Question and Answer Video Time!!!

Watch Video for Q & A Wednesday Here!

Videos are so much more fun because I feel like I actually get to talk to each of you personally and now we are friends! I wish I could snap chat you too with Q & A's, BUTTTTT youtube and facebook haven't set that up just yet. 

If you don't feel like watching the view then I'm incredibly hurt and offended (not really), BUT here is a brief overview of the questions and topics :)


Q: Why is Soy Protein Bad? 
A (For Answer or Ashley :) ) : Soy Protein is not necessarily bad, but has gotten a bad rep lately because they have found through research that soy has an effect on female hormones and their estrogen levels. Some women even noticed a change in their menstruation when they started using soy. If it freaks you out the fact of soy messing with your hormones well guess what else will mess with your hormones....men...life...kids...pets...carbs...ok kidding, but seriously if it does bother then you don't use it. Stick with what feels right for you. I prefer the taste and texture of Whey or Casein, plus my body seems to get better results. 

Q: How to recover from a day/night/weekend of binge eating?
A: FIRST- DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP! No you did not just gain 5lbs, no your entire workout and diet isn't ruined, no you do not have to starve yourself, and yes you are still awesome and incredible and amazing. Just get back on your routine today. You enjoyed your food, you had a good time so move on from it. Food wise, try to avoid an extra sodium intake or sugars. That'll just contribute to the extra water weight you hold onto from the overload of frieds foods, alcohol and what not. ALSO- DO NOT WEIGH YOURSELF! Unless you really just want to feel like crap and feel horrible about yourself do not weigh yourself for at least a week afterwards and give your body time to regulate back to normal. You can also try drinking some sugar free cranberry juice as a natural diuretic to flush out the toxins and extra bloat. 

Q: Do you have any meal suggestions as I am trying to lose 12-15lbs and participate in a marathon? 
A: With any meal the macro breakdown you want to have is lean protein, veggies, and healthy fats/OR complex carbs. Later in the day when you are winding down switch out the complex carbs for a serving of healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, flaxseed oil, nut butters etc...then during the way you can have your complex carbs like oats, sweet potato, brown rice, etc. Make sure you are eating every 2.5-3 hours and fueling your body so it has the energy to get through the workouts and train for the marathon! There are tons of recipes on my blog with ideas, BUT if you have a specific meal you want some help with then leave me a comment and I will definitely help you out! :)

Q: I am interested in starting my own business. How do I get started online and should I keep the same email address or change it?
A: With any business you want to start you have to first make sure you narrow down your target market...your niche...who do you want to talk to? Who do you want to help? What do you want to be known as an expert in? What do you want to be known for? Passion is huge in having a successful business. Knowledge is important, but without passion you will give up when the going gets tough. So first figure out those questions and from there just start learning or following other people who are living a life like you want or have a business like you want. Ask lots of questions and be open to all kinds of answers. For the email, if your email is not professional and pertaining to your business then you need to just cut your losses and make the switch now. You do not want to start a professional business then tell people to email you at beachbabe345@aol.com or joedirt9489@earthlink.com. You want your name, your brand, and your business to all flow together so people can easily associate you with the different aspects of your business. 

I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU GUYS AND LOVE YOU FOR READING THIS AND WATCHING THE VIDEOS! IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE ANSWERED THEN LEAVE ME A COMMENT OR SEND ME AN EMAIL @ ashleydrummondsfitness@gmail.com AND I WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO ANSWER THEM! 

P.S. If you are not already subscribed to my youtube channel or my blog then jump on board and be a part of this awesome group of friends plus You dont want to miss out on all the things coming up!!! 

Have a fabulous Wednseday!!! 

   

Killer Back Workout!! With Pull Up Video!

I have gotten more questions and emails about workouts to get that awesome "V" shape from guys then emails from the ladies asking how to get rid of that back "bra fat" so I created a workout that will literally hit every single muscle in your back and leave you feeling nice and sore for the guys and gals!

Perform this workout like a circuit so perform each exercise back to back with no rest until you have completed all 5 rounds of the circuit! That's right all 5! 

Pull-Ups 15x
Bent Over Barbell Rows 15x
One Arm Dumbbell Rows 20x (Each side)
Kettle Bell Swings (For Lower Back) 20x
DeadLifts 10x (HEAVY!)

Choose a weight for each exercise that has you pretty much barely pushing out those last two reps...the KB swings you should be dying around 15 reps so don't grab a 20lb KB or DB if you aren't breathing hard at 15 reps. Don't sell yourself short. Same thing with the rows and deadlifts!

For pull-ups! I am aware that not everyone can perform a pull-up so perform one of THESE MODIFIED PULL-UPS based on your fitness level and get moving!!!

Again NO RESTING until you perform this circuit 5x through and your back and biceps are burning! If you aren't burning and breathing heavy through this then you ain't doing it right! :)

P.s. I will be uploading all of the demo exercises, recipes, Q & A, and coming soon my programs on my YOUTUBE CHANNEL so when you pick your pull up modification be sure to subscribe while you're at it too! :)

Nobody Gives A Crap

You know that feeling you get when you are about to take that first step and you wonder what will happen if you fail, fall of the path, screw up, look like an idiot, make the wrong choice, start back at square one? Well guess what...nobody really gives a crap so just do it already! 

It's true! Think about how much you hesitate on just the first step of starting, but never do because you are so stinkin scared of what your mom, dad, dog, neighbor, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, boss, spouse, hair stylist, random stranger in the car next to you will think. Don't even pretend like you don't refrain from jamming out to your favorite song when you pull up to a stop light because you don't want the person in the car next to you thinking you're an idiot. We all do it, I get it. I tone it down a notch when my favorite song comes on my ipod at the gym and I really just want to blare out with my awesome glee impression every word to the song with awesome dance moves might I add! Why? Because I don't want random stares and to be the next story of "omg did you see that one girl in here earlier..." When ultimately we are all too concerned and caught up in ourselves to really care what anyone else is doing with their life.

How many times have you done this with something bigger? I'll be honest I kind of got a gut feeling (you know that thing that happens when you're meant to do something) that it was time for me to switch gyms recently and honestly I ignored it for a while because I enjoyed knowing my way around my current gym and knowing the people plus I looked like someone who knew what they were doing at this gym. However, I was starting to plateau with my motivation, with my results, my workouts were getting stale and I was just going through the motion. I knew it was time to step it up and change my environment to get around people who pushed me to be better and to grow BUT I delayed this decision because I do not like to feel out of my element or out of my comfort zone. 

So last week I made a visit to good ole' Powerhouse Downtown and walking through that gym the first time I was more than intimidated and was ready to get back in my car and go back to my regular gym where I felt like "the big fish". But I forced myself to walk around try it out and just feel the intimidation and soak it all in...I was intimidated because these people were serious, they were all about health and fitness, this was their life, these were serious business owners, big name doctors, celebrities, etc and awesome people to network with which is why I started to get that gut feeling that it was time to change my environment. Sooooo I sucked it up and joined as soon as the tour was done...I didn't think about it I just said screw it and sucked it up and did it. I have never felt more uncomfortable and out of place BUT I have learned that it usually means I'm growing! If you are comfortable and things are routine and you are forced out of your element here and there then it means you probably have stopped accepting growth opportunities and YOU NEED TO START MAKING SOME CHANGES unless you just want to stay where you are then continue with what you are doing. 

I have big dreams, big goals, high ambitions and passions as I'm sure you do too and well I also know that in order to be the best and meet the right people I have to put myself in the environment to do so. For me, that meant going to a gym that I have NEVER been to where I know NO ONE and just force myself to meet people, talk to people, find my way around, make it my new second home, ask questions, see what new workouts and opportunities are out there and I am doing it every single day and guess what...I'm only a week into it and it's now I love my new gym! I'm not 100% comfortable with it and I still don't know where anything is at or who anyone is, BUT I'm glad i made the change and JUST TOOK THAT FIRST STEP! 

Sometimes that's all it takes is just getting the courage or getting the balls to just GO FOR IT! Feel the intimidation, the fear, be scared, be uncomfortable but just do it!!! I promise once you take that first step it gets soooo much better, BUT no one can make the decision to go for it other than YOU! There is unlimited sources of help of people who want to help you with your goals, help you with your fitness, help you meet your soul mate and grow your business, etc but there is absolutely no one else in the world who can take that very first step OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE and INTO THE NEW YOU....other than the amazing fabulous capable YOU! SO GO DO IT NOW! If you want help starting that-that's what people like me are for or other trainers and business coaches in your area...there's no point in delaying the life you want out of simply not asking how to get it!

The key to sticking with any program is having a strong support system whether it be friends, family, a coach, a trainer, it doesn't matter just have people who will hold you accountable every week, every day or however much you need to keep you on the path to the life you want! :) Happy  Monday!

FIRST VIDEO BLOG!

I promised you guys that I would answer your questions with a video and I also promised that if you guys were open and real with me then I would be as open and honest with you as possible. So here is the first video...no editing just me talking to you :)

 Check it out!

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

The One Thing Keeping You From Success and Results! Seriously!

If you're at all like me (which I'm sure you are since you are reading this), you have read every book, done your research, written down your goals, made the commitment, started on your project, started going to the gym and yet you kind of feel like you have no idea what you're doing and aren't really sure if you will actually get to those goals.

When I first started training, I graduated college and received all of my certifications, but when I got my first client and it came down to creating a program for them I had NO IDEA what I was doing. Literally, I just kind of sat there dumb found in front of a computer googling "how to create a client's workouts" or "First personal training client" etc. I knew how to workout for myself and what worked and didn't work, but to tell someone else what to do with their body I was clueless and frustrated. Here I was a certified trainer, with all this education and not sure how to even write a workout praying to God that the client didn't also ask for a custom meal plan or I was headed to the trainer room for an emotional breakdown because I was so confused as to where to start!

Same thing happened when I first got into being an entrepreneur. I went through Business school, graduated at the top of my class, all kinds of academic recognition blah blah blah then when I received my first independent client and had to actually figure out pay, scheduling, advertising, marketing, training, sales, budgets, programs, etc I felt like I learned nothing in those 4 years of business school and just threw numbers and guesstimates out there hoping the client thought I knew what I was talking about. That was back in 2008!

I am sure you have felt the exact same way! Maybe not in business or training, but maybe with workouts, nutrition, or your own line of work. I went through a lot of trial and error periods figuring out how to do everything and I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HAVE SLAPPED ME ACROSS THE FACE and told me THIS ONE THING that I didn't know out of ignorance that has made all the difference in my training and in the success of my business. 

Someone mentioned the idea of a business coach, following another trainer or a mentor and I laughed because my ego in my thought "pscchh I am a Business graduated and I AM a trainer, I don't need either of those!" And stayed in that mindset for a while deciding I would figure it out on my own. Not just that...I was also cheap and am a huge savor and spending more money on something else didn't appeal to me.

WELL long story short, about a year ago I got an email from a motivational newsletter at Early to Rise that is geared towards entrepreneurs and this particular one happened to be about coaching. I usually delete these emails and I actually read this one...and I was blown away to find out that people like Dan Kennedy, Isabel Del Rios, Craig Ballantyne, and numerous other HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL (We are talking multimillionaires) had business coaches and trainers they saw every week! Even individuals in the competitor world who are trainers themselves have trainers and nutritionist they go to! WHY!??

It's simply because in order to be the best at what you do you have to learn from the best. In order for me to be the best business woman I can be, I have to follow and learn from those who have used proven techniques to be successful so I don't have to waste time trying out things that don't work. In order to be the best trainer to my clients, I have to learn from other trainers who have years more of experience then me. We all have different ways of helping each other down the line! 

Well, that's right you guessed it...A year go I hired a business coach and I feel like it has made all the difference. I have seen more business and more growth in the past year then I have trying it on my own. I had a few new trainers come to me recently asking all kinds of questions about gaining clients, going from an employee to an entrepreneur and how to get out of the ridiculous training hours and I have to admit I absolutely LOVE helping new trainers build their business so much faster then I was able to build mine simply because I have learned the hard way and now I know!

What about you!?? Maybe you need a trainer even if you are an expert in fitness to teach you something new. Maybe you need a business coach to see your obstacles from a different standpoint and guide you in the right direction to exceed last year's business PLUS to hold you accountable! Regardless, we are all here to help each other grow and maximize our unique skills. So why not learn from someone who has already been there and done that!?

Don't let your EGO of thinking you already know everything keep you from SUCCESS and RESULTS! 

If you are interested in Business Coaching I am opening my schedule up to allow 5 new clients the opportunity to be personally coached by me on ways to gain more clientele, target your market, maximize your time, work less and make more money, and how to go from an employee to an entrepreneur! I CAN ONLY TAKE ON 5 NEW CLIENTS. My Schedule is incredibly full of young trainers becoming entrepreneurs as well as individuals tired of corporate America and the 9-5 schedule learning how to make money doing what they love! AGAIN FIRST 5 individuals are all I can take- I am allowing you to email me directly for this one at ashleydrummondsfitness@gmail.com! 

Here's to letting down your ego and letting in SUCCESS! Happy Monday!

Being Yourself Leads You To Your Goals

I am all about self-help and motivational books because I think there is nothing more motivating then reading a story about someone who had absolutely nothing...literally lost their family, job, money, healthy, living in their car, etc and then hearing how they turned that into multi-million dollar businesses or to finding the love of their life, being discovered or whatever it may be! They continued to believe in themselves, but also believe that life was bringing them to something greater.

One of my most recent books that I have started to re-read because I have read it so many times and is just incredible is called Dying To Be Me by Anita Moorjani. Long story short, Anita has a story of battling cancer and then having a near death experience that changed her life and made her realize the truth about life and what we all miss by being caught up in our daily tasks. The main theme of the entire book is Be Yourself Fearlessly, Life Your Life Fearlessly.

First time, I read the book it opened my eyes to so much and yes we all hear things like this and think "Ok, I'm going to go sky diving, going to try out that new job, going to ask that person out that I've been too scared to talk to", while in a sense you are living your life fearlessly with all those things, but it's about being yourself fearlessly. What does that mean? How often do you compare yourself wishing you were someone else? How often do you envy your friends and family members because they just always seem to have such a perfect life and you're stuck in a dead end job, crappy relationship, and barely paying bills? You feel all these things of jealousy, envy, frustration, hopelessness, yet at the same time you feel this sense to do something greater and be something different then you've been because all the other stuff just isn't making you happy. Right?

I'll apply this concept personally and try to explain how being yourself leads to your goals. Five years ago I started this business in health and fitness with hopes of one day being super successful. Well, I started out strong then started to doubt myself, listen to everyone else tell me how personal trainers don't make any money, that I needed to just stick with my Business degree and go find a "safer" job, or whatever and well two years into this I listened. I didn't quit training, but my mindset and lack of confidence in myself made me stop caring about the training because I had already accepted that it wouldn't work. I mean come on, who really gets to make a living doing what they love right? So I took a job managing a gym and I HATED IT. I found myself in my spare time just researching workouts, following other trainers, talking to people about building a personal training business then decided to give it another go! Again, I was talked out of it about half way into even starting it back up and I stopped again and took another job working for a huge wine and spirits distributor Southern Wine and Spirits and just gave up training because everyone told of the income potential, bonuses, benefits, etc and well being self employed you have to create all those things yourself. However, on my breaks and days off from SWS I would be glued to my computer and books reading about fitness, nutrition, motivation, helping people achieve their goals, etc and I would be approached at gyms by people asking me to train them and how to do this or that. Sooooo I quit SWS with ZERO clients, literally I did not have a plan or an income and I remember approaching my boss and giving him the news and this is exactly what I said, "I have no idea how this is all going to work out. I am not quitting this job because I got a better offer somewhere else. I am quitting this job with no income from anywhere else, BUT I can not go one more day putting in this much time and effort pursuing something I don't love just for money when I know I was meant to do something else so I am just trusting that gut feeling I have and am going to run with it."

And here I am....two years later...and business is incredible and I have met so many amazing people and opportunities along the way that I would have never experienced had I tried to follow the path society tends to pave.

I love to write, I love to help people, I love fitness and nutrition, I love seeing people succeed in every area-financially, physically, and with relationships, I love business, and I am doing what I love and God has blessed me so much with it! The funny thing is every time I got frustrated and would seek out my business coach or mentors and ask them what do I do!?? They would just simply say, "Just keep doing what you're doing. It'll happen. Focus on helping people and your passions and listen to your own intuition and it'll all happen." AND IT HAS AND IT IS HAPPENING! Over the past month, God has opened so many doors and I have been blown away by the opportunities that have been presented to me just because I quit worrying about money, quit listening to everyone else and just kept at being myself and doing what I love.
We all have UNIQUE passions, talents and gifts that nobody else can do like we do. You may be an incredible cook, mom, teacher, husband, landscaper, nurse, doctor, speaker, and you  may touch people in a way that other people can't. Focus on what it is that you love and how it helps people and there is no way that it won't be successful because you are making people's lives better JUST BY BEING YOU!

I had a meeting with the incredible Dan Long the other night, which if you do not know who he is- he created an amazing Suspension training program (You can check him out at Here) along with being the owner of Power House gym here in Tampa and he is the most sincere and caring person who has a desire to help people! His training is intense and serious, but his passion in his workouts is a direct reflection of his passion for life and helping others! He made a great statement that said,  "God has given me a gift and if I don't use that gift to help other people in life then I am letting God's gift go to waste."

What is your gift? And WHY ARE YOU NOT DOING IT? OR If you are, stop being scared and just BE YOURSELF FEARLESSLY!

Alcohol and Fitness...To Drink or Not to Drink?

The funny thing about nutrition and the struggle a lot of people come to me with has nothing to do with being able to follow a meal plan. We can all do that to a certain extent. It's that one question that people don't want the answer to... "Can I still drink on my meal plan? I love wine can I still have wine? I like to go out and have drinks with my friends on weekends...do I have to cut that out too!!?? Or can I at least have that if I'm eating clean?"

This question always makes me laugh a little on the inside because I too love good red wine and enjoy sharing wine with friends. So lets start with the physical reactions that go through your body when you consume alcohol first and then I'll answer that question for you like I answer for my clients.

When you consume alcohol your body is doing a whole lot more then usual to metabolize the extra calories. Your body actually makes it a priority to metabolize the alcohol over burning fat and carbs. Alcohol also breaks down amino acids and stores them as fat. Surprisingly, while most people drink to held "unwind" or reduce stress, it actually increases levels of cortisol (a stress hormone), which further encourages fat storage, particularly in your midsection.

"In a study of 93 men and women, researchers found that alcohol decreased sleep duration and increased wakefulness (particularly in the second half of the night), especially in women, whose sleep time was decreased by more than 30 minutes over the night. 'Disrupting the sleep cycle can reduce your human growth hormone output—which builds muscle—by as much as 70 percent,'" says Piattoly of Women's Health magazine.

Then there's the whole recovery time and not having as much energy to make it through your workout the next day, etc.I could counter all of this with all of the healthy benefits and antioxidants that wine gives your body as well! There's always pro's and con's to everything.

To answer this popular question from the emails I get along with my inquisitive clients, I will go back to what every post I make it about...balance. I believe everything in life can be enjoyed in moderation. No, you do not have to completely cut wine, beer or alcohol out of your life in order to have a fit body. However, I will say that consuming alcohol just like anything else in excessive amounts will lead to weight gain simply because of the added calories. There have been multiple studies and nutritionists out there who suggest have a glass of red wine every night with dinner to help the metabolizing process. You can have a drink or two every now and then, but try to limit it.

To my online clients, Bikini Body Fat Burn Clients and my contest/photo prep clients I highly recommend not consuming alcohol during your training because you will hold extra water weight, feel bloated, not have the energy to get through your intense workouts the next day, and possibly keep from burning that stored fat that we are working so hard to burn for you!

As with everything in life, listen to your body. If you know you usually feel lethargic and bloated after having wine the night before then I don't suggest doing it. If you are fine after one drink and are able to hit the ground running the next morning then take that into consideration as well. I will give advice based on my own expertise, educate, experience, and knowledge, but just remember that you know your body better than anyone so take all things into account!

VIDEO Fat Burning HIIT Under 20 Minutes!

So I gave you all a pretty intense cardio workout without actually touching the cardio equipment and a lot of you gave great feedback as far as how much it kicked your butt and you were more burnt out in that time then you were doing 45-60 minutes of cardio. Which is AWESOME! That's how it should be!! You do not need to do hours of cardio and you actually burn more calories and fat by training this way then putting in miles and miles on the treadmill (unless you enjoy that kind of thing, but I personally am not a cardio person). If you want to burn fat, strengthen your core, push yourself harder in 20 minutes then you have in a while and see results FAST then this is how you want to train! 

AND This time instead of posting pictures, I actually did this whole circuit for you the other day and recorded it so you can see exactly how to perform each exercises :) Except I didn't realize that youtube has a time limit on how long your video can be so I had to cut it off after the first round because your video isn't allowed to be longer then 5 minute or something along those lines. However, you can see exactly how to perform each exercise and what 1 full round entails.

Here is the workout:

You will complete this circuit for a total of 5 rounds with a 20/10 format a.k.a. Tabata method so perform the exercise for 20 seconds and rest for 10 then start the next exercise for 20 seconds and rest for 10, etc. You will not rest until all 5 rounds of the circuit are completed other then the 10 seconds in between. This circuit should take under 20 minutes! **I apologize in the video you will see me checking my watch because the HIIT timer on my phone wasn't working so I had to guestimate when 20 seconds was up, but you'll get an idea of the circuit. Here we go!

Burpee
Star Leg Lift (Alternating)
Jump Rope with High Knees
Sumo Squat to Upright Row or SDHP 40lbs
Dumbbell Kb Swing 35lbs
Lunge Jumps
Pushups 

HIIT FAT BURN UNDER 20 MINUTES VIDEO

Perform each exercise for 20 seconds then rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. Again repeat all 5 rounds before stopping and you will be breathing heavy!! Time to burn fat, time to get going!! Here is your video to show you exactly how to do it! I will be posting videos regularly to help you guys get a better idea and because I have had a lot of requests.

ALSO- I get a TON of emails of people asking all kinds of health and fitness related questions and I want to connect with you all personally so ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE ADD A COMMENT TO THIS POST AND THE FIRST 5 QUESTIONS I GET I WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER IN VIDEO FOR YOU WITHIN 24 HOURS!!! LETS HERE YOUR QUESTIONS!

Getting the Body And Life You want Takes more then just Wanting It.

I always am posting about workouts, nutrition, and having confidence in yourself that you can live your passions and dreams and look however you want, but one thing I guess I have not talked about is that it is not just about wanting it. 

I was reading one of my inspirational books this morning and the author, Jen Sincero, talks about how we all seem to have these goals and these things in life we really desire and we will get so frustrated about how it's not in our life and we don't understand and maybe we just got dealt a bad hand or that's "just our luck"....BUT it's about so much more then just wanting something. 

I want to travel the world, but saying I wan to travel and then never even purchasing a plane ticket is a pretty sure way to be disappointed and frustrated and join the misery of "why is life so hard for me right now? Why does God not want me to travel the world with this is my passion!?" OR there's the better one that I hear soooo often "I just want to find my soul mate, the one for me...I don't get it, why do none of the guys/girls I am interested in want to date me and the only ones I do seem to get are the ones I don't want. I am just going to keep holding out for that one person and not date anyone until I find him/her." Which basically is saying I want to date the love of my life, but I'm not going to date until I find that person? How do you know what you want then if you've never dated anyone? How do you get more dates if you don't actually go on dates? 

THEN there's the fitness side of it: "I wish I looked like that girl/guy I saw at the gym all the time. They just look so fit and lean and I can never get my body to look like that...I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and accept the fact that it's never going to happen." WELL, you have a better possibility of it happening if you actually go talk to that person and ask them what they are doing to look that way, then start doing something different with your own routine AND stop talking as if it'll never happen. 

Most IMPORTANT thing I have learned in my own business, in my training, and from other successful mentors is this: THE UNIVERSE REWARDS ACTION. 

How many people do you know who 3 years ago were talking about starting that business, talking about that dream vacation, talking about moving to that new awesome city, talking about ending that toxic friendship/relationship, and then.....here you are today and NOTHING has changed and they are still talking about doing it?! We all have dreams and goals we want to happen, the difference is actually doing something to get to them. I am not saying you have to stress and have sleepless nights trying to pursue things. Simply doing one thing each day that takes you closer to that goal. If your goal is to find the love of your life, then make an effort each day to just talk to one new person each day even if it's just saying Hi at Starbucks or the gas station who cares just to be open to new people. If it's to have $100,000 in the bank be the end of the year then start by just looking at things you can do on the side that you enjoy to bring in a little extra money or talk to your boss about a raise. If you want to change your body composition and lose weight, then take that step by talking to a trainer or friend who can tell you how, or buy a book about it or stop eating fast food for one day...just anything!!!

You can have the burning desire and dreams, but without ACTION you end up just like everyone else. You have to be about what you so deeply want don't just talk about. Be about it, act like you have it, take action towards it, believe in yourself, and STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. You live your life in the way you talk about your life....think about that. Whatever you say your life is...is exactly how you are living it. 

Take Action....so you can be closer to the life and body you want. You can't get to the finish line by just wanting to win the race...you have to at least be willing to step up to Start.

Get Creative with your Meals!

Nutrition is such an important part of getting results, having lots of energy, building muscle and creating that lean/fit look. However, eating bland and raw foods does not have to be a part of it. The typical foods you hear of bodybuilders and fitness models eating is just chicken and broccoli I swear that is the meal I heard everyone eating all day every day and that would make me sick after probably two days. PLUS, you don't have to eat that way! I love to experiment with recipes and try out new seasonings and different ways to add in all my macro's to get a delicious and healthy meal.  All of the recipes you read on here I have either created on my own or I have modified an "unhealthy" version of it from somewhere else to make it cleaner and more beneficial for my body.

If you are brand new to the eating clean or you really just don't want to think about the recipes, but want to eat something that doesn't taste like rubber or cardboard just try searching through some cookbooks or blogs like this one that offer all kinds of recipes. I do not necessarily follow any specific diet or eating plan other then just the term "clean" eating meaning I try to eat foods in their most natural forms without adding a whole bunch of sugars and processed things to flavor them up.

One of the best cookbooks with the best recipes I have found so far is one that follows a paleo cook book which I know that's the new craze and I don't necessarily agree with all of them, but these recipes in particular are closest to the diet I follow for myself and that I suggest for a lot of my clients.

If you need some help spicing up your meals or just want to change from your regular routine check out these Clean Eating Recipes!

I have a bit of a sweet tooth so the dessert recipes are usually the first section I go to, but hey if it's delicious and curbs that sweet tooth then I am all for it!!! Check it out and see if you like it! Happy Monday!

The No Cardio Equipment Cardio Workout!

Most people I know in the fitness business either hate cardio or they love it, there usually isn't an in between. Majority of us do cardio because we know it's good for us or when we've had a rough day and just need to clear our head. Some days, I just can't stand the thought of getting on another treadmill and watching that time just tick away until my time is up and I know I am not alone on this. So here is a great Cardio Circuit that literally only takes about 20 minutes, but will burn more calories then being on any piece of cardio equipment...and we've got a few strength moves thrown in there! 

First thing, set your watch, gym boss, phone or whatever to a 30/10 pace so you will perform each exercise for 30 seconds and rest for 10 to move on to the next one. This is the Tabata format that has been proven to burn a ton of fat in a short amount of time and trust me you will be breathing heavy through this. You will do 6 rounds total of this circuit with no rest in between rounds since you are getting 10 seconds between each exercise. 

Body Weight Push-Ups
KB or Dumbbell Swings with 30lbs
Step ups or Box Jumps (Depends on your fitness level)
Jump Rope
Dumbbell Clean (You will do one side per circuit then for the next round you will switch to the other side)

Box Jump

Dumbbell Clean

I assume everyone knows how to do a push-up and for the KB swing if you aren't familiar with this one please refer to the previous post with the workout including KB swings/DB swings. The box jump and Dumbbell Clean is sometimes confusing so I included pictures for these.

Perform each exercise back to back WITH ONLY THE 10 Sec REST. This is why it is helpful to set a timer on your phone or watch to beep in those intervals so you aren't trying to pay attention to the time while working out. It hits your cardio aspect, a little bit of strength, plyometrics and core! Try it out and share on FaceBook if you liked it!

Eat Fat to Burn Fat! Top 5 Fat Burning Foods to Include in Your Diet!

I get so many clients who start out the weight loss and fitness journey with great intentions to lose weight, tone up, drop body fat and feel more energized throughout the day and when I ask what they're diet is like 9 times out of 10 I get "Well, I don't eat hardly any fat and I keep carbs really low...I don't know why I am not losing weight". 

Like any other vital nutrient, fat is an important part of your diet and not only important with burning fat, BUT it is also vitally important in energy levels, brain function and hormone levels. There's a reason why when women get a few weeks out from competitions they usually stop having periods...it's because their body fat levels have gone so low that their hormones out of balance! (The periods always come back and your hormones level back out, but just to give an example of how having fat in your regular diet is an important part of your bodily functions).

So what do you eat? A jar of peanut butter? Well, you could however "Good" fat doesn't mean Unlimited fat just like anything else in your nutrition plan. Lean Protein doesn't mean eat as much of it as you want.

Here are the TOP 5 Fat Burning Fats you should be including in your daily diet:

1. Flaxseed Oil OR Sesame Seed Oil
2. Avocados
3. Almond Butter or NATURAL Peanut Butter
4. Olive Oil
5. Raw Nuts (Almonds/Cashews)

The Flaxseed and Sesame Seed Oil is usually available in supplement form and can be taken at every meal. You SHOULD be getting healthy fats with your meals! Most competitors and athletes incorporate one of these fats in the majority of the 5,6, or 7 meals throughout the day!

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART ABOUT IT ALL THOUGH IS SERVING SIZE! I have seen people just pour on the Olive Oil and go "Oh it's fine, it's GOOD fats!". Yes, it is but you don't get to have 1/2 cup of Olive Oil and expect the calories from it to just not count because it has nutrients. A normal serving of Olive Oil is 1 Tbsp. That's it! Here is the breakdown for each one of those fats as far as serving sizes:

Flaxseed or Sesame Seed Oil- 1 Tbsp or Capsule
Avocado- 1/4 cup
Almond Butter or Natural P.B. 1-2 Tbsp 
Olive Oil- 1 Tbsp
Raw Nuts- 1 oz or 15-20 Nuts

All of this info is on your nutritional labels, but next time you go to prepare a meal with your healthy fats. Seriously be honest with yourself and measure out how much you are eating of that fat...Fats are so good for skin, hair, nails, memory, fat loss, etc BUT keep them in the right serving size. 

The Best TOTAL BODY WORKOUT in under 20 Minutes!

The majority of my clients do not train 5-6 days a week so I do not really get to put them on a split lifting plan and have to come up with creative ways to kick their butt while still giving them strength training moves and in a limited time frame. Plus, there's days where we just don't have much time and even getting to the gym is pushing our schedule. So when you need to get a lifting session in, but have less than 30 minutes to get it done try out this butt kicking workout full of compound/big movements to push you and get a good burn! 

*You will need a gym, barbells or some pretty heavy KB's or Dumbbells to perform these exercises.

Deep Squat to Overhead Press 50-60lbs
Push Up To Rows 15lb Dumbbells
Sumo Squat to High Pull 60lbs
Flat Bench Press with Leg Lift 70lbs
KB Or Dumbbell Swings 35lbs

Perform 12-15 reps of each back to back with no rest in between like a circuit. The weight amounts I put in are for my own workouts, but when choosing a weight you want to choose one that makes it hard to push those last 2-3 reps out to make sure you are challenging your muscles. Perform the circuit for a total of 4 rounds! That should burn you out pretty good and hit every major muscle group! 
Deep Squat to Overhead Press
 Push up to Row
 Sumo Squat to High Pull
Chest Press with Leg Lift
KB Or Dumbbell Swing

Try it out and share on FaceBook if you like it!! Good Luck!

It's time to Grow....and let's be honest, sometimes growth sucks!

Muscle Growth or Baby Growing doesn't matter...growth is all the same!

For the past 8-9 days I have spent hours upon hours working on a very big online business project. I was given a 7 day plan by my business coach and each day was very specific as to what needed to be done and how to get this program produced in 7 days. I started out incredibly excited and motivated with time set aside each day to get each task accomplished knowing that in 7 days I was going to have a stellar program with a pat on the back from my business coach telling me how awesome I did and then life would be all rainbows and puppies and my online training business would continue to grow. 

Two days ago I had a video conference with my coach and a few other people to do a review of the product, the sales copy, and my progress and needless to say I was nervous because this was my first time, but I was fairly confident that I had done things right. I won't go into detail of the entire conversation, but the video conference basically ended with me crying, dropping a few curse words, angry, frustrated, and yep....starting the project all over because I did not do it right. According to my coach, I have 9 months worth of work before getting it up and running. 9 months!?? What happened to 7 days!? 

I went to school for Business then I went through all my personal training certifications. I have been running a business for the past 4-5 years and help other people learn how to become self employed as a trainer and I pretty much just felt like the Freshman in college who turned in their first term paper in AP format when it was supposed to be something completely different. I am in a whole new world of business right now and I ask questions pretty much every day to my business coach to others in the group and they are all probably getting annoyed with the 500 questions I have to ask. I contact my web guy pretty much every day and stalk them down on e-mail wanting to make sure everything is right. I contact people I don't even know who I google who have been proven successful in this same thing I am doing. I read book after book from others who have gone down this path and been incredibly successful. I don't care what it takes this is going to work and I am going to make it happen. Maybe it's through the years of sports or whatever that I have this drive engrained in my head or maybe it's through training I don't know. Not only that, what kind of hypocrite would I be if I sat here talking to everyone else about pursuing their dreams and trusting life to guide you to all the right answers and then I decide to just quit and stop pursuing mine out of discomfort!

However, regardless of how much drive, motivation, passion, enthusiasm you have for a goal or something you truly desire in life...sometimes the periods of growth you have to go through in order to get there really SUCK! I had to take the entire day off yesterday just because I needed to give my mind and emotions a break from the project and from accepting the fact that I just screwed up 7 days worth of work to start all over.

Honestly though, when have you ever gone through a period of growth and been excited and happy through it all? When you started your new training and eating regimen, how did your muscles feel after that first day of lifting to failure? How did your stomach feel eating no sugar and no processed foods? How did you feel the first day you stepped food in college to embark on a new academic level? What about the first year through marriage when you sometimes would rather strangle your spouse then cuddle up? The new job, the new city, the new friends....it's all uncomfortable right?!

Of course it is because you have never been there before, you have never seen this life before all you know is what's been familiar to you up to this point. I have no idea what I'm doing 90% of the time and I usually have a few emotional breakdowns or a few very intense workouts to help get over the humps, but at the same time I know I have 2 choices I can either push through the discomfort and see what amazing opportunities this new life has for me with no idea of what it looks like OR I can go back to my comfort zone where I already know exactly what life looks like and not want anything more for myself. 

A few years ago, I was going through a different period of growth and someone gave me a card and all they wrote in it was "Remember, every seed has to push through a whole lot of dirt before it gets to be that beautiful flower".....it sounds very cheezy but yet such a true analogy. Guess what, once you get through this growth spurt you are probably going to go through another one and another one if you want to continue to grow. And each time you grow, you get to learn something new and you get to be uncomfortable all over again!

I read a recent statistic that said "Only 5% of people who sign up for something, like a course or a seminar actually do anything with it" -Sincero. 5%! Can you imagine if all of the incredible people you admire who inspire you didn't do anything with their life?! What if your favorite artist who took those voice lessons never decided to pursue a career in music....you would never have them to get you through those good and bad days where sometimes you just need their music? Think about if all those people just sat back in fear and never pursued their dreams out of not wanting to be uncomfortable....how different would your life be because of that?

NOW...think about how different other people's lives might be if you don't pursue yours out of fear? See life isn't all about us...it's about using our unique talents, gifts and passions to serve the world and help others. Ever thought of it that way, by you not pursuing what you love you are withholding the most amazing version of you from the world? 

"The muscle of kick-assery is like any other muscle-you have to use it or lose it!" -Sincero

So you better get comfortable with being uncomfortable if you want the life you desire!

Live YOUR dream! Or you can help me live mine.

getty images

It seems like lately I've been hearing a lot of people talk about dreaming whether it's how they forgot how to dream or that they have a dream they aren't pursuing and to be quite honest it kind of saddens me to hear that. I had a friend the other day literally say, "I have this crazy dream to build a business doing _________, but then I need someone who brings me back to reality and reminds me that I have bills to pay and other responsibilities before I get caught up in cloud 9". What!!?? No! I will slap the person who told you not to dream big and to be realistic.

I used to be the same way, I had ideas and things that I would "love to do if money didn't matter" and then I would get right back to that job I hated just for the money and put the dreams on the back burner.

Seriously think about it, if you're 30 years old and you had this grand idea of traveling the world writing reviews of hotels and restaurants for some big food and wine or hospitality magazine, but instead of doing that you decided to take that corporate job sitting in a cubicle all day hoping to save up enough money to one day take a week vacation....when you're 80 are you going to look back and say wow I'm so glad I didn't go after what i really wanted and just took that 9-5 job that bored the crap out of me?! I highly doubt it. 

I received a great quote that other day in my inbox that said "If you don't start building your dream, then someone else will hire you to build theirs." How true is that!? I can either follow my passions and all my interests that make me light up and feel in my element and trust that God/life/love/etc will all help me along the way or I can stuff all those things away and live in fear of never having the money and just wither away in regret and a bunch of "oh I wish...". 

I did this all the time! I think part of what the problem is when we all say we are trying to find our purpose or our calling is not that we don't know exactly what we should do and what we want to do...it's that we don't truly believe we will be able to make a living doing it. It's not that confusing or hard to figure it out if you just put yourself in a limitless mindset and I asked you, Ok-Joe, If you could do and be anything you want to be right now at this moment what would you be doing? I'm confident you could come up with a few great ideas! Sooooo the next questions is why aren't you doing it? Because you're scared you won't get clients? You might not get that big break? You won't meet the right people to get you there? You won't be able to pay your bills? Well yes, if you keep thinking that way and live in fear then that's pretty much what's going to happen.

If you just trust yourself and trust that life is supposed to be an amazing adventure doing things you love, falling in love, being around people you love, then all of those clients, the money (lots of it), the right people will all come into your life exactly when they're supposed to. So quit making excuses, quit being scared, and start living YOUR dream!!! 

I was challenged not too long ago to start living mine and every day I have been doing it...I sometimes can't hep but be happy because I wake up making a living helping people do what I love!

I would love to hear what your dreams are and would love to hear your story!! It inspires me to hear about other people pursuing their dreams and passions! 

If you liked this post then fill in your e-mail address and I'll send you these blogs daily! OR Come Follow Me! :)

Dream Big! :)

How to Be Successful in Training and in Life!

It has been a very busy and challenging past couple of weeks for me. I am being pushed out of my comfort zones, doing things in business that I have no idea how to do, meeting deadlines and creating products, training clients, and having to push myself mentally probably harder then I have ever done before.

 I have been in the training industry for years now and starting out I didn't even know how to create a workout for someone else. I knew how to create one for myself, but to tell someone else what to do to create the body they wanted was so hard for me because I didn't know them or what they needed. NOW, that's the easiest thing in the world for me and I create workouts in my sleep (Not kidding lol).

The same is true when I decided to be an entrepreneur in the training field. I got my first independent client and just went with things trying to figure out what in the world I was doing now that I had somebody outside the gym with no one else to tell me how to do sales, schedules, workouts, meal plans, marketing, taxes, advertising, contracts, brochures, etc. I had a few...ok A LOT....of "I can't do this, I'm going back to a gym and just letting somebody else take all this big stuff so I can just train!" moments.

Yet somehow-years later-I never went back to a gym and am still running my health and fitness business with new opportunities and growth every day! Half of the things I am pursuing now with creating products and selling books and such is completely new to me and I am back to being the "newbie" asking everyone else pretty much every day how in the world do I do this!? The funny thing is whether it's in training, business, relationships, finances, or anything else the answer is always the same...YOU DO IT ONE DAY AT A TIME. 

You don't wake up one day and decide you want to be a successful entrepreneur and have millions of dollars handed to you with all kinds of gigs and major clientele lining up to do business with you. You don't wake up one day and decide you want to be a fitness model or competitor and all of a sudden you have your 6 pack, striations, developed delts and quads and you are ready to go...NO. You get there one training day at a time, one meal at a time, one workout at a time and you do it every day! Then 6 months, 12 months, 2 years, you do wake up and you are that successful entrepreneur who actually knows what you're doing, you are an IFBB Pro or fitness model now mentoring and training new individuals with similar goals like you when you started out, you have $20,000 saved up from all the nights you chose to cook at home instead of going out, and you have an amazing relationship with a significant other because you chose to put in the daily effort to get you through the hard times.

That is the only way to be successful in anything you do in life. You take the day as it comes and you do what you know to do at that time trusting that the answers will come when you are ready for them. As the saying goes, "The teacher will appear when the student is ready."

 Life already prepares us with the resources and connections we need in order to reach our ultimate purpose so that part is easy and completely out of our control. Our only job is to enjoy each day at a time trusting that by following our instincts, our passions, and what makes us "tick" will get us to wherever we are supposed to be. 

If you want to be successful in your weight loss efforts, in your new business endeavors, in getting a budget and sticking to it, or traveling the world, then take one step each day to get you there. You don't have to know everything right now you just have to have the desire and passion behind it! I recently posted this video on facebook that a friend shared with me and I feel like it's a video that needs to be shared over and over again to remind us where our focus should be! Check it out Below!

What If Money Was No Object Video Here

Leg Burn OUT!

I am always looking for ways to change up leg day so I recently came up with this workout for one of my clients and they were sore for a week after! I tried it myself and well I'll just say it's definitely not easy, BUT you will feel amazing after you did it...ok maybe a few hours after because you might be exhausted when you finish. Now you're excited! For this particular workout you will need to use your local gym for these exercises unless you have an awesome gym set up at home with all the big leg equipment. 

This is also a great workout if you have some serious frustration built up one day and just need to get it all out! This will wear you out so that when the workout is over you'll be too tired to be frustrated! :)
There will be a good amount of supersets in this workout which simply means you perform the exercises back to back without any rest in between the exercises. For example, you would perform a set on leg press then a set on high knees....then back to leg press then immediately back to high knees.  The whole idea is to focus on constantly moving and not sitting around between sets. This workout is ALSO perfect to do with a workout partner since you can just alternate on the supersets! This workout should also take you under 45 minutes to complete....if it takes longer then you are moving too slow! Also, ***I am just putting in the weights I used for my workout, so adjust the weight according to what works for you...if you decide to go heavy then please use a spot and be safe! For the first exercise that says Pyramid Squats...Pyramid means you will start at 1 rep and build up to 10 reps...your rest time is done by the amount of reps you perform. This sounds complicated but it's not. So perform 1 rep, rest 1 second....2 reps, 2 seconds....3 reps....3 seconds. This is easiest to do with a partner by you perform a squat then your partner performs the squat....then you perform 2 then rest while they perform two, etc. so for example here is what your Pyramid Squat up to 10 reps will look like:
Set 1- 1 reps rest 1 sec
Set 2- 2 Reps rest 2 secs
Set 3 3 Reps rest 3 secs
Set 4- 4 Reps....all the way up to 10.

Then you will pyramid back down like this:
Set 1- 10 reps
Set 2- 9 reps
Set 3- 8 reps
Set 4- 7 reps...all the way down to 1....when you get to 1 you will perform 10 reps again. to finish the pyramid

Let's go!

Barbell Pyramid Squats- 155lbs Pyramid up to 10
                                        Rest for 30 seconds
                                        Pyramid down starting with 10

Superset:
Leg Press- 90lbsx 15, 180lbsx10, 270lbsx8
Barbell High Knee Step Ups (Go For Speed)- 75lbs perform 8 reps on each leg

Superset:
Leg Extensions- 145lbs x 15, 165lbsx10, 175lbsx8
Hamstring Curls on the Stability Ball- 3x20reps

Superset:
Kick Back (a.k.a. The butt machine)- 60lbs x15, 70lbs x12, 80lbsx10
Weighted Lunge Jumps- 3sets x 20 reps with 20lb dumbbells 

Superset: 
Sumo Squats- 65lbsx 15, 70lbs x 12, 75lbs x 10
Walking Lunges- 3 sets x 20 reps (10 on each leg) x 25lb dumbbells

Superset:
Lying Barbell Hip Raises- 70lbs x 15, 80lbs x 12, 90lbs x 10
Weighted Step Ups- 3 sets x 20 reps x 25lb dumbbells 

That's it! That's the whole workout! Lots of super sets, lots of weight, and lots of fat burning moves!!
If you want to get your legs hard...you gotta put in the work and be ready to sweat! Good news is you'll get to eat more food on this day if you're on the right meal plan ;)

Try this workout and let me know how you feel afterwards....better yet let me know how you feel a few days after because I guarantee it'll hit every muscle in your legs, hams, and butt!!!!

Share with a friend and get them to do it with you!!!