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

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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

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

It’s my guess this Monday you might very well be looking for ways to increase your metabolism.

It’s my guess this Monday you may have “misbehaved” a little bit this past weekend.

Well, lucky for you my partners over at Prograde Nutrition have just released another brief special report on some shocking research about Metabolism.

There’s some good news AND some bad news.

Find out for yourself how this story ends by reading it all right here:

http://fitnesssavant.getprograde.com/part2–supermarket-slimming-secrets.html

Yours in health,

Memré

(Author: Prograde)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
Fitness Tip: Supplementation and Your Meal Plan – There are billions of dollars spent each year on meal and dietary supplements, from vitamins to protein bars and even those magic weight loss pills sold over the counter. The most important thing you need to understand is how is what you are taking really benefiting or supporting your overall fitness or health goals. Make sure you READ the labels and look for clean products that still support a healthy meal plan. Multivitamins are an excellent choice to fill in your nutrient holes from your eating plan and sometimes protein powders as well as protein supplements can help support a busy lifestyle.

Exercise of the day: Ball Band Upright Row – The Ball Band Upright Row really gives your entire shoulder region a workout as you tone and tighten your upper body with the help of your stability ball and exercise bands.
Click Here to see it in action!
Click here to Get Your GoFit Exercise Ball or GoFit ProGym to Build a New Body Today!

Fitness Gear: Wrist Straps – Cotton

(From eFitnessTracker)

Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays – 5 Easy Tips

By Kathryn O’Neill
If you’re worried about gaining weight over the holidays you’re not alone.

The average North American gains 7 to 12 pounds over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Follow these simple holiday diet tips and tricks and you’ll avoid the holiday weight gain that afflicts so many other people:

#1 Drink Water – and Lots of It.

Boring I know – but the reason this tip stays around year after year is because it works. Adequate water intake keeps your metabolism humming along at a maximum rate and staves off hunger cravings as well.

In fact many people mistake thirst for hunger and end up eating to quench their thirst. This results in more calories than you body needs and – you guessed it – excess pounds.

Models and celebrities all know about the powerful slimming effects of drinking water which is why you often see them holding a bottle of water in their hands as they dash through airports or stand around at fashion shows.

#2 Increase Your Exercise A Little Bit Every Day

Everyone deserves to indulge in holiday treats. Part of the fun of the holiday season is the amazing treats that are only around at Christmas and/or Thanksgiving.

Accept the fact that you’re going to indulge a bit – and then enjoy it! But make sure you make up for it elsewhere by increasing your exercise.

You don’t have to double your exercise time or sweat till you fall off your treadmill. Just increase your exercise time a bit every day, maybe ten minutes here, fifteen minutes there. It all adds up.

You’ll burn off those holiday treats and easily avoid extra weight gain. I have several girlfriends who have been doing this trick for years and they never gain a pound over the holidays (in fact they often lose a few!).

#3 Cut Back Where You Can At Other Meals

Did you know that the average number of calories consumed by one person during a typical Thanksgiving dinner is 7,100! That’s about 2 pounds strictly in terms of calories alone.

But not to worry. All you have to do is make small calorie cutbacks at other meals the week before and you’ll easily make up for the extra calories.

For example, instead a huge slice of pecan pie (which normally will run you about 500 calories) for desert, why not try some blueberries mixed with low fat yogurt? Instead of the bag of potato chips you usually indulge in for the big game, why not munch on air-popped, low fat popcorn?

You can save as much as 500 calories and you’re still having a salty, satisfying snack.

Bottom line: cut back where you can in little ways. You won’t miss the little sacrifices and you can then enjoy your holiday meals – guilt free!

#4 Eat What You Like – But Only A Few Bites

If you absolutely cannot imagine giving up any of your favorite treats this holiday season, give yourself permission to have a bite of everything – but only a bite!

I read somewhere that Jessica Simpson never denies herself any of her favorite foods – but she only allows herself one or two bites. And let’s face it the first couple of bites are the best tasting anyways!

#5 Don’t Eat After 7:00 pm

Experts tell us that the earlier in the day food is eaten, the more likely it is to be burned off. However when you eat late at night, this food is more likely to be stored as fat.

Celebrities like Oprah use this knowledge to their advantage and refuse to eat after a certain time like 7:00 p.m.

So if you know you absolutely must have a sweet indulgence during the day, try to have it before noon. Then towards the end of the day, snack on healthy, lower carb foods like salads, vegetable broth, fruits or lean protein.

This keeps your metabolism elevated but won’t pack on the pounds. I’ve personally used this trick before every holiday Christmas party for 5 years running and it certainly helps for getting into those slinky Christmas party dresses!

So those are 5 diet tips to avoid holiday weight gain this year. Follow them and you’re guaranteed to save yourself the stress of unwanted weight gain. Heck, you’ll probably even lose a few pounds, all in time for New Year’s Eve!

Vienna Miller is a contributing writer to Diet and Weight Loss Reviews. For the latest weight loss tips and diet reviews, visit http://www.FreeToBeThin.com.

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I found this article on WebMD today, and thought it fits well into my Anatomy of a Weight Loss Program series. Enjoy!

Part 2

Welcome to the second installment in my series on building a successful weight/fat loss program. Last time we talked about writing S.M.A.R.T. goals, and making your desires more concise and concrete. How did you do on your worksheet? Now that you have your goal set down on paper, it’s time to start planning for your success, and we will start with nutrition.

Do you notice I don’t use the word ‘diet’? That’s because a diet is usually a temporary solution that will not have lasting effects. There are so many diets out there to choose from such as South Beach, the Zone, Green Tea diets, but do they really teach you how to eat for life? There are also many good programs available such as Weight Watchers and Body For Life that teach the better way to eat good foods.

You need to choose a program that fits your lifestyle, whether it be one mentioned above, a nutritionist or through your personal trainer. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is the program flexible so that changes can be made when necessary?
• Will I be able to carry what I learn into my maintenance stage?
• Can I live with this program for months, maybe years?
• Will my body accept this type of nutrition program?
• Get opinions from others.
• Consult your physician.

 Creating a Program

You will first to need to assess your caloric needs and a good macronutrient distribution.

•  Start by journaling your food for 3 days, then average your calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat grams.

If you choose to make your own nutritional program, we’ll discuss what you need to do to create something you can live with. My first recommendation is to visit mypyramid.gov where you can print out and make your own healthy menus based on a caloric plan. This is simply the best and most nutritious way to plan for success while giving your body all the correct nutrients it needs.

For our example, we’ll follow a fictitious client, Mary. Mary is a 40-year-old woman, weighs 175, and is 5′ 6″.  She does not workout now. Using BMI (Body Mass Index), we see that she is at 28.3 putting her in the overweight category. She needs to get below 24.9.  Mary journals (honestly) for three days and gets the following averages on her macros:

• Calories: 2265
• Fat: 96 g (38%)
• Carbohydrates: 311 g (55%)
• Protein: 40 g (7%)

First, Mary has to cut the calories! I would suggest starting with a 20% reduction, putting her calories at 1812. Never, ever, go below 1200 calories! If you cut your calories too much, you will put your body into starvation mode, and it will hold on to your fat for dear life thinking you’re trying to starve yourself. From here, we will adjust her macros accordingly. Mary needs to increase her muscle-building protein to no less than 20%. Next, she needs to cut down on the carbs and fat in addition to making sure she is eating the correct forms of these such as whole grains and fish oils. Using a 50/30/20 ratio of carbs/protein/fat here are her numbers for 1812 calories per day:

• Carbohydrates: 227 g (50%)
• Protein: 136 g (30%)
• Fat: 40 g (20%)

I know those numbers look like a lot, but when you’ve been eating fast food junk, drinking sodas (even diet), and eating general 2300 calories of empty calories a day, your body will respond to smaller reductions fortified with better food. Besides, one can always adjust the macros and the calories depending on the situation.

What are the Correct Foods?

Carbohydrates:This group includes whole grains, brown rice, yams, veggies. Stay away from processed foods (white bread, rice), and try to eat as fresh as possible. Shopping hint: shop the edges of the grocery store and stay away from teh middle.

Protein: This is your lean meats including turkey, chicken, and fish. 

Fats: This is the essential fats you need that you can get from eating nuts, natural peanut butter, fish, fish oils, flax, and many other foods.

For complete lists, I refer you to the USDA, a great web site for learning more about nutrition.

Putting It Together

It’s time to plan your menus. To be successful, you should plan out each and every meal for 7 days. Yes, it takes time, but visualize the prize, see yourself in that dress or bikini. Each day you will plan your meals to equal your decided macros. You will also want to plan in your cheats, taking into account any planned dinners or outing you may have. Use a nutrition planner and exercise journal to track your food as you eat.

Now it’s time to make a grocery list. Do NOT try to wing it! Do NOT go when you’re hungry! Make a list and stick to it, no exceptions. When you get back home, it’s time to cook. I take an afternoon on the weekends to prepare food that I will eat during the week. Remember, I eat 5 times a day, and that’s a lot of chicken! You need to decide how you want to prepare your foods, whether you will just cook separate items, or put together the entire meals and freeze them. It’s a trial and error situation, so don’t get frustrated if the first week doesn’t work out as planned. Keep protein bars in your desk, car and purse for emergencies. Each morning I am able to throw together several meals in a few minutes just by reaching in my refrigerator and grabbing something. Crock pot cooking is great for this, too. If you prepare ahead of time, you will be less likely to fail.

In summary:

1. Decide to use one of the current diet programs available or not.
2. Prepare to create your plan by tracking your foods for 3 days.
3. Work out your nutrient macros.
4. Plan your menus.
5. Grocery shop with a list.
6. Prepare food ahead of time.

Please feel free to email me, memre@fitnesssavant.com,  with your questions, and of course if you find this a bit intimidating, there is always my on-line coaching available where do the hard work for you.

Part 1: Setting Goals

Part 2: Nutrition

Part 3: Exercise

Part 4: Plateau Busting