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.

10 Fat Loss Myths (First Five here)

There are misleading programs and tactics that are not only ineffective but often dangerous when it comes to fat loss. Below are 10 FAT LOSS MYTHS that you must know about.

MYTH 1: ELIMINATING FOOD GROUPS WILL CAUSE FAT LOSS

This myth is a bit confusing, so let’s set the record straight.
Eliminating (or at least minimizing) certain foods such as foods that are high in sugars) should be part of your transition into healthy eating. You always want to minimize the number of high fat (low energy) foods whenever possible.

However, eliminating complete food groups from your diet and focusing on eating only one kind of food are not only very difficult to stick with, but in order to maintain a healthy diet, you need a well rounded selection of wholesome foods from all of the food groups. So when you hear about a diet that consist of just eating CARBS or Protein or Fats instead of a healthy mix of all three you can pretty much be 100% sure it won’t last and won’t work for long.

MYTH 2: DRINKING COLD BEVERAGES REDUCES FAT

This is a very common myth that actually is believable if you consider the reasoning behind it.

The myth goes on to indicate that because your body needs to heat up the water, it automatically begins to burn calories whenever you drink cold water. This calorie burning frenzy continues until your body has adjusted the water temperature to be that of your regular body’s warmth.

While drinking water (at any temperature) is an important part of any weight loss system, don’t count on losing weight just from drinking alone. And even if it sounds good in theory, the energy used to heat up that water is so little that it won’t have an effect in itself on your weight loss.

Water does however help to flush out your system keeping you healthy and free of toxins, but you cannot burn calories just by drinking it without a healthy diet.

MYTH 3: SPOT REDUCTION WORKS

If you focus your exercise and weight training on specific areas of your body you will be able to reduce the amount of fat in that specific area. FALSE!!!

In reality, there is no such thing as spot reduction, and instead as you begin to work out and exercise you will start to lose weight evenly throughout your entire body.

Another common myth is that a high number of repetitions will burn more fat, when in truth, fewer repetitions with a heavier weight will actually cause you to burn more fat in a shorter amount of time than a higher number of reps with a lighter weight.

MYTH 4: LOW CALORIE DIETS ARE THE ONLY WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT

Nearly every diet out there focuses on lowering your calorie intake and increasing your overall level of activity, and rightly so. The problem comes when dieters believe that by dramatically reducing their calorie intake they will shed the weight and keep it off.

It’s important to gradually reduce your calorie intake so that your body’s natural system doesn’t shift into ‘starvation’ mode, which triggers your system into believing that you need to store food for a possible period of famine (this has been part of our system since the beginning of man).

You also need to watch out for a disruption in your body’s natural metabolic pace, as dramatic reductions in calories can slow it down making it harder to shed those pounds.

MYTH 5: YOU MUST WORK OUT AT SPECIFIC TIMES

I’ve seen this myth circulate the weight loss communities many times over the years and while the “best time of day” always seems to change, the basic idea remains the same:
You need to work out at specific times for maximum results.
In reality, you really don’t have to work out early in the morning, late at night or anything in between as long as you are actually exercising.

Focus more on maintaining a consistent schedule of activity and less on when you actually get it done.

For busy moms to business owners, being able to set a specific schedule isn’t always the easiest thing to achieve, so it’s great news that the real facts are that regardless of when you actually exercise, your body will burn the same amount of calories for the same workout regardless of the time of day.

Stay tuned for the next 5 Fat Loss Myths. They will be out in the next blog post.

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.

Fitness Professionals... What are you paying for?

One of my clients told me a great story recently.

Nancy, who has been a client of mine here at Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Studio for about 5 years was recalling how back in the day, when she belonged to the local Gold’s gym. On her very first day she was given a free personal training session where she was taken over to one specific wall of machines, about 8 machines in total (even though there were over 50 machines in the gym) and was shown one time how to adjust the seat height according to her own height. She didn’t actually do anything on any of the machines accept about 5 reps just to figure out how to use them. The trainer wrote on her little workout card that she needed to do 3 sets of 12 reps at a certain weight.

So Nancy said for years and years, because she is very religious about doing her exercise, she did this same routine at the same weight, same seat adjustments, same repetitions, same number of sets, same everything. Year after year! She did it because that is what her trainer told her to do… Her trainer that she was given to her, for free, for a one time “personal training session”.

I’m sorry but this is not PERSONAL TRAINING! There is nothing personal about what he gave her. Nothing! He probably didn’t even know her goal, or even bothered to ask. Nancy said to me the other day how stupid she was for doing that same routine for so many years. She knew she was never improving in any way, but kept doing the same routine because that’s what her so called trainer said to do.

There are reasons why personal trainers are not considered as professionals. This is one reason.

Times have changed!!!

Nancy has been attending fitness sessions here at Shaping Concepts for many years now. Here’s some of the main reasons why…

We want to know what your goals are from the get go. At Shaping Concepts you don’t pay much for the training session itself. What you are paying for is the program design. We follow a very drawn out design that has been made just for your specific goals.

And forget about sitting on machines, we want you to move and be active. Move functionally, as you do throughout your entire day. You would be very surprised how many squats, lunges, pushing, and pulling movements, and rotations you do all day long. So this is how we train. I mean I can’t remember the last time I did a seated leg extension with a load down at my ankles in the middle of the day, so why would I train my body for that?

And don't forget about learning how to eat properly for your goals and overall health. We do that too. Infact that's 80% of you getting the results you want. When's the last time someone from the local gym told you that?

Another reason to come to Shaping Concepts or any training studio, and not a gym is this…
We are going to teach you about fat loss!

You could do this on your own, or at your local big national chain gym… mobilize fat, transport and oxidize it in the body, keep the insulin stable and glucagon high, raising your metabolism and make sure your omega-3 intake is optimum. Alright GO!

OR

You could join my studio and I’ll take care of all that for you!

This is what today’s fitness professional is. So don’t make the mistake of hiring yourself a personal trainer. Instead go find yourself a fitness professional that knows how to do all this and knows how to come up with a program design according to your goals and needs. Anyone can take you through an exercise routine. Not everyone, however, can teach you how to lose fat.

Your body changes by the minute. Stop doing the same exercises, the same weights, the same reps.

I AM THE SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM!

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 Studio in Bluffton, SC

More Muscle = Less Fat

More muscle equals less fat. It’s a scientific fact!

I know, I know, you don’t want to look like a body builder. Let me tell you, as a fitness professional for 22 plus years now, you WILL NOT get huge bulky muscles unless you inject something into your body, and I highly suggest you NOT DO THAT! It’s unsafe, illegal, and will give you countless side effects for life!

But you still must be improving your muscle strength and muscle tone to increase fat loss. See the body burns fat through the muscle. So the more muscle you have, the less fat you have. It’s really that simple when it comes to fat burning.

You can lose weight with all the fad diets, and just doing cardiovascular exercise day in and day out, but you will not be burning fat. You will however be burning off your muscle when trying to lose weight with low-carb diets and too much cardiovascular exercise. If you do choose to take this harder way out, which most people think that it’s easier, you will see and feel the effects of losing muscle rather than fat. If you want to have the “flabby skin” look and be really run down all the time, then that’s your choice. You will still lose weight, but you will be very unhealthy, and probably have a higher percentage of body fat than when you started, and add that to a higher cholesterol and bad blood sugar readings. Your choice.

If you want to look good, feel good have great readings in your blood sugar, and cholesterol, then start strengthening those muscles.

Here’s an example of how true this is…

Many of you know I’ve had two surgeries on my arm recently, one for a pinched nerve, and the other a torn tendon, which I’ve had for over 3 years. So I’ve been doing really no resistance training for about 6 months. In this time, I’ve been running quite a bit, even training for a marathon.

So before all this happened I averaged about 12% bodyfat. Since there has been no “muscle training” and lots of cardiovascular training, my weight has dropped 20 pounds (I wasn’t trying to lose weight), HOWEVER, my body fat went up to over 20%. I haven’t weighed this little or had this much fat in 20 plus years. I mean I was down to 150 pounds. Here’s the other thing… I had no energy, and really didn’t look good. And more importantly people noticed all this about me.

Here’s what I’m doing now…

As I said I had two surgeries, and still can’t do much strength training, especially some of the functional movements I love doing. But I have started. So here’s the plan I’ve done for the last month: (each day only last about 20 minutes total, if that.)

Monday – 4-5 sets of Chest 15x / Back 15x (nothing over 50 pounds)
Tuesday – 4-5 sets of Shoulders 15x / Triceps 15x / Biceps 15x (nothing over 12 pounds)
Wednesday – the same as Monday
Thursday – the same as Tuesday
Friday – the same as Monday and Wednesday
Sat / Sun – off

(I do my leg exercises each time I run with injury preventative non-weight barring exercises)

Notice that there is NOT ONE ABDOMINAL EXERCISE in this routine!!!

Since I have 8 weeks until my marathon, I’m still doing quite a bit of cardio, which completely counteracts what I’m trying to accomplish.

My running routine is this:

Monday – 3-4 miles (about 30 min)
Wednesday – 20-25 (3-4 miles worth) minutes of interval training
Friday – 4-5 miles (30-40 minutes)
Sunday – 10+ miles (90+ minutes)
Again, this cardio is VERY counter-productive to what my goal is (trying to build more muscle).

MY RESULTS AFTER 4 WEEKS:

I’ve gained 6 pounds of muscle, and have lost about 7% bodyfat which is now down to 15%...and still dropping!

Now imagine what the results would be like if I weren’t doing all that counter-productive cardio. I should only be doing about 2-3 days of an average of 30 minutes.
By the way, remember I said I was doing NO ABDOMINAL EXERCISES? Well, I did this just to prove a point that tons of ab exercises don’t make your tummy tiny. I have a great 8-pack right now, after not having one 4 weeks ago at 22% bodyfat. All I did was uncover them. REMEMBER, THIS IS ONLY AFTER 4 WEEKS!




I have maintained my eating routine of eating right away each morning, and every 3-4 hours until right before I go to bed. Yes, I said MY LAST MEAL OF THE DAY IS 30 MINUTES (or less) BEFORE I GO TO BED. Each time I eat, I make sure there is a lean protein and a complex carb (higher fiber), and either a fruit or a vegetable. That’s it!

I did change my supplements a bit. As you know I take AdvoCare supplements, mainly because of the science and the product testing behind it. I have my Spark energy drink about 5:30am with 5 Catalyst (amino acids). I have an Arginine Extreme drink (for increased muscle endurance) mixed with a Mass Impact drink (for muscle building) 15 minutes before my strength training workout. I have a Post Workout Recovery shake after my workouts. Another Spark around 2-3pm. Sometimes I’ll try to have 3-5 more Catalyst. I have continued with other regulars such as OmegaPlex (Omega-3’s), Coreplex (multivitamin), Purple Champs (development of the brain, eyes, and nerves & overall health), and CitriZinc ((immune support). I will also have a Rehydrate drink (electrolyte replacement) before and after runs, and O2 Gold (enhances oxygen intake for prolong periods) on my long run days.

So I’m telling you all this so that you really understand the differences of losing “weight” and losing FAT! Honestly people, if you choose the rout of losing “weight”, 99% of the time you will be heavier in the future than when you started. That is a FACT, not an opinion! Losing “weight” is actually harder to do than losing fat. Think about it, you have to cut carbs, or even worse, cutting calories. That’s just not easy for anyone. I’m not sure why anyone would want to cut anything from their diet. You can eat more carbs and more protein, and actually eat more food than normal when you plan to lose fat. It’s also harder to do hours and hours of cardio in order to lose “weight”. When trying to lose fat it only takes 2-3 times a week for about 30 minutes.

Most people pick the losing “weight” option simply because of the strength training. The perception is that it’s hard, it’s painful, and it just flat out hurts all the time. That is only a perception. If done correctly, strength training can be fun and be done in a minimal amount of time. Being coached on how to train your muscles the correct way is vital as you want to do it in the most efficient way possible.

There you have it. It’s your choice, but know that I will always pay more attention and work more with those that choose the losing FAT path. The path that people choose tells me a lot about what type of person they are. Trust me when I say this, I know it when you choose the losing “weight” option. I can see right through it, and so can everyone else.

Again, it’s your choice. I don’t want to steer you towards one path more than the other, but…

Okay are you kidding me???? Of course I do! Everyone needs to burn FAT, not just lose weight. This is what makes you a healthy person or not. And that is what it’s all about… being healthy and fit!

If you would like help in losing that unwanted FAT and become a healthier, come in for a FREE TRIAL SESSION Today!

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

Big Factor in YOUR Success (FREE Gift for You!)

What is one of the biggest factors in YOU achieving success in reaching your fitness, health, and weight loss goals? It’s something everyone knows about. It’s something that everyone intends on doing. It’s something that is honestly one of the hardest things to get started doing, but does get easier and easier as time goes on.

Watch this video to find out what it is…




As said in the video, I’m giving you the perfect walking program for you to lose weight, and get a really good jump on your health. Trust me when I say this program really works. I’ve had many people go through this program, many times over. It’s a “progressive” walking program, meaning it begins easy and builds up for eight weeks, then all you do is repeat it. This “cycle” will keep your body guessing and working harder instead of getting bored and run down.

HOWEVER, this program will NOT get your butt out the door and do it for you. I can give you all the tools you need to get great results, but YOU have to be the one to get off the couch and hit the pavement. YOU have to be the one that decides to go out and get it done. YOU have to be the one that checks it off each day after it’s completed, and YOU are the one that has to live with the guilt if you skip a day or two, or completely fall off all together. I’ve given you this program that flat out works. If you follow it and stay CONSISTANT it will work. If you don’t lose weight with this program, I’d be absolutely amazed!

Now if you follow the program and eat crap, you will NOT get results. If you’re going to do it, eat healthy. Cheat a little, but eat 80% healthy everyday and you WILL lose weight.

EIGHT WEEK WEIGHT LOSS WALKING PROGRAM
(on the days where it has a total number of minutes, then two more numbers below it, this means it is an INTERVAL day, meaning the fist Monday, you will do fast walking for 30seconds, slower walking for 1minute for a total of 30minutes. On the first Saturday you will walk fast for 5minutes, then slower for 1minute for a total of 30minutes. All Wednesdays are medium paced.)

WEEK
1 MON-30 min. 30sec/1min WED-Walk for 20 min. SAT-30 min. 5min/1min.
2 MON-30 min. 1min/1min WED-Walk for 25 min. SAT-30 min. 5min/1min.
3 MON-30 min. 1min/30sec WED-Walk for 30 min. SAT-30 min. 5min/1min.
4 MON- 40 min. 30sec/1min WED-Walk for 30 min. SAT-40 min. 5min/1min.
5 MON-40 min. 1min/1min WED-Walk for 35 min. SAT-40 min. 5min/1min.
6 MON-40 min. 1min/30sec WED-Walk for 40 min. SAT-40 min. 5min/1min.
7 MON-45 min. 1min/1min WED-Walk for 40 min. SAT-45 min. 5min/1min.
8 MON-50 min. 1min/1min WED-Walk for 45 min. SAT-50 min. 5min/1min.

If you want to have more consistancy in your program with some one-on-one personal training, partner training, or even our small group boot camp and circuit classes, come in to Shaping Concepts and try us out. Everyone gets a FREE TRIAL.

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

TAKE ACTION!

Hey, Chad here. I have a very simple, but VERY up front messege for you today.
If this is you...

...then I want you to take a few minutes and watch the video below I made specifically for you. Things might seem totally out of control and you might be in a place in life where you just don't see yourself or anything around you getting any better. If this is you, then please watch the video. There is a very important message that I need you to hear.

Really, you CAN make that simple decision to TAKE ACTION and start making that change you really do want.

As I said, I will do whatever I can to guide you in the right direction and push you as needed if you are willing to TAKE ACTION now or sometime in the future. I am always here for you. And it all start with a face to face meeting between the two of us. I will gladly give you a FREE consultation, with no obligation whatsoever to purchase any of my programs or products. Just Click here --> --> to TAKE ACTION NOW!

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts fitness studios in Bluffton, SC and an Advisor with AdvoCare International.

FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE... Is It For You?

You may have seen or heard the phrase “functional exercise” in the media lately. It’s certainly a hot topic right now. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey are leading the way by telling the public of its many benefits. In reality functional exercise is not new….far from it. It’s actually just exercise that works your entire body in multiple planes of motion. The difference is today we are using stability balls, bands, medicine balls, foam rollers, and other fancy gadgets to replace what we used to do with our own bodies. The new equipment and training techniques are great and they’ve certainly created a “buzz” but it’s what they do that is really important. Somewhere along the line exercise changed from being something that worked the entire body to today being isolation movements on fixed, stationary equipment. The health club movement that started in the late 1970’s had a lot to do with our current perception of exercise. Let me explain…

But first, be sure to watch the video at the very bottom of this article to see the best functional exercise there is…for this time of year…it’s VERY FUNNY!

When it comes to exercise most people don’t have a clue regarding the type and duration needed to meet their individual goals. Unfortunately, the one place you think would be helping the most has actually created most of the confusion. Walk into any gym or health club in your community and you’ll see most people doing the same things…going from machine to machine, moving slowly, and only working one muscle group at a time. Whoever told them this was the best way to exercise? Probably nobody…but when there is a lack of education people will naturally just follow what they see someone else doing. The health club industry has done a poor job educating its members on how to reach their goals. The free personal training session or initial consultation is usually a joke. It’s typically conducted by someone at the front desk that has little or no professional experience. After you’ve been shown where the dumbbells are at, you’re turned loose to do it all on your own. Confused and embarrassed most people will just start watching and mimicking someone else. The end result is people getting frustrated. They’ll spend all this time working out without ever seeing results then one day they’ll quit. Such a shame….nobody ever shared with them the TRUTH.

The traditional gym or health club today is packed with exercise equipment to work every single muscle group in isolation. How we ever got to this point is really beyond me. I’m sure it has something to do with fitness equipment manufacturers looking to sell more equipment. I mean we have equipment for most every single movement imaginable. The problem with this is your body doesn’t work in isolation, it works with integration. Let’s look at four different movements you might do in everyday life and then break each one down in relation to functional and traditional exercise. After that you be the judge.

1) Picking up a small child from the floor.
2) Pull starting a lawn mower.
3) Lifting a heavy box from the floor
4) Pushing open a heavy door.

1) When you pick up a small child or most anything from the floor we do so in an asymmetrical form. In other words, you’re going to bend down with one leg in front of the other. When you bend over you’re going to use your low back, abdominals, and major leg muscles to get back up. This movement is going to use a lot of muscles in an integrated fashion. An exercise like a leg extension designed to isolate the quadriceps is of little use during this movement. But that’s exactly what you’d see most people doing to exercise their legs. A better alternative would be a functional exercise like a medicine ball reach which more closely resembles the actual activity. This exercise also improves balance, core strength, and motor skills. All things that are important with actual everyday activities.

2) Anyone who has ever pull started a lawn mower understands the demands this movement puts on the back, arms, and shoulders. The primary muscle group involved in any “pulling” movement is the latisimus dorsi of the back. Most machines designed to work the latisimus dorsi have you sitting down and pulling from overhead. Why? How often will that happen today? Chances are if you have to pull something you’ll do it standing up. You’ll also be using rotation from your hips to complete the movement. Two things you won’t find in standard exercise equipment. A better exercise to give you pulling with rotation would be a low-high chop with a resistance band or cable.

3) You won’t find many pieces of exercise equipment that will actually help you pick up something heavy from the floor. The reason is this is such a compound movement requiring the integration of the low back, abdominals, and legs. Low back problems rank number one for causes of lost work days in the US. Why? One reason has to do with the way we exercise. Traditional isolation equipment does little to prevent low back injuries that are commonly caused by muscle imbalances, usually due to a weak core. A good exercise to develop the muscles used when picking something up is called a “pull through.” This exercise really works the posterior chain, as you can see by the strain on my face!


4) Pushing exercises are some of my favorite examples. Typically when you push something you’ll do it standing up. Think about when you might push something today sitting down. I can’t think of too many instances. But let’s look at the number one exercise for most guys…the bench press. Now, I’m not knocking this exercise because it does have its purpose….but you need to look at the exercise objective in relation to your goals. The bench press is a great way to build hypertrophy or size for the chest. It’s probably the best way to add muscle mass if that’s your goal. But let’s look at the other 95% of the population that simply wants to look good, stay in shape, and improve their overall quality of life. There are some alternatives to the bench press that can work the core and the chest at the same time. Try a push up off a stability ball. I think you’ll be surprised!

Functional exercise is really nothing more than exercising the way you move in everyday life. Traditional isolation equipment does a poor job of simulating these everyday activities. Now before you go out and throw away your home gym…wait there’s more. I believe that people can benefit from traditional equipment if they combine it with functional movements. This concept is called “Three Tier Integration” and is the foundation for the workout routines we design and teach at Shaping Concepts. Combining functional exercise with different forms of resistance and cardiovascular exercise gives you the best total body workout. You’ll also be pleased to know that you’ll be able to complete your workouts in half the time.

Ever wonder who made the one-hour rule for workouts anyway? I’d like to know if you find out. I believe this unspoken rule has been handed down over time by new exercisers simply watching bodybuilders. But here’s the real problem….bodybuilders and the general population have drastically different goals. Individuals educated in exercise prescription know that hypertrophy periodizations (those designed primarily for muscle mass increase) require a minimum of one minute rest between sets. There is a physiological reason why the bodybuilder will take more rest between sets and thus more time with their workout. But that doesn’t mean their workout is best suited for an individual looking primarily to lose weight and get in shape.

Training routines and programs should always be individual specific according to a person’s wants, needs, and physical limitations. For most people, excluding athletes and bodybuilders, you can achieve your goals with 30 minute durations of exercise.

Most people don’t realize that the body starts breaking down after about 30 minutes of intense exercise. There’s little reason for the typical individual to exceed 30 minutes in a single session if they’re exercising properly. An hour in the gym can easily be replaced with 30 minutes of exercise done most anywhere….once you learn how. Years ago, people had a better idea on what exercise was really all about. Long before health clubs became nothing more than an endless sea of equipment and spandex. Back when a gym was actually a place where people went to break a sweat.

Old time fitness guru’s like Farmer Burns and Karl Gotch practiced bodyweight calisthenics and other exercises that focused on working the entire body. It was their teachings that made up the foundation for physical education classes in the public schools. Forty years ago you would’ve been taught that exercise included things like jumping jacks, push-up’s, torso twists, and knee bends. All examples of what today we call “functional exercise.”

I watched a documentary recently regarding physical education classes in our schools that just blew me away. At the time of filming, Illinois was the only state that had mandatory physical education classes in public schools. We’ve removed gym classes in order to spend more time on equivalency tests that determine government funding. Can you believe it? We’ve sacrificed our children’s health in order for better test results and government money. The one school they did show with physical education classes had 8-10 year old children working out on traditional weight equipment. When did this start? Not only is this impractical, it’s contributing to the misleading view our children have with exercise. When we do teach them PE, we teach them how to sit down and exercise! Whatever happened to dodge ball and relay races? Such a shame…the end result is a population that has never been taught the importance of real exercise. In fact, by removing it we’ve taught them it’s really not important at all. It should be no surprise that childhood obesity is at epidemic levels.

It’s time to get back to the basics! Time to get back to real exercise….the kind that actually helps improve your quality of life! The typical weight training routine everyone imitates focuses on aesthetic improvements instead of developments in motor skills, balance, flexibility, and overall strength. Remember, you want a body that you can use….not one that just looks good.

As we age, we’ll all lose things like balance, flexibility, motor skills, and strength. Now we can’t stop the aging process but we can change our quality of life. Whether you still want to be able to play 18 holes of golf or simply put on a pair of socks without sitting down…..functional exercise is for you.

Functional exercise should not be a new catch phrase in the fitness industry. Somewhere exercise became something we did without sweating and while sitting down! Give me a break! Bottom line is exercise should resemble how you move your body. It should contain in some way a form of pushing, pulling, reaching, squatting, and rotating. These are the pillars of human movement….for everyone from a pro athlete to a senior citizen. The movements don’t change…the way in which they are being used changes. That’s the reason we need different training programs. All in all, the exercises either population group should use will be very similar with only the intensity, progression and duration being different.

One of the great things about functional exercises is that they can be completed with very little equipment and space required. That’s why they’re great for home exercise routines. If you have an 8x10 open area you’re ready to exercise with functional exercise equipment.

At Shaping Concepts we’ve devised a workout series devoted exclusively to getting functional fitness in your own home. The “Trial” series can teach you the exercises needed to be done at home and are great for people of any age and fitness level. These workouts contain some of the very same exercises our clients perform in their private one-on-one workouts in our studios. You can purchase this program at any Shaping Concepts.

If you would like personal instruction on functional fitness please contact the studio at 843-757-8626 to schedule an appointment. We provide a totally FREE trial of our services and offer a complete 100% money back guarantee! If you want to get your very own FREE trial CLICK HERE NOW!

Now make sure to watch this video to see the BEST FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE there is…for this time of year…it’s VERY FUNNY!

(This is not a real hurricane. It was only a dramatization)

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

Jeff Joined the Shaping Concepts Family...Why Not You?

Let me start off by saying this...I know you may be embarrassed or feel ashamed when you enter a gym or fitness center. We have all been there. Yes, even me. Let me be very honest with you. I opened up Shaping Concepts, a small, quaint fitness studio, for people that feel embarrassed, that don't feel totally accepted or part of the crowd when they enter a gym. I wanted to take that feeling totally away. I can honestly say that I have done that at Shaping Concepts.

In the video below, Jeff, who trains at the Shaping Concepts in Charleston, explain how he became a client at Shaping Concepts after trying the "gym scene", and all the results he has had and worked hard for in just over one months time.

Make sure you watch this entire video...






One of the main criteria I make for myself and my trainers is that we make everyone feel at home, and part of the Shaping Concepts family. Remember the old TV show Cheers? You know...where everybody knows your name. Well, when you walk through the Shaping Concepts doors, someone, if not everyone there will yell out your name. It's just something we do. It makes you feel comfortable.

You may have been able to relate with Jeff on some things he talked about in this video. Going to the gym and trying to workout on your own, not having accountability and structure, struggling to find the time with a busy schedule, etc.

The reality is a lot of people struggle with the same things. Creating the diet and exercise habits for a successful body transformation is not that complicated but it can be difficult when you’re going about it all alone, especially in the beginning.

The benefits of having a coach to hold you accountable and show you the way…

The hardest part of making lifestyle changes is sticking with your new routines until they become a habit. This is where a coach can pay huge dividends. We all know it’s easy to make excuses to ourselves and drift even with the best of intentions. But when you have someone vested in your success it can make all the difference.

I can’t over-emphasize the importance of accountability when starting out on a fitness and nutrition regiment to lose weight and transform your health. When you have someone waiting on you to workout you’ll be much more likely to show up, even more so when you’ve invested in that coaching.

When you don’t show up to workout at the gym on your own does anybody notice?

The littlest of details make the biggest differences with changing your shape. Having someone teach you the most effective way to workout to see results, reminding you daily of how important you said your goals were to you, following up on whether or not you did your cardio, etc.

The most successful people in any sport or business all have a coach or a mentor to help them achieve their best. They learned, often times through the school of hard knocks, that plowing through on their own without direction proved difficult and time consuming.

They understood that the quickest way to get where they wanted to go was to learn from someone who could help them. The same thing rings true for someone who wants to cut off the painful learning curve with losing weight and getting in shape.

Personal training and fitness coaching as an investment to get you where you want to go faster and without the painful learning curve…

When going to the gym or working out a home doesn’t produce the results you’re looking for, consider getting a fitness coach to show you the way. While personal training has the reputation of being expensive, you should look at it as an investment.

The investment you make in yourself in the beginning can more than pay for itself over time when you factor in all the wasted time, failed attempts, cost of programs that didn’t work, gym memberships you didn’t use, etc.

Not to mention the value you place on truly looking and feeling your best. How do you put on a price tag on your happiness, health, self-confidence, and quality of life? I don’t know that you really can. But then again it’s all up to individual and what’s really important to them on how they want to live their life.

Personal training and coaching for a couple of months can go a long way towards helping you see the results you want. The good thing about coaching is you tailor it according to your needs.

In the beginning you’ll want to work with a coach several times a week while you build habits and learn how to do the most effective exercises on your own. Once you’re ready to go do routines on your own you can meet with your coach only as needed.

We have numerous clients now working out at home or in the gym that follow up with their coach just when they want some additional routines to follow or help in a particular area.

The best fitness coaches will always look to teach you exercises and routines you can do on your own so you’re truly becoming empowered to make exercise a life-long habit.

Is it time for you to take action and stop living life accepting something less than the best for yourself?

If you’ve been putting off starting a fitness and diet routine I’d encourage you to draw that hard line in the sand and say now is the time. Enough is enough and it’s time to get serious. The first step is simply making a decision to take action.

You may have doubts on whether or not you could see results like Jeff achieved in his program. I completely understand if you feel that way. Most all of our clients had some uncertainty when they started due to past attempts with changing their shape that didn’t’ pan out.

I’m here to tell you that YES you can do it and I have no doubts you can transform your body and your life once you put your mind to it. Helping people make this change happen is what we do everyday here at Shaping Concepts. It’s the reason I get up every morning and work with so much passion on helping others.

Come take advantage of my FREE consultation and trial of my Bluffton personal training programs…

Make today be the day you decide to take action. I know I can help you and would encourage you to simply fill out the web-form for my FREE consultation and Bluffton personal training trial.

We’ll sit down and discuss what you’d like to achieve and I’ll provide you with my recommendations on the best course of action to take. If I can help you with further coaching, great, but if not at least you’ll leave with a better understanding of how to reach your fitness and weight loss goals.

You could be the next person I spotlight in a video when you join the “Over 20lb Club” at Shaping Concepts.

Hope to see you soon…

Chad Cannon is the owner of Shaping Concepts fitness studios. He can be reached at chad@shapingconcepts.com

A Different Point Of View...

“Hello everyone, this is Stephanie, some of you may know me as the bookkeeper here at Shaping Concepts and others know me as the crazy workoutaholic. For those of you who don’t know me at all, I am actually both, but I hadn’t always been. Now, I am a very private person and prefer to keep my private life just that, but daily I see so many people walking around where I used to be, not sure of where or how to start working out and then those riddled with excuses, so I asked Chad for this opportunity to personally invite and encourage those of you out there tired of where you are physically and those who are ready to make a change for good to jump in and take the first step and give us a call and schedule a consultation and enjoy a free session – trust me you will not regret it. I can say this because I personally have lost over 50lbs working out at Shaping Concepts and I cannot say there has been one day that I have not learned something new whether it’s about nutrition, injury prevention, or just an insight about myself.

I am currently doing one-on-one sessions with a sprinkling of boot camps and I will tell you I love them both. As I said earlier, I have not always been a crazy workoutaholic. I was a runner in school, but then entered the military, married, gained a little weight, gave birth three times, gained some more, divorced and gained even more weight (total gained approx. 80+). The weight crept on ever so slowly that between working in scrubs and wearing sweats all the time at home I really didn’t notice or didn’t want to accept it. Anyway, as long as my pants could stretch to fit, I thought I was ok; that is, until several of my patients started inquiring how far along my pregnancy was. I laughed it off a couple of times, but it really started to bother me that I had let it get this far. I started to notice that I was tired all the time which, at first, I related really to working nights and raising three kids on my own, but I also noticed that I couldn’t even climb the stairs to my room without getting winded. That is when I reached out to Shaping Concepts because I wanted a place that was small and non-intimidating unlike a gym. Face it, I didn’t know the first thing about working out in a gym and I was fat and did not want people watching me. With that said, I will tell you that it still took me a good six months to actually come in and meet Chad. Why so long? Again, I was embarrassed, I felt I needed to get in shape and maybe lose some weight first which; of course, did not happen on my own so my journey to weight loss and lifestyle changes began with Shaping Concepts. Now I don’t know where you are in your journey, but I will tell you that if it wasn’t for Chad chasing me down on days I overslept from working the night before or pushing me when I said “I can’t” I probably wouldn’t be where I am now which is comfortable in size 8 skinny jeans and training for marathons and triathlons. Thanks Chad! I can also tell you that if you want a kick-butt workout with a personal touch then Shaping Concepts delivers. Between Chad, and the other trainers at Shaping Concepts you will not miss a beat or a pushup – trust me. As you progress in your fitness they grow with you and continue to encourage you through, even when you don’t think you can. If you want camaraderie then try our boot camps, which really boils down to a bunch of friends having fun working out together. It is a great way to start or end any day. However, if you prefer to exercise alone or have specific defined goals and a clear-cut deadline then you might appreciate a more individualized program like one-on-one’s. Either choice you make will not disappoint you, I promise. Lastly, I will say that I am in the best physical and probably the best emotional condition I have been in since my divorce and if you decide to embark on your own journey do so with a journal of pictures and a timeline of your accomplishments, if for no one else but yourself, it will mean a lot later when you look back on where you were. Life is short – don’t put off till tomorrow what you should be doing today! Call me at the studio at 843-757-8626. I would love to help you.”

-Stephanie Griffin

Alright, so as I said in the video, I have a “Trial Offer” for you…

If you think you are interested in a private one-on-one training session personally with me
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE PRIVATE TRAINING TRIAL!

If you think you are more interested in a small group setting, then try out a Boot Camp & Circuit class.
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE BOOT CAMP TRIAL!

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

A Lack of Accountability Did Her In!

ACCOUNTABILITY...The key factor when it comes to losing weight, toning up, slimming down, leaning out, getting ripped, pumping up, trimming down, or whatever else you want to call it.

How many times have you tried to start a workout reamin only to quit before you ever got started? That's because there was no ACCOUNTABILITY!

The person in the video, Doreen, really thought she would be able to continue on her regular fitness routine. After years of training at Shaping Concepts, and even one other place before Shaping Concepts, Doreen thought she had enough knowledge to do it on her own. Fact is...she does have the knowledge! At this point she could probably train many of you out there. What she didn't understand was that she received something else at Shaping Concepts that she didn't even know she was getting...

Fact: You don't have anyone to keep track of you at a local gym!

• 
  
  you don't have anyone checking your weight and body fat regularly



• 
  
  you don't have anyone checking your nutrition log regularly



• 
  
  you don't have anyone saying " I want you to get in at least 45 minutes of cardio in intervals before I see you again."



• 
  
  you don't have a set appointment to see anyone



• 
  
  you don't have anyone calling you to see why you were late or why you didn't show up



• 
  
  you don't have anyone making you do 23 more repetitions after you want to stop at 10 just because 10 sounds like a good number



• 
  
  you don't have anyone giving you daily tips on fitness and nutrition to help you get even better results



• 
  
  you don't have anyone there to encourage you along the journey, especially during those hard times which we all have
  

Face it, even Luke Skywalker had to be accountable to someone...Yoda, the ultimate accountability Jedi!!

Why do you think there are so many private fitness studios now? Real fitness pro's that want to really healp people make a change and get them RESULTS don't work at the local gyms anymore!

That's why I got out...There was simply no accountability in the local gym scene. The people working there are personal trainers. The people that open up and work in private studios are fitness professionals! This IS what YOU want if you want to get

RESULTS!!

A fitness professionalSo what are you going to do now?

You can go on doing the same old routine you've been doing. But think about how you will feel and look one year from now if you keep doing that. What about two years from now? What five or ten years from now? How will you look and feel at that point if you keep doing what you are currently doing?

Now what if you get someone to hold you accountable, say a fitness professional, at a privately owned fitness studio to help you reach those goals that you have right now?

A place this this...

If you went to a place like this and got some good coaching by a real fitness pro, how do you think you would look and feel just one year from now? Two years from now? What about five or even ten years from now?

My bet is that you would look and feel great!!

So what is the lesson in this? Just like Doreen said in the video, ACCOUNTABILITY was the key factor she did not have when she tried to do it on her own. What should you do now?

Here's a little hint...

Trust me when I say that sometimes this is how you want to feel after a workout. Not all the time, but sometimes. Do you train as hard as she did?

Just because you have read this post and have now embeded the accountability thing into your brain, I'm going to offer you a "Get Started Trial". Your not going to buy a car unless you test drive it first, correct? So I'm giving you a "Test Drive" with No Obligation and No Pressure to buy. Just come in to see if this is something that you need to get you headed toward your goals.

YES! I WANT TO TAKE A TEST DRIVE

These people all took the Test Drive and found out that it was a good fit for them…
Rochelle C. lost another of 5 pounds this month. She also lost 5.5 inches. That's a total of 10 pounds in less than two months at Shaping Concepts and with the help of the AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge. Great job Rochelle. Keep it up!

Amanda H. lost of 5 pounds this month. Amanda is making great progress! Keep up the great work.

Bob C. dropped 7 pounds, 4.5 inches, and went from 25.2% body fat to 23.5, and 27.7 BMI to 26.6 on the AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge.

Peggy A. lost 4 more pounds this month. That makes a total of 27 pounds now! Great job Peggy! Whoo Hoo!!!

Liz H. for losing another 4 pounds this month. That's 12 pounds total lost Liz! Way to go!

Joni G. did it again! Way over 100 pounds lost now Joni! You have transformed your life! I totally look up to you for all the hard work you've put in!!!!!

…And that’s just a few for the month of July


YES! I WANT TO TAKE A TEST DRIVE

ACCOUNTABILITY, thats the key to YOU getting the RESULTS YOU truly want!


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

Rev Up Your Workout Routine

I'm a runner, because I love to compete against myself to see how fast I can finish a 5k, 10K, half marathon and even a marathon. I'm not a runner to keep the fat off my body. In fact by running long distances the body will actually gain body fat, and lose muscle. A person will need to put more energy into their body with more complex carbohydrates than the norm bacause that's where the energy comes from in order to have a sufficient amount of energy to do distance running (anything that takes more than 45 minutes).


You'll see this a lot in gyms where people will takes spinning classes everyday in order to lose weight, or get on the stair climber for 2 hours, five days per week...and gain weight. The people that do this will end up either eating more because they need the energy to do these long drawn out cardio routines, or burn muscle instead of fat because they have run out of all energy from a lack of food. Once energy is gone from the food you ate, the body starts drawing energy from your muscle. This increases the body's fat.


So how do we incorporate cardio into our workout routines without gaining fat?


Simple, it's called Interval Training. This can be done with a cardio based exercise like running, or biking, where there is a hard part, and a recovery part. An example of this would be running fast for 2 minutes, then doing a slow jog to recover for 1 minute, then repeating this for a total of 20-40 minutes.


Another way of doing Interval Training is incorporating it into your resistance training sessions. I personally love this way because it certainly saves time, as well as increases the body's metabolism with the addition of adding muscle at the same time. An example of this would be 20-30 body weight squats (which is cardio based) into 20-30 push-ups, then run for 90 seconds. Repeat this 5-7 times and your body will have burned more calories, gained more muscle, and lost more body fat than it would have with an hour of just running.

So if you are one that really wants to burn more fat calories, and not just push yourself, then try these Interval type workouts. You won't regret it as the fat will start dripping off of you!

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

4th of July Family Fun Workout!

You can do this with a whole group of people, family and friends.

(If you are with a group of people, divide the group in half so you have 2 teams).

This would be REALLY fun to play with your entire family if you have kids.

You could play in the backyard after dinner on a nice summer evening before the fireworks begin.

===============
THE SET-UP
===============

Set up 4 cones in a diamond representing home plate, first base, second base, and third base.

At each base, you have to do a bodyweight exercise.

So here is an example:

Run to first base and do 10 pushups
Run to second base and do 10 jumping
lunges each leg
Run to third base and do 15 squat jumps
Run to home plate and do 15 squats

After you do the squats at home plate, that counts as one run. Continue on for 10 minutes and try and score as many runs as possible.

If you are on a team or going against a friend, try to score the most runs.

***If you are by yourself, you can challenge yourself by doing this workout for
4 weeks and trying to score more runs
at the end of the 4th week than you did
during the first week.

This will show you how much your fitness level has improved.

Have fun!

Have a fantastic and a happy 4th!


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