Since weight loss, working out or “getting healthy” are the most common New Year’s Resolutions, I feel the need to have a rant. Obviously I, and all of us here at Life Fitness Academy, think that health is super important—I made a career out of it because it consumes my thoughts most of the time. Which brings me to my first point: If you are serious about getting healthy, you need help.

We have time to think about workouts and food and recipes ALL DAY LONG. You have a job and families and friends to also think about. A trainer can give you direction, help you make a plan, set goals or just kick your butt when you need it. Trainers will save you valuable time ruling out things that don’t work. You don’t want beach season to come around and realize that “switching one thing a day for a Yoplait Light” isn’t cutting it. Nutrition is beyond crucial to whole health and weight loss or gain. Lucky for you all, we are obsessed with food and will talk all day about the benefits of certain foods and how to best prepare them, saving you hours scouring the internet for “healthy recipes.” If nothing else, a trainer will keep you accountable. Which is point number two: Don’t quit.

Unfortunately, there isn’t one easy, fast miracle weight loss solution. It is simple, though. You have to train hard and eat better. The other unfortunate thing is that it takes time. You aren’t going to healthily, safely, and permanently lose weight in a matter of weeks. On numerous occasions clients have commented on my legs and how they want their legs to look like that. Well they didn’t happen overnight. You might forget that I was a competitive gymnast my entire young life. I was in that kind of gym four days a week for three hours a day until I was 16. Then I ran track for nine years, a couple of those years overlapping. I’m not encouraging that kind of craziness for the normal population, don’t worry. What I’m saying is that for your best body, you need to give yourself time.

Don’t stress about losing three pounds exactly every single week or whatever. Don’t even bother with a scale for a few weeks–or months even. The first weeks feel the worst and you don’t need any negativity slowing you down. Instead pay attention to how your clothes are fitting and how you feel. With exercise and the right food you won’t be worn out, you will be more energized! It’s not only that energetic people are trainers; the lifestyle leads you in that direction naturally. Which brings me to my last point: don’t get bored.

So many people who resolve to get healthy think they have to go and jog on the treadmill for an hour, then stair climber for half an hour and then fart around on the bike for two hours. Kill me now. You don’t need to waste that much time on your fitness. A trainer will help you find the most effective way to use your free time to reach optimum fitness. Whether it’s a 30 minute lunch break workout with me, and I suggest a 2 mile run the next day after work, or an intense hour long boxing class with Russ or whatever insanity Terry has cooked up for you, make it work with your life. I know you’re busy and have tons going on, but in the grand scheme of things, what’s a couple of hours a week to focus on your body? Your body is what keeps you running around to all that other stuff you have to do, ya know.

Make 2012 your healthiest year yet! Ask for help, give yourself some time, don’t give up and make it fun! Reward yourself when you reach goals. When you accomplish something, take a day off and relax, get a massage, buy some smaller pants–anything! Your couch and Taco Bell won’t miss you, I promise. Get in the gym now so you can rock that bikini or speedo (yikes! just kidding!) this summer!

By: Ashley Dance

Are you asking yourself, what is peak 8? Or telling yourself you can’t last through high intensity interval training?

Let me put your mind at ease, if I can do it you can do it! Your max is just that, your max. So when you reach it, and you will, you have achieved the purpose of the class. Is it hard? Absolutely. Is it worth it? You bet!

You see the science that supports HIIT and peak 8 is pretty amazing. Anything that will stimulate the natural HGH or youth hormone is worth a shot. HIIT will give you the competitive edge with fat loss you are looking for. Better yet in our classes we are only spending 30 minutes a day doing it. That’s all it takes to lose significant inches and fat!

We will also spend time working on those lateral muscles that get over looked by nearly every trainer and training program out there. This will reduce injuries and promote balance and stability.

Holiday melt down is a class with fat loss guarantees but maybe even more amazing is the way it will make you feel. Endorphins, confidence and a trimmer more energetic you. That’s a class worth attending, and if you are worried about not making the class do to your holiday schedule we are going to start the class for 8 wks after Christmas.

Also we encourage you to check out Dr. Mercola’s research on peak 8. Go to mercola.com and type peak 8 into the search.

You made it to the last week! That’s great, I knew you could do it! This week will be a mixture of body weight and isometric exercises.

Monday
100 chin ups
50 hanging leg raises
200 pushups
300 jumping jacks

Tuesday
7 tiger moves 3 minutes each

Wednesday
100 banana crunches
200 side plank pushups
300 jumping jacks
100 squats
50 one leg squats per leg
50 pull ups
25 hanging leg lifts

Thursday
Repeat Tuesdays workout.

Friday
500 jumping jacks
300 pushups
100 chin ups
50 hanging leg raises
100 couch dips

Saturday
7 tiger moves 4 minutes each

Mix it up anyway you like, just stick to the numbers and get it done!

If you have been following along with our fitness challenges you find this one somewhat familiar but a little extra challenging. I have added something to keep it interesting, as per some requests. Given that there are some “weighted exercises” you will need to have some things. 10lbs free weights. 5lbs free weights and of course a pull up bar.

The order will change on this challenge every week. We do this to confuse the muscles, keeping them challenged at all times.
If you have questions about the isometrics please watch the 7 tiger moves video that is on this site. We can answer other questions or send pictures to you if you drop us an email. Now let’s get to it!

Monday
15 min. Run (optional)
25 pushups
100 sit ups
25 bench/couch dips
10 pull ups
Repeat 2 x’s
Advanced double your reps! This should only take 20 minutes. So hurry!

Tuesday
10 min jump rope
Isometrics
7 tiger moves (watch the video) do each exercise for 2 minutes.

Wednesday
15 min run (optional)
10lb weights:
10 bicep curls
10 reps wide (or W)
10 reps in front (prison style)
10 reps with twist (start with weights at your side, as you lift towards your shoulders twist them away from
Your body)
10 reps hammer curls

5lbs combo
2 min of frontal to side raises with the weights
Lift your arms straight over your head in front of you. Lower your arms the repeat at your sides.

2 min chest press
Laying on your back either on the floor or on the fitness ball. Press weight above your chest using the 10lbs free weights.

1 min each arm tricep kickbacks with the 5lbs
Bend over and hold the elbow tight against your side; lift weight moving only at the elbow and wrist.

Thursday repeat Tuesdays workout

Friday
15 minute run (optional)

25 weighted squats w/ 10 lbs
15 1 leg squats per leg
X’s 2
Advanced, use heavier weights or double the reps.

2 pushups
2 pull ups
2 hanging leg raises
2 dips
Repeat this in a circuit for 10 minutes.
Move quickly!

Saturday repeat Tuesday Thursday workout.

Let us chart your progress. Send me your name and your results for the week every Saturday and I will post them on our fitness challenge chart. Now get busy!!!

Here we are ready for another fitness challenge! Are you ready for the next level in your workout? It will be difficult. If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be called #2.

This 4 week program will be challenging but I have confidence that you all will be successful. Set some goals for yourselves and get ready to get busy.

This challenge officially starts Monday the 14th of June and will run us for one month. Ending July 14th. I want you to do this at least 3x’s a week. I will be doing it 6x’s a week for maximum results. Be reasonable and keep track of your progress.

Exercise 1
Jump rope!
Week 1: 3 sets at 2 minutes
Week 2: 3 sets at 4 minutes
Week 3: 3 sets at 6 minutes
Week 4: 3 sets at 8 minutes

Exercise 2
Hanging leg raises!
There are 3 ways that are acceptable.
Knees to elbows.
Toes to bar.
Knees to bar.

Week 1: 5 sets of 3
Week 2: 5 sets of 6
Week 3: 5 sets of 9
Week 4: 5 sets of 12
See pictures below.

Exercise 3
One arm push-ups
Week 1: 5 sets of 3 per arm
Week 2: 5 sets of 5 per arm
Week 3: 5 sets of 7 per arm
Week 4: 5 sets of 9 per arm
See picture below

Exercise 4
Full extension close grip pull-ups
Week 1: 5 sets of 3
Week 2: 5 sets of 5
Week 3: 5 sets of 7
Week 4: 5 sets of 9
See picture below

If this seems easy to you or you try it and find some things easier than others. Then go ahead and ad 2 to the specific set. This is highly recommended for the guys doing the challenge. Ladies if you are having trouble doing the full extension pull-ups, please use some type of slight assistance. If that doesn’t do the trick try a regular pull-up and push to get lower then 90 degrees till you reach your goal of full extension.

If you have any questions leave them in the comments and we will help you out! Good luck.

So, many of you have been asking us how to get over the plateau for weight loss.¬† You have hit a stretch with no weight¬† loss and would like to jump start it again. ¬† We would like to suggest a fast.¬† I know “fasting” is confusing, but hear me out. ¬† We are suggesting a Fuel Fast.¬† With this fast you can enjoy the benefits of fasting without hunger and cravings.¬† You can either fast one or two meals.¬† Fasting is also good to help rid your body of all the toxins, build-up and extra “junk” stored in your bodies.¬†Good¬†things can happen to our health when we eliminate what we typically eat and drink and exchange them for ideal amounts of foundational nutrients. These include nutrient-dense superfoods, complete plant proteins, non-grain low-glycemic carbohydrates, amino acids, essential fatty acids, pre- and probiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, therapeutic herbs and other healthy nutrients.¬† ¬†The Fuel Fast is for anyone who wants to transform their health. It promotes detoxification, regeneration, peak performance, weight optimization, and accelerated release from unhealthy cravings.

Another way to help in this process is journalling.  According to a 2008 study of 1,700 dieters, published in the the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, dieters who write down everything they eat in a diet diary or food journal lose twice the amount of weight compared to those who don’t. This also applies to your general health and fitness goals.  For this specific fast, we are suggesting Living Fuel products.

Here are some “fast tips” for proper fasting:

• Replace breakfast or another meal daily with LivingFuel SuperGreens, SuperBerry Original or SuperBerry Ultimate. Once you’re confident that your LivingFuel meal will provide hours of sustained energy levels without hunger or cravings, then you’re ready to replace another meal. Some people prefer to FuelFast two meals a day; others replace all their meals with LivingFuel.

• To extend energy and the time between meals, add fresh vegetables, fruit or juices, organic coconut milk/oil, CocoChia Snack Mix or LivingProtein to your LivingFuel Smoothie.

• Try a great-tasting CocoChia bar within 30 minutes of your LivingFuel smoothie.

• Drink plenty of water, herbal teas and SuperCoffee. Avoid eating or using caffeine between meals or within three hours of bedtime.

Living Fuel:  www.livingfuel.com

If you are interested, you can contact us for product information and purchasing.  (lifefitnessacademy@gmail.com).

Click here to watch a video about the LivingFuel Fast.

Well, let me tell you a little bit more about me, for years I was under weight and didn’t think a thing about it. I ate what I wanted when I wanted to and rarely ever ate healthy. I was working out but without any knowledge of what I was doing. Besides not knowing what I was doing, I sure didn’t know how to eat. I persisted to ask every guy that looked semi-in-shape for advice, but to no avail! If they knew, they sure weren’t telling me anything. After I got married, (nearly 10 years ago) I switched jobs and left my electrical and maintenance background and opted for the life of landscaping.

This change was inspired by the overwhelming need for sunlight, being trapped in a dark factory wasn’t the life for me. My wife and I (Carissa) were happy to be together. One day after a doctors appointment my wife told me that the doctor was worried about her breast health. She had a high probability for cancer, that certainly got our attention! But we did nothing for two years, after which we had our first child. At this time, my best friend’s mothers’ health had failed her and after several strokes and many prayers she passed. My best friend, Tim from www.ettlt.com handed me a book, the book was the Maker’s Diet by Jordan Rubin. This was the first book of its kind that I had seen, but after I had read it and conversed with Tim he said these words that echoed in my head for days after ‘if I had read this book years ago I believe my mom would still be alive”.

This was the beginning of something new for me as I started removing things from my family’s diet… starting with conventional, pasteurized dairy. This was significant because at the time our 1 year old was dealing with chronic ear infections and was up against ear canal surgery. We changed milk and saw a chiropractor, problem solved. He hasn’t had a problem with his ears since, he is now 6 years old! The hard masses that my wife was dealing with in her breast tissue had diminished so much that she hasn’t had any problems at all since the switch.

It wasn’t soon after that, I started questioning everything and doing lots of research on whole, organic, and raw foods. I spent a lot of time in my basement office reading and searching out content. I received my certification as a nutrition specialist and personal trainer around this time as well. It started out as just a way for me to better understand what I needed to do in my boring workouts and escalated into a full desire to teach. I pursued this passion by leaving my job of now 5 years trying to make my passion an income. I failed, then retried in a new state. Once I started in Nashville TN, I soon accumulated clients, but I was still under weight mind you.

This is where I began my whole health transition, I came up with a plan right around october of 2008. This plan was to gain weight without any “gainers”, whey proteins “mass builders”, or anything else that was unnatural. I wanted to gain weight using the Maker’s Diet “phase 3″ the way I have been eating for 4 years at this time. My goal in gaining weight was to:

1) get to my perfect weight
2) gain and sculpt my body
3) use this as an example of weight control for education

So off I went from November 1st to April 29th I ate 6 meals a day, followed by a tough 6 day a week training schedule which included marathon training. I would get up in the morning and have.
3 eggs
2 pieces of turkey bacon
2 pieces of sprouted cinnamon and raison Ezekiel toast
Mid-morning
2 egg protein shake
Lunch
2 Applegate Farms all beef hot dogs on yet more Ezekiel bread
Mid- afternoon
banana and maybe another protein shake
Dinner
Protein (chicken, fish or beef)
Vegetable (anything green
Starch (white or sweet potato)

Before bed
2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on sprouted Ezekiel bread

I went from 145 to 205 pounds like it was my job… because it was my job. I did all that with training for a half marathon, eating nothing but organic all natural whole foods, a lot of those foods mind you. That is 60 pounds in 6 months! On purpose! Well, here is the kicker, after I ran the half marathon (pictured below) I went on the Maker’s Diet and started at the bottom “phase one” and it wasn’t long before I had dropped 20 pounds. Long, being, 3 weeks!!!

I now rest at 180 and after doing the 40 day Maker’s Diet again (as I do do it every year) I am now at 176 but that’s not even the point (recent picture below). The point here is that you have control if you educate yourself. If you are wondering how to do that, that is where I want to help. It is not a great mystery of calorie counting and portion reduction. Those things can help but are not practical for everyday life. As where eating to the “diet”, as it were, you will be able to sustain your weight and balance your pH levels, insulin swings, toxins, immune health, vitality and a whole slew of others that I don’t have the time to list (because my hand is cramping from all this typing).

There are few other trainers out there that will promise you that and guarantee your weight loss and total body change, I can help you because I have done it personally and have seen it through in the life of my family as well as scores of clients!

Here are my numbers

11/01/08
145
16% Body Fat

04/29/09
205
23% Body Fat

03/20/10
176
9% Body Fat

Feeling better than ever and looking like it, if do say so myself.

Chances are, yes… If you are answering the question above. But you are most likely not eating enough. It seems like everyday I see people who never have breakfast or eat breakfast and then nothing again till dinner. You must eat to lose weight, but more than that you must eat so you don’t send your body into “starvation mode”. This will only complicate things more.

When you are not eating and then on top of that eating NON-nutrient dense foods then you are fooling your body. Making it believe that this is all the nutrients it going to get, this will send it into store/starvation mode. This is when the body will store everything for fear of not getting any more. So you will store everything from good carbs to bad carbs, fats and oils, vitamins and minerals all this on top of or in your fat. The little nutrients you are getting will be burnt quickly for energy leaving the harder to burn toxins from bad foods and chemicals to be burnt later. This will compound the problem if you are looking to lose weight and achieve whole health, taking you longer to lose or to start losing the weight.

Calorie restrictions are fine just don’t obsess about the amount but do worry about the nutrient density. If you reduce calories make sure the calories you are getting are so packed full nutrients that you can feel it. Trading your soda for kombucha, coffee for water, nutri-grain bar for grass fed eggs and turkey bacon. Eat more and more nutrient dense foods often, you will retrain your body and start using the fat that you have store. Your body will actually start thriving instead of surviving, you will lose weight before you even step into the gym.

Eating well also helps you finish your day strong or get through that tough work out with that annoying trainer You will also save energy for digestion and your immune system. This will give you a much higher quality of life as well as the energy to live it.

Try eating every 3 hours but eating foods that don’t have labels, you know? Real raw foods. Throw in some cooked treats to but nothing starchy or with any sugar or sweeteners at all. Ask us how we can help you more!