Train With Danny.

Drop The Cookie and Do Something!

A huge thank you to the two people who created this for me, Zach Bainter and Vance Malone!

The Real Reason February Makes You Fat!

February has begun and I get this familiar feeling in my gut - the tides are changing. Gym attendance slowly declines, energized January faces are now pale and haggard, determination lies somewhere deep in the gym bag in your backseat, and the treadmill looks like the bouncer of the hot club you’re never getting into.

Every year it’s the same trend!

January -You are “in it to win it”, hitting the gym harder than ever, your New Year’s resolution is in full effect, and you’re looking and feeling great!

February (“wah wah”)-  You’ll skip the gym for a day or two, think one day of pizza, fries, and pasta wont hurt? Your back hurts, but you’ll get back into the gym next week for sure!” February 20, Gym? What’s that?  And you’re looking and feeling just okay.

This year, you can change this horrible trend! Don’t just fork over your monthly $49.99 while gym managers enjoy this “easy month” and cash in on their bonuses – Cha-ching! Of course it’s not going to be easy- life is hard and the clock is always ticking.  I understand- I am not some 21 year old with endless amounts of energy. I have a beautiful 4-month-old 15lb bundle of joy, a wife, a business, and a personal life, yet I still find time to keep my health and fitness a priority and here is how:

ACCOUNTABILITY

Keep tabs of when you work out. Journal, iCal, a notebook, and/or foursquare. Holding yourself accountable each week creates focus, progress, and a commitment to yourself. How many days do you want to get to the gym this week? 3-5 days is ideal. Pick an achievable number and stick with it.

MOTIVATION

Workout with a friend. Hire a trainer. Sign-up for that 5k run everyone is talking about. Buy a dress that you don’t fit into. Join a local group exercise class. All these things keep you working towards something, and add an external motivator to keep you moving forward.

STRUCTURE

Commonly overlooked because people nowadays hate to commit to anything. Create a schedule that you will follow every week. Look at any successful organization, business, or wealthy individual and structure is a main ingredient.

FRUITS AND VEGGIES

It has been scientifically proven that a person who eats a significant amount of fruits and vegetables daily will snack less, exercise more, feel better, and store less fat. Don’t pass the produce!

Follow these steps and success is but a squat, push up, and ¼ mile away!

Ho Ho..Oy Vey!

The holiday season is coming to an end and many of us are heading towards the common January 1^st feeling. What feeling do I speak of? You know, the feeling that makes you say “Today I’m gonna start fresh!” or some variation of that. That feeling you get when you stand in front of your mirror and all the mistakes you made are staring right back at you. I’m not talking about the mistake of a costume you wore on Halloween. Nor is it the undercooked turkey everyone in your family ate at the risk of food poisoning because they didn’t want to hurt your feelings. It’s definitely not the crappy gift you got for your spouse.

It’s the food! All those glorious calories hidden beneath a façade of what appears to be pure deliciousness. Examples of common “mistakes” include –

• ·      Holiday cheeses
• ·      Gravy
• ·      Turkey
• ·      Ham
• ·      Cupcakes
• ·      Regular cakes
• ·      Mini cakes
• ·      Butter with Vegetables (not a mistake)
• ·      Latkes
• ·      Chocolate
• ·      vodka, gin, tequila, whisky
• ·      Sweets of all kinds
• ·      Casseroles
• ·      Mashed potatoes
• ·      Honey
• ·      Steak
• ·      Stuffing

Don’t get me wrong; I love a hearty plate of stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy as much as the next guy, but something needs to be done because every year the same pattern repeats itself - 99% of the world’s population joins a gym and starts a diet on January 1^st (Percentage is an approximation). Many of you ate too much, drank too much, and exercised too little. The guilt will set in at midnight like Cinderella turning into a 15-pound heavier version of herself.

It doesn’t need to be this way. Here are some tips and tricks to get ahead of the curve and start the year out healthy and right!

1)    Drink 8oz of water for every cocktail you have. Stay buzzed but keep hydrated. Water helps burn fat and keep you satisfied.

2)    Meat served last on your plate. Stock up on veggies and grains first, then meat.

3)    Exercise on Dec 24^th and December 31^st.  Boost your metabolism as a preemptive strike against holiday foods.

4)    Less salt on everything. Holiday dishes are already notorious for high sodium levels.  

5)    Remember salads exist.  Cold weather does not equal a lack of veggies at the supermarket.

6)    Exercise before the family gets up in the morning. Once aunt Becky, your dad, sister, & dog get up, your chances of working out decrease by 38% (Percentage is an approximation).

7)    December is Vitamin C month.  Keep your immune system strong with carrots, guava, oranges, strawberries, and brusells sprouts.

8)    Measure your gut.  Get measuring tape and line it up with your navel. Take note of that waist size. Knowing is half the battle.

9)    Watch sports. Oddly enough, people are more motivated to work out if they watch sports of some kind.

10)  Lastly, please don’t eat canned cranberry sauce. It should be a crime around the world that this gelatin-like substance calls itself food.

That’s all you need to do to beat those winter woes. Ten easy steps that will save your waistline but keep the holidays merry, jolly, meshugganah, or whatever you like to call it. So, go ahead and drunk text your ex and instagram way too many photos of yourself in santa hats – those are easier to forget about than those extra pounds on your belly. 

I'm Pregnant and I Know It!

You want a quick way to get some attention and have endless gawkers? Put on a pair of bright pink high heels, leopard skin tight pants, a blue mohawk wig, and go for a walk down rodeo drive. Or you can just be a pregnant woman in her 9th month walking into a gym!

Recently, a controversy arose when celebrity personal trainer, Tracy Anderson, slammed mothers who use pregnancy as a reason to let go of their bodies. Since that statement was made, mothers across the globe have stood up in protest, wanting to do everything shy of throwing Anderson in a black hole and letting her come out the other end in a galaxy far away where she would be eaten up by a space dinosaur. 

I do not pretend to understand what a woman goes through during pregnancy or the multitude of situations that prevent certain women from having a happy and normal pregnancy.  I can, however, defend a new movement that is taking place here in the United States - Exercising during pregnancy! 

Too many people buy into the notion that a pregnant woman's place is at home, either with her feet up or "eating for two". Call me progressive. Call me feminist. Call me the Harriet Tubman of fit pregnant women. Whatever it is, I believe we should live in a world where women everywhere should be allowed to do what they want, when they want. Even if one of those crazy choices is to work out at a gym with a big ol' belly and a baby on the way. I have seen the future and it involves stair masters, treadmills, and spin classes being taken over by 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester baby makers. (**Always consult a doctor first).

I encourage you to spread the word and encourage pre, post, and current mommies to exercise! If you need some persuading, here is a short list of the benefits of exercising during pregnancy:

• 1. Boost your energy
• 2. Sleep better
• 3. Reduce pregnancy discomfort
• 4. Prepare for childbirth
• 5. Reduce stress and lift your spirits
• 6. Improve your self-image
• 7. Get your body back faster after childbirth

As I said before, I cannot begin to understand what a pregnant woman goes through, but I can say that if you are a healthy woman with a clean bill of health from you doctor....get your and your baby's booty into the gym! You'll thank me later.

My beautiful wife at 9 months pregnant! (45 minutes on the stair master)

Nicole, this goes out to you too!

Drop the Cookie and Get More Nookie!

What is your motivation for working out? I'm sure many of you would say that your motivation originates from the deep drive inside of you to be healthy or because you want to live a long and fruitful life. This is all fine and dandy but, I would venture to say that as much as those motivating factors are true, one real reason why you work out is...SEX!

That's right! The big three letter word that has as much, if not more, influence on your workouts than any other motivating factor. It makes your heart race! Sweat glistens off every inch of your body. You keep pounding away and away. You gasp for air. You're almost there and....a sigh of relief!! I'm talking about exercise of course, or was your mind somewhere else Cheeky monkeys?

Listen, no one wakes up in the morning saying, "I want to look like crap today so that no one notices me". The truth is that we all want to look good. We want to look good for ourselves and for those around us. Why do guys work on chest and arms 9 days a week? Probably because it's what the guy or girl at the other end of the bar will notice first. Why do women love to work on "strengthening" the gluteus? Not because you want stronger lumbo-pelvic hip structure but because it's where the hands of that nameless strapping young Spanish man travel whenever you are on the dance floor. Stronger core, you say? Yea right! More like, "look at these as I slowly remove my shirt in front of you for the first time!"

Need some hard facts? Look at these studies:

1. A 2004 study published in the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality questioned 400 college students and found that regular exercisers had higher levels of self-confidence, perceived themselves to be more sexually desirable, and had higher levels of sexual satisfaction than their non-exercising peers. Feeling sexy can help stimulate sexual desire, so it makes sense that those with improved body image would be inclined towards more sex.
1. http://www.divinecaroline.com/22081/48676-athletes-do-better-science-sex#ixzz1xWq77mfO
2. For married couples, the beneficial effects of exercise can be more far-reaching. Yale University researchers have shown that when one spouse exercises, quits smoking or stops drinking alcohol, the other is likely to do so as well. 
1. http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/features_julieshealthclub/2009/02/some-couples-take-dance-lessons-to-prepare-for-their-wedding-day-others-get-premarital-counseling-chicagos-julio-and-julie.html

So if it hasn't hit you yet, the bottom line is this: Working out not only improves the inner you, but the outer you as well and when the outer you looks better = more Nookie! Those of you working out already, great! Keep it up because you're on the right track to a wink, a nod, and hopefully a phone number. For those of you sitting on your high horse saying "I work out for myself, no one else!" or "I don't need to look good for anyone!" Remember that the next time you are at the bar praying that the cute guy or girl sitting alone notices your bulging biceps or your nicely toned Gluteus Maximus. Orrr when your significant other compliments your flat sexy stomach and it makes you glow with confidence. 

Just say it to yourself, I'm sexy and I know it! 

Keeping up with all the BS.

There is always an excuse not to work out but it's like I always say - Excuses are like the Kardashians. They sound good at first, but you quickly realize that they are just dumb and irrelevant. So why is it that we constantly look for excuses? Probably some of the same reasons why we continue to watch the Krapdashians:

1. It's easy
2. Little to no stimulation involved
3. Better than facing reality

I touch on 'excuses' a lot because it is something I hear everyday. I mean if I had a penny for every excuse I heard, well you know, I'd be really rich. I mean really rich. Rich beyond your wildest dreams. Not Oprah rich but definitely up there. Sorry, I digress.  

So, what is this all about? Your excuses! I'm going to lay out the excuses I most often hear related to exercise, fitness, and nutrition. My goal: To make you feel absurd for even thinking of the excuse. To make you feel guilty. I'm going to guilt you into working out and taking care of yourself. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

1."I don't like working out"

I DON'T CARE! You think Barack Obama likes having to clean up somebody else's mess? Do you really believe that republicans like having Mitt Romney as the GOP candidate? No, of course not. You do it because the alternative is much worse. 

2. "I just looovvveee sweets"

You know who else loved sweets? John Candy. Didn't end well for him. Clean up your diet! You don't need to eat like Madonna (said with a British accent) but a little improvement will go a long way. It's not worth the medical bills and the parking fee at the hospital. 

3. "It's so expensive to join a gym and hire a trainer"

Not more expensive than the millions of things you bought and never used, the insane amount of money you spent last weekend on drinks, the iPad 2 you just purchased because your iPad 1 didn't have an 800 mega pixel camera, or the those really pretty shoes that cause your feet to bleed but they look soooo good. I just saved you a lot of money!

4. "I will just stick with Pilates. It suits my body"

You and David Copperfield have something in common. You are both masters of illusion! Congratulations, you like to pretend that you work out but you really don't. If you are someone who only does yoga or Pilates, do me a favor and cancel your gym membership. Go home, put on your favorite Kenny G song, play the movie Beaches in the background, and wave your hands in the air for 30 minutes. You will get the same benefit. 

5. "I don't have time to work out"

Really?! You better be curing cancer. 

6."I do so well during the week but the weekends are so hard for me to stick with it"

Have you just been released from prison after 10 years? What you mean to say is that you have no will power and you like wearing size 36inch pants. 

6. "I hate cardio"

I love cellulite. 

7. "I can't get up in the morning"

You know who else can't get up in the morning? Dead people! Are you dead? No, so get your ass up and go for a run, hike, jog, or bike ride. FYI most gyms are open till midnight. 

8. "I'm too old. My body doesn't work the same"

You're right. You should probably just call it quits and head to a retirement home. Give me a break!! Look at Susan Summers! That bag of bones is still going strong. 

9. "I'm just so exhausted after work"

Could you imagine what would happen to this world if everyone shut down after 5pm? We all get tired but the secret to not being tired all the time is EXERCISE! I promise it really does work. 

10. "Nothing works for me"

Hmmm. Your body must work differently from every other human on this planet. 

That's it! Those are my top 10 excuses. I'm sure many of you have used one, two, or all of these excuses at one point or another but hopefully you saw beyond it. Hopefully I made you feel 

1) That you are not alone with your excuse(s) and 

2) You need to stop wasting your time finding reasons not to live healthy. 

The truth is that there is no secret. No magic pill or machine that is going to get you in shape and live healthier. You have to do it yourself! Nike has it right. They had it right since day one - Just do it.