These 27 Fitness and Fat Loss Tips will get you on the right track for 2010:

1. Visualize the accomplishment of your goals each and every day. Experience the taste of success and feel that sweet satisfaction.
2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don’t kill time, burn calories by maintaining a challenging intensity.
3. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight loss.
4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off. The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.
5. Believe in yourself. Know with conviction that you CAN accomplish your goals.
6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages. This simple action is extremely beneficial.
7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.
8. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
9. Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your cardio workouts by performing bursts of high intensity rather than exercising at a single steady pace.
10. It’s not about will-power, it’s about want-power. You have to want it.
11. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.
12. Stop talking about losing weight. Start doing it.
13. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.
14. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food’. Always read the nutrition labels.
15. Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet work with a personal trainer to guarantee dramatic results.
16. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and carbohydrates.
17. Destroy negative self talk.
18. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.
19. Be consistent with your workouts. Exercise three to four times each week.
20. Expect more of yourself.
21. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly derail your weight loss efforts.
22. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.
23. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.
24. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.
25. Set specific, measurable goals.
26. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.
27. You deserve better…go get it!

After writing these tips, I realized how powerful and inspiring they are. Print this list and place it somewhere that you’ll see often – this will keep you motivated and pumped up to accomplish your goals.

If your New Year’s Resolution has to do with losing weight and getting into great shape (and whose isn’t?) then guarantee your success by working with a fitness expert who can guide you to success.

I’d love to team up with you – together we will transform your body in 2010!

Call or email to get started today. (845) 223-8168

Between these new ventures and my marketing business I am stacked working 6-7 days a week and unfortunately, blogging has suffered big time.

The good news is that my clients are experiencing phenomenol weight loss results and my fitness income is taking off. I now have a total 17 clients and growing in my boot camp and personal training programs.  

I’ll post some good stuff soon as I catch up and come up for air. 

 Posted by: Bob Thomson

Long before any symptoms appeared, epidemiological research was used to identify people in high risk groups.

Among the highest risk factors are males over 35 years of age, high blood pressure, cigarette smokers,  high blood fats and a family history of cardiovascular disease.

There is also another risk factor: the compulsive, hard-charging, high anxiety personality. The greater the stress, the greater the overall risk.

These threats to your “heart health” can be divided into 2 main categories:

1) Those beyond your control, such as age, sex, heredity and…

2) Those that can be avoided, controlled or eliminated through lifestyle modification.

Among those in the second category are what cardiologists call the triple threat. These are high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

If you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, your risk of having a heart attack is twice that of a non smoker. If you smoke, have high blood pressure and eat a diet high in saturated fats without any exercise at all, your risk is 5 times greater than normal!!

How To Get a Healthy Heart Fast!

Obviously, quitting smoking cigarettes and eating a low saturated fat diet will help. The next best thing you can do for your heart is to give it what it needs:

regular exercise which includes cardio interval training.

The heart is a muscle. It’s actually a group of muscles, similar in many ways to limb muscles of the body. And just as exercise strengthens and improves limb muscles, it enhances the health of the heart muscles as well.

Since 1943, several large-scale statistical studies have evaluated the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease. One prominent survey compared 31,000 drivers and conductors of bus companies. The more sedentary drivers had a significantly higher rate of heart disease than the conductors, who walked around the buses and climbed up and down stairs to the upper level.

The results of these statistics were tested by experiments with dogs whose coronary arteries were surgically narrowed to resemble those of humans with atherosclerosis. Dogs who were exercised had much improved blood flow than those kept inactive.

The exercise seemed to stimulate the development of new connections between the impaired and the nearly normal blood vessels, so exercised dogs had a better blood supply to all the muscle tissue of the heart. The human heart reacts in the same way to provide blood to the portion that was damaged by the heart attack.

To enable the damaged heart muscle to heal, the heart relies on small, newly-developed blood vessels for what is called collateral circulation. These new branches in the arterial network can develop long before a heart attack — and they can prevent a heart attack if the new network takes on enough of the function of the narrowed vessels.

With all these facts we have, what should be done in order to improve heart health?

Some studies show that moderate exercise several times a week is more effective in building up these auxiliary pathways than extremely vigorous exercise done twice as often. Other studies show that vigorous exercise such as Cardio Interval Training is better in this regard.

The general rule is that ANY exercise helps reduce the risk of harm to the heart. Some researches further attest the link between exercise and healthy heart based on findings that non exercisers had a 49% greater risk of heart attack than exercisers in the study. The study also attributed 1/3 of that risk to a sedentary lifestyle alone.

So, by employing cardio interval training you can expect positive results not only on cardiovascular health but on your overall health as well.

This particular activity for the heart is a cycle of brief “repeated drills” of an intense nature followed by longer periods of recuperation (45 seconds to 3 minutes).

So it’s high intensity exercise for a short period (20 seconds to 1 minute)  followed by a break. Then, you repeat the cycle 2-5 times or so.

The benefits of engaging in Cardio Interval Training include:

1. Heart attack risks are lessened, if not eliminated

2. Enhanced heart function (i.e. better blood circulation, more blood vessels)

3. Increased metabolism, which increases calorie burning helping you in lose weight

4. Improves lung capacity

5. Helps lessen or eliminate stress

Indeed, cardio interval training is a fast and modern way of creating a healthy, happy heart and body in today’s hectic world.

Posted by: Bob Thomson, CPT

It’s along the now defunct Conrail line. I bike, hike and run here. It’s so peaceful and tranquil all my stress and worries just evaporate. I see critters such as wild turkey, deer and a variety of woodland birds. There are bear in “them thar hills”, but I have yet to see one – a good thing I guess. In these trying times, it’s nice to know I can quickly escape to somewhere peaceful to get back to the basics.

I do all sorts of body weight training exercises here, including wind sprints,  jumping jacks, mountain climbers, off trail hill walking and more. Here are some pictures from my sunrise training sessions:

The photos are copyright © Bob Thomson

Posted by: Bob Thomson

 Posted by: Bob Thomson  

Well, that’s all for today. Now I’m ready for some football !!

 Posted by: Bob Thomson

 How To Sculpt Ripped Washboard Abs

Posted by: Bob Thomson

Online personal training is one of the fastest-growing segments of the fitness industry. It’s an effective way for clients to get the professional guidance, motivation and accountability of onsite personal training without the associated high cost and scheduling hassles.

This new mode of fitness training was born out of two major client needs: one, convenience and two, cost savings. Here are 7 good reasons for using an Online personal trainer in 2009:

Reason #1 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Time Independence – Workout Anytime You Want. One of the main benefits of using an Online personal trainer is having the ability to workout whenever you want. Since you are not meeting with your personal trainer in person, you can perform your workout anytime on your scheduled workout days. This solves a common problem of having to pick time slots that fit both your and your trainer’s busy schedules.

Reason #2 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Geographic Independence – Workout Wherever You Want. When a trainee uses an Online personal trainer, he or she can workout wherever they want… the gym, at home or even on the road. It really doesn’t matter. You simply login to your training account, view and print your workout and do the exercises. After your workout you can log back in and report your results. This provides an important feedback loop between trainer and trainee.

Reason #3 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Big Cost Savings – Especially Important in a Down Economy. According to the 2008 IDEA Personal Training Survey, the average price tag for one on one personal training is $58 per hour. Unfortunately most people cannot afford one on one onsite personal training regardless of the economy. However, at an estimated average of $67 per month nearly everyone can afford Online personal training, even in a recession. It eliminates the procrastinator’s biggest excuse: “I can’t afford a personal trainer.” The real value of an Online personal trainer is that he or she provides the same benefits of one-on-one, onsite personal training but at a significant cost savings.

Reason #4 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Accountability. The vast majority of people who want to lose weight or get fit need a coach to hold them accountable for “showing up” and for performing workouts correctly on a consistent basis. This is extremely important. Clients are far more likely to stick with an exercise program long term and ultimately achieve their goals when they have to answer to someone other than themselves.

Reason #5 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Most Trainees Won’t Push Themselves Hard Enough to Make Regular Progress. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had clients shy away from doing intense weight workouts or cardio interval training simply because they don’t like the feeling of pushing themselves hard. Each time I have to hide my smile. You see, that’s what a good personal trainer does. He or she pushes you out of your exercise comfort zone so you can improve yourself. It’s human nature to want to do as little as possible to get by. However, a good personal trainer will push a trainee to new heights of health and fitness. This is important whether you use an Online personal trainer or an onsite trainer.

Reason #6 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Some People Feel Embarrassed or Intimidated by One on One Training. Some folks are just too proud or embarrassed to let someone else see how out of shape they are. They are fearful of being stared at or intimidated by the in-shape crowd. Online personal training solves these problems by providing a greater level of privacy, allowing clients to work at their own pace and in their environmental comfort zone (e.g. working out at home, alone instead of a gym).

Reason #7 for Using an Online Personal Trainer: Unbeatable Value. Professional guidance, the convenience of working out wherever you want, whenever, at a fraction of the cost of onsite personal training, all add up to a total value that can’t be beaten. Dollar for dollar, the benefits of using an Online personal trainer far outweigh the cost. You get all the benefits and tools for success you normally get with one-on-one, in-person training. Don’t underestimate the power, simplicity and results you can achieve with this fun, effective new way to train.

Posted By: Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer & Coach

Here are my Top 5 Myths about Weight Loss …

Weight Loss Myth #1: You have to count calories for weight loss

There are so many silly fad diets out there that paint the picture of weight loss as a complicated process. You have to eat certain foods at certain times and avoid other foods at all costs. Of course all of these popular diets conflict over which foods you should or shouldn’t eat.

The truth is that you don’t have to make weight loss such a science. Simply eat healthy fresh foods that haven’t been processed, and eat smaller amounts than you’re eating today.

No rocket science there, just results.

Weight Loss Myth #2: You can spot reduce fat from specific areas of your body

This myth is as old as Moses, yet it persists. It must be because the thought of melting fat from any desired part of the body is so appealing, however untrue it is.

In reality your body will lose weight wherever it wants. It’s safe to assume that you’ll lose fat ‘last place on, first place off’. So if you put on weight first in your thighs and then on your waist, then expect it to come off your waist first and then your thighs.

Weight Loss Myth #3: You will bulk up with resistance training

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard women tell me that they won’t do resistance training because they don’t want to bulk up. Each time I have to hide my smile.

You see, the process of bulking your muscles takes a lot of hard work. You have to consume high amounts of protein and you have to consistently tax your muscles to fatigue. And you have to have the male hormone testosterone coursing through your body. In short, there is no way to accidentally bulk up.

Weight Loss Myth #4: You can get a six pack from crunches

Just focusing on crunches will not make your midsection chiseled. Hey, ab crunches are great and you should do them, but don’t rely on them to get into great shape.

A trim midsection will only come as a result of proper nutrition, effective cardio and consistent resistance training.

Weight Loss Myth #5: Cardio is the most important exercise for fat loss

Most people think of cardiovascular activities when they think of working out. Going for a run, riding a stationary bike, or taking an aerobics class. Well, times have changed and so should your workout.

The benefits of resistance training trump those of cardiovascular training. Resistance training strengthens your heart while toning muscles and increasing bone density.

Cardio workouts are not a thing of the past. They should fit into your overall plan for health and fitness. The benefits of resistance training, especially for fat loss, are quite astounding.

Do you have other weight loss beliefs that simply aren’t delivering results? Call or email me today and I’ll help you bust the myths, discover the truth, and create a fitness and fat loss program that will give you the body that you deserve.

Posted By: Bob Thomson, CPT

Do you want to slow down the aging processes in your body? Would you like to reverse bad health and have the energy and vitality of people half your age?

In this post you’ll discover new, scientific evidence proving that vigorous exercise is the true fountain of youth.

This past summer a female Olympic swimmer made headlines and she didn’t even hold the best time in her events. What made her so amazing?

She was swimming with women half her age.

Dara Torres, 41 years old, competed in her fifth Olympic games. Oh and did I mention that she also has a two year old daughter?

While other women her age are whining about pregnancy pounds and being ‘over the hill’, Dara looks like the 20 year olds she competes with.

What makes her different from other 41 year old moms? “I love to exercise,” Dara says. “I love how it makes me feel. I love how it makes me look.”  

Here’s the fountain of youth part:

Because of exercise, Dara’s body is actually younger on a molecular level than her out-of-shape counterparts, according to a recent study led by Tim D. Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College in London as reported by the Washington Post.

The results were astounding. They found that exercise appears to slow the shriveling of the protective tips on bundles of genes inside cells (called telomeres), which means a slowing of the aging process.

“These data suggest that the act of exercising may actually protect the body against the aging process,” said Spector.

Here’s the study in a nutshell:

• Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and every time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter.

• Once a telomere gets too short that cell can no longer divide.

• Aging occurs as more and more cells reach the end of their telomeres and die. This results in weakened muscles, skin wrinkles, loss of eyesight and hearing, organ failure and slowed mental functioning.

• The study analyzed the telomeres from the white bloods cells of twins over a 10-year period. Telomere length was used as a marker for the rate of biological aging.

• It was found that the length of telomeres was directly related to that twin’s activity level. “There was a gradient,” Spector said. “As the amount of exercise increased, the telomere length increased.”

• People who did 100 minutes of weekly exercise had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 5-6 years younger than those who did 16 minutes of exercise each week.

• People who did 3 hours of vigorous exercise each week had telomeres that looked like those from someone about 9 years younger.

What does this mean to you? The fountain of youth is literally at your fingertips!

Add to that the previously proven benefits of exercise (such as a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases) and it’s no wonder that exercise lovers look and feel as great as they do.

Do you want to start an exercise program or get back on one?

Whether it’s been months, years or even a lifetime since your last workout, remember that it’s never too late to start looking and feeling your best.

And while you may not share Dara’s passion for swimming, you can share her secret for staying young and looking your best.

Call me at (845) 223-8168 or just send me an email to set up your first FREE workout.

Posted By: Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer