2/1/2008
Quite Contrary... This is a special congratulations to one of our clients and friends. She has been working hard for the past few months and has the results to prove it. She went from a size 12 to a size ZERO (and the photo below has not been Photoshoped either). That is no exaggeration folks. She is a mother of 3, and as one would expect has a fairly hectic schedule. She still found the time to workout and make the proper nutritional changes as well. She even inspired her husband to join us too. So from all of us at Carter Fitness, congrats on a job well done. Now keep it up because we are not finished with you :) Joshua Carter http://carterfitness.com My Feet Hurt A few days ago it was time for my morning workout. I was tired, it was cold out and I was seriously considering blowing it off. I was looking for anything to do to avoid starting. So I checked my email and a friend had forwarded me this: I had a great workout. Joshua Carter http://carterfitness.com/ 28 Days Later In late December of 2007 I was approached by a few clients who were interested in trying a new nutrition plan they had read about called the "Velocity Diet", or "V-Diet". This is a short term, low calorie, low carb, high protein diet. Sounds scary right? It is, but as it turns out so are the results. Can you get 6 pack abs in 28 days? We'll see... I wonder how many shakes a day these guys drank Needless to say I was intrigued. I had actually read about the diet before on T-Nation (one of my favorite sites), but was really too chicken to try it out. But since a handful of clients were going to try it, I thought what the hell. I also recruited a few more clients that I would work with one-on-one so I could have a bigger test group. First, let me tell you what the V-Diet is. The V-Diet is the brain child of Chris Shugart. He essentially took an old concept (a low calorie diet), improved it and made it unique. He built upon a previous diet called the "Fat Fast" by Brock Strasser penned several years earlier. It was also a low calorie, low carb diet - but it had some flaws. Chris tweaked away (and continues to tweak) and the V-Diet was born. Basically you calculate your maintenance calorie level, and then take 50-60% of that and stay within that caloric range for 28 days. All of the calories come from 5 protein shakes made from Metabolic Drive (a top-notch protein powder) along with fish-oil and ground flax seeds, spread throughout the day. That's it, nothing else. Yummy. You must also weight train 3 x week, and do some form of NEPA (Non-Exercise Physical Activity) work everyday. You do get one solid food meal per week. You are also allowed some peanut butter at night (there is a reason too), but you still must stay within your designated calorie range. There are a few other guidelines, but that's it in a nutshell. Banana Creme - YUMMY TRUE STORY: I went to one client and said "Hey, I was thinking you might like to try this insane diet with me." "Does it involve peanut butter?" He asked. "Why yes it does." I replied. "I'm in." What is comes down to is you are consuming half of what you would normally. With calories cut that drastically one would normally see massive losses in lean tissue. This would also correspond to an equally massive drop in metabolism. This is combated by the fact you will be consuming 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight (minimum) and performing a training protocol designed to increase lean mass, drop fat and elevate metabolism. I normally would not go for this quick fix type of thing, but the more I looked into it the more interesting the diet became. It is about more than just dropping fat: It is about re-shaping behaviors. I cannot tell it like Chris would, but during the 28 days you actually are training yourself to think of food differently. And that is the tip of the iceberg. That is what had me sold. I don't really have that many bad behaviors (nutritionally anyway) to start with, but like a good general I would not ask my clients to try anything I would not try myself. And so it began... Peanut butter IS on the menu On January 13th I started the V-Diet. This was actually a week later than I had planned, but a bout with the flu side-lined me for about a week. The first week was not fun. I was hungry all damn day, almost every day. I thought that was weird considering I love Metabolic Drive, and use it every day anyway. For me maintenance calories was just over 4000, so on this diet I was getting around 2000. Thus, I was hungry. As hard as week 1 was, week 2 was a breeze. I had become accustomed to the eating schedule and levels, had created a routine, and all was well with the world. I found V-Diet Muffins to be a life saver (see below for the recipe). I also began to drink copious amounts of tea. A mix of Green Tea and Good Earth tea is my current favorite. On T-Nation there is a very detailed log of a guy who is following this plan. In 28 days he lost 21.5 lbs, and dropped 5.5 inches from his waist. His results were amazing, but as I understand it not at all atypical. There is a pre-planned transition phase, to ease you back into "normal" or should I say improved eating patterns. There are also "lite" versions of this plan that involve eating one solid meal per day, that have also yielded tremendous results. I know Chris Shugart has a full book in the works that should detail every aspect of the V-Diet, and I am anxiously awaiting its arrival. Is this diet for everyone? Hell no. It requires complete dedication and total commitment. A half assed effort will yield half assed results. You can consider it 28 days of intensive nutritional rehab, and when you get to the other side you are not only leaner, but re-educated and fired up. If you are interested check out the links in this article, or contact me and I will set you on your way. And as I write this I am just over half way to day 28. And my results? Stay tuned.... Joshua Carter http://carterfitness.com/ PS: Anyone interested trying a modified version of the V-Diet please contact me. I am currently accepting 6 online clients. V-Diet Muffins Remember my balls? Well V-Diet Muffins might actually be better than my (protein) balls. My Actual Muffins V-Diet Muffins were first created by Daven (username on T-Nation forums). They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and I have a strong feeling that is exactly what happened here. You see, on the V-Diet you get nothing but protein Metabolic Drive protein shakes 5 times a day. Yawn. And on the V-diet, there are 3 main foods you can consume: Metabolic Drive, ground flax seeds, and peanut butter. I'm guessing Daven thought "what the hell" lets see if the suckers bake up. Sure enough, they do. With the help of some of my clients I tweaked the recipe a bit, and below is what I came up with. It is geared towards my V-Diet calorie level so adjust it for yours. If you are on the V-Diet, only add the peanut butter IF it is within your calorie range (they bake up fine without). You can switch flavors, and add various extracts or spices to come with your own variation. This is not just for V-Dieters, these things actually taste good, and make a great protein based snack. Banana Spice V-Diet Muffins Makes 6 Muffins 3 Scoops Metabolic Drive Banana Creme 1 cup water 2 tbs ground flax 1-2 tbs natural peanut butter 1 tsp baking powder pumpkin pie spice to taste Mix up everything in a bowl, pour into muffin baking tin spayed with Pam and bake at 325 for 15 minutes or until tops are firm. Eat'em up. UPDATE: This just in! This mix is better than Bisquick! Turn out you can also make pancakes too! Just cut the water down to 3/4 cup. Yeah baby! My Actual Pancakes Joshua Carter http://carterfitness.com/ Do You Have the Stubborn Fat Blues? Every year at about this time frustrated people around the globe look in the mirror and take in the end results of their holiday eating frenzy. Maybe your waist is larger, or your hips are wider, or maybe your New Year's resolve has fizzled. So what do you do about the stubborn and seemingly permanent fat? Sink into a depression? Well, the easiest thing to do is to throw a pity party. Then before you know it your feelings of self pity begin to snowball into a full blown case of the Stubborn Fat Blues. How do you know if you have the Stubborn Fat Blues? Your pants are tighter today than they were a year ago You've tried to lose weight only to fail. You feel trapped. You're close to giving up on yourself. If you can relate to any of the above statements then you have the Stubborn Fat Blues - quite an unpleasant condition to have. Fortunately, there is a cure. It all starts with your mind. The thing about the Stubborn Fat Blues is that it affects your mind more than anything. You see, your mental state is critical in determining your shape and size. When you focus on all of the things that you hate about your current body like the size of your thighs, the shape of your butt, or the way your belly looks then you're putting all of your energy on the negative. The more you think about how unhappy you are, the unhappier you will become. Makes sense, right? So instead of wallowing, use the following techniques to conquer the Stubborn Fat Blues: 1. Take it one battle at a time. You may have 20, 50 or 100 pounds to lose before you reach your ideal weight - and, boy, that can be overwhelming. The truth is that weight loss like that won't happen overnight - it takes months of dedication. It's no wonder so many people simply give up. Don't worry about winning the entire war today, instead focus on conquering one battle at a time. Take it one meal at a time, and one day at a time. A healthy meal, a good workout and you've won a battle. Remember, 100 pounds is broken down into 350,000 calories. Sure, that sounds like a lot, but all you have to do is focus on burning more calories than you take in today – in the end weight loss will be inevitable. 2. Use a trigger. How many times throughout your day do you find yourself plagued with negative thoughts? I'm too fat. I'll never look as good as I used to. I'm not attractive. Yikes! Thoughts like these will ruin your chance at regaining your figure - they are total momentum killers. Here's what I want you to do. Whenever a negative thought enters your mind instantly do the following: Breathe out and squeeze your abs for 5 seconds – 3 times Throw away any junk food within arms reach Plan to exercise that day Make negative thoughts a trigger to take positive action toward your goal - the results will amaze you. 3. See what you want. If you have weight to lose, mirrors are a nightmare. Every lump and pouch seems to jump out with alarming illumination. And it doesn't help that most of us see things as worse than they really are. When was the last time that you closed your eyes and pictured the body that you wished you had? It may sound hokey, but I'm serious. Your mind is very impressionable, and when you bombard it with only the negative then you will be stuck on that image. Take time each day to visualize your ideal body. Close your eyes and put yourself in that ideal body – feel what it feels like to be fit and attractive. This exercise is a powerful way to fixate your mind on your goal in a way that will leave you no room for failure. 4. Get serious. Sooner or later you will decide that you are fed up with the Stubborn Fat Blues. You will decide that your health is important. You will decide that you deserve to look great. And you will do what it takes to achieve amazing results. The best way to ensure that your motivation stays strong - and that your goal is met - is to get on a fitness program that actually works. If you need help finding the right program for you – I can help. Together we will identify your goals, find workout programs that you enjoy and create a routine that works with your schedule. It's that simple. Contact me today for a consultation and to learn more about the different fitness programs available to you. Then you can say goodbye to the Stubborn Fat Blues - forever! Sneaky Calorie Burning What are your plans for this weekend? A great way to promote weight loss is to pack your weekends with physical activities. Weed the garden, walk the dog, plan a bike trip, or clean out the garage. The key is to keep on moving. Fast & Healthy Fish Tacos "Who said that fish tacos had to be fried? This refreshing recipe uses baked Cod and fresh coleslaw for that fish taco taste that is hard to beat. Need to fix dinner in a hurry? This recipe only takes 20 minutes. Servings: 2 Here’s what you need... 1 pound Fresh Skinless Cod 1 Tablespoon Butter 1/4 teaspoon Cumin 1/8 teaspoon Garlic powder 1/2 cup Nonfat Plain Yogurt 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar 2 Tablespoons Honey 3 cups Shredded Cabbage Mix 4 Whole Wheat Tortillas Lime or Lemon to taste Rinse fish and past dry with paper towels. Cut fish crosswise into 3/4 inch slices. Place fish in single layer in greased shallow baking pan. Combine butter, cumin, and garlic powder. Brush over fish. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Combine the yogurt, vinegar and honey. Place the cabbage in a medium sized bowl. Combine the yogurt mixture with the cabbage until well blended. Spoon some of the coleslaw mixture into each tortilla; add fish slices. Squeeze fresh lime or lemon to taste. Enjoy. Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 327 calories, 5g fat, 40g carbohydrate, and 26g protein. Share the fitness truth...Forward this newsletter to your friends, family, and coworkers by using the refer a friend link below. Forward This Newsletter - Refer a Friend	Refer a Friend - Click Here Joshua Carter The Body Transformation Expert Email Me My Site 818-337-6175 Successes Online Training Special Right now I am offering the standard 4 week online package for ONLY $150.  For the price of 2 in person session with me, you can have : * Personalized Workouts Emailed Directly to You * Personalized Nutrition Plan Emailed Directly to You. * Customized Supplement Plan Emailed Directly to You * Email Monitoring & Support For a Full Month * Complete access to the extensive Video Exercise Database Sign Up Now Blog I have a new blog.  Yippee!  I know, I know.  When you just can’t get enough of me drop by and see what I am up to or what I am doing or just come by and heckle me. Don't know what a blog is? It is basically a newsletter that is updated regularly.   I have been posting every few days or so.  Check it out: Click It
	Essential Links
	Sharkfit.com : Legal Ephedrine
About the Author: Joshua Carter is a certified personal trainer as well as a fitness and fat loss expert. With over 15 years personal training experience, Joshua has developed training & nutrition protocols that have delivered proven results in half the time as traditional programs.  These successful protocols have been shared with a select few trainers who assist Joshua with training at his Carter Fitness in West Hills, California.  His facility offers personal training for those who live near West Hills , Woodland Hills, Canoga Park, Chatsworth and Calabasas. Email: joshua@carterfitness.com Phone: 818-337-6175 Web: http://carterfitness.com