Turn New Year Resolutions into Real Results Pt.1

January 12, 2009 By

 

I’m going to toot my own horn for a quick minute before I begin todays post: I can get you into shape. Period.

Over the last several years, I have helped countless people achieve the lean body of their dreams faster than they ever thought possible. The truth is I know how to help people lose ugly, unwanted body fat faster than you can imagine. A huge part of this is because of the workouts I design for my boot camps. The combination of
interval cardio, core work and strength training partnered with a top notch nutrition program, makes for an unbeatable system that is second to none when it comes to turning out boot camp babes. I have done the countless hours of
research and trial and error and I have had hundreds of people as real world case studies to prove that my system flat out works. But guess what? There is a secret weapon even more powerful than a booty kicking boot camp workout and today I am going to share it with you. This is truly step one when it comes to starting a new fitness routine.

So, what is the real secret behind my client success? Well, if you answered the training and nutrition program I just
shamelessly bragged about, you are wrong. Yes, it’s an incredible program, but the best laid out plan and program is useless unless you start AND stick with it.

So, I ask you again, what’s the real secret behind my client’s success? The answer: finding the motivation to achieve your goals, and that’s the main focus of this article today. I am going to literally walk you through the initial consult and three step goal setting process that each one of my clients undergoes before they start working with us. This is so important to weight loss success that I developed a complete step-by-step program that I now require all my new boot camp ladies to complete within their first week at boot camp.

Ok, so by now maybe your finger is hovering over the mouse ready to move onto another web site, because really what is all this mumbo-jumbo? You just want to get your butt kicked and get it kicked hard again and again. All this goal setting and mindset stuff is so cheesy. Did I call you out?

I know a lot of people think goal setting is just a cheesy, useless thing. And guess what? As recently as a few years ago, I half-way would have agreed with you. But over the last several years, it has become undeniable to me the difference in the women I work with who clearly give attention to goal setting and mindset, and those that don’t. The bottom line is that the most successful people out there, and I mean not just weight loss success, I am talking business, lifestyle, etc., are shamelessly goal driven. They know exactly why they want to do something and
harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to
teach you how to do today, so let’s get to it!

Step One- The Why: Why do you want to do this?

This is where it’s time to get real. In almost every initial consult I do, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:

"Well, I just want to get healthy and lose weight I guess."

Lie. They don’t know their lying, they aren’t trying to lie, but it’s a lie all the same. Sure, I know they want to lose weight and be healthy, I mean who doesn’t, but really WHY do they want to do this? I mean, what is it that’s going to get them up at 5 am to get their morning workouts in or take a couple of hours on Sunday to plan and prepare their meals for the upcoming week? It sure isn’t "being healthy" because for some reason this just isn’t a very powerful motivator for most people (though it should be).

Let’s face it: everybody, including YOU, is initially driven by the desire to look better in a bikini, a cute little business suit or heck, even naked. Stop giggling, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay because the desire to improve one’s appearance is the most powerful motivator there is.

So, after a little digging, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; I find their pain and then establish their current and future ambitions. Some people want to get back into their favorite pair of pants that they haven’t been able to get one leg into for the last five years. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships and/or put for their best image at work. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines. Wanting to get as lean and tight as possible to rock that dream bathing suit in Hawaii, or get off the plane in Atlanta when visiting family you haven’t seen in two years to blow them away with your new body, or being a classic beauty in your wedding dress on the big day, it all works! This is the stuff that gets people jacked up and ready to commit to making some real changes. How do I know? Well, I just shared with you verbatim the exact "WHY’S" of some of my own clients.

So, the first thing you have to figure out is your personal WHY. To make this even simpler for you, just answer this question:
what are your physical dreams? Once you establish this, everything else is easy.

Come back for step 2 in turning your new years resolution into real results.

Stay focused

Sarai Jones

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tell Others About Your Goals, Success Will Follow

January 5, 2009 By

 

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You,
too? Thought I was the only one.’” (C.S. Lewis)

Are you ready to start eating healthier, maybe lose a few pounds, or sculpt some sexy lean muscle —it’s good to find a fitness friend, maybe even several! Experts say sharing your goals with others is vital to achieving them.

But you can’t just pick anyone, your choices also play a huge part on whether your fitness buddies will help or hinder you. Keep these tips in mind:

Avoid the crabs- We’ve all come across these people in our lives, the ones that would rather pull us down with them than see us succeed. The ones who have the habit of belittling or ridiculing the goals of others. Stay away! Once you realize that someone is a negative energy on you avoid discussing your personal goals and trials with them. No good will come from it.

Don’t expect one fitness buddy to your all-in-one- You may have one friend that has every calorie chart memorized and every fat gram accounted for. Use her as your buddy to help you keep your eating in check. Is another friend of yours a workout fiend? They are probably your best pick as an exercise motivator. Spreading out your support system will keep any one of your friends from feeling like they took on a second job! But remember you can’t just take, take, take. Make sure you are giving back to your fitness buddies as well.

Look Outside Your Normal Circle Of Friends – Can’t think of anyone in your life that currently fits the bill as a fitness buddy? There are many online health/weight loss related forums, chat rooms and social communities that are very beneficial for maintaining your motivation. For in person support, consider joining an exercise class like an outdoor fitness boot camp. Not only will being apart of a class hold you accountable to a schedule and give you nutritional guidance, it also instantly gives you several fitness buddies who have the same goals you do.

If you are in the Elk Grove or Livermore, Ca area and want to see what happens when social support, professional guidance and booty kicking workouts come together, come check out my boot camps

Achieving your goals takes daily attention. Letting others know what you working towards takes courage and also hold you accountable to someone else. It is a very powerful step that should not be overlooked. Once you take that step, not only are you more likely to follow though on your goals, but you’ll also have a good time with your fitness buddies as you do it together!

Stay focused

Sarai Jones

Booty Boot Camp

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness Tagged With: , , , , ,

Duathletes! We Set The New Year Off Right!

January 3, 2009 By

 

We ran, we biked, we prayed, we ran some more, we cursed whoever thought of signing us all up for this ;), but in the end we all felt like WARRIORS!

Today, Saturday January 3rd, 12 of my boot camp ladies and myself became duathletes!

Whew! It was crazy tough and awesome!

Although we had been practicing together over our long holiday break, race day threw a few curves at us that we didn’t expect. Like the fact that the run was a trail run, not the flat paved roads we’d been practicing on.

We single tracked it 2 miles with 300 other people through sand, dirt, puddles, horse patties (gross) and hills that felt like mountains!

The 7 mile bike ride was next and although it was on a paved course, it had WAY more ups and downs than we anticipated. We all needed a crash course in gear shifting for that roller coaster ride. Ultimately some of the boot campers decided it would be faster to run their bike up the hills than to ride (next time we’ll practice that gear thing a little more).

The conclusion was another go round on that 2 mile trail run, only this time we all had to do it with a pair of legs that felt like rubber (this is where the cursing whoever talked us into this came in). There was no stopping now however and we all huffed and puffed and fell through across the finish line.

Mission accomplished!

All of the boot campers are at various stages of fitness. One of the participants had only been a member of boot camp for two weeks. Another camper has been in camp since March of ’08 and everyone else fell
somewhere in between.

Most of us beat the personal finish times we set for ourselves. But all of us felt like we had now raised the bar on what our bodies can do.

It’s funny, somewhere right in the middle of the whole thing you ask yourself why you ever decided to do this. But by the end your asking the organizers when the next one is! We all plan on returning in April to tackle the challenge again and hopefully knock some minutes off our time.

If you live in Elk grove or Livermore we’d love to have you on team Booty Boot Camp.

I’ll be your biggest cheer leader!

Stay focused

Sarai D. Jones

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness Tagged With: , , , ,

The New Year’s Resolution Trap

January 1, 2009 By

 

New Year’s day…it never fails to evoke feelings of hope and renewal, but is it really a trap?

You’ve been handed a proverbial clean slate – another chance to shrug off your bad habits and reach for your dreams.

In an attempt to bottle that New Year’s vigor, you’ll make a few New Year’s Resolutions. But before you put pen to paper, you ought to know this:

It has been reported that 92 % of all New Year’s Resolutions end in failure.

That means that less than 1 out of every 10 people will successfully accomplish their resolutions in 2009.

Ouch – those statistics are brutal. Who in their right mind would take the time to make resolutions when failure is that imminent?

As your trusted source for fitness advice, I’d like to coach you though this sticky situation. Yes, most people fail to achieve their New Year’s Resolutions. However, I am going to clue you in on what the 92% do wrong and teach you what the 8% who succeed do right.

First up, the 92% who failed. These well meaning folks shared a common mistake that put the nail in their coffin before they’d even begun.

They bit off more than they could chew.

In all the excitement of becoming a better person and changing their life in the New Year they made the crucial mistake of committing to do too much. But reality set in, a few weeks or even days into their reformed life, and they gave up.

The 92% gave themselves an easy way out. They approached their resolution with an ‘all or nothing’ attitude. Once the ‘all’ became too tough they opted for ‘nothing’. And just like that another resolution ended in failure – end of story.

Now let’s examine the 8% who succeed with their resolutions year after year. The key to their success is quite simple (you may have even guessed it by now).

They set realistic goals.

I’ll repeat that… they set REALISTIC goals.

  • Instead of resolving to lose 50 pounds by June, they commit to exercise 3-4 times each week.
  • Instead of resolving to give up all carbs, they commit to bring healthy snacks to work instead eating from the vending machine.
  • Instead of resolving to drop 3 sizes in 3 months, they commit to losing 1 pound each week until they reach their desired size.
  • Instead of resolving to never eat out again, they commit to eating healthy all week and rewarding themselves with one meal out on the weekends.

Did you see the difference?

If you want your resolution to stick then think of something simple and realistic. Sure, it certainly won’t sound as cool as the resolutions that the 92% make – but they aren’t going to keep theirs anyway.

Remember that the whole point of making a New Year’s Resolution is to become a healthier, happier and more successful person. Small changes done consistently will make a big difference.

If your New Year’s Resolution has to do with losing weight and getting into great shape (and whose isn’t?) then guarantee your success by working with a fitness expert who can show you the ropes and guide you to success.

I’d love to team up with you – together we will transform your body in 2009!

Call or email to get started today. Booty Boot Camp begins January 5th!

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Fat loss, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

10 Last Minute Fitness Gifts for 2008

December 19, 2008 By

 

It’s down to the wire, if you are still at the mall wandering around looking for a few last minute gifts, let me help you out with a few things I think any fitness minded person would be happy to receive or maybe even pick one or two of these up for yourself. After all, who doesn’t want to look or perform better? Here is official my top 10 list of the best last minute fitness gifts
for 2008:

1.) Polar Heart Rate Monitor

Price: $110 and up

These little gadgets are useful for so many things. Of course it monitors your hear rate, but many models also calculate calories burned during a workout and the time it takes you to recover. They are also a stop watch, lap counter and count down clock. One of the ways I love to use mine is by starting the week off at zero calories, I then let my calories accumulate from each workout and I make the goal of hitting 3500 calories by the end of the week (the amount needed to shed 1lb of body weight). When I’m on the treadmill and think I can’t run another mile or do another interval I focus on my big goal and push through it. Polar is probably the most popular, high-end brand but there are a lot of good ones out there in every price range. However if only the best will do –polar just released their first heart rate monitor with GPS capability.

2.) Resistance Bands

Price: $10-30 (higher quality one will last longer)

Don’t be fooled by their looks, resistance bands are by far the most simple, convenient, and affordable equipment option in the fitness industry. Not only are they the perfect compliment to your body weight circuit training workouts, but they also allow for multiple levels of resistance to keep you progressing. They supply total portability for killer workouts that can be done
anywhere. You can find bands at most sporting goods stores and also at some major discount stores like Ross and Tj Maxx.

3.) New Workout Clothes

Price: $25 on up

There is nothing like new clothes to get you motivated to move. However, often times women want to hold off on spending money on themselves until they lose weight (It doesn’t make sense, but it’s how we are sometimes). So why not treat the women in your life to a few nice looking exercise outfits to get them started. Now I have far too many exercise tops and pants, (far, far too many) but when I do need to add to my collection, I love the quality and fit of www.otomix.com .

4.) A Foam Roller

Price: $24.95

Foam rollers are a growing fitness trend, but they are here to stay. If you’re like most people, you spend a lot of your day nailed to a desk. And when you actually do have time to workout, all you usually can fit in is the workout itself. Really, who has time for daily stretching?

Well that’s where a foam roller comes in. It’s ideal to use for at least five minutes post-workout to promote healing of the small micro-tears in your muscles that result from high-intensity training to jumpstart the recovery process. Plus, a foam roller both kneads out and lengthens your muscle and connective tissues thus alleviating, if not eliminating, nagging aches and pains in your back, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows.

If you’re going to get a foam roller, get a good one. The cheaper options tend to wear down into a limp noodle for larger individuals after a couple of months. Check out the Perform Better brand for a high quality option.

5.) A Gift Card to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or Other Premium Grocery Stores

Price: $ 5 on up

Instead of gift card to a fancy restaurant where the receiver is more than likely to over indulge in some fancy, fatty foods, why not give a week’s worth of groceries to a more health conscious grocer like Trader Joes. Of course, not everything in these stores are what I would consider “clean eating” but just being in there surrounded by mostly fresh, organic food definitely
puts eating healthier at the front on my mind.

If my Booty Boot Camp girls here me talk about Trader Joe’s low-fat plain Greek yogurt one more time I think they are going to shove a container of it down my throat! (gotta check that stuff out by the way, so yummy).

A few years ago I rarely stepped inside of a Trader Joe’s market because I assumed it was all over priced. But man was I wrong! In fact items like super lean ground beef and organic Salmon are actually a lot cheaper than at the mass chain super markets. I used to do about 15% of my shopping at Trader Joes and the rest at the mass super markets but now that has been totally flipped. The key is to go in with a budget in mind (e.g. spend $50 bucks on protein, $20 on fruits and veggies, and $10 on miscellaneous items) only buying what you need.

6.) Go Wallet by Shoewallet

Price: about $10

When I run I need to have my keys on me and I’d also like to have my i.d on me in case of an emergency, but lugging a purse on a run is not an option. The answer? A shoe wallet! Large enough to hold your keys, ID, and even a little cash (in case of emergency), it’s a must-have for outdoor exercisers and people who enjoy an active lifestyle. They come in a variety of styles, colors and sizes. Look for them online or at your local sporting goods store.

 

7.) Supplements that Work: Protein Powders, Fish Oil, Multi-Vitamin

Open any fitness magazine and you are bound to be bombarded with ads for one “clinically tested” miracle pill after another. Well I’m here to tell you that I have helped hundreds of people lose thousands of pounds of fat, and In my journey, I have found only three supplements to be a mandatory part of the optimal fat loss program: protein powders, fish oil, and multi-vitamin supplements.

Protein powders provide great liquid workout nutrition and a convenient meat alternative for on-the-go snacking. I like Prograde “lean”. It’s more than just a protein powder, it’s a total meal replacement so you can just shake and
go with a healthy alternative to fast food or the office bagels. See it at ProGrade Nutrition

Fish oil, or more appropriately entitled an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement, is critical to providing key omega 3’s to maximize overall health, performance, and body composition. Studies show that krill oil provides the
most effective dosing of EFA’s.

A multi-vitamin provides keys vitamins and minerals that are tough to obtain unless your diet is near picture perfect. I don’t know about you, but I like to cover my bases when it comes to my health. Be sure to choose a multi-vitamin supplement that is made from whole foods rather than synthetic materials, in addition to being made specifically for your gender.

My clients and I are totally digging Prograde VGF+25 and EFA Icon, both included in Prograde’s Health+ Package available at Prograde nutrition

 

8.) Sport-Specific Gift

 

This one’s pretty basic: if you want to give a great gift to an athlete then get them something unique that compliments their sport, whether it be fitness equipment, apparel, or both.

9.) Fitness Book or Subscription to Fitness Magazine

My recommendation is: Mindless Eating, by Brian Wasnik

Price: $12.95

The name says it all. We have all been in a social situation and found ourselves on “autopilot” munching away with no thought to what or how many calories we are putting in our bodies. This book looks at how social settings and other
“external” factors trigger mindless overeating, and how you can manage these cues.

 

10.) A Gift Card to a Fitness Boot Camp

Boot camps provide a fun and exciting team environment that guarantee better results than one-on-one personal training for only a third of the cost… what could be better than that?

Look for a local fitness boot camp with tons of social proof (client testimonials, especially in the form of pictures and video) to make sure they have a solid reputation and a bunch of raving fans of people just like you. Plus, any good boot campworth its weight offers free trials and money-back guarantees to all newcomers because they are so confident their program works that you’ll more than likely continue after a test-drive, this way there is typically no risk on your part.

So join a fitness boot camp with at least one other friend or family member or buy a boot camp gift card to give to your loved ones. As a boot camp instructor myself, I know first hand that clients always get better results when they embark on a fitness journey with others.

And if you live in the local Elk Grove or Livermore, ca., come work with us for the best personal training in both Elk Grove and Livermore by visiting www.FitBootyCamps.com We’ll change your life and have you looking better than ever this New Year, guaranteed!

Stay focused on your goals and I’ll see you in the new year!

Sarai D. Jones

Booty Boot Camp

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Forget the Clock

December 8, 2008 By

 

You know I love intervals. They are simply the fastest, most effective way to get rid of unwanted flab and jiggle. But, sometimes a session of steady state cardio is in order.

For example, all though I run a fitness company, I still end up sitting for a large part of the day. I’m not quite as active in my day-to-day work life as I used to be when I was a full time personal trainer. It goes with the territory. Someones got to do the paperwork right?

So anyway, even with my vigorous workouts each day, I still feel like I need some good old fashioned movement. Does that sound familiar? Do you have an office job where you sit all day with only a trip to the printer to break up the seat time?

So for me, a few times each week in addition to taking my dogs for walks I do long steady cardio sessions to help me reach my 10,000 steps a day. And I have to admit, it can get a bit tedious. So I try to focus on something other than the clock to pass the time.

What about you? How often do you check the clock while doing cardio? Those last ten minutes seem to crawl by don’t they?

Well instead of focusing on every remaining second think of how great it feels to get into shape and give yourself soemthing else to do.

Here’s what I do so I actually look forward to my long cardio sessions:

1) I load up a great playlist that keeps me pumped. For me it’s songs from singers like Beyonce and Ciara.

2) Sometimes I plan my cardio so it falls at a time when a favorite TV show is on. That way I can watch and sweat at the same time.

3)I download an iclimb or itread workout from itrain.com those always leave me worked and far from bored.

4) I bring a book. It took me a few sessions to get the coordination right but yes, I can read and run at the same time. All the way up to about 6.5mph, any faster and the book has to close. With my busy schedule it’s often the only time I get to read so I actually look forward to doing my cardio so I can dig into my book again.

And some days I do it all, I load up a itread, read on the parts that are a little slower and watch my favorite TV show when the pace picks up to a full out run. Whew! I exercise my brain as well keeping all that in order.

I actually find I often work out a little longer than planned just so I can read, watch or listen a little more.

I’ll never give up my intervals but when steady state cardio is on the menu, this is how I get it done.

Give it a try!

Sarai D. Jones

Booty Boot Camp

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness Tagged With: ,

Your Weight Will Change Over The Next 2 Months!

November 19, 2008 By

 

Will It Be Up Or Down?

It’s here-just look at the seasonal shelves in your favorite store. Retailers
refer to this time as the holiday season, but I like to be more accurate.

Weight Gain season starts now and runs straight through New Year’s.

The next two months will bring ample opportunity for you to indulge, to
enjoy and to expand your waistline. Of course the choice is yours.

Why
do I bring this up now and not mid way through December? Quite frankly
now is the time for you to plan for the weeks ahead. Once the
whirlwind of activities and obligations begins, you’ll be too caught up to put a
plan into action.

So in this moment of clarity, this calm before the
storm, let’s outline a plan that will save you from unwanted holiday pounds.


1) Put Your Feet to the Fire: Exercise is the first thing to go when
people get busy, and this time of year is notorious for deserted gyms. This year
do something drastic -obligate yourself to exercise. Promising to yourself isn’t
enough, you need to promise to others so that you won’t drop the ball.

  • Commit to working with a fitness expert – the perfect solution for
    consistent, challenging and effective workouts. You’ll get the attention and
    assistance that you need to power through this time of year in better shape than
    ever – talk about motivating!
    Booty Bootcamp is a great way to lend you that
    kind of commitment at a bargain price!
  • Get your spouse involved – what a great way to spend more time together
    during this busy season, and you’ll be able to support each other in your shared
    quest for fitness. Decide on an exercise activity that you can both enjoy and
    set a schedule for your workout dates.

2) Cut the Fat: I mean this literally. I’m not going to
imply that you shouldn’t indulge in any seasonal treats, but think moderation.
So often the holidays are used as an excuse to eat until the point of being
uncomfortable – would you really miss that bloated feeling? Decide on a few
fattening treats to cut out this year.

  • Do you really need to bring sweets for everyone in the office, especially
    since you know that you will end up with the leftovers? How about a fruit basket
    or flower arrangement?
  • At parties load your plate first with greens, vegetables and lean meats
    before breads and heavier foods. Also drink water with your meal and keep
    alcoholic beverages to a minimum.
  • Watch what you drink, most beverages are filled to the brim with calories.
    Hot drinks from Starbucks, cocktails at parties and eggnog around a crackling
    fire-all very enjoyable and all filled with empty calories.
  • At no other time in the year are we faced with so many sweets. To indulge a
    little and avoid adding pounds to your frame, try the one treat rule. Each time
    you’re in a social situation that involves sweets just eat one, and enjoy your
    treat slowly.

If you truly want to enjoy this time of year without dealing with added
pounds it is all in your hands. The key is your mindset.

Most people
approach this time of year with the mindset that says ‘I deserve to indulge and
I shouldn’t have to exercise since it’s the holidays.’ This is fine if you don’t
mind entering 2009 a few pounds heavier, a little less healthy, and with lower
energy than ever before.

I believe that you deserve better. I believe
that you should enter 2009 in better shape than you are today, healthier than
you’ve been in a long time, and with more energy that you thought possible.

I’m always available to help – call or reply to this email to learn more
about Booty Bootcamp and I’ll show you how you can see a lot of change over the
next few weeks to come.

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Fat loss, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 Times The Fat Loss With Circuit Training!

November 11, 2008 By

 

"I don’t have time to workout" I hear this all the time in my training business. You may have been guilty of saying this yourself when it comes to starting an exercise routine.

And no wonder. In the past, the cornerstone of most resistance training workouts has been performing exercises in a straight set format. Essentially, this means you perform a certain number of reps for a given exercise and then you rest anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes based on your training goals before repeating this set a certain number of times based on your goals. For more of a fat loss and lean muscle gain emphasis shorter rest periods are ideal. For more of a strength or power emphasis, longer rest periods are prescribed.

So what’s the problem with this format?

Well, let’s just say that 3-5 minutes is the average rest period between sets when using this format, and that 3 sets is generally the norm. Using these numbers, one exercise for one body part would take about 15 minutes to complete. That means in an hour you would have only completed 4 moves. That’s it. This might be ok if mass and strength are your goals, but if you are looking to burn some serious fat and reveal some sexy muscle, as most of us women are, this just won’t cut it.

A much more effective and time-efficient approach to ordering your exercises is utilizing the alternating set format. Here you’ll perform one exercise, rest for a short period of time, then perform another non-competing exercise, rest for a short period of time, and so forth. Alternating sets allow you to work different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s).

The result is improved training economy and density: more work accomplished in less time, the cornerstone of any sound fat loss program.

There are several ways to perform alternating sets outlined below:

Supersets: Alternate between two different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as push-ups and lunges)

Tri-sets: Alternate between three different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body
Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises

Though supersets and tri-sets are excellent alternating set options, I believe circuit training is by the far the best option time and time again. To demonstrate why,let’s examine my favorite circuit training template using timed set intervals:

50-10 Five Exercise Circuit: You will alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for all five exercises in the following 5-minute circuit:

Exercise#1- Alternating front lunges

Exercise#2- Dips

Exercise#3- Split squat

Exercise#4- Inverted pull-ups

Exercise#5- Alternating side planks

Perform this circuit up to four times for a 20-minute total body fat burning workout.

Do the math,in the same 15 minutes that it took to get in three sets on the bench you could have gotten in three sets of five different exercise for a staggering total of 15 work sets! And because you have four full minutes before you repeat an exercise your intensity level will not suffer at all.

To recap, the key to creating the optimal hormonal environment for fat loss is to perform each exercise with maximal intensity while separated by brief rest periods in order to accumulate a high volume of total body work in the shortest amount of time possible. Circuit training provides for the best of both worlds and is thus simply unmatched for simultaneously maximizing fat loss and sexy,lean muscle gain. Use the following template I use with my many boot camp clients for some killer, yet simple fat loss circuits:

Exercise#1- Double-Leg

Exercise#2-Push

Exercise#3-Single-Leg

Exercise#4-Pull

Exercise#5-Core

I’ll be posting a video later this week showing you a great circuit you can perform anywhere, so stay tuned.

Stay focused!

Sarai Jones

www.getfitwithsarai.com

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Fat loss Tagged With: , , , , , ,

One Step Closer

October 27, 2008 By

 

With each passing day and with each choice you make you are either getting closer to or further from your goals.

Very philosophical right?

On the surface I’m sure we all feel like we get this.

But do you really get it?

In the past I have found that most people don’t make much, if any progress toward achieving their fat loss and fitness goals.

People often stay stuck right where they are, over whelmed by the seemingly enormous task of getting fit.

If you feel like this is you, it’s time to break down the process of losing weight and getting fit and turn the experience into small steps you can take daily.

See, that’s how it really works. There isn’t a magic workout that you can do for one week and expect it to get you in the best shape of your life.

There is no perfect 7 day diet that will leave you looking like a movie star after following it for a short time.

You’re going to finally acheive your fitness and fat loss goals by moving closer every day with a series of choices and actions:

Make the time to work out – skip your workout.

Eat the cookie – leave it on the plate.

So, if you’re willing to do the work – dedicate 45-60 minutes a day to working toward your goals whether that be time spent doing a good workout or prepping your healthy food choices for the next day.

Each and every step counts!

Before long some of your goals will be realities.

Sarai D. Jones

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Fat loss, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , ,

Weight-Loss In A Pill?

October 26, 2008 By

 

Let’s be honest for a moment. You’ve seen the advertisements for weight loss pills-you know the ones with those amazing before and after pictures-and you’ve wondered to yourself…do they work?

Diet pills are everywhere, most of the "fitness" magazines you buy are nothing more than a few articles mixed in with the supplement ads.

You probably know someone who is dabbling with diet pills or maybe you’ve tried them yourself. Have you ever wondered how they work?

Weight loss pills can be broken down into 3 basic categories:

  1. Appetite Suppressants: These work just like it sounds. The appetite-regulating region of your brain (the hypothalamus) is tricked by blockage of the re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. As a result you feel like you’ve just eaten a big meal, so you’re less likely to overeat.
  2. Stimulants: These types of weight loss pills used to contain a combination of ephedra and caffeine to raise energy expenditure (thermogenesis) while also reducing appetite. You’re probably aware that these pills were proven in some cases to be deadly, so ephedra was taken off the market. Stimulant pills now contain other ephedra-like substances, vitamins and caffeine. The idea is to increase energy and boost metabolism.
  3. Fat Blockers: These pills inhibit the action of the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fat during the digestion process. The goal is to prevent a percentage of the fat you’ve eaten from being absorbed into your system.

So we return to our burning question. Do the pills work? Here’s what the diet pill companies say:

  • "You’ll lose 30lbs in 30 days"
  • "Achieve rapid weight loss results"
  • "Burn calories and fat 24 hours a day"
  • "Fights fat and delivers rapid weight loss"

Those claims are amazing…too bad they are just that-claims. It’s so tempting to imagine that those benefits could be gained just by swallowing a pill. Tempting enough to make diet pills a multibillion dollar a year industry. Hmmm, makes you wonder that if that many diet pills have been taken then why don’t we all look like swim suit models yet?

While diet pills showcase a few star subjects, none of whom live on your block, the world is full of real people who have lost weight and improved their lives with exercise and healthy eating. Check out these proven benefits of exercise:

  • Increased Weight Loss
  • Strengthens Heart and Lungs
  • Improved Sleep Pattern
  • Increased Strength
  • Improved Coordination
  • Raised Self Esteem
  • Renewed Confidence
  • Feel Good Endorphins
  • Feel Younger Than Ever
  • Improved Mood

A pill may slightly increase your metabolic rate for a time or may suppress your appetite, and you may lose a few pounds. However, a pill alone cannot produce serious or permanent weight loss. A pill cannot deliver the same results as healthy nutrition and regular exercise.

And weight loss pills have been known to give the following side effects:

  • Raised blood pressure
  • Increased risk of heart attack
  • Cramping, gas and diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Headaches
  • Dry Mouth
  • Insomnia

The bottom line is that true weight loss can’t be achieved by a pill.

If you really want to lose weight, if you’re looking for long term health benefits then look no farther than your sneakers. That’s right, lace them up and go for a jog. Then schedule a time to meet with me.

Together we will turn you into a walking talking billboard for the benefits of exercise.

I’m here for you

Sarai D. Jones

Get Fit With Sarai

Filed Under: Exercise and Fitness, Fat loss, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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