No mirrors, no music, no AC, just results.

From time to time a member of Garage Gym will ask me why don't I play music in the gym. The simple answer is that if I played music in the gym it would probably be the type of music I like and most likely given the average age of my members they would not like it. The truth of the matter is that I don't play music in the gym because I want my members to concentrate on the task at hand. In other words, the only thing I want you to concentrate on is the workout and nothing else.

People play music while they workout in an effort to distract themselves from "working out". This has always puzzled me, if you come to the gym your there for a reason and that is to workout. The fitness industry has created a carnival/night club atmosphere in their facilities in order for their clients to forget what they are really there for, to train hard and sweat.

Besides blasting the latest hip hop tunes through the speakers while hoards of human hamsters walk to nowhere on the treadmills they also turn the air conditioning way down keeping the temperature extremely cold. If you ask a staff member to lower the temperature they most likely will tell they can't (which is probably true)and besides the colder temperatures help prevent bugs and bacteria from being transmitted to the gym patrons.

Fine, that may be true but if you keep your gym well ventilated and you clean the facility on a daily basis with anti bacterial solutions you can do the same thing.
Keeping a gym cold can lead to injuries due to the fact that most gym patrons go at it alone and rarely do they warm-up before beginning to exercise. Warming up is extremely important especially in a cold environment. Even though we don't use air conditioning at our gym we always warm-up before training and on those rare south Florida cold spells the warm-ups last a bit longer than usual.

The use of mirrors in gyms came into play with the body building craze. To me mirrors serve as a distraction. Some trainers claim that mirrors are important so you can check your form. In our gym our trainers make sure that our clients form is correct no need for mirrors here. Absent from our gym is the ever present clock. Everyday everyone of us is managed by that circular object, everything has to be done by a certain time, you have to be at a certain place at a certain time.

I think that clocks add stress to our lives and since I want my clients to concentrate on one thing only while their in the gym I purposely didn't place a clock in the gym. Garage Gym is about results and we deliver. The majority of our clients experience great results and those that embrace our dietary recommendations tend to be the one's with the greatest performances and results.

Get off your ass and work!

I'm sure by now if your a member of the Garage Gym you've noticed that we rarely do any type of exercise sitting down or lying down. Most people spend their days sitting down in front of a computer, driving to and from work, etc. The effects of prolonged sitting causes major problems and weakness to the glutes(butt muscles), spinal erectors (lower back muscles), quads (the muscles on the front of your thighs) , and scapula stabilizers (the muscles that hold your shoulders up and backward).

Seated posture causes the hip flexor muscles to shorten, so will exercising seated on the bike in spinning class. Seated posture will cause the muscles of the upper back to become long and weak while the chest muscle get short and tight. If you haven't figured it out yet prolonged sitting and hunching forward whilst sitting is a major contributing factor to lower back pain.

Every time a client tells me that he or she has back problems I ask them if they had an injury. Most clients response is the same. "Yeah I hurt my back in the gym" or "I hurt my back picking up my child" etc. Rarely, do they tell me that they suffered some type of lower back/spin injury due to a traumatic accident. What does this tell you?

So, if prolonged sitting is bad for you why do they make exercise machines that have you sitting down or lying down? I believe the reason behind that is to make the exercise easier and the person more comfortable. What I never understood is if we're going to the gym to get healthier and improve our level of fitness why do we need to be comfortable? I mean heck, shouldn't exercise be challenging and hard or am I missing something?

Most of the core muscle that become weak from prolonged sitting are located in the back of your body so since they are not the flashy muscles they often get ignored by most exercise programs. At Garage Gym I make sure that these critical muscles and stabilizers are not ignored. I accomplish this by designing programs that include squatting with or without weight over seated leg presses and leg extensions which have you sitting down, dead lifting over lying leg curls, standing military press and standing up-right rows over the seated version of these movements, ring dips and good old fashioned push-ups over bench pressing, standing bent over rows and pull-ups over seated lat pull downs.

We spend a great time of our day sitting down so get up get off your ass and work hard your body will thank you for it.

5 Exercises that Live Up to the Hype

I’m certain of one thing—I’ll never be certain about anything again. Remember that we once believed the world was flat and that Nautilus machines were the future of strength training. Well I used to think the following five movements were overrated. Now I know better.

1. Dead lift
I used to think Dead lifts were just for power lifters, but I’ve come to appreciate them again and believe if performed correctly, they may have greater value than squats. Dead lifts require more effort from the musculature on the backside of your body, so they'll help you develop strength and power were you need it most. The common mistake and cause of many injuries: rounding your back. Keep your back flat and your chest up. When your back is no longer flat, the set is over.


2. Single-leg squat
I used to think everyone needed to squat. Now I know everyone needs to bend their knees and I actually think many of the single-leg variations are better for beginners. Try working on single-leg strength and squat mobility simultaneously with movements like the single-leg squat (for strength) and the sumo squat-to-hamstring stretch (for mobility).

3. One-arm row
For a while, I thought chin-ups were more important than rows, but now I think most people are way too upper trap dominant—that is, their upper trapezius muscles overpower their rhomboids. To turn on these all-important back muscles, try the one-arm dumbbell row.


4. Ab Wheel Roll outs
I always thought the ab wheel was a really stupid piece of exercise equipment that could cause injury. Now I think it's the key to core training. You can get a similar effect with a loaded barbell or Valslides, like this: Start by kneeling on the floor, with your hands on the Ab Wheel handles, barbell, or Valslides, using an overhand grip. Start with the bar close to your thighs. Keeping your abs braced and your back flat, push the bar forward. Roll forward as far as you can, then contract your abs and pull with your arms to return to the starting position.

5. Lunge
I used to think lunges were a waste of time, but I’ve come to use them as an advanced exercise. Beginners should always start with split squats and progress to the dynamic version, the lunge. The key is to establish the mobility first before you make the movement more dynamic.

Gigantor doesn't know everything about training.

Every time you step into a gym you see guys like my buddy Gigantor (pictured above) working out. You know, the bloated dude with the clown pants who spits at the mirror while he heaves ungodly amounts of weights with reckless abandonment then he sends them crashing down with a loud primeval scream that can curl milk, that guy. Anyway, the average gym goer usually stares at this mammoth of a human from afar afraid of approaching the larger than life cartoon. Occasionally, a brave soul will approach Gigantor for training advice thinking since he's full of muscle he's got to know what he doing right?

WRONG! The fact of the matter is this, just because someone has huge muscles and can produce veins from areas of the body which you never thought veins existed doesn't mean that he knows what he is doing. How can this be, the dude is huuuuge? Let me tell you something Sparky if you took a truck load of steroids and did Richard Simmons sweating to the oldies videos you'll put on muscle too. Now in defense of Gigantor these guys train hard but the methodology used to achieve such proportions is ancient technology. A body builder trains to make his muscle big and not necessarily functional.

When I was in the body building world (yes,I took steroids) I had a saying that I learned from my mentor "Big Mike" "Size is the answer". Size was more important than flexibility, agility, cardio vascular endurance and even strength! Believe it or not a lot of body builders are not that strong. If your focus is to build a physic like a shaved down low land silver back then following Gigantors advice might get you there. Just because someone "looks" fit doesn't mean that he or she is fit.

I try to change my clients focus from looking fit to truly being fit. My approach to fitness is functionality over cosmetic appearance. Everyone wants to be lean and sport a six pack I get it but you must be physically fit in all areas of fitness not just one or two and believe me you'll look better and the six pack will come but only through the proper diet and hard work. In my gym my clients get stronger, faster, improve their agility, accuracy, balance, coordination, cardio vascular endurance, speed, power, build muscle, lose fat, and enjoy better health.

Fitness has to cross over to real world applications. What good is it to sport a six pack and not be able to walk a few yards carrying grocery bags and having to stop several times to catch your breath. What good will your new lean body do for you if you can't lunge forward and grab your child before he/she falls down because you have range of motion limitations? What good does all that muscle do for you if you can't pick your child up because your rotator cuffs are injured from too much heavy weight training?

What ever limits you today will only be worse tomorrow. In my gym I see 25 year old women that can't perform a full squat, 30 year old men with no previous history of injury suffer from lower back pain. I have a client who suffered a hip injury that's a common occurrence among elderly people at age 40! Training can't be approached as a today thing, you have to look beyond today and prepare to be fit for the rest of your life. Body building and training with the likes of Gigantor (unless you want to compete in a body building competition) can lead to injuries because this method of training focuses on the big showy muscle instead of working on the smaller support muscles of the hips, torso, shoulders, and back.

They say that a build is only as strong as it's foundation. Without a strong foundation buildings will crumble to the ground at the first sign of a hurricane or earth quake. We know that too well here in Florida after hurricane Andrew demolished thousands of homes. What do you think will happen to you if you don't build a strong foundation? Body building is ancient technology with a limited life span as you can see in this picture Arnold doesn't look to good now a days.

Now compare Arnold to Mark Sisson age 55(pictured below) author of the Primal Blue Print and the highly respected blog Mark's Daily Apple. Mark stays fit by following a functional training routine and eating a high protein, high fat, low carb diet. Don't know about you guys but I'd rather look like Mark.


In closing, the moral of the story is huge muscle can and will fade away with time but functionally fit bodies will last a life time. We're only here once we should make the best out of it don't you think?

That's all I have to say about that...
see you at the gym

Hurts so good

Let's face it, from time to time we all need to take a break from training. Whether it's a family vacation, a business trip, or just to heal, infrequent breaks throughout a training year does not hurt and may help your progress in the gym. Note: I say infrequent, those breaks are earned through hard work at Garage Gym they shouldn't be used as an excuse to slack off and yes I'm talking to you. Anyway, after the break whether it's only a few days or a few weeks something happens to everyone including myself, no one is immune.

This common occurrence is what I like to call getting your butt handed to you on a silver platter. No matter how long you have been training at Garage Gym the first few days back from vacation are brutal, it's almost as bad as your first day! I often hear my clients moaning "Oh my god this sh*it is kicking my ass why did I take time off!" The answer to this question is very simple the Garage Gym method of training lacks routine. Although you may repeat a particular exercise you rarely repeat a particular combination of exercises. In other words, you never get use to the workouts!

When you attend a "regular" gym most people create a routine. Monday is chest day, Tuesday is back day, Wednesday is a rest day, Thursday is leg day, and of course Friday is arms day! Got to be pumped up for the club scene. Since you follow a routine even if you miss a few days from the gym, when you come back you go right to your routine which your body is use to and you continue no harm no foul. Unfortunantly, it doesn't work this way at Garage Gym everyday you come to the gym you work hard there is no way around it.

Garage Gym members learn to embrace pain, sweat, sorness, and the wonderful results they deliver.

Commitment

“Commitment, you either have it or you don't. Saying you have it means nothing. Commitment – Action = Zero. The uncommitted rarely make it through the door. Those who lose their commitment are asked to leave until they recover. Stress and hardship clarify commitment: those who have it relish difficulty and intensity. The committed are aware and mindful every minute of every day so they enjoy the results that such rare dedication and effort deliver.”

Mark Twight

There is only one place to lead from

When I began planning Garage Gym I didn't where to begin. One thing that I was clear about from the beginning was that I had to set an example for all my clients. I've always disliked personal trainers and if you want to piss me off call me a personal trainer. The reason why I don't like most personal trainers is that they seldom walk the talk. In other words, I've seen these guys and gals making their clients do exercises that they themselves could not or would not do. I've been in the fitness game for a very long time and this is a common occurrence.

Everyday I plan the days workout and every day I perform the same workout that my clients do. I will never ask a client to do something that I can't do, it just goes against my grain. I also require that any trainer that works in my gym do the same. If they can't follow the standard that I set, then they can't be a trainer at Garage Gym plain and simple. I personally follow and highly recommend a high protein, high fat, low carb diet. It works for me and the clients that follow the diet seem to be the one's that improve the most.

Here again I set an example for my clients. I can't recommend for someone to stay away from carbs and then I'm chowing away on carbs when no one can see me. Again, I can't do that it's not who I am. On labor day I opened the gym for 2 hours and to my surprise 34 clients showed up and went through a particularly nasty circuit. One client was watching me go through the circuit and said "Wow I thought that you doing the same thing we do was a myth". My only choice at that time was to smile and say some kind of sarcastic remark to my client which is one of my trade marks. There will always be a doubting Thomas and I offer this to any member that would like to join me for a workout.

Everyday at around 1pm I close the gym and I workout. Most of the time I'm joined by one of the guys that runs a group at the gym. Sometimes I workout alone. If any member of Garage Gym would like to workout with me your more than welcomed to do so. All you have to do is show-up at the designated time and lets get to work. Mark Twight the owner of Gym Jones and the lead trainer for the cast and stunt crew of the movie 300, told me that at their gym there's a policy. "If you wrote the workout you have to ride it".

Since I write the workouts I ride them everyday just like you and yes they kick my ass as well. Hard work, suffering, and a good dose of sweat equity can't be avoided by no body at Garage Gym including yours truly there is no other choice.

That's all I have to say about that...
see you at the gym.

My vitamin and supplement regimen

No matter how healthy or balanced your diet may be it is impossible in my opinion to get all the daily recommended vitamins and minerals. Taking vitamin supplements is a very good idea but how much should you take and what brand? Personally, I take a very simplistic approach to supplementation. I start my day with a multivitamin I like Solgar's formula VM-75. Solgar has been around since 1947 their vitamins are free of sugar, salt, yeast, wheat, soy, starch, dairy products and gluten. They are also formulated without the use of artificial preservatives, flavors or colors.



In addition to the multivitamin I take 1,000mg of vitamin C (also a Solgar product) three times per day with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and it helps fight free radicals that can wreck havoc on your immune system.

Being a parent and a gym owner I'm on the go everyday. I try to eat 5-6 meals per day two of those meals I have in the form of a RTD (ready to drink) protein shake. I personally use and highly recommend Lean Body RTD's by Labrada Nutrition. The Labrada RTD's come ready to drink which is great for someone who's on the go and doesn't have time to mess with blenders and protein powders. They come in assorted flavors such as chocolate (my personal favorite), vanilla, strawberry and banana cream (my least favorite) and they taste great!

Another thing that I like about Lean Body RTD's is that they fit right in with my low carb lifestyle. Lean Body has 9 grams of carbs per serving and contain zero sugar and zero trans fats. That's pretty much it for me when it comes to supplements. Remember, this is what I take I'm not a doctor or a certified nutritionist this is what works for me and it may not necessarily work for you. As a general rule of thumb when taking supplements use them to supplement your diet not in place of a health diet.

Please Note: Although I endorse these products, I nor Garage Gym receives any compensation in any way shape or form from these manufactures. My only interest is to provide my clients with the best information I can on exercise, nutrition and supplementation.

That's all I have to say about that...
see you at the gym

Keeping it simple at home

It's funny how everyday we are lead to believe that if you get the latest gadget you can get in great shape. Some of these latest gadgets end up in yard sales, donated to the Good Will, or just sitting in the garage occupying space and gathering dust. Many of these home fitness equipment is very expensive. If you have ever purchase fitness equipment for your home ask yourself the following questions. How much did you spend on the equipment? How many times have you used your equipment? And in retrospect could you have used that money for something else ?

It really doesn't make much sense from a financial stand point to invest money in home exercise equipment at least not a whole lot. The depreciation on the equipment alone can make a grown man cry. The re-sale value is terrible and many times people end up giving away or throwing away the equipment. Now I know what your thinking, "Yeah you say that because you own a gym." Fair enough, lets look at it from another perspective. Lets say you purchased the Bow Flex. After the ten easy payments you probably spent over one thousand dollars.

A cheap gym membership from a big box gym can run you anywhere from $19.99 to $80.00 per month depending on the services provided by the gym. Take the higher end of the table and multiply it by 12 that's $960.00 per year much cheaper that the Bow Flex. Now, lets say that your a super dedicated person who hates to miss a workout. You want to buy some equipment for your home so on those rare occasions that you miss a workout at Garage Gym you can workout at home.

All you need is a good pull-up/dip station which you can buy for around $200-$250.00 dollars at the Sports Authority, a single or a pair of Kettle Bells which can run you anywhere from $46.95 each for 35# kb's to $85.95 each for 70# kb's. Sports Authority and Target are now carrying kb's but they only go up to 25#'s. That's it, your total investment is around $430.00 including shipping on the kb's. That's a $570.00 dollar savings which to me represents two nights at a nice resort in Disney World with my wife and kids.

If your a member of Garage Gym you know that you can get a hell of a workout with the the pull-up/dip bar station and the kettle bells. Remember the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid) principle when venturing out to buy equipment for your home gym. Using the Garage Gym methodology a little can take you a long way.

That's all I have to say about that...
see you at the gym.

Hard work, it can't be avoided.

Everyday without fail someone asks me how they can loose the fat around their belly, lower back, hips, etc. And everyday I tell these inquisitive and well meaning individuals that there is no such thing as spot reduction. As you can imagine the minute I say that a solemn grimace appears on their face. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that are no quick weight loss schemes, magic pills, or neoprene wraps that magically melts fat away.

The truth of the matter is that your body will burn fat (given the proper nutritional and exercise program) in which ever way it is genetically programed to do so. For me, when I lose body fat you'll always notice it on my face first. Some people lose belly fat first. I've even seen people that they literally loose their butts when they begin to loose body fat. As a general rule of thumb, men tend to have the hardest time losing body fat in the lower back (love handles). Women, in the dreaded hips and thighs area.

You can do hundreds upon hundreds of sit-ups or crunches and that will do absolutely zero to burn the body fat on your stomach. You can sit on your ab lounge, spin on the ab chair known as "Big Red" and the results will be the same, zero. The bottom line, the only way to loose weight is with the right diet and exercise program coupled with hard work and a good dose of sweat equity.

That's all I have to say about that...
see you at the gym.

Spinning it's not all that it's cracked up to be

Spinning is one of those exercise fads that has swept the nation. On several occasions I have gotten new members and they will tell me "I've been spinning for several years my cardio is real good". But of course it is sweetheart, 10 minutes into a Garage Gym workout the spinning diva or in the case of a guy "devo", is on all fours ready to dump his/her lunch on the gym floor. One of my spinners on his very first GG workout could not physically leave the gym for 45 minutes after the workout! Although spinning is a cardiovascular exercise it does not prepare the "spinner" for short but intense bouts between cardiovascular endurance and anaerobic strength which is common to our workouts.

As a matter of fact, some of spinners come in looking pretty out shape. After talking to them a while I hear the same story from men and women. "When I began to take spinning classes I lost weight and it kicked my butt but then I plateaued." This is a very common occurrence and the reason behind this is that essentially every time you go to your spinning class your doing the same thing. You can vary the resistance to some degree but eventually you can't and here comes the plateau.

Like I have explained before routine is the enemy. Human beings are incredible animals. Human beings have evolved and survived because we can adapt to anything and this ability to adapt can be your biggest obstacle to meeting your goals in the gym. Let's look at it from a very simple point. If you can only do one pull-up but eventually build yourself up to doing 10, during that process you will get stronger. That's your body adapting to the new stress. Now once you can perform 10 good pull-ups your next logical step is to increase the demand and try to do 15.

Your body adapted to doing 10 reps, when you try to do 15 you will struggle until your body adapts again by making you stronger so you can perform the 15 repetitions. The process can go on almost forever. By constantly challenging your body to do more it cannot adapt to the load and it has to get stronger, do you see my point? Now if you can do 10 pull-ups and you don't try to do more or even add weight to your body by hanging a dumbbell or kettle bell from your waist (using a special belt for that purpose) guess what happens?

Your guessed it, your body adapts to the load and improvements in strength and overall physical condition stop. To me, spinning is something that could be done occasionally to add variety to your workouts but it shouldn't be your only source of exercise. There's an added bonus to spinning infrequently you know what it is? Correct again, by spinning infrequently (once a month or every other month) you won't get use to it and it will kick your butt every time you go and guess what?

You might see results and you won't plateau! Personally, I prefer to ride a bike outdoors and actually go somewhere, see something, and enjoy the Florida sun. Something creeps me out about being in a candle lite room riding a bike to nowhere while listening to Yanni.

That's all I have to say about that...
See you at the gym

If America would have listened to Jack

I found this video on YouTube featuring the great Jack Lalanne. Jack Lalanne was way ahead of his time with regards to sugar and carbs. This video clip is from the Jack Lalanne show which ran from 1951 to 1985. Here are some interesting trivia about Jack Lalanne enjoy.

Jack Lalanne Trivia

Some of his amazing feats of strength include: at age 41 proving it possible to escape from Alcatraz by swimming to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco while wearing handcuffs; at 45, completing a thousand push-ups and a thousand chin-ups in an hour and twenty-two minutes with blisters under his calluses; at sixty, swimming from Alcatraz to Fisherman's Wharf handcuffed, shackled and towing a thousand-pound boat, and at seventy, battling currents while handcuffed and shackled, towing seventy boats holding seventy people for a mile and a half across Long Beach Harbor.

Opened the nation's first health club in 1936.

Appeared on "You Asked for It" (1950), where he performed 1,033 push-ups in 23 minutes.

LaLanne was named Professional Mr. America in 1955.

His show, "The Jack LaLanne Show" (1951) debuted in 1951 and was the first ever television exercise program. It ran until 1985, well after critics said the show would be off the air in six weeks.

Adopted his wife Elaine's two children, Daniel and Janet as his own.

For his 70th birthday, he pulled 70 boats across the Long Beach, California harbor with 70 people in each of them, swimming while shackled and handcuffed.

Hasn't had dessert since 1929.

Started his own gym in 1936, which included a health food store and a juice bar.

He has a TV star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.

More good excuses

One thing I've learned from close to 29 years of training myself and others is that the excuses will keep coming no matter what. The bottom line is if you want to loose weight you will plain and simple. A long time ago I stopped getting frustrated with my clients when they cheated on their diet. I came to realize that getting frustrated was only affecting me. I also came to a realization that no matter how good of a coach or trainer you are it's ultimately up to the client to decide if he or she really wants to loose weight or not.

Some clients think that I live in a house where everyone shares my dietary habits. This is not true, my house is a virtual carb fest. My wife, my kids, my mother in law have horrible eating habits. My wife and kids are fortunate that they are not overweight but regardless of that their eating habits are not healthy. . I have tried and tried to change them but no dice. I usually get the " low carb diets are hard for women to do". Really?, wow I guess no one has told that to some of the girls in the gym who follow the diet to the t and have lost tons of body fat and are walking around with six packs!

If you came to my house and took a look at my pantry you would be surprised. Since you can't come to my house, I took a picture of my pantry. As you can see there are tons of bad carbs in my house. I'm surrounded by all this stuff but I choose not to eat them. I say choose because I can if I want to but I don't because I choose not to. Every time we go out to dinner it always ends the same way with some kind of dessert. Now I have never been a dessert person bread is my kryptonite.

My girl chow down on brownies with vanilla ice cream, the chocolate thunder from down under from Outback Steak House, Argentinian crepes with dulce de leche and strawberry ice cream, am I making you hungry? All this carb feasting goes on right in front of me with no regards to my eating habits. You see, if you try to involve your family in a dietary life style change and they follow you that's great! More times than not they won't which leads into another excuse "everyone around me is carbing up and no one helps me so it's hard to stay on my diet".

The hard facts are that your at it alone Sparky and you and only you are responsible for what you put in your mouth. One of my recent favorite excuses is " I need to find someone that's into fitness". Just because someone workouts and "looks" fit it doesn't mean that they don't carb up. I know a lot of "fit" looking people that eat tons of refined sugar, processed wheat products, and tons of other crap that would have the average person in the obese category.

Some of these "fit" people are blessed (or cursed depending on how you see it)with a very fast metabolism. Having a fast metabolism is great but does not necessarily mean that he or she is healthy on the inside. Take the case of a good friend of mine whom shall remain nameless for privacy reasons. Let's call him Dave, Dave is 6'3" tall and very skinny about 160 pounds. Most people would consider Dave to be healthy and fit. On the contrary Dave's cholesterol level is over 300 and that's super dangerous.

Dave is not very strong and his cardiovascular/respiratory fitness is horrible. Are you getting the picture yet? There an old saying "You are what you eat" and there is nothing more truthful than that. The key to your success lies in your hand and only yours. If you find a friend or a spouse that jumps in the bandwagon with you great! But don't count on outside support because you will be sadly disappointed and little bit chunkier.

Real people real results

This is Juany, he's one half of the chow hound twins. We refer to him as a chow hound because we are constantly battling with him to stay clean on his diet. His work ethic in the gym is superb and every time he comes in it's 100% effort. The picture on the left is five months old he weighed 255 pounds. The picture on the right is about two weeks old at a body weight of 216 pounds. Our goal is to get him to 190 by Christmas. Ultimately, that goal can only be met or not if he stay's clean and doesn't indulge in a little cheat here and there. I will keep you posted on his progress. Like Juany, we have several success stories in the gym. Not all our success stories involve weight loss. In several cases I needed to add some lean muscle mass to the client along with lowering their body fat percentage.

I have several girls in our gym that were "skinny fat". Skinny fat is someone who is very thin but has no muscle tone, strength, cardio vascular/respiratory endurance. In a few months we have been able to transform these skinny fat girls into strong, toned, fit women. AS a matter of fact, most of them are sporting six packs that most guys in the gym would love to have.

All these success stories come about through hard work, discipline, and a commitment to making permanent lifestyle changes. The Garage Gym method is available to everyone but it's not for everyone. Come in and see what the Garage Gym method can do for you.

Tropical storm, hurricane, whatever..

As some of you know south Florida is under a tropical storm warning with the possibility of a category 1 hurricane developing. Despite that, I opened the gym at 9am as usual it was a rainy day but not too bad. I didn't know how many clients would actually show although I did get a few text messages on my cell phone from "my girls" inquiring if the gym was going to be open. After a nasty rainy day a total of 25 clients came in and worked out.

To be honest I didn't think that many people would show up. If the weather would have been worse or it would have been dangerous to drive I would have not opened today. My clients well being and safety is always a priority. So, as I sit here and wait to see what the storm will bring I'm getting text messages if I'm going to open tomorrow. Garage Gym truly has the best members any gym owner can ask for. Be safe, stay dry, and hopefully tomorrow we will be back in the gym working hard.

Garage Gym vs. The Big Box Gym

THE BIG BOX GYM

The average gym member is accustomed to the huge cathedral like buildings of glass and steel erected to the fitness gods. These “big box” gyms are filled with the latest and greatest fitness apparatus known to man. These vast spaces offer amenities like spinning classes, swimming pools, aisles of tread mills, steppers, climbers, and other machines that are supposed to be the latest and the greatest but no one can figure out, not even the 25 year old “personal trainer” that’s assisting you to figure the contraption out while trying to sell you his services dawg.

The big box gym spends tons of cash equipping the place with everything and anything they think they can put in there that will turn a buck. Every square foot of a big box gym’s floor has to make money. Nothing is left to waste; wasted space is loss of money. Equipment manufactures have convinced gym owners that if they stocked enough machines, they could do without the one-on-one personal attention from trainers and increase profits. Ok, let’s see, build a giant building, fill it with lots of machines, hire less competent staff and make more money, sounds like a plan.

Still, with all the bells and whistles at their members disposal, the attrition rate for big box gym members hovers at 35 percent a year, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sports club Association (IHRSA), and the latest estimates show that almost half of the members give up going to the gym within a year. The problem as I see it is a combination of the gyms' desire to maximize profits, and our own desire to find workouts that don't involve work.

The big box gym with its huge overhead and in an effort to retain members has led to a modern gym environment that some critics believe sends mixed messages. "The problem with gyms is that they misrepresent the fact that you are fundamentally there to do work," says Jack Berryman, PhD, a professor of medical history at the University of Washington and a historian for the American College of Sports Medicine. "The modern gym is a techno holiday with gadgets and lights. They're trying to entertain people." And this can be detrimental to people who are trying to stick with their workouts. Perhaps the best evidence against traditional health clubs is that these days most elite athletes rarely step foot in one.


THE GARAGE GYM

When potential clients come to Garage Gym for the first time they look around and they tend to have the same puzzling look on their face. Where’s the stair master? And why are all those people sweating so much? Hey, there’s no a/c in this joint! At first impression Garage Gym is not much to look at. They say that first impressions are very important but we get our point across very clearly at whom we are and what we do. At Garage Gym we’re about functional training that delivers results.

When I came up with the idea for the gym it didn’t start as a business venture, it simply started off as my own personal gym so I could workout with a few friends. I designed the gym to be simple, only the most effective equipment was planned for. With a very limited budget to work with and only a 620sq feet area for the gym I couldn’t afford to clutter up the place with useless machines I need to get the biggest bang for my buck in terms of cash and functional equipment that delivered the best results. Some of the equipment in the gym is home made, some stuff I bought through a used gym equipment re-seller, and a few things were purchased new that I couldn’t find used

Garage Gym was born, small, practical, no frills. I didn’t place mirrors in the gym because to me they are distractions. I don’t play music in the gym because music to me is also a distraction. I don’t have a clock in the gym either, the workouts are timed and since they average 20 minutes it’s really a no brainer. When you’re in the gym your only focus should be the task at hand. Performance psychologist Jim Loehr, EdD, author of The Power of Story and chairman and CEO of the Human Performance Institute, in Orlando, Florida, advises busy corporate executives on how to become more successful at sustaining their commitment to fitness.

Loehr has found that a primary component for making exercise sustainable is to stop tuning out during workouts. "We don't want you disengaged while you are working out," he says. "We tell ourselves that exercise is so painful that the only thing you can do to get through it is to watch TV. Watching television and working out is a form of multitasking. To me, however, real value lies in paying attention. It is an engagement practice, it gets your mind off work, and it aligns what you're doing with what you're thinking."

The training and the workouts conducted at Garage Gym are intense and very effective. Instead of following the usual trend of isolation work done at most gyms, our approach to fitness stresses the training of movements over muscles, the irrelevance of strength without mobility, the neurological foundation to strength and athleticism, and the use of simple tools to gain complex results. The main purpose is to bridge the gap between the appearance of strength and functional strength, to achieve peak performance, and to prevent injuries.

I place a huge premium on personal attention. I make it my business to know my clients and since I conduct 95% of the training I know what they can and can’t do. By conducting small to medium size group classes I created an atmosphere where members encourage each other and work together as a team. According to Steve Myrland, manager of Myrland Sports Training and a former strength coach for the University of Wisconsin and the San Jose Sharks, “There are various studies that show that people who exercise in groups maintain greater motivation to train than those who work out alone.”

Garage Gym will probably never reach the membership numbers or dollar figures of the big box gym. We may never have a string of Garage Gyms across the country and I’m that’s just fine with that. I don’t consider the big box gym to be competition. We travel in two very different plains. They provide a service for those who wish to believe that because the go to the gym they are doing something and I provide a service to those who truly want to make a change.

The Method to the madness

Yes, there is a method to the madness that you put yourself through every day at Garage Gym. In this post I will explain “the method” so the next time a friend or co-workers asks you why you’re limping around like a 100 year old you can give them a better explanation rather than telling them that you go to a mid-evil torture chamber that happens to be called a gym.

The Method

At Garage Gym we employ a method we call “Total body strength training.” TBST is a total body workout that involves performing a series of different exercises in one training session, alternating between intervals of strength training and cardiovascular exercise (1). TBST is an efficient and challenging form of conditioning that develops strength, endurance (both aerobic and anaerobic), flexibility, balance, accuracy, agility, power speed and coordination. We achieve this by employing a wide variety of exercise and not being stuck to one particular method i.e.: only using weights or only doing aerobics.

The benefits of TBST

Some benefits of total-body strength training include increased lean body mass, improved posture and muscle balance and increased bone density, which helps prevent osteoporosis. Unlike traditional strength training which allows for heart rate recovery during the rest period between strength training exercises, TBST exercises quickly alternate between strength and cardiovascular. The exerciser’s heart rate remains elevated and sustained above a resting level throughout the workout. This promotes cardiovascular conditioning and eliminates the need for a separate cardiovascular component in the workout. Unless, you enjoy running nowhere on a tread mill like a giant hamster.

Circuit training programs like TBST are also proven to burn more calories compared to traditional strength-training programs (2-3) due to the maintenance of an elevated heart rate. By keeping the heart rate up throughout the session, more work is performed in less time resulting in greater caloric expenditure during the workout. (4). The addition of a cardiovascular exercise along with strength exercises also increases lean body mass, which results in a higher resting metabolism (4). This means more calories are burned throughout the day.

But dude I want to get huuuuge!

By not repeating the same routine day in and day out, the body has a hard time adapting to a “routine” because there is none so it’s only choice is to grow more muscle and get stronger. Due to the short rest periods and high intensity nature of the workouts, the body increases it’s production and realease of testosterone and growth hormone which serves to help muscles grow (don’t worry girls you won’t turn into one of those roided up she/he’s that you see in the pro body building contest I promise). However, our training method is designed to build a strong, lean, healthy, body. If you’re looking for the shaved low land silver back gorilla look TBST is not for you.

And finally, since you move through the workout quickly, you won't have to spend long hours in the gym, and you will be able to spend your time doing the things that you never seemed to have time for. That’s all I have to say about that…..
See you in the gym

References
1. Franks, B D. & Howley, E.T. (1997). Health Fitness Instructor’s Handbook (3rd ed.). Illinois: Human Kinetics Co.
2. Wilmore, J.H., et al. (1978). Energy cost of circuit training. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 10: 75.
3. Wilmore, J.H., et al. (1978). Physiological alterations consequent to circuit training. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 10: 79.
4. Pratley, R., Nicklas, B. Rubin, M., et al. (1994). Strength training increases resting metabolic rate and norepinephrine levels in healthy 50- to 65-yr-old men. J Appl Physiol, 76(1): 133-137.
5. Katch, F.I., Katch, V.L. & McArdle, W. D. (1996). Exercise Physiology Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance (4th ed.). Baltimore: Williams & Wilk

There's always a good excuse

Everyday I hear some "good" reason why someone in the gym broke their diet. Among my favorites is the classic line " I was good all week but it's hard for me to diet on the weekends." Or, "I was at my first football game and I had to eat the sausage and peppers, the 5 beers that I drank, and the popcorn." This may sound ridiculous but I hear these excuses pretty much on a regular basis. The problem here is very simple there will always be a a very good excuse to cheat on your diet.

Let's list some good excuses shall we? How about it's August 8,2008, it won't be 08/08/08 in a very long time so pizza sounds pretty good to celebrate this phenomenon. Or, the American's won the bronze medal in gymnastics breakout the Haagen-Daz. Hey they were running a special on Krispy Kream doughnuts and it was my grandmothers, sisters boyfriends, son's birthday on my fathers side of the families anniversary of his death from diabetes during the second world war in Sandusky Ohio during the July 4th weekend.

Sounds pretty silly doesn't it? I hope you get the picture. In order to be truly successful in making a healthy change in your life style and in your level of fitness, the change has to be permanent. Does this mean that you'll never have ice cream again in your life? No, but not right now when your trying to make a life style change for the better. We can always find a reason to cheat and in your mind you can pretty much justify anything you want.

The truth of the matter is that your only cheating yourself and really the only person affected by it is you. The next time you feel like cheating on your diet think about the "good reason" why your doing it and remember that the only person your justifying your slip or in some cases a major fall to is yourself. If your cool with that so am I...thats all I have to say about that...

See you in the gym

Chris Chelios hockey's ironman

Forty-five-year-old Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios came to training camp this week as the NHL's oldest player, but, says his trainer T.R. Goodman, "he has the body of a 30-year-old." This summer, six days a week, Chelios hit Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, Calif., where Goodman, a former college hockey player, trains more than 20 NHL players. Goodman's hourlong workouts include no rest between sets and emphasize correct form. On his strength-building day, Chelios does seven exercises -- those here as well as lateral raises and lunges -- repeated continuously in sequence until the hour is up.Chelios's training days don't end when he returns to his beachfront Malibu home. He'll often take 40-mile bike rides along the Pacific Coast Highway, then spend the afternoon paddle-surfing for as much as 16 miles in the Pacific. Usually he'll be joined by his neighbor and big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton -- or by his 18-year-old son, Dean.

"Paddling is underrated as an exercise," says the 5' 11", 191-pound Chelios of the ancient Hawaiian technique of standing on a 12-foot-long board while paddling with a seven-foot oar. "It's a real workout when you're dealing with waves or going against the wind. The paddle is like a hockey stick used for balance and steering. Paddling works everything: legs, stomach, shoulders, back."

Great Dara Torres video

I posted this video of Dara so my readers and clients can see what it takes to be a top athlete over 40. Like I said in my previous post it can be done it just takes hard work and dedication. Don't get into the age appropiate groove go outside and do something!

40+ and feeling great!

Nothing ticks me off more than hearing my friends complain about being in their early to mid forties and how their too old to exercise! To that I say baloney, I'm 45 years old and right now I'm probably in the best shape of my life! Sure it's hard, sure it takes dedication and discipline, sure it's not easy eating clean all the time but whats the alternative? Well, I can walk around with my gut hanging over my belt, I can develop diabetes from eating "normal", I can diminish my chances of seeing my three year old daughter graduate from high school just so I can have a slice of pizza.

The alternatives to me don't sound too good. I refuse to fall into the age trap that most people fall into. Hey (insert age here) you shouldn't be riding a mountain bike or hey your too old to compete with the younger guys. Sounds familiar? Here's a bit of trivia for you old farts sitting in your chair doing your age appropriate activity. Did you know that last June seven pitchers age 40 or older took the mound in major-league baseball games? In fact, 40-year-olds are playing a more prominent role in almost every professional sport, from ice hockey to ultimate fighting, not to mention the swollen ranks of masters athletes competing in all kinds of races and activities. Take Laird Hamilton for example at 44 years old Laird (who's picture is featured on the top of this post) is a world class big wave rider and is considered the best in his sport at any age!



Hey, and let's not forget the ladies. Dara Torres a 41 year old mother will be competing in the Olympics in Beijing this summer.Dara Torres became a faster, stronger, smarter athlete after she turned 40 and regularly spanks competitors half her age. Before you say yeah those people are in great shape but they have been athletes all their lives how about me? I'm not a world class athlete, I'm a regular Joe and no I'm not genetically gifted and no my parents aren't former athletes.

In my gym I have a client that's 41 years old and the mother of two. My client is a working mom who leads a pretty busy life. My client,(who shall remain nameless for privacy reasons)works as hard or harder and often out performs most of the women in my gym ( and most men too) who are half her age. I know that strenuous exercise is not for everyone and some people do have legitimate medical conditions. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day so begin with some light exercise like walking, riding a bike or maybe go for a swim a few times per week.

The key here is to go outside and do something no matter how old you are. Life's too short enjoy it in good health. That's all I have to say about that..

See you in the gym

FIT LIKE A BAT

If you haven’t seen the Dark Knight yet, go see it. The movie is filled with action from start to finish; it’s definitely going to keep you on your toes. When I left the theater I was so jacked up with adrenaline I felt like going to the gym and working out some of the extra energy. Anyway, as someone who makes his living by training others to improve their health and physical fitness I enjoy movies where the actor/actress has to be in top physical condition for the role they are portraying.

Like the actors and stuntmen from the movie 300, Christian Bale had to work on developing a physic that was athletic but not bloated like a body builders. The role of Batman required a lot of physical activity from the actor and he (Bale) had to be not only visually in great shape but he had to be in shape in all of the ten recognized areas of fitness which are; cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination ,agility ,balance ,and accuracy.

I did a little research on Bale’s physical preparation for the role of Batman and here is what I found. Christian Bale's Batman workout for the upcoming "Dark Knight" sequel has turned the actor from skinny to jacked in a matter of weeks. For the Dark Knight, Christian Bale underwent an intense training regime to make sure that he was a believable Batman. Anyone who has ever watched Christian Bale's knows that he can change his body for whatever the role calls for. Well for Batman, he had it tough.

Not only did he have to add substantial muscle since no one wants to see a scrawny and weak Batman but he also had to get lean and have a 6-pack for his out of suit shots. Just to make his training that much harder, he also have to be agility and increase his vertical leap slightly for some action scenes that he chose to do without a stunt double.

The Diet

For his diet Chrisitian consumed lean protein and healthy fats with every meal. His carbohydrates were kept low and limited to only carbs that came mainly from vegetable and limited fruit sources. The proteins that he ate came from fish, beef, lean steak, chicken, and turkey and protein powder. His healthy fats came from sources such as olive oil, fish oils, nuts and seeds, avocados, and from lean red meat. Christian ate six times per day two of those meals came from the protein shakes.

Training

His training had to be different from your typical gym training. Christian can't afford to do bicep curls and triceps pushdowns since he has to have an athletic body that can move. Plus, using compound movements like bench press and squats will keep his fat burning potential for one to two days post workout.

Not to mention that those exercises helped to add muscle to multiple body parts at the same time. Each exercise would be done with eight to twelve reps for three to four sets since those are the best sets and reps to build muscle. Workouts typically lasted around 30-40 minutes in duration.

Each workout had to include some type of explosive movement in it to increase his stamina and cardiovascular capacity. This was done as part of his daily regimen instead of forcing him to do 30-45 minutes of cardio after his workout. The time allotted for physical preparation for a movie role tends to be short (typically 3-4 months) when compared to most traditional workout methods.

In such a short period of time and with millions on the line there is no time to waste running on a tread mill.

Hmmm, sounds a bit familiar to me how about you? There is a growing trend in Hollywood that was started by Mark Twight the principle trainer for the cast and stunt crew of 300. Mark owns and operates Gym Jones in Salt Lake City Utah and was given the task to whip the “would be” Spartans into Spartan shape in four just months! Marks a very good guy and his training methodology has served as inspiration for the creation and physical conditioning programs of Garage Gym.

The Gym Jones method is in such high demand because it works. Hey I don’t have to sell you the concept. If you’re a member of my gym you have seen the transformations of our members who follow the program to the t. In other words, those who have chosen to drink the kool-aide (inside joke).

Diet Pills and Heart Problems

It has recently been found that these diet pills, even if taken years ago, could have caused thickening of the heart valves in some people. In most cases the thickening is mild and does not cause any health problems. In a few people this valve thickening can prevent the heart valves from closing properly (known medically as mitral or aortic incompetence). If you think you may have taken either of these diet pills, it is important that you read this post.

How can I tell if I took Ponderax or Adifax?

Ponderax and Adifax are diet pills that work by reducing the appetite. They were only available on a doctor’s prescription. Ponderax was marketed from 1966 to September 1997, Adifax from 1993 to September 1997. Neither medicine is now available. The following table contains more information to help you decide whether or not you have taken Ponderax or Adifax.
Ponderax tablets Ponderax Pacaps Adifax capsules
Active ingredient Fenfluramine 20mg Fenfluramine 60mg Dexfenfluramine 15mg
Appearance Blister pack containing pale blue, rounded tablets with a shiny surface Blister pack containing capsules that were half blue and half clear, with tiny white beads inside Blister pack containing white capsules
Usual dose One tablet three times a day One capsule daily One capsule in the morning and one in the evening

Most of the diet pills available over the years have had a stimulant effect, which kept you awake. However, Ponderax and Adifax often caused drowsiness. If you have taken diet pills and you are not sure whether they were Ponderax or Adifax, your pharmacist or doctor may be able to help.

Do all diet pills cause heart valve abnormalities?

There are a number of other diet pills available in New Zealand, but only Ponderax and Adifax have been associated with heart valve problems.

What is my risk of developing a heart valve abnormality?

About 1 to 4% of normal, healthy people have a mild abnormality of the heart valves. From the limited information available, it appears that patients treated with Ponderax or Adifax for less than three months are not at any greater risk of heart valve abnormalities. However, those treated for 3 months or more (even if it was many years ago), do have an increased risk. From what is known, the risk of a serious problem is extremely low for most people. It is thought that the longer a person took Ponderax or Adifax, the higher their risk may be. In most cases the abnormality is mild, and has no effect on the person’s health.

What should I do if I have taken diet pills?

You do not need to see your doctor if you took Ponderax or Adifax for less than 3 months, or if you took other diet pills. If you are concerned, talk with your doctor at your next visit and ask for your heart to be examined.

If you have taken Ponderax or Adifax for 3 months or more, you will need to see your doctor to discuss the risks and for a heart examination. You do not need to make a special appointment to see your doctor straight away, but you should discuss this with your doctor at your next visit. However, if you have any worrying symptoms, such as breathlessness, palpitations (rapid or irregular heart beat) or ankle swelling, you should see your doctor straight away.

Your doctor has been given information about the risks of valve abnormalities and will know what to do. Here is what you can expect to happen:

* The doctor will examine you for signs of heart problems. If any signs are found you will be referred to a cardiologist (heart specialist) for more tests.
* The cardiologist will arrange a special test, called an echocardiogram, to examine your heart valves in detail. An echocardiogram involves bouncing sound waves off your heart, similar to the ultrasound examination used routinely on pregnant women.
* The cardiologist will then be able to tell you if you have any valve abnormality and whether there are any precautions you need to take, such as taking antibiotics before dental and surgical procedures.

Should I be taking any special precautions?

People with thickened heart valves may need to take antibiotics before some types of dental and surgical procedures because they are at risk of developing an infection on the valve in the heart. If you have been examined and your doctor has found no evidence of a heart murmur or valve damage, you are at no higher risk of valve damage from infection than any other person. You do not need to take any special precautions.

If you need dental or other surgery and have not yet seen your doctor for a heart check, you will need to tell your dentist or surgeon that you took these diet pills. Your dentist or surgeon will know what to do.

ACC cover

It is possible that ACC will contribute to the cost of your visit to the doctor and perhaps also to further specialist treatment. Your doctor will give you an ACC claim form which will be sent to ACC for consideration.

More information on valvular abnormalities with dexfenfluramine and fenfluramine check with your health care professional.

No distractions no excuses

Everyday I hear a ton of excuses why someone can't do a particular exercise.As a good coach I listen to my clients complaints no matter how silly they may sound and then I evaluate if the complaint is valid or it's just simply whinnying. Believe it or not one of the reason why we don't play music in our gym or allow our clients to wear personal music devices is because it is very important for any coach to observe each client carefully and every client must listen to his or her coaches instructions carefully.

Hence, if there are no distractions there are no excuses! I posted this video so everyone can watch it and hopefully the next time you feel compelled to whine you'll remember the video and keep working on those burpee's.

That's all I have to say about that..

See you in the gym

There are no short cuts

On any given day turn your TV on and at one point or another you'll see an infomercial for some kind of gadget or work out program that promises you a six pack in 90 days. Haven't you noticed that the people featured on these infomercials with the impressive abs and the before and after pictures are all skinny to begin with? Have you ever seen a real overweight person on those infomercials? I got to tell you and I know that those of you that know me will probably laugh at what I'm going to say but the only person who has the balls to show real overweight people in his infomercials is Richard Simmons!

Call him what you want make fun of his "Deal a meal" or "Sweating to the oldies" video but Richard has always shown real people with real weight and health issues on his shows and infomercials and you know what? I really believe the guy cares about the people he helps. OK, get back on your chair I haven't gone soft on you I'll still kick your ass in the gym but the truth is the truth. We Americans have grown up in an instant coffee culture everything that you need is a drive through window away.

It all started with TV dinners in the 50's then came Sanka followed by my favorite orange tasting powder in the 70's Tang. Everyone is always looking for the short cut, the magic pill to weight loss. Why?, because it's easy, who the hell wants to sacrifice and work hard? Unfortunately, although some of these things may work they are rarely permanent. A true permanent change comes from hard work, dedication and a life style change. One for sure way to fail at your effort to lose weight and improve your health is to treat it as a temporary thing.

Even those of you who are interested in putting on some muscle and not weight loss still have to make a permanent change. Another road to failure is to go on a diet( I hate the word diet)reach your goal and then return to "eating normal". Eating normal is what got you in trouble in the first place. Short term and temporary just don't cut the mustard (no pun intended) for permanent weight loss and a healthier body. Too many people set themselves up for failure when the commence a diet and/or exercise program because it's always a temporary fix. Have I gotten my point across yet? OK, lets move on. Another pitfall is falling into the fat burner or pill trap. Again, haven't you noticed that the people on the fat burner commercials are a bit out of shape or they are skinny fat people?

After a few weeks on the magic fat burner they lose fat and get the coveted six pack. The problem here is that the "normal person" purchasing the fat burners are usually 30-50 pounds overweight! After a few weeks on the fat burners the "normal" people don't get much results (if any) and return to, you guessed it, "eating normal". There's one particularly popular over the counter weight lose pill called Alli. If anyone reading this has used it you'll know what I'm about to say . On the label of this magic pill, it suggests that the user carry with him or her an extra pair of dark pants and underwear! What?, yep that was my reaction too. So what this new wonder pill's manufacturer is saying in plain English is that using the product may cause you to shit in your pants..NICE!

Now don't get me going on the doctor prescribed diet pills. These suckers are really dangerous. You will lose weight alright but you'll also lose muscle mass and then you'll begin to look like a skinny fat person (more on that on another post). Oh, and I forgot, did I mention that these pills have a tendency to do some damage to your heart? Are we so desperate to lose weight that we are willing to shit on ourselves and possibly mess our hearts up? I hope not. In conclusion, there are no short cuts guys in order to make a permanent and healthy life style change it will take hard work and dedication. Did I mention hard work?

That's all I have to say about that..
See you in the gym..