You may have caught my segment on KMOV’s
Great Day St. Louis on Monday. If not, you can
see the 5 common fitness mistakes
I revealed to Matt Chambers.

Check it out below. #2 is a biggie. Watch for it
with 4:45 remaining. Also, Julia demonstrates
one of my favorite exercises. Can you guess which
of the three it is?

Are you making any of these mistakes? If so, we can help! Come join us for a FREE Boot Camp class. Come out and have some fun and get fit. Investigate, then decide. Hope to see you soon!

Posted under Fitness Tips, Weight Loss Tips

I hesitated to title this post with that quote.
I thought you might think that’s me making that
claim. But I assure you I’m not.

I was probably just as shocked as you to see that.
I saw it on the back of a minivan driving into the
studio today. Call Harriette for more details. Or
to tell her she’s blowing smoke!:-)

3 dress sizes in 10 minutes is really what we want
isn’t it? We want immediate results. Our entire
society is built around speed. Everything is
faster. From computers to kids growing up.
It all happens fast.

But fitness results are not. It takes time to lose
weight and get in shape.

One of the most often asked questions I get is,
“How long will it take Tim?” That’s the
question everyone wants to know. But usually it’s
not what you want to hear.

It’s why my finace dislikes fitness. You may know
she’s a chef. She loves planning, preaparing,
and cooking a meal. Lucky me:-) But her final
result is instant. At the end of all that work
her meal is complete. My taste buds are wowed and
there’s a big smile on my face. She see’s the
result.

It’s different with fitness and weight loss.

Your fitness and weigtht loss takes time. A long
time for some. As frustrating as that may be it’s
just the way it is. And I have to continually
remind Joella of it. She’s looking for immediate
results. She expects to change after 2 workouts.
But it just won’t happen.

What are your expecations? I mean, really and
truly, when are you expecting to look and feel
good? One month? Three months? One year?

It’s different for everyone. But I’ll
try and give you a better idea.

When it comes to fitness the body works through 3
phases. Neural, muscular, and lipogenic. (That’s a
fancy word for burning body fat.)

The first phase, neural, is what I like to call
your initial hump. When you start an exercise
program you are in essence adding a stressor to
the body. (Ironically this stressor helps decrease
stress.) In the beginning it’s hard. The weights
feel heavy and wobbly. You sometimes feel akward
and unsure, and overall weak.

As you begin to
workout you actually breakdown your muscle before
you build it. Lactic acid builds up in your
muscles and causes soreness. Ah yes, the dreaded
soreness. Sometimes you find out about muscles you
forgot you had. Or maybe you didn’t even know you
had them! Walking up and down stairs, squatting to
the toilet, and other daily activities can become
gruelsome. This inital hump usually lasts about
two weeks.

The second phase is muscular. After your body gets
past neural and systemic changes you’ll begin to
build muscle. You start to feel stronger. You’ll
notice increases in your energy and your
metabolism starts to raise.

I love this phase. And it always reinforces how
important strength training is for you. Because
lean muscle contributes so much to your body. Your
metabolism increases, your energy stokes, you
start to firm up and notice lines in your arms and
legs. You’re looking and feeling good like you
should!!

With the increase in metabolim and lean muscle
leads you into the last phase. Body fat burning.

This is where it counts. This is when you’re
turning your body into a machine. You metabolize
calories like a well oiled piston. It just
cranks!!(Hence my favorite saying, “Crank it!”)

You use up needed carbs, protein, and fat. Food
becomes fuel to your body. No longer do you eat
just because but it has an entire new meaning!

It takes roughly 12 weeks to go through these
phases. Some may go through them quicker. Some
slower. If you have 40 or 50 pounds to lose, it
will take you longer. If you’re looking to lose
that last 10 pounds you might do it 8 to 10 weeks.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. There’s one more thing.
Your body goes through these phases with one BIG
catch. Your diet! If you’re diet is not supportive
to these phases then you will slow the process.
You can’t out work a bad diet.

Set yourself up for success. Don’t put ‘Lose 3
dress sizes in 10 minutes’ into your mind. It
won’t happen. Give yourself realistic expectations
and set incremental goals along the way. Enjoy the
little victories and you’ll have one BIG victory
at the end.

P.S. Want to lose 3 dresses the right way? There’s
no better, faster way to results than our boot camp.
But don’t take my word for it. Investigate, then decide.

Posted under Fitness Tips, Weight Loss Tips

NBC’s Biggest Loser Finale Analysis

A disclaimer first. I have watched all of 12
minutes of the Biggest Loser. In fact, last night
was the first time I tuned in. So I can’t say that
I have the full story. But…

…I don’t need it. When I get home at night I’m
usually famished. So I go straight to the kitchen
to start dinner. I also use this time to catch up
on the news. Well, as I was flipping to the news
channel I passed NBC. I knew The Biggest Loser was
on because one of our clients was super excited
about the finale. So I watched.

It took all of 12 minutes to make 2 conclusions
about this show. Now, if you’re a fan of the show
I think that’s great. I think this show does a lot
for Americans in regard to motivation,
inspiration, persistence and hard work. Because
there is no doubt that those contestants work
hard.

1st conclusion: Trainer Jillian Taylor

What a poor representation of a personal trainer.
I first laughed out loud watching her. But then I
got a little ticked off. Jillian was standing over
Shay(?), who I believe was the heaviest contestant
to date, yelling at her not to stop her exercise
while asking her personal questions that were
making her cry like a baby trying to fix her past.
This is just not reality. Trainers don’t yell AT
you and we most certainly don’t ask you questions
about your past and try to remove  huge
psychological barriers to losing weight. Bullies
and therapists do that. It’s complete nonsense.

However, we do raise our voice WITH you, and
motivate and encourage you to do more than you
think you’re capable. If I had a dollar for every
time a lady has told me they can’t do a pushup,
I’d be a very rich man. If I had another dollar
for every time a lady tried and did 5 pushups with
a trainer by her side supporting her, then I’d be
a very very rich man.

You see, trainers help pull out the best in you.
That’s why I like to refer to my team as Fitness
Coaches. We don’t yell at you and demean you. We
partner with you. We educate, motivate, and
support you. We coach you through a proven fitness
and nutrition program to get results.

And that leads to my 2nd conclusion: The Doctor

When the doctor stood up to tell Shay about her
medical progress he said one thing that stuck out.
I’ll paraphrase… when we’re in a society that
tells you gastric bypass surgery is the answer,
you have shown that exercising and eating right
works.

Great stuff Doc! That was the one thing I liked
about the show. That doctor reinforced to America
what I’ve been saying for years. Strength
training, cardiovascular training, and supportive
nutrition is THE key to lasting and permanent
weight loss and fitness results. Forget about the
pills. Forget about the diets. And you can
definitely forget about the surgery. The doc also
said there was a 1 in 10 chance you could die from
surgery – yikes!

My advice is watch The Biggest Loser for
motivation and inspiration only. But realize
nothing on that show is reality. Not the trainers,
not the fitness program, and not speed at which
you lose weight.

I’d love to hear your comments about this one. Post them below.

To being a Loser,

Tim

Posted under Fitness Tips, Weight Loss Tips

I’ll go out a limb (a sturdy one) and say you’re going to indulge at some time during the holidays. Don’t worry, this isn’t a guilt trip email. In fact, I too will eat, drink, and be merry!

So at some point you will over indulge. And human nature tells us what happens next. You’ll realize what you’ve done and desire to be better and not do it again. That’s a fact. Once you feel bad, you’ll want to feel good. If you have a beating heart you will feel these two emotions. 

So here’s the tip…

When the second emotion strikes… when you have the desire to lose weight, to get in shape, heck just to feel better – about yourself and your health… take action. Immediately. Do not delay about this.

You see, you must act before the feeling passes and the idea gets dim. ASAP. If you don’t, then you suffer from the Law of Diminishing Intent. If you don’t translate your intent into action it wanders. And in one day, one week, one month… you won’t be able to find it. Soon, you probably won’t even remember it.

Develop your ability to take action. Do NOT lose time. Strike while the iron is hot. Act when the idea is fresh and the emotion strong. Otherwise the idea is wasted and the emotion passes. Disciplined action equals results. And I mean ‘lose weight and inches, tone and tighten, feel good, see it in the mirror’ results!!

Now go take action,

Tim

P.S. I was away from my email over the weekend and had 2 emails in my inbox on Monday with upsetting news. Jim Rohn passed away last Saturday from his battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Jim Rohn, America’s foremost business philosopher, influenced hundreds of thousands of people, myself included. In fact, I learned the tip above from him.

He had an extraordinary gift at making success easy and understandable. He turned success into common sense. If you’ve listened or read any of Jim’s material you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, I would encourage you to do so. Your life will be better because of it. Thank you Jim. May you rest in peace.

Posted under Fitness Tips, Nutrition Tips, Weight Loss Tips

Ever heard someone say “No pain, no gain”? Or “You gotta use it or lose it.”

Both are true.

I just finished reading a business newsletter and the author talks about achieving goals should be tough. He says, “If anybody ever gets everything aligned exactly as they’d like, with no unintended consequences, no price tags attached to their achievements and rewards, no downsides to the upsides, I’d like to meet him or her.”

He’s basically saying that to get what we really want we’ve gotta work at it. Sometimes, we’ve gotta scratch and claw and let nothing get in our way. And when it comes to your fitness, to looking good and feeling good, it’s no different.

The hardest part is always getting started isn’t it? I mean, who likes doing pushups and squatting lower than your legs will allow you? And not to mention waking up the next day and having it hurt to walk and making sitting down on the toilet painful. It’s hard stuff! But the payoff is worth it.

You see, I believe all the success we work for in life comes with a price tag. You won’t get smarter without putting in the time to read. You won’t climb the corporate ladder without putting in time and effort at the office. You won’t look good in your swimming suit without breaking a sweat. So as the saying goes… no pain, no gain.

And being comfortable is the worst. Remaining in your comfort zone is what I call the ‘Jackpot of Mediocrity’. It’s easy. That’s why so many people do it. It’s a piece of cake to, well, eat a piece of cake. Sorry for the punJ. It’s easy and comfy to indulge during the holidays. But I hope you’re not OK with mediocrity.

It takes being uncomfortable to achieve some results. Debbie Miersch does not come in everyday of the week for her strength AND cardio sessions because it’s fun. But her time and effort are worth it. And with a little pain comes gain. She’s lost 40 pounds to date! Way to go Debbie.

No pain. No gain. Simple as that.

But there’s more.

You gotta use it or lose it. Thankfully this is the easy part. Once you go through the pain and suffering…once you get past your legs being so sore it hurts to go down the stairs…once you get past eating the right foods at EVERY meal…once you get past only having one alcoholic drink a week…that’s when it gets easy. Because maintaining a healthy and fit body is a lot easier than getting one. You can afford to indulge a little here and there. But you still gotta work at it. You never want to stop because you’ve reached your goals. That’s the worst thing to do.

If you don’t use it, you WILL lose it. That’s why maintenance is just as important as getting started.

If you’re not currently exercising or need help with a maintenance program come in for a complimentary fitness consultation. I’ll help you get on a plan that works for you.

Regards,

Tim Chudy

Posted under Fitness Tips, Weight Loss Tips

I read an article the other day in the Washington Post citing Consumer Reports research answering that very question. I thought you might wonder about the very same question the article addressed. It’s kind of a trick question, but there IS a better answer. And I’ll paraphrase the benefits.

To begin, you need both. I’ll go to my grave preaching the ‘Three-Legged Stool of Body Transformation’. You need all three legs; strength, cardio, and nutrition to maximize your results in the quickest possible time. A stool can’t stand on 2 legs.

But if I had to choose between strength and cardio — I’d choose strength training in a nanosecond. Here’s why…

Strength training not only has the benefits of using resistance against your body, but it also has similar benefits as cardio (also called endurance training) and then some. Here are the top 5 reasons to make sure strength training is included in your health and fitness program.

Gets your heart pumping. Do one set of walking lunges or squats, both popular strength training exercises, and you’ll quickly see what it does for the heart. In one study of 72 men and women, half did 5 days of cardio and half did 3 days of cardio and 2 days of strength. The group that incorporated strength training reached the same level of aerobic fitness PLUS benefits not experienced by the other group such as increased strength and muscle and a decrease in body fat.

Builds and strengthens bone. If you have any sign of osteopenia or osteoporosis then strength training is a MUST. To maintain their density, bones must be stressed by weight bearing or resistance exercises. These conditions can easily be bettered, even reversed, if done consistently and correctly.

Increased mobility. Maybe you’re not concerned about this now. But there will be a point when you are. Of course, I’m not just talking about getting up and down off the floor. I’m also talking about walking up a flight of stairs, lugging groceries to and fro, and carrying luggage when traveling. Strength training makes everyday tasks easier. And you won’t risk throwing your back out because you were playing around with your kids.

Metabolic booster. Strength training builds lean muscle mass. It firms and strengthens your muscles. When you do that, not only do you feel stronger, fitter, and more confident about yourself, but you raise your resting metabolic rate (RMR). This is the rate at which your body burns calories when you’re just sitting there. Doing nothing. How cool is that? You’ll burn more calories just sitting in front of your computer. And that only happens through strength training.

Joint support. Further, strength training has a lot of benefits for your joints. It relieves joint pain. Yes, it really does! One study showed pain for knee arthritis cut in half after an eight week strength training program. And there was no improvement seen in the control group. Strength training also strengthens ligaments, muscles, and tendons. This makes your ankle, hip, knee, and shoulder joints more stable. And that pressure will even help grow new cartilage helping protect from degeneration over time. 

These are some big time benefits. Oh yeah, let’s not forget toning up a hard body, burning your unwanted body fat and looking AND feeling better than ever! There are too many benefits. But you’re smart enough to see them all. So are you strength training to experience those benefits?

Many are not. That’s not a guess. I talk to folks every day about their exercise and nutrition. And every time I talk with someone they are missing the boat when it comes to strength training.

If you need help putting together a strength training program that works for you please come join us for a free St. Louis Boot Camp for Women session. There’s no obligation and it’s completely free.

To your fitness success,

Tim Chudy

P.S. If you’re over 65 years old, this is even more important. An estimated one in three adults over 65 years of age will suffer from a fall this year. And the consequences can be severe. It is vitally important for older adults to incorporate strength training in their lives. I know you know someone over the age of 65 (maybe it’s you). Ask them if they are strength training. It’s likely they’re not. Forward this article to them and have them call me directly to set up an appropriate program for them. I can be reached directly at 314.863.7799.

Posted under Fitness Tips

I’m lucky to be involved in a few different fitness groups with other personal training studio owners. Some with the top fitness professionals in the country. One of them, Paul Wright shared an occurrence with one of his clients:

“A couple weeks ago I had a client come into my office and ask me a simple exercise-related question (a very common occurrence for all of us). I answered to her satisfaction and as she left my office she said, “Well I guess I’ll go try to do this” to which I responded with a question that has become one of my new business directives:

Are you training or are you trying?

She didn’t quite understand what I meant so I explained that when you’re “training” to accomplish your goals you are focused, systematic, analytical and eliminate “chance” from the equation. You have to be purposeful in your actions and then evaluate the outcome of those actions.

If you’re merely “trying” to reach your goals then you’ve allowed chance to be your guide and you’re haphazardly going from one diet to the next or you’re sporadic and unfocused in your exercise routine.”

This is a HUGE shift in mindset. So, are you training or trying?

This is transcendent. It goes way beyond exercise. It really hits on the difference between mediocre results (or none at all) and game-changing results in every aspect of our lives.

We’re all so busy, with so much to do just to keep our heads above water, let alone really thrive.

Your health and fitness is hard work. Infinitely harder than just cutting a few calories out of your diet.

But when you do things right consistently, the work load becomes more manageable and things start to really click.

The secret, is focus.

You have to eliminate distraction.

When I feel really good, fit and healthy, it’s because I’m not resisting structure.

Here’s what I mean by that.

Like most normal people, maybe you, I like to indulge my sweet tooth. If you put donuts in front of me on Sunday morning I’ll have a glass of milk before you can say Maple Glazed Long John! If I’m really craving it, I’ll seek them out and stray off track.

But it tastes good. Really good. That’s the upside. But if you’re not in control of that (emotional) tendency or compulsion (however you want to characterize it), you can quickly fall into bad habits and just as quickly put on extra pounds.

That’s why structure is so vital.

Here are a few tips for keeping structure and helping you reach your weight loss and fitness goals:

Accountability: Make sure you schedule appointments every week. Our clients keep a standing schedule. Meg knows she’s training every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11:15. Most importantly she’s being held accountable. We all need accountability. I practice this with my own workouts too.

Motivation: At first sight exercise stinks. It looks hard, you sweat, it makes your muscles burn, it tires you out. But those that are in a consistent program know how it makes you feel after the workout. Endorphins kick in and soon becomes a drug you gotta have.

But it’s easy to lose that feeling. You might even lose it after one week. Which is why motivation is so vital to your fitness program. Everyone needs a coach to support, motivate, and give them that extra push when needed.

Assessments: I’m amazed at the amount of people that still use ONLY a scale to measure their success (thank you Biggest Loser). You can’t manage what you can’t measure. You know muscle weighs more than fight, right? So how do you know if your weight gain of 2 pounds wasn’t you tightening up your arms and butt? Usually a gain of two pounds (if done correctly) is something to be happy about.

Efficiency: No one has ever sat down with me and said, “I have all the time in the world Tim. I’ll workout as much as you need me to.” I’d call shenanigans if that ever happens. It only makes sense for your program to be efficient. Get in, get fit, and get out. No need to prolong the process. By the way, our workouts are 45 minutes. Any longer and you’re probably inefficient.

Customization: Your program must work for YOU! Not your spouse, or your daughter, friend or co-worker. You, and you alone.

Finally, have some fun and keep things fresh: This whole exercise thing is not a fad. You won’t be doing this for the next 12 weeks and then put it up on the shelf. It’s vital for a long, healthy, and prosperous life. Be aggressive in reaching your goals, but as the saying goes, “Success is a journey not a destination.” So have fun with it.

To your health and fitness,

Tim Chudy

P.S. Trying to figure out fitness and weight loss success on your own can be a needlessly frustrating experience when you have access to the best of the best who are ready, willing and able to help. Request a free class here.

Posted under Fitness Tips, Weight Loss Tips

I’ll get to the big news in a minute. But first, the secret…

I just implemented a Corporate Wellness Program with an insurance firm in Clayton. We’ve put together an 8-Week Challenge to help everyone get motivated and in their best shape! It’s a ‘Biggest Loser’ Challenge in-a-box if you will.

Last week as we were going through their Fast-Start Orientation we covered goal setting.

This step is often overlooked with an exercise program. But it’s so important! If you don’t have anything to work towards, then you’ll end up just spinning your wheels. And that’s not productive.

To help ensure weight loss and fitness results you must set goals.

As I spoke to the group of 20 or so, most hadn’t heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Your goal must incorporate each category. I’ll break them down one by one and give you a few examples.

Specific – Your goal must be specific. “I want to lose weight” is not a goal. That’s simply a wish. But, “I want to lose 18 pounds” is a specific goal. Now we know where you are (your current weight) and where you want to go (your current weight minus 18 lbs.).

Measurable – Goals must have some form of measurement. Weight is easy. You step on the scale, and then you step off the scale. What about getting in shape? How do you measure that? Maybe it’s walking up a flight of steps without panting. Maybe it’s to run 30 minutes without stopping. Whatever it is, make sure your goal can be measured.

Attainable – I’ll admit this is my least favorite. I like to be aggressive with my goals. And I hope you do too. But keeping a foot in reality is important. For instance, a goal for me “To make it in the NBA” would not be realistic (no matter how much I would like it to be . I’d be setting myself up for failure. Make your goal aggressive, but attainable.

Realistic – This one is somewhat like attainable. Losing 30 lbs. in 30 days is not realistic. Nor is it safe! Give your goals some boundaries. When setting health and fitness goals you must keep physiologic abilities in mind. When losing weight, 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week is a safe estimate, but having a resting heart rate of 30 or doing 1000 pushups in a minute is not realistic.

Timely – Last but certainly not least. I heard someone say once, “Nothing would ever happen without a deadline.” And you know what? It’s true. Without a deadline or some sort of timeline, the chances of follow through are slim to none. Adding a time element creates a sense of urgency. Going back to the goal of “I want to lose 18 lbs,” adding “in 12 weeks” now gives you your deadline. Always, always, always have a deadline.

Goal setting is always our first step when setting up a health and fitness program. A SMART goal is one that works. Take out a pen and paper now and write down some goals. Make sure each one includes each category. (If you have an ipod, stay tuned… my brother’s company is putting together a SMART goal App as I write. I’ll keep you posted!)

To your health and fitness success,

Tim Chudy

P.S. If you think your company might be interested in the “8-Weeks to Your Best Body” Corporate Challenge please call me directly at 314.863.7799.

P.P.S. Hope you had a great holiday weekend. Over the past couple of years you may remember me mentioning my girlfriend Joella. Well, I took a surprise trip to New York City over the weekend and popped the question. She said, “Yes!” making me the happiest guy in town!  I couldn’t be more excited and thought I’d share the awesome news with you.  I love you Jo.

Posted under Fitness Tips, health, Personal, Weight Loss Tips

This happened to a lady I was having a consultation
with last week and I feel like it happens to a lot of people.

Has it ever happened to you…

You step on the scale Friday and it gives you a
number you’re ok with. Maybe even a little excited
about. Going into the weekend, you’re very
motivated and determined.

Then on Monday you step on the scale and your
weight is up 4 pounds!! What the heck. Is this a
joke? Is someone playing a trick on you?

If this has happened to you its frustrating isn’t
it? A few attempts of effort with those results
makes you wanna throw in the towel.

It’s the point at which you become fed up with
failure. And it’s usually when people call me.

Your desire, effort, and commitment are there. But
results aren’t. And it’s disheartening for me to
see.

If this has happened to you -or is happening to
you- there are specific mistakes you’re making
with your efforts. It makes me think of the quote
I’m sure you’ve heard of; doing the same thing and
expecting different results is the definition of
insanity.

Well, the good news, you’re not insane. But you
are doing something wrong.  If you would like to
find out the mistakes you’re making with your
fitness results you’re welcome to a free report
full of tips to losing weight. It’s in the left hand column!

But I’ll venture to say I can guess some of them
right here. So, here are a few mistakes to avoid
when trying to lose weight and get in shape.

1. Only doing cardio. This is a BIG no-no. Why
weight training gets a bad rap I’ll never know.
But look at any Hollywood actress or actor and
they ALL work out with weights. At least 3 times a
week. That gives them a lean and toned look.
(And they NEVER get bulky.)

Strength training has so many benefits to it. And
you probably know them all. It spikes metabolism
and sends your body into a fat burning frenzy. It
tones and tightens your muscles so putting on a
sleeveless shirt is a fun and proud experience. It
strengthens your body as you continue to age. And
the list goes on.

2. Stepping on the scale. If you’re trying to lose
weight please do me a favor… stay off the
scale!! Your weight will fluctuate up and down,
day to day. EVERYONE’S does. And muscle weighs
more than fat. So a lot of times you’re making
positive changes, but the scale is telling you
otherwise.

We weigh our clients once a month. That’s it.
That’s all that’s needed.

3. Only paying attention to calories in, calories out.
This is another common mistake that most fall for.
Now, in theory this is true, but usually it’s not that simple.
There’s more to it than just calories. You should
be watching calories, macronutrients (protein,
carbs, and fat), portion sizes, frequency, and of
course depending on the exercise you’re doing
plays a part.
Here’s a simple equation to follow to keep
everything in check:  ST + CT + BM + E3 = R!

Strength training + cardio training + balanced meals
every 3 hours = results!

So what’s stopping you? Well, most of the women
and men I talk to don’t really know where to
begin. Or how. You can go to the gym… do a
little of this, a little of that, and an hour
later not really have accomplished anything.

But that is why we’re here. To help you! You can
easily have a workable plan to make your workouts
not only EFFICIENT but EFFECTIVE too! All you have to
do is ask.

I hope you find some of this info helpful. If you
have a question about this or want to leave a
comment please do below.

To your weight loss and fitness success,

Tim Chudy

P.S. Remember, you can request a free boot
camp class to try out for yourself. TRY before
you buy!

Posted under Fitness Tips, Weight Loss Tips

I just got off the phone with Lindy, one of our clients. She mentioned how awesome her workouts have been going and how her soreness has been greatly reduced. It didn’t surprise me. And I had a hunch as to why that was happening.

I’ll tell you her secret in a minute. But first, do you know the 2 most important times for nutrition?

Breakfast and after your workout. The reason is simple. It’s when your body is screaming for nutrients. Let’s take a closer look at why.

Every time you go to bed you’re essentially going on an eight hour fast. When you wake up, assuming you have a metabolism that’s moving, you’re hungry and the body is looking for nourishment. That’s when you ‘break’ the ‘fast’.

You’ve probably heard skipping breakfast is a nutrition no-no. Eating breakfast kickstarts your metabolism for the day, gives your body the much needed nutrients after you sleep, and starts your daily nutrition out on the right foot. We coach all of our clients to eat a good breakfast complete with protein every morning. It’s essential to weight loss and fitness success.

The other time your nutrition is most important is after your workout. This is often overlooked and sometimes, sadly, sabotaged. When you workout you’re expending the body of its energy. This process actually breaks down the muscles. Have you ever felt so sore you can’t move for a couple of days after a tough workout? This is a sign the body has not received all the needed nutrients. And not getting the needed nutrients leads to slow recovery, slow results, and a lot of that unnecessary soreness.

Addressing your nutrition immediately after your workout dramatically speeds up the recovery process. It will reduce your soreness, maximize your release of anabolic hormones (like growth hormone and testosterone), and allow your body to maximize building muscle and burning fat. When you consume a well-balanced shake after exercise, carbohydrate stimulates insulin to drive the branch chain amino acids (protein) to the muscle cell. That way you can maximize recovery and get right back in the gym very soon – ensuring faster results for your program.

**A note to those wanting to focus on general fitness, but particularly, women: terms like anabolic drive and testosterone might bring pictures of Ah-nold to mind. But this is NOT for bodybuilders. You will NOT get big and bulky because of this. These are natural body processes. And they’re relative to you.

We recommend Physique to all of our clients. Physique is formulated with the exact ratio of carbohydrates to protein to reach anabolic drive. Lindy, our client I just spoke with and mentioned earlier, said this:

“At first I thought it was useless calories. After all, I just spent 45 minutes burning calories off. Why would I want to put them right back in? It wasn’t worth it to me.

But as my workouts got progressively harder, my muscles got progressively sorer. After stealing some of my husband’s Physique (he’s religious with it) I was amazed by the results! My soreness is not as evident -if any at all. I was more concerned about Physique from a calorie standpoint. But now I realize there’s a lot more going on inside my body after a workout. And Physique helps me recover.”

Lindy’s initial reaction is typical. There is also what appears to be a lot of sugar contained in Physique. But this is all working strategically in your favor and leads to faster fitness results.

Breakfast with protein and Physique. These are two quick modifications to make in your own diet to leap frog you past slow and steady fitness results.

To your fitness success,

Tim Chudy

P.S. If you would like more help with your fitness and nutrition, request a complimentary consultation here. Or if you just want more info on our programs and services you can get our complete infopack here.

Posted under Fitness Tips, Nutrition Tips