Here it is – another Angry Trainer Fitness workout video!

I hope you’re enjoying the workouts I’ve been posting over the last few months and are following along at home or in the gym. We’ve got some great stuff coming your way.

Today we’ve got a slight change. Everybody that knows me is aware of just how much I love kettlebells and that I use them regularly in my routines. Many of you are intrigued by these exercise tools, but just don’t know where to start or how to exercise with a kettlebell properly. Well wonder no more…

This week I’ve put together my Kettlebell Blast Workout with all of you newbies in mind. Kettlebells are awesome and when used properly will make you stronger, fitter, build your endurance and stamina and burn fat! In fact on some days I’ll only use kettlebells for my entire workout!

So check out the workout video here!!!!

And here are the details:

The Kettlebell Blast Workout

All exercises x 15 reps

1. Hip Drives / Swings

2. Goblet Squat

3. One Armed Row

4. Kettlebell ‘Round The Body

Jump Rope 30 seconds – (Active Rest)

5. Snap, Flip and Press

6. One Arm High Pull

7. Triceps Pushup

8. Reverse Lunge and Curl

*Perfom all exercises in succession with no rest between

Try 2 circuits first, being sure to switch sides on the 2^nd. Then go for 2 more times through! How many circuits can you do?

I know it looks fairly simple and it is, BUT it’s also quite challenging. In addition to some specific kettlebell work, I’ve also added in traditional strength training and exercises that are multi dimensional – so you’re going to have to think a bit. Plus the 30 seconds Jump Rope is a nice ‘rest’ that also serves to jack up your cardiovascular conditioning a bit. You should be out of breath this entire workout!

I want to thank the awesome fitness people at RKS Systems. They sent me their latest kettlebell system to check out – I’ll have a full review of their DVD workouts for you soon.

And as always sure to join check out all of my videos on my Angry Trainer Fitness YouTube Channel And don’t forget to subscribe – and spread the word!

Related Posts

Swing, Push, Pull Workout

What Is Functional Training?

What Do Kettlebells Do?

All information contained within this site, Angry Trainer Fitness.com, is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or on any opinions expressed within this website. Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

Let’s face it – the economy still hasn’t fully recovered and people are watching every dollar they spend these days. It’s no coincidence that the big health clubs’ revenues have dropped substantially as the rise of the $30-let–yourself–in fitness centers have taken hold of the industry. Then on top of your gym membership you’ve got the costs of eating a healthy diet, probably additional supplements and training gear as well.

So I want to know – how much does your fitness cost you each month or year?

I’ve heard people say (as an excuse of course) that they can’t afford a gym membership. And truthfully – it’s a load of crap. Even if you were to join an $80 per month club, that’s just a little over $2.50 per day. Those same people go to Starbucks, spend $400 on car payments and I always seem to be eating out!

Besides as I wrote in a post last year,  eating clean doesn’t necessarily have to break the bank. The exception would be if you always buy organic food because in most areas it’s quite costly. The reality is that eating out, including fast food, is MORE expensive than eating a calorically appropriate healthful diet.

And when it comes to gym memberships costs do seem to be coming down. Now there are little studio-like gyms such as Anytime Fitness, Snap, Lifetime Fitness and even bigger chains like Planet Fitness and the junior version of Equinox – Boom Fitness. These club memberships range from as little as $14 – $40 per month. Surely most of us out there can budget for those fees – if it’s a priority that is!

Let’s talk supplements shall we? I’m a believer in using supplements as you know. BUT with that said I also think that many people using supplements shouldn’t be! My reasoning is simple – if everything else in your program isn’t 100% on par, you’ve got no business taking anything and as far as I’m concerned you’re just wasting money. The fact is most people look to supplements as a quick fix instead of getting their diet in check and following a proper exercise plan. Those are the facts!

So I don’t believe that being fit and healthy has to cost you a fortune – but I’d love to know what you’re all spending on a monthly (or yearly) basis? Do you think your fitness is worth the price? Maybe I can suggest some ways to SAVE some money? Let’s hear you…

Who thought this day would ever come!

As you all know I have some fairly strong opinions about NBC’s wildly successful reality weight loss show The Biggest Loser. And I’ve been very open about sharing my thoughts on the ideology behind the show and the training style of its two stars Bob and Jillian here on the site!

So when the opportunity came to go to Bob’s new book release party in NYC, I just couldn’t resist, I HAD TO GO. And to be honest, while I had condemned the show in the past, I have always maintained that I like Bob and thought he was genuine and truly had the Biggest Loser contestants at heart. So off I headed to Manhattan. How would this turn out I wondered…?

The book launch party was at LAFCO, a fragrance, skincare and perfume shop – which I found to be a bit odd, but hey, whatever right? I arrived early and was one of the first people inside where there was no sign of Bob – just a poster with his book and his picture, a DJ, lot’s of smelly-fragrancy stuff and two Svedka vodka stations. I was invited to this event because I’m a proud FitFluential ambassador and I eventually met up with some of my co-ambassadors and talked shop for a while. Then we talked some more, and more …still no Bob.

About an hour later Bob casually walked in and my first thought was – he’s much taller and bigger than I had thought. For some reason I had assumed Bob was shorter and more-slight, but in reality he’s taller than me and as I’d found out later – he’s SOLID. Apparently all of the Crossfit training he’s been doing is working well for him! Bob obviously knew many people in attendance and made his way around the room greeting everyone in attendance. He gave out lots of hugs, kisses and even posed with an attendee’s child. It’s clear he was a humble man and had a very charismatic personality. He took the time to say hello to each and every person in the room.

Now here’s where I’ll be brutally honest – I was a little intimidated (only a little) as Bob grew closer to our group. When I meet people in the industry, they generally pat me on the back and tell me how much they love what I’m doing, the ATF brand and what I stand for. Well I had a feeling Bob knew who I was as I’ve tweeted him and his former Biggest Loser co-trainer Jillian in the past and they have both either replied or re-tweeted what I’ve said. So I was actually wondering what kind of reaction I’d get from him. As Bob made his way around the room my friend Cat grabbed him and starting introducing herself and the rest of the FitFluential blogging bunch. As she got to me (I was about 6 feet away) I said “Hi Bob, I’m Alfonso… The Angry Trainer”. What happened next made my freakin’ day! Heck made my week!

Bob said “YOU! You’re the Angry Trainer!?”. And then with his finger pointed at me through the crowd he said “Come over here”. He shook my hand, gave me a hug, and proceeded to tell me that he respected me, asked if I had seen that he re-tweeted my recent posts and told me he had shared my thoughts with Jillian! I have to be honest, I don’t ever get star struck at all, but I was sweating and feeling the pressure standing next to Bob! And in the excitement I’m not really sure what I said. I know that we chatted about Crossfit – which he says he loves, had some laughs and I gave him an Angry Trainer Fitness T –Shirt and my card, because as I said to him, “In case you ever need a trainer”. But I did grab his arm and I can tell you – Bob is a fairly stout man. If you thought he wasn’t muscular you were wrong – I certainly was.

In all, it was an interesting experience for me. Although I really liked Bob as a person before our meeting, I now see him differently. Think about it – here I am, The Angry Trainer, at a book signing event for Bob Harper. I’m a huge critic of his hit TV show and yet Bob is engaging me, polite and is a true gentleman. He is a class act if there ever was one. Plus I received an autographed copy of his new book The Skinny Rules – for which I’ll be posting a review in the coming weeks. Thanks Bob…

Now we’ll have to see what happens when I go to Jillian’s book launch!

Hi Alfonso,

First, I would like to say I really enjoy your site! I have found a lot of great information here.

My question is in regards to ‘starvation mode’. I am 30 years old and considered obese. I have changed my diet and have been working out for the last three months and so far have lost 25 pounds. I have another 75 I would like to lose.

I perform a combination of strength and cardio exercises. I have recently increased the amount of time working out and being active during the day and my weight loss has seemingly stopped. And I have been eating pretty close to my BMR of 2165. (Basal Metabolic Rate)

I am being told on one hand that I am now not eating enough because I increased my activity level but on the other hand, that I am eating too much and need to decrease my calories. I can search the Internet and get many opinions from both sides of the argument, so I thought I would ask you.

While I may be oversimplifying the term ‘starvation’ mode here, do you think that not eating enough is stopping me from losing weight? Or do I need to lower the number?

 - Cheri

Hi Cheri.

Congratulations on your weight loss –that’s awesome. And I’m so glad you like the Angry Trainer Fitness site. Isn’t the internet frustrating? It seems like if you search long enough you’ll find whatever answer you’re looking for.

Okay so onto the subject of calories. You didn’t tell me your height or weight but I will say that a BMR of nearly 2200 calories sounds too high to me. A BMR is your body’s basic daily caloric requirement when at rest, without activity factored in. So I’m guessing that your figure is what you’re eating when you add the two together. But even with that being the case, it still sounds like too much to me – IF your goal is fat loss. If it were a maintenance calorie amount and you don’t gain weight from that intake then I’d say you’re good to go.

Keep in the mind you have to be in a daily calorie deficit to lose fat weight, because when your body is adequately fueled it has no need to burn excess body fat. Makes sense right? Think of this – I’m 200 + pounds and eat roughly 2000 – 2500 calories to lose weight and tighten up, so you’re almost eating as much as me! It is possible that you’re not eating enough, but I could only see that if you were exercising vigorously for hours per day and burning such huge calorie amounts that you’re not leaving much for daily body processes. And the ‘starvation mode’ phenomenon is real but it doesn’t happen nearly as fast or in the way the industry portrays it. So many people use this term loosely as an explanation for why they can’t lose weight when in fact far and few will ever truly be in this state. When taken to an extreme, in extreme, prolonged calorie deficits you will lose weight. However you’ll also eat up precious muscle tissue and likely gain it all back.

But here’s the good news. Since you’re so on track with how much you eat, it’ll be easy for you to make adjustments. For one, if you’re not eating lots of vegetables in your diet, add them in. They’ll help keep you fuller for longer and the fiber will keep you running all day. And be sure to keep your sugars low, even fruit. Fruit is natural sugar and it’s a great source of fuel. To burn fat we want slow releasing energy that keeps insulin levels low and promotes fat burn. Also be sure to eat lean proteins and healthy fats.

Second, I’d suggest you only knock off about 100 calories per day from your total for a 2 or 3 weeks and see what happens. If you resume weight loss you’ll know you were eating too much prior. If you still maintain then I suggest another 100 calorie drop per day for an additional 2 – 3 weeks until you dial in the exact amount that allows you to still feel good but that also promotes fat loss. I know it seems a bit tedious but this is really important. You must know what you’re doing in order to evaluate whether your plan is working or not.

And lastly, DON’T add more time to exercise. Although I will say make sure you lift adequate weights to maintain muscle mass and DON’T be a ‘cardio head’. Meaning make your workout more of the functional type with aerobics interspersed. Check out my YouTube channel  for awesome multi dimensional routines. You should be hitting the gym or working out 4 – 5 days per week for no more than an hour – at most. The last thing you want is to be married to exercise and be reliant upon excessive sessions to regulate your weight. So many people want to workout more when they want to lose weight, when in truth if they just controlled what they ate they’d see far better results. Being a slave to exercise is no fun and truthfully it’s not healthy either.

So Sheri, eat a bit less and monitor whether fat loss resumes and stick to a realistic workout plan that you can sustain over time. I wish you all the best!

Which Diet Is Best?

The Paleo Diet

And if you have a question – please just click here. I’d love to help you!

All information contained within this site, Angry Trainer Fitness.com, is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or on any opinions expressed within this website. Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

It’s been a while since I’ve written a Testing The Trainers, where I review a popular fitness guru or celebrity trainer and give you my honest opinion about whether you should follow their tips and suggestions – or not!

But last week I had the opportunity to hear trainer Joe Dowdell speak at the Reebok/Fitness Magazine bloggers conference in NYC and some of the things he said made me want to find out more about what he stands for.

So let’s see what Joe is all about.

Program Shakedown

First of all let me first say Joe has quite an impressive list of credentials. His education and dedication to learning about the human body and how it functions is a clear demonstration of his passion for fitness. Of course he’s trained celebrities, pro athletes, has appeared on TV shows, authored several books and writes for many fitness magazines like other celebrity trainers. And that’s all well and good but what does it mean to you?

Here’s what I say about Joe – he’s a no nonsense kid of guy, period. While listening to him at the conference he brought to light some very common misconceptions. For one, he said, “you can’t out-train your diet”, meaning if you eat too much no matter how hard you workout you’ll still gain weight. He also addressed the “long and lean” myth, referring to exercises that supposedly create this look. Ultimately, you can’t change a muscle’s length or where it inserts. And probably key for me to hear was when Joe said that sleep and diet are MOST important in your health and fitness regimen and that in order of importance exercise comes last.

Joe isn’t a ‘sit-you-on-a- machine’ kind of trainer and he uses functional training heavily as part of his training regimens. One look at the equipment in his 10,000 square foot Peak Performance facility and you’ll know the training is all about improving your health and performance, not just about making you look good. And when Joe was asked if he thinks women and men should train differently, he said NO. Finally! I’m always telling people that I have people exercises, not gender exercises, and that both sexes should train similarly (to be fair Joe does differentiate between programs that focus on fat loss or muscle gain).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Conclusion

 You never know when or how the fitness bug will bite. Joe was actually a model who became interested in personal training years ago when he had some conversation with his girlfriend’s trainer. Fast forward to now and he’s authored numerous books, trained celebrities such as Claire Danes, Natalie Portman, Eva Mendes, Gerard Butler, Jimmy Fallon and numerous models gracing the pages of Victoria Secret Catalog and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issues. Not too shabby. And Men’s Health magazine voted his gym one of the Top 10 in America.

Honestly I was ecstatic searching all of the available interviews and clips of Joe and a little surprised that I hadn’t already been following him. He’s a wealth of knowledge and expertise and I agree with nearly everything he says. It’s awesome to see someone who’s held to such a high level actually back up the hype. When you listen to Joe speak or read what he says you’ll know he’s not just going to give you a typical cookie cutter answer. He’s part of the solution in this industry for sure! So check him out!

When it comes to Joe Dowdell, The Angry Trainer says Highly Recommeded!

All information contained within this site, Angry Trainer Fitness.com, is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or on any opinions expressed within this website. Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

Time for another Change It Up tip here on the site – where I suggest SIMPLE changes you can make to your daily routine that will have a big impact over time. And I’ll be honest – it doesn’t get much easier than today’s tip people!

Drink Up!

Water to be precise!

You’ve probably seen and heard countless times on the news and in fitness magazines that you SHOULD be drinking a glass of water before meals – and guess what – it works! All you have to do is simply drink a full glass of water 10 minutes before your meals and you’ll eat less! I know it sounds gimmicky but it’s true. Here’s why…

Firstly the signals that you receive that lead you to believe you’re hungry and start chowing down may actually be thirst signals instead. So by drinking water you may feel generally less hungry.

Secondly, in numerous studies it’s been conclusively demonstrated that people who drank 1 full glass (8 oz.) of water prior to eating consumed up to 20% less calories! To put that in perspective, if you normally eat 500 calories per meal, 4 or 5 times per day, you’d potentially eat 400 calories less per day! That’s quite a few calories saved from just drinking a glass of water – don’t you agree? And I’ll be honest and say I drink probably at least DOUBLE that much prior to eating. I usually have a huge glass of ice water right before I eat and I can absolutely tell you that I eat less as a result.

So for the next week I want you to try this tip out at each meal and tell me what impact it has. Do you find yourself eating less? Feeling more full? Let me know…

All information contained within this site, Angry Trainer Fitness.com, is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or on any opinions expressed within this website. Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

It’s time for another Angry Trainer Fitness contest here on the site – and we’re back with an old favorite!

By now you probably know that I’m a big fan of Gym Boss timers and use my timer in many of my Angry Trainer Fitness Workout videos . But for those of you that don’t have one yet we’re giving you the chance to win one of FIVE timers across the course of this week.

So here’s the deal – I’m going to give away one timer each day via a simple question.

I’m posting today’s question here on the site, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday‘s question will be posted on the Angry Trainer Fitness Facebook wall  and on Friday I’ll be posting the question via Twitter (@angrytrainerfit). Okay – got that!

The winners will be picked by the Angry Trainer Fitness Team so be sure to get creative and think hard.

Okay so here’s the first question – and it’s nice and simple!

Why do you NEED a Gym Boss timer?

Be sure to think outside the box and don’t just give me “because I need one for my workout”. And good news for all of my international friends – Gym Boss will ship to you should you win – so wherever you are, go for it! Just remember – for today only post your answer in the comment section below.

And if you’re not lucky but still want a Gym Boss Timer – just click on the ad on this page to check out the Gym Boss website and all the different styles on offer!

Good luck and oh yeah – only ONE entry per person per day!

Hi Alfonso,

I am currently 18 years old. I was wondering if it is any good to try to dramatically cut your caloric intake / restricting macronutrients when you are still a teenager (and probably still growing!)

I used to be 110 pounds at 5”1’ with a medium frame, but I shed lots of belly fat by simply eating clean. Eventually I cut my calories to about 1,200. Then I gave up, restricted myself to 1,600…cutting carbs….cutting fats….cutting grains etc., but I never felt satisfied with any approach and felt terrible emotionally and physically.

I am now around 103 – 106 pounds with much less fat but still feel terribly trapped by dieting! I also have lost my periods for a good few months and sometimes go into desperate fruit binges from a week of carbo-phobia and worrying about calories.

I would really like to get the nice, lean, toned abs but how can I do this without making my body feel miserable. Should a growing teenager at a healthy weight even worry about counting calories / macros? I don’t want to harm my body anymore!

Lucy

Hey Lucy.

How are you? I must tell you when I read this question I felt a sense of urgency because it seems to me you have, or are on your way to developing, a bad relationship with food. And at your age we can address and fix this matter much easier than later in life.

Okay let’s go step by step. Is it okay to dramatically cut calories? Sure, perhaps for maybe a day or two as part of a fasting dieting plan or at the beginning of new strategy. In a normal eating regimen the calories ebb and flow anyway so it’s normal to have fluctuations in daily amounts. BUT, I would NEVER suggest a dramatic cut in calories long term as part of a regular regimen as it’s a surefire way to a lifetime of diet and weight struggles. And as a slight correction, at 18 years old you’re NOT growing anymore Lucy, at least not in the developmental sense! Most girls hit full height and reach maturity by age 16 at the latest, so I wouldn’t be concerned about stunting your growth.

It seems to me you are a bit obsessed with food and have already displayed the beginnings of what might become an eating disorder. I understand the entire ‘carbs phobia” issue, but the binging on fruit is dangerous as it can pre-dispose you to binge with other foods down the line. No binge as a rebound is good. We can’t really worry about what you’ve done in the past but we can learn from it. So as a rule if your body feels terrible on a certain diet – something is wrong! Bad feelings, whether physical and / or emotional, aren’t normal parts of a good diet. What you eat should make you feel alive, energized, increase your stamina and endurance and overall you should feel amazing! So that’s clue number 1 something isn’t right.

As for cutting fats, grains and other food groups I’d have to again say no – unless of course you follow a certain plan like the Paleo Diet that omits certain foods for philosophical reasons. But your diet has to be a realistic plan for you to stick with or you’ll just end up binging on that food group like you’ve done with carbs.

I do really think that you should be aware of what you’re eating. Too many people feel as though it’s not necessary to count calories or watch their food intake. I totally disagree. As we get older, good habits, like bad can become second nature. So I will suggest that you count calories a bit, but perhaps fluctuate them between 1,600 – 2,000 depending on how active you are. At just 103 pounds, your BMR is probably around 1,300 or 1,400 calories, so we’ll add in additional calories (fuel) depending on what you’re doing each day.

In the end Lucy you need to not look for a quick fix diet, but a way of life that you can sustain. Too often we associate the “D” word with deprivation, bland food and general misery. I’ve said time and time again that I have the best success with a diet of vegetables, limited fruit, lean meats and healthy fats. This seems to work best for me and I tend to stay away from rice, potatoes, breads and other typical starches, but above all I KNOW what I’m eating and how much.

So try eating a healthy diet that fits your life, be aware of what you eat and learn to view food in a healthier way. Chances are you haven’t harmed your body – yet – and most of your issues are psychological rather than physical. At your current weight you’re in a perfect spot to get on the right path and succeed in life! Good luck Lucy!

Related Posts

Which Diet Is Best?

The Paleo Diet

And if you have a question – please just click here. I’d love to help you!

All information contained within this site, Angry Trainer Fitness.com, is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or on any opinions expressed within this website. Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

]]> http://www.angrytrainerfitness.com/2012/05/ask-alfonso-am-i-too-young-to-count-calories/feed/ 2 http://www.angrytrainerfitness.com/2012/05/top-10-summertime-fitness-and-diet-dangers/ http://www.angrytrainerfitness.com/2012/05/top-10-summertime-fitness-and-diet-dangers/#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 19:07:14 +0000 Alfonso http://www.angrytrainerfitness.com/?p=4830

So summer is almost here and many of us are trying to get our beach bodies in shape. But ironically when the warm weather hits there are dangers lurking around every corner that can be bad for your health and undo your diet and exercise diligence rather quickly.

So for this week’s Top 10 I’ve put together my list of Fitness and Diet Dangers that you need to be aware off! Follow these tips and they’ll help you stay lean and mean all summer long!

1.  Don’t Fill Up On Fruit Salad! – Yes I know fruit is healthy, tasty and contains many nutrients. BUT it’s also loaded in sugar (natural) and can be relatively high in calories. Just ¾ cup can contain up to 100 calories or 25 grams of sugar, so be sure to moderate how much you eat. I know I can eat bowlfuls of fruit salad – especially the variety with grapes and pineapple!

2. Dehydration Danger – When the suns out more and more people get active outdoors  -which is great! But on a hot day without proper hydration you run the risk of becoming dehydrated which will leave you feeling fatigued, nauseous, light headed and in some cases you may even pass out! So before you head outside for a workout make sure you stay adequately hydrated and even consider a low calorie electrolyte drink if you’ll be sweating a lot.

3. Sneaky Salads – This one’s a year round issue but in the summer there’s almost always some sort of salad at BBQ’s and get-togethers. The issue with salad is simple – we often ruin a basic meal with everything we add to it! Fried chicken, cheeses, bacon, high fat dressings, croutons etc., all add tons of empty calories. So look for salads that are dry, use the toppings sparingly and only sprinkle enough dressing for taste.

4. Finger Food Fillers – When you go to a family event do you have the ‘bowl’ table? This is the table that has various (huge) bowls filled with chips, pretzels and all sorts of bagged junk. During conversation you can easily jam in hundreds of calories by taking multiple handfuls. Look it’s okay to taste these foods, but put them on a plate, sit far away and don’t go back for seconds!

5. Follow The Road Rules – There’s always a huge influx of riders and runners during the summertime – but that also means there’s an increased risk for road hazards and accidents. So drivers need to be on the lookout for runners and cyclists on the road, and all of you fitness fans need to be aware of the traffic around you. Be sure to wear brightly colored clothing – even in the daytime – carry your cell with you in case of emergency and don’t allow yourself to drift off to your favorite workout tracks.

6. Beware Of The Beer – For me there’s nothing quite like an ice-cold Corona with a lime on a hot summers day. But while at a BBQ, the beach or at a party, I can easily drink a six-pack over the course of a day. That’s about 600 calories or more of useless calories. So now, when I do drink beer (once every 2 – 3 months) I limit myself to just 3 and include them in my calorie content for the day.

7. Coffees, Creamers and Ccinos! – This is for all you coffee-heads out there (my hand’s raised!) Ice coffee is great and refreshing in the hot summer sun. But if you’re like me and you add cream, you can add an additional 200 calories to your daily total a few coffees later. For some reason people like to ‘forget’ the calories they use in coffee and that’s a big no-no. And I assume I don’t have to tell you that all of the designer iced-ccinos are pure junk!

8. Slather On The Sunblock – I know this is a no brainer but I still see tons of people exercising outside with NO sunblock on.  Yes SOME sun is good for you, but sunburn is not. Whether out for a run, a bike ride or even a fun time in the pool – protecting your skin is absolutely necessary. Skin cancer is a major killer, and in many cases preventable. You have no excuse to not take a few minutes and cover yourself.

9. Don’t Fill Up On Fro-Yo! – Okay so we all know most ice creams are loaded with fat and sugar right? So as a result many people opt for the ‘healthier’ frozen yogurt when it is in fact almost the same nutritionally! Sure frozen yogurt has a few fewer calories and a tad less fat, but that doesn’t mean you can eat it carte blanche. I see people with huge cups and cones topped with all sorts of junk that jacks up the calories – sometimes up to 500 in a large size. If you want fro-yo, get a small size and throw fresh strawberries or nuts on top

10. Sugar Loaded Lemonade – From little kids with their 5 cents stands to family parties, lemonade is everywhere in the summer. The problem is that in most cases it’s sweetened with bucketfuls of sugar and weighs in at about 100 calories per 8 ounces. A large cup can contain up to 250 calories of pure sugar so I suggest you stay away and instead opt for unsweetened real-brewed tea. Add a touch of honey and lemon and you’ve got a refreshing low calorie drink!

Okay – those are my 10 tips… how many are you guilty off? Got anymore to add yourself? Fire away…

Time for another Fitness Fact Or Fiction here at Angry Trainer Fitness and today I’m looking at another popular fitness trend that leaves many people puzzled!

Yes I’m talking about ice baths. You’ve seen them in professional athlete’s locker rooms, in spas and some people even fill their tub up with ice and go for a dip! But why? After all we’ve all taken cold showers and it certainly isn’t a pleasant experience.

So does an ice bath really assist with muscle recovery and help heal aching muscles?

In theory I do think an ice bath makes sense. After all when you injure yourself the first thing you should almost always do is apply ice to the area to reduce inflammation. And if your whole body is achy and sore, then I guess it follows that a full body ice bath should be in order. But as with everything in health and fitness it’s not that simple.

The fact is the research on this topic is pretty inconclusive – some say ice baths DO work to reduce inflammation and muscle pain. But others say they’re a giant waste of time.

So before you start immersing yourself in cold water, let me give you a couple of caveats. For one, while muscle soreness was seen to be reduced in test studies, it’s not significant and was marginal at best. And while soreness may have been cut back a bit, the time it took for recuperation wasn’t improved at all. In fact the effects and benefits of an ice bath are comparable to taking ibuprofen, getting a massage or using a foam roller. However with the latter options you don’t need 20 bags of ice and to suffer through an uncomfortable experience!

Plus ice baths aren’t without potential risks. The most obvious hazard is the potential to develop hypothermia – a very dangerous state for the human body to be in. Most ice baths range in temperature from 50 – 59 degrees and after a mere 10 minutes, or possibly less, your body temperature begins to drop. Since there’s no real science to support or define how ice baths should be used, the amount of time that’s suggested to sit in one varies greatly. Some say 2 minutes at a time, other say up to 10 minutes, some suggest 20 and professional athletes have been known to go as long as 30 minutes! So which is it? Your guess is as good as mine! And those who are not in good health or suffer from cardiovascular disease are at an even higher risk. As I discussed in my Fitness Facts Or Fiction: Saunas post  higher temperatures increase blood flow and heat rate. Conversely extreme cold results in vasoconstriction and constriction of the airways with slower heart rate and less blood flow. In essence that means the heart may have to work harder…

I’m sure an ice bath feels quite invigorating and wakes you up – but to actually sit in a tub filled with 50-degree water as a means of trying to improve performance and recovery is a bit of a stretch I think. In addition, it’s terribly inconvenient, costly and time consuming. And all for what? A marginal-at-best edge on recovery?

Of course there’s also the placebo effect. Like everything else we subject our bodies too, merely thinking that an ice bath is good for you can stimulate positive effects in followers. You’ll find people from all walks of life that swear by them and in fact many professional athletes attribute their success to a regular post workout bath.

Personally I think the jury really is out. If you’re a healthy individual and believe ice baths provide a benefit to you then go for it. Personally I think I’ll stay warm!

So do ice baths really work? I’d have to say this is fitness FACT – but minimally. Don’t expect miracles!

But what about you? Have you tried ice baths? Did they work for you and what do you think the benefits are? Share away…

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