1. SLEEP 7-8 GOOD HOURS A NIGHT - A University of Chicago study found when men were deprived of sleep or were interrupted during sleep (not allowed to get to their deep stage 4 cycle) their daily growth hormone levels dropped by 23 percent. Our stage 4 deep sleep is typically when our body releases it's largest pulses of growth hormone. If you're getting seven to eight hours of sound sleep a night you are probably OK. The quality of sleep is very important here and one of the easiest ways to keep your growth hormone levels up and normal.

2. WORK THE BIG MUSCLE GROUPS REGULARLY AND INTENSELY - Short, intense bouts of heavy resistance exercise and interval style training have shown to be more efficient at boosting growth hormone and metabolizing fat (triglycerides) for energy. Research also suggests compound movements, or movements that require action at more than one joint, are more effective at boosting testosterone than single joint, isolated movements.

3. LOSE WEIGHT AT A SAFE RATE OF 1 TO 2 LBS A WEEK - If you're working the body out regularly and intensely like in tip 2 and you cut your caloric intake by more than 15% than your daily needs then you run the risk of lowering your body's testosterone production. By over training and drastically cutting calories you will in fact lower your ability to burn fat, rather than the opposite effect you are striving to achieve.

4. EAT GOOD FATS -  Good fat and cholesterol are building blocks for Testosterone. Boost your body's ability to produce Testosterone by getting 30% of your daily calories from good fats found in avocados, peanut butter, walnuts, flaxseed and omega-3's.

5. SKIP ON ALCOHOL - Alcohol inhibits Testosterone production and increases Estrogen in the body. As if the aging process wasn't making it hard enough to burn fat and build muscle, alcohol only magnifies some of the hormonal changes that create belly fat and man boobs.

6. EAT WELL, EXERCISE AND USE THESE TIPS EARLY - For some of you reading this now, it may be too late to start "early", but these tips can certainly help you no matter how old you are. Research suggests that taking the proper steps to boost testosterone levels in your 20's and early 30's can help battle the natural decline of these "youth" hormones as you get older.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

Take Your Breaks - This may sound ridiculous, but I know a lot of friends, family and people I used to work with that often skip their breaks. In California, it is required by law for hourly employees to get a ten minute break for every four hours of work and a thirty minute meal break for every five hours of work. These labor laws are put in place to protect you the employee from exactly what you're experiencing: long days, with no rest and being worked all hours of the day. To help alleviate stress, take your breaks no matter how swamped you are and remove yourself from your work area for the ten or thirty minutes you are allotted.

Eat Lunch In Peace - Let's face it, when you are overwhelmed at work misery loves company. There's a good chance if you take your lunch to the break room or hang around the office you will likely search out co-workers and wallow in your office-bound sorrows together. I believe a healthy practice is to take your lunch somewhere removed from your work area, in a quiet or more relaxing space where you can just let yourself go for the half-hour or forty-five minutes. Removing yourself from the environment that has you in fight or flight mode all day is a great way to let your mind and body relax just a little. Here are some tips for reducing the effects of stress outside of work:

Exercise - No surprise here that physical activity can help relieve stress. One of the ways exercise helps is by channeling that fight or flight induced response into the physical activity it was meant for. Not only is exercise physiologically beneficial to fighting stress related weight gain, but the release of endorphins and the  body's feel good neurotransmitters are a great way to de-stress the mind and leave you feeling great.

Meditation and/or Hobby - I put these two together because the truth is many hobbies can turn into a form of focused meditation or purposeful action. The goal of meditation is essentially to quietly contemplate or to silently focus the mind on being calm, clear and present. The idea of quiet contemplation is to learn how to be present in the current moment; free of worry, anxiety and fear. Hobbies such as painting, playing musical instruments, knitting or reading are other forms of active meditation if you will, that help bring your conscious mind to be fully present while you complete the task at hand. Learning to focus the mind on purposeful thought and action is a great way to cut through the cloudiness we can find ourselves caught up in during the daily grind.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

Tribal fueling knowledge that has been passed down for many moons says you should be drinking protein shakes after your workout. Protein shakes can get you some nutrients, but what you really want is a recovery drink for after your iron-pumping session.

A recovery shake or supplement is one that will have a balance of carbohydrates AND protein. Our body's main source of energy during a weight training session is the anaerobic energy system. This short term powerhouse creates energy (ATP) by breaking down glucose available in the bloodstream and glycogen which is stored in the muscles and liver. Because you deplete these energy stores during exercise, especially during intense workouts, it is important to replenish the fuel you lost within a half hour of working out. The ideal ratio of carbohydrates to protein count is 4:1 for recovery. The carbohydrates help replenish the glycogen that was metabolized in the workout and also induce an insulin response. Insulin helps move nutrients into the cells of the body, speeding up the process of nutrient absorption. The protein in your recovery drink helps deliver amino-acids for repairing muscle tissue that has been broken down through your activity. As you can see, there is a lot going on with a recovery supplement when used after a workout.

A protein shake on the other hand is best used as a supplemental source to increase your daily intake of protein. When you drink shake with just protein in it post-exercise, you are missing carbohydrates that are vital for replenishing glycogen stores and you miss out on the carb-induced insulin response for nutrient transport. Using a lean protein shake without carbohydrates is ideal for adding protein throughout the day as a snack, meal replacement and as supplemental calories to another meal. Protein plays a vital role in the muscle building process, especially in the 24 hours following a weight training workout.

The blurry distinction between protein shakes and recovery shakes should now be a little more clear. It is tough to find a recovery shake with the perfect carbohydrate to protein ratio. Finding a lean protein drink is easy, but finding a recovery drink is in fact a little more tricky. Here are some simple recovery drink solutions:

Drink low-fat chocolate milk - Chocolate milk has a combination of carbohydrates and protein that is an easy and economical way to re-fuel after your workout!

Mix your lean protein powder with low-fat milk - This sort of follows the same technique as chocolate milk, you just add some more quality protein by using your protein powder rather than crack...I mean Quik.

Mix your lean protein powder into a fruit smoothie - I'm not talking about adding a shot of whey to your Jamba Juice which is falsely perceived as a healthy smoothie venue. If you have the ability, blend some fruit up with your protein shake to add the carbohydrates.

Cellucor IsoPro Nitro Sport - This is the post-workout shake I've been using myself. The company Cellucor lets me sample some of their products since I contribute to the Health & Fitness portion of their blog. I absolutely love the IsoPro Nitro Sport product. It has carbs, protein, BCAA's and glutamine which are all essential for maximum recovery.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

Of course, what he was talking about was an organism's ability to adapt and survive in its competitive ecosystem. Do you think Darwin would ever have guessed a population of the most intelligent life form on the planet might actually think and act itself totally unfit for survival?

Homo sapien erectus-Americus (yes I made that up) is becoming increasingly gluttonous and unfit. Unlike the rest of the animal kingdom and much of the human population, the rate of obesity, metabolic disease and coronary heart disease continues to climb in America. Over 67% of Americans are overweight with another one-third of them weighing in at obese. The number one killer in America is heart disease, followed by cancer, then stroke and rounding out the top five is diabetes. To put things simply, lazy Americans are making lifestyle choices that are killing them. The research is in and four of the top five causes of death in America are strongly linked with lifestyle choices we make on a daily basis. Do you know of any other animal population that will eat itself sick, ingest chemicals and poison for recreation, almost completely neglecting to protect its own valuable life?

Charles Darwin is rolling around in his grave as he watches one of the most fit and evolved organisms actually choose to be unfit for survival! Thanks to modern medicine, technology and economic status (we're in a recession, but we're no where near a third-world country) our survival is a no-brainer. At least it was until we as a country decided to super-size everything including our assess. 24 Hour Fitness came under a lot of scrutiny a few years back when the company made t-shirts and billboards with a picture of aliens that said, "When they come, they will eat the fat ones first". With two-thirds of the country overweight, you can see why there was a lot of uproar and hurt feelings. All sensitivity aside; being sedentary, overweight and overindulgent in food and drink is unfit. This lifestyle undoubtedly points at an organism that is choosing its own extinction in evolutionary theory. I used to think Darwin was just a crazy scientist, but now I'm beginning to think he may have been a personal trainer...

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

(Photo courtesy of www.anabolicminds.com)

This pusher promises you glory days ahead full of rippling muscles, less body fat, faster forty times and more chicks than a jihad death would bring you. It all sounds great, especially because the solution is a simple pill or injection daily for six to twelve weeks. This quick fix to getting bigger, stronger, faster sounds so appealing, especially because the guy who approached you promises he has ten other guys just like you on them and they are fine. But is this bigger, faster, stronger wonder drug pusher forgetting to mention his "secret" could lead you to be deader too?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports 2.2% of high school seniors have reported using steroids at least once. We are all well aware of the fact that performance enhancing drugs have become a staple of conversation surrounding professional and olympic sporting events, especially when records stand to be broken. Yes steroids are being used and probably more commonly now than ever. Unfortunately for the drug abusing muscle heads, high school kids who have been duped and professional athletes their "secret" to being the big man on campus may lead to an early heart related death.

The new study conducted by researcher Thomas MacDonald, MD, FRCPE, of Scotland's Ninewells Hospital and Medical School appears in the Nov. 16 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

MacDonald and colleagues examined medical record data from more than 68,000 people with steroid prescriptions and about 82,000 people not taking steroids.

All patients were at least 40 years old when the data was collected by Scotland's National Health Service from 1993 to 1996.

Steroid types, doses, and length of treatment varied, so the researchers calculated equivalent doses for comparison. The scientists tracked participants' "cardiovascular events" including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

Heart disease risk was more than 2.5 times higher in people taking high doses of steroids compared with those not taking steroids.

"Treatment with high-dose glucocorticoids seemed to be associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease," write the researchers. - WebMD

Although the researchers note they did not collect extensive background information on their patients like certain lifestyle choices, the study still raises some interesting questions. It is already a known fact that steroids cause atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This is exactly what causes heart attacks in obese people and can cause a stroke if blood is clotted on its way to the brain. This study followed patients with prescribed amounts of steroid use, which means the dosages being used were considered to be "safe" by doctors. Anabolic steroid use for performance or muscular enhancement may use dosages as high as three to five times the recommended "safe" dosages used by doctors to treat low levels of testosterone.

I believe the effects of steroid use on the heart is a silent killer and a much less known side effect of abusing the drug. There are many cases in professional wrestling where wrestlers are dying at thirty-five, forty years old of heart attacks. If you look at the NFL, you can see a lot of heart related young deaths as well. I by no means think everyone who steps in the ring or throws on the pads on Sundays is a steroid abuser. It could be the extremely demanding nature of the sport, coupled with other lifestyle choices possibly including steroid abuse, that may create a perfect storm for heart failure. Many men see success in the NFL and other pro sports without the use of performance enhancing drugs. I'm simply stating a correlation between a small population of heart related deaths and two sports where steroids are known to be used. When most people talk about the danger of abusing steroids we talk about shrinking testicles, man boobs, acne, premature balding and roid rage. These are all outwardly visible and physical side effects that may scare people away from juicing if they are concerned with their long term personal image. All of these side effects should be taken into consideration, but perhaps the most important side effect to consider is that steroids might not only leave you bigger, stronger and faster, they could very well leave you dead from heart failure.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

Despite your efforts over the next couple weeks, you still seem to go nowhere. Have you had this conversation with yourself before? Have you ever been in this position? I have. It wasn't until about a year ago when I was picking the brain of celebrity trainer Jordan Yuam, did I realize the images we see gracing the pages of fitness magazines are often times a total illusion. You know exactly the images I am talking about. On the cover of men's and women's fitness magazines you see perfectly sculpted bodies, with unbelievable definition and a myriad of sexy poses. "I want to look like that!" You think to yourself. And you can too in some cases. Just don't expect the results to last for very long.

There are a few things you have to understand about photo shoots, bodybuilding shows and even some movie scenes before you see the truth behind the images. Bodybuilding competitions, photo shoots and movie scenes are all planned in advanced. Therefore, whoever is participating has ample notice they are going to be shedding their clothes for all eyes to see. This allows the competitor, model, actor or actress to strategically manipulate their diet and exercise routine to "peak" on the day of their event. This means they will plan weeks and maybe even months in advance, each and every workout and every single day of eating so that they will look their best on the very hour they will be required to participate in the event. What happens to bodybuilders after a show? They put on ten, fifteen, even twenty pounds within a week or two of their show by simply reverting back to a normal diet plan.

For fitness models, you will see much of the same diet planning that allows their body to peak on the day of their shoot. This doesn't mean they don't look good day to day or that their body fat isn't always fairly lean. Another trick of the bodybuilding, modeling and movie trade is "pumping up". Have you noticed when you work out, your body actually looks better? You will see more definition and your muscles will look fuller mid workout. This is due to the increase of blood flow in the muscles. Knowing this, one can make themselves appear more full and cut by pumping up muscles that are going to be visible to the camera. This is a common technique used in photo shoots and on set in the movies. Pumping up, coupled with strategic camera angles and lighting can create a dramatically altered appearance of one's body and in the entertainment world, it is of course the more appealing appearance. Between dieting and pumping up, you can already see how it is difficult to achieve the look you saw on the cover of Muscle & Fitness or Shape magazine.

Last but not least, we cannot forget the forgiving invention of Photoshop. It is sad to say, but a large majority of the images you see in magazines are doctored photos. Again, this is not to say the people you are looking at are in bad shape, unhealthy or unfit. The fact is you're not seeing the real version of them. Photoshop can completely transform an image removing blemishes, doctoring definition and eliminating fat or cellulite lines on the body. Don't give up quite yet on transforming your body! That is still possible!

Can unbelievably low body fat percentages be achieved? Yes. Can one maintain a healthy lean body fat percentage over time? Yes. Can we look like fitness models every day of the week? Nope. The bottom line is the images you find in the media are backed by a strategic formula to create the most attractive looking IMAGE possible. Real or fake, the magazines and movies want to portray what they think is perfection. You can admire the images and even use them as inspiration. Do not become obsessive over looking like these images, because I can assure you the journey will be endless and frustrating. It is ok to work out to look good. It is also ok to be a normal human being. Work until you are happy with where you are at, not where magazines say you should be happy. When you workout for yourself and strive for healthy body fat ranges, as I have learned to adapt my program, you will find a much more fulfilling road.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

Kids who haven't even reached double digits in age who have a body in the condition of someone that is three or four times older is a recipe for absolute health disaster. I've mentioned before that 75% of the money that is spent on health care is to treat conditions that are related to lifestyle choices. In my opinion, we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg with this issue! At this point in time Americans are experiencing the initial wave of increased sedentary lifestyle and poor food choices over the last couple decades. We are seeing only the effects on a generation of people who USED to move around when they were kids and then fell off the wagon in their adult years. What is the picture going to look like when we have a population full of people who NEVER used to move around or play outside? What are going to be the consequences for that generation?

My outlook for future generations, based on where we are now, is not good. It is bad enough children suffer psychologically because parents are being replaced with television and video games. Add in the fact that being glued to the tube for hours a day does absolutely nothing to stimulate the body physically and you really see a problem with the examples kids are left to follow. Like I said, aside from the fac that being raised by the T.V. is terrible for a kid's brain, there is another huge issue: kids are not playing anymore. It sure is a lot easier to ride your bike for hours when you can just click some buttons with your fingers, or be the best skateboarder in the world on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Not to mention, playing Madden all day and night is a lot less physically exhausting then playing catch, a game of flag football or joining a real football program. Hard work? Discipline? Running? Jumping? Moving my legs? Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Because your body needs it! Remember the Presidential Physical Fitness Awards? Do they even do them anymore? For me it is depressing enough knowing when I drive through the neighborhood I don't ever have to worry about kids pedaling around on their bikes or braking unexpectedly as a ball rolls into the street. It is even sadder knowing schools are drastically cutting back on physical education and sports programs due to financial issues and a perceived lack of importance.

Maybe I am just biased. I grew up playing outside all day, throwing the ball around, swinging bats, jumping on trampolines, riding bikes and running all over the place. I grew up with parents who were concerned with their health and taught me the importance of exercise and good nutrition. Don't get me wrong, when I was a kid I was an absolute video game nerd. I played a lot of video games and was actually better than I should have been for the amount of time I spent gaming. But playing video games was something I did when I couldn't play outside! It was the next best thing to reality, which was virtual activity. When mom would say its too dark to play and time to come inside, that's when I would spend some left over frantic energy on the Super Nintendo. Besides, when you're a kid you can spend hours playing video games into the night during the summer time and still have plenty of energy left over to do it all over again the next day.

Unfortunately, the bottom line comes down to the second sentence of that last paragraph. "I grew up with parents who were concerned with their health and taught me the importance of exercise and good nutrition". Now I am not saying all parents out their are failing at raising their children, but what kids these days need is some serious guidance and some role models that advocate physical activity, proper nutrition and overall wellness. I commend programs like the NFL's PLay60 and their campaign to get kids more active by sponsoring a variety of sports camps and fitness programs. Many of our behaviors are inherited from our parents. It is only when we wake up and consciously start CHOOSING WHO WE ARE and WHO WE WANT TO BE, do we develop new habits and new ways of doing things. It is time for adults to step up and start advocating healthy lifestyle choices so their kids don't end up with diabetes or die of a heart attack before they do. It is time to start educating kids on the serious risks they are running by eating junk and sitting on their ass all day. We can't blame them up until this point, much of society and tons parents have left their kids no choice but to be lazy. Let's start feeding kids some decent food and for god's sake, make them move their body!

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

Other statistics show that one in three Americans will be diagnosed with cancer, while one in four will eventually die from it. These are some pretty alarming numbers, but is cancer as much of a slippery slope we think it is? Is cancer really something we should just accept as a part of life and realize there is a good chance it may get us someday?
A really great article called "Fighting Cancer With Fruit" by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber was brought to my attention by a friend of mine. The article explores some compelling evidence for the benefits of eating a fruit and vegetable rich diet, along with participating in six days of moderate physical activity in relation to fighting cancer. Dr. Servan-Schreiber sites this statistic in his article:

In one study, women who were treated for their cancer had a 50 percent reduction in relapse risk if they ate five vegetables and fruits per day and practiced 30 minutes of physical activity six days a week.

The doctor goes on to note a few other studies with supporting evidence with similar results. I highly recommend you all to take a glance at this great piece of journalism, you can read it here. Of course this article peaked my interest quite a bit, so I decided to do some research of my own. I didn't have to look far for more evidence to support that lifestyle and nutrition play an important role in cancer prevention. On the American Cancer Society website I quickly was able to locate a publication called, well you wouldn't guess the name: Nutrition & Cancer! The article explores the strength of evidence, cancers affected, opportunities for cancer risk reduction, emerging trends and leaves us with this excellent bottom line:

Healthy eating habits and other factors could reduce cancer mortality in the United States by as much as 30%. Cancer risk can be reduced by adopting an overall dietary pattern that emphasizes plant foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans) and helps to maintain a healthy weight; being physically active on a regular basis; and limiting alcohol consumption.

After seeing the first article, I did not have to look far for even more supporting evidence for these claims. Some questions that really arise to me are: Why is this not an emphasized practice by most medical doctors as at least a supplement to preventative examines, chemotherapy and other cancer treatments being used? Why does the impending gloom of dying of cancer and bodily disease hang over America's head when 75% of America's health care dollars are spent on ailments directly related to lifestyle choices? We will pay the consequences for our choices in life, no doubt about it. What we decide to do in our daily routine, for sport, recreation or even out of stupidity will always catch up with us. But why does it feel like we are constantly being told we are not in control?

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

For those of you scratching your head, let me help you have a better understanding of what diabetes is.

The first thing you need to know is there are two types of diabetes and they are both related to the hormone insulin. Insulin is a hormone released by the body to clear glucose (sugar) out of the blood stream when high amounts of glucose are present in the blood. This always happens after you eat a meal, because the body's job is to break down carbohydrates and convert them to glucose for energy. Insulin acts as a key that opens up the body to utilizing glucose immediately, or storing it in the liver, muscles or fat tissue. If one's blood glucose is too high and it is not properly removed, the levels can become toxic to the body and lead to possible death. Diabetes is in general related to the inability to properly remove glucose from the blood stream.

Officially called Diabetes Mellitus, we have Type I or Insulin Dependent Diabetes, and Type II or Insulin Resistant Diabetes. Type I Diabetes is different from Type II because it is in most cases discovered at a very early age in children who have genetically inherited the autoimmune disease. Type I Diabetes is referred to as Insulin Dependent diabetes because the body does not have the inability to produce insulin. This comes from the body's own immune system attacking the pancreas, where insulin is created, thus diminishing the body's own ability to produce insulin. Therefore, persons suffering from Type I diabetes must take daily insulin shots to properly remove glucose from the blood.

Type II Diabetes is referred to as Insulin Resistant Diabetes because it occurs when a person's body is no longer sensitive to the hormone insulin or the body does not secrete enough insulin to properly transport blood glucose. This type of diabetes is often referred to as Adult-Onset Diabetes because it typically developed in obese adults, but the epidemic has become so bad that children are now being diagnosed at a far too early age. Type II Diabetes is most closely linked to poor diet and poor exercise habits. For example, if you continually eat and eat and eat more than your body needs, it is going to have a hard time producing enough insulin to keep up with all the glucose you are putting into your blood stream. Not only that, but the constant engorging in food will eventually numb your system the fact that you always have such high amounts of glucose in your system and insulin's "key-like" affect becomes less and less effective. This type of diabetes accounts for 90-95% of diabetic cases in America. The worst part is, Type II Diabetes for the most part is totally avoidable with proper diet and exercise!

This my friends is a problem! Children who are not yet in their teens developing this metabolic disease is a problem! People eating themselves sick and failing to properly nourish and exercise their body, IS A PROBLEM! Diabetes accounts for $130 billion dollars in annual health care costs across the country. Not only is it a health problem, it is a financial burden. Check back soon for my next article on diabetes and how to prevent or reverse the affects of this metabolic disease.

Statistics Reference: National Center for Biotechnology Information and The American Diabetes Association ...

I'm sure when many of you hear the word meditation you think of a robe clad monk with a bald head, sitting with his legs crossed, forming little "O's" with his fingers and chanting "Oooohhhhmmmm". Granted this is a meditation technique used by some Buddhist practitioners, but the practice of meditation actually includes many broader and simpler ways of focusing the mind. You do not have to have a specific ritual, posture or form of practice to meditate. Although some eastern thought might say otherwise, I believe the benefits of meditation at the core come from simply slowing down the "monkey mind" as Buddhists might call it.

In general the goal of meditation is to focus one's thoughts inward and contemplate or reflect for an extended period of time without any external distractions. Remember that physical and mental stress equally contribute to the secretion of cortisol into your system. With that being said, it is extremely important to maintain a healthy level of mental and emotional wellness as it is to perform your daily physical activity. In my opinion, daily meditation sessions are one of the most effective and simplest ways to help alleviate mental stress and focus your attention on the inner you.

I want to introduce you to a beginner's meditation. At first, try performing this technique for five minutes. As your mind sharpens week to week, extend your sessions to ten, fifteen or even twenty minutes. Find what works for you using these guidelines. Meditation like anything else takes practice and time. Stick with it and I assure you this practice will help you feel much better over time. Your first meditation technique will be on peace and serenity. Focusing on these concepts will help center you, clear your mind of all the stresses of work and anything else that might be weighing on you emotionally. Here's what to do:

Safe Space: Find a "Safe Space" for yourself. By this I mean I want you to find a location in your house, in your back yard, at your favorite park or anywhere you might have access to a quiet and peaceful place. Choose a place that is quiet with little surrounding distractions, makes you feel safe and content.

Posture: Once you have found your Safe Space, situate yourself in a comfortable position. I call this step "Posture", but I want you to simply position your body in a comfortable position. You can choose to sit in a traditional lotus position, sit feet out in front of you, on your knees, sitting on a bench or chair and even laying down. The goal is to find a position and posture in which you can remain relaxed without being distracted by aches, pains or discomfort.

The Breath: Now that you're in a quiet place and have found a comfortable position for your body, you are going to turn your attention to your breath. Focusing on your breathing will take the mind's attention off all the external distractions and turn it to you and you alone. I want you to close your eyes and picture nothing. Begin by taking a deep breath in through your nose, expanding your lungs and abdomen to the count of six. At six, you are going to expel that air through your nose or a small opening in your mouth to another count of six. When you exhale, focus on the tightening of the abdomen and chest so that all that air is expelled. Repeat this process over and over. As you repeat your breathing, it will soon become even paced and nearly automatic without you having to count. You will focus on the breath until you are relaxed and breathing deeply.

The Will: Once your breathing is deep and even you are going to express your "Will" for the meditation. Your will can be any number of ideas, traits, experiences or goals, but because you are a beginner we are simply going to focus on the experience of calmness and peace. This aspect of the meditation has two parts: an internal dialogue and a visualization. You are first going to make a statement to yourself about what you wish to experience in the meditation. In this case you are going to internally voice to yourself, "I choose to experience peace and serenity." Repeat this mantra to yourself over and over, while you continue to breathe. After you have begun stating this to yourself, you are then going to visualize yourself in peaceful and serene situations. You can do this in one of two ways: you can visualize yourself in a place that helps you feel peaceful. For example, you can imagine yourself hiking in the mountains, smelling the scent of fresh air, trees and a nearby river. Or you can visualize yourself being peaceful in your daily interactions. You can imagine yourself moving through the next day at work in a peaceful manner, visualizing what it would feel like to be at peace throughout the entire day. The main point here is to focus intently on the experience of peace and serenity. Feel it in your heart, in your muscles, in your bones and in your mind. Saturate yourself with feelings of peace.

Give Thanks: When you are ready to end your meditation you are going to work backwards from the way you started. You will stop visualizing, revisit your mantra, go back again to counting your breath and finally you will give thanks for your experience. Simply thank yourself for taking the time to rest the mind and experience peace. State to yourself, "Thank you for this moment. Thank you for this experience of peace and serenity. Thank you for this experience as a whole." Once you have done this, open your eyes and see how you feel!

I will revisit this technique and discuss other ways to meditate on specific experiences and goals. For the most part, you can use this meditation as a simple guideline for other experiences. The outline is generally the same, but there are some different ways to visualize and articulate your desires to yourself that are more beneficial than others. Try this beginner's meditation every day for just five minutes a day! I know you are busy, but you owe it to yourself to take five minutes of quiet time. Calm your mind, relieve some mental stress and diminish the effects of mental stress on the body.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

The AHA and ACSM even state this thirty minutes can be broken up throughout the day into three, ten minute bouts of exercise! Time doesn't sound like it can be an excuse for not getting that moving a little anymore does it?
Here are a few tips to increase your daily activity without changing a whole lot of your routine!

• Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator at work, at home or when you're out shopping! This may seem dreadful at first, but after a week or so it will get easier...which is your body's way of telling you its getting in better shape!
• Park a little further away from the store, gym, mall or whatever your destination is. Getting a little extra walking in won't kill you, in fact it will do you some good!
• Stand in the kitchen and cook your food rather than microwaving it! Hitting "Cook" on the microwave and then sitting on the couch vegging out on t.v. while the meal cooks and you eat it is very appealing, but isn't necessarily the best for your health. The reality is you could burn some extra calories actually standing in the kitchen, preparing a meal and washing dishes! Not only will the meal probably be better for you than a sodium infested t.v. dinner, but you'll actually burn some calories in the process of preparing food!
• Set out on foot or by bike for short trips. This is especially a great tip for those of you who live in close proximity to the local grocery store, video store or shopping center. If you don't plan on bring home mounds of stuff, trek it the old fashioned way and carry a bag or two home.
• Take a nice little walk after dinner. Make it a habit to go out and take a stroll around the block once or twice after dinner, especially in summer or spring months when the weather is nice. It's a great way to wind down mental stress and get some physical activity in.
• Do your own yard work, plant your own landscape or garden and mow your own lawn! Paying someone else dips into your pocket book, but the half hour or hour it takes to mow the lawn can not only save you money, but get you some healthy activity!

Try a few of these little techniques to get you started towards a more active lifestyle.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

If you are looking to get giant biceps, do not lift biceps every day. If you want a colossal chest, do not lift chest every day! Lifting weights breaks down the muscle. Once you leave the gym, it is the way you treat your body throughout the rest of the day and week that will help you grow faster. The same goes for those of you trying to lose weight and shed extra body fat. Resistance training is a key component of any weight loss program and it is important to not train the same muscle groups on consecutive days.

Here are some simple rules to follow regarding recovery and rest to help your body see the changes you want:

• Do not lift the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Allow 24-48 hours of rest in between each session for muscle groups. You will just keep breaking the muscle down not giving it a chance to repair itself and grow!
• Limit total body workouts to three days a week to allow proper recovery from training.
• Make sure you sleep! Getting your nightly rest is important to allow your body to catch up from all the work you are doing during the day.
• Eat every three hours. This does not mean you should chowing down on full-size dinners every three hours, but you must always keep your metabolism steady and your energy levels even to ensure your body is feeding lean muscle and burning fat.
• Allow yourself at least one full day of rest where you do not place your body under any significant stress!

If you are one of those people who spends A LOT of time working out, here are some signs you are over training:

• You see a sudden decrease in performance.
• You see an increase in your body fat percentage and decrease in lean body mass and you're working out a lot!
• Loss of appetite.
• You have low levels of energy and are easily irritable or grouchy all the time.
• Muscle soreness that lasts longer than normal.
• Disrupted sleep patterns, not being able to fall asleep at night.

Hopefully this provides you all some solid basic knowledge regarding rest and recovery. Follow these tips to keep yourself on track and seeing results safely and effectively!

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

In simple terms, it is like stretching a rubber band then releasing it. As you stretch the band back, a large amount of potential energy is being stored in the band. When the tension is released, there is a powerful reaction and the rubber band snaps.

Using plyometrics can be beneficial for everyone, especially athletes. The average person can benefit from plyometrics because it causes increases the nervous system's ability to quickly recruit muscle, it requires strength, balance and helps strengthen connective tissues. Athletes can especially benefit from plyometric training due to the explosive nature of sports. Typically the quicker and more powerful an athlete is, the better advantage they have in competition. Sports like football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, tennis and soccer all require short powerful bursts of agility and power. Plyometric training specifically trains the athletes nervous and muscular system to perform quick, explosive movements.

To begin a plyometric program, be sure you have a solid base of strength and stability. You should be able to easily balance and squat your own body weight before beginning lower body plyometrics. Check back soon for Part II of the plyometrics discussion, where I will share plyometric exercise ideas and basic program design principles.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

In this case, focus your training on what is specific to your activity which is endurance, then turn your attention to pumping iron. Performing your weights after your cardio will greatly reduce the efficiency of your resistance training, but then again that is not your first priority as an endurance athlete!

In general for most other goals such as general fitness, building muscle and losing weight, it is most beneficial to do weights prior to doing cardio in the same session. Why you ask? This is because of the way our body utilizes energy. For short bouts of intense exercise and at the beginning of all physical activity our body mainly relies on it's short term resource for energy. This is known as the anaerobic or glycolytic energy system which utlizes energy from blood glucose, carbohydrates stored in the muscles and in the liver. This energy system will typically sustain short, intermittent bouts of intense activity until its stores are depleted of energy. Because weight training requires short bursts of energy, increased focus and coordination, it is best to do weights while fresh and fueled properly. Lifting weights with a full tank of gas is the best way to more closely capture the benefits of working with weights.

What will happen after your body burns through its stored energy? The body then must turn to the aerobic or oxidative system to fuel exercise. When the body cannot produce enough energy to perform exercise through the breakdown of carbohydrates, the body must turn to fat as al ong term reserve energy source. This means when you do your cardiovascular activity after weights you will be more prone to burning fat as the weight training has depleted your short term energy reserves. Cardio for fat loss is best performed in intervals, which are short sprints or high intensity bouts followed by slower, less intense active rest periods. Performing intervals is not only more effective than steady state cardio at increasing your body's performance, but it also takes less time! The more you can accomplish in less time, the less you have to worry about spending hours in the gym to get results!

I hope these tips have been helpful and will help guide you towards a healthier you!

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

The secret weapon to shedding fat during and after exercise is resistance training.

Whether you're male or female resistance training plays a vital role in the metabolic processes that need to take place in order to lose weight. Muscle is "metabolically active", meaning that muscle burns calories even when at rest. By stimulating muscle during a resistance training workout and eliciting even small amounts of muscle gain, your body will burn more calories at rest. In fact each pound of muscle on your burns between 25-50 calories per a day. This means by adding muscle, you can increase the calories you burn each day just being alive simply because your body must sustain the muscle mass it has. Increased lean body mass and increased resting metabolic rate are two long term adaptations the body will make to resistance training which will allow you to shed pounds and keep them off.

Not only will incorporating weights and resistance training into your gym routine provide new ways of stimulating the body to burn calories during your session, pumping some iron will cause your body to burn up to 25% of the calories utilized during the workout to help the body recover and return to a resting state. This process of muscle recovery post-workout is another great way resistance training gets your body to burn more calories without any extra work! Here are a few simple rules I encourage all of my weight loss and general fitness clients to follow:


Now you are armed with a great secret to weight loss. Good luck with your fitness goals!

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

Carbohydrate - Macronutrient that is the main and preferred source of energy for the brain, nervous system and muscles. Carbohydrate intake should typically between 55-75% of total caloric intake, or 5-10 grams per a kilogram of bodyweight depending on activity level, athletic activity being performed and body type. Vital to performance and must consistently be replenished to keep muscles fueled with proper energy. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, brown rice, baked potatoes, vegetables and wheat pastas should comprise the majority of carbohydrate intake due to their nutrient dense nature. Fruits and other simple sugars found in health bars are ideal for rapid fueling and quick energy replenishment before and after working out. Carbohydrates yield four calories for every one gram.

Protein - Macronutrient whose primary function is the building and repairing of tissue that is broken down through activity. Protein contains amino acids which are the building blocks of enzymes, hormones, muscle and vital organs. Protein intake should be approximately 10-25% of total caloric intake or about 1.2-1.8 grams per a kilogram of body weight depending on activity level, body type and goal. Good sources of protein are lean meats: fish, turkey, lean chicken breast, tuna and lean cut beef, beans and some dairy products. Protein does yield four calories of energy for every one gram, metabolizes slowly and should count towards repairing tissue.

Fat - Macronutrient that is most dense in its energy yield per a gram at nine calories per one gram of fat. Fat is a source of long term energy and your main source of fuel when doing low intensity activities such as sitting or lying down. Fat is necessary for normal health, hair, nail and skin growth as it transports vitamins and other essential fatty acids. Fat intake should be between 10-30% of your total caloric intake. A good way to determine the maximum amount of fat you should eat a day is take your body weight and divide it by three. This will give you your fat goal in grams per a day. Good sources of fat can be found in peanuts, almonds, walnuts, fish oils, canola oil and olive oil.

Think about what you eat throughout the day and check if you're keeping a good balance of all these food sources in your diet. For diet prescription and personalized nutrition profiles, seek the advice of a dietician or nutritionist. Be sure to keep checking back to learn more about food and nutrition as this article simply scratches the surface of what you need to know about food!

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USA

Most trainers offer complimentary assessments or consultations. If they are unwilling to meet with you initially for free, I’d suggest moving on from that person and onto some other candidates that are willing to take your financial caution into consideration. Having been a manager of top ranked fitness teams in the past, I am going to share with you a few things I expect of myself and other trainers to help you make picking a trainer easy!

I hope these tips and my insight can make your search for a trainer more successful than going at it alone. Remember, this journey is about you and seeing the results you want. With that said, be open to learning from your trainer and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Good trainers will always answer your questions and give you the science or rationale behind the answers. We as trainers have nothing to hide from our clients when we are in it for the right reasons, we want you to succeed! Good luck and have fun on your road to fitness success!

Jeff Bomberger, NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

It is the most important training principle fitness professionals and gym goers should know: it is called the S.A.I.D. Principle. S.A.I.D. stands for “Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand”. In essence, the acronym describes an evolutionary principle that our body naturally possess in order to be the “fittest” (no pun intended) in its environment, and it is the secret to success in the gym.

The S.A.I.D. Principle works both in your favor and against you in the gym. First I will address how this principle can give your workouts real direction and substance. In laymen’s terms, in order to utilize this principle you simply must place your body in an environment that will cause it to adapt to your desired goal. For example, if you are trying to increase lean body mass and gain muscle then you must use loads in which you can only perform 8-12 repetitions because this is the rep range ideal for gaining size. If you lift more weight with fewer repetitions, then you’re working more for pure strength and power, and if you are doing reps of 15 and above then you are asking your body to perform at an endurance level. Knowing the specific rep ranges that elicit changes in strength, size and endurance are important when picking a routine for yourself, that way you do not lift to gain muscle but in actuality ask your body to have great endurance. This will help give your workouts direction and purpose, rather than wasting time in the gym doing the wrong work.

The S.A.I.D. Principle is also very important in the field of sport specific training and conditioning. Pumping iron in the gym for hours on a body builder program will not make you a better football player. Nor will running for hours upon end make you a better soccer player. You may have better endurance, but what about your lateral movements or short sprints to the goal? When training to increase sports performance it is important to utilize functional movements and perform exercises that are specifically relevant to the sport. What good does all that size do you on the football field if you can’t move it quickly? When you train the body for specific functions, it will become efficient at these movements thus increasing performance on the field because it has adapted to move in the ways the sport requires. Our body adapting for efficiency is great for sports performance, but can be a burden for clients looking for body composition change.

This brings me to my last major point about the S.A.I.D. Principle. In terms of aesthetic changes the S.A.I.D. Principle makes it easy to plateau after several weeks of performing a routine. Since our body is designed to begin making adaptations after 2-4 weeks of being in its “environment”, it is important that you change your routine every 3-4 weeks to ensure the body is still being placed under the proper amount of stress to get the results you want. Because the body is adapting to become more efficient at the exercises you perform, this means when the movement becomes easier so does the energy required to perform the exercise. For example you may be able to burn 300 calories in a good weight training workout in week one, but by week four or five (depending on how well your body has adapted), you may only burn 200 calories because the body has figured out how to make the movement easier. This is why it is important to vary your exercises and change routines often, so that the body does not get so efficient at the workout that it no longer becomes work.

I hope you see as much value in the S.A.I.D. Principle as I do. Focusing on it has helped me see phenomenal results not only in my own routines, but with hundreds of my clients no matter what goal they chose to achieve. Remembering the body is going to adapt to whatever stress you place on it will help keep your workouts purposeful, functional and successful.

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW

Unfortunately, it can make seeing results in the gym tougher if secreted too often in high amounts. Because of cortisol's catabolic nature; meaning its role in metabolism is to break down molecules, high levels of cortisol induced by stress or over training can lead to a decrease in lean body mass, decreased thyroid function (the thyroid regulates your metabolism), increased abdominal fat and blood sugar imbalances.

When blood sugar levels are low and your body has depleted its glycogen stores (energy stored in the muscles), cortisol will kick in to begin the metabolizing of amino acids and proteins. Protein and amino acids are vital components and building blocks of muscle. Frequent stimulation of cortisol release brought on by chronic stress can lead to blood sugar imbalances, as cortisol is responsible for increasing and processing blood glucose. Because your body is only able to utilize so much glucose at a time, the excess glucose will be absorbed in the form of stored energy either as glycogen in the muscles or adipose (fat) tissue. Chronic stress, coupled with a roller coaster diet is recipe for an inefficient metabolism and an increase in body fat storage.

So how do you fix this issue? Exercise for one, is a great stress management tool and it increases your metabolism. Exercise releases endorphins and can relieve mental stress by diverting your attention away from the pains of your day. Eating a consistent diet rich in fibrous carbohydrates, balanced with good sources of lean protein and fat will also help your metabolism. Keeping your blood sugar levels balanced and your body properly fueled will reduce the affects of cortisol metabolizing lean body mass, proteins and amino acids to replenish blood sugar levels.

Although cortisol may sound like a "bad guy", it plays a vital and important role in being healthy. Just be aware of the fact that when you are underfed and over stressed, as much of America is, you are likely to be at risk for increases in body fat, thanks to cortisol. Understand that with the use of simple stress management techniques, exercise and proper diet you can keep yourself ahead of the waistline busting curve and on your way to a much healthier you!

Jeff Bomberger NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, PES, CES, USAW