Doing it Right in Restaurants

Many of my clients love to regularly eat out at restarants many times each week. This makes losing body fat VERY difficult for them, as well as me, as their trainer and coach. However, it CAN be done. It just takes a little education. There are a few tips to follow when ordering when eating out.

1. When ordering chicken or fish, make sure it's baked or broiled. Also be sure that it's not breaded, and has not been marinated in oils. Most spices are fine though. Order sauces only on the side, only for dipping, not pouring onto your chicken or fish.

2. Most pastas in restaurants are cooked in water with oil and lots of salts, so make sure you ask for fresh pasta cooked without oils or salt. Cream sauces are usually higher in fat red sauces. Order the sauce on the side, again only for dipping, not pouring onto the pasta.

3. Most rice or potato dishes can easily prepared without sauces or butter and baked without the additions. It's very smart to carry your own butter substitutes to sprinkle on baked potatoes.

4. Chinese restaurants offer fresh white meat poultry or seafood with vegetables. Simply ask for the food to be steamed and any sauces be prepared without corn starch. Avoid fired rice and ask for all meals to be prepared without MSG.

5. Mexican restaurants often add beef fat to their beans and butter to the rice. Avoid the fried tortillas. Easy on the cheeses and it's okay to order chicken or shrimp in corn tortillas and rice without butter.

6. Watch out for "healthy" salads loaded with cheeses, nuts and bacon bits. A broiled chicken breast cut up in a green salad with a baked potato is a very suppotive meal that can be prepared in almost every salad serving restaurant. Make sure to get non-fat dressings or substitute lemon juice for salad dressing.

7. Japanese restaurants offer sushi and sashimi. The white fish (yellow tail, grouper, marlin, etc.) are usually the leanest high quality proteins. Sushi rice is usually white rice. If brown rice is available, it's better to order sashimi with brown rice on the side and a cucumber salad.

8. Be wary of the low fat items on the menu. Many of the low fat items are made with higher fat ingredients. I've seen low fat quesadillas (fried) with guacamole and cheese offering near 50% of calories from fat. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ORDER ITEMS NOT ON THE MENU. If a restaurant offers potato skins, it means they also have potatoes. Be sure to ask for what you want, not just what the menu has.

Chad Cannon is the owner of the Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

Top 10 Tips to Weigh Less, Live More

So last week we had a seminar on food and ways to help you eat better to lose weight, held by the Shaping Concepts Health Coach Shelly Hudson, and she gave a lot of great tips. So I wanted to share with you the top 10 tips to weigh leaa and live more.

1. Feed your soul with primary food. Friends and family, physical activity, spirituality, and a satisfying career feed us. Lack of primary foods creates over-reliance on secondary, edible food.

2. Drink water. Most people are chronically dehydrated. We often mistake thirst for hunger. If you feel hungry between meals, drink a glass of water before giving into cravings. Limit liquid calories from soda and juice.

3. Eat a plant-based diet. Plant foods are typically lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber than meat, dairy and processed foods, while providing loads of essential nutrients.

4. Chew you food well. Digestion begins in the mouth. By thoroughly chewing your food, your body will better assimilate nutrients; you will also slow down your eating. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that it is full. By slowing down your eating, you'll feel full and satisfied on less food.

5. Eat real food. Avoid products with high-fructose corn syrup or a long list of unpronouncable ingredients. They tend to be highly processed, lacking the nutrients your body needs, and are often loaded with empty calories.

6. Eat breakfast. skipping meals causes your blood sugar levels to peak and dip, affecting your energy and moods. It can also cause overeating later on because you're so hungry.

7. Eat mindfully. Turn off the TV. Get away from the computer. Sit down and savor the food you are eating with no distractions.

8. Get moving. Do any type of physical activity every day. Find movement or exercise you enjoy.

9. Sleep, rest and relax. When you are sleep deprived or stressed, your body will crave energy, causing cravings for sugary snacks as an energy boost.

10. Schedule fun time. Boredom and stress can lead to overeating. Make sure to take time to laugh, play and participate in activities that bring you joy.

So from my personal daily activites, I know that the biggest problem I have is with number 7. I'm just a very busy person, therefore I don't take the time to sit and enjoy my food. many times I'll eat something fast for 2 minutes in between my clients, or I'll eat in the car. When I get home I'll heat up my food, take it upstairs and eating while giving my kids a bath, cause that's when I mostly get to see them during the week, and I don't want to miss that time. So eating mindfully is definately my biggest issue. How about you? What is your biggest issue according these 10 tips?

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

Goal Setting

In order to get better at something it is always better to start with goals. That especially goes for health and fitness. So what is the best way to set your fitness goals? 
First you need to break it down a little...
Do you need more energy? Yes or No?
Do you eat breakfast regularly? Yes or No?
Do you eat small meals throughout the day? Yes or No?
Do you need to drop some inches? Yes or No?
Do you have high Cholesterol? Yes or No?
Are your blood sugar levels in the normal range? Yes or No?
Are you happy with the way you look? Yes or No?

You now have most of your goals taken care of based o your answers. However it does go a little more in depth than that. Answer these as well...

Do you like the way you feel after a workout? Yes or No?
What type of fitness or activity do you like doing?
Do you like exercising in groups or alone?
Are you intimidated by certain gyms?
What's the longest time you want to spend exercising each day?

Answering little questions like these pretty much gives you your goals.

You'll have many goals like these...
I need more energy.
I need to start eating breakfast.
I need to improve all my health numbers, cholesterol, blood sugar.
I need to drop lots of inches.

You also will have goals like these...
I love the way I feel after a workout, so I'm going to workout at least 4 times each week. 4 out of 7 days is pretty good.
I like working one on one with a personal training coach so I'll add that into my 4 days somehow.
I only want to spend about 30 minutes working out, so I'll find a trainer that only trains for 30 minutes.
I definitely don't like "meat head " gyms and I don't want "high intense training", so I'll find a trainer to give me general fitness and overall health, but still pushes me to lose inches and helps me eat right.

That's funny, I just wrote this person to like Shaping Concepts. Ha Ha! Honestly, I didn't mean to do that.
So answer these questions and you'll easily  find your goals by the way your answers look.

Email me chad@shapingconcepts.com . I'd love to know what your goals are.


Chad Cannon is the owner of the Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

I have a VOICE! And today is my Birthday!

Today I turned 41 years old, and I couldn't be happier to still be around. Honestly, I am so greatful to be able to see my wife and kids everyday, and to do what I was meant to do on this earth... Speak up and use my voice! Use it to help people become healthier, happier people.

Things happen. I completely understand that. I mean most of my family health history forms are filled out with "heart disease". It's almost an easy bet to win to say that I will have a heart attack one day, just because of my family history. Have I done all I can up to this point to try to avoid that from happening? I can honestly say YES, since 1995. That's when I decided to really change my ways of eating. I can honestly say that I have not had one single hamburger, or steak since June of 1995. I have drastically cut my sugar intake. I have increased my fiber and whole grains. I eat more fruits and vegetables than I ever did the first part of my life. And I do my absolute best to never go over three hours without eating something during the day, starting with breakfast. I also don't drink, although that's for other reasons, but that definitely helps in my health as well.

Now if anyone out there thinks that I never cheat, that I don't indulge in bad foods, that I am just a perfect eating machine, you have got to be just crazy, completely out of your mind. Trust me, I plan on eating a lot of my birthday cake. I even made sure I asked for one this year, cause I deserve to eat some. I feel that because I'm still overall pretty darn healthy and still around, I deserve to have that cake. However, I'm still gonna eat every three hours today. I'm still gonna eat fruits and vegges today. I'm still going to take all my vitamins today. I already did my resistance training and ran five miles today.  (By the way, I only work out four days a week. I run four days, and do resistance training on three of those four days. So don't think I'm a workout fanatic that works out five hours everyday either.)

I have a point to this post I promise...

The last few days have been quite rough for me. I learned of someone dying, and I've also visited someone in the hospital that had a heart attack and pretty much died and came back to us. And it just brought back a lot of memories for me... not so good memories. And through all this happening, I have come to learn a lot about myself. I 'm hear to use my voice!

I'm hear trying to save as many people as I possibly can. I'm hear to be honest with you, with the nation, with everyone and anyone, about you taking care of your body. 99.99999999....% of people on this planet don't get it. They don't realize the pain we put ourselves through when we lose a loved one to heart disease, or a stroke, or from diabetes, or something that you could have prevented by making better "health related" choices.

I don't know how fast food restaurant owners live with themselves. I really don't. I understand that they are hard working people like the rest of us, and that they are just trying to earn a living too, but do you think they ever lay in bed at night wondering how many people they are killing, or have already killed? I also understand that it's not their fault. It's the people that shove it down their own throats. It's their own fault! There are so many reasons why our nation is the second worse obese nation on the planet, and first in just being overweight.

I personally think we just don't care or don't think something bad can happen to us, until... something drastic happens. Sometimes.  I mean my own father had many heart attacks and he never started eating healthy, even after. What does it take for someone to realize that it's time to take care of themselves? If I had that answer I would be a VERY famous, very rich person right now.

All I know is that I have a voice and I need to use it! It's my calling to help people, to share what can make you feel better, live healthier, and longer. It's NOT about what your body looks like at all! However, if you take care of your health to the best of your ability, your body will start looking better and better before you know it.

So today I want to use my voice and tell you to get up off your butt and get active. You must also know that your body is mostly made in the kitchen, not the gym. However, it is very important to get active and preform both resistance training and cardiovascular training, as well as eating an overall healthy diet.

You CAN do it! And don't hesitate to help other people do the same. Trust me, everyone needs a BIG push these days, even if they say they don't.


Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

Best Abdominal Exercise EVER!

Barr None, the best abdominal exercise...

is NOT an abdominal exercise at all. If you opened this post looking for that one magical abdominal movement to flatten your stomach I'm guessing you have some unwanted belly fat that you are trying desperately to get rid of.

Well, here's the HONEST truth, You can do Ab exercise after Ab exercise after Ab exercise, but unless you do this one  imparticular thing...which is the best exercise for the abs, then flattening your tummy just ain't gonna happen!

So you want to know what this one particular thing is?...

I've called it the Power3. Three of the most powerful, but also most basic steps to blast fat away!

(1) Refueling your body every 3 hours beginning first thing in the morning.
(2) Resistance Training combined with High-Intensity Cardiovascular Training.
(3) Proper Recovery Time.

The first one is so simple a 5 year old could figure it out. Simply start your day with a healthy refueling breakfast, then refuel every 3 hours after until you go to bed again. A refuel is with a handful of a lean protein such as a chicken breast, a handful of a complex carbohydrate such as brown rice, and two handfulls of a fruit and/or vegetable.

What do I mean when I say resistance training combined with high intense cardio training? Three days of resistance training with the major muscle groups...back, chest, shoulders, legs, abs combined with high intense cardio between each exercise. Here's an example:

20 supermans (back extensions)
20 push-ups (can be modified in any way)
20 dumbbell shoulder side raises
20 body weight sqauts
20 reverse crunches
...then 1-2 minutes of intense cardio like jumping jax or step ups, or a sprint, or even walking up & down a stair case.
(repeat this 3-5 times)

The last one is probably the most important one. RECOVERY!!! Yes, it is so important to let your muscles recover after a good workout for at least a day. So ideally a Monday, Wednesday, Friday workout regamin is most effective.

I personally like my recovery days to be "moving recovery", meaning the days after my workouts, I'm walking or jogging at least 20 minutes. This helps all muscle soreness move out of the system much quicker than normal.

The Power3 IS by far the best abdominal exercise out there! Try doing ANY one "magical" abdominal exercise and you won't even come close to getting the same results as you will with the Power3.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

Just Walk!

Are you a regular walker?

I ask this because there are so many benefits that come from a regular walking program, especially if you’re trying to drop a few pounds.

Walking is by far one of the best ways to rev up the metabolism and get your inner engine burning fat more efficiently. You will no doubt stay in better shape and burn more calories. It’s also been proven that walking lessens the chance of becoming diabetic, it lowers the body mass index and also body fat.

We’ve all heard the experts over the years recommend people walk 10,000 steps a day. Do you know how far that is? Would you believe that’s equal to around five miles. Over an entire day, we take a lot of steps, but when you tell someone that they need to walk about 5 miles every day, it really seems overwhelming. In truth though, this is absolutely needed! We as an overall population sit down more than ever before. This means that the steps we used to get just walking around at work or at home half also been cut. So walking five miles a day seems to be needed even more.

Now the average runner runs five miles in about 40-50 minutes, so you can imagine how long it would take for you to walk five miles. Again, this just seems to be so overwhelming. So this is what we need to do…

Let’s simply try to do better than we have been doing up to this point. I’d love to make you go out and walk or run five miles every single day, because your health depends on it, however, you and I both know that’s just not gonna happen, is it? So let’s start with something better than what you’ve been doing.

If you are sedentary and have not exercised or done regular activity in over one year, simply start with a brisk walking program for 20-30 minutes four times per week. You can walk 2 hours out of the 168 hours there are in an entire week. DON’T TELL ME YOU CAN’T DO THAT! If that is what you are thinking, you are simply wasting your time reading this, and I’m wasting my time writing this to you.

However if you want to make one simple step towards better health, a walking program for 30 minutes four times per week is probably second on the list behind changing your eating habits. So doing this would be a fantastic start. I highly recommend sticking with this for at least one month, then by that time it will be time to bump it up to either a walk/jog combination or to add more days to your regimen.

If you have been in a regular walking program for a while now, at least one month, it’s time to step up your game to the next level. Move your walk into a walk/jog routine. It’s amazing how much better you will feel just moving from a walking program to a walk/jogging program. Your heart and lungs feel so much more open and healthy and you feel so much better throughout the whole day. Honestly it makes all the difference in the world. AND I DON’T WANT TO HEAR “I CAN’T RUN!” If you’ve been on a regular power-walking routine for at least one month, there is no reason in the world you can give me to not give a short walk/jogging program a try. After a month of good walking, you have built up your legs and joints enough to do at least one minute of jogging every few minutes. Just do it! You’ll be fine!

There are so many benefits of walking. It’s not just to get from point A to point B! Some of the major benefits of walking are that you decrease your risk of heart attack, helps you control your cholesterol, helps manage your weight, your risk of stroke is lowered, and my favorite is that it keeps your stress levels low. Just by being outside and looking up at the blue skies alone will decrease your stress. Do this for at least 30 minutes and you feel tons of stress leaving your body, every time!

So how do you get started?

That’s easy, put on some comfortable shoes, open your door, and just start walking. Here’s another hint I have for you… Try to never look down. Look up and see what’s going on in the world.

EASY WAYS TO STEP IT UP...

Use the furthest entrance into your workplace from your parking spot or bus stop, and walk through the building to your work area.

Don't stand, pace - when waiting for the bus, waiting at an elevator, etc. pace around in circles rather than just standing.

Park in the far back of the parking lot and walk further to the door.

Get off the bus a stop or two before your usual stop and walk the rest of the way.

Circle the room when waiting for meetings to start.

Take the stairs rather than the elevator, especially for one to three floors, both up and down.

When making a phone call, stand up and pace around as you talk.

When people want to meet for lunch, suggest you walk to the restaurant or take a walk after the meal.

Walk to the TV to change channels instead of using the remote.

During TV commercials, get up and walk around the house.

When doing errands, park in a central location and walk to your store destinations.

Return the shopping cart all the way into the store after grocery shopping.

Never drive through - get out and park and walk into the bank instead.

Walk the dog much longer.

When waiting for a train, plane or bus, secure bags and walk around.

Instead of going to a matinee, visit a park or museum.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

Consistancy Gets You the Results You Want!

Do you ever spend a day or two every now and then or every weekend, etc. eating or drinking way out of control? Or have you ever just canceled your training session without rescheduling it?

You see, most of my days are spend listening to stories of how badly people ate, and how passed out they were from drinking too much, especially at an "older, grown up age", and honestly I get sick just thinking about it. The bad part is people do this then come into their training sessions complaining that nothing seems to work, the weight just isn't coming off. Why is this workout so hard? Well, your body feels like crap because of the way you treat it. That's why. Just sayin!

Imagine if for only one month you avaoided red meat, ate every 3 hours, only had one alcholic drink a week, and never ever missed your training sessions. How do you think you would feel then? How do you think you would look? Do you think you would lose some weight? Do you think your cholesterol might be a bit better? What about your blood pressure?

Notice I never said to avoid functions or to avaoid a great outing with friends. DO THAT STUFF! Just don't act like a 19 year old college student at a frat party while doing it!

You want to make a change in your fitness level, your weight, your health? Then change your consistancy with the way you eat, drink and act! Think about it. In just one month of being consistant, think of all the good results you could have.

I had one person, a person that needs and wants to lose over 100 pounds, come in and on her warm up on the treadmill decides to go into a dead sprint for one minute...on her warm up. I asked why are you doing this? It's only a warm up, I said. She said... to make up for all the burgers, hot dogs, and beer she had over the weekend. I asked her... you think that this one sprint will help that? She said yep, cause I did it as fast as I could. REALLY? Is this really how people think?

No!!! How about taking a slow jog or even a fast walk for 20 minutes 4 times a week and do it for a month? That's how you're gonna burn fat off that body! Consistancy!!! It's not always about how hard you push for a short time. It's about being consistant over a long period of time. And I'm sorry, but even one month is a VERY SHORT amount of time.

Consistancy is the key! Pushing as hard as you can is great, however when trying to lose weight it's better to be consistant with everything you do, from eating to sleeping, avoiding certain foods and drinks, and not missing your workouts, strength trainings days or cardiovascular days. You simply have to be consistant. That does NOT mean be perfect by any means. It just means be consistant. Be good 6 days out of the week with your eating. Then give yourself a pass on the 7th day. Don't miss your workouts by any means. This means, if you miss a training day, you better take at least 10 minutes and do as many push-ups, squats, and planks as you can right before you go to bed! Don't miss it! If you missed one of your 4 cardio days, you better make it up on next day off!

Do you think Michael Jordan ever missed a practice? No! He was consistant! Do you think Tiger Woods ever misses a practice? No! He is consistant! Why do you think pro Basketball and Major League Baseball have 7 game playoffs? They want the most consistant team to be their champions! That's how they find the best of the best!

You want results, be more consistant!



Chad Cannon is the owner of the Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

Burning Calories at the Gym

"Calories burned" readings on gym equipment are only estimates, but they provide a pretty good measure, depending on how honest you are with your information.

You finish your workout on the treadmill and the machine reads 300 calories. But how do you know if that number is truly accurate? There's a good chance it's not.

Burning Calories at the Gym: Crunching the Numbers

At the end of your workout, most cardio machines provide you with the number of calories you burned. Keep in mind though that this reading is an estimate — and often an overestimate — and should not be taken as gospel.

"If you see that you expended 300 calories for a workout, there is probably about a 10 percent margin of error," says Pete McCall, MS, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise. "The number you see on the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical machine, stair climber, etc., is just an estimate, but it is a relatively accurate estimate. It is based on what is called metabolic equivalents, or METs, which refers to how much oxygen your body uses." McCall says that one MET is equal to 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of your body weight per minute. This is the amount of oxygen your body requires at rest. When you work harder (e.g., when you exercise), your body burns more METs. "Your body has to expend energy to use oxygen. If you're running, your body needs more oxygen and your body spends more energy," McCall says. The cardio equipment at the gym uses information on the number of METs it takes to perform a given exercise, as well as your weight if you enter it, to give you an estimate of how many calories you burned. "It is more accurate if you enter your weight and your age than if you don't," McCall notes. If you are trying to lose weight, you may be particularly interested in finding out the exact number of calories you burned during your workout. "If people are really concerned about monitoring weight loss, the gym equipment is a good estimate, but the best estimates are going to come from heart rate monitors," says McCall. Newer heart rate monitors allow you to program in your resting heart rate and your age, and they use this information to give you a more precise estimate of the calories you expend.

Burning Calories at the Gym: Maximizing Your Burn

When deciding which piece of gym equipment will give you the best burn, don't count on the calories-burned estimates from the machine. In order to burn more calories, you simply have to work harder. So the best way to determine which piece of equipment will help you burn the most calories is by gauging how hard you are able to work on it — if you're not able to sustain a workout on the elliptical machine, for instance, use the treadmill instead. While you can use the calorie counters on gym equipment as rough guidelines, the most important way to maximize the number of calories you are burning is to find a piece of equipment you enjoy using and to use it often.


By Krisha McCoy, MSMedically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH at Everyday Health.

Chad Cannon is the owner of the Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

60 DAY "NEW YOU" PROGRAM!

Are You Ready To Lose Weight?

If your answer is

YES...

This is the program for you!

I've come up with the simplest 60 day program completely formulated for fat loss.

And it's ready for

YOU!!

It's the perfect combination of everything you need to succeed. It's all completely laid out for you. And it honestly could not be any simpler to do. It takes only 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Keep in mind that 30 minutes is only 2% of your day. And if you answered YES to my very first question up at the top of this page, then you can easily put forth 2% of your day to a fat loss program...YOUR FAT LOSS PROGRAM! And you only come see me 3 days per week.

It's the perfect combination of cardiovascular exercise combined with resistance training, and the perfect eating program specifically designed for fat loss!

If you are ready to get your NEW BODY, then click the START NOW link below! (And make sure you type in the PROMO CODE: 60 Day New You Program, under "other" in the "goals" section)

Ever wonder how much resistance training is needed to drop fat from your body? Do you think it's like lifting weights like body builders do? I've come up with the perfect formulation of resistance training to get you stronger and be able to burn more fat from your body.

Have you been cutting calories, cutting carbs, cutting everything neeeded for you to burn fat from your body? You see when you cut things out of your diet, you start losing muscle, not fat. This slows the metabolism and increases your percentage of body fat. Let's CUT ALL THIS CRAP AND START LOSING THE FAT! I'll show you exactly how to eat, when to eat so you'll not only look great, but start feeling great as well!

For years I was completely wrong about supplementing your foods. We all totally need certain supplements to fill in the gaps of proper nutrition with proper, healthy supplementation. I only trust one source of supplements...AdvoCare. The name says it all...They are ADVOCATES of CARING PEOPLE! So I have added the perfect combination of AdvoCare supplementation according to your indivdual needs to fill in your nutritional gaps.

I've also givin you the perfect recovery day workouts... I like to call it a moving recovery. This is easily done on your own in a very short amount of time. No running, no special cardio machines needed to do this. Just you!

So by the end of your 60 days, you will be on your scale smiling as big as can be cause you just lost body fat the right way!

Click HERE on my NEW Power3(r) Fat Loss System and see how your new program will work!

So again, if you are ready to get started in your fat loss transformation, click on the START NOW button below and stop waisting time! (And make sure you type in the PROMO CODE: 60 Day New You Program, under "other" in the "goals" section)

The New You 60 Day Fat loss Program is two monthly payments of $349 or $698 paid up front. Or you could continually pay hundreds of dollars every month for years upon years for heart medicine, cholesterol medicine, high blood pressure medicine, and more... Your choice. Better to pay less now than more later! It's well worth this discounted price!

Again, if you are ready to get started in your fat loss transformation, click on the START NOW button below and stop waisting time! (And make sure you type in the PROMO CODE: 60 Day New You Program, under "other" in the "goals" section)

Chad Cannon is the owner of the Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

WHY? Why?

Ok, so I'm dying to know... WHY IN THE WORLD would ANY PERSON in their right mind, who wants to build a BETTER BODY and FEEL BETTER, LOOK BETTER, AND PERFORM BETTER, let alone lead a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life.... try goin' it all alone when there's so much help available today?

I mean, as you probably know, the best way to succeed at anything is to model the success of others who've walked the path from where you are now to where you want to go...

I mean check out all these people who have successfully transformed their body’s from the help of a fitness coach here at Shaping Concepts: http://www.blufftonpersonaltraining.com/success_stories.htm

…and I've never seen so many out of shape, overweight, and/or obese people that totally need to change their ways or there might not be a tomorrow, try to go it alone! These people should be following the Model of Success! Click Here To View the Model of Success.

Let me put it this way... I don't know of too many people who have successfullyreached their target by trying to do it without the help of others. And I certainly don't know of too many people who have successfully lost a bunch of weight without the help of a highly successful fitness training business... I'm sure there's a FEW out there who've had some decent success without any outside advice, instruction, guidance or input... but these people are the exception and DEFINITELY not the rule.

And in today's world of ever-changing weight loss strategies, and technology... having the most cutting-edge "up to date" information from the best of the best is CRITICAL to your success. That's why I HIGHLY recommend you do yourself and the future ofyour health a GIANT FAVOR and learn from the all star experts, who are literally the "best of the best" in the fitness industry when it comes to successfully transforming your body.

THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFO IS AT A MAJOR DISADVANTAGE TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO!

The info shared in our consultation alone is enough to gain the knowledge you’ll need to get started in the correct path! In fact, applying just one little habit learned from us will mean you make your investment back in terms of time and money many timesover. And what's cool is, HUNDREDS of tips, tactics and strategieswe share with you, and you'll have access to ALL of it.

So, why in the world would any person go it alone when information and help like this is available making your journey from where you are now to where you want to be as short of a journey as realistically possible.Instead of zig zagging like crazy to your goals, wasting precious time on things that don't work... doesn't it make sense for a person to do whatever it takes to get from Point A (where you and your dream body are now) to Point B (to owning your dream fit and healthy body) especially when presented in way that makes implementing these strategies as "brain-dead" simple as possible.

If getting help in your body transformation from the world's top experts on fitness & nutrition makes a HELLUVA lot more sense to you than going it alone, and playing"hit and miss" with the future of your health and life…And if you'd like access to the top experts in the industry to show you EXACTLY what to do to succeed in your transformation in 2012 and beyond.... then here's your opportunity to get started NOW!

Chad Cannon is the owner of the Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

Brown-Bag Lunches and Snacks for Work or School

Packing healthy lunches and snacks to take to work or school offers many benefits. Healthy brown-bag meals can reduce fat, calories, and sodium in our diet, improving overall health. Smart choices can help us maintain a healthy weight. And brown-bag lunches just may improve your child’s IQ.

According to research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, a diet high in fat, sugar, and processed food starting at age 3 may lower IQ in later childhood, while a diet packed with whole foods and important nutrients may do the opposite.

To move lunch and snack time into a healthful direction:
Choose foods with higher amounts of the nutrients we need: fiber, protein, calcium, and vitamin C.

Avoid foods loaded with things we need to eat less of: saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar.

An easy way to accomplish both goals is to include more whole foods -- and less processed foods, junk food, and fast food at meals and snacks.

10-Minute Lunch and Snack Picks

Cold Cheese and Fruit Kit: Make your own “Lunchables” by filling a reusable container with assorted cheese slices, easy-to-eat fruit like apple slices and grapes, and whole wheat crackers.

Falafel Pita Pleaser: Purchase ready-to-bake falafels in the vegetarian refrigerator section of some supermarkets. Bake them up ahead of time, then insert them in a whole wheat pita pocket spread with some hummus (homemade or store-bought).

Fish in a Pinch: Work a fish serving into your week by adding tuna or salmon to your green salad, pasta salad, or sandwich. For a satisfying snack, toss some tuna or salmon with balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy with whole grain crackers.

Love Your Leftovers: One of the easiest ways that corporate nutritionist Maggie Moon, MS, RD, makes sure she has a healthy lunch tomorrow is to start with dinner tonight. Before serving dinner, she packs some of it away in portable containers, stores them in the refrigerator, and then takes one to work the next day.

Pasta Salad Prep: Make cold pasta salad with leftover pasta shapes from last night. Toss chilled whole grain pasta with cheese cubes, lots of bite-size vegetables, and a homemade or bottled vinaigrette dressing made with olive oil or canola oil.

Pizza Bagels or Pizza Calzones: Bake a mini pizza in 5 minutes by spreading pizza sauce or pesto on whole wheat bagel halves or a whole wheat pita pocket (use the whole pita as a crust). Top with shredded cheese and your favorite veggie toppings (green onions, tomatoes, chopped red peppers, onions, olives, minced garlic, sliced mushrooms), then broil in a toaster oven until the cheese is bubbling. If using a pita, fold one half over to make a calzone! Wrap it up for your bag lunch or, if your office has a toaster oven, bring it to work unbaked and bake it there.

Stock Your Work Fridge With Salad Dressing: To make it easier to enjoy salads at the office, Moon keeps her favorite salad dressing in the work refrigerator. Look for salad dressing with the least amount of sodium and made with canola or olive oil.

Southwest Wrap: Toss some drained canned black beans with salsa, avocado, red onions, shredded romaine lettuce, and cheese and wrap in a softened whole wheat tortilla. This is a favorite five-minute grab-and-go lunch for Karen Ansel, MS, RD, American Dietetic Association spokesperson and co-author of The Baby & Toddler Cookbook.

Sushi with Veggies: Pick up a tray of premade vegetable sushi at your supermarket or favorite Japanese restaurant. It makes a great grab-and-go lunch the next day. Because it features veggies and avocado, there’s no chance the sushi will smell “fishy” the next day.

Wrap It Up: Make your sandwich wrap the night before, using a whole grain flour tortilla and spreads like green or sun-dried tomato pesto, olive tapenade, or honey mustard. Layer it with slices of lean meat or cheese, assorted vegetables, tomato, onion, and lettuce. Because it’s whole grain, the tortilla won’t get soggy overnight.

I feel like this every night myself! For the past 12 years, I have made lunches for my wife and I and my kids. Planning ahead is the best way to go! ~Chad Cannon

4 Lunch Salads You Can Make in 10 Minutes

Reusable containers can hold the makings of a delicious lunch salad. The salad will stay fresh if you add the dressing at lunchtime, so pack a small container or packet of your desired dressing (look for those made with canola or olive oil). Here are four different lunch salad ideas.

Cobb Salad: Toss together spinach leaves or chopped romaine with a hard-boiled egg, crumbled blue cheese (or similar), diced avocado and tomato, and lean ham cubes or strips.

Chinese Chicken Salad: Toss together salad greens, shredded chicken, shredded carrots, sliced green onion, and toasted sliced almonds.

Chicken Caesar Salad: Toss together romaine lettuce, chopped tomato, chicken strips, any other vegetable desired, and croutons.

Berry & Walnut Salad: Toss together dark green lettuce, fresh or frozen berries, blue cheese (if desired), and toasted walnuts (add chicken or salmon if desired). This salad is best with a raspberry or balsamic vinaigrette.

4 Freezer-Friendly Lunch and Snack Tricks

Fun-to-Eat Edamame: You’ll find bags of edamame (in pods) in the freezer section of most supermarkets. Keep a bag in the freezer, add some to your brown bag in the morning, and by lunch they will be thawed. Open up the pods and snack away at the high-protein, high-fiber green soybeans inside.

Leftover Breakfast Becomes Lunch: When you have leftover whole grain pancakes from breakfast, wrap each of them around a soy or chicken sausage and freeze a serving in a reusable container or zip-lock bag. If you are making healthful egg entrees over the weekend (egg and cheese sandwich on toasted wheat english muffin, quiche, frittata, French toast) and have a couple servings left, wrap them up and freeze them for a fast grab-and-go lunch or snack. Just warm in the microwave for 2 minutes!

Mini Muffins: Homemade muffins can be a healthful alternative to processed snacks and junk food when made with mostly whole wheat flour, moderate amounts of canola oil (2 to 3 tablespoons per 12 muffins), and minimal added sugar. Just pop a serving of mini muffins in each zip-lock bag and store in the freezer. Pack them in the brown bag, and they’ll be soft and ready to eat by lunch or snack time.

Spanakopita Triangles: These spinach-and-cheese-filled phyllo dough triangles are available in the freezer section of some supermarkets, such as Trader Joe’s. Brown them ahead of time in your toaster oven and wrap them up for tomorrow’s lunch or snack.

4 Fun Foods to Pack as a Snack or Lunch Treat

The following foods double as a satisfying snack or as a fun treat in a bag lunch because they contribute some protein and some fat (and some have fiber).

Nuts or Trail Mix: If age- and allergy-appropriate, nuts offer a satisfying combination of fiber, protein, and smart fats. Trail mix pumps up the carbohydrate calories by adding dried fruit to the nuts. A 1-ounce snack-size serving of mixed nuts (i.e., Planters NUTrition Heart Healthy Mix) contributes around 170 calories, 6 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, and 8 grams monounsaturated fat.

Cheese Sticks: Individually wrapped cheese sticks are available in part-skim mozzarella and 2% sharp cheddar, and even pepper jack.Two part-skim mozzarella cheese sticks have around 160 calories, 14 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrate, 0 gram fiber, 6 grams saturated fat, and 40% Daily Value for calcium.

Kettle Korn Fun: For something a little sweet but crunchy, pop up some Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop Kettle Korn (or similar) and pack half of the 2.9-ounce bag of popcorn for a brown-bag treat or snack. Each serving satisfies with 140 calories, 4 grams protein, 29 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fiber, and 1 gram saturated fat.

Yogurt and Fruit Cups: Stir 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries into 8 ounces of low-fat plain yogurt to make your own naturally sweetened yogurt cup. It has a nice balance of nutrients—185 calories, 12 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 2.5 grams saturated fat, and about 40% Daily Value for calcium and 30% for vitamin C


WebMD Feature
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
Reviewed By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

The Art Of The Start

There is a path that everyone chooses when one wants to accomplish something. Many times it's the wrong one. Many times it's the correct one.

Since I'm a health professional, I going to use weight loss as an example. You see once we get information on something, such as your doctor telling you that it's time to take off some weight, or you figured out that you are very uncomfortable being out in public in a bathing suit, (that's information that our brains take in and processes as things we need to do something about), we then need to choose our path to success or failure.

There are two paths that people normally take, and I'm going to explain both.

In one path, once we get INFORMATION, we then move to CONVERSATION. This is where we talk to ourselves a lot about needing to do something about it. This is where you tell yourself about what you know, or what you think you know. This phase alone could last a very long time, and usually after two weeks or so of conversing with ourselves with no action, everything just comes to a stop at that point. However, sometimes we move from the conversation phase into HESITATION. When we hesitate we keep asking ourselves "What am I doing?" We ask this over and over again because nothing is happening. This then leads to FRUSTRATION. Now we ask ourselves "Is this really for me?" At this point is where most people make the decision to fail. That phase is called RESIGNATION.

This path is where you usually are working alone trying to accomplish a goal, thus feeling alone. This only leads to that dredded resignation.

Then there is a different path that we choose...

Let's start over with just getting the INFORMATION again. You just decided that you need to lose weight because your doctor said you are at a high risk for heart disease. In this path the next step is INVITATION. This is where you meet with a professional introducer. This professional will be introducing you to a way for you to reach your goals, such as going to a consulation with a personal trainer where they talk about the type of program you could do with them. Once you decide the right fit for your goals, you then sign-up and go to PRESENTATION. The presentation in where the success system is put into action. This is where the trainer would start showing you how to exercise or how to eat better. This is physically doing the program. Now that the program, or success system has been put into action, momentum has now begun. This is what we call DUPLICATION. It's like forming a habit, working this success system over and over, getting you closer and closer to your goals, until finally yo've reached your last phase of the process...DESTINATION! Your goal has now been met.

Here is a vital part of your life...

Once you attain that goal and you have reached your destination, now what? Now is where you gather new information. Your fitness level has changed, it's time to set new goals. Let's say your inital goal was to lose 10 pounds, and you did it, but your body fat percentage is still not quite where you want it to be. So you gathered your information, learning that your body fat could be a lot better, so you set a new goal, and start towards the PRESENTATION phase again. This is where you re-evaluate with your trainer to see what type of plan they might have for you to accomplish that. Pick the best plan for you, and keep moving through the phases.

What you don't want to do is just stop and be content with what you are doing. Once a goal is reached, it's time to set new ones, otherwise there is nothing to work towards, and you will become complacent and bored.

So, there are your two paths. Which one will you choose?

INFORMATION-->CONVERSTATION-->HESITATION-->FRUSTRATION-->RESIGNATION

or...

INFORMATION-->INVITATION-->PRESENTATION-->DUPLICATION-->DESTINATION

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts fitness training center in Bluffton, SC.

19 reasons YOU should make the DECISION to lose weight!

If you've been thinking of losing weight, but that's all you've done. Take a look at these 19 reasons why you should lose weight, and maybe it will help push things along a little faster to get off your butt and start movin'!

1. Depression can be 55% resolved

2. Obstructive Sleep Apnea can be 74%-98% resolved

3. Asthma can be 82% improved or resolved

4. Cardiovascular disease can be 82% risk reduction

5. Hypertension can be 52%-92% resolved

6. Gerd is 72%-98% resolved

7. Stress Urinary Incontinence can be 44%-88% resolved

8. Degenerative Joint Disease can be 41%-76% resolved

9. Gout can be 77% resolved

10. There could be an 89% reduction in a 5 year Mortality

11. Quality of Life DOES improve in 95% of patients

12. Venous Stasis Disease can be 95% resolved

13. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can be 79% resolution of hirsutism, and 100% resolution of menstrual dysfunction

14. Type II Diabetes Mellitus can be 83% resolved

15. Metabolic Syndrome can be 80% resolved

16. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease can be 90% improved steatosis, 37% resolution of Inflamation, and 20% resolution of Fibrosis

17. Dyslipidemia Hypercholesterolemia can be 63% resolved

18. Pseudotumor Cerebri can be 96% resolved

19. Migraines can be 57% resolved

Seriously, these things are serious and can totally deflait a person in so many ways. Please take these stats seriously because they do happen, not just to certain people. When you lose weight, these things really happen. Over half of this country is overweight (68% actually), and soon half this country will be obese (currently 38%). It's time to take a stand and do something about it. It all starts with YOU making a difference in your own lifestyle. You can do it. I'm one of the few that still believes in you! You can do it!

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC.

How To Beat The Belly Fat And Cortisol Combination

Here is a great Guest post from fitness pro & trainer Shane Doll:

You may have heard before that excess belly fat is directly related to increased cortisol levels. This is arguably one of the deadliest combinations for the human body because of the connection to increased visceral fat (the fat that surrounds your organs) and high levels of inflammation.
If you have a significant amount of belly fat your chances for developing insulin resistance and type II diabetes nearly doubles.

What you may not be aware of is the reason behind the connection of belly fat and cortisol. The objective of this post is to explain the details behind the connection and provide you with action steps to reverse it.

For starters let’s look at how cortisol levels get increased in the first place. While cortisol gets a bad rap it serves a beneficial role in the human body. Cortisol is a hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands in times of stress. The stress may be psychological or physiological.

A little bit of stress like produced during high intensity, short-duration burst training exercise is a good thing. The adrenals also secrete adrenaline and nor-adrenaline which are powerful fat burning catalysts. The problem occurs when stress levels remain elevated for prolonged periods of time. This is referred to as “chronic stress.”

You need to really get your head around the fact that chronic stress is often the result of physiological stress even more so than psychological stress. Sure excessive worrying, problems at work, and emotional unrest are forms of obvious mental stress but these things only add to the physiological stress that happens in your body.

Chronic stress is directly related to the following:

- Poor diet that is high in excess starch carbohydrates, processed foods, and simple sugars.
This results in digestive system imbalances where beneficial micro flora and probiotics are destroyed and a yeast/fungal environment develops. In essence, your digestive tract becomes a feeding ground for yeast such as candida.

This results in inflammation in your gastrointestinal tract signaling the adrenals to release cortisol. Nutrient absorption is significantly decreased as your body fights to deal with the inflammation.

- Excessive use of caffeine which over-stimulates the adrenals
- Lack of sleep
- Lack of physical activity and exercise
- Excessive consumption of alcohol

Why you store more fat around your belly with high cortisol levels…
This is the area most people don’t fully understand. When cortisol levels remain elevated for long periods of time it signals a transfer of fat to the abdominal region. Why? Because the abdominal region has more cortisol receptors in the fat cells located there.

This becomes a double edged sword as the more belly fat you store the more cortisol levels increase. Belly fat leads to even more cortisol production because it has higher concentrations of an enzyme (11-Beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) that converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol.

How to reduce belly fat and cortisol at the same time…

Contrary to what you’d be led to believe from some supplement manufacturers there is no viable “cortisol blocker” in the form of a pill that will reduce cortisol levels and melt away belly fat. The manufacturers of these products don’t expect you to fully understand the enzyme pathways and conversion process of cortisone to cortisol.

Bottom line is these products don’t work.
The only way to reduce belly fat and elevated cortisol levels is to simultaneously work on restoring balance in your body. Yes, this means you’ll have to clean up your diet, start exercising daily, and work on reducing mental and emotional stress.

Specifically you’ll want to target digestive system imbalances first. Remove all processed and refined foods along with simple sugars and starches. I’d recommend doing a cleanse of some sort, like the Advocare Herbal Cleanse (my favorite) to help with restoring digestive system balance.
Transition to a diet that is mostly lean proteins, greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and healthy omega-3 fats.

While you can incorporate back in a moderate amount of whole grains, legumes, and other starches in your diet after the cleanse, I’d leave them out for a while. You want to remove the starches that candida and other yeasts feed on in your digestive tract.

Remember the objective is to squash inflammation in your body and the single most prevalent area is in the gastrointestinal tract.

The point is "diet" pills won’t work and neither will crash dieting or excessive cardiovascular exercise. Following a severe caloric restrictive diet or doing lots of cardio will only be viewed as stress by your body resulting in increased cortisol production.

There is no quick and easy approach to reducing belly fat and cortisol levels. It’s going to require lifestyle changes and a commitment to restoring balance in your body. Eat a clean diet of mostly whole, natural foods, exercise daily, get plenty of sleep, and take action steps on reducing mental stress with relaxation techniques.

Shane Doll is a certified Charleston personal trainer, fat loss expert, speaker, and founder of Shaping Concepts. personal fitness training in Charleston

What's Your Stepping Stone?

Everyone needs a stepping stone. What’s yours? In other words, what is your reason for your goals?

My stepping stone is my father. You see my father had a very nasty stroke over 5 years ago, and laid in a bed for months asleep before he woke up, which was a miracle in itself. He then stayed in a bed for few more months, not being able to feed himself, or move many body parts. He could barely talk, and I’m not even sure he knew who I was at times.

You see my father didn’t really take care of himself. Instead he took care of everyone else. He was great like that. However, he can no longer take care of anyone because he forgot to take care of the one person that matters most, himself. He didn’t exercise, he ate absolutely horribly, he never even had any vitamins that I knew of. He just wasn’t the healthiest person in the world by any means.

As I saw him laying in those hospital beds, being moved from one hospital to another, to another, and yet another, knowing that he was never going to be the same “father” as I knew him to be all my life, it honestly just hurt me. Call it selfish, call it what you will, but as a fitness professional, I knew all the things he could have done to prevent this from happening. As a son, I was mad that he let the one thing go that nobody should…their own health.

So by his unfortunate passing 5 years ago, I as a fitness professional, and I as a human being simply don’t want to see anyone have to go through what my father did. Nor do I want anyone have to watch the suffering of a loved one go through that.

This is what drives me. My goal in life is to help others not get to that point, to prevent that from happening. So in a way, my father’s passing is my stepping stone, my reason, my purpose for bettering the health of others, possibly even you.

I just happen to own a great fitness training center, a place where people can go to improve their health and fitness levels and be educated about proper eating habits, and I just happen to have the best nutritional supplements on the planet available to others to improve on their proper eating habits. These are just two ways out of many how I can help improve upon the health of others.

Again, I ask you what your stepping stone is. What is your reason or your purpose for the goals you have set? I ask this because when you know what this is, your results are much more likely to happen.


Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center, in Bluffton, SC, and is an independant distributor for AdvoCare International.

Couples That Train Together Stay Together

After a hard day at work, spouses come home to spend the little time left in the day together. Let’s be honest, this takes a huge toll on relationships. Now add kids to the equation, driving them to after school activities, and planning and cooking dinner. There is so much to do, when is there time to spend quality time together? Not much.

Here’s a great way for keeping the spark in a relationship. Try working out together. Over the last 23 years I have trained many couples together, and as a trainer I love when couples come in and say they want to workout together. This to me is awesome, not only for getting healthy and fit, but because it brings new light to relationships.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still hard to find time to workout together, however, it saves time by doing it together. And yes, it is very much quality time together, especially when someone else makes the workout. Someone like me, a trainer. This puts both people in the relationship on edge, to see what’s coming next. This feeling somehow sparks a flame, simply by seeing your spouse act a certain way. She might say “bring it on” while he’s quite thinking to himself “this trainer wants me to do what?” You can sense what your spouse is thinking and feeling. This in itself can make a relationship stronger.

Don’t forget about letting out some well needed frustration towards each other. We all know that there is vent up frustration when it comes to building and keeping relationships going. Working out together, performing certain types of exercise can really help bring out some needed venting. Take fitness boxing for instance. Boxing is perfect for a little tension release. There are plenty of partner type exercises also where both people have to work as a team to get it accomplished. Physical team building exercises work for corporations, so why not relationships?

Fact is, couples that train together stay together, and fitness can be a great way to spend quality time with each other.

We at the Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center offer partner training as well as small group training. Try pushing each other in a workout. Find time to go for walks together, or go to a trainer together. Trust me, it’s completely worth it!

Chad Cannon is the owner of the Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center and is an Independent Distributor for AdvoCare International.

Tips for women and muscle toning

1 Push yourself. Overtraining is pretty easy, however you want to make sure you cannot do one more repetition in a set because you are too exhausted. You want it to burn (this feeling is lactic acid stimulating muscle growth) and want to make the next set harder to do.

2 Add resistance. You'll get a burn when you add resistance training, and with resistance comes stronger muscles and a more toned look.

3 Harness the big tree exercises. Train the trunk of the tree most, not the limbs. The big three exercises when you build muscles include the deadlift, squatting, and the bench press. They should always be included in your workout plan in some fashion as they build condition, strength, and bulkiness.

4 Workout a few times a week. You should workout at a minimum of 3 times a week - that should provide more than enough exercise required by your body to build nicely toned muscles.

5 Keep it balanced. You want to focus on both cardiovascular workouts like running and biking while you try to build muscles. However, you never want to do both extremes at once - for example, training to run a marathon while still lifting 5 times a week. It is great to mix cardio and strength training, but just don't push each to the max at the same time. It is also great to combine your cardiovascular exercise into your strength routines, such as jump roping or short sprints between strength exercises.

6 Eat well. Not only does this mean eating healthy, but you need to eat for your muscles to build and not deplete. If you're cutting calories as part of a weight-loss regime, they will leave your muscle and you'll be fighting to build them back up. If you are trying to lose weight at the same time as you're building your muscles and are required to drop the amount of food you eat, make sure at the very least to keep your protein levels the same as before. You can work out how many calories you need on a daily basis by using a BMR calculator.

7 Measure body fat, not weight. If you are part of a diet and weight loss regime and perform strength training, be sure to measure body fat - not your weight. If you're actually gaining muscles, you will be gaining weight (pounds on the scale), even if you're losing calories in other places on your body. Remember, weight does not equal size - it's about how you look in the mirror, not how much you weigh!

8 Carbohydrates are your friend. If you're exercising and performing cardio and weight strengthening exercises everyday, your levels of glucose are being depleted. If you fail to fuel your body with a sufficient amount of protein, your body will begin to ravage your muscles to extract protein (for carbohydrates). It depends on how much you're exercising, but you should consume anywhere from 2 to 3.5 grams of carbs for every pound of body weight you have daily.

9 Consume protein before and after workouts. Consume about 10 to 20 grams of protein less than an hour before training to help increase the muscle-building effect of training. This equals to about the same size as 1 or 2 glasses of milk. After your workout, have a protein shake.

10 Try supplements. While the results vary for all individuals and should be taken only under the advice of a medical professional, many supplements may have the ability to enhance your training - making you workout harder and for longer period of times. This could lean to increased muscle growth. Additionally, recent research performed has demonstrated that a creatine supplement combined with proteins and carbohydrates may encourage muscle building.

Shoot for the stars, but it might take a while. It takes a long time to send a rocket shuttle into space. You need to make sure to set systematic, reasonable goals for your muscle building program that you can track, progress, and meet overtime. The bottom line is that if you keep training you will lose weight, and you will also gain muscle and strength. It's time for the women to get in the gym and start training with resistance!

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC, and is an independent distributor for AdvoCare International.

What it takes to TRANSFORM!

A lifestyle transformation is not just doing what it takes to lose weight. A complete transformation includes all aspects of a person's life, including family, physical and emotional well-being; fashion, home design; personal finance; food; and jobs.

Everything around us effects the way we live our lives, especially emotionally. Even being around the right colors, and lighting changes our mood.

If you are a person that truly wants a life transformation, a person that is unhappy with who you are, it usually has to do with everything involved in your life, not just what you look like.

The television show The Biggest Loser is well known for the Body Transformations that people go through. What most people don't realize is that most of the people on that show not only changed their fitness habits, but also their eating habits, their emotional wellbeing, their home lifestyle, even their jobs once they returned home. You'll see a difference in the way they dress, and the colors they wear. You'll see a difference in the way their home is put together. You'll see a difference in their organizational skills. You'll see a differnce in their friends and the people they hang around with. You'll see a difference in the foods they eat. You'll see a difference in healthy habits, and priorities. It's an all in one package deal when a life is transformed.

I know this sounds like a lot, but remember where the people on The Biggest Loser started. They were worse off than most people. So don't think you can't do it.

Start with a few simple things. These things might sound simple, but they are not at all easy. I totally admit that. However, I do know that all of us can make these changes.

• First and foremost, get away from all the negetive people in your life. I don't care if they are your best friends. If they are a negative influence, they effect you in a bad way. You don't want anything to do with that. Surround yourself with those that you want to be like. Happy people, people that make money, people that are fit and healthy. Surround yourself with coaches and mentors that will help you achieve your goals and dreams.



• Figure out what your true passion is and do that for a living. I'm not saying go quit your job. But work on transitioning to something you really love doing. Working in a place you love everyday makes all the difference in the world.



• This one sounds wierd, but trust me, it WILL help more than you can ever imagine. Eat breakfast, and a healthy one at that! Start your day off on the right foot by fueling your body right from the start. You WILL feel so much better throughout the rest of the day simply because you ate first thing in the morning.



• Everyday, do some kind of exercise. You'll be so shocked at how you feel after a simple power-walk. Get yourself on a regular scheduled out routine with both resistance training and cardiovascular training integrated into it. I also highly recommend going for a power-walk outside in the sun at least once per week, just to look up at the blue sky and think. It's a great release!
  

Again, I know that this all sounds good and you might want to do them, but you also might be telling yourself, it's just not me, I can't really make these changes. I'm hear to tell you, YES you can make these changes. It's a simple decision, a split second decision, either to do something about it, or to keep doing the same thing and keep getting the same results. You CAN do it! I believe in you!

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center in Bluffton, SC and is an Advisor with AdvoCare International.

The Main Reason Why People Fail or Succeed! Just Flip The Switch!

I love analogies! So I’m going to use a lot here today. I want to talk to you today being just another regular person, not a trainer.

There are many reasons people fail and succeed in the health aspect of their own body. There is one major reason that I have figured out, and it doesn’t stop in the health aspect of life. It actually carries on through everything a person does in life.

It is honestly the most vital part of your entire life as we know it. It is the one thing that makes us who we are, how we shape our life, what determines our entire future.

I’ve given you, from a trainers aspect, all the tips and best ways to achieve success. This, however, is something totally different. This digs down much, much deeper than any tip I could ever present you.

When reading this I want you to be in a quiet place. A place where there are no distractions. The reason why is because I want you to think for yourself, not as the person you present yourself to others as, but as the person you really know yourself to be or want to be.

Again, I don’t want you to think of me as a trainer while reading this. Right now I’m just a guy that is trying to build a relationship with you to help you achieve success with what I have learned. I had to learn all this myself, and to be really honest with you, I had to grow up, put my big boy pants on, forget my fitness pro ego and take it for what it really is… The Truth!

Okay, so let’s pretend you are on a plane about to take a giant leap. By the way I totally have to give credit to Jenny Donnelly, an independent distributor of AdvoCare, just like me, for giving me this analogy. So back to your giant leap…If you have ever been sky diving before, you know exactly what I mean. As you walk up to the edge of the plane for your very first parachuting experience ever, most people are going to hold on pretty darn tight to that bar and dangle one leg of the edge for a while before they jump, all the while trying to get enough courage to make the leap. This is also very true for many others when bungee jumping. You know I’m right. So, why is it that it takes us so long to get up the nerve to jump? Why do we take so much time to just contemplate everything? Why don’t we just jump? Do we actually like to spend that time not going? No, that’s the worst part of it. Yet that’s the time most people spend doing.

What about when you are driving, and you come to a stop light. Do you enjoy sitting at those red lights, or do you really want to be the fastest driver in the world and floor it the entire drive everywhere you go? Are you really the kind of person that says I can’t wait until I hit the next red light so I have to stop. No, nobody thinks that way. We all want to get things over with as fast as possible, excepts when it comes to things that put us in uncomfortable situations, like things that help us lose weight, such as exercise.

So let’s say you are in your home and the power goes out. What do you need to do in order to get the power back on? Go to the circuit box, right? Now what happens when you get to the box? You flip a switch, correct? It takes all of a split second to change everything. In that split second, the dark turns to light, and you are now in a comfortable place once again. You are now in a place where you know you need to be. You are now in a place where you know what happens around you, and where everything is.

So my point is… why does it take people sooooo looooong to make the decision to transform their life? Why does it take so long for people to make the simple decision to change their life?

When people want to wait and think about things, those things very rarely happen. I get people that tell me in an initial consultation here at the studio that they want to think about it. No! You already told me you wanted to lose weight, that you were totally unhappy with the way you feel, look and perform, so why do you want to think about it? Just flip the switch!

The reason why… is because they haven’t made the simple decision to do something about it.
People can “want” all day long, everyday. But wanting gets you nowhere fast. Deciding get you places! So when you decide to lose weight, guess what you’ve already started the process. Wanting to lose weight, just prolongs the inevitable… failure.

So the one major reason why people either fail or succeed in everything that life brings us is all due to if we make the decision to move forward, or are we still wanting to?

Did we DECIDE to do something about it? That’s it. That is the one major thing that dictates our future. You make your own path in life, no one else. Your life is based on your “decisions” or “wants”.

Make your own destiny by deciding what you do with your life! And deciding happens as fast as flipping a switch! No longer.

BElieve! BEgin! BEcome!

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center is Bluffton, SC. Come try Shaping Concepts with a 21 Day Trial!