the “Holiday Hold ’em” Plan

Happy Monday!!

I just back from a trip to Louisville, Kentucky.

I was there for a mastermind meeting with my business coach and some other industry colleagues. I am a big believer in coaching! Just like I coach men and women over 40 to get strong and lean with kettlebells, I have coaches in fitness, business, and other areas of life to help me be the best that I can.

On my trip, I also had some hot chicken for lunch one day that was the BOMB:

I’m not used to eating like this, so I felt pretty sick after eating it for a while, lol… BUT, it was so tasty, that I have to say in this particular case, it was worth it!! ????

The epic hot chicken meal got me to thinking: The Holiday season is right around the corner, and the vast majority of us might be consuming a few extra calories here or there.

BUT, the LAST thing we want to do is go BACKWARDS on our fitness goals over the next two months.

So what we can do?

One thing is to allow yourself some leeway in eating things like hot chicken, or whatever else you want to enjoy. You CAN eat these kind of meals once you truly understand how they fit into your dietary “big picture”!

The other thing is to stay on track with your training schedule, or even kick it up a notch.

Hopefully you’re already doing a good three or four workouts a week. This is your base. If not, start right away. Whether you come work out with us in person at our Sacramento studio, or you do some of my at-home kettlebell workouts, or combination of both, three or four 20-45 minute workouts each week is something that should be do-able for everybody. No excuses!!

You can also add in a bit of extra cardio on top of your current training plan. This is what I will be doing. For example, if you could do three extra sessions a week and burn 500 kcals at each, that could be a great “buffer” to help mitigate some of those extra Holiday foods.

(It really depends on your goals as to the exact type of cardio that you do. I personally like a combination of low intensity training like hiking or rucking, and sprinting. Check out the plan at THIS LINK for an awesome program to help you incorporate sprints with your kettlebell workouts!)

To sum up, the main point of today’s post is really to get you thinking about your strategy for holiday fitness. If you are mindful and have a plan, you can maintain – or even make gains! – in the traditionally challenging time of year for your health. Start planning now!

Train hard, talk soon –

– Forest Vance

Master of Science, Human Movement

Kettlebell Expert

Over 40 Training Specialist

KettlebellBasics.net

ForestVanceTraining.com

Can you “exercise off” a bad diet?

If you work out hard enough, can you “burn off” that weekend of off-the-rails eating?

Seriously, what are your thoughts?

Ponder this:

It would be hard to do a higher calorie burning “workout” than running a marathon, wouldn’t you agree?

I mean, you’re lacing up your shoes and running for TWENTY SIX PLUS MILES!

You would think that kind of massive effort would result in at least a little bit of weight loss, right?

Well, it turns out that running a full marathon burns just 2600 calories:

That might sound like a lot, but consider this:

You actually need to burn at least 3500 calories to lose a single pound of body fat.

Which means that running 26.2 miles doesn’t even burn enough calories to melt ONE MEASLY POUND!

Add to that, hit up the pizza place or burger joint, along with a couple / few beers to “reward” yourself for a job well done,
and you’re easily erasing all of your hard work.

The bottom line is, if you want to shed body fat, you need to train AND eat right to get the results. There is no way around it.

If you’re looking for a diet plan that that’s based on sound science AND a track record of client success, I recommend you check out FVT. Fill out our contact form at the link below to try our 3-session PT jump start today: https://www.forestvancetraining.com/contact

-Forest and the FVT Team

Online Bootcamp Workout for 10.25.21

I talk to dozens of people every week who are trying to get back into shape. A common problem that comes up in these conversations is lack of time. And I get it – between work, family obligations, and so much more, it can be hard to add a workout routine into your already busy life!

That’s why I love what we’re doing with our online bootcamp workouts right now.

If you want more info on how you can give this program a try, reply to this post with the words “FVT AT HOME”, and I’ll get back to you asap with all the details.

With just a kettlebell or two and about 45 minutes, you can can an amazing full-body workout from home. No extra time getting ready, driving to the gym, etc etc etc.

Try today’s Online Bootcamp Workout for 10.25.21- it’s a free full sample class that we did a few weeks back. (As a client, you’d have full access to these recorded workouts, PLUS you can hop on and work out with us live – so there’s a lot of flexibility with the schedule too!)

If you want more info on how you can give this program a try, reply to this post with the words “FVT AT HOME”, and I’ll get back to you asap with all the details.

If you want more info on how you can give this program a try, reply to this post with the words “FVT AT HOME”, and I’ll get back to you asap with all the details.

-Forest Vance, Owner, FVT Personal Training

14-min Kettlebell EMOM Workout

This morning‘s early morning kettlebell workout at FVT Personal Training was a CRUSHER, as usual!

EMOM is an acronym for “every minute on the minute.” These type of workouts challenge you to complete an exercise for a certain number of reps in less than 60 seconds. The remaining time within the minute serves as your recovery.

EMOM is an intense and effective style of training, because it demands intense effort to gain recovery within the allotted time. It’s super time-efficient, because you can get a lot done in a short amount of time. And if you set it up right, it’s also a GREAT way to build a lean, muscular body.

Check it out:

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14-min Kettlebell EMOM Gainz Workout

Set your timer to go off every 60 seconds.

At the beginning of the first 60 second interval, complete the prescribed number of reps of the first exercise. Your rest period is the time between you complete the prescribed number of reps, and the second interval starts.

At the beginning of the second 60 second interval, complete the prescribed number of reps of the second exercise. Your rest period is the time between you complete the prescribed number of reps, and the third interval starts.

Continue in this fashion, completing a total of three rounds non-step of the circuit of exercises below:

— KB goblet squats – 10 reps

— 1 arm KB rows – 12 reps per side

— Push ups – hands elevated, knees, or toes – pick version that works for the individual! – 12 reps

–1-arm KB swings – 8 reps per side

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Starting your week strong on Monday with a kettlebell workout is key!… and for a limited time, we can help you get that accomplished in style:

We are looking for a few more people to try our NEW 3-session “Lean for Halloween” PT jump start program.

It includes 3 small group personal training sessions at our studio, a special meal plan to get you rapid results, and the full support of our training team!

Reply to this message directly with the word “INTERESTED” to learn more and get started today!

Thanks, train hard, talk soon –

– Forest and the Team at FVT Personal Training

Lean for Halloween

Get Lean for Halloween!

We are looking for a few more people to try our NEW 3-session “Lean for Halloween” PT jump start program.

Reply to this message directly with the word “INTERESTED” to learn more and get started today!

This is for people who:

???? Want more structure around their workouts and nutrition

???? Want to keep stress levels down

???? Want to get in shape without getting injured

Program includes 3 small group personal training sessions at our studio, a special meal plan to get you rapid results, and the full support of our training team!

Reply to this message directly with the word “INTERESTED” to learn more and get started today!

Thanks –

– Forest and the Team at FVT Personal Training

Daily “Shadow Strength” Joint Mobility Routine

I have been doing a joint mobility / stretching routine every morning when I first wake up for the last six or seven years, and let me tell you, it has been a GAME CHANGER!

I feel that it helps with:

  • Improving range of motion, flexibility, and overall movement for my kettlebell workouts
  • Easing my knee, lower back, shoulder, and neck pain
  • Improving my energy levels
  • Getting me into a positive mindset to start the day

Today, I want you to try the “Shadow Strength” Daily Joint Mobility Routine from course creator Jon Haas. There are some familiar moves in the sequence for you most likely, but I’d also guess there are going to be some new ones. He also brings an great energy to the routine with his Martial Arts background. Check out the video below, then go check out his full Shadow Strength course if you like it:

-> Shadow Strength – full course

-> Jon Haas “Shadow Strength” daily joint mobility routine:

I hope you can see the same benefits that I have by starting to incorporate a joint mobility routine into your daily movement practice!

-Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Kettlebell Expert
Over 40 Training Specialist
ForestVanceTraining.com

Kettlebell Workshop @ FVT

We are going to put on a Kettlebell Workshop in the near future at FVT!

Originally, the plan was to do the event 100% online, but due to popular demand, I am considering opening up a handful of spots for folks to attend in-person at our Sacramento, CA facility as well.

If you are interested, respond to this message with the words “KB WORKSHOP”, and I’ll add you to the interest list.

If we get enough folks who’d like to attend, we’ll get things set up and open registration.

This workshop would help you learn the basics of safe and effective kettlebell training. We’d focus on the swing, which is the foundation the rest of your KB training and technique is built on. It would be open to both current and new clients, and would be a unique opportunity to with with me personally on honing in and mastering your kettlebell technique.

If you are interested, respond to this message with the words “KB WORKSHOP”, and I’ll add you to the interest list.

Thanks! –

-Forest Vance – Owner, FVT Personal Training – Master of Science, Human Movement – Kettlebell Expert – Over 40 Training Specialist

3 Ways Keeping A Diet Journal Can Help You Lose Fat

If fat loss is your main fitness goal, keeping a diet journal is a must. If anything, it will dramatically raise your awareness of what you are actually eating on a daily basis.

Here are three more specific ways keeping a diet journal will speed up your fat loss efforts:

1. You’re probably not eating as ‘good’ as you think you are

There’s no better exercise than keeping a diet journal to expose your eating habits for what they actually are. For example, you could easily:

  • Be eating more processed carbs and crap than you think you are
  • Not drinking as much water as you think you are
  • Eating out more than you think you are
  • Eating less fruits and veggies than you think you are

Write down what you’re eating for a few days and, if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll know exactly where you’re at. Because you’re probably not eating as good as you think you are:)

2. You’ll get a ‘bird’s eye’ view of your true eating patterns – and can more easily identify obstacles in reaching your goals

A lot of folks have just a handful of obstacles that keep them from reaching their goals. Maybe you sabotage yourself at night by snacking on crap. Maybe you have trouble eating much of anything early in the day – and end up making bad choices later in the day. Maybe it’s a convenience issue – you have a busy schedule, and planning ahead is your big challenge.

3. You’re probably underestimating portion sizes

There’s simply no way you know what ‘correct’ portion sizes are unless you measure them periodically. For example:

  • Do you know what one tbsp of cream and/or sugar looks like?
  • Do you actually know by ‘eyeballing it’ how much is three oz of deli turkey is?
  • How much wine do you pour yourself when you have a glass?

Over the course of the days, weeks, and months, bigger-than-necessary portion sizes can add up… and keep you from reaching your fat loss goals.

Keeping a diet journal will, without a doubt, help you reach your fat loss goals faster. You’re probably not eating as good as you think you are, you likely don’t know your true eating patterns, and you’re probably underestimating portion sizes. Your diet Journal will help you correct these problems and get you on the fast track to reaching your fitness goals. Start keeping one today and see your progress accelerate!

PS – Spots in our program are filling fast for the Fall! If you’ve been thinking about giving FVT a try, reach out using the contact form linked here ASAP: https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/705723