Happy New Year!
I love the New Year, it's the only time everyone is motivated to make a change. To start and finish your fat loss program, to change your life. Maybe your goal is to quit smoking, earn that promotion, close that big deal, listen to what she says… even if you're tired… and have work… so she doesn't get upset and you can spend the weekend with your friends without any judgement. You know, the normal resolutions we all have. Smell the air, the optimism is euphoric. Welcome to day one, the first day of a new beginning. A new chance for success.
Day One
Day one, means we begin the road to fat loss. Losing fat can be tough, but thankfully many of us were gifted the tools of success during the holidays: a new gym membership, a yoga mat, some dumbbells, or even a fancy elliptical machine that is currently… still in the box, waiting to be assembled. And while our ambitions are at an all time high, they'll soon fall if we're not properly equipped. Not just with tools but the RIGHT tools for success.
Before you start make sure you know what to do. Take our Fat Loss Quiz to see if you know the right stuff.
Fat Loss is Like a Marathon
We're all on the start line right. We know the finish line, but our nerves are on high alert. If we don't pace ourselves, we'll give up and fail. Trust me, I know this all too well. At the start line of every marathon, my training partner Tony and I, always had a plan. I would repeat this plan over and over again.
“Remember Robert, take it easy in the beginning, get a rhythm, and then set your pace. You got this!”
The race starts and the plan goes straight out the window. I'm darting down the course as if I'm being chased by a pack of wild dogs. I can't tell you how many times Tony has caught up to me and reminded me of our trusted plan.
Be Patient
I always let the start line excitement get the best of me. Unfortunately, that's how most of us are with fat loss. We sprint like a madman, only to be pulled back to reality. Our minds know what to do, but once the gun goes off, logic disappears. We've all done it. We've started 90-day workout programs, only to give up after 7 days 🙁 We've meal prepped for an entire week, only to throw away most of the food by Friday. We take off sprinting and forget we still have 26.2 miles to go.
Quick shameless TBP plug. Starting off too fast isn't the only fitness fail people make during the new year. If you haven't already, check out TBP's ANIMATED VIDEO on fitness fails. It's hilarious and oh so true!
But just because we aren't sprinting doesn't make it easier. We still need the right tools to get us to the finish line. I'm getting tired of these marathon metaphors, but last one, I promise. The tools below are the ones you need before the race even begins. Without them, you're setting yourself up for failure. It's called the MAD PLAN.
These are the three most important tools needed to successfully lose fat. Simple, direct, to the point. But much like that elliptical machine still waiting to be assembled, many of us will leave these tools in our box waiting to be assembled.
Number one is MOTIVATION
Why the hell are you doing this?
Ask yourself this question. What's motivating you? What's going to make you get up early, stay up late and put in the necessary work? Don't give me the classic BS excuse: I just want to be healthy? No, you don't. There's something else driving you. All of our motivations are different. You may want to look sexy in that dress that doesn't fit. You're sick of asking yourself, “Does this make me look fat?” You're sick and tired of feeling and looking sick and tired…
Maybe you don't want to be a 232 pound fatty being made fun of because his suit is too tight at the wedding of your close friend who hasn't seen you in a few years and comments about the fact that you can't button your suit. Yup, that's me! Look at those chipmunk cheeks.
Whatever your motivation, it must be deep enough to inspire you to not give up. Find your BIGGER BURN.
Number two is ACCOUNTABILITY
Nobody can climb Mt. Everest alone. We need Sherpas, a team of other climbers and a crew at base camp telling us about the storms coming ahead. Losing fat is the Mt. Everest of health. We can't do it alone. I repeat, we cannot do it alone. Once you've found your MOTIVATION, it's imperative we have supporters who are part of our Accountability Alliance.
Who's going to help you?
These are people who will hold your feet to the fire when times get tough. When you want that pizza slice, who's going encourage you to make a better choice? When you want to go out for beers, who's going to remind you about that 232 pound fatty that… You get my point. It can be a friend, a family member, or more importantly, your significant other. If your partner isn't on board, your fat loss success diminishes. The reason why TBP clients are successful is because we hold our clients accountable, weigh-ins, measurements, pictures. It allows us to gauge our success in short periods of time, in order to reach our long term goals. Remember, it's a marathon not a sprint. The stronger your alliance, the higher likelihood of success.
Number three is DISCIPLINE
Making the correct decision, even when you don't want to. Easy peezy? YEAH freaking right! We're bound to slip up. Sunday brunch? Happy hour? We'll fail, because if it was easy, everyone would be a Victoria Secret model (my dream, not yours). We won't be perfect all the time, but we have to listen to that little voice inside our head.
Listen to your little voice.
You know the one. That voice that creeps up and says don't do it when you're driving home and you're a little hungry. You have everything you need for a perfectly good sandwich waiting for you, but you inexplicably pull into an In-N-Out drive thru, order a triple-triple (yes, those exists) with animal fries, pay, while asking for a box with a lid to keep everything warm (I knew it was a problem when the cashier knew me by name). That voice needs to be your guiding light. It can be trained to be powerful armed with the right Motivation and supported by strong Accountability Alliance. Your little voice can take over your choices and automate decision making. Discipline is limiting the decisions taking us away from our goal while maximizing the decisions moving us towards our goal.
If you're still reading, first off, thank you. It means what you've read makes at least a little sense. You've found your true motivation and have people in mind for your Accountability Alliance. You even promised yourself to try harder to listen to your little voice. What I'm about to ask of you next requires you take a leap of faith with me. And you can't laugh. Ok, you can laugh but you have to keep an open mind. Deal?
Get the Right Tools
I need you to fill out a workbook. And not just any workbook but the Master Trainer, Tony Arreola's Secrets of the Skinny workbook. Go ahead, finish laughing, I'll wait. Before you brush this off, we've used this workbook as homework for our individual personal training clients and it really works. Trust me, when Tony first sent it to me I was a skeptic. But it works because it teaches the secrets you need to master before you step foot into a gym.
Stop Being Fooled
Are you still with me? I told you I needed you to trust me. If this sounds silly, it's probably because you've been taken advantage of before. The fitness industry has tricked you into believing you can lose, 10 pounds in 10 days. Juice cleanses that jump start your metabolism. Or the top 5 fat burning exercises. As a member of the fitness industry, I'm sorry we lied to you, and this workbook is our mea culpa.
Use the Right Tools
If you have failed to lose fat in the past, it wasn't because of lack of effort. You weren't equipped with the right tools. Now you have them. Use them and more importantly learn from others mistakes including mine. We want to make your fat loss journey as easy as possible. Take that leap of faith. If I can do it, you can too. Capitalize on the motivation before it goes away.
What goals do you have this year? Please share with me in the comments. I promise to try and help as much as possible.
Robert Diaz
NASM CPT, WLS, BCS
PS: If you still haven't downloaded our Secrets of The Skinny Guide, get it HERE
References:
- Clark, M.A., Lucett, S. C., & Sutton, B. G. (2012). NASM Essentionals of Personal Fitness Training (4th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Are you ready to get skinny?
Take the fat loss quiz to find out.
What you don't know, will hurt you.
Common Fitness Fails
It's day one, and you're ready to start (again.) Before you head to the gym to re-start your program. Make sure you avoid these classic fitness fails.
1. Don't exercise too hard.
We've all seen that person doing every exercise they've ever known. Don't be that guy.
2. Don't exercise for more than one hour.
An hour is the maximum time for your first time back. Heck that's more than some people do in a month.
3. Don't think you'll get in shape in one day.
You won't. No one has… ever.
4. Don't starve yourself.
Cleanses, juicing, fasting never works. You'll end up hungry, mad, pissed… and still fat.
5. Don't do celebrity workouts.
Celebrities are people, not fitness experts. And some aren't too bright.
6. Don't set crazy goals.
Lose ten pounds in ten days? Doesn't happen. Won't happen. Can't happen. And your friend that “did” is probably still fat.
7. Don't do “two-a-days.”
You won't go double tomorrow. You barely went single today. Fitness Fail.
8. Don't buy new equipment.
You won't use it. Build habits first, and then buy equipment.
9. Don't forget your towel.
Nobody likes wiping others sweat. Nasty.
10. Don't stare at people at the gym.
It's creepy. You know who you are.
11. Don't stop to take the perfect selfie.
Please don't… It's awkward for everyone.
12. Don't hog the equipment.
The equipment isn't not yours, you don't own it. Sharing is caring.
13. Don't weigh yourself after every workout.
You can't lose fat after a workout. You can lose water, but that's not the same. Fat loss takes time.
14. Don't workout when you're sore.
If it hurts too move, you're doing it wrong. Rest.
15. Don't wait.
Start now, start small, and start making progress.
These classic fitness fails can ruin your 1st, 2nd or 23th “Day One.” With a little common sense and patience, you can beat the fitness fails and succeed in fitness.
Related:
For more help with fat loss check out our Ultimate Fat Loss Guide
Test your fitness fail knowledge with your Fat Loss Quiz.
Tony Arreola
Best Selling Author, “Get Me Skinny”
“Hay mijo, you have to relax, it’s Christmas.”
My mom looked at me with a sly grin. Mind you, I offered to buy my Mom a new car when she reaches her fitness goals (*offer not valid for everyone*)
Her goal was to lose 30 pounds. She’s lost 10 so far, but when the Holiday season comes, the Holiday pounds come along also and she runs out of steam.
Why?
How can we avoid the Holiday pounds?
I don’t know about you, but I hate throwing away my results. And I’m sure my mom hates wasting another year taking the bus. Okay, I don’t make her take the bus, Uber works well.
When it comes to Winter, our bodies default to our cold, harsh, winter caveman days. This was a time, when we as a human species needed to hunker down, needed to eat as much as possible (when food was available) to survive. Without this mentality, I would not be typing this blog. We would not have survived the first harsh winter.
Great for survival, bad for our bellies.
It’s been a while since I hunted for a meal. Sometimes, I can just send a text to my girlfriend or push a button for Postmates to get fed.
But, the primal instinct remains inside of us. It requires effort to get outside when it’s cold. Big effort is needed to stop eating. Winter effort is harder than in the spring.
Through extensive trials with our clients we’ve found 6 proven ways to fight those fattening Holiday pounds.
Tip #1: WHEN YOU'RE FULL… STOP EATING
How many times have you been satisfied at a meal? Let me guess, always. When you're full, take a deep breath, smile and stop eating.
Pro Tip: Tip: Ask yourself, “Am I still hungry, bored, or just eating to eat.”
Tip #2: DRINK WATER
Contrary to popular belief, the stomach isn't an endless garbage disposal. It's an organ with a fixed size. When you fill it with water, you'll eat less. This is a good thing, for you and your waistline. Drink as much water as you can.
Pro Tip: Urine color is a great indicator of proper hydration. “Clear pee means a healthy me.”
Tip #3: EAT A LIGHT SNACK BEFORE THE MAIN EVENT
Don't arrive “starving” to a special event. If you have nothing in your system, you're much more likely to overeat. Overeating leads directly to extra Holiday poundage.
Pro Tip: Eat a light snack, like an apple or an orange 15-30 minutes prior.
Tip #4: EATING IN HERDS
Did you know when you eat alone, you're less likely to overeat? Add one person, you eat up to 35% more. If the group exceeds 7, you'll eat 96% more. This is an alarming stat, perfect for the Holidays. Be aware, and always be mindful.
Pro Tip: Farmers feed chickens together to create this overeating herd affect. Don’t let the environment trick you into overeating.
Tip #5: STAY AWAY FROM CALORIC LANDMINES
Watch out for high-caloric foods. High calorie foods like guacamole, cheeses can wreak havoc on your goals. Imagine shopping on Rodeo Drive with a limited budget. You would check every price tag before you buy. Same for food. Check the calories of any new foods. Better safe than sad.
Pro Tip: Use our favorite calorie app My Fitness Pal, to find caloric landmines BEFORE you blow up (literally.)
Tip #6: STAY AWAY FROM THE FOOD-PUSHERS
You know exactly who I'm talking about. Your Tia with the tamales. Uncle Juan's can't miss casserole. Eggnog downing cousin Fidel. Stay away, learn to say no, or if they get really annoying, resort to name calling. Totally kidding about the last one, kinda.
Pro Tip: When facing food pressure, look them in the eye and say, “No thanks, I'm stuffed.”
We’ve shared these tips with our clients to help them avoid those dreaded Holiday pounds. Our clients all experienced a happy and healthy Holiday Season. Remember the goal is to celebrate life, to enjoy each other. And like I told my Mom, both our lives are better when she’s healthy.
Special Bonus: Survival Guide Checklist
Remember nutrition is only one side of the equation.
If you want to eat more, you need to move more.
Read our cardio guide to find out which movement burns more calories.
Tony Arreola
NASM Master Trainer CPT, WLS, CES, SFS, WFS, BCS
Best Selling Author, Get Me Skinny.
Ever thought about biking from Canada to Mexico??
No?
Me neither.
So how did I end up bicycling from Canada to Mexico?
Eric's “Biking Canada to Mexico” Plan
Back in 2012, Eric and I we're completing a personal training session. He hired me to overcome some serious back issues. No, he didn't have a bulged disk, he had something far worse: 2 shattered discs. Eric experienced chronic back pain for over 20 years. Fortunately, I knew a proven plan to remove his back pain. After assessing his body, I discovered three critical issues. Three troubling issues that would surely stop any attempt of bicycling the Pacific Coast.
Three Critical Back Issues:
- Little to No Flexibility
- Weak Core
- No Glute Activation
Critical Issue #1: Little to No Flexibility
Solution: Proper daily stretching coupled with foam rolling(SMR)
I taught him the correct stretches to lengthen his back, hip flexors and hamstrings. The stretches needed to be preformed daily, for months, maybe even years. Eric followed the program religiously. We also employed Self-Myofascial Release(SMR) techniques to give him more flexibility. The SMR is a more effective way to break up tightness in the muscle tissue. If used properly, it can expedite the healing process. This was the first piece of the puzzle.
Critical Issue#2: Weak Core
Solution: A core strengthening program
The next step was proper core activation. The core consists of roughly 29 muscles that attach the pelvic bone to the spine. If you stand up and cough, you activate your core. The trick is to have your core strong enough to relieve pressure from your back. With simple core exercises, we can strengthen the deep abs and low back. Core activation and strengthening takes time (4-6 weeks) but the results can feel almost magical.
Critical Issue #3: No Glute Activation
Solution: Resistance training exercises targeting glute activation
Go ahead and squeeze your butt. Can you? Chances are you can't squeeze your butt. Under-active or a weak butt can be a cause of back pain. When you stand, you basically have three muscles to hold you up (abs, butt, low back.) If your abs aren't string enough, and you don't know how to activate your butt, then the low back does all the work. Eventually it grows tired, leading to pain. By strengthening the other muscles, less pressure will be on the back. This will help remove pain from the excess burden.
If he stuck with the program, we would see incredible results…
Eric's back pain became a distant memory
He felt as strong as a bull. The strongest 57 y/o around. He then asked me a question that would change my life forever.
“Would you consider biking from Canada to Mexico?”
What?
I obviously thought he was joking.
I replied like any normal person. “Sure, no big deal. Let's keep working, three more reps.” We finished the session and I thought nothing more of the proposal.
Things Got Real…Quick
The next session, Eric showed up with a map and possible dates. I pooped my pants. This guy is serious? I didn't think it was possible, but I reluctantly agreed.
Our first long training ride went…awful.
My butt cried. Every hill destroyed us. We found ourselves laying on the side of the road. It took a monumental effort just make it through the practice ride. I just didn't think it was possible. I would have a TOUGH time. And I knew it would be even harder for him. I had doubts, big doubts.
Our Secret Weapon
We had a secret weapon, we each possessed a Bigger Burn. A powerful Bigger Burn. Eric was a cancer survivor. He beat the odds, coming back from near-death made him almost invincible. He wasn't supposed to do any of this, not anymore. I had a starkly different experience with cancer. My friend Amadu fought bravely against the horrid disease. Sadly, cancer won.
We knew what we needed to do. Make the mission bigger than us. Eliminate failure as an option. We would suffer to raise money for the fight against cancer.
Bicycling the Pacific Coast For Cancer
Armed with incredible motivation, we began our first ride. The first part of this epic dream of biking from Canada to Mexico would be San Francisco to Irvine. 6 days, 500+ miles and 45+ hours of cycling (my butt still hurts.) Our navigation confusing. The days endless. The pain immense. Fun quickly replaced by torture.
Eric Was Ready to Quit
On the beginning on Day 3, a ride from Big Sur to San Luis Obispo, we started the day in horrific pain. We each carried a backpack filled with all our equipment. The backpacks grew heavier and heavier. We took a little break so Eric could jump on a conference call (he was still working…) I could see the pain as he struggled of the bike. When he sat in the gas station, I calmly took Eric's backpack and threw it over mine.
No.
Eric said “No” to me with two backpacks. He shook his head. I told him to pedal. He didn't fight back after that. We biked the next 45 miles through rolling hills, heat and narrow lanes.
“Eric!”
I screamed as my front tire punctured. My body flew over the handle bars. I ricocheted off the asphalt. Sprawled on the ground, Eric came to my help. He removed the extra backpack, and we managed to complete the day. I tore up my shoulder and hip, but I could still ride.
Armed with the right motivation, anything is possible.
Luckily, no serious damage was done. Falling off my bike did motivate Eric to work harder. We completed that ride and 6 more rides the following years. Completing his dream of biking the Pacific Coast. All the way from Mt. Whistler to Ensenada, Mexico. I never dreamed I could ever say something like that:
“I bicycled from Canada to Mexico!”
Crazy dreams come true.
Biking from Canada to Mexico
Today, we start our 8th annual bike trip. A repeat of our first epic ride from San Francisco to Irvine. Eric isn't slowing down one bit. Eric proves that age is only a number. He pushes me to work harder. And honestly, I need to. I need to be ready for whatever loony adventure pops in his head. Wish us luck as we ride from Sam Francisco to Irvine (again.)
Tony Arreola
NASM Master Trainer
Author, “Get Me Medals”
PS: For serious cyclists (or crazy ones) make sure you follow our 3 Quick Tips for Speed. Or for more epic inspiration, you can read my New York Marathon journey.
3 Simple Tips to Bike Faster:
Tire Pressure
Clean Chain
Seat Height
Free Speed.
Wheeeeee!!
We all enjoy the thrill of speed. Speed makes biking fun (and easier.) Whether you're cruising along the beach or racing up mountain tops. Bicycling is one of the finest ways to enjoy nature's beauty. So exhilarating, you forget it's even exercise. Well, until you climb a hill…
Experiencing pain in your knees? Your seat is probably too low. Your knee should be at a slight bend at the bottom of your pedal stroke. You can usually move the seat up, down, forward and back. If you're serious, get a professional bike fit. If you just want to ride faster today, make sure it's comfortable and pain free.
And remember the faster you get on your bike, the faster you can use these tips. See you on the road 🙂
Running? Elliptical? Spinning? Or could it be kettlebell swings? The debate rages on. After all, more calories burned results in faster weight loss. Last week, I was having an argument… I mean, conversation with my fiance discussing which cardio burns the most calories.
No matter what I said, I was wrong.
That's normal for our conversations. But I asked Courtney to give me a chance to explain my point. (After all, I'm a certified personal trainer.) She teaches spinning and group classes. And insists her workouts burn way more calories per hour than my weight training workouts.
“COOL STORY, BRO.”
That's what she actually said. I explained, the faster your heart rate, the more calories you burn. The way to burn the most calories is to increase the intensity of the cardio. The high aerobic exercise from stationary bikes can help you burn fat fast.
“So, I win.”
NOT SO FAST, I TOLD HER, ANY CARDIO.
Burning more calories requires more effort. Walking at a moderate pace burns calories, walking uphill burns more calories, speed-walking uphill carrying 8 grocery bags while chewing gum and texting burns the most calories. You get the point. The harder it feels, the harder you're working. Thus, the more calories your burning, regardless of the calorieburning exercise. Everyone wins.
But, what types of cardio burns the most calories?
That's easy, the cardio exercises you actually do. If you do them hard, you'll burn lots of calories.
In my experience, people don't struggle between aerobic activities. They usually struggle to decide between the couch and any workout plan.
Make it easy and pick what you like.
AT NASM AND TBP WE RECOMMEND THE FITTE PRINCIPLE
F: FREQUENCY (TIMES PER WEEK) – make it realistic
I: INTENSITY (EFFORT LEVEL) – higher heart rate equals higher calorie burn
T: TIME (DURATION) – the longer the time, the more calories in an hour
T: TYPE (KIND) – the form of exercise
E: ENJOYMENT (DO YOU LIKE IT?) – Calorie burn depends on doing the work, it helps more if you like it
Start with something you actually enjoy, and do that consistently. To increase the metabolic rate, make it harder: up the intensity, do highintensity training, change the incline, vary the speed, take fewer breaks, do more reps, use a fitness tracker. It doesn't take much thought to make your workout harder.
KEEP IT SIMPLE: HARDER CARDIO = MORE CALORIES BURNED
But remember if you're looking to drop belly fat, body fat, or lose weight. Healthy eating will always get you faster results than to torch calories. Cardio isn't the way to lose belly fat. But it is the way to a healthy heart. If you want to lose weight or lose fat, check out our fat loss article.
She scratched her head. I should've kept my mouth shut. But no, I added, “I've ridden my bike from Canada to Mexico, your spin class would probably be pretty easy for me.” She gave me a look, you know the look. It's about to go down. Next thing I know, I was in her spin class with my legs strapped to a propeller. My legs spun ridiculously fast, my body drenched in sweat, my heart screamed, and my mouth gasped for air. I started to think about medical advice. The class destroyed me.
She smiled and said, I win!
Tony Arreola
NASM Master Trainer
Best Selling Author, Get Me Skinny
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