Total Health & Fitness

Nows the time

2011-01-18T08:47:00.000-08:00

Now is the time to meet with a consultant and discuss your fitness goals! Warmer weather is just around the corner, but not so close that you can't get in great shape. Our clients should expect to lose around 0.5 to 0.8 percent body fat a week. That would equal to 6 to 10 percent reduction of body fat in 12 weeks! Don't hesitate to set up a time to discuss your goals with one of our consultants 801-858-3725. If you have questions you may email me to. mike.butler@thfonline.com

The 5 Factors of Fat Loss Training

2010-12-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

We’re using resistance training as the cornerstone of our fat loss programming. Our goal is to work every muscle group hard, frequently, and with intensity that creates a massive “metabolic disturbance” or ”afterburn,” leaving the metabolism elevated for several hours post workout. Here are a few studies to support this:

Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM. Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management.
European Journal of Applied Physiology. March 2002, Vol 86 (5): 411-7. Epub 2002 Jan 29.

This study used a circuit training protocol of 12 sets in 31 minutes. EPOC was elevated significantly for 38 hours post workout, which is a pretty significant timeframe for metabolism to be elevated. If you trained from 9 to 10 a.m. on Monday morning, you’re still burning more calories (without training) at midnight on Tuesday! Can we compound this with additional training within that 38 hours? No research has been done, but I have enough case studies to believe that you can.

Another study: Kramer, Volek et al. Influence of exercise training on physiological and performance changes with weight loss in men. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1999, Vol. 31, No. 9: 1320-1329

Overweight subjects were assigned to three groups: Diet-only, diet plus aerobics, diet plus aerobics plus weights. The diet group lost 14.6 pounds of fat in 12 weeks. The aerobic group lost only one more pound (15.6 pounds) than the diet group (training was three times a week starting at 30 minutes and progressing to 50 minutes over the 12 weeks). Now, the weight training group lost 21.1 pounds of fat (44% and 35% more than diet- and aerobics-only groups respectively). The addition of aerobic training didn’t result in any real worldsignificant fat loss over dieting alone. Thirtysix sessions of up to 50 minutes is a lot of work for one additional pound of fat loss. However, the addition of resistance training greatly accelerated fat loss results.

One more: Bryner RW, Ullrich IH, Sauers J, Donley D, Hornsby G, Kolar M, Yeater R. Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800-calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, April 1999, 18 (2): 115-21.

The aerobic group performed four hours of aerobics per week. The resistance training group performed 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps, 10 exercises, three times per week. VO2 max increased equally in both groups. Both groups lost weight.

1) High Intensity Resistance Training

Click on my personal blog to read more!

http://totalhealthclub.blogspot.com/2010/12/5-factors-of-fat-loss-training.html

Try the 40/40 challenge

2010-12-02T07:51:00.001-08:00

TRX on Sale for Christmas

2010-11-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

This is one of the best pieces of exercise equipment out there. Every body part gets worked! I love it. Buy one for yourself... buy one for a family member!

TRX Exercise of the Day

2010-10-25T15:22:00.001-07:00

Watch Out P90X!

2010-10-05T13:00:00.001-07:00

Supplements Component 3.mp4

2010-08-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

2010-08-05T14:46:00.001-07:00

Component 1 of Fitness 3 Rules of Nutrition

2010-07-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

5 Components For Fat Loss.mp4

2010-07-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

Why Diets Don't Work

2010-07-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

June is Corporate Wellness Month

2010-06-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

The rising cost of health care and it’s affect on the bottom line of corporations across America is a major concern for today’s leaders. Long outdated is the model of focusing treatment and resources on those who are already sick or disabled. We are now facing trends of shrinking margins, the recent health care bill and a lack of productivity due to absenteeism and the rising cost of treatment.

An increasing number of corporations are taking a proactive approach to increasing costs by providing wellness programs as a part of their employee benefit package. Research shows that corporations who provide healthy choices and provide employee wellness programs are seeing long term savings in terms of sick time disability and other health care costs. Companies that have adopted, and implemented an effective wellness culture are seeing a happier, more productive workplace.
There are numerous approaches and components available to employers with measurable outcomes. Each program must be individualized for your organization, and all options must be carefully analyzed to find a best fit for specific and long term goals and objectives. An article entitled One Wellness Program Doesn’t Fit All Businesses, found that the key to a successful wellness program is developing a customized program that meets the individual goals and needs of each individual organization.

In the following few pages we will examine the problems of rising health care more closely, look at the research, and propose a solution that will benefit both the organization as well as the employee.

The Problem

Today employers are finding themselves staring at a major fork in the road. With the cost of Health Care increasing at a rate of 15% annually, company profitability and long term survival are in jeopardy. Studies have indicated that the rapidly increasing cost of health benefits is the single largest expense line on a company’s profit and loss statement. These increases are becoming harder to sustain at any level.

Only one in twenty adults regularly engage in the top three healthy lifestyle behaviors.
* Well Balanced Nutrition* Get at least 7 hours of sleep
* Regular Exercise
0ver 67% of the American population is now considered overweight or obese. This means that there are close to 100 million Americans that are obese! Studies are also predicting that by 2012 the percentages will reach 75%. Regardless of age, gender, or race the number of overweight and obese Americans is increasing faster than they are decreasing. Since 1980 the prevalence of overweight people has increased from nearly 15% to 34%+. During the same time span obesity has skyrocketed from 15% to over 67%. From 1988 to 2002 the prevalence of extreme obesity has increased from 3% to 5%.

Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as "overweight" and "obese," the risks for the following conditions also increases:• Coronary heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
• High blood cholesterol
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)• Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
• Stroke
• Liver and Gallbladder disease
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
• Arthritis
• Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)
Higher grades of obesity are associated with excess mortality, primarily from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Wellness programs that improve social and physical environments for healthful eating and physical activity are great preventive strategies for a healthy environment. This equates to healthier, more productive employees as well as a healthy bottom line.

The Research, Statistics and Costs
When researching the benefits of a wellness program it’s good to investigate some of the data.
Consider the following:
* According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the typical American diet is responsible for most of the preventable diseases, including 90% of diabetes, 80% of heart disease, and 70% of colon cancer.
* The CDC also reports that less than 16% of adults engage in regular physical activity, while over 60% report getting virtually no regular exercise.

* According to the Wall Street Journal the 15 most expensive diseases account for 43% to 61% of health care spending growth from 1987 to 2000. The four costliest conditions are heart disease, mental disorder, pulmonary disorders, and cancer account for most of the increase.

* The American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that, employers who invest in worksite health promotion programs can see a return of $2-$10 for every dollar invested over a 2-5 year period. Documented savings are a combination of lower medical costs, absenteeism, worker’s comp claims, short-term disability and presenteeism.

* A review of 32 studies of corporate wellness programs found claims costs were reduced by 27.8%, physician visits declined 16.5%, hospital admissions declined 62.5%, disability costs declined 34.4%, and incidence of injury declined 24.8% after a corporate wellness program was instituted.

* Johnson & Johnson reported average annual savings of $8.5 million during 4 years when 18,331 employees participated in a health and wellness program at work.

* A separate study of the same group showed reductions in tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low dietary fiber intake and poor motor vehicle safety practices.

* Studies show that employees who utilized an employee fitness center gained both physical and psychological benefits: 64% reported an improvement in morale, 70% reported improved job satisfaction, 66% reported improved work productivity, 83% reported improved energy levels, 76% reported an improvement in stress management, and 70% reported an increase in attentiveness at work.

* Employers currently spend more than $390 billion per year on employee health insurance, with annual health care cost increases significantly exceeding the overall rate of inflation.

* The Wall Street Journal, states health care costs per capita will reach $7,500 this year (2008), more than double the $3,470 per person in 1993.
* The rate of inflation in this arena continues to grow at an unsustainable annual rate of 8-14%.
* National data has shown that employee turnover ranges between 20-25% for firms of 1,000 or more employees.

* The actual dollar cost of turnover varies based on a variety of factors, but estimates range from $25,000 per individual and a range of 75% to 150% of an employee’s annual salary.

* In a study of 370,000 employees, Goetzel et al found that presenteeism losses accounted for the majority of per person annual total costs for 9 out of the top 10 most expensive health conditions, with only heart disease having the majority of total costs attributed to medical claims. Other notable factors include:
* Unapproved absenteeism
* Lack of productivity
* Increased turnover
* Recruitment
* Decrease in customer service* A Duke University study involving 11,700 individuals, tracked the increased costs tied to BMI (Body Mass Index).
* Normal BMI $7,500
* Overweight $13,300* Mildly Obese $19,000
* Moderately Obese $23,000
* Severely Obese $51,000

* It must be noted that this “overweight” category (excluding all obese levels), represent well over 30% of the entire population, comprising an immense cost to employers.

The Graphs above clearly show that its not just the obese and moderately obese that need attention.

* Research has also shown that lack of exercise is a major contributor to serious health conditions including but not limited to osteoporosis, stroke, and mental health conditions.

* Reduction in health care costs by 20-55%

* Decrease in short-term sick leave by as much as 32% (Ceridian Prop ROI Tool, 2003)

* A savings of between $3 and $6 for every $1 invested in wellness (U.S. CDC)

* Drop in work comp and disability by as much as 30%

* Enhanced recruitment and retention for all positions

* Examples of companies that have pursued a model of wellness are expansive and growing quickly. 11% of companies have full-fledged wellness programs as part of their employee benefits, and an additional 8% plan to add wellness in the next 12 months.

* Successful programs include Bank of America, Pacific Bell, Coca Cola, Prudential, DuPont, and Johnson & Johnson.

This data can seem overwhelming; however, it should also bring solace to corporations who currently have, or are now considering implementing a comprehensive wellness program. The bottom line will reflect efforts across all ranges of employees regardless of the individual’s Body Mass Index. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person's weight and height. BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

The Solution

When considering a corporate wellness program, keep in mind that it is far better, and less expensive, to prevent employee health problems than to treat them after they occur. It is evident that past attempts to control health related costs have failed and stand to drastically increase in the next few years. Because of the threat of increased expenses, employers sink time and money in a one size fits all programs. A comprehensive wellness program needs to be tailored to fit each individual employee regardless of health issues, BMI, goals and limitations.

Keep the following in mind when selecting an addition to your wellness program:
* Is this customizable to the needs of the few or the majority of your employees, and does it meet their individual needs and goals?
* Fat loss
* Firming and toning
* Muscle gain
* Diabetes
* Cholesterol reduction
* Thyroid issues
* PCOS
* Varieties of nutrition sensitivities
* Event specific training and nutrition
* Professional consultation
* And the list goes on…
* Who can use the services provided?
* Are results measurable and attainable?
* Can you at any time get objective data?
* What is provided by the organization?
* Customized programs based on employees needs, wants and goals
* Nutrition
* Cardio
* Resistance training
* Supplementation
* Professional assistance on a weekly basis and as needed
* How time consuming is the process for you and your team?
* What are the costs?
* Corporate
* Employees
* Efficiency of programs and services
* Track record and history
* Ongoing educational seminars
* Wellness newsletters

Keeping the above considerations in mind, your wellness team will be able to identify the organization that will best suit your needs and goals in designing, or adjusting, your wellness program.

Conclusion

While the information that exists regarding wellness programs is overwhelming and difficult to sift through; the statistics speak for themselves. Employers who do not consider a high quality wellness program face an increase of 10-15% in direct costs related to rising health plan premiums; not to mention all of the indirect costs related to an unhealthy workforce. Numerous corporations have implemented successful wellness programs and have seen dramatic results in the increased health and productivity of their employees, as well as reduced costs associated with absenteeism and health care.

Total Health & Fitness is a team of fitness and nutrition professionals. We provide the finest quality personalized nutrition and fitness programs. We offer individualized programs tailored to the specific needs of our clients. Your employees will receive the finest programs and world class service by our staff. We use sound scientific guidelines to meet the needs of our clients.

We offer individualized:
o Wellness seminars
o Body fat analysis
o Fitness assessments
o Nutrition, cardio, weight training and supplementation programs
o Individualized accountability
o Progress tracking
o Do it yourself programs
o Online consultations
o Phone consultations
o One on One consultations
o Goal setting
o Encouragement and motivation

We focus on improving not only the health of your employees but helping them change their lifestyles.

We offer affordable options regardless of budget or needs. You owe it to your workforce, as well as to your bottom line, to take a closer look. You won’t be disappointed!

To schedule a meeting please call or email Mike at Total Health & Fitness 801-244-4985 mike.butler@thfonline.com

Randys Pics

2010-03-29T12:54:00.001-07:00

I have been meaning to post Randy's Pics for quite some time... Here they are! Great Job!
To see more pictures click HERE!

New Study Suggests Women Need An Hour Of Exercise A Day...

2010-03-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

Ladies, if you're not planning on changing the way you eat, get ready for your daily hour-long workouts... To read more click HERE!

Check Out The Latest TopForm Supplements

2010-03-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

Try the new TopForm Elite Supplements... Click on the picture or click HERE to learn about the 3 new products that TopForm just released. The initial feedback is amazing...the stuff is flying off the shelf at our office and the sales on the Web are through the roof, so check it soon!

Mike's Before and After Pics

2010-03-22T09:55:00.001-07:00

Great Results Mike... To see more of his before and after pictures click HERE!

Great Job Liz

2010-03-19T07:25:00.001-07:00

Great Job on your program Liz... To see more pictures click HERE!

Another Successfull Client!

2010-03-18T06:58:00.001-07:00

Rachel just finished her program with Mike... Click here to see more pictures!

Are you getting enough Vitamin D?

2010-03-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

Recently I have had a few clients tell me that when the had their blood tested at the doctor, the findings indicated that they were low in vitamin D. Here is some helpful information about the vitamin...

Vitamin D is naturally produced by the human body when exposed to direct sunlight. Season, geographic latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen affect UV ray exposure and vitamin D synthesis in the skin, and it is important for individuals with limited sun exposure to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet. Extra vitamin D is also recommended for older adults and people with dark skin. Individuals having a high risk of deficiency should consume 25 μg (1000 IU) of vitamin D daily to maintain adequate blood concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D.^[2]

As civilization and the Industrial Revolution enabled humans to work indoors and wear more clothes when outdoors, these cultural changes reduced natural production of vitamin D and caused deficiency diseases. In many countries, such foods as milk, yogurt, margarine, oil spreads, breakfast cereal, pastries, and bread are fortified with vitamin D₂ and/or vitamin D₃, to minimize the risk of vitamin D deficiency.^[28] In the United States and Canada, for example, fortified milk typically provides 100 IU per cup, or a quarter of the estimated adequate intake for adults over age 50.^[2] A 1992 study, however, found that the actual vitamin D content of milk varies widely. Supplementation of 100 IU (2.5 microgram) vitamin D₃ raises blood calcidiol levels by 2.5 nmol/litre (1 ng/ml).^[29]

Natural sources

Fatty fish, such as salmon, are natural sources of vitamin D.

Natural sources of vitamin D include:^[2]

Fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil, 1 Tbs. (15 ml) provides 1,360 IU (one IU equals 25 ng)
Fatty fish species, such as:
- Herring, 85 g (3 ounces (oz)) provides 1383 IU
- Catfish, 85 g (3 oz) provides 425 IU
- Salmon, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz]) provides 360 IU
- Mackerel, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz]), 345 IU
- Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 50 g (1.75 oz), 250 IU
- Tuna, canned in oil, 85 g (3 oz), 200 IU
- Eel, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), 200 IU
A whole egg, provides 20 IU
Beef liver, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), provides 15 IU
UV-irradiated mushrooms (Vitamin D₂)^[30]^[31]

In the United States (U.S.), the 100% Daily Value used for product labels is 800 IU/day (as of new 2009 data) and typical diets provide about 100 IU/day. Although milk is usually fortified, the average daily consumption by most Americans is insufficient in obtaining levels of vitamin D recommended by various medical authorities.^[32] While adequate intake has been defined as 200 IU/day for ages infant to 50, 400/day for 51-70, and 600/day over 70, the American Academy of Pediatrics argues that these recommendations are insufficient and recommends a minimum of 400 IU, even for infants.^[33] The NIH has set the safe upper limit at 2000 IU, but acknowledges newer data supporting a UL as high as 10,000 IU/day.^[34] Some experts have recommended greatly increasing vitamin D intake. ^[35] The Institute Of Medicine is revisiting vitamin D and calcium recommendations with a report expected to be released before the end of summer 2010.^[36]

Vitamin D malnutrition may also be linked to an increased susceptibility to several chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, tuberculosis, cancer, periodontal disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, seasonal affective disorder ^[44]^[45], peripheral artery disease^[46], cognitive impairment which includes memory loss and foggy brain,^[47] and several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes (see role in immunomodulation).^[8]^[25] There is an association between low vitamin D levels and Parkinson's disease, but whether Parkinson's causes low vitamin D levels, or whether low vitamin D levels play a role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease has not been established.^[48] A resurgence of interest in vitamin D deficiency has led to continued studies on the topic and a focus on educating the consumer on the prevalence and degree of deficiency among the general public.^[49]

I would recommend clients to supplement with extra vitamin d unless they are in the sunlight quite often. I would recommend around 1000-2000 iu a day taken in smaller doses at several intervals! The TopForm Be a Man multivitamin and the TopForm Pretty on the Inside Women multivitamin each contain around 400 iu

Quinoa

2009-10-12T15:16:00.001-07:00

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthful choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source.^[4] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.

Quinoa can be prepared just like rice. I like to cook mine in a rice cooker... so if you are sick of brown rice, give it a try...I just purchased some from Costco!

Prenatal Heaven

2009-10-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

Premium prenatal multivitamin for pregnant & nursing women in a delicious chocolate!

* Recommended nutritional support for Mother and Infant in a delectable chocolate bite
* 800 mcg folic acid essential for the expecting mother and her developing baby
* 200 mg of bone-strengthening calcium
* 400 IU of vitamin D-3 to enhance calcium absorption
* 125 mg of Ginger (root) powder helps decrease the effects of “Morning Sickness.”
* 150 mg of Biotin for strengthening hair, nails, and skin during pregnancy
* Choose from two delicious flavors: Caramel and Mint Chocolate

Pregnancy is a special time in a woman’s life. Not only do you need to meet your individual nutritional needs, but you must also meet the requirements of your developing baby. Maternal nutrition before and during pregnancy affects both the mother’s well-being and the infant’s growth. As the baby develops through the early phases of life, your nutritional needs will also increase. A balanced diet focusing extra attention to nutrients like calcium, iron and folic acid is recommended. After delivery, an adequate diet is needed to support nursing and to replace depleted nutrient stores; Top Form Women’s Prenatal Chocolate is a delicious and delicately blended multivitamin that provides you and your baby with supplemental levels of essential nutrients.
Nutritional support

* Top Form Prenatal Chocolates supply balanced nutrition with emphasis on antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to supplement a healthy diet during pregnancy.

Folic acid

* Provides 800 mcg of folic acid – critical during the earliest weeks of pregnancy when a baby’s organs are forming. Adequate intake of folic acid in a healthy diet before and in early preg nancy may reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.
* Required for cell growth and DNA formation.*

Calcium & bone health

* Top Form Prenatal Chocolates feature 200 mg of bone-strengthening calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D-3 to enhance calcium absorption.* Additional calcium during pregnancy is vital, particularly during the third trimester when fetal bones begin to calcify.

Iron

* Necessary to support placental and fetal needs and a mother’s increased blood volume.*

Biotin

* Essential for cell production and helps maintain healthy hair, nails, and skin during pregnancy.*

A complete nutritional program should be followed prior to conception through pregnancy and maintained when breastfeeding.

A complete list of the multivitamin actives is listed below per two (2) chocolate bites:
Vitamin A (Acetate) 1700 IU
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 60 mg
Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) 1,300 IU
Vitamin E (D-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate) 15 IU
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) 400 IU
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Hydrochloride) 1 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) mg
Vitamin B5 (D-Calcium Pantothenate) 3 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) 2.5 mg
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 2 mcg
Folic Acid 800 mcg
Biotin 150 mcg

Calcium (TCP) 200 mg
Magnesium (Magnesium Carbonate) 25 mg

Potassium (Potassium Citrate) 50 mg
Zinc (Zinc Gluconate) 7.5 mg
Selenium (L-Selenomethionine) 25 mcg

Iron (Phosphate) 13.5 mg

Ginger (Root) Powder 125 mg

The actives follow the RDA guidelines for women’s prenatal multivitamins.

In addition to the Good Energy Chocolates and Prenatal Chocolates, Top Form is currently developing active formulations for Sugar-Free Good Energy Chocolates, Women’s multivitamin chocolates, and children’s multivitamin chocolates. Additional information on these upcoming products is available upon request.

Benefits of Fiber

2009-05-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

We all know the benefits of fiber. Fiber not only promotes health, it also help reduce the risk for some chronic diseases. For instance, fiber prevents constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. Fiber is also linked to prevent some cancers especially colon and breast cancer. In addition, fiber may help lower the LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) and the total cholesterol therefore reducing the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, fiber can help lower blood sugar therefore help better manage diabetes.
Types of Fiber: Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber

Both soluble and insoluble fiber are undigested. They are therefore not absorbed into the bloodstream. Instead of being used for energy, fiber is excreted from our bodies. Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid, while insoluble fiber does not. Insoluble fiber passes through our intestines largely intact.

Insoluble Fiber

Functions of Insoluble Fiber

- move bulk through the intestines
- control and balance the pH (acidity) in the intestines

Benefits of Insoluble Fiber

- promote regular bowel movement and prevent constipation
- remove toxic waste through colon in less time
- help prevent colon cancer by keeping an optimal pH in intestines to prevent microbes from producing cancerous substances

Food Sources of Insoluble Fiber

- Vegetables such as green beans and dark green leafy vegetables
- Fruit skins and root vegetable skins
- Whole-wheat products
- Wheat oat
- Corn bran
- Seeds & Nuts

Soluble Fiber

Functions of Soluble Fiber

- bind with fatty acids
- prolong stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly

Benefits of Soluble Fiber

- lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) therefore reducing the risk of heart disease
- regulate blood sugar for people with diabetes

Food Sources of Soluble Fiber

- Oat/Oat bran
- Dried beans and peas
- Nuts
- Barley
- Flax seed
- Fruits such as oranges and apples
- Vegetables such as carrots
- Psyllium husk

Introducing Team Running Lean! at THF

2009-04-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Orem Franchise headed by Dan Wilcox is RUNNIN LEAN. Team Runnin Lean is a group of recreational runners that support each other with ideas, tips, and motivation for someone looking to do recreational runs, their first marathon or half marathon, or any other event. To learn more about this group, you can contact Dan at the Orem THF by email... dan.wilcox@thfonline.com
Or you can click here to learn more and view pictures of their last race!

If the above link doesn't work, go to www.thfresults.com click on the groups link and then the THF Runnin Lean Link

Eggs...The Health Benefit

2009-04-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

Eggs used to have the reputation as a major contributor to heart disease...however current research is stating that "this is just not true!" Here are a few myths that the research pointed out is not true....
Myth number 1: Making egggs a regular part of your diet leads to heart disease.
Fact: Eating one egg per day barely effects your risk of heart disease, while factors such as physical inactivity and obesity increase it as much as 40%, according to a recent study. The American Heart Association, however, does recommend keeping cholesterol to less than 300 mg a day-- so limit yourself to one whole egg daily(the yolk contains approximately 213mg).

Myth number 2: Egg yolks aren't healthy.
Fact: The yellow center is a rare source of vitamin D; just one has 20iu as well as vitamin B12 and choline, among other nutrients. To keep cholesterol intake down, make your omelet with one whole egg and two whites, and watch the cholesterol at the rest of your meals.

With these myths and facts, I think it is safe to assume that eating eggs in moderation is not only healthy, but safe.

Protein shake or Meal Replacement

2009-03-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Any assumption about a protein shake
before sleep is correct.

As for post-workout, this is not entirely true. There is no sudden burst of muscle-making after a workout. Building muscle tissue is a 24-hour process, so getting adequate protein throughout the day is far more critical than the window after a workout
. You simply need a few grams of protein to replace what was burned as energy and you're good to go. The most important nutrient after a workout is carbohydrate. While muscle rebuilding takes place over 24 - 72 hours following a workout, there is a window of a few hours where your muscles are "primed" to take in carbohydrates that were depleted during training. For this reason, you'll find the more superior-formulated post-workout shakes (i.e. Top Form Meal Replacement) contain about a 2:1 carb-protein ratio to supply just enough protein but plenty of carbohydrate to refuel your muscles.

Aside from perhaps extra protein (and again, getting it from whole food sources is superior, but if you are having trouble consuming adequate protein from whole foods, then supplementing is certainly fine) a quality multi is beneficial, not a topic for this thread, if you search, you'll see tons of conversations about this (Men's and Woman's Mutlivitamin).

For your protein before bed, I do Top Form Only Whey combined with some sort of fiber or high quality fat. You want something slower-relasing, like a whole food protein or if you get a shake, a blend that contains some casein, perhaps hydrolyzed beef plasma, etc. We use a brand from Top Form Nutrition Supplements, a top quality blend that tastes incredible.

What Is Spot Reduction?

2009-03-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

The question often arises with clients about losing fat in a specific part of their body. They want to know if they do crunches will they lose belly fat? The answer is maybe but unlikely. You see spot reduction is not real. Working certain muscles will not burn fat around those muscles. Your body burns fat where it is going to burn fat...meaning genetics will determine where on your body you burn the fat from. We know however that large muscle groups like your legs, chest, and back will burn a lot of overall calories which in turn means burning fat. This is why it is important to use large muscle groups in a fat loss program. Working small individual muscles is fine, but you need to make sure your foundation to your weight training is the large muscle groups!

Total Health & Fitness and Brick House Retreat Salon and Day Spa

2009-02-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

Total Health & Fitness and Brick House Retreat Salon and Day Spa are now working together to create the best you. We are combining the amazing feeling of a day at the spa, along with a complete lifestyle change to feel amazing all the time. Our nutrition and fitness consultants will now be on location at Brickhouse to answer any specific questions you may have. Act now for a limited time only the first session will be free of charge. Come and renew yourself at Brick House Retreat Salon and Day Spa.

Brick House Retreat
Salon and Day Spa
(801)545-0445
10965 S. State Street
Sandy, UT 84070

Why is drinking water important for losing fat?

2009-01-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

Oxidation of fat creates waste products. You need water to help flush them. The reaction that uses fat for fuel also involves water, so if you are dehydrated, there is a chance you won't burn as much fat. When you train, you deplete your muscles of glycogen.

The only way for glycogen to get back into the muscle is through glucose bound to water, so without enough water, you won't get the fuel to your muscles that need it. Water is what the body uses to manipulate the charge inside and outside of the cell to drive nutrients and and waste products out.

Without water, you are potentially not delivering the nutrients your body needs to burn fat
.

Should I stop lifting heavy when my goal is to burn fat?

2008-10-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

Two things happen when you lift heavier - you burn more calories and you burn more calories longer after the lift. In other words, lifting 200 pounds 5 times will burn more calories than lifting 100 pounds 10 times, even though the workload is the same. This is because of the way your anaerobic system is taxed, changes to your heart rate, the way the body accumulates what is known as "oxygen debt" and how the body pays off that debt using EPOC (exercise post-oxygen consumption).

So if your goal is to burn more calories, a super-circuit at a quicker pace will actually burn less calories. Lifting hard and heavy will burn the most calories during the lift and keep your metabolism elevated the longest.

What Exactly Is Cardio?

2008-09-04T14:50:00.000-07:00

Cardio is really a modern term that has grown to replace aerobic exercise. To avoid the stigma of the aerobic craze of the 70s people switched to cardio when discussing it relative to fitness and strength-training programs to disassociate with the aerobics-only phenomenon.

Cardio is short for cardiovascular exercise which means really any exercise that benefits the heart. This used to be mainly aerobic training but now research suggests that weight lifting also benefits the heart - this is an example of a phrase that became popular before science could really validate it.

Aerobic exercise is any sustainable activity that utilizes oxygen (ergo the burning of fat) for a primary source of fuel. Weight lifting that is intense and in short duration will primarily use stored glycogen and the ATP-CP pathway (intramuscular energetics with creatine phosphate that - adenosine triphosphate or ATP is broken to adenosine diphosphate and this releases energy. To rebuild ADP to ATP, the CP is split, lending the extra phosphate moelcule needed for ADP to become ATP and thereby fuel another reaction).

Now, this definition is muddied because you can have weight training i.e. longer sets that actually use oxygen and are therefore more aerobic (take circuit training, for example, when people aren't using a heavy load). You can also have what is traditionally thought of as cardio i.e. sprints that can be anaerobic depending on the rest. If the heart rate is allowed to lower between the intervals followed by maximum output then you are more in the anaerobic/glycolytic range. If you are only doing intervals but the heart does not drop substantially then you are going to be in more of a cardio range.

Basically, and this is a nutshell, oversimplifying because I've already gotten quite technical, there are primarily three systems that fuel energy. ALL energy systems are used to some extent, but various activity will use more of one or the other.

Anything lasting just a few seconds is going to be primarily anaerobic and use the ATP-CP system. This includes weight lifting, where the reps last a few seconds and are maximal bouts of output. Active rest occurs between the repetitions and then actual rest occurs between the sets. Shot-put, 50 yard-dash, weight lifting, olympic lifting, power-lifting are all examples of this.

Anything lasting a few minutes is primarily the glycolytic system where lactic acid is utilized to generate energy. This would be prolonged bouts such as sprints, longer weight lifting sets, etc. Basketball (run down court, then stay at the court = submaximal bout followed by active rest), and Soccer are examples of this.

Anything beyond that first few minutes must utilize oxygen turnover and therefore you are in the aerobic zone. This would be longer runs, rowing, hiking, etc.

Now, keep in mind there is no black and white with this - you still cross over into multiple systems. The reason why HIIT is more cardio than, say, a 20 minute weight training session, is that in HIIT on the slower intervals you are still performing work. Your heart rate drops somewhat but doesn't drop a lot and therefore is still elevated in its output - this means that oxygen must fuel the process. On the other hand, in typical weight training, you are resting between sets which allows adequate recovery for the heart rate to slow while the muscle energetics replenish themselves.
A long weight training session with short rest and a lot of supersets is going to be aerobic at the same time as being anaerobic during the sets - you are anaerobic to explosively move the weight but because you are not allowing your heart rate to drop significantly between bouts of work the entire workout becomes more aerboic. Dave Draper was a huge advocate of this method of training and felt you could build muscle and stay lean or even burn fat simultaneously by supersetting a lot. Looking at his physique I don't doubt there is some validity there.

Hope that helps - if you really want to dig into the details just search on ATP-CP or muscular energetics and you can get some good primers. Of course, then you might be forced to look into the Krebs Cycle and other pathways of metabolism and discover just why it is a gross oversimplification for people to say "this exercise burns muscle" or "if you exercise on an empty stomach your body is forced to burn fat"

A Real Client Post From Our Social Site

2008-08-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Well . . . I did it! I officially admitted to another live human being that I am NOT happy with my current state of health AND that I don't seem to be able to do anything about it by myself! As I drove to my appointment with Total Health & Fitness consultant Rick Plenert, I felt as if I was going to my own execution!

But I wasn't prepared for what actually did happen. Rick sat and talked to me about my current health (please note: I said "health" not "weight"!). Next he weighed and measured me, and believe it or not I wasn't embarrassed or ashamed! Don't get me wrong . . . it was a REAL reckoning to see my statistics IN black & white, ON paper. But as I sat there with Rick looking at numbers that seemed gargantuan to me, I noticed a smile on Rick's face.

No, it wasn't a smirk! It wasn't a put-down! Rick was smiling because, as he explained, my "current condition" happens to be something that can be dealt with and managed with real, positive results. As he explained, most people see their current weight or health as something depressing and defeating. But by working with Rick and THF on a health program designed just for me, I will begin to learn the skills and information to put myself in my best possible condition! Suddenly, I noticed something I hadn't felt for a long, long time . . . HOPE!

So I'm sitting here with my 0.5 cup of cottage cheese and my 1 sm tomato (which happens to be one of my favorite treats!) and a binder that contains the beginnings of a new life for me. I REALLY want this. I'm going to give it everything I've got. And if you don't mind checking in from time to time to laugh and cry with me . . . and giggle along the way, I'd love to have you see how it works for me. Let me know how it is working for you, or if you'd like to see how THF could work for you!

You know, this doesn't feel like an execution after all . . . it may even be the beginning!
~Tracy

View Tracy's Page - click here

Egg whites or whole eggs?

2008-08-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

Both. The yolk contains some fat, but fat is not the enemy - fat has a stigma attached to it from the decades of "low fat" advice that basically allowed the obesity and overweight levels in the U.S. climb so you can see how effective that advice was. Eggs are often hailed for their high quality of protein, but few people realize that these tests are with the whole egg. It actually loses value when you only eat the yolk. The yolk contains nearly half the protein, fats, and healthy antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Eggs from free range or grain-fed chickens are superior in quality.

Traditionally, the yolk was shunned for cholesterol diet, another old myth that is dying hard - for more information on why you needn't worry about the cholesterol in egg yolks, read this:

Harvard Article

How do I lose fat without losing lean mass and still gain strength?

2008-08-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

There is often some confusion about lean mass. Most people look to lean mass religiously as muscle mass, which it is not. It is everything that is not fat, and this includes water and other items. Fat cells are composed of some water, so if you lose a large amount of fat, you will lose lean mass - but not muscle, as most would think, simply water weight.

I'm sure all of you are focused on muscle mass. Provided you stimulate the muscles through resistance training and don't lose weight too quickly, you can retain or even gain muscle tissue. The issue comes when people are impatient and want to lose at some marathon pace ... your body can only process so much fat per week, so when you push the limit beyond about 1 - 2 percent of your weight each week, you risk losing muscle mass in the process.

Total Health & Fitness Online Community

2008-07-16T15:29:00.001-07:00

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new online community! This is an opportunity for everyone to post pictures, comments, and build an environment to help people succeed and educate others.

Click here to view and become part of our new online community. We'd love to see and hear from everyone.

What's the best way to get rid of "love handles?"

2008-07-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

How to get rid of love handles? You need to lose weight. And twisting is not going to get rid of them. If anything, twisting will increase the size of your obliques, and make your love handles more pronounced.

The only way to get rid of love handles is to lose fat. There is no spot reducing. If you still have them, you still have fat to lose.

I know, I store fat in my love handles before anything else.

Fortunately, you've come to the right place to learn how to get rid of love handles.

How Do I Raise My Metabolism?

2008-06-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

Train With Weights
Training with weights boosts your metabolism in a number of ways. Weight training itself has been shown to increase exercise post oxygen consumption (EPOC) - in other words, your metabolism may be raised for hours or even days after the session. Weight training is also the main way to stimulate the growth of muscle tissue.

Muscle tissue is metabolically active, so it requires calories even when at rest. Muscle tissue also helps increase the number of fat-burning enzymes and organelles in your body.

Supplement With Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are involved in the manufacture of hormones and repair of cell membranes in your body. With the right types of fats, your body can use these anabolically.
These processes require energy, so the fats may actually increase your metabolism despite the added calories you are consuming! You can add fats to your diet without increasing calories simply by increasing the percentage of calories from fats and then lowering the percentage of calories from carbohydrates or proteins.
Every Little Bit Counts

Believe it or not, simply changing some simple daily habits can have a huge impact on your metabolism. Do you play the game of driving around the parking lot for twenty minutes waiting for the perfect space to open? Instead, park at the edge of the parking lot and walk to your destination.
You'll probably get there quicker, and burn some calories along the way. Other metabolism-boosting activities include standing instead of sitting, taking stairs instead of elevators, and even fidgeting!

Don't Fear Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are not the enemy. Using the right types of carbohydrates can be a valuable tool for your metabolism.

For example, you may expend more calories consuming 20 grams of carbohydrate from lentils than 20 grams of carbohydrate from sugar. The lentils contain fiber and other nutrients that the body must work to extract, and therefore expends more energy. Look for fibrous, low-glycemic carbs and focus on unprocessed carbohydrates.

Fluctuate Calories
Zigzagging calories is by far one of the most effective methods for keeping your metabolism revved. Homeostasis is the action your body takes to "remain stable." In other words, if you drop your calories, your body will try to slow your metabolism in order to keep things the same.

By zigzagging calories, you may be able to thwart this mechanism. Some people zigzag day by day - for example, if their target is 2000 calories, they'll consume 1800 one day and 2200 the next. I prefer to consume low calories for a week or two, and then raise calories for a week, and then drop them again.

Increase Protein
Protein requires a complex chemical conversion by your body in order to be used as fuel. It takes up to 30% of the calories you consume to oxidize or use protein for energy.

For example, 100 calories of protein may take up to 30 calories to process. Therefore, increasing the percentage of calories in your diet that come from protein may help raise your metabolism.

Perform High Moderate Cardio
High intensity cardio, like weight training, takes you into the anaerobic zone of training. This, in turn, creates what is known as "oxygen debt." Even when you have concluded your exercise, the body is processing waste and recovering from the activity - and therefore keeping your metabolism elevated.

Increase Frequency Of Eating
Most bodybuilders are aware of this technique. Consuming food triggers digestion, and digestion requires calories. By eating more frequent, smaller meals, you continuously supply your body with nutrients while forcing it to digest and break down the foods. This, in turn, can have the net effect of raising your metabolism.

Eat Whole Foods
The calories that you burn during digestion are due to the need for your body to break down the foods. Your body must extract the fiber and nutrients, take chains of molecules and chop them into smaller versions to absorb them into your bloodstream, and perform a variety of tasks in order to assimilate foods.

When foods are processed, much of this work is done for you. For example, processed flour is ground into small pieces that the body can digest more quickly. This means your blood sugar rises faster and your body expends fewer calories processing the flour.

Whole grains, on the other hand, pack more nutrients, are higher in fiber, and force the body to work harder to use them as energy. Another advantage to eating whole foods is that many of the nutrients in these foods - such as vitamins and minerals - are cofactors in metabolic processes that your body uses to burn fat and build muscle.

Drink Cold Water
This tip is probably overrated. Your body will expend more calories trying to raise cold water to the temperature of your body, but the exact amount is debatable. It stands to reason, however, that integrating this habit with the other habits listed above can contribute to the greater goal of raising your metabolism.

Start Those Kids Off Healthy

2008-06-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Now that most of you have some ideas on how to stay healthy, let's focus on the kids.

Here are a few ideas on how to keep them healthy.

* Always eat breakfast.
* Eat more fruits and veggies.
* Eliminate sweetened drinks.
* Limit TV or computer time.
* Increase activity time. Get moving.
* Eat together and explain healthy food options.
* Be positive about food and its health potentials.
* Don't give the kids a hard time about weight, continue to educate.

Your Best You

2008-06-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what really makes you happy, energetic, and full of life?

Well NOW is your chance to feel all those things in a short period of time. Total Health & Fitness is your key to discover life and live the "healthy you".

We take the guess work out of losing fat and educate you on how to keep it off. You have never had a program work like this. Most people jump on the new fad diet or waste thousands on surgeries. We can save you money and get you to your fat loss goals. We guarantee you that you will see results and gain the power of success through reaching your goals and pushing yourself to become happy, healthy, and discover life.

Sign up for a FREE evaluation and start today. Click Here

Water Works for Weight Loss

2008-06-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

Nothing quells the appetite like water, lots and lots of water. Start out with two quart bottles in the morning and carry one with you to work or wherever you go. If you like, divvy up the 64 ounces of water into eight (8-ounce) bottles or four pint (16-ounce) bottles to carry around with you all day.

Yes. You will have to make more frequent bathroom trips, but it is worth it. Drink your 64 ounces of water before dinner, if possible, so you're not up half the night going to the bathroom.

Water not only fills you up and lessens your appetite, it prevents those sugar cravings we all encounter when our blood sugar drops and we reach for cookies, candy, ice cream, fries or other high-calorie treats. Water also flushes out the system, rids the body of bloat and toxins and clears up the complexion.

New Top Form Supplements Blog Launched

2008-06-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

Top Form Supplements, a leading health and fitness supplement company, officially launches its fitness supplement blog.

Together with Total Health and Fitness, Top Form Supplements helps individuals realize their health and fitness goals through the use of perfectly formulated health and fitness supplements. “This is a huge landmark for company as we realize the impact this blog has on our overall Internet presence,” says Mike Butler, President of Top Form Supplements. Through the Top Form Supplements blog, we are establishing an effective web marketing and social strategy by providing free fitness and health supplement information for our customers and the general public. Customers who subscribe will receive a weekly fitness and exercise tips and other offers from the Top Form Supplements online store.

Visit the Top Form Blog by clicking here

So what exactly does creatine do?

2008-06-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

Think of your muscle cells as gas tanks and a workout as going for a drive. Creatine essentially fills the tank so you can go farther. 9 out of 10 people we work with drive until the tank is empty - in other words, they push themselves hard enough to really reach their limits - so creatine for them is well worth their money.

Buy Top Form Creatine

How Do I Calculate Exactly How Much Muscle I've Gained?

2008-05-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

You cannot calculate your muscle gain, short of having a biopsy. You can calculate your lean mass gain. Many people confuse this with muscle, which it is not - it is a combination of anything that is not fat. That means the contents of food in your gut, the water that your muscles may draw in, water you may be retaining in various parts of your body, and muscle. This is why I tell people not to get too caught in the numbers, because you can easily lose/gain 5 pounds of lean mass from food/water alone. It's best to focus on consistent, long term gains and use reliable markers such as the ratio of your biceps circumference to your abs (both flexed).

For example, let's say you started with 16" biceps and a 34" waist, and ended up with 16" biceps and a 32" waist. Here is the ratio:

16:34 = 0.47

16:32 = 0.5

When that ratio goes up, it is a good thing.

On the other hand, if you started with 16" biceps and a 34" waist, and ended up with 15" biceps and a 34" waist, the second ratio would be 0.44 -going down, indicating muscle loss.

You always want this ratio to maintain or go up. That is a positive indicator.

As for computing lean mass, it's like this:

200 pounds @ 10% body fat = 200 x 0.1 = 20 pounds of fat

The rest is lean, so 200 - 20 = 180 pounds lean

Now, let's say we ended up at 205 pounds and 12% body fat.

210 pounds @ 12% body fat = 210 x 0.12 = 25 pounds of fat

The rest is lean, so 210 - 25 = 185 pounds of lean

In this case, you could comfortably say you were gaining lean mass. Whether that was water weight or quality muscle would not be known, but generally this would be a positive movement because you are not gaining more fat than muscle.

How Can I Get Rid Of My Stretch Marks?

2008-05-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Stretch marks are thin, stretched skin tissue. They typically appear when you lose weight or put on weight rapidly. Stretch marks contain a normal, upper layer of skin but the lower layers that contain collagen and elastin have become damaged.

There is no specific cure for stretch marks. However, there are many measures you can take to minimize their impact and prevent acquiring new ones.

The first step is not to gain or lose weight too quickly. Usually stretch marks are caused by rapidly gaining weight. When losing weight, it is important to lose weight slowly. When you lose weight too quickly, you risk having an issue with looser, damaged skin. By losing weight at a steady pace, you allow the skin to replenish itself and use its natural elasticity to shrink with your body.

What is a steady pace? Most women can safely lose 0.5% - 1.0% of their body weight each week. Men can lose a little more quickly, from 0.5% - 1.5%.

Losing faster than this can prevent the skin from adapting to the changes in body weight.

You must also nourish the skin from the inside and the outside. Inside, taking a quality multivitamin TOP FORM BASICS is important to supply the body with the materials it needs to repair damaged tissue. Because fats are used to repair cell membranes, especially in the skin, taking the right type of healthy fats TOP FORM BASICS (such as fish oil and flaxseed oil) is also important.

On the outside, quality skin care is important. In addition to regular regimens of the right soaps, shampoos, and lotions, many people report great success with applying cocoa butter on a regular basis.

THF Spring Time Promotion

2008-05-06T16:13:00.001-07:00

Fat Loss vs Weight Loss Seminar Part 5 of 5

2008-05-06T16:03:00.001-07:00

Sheri's Success Story

2008-04-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

I started the program 3 weeks ago and i think i have had amazing results. I have tried all sorts of diets and nothing quite so personalised and effective. I am a very active person and love the gym but after being diagnosed with a medical problem 10 years ago the medication hormone that i was put on for treatment made me gain
unbelievable weight quickly and i have had trouble fighting it off since. It seems to always be a struggle. A girlfriend of mine put me on to this program as she did this a few years back with Mike Butler and had amazing results. Both of my sister in laws have also done this with amazing results, and my mother in law starts with Mike next week, she's 60 and is really excited to get fit!!! So me and 3 friends all started with Mike the same time and are running a healthy little competition. Who ever loses the most body fat every month gets taken out for their free meal by the other 3. Needless to say i am currently in the lead!!! But much to my dedication and hard work and proper coaching from Mike. I have stuck to his plan to a T.

I had a my first baby 6 months ago and full term was extremely heavy, so after i recovered from a C-Section and was up and walking properly(around 2 weeks) i hit the gym light and watched my calories and at 6 weeks i hit it hard. I was working out 6 days a week, lifting and cardio. I managed to shake 35 pounds on my own in 5 months, 6 weeks before i started with Mike i did Weight Watchers for the first time. It was horrible!!! I only went down 5 pounds cause all they do is weigh you, and if you lose anything they instantly think you have been cheating. So after only 3 weeks with Mike i am happy to say that i'm working out half as often and half as hard, i love working out, i actually look froward to it, and my stats are...

scale - 9.2 pounds
% BF - 3.8%
Fat Mass - 12.81
Lean Body Mass + 3.61

The best thing about this program is that they coach you and empower you to make your own choices and with their help guide you into a healthy lifestyle change. I also love that i meet every week which helps my strive for perfection and stay on track and not only scale weight but fat pinching which then tells you your body fat % and lean
body mass % which is much better then looking at the dreaded scale. When i started 3 weeks ago i was almost 40% body Fat and now i am only just above 35% which means i only have 15% to go which also means i have lost almost a 1/4 of my goal already and i'm stoked. I have never been so excited to get my fat pinched every week, next week we will also do 1 month photos and i cant wait to see the change, i have already dropped a whole dress size!!! Mike gave me a program of 25 weeks but i am way ahead of track so anythings possible. Anyway, thats it for me, i will update in a couple of weeks to let you all know how i am doing.

"Sheri Taylor"

Travis Bradford THF Sucsess Story

2008-04-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here are my before and after photos and also a photo of myself two years after my THF program. The program gave me the ability to keep the weight off.

I had tried a couple of different diets in the past and they didn’t work, so I went to a weight loss vs. fat loss seminar at Total Health & Fitness to find out what I was doing wrong. I found out that my current diet and exercise routine was ineffective. Then I met with Total Health & Fitness and we discussed and developed a fitness and diet program for me. Early on in the program I found that the food combinations and supplements were very important in developing my success. I also liked how the program taught me how I could add variety to my diet and exercise routine. I didn’t feel like I was eating the same old foods and I wasn’t bored during my workouts. As I started to see results, I became more motivated to push myself just a little more each day. Although the program was not always easy, I learned successful strategies to maintain a healthy weight.

"Travis Bradford"

No Medication Necessary

2008-04-12T16:08:00.000-07:00

Just a quick testimonial about a client of the Brickyard THF office.

Linda A. was instructed by her doctor to start taking medication. Linda was convinced that she did not need the medication and searched to find something else. Linda has been on a THF program for a little over 3 months now and has seen great results. She recently went in for a check up and her doctor had discovered that she had seen great results without medication.

Here are her Cholesterol numbers:

Overall Cholesterol down from 317 in January to 247
LDL - down from 237 to 178
HDL - down from 52 to 50
Triglycerides down from 142 to 97

Total drop of 70 points.

Ratio change from 6.1 to 4.94.

The doctor also said that is significant, the ratio between the good to the overall cholesterol number.

Bloggers Welcome

2008-04-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

We would like to get your thoughts and comments about THF. Just send any comments to info@thfonline.com and we will post them. We know there are a lot of people that would like to share their THF results with others and here is your opportunity. Plus, we love to hear from you anyway.

Our clients and friends have been key to our success, we would love to hear from all of you. Thank you to everyone!

Part 4 Fat Loss vs Weight Seminar

2008-04-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Local Blogger Taking the THF Challenge

2008-04-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

A local blogger from Your Heart Out has been asked to take the Total Health & Fitness Challenge and post her progress each week on her blog. You can track her weekly results via here.

About Your Heart Out blog

Your Heart Out is a blog dedicated to shopping, dining, decorating, entertaining and traveling—generally living your heart out in Salt Lake City. Graphic designer/advertising director Maeve Knickerbocker and fashion/home-design writer Ali Anderson Smith bring you the latest and greatest from the local market with shopping tips, product reviews, store tours and whatever we find that’s just too good to keep to ourselves.

Your Heart Out snoops out hot new restaurants, where to see your new favorite band, the best place to find discount designer jeans, and sweet deals on spa treatments. But we also offer reminders of old SLC favorites like turkey club sandwiches at Emigration Market and short hikes to Lake Mary under a full moon. Look to us to find the best stuff available to big city appetites in a cool little city with a buzz of its own.

Another Great THF Testimonial

2008-04-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

Name: Candy Olsen
City and State: Nephi, UT
Consultants Name: Daniel Olsen

My weight loss struggles have been typical, it seems, gradually worsening over the years. I gained weight with each baby (six of them) and typically took about one year to lose the weight. After my fifth, though, I was not able to lose the last ten pounds. When my youngest was about six years old (around 1988), I was about 20 pounds overweight and succeeded in losing that by participation in a local Weight Watchers group. Over the next ten years, I gradually gained weight and did not have the same success I'd previously had with Weight Watchers, probably because there was no local group available then. Finally, through some very extensive caloric restriction, tracking and both cardio and resistance workouts, I lost about 30 pounds and was at my desired weight. That, however, did not last as I gradually gained over the next ten or eleven years. I developed arthritis in my knees. My feet, which have always been problematic, became worse. I was unsuccessful at many exercise plans. I tried many tracking options, similar to what you see in Weight Watchers, but would wear down with just trying the time needed to figure it, measure and track. I would feel worse, rather than better, with most efforts. I just couldn't keep it up. I gained about 70 pounds and felt really down. I'd begun to feel that this was just part of aging process for me and that I would not feel well again.

My friend, Elizabeth, recommended this program to me. She is having great success. I couldn't resist a free consultation. Having been through a lot of discouraging disappointments with my health and my food intake, I just wasn't sure I could succeed in any program, but Daniel Olsen assured me that he could design a plan that I could follow; that he would work to help me discover a plan I could live with for life and would not have to yo-yo through weight loss and gain. He was so convincing that I really wanted to give it a try. Success is more the language I wanted to be talking. Once I saw what Daniel hoped to accomplish and how "reachable" the goal is, I was ready to go. Being able to have my consultations over the telephone is invaluable,both because I live too far away from the facility and because we are often unavailable for a set appointment time in a set place. I can adjust my schedule for the set time, but being in a set place just wouldn't work for me. Phone consultations makes it do-able!

I was unsure how I felt about the set nature of the menus, but I find that it's not difficult to vary things, even with the same basic foods. I like being a bit creative with what I have and find that having set menus really eases the shopping situation and makes planning easy. I like how easy it is to follow the cardio and resistance plans—how well they are diagramed so I can be sure I am doing them right. I like how challenging he keeps the workouts, yet how possible they are to do. I like how Daniel takes time to explain how this works, why we do it the way we do, and where we are going from here. I like being accountable, each and every week, for my behavior. It takes procrastination off the radar.

Daniel is right on time with his consultation phone calls. He's readily available, by e-mail or telephone, for assistance. He's positive and really seems to be happy with my progress. He is knowledgeable, willing to work with my crazy schedule where adjustments to food intake and exercise plans enter in, and likes the challenge of meeting my needs. This program makes me feel healthier, stronger, more in control—and it only took a couple of days for my previous cravings and less healthy feelings began to subside! I was really surprised by that! Those are invaluable elements for me. I am very satisfied with my progress so far.

I Really Need A Good Fat Burner Because I Don't Have Any Energy.

2008-03-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

Some people want to do the bare minimum to get by and eat convenience foods rather than changing their habits to embrace healthier, less processed foods. If you take a quality multi and eat whole foods, you will gain much more energy than eating a highly processed diet and taking fat burners.

What's worse, the jitters you get from the energy tablets are negative side effects. Your adrenaline system is being stressed. Stress creates cortisol and this inhibits fat loss. So you might feel more energetic, but your body is actually in a state of stress and may not be as capable of burning fat as the marketing hype would have you believe.

Finally, your body does adapt to the energy burners. If you continue to take them, you can suffer from over training and fatigue from the over stimulation of your parasympathetic nervous system. If you cycle off of them then you simply lose the energy kick you were receiving and reintroduce the negative side effects when you cycle back on.

What Am I Really Missing By Not Taking A Multivitamin?

2008-03-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

There are dozens and dozens of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that can contribute to optimal health. Just as a few examples ...

Vitamins:
Vitamin B1, for example, is used in many chemical reactions in the body and is present in every tissue. It helps convert glucose to energy. Deficiency can create neuromuscular, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular problems.

This is incapable of being produced by the body, and must be present in the diet. Unfortunately, it is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in humans - a US Dept of Agriculture study reported that 45 percent of Americans consume less than the USRDA.

Minerals:
Calcium is an example of a mineral. It is the most abundant mineral in the body. Beyond bones, calcium affects how nutrients pass through cell walls, is used in muscular contraction and even helps cells bind to each other. The epidemic of Osteoporosis is evidence enough that people are not receiving enough calcium. The Western diet, which is high in saturated fats, salts, animal proteins, and processed sugars creates acidic waste products. This means the body must leech calcium from the bones to form an alkaline environment. Most people mistakenly take on dairy for calcium, not realizing that plants are a more abundant source and dairy actually increases the body's need for calcium, so it's a catch-22.

Those are examples using two sample vitamins and minerals. There are other antioxidants, such as CoQ10, that have been shown to improve cardiovascular health, etc. The issue is that our environment is much more toxic than it was even 100 years ago. Not only do crops yield fewer nutrients, but our body REQUIRES more to combat contaminants in the air, in the soil, in the water supply, and even to combat the stress that we cause in our jobs and fast-paced lifestyle.

Most people try to rationalize their vitamin intake by deciding that they will see if they "feel" a difference and then choose whether to continue or not. The fact is that degenerative disease is an epidemic. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the second leading cause of death in the year 2000 was lack of exercise and poor diet (not lack of calories, either, Americans over consume calories but are malnourished because the food supply is so processed that vital nutrients are damaged or removed and unavailable). People don't "feel" their arteries clogging even though a large number of adolescents and even young children suffer from atherosclerosis due to the poor diet and toxic environment we live in.

Part 3 of Fat Loss vs Weight Loss Seminar

2008-03-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

Are Protein Shakes Essential?

2008-03-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

The fact is that you can get everything you need from whole foods. While shakes are great for convenience, they also come at an expense. You want your protein to be released slowly except after a workout, when faster proteins like whey are optimal.

Part 2 of Fat Loss vs Weight Loss Seminar

2008-03-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

A great THF testimonial

2008-03-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Reinhard

City and State: Nephi, Utah

Consultants Name at Total Health & Fitness: Daniel Olsen

I have struggled with weight loss for 25 years. Every time I lost weight, I would gain it back and then some. I had an especially difficult time after each of my six children were born. With every one, I would gain more weight. I became very depressed about the whole thing, and that only added more pounds on as I turned to food for consolation. I had a very unhealthy relationship with food. I basically used it as an addictive substance. I ate to ease the pain and thus continued to inflict more pain and suffering on myself because of my bad habits. But I desperately wanted to change! I had a brand new baby boy that would need his old mom to be healthy and able to keep up with his youthful exuberance. I wanted to be there for him, and most of all, I wanted to have the energy to enjoy being a mother.

I did not think I could do the Total Health and Fitness Program because I thought I would fail once again. I thought I would not like having someone to report to, because I would want to rebel against whatever the consultant asked me to do. I didn't really believe that it would work for me. I wondered if it was safe to try to lose weight while nursing a baby. I did not think that they had correct information as to what foods are good for you. I really dreaded the thought of having to count calories! I cringed at the idea of sharing with anyone my weight and measurements.

My consultant, Daniel Olsen, put all my concerns to rest. He told me that I was the type of person who had an incredibly strong will and that I could succeed! I found I really had no inclination to rebel against this very kind and sensitive soul who was willing to help me fulfill a goal that had always been impossible to reach. I was very impressed with the extent of his knowledge concerning how our bodies work. I was amazed at the amount of time and effort he put into planning my program for me. I was relieved to learn that I would not have to be counting out the calories. Even though it was initially uncomfortable about sharing information concerning everything but my shoe size, I found him to be very professional. I knew he was "safe" and that I could trust him.

I like how the Total Health and Fitness Program works. It has taken a while for my body to grow accustomed to eating so differently. I had been especially concerned with how the change would affect my ability to produce enough milk for my nursing baby. I really like how Daniel has helped me through by adjusting my program to fit our needs. He figures out exactly what my body requires and makes changes gradually so that I can experience the best results with the least stress. I like how he listens to my concerns and encourages me contact him if I ever have any questions or difficulties. I love the feeling I get from eating good foods and getting proper exercise. (I also love that I get a" free" meal!) It has been very helpful to go to the THF website to learn how to do the exercises properly and print off information about my program. I am thankful that I don't need to go in every week to see him in person, and that we can communicate over the phone and through emails. I know that the knowledge Daniel has shared with me is one of the main keys to my success.

I have lost nearly 30 lbs total weight, and from what my consultant tells me, I have lost even more in pounds of pure fat. (Since I used to have such a love affair with butter, I like to put that weight loss into perspective by telling people how many cubes of butter have lost! = ) I am lighter and stronger and able to move more freely and do things I thought I could never do. My clothes fit better, and some I have even permanently removed from my wardrobe! I look forward to being able to reach my goal to be an active and healthy mother. I know it is within my reach!

Perhaps the most amazing thing about this whole experience is that Daniel Olsen has given me HOPE through the THF Program. You can not put a price tag on that.

Part 1 Fat Loss vs Weight Loss Seminar

2008-03-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

Total Health & Fitness on KUTV News

2008-03-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Good Energy Chocolates

2008-03-16T21:42:00.000-07:00

There are many traditional delivery systems such as tablets and capsules to consume your daily supplements. These have obvious strengths but also certain weaknesses. With the recent chocolate health advantages, indulgence can now be validated. Energy Bites chocolate delivery serves as a natural source of desirable antioxidants, natural mild stimulants and functions to trigger brain production or opiates contributing to enhance the sense of well-being. In addition, added nutrients are included and are effectively masked to make taking your needed supplements more pleasurable.

3 Major Functions of Energy Bites:

Energy and Burn Fat
Appetite Supressession
Antioxidants

Carmel and Mint flavors

Should I cut out the carbs?

2008-03-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

Cutting carbs is an illusion. It cuts calories (Because carbs have calories) and in addition, because your muscles need carbs, when your muscles lose carbs, it loses water as well. Therefore, you lose lean mass. This creates what appears to be greater weight loss, but really isn't.

There is no need to restrict carbs. It is a very popular trend, but despite popular belief, it's not a new trend, either. There was a low carb craze in the Roman era and there was one at the turn of the century as well. Like all trends and fads, those came and went and the age old axiom of eating clean, whole, unprocessed foods in moderation combined with exercise still reigns supreme.

What about cardio?

2008-03-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Different forms of cardio serve different purposes. You can lose fat using both moderate intensity and high intensity cardio. In fact, if you are looking to kick start fat loss, then chances are your issue is not the exercise you are doing, but nutrition. While it is easier to change the exercises or swap the cardio, it is nutrition that people have the hardest time sticking with but is often the key element that is keeping them from breaking through. You can achieve much more fat loss by manipulating your nutrition than you could your cardio. For example, simply trimming off an ounce from a portion of meat at each meal would save you more calories over a week than adding a full 30 minutes of high intensity cardio. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that cardio is not important. What I am saying is that the right nutrition and the right cardio is the path to your success. To find out more about what is the right kind of nutritional and exercise program, visit us at thfonline.com.

Understanding the body/mind connection

2008-03-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

As important as what we feed our body, are the thoughts we feed our mind. What we think and what we eat, combined together make us what we are physically and mentally.

Here's another good one:

Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change. How do these comments apply to health and fitness you ask? Positive affirmation is vital for your health. The Universe responds to "I AM" statements like a genie in a bottle. Proper nutrition, exercise and positive affirmation is key to body, mind and soul empowerment!

"Joni Fairbourn"

Exercise and Nutrition Consultant

11075 South State Street Suite 17

Sandy, Utah 84070

How could I possibly ever be happy with my body or me?

2008-03-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

Listen to the conversations you have with yourself and start to realize they are negative and turn them around. Self-esteem is your ability to deliver on your self-promises, but self-image is simply your perception of yourself. Changing both is easy, but takes time - Examples:

Simply choose the new image and focus on it daily. Repetition and results can create faith and belief.

For the self-esteem, start honoring your own promises. You'll be amazed at how confident you become when you don't sell yourself short.

I just don't have time to live healthy.

2008-03-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

It's not an impossible schedule, you are just choosing it to be. Everyone has the same hours in the day. If a woman I know whose husband was recovering from brain surgery could take care of him, teach him how to walk and talk and rehabilitate him, raise her children, work full time, run a part-time coaching practice and lose over 100 pounds at the same time, I know you can, too, if you choose.

There are always challenges, the key is to live in the solution. The keys are going to be to find what little time you have during the week and focus on that to prepare meals that are "grab and go" throughout the week.
The other challenge is to really focus on time management and organization. The Total Health & Fitness program can help you become better at time management and life preparation.

You can succeed just by planning 15 - 30 minutes each day. It may seem impossible but let's face it, without a plan you really can't succeed.

Rest is important, but at times, it doesn't have to be the main priority. You can cut into 15 or 30 minutes of rest and create that time to manage your coming day.

The human body can do amazing things when pushed to reveal it's inner power, and this should not be a condition for the rest of your life.

Why is drinking water important for losing fat?

2008-03-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

The only way for glycogen to get back into the muscle is through glucose bound to water, so without enough water, you won't get the fuel to your muscles that need it. Water is what the body uses to manipulate the charge inside and outside of the cell to drive nutrients and and waste products out.

Without water, you are potentially not delivering the nutrients your body needs to burn fat.

How many calories do I need to burn to lose a pound of fat?

2008-02-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

3500 calories is the rough estimate for the energy contained in one pound of fat. This means that to lose one pound per week, you must create a deficit of 3500 calories per week. Since a week as 7 days, that means a deficit of 3500 / 7 = 500 calories per day.

This is a great starting point. The reality is much more complex .. for example, 3500 calories will not produce a pound of muscle, it actually takes more than that, but as a general rule of thumb, it gives you a starting point and then you can play with the numbers from there.

To really appreciate the power of losing even a pound of fat, visit www.thfonline.com and find out interesting facts on what you need to do to lose fat and keep it off.

President's Challenge Week 5 1/2

2008-02-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

Rough Week.

It has been a rough week and a half. It has been rough enough for me to be late on posting a picture. It was rough enough that I am working even harder at the gym to get results, but my meals have been slacking horribly! (Pizza 2 times, McDonald's 2 times) No one to blame but myself! To start the week off, my wife and daughter were sick. I know I was bragging that I hadn't been sick for like 2 years, but I guess I forgot to knock on wood, cause sure enough I got sick. I also had 2 horrible migraines, one gave me quite an ab workout. (if you know what I mean). We also had one of our best employees quit! I know that I hear excuses all the time as a consultant, but I really do not have anyone to blame. Things like this happen. The people that are successful, are the ones that lick their wounds and go back to work. If there is one thing that I love to get across to clients is to never ever give up. Really, only wimps give up! I still remember my ninth grade football coach's advice to this day. "winners never quit, and quitters never win" these are simple but priceless words! I am super dedicated to reach my goal! Even though I do not know what the future holds, I know one thing, and that is never quit!

Here are my recent stats:
Weight 199
Percent Body-Fat 14.3%
Total Lean gain this week 0
Total Fat loss this week 1.3lbs

Running total:
Lean gain 5lbs
Total Fat loss 1.5lbs

p.s. I know I am still white! I went to tan the other day, and the place that I had my pass, just up and left without telling anyone. They took my money and split. I think I will just resort to the tan in the bottle. It is healthier anyway!

Orem Total Health & Fitness Sponsorship

2008-02-08T15:01:00.000-08:00

The Orem Total Health & Fitness is sponsoring a Utah Valley Fat Loss Challenge. Check out the web site www.uvfatloss.com. It is open to the public and is a great way to promote health and fitness.

President's Challenge Week 4

2008-02-08T11:40:00.000-08:00

This first month has gone as well as I could have hoped for. I do have to say that at times it's difficult to eat 7 times a day. It's hard to make time to eat and often times during meetings I am excusing myself to go grab a bite to eat to stay on task with my program. (In reality I am out scarfing down a protein bar).

With the progression of the THF program, I will start to incorporate a little cardio next week, and focus now on losing a little more fat. I really think the supplements I was taking for muscle gain helped a lot. I love Glutamine powder. (Topform Supplements) I also really love the multi-vitamin, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. It seems everyone around me is getting a cold but me! thank you Topform:

Weight 203
Body fat percentage 14.6%
Total Lean gained in one month 7.8lbs
Total Fat loss 0.6lbs

President's Challenge Workout Partner

2008-01-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

Here is my workout partner.
This is Rick Moon our accountant here at THF. These pictures are 1 month a part. His stats for 1 month:
He started his weight at 210.6. In one month his weight went to 203.6, so He lost 6 lbs on the scale. His body fat started at 25.2% and at one month is 22.5 %. He lost 2.7 %. He lost 7.3 lbs of fat! Congratulations Rick!

Week 3 President's Challenge

2008-01-31T15:40:00.000-08:00

Week 3 is complete

My week 3 statistics are:
Weight:201.2 Bodyfat %: 15.3%
My lean mass has increased just under 5 pounds. I feel that 5 pounds for three weeks is pretty good. I haven't been able to be the best at the program. Business is really taking off. I have a pretty busy day with meetings etc, but when I plan, it is easy. When I do not plan, that is when I struggle. Probably the most difficult thing for me so far, is to drink enough water. Water is so critical to health, muscle gain, and fat - loss. Today has been better. I instituted the chug principle. Whenever I look at my water bottle, I chug as much water as I can handle. So if there is anything that I can say of importance, it is to "Drink water!"

New Top Form Website

2008-01-25T13:05:00.000-08:00

Check out our new Top Form website.

Top Form supplements are the best addition to any healthy lifestyle and here at Total Health & Fitness we recommend these products to our clients to ensure them the best results from a great service and product. You can order these products online and become educated on all Top Form has to offer.

Remember to check out the Energy Bites, they're amazing.

President's Challenge Update

2008-01-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

Week 2 is complete!

My weight was 197.6 and my body fat was 15.2% so running total for 2 weeks is an increase of 2 pounds on the scale, a drop of 0.1% body fat. This may not sound like a lot, but my lean mass has increased by 2 pounds in 2 weeks.

The important thing to remember with this in following and running a good program, is that it is not what the scale says. If I were to go by the scale, I wouldn't know if the weight that I have gained was fat, or muscle, or even if the program is working. I know that in order to increase my metabolism, I have to have a couple of weeks where I put lean mass on, and that means I might even gain weight. However it is interesting to know that 1 pound of lean muscle can burn 30 to 50 extra calories a day at rest, and when that muscle is working, it is burning even more. So lets just say the first part of any program should be the metabolism overhaul! It is frustrating to me when clients feel that they have to lose weight on the scale fast when they start a program.

Our program is designed to increase metabolism, and in order to do
that some amount of lean mass needs to be put on!

Great Job Vegas!

2008-01-18T13:48:00.000-08:00

Check out Las Vegas spot on Channel 5 News.

Click Here - News Clip

Week One Results of the President's Challenge

2008-01-17T10:54:00.000-08:00

Week one is out of the way. My goal here was to get back to following the rules of nutrition.

1. Eating every 2 to 3 hours.
2. Having a protein, carb, and fat with each meal.
3. Eat more when I am more active, and less when I am less active.

I also wanted to get back to working out. I started basic, 3 sets of 10, to just start moving again. I didn't expect to see a lot of results this week, just to start moving. However next week my goal is to increase lean mass! Here are my first week statistics.

195lbs on the scale. 15.5 percent body fat. So I lost a pound on the scale, and basically stayed the same on bodyfat. So the get back in the swing of things is over, and this next week the goal is to put on lean mass.

Side note, I need to start working on the tan!

It is Starting!

2008-01-09T07:30:00.001-08:00

Well, here it is. I hope you have your sunglasses on. Don't adjust your screen. I am a whitey white! I guess when you don't see the sun a lot, that is what happens. Don't worry. I will start tanning. I can totally believe that I look the way I do. I was eating fast food, all the time. I was eating cookies before bed, and my wife bought these chocolate things that were way intelligent. If you walked by the bag with your mouth open, they would jump right in your mouth. Can you believe that? No if ands or buts about it, I am a hypocrite.
The thing I want to prove, is that it is nobody's fault but my own. I think to many times in society, people want a quick fix. They want things now, and if they don't get things quickly, they start looking for excuses. Well no excuses. It is time to get back. I want to get in best shape of my life. Not superficial shape, where I am totally ripped. I am talking about I can run forever, climb the highest mountain, and seriously kick some butt!
I will through out this thing, give hints and tips, from years of experience that I have had with clients. I will probably tie a lot of the things I am doing to science and research.
Anyway Here are my starting statistics, and goals.
Weight: 195.6 Fat percentage: 15.3% Lean Mass: 165.6 Fat Mass: 30
Body Composition Goals
Weight: 190 Fat Percentage: 6% Lean Mass: 178.6 Fat Mass: 11.4
Total Weight Loss 5.6lbs. Total Fat Loss 18.6lbs Total Lean Gain 13lbs

Total Health & Fitness President's Challenge.

2008-01-07T14:16:00.001-08:00

Let me introduce myself. My name is Mike Butler. I am the President and co-founder of Total Health & Fitness. I am almost 33 years old (March.) I am married to the love of my life Rachel, and I have a beautiful 9 and a half month old daughter, Ava Elle. We are also expecting a son (80 % sure, still early) in July. The pictures you see here are the roots of my body transformation history, and the roots of my passion with health and fitness. The 1st picture is obviously my before picture. The 2nd picture is at 12 weeks, and the 3rd picture is a year later. I went from 8 percent body fat to 3 percent body fat in 12 weeks. I was able to maintain 5 percent body fat a year later. I was young, 25 years old and stress free. I was also in great shape. Ha! Ha! Well time has passed, and I took most of my focus off of myself and put it into our business. I have decided that it is time, time to get back in shape, not just for myself, but for my family. I hope that my journey back will inspire and educate. I will document my progress weekly and post as much helpful information that I can. I will start by posting my new before picture (UGG!) and my first weeks results etc this week. (Only if you promise not to laugh!!!!)

Best of State 2007

2008-01-07T12:59:00.000-08:00

Total Health & Fitness has been awarded as best of state for 2007 for Health and Nutrition. Great job to all of our consultants and thank you to all of our clients that have succeeded with their goals. We wouldn't be where we are without your help and support.

Good Energy Chocolates

2008-01-04T14:42:00.001-08:00

Energy and Burn Fat
Appetite Supressession
Antioxidants

Visit one of our 7 locations to experience an unbelievable healthy chocolate.

What We Do

2008-01-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

Here at Total Health & Fitness we are a team of Nutrition Exercise Consultants that provide detailed, high quality professional guidelines for those interested in fat loss, muscle-gain, firming, toning, and sports-specific goals such as basketball, football, and competitive running. We are not a gym, we provide exercise education through demonstration and seminars. Our clients are not required to have a gym membership, meaning they can workout at home, at the office, or at any gym of their choice. We also do long distance training over the phone for people that are interested in our services and are not located close to one of our 7 locations.

New Years Resolutions

2008-01-02T10:29:00.000-08:00

It's the time of year where you begin to make decisions on how the new year "will be different!"

Here at Total Health & Fitness we can help you succeed at reaching your fitness and nutrition goals. We are professional nutrition and exercise consultants, teaching you the skills to lose that unwanted fat and change that unhealthy lifestyle. We have a unlimited resources that can get you to "Discover Life."

Call our office now and speak with one of our consultants and begin your journey to a healthier you. Or visit our website and order a copy of our DVD to obtain the secrets of losing fat and keeping it off.

801 858 3725
thfonline.com