Why "WWGPD?" Actually Worked

I know what you're thinking, "what the hell is "WWGPD?" "WWGPD?" was an off-the-wall form of fitness motivation that was used by my former business partner and I, and it actually worked.


What

Would

Gregg

Plitt

Do

?


Yeah, thats the acronym...it probably doesn't make sense to any of you reading this, but hear me out.

First off, who's this Gregg Plitt guy? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx_EzEO8eew
Gregg is a trainer and fitness model from Baltimore that many of you have probably seen gracing the covers of many a fitness magazine as well as starring in the former Bravo reality series "Workout." Secondly, I do like women! I am just a fan of the fitness and fitness modeling industry and am envious of people that excel in the discipline, so relax! "Not that there's anything wrong with that though."

Anyway, here is what you need to do.

1) Find someone with a similar body type as you that you admire simply because of their physical make-up. Looks, personality, nor wealth should have no bearing on this decision. This person does not even have to be famous or known. Just be realistic, if you are a five foot tall female weighing 200 pounds, do not select Marissa Miller as your target.

2) Think about how they got that body and think of the sacrifiices that they have made to get there...research it.

3) Plug their initials into the WW_ _ D? acronym

4) Write it down or key it in somewhere you always look. Cell phone, planner, iPod, etc.

5) Every single morning you wake up, think about that acronym and plan how you will incorporate it into your day.

6) When it comes time to go to your workout, read it again and think about what it takes to get what you desire. Don't let anything stop you from completing your workout! If you try to stop short, think about it again! How bad do you want it?

I know this may sound unprofessional or stupid, but I challenge you to try it.

Take measurements before you start your own personal WWGPD? journey. Set a time scale for how long you plan on embarking on this journey. Invite friends to join you (find that "model" for each of you). Have fun with it and be amazed at how incredibly stupid this is but how incredibly simple this is and how incredibly persistant you will become with your strict dieting and exercise routine.

I'd love to know who is in your acronym and why you chose them. Update me on your progress and let me know what you think of this form of motivation. Like I said, it's not particularly scientific or professional, but it's effective and that's what matters most!

You Give Me a Bad Name

Dear Bob and Jillian, I understand you are changing people's lives and inspiring them to reach goals they never thought possible, but let's be realistic. The average overweight person watching "The Biggest Loser" is not really able to accomplish the ridiculous amounts of weight loss the contestants on this show attain.

Any trainer knows that healthy and safe weight loss is 1 - 3 lbs per week. The contestants on this show are dropping much, much more than that on a weekly basis. How can you be sure this is done safely and how can you be sure that once this show is over that weight isn't going to come flying right back? Where are past contestants, do you still care about them? Have they kept the weight off?

I must now admit that I do watch the show and enjoy seeing the success stories and how losing the weight changes people's lives. It is inspiring, motivational, and heart-warming, but it's really giving us "real world" trainers a hard time when we have clients that struggle daily with weight loss. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "How come Jane Doe lost ten lbs in one week on The Biggest Loser and I can't lose one or two pounds?"

Well, Jane Doe has 24/7 nutritional monitoring limiting their caloric intake and four to six hours per day in a state of the art fitness facility. One more thing Jane Doe has is "Hollywood" trainers! I am not saying that you (Bob and Jillian) don't have more health and fitness knowledge in your pinky than I have in my entire body, because you very well may, but I feel you are there to get FAST, spell-binding results for us the TV viewer to keep coming back to watch. "Hollywood" trainers are there when Jessica Simpson needs to get ripped in six weeks for her role as Daisy Duke or when Hugh Jackman needs to be ready for his role as a kick-ass sci-fi character in some awful comic book film. You push normal everyday people far beyond their limitations thus exposing them to injury, stress, and unnecessary hyper-over-exertion!

Bottom line is this, people struggling with weight loss need to keep their expectations real and not get discouraged when they cannot accomplish the same thing as their Biggest Loser counterparts. There is a healthy, sane way to lose weight and keep it off and that is not what is being portrayed on this show.

The Bachelor's Grocery List

Do you despise cooking, don't have time to cook, or flat out have no idea how to cook? You are not alone, you are most likely a bachelor or young professional not lucky enough to have someone at home to cook your clean and nutritious meals for you. When you go to the grocery store, do you think quick, easy, and cheap? I do...and here are my grocery store "staples" and explanation of why they are a staple and what is good (or bad) about them.

1) Skim, 1%, or 2% Milk - 1 gram of protein per ounce

2) Eggs - Learn how to seperate egg whites out or just purchase liquid egg whites

3) Whole Wheat or Multi-grain Bread - look for high fiber breads and be sure they do not contain HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup)

4) Special K Protein Plus cereal - tastes horrible alone so you'll need #'s 5, 6, or 7 but each serving contains 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving

5) Special K Red Berries cereal - mixes amazingly with #4. A little high in sugar, but you only need a tad to sprinkle on top of your protein cereal for taste

6) Bananas - Nothing is better than a banana in cereal and if you don't know about the other tremendous qualities of the banana I'm not gonna tell ya!

7) Blueberries - 2nd best tasting fruit in cereal plus they are LOADED with free-radical destroying antioxidants

8) Chunk Light or Albacore Tuna in water - tons of protein, but high in sodium too

9) Lo-fat mayonaise - to mix with that tuna...go easy with it though

10) Low sodium deli turkey breast - anyone can cook a sandwich

11) 2% swiss or provolone cheese - to go with that turkey or tuna

12) Skippy Natural Peanut Butter - MY #1 FAVORITE! Best tasting PB on the market...and it's all natural!

13) Chicken breasts - it's not cooking if you have a Foreman Grill

14) Microwave in Bag Mixed Veggies - So easy, so nutritious

15) Lean Pockets - I get a ton of slack for eating these, but in a pinch they are a decent high protein mini-meal. Don't abuse them, because they are loaded with preservatives and sodium.

16) Yogurt - My favorite brands are Rachel's, or one of the high protein Greek brands Chobani or Oikos (slightly more expensive, but worth it)

17) Unsalted Almonds or Walnuts - toss a few in your yogurt and enjoy a perfect night time snack

18) Baby Carrots - perfect nutitious snack or side to your sandwich

19) Green Tea - high in antioxidants; helps lower cholesterol and burn fat

20) Apples - no comment necessary

21) Zone Bars or Clif Builder's Bars - Not so cheap, but these high protein meal replacement bars are great pre or post workout

What are some of your "staples" and why? Please comment.

The Best Muffins EVER!

OK folks, I just got some EXTRA SPECIAL info that I need to pass along to you all. Every Tuesday 1 of my very favorite personal training clients (who wishes to remain nameless) brings me at least six of these Raisin Bran Protein Muffins and I cannot keep them longer than a day or two; THEY ARE RIDICULOUS! It took me over six months to pry this recipe from her, but after constant begging and pleading, I GOT IT! I know the name Raisin Bran Protein Muffins doesn't sound as good as I'm assuring you they are, but you'll have to just TRUST ME on this 1!

They may not be the picture of a super-healthy snack, but they are much better for you and much better tasting than anything you'll find at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks. I don't have exact numbers, but I'll guess that each muffin contains approximately 200-220 calories, 10-12 grams of protein, and 5-7 grams of fiber. I have never made them myself, but it looks simple enough that I think I could if necessary.

Raisin Bran Protein Muffins
This makes a huge bowl and keeps up to six weeks in the fridge. Use a very large bowl that has a lid!!
5 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar/can use substitute but I don't
1 (15) oz. box raisin bran/ any brand will do, organic is good.....less sugar
1 cup LOW FAT granola
5 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
1 qt. lowfat buttermilk
4 eggs slightly beaten/can use egg substitute
1 cup canola oil
4 to 5 scoops protein powder/ I use ARIA Vanillla
1/4 cup ground flax seed

Combine flour, sugar, raisin bran, granola, baking soda, salt, protein, and flax. Combine buttermilk, eggs and oil and stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Cover mixture and refrigerate overnight. When ready to use, preheat oven to 375. Fill greased muffin tins (use Pam or lowfat spray) 3/4 full and bake for about 17-20 minutes. This muffin mixture keeps up to 6 weeks in fridge...if it lasts that long!

Let me know what you think!

Let's Get FUNCTIONAL...FUNCTIONAL!

A big buzzword thats been floating around for a while now in fitness and exercise circles is "functional." How can we become more "functional" in our training and what exactly does it mean?

The bottom line is this; unless you are training to become a professional bodybuilder, exercising should make your daily life and the things you like to (and have to) do easier. No matter what your fitness level, activity level, or injury history, we can all train to be more competent in the daily "real life" tasks we have to perform. Just incorporating 1 to two functional type exercises in your routine each week will help with that translation into your everyday activities.

Here are just a few examples of functional exercises and their related "real life" move:

Lunge with Medicine Ball Reach - While stepping out into a lunge (to the front, side, or twisting to the back) reach a medicine ball out over your lead toe as if you were picking something up off of the ground and pull it back to the chest as you return to standing position. Repeat this to each side trying to step in differing angles. Perform 10 - 20 repetitions on each side.

Real life move: Picking up a box of files or books, picking up your children's toys, etc.

Medicine Ball Swing Toss - Holding a medicine ball as if you were holding your golf club or tennis raquet, go into your back swing and release the ball to a partner or against a wall as you swing forward as you normally would while playing your desired "swinging sport." Repeat this move with both sides of the body performing 10 - 20 repetitions on each side.

Real life move: Playing golf or tennis

Sqaut with Twisting Bicep Curl - Picture this...you get home from the grocery store and of course you don't want to make two trips into the house from the car, so you load up your arms with all of the plastic bags and lug them to the kitchen only to find that you are too short to just lay them onto the counter top. How do we get them up there? We have to do a bicep curl right, but not only that we have to build up from the ground up because the bags are too heavy! So, here's the move: while holding a dumbell in each hand, bend the knees to a "mini" squat and as we straighten our knees and rotate our torso keeping the core drawn in and tall perform a double bicep curl. Return to center as you lower the dumbells and repeat on the opposite side. Perform 10 - 20 repetitions on each side.

Real Life move: Setting the grocery bags, cases of water, dog food, etc. on the kitchen counter top

Butt-touch Squats - With a chair or bench positioned behind you, squat and sit back until your butt touches the seat and without allowing your bodyweight to fall onto the seat. As soon as your bottom touches the seat, stand up while not allowing your knees to go forward beyond your toes and repeat. Perform 10 - 20 repetitions and add weight if possible to increase the intensity and difficulty.

Real life move: Getting up out of a chair

Calf Raise with Reaching Military Press - Holding dumbells with both hands at chest height, slightly twist to one side while putting most of your weight on 1 leg, go into a calf raise on that leg and as you do so reach/press the dumbells overhead into a military press. Return to center as you lower the dumbells to chest height and repeat to the other side. Perform 10 - 20 repetitions on each side.

Real life move: Placing or removing a box or item onto or from a high shelf

See if you can come up with some of your own functional exercises. What do you do during the day that might be able to be "practiced" in the gym? Incorporate one of these or some of your own moves into your strength training routine and start to feel the immediate benefits. Remember, the path of life is much easier to tread with a strong, healthy body! Oh yeah, HAVE FUN WITH IT!

Gym Ettiquette - Are You 1 of These People?

I consider myself a normal human being and I think I know what gym etiquette is. These are just a few things that you absolutely should not do while "working out."

Do you do any of these things at the gym? Yes? How about you stop...NOW!

1. Do you take your cell phone in the gym and actually talk on it while faining that you are exercising? Worse yet, do you use the fake secret service lookin' bluetooth earpiece and walk around acting like the most important person in the joint? You're just not that important...plus, every1 near you thinks that you are talking to them when they can't see your stupid earpiece!

2. Ladies...are you really getting a good workout while your face is buried in the latest Hollywood Rag Mag? Isn't it amazing how fast Jessica Alba bounced back from having a baby? That Bitch!

3. Guys...Yes there are mirrors all over the gym, YES you may glance at yourself while exercising to check your form, YES, you can make sure that white head on your nose isn't ready to pull a Mt. St. Helens, but do not ever, EVER, EVER pull up your shirt to flex your washboard, Greg Plitt lookin abs, or any other muscle for that matter! Save it for the bathroom mirror!

4. Do you really have to let the whole gym know that you are squatting 400lbs by grunting and groaning at the top of your lungs? "Hey, look at me, I won't be able to walk without a serious limp when I'm 40!" That's what you should be yelling!

5. Do you leave your DNA all over the equipment when you are done using it? You see those spray bottles? You see those towels? Learn to use them please!

6. Guys (and maybe gals?)...In the locker room; must you walk around brushing your teeth, flossing, shaving, steaming, conversing, and whistling BUTT NAKED??? Seriously, I see this WAY TOO MUCH! I understand its a locker room and I understand you played high school football 30 plus years ago, but c'mon man, some of us just had a pre-workout shake and don't need to see your your JUNK!

7. Do you wear a weightlifting belt? Do you? REALLY? How's this, if your name is Sven or Magnus and you are in the back of the gym lifting Volkswagens, you can wear a belt or anything else for that matter because no1 will mess with you!

8. Talking form and technique. Do you... 1) bounce the barbell off of your chest when doing a bench press? 2) have your spine in the shape of an upside down "U" when doing a bent over row? 3) swing back and forth doing a bicep curl so you can curl those 60lb dumbells? Good job, we're all very impressed. 4) hang on for dear life to the handrails on the stepper placing all of your body weight on your wrists as opposed to the muscles that are actually supposed to be doing the work - the LEGS? 5) pull on the back of your neck when doing crunches? 6) do lat pulldowns pulling the bar down behind your neck? STOP IT NOW AND LEARN HOW TO DO IT RIGHT! Here's an idea, put your pride in your pocket and talk to a certified personal trainer!

9. Please stop it with the perfume and the cologne! If you think you stink, don't try to cover it up with Red Door or Stetson! You stink worse than the original B.O. you brought yourself in with and you are making every1 around you violently ill.

10. Do you think the gym is a night club fellas? It's not...trying to pick up a girl in the gym is probably the single biggest turn-off that exists! If you're working out to get chicks, that's fine, but please stop trying to get them AT the gym! Also, if your one of those belt wearing, barbell bouncing, arm swinging meatheads and you try to show little miss make-up how to do an exercise or try to tell her that she can do more weight, guess what? You look like an ASS to both her and the normal people like me witnessing your sorry attempt to know what you are talking about!

Again, these things just came to MY mind, there are PLENTY more out there! Please leave me a comment with some of your gym pet peeves.

Six "Abdominal" Exercises That You Better Be Doing

So you think you got your ab routine down huh? You do the same 5 - 10 minutes of "abs" after your cardio or strength workout four or five times a week and thats it. Guess what, you're doing it all wrong!

The abs should be treated just like any other muscle group in terms of training volume. Do your focused "ab" training about twice per week. The abs are so active in so many other exercises that they are (or should be) practically always working! Your abs can be overtrained and thus stop "growing" and getting stronger.

AND...I hope you already know that you will not get a sweet six pack by doing a million crunches everyday, right? There is no such thing as "spot reduction." We ALL have a six pack, but the reason we can't see it is most likely because there is a layer of fat hiding it! If you think you are training your abs and core properly, be sure you're doing enough cardio and clean up that diet!

Now, to the SIX EXERCISES that you better be including in that killer ab workout of yours! DO NOT DO THE SAME ROUTINE EVERY TIME!

1. Front Plank

2. Resistance Band Twist (standing or seated on ball)

3. Stability Ball Crunch (with resistance)

4. Dead Bug

5. Stability Ball Rollout (Ab Roller, Ab Dolly, or Ab Wheel)

6. Bicycle Crunch