My Legs Are Killing Me!

My legs are killing me!
Before I tell you why, let me say that I have a problem! A Big one! However, it is a good problem to have…I think.

I, being a former athlete, feel like I consistently need to achieve new and bigger things, athletically. For some reason this motivates me more than you can imagine. Maybe I’m going through a mid-life crisis or something. I don’t know.

About a year ago I took up serious distance running. Now when I say serious, I don’t mean trying to make the Olympic team or anything. What I mean is trying to achieve more than I think I physically can do. Why? Because I know in the back of my mind it can be done if I just put my mind to it. I like to push myself to the limit at certain things, and then some, and really see how far and how hard I can push myself. Call me crazy! Most people do!

So anyway, about a year ago I decided to run a 5k on Thanksgiving day. Oh yeah, Thanksgiving day was only three weeks away and I had not run in over a year. I called up my uncle in Ohio and asked him to find a 5k for me ( and him) to run together since that’s where I was going to be during Thanksgiving. He called and said he only knew of a 5 mile run, not any 5k’s in that area, and somehow he convinced me to run it. I really didn’t think I was going to be able to finish it. I was truly thinking that I could struggle to finish a 5k, but 5 miles was an entire different thing. That’s 2 extra miles. To make a long story short, he convinced me that if we did it together, I could finish it, and guess what? I did. And I did it fairly easily, only after three weeks of training. By the way…Thanks Uncle Mac! I think that’s where this whole thing started. He convinced me to do something I didn’t think I could. And I did it!

So after that I joined a running club here in Bluffton. Why did I do that? Easy…to find a coach to help me train correctly. I started out wanted to run strictly 5k’s. And week after week I ran with this club and struggled through 4-5 miles. One day my “coach” said we’re going 8 today. I’m thinking 8 miles…are you kidding? Well I did it and felt okay. Ever since that day I have never once struggled through 4 or 5 miles. Never! Something clicked in me physically and mentally that 4 or 5 miles really wasn’t that hard anymore. So I started running some 8k’s, some 10k’s a lot of 5k’s and then I turned 39…

Yes, that’s old for my broken down athletic body that used to take beatings in sports for almost 28 years. Trust me, my body has suffered.

So yes, I turned 39 and I needed something else. I kept seeing something about a Mud Run with military obstacles and things. Finally I signed up even though I am totally scared of heights (the Mud Run had 4 or 5 15-foot walls to climb). This was something I knew I was going to not be able to do. However, just like before, I signed up, which was a big step for me, and got a few friends together, and did it. Oh yeah, you bet I struggled over those walls, but with a lot of encouragement and nudging, my friends helped me over each one. And I must say, that race was a blast. We didn’t go out to “race”. We just did it to finish and have fun and of course I did it to conquer a major fear of mine.

So my legs are hurting. Here’s why…

Finally! I know I tend to babble sometimes.

About 4 months ago, I didn’t something I really thought my legs could not handle any longer. I signed up for a half marathon. That is 13.1 miles. With all the punishment I put on my legs back in college sports and even after college, this would be a huge step for me.

When I signed up trust me when I say I didn’t think I could finish it. But I signed up anyway, because again, I wanted to prove to myself that I could. This would take some major training on my part and I knew I couldn’t slack off. I had one goal from the day I signed up…to finish. I followed a strict training plan as much as I could. Yes I waivered off every now and then, but I always got right back on track. I even had two injuries along the way. However, about half way through my training plan, I added another goal. No longer was it just about finishing. Now I also wanted to finish without stopping. 6 weeks before that I thought that was going to be impossible.

Now I was training not to stop. About 2-3 weeks before the race, I started thinking about another goal. I was training for running an 8:30/mile pace the whole time, which is about a 1 hour and 52 minute plus half marathon. Well I started thinking about breaking 1 hour and 45 minutes. That’s an 8 minute mile. Before this training started, I was barely running 7:30 pace during 5k’s. Now I had the thought of 8 minute miles. I am crazy? Yes.

So I went into the race saying I’ll be happy to not walk and to run an average of 8:15 pace.

Here’s how the race went and why my legs are killing me now…

It was dark, cold and dreary out at 5:30am when we had to be at the starting line. (even though the race didn’t start until 7am) I arrived there on time, ate enough in the morning to get me through the race, and even had pasta all day before the race. So I was fueled up, warmed up well and was ready to go. The horn went off and off we went (all 5000 people). I said to myself “don’t go out to fast, but don’t get caught in the crowd as well”. I came up to the 1 mile sign and the clock read 8 minutes and 52 seconds.

You really don’t want to know what I said at that point. But it wasn’t good. So I suddenly picked up the pace quite a bit thinking I’ve got a lot of time to make up now. I picked off people left and right and felt good until we came to the only hill in the race. I was already too tired to make it up the hill, so I backed off enough to make it up as many of those that I had just passed, passed me right back. Coming down the hill I just relaxed and let the decline take me. I passed many people again, but without using any energy, and found my groove. I passed the 2nd mile in 8:10 and found a nice couple to run with.

I asked them what their goal was, and they were trying to break 1:45. So I said “great! I’m going to stick with you guys if that’s okay”. Of course they said yes, and we chatted and chatted, and chatted. We were talking so much that my 3rd and easiest mile was 7:42. I just made up my time from the beginning, and now had others to help each other through. Guess what? My goal of 8:15 pace was no longer. I wanted that 8 minute pace and I wanted to break 1:45. We were running pretty much 8 minute pace from there on out, however…

At the 6 or 7 mile point, even though my lungs were doing just fine, my legs said to me “not today Chad”. They did…I heard them loud and clear.

My quads started to cramp up. Not sure why. As I said before, I ate well, was hydrating at every water station, yet it was still happening. The couple I was running with helped me through it, telling me to keep shaking them out and it will work itself out, just don’t stop. So that’s exactly what I did. That nice couple really helped me, but eventually got a little ahead of me with every step, even though I was still holding that 8 minute pace. I was really struggling. At mile 11, my legs just said “NO MORE”.

Well, I told my legs to shove it where it counts, and I kept going. I was not about to stop with 2 miles left. I was going to finish. I have no idea what my 11th mile pace was. I know it dropped off a lot. Probably close to 9 minute pace. Then…

With one mile left, I knew I had to do something or I was not going to finish. I had to change muscle fibers. So I stood up as tall as I could, got up on my toes and basically used my sprinting technique to change it up and get me through. My mind over-powered my body and I must have run close to a 7:30 minute last mile, because I crossed the finish line thinking I was going to collapse because of my legs, in 1 hour 45 minutes and 48 seconds.

And you know what? I was really proud of that. Not because of the time I ran, but because I proved to myself that I could finish it without walking, and to do that when my legs said “no” on that particular day was why I did it in the first place. I proved once again, that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. If you really want something bad enough, just go get it.

I’m not sure what my next challenge will be. But whatever it is, I’m sure it will be hard and I’m absolutely sure I can do it!

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

You Get What You Pay For!

So this past weekend I was in Myrtle
Beach for a fitness conference. I want to discuss something I saw that was very disturbing to me, as a fitness pro.

I was at this conference for many reasons obviously...to get some continuing education credits, to learn some new good stuff, see some new fitness products, and of course connect with other fitness pro's throughout the country.

I was also running a half marathon the day after the conference, so I didn't participate in the usual physical classes I usually do. This time I sat back and watched others do it. While I was watching everyone kill themselves for two days, I noticed something I never noticed before...

...There are a lot, and I mean a lot of crappy trainers out there that have no clue how even their own bodies work. Yes, we get instructed as large groups in these conferences so the person in charge of that session can in no way, shape, or form walk around to each person and correct them if needed. But as a trainer, we should be able to listen, or watch a demonstartion and know how to do it ourselves because we're suppost to know how the body works. Man, oh man, did I see some bad, bad postural things going on. And if these so called trainers can't do a correct squat or follow from another example, my profession is in major trouble.

Don't get me wrong when I say there are lots of bad trainers out there. Yes, there are. But there are also many great ones.

Where am I going with this...?

Here's where... What is the perception of trainers you find in a typical gym, fitness center, or athletic club setting? Now what is the perception of a trainer that works in a personal training studio?

You should have completely different answers. A typical trainer in a gym is the kind of trainer I was watching do incorrect movements, the ones that didn't have a clue how their own body worked. Again, I'm not saying all of them...that's just the perception. Why? Because most of the time it's true.

The trainers that care about you getting results, that know how the body moves, and works, that knows what it takes to lose weight, gain more muscle, knows how to eat for better results, knows how to rehab someone from an injury...those are the trainers that open their own personal training studios, or work for someone that owns a training studio. It's the places that don't have a monthly membership, but where you pay for the service you need.

Remeber the old saying "you get what you pay for". Yeah, hows that $20/month membership helping you get those results you really wanted? Just sayin'!

I'm not trying to suggest that all gyms have bad trainers. I am suggesting however, that most bad trainers work in gyms and fitness centers.

Make sure you know what your goals are. Interview the trainers you talk to. Find out if they have helped others with the same goals? Can they show you, and demonstrate some of the things they will be having you do? Can they help you with the nutrition aspect of meeting your goals? Ask them what their last fitness conference was that they attended. Ask them what they do themsleves for their own particular workout. Ask them if you can watch one of their personal training sessions and really see how they move.

Here's the bottom line...

Make sure you get what you pay for. If you want a $20/month fee, don't expect to get much more than $20 worth of stuff. If you want good instruction, professoinal help day in and day out, nutritonal coaching, accountibility, access to articles, blogs, videos, tips and helpful hints everyday, the ability to email or call for help everyday, the ability to help you get results, then you will find this in places like a training studio.

Think about it, when is the last time you heard of a professional athlete training during the off season at the local health club? NEVER! It doesn't happen! They go to a real fitness professional because they know that's where results happen!


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

Losing More Than 2 lbs per Week

I’ve given you the knowledge you need to lose 2 pounds a week; however, I know you want to lose more than that. Most people, unfortunately, want more than 2 pounds. So the question is...how can one lose 4 to 5 pounds a week?

Let me try to make it as SIMPLE as possible for you. It all comes down to calories in, calories out. It’s really just simple math. Now, I’ll be the first to tell you, I was a horrible math student, as many of my teachers will agree. However, I’m pretty good at it when it comes to weight loss. Here’s how it works: To lose a pound, you must burn 3,500 calories. We must figure out the how to burn more calories in the most effective way.

There are things we don’t want to do, like too much resistance training. Working muscles too much will damage them because they never get a chance to recover. You want the muscles to recover because that’s when they get stronger. So my suggestion on resistance training is total body workouts only three times per week.

You also DO NOT want to get the weight off by starving yourself. If you eat fewer than 1,200-1,500 calories a day, you will sabotage your optimal results. By eating, you are putting fuel on the fire or keeping the metabolism going. When food is not in the body, there is no energy for the metabolism to work off of, thus slowing it down.

Therefore, cardiovascular training (walking, running, elliptical training, rowing, biking) is weight loss extra credit. It allows you to burn additional calories without overtraining. This is why you see people on TV shows lose a tremendous amount of weight in only a week, even weeks into the program.

Think about the math: If you are eating 1,500 calories a day, assuming your BMR without exercise is 1,600, and you do two 1-hour cardio sessions that burn 500 calories each (one in the morning and one at night), the two sessions, along with your regular daily activity, will speed up your base metabolism to at least 2,000. As a result, you will have burned about 1,500 calories that day — that is, almost half a pound. At that rate you will be losing up to 3.5 pounds a week. But most of that is because of lots of cardio. Not extra strength training.

With that said, you are more apt to lose more weight during the first two to three weeks of any weight loss regimen because of the dramatic change in your nutrition and the loss of excess fluid. After that, it's all about crunching the numbers, and cardio is the key.

If you want to lose more than two pounds per week, simply do more cardio. But do LOTS of it.

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

No more sabotaging! Eat to Lose Weight!

Why do people work so hard with their exercise, then totally blow it with their nutrition?

Here's a quick FACT for you:

Proper nutrition is just as important as the exercises when it comes to losing weight! In fact it's even more important than the exercise is.

You can workout all day, everyday, but the fact is if you're not eating correctly, results just won't happen!

So again I ask, why is it that people work so hard in their workouts, then totally blow it with eating like crap? Yet, most people know it to be true that eating is just as important, and the bad eating continues over and over. It's almost like sabotage! I hear from people, as I'm sure you have also "I workout so I can eat bad". No people! It doesn't work that way. Yes, you can cheat hear and there, but if you are wanting to lose 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 50 pounds, or even 100 plus pounds, you should be eating to make your workout better, to increase your metabolism. Not eating badly because you worked out. Like you feel you deserved something bad, because you did something amazing. No! All you are doing in that scenario is ruining what you just accomplished.

Eat to lose weight. That's the name of the game when it comes to weight loss.

Imagine what a workout could feel like if you ate really well for one week. Don't you think your energy level might be a little higher? Your stamina would last longer. You would have better strength. Your blood sugar would be in range. Your metabolism is faster. The list goes on and on. And with all this combined, you get a better workout, making you burn more calories, thus losing more fat!

No imagine if you did this for two weeks. What about one month? Is that so impossible?

No, it's not impossible! You CAN do it! I know you can. You know you can. You just need to make up your mind and do it. No more sabotaging!

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

Clean out with a Cleanse

So most of us have at least thought about or have done a "cleanse" of some sort. I admit that I have been totally against all cleanses most of my life. Why? Because most cleanses make you fast (stop eating) for a long time. And I know from being a weight loss expert that when you stop eating you slow down your metabolism. Now most people do a cleanse to "clean out" and to lose some weight. Now tell me if I'm wrong, but slowing down the metabolism is the oposite of losing weight.

To lose weight, you must keep the metabolism movin' and groovin'... as fast as possible!
One main part in doing that is to eat small portions every 3-4 hours. So "cleanses" have been my enemy for most of my career...until now!

For the last two years I've found AdvoCare's Herbal Cleanse. Let me tell you about it.

This Herbal Cleanse helps rid the body of toxins and waste. It supports improved digestion and thorough internal cleansing. It provides 10 grams of fiber per day. It helps remove impurities from the body. It supports healthy weight loss.

Using a systematic approach, this 10 day system guides you day by day through the steps all while keeping the energy levels up.

The Herbal Cleanse system uses these three key products:

Probiotic Restore Ultra, Fiber drink, and Herbal Cleanse Tablet.

Here's the best part...you don't stop eating! I highly recommend the AdvoCare Herbal Cleanse. In fact I recommend an Herbal Cleanse to anyone trying to lose any amount of weight... 50 pounds or 5 pounds.

*Only use a cleanse every 90 days

For more information on the clease click HERE now.

Chad Cannon is a weight loss expert and owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC.

22 MEN WANTED FOR FITNESS MAKEOVER

22 Men Wanted For Fitness Makeover!
You could get paid to lose weight!

If you need a smaller waist, you can finally stop sucking in your gut! Join the Men's Only Bluffton Boot Camp 12 week Transformation.

In 12 weeks you can expect to:

lose 30+ pounds of unwanted fat

lose 3-10 inches off your waist

reduce a minute+ off your timed mile

double your strength

improve overall strength and quality of life

get a lean body you and your wife will love

You will enjoy getting in shape with these Cross Fit / P90X / Martial Arts / Boot Camp Style Workouts!

And in the end, you can win $349 to put right back in your pocket!

Class Times for the men's Only Camp:

Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00am, and Saturday's at 8:30am. (if there is a waiting list, there will also be an option for a PM class).

Men's Only Camp will start Oct. 18th and go through Dec. 17th.

Spaces Open for both Men's and Women's Camps!

Click here to find out more information about the Bluffton Boot Camps and sign-up now!

Or call 843-757-8626 to register and guaruntee you are one of the first 22 men.

Spots are limited, so call now! All body types are welcome! All fitness levels are welcome.

Call today!

The Six Firming Moves I Swear By!

You want firm musclesand fast? There are six firming moves that I do almost every session with all my clients that are there to firm & tone up their muscles. Here they are...



1) Squats
2) Push-Ups
3) Lunges
4) Pull-ups or Lat Pull-downs
5) Pelvic Tilts
6) Triceps Dips

These six firming moves or exercises are by far the best I've ever come accross that do the trick every time, but only when done consistantly over a long period of time. You will feel these in your muscles the next day, however, that's only because it worked. And if you keep doing them the less sore you'll be. Try performing these six firming moves every other day for 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps each.

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

Beat Belly Bloat! Drop Pounds Fast!

Many women like to talk about their belly bloat or their muffin top. One of the biggest things holding them back is too much sodium, and not enough water.

Just by cutting as much sodium as possible each day for just a week or two, you'll notice a huge difference with your belly bloat. Also make sure you are drinking lots of water, at least eight 16oz. glasses every single day.

You'll be so surprized how much sodium you take in each day once you start keeping track of it. It's usually a big shock!

Click on this link Lower Your Sodium Now to download your very own free meal planning system and start getting rid of your belly bloat!

Chad Cannon is a Fat Loss Expert and owner of Shaping Concepts.

How A "Coach" Showed Me The Way!

So everyday I dish out a little abuse, if you will. Meaning I put people through fitness workouts. That's what I do day in and day out...get people into shape. So, I guess you could call me their "coach".

Well even I, a coach, needs to be pushed a lot. Even I, a coach, needs a coach. I need the help just as much as anyone else out there.

Two of my biggest goals I have set for myself are, one...to grow my business (only I need to know the specifics), and two finish a half marathon in October.

I have learned throughout my life that trying to achieve things on your own never works. We all have "coaches" the first part of our lives in all the teachers we had. They were"coaches" that helped us learn and grow to achieve a goal...educate ourselfs as much as possible and graduate.

We've all had sports coaches, mentors, business leaders, etc. to help us get where we are today. Think about it... if you didn't have all your teachers to help educate you, would have passed high school? No! Of course not. That's what they are there for.

So what have I done to help myself reach those two goals I mentioned before? I have surrounded myself with "coaches". I have a running coach to help me train for my half marathon, physically, and mentally. I have a few different business coaches to help me and mentor me in growing my business.

I could easily try to do all this on my own, but I've never had a multi-million dollar business before. I've never been an All-American distance runner before. So I have surrounded myself with those types of people. They have been through it. They have learned through trial and error how to do it. And they have done it. I have not! So it's pretty simple. I'm going to follow their advice!

Perfect example: two days ago, I was on my long run of the week with my running coach. I was supposed to run 90 minutes that day. Well my pace is a bit slower than his, however, for the first six miles he really pushed me, hard. I was hurting after just three miles. He then decided to throw in some sprints in the second half of the run. I wouldn't expect anything less from him. I just wasn't expecting sprints at that point.

So he knows that my goal for this half marathon is to break 2 hours. At the end of our run which was 98 minutes by the way, and 11 miles, he says "see, you're going to kill the 2 hour mark". If I were to keep my regular pace, and not do the sprints, I would have demolished two hours running 13 miles. He was just proving a point to me...in a very painful way!

My point to you is that he was coaching me and proved to me that I can do it better than I imagined. A "coach" will help you out in those ways and more. Surround yourself with coaches to help you reach your goals.

I'm a coach to many others trying to improve their health. Use the help from others that know what they are doing. Use it! It doesn't make any sence to "try it" on your own, if you know you could "do it" with the help of others.




To use Chad's services as a fitness or health coach, he offers a free, no obligation consultation and trial session to help you get started today. Click HERE for your free consultation and trial session now!

Losing Weight Is Not Easy, But It Is Simple

How much of getting a tight tummy is
cardiovascular training? How much is Abdominal work? What about nutrition? How much of having a nicely toned stomach depends on what you put in your mouth? And does working out the rest of the body have anything to do with how sleek your six-pack is?

I have a saying I've used quite a lot over the years...

It's not easy to lose weight, but it is simple.

I know that talking about doing all that I mentioned above seems like a whole lot to do in order to lose weight, but in actuality it really is not. Losing weight is simply this...

• Eat healthier than you have been, and do it every 3-4 hours in smaller amounts until it's bed time.
• Do a combination of resistance training and cardiovascular training 3 times per week, and do it consistantly forever, not for just 3-4 weeks.
• Do a little more cardiovascular exercise (walking) on the off days of resistance training.
  It doesn't have to be 2 hours. Just 30 minutes will do more than you can imagine for trimming the tummy.

Now there are other little things that will help you too. I mean specific stuff with nutrition, and interval training, and other things, but really, just keep it simple. Simple works.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Make it fun, and realize that just because you might not like exercising now, doesn't mean you will later after you do it for a while. You might actually begin to like it.

Lastly, be willing to change. Because losing weight is all about making changes.


Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC. He can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

4 Secrets To Success

There are four secrets I live by, four secrets I try to teach my clients in my personal training studio, four secrets that you should know about and follow yourself...

1. Train hard!

2. Dedicate and commit FULLY to reaching your potential.

3. Eat healthy, wholesome , natural foods.

4. Be honest with yourself about doing your FULL part in reaching your goals.

I can't promise magic. I do however expect you to bust your a_s and commit to your training, nutrition and an attittude of success.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is known as the low country Fat Loss Expert.

No Time For Fitness?

So I received an email the other day from someone asking me for help with their fitness level and motivation. I gave her a few tips to follow and some nutrition advice as well. She emails back saying that she has no time to workout and that she thinks she should only start with a 10-15 minute workout, twice per week.

Alright, this to me honestly sounds like excuses from someone that doesn't have any motivation whatsoever. Someone that thinks they'll be doing something good for their body from those twice per week workouts. Honestly doing fitness only twice per week doesn't do a whole heck of a lot. So this is what I replied back to her...

I told her that if she has 10-15 minutes, she could get an enitre body workout in with both resistance and cardiovascular training involved by performing "Burst Training", but instead of doing it only twice per week, do at least 3 times, if not 4 or even 5 times each week.

Burst Training is performing a few different exercises, let's say three, but could be 5, 8, or whatever you want, about 10-15 times each, and do as many sets of that routine as you can in your 10-15 minute time slot.

Here's an example: 10 jumping jacks, 10 push-ups, 10 squats. Repeat these for 10 minutes, non-stop.

You'll be out of breath. Your muscles will be tired, and you'll feel like you worked out for an hour.

Another thing I told her is that she really needs to set some goals. Something that is out of her comfort zone, such as signing up for a 5k in 2 months (notice I said, signing up for it, not just saying you'll do it -make the commitment!), or give yourself 30 days to be able to do 50 push-ups (modified or not) in a row, without stopping.

Everyone needs a goal. Once a goal is reached, set new goals. I signed up for a half marathon a few weeks ago, which will take place almost 4 months from now. I also signed up for a Mud Run a month after that, which is running 4 miles in the mud through military obsticles, and is a team oriented thing. I've never done either of these before. They are both way out of my comfort zone. Once I finish these, which I know I will, I will feel a sence of accomplishment like never before.

Fact is...Make the commitment to get your fitness in. If you only have a few minutes, which EVERYONE does, then make those few minutes work for you. And continue making new and challenging goals to keep the motivation strong.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is known as the low country Fat Loss expert. He can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

Continuing Your Workout During An Injury

Last week I was competeing in an 8k road race, felt great on race day, warmed up really well, and was very ready to set a new personal record. The gun went off and I was going strong. I mean I was feeling awesome...for about 2 and a half minutes! That's when I felt a little twinge in my right calf. I've been through this before and I warmed up well, plus it was 95 dregrees out, so I knew my muscles were warm, so I thought I would keep going and try to get it to work itself out. I slowed down my pace a little and stopped pushing so much off my toes. Well, it only got worse...and worse...and worse. Then my ego got in the way because it was a race. I don't like to quit, so I didn't. I should have though. I barely made it accross the finish line. The next day I could hardly walk. I was so mad at myself that I didn't stop when I should have.

Here's the bad thing...I had the best training the previous two weeks and really felt that I had broken through a plateau and was about to do great things in my running.

Now, I can barely walk, and can no longer train like I want to. So the big question is...what do I do now?


I can stop everything to let it heal, and lose all the training I've done. Or I can figure out how to keep doing what I was doing before in a different way. I had to stay off my leg and no pushing off the toes at all. So on Monday, even though I was limping pretty badly, I road a recumant bike for about 15 minutes very slowly, no resistance. Then iced the calf afterwords, and a couple more times that day. On tuesday, my normal interval training day, I did my intervals on the bike. I did 1 minute hard on that bike, with resistance training (mostly seated) between each minute on the bike. I ended up doing 15 intervals on the bike with about 2 minutes of resistance training between each. It hurt like crap, but I knew I wasn't putting any stress on it, as I was pushing the peddles with my heels, not toes. I aslo made sure I iced it a few times that day.

I continued to do get other cardio workouts in that entire week with the bike and an arm ergometer (that's a bike for the arms, not the legs-great cardio!). Plus I still did my usual resistance training, just not much on my legs.

Basically a week later, yesterday, I attempted to run. I really thought I wasn't going to be able to make it very far. I didn't even know if I could make it to the corner and back. I went slow and steady, and ended up going 4 miles. Lungs felt good due to the bike training, and calf felt pretty good. I iced again, and just this morning I went out for another run. I was just going to see how it felt, no plan or anything. I ended up going six miles. I couldn't have done that without the cardio training I did when I was injured.

So when you are injured, which we all are at some point or another, don't stop your training. Just made simple modifications according to your injury and keep going. I could have given up. believe me I wanted to last Sunday when I couldn't walk, but I kept going because I knew I could come up with other ways of doing the same thing.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is known as the Fat Loss Expert throughout the low country. he can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

De-Jiggle Your Middle - 5 Ways To Help This

Don't you hate it when you jump up and down, and all you feel is "jiggle" in the middle? I hate that feeling. Yes, even I know that feeling. I used to know that feeling...up until I started doing these 5 things on a permanent basis.

1. Stop eating out. Limit it to once per week. This way YOU have control over what is in your foods. When you eat out, you never really know how it's cooked.

2. Eat every 3-4 hours no matter what. This will increase your mtabolic rate substancially! Any longer than that without eating automatically slows down the metabolism and makes you gain fat.

3. Start eating every meal/snack with both a protein and a complex carbohydrate. The protein will help make those muscles stronger so they will burn more fat at a higher rate. The complex carbohydrate will give your system and your muscles the energy it needs to keep your metabolism burning at a high rate.

4. Do at least 3 days of resistance training each week. Each time must include all the main muscles in the body.

5. Do cardiovascular activity (no, yard work does not count...I don't care what you say!) at least 3 days a week of at least 30 minutes. No Matter What!!! Get it in!

There you have it. Once I incorporated those 5 things, and started making it a part of my lifestyle on a consistant basis, there was no more jiggle in the middle. I'm not just saying this to try to convince you to do it. I actually did this. I made the concious decision to do these things and it has worked great.

P.S. Notice I didn't say anything about cutting out this or that in my diet. It's not about what you "cut out", but more about what is needed to be added.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is known as the low country Fat Loss Expert. He can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

Keep Track of Your Calorie Burn

I like to use the word "Burn" quite a lot when speaking to my clients about losing fat. What does "burn" mean? Well, it's simply the amount of calories burned during exercise.

There is an easy way to keep track of your burn compared to how much fat you want to lose. Of course losing fat has a lot to do with what and how much you eat, but as far as exercise is concerned these numbers are what you want to remember...

To lose 0 pounds or maintain the body fat that you have, your goal is to burn 100 calories each day through exercise or 700 calories each week.

To lose 1 pound per week you need to burn 250 calories through exercise each day or 1,750 calories each week.

To lose 2 pounds per week you need to burn 500 calories per day through exercise and 3,500 calories each week.

So always remember what your goal "Burn" number is according to how many pounds you prefer to lose each week. Again, I cannot stress enough how important your food intake is. If you are not eating the correct amount of calories for your body or not taking in the correct kind of calories, your burn numbers won't matter too much.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is known as the low country Fat Loss Expert. He can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

9 Ways To Help You Meet Your Fitness Goals

When starting a fitness program do it the right way. Don't waste your time just going through the motions. Do it right! Here are nine ways to help you get started, maintain and achieve your fitness goals.

1. Take before, during and after pictures of yourself. Front and side views.

2. Take before, during and after weight and body fat measurements.

3. Keep a nutrition log since eating is the hardest and most important part of weight loss.

4. Keep a daily weight loss journal of everything you are going through, or start a blog and put in a post each day to keep yourself accountable to others.

5. Write out a pledge to yourself to start, and follow through with all your goals. Make sure you sign it.

6. Find a weight loss buddy to go through the journey with.

7. Enter a local or national weight loss contest, or make up your own.

8. Make a goal to achieve something you don't think you can do every two months such as finish a 5k or 8k run/walk.

9. Before you do anything...get the guidence needed from a trainer or fitness professional with a consultation. Most consultations are free. Use professionals. They are called professionals for a reason.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC. Chad is known as the local fat loss expert. He can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

Two Ultimate Fat Burning Workouts! Trim Your Waistline Today!

Below are two awesome fat burning workouts that involve NO EQUIPMENT. Just your own body weight and 30 minutes. You will burn more fat than you ever imagined!

Fat Burning Workout #1

30 Jumping Jacks;
Run (or walk) up/down stairs 3 times;
15 Tricep Dips on bench, chair, or curb;
10 each leg step ups just below knee hight;
15 incline push-ups on bench, back of couch, or counter top.
Complete as many rounds as possible in 30 minutes today.
On Thursday try to complete more rounds than today.
On Saturday complete more rounds than Wednesday.

Fat Burning Workout #2

Jumping jacks for 30 seconds
push ups for 30 seconds,
squats for 30 seconds,
wide push-ups for 30 seconds,
squats jumps for 30 seconds,
staggered push-ups for 30 seconds,
burpees for 30 seconds,
rest for 2 minutes,
repeat again for a total of 5 rounds.

These are major FAT BURNING workouts that will shred inches from all over your body, like crazy!


Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC and is known as the low country Fat Loss Expert.

Jillian Michaels On Carbs

I wanted to share this Jillian Michaels Video with you on what she thinks about "carbs". I'm always telling people that you need carbs in your eating plan. See what the "Biggest Loser" weight loss guru has to say about it.




Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is known as the low country Fat Loss Expert.

6 Ways For Flatter Abs

I'm going to give you 6 ways to achieve that flat stomach you truly want. I want you to notice that there are no abdominal exercises involved. None whatsoever!

1. Eat 2 servings of complex carbohydrates for breakfast with 1 serving of protein.

-Eat 2 servings of protein for a snack exactly 3 hours after breakfast.

-Eat 2 servings of protein and 1 serving of complex carbohydrates for lunch exactly 3 hours after morning snack.

-Eat 2 servings of protein for a snack exactly 3 hours after lunch.

-Eat 2 servings of protein and 2 servings of complex carbohydrates for dinner exactly 3 hours after afternoon snack.

-Eat 2 more servings of protein for late sanck exactly 3 hours after dinner.

2. Complete 5 days of cardiovascular training for an average of 30 minutes. Hard! In other words, make your body want to be done after 30 minutes.

3. 2 out of those 5 cardio days are interval sessions. 1 minutes very, very fast, 1-2 minutes easy for a good strong 30 minutes.

4. Complete 3 days of a total body resistance training program, all in 20 minutes or less. Example: 20 assisted pull-ups, 20 push-ups, 20 squats, 20 dumbbell shoulder presses, 20 tricep chair dips, 20 bar biceps curls, 20 walking lunges.

5. Drink 8 bottles of water each day.

6. Have an AdvoCare Multi-Nutritional System for overall health and wellness support.


Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC and is known as the low country Fat Loss Expert. He can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

50-200 Calorie Good Choice Snacks

Don't be afraid of eating carbs. Carbs are your main source of energy you get from food. Yes, protein will help fuel your muscles which helps burn more fat, but fueling your body with carbohydrates will help speed up the metabolism so your muscles CAN burn more fat. Here are some easy under 100 calorie snacks and 100-200 calorie snack to choose from, both proteins and carbs.



Snacks 100 Calories or less
Food Portion/Size/Calories

Apple................................................. 1 medium............................... 60
Apricots.............................................. 3 medium............................... 53
Bean Salad......................................... ½ cup..................................... 88
Applesauce......................................... ½ cup..................................... 60
Banana............................................... 1 med..................................... 65
Blackberries........................................ ½ cup..................................... 39
Cauliflower......................................... 1 cup...................................... 25
Blueberries......................................... 1 cup...................................... 80
Bran Cereal........................................ ½ cup..................................... 65
Broccoli.............................................. 1 cup...................................... 25
Asparagus........................................... ½ cup..................................... 25
Green Beans....................................... ½ cup..................................... 25
Carrots................................................ ½ cup .................................... 25
Peppers.............................................. ½ cup..................................... 25
Cantaloupe......................................... 1 cup cubed............................ 60
Cherries.............................................. 12 large.................................. 63
Grapefruit........................................... ½ large................................... 61
Grapes................................................ 17 .......................................... 61
Honeydew.......................................... 1 cup cubed............................ 60
Nectarine........................................... 1 small.................................... 57
Orange............................................... 1 med..................................... 72
Peach................................................. 1 med..................................... 63
Peaches.............................................. ½ cup canned or frozen.......... 60
Pear.................................................... 1 med..................................... 65
Pears.................................................. ½ cup canned or frozen.......... 65
Plums................................................. 2 small ................................... 60
Raisins................................................ 2 Tbsp..................................... 57
Strawberries........................................ 1 ¼ cup.................................. 58
Cottage Cheese................................... 4oz ........................................ 96
Reduced Fat Cheese........................... ¾ oz....................................... 50
Fat Free cheese................................... 1 slice..................................... 31
Fiber One........................................... ½ cup..................................... 60
Puffed Kashi....................................... 1 cup...................................... 70
Whole grain total................................ ¾ cup..................................... 97
All Bran.............................................. ½ cup..................................... 80
All Bran with extra fiber...................... ½ cup..................................... 50
Post Bran Flakes.................................. ¾ cup..................................... 99
Quaker Crunchy Oat Bran.................. ¾ cup..................................... 90
Poached egg....................................... 1............................................. 75
Hard Boiled egg................................. 1............................................. 75
Gazpacho soup.................................. 1 cup...................................... 56
Onion soup........................................ 1 cup...................................... 58
Vegetable soup................................... 1 cup...................................... 72
Chicken noodle soup.......................... 1 cup...................................... 75
Minestrone soup................................. 1 cup...................................... 82
Chicken, rice & vegetable soup.......... 1 cup...................................... 90
Tomato soup....................................... 1 cup...................................... 85
New England Clam Chowder............. 1 cup...................................... 95
Refried Beans..................................... ½ cup..................................... 92
String cheese...................................... 1 ounce.................................. 80

Snacks 100-200 calories
Food/Portion/Size Calories

AdvoCare Chocolate Nougat Snack Bar...1 bar..................................140
AdvoCare Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bar...1 bar................................200
Cream of Wheat................................. 1 cup .................................... 123
Oatmeal............................................. 1 cup..................................... 145
Corn Flakes with ½ cup 1% milk........ 1 cup..................................... 151
Bran Muffin........................................ 2.5 inch diameter................... 153
Fiber One with ½ cup 1% milk.......... 1 cup..................................... 171
Black Bean Soup................................ 1 cup..................................... 116
Lentil and Ham Soup.......................... 1 cup..................................... 139
Beef Soup........................................... 1 cup..................................... 170
Black Beans........................................ ½ cup.................................... 100
Kidney Beans...................................... ½ cup.................................... 104
Brown Rice......................................... ½ cup.................................... 108
Soy Nuts............................................. 1 ounce................................. 110
Yogurt, nonfat..................................... 8 ounces................................ 120
Trail Mix............................................. 1 ounce................................. 131
Mixed Nuts......................................... ¼ cup.................................... 190
Almonds............................................. 1 ounce................................. 172
Cashews............................................. 1 ounce................................. 164
Peanuts............................................... 1 ounce................................. 165
Cottage Cheese 1%............................ 1 cup..................................... 163
Cottage Cheese 2%............................ ½ cup.................................... 102
Baked Sweet Potato............................ 1 large................................... 162
Kashi GoLean Crunch......................... 1 cup..................................... 170
Multi-Grain Cheerios.......................... 1 cup..................................... 110
Wheat Chex....................................... 1 cup..................................... 180
Walnuts.............................................. 1 ounce................................. 185
Raisin and Nut Trail Mix..................... 1 ounce................................. 130
Trail Mix with Chocolate Chips.......... 1 ounce................................. 137
Cranberry-Nut Trail Mix...................... 1 ounce................................. 120
Pumpkin Seeds................................... 1 ounce................................. 148
Sunflower Seeds................................. 1 cup..................................... 168


Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is known as the low country Fat Loss Expert.

Do You Have A Positive Impact?

Take This Test To See If You Have A Positive Impact On Others

Answer the questions below to see if you have a positive impact on others. The more times you answer YES, the more of a positive impact you have on others.


I have helped someone in the last 24 hours
I am an exceptionally courteous person
I like being around positive people
I have praised someone in the last 24 hours
I am more productive when I am around positive people
In the last 24 hours, I have told someone that I care about her/him
I make it a point to become acquainted with people wherever I go
When I receive recognition, it makes me want to give recognition to someone else
In the last week, I have listened to someone talk about his or her goals and ambitions
I make unhappy people laugh
I make it a point to call each of my associates by the name she/he likes to be called
I notice what my colleagues do at a level of excellence
I always smile at the people I meet.
I feel good about giving praise whenever I see good behavior
I have developed a knack for making other people feel good.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is known as the low country Fat Loss Expert.

The Best Valentines Gift Ever!

Is there such a thing as a great Valentines present that is fitness oriented?

Let me tell you a great present I received 11 years ago from my girlfriend,who is now my wife. I truly knew she was the woman for me when I received her Valentines gift.

I was the typical guy and spent 2 hours buying crap (as she calls it), like candles and heart shaped stuff, and nice smelling this and that. Pretty much a bunch of junk, just like she said.

Well when I opened my Valentines gift from her, I was shoked, but like I said before, I knew it was true love right away.

What did she give me?

A great, well padded, pair of boxing gloves.

She said it was for me to workout with, but to this day she still uses them on me!

Have you ever received a fitness related Valentines gift?


Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, and is the low country Fat Loss Expert. Chad can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

What Should I Eat?

Every meal should contain these three things;

 First you need to eat a PROTEIN source, such as meats and dairy.

 Second, a good source of complex carbohydrates, such as a sweet potato or brown rice.

 Third, a nice big serving of vegetables. A good blend of all the colors of the rainbow.

The protein will fuel the muscle in the body so it can burn more fat. The carbohydrates will be the main source of energy for the body to handle its everyday function and work you put it through day in and day out. The vegetables are the most important source to get all the vitamins and minerals the body needs to sustain life.

I highly recommend meal replacement shakes and bars at least once per day to give the body what it needs that we don’t provide it as we should. The best meal replacement I know of is AdvoCare Meal Replacement Shakes. It’s got a 1:1 ratio of proteins and carbohydrates with the perfect amount of good fat the body needs, and it’s formulated by the best medical scientists in the world.

(Go to www.advocareconcepts.com to get your shakes and bars)


Chad Cannon, owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC is the low country Fat Loss Expert, and can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

Five Non-Negotiable Rules With Eating When Trying to Lose Weight

The five biggest nutritional things to concentrate on when trying to lose weight are things that everyone can easily do on a daily basis. Without doing these five non-negotiable things, the results you are looking for might stay hidden for much longer than you want.

1. You Must Eat Every 3 hours

2. You Cannot Miss A Meal

3. Plan Your Meals (all of them) One Day Ahead

4. Drink At Least One Gallon Of Water Each Day

5. Avoid Sugar And Alcohol


Chad Cannon, owner of Shaping Concepts in Bluffton, SC, is the low country's Fat Loss Expert and can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com