Archive for June, 2008

Lose That Last Five Pounds

June 26, 2008

Are you leaving out one of the main cornerstones for optimal health and fitness?

Often, when we put together a fitness plan, we leave out part of the equation. Some people will only do weight training, others just aerobics, and some only diet.

But for optimal health and wellness, you need to be well rounded in all three areas. If you are doing a good job at combining all three and still are not getting the results you want, I may have the key to help you lose those extra pounds.

The missing ingredient that I see most with clients struggling to lose those stubborn extra pounds is inconsistency in their eating patterns. I ask them, “How often do you eat each day?” The most frequent answer is two to three times.

Most of us are fooled into thinking that in order to lose weight, we should eat as little as possible. This is simply not true.

Here is the problem with going for an extended period without eating: Your body thinks you are starving, and, as a result, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. When you do eat, the food is stored as fat.

Want to lose fat? Eat four to six small meals a day to kick your metabolism into high gear. Eating smaller meals throughout the day forces your body to burn calories all day long, and the results are amazing.

When you begin to eat in a “grazing” fashion, your body will respond by dropping unwanted pounds.

Still, there is always resistance from clients when I tell them they need to eat more frequently. Here are some of the excuses I get.

1. “I don’t have the time.”

Now you and I both know that, no matter how stressful or demanding your job is, you can still find five minutes every few hours for a snack. The issue here is not that you don’t have the time — it is that you just aren’t making it.

2. “I tried it and it didn’t work.”

I simply don’t believe it. There is no way that you really tried it and it didn’t work. Try it again with my foolproof plan (below).

3. “I forget to eat.”

The key here is to be as organized as possible. Think ahead and pack small meals so that they are ready to go. With a little effort, you will be eating every few hours like clockwork.

The foolproof plan

·  Eat small, nutritious meals every three hours throughout the day. Eat your first within 30 minutes of waking.

·  Make sure that each meal contains quality protein, complex carbohydrates, monounsaturated fats and fiber.

·  Remember that your goal is to eat more often, not more calories each day.

·  Keep a food log. Write down what you eat when you eat it, and take time to review your progress.

·  What should you eat? Whole grains, fresh fruits, lean protein and veggies. I encourage you to use this powerful weight-loss strategy in your quest for a fit and healthful lifestyle. You won’t be disappointed.

Written By: Andy Salazar Owner of Empower Fitness Training Visalia, CA

“Change your life and shape your physique with just three hours a week.”Visalia’s premier fitness expert can get you in the best shape of your life, if you give him 3 hours a week.  Take control of your life today!  Personal training gets results and that’s why anyone can benefit from this personal attention.  Choose today to make an investment that will last you a lifetime. 

 

 

 

 

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The Secret Truth to Weight Loss

June 23, 2008

We live in a world of instant results and gratification. We want things as of yesterday. We want instant food and instant results from dieting and exercise. I’m going to let you in on a secret, shhhhh. Don’t tell anyone, but all true and lasting things take time. What ever happened to just being healthy? According to the news, you’re either too skinny or obese. It’s like weight and body style are the only things there are to talk about. Let’s talk about solutions or healthy bodytypes according to an individuals age and sex. Everyone has an opinion, but nobody seems to have the answers. I’m here to tell you the answer is not as tricky as you may think. Okay, first you need to purchase every piece of exercise equipment you see on an infomercial, because they are all guaranteed to flatten your tummy and tighten your butt. Oh yeah, and you better get some of those miracle diet pills that melt the fat right off of your body. Come on people, does this make any sense? Do you honestly think that just 10 or 15 minutes on some super exercise equipment is the answer? I know what your saying, but the infomercial was so good.
Now, you’re beginning to wonder what the secret is, but first lets go over the list of top reasons why people don’t take the next step to losing weight and getting in good shape.


1. I don’t have time to eat right and exercise.
2. I don’t know where to begin.
3. I don’t feel I deserve to look and feel good about myself.
4. I’ve lost hope.
5. I think it is impossible, so I’ve stopped trying.

Do any of these excuses sound familiar? I have heard them a thousand times. Lets break each one of these excuses down. (1) I don’t have time to eat right and exercise…. Well tell me when is a good time to take care of yourself? You brush your teeth and comb your hair in the morning. Why not look at eating right and exercising in the same light? (2) I don’t know where to begin…. Starting is half the battle. A body in motion is better than sitting on the couch. Get up! Walk the dog. Wash the car, etc. If you really get serious, take advantage of a free session with a personal trainer. (3) I don’t deserve to look and feel good…. Now this is just nonsense. Everyone deserves to look and feel better about him/herself. Don’t be so self -deprecating. (4) I have lost hope…. It is never too late to get things right. You will feel so much better when you do. (5) It’s impossible….It’s only impossible if you don’t try.
Okay, now to get back to my secret revelation. Are you ready? Eat less and exercise more. There you have it. Now the question is, what are you going to do with it? Trust me, it really is that easy. There are 3500 calories in one pound of fat. If you can burn 500 more calories than you consume everyday of the week, you will lose a pound a week. If you want to lose 5 pounds it should take 5 weeks, 10 pounds in 10 weeks, 15 pounds in 15 weeks. I know you were expecting some miracle diet. The truth is, diets don’t work. You can only deprive yourself for so long. Changing the way you look at food and fueling your system is key. Over consumption in all areas of life is bad, but it only effects your midsection with food. I say eat what you want, but consume less of it. The food still tastes the same regardless of whether you eat one bit or all of it. So eat only till you are satisfied. Most of us know how to eat healthy, but we choose not to.
Making simple changes to your diet, like switching from regular food items to low fat items will drastically cut your calorie intake. Preplanning your meals will cause you to make healthy food choices. Eating 5-6 smaller meals will spread your calories out and keep your metabolism working all day. Drinking four 16z.glasses of water a day, you will burn an extra 100 calories. Try not to consume extra calories in the form of beverages. Plan on having some sort of physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. Start counting your calories. It is really not that difficult. After about two consecutive weeks of counting your calories, you will not even need a calorie counting book. You will be able to calculate it in your head, by grouping foods together according to their groups.
Losing weight really is not that tricky, but it does take a conscious effort on your part in order to make it last. Trust me your health and body are worth putting in the effort to feel and look better. Science and time have proven that if you do not take care of your bodies, health problems are sure to happen. Heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, cancer, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis are all health related problems that arise due to being over weight. The secret to losing weight and keeping it off is not really a secret at all. You knew the answer all along. It’s just easier for you to try that miracle exercise equipment or weight loss supplement, and then be disappointed when you do not see results. Choose today to change your mind- set on diet and exercise and begin a quest to a healthier, fitter you.

Written by: Andy Salazar, CPT. Owner of Empower Fitness Training Visalia, CA

Empower Fitness Training your one stop shop for all of your fitness, weight loss, and weight training questions and concerns for Visalia, CA and the surrounding communities.

219 N. Encina St. Suite B Visalia, CA

(559)636-3488

 

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Calorie Counter

June 19, 2008

Hello all, I just wanted to post what I think is the best free calorie counting website available.  Ever wonder how many calories a mocha has, or a double cheeseburger you can find out by visiting Calorieking.com  .

Take real-age test here, it’s a lot of fun.  My real age was 27.1 what yours?  Click Here for your real-age test

Have a great day! 

Andy Salazar

Empower Fitness Training Visalia, CA

Empowering the city of Visalia, and the Central valley to shape up and lose weight, through valuable information.

Empower Fitness Training offers semiprivate personal training, weight loss programs, and nutritional guidance in a comfortable non-intimidating environment.

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Where is the Best Place to Get in Shape?

June 17, 2008

Clients come to me all the time troubled, tired, and fed up. They have tried all of the quick fixes, fad diets, and infomercial products to lose weight and get in shape. Some have worked for a short period of time others never even got off of the ground. I am usually the last resort, why you might ask? Is because results through an accountable fitness plan, with a professional takes work and consistence. Many of my clients have been or are members at many of the major fitness facilities in town like, Lifestyles Gym, In Shape Health Club, In Shape Sport, Curves, Snap Fitness, and Valleys Gym. All of these facilities are fully equipped to help you get into great shape, so what is the problem? The problem is accountability, if you are not accountable to anyone else then it make being consistent very tuff, for most of us. With out consistency and a proper fitness plan, getting the results you want is impossible, no matter where you train.

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3 Bad Diet Mistakes To Avoid At All Cost!

June 16, 2008

I am surprised that the same mistakes are made over and over again, even though there is so much information available about weight loss.   We are not talking here about little slip-ups where you ate a slice of pie that was not on the plan, but big mistakes that lead to failure to lose the weight that you want to lose. Understanding these errors can help you develop the attitude that will lead to permanent weight loss for you.

1. The All Or Nothing Attitude

All or nothing dieters will often pick out a complicated diet that is almost impossible for them to maintain. Before beginning, they will search the kitchen for anything that does not fit the plan and throw it in the garbage. They are planning to be the perfect dieter, and so they will be, for one day, three days, seven days or even a couple of weeks. Then, inevitably, something happens that means they cannot keep to the diet one time. Immediately the whole thing is ruined in their eyes and the diet is over. They go to the store and buy all the things that went into the garbage last week and proceed to gain back all the weight that they lost, as fast as possible.

If you are this kind of dieter you need to ask yourself some tough questions. Do you really want to lose weight permanently, or just lose a few pounds so that you can enjoy putting them back on again? The way forward is to make small changes to what you eat so that you have a slow but steady weight loss.

2. The Attitude of Sacrifice

Another common mistake is to view your diet as a period of sacrifice. You do not allow yourself the foods that you enjoy most while you are on your way to your target weight. You may have a great diet plan and be very successful in losing weight, but what happens when you reach your goal? You have not learnt to eat ‘bad foods’ in moderation so as soon as you start, you are likely to go out of control. It is better to include a little of everything in your diet and learn to enjoy it in small quantities. Yes, even chocolate!

3. Goal Failure

Setting achievable goals is vital in any weight loss plan. Goals should be clear, realistic and set out in writing. While you probably do have an ideal weight in your mind, unless you are only very slightly overweight it is probably too distant to be useful. A more useful goal would be to lose two pounds per week for the first five weeks and then one pound per week after that. Some weeks you will lose more and some less, some weeks you may even gain, but if you track your progress on a graph you will see that ups and downs are natural and do not stop you progressing steadily toward your major goal.

If you have been making these mistakes, do not worry. The most important point in dieting as in so many other things is to move on. Learn from your failures as well as your success and do not use a mistake as an excuse for giving up. The only way to achieve your goal permanently is to make a commitment to become a healthier person. Remember that eating normally includes eating more some days and less others. Learn to enjoy food in moderation and you have every chance of avoiding these bad diet mistakes.

Good Luck!

As always I am here to help, if you need any assistance do not hesitate to call me. (559)636-3488

In good health, Andy Salazar CPT owner of Empower Fitness Training Visalia, CA

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Question of the Week

June 3, 2008

Question

What is the best meal or food or liquids to take right before and after a workout?

Answer

What to Eat Before You Exercise?

You do not want to eat a high calorie meal or fatty meal before a workout; it will make you feel sluggish, and or pukie.  

 

The best pre-workout meals are higher in carbohydrates; meals such as oatmeal, yogurt, or peanut butter toast on whole wheat bread are great pre-workout meals.

 

What to Eat After You Exercise?

 

After a good workout your body is starving for proteins, so a meal high in protein, i.e. chicken, turkey, or lean meats, would be a good idea.  You also want to consider the amount of calories you are taking in.  You would not want to counter balance the calories you burned while exercising.   

 

Two products I would recommend to assist you are a meal replacement shake, and a protein supplement called catalysts, that are distributed through Advocare.

 

Advocare Supplements

 

 

Good luck and Thanks for the question,

 

Andy Salazar

 

Personal Trainer Visalia, CA

 

Empower Fitness Training

 

(559)636-FITT

                3488

 

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Client Testimonials

June 3, 2008

Empower Fitness Training – The Best Kept Secret In Visalia

 

“I, like the majority of adults reading this, am over-weight.  Some of us are a little over, some a lot.  We are called plump, or jovial, or fat or obese and by any name we are not happy about the label or the condition.

I have created all sorts of excuses on why I go on this way.  I bet you invented some new ones as well.  I work in an office, I travel a lot, I am stressed, I do not have enough time to exercise, I am forced to eat too much junk food, I have to take care of the children, and well, just add your own.  We are good are finding the excuses but find it so hard to do something about it.

We are a society based on instant gratification.  I will admit to trying all of the following as the cures to being over-weight.  The LA 48 Hour Diet, South Beach Diet, Nutri-systems, Atkins Diet,  Hydroxycut, Wu Tea, Lean Cuisine, Hoodia, Green Tea, and on and on.  All a quick flash, none survived more than a few weeks because most simply to not work.  The reality is simple.  To lose weight, calories out have to be more than calories in, and no exercise, no weight loss, no muscle tone.  Oh, alright, I will also admit I tried abdominal liposuction.  Worked for a few years and then it really made things worse.  The premise of a limited number of fat cells in the body turns out to be utter nonsense and I am the living proof.

I live in Visalia so I tried a few gyms.  By far the best equipped was Lifestyles.  It was too busy for me and the trainers had no clue what a 50+ year old body is all about.  They all think we want to look like Arnold used to look like.  Terminate this buddy, I left.  I have absolutely no desire to look like that, never have, never will.

After years of certified failures, I finally found a real solution, the real deal.  No, not some million dollar facility with beautiful bodies in tights running around making you feel like you will never get there, and no not an expensive place with trainers who are clueless.  After decades of trying, I found Empower Fitness Training.  You know the name says it all.  A place to Empower you to succeed in your struggles.  A place to laugh, exercise, lose weight, get tone and grow muscle in a small personal environment that nurtures, not judges, encourages and makes a struggle into something fun.  When I cannot go because of business travel I actually miss it.  Never had that before in all the places I have tried.

So, what’s so special?  First, kiss off the word diet.  Diets don’t work.  Instead they create for you a reasonable food plan to give energy while you lose.    Next, kiss off doing huge metal weights.  Why?  Wanna get hurt dummy?  No, instead, low weights and strive for form, control, and finding muscle groups that you thought you never had.  Want to impress some one?  Go to another gym.  Wanna look like Arnold, well you can if you insist but find a new motto.  The other places around here are “No pain, no gain”.  At Empower, it’s “Pain?….No brain”.  Think about it.  You’ll get it.

The personal trainer at Empower Fitness Training knows bodies, limits, psychology, positive energy, encouragement and customizes your program not only day to day but even during the workout, sensing what you have left and what you need to do.  He is not obsessed with fat and muscle and weight every day, rather, longer term goals in time frames of months.  Enjoy life, Empower yourself, feel younger, and before you know it, real results.

For the first time in a decade I find myself leaving a gym smiling, not wincing.  I find in others there, mutual encouragement and friendly people who struggle like I do, but now, in a way that is fun and positive.  The results become a natural by-product not the goal.  Ironically, of anywhere I have been, Empower is really a change in lifestyle that slowly just becomes a part of your daily life.

We have all seen the Before and After photos everyone focuses on these days.  Shows like Greatest Loser are popular.  But I submit to all out there who struggle like I do, that the real measure of success is not measured in pounds, but in smiles, and a change in attitude and lifestyle and joy.

If you wanna look like Arnold used to, go to another place. If you wish joy, smiles, feeling Empowered and encouraged, try something radically new, the best kept secret in Visalia.  It’s called Empower.  Try it.  What it has done for me and my 59 year old body, is a revolutionary change, not founded in false promises, not in instant gratification, but based on a life time of gratification.  I’m hooked and frankly just overjoyed.

Next time you order some useless product on the internet, next time you watch an ad with the dramatic before and after shots you’ll never achieve with a quick fix, remember a little place in Visalia is working those miracles every day.  See you there.”

Dr Glenn Richards Visalia, CA

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