Rowing for Fat Loss

Yesterday, I was in Central Park in NYC having a blast!!

My cousin Toney and friends Sarah and Danielle went around all of Manhattan touring everywhere and sampling tons of good food.

Saturday night was HORRIBLE!!

Sunday, I went to Toney's restaurant where I ate what's called a Bento Box. It had chicken curry salad, hummus, jasmine rice (my fav), and something else which I don't remember. That was pretty good.

That same night, I ate HORRIBLE.

I went a little overboard on the food, which you can see by my photos on Facebook HERE.

Click on the video below to see my rowing trip in Central Park.

Please leave a comment below and tell me what you did on your Memorial Day.

Sexy Weight Loss Tips

Here is a collection of various resources with sexy, healthy weight loss tips for you to follow.

Start implementing these tips into your daily routine and you will start to see these weight loss tips pay off with success.




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5 Tips for Weight Loss with Pilates

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6 Simple Fat Loss Tips: Shed Those Pounds


Weight loss is on one hand rather simple … … if you follow some basic tips, the pounds can and will melt away. 6 Simple Diet Tips that will help you shed those pounds … 1. Reduce your fat, sugar...

What healthy weight loss tips do you have that have worked for you? Please share with everyone by leaving a comment below.

Kentucky Grilled Crap

By now, I am sure you have heard all about this new Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

And while I have no doubt that this is a better option than the Church’s fried chicken alternative, it’s still nowhere near an ideal food choice.




Congratulations! You are eating “grilled” chicken with a bunch of garbage on the side. Lord knows that mac and cheese and biscuits aren’t going help you look any better naked!

KFC says the grilled chicken has significantly fewer calories and fat, plus much less sodium, than its Original Recipe fried chicken that launched the brand more than a half-century ago.

After all, just as, if not more, damaging to our waistlines are the high calorie side dishes accompanying the chicken which are filled with refined starches and sugars and unnecessary amounts of saturated fat.

For too long now the fast food industry has made a killing on misinforming consumers about what is and isn’t healthy.

KFC claimed that it recently did switch cooking oils to eliminate all trans fats from their products- a noble effort indeed.

But upon further review, this does not look to be the case…

Here are the ingredients directly from their website:

KFC ® Grilled Chicken

Fresh Chicken Marinated with: Salt, Sodium Phosphate, and Monosodium Glutamate Seasoned with: Maltodextrin, Salt, Bleached Wheat lour, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Monosodium Glutamate, Spices, Palm Oil, Natural Flavor, Garlic Powder, Soy Sauce (Soybean, Wheat, Salt), Chicken Fat, Chicken Broth, Autolyzed Yeast, Beef Powder, Rendered Beef Fat, Extractives of Turmeric, Dehydrated Carrot, Onion Powder, and mot more than 2% Each of Calcium Silicate and Silicon Dioxide Added as Anticaking Agents.

Contains Wheat and Soy

I don’t know about you, but this certainly doesn’t sound like a nutritional powerhouse. First of all, “Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil” is not good for you and is a form of trans fat.

Trans fats are synthetic fats that are essentially foreign agents in our bodies. There is truly no room for them in a healthy diet.

Plus, a great rule of thumb is that the fewer ingredients in a food item the better it is for you, ideally less than 5 ingredients being a good marker. Well, if you count the ingredients in this “health” food, there are well over 20!

Fast food and convenience store marketing campaigns make it very hard for us trainers to do our jobs.

When a company says:

“Our _____ (name of product) is good for you because it’s low in fat or fat-free”

OR

“Our _____ (name of product) is good for you because it’s got no sugar”

OR

“Our _____ (name of product) is the perfect snack because it’s only 100 calories.”

In general, here are some great user-friendly guidelines to cut through all of the BS these money-hungry B!+ches are sending our way:

Beware of “Fat-Free or Low Fat” Foods:

These food choices are often high in sugar or contain added sugar to make up for taste lost which wreak havoc on your energy levels and prevent fat loss.

Look Out for “Sugar-Free” Products:

These food choices are typically made with artificial ingredients and sweeteners and/or are sometimes higher in fat to make up for taste lost and/or often contains sugar-alcohols that tear up your digestive system.

Stay Away From “100 Calorie” Items:

These low calorie bags contain ZERO nutritional value with little to no protein and are low in fiber and natural, healthy fats. Plus, these weight-gainers by another name do not fill you up between meals.

Probably the most infamous “healthy” marketing campaign is 100-CALORIE SNACK PACKS.



Which is better for you body: 100 calories of carrots or 100 calories of mini-muffins?
GET IT?

I know personally I could easily eat 10 of these packs without getting stuffed- I guess that would be a 1,000-CALORIE SNACK PACK ;)

Unfortunately, we live in a calorie-conscious society, and marketers truly take piggyback on this.

But you don’t need to be a freakin’ idiot like the rest of them.

Educate yourself.

Educate your friends.

Educate your family.

Remember, the market determines the direction companies will go. If we choose not to put this garbage in our bellies anymore, they will make less of it!

Twork it out!

Kri

PS- I just know you have got something to say about this hot button issue. Please make a comment to this blog post about what pisses you off the most about this KFC Grilled Chicken, or any other fast food marketing campaign for that matter!

Kansas City Fitness Boot Camp Gives Tips For the Freshman 15

We rolled through April, and May is just flying by…

Which means seniors in high school are knees-deep in the senior slump that typifies the last semester before graduation.

But, what they (and their parents) should be most concerned about is fighting the scary trend of gaining 15+ lbs their freshman year in college.



My trainer Jack has one more year left of high school and then, off to college. I don’t worry about him so much because he has finally made fitness a part of his life and not just a chore.

Seriously, they might soon start calling it the FRESHMAN 50 if someone doesn’t step in right NOW and educate our youngsters about proper training and sound nutrition.

As someone who is only 6 years removed from college, I know firsthand how important this info is and I wish someone shared it with me before I graduated high school.

I was still working out, but I gained 19 lbs in my freshman year at Iowa, eating Ramen Noodles and peanut butter sandwiches.

This is also vital knowledge to pass on to anyone who goes through ups and downs with their daily, monthly, and yearly lives.



Before I share my top 10 tips to fight this trend, let’s first identify why this is important, beyond the obvious health benefits:

1.) Perception is Reality: Studies show that leaner, more attractive people are more employable and earn higher wages- it’s a fact! If you want a fighting chance of getting and keeping a job, in addition to climbing the corporate ladder, you simply cannot overlook your personal appearance and presentation.

2.) Build a Recession-Proof Body: Whenever the economy is struggling and companies are forced to tighten up their budgets, they’ll “trim the fat” from their employee base (both literally and figuratively). If it comes down to two people with equal skills, the leaner, healthier employee will always win!

I hate politics so let’s get on with the good stuff, let’s get to the meat and potatoes baby, here it is:

The Top 10 Tips to Fight the Freshman 15

SEXY TIP#1- Invest in a Whole Body Workout

Perform a five-exercise circuit employing body weight-based exercises that’s designed to work your upper body, lower body, and core within the same workout at least three times per week with a day of rest between workouts

- Alternate between 50 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for each a double-leg (e.g. squat), push (e.g. push-up), single-leg (e.g. lunge), pull (e.g. row), and core (e.g. plank/bridge) exercise.

- Perform up to 4 rounds without rest for a killer 20-minute total body workout that you can do anywhere.



SEXY TIP #2- Harness the Power of Intervals

-Interval training is scientifically proven to burn nine times more body fat than ordinary exercise and elevates metabolism for up to 24-48 hours following your workout. Did you read that? 24-48 hours post-workout!!

-Perform cardio intervals on non-strength training days three times per week. Selecting your cardio exercise of choice, alternate between 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest and repeat this 30 second interval eight times for four total minutes followed by a one-minute rest. Repeat for up to 20 total minutes.

-This routine works best on a stationary bike or stairmaster, for indoor/outdoor running, or for body weight cardio exercises that you can do at home like running in place or jumping jacks.

SEXY TIP#3- Eat AND Hydrate Early and Often

- Eat immediately upon waking and then every two to four hours to starve fat and feed muscle.

- By continuously fueling your furnace, and eating some animal protein (meat, eggs, cheese, etc.) at every feeding, you'll also keep your metabolism revved up throughout the day and prevent overeating.

- Drink 2-4 cups of water immediately upon waking and then 1-2 cups of water every 2 hours, in addition to drinking 1-2 cups of water for every 15 minutes of activity.

- Consume 3 servings of green tea per day.

SEXY TIP#4- Think Fiber When it Comes to Carbs

-Eat an unlimited amount of fibrous green veggies to fill your belly both during and between meals (avoid corn, peas, carrots, beets, and potatoes – not much nutritional value or too much starchy carbs)

-For optimal fat-burning, try to limit fruit and other carbohydrate consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout when your body best tolerates starches and sugars.

- The Carb Reduction Blueprint: (Follow each step)

Step#1- Replace all white carbs with 100% whole grain carbs and all refined sugars with natural sugars

Step#2- Limit all whole grain starch and natural sugar consumption to within 1-2 hours post-workout or immediately upon waking for breakfast

Step#3- Replace all starches and sugars with fruits and veggies

Step#4- Replace all fruits with green veggies



SEXY TIP#5- Focus on Stabilization Exercise for Flat Abs

-Integrated total body training and sound nutrition is the key to burning the fat covering your abdominal muscles so you can “see” them- spot reduction doesn’t work! Did you hear me? Spot reduction does NOT work.

- Plank or pillar stabilization, both static and dynamic, is the key to developing rock hard abs, preventing injuries, and improving posture- NOT endless crunches and sit-ups!

- The plank collectively consists of your shoulders, hips, and core. It is your body’s powerhouse, foundational to all movement.

-For maximum benefits, you must seek to maintain a tight plank position during all movements by actively pulling your navel to your spine, engaging your glutes, and maintaining a straight line from the heels through the shoulders.

SEXY TIP#6- Be a Flexible Eater

-Allot yourself 1 or 2 “reward meals” per week where you can enjoy the indulgences of college life in MODERATION as needed! Like I say in class, I want 90% compliancy and 10% “not-so compliant”.

-Be sure to plan your reward meals in advance based on your weekly schedule and be sure to earn them with compliance at all other times!

SEXY TIP#7- Take These 2 daily Supplements for Life

- Daily Multi-Vitamin for Your Gender

- Daily EFA/Fish Oil Supplement

For more info, visit: Sexy Back Prograde Products



SEXY TIP#8- If you Booze, you WON’T Lose!

-How much damage? A 12-ounce beer contains about 0.6 ounces of alcohol. If you consumed 5 of these, your body would be inhibited from fat burning for up to 6 hours. This is aside from the fact that your body will actually be storing fat during these 6 hours! The more you drink, the longer your body is inhibited from burning fat in addition to a greater fat build up from excess acetyl-CoA. As you can see, one day of binge drinking can set you back days if not a full week when it comes to fat loss!

-What’s the worst-case scenario? Mixing alcohol with sugary beverages promotes even further fat gain due to the resulting insulin surge that triggers fat storage (e.g. regular beer or cocktails mixed with regular soda and/or fruit juice)

The Bottom Line

If you want to be lean, you must minimize ALCOHOL consumption!

If you must drink:

a.) Choose wine or hard liquor and “light” beer
b.) Limit alcohol consumption to 1-2 days per week with a 1-2 drink per day max

SEXY TIP#9- Sleep, Stretch, and Self-Massage

- Sleep: Get at least 6-7 hours (ideally 7-8) of restful sleep per night and take 1-2 hour naps to fill in the gaps. Establish a pre-bed routine and avoid caffeine after 2 pm.

- Stretch: Ideally perform Dynamic Stretching to preferentially mobilize joints BEFORE exercise and perform Static Stretching to preferentially lengthen muscles AFTER exercise

- Self-Massage: Spend at least 30-60 seconds massaging sore and tight areas of the body before and after you exercise to regenerate your muscle and connective tissue in order to prevent nagging aches and pains in the joints

SEXY TIP#10- Build-Your-Own Dorm Room Gym

Mandatory Items (less than $100):
- Foam Roller
- Tennis Ball
- Hex Dumbbells
- Resistance Bands (www.resistancebandtraining.com)

Premium Set-up (less than $200):
- All of the above
- Door/Wall-Mounted Pull-up Unit
- Stability Ball

For a great website for fitness equipment, visit www.performbetter.com

It is my sincere hope to you either use and/or pass on these 10 simple strategies to secure yourself a future filled with health, happiness, and longevity.

Twork it out!

Kri

Making It Happen - Campers of the Week

When I was in college and even after college, I loved to party and for me, that meant drinking tons of alcohol, all the time. Along with alcohol, came lots of junk food. That was five to ten years ago and luckily I was in sports and very active every single day or otherwise, I would’ve put on tons of fat like my peers. They talk about the freshmen fifteen, well my cousin Pin put on 30 lbs. My friend Grant put on 75 lbs his freshmen year!! Holy crap!! Later this week, I will give you some tips on how to mix it all up and combine not-so healthy nutrition choices and exercise to still drop the fat and not gain that freshmen fifteen.

Last week, I noticed a change in two boot campers that stood out. It was tough to choose, so I went with both. They are great ladies and great boot campers that are kicking ass and making things happen. They won’t take NO for an answer and gave their all, plus some. They each have won $25 gift cards to the best salon in Kansas City, Bolero Salon and Spa in Independence – The Official Salon of the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders and are last week’s Campers of the Week!!



Congrats to Kelly Thurber for winning Camper of the Week. Even with a busted head awhile back, she still came back to class and fought through it. She ran TWO 5K’s this past weekend!! If you don’t know, they’re 3.1 miles each!! The Truman Run and The Mother’s Day Run. Two other campers also ran both events. I will post pics from the runs later on this week, along with the Trolley Run from two weekends ago. Kelly also did not miss any classes plus she usually stays for the six and the seven pm classes. Thank you Kelly for being a great example and leader of the class.

Also, congrats to Joanna Farris for winning Bridal Camper of the Week. She is the party girl that loves going out and having fun but also wants to be healthy and feel good. She did not miss a single day (which is not normal) and that deserved recognition. She complains here and there (I’m just picking on you) but she still gives her all. Thank you Joanna for taking charge and improving every week.

Read what they have to say below by click on their names or scrolling down:

1. Kelly Thurber

2. Joanna Farris

Camper of the Week

Kelly Thurber – 5/10/09



1. How has Sexy Back Boot Camps changed you, mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually? At work, at home, with family and friends?

Sexy Back Boot Camps had changed me in all the categories, but especially emotionally and mentally. Because I can SEE the physical changes in my body, I am a much more up-beat and happier person at home and work.

2. What were or are your short-term goals (one week or one month) and long-term goals (12 weeks or 6 months or one year)?

• My short-term goals: I have registered to run a 5K on June 6, 2009; I want to run under a 12-minute mile.
• My long-term goals: I have participated in three 5K runs in the last two months, I would like to participate in a half to whole marathon in one year.

3. Toughest challenges - how do you keep your focus because it's so easy to let other factors distract your focus?

It's funny you ask about challenges and keeping focus, I have been really distracted the last two weeks, I mean I have a grandson that I had NO idea was coming. But, I find that working-out means that I can focus on ME for just a little bit before going back to the craziness. (It's ME TIME, and I need that)

4. Least favorite exercise:

If I have to pick a least favorite exercise, I guess it might be the ones that involve "jumping".

5. Favorite exercise:

I would have to say that my favorite exercises are the real challenging ones, like at the end of class because I am so tired, they challenge me the most.

6. What keeps you coming back to the classes?

What keeps me coming back to class, that’s easy, Kri and the ladies that I have met and formed friendships with.

Please leave a comment below for Kelly.

Making It Happen - Bridal Camper of the Week

Bridal Camper of the Week

Joanna Farris – 5/10/09



How has Sexy Back Boot Camps changed you, mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually? At work, at home, with family and friends?

I definitely feel better if I am working out. In general I’m happier in everything I do. It has made me realize that working out has to be a part of my life almost like a hobby. Instead of thinking of it as just squeezing it in if I have time. I have to make time. It’s really hard when it comes to my friends. They always want to go out to eat or for drinks and now I am constantly turning them down.


What were or are your short-term goals (one week or one month) and long-term goals (12 weeks or 6 months or one year)?

My short-term goal is to try not to ruin everything I do during the week over the weekend (alcohol and bad diet- EVERY weekend). It’s hard to have a short-term goal because in the past with working out and watching what I eat I have never really seen any results. The only thing that ever happens is my weight stays the same. If I'm not trying to lose weight then I am gaining weight. To actually lose weight and go down even one clothing size would be amazing. My long-term goal is to make working out a part of my life instead of in a few month increments at a time.


Toughest challenges - how do you keep your focus because it's so easy to let other factors distract your focus?

My toughest challenges are time and the weekends. People always say that anyone can find 30 minutes or an hour to work out. However, it’s not really that at all. Yes I can find one free hour in my day to workout but added onto that is the time it takes to get ready to workout, drive to the gym, drive home from the gym and take a shower and get ready. Really, for a girl anyway, that’s like a three-hour process. It really is time consuming, but still I think, worth it. I just have to acknowledge that it is going to take up a lot of my time and that it always will and be ok with it. Also I’m a drinker. And after drinking, often times comes taco bell or something equally as bad for me. During the week I am usually ok. I can turn down offers from my friends to go out. But the weekend gets me every time. Its tough to do well during the week and then not have fun on the weekends either. Its very frustrating watching my friends eat like shit and never work out, and then to watch them barely try and lose 10 lbs in two weeks. But I just have to accept that it’s a lot harder for me, for some reason.



Least favorite exercise: Anything that looks stupid when you do it. Examples: Bear crawl, that stupid thing when you lean back and have to kick your legs straight out...band leader or something, any type of relay against someone else- especially if we're being watched. Oh and running.



Favorite exercise: I like squats and pretty much anything with the weights. I don’t mind pushups.


What keeps you coming back to the classes?

I go to class because I feel better about myself if I do. You said something last week in class that really made me think. You were telling us about how your girlfriend said something about how working out is too much work to maintain and that she would just rather be normal than in shape (something like that). I think this all the time. I never understood how anyone could work out everyday- forever. Your response to her was "but you wont be happy." That is so true for me. If I am not proactive in trying to workout and eat healthy then I am constantly unhappy. And I think about it all the time. I don’t know how to word what I’m trying to say. Ok ill try to explain it this way: on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being totally happy and 10 being absolutely miserable. If I know that I’m doing nothing to better my body or health, then I would probably constantly be on a level 6 or 7. Always unhappy in life no matter what I’m doing. Also, I HATE working out. You know this because I’m always complaining. Working out for me is a 10. However, what you said made me realize that I would rather spend one hour of my day at a 10, so I will be able to live the other 23 hours at a 1 or a 2 instead of a 6 or 7. It’s like concentrating the unhappiness in one awful hour and being happy the rest of my life. Thinking of it this way I think will make it easier for me to keep coming to class. Does that make any sense? Feels like I just typed gibberish.

Please leave a comment below for Joanna.

Best Core Exercise Ever ==> Push-ups Part 2

The Official Push-up Boot Camp Program



Sexy Step#1- Find your current Push-up Total

Assuming a regular floor push-up position, perform as many reps as possible with perfect form and technique in 60 seconds. Be sure to come as least one to two inches from the ground with your chest to count as a full rep. Record your rep total and then take 60 seconds of rest (no longer). Repeat by performing one more set of max reps in 60 seconds and then record your second set total. Add both your set one and set two totals and then divide by two. This is your current push-up total.

Sexy Step#2- Follow the custom push-up boot camp program based on your current push-up total:

The following program will systematically take you from level I to level IV six weeks at a time (not including a week of rest between levels). We will be testing again after three weeks, and then doing it again after the next phase of training. It is important to note that you must be following the appropriate fat loss training (total body strength circuits and cardio interval training) and nutrition plan to lose unwanted body fat that is weighing you down and literally halting your push-up totals in its tracks. In addition, be sure to change up the selected push-up variation at each and every strength workout to best prevent training plateaus. Here’s an example of how to switch things up for one week of training:

Day1- Close-Grip Push-up Variation (to emphasize the triceps and front shoulders to improve push-up lockout)

Day2- Loaded/Band-Resisted Push-up Variation (to improve strength and thus make it easier to perform body weight push-ups) * We did these yesterday! *

Day3- Stability Ball Push-up Variation- Hands Ball (to build trunk and scapular strength stability to prevent injury and maximize force output)




Remember, the better you get at every push-up variation the better you will get at regular push-ups. Once you achieve a current push-up total of 30 reps or more, you will notice the focus now will be on getting stronger by mastering the 1-arm push-up. Improving maximum strength automatically improves your muscular endurance, though it doesn’t work the same the other way around.

Please note that you should only follow this program if you have healthy shoulders. In addition, since you will be performing extra pushing movements, it is critical to add in some scapular retraction and depression work to prevent unwanted strength imbalances. Please note the addition of a certain amount of reps of Body Weight Prisoner Squat or Y Squats (arms ups) following each set of push-ups for your “Extra Push-up Work” to achieve this end. The Body Weight Prisoner Squat or Y Squat was selected because it simultaneously works your upper back and opens up your chest while working your lower body to boost metabolism. Plus, it’s an exercise you can do anywhere. Lastly, the “Extra Push-up Work” is best performed throughout the day to be fresh and allow for full recovery.

Level Current Push-up Total Push-up Protocol
Level I 0-1 - Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

- Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of negative push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):

Week1- 5 sets of 2 reps of 5-second negatives
Week2- 5 sets of 3 reps of 6-second negatives
Week3- 5 sets of 4 reps of 7-second negatives
Week4- 5 sets of 5 reps of 8-second negatives
Week5- 5 sets of 5 reps of 9-second negatives
Week6- 5 sets of 5 reps of 10-second negatives

- Follow each set of push-ups with 10 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Level II 2-5 - Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

- Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of regular floor push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):

Week1- 5 sets of 1 rep
Week2- 5 sets of 2 reps
Week3- 5 sets of 3 reps
Week4- 5 sets of 4 reps
Week5- 5 sets of 5 reps
Week6- 5 sets of 6 reps

- Follow each set of push-ups with 20 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Level III 6-12 - Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

- Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of regular floor push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):

Week1- 5 sets of 5 reps
Week2- 5 sets of 6 reps
Week3- 5 sets of 7 reps
Week4- 5 sets of 8 reps
Week5- 5 sets of 9 reps
Week6- 5 sets of 10 reps

- Follow each set of push-ups with 30 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Level IV 13-20 - Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

- Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of regular floor push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):

Week1- 5 sets of 10 reps
Week2- 5 sets of 12 reps
Week3- 5 sets of 14 reps
Week4- 5 sets of 16 reps
Week5- 5 sets of 18 reps
Week6- 5 sets of 20 reps

- Follow each set of push-ups with 40 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Level V 21-30 - Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

- Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of regular floor push-ups with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off):

Week1- 5 sets of 20 reps
Week2- 5 sets of 22 reps
Week3- 5 sets of 24 reps
Week4- 5 sets of 26 reps
Week5- 5 sets of 28 reps
Week6- 5 sets of 30 reps

- Follow each set of push-ups with 50 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats

Level VI 31+ - Main Strength Workout: Perform max reps or a max hold for time for a different push-up variation at each of 3 strength workouts per week with ideally a day of rest between workouts

- Extra Push-up Work: Perform 5 sets per day of a 1-arm push-ups variation with the following weekly progressions Monday through Friday (weekends off). Progress from stage 1 to stage 3 in choosing the appropriate 1-arm push-up variation:

Week1- 5 sets of 1 rep
Week2- 5 sets of 2 reps
Week3- 5 sets of 3 reps
Week4- 5 sets of 4 reps
Week5- 5 sets of 5 reps
Week6- 5 sets of 6 reps

Stage1- Modified 1-Arm Push-ups on Knees/Inclined

Stage2- Regular 1-Arm Push-ups 5-secondNegatives

Stage3- Regular 1-Arm Push-ups

- Follow each set of push-ups with 60 reps of Body Weight Prisoner or Y Squats


Sexy Step#3- Re-Test Your Current Push-up Total

At the end of each 6-week training block, take 5 full days of rest before re-testing your new push-up total exactly as previously outlined in step one. Record your new push-up total and then take the rest of the week off for recovery before moving on to the next level of push-up boot camp.

Well, you now know everything you need to know to safely and effectively perform more push-ups than 99+% of the world. Remember, the leaner you are the better you will be at push-ups and the more push-ups you can do, the better you will look- time to master the push-up!

Twork it out!

Please leave a comment and let me know how many push-ups you're gonna rock out in three weeks!! Let's put your money where your mouth is!! :)

Biggest Loser Transformation Contest Winner - Melody Brooks

what weight did you originally start? what are you at now?

When I started with sexyback boot camps in December 2008, i weighed 149. Now I weigh 133, but more importantly I lost 10.75 inches and 7.9% body fat!! I have went down at least two pant sizes.

what were you doing prior to class, exercise-wise?

Prior to joining sexyback boot camps, I was not exercising. I was just trying to loose weight with diet programs, like weight watchers

what prompted you to join the classes?

I had a baby last summer and was really trying to loose my extra weight. I met Kri through someone I work with that was having a blast at his boot camp classes. It sounded like fun! I went to try it out and have been hooked ever since!

how has this changed your life, mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually? at work, at home, with family and friends?

I have much more confidence in all aspects of my life- family, work, etc. I definitely have more energy, I don't seem to "drag" in the afternoon anymore.

how did you lose the weight...how did you do it? was it portion control? watching what you eat? exercising? all the above? motivation and guidance from Me and the girls of the class?

Losing the weight really took dedication. I have been dedicated to come to class a minimum of two times per week, preferably three. i also have been dedicated to my diet- eating small meals throughout the day and taking my lunch to work. Decreasing the amount of sugar in my diet and increasing the amount of protein. Once I started seeing results I became very motivated. Kri also gave me motivation with daily text messages to keep me on track. The bodybugg has also helped me to stay on track. I can visually see my calorie intake and how many calories i have burned each day.

what were or are your short term goals (one week or one month) and long term goals (12 weeks or 6 months or one year)?

One short term goal I have is to increase my intake of water. Within the next 2-3 months, I want to loose 5-7 more pounds to be at my goal weight.

Toughest challenges - how did you keep your focus because it's so easy to let other factors distract your focus?

The toughest challenge for me would be my diet. Everyday at work, my coworkers order take-out food. Eating was a form of entertainment for me. I always bring my lunch and healthy snacks to work, and just try to keep my goals in mind. Are those extra calories really worth it? Usually not.

were there any points where you felt like you couldn't do this anymore?

I love the boot camp classes. Sometimes during class I feel like I can not possibly do anything else, then Kri and my fellow boot campers give me the encouragement I need to continue.

PS - Another testimonial for you!! I've been saving a couple pairs of pants for YEARS just hoping they will fit me one day! Well that one day is here!! Yeah!!!


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Thank you Melody for kicking butt in class and most importantly, outside of class!! She has won HUGE prizes for becoming our Biggest Loser. Here is what she won:



- Ultimate Makeover by Bolero Salon - Includes a 60-minute massage, 60 minute customized facial, whirlpool pedicure, spa manicure, shampoo & style. ($248 value)
- 8 Months FREE Boot Camps for YOU ($1600 value)
- 3 One-Month FREE Boot Camps Passes for NEW Friends or Family ($600 value)
- 1 Box Of PROGRADE Cravers, 24-pack, flavor of choice ($50 value)



You too can be the next Biggest Loser!! Get your butt to class and see for yourself what everyone in Kansas City is talking about!!

Please leave a comment below for Melody with any kind words, questions, or comments or anything you want.