Amber "After" with more zest for life and confidence!

I am going to begin to feature more of my clients who really go at the eating and exercise 100% and get quite quick results.  I don’t want to make it sound like this is going to happen to everyone, but looking at what those who are successful can be a big help to see what might work for yourself.  So in the upcoming weeks, I will ask some of my clients to share their exact food journal as well as workout plan.  I hope that you will be able to take small tips and tricks and apply them into your eating and exercise life.

I would like to introduce you to Amber, she has been coming to Fit Fun Bootcamps for 1 month now and has lost 13 lbs.  It is very impressive to see the toning that is occurring all throughout her body and the many many inches she is losing.  She had less than 20 lbs to lose total, so for her to lose this much the first month really shows how hard she has worked and how nearly perfect she has been with her eating.  When I first met her and asked what her goals were, I could tell the spark wasn’t there in her life, she wasn’t happy and not in a good place.  A little more than 1 month later she is a completely different person, her spark is back and she exudes confidence now, which as a trainer, is SO great and exciting to see!  She has made a 180 degree change.

Amber is going to let you in on what she did exactly!  So check it out.

Food Journal

I stick to the the same meals/snacks for the most part, and add new snack ideas every week.

Day 1

Meal 1 (after I workout, around 7:45am):
2 Eggs (I now buy the cage free organic; they taste MUCH better, too) with spinach and tomatoe
1 Slice of oatmeal toast (the first three ingredients are filtered water, whole wheat flour, and enriched wheat flour)
Should I buy a different kind?  Yes I would recommend Ezekial Bread
1 cup coffee (No sugar added and I STOPPED putting half and half in
Meal 2 (around 11am)
Apple slices with 10 almonds
Meal 3 (around 2pm)
2 Wasa crackers with hummus and turkey slices
Meal 4 (around 5pm)
3 oz of chicken
Spaghetti squash
Green beans and cauliflower

Day 2

Meal 1
1/2 cup oatmeal with dried sweetened cranberries and a little brown sugar
2 Eggs with salsa
1 cup of cofee
Meal 2
Banana with peanut butter
Meal 3
2 Wasa crackers with turkey slices, grape slices and tomato slices
Meal 4
3 oz of chicken
1/2 cup brown rice
Broccoli
Meal 5
Soynuts with raisins and m&m’s

Day 3

Meal 1
2 Eggs with albacore tuna and tomato
1 cup coffee
Meal 2
Strawberry banana shake made with peanut butter
Meal 3
Apple slices with peanut butter
Meal 4
3 oz chicken
1/2 sweet potato

Day 4

Meal 1
2 Eggs with spinach, tomatoes, and salsa
1 Cinnamon raisin english muffin
1 cup coffee
Meal 2
Banana with peanut butter
Meal 3
Soynuts with raisins
Meal 4
3 oz chicken
1/2 cup brown rice
Broccoli
Meal 5
Green tea
1 Spring roll with peanut sauce (I waitress at a Thai/Lao restaurant right now….green tea has been my savior on work nights) More on How Amber Lost 13 lbs in 4 Weeks!

I am super excited to share a story with you of one of my many success stories so far from the Fit Moms For Life DVDs.  Her name is Karen, and she has been so transformed (not only outwardly), that she has quit her corporate America job and has begun an internship program with me and is taking a personal training certification to help transform the lives of so many, similarly to how she has been transformed.

Karen turned her flabby size 6-8 body, into a very toned size 2-4.  She had always been a long distance runner and suffered what many of the distance runners who run a lot, but don’t do weights; which is a healthy weight, but above average body fat with very little muscle tone.  Karen is now pretty jacked up and toned.  She will be writing a couple more articles with specific training programs to combine the weights with a running program to help improve your 5K or 10K.  With those articles, she will share with everyone her before and after pic!

I don’t want this post to be so much about how great my Fit Moms For Life DVDs or my Fit Fun Bootcamps are, but rather show YOU the power of creating a well rounded body.  You are fooling yourself if you think just running for exercise is a great total body workout, or just swimming, or just biking, or just doing xy or z.  You need to work ALL muscles from ALL different directions to ensure a body that not ony functions well but looks good too!

So here is Karen’s post!

Stronger, faster, thinner and healthier are the best words to describe the results I have experienced participating in Fit Moms For Life. I have been an avid runner for most of my life running 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon races. Running kept me “in shape” through college and three pregnancies yet small injuries, stagnant race times and the dreaded muffin top were frustrating me.

As a coach of middle school and high school runners, I knew if I was going to tackle these issues, I needed to work on core strength and strength training. Yet, as a busy Mom of three young girls, 7, 5 and 18 months fitting in a class or a joining a health club wasn’t an option for me. As luck would have it, Dustin was holding a Mama Tone class in a shared gym while my daughter took gymnastics. I watched with curiosity at first and then signed up to start receiving his email messages. As I learned more about his training and philosophies, I wanted to find a way to participate in his program.

Sitting on the sidelines, wasn’t going to improve my fitness. The first step for me was taking time for me. So, for Mother’s Day, I took the time away from my family to attend a free bootcamp at Elver Park. The weather was cold and rainy but I brought along my sister and sister in-law to give it a try. I loved it, especially the hill sprints, I was hooked and really sore for the next few days!

Taking a class still wasn’t working with our family schedule so I was doing interval/burst training on my treadmill and using short videos from Dustin’s blog to enhance my workouts. The interval and burst training was not only burning fat, it was helping me to increase my running speed. My 5-K training run times were steadily dropping. But most importantly, it was fitting into my schedule so I could stay committed to the training plan I developed. The burst/interval training is so effective at burning fat that I didn’t need to run for 45 or 60 minutes. I could workout for 20 - 30 minutes and get great results.

Another thing I do after every workout is keep a journal of what I did, how I felt and my accomplishments. This log serves a few purposes. First, I enjoy looking back and seeing the progress I have made. Second, it serves as motivation when a workout is feeling hard to see what I did last week or last month and push to run faster or lift heavier weights. Third, it is my trainer, keeping track that I am working out and improving. If there are too many blank days, it encourages me to get back on track.

When Dustin introduced Fit Moms For Life, I signed up immediately. I needed assistance with weight training and this was a great option for my at home plan. When I received the 1st DVD I couldn’t wait to start. I am not going to tell you it was easy or pain free. I had to stay very motivated to get up and workout 5-6 mornings a week at 5:30 AM. I had to convince myself to use heavier weights and I had to push through a lot of muscle soreness. For my workouts, I alternate Fit Moms For Life DVD’s with interval/burst treadmill training.

The results, more than I could have expected. After six weeks, I started to see changes in my body. I should have taken before pictures and measurements but I didn’t and I regret it. I encourage everyone starting the program to take measurements. It may be painful at the time but you will be happy you did to see your results.

Approximately eight weeks into my training, I ran a 5K race and was the 10th woman to finish. I took an amazing five minutes off of my 5K time from last year. More important than that, I am running injury free. I always had a sore hamstring or knee or tight muscle that was slowing me down. Thanks to stronger muscles, especially my hamstrings and core, I no longer have the minor aches and injuries. The core and muscle strength also help make daily activities easier.

Another benefit to staying committed to the program is the 15 pounds of weight I have lost. My arms, back, waist and legs are so much more toned and I feel great about it. I can wear a tank top and know that I no longer have the “flying squirrel” under my arms.

If you want to run faster, lose weight and be healthier, I encourage you to take the first step and give yourself the gift of time to improve yourself. It only takes me 20 - 30 minutes five to six days a week. Not only will you improve yourself you will set an example for your kids. My three girls know my workout time is important to me and they now are more interested even at their young ages in staying fit and getting stronger. As they grow up, I look forward to working out with them. If I can find the time get in shape, you can to. What are you waiting for?

Do you have questions for Karen?  She would be happy to answer them!  Write them in the box below.

As I ponder and look back on 2009, I am very grateful for all the opportunities as well as challenges that I experienced.  One year ago I never would have thought that the blog I had just started is now getting 1,000-2,000 visitors each day, and that I would have close to 2000 current clients through Fit Moms For Life, Got Core, Fit Fun Bootcamps, and Mamatone.

I would sum up this year as uncomfortable.  I have never spent more time being uncomfortable than this year.  What I mean by “being uncomfortable” is that I did things that I knew I should do, but made me scared, nervous, and anxious.  One of the most challenging things was becoming comfortable with making my own DVDs.  I now have made 14 DVDs this year!  At first it was very challenging; it wasn’t easy watching myself on camera or hearing my voice.  Even though I have a long way to go with my on-camera skills, I am improving every day (after watching all my DVDs, I use certain phrases WAY too much, sorry for those who have to put up with that!).  But here is the take away message I want you to remember; anything you do doesn’t have to be perfect.  So often in life we wait until everything is perfect to start that new job, get into a new relationship, get in shape, or focus on your relationship with your spouse.  I have realized that we are wasting so much time waiting for the perfect time to do anything!  If I hadn’t gotten past my fears, I wouldn’t have filmed the DVDs and been able to help 100’s of amazing people who I didn’t have access to prior.  I don’t possess anything special that you don’t have, so make 2010 the year of being uncomfortable!

I get asked frequently if I am planning on leaving Madison and moving to Hollywood, the answer is that I have no plans on doing so.  I want to give you a little insight into my plans for 2010 and then want to hear about what you would like me to do.  Who knows what will actually happen, but this is some of the things I want to accomplish.

1.  Fit Fun Bootcamps: With 10 locations I am very happy and pleased with where they are at.  I would like to grow them a little more and really focus on creating the most incredible experience to each bootcamper.  I want to create more and more value for each bootcamper.  I don’t plan on expanding to many more locations because it takes so much energy and time to do so and spreads me very thin.

2.  MamaTone: Very similar to bootcamps, I don’t plan on adding more times and locations, but finding ways to add more value and service to each MamaToner.

3.  Fit Moms For Life DVDs: I will continue to focus on expanding the number of moms who join my monthly Fit Moms For Life DVD program.  I am looking to add additional resources such as CDs and maybe even a newsletter at some point.  I want to find ways to create a more cohesive and tight community for the hundreds of moms who are part of the program.  I want to create much more accountability in order to guarantee results.  I also want to be more accessible for more Q&A times.

4.  Blog: I have been very pleased about how the blog has grown and am so excited to continue to provide valuable content and help increase your commitment and motivation towards being the healthiest you can.  I also want this blog to be a platform where we can make a positive difference in the world, not just from a fitness standpoint.  I am looking forward to more and more feedback from you on specific blog posts.  I think the best blog posts are the ones that I share my information and opinion and then you comment and add value to the conversation by either agreeing and explaining why, or disagreeing and saying why, or adding an additional viewpoint!

New Projects

1.  Create some new DVDs that couples or friends can do together… All my DVDs can be done with two people doing the same thing, but I want to make some workouts that require the teamwork of two people to accomplish.

2.  Kids workouts: I want to create a bunch of 10 minute workouts that kids can do with their parents that are both fun and challenging.  I want the workouts to set a strong anchor in their lives that working out is not only healthy to do, but also fun!

3.  Start doing my own live TV show on the internet.  I have been researching this a lot and buying all the technology that I need, so I will be getting this going soon!

4.  I want to do more and more teleseminars which will allow me to go into much more depth and detail on specific topics than I can on my blog, and also allow me to help those who don’t live near me.  Click here to join my first teleseminar program!

5.  Finish my book, Fit Moms For Life: I will be looking for many of you who are women to be in the book.  I am structuring it similar to the Body For Life book and having personal stories of women getting amazing results through my program.  This will add a very powerful personal touch that will really help women out there who are doubting that they can achieve what they want in life.

6.  Transformation contests that are another way to get people to exercise and eat healthy.  Contests are such a good way to set a goal and have an end date that you strive towards getting to.

7.  ????  Who knows.  This is where you can help me out!

What would you like me to do this year to help you blow away any fitness and health related goals that you have for 2010?

Due to the overwhelming response from my last post about the transformation Abby has made, I have asked her to write a response answering your questions.  You had so many questions and Abby has so many answers that I have decided to make this a 3 part series.  So today is part one.  This article may not answer all your questions yet, but Abby felt this was the biggest reason for her change and felt compelled to write about this first.  Next article will be on her eating plan.

Here is Abby’s article!

Wow! I never would have thought there would be such a great response over an article written about me! (Granted, I never really imagined I’d be the center of attention for an article!) Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments and support. They motivate me to keep working hard & to get ready for the next show…at some point!

I’m not really sure where to start with my responses to all the questions. I guess I should first start by saying: I could not have done this alone! Of course, Dustin was a big help with the workouts, encouragement, and moral support (minus the fact he ate ice cream in front of me numerous times). I guess no one is perfect! My family was very supportive, as well, even though they thought the process was slightly crazy! They didn’t quite understand what I was doing, but knew that it meant a lot to me and that they needed to be there for me. Even my poor brother (and roommate) dealt with the crabby moods without saying anything. He was so patient during it all. They definitely did not “get it” at first, but saw what the end product was and they were impressed! It goes to show how important it is to make goals and let those people around you know about your goals and what they mean to you. Family is the best kind of support. More on How Abby Got Her Body Back Part 1

A couple weeks ago, I got the privilege of watching my girlfriend compete in her first fitness modeling competition!  It is amazing the transformation she has made the past two years.  I first met her a little over 2 years ago at Supreme Health and Fitness, the gym that I work at.  She joined my Got Core class.  When I first met Abby, she wasn’t in very good shape, was holding more weight in her stomach than she would have liked, and was extremely weak in the upperbody.  She really enjoyed the core classes and wanted more, so she got a few of her friends together and did small group personal training… she said that I was the most expensive crush she has ever had

Abby over 2 years ago at MY first competition!

She really set herself apart from most girls in their 20’s that I had worked with in the past.  She didn’t question my philosophies or techniques and embraced the heavy lifting and intense cardio.  For many years she had been doing 90 minutes of cardio 4 days a week, which was doing very little for changing her physique!  I believe the reason Abby has had such an amazing transformation comes down to 3 things.

Abby before she started working with me.

1.  She embraced lifting heavy:  Abby now squats 225 lbs, deadlift 200 lbs, can snatch a 50 lb db over her head, can do at least 20 dips on a parallel bar, and 8 pullups!

2.  She realized that she couldn’t just eat whatever she wanted to.  Abby doesn’t drink any alcohol, packs her lunch and snacks everyday, reduces her carbs after 4 pm, and drinks well over a gallon of water.

3.  Support group:  Okay, it definitely helps to date a trainer from the support aspect!  She also spends more time with fit people who would rather go for a hike or go swimming than go to the bars and pig out on beer and fatty food.

You can only imagine how many people now ask her for advice on how to achieve the results that she has seen.  She usually laughs and tells them that she does what I teach everyone of you to do, the only difference is that she does it at least 95% of the time!  Consistency is key!  Abby certainly has a sweet tooth, and definitely eats her sweets, but she does enough of the other things right and doesn’t eat the bad foods enough for them to have lasting change.

Abby placed 4th out of a really good field of 12 women!  It was great for her self-confidence and had a really good time with the whole thing.  Even before it was over she was ready to do another one!  This type of competition is just a small tip of the iceberg of different goals and events that you can set and participate in.  I encourage you to find something that puts you out of your comfort zone, sign up, join a group, and be committed!  You will be amazed at how good you feel and the satisfaction of knowing that you pushed yourself past your safety bubble you have been in, and gone to a whole new level of success and fitness!

One of my bootcampers came to Chicago to support Abby.  This bootcamper is in the middle of her complete body and mind transformation and 6 months ago would have never imagined going to such an event.  The show really touched her on a lot of levels, but one of the comments she said to me really stuck, “Dustin, it is simple, it all comes down to choices, these contestants have CHOOSEN to live a lifestyle that gets them to these results.”  She is right, none of the participants just “accidentally” got the results they did or were born that way.  NO!   They had to work extremely hard, sacrifice certain things, and have strong will power and determination.

Abby is now pursuing getting her personal trainers degree and also teaches Fit Fun Bootcamps in Middleton at Madtown Twisters west.  Click here if you would like to join her bootcamp!

I would love it if you posted a question for Abby or gave her a positive message for all her hard work!

Today, I am excited to share with you Kris’s story.  Kris came to me quite overweight and frustrated with decades worth of weight battles.  It certainly wasn’t for lack of effort, Kris had tried exercise in the past and had many attempts at dieting.

In the past year her troubles in the past turned to triumph and her body began to change…

Warning personal story about to begin:

I don’t have the greatest eye sight, and from a distance it is hard to make out faces, so I rely on body shape to know who it is many times.  For the past 6 months I kept asking myself who is this new person in class?  Kris’s shape has changed so much that I have to reprogram my mind to recognize her new body.  Kris has always called herself big boned, but for once she is happy and proud of where her body is at!

Kris is in such good shape now that she ranks in the top 10% fitness level of all my clients (most of my clients are well above average in fitness).  She can be routinely found as one of the first people at the top of the big hill at Fit Fun Bootcamp.  It is hard to find a harder working person than Kris!  I was so impressed with her fitness level that she was one of the 13 moms I hand selected to be part of the Fit Moms For Life DVD series.  She is the star of DVD#9!

Kris is well deserving off all her success!

Here is her story:

Kris Before

“For the last several years I have really wanted to lose weight. I didn’t have any medical problems but even my doctor had told me I needed to lose weight. Several times I’d given it a really great effort: running, playing tennis, joining (and working out in) a local athletic club, buying an elliptical machine and trying to eat better. No matter what I did nothing seemed to help. Sure, I’d tone up a bit, but in the end I was just gaining more weight. It seemed like there was no way for me to lose weight. I was about a size 14 and sometimes my clothes were too tight but I wasn’t going to buy any bigger clothes!

Kris After

Then I saw Dustin on the morning news talking about his Mama Tone class. It sounded great and the first class was free to try, so I figured I had nothing to lose (but weight!) One thing I loved about the class was that Dustin was really interested in helping me lose weight. He wanted to know what things I had been doing and encouraged good nutrition along with the exercise program. The class was really hard, but I liked that. There were different weights available so each of us could work at our own level of difficulty and he pushed me to work hard. Feeling motivated by this I joined a free online food journal program, set a weight loss goal and continued to come to his classes two times per week. Because I could only make the class twice a week I started working out at home another day or two using some of the things I learned in his class. Dustin constantly checked up on me and my weight loss. He taught me to use heavy weights and to push myself to do things I didn’t think I could do. Last spring, I reached my 35 pound weight loss goal! When I went in for my annual physical my doctor was very impressed with my weight loss and my improved cholesterol and glucose test results. It’s been over four months and I have kept the weight off and I feel better then I have in years.

I’m wearing a size 8 and I don’t think I’ve worn that since before I had kids. More on MamaTone and Fit Fun Bootcamps Was Kris’s Weight Loss Solution