Want to burn fat quicker and more efficiently?

Want to burn fat quicker and more efficiently? One available option is from a plant that’s native to Indonesia: garcinia cambogia.

See why Dr. Oz is a raving fan of this fat buster. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/garcinia-cambogia-newest-fastest-fat-buster-pt-1

What Is Garcina Cambogia?  Garcinia cambogia is a small, pumpkin-shaped fruit, sometimes called tamarind. This plant offers one of the least expensive herbal supplements on the market. The ingredient from the rind of the fruit could hasten your weight-loss efforts. The natural extract is called hydroxycitric acid (HCA), and researchers claim that HCA can double or triple one’s weight loss.

With proper weight-loss efforts (dieting and exercising), the average person taking HCA lost an average of 4 pounds a month!

Garcinia may also be great for emotional eaters. Those who participated in the study showed an increase in their serotonin levels; hence, it may also improve mood and sleeping patterns.

For a quick grab and go fat buster. Check out Skinne by Nutrie. Skinne offers 500mg of Garcinia Cambogia in a convenient 2oz drink with zero calories, nutrients, herbs and Omega fatty acids.

Don’t Believe The Muffin Top Myth

I know that when you put your valuable time and energy into a fitness program, you deserve to see nothing less than amazing results. That's my commitment to all of my clients, and is something that I am truly passionate about. 

So what's this Muffin Top Myth? 

The belief that doing a magical ab exercise will shrink and flatten your waist, and will rid you of a muffin top.

Sorry, there's no such magical ab exercise.

In fact, all of the magical ab exercises in the world won't make a dent in your muffin top, as long as you continue with your current, unhealthy lifestyle.

The true belly-shrinking magic is found in improving your diet and exercise routine to promote fat loss from your entire body, including—but not limited to—your midsection.

Here's how to really get rid of that muffin top:

Shrink Your Belly Tip #1: Stop Eating Processed Foods

Everyone loves a good shortcut, right? Depends on where that shortcut takes you.

From now on I want you to think of processed foods as a shortcut to belly fat.

I wouldn't be surprised if future studies prove that the over-processing, chemical additives and high fructose corn syrup that are pumped into processed foods specifically adds fat around your belly.

If you want to shrink your belly then stay away from sugars, sodas, chemically altered fats, processed, packaged, fried and preserved foods.

Shrink Your Belly Tip #2: Eat Fresh, Whole Foods

Once you've cut the processed foods out of your diet, fill in the void with lots of fresh foods like:

• Green vegetables
• Whole, organic, seasonal fruits
• Lean, hormone-free, high quality meats
• Colorful organic veggies
• Nuts and seeds

I know this list of foods may seem boring at first, but if you stick with it long enough, you'll grow to love the tantalizing flavors of real food.

When your diet is filled with the foods listed above, your body will quickly shed pounds and lean out.

Shrink Your Belly Tip #3: Do Challenging Exercise 

The absolute best way to lose your muffin top forever is with a consistent, progressive exercise program.

• Consistent: You should be exercising 3-5 times each week.
• Progressive: For truly awesome results, keep your body guessing with new exercises and increasing intensity.

My exercise programs are specifically crafted to get you into the best shape of your life, and I'm fanatically passionate about seeing you meet your goal.

I'd love to hear from you! Call or email today to get started.

Killer Ab Exercises

True, crunches won't reduce your body fat, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't strengthen your abdominal muscles. Consistent ab exercises are an essential part of a well balanced exercise routine. Try these killer ab exercise:

• Plank: Lie face down on mat resting on your forearms, palms flat on the floor. Push off the floor, raising up onto your toes and resting on your elbows. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, lower to the start position and repeat for 3-5 reps.
• Knee Tucks: Start on your back, bend your knees with your feet on the floor and knees touching. Extend both arms overhead on either side of your ears, palms facing up. Exhale and bring your knees up towards your chest. Slowly lower your hips back down to start position. Repeat for 12-15 reps.
• One-Armed Full Sit Ups: Start on your back with your right knee bent, foot flat on the floor, and left leg extended straight out. Extend your right arm to the ceiling and reach your left arm towards your left foot. Sit all the way up, rolling through your back, keeping your right foot on the floor, and your right arm up over your shoulder and your left arm reaching in front of you all the way up. Slowly roll back down to the floor. That's one rep. Repeat 15 times on one side, 15 times on the other. For an extra challenge hold a dumbbell in your extended arm.

Call today for your free consultation 219-405-7559

Email ianbowen25@gmail.com

Phone 219-405-7559

How To Stop Craving The Wrong Foods

How To Stop Craving The Wrong Foods

You wake up each morning with every intention of eating "good" today.

You'll skip the drive thru line on your way to work. You'll refuse to get fast food with co-workers at lunch. You'll boycott the vending machine in the mid-afternoon. And you won't even think about having dessert after dinner.

But then your cravings win.

Your friend drops by with a big fluffy muffin and a latte for breakfast. A group of co-workers invite you to that greasy spoon down the street for lunch. Cake is passed around at the mid-afternoon staff meeting. And after dinner your honey surprises you with a bowl of your favorite ice cream.

You tell yourself that tomorrow will be different.

Tomorrow you won't give in to food cravings.

But then tomorrow comes with its own special circumstances, and cravings get the best of you once again.

Why Do Food Cravings Always Win?

Let's face it, we live in a world where food temptations are everywhere...which lead to cravings, which lead to you eating things that you shouldn't. Again. And again. And again. Until you're so fed up with your body that you don't even know where to begin to get yourself back on track.

Stores display the most tantalizing junk food items right where you could easily reach them. TV commercials for greasy, fattening foods portray them so scrumptiously that you literally salivate. Sugary snack items have full-page, glossy pictures in your favorite magazines. And as if all of these weren't enough, the people in your daily life are another, constant source of food temptation.

To make matters worse, you've been conditioned since childhood to have a positive association with the act of indulging in your cravings. You use food as a reward. You use food as a source of emotional comfort. You use food as a way to relieve stress. And quickly these associations and uses of food become habit. A habit not easily broken.

New Technique to End Food Cravings
Food cravings don't need to have the upper hand on you anymore. Here's how you can fight back using your most powerful asset: your brain.

Remember that your mind is an amazing thing. Once your mind is made up about something it's nearly impossible to change it.

Try This Powerful Mind Exercise: Imagine that you are peacefully floating down a river on a raft. The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and you are having a fun, relaxing time.

You feel wonderful about the river because it's making you feel happy.

Now change perspectives for a moment. You're now in a plane flying over the river and the raft. Instantly our eye is drawn to an enormous rocky waterfall. Then you look back to the person floating on the raft, having a wonderful time, headed straight for the treacherous falls.

With this new perspective of the river, do you think that you'd agree to get on a raft and take your chances floating toward the falls? Laughable, right? You've seen the hidden danger of the river. You know it leads to pain and suffering.

Now your negative association (watery death) with the river has replaced your initial positive association (relaxing fun).

This is the key to overcoming food temptations and putting an end to food cravings: building negative associations in place of existing positive ones. I'll break this process down for you in two steps:

Step One: Create a STRONG Negative Association with Unhealthy Food
You may not have realized it, but up until this point you've placed unhealthy, fattening foods on a pedestal in your mind. As long as the wrong foods are on that pedestal you'll continue to give into your cravings and will continue to gain fat.

Take the wrong food off that pedestal by listing off everything negative about them...

• These foods make you unhealthy.
• These foods cause weight gain.
• These foods drain your energy.
• These foods kill your confidence.
• These foods lessen your quality of life.
• These foods damage your love life.

Every time that you feel tempted to eat an unhealthy food, focus on your list of negatives. Kick the junk off the pedestal and put something healthy in its place.

Step Two: Create a STRONG Positive Association with wholesome foods
Now that your mental food pedestal has been cleared, put truly wholesome food items on it. Juicy fresh fruit, crispy vegetables and savory lean meats are the place to start.

List off the things that you love about healthy food...

• These foods make you healthy.
• These foods promote fat loss.
• These foods boost your energy.
• These foods build your confidence.
• These foods improve your quality of life.
• These foods enhance your love life.

I encourage you to immerse yourself into the world of healthy, wholesome foods. Browse the aisles of your local natural foods store. Stroll through a farmer's market. Pack healthy snacks to bring to work. Clear your kitchen of junk.

Use the technique above consistently and you will soon find that healthy, wholesome foods are your favorite.

And craving the wrong foods will be a thing of your past.

The Ripple Effect

When you put time and energy into exercise it makes it easier to eat healthy. And when you eat healthy it makes you more likely to exercise.

It's the ripple effect. When you make positive strides in one area of your life, other areas will soon follow.

Keep in mind that while nutrition is extremely important for weight loss, lasting results are achieved through a combination of both healthy eating and challenging exercise. 

From the Desk of John Hall Studios

Mental energy: how to use food to feel more alert.

Want to feel more alert? To keep up your mental energy and focus, you’ve got to eat the right foods, at the right time.

A client recently complained that she suffered from ‘brain fog’. “My mental energy is shot and I can’t focus.” So she wondered…“is it something I’m eating?” Possibly. But more likely, it’s what she’s not eating that’s leaving her mental energy flagging. As a full-time student and a new mom, her eating patterns are erratic and she’s often grabbing something on the run, and relies on coffee to keep her going. Without the right foods to give her brain the fuel it needs, she can’t possibly expect to keep her mental energy in high gear.

The next time your mental energy is fading and you feel like you can’t string two sentences together, think back. When did you last eat? What did you have? Have you been drinking enough liquids? Skipped meals, unbalanced meals, and dehydration can all zap your mental energy and focus. (And don’t forget that getting adequate sleep and rest is part of the equation, too).

How what you eat affects your mental energy

What is mental energy, anyway? It’s actually got several features – including your overall mood, your motivation, as well as your attention and focus. When your mental engine is revved up, there’s a good chance your diet had something to do with it. So, here’s some “food for thought”.

What to eat to keep your mental energy up all day long

 - Carbs fuel your brain

Glucose is the only fuel that normally feeds your brain cells – and it’s derived from the carbohydrates in your diet. After they’re broken down during the digestive process, carbohydrates enter the bloodstream as glucose (your ‘blood sugar’).

Since your brain is active 24/7, it has high energy demands – higher, in fact, than any other cells in your body. And, since brain cells – the neurons – can’t store glucose, your brain needs a continuous supply. Stick with the healthy carbs – fruits, vegetables and whole grains – to give your brain the fuel it craves. These high fiber foods take time to digest, which leads to a gradual release of glucose into your system. On the other hand, a meal high in refined carbohydrates – think starchy, sugary foods – can actually backfire on you. Since these foods are digested relatively quickly, you may experience a quick rise in your blood sugar… often followed by a quick drop. And that blood sugar ‘crash’ can make you feel mentally sluggish.

 - Your brain wants fuel at regular intervals

Since your brain wants a steady source of glucose, it’s important to eat at regular intervals throughout the day to keep your mental energy from taking a nosedive. Aim for small meals and snacks every 3-4 hours.

 - Your brain wants breakfast

There’s plenty to be said about the importance of breakfast, and giving your brain a boost is just another reason to fuel up first thing. While you were sleeping, your brain was plenty busy - and it burned through lots of fuel overnight – and the tank is pretty empty by morning. Do your brain a favor and start your day with a well-balanced breakfast that includes both healthy carbohydrates and a shot of protein.

 - The best proteins for your brain

Even though your brain doesn’t use protein directly for fuel, it does use amino acids – derived from the proteins that you eat – to manufacture important brain chemicals. Tyrosine, for example, is an amino acid (found in poultry, fish, dairy products, nuts and beans) that your body uses to make a brain chemical called dopamine that promotes alertness and brain activity. Another amino acid, called tryptophan (also found in seafood, poultry, dairy products and soybeans), is needed to make another brain chemical called serotonin, which leads to feelings of calmness and contentment.

 - The best beverages for the brain

When your body is dehydrated, it can affect your mood and your energy level. Mild dehydration reduces alertness and your ability to concentrate, and by the time you feel thirsty, your mental energy has already taken a hit. Water is always a good choice, but coffee and tea in moderation are fine, too. Caffeine-containing beverages may help with focus and concentration – but be smart about it. You don’t want to ignore your diet and simply rely on caffeine to keep you going through the day. You need to hydrate properly and eat right. And, monitor your own response to the caffeine you’re taking in. If it makes you jittery or keeps you up at night, you’d be wise to cut back. Using caffeine for a brain boost during the day won’t do you much good if it interferes with a good night’s sleep.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD.

Nutrie has an incredible line of products that not only help with mental energy, but physical energy and weight loss as well. Easy grab and go, no mixing, no pills, and since it is liquid, 100% absorption. To learn more about Nutrie, it's products and amazing "one small change" weight loss program go to http://IanBowen.automaticbody.com

Time Saving Workouts Prove To Be More Effective

How many times have you told yourself that you'd exercise and get fit, if only you had the time? If I had a dollar for time I've heard the I-don't-have-time excuse… New and exciting research is coming out in favor of shorter, more intense workouts. The old way of exercising at a slow speed, for long periods of time, is over and done. Short and intense exercise sessions that utilize High Intensity Interval Training get you better results with way less time invested. So there goes the time crunch excuse. You don't need to spend hours in the gym to get amazing results. A simple 30 minute workout, done right, is all you need.

So what does this magical 30 minute workout consist of?

As mentioned above, there's a little secret in the fitness world called High Intensity Interval Training. This means rather than doing the same cardio exercise your entire workout, you'd alternate between short, high-intensity bursts of exercise with slower, low-intensity periods of recovery.

The research makes it clear that this method of training burns more calories and builds fitness quicker with less time invested.

Not long ago, elite athletes were the only ones benefiting from this method of training, but now the cat is out of the bag, and everyone is open to reap the rewards of interval training. And you don't even need fancy equipment or special training to start seeing results with interval training.

So how long should your intervals be? The answer is, it doesn't really matter.

There are no real hard-and-fast rules with interval length. Varying lengths bring varying benefits, so it's important to find which length works best for you.

Beginners should aim for no more than 30 seconds of high-intensity bursts. If you're feeling strong and are in good shape, then go ahead and push yourself a bit longer.

An interval-training workout involves four variables that can be modified to meet your goals: intensity of intervals, duration of intervals, duration of recovery intervals, and the number of interval repetitions.

Interval training can be casual, spur of the moment bursts of activity depending on how you're feeling that day or if you're working towards a specific sports or fitness goal then you can take a more sophisticated, scientific approach.

The simplest example of interval training for walking would be to add short bursts of jogging or alternate slower walking with brisk walking. If you walk outdoors, then jog or walk faster between certain landmarks such as mailboxes or street signs, then slow down for a short distance. The more popular, and effective, form of interval training includes alternating between resistance training exercises and high intensity cardio exercises.

So it turns out that we all really do have enough time to get an effective workout each day…and that old excuse about not having time is no longer going to work.

If you have a fitness or fat loss goal that you'd like to achieve, please feel free to reach out to me. I'm here to be you reach your goals.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will get you to your goal quicker.

You and I both know you have enough time for that!

Pump Up Your Intensity

Use these tips to increase the intensity of your workouts:

• Add Some Resistance. Lunges, squats, hip bridges and even sit-ups can all be made more intense with some added resistance. A set of dumbbells, kettle bells, sand bags, medicine balls or resistance bands would do the trick. Pay attention to when the resistance starts to feel too easy, and add weights accordingly.
• Increase Your Speed. If you think you could go faster, then do it. The more that you push yourself during your sprinting intervals, the quicker and more stunning your results will be. Remember, you can do anything for just a few seconds.
• Lengthen Your Intervals. If your workout is starting to feel less challenging then add a few seconds to your intense intervals. Start by adding 5 seconds and go up from there.
• Do New Exercises. For the best results, never do the same workout twice. There are many of small changes that can be made to keep a routine fresh and new. Swap out burpees for high knees, mountain climbers for jump squats and so on.

http://IanBowen.automaticbody.com

Ianbowen25@gmail.com

219-405-7559 From the Desk of John Hall Studios

Get The Most From Your Workout

How effective are your workouts?

Do you regularly push yourself to the limit? Do you feel the burn with each rep? Do you have nothing left to give when it’s over?

Or would you describe your workout more like a comfortable trot? Do you coast along, breaking a respectable sweat while doing the same old routine?

Since you are spending a portion of your valuable time working out, I assume that you desire to have a slimmer and more toned body. And I also assume that if you had the option to achieve that slimmer, more toned body even faster you’d say, “Yes, please!”

The following tips are going to show you how to spend less time exercising, while achieving quicker, more noticeable results. Sounds good, right?

• Be Focused. It sounds obvious, but this crucial requirement for an effective workout is often overlooked. Don’t be one of those people who exercise their jaw muscles (from chit chatting) more than any other muscles. When you’re lifting weights, focus on that specific muscle group. Researchers have proven significant increase in muscle activity when people focused on what they were doing, compared to thinking about unrelated topics.
• Be Confused. Er, more specifically your muscles should be confused. Do this by changing up your routine often. This helps to avoid plateaus and to continuously challenge your body. Try new exercises at new intensities and new weights.
• Be Nourished and Hydrated. Stay on top of your food and your hydration levels. The best results are achieve when you’re drinking enough water and eating real, wholesome foods.
• Be Strategic. The time of day that you workout makes a huge difference in your results. And no, I’m not going to say that there’s a universal ‘right time’ to workout. Your job is to figure out when your body is at its best and to make that the time that you consistently exercise. If you’re not a morning person, then don’t force yourself to wake up at 5am, try working out after work instead.
• Be Watched. There’s a benefit to working out in a group setting. Researchers saw a significant increase in strength and endurance in the people who had an audience versus those training on their own.
• Be Caffeinated. Caffeine has been shown to help burn fat and to increase endurance. If you don’t have any medical conditions that would otherwise make moderate caffeine intake unsafe, then drink a caffeinated beverage one hour prior to working out. Or a healthy energy drink such as Energe from Nutrie.
• Be Pumped Up. Check this out: researchers found that personal music motivated weightlifters to complete two more repetitions on average than those who were not listening to music. That’s a great reason to listen to upbeat music while you exercise.
• Be Comfortable. Not only will you be happy to put comfortable workout clothes on, but you will also be able to focus better on your workout, rather than wondering if your pants will split when you squat.
• Be Smart. If you’re not already one of my valued clients, then now is the time to become one. Working with a professional ensures that you’re being challenged and are seeing results. And that’s just smart, right?

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to exercise, I’m here to help.

It’s my passion to make exercise a part of your life that you look forward to and are rewarded by. Wouldn’t you like all of the healthy rewards of being fit?

Call or email me today and we will get you started on the exercise program that completely transforms your body.

I Exercise Because...

Do you have a goal for each of your workouts? Having a goal is more important than you may think.

When each session is goal-oriented, you'll get the most out of your exercise time.

Decide how many long you'll go for, how many reps you'll do and at what intensity before your workout begins. Then go for it.

To take it a step further, set clear goals, write them down, and keep a record of your workouts. There's nothing quite like knowing exactly where you want to be, where you currently are, and what you've achieved.

From the Desk of John Hall Studios

Email: ianbowen25@gmail.com

Phone: 219-405-7559

7 Ways To Crave Less Sugar

If I were to award a single food item with the title of‘Fastest Way To Pack On The Pounds', hands down the winner would be refined sugar.

We have been eating more and more sugar over the past 200 years, which has led to rising obesity numbers. Back in 1822 the average person ate only 6.3 lbs of sugar per year, compared to 130 lbs of sugar in 2012. That's more than 20 times as much sugar in our modern diet! No wonder we are bigger than ever…

One of the reasons that your diet is filled with so much sugar is that some form of refined sugar is included in virtually every single processed food. This is yet another reason that it's important to cut those processed and packaged convenience foods out of your diet.

Cutting sugar from your diet is easier said than done. Once it is a part of your daily diet, cravings strike, causing you to eat it even more frequently. But there is hope.

Here are 7 Ways To Crave Less of that Sugar that you're eating that's killing your results and keeping you from attaining your goal weight:

1) Eat More Protein
A diet rich in protein keeps you full, satisfied and less likely to crave sweets. A great way to make sure that you are getting enough is to plan each meal and snack around a protein. Plan breakfast around eggs, lunch and dinner around baked chicken breast, and make snacks hard boiled eggs or baked meatballs.

2) Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
One of the biggest fitness myths out there is the idea that calorie-free, artificially sweetened beverages don't impact your fat loss results. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the truth is that the diet soda you're sipping is making it harder for you to reach your goal weight. While the diet soda itself doesn't contain calories, it has been proven to cause cravings for sugary foods. Put down the diet soda and instead pick up a refreshing bottle of spring water.

3) Steer Clear Of Saboteurs
The sad truth is that people in your life will try to sabotage your low sugar diet. You'll run into that pushy person at the office who insists that you eat a donut, the well-meaning family member who dishes you up a bowl of ice cream, and the friend who comes over with a plate of her home-baked cookies. The best avoidance strategy is to sincerely thank the sugar-pusher for their gift, tell them you wish you could eat it, and then blame me – your trainer – as the bad guy who says that you need to cut back on sugar.

4) Try Dark Chocolate
For those moments when your sweet tooth is relentlessly badgering you for something sweet, ditch the super-sugary candies and stick with a small square of very dark chocolate. Chocolate that is 70% or higher in cocoa content should be the only candy that you keep on hand. The benefit of the cocoa, in addition to the lowered sugar content, makes dark chocolate an occasionally justifiable treat.

5) Stick With Fruit
What's sweet, colorful and comes in hundreds of flavors? Organic, seasonal, fresh fruit, of course! As you remove refined sugar from your life, feel free to add in some natural sugar by way of fresh, local fruit. It's amazing how satisfyingly sweet fruit is – it's truly nature's candy.

6) Change Your Palate
As you begin to limit your intake of refined sugars, you'll find that your tolerance for sugar decreases. This means that something that didn't taste sweet before – say a green apple – now has uncanny depths of sweetness. What's happening is that your sweet receptors are becoming more finely tuned, now that you're not overwhelming your palate with sickly-sweet refined sugar.

7) Workout Like You Mean It
A regular, challenging exercise routine will not only get you into amazing shape, it also reduces your cravings for sugar. The endorphin rush brought on by vigorous exercise is an even more powerful feel-good-feeling than the pleasure gotten by indulging in sugary foods.

Make challenging, consistent exercise a part of your life.

Call today for your free consultation 219-405-7559

Email- ianbowen25@gmail.com

Phone- 219-405-7559

From the Desk of John Hall Studios