What do you think is the best way to lose weight?

If you’re like most, your answer is exercise and healthy nutrition.

But what if I told you that this is only a small piece of the truth?

Even worse, what if I also told you that you can do those things and get little to no results?

This is because there are still five fatal flaws you can make. But after you read this you will be much better prepared than most to succeed.

1. Selecting the wrong exercises – All exercises are not created equal for weight loss. Some burn many more calories than others do. So how do you tell the difference?

The more muscle an exercise involves, the more calories it burns. For example, the biceps are a small muscle. Therefore, bicep curls don’t burn many calories.

By comparison, squats use lots of muscle. The mass of the quads and glutes get activated. So squats are a good choice.

Chest presses, pushup, and pullups, are also excellent options. Of course, these are just a few of many options. Always include exercises that use large amounts of muscle into your workout routine.

2. Not increasing your workout’s intensity – The same workout routine that kicked your butt one day becomes easier every time you do it. As a result, the routine becomes less effective.

The way you counteract this is to increase your intensity with each workout. Tracking your repetitions per set, amount of resistance, and total number of sets will allow you to do this effectively.

Every time you perform your workout your goal is to do a little better in at least one of these areas. This will guarantee that you are pushing your body a bit harder with each time you train. This is vital for achieving weight loss.

3. Taking the wrong approach to cardio – Cardio is being labeled a waste of time by many trainers today. This is absolutely not true. The problem is that many are doing cardio the wrong way.

It’s being performed in a way that yields minimal to no results. The common approach is to perform it for 60 – 90 minutes at a slow to medium pace. This burns mimimal calories which is counterproductive for weight loss.

Instead, make sure your cardio contains some element of speed or power, or the combination of both, which is explosion. Work at a pace that you can only maintain for 30-35 minutes. This will have a lingering effect, burning more calories for you throughout the day.

Sprinting, jumprope, and speed swimming are a few examples of good choices for your workout routine.

4. Not creating a caloric deficit - If you want to lose weight you must burn off more calories than you are consuming. This is called creating a caloric deficit. Once you have accomplished this, your body will begin to burn off its fat reserves.

A general range for men is 2200 – 2600 calories per day. For women, it tends to be 1400 – 1700 per day. Keep in mind, that is possible for your caloric requirements to fall outside of these general ranges.

5. Infrequent eating - Maintaining lean muscle makes losing weight much easier. This is because muscle causes your metabolism to work at a fast pace. However, muscle needs to be fed every three hours, for a total of 5-6 meals per day.

Not doing so means your body will actually consume it’s own muscle as a source of nourishment. This is known as catabolism, and it can ruin the best workout routine and weight loss plan.

These are the same mistakes I warn my clients about. Avoiding them will help keep you on track to reach your goal.

I have already designed a plan for you that will show you how to do things the right way 

CLICK HERE TO GET A FREE COPY OF MY WEIGHT LOSS PLAN.

I want to talk about pullups today. More specifically… is it all that important to get your chin above the bar? I’ve heard a lot of guys say if you can’t get your chin over the bar it doesn’t really count and it’s not all that effective. BULL!!!! Listen, here’s the real deal: Getting your chin over the bar is ideal, but not absolutely neccesary. As long as your shoulders are above your elbows at the peak of your pullup and you can at least get the top of your head even with the bar, they are acceptable.

Let me paint a scenario. Jimmy B. weighs 180 lbs and can do 10 pullups with his chin over the bar. Mike D. on the other hand weighs 230 lbs and can also do 10 pullups, but can only get the top of his head to the bar. Now seriously, do you really think that the extra 50 pounds Mike is pulling is trumped by a few extra inches of range that Jimmy gets? Of course it isn’t. Even if they weighed the same Mike’s pullups would still be effective (although Jimmy’s would be more effective in this case since they are equal in weight).

The bottom line is getting your chin over the bar doesn’t make or break the quality of a pullup. Really your ultimate goal when doing pullups should be to get a full stretch at the bottom of the pullup and to stick your chest out while squeezing your back muscles as you pull. You should also keep your elbows pointed out to the side in order to maximize the engagement of your lats. These are the things that will really help you get more proficient at pullups and help trigger muscle development.

Of course you should strive to perform every exercise at the highest level. So if you can’t get your chin over the bar use this to help you get there: After you’ve completed all of your pullup sets, head over to the lat pulldown machine. Pull the bar all the way down to your chin or lower. Hold it there for five seconds. As you release and allow the bar to raise, make sure you take an additional five seconds for the bar to move from your chin to your forehead. The rest of the exercise is business as usual. Just be sure to perform the pulldowns with strict form (no leaning or swaying), using the same form I mentioned in the third paragraph. Use a weight that you can move for 6-8 repetitions. As always write down your numbers and increase your intensity slightly with each workout. Until next time, train hard and train smart.

The question “What’s a good workout for someone who is ridiculously out of shape?”, was asked of me. Well, my first answer is the free workout plan can be modified to almost any fitness level. However, I do realize that there are a few of us that are extremely deconditioned. For you my friends I recommend this:

1. Prisoner squats
2. Pushups (modified if neccesary)
3. Stability ball straight leg bridge
4. Assisted or modified pullups
5. Plank

Perform this workout as a circuit 3 days per week with 2 days of recovery in between workouts. On your recovery days anaerobic cardio is a must (jumprope, swimming, sprints, etc). Stay on this plan until you can perform each exercise for 30 seconds (without stopping) and 4 sets.

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This is one of those excuses I hear frequently from people as to why they don’t workout. “I’m just so tired all the time.” Now the truth of the matter is, in most cases the fix for being tired is to exercise. That will definitely give you a boost in energy. But for some folks, it really is a valid reason. They truly are so fatigued that it really is a huge struggle for them to workout. Even if they do, it isn’t done effectively because of their low energy levels.

So in this post I am going to share with you some simple tips to put more pep in  your step. As always, I can lead you to water but I can’t make you drink. So it’s up to you to apply these. But if you do, after about a week or so, you will notice a major improvement in how you feel. Let’s get into it:

Proper Nutrition – I am not going to give specifics on how to eat here. If you want some you should grab a copy of the free workout and nutrition plan. But to give you a broad overview, your food intake should consist of protein from clean and lean white meat sources and fish (red meat every 6-7 days), and large amounts of fruits and veggies. The protein will keep your metabolism running hot, while the fruits and veggies will give you the nutrients you need for sustained energy. The fruits and veggies also help to clear your gut of waste and toxins, which drag you down.

Sleep – This is a vital piece, but so many people don’t take it seriously. Think of your brain and body as a rechargeable battery. If you use up all the juice, but never fully recharge the battery, it would be silly to think that it will last to it’s fullest. You have to get at least six hours (preferably eight) of sleep. Sure you may have to cut back on tv shows or some night activities, but none of these things are more important than taking proper care of yourself.

Stretching – When your muscles are stiff and inflexible, it takes more effort for them to do their job. So simple things like walking, picking things up, sitting into or getting out of a chair, all use up more energy. Of course you probably don’t notice, because you are used to your body functioning this way. But I promise you if you start stretching every day (it only takes 3-4 minutes) you will feel lighter, quicker, and more energetic. I’ve also included a stretching routine with the free workout and nutrition plan.

Drink lots of water – Think about this - the human body is made up of 55% – 60% water. Just that fact alone should tell you how critical it is to proper body function. The kidneys, which are responsible for removing toxins from your blood, need water to do their job. So if they don’t get enough those toxins build up in your body, causing sluggishness and even worse disease. If you drink at least 12 ounces of water with every meal and snack (5-6 per day) you should be ok. But if you are exercising consistently (which of course you should be), about a gallon per day should do the trick.

If you implement these you will notice a major increase in your energy as well as your health. Until next time, train hard and train smart.

Walk into the typical health club and you will quickly notice that machines make up the bulk of its exercise equipment. So based on appearances it’s very easy to get suckered into thinking that machines are a very important part of a good training program, or maybe even better than free weights. And of course, there’s also the fact that there is no shortage of folks occupying these machines. Now before I continue with the rest of this blog post, let me remind you that I am writing this with the goal of fat loss and functional training in mind. If you have a different goal (bodybuilding for example) this may not apply to your type of training.

The bottom line is that free weights blow machines out of the water. Why? Well first of all, let’s think about how a machine functions. Most machines move along a fixed track. In other words, while you still have to move the weight, you don’t have to control the alignment of the weight. Think about a rollercoaster for example. It moves, but nobody has to steer it because the track keeps it in line.
 
On the flip side, free weights (dumbbells and barbells) require movement of the weight as well as control or maintaining proper alignment. There are two big benefits you get as a result. One is that you engage more muscle, since smaller muscles now have to get involved in order to stabilize or control the weight. The other is that your body is being trained functionally or for real world performance. Look… when you squat down to pick up a box there is no track to stabilize it for you. When you move furniture there is no track to stabilize it for you. When your kid jumps up into your arms there is no track to stabilize them for you. Get my point?

For us regular joes that aren’t training for some sort of competitive sport and simply want to stay fit and strong, free weights are the way to go. Now before I end, let me make an important point. I am not saying that you should never ever use machines. There are several machines (cable-based machines and leg press) that I integrate into my training routine. However, these probably only make up 25 – 30% of my overall program. Also keep in mind that if your muscles are very weak or deconditioned, machines might be a good option to create a foundation that you can build upon as you work your way into free weights. Until next time, train hard and train smart.

In the last blog post, I talked about how poor mindsets can destroy your health. I ended by saying that if you don’t kill your poor mindset it will kill you. Well, that was an incorrect statement. What I should have said is, “If you have any of these mindsets you are already dead, you just don’t know it!” That’s how serious your state of mind is. By the way if you didn’t read that post do so now, as this all links together.

If you think I’m full of it, answer me this: Lets say we have two guys (John and Mike) to compare. John has a lazy, unfocused, ”I’m good for nothing” mindset. Mike’s mindest, on the other hand, is just the opposite. His is determned and hard-working, laser – focused, and he believes he is worthy of goodness in his life.  Who do you think is way more likely to live a healthy life? Who do you think is more likely to live an unhealthy life? Of course we know poor health leads to all kinds of sickness and disease, as well as a shorter life span. There’s my case.

BEFORE YOU READ THE REST OF THIS POST YOU NEED TO DIGEST THIS CONCEPT:

Your mind is nothing more than a living computer. In other words, you input the data that you want proccessed. That data then determines what your mind does. It really is that simple.

So if you have a bad mindset how do you fix it? You fix it by feeding your mind positivity. After all, how do you think you got a bad mindset to begin with; somewhere in your life you were fed enough negativity for it to stick. Now you have to use that same process to get you head in the right place. Using verbal positive affirmations is a great technique. Why do you think professional athletes always talk so positive about their upcoming games? Because they know it helps get their head in the game, so they can be in it to win it. And that’s where you need to be – in it to win it.

In your own words and style, create a positive affirmation about yourself regarding your worth, your focus, your work ethic, and your ability to improve. Set a goal to say it out loud to yourself throughout the day, at least 20 times. Do this every single day without fail. Feed it to your mind enough and it will begin to believe it and act on those beliefs. 

Reading uplifting, motivational books is also a very effective weapon. It’s simply another way for your mind to absorb, process, and eventually utilize positive input. Jump on Amazon.com and run a search for self-improvement. You will find a huge selection. Obviously the ones with lots of good reviews are worth checking out.

Also be sure to surround yourself with positive people. It’s a fact that we are influenced by our inner circle. Keeping company with motivated, positive people will absolutely rub off on you over time. If you apply these techniques and begin to take action to live a healthier life, you will be amazed at your improvement. Keep in mind that this is not an overnight process. It took a long time for you to develop your current mentality, it’s going to take a long time to get rid of it. If you are in need of a mind shift, I seriously hope you use this information. It will make all the difference in the world for you.  Until next time…

LOOKOUT!!!! CRABGRASS CAN KILL YOU!!!! Ok, before you think that I’ve lost my mind, let me explain. Earlier this spring, I had to give my back lawn a serious overhaul. Basically what happened is I let the crabgrass get way out of control. Instead of taking care of the problem when signs first began to show, I let it take root and overtake my yard.

What in the world does this have to do with health and fitness? Well, it occured to me that my yard could be a metaphor for how we take care of our physical well-being. You see, my yard represented health, and the crabgrass represented the result of bad habits and practices (especially negligence). Are you starting to see it yet? Let me explain a little further.

The results of poor health habits will be small at first. Just like crabgrass, it starts as a small issue. Maybe, you start getting winded when you walk up the stairs, or maybe you start having low back problems. Perhaps, you notice some extra fat that has snuck it’s way like a ninja into your waistline. Whatever it is, you have two choices: ignore it or address it. If you choose to keep ignoring it, the result will be the same as what happened to my backyard. Over time that small issue will spread all over the place and it will take a whole lot of work to get it fixed.

Now I would be doing you an injustice if I just mentioned the bad habits but didn’t mention where the bad habits are born. Bad habits are born out of bad mindsets. The following mindsets are the ones that I see destroy people’s health every single day.

LAZINESS - I define laziness as choosing what feels good over what creates good. In other words, the thing that is going to improve you doesn’t usually feel good in the beginning. For example, when a client first starts training with me, they don’t enjoy their workouts. Why? Because they hurt! What keeps them going is the vision they have in their mind of what they want to be. Of course, as they develop and get stronger and fitter, they learn to love and embrace the challenge of every training session. Remember, sitting around with your feet up eating comfort food and drinking sugary beverages may feel good. But is certainly isn’t creating good.

HOLDING YOURSELF IN LOW REGARD – I believe in God and I love this saying: “GOD DON’T MAKE JUNK!” If you don’t think much of yourself, you won’t take very good care of yourself. I’m not saying you should be arrogant and conceited. What I am saying is you are valuable. You have worth and something to contribute. The sooner you become fully aware of that, the sooner you will become fully aware of how you are treating your body. Remember, we only take care of the things we value. Don’t believe me? When was the last time you cleaned and polished your trash?   

WRONG FOCUS - Let’s say you’re driving your car and in order to get to your desired destination, you need to take a right turn onto Smith street. But instead of focusing on the turn, you won’t take your eyes off of your radio. How successful are you going to be at making that turn? What I’m saying is, the only thing you should be focused on are the things that are going to get you where you want to be. So keep your eyes on the prize.  

If you have any of these mindsets, you have to kill it or it will kill you (slowly over time). Check out the next blog post where I talk about the solution.

There is a formula for creating a great fat loss workout. You can’t just expect to put any exercises you want into a workout and get great results. Use these four tips to get a serious workout in each and every time.

1. Focus on Maximizing Muscle Recruitment. Muscle recruitment refers to the quantity of muscle you use during an exercise. You absolutely have to focus on this when creating a fat loss workout plan. The reason this is so critical is because recruiting more muscle requires more energy, thus cooking extra calories. The end result is greater fat loss. The exercises you do determine the amount of muscle recruitment you achieve.

For instance, bicep curls are not a good use of your time if your goal is to lose fat and/or weight. Biceps are small in comparison to the large muscles of the body (legs, back, chest), which means they don’t burn too many calories when isolated (i.e. worked by themselves). Instead, focus on doing more pullups (assisted, modifed, or pulldowns if neccessary). That will recruit the back and the biceps together.  Here’s another example. Instead of tricep pressdowns, get in more dips (modified if you have to) and tricep bench presses. Now you are working the chest, shoulders, and triceps simultaneously. Squats and deadlifts should be done regularly to develop the lower body. Those were just a few to get you started, there are a lot more choices.

2 . Circuit Training Workouts are the name of the game. In my opinion, circuit training is the best approach to fat loss there is. Here’s a breakdown: Put together a chain of 4 – 6 exercises with 10-60 seconds of rest (based on your fitness level) between each exercise. You are now getting in anaerobic cardio and muscle building. This is highly effective. To really make it work you need to complete your circuit 3-5 times in 30-60 minutes. If you can’t maintain for that length of time, start with at least 20 minutes and gradually increase the length of each workout until you get there.

3. Use a journal or you are cheating yourself. This is really important! If you don’t keep putting greater demands on your body, your results will stagnate quickly. The human body is gifted at adapting to workouts.That means that what is at first challenging will become easy very quickly. If your workout stops being tough, your fat loss will slow to a crawl of maybe stop altogether. You should keep a journal that tracks three factors of each exercise: weight or intensity, amount of repetitions per set, and amount of sets. Every time you workout you need to increase at least one of these factors, even if only by a little bit.

4 Switch up your training applications (stability ball, free weights, calisthenics, plyometrics, etc). This is also referred to as muscle confusion. Different applications require different demands of your muscles. That’s another great way to keep your body from adapting to your routine.

If you utilize these techniques every time you strength train, your results will skyrocket. Remember, creating a great fat loss workout isn’t guesswork, it’s science. If you are really serious about going after it, you should find the free workout and nutrition plan to be extremely helpful. Catch ya later.

If you didn’t already know, taking krill oil omega 3 supplements may provide some major health benefits. It’s a supplement that should be a part of everyone’s daily routine.

Omega 3s with EPA and DHA (which krill oil is rich in) may possibly reduce the chances of Alzheimers according to one study published in 2005. This essential fatty acid, supports the kidneys and heart. It may also help joint function.

Krill oil is also a source of antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent cellular damage. It is believed that cellular damage increases your risk of cancer and other diseases.

Antioxidants also slow the effects of aging.

Krill oil  omega 3 supplements are absorbed easier by your body than fish oil. The phospholipids it contains are vital to brain performance.

Besides all of that, it has also been to linked to possibly reducing  your chances of heart disease.

One study also showed krill oil to be far more effective than fish oil at increasing good cholesterol levels( krill +43.5% vs. fish+4.2% ), while decreasing bad cholesterol levels( krill -34% vs. fish -4.6%) .

If you’ve been wondering if krill oil omega 3 supplements are right for you, stop wondering and start taking them.

Prograde Nutrition offers a great product called EFA Icon. Click the link to view their krill oil supplements.

I am a proud Prograde partner because they don’t compromise on quality.

First of all, let me apologize for not posting in quite some time. I’ve been crazy busy working on some other projects that I think you guys will really enjoy (more coming on that in the next few weeks). Anyway, I want to talk about something that absolutely drives me crazy. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the use of the word “core.”

You can hardly look at anything fitness related without seeing, “core workout”, “core training”, “strengthen your core”, “sexy core”, yahda yahda yahda, blah blah blah. Here’s the problem; 99.9% of that stuff deals with abs only. ”Hold on Vaughn, I thought your abs are your core?” If you asked that question, let me explain. The truth is: abs are only a part of your true core.

Let’s take a second and think about what the word core means. Core is defined in the dictionary as the central, innermost, most essential part of anything. That being said, which one makes more sense…..Your abs are the most essential part of your muscle system OR Your abs are one of the most essential parts of your muscle system? Hopefully you went with the second choice.

“Okay then Vaughn, what is my core?” Here it is: quads (thighs), hamstrings, glutes (butt), lower back, and abs are your core muscle groups. Think about that and go back and read the definition of core again……..makes a lot more sense than just abs doesn’t it? These groups lay the foundation for a high performance body. If one of those muscle groups is in bad shape, it can set off a negative chain reaction that can affect the rest of your core muscles which can then affect your entire muscle system.

So don’t be fooled the next time you see a core workout that only trains abs. If you really want to build a strong core you know what muscle groups to train. You can always use the workouts here and at http://soulfoodfitclub.com – By the way, right now membership in the Soul Food Fit Club is free. But that is going to change very soon. So if you want a steal of a deal sign up now….those who get it for free get to keep it for free. There’s going to be a lot of amazing content coming in the next few weeks. Until next time………. 

Almost every time I hit the gym, I will see someone with such bad form, it literally makes me grimace. Some exercises don’t pose a danger if form is incorrect ….they just yield lesser results. Others, however,can cause serious injury. Here are four that can put you in a world of hurt if you don’t do them properly.

Squats, Deadlifts, Bentover rows: Keep your abs tight and your back straight (in other words….NO HUNCHED SHOULDERS!) Of course if you want to blow out your back, you can continue pushing for heavier weight and poor form (not a good idea).

Leg Press: Knees should not get ahead of toes (make sure you move your feet high enough on the plate to accomplish this)

These four exercises are also some of the best for building muscle. If you don’t do so already, pay strict attention to your form the next time you do them.

Ok, so its  Sunday, February 15th and I’m driving back to Atlanta from Myrtle Beach. The weather is almost spring-like, which reminds me that it will actually be spring in about two months.  Hence, the reason for this post.

Listen up, don’t be one of the many that waits until spring to get in shape for spring. If you want to make a drastic improvement to your physical appearance and well-being it starts now. Look at it this way: If you wanted to get in shape for a marathon, would you wait until the day of the marathon to start training? Sounds crazy doesn’t it? Yet and still, plenty of guys flood the health clubs once the weather warms up. Why? Because they start thinking about looking good without a shirt or in a tank top. The problem is that since the warm weather is already here they want to look like a superstar yesterday. Now an unrealistic expectation has been set, which usually leads to disappointment followed by quitting.

Don’t do that to yourself. Be smart and start putting in your time now. That way once April or May gets here, you’ll already be in the game. If you need some help jumpstarting your fitness program, sign up for the Soul Food Fit Club. It’s free and there’s plenty in there to help you (including a beast of a workout program).  Until next time….

OK, so hopefully you’ve read my previous post on muscle confusion (if not you may want to check it out before you read this post). Today I’m going to get a little deeper into muscle confusion by talking about workout cycles.  Generally speaking, muscle groups interact in three ways:

• Working with each other (complementing)
• Working opposite of each other (competing)
• Little or no involvement with each other (independent)

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

COMPLEMENTING – Muscles push or pull together. Use this when you want to focus less on mass and more on muscle endurance and development. Take very little rest between sets.

• Chest, Tricep, and Shoulders
• Back and Bicep
• Glutes and Hamstrings

COMPETING – As one group contracts, the other releases or stretches. Use for a good balance of size, endurance, and development.

• Chest and Back
• Bicep and Tricep
• Abs and Lower back
• Quads and Hamstrings

Shoulders can be worked along with legs

INDEPENDENT – Good for building mass with less focus on development and endurance. Take long rest between sets.

• Chest and Bicep
• Tricep and Back
• Legs and Shoulders

In addition to the ideas I discussed in my previous post, you should also vary your workout cycle (unless you need to stay on a cycle for functional purposes). Each cycle should be maintained for 2-4 weeks, depending on your goals. There is definitely more to be discussed about this so if you have questions post them as comments and I’ll respond asap. Until next time….. 

The short and simple answer is…………YES! YES! YES!

Muscle confusion is a technique used to stimulate maximum muscle growth and/or development. The actual idea is to constantly vary your training exercises and techniques to keep your body from adapting to your regimen to the point that your gains come slowly or stop. I have heard many fitness professionals say they believe in changing your routine every four weeks. My approach is a bit more radical than that. I believe that your routine should vary each time you work a muscle, with the exception of what I call foundation exercises.

Foundation exercises are those that work a muscle so efficiently that they should be performed every time you train it. Here are my foundation exercises:

1) Chest – bench press or d.bell chest press or pushups

2) Back – pullups and seated cable rows

3) Biceps – barbell curl

4) Triceps – dips

5) Shoulders – d.bell shoulder press

6) Legs – squats 

7) Abs – rollouts

I include these exercises every time I work the corresponding muscle group. By tracking my routines in a journal (read the “best techniques to build muscle” blog for more on this), I can make sure I’m increasing intensity every time.

The rest of your routine should vary each week in some way. This doesn’t mean every exercise has to be completely different. Even a small change such as a different grip or sequence can be enough to give the muscles a new challenge. Make no mistake though, varying the exercises in your routine is one of the best ways to push your muscle fibers to the limit. Check out my online fitness videos, if you need some new exercises. You will probably pick up at least one new thing. Until next time…… 

Hi….. thanks for stopping by my blog. My name is Vaughn Council and I am a personal trainer with over 14 years of experience. I started this blog with one simple idea in mind…..provide you with fitness and health tips that work. Here are the types of things I will be writing about:

• How to lose weight
• How to lose fat
• Building lean muscle
• How to increase your metabolism
• Best exercises to burn fat
• Best foods to eat
• How to stay motivated

I’ll be blogging about this and more. Open discussion is highly encouraged. Don’t hesitate to be honest and straightforward, as I will definitely be. Until next time…….