Myth: Aerobics is better for shaping up than weight training.

Fact: To transform your physique, you must train with weights.

Myth: If you exercise, it doesn’t matter what you eat.

Fact: If you exercise, it matters even more what you eat.

Myth: If women lift weights, they’ll get “bulky”

Fact: Resistance exercise helps women create lean, toned bodies.

Myth: Weight training is only for young athletes.

Fact: People of all ages should be weight training

Myth: Muscles grow while you’re working out

Fact: Muscles grow while you’re resting and recuperating.

Myth: A certain number of sets and reps gets the job done.

Fact: High-intensity effort produces the best results.

Myth: Eating right means three “square meals” a day.

Fact: Eating 6 nutritious meals a day is the right way!

Myth: People who overeat lack willpower.

Fact: Overeating is a natural instinct.

Myth: High-carbohydrate, low fat dies works best.

Fact: People are becoming fat from a “carb overdose”

Myth: You have to count every calorie you eat.

Fact: You should count “portions,” not calories.

Myth: If you “eat right,” you don’t need to take supplements.

Fact: Studies show many of us do need to take supplements.

Myth: You need to drink water only when you are thirsty.

Fact: Your body needs more water than its telling you.

Myth: You have to eat “perfectly” all the time.

Fact: There’s no such thing as eating “perfectly”.

Taken from: Body of Life by Bill Phillips and Michael D’Orso

Look.  I know. I could stand to lose a few pounds, and I need your help getting there. But I’ll be honest: I’ve felt smothered by other trainers I’ve been with. I want to know that you’re there, sure, but counting every rep? I need my space!! That is why, at every session, I’ll happily provide you with reading material and a folding chair. Feel free to monitor my exercise from afar- just try to do so without direct eye contact.

Oh, and I’m acknowledging my fitness intentions just by taking out this ad, right? We’ll both know why we’re meeting. So we don’t have to talk about goal weight or body-mass index. Let’s keep the chitchat to celebrity breakups, shall we?

I’d also prefer a hands off approach. Literally. Not that I think physical contact is inappropriate. It’s just that if the weight is heavy enough for me to need a spotter, I’m probably not going to want to lift it in the first place.

That should about cover it. I’d rather not give you my phone number, in case someday I sleep in and miss an appointment. So how about this: I’ll be at Rosedale Gym next wednesday at 7am, ready to get fit. Meet me if you’d like the job, but please don’t try to talk to me–I’m not really a morning person.

Written by: Brian Barrett

10. Drink water! (plain good old fashioned water)

½ your body weight in ounces (atleast) example: 150lbs (75 ounces of water)

9. Bag your lunch!

8. Workout (get moving, don’t be lazy, push yourself)

7. Eat breakfast (coffee is NOT breakfast) Break your fast!

6. Eat 3 meals with 2 snacks minimum.

(protein & carb)

5. Look at your hand, don’t eat more than you can put in your hand.

4. Alcohol consumption: MODERATION. (2-3 drinks) if you are drinking heavily don’t eat heavily too! Consumption of alcohol makes you crave carbs.

3. Do your cardio! Straight 45-60 minutes of cardio on 1 machine (treadmill is best).

2. Get some sleep!

1. Follow a plan. Don’t try and reinvent the wheel.

How do you survive the holidays without gaining that dreaded extra poundage?

Truthfully…there is no magic answer.

Just be smart. You know when you’re not supposed to eat or drink something (Right? I mean, we’re not kids anymore).

But for those of you expecting more from my blog, here’s a few tips I can offer:

1) Keep your workout schedule the same!

2) Don’t even bother with leftovers. I’m  not a big fan anyway because they don’t even last until the next day in my house (we usually keep eating them while standing in the kitchen cleaning up). Eat bad 1 day, not 3 or 4 in a row.

3) Don’t give baked goods as gifts. Think of other ways to show your appreciation instead of cookies or cakes. This will eliminate any reciprocal baked good as well!

If you do receive baked goods as gifts, say thank you and then immediately give it to a homeless guy standing outside. Not really, but if you have the control, keep it. But ask yourself this question: Are you really going to eat just 1 cookie (or 1 slice?), probably not.

4) Plan on 1 party a week. Treat this like your “cheat meal”. Therefore, you won’t feel so deprived going to a party and not being able to indulge. If its your weekly cheat meal–then by all means–cheat on.

5) Workout the next day! Don’t lay around like a slug no matter how gross you feel. You’ll be glad you did!

6) Take my advice: Absolutely, positively, whatever you do….DON’T wake up and start drinking mimosas like my family does. Because by the time grandma and grandpa show up for Christmas lunch you’ll all be half in the bag. Most likely doing shots at the kitchen table and dressing up as reindeer with tinsel hanging from your antlers.

I don’t know how many times I get asked how miserable it must be to not eat anything during training. I’m floored! I EAT!! I eat every 3 hours, 6x a day! I guarentee you, I eat more times a day than you do!

Its what i’m eating that does the body good.

Training for any competition whether its Bodybuilding/Figure/Fitness individuals goes through a very controlled plan. The amount of discipline is astounding. But ask any competitor and they will tell you its not a matter of “wills” its just a way of life.

We eat to live…Not live to eat. When you get a handle on this….welcome to the wonderful world of competing.

Cooking and preparing my meals for the week (if you break it down: 6 meals a day, 7 days week, thats 42 meals a week! that I need to cook and prepare for.

Like clockwork. Eat. Sleep. Train. Work. REPEAT.

So to all those people who ask me every day “aren’t you tired from NOT eating?”

“I’M TIRED OF EATING!” lol.