Challenge Workouts

How will you finish off 2014?

Would you say that you’re living a healthy lifestyle? Is there room for improvement?

January 1st is the time most people make resolutions, what do you have planned?

While everyone else is making grand promises that won’t last longer than the New Year’s Eve hangover, why not set yourself up for success?

Too many people I work with decide that on January 1^st they will: quit smoking, save more money, go on a diet, start exercising, renovate the house… Wow, so much!

Of course all these things are worthy goals, but this is biting off more than ANYONE can chew.

How about starting off with some small changes that will add up to BIG changes in the long run? It’s amazing how what may seem like an insignificant lifestyle change can make a big difference over time.

Make a small change for 21 days and then add another small change. In the course of the year, that means that by the end of 2015, you’ll have opportunity to make 17 changes in your life. That’s one change every three weeks.

Here are 17 possibilities or ways to improve your life in 2015:

1. Drink more water. Try to keep a water bottle close at hand and fill it several times a day. It’s darn near impossible to lose weight if you’re dehydrated.
2. Get your rest. Chances are you’re in need of more sleep than you’re getting regularly. Make a promise to have a regular routine and time to hit the sheets. Cortisol levels (the fat storing hormone) sky rocket when you’re sleep deprived.
3. Eat more veggies. Easy enough. Try to add a vegetable (or two) with every meal. Here’s a great plan to start your nutrition off on the right foot in 2015. *In our VIP coaching group, we set a goal to try to eat a veggie at every meal and it’s not as hard as you think!
4. Sweat. Plain and simple. Get a training buddy and workout 4-5 times a week. I’d love to train with you. Try this. Here’s a ‘fun’ workout: Do 1 min of burpees and 1 minute of rest for as many sets as you can. Match the number of burpees each set. Blast some music to keep you going!
5. Take a break from the ordinary. Do something that you find meaningful and satisfying at least once a week, whether this is a hobby, getting out in nature, talking with a friend.
6. Get some muscle. One of my favorite ways to train is to use complexes. They boost metabolism, burn fat and build muscle all in about 20 minutes. You’ll get super fit fast with this.
7. Make a rule not to eat ‘carbs’ after dinner. If you’re really hungry, go for a protein source or more veggies and herbal tea.
8. Cut back alcohol consumption to one day a week and chase every alcoholic drink with an equal amount of water.
9. Don’t drink calories in the form of juices, and pop.
10. Reduce sugar and artificial sweetener intake. ‘Eat sweet – crave sweet’. If you want to get rid of those sugar cravings, the first step is to cut back on how much ‘sweet’ you eat. Natural fruit will taste much sweeter when you’re not accustomed to eating sugar-laden treats.
11. Increase the amount of lean protein that you eat. This can be in the form of lean meats, fish, Greek yogurt, protein powder if necessary. Aim to eat 10 g of protein with each meal or snack to help stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings.
12. Take Vitamin D. Any location north of Los Angeles doesn’t get enough vitamin D from natural sunlight so it’s imperative to supplement.
13. Forget about doing ‘crunches’. Planking and plank variations are the way to go to strengthen the core. If you want a flat belly you’ll need to boost your metabolism with resistance training and metabolic blasters like burpees too. Use this unconventional method to flatten your tummy. 
14. There’s no need to be on the treadmill for hours. You can still use your treadmill for short sweaty workouts with THIS. Studies show that more intense short workouts are more effective for fat burning and muscle building.
15. Cut out the crabs in your life. When you have negative people around you, it can bring you down. Find a way to minimize contact with them. Surround yourself with people that share your goals. (This has been the biggest bonus of those in the VIP coaching program. Whoda’ thunk that ‘virtual friends’ could have such a powerful influence for members to reach their goals?)
16. Have a positive attitude. Think of what you’re thankful for daily, including those around you and be sure to thank them often. You’ll actually enjoy life more by counting your blessings. The cup is always half full: it’s all in your perspective.
17. Get a mentor. Don’t re-invent the wheel, hiring a coach for whatever goals you want to reach buys you speed.

Speaking of lifestyle changes, it’s been a wild ride for about 25 VIP coaching clients these past 10 weeks. We change up our workouts every 21 days, we make healthy changes to our nutrition and we check in daily to the group. Man, it’s been cathartic for so many, including me: I have to say that I’ve been as much of a benefactor of the group as a my clients 😉

Get an insider look at what goes on daily from current members here.

Stay tuned for YOUR opportunity to get one of the coveted coaching spots.

If you want to be on the advance notice list for a coaching spot, go HERE.

This has been such a successful and satisfying experience for us all; I’m ready to start again. But the group will likely be half full since many of the current clients will be staying on (in fact, I might not even open the group up to anyone new).

Get on this list if you want a chance to be in the VIP coaching group in 2015.

Right now, think about how you want 2015 to look.

Plan on making some small changes.

Make a list.

Make it happen.

Let the VIP coaching group help you; stay tuned for more info and get on the advanced notice list here.

Happy New Year!

It looks like someone is pretty passionate about the jump rope….

One of the questions I often get regarding jumping rope is ‘how long should my rope be?’. So I made this video geared for those starting out jumping rope.

Get a load of the comment “Hypercube1729” posted on this You Tube video I made for beginners:

Wow.

I’m all for free speech, but this seems a little over the top to me. Hypercube1729 is welcome to his opinion, but I don’t appreciate the profanity.

What do you think?

Watch this video and read the comment I posted to help beginners size their rope for jump rope success.

Here’s the comment I posted to describe the video:

Your jump rope success depends on your jump rope so getting the right size is really important.

For beginners, hand placement for holding the rope tends to be a little higher and if your rope is too short, you’ll have to jump too high and you won’t get a good rhythm. If the rope is too long, you’ll trip and again you wont’ get a good rhythm. When you stand on the middle of the rope, the rope should come to about your armpits.

As your skill improves, you’ll tend to relax the arms a little more and your hand placement for rope turning will be a little lower and closer to the hips versus higher at the waist.

Ideally, you’ll want to barely jump off the ground, just enough for the rope to touch the ground and pass under the feet.

Here’s a good guide for you:

Someone less than 4 feet 10 inches tall uses a 7-foot jump rope. If you are over that height, but under 5 feet 3 inches, use an 8-foot rope. A 9-foot rope fits someone 5 feet 4 inches tall to 5 feet 10 inches tall. If you are between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 6 inches, a 10-foot rope should work. You will need an 11-foot rope if you are taller than 6 feet 6 inches.

If I’m off the mark, then I’m okay with your saying so (hopefully with less profanity). But if you think Hypercube1729 is over-reacting, feel free to say so too (again with less profanity and more class).

Go HERE to post your comment on the video.

I’m a little disappointed that some people seem brave when they’re anonymous. I’m not sure what happened to common courtesy…

What’s your Sunday routine? Do you do anything special on Sunday’s to re-charge yourself?

Everyone has a ‘busy’ life, right? Sometimes we get so busy ‘doing’ life, that we forget to ‘live’ it. Hopefully, at least one day a week you can slow down.

For me, I love Sunday’s. One of the reasons is that I can focus on ‘big thinking‘. Usually this involve journalling, the focus for Sunday’s is gratitude. And I also get myself set up for the week mentally.

Oh, and of course, Sev will get extra time in the dog park.

What’s your Sunday routine?

I’ll share a secret that’s paying off for my coaching group that’s one week in.

I suggest this ‘big thinking‘ day for them too. I want them to think about their ‘reasons why’ they do things (like binge or skip workouts).  I have them assess their progress (weight/measurements). Many will have a treat meal and or course I ask them to prepare for the week.

Your week gets pretty hectic doesn’t it? This one simple thing – preparation – is making ALL the difference for my coaching clients.

This can be mental preparation, but it’s all the more successful when it’s paired with some physical prep – like stocking the fridge with healthy food, ensuring you have what you need to get your workout on and then making sure your workout is scheduled in.

It sounds simple enough, but even some of my dedicated coaching clients, ones that have put their money where their mouth is and stepped up for this 90 day coaching commitment have forgotten to prepare. But they’re getting better and the accountability of the group is getting them turned around right quick!

Failing to plan is really planning to fail – no one does this intentionally, life just gets in the way.

I get it – I understand how busy life can get. Maybe you’re not ready to bite off more time for fitness and health just yet.

If so, then I have a six minute solution for you.

In these six minutes, you can drastically boost your fat burning and youth enhancing hormones.

This plan is proven to deliver a dramatically faster fat burning metabolism. It taps into your natural fat burning cycles for long lasting fat loss. You won’t eat any nasty processed diet foods or do time consuming boring exercise.

Six minutes? That sounds pretty doable…

If you can’t dedicate more time to your health and fitness right now, then consider this 6 minute solution.

Pair this 6 minute solution with what you’re already doing or use it when your day is one of those crazy ones that you’d otherwise NOT get any fitness in.

I hope you can use today as YOUR big thinking day.

PS. As for me, this Sunday I’m going to hang out with Sam who’s in an ankle to hip soft cast.

On Thursday he blew his knee on a tackle in a football game – MCL and ACL gone 🙁

<==This is Sam (#5) on a different play with a happier ending 😉

He’s doing pretty well, all things considered. We’re looking at a blown knee as a blessing that something really life changing didn’t befall him, like a spinal injury or worse. Life lessons are often hard to swallow, but they go down a lot easier with a dose of gratitude.

I can only aspire to be a dog.

Particularly my dog, Sev.

Let me explain.

Sev came from humble beginnings. He was likely an ‘oops’ dog. A member of a litter among many litters on the Native Reserve close to Calgary. I’m sure he was homeless and living in a ditch for the better part of his formative years.

Luck would have it that a rescue agency found him in his ditch. Sadly he was full of porcupine quills, likely quilled for 2-3 weeks. He was sweet and gentle and they took him in and provided the care he needed. They proceeded to put him up for adoption, though an unlikely candidate for a home: mangy, scabby, hairless and one eyed. His sweet disposition could not be photographed or quantified.

Somehow my daughter just knew he belonged to us. She said that ‘all the cute puppies will find a home, no one wants Sev, we have to take him’. (Where did this girl come from? I can only hope to be as fabulous as her as well.)

When we met him, he was an easy sell. He was quiet and calm, a real hidden beauty. So he came home with us after the 24 hour ‘cooling off’ period the shelter had (this is to reduce the stupid snap decisions people make regarding pets).

Since he’s been with us, he’s gained 30 lbs, he’s grown a beautiful coat, his scars have healed and he has personality plus.

The point I want to make about Sev, and every dog really, is that there’s a lot to be learned from them.

Sev had every reason to be bitter and mean. The world was cruel to him and he never knew what love and security meant. Yet somehow, he kept his happy disposition and loving nature. He knows how to be vulnerable even when the world chewed him up and spat him out. His ability to love has brought love to him.

Sev loves with his whole heart and then some. This is a dog that sleeps next to my bed, but still finds the need to surround himself with my stinky socks. He puts his life on the line for me by providing home protection and chasing wild coyotes and porcupines (even if it means getting attacked).

I need to be more like Sev.

I need to overlook the disappointments in life and know that there’s always something to look forward to – simple things like a morning off leash walk in the sunshine.

When people close to me disappoint: business partners, friends, family, I need to learn  how to still stay open and vulnerable while not being taken advantage of.

When I disappoint others, I need to come with my tail between my legs with a heart felt apology.

Yes, to me Sev provides a daily lesson on ‘how to be happy’.

I need to be more like him.

Well, all except his annoying habit of rolling in poo. He rolls in stink about once a month…

Seriously Sev, why do you do this?

I like to think it’s his way of keeping me humble. Just when I think I’m ‘all that’, I end up hose in hand scrubbing him down in the backyard.

Thank you Sev, for the life lessons and endless love. I can only hope to be as pure hearted as you. (Although on the whole, I think I smell better.)

PS. If you want a fantastic read, I’m currently reading ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’ by Garth Stein. If you’re a dog lover (and lover of good literature), this should be on your list.

PPS. Are you a dog lover?

Do you want to be like your dog?

Wanna share some awesome-ness about YOUR canine? Feel free to share a comment. If our dogs could read, they’d be really honored.

All I can say is ‘thank you’!

After my appearance on last night’s episode of “Gym Rescue” I’ve been absolutely flooded with congratulations and kudos from lots of you.

In case you missed it, I was asked by Spike TV to show off my “Body Transformation Expert” skills and come in and teach the most effective fat loss training techniques to help “rescue” a struggling gym.

Essentially I showed the training staff how I regularly get “Twice the Results in Half the Time” by using my patented metabolic trickery 🙂

The show was a *HUGE HIT* and the response from all of you has been just crazy!

I am very appreciative of your support.

Since I’ve had so many requests for training, and as a way to thank you, I wanted to provide YOU with a way to train with me even more affordably.

After all, it’s YOU that allows me to live my passion of spreading my love of health and fitness with the world. If you didn’t read my emails, blog and support my programs, I wouldn’t have the opportunities that I’ve been offered.

By allowing me to virtually train you and answer your fitness questions I’ve honed my skills and become the best at what I do.

As a BIG THANK YOU to you, head to THIS PAGE and you’ll see how you can get ALL my programs for 50% off until Tuesday at midnight.

This is the perfect time to grab one of the programs that you don’t have yet.

*You may not even know that I have eight strength building, fat burning challenging programs available for you.

Also, I’d be honored if you shared this page with your friends and family, so that I can help them too.

Your endorsement is the best compliment I could ever get, so if you really ‘feel the love’, feel free to share this page or post it to any social media like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

And thanks again for all your support and kind messages, it means the world to me.

PS. I’ll get a link for you to view the show online if you happened to miss it. Stay tuned as I should have this for you by tomorrow.

In the meantime, head to this page.

This is producer Zach and me in the production area 😉