The Best Fitness and Weight Loss Bootcamp Gym in San Antonio

If I Were You, And Wanted to Lose Some Body Fat…

Steve Payne — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:11:27 +0000

I get asked all of the time, “Steve, how do I get rid of ______?” Fill in the blank with any portion of the anatomy where people feel they should be leaner, thinner and filled with less body fat.

I enjoy this because it means that people value my opinion. And, because I’m a professional fitness trainer, I would expect to hear it frequently. I mean, if people were asking me questions like, “Steve, my roof is leaking and I was wondering if you could fix it?” I would probably wonder if I was worth my salt as a fitness pro. But I digress…

Oh...this is painful...

Therefore, because I hear this question so frequently, I thought that I would give you an example of what I would do if I was going to implement a fat loss strategy and lose 10 pounds. In fact, I’ll give you a full week’s worth of ideas. How does that grab ya?

Now because of my schedule, I’m going to write this from my perspective. You’ll simply want to adapt it to your own lifestyle and schedule demands. I’ll have some notes interspersed in the mix along the way. They’ll be printed in italics…

Day #1

04:15 – Wake up (that’s 4:15 a.m. for you folks unfamiliar with military time)

04:30 – Eat something protein based with a few veggies in it, like a 4 to 6 egg vegetable (probably spinach, mushroom, tomato & jalapeno) omelet made with 3 to 4 whites and 1 to 2 whole eggs (What? You want me to eat that many eggs? Yes…yes I do. They’re good for you and will help you to burn fat…)

05:30 to 07:00 – Work.

07:15 to 08:00 – Go to the gym and pick up heavy stuff and move with it. Repeatedly.

08:02 – Drink a 12 to 16 ounce recovery protein shake. (VERY IMPORTANT! HINT, HINT)

08:30 – 9:10 – Work

09:11 – Eat the largest meal of the day (another big hint! This is for both recovery and metabolic increase, which means FAT LOSS) consisting of mostly protein, like chicken, turkey, fish or lean red meat (a portion about the size of my palm) and some veggies (2 portions each about the size of my fist), like broccoli, green beans, zucchini squash or something of that nature and wash it down with clean water. (Drink water all through the day. Oh, one more thing…corn, rice and potatoes are not vegetables. They are grains and roots and full of starchy carbs and to be avoided on a fat loss regimen…except for the cheat meal…more on that later!)

09:30 to 11:30 – Work.

12:00 – Protein/meal replacement shake with minimal carbs or small protein based meal with veggies. (Protein portion about the size of a deck of playing cards, 1 to 2 veggies portion about the size of a tennis ball)

12:30 to 2:30 – Work

2:31 – Drink a protein shake or eat a snack like a couple of mozzarella cheese sticks & a small apple, or a cup of cottage cheese with some berries mixed in.

2:45 to 5:00 – Take nap then do some work. (Yes, I am a professional napper)

5:01 – Another snack type meal, mostly protein & some veggies or a protein shake.

5:30 to 6:30 – Work

7:30 – Eat a high protein meal with 2 to 3 small servings of vegetables or large salad with vinegar & olive oil.

9:00 – Bedtime (Sleep, one of the HUGE keys to successful fat loss…BIG HINT!!!)

Day 2

Just like Day 1. The variety of protein and veggies will change somewhat, but the principles & portion sizes are the same.

Day 3

Same as Day 1 except rather than lift heavy things, I would do some interval based cardio, such as Walk Back Sprints or 15/45 Sprints on a Schwinn Airdynne bike. (If you’d like more info on the specifics of this please write me: Steve@firestormfitcamps.com)

Day 4

Same as Day 1

Day 5

Same as Day 1

Day 6

Same as Day 3

Day 7

No training today. Rest day. AND, I get to eat 1 cheat meal. Whatever I want, as long as it is a normal sized, properly portion sized meal. (I said meal, not day…and there’s gonna be a potato or rice in there somewhere…)

After 2 weeks of this program, I’d check to see what my progress is. If I didn’t think I was getting the results I was after, I’d add a couple more brief interval cardio sessions in the evenings on a couple of days. 15 to 20 minutes would be sufficient.

In 2 more weeks I’d again check my progress, make adjustments to my meal plan and training program, if necessary.

In 4 weeks time, I’d be down at least 10 pounds, and maybe a little bit more.

You’ll notice there isn’t a lot of fruit in this plan. It isn’t that I’m opposed to fruit, I just restrict it or limit it during a fat loss regimen. Even though it has great fiber content, minerals and naturally occurring sugars, I’m not a big fan because of the sweetness, which, in my humble opinion, makes me crave other sweet things. And when I’m working hard to drop bodyfat, I need all of the assistance I can get.

If you have any questions, or would like to come try Firestorm fitcamps! to see how others have been able to achieve some pretty amazing results, call me at 210-884-2072 or write me: Steve@firestormfitcamps.com

Yer Uncle Steve

P.S. If you think the training and eating regimen I recommend looks ineffective, funny or boring, you really don’t understand the power of simplicity or of consistency and effort….just sayin’

HERE’S SOMETHING ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW: If you’re ready to make some BIG changes and really serious about getting into great shape, dropping some weight and feeling strong, sexy and powerful again, then the Firestorm fitcamps! sounds like just what you’re looking for. Want a FREE 2 week trial to find out? Go to our online sign up page here or simply text the word “FIRESTORMPASS” TO 77243! It’s just that easy!!!

Our government thinks you’re a moron, and because of that, as well as the heavy handed nature of this administration and their excessive government regulation, I’m forced to add the following lines of B.S…as if you didn’t know this garbage already:
Firestorm fitcamps!:You will receive Text and e-mail alerts. Get up to 10 messages per month. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel. Msg & Data Rates May Apply. Terms & Conditions available here, email here, or call 210-884-2072

What’s Wrong With Your Training? – Part 2

Steve Payne — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:47:12 +0000

So you want to slim down, but you just can’t seem to make it happen.

Are you lifting enough weight and training with enough intensity?

Yes? O.K., then. What’s next?

Are you placing emphasis on your efforts and practicing consistency? Yes?

In all your dealings?

My guess is that if you’re exercising regularly and hard, but you ain’t seeing the results you desire then…your diet sucks!

How do I know this? Well, besides my 30 years of experience in the field with hundreds of people, not much.

You see, it really ain’t rocket surgery. In fact, I’ll even go so far as to say this…again:

This is NOT an example supportive eating...

No amount of hard work will overcome crappy eating habits!

It’s just that simple. If you’re not seeing the fat loss results you want, always look to your eating habits and supportive nutrition regimen first.

Most good trainers know that overweight people always think the reason they aren’t losing fat is due to the exercise they’re doing, or not doing, at the time.

Conversely, about 50% of the skinny folks who are trying to add some muscle or weight believe the reason they aren’t succeeding is because of the “right” exercises they aren’t incorporating into their program.

The rest of the scrawny types believe it’s due to some facet of their diet (or more specifically the supplements) being weak, when in fact they usually have an impotent lifting plan.

This IS what healthy and supportive eating looks like!

Here’s the bottom line: If you’re serious about losing the fat, be honest with yourself and get rid of the crap in your diet. Give your body every opportunity to do what it innately knows how to do by eating supportively.

“Magic” happens when you do that.

Yer Uncle Steve

What’s Wrong With Your Training? – Part 1

Steve Payne — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:09:24 +0000

The weight slammed to the floor with a loud “BANG!” and Ben turned to his training partner and sighed heavily.

“I just don’t get it John; I work out four days per week. I think I eat right. I’m doing some cardio three times per week for thirty minutes at a stretch. I mean…WHAT MORE DO I HAVE TO DO TO LOSE THIS %$&* GUT?”

I feel for men and women who struggle with achieving the results they so desperately want. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by your training in that you’re not seeing the results you desire, I can almost guarantee it’s due to one of three things:

1. You aren’t training with enough intensity. And what exactly is intensity? My 1968 Funk & Wagnall’s dictionary defines intensity as: n. 1. The state or quality of being intense; extreme force, brightness, concentration, etc. 2. The strength or degree of some action, quality, feeling, etc. 3. Power and vehemence of thought or feeling; also, extreme effort and concentration.

Well that’s clear as mud…

So, what does “intensity” in terms of training mean exactly? Let me put it this way: If, when you are training at the gym, and you are simply “going through the motions” or just getting by, you aren’t training with intensity.

If you’re talking when you should be lifting or working, then you’re not training with intensity.

If you’re resting for ten minutes between sets of exercises, you ain’t training with intensity.

In other words, get your head in the game, get serious, step up to the plate and tackle each and every set, and then go home.

2. You’re not lifting enough weight. This is one of those key principles when ignored or not adhered to really sticks in my craw.

Men, as we get older we simply have to do something to keep a muscular physique so as to not only burn fat but to stave off the aging process. Lifting weights has been shown over and over again to radically reduce the inevitable effects caused by excess weight and lack of activity by doing it. God made us to work, and to work hard. Lifting heavy objects is as natural and necessary as breathing if we are to stay lean and to maintain muscle mass into our later (latter) years.

And ladies, this especially applies to you as well. Lifting wimpy weights will do you no good. You must stress your muscles in order to radically change your metabolic rate and keep the “hips monster” at bay.

Photo via Facebook

And before you attempt to waylay me with some lame excuse, please stop…and do not attempt to justify your fear of lifting heavier weights with that tired old, weak and ineffective excuse that you “don’t want to get bulky.”

I dare you to try bulk up.

In fact the only way you’re going to bulk up is if you stop focusing on a clean eating regimen and start gourging yourself on more calories than your body can expend.

Here’s the cold hard truth and reality: lifting heavy weights doesn’t make you big; eating a lot makes you big. O.K.?

3. You’re training with a crappy program. If you’re training on your own and you aren’t seeing the results you want, it’s probably because your training program stinks.

Stop reading “Muscle and Fiction” or any other bodybuilding magazine and look into a real training program that incorporates total body movements, real world guidelines and positive, measurable results.

And if you’re currently working out with a personal trainer and you aren’t losing fat, size, shape, transforming your shape or any of the other criteria that you and they agreed to (or should have) in the beginning, FIRE YOUR TRAINER because they suck!

Most fitness trainers don’t have a clue as to what it takes to see to it that their clients achieve the results they so desperately want, desire, pay handsomely for and therefore deserve.

In fact, I would go so far as to say most trainers just plain stink!

We offer a full, double your money back guarantee on all of our services.

I’m not bragging here but I’ve never had to pay back anyone simply because each and every client has received true value for what they’ve purchased.

I’ve even made wagers before with a couple of local fitness “professionals” on the title to my house that I could achieve results where they couldn’t because I have confidence in my ability produce results. They did not take me up and I can only conclude they knew they would lose because they didn’t know if their methods really worked or not.

I know the Firestorm fitcamps! program works and have the testimonials and satisfied clients to back it up.

If you’re ready to fire your trainer and finally see the results you deserve, please call me at 210-884-2072 or write me at Steve@firestormfitcamps.com.

Next week…Part 2!

Steve

Feeding The Wrong Appetite

Steve Payne — Sat, 05 May 2012 18:37:32 +0000

The secret to fat loss is simple: have a specific desire that you write down with a deadline for it’s completion and work on it daily.

We usually call them goals, and they are very effective if the proper action is taken toward their attainment on a consistent basis.

However, when you are tempted by an opportunity, such as eating a “trigger” food, feeding that temptation once may bring struggles for days, weeks or months to come.

Here’s a little story: “Every morning in Africa a gazelle awakens and knows he has to run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion awakens and knows it must outrun the swiftest gazelle or it will starve to death. So you see, it matters not if you are a lion or a gazelle…when the sun comes up you better be ready to run.”

Lose focus, even for a day, and it may cost you in terms of overall success, personal satisfaction and goal attainment.

The principles for fat loss are very simple:

1) Change your eating patterns so that you eat fewer calories than you expend.

2) Engage in activities that build muscle and help you expend calories.

That’s really all there is to it, with a few million other things thrown in. However, adding a marked degree of consistency and effort to these two key factors will take you further than almost anything else.

And you can take that to the bank…

Steve

Bad Politics as Nutrition as Genocide

Steve Payne — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:43:36 +0000

I found this article several years ago and I cannot remember who wrote it or from where it originated. It is a good article, nonetheless. Read it and get educated.
Yer Uncle Steve
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bad Politics as Nutrition as Genocide
It took me seconds to find it. I threw into “Google,” “coronary heart disease death statistics.” Boom, five lines down at the American Heart Association I get my answer: 529,659 deaths in the U.S. every year from Coronary Heart Disease. Some Doctors like to call it “Ischemic Heart Disease” which sounds really cool, try it, “Is-KEEMUK” “heart disease.” Sounds smart, huh? Check this out; it’s also called “Atherosclerotic Disease.” It’s all the same shit though.

We call it “clogged” or “plugged” arteries. It kills. On top of the cool half a “mil” dying every year there are another 12 million walking wounded with “Ischemic Heart Disease.”

Here’s where this all gets technical: its overwhelming cause is excess carbohydrate in the diet. This is a fact. You have to dig to find it, but it’s true.

Here’s where this gets sad: nearly all Americans including the popular media think that it’s caused by dietary fat while the problem grows worse and worse and worse.

There’s an irresponsible part: Most doctors share/spread the confusion.

And the political: The dietary fat as deadly notion began politically as a bit of social do-goodery by a Senate Select Committee chaired by George McGovern (amazing!, not) and given WAY too much power and money. Once this machinery was put in motion science didn’t matter. Not for about thirty years.

Finally the ironic: The American Medical community from the AMA to the NIH to the CDC to the Surgeon’s General, nearly everyone empowered with looking after our collective health and well being is responsible for 100% of the carnage. Health educators, doctors, nutritionists, trainers, journalists, sold out scientists, are all culpable.

I think, though, that the aspect of all of this that is most interesting and, perhaps, bizarre is that it doesn’t take much intelligence, science, or money to resolve the issue out for yourself permanently and fully, which is amazing, no?, that anyone can figure out for him-or-herself which way is healthy which is not while billions of dollars and the AMA and NIH can’t/won’t?

Cut your fat way back for three days. What happens? You miss some of your favorite foods. Put the fat back but this time cut your protein way back for three days. Again, what happens? You miss some of your favorite foods. Period. Now…cut your carbs out but leave the protein and fat alone. What happens? You turn into a freaking Zombie that will kill for sugar. If you’re “left” enough you’ll Jones for “health food” like bagels, granola, and dried fruit like a crack addict for crack. By then you’ll know first hand, without a doubt, which of the three macronutrient elements: protein, carbohydrate, and fat is the most dynamic control of your being. That alone isn’t much information but a big clue, for sure. You know that carbohydrates are somehow really, really, important.

Next step, keep the carbs back to green vegetables, some fruit, no starch or sugar for three months. Even if you “know” that a diet of meat, fish, and poultry, and green vegetable, nut and seeds, some fruit, no starch and sugar is bad for you, you are going to be blown away at how good you feel and look. You’ll know then, and only then, just how healthy all the bread, pasta, rice, potato, sugar, and other high glycemic food was for you.

If you don’t let the “knowing” how bad it is to eat this way stop you and if you also make it past the “worse than crack” withdrawals you’ll know something that VERY few doctors know: that high glycemic carbohydrates aren’t good for you. You’ll also, at this point, hold all bits of conventional and popular medical wisdom circumspect. Especially if part of a national campaign.

But it’s really weird because anyone can do this first of all and second of all because your doctor can measure your improved health. Blood pressure, LDL’s, HDL’s, HGA1c, triglycerides, body fat, muscle mass, bone density, mood assessment, you name it, if you can measure it, it improved. And yet not one in a thousand will ever have this experience as things stand. That’s the real story, though.

On July 7th in the New York Times, Gary Taubes, a highly esteemed science writer stood up and screamed, “the emperor is naked.” This is not the first time Mr. Taubes has done this, but it is the first time in the general public, i.e., popular media. In 2001 he did it in the scientific community in a piece published in the much vaunted journal “Science.” This first piece won Gary Taubes high honors for science reporting from the National Association of Science Writers and Science Magazine. When he did it again July 7th, this time in the NY Times, a ripple shot across the entire nation. It may, just may, signify the first crack in the dam I’ve named “invincible ignorance.”

Both pieces from Gary Taubes are available on our website as links in the Today section archive from last week. Read them if you care about your health or want to learn how the infusion of bad politics into medicine and nutrition can kill millions and keep everyone ignorant as to its causes.

If it turns out that the breach in invincible ignorance is significant in scope or duration don’t expect apologies from Jane Brody, or Doctor’s McDougall, or Ornish. Don’t listen for remorse from the physicians and nutritionists who’ve persistently refused to examine science supporting “the alternative hypothesis” while presenting none for theirs. There will be no apologies to Dr’s Sears, Eades, or most maligned Atkins.

If there were justice in medicine, Atkins would get a Nobel Prize in Medicine, during his lifetime, for screaming first and loudest “they’re killing you” and second for enduring unimaginable scorn and ridicule while doing so.” While we’re dreaming I’d make Jane Brody and Dean Ornish hand it to him.

Oh, by the way, if you can fool the entire nation about what people should eat or not, then you can fool them about absolutely anything else. By comparison it’ll be very easy. That, incidentally, is the scary part.

Just a Fitness Trainer

Steve Payne — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:39:41 +0000

The attorney representing the party accused of wrecking havoc on our home sat across from me, hammering me with questions. From the view I had, seated next to the judge, these felt more like personal affronts to my being, and I grew more and more angry.

“Your honor,” my attorney stated, standing to his feet, “these questions really don’t pertain to my client. Remember, he’s just a fitness trainer.”

I’ve often said, it’s a good thing I don’t carry a gun. I’d be too often tempted to use it. This would have probably been one of those times.

Just a fitness trainer.

How many times in your journey down this entrepreneurial trail have you encountered those who seem to hold you in some level of high regard personally, and yet scoff at your “profession”? My guess is they wore a suit.

Just a fitness trainer.

I really don’t care what your level of education is, or isn’t. If you’re worth your weight in salt, people come to you, and stick with you, for one reason: results. You give them something they want. Again and again. Something they, apparently, can’t get on their own. And they pay handsomely for it.

Just a fitness trainer.

And that’s a good thing. It’s one of the reasons most of us got into this line of work. We love helping people. And getting paid to do so is kind of a bonus. We have a skill set and “tools” that allow us to do with the human body what neglect, time and whole host obstacles has worked hard to destroy.

Just a fitness trainer.

So the next time someone, anyone, looks down their nose at you in mock disgust, contempt or some from other form of superiority, remember this: I got your back. And so do hundreds of other outstanding fitness professionals across the land.

We know the struggles. We understand the fight for respect. We know the pain, dedication and sheer strength of will it takes to rise above the mediocre in this field. We’ve been there. And we’re with you now…warts and all.

You’re so much more than just a fitness trainer.

You’re an ally.

A confidant.

A therapist.

A coach.

A teacher.

A mentor.

A friend.

AND, you’re a fitness professional. And I’m proud to say it and call you a friend.

And don’t you ever forget that.

Steve

What Causes You to Overeat?

Steve Payne — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:40:55 +0000

“Uncle Steve, I just don’t get it,” began Mary, a longtime client, “but every time I start making progress in getting rid of these hips,” she said emphatically, slapping a hand to her backside, “something happens and I wind up binging on junk, over-eating and blowing my diet!”

This may be a little excessive...

Has that ever happened to you? My guess it has.

I understand…it’s the bane of every diet and meal plan you try. Sure you start out with the best of intentions. You eat the right foods. You exercise. You get plenty of rest, but, somewhere along the line, you start overeating.

Some call it unconscious eating. Others call it reactionary grazing. It happens every time you grab a piece of apple pie, that next piece of chicken cordon bleu, or another helping of pizza. You “know” you’re on a diet, so you’re not thinking about how it’s going to possibly inflict such devastation to your diet plans. And you also know, perhaps a little later, you’ll regret it and it will leave you guessing as to how much is too much.

I see it all the time. Far too many would be dieters stumble into the ambush of binge eating while on a diet. They ain’t actually hungry, yet they can’t help themselves from asking for or simply getting more food.

I’m right…right?

Let me ask you a question: How many times have you listened to someone scoff in disgust at an individual who could stand to lose a few pounds, shake their head and mutter, “That slob has no willpower!”

I know you would never say that, but maybe someone on your street would. Am I right?

A lack of willpower. Yea, that’s the ticket! If that walking tub of donut batter would simply quit shoving grub down their pie-hole and maybe do a few push-away’s, they could easily drop those extra pounds. Or maybe you think it’s their lack of discipline and the habits they’ve developed, or rather failed to develop, which keeps them from losing that weight.

Here’s a revelation for you: An individual is considered “overeating” when and if they persist in eating, even when they are no longer hungry. Here’s another revelation…most people in America overeat. I know, not you…but someone in your office.

This is a major factor in the rate of obesity growth here in the good ol’ U.S. of A over the past couple of decades.

The question then becomes, what is it that causes an individual to continue to eat, even when they are no longer hungry? Is it really as simple as a lack of willpower, like that person on your street thinks? Or could it be as easily rectified as a disciplined and well followed habit formation?

Let’s consult my 1968 Funk & Wagnall dictionary:

Willpower: Ability to control oneself; determination; strength or firmness of mind.

Well that makes sense, right? So then, willpower can therefore not be considered to be a consistently stable action. Look, no matter how much you think you’re in “control”, certain influences have a carryover effect upon your actions. Take your emotions for example.

The day starts out great. You awaken feeling refreshed, strong and vibrant. As you stride into work, someone has carelessly left a plate of chocolate chip cookies in the coffee room. But because you’re feeling so strong, your strength of will (willpower) lets you ignore them and valiantly walk away.

However, let’s say, later that afternoon your best friend calls with some upsetting news. You ponder this news for a couple more hours before heading home. After dinner, as you’re cleaning up, you grab a couple of handfuls chips and mindlessly devour them. My experience tells me that when an event of sufficient magnitude has occurred in someone’s life that disrupts their emotional mindset or causes stress, people often struggle to preserve any shred of their willpower.

Let’s again turn the pages of my 1968 Funk & Wagnall dictionary for the term “habit”:

Habit: n. 1. An act or practice so frequently repeated as to become almost automatic. 2. A tendency or disposition to act consistently or to repeat.

So it would appear that a habit is something learned through repetition, either consciously or unconsciously. It’s a pattern of behavior that, if acted upon again and again for enough time, seemingly becomes instinctual.

Therefore, when an individual reaches for another bite, or even a full helping of food, without seemingly thinking about it, is this developing or reinforcing a habit? Again, my experience tells me that, should I ask the average person to list accurately just what they had consumed in a particular day, they could not because they were not consciously aware of it. It’s an unconscious habit.

This “drifting” through life unaware is an issue, to be sure. But is it the whole picture? When we get down to brass tacks, what is it that actually causes a person to overeat? I suspect it’s a little of both a lack of willpower and/or habit that have a say in the matter. Just think about it a minute…wouldn’t you need a certain degree of conscious willpower to break the model of overeating and change that habit? Of course you would. However, I suspect there is something more than meets the eye than just these two behaviors.

An individual’s inability to follow a diet, no matter the reasons or excuses, can and will have detrimental effects to their emotional well being and psyche. In other words…they’ll probably get a little depressed.

Do you think this could possibly affect their willpower and desire to “try, try again”? Do you think something like this might begin to work on their mindset and have them believing that “there’s no use trying anymore!” And if this occurs, the familiarity of an old, possibly negative habit, steps up to comfort them and welcome them back with open arms.

The good news is that by developing a new habit, one can empower themselves, to focus more clearly and to maintain ones willpower. So, if you’re ready now to develop some new habits, and end the cycle of overeating, let’s get to work on some simple strategies.

Simple Strategies to Eliminate Overeating

First and foremost, write it down. Yes, get a journal and write down everything that passes through your lips. If you’re serious about staying vigilant with your diet, and seeing positive, measurable success, you’ll do this. It’ll probably shock the fool out you at first. After 1 to 3 months, you will probably adapt some new habits and you won’t require the journal any further. However, keep it handy. Old habits have a way of creeping back in…
Here’s a shocker: it’s all about portion control. Educate yourself as to what a healthy portion size is, and then do not deviate from it. Do not buy into the “super-size” mentality because you know, deep in your heart, you just don’t need that much food. A healthy portion is quite possibly quite a bit smaller than you may realize.
Divide and conquer. Imagine your plate is divided into little segments, kind of like those plates you were served food on in school. Go ahead, have a portioned size sample of some of your favorite food. Then fill the rest of the plate with colorful, healthy veggies and/or salad to assist in filling you.
Water is your friend. Be sure to drink water, especially during a meal and when you’re enticed to grab something away from the dinner table. This will do two things: A) keep you from drinking calories, like soda, fruit juices or other calorie laden goods, and B) help to create a sensation of fullness. Often people mistaken hunger for being thirsty.
Fiber, fiber, fiber. Fiber is your friend. Consume plenty of foods that are loaded with the stuff. This means vegetables… Fiber is great at soaking up water, which in turn expands in the tum-tum and, again, helps create that sensation of fullness.
Voluntarily fail the taste test. Avoid the temptation to be a taste tester when cooking your food. Calories add up, remember. If you simply must, because you are an over-achiever or whatever, dip a spoon ¼ of the way into the mixture. Your taste buds are sensitive enough to tell you if it’s good or not. Save the real test for the table.
Just say “No” to dessert. I am not a dessert fan. Never have been, never will be. But I understand that some people, for whatever reason, don’t feel the meal is “complete” without it. Whatever. If you simply must have a dessert, make it some fresh and healthy fruit. It’s sweet, it’s colorful and it’s good for you.

I promise you, by altering and adopting just a few simple habits, your willpower will “magically” intensify and you’ll drop the fat, achieve the goal and be healthier to boot!

And wouldn’t that be great?

Steve

Fat Loss: Why You Wanna Complicate It?

Steve Payne — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:46:51 +0000

So I’m talking with one of my clients recently and she asks me, in a rather exasperated tone, “Steve, why does fat loss have to be so complicated?”

The truth is, it doesn’t. We make it that way.

Let me see if I can break it down into some simplified, common denominator steps:

What to eat: Freely eat anything that a Native American could have hunted, caught or gathered. That includes things like wild fish, range fed chicken and beef, buffalo, venison, turkey, fruit, veggies and nuts. Drink only water.
What NOT to eat: Anything that man has altered and/or comes out of a box, a bag, a can, a microwave, or a drive thru window. Do not drink anything that comes out of a can or fizzes.
How to train: Do “big movements” like squats, lunges, deadlifts, push-ups, tire jumping, dumbbell rows, standing shoulder presses, pullups. Make the true focus of your training to get stronger from the inside out.
How to do your cardio: Sprinters, because of intensity, are lean and toned. Marathon runners, because of less intensity, are skinny-fat. Let the reality of that image help you in your decision.

My friend and colleague, Leigh Peele (I highly recommend buying her books!) recently re-iterated this comment: “Lean and sexy people lift weights; fat people do cardio.”

It really is just that simple.

And isn’t simple nice?

Please, there’s no need, or benefit, to over thinking it.

Steve

Listen up San Antonio: Fat Loss Ain’t Rocket Science…Or Is It?

Steve Payne — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:05:51 +0000

“Gosh Uncle Steve…”, an exasperated client recently began, a look of despair exuding from her sweaty brow, “I just can’t seem to drop any weight. I feel like it’s rocket science or something…”

When it comes to the “science” of fat loss, loads of research studies have shown that what works for some often works for many. Let’s take a look:

Here’s a study from 2008 – Johnstone et al
Effects of a high-protein ketogenic diet (a diet that causes your body to burn fat for energy) on hunger, appetite, and weight loss in obese men feeding ad libitum.
Am J Clin Nutr.2008 Jan;87(1):44-55.

In this particular study the researchers compared two groups of men. Group 1 followed a diet consisting of 4% carbohydrates and Group 2 followed a diet consisting of a 35% carbohydrates.

4 weeks later, Group 1 was down 14lbs on average while Group 2 was down an average of 9 and 1/2 lbs. What was interesting about this study was that the subjects got to eat as much food as they wanted provided they stayed within the aforementioned nutritional guidelines.

The researchers learned that a high-protein, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet reduce hunger and lowered the amount of food a person eats drastically more than a high-protein, medium-carbohydrate nonketogenic diet, at least in the short term. It would appear that dropping your carb intake (and 35% is pretty low to begin with) is just another great selling point when you’re looking lose body fat.

Here’s another study from 2003:
Louis-Sylvestre et al.
Highlighting the positive impact of increasing feeding frequency on metabolism and weight management.
Forum Nutr. 2003;56:126-8. Review

This study is pretty straight forward and to the point. It demonstrated that folks (adults, here) who normally ate four meals a day gained body fat and weight when they changed things up and started eating just three meals a day.

“Huh? That’s just crazy talk, Uncle Steve…”

No it’s true. And here’s the crazy part: They still ate the same number of calories as before, so it seems that by eating more frequent meals you can lose more fat!

Now, let’s jump into the “wayback machine” and go way, WAY back to 1957:
Kekwick and Pawan
Metabolic study in human obesity with isocaloric diets high in fat, protein or carbohydrate.
Metabolism. 1957 Sep;6(5):447-60

Yes...this is the Wayback Machine!

Even back in the stone age, researchers put on their thinking caps. They evaluated and compared 3 hypocaloric (lower maintenance, restricted calorie) diets. They were:
1) a diet of just 1000 cals that consisted of 90% fat; and the folks lost about .9lbs per day
2) a diet of just 1000 cals that consisted of 90% protein; and the folks lost about .6lbs per day
3) a diet of just 1000 cals that consisted of 90% carbs; and the folks actually gained weight. (eek!)

In my mind this tells us that when one is choosing what to eat it ain’t just calories that count. It REALLY helps to know just what kinds of calories you’re eating.

OK, I know you’re bored with this already, so here’s the last one from 2003:
Greene, P., Willett, W., Devecis, J., et al.,
“Pilot 12-Week Feeding Weight-Loss Comparison: Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate (Ketogenic) Diets,” Abstract Presented at The North American Association for the Study of Obesity Annual Meeting 2003, Obesity Research, 11S, 2003, page 95OR.

This study involved 3 different groups on differing diets for a total of 12 weeks:
Group #1 was on a low fat/low calorie diet (only 1800 calories a day) they dropped about 17 lbs.
Group #2 was on a low carbohydrate/higher calorie diet (about 2100 calories) and they dropped about 20 lbs.
Here’s the really cool part: Group #3 combined the low carbohydrate diet AND the low calorie diet (1800 calories) and they dropped an average of 23lbs.

Is that great or what?

Here’s the bottom line, folks: if fat loss is your goal (and if you live in San Antonio, it should be) then you ought not just focus solely on calories.

But that doesn’t mean that calories don’t count!

You’ve got to make sure you’re getting the right kind, in the right amount at the right time, like I said here.

Simply put you should reduce the carbs, reduce the calories, AND increase the frequency of your meals in order to get the most from you fat loss efforts.

In other words…eat smaller meals, more frequently.

And that, my friends, is the truth…

Steve

What are you missing?

Steve Payne — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:31:17 +0000

In the winter of his ninth year, Frank Lloyd Wright was walking across a snow covered field with his reserved, no-nonsense uncle. As they reached the far end of the field, his uncle stopped him. He pointed to his own tracks in the snow, straight and true as an arrow, and then to young Frank’s own tracks, which crisscrossed and meandered all over the field.

“Notice how your tracks wander aimlessly from the cattle to the woods and back again,” his uncle stated with a scowl. “And see how my own tracks aim directly to my goal. There is an important lesson in that.”

Years later, the famous architect relayed how that single experience had so affected his outlook on life. “I determined right then,” he said, “not to miss most things in life…as my uncle had.”

Where is your focus?

What are you missing out on?

Is your narrow vision of life keeping you from experiencing the world around you?

“The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

Now you think about that…

Steve

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