Sample MEAL Log (it’s ok if it’s not pretty)

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FAT LOSS+FOOD CONTROL

Welcome to the New Year. And because it’s a New Year, we both know that a lot of folks would like to trim down. It may be you. It may be me. It may be just a few pounds, it may be a lot. Regardless, it’s all the same. I’ve been working with people for a long time. Losing unwanted fat mostly comes down to one thing… calories. America eats and drinks too many calories every day. It adds up in the form of body fat. But for many, it’s sneaky. I believe the main reason is that we have too many “encounters” with food each day. These encounters each count as a Meal. Over a lifetime, we get used to feeding frequently. Some big, some small. They add up. Before long, we’re unaware and unable( or unwilling) to change. But with no change in food comes no change with the body. Simple to understand but difficult to improve. Control takes positive frequent practice. But first, we must be mindful of it. #fatloss #mindfuleating  #mindfuleatingtips #austinpersonaltrainer #auatinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 8

Today, final exercise, #13 the DEADLIFT+CARRY. Ok, maybe that’s two. Just think one. I really wanted to keep my list under twelve but I just couldn’t. So I guess now you get the baker’s dozen, or what some call, a lil’ LAGNIAPPE. (Look for a highlight video of all 13 exercises next week). So the DEADLIFT… It used to be called the HEALTHLIFT. Best exercise under the sun (besides walking)? Possibly. Is it for everyone? Maybe not. It depends…which version you do, what equipment you choose, what your form looks like, how many reps & sets you do, your frequency, how does it feel, etc. All I can say is that there is most likely a safe version most anyone can handle, so long as you don’t have conflicting serious medical condition. The majority of everyone I’ve ever worked with has been able to do some version of the Deadlift. I prefer to add a “carry” to it any and every chance I get. In my mind, this makes the movement much more functional with a ton of real-world carryover. In fact, a great real-world substitute happens when we do things like carry luggage or use a grocery basket. If either of these is heavy enough AND picked up from the ground, they would certainly count as a “deadlift” and it’s trusty companion, the “carry”. My point, it’s a great exercise if and when done correctly and practiced appropriately for each person. I think it may even be one of the greatest exercises of all time. You should at least become acquainted with it. Of course, don’t do anything stupid. You should know that a lot of people do. Lol And don’t let the doctors blindly scare you aware before exploring the many safer versions and potential benefits. #deadlift #trapbardeadlift #hexbardeadlift #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 7

#11 Turkish Getup+Carry (Unilateral Horizontal Push). #12 Lawn Mower Rows (Unilateral Horizontal Pull). As some of you might have noticed, I like to modify most exercises. I do this to find a version that works best for my body and my goals. I urge you to do the same. This requires safe exploration and imagination, both good things that have wonderful carry-over to other areas. I know some of these videos are long. I would make them shorter if I could. Soon, I’ll get back to shorter videos. For now, I’ve got one more video to cover my final favorite exercise. Can anyone figure out what it might be? Next video out in a couple of days. By all means, leave me some comments or questions. I’m mostly here to be of some help. #bssbbooks #turkishgetup #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #austinpersonaltrainers #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 6

#10: Uni-Lateral Vertical Press. It sounds so fancy, maybe even complicated. It’s not. In last week’s video and again this week, I break down the name. Uni-Lateral just means using one arm or one leg at a time. Think “independent suspension”. Vertical means up and down. Press always refers to an upper body exercise using the arms. For todays chosen favorite, I give several options. #bssbbooks #unilsteralexercise #verticalpress #halfkneelingpress #pushpress #dumbellclean #kettlebellclean #dumbellsnatch #kettlebellsnatch #overheadcarry #austinpersonaltrainers #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 5

#9: Uni-Lateral Knee-Dominant Exercise. This week I demonstrate 2 more of my favorite exercises. I will show 1 today and the other in another video later this week (sorry, I’ve been busy)! Today is # 9. Instead of an actual specific exercise, it’s actually a movement category. I want to use this opportunity to teach those interested about how I organize and reduce all exercises into fewer categories. This helped me years ago to simplify the way I viewed and organized all movement. Notice that I refer to it as “movement”. It is extremely useful to recognize exercises using specific recognizable movement patterns (instead of only thinking body-parts or exercises for specific body parts). In the next video I will expand more on this idea. #bssbbooks #unilateralexercises#bilateralexercises #kneedominantexercises #hipdominantexercises #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltrainers #austinpersonaltraining#blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 4

#7 Pull-Up. #8 Kettlebell Swing. This week turns up the intensity a wee bit. Both exercises this week are not typically what I would consider beginner exercises but that doesn’t necessarily mean they couldn’t be. All I know is the average adult cannot do a pull-up without putting in some “work” and the kettlebell swing will take some practice with a watchful eye before it looks good. In fact, the swing can be a bit dangerous if proper form is not learned (and practiced), especially before using a respectable amount of weight. Both exercises typically improve drastically with ample regular practice and good form. There are many ways to “assist” yourself while working on pull-ups. Seek these out if needed. With swings, you don’t necessarily “need” a kettlebell. I started out using a dumbbell and a old cinderblock (cinderblocks typically weigh around 35 pounds). The point is to be safe and practice often. By the way, the “practice” is the “workout”. (I hope you can appreciate the vagueness of modern fitness terminology). But don’t wear yourself out like the term humorously suggests. I would even go as far as to say…avoid fatigue. Practice strong reps with confidence. Rinse and repeat. Enjoy the process. Ask questions if needed. #pullups #chinups #kettlebellswing #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltrainers #austinpersonaltraining #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 3

#5 Goblet Squat #6 Push-up. Personally, I often like to add a “Carry” to the Goblet Squat AND add a “Push-Back” to the Push-up. This is optional of course. I just wanted to show examples of how adding a little something extra might spice things up as well as increase the amount of work done in a single exercise. Both of these exercises are what most would consider the basics or the fundamentals. There are many, many different versions of both the Squat and Push-up. Don’t be distracted by any of this. Even the simplest, easiest version of each can still provide plenty of bang for the buck. With that said, it’s fun to explore the many variations of both exercises when ready. These two work what many consider to be our primitive movement patterns, the Squatting movement AND Pushing movement. Both are essential to functioning as a human being. Neither of these exercises are super difficult but it is quite common for folks to do both incorrectly. Some don’t know what the proper form is and others just get sloppy. Sloppiness is a great way to get hurt and sabotage results. Learn to perform these with a clean technique. Perfect the form. The devil is in the details. Start slow, build strong over time. #gobletsquats #pushups #danjohn #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltrainers #austinpersonaltraining #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 2

#3 Tipping Bird #4 Pull-Aparts. For some these might be great movements to include in your warmup. For others, they may be more challenging and serve as the main exercise of the day. Either way, it’s all about the movement. It’s not how many you may do, how much weight you may use or how hard you do them. Think about perfecting form with these two. Practice moving purposely slow and deliberate before artsy moving faster or using more resistance. I perform both of these on multiple days each week. Rarely do I go hard or heavy. I typically move slow and just practice for perfection. Use these exercises to keep the body healthy. There are more exercises on the way that are better for building serious strength, muscle and stamina. Use these to build resilience and fluid pain-free movement. #bssbbooks #tippingbird #pullaparts #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltrainers #austinpersonaltraining #blueskystrongbox

MY FAVORITE EXERCISES: VIDEO 1

#1 Hollow Holds #2 L-Sits. Why do I like them? They are simple, effective and require little to no equipment. They incorporate the entire body into one total-body static movement that not only strengthens the core musculature but the entire body by using it as one big unified flexing muscle. I also like the way they look when doing them. They have an artistic component that other exercises like Planks lack. The hanging L-Sits are particularly great for strengthening the grip, shoulders and lengthening the spine. It’s ok to hang from anything that is safe and tall enough to allow your feet to come off the ground when the legs are lifted. For the other L-Sit, it’s possible to use things like chairs, etc or, again, anything that is safe and allows room to perform the movement correctly. Be safe. Start slow. Build strong. Try to have some fun along the way. #coreexercises #totalbodystrength #CarltonsFavoriteExercises #bssbbooks #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltrainers austinpersonaltraining #blueskystrongbox