VP Health & Fitness

I just had to pass this along!!!  There are no strings attached… PROMISE!

All you have to do is pop on over and register  your name and email address at http://www.12daysoffitness.com and then you’ll be able to download a lot of FREE reports from top fatloss & nutrition experts including a sackful of videos, audios, ebooks and special reports on just about every area of Diet and Nutrition to Mindset and Motivation, from Fat loss to Female Fitness, Mom’s workouts to Men’s bodybuilding and everything in between.

And what’s really great is that they will have them in all kinds of formats from printable PDF to downloadable audios to follow-along-at-home streaming videos that’ll walk you step-by-step through specific exercise routines and stretching.

Thanks to Jason from Meal Plans 101 for letting us know about this!

Merry Christmas!!!

~ Vilma

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Ok, I will admit it…. I’m a challenge junkie.  I’ve entered many many many weightloss challenges in the past years & have even started my own personal ones.  And… i’m happy to announce another one which I’m still debating whether or not to enter. Why?  I’m scared that I will not finish this either. 

Anyhow… Craig Ballantyne has announced a 12 week Turbulence Training Contest that will be running from Nov. 36 2007 to April 15, 2008.  The thing that I really like about this particular contest is that unlike the yearly Body For Life contest which has like more than a gazillion people doing it- by entering the Turbulence Training Transformation, you have a much better chance of actually winning something because you will probably be going up against just a couple hundred people. 

One more thing before I spill the details… In the 8 weeks that I semi-followed Turbulence Training (courtesy of Precision Nutrition) I saw some pretty instant results while doing the Precision Nutrition Challenge.  The bottom line is: Turbulence Training works and it works fast!

So, for those of you who are looking for a little motivation, read on for the details.

PRIZES:

Grand Prize - $2000 & a 3-year Platinum TT Membership

Second Place - $1000 & a 2-year Platinum TT Membership

Third Place - $500 & a 1-Year Platinum TT Membership

RULES:

1) You must have purchased Turbulence Training and used the TT programs
to achieve your results.

* The program is $39.99 and includes 26-weeks’ worth of workouts in the main
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss manual, a nutrition plan developed by
Dr. Chris Mohr, and an additional 32 weeks of Turbulence Training
workouts designed by Craig Ballantyne, including:

• Turbulence Training DB-BW Fusion Fat Loss 8-Week Program
• Turbulence Training for Women 4-Week Program
• Turbulence Training for Muscle 8-Week Program
• Turbulence Training Original 4-Week Bodyweight Program
• Turbulence Training 30-Days to Advanced Fat Loss Program
• Turbulence Training Advanced Fusion Fat Loss 4-Week Program

* You are also eligible if you already own the TT for Fat Loss manual, but you’d
need to sign up for the TTmembers.com monthly membership in order to qualify
if you have not already done so. Platinum level TTMembers.com users are also eligible.

2) You must keep a training journal in the Turbulence Training
Membership forum (don’t forget, you get 3 months free access to the
TTmembers.com site when you order Turbulence Training).

3) You must post before and after photos in your training journal
in the TT Membership section.

4) The TT Transformation Contest runs from Nov. 26th to April 15th.
All transformations must start and finish during this time period.
Therefore, you could start as soon as today (which I hope you do!)
or as late as January 21st…but I know you won’t wait that long!

5) Each client has 12 weeks to complete their transformation.
Photos must be taken on Day 1 and Day 84.

6) The Transformation Contest will be judged by a panel of experts,
including but not restricted to: Craig Ballantyne, Brad Pilon, and
Holly Rigsby.

7) In addition to providing Before & After Photos, each contestant
must write a 300 word essay on their before and after success
story.

Some recent Q&A about the TT Transformation Contest:

Q: Does it matter which TT program we use?

Answer:
No, you can use any TT program you wish for your transformation.
You can burn fat with TT for Fat Loss or you can build muscle with
TT for Mass. There are plenty of options, so go with whatever you
choose.

I’ve found that the best total body transformation (i.e. to gain
muscle and lose fat) programs available in the Turbulence Training
package are the TT2K3, TT2K4, and Fusion Fat Loss workouts.

However, if you are new to all of this, you must start with the
beginner or intermediate workouts found in the main Turbulence
Training for Fat Loss manual.

Q: What is the recommended criteria for photos?

Answer:
For men, a shirts off photo is best. For women, a tank top or
sports bra. These will showcase your transformation the best.
However, please just take a photo that feels comfortable for you.

Also, the more photos, the better. So if you have a side photo,
front photo, and back photo, you’ll be able to see more changes.

And you don’t have to post all these photos if you don’t want
to…but they are best for your own tracking of your personal
changes.

In reality, it becomes a question of whatever you think is
necessary to show the progress.

I suggest this…take photos in a few outfits and from different
views, and then post what you are comfortable with…

As long as you have other photos in different outfits taken on the
same day 1, you can always put up something else to make the
changes more visible.

The more you take, the better your chance of winning.

Q: Do we have to post our before pics now or can we post them after
we have completed out 12 weeks?

Answer:
Yes, as long as they are dated in some way, you can wait till the
end, but I would prefer the before photo to be posted now. It gives
more accountability and motivation to others, and to yourself.

Q: Had a question though…as far as body fat %’s go in this
contest, is there a requried body fat percentage to begin with?

Answer:
No. I expect all levels of fitness, fat loss, and muscularity to
compete in this tranformation.

Above all, this is a contest with yourself, to achieve the best
darned results you can achieve - no matter what results anyone else
gets.

Q: Where should we post our progress?

Answer:
To participate, you must post your transformation progress (before
and after photos) in the special forum at www.TTMembers.com

I also encourage you to build your own blog, do videos of your
transformation, and keep track of it in newsletters or on your own
website.

The more visibility you have means the more accountability you will
have…and therefore a better chance of success.

Plus, it will make for an excellent timeline of the time in your
life when you turned your health around or just got in the best
shape possible. You’ll always have this to be proud of and to
motivate yourself for the future.

Check out all the people getting started already…

Visit the TT Transformation Forum here:

http://www.ttmembers.com/members/forum/openforum.cfm?forum=9

Click here to become a TTMember.

============

Let’s have fun!!! I’m getting exited already!!!

~ Vilma

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Happy December everyone!  There are 20 more days left in 2007.  What are you going to do these last days which will help you avoid the holiday binging and weight gain?? 

Well, SparkPeople has posted their December calendar which can help you focus on one healthy habit each month. .  There are 31 daily tips that will each help you eat right, exercise more, and combat stress during the holiday season.

Click here to download and print your December calendar. (You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download this PDF.)

Happy Holidays & Merry CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

~ Vilma

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At this time of year, we can use every last tip to help avoid holiday weight gain.

So here are 5 more fat loss tips for beginner & advanced readers.

==============

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

1) No liquid calories (with the exception of a post-workout drink).

Get rid of all the juices, the sodas, and the sports drinks. Liquid sugar is the last thing you need when you are trying to lose fat.

You must also limit your alcohol intake - especially if you are adding mix to drinks…that is a double calorie bomb! A single “Jackand Coke” is over 200 calories (100 calories from booze and 100 calories from mix).

2) No fast food.

Do not eat at fast food restaurants. Even if you choose what you think is healthy, remember this:

Fast food restaurants are all about profit.

And in order to profit while giving you cheap, quick, and easy to prepare foods, the quality of the food ingredients will be poor - especially the protein.

Now you might have read that you can still make healthy choices at fast food restaurants. But you know what, that’s just politically-correct opinion. If it’s fast food, it’s poor food.

Walking into a burger joint and grabbing a chicken breast on a white bread bun with a piece of old lettuce and a half-green, half-pink tomato is “barely” healthy eating.

The politically-incorrect truth is that it’s going to take time and effort to eat properly. You will have to plan, shop, and prepare healthy meals. You will have to spend time cleaning, cutting, and cooking your food. That’s the truth.

But believe me, it will taste so much better than fast food, and healthy eating will make you more alert. Eating fast food will make you feel terrible, and will make you want to have an afternoon nap at your desk.

Make one small improvement to your nutrition everyday for the rest of your life.

3) Eat more fruits and vegetables.

If you are eating 2 servings per day, then go up to 4 servings per day by the end of the week. And even if you think you are doing great by having 5 servings per day, you still need to double that (take 2-3 weeks to work your way up to 10 servings per day).

Stick with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables - organic if possible.

4) Eat 1oz of almonds or walnuts per day (1/2 oz in the AM, and the other half in the afternoon).

Most nuts are roasted in oils (possible source of trans fats), so stick to natural or dry-roasted nuts.

Don’t panic…this small amount of nuts won’t make you fat, but will fill you up and help you lose weight.

5) Be consistent with your workouts.

And make sure the workouts are efficient and effective. To make it easy for you to follow, stick with the Turbulence Training fat burning workout system.

It doesn’t matter if you train in the morning before or after breakfast, or at night before or after dinner, or at 1pm on days when the moon is in line with Saturn…don’t worry about the details, just train consistently.

Click here to get Turbulence Training
==> www.TurbulenceTraining.com  

6) BONUS TIP: Go for a walk after lunch or dinner (or anytime you eat a big meal). Research shows this will help you control your cholesterol and triglycerides, plus any movement is better than sitting around watching the TV and snacking.

Improve your lifestyle everyday,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

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(By Craig Ballantyne from the grrlathlete.com newsletter)

You want nice arms, master the pushup.

You want to pass your physical recruitment test for the police academy or military, master the pushup.

You want to push other athletes around on the court or field (within the rules, of course!), master the push-up.

You want to be mobile, athletic, lean, and sexy? Master the advanced pushup variations.

Earlier this week I showed you how to start working towards your first chin-up. Today, we switch gears from pulling to pushing. If you can’t do a pushup, start with these 3 basic steps. If you can do a bunch and want to take it to the next level, see the 3 advanced steps below.

Beginner 3-step progression for push-ups.

i) Kneeling Pushups
Start with 1 set of 8 if you are a beginner. Add 2 reps each workout for the first week, so that you are at 1 set of 12 after 3 workouts.

In the next week, add 1 set each workout, so that you are at 3 sets of 12 by the end of the week. Then try for 3 sets of 15 the next workout.

The problem with kneeling pushups is that you can only get so strong. Eventually, you’ll be able to do 15 kneeling pushups, but you still won’t be able to do a full pushup…so onto the Incline Pushup.

ii) Incline Pushups on Smith Machine
Set the smith machine bar at chest height. Stand about 2-3 feet away from the bar. Lean forward and grab the bar with an overhand grip. Keep the balls of your feet on the ground and lower your chest to the bar.

Do 3 sets of 8 repetitions per workout.

Each workout, lower the bar one notch on the Smith Machine until you get to the lowest rung. You’re almost at full pushups now!

iii) Push up Holds
But you still might not be able to do more than 1 or 2. So let’s get stronger where we are weaker - at the bottom.

From the top of the pushup position, lower your body slowly (for 2 seconds) to the bottom position.

Hold this position for 5 seconds.

Then slowly lower your body all the way to the floor, drop to your knees and then get back up to the full pushup position.

Do 3 sets of 3 repetitions of the 5 second hold.

Add 1 repetition each workout until you are up to 3 sets of 6. By now, you should be able to crank out quite a few pushups.
Advanced Pushups

Here’s a progression to build you up to the Spiderman Pushups…

i) Pushups with Your Feet on the Ball

ii) T-Pushups

iii) Spiderman Pushups

Enough reading, go watch how to do them here:

Click HERE to watch CB’s Youtube Pushup Video

Keep pushin’,

CB

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

One thing we have to lose from our workout mindsets is the idea of this “60-minute workout”. Forget about spending that much time in the gym. Instead, choose better exercises that are more efficient. This will allow you to get your workout done faster, eliminating the “no time” workout excuse. To do so, you need to eliminate irrelevant exercises. I know you want to do an exercise for shoulders, and one for arms, and one for abs, and one for this and that. But before you do, ask yourself, will these really get me to my goal, or have I just been convinced by bodybuilding magazines that I need 40 sets per workout to get results?

Now, taking those lessons, we can then create some pretty incredible bodyweight workouts as well. And these bodyweight workouts can get finished fast!
In fact, here is a 7-minute bodyweight circuit that can help you lose weight, burn calories, and blast your metabolism. You don’t need machines or weights. You can do this anywhere!

Bodyweight squat (10-20 reps)
Pushup (10-20 reps) - do it on your knees if you must
Reverse Lunge (10 reps per leg)
Plank (30 second hold)
Close-grip Pushup (10-20 reps)
Side Plank (20 second hold per side)
Mountain Climber (10 reps per side)

Do this with no rest between exercises. Rest 1 minute at the end of the 7-minute circuit and repeat up to 3 times.

If you are a beginner, do fewer reps and take longer rests.

It’s a tough, tough bodyweight circuit, especially the combination of two exercises late in the circuit. This combo literally exhausted me to my knees…twice…before I was able to finish the circuit.You can do the circuit up to 3 times.

Another weapon in your fat loss arsenal. Now you’ll know how to train efficiently and eat effectively for fat loss.

Don’t wait any longer to get started! Get all of these bodyweight exercises, and more, in the Turbulence Training workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home. No more annoying drives to the gym, waiting in line for machines in an uncomfortable environment, or being intimidated by the super-buff gym bunnies. Lose fat, get fit, and workout your way - at home with only a bench, a ball, and dumbbells.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Author:

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training

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