Lose Five Pounds Fast

The title got your attention didn't it? We are a culture obsessed with losing weight and doing it quickly. These quick fixes generally result in gaining most of the weight back we lost plus some. I can't tell you the numerous friends I have that are on a consistent "diet" of some sort. It usually entails some kind of extreme calorie restriction-even fasting. I do not endorse or agree with these types of programs. I do believe fasting is good for the body on occasion and not for longer than 12-24 hours. Other than that, I believe clean eating is the way to go.

The idea of eating 'clean' seems to be a buzz word these days. Clean eating is very simple and straightforward. Clean means no mess and I think it is easy to apply the thought of clean into your diet. Food that is clean contains no pesticides and it is not pre-made. It is not processed and does not come in a meal- in -a -box. Clean eating is fresh ingredients and mostly home prepared.

Instinctively most people know what it takes to eat well. When I ask my clients how they should be eating, all of them respond with the correct answers. They all say: less sugar, less dairy, no processed foods, no snack foods like chips and cookies, no soda pop, lean proteins, more water, more fruit, more fiber, and more veggies. See, it is not brain science.

I can help you lose five pounds before Thanksgiving. Eat Clean. No processed foods at all! Cut out soda and sugary drinks. Eat less flour, sugar, and dairy. Eat more vegetables and lean protein. Eat regularly throughout the day. Sounds simple doesn't it? I have found most people want a plan. They want a step-by-step process that details a plan of action. Tosca Reno has this plan. Her Eat-Clean Diet is a comprehensive series of books and recipes to assist anyone in eating clean. There is also a website that outlines the whole plan and is very user friendly.

Tosca does not count calories on this eating plan. So that should take some worry away. Try it out for a week or two. I would bet that you will drop five pounds before Thanksgiving if you start tomorrow. Eating clean for two weeks before the 'Big Day' shouldn't be too difficult. You will find that since you have been eating clean, you won't be able to gorge as much on turkey day- your body won't allow it.

Yes, I Admit it- I like Bodybuilding.com

The girl above is Jamie Eason. She is a fitness model, spokesperson, and columnist. She is the reason I admit- I like Bodybuilding.com. A fellow trainer introduced me to her workout program a few months ago. Even though I haven't been following the program diligently it has given me a new appreciation for workout splits.

I have always trained my clients for total body conditioning. Working every major muscle group each time we meet. I still love this type of training and feel like it is very beneficial as long as you are changing your workouts up frequently. You can change workout frequency (how often), intensity (how hard), time (how long), and type (of exercise). An acronym used for this principle is F.I.T.T. People do not change their exercise protocols very often and this is one reason plateau's happen. A plateau is when little or no changes take place in the body after a period of progress.

I decided to try bits and pieces of Jamie Eason's 12-week program. I have trainer friends who are following this program quite diligently and have seen some amazing results like a flatter belly, reduced body fat percentage, and an increase in muscle mass. I don't mean man muscle, I mean very lean, strong,defined muscle- on a woman. I have not been following the diet plan at all. It is way to strict for me right now. Basically you are cutting out sugar and simple carbohydrates, eating little starches and almost a dozen egg whites a day. NO THANK YOU. I am also not taking any supplements. So I didn't expect the results to be phenomenal.

The workouts are FREE. She maps it all out for you day- by- day. There are even workout logs and recipes for food. It is a very comprehensive plan, one that you don't run by very often unless it costs you major dollar bills. She is appealing to the female population and doing a very good job. I have only known men that look at bodybuilding.com. She has me looking at the website at least three times a week. Of course they are hoping that you buy the supplements that go along with the program, but I am not interested and I don't pitch supplements to my clients either. I have found the workouts to be very straight forward and easy to follow. She starts you off with a four week base building plan then progresses you up to harder and longer workouts over 12 weeks.

I really have come to enjoy workout splits because of this program. Workout splits are when you break the body up into muscle groupings and train only those muscles on certain days. For example, working the chest and back one day and the arms and abs the next. The goal is to fatigue the muscles so greatly that only one dedicated workout day to that muscle group is needed per week. Most of these programs involve lifting between four and six days per week. That is a lot of gym time! I prefer the four day splits and I enjoy pushing myself more and more. I have gotten stronger and have never lifted this much in my life. I know that if I cleaned up my diet I would see some amazing results.

Don't take my word for it, try it out. You could pay 30-40 dollars and hour for a personal trainer or download these workouts for FREE. It is up to you.

The Not So 40 Day Meditation

I had a goal to complete a 40-Day meditation. It started October 2nd, and was supposed to run consecutively for 40 days- ending on November 11, 2011. In the Yoga community this date is very special. It is the beginning of the Aquarian age.

The meditation is very beautiful and very simple. You can check out the importance and significance of this meditation below.

Meditation is for everyone. It is a way to control our thought process, master the ability to focus, create clarity, bring awareness, release sub-concious fears and blocks, and promote a sense of well-being and inner peace. Meditation is a process.

I was never able to meditate until I found Kundalini Yoga. Below Gurucharan Singh, Director of Training for the Kundalini Research Institute, explains what Kundalini yoga is.

40-day meditations are an important discipline when you want to truly experience change. A daily practice of devotion is called Sadhana. It is considered a spiritual practice. From a yogic science perspective, it takes 40 days to change a habit. Practicing the same meditation for 40 days provokes the subconscious mind to release old patterns and make way for new ones.

I began my 40 day journey with the highest of intention, the funny thing about these challenges is that the 40 days need to be consecutive. If you miss one day- you start over! I failed at my intention, but not really. I take the advice of my teacher Harijiwan, he says not to beat yourself up and guilt yourself over your sadhana. Use your sadhana to uplift and put yourself into more positive direction. If you miss a day, keep up and do your best tomorrow.

I have experienced wonderful things the last 21 days: peace, calm, focus, clarity, and creativity to name a few. I believe that meditation in as little as 3 minutes a day can make positive changes for everyone. In 3 minutes time the body starts to charge its' electromagnetic field (field of energy) and it has a positive effect on circulation and blood flow. Most meditations are done for between 11-31 minutes. Start small and work your way up.

Remember, meditation is a process. It is not easy, but extremely worth a shot. Even if you don't complete a goal of consecutive days you still gained more from one time than to never have tried. Don't be hard on yourself. In the words of Yogi Bhajan, Phd.

"Always do your best."

Vibram Five Fingers

I am in love with my new vibram five fingers bikila ls. I have researched and contemplated purchasing these shoes for over one year. Fitness enthusiasts seem to love them or hate them. This style of shoe is a highly debatable topic in the fitness industry right now with both sides providing research to back up their claims. It all started with the barefoot running phenomenon.

Barefoot running, or minimalist running is not a new idea. The Tarahumara Indians of Mexico have been doing it for centuries in some of the most rugged terrain in South America. The tribe has been known to run for hundreds of miles at a time with little rest and have been mostly immune to the diseases that plague most human beings. They seem to have amazing vitality and a deep connection with their bodies. In 2009, the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall was released. The book explores the running habits and lives of the Tarahumara Indians and the philosophy behind barefoot running from a scientific and laboratory perspective.

There are claims that both styles of running cause injury. However, running in regular running shoes has the most research since the running world has been engaged in this type of running for a longer period of time. It seems that the more supportive a shoe becomes, the more injuries we have. Most runners suffer from over training. The most common injuries include plantar fasciitis and shin splints. These injuries can keep a runner down and out for very long periods of time and sometimes the only way to heal is to stop running completely.

Minimalist runners claim that they have eliminated those chronic running conditions. This is because the running stride and step are completely different than what we have been taught to run like. Most runners are heel strikers, and barefoot runners are forefoot or mid-foot strikers. Here is an example of a forefoot strike.

Here is an example of a mid-foot strike.

And finally a heel strike.

Minimalist runners make the claim that are injury free because of the shear force distribution of body weight and the overall impact to the ground. There is honestly a lot of information out there arguing both sides of the story and I figured the only way to really find out is to finally break down and buy a pair. I am only two weeks in to my training, and it is a completely new way of running. So far, I have not experienced andy knee pain at all and I generally do. However, when you start training in the Vibram Five Fingers you are supposed to work your mileage up over a long period of time. This is highly recommended as I, of course, over did it and have been experiencing a little soreness through the bottom tendon of my foot. Baby steps. There is a pdf brochure here that details the gradual training process of barefoot running. ALL of the people I know that have minimalist shoes love them and are injury free. Get a pair, and test it out for yourself- you may learn to love to run again like you did when you were young.

Two of my favorite activities to teach while I am working at Red Mountain Resort, are Nordic Walking and Canyon View Yoga. I get paid to take guests into some of the most beautiful scenery in the World, and exercise.

Leki Nordic Walking is a popular form of walking that burns up to forty percent more calories than regular walking. The poles offer increased stability and offer a way for the body to recruit more muscle therefore expending more energy. The poles assist in lengthening your overall stride. When your stride is lengthened, you simply burn more calories. Muscles that normally don't get much benefit from normal walking are recruited, such as: the glutes, shoulders, triceps, and lats. The core is also more engaged and posture is improved. Nordic Walking is by far on of my favorite activities.

One of the unique programs that Red Mountain offers is Canyon View Yoga. Guests are taken into Snow Canyon State Park to practice yoga and meditation for ninety minutes. Practicing yoga in the red rocks is a very spiritual experience. The sandstone rock beneath your feet, the fresh desert air and the endless blue skies make this yoga experience a once in a lifetime event for many people. Even if the yoga class is so so, the views and environment make it a class not to be missed. Snow Canyon is a wonder in and of it self. The rich pioneer and Native American history of the park and the sacredness of the area is felt by everyone who goes there.

Yes, I get paid to do what I love. I never tire seeing the majestic views of the canyon and the endless color palette that awaits each time I begin my classes.

Almond Milk in my Vitamix

Oh how I love thee Vitamix blender. I have waited a long time for you. I finally broke down and bought one on a three installment plan courtesy of the sales representatives at IDEA fitness convention in Los Angeles in August. I have passed by the demonstration stations at Costco for years- longing and drooling. The deal I received was better than any I had previously known and so I went for it. I received my Vitamix about a week later, and I started to experiment.

As a personal trainer I speak to my clients about smoothies as a low calorie snack or meal replacement option, especially for breakfast. You can make a homemade healthy smoothie with a good balance of carbohydrates and protein for half the cost of stopping at your favorite smoothie bar. Blenders are not created equal, and most of the hassle of making your own concoctions comes with bad blending. Having the right blender creates happy smoothie making.

I wanted my Vitamix for additional reasons, not just smoothies. I wanted to make my own nut butters, and non-dairy milks like: rice, coconut, and almond. Making your own "milks" is much more reasonable that store bought products. I always find greater satisfaction making something from scratch as well. My blender came with three recipe books, but I went to Youtube to help me find a video on how to make Almond Milk.

Almond milk is recognized by the USDA as a significant source of non-dairy calcium, supplying 45 percent of our daily caloric requirement in one eight oz. glass. It is also an excellent source of vitamin E and is antioxidant rich. Almond milk contains no cholesterol or lactose and is low in calories especially if left unflavored.

Many people have lactose intolerance and milk allergies and look to other sources of calcium in their diets. Almond milk is a wonderful substitute for dairy or soy products and is especially useful when putting the body through a detox that rids they system of potential allergenic foods or food products.

I love the taste and creaminess of almond milk. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting overnight for the almonds to soak. Check out Jane from www.Blenditandmendit.com. She is very quirky, but I really enjoyed her uniqueness.

Yoga Flow in Snow Canyon State Park

This was the first yoga video I filmed with a voice over. It gives me quite a chuckle because of the raspy voice and Southern Utah drawl I seem to adopt from time to time. Mike Gardner with DMG films filmed this for us.

The scenery is amazing and that is what really makes this video. The full length version is 15 minutes, and it was intended for fitness on the go. Even though people don't like to admit it, everyone can incorporate 15-20 minute workouts into their busy schedules.

Yoga is unique because it doesn't take a lot of time to make significant changes in the way you feel both physically and emotionally. This video represents a flowing yoga sequence based on Hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is the practice of asana, or movement, that prepares the body for meditation. Hatha yoga also incorporates pranayam, breathing exercises, that assist in creating greater states of health and changing the emotions. Hatha literally means: sun and moon. The sun and moon represent polar opposites. Hatha yoga assists in bringing balance to the duality of life through masculine (sun) and feminine (moon) energies.