So we have heard or been told by a friend or even read in what we thought was a credible magazine or tv show. I’m here to tell you it’s not just about the calories. That’s incomplete and these are lies people are spreading that are creating more and more frustration when it comes to shedding the pounds.

Time and time again I see and hear people say when it’s time to lose weight “I’ll just eat less and do cardio everyday.” They do really well in the beginning ONLY to go back to their old ways and gain even more weight then when they started.

Ask the millions of people who go on weight loss programs each year to find out how successful they were and still are. Some small percentage made it because they had a successful model, most don’t make it because they followed something incomplete and weren’t told the truth.

Here are the components that make up a successful fat loss program in regards to just nutrition and I will touch upon each in separate blog posts:

1. Calories In vs Calories Out (did I just contradict myself…no and you will see why)

2. Frequency of meals

3. All 3 Macro Nutrients

4. Portion Size

5. Thermic effect

I will touch upon the first component which is calories in vs calories out. So how many calories should you eat?

Well the best and most efficient way is to get your RMR (resting metabolic rate) tested via the Body Gem device. This is something we have used with our nutrition clients to get them amazing results. On average, our nutrition clients lose 4lbs in the first week and up to 25lbs in only 12 weeks.

However, if for some reason you are unable to get your RMR tested at our facility, the next option (which can be used with success) is to estimate your RMR using a formula. What better way to teach you then to have our Nutrition Coach Greg teach you how to do that and how you can build your own meal plan.

He wrote a post for our Fit Body Bootcamp Blog. Head on over and learn the true method of calories in vs  calories out:

Calories in vs Calories out

Dedicated to your results,

Coach Rahz

Locust Valley Personal Trainer

Breakthroughs To Fitness

P.S. You have to check out our Meta-Burn Nutrition program. It’s insane the results it is producing for clients. Click the link below to register for a complimentary discovery session

What’s Your Metabolism

Coach Rahz here with an important post. October has been a crazy month but I am loving the progress we are having.

My great friend, and Fit Body Bootcamp Coach Greg wrote an important (actually made a video too) fact about how diets kill us internally both physically and mentally. He went through a challenge that he could not control nor could anyone else. His sister had a major brain surgery which had his family on the edge of their chair yesterday.

He felt it was important to share his post about how the things we can control are killing us and killing us fast. Fat loss is not this complicated process yet we make it complicated by trying all these new things versus sticking to the basics.

Go watch his video now and read the information he has below the video because it gives you 5 steps to creating your own successful meal plan without having to go to the extremes of dieting.

—>Diets Kill!<—

Coach Greg knows his stuff when it comes to nutrition and fat loss. Just recently he had a new client break the 20 lb mark in less then 14 weeks and another client who lost her last 8 pounds and looks amazing. Follow his advice and you too will be successful. Make sure to follow his Long Island Fit Body Bootcamp Blog. It will complement all the great fitness strategies I post.

—>Diets Kill<—

Dedicated to your results,

Rahz Slaughter

Breakthroughs To Fitness

Locust Valley Personal Trainer

Top 3 Reasons to end Fitness Procrastination Forever

Are you in better shape today than you were 6 months ago? If not,why?

Procrastination to Get started and stick to your program is my educated guess.

Coach Rahz here,

Hope you’re doing well.

I’ve got a quick post that I feel will help you get your butts off the couch and moving in the direction of feeling better, and looking hotter. Over the last 11 years I’ve work with thousands of people, and heard every reason, and procrastination story possible. We are all procrastinators. Either consciously or subconsciously we delay, stall and put off various tasks that will make a positive difference in our lives. Procrastinating can be a learned trait from our parents or derived at birth. Habits are very hard to change without a conscious, deliberate action taken on our part.

Traditionally, procrastination has been associated with perfectionism, a tendency to negatively evaluate outcomes and one’s own performance. It is an intense fear and avoidance of judgment of your abilities by others. Heightened social self-consciousness, anxiety, recurrent low moods, and workaholism are the results of compulsory procrastination. In addition to those I’ve found that laziness, lack of coaching, knowledge, and accountability are all key reasons for most people to procrastinate when it comes to getting fit and Healthy.

Here’s my list of the top 3 reasons to end the procrastination game forever

1. Disease Prevention

• Obesity – All time High in America, and headed toward being the number one killer
• Increase risk of Heart disease, diabetes, stroke, mental illness, and many other health complications

2. Increased Self-Esteem

• When your healthy and fit it is easier to feel good about yourself, your body image, and have more confidence and overall happiness.
• Self esteem effects all areas of your life including personal and professional

3. The Fountain of Youth

We all know that getting older is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to be such a downward spiral like it is for so many people today. Simple exercising 3 to 4 days per week can give you all the benefits below. In some special cases you may require a few additional items to enhance your health, but for the most part, simplicity works very well.

• Increase your Metabolism
• Increase your daily energy
• Look Younger
• Move with ease
• Less Pain
• Better Sex Life
• Career Advancements

When it comes to fitness there can be no someday, tomorrow, or next month you have to decide and get started. Your health is not going to wait for you to get ready, so if you don’t make the decision to jump in the water you just might never get in. I hope that doesn’t happen to you. It’s my personal mission to assist people everyday to get healthy, fit, and start living the exciting and adventurous lives they were born to live.

A client once said, “Nothing tastes, as good as fit feels.” I hope you get to feel that feeling one day. If you require some assistance that’s what we are hear to do. Give us a call, and leave a comment at the end of this post. I love replying to questions, and helping people get started on their health and fitness journeys.

Dedicated to your Results,

Rahz Slaughter

Greenvale Personal Trainer

Breakthroughs To Fitness

P.S. Here’s another way to get rid of procrastination. Fit Body Bootcamp is live on Long Island. For the month of September claim your two free weeks of this 3-in-1 program to get the results other Fit Body camper’s are receiving. We have campers as early as 6am in the morning! Claim your two weeks here www.LIFitBody.com

Coach Rahz coming to you fired up from Labor Day weekend!

I was able to relax, kick back, and enjoy the sun (a little bit of hurricane Earl) in Fire Island. It’s so crucial that you take time away for yourself and just let go. There is too much stress in life that it must go somewhere instead of lurking around inside of you.

I made a little video for you on the best ab exercises to do to get those tight tone and firm abs we are all looking for. Don’t be mistaken. These are just one piece of the puzzle but it’s a start. Hope you enjoy watching me eating the cheeseburger in the video

I will have some of the top foods I used in Fire Island to boost my metabolism on the next post. And no it’s not alcohol or hot dogs, but doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy those “bad” items from time to time.

If you haven’t assessed where you are today and where you want to go for the ending months of 2010, now is a great time to do so as the summer comes to an end. If you need help developing a plan, working on nutrition, or a fitness program we are always here to help. Click the link below to sign up for a complimentary discovery session

Complimentary Fitness Discovery Session

Summer is over, and it’s time to start a new phase in your fitness program.

Dedicated to your results,

Rahsheen Slaughter

Roslyn Personal Trainer

Breakthroughs To Fitness

Just got in from an intensive 2 day mastermind workshop in Chino Hills California. I have to say I’ve always loved California and one day look forward to moving there in the future.

I spent 18 hours over two days with 6 other successful fitness entrepreneurs and we were mentored by a highly sought after and successful business coach Bedros Keuilian. This man has taken several fitness locations and fitness ideas and turned them into multiple 7 figures which means he has a system in place that I was willing to invest in so that I can grow my business not only in monetary terms but in results and success of our clients.

Let me get to the point of why I am telling you this. As the title says, “If you stop doing this, you stop getting results!”

Investing

That doesn’t necessarily mean on a monetary end. It can mean reading a book, trying out new fitness methodologies, picking the B2F teams brain, going to a fitness/nutrition seminar, watching other successful people who have transformed their health and bodies, or cutting certain things out of your life to see the changes. There are so many ways you can invest, but if you do not continue to do it, you will fail in continuing to improve your health.

The reason I feel so strongly about that is because we get too comfortable with what we are doing, that we tend to become more resistant in changing. We think we enjoy where we are, yet when our clients open up to us, you can sense unhappiness whether its a perception of their bodies, the way they feel, or the road their health is heading down.

Our goal here at Breakthroughs To Fitness is to educate, empower, and inspire you to create Breakthroughs in life through fitness.

We have seen the results of our clients change drastically ever since we have been investing heavily on our education as coaches. We love learning new methodologies of exercise, faster and more efficient nutrition strategies, more effective stretching routines, etc.

So I urge you to continue investing in yourself. It’s so powerful of a tool. Don’t stay in your comfort zone. Start to stretch that zone beyond a point where it doesn’t feel natural.

We have several programs that assist our clients in learning more about how to improve their bodies and health, but we want to hear from you on what it is you want to learn more about. What’s a topic or area you could invest more in so that you continue to take your health to new levels.

Email me at b2f@b2finc.com and let me know exactly what you need in order to move forward. We are here to help so please voice your feedback.

Looking forward to your continued results.

Rahsheen Slaughter

Breakthroughs To Fitness

Roslyn Personal Trainer

I wanted to share an article we just sent out in our newsletter to our Breakthroughs To Fitness clients. It talks about the benefits of caffeine on sports performance and proper usage. We also go on to note proper intake of caffeine and why it may not be ideal to consume too much for the general public. We always preach moderation, so this does not mean you have to eliminate all your coffee and caffeine drinks (just keep them to moderate levels)

***side note: caffeine suppresses your appetite and is a natural diuretic. Be conscious of when you intake your next meal and always drink plenty of water when ingesting caffeine.

Can caffeine boost your exercise performance?

Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. Nearly 100% of adult men and (non-pregnant) women report some level of caffeine consumption. And about 80% of Americans drink coffee (55% daily; 25% occasionally).

Due to its widespread availability and use, both socially and as an ergogenic aid (substances, devices, or practices that enhance an individual‟s energy use, production, or recovery), caffeine was removed from the list of banned substances for athletes.

Caffeine, a naturally occurring substance found in a variety of plants, is generally accepted by most sports scientists as an effective ergogenic aid.

How does caffeine affect performance in exercise and sports?

Its stimulating effect on the central nervous system reduces the sensation of fatigue, perception of work effort and even pain. Caffeine also contributes to improved mental clarity, greater concentration, focus and technical skill during and after strenu- ous activity or fatigue. Ingested caffeine is quickly absorbed by the body and peaks in 1-2 hours.

There are more than 74 good studies on the use of caffeine for both endurance exercise and short-term, higher intensity exer- cise. The vast majority of the studies conclude that caffeine does indeed enhance performance and makes the effort seem easier (by about six percent).
A common explanation to why endurance is improved with caf- feine is the muscle glycogen is spared. Glycogen is the stored energy in the muscle tissue that is broken down during exer- cise. Studies suggest that glycogen sparing may occur as a result of caffeine‟s ability to increase fat availability for skeletal muscle use. It is important to note, however, that studies so far cannot fully explain the ergogenic effect of caffeine.
How much improvement can you gain from a jolt of caffeine before your workout?

It depends on many factors, including:

• duration and intensity of the activity
• How much caffeine you ingest
• When you take it
• Whether you are a habitual caffeine user

The average improvement in the studies was about 12 percent, with more benefits noticed during endurance exercise than with shorter exercise (eight to 20 minutes). More benefits were also noticed in people who rarely drink coffee, who were not tolerant to its stimulant effect.

Because each person responds differently to caffeine, don‟t assume you‟ll perform better with a caffeine-boost. Depending on when you do your workouts and how you feel be- fore getting started, you can determine if you feel the need for a caffeine boost. Caffeine comes in various forms—coffee, soda, energy drinks, gels, chews, etc.—try a few options to find the one that works best for you prior to a workout. For example, acidic coffee may cause you a bit of nausea during your work- out, whereas a chew may settle better for you.

And as we‟ve mentioned before, watch out for those extra „empty‟ liquid calories. Remem- ber specialty coffees may be filled with extra, unnecessary fat and calories.

So how much caffeine is needed to feel a boost?

A moderate caffeine intake is considered to be 250 mg/day or the equivalent of 2 and a half cups of coffee a day. In research studies, the amount of caffeine that enhances performance ranges from 1.5 to 4 mg per pound of body weight taken one hour before exercise. For a 150 lb person, this comes to about 225 to 600 mg. More doesn‟t seem to be better.
Caffeine levels in products vary, such as: Diet Coke, 12 oz: 30 mg; Espresso, 1 oz shot: 40 mg; Red Bull, 8 oz can: 80 mg; Starbucks, 16 oz coffee: 200 mg.
According to the American Council of Sports Medicine, for the average teenager or adult who is exercising with the goal of enjoyment and self-improvement, using caffeine defeats the purpose. Although we may feel as though we are increasing our performance, it more related to the temporary effects of caf- feine. Proper training, nutritional habits, and sleep are more sensible and productive approaches (without the side effects) to get the most benefit from your exercise routine.

Dedicated to your results,

Rahsheen Slaughter

Breakthroughs To Fitness

Greenvale Personal Trainer

Kettlebell Workouts that burn fat

Greenvale Personal Trainer Rahz Slaughter, demonstrates how to use you Kettlebells as an effective tool in burning fat and creating a metabolic disturbance within your body. Performing these exercises in a circuit fashion back to back will get your heart pumping.

There are always ways to modify the workouts, so if you feel you can not complete them, either rest between exercises or complete the exercises a little slower. Adjust your body position to make the exercises easier.

This is workout 2 of the kettlebell workout series. Check back every week for a different exercise routine with a different exercise tool.

Greenvale Personal Trainer Uses Kettlebells To Burn Fat – Workout 2

Any questions leave your comments below or email us at b2f@b2finc.com. Come join our personal training in Greenvale.

Dedicated to your results,
Rahsheen Slaughter
Breakthroughs To Fitness
Greenvale Personal Trainer

If you haven’t heard yet, the Pharmaceutical industry may have found the “holy grail” of weight loss pills called Qnexa. According to CBS NEws, “People on the drug lost more than 10 percent of their body weight in company-sponsored trials”

When I read this I was amazed because the only side effects that occurred in this trial is:

•    memory lapses
•    suicidal thoughts (just what someone needs)
•    heart palpitations

As you can tell I am being facetious about the situation and thank the FDA for taking a stand and voting against this new drug because the side effects of the drug outweighed its ability to help people lose weight.

I am tired of hearing about these piss poor attempts at helping people where our time should be focused on connecting and coaching these individuals who struggle with their weight. It is shown that only a small percentage of people medically can not lose weight by adjusting calories and exercising. But millions of others can!

Below is an article as well:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20010891-10391704.html

Hope you have an amazing week!

Coach Rahz

Breakthroughs To Fitness

Greenvale Personal Trainer

Had a great weekend with this beautiful weather in New York. We had an amazing Meta Cardio class from our Meta Burn Fat Loss System. All body weight movements with easy transitions. Coach Greg wore a monitor and he was able to beat last Meta Cardio class with 971 calories burned in 57 minutes. We will be posting sample Meta Burn workouts in the near future along with creating an entire system you can use at home. Watch workout 2 of our body weight workout series below:

Greenvale Personal Trainer Rahsheen Slaughter, demonstrates how to use your body weight as an effective tool in burning fat and creating a metabolic disturbance within your body. Performing these exercises in a circuit fashion back to back will get your heart pumping.

There are always ways to modify the workouts, so if you feel you can not complete them, either rest between exercises or complete the exercises a little slower. Adjust your body position to make the exercises easier.

This is workout 2 of the body weight workout series. Check back every week for a different exercise routine with a different exercise tool. Our personal training in Greenvale has been touted as the fastest Fat Loss system in town. Check us out to see if we live up to that expectation at www.b2finc.com.

Any questions leave your comments below or email us at b2f@b2finc.com.

Dedicated to your results,
Rahsheen Slaughter

Breakthroughs To Fitness

Greenvale Personal Trainer