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Next time you go to the gym, notice what kinds of exercises most people are doing.

You’ll find they mostly do isolated movements — exercises that only work a single muscle group. For guys, it’s the biceps curls. For women, it’s the thigh machines and the triceps (trying to get rid of that “back arm” fat).

Unfortunately, this won’t get you any closer to your fitness goals.

Instead, the key to getting “faster” results lies in today’s article.

How to Spend Less Time in the Gym and See Better, Faster Results

Everyone who’s trying to get fit wants to see results right away.

And while there’s no magic pill or “quick fix”, there is one thing you can start doing differently in your workouts to speed up your results.

I’m talking about focusing on the exercises everyone hates to do, but are oh-so-good for you –

Compound Movement Exercises.

Unlike single-joint exercises (i.e. isolation exercises) like bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, and leg extensions, compound movements recruits multiple joints and muscles.

This is what makes them so hard to do. However, it’s also the reason they are so effective.

Not only do compound movements burn more calories and rev up your metabolism, they also promote the secretion of human growth hormone (hgh) which helps with muscle growth.

So what kinds of compound movements should you be doing?

Here are a few you can get started with:

Squats — be sure to ask someone who works at your gym to show you how to do these with proper form. If at any time you experience pain, STOP immediately.

Deadlifts — another great exercise. On this one, make sure to keep your chest out and back straight.

Bench presses — Keep your back flat on the bench. Don’t use so much weight that you start arching your back to try and push the bar back up.

Barbell rows — Make sure to keep your back straight and chest out. Squeeze your back muscles and hold for one second on the contraction for maximum benefit.

There are more compound movements you can do, but these will give you a great start.

If you don’t know how to do any of the ones listed here, make sure to ask someone who works at your gym to show you the proper form to avoid injury.

These exercises will be tough but the hard work will be worth it.

What’s more, doing these exercises will workout your ENTIRE body. That means less time in the gym and greater results.

Lastly, if you have any questions on these exercises, or simply want to know how you can seriously accelerate your results, make sure you take advantage of your FREE fitness consultation (an $87 value)

This consult will focus on your goals. You’ll discover little tips and tricks that are specific to your body type and you’ll be armed with the information you need to make your fitness goals a reality THIS YEAR — not some distant time in the future.

To get started today, click here.

Build Muscle and Burn Fat From The Comfort Of Your Own Home

If you want that ‘ultimate’ beach body, building a little muscle will help you get there.

There are two main reasons for this:

1. Muscle is what gives you body that lean, sleek, sexy look, and

2. The more muscle you have, the more calories — and ultimately body fat — your body will burn.

Now if you’re a woman reading this, I know what you might be thinking … “I don’t want to build muscle and get big and bulky.”

Rest easy. It’s not easy for women to build that degree of muscle. What’s more, building muscle for a woman is what gives her that toned, tight, sexy look.

So don’t worry. Even if you do put on a few pounds of muscle, you won’t look like Arnold back in his glory days!

So what can you do to build muscle?

Easy. Start with these simple exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home:

Hindu Squats — place your feet shoulder width apart. Straighten your arms in front of you, palms facing down. Inhale and as you do pull your hands straight back. Now bend your knees and squat. As you do this exhale and let your arms fall to your sides and touch the ground. Now straighten your knees back to the starting position: standing straight up with your arms extended in front of you.

Jump Squats — Start in a crouching position, knees bent and in a full squat. Now quickly straighten your legs and jump upward as high as you can. As you jump, look up and extend your arms towards the ceiling. Soften your landing by landing toes first, then placing the heel on the ground. Now squat back down to the starting position.

Pushups — Lie face down. Place your palms flat on the floor, a little more than shoulder width apart. Extend your legs behind you and make sure they are together. Keep your back straight and lower yourself until your nose almost touches the ground. Now push yourself back up to the starting position.

There you have it. Three exercises you can do today (even as soon as you’re done reading this!) that will help you build muscle and burn fat.

If you want, you can do these in rounds. Start by doing 20 Hindu squats, take no rest and move straight into 20 jump squats, and then immediately go into 20 pushups.

(if you can’t do that many, then do as many reps as you can for each exercise. Then gradually build up.)

Once you’re done with this superset, rest a minute or two. Then repeat 2 – 4 more times.

Do this, and I guarantee you’ll be huffing and puffing in no time. But best of all, you’ll be on the path to creating the “beach body” you’ve always wanted.

Oh and by the way — our gift to you — a FREE fitness consultation (an $87 value)

You’ll meet one-on-one with a highly-trained health professional. You’ll discuss specific nutrition and exercise techniques [customized for YOUR body] that you can use right away and start seeing amazing results in just a few weeks.

To redeem this FREE gift, click here.

Strengthen Your Core in Just 12 Minutes a Day

If you suffer from back pain — or want to avoid it altogether, you’ll need to strengthen your core.

Strengthening your core is what allows you to do those everyday tasks (i.e. carrying the groceries, bending over to pick up something you dropped, moving boxes, etc) and not get hurt doing them.

Plus, strengthening your core will give you better posture and keep you mobile well into your “golden years.”

Here are three exercises you can do everyday (best of all, you can do them in as little as 12 minutes!):

Superman – Lie on your stomach. Stretch both your arms out in front of you. Make sure both your legs are straight behind you. To do a rep, lift your head, chest, arms and legs off the ground. You’ll feel your lower back tighten. When doing it correctly, you’ll look like Superman flying through the air. Hold this position for 3 – 5 seconds. Now go back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.


Plank – Lie face down. Now get into a pushup position. Lower your forearms so that they are touching the floor. Keep your legs straight behind your. Only your forearms and toes should be touching the ground at this point. Now tense your abs and keep your back straight. Hold this position for 10 – 20 seconds. Repeat 5 – 10 times.




Side Plank- To do these, lie down on your right side. Now bend your right elbow, palm facing down. Put your left leg on top of your right and make sure they’re stretched out. Now lift your body (like you did in the plank) except this time, all that should be touching the floor is your right forearm and right toes. Stretch your left hand out towards the ceiling. Hold for 10 – 20 seconds. Repeat 5 times and then do the same on the left side.




Don’t worry if you can’t do all three exercises perfectly right away. If all you can do is one rep, that’s fine.

Gradually build up. But most importantly, make sure you do these exercises every day to build a strong core that will help you relieve back pain, prevent future injuries and keep you walking taller.

Strengthening your core is just one of many things you should be doing to keep yourself fit and healthy.

That’s why if you’re serious about taking control of your health and losing that stubborn fat, I highly recommend you take advantage of our free Fitness Consultation (an $87 value).

There’s no obligation. And it’s completely free, no strings attached.

During this consult, you’ll receive detailed, actionable info on how to rev up your metabolism, burn fat faster, and stay healthy year-round.

Best of all, all this advice will be personalized to YOUR body and YOUR metabolism.

That means this is information you won’t find in a book or on the Internet.

To get started today, click here.

Simple Summer Smoothie

(Serves Four)

1 banana
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen cherries
4 ice cubes
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 teaspoon honey (optional)

Place the banana, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and ice cubes into a blender. Pour orange juice, vanilla yogurt, and honey. Puree until smooth.

Prep: 10 mins
Ready: 10 mins

Amount Per Serving – Calories:140 / Total Fat: 1.3g / Cholesterol: 2mg / Sodium: 33mg / Total Carbs: 31.3g / Dietary Fiber: 3.6g / Protein 3.5g

Recipe from AllRecipes.com

Want a slimmer waistline in a few weeks’ time?

It’s certainly possible. And easier than you may have thought.

When it comes to losing that bulge around the middle, most of the advice you’ve probably heard is completely wrong.

It’s not surprising. There are quite a few myths out there when it comes to getting a flat stomach.

For example:
* “You’ve got to do 100s of crunches to lose that belly”
* “You need to starve yourself”
* “All you need is XYZ brand’s diet pill.”
* “You must do hours on end of low-intensity cardio, like walking on the treadmill.”

The truth is that it’s not that complicated to lose your abdominal fat.

Here’s all you need to know:

EAT RIGHT. Sounds simple enough, but how many people are really doing it? Based on the obesity rate in America, not many. Eat right means eating properly to fuel your body, boost your metabolism and burn more fat. Avoid all junk foods, including fried foods, soft drinks and heavily processed foods. Stick to foods that have only a few ingredients that you can identify as real food. That means good protein sources, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats (nuts, olive oil, flax seed oil, avocados, etc.) Also, try to eat 4 – 6 small meals evenly spaced throughout your day.

TRAIN WITH WEIGHTS. This one’s a given. Train 3 – 4 times per week. Focus mainly on compound movements. This means the “tough” exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, cable chest press, barbell rows, etc. These are effective at building muscle and priming your metabolism to burn fat like nobody’s business. Plus, these kinds of exercises are more functional and will provide the strength you need to go about your day-to-day life.

DO CARDIO SMARTLY. Once you’re eating healthy and working out with weights, it’s time to add in a little cardio. But not the kind of cardio you see everyone else at the gym do. The goal isn’t to see how long you last walking on the treadmill. Instead, you’re going to do HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT).

Simply put, this means alternating between all-out exertion and resting. For example, if you’re on the treadmill, you’d warm up for the first 2 minutes, then sprint as fast as you can for 1 minute. Then rest the next minute. Do this for 9 more sets of 1 minute exertion followed by 1 minute rest. Doing cardio this way burns more calories in less time, since you’re “upping” the intensity factor.

So there you have it. Follow these three tips starting today and you’re bound to lose belly fat before Summer’s out.

And if you’re truly serious about improving your health and fitness level once and for all, take advantage of our FREE Fitness Consultation (an $87 value) and a FREE HIIT Training Session designed just for you.

During your consultation, you’ll receive detailed information on the best way to get fit based on YOUR body.

This means that you’ll be on the path to burning fat and getting the slim body you’ve always wanted in no time at all.

There’s no obligation and it’s totally and completely free. Interested?

CALL US NOW! 301-249-1814

Sleep is crucial for your health, well being and quality of life.

Yet, if you’re like so many millions of Americans, you’re simply not getting enough… That’s dangerous because it effects your mood, health and day to day performance.

With that in mind, here’s how to sleep like a baby every single night – boosting your energy, health and quality of life…

Go to the bed and get up at the same time every day – your biological clock likes routine, and is very sensitive to change. So make sure you pick times and stick to them. Now the only catch is you can’t sleep in on the weekends… But what’s the point in sleeping in and missing half of the weekend that you’ve looked so forward to during the week anyway? Get up early on Saturday for a change and enjoy the best part of the day.

Be more active, workout – Instead of lying in your bed for an hour every night trying to sleep, wasting time, spend that hour working out during the day instead. You’ll burn away all that excess energy that keeps you awake, get in great shape and not have to spend the night tossing and turning anymore. Warning: Don’t work out close to bed time though, because you can wake your body up even more.

Don’t take sleeping pills – It scares me how drugged up the nation can be sometimes. I strongly disagree with taking sleeping pills. The key is to learn how to fall into a relaxing, natural sleep. With pills your body never learns that, and becomes drug dependent. Making it even harder to fall a sleep when you come off the pills.

Avoid coffee, tea or soft drinks in the evening – Anything with caffeine in it is going to keep you awake longer than you need to be. Cut consumption AT LEAST 3 hours before bedtime.

Keep your bedroom temperature cool and consistent – I think everyone can relate to long, sweaty, summer nights… The warmer it is the harder it is for your body to “shut down” and get into sleep mode. There’s no exact temperature I can recommend, just try experimenting and find what works best for you.

There you go – 5 solid tips to better health. Sleeping really is a health essential so USE these tips and make sure you’re getting enough.

Dear Friend,

It’s the start of a new month, and a great opportunity for you to set about doing something you’ve been meaning to do, but have been putting off…

If you’re like most people, it’s probably living a healthier lifestyle. So, today is the day to start! And I’m going to help by giving you something easy to do.Just make the small changes to your grocery list by adding the items I mention below…

Yours In Health,

Dimitri

Foods You Should Eat (But Aren’t)

As you know, nutrition is a key factor to healthy living. So here are 3 super healthy foods you probably aren’t eating, but really should…

Guava – An excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, lycopene (anti-oxidant) AND fiber! This tropical fruit trumps oranges, bananas tomatoes and more!

Cinnamon – Can reduce the risk of heart disease because of its ability to metabolize sugar fast, keeping your blood sugar level under control. Best way to get cinnamon in your body is to sprinkle some on your coffee or tea in the morning.

Pomegranate juice – Contains plenty of Vitamin C and can increase blood flow. To avoid additional ingredients like added sugar, look for 100% Pomegranate juice in your store.

Good stores should stock all of these items. So next time you go to get the groceries look for new tasty foods that make it easier for you to stay healthier and live longer.

If you’re a senior, or know one, who wants to exercise, but are uncertain or afraid of injury, then you need to read today’s article [and you'll love today's quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes].

Yours In Health,

Dimitri Louis

Are You Too Old To Exercise Safely?

Often, seniors think it’s safer to stick to a sedentary lifestyle than to exercise. But the research is pretty definitive that exercising – even moderately – not only improves your health at any age, but can also slow the aging processs and ultimately improve your quality of life.

Here are a few tips for exercising safely, at any age, and getting the best results:

Always maintain form – Make sure your movement is fluid. Avoid jerking movements, and working out at top speed.

Workout with a partner – This is really great for everyone but especially when you’re older — it’s good to have someone watch out for you when you’re training to ensure your safety.

Listen to your body – Being a little sore and tired after a workout is expected, but acute pain and exhaustion is not.

Consult your physician – Prior to beginning an exercise program, have your doctor check you out and advise you on things you should stay clear of. Your physician may also be able to refer you to an exercise specialist that will look after your best interests.

Use safety equipment – a helmet and pads if you’re going cycling, or joint support if you’re running… Whatever you’re doing, try and make it as safe as possible and utlize the recommended gear.

Common sense goes a long way. Don’t push yourself excessively. Allow your body to tell you where your limits are. If you do, you should be able to exercise well into your 80′s, 90′s and beyond!

“Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

Dear Friend,

Imagine if you’re making exercise mistakes – without knowing it – that are slowing your results… If you’re like most people, then chances are good you are.

But fear not, I am going to share with you 3 common exercise mistakes that slow results – so you can fix them – and transform your body even faster!

Yours In Health,

Dimitri

Do You Make These Exercise Mistakes?

I bet you do. See for yourself…

Putting speed over form – Don’t confuse speed with intensity. Intensity is important, the harder you work, the quicker results will come. Speed, on the other hand, can get you injured. Because speed for speed’s sake almost always compromises form. And when you break form, not only are you improperly working the muscles, you’re also possibly putting yourself in a position where a muscle, ligament or tendon can be improperly stressed…and damaged. Nothing will stop your results in their tracks like an injury will, so please, please be careful and use correct form. This is one of the many places where it is so valuable to get expert guidance, feedback and coaching. Just looking at a picture in a magazine or book, or even watching the exercise performed by someone else on a video, can be deceiving. For optimal results, use optimal (correct) form at high intensity. If you’d like a primer on form, function, proper technique and injury avoidance, I encourage you to give us a call, before the end of April, and come in for a complimentary workout. Our gift to you! [Just mention Newsletter April 20.]

Reading a magazine while doing cardio – Reading takes your concentration away from the task at hand, which is an intense, heart-pumping workout. And all sorts of bad things can happen when you’re not focused on what you’re doing while running along at 6mph on the treadmill, or even when you’re on a stationary bike. I’ve seen it all, and some of the spills I’ve witnessed weren’t pretty. If the person could get back up, he’d get up with an embarrased look on his face, that’s for sure. But really, it’s not about embarrasment, it’s about safety and getting results. I’m not trying to be a scrooge, I just want you to know that getting results, particularly if you want them fast, requires focused effort. You can’t do that while reading about “Brangelina” or even about the price of oil! Instead of a magazine, put on your Ipod with some motivating music…and rock it out!

Ignoring weight training – Guys obviously understand the benefits of weight training, but ladies…not so much. And I get it. You don’t want “bulky” muscles. But the truth is, that just won’t happen. Remember, muscle is more compact than fat. And women don’t have the muscle building testosterone men have. So, when a woman trains with weights, your body literally shrinks. It doesn’t expand, and certainly won’t get “bulky.” Instead, you’ll enhance your feminine curves by toning them up, and tightening them down! Tight, toned and terrific is what you get from weight training done right. Again, come in and we’ll show you the right way…for free.

OK, so now you understand a few of the common mistakes that sabotage results. I hope you will avoid them and focus on having more great, productive workouts. And if you need help, you know how to reach us!

Dear Friend,

In honor of the Oscar’s, which took place this past Sunday, today I am going to tell you how celebrities get and stay in such great shape. If anyone knows the best health & fitness secrets, they do (because they work with some of the best trainers, and, yes, we have worked with a few local celebs).

Take a look below to see some Hollywood health secrets that just might surprise you…

Hollywood Health Secrets

Here are some health secrets celebrities swear by:

Drink Green Tea – Made up of mostly water and packed with anti-oxidants that slow aging, the benefits of drinking green tea are substantial!

Sleep – Celebrities know that looking their best requires adequate rejuvenation and recovery which occurs during sleep. You may be getting plenty of exercise, but if you’re not allowing your body to repair itself, the gains will be minimal.

Cross-Train – Made famous in 2006 by the movie 300, high-intensity cross-training that incorporates an emphasis on resistance movements with little “down time” between sets, is widely regarded as the fastest way to burn fat and get lean [but be careful - injury can occur easily without proper form]. Ask us if this is the right kind of training for you.

Accountability – No secret…celebrities are as busy and stressed as everyone else. That’s why they invest in expert coaching from someone who will “hold their feet to the fire.” And if you look at those bodies on display, it’s obvious how well this works…for celebrities AND non-celebrities alike.

It’s always the fundamentals that get results. The right exercise, recovery, and nutrition. And it’s always the folks who value looking and feeling great that are willing to make the commitment to themselves. If you’re committed, we’re here to show you the PROVEN PATH.

Dear Friend,

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. In fact, as you’ll see, the two go hand in hand.

Because of that, and the importance a healthy brain has on your quality of life, today I am going to share with you 3 ways to reverse the effects of aging on your brain so you can enjoy life well into your 80′s, 90′s and beyond!

Also, I’ve got a super tasty recipe for you today. Let’s call it an early Valentine’s Day treat. I’m sure you’ll like it if you have a sweet tooth. We always try to eliminate as much sugar as we can, but we all get cravings from time to time!

Yours in Health,

Dimitri


How To Reverse The Effects of Aging On Your Brain

Here’s a few tips on how to keep your brain sharp into your 80′s and beyond…

#1. Exercise – Surprise, surprise! A recent study published in a Neurology journal found that people who exercise or get active at least once a week have a longer lasting memory.

#2. Be Friendly – If you live with someone, or do volunteer work, you improve your memory by almost 25% by being hospitable and engaging. Presumably because you keep the mind stimulated, by meeting and speaking to other people.

#3. Do Puzzles – Those newspaper puzzles like Sudoku and crosswords improve your memory, brain speed and vocabulary too! Plus, they’re fun and a great way to pass time productively if you commute to work by public transport.

Your brain is very much like your body, if you look after it, you’ll receive years of healthy, happy living. Start today!


Quote Corner

“The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.” – Robert Frost