Archive for November, 2007
Approximately one year ago Jeff Franco looked like this.
He was frustrated with his appearance so we sat down for coffee with him and, just like The Godfather, we made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. We suggested to him that he not only use our consulting program, but also let us follow him on his journey to let the public see how an average guy can go from fat to fit. We told him that by doing this he’d be serving as an inspiration to many who would be following his transformation. Of course, it would also make him more accountable. Jeff accepted and now, one year later, Jeff is absolutely ripped.
You might argue that one year seems like a long time, but if we told you that by next Christmas you could be in the best shape of your life, wouldn’t you be on board?
If you haven’t been following Jeff’s adventure you can get up to speed by reading the previous articles here:
Part I
Part II
Part III
For the rest of you, let’s take a look at Jeff’s results.
Month 10 – Pump Up The Chest
The biggest focus in this month was to dedicate more exercise volume to Jeff’s chest as it appeared to be the only thing holding him back. We reduced the amount of exercise for Jeff’s already defined shoulders and arms and focused on creating a fuller, broader chest.
Jeff’s cardio still consisted of only 5 short sprints and he continued to slowly lose body fat for this entire month.
Despite our initial plan to make some major dietary changes this month, Jeff was a little leery about taking the leap and wanted to get mentally prepared for what was to come.
Month 11 – Enter “The Crazy Diet”
As we mentioned in our last update, Jeff was about to embark on something that we affectionately call The Crazy Diet. There are many steps in the weight loss process and this is the diet we use to help people make the final transformation from GOOD to GREAT. As you’ll see, Jeff did just that.
The Transformation Process
SHIT
to
SUCK
to
GOOD
to
GREAT
The diet consisted of 4 preplanned meals per day and a very specific daily supplement routine. It also required Jeff to maintain his 5 day per week exercise routine. The best part of the diet is that it allowed for one entire day where Jeff could eat and drink whatever he wanted. The worst part is that Jeff only got one of those days every two weeks. In between there was absolutely no deviation.
It is worth noting that we only offer this diet to our most dedicated clients as they’re the only ones disciplined enough to make it through. You’ve got to earn your stripes if you want to attempt something this severe and keep the weight off. Many people follow severe diets like this without the lifestyle habits Jeff learned in the earlier months only to gain the weight back and more. Having established these habits early Jeff will easily be able to get in shape and stay there for life.
Now some of you are probably thinking that this kind of diet would never be for you. The truth is that Jeff probably never thought that he’d be following a plan like this either. If you look back, his only nutritional instructions for the first month were to eat something every 2 to3 hours. That’s it. When he asked what to eat we told him “Anything…just eat. We’ll deal with details later.” When Jeff was ready we made the adjustments as necessary.
Still, the majority of our clients never need or want to do anything this radical and that’s perfectly fine with us. They still get to GOOD and for most people that’s pretty darn awesome. Jeff, on the other hand, isn’t like most people. He saw his last pictures and was still nitpicking. Jeff wanted to take the leap and we were here with the tools to take him where he wanted to go.
We kept up the sprint type cardio for this entire month as the weather was still nice and it’s more refreshing to run outside than on a treadmill like a hamster.
Month 12 – Still Crazy
I think the first thing Jeff said when he walked in this month was “I hate you”. To be honest, I’m not sure exactly what he said, because he barely mumbled it out. He’d been working nights and that, combined with the diet and workouts regime, was starting to take a mental toll.
We suggested to Jeff that we call it quits on the plan, but Jeff was adamant that he was going to complete the final month. He agreed to hammer it out for four more grueling weeks to get the body he wanted.
We made a few small changes to Jeff’s training, but it was pretty similar during the last month. Despite the success of the sprint cardio we decided to bring Jeff inside to a treadmill as the weather was starting to get a little cold and unpredictable.
In the end, Jeff ended up doing pretty well this month. He missed a couple workouts and there were a few dropped cardio sessions, but all in all, he trained pretty hard. Did it work?
You bet it did.
At our meeting one year from the start of his training we had Jeff come in for an update and took some pictures while we messed around with some equipment at our facility. It was all we could do to stop him from running around our studio flexing and asking everyone if they got their tickets to the gun show.
Jeff’s chest. Finally starting to come around.
Just like an anatomy chart!
Quick…someone call a plumber…’cause these pipes are gonna burst.
During his year with us Jeff lost a total of 65 pounds…
…and an outstanding 11.25 inches off his waist.
One thing we found remarkable is that his “borderline” blood pressure went from 132 over 66 to a healthy 122 over 62 while never performing any cardiovascular exercise longer than 15 minutes. Even more impressive is that his heart rate went from a normal 64 beats per minute to that of an elite distance runner at 33 beats per minute!!!
In fact, this was so surprising that when the cuff first registered that number we had to measure it manually. I put my fingers on his wrist and instead of the steady beating of a normal heart I felt a single powerful BOOM. Then I waited. I waited for what seemed like an eternity…and then it came…BOOM.
Jeff’s heart is so powerful that it only needs to beat every two seconds. Try it for yourself. Find your artery in your neck or wrist and check your pulse. Odds are that you’ll have more than one beat per second. Jeff’s heart is beating half as fast as yours. It pumps so much blood in a single beat that it doesn’t need to beat again for two whole seconds. Again, Jeff never performed more than 15 minutes of cardio at any one time!!!
So that’s it? Jeff’s done?
In reality, Jeff still has a work to do. He still has to successfully wean off The Crazy Diet and his chest still needs some work. He’ll also have to work hard over the coming year to gain some strength and to find something to motivate him to continue training.
Nonetheless, as long as he keeps at it Jeff will continue to leave people awestruck with his radical transformation.
Keep your eyes peeled for the Jeff Franco interview coming soon.
November 28th, 2007
A Baby Workout
By Stacey Nolan Young
Okay…so you have waited over 9 months for your baby to arrive. You’ve endured pain, discomfort and labour all for this little bundle. Your body has been stretched and kicked. You no longer remember what it’s like to have “free time”. You have this excess weight that you are carrying now and you do not have the time to get rid of it. The thought of leaving the house a few times a week without your little bundle seems so unrealistic.
Rest assured- you can get back to your former weight without leaving your house and better still- with the involvement of your baby. Yes, I did say that. This can be time that mom and baby enjoy together. I will be showing you how to get your workout in at home so put those dumbbells down and pick up your baby!
The first place to start is in the kitchen. Always. And without question. A good, healthy diet goes a long way towards getting you back into shape. Remember that great results come from incorporating a healthy diet with smart exercise. This will not only be good for you but it will definitely be beneficial to your baby especially if you are breastfeeding. I’m not going to delve into the nutritional aspect here but it was definitely worthy of mention because you cannot do one without the other and be successful.
Please don’t misunderstand. I am in no way saying that you will be working out alongside your baby. I am not suggesting that your baby needs to get in shape or that we need to create a miniature version of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I am merely claiming that your baby can have some fun while you carry him or her around and get some exercise in at the same time! Here is a sample of a workout that should only take about a half hour out of your day. Just to caution you… this will not be easy!
Find an open space in your house. You will need a carrier and of course, your baby!
Begin by walking around at a good pace with your baby. If you have stairs, walk up and down those for about 5 minutes. The idea is to get warmed up and ready for exercise. Now that the muscles are fired up… let’s get down to business.
Baby Squats
Stand with your legs somewhat wider than shoulder width apart. Place your toes facing slightly out. Hold your baby against your body or in an infant carrier. Slowly lower your body into a low squat position (below parallel) almost as if you are sitting back into a chair. Pause at the bottom of the movement and come up pushing through your heels. You’ll want to make sure that your back is as straight as possible and that you getting the depth that you need for this exercise. Going deeper will hit the glutes more so make sure to perform the bottom half of the movement. Perform 8-10 repetitions. After this set go back to those stairs and walk up and down them for about a minute. This allows your muscles time to recover and it keeps your heart rate up. And then you begin again.
Here is the breakdown:
8-10 repetitions holding your baby.
*stairs for 1 minute*
8-10 repetitions holding your baby
*stairs for 1 minute*
8-10 repetitions holding your baby
*stairs for 1 minute*
Baby Alternating Lunges
Place your baby against your chest while standing up straight, preferably in an infant carrier. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your hips. Keep your abdomen tight to support your back. Starting with one leg, take a big step forward. Your toes and your knee should be pointed directly in front of your body. Bend your forward knee with your foot on the floor. Lower your body straight down from this position. Your back knee should almost touch the floor. Be sure that your back is straight during the entire movement. Raise your body again and repeat with opposite leg.
8-10 repetitions per leg
*stairs for 1 minute*
8-10 repetitions per leg
*stairs for 1 minute*
8-10 repetitions per leg
*stairs for 1 minute*
Baby Pushups
In order to perform this exercise, you will need a blanket or matt on the floor. Place your baby on their back on the floor. Position your body directly above your baby. Prop your self up on your arms and feet, keeping your body straight. Your hands should be placed on either side of your baby. Slowly lower your body by bending at the elbows. This movement should be completely controlled. Your back should remain straight. Lower yourself until you are nose to nose with your baby. Push yourself back up into the starting position. You’ll want to be particularly careful with this movement as you have the safety of your baby to worry about. If you can’t perform this movement try it on your knees with your legs bent. Perform as many reps as you can safely do.
5-8 repetitions
*stairs for 1 minute*
5-8 repetitions
*stairs for 1 minute*
5-8 repetitions
*stairs for 1 minute*
Baby Press
This exercise is easy to perform and you should feel this in your shoulders and arms. It should only be performed when your baby has established good head control. Also, be aware of your baby’s comfort level at all times. To begin, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your baby face down on your chest and hold your baby firmly under their arms to anchor them safely. Slowly and very gently raise your baby off of your chest. Gently lower your baby back onto your chest.
Repeat this motion 10 times or as long as your baby will allow.
10 repetitions
*stairs for 1 minute*
10 repetitions
*stairs for 1 minute*
10 repetitions
*stairs for 1 minute*
Baby Deadbugs
This is a great abdominal exercise and it will strengthen your core musculature. Lie on your back on the floor. Prop your baby up on your chest. Tilt your pelvis up so that your lower back is flat against the floor. You should feel your abs tighten. From this position lift your knees up at a 90 degree angle. Keeping your back flat against the floor slowly lower one leg until it is about an inch off of the floor. Return that leg slowly to the starting position and repeat with the opposite leg. The focus should be on keeping your lower back on the floor by keeping the core tight. As soon as you feel your back come off of the floor, the set is over.
8-10 repetitions per leg
*stairs for one minute*
8-10 repetitions per leg
*stairs for one minute*
8-10 repetitions per leg
*stairs for one minute*
Wrap Up
Please keep the safety of your baby in mind when going through the exercises. This is meant to be fun for mom and baby
Perform this routine 2-3 times per week. Along with a solid nutrition program, you will see your body returning to its formal state. A word of warning…at some point this program will cease to get you the results you are looking for and you will need to step things up a notch. This is a great beginner’s workout after you have had your baby. My suggestion is to get to a gym within a few months. Most gyms have daycares for older babies and for those with very young children, have someone watch your kids while you take much needed time for yourself and hit the gym at least two times per week.
Another great way to exercise is to strap your baby in an infant carrier and go for a walk. For the more adventurous, take that walk to another level and try the stairs. Here, in Hamilton we have a good number of sets of stairs going up the escarpment. This is a fantastic cardiovascular workout.
There is no rule that says you can’t get physically fit when you have just had a baby. That excuse just doesn’t jive with all of the options out there today. So what are you waiting for? Get rid of that baby fat! Lose that weight and spend quality time with your baby doing it!
November 20th, 2007
Sometimes when you just don’t have time to hit the gym wall sits can serve as a quick and effective way to get in some leg exercise. As you can see from the expression in the lovely photo above, the burn can be quite intense.
To see the full exercise description check out the Hamilton Spectator feature HERE.
Or
Check out the exercise in the original format as a PDF document HERE.
November 15th, 2007
I’ve been in this industry a long time and I’ve heard almost every excuse in the book when it comes to fitness and weight loss. The truth is, that no matter how bad you have it, there’s probably someone out there who has it worse off than you and they’re still not making any excuses.
You think you’ve got it bad?
Colt Wynn has it bad.
At the tender age of 15 Colt Wynn was shot and paralyzed from the waist down in a hunting accident. To suggest that there is pain associated with such an injury would be an understatement. The pain of an injury like this is incredible. Unfortunately, this probably wasn’t the worst part of it for Colt.
Imagine the emotional devastation of having suddenly lost the use of your legs at 15 years old. You’re in the prime of your life and your legs are literally cut out from under you. Every part of your life is about to change and there’s nothing you can do about it.
One major problem with many spinal cord patients like Colt is chronic pain. It doesn’t go away. They are also at severe risk for obesity because it is exceptionally difficult to burn calories when you can only exercise with one half of your body. Most people in this position just end up perpetually gaining weight and becoming increasingly more unhealthy. Many become Type II diabetics and are plagued with all of the associated complications of this disease as well as being paraplegic.
As I said, there is always someone who has it worse than you. Colt is one of those people. While keeping Colt’s problem in mind for a little perspective, let’s address some of the most common excuses I hear when it comes to fitness and nutrition.
“I have no time to exercise.”
Nonsense.
Before people even start training at our facility we have them fill out a lifestyle questionnaire as part of our introductory survey. On almost every single one I’ve seen, people have reported watching between 1 and 4 hours of television per day. Do you really mean to tell me that you can’t find 2 or 3 hours per week to get active?
Think about it this way, if you were to give up one hour per night that you’d typically spend watching television it would amount to more than 9 forty hour work weeks at the end of one year. Imagine what you could accomplish.
Maybe you’re just not ready to give up your TV time. No problem. Just don’t tell me that you don’t have any because that’s a load of BS.
“But I can’t afford a personal trainer.”
Nonsense.
If you’re not fit the reason probably isn’t because you don’t have a personal trainer. You don’t really need someone to tell you that eating hamburgers is bad and that walking from the couch to the fridge does not constitute exercise.
A knowledgeable personal trainer can get you to your goals a lot faster. I certainly won’t deny that. But there are some obvious things you can do that will improve your health and you know what they are. If you just do those simple things you’ll be amazed at the results you can get. Sometimes the best advice we can give someone is very common sense. It’s just something that they knew they should’ve been doing, but weren’t.
If you do get stuck, there are excellent personal trainers out there who have consulting programs designed to get you excellent results and provide accountability at an affordable rate. *Insert shameless plug here*
“I can’t afford a gym membership. And healthy food is expensive.”
Nonsense.
This one burns me up. Almost everyone I’ve talked to that says that they can’t afford a gym membership or healthy food has satellite television, a big screen TV, and owns at least one video game system. There are also a few who tell me that they go out for fast food, smoke, or drink regularly.
Hey look…I found you some extra money.
Granted there are those who genuinely don’t have the money for a gym membership. If this is you…you’re still not off the hook. You have legs. Go walk. When that gets easy, go run. When it gets cold outside, walk inside. Try the mall. Memberships for swimming at local recreation centers usually cost less than $100 per year. That’s less than $10 per month!
With regards to food, I’ll wholeheartedly agree that chicken breasts cost more than Kraft dinner. But then again, you can’t eat your Xbox so consider where you spend your money and what is really important to you.
“I can’t lose weight because of my age.”
Nonsense.
It might be difficult to get in shape at your age, but it isn’t impossible. Regardless of how old you are, getting in shape takes effort. Nobody ever got in shape by watching television. It’s going to take consistent hard work to get the job done. Maybe in your case it’ll take a little extra.
If you’re not willing to put in the effort that’s fine. Just don’t use age as an excuse.
“I can’t lose weight because I’m a woman.”
Nonsense.
Women have different biological systems than men, but they’re generally governed by the same physiological rules.
Forgive me for stereotyping here, but in most cases I’ve seen it isn’t that men lose weight easier. More often, it’s that guys tend to develop significantly worse eating habits than the women. When we pull out the daily Big Mac combos and soft drinks they’ll lose weight like crazy. Most women just don’t usually eat like this and it makes it seem that much harder for them.
In fact, the majority of the women we deal with have been on so many crash diets that they’ve essentially destroyed their metabolisms. Sometimes we even have to go through an exhaustive 2 month protocol just to restore their metabolism before they have any hope of losing another pound. It isn’t usually being a woman that makes the weight loss seem slow, but the damage to their metabolism caused by the way they typically eat.
I hate to say this, but it might just be better if women started eating more like men instead of starving themselves. That way, when they actually decide to make a real, permanent change in their life they don’t have to undo all that damage.
Madonna. Obviously a woman. Obviously in great shape.
“But there physiological conditions that make it incredibly difficult to lose weight.”
You’re absolutely right.
There ARE conditions that make it hard to lose weight and they probably affect 1% of the population. Chances are that the one percent does not include you.
Regardless, I’ve seen people with thyroid disorders lose weight. I’ve seen people with incredibly slow metabolisms get very lean. I’ve even seen skinny guys get buff and put on loads of muscle to look great on the beach.
It all comes down to desire and dedication. You might have to work hard. You might even have to work harder than everyone else, but the obstacles can be overcome.
Speaking of obstacles, what ever happened to Colt?
When Colt lost the ability to walk he had a decision to make. He could easily make excuses for why he couldn’t remain fit and healthy throughout the rest of his life. God knows, there were plenty at his disposal. Instead, Colt chose a different path. In light of all the obstacles Colt chose to be different than the vast majority of people. Colt starting weight training while he was still in the hospital with a broken back!!!
Despite that fact that Colt would never walk again and that he would face several obstacles that would stop most people in their tracks, he made a decision to be active and healthy and didn’t make any excuses along the way.
He put in hours of rehab, got his diet in order, and trained his ass off in the gym to get in the best shape of his life. This type of effort is more than most normal are willing to put in, but there was Colt, training in his wheelchair. Now, Colt is a wheelchair bodybuilding champion several times over and continues to overcome every obstacle in his path.
The next time you think you’ve got it bad and that everything in life is preventing you from becoming lean, fit, strong, and healthy think of Colt.
You have no more excuses. It only comes down to one decision.
Are you willing to work for it?
November 7th, 2007
