How Dr. Todd Miller got his sexy back

This following post is from Dr. Todd Miller who is a professor of Exercise Science at George Washington University Medical Center.  He joined Advocare's Science and Medical Advisory in early 2011 and decided to put the products to the test.  Along with his regular exercise routine and eating healthy, he add a supplement regimen of products in the wellness, trim and sports performance line.  He went from 19% body fat 9%, 18lb fat loss and 9lb muscle gain in 20 weeks which is very impressive.  You can see the results very clearly in the picture below...

As promised to many of you, this is the workout / diet / supplement routine that I follow. There are a million different ways to reach a goal, so please understand that is what I do, and not necessarily what I would recommend for everyone. Also, I would do something like this for about 3-4 months, and then completely change the Exercise, Frequency, and Intensity, so this is really only a snapshot of my yearly plan.

Exercises: 2 chest, 2 shoulder, 2 back, 2-3 leg, 1 abdominal
Frequency: M, W, F
Intensity: 4 sets of 10 reps to failure on all sets (including abdominal)
Cardio: 1-2 days per week for 60 minutes, preferably some type of interval training. I do high intensity interval spinning, as does Heather. I personally believe that cardio is the least important component of the program, so don’t feel bad if you get rid of it altogether.

Notes: Exercise should be multijoint movements whenever possible (e.g., a bench press is better than a chest fly). I did 2 sets per exercise while Heather does 1. I can’t stress enough the importance of recording your reps and weights. Yes, this means you have to carry around a notebook or something. If you don’t do this, I promise you your results will not be maximized. Always attempt to beat or at least match your loads and reps from the last workout. This is the only way to guarantee progress.

When you exceed your 10 rep goal, increase the load- 5 lbs for upper body exercises, 10 pounds for lower body exercises.

Change all of your exercises every 4-8 weeks. You will notice a plateau in strength, and at that time, change the exercises.

Notes on Diet:

For the sake of simplicity, I consume 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, and try to keep my caloric intake around 2500-2600. However, I don’t count any vegetables or fruit toward my caloric intake (too much trouble), but I eat a lot of them. Avoid processed and high glycemic index carbs. This does not mean you’re on a low carb diet. You can calculate your caloric need by using the Harris Benedict Equation, found here: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

You can also track your food intake (if you want to) using www.fatsecret.com This is an easy way to track protein and calories. Download the phone app so you can scan barcodes and search popular restaurant menus.

Advocare Supplement regimen:
Wake up and drink a Spark, take MNS yellow pack and 5 catalyst
30 minutes later have a Meal Replacement Shake and 2 MNS white packs
Preworkout: Muscle Fuel and Muscle Strength (also make sure you’ve eaten some protein within the hour prior to working out)
Postworkout: Post Workout Recovery (Immediately)
Pre lunch: MNS yellow pack
Mid afternoon: Spark & 5 Catalyst
Hour before dinner: Slim

I’ll also throw some other things in there from time to time (muscle gain, mass impact), but the list above is the stuff I won’t go without.

"I am deeply impressed with the devotion to excellence and the strong commitment to health awareness and education that defines AdvoCare. This guarantees that the nutritional needs of athletes and non-athletes are met safely."


GET WHAT DR. TODD MILLER USES FOR SUPPLEMENTS AT WWW.REPADVOCARE.COM

PUMPKIN POWER PANCAKES!

POWER PANCAKES

~1 cup oats (non-instant)

~1 cup egg whites or 3 eggs

~1 Vanilla Meal Replacement Shake OR 2 Scoops of Vanilla Muscle Gain

~ 1/8-1/4 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk (water also works)

~ 1/2 cup of Pumpkin puree

~ a little vanilla extract for more flavor

yields - 2-3 big pancakes, approx 20-25 grams of protein per pancake

Poured about half into skillet and sprinkled some cinnamon on top. You can spread almond butter, peanut butter, apple butter (shown) and/or drizzle honey or agave nectar over it for more YUMMMMM!

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

~Coach Robyn

FUEL UP Morning Exercisers!

If any of you have worked with me for any extended period of time, especially in the morning camps, you have heard me talk about how you MUST eat something before coming to the workout (even just a small amount).  You have also heard me ask many people….”have you eaten breakfast?” and then subsequently get on my soapbox after they say "no."  I understand you may not be a “morning eater” but you can certainly change that.  There is no genetic code that says that you will always feel nauseous and not be able to eat in the morning until you have been up for 2-3 hours.   If you have been ignoring your body for a long time (because I bet there was a time in your life that you WERE hungry in the morning and you just ignored it) then you need to start telling your body what’s right again. You may hate the morning protein shake, eggs, bar, toast with peanut butter, etc for a week or so but your body will adapt.  It will soon start expecting it and asking for it.  They don’t say “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” for nothing.  It is important to get some fuel in there and kickstart your metabolism right from the get-go.  What drives metabolism?  MUSCLE!  So make sure your breakfast include an adequate amount of protein (20+ grams). 

Believe me, I wasn’t always a morning eater and HATED choking down something before our 6am workouts in college.   Even though all I had was a crappy little Nutrigrain bar and my choice could have been MUCH better, at least it was something.  In hindsight, I wish I would’ve had a good quality protein shake instead like the Advocare Meal Replacement Shake or Muscle Gain.  This would have been a much better option to feed my muscles for intense exercise.

Ok, so back to the point.  You MUST eat before a morning workout and if you are still wondering why then pay attention closely.  Let’s take a random person named Ed, for example.  Say Ed eats dinner at 7pm the night before a workout.  Ed heads to bed around 10:30pm and gets up at 5:30am for a 6am workout.  He goes straight to the workout without eating anything.  He works out intensely for one hour and then waits to eat breakfast until he gets home, has had his shower and is cleaned up (another hour later).  First of all, he went 11 hours with ZERO input before his workout.  This means that he has NO fuel in his body for exercise.  If any of you have paid attention to my previous posts then you will know that the next source of energy your body uses for fuel is muscle.  So Ed’s body was breaking down muscle to use for energy as he was trying to build it. If that seems counterproductive then you are correct.  The second mistake Ed made was waiting to refuel afterwards.  Your body needs fuel to recover and rebuild after a workout.  I personally drink Post-Workout Recovery immediately after my workouts and then eat a protein-focused meal about 30-45 minutes later after my body has digested the shake and used it to start the recovery process.

If you need EVEN MORE proof that I am right (wink wink), then take this case in point.  One of my campers who has been coming for over a year brought his daughter out to camp this morning visiting from out of town.  As soon as we completed the dynamic warm-up (about 8 minutes long) and I was getting ready to explain the workout, she fell over.  I thought she had tripped on something but turns out that she blacked out momentarily.  The first emotion that goes through your head is worry but my next immediate thought, from previous knowledge, was to ask her if she ate anything before coming.  Of course, her answer was “no.”  Thankfully her Dad was there and knows how adamant I am about eating before a workout and has heard it many times before (I think he finally believes me now).  Since we had only had gone through a light warm-up at that point, there really could be no other reason (barring something more serious) than a lack of nutrition in her body.

So do you guys finally get it?!?!?  I always feel like I’m talking on deaf ears when I tell people they need to eat before a workout.  That pre-workout food is not meant for pleasure.  It serves a very distinct purpose……FUEL!

~Coach Robyn

90-Day Challenge Update - The Future is Still In Front of You...

Ok, so it’s time for me to re-visit my 90 day challenge goals.  I have to admit, my 90 day challenge is going mediocre at best.  The reason I say this is that my exercise has been OK but not as consistent as I would like.  My nutrition has also been OK.  I give myself an 8 out of 10 on most days but there have been too many 6 out of 10 days recently.  I also know that I actually ENJOY eating a 10 out of 10 lifestyle (meaning nothing fried, processed, dipped in butter, packed with preservative, etc).

I have let stresses a busy schedule get in the way and have caught myself eating out more than I’d like.  So I would say I have been “convenience” eating.  I know exactly when it’s happening and there isn’t a lot I can do at the moment when I’m starving and I’m out and about.  My decisions become limited to what’s around me when I am in that situation (do you feel this happening to you a lot as well?).  So the lesson learned here is PREPARATION.  When I have properly prepared myself with a container of left-overs, healthy grab-and-go snacks like nuts then I can feed my muscles, keep my metabolism up and hold off hunger until I can make a better and non-rushed decision on what food I will eat.  So again, being prepared is so important.

One other point I would like to make is about motivation and analytical measurement.   When I say measurement, I mean anything from stepping on the scale and getting your weight, doing your body fat % or taking circumference measurements.  I am going to do some measurements this week to see where I’m at even though I would guess they aren’t where I want them to be.  Taking measurement and seeing where I am, extremely motivates me. This is because I know it’s in my power to improve.  The numbers does not drive me by any means but I look at it with an athlete’s perseverance and mentality.  If I make an error or mess up, the game isn’t over.  I need to pick myself up and get back in the game.  A perfect example is the MVP of the World Series this year, Brian Freese.  He made a crucial error in game 7 by dropping a fly ball early on.  He could have hung his head, pouted and thought “man, I messed this up for my team.”  But he didn’t.  He got right back in there, didn’t let the past affect his future and hit the game-winning homerun.  He chose his own fate. You can choose yours as well.

Measuring, however, can be de-motivating to some people.  If you think that taking your measurements will cause you to be upset, cloud your goals and vision of what you are trying to accomplish……..then DON’T DO IT!  You need to know yourself on this one and you know yourself best. 

If you’ve made mistakes and aren’t happy with where you are at right now, don’t feel bad or hang your head.  Your future is ahead of you and you are in control.  If it is a lack of knowledge and you just don’t KNOW what to do next or what goals you should have then seek counsel.  We would be happy to answer any of your questions at Boot Camp U whether it’s about exercise, nutrition, motivation, energy, goal setting, etc.  Just talk to your trainer or ask me by emailing robyn@bootcampUaustin.com.  My passion is helping people realize a healthy lifestyle of activity and proper nutrition…..so FIRE AWAY!

~Coach Robyn

Do diets "work??"

Ok, I must rant a little on diets.  Do they work?  Most of them....YES!  (yes, my answer was affirmative).  Let's ask that question again in a different manner.  Do they work long term???  Most often....NO.

My point?  Well, let's take the Atkins Diet specifically.  Does it work?  Well, that depends on how you define the word "work."  If by work, you mean lose weight?  Then your answer is YES.  The diet is designed to put your body in to Ketosis which is when the glycogen level in your liver are depleted.  This then causes your body to to use fatty acids as an alternative form of energy (it will usually pull from the glycogen stores in your cells).  So by design, this diet does exactly what everyone seems to want.  Weight loss (more specifically fat loss).

If by "work" you mean healthy?  Then I say NO.  In my opinion, if you are not going to do something long term....why do it?  Should you do the Atkins long term?  Absolutely not (again, in my opinion).  Your body NEEDS carbohydrates and the Atkins diet has been shown to put a lot of stress on your liver.  One of my grad school professors used to always say "fat burns in a carbohydrate flame."  You need carbohydrates to burn fats healthily.

To further my point, I have a client that is currently doing the Atkins diet (not by my recommendation) because he's done it before and it "worked."  Not sure how long ago it was he did it but he has since put the weight back on and is using it again to lose weight.  Since he started, he has done about half as much during the workout as he used to.  Constantly stops to catch his breath.  Is dizzy and needs breaks often. That should be a sign right there.

The other point I'd like to talk about with weight loss is....what KIND of weight are you losing.  Not all weight is created equal.  Remember, your body has lean muscles mass weight, bone weight along with fat weight.  Some weight loss diets (especially very restrictive ones) cause you to lose a little of the "right " kind of weight (fat) along with some of the wrong kind of weight too (muscle).  There is almost never a case in which you want to lose lean muscle mass.  And if your diet is restrictive, doesn't include enough protein and you aren't eating the proper amounts often enough, your body will break down your muscle to use for energy. Not good.

You wanna know what diet works?  ......ALL the time, for the rest of your life, and provides the right amount of fuel for activity and exercise?!?!?!  A "diet" that focuses on eating the right things to keep your metabolism up.  That is the healthiest way to burn fat.  You should shoot for a complete and balanced diet in that is protein-focused (but still includes good carbs) which your body gets the right amounts of vitamins and nutrients from clean foods.  These foods should be unprocessed, not packed with preservatives and as close to their natural form as possible.  If you are not getting a complete amount of vitamins and nutrients from these foods, then add supplementation to fill in the gaps (and by supplements, we means vitamins, nutrients and protein....not fat loss pills).

Do you guys have any thoughts on this?  I know there are differing opinions and even research showing both sides of the story.  This is just my opinion.

~Coach Robyn

90 Day Challenge - Coach Robyn's Goals

You know, I was thinking about this yesterday as I commenced my 90 day fitness and nutrition challenge.  Most people go into the last 2-3 months of the year with the mindset of just "letting go" until January 1st.  Most people do not have the mindset of creating new goals, staying on top of their workout routine (or maybe even increasing it), not falling into the trap of over indulging at holiday parties, etc as we get to the latter part of the year.  Well, it really comes down to the fact that your body NEVER takes a holiday.  It still requires the same love and attention (aka nutrition and exercise) that it did on January 1st, the same attention that it did when you decided you wanted to look good in a bikini for summer and the same attention it needs when you committed to being a healthy example for your kids or others around you.  It dawned on me today how strange it may be to set out to achieve quite possibly the most lofty physical goals I have set out to achieve for myself since the days of being a college athlete.  Which is funny because even then I didn't really create my own goals.  I just worked hard at the goals set out for me by my coaches and training staff. So now I'm on my own to fend for myself.  The owner of a fitness business who has admittedly not been on top of her workout routine (at least on regular basis) since starting Boot Camp U Austin.  This may surprise you for many reasons but most people are surprised because of one main reason......I look no different today than I did two years ago.  Well, the reason for this is that I have stayed on top of, and even improved on, my nutrition.  I have continually cleaned up my diet over the past two years and in the past year's time, have added Advocare supplements to my nutrition routine.

Having said all this, I am still not satisfied.  Not with the way I look but with the way my body functions.  I have nagging knee issues that, I believe, are a direct results of my lack of regular strength training in the past 2 years.  I just don't feel functionally strong for what I do and for what I know my body is capable of.  It's time to change.

This is one of the reasons that Coach Kim Kravanya and I have decided to take on this challenge.  We decided that we need to stop SAYING and TALKING about the things we want to achieve (how many of you out there find yourself saying "I should do this" or "I should do that..." over and over) and just do it!  We are putting ourselves out there to you guys in order to hold ourselves accountable, to show you that we, too, are human and to also teach you that in order to obtain your goals, you need to write them down.  And don't forget to tell others.  Write down WHY you are doing it (because if your WHY is strong enough, you will do whatever it takes) and what you will do to get there (your plan of action).

Ok, so here are my 90 day goals:
- Increase my lean muscle mass by 5-7lbs
- Decrease body fat % by 2%
- Completely clear up digestive issues
- Decrease or completely eliminate knee pain (I would like to run the Austin Half Marathon in Feb 2012)
- I will foam roam and stretch daily

How I plan to achieve this:

Exercise
-2-3 days a week of strength-training focused exercise (For me, this will mean a boot camp style workout.  The same as you do, with increasing weight as time goes on.  I will be doing the same exercises with 10, 15 and 20lb weights.)
- I will attend at least one crossfit class at (like the ones at Crossfit Texas) per week
- Run at least once per week
- I will also add some cross-training activities to my routine like Mountain biking, trail running, SUPing, kayaking, hiking and Yoga

Nutrition - Foods
- I will concentrate on a very protein-focused diet (getting at least 100 grams per day)
- Drink at least 100 oz of water daily
- Eat very clean diet that is focused on eating foods that are as close to their natural form as possible
- Reduce Dairy, Wheats, Soy, Refined Sugars (I eat very similar to Paleo)

Nutrition - Supplement Routine - using Advocare Nutrition Products
-Spark, Catalyst & Thermoplus every morning with my first MNS MAX 3 vitamin pack
- 15 minutes later a Meal Replacement Shake (24 grams of pre-digested protein and 24 grams of time-released carbs that don't spike your blood sugar)
- mid-morning snack (I shoot for about 15 grams of protein in this snack)
- Second packet of MNS MAX 3 vitamins before lunch, third and fourth packet after lunch (lunch I try to get 30-40 grams of protein)
- Another Spark and Catalyst mid-day (3:00ish)
- Muscle Gain Protein shake (25 grams protein per serving) before boot camp or PM training
- Protein focused dinner with limited carbs (mostly from veggies, shooting for 30-50 grams protein)
- After dinner, I take Omegaplex (omega 3s and 6s), Joint Promotion and Probiotic Restore
- Before bed, I take Night-time Recovery

Nutriton - Workout Supplement Routine - Using Advocare Nutrition Products
- Pre workout- Spark, Catalyst, O2 Gold and Rehydrate (I add Mass Impact if strength training, Arginine Extreme if it's a cardio workout)
- During workout - Rehydrate
- After workout - Post-Workout Recovery shake

I will also be going to see Dr. Dave Cohodes at Redline Sports Therapy so that he can make sure that my body is prepared for battle as well as recovering properly. I love going to him because he isn't focused on one body part solely.  He works on my knees when needed, sometimes my shoulders, my IT band, my calves, etc.  He treats my body as a WHOLE and since our body works synergistically, I believe that is the way it should be.

So anyway.....those are my goals and how I plan to achieve them.  Feel free to follow my journey, encourage me and ask me questions along the way to keep me on track.  YOU are the ones that inspire me to do this.  I get to see how hard you guys work day in and day out.  So thank you!

Coach Robyn and Kim's 90-Day Challenge

Hey Guys!  Coach Robyn and I are pumped to start a 90-Day Challenge to help us reach our own personal health/fitness goals.  While we may have different goals (coming soon!), we will both be using the same format to help us reach those goals.  Format = protein focused diet, exercise and Advocare nutrition supplements!  We will be updating the blog regularly to document this journey and help us stay on track. 

Follow us for the next 90 days for updates on what we are eating, the supplements we are taking, our exercise routine, plus much more! 

Measurements (9/30/11)	Robyn	Kim
Chest	34.75	32
Bust (on / below)	32.5 / 28.5	33.5 / 28.5
Waist & Indent	32 (1 “ below Belly Button)	32.25 & 26 7/8
Hips	38.5	37 7/8
Thigh (upper & mid)	20.75 (mid)	21.5 / 20
Calf	14	13 7/8
Arm (right, left)	10 / 9.75	10 5/8  & 10.5
Weight / BF %	141.8 / 18.8	140. 4  / (coming soon)

If you would like to take a 90-Day Challenge of your own, just let us know! Let’s finish 2011 and head into 2012 looking & feeling better than ever!

~Coach Kim K

POWER PANCAKES! A GREAT START TO THE DAY...

POWER PANCAKES

~1 cup oats (non-instant)

~1 cup egg whites or 3 eggs

~2 scoops of Advocare Muscle Gain or one Meal Replacement Shake (24-25 grams of protein)

~ 1/8-1/4 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk

~ a little vanilla extract for more flavor

yields - 2 big pancakes, approx 20-25 grams of protein per pancake

Poured about half into skillet and sprinkled some cinnamon on top. Then when I ate it, I put peanut butter on top (almond butter would be fabulous as well).  When you aren't on the cleanse, drizzle a little honey or agave nectar on top! 

Resolutions

res·o·lu·tion

   

[rez-uh-loo-shuhn] 

–noun

1.

a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club,or other group. 

2.

a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to dosomething.

3.

the act of resolving or determining upon an action or courseof action, method, procedure, etc.

4.

the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute;firmness of purpose.

5.

the act or process of resolving or separating into constituentor elementary parts.

6.

the resulting state.

7.

Optics . the act, process, or capability of distinguishing between two separate but adjacent objects or sources oflight or between two nearly equal wavelengths. Compareresolving power.

8.

a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem,controversy, etc.

I am 29 years old and I can't say that I've ever made a New Year's resolution in my life.  I guess I am different than most people (and no, this isn't the first time I have realized this) but I have never believed in saying things.  I believe in doing things.   Yes, words are very powerful when spoken, written, sung, etc but I am an action girl.  Don't say you are going to do something, just complete the steps you need to in order to accomplish the goal you set out to do.  Simple as that.  Being in the profession that I am, I hate to see the NY resolutions of getting in "shape" and "losing weight" result in overpacked gyms in January and ghost towns in February.  I commend these people for doing something because it's better than nothing but the major resolutions like losing weight, being healthy, getting out of debt, spending more time with family, TAKE TIME AND EFFORT!  You have to work at them.  They don't happen over night.  They don't happen because you get lucky.....they happen because you set out goals for yourself, stick with them through hard times, and continuously strived to better yourself and do what it takes within your means to do what you say you are going to do.  Don't just let life happen to you....create your own life.

Well, I rambled there and got "off the beaten" path but basically my point is this year, instead of making resolutions......get out a pen a paper, set realistic goals in different areas of your life (career, finances, personal, etc) and then determine what steps you are going to take to achieve them.  It wouldn't hurt to tell everyone you know what your goals are or to create a "team" of experts, friends, family, whoever to help hold you accountable.

If you know that every year you buy a years membership to the gym only to use it 20 times all year, then SAVE YOUR MONEY!  Try a boot camp, yoga class, running group instead.  And don't go with the cheapest service.......go with the one your are most likely to stick with.  I can't think of anything more important to invest in than your health. If you want personal training, boot camp or nutrition advice, let me know. Email robyn@bootcampuaustin.com.  I can help you or I can refer you.

So what steps are you going to take to accomplish your goals next year???