__________________________________________________________________
2:00 minutes of one of the following (not shown in video).
Dynamic stretches
Foam rolling
Cheers,
Howie
OK, I have about 1 1/2 weeks to go on my 1,200 calorie diet. It’s going pretty good. My weight has stopped at 174.5lb from 186lb. I think my body is trying to hold on to every pound it can at this point. The only thing I see a difference is in the energy levels of my workouts. I can’t wait to post my after pictures!
I wanted to show you what typical week of training looks like when going though this “cutting” stage of my life. You will see that I have switched to a more cardio and core base workout given my new goal. You will also notice the workouts are short and intense. Remember ,it is all about what you do in the time you have at the gym. That’s what’s so good about the training at One Body… we don’t waste anytime! This type of training could shed years off your goal time! I have included some recent pics of myself. Enjoy!
Monday 11/15/10
Cardio and short cycles
3- mile run outside
Short cycle:
A1) Spider crawl push-up-10
A2) Prisoner squats-12
A3) Double crunch-12
A4) Pull-up- 10 or failure (for the record , I got all the 30 reps)
No rest in-between cycles and repeat 3x
Static stretching.
Tuesday 11/16/10
Anaerobic intervals/calorie burning cycle
A1) Jump rope- 2 min
A2) 2 -min treadmill sprint
A3) Fit-ball crunch- 25 reps
Rest 1 minute in between cycles and repeat 6 x
Static stretching and foam rolling.
This workout may not look like much on paper , but it is probably the hardest workout of the week.
Wednesday 11/17/10
Cardio/ Core
2.5 mile run on treadmill at One Body (in between clients)
Core Cycle # 1
A1) Wood Choppers -10
A2) Hanging leg raises- 12
A3) Renegade rows- 6
A4) Oblique fit ball twist- 10
45 second rest in between this core cycle and repeat 3 times.
Static stretches
Thursday 11/18/10
Upper Body Strength
Warm- up: 2 min. jump rope
Dynamic warm-up: Windmills , Cross hugs, Hip raises, scapula retraction- 2 cycles all by 10 reps
Strength # 1
A1) Incline chest press- 5 (warm-up)- 10,8,6
A2) Pull-ups – Same reps
A3) One arm shoulder press- Same reps
Strength # 2
B1) BB rows – 5 (warm-up) 10,8,6
B2) Weighted push-up- Same reps
B3) DB shrugs- Same reps
Strength # 3 (straight sets)
- Grip work (5-10 min)
Core: Bridge- 1 @ 1:30
Friday 11/19/10
5 -min treadmill warm-up
Dynamic stretches- Cross overs, scorpions, single leg hip raises, leg swings
1 @ 8 reps
Foam rolling- 5-10 min.
Strength # 1
All Straight sets and no cycles
BB Squats- ( 6 total sets) 3 (warm-up)
5 (warm-up)
10
8
6
4
Leg press
3 @ 8-10
Db Stiff leg dead lifts
Same rep scheme as Squats
Fit-ball leg curl
3 @ 12
Kettle bell swings- 3 @ 25 reps
Wall sits- 2 @ 1 min.
Static Stretching and foam rolling
Saturday 11/20/10
OFF
Sunday 11/21/10
AM WORK OUT
3- mile run outside on empty stomach
Go downtown with Laurie
PM WORK OUT
2- mile run outside
Push-ups- 2 @ 30 reps
10 Somewhere Over the Rainbow (please hit play before you read)
Change: To give a completely different form or appearance to; transform.
Let’s face it, change is hard. It’s in our nature (or at least mine) to stay within our comfort zone.
To create some adherence to my blog, I think it’s important to let people into the deep dark depths of my personal life. I am a natural introvert. I am a recluse. I get anxiety walking into a crowded store and often dread those trips and make them short and quick. I know what you’re thinking, how in the world is this guy a personal trainer who specializes in working one-on-one with people 6-10 times per day? Well, I knew God, the one who gave me these anxieties, is the same God that put it in my heart to change people’s health and bodies. It’s something I had to deal with. It was a change I had to make to follow my passion.
When you start an exercise and diet program many questions may enter your mind.
These apprehensive thoughts are what causes us to eat another donut or have that second beer. And to be honest, I am not sure what to tell you to alleviate those thoughts and fears. However, this is what I can tell you…the lifestyle changes you get from the diet and exercise at One Body far out weigh the “comfortable” lifestyle you may be living now. I promise you “That Satisfied Feeling” of achievement and accomplishment you get when you begin to see the change/transformation of being thinner, more flexible, have more energy, feeling rested in the morning, feeling alive during the day, and to just look in the mirror and be happy.
You see, it all comes down to Big Rewards & Small Rewards. It’s a small reward to come home and have some chocolate and red wine. It is instant satisfaction. It is easy and it feels good. It is a big reward to drop your calories to 1,200 per day, exercise 3 times per week, and make great food choices. It leads to living longer, looking great, and feeling unbelievable! It’s not easy, but nothing with those big rewards really ever is. Is it?
Below is someone who wasn’t afraid to change (please go to the testimonial section of website to see more before & after pictures). She knew the impact this new lifestyle could have but fought through it anyway to get that big reward at the end. She had the same questions I mentioned above, what will my spouse think, this is going to hurt, etc.! I helped her transition through this change and now she is one of my top trainers and helps others “change” their lives. She will be the first to tell you it wasn’t easy but the reward was big and WORTH IT! After all, to see that rainbow we all have to suffer through the rain…Thanks Tami.
See you over the rainbow,
Howie
I really messed up. I want to try to speak only the truth on this blog and the truth is that I messed up. I tried to get too big too fast and it cost my dearly. I bought 35,000 thousand emails of Naperville residents. Long story short, this lead to my host website kicking me off my site, everyone on my blog not receiving my emails, $500.00 dollars in cash, and 3 nights in will county jail. OK, I’m just kidding about the county.
The lesson learn here is this: No matter if your goal is weight loss or advertising, it’s always better to go for slow and steady results. To make up for my absence I have included 3 new blogs that can be seen below. One of which is my first interview with a vitamin guru from a local supplement store.
One a lighter note (parter the pun) I am down 8lb and feel great. I have 2 and a 1/2 weeks left. Please enjoy the below interview and sorry I have been away……..
P.S – Just wanted you to see the results Carrot top is making at One Body. 
I’ll never forget when an old buddy of mine saw me eating a piece of salmon while I was between clients at work. He said, “Dude, you’re going to die of mercury poisoning and that fish is full of fat!” This guy lived on a steady diet of fast food and exercise had become a distant memory. It’s amazing to me how people define healthy. But in his defense, it can all get confusing out there when we deal with eating good fats and bad fats.
When I was 14 years old all I knew was I loved Arnold and Mike Tyson and I would do anything and everything to look like them. So, at that young age, I walked into Health Food Flanngans in Bridgeveiw IL and asked for a job. He paid me $3.80 per hour and I got 30% off all the protein my body could digest. That was a perfect deal for me! He also made me come in for 2 hour shifts every Friday night. I came to learn a lot from old Mr. Flannagan (who was probably my current age at the time) and even more from his customers. The most common question asked from the customers was, “Young man, where are the fish oils?”
The Benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. (Fish Oil)
The benefits of Omega-3’s include: a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, they help reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit disorder (thank God), joint pain and other rheumatoid problems. They support skin health, boost the immune system, lower cholesterol, increase testrone levels, and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease.
All of the holistic doctors that I have talked to recently have said, “If you were to take an over the counter pill a day, this should be it.” As a fitness professional, I couldn’t agree more. This stuff is better then Santa Claus!
Now, let me get you past the confusing stuff…
What About omega 6 and 9?
Let’s go back to my original mission statement of why I started this blog… “ I want to take out the confusing stuff and give you the truth about diet and exercise.”
I notice a lot of the fat supplements out there are made up complexes. For example, the bottles will say “Omega 3, 6, and 9 complex.” Omega 6 and 9 are important but quite simply, we get enough of them from the average American diet. Omega 6 and 9 are found mostly in eggs, baked goods, cereal, olive oil, poultry, and margarine. Omega 3 is found mostly in herring, salmon, mackerel, anchovies, broccoli, spinach, grape leaves, walnuts, and chinese cabbage. Unfortunately, these are not your typical family meal choices here in the United States.
Flax vs Fish Oil.
Alright, last semi confusing thing here. The 2 good things in fish oil capsules are something called eicosapentaenic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic (DHA). These things both can be found in a good quality omega-3 supplement. Flaxseed has no EPA or DHA but does have a rich source of omega- 3 called alphalinolenic acid (ALA), which the body can make into DHA and EPA over time.
So, in my opinion take a 2-4 grams of fish oil capsules (the purer form of EPA and DHA) and every couple of days throw some ground Flax seed onto your salad or in your protein shake to cover all of your bases.
Tomorrow I am sure I will get a ton of Flax lovers leaving bad comments, but hey, not everyone will like everything I say.
Wrapping It All Up.
*Omega 3 Fatty acids have more benefits then Sunday school.
*We are probably reaching our omega 6 and 9 max from daily food intake and don’t need to take any additional supplements.
*Fish oils are the purest and best form of Omega-3 fatty acid.
*We should take 2-4 grams per day of a fish oil supplement. (Unless you eat fish 3-5 times per week).
*Mr. Flannagan was cheap.
So thankful to you,
Howie
P.S. Miss One Body and myself went to cool new restaurant called Season’s 52 today, where everything on the menu was 475 calories or under! Happy Birthday baby. Thanks for shining your light on me.
Look, I’m just like you, always on guard. I’m just waiting for someone to rip me off. In fact, if I meet someone like me I would probably be thinking, this guys too nice he’s up to something. But, in a world where you always have to watch your back pocket, I had a nice experience Thursday with a competitor.
It all started when a walked into this gentleman’s store looking for my next piece of a equipment for the studio. He went by the name “The Tiki Man.” He also had a section in the back where he did some personal training, and was looking for a trainer. Now, this gentleman’s store is a stone’s throw away from my studio, but I felt the need to tell him about the trainer that a meet last week, Vanessa. Anyway, I tried to hook these to up to see if a future business relationship could be made.
OK, Maybe I’m a bad business man, maybe Vanessa reminded me of a young me (although I am better looking), maybe I wanted to make a connection with The Tiki Man, or maybe if you really have it out for fitness and health; you just want to get as many involved in the process. We are all on the same team whether it be fitness or life…right?
Also, don’t make me out to be a saint or a dummy. If “Joe’s Beach Body Studio” moves in next to me, then the gloves are off. You get a feeling when things seem right to help. I don’t know if my early 30′s brought me a a bigger belief in karma or success but I do believe in that all mighty golden rule.
Just picture that tub full of crabs, as one crab tries to crawl out he is pulled back in by another, and none of the crabs escape. If they worked together there would be no crab soup. I have trained approximately 16,ooo personal training sessions in my life and the best ones was when I lifted someone else up.
Love you,
Howie
P.S. That’s my first nephew, Dylan !!
www.onebodyfitness.org
Hello my friends-
I just wanted to fill you in about how my 1,200 calorie program is going. Well, it’s a little harder than I thought. The big things are my runs seem a little harder and I actually dreamt of a steak dinner last night. But really all in all, my resting energy seems even better! The first 2 weeks is the hardest as my stomach simply has to get used to less. I have lost a total of 6.5 pounds since I started 12 days ago.
I have some great things in store for my blog in the next 2 weeks. I will discuss my favorite supplement, omega-3 fatty acid. As I do the research for this subject, I have been discovering even more benefits of this powerful pill.
I will also be conducting my first live interview with the owner of Capital Nutrition, a well know supplement store in Naperville. He will discuss the importance of supplementation in diet, the myths of supplements, and what really works in the world of vitamins!
I will leave you with 9 of my favorite quotes of all time. Often in the morning , I will look through some inspirational sayings to get me out of bed. Here’s what’s been doing it for me lately:
“Genius is seldom recognized for what it is: a great capacity for hard work.”
“ I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.”
“The only way you get that fat off is to eat less and exercise more”
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.”
“ I’m not mother Teresa, but I’m not Charles Mason, either.”
“ I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was. “
“ Money is the most envied , but the least enjoyed, health is the most enjoyed, but the least envied. “
- Charles Cabeb Colton
“Exercise and diet are the only things in this world that I trust, It will give you almost exactly what you give it. “
And the best for last……………..
“ The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
P.S. – Anyone know of a calorie free red wine?
Don’t worry about this blog post, I will keep my shirt on. After all, Halloween is almost over . I should have had another informative blog a couple weeks ago but due to a heavy training schedule and a brief break down, I waited until 5:30 p.m. on this official “Day of the Dead”. As the young, and sometimes the older, parade through the neighborhood made up in their costumes hustling through the night, I wanted to write about all the other “made up” things about exercise and diet.
One of the whole reasons for this blog is to separate the truth from the fallacies of fitness. So, I’m going to give my top 5 diet and health myths. I promise not to make a habit out of these numerical informative blogs. The next thing you know I’ll be numbering my top 5 reasons why not to make a top five reason list!
Weight training will make me “bulky”.
Ok, the yoga instructor thinks his way to a better body is the best way. The pilates instructor thinks the same about his way. While both of these exercise techniques are great, I believe they fail to give the awesome benefits of high intensity weight training. Simply because you get the benefits of both raising your metabolic rate and putting on long lean muscle. For every pound of muscle you put on your body, you automatically burn about 80 more calories every day! Basically you become a fat burning machine by doing nothing all day.
As far as making women bulky…I really couldn’t do it if I tried. God (or whoever your higher power is, or isn’t) gave us each enough estrogen and testosterone to give us the desired result from lifting weights based on your sex. Also, if you just follow a calorie-restricted diet, and did not do resistance exercise your body would simply be like a shrunken ballon. That is, you would be like a human body without any shape or muscle structure. Lifting weights is the most significant part of my body transformation and keeping me from looking like Pee Wee Herman.
Fat’s make you fat.
All I need to say here is that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are essential to weight loss. In fact, without these fats it would be nearly impossible to lose weight. These are the “good” fats found in foods such as salmon, walnuts, almonds, avocados, and olive oil. Saturated fat is the enemy. It’s what’s in fried food and less lean meats.
In fact, my next informative blog will be about the benefits of the miracle supplement Omega 3 fatty acids. This is one of the “good” fats that is essential for achieving your best body.
The “FAT BURNING” zone in cardio.
As the young people reading this blog would say..OMG. Listen, when people hear this, they have thoughts of fat cells disappearing into thin air after doing cardio at 50% of their maximum heart rate for 1 hour. You will be burning fat, but it’s not the fat tissue that you will burn when exercising at 80%+ your maximum heart rate. Moderate exercise is good but not best. Exercise physiologist’s (who are actually the fat guys in white lab coats, I know because they taught me during my under grad) determined that you burn more calories from fat during these moderate to low intensity cardio periods than any other cardio. This may be true, but to burn the MOST calories, you need to get your heart rate up. The harder you work, the more calories you burn, it’s that simple. The more we put our bodies outside of the homeostasis state (basically normal heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature) the more calories we have to burn to get our bodies back to the homeostasis state.
As a young teen I trained at a gym in a south side suburb call Gators Gym. It was filled with blue collar, hard working bodybuilder types. One of these guys got a tattoo that read, No Pain No Gain on his forearm. I’m sure he’s got 3 crying daughters right now and the fading tat looks nothing like it used to. The point is that the 90’s logo for exercise is true! Do cardio as hard as your joints, heart, and whole body will let you in the time that you have for that session.
My body wants to be “This Weight”.
There is nothing in life that is purely the result of genetics. It is interplay between genetics and the environment. Your body wants to be a healthy weight to have optimum energy and it should be composed of more muscle than fat. In fact, one of the first things that happens when we gain weight is the heart rate and blood pressure increase. Our bodies are trying to “exercise” themselves and raise our metabolism to get rid of that extra unusable mass.
If my blood pressure is normal and cholesterol is ok then I’m healthy.
Many medical doctors would disagree with me here. And believe me, these people are much more educated then I am, but fat cells are fueled by blood and oxygen. Your blood and oxygen could be better used by pumping a healthy heart then pumping your beer belly. Also, think about all the extra pressure on the joints. Every step you take has double the impact if you are 20 pounds or more over your ideal weight.
I want to close the blog by letting people know that I am far from perfect. I have made my fair share of mistakes and have made bad decisions. Anyone who knows me understands that my last two myths are hard for me to write. I never want to pass judgment on anyone. I too reach for my own vices when life gets tough, but right now in my life, it’s not food!
I think in life, maybe a pastor would sin a little less then me, a hair stylist should have pretty good hair, and a personal trainer should be a couple of steps ahead in fitness and nutrition.
With love,
Howie
2 years ago.
1 year ago.
1 week ago, the start of my 5-weeks.
Look, I hate these before and after pictures as much as the next guy. But I’m afraid it’s necessary to show you how my book and the training at One Body really works. As you can tell I have a little more weight to lose then many of you probably thought. I tell you what, nothing is more motivating in the world then having your picture taken, then that picture getting published in front of 1,000 local bloggers. If that wasn’t enough, I went ahead and placed a challenge on myself to lose 20lbs in 5 weeks. It got me thinking….. how can I use this experience to help others lose weight and look better in tight red girl shorts?………………
Anyway, the diet is getting hard but after posting this “before” picture, nothing will stop me now. Laurie and myself are off to see Saw 3D, we popped our own popcorn (fat free, no butter) and placed them in 6 ounce bags. We are sneaking them in her purse. I know, I know… we are crazy.
Healthy,
Howie
