I remember having a conversation with a client eight months into working with her. She was going through a stressful divorce. She was hitting her marks with her food, for the most part. She worked out really hard when in session with me. But she wasn’t hitting her workouts (particularly her morning walks) as consistently as she liked. Those walks were stress-reducing, woke her body up, helped her burn a few calories, and provided a great reset for her mind. And yet…she lacked consistency in getting her daily walk in.

And then, we fixed it. We fortified a key habit of hers by changing the parameters of success. When we set up her workout routine, a 30-minute walk was the goal. Come to find out, if Beth didn’t have 30 minutes, she didn’t go on a walk. It was either 30 minutes or zero minutes…and most of the time it was zero minutes. And with work and kids and divorce proceedings, her time demands grew and her ability to walk for 30 minutes diminished.

Plymouth personal traiiner says “shoes on” is a better goal than “ walk for 30 minutes”

We redefined success for her cardio workouts from “30 minutes of walking, or bust” to “shoes on, get out the door, and lock the door behind you!” I didn’t care if she walked for 30 minutes or 30 seconds. Just get your shoes on, get out the door, and lock the door behind you. That is success. Walk the length of three houses? Success. Walk three miles? Success. Walk six minutes and nine seconds? Success. Shoes on, out the door, lock the door behind you.

By lowing the bar (our definition of success) for her cardio workouts, we increased the consistency of the habit. By fortifying the habit, Beth saw more success in her pursuit of lasting health change because she was actively reducing her stress levels…which was the main block in her weight loss journey. In the first eight months of working with Beth, she lost 15 pounds. Not an extraordinary number, per se…but weight loss is a hormone game and Beth had a lot of stress in her life. High stress means more cortisol production (the stress hormone), and less weight-loss success. In the final four months of the year Beth lost 37 pounds! She lost 52 lbs. in twelve months!

Lasting health change, regardless of the outcome we are after, is achieved by fortifying the right habits. Consistent execution is the key. Often times lowering the bar and redefining success is the trick to fortifying a habit.

One of my clients, Kristen, just got a rowing machine (she found out she enjoyed rowing after I brought my rowing machine to her home for workouts a few times…I bring a lot of my equipment to my clients!). My challenge for Kristen is this: 50 meters of rowing per day. That distance should take her less than 30 seconds. The real goal is this: get on the rowing machine daily! Chances are, if Kristen gets on the machine to row 50 meters, she will end up rowing much more than 50 meters. But even if she only rows 50 meters, she is fortifying the habit on rowing daily. Fortifying that habit is her best path to lasting health change.

In my estimation, the goal shouldn’t be a 40-minute workout. The goal should be “get your workout clothes on and pick one exercise.” The goal shouldn’t be ten miles of cycling, it should be to get on the bike daily. Getting going is the hard part…so make it easier to get going. Make “getting going” the goal!

If you find yourself falling short of your health goals, I’d love to help you succeed. Having a dedicated partner, accountability, encouragement, and a solid plan can make all the difference in your goal getting. I’d love to help you bridge the gap from where you are with your health to where you’d like to be. I can promise you that we will dial in your consistency with small wins. I will help you to get your shoes on, get out the door, lock the door behind you. I’ll help you get 50 meters of daily rowing in…or whatever micro-goals we need to establish to fortify the healthy habits most important to your success. You will become a master at doing little things well for your health. And from those little things, you will accomplish big things! Want to get started? Contact me HERE!

Minneapolis Personal Trainer hosting Weight Loss Challenge in January and February 2017

Ever heard someone say, “Everything in moderation…”?  I hate that saying.

As a fitness and nutrition coach, it is probably my least favorite saying.  EVERYTHING in moderation? How much cocaine should one ingest daily to achieve a moderate amount of intake? The correct answer is zero, of course. How much sleep is moderate? Five hours, eight hours, or maybe eleven hours? What about sugar? There is no recommended daily allowance of sugar suggestion in the United States. How are we supposed to know how much sugar one should consume? When it comes to health, we struggle to define what healthy moderation and balance should look like.

I believe the body gives us clues that help us to determine how to moderately consume our treats. For example, it takes the kidneys and liver about five days to make a doughnut binge or a night on the town “like it never happened.” Five days. If we want to balance our treats with healthy foods, we’d better execute five consecutive days of clean eating for every one gluttonous meal. 

The real reason I can’t handle “everything in moderation” is because it is worse than the truth. It sounds good, and maybe even sounds true. The most damaging part is that it really does is cast a long shadow on the truth, which makes the truth more difficult to see.   "Everything in moderation" makes it seem like we should celebrate with birthday cake a few times a week. We must look beyond the cake to find the truth!

Even little Emma must learn how to achieve a  healthy balance with her treats!

The Truth About Weight Loss

Here’s the truth: In health and in life, if we execute moderately well, we will achieve only moderate success. Think about that. Want to lose a tenth of a pound per week? Eat everything in moderation. For every bottle of water, consume a soft drink. Salad for lunch? You deserve a burger and fries for dinner. After all, you earned it, right? Eye roll.

Here’s more truth. In getting healthy (specifically with weight loss), there are two main phases: pursuit phase and maintenance phase. These two phases have dramatically different rules. 

The pursuit phase is strict for my clients. For the nutrition plan, we eat very clean for six-and-a-half days a week. Then, for half a day, my clients go to town with a bonus meal. I always say, “Go to town with your bonus meal, just don’t go to Vegas!”  

If the pursuit phase is strict, the maintenance phase is a bit more laid back. By maintenance phase, my clients have hit their goal weight, and are consistently and successfully maintaining their goal weight for a month or more. In addition to nutritional alignment, because of a successful execution of our fitness plan, my clients have their hormones on track. This results in a fired-up metabolism. Because of the weight stability, hormone stability, and metabolic strength, my clients in maintenance phase have more liberty on their bonus meals. Less rules, more fun.

Consider four of my clients from 2016 (three of my newest clients, and one who I worked with for all of 2016):

Client #1 started working with me in August of 2016. She has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which means she has a chronic hormonal imbalance. Two main symptoms of PCOS are weight gain and extreme difficulty in losing weight. The primary care doctor for Client #1 told her: “I just don’t know what to do with you. I can’t wait until you are diabetic, because then I’ll know what to do.” 

How frustrating is that? Your doctor doesn’t have any hope. Why should you? And to that end, Client #1 was very frustrated with her body when I first met with her. Every time she tried to lose weight, she would gain weight.

Guess what? In five months of working with me, Client #1 is down 45 pounds!  Her hormones have regulated, and her health is improving rapidly!

 Client #2 started in mid-October of 2016. She doesn’t have a lot of weight to lose, but wanted to get toned up for a trip. Her goal was to lose thirty pounds in six months. As of this writing (January of 2017), she has lost twenty pounds in three months. Client #2 is much stronger and leaner, and is very happy with her progress.

Client #3 started working with me in mid-November of 2016. She is in her late forties, and has been stuck for awhile with her body. She is down thirteen pounds in two months, feels fantastic, and loves the way her clothes fit!

Client #4 worked with me for the vast majority of 2016. From our work in January (when she was 16 weeks postpartum) through December, she lost over 40 pounds! Client #4 now weighs less than she did before she got pregnant and is in great shape.

These four client snapshots are the tip of the iceberg for 2016. As I look back on the clients I worked with last year, we really had some unbelievable health wins! The reason why my clients succeeded so much in 2016 and in the early stages of 2017: we don’t abide by an “everything in moderation” philosophy. We crush our pursuit phase by executing our fitness and nutrition plan extraordinarily well, and therefore achieve extraordinary success.

How to Achieve Healthy Weight Loss in 2017

As you consider your health goals for 2017, I encourage you to scrap an “everything in moderation” mentality. You are in pursuit phase.  Crush pursuit phase. Execute at a high level to succeed at a high level.

If you would like help succeeding with your health goals, I would like to introduce three ways I may be able to partner with you…

For those who live near Plymouth, MN and can access this Minneapolis-area personal trainer :

1)      Healthy Obsession Team Challenge - This six-week weight loss challenge starts next week (the week of January 23rd) and is an intensive fitness and nutrition experience. We win as a team, and we win big!  It is cost effective and results oriented. Want more details, click here!

2)      Partner with me for 1-on-1 for your fitness and nutrition-I love helping people who are ready and willing to get to work on their health goals.  Give me two weeks.  We will win enough in two weeks for you to see the path to longer term success.  Contact me to start a conversation about starting NOW so you can look and feel your best faster than you imagined possible.

For those of you living outside of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area:

3)      Virtual fitness and nutrition coaching-By leveraging the power of smart phones and social media live outlets, we are able to accomplish more with today’s technology in our virtual sessions. We can nail down a concrete meal plan and map out a successful fitness plan. If you are hungry to win now, contact me to start a conversation!

Whether I work with you or not in 2017, I hope you achieve health success this year. I hope you scrap the “everything in moderation” mentality and pursue your goal with a high-level of execution! 

To your health,

Adam

What to Take Before Your Workout for Optimum Fat and Weight Loss

UPDATE!!!

In 2009 I created a 28-day nutrition and fitness program called Virtual Boot Camp!   Participants averaged 13 lbs. of weight loss during the program in 2009!!! Get 28 days of perfect nutrition and exercise (complete with a grocery list, access to videos, and more!) for only $100 (NOTE: This is the very package I charge thousands for...the only thing you are missing is my physical presence!).  Enrollment ends on January 10th, so click to this website now!

Now, back to the blog...

One of the reasons I became a personal trainer (and now travel the world helping people pull off the most amazing body change possible!) is this: I got tired of hearing stories about personal trainers giving horrible nutrition and supplementation advice. Many personal trainers can name 80% of the muscles in the body, but don't know how to engage the various types of muscle fibers during workouts, cannot lock in fat loss without the help of a heart rate monitor, and cannot skillfully guide their clients around a nutrition store or grocery store. No wonder so many people who hire trainers struggle to see results!

What Fat Burners and Thermogenics Are Designed to Do

People spend billions of dollars a year on weight-loss supplements. Most of this money goes to fat burners and thermogenics. First of all, fat burners and thermogenics usually belong in the same category. If a supplement raises heart rate (therefore increasing body temperature), it is a thermogenic. A lot of products try to sell a technology as fat burning (and some products, the NxCare's Methyl Ripped seem to be onto something) when, in reality, they are primarily focused on raising a person's heart rate.

When a thermogenic raises your heart rate, your body is working harder, which means it is burning more calories. When taking a thermogenic, any exercise feels like an extra effort as far as your heart and metabolism are concerned. Therefore, walking feels like jogging, jogging feels like running, etc. When you burn more calories, you lose more weight.

Unfortunately, most people who use a thermogenic lose muscle! In fact, if a pre-workout thermogenic was the only supplement a person took, they would most certainly lose lots of muscle. Losing muscle would slow down the metabolism over time, paving the way for weight gain...which paves the way for the purchase of more thermogenics. In truth, most thermogenic products create a muscle loss/weight loss/slowed metabolism/weight gain/thermogenic-product-purchase cycle.

What Fat Burners and Thermogenics Need to Succeed

Every client I work with uses one of two fat-burning supplements to coincide with a thermogenic (if indeed it makes sense for them to use one...and it is a per-case basis). Idea #1 is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a natural nutrient of grass that used to be prevalent in our dairy products when cows were grass fed. When we take a thermogenic (which helps burn more calories) and CLA (which helps burn fat, the RIGHT calories), we end up burning more of the right calories. Idea #2 is to take a very specific pre-workout shake or bar (email me at adam@rapidresultsfitnessmn.com to find out which shake/bar), which will help yield the optimum fat and weight loss in the gym when taken with a thermogenic/fat burner.

The bottom line is that a thermogenic/fat burner is not a stand alone product. When taken in conjunction with a nutritional piece (CLA or secret idea #2) that locks in fat burning, we can really get somewhere with our bodies in a very short amount of time.

Why I Recommend Thermogenics in Conjunction with Nutrition-Based Fat Loss Supplements

The reason I recommend thermogenics is simple: when taken in conjunction with CLA or secret fat loss shake/bar (send email adam@rapidresultsfitnessmn.com to learn what it is), the body burns more fat and keeps more muscle, which increases the metabolism and turns a person into a calorie-burning machine over time!

When I work with a client, my end goal for them is for their body to be a natural calorie-burning machine. Whenever fat is subtracted and muscle is added, this is guaranteed to be the case. And this is where most people go wrong: they only take a thermogenic (which typically locks in muscle loss) instead of taking it with a fat-burning-focused nutritional supplement that biochemically forces the body to lock in fat loss and muscle gain.

Supplements are helpful only when they are used correctly. Unfortunately for most of the people who are emptying their pocketbook and schedules to lose weight, they are one or two supplement strategies short of hitting the mark.

Adam Erwin is a personal trainer who travels the world to deliver one-on-one intensive boot camps for those looking to change their body now! His work is documented at www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com.  Currently, he resides in Minnepaolis, MN and trains athletes and serious weight-loss clients.

Minneapolis Personal Trainer Chimes in on Unique Gift Ideas forHoliday Shoppers

***December 21st update (2:21pm)***

Christmas gift idea #1 (read below) has the potential to cost you $1 instead of $100 (and your significant other would never know the difference!).  Send a phone call to 612-308-4772 and ask for Adam to get the details!  Offer ends on December 22nd at 8pm Central Standard Time.*******

It is crunch time for Christmas shoppers.  In a mad scamper for deals this Christmas season, few of us land the creative and unique gift that best suits our spouse.  Here are a few last-minute ideas that could qualify as "the best Christmas gift ever!"  Please keep in mind that I'm a fitness guy, so each suggestion in this blog will have a fitness/nutrition connection.

UniqueChristmas Gift Idea for Couples With a Budget: Lose 13 lbs. in 28 Days!

Is your spouse dissatisfied with their body?  Do they feel stuck?  In addition to needing to lose a few lbs., are they staring down high cholesterol/high blood pressure/type II diabetes?  Give them access to the program that helps people lose 13 lbs. (on average) in 28 days!

In January of 2009 I launched a brand new program called Virtual Boot Camp.  We had amazing success in 2009 and, with the updates being implements in 2010 we expect even better results (in fact, we implemented a few changes inOctober a people dropped an extra 1.7 lbs. on average because of it!).

This 28-day food and fitness program walks people through the best food and fitness month they've ever had!  Participants in Virtual Boot Camp:

• Know exactly what to eat AND WHEN with the 28-day meal plan
• Know exactly HOW to workout at home or in the gym with the 28-day online workout video program
• Know exactly what food to buy at the grocery store during Virtual Boot Camp with a weekly grocery list
• Learn WHY we do WHAT we do with the daily blog!
• Put themselves in position to use less medication (cholesterol/blood pressure/type II diabetes), get a better health/life insurance rate, and LOVE THE WAY THEY LOOK AND FEEL!

You may be thinking, "But Adam, by giving my husband/wife this gift, I'm calling them fat!"  Under many conditions, that's true.  But if this is something your spouse really NEEDS, here are two ways to sell it:

1) Ask them in advance.  If you came to them and said, "Look, I hear you talking about how you don't have any energy, how you feel fat, and how frustrated you are with your body.  I found a program that looks really neat and might be able to get you where you want to go.  I love you the way you are and I want you to feel good about you.  Do you want to take a look at what I found?"  If they say yes, click here!

2) Do it together.  I've had quite a few married walk through Virtual Boot Camp together.  Not only do couples get the best results (my top 5 weight-loss stories all come from married couples), their marriage also tend to get a spark (it's always nice to do something together where your spouse feels like your teammate).  If Virtual Boot Camp was a "we" experience instead of a "you" experience, you will not be calling your spouse fat.  Your Virtual Boot Camp gift will say, "I want both of us to be healthy, and I want to do it together."  Plus, there is a couples discount for Virtual Boot Camp from now until Nov. 30th.  Send an email to adam@rapidresultsfitnessmn.com for details!

Unique Last-Minute Christmas Gift Idea for Vacation-Minded Couples: Lose 12 lbs. in 7 Days at the Destination Body Sculpt Boot Camp

It's 9am.  You and your spouse are on the beach smelling the ocean air, feeling the soft sand underneath your feet, and working on losing 10 lbs. in seven days.  Thanks to a destination body sculpt boot camp, you are eating wonderful meals, enjoying the sand and sun, and feeling the best you have felt in a long, long time.  Where can you sign up for a destination body sculpt boot camp? wwwrapidresultsfitnessmn.com

The last client I worked with lost 12 lbs. in seven days (he also cut his insulin usage in half as well).  My client record for seven days is 19 lbs!

Maybe you want to shed fat while you hit the slopes.  Perhaps you want to visit Australia or the Bahamas.  Wherever you want your body change and your spouse's body change to take place, send an email to adam@rapidresultsfitnessmn.com to start a dialogue about leaving for vacation wearing one size of pants and coming home in a smaller size.

Unique Last-Minute Christmas Gift Idea for Him: Kettlebells and Training DVD

If your man is looking to shed some weight, find his lost energy, and burn calories like he never has before, picking up some kettlebells will do the trick.  Kettlebells are like cannon balls with a handle.  They originated in Russia, and are gaining traction in America as an amazing way to change your body.

While you can buy kettlebells anywhere (and better to buy a 25 lb KB at a sports store instead of buying it online and paying a boatload for shipping),  you must stop by www.dragondoor.com to find the very best in kettlebell training DVDs.  You will need them.  If you want some help on getting kettlebells, send me an email (adam@rapidresultsfitnessmn.com).  I would be glad to help.

Unique Last-Minute Christmas Gift Idea for Her: Leg Magic

Every once in awhile I get to sample a fitness machine.  Two weeks ago I tried Leg Magic...and it is awesome!  Leg Magic works inner thighs, hips, and butt.  It hits many trouble spots for women.  Go to www.buylegmagic.com to check it out.

NOTE: Before letting your wife open this gift, have her open a new pair of jeans that is two sizes too small for her....then have her open the Leg Magic.  Instead of her asking, "Do you think I'm fat?", she will be saying "I can't wait to fit into these?" :)

Unique Last-Minute Christmas Gift Idea for the Health-Deprived: Lower Cholesterol, Lower Blood Pressure, Increased Energy

I literally just got off the phone with a very happy client.  Not only is she down 25 lbs., the results from her recent blood work were amazing!  Her triglycerides were down 103 points and her cholesterol was down 45 points...in 2 months time!

Set your spouse up for a nutrition consultation.

Adam Erwin is an in-home personal trainer who travels the world to work with people who are ready to put excuses aside and work hard to change their body.  Visit www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com to learn more about what Adam does, who he works with, and how you can have him come and work with you!  A Minneapolis resident, Adam will work close to home (Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina) or will travel to your location (San Diego, Miami, Phoenx, Sydney Australia) to work with you.

How to Know if Your Weight-Loss Program Is Healthy or Not

NOTE: This is a blog post about healthy/unhealthy weight-loss programs.  Eating disorders are not part of the conversation for this post.  While eating disorders play a significant role in unhealthy weight loss, I am not an eating disorder specialist and am not qualified to have that conversation.

We are a weight-obsessed society.  Some people step on their scale multiple times a day (what are you, a Wall Street day trader?).  Others use their weight as their primary indicator of progress with their health.

Weight can be a very misleading indicator.  It's kinda like a tax return amount.  If I receive a huge tax return, does that mean I paid in way too many taxes last year?  Does it mean I had a really bad year financially this time around?  Weight can be a confusing indicator of health progress just as a tax return can be a confusing indicator of financial progress.

Recently I had a debate online with a trainer buddy of mine.  He had read something about the amount of weight my clients were losing with my Virtual Boot Camp program.  He became concerned.  To him, it appeared as though my clients were losing weight at an unhealthy pace.

I understand and appreciate his concern.  Weight loss at any cost is very dangerous.  In the case of Virtual Boot Camp, I have built my program in a very specific way which triggers a very specific type of weight loss.  Although the weight-loss numbers can be high, the results are healthy.

So, what is the difference between healthy and unhealthy weight loss?

Healthy Weight Loss Removes Unhealthy Sources of Weight

Have you ever cleaned the area behind your refrigerator?  It's pretty gross, isn't it?  Over the course of 12 months, that area behind the fridge can become one of the dirtiest areas in our home.  A heavy-duty cleaner and a scraper might be involved in cleaning up that often-neglected area.  If that area was never cleaned, bugs and bacteria would thrive there.  Over time, the fall out from the dust and grime could force the fridge to work harder and perform inefficiently.

The human colon is like the area behind the fridge.  The average human has 10-20 lbs. of feces stuck in their colon.  Let that hit home.  Most people have 10-20 lbs. of awful waste just sitting in their body.  Since this is the case, one of the first things I recommend for my clients is a colon cleanse (if they haven't had one in awhile).  There is nothing unhealthy about quickly getting rid of cancer-causing toxins that are in your fecal matter.

Fecal matter and excess fat are unhealthy sources of weight.  Any program that focuses on losing unhealthy weight is on the right track.  There are, however, some programs and some trainers that under-nourish or over-train.  One way to know if you are losing healthy is weight is to take note of how you feel.  If you are constantly tired, constantly sore, and constantly drained, you may be off base with weight loss.  If you have abundant energy, fly through your day, aren't constantly sore from workouts for longs periods of time and do not need an unusual amount of sleep, you may be on the right track.

I'm sure my trainer friends are thinking, "Healthy weight loss can be determined by how you feel???"  It's one gauge.   A better way would be to look at your specific program to see how the nutrition and training are being allocated.  This, however, can be a tricky diagnosis (if you'd like some help figuring out if you are on the right track or not, send an email to adam@rapidresultsfitnessmn.com and I'd be glad to help).

Bottom line: if fecal matter and fat loss are the targets of your weight-loss program, you have a good chance of being on the right track.

Unhealthy Weight Loss Removes Healthy Sources of Weight

Our bodies need water.  Our bodies need muscle.  Some people try to lose a few quick pounds by shedding water (via a water pill or other forms of dehydration) and doing things to tear down muscle.  Bad idea!  Any program that loses healthy sources of weight like water and muscles are usually off the mark.

There are many programs out there, big famous programs, that are totally broken and off base.  If your program does not specifically address what nutrition looks like before and after a workout, your program is broken.  In fact, if you program has "weight" in its title, it is probably broken.  But Adam, how can you say that?  Lots of people have been SO successfully on some of the big/national programs.

I can say that because programs that focus simply on weight loss omit the "needing muscle" portion of the health conversation.  Programs that do not specifically address ways to spare/grow muscle with precise exercise and nutrition are missing the mark.  They are leading you to use muscle as a source of weight loss, and that is USUALLY unhealthy.

A muscle cell burns 70% more calories than a fat cell.  So, if you are losing muscle, you are losing your ability to burn calories.  I can hear the ladies saying, "But I don't want to look like a body builder."  If you are currently out of shape, the likelihood of you suddenly looking like a body builder is as likely as you working part-time as a fast food joint and suddenly getting too wealthy.

Maintaining and growing some lean muscle is never a bad idea.  After all, muscle is a healthy source of weight.  And the presence of muscle in your body is great news for your metabolism and calorie-burning capacity.

Bottom line: Keeping the body hydrated and keeping muscle fed are important.  Any weight-loss program that focuses on the opposite is off the mark.

_____________

Adam Erwin is a nutrition and fitness coach, based in chilly Minneapolis, MN. (where the lakes are outnumbered only by the taxes).  Adam helps people across the United States to attack the lifestyle problems that are negatively affecting health.  In 2009, his 28-day Virtual Boot Camp program has helped people lose an average of 13 lbs.  To learn more about Adam and how he can help you have the best food and fitness month of your life, send him an email at adam@rapidresultsfitnessmn.com and also peep www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com.

Wellness Tip of the Day:  Worried About Putting on Fat? Choose Snickers over Watermelon!

Watermelon makes us fat.  True story.  The amount of natural sugars in watermelon overwhelm our body, creating an excess.  The body then stores the excess sugar as fat.  Snickers, in contrast, does not have the amount of sugars to overwhelm the body and is less likely to be stored as fat.  I hear you asking, "Why isn't Snickers a part of the boot camp?"

When I work with clients on food choices, I pay a lot of attention to the glycemic index.  The glycemic index tells us how our body is likely to handle the sugars in a given food.  Watermelon is full of natural sugars.  Bagels are full of sugars.  Pretzels are full of sugars!

Grapefruit, grapes, and oranges are some of the best fruits for low sugar content (and therefore low fat storage capability).  Part of boot camp is learning how to feed your body the right way over the long haul.  If you would like me to email you a copy of my glycemic index list, send me an email saying such.  I'd be glad to help!

Adam Erwin is a nutrition-based personal trainer who helps overweight people build and execute the best food and fitness month of their life.  To learn more about Adam's work, click here!

What It Takes to See Fat Loss and Weight Loss Progress

Yesterday I got a call from a client that I hadn't trained in awhile.  "I'm stuck!" she screamed.  We talked about her current food and fitness situation.  The biggest thing that was missing: pain.

Any good personal trainer will tell you that pain is necessary for any type of improvement.  When we create a budget and decide NOT to indulge our itch to acquire, we feel pain.  When we turn away from a tasty piece of cake or our favorite beverage, our body feels a little bit of pain.  It hurts to say "no" to desire. Not only do we register pain when we decide not to indulge in the wrong thing, we can also feel pain when we decide to indulge the right thing.

Pushing the body during a workout can be painful.  If we do cardio intervals our lungs may burn or our legs may feel like jello...both scenarios can be uncomfortable.  If we do super sets of bicep curls our arms may become toast.  And they may be sore for several days afterward.  Doing the right thing can cause pain.

I'm doing a lot of training with kettlebells right now, introducing them to many of my clients.  Kettlebells will make you feelpain of a whole different sort!

Is there ever growth without pain?  I don't think so.  I believe the pain we feel from saying no to the wrong things is just as important as the pain we feel from saying yes to the right things.  The next time you feel the pain of saying no to a cheeseburger or feel the pain from doing a challenging set of lunges, take heart.  Pain is necessary for your body's improvement (injury, however, is not necessary....it's important to make that distinction).

Adam Erwin, a Minneapolis-based personal trainer,  travels the United States to work with people who want to make rapid and lasting body change.  His personalied boot camp have helped people lose 30+ pounds in 28 days, reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and decrease joint discomfort.   To learm more about how to bring Adam to your city (Dallas, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, and Miami are his favorites), please visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com.

Fat-based Weight Loss Comes Down to How You Manage These 27 Factors

Fat-loss is not a one-trick pony.  There is not just one thing to do to burn fat.  Sometimes fat seems to just fall off.  Other times it sticks stubbornly to your mid-section.  If you are stuck with those tough-to-lose fat lbs., take inventory of how you are managing these fat-loss factors.

Factor Affecting Fat Loss #27:  Your Caloric Intake Times

Many people in America backload their calories.  They eat the most amount of food when their body can handle it least effectively.  We need to front-load our calories instead of back-loading them.  Our digestive enzyems and metabolism digest food and use it as fuel more effectively in the morning.  Put most of your calories in the first half of your day and go easy on the last half.

Factor Affecting Fat Loss #12:  Sleep

When we sleep long enough (8 hours isn't the magic number for everyone), our hormones are more in tune, our digestive abilities are improved, and our appetite is more likely to be under control (our bodies translate lack of sleep/repair as a call for more nutrients...which means more food!).  When we catch up on our sleep, we can burn fuel more effectively, keep our belly-fat-producing hormones at bay (cortisol), and eat less.

Factor Affecting Fat Loss #3: A Cleanse

When was the last time you did a cleanse?  Not just colon or liver or blood, any cleanse at all.  We have so much garbage trapped and stored away in our body...it's not even funny.  In my online boot camp program, we do a cleanse during week one.  The feedback I receive is amazing.  I can't believe how flat my stomach is now."  "I have so much more energy!"  "My aches and pains have disappeared!"

It is amazing what a good cleanse will do for you!

If you want to know more about the 27 factors affecting fat loss, please visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com and send an email to me, personal trainer Adam Erwin.  I'd love to equip you with some tools to help you lose fat!

Adam Erwin is a personal trainer based in Minneapolis, MN.  He travels to cities like St. Louis, San Diego, Miami, and Sydney, Australia to help people get in the best shape of their life.  To learn more about Adam's work, click to www.keepyourbetterhalf.com.

Minneapolis Personal Trainer on How to Make Each Day Count

I have been running an online boot camp for the past 10 days, and the results are incredible!   The reason the results are incredible is because the people doing the boot camp are following the grocery list and menu I have given them for each week, plus are hitting their marks with exercise and other things.  Due to the consistency of hitting the mark, we had people lose 8, 9, 10, 13, and even 15 lbs in the first week!  Those are not average results....but they should be! (Go to www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com/virtualbootcamp.html)

Here is where the average person on the average program falls short....

Weight Loss and the Power of Compounding

The power of compounding is the most important law in the universe.  The idea is that decisions can stack up on each other in an extreme way for the positive or the negative, depending on the quality of the decisions.  Consider a credit card.  When we charge a lot on a card and then make the minimum payment month after month (several bad decisions!), the balance grows of out control.  Credit card bills can compound against us very quickly.  When we eat the right food at the right time, do the right exercise at the right time, and continue to hit exercise and nutrition marks for 7 days in a row, our body can lose 8, 10, 13 lbs! 

Most people fall short in the exercise and nutrition because they do not fully realize the power of compounding!  Do the right things, hit the mark consistently, and the body will respond in a major way!  Don't cheat on foods, just stack great decisions on top of one another!  Make each day count by making more right decisions than the day before!

Know-How!

I am blown away at how many fat "weight loss gurus" hang around the gym.  If you know so much, why do you look so bad?  A big part of it is that people who think they know it all really don't know very much.  

It seems as though some folks have such an ego that they choose to close themselves off to new ideas or discount a new way of doing an old exercise because they didn't think of the idea.  How silly.  I pick up new ideas and tips all the time!  Part of know-how is to know how to receive new information or how to be reminded of old information that hasn't been applied for awhile.  Developing know-how is a constant process.  If we aren't picking up new ideas at the gym, it is quite possible we are turning a blind eye to the know-how around us!

Make your day count and improve your body by being developing your know-how.

Willingness to Try Something New

One of the biggest challenges I have with people is that they have their "routine" that works.  Unless someone has a big event coming up that they are training for, there is no harm in trying something new.  The first installment of my online boot camp is four weeks long.  Four weeks is 8% of the calendar year.  I find myself saying to people, "Look, I'm asking you to try something a little different for 8% of your year.  For the other 92%, do whatever you like.  But for this 8%, open up to the possibility that there may be some value here!"  It is amazing how set in ours ways we can become!

Try something new today and see how your body responds! 

Adam Erwin is a Minneapolis-based personal trainer who is helping people lose weight, burn fat, gain muscle, and experience the best exercise and nutrition month of their life with his “Virtual Boot Camp!”  When not leading people through his online boot camp, Adam travels around to Eden Praire, Minnetonka, Edina, Medina, Wayzata, and Chanhassen to work one-on-one as the in-home personal trainer.  To learn more about what Adam does and how he can help you, visit www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com today!

Minneapolis-Based Personal Trainer Burning the Fat With Successful Boot Camp

I couldn't believe it when the results were tallied last night.  After just one week of boot camp, men were posting weight loss totals of 9 lbs, 15 lbs, 7 lbs, 6 lbs.  Women were posting totals of 7 lbs, 6 lbs, 13 lbs, 4lbs.  Of the twenty-plus participants in first week of the first ever run of the Virtual Boot Camp, the majority of participants were down 5 lbs or more!  The 15 lbs loss blew me away!

I don't have much time to expound on the details of the boot camp because I am working hard on all the materials for weeks 2, 3, and 4.  Please visit www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com/virtualbootcamp.html to get all the details!

We have a few spots open for our next launch, set to start on January 29th!  Sign up online today!

Minneapolis Personal Trainer Gives Back More Than He Ever Has Before!

It has been a few days since my last blog.  However, on the upside, I have been hard at work with a new project and new blog.  I am leading a group of participants through the best thing I have ever done: the Virtual Boot Camp!

Virtual Boot Camp Launched!

At the end of 2008, I sat down to reflect on my personal training business.  I wrote down some questions, and one jumped off the page.  I asked myself, "what is the biggest problem in your business and how can you fix it?"  Answer: I want everyone to get the best of my services and only a select few can afford them.  I need to be able to offer more to everyone across the financial spectrum.

After much creative thought, I came up with the Virtual Boot Camp!  It is the same program I offer my premium clients, without my physical presence!

Want to Experience Weight Loss, Muscle Gain, and a Killer Boot Camp?

There are two places you must visit to learn about the Virtual Boot Camp.  You must go to www. rapidresultsfitnessmn.com/virtualbootcamp.html to see what is cooking there.  Also, you must visit virtualbootcamp.wordpress.com to get a sneak peak inside the program.  I will be making the Word Press Virtual Boot Camp blog private in a few days...so access it while you can!

That's all for now....I have a lot of emails to answer!

Adam Erwin is a Minneapolis-based personal trainer who is helping people lose weight, burn fat, gain muscle, and experience the best exercise and nutrition month of their life with his "Virtual Boot Camp!"  When not leading people through his online boot camp, Adam travels around to Eden Praire, Minnetonka, Edina, Medina, Wayzata, and Chanhassen to work one-on-one as the in-home personal trainer.  To learn more about what Adam does and how he can help you, visit www.rapidresultsfitnessmn.com today!

Minneapolis Personal Trainer Chimes in on Unique Gift Ideas for Last Minute Holiday Shoppers

It is just a few days before Hanukkah.  Most of us are trading elbows with crazed Christmas shoppers as we scamper for last-minute deals, while few of us land the creative and unique gift that best suits our spouse.  Here are a few last-minute ideas that could qualify as "the best gift ever!"  Please keep in mind that I'm a fitness guy, so each suggestion in this blog will have a fitness/nutrition connection.

Unique Last-Minute Hanukkah Gift Idea for Couples: Destination Body Sculpt Boot Camp

It's 9am.  You and your spouse are on the beach smelling the ocean air, feeling the soft sand underneath your feet, and working on losing 10 lbs. in seven days.  Thanks to a destination body sculpt boot camp, you are eating wonderful meals, enjoying the sand and sun, and feeling the best you have felt in a long, long time.  Where can you sign up for a destination body sculpt boot camp? www.keepyourbetterhalf.com

Maybe you want to shed fat while you hit the slopes.  Perhaps you want to visit Australia or the Bahamas.  Wherever you want your body change and your spouse's body change to take place, send an email to adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com to start a dialogue about leaving for vacation wearing one size of pants and coming home in a smaller size.

Unique Last-Minute Hanukkah Gift Idea for Him: Kettlebells and Training DVD

If your man is looking to shed some weight, find his lost energy, and burn calories like he never has before, picking up some kettlebells will do the trick.  Kettlebells are like cannon balls with a handle.  They originated in Russia, and are gaining traction in America as an amazing way to change your body. 

While you can buy kettlebells anywhere (and better to buy a 25 lb KB at a sports store instead of buying it online and paying a boatload for shipping),  you must stop by www.dragondoor.com to find the very best in kettlebell training DVDs.  You will need them.  If you want some help on getting kettlebells, send me an email (adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com).  I would be glad to help.

Unique Last-Minute Hanukkah Gift Idea for Her: Leg Magic

Every once in awhile I get to sample a fitness machine.  Two weeks ago I tried Leg Magic...and it is awesome!  Leg Magic works inner thighs, hips, and butt.  It hits many trouble spots for women.  Go to www.buylegmagic.com to check it out.

NOTE: Before letting your wife open this gift, have her open a new pair of jeans that is two sizes too small for her....then have her open the Leg Magic.  Instead of her asking, "Do you think I'm fat?", she will be saying "I can't wait to fit into these?" :)

Unique Last-Minute Hanukkah Gift Idea for the Health-Deprived: Lower Cholesterol, Lower Blood Pressure, Increased Energy

There are a handful of supplements that are highly effective in lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and increasing energy.  They are life-changing-caliber, with clinical studies and amazing true testimonials to boot!  To learn more about them, email me at adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com.

Unique Last-Minute Hanukkah Gift Idea for...What Was His Name Again?: "The Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss"

For those wanting to tackle body change in '09, "The Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss" lays out the step-by-step approach I use with my clients to maximize their fat loss and weight loss in the shortest time possible. 

"The Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss" comes back from the editors on December 29th, just before New Year!  To get an introductory price, send an email to adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com

Adam Erwin is an in-home personal trainer who travels the world to work with people who are ready to put excuses aside and work hard to change their body.  Visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about what Adam does, who he works with, and how you can have him come and work with you!  A Minneapolis resident, Adam will work close to home (Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina) or will travel to your location (San Diego, Miami, Phoenx, Sydney Australia) to work with you.

The Five Questions You Should Ask Yourself When Fat and Weight Loss Get Stuck

About 1/3 of my personal training clients are those who had early weight-loss success and then got stuck.  When I work with these people, here are five questions I ask them as we get going...

Weight-Loss Plateau Question #1: How long has it been since you did a cleanse?

If your car was sluggish and not performing very well, you would probably check to see the timing of the last tune-up.  Likewise, your body struggles to perform well and burn fat fuel if it hasn't had a tune up in awhile.  Getting rid of impurities and toxin via a cleanse is a great way to shake lose of a weight-loss plateau.

Your body stores acidic toxins in your fat cells.  If the environment in your body is too toxic to allow fat cells to release acidic toxins into the bloodstream, your body's natural survivalistic function will not allow fat to be burned.  A cleanse, especially one focused on alkaline foods and drinks, can serve as a tune-up for the body and help it to eliminate toxins and burn fat cells more effectively.

Weight-Loss Plateau Question #2:  When was the last time you swung a kettlebell?

Kettlebell workouts are great for fat loss.  They are a different breed...a different brand of workout.  The body needs workout variety to continue to improve.  When was the last time you turned your workouts upside down and did something completely different, like kettlebells?

Weight-Loss Plateau Question #3:  How much water do you REALLY drink every day?

Fat cells need to be well-hydrated to burn effectively.  I have weight-loss-plateau clients measure their water carefully.  It is amazing how little water we drink...and it makes up 70% of our body!  Drinking more water fixes a lot of problems associated with weight loss.

Weight-Loss Plateau Question #4: How much fiber and protein do you consume in a day?

Most people have very little idea how much protein they consume in a day, and absolutely no idea how much fiber they consume in a day.  Fiber and protein have one thing in common: they help the body achieve satisfaction from hunger.  Fiber also escorts toxins out of the body and assists in colon function.  Protein helps repair and build muscle cells (and muscle cells burn 70% more calories than fat cells).    It is important to consume one gram of protein per pound that you want to weigh (eat like you want to be!) and 20-30 grams of fiber per day.

Weight-Loss Plateau Question #5: Is your cardio optimizing fat-burning mechanisms in the body?

When I ask this question I get a blank stare.  Most people don't know how cardio burns fat.  To maximize fat-based weight loss in your cardio workout, make sure to read my others blogs on fat loss to learn about the secret cardio formula that is the world's proven best fat-burning cardio interval.

Do You Have a Question for Adam the In-Home Personal Trainer and Weight-Loss Boot Camp Extraordinairre?

If you have a question about working out, losing weight, my boot camp program (www.keepyourbetterhalf.com), or nutrition, feel free to go to my website and hit the CONTACT button. :)

Adam Erwin is an in-home personal trainer who travels the world to work with people who are ready to put excuses aside and work hard to change their body.  Visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about what Adam does, who he works with, and how you can have him come and work with you!  A Minneapolis resident, Adam will work close to home (Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina) or will travel to your location (San Diego, Miami, Phoenx, Sydney Australia) to work with you.

Minneapolis Personal Trainer Brings Best Out of Boot Camp Clients

Personal trainer Adam Erwin might be in Wayzata at daybreak, in Eden Prairie by 10am, Edina at noon, Minnetonka by 3pm, and in his office at night to walk through the next day's plan for his clients.  In addition to spear-heading vigorous workouts for his boot camp clients, he also emails them their daily menu and exercise plan, delivers accountability (sending text messages, emails, and phone calls to his clients throughout the day to make sure the details of each plan are being followed), and walks with his clients through their body change success journey.

One mother of two is down 10% on her body fat test.  A musician is sporting a notch on his belt he hasn't touched in three years.  And a 52 year-old woman who hasn't worn a pair of shoes in over two years (thanks to a car accident and several reconstructive surgeries) is now walking normally up and down stairs in her brand new shoes!

Boot camp might mean weight loss for some clients or "get my life back" for others.  To this personal trainer, it's all about helping his clients live the perfect nutrition and exercise day for as many days as he is hired.

Boot Camp Success: Tough Workouts

When working through one of Adam's boot camps, you may find yourself chopping wood one day, running hill intervals the next day, or swinging kettle bells the day after that.  Few trainers can get the body to respond to a workout like Adam.  If your body is stuck and the same old routine isn't doing the trick, sending an email to adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com should be your next move.

Boot Camp Success: Lose Fat

Many boot camps focus on burning calories at any cost, with little attention to what type of calories are being burned.  Adam is a fat loss expert, one of the few personal trainers who studies how to help the body burn fat through exercise and proper nutrition.  If wearing a heart monitor is your idea of losing fat (or your trainer's idea, yikes!), it's time to send an email to adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about how he can help you burn more fat in less time.

Boot Camp Success: Lose Weight

Few things are more exciting than hopping on the scale to see a lower number or looking in the mirror to see less chins.  When nutrition and exercise are built in a way to maximize your day (and then your perfect day is executed for a few weeks in a row), the response from your body can be extraordinary.  If losing weight is the goal of this holiday season, send an email to adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com now!

Adam the In-Home Personal Trainer is Tired of Soda Killing Metabolism, Making People Fat, and De-railing Body Composition Progress

2009 UPDATE!!!Before you read this blog, there are two things you need to know:1) Open enrollment has begun for the Virtual Boot Camp: Total Body Makeover!   Get 28 days of perfect nutrition and exercise (complete with a grocery list, access to videos, and more!) for only $100 (NOTE: This is the very package I charge thousands for...the only thing you are missing is my physical presence!).  Enrollment ends on January 10th, so click to http://keepyourbetterhalf.com/virtualbootcamp.html now!2) If you would like the free report "The 27 Factors Affecting Fat Loss and Weight Loss", send me an email and I'll get the report to you!Now, back to the blog...

Minneapolis is not the place to be right now if you are a soda drinker.  Adam the in-home personal trainer is going to war with weight-conscious folks who are drinking soda.  Here is another run-through and what soda does to you and why we must cut it out of the game plan when weight loss and fat loss are the goal!

Two quick things before we get to the main course:

1)  If you like today’s blog, pass it on to your weight-loss minded friend, family member, or colleague.

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2) If you like today’s blog, email Adam (adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com) and ask about his “Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss” that will hit cyberspace next week.

Stop Drinking Soda Now! Reason #1: Diet Soda Kills Your Metabolism

I've blogged on this before, but it is worth restating: the artificial sweeteners in diet soda confuse your metabolic response to real sugars.  Artificial sweeteners teach your body to not respond metabolically to sweet tastes (be it artificial or real sugar).  So when you consume real sugar, your body learns to simply store it as fat instead of burning it off like it is originally trained to do.  If you can't metabolize sugar effectively, it is virtualy impossible to lose fat and lose weight for the long haul.

Stop Drinking Soda Now! Reason #2: The Amount of Sugars in Non-Diet Soda Is Fat in Waiting

Have you ever drank a 12 oz. can of lard before?  Soda is very close to that.  Pepsi, Coke, and others have 39 grams of sugar per can or more.  It is like putting 9 full tablespoons of sugar into a can of soda.  Yikes!  Your body cannot possibly burn off all that sugar when you consume it, so it gets stored as fat.  You are drinking lard!

Stop Drinking Soda Now! Reason #3: Soda Dehydrates, and Fat Cells Need Hydration

Dehydrated fat cells do not burn well.  Well-hydrated fat cells burn much more effectively!  Anytime you drink coffee or soda or something with caffeine in it, you are doing two things worth re-considering:  1) wasting a chance to hydrate yourself and provide nutrients your body needs.  2) dehyrating your body and robbing fat cells from water they need to effectively be burned off.

Stop Drinking Soda Now! Reason #4: The Toxins in Soda Attack Your Body

We all know that artificial sweeteners attack the nervous system.  What about all the coloring, flavoring, and carbonation in a soda?  Those ingredients attack your body as well.  Your blood stream turns more acidic by drinking soda (and don't get me started on that!), carbonation eats away at lung capacity, and the extra toxins like coloring have no good use in your body.  Every single time we consume soda, we are placing our body under extreme attack!!!  Let the madness cease!

Stop Drinking Soda Now! Summary

We are 70% water, and drinking soda instead of water is like stealing mass amounts of water out of a lake instead of putting water in.  There are few things that are worse to drink than soda (maybe alchohol).  Every single time we consume a beverage, we have an opportunity to improve or deteriorate our health.  Soda has no nutritional value at all, and plays a significant role in worsening our health.  One of the best things we can do to improve our fat loss and weight loss potential is to eliminate soda from the mix!

Adam Erwin is an in-home personal trainer who travels the world to work with people who are ready to put excuses aside and work hard to change their body.  Visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about what Adam does, who he works with, and how you can have him come and work with you!  A Minneapolis resident, Adam will work close to home (Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina) or will travel to your location (San Diego, Miami, Phoenx, Sidney Australia) to work with you.

Minneapolis Personal Trainer Sets Up Thanksgiving So You Can Succeed With It, Not Just Survive It!

I love Thanksgiving.  I love the entire holiday season.  Were it not for the 6 lbs .that the average American gains during the holidays, I wouldn't have as much job security. :)  Since I want to work myself out of a personal training career, I will share with you how to make Thanksgiving a success.

Two quick things before we get to the main course:

1)  If you like today's blog, pass it on to your weight-loss minded friend, family member, or colleague.

2) If you like today's blog, email Adam (adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com) and ask about his "Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss" that will hit cyberspace next week. :)

Thanksgiving Success Weight-Loss Tip #1: Go Light on Wednesday

You are about to give your body the feast of the year on Thursday, so don't go to town on Wednesday.  Shoot for 1200-1500 calories on Wednesday, and don't eat anything after 8pm.  Drink 64 oz of water today as well!

Thanksgiving Success Weight-Loss Tip #2: Exercise 2 hours before mealtime

On the big day, give yourself a big workout 2 hours before mealtime.  Easier said than done, right?  Well, let the turkey cook, sneak to the bedroom or basement and do all the squats, push ups, bicep curls, tricep dips on the staircase, of full-blown weight training you can do.  Don't do cardio (unless that is your only option), pump iron!  And hard!  This will stimulate your metabolism and get your body ready for the big meal.

Thanksgiving Success Weight-Loss Tip #3: Enjoy the best meal of the year

Go for it.  Whether or not you deserve it, go ahead and eat like a normal American on Thanksgiving.  Don't kill yourself, but certainly enjoy.

Thanksgiving Success Weight-Loss Tip #4: Eat Your Left-Overs by 7pm

Most people have "the meal" in the afternoon.  That's fine.  Prepare your palet for the double-dose around 7pm.  If we are going to go nuts on calories, it's best not to put too many calories in the system late at night.  Start "left-over dinner" around 7pm.

Thanksgiving Success Weight-Loss Tip #5: Drink 64 oz of Water on Turkey Day

It's a must!  With all the toxins and garbage going into your body, make sure water is present enough to flush them out.  Throughout the course of the day, drink water.  I like to have a 64 oz container with me to make sure I down the right amount.  If you do water well on Thanksgiving, you will set your body up for a successful toxin flush out on Friday (note: the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers.  Drink water so your body can flush toxins more easily, which will help keep the plumber away!).

Two quick things before you go:1)  If you liked today's blog, pass it on to your weight-loss minded friend, family member, or colleague.

2) If you liked today's blog, email Adam (adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com) and ask about his "Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss" that will hit cyberspace next week. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Adam Erwin is an in-home personal trainer who travels the world to work with people who are ready to put excuses aside and work hard to change their body.  Visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about what Adam does, who he works with, and how you can have him come and work with you!  A Minneapolis resident, Adam will work close to home (Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina) or will travel to your location (San Diego, Miami, Phoenx, Sidney Australia) to work with you.

Minneapolis Personal Trainer on Losing The Weight (Fat) Around the Middle and Getting Nice Abs!

I was at a family function today, talking to a family friend about weight loss and ab work.  Jim, our friend, was frustrated because he had been trying to lose weight around the middle and had worked really hard but wasn't seeing the results he thought he would be seeing.

Most people work really hard on their belly fat and don't see results because...

Ab Workout and Weight Loss Secret #1: If your hormones aren't right, your belly fat isn't going anywhere!

Stress and belly fat are closely linked.  When people are stressed, they produce extra cortisol, which is a hormone that prevents belly fat from being easy to burn off.  When we don't get good sleep (between the primetime hours of 11pm and 4am) and don't fight off stress (working out, breathing exercises, slowing down), our stress hormones will be in high gear and the belly fat won't be going anywhere.  To help the belly fat go away, attack stress by getting better sleep and fitting exercise into your day.  Fighting stress is huge for attacking belly fat!

Ab Workout and Mid-Section Weight Loss Secret #2: Sequence is everything!

If you were handed six numbers (239402) and were told to unlock a combination, it would be very difficult to unlock it unless you knew the correct sequence of the numbers (34, 29, 02, etc.).  If you are trying to work out your abs and lose weight but don't know how to sequence your efforts, it would be difficult to unlock belly fat loss.

When people hire me to train them and help them lose fat around their midsection, we don't really address that work until we have established a nice improvement in body composition.  If you focus on improving your muscle/fat ratio, your ability to burn calories will be significantly increased.  If you focus on ab workouts and weight loss around the middle after you have more calorie-burning potential, it's a lot easier to get your ab work done successfully.  Sequence is everything.  Body composition groundwork first, abs focus later.

Ab Workout and Mid-section Weight Loss Secret #3: Make Water Your Focus!

A well-hydrated fat cell will burn much more easily than a poorly hydrated fat cell.  With that in mind, be sure to focus on drinking a large amount of water (1/2 your body weight in ounces of water) every single day.  The more water available to the body, the less water it will retain.  And, the more water present in the body, the better chance of burning off fat cells!

If you hungry for more information like this, email Adam at adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com and ask about the forthcoming "Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss".

Adam Erwin is an in-home personal trainer who travels the world to work with people who are ready to put excuses aside and work hard to change their body.  Visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about what Adam does, who he works with, and how you can have him come and work with you!  A Minneapolis resident, Adam will work close to home (Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina) or will travel to your location (San Diego, Miami, Phoenx, Sidney Australia) to work with you.

Three Key Truths to Help You Stay on Track, Lose the Fat, and Lose the Weight

Body change is hard.  Weight loss is hard.  Doing the little things that add up to the big results is hard!  If it were easy, no one would be fat!

As an in-home personal trainer, I spend a lot of time helping my clients stay motivated.  Here are three ideas I share most often with my future weight-loss phenoms.  And by the way, to learn more about what I do and how to get a ridiculous discount on my upcoming project "The Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss", send an email to adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com.

Weight-Loss Motivational Truth #1: Saying No Makes You Stronger!

Remember the last time you said no to the overweight co-worker when she offered you cake.  Remember how it hurt to suffer through watching others eat cake...then an hour later you felt really proud of yourself?  Remember that?  That feeling of pride is a result of empowerment.  A moment came for weakness to overtake you and you got strong!  Each time you say no, saying no gets easier.  It's like lifting weights.  Very difficult at first because not much muscle exists, but over time it gets easier.

Some people are worried about offending the person offering them the chance to be weak.  Don't worry about offending the fat.  Be offended that they want you to chew on your daily dues.  You will only have to tell each person the following line ONE TIME and they will be slow to offer you goodies in the future: "No thanks.  I decided I need to treat myself better, so I'm sticking to foods that make me feel good about me."

People HATE being rejected.   Saying no to them once, and alerting them that no is in their future tends to thwart the efforts of those trying to keep you fat.

Weight-Loss Motivational Truth #2: Failing to Plan Results in Failure

Too often I hear this story: food plans are going great, exercise is going well, until that ONE DAY when we wake up late, have to run out the door, and we end up grabbing whatever food comes our way because we are starving, too busy to think about food at work, and then get stuck at a dinner meeeting where all the options are love handles waiting to happen.  Where was the protein shake fairy when you needed her?  This is a killer day that needs to be avoided!

Planning is everything!  Always make your snacks and lunch the night before.  Always go through your day and your foods the night before.  Seriously, it takes five minutes.  Go ahead, take some time for you, and set yourself up for success.  You are worth it! 

The one day that you don't plan your stuff ahead of time will end up being the one day when everything comes crashing down on you.  Murphy's Law will kick in.  The boss will be extra demanding on your "I didn't plan ahead" day.  The kids will make a mess in the car while you are driving.  Your protein shake will fall over and spill everywhere when you won't think you have time to make/buy another one.

And your momentum and spirit will be crushed.  Give yourself the gift of 5 minutes every night just to set up success for the following day.  Weight loss and body change are not accidents.  They require careful planning!  Plan your way into your new body!

Weight-Loss Motivational Truth #3: Keeping Your Eye on the Prize is the Best Way to Get the Prize!

Is it the pair of jeans you haven't fit into in six years?  Hang them up in the kitchen!  Is it the event where you will see your newly exed-spouse?  Put their picture on your bathroom mirror!  Is it the in-laws who say you will never lose the weight (which, by the way, aren't they fat too?)?  Quote their prognostications on an index card and look at it every day. 

Whether you want to fit into different clothes, draw the attention of a past flame (or potential flame!), or put some negativity to rest from the naysayers, be sure to revisit your "why" every single day.  When you can connect to the positive emotions body change will bring and anchor them into your system, saying yes to the gym and saying no to the cake get a lot easier to say!  By reminding yourself why it's important to do the right thing each day, you are more likely to do the right thing and get your body where it needs to be!  Keep your eye on the prize!

Adam Erwin is an in-home personal trainer who travels the world to work with people who are ready to put excuses aside and work hard to change their body.  Visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about what Adam does, who he works with, and how you can have him come and work with you!  A Minneapolis resident, Adam will work close to home (Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Minnetonka, Edina) or will travel to your location (San Diego, Miami, Phoenx, Sidney Australia) to work with you.

Minneapolis and St. Paul Weight Loss and Fitness Extraordinaires Give Praise to their Personal Trainer

The past two weeks have been loaded with testimonials and success stories.  I love getting feedback about the results people are getting from my work with them.  Here is a quick sample of success stories from the past two weeks...

11/18/08-I had to fasten my belt with a belt hole I haven't used in over 3 years!  I'm so pumped!  --Joe, 28 years old, Champlin, MN

11/18/08-Chris' basketball coach says that Chris is the best defender we have, and wishes he had 9 other players just like Chris on his team.  -Proud mom Carol of son Chris, age 11, Eden Prairie, MN

11/17/08-I can't believe I am down 10% body fat!  Amazing!!!-Shanna (Joe's wife!), 30 years old, Champlin, MN

11/15/08-This has been the best month of my life.  My strength, confidence, and build are beyond what I could have expected in six weeks.  You kicked my butt every single session! Now I have to wear a belt with all of my pants...and none of them needed a belt before we started.   Ray, 32 years old, Maple Grove, MN

11/13/08-I have never been able to climb on the monkey bars before, until last week.  How amazing is that??? Josiah, 14 years old, Plymouth, MN (however you can measure progress, righ?)

11/08/08-My husband noticed my body for the first time in our three years of marriage. I can walk better, I am sleeping better, my leg cramps have disappeared, and my daughters are inspired to workout too! -Karen, St. Paul, MN

If you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and are looking to get more out of your workouts and nutrition, visit keepmybetterhalf.com or shoot an email to adam@keepmybetterhalf.com.

Adam Erwin is a personal trainer (with a nutrition background) who travels the world working with people who want to experience fat loss and weight loss in record-time. He currently resides in Minneapolis, MN and loves to train with people whose health does not match their lifestyle. Adam works closely in the Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Excelsior, Minnetonka, and Edina communities.  Visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about his work.

Killing Your Legs One Exercise At a Time

Tonight I killed my legs in 20 minutes flat.  A lot of people believe a workout has to be 40 minutes or an hour to be a difference-maker...this is not the case.  I only had 30 minutes to go through a workout (warm up for 5, workout for 20, stretch and cool down for 5).

To kill my legs in the small amount of time I had, I opted to alternate between quad and hamstring exercises, mix in some calfs, and not rest for a second.  Here is what a personal trainer killer leg workout looks like tonight!

Killer Leg Workout Exercise Group #1

Weighted wall squats with swiss ball-holding 12K kettlebells in each hand, I lowered into a wall squat, with a swiss ball supporting my back...knees at a 90 degree angle.  I held this position for 30 seconds (holds are great for any muscle group because they stimulate every type of muscle fiber we have!), rested in a standing position for 10 seconds, then back down for another 30 second squat.  After three 30-second squats, I went onto...

One-legged lying leg curls with swiss ball-lying on my back with my right foot on top of the swiss ball and my butt off the ground, I curld the ball toward my body by using my hamstrings.  15 per leg. Ouch, these hurt.  After 15 per leg, I went to...

Killer Leg Workout Exercise Group #2

Weighted Bosu Ball Squats-standing on the black side of a BOSU ball, my feet shoulder-width apart, I squated while holding 12K kettlebells.  After 15 slow and steady reps, I did...

Leaning Leg Curls-Kneeling on my knees with my arms crossed and hands on my shoulders (with partner holding down my heels), I leaned forward while keeping my back straight, and used my hamstrings to curl back into an upright kneeling position.  5 reps of these was enough before I went onto..

Killer Leg Workout Exercise Group #3

Running Stairs in Place-I climb the lowest stair fast for 15 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and climb the second-lowest stair for 15 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and repeat one more time before I do...

Quick Jumps Over Resistance Band-With a band laying in a straight line on the floor, I jumped with both feet from left-to-right and back for 15 seconds (as fast as I could), rested for 5 seconds, jumped forward to back with both feet for 15 seconds, rested for 5 seconds, jumped left-to-right on my right foot for 15 seconds, rest for 5, then left-to-right with my right foot.

And then I repeated this circuit two more times through!!!  Talk about a tired, sweaty, legs-killed mess.

If you are looking for workouts like this, contact me about "The Little E-Book on Fat Loss and Weight Loss", which you can pre-order today for 40% off!!!  Send an email to adam@keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about "The Little Ebook on Fat Loss and Weight Loss!"

Adam Erwin is a personal trainer (with a nutrition background) who travels the world working with people who want to experience fat loss and weight loss in record-time. He currently resides in Minneapolis, MN and loves to train with people whose health does not match their lifestyle. Adam works closely in the Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Excelsior, Minnetonka, and Edina communities.  Visit www.keepyourbetterhalf.com to learn more about his work.