5 Beach Body Myths (and 3 Steps to Look Amazing)

There's a good chance that you'll find yourself in a bathing suit sometime this month.

If you are like most people then that realization will 1) bring a grimace to your
face and 2) will motivate you to lose some weight.

While I commend your desire to slim down before baring it all, I'm here to warn you
of the 5 myths that most people fall for. Don't waste your time on these:

Myth #1: Starve the pounds away.

Attempting to lose weight by starving yourself is not only ineffective, it's also
dangerous. It may seem that severe calorie restriction would deliver the quickest
weight loss, but your body is complex and by doing so you'll disrupt your
metabolism and slow your results.

Tip: Don't starve yourself - instead eat healthy small meals throughout the day.

Myth #2: Take diet pills to boost your effort.

It's so tempting! The commercials make compelling claims about the power of diet
pills, but don't fall for it. The 'magic pill' has yet to be discovered (it has
been discovered - exercise. It's just not in pill form…). Diet pills are
more likely to damage your health and burn your pocketbook than to slim you down.

Tip: Don't pop a pill - instead burn calories with exercise.

Myth #3: Do extra crunches to flatten your abs.

We all want our midsection to look toned as we stroll down the beach, but excessive
crunches aren't the answer for tight abs. In order to achieve a lean look you'll
have to focus on burning off the layer of fat that is covering up your abs.

Tip: Don't obsess about crunches - instead focus on fat burning.

Myth #4: Eat packaged diet foods for speedy results.

It is amazing to see the kinds of foods that are packaged as 'diet' or 'weight
loss' aids. More often than not these products are packed with refined sugar and
other artificial ingredients that your body doesn't need.

Tip: Don't eat packaged diet foods - instead stick with nutritious whole foods.

Myth #5: Avoid all carbohydrates in order to slim down.

Carbohydrates have been given a bad rap, which is unfortunate because you can (and
should) eat carbs while losing weight. The key is to stick with whole grains,
oatmeal and brown rice while avoiding processed and refined flours and sugars.

Tip: Don't swear off all carbohydrates - instead stick with wholesome carbs.

Now that you know what not to do in order to look great this summer, it's time to
go over your beach ready game plan. Here's what you need to know in 3 simple steps:


Step One: Cut out the junk.

The best way to do this is to start by purging your kitchen. Get rid of sugary,
processed and fat-filled foods. Once the junk has been cleared out don't buy any
more of it. Remember that your beach ready abs depend on what you eat - don't eat
junk!


Step Two: Focus on whole foods.

Replace the junk food in your life with plenty of the following: cooked and raw
vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, moderate amounts of seeds and nuts, lean
meats and low fat dairy. Clean eating really is that simple.


Step Three: Come train with me.

This is the most obvious step. You're ready to get into great shape and I'm in a
unique position to make that happen for you. Call or reply to this email to get
started on an exercise plan that will make you look great on the beach, and all
year round.

Click here to schedule your FREE session with me TODAY!
FREE SESSION

6 Vacation Tips to Keep You Fit

(I truly want to apologize for these 2 videos, I don't know what happened but both of them were recorded completely and when I went to upload them came up incomplete, I'm recording these videos straight from youtube. Leave your suggestions and comments at the bottom, need help on this)

With summer vacation quickly approaching, you're probably planning your next getaway.

Whether you go on a cruise, an African safari or a low-key trip to the beach, warm summer days are the best time to get away from it all.

But wait - did you know that the average person gains almost a pound a day while on vacation?

Between missed workouts, extra large restaurant meals and indulgent snacks, lazy vacation days will quickly add inches to your waistline.

So before you pack your bags for your next adventure, read the following 6 Vacation Tips and come home fitter, not fatter.

Vacation Tip #1: Make a Decision

Before you leave home, make the decision that you will NOT gain weight while on your trip.

This is the easiest step to take to make sure that you avoid weight gain, but it is also the most overlooked. Instead of leaving things to chance, harness the power of creative visualization that has been proven time and time again by go-getters such as Michael Jordan, Einstein, Napoleon and Andrew Carnegie.

Visualize what it would be like to return home fitter than when you left. Take a moment to let yourself feel the excitement that you'd experience.

Remember what accomplishing your goal feels like - this will keep you motivated throughout your trip and will help pull you through the inevitable tempting situations that you'll face.

Vacation Tip #2: Get Moving

It's easy to spend vacation days sprawled out by the pool, but the inactivity will quickly add up to extra pounds.

Choose to be active and you'll burn calories all day long while indulging in fewer unnecessary snacks. The following ideas will get you moving:

Go on a brisk walk each day of your trip. You'll see new sights while burning off excess calories.
Always take the stairs rather than the elevator. Talk about bonus calorie burning!
Go on a jog in the mornings before your daily activities, or jog in the evening after the day winds down.
If your hotel has a pool, swim a few laps each day. Swimming is a fun way to get in a full body workout.
If your trip takes you to a place of natural beauty then go on a hike. Even while hiking at a slow or moderate pace you'll burn plenty of calories.
Play some sports - beach volleyball, a game of hoops, Frisbee, or bike riding are all great ways to have fun while keeping fit.

Vacation Tip #3: Indulge with Portion Control

You have no choice but to eat out while on vacation. Whether you're enjoying 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you'll be met with the same problem: huge portions.

While it is tempting to simply eat it all - you are on vacation after all - this will quickly lead to extra pounds. Use the following tips to keep your portions under control:

When you order your meal ask for a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it into the box before you even begin to eat. This will force you to eat a healthy portion.
If you would rather not carry around a to-go box, ask that your entrée be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinnertime don't be afraid to ask for the lunch-sized portion.
Pay more, and eat less. Take quality of food over quantity.
Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
Eat slowly, and eat foods that have been prepared slowly - that means no fast food.

Vacation Tip #4: Eat Natural Sweets

One of your biggest enemies when it comes to vacation weight gain is...sugar.

The average modern person consumes 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. The average person on vacation consumes even more than that.

Even though sugary calories taste great, the sweet pleasure comes at a high price. Here's what I mean:

Sugar creates false hunger (as a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in blood sugar levels), which causes you overeat.
Sugar promotes aging (due to the advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar). Sugar has even been dubbed the negative fountain of youth!
Sugar weakens your bones -making you vulnerable for osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth - making you vulnerable for cavities (both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar).
Sugar in excess is stored as fat (after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms).
So instead of eating that ice cream cone or chocolate éclair, satiate your sweet tooth with a piece of juicy fruit.

Vacation Tip #5: Don't Eat Fried Foods

While fast food restaurants are definitely convenient, with their low prices and quick service, it's really not worth the additional pounds brought on by chips and fries. As you enjoy your vacation keep this in mind: don't eat fried foods. While this is always a good plan to follow, it is even more important to abide by while traveling.

A gram of fat contains 9 calories as compared to the 4 calories that proteins and carbohydrates carry - so you can see that consuming fried foods will drastically increase your caloric intake.

Take an average potato, bake it and you have 110 calories and 0 grams of fat. Take that same potato, turn it into French fries and you have 380 calories and 18 grams of fat.

Frying food is the easiest way to dramatically increase the calorie and fat content. And you know that extra calories and fat end up as extra body fat.

Other disasters that fried foods increase your risk for include:

Heart Disease
Diabetes
Clogged Arteries
High Blood Pressure
Obesity
Acne
If I still haven't convinced you to pass on the curly fries, keep in mind that heartburn and indigestion are not fun...especially while on vacation. Need I say more?

Vacation Tip #6: Do this Hotel Room Workout

If your hotel doesn't have a gym, or if you'd simply prefer the privacy of your room, do this hotel room workout:

Body Weight Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
Body Weight Lunges: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Exhale as you lunge forward with your right leg. Make sure that your knee does not go past 90 degrees. Inhale as you return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
Push Ups: Get into the push up position (depending on your fitness level choose to go off your knees, push off of the wall, or assume the traditional position). Inhale as you lower your chest down. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
V-Ups: Sit on the edge of a chair or bed and lean back. Exhale as you drive your knees in toward your chest, squeezing your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower your knees back down with control. Complete 15-20 repetitions.
Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
Well, now you have 6 tips that will keep away the unwanted vacation pounds. You may even end up losing a pound or two while away.

But let's be honest, you want to lose more than a pound or two. You want to lose all of those extra pounds.

You may feel that the secret to achieving weight loss is just that - a secret. A mystery. You try, and try, and try but your goals are never met. Your dream body continues to stay out of reach.

In my experience the people who are unable to lose weight aren't failing due to laziness. In fact, those frustrated with their weight often put in a lot of effort - but on the wrong things. A fad diet. The latest exercise gizmo. An ineffective routine at the gym.

It's not that you aren't willing to put in the effort - you're just doing the wrong thing.

Think about this for a moment...What if this was the summer that you took control of your body? The summer that you threw your fat clothes away...the summer that you were proud to put on a bathing suit...the summer that your doctor congratulated you on your improved health...the summer that your family and friends - and that special someone - showered you with compliments.

It's possible. Even more possible than you think.

The thing is that you need to direct your effort in an effective way.

This is where I come in.

You see, for me weight loss isn't a mystery. It's my passion. I have a proven method that will dramatically transform your body into one that you are proud to be seen in.

However, I can't promise that it will be easy. You'll work hard, you'll sweat and you'll even feel sore. And before you know it you will be telling everyone you know about the amazing results you've achieved.

So as you plan your next vacation, why don't you also give yourself the gift that you really want - a new body. A tighter body. A stronger body. A healthier body.

I am here to help you do just that. Call or email now to schedule your first body-transforming workout.

Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals - something that you will appreciate while on vacation and at home.

You deserve it.


Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

3 Steps to Overcome Overeating

Let's face it, the extra pounds you're carrying around are due to overeating - plain and simple.

Why do you overeat? Here are a few likely reasons:

Habit: Whether you realize it or not, you eat in a learned pattern, rather than out of need. You clean your plate because that's what your mother taught. You eat what is served without stopping to check if you are full. You butter two pieces of toast for breakfast rather than questioning if one piece would do the job.

Absentminded: You forget to pay attention when you eat. Mindless munching while watching a movie, snacking while driving, or picking at food while cooking - these absentminded calories really add up.

Something Deeper: Sometimes you use food for recreation or to change your mood. These calories may lend you a temporary sense of comfort or pleasure, but ultimately your body suffers from the indulgence.

Here are 3 Steps To Overcome Overeating - read these, and apply them to your life.

Step #1: Pay Attention

Be aware of what and how much you eat. This simple concept will save you from hundreds upon hundreds of calories each week.

To apply this rule, don't eat while your attention is distracted by another activity. Only put food in your mouth when you are hungry and conscious of it. This means turn off the T.V., get out of your car, and no matter what you do, don't graze in the kitchen while cooking.

Step #2: Practice Balance

Be aware of the types of food that you eat during each meal, and make sure that it's balanced. When you eat a balanced diet filled with lean protein, whole grains, lots of veggies, a few daily servings of fruit and limited fat and sweets, your body will be satisfied and you'll lose the urge to overeat.

This means you shouldn't always eat carb-based meals, and you also shouldn't always eat high-fat meals. Make a mental checklist of the food groups that you've eaten each day. Did you eat lean protein? Did you have plenty of vegetables? Did you refrain from eating more than one or two primarily carb-based meals? This mental checklist will save you from making food decisions that you'd later regret.

Step #3: Be Tuned In

Your body will always tell you when its hunger has been satisfied - you've just gotten so good at ignoring the signs that you barrel through your meal only to feel like you've been hit by a ton of bricks once all that food hits your stomach. It's time to take a deep breath and listen to your body.

An important part of being tuned in is to eat slowly. Once you start to pay attention you'll notice a point when each bite becomes less and less satisfying. That is your body's way of letting you know that you've had enough and that each continued bite is simply overkill (yes, even if you're only halfway through that plate of pasta).

By learning how to control your eating habits, you'll find weight loss to come simply and naturally.

Want to speed up your weight loss, make it permanent, and shape your body at the same time? I've got what it takes to get you there! No guess work, no fad diets, and no super long workouts.

Call or email today to learn more about my fitness and fat loss programs that will quickly change your life.


Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Location:Palm Bay Cir,West Palm Beach,United States

The Sweetest Scam of All Time

The correct answer to the following question will shock you.

Would you survive longer on a diet of just water OR on a diet of water and refined sugar?

The answer: You would survive longer on just water.

Sound impossible? Just ask the five sailors who were ship wrecked in 1793.

The ship was filled with sugar, thus giving the marooned five a diet of sugar and water. When they were finally picked up, nine days later, they were in a wasted condition due to starvation.

The story of the five sailors intrigued French physiologist Francois Magendie to conduct a series of experiments in which he fed dogs a diet of sugar. All of the dogs died.

Magendie proved that as a steady diet, refined sugar is worse than nothing.

How can sugar be worse than nothing? Plainly put, refined sugar is an anti-nutrient.

It starts out as sugar cane, and then goes through an extensive refining process that destroys all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals. What you're left with are empty, naked calories.

The problem is that your body needs the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals that were taken out in the refining process in order to metabolize sugar and use it as energy. So it takes those nutrients from your own body.

So while you are enjoying that chocolate bar, sugar is draining vital nutrients from your body. Like a sweet parasite.

And it doesn't end there…

Sugar creates false hunger (as a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in your blood sugar levels), which makes you overeat. This means a constant struggle with your weight in which you never seem to achieve your ideal size.
Sugar promotes aging (due to the advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar). Sugar has even been dubbed the negative fountain of youth.
Sugar weakens your bones - making you vulnerable for osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth - making you vulnerable for cavities (both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar).
Sugar in excess is stored as fat (after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms).
Sugar can impair brain functioning (as a result of depleted B-vitamin production).
If you're still not convinced of the danger of sugar here are more ailments linked to its overconsumption: varicose veins, constipation, hormonal imbalances, ADD and ADHD, increased emotional instability, depressed immune system, increased risk of cancer and degenerative diseases.

The average modern person consumes 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. That comes out to roughly 175 pounds of sugar each year.

And it's no wonder, since sugar industry is big business. They sneak sugar into any product that they can.

Go through the foods in your home and you'll see that sugar has been added to everything from ketchup and spaghetti sauce to crackers, oatmeal, peanut butter and even ‘healthy' items like weight loss bars.

Where does this leave you?

You are in a unique position. Your personal judgment determines the foods that you eat and the foods that you avoid. It is my hope that you approach sugar with new eyes.

While all other foods offer you caloric energy PLUS some nutritional benefit, sugar doesn't. Sugar is simply caloric energy with a sweet habit forming taste, and a hoard of health risks.

Use your judgment wisely and limit your sugar consumption - you'll love the benefits of low sugar living.

And while you're at it contact me to start a training program that will turbo-charge your results.

(Oh and if you're ever in a ship wreck with only sugar and water at your disposal - just drink the water!)

Dedicated to your fitness success,

Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Have a PLAN!

We have heard in many occasions that "failure to plan is planning to fail" And this statement is totally true. The problem lies when knowledge never meets action. The other day I heard a mother say to her daughter "knowledge is power!" as she was dropping her to school in the morning. I said to myself "no, that's not true". If you have all the knowledge in the world and do absolutely nothing with it, is just knowledge or great information. But if you take that knowledge and put into action, becomes power. I have discovered that people talk about the importance of planning but few people actually take that information and apply it or put it in action. There are many reasons why planning your training program is important but I'm just going to touch a few of them. Having a plan every time you go exercising is very important because it will help you stay focused on your long term goals, it will help you with keeping track of your progress, it will help with time management, and last but not least, it will help you create a system, a life style. Let's start with the fact that having a plan every time you go exercising will keep you focused on your long term goals.

The fulfillment of a long term goal is the accumulation and achievement of many short-term goals. When we go to the gym with a plan in mind, and better if it's written down, of what we are doing that day, that becomes the goal of the day and when that goal is achieved you're a step closer to the fulfillment of your ultimate fitness goal.
Having a plan when going exercising will help you keep track of your progress. Specially with the technology we have now a days, like phone applications where we don't need a piece of paper or a training log to keep track of what we've done that day; it's really easy to record and save your weights, reps and sets, body composition, etc...Everything within the palm of your hand.
Another benefit of having a plan when going exercising is time management. We live in a very intense, busy society that everything has to be done quick. I call it the "microwave society". We can't afford to be in the gym for 2-3 hours every time we go. And many times that's the very reason we don't go because we know it will take us 2-3 hours to complete the workout. If we have a written down plan of what we are doing that day we can get it done in 30-50 minutes and gives us almost 2 hours that could be spent with the ones we love. When I workout, I always bring a stopwatch and do my workout routine in a 30-30 format. I've done full body workouts in 20 minutes and walked out of the gym like if I did 1:30 minutes of work. Next time you go, bring a stopwatch and do a 30-30 and let me know if it's not a great workout format that saves time and produces results.
Finally, the advantage of creating or having a plan every time you go exercise helps you create a system. And systems are vital for success. Once you fall into the routine of having a plan every time you go to the gym, eventually that routine will become a habit, and that habit a lifestyle, and that lifestyle will get you to where you always dreamed to be.

So, next time you go to the gym, have a PLAN!!!

And if you want me to do that for you, just contact me TODAY and I can get you started on a program that will change your LIFE!!

If there anything else that you personally do to fulfill your fitness goals, please leave your comments below. Share your thoughts with me...

Dedicated to your fitness success,

Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

The 5 Biggest Fitness Mistakes

Take a walk through any gym, and you'll notice many mistakes. Mistakes that waste time. Mistakes that put people in danger. And mistakes that are just plain stupid. Maybe you even make a few of these mistakes yourself.

By avoiding these common blunders, you'll put yourself on the fast track to results. Check out the following 5 fitness mistakes and the solutions you need to avoid danger and to get fit fast.

Mistake 1: You use the wrong weight

The goal is to challenge your muscles, not to simply go through the motions. If you are able to complete 15 repetitions easily, then the weight is too light. On the flip side, if you aren't able to perform an exercise through its full range of motion, and find yourself cheating on form, then the weight is too heavy.

The correct weights will feel challenging by your last few repetitions, but won't force you to sacrifice form.

Mistake 2: You do the same routine

You may have noticed that most people do the same exercises each time they visit the gym. Maybe you've been doing the same exercise routine as long as you can remember - if it isn't broken then don't fix it, right?

The truth is that exercise routines have expiration dates, and that is the date that they begin to lose their effectiveness. As a rule of thumb never use the same routine for more than 4 weeks.

Mistake 3: You don't warm up

Most people consider warm up time to be wasted time - they'd rather jump right into the heart of the routine. What they don't realize is that a good warm up will allow you to perform at a higher intensity, which means greater results.

The point of a warm up is to increase your muscle temperature. This increases blood flow, muscle contraction and reduces muscle resistance. Your warm up should last 5-10 minutes.

Mistake 4: You use bad form

Gyms are filled with people performing exercises with bad form. The two biggest reasons are that you aren't concentrating on the exercise, or you're trying to lift weight that is too heavy. Lifting with improper form almost always results in injury.

Take the time to achieve proper form, by doing so you'll avoid injury and will reap the full benefit from each exercise.

Mistake 5: You workout alone

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and typically see fewer results. It makes sense, doesn't it? Why rush to the gym if no one is there waiting for you? Why push yourself if no one is watching? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

The best way to avoid injury and to see results is to work with me, your trusted source on fitness. I am passionate about seeing my clients achieve results - without wasting time, energy and effort on mistakes.

Call or email today to schedule your first workout. You'll find my contact info below.

PS. Take the time to visit my website: www.1822fitness.com and don't forget to share with me on the section below your thougths on this post and/or other mistakes people make that stop them from seeing greater results.

Take care,

Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com

Steps to influence people

This is a non-fitness related blogpost. But very useful if you deal with people in a regular basis.
As a business owner and Christian I am called to influence people to expand the kingdom of God and/or increase my business. My pastor Richie Vasquez talked about the power on influencing people and he gave away some practical steps on how to become people of influence in this world. I wanted to share those steps with you. Enjoy them. Leave a comment and share with me your practical steps in how you influence the people around you in a daily basis.

Steps to influence people:
1. We have to make the first move.
2. Connect by finding common ground.
3. Listen-Listen-Listen
4. Stay on task when you speak (what to say and how to say it, be wise) Right Time-Right Place-Right Spirit
5. Get their attention by saying enough to causing them to take the step you want them to take.
6. Build the bridge don't break it.

-Principles taken from John 4:7-42 and Acts 17:22-34
-Message from Pastor Richie Vasquez on 11/22/09 @ New Wine Fellowship (www.mynewwine.com)


Joel Molina
1822 Fitness, Inc.
www.1822fitness.com
joel@1822fitness.com