Spring Ft. McPherson Power Lifting Challenge

Life is about many things, most of all enjoying the time we are given. The best way to be able to enjoy that time is by keeping our bodies and minds in great condition. Health is about the whole person, not just separate pieces that exist in exclusion of one another. No, life is about making it all come together by understanding how all areas of our lives are connected and the synergy between them.

I lived my life too long in ignorance of this, and I am now dedicated to educating myself and teaching others the keys to a healthy, sexy and strong life.  Happiness comes from within ourselves. We can build our esteem through pushing our bodies and minds to the limits, making them stretch for growth. There is nothing like setting a goal and making that accomplishment even if you might think it small. Passing on a chocolate dessert is a major accomplishment for me, so don’t think your goals must be some earth shattering achievement. If it makes you proud and makes you smile, you have done well.

There’s a saying that says if you shoot for the moon and miss, at least you’ll land among the stars. I believe this is so true, because sometimes we don’t get exactly what we set out for, but we always get what we need. Maybe you want to start a fitness program to look good naked, but a year down the road you developed great new healthy living habits, or vise verse.  I can promise you that whatever reason you begin your health and fitness journey, many wonderful things are in store for you.  I will do my best to provide you with information that will help you survive attacks of the regrets, laziness and defeat. I will provide you tools to get through your days in a smarter, healthier, happier way. Promise yourself time and patience, and devote time just for yourself each day. We can do this together.

Good news and Bad news from my partners over at Prograde. There isn’t much time, so read this right away.

From the Desk of Jayson Hunter, Prograde Nutrition:

Sure, this tip is simple, but it’s super powerful. And while it may not seem it at first, it really will save you gobs and gobs of time.

Something I’ve always shared with my coaching clients is to spend one to two hours per week prepping your food.

On Sundays and Wednesdays you can easily set some time aside to cut up veggies and put them in baggies so you have them all ready for meals and snacks.

And when possible, you can do this with your lean meats (proteins) as well.

It’s pretty obvious how that is going to help you keep from reaching for cookies or chips during the week. And it’s pretty obvious how it’s going to help you stick to a healthy meal plan all week long.

Now, what’s also obvious is how my Done-For-You 90 Day Meal Plan is going to make your life easier.

No more thinking. No more guesswork. No more wondering what to eat.

I literally lay it all out for you. And I’m giving it to you for FREE when you become a Prograde VIP today.

Yes, we are closing the doors TODAY to the brand new Prograde VIP membership because of the overwhelming response we’ve had. We want to be sure we can manage the program effectively and deliver an awesome experience to them.

Hey, not only will you be getting my Done-For-You 90 Day Meal Plans, but you’ll also receive 5% off ALL your Prograde purchases for an entire year and a whole lot more!

Reserve Your VIP Membership ==>

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

If you’ve already joined, well, let me say thanks yet again. We’ve got some really cool stuff coming up for you so just stay tuned!

Yours in health,

Jayson Hunter, RD, CSCS

PS – Again, so we can laser focus on serving our VIPs we are CLOSING the doors on membership TONIGHT at 11:59pm EST, so reserve your spot RIGHT now and get all the bonuses and goodies that come with it.

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html
PPS – Here are some FAQs about the Prograde VIP Membership you want to know about:

Yes, it only costs $47 to be a member for an entire year.

There is absolutely NO obligation to buy anything else.

Yes, you get the DONE-FOR-YOU 90 Day Meal Plan FREE of charge with your membership.

No, your card will NOT be charged again in a year from now.

There are NO hidden monthly fees or anything silly like that.

Yes, the 5% VIP discount applies to both sales and Smart Ships.

In other words:

Every month while you are a Prograde VIP your Smart Ship order will be an additional 5% off!

And as an example, when we do a sale for a Prograde product at 15% off our VIPs will get 20% off!

Finally, YES, it makes a heck of a lot of sense to become a Prograde VIP member! But you only have until 11:59pm EST to do so.

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

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I just received this update from my partners over at Prograde. Trust me, you want to read it.

I’ve got their permission to share it with you word for word.

From the Desk of Jayson Hunter:

Simply put, if you’re looking to flatten your belly you definitely want to be planning your meals.

Fail to plan, plan to fail. Sorry, but it’s true.

And yes, that means you want to plan what you’re going to eat a week in advance.

Ummm, yes again, that takes WORK.

But you don’t have to do the work. I’ve already done it for you.

Seriously, I really have.

I’ve got a 90 Day Meal Plan that outlines in simple language exactly what you need to eat and when.

And I’ve also got shopping lists and weekly planners for you as well.

I want to hand over to you everything you need to get faster results as easy as possible.

The best part is you get it absolutely FREE when you become a Prograde VIP member!

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

Which reminds me, I’ve been getting some questions about our brand new membership program, so here are some FAQs for you on that:

Yes, it only costs $47 to be a member for an entire year.

There is absolutely NO obligation to buy anything else.

Yes, you get the DONE-FOR-YOU 90 Day Meal Plan FREE of charge with your membership.

No, your card will NOT be charged again in a year from now.

There are NO hidden monthly fees or anything silly like that.

Yes, the 5% VIP discount applies to both sales and Smart Ships.

In other words:

Every month while you are a Prograde VIP your Smart Ship order will be an additional 5% off!

And as an example, when we do a sale for a Prograde product at 15% off our VIPs will get 20% off!

Finally, YES, it makes a heck of a lot of sense to become a Prograde VIP member! But you only have until tomorrow night at 11:59pm EST to do so.

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

Yours in health,

Jayson Hunter, RD, CSCS

PS – And YES, we will be closing the VIP Membership temporarily as of 11:59pm EST tomorrow night. We’ve had an extraordinary response to this program so we will be focusing our efforts on making it an incredible experience for our VIPs.

PPS – We’re not exactly sure when we will reopen the Prograde VIP Membership, so join TODAY and receive your DONE-FOR-YOU 90 Day Meal Plan as our gift to you!

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

It’s been quite some time since I’ve been able to write, and I apologize for that. I’ve had many things happening that I’ve been mostly busy just trying to keep my sanity. I don’t do well with stress, so I felt the need to step away from a few things to get my mind and my soul back on track. Unfortunately, even us personal trainers can lose focus on our own health and fitness, and that is why I am writing today.

I had started putting together a boot camp to get started this summer. Well, due to circumstances beyond my control I was unable to get it started. I had some clients, I had everything ready, but I was unable to get my park permit although I tried up until the last minute. I cannot tell you the disappointment I felt, how heartbreaking that was for me after all the work I put into creating a boot camp business. In fact, I felt the sting of disappointment so strongly that I virtually stopped anything fitness related including my own workouts. That, my friends, is why I fell off the planet for a bit.

Slowly I’ve been getting back to myself. I’ve been getting my butt to the gym at least a few times a week as well as getting my nutrition under control. Some old friends have stepped in and created a private challenge for those of us struggling, so I am leaning on them for support right now. Yes, I ate ice cream last night for supper, but I refuse to beat myself up over that. Guilt and negative emotions start a vicious cycle of self-loathing I so desperately need to avoid. I do what I can and if I can’t I know there is a reason. I figure out that reason, dissect it, accept it, then get rid of it.

For my business, I sort of stumbled into a new idea thanks to a good friend of mine. If you notice I have a new offering for small group training called Fit Friends & Family. I’m still working out the logistics, but I have to tell you that my gut is telling me this is a better choice than a huge boot camp. Oh, I can still do the boot camps and I can hire trainers to do them. For me, though, I think working in a more intimate atmosphere with clients may be the better way for me personally.

So what’s the point of this post? Oh, there’s many reasons, but mostly I want to share with you my struggles which are the same struggles we all face every day. It’s tough out there now, but there’s no reason to get down on yourself.

Fall down seven times, get up eight – Japanese Proverb

So, I’m getting up for the 8th time…or 100th. I’ve lost count, but at least I’m getting back up. If you’ve fallen down, get back up with me. Ask for help if you need it, and treat yourself kindly.  ;-)

A very good article I wanted to share with you:

No More Exercise Excuses!

Busting 5 Common Workout Excuses

– By Leanne Beattie, Health and Fitness Writer

I really do get asked this all the time:

“When is the BEST time to workout?”

Well, in reality, the best time truly is whenever you are actually going to do it.

Look, some people love to get their training in first thing in the morning.

Some love to go during their lunch hour.

And, of course, many people just wait until after work.

Hey, with some many people completely out of shape and unhealthy I’m happy whatever time you go and workout, so long as you actually go!

But many people are confused as to what and when they are supposed to eat based on when they get their workout in.

And they are also baffled as to when they should take their supplements.

You’re in luck if you’re one of the confused! My partners over at Prograde Nutrition have created this really simple chart that shows you examples of what you can eat and when, and it’s all based on what time of day you workout.

Plus, it also shows good times to fit in your supplements for optimal results.

Even better is that they made a version for men and a version for women.

Check out the female version here: http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/how-to-use-prograde-products-female.html

OR

Check out the male version here: http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/how-to-use-prograde-products-male.html

Yours in health,

Memré

PS – And don’t forget, Prograde has their BRAND NEW Branched Chain Amino Acids at 17% off this week ONLY. Stock up on those now at:

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/branched-chain-amino-acids.html

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): The pain and discomfort associated with DOMS typically peaks 24-48 hours after an exercise bout, and resolves within 96 hours.  (http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/domos.html)

Really, I like to consider it the pain that takes my mind off  the jiggly bits! LOL! Really! I mean, when you have DOMS in the quads 2 days after doing sixty 45 pound squats it sort of takes away any other sensations! So, think of working out this way: If you workout and get DOMS, then you won’t feel so fat (or much of anything else for that matter) because you’ll be too busy concetrating on those screaming muscles.

Yeah, that’s it. I’m now considering DOMS a mind trick. LOL!

I often hear from people who workout harder than a freight train and eat less than a gnat yet  are having difficulties losing weight. Today I saw a post on the internet from a person asking for advice while having a similar situation, and she flat out asked if she should just stop eating carbs yet she has several medical issues going on.  That just terrifies me! I know that someone will post and tell her  sure, go ahead! This wasn’t even on a weight loss or health board, yet she was seeking health advice from just any old person out there not qualified.

On the Internet you are going to get a thousand different replies, but none of them will come from someone who really knows you and your history. You will hear about everything from Weight Watchers to the Snickers Diet (okay, I made that one up), and you may get lucky and have an actual professional answer you. The problem is only your doctor can determine what is best for you. You have to invest in yourself, and that means going to a doctor, hiring a personal trainer and or a nutritionist, and purchasing the right equipment or memberships upon their recommendations.

This is what I tell people because I would rather you find the correct path to true health. A good personal trainer will ask you all kinds of important health information and should be willing to work in conjunction with your other health professionals. Don’t compromise your health in your quest to be thin.

Today I had the best workout I’ve had in a long time! I’ve been feeling more rested lately, feeling that I have a little more room to breathe, and dragging myself to the gym. Today, though, I didn’t need to drag myself out. I was ready to go, I got there, put on my earphones and got to it. The music was great, it wasn’t too hot, and I practically had the gym to myself.

I had to think about what could have kicked in this great feeling and I finally decided it could only be one thing…I changed what time I go to the gym. That’s it! Just that one small thing seems to have worked a small miracle!

The other day I was asked by one of the gym regulars for any ideas I had that would help her drop belly fat. Knowing that she already eats well and excecises regularly, I gave her an idea I once used for myself that worked. I told her to cut out dairy (while upping her other calcium sources, of course!) I don’t recommend this for everyone, but for her we had to think of something to kick-start that fat loss.

So, if you’ve hit a wall somewhere, maybe by just changing something small, like what time you workout or eliminating one thing from your diet will get you moving in a forward direction again. If it doesn’t work, try something else. Just keep trying!

Today I was doing chest, back & abs in the gym, and I even went earlier than my normal time. I noticed as I was sweating out some reps that I was the only female in the gym… At the end of the weights I was doing my 10 minutes on the bike when the aerobics class let out, and out came all the women, and all except one passed the weight floor right on by!  But I tell you what, several of them had the fitness fashion thing going on real nice! <insert sarcasm>

You need to strength train, ladies. Maybe you don’t consider it feminine, but how feminine will you feel when your bones become so brittle they snap at the least bump? How feminine will you feel when later in life you’re shorter, even in heels? How will you explain to your grandkids you can’t pick them up because you thought sweating was gross?

Lift some weights! Don’t dis’ the iron! You won’t pump up – you can’t – it’s physically impossible for you to get big. As Nike says, just do it.

It can happen to the best of us, even your personal trainer. Boredom with your routine can set in causing you to put off getting your workouts in. With the summer here, now is a good time re-evaluate your routine and try something new.

• If you lift weights, switch to body weight, band, and/or ball exercises.
• If you only do aerobics classes and or cardio, then start some strength training.
• Move your gym outside. Get some of the equipment I just mentioned and take yourself to a park or even the backyard.
• Shameless plug, but try a class like a fitness boot camp. When looking for one, take advantage of a free trial to make sure it’s a good fit for your lifestyle. For example, my Transformation Boot Camp is a fun, non-military fitness experience where you work at a level comfortable for you. : )
• Take your dog on adventurous walks.
• Buy a bike and ride.
• Get some friends into a game of frisbee.

There’s lots to choose from out there, and fitness doesn’t mean being stuck inside a gym. Get creative, and try out a few different things. Don’t let boredom with your routine derail you from your goals.

Strength training, strength training, strength training…

You hear about it all the time these days.

You hear how it’s great for your Metabolism.

You hear it’s imperative for that beach body you’re looking for this summer.

Well, what’s the real science behind it?

Does it really help?

The easy answer is right here from my partners at Prograde:

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/strength-training-and-metabolism.html

Yours in health,

Memre’

PS – Yes, in case you were wondering, their awesome new Prograde Metabolism IS in stock right now.

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/prograde-metabolism.html