Toronto fitness trainers: 11 short secrets for successful restaurant eating

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I have some clients that work in sales and spend a lot their time “wining and dining”.

Some of them eat almost every single meal at a restaurant.

While I can tell you that a client with this type of lifestyle is not always a favorite of most personal trainers, I like a challenge, and I’ve come up with some killer strategies for successful restaurant eating.

You can read 11 of them right here:

1. Choose the right restaurant.  On our recent trip to Mexico we discovered the unadulterated evil that is the all-inclusive format.  Our dinners were “a la carte” and quite reasonable, it was at the breakfast and lunch buffets that things really came off the rails.  Wherever possible, go with cooked to order over a buffet.  Can you make good choices at a buffet?  Absolutely, if your the type of person who can stand in front of a delectable smorgasbord of delicious food and say “no” to pretty much everything. 

Look for places that include more detail in their menus, maybe even nutritional information.

2. Stick to the plan.  If it’s your “one night a week” or your cheat day or something like that, go nuts.  But if you eat out a lot, try to keep the pattern of complete meals consisting of a lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and fibre.  Salmon, sweet potato, veg.  That’s the kind of thing you’re shooting for.

3. Don’t show up hungry.  This might seem a tad contradictory at first.  Weren’t we always taught not to eat before dinner because we’d “spoil” our appetite?  The larger problem is missing the frequent meals and snacks I recommend to keep blood sugar balanced and stimulate metabolism.  If you show up overly hungry, you’re that much more likely to dive into a bread-eating bonanza, or fill up on appetizers.

4. Don’t drink your calories.  Liquid calories ain’t free.  They provide little in the way of nutritive value or metabolic boost but add up to a lot of extra points in your “calories-in” column.  Try sparkling water with lemon or lime instead.  If you’re in a situation where you feel it’s necessary to drink, order one, propose a toast so the person your with sees you drink, then push it to the side and get down to business.  That’s why you’re there, isn’t it?

5. Watch the appetizers.  Especially avoid anything fried, breaded or dipped.  If you feel tempted, you can ask to have the bread removed from the table.  Just know that some appetizers come with more calories than your main course!

6. Sauces on the side.  Always ask for sauces and dressings on the side.  Avoid the thick and creamy ones.  Dip, don’t pour.  As much as they contribute to the taste, most sauces and dressings pack a huge whallop of calories and fat that your body will soak right up.

7. Don’t be afraid to make special requests.  My friend got Denny’s to make him an egg white omelet.  I think that pretty much says it all.  You don’t get unless you ask.  Most places are happy to oblige.  The last time I was at Starbucks the person in front of me ordered a “Venti, sugar-free, non-fat, vanilla soy, double shot, decaf, no foam, extra hot, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with light whip and extra syrup”, and then sent it back when he discovered the ”whip” wasn’t light.  Don’t be too shy to ask for something as simple as to have your vegetables steamed instead of fried.

8. Ask how it’s prepared.  For goodness’ sake, you have a right to know!  I know something else: they won’t tell you unless you ask.

9. Sloooooowwww Dooowwwwnn.  That says “slow down.”  We metabolize better when we eat slowly.  In addition, there’s a bit of a lag time for a neurotransmitter to make it to your brain and inform you that you’ve eaten sufficiently.  You’ll be much less likely to overeat if your eat slowly.  This rule applies everywhere, not just in restaurants.

10. More veg.  Ask for a second serving of vegetables or salad instead of rice or potatoes, especially in the evening.  In this way, you are filling up on fiber, but eating a lot less calories and carbs overall.

11. Desert.  Go for a bowl of fresh berries and fat-free yogurt.  This is a great-tasting, low-calorie and low-glycemic index alternative to eating something sugary.  Plus, you won’t feel as left out if other people are enjoying desert.  Get hooked on the long-term high of feeling sexy, and forego the short term buzz of eating sweets.

Remember, nothing tastes as good as fit feels.

If you don’t believe me now, get really fit (I mean like in the shape of your life), and I’ll ask you again.

And before you start saying “that all sounds good , but I can’t do any of that stuff,” think again.  I want you to dump that nonsense because it’s holding you back.  What you can and can’t do is entirely your decision.  It’s not anybody else’s.  So dump the head trash at the curb where it belongs and get on with the business of getting fit!

That’s all for today, have a great week and I’ll touch base next week from Dublin, Ireland!

Live Strong and Healthy,

Conor Kelly
EVOLUTION FITNESS – PERSONAL TRAINERS TORONTO
(416) 220-7883

P.S.  Our next outdoor boot camp at Rosehill Reservoir near Yonge/St.Clair starts June 11!

Designed to boost your metabolism and jump start your fitness program, it’s 4 short weeks that I know you’ll love!

Register by going here:

http://www.MyTorontoBootCamp.com

 

 

Personal trainers Toronto: “this cardio workout is 9 times more effective”

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Now that summer is unofficially here, you’ll be looking for ways to be more effective with your workouts, without spending as much time in the gym.

If that’s you, today’s post will be just what the doctor ordered.

I’m revealing a cardio workout that is proven to be 9 times more effective than regular cardio.  Not only does it help you burn more fat, but it’s dynamite on those problem areas.

In my seminars I talk about the “over-aerobicisers” of the world and their resultant “skinny fat” condition.  That is to say that one should not ignore the proper framework needed to make any fat loss strategy effective, which includes challenging muscle to boost your metabolism.  It’s also not intended to be a substitute for eating well.

When those things are in place, however, All Out Bursts (AOB’s) can have the following super cool benefits:

  • Induce “fight or flight” to get you burning a lot more fat
  • Train parasympathetic recovery, which improves recovery in general
  • As a result of the healing compounds released, reduce inflammation and balance hormones, allowing for even greater long term fat release
  • An increase in the number of oxidative muscle fibers, leading to even great long term fat loss

Sweet, huh?

How does this work?

Once upon a time, a prehistoric man was walking through the forest.  There were many trees and thick foliage, and a river rushing loudly in the nearby ravine.  The combined effect of these natural distractions made it so that the man was gleefully unaware of an approaching bear.   When he happened upon the huge beast, he was caught off guard, and immediately frightened. 

His survival instincts kicked in.  While he was debating whether to fight or flee, his body was preparing for either alternative.  It began producing high levels of catecholamines such as noradrenaline and norepinephrine (think of these as your body’s fat-burning hormones), which, in the short term, would give his body much greater access to stored fuel (of which stored fats are an example).

As it turns out, the bear was also startled, and fled back into the trees.  After some time, when the external threat was no longer present, the man’s parasympathetic nervous system endeavored to calm things down in his internal environment, swiftly bringing his heart rate down to normal.  It released compounds in his body to speed healing and recovery.

The man went on about his day, not realizing what a physically transformative experience he’d just lived through.  But he carried with him a heightened sense of well-being throughout the rest of the day.

The moral of the story?

If we are successful in inducing a state of fight or flight in the body, we’ll not only enhance cardiovascular health, but lay the groundwork for enhanced recovery and fat loss, both in the short term AND the long term.

Are you ready to find out how to do this?  Ok, here we go…

STEP 1.  After a brief 2-4 minute warm up, try to stabilize your heartrate for 3 or 4 minutes at 60% of your age estimated maximum heartrate (220 – your age = MHR).  Got it?

STEP 2.  Perform a 12-second AOB (All Out Burst).  This means that for 12 seconds only, you go as fast as you possibly can, and as hard as you possibly can – hold absolutely nothing back.

Remember our prehistoric man and the awful fright he received when he encountered the bear?  If we are to be successful in engendering a strong parasympathetic response, we must not ignore the emotional, or “fear factor” component to fight or flight.  Psych yourself up!  Build up the suspense in the moments preceding the burst, and then go totally apes**t (pardon my French).

If you’ve done this adequately, you’ll most likely experience a sort of giddy or slightly euphoric feeling.  If nothing else, you’ll just plain feel good.

N.B.  I would not recommend you do this on a treadmill, (1) for safety reasons, and (2) because the ramp up when changing speeds makes it impractical.  My preference is to use a stationary bike, although the elliptical is ok as well.  You could even do your steady heartrate portions on the treadmill and do the burst portions with squat/presses using a medicine ball.  It’s mainly about achieving that all-out effort.

STEP 3.  Perform another 2 to 4 minutes in around 60% of your MHR.

You need only use 2-3 AOB’s in any given workout.  Doing more is not necessarily better.  The AOB portion of your workout will last anywhere from 6 to 12 minutes.

“Is that all??” you say.  Yes.

If you wish to undertake a longer duration workout, switch to a steady pace after 10 to 12 minutes, and continue for an additional 10 to 20 minutes, including a 30-second interval at 90% (not all-out), about every five minutes.

I have personally incorporated this technique into my routine with very happy results, and have received similar feedback from clients.

While the old fashioned, “steady state” cardio workouts also have their benefits, high-intensity interval training and AOB’s are the latest science.  Make these a part of your overall health plan, and I promise you’ll enjoy numerous benefits.

That’s your breakthrough for today.  This is Dr. Fat Loss signing off.

Happy Fat-Burning,

Conor Kelly
EVOLUTION FITNESS – PERSONAL TRAINERS TORONTO
(416) 220-7883

P.S. This strategy is just the tip of the iceberg. 

To find out how a truly integrated program can help you bust through a plateau and completely change your life, request your complimentary BREAKTHROUGH Session ($150 Value)!

Call us at (416) 220-7883 or go here:

http://personaltrainerstoronto.com/1699-2.html

Personal Trainers Toronto: “5 foods to STOP eating now”

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I’m still on a “Stop it!” kick since my last post.

If you haven’t seen the video, it’s a riot.  Watch the video here.

With a mind to what you should not be doing if your goal is to lose fat, here are (in no particular order) 5 foods to stop eating now:

1. Bread.  I never eat Subway sandwhiches unless it’s a cheat meal.  Why?  One reason…Jared.  You know him, he’s the guy on the commercials that lost 150 pounds on the Subway diet but still can’t take off his shirt in public.

 

Sandwhiches may be convenient, but breads are high glycemic index, which means they’re a great, easy source of fuel for your body.  In other words, eating bread prevents your body from using other sources of fuel, such as your fat stores!  Not to mention the fact that wheat is now considered to cause inflammation in the body, which also contributes to making you fat.

A dark rye or pumpernickel bread is tops, but I’d still avoid bread as a category.  Worst choices?  English muffins and bagels.  My apologies to the English and uh…well who invented bagels anyway?  Don’t get me started on the French with their croissants!  Shame on you!

2. Snack bars.  I had a client once who seemed to be doing everything right and getting no results.  That was until I found out he was eating three Powerbars a day.  Most snack bars on the market are packed with sugar and hydrogenated fats, the most fat-producing combination on earth.  You might as well eat a chocolate bar with a huge dollop of peanut butter in most cases.

People are usually shocked when I call out Granola Bars as being public enemy number one. 

The only exception to this rule are the Shaklee Cinch bars we recommend, because they contain no trans fatty acids and are sweetened with fructose, as opposed to sucrose and its derivatives, making them extremely low glycemic index.

3. Evenings.  This one’s not so much a question of what you’re eating, but when.  As general rule, you don’t want to introduce too many calories at a time when you can’t also show them the way out!  Metabolism slows in the evening, increasing the chances you’ll store more fat.

I have a simple rule, no carbs after 6PM.  It’s black and white.  It leaves little room for interpretation.  Which is what you need, because big dinners and night snacking are massive progress killers.

4. Liquid calories.  I do realize you don’t eat liquids to begin with (or maybe you do), but this is an important point.  You’ve seen the slogan “Guiness for strength”, right?  It’s absolutely true.  What they don’t tell you is your strength advantage comes from moving up a weight class.

Alcohol converts to fat in the body almost faster than anything else.  If there ever was one thing you could give up that would bring you a long way closer to your fat loss goals – as much as it pains me to say it –  it’s booze. 

Fruit juices and smoothies provide little in the way of actual nutrition, but spike insulin, readying your body’s hormonal environment for packing on the pounds.  You might as well drink a coke.   Just saying!

5. Soups & cheeses.  It occured to me my popularity must be waning with each successive point on this blog, but whatever, we’ve come this far! 

“Oh, c’mon!  What could possibly be wrong with soup?!”

A couple of things.  First, it depends what’s in it.  They’re often made with oils.  If it’s store bought, you may not know what’s in it.  The broth is high in sodium which encourages water retention.  Depending on the broth, it may also fall into the category of empty calories, like the other liquids above.

With the exception of non-fat cottage and riccota cheeses, most cheeses are high in saturated fat.  As such, they’re not the ideal snack or protein choice.

Conclusion.  Wow, I may have just ruined your life with this blog!  Sometimes though, instead of searching for what else you can do to get faster results, you need to take a serious look at what you’re already doing that’s preventing you from success.

I’m curious about what you may have stopped that’s made a real difference to your results.  Please leave any feedback or stories you have in the comments section.

Live Strong and Healthy,

Conor Kelly
EVOLUTION FITNESS – PERSONAL TRAINERS TORONTO
(416) 220-7883

P.S. Another thing you could stop doing…and that’s to stop procrastinating and call us today for your complimentary BREAKTHROUGH session!

Call (416) 220-7883 or visit

http://personaltrainerstoronto.com/1699-2.html

We’re here to help!

 

 

 

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Toronto personal trainer: 3 things you should STOP doing if your goal is to be fit

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FYI, it’s your last chance to register for our “4 Week Transformation” Boot Camp which starts May 11 at the Rosehill Reservoir.

Get all the details here:

http://www.MyTorontoBootCamp.com

We’re almost sold out, but have just a few spots left.

Switching gears a bit for today’s content, I’d like to share a really funny video that also makes a great point.

Take a minute and watch it here (it’s worth it):

My Comments:

While the video is certainly meant to be a parody, it makes a good point.  Often times we live with behaviours that we know are not supportive to our happiness and success.  We could all use someone like Bob Newhart’s character to tell us to “Stop it!”

I’ve often discussed the significance of the 80/20 rule as it pertains to getting fit.  Twenty percent of your actions generate eighty percent of the results.  In my many years as a coach, I’ve observed cases where if the person would have just stopped doing one thing, they’d have everything they ever wanted.

This is very personal.  You could probably make a huge impact on your fitness results by changing one simple habit.  In my experience, this is usually the thing that you least want to change or stop doing.  Bummer.

In my last post I wrote about personal responsibility and being honest with yourself.  If you were being really honest, what is it that you should stop doing?

These next three apply to all of us:

1. STOP making excuses.  “I don’t have the time.” “I don’t like to exercise.”  “I like to eat.” “I have to drink when I’m entertaining clients.” ”I don’t feel like it.” “I’m stressed.” “I’m [insert nationality], we have to eat a lot, it’s in our genes!”  “I have a slow metabolism.”  The list goes on and on.  One of my favorite mottos is “reasons or results”.  At the end of the day, you can either have the result you want, or lots of reasons why you didn’t get it, but you can’t have both.  Personally, I’d rather have the results.

2. STOP looking for the one-shot wonder.  There is no single, pill, diet plan, shake mix, exercise program, piece of equipment, or therapeutic mode that can get you fit.  It’s about making a lifestyle change, pure and simple.  It’s about setting priorities, and having standards for yourself.  The magic is in the process.  When you understand this, you’ll already be way ahead.

3. STOP resisting.  Stop worrying about the outcome.  “If I get fit, I won’t be able to maintain it, and that’ll make me feel worse.”  Turn yourself over to the process fully, be willing to accept change, and you’ll get the results.

I hope that was helpful.  I know for the rest of the day if I catch myself doing something or thinking something that doesn’t support me in reaching my goals, I’m gonna slap my wrist and yell “stop it”!

Good times.

Live Strong and Healthy,

Conor Kelly
EVOLUTION FITNESS
(416) 220-7883

 

 

 

Personal trainer Toronto: How to lose 23 pounds in 9 weeks

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We host internal body transformation contests among our clients once or twice per year.

It’s just a great way to make things fun, generate some excitement, and provide additional incentive for getting fit.

Today’s content is the continuation of last week’s.  It’s a brief video interview with our Fall Body Transformation Winner (Boot Camp category), Rob Smith.  Rob lost a remarkable 23 pounds in 9 weeks during the course of the contest, and hasn’t looked back since.

In the video, he shares some insight on what helped him succeed.  As before, I’m including my comments in point form so you can get the most out of this power-packed three minutes.  What better way to learn and be inspired than to hear from the people who are “in the trenches” and having success with their body and health goals!

Take a minute and watch the video:

Evolution Fitness Body Transformation Winner II
My Comments:

1. Formula.  I was laughing my butt off after this interview.  “They’re gonna think I planned this.”  In my last email I suggested 9 out of 10 transformation contest winners would have a similar explanation for their success.  Rob’s answers to my questions were basically identical to Marlee’s.  That’s because there’s no mystery here.  There is a formula to this.  It’s the same as what we teach.

The prospect of winning three months of boot camp made Rob very coachable, and he followed our recommendations without question, just as Marlee did.  No need to reinvent the wheel.  Follow a proven process.

2. No alcohol.  Don’t shoot the messenger!  Rob credits reducing his alcohol consumption for a big chunk of his results.  Every type of alcohol is liquid sugar and easily stored by your body.  Cutting out alcohol altogether can be a huge boon to your fat loss program.

3. Nutrition “mostly”.  I feel like a bit of a broken record, but Rob focused mostly on his nutrition.  Nutrition is “numero uno” for fat loss.

4. Be honest with yourself.  Well said, Rob.  Being personally accountable to the results of the program is your first step.  You must acknowledge what needs to change in order to change it.  Just as Marlee did, Rob cites keeping a nutrition journal as being essential to honesty. 

5. Weekends.  Rob talks about how things sometimes fall apart on weekends, especially with the nutrition.  In fact, many people use the weekend to basically undo all the great progress they’ve made during the week.  Keeping a journal throughout the weekends is one of the ways you’ll know if that’s what’s happening.  It’s great to have a cheat day, but most of us can’t get away with straying from our healthy ways for two whole days each week, especially if the goal is to lose fat.

It’s not just overeating or alcohol consumption that are the offenders on the weekends, but we’ve noticed many people interrupt the pattern of frequent meals and snacks we recommend.  Often they’ll consume only 1 or 2 meals on those days. 

6. Protein days.  The nutritional strategy that helped Rob the most.  For a full explanation on how to use protein days, click here.

7. Have a weekly cheat day.  Any program based on deprivation is destined to fail.  Rob said it best, “you have to live a little”.  Balance discipline with a reward system.  That way you get the best of both worlds.

8. Develop a routine.  Rob describes his boot camp workouts as being “part of my life now”.  That’s exactly the approach that is the most productive.  Work out a schedule and stick to it religiously.

9. Focus on benefits.  Notice that when Rob talks about his workouts he doesn’t refer to “how painful it is”, or “how exhausted you get”.  Instead, it’s “the best part of [his]day”, “it really clears [his] head” and gets him started on the right foot.  This is a central concept in our programs.  Weight loss happens over time.  In the short term, it’s about finding something about the process you enjoy, even if it’s just a feeling of wellbeing or increased clarity.

10. Focus. Period.  Both Marlee and Rob defaulted to talking about attitude when asked to provide advice.  I found that very revealing.  Starting the process with the right mindset is everything.  Be excited, be committed, be determined.  Put all your focus on the goal.  Let it become a wonderful obsession.  This is what Napoleon Hill called having a definite chief aim.  This kind of focus is the most transformative.

I hope you enjoyed our video interviews, I know I learned a lot.  Thank you Rob and Marlee for sharing your stories and congrats again on your amazing achievements!  We’re proud of you both!

Go out there and make today a win for your fitness program.  Knowledge is not power unless you apply it. 

Good luck!

To Your Success

Conor Kelly EVOLUTION FITNESS PERSONAL TRAINERS TORONTO (416) 220-7883

P.S.  Looking for a fitness and nutrition solution that’s complete, effective, affordable, and FUN?  Join our boot camp!  Call (416) 220-7883 or visit

http://www.MyTorontoBootCamp.com

To request a FREE trial today!

 

Personal trainers Toronto: “How to drop 12 pounds of fat in 9 weeks”

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In today’s content I’ll share a great story of one of our trainees who participated in our boot camp and personal training programs.  In this brief interview she discusses what she did to lose 12 pounds of pure fat and win our Fall Body Transformation Contest.

I’ve also included my comments in point form to help you glean maximum value from this content rich video.

Watch the video here:

 Evolution Fitness Body Transformation Winner 1

My comments:

1. Nutrition comes first.  Marlee credits changes to her nutrition as being the most impactful to her results.  You can’t out-train a bad diet.

2. Planning.  For the small amount of effort it takes, this is one habit that has the power to transform your daily nutrition quickly.  Planning, preparing, and being equipped with supportive eating options each day is essential.   Almost without exception, every fit person I’ve ever met does this. 

She also talks about scheduling her workouts.  When it’s not scheduled, you can come up with almost any excuse not to do it.

3. Eat the same stuff.  Marlee more or less ate the same stuff every day.  Not particularly exciting, but the body does respond to consistency.  Eating the same stuff also dramatically simplifies step #2.  You know what groceries to get, and how to prepare your meals quickly.  When you’ve reached your goals, and supportive eating has become a habit, you can start looking for more variety. 

Almost every successful body transformation we’ve had could be attributed to the person finding out what meals work best for them and sticking with a uniform plan long enough for serious results to occur.

4. Protein days.  Marlee talks about how much her results accelerated when she incorporated protein days, three days out of each week.  These work by removing an energy substrate (starchy carbs), thus temporarily encouraging your body to utilize more of your fat stores as fuel.  The body adapts to this quickly and downshifts metabolic hormones, so we’re keeping this low carb/high protein approach to three days per week only.

5. Keep a journal.  Marlee describes journaling as a key habit that allowed her to stay focused.  One recent study indicated that people who track their eating habits lose weight twice as fast.

6. Accountability.  It’s too easy to rationalize and get away with stuff when you’re accountable to yourself.  It’s why people join gyms and never go after the first six weeks or so.  Knowing you need to explain yourself to a coach that has certain expectations can be annoying, but let’s face it, it keeps you honest.  Our program is designed to keep people accountable to their words and their actions, and that’s a big reason why we have so many successes.

7. Efficiency.  “The whole program has showed me how to work out most efficiently,” says Marlee.  Exercising and eating right is a good start, but it’s not a protocol.  With our program you’re getting a proven process to follow.  It’s been designed and tested with one goal in mind: dramatic physical improvement.  It’s not arbitrary, there’s no guess work.  Follow a proven process.

8. Mindset.  “I was determined to win.”  Whether you’re in a contest or not, having the right mindset from the word “go” will ensure your own personal victory.  Take small steps to build your confidence, but mostly, just go for it and don’t look back!

Thanks for this Marlee.  A lot of great takeaways here.  Follow Marlee’s lead and you’ll be that much closer to the outcome you want.

To Your Success,

Conor Kelly
EVOLUTION FITNESS – PERSONAL TRAINERS TORONTO
(416) 220-7883

 

 

Fitness Trainers Toronto: Uno, Dos, Tres…Arriba, Arriba!

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Happy Friday.

Hope you’ve had a great week.

Things have been a little hectic since I got back from Mexico, but I did manage to put together this brief video inspired by the aqua fit instructor at our resort.

It’s a quick, anywhere/anytime, no-equipment, fat-blasting workout I filmed by the pool.

Take a minute and watch it here:

Outdoor Workout

You can use this when you travel or on a day like today when you just want to get outdoors for your workout.

Have a great weekend,

Conor Kelly
EVOLUTION FITNESS
(416) 220-7883

P.S.  If you’ve been thinking about it, now’s a great time to get involved in one of our programs.  April 20th starts our Spring Body Transformation Contest.

You can win a free program just for getting in great shape over the next 9 weeks!

For details, call us at (416) 220-7883 or schedule your complimentary breakthrough session by going here:

http://personaltrainerstoronto.com/1699-2.html

Fitness Trainers Toronto: “Fat-Burners: Are they effective, or a waste of money?”

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Back when I started working out I had a really bad case of Silver Bullet Syndrome.  Allow me to explain.

I was a small kid.  A musician in high school, I used to wear my hair long, with a leather jacket and ripped jeans.  Because of my flowing locks and diminutive stature, I’d even been mistaken for a girl a couple of times. 

I had zero self-confidence.  My fantasy was to be big and strong.  I saw building muscle as freedom from fear, anxiety, and loneliness.  And I was completely obssessed.  I craved results.

But I was always looking for that silver bullet.  I was looking for that one thing, that one program, that one routine, or that one supplement that would deliver me the body I wanted.  I searched much, but achieved little.

The desire for that one-shot wonder, which could also be called a need for instant gratification, does nothing but line the coffers of snake oil salesmen and misleading marketers.  

It’s the reason some infomercials make millions of dollars per hour.  It’s the reason weight loss supplements are a multi-billion dollar a year industry.  It’s also the reason so many people line up to play the lottery each week (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Real, lasting transformation comes from being willing to change your habits.  It begins with a new lifestyle.  How you integrate your training plan with nutrition, and an adequate recovery strategy is what will determine how quickly and how permanently you achieve results.  It’s about delayed gratification, and it’s an ongoing process. 

Simply put, it’s about the journey, and not just the destination.

Statiscally, most lottery winners will lose all their winnings within 18-24 months.  Also, most weight loss programs fail, and people who are overwweight are much more likely to pack on even more weight than to take it off.  

I believe a big part of the high failure rate is this Silver Bullet Syndrome.  Because I’ve been through it myself, I know it can be tough to correct.

Usually, when someone who is not a part of our program asks me about supplementation prior to asking about training and nutrition, it’s a sign that there’s something “silver bullet-y” going on.

“What can I take to burn fat?”

“Back up a second, what are you doing to burn fat?”

There is no supplement that burns fat.  All supplementation can do is help create more favourable conditions for burning fat, you’ve still got to supply the work! 

Have I made my point strongly enough yet?

Now that we’ve covered the fact that fat loss success has mostly to do with your overall training and nutrition protocols, we can talk about fat-burners, and whether there’s any benefit to taking them. 

The term “fat-burners” typically refers to a category of supplements known as thermogenics.

These are compounds that will help elevate the rate at which your body utilizes fat, usually by artificially raising overall body temperature or encouraging catecholamine output (catecholamines are your body’s fat-burning hormones).

Back in the day, the most popular fat-burner was the ECA stack.  The ECA stack is a synergistic combination of ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin.  Many of the world’s best bodies were created with this stack.  To this day, the pages of fitness magazines are chock full of male and female fitness models using the same trio. 

They’d probably prefer you not know that though.

Most modern fat-burners on the market today came about as a result of the popularity of ECA.

It was on the strength of this combination that one of the world’s best-selling supplements, Hydroxycut, rose to prominence.  The truth is, when combined with a solid nutrition and exercise plan, the ECA stack works really well.  That’s why so many pros use it.

The only problem was, ephedrine started getting a lot of really bad press.  It’s like any other drug, if you abuse it, there will be side effects.  A few people died.  Most famously perhaps, was a pro football player.  He also happened to be 360-pounds and training hard in 40-degree weather, but ephedrine took the wrap. 

It wasn’t long before the politicians took up this negative publicity and turned it into a ban on ephedrine.  The ephedrine was removed from thermogenic cocktails such as Hydroxycut.

The problem with that, from a fat-burning standpoint, is that ephedrine is the active ingredient in the ECA stack.  The caffeine and aspirin are mostly just enhancing and prolonging the effects of the ephedrine.

Nowadays, “fat-burners” like Hydroxcut mostly contain high doses of herbal caffeine.  They’ve added other ingredients which they claim make the new formula better, but I’ve seen little evidence to support those claims.

That being said, I’ve mentioned before that caffeine can amplify the fat-burning effect, especially in a non-habitual user.  For that reason, we’ll often recommend our trainees consume a bit more caffeine on “protein days”.  See my special report on Swimsuit Readiness for more details on Protein Days.

Here’s the point.  I believe you can mimic the effects of Hydroxycut and other fat-burners currently on the market simply by drinking a good, strong cup of coffee. 

Considering what is being charged for those products nowadays, I consider them to be largely a waste of money.

It would perhaps be a different story if they stilled contained their most active ingredient. 

Let me make something perfectly clear.  While I have personally used the ECA stack in the past with great results, I do not use it currently, nor should you take this blog post to mean I recommend it.  Use at your own risk!

Get your nutrition together first, focus on effective training methods, and we can talk about some supplements that might be helpful to you.  The magic is in the process.  When you discover the cure for Silver Bullet Syndrome, you’ll be that much closer to solving your weight loss woes.   

Live Strong and Healthy,

Conor Kelly

EVOLUTION FITNESS – PERSONAL TRAINERS TORONTO

P.S.  Last chance to join us for our FREE Turkey Busting Workouts next week and get your FREE gift!!!  Get all the details and register here:

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Personal Trainers Toronto: 4 Ways To Fast Track Your Summer Body

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How do you know when you work too much?

It’s a philosophical question.

It often seems like whatever I’ve got going on is reflected in my trainees’ lives.  If I’m having a busy week, so are they.  If I’m feeling tired, everybody complains of being tired.

I’m going to Mexico on holidays in two weeks and wanting to bring my best summer body.  Guess what?

It seems like half my clientele has a big trip on the horizon for which they want to look their best.

Do you think it’s because a lot of my focus goes to their needs, or does the world really revolve around me?

Just kidding.

To the extent that the world does revolve around me, I figured you’d appreciate 4 quick tips on how to fast track your summer body.

You can read them here:

1.Daily effort toward the goal.  You brush your teeth every day.  You shower every day (or at least I hope you do).  Why not work out every day?  The goal here is to boost your metabolism, and accelerate the rate at which your body utilizes calories and stored fat within a 24HR period.  It should be pointed out here that this has little to do with how much time you actually spend working out.  You can dramatically enhance your rate of burn in just six minutes.

Most days I’ll spend 25-30 minutes working out, because I’m not operating with an antiquated “calories in, calories out” methodology.  It’s not that calories aren’t important, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle.  Your choices will take precedence.   The point here is, I’m certain you can find 30 minutes a day if fast results are important to you.

2. Use “burst” training.  I’ve extolled the merits of interval training for some time now.  Introducing a couple of all-out bursts in 8 to 12 minutes of moderate cardio can help induce a “fight or flight” response in your body which temporarily gives you greater access to stored fat.  To do these correctly you really need to “go nuts” for 12 seconds.  You’ll know it’s working by the sort of euphoric sensation you experience. 

A caution: do not attempt this on a treadmill.  A stationary bike or elliptical, or anything that involves less impact is preferable.  You’ll see why if you try it.  Use at your own risk.

In the larger scheme of things, being in a state of ”fight or flight” may come in handy when living and working in Toronto, especially if you ever ride the subway, or drive during rush hour.

3.  Cut down on breads.  I feel like as a culture we are overly breaded.  Not only does wheat have inflammatory properties that promote the accumulation of belly fat, but bread is generally high glycemic index, which means consuming bread leads to increased fat storage.  Why not try some of my favorite QUINOA recipes instead?

4.  Get some down time and de-stress.  Recreation is essential to recovery.  Get out for walks, ride a bike, play sports, get together with friends and family, and just nurture the soul a bit.  Laughing burns fat.

A lot of times the stress of wanting results on a strict timeline itself can prevent results.  Stress causes you to hold onto fat.  Learn to enjoy the process and detach yourself from the outcome a bit more.  When the emotional “weight” of needing results fades, the physical weight follows. 

It’s been my experience that when people stop worrying about the results so much, things happen faster.

Put these four into play, ramp up your efforts, and you’ll be rockin’ the summer bod in no time.  I’m enjoying the extra focus myself.  I’ll report back on my progress.

And by the way, there’s not a day I spend at work that actually feels like work.  Life is a gift.  BE PASSIONATE!

Live Strong and Healthy,

Conor Kelly
EVOLUTION FITNESS – PERSONAL TRAINERS TORONTO
(416) 220-7883

P.S. Now is the perfect time to reclaim your health and vitality in time for summer! 

Let us show you how you too can do it faster in your complimentary BREAKTHROUGH SESSION with one of our elite trainers.

Call us at (416) 220-7883 or leave your info here to have us contact you!

 

Personal Trainers Toronto: “How To STOP Aging”

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When I was in London last weekend I had a chance to visit with my Dad and update his training program.

For those of you who don’t know, my Dad is an excellent triathlete who, at age 65, competed in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii last year, and finished eighth in his age category.

Dad doing his training in Kona!

This year, I’m designing his strength training program.

This is his first time following a structured weight training program, and he’s already enjoying the benefits.  After only five weeks, his strength has improved noticeably, his movement is more efficient, his posture is beginning to shift, and his flexibility and range of motion have increased.

Even my Mom is impressed.

I promised him that these changes would positively impact his race results, and though it’s early going still, I’m really pleased with his progress.

The day after I got back from London, one of my trainees handed me The Globe and Mail article (“We Control 70% of How We age,” Alex Hutchinson, Monday, February 20th). 

The article reports on a recent study that examined fat and muscle content in the upper leg of recreational athletes between 40 to 81.  MRI samples showed virtually no decline in the strength and size of the muscles of a 70 year old triathlete when compared to a 40 year old triathlete! 

In contrast, the muscles of a 74-year old sedentary man were, according to Mr. Hutchinson, “shrivelled and enveloped in fat.” 

Ewww.  Not a pretty picture.

The results suggest that regular training had prevented the kind of muscle loss that we typically associate with aging.  Use it or lose it, in other words.

The article goes on to discuss one of the pathways of muscle decline, which is the loss of “motor units”.  Motor units are groups of muscle fibers controlled by a single neuron. 

A follow up study to the one above had measured the number of motor units in the arms of masters runners.  Interestingly enough, the runners did not possess a significantly higher number of motor units in their arm muscles than their sedentary peers.

In other words, training your legs won’t necessarily help develop your arm muscles.  Not exactly a major scientific breakthrough.

According to the author, the two studies together “rule out hopes that a single form of exercise can preserve muscle function throughout the body.”

Hmmm.  Really? 

I would have thought this would be a great segway for a discussion on the merits of resistance training.  And since Mr. Hutchinson didn’t use the opportunity, I will, thank you very much!

Resistance training can be generally thought of as any exercise in which your muscles are required to work against resistance.  Lifting weights, performing bodyweight exercises, and using weight machines, tubing, or kettlebells, are all great examples.

My first point is, when it comes to affecting positive changes in body composition (percentages of fat and muscle in the body) and keeping us young, not all exercise counts as exercise.

Many people confuse being active with exercise.  Walking a lot or playing tennis on the weekends count as being active.  These are great things, don’t get me wrong.  But to bring about significant improvements to your health or body composition, you must challenge your muscles and your cardio-pulmonary system with a progressive exercise regimen.

It’s good to be active, but you still need to exercise.

A well-organized resistance training plan can bring about healthful “shifts” to posture, strength, bone-density, flexibility, balance, motor function, biomechanics (efficiency of movement), as well as make you much less susceptible to injury. 

Even just improving your posture can make you stronger, reduce tension and pain, increase nervous system function, and ensure the correct functioning of your internal organs.  I guess mom had it right when she told us to “sit up straight!”

Done correctly, resistance training has a huge impact on your metabolism and your ability to burn fat more efficiently.

Whatever your short-term goals are, an effective approach to challenging muscle is needed to promote circulation, remove waste, and is known to release stress-fighting, and youth-enhancing hormones.  Jack Lalanne did 90-minutes of weights and calisthenics almost every day up until his death at age 96.  Not only did he live to be 96, but he was strong and vital thoughout his 90′s, and as a result, enjoyed a far better quality of life than most 90-year-olds.

Ladies and gentlemen, you heard it here first, resistance training is the fountain of youth. 

The topic of the article in The Globe and Mail is not new.   Not only can we prevent aging, we can reverse it.  Chronologically speaking, we’re all getting older.  There’s nothing we can do about that, unless someone invents a way to stop time altogether.

What we can control is our biological age.  As we get older in years, we can simultaneously get younger in biological terms, by modifying our lifestyle, and with a concerted plan for overall health enhancement.  Such a plan should include some form of resistance training.  Mr. Hutchinson’s article does mention resistance training, but as an afterthought.  It’s a graphic with a one-liner.

For me it’s the star of the show.

Finally, regular readers of mine will know that if we are to do them justice, we cannot properly talk about topics relating to the body without also discussing the mind, and the belief systems that will lend support to the success of the physical strategies I promote.

A big part of how we age has to do with our predominant thoughts about the aging process.

We all know people over 50 who consider themselves “over the hill”, and say things like “it’s too late for me,” or “I’m too old.”  Then of course there are many examples of people like my parents who, thankfully, show no signs of slowing down.  In fact, my Dad’s still getting better.

Basically, you’ll feel as old as you think you are.

Most people simply accept and give into the aging process because they feel they have no choice.  They’re observing the decline that generally happens to people, and think it inevitable that it must happen to them. 

“But all my friends are doing it!”

“If all your friends wanted to participate in a slow decline leading to a compromised quality of life, would you do that too?”

I’m here to tell you that you can simply refuse to age.  And if you take the necessary steps, you won’t “feel” your age.  For starters, stop talking about getting old!

In our programs we’ve had trainees that literally looked ten years younger after only a few months, because fatigue and stress were reduced, vitality restored, and they felt happier.

The late Dr. Maxwell Maltz, in his groundbreaking work many years ago described his concept of a “nostalgia for the future”, or having living to look forward to as one of the central themes for keeping a person young.  He writes:

“I have no doubt but that you could take a healthy man of 30 and within five years make an ‘old man’ of him if you could somehow convince him that he was now ‘old’…If you could induce him to sit in a rocking chair all day, give up all his dreams for the future, give up all interest in new ideas, and regard himself as unimportant and non-productive, I am sure that you could experimentally create an old man.”

Do we control 70% of how we age?  At least.

It starts with a simple decision, a belief that you can stay young, and continues with the commitment to exercise vigorously and progressively, as well as to eat supportively.

The first time we trained together my Dad said, “wow, I can really see the value of having a personal trainer!” 

True story.

If you’re not already a client, give us a call today to learn more about how we can help you look and feel significantly younger in 16 weeks or less.

Thanks for reading.

Live Strong and Healthy,

Conor Kelly EVOLUTION FITNESS  PERSONAL TRAINERS TORONTO  (416) 220-7883

 

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