Good News And Bad News About Fat Loss

I've got good news, bad news, and more good news today. Let's start with the bad news...

It's difficult to lose fat.

But here's the good news...

Once you accept that discipline is needed to lose fat, then you'll discover that losing fat is as easy as following a few simple steps!

(Consistently, of course!)

Once you understand that you must...

- Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance...

- Do three high-intensity workouts per week...

- Keep yourself active on off days and keep your butt off the couch for at least 30 minutes...

- Develop rituals that help you avoid night-time eating...

- Take time to set goals and to plan solutions for every obstacle that gets in your way each week...

Only then will fat loss become 2nd nature to you, so much so that you couldn't get fat if you tried!

Once you accept this truth about fat loss, you'll succeed and you will be able to lose as much belly fat as you want.

Heck, you can apply this to any aspect of your life and you'll experience success beyond your wildest dreams.

The time to change is now,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Don't forget!

You have until midnight (EST) tonight to enter the "Transform Your Body" contest on my blog, where you'll have a chance to win a 1-Year Platinum TT Membership AND a new Flip Video camera to document your transformation.

We've had over 99 folks post their powerful and emotional stories already. See my blog for details on how to enter this quick & easy contest by clicking this link:

=> http://tinyurl.com/TTBlogContest

PPS - The latest TT workout of the month is available to members!

Turbulence Training 2K9 - The Ultimate Fat Burning Workout, features a brand new dumbbell challenge workout that you will want to do over and over again...plus, the TT2K9 program also contains a 31-day fat burning guide. You'll get this workout in the member's area when you grab your copy of Turbulence Training.

And if you are still skeptical, you can take the $4.95 trial offer and test out TT for 21 days. Get your trial offer here:

=> http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com/Trial-Offer.shtml 

5 Simple Rules of TT Transformation Contest

Thanks to everyone who has already started the 4th TT Transformation Contest. Hundreds of men and women have got a head start on their fat loss goals for 2009.

But I also need to apologize, I've confused a few folks on how to enter...so let me clear things up...

Here are the 5 simple things you need to do to enter the contest:

1. Take a before photo.

 

2. Use Turbulence Training workouts for 12 weeks.

 

3. Take an after photo.

 

4. Write a summary about your experiences (minimum 300 words) and make sure to mention the TT workout programs that you followed for the 12 weeks.

 

5. Submit your before and after photos and your summary on or before Saturday, April 11, 2009 via email or on the 4th TT
Transformation Forum here:

 

=> Click here for the 4th TT Transformation Contest Forum

 

That's it. That's all you must do to enter.

That said, I highly recommend using the TT forums on a daily basis for help, social support and accountability.

But using the forums is not mandatory to enter (although frankly, all past winners have found using the forums to be mandatory for success!).

And don't forget to check out the latest workout of the month - the new TT2K9 fat burning program here:

=> Click here for the January TT2K9 fat burning program

Looking forward to hearing what you will achieve in 2009,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - If you are one of those folks who aren't going to give up and who are truly going to make 2009 your best year ever...

...I've got a special offer for you. You can upgrade to a Platinum TT Membership for only $197 for 1 year. That'll save you $579.40 in monthly membership costs if you join before the end of January 1st.

 

=> Click here to take advantage of this New Year's Kick-Start Deal

(PLUS, I'll also mail you a free copy of the TT For Fat Loss DVD's!)

Turbulence Training 2K9 Program

The most powerful fat loss workout yet...including the infamous 10x10 Dumbbell Circuit...is now available.

It's called TT 2K9 (and no, it's not a fat loss workout for dogs!)

The January Workout of the month always features the most effective fat burning techniques we've discovered in the past year...and the TT2K9 program is no exception. From the first superset to the last rep of the 10x10 circuit, your body will be burning fat faster than ever. You're going to have a lot of fun with this program! ...is now available to download (and the videos are up too!)

If you are a TT Member...

Click here for the TT2K9 program

and...

Click here to watch the videos

TT Bodyweight 200

Let's start with a few assumptions. You don't have the luxury of spending hours in a gym. You don't have much workout equipment at home. You've found it hard to stick with an exercise plan over the long term. Welcome to the club.

But we've found the solution: It's called the Bodyweight 200, and it addresses all those obstacles. In fact, you need only two items -- a Swiss ball and a chinup bar -- to perform this 20-minute, total-body routine designed by Belly Off! Club advisor Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., owner of http://www.turbulencetraining.com/.

So you can do it in your basement, your garage, or even your bedroom. And while a weight-free workout may sound easy, the Bodyweight 200 will challenge every muscle in your body. (The 200 stands for the number of repetitions you do.)

Best of all, you can start today. And why wouldn't you? Now that you have this workout, you're all out of excuses. The Body-Weight 200 This 12-station, 200-rep program burns fat and builds muscle -- in about 60 minutes a week

Directions: Do this workout 3 times a week -- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for example.

Perform the exercises as a circuit, doing 1 set of each movement for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Complete them in the order shown, without resting between exercises. Too easy? Rest 1 minute and repeat the circuit.

The Workout
1. Prisoner squats (30 reps)
2. Pushups (30 reps)
3. Jumps (10 reps)
4. Swiss-ball leg curls (10 reps)
5. Swiss-ball pikes (10 reps)
6. Stepups (20 reps)
7. Pullups or chinups (5 reps)
8. Forward lunges (30 reps)
9. Tucked-elbow pushups (20 reps)
10. Inverted rows (15 reps)
11. Prisoner squats (15 reps)
12. Chinups (5 reps)

NOTE: The video below is "slightly" different than the workout above.

What Would Transforming Your Body Mean to You?

When you transform your body, you do much more than lose a lot of pounds and shed a bunch of inches.

What happens is that you completely transform yourself.

- You become more confident.

- Your self-image improves.

- You gain control over your body and your eating behaviors.

- You realize that you are much more powerful than you previously believed.

- You find out that you have the power to inspire and motivate others!

- You discover that nothing can stop you when you put your mind to achieving a goal.

That's why Transforming Your Body in the next 12 weeks could be the most important thing you do ALL year.

And that's why I want to help.

So I'm having another contest...and I don't just mean the next Turbulence Training Transformation Contest.

Instead, I mean that for the next 3 days I'm having a contest here on my blog, where you can enter to win a 1-Year Platinum Turbulence Training Membership AND a Flip Video Camera to document your 12-week TT Transformation.

All you have to do is tell me what Transforming Your Body will mean to you.

- Does it mean finally overcoming a fat loss plateau?

- Does it mean that it will be the start of

- Does it mean that you will win the war you've been fighting against your body fat and eating habits for 5, 10, 15, 20 years or more?

- Does it mean that you'll have the chance to show to everyone who doubted you that YES, you CAN succeed?

- Does it represent another challenge in your life that you want to overcome?

- Does it represent a return to the "real you", the fit, fun, and fabulous you that you have been neglecting for years while you worked too much, ate too much, and gave all your time and energy to others?

Whatever it means to you, please let us know. Just post your story in the comments section below. Don't be shy!

There will be two prizes given out.

Prize #1 - This will go to the best beginner Transformation Story. Maybe you haven't started your transformation yet. Maybe you aren't even convinced that you will try. But deep inside of you, you know that you want to. I want to hear your story. So that's category #1.

Prize #2 - This will go to the best Intermediate/Advanced Transformation Story. You've lost some weight already, or you've even done a Turbulence Training Transformation Contest before...and you want to share your story to inspire and motivate others to give it their all and transform today! I've heard so many powerful transformation stories in the last year, and I want to hear what the Transformation means to you.

The contest ends Wednesday, Dec 31st at midnight. And I'll announce the winners on New Year's Day.

I look forward to hearing your story. I'm sure it will be powerful and will inspire other folks just like you to Transform their bodies and lives as well.

Be proud of what you can achieve,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - And when you are ready to Transform Your Body...

...join the hundreds of other men and women in the Turbulence Training Transformation Contest.

Click here to see past winners of the TT Transformation Contests

4 Turbulence Training Workout Reviews for You

In this week's free Turbulence Training audio call, you'll discover...

- how to do fat burning workouts in a busy gym

- my #1 Turbulence Training tip for a beginners

- a sneak way to snack better for weight loss

- the fat loss SECRET
- how to do Turbulence Training in a busy gym

- 2 of the 7 hottest trends in fat loss for 2009

- my fat burning New Year's wish for you!

The call also includes 4 free workout summaries as well...

=> Click here to listen to this week's free fat loss TT audio

Or read the tips below...

Monday

Let's take a closer look at Turbulence Training Intermediate Workout A.

1A) DB Split Squat (8 reps)

1B) DB Incline Press (8 reps)

2A) Stability Ball Leg Curl (15)

2B) Pushup [Kneeling] (15 reps)

3A) Stability Ball Jackknife (10)

3B) DB Rear-Delt Raise (10 reps)

Beginner Interval Workout A

You can do this workout in a busy gym. In superset #1, you can use the same dumbbell weight for both exercises. In superset #2, add reps to make it harder. In superset #3, use Inverted Rows to make it harder.

Tuesday

On your off day, you need to do 30 minutes of activity for your health. Try to walk rather than drive, weather permitting. Do some errands by foot, rather than driving everywhere. Get in the habit of doing that all the time.

Also, spend some time cleaning the junk out of your cupboards in preparation for the Turbulence Training Transformation Contest. And put fruits and vegetables on the middle shelf of your fridge. Men's Health magazine says that will help you snack better.

Click here to get started with Turbulence Training & the Transformation

Wednesday – New Year's Eve

Let's take a look at Intermediate TT workout B. You can also do this in a busy gym.

1A) DB Squat (8 reps)

1B) Stability Ball Rollout (8 reps)

2A) DB Reverse Lunge (8 reps)

2B) Side Plank (20 seconds)

3A) DB Row (8 reps)

3B) 1-Leg Hip Extension (10)

Beginner Interval Workout B

And now here's a look at my current workout. I'm doing a 3-day program and this is Workout A. I just did it on Saturday. I'm doing some extra rotator cuff exercises to help me avoid shoulder injury.

Rtr Cuff Warmup

Bench (1x5)

Face Pull (3x10)

DB Flat Press (4x8)

BB Row (4x10)

DB Incline (2x12)

Rtr Cuff Strength (3x10)

EZ Bar Triceps (4x10)

And it's New Year's Eve, so please drink responsibly! Happy New Year's!

Thursday – New Year's Day

Get up and get moving! Do 30 minutes of activity, but avoid the cardio confessional. After your exercise, set goals with www.MagicFatBurning.com for the year. I wish this is the best year of your life!

Friday

Time for one more TT workout. If you don't want to do cardio machine intervals, you could use Kettlebells, the skipping rope, or you could play sports. I'll be going over lots of alternative interval training workouts at the TT Seminar.

Click HERE to reserve your spot at the TT Seminar

Saturday

Two of the 7 hottest trends in fat loss for 2009 will be Challenge Workouts and Social Support. You need them both!

In the February 2009 issue of Men's Health, I have a new challenge workout...it's called the Bodyweight 200. Give it a try...it goes like this:

Prisoner Squat - 30

Pushups - 30

Jumps - 10

Stability Ball Leg Curls - 10

Stability Ball Pikes - 10 (more advanced version of jackknife)

Stepups - 20 (total)

Pullups or chinups - 5

Lunges - 30 (total)

Close-grip Pushups - 20

Inverted Rows - 15

Prisoner Squats - 15

Chinups - 5

Sunday

Plan, shop, and prepare. And don't miss this week's book recommendation in the TT Audio call. Listen here for even more fat loss secrets:

=> Click here to listen to this week's free fat loss TT audio

In next week's New Year's edition!

· More transformation tips

· Dissect original TT

· Vegetarian tips from my friend, John Alvino

· New challenge workout

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - The next Turbulence Training Transformation Contest has started...

And I've created separate categories for men and women so both sexes have an equal chance of winning the top $1000 prizes.

Click here to get started with Turbulence Training & the Transformation

The Harsh Truth About Nutrition

Over the holidays I found out that the harsh truth about nutrition can even bring down a fitness expert. That truth is, "If its in your house, you're going to eat it."

Fortunately, this one only gets me around Christmas. The rest of the year we keep the piles of chocolate out of the house. But this is a problem I hear from folks everyday during the year.

For one reason (kids) or another (spouse), too many folks have junk food in the house and tempting them everyday. In fact, snacking on this junk food - often between the end of work and dinner time - is what holds people back from success or even causes them to gain more weight.

So here are a few solutions, ranging from the obvious to the devious.

1) Get rid of the junk.

Do you really, really need to have it there in the first place? Don't be afraid to trash it, after all, that's where junk food belongs.

Okay, but if that isn't practical (i.e. the junk food doesn't yours to throw away), what else can you do?

2) Create rituals that help you avoid mindless snacking.

First, you could simply prepare raw, crunch fruits and vegetables to have on hand to snack on rather than the junk food. Every day try to be a little bit better than yesterday. Eventually snacking on raw fruits and vegetables will become a habit, and this one tip should help you lose more than 3 pounds in a month.

Second, brush your teeth. There's nothing like a set of freshly brushed teeth to keep you away from sugary snacks.

Third, keep the treats out of sight to keep them out of mind. Stash them at the back of the top cupboard where you can't just grab and go. Make it difficult to get to.

These three tips will help you leave the holiday eating behind and get you back on track.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Click here for a Proven Fat Loss Diet

Early Bird Discount for the Turbulence Training Seminar

I want to invite you to the 1st-ever Turbulence Training seminar that is being held Saturday, January 17th near Toronto.

Nutrition expert Brad Pilon and a very special guest, "Mr. X", will be joining me to share our fat burning and motivation secrets to help you lose more fat than ever before.

I'll be covering...

1) The Secrets to Sticking to Your Workout Program

2) New Ways to Do Interval Training - With Little or NO Equipment

3) The Essentials of Designing Turbulence Training Workouts

Brad Pilon will reveal...

a) How to burn bodyfat and get in shape without falling for misleading weight loss scams or nutrition marketing hype.

b) The 3 Truths About Your Metabolism (including why Brad believes the word "metabolism" is nothing more than a marketing term!)

c) Why Green Tea Does NOT Help You Lose Weight

d) The Shocking Truth About Insulin & Burning Belly Fat

Not only are we going to share a ton of great info with you, but we're just going to have a great time. I promise you, it will be the best way you could spend a Saturday in January.

=> Click here to reserve your spot and free gifts

Brad and I are also doing something special to PROVE a point...but we'll reveal that when you arrive.

We're also going to have extended Q'n'A at lunchtime and at the end of the day, so bring all of your questions about fat loss. I look forward to meeting you and for you to be one of the first to ever attend a live Turbulence Training event!

Here are more details...

Date: Saturday, January 17th

Time: 9-3

Where: Mississauga, a city just west of Toronto.

BONUSES: Don't miss the $250 worth of free gifts we are giving away to ALL seminar attendees.

It's going to be a blast, and there's going to be even MORE surprise goodies given away at the event.

We can't wait to meet you and help you burn fat in 2009,

Craig Ballantyne, Brad Pilon, and Mr. X

PS - You have my Canadian Strength Guarantee that you'll love it!

If at the seminar's lunch break, you feel the seminar wasn't worth your time and energy, you can just let us know, return your free bonus gifts, and we'll return your registration.

We'll even give you an extra $50 for your time and travel costs.

That's how much we know you are going to love the 1st-ever TT Seminar!

=> Click here to reserve your spot and free gifts

First Workout of New Program

I started the day with some shopping. Yep, 8:04am I was the 5th person into a local location of a big box TV shop where I bought a big box. The deal was so good I couldnt resist.

After I went to the local YMCA to start a new program. Upper body with a focus on more upper back and strengthening my rotator cuff muscles, particularly on my right side.

The gym was filled with folks on the cardio confessionals, under the mistaken belief that 40 minutes on a treadmill or elliptical machine would undo the thousands of extra calories they ate yesterday. But the truth is the time on the cardio confessional won't even make a dent in yesterday's discretions. It's backwards thinking...more on that later.

My workout...

Warm-up Superset
Cable External Rotations (2x10)
Pushups (2x12)

1A) Bench Press (2 easy sets, 1x5)
1B) Face Pulls (3x15)

2A) DB Chest Press (4x8)
2B) BB Row (4x10)

3A) DB Incline (2x12)
3B) Underhand Inverted Row (2x15)

4A) EZ Bar Triceps Extension (4x10)
4B) Cable External Rotations (3x12)

That was fun, and it went a lot faster than you might think. Very little rest between supersets. Also, first workout of a new phase, so I wasn't pushing it too hard.

We'll get a little more serious next time. Also, I've gone back to a 3-day weights program for the next 4 weeks. Put this one together with some tips from Jay Ferruggia

Just say NO to the cardio confessional,

Craig

Turbulence Training Transformation Contest #4 2009

It's time to kick-off the 4th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest. You can officially start today and take your before photos. I've split the contest into Male and Female categories this time, so our best male and female success story will each win $1000!

I also have some powerful words for you...

"You become who you associate with."

Research shows if you hang around overweight folks, you too will stay overweight.

On the other hand, research shows that if you exercise with a partner who loses fat, you'll have a good chance of losing fat too! Another study showed that the more often folks checked in on a weight loss website, like the TT member's forum, the more fat they were able to lose.

This is big, big news. You truly get the same results as the people you hang around with.

So if you are trying to lose fat while everyone around you is happy with gaining winter fat and hibernating, than you have no chance.

That's why you must join the TT contest and you must visit the forum to get results. That's where the winners hang out! Every TT Contest winner has praised the forums over and over again for the social support they received.

Get started with Turbulence Training and 3 months of free social support here:

=> Click here to get started with Turbulence Training & 3 months of FREE social support

This is going to be your year to burn the belly fat,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training Transformation Contest

PS - Want to see the winners of the previous 3 contests?

See how guys have lost over 31 pounds in 12 weeks and women end up looking 15 years younger here:

=> Click to see the past TT Contest winners

Bally's Christmas Update

Merry Christmas everyone!

Been a crazy couple of days...watched a couple of movies, ate a lot of chocolate, had a great Christmas dinner (and a power nap), hit a Christmas Eve workout, and I am even going to do some "Boxing Day" shopping tomorrow.

Earlier this week I watched "Batman: The Dark Knight". It was as good as folks said it was. In fact, I want to watch it again, and I rarely want to do that. Heath Ledger was also as good as folks said he was...he owned that role.

Yesterday, after I did a great deadlift workout, I watched "Tropic Thunder". It was okay, I'm not a huge Ben Stiller fan, but Tom Cruise saved that movie for me. Good for him for having a sense of humor and playing that character. Les Grossman might be my new favorite movie character. I also watched a bit of Stepbrothers again. That movie was better than expected.

However, what was a smooth Christmas holiday started getting a bit "bumpy" while I watched Tropic Thunder, because I noticed Bally was getting a little stinkier than usual...and when that happens, it often means he'll need to go out in the middle of the night.

Sure enough, at 2:30am he woke me up with his whimpering and pawing at the bedroom door. He sprinted down the stairs, went outside, and got a little relief. I hoped that was it and went back to bed.

But we weren't so lucky. 4:21am, same thing. Okay, I thought, that has to be it. He never needs to go out 3 times. However, 40 minutes later he needed another bathroom break. Oh, and he puked this time too. He had gotten into some left over ribs and swallowed some bones, and puked up some chunks of that. No more bones for him.

This time I suited up and we went for a walk down by the river on my parent's property out in the country. It was kind of eerie being up and walking around in the dark, with only the moonlight off the snow to guide us.

No sign of Santa and his reindeer either. He must already have finished Ontario and moved west.

Finally, we went back inside around 5:45am, and Bally let me sleep till 7:30am. He's been feeling better since, and he had a pretty good Christmas...he got a stocking full of treats.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Craig

Deadlift Workout

Started the day off with a hike through really heavy snow...we wandered through some drifts that were above my belt and way over Bally's head. It was as hard as interval training, so we didn't go that far.

Then had an apple, banana, and some nuts, then off to the gym. Had a great workout, and I was quite tired after.

1A) Sumo Deadlift - 345x2 (overhand), 365x4x3, 225x12

2A) Face Pulls - 50x3x15
2B) Pull throughs - 160x4x12

3A) BB Curls - 80x4x8
3B) DB Triceps Xtensions - 35x4x10

4) BB Shrugs

Went right home and had two bowls of homemade porridge with milk, blueberries, and almonds.

Then lunch: 4 egg omelet, mushrroms, red onion, red pepper, broccoli, 1/4 chicken breast, salsa.

Followed by a big dog hike through thigh high snow and made a giant snowball. Must weigh 300 pounds.

That's it. Holiday time.

Going to watch Tropic Thunder tonight.

Merry Christmas,

Craig Ballantyne

PS - Only 7 early bird spots remain for the Toronto TT Seminar...

Brad Pilon will be joining me and talking about metabolism and diet weight loss myths. He'll have plenty of controversial things to say!

Click here to grab your early bird spot & save $100

The Secret to Fat Loss

You want the secret to fat loss?

Well, you're not going to like it.

It has nothing to do with Green Tea, acai berry gummy berry juice, or the Master Cleanse.

Instead, the secret to fat loss is a state of mind. Once you're in it, you can't fail.

So here it is...

"Once you accept how HARD it is to lose fat, then it becomes easy."

Do you understand what I mean?

It's like saving money.

Once you understand and accept how much discipline is required to save money then it's easy and becomes 2nd nature to do so. You understand the difficulty but just do it automatically.

It's the same with fat loss.

Once you understand that you must...

- Plan, shop, and prepare your meals in advance...

- Do three high-intensity workouts per week...

- Keep yourself active on off days and keep your butt off the couch for at least 30 minutes...

- Develop rituals that help you avoid night-time eating...

- Take time to set goals and to plan solutions for every obstacle that gets in your way each week...

Only then will fat loss become 2nd nature to you, so much so that you couldn't get fat if you tried!

Seriously, once you "get it", you literally couldn't get fat if you tried, because your mind is on autopilot to stop you from binge eating or from skipping workouts.

So work on that...apply that secret mindset and you'll succeed.

You'll lose as much body fat as you want.

Heck, you can apply this to any aspect of your life and you'll experience success beyond your wildest dreams.

If only you accept the reality of the situation.

The secret doesn't come in a pill, potion, or powder,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Mr. X Confirmed for TT Seminar!

I just got off the phone with "Mr. X", and he confirmed that he'd speak at the 1st-ever Turbulence Training Seminar in January.

 

So not only will you get fat burning secrets from myself AND Brad Pilon, but you'll also get a highly motivational and powerful message from my friend, "Mr. X".

 

I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

 

Registration for the seminar is now open!

 

=> Click here to reserve your spot

 

But hurry! only the first 20 folks get the EARLY BIRD admission price of only $99.

 

And it's Canadian Dollars too, so that is like $14 USD! (Just kidding...but it is a little cheaper...)

 

Date: Saturday, January 17th

 

Time: 9-3

 

Where: Mississauga, a subarb just west of Toronto.

 

Topics: Please check the website for more details!

 

BONUSES: Don't miss the $250 worth of free gifts we are giving away to ALL seminar attendees.

 

It's going to be a blast, and there's going to be even MORE surprise goodies given away at the event.

 

Reserve your spot here:

=> http://www.ttmembers.com/products/item14.cfm

 

We can't wait to meet you and help you burn fat in 2009,

 

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training for Fat Loss System

 

PS - You have my Canadian Strength Guarantee.

 

If at the seminar's lunch break, you feel the seminar wasn't worth your time and energy, you can just let us know, return your free bonus gifts, and we'll return your registration. We'll even give
you an extra $50 for your time and travel costs.

 

That's how much we know you are going to love the 1st-ever TT Seminar!

 

=> Click here to reserve your spot

Running, Marathons, Turbulence Training, and Weight Loss

Running, marathons, Turbulence Training, and Weight Loss Q'n'A

Q: I have been getting your emails for almost a year now, and you are always discouraging the running culture. This is the largest reason why I have never purchased your TT program. I currently am trying to run marathons and even may venture into the triathlons and weight has always been an issue as I am a larger person (fat 260lbs). Will your program assist in my running programs and goals?

Answer:
So you are overweight, yet you do a lot of running for marathons, and you wonder why I discourage the running culture?

It's clearly not working for you. And frankly, I don't think running marathons is a healthy activity for an overweight 260 pound guy. You are going to get hurt. It's not a question of if, it's a question of how soon and how bad are you going to let the injury get before you stop trying to run marathons.

Most runners are smart enough that they wouldn't buy a beat-up used car for $300 and try to drive it across America non-stop, but they'll take their overweight, used up, beat up, weak bodies and try to run 26.2 miles in under 4 hours.

How does that make any sense?

The reason I'm so "hard" on running is because too many people do it that shouldn't do it. I have no problem with training for a marathon if your body is prepared to handle a marathon. But most folks have bodies that are not suited for running 26.2 miles in one day.

But back to your original question...will Turbulence Training help you?

Yes, although frankly, any general strength training program would help you. But you don't need to be lifting three days per week - if running is going to remain your focus.

All you need are two quick, total body strength workouts per week, doing 1-2 sets of a couple of multi-muscle exercises. Master bodyweight exercises first when appropriate (i.e. pushups before chest presses). But again, if running is your main activity, just be careful not to do too much strength training that it gives you sore muscles.

I like to see runners do stability ball leg curls, 1-leg hip extensions, prisoner squats, step-ups, and split squats. Those are the basics to start with. Just pick two exercises per workout, and do 1-2 challenging sets.

But we have't addressed the 800 pound elephant in the room.

You need to lose body fat. Your diet is probably the main problem. So fix it. Running 6 miles per day is not a license to eat whatever you want. That's a big mistake runners make.

So drop the fat and do a little bit of efficient strength training to help you get a better body for running before you hurt yourself.

Best of luck to you, and train safe.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, M.Sc.
Click here to lose fat without long cardio workouts

Off-Day Workout & Nutrition

Woke up and did a big dog hike and snow shoveling.

Then off-day workout...

kettlebell snatches 5x10, kb swings 5x30, resistance band rotator cuff exercises. Followed by another big dog hike.

One more dog hike to go, then finally watching Batman: Dark Knight tonight.

Stay strong,

Craig

Six Sets of Squats

Sunday morning I did 6 sets of squats. Why 6? Isn't that overkill?

Well, yes, it is for most goals (fat loss, muscle building), but not when you need to improve your squatting skills for strength. And that's what I want to do...

So after all these years of squatting, I'm still learning how to do it right for maximum strength. Hopefully one day I'll figure it out and actually get strong.

The six sets helped today. As did some of the lessons recently posted by Dave Tate (@underthebar on www.Twitter.com).

That's why I did 6 sets, but I don't recommend you do the same.

And I won't be overly sore tomorrow due to three factors

1) low number of reps per set (so total volume wasn't excessive)

2) I'm still taking 3g of vitamin C and I really think its helping reduce soreness (or its playing wonderful mind tricks on me)

3) I'm used to a fair bit of squatting in the first place.

Today's exercises:

1A) Squats - 6 sets of 5 (between 275 and 335)
1B) Face Pulls

2) Full Olympic Squats (175x12) - I guess that makes 7 sets

3A) Hanging Knee Raises (3x10)
3B) Good Mornings (2x8 @ 200)

Yesterday's workout:

1A) DB flat presses (75x4x8)
1B) Wide grip seated rows (175x3x8)

2A) DB incline presses (45x4x15)
2B) DB Row (4x10 @ 95)

3A) DB Curls (can't remember weights)
3B) Close grip Pushups
3C) Cable External Rotations (need to strengthen these before I run into trouble)

Light kettlebell lifting and stretching tomorrow (and heavy snow shoveling),

Craig

7 Days of Christmas Fat Loss

Less than a week till Christmas, but here are 7 days of fat loss tips to get you through the holidays.

Click here for this week's call & Fat loss tips

(<= Looks like someone didn't like their new sweater!)

By the way, we just added a Turbulence Training Podcast to Itunes...grab it here:

=> Click here for the Turbulence Training Podcast on Itunes

But if you're not big on listening to my voice, here's a summary of the most important tips...

Monday, Dec 21
I added a cool new video on how to do more pull-ups to youtube. It's free, but the info is priceless if you are struggling to do your first pullup or chinup.

Click Here to watch the Evolution of Pullups

Tuesday, Dec 22
If you need help sticking to your diet, I highly recommend using Twitter.com. Yeah, I know, it sounds goofy, but it works. Go there, signup, and start posting your meals.

Also, go to www.twitter.com/craigballantyne and follow me to see what I'm eating. Drop me a line and I'll reply to you and introduce you to all of my "twitter followers" who will then follow you and motivate you and encourage you to eat for your goals. And you'll eat better because you won't want to embarrass yourself by posting a meal that shows you went off track.

Wednesday, Dec 23
Here's a cool exercise from my current workout called the Pullthrough. Yes, it looks weird but its great for guys and gals.

Click here to watch the Cable Pull Through

Thursday
Have yourself a Merry lil' Christmas. And have yourself a reward meal. But just remember this tip from Jersey John Alvino, one of my favorite fat loss experts..."once you get up from the table from your reward meal, consider it OVER! No going back for 2nd's."

I also recommend planning to reward yourself with your favorites. Don't waste calories on low-quality treats. When you reward yourself, I want you to really enjoy it! That will allow you to be GUILT-FREE over the holidays.

Friday
Time to start the 4th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest!

The next 12 weeks are going to fly by. Don't miss the past winners for inspiration:

Click here to see men lose over 31 pounds of fat and for women to look 15 years younger

I also covered supplements on this call. Here are my favorites for:

o Muscle Building: Creatine; protein (optional); chocolate milk (a good source of extra calories)

o Health: Fish oil; green tea; vitamin C

Fat Loss - nothing works!

Saturday
I want you to discover everything you can about your body. The more you know about how your body reacts to different foods, stress, exercise, and sleep, the better you will be able to choose the right diet and workout.

Sunday
Research shows that folks who kept a 3 week food log lost an extra 3.5 pounds, so use one of these websites to record your diet:
http://www.fitday.com/
http://www.sparkpeople.com/
http://www.nutritiondata.com/

Next week: The TT New Year's Edition!

Merry Christmas,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Want to join the next Turbulence Training Transformation Contest?

Get started here:

Click here for the TT Contest Rules

Turbulence Training Off Day Workout Activity

Q: What kind of activities qualify for my 30 minutes on off days?

Answer:
The main goal of off-day activity is to keep your butt off a chair for at least 30 minutes. And it should be fun.

Dog walks are good. Do a little exploring!

On the other hand, there are two things you must avoid with off day activities. First, you don't want to workout too hard and get sore so you end up ruining the next "real workout". And second, you don't want to exercise too hard that you impair recovery from the previous "real workout".

Be conservative. When in doubt, do less than you think you should.

For beginners and intermediate folks, you could do 30 minutes of light cardio, walking, domestic work, or a combination of bodyweight exercises (easy ones) and easy cardio. Even dancing is fine. Playing sports would probably be too much.

For your cardio, it would be best to do what is called "cross-training". That means using a different form of cardio each workout or doing 10 minutes of 3 different cardio methods within the same workout. This will help avoid overuse injuries, which is one of the main downfalls of cardio (along with inefficiency).

If you choose to do walking or dancing, please make sure you have the appropriate footwear and if you feel any onset of overuse injury switch to another activity.

The heavier you are, the more you should focus on non-weight bearing activities at this time until you lose a significant amount of weight. So swimming, the elliptical trainer, and the stationary bike might be most appropriate at this time.

Yoga, Pilates, and other methods of "mobility training" are also acceptable off-day forms of exercise. Plus, they are highly beneficial for stress reduction, which should be one of the main benefits you get from your off-day form of exercise.

Please note: Just like any other activity, you can over-do and over-use your body in Yoga, Pilates, and Mobility exercises. Please be very careful and only work with qualified instructors who are experienced in working with beginners.

For more advanced fitness levels, all of the above apply as well as more advanced off-day activity levels. The key is to do something you enjoy. Your "off-day" exercise should not be thought of as a workout, but rather as a leisure pursuit. You should really look forward to doing what you have planned for this day.

Alternatively, you could simply do "errand running" or "household chores" as your activity for the day, if you maintain a brisk pace and do it continuously for at least 30 minutes.

Finally, for those that are super-fit and looking for that little extra to remove the last bit of body fat, you can use additional bodyweight circuit training. But again, make sure it does not impair tomorrow's performance or recovery from yesterday's workout.

Have fun on your off-day,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Click here to get started with Turbulence Training

Transformation Contest Winner!

The winners of the Turbulence Training Transformation Contest are here!

First of all, every finalist on the voting page received an automatic 1-Year Platinum Membership.

Voting was closer than ever for all spots this round. No runaway winners, and a tight battle for 3rd place. Interesting stuff. Thanks to everyone for participating, and everyone for voting! You guys rock!

Now for the top 3...

In 3rd place, with 16.28% of the votes:

Tabitha Bynum! You've won $500 and a 1-year Platinum Membership!

In 2nd place, with 25.14% of the votes:

Jason Davies! You've won $1000 and a 2-Year Platinum Membership!

And in 1st pace, with 28.31% of the votes:

Hal Empsom! Congratulations Hal! You've won $2000 and a 3-Year Platinum Membership!

Congrats to everyone!

Check out everyone's story at www.TransformationContest.com

Crazy Cardio Q'n'A Volume 1

This is a real email I received. You can't make this stuff up.

Q: Craig, I just finished reading an article you wrote providing fat loss tips and I have a few questions. here's what my personal cardio regimen consists of: 90 minutes of interval training on a recumbent bike, 5 days per week. Throughout the entire workout 60 second work and rest periods alternate. I use a LifeCycle set to level 15 out of 25 for 90 minutes. My heart rate reaches a maximum 155 beats per minute. So, could I be doing better? 

Answer:
You are wasting a lot of time in the gym. 90 minutes of interval training? I almost fell out of my chair.

What you are doing is aerobic interval training. But it's not "fat burning interval training" by my standards, and probably wouldn't even be used as fat burning interval training in a research study.

Real interval training is short, burst exercise, and is done at an intensity you could not maintain for more than 20-30 minutes, let alone 90 minutes. Research studies on interval training for fat loss and health rarely last more than 20 minutes. So I'm not sure where you got the idea to do 90 minutes.

The bottom line is that interval training is about quality, not quantity.

I like to keep interval training simple. You can work hard for a minute and then rest for 1-2 minutes. Do that 6 times and you are done the interval workout. That's it.

Sure you can do Tabata intervals (20 seconds hard, 10 seconds easy), I have nothing against them, but they are next to impossible to do on a machine, and even though I don't *love* cardio machines, the fact is most TT readers use machines to do intervals. So tabata intervals are just not practical for most of my readers, and that's why I don't recommend them in my articles.

If you do them, they should work fine. Obviously they get the job done fast. However, the longer intervals are also better for intermediate folks - less intimidating, and safer.

Anyways, the bottom line is that you don't need to do cardio/intervals for 90 minutes. Heck, you barely need to workout more than 90 minutes per week, let alone per workout.

Real fat burning interval training is a better use of your time,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Click here to try Turbulence Training on a $4.95 trial offer

How to do more pullups

New videos for you today...

1) How to do more pull-ups

I call this one the evolution of pull-ups. Takes you from beginner
versions right up to helping you crank out a few more reps.

Discover the secrets to better pull-ups here:

=> How to do more pullups

And one from the files.

2) Fat Burning Barbell Complexes

What is this?

Just 6 exercises, 6 reps each. But powerful for fat burning.

You'll do squats, military presses (I call it a push press in the video by mistake), front squats, high pulls (powerful wide grip
upright rows), RDL's, & conventional deadlifts.

=> Fat Burning Barbell Complex

Great workouts you can do in a tiny little space,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - If you are a bodyweight workout fanatic...

And want to do bodyweight cardio, the bodyweight 500, and even the bodyweight 1000, you'll be amazed at how well these can build your body and burn fat.

Grab your copy of the Turbulence Training bodyweight programs and
get the girls and body of your dream here:

=> Click here to get Turbulence Training

Never Too Old for Turbulence Training

If you think you are too old for Turbulence Training, you need to see this story of a gal who is 74 years young and lost 6 pounds with Turbulence Training...

=> Click here for her powerful story

On that site, you'll also discover all of these powerful stories...

1) How Eva Lost 13 Pounds of Fat in Only 12 Weeks

2) How Francis Got SHREDDED (I now call him, "Mr. Ripped"!)

3) How Agnes, a Turbulence Training Skeptic, Used TT to Slash 11.3% Bodyfat

4) How Alan Lost 10 Pounds and Looks Better than Most Guys HALF His Age

Visit this link to be amazed by even more TT Success Stories:

=> http://www.transformationcontest.com/powerfulstories/

It will inspire you to join the next contest that begins Dec. 26th!

More details to come,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - This is the CLOSEST Transformation Contest yet!

Only 3 votes separate 1st and 2nd place.

Today is your last day to vote! The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Please cast your vote here:

=> http://www.TransformationContest.com

Monday Squat Workout

Had a good leg workout today...well, as good as you can get when listening to Justin Timberlake's album for the 114th time over the loudspeakers at the gym. I gotta talk to them about this...

1A) Squat - 325x5x5
1B) Cable External Rotations - 2x15

2A) Full Squat - 155x2x15
2B) Hanging Knee Raise - 3x8

3) Good Morning - 200x2x8

4) Back Extension - 2x12

This workout lasted 50+ minutes, which is kind of long for me. But the squats lasted 35 minutes including a long warm-up. Felt not too bad. One more week on this program.

Day off tomorrow,

Craig

PS - Take 3 seconds to vote for your favorite transformation here:

www.transformationcontest.com

Transformation Contest Success Stories

Time to unveil some powerful Turbulence Training Transformation Contest Success Stories!

The 3rd TT Transformation Contest is done and 8 of the most amazing transformation stories are up for you to discover and cast your vote.

=> Click here to have your say in the Transformation Contest

Two finalists lost over 31 pounds of fat in just 12 weeks.

Another two finalists lost over 21 pounds of fat.

Four other finalists lost a LOT of inches from their hips, thighs, waists, and belly fat.

Are they better than the Body for Life transformations?

I can't say...but these certainly are REAL people getting REAL results. Busy people working out less, doing less cardio, and
getting more results!

Let me know what you think,

Craig Ballantyne

PS - These are POWERFUL, highly emotional transformations.

Please share your vote here:

=> http://www.TransformationContest.com

Weekend Workout Update

Did a couple of morning workouts this weekend, plus lots of long dog walks in and around High Park in Toronto.

On Saturday...

1) Sumo Deadlift (355x4x3)

2A) Pull-Through (3x15)
2B) Cable Abs (3x15)

3A) Back Extension (3x15)
3B) Face Pull (2x15)

Then I worked on the www.TransformationContest.com page all day. Finalists will be up Monday morning. Amazing results...two guys losing over 31 pounds, and our first ever woman losing over 21 pounds in just 12 weeks. Amazing!

On Sunday...

1A) DB Press (4x10)
1B) Wide Grip Row (3x8)

2A) DB Incline Press (3x15)
2B) DB Row (4x10)

That was pretty much it.

One more dog walk and then that's it for this weekend's activity.

Make sure to vote on Monday,

Craig

PS - Don't forget to listen to this week's TT 7-Day Weight Loss Guide...

...where I cover abs, caffeine, and off-day workouts.

=> Click here to listen to this week's 7-Day Weight Loss Guide

Abs & Caffeine on the TT 7-Day Weight Loss Call

Big things going on at TT this week.

 

1) First, the Toronto Star newspaper published a review of my book, "Just Say NO to Cardio".

 

=> Click here for their controversial review

 

PS - If you haven't grabbed your copy of that book and the free bonuses, go here:

 

=> JustSayNOtoCardio.com

 

2) I'm planning some TT seminars for the Toronto area in January.

Details below...

 

3) Okay, time for this week's 7-Day Weight Loss call...where I cover my opinions on caffeine, ab exercises, and "Off-day workouts".

 

=> Click here to listen to this week's 7-Day Weight Loss Guide

 

Here are the main points from the call...

 

Monday
Today's the big day...the 3rd TT Transformation Contest Finalists will be announced.

 

They all have one thing in common...they used social support to succeed. None of them did this "all on their own". So take 5 minutes and find ONE source of support today (at work, online, or at home).

 

Tuesday
Bodyweight exercises are great for off-days, but you need to pick the right exercises.

 

Choose easy bodyweight exercises and work on your mobility. I call this type of workout, "upbeat yoga". More movement, but same goals. (I also cover the truth about eating after 7pm on the call.)

 

Wednesday
I shared my latest upper body workout that I use in my latest strength and muscle building program.

 

1A) Overhead Squat
1B) Hang Clean
2A) Military Press
2B) Chin-ups
3A) DB Triceps Extension
3B) BB Curl

 

That's a FUN workout.

 

Thursday
I want to clear up a misconception...many folks think I've said that coffee is bad for you. But I haven't! Coffee and caffeine are fine in moderation. (I just don't drink coffee, personally). I also explain why caffeine withdrawal gives you headaches.

 

Friday
When you do ab exercises, brace your abs as if someone was punching you in the stomach. I explain the technique on the call.

 

Saturday
Plan for all the obstacles you think you're going to come across this week. Plan 2 solutions for each obstacle and you'll have a better chance to stick to your plan.

 

Sunday
If you are looking for a cookbook, try Dr. John Berardi's, "Gourmet Nutrition".

**************************

 

That's it! So don't miss the call.

 

=> Click here to listen this week's weight loss call

I'll send you another free 7-Day Weight Loss call next Sunday,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - I want to have a Turbulence Training Seminar in January in Toronto...

 

...would you be interested in attending?

 

The seminar would cover the Turbulence Training program design, exercise demonstrations, and interval training options.

 

If you're interested in attending, please email back and let me know.

 

Would you be able to make January 3rd?

 

What about January 17th?

 

Thanks! Just post your comment below...

Toronto Star Reviews "Just Say NO to Cardio"

Find out what the "Fitness Decoder" at the Toronto Star newspaper had to say about my book, "Just Say NO to Cardio".

Click HERE for the book review

And when you are ready to drop cardio for intervals, go here to grab your copy and free bonuses:

Just Say NO to Cardio

Kekich Credo #40

This one was timely...helped guide me to a few tough decisions this morning. Here's Kekich Credo #40 and how you can apply it to fat loss and business...

Kekich Credo #40. No dream is too big. It takes almost the same amount of time and energy to manage tiny projects or businesses as it does to manage massive ones…and the massive ones carry with them – proportional rewards.

 

My thoughts on KC #40 and Fat Loss

·        Your long term goal setting should include achieving massive dreams. After all, the same steps will be taken to lose 100 pounds as will be for 5 pounds.

·        Think big!

·        Find support from others who support your big dreams and who dream big as well.

·        Don't be satisfied with the norm if you want more. It's okay to want to achieve special results. The world needs folks who dream and achieve big things.

·        Get outside your comfort zone.

 

My thoughts on KC #40 and Business

·        No matter the size of your business, delegate what you can.

·        Think big. Hang around others who think big.

·        Expand your peer group.

·        Don't be satisfied with the norm if you want more. It's okay to want to achieve special results. The world needs folks who dream and achieve big things.

·        Get outside your comfort zone.

Let me know your thoughts,

Craig

5 Interval Training Tips

I'm sitting in LaGuardia Airport waiting to head back to Toronto after a couple of fun, although rain-filled, days in NYC.

But I just got a bit of bad news...in the form of an angry letter from a frustrated TT reader who was disappointed I didn't give more interval training advice in my books and programs.

Ouch.

So here's some more info to help her and YOU burn belly fat with interval training...

There are all types of ways to do interval training, and research hasn't shown us a best way yet.

There is NO best interval training workout for fat loss, however, some of my favorites are:

a) 1 minute on, 1-2 minutes off, repeat 6 times.

b) 30 seconds on, 90 seconds off, repeat 6 times.

c) 45 seconds on, 90 seconds off, repeat 6 times.

d) 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off, repeat up to 8 times.

Make sure to include a warm-up and cool-down after each.

And remember, you can use all types of interval training methods for these workouts.

You can do treadmill running, hill walking, stationary cycling, sprinting outside (if you do extra warm-up), kettlebell swings,
medicine ball power woodchoppers, rope jumping, rowing, swimming, or even the elliptical machine (if you think it works).

One research study even used 8 seconds on, 12 seconds off for a total of 20 minutes, but these short intervals are almost
impossible to do on regular gym equipment.

Here's one of my most popular videos on fat burning intervals:

=> Turbulence Training Intervals

Let me know if I can be of more help!

Thanks, and keep up the great work. And don't forget to stop by the forum for social support!

Have a great day (hope you aren't mad at me anymore!),

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Click here to get started with Turbulence Training

TT and CB in NYC

Had a great day in NYC even though it rained all day...

Started off with an upper body workout in a NYSC gym (OH squat, hang clean, military press, chins, curls, db extensions, abs). Then lunch at Dos Caminos with a buddy.

After I walked all the way from 25th to 80th up 5th avenue, eventually making it to the Met Museum of Art. Went in there for a couple of hours and then walked all the way back on Madison. I was soaked by the time I got to my hotel.

Tonight I went to Blossom, a vegetarian restaurant, met up with Jay Ferruggia and he told me about his new gym he is opening up in Jersey. Sounds cool. He made me jealous with all the cool toys he'll have in there and the athletes he'll be training. If only I could find another 12 hours to fit in my day to open my own place...

Heading back to Toronto in the morning,

craig

Click here to find out more about a "day in the life of CB"  

Stability Ball Ab Exercises

Here's a quick video on my 3 favorite stability ball ab exercises. Of course, the abs exercises don't include crunches. No crunches for you! Or situps either. Or stability ball crunches. No need to do those when you have these three exercises...

=> Stability Ball Ab Exercises

Again, using a Flipcam, so the sound quality aint'a tooo good.

How to Do More Pushups

A reader asked, "If I'm stuck at 5 pushups...how can I do more?" So I filmed a youtube video showing you some tips on how to do more pushups by building strength...of course, losing body fat is the first step you need to take if you are overweight and want to do more pushups.

Heres the video:

How to do more pushups

It was filmed with a flip video camera, so the sound quality ain't so good.

Nutrition and Diet for Abs

You want the best nutrition and diet for abs? You want the Nutrition Truth? You can't handle the nutrition truth!

Okay, just kidding, maybe you can...and so I'm going to give you the diet I used to get my 6-pack abs.

Personally, I find that eliminating grain-carbohydrates from my diet is an ultra-fast way to help me go from 10% to 8% body fat - which is what I did for my photo on Turbulence Training for Abs

Usually it takes about 4 weeks for someone to drop 2% body fat, but I did this in 3 weeks or less.

So when I want to get really lean, I follow this rule:

"Nothing out of a box or bag; only fruits, veggies, raw nuts and protein; no bread or sugar."

Now I know a lot of folks ask, "what about whole wheat pasta or oatmeal?" and we could get into an entire debate on that...but it's easier just to stick to the simple rule and forget debating.

As for supplements, I believe all fat loss supplements are a joke. Complete scams. Phoney Baloney. BS! I don't believe any supplement burns belly fat.

For health, I use fish oil, Green Tea (I guess this doesn't count as a supplement), Vitamin C, and a Greens-Plus drink (which I'm not even sure if I need because I eat a ridiculous amount of vegetables everyday).

There you go...I probably just saved you $100 a month on supplements!

It's just a simple diet without supplements.

Heck, with that approach, I didn't even have to do any interval training. Just resistance training. And I do some total body ab exercises at the end of my workouts.

For ab exercises, I really like cable ab exercises, hanging leg and hanging knee raises, pullups combined with knee ups, and Stability Ball Rollouts. Plus, I'll mix in a bunch of bodyweight ab exercises into my warm-ups.

I hope you get six pack abs for Christmas,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Abs

Snowball

Bally the Dog supervised while I rolled up this snowball as a mid-morning workout.

It's a little dirty because there wasn't a lot of snow on the ground, and we rolled it on a muddy soccer field.

Then it started to rain, so we called it a day.

Motivation Tips to Stick to Your Diet & Workout Program

On the weekend, Bally the Dog and I had a great little adventure over to the Riverdale area of Toronto. We explored some trails and new city streets, and Bally made a few new friends.

But it was cold.

So when we got back, I had to warm-up with a green tea before going to try out the new "TT DB 10x10 Matrix Workout" (that's coming out in January's TT 2K9 program. My best program ever? Possibly!).

While I was sipping my tea, I stumbled across a great article (from "Psychology Today") with 5 motivational secrets to help you STICK to your weight loss program.

Here they are...

1. Pay yourself. Give a friend $1,000. Every day you eat healthfully (or exercise), you get $50 back. For every day you miss your target, your friend donates your $50 to your least favorite political party.

2. Create "if-then" plans. Making an if-then plan--if I get off work, then I'll go straight to the gym--makes behavior automatic so
there's less chance you'll slip.

3. Compete. Setting up a contest with a friend--such as agreeing that whoever loses more weight has to pay the other--can add
competitive fuel to your motivational fire. 

(I.e. That's why the TT Transformation Contest works so well! And only a few more days till the next contest ends. Voting next week!)
 
4. Use external monitoring. Keep a written record of how well you're doing.

(Don't forget to take progress photos...those are more meaningful than body fat measurements on inaccurate handheld scales.)

5. Make social contracts. The buddy system is powerful. Find a friend in the same boat and make an appointment to work on your
task together.

*******************

I can't emphasize enough how important #5 is...you need to get social support in the real world and ONLINE.

So make sure you take advantage of your last chance at the $1 trial offer for the TT Member's area...

...where you will experience the power of the buddy system with hundreds of other "TT-ers" around the world who will help you stick to your diet and make every workout.

...But the $1 trial is gone at midnight, TUESDAY, Dec. 9th (EST).

Visit this link to get a 7-day pass into the member's area for only a buck:

=> http://www.ttmembers.com/public/352.cfm

Stick to the plan and lose fat over the holidays,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Grab your $1 seven day pass before I take down this special holiday offer TONIGHT!

Here's the link to get a whole bunch of fat burning goodies for only $1:

=> Click here for the $1 TT Trial

"The TTmembers.com website, in particular the Discussion Forums, has been vital to my progress and motivation. I go to the website manuals and videos for knowledge and motivation and the Discussion Forums for support and advice. The power of group support is clear - people from around the world all sharing their experience, strength and hope using this wonderful program... I knew we were all in this together and it made all the difference in my results!"
Hal Empsom, lost 33 pounds in the 12-Week Transformation Contest!

Free 10-Minute Workout Program for You

An early Christmas present for you...I created a free 10-minute workout program to help you get through the holidays.

No more excuses now, no matter how many holiday parties you have to attend! These quick workouts will keep you burning extra calories all night long.

Visit this link and download the workouts, complete with pictures and exercise descriptions.

=> Click here to download the free 10-Minute workout program

I would have stuffed the program in your stocking but I couldn't wait till Christmas,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

7 Day Weight Loss Diet Plan

Time for this week's 7 day weight loss diet plan and audio call to help YOU plan the next 7 days of your weight loss program.

Listen here:

=> Click here to listen to your weight loss secrets

Aren't you proud of me for not cutting myself off this call? Ha! I'm such a techno-dunce.

Anyway, if you don't have a chance to listen to the call, here are the main points, including 3 controversial weight loss topics:

1) intervals for beginners
2) yoga
3) eating nuts

Monday
If you want to lose fat, make sure you are doing interval training.

On the call, I outline interval training for beginners, plus my recent "advanced athletic interval training" I'm using in my own personal plan.

Tuesday
On your off-days, I want you to get some fun activity. This will help you reduce stress. Yoga is great for that. Unless you're like me and it stresses you out to go to yoga. That's why I don't do it anymore.

=> Click here for Craig Ballantyne's fridge

Check out what I have in there that you don't.

Wednesday
Time for another tough TT workout for you. On the call, I go over the first two workouts in my new program. Geez, I talk a lot about myself on this call...more about YOU next time!

Thursday
I love hearing stories about TT members who are taking up dancing again as a fun off-day activity. Amy, one of our most popular TT Members told me she returned to her dancing roots back in the spring.

I was really proud of her, because "exercise" should be fun. You don't need to be shackled to a calorie counting cardio machine (that can't count calories accurately anyways).

Here's a little secret: You can actually get fit and have fun OUTSIDE of commercial mega-gyms!

And I also cover my nuts on this call. You can see them here, in all their glory:

=> Craig Ballantyne's nuts

Friday
Time for another TT workout, but make sure you treat yourself to something fun at the end of this session.

It's friday, and you've earned it...so do a couple of sets of your favorite exercise, even if its not in the program. Do 6-minute abs, or 3 minute arms.

On the call, I share my favorite Friday exercise...

Saturday
Spend some time on the weekend getting social support. You could do a little workout with a friend. Go hiking or rock climbing. Again, have fun OUTSIDE of the gym.

Sunday
Okay, this is your plan, shop and prepare day. I challenge you to add a new vegetable to your repetoire. I also talk about how I'm adding spinach to my life. Maybe that will help me get strong!

Tons of stuff on this week's call. Hope you love it!

So don't miss the call, go and listen to it or download it here:

=> Click here for the weight loss call

I'll send you another free 7-Day Weight Loss call next Sunday,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Want to lose 17 pounds in 4 weeks with Turbulence Training?

"In 4 weeks I have lost 17 pounds and reduced my waist measurement 4 ½ inches, increased my energy levels throughout the day, got back into clothes I haven't worn in months, and reduced my cholesterol to normal levels again. The most satisfying result is the comments I'm receiving from friends and family members on my transformation."
Hal Empsom

"In the result of the last 12 weeks on Turbulence Training I have:
- Lost 21.8 lbs, not by starving but eating an average 1600+ calories per day
- Lost 4.25" from my waist, 3.5" from my hips and 2" from my thighs
- Dropped 7.7% bodyfat down to 16.9%
- Revealed abs, never seen before. Thanks!"
Serena T

=> Click here to get started with Turbulence Training

Barbell Complex

6 exercises, 6 reps.

Barbell Complex

Squat, military press (I call it a push press in the video by mistake), front squat, high pull (powerful wide grip upright row), RDl, & conventional deadlift.

How to Improve Your Nutrition

Well, I screwed up my lunch, but I'm going to show you how to improve your nutrition.

Here's how I screwed up...

1) I forgot to take chicken out of the freezer to thaw, so I couldn't BBQ the chicken when I got home from my workout.

2) My next option was Amy's Organic Chili, but my can opener broke yesterday.

3) My fridge is full...but only of vegetables and fruit. Nothing that really "makes a meal".

So...

...the only thing I had in the cupboards that I could turn into "lunch" was a can of Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup (hey, you never know when you'll need the secret weapon to get rid of a cold).

But rather than just eat the soup "plain", I added extra broccoli, cauliflower, and peppers to increase the nutrient content. It wasn't perfect, but better than nothing. That's a quick way to boost your lunch if you are making something quick.

Of course, that's not nearly enough for a full lunch, so now I need to go eat some cashews, an apple, and maybe even some oatmeal. I'm still hungry.

Time to go get some steak for dinner,

Craig

PS - On a related note...

...my friend and nutrition expert, Brad Pilon, has a really good post on how to create an environment for success. Check it out here:

Brad's Best Advice for Weight Loss Success

Just Say NO to Cardio

Over 40 years ago, Dr. Kenneth Cooper invented the term "aerobics"to describe what most people call "cardio". Now I don't blame him personally for wasting the time of millions of men and women who were suckered into believing cardio was the best way to lose weight.It's not his fault at all.

The problem was too many uneducated trainers misunderstood the point of Dr. Cooper's aerobic workouts, and well, here we are.

In the past 2 years I've discovered 3 very interesting research studies...

1) One study showed interval training was better than cardio at burning belly fat (and cut the workout time in half)

2) A second study found that 300 hours of cardio per year helped men lose only 6 pounds (and women lost only 4 pounds). So that's about 50 hours of cardio per pound of weight lost - at BEST!

3) A third study found some folks start eating MORE when they start a cardio program. These folks end up gaining weight on aerobics.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying cardio makes you fat (as a few people have asked), but it might cause you to eat more, and therefore indirectly you might gain weight because of cardio.

After all, something is going on because I continue to get emails from women who are doing 5 or more hours of cardio per week and their thighs are getting BIGGER!

What a cruel, cruel joke your body must be playing on you!

So we've had 40 years of cardio's oppressing reign on the weight loss hopes and dreams of millions of men and women.

That's why I wrote my book, "Just Say NO to Cardio"

=> http://www.JustSayNOtoCardio.com

I also wanted to share with you the interval training revolution.My mentors at McMaster University, where I did my graduate studies, were among the first scientists to recommend interval training guidelines back in 1981!

I stumbled across their research paper - and still carry it around in my interval training files - as my foundation for fat burning workouts.I first used these programs in the mid-1990's while training clients on "the back 40" of the University training grounds.

I tried hundreds of combinations of interval training programs, and each one helped my clients burn belly fat in record time.

Those were my first clients who were able to, "Just Say NO to Cardio"and get faster results.

Only a couple of years later, while working in scientific lab, I would create the first complete Turbulence Training workout.For the rest of the story, grab your copy of:

=> http://www.JustSayNOtoCardio.com

In my book you'll learn everything you need to know about how to burn fat and lose inches without doing slow, boring cardio again.

Viva la interval training revolution,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - I've put together a bonus package of 4 workouts and an exclusive, never-heard-before motivational audio message from me to you for everyone that buys the book.

Visit this link to get your early Christmas Presents:

=> http://www.JustSayNOtoCardio.com

"Everyone who wants to lose weight MUST read 'Just Say NO toCardio'. You'll save yourself months and years of headache and even injury by discovering the truth about the role of cardio for weight loss. Plus, Craig will show you faster, proven fat burning workouts you can do at home and with only your own bodyweight."
Dr. Shayne Ladak, MD, BSc(Hons), CSCS, NASM-CPT

My Nuts

Here's a photo of my nuts. In bags, of course. From my cupboard.

From left to right:

1) Coconut Flakes

2) Raw Pecans (usually mixed with coconut flakes in my morning breakfast of blueberries, peanut butter, coconut flakes, and pecans)

3) Raw Almonds

4) Apricots (I know these aren't nuts, but they go great with raw almonds)

5) Raw Cashews (A great mid-afternoon snack on their own)

6) Walnuts (These are my last-resort nut. I don't really like them, but if I'm out of everything else, I'll mix them with blueberries or strawberries, or throw them in oatmeal with peanut butter. Sorry walnuts, you're just not my kind of nut.)

Craig

PS - Don't forget to check out what's in my fridge!

Click here for a fridge tour

How to Beat Peer Pressure at Parties

Tis the season to be surrounded by people who give you a hard time for wanting to make healthy choices at holiday parties...

AND...

Without a doubt, one of the most difficult things about losing fat is eating in social situations.

The peer-pressure (from both the ignorant and immature) is the toughest test of your commitment.

BUT...

If you want to succeed, you have to lay the ground rules. There is no room for debate. You are either in or you are out.

And you might just surprise some folks when you show them that life can go on if you don't overeat at Christmas parties with them.

SO...

Be LOUD and PROUD of the healthy choices you are making.

Because I promise you, there are dozens of folks you know who are SECRETLY wishing that someone would stand up and be a healthy role model for them...

...someone who would show them the way to eating better and exercising for health and fat loss.

And they don't want to wait till January 1st, either.

They want and need help NOW!

You can be that role model to them.

It might not happen overnight, but if you continue to lead by healthy example - without preaching or being condescending - you can build an entourage of social support and people who want to be healthy like you.

This will build powerful relationships that will take your health and fat loss to the next level.

Build your Entourage for fat loss!

I want you to understand something...

People are counting on YOU!

They need you to stand up and be a healthy role model. That will give them courage to do the same. And more and more people will choose health and vitality over junk food and sluggish living.

We'll all have more energy and an easier time losing weight when we have social support.

And if you want powerful PROOF of real life results of social support, then just stop by the 3rd TT Transformation Results forum here:

=> Click here to see the latest Turbulence Training fat loss success stories

Can you believe Serena lost over 21 pounds just before her 44th birthday?

Can you believe that her husband has six pack abs at 41?

Can you believe what Tom and Tabitha - another TT husband and wife team - were able to accomplish?

Did you see how Dale Bateman looks? In his best shape ever at 40!

Go here to see their photos and read their stories:

=> TT Transformation Forum

If you aren't a TT Member, you can join the forum and grab the workout of the month on a $1 7-day trial offer here:

=> Click here for the $1 TT Trial

Be a healthy fat loss role model for someone today,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Grab your $1 seven day pass before I take down this special holiday offer.

Double Workout Update

Monday and Tuesday I was in a hotel meeting room all day, but Tuesday night I went to the gym much later than usual. Got in at 8:10pm to start a new 4-week program. First workout went like this...

1A) Bench Press (3x3) - 240
1B) Wide Grip Seated Row (3x8) - 185

2A) DB Incline Press (4x10) - 70
2B) DB Row-Shrug (4x10) - 60

3A) DB Curl (4x10) - 35
3B) Close-grip Hammer Strength Press for fun (2x10) - 90

Went home and had a bowl of cereal. I switched away from chocolate milk after workouts for 2 very scientific reasons.

1) All of the convenience stores around the gym are staffed by people who make my visits inconvenient. So I refuse to give those stores money.

2) Bally can't lick out a chocolate milk container, but he can lick what's left in the cereal bowl.

That's it. Nothing magical. Some folks take "post workout nutrition" way too seriously.

Here's the bottom line: If you put 100 guys on the same program, but gave one of them "whey protein + dextrose" and the other group a bowl of cereal and milk, they'd get the same results.

There's only ONE thing that could change the results the guys would get...and it shouldn't be too hard to guess. Okay, one LEGAL thing, and ONE illegal thing. Guess away!

Back to the workouts...today I went in around noon...

1) Squat - 315x4x5

2) Full Olympic Stance Squat - 135x2x15

3A) Good Morning - 185x3x10
3B) Face Pull - 30x3x15

4A) Back Extension - 25x3x10
4B) Cable Abs - 3x12

Then went home and had another bowl of cereal.

Day off from weights tomorrow,

Craig
More muscle building workouts here

5 Ways to Cut Workout Time

You've told me the 2 biggest reasons you stop exercising are:

1) Lack of time
2) Lack of motivation

So let's tackle "Lack of Time" today with 5 ways you can get your workouts done faster. After all, no one should spend more than 45 minutes in the gym three times per week to burn belly fat.

Here are 5 fast ways to cut your workout time.

a) Supersets

By using the "non-competing" supersets in Turbulence Training, you'll get more results in less time than those folks who are wasting their time with machine circuits and isolation exercises like triceps kickbacks or the adductor machine (ewwww!).

b) Choose a better warmup strategy

Don't waste 10 minutes walking on the treadmill. Instead, use the Turbulence Training total body circuit of bodyweight exercises for only 3-5 minutes.

c) Pair dumbbell and bodyweight exercises together in your supersets

This saves you time at home (you don't need to change the dumbbell weight between exercises) and in the gym (you don't need to fight for 2 sets of dumbbells).

d) Choose fat burning intervals over slow, boring cardio

The latest research shows interval trainers burn more belly fat and exercise for half as much time as cardio workouts.

e) Use bodyweight circuits & medicine ball exercises

These workouts require little or NO equipment and you can do them in your bedroom, even if you busier than Santa's elves at this time of year.

In just 15 to 20 minutes you can burn fat in the comfort of your own home before a big holiday event. No more excuses, sorry!

Workout less and live life more,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS - Don't know where to start?

If you are a beginner, start by reading Dr. Chris Mohr's Turbulence Training Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines and using the beginner TT workouts in the Fat Loss manual.

Nutrition changes can help beginners lose 5-10 pounds in a week, but a beginner doesn't need advanced workouts right away. Start with the TT workouts that I've used with men over 300 pounds and beginner women from 16-75.

If you are more advanced, it's best to start with the Intermediate Level TT workouts. Trust me, that workout can be made as hard as you can handle, no matter how fit you think you are.

After burning belly fat with that program, move onto the Original TT workout and follow the 16-week advanced program right through till you've lost 10, 15, 20 pounds or more.

Click here to get started with Turbulence Training:

=> http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com/GetStarted

3 Fat Loss Tips for the Holidays

Okay, it's December 2nd, and you have two choices.

A) Give up and pile on the pounds.

B) Get started NOW on losing weight and you'll be two steps ahead of your new year's resolutions on January 1st.

Since I know you'll be choosing "B", here are 3 tips for burning fat over the holidays.

1) Try this pre-party "filler-upper".

One of the most common tips you'll hear is to "fill up" before you go to a party where there will be lots of goodies.

Unfortunately, most people I talk to have no luck with this tip. Most people still go to a party and eat everything in sight.

But recently TT users have told me that having a cup of Green Tea and one ounce of almonds has helped them avoid holiday cravings better than anything ever before.

The fiber from the almonds reduces appetite while the small amount of caffeine from the Green Tea seems to increase mental alertness and keep you "energized" at the party.

Hopefully that might work for you...Here are more nutrition tips:

a) Focus on portion control (and if you have no discipline, forget even trying to eat just one)

b) Nix all drinks mixed with calorie-containing beverages, or better yet, just stop getting drunk. Period.

c) Write down everything you eat to identify your problem spots. Do whatever you need to do to eliminate your weaknesses. If you don't record your nutrition, chances are you'll miss big opportunities to change your diet and lose fat.

d) Also, hit the veggie tray at the party, not the cookie tray.

2) Avoid the cardio confessional

Study after study shows that cardio is not a great way to lose weight and that calorie counters LIE. So don't expect to "burn off" one of your holiday meals doing cardio.

It would take you a couple of hours to burn off a feast, and you'd get an overuse injury. Not the Christmas present you're looking for.

3) Use Short, Burst Workouts to burn fat in the minimum time you have for exercise this holiday season.

Burn fat and have fun this holiday season with the TT Lifestyle,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS