14 Body Transformation Secrets (Part II)

Secret #8: You must eat plenty of fiber!

This is a big time secret for successful weight loss. Eating plenty of fiber in your diet
will have a bigger impact on your ability to lose weight than probably any other
nutritional strategy. Look for foods like cereals and bread that have a minimum of
three grams of fiber per serving. Eating fiber will keep you from feeling hungry,
improve your digestion and help you reduce your waistline fast! Try AdvoCare’s Fruit and Fiber Bars or Fiber Drink to increase more fiber. (Located in the studio or http://www.advocareconcepts.com/)


Secret #9: You must create regular diet & exercise routines!

When it comes to making changes in your diet and exercise the most important thing
you can do is work on creating routines. Successful change comes from the repetition
of certain acts over and over again. Remember you’re making lifestyle changes not
just going on a short term diet. Go grocery shopping at the same time each week,
prepare your meals for the next day and schedule your time for exercise just like you
do any other appointment. I cannot stress how important this is.

You don’t have to be perfect in the beginning nor should you expect to be. Simply
work on creating better routines every day and you’ll soon find healthy eating and
exercising to be second nature.


Secret #10: You must be willing to make sacrifices!

You probably already knew this but it’s essential to your success. It’s easy to make
excuses for why you can’t eat healthy or find time for exercise. The reality is we all
have 24 hours to use each day. It’s up to you to decide how you’ll use the time. Take
an honest look at your lifestyle and habits right now and decide what’s most
important.

Here’s some straight talk on what you need to do. If there’s any person, activity, or
habit that is not positive or supportive towards your weight loss goals they’ve got to
go! The most successful people have the guts to do this and their results show it. Go
and do likewise.


Secret #11: You must know your caloric requirements!

You cannot get your body to release stored fat unless you provide it with an energy
balance. Calories are simply energy and if you’re not eating enough to support your
resting metabolic rate plus daily activities you put your body in a fat storing mode.
Most people have no idea how many calories they should be eating for fat loss
and thus they struggle with seeing results. This is a vital piece of information to your
success. The reality is your metabolism is unique and experience has shown us that
it’s very ineffective to estimate your caloric needs. The majority of people who start
our programs are surprised to learn they’re actually not eating enough calories to lose
weight!

I recommend you complete a Nutritional Coaching Session each month if you’re serious about making a body transformation. (A Shaping Concepts trainer can scheduling this into your program each month).

Secret #12: You must use a heart rate monitor!

The most effective cardiovascular exercise routines are built around your individual
target heart rate zones. The intensity or heart rate range where your body is best at
burning fat is unique to your metabolism and body make-up.
Once you learn your ideal target heart rate zones you can begin exercising with pin point accuracy. Having a heart rate monitor is essential to tracking your intensity during cardio workouts. Polar® is my heart rate monitor brand of choice due to their compatibility with most
cardio equipment.

Secret #13: You must set quantifiable goals!

The practice of goal setting makes everything seem to fall in place. However, you
must set goals that can be measured. Set a number to the percentage of body fat or
inches you want to lose. This way you can measure your progress. Write your goals
down on an index card and post it someplace like your bathroom mirror where you’ll
see it at least twice daily. This is an extremely powerful technique. You become what
you think about so fill your subconscious thoughts with your goals as much as
possible. Your body really does follow your mind. Tell your mind over and over what
you expect and the results will amaze you.

Secret #14: You must eliminate processed and refined foods from your diet!

These foods are big time culprits for hindering weight loss. You think you’re doing well
by eating “low-fat” or “no-sugar” diet foods but in reality these foods are part of the
problem. Three words you should look to avoid on food labels are “hydrogenated, high
fructose corn syrup, and enriched.” These are just a few of the indicators that the
food has been processed, refined or chemically altered. The further you get away from
whole foods the harder it is to lose weight. Eating breads, cereal and other starches
high in fiber along with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, fish, legumes, etc. is the
secret to slimming your waistline and improving your health. There are no magic pills,
diets or other shortcuts that will work like eating whole foods and exercising.

Come in and sit down with me for a free consultation and go through a TRIAL SESSION to see what it’s really like to get fit and healthy.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center.

14 Body Transformation Secrets to Success (Part I)

Secret #1: You must eat something every 3-4 hours!!!

One of the most important steps in your metabolism makeover is stabilizing pancreatic
hormones so you can begin releasing stored body fat. Eating small meals frequently
throughout the day helps provide a consistent supply of energy signaling to your body
that it no longer needs to store fat.

Secret #2: You must do aerobic exercise!

The majority of your weight loss especially in the beginning will come from doing
aerobic exercise like walking. The most successful clients start with aerobic exercise
for 30-45 minutes each day for a minimum of five days per week. The intensity needs
to be low for aerobic exercise, that’s why walking is so effective. You don’t necessarily need to
start performing higher intensity cardio routines until after an aerobic base is
established. Consult with your trainer on your ideal target heart rate range for aerobic
exercise.

Secret #3: You must drink plenty of water!

This is an absolute necessity. You cannot lose weight without drinking a minimum of
eight glasses of water each day. This is a minimum requirement. Multiply your
bodyweight by .55 to determine your target water intake in ounces. Carry a water
bottle with you everywhere you go and sip on it throughout the day.

Secret #4: You must minimize alcohol consumption!

The cold hard truth is alcohol is nothing more than empty calories made up of sugar
that can stop fat burning in its tracks! There’s plenty of research showing the
numerous benefits of a glass of red wine daily to your health, but the key is
moderation. If you’re going to drink alcohol, do so with a meal and limit your intake. The choice is yours but remember your decision on how much alcohol you consume will always
affect your results.


Secret #5: You must decrease your consumption of saturated (animal fats) while
increasing unsaturated (omega-3) fats!

The latest research is showing that one of the biggest problems with the American
diet is that we’re not eating enough unsaturated fats. These are the “good fats”
typically found in cold water fish and plant sources. I recommend you supplement
your diet with AdvoCare’s OmegaPlex (found on the supplement shelf in the studio or at www.AdvoCareConcepts.com. The benefits to your overall health and waistline from taking extra Omega-3’s daily are so numerous that I consider it a “super food.” Also, you can choose whatever brand you want, but take note that we carry AdvoCare products because of the world-class science and testing behind the products. You just have no idea what you are getting from an “over the counter” product.


Secret #6: You must consume plenty of fruits and vegetables!

I’m sure this is not breaking news to you but eating more fruits and vegetables really
is essential to your success. You must make a conscious effort through your meal
planning and grocery shopping to incorporate more fruits and vegetables. It’s recommended to eat 9-13 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.


Secret #7: You must provide your body with adequate rest!

If you’re not getting 6-8 hours of sleep each night you’re significantly limiting your
ability to lose body fat and develop lean muscle. Not getting enough sleep will cause a
stress response in your body and raise cortisol hormone levels. This will make it very
difficult to release stored body fat and allow for muscle re-growth and recovery. Many people including myself, struggle with getting enough sleep. I personally take AdvoCare’s SleepWorks to help with this. (www.AdvoCareConcepts.com) I absolutely LOVE it!!

PART II COMING IN THE NEXT BLOG! STAY TUNED...

Come in and sit down with me for a free consultation and go through a TRIAL SESSION to see what it’s really like to get fit and healthy.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center.

The Four Components of Your Body Transformation

I’ve found there are four main components to a successful body transformation.
The reason that diet routines, pills, weight loss shakes and other so called “solutions” fail to deliver long-term results is they don’t focus on how the human body functions.

When you start putting all four of these components together you’ll begin seeing the
results you’ve always wanted.

1. Moderate Aerobic Exercise
2. A Concern For Muscle
3. Supportive Nutrition
4. Proper Progression

There are no shortcuts to achieving long-term weight loss. There must be a
commitment to healthy lifestyle changes that include proper nutrition and exercise. I
bet in your heart you already knew that.

It has been my goal since the beginning to build a business that differentiates itself by providing personalized solutions and not just a “one size fits all” program. That’s the Shaping Concepts difference. That's why I use these four body transformation components.

The Four Components of Your Body Transformation

Key Component #1: Moderate Aerobic Exercise

Individuals just starting an exercise program will want to develop an “Aerobic Base” by completing low-moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise. You can accomplish this by simply walking (5) days per week for 30-45 minutes. Walking is one of the most overlooked and effective activities you can perform in a weight loss program. The higher intensity cardio routines may come later for some individuals but they’re only effective if you’ve first developed an Aerobic Base.

Key Component #2: A Concern For Muscle (Resistance Exercise)

Your Semi-Private sessions with a trainer will be centered on developing lean muscle.
We’ll start with functional exercise and build to weighted resistance movements once
you’re ready for the increased intensity. When it comes to burning fat it’s important to remember that the more lean muscle you have the more efficient your body becomes at using fat for energy. Developing lean muscle will also help your body absorb more oxygen during respiration allowing you to complete cardiovascular exercise at higher intensities and thus burn more fat.

Key Component #3: Supportive Nutrition

This is the “eat right” part to the weight loss equation. The foods you eat and how
often you eat them will determine whether your body is in a “fat burning” state or a
“fat storing” state. The strategies you’ll learn from us come from a principal called
supportive nutrition. It is very important that you stick with these principals and not attempt to “fix” your program by cutting calories. This is why we have Nutritional Coaching Sessions as a part of our program.

Key Component #4: Proper Progression

The fourth component is proper progression which is nothing more than changing up
your exercise routine in a way that creates a new stimulus in your cardiovascular and
neuromuscular systems. Your body will adapt to any given workload over time. In
order to see the best results you must change the intensity of your workouts. The
most effective fat burning routines will eventually incorporate higher intensity exercise.

While each individual is different, our objective will typically be to progress you into routines that call upon more “fast twitch” muscle fibers. There are numerous benefits to higher intensity training routines but the type of training you complete will depend on your goals, health issues, fitness level and other factors. Your trainer is educated on providing you with the appropriate strategies according to your unique needs. Here at the Shaping Concepts Fitness Trainer Center we will introduce a new phase to your routine once per month. Even though your exercises may change every time you come in, your phase stays the same for about one month.

Make sure you combine these four compenents into your everyday routine of transforming your body. If you don't, you probably won't be happy with your overall results.

Come in and sit down with me for a free consultation and go through a TRIAL SESSION to see what it’s really like to get fit and healthy.

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Center.

10 Fat Loss Myths-Part II (Myth 6-10)

Incase you missed last weeks post click HERE to catch up on the first five Fat Loss Myths.


MYTH 6: YOU MUST WORK OUT FOR XX MINUTES BEFORE IT BEGINS TO WORK


I used to believe this myth myself. The idea behind it is that your body must “warm up” for a period of time before it shifts into “fat burning mode”, and so anything before xx minutes simply doesn’t count.

This is complete nonsense! While you should always work towards incorporating a warm up period (as well as a slow down process) during your workouts, you actually start burning calories from the moment you begin!
However, where it does get a bit more complicated is that if you have a large amount of simple carbs stored in your system then your body will always first use these for energy before it starts to move onto fats and protein. For this reason you must make sure your pre workout meals put’s your body in a fat burning state ( If your goal is weight loss ) so you can burn as much fat as possible during your workouts. ( Learn more about pre & post workout meals here )

MYTH 7: EAT FAT BURNING FOODS TO LOSE WEIGHT

If you ever truly find a food group or item that will cause instant weight loss, please, let me know!
Realistically, there are no foods that instantly burn fat, however there are food types that can increase your metabolism (which will subsequently, help you lose weight). As always focus on eating balanced meals that includes the right amount and type of protein, fats and carbs.



MYTH 8: HIGH PROTEIN/LOW CARB DIETS ARE BEST

These diets are typically difficult to stick with because they are very limiting in what you are allowed to eat. Furthermore, the reality of the matter is that while you may lose weight quickly at first, your body will plateau and you will find it difficult to get past the “hump”. Carbs are as vital to losing weight quickly as protein and fats. The trick is to learn how and when to eat carbs so they help you burn fat instead of piling it on.
So instead of focusing on cutting carbs rather focus on following a healthy eating plan that encompasses foods from the 3 main food groups, ensuring that you not only are given added flexibility in your meal options, but that you are receiving the minerals and vitamins that your body requires.

MYTH 9: EAT LESS AND BURN MORE

Did you know that there is such a thing as a “Sumo Diet”? It’s thought that Sumo wrestlers eat just before retiring for the day, and rarely eat throughout the day itself as a way of packing on pounds.
The reason for this isn’t because eating after 7pm actually causes major weight gain (the number of calories you have stored at the end of the day will still be transformed into fat regardless of when you ate), but instead, they do this because when you eat less your body ends up storing more fat, while decreasing your metabolism rate.
It’s important to eat regularly throughout the day, preferably 5 to 6 times. Breakfast is also a extremely important as that will help kick start your metabolism after your 8 hours of sleep.

MYTH 10: ELIMINATE ALL FAT FROM YOUR DIET

This myth is not only extremely difficult to do, but it actually can harm your health. We all need fat in our diets to survive and to feed our muscles and encourage growth.
While reducing your fat intake will help you lose weight, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to reduce it altogether.
Rather focus on eliminating the wrong types of fat e.g. trans fats, saturated fats etc.
There you go. Now you have no more reason to believe any of these myths or fall for them. Stick to the truth and you will get your 6 pack abs much faster!



Come in and sit down with me for a free consultation and go through a TRIAL SESSION to see what it’s really like to get fit and healthy.

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

Chad thanks Peter Carvell for his contibution to this blog post.