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The 6 Steps to Fat Loss Success for Beginners

The 6 Steps to Fat Loss Success for Beginners

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

For beginners, getting into fitness can be intimidating and confusing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, getting fit is one of the most straightforward tasks you’ll attempt in the New Year. Fortunately, reaching your fitness goals requires only two things; discipline (that’s up to you) and a set of simple guidelines (which I’m happy to provide).

First, you should arrange for a full physical examination from your physician. This is mandatory for people that have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or are obese. Once you have your doctor’s approval to begin a fitness program, you should schedule a fitness assessment with a health professional at your gym.

While both of these are incredibly annoying, they are essential to your success and well-being. The benefits of a doctor’s visit are obvious, particularly if you have one or more of the previously mentioned conditions but it also allows you and your doctor to discuss your lifestyle. Preventative medicine is far better than reactive medicine. Make your doctor part of your fat loss and health-building team along with the health professionals at your gym.

The real benefits of the fitness assessment aren’t finding out how much body fat you have or how many minutes you can last on the treadmill, but rather getting a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. If you want to avoid injury and actually achieve your goals this year, get to know your strengths and weaknesses.

The next secret is to walk, don’t run, to fitness success. If you want to pick up your University running workouts where you left them 10 years ago, that’s fine. But I guarantee you won’t last 10 days. And then it’ll be a dreary 355 days until you’re ready to try exercise again.

The hidden benefit of a good fitness assessment is that it will actually serve as a nice introductory workout to your return to fitness. It will buffer your delusions of fitness grandeur from the reality of what your body actually can do. After the fitness assessment teaches your body a lesson and awakens your muscles from their winter slumber, only then will you realize your limits that you must respect in subsequent workouts.

Goal-setting is the fourth secret to success (and not just in fitness, but in any area of life). It is much more effective to commit to a set of specific short-term and long-term goals than it is to routinely hope for weight loss each year.

Set realistic goals and remember to train within your limits. If you are currently sedentary and haven’t exercised in months (or years), don’t begin an advanced training program. Start with a conservative beginner program. Your belly wasn’t built in a day, and neither will be lost overnight.

Limit your initial workouts to 1 set per muscle group. In week 2, you should be ready to add another set. And if you want to build up to 3 sets, then do so in week 3. Slowly increase the weight and stay within your desired repetition range. At no time should you be too sore to function. And runners should also heed this advice. Too much running will guarantee shin splints in the early going. Avoid running on back to back days for the first two weeks and keep the distance short. Sore muscles are guaranteed when you lift. So keep the volume low.

And now for 2 super secrets that will help keep you committed and consistent with your workouts and will finally help you lose fat for good.

First, build your social support team. Social support is the #1 factor for success for women in fitness programs, and is important for men as well. Support can come from your spouse, brother or sister, child, mom or dad, friend, neighbor, co-worker, personal trainer, or lifestyle coach. Don’t try to go it alone. People respond better when they report to a person instead of a machine.

You also need to know that nutrition is the second most important factor for success in fat loss programs. That’s why you don’t need to train like a world-class athlete when you are starting to lose fat. Most of the fat you’ll lose in the early going is because you have chosen to make better nutritional choices. And if you don’t make better nutritional choices, even the best exercise program in the world isn’t going to help you achieve your fat loss goals.

Nutrition is a lot simpler than you think. Don’t over think things. See a nutritionist or listen to what your mother told you as a kid. Food choices should contain a large nutrient-to-calorie ratio. Dr. Phil (yes that Dr. Phil) calls this “High-Response Cost, High-Yield Nutrition”. And follow this rule: Don’t eat foods with added sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, but make sure to log your nutritional intake. This is a free website that allows you to track your calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

The consistent use of these 6 secrets will help you achieve your fat loss goals this year. Make this year’s fitness plan a strategic investment in your future health. The most efficient and effective way to lose fat in 2005 is with my Turbulence Training workouts – the choice of fitness professionals.

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines and all over the Internet, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

The Latest Nutrition Info

The Latest Nutrition Info

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Big News! Craig Ballantyne has added a brand new set of
Turbulence Training Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines to the TT
package. This new report comes from nutrition expert, Dr. Chris
Mohr, Ph.D. Today we want to introduce Chris to you, and get him to answer some tough fat loss nutrition questions.So first, Dr. Mohr’s credentials…

Dr. Chris Mohr is a consultant to a number of media outlets and
corporations including the Discovery Health Channel, Clif Bar, Fit Fuel, and Labrada Nutrition. He has authored or co-authored several textbooks and has written nearly 500 articles.

Dr. Mohr has bachelors and masters degrees in Nutrition, from Penn State University and the University of Massachusetts, respectively. He received his PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Pittsburgh and is also a registered dietitian.

Through his company, Mohr Results, Dr. Mohr offers consultations, provides corporate seminars, and will soon be providing nutrition services for trainers.

Now, before we get to the interview with Dr. Mohr, I have something to admit:

Nutrition is more important than training.

There, I said it. In fact, I’ve admitted it all along. It doesn’t
matter how good the Turbulence Training workouts are, you won’t get maximum results without the right nutrition.

And that’s why I’ve gone to Dr. Mohr to get his advanced fat loss tips.
CB: For fat loss, what kind of shake is best after weights? Do we
need high-carb, sugar shakes?

CM:
I still think this is an important meal to get some carbohydrates
in to fuel you for your next workouts, since carbohydrate intake is likely low throughout the remainder of the day.

Even during a fat loss phase, I recommend folks get at least a 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein.
CB: But what about sugar specifically? If a client is 35, 5’10”, and 21% body fat, does he need sugar in his post-workout drink?

CM:
I do still think simple carbs are important during this recovery
period.

Carbs don’t have to be the enemy—if the rest of your carb intake is mainly veggies, the post workout simple carbs will be a Godsend.

You’ll suck that right up, you’ll feel stronger, and have better
subsequent workouts. You should be training hard enough to be able to lose the fat…it’s not all about the carbs.

I would go 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein…around 30:30 of a
combination of malto/glucose/sucrose or any high GI ingredients with a whey isolate and/or hydrosylate.
CB: Does post-workout nutrition change for interval training?

CM:
I believe it does, because while you’re exercising at a
high-intensity, the amount of glycogen depletion and protein
degradation that’s going on is lower than with a longer duration,
intense weight workout.

It is still an important time for feeding (after exercise), but I
wouldn’t recommend the same high intake of carbs:protein as I would after a tough weight workout.

Like before, go with the 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein – that is, of
course, unless you were just out there doing intervals for an hour (but then you’d basically be superhuman).
CB: What are your thoughts on eating before bed?

CM:
This is a time I like a protein and fat meal, to help slow the
digestion of those nutrients during a time when it’s likely you
will be breaking down some muscle tissue.

I am “ok” with some carbs, but if you do eat them, focus on veggies or something similar and don’t sit down to a Thanksgiving meal and then immediately close your eyes.
CB: Everyone seems to know the general protein rule for gaining muscle (1g per pound bodyweight), but how much protein do we need when trying to lose fat?

CM:
This is suffice for losing fat as well. Maintaining this intake,
with a moderate fat intake as well, will help provide the necessary nutrients since you want to lose as much fat as possible, yet maintain as much lean body mass as possible.

You can’t get around the fact that weight loss does take some
reduction in calorie intake (or very high amount of calorie
expenditure), so focus your intake on lean proteins, healthy fats,
and always think fiber, not carbs.
CB: Give us one of your “secret” advanced fat loss nutrition tips…please!

CM:
Losing fat without the addition of intervals is like riding a bike
through sand – sure it will work, but your progress won’t be nearly as fast.

Replace all simple carbohydrates with their high-fiber
counterparts, and make sure you’re eating at least one vegetable each and every meal.
CB: What do you think of “calorie cycling” diets – where you drop your calories for a couple of days, then bump them up, etc. Is there any research to support this approach?

CM:
To my knowledge it’s all anecdotal.

Theoretically, it seems as if it may work; however, it would be
near impossible to design a well controlled study to test the
theory.

With that said, it’s hard to make specific recommendations because there’s nothing to base it off of.
CB: And let’s finish off with your thoughts on fish oil – dosage,
quality, etc.

CM:
They kick ass—general health, 2-4 g/day. Elevated TG I would go higher, increasing in a stepwise manner, up to 8g or so (not a
blanket statement, but individualized). Always speak with MD first since it does decrease clotting time…contraindicated if on blood thinning medications.

Preliminary research with weight loss shows it’s promising—2-3 studies to my knowledge. I do believe higher quality fish oils are important. Fish oil shouldn’t give you fishy burps or taste fishy at all.

Two favorites are Nordic Naturals and Carlson. Fish oils are
screened very well for mercury and other contaminants, particularly ones like NN and Carlson.

CB: Thanks Chris. This is great. I look forward to adding your nutrition knowledge to my Turbulence Training workouts…I guarantee that this combination will help everyone lose fat and gain muscle.

More nutrition interviews with Dr. Mohr are on the way.

If you have any other questions, just let me know.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. Big Nutrition Announcement!

The Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women – written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., is ready for you.

Here are just some of the things you’ll learn from Dr. Mohr…

1) How to calculate your calorie needs (p. 6)

2) Calorie recommendations for obese individuals (p.7)

3) The 23 types of sugar (many hidden!) to avoid (p. 9)

4) The 20 whole-grain sources to fuel your fat loss program (p9)

5) Over 60 fruits and vegetables that should be added to your diet (p. 10)

6) The 16 protein sources you should select most often (p. 13)

7) Shocking trans-fat content of 18 common foods – find out which food is the deadliest in terms of fat content (p. 16)

8 ) The 9 Fat Sources you should select most often (p. 17)

9) Dr. Mohr’s 12 Rules for Fat Loss (p. 18)

10) The TT Nutrition Plan for Men (p. 19)

11) The TT Nutrition Plan for Women (p. 23)

12) Bonus Supplement Report: The Truth About Fat Loss Pills (p. 27)
About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Top 5 Fat Loss Tips

Top 5 Fat Loss Tips

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Men’s Fitness magazine recently asked me for 3 of my best fat loss secrets. Since most times the magazines just don’t have enough space to run my full tips, I thought I’d give you a more detailed explanation of my secrets here (plus a few extra bonus tips that I didn’t send to the magazine).Secret #1 – Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your
fat-loss workouts.

Sounds backwards, right? But not when you look at how I structure my workouts. Remember that Turbulence Training focuses on resistance training and interval training. Both of these use carbohydrate as the main source of energy. So it’s obvious the workout is designed to burn carbohydrates during the training session.

I have no interest in you trying to train in your “target heart
rate zone” for fat burning (aka – the fat burning zone). The whole idea of a fat-burning zone is an over-simplified idea of how the body works during exercise.

Leave the inefficient fat burning zone to the mis-educated
trainers in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your “fat
burning heart rate zone”).

If you want to get the most results in the least amount of time,
focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat.

Why do my fat loss workouts focus on burning carbohydrate rather than fat? In order to burn more calories after the workout, that’s why. When you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training, your body uses more calories in the hours after exercise than it would if you did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights.

Alwyn Cosgrove calls this ‘afterburn’, and I call it ‘Turbulence’.
By any name it gives you the same results – maximum
improvements in your body composition (helping you lose fat while gaining muscle).

Secret #2 – Use a range of repetitions in your strength training
workouts.

In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout. My workouts now use 6, 8, and 12 reps per set in order to work the muscle the most effectively.

This will burn more carbohydrates and promote as much muscle growth as possible when you are keeping the calories low.

Secret #3 – Use the stationary cycle for interval training.

I choose the stationary bike for intervals whenever possible
because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.

Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a large
amount of mechanical work, and that is a key determinant of the Turbulence in my training.

But please note: I don’t use low-intensity, fast pedaling
‘spinning’ intervals as I’m convinced that the hard, resistance
based intervals are more effective for fat loss. My clients only
cycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.

I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to do
intervals. Use what works for you, but if you are at a plateau, try the bike.

Secret #4 – Increase meal frequency

Okay, so this isn’t really a secret to anyone that has read about
fat loss. But a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition showed that eating 6 times per day was associated with eating fewer calories per day, lowering cholesterol levels, and lowering post-meal insulin levels.

Combine an increased meal frequency with an increased protein and fiber intake, and you’ll see your body composition improve rapidly.

If you need more nutrition help, then you’ll love the new
Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women – written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.

See below for more details…

Secret #5 – My Synergistic Turbulence Training Workouts

My Turbulence Training Fat Loss workouts are fast becoming the most effective way to burn fat, build muscle, and get lean. The synergistic strength training-interval training workouts are
efficient and effective – getting you in and out of the gym in
under an hour.

Here are some tips that you can use for an advanced training phase

– use these tips for 2 weeks then return to your normal training
schedule:

a) Add 10 seconds to each interval but maintain the intensity

b) Add in some bodyweight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in the morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do your bodyweight circuits after dinner; otherwise, do the bw circuits first thing in the AM, and then do your regular workout at lunch or later in the afternoon or evening)

If you are advanced, you can use squats, pushups, and bodyweight rows for your circuit.

If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified pushups, and stick-ups.

c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you do
in each workout.

Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of two
weeks, then return to a normal training schedule.

But always stick to the best fat loss nutrition plan possible.