Coulee Region Bootcamps

Almost everyone wants 6-pack abs or a flat abs.  For decades most people have believed that doing a few thousand crunches a day will get us a magazine model midsection.

I want to speak out against crunches.  They will not get you the tight stomach you desire.  Yet they are the go to exercise for almost all “core” training in gyms and fitness classes today.  So why does this happen?

Because people are lazy.  It’s much easier to just lay or your back and bob your head up & down.

That needs to stop now!

Here are several reasons to never do a crunch again in your life.

They are Dangerous – check out this article that mentions Stuart McGill, who is one the the worlds leading spine biomechanists.  He has been studying the spine for 30 years and has seen or recreated every injury you could imagine.  Crunches put huge shear and compressive forces on your spine.  That may be fine if you want a herniated disc, but I’ll pass.

They do not work – how many people do you know that do tons of crunches and yet do not have abs of envy. Yet they keep at it.  Ever hear the definition of insanity?  It’s doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.  Men’s health mentioned a study that showed it takes 20,000 crunches to lose 1 pound.  20,000 crunches = 1 POUND!  That would take days to complete.  No thank you.

They are boring – have you ever tried to do a few hundred or even thousand crunches?  Laying in one spot and looking at the ceiling for a half hour doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time.  I would rather just close my eyes and take a nap.  That would be more productive than crunches.

As you lose weight crunches become less effective – the lower your bodyweight the less resistance on each crunch.  So the better fat loss results you get, the more crunches needed to get keep getting any results.  See 1^st reason above, more crunches sounds like  recipe for disaster.

Athletes do not do crunches – think of some of your favorite athletes.  Chances are they are lean and have great looking abs.  But they don’t do any crunches.  Most of them get a six pack by staying lean and doing their sport (think snowboarders and surfers) or doing anything but crunches.

So what are we supposed to do to get a sexy midsection?  Stay tuned and I will give you the best bang for your buck exercises to do just that.

Take care.

I’m going to make this very brief. My partners over at Prograde Nutrition – the ONLY supplement company I truly trust – are celebrating Valentine’s Day a little early this year.

How?

Well, they are putting their out-of-this-world delicious chocolate Prograde Lean Meal Replacement shake on sale this week at 14% off!

That’s some serious savings for you chocolate lovers looking for a thick, rich and simple way to fit in those nutritious meals you’ve been missing. The same skipped meals that have been turning your metabolism into a slow crawl.

All the details, including the coupon code to use at checkout, are right here: http://couleeregionbootcamps.getprograde.com/specials

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Yours in health,

NAME

PS – Again, this special ends THIS Friday at 11:59pm EST, so get your orders in NOW before you forget http://couleeregionbootcamps.getprograde.com/specials

PPS – The 14% savings is on their delicious Prograde Lean, but I encourage you to continue shopping on the Prograde site. They have AMAZING products.

With Super Bowl Sunday this weekend, the time is now to start prepping for the smorgasbord of goodies for your football party. This usually work well with any weight loss efforts you are making.  However, why not make some small changes to some of your favorite party food recipes to make them healthier and more figure-friendly come kickoff?  There is no reason you can’t support your fat loss goals and eat some great food!

Listed below are approved food choices and/or healthier substitutes for traditional party foods. Use this list to keep your taste buds happy while saving at least hundreds if not thousands of calories in the process. If you use these strategies consistently for parties and social gatherings over the course of the year, this could prevent 5-10 lbs of fat gain… easily!

Section I- Appetizers

• Naked Sandwiches (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Thin Crust Whole Grain Pizza
• Fruit Salad (throw low carb whipped cream and dash of splenda/stevia on top as desired)
• Super Salad Bowl (use unlimited veggies and meats, dip dressing on the side or use low calorie substitutes)
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Tuna or Chicken Salad
• Nut Butter on Celery Sticks
• Mixed Nuts (no sugar, unroasted, low in salt)
• Cheese, Eggs, and Meat Tray
• Caprese Salad
• Raw Veggies (use dip sparingly unless it hummus)
• Grilled/Sauteed Veggies (use extra virgin olive or coconut oil)
• Figure-Friendly Nachos (see “accessories” below for ingredients: tortillas, cheese, salsa, and guac)
• Buffalo Chicken Bites (skinless, no breading, use low calorie buffalo sauce sparingly)
• Pasta Salad (use whole grain pasta and go easy on the dressings, choosing marina based sauces over creamier versions)

Section II- Accessories

• Natural Whole Grain Tortillas
• Natural Baked Chips
• Natural Cheetohs
• Diet Lipton Green Teas (or other low calorie/carb beverages)
• Water
• Natural Salsa
• Guacamole
• Salad Dressings: Vinegars of choice (apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
• Other Low Calorie Condiments of Choice: mustard, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.

Section III- Main Courses

• Lettuce Burgers (use extra lean sirloin or bison, preferably bun-less only using whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Rotisserie Chicken (choose “plain” and remove skin and dab off any grease as needed with paper towel)
• Extra Lean Kosher Hot Dogs (preferably bun-less, only use whole grain bun option if absolutely needed)
• Chili (preferably bean-less, only use if absolutely needed and feel free to swap extra lean turkey for the beef version to cut down fat intake)
• Pizza (see “appetizers” above or use whole grain/thin crust options from restaurants or frozen food isles)

Section IV- Desserts

• Edy’s Grand Light Ice Cream
• Prograde Cravers (100% organic chocolate snacks bars)
• Larabars
• Cocoa Via Bars or Packs
• Low Carb Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory
• Protein Cookies (swap in protein powder for flour)

BONUS- Top 10 Tips to Save Thousands of Calories on Super Bowl Sunday

1.) Go Naked: Replace all buns or breading for sandwiches with a lettuce wrap alternative to cut calories, stabilize blood sugar, and boost fiber and micronutrient intake.

2.) Hydrate: Drink at least two to four cups of water before eating AND one to two cups every 15-30 minutes after you start eating to fill your stomach and prevent overeating that can be triggers by dehydration.

3.) Eliminate Empty Liquid Calories: Minimize or eliminate all fruit juices, regular sodas, and alcohol. Opt for water, tea, or low calorie/carb beverages in moderation to leave more room for whole food choices that have more nutritional value and better fill you up.

4.) Do not fast in preparation for a feast as it will turn your body into a famished fat-storing machine the next time you eat. The resulting low blood sugar levels that come from not eating for four hours or more make you crave junk foods high in both fat and refined sugars.

5.) Replace All White with Brown (Or Better Yet… Green!): Be sure to use the whole grain alternatives for any starch you serve at your party (e.g. chips, tortillas, breads, rice, pasta). Whole grains have more vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber which means they won’t have as negative of an impact on your blood sugar compared to its white counterparts. However, if you want to be a nutritional boy or girl scout, go one step further by replacing all brown with green in the form of green veggies (see “Go Naked” above).

6.) Focus on eating lean proteins and fruits and veggies first. Use these in unlimited amounts as needed to fill you up and best prevent the typical party “killshot” of high carb and high fat meals (e.g. thick crust pizza with extra full-fat cheese).

7.) Never eat directly out of the bag or community bowl and use smaller plates to put your food on while limiting yourself to a pre-set plate total (e.g. four plate maximum during a three-hour football game).

8.) Replace Gold With Green: Opt for guacamole over cheese for your salads and chips. Guacamole is not only low in saturated fat and high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats but it also has a ton of fiber that will help fill you up fast and prevent overeating. Though cheese is a true super food in moderation, it is very easy to overeat especially when mixed with refined carb sources like white chips and pizza.

9.) Replace Flour with Protein Powder: Few people know that protein powder makes a great cooking or baking substitute for flour (e.g. protein cookies). By adding protein and reducing carb intake you will boost metabolism.

10.) 20 Chews: Eat slowly and require a certain number of chews before you swallow to allow your brain enough time to get the “I’m full” signal (e.g. 20 pre-swallow chews).

Enjoy the game and enjoy the food you eat.

Whether or not you’re a football fan there is a very good chance you’ll be heading to a Super Bowl party this Sunday.

And as you are fully aware, these parties can be VERY hazardous to your waistline. But hey, it’s not hard to keep the pounds from packing on while watching (or ignoring) the Colts vs. the Saints.

Here are three Super Simple tips to keep you slim this Sunday:

1) Take a 15 minute walk during halftime to stimulate your metabolism and improve digestion

2) Limit alcohol consumption. Not only are these “empty calories”, but they also cause you to make poor food choices. And if you’re hungover on Monday, well, you’ll make poor food choices the day after the game, too!

3) Sure, you can enjoy some of your favorite “guilty pleasures” but you MUST avoid hanging around the snack table nibbling on everything in site.

BONUS TIP: Oftentimes when we feel hungry it is our body craving the proper nutrients it needs to be fueled with. That’s a great reason to take a Whole Foods based multi-vitamin like Prograde Nutrition’s VGF 25+ (  http://couleeregionbootcamps.getprograde.com/vgfwomen OR http://couleeregionbootcamps.getprograde.com/vgfmen )

See, it’s not so hard! Enjoy the big game.

Yours in health,

Anthony

PS -  Yes, I’m a proud Prograde partner and I really believe in their Whole Foods based multi-vitamin ( http://couleeregionbootcamps.getprograde.com/vgfwomen OR http://couleeregionbootcamps.getprograde.com/vgfmen )

2010 is just over 5% completed.

It may not seem like much, but it will slip away before you know it. 

The question is are you 5% closer to your goals? 

If you wanted to read 20 books in 2010, do you have one done already?  If your goal was to drop 30lbs of fat are you down 1.5lbs? 

This isn’t about making you feel bad if you are falling short.  The point is ARE YOU TRACKING YOUR PROGRESS?  If you are not, then how do you know if you are achieving your goal?  How do you know if you are heading in the right direction?

WHAT GETS MEASURED, GETS DONE

When you track your goals set up intermediate milestones to measure your progress.  If you are on track, then great keep doing what you are doing.  If you are falling behind, now is the time to take action and get back on the train.

The key is to take ACTION.  Don’t think about what to do for weeks on end.  If what you are doing currently is not working, then change your behavior. 

Hopefully you are well on your way to results.

For decades the prevailing thought is that saturated fats & cholesterol in your diet will increase your chances of having heart disease.  We have been told to avoid fatty meats & eggs or else if we want to avoid heart attacks and the like. 

But does this have any truth to it?  Have we been lied to?

Where did this notion come from and why does everyone believe it?

Ancel Keys published a study in the 1950’s claiming saturated fats were to blame for the increasing heart disease trends in the world. 

However, there were some big holes in his study. 

For one he only used data from a select few countries and neglected data from many more.  Other researchers have gone back and used all the data that was collected and found no correlation between heart disease and saturated fats.

Ancel also only considered saturated fat intake as a factor. He neglected to consider smoking, stress levels, sugar intake and exercise habits.

He really only made a weak shot in the dark that was then believe to be fact for over 50 years thanks to pushing from the cereal industry (aka: buy our grains instead).

Several studies have been done to expose this myth. 

Stephan Guyenet at Whole Health Source has written phenomenal posts about this very same thing here and here.

As Stephan wrote about, there have been studies done on tribal communities in remote island nations and Africa where 50% of the calories in their diets is saturated fats. 

Can you imagine eating 1000 calories a day of saturated fats?  That’s a huge amount! 

Yet the cholesterol levels are not elevated  (115 in Masai tribe males vs 198 for  American males).  Pretty amazing right?

You might say comparing Americans to native African tribes is comparing apples and oranges.  There are many more difference than just diet between the populations. 

Ok, there was also a study on tribes from the island nation of Tokelau.  Their diet consisted of 50% saturated fats (mostly from coconut oil).  Males aged 20-24 had an average cholesterol levels of 168.  Yet Tokelauans who migrated to New Zealand ate decreased their saturated fat intake from 50% to 25%.  The average cholesterol of the same age group of males was 191.  It’s interesting to note the New Zealand Tokelauans consumed over 10% more sugar than the native still on Tokelau.

So it’s time to stop cursing red meats & eggs for your high cholesterol levels. 

Go ahead and eat that roast or omelet.  Stop throwing out egg yolk in the trash.  They will not give you a heart attack. 

Limit your sugars and process grains to keep your ticker happy.

But don’t take this to mean you should follow the Atkins diet for the rest of your life.  That has it’s own flaws & dangers, but that’s another blog for another day.

So eat in moderation and enjoy food this holiday season.

I might be a little slow, but I am finally going to try to put up the Christmas lights on our house.  This is the first time I have done this so we will see how it goes. 

We are also going to see the Rotary Lights display in Riverside Park.  My wife and I have driven through the park to see the display in years past, but this year we are going to actually stop and walk around with our son.  He will love it.  Whenever we are driving in the car he always tells us what color all the lights are. 

Now to the roundup.  These are links to some of what I’ve read recently. Hopefully you enjoy them or learn something.

Teenage Obesity Linked to Increase Risk of MS – Being overweight can have so many negative effects.  Ever more the reason get healthy.

Sodas and Obesity - Big shocker here.  This goes to show how hidden calories can sneak into your diet.

Fat in Diet Won’t Make You Fat - I somewhat agree with the conclusion, we shouldn’t be afraid of fat in our diets.  It has many benefits.  However, I think the study is very weak.  There needs to be a greater difference in dietary fat levels to make these conclusions.  Make sure you understand how studies are conducted before you start believing what they say.

Forging Habits of Steel - A great post from the Art of Manliness.  I wrote on this topic here.  The most important part of starting new habits in to start.  Make sure not to take on too many changes at one.  As the great Dan Gable says “If it’s important do it everyday.”  It takes little things done consistently over the long haul. 

Disease, Death and Organ Failure – This post may offend some people.  I think it brings up a good point.  We generally treat our bodies pretty bad through our whole lives.  Then we expect doctors to delay in inevitable at the taxpayers expense.

Have a great weekend!

Winter has finally come barreling down on us here in La Crosse. And that means the doctors will be swamped with the number of people who hurt themselves shoveling snow. I can’t tell you how many people I know have tweaked their backs in their zealous attempts to keep a clear driveway.

Today I am going to reveal my top safe shoveling secrets. For those of you who do not live in La Crosse like me (or any other cold weather location), you still need to know this information too. Why? Because with the global epidemic that is climate change you really never know when snow is coming your way. It even snows in Las Vegas and Arizona for crying out loud!

So, without further adieu, here are my top five safe shoveling tips:

1.) Perform a Proper 5-Minute Warm-up Before Shoveling

Just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercise, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Let’s face it, snow, especially when it’s wet, is a real beast to move around. And if your body is tight and cold then you will dramatically increase your chances of short or long-term injury.

I have created a great shoveling specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to rock. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, the two most commonly injured areas of broken down shovelers:

Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:

Exercise#1- Stationary High Knee Run

Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)

Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist

Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch

Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head with finger interlocked)

2.) Split Your Stance When Shoveling

Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for avid shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to best remedy this). Most people have tight hips due to all the sitting we do.  More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of the lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run. However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.

3.) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling

This relates to the last tip. Even when you split your stance, you can be susceptible to injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). Your lower back was not designed to rotate! So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize excessive spinal rotation that can literally wrench your back.

4.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides

This is a further continuation on the last two tips. Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further strength and flexibility imbalances that can put your body at greater risk for injury. So, we now know you want to split your stance and shovel in the direction your toes are pointing, but you should also be sure do the same amount of shoveling  to your left AND right. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward. Repeat until your driveway or sidewalk is crystal clear.  This will help balance the stress on your back as well as your arms.

5.) Buy a Condo

No, I’m not joking. The great thing about a condominium community is that they do all of the outdoor maintenance for your home, including shoveling. Honestly, this has saved many people so much extra stress and time, and if it is a viable option and you live in a harsh winter climate, make the smart move and get a condo. It’s hard to get hurt shoveling if you never shovel.

The aforementioned tips will go a long way in keeping your body as bulletproof as possible during the next blizzard. Seriously, it’s not really cool to get hurt shoveling. It’s a sign of an even bigger problem: being overweight and/or highly de-conditioned. And if you do get hurt shoveling, be sure to lie when some asks why you’re in a wheelchair. Just tell them you got hit by a snow plow truck, it makes for a better story and your co-workers or friends won’t rip on you for the rest of your days, ha!

I recently went deer hunting with my family.  I realized this was my 15th year.  Wow, that seems like a such a long time. 

I really enjoy the time with friends and family as well as spending some time in nature.  I know I don’t spend as much time outside as I would like and spending a couple days in the woods leaves me wanting more. 

And what a workout it can be!  We like to push deer meaning we do a lot of walking to (hopefully) pressure a deer towards a fellow hunter.  I think I spent more than 6 hours walking around with several layers of clothes and heavy hunting boots.  Not to mention dragging the deer to a vehicle.  Sometimes it was a quarter mile drag with over a hundred pounds behind you.  Definitely challenging, but I love every minute.

Now with out further delay here are some link I have enjoyed the last week or two.  Hopefully you enjoy them as well.

Why Grassfed? – A good article on the benefits of grassfed meats (like wild game!  yah deer hunting!).  Feeding cattle primarily corn is dangerous to their health and ours.  But it’s cheaper, so that makes it ok….right?

Meat Grown in Laboratory – I see the benefits from a fighting starvation point of view (although it’s sketchy), I don’t know if I would ever eat this.  Whenever we try to duplicate nature’s perfection, there can be consequences.

Omelet Muffins – Making healthy meals in advance is your best weapon to improve your diet.  If you’re in a hurry grab a couple of these you have a great breakfast ready to go. I can’t wait to try this recipe* out!

Can Exercise Help Ward Off The Swine Flu? – Summary: Exercise can lay a beatdown on swine flu. 

Have a great week!

* I love eggs!!

“I am convinced that success is not measured by what you get out of life, but by what you give back. ” – Jerry Moran

I think Jerry hit the nail right on the head.  So many people’s only concern is what they can get out of life.  Everything is focused on getting something from someone. 

The average employee switches jobs every 5 years.  Usually looking for a better paycheck or promotion.

I have seen many “relationships” based on what can the other person do for me.

It seems society thinks that is the normal way to do things.  I disagree.  People should be more focused on helping others than themselves. 

I have noticed that when we help others we get much more than what we gave in return.  You just have to open your eyes/mind to see the benefits.  For example, if you give money to a charity, you may not get financial benefits back, but you’ll be suprised at what does come your way.  It can be a thank you card to brighten your day.  A recognition somewhere.  The joy of seeing others benefit from your giving.  Those things are worth much more than what you gave.

The New Horizon’s Womens Shelter in La Crosse recently had a fundraiser.  The county no longer gives them any aid and they must raise everything they need from donations.  They held a silent auction and raised over $3500 with pledges exceeding $4000!  That is amazing! 

Check out the website for the event here.

I was fortunate enough to be able to donate some free months of bootcamps for the silent auction.  That’s not to brag or anything.  The point I am making is I received much more than what I donated in return.  I met some really interesting people.  I had a great afternoon at the silent auction.  I was able to make a difference for the shelter. 

You don’t have to give a lot.  Start with something small.  It will snowball from there. 

If you don’t think you have something worthwhile to give or don’t have enough to give, do it anyways.  I have found when give a little we realize how much we actually have.  Our mindset changes from giving out of our lack to realizing we are giving out of our abundance. 

You just have to see where you have abundance.  Either in material goods or talents.

Let your neighbor have that tool you never use, but he always borrows.  Same could go for some clothes or toys.  Cook a meal or bake some goodies for a shut in or someone struggling to put food on the table.  Spend time with someone who might not have anyone else. 

You will be surprised at what benefits might come your way.

So how are you paying it forward?