Cardio is NOT the Key to Fat Loss

Cardio is NOT the Key to Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Do you have questions about Turbulence Training? How it works? What's in the workouts? Or even what does it mean?

Recently one of the UK's top trainers, Paul Mort from
PrecisionFitness.co.uk, interrogated me on the Turbulence Training system. Here's our q'n'a...

Q: First, can you tell us the basics about Turbulence Training?

Answer:
Turbulence Training is the result of years of study in the gym and in the research labs and library. From personal experience, I've found there is only one way to get the most fat loss and workout results in the least amount of time - you must increase your training intensity.

With the right workout, you can get more fat loss results in less workout time. Period. That is the one and only goal of this training program. A better body in fewer workout sessions, and shorter exercise bouts.

That means:
a) Shorter interval workouts instead of long slow cardio workouts

b) More challenging strength training exercises, such as advanced bodyweight exercises and some traditional strength training free weight exercises

If you have two hours to spend in the gym everyday, you can feel free to stick to the same relatively ineffective and inefficient program of long cardio and light weights. But if you are like most
men and women and have 45 minutes (or less) on only three days of the week to workout, then Turbulence Training will work wonders for you.

Male or female, almost everyone I see in traditional fitness centers could benefit from increasing the challenge in their workout. And they can also benefit from getting in and out of the gym faster.

So that's what led me to Turbulence Training. It's simple, no B.S., no-fluff, just-the-basics, results-oriented training. You don't need fancy gym machines or even an expensive gym membership. If you have a bench, a ball and some dumbbells at home, you are set.

Q: Okay so we're clear it's a e-book training program package that will melt bodyfat fast, what makes it so effective?

Answer:
Most people are so darn hung-up on burning a specific number of calories on a cardio machine, that they don't care how long they spend in the gym.

But big deal. If you burn X calories over 30 minutes in the gym doing cardio, but don't boost your post-exercise metabolism, you're wasting the other 23.5 hours to burn a lot more calories.

And that's what happens with slow, steady workouts that never change. Sure you burn a few calories in the gym, but there is no "turbulence" on the body to increase your metabolism outside of the gym.

Instead, by using challenging strength training, and choosing intervals over monotonous cardio, research has shown that your post workout metabolism is significantly greater. And an increased metabolism for an entire 24 hour period is what gives people results.

It's like putting money in the bank. It makes you more money even while you sit at home or sleep! That's the power of a more challenging workout.

And Turbulence Training workouts, and other "challenging" workouts are always exponentially more enjoyable than staring at a TV (or worse a wall) when "doing your time" on a cardio machine. You can get this great "metabolic turbulence" in a boot camp, with bodyweight, at home with dumbbells, or even in a busy gym.

Nothing is more effective than Turbulence Training if you only have 45 minutes, three times per week to workout.


Q: In my opinion, resistance training, both with free weights and bodyweight is the key to losing bodyfat, for our readers that are still unsure about this could you give me your opinion on my this statement?

Answer:
Strength training is just one key for fat loss, it is essential to maximize your metabolism, and it is absolutely, positively paramount to building the best body of your dreams.

For those that doubt, start with bodyweight training. Not only is this method of strength training effective at helping you sculpt your body, but it is also empowering to your self-confidence and 100% applicable to your daily living.

Everything from carrying groceries to "seks" will be easier if you are stronger in the bodyweight exercises. Your mobility and stamina will increase, so that you will be able to carry your children to bed easier, you will be able to do yardwork with less fatigue, and you'll literally improve your "zest for life" simply from mastering your bodyweight strength.

All of these benefits without touching a single free weight...but if you do go with free weights, you'll take your fitness to an even greater level.

Research from the 2001 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine showed that female subjects boosted their post-exercise metabolism to a greater level when they did 8 reps per exercise, rather than 12 reps.

So low rep, strength training is best for boosting metabolism. It will get you more results in less time because it will continue to work while you recover.

Q: I'm always telling people that aerobic exercise is useless for fat loss, does you agree with this? And why?

Answer:
Aerobic exercise is certainly inefficient for fat loss.

By that I mean, the benefits pale in comparison to the fat loss you can achieve in less time with interval training. Most people would be able to cut their workout time in half simply by using intervals rather than aerobic exercise.

Now I've witnessed a few people lose fat and maintain a beautiful body with aerobic exercise, but these have been limited to: young University-aged males that also did 4 days of heavy strength training, who had no "life" stress and plenty of time on their hands to train up to 10 hours per week (not counting recreational sports).

But does that sound like your average gym-goer's lifestyle?

I doubt it. If it does, where do you live? I want to move there!

So next time you go to the gym, do this admittedly un-scientific test...Take a visual survey of the "cardio" area and the strength training area. Where are the best bodies?

In the strength training area, no doubt.

And in fact, we can also find a lot of beautiful bodies in the Yoga and Pilates area. Why? There's certainly no "fat burning" cardio zone going on there. So what gives?

Nutrition.

Nutrition is the #1 factor in fat loss. It trumps any fat loss program, no matter how good it is. Yes, even my beloved Turbulence Training will not be 100% effective if someone continues to eat chips and pints as their meals.

That's why I spent almost 500 quid to have Dr. Christopher Mohr put together an easy-to-follow, healthy, fat loss nutritional guidebook to go along with the Turbulence Training workout package. It has diet plans for both men and women.

So Paul, getting back to the original question.

There are far more efficient ways to change your body.

Eat for fat loss, and do some form of strength training to sculpt your body. When you take care of your nutrition and eat according to Dr. Mohr's guidelines, your body will be like modeling clay in your hands...and the exercises you choose to do with sculpt it. If someone continues on with aerobic exercise, the improvements will be negligible.

So that's why you don't see cardio in my structured program. If someone wants to do a family bike ride or play a game of football on the weekend, by all means go ahead. But it is far too inefficient to get put in my main workouts.

Q: What about somebody that isn't a member of a gym? Can they still benefit from Turbulence Training?

Answer:
Absolutely. As mentioned earlier, all you need is a bench, a Stability Ball (aka - Physioball), and a set of dumbbells. A pullup bar would be a bonus, if you are strong enough to use the pullup and chinup exercises.

I've done many of the bodyweight exercises outside, as obviously you don't need any equipment to do many of the novel ab, leg, and pushing exercises. Heck, I bet you use many of the exercises in your boot camps and you know how little equipment is needed for a hard workout.

Think back to the days before the glitzy chrome-and-machine gyms.

People were still able to get fit with free weights andbodyweight.

And good nutrition certainly doesn't need a gym membership.

Q: And lastly, I meet a lot of people who seem to have tried every diet going, tried classes, gyms and DVDS, what makes Turbulence Training different from these?

Answer:
Most people train in their comfort zones. And while a lot of programs require a lot of effort (those classes are no joke), most programs lack an effective level of intensity.

By intensity, we are talking about working closer to your maximum level of effort.

Sure, a set of 15 repetitions to failure for triceps pressdowns is tough, but it's not truly intense. Compare that to doing a set of 8 pushups - which for many people is much more intense - and now you are using your entire body a lot harder. Thus, the turbulence on the body is much greater. And your body will have to work harder after training to recover - and that's what increases your metabolism - and allows you to burn fat all day, rather than just for 20-30 minutes.

And dont' worry, even if you can crank out dozens of pushups, there are a few variations in the Turbulence Training program that will give even the savviest gym veteran an intense workout.

The same goes with the cardio vs. intervals. If you switch to intervals, you'll notice changes in days. And that's not hyperbole. I've heard it time and time again from TT users...they feel and see changes within 48 hours once they switch their workouts and start using the TT Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.

Stay consistent with the plan, and you're gold!

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. Don't forget...


As one of your bonuses for ordering Turbulence Training, you'll
receive a 4-week bodyweight program with beginner, intermediate, and advanced versions. These are great workouts for holiday and business travel, so you don't have to stress over missed workouts. 


"Craig's Bodyweight Turbulence Training program lets you use your body as the most comprehensive home gym available. In turn the results are like nothing else out there. What really impressed me was his inclusion of a self assessment that lets you monitor your own progress so that you keep getting stronger and leaner without any wasted time. If going to the gym ever feels stale, I immediately switch to Craig's Bodyweight TT program to get and stay in shape."
Anthony Belza, Strength Coach, Toronto 


"Craig, I just wanted to let you know that I've been using your
Turbulence Training System to whip myself back into shape after a vacation and too much time in front of the computer getting a couple of projects completed and I've dropped 10.2 lbs. of bodyfat in the last 28 days. As a fellow fitness professional I can safely say that it's the best and most efficient approach to improving body composition that I've come across."
Pat Rigsby
President, The Fitness Consulting Group
Fitnessconsultinggroup.com

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Find here further great information about the right workout for fat loss:

Quick Fat Burning Kettlebell Workout | Fat Loss Diet Tips
4 Reasons Why the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet Didn't Work for You | At ... 
Exercises to Lose Weight Quickly: Why Bodyweight Training is the ...


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Rating the Energy Drinks

Rating the Energy Drinks

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Energy. Everyone wants more of it. And it's as easy to get as heading down to the corner store...All we need to do is slam down a Red Bull. Or a Gatorade. Or a coffee. Or so the ads say.

But which of these is really the best energy drink? The answer, of course, is below...

Now when people talk about energy drinks, they are often simply referring to products that contain caffeine. After all, when someone is describing their energy levels, they are really talking about their level of mental alertness. So we'll limit our discussion today to that: what drink gives you the best and longest-lasting energy levels.

#5 - At the bottom of our list are those sugar and caffeine "energy drinks" such as Red Bull (and even cola).

The problem with many energy drinks is that they contain too much sugar and/or too much caffeine. So while the short-term effects are huge increases in energy (i.e. feeling wired or even jittery - even to the point of nausea), after an hour or two you'll crash and burn, and more than likely be ready for a nap - or as those marketing machines prefer, another "energy drink".

#4 - Sports Drinks: Give these guys credit, they've convinced the world that we need to refuel with what's essentially uncarbonated soda pop. Now unless you're performing an exercise of more than an hour, you don't need this liquid sugar.

#3 - Coffee: Having never had a coffee in my life, I'm not sure it's fair of me to pass judgement on this beverage. But I'll say this...a cup of coffee each day is not going to kill you.

But if you depend on the caffeine to give you your morning get-up-and-go, maybe you should do a little lifestyle review. Perhaps there are some things you can change to give yourself more energy without relying on a caffeine fix? And you're probably getting a lot more caffeine than you bargain for if you get your coffee from the well-known coffee shops.

#2 - Green Tea: True, this beverage does contain caffeine, but it does so in relatively smaller amounts than coffee.

In addition, you should be able to find naturally decaffeinated Green Teas (avoid Green Tea that has been decaffeinated via an "acetylation" process - this might also remove the healthy phytochemicals in the tea). And of course, go organic if you can.

NOTE: All teas are healthy. Green Tea may or may not be healthier than traditional teas.

Green Tea is a super close second place to our winner...and research suggests that several cups of the tea are necessary each day to receive the full health benefits.

#1 - Filtered Water: There's no way that water is going to lead to an energy crash. And it's important part of your nutrition plan. While I admit, it will never compare to a caffeine-based beverage for giving you that mental wake-up, in the big picture, water is the go-to drink.

Unfortunately, despite all the messages about H2O, I know a lot of the Turbulence Training clients still do not drink enough water.

I'm a big proponent of 12 glasses per day - I drink more than that and immediately notice sluggishness when I am unable to do so. I encourage you to monitor your water intake and determine your optimal level for alertness.

Use the Turbulence Training Lifestyle to increase your energy.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training


P.S. There are other ways to increase your energy...

Beverages aren't the only way to boost your energy and improve your health.

The right workouts will boost your brain power...and your metabolism.

Exercise shouldn't dominate your life...instead, it should support your lifestyle. So let me show you how to spend less time in the gym while still having an increased energy level for your endless projects at work and at home...

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

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Fat Burning Exercise Tips for Busy Parents & Professionals

Fat Burning Exercise Tips for Busy Parents & Professionals

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

The great thing about strength training and intervals for fat burning is "efficiency". Because you are working harder, the signal to your body to change is stronger. You cut time when you increase intensity and you burn fat faster.

Now don't worry, I won't be asking you to do hill sprints tomorrow if you aren't exercising today. For a beginner, we just do some slightly faster than normal walking intervals. For intermediate fitness levels, we'll pick up the pace about 20% compared to their normal cardio levels, but again, the work periods are much shorter.

The key is, you must shift to a slightly higher intensity in order to cut time from your workout. But the workout also goes faster, and much more importantly, you will get more results and better fitness from these methods.

It's easy to do these workouts first thing in the AM, at lunch, or after the kids go to bed. Plus, you can get a great workout at home with only a bench, dumbells, and an exercise ball. You don't need fancy machines or an expensive gym membership.

And another bonus, you only need three hard fat burning workouts per week. You don't have to be in the gym six days per week.

On your off days, it's important to stay active for at least 30 minutes, but these days should be unstructured and revolve around being active with your family or hobbies. Don't think of them as workout days, think of them as fat burning, stress reducing activity days.


About the AuthorCraig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

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Six-Pack Abs - How To Get Six Pack Abs

Six-Pack Abs - How To Get Six Pack Abs
By Vince DelMonte

One of the most popular requests among people in the gym is to get six pack abs. There is no doubt about it, obtaining this elusive goal not only takes hard work, but also demonstrates that you clearly know what you are doing in the gym. Learning how to getsix pack abs is definitely not the easiest thing in the world but it's also not the hardest, as long as you follow the right steps.

So, what should you be doing to get results?

1. Focus on your diet.

Without a clean diet, six pack abs will never be yours. One thing you must realize is that while exercise is important, it's only going to take you so far. No matter how many crunches or sit-up variations you perform, if you've got a solid layer of fat covering your stomach, your muscles are not going to be seen.

Try and focus on consuming enough protein to keep your appetite under control, supplemented with healthy fats for satiety and fruits and veggies for energy. It is important, however, that you are running a calorie deficit, because regardless of the food you eat, if you are consuming more than you burn off that day, you aren't going to lose weight.

2. Perform a variety of exercises

Next up on your quest for six pack abs, you need to make sure you change up the exercises you perform on a regular basis.

While it's fine if you have some that you generally like to stick with as you really feel it when you do them, try and alternate between at least a few from week to week.

The main reason for this is because your abdominal muscles adapt to change very quickly. As soon as they are finished adapting, you are going to stop seeing results - this is the truth about six pack abs.

By keeping them guessing as to what's coming, you keep the results coming as well. Don't make the mistake of doing the same boring workout, day in, day out.

3. Get Your Cardio In Line

Finally, step three for getting a nicely chiseled stomach is performing cardio properly. This isn't to say you should run out and start doing hours upon hours on the treadmill. We aren't aiming to turn you into a hamster here.

All you really need is a few quality sessions of cardio work a week. What's high quality? Sprint sessions. Skipping. Hill running. Anything your body is not efficient at.

Yes, these are going to be much more intense than plodding along at a moderate pace while you read the fitness magazine of the week, but trust me, you will get results a thousand times faster.

Crank that intensity up for twenty to forty seconds and then back it down again for another minute. Repeat this process eight to ten times and you'll have a workout that'll shed that body fat in no time.

So, next time you're admiring your physique in the mirror and are still longing for a better mid-section, take these three factors into consideration and you'll discover this is the truth about six pack abs.


----------------------------------
About the Author:
Vince DelMonte is the author of Your Six Pack Quest found at http://www.YourSixPackQuest.com
He specializes in helping chubby guys and gals get six pack abs without gimmicks, supplements or dieting.


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Bodybuilding Hormone Secrets

Bodybuilding Hormone Secrets
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

More today on the secrets of supersets...

In the past, I've mentioned supersets being effective simply because they save you time - and that results didn't depend on your heart rate (even though it gets jacked with supersets).

But recent research suggests another reason for the effectiveness of supersets - and that's the increase in Growth Hormone in your body.

GH, for those that don't know, is one of the hormones in your body that increases fat burning.

It's also one of the most popular scam supplements that you hear about in spam email.

So why is GH so popular?

Because everyone calls GH "the Fountain of Youth". It's supposed to make you lose fat and apparently make you look and feel younger...(and it must work - I was 'accused' repeatedly in NZ and Australia of being only 25 years old - almost 7 years younger than I really am - must be the TT lifestyle).

And that's why it doesn't surprise me that both interval training and high-intensity resistance training have both been shown to increase GH.

But the so-called GH boosting supplements aren't backed by science. On the other hand, I've been able to show you the science behind Turbulence Training. And not only science, but results too!

But now for some bad news...a recent study (from JCEM, 91: 678-, 2006, for any science nerds) showed that obese men burn fewer calories and have less post-exercise GH than normal men. And the obese men also had higher cortisol levels. AND the obese men burned fewer calories in the post-exercise period. That's a triple-yikes!

Three strikes against obese men...and possibly why some guys have a heck of time losing fat in the first place. Their hormones are out of whack to begin with - so its harder for their bodies to burn fat.

If you turn to a low-fat diet and lots of cardio, you aren't going to get the GH response that you would if you eat according to Dr. Mohr's TT fat loss guidelines and if you use the TT workouts.

So let's review the TT workout set-up that will get you more results in less time...I'm talking 3 workouts of 45 minutes per week that will blast your post-exercise metabolism through the roof and help maximize your hormonal response to exercise.

A - The Warm-up

We use three bodyweight exercises done in a circuit. This is a much better way to prepare for training than by walking slowly on a treadmill.

B - The Strength Training Supersets

This can be as little as one brilliant superset (DB squats + DB presses) if you have only 10 minutes, or up to 4 supersets if you want to spend 30 minutes on your TT Strength Training.

C - Intervals

Bodyweight circuits, stationary bike intervals, or running on the treadmill or outside, these are just a few of the ways we can do intervals for 10-20 minutes.

We don't need 40 minutes of slow cardio, or even 40 minutes of intervals.

There is still a lot to learn about interval training, but most research is using only 20-minute interval workouts to get major, much-better-than-longer-cardio results.

As I learn more, you'll learn everything.

So that's that. Eat according to Dr. Mohr's TT Fat Loss Guidelines to avoid the Western Lifestyle, and exercise and live according to the TT lifestyle, and you'll look and feel fantastic - and YOUNGER!

3 sessions of 45 minutes per week for your fountain of youth,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

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Best Cardio Machines for Weight Loss

Best Cardio Machines for Weight Loss
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

You don't have to do cardio to lose fat, but cardio machines can be helpful for boosting your metabolism and burning more fat.

And if you use interval training, you can get more results than if
you did traditional aerobic cardio. But that's another story for
another time. Let's take a look at which machines burn the most
calories and which ones are worth your time.

An okay choice: Elliptical Machines.

The biggest reason to choose elliptical machines...
=> you've got a bum knee.

I have worked with clients with extreme osteoarthritis and we
were able to use these machines for a decent workout without pain - but the results didn't compare to clients that used a stationary bike or treadmill for their interval training.

So in general, I'm not overly impressed by the elliptical machine
for fat loss.

If you go into any gym, compare the bodies on the ellipticals to
the ones on other machines...most of the time, the people on the
ellipticals make no progress from month to month.

And having given the elliptical a "go" once or twice on my own, it
just didn't challenge me as a treadmill does.

But if you have bad knees, or if you are an exception to my
experience, feel free to keep rocking the elliptical!

Up next...The Stationary Bike

The bike can be easy on your knees as well, particularly if you are overweight and can't support your bodyweight on the treadmill.

Personally, I like the stationary bikes a lot. The set up allows
you to do a large amount of mechanical work during your interval training - and that is what puts Turbulence on the muscle and allows you to increase your post-exercise metabolism.

In fact, when I first started designing the interval workouts back in 2001, I used stationary bikes exclusively.

I also think that the bike allows you to work very hard with less
risk of injury. Running sprints outside or on a treadmill requires
a much more extensive warm-up due to the explosive nature of
sprinting.

If you don't know your body, running sprints or hills probably
isn't the best place to start. I've met too many people that have
jumped right into hill training and been hurt within 1 week.
sprints.

So I recommend starting with the bike unless you are an experienced runner that knows your body well.

In addition, here are three more key points about the bike.

a) Stick to the upright version if possible. When using a recumbent bike for intervals, your hips tend to rock too much and your body tries to get into awkward positions in order to push hard against the resistance. That's my experience. The upright bikes are set up better for intervals.

b) For intervals, increase the resistance against your pedalling,
and not the speed of your pedalling. I don't like high RPM
spinning. I think you'll get more results and do more work when you keep the RPM between 80-100 and work against a harder resistance.

Forget that high-RPM spinning stuff...I find it is rough on your
hips and knees.

c) When on the upright bike, sit as upright as possible for the
recovery intervals or even stand for some of the work intervals.
Just avoid the "rounded over" posture as that can be hard on your low back.

So the winner is...The Treadmill.

The treadmill can burn 16-20 calories per minute of exercise
during your workout. That's a big burn, but of course only advanced fitness levels can achieve that - but hopefully you fit that category now or you will someday with consistent training and nutrition.

Some tips: Don't go crazy with the incline (as that can lead to
tight calves), but if you are able to run at more than 10mph, use a 1% incline to help offset the need for speed. The last thing
you want to do is end up in a crazy video on YouTube flying off the end of a treadmill into an elliptical machine.

So as with all types of sprinting, be careful.

Honorable mentions go to...The Rowing Machine and
Stairmaster...these can be used in place of other machines for
variety and are still effective.

Better yet, if you are able, use your body as the best fat burning
machine. I highly recommend bodyweight circuits for interval
training. These are fun, effective, and perhaps even better at
sculpting your body.

I really like bodyweight interval circuits for advanced
fat-burning, plateau-busting workouts. If you're stuck, you'll
benefit from bodyweight circuits.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

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Part 2 - Weight Loss for Women At Home

Part 2 - Weight Loss for Women At Home
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com


CB: What kind of results have you achieved with Turbulence Training? And is there anything else, besides the results, you love about the Turbulence Training programs?

BK:
I love how it changes every month so I never get bored. I also love that I have no excuse about not having time to fit it in.

My results have been great. I am getting toned up and consistently loosing inches. I also have a lot more energy.

CB: Do you workout at home or in a gym?

BK:
I have to work out at home. No time to get to a gym.

CB: Has Turbulence Training had a positive impact on your lifestyle?

BK:
Turbulence Training has made a huge impact on me. I dont feel like it takes up my whole day or get bored of the same thing day in and day out.

I feel strong and love the daily emails. It helps me stay motivated.

I work full time, have three kids 9, 5, and 11 months, and a
husband. My older two kids play every sports so there really
is no extra time.

I have to get up at 5:30 to work out before they wake up but its
worth it. I feel great after I am done and no matter what happens that day I have already got my work out in which feels great.

CB: Do you have any social support? If so, how has this helped
you?

BK:
My mom comes over in the mornings to work out with me. I need that accountability so that I don't sleep instead. Its hard to get up but I always feel so much better when I do.

CB: What are your daily obstacles and temptations that you have to avoid with respect to nutrition and training? And what
strategies do you use?

BK:
With all the practices, games and running around I have to do its hard not to grab McDonald's with the kids.

I try to either bring food with me or wait until I get home. If I
have to eat out I do try and find grilled chicken or subway.

CB: How do you plan your nutrition?

BK:
I have to go shopping on Sunday to stock up on all my healthy
food. Otherwise I will eat whatever I can find which usually is not good for me.

CB: Thanks Brandy, keep up the great work.

****
The message is clear. Plan, prepare, commit, and be consistent.
Brandy didn't use any magic pills or potions to succeed, she simply found a great workout plan, and did what she had to do.
As a supermom, Brandy practically has to create time out of thin air in order to do her workout, but again, she knows what she has to do and she does it. She's committed. She has social support. She knows the correct options for eating on the run.
She has made the effort to plan for the obstacles (lack of time,
workout motivation) that we all come across. And by doing that,
she's cleared a simple path to success.
And she doesn't waste time in the gym with slow, boring cardio
workouts. Instead, she sculpts her body in half the time with the
Turbulence Training workouts.


Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training


**Part1 - read HERE!**

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com






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CLICK HERE: http://www.kiefit.com/
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Do you write articles about health, fitness, sports, nutrition etc? Feel free to send it to us. If your article meets our needs we will be willing to publish it. Email: articles[at]kiefit.com

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Heidi

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Part1 - Weight Loss for Women At Home

Part 1 - Weight Loss for Women At Home By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS www.TurbulenceTraining.com

A woman's workout should consist of leg raises, biceps curls with soup cans, and triceps kickbacks with water bottles.

Can you believe that silliness?

Neither can I, but that is what passes for "professional fitness advice for women" these days.

I could see this info being accepted in the 1930's (maybe?), but in the year 2009? Please...

Does anyone really believe that biceps curls with water bottles is going to prepare women to carry their children to bed, a bag of heavy groceries in from the car, or swing a sledgehammer during home reno's?

No way. You need real-world workouts and fat loss advice. Not fluff.

Am I the only one that finds those types of recommendations disrespectful to the physical capabilities of women? You'd think that Linda Hamilton's chin-up scene in Terminator 2 would have turned the tide of female fitness, or perhaps Demi Moore's GI Jane.

I've watched women get fit fast at almost any age with Turbulence Training. In fact, we've had girls from 18 to 82 years young kickin' butt with Turbulence Training.

Today, I want to share the story of a classic "supermom", you know the mom with 3 active kids that has to drive them everywhere, eat on the run, and still find room for workouts. Her name is Brandy Kirton, and she'll show you how real women train, eat, and find the time to do it all with proper planning.

CB: Brandy, tell us about your past exercise and nutrition experiences. At what point did you find out about Turbulence Training and what persuaded you to start using it?

BK: I started working out back on high school. I'm 30 now. I became a personal trainer for a few years in my early 20's. So I learned a lot about nutrition and weight training. I have been in great shape and not so great shape in the last 10 years. I think I found Turbulence Training just surfing the web and decided to give it a try. I was desperate to lose weight after my 3rd kid.

CB: And how was this a change from what you had done in the past?

BK: I was doing 30 minutes of cardio and then lifted for 30 mins 3 to 4 times a week. That was if I actually could make time. I would not work out if I knew I couldnt get it all in. I would think, "What's the point of 20 mins?".

Stay tuned - Part 2 in my Blog tomorrow!!

Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS Author, Turbulence Training
---------------------------
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

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Heidi

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Available Now! - Free KieFit Journal August Edition - Top Body Now!

Hello Fitness- Fans,

The August 2009 issue of KieFit Journal is available now for free download.
The free online publication about fitness and health tips. Amongst others it includes helpful articles for you about diet and training procedures.Here is a little preview of the Kiefit Journal content:
How many calories some foods contain?

“Yes, you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time” .Author Craig Ballantyne, Certified Strenght and Conditioning Specialist, say it’s true!
Useful training guide for your perfect body and get in shape! Find further interesting articles about weight loss, gain muscle in simple steps, fitness training and exercise videos in Kiefit Journal. Have fun and enjoy!

Stay healthy, Heidi

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Fitness Routines vs. Fitness Chaos - How to Get the Most Out of Your Confusion

Fitness Routines vs. Fitness Chaos -
How to Get the Most Out of Your Confusion
Daniel's Endurance Elite Fitness Conditioning System can be found at http://danielmazanec.com

This article will help you create your own fitness programs, and be confident you will make the gains you desire.

Do you ever wish that you could break out of your fitness routine rut, i.e. doing the same over and over again, yet you feel you don't know how to create those great trainer type workouts? Now you can. And you can make up your own routines with the confidence that you will be pushing yourself in the right directions.

The Benefits of Fitness Chaos - Muscle Confusion
Lately, there has been a push for variation in your daily workouts. It's as if we're never supposed to do the same routine twice. "Oo, that would lock the routine into your muscles," they say, or "Oo, that would be too boring."

And that can be true. In fact, it is a great challenge to your body to have to meet and beat toughness with regularity. Great stuff, indeed. It's great for your confidence. It's great for your conditioning. It's great for your ego.

But what about static toughness? What if you suddenly find that, with all your working out, your still not very strong?

Fitness Routines - Muscle Stability
During your muscle chaos routines, do you ever find yourself not going "full range of motion" with your exercises? It can be difficult, while being kicked in the ass by your trainer to go harder and faster, to touch your chin to the floor with each pushup, to touch your toes with each V-Up abdominal exercise, or go all the way down in a side squat.

For the purpose of developing pure strength, you must also take the time, in a routine, to work each exercise to it's fullest extent. Without that, you will truly only be half trained.

Some fear that they may suffer repetitive motion injury during these strength building routines. Perhaps, injury is a concern during any form of exercise. On the other hand, if your muscles, major and supporting, tendons, and ligaments are strong enough to begin with, the likelihood of injury becomes less and less.

"That's Great, Meathead. Now, What About Creating My Own Routines?"
Here's what I recommend. Let's pretend that you have a regular cardio-kickboxing session every Monday and Wednesday. After each session, before you forget, quickly write down those exercsies that your trainer had you perform. Ask your trainer what those exercises are called so that you will have a name for them. Then, on the other five days of the week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, etc, practice those exercises, one after the other. Split them up, one kind of pushups, then one kind of abdominals, then one kind of legs. Then rotate back to pushups, yet a different kind of pushup. This rotation will give the muscles you just used time to rest before stressing them again.

It's as simple as that.

No Lolly-Gagging
You may now ask, "But I don't get the same cardio workout doing routines as I do with chaos training." That's right. It's a different type of exercise. Routines are for perfection of form and strength building. But you mustn't plug along while you're doing them. Keep your number of repetitions at a difficult level. When ten of each gets easy, go to twenty. When twenty gets easy, go to thirty. And don't rest much between sets. Ten to fifteen seconds tops, perhaps, just long enough to take a sip of water. Trust me, you'll be huffing and puffing well enough!

If This Is All That Trainers Do, Why Am I Paying So Much For A Trainer?
Only you can answer that. I've trained both ways, with and without a trainer. Sometimes its good to have someone kicking your ass - if you don't have the drive to do it yourself. Often times, if your trainer has set a pace for you and it becomes ingrained, you will workout on your own at that same pace, for a while, at least. Then it would help to have a few more sessions with a trainer. A good trainer will always help to keep you on track, but a good, healthy conscience can do the same.

"Gee, Daniel, Thanks For All The Info. Will I Ever Be As Big And Strong As You?"
You're welcome. And, sure you can be as big and strong as me, but only if you work at it. You'll need to set the definite goal first. Then you'll have to set about when you can fit your exercise into your daily schedule. It's your will and it's your way. But, you gotta have the will first. And don't worry about "big and strong", by the way. I don't. Big and strong is only a by-product of doing the exercises on a regular basis.

What About Rest? Will I Lose Strength By Taking a Day Off?
Absolutely not, if it's just one day. Giving your body a chance to rest is the best way to make huge, rapid gains. In music, you may have heard that the silence between notes is louder than the notes themselves. So it is true with exercise. That day off may make you stronger than another day of muscle pulverizing. Fresh muscles perform better than tired, stressed muscles any day of the week. And so it goes with fitness routines vs. fitness chaos. Break your routine vs. chaos schedule, as well. Give yourself a rest on a day that you would normally kick your ass, just to break up the monotony. But don't do that too often. It's best to always keep a schedule. It's the only way to keep going forward. And it's the only way to be able to measure your progress.


So, collect exercises: what you get from your trainer, and what you get from watching others. Heck, buy a few books on exercises. (There is one that I can personally recommend.) Then make up a workout of those exercises that are new or that you have trouble performing. Alternate between muscle groups, pushups, abs, legs, back, and neck. And keep it moving, don't rest too much.

Good luck!

Daniel Mazanec is a fitness trainer in Torrance California. He specializes in bodyweight calisthinec training and self defense. He has been in the martial arts/fitness industry since 1984, and is certified with ISSA. Daniel has written three fitness manuals that make up his Endurance Elite Fitness Conditioning System.

Daniel's Endurance Elite Fitness Conditioning System can be found at http://danielmazanec.com

Daniel also has a fitness blog: http://danielmazanec.com/blog

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Heidi

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How to Gain Muscle & Lose Fat

How to Gain Muscle & Lose Fat
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
TurbulenceTraining.com

Are you ready for my famous "gain muscle or lose fat" chart?

I know this is going to make a few people mad, but it's the truth about whether a guy should lose fat or gain muscle. If he doesn't stick to my recommendations, he won't get the ripped abs and muscles he wants.

I often get scrawny guys asking me how to lose fat, when they have no muscle underneath the fat...they think they will look good if they "get ripped", but in reality, will look like they are starving. They should focus on gaining muscle instead.

This is a harsh lesson in reality, but too many guys are trying to lose weight when the focus should be on gaining muscle.

In fact, through my experience in working with athletes and dozens of men in the gym trying to lose fat and gain muscle, I've come up with a height-weight chart that determines whether or not you should lose weight.

Here's the chart identifying the cut-off weight for muscle building, and the rule below.

5'6" - 140 pounds
5'7" - 145 pounds
5'8" - 150 pounds
5'9" - 155 pounds
5'10 - 160 pounds

And so on. For every inch taller, add 5 pounds. For every inch shorter, subtract 5 pounds.

For example, if you are 5'8", 150 pounds, you should NOT be focusing on losing weight. You need to gain muscle if you want to look good on the beach and have muscle. Focusing on weight loss would be the worst thing you could do. If you do, you'll look like crap, and practically anorexic, to be blunt.

Instead, you must focus on gaining muscle. This will improve the appearance of your body, and take you from a stick-figure to a lean, muscular physique with a better chance of seeing your abs.

And don't worry, you're not going to look huge. At 5'8", a guy would have to be at least 180 in order to be considered "jacked" or "huge".

And the best news of all? Because skinny guys are untrained, simply starting a muscle building program will give them maximum fat loss and muscle gain at the same time. They are going to get the best of both worlds.

To use Turbulence Training to gain muscle and lose fat, simply stick to the weight training workouts only. Avoid the hard interval cardio for at least 4 weeks as you gain muscle, and eat extra calories right after your workout (as well as having a bigger breakfast than normal). These two changes will
allow you to gain muscle and lose fat.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training


About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit TurbulenceTraining.com

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CLICK HERE: http://www.kiefit.com/
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Feel free to send it to us.
If your article meets our needs we will be willing to publish it. Email: articles[at]kiefit.com

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Heidi

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Fat Burning Tips for Busy People

Fat Burning Exercise Tips for Busy Parents & Professionals
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

The great thing about strength training and intervals for fat burning is "efficiency". Because you are working harder, the signal to your body to change is stronger. You cut time when you increase intensity and you burn fat faster.

Now don't worry, I won't be asking you to do hill sprints tomorrow if you aren't exercising today. For a beginner, we just do some slightly faster than normal walking intervals. For intermediate fitness levels, we'll pick up the pace about 20% compared to their normal cardio levels, but again, the work periods are much shorter.

The key is, you must shift to a slightly higher intensity in order to cut time from your workout. But the workout also goes faster, and much more importantly, you will get more results and better fitness from these methods.

It's easy to do these workouts first thing in the AM, at lunch, or after the kids go to bed. Plus, you can get a great workout at home with only a bench, dumbells, and an exercise ball. You don't need fancy machines or an expensive gym membership.

And another bonus, you only need three hard fat burning workouts per week. You don't have to be in the gym six days per week.

On your off days, it's important to stay active for at least 30 minutes, but these days should be unstructured and revolve around being active with your family or hobbies. Don't think of them as workout days, think of them as fat burning, stress reducing activity days.

About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

=====================================
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Subscribe to the monthly KieFit Journal NOW!
CLICK HERE: http://www.kiefit.com/
=====================================

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Do you write articles about health, fitness, sports, nutrition etc? Feel free to send it to us. If your article meets our needs we will be willing to publish it. Email: articles[at]kiefit.com

Enjoy your healthy life!

Heidi

P.S. Tell your friends about http://www.kiefit.com
P.P.S. Do you use Twitter? You can follow me at http://twitter.com/KieFitDotCom