10 Minute Fat Loss Workouts For Busy Moms And Dads, Lose Weight With Fast Home Exercises

2 Quick and Simple Workouts For You (Videos!!)

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

What’s goin’ on!

I have a couple quick and awesome fat bustin’ workout videos for you to try out today and I hope you dig ‘em as much as I do.

They’re from a recent program I designed called “The Puzzle.”

With that program, you are able to pick and choose different circuits that hit your “trouble spots”.

Want to work your Arms or Legs a bit more? You can do that.

How about your Abs and Core? You can do that too!

What if you want to mix and match and hit a few different trouble spots at once? You can do that too by grabbing different circuits and putting them together to form one killer workout!

This program is pretty sweet…and I’m not just saying that because I designed it.

Here’s how the program works.

You decide which parts of your body you want to focus on for the month (the more specific you can be the better), and then take a look at the workouts available.

The circuits are dialed down into 7-minute circuits and you should pick a couple different Puzzle Pieces to form one workout. For the math inclined, that would make the workout last around 15 minutes (2 7-minute Puzzle Pieces with 1 minute break between the two). If you have extra time, you can throw in another Puzzle Piece for a total of approximately 25 minutes.

These workouts will have you feeling fine and dandy by the time you’re finished!

Let’s say you want to lose weight, while also focusing in on your abs and core.

You would then pick 2 or 3 7-minute circuits that are focused on those areas.

Here are a couple videos showing you examples of the Puzzle Pieces.

One is for the Abs and the other is a Metabolic, or Weight Loss, Workout.

Here’s the Abs Puzzle Piece…

Here’s the Metabolic Puzzle Piece…

To do those, you would warm-up for about 5 minutes, then do the Abs Puzzle Piece for 7 minutes, rest a minute or two, then move right into the Metabolic Puzzle Piece and you’re finished!

You could also flip-flop ‘em and do the Metabolic one first, then the Abs…or you could do the Metabolic one twice, or even do the Abs one twice, or even do the Metabolic, then Abs, then Metabolic again.

Pretty sweet, huh?

By the way, if you’re a member of Fit Parent Force Monthly, this month’s Workout Of The Month is a gigantic Puzzle Workout where you pick and choose between 8 different Puzzle Piece workouts.

These puppies are awesome. When filming them, I couldn’t help but think to myself “Holy crap! Everybody’s gonna love these workouts!!” and by love, I of course mean hate because they’re pretty dang tough…but in a good way.

If you are a FPF Monthly member, click here to access this month’s issue.

If you’re not an FPF Monthly member, click here to learn how to become one. You won’t regret it!

That’s it for today!

P.S. – The Nutrition section of this month’s magazine dives into the truth about fruit. I get the question of whether fruit makes you fat all the time, so I decided to write a big article uncovering the truth. I grabbed a few of the most common reasons you shouldn’t eat fruit, and then gave my response. It’s a pretty sweet little article…but you have to be a Fit Parent Force Monthly member to read it.

If you are a FPF Monthly member, click here to access this month’s issue.

If you’re not an FPF Monthly member, click here to learn how to become one. You won’t regret it!

Comments

4 Foods To Help You Lose Stomach Fat

By Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' · Comments

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

Are some foods better at helping you lose weight than others?

Of course they are! It would be silly to think that all foods are created equal, especially when it comes to slimming and toning your figure.

The big “secret” though is that many of the foods being marketed to you are not good, and won’t help you lose weight, because they’re manufactured and processed foods that are made in a factory.

Whenever I talk to a client about healthy foods to add to slim down, I always start by asking if they would feed their toddler those pre-packaged foods. If they say “I don’t know,” or “No,” I them ask why they would eat them themselves.

If it’s not good enough for their toddler, why is it good enough for them?

It’s not.

So if you’re really serious about losing stomach fat, I want you to first focus on eating REAL FOOD. If you focus on that first, you can still make room for some of the other stuff – but I promise you won’t want to, nor have room.

Here are 4 Foods To Help You Lose Stomach Fat

Comments

3 Weird Weight Loss Foods

By Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' · Comments

Monday, July 18th, 2011

I have a few weird weight loss foods for you today.

Why are they weird? I don’t know. Probably because they’re not commonly thought of as foods that specifically help you lose weight. Sure they’re in the category, but when we usually think of weight loss foods, these foods don’t usually hit the list and that’s too bad because they’re awesome.

Here are a few weird fat loss foods that not only help you drop a couple pounds, but are loaded with nutrition and will keep you healthy and energetic:

How’s that for the world’s shortest opener? Anywho…

Here’s your quick list of Weird Weight Loss Foods

1) Raspberries

I love raspberries and I especially love telling my clients to eat them regularly to help them lose weight because they’re the perfect weight loss food.

They’re low in calories, rich in vitamins and phytonutrients and loaded with fiber per serving.

You can munch on ‘em by themselves, add them to a nice little fruit cocktail, or like me, add them to a homemade smoothie.

You could also add them to yogurt (don’t buy yogurts with fruit already added), or add them as a topping to oatmeal or granola.

My mouth is watering just thinking about raspberries!

2) Cashews

You’ve probably been told before that almonds are weight loss foods, and it’s true because they are.

But have you ever tried cashews? If not, you’re missing out because they’re just as healthy as cashews, but they’re just a wee bit sweeter where almonds are a bit drier tasting.

I absolutely love cashews and have ‘em most days of the week. I munch on them with some homemade trail mix my wife makes up for me, or add them to all-natural yogurt, along with some berries, or mix ‘em in with granola.

Make sure you eat plain cashews and don’t get stuck in the thought process of “any almond is a good almond” because that’s not true. If you buy cashews that are honey roasted, heavily salted, or otherwise altered you are turning an otherwise healthy, weight loss food, into a fat-gaining food. Don’t do it!

Do be careful on how much you eat because it is a calorie-dense food, especially if you’re just enjoying it as a snack. Go overboard and you can turn a great diet food into a gut bomb!

Last on the list of weird weight loss foods is…

3) Kale

I’m going to be the first to admit that I don’t really like Kale, but that wasn’t going ot stop me from adding it to the list because it’s too powerful.

Kale is loaded with nutrition and is low in calories, which makes it a perfect food to help you lose weight.

Not only will it help you lose fat, but it’s also great for your skin – by eating it, not letting it rest on your face . It strengthens the skin from the inside out and supplies it with nutrients it needs to protect itself from our damaging environment.

The great thing about these 3 foods is that they’re easy enough for the whole family to enjoy.

I’ve always insisted that if you can eat healthy as a family, long-lasting weight loss is easy. Get your significant other and kids to eat like you, and watch the health of your family soar!

Sure your kids may poo-poo on the kale, but you could turn it into chips and they might enjoy it…or you could hide it in other foods

That’s it for today!

later,

To discover 4 more healthy weight loss foods, be sure to watch the powerful video over at: www.FatLossToGo.com

Comments

Ready To Lose Weight? Here’s Your Fast Start Plan!

By Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' · Comments

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

[fb-like]

The weather is so, so sweet, the birds are chirping and the flowers are poppin’…

…and my allergies are in full swing, which can mean only one thing!

Summer is here!

Wooo-hoooo!!

What’s that you say? You’re not ready for summer? You’ve let yourself go into hibernation mode and have accumulated a layer of goo that’s hiding the body you’re wanting to have?

Wow! That sounded very infomerical-like, didn’t it?

Okay, let’s back off the silly-voiced overly excited pitchman and get down to the nitty gritty.

Fall and winter oftentimes bring on a few extra pounds, but not to worry. Even though the weather is getting nicer and you’re getting more anxious about pool and yard-work season, doesn’t mean it’s too late to make progress.

It’s never too late!

Here are a few tips to get you started and rolling. Read More→

Comments

Don’t Make This Bad, Bad Mistake…

By Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' · Comments

Saturday, June 18th, 2011

[fb-like]

Given that today is Saturday, I think it’s quite poignant to write about this today…

I’m a big fan of cheating/rewarding.

I actually like to use the word “reward” more than cheating because a reward is a positive behavior, where cheating is not.

A reward is a benefit for having done awesome.

Cheating gets you kicked out of school and fired from your job.

Sorry for the side tangent…

What was I going to say?

Oh yeah. I am a big fan of rewarding, but it must be used wisely.

Rewarding when used properly is a powerful thing.

Rewarding when used improperly is a stupid thing.

Most of us, if we decide to use the “reward” route when trying to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle, tend to use those rewards on the weekends.

Life is set up for us to do so. We go on date nights on the weekend, if we work a jobby-job, we usually don’t have to work on the weekends, parties are held on weekends, you’re forced to hang out with people you don’t like on the weekends, etc.

That’s all well and good, but there can be a problem with using weekends as your reward time.

There are typically 12 Friday/Saturday/Sunday combinations in a given month (very difficult math on my part!).

That’s roughly ½ of every month that can be devoted to the “reward” lifestyle.

That is a recipe for disaster.

I know what you may be thinking, “But Ed. I swear I don’t eat that bad on weekends…stop being such a jerk.”

First, don’t call me names. It hurts my feelings.

Second, are you sure you don’t eat that bad on weekends?

Another aspect of weekends is that we get out of our normal routine. We live for routine. You may not like hearing that, but it’s true. Routines keep us on track.

What happens when our routine is thrown out of whack?

All common sense goes out the window.

We splurge while dining out.

We eat bad snacks.

We drink booze.

We skip breakfast, or eat a bad one – I love my Donut Sundays!

All I’m trying to say is be careful if you reward yourself, and be especially careful if you reward yourself on the weekends.

It is very easy to let that mentality get out of hand and turn a perfectly good and healthy habit into a habit that will destroy your goals.

You can either split your rewards up or spread them across the weekend.

For instance, maybe have a small dessert after dinner Friday, a couple drinks while playing golf on Saturday and a small “fun” breakfast on Sunday.

If the numbers are kept in check, and you’re strict the rest of the time, that is a perfectly fine way to reward yourself and still lose weight.

You could also devote an entire day to your reward.

Go out for breakfast with the family or friends and eat some pancakes (not those healthy protein pancakes either!) or have a scone.

Have a burger and fries for lunch and a piece of cheesecake after dinner that night.

The key with both of those is not to go crazy.

Always remember your goals.

Always remember why you made the decision to improve your lifestyle (weight loss, health, etc.).

Keep those thoughts and goals in the front of your mind at all times and listen to the little angel on your shoulder while kicking the devil on the other shoulder to the curb.

Remember that the weekend makes up nearly ½ of the month and can either make or break your goals – and how long you keep your results once achieved.

Talk soon!

P.S. – The latest issue of Fit Parent Force Monthly is finished and ready for your reading/working pleasure! The big article this month is on the “stress-hormone” cortisol and the workouts are called “Arms Attack.” Good times to be had by all!

If you’re a client, head to –> http://fitparentforce.com/fpf-monthly-june-2011/ to get your hands on this month’s issue.

If you’re not a member of FPF Monthly head to –> http://thefitdadsays.com/fit-parent-force-monthly/ to become a member today!

Comments

Quick and Easy Bodyweight Workout

By Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' · Comments

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

Ready for an AWESOME Bodyweight Workout?!

There are certain aspects of workouts that I love…

…and others that I absolutely hate.

For instance, I hate running. I hate it with a passion. Okay, that’s overstating. I don’t hate it with a passion, but I do greatly dislike running. If it were on Facebook, I would ‘unlike’ it – if that were possible….ah scratch that, I actually do hate running.

I also don’t like silly workouts. Dancing, doing 50,000 reps of one exercise, doing one exercise for an entire song (I’ve heard of classes where people do triceps extensions for 3 minutes!!!), saying that an ancient cannon ball with a handle is the best dad-gum thing since sliced bread (for the record, I do like kettle bells…but they’re just a tool in a quality workout)…none of those sit well with me.

You know what I love?

Short and sweet workouts.

Workouts that respect yours and my time.

Workouts that seem to say “Hey there kind and jovial person, I like you and want you to get some fine and dandy results, but that still let you get on with your day, spend more time with the kiddos and kick it (that’s relax for the un-hip).”

Those workouts are my homeboy (or homegirl depending upon your point of view).

Want to know one of my all-time favorite bodyweight workouts?

It only involves 2 exercises and it’s pretty dang sweet.

Quick and Easy Bodyweight Workout

Comments

Easy Weight Loss Food Swaps

By Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' · Comments

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

Howdy! What’s going on in your world this fine and dandy day?

Have you ever picked something up to eat – whether a snack or for use in a meal – and wondered if it was really and truly healthy or whether it was truly a weight loss food?

Maybe you eat those dreadful 100-calorie snack packs and have thought “Maybe this isn’t as good as they make it sound.” (which is true)

Maybe you like yogurt, but wonder if some of them are glorified candy bars (which some are).

Or maybe you’re just confused and need some ideas on what to eat

*To help answer those questions, here are 3 easy weight loss food swaps***

Comments

Exercise Swaps To Take Your Abs Workout To The Next Level

By Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' · Comments

Friday, April 29th, 2011

Hey hey!

What’s going on in your world? Things are rockin’ and rollin’ over here.

abs workout to increase weight loss results

Johnny Utah loves abs workouts!

On a side note, every time I say “rockin’ and rollin’” I think of the movie “Point Break” with Keanu Reeves and the late, great Patrick Swayze about bank robbing surfers.

Okay, back to reality.

I want to give you a few Abs Workout “Exercise Swaps” today.

What are Exercise Swaps? They’re exercises you swap out for ones that are too easy, or for ones that are worthless.

When I create workouts, whether an abs workout specifically or full-body training programs, I like to operate under the assumption you don’t have much free time to spend working out and that working out isn’t the most fun thing in the world for you.

That then leads me to create short and sweet workouts for you to do from home that give you the most bang for your buck.

So, let’s get on with the stomach exercise swaps to help you lose fat and get strong!

1) Replace any and all triceps and shoulder isolation movements like kickbacks, overhead extensions, lateral raises, etc. with some variation of the push-up.

I could give you dozens of different push-up variations all focusing on different areas, and we do all of them in my studio, so why not give a few to you too.

One of my favorites is the T Push-up.

To do it, get into a normal push-up position, but as you raise yourself up, bring one hand off the floor and rotate yourself until your body looks like a sideways “T” with one hand on the floor and the other pointing toward the ceiling.

It may sound difficult, and it is, but it can be adapted to many different fitness levels.
If you’re a beginner, only do a ½ T – you don’t rotate all the way.

If you can do the full T, but are a bit wobbly, increase the width between your feet – the wider your stance, the stronger your base and the easier it’ll be…

On the flip side, the closer your feet, the more difficult the exercise because you’ll have to work harder to balance yourself.

Do a few sets of 10-12 of those puppies and, if done properly, not only will your triceps and shoulders be singing, but your core should too.

The next abs workout exercise swap is…

2) Replace any type of crunch variation with Burpee.

“What’s that you say? Burpees? Hell no!!”

Hell yes!

While at first blush, burpees may not sound like a good abs exercise, or a good exercise at all, but they are phenomenal.

When it comes right down to it, the best abs exercises are the ones that burn the most calories, which make you burn more fat. That’s the reason you want a flatter stomach right? Remove the layer of fat and it looks better. Tone the muscles and it looks even better.

The burpee not only burns a ton of calories, but it also “works” the abs to the max – better than 50,000 crunches could ever do (plus it saves your back).

Rather than telling you how to do a burpee, it’s much easier to show you. In the video below I do burpees as a part of the workout, so give it a watch (and give the workout a try).