Learn the 10 Steps Towards A Successful Body Transformation

Click on the Blog Talk Radio Logo to Hear the 10 Steps Towards a Successful Body Transformation

Stephen Adele

Editor-In-Chief

RealSolutions Magazine
www.realsolutionsmag.com
CEO - iSatori Technologies

I know we’ve all seen the ads in the magazines. The “Before” and “After” pictures of someone who has transformed their body. True, most of the people in the ads are professional body builders or fitness/figure competitors whose “before” photos are taken in what is known as the “off-season” when they purposely put on weight and the “after” picture is taken just prior to their competition. Well, what about those of us “real” people? You know, the person you see every day who wants to lose weight, look better and feel better?

Once upon a time ago, I was that person and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be a real life transformation success story, let alone someone whose story was featured in magazines. My before and after pictures are me and they are real. There’s no air brushing, photo shopping, etc. to my pictures.

To talk about the subject of How to Achieve a Successful Body Transformation, I interviewed
Stephen Adele, Editor in Chief of Real Solutions Magazine and co-author of the Lean System Success Plan and Maximum Growth, Volume II, and is also the CEO of the prestigious supplement manufacturer, iSatori Technologies. Stephen been helping individuals from all walks of life create measurable results in their physiques and performance over the last 15 years and has rapidly become a respected authority. He has published numerous articles for magazines around the world, been quoted in several trade publications, appeared on radio shows, conducted seminars around the globe.

Stephen shared all the secrets you need to know about how YOU can be a real life transformation success story and CREATE your best body. Stephen revealed his 10-step plan for surefire success that literally ANYONE can follow, whether you're young, older or 10 or 100 lbs out of shape! His principles overcome the roadblocks that can prevent you from reaching your goals.

I can tell you first hand that building a body that is fit, healthy, and tone takes commitment and doesn’t happen over night. Many people are in a constant battle of the bulge and too often they will start and stop a program and not achieve results. No one said it was an easy process, but one that anyone can achieve with the right tools. I would also like to take this opportunity to say that you are never too old to do this and I am a true believer and living example that living a fit and healthy lifestyle, and I stress the word LIFESTYLE, where you are consistent with eating healthy meals and incorporating strength training in your exercise program truly is the fountain of youth.

Stephen presented the 10 most common mistakes people make when to achieve to a successful physical body transformation and how to avoid or overcome them.

According to Stephen, 85% of Americans are displeased with the aesthetics of their physique, 50-60% are on some kind of diet, 90% of these people will not succeed. This leaves us with a small group who will succeed who do want to do this the right way and make this a long term lifestyle change.

10 Steps Towards a Transformation

Stephen suggests that you start by rating yourself, like a report card.

A - Read a book, specific goal, reasons, committed, eating 5/6 meals a day, weights 3/week, cardio 3/week; attracted help and support, and I am tracking progress.

B - Loosely defined goal, reasons, committed, eating 3/4 meals a day, weights 1/2 week, cardio 1/2 week, attracted help but not tracking progress.

C - Goal in mind, but not written out, no reasons, semi-committed, eat whenever I can find time, weights & cardio about once a week.

D - No goal, no reasons, not very committed, not paying attention to eating, nor am I working out.

In order to achieve a successful transformation, you need to overcome some obstacles. Stephen lists the 10 most common obstacles people encounter and how to overcome them.

#1 Using the scale to judge your progress.

The scale lies. Body composition is where it’s at. Lean Body Mass vs. Body Fat. Take pictures of yourself every 4 weeks and take visual ques from your clothes.


#2 Comparing yourself to others.

- Competition is between you and your past habits
- Every body is unique!
- Slow start, faster finish; versus fast start, slower finish
- Depends on how much fat you began with
- 2 to 4 lbs of fat per week is a good, safe goal


#3 How Do I Eat 5-6 Meals a Day?

- Carelessness, when it comes to eating,is the #1 obstacle to building a healthy, strong body
- Plan and prepare meals in advance; weekly
- Use MRP/protein shakes (and limited nutrition bars)
- Important to feed your body consistently in order to rev up metabolism to burn more fat!

I think that this hits home with most people. I think the one area most people get “stuck” is with their diet, but with anything else, if you are proactive about your diet as well as your workouts, meaning, you have a “game plan” every day knowing what your meals are for the day and walking into the gym with a plan, it takes away a lot of the guess work and frustration. I have a routine that I go through every single week where I pre-cook my meals for the week no matter what is happening. This has been one of my biggest keys to success. It really isn’t that big a deal and not as hard and as complicated as people think.

#4 How do I put a healthy meal together?

- Start with protein (Remember to eat 1 gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight. E.g.,
180 person would eat 180 grams protein / 6 meals a day = 30 grams each meal)
- Keep portion sizes to the palm of your hand
- Take the guesswork out of it --Use a Meal replacement shake
- Eating out –order what you want, how you want it!
- Fast food –pick your food apart

If you have the ingredients on hand and most of your items pre-cooked, putting together a healthy meal is a snap! A lot of people ask how I am able to throw those meals together on a daily basis throughout the day and it’s all because I’ve planned ahead.

#5 If I work out more, will I get better results?

- Yes, and No. More is not always better…
- Higher chances of:
Overtraining
“Burn-out”
Injury
- Stick to your Plan!
- Resistance training with weights –3 /week
- Cardio exercise –3 /week
- Free workout planner: p. 69 in Lean System; Or visit RealSolutionsMag.com. Click on the free stuff icon

Working out too much was one of the mistakes I was making in the beginning. Not only was I over training, but I wasn’t consuming ENOUGH calories or the RIGHT calories.

#6 My schedule doesn’t allow me to work out.

- Is it important to you?
- What is your specific S.M.A.R.T. goal?

S.M.A.R.T. Goal:“I am in the process of losing 10 lbs of bodyfat, and gaining 5 lbs of muscle, by March 30, 2006, by eating six nutritious, balanced meals a day and working out at least three times per week.”
- What will that feel and look like when you achieve it?
- What are your reasons?
- Create time; schedule an appointment with yourself EVERY day!

If I had a dollar every time someone said that to me…. The simple truth is that you make time for the things you want to make time for and that are important to you. That goes back to a topic I have spoken about several times in past shows “resistance”. You make all the “why not” excuses. If you go back to what I said about walking into the gym with a game plan, and stay focused on doing your workouts, you will find that you can be in and out in about an hour. Surely you can set aside an hour of your time at day.

#7 Do I need to take Supplements?

No. But…Supplements can used as an excellent “tool”to help you achieve your results easier and faster

1. Convenience(e.g., Meal replacement)
2. Results(e.g., Lean System 7 for Burning more fat; CE-XL for Building muscle)
3. Health Insurance(e.g., a multi-vitamin)

A few of my clients have used or are currently using some of your products which has made a difference in their workouts. I know with me, personally, my physique would not have taken the shape it has without your products and I know this will surprise a lot of people but yes, I do use the muscle building supplements that are marketed to men and no, I am by no means big and bulky. At the age of 45, I honestly feel that these products will help keep me shapely, lean and tone as I age and I also feel that the muscle building products will help me preserve bone density as muscle does help build and preserve bone density.

#8 How Do I Workout Considering My Injuries?

- Do what you can
- Exercise “around” the injury
- Don’t do exercises that cause sharp or nagging pains
- Read/ask Dr. Sanchez in Real SOLUTIONS
- Visit your primary physician –check it out!

# 9 If I Slip Up, should I just throw it all away?

- Absolutely Not! We all mess up.
- Quickly assess how the slip-up happened (hint: it’s usually eating poorly or lack of planning)
- Pick up right where you left off
- Don’t let mistakes, obstacles or slip-ups get in the way of your dreams

With the “slip up”, think of it as having had your cheat meal. You know you had gone off the plan, treat it like a cheat meal, and be determined to not allow it to deter you. We all have our “moments”. Even the pros. You put it behind you and move forward. As long as you remain consistent with your diet and workouts, and keep the slip ups to a minimum, they won’t be as damaging. Sometimes, a slip up can actually re-ignite your metabolism. Keep a positive mindset.

#10 What is YOUR Roadblock?

Are you ready to make a transformation and lead a healthy, physically fit lifestyle?
- Make a Decision
- Plan & Prepare
- Tell Others Around You
- Track Your Progress
- Celebrate Your Accomplishment!


There are so many resources out there to help get you past your roadblocks. The message board at RealSolutions Magazine is a great resource for support. I have had discussions on this topic with previous guests. Hiring a coach to help you be accountable is another way.
For further information on iSatori Products such as Eat Smart, H+Blocker, MORPH, and Real Solutions magazine, click on the banner below:

Throughout the interview, Stephen had made reference to this book by Harley Pasternak:

Your Burning Nutrition Questions.....ANSWERED!!!

Your Burning Nutrition Questions.....ANSWERED!!!

click on the blog talk radio logo to hear my interview with Marie Spano

Marie Spano
Sports Nutritionist
http://www.mariespano.com/

The ONE topic most people have questions about is nutrition. Yes, it is VERY confusing. How do you know what’s good for you, what’s not good for you, how much is too much, or not enough? There’s always some new diet craze going on and which one should you choose? Low Carb diets, low fat, no fat, etc. There are foods that are advertised as being healthy but really aren’t.

I interviewed Marie Spano and asked her to answer the most commonly asked nutrition questions. Marie Spano, is an M.S., RD, FISSN, who holds a B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and an M.S. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Georgia. She is also the current VP of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Protein/Meal Replacement Bars
The one topic that garners the most questions is nutrition. It can be such a minefield of conflicting information and makes it hard for someone to separate fact from fiction. Take for instance, protein bars/meal replacement bars. They are everywhere. I don’t advise my clients not to make a habit of eating them. On the rare occasion I have one, I feel bloated and horrible for hours on end after eating one. Marie had recently made a comment in one of her articles about IBD in which she referred to The South Beach Living Bar. “One South Beach Living bar full of sugar alcohols and I'd qualify for IBS if I could even make it out of the house to see the physician.” Here’s a great example of something that is marketed as being good and healthy for you and really isn’t. A lot of those bars are full of sugar alcohols which can be worse than sugar. I asked Marie to give me the low down on sugar alcholos.

Sugar Alcohols are in a lot of “Low Carb” foods. They are a type of carbohydrate that is not fully digested in the gastro intestinal track. According to Marie, the healthy bacteria that lives in the stomach feeds off sugar alcohol and this is where the gas, bloating and stomach distention comes in. When buying bars, check the ingredients for sugar alcohols or make sure there’s only a few grams in them. You want to find a bar that is high in protein and contains no more than 5 grams or no sugar alcohols. Marie recommends VPX Bars.

VPX Zero Impact Bars, Box Of 12, Chocolate Peanut Butter

Products that are labeled low carb will be higher in other ingredients to help make it more palatable such as sodium, hidden fats or sugar alcohols. It’s always best to read the labels but your best rule of thumb is to stick to whole real grains such as 100% whole wheat tortilla wraps, breads, pasta, etc. rather than purchasing the low carb version.

Caloric Intake
A common mistake people make is that they tend to not eat the RIGHT calories let alone ENOUGH calories. People are afraid to eat, i.e, we were programmed that if you want to lose weight, keep your mouth shut, or people get so busy that they forget to eat. What happens is that your body stores fat instead of burning fat and you wind up reaching for the wrong foods. How does a person know how many calories they should be eating to make sure they are consuming enough calories throughout the day? Marie recommends the Harris Benedict Equation. My simple recommendation is to take your body weight x 12 divided by 6 for progressive fat loss. This formula will tell you approximately how many calories per day you should be consuming and how many calories per meal (6 meals per day). There are also several nutritional sites which can help you track your meals and caloric intake. Marie has The Daily Plate as a recommended site http://www.thedailyplate.com/.

Children and Nutrition
With regard to children, a lot of them are diagnosed with ADD and other “behavioral” type problems. The American diet is pitiful and children are exposed to way too much sugar in their diet with soft drinks, fruit juices, sugary snacks, sugary breakfasts such as Pop Tarts and Fruit Loops Cereal and the list goes on and on. Knowing what these foods do to the insulin levels of adults, imagine what they do to children. I asked Marie if what a lot of what children are being fed is causing behavioral problems and what food alternatives do you suggest a parent can shop for that their children will like and is quick, easy and convenient? There are studies showing that some foods can increase behavioral problems in some children. Some great grab and go snacks that parents can buy for kids are string cheese, whole grain crackers (provided they are sugar free and contain no trans fats), baby carrots, fruit (seedless grapes are great!) bottled water, and now, products such as Silk Soy Milk and other milk products come in small shelf stable packaging which is a great alternative so the sugary juice boxes.

Nutrition over 40
As we age, our metabolism slows down, our digestive systems become more sensitive, our bones become more brittle and we lose bone density. Another part of the aging process is that we lose muscle mass and there tends to be a decrease in fitness activities. For those over the age of 40, what adjustments, if any, should be made to diet? Are there more foods we should be eating and less of other types of food? Marie and I both recommend that you should be engaging in an exercise program that does include strength training/weight bearing exercises to protect your lean muscle and bone density. You diet should contain lean protein sources such as egg whites, fatty fish high in Omega 3 or Fish Oil Supplements, chicken, whey or soy protein and foods rich in Calcium and Vitamin D.

Snacks before bed
It’s OK to have a snack before bed, however, you don’t want to eat a full meal and then go to bed an hour later. Recommended night time snacks would be a whey or soy protein shake, low fat/low sugar yogurt, low fat cottage cheese or cereal that contains no or low sugar and partially hydrogenated oils.


If you would like more information on this topic, Marie and I recommend the following books:

Your Health, Fitness and The Laws of Attraction

Your Health, Fitness and the Law of Attraction

Click on the Blog Talk Radio Logo to listen to the interview

Bob Doyle
Creator & Facilitator of the
Wealth Beyond Reason Program
Featured Teacher in the Movie “The Secret”
People are under a lot of stress these days and are not sleeping well, they are smoking and drinking more, eating more, and exercising less. They feel as if life is spiraling out of control.

The world is a crazy place and we are all being inundated with negativity these days through the media. Every day all you hear about is the economic crisis, job layoffs, government bailouts of huge corporations, rising gas prices, and home foreclosures. Perhaps you may or may not be one of the hundreds of thousands of people affected by these events. The news and the current times are scary, depressing and stressful and these events can put you as an individual into a negative vibration where you will be attracting negativity into your life.

I interviewed Mr. Bob Doyle, who is the creator and facilitator of the Wealth Beyond Reason Program. The Wealth Beyond Reason program is an in-depth, on line curriculum of the Law of Attraction. His work gained the attention of the producer's of the movie "The Secret" which has touched millions of lives around the world, and continues to do so with it's message of the Law of Attraction.

Bob is a veteran broadcaster, and had also spent some time in the fitness industry, but is better known for his real passion, the Law of Attraction, and helping people to realize its full potential in their lives, no matter what their starting point or current beliefs may be. I spoke to Bob about the Laws of Attraction and how it comes into play with health, fitness and wellness.

For those who have never heard of the movie “The Secret” and are not aware of what The Laws of Attraction are, I asked Bob to give an explanation of what it is. “The Law of Attraction explains how energy works. We are energy made up of atoms and electrons that are in the Universe and there are certain rules that energy follow and energy follows the Law of Attraction. Energy vibrates at a certain frequency and we as humans are vibrating at a frequency. When we are in resonance with another vibration, we attract it. With regard to the study of the Law of Attraction, it’s all about how we get into vibrational resonance with the things we want such as money, cars, health, fitness, relationships, careers, etc. Essentially, we are attracting all aspects of our life and that includes health and fitness.”

You really need to get “clear” and let go of all limiting beliefs which causes resistance. Your Temple, the precious human body, and it’s health, fitness and wellness is at the core or center of getting clear within yourself of what your passion and or purpose is. If your health, fitness and wellness are not up to par, it becomes difficult to get “clear” of what it is you want and attract the things you want.

Poor health or self image makes it hard to feel positive about things because you feel so bad physically and emotionally. If you are lethargic all the time, feeling unmotivated or unproductive because your energy levels are low, it makes it hard to focus and concentrate on the things you really want. If you look at yourself in the mirror and are not happy with the image you see, it affects your self-confidence making you feel you are unworthy of things. Your mind is cluttered with negativity.

Exercise releases “endorphins” which is a chemical in the brain that is responsible for putting you in a positive mood. It’s almost as if you’ve taken a “happy” pill. Another chemical that is released from exercise is Serotonin which helps combat depression.

Shifting your mindset
One of the keys to weight loss is your mindset. If you use the concept of the Laws of Attraction and shift your vibration, you will have much better weight loss success. Remember, mind and body connect. If you can see it in your mind and feel it emotionally, you will BE the person you want to be.

According to Bob, “This is where we get into the visualization mindset of the Laws of Attraction. If you visualize yourself as a healthy, fit, person, you WILL BECOME that person. If you stay stuck in the mindset and see yourself as a fat person who will never be thin, “this is the way I am, this is the way it has been and this is the way it will always be”, then that’s the way you will be. “When you have that mindset and you have that thought process over and over again, it can transcend whatever action you take, and according to the Law of Attraction, that is what you are going to attract more of. Even if you go to the gym every day and improve your diet and keep telling yourself “I don’t deserve to be thin, fit. I’m fat, blah, blah, blah, that is going to be your reality because you are RESISTING a fit, tone, healthy, body. You can’t get into vibrational resonance with health if your inner conversation with yourself is “It’s too hard, I don’t deserve it, etc.” When you change your inner conversation, you’ll logically start marking different choices and migrate to better foods and want to exercise more.”

The foods you eat can impact the way you feel. Foods that are processed and are high in sodium and fats can make you feel sluggish and bloated or can cause heartburn or indigestion in some cases turning us into “couch potatoes”. When you start to feel bad physically, in turn, you feel bad emotionally and mentally, which again, does not put you in a positive frequency. There are simple things you can do such as reaching for an apple instead of chips.

Getting started isn’t easy, but once you get started, you’ll start to feel better. You’re not going to see results overnight, but mentally you will start to feel better and if you are feeling better mentally, that will put you in a positive vibration. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated. The simple act of getting outside and walking or running is a good starting point or doing simple bodyweight exercises that require no equipment. I know when I’m exercising, it’s almost like a form of meditation for me and I start getting inspired thought which gets me clear and focused on what I want.

When you start feeling better physically and emotionally, you start to feel better mentally. You are more confident, happy, energetic, and people are drawn to that “feel good” energy. You are able to get “clear” of the things you really want making it easier to attract the things you want through the people you interact with and take inspired action. Aaahhhh, inspired action. How refreshing. Actually doing something about what you want as opposed to just talking about it. Not living your life as a “what if”. And it all started with something as simple as taking care of YOUR Temple, your precious human body.

Here are some links and information about Bob Doyle, The Law of Attraction, and some of the programs and products he offers.

The Boundless Living Challenge is one of the biggest success stories, changing more lives in a concentrated time than any other undertaking - and it's FREE to participate in!!!! Click here to view the video about it.

To learn more about the infamous Wealth Beyond Reason program, click here to view the video about it.


There are so many Law of Attraction DVD's out there. I really like Bob's. It's so honest and raw. Bob talks about his family, his experiences and his life and how using the Law of Attraction changed his life and how it can change yours.

Your Spine - The Center of Your Temple

Your Spine - The Center of Your Temple

Dr. Terresa Hwang, DC
Choice Chiropractic and Wellness, Inc.
3400 McClure Bridge Road
Duluth, GA 30096
678-205-2313
http://www.choice-chiropractic.com/


I interviewed Dr. Terresa Hwang, Doctor of Chiropractic about the benefits of Chiropractic care and to also dispel all the common myths and misconceptions of Chiropractors in general.

Dr. Hwang began her undergraduate studies at University of Washington in Seattle, Washington and continued her chiropractic studies at Life University in Marietta, Georgia where she received her Doctor of Chiropractic degree and has been serving the community of Duluth, GA since 2002.There are so many myths and misconceptions about chiropractors and chiropractic care that may prevent a person who can truly benefit from this kind of treatment from seeking it. Statements such as “chiropractors are nothing but a bunch of quacks,” and “Once you go in for treatment you’re a patient for life.”

The first step in overcoming the “quack” stigma is to make sure that the doctor you seek treatment from is a reputable doctor. How should someone go about trying to find a good, reputable chiropractor? What Dr. Hwang recommends is that you get a referral from a friend, co-worker or family. Have a consultation with the doctor and ask questions. You can also find out through your State if your Chiropractor is Board Certified.

Getting a good understanding of what a Chiropractor does should help ease any fears about seeking treatment from one. A Chiropractor finds misalignments in the body that is causing pinched nerves and makes the adjustment in the spine to take the pressure off the nerve. The medical terminology for this is called a subluxation. Some of the common symptoms are neck pain, low back pain, headaches, sciatica or shooting pain. Symptoms of a pinched nerve can be inflammation, pain, swelling and limited loss of range of motion. Sometimes symptoms can be neurological from pinched nerves such as headaches that occur in the neck. The job of a Chiropractor is to find where there is nerve interference in the alignment of a joint and make an adjustment or series of adjustments.

Some people are afraid to go because of the cracking or popping and are worried that it will hurt. An adjustment is a gentle, specific "thrust" delivered by hand or instrument. The purpose of the adjustment is to correct your spinal subluxation(s) thus removing the nerve interference in your body. Chiropractic adjustments feel great. Once you begin receiving your adjustments, you will begin to look forward to them. They will become one of the highlights of your week. When you allow the vertebrae in your spine to return to their proper position, you will notice much less stress and tension.

Things we do in daily life or through our activities cause your body to go out of alignment. For anyone who runs, jogs, does strength training, kick boxing, group exercise classes, whatever your activity of choice is, what is happening is because of the pounding on the body and the impact it has on your joints, you do throw your body out of alignment and the muscles are not lined up correctly with the spine which does cause performance issues when you run, jog, do your workouts or whatever your exercise of choice is. If this goes on for a long period of time without being looked at, all of a sudden you wake up one day wondering why your shoulder or back hurts which is why chiropractic care is so important.

An ignored injury can become a compensatory injury if you had not had chiropractic treatment. If you have been experiencing any sort of discomfort for more than two weeks and have been ignoring it thinking it will go away on it’s own, think again. For example, low back pain can be a biomechanical misalignment which can be corrected shouldn’t be ignored. If untreated, it can become a compensatory injury and potentially cause knee, hip, or ankle problems.

Chiropractic treatment is not just for neck or back pain. It’s great for headaches, allergies, TMJ, and Sinus issues. There are hundreds of nerves throughout the body which can cause pinching or stress. When there is stress in the body, the body causes stress hormones to be released and these stress hormones can cause a lot of health functions/symptoms such as insomnia, hormone imbalances, and thyroid problems just to name a few.

People think that once they seek chiropractic care, they are going to be a patient for life. Once you’ve had your specific issue healed, it is recommended that you go back periodically to keep your spine healthy and aligned, much like bringing your care to a mechanic for routine maintenance like an oil change or alignment.

Chiropractic Care is for children. According to Dr. Hwang, it’s never too early for a spinal analysis. The birthing process is traumatic with the twisting of the spine. A very soft and undeveloped spine of an infant can suffer trauma during delivery. It is estimated that as much as 80lbs of pulling pressure can be exerted to remove a baby from the birth canal. Spinal issues in children can cause nervous system deficiencies. Most common childhood symptoms are ear aches, ear infections and childhood asthma. OSHA estimates a child receives 1000 traumas to the body by the age of 7. Children receive thousands of trauma to the body. As children grow up and become more adventurous, the number of injuries to their spines becomes countless. Repeated falls as children learn to walk, regular childhood play which involve running, jumping twisting, bumping and falling all over the place while playing in the yard or on an athletic field will cause misalignment along with carrying heavy back packs in school. Children tend to not show any signs or symptoms of misalignment until later on in life

Chiropractic Care is a must for Seniors. As we age, our health should become more and more of a priority. Chiropractic care does benefit us as we age as part of keeping our bodies healthy and repetitive motions we have been doing in daily life over the years catches up with us as we get older. Chiropractic treatment should be part of your preventative care by keeping small issues from turning into big issues. As we age, we do lose bone density and weight bearing exercise helps to slow down the degeneration of bone density. Along with bone density, as we get older, our range of motion and sense of balance deteriorates as well. Chiropractic care can lessen these effects.

To learn more about keeping your spine healthy and managing back pain, the following books are recommend.




Click here to listen to my Blog Talk Radio Interview with Dr. Hwang