Trunk and Deadlift in SoCal

My trunk, my junk, my lovely manly trunk, to paraphrase the wordsmith, Fergie. Yep, it's a beautiful thing. I travel so much to the same places that I have one of these trunks stashed at 3 different hotels in America. Contains all my goodies and secret nutrition formulas! (Like walnuts, coconut oil, cacao nibs, almond butter, Zevia, and Epic bars. Ha!) When I check in, the hotel brings up my trunk. When I check out, they store it. Good times.

More good times...this morning's workout at 24-Hour Fitness near the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California. It went like this:

1A) KB Swing
1B) Jumps

2A) Deadlift
2B) More Jumps

3A) RDL
3B) Rocking Plank

Then back to my room to write, work on the TT Summit (schedule below), and do calls with my team. My big Fitness Business Summit presentation is tomorrow morning, and I host a special session on Saturday night.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
If you want a success WHOOOOSH in any area of your life, you must release the brakes. To release the brakes requires getting rid of things. Just say NO to time wasters in your life. Just say NO to excuses. Say YES to your priorities. Say YES to what counts, say NO to what doesn't. Push on. Stay strong. Get stronger. Let's go!

Time to go,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - Tentative...but it should be darn close to this:

* Times Subject to Change *

Friday, June 5th

7:30am MorningBootcamps
Bootcamps with Craig Ballantyne & Missi Holt

9:00am MC Brian Kalakay: High-Energy Kick-Off!

9:15am Craig Ballantyne: 40 Life Lessons Part I

10:30am Break

11:00am Dan Ritchie: The Functional Training Phenomenon

12:00pm Lunch Buffet

1:00pm Bedros Keuilian: How to Get Started FAST

2:00pm Dani Woodrum: Secrets of a Start-Up Bootcamp

2:30pm Break

3:00pm Chris Lopez: New Exercise Techniques

4:30pm Kettlebell Intensive Training Session with Chris Lopea: (Limited Space and Additional Fee of $97)

6:00pm Other Bonus Sessions TBA before VIP reception

7:00pm VIP Reception

* Times Subject to Change *

Saturday, June 6th

*** Wear Your TT Summit T-Shirt Today! ***

8:30am MorningBootcamps
Bootcamps with Todd Durkin

10:00am MC Brian Kalakay: Re-Energize & Renew!
10:15amTodd Durkin: How to Live Life with Passion

11:30am Break

12:00pm Craig Ballantyne: 40 Life Lessons Part II

1:00pm Lunch Buffet

2:00pm TT Trainer of the Year Presentations

3:45pm TT Trainer of the Year Voting & Break

4:15pm Craig Ballantyne & TT Trainer Award Winner

5:00pm Birthday Party Kick-Off & Cake!

The End of my Streaking

My 12-week Streaking Transformation has come to an end. Details below. Our next TT Transformation Contest will start in late April or early May. I'll need to figure out something really cool for that one.

Speaking of really cool, I had a great Sunday morning workout.

1A) Squat
1B) Depth Jump

2A) Front Squat - did 135 for 12 reps (full squat)
2B) Good Morning

Legs are sore today. Good to get back to Front Squats. I think it's better for me to stick to bilateral exercises, rather than piddling around with single leg stuff. We'll see after 8+ weeks on a couple of programs.

I need to be clear about my plans and goals.

As do you.

Your success depends on clear communication. This means communicating with others, laying down the law, and setting the explicit rules that you will be following to achieve your big goals and dreams. This also means seeking out and communicating with other positive, like-minded individuals. Get social support by clearly communicating your goals and by asking for specific help.

And then comes the hard part – clearly communicating what needs to be done…with yourself. You must be clear about your own goals in your head. You must be clear about what it will take to succeed, and you must also be clear about what you will and will NOT do for success. Those are your rules. Know them, communicate them, and stick to them.

You must have a clear understanding of the consequences of all your actions and communication. Know what to do, know to do it, and know what will happen when you do. Clear communication = a smooth path to success. Get real and get loud about the great goals you have in life. You can do it. I believe in you. Now is your time.

And now is our time to review my recently completed 12 Week TT Contest #22 Streaking Transformation

It was interesting...I gained a LOT of control but am a little frustrated by what I did NOT learn in one area.

1) Write 3000 words per day

In the past 12 weeks I've made big progress on writing faster, focusing more, and finishing up the 1st real draft of my book. It's still ugly, but it's picking up speed. This was a HUGE win.

2) No Post Dinner Binge Eating

This was another HUGE win. I celebrated the end of the contest with a couple of hard ciders yesterday and did not have any desire for a post-dinner binge. Very grateful for this improvement.

3) 1 Drink Maximum

 I failed several times here, but overall, another huge win. When I've been in high-drink-risk environments, I've had no problem sticking to one.

4) No Outbursts or Snarkiness

This was a Fourth Victory. And it means big changes in the future. Stay tuned for some interesting updates.

5) Healthy Gut Days

This was good and bad. My gut is healthy.

But I've learned nothing.

I've done two expensive food sensitivity tests and followed that advice and frankly, I've learned nothing. I almost did another round of testing...but then thought better of it.

My verdict on food sensitivity testing is that it is a waste of time.

***
And so there you go...it was a fun contest and I enjoyed writing updates. I think the 23rd contest will be a physical challenge again. We'll see. I've got to choose something in line with my training goals...the 2014 bodyweight challenge was incongruent with my goals and set me back (even though I learned a lot).

So that's it.

Looking forward to the voting for our #22 contest and then more life-changing good times with contest #23.

Stick to your vision,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS - Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Get connected, overcome your ego, ask for help, and keep going because you are here to do something that matters.

Gluten Busters!

Arrived into Toronto at 5pm on Friday evening. The city was buzzing on the eve of Spring. Warm weather, sunshine, and a sense of change was in the air. These are the nights you look forward to all winter long.

I am staying at one of my favorite hotels, the Shangri-La. It has quite the happening lobby. Every afternoon, and I mean EVERY afternoon, it is packed with people enjoying a traditional British tea service. A pianist plays in the corner. I sit at the bar, sipping a club soda, longingly watching the parade of pastries being taken out to the tables. Alas, poor Gluten, I knew you well. But we are to be no more. 

After finishing up my emails, I cleaned up (real good!) and went to Montecito for dinner. It's famous for two things. First, the roast chicken. We had that (it's salty, but earned its rep). I also had a pork chop, also excellent. The second so-famous-it's-infamous dish is the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man Baked Alaska. The restaurant is co-owned by Ivan Reitman, the producer of Ghostbusters. Alas, we had to pass. Not until Reitman produces Glutenbusters will I be able to enjoy that one.

Who you gonna call, Craiggy?

Gluten-busters. <Insert funky bassline here.>

LOL. Good times.

Today was a Meathead Upper bodyweight 251 workout in the hotel gym.

Total reps per exercise over a few sets each:
101 pushups
50 pullups
50 bodyweight rows
50 plank-to-triceps extensions

This was my last day in a deload week and I start back with heavy squats on Sunday, hoping for a quiet morning in the YMCA back in Stratford.

On Tuesday it's back to Toronto and then LA on Wednesday for Fitness Business Summit. An all day seminar takes care of Thursday, followed by meetings on Friday, a couple of presentations on Saturday, and then back to Denver on Sunday for 5 days. Good Friday brings me down to Tampa for Easter Weekend, and then we go over to Miami (12 of Joel's buddies for a boys night out) for basketball and steak. That times perfectly for me to attend a friend's wedding in South Beach on Saturday.

I finally return to Toronto on the 14th, and head back to Denver on the 18th for a couple of weeks. We have BIG things going on down in the D-V-R. Stay tuned for CTT updates, the release of the 5th TT Summit, a yoga product, a cookbook with @chefgui, more Masterminds, and a lot of new articles from ol' CB.

Insert funky baseline here. Again.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
You can't reach your full potential if you are not healthy. Here's how to change. Remember that the pleasure of eating lasts for only a short while, but you inhabit your body 24 hours per day, 7 days per week for life. Add a new healthy habit each day replacing an old unhealthy habit. Commit to doing at least one big thing first thing in the morning. And yes, everyday you will be tempted to fall back on old bad habits. Do everything you can to resist temptation. Work for baby step improvements everyday. Stay strong. I believe in you. You can – and WILL – do it! Have an AWESOME weekend.

Boom,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS - Here's something that's hard to accept, but once you do, you'll be better off for it. One of the biggest factors in how stressed you get is your decision to be stressed by your circumstances. The truth is you don't have to let things bother you as much as they do.

No excuses.

Paleo Streak

Today's my last day in the ETR office in Denver. It's been very busy, starting in the office at 6:30am and finishing at 5:30am. I've taken the week off from training, but had great chats with Daniel Woodrum about the future of CTT, as well as launching some new programs and coaching our staff. We really dialed in some big projects, testing, and details.

Streaking Update

1) Write 3000 words per day

I've still been up early, writing on Carnegie, Mark Ford, and others. Plus I've had a lot of TT content to write and a big 4000 word team email. I love writing those.

2) No Post Dinner Binge Eating

I've been too busy for fancy dinners. Diet has been better than ever thanks to planning and preparing in advance.

3) 1 Drink Maximum

No booze since Sunday.

4) No Outbursts or Snarkiness

Our staff is awesome and I've had over a dozen meetings that have all gone well. We even have a customer service team in the Phillippines and I finally met all of them by Skype today. Very cool.

5) Healthy Gut Days

There's a great place called Protein Bar in Denver on 16th street. (There's a few locations all over town.) Yesterday I had their 6-ingredient superfood salad, chicken, and a bowl of their paleo beef stew. One of the best lunches I've had in a long time.

Tomorrow it's back to Toronto where I have a night out with friends at a fancy restaurant, but I'll keep the momentum going with a paleo meal.

Stick to your vision,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

Streaking in Denver

Just finished a very good, but long day in the ETR office in Denver. It was our 2nd Quarter Planning meeting and we have some exciting projects half-done, and many more on the long-range calendar. In June we'll have a yoga program out from Missi Holt (not TT-yoga, but yoga for pain relief), and in July we will have a cookbook out with Joel Marion's personal chef, www.Chefgui.com <= totally awesome guy!

Streaking Update

1) Write 3000 words per day

Even though I was in the office from 6:30am to 5:30pm I still got up early and did a lot of writing followed by meditation and a short interval workout. I didn't hit 3,000 words, but did manage a significant content piece early in the morning. Today was about Roosevelt, tomorrow is about Rockefeller.

2) No Post Dinner Binge Eating

None. Went out to dinner last night and had a grass-fed buffalo rib-eye at Edge steakhouse. It was okay. Not the best, but still, almost any rib-eye steak rocks. My favorite cut.

3) 1 Drink Maximum

I had some "grape juice" last night as you can see by the photo and I woke up with sniffles. That happens almost every time I drink red wine. It's possibly due to the histamines that are in red wine. I don't know for sure.

4) No Outbursts or Snarkiness

I was very good today. Spent 6 hours of the day in meetings and coaching sessions and all went really well. And yesterday we shot off the snarkiness at the gun range. Read all about that here:

=> http://turbulencetraining.blogspot.ca/2015/03/shooting-and-deadlifting.html

5) Healthy Gut Days

Diet was perfect today.

Interesting story, I needed some stuff from Whole Foods but was too busy to go, so we used www.taskrabbit.com for the first time. It worked out great. The guy went to the store, bought the stuff with his own money, and then we paid him when he showed up.

This is a great resource for lazy people like me...and a great find for traveling, because now I don't have to waste two hours everytime I land in a new city for a seminar.

I also received the two bottles I ordered of Dr. Peter Osborne's new greens drink. It has a lot more fruit extracts in it than most other greens products, and it's really sweet, so I loved it.

All in all, the trip to Denver has been awesome so far. Great weather, too.

The answers are out there,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

Shooting and deadlifting

Sunday was a very manly day here in Denver. I woke up early, wrote for a bit, had a good breakfast, and then hit a deadlift workout at the Colorado Athletic Club. Great gym. Good session.

1A) Hang Clean
1B) High Box Jump

2A) Deadlift
2B) High Box Jump

3A) Overhead Squat
3B) Leg Curl

Then the day got even better. Matt Smith picked me up at the hotel and we went off to a gun range where he has a VIP membership. It was only my second time shooting hand guns, but it was a lot of fun. He had some Springfields and 1911's. My favorite was a gun that a friend of ours gave to Matt. This special gun was once owned by an LAPD cop. The handle was smoothed from use, and apparently it was discharged a couple of times in the line of duty, so it had a history. I also just liked the heavy weight of the 1911's. They helped my shooting accuracy, too. Interesting experience. There aren't many leisure activities that I enjoy. Playing hockey and surfing are two of them, and it seems like I've found a third.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
"If it is to be, it's up to me." – ‪#‎truth‬ …

Success starts and ends with personal responsibility. Control what you can, cope with what you can't, and concentrate on what counts. Blame no one. Depend on no one. Expect nothing given from no one. But no matter. I believe in you. You can – and WILL – do it. Summon your strength and take massive action always moving ahead in a positive direction. Never give up on what is important to you. You know what to do. So let's go! Have an awesome, personally powerful week.

Push on,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - Build others UP because it will only make you more successful.

If you don't have social support, take charge as the leader. Be confident in your choices. People will respect your decisions, even if it seems at first that they don't. Eventually, a lot of people will come to you for advice and support. You are the one making the right decision. Never forget that. And never give up on what really matters to you and your family. Take care of yourself first so that you have the energy and strength for others. You can do it. Have an amazing week!

Always look for answers

Streaking Update

1) Write 3000 words per day

Finished up essays on the daily rituals of Stephen King and Thomas Jefferson, and TT emails with appearances by Steve Millar and St. Patrick.

Today is a travel day to Denver, tomorrow is Deadlift Day. During the flight I'll be finishing the TT WOM for April (return to bodyweight training) and the TT Summit copy. We've already filled a lot of seats without a web page.

2) No Post Dinner Binge Eating

None. Not even tempted. No booze helps. Today I'll eat an early dinner on the plane (5:30-ish EST, but 3:30ish MST). Sunday morning will bring an early wake-up (since I'll still be on EST), an equally early breakfast, then deadlifting. So I'm all dialed in here, and will stick to my 12-hour daily fast between supper and breakfast.

3) 1 Drink Maximum

Laying off alcohol for a few more days until Monday and Tuesday when I'll be out with Matt Smith and some members of the ETR team. He and I have a lot of BIG things to catch up on. So much good stuff to celebrate and big plans to look forward to, including him returning to the www.BlackSmithCamp.com in Lithuania in August.

4) No Outbursts or Snarkiness

A printer malfunction nearly caused an incident, but I reigned in bad habit and responded in a calm tone. It was a close call. I need to do better. I need to speak slowly. Count to 10, Craig, C'mon, you can do it. Believe in yourself.

5) Healthy Gut Days

Yesterday Dr. Peter Osborne and I had a 45-minute consultation. He reviewed some of my latest tests and had good news to report. My gut bacteria levels are almost perfect, just a little low in a couple of strains, and there are fewer harmful substances residing in the ol' intestines.

We had a good laugh about Bedros, too. At our last Mastermind meeting one of our coaching clients gave a passionate spiel about the prevalence of Candida Albicans in the population. Her website sells solutions for this issue, and she spoke so convincingly that both Bedros and I were panicking and paranoid that we were suffering from it.

My test results show that I've never had Candida (it's a yeast overgrowth). But I told Peter how worried Bedros was, and he had a good laugh.

Candida is popular in unhealthy people, but less likely in those that eat well and exercise.

Good times.

Always looking for answers to find a way to solve problems,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

Denver Deadlift and Stratford Squat and Farm Meathead

Off to Denver today and will deadlift tomorrow morning. Yesterday I had a great Meathead session on the Farm.

1) KB Snatch - 5x10

2A) DB 1-Arm Row - 4x15
2B) KB 1-Arm Press - 4x5

3A) Band Triceps
3B) DB Curls

Also set a couple of PR's in bodyweight challenges:
71 rocking planks
420 jump rope skips before my calves tired out (3 minutes, 15 seconds)

On Thursday I went to the local YMCA for the last squat workout of this current training phase (and Sunday will end this phase before it's time for a low-intensity week).

1A) Squat
1B) Box Jump

2) 225 Squat for Max Reps - 14 ...Man, I used to be able to BENCH this much...I gotta step up and train better. That proves the power of a training partner, as much as I hated working out on someone else's schedule.

3A) Good Morning
3B) Cable Abs

4) BB Lunge

Today I had a post-workout Shamrock Shake, t'is the season, after all, with St. Patrick's day coming up soon. I left the blender run too long and discovered St. Patrick's fat loss secret. I'll share that in the TT email on Tuesday. Until then, enjoy this fat loss secret from the Steve Miller Band:

=> http://www.earlytorise.com/fun-facts-about-the-addition-diet/

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
"There are things you must do that you don't enjoy or like. Working towards a goal isn't always glamorous and it isn't always easy. There are sacrifices to be made and hardships to travel through. Being dedicated is about holding your ground and staying your path. Being dedicated is about doing the things you don't want to do. Being dedicated is about persevering. The dedicated are successful and the successful are dedicated." – Bobby Maximus

Go hard,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS -

Yes!

Me vs Yoga

Ok, websites like MSN.com are getting ridiculous. Everywhere you look yoga is being promoted as the cure-all for EVERYTHING. I've seen easy yoga recommended for stress relief, stretchy-yoga recommended for fixing back pain, and "high-intensity" yoga recommended for weight loss.

The first two are a good idea, but if you want weight loss, you do NOT need an hour of yoga. You only need 4 minutes of my unique exercises, and we know - from research and experience with over 70,000 users around the world - that these 4-minute workouts are better than yoga, cardio, and other fitness infomercial products if you want to lose fat and get fit FAST.

In the time it takes someone to drive down to their local yoga studio, roll out your expensive mat, light your incense, do your stretches, say your mantras, meditate, and finish with a soothing tea, you could do a better cross-training, fat-burning workout at home without a single piece of equipment.

Try these NO-equipment workouts and compare

And don't even get me started on the 60 minute P90 videos or cardio...there's no need for workouts to last almost as long as a movie. Those long workouts just beat you up because they have you do TOO much, too fast. Here's a better way to exercise no matter which one you prefer:

Click here for a workout better than Yoga

Click here for a workout better than P90X

Click here for a workout better than old school cardio

Here's why these short, bodyweight workouts are better than all those other programs:

You get the same benefits as the world's best yoga workout could ever hope to deliver - from fat loss, abs, strength, power, and and dramatically improved fitness - but without the pitfall of injury from over-stretching (American hospitals started seeing a spike in Yoga injuries in 2002, and injuries doubled by 2011 and the New York Times even ran an article about people dying in yoga classes).

...plus, these 4-minute workouts come in Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Levels for custom workout results. With the one-on-one instruction you get in these workouts, it's much better than being in a room with 30 other people and just one yoga instructor (who is also trying to sneak in a workout as they teach).

Burn Fat in just 4 minutes with NO-equipment workouts <= Over 51 workouts

Long Live the Best Workouts Ever,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS - Stressed?

You don't need an hour yoga class to fix that.

Just breathe. Ask yourself, will this matter in 3 hours, 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months, 3 years? Breathe again. Deeply. One more. Good.

Now to save you even more stress - and time - switch your long yoga workouts over to these 4-minute videos

Burn Fat in just 4 minutes with NO-equipment workouts <= Now on DVD, too!

We'll be back tomorrow with another workout and more strategies to rapidly reshape your body and improve your life.

We're here to help you remove hassles and eliminate all excuses. You'll accomplish this without hours of exercise, restrictive diets, or other painful strategies. Talk soon and make it a great, stress-free day

Monday and Sunday Deadlift

Enjoyed a nice Sunday morning deadlifting session in a relatively empty gym. That's the beauty of training on Sundays and staying out of the gym on Mondays, even though it seems the New Year's crowds have started to thin out at most places.

1A) Hang Clean
1B) Broad Jump

2A) Deadlift
2B) Broad Jump

3A) RDL
3B) Military Press

Then a couple of challenges...

4) KB Snatch (35 lbs) - 31 reps per side (stopped without pushing too far because I could feel forearm soreness coming on)

5) BB Curl (45 lbs) - 35 reps (beating old record by 4 reps)

6) Level 20 on Stationary bike - 30 calories burned in one minute (supposably, not sure if its accurate, but it's reliable, because it is the bike I have used for all past challenges)

It was a long workout, but it was a nice open Sunday morning. To stay on track during the week, here's a secret I use:

=> http://www.earlytorise.com/a-secret-to-making-your-to-do-list/

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Don't get upset by things you can't control. Just work on improving everything else. Keep moving ahead. Do the best you can do with what you have right now.

Push on,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - Monday!

Monday sets the tone for the rest of the week. Start it off the right way. Be productive, work hard, and do something to challenge yourself.

And remember…

Stressed? Just breathe. Ask yourself, will this matter in 3 hours, 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months, 3 years? Breathe again. Deeply. One more. Good

Having a plan is one of the most important keys to successful fat loss. The less knowledgeable you are about exercise and diet, the more important this is.

When someone tells you it can't be done, it's more a reflection of their limitations, not yours.

If there is something you've been waiting to do, take at least one small step in that direction today.

The death of the black russian and near-death by burpees

Two weeks left on the streaking transformation...and I've come to a sad, but significant decision. Essentially it wipes out one of my five streaks, but it's the right move for me.

Streaking Update

1) Write 3000 words per day

The good news is that I've written a lot today, the bad news is that it was all for urgent-important tasks (TT emails and new program sales copy ideas), and not for non-urgent-important long term tasks (the book).

I have a lot of projects piling up, including the sales page for the TT Summit, a presentation for FBS, new sales copy for our new Trim-Down videos (we are renaming this), and daily emails, of course. And tomorrow is a device-free day, so I have to plow through my work today.

Managed to sneak in a burpee challenge workout today, seeing how long it would take me to do 100. I did 10 sets of 10 in 12:45. Head was pounding after that, and I was sucking wind, but I was fine in 15 minutes. Not the most enjoyable workout in the world, but 2014 TT Client of the Year, J-Roc, and I are going back and forth on the text line with all types of challenges. I win most of the strength ones, and he crushes me in endurance related ones, like high-rep lifts, and I'm sure he'll do 100 burpees in under 11 minutes.

This one is subjective, as obviously one man's burpee is another man's disgrace (in terms of pushup form and height of jump). But I know that he'll match me for quantity and quality in less time.

So now, while I take a break from work writing to stop by here and do some fun writing, we move on...get closer to the sad news...(sad for me, anyways, but interesting for everyone else).

2) No Post Dinner Binge Eating

None. Great control over this these days. Flew from Tampa to Toronto yesterday, ate a couple of Epic protein bars (beef) on the plane, along with the salad the flight serves, but skipped the warm nuts and entre that the plane served because I knew each contained suspect ingredients. When I got home, I had steak, a baked potato, and vegetables, and then grapefruit and pineapple for dessert.

3) 1 Drink Maximum

I didn't have any problem at the party last week, but I will be cutting out Black Russians...see below for the reason why...

4) No Outbursts or Snarkiness

Great interactions on the plane, with TSA, and so far at the local store I visited today. I was even fine with Joel's father-in-law the other night when he started giving me a hard time about dinner. I knew he would stop so I just rode it out. You gotta expect that stuff from Long Islanders.

5) Healthy Gut Days

And so here's the news...I might have to wipe out this entire streak...

I think i will need to give up Black Russians, more specifically, the Kaluha. It's got too much junk in it (corn syrup, too much sugar, and it uses grain alcohol). Ooops. Even though the manufacturer claims that it's gluten free (because the distillation process removes all gluten), Dr. Peter Osborne, the Gluten-Free Warrior, would not accept that explanation.

After months of denial, I can't accept it either.

On the bright side, I've on the trail of a few interesting alternatives on Google, including home-made coffee liquere recipes, home-made sugar-free Kaluha recipes, and some coffee flavored Patron tequila that I'm equally interested and terrified to try.

Tonight I shall enjoy an experimental cocktail as I try to find a new "go to" gluten-free drink that I can order anywhere.

Always looking for answers,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS - Today's kickbutt mindset tip:

If you fall "off the wagon", cut your losses, don't worry about it, and get right back on track. Immediately. It's minor damage that can be dealt with. Most people allow one treat to become a 50-shades-of-chocolate-3-month-orgy-of-fast-food, but it doesn't have to be that way. Sometimes the most important thing for fat loss is to simply stay out of harms way. Rather than focusing on being a perfect eater and trying to lower your calories, just make sure you don't put yourself in any situations where you overdo it. Let's go! Be good and be good to yourself this weekend. Stay strong and let's all keep pushing on.

Flight workout

Early morning writing, early morning workout. Off to Toronto from Tampa today. Treated myself to a modified Meathead session in the humid AM.

1A) Pushup
1B) DB CSR

2A) Pushup
2B) Farmer Walk

(Total 201 pushups)

3A) TRX Tri
3B) TRX Bi

It's going to be a slow flight home, my arms are already tired. :)

Ha, this could not be more appropriately named...(it was a "gag gift" for my mom's birthday from the folks at our office)...Fathead indeed!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Habit is power. Power is productivity. Productivity is how you beat procrastination, win your mornings, control your time, and have a Perfect Day. Habits are the secret to getting ahead in life and achieving your big goals and dreams. You must schedule ruthlessly, focus on your unique ability, and get stuff done. Ask yourself: What do you really want to accomplish? What do you need to do to get there? What do you need to do right now? Make the right decisions, right now, for your right life.

Keep on flying on,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

Tampa TRX Meathead Workout

Big fun with a Meathead workout done half-inside and half-outside down at Joel's. Hooked up the TRX to his basketball net.

Training: KB Snatch, KB 1-Arm OH press, DB Chest supported row, TRX Rear-Delt, TRX Triceps Ext, TRX Biceps Curls, Rocking Planks. Sweating.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Success is not just a number on a scale or clothing label. It is the achievement of living with maximum energy and having built the habits that make good, healthy choices seem natural to you. When you choose to eat healthy and you choose to exercise instead of watching TV, that is achievement. This will help you love life and the people around you more. The process is often just as important as the physical progress. A body transformation cannot happen without a mental transformation as well. Let's go and make a small step in the right direction of big changes, right now. This will make it a great day for you. You can do it, I believe in you.

Believe in you too,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - You're as happy as you let yourself be. No one else is in control of how you view the world and your life. Your happiness is up to you.

Weekend Big Macs and Monday Workout

About the weekend.


It's OK if you get off track once in a while. It's minor damage that can be dealt with. If one pound of fat is 3500 calories, you'd have to eat an extra 7 Big Mac's to gain a pound. That's an excessive amount of calories…so don't worry, you didn't overeat by 7 Big Macs over the weekend. You didn't really gain a pound of fat. Maybe you ate a little more, but it's the salt and fluid retention that are showing up on the scale.


Get back on track today, drink extra water, avoid sugar, salt and trans-fats today, use my short, burst workouts, and that weight will WHOOOOOSH right off of you. You'll be back on track in no time.

And don't get hung up on the scale. No one knows your weight but you. All that matters is how you feel and perform, how your clothes fit, and how you confidently carry yourself. Take a deep breath, forgive yourself the mistakes of the past, and let's move on to a better day today. Stay strong and push on, I know YOU can do it!

I was a good boy this weekend with nutrition and with getting some light movement - and swimming - on Sunday here in sunny Florida.

Today's workout was strong:

1A) DB Press
1B) TRX Rear-Delt

2A) Pullup - 40 total reps in a few sets
2B) Decline Pushup - 100 total reps in a few sets

3A) TRX Row
3B) Shrug

Big rest breaks between sets.

Nice walk after and I'll swim - for 5 minutes - later.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
Motivation comes from within. You must find a reason to achieve. What is important to you? Identify it and harness that energy to drive you to take action. You're here for a reason, don't let your potential slip away.

Fight on,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT