Working out by just going through the motions is all too easy to do. After all, most of us really would rather do anything other than exercise. Not paying attention, however, can take away some of the benefits of exercising in the first place. First, when you exercise without some concentration, you might lose enough focus to cause yourself injury. Second, there’s a fairly good chance that … [Read more...]

This past Saturday, we had our Benefit Boot Camp for Katie Christian at our Primacy location. Over 35 people came and celebrated this event by giving generously and participating in a kick butt workout in her honor. Without you, we would not have been able to give the donation of over $1,000 to her help and her family during this trying time. Leigh Epsy spoke with me before class began. I … [Read more...]

Far too often travelers return home with the unwanted souvenir of a few extra pounds.  One way to prevent the post-vacation flab is to keep from gaining that weight in the first place. Since sampling new food is often a major part of the travel experience, it is extra important that travelers keep exercising during their trip. Here are four easy ways you can stay fit while traveling. Work Out … [Read more...]

If you’re looking to firm up and shed fat fast, it’s important that you stop and consider the foods that you’re eating on a daily basis.  What you put into your body each day is going to have a massive influence on how you look in the long-run and those who choose the most nutritious and low calorie foods are going to find that they experience the fastest rate of fat loss. That said, you … [Read more...]

As you go about your nutritional plan, an important thing you must do is make sure you look at similar foods to the ones that you’re eating right now that offer far superior all around nutrition.  Sometimes the simplest changes can have the biggest pay-offs in terms of your long term progress with regards to fat loss as well as in terms of how healthy you are. Let’s quickly go over a few … [Read more...]

Struggling on your fat loss diet program? If so, you aren’t alone.  Millions of people everywhere start up on a diet plan only to find themselves having a hard time realizing success. Is it always because they lack the will power to continue? Or is there something else going on that’s causing them to falter in their attempt to shed the pounds? In order to realize why you aren’t … [Read more...]

You "diet" and even take your vitamins. Despite all of this, you’re still lacking in the energy department and just don’t feel as good as you’d like to. If you’re still eating processed, fried or lots of pre-packaged foods that could be the problem. Trying adding in as many whole, fresh foods as possible to every meal and snack to see if that’s the magic ingredient you’ve been missing … [Read more...]

If you’re like many people, you get up with the thought of coffee going through your mind.  If you’ve ever had one of those mornings where you just can’t get out of bed, you know very well just how powerful that cup of coffee can be to get you up and running. For many though, this cup of coffee doesn’t come home brewed.  Instead, they’re turning to the local coffee shop and picking … [Read more...]

If you’re just getting started with your journey into the world of fitness, there are some important things that you must remember right off the bat.  Those who rush into a workout program without being fully prepared may find that they make some big mistakes along the way and fail to see the results that they were after. By making sure that you take the necessary steps to guarantee your … [Read more...]

As you go about your diet plan, you’ll likely read some information or come across magazine ads referring to protein powder.  It would seem as though all the fitness models are using protein powder to help get lean and build their best body, so should you consider it as well? Is there something special about protein powder that can enhance the results you see or are you just as good eating a … [Read more...]

With more and more people starting to look after their health and fitness, one thing that they’re starting to do is take note of what their eating each day and how the various foods that they consume influence how their body feels and functions. It’s incredibly important that you do pay attention to the foods that you put into your diet because not only will these influence your body … [Read more...]

If you’re a female who feels like you’re living in a ‘fat loss world’ when all you really want to do is build some curves to your body, you’re going to need to learn how to approach your workout and diet program. While much of the advice you do read about workouts will still apply to you, there are some key differences that you’ll need to make note of.  If you don’t and fail to … [Read more...]

One question that often presents itself to many boot campers who are trying to shed the excess weight that has accumulated over time is whether or not alcohol can be included in their nutritional plan. Alcohol is something that most adults do like to indulge in from time to time – some more often than others. So what’s the real deal about alcohol and your progress? Is this something that … [Read more...]

You know that diet and exercise are important when it comes to creating your best body, but you may be overlooking other techniques for getting into the best shape. Turn the following 10 simple tips into habits and watch as your body transforms. 1) Eat a Smart Breakfast. Most people load up on carbohydrates and simple sugars for breakfast. Cereal, pastries, smoothies and juice are all poor … [Read more...]

It happens to the best of us: you’ve eaten right and exercised hard for weeks, and then one slice of cake at a party sends you into a downward spiral of eating too much and exercising too little. It’s common to experience temporary relapses back to unhealthy ways of eating and lack of exercise, especially while a healthy, active lifestyle is still new. But what triggers these relapses? … [Read more...]

You have felt it the worst when you first began exercising and you felt it after a lay off from exercise for any reason. If you are doing exercise correctly, you will feel it again, but it doesn't truly indicate it was a “good” workout every single time. Yes, I am talking about delayed onset muscle soreness of DOMS. Sometimes a little soreness won’t interfere with your day-to-day activities, … [Read more...]

A high degree of flexibility is something most of us are born with, but tend to lose over time. The unfortunate thing is that low flexibility can sideline physical activity and increase chances for injury, weight gain and even health concerns down the road. If it’s time to get a little more stretch in your swagger, there are some great tips you can follow. Here are just a few things you can do … [Read more...]

Have you ever thought about what it's like to have the viewpoint of the boot camp instructor? Here are some interesting facts you may or may not know. I am constantly learning. I prepare classes by reading, watching videos, attending workshops, and using every resource I can get a hold of. I understand that exercise is routine, but I constantly want to make it more enjoyable for each of … [Read more...]

Fitness means different things to different people. For some people, it means getting up early, putting on the running shoes and pounding the pavement for hours on end. Over time, their hips, knees, ankles, and other joints become worn out from the excessive cardiovascular activity they chose to partake. For others, it means getting ridiculously huge with unnecessary muscle trying to lift the most … [Read more...]

There are some things that cannot be explained with simple words. This is not one of them! The Harlem Shake has taken the YouTube world by storm and there are now several versions of it on YouTube (just search "Harlem Shake" on YouTube). As soon as we heard about the craze, we knew it would be right up our alley! One of the most important aspects of Memphis Adventure Boot Camp we focus on besides … [Read more...]

Back in 2006, I was a part of a group of trainers known as the Be Better Group, which was headed by Phil Kaplan. Our mission was to look at what we do as personal trainers, what we provide to clients, and how to make sure our businesses thrive so that we can continue give the best services and results possible to clients. More than anything being in the group helped us to learn how to set goals … [Read more...]

This is a Must Read for Beginners and Experienced Campers! I see it every other week. It’s a person’s first time coming to boot camp and they are all excited about finally losing those pounds they have so desperately wanted to lose for over a year now. They are seeing literally every camper getting results and they want in on it too! They make a pact to me that they are not going to not … [Read more...]

We have a guest blog post today from Melanie Brown. Exercise can be a very important component in the overall treatment for cancer patients. Melanie, take it away! In the past, doctors recommended people with cancer reduce their physical activity.  However, new research indicates that cancer patients that exercise can increase both their health and quality of life.  Too much rest leads to … [Read more...]

Go to a typical gym and you will see people doing the machines. For legs, they might do the leg extensions, leg curls, and maybe the leg press machine. If you are a lady, you’ll even play with the hip adductor machine. But, what about the butt? Ladies want a more firm booty and guys want to rid themselves of the “no-butt-at-all” syndrome. These five exercises are only a fraction of what we … [Read more...]

You wouldn’t believe the number of excuses that I get from people on why they don’t exercise. Often times their reason is self-inflicted: I don’t have the time. Sometimes it’s procrastination: I’m going to start as soon as XXX season ends. And occasionally the reason is downright funny: I don’t like to sweat. However, there is an excuse that surprises me most. The … [Read more...]