This week we’ve been talking a lot about different types of exercise strategies and which methods are best for weight loss and maximized fat burning.

You can see my first post on this topic here: This is the Best Way to get toned legs, abs, and arms

<—This is the best advanced program for women that I have come across. Once you have the steps down I describe above in the video Check out Flavia’s program here

I’m going to get right to the point today because I’ve got so much great information to share with you in this newsletter, I want to get right to it.

Almost daily I receive hundreds of emails from readers asking me,

“Isabel, I am following such and such workout. Here’s exactly what I do.”

That’s usually followed by every full detail of their current workout program. The exercise program given may each be different, but the ultimate question is always the same…

“Is this workout going to give me maximum fat burning results?” or better yet, in their own words

“Is this workout going to get rid of my fat?!”

The information I’m about to give you (and yes there is a ton of it) is going to be specifically targeted to the ladies. So fellas, if you’re reading this, please, please, pass this on to any woman in your life that is currently frustrated with their current workout program. Trust me, they will thank you!

Ladies, below I am going to give you an easy, step by step guide that you can follow to be sure you are getting the best results from your workout program.

I know, I know…there’s so much information out there. How do you decipher through it all? I promise the sequence below will help tremendously.

First and foremost, I have to say that the biggest mistake I see most women making in their exercise programming is jumping from one thing to another without any rhyme or reason to why they’re doing what they’re doing. The second biggest mistake is following a “bodybuilder” type program that will only make you big and bulky, not sexy and lean (NO big and bulky for me, thanks!)

Every woman’s starting point is not the same, so use the guide below to figure out exactly where you are and how you should be training at this point in time.

Most workout programs are broken down into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. I particularly hate these classifications because they are very relative and what is advanced to one person, may be intermediate to someone else. I like to use the following stages instead.

Stage 1 – “Building the Foundation”

You are in the “Building the Foundation” stage if you are new to exercising. Where should you begin? Should you just pick up the weights and go for it? Definitely NOT! This will just lead to frustration and injury and will cause you to abandon your program before you can even experience results.

If you are new to the exercising game, especially weight training, here are the movements I want you to master:

Squat, Lunge, Pushing, Pulling and Twisting

Sound basic? Well that is the point…mastering the basics! A perfect example of a building the foundation exercise program would be…

Perform all exercises back to back with minimal rest. Rest 1-2 minutes after the entire circuit and then repeat 2 more times

1. Bodyweight Squats – 15-20 reps
2. Bodyweight Lunges – 8 each leg
3. Modified Pushups (on knees) – 10-15 reps
4. Assisted Pullups – 10 reps
5. Medicine ball or Dumbbell Woodchop – 10 reps each side (keep the weight light)

The workout above is absolutely perfect for building a strong foundation to work from and will ensure that you do not jump into a more complex workout that may cause you injury without being prepared.

Stage 2 – “Achieving Fitness”

This is where you build upon the basics and begin to perform more complex movements, using the same exercises in your Stage 1 plan, but now you are making modifications in reps, weight and complexity of the movements.

Here’s an example plan (follow the same instructions as your stage 1 program):

1. Dumbbell Squats – 15 reps
2. Walking Lunges – 10 each leg
3. Pushups on your toes – work up to 10 total
4. Assisted Pullups – 15-20 reps
5. Woodchop using a cable machine – 10 reps each side at a challenging weight

Although both programs look very similar, the intensity is significantly different and you will be able to achieve a greater level of fitness with the complexity and increased reps of the second program.

Stage 3 – “Getting Ripped”

I hate to say this, but most people, especially women, will never achieve this level. No, no I’m not trying to be mean or condescending here, but the reality is many people are just not willing to put in the work that it takes to see their six pack, see ripped lines in their legs and see cuts in their arms.

Is it possible? Yes, of course it is. Is it possible for you? Yes, most definitely! And I don’t ever want to hear anyone say it isn’t possible for them because I have seen obese people, mothers with several children and ex-couch potatoes get bodies they never dreamed were possible.

Exactly what does it take to get there?

It takes a real dedication to your workout program. It takes a commitment to exercise at least 4 or 5 times each week. And it takes a real WANTING to see that lean and toned body in the mirror.

What does a sample workout look like? Well, I am going to let my good friend Flavia DelMonte tell you exactly what it takes and how she achieved the incredible physique she has today. I have to say, Flavia has really got this figured out and if you want to get that head turning body that only very few women are able to achieve, Flavia has got the formula for that.

Formula for a head turning body

Flavia’s story is absolutely fantastic and the way she came up with this “no fail” approach is nothing less than incredible. She shares all of that with you plus and most importantly, how you can achieve the same results.

No Fail approach to toned abs, legs and arms

Stay tuned tomorrow for a detailed look into a sample workout that is definitely a “Stage 3 – Getting Ripped” workout.

With the popularity of our new Facebook Fan Page, I’ve been able to talk and interact with thousands of DSP followers…it’s been great!

But I seem to be seeing the same question come up over and over again…

“Isabel, I’m not losing weight as fast as I would like.  What should I do?”

Listen to my answer in this video (and I promise I don’t yell at anyone).

Not a fan yet? Come join us:

http://facebook.com/thedietsolution

You can also get the low down on Vince DelMonte’s new Maximize your Muscle program.

http://maxmuscle.thedsp.info

Last year I created a Facebook Fan Page where all Diet Solution followers could ask questions, post meal and recipe ideas, share success stories and just be there to support each other on good days and bad days. Yes, it’s our own little therapy group except we don’t lay on the couch and talk about our problems, we type them on Facebook instead.

http://facebook.com/thedietsolution

On Tuesday, after one “fan” asked for meal suggestions for Easter Sunday, I decided to pose the question to the whole community.

Here was my question…

Many people celebrate Easter on Sunday. Does anyone have any healthy Easter recipes to share? It can be for an Easter lunch or dinner.

We had some great ideas posted that I wanted to be sure to share them with you.

Marko Bartscherer

I found that if you take a Ezekiel 4:19 tortilla, put them in the oven till they are crunchy you get great chips. Take an avocado and some hot sauce or tomatoes and the perfect snack is born

Rachael Smart

I’ve made deviled eggs using organic plain yogurt instead of mayo.

Freddy Yanez

Maybe roasted leg of lamb using extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, pepper and fresh rosemary, sweet potatoes whipped with butter a touch of greek yogurt (or half&half) to make it creamy topped with walnuts and asparagus grilled with olive oil salt and pepper?

WOW, does anyone else want to go to Freddy’s house? That sounds yummy!

If you’re looking for a community of people to get more meal ideas, share your own ideas or just say “Hey, I need some help here!” Come join us here:

http://facebook.com/thedietsolution

Coming next week…more videos!!! I know, I know, it’s been a while since I’ve gotten in front of the camera. Next week, I’ll be wiping the dust off the camera and will be showing you some of my own favorite recipes in the kitchen (and wait until you see how big my baby has gotten. I’ll make sure he makes an appearance.)

For now, make sure you come and see us on Facebook:

http://facebook.com/thedietsolution

If you’ve seen the previous blog entry, you read the good news…fat loss does NOT mean you have to go low carb! Yes, there are plenty of carbs that you should be running away from (and I mean run away screaming) but hey, that’s also the case with many proteins and fats. The real trick to fat loss is knowing which foods are the good and which are the bad in every category (Hint: Read your Diet Solution Manual…the answers are there!)

Back to what we were discussing…there are plenty of delicious and extremely healthy grains that are a perfect fit to your DSP plan. Last week we started with rice and all the varieties of rice available on the market. Today I’m going to fill you in on a super grain that has been all the rave these days (like if grains were celebrities, this one would be Hannah Montana).

Introducing….

Quinoa

Seems like the only problem with quinoa is that nobody knows how to say it. Since its origins are in South America and my father is a native of Peru, I’m pretty positive that the pronunciation is:

KEEN-wah

Nutritionally, quinoa can be considered a super grain, although it’s not really a grain, but the seed of a leafy plant that’s distantly related to spinach. Quinoa is incredibly high in protein (very unlike other grains), and is not missing the amino acid lysine, so the protein is more complete. Quinoa offers more iron than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins: B6, niacin, and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese, and has some folate (folic acid). A pretty awesome list of good qualities, don’t you think?

As I mentioned above, my father is originally from Peru and grew up in a small Incan village where quinoa was a staple of their every day diet. Just recently I went on a business trip to Connecticut and left my 7 month old son with my parents for 2 nights. I left the baby prepared with all his needs, one of them being stored breast milk that I had been stocking up in preparation for the trip. My dad then shared an interesting fact about quinoa that I didn’t know. He said “Did you know that in the villages of Peru, when a mother cannot breast feed, they boil Quinoa and use the water as milk for the baby?” According to my dad, those children grow healthy and strong. Wow! A true testament to the amount of nutrition that is available from this grain.

Now, for many of us, we’re not exactly trying to replace mother’s milk here, but we are trying to achieve our ideal weight and an increased level of health, so how does quinoa fit in there?

Well, since quinoa does not contain gluten or wheat, it is a perfect carbohydrate to include into your meal plans when you’re following the “no wheat” plans (be sure to read the Grains chapter in your DSP manual for details on why wheat and/or gluten may be preventing you from losing weight).

Quinoa is also very high in protein and one of the great things about protein is that it keeps your blood sugar levels stable and makes you feel full longer (and nobody likes to be hungry, right?)

So where can you include quinoa into your weight loss and healthy meal plans? It’s actually a perfect fit into your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Since it is considered a carb, be sure to combine it with a protein for a complete, delicious and filling DSP meal.

Here is one of my favorite breakfast recipes

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa (serves 4)

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup water

1 cup organic quinoa, ( rinse quinoa before cooking)

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blueberries and cinnamon (you can also add a little stevia to sweeten); transfer to four bowls and top with pecans or walnuts.

I love this hot breakfast and it’s a nice change of pace from oatmeal all the time.

Are we done with our “Grain Story”? Nope, not yet. Stay tuned for some more healthy grain facts and some more of my favorite recipes.

Have a great day!

There are hundreds, if not thousands of different workout programs available to you these days. A lot of them will give you great results, but do they all work all the way?

What do I mean?

I’m talking about those last 5, 10, or 15 pounds that seem to be stuck…almost like they’re permanently glued to your body and you just want them to go away!!!

You may have heard about (or are just hearing about right now) John Romaniello’s “Final Phase Fat Loss” program that is being launched right this very second.

Is this program just like all the rest? Is there something new or different about it?

Is it the answer to your “I just can’t lose these last 10 lbs. problem?”

In today’s video, I decided to give you a complete review of this new product. I’ll let you in on all the details, the workouts, the theories and let you know if this program is really a good fit for you (make sure to watch the whole video as I only recommend it be used by certain people…this may or may not be you).

Or you can go right to John’s “Final Phase Fat Loss” page and read all the details there

Click Here to Learn More about Final Phase Fat Loss

But you may want to get the inside scoop first (from me of course) before you head over to his page. I’m sure today’s video will answer the question “Is this program really for me?”

To celebrate the “Grand Opening” of FPFL, John is running a 52% OFF pre-sale (in honor of his old high school football jersey number) now through Thursday. Don’t get stuck paying double later. Now is the time to act.

Click Here to Learn More about Final Phase Fat Loss

Even though I’m crazy exhausted (you’ll see why in a minute), I decided to answer many of your questions about my new meal plan bonus “14 Days to a Sexy New Body in 2010″ in a video below… my first video for 2010!

I’m so excited to hear how great you are all doing on these plans and I hope I’ve answered your questions in today’s post.

Just in case you don’t know which meal plans I’m referring too, you find out how to get them here:
(Current customers should have received an email last weekend with a download link.)

http://www.thedietsolutionprogram.com/burnfat2.aspx

And here’s a link to my fitness reviews:

http://www.thedietsolutionprogram.com/fitness.aspx

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.  I definitely did!

Not only did we celebrate my son’s first Christmas, but my husband and I are in Charleston, South Carolina with our wonderful family for the next several days.

We arrived here very late on Wednesday night, after a traffic filled 16 hours in the car (thank goodness for my healthy food cooler!).  Thursday and Friday were filled with gifts, family and lots of delicious food!  I will confess, my husband and I did have our fair share of sweets and treats, but we have continued to eat healthy and even took a trip to Whole Foods yesterday.

On Saturday morning we also went right over to the local gym in town and got ourselves a week membership.  Yes, my husband did try to pull the old “Let’s start on Monday morning” routine but I knew we would feel so much better all week long if we maintained our work out schedule and maintained our healthy daily eating.  Besides, it’s very rare that my husband and I ever get to go to the gym together so it’s actually a pretty fun part of our vacation.

Just in case you’re waiting for January 1^st to get started on your own weight loss and fitness goals, I’m going to give you a swift kick in the butt and say…START NOW!  You’ll be amazed at what a difference just one week makes!

Just think about it.  By this time next week, you may already be a pound leaner, less bloated and much happier with how you feel when you wake up each morning.

How can I help you start 2010 off with a bang?  Well, I’ve got an awesome surprise for you this coming Thursday  and I’m working on the finishing touches right now!  Make sure to watch your email inbox closely…

Two last things before my husband and I are off to the gym…

First,  I just heard Craig Ballantyne, author of Turbulence Training, is offering his incredible workout system for 50% off this week.

http://turbulence.thedsp.info

He’s never done this kind of a sale before, so if you’re looking for a great workout to start off 2010, this one comes highly recommended by me.  If you want to details on what Craig’s program is all about, I’ve done a thorough review of it here on my fitness review page:

http://www.thedietsolutionprogram.com/fitness.aspx

It’s the third one down, but you’ll see there are also some other really great programs on there as well.

Second, I wanted to share with you one of the BEST Christmas presents I got this year.  It was a gift from my brother in law, sister in law and niece and it is perfect for my healthy DSP lifestyle!

Take a look at this great gift. It’s a new travel cooler for carrying around my healthy food:

Stay tuned…I’ve got a lot of great stuff coming this week..NEW recipes, NEW videos and a great surprise this Thursday!

  

Don’t let your workout leave you thinking, “What went wrong?”

I learned such a great and valuable lesson over the past few weeks…

When one strategy doesn’t work, you’ve got to try another and another until you find the one that works.

Sound obvious? Well it may be. But many times after we make an attempt to accomplish a goal and it doesn’t work exactly the way we had planned the first and second time, we’re tempted to just throw in the towel and just tell ourselves (and others) a bunch of excuses as to why it didn’t work.

Let me explain…

Before the birth of my son 3 months ago, I always exercised at home. With just a few items (a few dumbbells, an exercise ball and a spinning bike) I could put together an effective and intense workout.

Well, all of that drastically changed when my son was born. I made every attempt to do my workouts at home…waited until he was asleep, put him in a swing, even tried to sing to him while doing squats and lunges. None of that ever really worked. Sure, I might have gotten a few of the first exercises done, but it was never quite a complete and focused workout (How focused can you be singing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” during a set of squats?)

If I was committed to get myself back into my pre-baby shape I had to re-adjust my fitness plans!

First and foremost I decided to join a gym near my house where they offer a wonderful babysitting service. Yes, I would rather workout at home, but that clearly was not working and I am open minded and willing to give something new a try. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even meet some other new moms and we can keep each other motivated.

Secondly, I had to put some structure back into my workouts. I wasn’t following any specific plan and I was kind of just “winging” it each time. I know firsthand this is NOT the way to reach any fitness goal. So shame on me for not setting myself on a structured plan sooner.

Like I told you earlier this week, the program for me is going to be Rob Poulos’ Fat Burning Furnace. I chose Rob’s program not only because it is intense and effective, but because it only requires 3 workouts a week, each only taking 30-40 minutes. Yes, I am committed to my fitness goals, but my time is very, very limited these days (whose isn’t right?) so I do need to get in and out of the gym and back in front of the computer in less than 1 hour. Rob’s workouts are put together in a way that allows me to do just that, without sacrificing intensity or results.

What can you do if your current workout strategy is just not working?

1. If you’ve tried over and over again to fit exercising into a certain time of the day without success, try something different! Switch to a morning workout instead of an evening workout where you may already be tired from a long day. If kids are what’s keeping you down, recruit another parent to watch your kids during your workout and then you watch theirs while they work out. Or even setting up dinner in the morning in the crockpot so you have more time after work to fit in some exercise would work well 2-3 days per week. The point here is to get creative and keep trying until you find the scenario that works best for you.

2. Pick one program and commit to it for a minimum of 6-8 weeks. If you need a plan that’s time efficient, effective and easy to follow you can start Rob’s program along with me. Or you may already have a program you like that you want to follow. Whichever it may be, pick one and COMMIT to it. I’ve already added the following reminders into my online calendar “Start FBF – Day 1″ (this is tomorrow morning, Saturday Nov. 7, 2009). After 3 weeks I’ve added “Assess FBF Progress” (Nov 28th). After 6 weeks I’ve added “Re-take full body pictures” (Dec. 20th).

Oh that reminds me….

I am going to do something I’ve never done before. I am going to post my before and after pictures, after 6 weeks on the Fat Burning Furnace program, on my blog on December 21st, 2009 (right before I leave for my holiday vacation). I need accountability and motivation just as much as anybody else (I’m not superhuman you know). This kind of accountability will ensure that I stop using the lame excuse “I didn’t have time today to workout”.

How about you? Why don’t you do this along with me? Take some pictures today and get started on Rob’s program with me tomorrow. We’ll be in this for the next 6 weeks together. I’ll even post your before and after shots on my blog alongside mine if that would give you even more motivation. Email me today and tell me if you’re onboard.

If you didn’t get a chance to take a look at Rob’s program, you can read about it here:

Fat Burning Furnace

You can also read a great article Rob wrote here:

Fat Burning Workout

Jeff at the gym

As promised I’ve got the full scoop and review of Rob Poulos’ Fat Burning Furnace program for you today.

In my previous post, I told you how this is going to be the workout program I am going to use to get myself back into my pre-baby shape.  (If you missed that post you can access it here: Fat Burning Workout).

Now, after 10 weeks of following the program, my test subject Jeff (also my business partner and good friend) is ready to disclose his thoughts and experience with Rob’s program.

Just to give you a little background info on Jeff, he’s been hitting the weights regularly for over 10 years now (I remember bumping into him a lot at the gym when we were in college) and he’s not messing around when he’s there either.  He can bench press well over 300 lbs and he’s tried and followed many different workout programs.  His goal has always been to achieve and maintain that lean and muscular look, not the bulky meathead look.

How did this strong and avid exerciser do on Rob’s program?  Here are his answers to a few questions I emailed him.

Jeff, what have been the top 3 things you have enjoyed the most about the Fat Burning Furnace program?

First and foremost, the fact that I am in and out of the gym in 30 minutes is awesome (sometimes 40 if I squeeze a few extra exercises in there).  It’s so much easier for me to schedule my gym time knowing that it’s not going to be an hour or longer experience.

Secondly, I love the full body workouts.  It allows for more variety of exercises and makes sure there are no lagging parts.  As someone who is guilty of skipping the body parts I don’t enjoy (somehow I tend to leave out leg day, and sometimes core…which is really bad news), the full body workouts have really helped me to bring my body into balance.

I also love the schedule.  Only going to the gym every other day instead of multiple days in a row is the better way to go when you work your whole body intensely.

That’s 3, but I have one more.  I love that my heart rate is elevated throughout the duration of the program without having to do any cardio.  I’m huffing and puffing by the end, as if I had gone for an intense interval workout.

Jeff, I remember you telling me before you started that you were scared you were going to lose some of your muscle mass using a full body workout routine instead of a body split routine.  Has that been the case?

No, not at all and good thing, otherwise I’d be really mad at you.  All kidding aside, I’ve had no signs of muscle loss or strength loss whatsoever.  Actually, quite the opposite.  I think the fact that I’m working all of my muscles (even the ones I may have ignored in the past) has really helped my strength and my muscle retention.  I actually did 8 reps with 255 lbs the other day (with a hurt shoulder) using the controlled weight lifting method Rob teaches.

Jeff, what have been some of the downsides to the program?

As a guy who’s been exercising for a long time and someone who knows many exercises, the ones in Rob’s book were a bit on the basic side for me.  However, this is probably a good thing for most people and you can substitute and make adjustments if you want to, just like I have.

Another downside is that since I know a bunch of people at my fancy gym (mostly all the trainers) I have to tell them I’ll catch up with them at the end of the workout because I want to keep the intensity up (It’s also a lot harder to talk to the girls, but there’s no need to go into my personal life here).

Thanks for sparing us the details of your personal life.  Anything else you want to let us know about Rob’s program so far?

I really like that Rob has included a complete bodyweight workout in the book if you need it.  I’ve even used a bunch of the exercises during a few of the out of town conferences I recently attended. It’s definitely not the same as going to the gym, but it certainly is a good holdover when you have no other options.

I have to admit, I was really pretty surprised at how effective this workout really is.  You have total control of the intensity and you will sweat and get fatigued just as if you had done a much longer workout.  The way Rob structures it is a lot more enjoyable without the boring repetition that everyone else teaches.  In fact, I was visiting my folks a few weeks ago and did these workouts with my dad (he just turned 66) and he’s been loving it. We even designed a bunch of workouts together for him to do going forward.   Hey, if you can get your folks into it, that definitely says a lot about the program.

You can take a look at Rob’s program for yourself here:

Fat Burning Furnace

Stay tuned…in my next post, I’m going to share with you exactly how I’m going to implement Rob’s program into my own hectic and busy life.

For now, take a look at what’s been keeping Jeff going:

Fat Burning Furnace