Ready to try something new?  This is one type of training that will give you an awesome workout, kick your butt and put your heart into overdrive!  It is called PHR, or Peripheral Heart Rate Training.

First, let's go through the concept.  Have you ever worked out and felt that muscle get really tight, or pumped up?  That pumping up action is the body doing two things.  First it is increase blood flow to that muscle to bring energy and nutrients to it and help it perform by using vaso-dilation.  Second your body is decreasing blood flow, hence energy and nutrients, to the muscles that you are not using through vaso-constriction.

Your body is really smart and it understands that you save energy but limiting the amount of blood flowing around the body.  For example, let's say that you are doing bench presses, there is no need to keep as much blood in your legs so your body in essence redirects that blood to the muscles that are doing the work.  This causes your legs to cool down a bit and burn less calories.  Your legs in this scenario will burn less energy, or calories, than they would otherwise.  So your body being as smart as it is is trying to burn the least amount of energy possible at all times.

So in this scenario, using PHT, we are going to use your body's system to burn as many calories as possible.  A warning before hand, this is not for the faint of heart.  This type of workout will make your heart want to jump out of your chest and make you feel very short of breath.  It is meant to be done with the same weight as you normally would use but your are going to ask your body to burn more energy so you will feel very depleted quickly.  As always you need to use your brain before you start because I don't want someone who is unprepared to do this and give themselves a heart attack!

Here is what you do.

1. Choose 1 upper-body muscle that you want to use.  The bigger the muscle the more calories you burn.  It can be a multi-joint movement like Chest Press or it can be an isolation movement like Pec Deck.
2. Now choose 1 lower-body exercise exercise.  Again, it can be a multi-joint movement like Squats or it can be an isolation movement like Leg Extensions.
3. Start with either exercise and do as many reps as possible, and I mean you need to go to absolute failure.
4. Then Switch to the opposite exercise immediately and do the as many reps as possible.
5. Then switch back and forth for 3 full sets.
6. After you complete the first exercise group then choose another upper and another lower and do it again.
7. Repeat the steps until you can no longer continue!

This forces your body to keep blood flow high to all parts of your body on an ongoing basis.  This burns a TON of calories and is one of the most effective and most physically difficult styles of training.

Here are seven easy to follow tricks that will have a impact both short term and long term.  Use the summer to implement them and be looking fabulous by fall.

1. Get Real: Make a list of your workout goals and keep it in a place you see often, like a wallet, diary or appointment book. Do you want to exercise to reduce your stress level? Lose weight? Sleep better? Have more confidence? Be healthier? All of the above? Being clear about why you're doing it will make the sticking to it all the easier.  Too many people are embarrassed about having goals, but every motivation speaker on the planet preaches this rule for success!
   
2. Partner Up or Join a Program: You might blow yourself off, but you'll be unlikely to blow off a friend/group you've promised to go walking with. Book appointments to exercise, even if it's as low-key as taking a 30 minute walk at lunch once a week.
3. Change It Up: Make a list of several activities you enjoy that could easily be done in 30 minute intervals. Walking, biking, puddle-jumping, running along the beach, rollerblading, dancing around the house to Lady Gaga, you name it. If it's interesting and varied, you'll stick to it.
4. Optimize Down Time: Waiting in line, commuting, and even sitting are all opportunities to do ab and bun crunches—no one will even notice what you're up to.
5. Transportation Trade Off: For every time you take a car, train or bus to run an errand, make yourself walk or ride your bike the next time. Or, find a ratio that works for you—even if it's one walk for every three or four times in a car, it's still worth it.
6. Take The Long Road: Parking in the farthest spot from the store, getting off the subway a stop earlier and taking the stairs are all effortless ways to add hundreds of steps to your day. If you don't think those steps add up, enlist the aid of a pedometer.
7. Remember The Three Magic Words: Every Bit Counts. Never throw in the towel thinking your commitment to a healthier lifestyle is a lost cause. Just pop your walking shoes in your work bag and start again the next day.

There is tons of info out there, both good and bad, about how to lose weight.  Sorting through all of that can be overwhelming.  It seems like most if not all of my clients have misunderstood or been completely misinformed at sometime on how to lose weight properly.  The problem is that we do not always get our info from good or reputable sources but it is hard to tell the difference.  Let me help you sort through some of that right now.  This is not for the person looking to make excuses, this is for the person who actually wants to be fit, so there are no punches pulled.  If you can't do the things listed below and live in the Boise area then you need to consider taking advantage of our free trial offer.

1. Weight loss is bound by the law of energy.  If you burn more energy than you eat then you will lose weight.  The problem with this is that as soon as you begin to lose weight your body is going to try and adapt to the new energy intake so that it can keep those energy stores (fat stores) that it worked so long and so hard to save up.  That is why it is so important that you lose weight the right way and why fad diets never keep the weight off.  The people who tell you that you don’t need to track calories have something up their sleeve because your body thinks in calories so you should too!
2. Exercise is bound by the law of energy.  What does that mean?  It means that it will help you burn more calories, but don’t be fooled into thinking that a workout will burn 900 calories like I have seen advertised out there!  The average person will burn about 150 calories lifting weights and 200 calories doing cardio.  It takes years and years to get conditioned well enough to work hard and long enough to burn much more than that, so don’t try because you will likely end up injured.  It is far better for you to adjust your diet to make up for what you did not burn during your workout.  Working out without adjusting your diet is not enough.
3. Weight Training speeds up your metabolism.  And I don’t mean that doing those 5 pound bicep curls, that doesn’t do a thing for you so stop wasting your time, and I mean that it really does not do anything for you, at all, ever, not even a bit!  Get in the gym and lift some weight.  It should be extremely challenging and make you sore more times than not.  If you are not sure how to lift like this safely then stop making excuses and hire a professional to help you.  Most gyms in most towns have at least one really good trainer, so find out who that is at your gym, drop a couple hundred bucks and solve this issue forever.
4. Cardio is not that effective.  Cardio helps you burn extra calories, and can really help you lose some pounds of fat, but not by itself.  You cannot imagine how often I hear that someone does 30-60 minutes of cardio everyday and doesn’t lose weight!  Pair up doing that same cardio with good weight training and healthy food and POW, results will start happening.  Don’t do it and you are wasting your time. 
5. Supplements don’t work.  Does that mean that you shouldn’t take supplements?  Of course not.  I take a whole mountain of supplements.  But taking products that you really do not know much about is not a good idea and is more than likely not working.  Again, if you know that you are eating right, know that your weight training is maximized and are getting the proper cardio in then a good supplement program can be just what you need, but otherwise it would be far wiser to invest that same money in getting educated on everything else first.
6. Get a workout buddy.  80% of people who use the gym on a regular basis have someone to workout with.  That is staggering considering that 4 out of 5 people who workout have someone with them.  Why, because exercise sucks!  It is hard work, makes you sweat, makes you sore and odds are that you really would rather be somewhere else.  BUT, if you have someone with you that you enjoy chatting with then the workout can be about more than the work and can turn a generally unpleasant experience into a fun social event.
7. Don’t ever skip something because you have to workout.  What I mean is that I have often heard that someone didn’t join the softball league or go for a hike because they didn’t want it to interfere with their workout.  You should get as active as you can in addition to your workout.  Now if you have to make a choice between working out and something that is seasonal and will go away then by all means keep the gym thing going, but if you are simply considering adding something to your life then stop making excuses and add it.  You will love how fit you feel when you do it and it will only help you lose more weight.
8. Mix-it-up.  I have been an avid exerciser for almost 20 years now and know all this stuff inside out, and even I have the tendency to get into a groove that quickly becomes a rut.  Sometimes I jump into a Body Pump class just to kick my a** and or a yoga class.  Nothing is funnier than seeing the buff guy or gal trying to hold the Warrior pose and grunting while the old lady next to him looks like she could hold it all day long!  It is great fun to mix it up, even if you feel a bit out of place, and is very effective for your fitness goals.
9. Stop it.  Stop making deadlines for when you are going to do something, start something or whatever.  Those dates never work because you are busy.  If you want it then start it today.  Pull out you iphone or whatever keeps you organized, push your schedule around right now and MAKE time for the gym today.  There is no excuse that is truly valid, there are just excuses.  Your kids would much rather have you fit enough to get down on the floor and play with them, your boss would much rather have you full of energy all day long and your spouse would love it if you looked your best and felt good about your fitness.  So stop it!
10. Weight Loss takes time.  It takes a long time to add that weight, it will take a long time to get it off.  I don’t mean that you should be satisfied with losing 1 pound per month but it is not realistic to expect to lose 5 pounds every week either.  You can have the body that you want if you deserve it.  To deserve it then you are doing the right stuff everyday until you are there.  If you are NOT doing the right stuff then you don’t deserve it yet.  Even if you are putting your heart and soul into it but are missing key components and aren’t getting results then you don’t deserve it yet.  Find out what you are doing wrong and then fix it.

So I have had a few requests for an eating plan.  Eating is the most essential part of any workout/weight loss plan.  Execution of that plan is probably the next most important thing.  You see a plan without execution is just a wish.  So I figured I'd sit down and give everyone an idea of some of the more successful, yet simple snacks and meals that I've used in the past. 

Remember the number of calories each person should eat is always different, so if you’re working with a trainer or you've been eating a certain amount of calories that has been working for you, then you should probably continue to follow that plan.  Maybe just use some of these meals to supplement what you’re already doing well. 

Before we get into the actual foods, let’s talk preparation.  Here’s the deal, I find that if I don't pack my lunch and snacks, it is usually easier for me to cheat throughout the day.  On the other hand when I take the time to plan ahead and pack my meals and snacks, I always eat better and therefore feel better throughout the day.  Day 1:

Meal 1 (within 1 hour of getting out of bed):  This meal is always the most important and will set the tone for your entire day.  Make poor choices here and you will notice it the rest of the day.  Make a great choice here and you will find it much easier to follow a healthier plan all day long. 
-Egg whites (you can either hard boil these or simply scramble them).  Do not use egg substitute, use strictly egg whites that you obtain from an actual egg.  Females typically will want to eat 6 of these while men should usually eat about 12 of them. 
-Oatmeal (not instant):  1 cup, no salt, no sugar, no milk, no butter.  Just plain oatmeal.  You can usually sprinkle some protein powder on it if you want some flavor.

-Bacon (yes bacon):  No more then 2 pieces EVER. 
-1 cup of water (drink it).  You can add some Crystal Light if you want to, but nothing else. 

Meal 2 (within 2-3 hours after your last one, DO NOT go over 3 hours ever):

-Protein Shake.  Find a good protein shake that is easily mixable.  Do add anything funky.  Just add water, a little bit of ice if you want to, shake it and drink it.

Meal 3 (within 2-3 hours after your last one, DO NOT go over 3 hours ever):
Lunch usually

-1 chicken breast (broiled or baked).  Do not add salt or seasoning.  Just cook it in the oven and eat it.  I usually prepare several of these on Sunday and take a couple to work with me.  Then I can easily pop one in the microwave and eat it. 
-1 cup of veggies.  You can decide between broccoli, cabbage, string beans, squash or something like that.  Stay away from corn though. 
-1 cup of brown rice.  You can get microwavable bags that are easy to prepare.  Most of the time those bags have 2 cups in them, so just eat half the bag. 
-2 cups of water


Meal 4 (within 2-3 hours after your last one, DO NOT go over 3 hours ever):
Mid afternoon snack

-1 can of tuna in water (do not get the tuna in oil).  You can mix mustard, or Tabasco but add no seasoning to it. 
-1/2 a protein shake (same directions as above). 

Meal 5 (within 2-3 hours after your last one, DO NOT go over 3 hours ever):
Dinner usually

-Tilapia (1 filet).  This is good stuff here.  You can cook it right in a pan and serve.

-1 cup of veggies (same directions as above)

-1 cup of brown rice or substitute with 1 cup of coos coos. 
-1 cup of water


Meal 6 (within 2-3 hours after your last one, DO NOT go over 3 hours ever):
Late snack

-You can choose one of the next four things to have, but only one.

-1 chicken breast (same as above)

-1 tilapia filet

-1/2 Protein Shake

-6 egg whites

So here is one day to get you started.  You can follow this for a couple of days before changing it up a little.  Try this plan, I think you will see it is pretty easy once you prepare.   Check back soon to get more nutrition plans. 

Fitness is a term that is used to help define the ability to stay in the best physical shape.  You may ask, then, “What am I staying in shape for?”  To each person, this will be something different.

For most, it is a matter of staying healthy as long as possible.  You see, your body is designed to work as a machine.  When each part of the machine is cared for, the entire machine works the best that it can.  When the machine is neglected either in part or in the whole, then the machine won’t run well and eventually won’t run at all.

If a car, for example, is well maintained for many years, it will last many years longer.  If it isn’t taken care of, for example you don’t change the oil in it, you cut several years off the life of the car.  That’s costly to you, but when you look at this as your body, you are shaving away days, weeks, and even years off of your life when you don’t take care of your machine (your body.)

Fitness is a necessary part of life.  Before we get on the soap box, remember that fitness is something that you can get into the habit of doing which makes it easy.

Fitness is not something that you have to struggle with.  When you were three you were probably taught to brush your teeth.  You learned to put your clothes on.  When you were learning how to do them, you likely hated it.  But, once you learned how to do it, it became something that you didn’t think twice about.  Do you worry about brushing your teeth today?  No, because it’s a habit.  That’s what we want you to think of when you think of fitness.

It’s just something that you do.  Granted, the first weeks of learning to be fit and staying healthy will be the hardest.  You’ll dread it.  You’ll find excuses about not doing it.  You’ll claim that getting fit is just too hard.  You just can’t give up what you love.  That’s not true. 
In fact, if you have the will power to save your life by sacrificing for just a few weeks, you’ll see that fitness can be easily mastered by you.

Take a look at yourself right now.  What do you see?  If you are unhappy about any part of your body, chances are good that area of your body is bothering you because it’s an unhealthy area.

Although many people start looking into fitness because they want to lose weight, fitness is not just about weight loss.  By understanding where you stand on these factors above, you can work to improve your overall wellness and increase your lifespan as well as the quality of life that you are currently living.

If you don’t think that you need to lose weight, that’s great!  You are one step closer to being healthy.  But, that’s not to say that you don’t have health problems beyond that level.  Many people are still at risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol as well as other concerns even though they aren’t technically overweight.  Therefore, you need to take into consideration the fact that overall health is in fact important to improve.

P.S. If you haven't signed up for a FREE Trial Bootcamp, Nutrition Program or Personal Training......WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR? It's FREE!!
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If you'd like to take advantage of the free Boot Camp trial please send us an email at info@bodyrenewidado.com

There are good reasons that some booty's are nice and round, and some are just big.  First, how much body fat are we carrying on our rear is a major factor, but also the shape and condition of the muscles underneath.  Are your bottom muscles shapely and in condition to be perky all day?  Here are 7 easy moves to help improve the look of your butt without effecting body fat, because you know that body fat has more to do with nutrition than any specific exercise.

1.  Lunges - You have seen them done and probably done them before, but they are a must.  You can add complexity like twists and medicine ball lifts but at their core the general movement is the same, so add them to your program!

2.  Squats - Another awesome exercise for bums.  Just remember to keep your knees behind your toes and make the action at your hips (butt) and not at your knees.

3.  Step-ups - Grab an bench and step up onto it.  That sounds simple enough, right?  Now this time do not touch your other foot at the top so that the leg that is supposed to be doing the work does all of the work.  Much more difficult and much more effective.

4.  Lateral Hops - Stand on one leg and jump as far over as you can and land softly on the other foot, and then before you regain your balance jump as far back to the first foot as possible.  This is great for your Glutes medius and minimus in a way that straight up and down movements are not.  Are you sore yet?!?!

5.  Hip Extensions - From your hands and knees lift 1 of your feet as high up behind you into the air as possible while straightening your legs.  This does not take much weight and is great for giving your booty a firm look.

6.  Single Leg Dead-lift - Stand on one foot and reach down, while maintaining your balance, and stretch your hams and glutes as much as possible.  Do not put your other foot down.  From there simply pull your body back into the standing position and repeat.  These hit your butt in a way that is non-traditional and they work great!

7.  Squat Jumps - Do a regular squat, now burst as high into the air as possible!  Not everyone will jump very high but it is about the effort, not the height.  Try to land softly right into your next squat, and repeat.

If you were to do all of these in one day it is likely that you would not be able to walk or sit the next day, so slowly add them into your program.  Good luck.

Having lower legs that look like tubes rather than that shapely hour glass is commonly known as having "cankles".  To get rid of your cankles you first must understand what they are.

A significant part of the cankle look is the bone structure.  Maybe you have slightly thinner or thicker bones, or maybe the Tibula and Fibula are closer together, making a smaller ankle, or are further apart, making a wider ankle.  The bone structure comes from your genetics and nothing else so there is nothing that can be done from a structural standpoint.

Next you may be carrying body fat in your lower leg.  That stored body fat can reduce the )( shape of the ankle and give you the canckle look.  This entire blog is about weight loss so if you are unsure about how to lose weight than keep going through these posts and you will quickly see the answers that you seek.  To summarize though, if you want to reduce the cankle look then you need to make sure that you are losing weight!

In addition to carrying lower extremity body fat you may also be retaining water.  That water retention can be a result of hormones, dehydration, lack of exercise, medication or any number of factors.  Water retention can also be a reflection of your health, except during menstruation, and should be addressed.  You can do things like elevate your feet, increase your water intake (I know that sounds counter to what you should do but increasing hydration will help your body flush the water that it holds) but most importantly you should exercise.  The blood flow from exercise will help carry away the excess water and the action of exercise, called muscle pump, will help that water leave the unwanted areas.

Lastly, you need to give your legs some shape.  That means make sure that you have more than a healthy amount of calf muscle.  That will increase the size of the upper calf area and give the impression that the lower calf is smaller.  I know that is a scary concept for some people but do not be afraid of having a little muscle.  It is far better for your looks and general well being to have a touch more muscle than you want than a touch too little!

You are given a short life and an even shorter amount of time where results will come easier, so the longer that you take to make these changes the harder that it will be to get the results.  This is your plan.

A GOAL, WITHOUT A PLAN