Coulee Region Bootcamps

I spent the weekend at my parents house to attend the wedding of a good friend. It’s great to get back home be back on the farm (even though it’s just an acreage now, no animals besides cats and a dog). 

They also happen to live over 25 miles from the nearest commercial gym or “fitness center”. 

So what do you do when you want to get a good workout in?  Not just going for a run, but something that will elevate your metabolism, get you stronger and get that fat burning!

I was not going to make the 40 minute drive.  There was just too much stuff going on to justify the time commitment. My wife was in the wedding and doing “wedding stuff” all day.  I have to help watch our two kids and help my parents with anything they want help with around the place.

Have you been in a similar situation? Do you give up and plan to “make it up” next week? 

I decided nothing will stop me and if this happens to you; you have lots of choices.

1. Do a bodyweight only workout. Pick out a number, say 100, and perform that many reps of pushups, squats, lunges, and jumping jacks.  Break them up any way you like them and don’t stop until you are all done.  Simple and effective.

2. If you are planning ahead you can bring some bands along to incorporate into your bodyweight workout.  This allows you to incorporate some pulling exercises to get a balanced workout for your whole body.  Check out the best bands you can possibly get from the Band Man Dave Schmitz.

3. Odd object lifting.  Find something reasonably heavy (large stones, logs, small children, tires, etc) and lift it any way you can imagine.  You can even pick it up and carry it for distance.  This will get you a great workout and hit all those “inbetween” muscles you forgot you had!

Lucky for me my dad unknowingly came to the rescue.  The barn roof in the process of being reshingled to fix some holes.  There were 25 bundles of shingles (70lbs each) that needed to be carried up the ladder to the top of the roof. 

So I threw the bags on my shoulder (1 at a time) and carried them up the ladder and dropped them on the roof.  I did this as quickly as possible to really push myself and also to avoid the angry wasps that had a few nest under the hole in the roof and didn’t like me slamming the shingles onto the roof their home was attached to.  My dad found some wasps spray and stood on the roof “riding shotgun.”

So 15 minutes, 2 stings and 50+ dead wasps later I was done.  I felt great to get in such a demanding workout in the fresh air. 

For completeness sake I went into the garage and did a few sets pullups on the steel beam in the roof.  I also climbed from one end of the beam to the other with my knees tucked to my chest to avoid the cars.  After that I did some pushups.

That was it.  I got a great workout incorprating total body moves, some upper body pulling, core and grip all while helping my dad out. 

So there are no barriers to good workouts, just excuses.  Get creative and get fit!

When I go into any gym I always lots of ellipticals.  They always seem to be the busiest piece of equipment in the gym. I’m sure the people using them have goals of losing weight and being healthy.   They rely of these machines to help burn fat while being easy on the joints. 

Now I think if someone has a knee injury, then the elliptical may be the only exercise they can do without pain.  That is great.  As long as they are doing something for their health, go ahead.

However, the elliptical machine can cause problems of it’s own.  Check out this article that explains more:

http://www.thespec.com/article/813467

Basically the elliptical machine put the user is a forward position.  The hip flexors are shortened and over time short hip flexors lead to back pain. 

So what are we to do?  Either have knee pain or back pain?  Is that our only choice?

Absolutely not!

Start strength training for goodness sake.  Proper strength training routines that use a full body workout are the best exercise for you.  Strength training helps build lean muscle.  This lean muscle burns fat like crazy. 

Strength training also can help keep your joints healthy.   By using the proper exercises and correct form you strengthen the muscles around your joint.  You can also improve your joint mobility and muscle flexibility.  Neither the elliptical or treadmill can do that.

It may be intimidating to start strength training.  You may not know where to start.

It’s really easy.  Pick a few exercises.  Let’s use bodyweight squats, pushups (put your hands on a higher surface like a table or chair to make them easier), and lunges.  Now do 10 reps of each.  Start with the squat, then pushups, then lunges.   Do them as quickly as possible then rest 30 seconds.  Repeat 3-5 times.  That is a great workout with no joint impact. 

At Coulee Region Boot Camps in La Crosse we always balance the exercises over your entire body.  Your form is always monitored to ensure safety for your joints and muscles.  And using our interval style strength training will help you melt off 9x more fat then running on a treadmill or elliptical.

I hope you can see how ellipticals should be a complement to a exercise program.  They should never be the whole program!

But if you have to use the elliptical please stretch your hip flexors before and after.  That’s all I ask.

I often get asked what the best exercises are to lose fat AND gain muscle fast.

 

I’ll keep this as simple as possible for you. The best exercises for fat loss are also the best exercises for muscle gain and visa versa. These exercises all have one thing in common: they provide a UNIQUE challenge to your body AND involve as many muscles in your body as possible.

 

Both the scientific research and the real world case studies have shown that total body workouts are superior for maximal fat loss and muscle gain.

 

It’s as simple as the Dream Body Equation below:

 

More Muscles Involved =

 

More Calories Burnt + Greater Muscle-Building Stimulus =

 

Greater Fat Lost + Greater Muscle Gain

 

I must be honest in that I have a true love-hate relationship with the following movements I am about to share with you. Love because of the unparalleled fat-melting, muscle-building results they provide. Hate because they break me every single workout by leaving me in tears while in a pool of my own sweat.  In other words, these are not for the weak of mind, body, or soul!

 Stay tuned for a video to demonstrate the exercises below!

Without further adieu, here is the official top 10 list of my favorite total body exercises in the world for fat loss and lean muscle gain:

 

Exercise#1- Any Burpee Variation

 

Exercise#2- Any Squatting Combination Exercise- Squat to Overhead Press, Squat to Row, Squat to Chest Press, Braced Core Squat, Single-Leg Squat plus Curl to Press, etc.

 

Exercise#2- The Swing- Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Med Balls, or Sandbags

 

Exercise#3- Any Lunge Combination Exercise- Alternating Lunge plus Curl to Press, Alternating Lunge plus Twist, Alternating Lunge plus Chest Press, Alternating Reverse Lunge plus Row, Split Jump plus Curl etc.

 

Exercise#4- Any Push-Up Combination Exercise- Push-ups plus Knee-Ins, Push-up Rows, T-Push-Ups, Spiderman Push-ups, Squat Thrust Push-Ups, Four-Way Push-up Crawl, etc.

 

Exercise#5- The Chop- Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Med Balls, Bands, or Sandbags

 

Exercise#6- Olympic Lifting Variations: Dumbbell or Kettlebell Cleans, Snatches, High Pulls

 

Exercise#7- Pushup to Plank Transfer

 

Exercise#8- Rear Foot Elevated Deadlift plus Curl to Press

 

Exercise#9- Med Ball Snatch-Slam Combo

 

Exercise#10- Dumbbell or Kettlebell Single-Leg RDL plus Row

 

Well I hope you take my expert advice and jack up your training with these 10 deadly total body combination exercises. I guarantee you better results in less time by regularly employing these movements into your workouts. Of course it’s now up to you to take your workouts, and your body, to the next level.

 

I’ll be sharing some more great exercises for those specific trouble spot areas (e.g. legs, butt, abs, chest, arms, etc.) that are holding your sexy back in the days to come

 

Anthony Dix

Coulee Region Boot Camps

I love vitamin D.  Studies have shown that vitamin D has numerous health benefits. 

Dr May Mellanby discovered vitamin D and shoed it’s role in rickets.  He also showed that vitamin D supplementation actually healed cavities as shown here.

Lack of vitamin D has also been shown increase your risk of flu.

And most recently vitamin D has been shown to accelerate fat loss.  Check out Johny Bowden’s blog about it here.

I take at least 2000 IU of vitamin D daily and suggest you do the same.  It will have great health benefits.  And lets face it, taking a couple small pills a day is extremely cost effective and easy.  Make sure you get vitamin D3 as it’s the most easily absorbed form of vitamin D.

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.

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How?

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Yours in health,

NAME

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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.

It’s about that time of year again, when that big old bird comes out of the oven for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving dinner is usually associated with sinful excess and horrible holiday weight gain. Now you can blame stuffing, mashed potatoes with loads of butter and gravy, and pumpkin pie for that, but please don’t badmouth the turkey! After all, turkey is loaded with lean protein that simultaneously elevates metabolism and promotes fat burning and lean muscle growth. It is also a lean protein, meaning there is very little fat in it, as long as you remove the skin.

 

Protein is the sole macronutrient responsible for building and repairing your body’s tissue stores (fat and carbs simply provide energy). More specifically, regular protein intake is vital in accelerating the repair of muscle damage from high-intensity activities like strength training and cardio interval training. In addition, adequate protein intake every two to four hours is essential in maintaining your current levels of lean muscle mass. This is important because the more muscle you have the larger your metabolic engine, thus the more calories (and fat) you burn on a daily basis since muscle tissue requires lot of energy to sustain itself. Protein is also the least likely macronutrient to be stored as body fat and the mere act of digesting protein requires more than double the energy to digest than carbohydrate and dietary fat. So, if there is any food choice that you can truly get away with overeating this holiday season, it will be turkey.

 

Another benefit to eating turkey is that it is easy to prepare in bulk and will save you much needed time in meal planning and preparation during the busy holiday season as well as be easy on the wallet. You can roast a big old turkey and then have tons of meal options for days. Just think of what you can do with all those awesome Thanksgiving leftovers! To inspire your turkey consumption efforts we’ve put together some awesome better body recipes that you can create with turkey as your lean protein foundation. Enjoy!

 

Turkey Salad

 

Ingredients:

 

- 6-8 oz. Turkey Breast chopped into small cubes

- 1⁄4 red bell pepper

- 1⁄4 green bell pepper

- 1⁄4 red onion

- 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil mayo

 

Directions:

 

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy over a bed of greens.

 

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

 

 

Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese Roll-up

 

Ingredients:

 

- 6-8 oz. Sliced Turkey

- 1 Tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese

- 1 Tbsp Dried Cranberries 1⁄2 Clove of Roasted Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste

- 2 Whole Grain Tortillas

 

Directions:

 

Soak cranberries in water for 20 minutes or microwave until soft if you are short on time. Mash the 1⁄2 clove of garlic. Mix cranberries, garlic, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture into the inside of the tortilla(s). Add turkey breast. Fold up sides, roll up, and enjoy!

 

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

 

 

Turkey Medallions With Cranberry Glaze

 

Turkey Medallions:

- 6-8 oz. Turkey

- Non-stick spray Turkey Seasoning

 

Cut Turkey Breasts into small medallions, sprinkle lightly with seasoning. Reheat in a pan sprayed with non-stick oil on medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Drip Cranberry glaze (below) over the medallions.

 

Cranberry Glaze:

- 1 Cups Dry white wine      

- Turkey or chicken stock, as needed

- 1 1⁄2  Cups Dried cranberries       

- 1⁄4 Cup of Pine nuts, toasted          

- Pinch of Salt      

 

Add 1⁄2 cup of white wine and 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock to pan. Add other 1⁄2 cup of turkey stock, cranberries, pine nuts and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until reduced in volume by half, about 4 cups.

 

Makes one male serving and two female servings.

 

 

Turkey Shepherds Pie

 

Ingredients:

 

- 2 cups cubed cooked turkey

- 3⁄4 cup turkey gravy

- 1 small can whole kernel corn

- drained 1 cup of chicken stock

- 1 cup of water

- 3 cups steamed cauliflower

- 2 cups celery, chopped 2 carrots

- chopped 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic

- minced 1 bell pepper, any color

- chopped Salt and pepper

 

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. First you must make the gravy. Take the garlic, 1 cup of celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper, chicken stock, water, vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Add to a pot, boil until vegetables are soft and blend in a blender or food processor.

 

Next, you will take the steamed cauliflower and mash it, or place it in a food processor until the consistency is like that of mashed potatoes.

 

Next, in a baking dish, layer the turkey, gravy, corn, remaining celery and mashed cauliflower. Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

 

Makes 2 male servings and one female serving.

 

 

Turkey Florentine

 

Ingredients:

 

- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach

- 2 tablespoons smart butter

- 1 cup cooked whole grain fettuccine

- 2 cups diced, cooked turkey

- 1 cup turkey or chicken stock 1

- (8 ounce) package fat free sour cream and onion dip

- 1⁄2 teaspoon onion salt

- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

- Non-stick cooking spray

 

Directions:

 

Cook spinach according to package directions; drain. Stir in smart butter. Place noodles in a non-stick sprayed baking dish; top with spinach. Combine turkey, stock, onion dip and onion salt and spoon over spinach. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

 

 

Turkey Green Bean Casserole

 

Ingredients:

 

- 1 bag of frozen green beans

- 6-8 oz. of cubed cooked turkey breast

- 1 can of organic cream of mushroom soup

- 2 cups Kraft all natural fat free cheese

- Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients into a casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until completely hot. Makes one male serving and two female servings.

 

 

 

Have a great Thanksgiving!!

 

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