Waiting...

...To board the plane in LA. So far the day's nutrition has been good. Probably not my regular amount of calories, protein or vegetables, but certainly no disasters.

Stocked up on more almonds to get through the flight to NZ.

There really isn't any excuse for eating a hot dog at the airport. So if you are on a fat loss program, plan ahead and avoid the pitfalls that are easy to fall into.

It takes discipline to eat right, but traveling is no excuse for poor eating.

Eat right, keep moving,

CB

My hip flexors are going to kill me for this

I'm flying to auckland new zealand today. The first 6 hours to LA will be no problem...then I get a 4 hour break in LA to move around and then the 12 hour flight.

I might some dynamic stretches in the airport.

Sometimes things get a little tight in the hip flexor area - we'll see what happens.

I once interviewed a fitness model for oxygen magazine that said she has worked out in an airport...and I don't mean in a gym. I doubt I'll do that...just walking around will be fine.

But once I get to NZ we'lll be doing bodyweight workouts and mobility stuff and sports on the beach everyday so I'll quickly be as good as new...

And MORE importantly I'll be filming exercise clips and lessons for you.

We'll post those in late february for you to check out. In the meantime, I'll post the workouts here to let you know how I'm staying fit.

Until then, I'm eating as well as possible at the airport with a chicken breast salad and a bottle of water. Later I'll snack on nuts and an apple I brought.

Stay fit, no matter where you go,

CB

February Workout Now Available

If you are looking for the right workout to "give it a chance", then I've got 4 good ones for you, including my latest workout: The February 2007 Unilateral Fat Loss Workout.

It's part of my www.TTmembers.com monthly workout program...

For only $9.95 you get...

a) The February 2007 TT Unilateral Fat Loss Workout full of new TT exercises, and single-limb movements. Plus, its just a fun, fast 4-week workout

b) One month's access to the Discussion Forums

c) Access to the fat loss expert interviews with Dr. John Berardi, Dr. Stuart Phillips, Christian Finn, Zach Even-Esh, Cassandra Forsythe, and Jen Heath...among others...

d) Bonus downloads- The January 2007 TT Fat Loss 4-week workout- The December 2006 10-minute Workout Program- The Original Bodyweight 4-week Workout- Dr. Mohr's TT Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines

All for only $9.95 at www.TTmembers.com

I know you'll enjoy the TT Feb 2007 workout...the X-body Stability Ball Mountain Climber will be a challenge for everyone, and the total body lifts will put fat-blasting Turbulence on your muscles.

Get started today at www.TTmembers.com

CB

P.S. What did Dr. Berardi say when I asked him...

CB: John, let's jump into something that is very popular at this time of year...the "Detox Diet". What is your take on these? Helpful, harmful, harmless? Can they help get someone on track? Is there any detox method you would recommend?

CB: And what about fat loss supplements? Do any of these work? Can you really boost your metabolism with a pill to a significant amount, or are they just glorified caffeine pills?

CB: With fish oils, is there a particular brand you use with your clients?

CB: And how much supplemental protein (i.e. whey protein) is too much per day? You included whey as one of your superfoods in one of our old interviews, so are you saying that everyone should be using some whey each day? Or do you need supplemental protein at all?

CB: John, I think I read in one of your articles that you put a top limit on fiber intake. Can someone eat too much fiber? How much is too much and what will happen? (Save us the gory details if possible.)

CB: Tell us about your book about increasing metabolism. If someone does everything right (i.e. in terms of both exercise and nutrition), what kind of jump in metabolism can you get?

CB: Do you feel your metabolism has changed much since you were a 19 year old bodybuilder? Do you expect it to change much in the next 10-20 years?

CB: And what about for our female readers? Let's say they are 35, with 3 kids, and a sedentary job, but exercise intensely 3 times per week. What else can they do to increase their metabolism, and can they turn "back the metabolism" clock by 10 years?

Find out at www.TTmembers.com

Give Your Workout A Chance

For all that I've said about variety and getting new workouts and changing regularly, its still important for you to give "your workout a chance". You need to stick to the workout for at least 3 weeks to give it a fair trial.

One of the problems we see is men and women flippin and a-floppin back and forth between programs, often giving one up for another after only 7-10 days because "they aren't seeing any results".

But listen, no matter what program you are on and no matter what exciting program you just read about or heard that your buddy was on, stick with your current program for at least 3 weeks to see if this type of training will help you.

And just as important, TRACK YOUR TRAINING AND NUTRITION AND RESULTS.

Consider your body as a science experiment (no, not a place to grow mold, but instead an object on which to test new variables).

Each time you change a training program, you are adding new variables. If you don't track your training, your nutrition, and your body composition (i.e. your results), then you'll never be able to "connect the dots" to identify what worked for you.

So bottom line:

a) When you start a new program, stick with it. It takes a couple of weeks (3-4) for the changes in your body to manifest in response to the training stimulus.

b) Record your training program (exercises, sets, reps, cardio methods, energy levels, training time, etc), your nutrition (every meal, protein intake, what makes you cheat, when you are hungry, WHY you are eating (hungry vs. bored), etc. - use fitday.com or a similar service), and your body measurements (circumferences, body fat if possible, weight, strength changes, conditioning changes).

You have no idea how much you can learn from these quantitative and qualitative observations (think back to grade 9 or grade 10 science when you first learned these terms).

Once you start tracking your progress, you'll be able to pick out what works for you. The reasons for your success will be staring you in the face, and then all you need to do is keep repeating what works. Its usually that simple.

c) When you change your program, don't change too many variables at once. That takes the science out of the experiment. For example, in your next training program, go from using a 4 day training split to a 3-day training split, but don't mess too much with the exercises, weights, or reps. Or move from 12 reps per exercise to 8, but don't change too many of the exercises.

If you do this, have patience, and keep track of the 3 basics (training, nutrition, and results), you'll put together a road map/plan for your body that will allow you to live the rest of your life at your desired bodyweight.

If you need a new program, try one of these:

The December 2006 TT 10-Minute Workouts

The January 2007 TT Fat Loss 4-week Workout

The February 2007 TT Unilateral Fat Loss 4-week Workout

Click HERE to download these monthly workouts

As many experts say, "Failing to plan is planning to fail".

Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne,
Author, Turbulence Training
www.TTmembers.com

Favor please? A quick survey...

Hey,

A friend, doing his master's in nutritional sciences at U of Guelph, needs help with a survey...if you could fill it out, I'd be grateful...

He was hoping he could get your opinion on a projecthe is working on - its about sport drinks.

Please take a minute of your time and Take the survey here!

Thanks for your help!

CB

Monday workout

Really busy today with the TTmembers.com and WORKOUT PASS offers.

I really think membership websites are going to have incredible benefits to anyone that works out.

Why?

Because now you are comitted to a community. You have a social support team on your side. You are accountable to others who want to know how you are doing.

Its no longer just - here's the info, you go try and do it yourself.

Nope. Its a team effort now. You have a much greater chance of success with the membership website approach.

with thousnds of people putting their collective knowledge together, we can find someone who has overconme the same obstacle as you.

We can overcome everything,

Okay, so let's look at my workout, which was slightly rushed because I needed to get back to work, fast.

1) Gym was busy so had to do vertical jumps in place of snatches (3x3)

2a) bench press (worked up to 95 percent max) - 305
2b) split squat (1x8) - left quad a little tight from recent squatting, no need to push it

(For strength advice, read "the 90 percent solution" on www.t-nation.com)

3a) powerblock incline (1xMax reps with 85lb powerblocks)

3b) db elbows out row (1xMax with pb's)

Overhead lunge walk with 65 lbs x 5 reps per side for 2 sets

Gym was busy, and that kind of sucked,

CB

4-minute fat loss? C'mon....

Ryan Lee is the 4-minute fat loss master. Now I know what you're thinking, this sounds like that "6-minute abs" joke out of the movies. "Who can work out in only 4 minutes?". Well, I put that question to Ryan, and let's see what he says.

If you like his answer, check out his new site, ==> WorkoutPass, where you'll get access to 43 different workout sites and over 5000 workouts.


CB: Ryan, you've put together Quattro Fitness workouts on Workout Pass. Now, I'm sure someone could say, "you can't workout in only 4 minutes". How would you respond?

RL:
I would tell them to give one of the workouts a try first and them come back to me.

You can absolutely get a great workouts in only 4 minutes. It has nothing to do with the time, it has to do with the right combination of exercise choice, work and rest.

Think about it, the best runners in the world can run a mile in about 4 minutes. Are you telling me that if you ran a mile that fast it wouldn't be a good workout for you?


CB: Which is your favorite 4-minute workout? Because you do these right? With having 2 kids and a big business, you don't have much time to train, so when do you fit in your workout?

RL:
My favorite workouts usually include a kettlebell. It might be a KB swing, followed by pullups, then a pushup variation and usually a core movement like a stability ball jacknife.

Yes, with my limited time and 2 young children, I do these workouts myself all the time. In fact, even at my current training level, my workouts almost never go longer than 20 total minutes from start to finish.


CB: Now I know bodyweight exercises, and you've put together some great workouts with bodyweight exercises...so tell us, what are 2 of your favorite bodyweight combination supersets?

RL:
I love bodyweight training! One of my favorite combos is a pushup/pullup. I start on the floor and do a pushup. After the pushup, I immediately jump up and do a pullup. It's a nice combo.

Another one of my favorites is called a 'bodyblaster'. I start in a low crouch position. Then roll onto my back. Once I reach a far back position, I explosive roll back up, kick my feet out behind me, then do a full pushup. After the pushup I go back to the back roll position and repeat.


CB: Nice! I know you like to keep it simple, so what do you have in your home-gym?

RL:
It's REALLY simple. I have some kettlebells, dumbbells, and sandbags. That's about it.

The gym I workout at has lots of fun toys: monkey bars, climbing ropes, and olympic platforms.


CB: Sounds like the gym I go to. What's your favorite Kettlebell move?

RL:
I love the walking swing. It's a basic KB swing movement, but you take a short step forward during the swing and walk to a specific marker such as a cone or a wall. When I get the to spot, I'll crank out 10 KB snatches and then do a KB walking swing back to the start.


CB: So what role does slow cardio have in your fat loss approach?

RL:
Zero! I haven't done any slow cardio in over 4 years. All the 'cardio' I do is sprint based intervals. I tell all my clients to gradually drop long slow cardio and transition into interval training.


CB: What type of training do you recommend for bursting through a fat loss plateau?

RL:
Train like sprinters. Drop the cardio and do interval training.

And when choosing your exercises, go with full body, multi-joint movements. Keep work intensity high, and rest intervals short.


CB: And finally, what are some of your favorite workouts that you've come across in the other sites on Workout Pass?

RL:
I really like your workouts and Alwyn Cosgrove's as well. You guys have done a great job at teaching people how to burn fat without long slow cardio. It really is the future of training. It's so simple and makes so much sense!


CB: Thanks Ryan.

If you join WorkoutPass before Tuesday, January 30th, at midnight, Ryan will also give you 76 bonus reports worth over $1600. There's even a bonus report on the psychology of fat loss.

Now that's key to your success.

I'm even throwing in an extra bonus...see below...

And don't forget...

I just want to say to everyone, keep up the good work. Keep that January fat loss motivation going. Don't give up! Stay compliant on your nutrition. Don't let anyone get you down, and don't get discouraged. Make new healthy habits everyday and keep them for a lifetime!

Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

PS - This is your LAST CHANCE!!!

If you order WorkoutPass BEFORE Tuesday, January 30th at midnight, not only will you get a year's membership to over 5000 workouts and access to $1600 worth of exercise, nutrition, and motivational bonuses, BUT now you get another bonus from me...

==> WorkoutPass

I'm adding this to the package...

A 3 month guest pass to the Basic Level membership in my site, TTMembers.com

If you order through this newsletter, just email me your receipt and I'll add you to our Basic Level membership for 3 whole months.

The Basic Level Membership at TTMembers.com will give you access to the TT Workout of the Month, the discussion forums, and the Fat Loss Expert Interviews.

That's a $30 value.

And if you're already a TTmember, I'll add 3 months to your current TTmember subscription.

Join WorkoutPass today!

Meal Plans 101 for Weight Loss

In working with guys over in the Men's Health transformation program, everything I've said about nutrition is being confirmed...

And while I know you are probably sick of hearing this from me now, but I'm going to say it again...

"When it comes to fat loss, your nutrition program is often more important than your workout program."

Because of this belief, I'm going to let you know about every good nutrition tool that comes across my desk.

Today, I'm talking with Registered Dietician Jayson Hunter about his new project, Meal Plans 101, that he has put together with Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.

CB: Jayson, what is the role of a meal plan in helping people keep their calorie intake under control?

JH:
The role of a meal plan is much like a training (workout) plan.It provides you with a guideline or template to follow so that you meet your goals.

Most people subconsciously block out most everything they eat or drink throughout a day. If you were to ask what someone ate today they would remember at least half, but they would most likely forget the things they drank or snacked on throughout the day.

With a meal plan you are reminded of what you are supposed to eat and are more likely to remember and recognize what you should be eating and avoid what you shouldn't be eating or drinking.

CB: Jayson, that is a very honest observation that people need to appreciate. Almost everyone thinks they are doing better than they really are...it's not until we put our actual intake down on paper that we see the truth.

So what equation do you use for estimating calorie needs, and does that differ between genders or with obese individuals?

JH:
We use the "The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicines" equation.

The equation does differ between genders and takes into account Height, Weight, and Age.
The equations do not differ for obese individuals, but you may adjust the frequency you modify their calories and/or the calorie deficit based on their current health status.


CB: That's great, because a lot of us get confused about our needs when we read a meal plan for a specific gender. What is your philosophy on protein intake?

JH:
Research is showing that protein intake is a vital cog in weight maintenance and/or weight loss.

For years it has been feared that too much protein causes heart disease, clogged arteries, stress on the kidneys, etc, etc.

If you are a healthy individual with no complications or diseases then I suggest you consume some type of lean protein at every meal.

Lean protein will not promote clogging of the arteries or anything like that and it actually helps satiety and curb hunger pangs. You will find yourself less hungry throughout the day if you incorporate some protein into every meal or snack which in turns usually means you will consume less calories overall.


CB: I'm surprised at the difficulty some people have with getting enough protein in their diets, but obviously planning our meals ahead of time will help with that.

What concerns me even more however, is the fruit and vegetable intake of TT users, all of my readers, and the entire population. Almost no one is getting enough.

What are some tips and tricks to help people get more fruits and vegetables into their daily meal plans?

JH:
One of the easiest tips I have found is incorporating them into the foods you already eat.

For example if you have egg white omelet in the morning put some chopped up green peppers or spinach in it. Or put a banana on your cereal. Make a fruit smoothie to eat as your snack along with some whey protein mixed in to get your protein serving. Another idea is cottage cheese with a peach.

If you needed some dinner ideas there are different types of bean salads and such that you can easily incorporate vegetables. There are casseroles, pasta dishes, etc.

Some people do like to just eat fruit and vegetables as a snack which is perfectly fine as well. Yet, for those that have trouble eating them by themselves I have found that mixing them with other foods you already eat is a great way to incorporate them into your diet.

CB: Thanks Jayson.

If nutrition remains your soft spot, and the missing link to your success, then start recording what you eat and planning your meals ==> Meal Plans 101

Trust me, planning makes the difference for both me and for TT users...

"By putting more effort into planning my meals, I was able to lose 6 pounds of fat in only 2 weeks before my winter vacation on the beach. My results were easily worth the small amount of time I invested in meal planning."
Dion Guerin, Busy executive, Toronto

Remember to spend time shopping, planning, and preparing on the weekend,
CB

P.S. Jayson and Chris...
Are giving away 4 big bonuses if you order Meal Plans 101 before Jan 31st. So take advantage of the motivation and commitment that are still running high at this time of year and get your nutrition sorted out.

After all, considering all the hard work you do in the gym, why take a chance ruining it by being lazy in the kitchen?

Free Videos...Not a member yet?

Not a Platinum Level TTMember yet?

Here are two sample videos you can watch to see the incredible quality of our exercise clips.

Watch the DB Split Squat and DB incline press videos here

CB

PS - Want to become a member?

Platinum Level Yearly Membership: $147 fee for 12 months access to TTmembers.com, including:

- Access to ALL TT manuals in the download library (current total value of $3000 if you bought each separately)

- Exercise video clips (eventually there will be over 100 clips)

- And all of the above in the monthly membership level

- SO this is a HUUUUUGE bargain, costing only $27 more than you would pay to be a monthly member for 12 months ($147 vs $120)

HOWEVER...I am also having a pre-launch membership drive as I await my merchant account for TT Members.

New members: You can get access to the site NOW for only $127 for the year.New TT clients get started at $127 here

When you order, I will add you to the site and email you your password.And previous customers of any TT manual: Only $97 for previous customers

And if you've already been a TT member? Click HERE to renew at $77

Please let me know if you have any other questions, or if I have confused you!

PPS. As soon as I am ready to launch the site, there will be a 48-hour notice and then these prices will be GONE. And that should be very, very soon.

7-Day Guide: Cool Workout Video

I get a lot of my ideas for my newsletters while I'm working out...I train a pretty cool gym, and I taped a tour for you... There's some cool stuff in this video, so check it out.

See where CB does his workouts

Now for this week's guidelines...

Monday
Do your TT workout. I've got several new exercises coming up in the February workout, including some 1-arm presses. So today, instead of doing regular dumbbell presses (if those are in your workout), use only 1 dumbbell and do one arm at a time.

We just filmed the February monthly workout and it will be posted for all members of www.TTMembers.com

Tuesday
Get 30 minutes of activity to help alleviate stress, boost your mood, and do it with a family member to have more fun. After your exercise, email someone in your support group to let us know how your week is going.

Wednesday
TT workout. Since its the end of January, it's time to change the workout plan you began on January 1st.

I spent all of one morning last week going through Alwyn Cosgrove's workouts on Workout Pass.

If you want a great workout series, check out Workout #27 (both Day 1 and Day 2) on Alwyn's site within WorkoutPass.These workouts are top notch, and he uses skipping and burpees as his interval methods - so you don't need any cardio machines. I often get asked about using jump rope for intervals, and here's a program that does so...

For Alwyn's workouts and thousands of workout ideas, visit: www.workoutpass.com/turbulence

Thursday
30 minutes of exercise, anyway you want to get it done. Lately I've been picking the dog up at daycare at 5pm, letting him get a bite to eat, working a bit, and then heading to a local dog park where he's finally started chasing sticks...and more importantly, bringing them back.

In addition, he chases me. I chase him. We're out and back in about 60 minutes. Even in the frigid cold. I hope that you can find something that's even half as enjoyable as our fun "off-day" exercise sessions.

Friday
TT workout. Review these 3 mistakes...are they holding you back?

1) Your perception of your nutrition "success" doesn't match the reality of what, when, and how often you are eating. To learn the rules of fat loss, you need to read (scratch that, you need to STUDY), Dr. Chris Mohr's Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.

2) There is no variety in your training.

3) You need to up the intensity of your training.

Saturday
Get 30 minutes of exercise from a fun, non-gym workout. Then have some fun. Go to a movie with someone who shares your fitness goals. Or walk to the bookstore and browse the magazines. Or go bowling. Or walk to the video store to get a flick. Walk around the mall and get yourself something nice.

Anything. Just stay off the couch for a while.Sunday Plan, shop, and prepare, of course. Get 30 minutes of exercise, and don't forget to grab...

1 new nut from the bulk section
1 new fruit
1 new vegetable

Living healthy is living well,

CB

P.S. The TTmembers.com forum is buzzing...

We've got debates about artificial sweeteners, members from Europe, Australia, and Asia, and fat loss and nutrition experts checking in to help our members.

There are only 2 LEVELS of Membership that will be offered:

1) Monthly: $9.99 per month, giving you:

- access to the workout of the month (which is sold elsewhere for $19.99 - so obviously the deal is sealed with that offer)
- access to 2 back issue "Workouts of the Month"- access to Dr. Chris Mohr's Nutrition Guidelines
- access to the Discussion forums that are busy, busy already
- access to all of the exclusive interviews I do with other fat loss and nutrition experts

- BUT THE BAD NEWS...You DO NOT get access to the full TT download library OR the exercise clips at this price.

2) Platinum Level Yearly Membership: $147 fee for 12 months access to TTmembers.com, including:

- Access to ALL TT manuals in the download library (current total value of $3000 if you bought each separately)
- Exercise video clips (eventually there will be over 100 clips)
- And all of the above in the monthly membership level- SO this is a HUUUUUGE bargain, costing only $27 more than you would pay to be a monthly member for 12 months ($147 vs $120)

HOWEVER...I am also having a pre-launch membership drive as I await my merchant account for TT Members.

New members: You can get access to the site NOW for only $127 for the year.

New TT clients get started at $127 here

When you order, I will add you to the site and email you your password.

And previous customers of any TT manual: Only $97 for previous customers

And if you've already been a TT member? Click HERE to renew at $77

Please let me know if you have any other questions, or if I have confused you!

PPS. As soon as I am ready to launch the site, there will be a 48-hour notice and then these prices will be GONE. And that should be very, very soon.

I'm a Loser...But YOU Can Win

I'm such a loser. I've spent the last 2 days neglecting work and addicted to the workout sites at Workout Pass.

Yesterday morning was dedicated to all of Alwyn Cosgrove's fat loss workouts, today was Ryan Lee's Quattro Fitness 4-minute workouts, and the intriguing Medicine Ball workouts section as well.

I haven't even made it through all the Stability Ball Workouts, or the Fat Loss for Men Workouts, or the Abs of Stone workouts. But those are next on my list. I did spend a bit of time on the forums though, and answered a few questions.

So I didn't get much work done...so, uh-oh, looks like have homework to do, should be a really exciting weekend...not.

But let's look on the bright. You're a winner in all of this.

Why do you win?

Because I thought of something you might like.

Basically, I'm so convinced that you'll love Workout Pass, that I'm adding a little something extra special to sweeten the already amazing offer Ryan Lee has put together.

If you order Workout Pass BEFORE Tuesday, January 30th at midnight, not only will you get a year's membership to over 5000 workouts and access to $1600 worth of exercise, nutrition, and motivational bonuses, BUT now you get another bonus from me...

I'm adding this to the package...

1 month - no wait.

2 months - no, scratch that...

3 months of a Basic Level TTMembers.com subscription for f-r_e_e

If you order through this newsletter, just send me your receipt and I'll add you to www.TTMembers.com in our Basic Level membership for 3 whole months.

The Basic Level Membership at TTMembers.com will give you access to the TT Workout of the Month, the already smokin'-hot discussion forum, and the Fat Loss Expert Interviews.

That's a $30 value.

And if you're already a TTmember, I'll add 3 months to your current TTmember subscription.
And if you've already purchased Workout Pass through my newsletter (it has to be through my newsletter, sorry!)...then I will be sending you a Login and Password for TTmembers.com sometime today...don't worry, you won't miss out on this new, extra bonus.

Let me know if you have any questions,

CB

P.S. You must order before next Tuesday at midnight...

That's when Ryan's promo ends, and he takes his 75+ bonus reports down, and the TTMembers.com bonus offer ends as well.

That will be your last chance to get a 3-month visitors pass to TTmembers.com.

So we'll hear from Ryan about Workout Pass and his approach to fat loss training early next week.

Get started on Workout Pass and TTMembers.com today!

Friday workout

Two bad sleeps in a row have left a little tired. The night before last I was roused by a fire alarm, and last nite the dog decided to have a loud cleaning session at aboot 5 in the morning.

Oh well, you just suck it up and train.

1) Squat clean (3x1) I working on technique, not max weight

2a) medium squat (5x3) 355
2b) rack lockout (3x5) - 255

3a) wide stance GM (3x8) - 150
3b) 1-leg RDL (3x8)

It was okay,

CB

Coffee QnA & Exercise Video Roundup

First up, it you haven't watched my YouTube instructional exercise videos yet, here they are:

How to Train Your Back at Home

The Pushups - with the Grasshopper & Spiderman

Q: What's the deal with coffee? Is it okay to have?

Answer:
Yes, coffee, like many things, is fine in moderation. I find it amusing that the media gets all worked up about Red Bull (80mg of caffeine per can), but no one challenges Starbucks on their monstrosity beverages containing hundreds of milligrams of caffeine.

Here's a tip. Just don't drink 7 of them (Red Bulls or coffees) in a day. Then you'll be fine. Too much caffeine is not good, regardless of the source.

Take this sobering news from the Jan-Feb 2007 Men's Health about the downside of caffeine...

"Research shows that caffeine junkies are 30% more likely to develop depression and anxiety, and 20 percent more prone to panic disorders".

And trust me, having been around someone who has anxiety attacks, this is no joke. That's one of the main reasons I stay away from caffeine. I'm just not a caffeine junkie...


Q: My nutrition is pretty good, but I'm at a fat loss plateau. What are some advanced nutrition tips?

Answer:
You know where I'm going with this one.

We all think we are better than we are when it comes to eating, yet everyone of us can eat better. I'm sure of it.

Achieving the 90% compliance is a lot harder than you think. First, do the 90% compliance test recommended by Dr. John Berardi. Make a 7x6 chart (7 days, 6 meals), and check an X each time you go off track. You can only make 4 mistakes per week.

And if you really "let loose" during your mistake meals, such as wolfing down an entire pizza, then don't think that gets just a single "X". Take a look at your calorie compliance. Are you getting 90% of your calories from the right sources?

Remember, you can't be doing everything RIGHT and still be getting the WRONG results.


Q: I find it hard to get enough protein...is that bad for fat loss? I thought protein was just for building muscle.

Answer:
Protein is helpful for fat loss because it helps control appetite. So yes, you certainly don't want to be too low on protein.

The Jan-Feb issue of Mens Health reported that most men consume most of their protein after 6pm. In my opinion, that's a fat loss "no-no".

Without protein to keep your appetite controlled, you'll end up ready to eat a horse by 6pm.

Meaning that if you're at a restaurant, you'll be elbow deep in the bread rolls as soon as the waiter puts them on the table. And if you eat at home? You'll be eating the treats meant for the kids while you prepare dinner.

So stick to the 6 meals per day approach, and spread your protein out over each meal. Here are good ways to get 15-20g of protein:

- A serving of a protein powder

- 1 cup low-sugar yogurt plus 1oz nuts (make sure the nuts are not roasted in vegetable oil)

- 1/2 chicken breast on a mixed vegetable salad

- 3 strips beef jerkey

- 3 hard boiled Omega-3 eggs (only 1g saturated fat per egg)


Q: Dude, i hate almonds. There's no way i'm eating these things. Can i eat peanuts?

Answer:
Peanuts aren't packed with the healthy fats contained in other nuts such as pecans, almonds, walnuts, and pistacchios.

These are all unheralded nuts.

So surely there is one nut in that mix that you like. While almonds get the most attention, the others are also shown in research to help improve blood lipid levels and provide fiber.

Put your nuts in a bag (and take them to work),

CB

P.S. The countdown is on...
I just received my Merchant Account for www.TTMembers.com - and that means we will soon be able to accept payment for memberships on the site.

The BAD news?

That means the pre-launch sale prices will soon be gone.

Take advantage today! Before these prices are gone next week...

NEW members: You can get access to the site NOW for only $127: New TT clients get started at $127 here

When you order, I will add you to the site and email you your password.Previous customers of any TT manual: only $97 for the year:Only $97 for previous customers

Already a TT member? Or were you in the past? Renewals: Click HERE to renew at $77

Why I Didn't Get Any "Work" Done This Morning

1) the fire alarm in my building went off at 5am, chasing me into the frigid cold for 30 minutes

2) the fire alarm went off again at 9:30, chasing me from my home office for another hour

3) I spent the rest of the morning addicted to Alwyn Cosgrove's Fat Loss Workouts on workoutpass

One by one i went through his 133 fat loss workouts. And while I definitely have a favorite workout set after looking through all of them, I learned something from each one. It's interesting to see how he sets up his workouts, which while similar in theory to TT, are still quite different in practice.

And then I wandered through some of the other 42 sites for more ideas. I think I've looked at every exercise animation by now, but there must be over 500 different exercises.

If you haven't checked out the site yet, go here for all the workout ideas you need:

WORKOUT PASS

CB

TTMembers.com - I'm letting people in. Kind of...

I received an email this morning that went a little like this....

"I came across your blog this morning that led me to www.TTmembers.com - what is the price for this site?"

My answer:
The site hasn't been launched to the public outside of my newsletter list and current customer list.

There are only 2 LEVELS of Membership that will be offered:

1) Monthly: $9.99 per month, giving you:
- access to the workout of the month (which is sold elsewhere for $19.99 - so obviously the deal is sealed with that offer)
- access to 2 back issue "Workouts of the Month"
- access to Dr. Chris Mohr's Nutrition Guidelines
- access to the Discussion forums that are busy, busy already
- access to all of the exclusive interviews I do with other fat loss and nutrition experts

- BUT THE BAD NEWS...

You DO NOT get access to the full TT download library at this price.

2) Platinum Level Yearly Membership: $147 fee for 12 months access to TTmembers.com, including:
- Access to ALL TT manuals in the download library (current total value of $3000 if you bought each separately)
- Exercise video clips (eventually there will be over 100 clips)
- And all of the above in the monthly membership level
- SO this is a HUUUUUGE bargain, costing only $27 more than you would pay to be a monthly member for 12 months ($147 vs $120)

HOWEVER...

I am also having a pre-launch membership drive as I await my merchant account for TT Members. New members: You can get access to the site NOW for only $127.

New TT clients get started at $127 here

When you order, I will add you to the site and email you your password.

Previous customers of any TT manual: only $97 for the year:

Only $97 for previous customers

Already a TT member? Or were you in the past? Renewals: Click HERE to renew at $77

Please let me know if you have any other questions, or if I have confused you!

Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, M.Sc.

PS. As soon as I am ready to launch the site, there will be a 48-hour notice and then these prices will be GONE. And that should be very, very soon.

Why THIS is a Must for Weight Loss Success

Variety. If you don't have it, you'll plateau.

Do you change your workout frequently? Or are you just happy to do the same thing in and out of the gym all year round?

With TT, I don't let clients go more than 4 weeks without changing their workout programs. We sub in new exercises, or at least switch the grip or stance and rep range for other exercises.

Why?

Because when we change the variables in the workout, the stimulus to the body becomes "new" again, and it should lead to an increased metabolism and a "breakthrough" on any plateau standing in the way.

But if you do the same machine circuit, using the same weight, followed by the same cardio, month after month after month, you will NOT get anywhere after the first 6 weeks on the program.

From athletes to beginners, programs should change to help you make continued progress.

So if you are stuck on the same workout you were doing the day the NFL opened, make sure you change your workout before the last game of the season.

And even if you've been using a program since day 1 of 2007, its time to start thinking about your next training phase. You should have something in place to move onto after 4-5 weeks.

Fortunately, even though you might not know a lot of exercises, there are hundreds of movements that you can use in your workouts to get results. You don't have to be stuck doing the same thing over and over again. Heck, I've got over 200 bodyweight exercises alone in my exercise files.

Another option for an almost unlimited number of workouts and exercises for you to use?

Check out WORKOUT PASS. This site features workouts from me, Alwyn Cosgrove (another Men's Health trainer), and a world famous strength coach named Mike Boyle. Alwyn's portion of the site alone contains over 100 fat loss workouts.

So whatever you are doing now, get ready to change. If your fat loss is slowing down, it will pick right back up again. If your arms haven't gotten bigger since Turkey day, they'll start filling out again. Whatever you're after, the road to success runs through variety.

There's an infinite number of programs you can do, even if you only have a homegym.

Don't forget about variety in training know matter how much you like the routine of your current workout,

CB

PS. Do you want 100 fat loss workouts from Alwyn Cosgrove

That's right. 100 workouts from the Scottish Sensation, Alwyn Cosgrove.

All right here: www.workoutpass.com/turbulence

Ryan Lee has put over 5000 workouts together on one membership site...connecting specific training program sites with experts such as:Alwyn CosgroveEric CresseyMike BoyleJeremy Booneand...

Its worth it just for this beautiful page: www.ballantyneworkouts.com

PPS
You can also get $1600 worth of bonus workouts if you are one of the first 5000 to signup at www.workoutpass.com/turbulence

Where I workout - video

Hey everyone,

here's where I train: www.dccentres.ca

I taped a tour for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9BM7Ggzqhw

Theres some cool stuff on here, check it out.

CB

3 Weight Loss Mistakes & A TT Workout

Let me solve your workout problem.

I know that you are:

- Eating well
- Exercising regularly
- and TICKED OFF that you aren't making progress.

I've answered dozens of emails and blog posts like that this weekhere and in my Men's Health blog.

And here are the 3 mistakes that you are making:

1) Your perception of your nutrition "success" doesn't match thereality of what, when, and how often you are eating. To learn therules of fat loss, you need to read (scratch that, you need toSTUDY), Dr. Chris Mohr's Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.

2) There is no variety in your training.

3) You need to up the intensity of your training.

Let's face it. Human beings like to stick to a routine. We don'tlike change. We like our comfort zone - some more than others.

But if there is no change in your workout from month to month, thenyour body will not change either.

That is why I insist on changing your workouts every 4 weeks as youdo in the TT workouts.

(For more TT workouts, check out http://www.workoutpass.com/turbulence).

You won't succeed by doing the same thing over and over again.Would you get ahead at work by doing the same tasks you did as thefirst day on your job? No way. You have to take on more challenges.

With variety in your training, you will continue to apply"turbulence" to the muscle, and making your body use lots of energy(i.e. calories and fat) during the recovery period to repair themuscle and replenish the energy used. That will "jack up" your metabolism.

If your body is used to the training, the exercises, the sets, andthe reps, it will give a "ho-hum" response and your metabolism will flatline.

And that's why you need to raise the intensity of the workout aswell.

Slow, boring cardio doesn't jack up the metabolism like intervals.

And research has shown that 8 reps boost your post-workoutmetabolism more than 12 reps. So you have to safely add a littleweight (try using 5% more weight with perfect form, of course), and decreasing the number of reps per set by 2. That's a good place tostart.

So if you've been doing a machine circuit, then stop, and give thissample free weight Turbulence Training workout a try.

Warmup with a bodyweight circuit. 8 reps per exercise, go throughit twice.

Sample bodyweight circuit:
i) Bodyweight squat
ii) An easy pushup
iii) A bodyweight row if possible, if not, do stick-ups

Then do 20 minutes of total body strength training done insupersets.

ie.
1a) DB Squat
1b) DB Press

Do each exercise with a weight that allows only 8 reps. Do not restbetween the squat and press.

Rest 1 minute after the press. Repeatthe superset 2 more times.

Next superset:

2a) DB Split Squat
2b) DB Row

Same as above.

On to intervals:

5 minute warmup.

6 intervals of 60 seconds at a "harder than normal cardio pace"with 60-90 seconds recovery (at the easiest pace possible).

5 minute cooldown.

Stretch tight muscles only.

Done.

You can also get more of the Turbulence Training workouts,including barbell and bodyweight Turbulence Training workoutoptions at:
http://workoutpass.com/turbulence

We don't do slow cardio. It does nothing for the man or woman whois short on time.

And of course, always train safe and don't do anything you are notcomfortable doing...but if you are fit and healthy, you canincrease the intensity, change the variables, and burst throughyour fat loss plateaus.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne,
Author, Turbulence Training
http://www.turbulencetraining.com

PS.
You can also get $1600 worth of bonus workout info if you areone of the first 5000 to signup at: http://workoutpass.com/turbulence

Ryan Lee has put over 5000 workouts together on one membershipsite...

All right here: http://workoutpass.com/turbulence

Wednesday workout

Made a switch to the first exercise of today and friday's workout...switching the clean versions to start the workout

Todays version is more intense and takes away from my squat a bit

1a) Hang clean + 1-leg hop (3x3) - 185
1b) 1-leg hop (3x3)

2a) trap bar deadlift (3x3)- 382
2b) dynamic bench (8x3)

For the dealift, I managed 392 for one last week, but wanted to get 386 for 3 reps today.

So you can imagine my surprise when I loaded the bar and couldn't budge it. I ran thru possible reasons.

Then I double checked the weight.

Oops.

Because I was using bumper plates that are measured in kilos, I manged to mess up the math...and I'm Canadian, eh. We do things in kilos here...

...oh well, after I changed the weight feom 430 (oops) to 386, I did my sets and reps as planned.

3a) RDL (3x6) - 245
3b) jacknife-pu combo (3x15)

CB

Weight Loss Q'n'A

I'm proud of what you have accomplished so far in 2007. I hope that each day you are working towards adding better eating and exercise habits, and dropping the old, nasty habits that got you out of shape in the first place.

Now onto some of your questions to help you along the journey...

Q: 1) What is an "MRP"? I saw it listed in the Meal Plan but couldn't find what it stands for.
2) What's the best whey protein?

Answer:
1) An MRP is a meal replacement powder. I.e. a protein shake that also contains carbohydrates.

You would use an MRP mostly as a replacement for a snack or small meal. It would be a better choice than say, a Danish, but not as good as a chicken breast and green salad with olive oil and other vegetables or even a protein shake and an apple. I always prefer whole, natural food.

2) I checked with my supplement insider about whey protein and here's what he said...

"Whey protein is so cheap that any product will do."

I'll add to that, just get something that contains very little sugar (i.e. less than 1.5g per serving) but still comes with a good taste recommendation. You don't need any "bells or whistles" in your protein. So ask the store clerk what tastes good, and what mixes well, and that's all you need.


Q: Hello Craig... I finally convinced my husband to start working out with me after 3 years of insisting. He's 32 and hasn't exercised for a long time. He's not overweight, he's tall and thin (needs muscle) and has bad posture because of his work. Can he start out with turbulence training or is it to much?... What program should he use?. I'd really appreciate any suggestions if you can. Thank you Craig and I really love the workouts!!!

Answer:
Yes, we'll start him on the TT for Fat Loss strength workouts, but without the intervals or the reduced-calorie nutrition approach.

Since he is an absolute beginner with respect to strength, he should start with the beginner TT phase for 2 weeks, then progress to the Intermediate level.

In week 1: Use only 1 set per exercise.In week 2: Use 2 sets per exercise. In week 3: Move to the intermediate level and stick to 2 sets per exercise.In week 4: Use the full program.

That's a nice conservative build-up to training.


Q: Hi Craig. I am a trainer and have been using HIIT training for a while, and I bought your TT ebook and like your twists on the interval training method. Do you see any major drawbacks to "co-mingling" strength sets with intervals. Ex: Strength train 1 set chest, 1 set legs, 1 set core and THEN do a 1-2 minute 8/10 or 9/10 interval? Rest for 60-90 sec and repeat?

Answer:
Mixing strength and interval training is not my preferred method of doing things, only because it takes away from the strength training portion of the workout.

I am biased towards building as much strength as possible, so I choose not to mix strength and intervals within sets.

But I honestly don't know if fat loss potential will change based on that method. It really shouldn't. Let us know what you find out if you choose to mix it up.

Enjoy the variety and don't make things too complex,

CB

P.S. I've got some bad news...
Soon only TTMembers will be able to get their training and nutrition emails answered...

The new membership site will be up soon...so sign-up for the "Tip of the Week" (we'll bring you one of the best forum posts of the week, and more!) as well as to be alerted to the "Grand Opening" of www.TTMembers.com

In addition to the forum, all members will get the TT workout of the Month, and access to exclusive interviews.

Or you can become a Platinum Member, and get access to all the video clips and all of the TT Manuals as well.

You still have time to become a Platinum member at pre-launch prices...

a) For new clients, I'm knocking the price down BIG TIME. You can become a TT Member for only $127. Click HERE to become a NEW TT Member

b) For previous clients, but non-members, you can get your membership now for only $97. That's $50 off the launch price. Click HERE to become a TT Member

c) For current members...you can add another 12 months onto your current membership for only $77. Click HERE to renew

Do you want 100 fat loss workouts from Alwyn Cosgrove

That's right. 100 workouts from the Scottish Sensation, Alwyn Cosgrove.

All right here: www.workoutpass.com/turbulence

Ryan Lee has put over 5000 workouts together on one membership site...connecting specific training program sites with experts such as:

Alwyn Cosgrove
Eric Cressey
Mike Boyle
Jeremy Boone

and...

Its worth it just for this beautiful page: www.ballantyneworkouts.com

CB

You can also get $1600 worth of bonus workouts if you are one of the first 5000 to signup at www.workoutpass.com/turbulence

Lets make this personal...

I made a huuuuuge mistake the other day. I read a few posts on an online fitness forum...and like most forums, they are full of negativity.

Lots of guys are saying that "the new people on the forum aren't going to achieve their fat loss goals" and that "they will all be failures in only a couple of weeks". Of course, I jumped out of that forum pretty quick, because we all know there is no point in arguing with others on the Internet.

Listen, if you are new to fitness, don't listen to others that are skeptical of your success. And even if you've been around for a while, don't let anyone else's negativity get in the way of your goals.

Let's make it a personal point to prove all the "haters" wrong about your potential. If you're on this list, I know you've made a commitment to succeeding this year. I know that you have the potential, desire, and capability to achieve your goals.

So stay strong today, eat well, train according to plan, and let's show everyone, online and offline, that you are success story transformation material!

Keep up the great work and let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely, Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

www.WorkoutPass.com/turbulence
www.TTMembers.com
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
www.WorkoutManuals.com
www.grrlAthlete.com

Monday workout

Felt pretty fresh today before the workout. Was tired during warm-up but the warmup was right on and got me in the right mindset to lift.

1) Full snatch (3x2)

2a) bench (5x3) - 265
2b) overhead lunge (3x5)

(Subbed out db split squat and subbed in the oh lunge b/c of quad soreness from last fridays squat session)

3a) powerblock incline press (3xMax)
3b) powerblock elbow out row (3x12)

Biceps for fun was added ad the end of the workout. You can get a lot done for arms in only 5 minutes.

Back to work to finish an Oxygen magazine article and add a nutrition and training interview to www.TTMembers.com

CB

90% Necessity

Well, we're halfway through January and, unfortunately, we are already starting to see the excuses come out.

But here's the bottom line:

If you want to truly "transform" your body, then you can't keep doing what you used to do. And that means not drinking a gallon of beer to wash down wings/burgers/insert_greasy_meat_pile_here.

Or for you it might mean not snacking on a bag of candy while you are bored at work. Or eating half of your husband's Doritos while you watch 24.

What do you think got you into this situation in the first place?

Whatever it was, you have to stop it.

I can write all the programs I can possibly think of, but in the end, its ALL up to YOU.

It's not hard to find the social support you need online. You should even have it offline as well.

And you also have all the info you need to succeed (although you probably didn't need to get an expert to tell you not to eat wings and drink beer if you want to lose fat).

You have everything you need to succeed.

So if you are having a tough time, there are a couple of things you have to ask yourself:

1) What do I want more?
a) Beer, soda, chips, wings, candy, & greasy pizza
OR
b) A lifetime of success built on the foundation of a health 2007.

If you choose b, you'll show your husband or wife, kids, family, and friends that when you set your mind to something, that you will come through, even if it means skipping pizza night with guys or dessert night with the gals (I don't know if "dessert night" actually exists, but it sounds like fun).

Next, you have to ask yourself if you are adhering to the "90% Necessity".

For nutrition info, one of the top guys in the biz is Dr. John Berardi, Ph.D. (See Dr. John's Precision Nutrition Site). Its no surprise he's worked on 3 books for Rodale/Men's Health.

Anyways, John likes to talk about the 90/10 rule. You need to have 90% compliance to your nutrition plan to have success.

So ask yourself, are you eating according to plan 90% of the time? Now most of you will say yes, if you rely on self-perception. But if you use John's compliance grid, you'll get an honest wake-up call.

Take a piece of paper and create a 6x7 chart (6 meals, 7 days). That gives you 42 boxes. check each time you eat correctly, and mark an X each time you go off track.

You only have FOUR X's for that entire sheet. Any more, and you are under 90%. So let's say pizza night turns into pizza night plus pizza midnight snack plus pizza breakfast. Uh-oh, thats 3 bad meals, leaving you only 1 more bad meal for the entire week!

If you aren't at 90% compliance, and you wonder why things aren't going so well in the fat loss department, give yourself the truth test of the compliance grid.

If you really want to succeed, aim even higher. And eventually, when you do go off-track, you'll realize how crappy those meals make you feel, and will give you even more inspiration to stay on track.

Good luck, enjoy your outings and everyone have a good weekend, but don't rely on booze and grease to make a day of it.

If you do, just remember, there are consequences to each of your actions, and you'll soon figure out what you value most (booze and beer, or transformation success).

If you can't go 6-weeks, let alone 7 days, without a 3000-calorie plus pig-out, you don't need me to tell you how things are going to end up.

Be consistent and compliant,
CB

P.S. What's stopping you from succeeding?
Do you need more workouts? Do you need more variety?

If so, you are going to love a new project I'm involved with:
www.workoutpass.com/turbulence

You are going to be impressed by this site...heck, I was blown away by graphic artist's work of the "Ballantyne Workouts" homepage...and I hear the "Cosgrove Workouts" page is looking pretty sharp as well.

I also suggest you pop over here to see a quick video from Ryan Lee about the 43 benefits of workoutpass:

See the Workout Pass video here!

Big News for me, and you.

I'm proud to announce that I have started adding my current members into my new www.TTMembers.com subscription site.

I've literally been working on the site for months, but technically, I've been working on this project since 1999. And finally I have a professional membership site to serve my members.

When I added my first member yesterday afternoon (one of my old professors from McMaster), I felt a combination of pride and relief. Its great to have it finally ready, and you know what, I think it is the absolute best deal going in terms of a membership dedicated to fat loss.

Platinum members (that's the only level available now) get access to my vault of TT workouts that is over 30 programs deep, plus it contains my 6-part article series on program design. I reread these articles last week as I added them to the site, and you know what, they are pretty much worth the price of admission alone.

So join us please, as a TTMember, or at least in our Tip of the week email list.

www.TTMembers.com

Here's to the next chapter in the TT story,

CB

7-Day Weight Loss Guide

I get a little worried around this time of the year that people are going to start losing their motivation to eat well, train consistently, and do everything they can to improve their health.

After all, it's been a month since most people "got serious" about getting back in shape, and if they aren't using the TT workouts, they probably didn't get very far - so they end up quitting.

So that's why I continue to publish the 7-day guideline to the week ahead...to help you stay on track with your lifestyle changes and workouts.

Here's what you need to do this week...

Monday
TT Workout - In this workout, make an extra effort to focus on the muscles contracting during each exercise. Don't just go through the motions. Stick to the tempo. Focus on perfect form in every exercise and ask a fitness professional if you have any questions about technique.
We've got new YouTube videos up, so make sure to check them out for training ideas...

TT Bodyweight Circuit on Youtube

How to Train Your Back at Home

Tuesday
30 minutes of activity. And zip out to a department store to get a Stability ball for home, if you don't have one already. This will help you get some at-home workouts done if you can't make it to the gym.

Wednesday
TT Workout. Make sure you do your intervals right after training. Make this the hardest workout you've done all year.

Here's a good article on interval training...from the LA Times. The word is starting to spread...You have to register to read it, but registration is free.

Read the article here

According to the LA Times..."Interval-spawned weight loss, surprisingly, does not mostly come from the interval training itself (intervals use fast-burning glycogen, not slow-burning fat, as fuel), but from its long-known aftereffect: It ramps up the metabolism."

You better believe it. For my best interval workouts, get the 6-Month Bodyweight Manual.

Thursday
30 minutes of activity. And now that you are getting to the end of January, take some time to assess your progress and compare your current health and wellness to your fitness levels one month ago. And let me know how you compare.

Friday
TT Workout. Don't forget about your nutrition. Aim to have a new fruit or vegetable today.

Personally, I've finally found a way to get spinach into my diet, and last week I picked up a Plantain banana as my "new fruit of the week". What can you try for the first time?

Saturday
30 minutes activity. And check in with a member of your social support group. After that, commit to helping someone else you know achieve fat loss success.

Send them the signup link to this newsletter here.

Become part of their social support network. With your experience, you will be able to help them achieve success faster, and avoid common stumbling blocks.

Sunday
30 minutes of activity. Plan, shop, prepare. Need some football-friendly, fat-loss and healthy recipes?

I recommend Dr. John Berardi's Gourmet Nutrition. Check out John's great recipes here.

Be consistent. Keep your motivation.

And then worry about using advanced techniques,
CB

P.S. I really like this quote...
I found this online somewhere...

"Don't be discouraged by friends or family who do not support you in your journey towards a healthier, slimmer lifestyle. Quite often people find it intimidating and even frightening when someone important in their life begins to make life altering changes. Keep your chin up and keep smiling! Who knows, you may be able to improve their life and convert them to a healthier lifestyle!"

That's why a social support team is ESSENTIAL.

And that's one of the things you'll get at www.TTMembers.com

As a TT Member, you'll have access to an exclusive fat loss discussion forum where you'll be able to share your ups and downs with others and learn from them what helped them succeed.

We're launching soon...so sign up for the Tip of the Week at www.TTMembers.com today!

PPS - Current members!
You can't log in to the site yet! So don't get frustrated if you try and it doesn't work...it will soon!

Amazon.com - Am I Missing Something?

I just bought 5 brand new hardcover new release books through Amazon for $110, including shipping.

Before that, I went to an actual bookstore and could only find 3 of the 5 books, and the total for the 3 would have been more than $110.

How do bookstores survive when

a) Amazon kills them in price.
b) The bookstores don't have the books I want?

Good luck to them on that one,

CB

Dog's Life

Bally the Dog after a hard day at Daycare.

Too cute.

All New Exercises for Weight Loss

Just did Workout A of the February Fat Loss Workout...

In it, I'm trying to use all new exercises that have not been in a TT workout before.

Now of course, a lot of them will be variations of exercises we are doing, but the exercises are new to the TT workouts.

And workout A was great. Hard start, strong finish.

And you'll only be able to get this workout if you are a subscriber to www.TTmembers.com

There will be 2 levels when it opens up.

A) Monthly Members - $9.99 per month, giving you access to the monthly workout, the forums, and the fat loss expert interviews.

B) Platinum Members - $147 for a full year Membership, giving you access to all the TT workout archives (over $3000 worth of workouts!), the exercise video clips, the forum, and all of the interviews and articles.

(NOTE: The $147 price will be in effect for 3 months, and then will increase to $197.)

I'm just waiting on my new Merchant Account to be approved before I open the site to the public...but you have a chance to get a Platinum level for $20-70 off the regular price.

a) For new clients, I'm knocking the price down BIG TIME. You can become a TT Member for only $127. Click HERE to become a NEW TT Member

b) For previous clients, but non-members, you can get your membership now for only $97. That's $50 off the launch price. Click HERE to become a TT Member

c) For current members...you can add another 12 months onto your current membership for only $77. Click HERE to renew

NOTE: Within 48 hours of receiving my merchant account, the pre-launch price will no longer exist. The offer will be gone. And it will be $147 for everyone for 3 months, and then $197.

CB

Grocery Tips from Berardi

This is part 2 of our fat loss nutrition special interview with Dr. John Berardi, nutrition expert to Men's Health magazine and countless other magazines and websites.

Dr. Berardi is one of the fitness industry leaders when it comes to diet plans to help you lose fat. And not only will Dr. Berardi's nutrition info help you through the holidays but it will also kickstart your fat loss in 2007.

CB: From your experience with fat loss clients, what are a few of the common diet errors made by men and women each day? Are your clients often surprised to find out that a particular food shouldn't be included in their fat loss plan?

JB:
Here are the biggest mistakes I see people making when fat loss is their immediate goal:

1) Not enough total exercise. Several independent studies, in thousands of exercisers, have shown that those who are happiest with their bodies exercise for at least 5 total hours per week.
Now I know, many people have heard otherwise. But seriously, the data are there. So unless you've been born with a really fast metabolism OR you are a meticulous calorie counter, make sure you're getting at least 5 hours of physical activity per week.
Some folks need more - but 5 hours is a great starting point.

2) Not using nutrient timing. As discussed above, carb timing is critical!

Now remember, I'm not talking low carb or high carb here. I'm talking carb timing. For the best results, it's important that recreational exercisers make sure to eat their sugary and starchy carbs ONLY during and/or after training - as discussed in Precision Nutrition.

3) Not using outcome-based decision making. I see so many people wanting to get lean and beginning the process with 1 training program and 1 diet plan. And this plan usually works for a short period of time - whether it's 4, 6, or 8 weeks.

However, once they've lost fat and adapted to the program, it stops working. And when it stops working, they give up. Well, it's important to expect all one-off programs to stop working. And with this expectation, it's important to use an outcome-based decision making strategy.

What I mean here is that folks have to adjust their training and nutrition programs based on their results. And in Precision Nutrition we teach people how to do just that.

Precision Nutrition


CB: How can the average guy and gal eat as healthy as possible without breaking the bank? When should they buy food in bulk? And where?

JB:
Healthy eating really isn't all that expensive. In fact, my colleague Amanda Graydon of Healthy Kitchens Makeover (http://www.healthykitchensmakeover.com/) has done detailed studies of her clients' "before" and "after" grocery bills showing huge savings once they start eating the Precision Nutrition way - as long as they make smart decisions.

For example, did you know that of each food category, the most expensive items are located to the left of the relevant section and at a level between eye-level and stomach level? Therefore when looking for peanut butter, for example, the most expensive ones are placed in the best visual position.

So, to save money, you just have to look down and to the right and voila, you'll find the cheaper items - no name brands which are often of similar quality.

Another great tip is to check out bulk food stores for healthy grains like quinoa or oats, natural nut butters, mixed nuts, green tea, and other similar bulk items.

And another great tip is to frequent farmers' markets or ethic food stores (like the produce markets in China-Town) for produce. I started saving 75% on my produce bills when I started shopping at such places. And the quality is often better.


CB: Let's talk about fish oils for a minute. First off, what are your daily recommendations in terms of quantity and quality (specific brand recommendations)? And second, do you think fish oil helps people lose fat? If so, how do fish oils help accomplish this?

JB:
Studies I've been involved in at the University of Western Ontario have shown that sedentary folks taking between 1-3g of fish oil per day can speed up metabolic rate (+300-400kcal/day) and can help these same individuals drop 3 lbs of fat and gain 3 lbs of lean in just 3 weeks. So yes, I'd say fish oil helps people lose fat!

In terms of recommendations, I recommend anywhere from 6-10g of total fish oil per day (that's 6-10 fish oil capsules or 2-4 tsp of liquid fish oil per day). For some clients, I recommend more (esp. those with inflammatory problems, triglyceride elevations in the blood, and those with insulin insensitivity).

And in terms of quality, I think most fish oils are just fine.

Although many companies insist that "regular" fish oils are contaminated and low quality, this is more of a concern for fresh fish than supplements. Farmed salmon tends to be very high in polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and tuna is high in mercury.

Independent studies at Harvard Medical School, Consumer Reports, and the watchdog group ConsumerLab.com have shown commercially available fish oil supplements to be free of toxins such as mercury, dioxins and PCBs. I recommend that people visit http://www.nutrasource.ca/ for a list of supplements which have been independently tested.


CB: What other general supplement advice do you have for men and women that want to lose fat? From multi-vitamin use to post-workout drinks, etc.

JB:
In Precision Nutrition, I list the "big 5" - Protein supplements, Greens supplements, Fish Oil, Creatine, and Workout Drinks. And further, when metabolic decline is a big concern, I recommend Acetyl-L-Carnitine and rAlpha Lipoic Acid. I think most people will do great with a good nutrition plan, smart training plan, and these basic supplements - if needed.


CB: I'm a big fan of Green Tea. Is the instant Green Tea I get at the grocery store going to be just as healthy as getting Green Tea leaves from a specialty shop?

JB:
Studies have shown that Matcha green tea can be between 3 and 100x more potent that most commercially available green teas. So yes, some teas are better than others. However, if you're not drinking any green tea and want to start reaping the benefits, start drinking what ever kind you can right away.

My best recommendation is this: since Matcha is much more expensive, have 1 cup of Matcha tea per day and then use regular old tea bags through the rest of the day.


CB: John, finally, can you give us a summary of Precision Nutrition?

JB:
When someone purchases Precision Nutrition, not only do they get the 5 manuals, the 2 DVDs, the 2 CDs, and the cookbook, they also get an amazing online resource in our private membership forum, they get our technologically advanced online results tracker, and they get our amazing online exercise database with over 460 exercises demonstrated in 3 different ways and categorized in a host of very practical ways.

Precision Nutrition


CB: Thanks John. This information has been tremendously helpful for the TT readers. I strongly encourage picking up the Precision Nutrition kit. With this kit, you can be sure that your nutrition is not holding you back.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, www.TurbulenceTraining.com

PS. Why fool around with your nutrition any longer...

It's getting close to the end of January...and if you aren't making progress, your diet is probably to blame. So get Dr. Berardi's help...and get Precision Nutrition today.

Friday workout

Back up to www.dccentres.ca for my workout...this place is great for my workouts

Its right in the middle of Toronto...minutes from yonge and bloor, seconds from the wellsley subway stop.

It has bumper plates/crash plates, a platorm, a trap bar, and many other things you won't get in a regular commercial gym...as most "gyms" in toronto are lame.

1a) hang clean (3x3) - 185
1b) 1-leg hop (3x3)

2a) medium stance squat (3x5) - 345
2b) medium-grip low rack lockout (3x5) - 245

3a) wide-stance good morning (3x8)
3b) 1-leg rdl (3x8)
3c) db row (3xMax with powerblocks)

Then we filmed some youtube videos on...

A) abs
B) blast straps
C) an overview of the DCCentre.ca gym

We'll get those up on Monday.

Then we went to "Sushitrain" on Yonge Street for lunch. So much entertainment from sushi on a conveyor belt. Good times indeed. And healthy!

Big news for www.TTMembers.com coming up next week as well,

CB

Nutrition Tips from Berardi

If you want to lose fat, gain muscle, and improve performance, then it makes sense to go to the experts that have achieved this with themselves and with thousands of clients. For nutrition, one of the topexperts is Dr. John Berardi.

John's list of accomplishments are long and distinguished:

• A current professor at the University of Texas at Austin
  
• Ph.D. Exercise Biology & Nutrient Biochemistry, UWO
  
• Author of 3 books, including Gourmet Nutrition
  
• A former national level bodybuilder
  

I ask John about nutrition every chance that I get because he knows a lot about what is arguably the most important part of the fat loss equation - nutrition.

CB: John, what are some of the latest practical tips you have come across that can help the everyday, pressed-for-time men and women stick to their nutrition plan and help them lose fat and gain muscle?

JB:
Well, when it comes to practical tips, I like to separate my advice into two categories - food tips and lifestyle tips. Both categories are essential for overall results.

Sure, what we eat is absolutely critical - but knowing what to eat is only part of the battle. Having the right foods available at the right times is just as critical as knowing what to eat. So really, we're talking about both knowing AND doing.

In terms of food tips, the most important tip - far and away - is the idea that carbohydrate intake should be activity-dependant.

This is similar to my 4th habit of the Precision Nutrition plan and it goes like this -- Non-fruit and non-veggie carbs should be saved until the during- and post-exercise periods.

The Precision Nutrition Site

So, simply put, the typical recreational exerciser saves his or her starches (pasta, bread, oatmeal, rice, etc) and sugary carbs (sweets, recovery drinks, sports drinks, etc) until they're exercising or immediately after. The rest of the day is for proteins, good fats, and lots of veggies (along with some fruits).

By following this rule, my typical clients see BIG, IMMEDIATE body comp changes! And, truly, this tip has been the biggest in terms of body composition impact for my recreational exercisers since they're typically only exercising 3-4 times per week.

In terms of lifestyle tips, my compliance grid is a huge one.


CB: Yes, I've heard a lot about your "compliance grid". What is this and how can people use this to gauge their commitment? What do you learn when you have a client complete this?

JB:
The compliance grid has been a huge help in terms of helping clients stick to either what they already know to be good nutrition (for those who are well-read in this area) or to what they're learning to be good nutrition (for those new to the Precision Nutrition principles).

The compliance grid basically helps a client plot out 1 week of their life and keep track of how well they're doing nutritionally.

In simple terms, we create a table in which the seven days of the week are plotted along the vertical axis (far left column) and the 7 meals of the day are plotted along the horizontal axis (top row). Then, if a person eats a Precision Nutrition compliant meal, they place an "X" in the corresponding box. If they miss a meal, they place an "O" in the box. And if they have a non-compliant meal, they place a "*" in the appropriate box.

This very simple and easy-to-use compliance system helps folks gauge their commitment and regular adherence by giving an honest and accurate assessment of how well they're REALLY doing.

You see, many folks - in their minds - count their hits but fail to count their misses. This makes them believe they're doing FAR better than they really are. So the compliance grid forces them to count both hits and misses - helping them avoid "blind spots."

We often have clients who swear that they're at 90% compliance (the gold standard for Precision Nutrition) and then, upon using the compliance grid, find out that they're really at 50% or 60%. This is eye-opening and shows them that there is indeed room for improvement.

This is Precision Nutrition

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS Author,
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

P.S. Wait, there's more!
In Part 2 of the Interview with Dr. Berardi, we'll learn how the average man and woman can eat healthy without breaking the bank. In fact, Dr. Berardi's tips will save you money while allowing you to eat better for fat loss.

But in the meantime, I want you to go to his Precision Nutrition Website and sign-up for his 8-part e-course.

The Precision Nutrition Site

TT Bodyweight Circuit on YouTube

Okay, bit of background here first...

When you watch this clip, you are going to hear me say that this is for TTMembers.com only...

Well, it was going to be that way...we were going to use the "Private video" option at YouTube.com, but its too much of a hassle (it would require every TTMember to signup at youtube).

So this one is free to everyone!

In the future though, the money videos like this are going to be hosted on another service and posted only in the TTmembers.com website - for Platinum members only.

If you are already a member, you are a Platinum member...if you want to become a platinum member, take advantage of the pre-launch price offer ASAP...- see below...

Okay, here's the video...a 6-exercise bodyweight circuit that requires only a ball (for one of the 6 exercises).

TT Bodyweight Circuit on Youtube

CB

a) For new clients, I'm knocking the price down BIG TIME. You can become a TT Member for only $127. Click HERE to become a NEW TT Member

b) For previous clients, but non-members, you can get your membership now for only $97. That's $50 off the launch price. Click HERE to become a TT Member

c) For current members...you can add another 12 months onto your current membership for only $77. Click HERE to renew

"Craig, the TT membership is amazing. I’m still surprised at how quickly I get a response to any question. Its incredible that for one very reasonable price TT members get access to all of your previous workouts and all of your new ones for an entire year. Talk about overdelivering! No wonder all the other fitness gurus give you a hard time about your prices. I’ve purchased a fair amount of fitness informational products, including some excellent books, DVDs, and eBooks. However, dollar for dollar, none of them came close to delivering the enormous amount of information available with the TT membership. Thanks. "
Mickey Glick

How to Have a More Productive Day

I get a lot of emails asking how I find the time to write an email every day.

2 reasons:

1) I type fast [Thank you, Grade 10 keyboarding class].

and

2) I make my day as productive as possible.

Here's how to make your day more productive.

Step 1 - Get up earlier.
And yes, that requires going to sleep earlier. But I'm not talking an hour or two...but only 10 or 20 minutes earlier per day.

The extra 20 minutes are magic time...the time in morning when I, as many people do, get more done than they do in several hour blocks at other points later in the day. So get up sleepyhead, and use the solitude to take care of business.

(And when you get into work, do the same. Get in early, get straight to work, and you'll find yourself ahead of the crowd in no time.)

Step 2 - Water x 2
Water plays an important role in getting my morning off to a fast start. First, I drink 2 cups of cold water before I take the dog out. Then we come back in and I start on breakfast while sitting down to answer the emails you've sent me overnight.

Getting up 10 minutes earlier to answer these emails has made a huge difference in my productivity. No question. Consider doing the same for yourself.

The second role of water is the shower. Aside from the obvious reason for a shower, I have found that standing under running water is when I get most of my bright ideas (bright being a subjective term, I suppose).

And I'm not the first to say this...Matt Furey has brought this up as well, saying that he gets a lot of his ideas when surrounded by water...there must be something about being in water that stimulates the mind.

So powerful are the effects of water on my creativity that I literally have to write the ideas down as soon as I get out of the shower. Once that water stops running, the ideas start to vanish...

Now the only thing that compares in terms of idea stimulation, for me, is exercise. So when you workout, take a note pad - not only to record your workout but to brainstorm and problem solve.

Step 3 - Nutrition
I've started the day with the healthiest supplement possible - fish oil, and I eat protein, fiber, berries, and nuts to start my day - giving me the fiber to control my appetite and blood sugar till the next meal.

Step 4 - Green Tea
Do not pass go. Do not stop at Starbucks. Do not collect your regular caffeine-loaded beverage.

Instead, brew your own organic Green Tea to provide you with a lower dose of caffeine (or none at all if you get naturally de-caffeinated Green Tea). Don't overdose on caffeine every morning.

If you drink a couple cups per day, switch at least one over to Green Tea.

Step 5 - A Steady Supply of Protein, Healthy Fats, and Fiber
Self-explanatory by now, I should hope! Snack on almonds, lean protein sources, fibrous vegetables, an apple, etc. over the morning to keep mentally sharp.

Step 6 - Be a Bodyweight Energizer Bunny
Remember the secret to instant energy when you hit a mid-morning motivational slump...
Add some bodyweight exercises

"I'm a Personal Trainer from Malta, Europe and have been following your daily newsletter for some time. I recently incorporated your Y-Squat into my routine and I must congratulate you, it's a really great exercise. I always focus on bodyweight squats and multi-directional lunges for the lower body (I don't like machines much) and this simple modification of arm placement has added a whole new purpose and challenge to the exercise. Well done! On another note, being busy as you are, how the hell do you find time to write a newsletter every day? I'd really like to know how you do it! Keep up the good work!"
Richard Geres, Malta-Europe

Step 7 - Don't let lunch rob you of your mental energy
Unless you want to go straight from lunch into an hour-long productivity-destroying nap, then lay off the breaded veal sandwiches at lunch.

Stick to the program: lean protein, fibrous green vegetables, Green Tea, healthy fats, etc. Avoid these mental buzz killers: soda, pizza, a lot of bread, french fries, desserts, and so on.

If you want to run an elite mental engine, you have to burn high-performance fuel.

Step 8 - Lose Fat & You Will Make More Money
Now that's an unconventional way to increase productivity.
But welcome to the harsh reality of size-ism.

Research shows that overweight men and women make less money than their normal weight colleagues. While the world is not fair, you can even the playing field by eating and exercising properly.

The Turbulence Training lifestyle and workouts will help lose fat, while increasing your creativity and productivity. I smell promotion.

Click here to become more productive with Turbulence Training

Now go be productive,
CB

This salesman used the TT Lifestyle to get ahead...

"I used to think you needed to spend hours in the gym everyday in order to see results. With the help of CB and TURBULENCE TRAINING, I have reduced my workouts from 2 hours per day, everyday, to 50 minutes every other day. All the while I have trimmed over 60 lbs. of body fat off my now lean and muscular body. Thanks CB!!!"
Rob Vickers

See the rest of Rob's success story here...

New YouTube video from CB

Hey, I put a new video up on Youtube, showing you 6-7 dumbbell exercises you can do at home for your lats, upper back, and posterior deltoids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgUsXA4JX0w

By the way, please feel free to make suggestions on future youtube.com videos from us...what do you want to see?

CB