So even if the name wasn’t  on the title what is the first thing that pops into mind when u see this “cute” thang staring attya??

In fact not only is that phrase in my mind and the whole world got a tiny Spanish lesson my head is bobbing right now, LOL just thinking of that doodle bopper head bobbing thing…that we would always see either on someone’s dash or back of car….I know you bobbing your head it is almost like the Saturday night live guys with their song…..Anyways I am SO excited to bring you another fun and exciting mini series on Eating Healthy while driving thru!!

Click above to go to Taco Bell Nutritional Page…..

Taco Bell is kicking but with all there various information.

Visit our website!!

Click on Image above for nutritional facts….

Over the past 18 years I have helped thousands of my clients transform
their bodies.

Here is what I’ve discovered

In my opinion our mind is the most important factor when it comes
to getting in shape or achieving any goal for that matter.

Now, there are thousands of books out there about new ways to exercise and I am not even going to start about books on diet. It seems like everybody and their mother has a diet book.

But then that got me thinking; what other aspects of our lives are controlled by our mind?

The answer: EVERYTHING!

If you tell yourself you will always “struggle” with weight loss, you will. You’re right.

If you believe you are “too busy” to exercise and things aren’t going to change. You won’t make the time – you WILL be too busy.

“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re probably right.” Zig Ziglar

How can we make that adjustment – what we call “the mindset shift?” We need this to be successful on all levels: personal, financial, physical, mental, etc.

At Fitness Concepts, we refrain from using words such as “I hope,” “I can’t,” “I wish I could.” There is nothing positive about these statements.

Think about your own life. A UCLA (Boo I am a Penn State and USC fan) study showed that kids heard the word “no” over FOUR HUNDRED times each day.

Think that influences their thoughts? Of course.

For instance, when things go wrong, instead of criticizing yourself, work on focusing on the positive, your strengths, and talents.

Try reframing your thoughts:

Instead of: “I can’t be successful at weight loss, I have tried so many times in the past-I just wish I looked like my friends.”

Try: “I am in complete control of my body and fueling it with the most nutritious foods that will allow me to feel even better and lose fat.”

Imagine thinking THAT each morning vs. the first statement!

We simply need a mindset shift.

Our minds play funny games and it’s often because of the continual negative messages we hear and the blame we put on others. But in reality, no one can “fix” you, but you.

But just like you are in control of the foods you put into your body, to fuel your muscles, cells, etc, think of the messages you read and hear as fuel for your brain.

Your brain needs the right fuel too.

Feed it junk, and you’ll have junky thoughts. Die fat or get tough by Steve Siebold is the best books out there for helping with that mindset shift.

Leave me a comment and let me know what do you feed your brain. I am always looking for ways to learn from others. Also if you like this post share it with your Facebook friends simply by clicking on the Facebook emblem below.

Burr Northrop-Before

Hey Sam, just following up on our discussion at the gym today.  I really want to bust that last 15 pound barrier.  My progress has been steady; 22 lbs in the four months I’ve been at the gym.  I’ve lost a total of 90 lbs since August. Not sure how much of that weight was actually muscle.

I’ve gained strength and certainly muscle (my readings on the hand held machine are a little confusing).  As you pointed out I’d like to get rid of the belly fat before summer.

Can you send me a strict diet I can follow, and commit to, that will get me there without muscle wasting?

I weight train 3 days per week and do 20-30 minutes of cardio those days.  I do an hour of cardio on off days usually three days per week.

My current diet is basically “clean foods”,  protein drinks/bars, (five meals per day usually less than 2000 cals per day) and of course periodic (every 7-10days) cheat meals.

I take Creatine on work out days and L -Arginine  twice every day.  Im satisfied with my progress but of course a little impatient.  I wish I was 15 years younger probably wouldn’t be an issue!
Thanks,
Burr

Burr Northrop-After (hitting the gym)

Burr Northrop-After with Fitness Concept Trainer Sherwin

MY RESPONSE:

Hi Burr,

Like we discussed earlier today to get the last 10-15 stubborn pounds off you should really buckle down and confuse your body.
Here is my secrets to getting the last 10-15 stubborn fat pounds off.

When I was competing back in the day this is exactly what I did to get rid of the last bit of my belly fat. I used this method to get as low as 3% body fat one year.

Now I warn you this is not what I recommend to my clients. I always recommend that they follow a sensible eating plan.

The best question to always ask yourself is “Can I follow this the rest of my life?”

If the answer is no then that means that, the program in question will only produce temporary results.

This is exactly why you see bodybuilders look amazing at the day of the show BUT if you see them couple of weeks later they don’t look a thing like they did at the day of the contest. And that’s exactly what we don’t want.

Having said that, we live in a vane world. A world that we are constantly judged by the way we look on the outside. So without further ado here is a good way to get ready for an event, pool party or whatever you are getting ready for.

1) Ok now it’s time to get rid of all the protein bars. I recently saw a study that concluded that none of the bars’ nutritional labels matched what it claimed. For example if it said it had 10 grams of sugar, it actually had 15.

2) I would replace the creatine with glutamine and I would put 10-15 grams glutamine in my protein shakes 2-3x/day. Glutamine is essential for recovery and it prevents muscle loss during caloric restriction. Remember we want to lose fat and NOT muscle.

3) L-Arginine is not good or bad(I think it’s unnecessary). Instead I recommend getting Flaxseed oil and add a teaspoon to your protein shakes 2-3x/day on your low carb days. It is essential to take essential fats since we are limiting our fat intake. Essential fats are fats that we need to get from our diets. They are very important. They are Linoleic and Linolenic acid found in Flaxseed oil. (My favorite is called Udo’s choice which can be found at Henry’s and other health food Stores)

4) Your protein sources should come only from: (Chicken Breast, Turkey breast, egg whites, Halibut, Snapper, Tilapia, Tuna) at this time.

5) Your Starch sources should only come from: (Old fashion Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Red Potato, Yams) at this time.

6)With every Major meal have plenty of greens: (Broccoli, Asparagus, and Spinach) especially on low carb days. Fiber makes you feel full and also keeps everything moving on a high protein diet.

7) You should eat every 2.5 hours. I like to have a solid meal then a liquid meal and repeat the sequence. It is essential that you prepare for this. You don’t want to go hungry and then ask yourself “What should I eat next.” That’s a recipe for disaster.

To confuse your body you should go 3 days of very low carbs followed by one day of high carbs. This is essential so that your body never catches on that you are on a diet. If your body catches on then it will shut down the fat burning process through lowering your metabolism.

9) Drink as much water as possible. The more you drink water the more your body gets rid of water. Limiting your water not only is dangerous but will also trigger your defense mechanism to release anti- diuretic hormone, which in turn makes you hold water. Remember your body is very smart if it senses something is off then it will do everything possible to reverse it and bring it back to “homeostasis”. (that is a whole another blog post by itself)

10) Limit eating foods that are high in sodium. Make sure your veggies are fresh or frozen and not canned. Stay away from sauces that are high in sodium (soy sauce, hot sauce etc…) Don’t get lunchmeat chicken or turkey instead buy them fresh. Also, rinse your canned tuna under water to get rid of the excess sodium or get the one that is labeled “low sodium”. I would still rinse it though.

So here is a sample low carb day(Follow for 3 days)

Meal 1)

6 egg whites,
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup broccoli(or 1 tablespoon of Psyllium husk fiber)
Multivitamin/Mineral Pack

Meal 2)

40 grams of whey protein with 10 grams glutamine and 1 teaspoon of Udo’s choice

Meal 3)

6-8oz Chicken, fish or turkey
Big spinach salad with small amount of Balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Meal 4)

same as meal #2

Meal 5)

6-8oz Chicken, fish or turkey
Bunch asparagus

Meal 6)

same as #2

Meal 7)

6 egg whites and spinach omelet.

Here is a sample of high carb day(follow for 1 day immediately after 3 low carb days)

meal 1)

6 egg whites
1/2 cup oatmeal

meal 2)

30 grams of whey protein, 1/3 cup oatmeal

meal 3)

6oz chicken, fish or turkey
1/2 cup brown rice

Meal 4)

same as #2

Meal 5)

6oz fish
6oz yam

Meal 6)

same as #2

Meal 7)

3 egg whites
1/4 cup oatmeal

Burr, I hope this helps and please let me know if I can be of assistance.

Sam

Recently I went to Barnes and Noble Book Store, in Chino Hills, to share my top favorite fitness and health books. I include books about healthy eating, weight lifting, toning and fat loss all from great authors such as Dr. Oz and Bill Phillips.

For a list of the book and authors mentioned in this video click the link below

Barnes and Nobel Book Review