Recently, Men’s Health and Women’s Health fitness expert Craig
Ballantyne emailed me the top 5 reasons why trainers should stop
telling their clients to do cardio.

I was surprised by all of the research that is out there showing
just how ineffective cardio is for fat loss.

I know I sure won’t be using it to burn belly fat in the future.

Now sure, cardio is good for endurance athletes and for your health,
but when it comes to fat loss, here are the 5 reasons to kick cardio
to the curb:

1) Cardio machines over-estimate the number of calories burned by
up to 31%. (reported in Mens Health, Feb 2009)

2) One research study found that when men and women did 6 hours of
cardio every week for one year, they only lost 6 pounds. (Reference:
Obesity 15:1496-1512, 2007. Exercise Effect on Weight and Body Fat
in Menand Women. Anne McTiernan*, et al.)

3) When some people start a cardio program, they end up eating
more, and may even gain weight because of this. (Reference:
International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184, 2008).

4) Even scientists admit that cardio does not burn as much fat as
you’d expect based on the number of calories burned in a workout.
(Reference: Br J Sports Med. 2009 Sep 29)

5) And finally, head-to-head research has shown that interval
training works better than slow cardio for fat loss – even when
diet is not changed. (Reference: Int J Obes 2008 Apr;32(4):684-91).

Wow!

If you’re like me, you would never have known about that research if
it wasn’t for experts like Craig Ballantyne exposing the truth about
cardio.

Now you might be thinking, if cardio doesn’t work, then WHAT DOES?

Well, don’t panic. Insider experts like Craig have known for years
that nutrition, interval training, and resistance training are the
3 most important secrets for helping you lose belly fat.

In fact, Craig’s workout programs have been used by millions of men
and women through his articles in Prevention, Men’s Health, and
Women’s Health magazine, plus through his Turbulence Training program.

Now I’ll be honest with you, and don’t tell Craig this, but while his
workouts in the magazines are good, they aren’t nearly as fun and
effective as the workouts in his Turbulence Training System.

In fact, I want you to try my very favorite Turbulence Training
workout that you’ll find here:

Turbulence Training Reconstruction Workout

It’s fun, fast, effective…and doesn’t require any long, slow,
boring cardio or fancy machines at your commercial gym.

So skip the cardio, because research and results prove that it just
isn’t worth your time.

If you are looking to cut down on the amount of time you spend in the gym without jeopardizing your fat loss goals, then including interval training alongside your strength training program is the only way to go.

Just imagine spending half the time in the gym – if not more – and
getting way better results.  Isn’t that what you deserve?

I thought so.

And to make the notion of ditching long, slow, boring cardio even
more convincing is the fact that you will be far less susceptible
to sustaining an overuse injury with interval training.

For some of you, however, the thought of giving up your daily
cardio machine routine is too much to bear.  But not to worry
because you can still use your favorite machine, but we’ll just
tweak things a bit so that you get more out of your workout in half
the time.

1) Interval Training Option #1 – Classic Intervals

For example, try incorporating intervals on the treadmill by
running hard for 30 seconds, at an 8 out of 10 intensity level,
followed by 60 seconds of light recovery at a 3 out of 10 intensity
level.

That is one interval, and so you will repeat this process up to 6
times, while using a five minute warm-up and a 5 minute cool down.

Each week try to do more squats in the same amount of time.  This
may sound easy, but trust me; it can be as difficult as you make
it!

2) Interval Option #2 – Short Burst Squats

I personally recommend a Gymboss timer for this type of training,
but it isn’t essential.

So, for the bodyweight interval training you will do as many
bodyweight squats as you can for 20 seconds and then hold the
bottom position for 10 seconds, then repeat your squats for 20
seconds, and then hold at the bottom for 10 etc. Repeat these
intervals for 8 rounds.

3) Interval Option # – Kettlebell Swings

If you have a kettlebell, you can do swings or kettlebell squats for
30 seconds and then walk for 30 seconds and alternate for 6-10
rounds. That’s a great way to finish a fat burning workout.

Alright, so those are just three of the countless ways in which you
can include interval training into your workouts that will burn fat
faster and help you avoid spending more time than necessary in the
gym.

=>Check out more bodyweight workouts from Craig<=

So here it is..the latest and greatest fat loss tips from Craig Ballantyne! Hope you enjoy!

ANGIE: When putting together a total body workout, how do you decide
which exercises are most important in ensuring that someone is
getting the best benefit from the workout?

CRAIG: Great question.

I break total body workouts down into 5 movements – the big 5 I call them.
First is a squat movement, second is a push, third is a pull, fourth is a
single-leg exercise, and finally, a total body ab exercise. That is also the
order in which the exercises are generally performed.

CRAIG: First, start by eliminating adding sugar and trans fats, essentially cutting
back on all foods from a bag or a box.

Second, eat more fruits and vegetables.

Third, snack on raw nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts) between meals.
Research shows that you don’t gain weight if you eat nuts (probably because
they fill you up and you eat less at meals).

Fourth, plan, shop, and prepare on weekends so that you have the right foods
at the right times.

And finally, record what you eat for 7 days. This will help you identify
problem spots.

CRAIG: This won’t happen for two reason. First, women do not have the same amount
of muscle building hormones as men. That is why they are smaller.

Second, you can’t get big unless you are overeating. So the politically
incorrect truth is this: If you are getting bulky “from” resistance
training, then it is because you are overeating.

CRAIG:
Three things:

1) Stay active.
2) Eat according to those five rules I posted below.
3) Get as strong as you possibly can. Not only will maintaining your
sculpted muscle help you burn more calories, but it will also allow you to
stay active into your 80′s.

CRAIG: Interval training is the exercise answer to losing belly fat, but more
importantly, the dietary answer is to eliminate sugar and mindless eating.
If you can work hard and plan ahead so you avoid 4pm cookies, you’ll lose
belly fat AND thigh fat.

CRAIG: A leg exercise paired with a pulling exercise. For advanced women, squats or
Bulgarian split squats paired with pullups or chinups. For intermediate
women, split squats paired with bodyweight rows or dumbbell rows. For
beginners, lying 1-leg hip extensions paired with dumbbell rows or seated
rows.

CRAIG: Yes, I hope every woman reading this interview realizes that there is a
workout style and diet style that suits their personality and will give them
results. I truly believe a lot of fitness programs AND different diets work.
Don’t believe the politically folks who say diets don’t work, because they
DO! The key is getting the right diet for you so that you will work too!

1 whole egg

3 egg whites

1/3 cup oats

1tsp cinnamon

stevia to taste

Mix all in bowl and pour into pan. Continue to cook like scrambled eggs. Get 1/3 cup frozen blueberries and microwave until melted. When egg mixture is done, put on plate. Top with 1/3 cup plain yogurt and blueberries! Very yummy! You could also add sugar free syrup, but I really liked the yogurt and blueberry combo on mine this morning.

Have a favorite healthy breakfast recipe you would like to share? Send me an email and Ill post it for you!

1. Plank with your arms on the Ball (30% more effective than plain
ol’ planks, according to Men’s Health magazine)

2. Ball Rollouts (probably my favorite ball ab exercise)

3. Hanging Knee Raises (classic exercise that most folks do
wrong…but if done right, will work your abs safely and
effectively)

4. DB Renegade Row (this is the biggest surprise on the list…but
it works your lower obliques incredibly hard)

5. Ball Jackknife (always a tough one for beginners to get the hang
of…but when they do, they get a lot of six pack ab benefits)

6. Ball Jackknife Rotation (a tougher version of the jackknife)

7. Ball Jackknife-Pushup Combo

8. X-Body Mountain Climber (one of my favorites…so simple yet so
effective)

9. X-Body Mountain Climber with Hands on Ball

10. X-Body Mountain Climber with Feet on Ball (an even more
effective version of the regular X-Body mountain climber)

All of those exercises are in the programs at:

Turbulence Training For Abs…remember special only last until Valentine’s Day!

Anyways, to celebrate, he’s giving you TWO free workouts and 25% off
his landmark NO-crunch Turbulence Training for Abs workouts. Gotta love the no crunches..easier on the back and helps you get those six pack abs! Plus,
you’ll get 3 months free into the TT Member’s site for even more
workouts and you’ll be able to ask him your personal workout and
diet questions.

Check out his “I Love My Abs” Ballantyne’s Day sale here:

Turbulence Training For Abs

But hurry, the sale ends on Friday, February 13th, BEFORE Valentine’s
Day (see, I told you he was crazy!).

Say yes to burning belly fat and getting six pack abs!!!

Don’t miss Craig’s article on the 5 biggest ab training myths at:

=> Turbulence Training For Abs

Prograde is NOW shipping overseas! Yes! Yes! I have been asked by many when..and now it finally has happened! I am so happy about this, as I really feel that the Prograde supplements are truly the best! And because of that and the fact it’s January, they are having a BIG 10.9% off everything sale. Yes, that’s 10.9 like January of ’09.
Here’s everything you need to know:

- It will be 10.9% off all Prograde products. The sale is to celebrate both the New Year AND our new shipping territories.

- It’s going to start this Thursday, January 8th and will run until 11:59pm EST on Thursday, January 15th.

- Yes, that 10.9% will be applicable to autoship orders. But it only applies to that first purchase. Not ongoing.

- Sorry, the 10.9% off does NOT apply to wholesale orders.

- The coupon code you will need to use is:

012009

So what are you waiting for! Click HERE to get started!

Here are my recommendations of the products:

The VGF+25…Highly recommended! I noticed huge improvements in my skin and nails and my moods! How I found out? I ran out and noticed how horrible my nails were looking and breaking all the time and I was breaking out all the time. I was also very irritable…no more missing my VGF+25!

Prograde Cravers…Amazing taste..so much better than ANY snack bar you can buy at store AND so much better for you..with all organic ingredients! Great when you are craving chocolate or for when you are on the run as a quick and healthy snack!

Prograde Workout…I love how this tastes and I mix mine with just water. Perfect for after your workout to make sure you get the correct carb to protein ratios to provide maximum muscle recover!

Prograde Lean…Yummy chocolate flavor (perfect for ME!) This is one of the best tasting meal replacement shakes and I have gotten great reviews from clients as well.

Ok..so now onto the Turbulence Training!

I have bad news. At Noon (EST) on Thursday, January 8th, (TODAY) all of the free bonuses in the Ultimate Turbulence Training for Fat Loss Solution are going to be removed.

I don’t even want to think about how much you’d have to pay to get them separately. So don’t miss your chance to get them for free. I use Turbulence Training for Fat Loss and I love it. I can’t recommend the program enough.

And I promise you that you’ll love it, or Craig Ballantyne, the creator of Turbulence Training, will give you your money back. You have nothing to lose (except belly fat).

But all of the extra bonus goodie workouts will be removed from this incredible offer at Noon (EST) on Thursday, January 8th.

So don’t waste any more time. Visit this site to grab the Ultimate Turbulence Training Fat Loss Solution and all of your fast action bonuses!!

Now get going…get your fat burning supplements and workouts and start blasting fat!

Check out the details below:

You’ll get proven fat burning workouts, beginner and advanced nutrition programs, the motivation and social support you need to finally stick to your program, and all of the Turbulence Training time saving tips to help you lose fat in just a few minutes per day.

You can even get a free copy of “Eat Stop Eat”, the most controversial (and effective) diet plan since the Atkins diet!

But don’t contemplate too long, as all these bonuses will be gone soon!

Visit this site to grab the Ultimate Turbulence Training Fat Loss Solution and all of your fast action bonuses:

=> Turbulence Training Fat Loss Solution

Craig Ballantyne, creator of Turbulence Training for Abs, sent me this email announcing his upcoming mini-report that is coming out in October.
What you will get is a bunch of beginner and advanced 6-minute ab workouts that show you how to get six pack abs in less time than it takes to watch all the commercials in a half-hour TV show. So some
of these workouts you can do right at home in front of the TV. How awesome is that!?

Here is one that he did the other day at a local YMCA, which is one of the advanaced 6-minute workouts, and it
requires a chin-up bar. Here’s what he did….

1A) Hanging Knee Raises (10 reps)
1B) Spiderman Climbs (10 reps per side)
1C) Plank with Arms on Ball (20-30 seconds)

Go through that circuit as much as you can in 6 minutes with as little rest as possible between exercises. Don’t even rest once you’ve completed the circuit, just start back again at the top.

It’s tough. But fun and effective and gets your workout done faster than ever. this is much better use of workout time compared to people who are doing 15 minutes of ab crunches. Not THAT is a waste of time!

Be sure to watch for that “6-Minute Abs” workout bonus coming on October 1st! I am all for it! I am working these abs hard now and to be able to do them in 6 minutes? That ROCKS!

Make sure to check out his TT for Abs workout also! This is not just an abs workout, but a full body workout that will help you to get those amazing abs as well!

Turbulence Training For Abs!

I mean, I feel like these success stories have removed EVERY excuse I could possibly come up with. It’s amazing what these guys and gals accomplished in just 12 weeks.

Makes me feel bad that I dropped out and didn’t try harder. But dang, what tough competition I would have had! I followed Karla for quite some time and she was a huge motivator for me until I fell off the wagon. She truly inspired me though and she looks amazing!!

The finalist’s accomplishments include…

1) “Catherine Beats Fat Loss Plateau By Losing 14 Inches, 14
Pounds, and 5% Body Fat – And She Looks 14 Years Younger!”

2) “Kerry Cuts Cardio and Loses 6 Pounds to Get 6-Pack Abs at Age 51″

3) “Abby Lost 13 Pounds and 5% Body Fat, Fits Into Size 4′s, and is Back to Her High School Weight!”

4) “Karla Got Her Rock-Hard Body and Lost 15.2 Pounds, 6.65% Body  Fat, and 14 Inches While Exercising LESS Than Before”

5) “Mark Burns 6.2 Pounds of Belly Fat and FINALLY Gets Abs”

6) “Barry Finds It is NEVER Too Late to Burn Fat & Regain Health, Losing 11.5 Pounds and 11% Body Fat, While Burning 5.5 inches of DEADLY Fat From His Waist”

7) “Shanda, a Turbulence Training Skeptic, Loses 16.2 lbs, 6.3% body fat, and 17.25 inches in ONLY 12 Weeks”

Cast your vote here: Transformation Contest Voting!