The FVT Damage Control Strategy

I am just arriving home from a fantastic six day get-away on the Big Island of Hawaii. I feel great, totally recharged.

Of course, I got some workouts in while I was there … and shot a couple of quick videos for ‘ya, too. If you missed ’em, here they are:

=> HIIT Telephone Pole Workout

=> 2 Unique Body Weight Exercises

Now, if keeping in great shape is at the top of your priority list, and you truly enjoy fitness and exercise like I do, working out is something you WANT to do while you’re on vacation (or travelling for business, or away from home for whatever other reason …), as is staying in the “ballpark” of your healthy eating plan.

The truth is, you CAN have a good time, and still maintain your fitness level. I used the FVT Damage Control Strategy while I was gone, and managed to prevent fat gain, while still enjoying the food and drink I wanted.

This strategy is easy to follow, and it consists of three simple steps:

1 – Figure out your daily maintenance calorie intake level. If you need a ROUGH starting point, multiply your current body weight by ten.

So, if you weigh 150 pounds, your daily calorie maintenance starting point would be 1500.

2 – Log your food. Using a tool like MyFitnessPal, this should take you five minutes per day, tops.

3 – Make sure that you stay at (or ideally under) your daily maintenance calorie level.

That’s all there is to it 😉

Here are a some additional notes:

– You may not feel as good as if you focus on balancing your macronutrients properly, etc. … but, you will not gain fat, if you keep your calorie intake in check.

– Try to get a workout of some kind in every day – even if it is for only 20 minutes or so. In a couple of days, I will have a great new body weight – only training plan for you to check out, and use in situations like these … you can also check out the videos I posted links to in the beginning of this article, for more ideas.

– Try to overestimate on caloric intake, if possible. Meaning, over shoot when you do your food log – just to be safe. It is very hard to know exactly what you are consuming when you are eating out, so this is a good way to keep yourself in check.

– What happens with this strategy, is that you can enjoy and consume the foods you want, you just have to do it in moderation. So, if you have a big breakfast, you may very well find out that you consumed 700,800, or even 1000 kcals … so you have to back off, and conserve for the rest of the day. If you know you are going to have a big dinner, you may very well have to “save up”. Etc.

And that about wraps up the FVT Damage Control Strategy! It is simple, but effective. It is NOT a long-term plan … but, in the short term, it will prevent you from gaining fat … and allow you to enjoy yourself a little, too!

Forest

PS – If you are looking for a new workout program, and want something that is based around body weight ONLY training, like we touched on in this article, I got an awesome deal coming on a brand new one for you very soon. Keep an eye on your email inbox 😉

PPS – If you’re in the Sacramento, CA area, also a last call for the FVT Rapid Fat Loss Challenge. Early registration opens tomorrow … and if you want first dibs at grabbing a spot, you’ll need to pre-register here:

=> FVT 30 Day Rapid Fat Loss Challenge Pre-Registration

February 2013 Nutrition Challenge

Take the FVT Nutrition Challenge each month, and build your clean eating foundation the easy way …

This month’s challenge:

Eat at least one serving of vegetables and/or fruits with every meal

Notes:

One serving of vegetables or fruits – according to nutrition.about.com – is equal to about one-half cup. Greens like spinach and lettuce have a serving size equal to one full cup. One serving of sliced fruit is equal to one-half cup; however a single piece of fruit, such as an apple or an orange counts as one serving.

Preferred veggies are dark and colorful. Broccoli, spinach, collard greens, are all great choices to start – but most importantly, just get a serving of veggies every time you eat.

Best fruits choices are berries, cherries, apples, pears, peaches and plums – but again, most importantly, just get a couple of servings of fruit in each day.

That’s it! Good luck 😉

Forest

 

PS – Our monthly nutrition challenges are just a small part of our Sacramento, CA personal training and boot camp programs … we’re currently offering our ‘test-a-trainer’ program (a trial session at our facility), so it’s a great time to come check us out! Call (916) 273 9366 or leave a message here to set up your trial session today.

February 2013 Challenge Workout (and results)

It’s about that time again …

Here is the February 2013 FVT Challenge Workout:

7 kettlebell goblet squats
14 kettlebell swings
7 burpees
14 push ups

Complete 7 rounds as fast as possible

Results:

SG 12:20
LA 12:25
SP 12:31
ZW 12:56
JM 13:01
ZW 13:26
VL 13:38
JJ 13:45
SK 13:47
SM 13:50
BP 13:56
MG 14:00
CA 14:15
RK 14:25
AL 14:25
RB 14:36
MP 14:47
CC 14:53
MG 14:56
PK 15:05
MT 15:28
SG 15:38
JVB 15:47
JM 15:51
CH 15:57
OI 16:01
PA 16:02
KS 16:10
BM 16:16
ME 16:30
KA 16:32
KM 16:45
DS 16:45
BS 16:53
BA 16:54
RM 16:57
ML 16:58
OI 16:59
FR 16:59

(DNF in 17 min time limit; total # of rounds completed listed below)

SS 6
SJ 6
VS 6
PT 6
NP 5.75

GREAT work to all! ’till next time –

Forest

How To Get a Flat Stomach – Without Dieting

Having a lean, defined midsection is at the top of a lot of people’s fitness goal list.

At the end of the day, though, a clean diet is a big part of getting a flat stomach … which is at the top of a lot less people’s goal list 🙂

If abs are what you’re after … and you don’t like the idea of dieting … I have “kinda” good news for you.

The bad news is, if your body fat is relatively high (mid teens % or more for men, low 20’s % or more for women), you gotta get with the program, and clean up your diet, to get that lean belly you’re after.

*If you are in the Sacramento, CA area, sign up for our Rapid Fat Loss Challenge VIP pre-registration list, and get access to a fantastic new fat loss dieting method we’ve started using @ FVT recently with some incredible results:

=> FVT Rapid Fat Loss Challenge Pre-Registration

On the other hand, if you have strong and well-developed abdominal musculature – you can get a flat stomach, and even visable abs, a lot quicker than if you don’t.

As an example … guys in the couple-of-percentages-above-ten body fat range, and gals in the upper teens range, may not need to diet down much, if at all, in order to see their abs. Many times, doing the right kind of ab training does the trick.

And, if your body fat is already low, but you don’t have the ab definition you desire quite yet, changing the way you train your abs will also likely get you to where you want to be.

So, what is the “right” way to train your abs?

The answer to that, I will have for you very soon … as this week’s “theme” @ FVT is how to get strong, functional, and defined abs.

Keep an eye on your email inbox – I’ll have the first installment ready for you in less than 24 hours!

Thanks for reading, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, CPT, RKC II
ForestVance.com

The FVT 30 Day Rapid Fat Loss Challenge (VIP pre-registration now open)

The FVT 30 Day Rapid Fat Loss Challenge is coming very soon …

BUT – before we open registration this time around – we’re going to teach you a little bit more about what the challenge is all about, via our VIP pre-registration list.

The FVT 30 Day Rapid Fat Loss Challenge is an amazing, life-transforming event … folks lose 10, 12, 15, even 17 pounds in 30 short days … and most importantly, they build solid workout and nutrition habits that carry over for the LONG term …

However, the challenge is NOT for everyone. We only want folks who are TRULY commited to changing their lives to enter the contest.

If you are interested, please click the link below, and sign up for our Rapid Fat Loss Challenge VIP list. You’ll learn about the “top-secret” FVT Challenge Rapid Fat Loss dieting method we’ll be using this time around that’s got everyone so excited:

=> FVT Rapid Fat Loss Challenge Pre-Registration

Thanks!

Talk soon –

Forest

Jan. 26th 2013 Kettlebell Workshop Highlights

Whew!

We held a kettlebell workshop over this last weekend at the FVT studio, and I just finished a full write up on the day – including highlights and 10 take-away tips you can use in your own training right away:

=> FVT Kettlebell Workshop – blog post + video

I even got challenged to do one of my KB combos with our “big boy” kettlebell – and my wife caught it on video 😉 Click the link below to check it out:

=> See Forest take the “Big Boy” kettlebell challenge

Thanks, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, RKC II

Group Personal Training in Sacramento, CA

If you:

  • Are a beginner/intermediate – level exerciser, looking to lose weight, tone up, and get into great shape …
  • Like the idea of group training … but aren’t quite ready for (or maybe even are a bit intimidated by) a traditional ‘boot camp’ setting …
  • Are just getting back into your workout routine … and need a little extra individual attention …

Our new semi-private training program is designed SPECIFICALLY for you.

It’s a more individualized, more focused, and more specific training plan than is typically offered in a medium-to-large boot camp setting. And, I truly believe that this is the “bridge” between private training and boot camp that so many of you have been waiting for …

Just a few more details on the program:

  • Each group will be made up of no more than five people.
  • You’ll get lots of individual attention … we typically run around 10 to 12 folks in our boot camp classes … so you can really make sure your form is dialed in, and you’re doing all the exercises exactly right …
  • The small group setting with like-minded individuals also makes for a more fun and faster paced workout than a traditional one-on-one setting.

If you are interested, contact us by clicking here. We’ll get back to ‘ya asap, and set up a complimentary phone consult to see if the program is right for you!

Thanks –

The FVT Team

Healthy Snacks for Busy People

Last week, we touched on the concept of getting your workouts in, despite a busy schedule and limited time.

(If you missed that article, you can find it on my BodyWeightStrengthTraining.com blog, here.)

Today, we’re going to go further with this concept, and talk about some healthy snack ideas for busy people, in a guest article from my nutrition expert friend Nick Pineault.

Nick and I recently had a long phone conversation about healthy eating, and his knowledge really impressed me. We ended up talking a lot about how to maintain healthy eating habits, despite a busy schedule – and I was thrilled when he agreed to do a guest blog post for us on the topic!

Without further ado, Nick –

The Sad Road to Packing On the Pounds

by Nick Pineault, author, Healthy or Not

“Tell me how many miles you travel every year, and I’ll tell you how fat you get”.

For most people, this sad mantra is true.

Whether it’s getting on the car for long hours and relying on a fast food chain to curb your appetite or taking a flight and snacking on the airport’s vending machines… travel is often synonym of terrible nutrition, and extra pounds on your body.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you travel prepared, you’ll prevent this fat gain that’s creeping just around corner of your next vacation or business meeting. I know planning is hard.

Every time I tell myself I’ll prepare something before hitting the road, I end up forgetting about it or being late and having to leave empty-handed (and often stressed-out).

That’s why the solutions I propose all my coaching clients are fast, easy, and don’t require any preparation.
Here are the three snacks that will make any excuses you had for travelling unprepared vanish as fast as I can down an entire chocolate pie (and I’m pretty fast, trust me):

1 – Nuts

Yes, they contain a lot of calories. But at the same time, they are packed with protein and healthy fats that will curb your appetite.

No prep, all the benefits.

I suggest you only settle for the healthiest nuts around: the raw, organic kind. Second choice would be dry roasted. Almonds, walnuts, macadamias, pistachios, cashews and pecans will all do the trick.

2- Organic beef jerky

Beef, salt. Can’t get simpler than that.

This all-protein snack is low in calories, very tasty and almost imperishable.

Note that I recommend only organic beef jerky. That’s because regular beef jerky is made with cheap grain-fed meat that’s way less nutritious and that often contains nasty pesticides and antibiotics.

3 – Nutrition bars

Big disclaimer on this one: do NOT choose random granola or protein bar you find at the supermarket.

Be ready to pay a premium price on those, because this is what true nutritious bars made with all-natural ingredients really cost.

A few characteristics you want to look for in a nutrition bar:

  • Ingredients you can pronounce
  • Low in sugar
  • High in fiber
  • High in protein
  • Gluten-free (if gluten is a problem for you)
  • Organic, if possible

(Tip from Forest – Perfect Foods Bars are a great choice. You can find these at your local health food store, or in the FVT Pro Shop.)

These are just 3 of the snacks that are really healthy and easy to grab before hitting the road. The next time you travel, make sure you take the fat-burning road and come back home leaner.

Before I forget – When at home, make sure you have the right stuff in your fridge and pantry at all times. Click here to learn about 3 so-called healthy foods you need to get rid of ASAP:

—-> 3 Healthy Foods to NEVER Eat

Keep your travel snacks simple and healthy,

Nick

**********

Awesome article, Nick! Thanks again for doing this. These are some great tips we can implement right away to make healthier snack choices!

Thanks, and talk soon –

Forest Vance, MS, CPT, RKC II