focus on eating MORE foods that are protein-rich and nutrient-dense.
Eat more frequently. By eating five to seven small meals and healthy snacks throughout the day, you will ramp up your metabolism and be less likely to overeat. This will also help to maintain stable blood sugar levels, which greatly contributes to fat loss.

Steve

Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

Hey San Antonio, for successful fat loss you've gotta get off the couch...if you can!

2008-10-10T12:56:00.001-05:00

Don't let a lack of motivation or some weak excuse keep you from getting the look you want and deserve.

Head over to http://www.safatloss.com/ right now and check out the many success producing fat loss programs available in San Antonio.

You have fat loss questions, we have fat loss answers and solutions.

Steve

Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve at steve@safatloss.com for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

To all of my frustrated San Antonio Fat Loss friends, you've gotta follow the rules...

2008-10-08T06:56:00.003-05:00

O.K., I know I talk a lot about a low carb diet, and it confuses a bunch of folks and for that I apologize. Today let's explore how many carbs are "safe" to eat while trying to lose the fat.

I'm not going to give you any specific numbers, because as we know every-body is different. Under normal conditions, carbohydrates are, and should be, your main source of fuel for your system. Let's get clear on this: carbs help fuel your mental, physical, and metabolic activity. Exactly how many carbs YOUR body requires is determined by the level of your activities. Days when you really go out and run like a cheetah after a gazelle, you might chew up (no pun intended) several hundred grams.

Here's what makes a low-carb regimen so effective: Your body is smart...God made it that way. And when you rob your body of carbohydrates, (fuel source #1) you force it to use it's reserve sources for energy usage...body fat or fuel source #2. And don't worry, because your body is smart, it can make the transition easily and effectively.

I know many "authorities" will state otherwise, but believe me it is a safe jump. However, there are some potential drawbacks to switching to fat for your bodies fuel source needs. Folks who don't necessarily "need" to engage in carb restriction might think they are experiencing a period of low energy. It's a matter of perception, and not typically physiology.

The cost and "risks" for Joe Sixpack short term are generally far outweighed (again, I cannot help it with the puns!) by the benefits of dropping some body fat. However, long term carb restriction, for most folks, signals your bodies survival mechanisms and soon enough the fat burning potential comes to a halt.

Here are some examples: Your bodies natural defense system (immune systems), reproduction, and tissue repair require substantial energy to be effective. When you cut the energy levels to bare minimums, your body makes adjustments and shunts power to perform them fully. As you can extrapolate from this, we can see that the same issues arise long-term on a low carb regimen that occur on a low-cal or low-fat diet. They lose their effectiveness as far as health benefits are concerned.

On the psychological side, most folks start to feel quite deprived on a low-carb diet. Almost none stick with it over the long haul. they may do the "start-stop" thing again and again. they just leads to frustration and depression. And when you lose hope, you just plain don't care anymore and quit trying.

In other words, the one area of your diet that you get to manipulate the most IS your carb intake. Again, much of it is determined by your current situation, what it has been in the past and where you want to be in the future.

The key is short-term restriction for effective fat loss. That length of time is generally very specific to the individual. A sound long-term strategy is to eat more protein than you need (stave's off the survival instinct), eat more of the good fats (Omega 3's) and change your carb intake often as your energy demands dictate.

Make your focus on improving, long-term, the quality rather than the quantity of your carbohydrates. In doing so you will avoid the feelings of deprivation, generally feel better and keep your metabolism elevated substantially.

Here are a few "rules" for guidance:

Carbohydrates that occur naturally have a greater potential for problems when they are more "starchy" than sweet. Sweetness is only a problem when we have to add it to a food, so don't be afraid of fruits.
Grains, corn, or potatoes should be avoided if you're on the fat loss trail, as well as sodas, fruit "juices" and alcohol. Drink water or green tea instead.
Here's the good part: everything else is fair game on this plan...in moderation AND provided you enjoy the taste of it and you eat in its naturally occurring, unprocessed, unrefined state. In other words, eat it like God made it or don't eat it at all.

Examine your daily habits and routine. There are clues there as to how to structure your plans. You can overcome the occasional slip-up, overeating and variations because, as we said earlier, your body is smart be design.

What won't help is quitting altogether, so keep at it San Antonio. Fat loss is your destiny.

Steve

My friends, losing fat in San Antonio is not rocket science...or is it?

2008-10-07T13:26:00.005-05:00

When it comes to the "science" of fat loss, loads of research studies have shown that what works for some often works for many. Let's take a look:

Here's a study from 2008 - Johnstone et al
Effects of a high-protein ketogenic diet (a diet that causes your body to burn fat for energy) on hunger, appetite, and weight loss in obese men feeding ad libitum.
Am J Clin Nutr.2008 Jan;87(1):44-55.

In this particular study the researchers compared two groups of men. Group 1 followed a diet consisting of 4% carbohydrates and Group 2 followed a diet consisting of a 35% carbohydrates.

4 weeks later, Group 1 was down 14lbs on average while Group 2 was down an average of 9 and 1/2 lbs. What was interesting about this study was that the subjects got to eat as much food as they wanted provided they stayed within the nutritional guidelines.

The researchers learned that a high-protein, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets reduce hunger and lower the amount of food a person eats drastically more than a high-protein, medium-carbohydrate nonketogenic diet does, at least in the short term. It would appear that dropping your carb intake (and 35% is pretty low to begin with) is just another great selling point when you're looking lose body fat.

Here's another study from 2003:
Louis-Sylvestre et al.
Highlighting the positive impact of increasing feeding frequency on metabolism and weight management.
Forum Nutr. 2003;56:126-8. Review

This study is pretty straight forward and to the point. It demonstrated that folks (adults, here) who normally ate four meals a day gained body fat and weight when they changed things up and started eating just three meals a day.

And they still ate the same number of calories as before, so it seems that by eating more frequent meals you can lose more fat!

Now, let's go way, WAY back to 1957:
Kekwick and Pawan
Metabolic study in human obesity with isocaloric diets high in fat, protein or carbohydrate.
Metabolism. 1957 Sep;6(5):447-60

Even back in the stone age, researchers put on their thinking caps. They evaluated and compared 3 hypocaloric (lower maintenance, restricted calorie) diets. They were:
1) a diet of just 1000 cals that consisted of 90% fat; and the folks lost about .9lbs per day
2) a diet of just 1000 cals that consisted of 90% protein; and the folks lost about .6lbs per day
3) a diet of just 1000 cals that consisted of 90% carbs; and the folks actually gained weight. (oops)

In my mind this tells us that when choosing what to eat it ain't just calories that count. It REALLY helps to know just what kinds of calories your eating.

I know you're bored with this already, so here's the last one from 2003:
Greene, P., Willett, W., Devecis, J., et al.,
"Pilot 12-Week Feeding Weight-Loss Comparison: Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate (Ketogenic) Diets," Abstract Presented at The North American Association for the Study of Obesity Annual Meeting 2003, Obesity Research, 11S, 2003, page 95OR.

This study involved 3 different groups on differing diets for a total of 12 weeks:
Group #1 was on a low fat/low calorie diet (only 1800 calories a day) they dropped about 17 lbs.
Group #2 was on a low carbohydrate/higher calorie diet (about 2100 calories) and they dropped about 20 lbs.
Here's the really cool part: Group #3 combined the low carbohydrate diet AND the low calorie diet (1800 calories) and they dropped an average of 23lbs.

Is that great or what?

Here's the bottom line, San Antonio: if fat loss is your goal (and it should be) then you shouldn't just focus solely on calories, but that doesn't mean that calories don't count! You've got to make sure you're getting the right kind, in the right amount at the right time, like I said here.

Simply put you should reduce the carbs, reduce the calories, and increase the frequency of your meals in order to get the most from you fat loss efforts.

And that, my friends, is the truth...

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

Hey San Antonio, are you getting enough of the essentials in your daily diet? - Part 3: Fats

2008-10-06T11:19:00.004-05:00

San Antonio, listen up: if you don't have the right kind of fat in your diet you increase the likelihood of developing heart disease, cancer, Alzheimers and a host of other maladies. One of the benefits I especially like about quality fat in the diet is its ability to help us lose fat from our bodies!

When was the last time you heard that from a health or fitness prfessional?

Some time back, researchers at City of Hope Medical Center in California studied two groups of men. Group one ate a high-fat, low-calorie diet. Group two ate the typically government recommended (or Jared sponsored "Subway" model) low-fat diet containing an equal number of calories.

Group one (the guys on the high fat diet) lost 63% more weight.

Surprised?

Right now I can hear you asking, "So, Uncle Steve, what ARE the right fats?"

Contrary to what many would have you believe, animal fats are very healthy...provided the animal in question sustained itself on its natural diet. That means that most of the beef you can purchase from the store, you know the "corn fed" lot raised type, doesn't qualify.

In fact, grain fed beef has about 500% more saturated fat than their naturally raised, grass-fed counterparts. You see, too much saturated fat is not beneficial and can actually be very harmful, while the naturally occuring type is very healthy. And you might not be aware of this: naturally raised meat has the same lipid profile (beneficial Omega 3 to 6 ratios) as that of wild salmon.

There are a whole host of good fats that I hope you will make an effort to add to your daily eating regimen. These include naturally raised animal goods, fish oil, olive oil, coconut oil, walnut and macadamia nut oils, avocados, and nuts.

I also hope you'll join me in doing what you can to eliminate or drastically reduce the amount of processed vegetable oils, like corn or soybean oils, from your diet. These are trash "foods" and will do nothing but damage your system. And if a product your contemplating eating has the word "hydrogenated" in its list of ingredients, just put it back on the shelf or throw it away.

That stuff ain't fit for man nor beast.

Maybe you can oil the hinges of your doors with it.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

Hey San Antonio, are you getting enough of the essentials in your daily diet? - Part 2: Carbohydrate

2008-10-04T08:11:00.005-05:00

Pity the poor carbohydrate. The "whipping boy" of the food world. As a San Antonio fat loss strategy, knowing more about this "red-headed step child" will help you make the kinds of body transformations you want.

Carbohydrates have been given a bad rap over the past several years. And while carbohydrates in and of themselves aren't necessarilly bad, we must endeavor to select the right ones. The real key is to avoid carbs taht elevate your blood sugar and insulin levels quickly.

"How do we do that, Uncle Steve?"

It isn't that hard really. Just select your carbohydrates like God made them...in their natural form. Fruits, nuts, berries and veggies are that form. It also means not eating (or cutting WAY back on) sugar, flour, baked goods, white pasta, soft drinks, fruit juices, refined grains, corn, and starches (including white potatoes).

I like a potatoe as much as the next guy, but I make mine yams or sweet potatoes. Their loaded with nutrients and they won't spike your blood sugar as dramatically. And if you've just got to have bread and pasta, select those brands made from whole grains.

Listen closely to this, however: If you're overweight or diabetic, I suggest you keep ALL grain products out of your diet.

And here's a notice to you folks with the sweet tooth - trying to stop eating or drinking all of those sweets, sugary loaded drinks, breads, and pastas is going to be a tough one. Your mind and body will fight you every step of the way...for a little while. These things are, in many experts opinions, as addictive as heroin or other drugs. But stick with it. After a few weeks or a month, I promise that you will have the look and feel of a totally new person.

This is the one sure method to make the pounds fall off. You will also keep those hunger pangs away and not as severe. And I can promise you a return and improvement to your vitality, energy levels, concentration, and your mood.

Let me plead with you, if you haven't done so yet, to adopt these changes in your diet.

I know you will thank me in the long run.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

Hey San Antonio, are you getting enough of the essentials in your daily diet? - Part 1: Protein

2008-10-03T04:01:00.004-05:00

Listen up San Antonio, as a fat loss expert I'm telling you to be wary of any "professional" or diet that tells you to strictly limit the protein you eat ... or the fat ... or the carbohydrates. You need ALL of these components in your daily regimen. And you need the right kind. Today, let's talk about protein.

Every meal should be based on a healthy source of protein. Protein helps to build, repair, and replace the cells of your body. It is vital for a strong immune system, and it boosts your metabolism and helps preserve muscle when you are dropping pounds.

If you eat meat and dairy, choose products (including eggs, yogurt, cheese, and milk) from animals raised on their natural diet: grass-fed beef, bison, lamb, wild game, and free-range poultry. You should also eat wild, not farm-raised, fish that is known to be free of mercury (such as sardines and wild Alaskan salmon). Nuts and beans are also excellent sources of protein. And if you use a protein powder, choose one without artificial sweeteners. My favorite is Nutribiotic Rice Protein, which you can find in most health food stores.

I encourage you to make it one of your health resolutions for 2009 to build all of your meals around a protein source, and to choose proteins that are as close as possible to what God created.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

A San Antonio Exclusive: Low-Fat Does Not Equate to “Guilt Free”

2008-09-29T03:29:00.002-05:00

Not long ago a group of researchers gathered some volunteers for a study and asked them to sit and watch some television. As they watched, they were encouraged to get comfortable and to enjoy a snack.

The volunteers were offered a choice between two bags of snacks: one was labeled “Low-Fat Rocky Mountain Granola” and the other was labeled “"Regular Rocky Mountain Granola."

Here’s where it gets interesting: The folks who chose to snack on the low-fat variety ate 32 percent more than the folks who decided on the regular granola.

Being the brilliant researchers they were, they repeated the experiment with low-fat and regular chocolate. The outcome? Almost exactly the same!

Here’s the problem as I see it: Just because something states that it is low-fat does not mean that it is a better choice. In fact, quite often it is worse. Why? In order to make up for the taste and satisfaction of the missing fat, the manufacturers must exponentially increase the carbohydrate content.

This is dis-heartening because, per calorie, carbohydrates and NOT fats are the largest contributor to a person gaining fat on their body. And this is especially true of processed refined carbohydrates like breads, pastry’s, breakfast cereals, and soda.

When you choose calorie dense foods over nutrient rich sources, you effectively tell your body that you’re starving. That simple action alone can then change your metabolism so that it will begin to build fat instead of muscle, irrespective of the amount of fat you are really ingesting.

To say that this flies in the face of conventional wisdom and common sense is probably an understatement, but that’s the way it is. The truth is that eating too many “low-fat” foods just because you feel you can afford it is like wearing glasses after you know that Mike Tyson wants to punch you in the face (you know the whole, “you wouldn’t hit a guy with glasses on?” routine, right?)...it ain’t-a gonna work.

You also increase the risk of developing some nasty physical ailments like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. And you increase the risk by a lot!

Here’s the bottom line: Beneficial fat is good for you! Keep eating it. Where do you find this “beneficial fat?” Grass fed, lean red meats and wild, cold water fish are great sources. Raw nuts are another, like walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, and cashews.

Eating those can assure that you are getting some of the true guilt-free snacks. Eat as much of them as you want. You'll get full... and you won't get fat.

I promise you.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

San Antonio: Do NOT buy into these fat loss myths!

2008-09-27T14:57:00.004-05:00

Myth #1: "You can “sweat” fat off your body."
Fact: Lord, give me strength!
The truth of the matter is that losing fat is a multi-faceted process and sweating has nothing to do with it. Bodily fat must be released first hormonally through the bloodstream and THEN you have to burn it. (Hence the "Firestorm" in Firestorm Fitness) If sweating was a successful solution in helping folks effectively lose weight, the state of Texas would be the most highly populated state in the US with the leanest folks anywhere!

*And this is a note to you bone-heads who wear those wraps that make you sweat or those plastic suits:
STOP IT!
They're a waste of time and you look ridiculous.

Myth #2: Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you "bulk up.”
Fact: Aggh! If I hear this one more time...
O.K., I admit it. This one personally drives me bonkers.

Here's the lowdown on this particular myth: FOOD BULKS YOU UP! NOT LIFTING WEIGHTS!

Lifting is merely the signal for the increased calories to go to work. If you're eating enough to stimulate muscle growth, then you will.

Lifting weights on a regular basis is the number one most effective manner to maintain or lose weight. Performing strength training exercises 2 to 4 days a week will not "bulk you up." Only very intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background and LOADS of calories, can build “Arnold Schwarzisnamer" type muscles.

Myth #3: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: WRONG!
Studies have demonstrated repeatedly that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day are much more likely to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four to six meals per day.

Myth #4: Low-fat or nonfat means no calories.
Fact: Please, tell me you don't really believe this?
While it may be true that a low-fat or nonfat food is sometimes lower in overall calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product, most processed low-fat or nonfat foods have just as many calories as the full- fat version of the same food.

Quite often, they contain even more calories.

The reason: We humans like the taste of fat.

If you remove it, foods taste like cardboard. To make it more palatable manufacturers add SUGAR, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after the fat is removed. These ingredients add calories and are actually WORSE for you than the real version.

Myth #5: "I can lose weight while eating whatever I want."
Fact: Welcome to the world of master marketing.
A.K.A. the Atkins diet, South Beach Diet and now the Sonoma Diet. Through effective marketing and hype, marketers (not strength training pro's like yours truly) have "learnt" us that, in order to lose weight, all you needed to do was munch away on anything you pleased...as long as it wasn’t a carb.

Portion sizes or control? Proper meal timing? Quality food choices? What the heck does that have to do with effective weight management?

Everything.

Myth #6: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.
Fact: O.K., this one IS mostly true, but here is the reality:
There are lots of foods that are high in starch; bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some vegetables, like potatoes and yams.

These are generally fine provided you:
· keep it fibrous (unrefined or processed)
· eat them combined with other foods (i.e. protein)
· Don’t overdo it. (There's that portion control again)

Starchy foods cause weight gain when they are eaten in large portion sizes. But you already knew that because eating too much of ANYTHING will turn to fat. They are especially lethal when they're combined with high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise.

Eating a normal, portion relevant amount of carbs is the only way that you can effectively fuel your way through the quality workouts that you need to change your physique.

And don't be fooled by tricks and ploys, like the "carb-cycling" techniques that are purported to work to help release the last few pounds of body fat. For most folks they simply don't pan out over the long haul.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

Healthy Weight Management Habits, San Antonio Fat Loss Success Style

2008-09-25T14:45:00.003-05:00

You say you have a goal to drop some body fat, eat healthy, and to look and feel better. The problem is, you just can't seem to stick to those habits that you KNOW will bring about the big changes you so desperately want.

Well, ol' Steve from San Antonio Fat Loss Success is going to pass along some time tested and proven success strategies that you can put to use TODAY!

1. Several times per day make it a priority to brush your teeth. Think about this from a psychological stand-point: How many times do you feel like eating something right after you've brushed your teeth? Never, right? It would be like washing your car and then immediately driving through a mud puddle. If your mouth feels clean and fresh, you're much less likely to undo it by eating something to ruin that feeling.

2. Five to seven small meals per day. You've heard me say this time and time again. And why? (Repeat after me) "Because it regulates my blood sugar levels, controls insulin and lessens the likelihood of snacking or overeating." Good.

3. Never start the day without a good breakfast. Your mother was right...breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. It's like the foundation on a building, everything builds from there. It jump starts your metabolism, which is primary to your bodies ability to drop the fat. It also keeps your defenses up against the dreaded "high-calorie snack beast" before lunchtime.

4. Be observant, responsible and honestly record EVERYTHING you eat. In doing so there will be not doubt as to why you are either gaining or losing pounds or inches. To further increase the likelihood of adherence to this principle, get an accountability partner, like a trusted friend or family member, to check your work in your log weekly.

5. Measure your portions early. Place the proper amount of food you are to eat on your plate BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN and then place the rest in the fridge. This is an awesome tool to resist the urge for seconds.

6. Follow the 10 minute principle. Let's say you've just finished a delightfully wonderful meal, one for the record books. And in the back of your mind that little voice says, "How about a second helping...not much. Just a little bit!" Take control of that voice and wait just 10 minutes. Recognize this as a craving, a want...and not a need. Most of the time, 10 minutes of time in fact, this craving will go away.

And always remember...the folks who are the healthiest and maintain their optimal weight do not sacrifice and deny themselves. They enjoy plenty of satisfying meals and tasty morsels in their proper perspective and portions.

And you can too.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs. And please visit http://www.safatloss.com/ today.

Hey San Antonio, are you eating candy for breakfast?

2008-09-24T10:38:00.003-05:00

So, you want to sit down to a healthy breakfast...one that won't make you sluggish and will help you to lose fat.

Which of these two would you guess has more potential to create fat storage in your body: a chocolate and caramel Snickers bar or a bowl of whole-grain Grape-Nuts cereal?

The Snickers bar, right?

Wrong.

While they both contain relatively equal number of calories, the glycemic index of the Snickers bar is 41 and the Grape-Nuts is 75.

For those that don't know what the glycemic index of foods is, you can click the link above, but basically it ranks carbohydrate foods according to how much they raise blood sugar levels in the body.

The question is this: Does that mean that the Grape-Nuts have a greater potential to make you gain fat?

According to Dr. Al Sears it does.

Here's why:
"Their glycemic indices (category) show that the Grape-Nuts produce nearly twice as much blood sugar as the Snickers bar. This, in turn, will trigger the production of more insulin. Higher insulin will signal your body to convert a higher percentage of calories consumed into stored body fat. Since the calories are the same, you will build more fat from the Grape-Nuts."

And this is not some under-handed attempt to fool you and get you to believe that Snickers is lower in GI ranking than other bars. Quite the opposite. By simply adding more fat or chocolate, or maybe switch walnuts or almonds for the peanuts and the GI rank goes down even more.

And what about the Grape-Nuts? Are they alone in the "fat gaining" list of cereals? There again, you may have guessed wrong. Grape-Nuts are actually one of the lower glycemic brands.

Other "healthy" brands fair far worse. Total, which is supposed to be VERY healthy, ranks in at 76 on the scale.

What about Rice Chex. Not with a score of 89.

How about my childhood favorite, Kellogs Corn Flakes? A 92. It's a wonder I can fit through a door...

So...should you dump the breakfast cereal for candy bars? Not only no, but NO!

What I'm advising you is what I always advise: Save your starchy carbs (most of which have a high GI) for when you awaken and right around your training time. In other words, if you about to go train, or have just returned from training, then have some cereal. I prefer steel cut oats...but that's just me.

At any other time it is just like downing a candy bar. And when was the last time any health professional advised you to eat candy to achieve successful fat loss?

Well, don't look to me to do it either.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

Honesty...integrity...and your diet.

2008-09-22T04:10:00.004-05:00

San Antonio, am I calling you a liar to your face?

Maybe I am...let's find out. (This post may hurt, so if you're sensitive...you might want to skip today)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently did some research wherein 524 men and women were asked to estimate how many calories they ate each day. Of the group, some were overweight and some had a normal BMI (body mass index). From their estimates the researchers made comparisons to their actual caloric intake, as determined scientifically using a proven method.

Self delusion or pathologic lying?

The verdict? Astonishing might not be a strong enough term.

The subjects, on average, misinterpreted how many calories they ingested daily by 11%.

Let's put that into perspective: If someone believed they were eating just 2,000 calories, in reality they were eating 2,200 calories.

Multiply that by 21 days (three weeks) and you will have eaten more than 4200 extra calories...or about a pound and half of fat.

And that's not even the worst of it.

The folks with the normal BMI? They only miscalculated how many calories they ate by 3 percent.

In essence that means that the overweight folks in the study actually under-reported the number of calories they ate by MORE than the 11 percent average.

Is it any wonder why these folks can't lose the fat?

The reality of the situation is that most people who are overweight are in that position because they eat too much and exercise too little. It's not because of "bad genes", or bad metabolism or any other "bad" thing.

It's quite possibly because of self delusion and lying to themselves...and this research backs up that assertion.

How do we set about fixing this?

Stop lying to yourself, your training partner and, especially, to your fitness trainer.

How? By keeping a record of everything - and I do mean EVERYTHING - you eat. Put it in writing in a journal or notebook.

And it includes EVERY handful of grapes, bite of do-nut, chips, etc. It also includes all of the leftovers you "clean up" from kids plates that happen to land in YOUR mouth.

This will most likely be an uncomfortable, shockingly descriptive eye-opener for you.

My suspicion is that you will discover that you are eating more than you think you have, the steps to break the cycle should include:
A) Getting and following a specific meal plan.
B) Preparing your meals ahead of time.
C) Getting some support from friends, family and training buddies.

Once you find out where the issue is, then you can rectify it. But you must be willing to do the work. And it will require work, make no mistake.

But what a great pay-off in the end.

Steve

Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

San Antonio, listen up: Fat loss is profoundly simple!

2008-09-21T10:27:00.003-05:00

As in most facets of life, the most profound truths are inherently very simple. In fact, many of these areas of life are so profoundly simple that they are either ignored or overlooked completely.

There is one area that causes, in my opinion, more frustration, unhappiness, and potential failure if it is misunderstood. What is this phenomenon?

Everything counts.

Everything.

Not just the things YOU want to count...no ma’am.

Everything!

Everything adds up.

The great German philosopher, Herman Van Goethe, commented once that the greatest invention in his lifetime was double-entry bookkeeping.

That may sound odd to you, but listen to his reasoning. (He was brilliant, you know)

When asked why a simple accounting method had such a profound impact upon him he said that it mirrored in many ways a person’s life. You see, in double-entry bookkeeping, every transaction is recorded as either a credit or debit.

In life, everything you do is either taking you closer to your goals or further from them. In bookkeeping, the more credits or positive transactions a business has, the more profitable that business is and the longer it will stay afloat and prosperous.

As in life, the more positive actions you take you become more healthy, happy and live a more fruitful life.

I recently ate lunch with a friend who is perpetually overweight by thirty pounds or more. When I ask if there is anything I can assist him with, he assures me that he eats nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and drinks only clean water. He laments again and again that he cannot understand why he seems to always be so heavy.

Later in the week I spotted him in a restaurant, unbeknownst to him, and watched him from afar. After his second trip to the desert counter for more cheesecake, and with roughly half of it left on his plate I approached him and mentioned the pastry. He looked me right in the eye, then pointed a stubby finger at the cake and said, “I don’t count that.”

We live in a world where hundreds of millions of people with too much fat on their bodies hope and pray and wish that some things don’t count. But that is a fantasy.

Everything counts, and what you do (or don’t do) is either taking you closer to your fat loss goals or further from them.

It’s up to you.

Steve

Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

Listen San Antonio, fat loss doesn't have to be so complicated

2008-09-20T11:19:00.005-05:00

So I'm talking with one of my clients recently and she asks me, in a rather exasperated tone, "Steve, why does fat loss have to be so complicated?"

The truth is, it doesn't. We make it that way.

Let me see if I can break it down into some simplified, common denomenator steps:

What to eat: Freely eat anything that a Native American could have hunted, caught or gathered. That includes things like wild fish, range fed chicken and beef, buffalo, venison, turkey, fruit, veggies and nuts. Drink only water.
What NOT to eat: Anything that man has altered and/or comes out of a box, a bag, a can, a microwave, or a drive thru window. Do not drink anything that comes out of a can or fizzes.
How to train: Do "big movements" like squats, lunges, deadlifts, push-ups, tire jumping, dumbbell rows, standing shoulder presses, pullups. Make the true focus of your training to get stronger from the inside out.
How to do your cardio: Sprinters, because of intensity, are lean and toned. Marathon runners, because of less intensity, are skinny-fat. Let the reality of that image help you in your decision.

My friend and colleague, Leigh Peele (I highly recommend buying her books!) recently re-iterated this comment: "Lean and sexy people lift weights; fat people do cardio."

It really is just that simple.

And isn't simple nice?

Please, there's no need, or benefit, to over thinking it.

Steve

The "Fat-Makes-You-Fat" Myth Is Only Half Right

2008-09-19T04:44:00.002-05:00

Guest blog by By Jon Herring

Some fats will increase your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease and cause you to gain weight. But healthy fats can not only improve your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk of cancer, but even help you lose weight.

Many processed foods and conventionally raised meats contain high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. While essential in small amounts, too much of these fats can raise your risk of disease and increase the accumulation of fat on your body. Omega-3 fatty acids - found in fatty fish, fish oil, walnuts, hemp seed, and flax seed oil - have the opposite effect.

The Journal of Nutrition published one study where rats that ate diets supplemented with DHA, one of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, had a decrease in body fat mass. Other laboratory studies indicate the reasons for this result. For one thing, DHA prevents undifferentiated cells from becoming preadipocytes (precursors to fat cells). Plus, it inhibits the fat storage capacity of adipocytes (the cells that store fat).

So, not only does DHA decrease the total number of fat cells, it also diminishes the fat-storage ability of existing fat cells.

If you eat a lot of processed food and conventionally raised meats, you are probably consuming far too many omega-6 fats and too few omega-3s. If you are carrying too much fat on your body, that is probably at least part of your problem.

The best source (by far) of DHA is fish oil. NOT flax seed oil. The brand I recommend is Carlson's Lemon Flavored. You can find it online or at most health food stores.

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steve

Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

Cardio vs Interval Cardio and Fat Loss

2008-09-18T16:45:00.003-05:00

Any of you that have known me for any length of time understand that I am NOT a proponent of steady state aerobic training for fat loss. In fact I've told many folks many times that if they want to stay fat, keep doing steady state aerobic training.

Here's a bit of research that might shed some light on this subject:

Trapp EG and Boutcher SH
Fat loss following 15 weeks of high intensity, intermittent cycle training
Fat Loss Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine,
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Here's the basic low-down:
There were 2 groups - Group One did 40 mins of steady state aerobics at 60% VO2 max ( their maximum breathing capacity), three times per week for 15 weeks.

Group 2 did 20 mins (notice: that's HALF the time of Group 1) of interval training (8 seconds of work, 12 seconds of rest x 60 rounds), three times per week for a total of 15 weeks. Just so you know...Group two did just 5 mins total work the first week.

The researchers monitored the eating habits and diets of both groups very closely.

Here's the good part: The steady state aerobic group GAINED half a kilogram (about 1 pound) of fat in 15 weeks.

The interval training group LOST, on average, 2.5kg of fat over the same 15 weeks!

The researchers were very intrigued by the possibilities, so they removed two folks who were already pretty lean (their BMI was less than 20) and the results of the group 2 improved even further. By how much?

An average of 3.9kg of fat! One researcher commented that two women from Group 2 lost 8kg of fat!

So what's the bottom line?

Let's look at it mathematically:
Group 1 (the aerobic training group) GAINED fat.
Group 2 (the interval training group) LOST fat. In fact, they lost almost 8 times as much fat as the steady state group and trained only half the time!

Which group would YOU rather be in?

Steve

Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

10 Strategies to Handle the Impulse to Overeat

2008-09-16T13:17:00.002-05:00

Consider these options the next time you feel the urge to overeat.

1. Define your mealtime. Schedule your meals and make them with a wide variety of foods. Stick to a consistent eating regimen that meets your particular schedule and needs, such as 3 main meals and 2 to 3 smaller snacks. Endeavor to eat each meal in a special place and setting, with a defined beginning and ending.

2. Utilize and practice positive statements. Positive self talk like, “My urge is strong now, and I know it often goes away in just a couple of minutes. Hunger pangs come and go and increase over time. Let’s see how this intensity rates right now versus when it returns.” Or maybe, “I can trust myself. I’m letting my emotions regulate my urge to overeat. I have control over this because I’ve already eaten my regularly scheduled meals.” Another positive response is, “What am I thinking and feeling right now? What other options can I turn this emotional energy into besides eating?”

3. Do not immediately turn to food. Like the diver, whose mantra for success is “Plan your dive; dive your plan” you’ve got to maintain your schedule. Plan your meals and eat your plan. Stick to the plan. Use focus tools and self talk like, “My hunger and full food cues are confusing to me now, so I must stick to my eating schedule.” “Small, more frequent meals have more benefit to me and are more satisfying.” “I must eat to nourish my body in the same way I would give my kids or a friend medicine and good food.”

4. Take a deep breath and relax when the overeating urge strikes. Write down your feelings and thoughts when you feel the urge. Take note of your level of stress, sadness, boredom, anger, frustration or loneliness. Is there some event or situation that sparked your urge to overeat? By doing this you put some distance between the urge to overeat and taking action on that urge giving you time to reconsider and make a better choice. It also allows you to take responsibility for the urge and to have the awareness to become aware as to what is the driving force behind it.

5. Slowly work to break your old eating habits and rules. Let’s say one of your rules states that you can’t eat breakfast. O.K., try eating a little bit. When you start to feel uncomfortable, get up and leave the area. With time you can increase the amount of food you eat and the length of time you spend there until you’re eating a normal, healthy meal.

6. Eat smaller portions of the foods you have been overeating. Since these foods will no longer be forbidden, you’ll probably not dwell on them or become anxious and guilty after eating them.

7. Eat more moderate portions. Let go of diet myths and lies that have up to this point controlled your eating behavior. If you’re not sure just what a standard portion is, use one cup, one-half cup, and one-fourth cup measuring cups, and you’ll learn how much satisfies your hunger.

8. Smaller, more frequent meals is the key. Research and anecdotal evidence reveal that smaller, more frequent meals control blood sugar and insulin so that hunger dissipates and fat gain is minimized. Remind yourself often that 5 to 6 smaller meals eaten daily are more satisfying AND beneficial than three larger meals.

9. Once you’ve finished your meal, find an activity to participate in that involves your body and distracts you mentally. This does not include sitting watching the tube, listening to music or reading. It is things like gardening, taking a walk, organizing your sock drawer. Keep a list of activities handy and refer to them often.

10. Pamper yourself. Plan things you enjoy doing each day, even if you have a limited amount of time. When you’re well-fed emotionally, you’ll be less likely to turn to food.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

I'll keep SAYING it as long as so few HEAR it

2008-09-15T03:29:00.004-05:00

"No amount of hard work can surmount or overcome a crappy diet."

Don't believe me? Try this on for size.

A USDA Horror Story

A researcher named Dr Homann performed a study whereby 56 girls in the South Dakota Department of Corrections, between the ages of 14 and 17, volunteered for a 4 to 6 month program of wellness.

Optimally these young damsels were to exercise for approximately 14 hours per week. That's 2 hours of activity per day.

2 hours.

Per day.

They did things like hike, circuit training, run, basketball and step aerobics. All good stuff, right?

So why is it that after 2 hours per day of exercise that these girls ALL got fatter?

It's because they followed the most worthless piece of nutritional advice ever provided to a human being: the 2003 USDA Food Guide (Pyramid)!

These girls were measured at the beginning of the study and again at the end. The measurements were pretty standard stuff, like:

A mile run for time and step test to gauge their level of cardiovascular fitness.
Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), skinfolds (for % body fat), waist and hips circumference for body composition.
The shuttle run for agility.
Standing long-jump, sit-ups and bench press test for muscular strength and endurance.
Sit-and-reach and the straddle test for flexibility.

Care to guess the results?

As you've probably figured out, the girls did pretty well in the cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, agility, and flexibility realm.

However, their body composition measurements got worse.

Rather than slim down (as you would expect from all of that exercise) and lose a dramatic amount of body weight and fat, ALL of these young ladies made gains!

In fact the average net gain was 6lbs!

They increased the size of their waists by 1/2 inch, increased the circumference of their hips by 3/4 of an inch, and increased their body fat level by as much a .5 percentage points!

I'm the father of two girls, and I can tell you that if I had been responsible for this kind of poor showing after this much expended effort, well...let's just say I would not win "Father of the Year" anytime soon...and I'd probably own stock in Kleenex tissues.

The rules for fat loss never change, no matter how much you exercise:

Eat five to six times a day.
Limit your ingestion of sugars and processed foods.
Eat fruits and vegetables right through the day.
Drink more water and cut out high calorie liquids (beer, wine, soda, etc.).
Focus on eating lean proteins at each meal throughout the day.
Save starch containing foods until after a workout or for breakfast.

I really do not know how to state it any more plainly than that.

Steve

Aspartame aka Nutrasweet...stay away from this junk

2008-09-14T08:09:00.001-05:00

If you think this garbage is going to help you get healthy or lose bodyfat, think again.

Aspartame is the leading contributor of complaints to the FDA. In fact 75% of complaints to that organization are about aspartame. 10,000 folks complained of over 92 different symptoms, the worst of which was death.

This stuff is dangerous, and can be proven so, and should not be used in the slightest.

Natural Honey or Stevia are much better sources of sweeteners that will not damage your system.

And for fat loss, aspartame is NOT your friend.

Steve

Two Kinds of Motivation; One Outcome.

2008-09-13T09:16:00.004-05:00

Finding the time to train can be a daunting endeavor, especially in our fast paced, high speed society. Everyone experiences times where they just don’t feel like crawling out of bed and going to the gym. The real winners do it anyway. The less committed simply hit the snooze bar and roll over.

So how is it that one becomes committed enough to their fitness goals to get up and go for it each and every day?

“Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.”

Don Wilder

We first must learn and accept that excuses simply will not get the job done. Exercise isn’t supposed to be drudgery; it isn’t supposed to take long hours and it isn’t supposed to leave you feeling like a wet noodle. It should invigorate you, charge you up and assist you in your daily tasks.

“But what if I just don’t feel like working out?”

That’s a very good question and I’m glad you asked.

People often do better in a “team” environment. Accountability is a tool many of us can employ to help us to “get over the hump” and get our health and fitness regimens back into gear.

A study done at Stanford University a few years ago found that the number one factor to a successful health, fitness and dietary control regimen was a strong social support network.

That’s right! Social support and interaction was the leading factor in determining the outcome of a structured, well oriented program. It was found to be more important than proper nutrition and more important than even exercise. Why?

The Bible states it this way, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV)

Rudyard Kipling, in his poem “The Law of the Jungle”, put it this way:

“Now this is the Law of the Jungle—as old and as true as the sky;

And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back —

For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”

There is strength in numbers and accountability has many benefits…at least to those who will be held accountable. For those who feel they are above such support, the perils and pitfalls of the human experience await them. What are the names of these perils? Temptation, deceit, a lack of motivation, follow-through or honesty are but a few that come to mind.

And why shouldn’t these infallibilities affect us; after all we’re only human, right?

The internal motivation to complete a task or follow-through on a goal such as fitness or fat loss will only take someone so far. Their degree of commitment to that task is determined primarily by their degree of understanding of the ease or difficulty of the particular task at hand.

In the case of fat loss, another of my colleagues, Craig Ballantyne, put it this way, “Fat loss is easy once you understand how hard it is.”

If someone undertakes a fitness or fat loss routine without taking into account the level of determination, perseverance, effort and consistency it will take to succeed, they may become quickly overwhelmed or frustrated and stop forging ahead.

For our purposes here, I’m going to discuss two basic types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Two Motivations, One Outcome

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

- Jim Ryun

Basically, intrinsic motivation is when I am motivated by internal factors, like a desire for a leaner physique or greater sports performance capability. Intrinsic motivation drives me to do things just for the fun of it, or because I believe it is a good or right thing to do.

As an example, most people's hobbies are intrinsically motivated. Notice the passion with which people collect small decorative bits and pieces or build detailed model cars. Sadly, few people carry that same passion into their workplace.

On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is when I am motivated by external factors, like the scale showing I’m approaching the weight of a baby elephant or a doctor’s report indicating that my blood pressure has elevated to a level where it will soon be shooting out my eyes. Extrinsic motivation drives me to do things for tangible rewards or pressures, rather than just for the fun of it.

A few simpler examples are supermarkets that use loyalty cards and discounts, airlines that use air miles, companies that use bonuses and commissions. Extrinsic motivation is everywhere.

There is a strange paradox of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Typically, intrinsic motivation is a far stronger motivator than extrinsic motivation, yet external motivations can easily act to displace intrinsic motivation in the short term.

This is what makes social support so important; the element of accountability to those whom you have designated with which to be held responsible. How does it work?

There are many examples, but let’s use this one:

Let’s say you’ve decided to get into shape and to lose 15 pounds of body fat by the start of the year; January 1. Let’s also say it is now September 1st. You buy some books on fitness and fat loss, join a gym and get started. For two weeks everything is going as planned. Then you wake up one morning and “WHAM!” you just don’t feel like you have it in you today.

Now what?

If you’re relying solely on self motivation (intrinsic) you may find yourself saying, “I can miss ONE day. What will it hurt?”

However, if you have the accountability of a spouse, close friend, business partner or perhaps a training group in whom you have informed your desires (goals) and have given permission to hold you accountable, the likelihood of your staying in bed just went way down.

That’s extrinsic motivation or what I call the strength of the pack in the wolf.

Hopefully, in the end, the outcome is that you get up, get to the gym and train. This is one of the secrets to both the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps and The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program.

If you’re ready to lose the fat, I have answers.

Steve

Obesity and Consumer Debt: Do we Live TOO Hand to Mouth?

2008-09-12T04:48:00.002-05:00

Although I‘ve never seen any data concerning the relationship of obesity levels and the rate of consumer debt, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put some of the pieces of the puzzle together.

In the year 2005, the rate of consumer debt was 950 billion dollars. By 2006 that number had risen to 1 trillion dollars. To put that into perspective, that is $3333.333 per person living in the United States.

The corollary to this is the rate of growth in obesity in the U.S. It is estimated that between 1976 to 1980 obesity levels averaged about 14.5 percent. Between 1988 to 1994, the level had grown to 23 percent. From 1999 to 2004 the estimated level of obesity had reached an average of 30.5 percent. Does this look like a direct reflection of the rate of consumer debt increases?

Here’s a neat little program that illustrates the level of growth over the years: http://health.msn.com/reports/obesity/

And this may only be the tip of the iceberg. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) analyzed data from health surveys, which are used to estimate obesity levels in states. Because people tend to provide incorrect information about their weight and height, especially in telephone surveys, the researchers concluded that estimates of obesity in individual states have been too low, by more than 50 percent. Their study, which corrects for misreporting in those surveys, appears in the May 2006 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Based on this new understanding of the survey data, the authors found that, on average, women tend to underestimate their weight while men do not. When it comes to height, young and middle-aged men tend to overestimate their height more than women in the same age groups. In 2002, the corrected prevalence of obesity in the U.S. population was 28.7 percent for adult men and 34.5 percent for adult women, more than 50 percent higher than previously estimated.

The research, which presents the first-ever corrected estimates of obesity for individual states, found that Southern states have the highest levels of obesity in the country. Using the authors' corrected data for 2000, the highest obesity levels for men were found in Texas (31 percent) and Mississippi (30 percent). For women, Texas (37 percent), Louisiana (37 percent), Mississippi (37 percent), District of Columbia (37 percent), Alabama (37 percent), and South Carolina (36 percent) led the pack. States with the lowest prevalence of corrected obesity for men in 2000 were Colorado (18 percent), District of Columbia (21 percent), and Montana (21 percent); for women, Colorado (24 percent), Montana (25 percent), and Massachusetts (27 percent).

What are we really dealing with here? Is this a lack mentality, where we feel that because of any number of influences (Madison Avenue marketing methods, keeping up with the Jones’, etc) has us believing that we don’t have all that we should? Or is it simply a lack of discipline?

Whatever the reasons, the issue is growing…no pun intended. What, therefore, is the best way to combat it? Epictetus, the ancient wise-guy, said, “Contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants.” The Bible puts it this way, “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” (Psalm 107:9) and, “Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble.” (Proverbs 15:16)

So does that mean that we aren’t to strive to better ourselves and to seek provision? No. However, I think it means that if what you are seeking is some external “something” to fill the void in your life where you feel empty, whether it is food or some material object, then you will either go broke or explode.

Marketing experts have an understanding about your weaknesses and use it to their advantage each and every day. That weakness is this: Humans are predisposed to purchase (or eat) emotionally and justify it logically.

Please read that again.

Do you really NEED a Mercedes 250 SL, or do you want it? Do you really NEED a second or third home, or do you want it? Please understand, if you have been blessed to make enough to afford these types of things and they won’t place an emotional or financial burden upon you, go for it. On the other hand, if you’re deep in consumer debt, why dig any deeper?

The same applies to health. Do you really NEED second helpings or do you want it? Do you really NEED dessert after your meals, or do you want it? Occasionally is fine, but just because you were poor as a kid (or had older brothers who always got the most food, or …(fill in the blank) doesn’t mean you have to live that way now. You are in control of your life and health.

Remember this: You have the power to choose. However, once the decision is made you become a servant to that decision. Does that make sense?

Now, what decision will you make with respect to your level of health and fitness?

New classes for the Firestorm Fitness System Fat Burning Fit Camps and The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program are starting soon. Why not give yourself the gift of health and fitness?

Steve

Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

Can exercise alone change someone’s body make-up?

2008-09-11T04:31:00.006-05:00

I’ve been telling you for quite some time now the cold hard truth of fat loss: No amount of hard work can overcome a crappy diet.

Apparently I’m not the only one who’s noticed this.

In a recent study of almost 100 people who were inactive when the program began, about half remained sedentary and the other half took up resistance and cardio training.

The exercise group was given a training program that equaled to roughly 5 1/2 to 6 hours of activity a week and which lasted for 12 weeks. The folks who didn’t exercise just showed up to have their measurements taken until the 12 week study was completed.

Take note: NO ONE in the study trained or exercised prior to the study. It was determined that this fact alone contributed to the folks averaging 35% and 40% body fat. This is also significant because people who have never worked out, who are then put on a resistance training regimen usually ALWAYS make some great measureable gains.

Read on...

The folks trained as a group in this fashion each week: 3 resistance training days and 2 interval training days. These sessions were designed and supervised by some qualified folks.

The interesting aspect of this study is that no guidance or rules were given on eating or nutrition to any of the participants. The study was done to see just what exercise only would have on a person’s frame and body makeup (fat percentage, lean tissue composition, etc).

In other words: Can exercise alone change someone’s body make-up?

Or, “Can exercise alone REALLY overcome a crappy diet?”

12 weeks went by and you know what they found out?

They discovered that even someone who’s never exercised before (and in a body that should respond to the stimuli like crazy) made essentially no changes what so ever to their body’s compositional makeup!

None!
Nadda!
Nix!
Bupkis!

Does that shock you? Because it shouldn’t.

It’s like I’ve told you again and again, if you want to make changes to your physique and lose the fat, you simply must get control of your eating habits. This study has proven that.

Imagine going through 12 weeks of intense resistance training for an hour 3 days per week, and then hitting the cardio equipment for two hours. Five days a week of training for up to 6 hours for 12 weeks, (by the way, that’s 72 hours worth of time) and for what? The study showed the average individual lost just 1% of body fat.
Statistically speaking that equals about 1 pound of fat lost and 2 pounds of muscle gained versus the sedentary folks.

What? 12 weeks of hard labor for just 1 pound of fat lost?

I’d be really, really, RE-AL-LY ticked off.

The rules are the same as always:

Eat five to six times a day.
Limit your ingestion of sugars and processed foods.
Eat fruits and vegetables right through the day.
Drink more water and cut out high calorie liquids (beer, wine, soda, etc.).
Focus on eating lean proteins at each meal throughout the day.
Save starch containing foods until after a workout or for breakfast.

I’m here to help folks. You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers. If you’re not seeing the results you deserve, check out The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program, the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, or one of my personal training programs by e-mailing me here. I guarantee, if you’ll do exactly what I ask, you will get results like this:

So...what are you waiting for. Click the links above now and let’s get started on YOUR new body.

Steve

Don't you believe it!

2008-09-10T12:48:00.001-05:00

Why High Fructose Corn Syrup Deserves Bad Press

You may have seen one of these ads recently on television touting High Fructose Corn Syrup as "natural" or just like sugar.

Don't buy into it. It's a lie.

The sweetness you taste in many foods comes from corn, not sugar cane. Which means you could be eating a lot of HFCS daily. And we're not just talking about soft drinks and bags of bread or cookies.

You'll find the ever present sugary liquid in things like yogurt, sports drinks, and herbal teas.

Why is this a big deal? Because HFCS is linked to a variety of health problems.

Here's an example: Dr. George Bray found a connection between this artificial sweetener and obesity. And though it's true that HFCS is not the only cause of obesity, it's certainly one of the contributors.

Another researcher, Dr. Meira Field, fed lab rats a diet high in HFCS. The rats experienced significant health problems, including anemia, delayed testicular development, and fatal heart conditions. All of the rats died before reaching adulthood, and their livers resembled those of alcoholics. They were cirrhotic and plugged with fat.

Here's a few hints to avoid HFCS:
• Drink water or homemade tea instead of soda.
• As much as possible, avoid pre-packaged products and eat whole, unprocessed foods - in other words, food that grows naturally.
• When considering pre-packaged products, read the label before you buy.

Stay away, far away, from this garbage, unless you want to remain overweight and sickly.

Steve

Steve, can I have a smoothie?

2008-09-09T11:52:00.003-05:00

You may think smoothies are a better, healthier option to soft drinks. After all, smoothies are just fruit in a blender…

What could be wrong with that?

A lot, it turns out. Here's the lowdown:

1) Size: Smoothies often vary in size from 16 ounces to 40 ounces. Let me put that into perspective; an 8-ounce smoothie is equal to about three pieces of fruit. Do you regularly eat fifteen pieces of fruit in one sitting?

2) Processing: Many of the valuable ingredients contained in whole fruits and vegetables, things like fiber, anti-oxidants and vitamins, are destroyed in the process of making a smoothie.

With their growing popularity, you can buy smoothies anywhere – including many local grocery stores. Grocery stores are renowned for their shortcuts to efficiency, and that means most of the smoothies are highly processed. What’s more, if the fruits and vegetables aren’t certified organic, there’s a good chance you’re consuming a cocktail of pesticides and other environmental toxins.

3) The carbs: A report published overseas found that a single serving of a popular smoothie contained over five teaspoons of sugar, beating out a can of Coke. Yum!

To review: smoothies may come from natural ingredients, but those ingredients are often packed into abnormally concentrated amounts. Some smoothie makers even add artificial sweeteners – high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in particular – further reducing the health benefit.

And high-carb smoothies WILL pack on the pounds. When you blend fruits you very much increase the rate that your body can absorb the sugar. Even something that’s normally healthy, such as a carrot, takes on the fast sugar characteristics of a soda when you puree it.

Diets high in fast release carbohydrate are linked to higher rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Sugary high-carb foods produce a spike in your blood sugar level. This in turn triggers an insulin response.

Higher insulin levels tell your body to start storing fat. And the more fat you’re signaled to store, the greater your eventual obesity. And it only gets worse from there… Obesity leads to heart attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure, even joint pain from the additional weight.

The good news? The reverse is also true; a low-carb intake equates to lower heart risk. The New England Journal of Medicine reported results from Harvard researchers involving 80,000 women over the course of two decades. Those who followed a low-carb diet reduced their risk of heart disease by 30 percent.
Results of another study by U.S. and New Zealand scientists, also released last year, showed that about 3 million heart disease, stroke and diabetes-related deaths are caused by high blood sugar levels each year worldwide.

One of the authors noted that the only way to raise blood sugar is by consuming sugars and refined carbohydrates. So packing a single beverage (like a smoothie) with a high concentration of sugar, regardless of that sugar’s source, isn’t a great idea.

If you’re looking for a cool, refreshing drink that won’t add inches to your waistline, combine freshly squeezed lemons, oranges or grapefruit into ice water. If you need to sweeten it up, try Stevia extract. It’s the only sugar substitute that’s not toxic or linked to side effects.

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

The "A-List" and "B-List" Veggies

2008-09-08T03:52:00.003-05:00

San Antonio consistently ranks high on the "Fattest City in America" list because of one thing: Not enough people eat their vegetables. Well, as a service to the community, here's some advice:

Eat all you want (yes...that's ALL you want) of these very healthful, "A" list vegetables...
All dark green, leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale)
Artichokes
Asparagus
Beets
Bell peppers
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Fennel
Green beans
Jicama
Mushrooms
Radishes
Salad greens
Snow peas
Tomatoes
Winter squash
Zucchini, summer and spaghetti squash

"B-List" Veggies
Eat no more than one to two servings (one-half cup each) daily of these vegetables, which are higher in starchy carbohydrates and calories...
Jerusalem artichokes
Parsnips
Pumpkin
Rutabagas
Sweet potatoes
Turnips
Water chestnuts

Steve
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

Attitude

2008-09-07T10:26:00.001-05:00

by Charles Swindoll

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skills. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

What is your attitude with respect to fat loss?

SP
Steve Payne is San Antonio's premier fat loss expert. If you're really serious about fat loss, then please consider San Antonio's finest fat loss "boot camp", the Firestorm Fitness Systems Fat Burning Fit Camps, The 28 Day Miracle Fat Loss Program or you can e-mail Steve here for more information on his many GUARANTEED success programs.

5 changes that can make a difference

2008-09-05T16:12:00.003-05:00

Changing our perspective about weight loss is just as important as living it out! We live in a “Do it/Want it Now!” culture. When we apply that mindset to our weight loss journey, we find ourselves losing the race. But a slower, steady pace of making one change at a time can result in us not only crossing the goal line, but in staying there and not losing ground.

Take a look at the 5 eating changes and 5 exercise changes below. Decide which one you will begin with on each list this week. Once you have achieved that goal, add another change into your program. Applaud each accomplishment! It won’t be long and you’ll begin to see the results!

5 Eating Changes That Can Make a Difference

Begin to cut back on sugar in your coffee or tea. (Do the same with the milk or cream.)
Use less or no butter and mayo.
Let fresh, raw veggies replace chips for lunch and snacks.
Add one new food every week to your meal plan. Variety will keep you on your program.
When eating out, start ordering half portions or ask for a “doggie-bag” at the beginning and divide half of the meal into it before you start eating.

5 Exercise Changes That Can Make A Difference

Add working out with a buddy once a week.
Plan to take the grocery cart back to the store when you’re done unloading the items you bought.
Force yourself to walk longer distances by parking your car further away from your destination such as the mall, grocery store, drug store, theatre, etc.
Take the stairs over the elevators or even escalators every single time.
Consider your chores another chance to get in some activity.

Start with one item at a time and work on it. Add one each week WITHOUT dropping the previous habit. Fat Loss Success will soon be yours!

Steve

10 Realistic Little Tips to Make a BIG Difference in Fat Loss

2008-09-04T04:41:00.001-05:00

The problem many of us have in losing body fat is that we’re usually more efficient in wishing for a slimmer physique than actually attaining one. Most of us actually try too hard, going to extremes that are either ineffective or detrimental to our progress. Here’s a piece of advice from one who has witnessed many folks succeed in becoming one of the triumphant “losers”: Take it easy.
The extra weight you may currently be carrying is likely the result of many small behavioral actions, like eating between meals or driving to places that you could easily walk to instead. Losing the fat may really be as simple as adding some extra activity, as well as some small clever activities, into your day. These activities include actions taken in your diet, exercise and attitude levels.
The addition of several of these examples into your day will do nothing more for you than help you to obtain your fat loss goals sooner than you had previously planned. By themselves they are not very powerful. However, bunched together they add up to a giant supplement on the road to success. Give them a shot and watch what happens.

Fidgeting. Those who habitually squirm, toe-tap or play the drums on their desks burn, according to some studies, up to 800 calories a day. That’s like running several miles! If you’re not a naturally fidgety person, don’t try to become one. You’ll only succeed in frustrating yourself. Instead, try doing things that make you move more, like changing the channels on the television manually or parking at the opposite end of the lot from your destination.
Sharing. Most restaurant portion sizes are HUGE. Try cutting down by sharing. And if the thought of eliminating deserts is simply impossible, at least share them with someone, or several someone’s.
Write down everything you eat and drink...and be honest. Instead of wondering why you are gaining or not losing weight, it will soon become evident. If you want a little more incentive to watch what you ingest, get a friend or family member to agree to hold you accountable and to check your "food journal" once a week. And while we’re at it, water is what flows in rivers; not soda. That’s why you should drink water. Often.
Don’t eat foods from their original containers. It’s easy to fool yourself into believing you’re having “just a tad”, but you’re not as smart as you look. Measure out what it is you want and let that be the end of it. The best bet is to keep “weakness” foods out of the house altogether.
Go grocery shopping on a full stomach. Nacho chips, donuts, cookies and pies don’t have half the allure they normally do when you go grocery “hunting” on a full stomach. You can enhance the experience by strictly shopping from a list and allowing yourself only one purchase that is not pre-planned.
Make mealtime smarter, not harder. Before you sit down to dinner, put the amount of food that you would like to eat on your plate and put the rest in the refrigerator. This will discourage you from going back for seconds.
Take only a limited amount of money. This is simply insurance against impulse or reactionary purchases. It also helps you to develop discipline.
Swear off elevators and escalators. Stairs are built for walking. They are your friends. Use them.
Police your speed of eating. Put your fork down between bites and enjoy the moment. The more slowly and thoroughly you chew your food when you eat, the faster you’ll feel satisfied and full. If you still feel like seconds, use the “10 minute rule.” Wait ten minutes. The feeling will probably pass.
Establish a time-out routine. Take a time out half-way through your meal. Sit back and just breathe for a few moments. Here’s a trick: put a pot of water on the stove to boil. It will take about ten minutes. When it does, get up, fix a cup of herbal tea. When you get back to the table, you probably won’t feel like eating much more.

God bless,
SP

10 Nutrition Tips to Ensure Your Success in Losing Body Fat

2008-09-03T04:57:00.002-05:00

Eat breakfast. Your mom was right. Breakfast is critically important to your success. A properly proportioned breakfast will help you to regulate your blood sugar levels, help you to control and balance your energy level, and help you to manage those afternoon and evening cravings for processed junk, like chips and sweets.
Eat small meals and snacks throughout the day. By eating small meals and snacks throughout the day you avoid the typical spikes and dips in energy levels that may lead to “quick fix” eating, which is usually junk, just to get something in you. This type of plan also helps you to avoid eating that giant meal in the evening.
Start with protein. Too many of us eat too little protein during the day and then try to make up for it in the evening with a 16 ounce T-bone. Build your meals around a healthy portion of a protein source and your body and overall health will thank you.
Color your plate. Fruits and veggies. Grow up and eat them. A lot.
Make fat your friend. If what you want to purchase has the term “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” as one of the contents, put it back on the shelf. Healthy fats, like those that come from avocados, olives, eggs, salmon, lean beef and such are very good for you and will actually assist you in losing excess fat.
Eat it like God made it. We need vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, enzymes and more from our food. The best sources, bar none, come from naturally occurring foods that are fresh from the ground, off the vine, plucked from the tree, right out of the air, water or on the hoof. As close to their natural state as possible, just like God made it. Why would bread need to be enriched from its original version?
Yumm, fiber! Cheeto’s don’t have it. Neither do Twinkies. You need it. It comes from whole food sources (See #4 and #6) so get it in you. The effect of too little? Well, let’s say it makes sitting in the smallest room in the house very uncomfortable.
Post workout nutrition is smart. Progress from your workout sessions takes place during recovery. In order to recover you must replenish what is lost during the workout. A protein/carb combo shake or meal is a great place to start and will boost your way to success and transformation.
Plan your meal, eat your plan. Every diver knows this mantra: “Plan your dive and dive your plan.” Our days and meals should be as well thought out. Plan your meals ahead of time and then stick to the plan. When you plan ahead, your grocery shopping experience can become an opportunity to break bad nutritional choices.
Smarter snacks. Most pre-processed and packaged snacks contain all sorts of horrid fillers and such, of which one of the worst is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). If you’re serious about losing fat, avoid this stuff like the plague. How? If it comes in a box, bag, sack, container or has had the “hand of man” process or prepare it in any way, don’t put it in your mouth. This goes for liquids as well. There’s a reason God made rivers of flowing water and not soda.

God bless,
Steve

10 Mental Tips to Ensure Your Success in Losing Body Fat

2008-09-02T15:02:00.002-05:00

Figure out where you want to be. We do this by establishing specific, definite goals with deadlines for their attainment. We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?” By specifically determining what you want to look like and what you want to accomplish in the coming months you increase your likelihood of success. However, this is not the end of the process. You must work backwards from your deadline and conclude what you must to do this month, this week, and especially today to reach your long-term goals. Use daily goals like stepping stones en route to your long-term goals. The more specific the better. Clarity creates clear vision.
Create a strong enough “why.” In order to be successful in losing body fat you need to establish why you MUST achieve success. This goes deeper than decision making and action. It is the real reason, the absolute “why” you are going for it and sticking with it. “I want to lose weight” is a rationale. “I want to lose 40 pounds of body fat so that I don’t die at an early age like my father and so that my children have a positive role model for their lives” is a reason with a powerful “why.”
Develop your sense of self-awareness. In order to achieve success and satisfaction in any endeavor a noteworthy first step is to improve ones self-awareness, regardless of the skill, goal or endeavor wanted. The requirement to better understand yourself and how you tend to act, respond, think, and feel in response to various stimuli will enable you to enhance or improve yourself and your eventual performance and outcome. Make every effort to become more fully aware of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally so that adjustments in your attitude and approach to situations can be anticipated and adapted readily.
Be kind to yourself. As our minds progress throughout our day, it is estimated that we think roughly 70,000 thoughts. Of those, it is predicted that almost 75% of them are negative in nature. Taking responsibility and control over our “self-talk” enables us direct the path in which our conscious minds lead our powerful sub-conscious mind. Negative self-talk and “limiting belief systems” do us no justice and lead us to nowhere. Talk to yourself in an encouraging, uplifting manner in every situation. How would you talk to your best friend? That’s how you should talk to yourself.
The power of “Now.” Plan for the future, but be here now. Life happens one moment at a time, so work toward your goals on what you can do now. It is quite easy to become embroiled in the past, to relive past mistakes. The land of “shoulda, woulda, coulda” does not exist, except in our minds. It’s a place I do not recommend visiting. There is no changing the past; learn the lessons from it and move on. It is also easy to be distracted by what might be. “If I lose this weight; what if I cannot reach my goal; will they accept me?” There is no crystal ball for predicting the future. What you can control is your attitude and actions right now. Your thoughts, attitude, behavior and actions are what you have control and authority over right now. Therefore, point your physical and mental energy in that direction.
Practice the “as if” principle. If you expect to be 20 pounds leaner then begin to act as if you are there already. How differently will you walk when you reach your goal? How will you talk? Breathe? How will you dress? If you expect to reach your fat loss goal then acting “as if” creates an expectant attitude and gives your subconscious mind a pattern of behavior to follow. If you expect to train in the gym with focus and intensity, you need to practice with focus and intensity while there. If you are going to expect yourself to overcome obstacles to your progress, practice overcoming obstacles. If you are going to expect yourself to deal with mistakes in reaching for your goals, use practice to figure out how to physically and mentally deal with mistakes. I’m sure you follow the thought pattern. Therefore, train the mind and body as they both work in unity as you strive to attain your goals.
Never cease the learning process. Frequently evaluate and learn from your experiences on a regular basis. It can be after each meal, training session, end of the day or week. It doesn’t really matter as long as you are consistent as well as persistent. The goal here is to identify what you are doing well and then continuing to do it. Learn from strong performances, not so strong performances and from bad performances and then apply these lessons to future endeavors.
Be aware of the price of your goals. Setting goals properly is relatively simple compared to measuring the cost of their attainment. Everything has a price tag; whether it is measured in time, money, a change in relationships, behavior or lifestyle. Weighing the cost of attaining a particular goal is crucial to following through to the end the necessary steps to its achievement. What is the cost of your goal? Honestly answer that question and you can decide before you embark on the journey to reach it whether the cost is too high, if another goal is in order or if you need to re-evaluate the importance of the goal.
You must be willing to pay the price. Having a goal and daring to reach for it are commendable in and of themselves. But they are not enough to obtain one. In order to do that, this rule walks side by side with the previously mentioned rule. Knowing the price of a goal, and being one of the few willing to pay for it are two distinctly different matters. I believe it is why most books are never completely read, many marriages never succeed, contracts are broken and goals are not reached. Daily, sometimes hourly, consistent action taken toward the obtainment of the goal is what will see you through to its fruition. This mentality is akin to renting a home verses buying a home; the only way to build equity and receive a return on your investment is to pay the price to the end. Vince Lombardi’s goal was to build the best team in the NFL. He did so several times with a lifetime coaching record of 105 wins and just 35 losses. He put it this way, “You’ve got to pay the price.”
Have fun. I don’t really need to elaborate on this one, do I?

God bless,
Steve

10 Fitness Tips to Ensure Your Success in Losing Body Fat

2008-09-01T15:13:00.006-05:00

Weight train. Training with weights builds muscle and that will elevate your metabolism. Muscle is "active tissue” and has a demonstrable energy demand in that the body’s need to burn calories for energy must be constantly met, even while you’re resting. In other words, muscle burns calories around the clock just to maintain itself. How many calories? Some estimates range from 10 calories to as high as 100 calories per day per pound of muscle. For the sake of argument, let’s say the actual number is somewhere in the middle. Picture how much energy you will "automatically" burn just by adding five pounds of new muscle this year. And when I say energy, think of it as the body’s fat stores.
Train heavy. The body responds best to stimuli which places an “overload” on the muscular structure so that the demands of training elicit a muscular growth or restructuring experience. This rebuilding should not necessarily be associated with “bulking” or gaining muscular size, although that is a possibility. It should rather be thought of as “density of muscle”, where muscle “replaces” fat and produces a leaner and more efficient, constant energy consuming physique.
Train with intensity. Intensity means “concentration”, “purpose” and “passion.” When you go to the gym, don’t go there to chat or lollygag, just get the job done. There will be time for talk later.
Train movements, not muscles. Train the way the body moves to successfully recruit the maximum number of muscles and joints. The more muscles you recruit in training, the more muscle you stimulate to grow in strength, size and density and the more energy you demand from them. For example, squats recruit much more muscle than leg extensions. Underhand grip pull downs recruit more than biceps curls.
Train with strict form and technique. The shortest route to any path is a straight line. One of the quickest ways to deviate from the path of weight training and fat burning success is to compromise form and technique. Strict adherence to this rule will result in your maximum potential for success.
Utilize HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for “cardio” to complement weight training for maximum fat loss. Many research studies have proven that performing your cardio in an interval training fashion produces superior results over steady state or slow paced aerobic style workouts. And it produces them more rapidly, as well.
Warm up before and cool down after training. This does not mean getting on a bike or treadmill for three minutes before moving on to the bench press. The use of dynamic warming techniques will effectively prepare the muscles for movement and ensure you train injury free. Cooling down afterwards helps to speed recovery.
Use a foam roller. Foam rollers are like getting a massage for pennies. They help prior to training to further prepare the muscles for activity and afterward in the cool down process. They are relatively inexpensive (about $20 to $40) and well worth it.
Stretch. Stretching cold muscles is not recommended and can be counter-productive to progress. After the dynamic warm-up and foam rolling, stretching a muscle necessitates preparation for lifting and movement. Following the training session, stretching assists in the cool-down phase of the session. Stretching is a vital phase in the recovery, as well as the every day preparedness and functionality of the body.
Don’t over do it. Too much of a good thing is usually detrimental. Over doing it in weight training leads to a condition known as “over-training” which is characterized by an overall feeling of “achiness”, sore joints, a loss in appetite, sleeplessness as well as other uncomfortable physical or mental responses. Train hard and smart for about thirty to forty minutes, four to six times per week and recover the rest of the time. Your progress will be steady and your success will be assured.

God bless,
Steve