Fat furance burning the pounds away

Today we're here with fat loss expert, Craig Ballantyne, MSc, CSCS, the creator of Fat Burning. Craig is an advisor to Men's Health Magazine, Oxygen Magazine, and many others. I sat down with him to give you some tips on shedding fat quickly and effectively for beach season. And, best of all, this is Craig's 1 year "birthday" with Fat Burning and he is offering some insane bonuses to really propel your fat loss efforts...including some specific meal plans for men and women from yours truly, recipes from nutritionist Mike Rousell, and tips on estimating your body fat by Dr. John Berardi. Honestly, Craig's program is awesome and I don't put my stamp of approval on just anything.
Chris: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, Craig. Why don't you tell us a bit about how you developed the Fat Burning
Craig: My workouts program are highly influenced by both athletic training and bodybuilding, so Turbulence Training has become a relatively unique hybrid system - and even more so now with the infusion of scientific-based ab training and a variety of challenging bodyweight exercises.
I refined the workouts over my years at McMaster University, a science-based University near Toronto, Canada. It was there that during my graduate studies in Exercise Physiology that I performed the "first Turbulence Training workout". As a grad student, I had a very limited time to spend working out, but I needed to learn how to get a sound workout quickly and effectively, between my time in the lab and classroom.
Chris: For those who don't know much about Fat Burning, can you teach our readers very briefly what this system is based on?Craig: TT is about getting the most fat loss results in the least amount of workout time. Too many people are too busy to use the approach the exercise methods that were popular in the 80's (bodybuilding routines and hour-long cardio sessions). We don't have time for that today, but nor do we have the need for that.
Recent exercise research has shown us two things:
1) Interval training is as good or better than long, slow cardio (and takes HALF the time to do).
2) Moderately-heavy strength training is better for boosting metabolism and sculpting your body than light strength training.
Now that's what TT is based on. The TT program cuts your exercise time in half, so that you can get more results in only three 45-minute sessions per week. Compare that to what most people think they have to do in order to lose weight (5 days per week of body part strength training PLUS 60 minutes of cardio per day). You can quickly see results, which is the desired approach.
And as an extra bonus, the TT workouts don't require fancy muscle-building machines. You can do all of these workouts at home with a bench, an exercise ball, dumbbells, and your own body weight (and a pull-up bar if you're strong enough).
I've tried to make things as simple and effective as possible, while also making the program easy-to-use based on today's hectic-paced lifestyles.
Chris: As a nutrition guy, who travels a ton, I often get the question of what folks can eat when on the road that will allow them to stick to their nutrition plan. How about training while traveling? Is workout program good for that?
Craig: It's perfect. Here's why.
If your workout is based on a machine-circuit at your local gym, you are out of luck as soon as you leave that environment. There's no way you'll be able to stick to that program on the road and the same goes if you follow a specific class with a specific instructor.
On the other hand, if you use the workouts, even the worst hotel gyms have dumbbells and benches. So you can keep moving with your workouts, AND it doesn't take up too much time - as you might have even less time for workouts on the road than you do at home.
No gym at all? No worries. The workouts contain an extensive list of bodyweight exercises that let you keep on going through your workouts even if you have NO equipment at all. And trust me, if you are a beginner, there are appropriate exercises for you. Consider yourself advanced? Try the advanced bodyweight program in the 4-week Body Weight manual, and see if you aren't challenged (and leaner) after those workouts.
The variety and flexibility of the TT approach was "built for life". I've traveled extensively so I know what a traveler goes through too, and not only did I design these travel-friendly workouts, but I've used them myself!
Chris: Many readers fall into the trap of only working out in a gym setting--can you honestly get a solid workout just using your own body weight?
Craig: Oh baby, can you ever. In fact, there are a lot of bodyweight exercises that are harder than some of the free weight exercises people are doing.
Of course, like all my programs, I have appropriately designed beginner body weight programs that progress to intermediate and advanced levels. I've used these exercises and workouts with 300-lb men with bad knees. I know what works and is appropriate in those situations. The same goes for the intermediate client who has trained with weights in the past but wants a new challenge. My experience has shown me the right amount of bodyweight training and so on.
If you are worried about bad knees, the lying floor exercises for your lower body will prepare you for standing exercises. And again, if you are advanced, you will be mightily challenged by the advanced bodyweight routines that I have put together.
Chris: I personally love body weight training and know you can get an amazing workout, while challenging your body. What are some of your favorite body weight exercises? Craig: First, agility pushups. By that I mean pushups that require acrobatic movement of the legs during the pushup movement. In the manual, we have Spiderman Pushups where you externally rotate your leg and bring your knee to your elbow while you do the lower position. Not only does this increase the difficulty of the exercise, but it also adds to the benefits (increased co-ordination, ab work, etc.).
Any time you can add a movement to a body weight exercise you double or triple the benefits (or more). For example, we can take a basic squat or lunge and change the arm position (to a "Prisoner" or "Y-position" with your hands). Doing this, you work the upper back, which is otherwise difficult to work with bodyweight exercises if you don't have access to a pull up bar.
For abs, I prefer stability-based exercises such as mountain climbers, Stability Jackknifes, and variations rather than traditional ab crunches (those can sometimes be rough on your back). These are phenomenal total-body ab exercises that I believe will get you more results (and a healthier back) in less workout time.
And of course, I can't neglect the big pulling exercises (chins, pull ups, body weight rows). Those are the ultimate upper body exercises to work towards - and are your biggest bodyweight muscle builders.
There are pictures of all of these and every single exercise I recommend in Turbulence Training.Chris: This is great, Craig. But don't hold back any longer---can we have a sample workout from your bestselling TT program to whet the appetite of our readers? Craig: First, let's review the workout program set-up that will get you more results in less time...I'm talking 3 workouts of 45 minutes per week that will blast your post-exercise metabolism through the roof and help maximize your hormonal response to exercise.
A - The Warm-up
We use three body weight exercises done in a circuit. This is a much better way to prepare for training than by walking slowly on a treadmill.
B - The Strength Training Supersets
This can be as little as one brilliant superset (DB squats + DB presses) if you have only 10 minutes, or up to 4 supersets if you want to spend 30 minutes on your TT Strength Training.
C - Intervals
Bodyweight circuits, stationary bike intervals, or running on the treadmill or outside, these are just a few of the ways we can do intervals for 10-20 minutes. We don't need 40 minutes of slow cardio, or even 40 minutes of intervals.
Obviously this is just a basic sample and in the program itself, I go into much greater depth on the intricacies of each exercise, with descriptions and pictures.
Chris: We can't talk about getting in shape without delving into nutrition. What role does nutrition play in your programs and how can Meal Plans 101 complement your offerings?
Craig: I'm not afraid to admit that nutrition is more important than training when it comes to fat loss. If you don't eat right for fat loss, you will not lose fat, no matter how good your training program.
Almost client who hits every "plateau" who consults with me starts losing fat again once we fix their nutrition. If you are busting your butt in the gym, but treating yourself to sugar and trans-fat pastries or processed snacks, you are going to get frustrated fast.
You have to plan your meals. You have to shop in advance for the week ahead. You have to prepare those foods according to your meal plan.
The nutrition component is hard work, I know. There are a lot of temptations out there. HOWEVER, if you use your meal plan system, prepare your foods, and have that food on hand when someone orders pizza into the office or offers some other temptation, than you at least have the tools to eat right. You just say "no, sorry, brought my own lunch today" and you stick to your plan. Your personal trainer can help you BIG TIME! Why waste your time going to diet center- they never work. I have been there and done that.
One last thing I want to mention. Sixteen weeks is not that big of a deal when considered over the course of your lifetime. So just commit to being very serious about your fat loss for that time. You'll reach your goals and you'll lay down some healthy life habits. Once you decide on that 16-week block of fat burning with Fat burning program and with meal plans, don't let anything get in your way. Once you are done, you'll be so proud of yourself and you'll realize you have the potential to make some incredible life changes. If you can not do this alone, then you need to hire your personal trainer or get invovled boot fitness camp in your area. I know you will be glad that you did.
Take Home Points:1. Intervals are king when it comes to burning calories!
2. Opt for heavier lifting vs. the lighter, high rep counterpart
3. Body weight workouts are simple and perfect for those on the go-they don't take a lot of time, yet offer a lot of benefits!
4. Plan your training like you plan your meals for optimal results.
Good luck
Chris: Thanks Craig, I thank you for time today.