Remember the good old days, when the only video game available was a pinball machine down at the local soda shop? Well, those days are long gone. Today’s teens have access to more video games and other technology that keeps them away from the great outdoors and off the basketball court. Instead of moving their growing bodies, they spend countless hours pushing buttons, texting friends and playing video games.

But if exercise isn’t a regular part of your teen’s life, big trouble could be right down the road. Why should your teen get into the exercise routine, and how can you make it happen?

Why Exercise Matters

Take a look around at teens. They have countless social media tools that are supposed to help them be more connected with others than ever. Unfortunately, these social sites can cause teens to forget how to socialize with real people in real life. Get these kids to the gym and encourage them to exercise with other teens, and you give them an instant lesson in socialization.

But exercise is about more than being socially adept. It’s about good health. And in case you’ve not picked up a newspaper or magazine in the last 10 years, you should know that there is an obesity epidemic currently taking place. It’s affected plenty of adults, but it is now affecting teens as well – especially as they spend less time exercising and more time sitting around watching television, playing video games, texting, and chatting online. Get your teen exercising today, and you’ll help them obtain and maintain a healthy weight and develop lifelong healthy habits.

How to Get Them Moving

Sometimes, getting a teenager to do something is as easy as teaching a rhinoceros to fetch. Don’t let their attitude get you down. Remember your own attitude problems as a teenager, take a deep breath, and prepare to put up a fight. When you’re going into battle with your teen, try these tips out.

Make It Fun. Remember when your teen was a toddler? Exercise wasn’t something you forced him or her to do. It just happened, via hide-and-seek, tag, or just running all day long. Find what physical activities interest your teens, and encourage him or her to get out and do it.

Up the Chores. Is your teen lazing around the house doing nothing, while you’re working frantically to keep everything in order? Flip your teen’s world upside down by having him or her take over some of the more physically demanding chores. Have your teen rake leaves, plant flowers, scrub toilets, and take out the garbage. It may not be the same as lifting weights, but it’ll get your teen’s body on the move!

Do It Together. If your child isn’t motivated to get in the gym on his or her own, offer to do it together. Whether you lift weights, ride bikes, swim, or hike, doing it as a family makes it easier to keep your teen on an exercise schedule.

Take It Easy. Your teen needs to exercise. There is no question about it. Just don’t let this need override your parenting know-how. Ever tried to force your teen to do something he or she didn’t want to do? Didn’t work so well, did it? Remember this when working with your teen, and encourage your teen gently. You may be surprised at the end result.

How Much? While medical experts normally recommend adults get 30 minutes of exercise five or more days a week, the same doesn’t hold true for teenagers. Instead, try to get your teen to exercise for at least 60 minutes most days of the week. It doesn’t have to be incredibly vigorous. A light jog, a game of kickball, or riding bikes will do the trick.

If you want to expedite you and your teen’s results then consider working with me on a fitness plan that will turn you both into fat burning machines.

Call or email today – I look forward to hearing from you.

I know what’s on your list this year and it isn’t found at your local department store.

You’re wishing for washboard abs—so I’ve put together “The Twelve Days of Christmas –Washboard Abs Edition” just for you.

On the First Day…Give yourself the gift of Burpees.
Created in the 1930′s by psychologist Royal H. Burpee, the burpee is an intense full body exercise that helps burn fat and tone muscles. A burpee is done in the following 5 steps: 1) Stand with feet shoulder width apart. 2) Drop to a squat with your hands on the ground. 3) Kick feet back while lowering into a push-up. 4) Return to squat position. 5) Jump up with arms overhead.

On the Second Day…Give yourself the gift of Fiber.
Stocking up on fiber will do wonders for your abs. High fiber foods are nutrient dense and low in calories. Try these high fiber favorites: raspberries, pear (with skin), artichoke, peas, apples (with skin), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and carrots.

On the Third Day…Give yourself the gift of a Medicine Ball.
The first medicine balls were created in Persia over 3,000 years ago, made with sand filled bladders and used by wrestlers as part of their conditioning. Today you can get the same rippling abs by incorporating medicine balls into your exercise routine. Do a sit-up holding a medicine ball at your chest then throw it to a partner as you raise your chest toward your knees; or hold a medicine ball with arms straight up in the air as you do crunches.

On the Fourth Day…Give yourself the gift of Reduced Salt.
Too much salt leads to water retention—and that spells disaster for your six pack. Pay attention to the sodium content of your food. Limit salt intake by not eating packaged foods and by putting down the salt shaker.

On the Fifth Day…Give yourself the gift of Oblique V-Sits.
Who really wants a muffin top? You don’t, so incorporate Oblique V-Sits into your routine in 3 simple steps. 1) Lie on your side with legs straight and hands behind your head. 2) Raise your arms and legs simultaneously, while exhaling and squeezing your obliques. 3) Repeat on the other side.

On the Sixth Day…Give yourself the gift of Lean Protein.
Along with fiber, your meals should be packed with lean protein. This will help support muscle growth while controlling blood sugar – all important factors when it come to washboard abs.

On the Seventh Day…Give yourself the gift of Sprints.
The days of long slow cardio sessions are long gone. We now know that short intense bursts of cardio is the ideal way to melt fat. Run 60-90 second sprints in between resistance training sets to really kick your fat burning mechanism into high gear.

On the Eighth Day…Give yourself the gift of No Sugar.
Sure, sugar tastes good, but indulging in it causes your body to store layers of fat. Enjoy fresh fruit, rather than refined sugar. If you really want washboard abs, then say no to sugar.

On the Ninth Day…Give yourself the gift of Hanging Leg Raises.
This is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your abdominals. 1) Hang from pull-up bar with legs fully extended. 2) Exhale and drive your knees up toward your chest. 3) Inhale as you slowly lower your legs back down.

On the Tenth Day…Give yourself the gift of No Grain.
If you’re serious about that six pack then put down the bread basket. Grains are full of insulin-spiking carbohydrates—the perfect combination for fattening you up. Learn to love grain-free meals that center around lean meats and vegetables.

On the Eleventh Day…Give yourself the gift of Mountain Climbers.
Here’s another intense exercise that really targets your abs while also burning fat. 1) Get into push-up position. 2) Exhale as you alternately drive your knees in toward your chest, keeping your back flat.

On the Twelfth Day…Give yourself the gift of Washboard Abs.
Contact me about my tummy flattening programs that will get you those washboard abs that you’re wishing for. Call or email today to get started.

When the waiter comes she is still deep in thought over what to order. “What can I get for you?” he asks with a smile. She looks up and frowns, no closer to arriving at a decision. On a whim she blurts out, “I’m trying to eat healthy but I have no idea what to order. What do you think I should eat?”

The young waiter looks startled but quickly rattles off his idea of a healthy meal. “The eggplant and roasted pepper pasta is filled with vegetables. You could get that with a salad.”

The woman smiles. Yes, vegetables do sound healthy. So she orders the veggie pasta with a side salad and a diet soda, then sits back to enjoy a few slices of bread.

That’s a true story. Not surprisingly the woman was unable to lose weight even though she was exercising regularly.

It is said that 80% of your weight loss results are derived from diet, and the remaining 20% from exercise—so you can see how important it is for you to stick with a healthy eating plan.

Use the following tips as your guide to eating out right:

Appetizers
Appetizers are a great way to start out a leisurely meal, but can also derail your good intentions with a quickness.

Don’t Order

• Anything fried. Fried foods are a favorite, but will do damage that even the most intense workout won’t undo.
• Creamy dips. These are filled with fat and usually come with something fried to dip in it.
• Bread. It comes smothered in cheese or seeped in butter, and even when it’s plain it fills you up with more carbohydrates than your body needs.

Do Order

• Green salad. Ask for very light dressing and no croutons.
• Antipasto. A plate of thinly sliced meats, olives and cheese will start you off with some protein.
• Lettuce wraps. These are delicious, protein-filled and low in carbs.

Beverages
Calories in drinks are sneaky because they don’t fill you up. This means that you end up taking in far more calories than you bargained for.

Don’t Order

• Regular or diet soda. On one hand you’re drinking corn syrup through a straw, on the other you’re drinking chemicals that cause you to crave sweets. It’s a no win situation.
• Sweet cocktails. Many restaurants are advertizing sweet cocktails –resist the urge. Sugar plus alcohol equals loads of unneeded calories.
• Sweetened tea. You may feel righteous for ordering iced tea, but if it’s sweetened then you may as well be drinking fully loaded soda.

Do Order

• Water. Don’t laugh! Water is the best beverage of all.
• Unsweetened iced tea. Don’t ruin it by adding that packet of sugar. Learn to enjoy the natural sweetness to the tea.
• Red wine. Stick to one glass, and drink responsibly.

Entrees
This is where the real damage is done. When you order something carb-loaded you leave the restaurant feeling heavy and lethargic—you may not even realize this until you start eating better and experience the light, energetic way you’ll feel after eating a healthy meal.

Don’t Order

• Pasta. I don’t care if it comes with red sauce or white sauce, meat or veggies. If you’re trying to lose weight and maintain a lean body then never, ever order a plate of pasta.
• Pizza. Another dish that has far more carbohydrates than you need. If you’re craving the pizza toppings then simply order those over a salad.
• Burgers. If you really want a burger then ditch the bun and the fries, and have your patty wrapped in lettuce.

Do Order:

• Lean meat with vegetables. Fish, steak, chicken, take your pick and pair it with green vegetables.
• Salad with protein. Ask for very light dressing and make sure you have a nice piece of protein on it.
• Soup and salad. Stick with broth based soups that contain protein and pass on the breadsticks.

If you want to expedite your results then consider working with me on a fitness plan that will turn you into a fat burning machine.

Call or email today—I look forward to hearing from you.

Weight Gain season begins now and runs straight through New Year’s.

The next two months will bring ample opportunity for you to expand your waistline. Of course the choice is yours.

Why discuss it now and not mid way through December? Because now is your opportunity to plan for the weeks ahead. Once the craziness begins, you’ll be too busy to put a plan into action.

So let’s take this moment of clarity, this calm before the storm, to outline a two-part plan that will save your waist from unwanted holiday inches.

1) Part One: Your Exercise Plan. Exercise is the first thing people cut when they get busy, and the holiday season is notorious for empty gyms. This year do something different—obligate yourself to exercise. Promising to yourself won’t do it, you need to promise to others so that you won’t drop the ball.

• Sign up to work with a fitness expert – This is the perfect solution for consistent, challenging and effective workouts. I’ll give you the attention and assistance that you need to power through the holidays in better shape than ever – talk about motivating!
• Join a class – You won’t be as effective exercising on your own during the busy holiday season, so join a class for accountability. Find something challenging that gets your heart rate elevated and uses strength training.
• Get a serious exercise buddy – Some friends can be an awesome help while others end up pulling you down. When looking for an exercise buddy consider the following questions:
  - Do they share your fitness goals?
  - Are they fairly encouraging?
  - Do they give up easily?
  - Are they at your fitness level?

2) Part Two: Your Diet Plan.The holidays offer ample opportunities to indulge, so you need to hammer down some guidelines before hitting that buffet line. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t indulge in any seasonal treats, but use moderation. Don’t use the holidays as an excuse to eat until the point of being uncomfortable – will you really miss that bloated feeling? Decide which treats to cut out this year.

• Don’t bring edible treats to the office or to parties. You know that the leftovers will come home and you’ll end up eating far more than your share. This year do everyone a favor by not gifting fattening treats.
• When faced with a buffet line, load your plate first with greens, vegetables and lean meats before breads and heavier foods. Also drink water with your meal and keep alcoholic beverages to a 2-drink maximum.
• Beware of holiday drinks – most are brimming with calories. Hot drinks from coffee shops, cocktails at parties and creamy eggnog are all very enjoyable and all filled with empty calories. Stick with hot tea or unsweetened coffee.
• Everywhere you go during the holiday season brings you face-to-face with a plate of sweets. To avoid being a bore but without adding inches to your waist, try the one treat rule. Each time you’re in a social situation that involves sweets just eat one, and enjoy your treat slowly.

You don’t have to gain weight this holiday season. The key is your mindset.

If you approach the holidays with the mindset of, ‘I deserve to indulge and I shouldn’t have to exercise’ then you’ll enter 2012 a few pounds heavier, a little less healthy, and with lower energy than ever before.

I believe that you deserve better. I believe that you should enter 2012 in better shape than you are today, healthier than you’ve been in a long time, and with more energy than you thought possible.

I’m here to help – call or reply to this email to set up a fitness consultation with me. I’d love to show you how to transform your body over the weeks to come.

Mark Sisson, an athlete, coach, and student on a lifelong quest for exceptional health, happiness, and peak performance (his words), penned the book, “The Primal Blueprint” to show you how to do just that.

At 55, he weighs 165 pounds with 8 percent body fat, eats as much food as he pleases, and rarely gets sick. He also says he’s healthier, fitter, happier and more productive than ever.

So what is Mark’s secret?

In his words, “Modeling your 21st-century life after our primal hunter-gather ancestors will help you greatly reduce or eliminate almost all of the disease risk factors that you may falsely blame on genes you inherited from your parents

Weight loss does not have to involve the suffering, sacrifice, and deprivation we’ve been conditioned to accept but instead is a matter of eating the right foods (plants and animals), avoiding the wrong foods (processed carbs—including grains—and trans and partially hydrogenated fats), and exercising strategically, for far fewer hours than you might assume, to reach your desired fitness goals.”

Here are The Ten Primal Blueprint Laws:

Law #1: Eat Lots of Plants and Animals
The bulk of the caveman diet is animal protein (organic, free-range, or wild sources of meat, fowl, and fish), a plethora of colorful veggies and fruits, and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, their derivative butters, certain oils, and avocados).

Law #2: Avoid Poisonous Things
For the caveman this meant staying away from poisonous plants. For you this means staying away from sugars, sodas, chemically altered fats, processed, packaged, fried and preserved foods. It also means cutting out grains.

Law #3: Move Frequently at a Slow Pace
The caveman spent several hours each day moving around at a low-level aerobic pace. This helped develop strong bones, joints, and connective tissue.

Law #4: Lift Heavy Things
Frequent bursts of intense physical effort were a daily part of the caveman’s life. Biochemical signals would be triggered that prompted improvements and adaptations in muscle tone, size and power.

Law #5: Sprint Once in a While
For the caveman a fast sprint meant the difference between being eaten and staying alive. Little did he know that those sprints were helping to increase his energy levels, improve athletic performance and minimize the effects of aging by promoting the release of testosterone and human growth hormone.

Law #6: Get Adequate Sleep
The rising and setting of the sun dictated the length of the caveman’s day. For us things are a bit trickier. Adequate sleep helps the immune system work optimally, and promotes the release of hormones that enhance brain and endocrine function.

Law #7: Play Without a TV or computer to entertain himself, the caveman would engage in hours of leisurely outdoor play. Relaxed play releases endorphins and provides a balance for mental stress.

Law #8: Get Adequate Sunlight
It’s impossible to obtain adequate vitamin D from diet alone. Getting regular sun exposure allows for proper vitamin D production, critical for healthy cell function.

Law #9: Avoid Stupid Mistakes
Observation and self-preservation were key factors in the survival of a caveman. Today’s world is full of distractions that leave us oblivious and careless. Take, for example, texting while driving.

Law #10: Use Your Brain
The human brain separates us from the animals. Intellectual stimulation is an important part of healthy brain function.

Rave Reviews: Despite its stringent requirements, the caveman diet is converting new followers by the boatload. Most people report losing 10 or more pounds in their first month and that they no longer feel bloated and sleepy after meals.

Should You Jump on the Primal Bandwagon? So, in light of the evidence, should you put down your whole wheat bagel and low fat cream cheese in exchange for a hunk of meat and pile of veggies?

Hold your horses.

Though the caveman diet has been proven to promote weight loss, times have changed. Could you really practice all of the Primal Laws while maintaining your modern life?

Yeah… I didn’t think so.

So, where do you go from here? You want to lose weight, to protect yourself from disease and to look and feel great.

A great solution, that doesn’t require drastic change, is to take 3 bits of advice from the caveman—advice that will promote weight loss, decrease your risk of disease and will get you looking and feeling great.

1. Make Plants and Animals the Focus of Your Diet: This will quickly lead to weight loss and increased energy. Don’t be so hard on yourself that everything you put in your mouth has to be caveman approved – but make it the majority of your diet.

2. Cut Out Processed Food: The simplest way to promote weight loss and to encourage good health is to eliminate processed foods from your diet. When you replace processed foods with fresh produce your results will be immediate. Not only will you feel healthier, you will have more energy than you’ll know what to do with! * Want to eat a Caveman approved dinner? Check out my recipe below*

3. Exercise: Since you will need an outlet for all that extra energy, acquire a new hobby—one that gets you moving. Have you ever met a lazy caveman? Of course not. (And this is not just because you were born a few centuries too late!) Cavemen were forced to be active in order to survive. Hunt dinner. Build a fire. Move a fallen tree. Create shelter. You get the idea If you want a lean, muscular body then exercise must become a part of your daily life.

This is where I come in. Let’s meet one-on-one to design an exercise program that will fit your unique goals.

Call or email today to get started.

While I was happy that he was excited about these changes, my heart sank because I knew that challenging times would likely lay ahead for him.  Because he had not followed the guidance we gave him during his coaching, I know that the return to “normal” would be a struggle.

He informed me that he wanted to come back to see us once he had lost some more weight.  In his words, “then I can be skinny when I start getting fit”.  Strange logic if you ask me!  I’ve always believed that the actions and behavior associated with “getting fit” would help you lose weight and get healthy in the process.  But you never know, I may have missed some fundamental principles in my 20+ years as a health and fitness professional!

I’m VERY familiar with the mandate and approach of these pseudo medical centres, but decided to ask him what types of things they recommend.  As explained by him, here is what they recommend…

•     He is eating approximately 500 calories per DAY
•     He gets regular vitamin B12 injections
•     NO exercise

The thing that still shocks me is how many people flock to these places.  YES, you WILL lose weight during your time at these centres.  However, we’ve worked with DOZENS of clients who have gone to these places and haven’t found a SINGLE ONE who has been able to keep their weight off permanently.  In fact, most of the people we see have messed up their metabolisms (and psyche) so badly that it takes up to 2 years to repair the damage that’s been done.

The fact that any self respecting doctor would “recommend” this approach is appalling, and I feel they should have their medical license removed for the harm they are doing to people in the long term.  Perhaps these doctors missed the day of medical school when they talked about the Hippocratic Oath?

Let’s break down the format of these weight loss centres to a simple summary of the physiology at work here.

First,  eating 500 calories per day will definitely help you lose weight in the short term.  It’s called STARVATION!  We know it works.  Just look at people in POW camps, those stranded on desert islands, and contestants on several reality shows!

The problem comes when you go back to eating a NORMAL healthy diet.  Even a low number like 1500 calories per day will TRIPLE your previous calorie intake.  Additionally, you body has been starving itself so it will grab on to every morsel of food to store the calories because it’s pissed off at you for starving it and doesn’t know when you may feed it again!

If the 500 calorie level is maintained for too long, your overall metabolism will slow down to conserve energy, your body starts surviving off sugars, and saving fat for a “rainy day”.

Second, the reason you may feel great at these weight loss centres is because they pump you full of vitamins (particularly B12).  People often call these “Happy Shots” because they give you a temporary boost of “well being” that puts you in a good mood, despite starving your butt off (pardon the pun)!  Denial is a wonderful thing!

Third, it’s actually good that they don’t encourage exercise under these conditions because you would probably pass out from lack of fuel to power your workouts.  It’s conclusively proven through decades of study that COMBINING exercise and HEALTHY nutrition is the single best way to create LASTING weight loss.

Any program that doesn’t recommend exercise is negligent on a number of fronts.  First, MUSCLE is the engine of your metabolism.  The lower levels of muscle you have, the less calories you will burn each day (even when you are sleeping).  Exercise is the only way to build muscle.

Second, exercise allows you to create a fitness level and movement skills to support the activities you need to do in life.  Do you get winded going up a flight of stairs?  Struggle to pick up a box off the floor?  Back hurt when you try picking up your kid? Knees and hips hurt when you sit down and stand up?  All of these things are common daily activities and the associated frustrations can be easily eliminated through a simple exercise and activity plan.  It’s NOT about being an elite athlete or killing yourself in the gym.

It’s about challenging yourself to improve your quality of life and caring enough to actually do something about it!  If this “doing” something involves starving yourself and getting regular vitamin injections, you will continue to be frustrated (once you gain the weight back…and then some).  It’s time to SNAP yourself out of this dream (nightmare?) and start to look at realistic solutions.

There are many available and the right ones will depend on your individual situation.  You have the power and control within you to exercise regularly, eat healthy, and live a fantastic life, but first you have to stop lying to yourself that these “quick fixes” are going to work.  How have they worked in the past?  If you are in this situation, I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’ve attempted to lose weight.  In fact, “losing weight” is the primary problem because you are continually dealing with the SYMPTOM of your mindset and behaviors rather than getting started at changing the ROOT CAUSE of your frustration!

If you are ready to do things RIGHT this time, and start achieving long term, sustainable results by changing your LIFE and not your weight, just call 403.217.2730 or book a FREE no-obligation Consultation with one of our Lifestyle Transformation Experts.  We do require that you leave your “quick fix” mentality at the door and open your mind to the possibility of change in order to work with us!

So, when our former client comes back beaten down, frustrated and stressed because he is gaining the weight back, we will start the journey of rebuilding his metabolism, lifestyle, and mindset from the ground up.  It will take longer because of his journey into the world of “medical” weight loss, but at least he will have learned a valuable lesson about cause and effect relationships and the value of commitment to a purpose!

Yours in Health,

Tim Borys

P.S.  On a side note, all of the Calgary LA Weight Loss Centre locations have closed (in fact it was all across Alberta).  Hopefully these people will look for sensible solutions to their challenge instead of searching for a “quick fix”.

If you (or anyone you know) are affected by the closing of these LA Weight Loss locations, please contact us.  We would like to help out in any way possible and will provide a special offer to try us out for FREE.

However, just because you lift weights, doesn’t mean you have to settle for being tight, rigid and inflexible.  In fact, that shouldn’t be the goal at all.  With the right training, you can develop great muscle definition, strength, AND mobility.  Think of gymnasts and dancers!  Muscle is your metabolic “engine” to help you burn calories and it is extremely important to everything we do each day.  Having more muscle on your body (instead of fat) completely changes your body composition, metabolic output and physical capabilities…if your training is done correctly

Think of it this way.  Every ounce of muscle we have on our bodies should be useful and help us accomplish a specific goal.  Big bulky muscles for the sake of being “huge” are useless.  My philosophy and what we promote at FRESH! is to be fit and train for the “Sport of Life”!  Life requires that you be able to move well, stabilize, use your strength and physical capacity in numerous ways that involve work, daily tasks, and recreation.

Some people argue that the goal of a bodybuilder is to get big, symmetrical muscles.  That’s fine.  But if big, symmetrical muscles are your goal, why not train effectively and still provide yourself with the ability to move well or be functional when you aren’t standing on stage posing?  It CAN be done, but this traditional bodybuilder weight training mindset has sunk its teeth into popular culture and continues to influence the design, programming, and results of people at fitness centres and health clubs around the world!

Ok.  I’m off the “soapbox” now!  Hopefully you understand that resistance training is vitally important to overall fitness, health, and body composition.  I will save the specific details of what to do and how to do them for a separate article!   But, to avoid looking like “Biff” the bodybuilder, here are a few things you can do to achieve a lean, sexy, and toned body.

• Make the CORE lifts in EVERY workout be complex, multi-joint movements
• Change the focus and intensity by regularly working outside the 8-12 rep range.  Try higher reps (20,30,40,50+) with a lower resistance, or less reps (3-8) with a much higher resistance.
• Mix-up the intensity, speed, and duration of sets
• Challenge yourself with a variety of movement patterns or drills that improve your levels of coordination, balance, agility, speed, and conditioning level.
• Focus on anaerobic conditioning rather than the traditional long, slow cardio training the most people spend WAAAAAAAAY too much time doing!
• Start thinking of yourself as an athlete (because you ARE)!  Then begin to train like one…but get help with building a proper training plan and implement it in gradual stages.  This is especially true if you are new to exercise.

So, if you are ready for some expert instruction, guidance, and motivation to take your fitness plan, life and personal performance to the next level, just call us (403) 217.2730 to get started (or click here)!  The elite Calgary Personal Trainers at FRESH! Fitness are here to help!