Fat Loss Q'n'A

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Most people don't know that you can save time and your hard-earned pay by working out in the comfort of your own home. With Turbulence Training, you can avoid the hassles of commercial gyms (i.e. pushy sales people, smelly patrons, disgusting locker rooms, crowded parking lots, and out-of-the-way drives) while losing fat and boosting your metabolism with home-gym workouts.

And here are a few other common weight loss questions to help you choose the right approach to fat loss.

Q: I'm suffering through a major fat loss plateau right now. Will this help?

Answer:
Some of the major reasons for fat loss plateaus include:

- Using the same workouts over and over and over again for extendedperiods of time.

- Not including enough high-intensity strength training and
interval training.

- And choosing inefficient isolation, machine-based exercises
instead of standing, multi-muscle exercises.

The Turbulence Training workouts have been designed with variety,intensity, and efficiency in mind so that you get more results in less time.

Your workout programs will change every 4 weeks, and you'll use only exercises that train multiple muscle groups at the same time - thus burning more energy, and fat, with each repetition.

By changing the training intensity of your workouts, as well as
using a variety of repetition ranges for your lifting, and
including interval training, I guarantee that you will leave your
fat loss plateaus in the dust.

Q: I'm 50 years old, and no longer involved in sports. But I stay active with walking, biking and I even lift weights. But I want to lose my love handles. Is this program for me or is too intense?

Answer:
Thanks for your email and question. We've had clients in their 70's use Turbulence Training, not too mention the dozens of men and women in their 50's and 60's that have used the program.

So you certainly are a candidate for Turbulence Training, as long as your doctor has cleared you for exercise of course.

At 50 years young, you've got a long and healthy life in front of
you. But I also know that you don't intend to slow down with age. You've got things to do and people to see, and that's why you are probably like any other age group...and you want to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible. So the three Turbulence Training workouts per week should be perfect for your lifestyle.

I guarantee that every age group, from young to old, will be
challenged and entertained by the variety of bodyweight exercises. In fact, I bet you'll get a real kick out of doing exercises from your youth again.

I look forward to hearing how you like the workouts, and let me
know how many pushups you can do!

Q: Craig, I weigh over 250 pounds. Heck, it's a lot closer to 300 pounds. I haven't really exercised in a while either, but I feel pretty good otherwise. No aches or pains. Can I still do your Turbulence Training program? Will I be able to do interval training?

Answer:
This is a really popular question. The good news is that I've
worked personally with many men that are over the 300 pound mark, and we've successfully incorporated the Turbulence Training principles into their workouts.

You just have to:

- Get clearance from your doctor that you are ready to start an
exercise program
- Start with the introductory and beginner Turbulence Training
phases.

I include beginner level workouts in all of my manuals. There are step-by-step guidelines on how to get started, including a
day-by-day 21-quick start guideline for beginners. It will show you how to turn your unhealthy lifestyle around in just three weeks.

As for the interval training, please remember this: It is all
relative. You don't have to run sprints up a hill in order to call
your workout an interval workout.

You might simply increase your treadmill walking speed from 3.3mph to 3.6mph for 1 minute and then drop it back down. Those are the correct intervals for your relative fitness level. As you improve, you will be able to work harder. But never worry about comparing yourself to others.

Also, Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., has included specific calorie and
protein recommendations for overweight individuals. The TT Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines will keep you on track for fat loss in 2007.

Q: Has your Turbulence Training program worked for women, or is it just for male fat loss? I want a program that works on my butt, not just my biceps. Help!

Answer:
Don't worry, the Turbulence Training program is not gender
specific. All of the great exercises that are in the program will
work on the muscle groups that both men and women want to focus on.

After all, who doesn't want a firmer butt, flatter abs, and a
better chest?

Best of all, the efficient and effective exercise group that I
mentioned earlier includes squats, lunges, presses, and rows. These exercises are essential for both men and women, and will give you the total package regardless of gender.

And don't forget, the scientifically-proven Turbulence Training workout manual has used by hundreds of women to burn fat and sculpt their body.

Get in, get out, get lean,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training     www.TurbulenceTraining.com

How an Overweight Man Changed His Life with the Turbulence Training Fat Loss Workouts

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

How a 50-Year Old, Former 2-Sport College Athlete got in the Best Shape of His Life

Todd Thompson emailed me 4 years ago with the goal of getting back into shape by losing a lot of body fat with fat loss workouts. Since then, Todd's been a great client, using the right workouts (Strength training plus interval training) with great success. Todd made such a triumphant return to healthy living with fat loss workouts that he even developed a website dedicated to men's health.

In this interview Todd shares his tips and tricks to getting the most out of your fat loss efforts and lifestyle changes. These will come in handy on those days that you don't have the motivation or direction to train. Todd's the true definition of a "Turbulence Training Fat Loss Success Story" and I'm proud to have worked with him.

CB: What impact does Turbulence Training have on your energy levels?

Todd Thompson:
I find I have a lot more energy when I'm in full training mode, and I use heavy weights and supersets almost exclusively in my weight training. My energy levels seem to be directly associated with how much excess fat weight I carry around, and this keeps it off better than anything I've tried.

Of course, I follow proper eating guidelines as well, and this goes a long way toward keeping me filled with the right foods. It's basically hard work plus clean eating. It's the efficiency of strength and interval workouts that makes it more appealing to me than any other routine I've followed for any length of time.

CB: What time of day do you train and how do you structure your meals around this training time?

TT:
Craig, as you may recall, when I started getting into shape last year, after a 25 year layoff, I made the commitment to work out the first thing every morning so that nothing would get in the way of my training.

After reaching my weight loss goals last year, and working it into my schedule differently, I moved my workout time to early evenings, right after I get home from work. I eat my regular noon meal, something like cottage cheese or tuna with some good carbs, and then I have an afternoon snack of high protein content.

Then, when I get home from work, the first thing I do is drink a half serving of a protein shake, or eat some cottage cheese. This gives me about a 30 minute time period before I get my clothes changed and head off to the gym, which is perfect for digesting it.

I hit the weights hard, which takes about 40 minutes, and then I get on the elliptical or bike for my HIIT (interval training). As soon as I get off the machine, I drink a protein shake. I'm usually finished with the whole thing around 6:30 p.m. At that time, my wife and I usually have dinner. On workout days especially, I make sure my evening meal has some excellent protein choices, low fat, and good carbohydrates.

CB: What nutrition tips work best for you?

TT:
I'm no expert on nutrition, but my experience this past year is that I need a little more carbohydrates than what a lot of the newer nutrition programs are recommended.

When I drop carbohydrates to a minimal level, it does seem to have an effect on my energy levels. I think of carbohydrates as an energy provider, and on workout days, I make sure I get enough carbohydrates to get my energy level where it needs to be for my workout.

CB: So overall, what is your impression of strength training and interval training?

TT:
It keeps it from getting boring, and I have a bit of a creative streak in me. This seems to keep things interesting. No matter what workout I'm doing, the strength and interval program is the design I use.

There are three basic things I do, no matter whether or not the exact exercises are called for:

1. Do 18-22 sets, emphasizing full body. Sometimes, I may emphasize certain muscle groups for an entire workout, but that's rare. I usually make sure there is some impact on every muscle group at each workout.

2. Do "superset" style without a rest period between sets within each superset. Each superset is designed as a push-pull superset, or sometimes just the use of opposing muscle groups. I like push-pull supersets best.

(CB note: Here's a tough push-pull superset that you can do in a crowded gym or at home - DB Presses & DB Rows)

3. Every workout ends in an hour or less and is capped off with a very intense HIIT session. I don't let myself feel guilty if I only have time to do a 12 to 15 minute HIIT. The intensity is so great that I don't have to worry about whether I'm working hard enough or not.

CB: Do you have a favorite part of the workout?

TT:
It's basically a flurry of non-stop activity, so I don't really think about favorite parts. However, I think I enjoy the various forms of rows that I employ. Your program calls for Seated Cable Rows and DB Rows, and I have gotten so much stronger in these that I probably have to say I enjoy these most of all.

Truly, though, getting finished each day is what I like best. I always do a full body assessment of how I feel after each workout.

Seldom do I walk away from a workout thinking I could have worked a little harder on any one muscle group. When it's done, I'm spent. Maybe, it's just because I turn 50 years old this year, but I've talked to a lot of younger guys who are doing strength and intervals as well, and they say the same thing.

CB: How do these workouts compare to others that you have done in the past?

TT:
The intensity is awesome. From the time I drink my pre-workout shake until I finish HIIT an hour or so later, it's like I'm heading down the field on a long run, and I'm not going to let anyone keep me from scoring. I don't stop for anything. If an area is being used, I just go to the next superset and pick the other one later in the workout.

I think the benefit is that it is very time-efficient and manageable, and it's really hard to get bored with it.

CB: What are the health benefits you have achieved in your return to training?

TT:
In short, I have better health, stronger muscle (and more of it), great cardio endurance for my every day life, and I'm looking good.

Altogether, these benefits have helped me enjoy my life a lot more, and that's the ultimate benefit as far as I'm concerned.

My life is much better disciplined now, and even when I cheat on my eating, I don't worry about it any more. I know the commitment is strong, and I'll get back. This has caused me to enjoy life to the fullest. Recently, I got into an elite musical performing group, and I find that I have much better stamina than before, and a whole lot more motivation to succeed and to live a better life.

Recently, you were made aware that I had given my body a break for a month or so. That went on a lot longer than I intended, and consequently, I put on about 10 pounds. I must say, however, that I knew all I had to do was start back on my workouts, and it would all come back to me.

CB: Thanks Todd, and keep up the great work with your fat loss workouts.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training    www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Fat Loss Q'n'A

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Q: How fast can I lose weight while using a truly effective fat loss program? Can I lose 10 pounds in a weekend like some of the diet plans claim?

Answer:Doctors recommend losing fat at a rate of 1-2 pound per week. At the end of a good 12 week program, you can expect to lose 12 pounds of fat. But since you didn't gain the fat overnight, you also won't lose the fat overnight. Commit to long term goals and enjoy the process of developing proper nutrition and exercise habits.

With one of those "10 pound weight loss juice diets", you might lose some weight, but it won't be fat. And you'll quickly gain it back. Those are just too good to be true.

Q: Do I have to do crunches and sit-ups while on this program?

Answer:
No you don't. Crunches and sit-ups are not the best way to lose fat. To lose fat, you simply need to eat properly, avoid excess calories, and use fat blasting intervals/cardio. In fact, crunches and sit-ups can stress your spine, so I like to use "spine-friendly" core training exercises (the Ab curl, plank, side plank, and bird dog) as an alternative method for training your mid-section. And you can do those all at home without fancy pieces of equipment. All you need is your bodyweight.

Q: But I'm a full-time worker and mom. How do I fit exercise into my day?

Answer:
Try to commit to at least 30 minutes of exercise per day.

If you are a beginner and stressed for time, simply do three 10-minute bouts of exercise per day. Heck, you could even do six 5-minute walks per day. Everyone can fit that in...

If you can devote a full 30 minutes straight to exercise, you can alternate between strength training and cardio training days if you are limited to 30 minutes. However, if you can get an hour of time 3 days per week, perform both cardio and strength training together.

Beginners should start with several 5-minute blocks of exercise each day. After all, everyone can make room for 5 minutes of exercise. Once you move into more serious workouts, you might need to experiment with different exercise times so that you can workout without disrupting your family's events. Fortunately, there is no magic exercise time. As long as you are consistent, you will get results.

Many people have had great success by getting up early and doing the workout before everyone else gets up. Alternatively, you can do it after the kids go to bed or during a break in the day. Schedule your workout like any other important appointment so that you don't neglect the exercise sessions. You'll find that the exercise will give you more energy throughout the rest of the day.

Q: What do I do if I can't get to the gym?

Answer:
You won't even need to go to the gym to lose fat. There are dozens, if not hundreds of bodyweight exercises you can do at home. And the workout potential is exponential if you have a couple of dumbbells at your disposal. There are hundreds of dumbbell exercises you can use to sculpt your body.

Q: Hi, I'm an overweight woman (180 pounds) and I was wondering if I should still eat 1oz of protein per pound?

Answer:
Hi, first, just to clarify its grams per pounds, not ounces. Second, here are the limits from Dr. Chris Mohr found in the TT Nutrition Guidelines...

"Since women have less overall lean body mass than men, they won't require as high an amount of protein each day (0.8g of protein/lb of body weight will suffice). This value is still in line with the recommendations for strength trained athletes. For obese individuals, just as with the calorie estimations, the protein calculations will also be over-estimated.

Therefore, in my opinion, I would put women at a maximum of 150g of protein per day and men at a maximum of 200g of protein per day. Because being obese does put them at risk for diabetes, this would also impact kidney health, so obese individuals don't need the additional urea being filtered through if in fact they do have diabetes."

Q: I'm new to the whole "working out thing". What is Turbulence Training? How would you describe the workouts?

Answer:
Turbulence Training is combination of more effective methods (Strength training and interval training) to help men and women get more effective fat loss results in less workout time.

TT uses supersets and interval training because they are time-saving methods. The workouts also only use the best exercises so that clients don't spend more than 3 hours per week in the gym. 

Get in, get out, get lean,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training      www.TurbulenceTraining.com

6 Ways to Prevent Holiday Weight Gain

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Obesity has worldwide problem. In fact, almost 2/3 of Americans need to lose weight and over 1 billion people in the world are overweight. If you are overweight, you need to lose weight and improve your health and fitness. And yes, this can still be done over the holiday season. Don't wait for New Year's day to start your weight loss resolutions.

There are a number of reasons for the increased incidence of obesity and overweight individuals, as suggested by American statistics, but also a number of workout and nutrition tips that can counter the effects of each bad nutrition and exercise habit that we have:

* It has been estimated that for every high-sugar drink you consume, you increase your risk of obesity by 60%! Soft drinks provide 33% of all added sugars in American diets.

Tip #1: Avoid drinking calories!

* In the USA, sugar consumption has increased from 26 to 32 teaspoons (between the 1970’s and 1998).

* Americans eat an extra 150 kcal per day now in comparison to 1980. In theory, this could lead to 15 lbs. of weight gain per year!

Tip #2: Avoid over-eating treats at parties. If you can't have just one, don't have any at all!

* Your obesity risk increases 6-fold if you watch more than 2 hours of television each day.

Tip #3: Stay active. Walk around the mall a couple extra times if it means you'll avoid the couch and overeating at home. Stay busy, stay active, stay lean.

* Only 25% of individuals exercise moderately for 30 minutes each day, whereas 25% of the population does no exercise at all.

Tip #4: It's not all or nothing. If you can only do 15 minutes of exercise, that is still better than nothing. Don't stop all exercise just because you can't do 30 minutes that day.

* Obesity continues to increase in the USA despite a continued decrease in the consumption of dietary fat. In 1994-96, fat accounted for 33% of total calories compared with 40% in the late 1970's.

* In 1994-96, just over half of the population reported eating fruit each day while the consumption of processed carbohydrates (such as bread, snack foods, and cereals) has increased 110% since the late 1970's.

Tip #5: Avoid processed carbs. Hit the veggie tray, the protein offerings, and the calorie free beverages at parties. If its rolled in pastry, don't eat it.

* Milk consumption has decreased in children by 16% since the late 1970's, while consumption of soft drinks increased by 16%.

Tip #6: Don't keep soda in the house. If you don't buy it, neither you nor the kids will drink it.

Stick to these 6 simle tips and you'll stay lean over the holidays. Add in a little more exercise and you could do the impossible - you could lose fat over the holidays! Get started on a fast, efficient and effective program of strength training and interval training today!  www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Top 7 Weight Loss Mistakes

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Seven Mistakes People Make When Trying to Lose Fat

1. They fail to consider the consequences of their actions.

Alwyn Cosgrove (one of the top trainers in the business) once told me, "I get my clients to think, "Will this help me or not? Is this a positive step or not?" If you can see that every action that you take is either helping you lose fat or stopping you from losing fat, then you will start to make better choices. So remember that everything you put in your mouth is either for or against fat loss. And every exercise choice you make is either for or against fat loss. "Get that", Alwyn says, "and you’re a hit."

2. They neglect to control their insulin and blood sugar levels - 2 key factors in determining whether or not the body fat will come off.

If you eat processed foods you are guaranteed to elevate your insulin & blood sugar levels. If you do that, your body sends the message, “Store fat!”, and you won’t make any progress. So avoid white-flour based bakery products, sugary drinks, and almost any carbohydrate snack that comes in a bag or a box.

3. They train like it’s the 80’s.

Yes, I know. Eighties music is popular again. But that doesn’t mean ineffective training methods from the 80’s like light weights, low intensity steady state cardio, and endless low-intensity ab work should also make a comeback. That type of training should stay buried in the back issues of cheesy muscle magazines. Stick to strength training and interval training for efficient and effective body changing routines.

4. They don’t take 30 minutes to plan their next day’s food intake.

If you fail to do this, you will set your fat loss efforts back by a minimum of 72 hours. Without a good meal plan, you are left to hunt and gather food in the modern world. And that’s a recipe for fat loss disaster. You are bound to eat something processed if you aren’t prepared. You will lose the fat burning benefits from yesterday’s workout and it will take until the end of the following day to get back on track. An entire 72-hour period wasted.

5. They don’t eat enough vegetables.

We can thank John Berardi for making it common knowledge that you should eat fibrous vegetables at every meal to assist your fat loss efforts. By doing so, you’ll control your blood sugar and insulin - thus supporting the optimal hormonal situation for fat loss.

6. They screw up their hormones with poor lifestyle choices.

If you are out boozing and staying up late on the weekend, you are shutting down your fat loss and messing up the optimal hormonal environment for fat burning. I will talk a lot more about the optimal hormonal levels for fat loss, as I believe this is the underrated key to building your best body ever.

7. They don’t plan and monitor their training sessions.

If you are still going to the gym without a plan, then you are going to have a hard time losing fat. And if you aren’t recording your workouts and eating habits, then you aren’t losing as much fat as you probably can. To fix this mistake, start by getting on track with strength training and interval training. It’s guaranteed to get you lean. www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Fat Loss Power of Food

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

I know that most readers think that fat loss is all about exercise, but you must know that good nutrition is just as important for fat loss results. Making the correct food choices is your secret weapon in the rush to get the best body for summer. Eating right will help you lose fat and increase your energy dramatically, so that you'll have plenty of stamina for social life, in the gym, and at work.

When I start working with clients, I have everyone enter their food intake on a nutrition tracking website to allow both of us to evaluate their nutrition. Some of the common problems that I see are:

1. Too many treats per day. As one client said, ''I still have one treat per day such as chips, a chocolate bar, a donut, or a rib sub each day, and sometimes I skip breakfast. But other than that, I think it is pretty good.''

If that’s the case, and you are trying to lose fat, then you will have a difficult time. You just can't eat that many treats (read: garbage) and expect to get lean (unless you are 16 years old).

2. Skipping breakfast.

3. Not eating enough fiber.

4. Not eating enough lean protein and low-glycemic, low-fat carbohydrate sources.

5. Not eating much during the day and then eating a huge dinner.

Solutions:

1. Set the tone with the first meal of the day by consuming a lean protein source and high-fiber, low-glycemic carbohydrates. Fiber at this meal will help control blood sugar over the morning and can help modify appetite at subsequent meals.

2. Consume mini-meals to prevent starvation-induced meal binges and energy slumps.

3. Choose snacks that contain protein and fiber, such as almonds.

4. Keep your dinner moderate, and avoid high-calorie feasts.

5. Consume calorie-free beverages, preferably Green Tea or water.

6. Consume at least the recommended amount of fiber through vegetables, fruits, almonds, etc. But start adding fiber to your diet slowly and drink more water.

7. Try to improve your nutrition each day. This will help get you into healthy eating habits. Be consistent with your training and nutrition, and you'll get results.

So here is your challenge. Start with one day and eliminate all of the processed foods from your nutrition plan. I want you to go one full day without foods containing added sugar, hydrogenated oils, or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

If you do this, you'll feel amazing and energized. You will probably have your best workout of the year and you'll probably get more done at work as well.

Replace the junk with lean protein sources, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains (such as oat-based products), water, and green tea. Make sure to log your food intake on fitday.com and compare it to your regular eating. You'll notice that it is very hard to overeat when you eat only healthy foods. And then next week, try going two days without processed foods.

Keep focusing on one improvement each day and soon you'll have better nutrition habits and fast fat loss to go along with it...not to mention a new body!

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training    www.TurbulenceTraining.com

How Bad is Your Nutrition?

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Chances are your nutrition is terrible. Or at the very least, your nutrition plan is good but you allow yourself far too many treats. Take today for example. How many Halloween candies have you treated yourself to at work? And you still have to go home and resist the leftover candy bowl or your child’s Halloween loot. The bottom line: You can’t succeed in your fat loss program if your diet is average.

I need to bring up this point because of the many emails people send me about their nutrition. From what I read, most people’s nutrition plans are far too poor to allow them to lose fat. And yet they are working harder than ever in the gym and wondering why they aren’t losing fat. No workout will help you build muscle and lose fat if you keep eating at fast-food restaurants, drinking sugary sodas, and raiding bags of leftover mini-candy bars.

And it’s frustrating because the secrets to fat loss nutrition are so simple. The best approach is eating several small meals per day, with each meal containing lean protein, vegetables, and other whole foods. You must eliminate unnecessary calories such as soda and high-fat, high-sugar snacks (like that mini-Snickers bar that’s on your desk right now). If you’re trying to lose fat, you can’t have treats every day. If fat loss is the goal, then cookies, apple pie, ice cream, nachos, fried foods, etc. just don't make the cut, as unfortunate as it is.

Research shows that an increased intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with fat loss (nutritionists never put a limit on the number of vegetables that people should eat - provided they are not fried or covered in fat or sauces). Other research suggests that replacing carbohydrates with almonds (a source of fiber, protein, and monounsaturated fats) leads to greater weight loss. Almonds are a very healthy snack and help curb hunger. A typical serving is 1 ounce of almonds (about 22 pieces) and can replace chips, chocolate bars, and cookies in your diet.

Make sure you are logging your food intake and making notes about your energy levels when you eat certain foods. Soon you will identify the nutritional reasons for your fatigue or for your consistent energy levels. You will quickly associate sugar and fried foods with poor mental performance, while noticing that small, whole, natural food-based meals and snacks help keep you alert and full of energy.

If you are overweight and just starting to improve your nutrition, I have some good news for you. You should begin losing at least 1 pound per week (probably 2 or more) simply from the nutritional changes.

Nutrition is that powerful. Don’t expect to start eating perfectly tomorrow, but you should slowly build up to eating much better and healthier than you were yesterday. Try to improve your nutrition plan everyday. Stay consistent and focused with your nutritional approach. You can do it. Here are three nutrition changes that would pay huge dividends for a fat-loss beginner:

1) Eat several small, whole food meals per day.

2) Don't consume any unnecessary liquid calories (i.e. no soda, alcohol, or sweetened beverages). Drink more water – nutrition experts recommend 3 liters per day.

3) Eliminate processed carbohydrates and sugar from your nutrition plan (no soda, cake, chips, white bread, or chocolate bars).

If you’re fed up with the body fat and spare tire around your middle, then it’s time to take a structured approach to fat loss.

If your current nutritional plan is preventing you from losing fat, then it’s time for you to start working on building better eating habits. This can be as simple as committing to one small nutritional improvement per day (such as replacing your lunchtime soda with water) and one large nutritional change per week (such as setting aside time on a Sunday to prepare a weekly menu and all of your meals).

But you need to have a plan to make this work, just like how you have a plan for your workouts. Your nutrition plan should include the contents of every meal, as well as your grocery list for the week. This will enable you to have meal alternatives for nights when you might need to be running from one event to the other with no time or healthy snack alternatives when you are on the road between meetings.

It’s important that you make your plan something you can follow. If you are currently eating 7 meals per week at the golden arches, it wouldn’t be realistic to plan to replace those meals with carrot sticks and tofu this week. A better plan would be to substitute a couple of those meals with healthier sandwich options and then work on improving things even more in the following weeks.

So here’s a three-step guideline on building a better nutrition plan:

1) Prepare a weekly menu. Outline each meal and snack for every day of the upcoming week. Take into account the possibilities that you might work late or get invited out to lunch. The more options you have and preparations you make, the better you will be able to stick to your fat loss plan.

2) From your menu plan, you’ll now know what foods and ingredients you need to make it through the week. Make your grocery list and stick to it (see mine below). Grocery shopping is your first opportunity to break some bad nutritional habits. You can’t eat chips, cookies, or cakes if you don’t have them in the house – so don’t buy them and you’ll avoid any future temptation.

3) Prepare the meals or prepare the ingredients so that making the actual meal doesn’t take a lot of time. Like shopping, it’s best to do all of these preparations at one time (such as on a Sunday or another day off).

My shopping list includes:

Fruits · Apples · Oranges · Blueberries · Melon · Peaches · Grapefruit · Raspberries

Vegetables · Peppers (red, yellow, green, & orange), · Spinach · Asparagus · Broccoli · Snow Peas · Mushrooms · Frozen mixed vegetables · Tomato sauce

Protein Sources · Chicken breasts · Turkey breasts · Salmon fillets · Lean beef · Skim milk & low-fat, low-sugar yogurt

Carbohydrates · Oat bread · Oatmeal (no sugar added) · Whole-wheat pasta

Other · Green tea · Unsalted, not roasted, Almonds

You’ll notice that most of these foods come without a food label. Most of the foods that you should avoid come in a bag or a box. Building a shopping list that contains very few bagged or boxed items is something to aim for. But when you do purchase something with a label, make sure to avoid two of the unhealthiest ingredients created by man:

1) High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) 2) Hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil (the sources of trans-fatty acids)

You might have heard of these two ingredients. They are strongly associated with obesity and other lifestyle-diseases (such as diabetes).

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training  www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

The Latest Nutrition Info

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com 

Big News! Craig Ballantyne has added a brand new set of
Turbulence Training Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines to the TT
package. This new report comes from nutrition expert, Dr. Chris
Mohr, Ph.D. Today we want to introduce Chris to you, and get him to answer some tough fat loss nutrition questions.

So first, Dr. Mohr's credentials...

Dr. Chris Mohr is a consultant to a number of media outlets and
corporations including the Discovery Health Channel, Clif Bar, Fit Fuel, and Labrada Nutrition. He has authored or co-authored several textbooks and has written nearly 500 articles.

Dr. Mohr has bachelors and masters degrees in Nutrition, from Penn State University and the University of Massachusetts, respectively. He received his PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Pittsburgh and is also a registered dietitian.

Through his company, Mohr Results, Dr. Mohr offers consultations, provides corporate seminars, and will soon be providing nutrition services for trainers.

Now, before we get to the interview with Dr. Mohr, I have something to admit:

Nutrition is more important than training.

There, I said it. In fact, I've admitted it all along. It doesn't
matter how good the Turbulence Training workouts are, you won't get maximum results without the right nutrition.

And that's why I've gone to Dr. Mohr to get his advanced fat loss tips. 

CB: For fat loss, what kind of shake is best after weights? Do we
need high-carb, sugar shakes?

CM:
I still think this is an important meal to get some carbohydrates
in to fuel you for your next workouts, since carbohydrate intake is likely low throughout the remainder of the day.

Even during a fat loss phase, I recommend folks get at least a 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein.

CB: But what about sugar specifically? If a client is 35, 5'10", and 21% body fat, does he need sugar in his post-workout drink?

CM:
I do still think simple carbs are important during this recovery
period.

Carbs don't have to be the enemy---if the rest of your carb intake is mainly veggies, the post workout simple carbs will be a Godsend.

You'll suck that right up, you'll feel stronger, and have better
subsequent workouts. You should be training hard enough to be able to lose the fat...it's not all about the carbs.

I would go 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein...around 30:30 of a
combination of malto/glucose/sucrose or any high GI ingredients with a whey isolate and/or hydrosylate.

CB: Does post-workout nutrition change for interval training?

CM: 
I believe it does, because while you're exercising at a
high-intensity, the amount of glycogen depletion and protein
degradation that's going on is lower than with a longer duration,
intense weight workout.

It is still an important time for feeding (after exercise), but I
wouldn't recommend the same high intake of carbs:protein as I would after a tough weight workout.

Like before, go with the 1:1 ratio of carbs:protein - that is, of
course, unless you were just out there doing intervals for an hour (but then you'd basically be superhuman).

CB: What are your thoughts on eating before bed?

CM: 
This is a time I like a protein and fat meal, to help slow the
digestion of those nutrients during a time when it's likely you
will be breaking down some muscle tissue.

I am "ok" with some carbs, but if you do eat them, focus on veggies or something similar and don't sit down to a Thanksgiving meal and then immediately close your eyes.

CB: Everyone seems to know the general protein rule for gaining muscle (1g per pound bodyweight), but how much protein do we need when trying to lose fat?

CM:
This is suffice for losing fat as well. Maintaining this intake,
with a moderate fat intake as well, will help provide the necessary nutrients since you want to lose as much fat as possible, yet maintain as much lean body mass as possible.

You can't get around the fact that weight loss does take some
reduction in calorie intake (or very high amount of calorie
expenditure), so focus your intake on lean proteins, healthy fats,
and always think fiber, not carbs.

CB: Give us one of your "secret" advanced fat loss nutrition tips...please!

CM:
Losing fat without the addition of intervals is like riding a bike
through sand - sure it will work, but your progress won't be nearly as fast.

Replace all simple carbohydrates with their high-fiber
counterparts, and make sure you're eating at least one vegetable each and every meal.

CB: What do you think of "calorie cycling" diets - where you drop your calories for a couple of days, then bump them up, etc. Is there any research to support this approach?

CM:
To my knowledge it's all anecdotal.

Theoretically, it seems as if it may work; however, it would be
near impossible to design a well controlled study to test the
theory.

With that said, it's hard to make specific recommendations because there's nothing to base it off of.

CB: And let's finish off with your thoughts on fish oil - dosage,
quality, etc.

CM:
They kick ass---general health, 2-4 g/day. Elevated TG I would go higher, increasing in a stepwise manner, up to 8g or so (not a
blanket statement, but individualized). Always speak with MD first since it does decrease clotting time...contraindicated if on blood thinning medications.

Preliminary research with weight loss shows it's promising---2-3 studies to my knowledge. I do believe higher quality fish oils are important. Fish oil shouldn't give you fishy burps or taste fishy at all.

Two favorites are Nordic Naturals and Carlson. Fish oils are
screened very well for mercury and other contaminants, particularly ones like NN and Carlson.

CB: Thanks Chris. This is great. I look forward to adding your nutrition knowledge to my Turbulence Training workouts...I guarantee that this combination will help everyone lose fat and gain muscle.

More nutrition interviews with Dr. Mohr are on the way.

If you have any other questions, just let me know.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training  www.TurbulenceTraining.com