6/1/2008

Kicking Up Dust

or "Creating a fat loss cardio program & keeping goldfish alive"

A couple of months ago someone at my house had the bright idea of buying some goldfish.  Ok, so off to the pet store we went. Each of my sons got to choose which fish he wanted from the thousands of feeder goldfish.  Great, I thought, each fish was only 28 cents. Somehow, by the time we got out of there I had spent $100 on two 28 cent goldfish. What?  Yes, $100.

You can’t have that tank, you need this tank.  Don’t forget the filter, the food, the water treatment goo, the blue rocks, fake plants, fish scooper, tank scrubber and lastly the sunken pirate ship.

By the time it was all set up, Fishy Crackers and Batman Speed had some sweet new digs (yes, the boys each named their fish).

There was of course a problem, we had no idea how to take care of them. As of this writing we are currently the proud owners of Fishy Crackers III and Batman Speed III.  And yes, we did the “parent” thing and switched them out without telling the kids. Easy to do with fish. Yes, I feel guilty.

Each time we went for a replacement we had a conversation with the fish guy a the store.  It was likely we were feeding them too much, not changing the water enough, and not doing other stuff too. One thing the fish guy suggested was to take the tank scrubber and stir up the rocks.  That would kick up the old matter at the bottom and the filter would suck it out.

So what am I getting at?  Well first off, I got to rant about paying $100 for 2 goldfish( I feel much better, thanks), but more importantly it set up a great fat loss analogy. 

When working out for fat loss, there are 2 important things you must do: Mobilize and then utilize body fat.

So what is the difference?   It can get very chemically and biologically complicated, but you know me, I don’t let science get in the way of me making a point.

When we say “mobilize” we basically mean accessing the body fat and releasing it the blood stream. Cool right? Intense exercise does that pretty well.  There are several tricks you can use to make this happen more efficiently (certain supplements really help), but interval training has proven to be a real champ at getting this done.  The problem can come later.  So you have released the fat to be used as fuel, but if your body does not then use that fuel for something it can easily be re-deposited. That would just suck.  All that hard work to release the fat and then it just ends up right where it started.
That is where utilization comes in.  We need your body to have a reason to use the fat as fuel.  If you have set up your diet well and there is a sufficient caloric deficit then there is a good chance that the fat will be used as fuel and not re-deposited.  But what if I told you there was a way to make certain it got used, and super charge standard cardio to make it worth doing? Standard cardio can utilize fat for fuel fairly well.  But here is where many people get it wrong, standard cardio while good at utilizing fat for fuel can’t do so (at least not very well) if fat has not been previously released.

Get ready, here  it comes.

So let’s kick up some dust and get back to the fish analogy: Fish guy told me to stir up the rocks (interval training), then let the filter suck out the kicked up matter (cardio). Get it?  To create a insanely effective cardio program to augment your already solid fat loss weight training program what you have to do is simple- just combine interval training with standard cardio to reap the benefits of both.

Here is how I would set up a interval/cardio routine:

5 -10 mins warm up
4-8 mins interval work
20-30 mins cardio

You can play with the timing quite a bit, but the basics are simple: warm up, hit the intervals, walk for a while.

IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: The addition of a “cardio” training component assumes that you have time to add it in. Prioritize your fitness training events. Weight / Resistance training should be at the top of your list as that has the biggest metabolic bang for your buck.

Fat loss can be as tricky as keeping gold fish alive, or it can be as simple as learning how to properly care for them.  Once you know the guidelines it is not that tough.  I wish you luck in your fat loss endeavors, and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Wish me luck with my fish.

Joshua Carter, CPT
The Body Transformation Expert
Carter Fitness
http://carterfitness.com
818-337-6175

 

I Blame My Kids

For most things that don't work out the way we want in life it is easy to blame someone else. For many things I can simply blame my parents. I mean have you seen my nose? I mean come on.

But there is one particular thing that for which I can place the blame squarely on the shoulders of my 2 sons: my inability to sleep in.

I remember fondly the days of sleeping past 9 or even 10 in the morning.  There we occasions I even slept past noon - ah the good ol days.

I even remember having conversations with "morning people" telling me that eventually I would become one of them. Damn them.

As many parents are aware, kids get up early. Add to that they have no real concept of what a weekend is or what it should mean in regards to my sleep pattern.

Kids come in and wake you up no matter what. Everyday.

But unfortunately it has gotten even worse.  Now, even when they don't come in and wake me up before the sun rises- I wake up on my own. 

My internal alarm clock has been set, and it is stuck on "freakin' early".

Thank you Gabe, thank you Nate.

boys4

 

Who am I kidding, they are too cute to blame.  Maybe I should just blame my wife. I wonder if she reads these.  I guess I'll find out.

 

Joshua Carter
http://carterfitness.com

 

 

YIKES! - We're getting fatter

Something interesting came across my desk the other day. It was a report by the Center for Disease Control study of obesity trends in America from 1988 to 2006.  The numbers are simply staggering.  What was especially eye opening was to see the actual trends represented graphically.  It is one thing to say X % of the population is now obese.  It is quite another to see that only 15 years ago it was half that.

Click the above picture to see the actual animation.

The graphic above shows how much fatter we as a country have gotten.  Notice how nice and blue we were in 1988.  Then notice how red we are in 2006. It is shocking, sad and embarrassing all at once.

What can be done?  Do I have a solution?  Well yes and no.

I am going to steal a saying from David Brower of Friends of Earth – Think Globally, Act Locally.

Responsibility for our countries weighty issues starts at home.  You, my good friends are ahead of the curve as you are reading my blog/newsletter and are thus already conscious of your health and body fat levels.

Here is all you have to do:  Start with yourself.  Watch your nutrition and exercise.  Easy right?  Well… That’s ok,  there are resources to help.

Think Globally, Act Locally.  Soon your “local” actions will have a global effect.  Your positive changes can affect change in those around you.

Got kids?  Then make sure they eat well too.  They can follow your lead.

Got a friend?  Become workout buddies. Social support can  turn good results into great results.

Got a spouse?  I have no advice here – most likely you can’t win.

Start with yourself.  You have more influence than you know.  If you need guidance and support, do not hesitate to send me an email.

Joshua Carter, CPT
The Body Transformation Expert
Carter Fitness
http://carterfitness.com
818-337-6175

 

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http://Carterfitness.com
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Joshua Carter, CPT
The Body Transformation Expert
Carter Fitness
http://carterfitness.com
818-337-6175

 

Can You Change in a Single Moment?

Change is a curious thing. In most areas of life you dread it, yet in others you pine for it.

You're told that change is hard, that it takes time. You're also told that change is the most consistent thing that you'll encounter. You wonder how to make lasting changes that will improve your life.

I'm here to argue that change can happen in an instant.

I know this goes against mainstream belief. Most people believe that change has to be worked at for months or even years. We expect to try and fail numerous times before we ultimately give up or succeed.

Think about it-how many people do you know who struggle with their weight? They want to make a healthy change by getting in shape, but the change never seems to take hold.

Is there something in your life that you want to change? Do you have weight to lose? Do you have high blood pressure? Do you have a pair or pants that you wish you could fit into?

What is preventing you from making a positive change in your life?

According to professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, it's the getting ready to change that takes times. In the end there's an instant when the change occurs. Robbins goes on to outline three specific beliefs that you must have in order to instantly create a lasting change.

Belief #1: Something must change.
Do you kind of want to get into shape or do you absolutely have to lose the weight? Does dropping a few pounds sound nice or is living another day in your current body simply out of the question? In order to make a lasting change you must be convinced that the time is right.

Belief #2: I must change it.
It is vital that you take full responsibility in making the change. Sure, others may assist you, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this change enough to make it your personal mission-no one else will do it for you.

Belief #3: I can change it.
Don't let past failures get in your way. The truth is that you can do amazing things when you put your mind to it. Believe that you are capable of losing weight or making any other positive change in your life.

Why do most people fail to make lasting change? They leave it up to willpower. This works for awhile, but you'll always revert back to what's comfortable. The solution?

Change what you're comfortable with.

You've probably heard that humans are motivated by two things: 1) to avoid pain and 2) to gain pleasure. When you want to change a behavior pattern the key is to associate pain with the behavior that you don't want and pleasure with the behavior that you do want.

You know that you want to lose weight and that to do so you need to quit eating comfort food late at night. You also know that you need to start exercising on a regular basis. Up until this point your brain is trained to associate pleasure with eating comfort food late at night and to associate pain with exercise.

It's time to retrain your brain to feel good about exercise and to feel bad about eating late at night. Think about all of the negative things about being overweight and connect these unpleasant thoughts to your late night snack. Now think about all of the wonderful things about being in shape and connect these pleasant thoughts to exercise.

You are capable of making a big change in your life. Start by contacting me for your no obligation fitness consultation.

Remember, change can happen in an instant.

Smart Shopping

Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. If you do, you will end up with a cart full of bad decisions and regrets! Instead, make a list of healthy foods to buy and go after a sensible meal. Avoid the chips/candy isle and stick to the outskirts of the store where fresh food such as produce, dairy and meats are displayed.

Springtime Shrimp Salad

Here's what you need...

For the Dressing

  • 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

For the Salad

  • 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 8 cups torn Boston lettuce
  • 3 Oranges
  • 1 lb fresh or frozen shelled deveined cooked shrimp, thawed
  1. In a small bowl combine all of the dressing ingredients; beat with a wire whisk until well blended. Set aside.
  2. In large nonstick skillet, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add asparagus and return to boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until tender.
  3. Meanwhile, arrange lettuce on 4 individual salad plates. Peel oranges and halve lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
  4. Drain asparagus. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Arrange asparagus, orange slices and shrimp over lettuce. Drizzle salads with dressing.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 290 calories, 9g fat, 24g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 29g protein.

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Joshua Carter

The Body Transformation Expert

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Email: joshua@carterfitness.com
Phone: 818-337-6175
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