If you are not moving forward, you are either stagnating or worse, regressing. The key to success is progression. By making progress it keeps you motivated.

What are you doing to move forward?

This article series and video companion is designed to help you get radical results with your body transformation. It is from knowledge and experience collected from hundreds of clients. For more information on how to succeed you can contact Omar at omar_isuf@hotmail.com.

This week will be a short but sweet theme: fun! If you are trying to pursue a fat loss goal and you’re not having a good time- stop! Fat loss should not be a chore, it should be a nonstop adrenaline rush. Life is too short to be spent doing what you don’t want to do. Ever wonder why you fall out of your fitness routine? Is it always a willpower issue? Or can it actually be a boredom issue (like watching figure skating…in slow motion…while listening to Clay Aiken…wait thats not boredom thats the definition of insanity!).

Select activities that are fun and will keep you engaged. Play a sport with friends vs being on the treadmill watching Oprah, join my boot camp vs doing a Jillian Michaels DVD work out at home (ya know… the one thats collecting dust!). Prevent boredom by changing up your work out and not doing the same thing. If your work out partner sucks, get rid of them. If your trainer sucks, fire them! Seriously, fat loss should be challenging but never boring. We’re after excitement!

Now who’s ready to do my boot camp?

This article series and video companion is designed to help you get radical results with your body transformation. It is from knowledge and experience collected from hundreds of clients. For more information on how to succeed you can contact Omar at omar_isuf@hotmail.com.

Success Tip: When you train, train hard or don`t train. Don`t waste your time

We have the desire, we’ve developed a plan but without this element none of it matters. I’m talking about intensity. ROAR! Intensity is the reason Michael Phelps (American Olympian swimming championing) can eat 10,000 calories a day of junk and be ridiculously lean. Intensity is the reason why you can be on the stair master 40 hours a week (like a second job), eat 300 calories and still not lose any weight. It is what separates those who see results from those who quit.

Success Tip: Attack fat loss! Remember you are waging a war and you want to win! Wussing out will give you a wuss`s body.

Intensity is a beautiful thing: it produces more results in less time. Why wait to achieve your dream body when you can accelerate the process? Jogging in your neighbourhood does not count as an intense exercise. Neither does playing a sport (especially chess!). Here is what you SHOULD do:

Hierarchy of Fat Loss
This is under the assumption that a sound diet is being followed. This is the order of what you should be doing to achieve results.

1. Heavy Strength Training- To preserve or build lean muscle as an avenue of ramping up your metabolism (minimum 2 times a week)
2. Volume Dominant Circuits- To melt off fat and maintain lean muscle (minimum 1 time a week)
3. High Intensity Interval Training- A good idea to do as extra physical activity if you are tired of the gym (or to be done post work out)
4. Other forms of energy system work (cardio)- If you have extra time and want to burn additional calories

Success Tip: Intensity saves you time and gets your results faster.

Now this is very important to state: being intense and beating up on yourself are not the same thing! I see all too often people in gyms questioning themselves, doubting their abilities and the possibility of success. Don`t! Do not beat up on yourself. I call this the “Rocky Syndrome“ when you never think you are good enough. I`ve experienced it myself;  you always wonder if you are truly giving 100%, whether you could have performed one more rep. You question your will. This is absurd. Training yourself into the ground isn`t the point- success is!

Success Tip: DON’T Beat Up on yourself, know when to exert yourself and when to recover

It`s no coincidence that my most successful clients are usually the most successful in their life as well. Its because when they work out- they train. Hard. They aren’t spending ten minutes at the water fountain talking about Desperate Housewives. They are doing burpees. Supersetted with jump squats. And frog jumps (and then usually puking but maybe I shouldn`t mention that…).

Success Tip: Intensity builds character so push yourself past your comfort zone

Remember be intense, stay focused and pursue the goal to the fullest. I`m not only talking about training intensely, but also using that same intensity to your eating habits and recovery. Are you zealous about getting your sleep, relaxing on off hours, and eating right? Intensity doesn`t mean yelling and screaming- it means quiet determination executed flawlessly and consistently. Use intensity to break through plateaus and see results- fast!

What is your type of intensity is in your training?

Almost everyone is walking around with different discomforts or nagging ailments. From training an incredibly diverse roster of clients I can safely say that everyone has some sort of problem with their body that is unaddressed (yes that includes you reading this). I personally, with proper warm-ups, stretching and lots of epsom salt bathes, have experienced a back sprain, a wonky left shoulder, and right knee pain. Everyone is at risk (insert dramatic music)! Most of the time we try to ignore these pains, hoping that they will go away. However whether they be in the knees, back, shoulders, hips, or wherever, these problems are usually an indication of a much bigger issue. If we do try to address these problems its in a haphazard way, we go to a doctor seek a quick fix and continuing performing the same things that only make the problems worse.

Its time to take action, below is a three part interview with Dr. Tzakas, Clinic Director at Kinetica Health Group (located on the Danforth, just west of Chester station). I managed to sit down with this most gracious wise sage and pick his brain apart on the most pressing topics! In it we cover what chiropractic care is, art, soft-tissue work, common misconceptions and basically everything included in staying healthy fit and active!  

 
PART 2

PART 3

This is only the beginning, guys I want you to either comment below, e-mail me (omar_isuf@hotmail.com) or Dr. Tzakas personally with questions that you want answered (drpeter@kineticahealth.com) for next time!

For more information on Kinetica and how to stay healthy and fit go click here!

As promised flap jacks are up for grabs! In today’s wicked episode, Chef Buff (master of all things bufficlious) masters the art of the Johnny cake, say goodbye to Aunt Jemima (take your diabetes with you!) and say hello to the healthy pancake!

In the show, for batter for two I used:
1/2 cup quinoa flour
½ cup egg whites
½ cup cottage cheese
1 table spoon baking powder
dash of salt
hint of vanilla extract
cinnamon
one banana
half cup strawberries
tons of love

Try these bad boys out and let me know how much ya love them below!

I present history in the making, the first ever Chef Buff episode:

Now confession, I’m not a five star chef (heck I barely know how to turn on the stove!) but thats the point of this; you don’t need to possess extensive knowledge of cooking to make tasty food. With that being said, BOBBY FLAY, you are NEXT! Let me know what ideas you guys have for healthy recipes below!