If you are like most people, your thoughts about spring & summer are in full swing – with the thoughts of bathing suits coming to mind and how the h@*% we are going to fit in them. : )

One big change that people make are changes to their eating patterns. But most people may miss the most important step in their nutrition plan. And by not making this change, it may be leading you to more weight gain.

And you may be adding more fat to your body instead of stripping it away  : (

In fact, skipping breakfast may lead to you being hungrier during the day, causing you to eat more. Increased calories may settle in your hips and belly and not used the WAY they should be.

But not all breakfast foods are healthy for you. In fact, some may increase weight gain, especially stubborn belly fat.

If you avoid these three weight-gaining foods, then you may be on your way to losing weight and keeping it off.

Skip these three breakfast foods to blast belly fat:

FAT-GAINING BREAKFAST FOOD #1: Low Fat Foods

Try not to be deceived by the term “low-fat” as being a health food.

Yes, these foods may be low in fat, but they may be hiding something. Take a closer look at the label, and you may be shocked to find that low-fat foods may have a ton of sugar.

And extra sugar may lead to weight gain, especially fat gain.

By removing the fat, you may be removing the flavor in the product. And manufacturers know this. So they add sugar to replace the lost fat in order to sweeten up the product.

So the next time you are looking at low-fat foods, make sure you read the label. This seemingly healthy food may actually be causing you to gain fat instead.

FAT-GAINING BREAKFAST FOOD #2: Cereals

Do you think that having two scoops of raisins means you are having a healthy breakfast?

You may be surprised to find out that you ARE NOT. Those tiny raisins may be covered with sugar. And that sugar makes your cereal a little bit sweeter.

If you look closely at the label, you may see ingredients, and you may see that your cereal actually contains huge amounts of sugar. And with all this extra sugar, your body may be storing it as fat.

If you are indulging in high-sugar foods, then chances are your spouse or your children may be eating it too. This means they may be eating tons of sugar as well.

FAT-GAINING BREAKFAST FOOD #3: Muffins

Do you find yourself stopping for a muffin and coffee on your morning commute?

If so, you may be adding fat calories, even if you go with the lower-fat alternative. Like I mentioned above, low-fat foods may contain extra sugar to sweeten the taste and make it more appealing.

As for the full-fat muffin, your calories may be topping over 400 calories. And with most of the calories coming from non-essential, processed fat and sugar, you may be increasing your fat levels.

Skip the muffin and opt for breakfast at home to start your day off right.

It may provide the right nutrients you need to get you through the day, or at least to mid morning. Lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and fiber are essential nutrients to include in your breakfast. These nutrients may boost your fat burning by leaving you full and satisfied until your next meal.

**BONUS TIPS**

Tip #1: Include protein into your morning routine

Protein may boost your production of lean, fat-burning muscle tissue, which may make it easier to BURN MORE FAT. Protein may also suppress your appetite, preventing overeating at your next meal. Protein also takes longer to digest, which may add a few extra calories burned.

Tip #2: Eat “real” oatmeal

I am not talking about instant oatmeal, which may be loaded with sugar. But, I am talking about old-fashioned steel oats.

Packed with fiber and low in sugar, steel oats are a great way to fill you up while watching your intake of sugar. Steel oats may give you that full feeling due to its high-fiber levels.

Don’t like the taste of plain oatmeal, try topping it with some fruit, chopped nuts, whey protein and/or cinnamon. Cinnamon may take the place of sugar or a sweetener, and may help better maintain your blood sugar levels.

Oatmeal can be a great tasting low-sugar, power-packed way to start your morning.

Ok, put these tips to good use TODAY

Committed to Your success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer
http://OrganicPrograde.com

Quick question for you…

…Do you really need to stretch to warm-up?

Unless you need to increase your “flexibility” to boredom, most stretching is a waste of time in some experts opinions and I couldn’t agree more.

“Plenty of research has shown that static stretching DOES NOT help you warm-up, ease muscle soreness, prevent injury or enhance performance. In fact, no measurable, significant benefit of stretching has ever been proven”, says Paul Ingraham, LMT.

Studies have shown that static stretching may cause as many injuries as it prevents.

Studies published in both the British Medical Journal(1999) and the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine(2002)have found that static stretching has NO statistically significant effect on reducing muscle soreness or injuries.

A 2008 study of over 1,000 soldiers had half stretch and half not stretch found no difference in the frequency of injuries.

First things first, you need to forget everything your high school gym teacher or your weekend warrior workout buddy has told you about stretching.

If you want to reduce the risk of injuries and improve your performance on and off the field, follow these guidelines as to when, where and how, if at all, to stretching.

But, before we move on there are a couple of definitions I would like to clear up.

There are 2 types of stretching:

1.) Static Stretching

Bending over and touching your toes for an allotted amount of time is an example.

This forces the target muscle to relax, temporarily making it weaker. Static stretching also reduces blood flow to your muscles and decreases the activity of the central nervous system – decreases the ability of your brain to talk to your muscles.

If they can’t “communicate”, this will limit your ability to generate force..i.e..move, run, jump, push or pull.

2.) Dynamic/Active Stretching

Is the exact opposite of a static stretch. You move a muscle group in and out of a stretched position(think a forward lunge) with just your body weight.

“Here’s why the difference matters: improvements in flexibility are specific to your body position and speed of movement. So if you do only static stretching you’ll primarily boost your flexibility in that EXACT position moving at a slow speed. While certainly effective if you’re a contortionist, it has limited carryover to the flexibility you need in training and sports, which require your muscles to stretch at fast speeds in various body positions. That’s why dynamic stretching is a necessary component of any program – It improves your “active” flexibility, the kind you need in every type of athletic endeavor”, says Bill Hartman, PT, CSCS.

So, Stretch or Not to Stretch?

When it comes to preparing for a workout or competition scrap the bending over and touching your toes and start preparing for the nature of the activity to come with ACTUAL movements involved in the workout or competition.

Check out my Movement Prep(warm-up):

Here is what I do to “cool-down”(recover) after a hard training session:

I would love to hear what you do for a warm-up and cool-down. Leave me your thoughts below.

Committed to YOUR fitness success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer

Want to learn to lose fat and develop that lean body you’ve always wanted?

Well, here’s 19 tips to do just that : )

In this post I’ll give you my secrets for torching fat AND at the same time decreasing the amount of time you spend working out. Now how does that sound….decreasing body fat AND the amount of time you spend in the gym?

None of these techniques work alone but by combining as many of them together as possible it will GREATLY enhance the development of that lean body. Not to mention faster then ever!

Here you go(these are in no particular order) …

1.) Perform 3 total body, resistance workouts per week

2.) Do 10-15 min of high intensity interval training or a metabolic finisher after your resistance workout to enhance fat burning 3x per week.

3.) Focus on multiple joint/compound movements. No single joint exercises and/or isolating individual muscles. Train like an athlete not a bodybuilder. It’s actually UN-NATURAL to train like a bodybuilder.

4.) High quality protein should come from whole, cage free eggs, free-range chicken, wild fish, grass fed beef/bison, quinoa, beans, nuts and whey

5.) Your carbohydrates should come from fruits and veggies. YES, carbohydrates are necessary and you NEED to eat them. Glucose is the primary fuel of the brain and central nervous system and is most easily obtained from naturally occurring carbohydrates.

6.) Consume your carbohydrates when your body needs them the most, breakfast, pre-workout and post workout

7.) Get 8 hours of sleep each night

8.) Set goals, short and long term

9.) Warm-up actively/dynamically before each session(5-6 min.). NO walking on the treadmill for 10 min. You must prepare your body for the workout ahead. NO static stretching either(bending over & touching your toes). This DOES NOT prepare you for a workout. It actually does the opposite.

10.) Perform supersets/circuits throughout your resistance training workout. Group 2-10 exercises together and complete each, back to back without rest. Break for 30-90 seconds then repeat circuits anywhere from 2-5 times.

11.) Change your training stimulus often. Change weight, reps, sets, perform movements for time, etc. Anything to keep your body guessing.

12.) STAY AWAY from processed foods, packaged foods, fast foods, foods with added sugar/salt and anything with artificial or “natural” flavors.

13.) Train with a friend for motivation and a little extra push

14.) Drink a gallon or more of water per day

15.) Consume Essential Fats/healthy fats from wild caught fish, extra virgin olive oil, coconut milk, coconut oil and nuts. YES, eat fat to LOSE FAT.

16.) You MUST have an even stimulus/balance in your routines. If you do 2 pushing exercises you MUST do 2 pulling exercises. DON’T just train your “mirror muscles”.

17.) Use different modalities throughout your workouts. Dumbbells, stability balls, resistance bands, kettlebells, sand bags, barbells, body weight exercises, etc.

18.) Build your metabolic resistance training workouts around different variations of the squat, deadlift, pushing exercises and pulling exercises.

19.) “If you can’t hunt it, fish it, pick it from a tree, bush or the ground, DON’T eat it!”

Like I said earlier try to practice/combine as many of these 19 lean body tips as you can and I can guarantee you that you’ll definitely be well on your way to that body of your dreams.

Committed to YOUR success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer

P.S. If you have a question, just drop by the Training Like an Athlete Fan Page to ask it:

= > http://www.FacebookTrainLikeanAthlete.com

I’ve got an article for you today about a superfood that is high in protein, high-fiber, and gluten-free. The article is from my good friend, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Mike Geary(The Truth About Abs)

Check it out…

The Mysterious Little Round Pseudo-Grain Superfood: Quinoa

by Catherine Ebeling, RN, BSN & Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist co-authors – The Fat Burning Kitchen

Although we have been telling you repeatedly that most grains such as wheat and corn are the worst things in the modern western diet, Quinoa is a great alternative that is not actually a grain. It’s a superfood seed that’s high in complete protein (unlike other grains which are usually incomplete protein), it’s gluten-free, and also has loads of other important nutrients.

Quinoa is making an appearance in grocery stores and restaurants these days, often as a substitute for rice and wheat, or in pilafs, stuffing, or as a breakfast.

What exactly is quinoa?

Quinoa, is actually an ancient favorite of the Incas and the Native South Americans of Chili, Peru and Bolivia. The Incas prized it so much it was considered a sacred seed. But quinoa was all but wiped out when the Spanish conquerors attempted to destroy all traces of quinoa, and forbid the cultivation of this seed, instead forcing the South Americans to grow corn.

Quinoa was revived in the U.S. when a couple of Americans began to grow and cultivate it, and since then it has started to catch on as a healthy alternative to grain. While quinoa is often called a grain, it is actually a seed and a member of the same family as beets, chard, and spinach. These little nutty tasting seeds are actually full of nutrition and rich in amino acids.

Nutrition of quinoa – a superstar

Quinoa is a very good low glycemic carbohydrate source, and rich with manganese, magnesium, calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, vitamin E, and several B vitamins.

The protein in quinoa is superb; in fact it contains an almost perfect balance of all 8 essential amino acids needed by humans. It is also very high in the amino acids, lysine, cystine, and methionine — amino acids that are typically low in grains. It makes an excellent complement to legumes, which are typically low in methionine and cystine.

I personally recommend quinoa over anything made with wheat and corn, because quinoa doesn’t contain the detrimental anti-nutrients that wheat and corn contain. Plus quinoa is nutritionally superior to most grains in terms of protein quality as well as overall nutrient content, in addition to being gluten-free.

Ideas, recipes, and methods for cooking and eating quinoa

Cooked quinoa is excellent in casseroles and soups, stews, stir-fries, pilafs, or cold in salads. The seeds can be cooked in about 15 minutes.

Quinoa can be substituted for rice (for higher protein and fiber content) in many dishes. Try dry roasting quinoa in a pan or in the oven before cooking to give it a toasted, nuttier flavor. I often cook quinoa in free-range chicken broth for added taste.

Try a cold salad with cooked quinoa, and your favorite veggies chopped up. I like to add parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, chopped tomatoes, some sweet onion, and chopped zucchini. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, some sea salt and pepper and viola! a tasty nutritious salad.

Quinoa can also be a great breakfast substitute for oatmeal. It can be cooked and mixed with fruit, nuts, stevia, cinnamon, etc to your tastes. Have a couple whole eggs on the side for additional protein and healthy fats and you now have a perfect nutritionally balanced fat-burning breakfast!

Quinoa seeds can be sprouted and eaten as raw, live food for snacks or in salads and sandwiches. To sprout the seeds, soak about 1/3 cup seeds in a jar for 2 to 4 hours, then drain and rinse the seeds twice a day for 2 to 4 days. When the sprouts are about 1 inch long, place them near a window which will give them a vibrant green color. Another fascinating way of using quinoa is to “pop” the seeds in a dry skillet and eat them as a dry cereal.

Baking with Quinoa – the healthier substitution

Quinoa flour is a much more nutritionally beneficial way to bake compared to typical wheat flour that’s used in almost all baked goods.

I personally like to use a blend of quinoa flour, almond flour, and coconut flour to get a lower starch content and higher protein and fiber content in my baked goods (plus to make sure the recipe is gluten-free) — this combo of 3 flours is AMAZING in banana bread, zucchini bread, or carrot cake bread or muffins, but will work with anything if you use your creativity in baking.

Quinoa and quinoa flour are not quite yet mainstream grocery store items, but usually can be found in the health food section of your grocery store or at a health food store. If you want a healthier grain alternative that’s higher in protein, high in fiber, and gluten-free (as well as delicious), give quinoa a shot.

Enjoy!

…Thanks for the article Mike(The Truth About Abs)

Committed to YOUR success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer

I know all the meatheads out there are not going to like me for this post, but that’s ok. I just believe a lot of us don’t really want to look big & bulky,  let alone spend all of our time in a gym.

If you truly want to burn body fat, look lean, athletic, shredded, define or however you want to describe it, here are 5 reasons NOT to train like your typical bodybuilder…

1.) The Body Works as One Unit

In traditional bodybuilding the body is split into body parts. In everyday life or when competing in a sport the body does not function as separate body parts, but works as a whole. The brain(central nervous system) is designed to select multiple muscle groups NOT isolated parts.

Therefore training like a bodybuilder is actually UN-NATURAL.

For example, throwing a ball is not an arm movement but starts with the feet & uses the whole body.

In addition to that, isolating individual muscle groups often lead muscle imbalances. And those imbalances can leave you on the couch overtrained and possibly injured.

The goal is to use as many muscle groups as possible in a given exercise to burn more calories and crank up your metabolism.

Teaching the body to work as one unit is going to carryover(in life & sport) better than splitting it up into parts.

2.) Bodybuilding Requires to Much Time

Training like a bodybuilder requires a lot of volume(sets & reps). Add to this the fact the body is usually split into parts and soon you will be spending hours & hours a week in the gym lifting weights.

You want to focus on QUALITY NOT quantity when it comes to training

If you have a job, a family, a life why spend hours & hours in the gym when you don’t have to?

Stick with compound movements used in supersets & metabolic resistance training circuits for the “most bang for your buck” – fat loss and lean tissue building.

3.) Bodybuilding Causes Needles Soreness

Training with a traditional bodybuilding split mentioned above means that each muscle group gets more work than if you work the whole body in 1 gym session. This also means that particular muscle group maybe extremely sore for a few days.

This soreness can interfere with your ability to workout again and make it difficult to move smoothly, which will take away from your ultimate goal, which is fat burning.

Remember, you are always looking for ways to improve yourself, so being so sore you can’t walk is something you should avoid.

4.) Additional Size Can be a Handicap

The goal of bodybuilding is to add size without regard to anything else…movement fluidity, cardiovascular endurance, etc.

Bodybuilding often leads to increases in the muscle size(added weight) that are not matched by relative increases in strength, therefore placing more stress on your body. Making the body work harder in a similar manner to what a weighted vest does.

Think about that for a second…Imagine walking around with a 25lb on weight vest on ALL the time. That’s a lot of stress on the body.

5.) Slow Movements Do Not Carry Over

The slow steady movements that are used in bodybuilding will not help you increase your speed or power as much as doing faster, explosive work. Size does not generate power speed does.

Bulky muscles are not a true indicator of strength either. Just look at Gymnasts or the 117 lb female Olympic weightlifter who can clean & jerk 250 lbs.

With most of your resistance training, you should try and lift the weight as fast(yet controlled) as possible to teach the body to fire explosively.

Bodybuilding movements are slow and deliberate. If an athlete or anybody that participates in anything athletic is slow and deliberate, he/she is in serious trouble.

Take control of your bodyfat and workouts.  So stop doing exercises that isolate individual muscles and let’s work every muscle we can, keep our rep ranges high, and our intensity and speed high.  As a trade, you’ll keep the time you spend training low… 10-30 minutes is all you need. : )

Committed to YOUR success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer

P.S. If you have a question, just drop by the Training Like an Athlete Fan Page to ask it:

= > http://www.FacebookTrainLikeanAthlete.com

Now that we’ve conquered all the carbohydrate and protein questions(I hope), lets move on to the wonderful world of fats

So first let’s get this out in the open…

1. Fats do not make you gain bodyfat.

2. Fats do not put you on heart attack row.

3. Fats are not the enemy.

We’ve been sold a bag of lies when it comes to fats. Fats are ESSENTIAL for your body’s hormone production, skin health, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, regulating blood pressure, regulation of blood fat levels(lipids) and even burning bodyfat.

Yep… you need fat to burn fat.

Essential fats may also play a part in the prevention of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and cancer.

Studies have been conducted to attempt to elevate cholesterol levels using high-fat diets. Most all of them have failed miserably. In fact several “lowered” total cholesterol while raising the so-called “good” cholesterol (HDL).

Our bodies have the ability to make all of the various fats we need to survive, with the exception of two…Linoleic Acid(Omega 6 fats) and Linolenic Acid(Omega 3 fats).

Omega 6 fats are found in plant seeds, nuts, whole grains and oils. Omega 3 fats are found in cold water fish like wild salmon, sardines, anchovies, Atlantic Mackerel & oysters. These fish are high in Omega 3′s and low in mercury.

Also, omega 3-rich fats like fish (and especially krill oil ) help lower inflammation. That’s the real culprit behind heart disease, hypertension in most cases.

That being said, you do need to AVOID any “fake fats”(margarine), trans fats and processed hydrogenated oils of any kind. These are HIGHLY dangerous foods.

Here’s my simple dietary fats solution:

1. Eat fats as they REALLY occur in nature. Meaning from grass-fed, free-range, wild caught, naturally occurring sources…wild caught fatty fish, grass fed beef/bison, nuts, seeds, avocados.

2. Cook with a combination of extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil, but use both sparingly as they are high in calories. If you are eating plenty of animal protein you do not need excessive fats… not because of ‘danger’ but because of needless calories.

3. Avoid a lot of fats at night. The night-time meals or snacks should be high in lean protein with very limited fats if you are wanting to really get lean. If you are just trying to shed bodyweight slowly, it’s okay to have some fats at night.

Just do me a favor, If you are on the “fats make you gain bodyfat and have heart attacks” bandwagon, jump off. We have consumed fat for countless thousands of years. Consume it the way we always have (naturally, not stuffed with hormones and cooked up in a lab) and
you’ll be fine.

Committed to YOUR success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer

P.S. If you have a question, just drop by the Training Like an Athlete Fan Page to ask it:

= > http://www.FacebookTrainLikeanAthlete.com

Got a busy weekend? Need a fast & effective workout?

Well, I may have something exactly what you are looking for…

My good friend, Certified Nutrition Specialist/Personal Trainer, Mike Geary(The Truth About Abs) has an fun, fast & effective card game workout that he came up with and I thought I would share it with you.

So here you go…

You can to this workout with a partner or go solo and all you need is a deck of cards, NO equipment needed

Instructions:

1. Use all 54 cards (including the jokers).
2. One player pulls a card for the second person, who performs the exercise and number of reps as described in the table below.
3. Immediately after this person completes their exercise repetitions, they pull a card for the other person.
4. Keep switching back and forth until you’ve gone through all 54 cards for a fun and intense full-body workout that strengthens and tones the entire body, while stimulating the metabolism, and burning serious fat.

If you don’t have a training partner, you can try this workout by yourself as a great variation to your normal routines; finish as much of the deck as you can.

Face Cards:

Aces – mountain climbers, 24 reps(each leg counts as 1)
Kings – ab bicycles, 24 reps(each leg counts as 1)
Queens – walking lunges, 6-8 steps each way
Jacks – jumping jacks, 15 reps
Jokers – Bear crawls, 20-30 feet each way

Numbered Cards:

Black – push-ups(if regular push-ups are too easy, add any variation)
Red – bodyweight squats(if BW squats are too easy, do jump squats)

This is a great way to sneak in a fast, effective, fat burning workout when you are crunched for time.

Give it a shot and let me know what you think. Have an AWESOME weekend!

Committed to YOUR success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer

Today I have a post by my good friend Mike Geary(Author, The Truth About Abs) and in it he explains why you have NO more excuses when it comes to exercise.

This is perfect for all of you out there that think you are just “too busy” to get in a quality workout.

So here you go…

The “1%” Rule For Getting Your Best Body Yet

By Mike Geary, Certified Nutritionist, Licensed Trainer, Author – The Truth About Abs

I call this the “1% rule” and when you really think about how simple this is, you will quickly realize that most excuses for not being in shape are pretty lame.

The biggest excuse that most people use as to why they struggle to get in shape is their perceived lack of time to workout and to plan healthy meals regularly. As you know, I’m not a fan of excuses and believe that if you want something bad enough, excuses should not exist.

The 1% rule means that it really only takes 1% of your given time every week to keep yourself in top shape…

Let’s think about it in terms of your available time… if you dedicate only 25 minutes per day, 4 days per week to a good exercise routine, that’s only 100 total minutes per week. Considering that you have 1440 minutes in each day multiplied by 7 days equals 10,080 minutes per week of total time.

So now look at those 100 minutes per week dedicated to exercise and divide that into the 10,080 minutes total that you have in a week, and that represents approx 1% of your total time in any given week.

1% of your time… that’s it!

When you think about it in those terms… isn’t it really ridiculous when you hear someone say that they “don’t have time to workout”… it’s actually almost comical that someone would claim they can’t dedicate 1% of their time every week to exercise.

Keep that in mind the next time you hear someone say that they don’t have time to workout and keep themselves in shape… then go ahead and call them out on it (in a friendly way, of course).

Personally, I actually do a lot more than 100 minutes per week of exercise, because a lot of my hobbies involve exercise, such as hiking, moutain biking, and skiing in the winter.

However, even for people that don’t have exercise related hobbies, four 25-minute high intensity, full body workouts per week can keep anyone in top shape if you’re choosing the right exercises at the right intensity.

…AWESOME post Mike, short and sweet!

Now stop making excuses and start moving TODAY.

Committed to YOUR success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer

P.S. If you liked Mike’s post, feel free to fwd this anyone you think might need a little kick in the butt when it comes to starting a workout program.

The last couple of weeks we have talked about carbohydrates and hopefully I’ve been able to answer all your questions about good carbs, bad carbs and everything in between.

Today I want to move on to protein and all its splendor : )

Remember, like oxygen, protein is ESSENTIAL to every cell in your body and it’s 2nd only to water in overall abundance in the body.

So here are 5 “truths” you want to try and live by when it comes to good ‘ol protein…

Truth #1: You Could Use More

How much protein do you really need?

First weigh yourself and be honest about how many times you workout each week. If you workout 5 or more times per week, shoot for around .5g per pound of body weight. Train 3-5 days per week, shoot for around .4g per pound of body weight.

But again, don’t get too crazy about measuring everything. Just try to get a little protein with EVERY meal.

Truth #2: Not All Protein is the Same

The best sources of protein are cage free/free range eggs, lean grass fed beef/bison, wild caught fish, quinoa and whey protein. Animal proteins are the most complete sources of protein(with the exception of quinoa – a complete protein which is a seed). They contain the right portions of the 20 or so essential amino acids your body CANNOT produce on its own.

Nuts, legumes and grains contain protein but they are not as complete as the sources mentioned above.

Truth #3: Timing

Eating protein at all 3 meals, plus snacks, will help you eat less overall. It will keep you fuller longer because it takes longer to breakdown, unlike processed flours & sugars which are digested quickly & used quickly.

Hence, you being hungry again 30 minutes after your last meal instead of hours after, like you should be when you consume proteins.

If you are used to eating your protein only at 1 meal, you could be fueling lean muscle tissue growth for only a few hours per day and breaking down muscle the rest of the time.

Truth #4: You Need Protein for Your Workouts

Consume approx. 10g of protein 30-60 minutes before you workout to provide your body with fuel and approx. 20g of protein(combined with a carbohydrate) right after to help you recover from the workout.

[This is an IDEAL workout recovery drink - > Prograde Workout]

You do this because resistance training causes micro-tears in muscle tissue. This requires amino acids(from protein) to help repair and re-build this lean muscle tissue.

Truth #5: Everyone Can Benefit from Powders

Whey protein powder is not just for “meat head” body builders, but an awesome source of the building blocks your body needs to help you burn fat and get lean.

On top of being a complete form of protein, it’s so damn convenient and fast as well. It literally takes 3 seconds to mix with water and presto, you have a healthy, appetite suppressing snack idea (a small meal for some) that will keep you satisfied for hours.

…That’s my take on our good friend Mr. protein.

Follow these 5 “truths” and I can almost guarantee you, you’ll be well on your way to losing that unwanted fat and off to the body of your dreams.

Committed to YOUR success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer

How and Why to Train the “Core”

I think there is a lot of confusion out there about what the “core” is. How and when to train this area is also a source of confusion for many people. There are a “boat load” of myths and half truths.

So, here is my take on the topic…

What is the “Core”?

The “Core” is the Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex. It is made up of approximately  29 muscles that include:

Deep abdominals
Obliques
Deep spinal musculature
Hip flexor group
Glutes

Misconception #1:

Most people think of the core as only the superficial ab muscles…the one’s you can see in the mirror.

Misconception #2:

The biggest misconception, in my opinion, is that you can only strengthen this area with sit-ups, crunches or leg lifts. Which couldn’t be FARTHER from the truth.

The core is where the human body’s center of gravity is located and where all movement begins. Proper development of the core musculature will result in more efficient movement patterns, prevent muscle imbalances and optimal performance.

Efficient movement equals less chance of injuries and off the couch.  : )

When should I train the “Core”?

It is important to remember that the core musculature is the start of all movement. Anytime you initiate a movement the musculature of the core fires to stabilize your trunk and body. Therefore, it makes sense that it is developed to its optimal level and should be performed at the beginning of your workout.

If your core is weak, not activated and/or untrained it leads to inefficient movements that could lead to injuries or patterns of injuries.

That means BACK on the couch.  : (

Core training provides intrinsic stability(think of an internal weight belt) to the Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip-Complex, which allows for optimum efficiency of the rest of the body.

How should I train the Core?

Core training should emphasize the entire muscle contraction spectrum:

1.) Stabilization–Isometric Contraction(maintain a certain position for a period of time)

Examples:

Planks
Stability Ball Push-up Bridge/Walkouts
Stability Ball Hip Bridge
Stability Ball Cobra

2.) Force Production–Concentric Contraction(shortening the muscle against resistance)

Examples(Flex/Ext/Lateral movements):

Kettlebell 1 arm windmill/strong man
Stability ball Back Ext
V-ups

3.) Force Reduction–Eccentric Contraction(elongating the muscle against resistance)

Examples:

Roll-outs w/ab wheel or stability ball
Stability ball Jackknife
Stability ball Rev. Curl-ups

4.) Rotational Force–Rotational/Diagonal Patterns

Examples:

Medicine ball Twists
Medicine ball Diagonal Chop/Lift
Cable Diagonal lifts
Stability ball Skiers
Stability ball Arm through’s

5.) Neuromuscular Stabilization–Balance

Neuromuscular Stabilization enables the body’s neuromuscular system to synergistically produce force, reduce force and dynamically stabilize the entire kinetic chain(body) in all 3 planes of motion.

Neuromuscular efficiency enables a person to maintain balance during functional movement patterns whether on the field of play or in day to day activities. In addition neuromuscular stabilization increases your coordination and decreases the chance of injury.

Balance is a component of all movement whether resistance training, speed training, skill training or flexibility dominates the movements in question.

Examples:

1 leg squat, touch & reach
Dynamic single squats(3 planes)

It is very important to include all 5 of these types of contractions when training the core.

Are you asking yourself…”when am I going to fit all of this in?”

It is simple. Pick 1 exercise from each type of contraction above. Perform it for 30-60 seconds, then immediately move to the next exercise without rest and complete the movement for 30-60 seconds and so forth.

That’s a NO MORE than 5 minutes total. Do this five minute circuit right after your warm-up and you are good to go.

Check out these  two fast core workouts…

You don’t have to spend a lot of time on core training if you are exercising properly though. Train like an Athlete – Training explosively, using 1 arm, 1 leg, total body movements, like the 1 arm clean & jerk or 1 arm snatch, have a much greater impact(10x’s more!) on the core than doing 100′s of sit-ups and crunches everyday.

So now you know and it’s FINALLY time to put an end to the 30 minute “ab workouts”, ab rollers, crunches, sit-ups or anything else you are waisting your time with.  : )

Committed to YOUR fitness success,

Ryan Miller
Wellness Coach
Licensed Trainer