The Perfect Healthy Snack for People on-the-go

Finally a "nutrition" bar that will satisfy your cravings...is 100% organic, and tastes great.  Cravers are the perfect healthy option to satisfy any craving. Yes, that’s how they got their name!

Just look at what advantages “Cravers” have over every other so-called “nutrition” bars on the market:

- It’s the best-tasting bar on the market. Bar-none (sorry, pun intended ;-). Try one for yourself and I know you will agree!
- 100% Organic ingredients (no chemicals or artificial anything!)
- The Perfect Snack Size: Each bar is only 180 calories so it’s the perfect size snack to hold you over between meals.
- Zero trans fats: Cravers have the healthy fats your body needs to keep your metabolism revving high
- No preservatives or stabilizers: It’s all natural and 100% organic!
- 3 grams of healthy fiber: Keeps you full for a longer period of time.
- Sustained Energy: The perfect amount of complex carbohydrates for ongoing energy when you need it most.

To satisfy your own craving, visit here. 

What Is My "Style of Training"?

I just spoke with a new client yesterday and she asked me what my style of training is.  My answer to her was that my "style" of training is a combination of years of experience and taking from may different styles.  I'm not attached to a specific piece of training equipment, or a pseudo-popular style of the month.

I told her that I use what works...plain and simple. She has specific goals to lose fat which may be the same case as you...so a certain path and certain techniques must be applied.  You want a system that is right for your goals...not a one-size fits all program like some gyms or programs on T.V. might be trying to sell you.

Spending Less Time Training Means...

that you have to have a smart plan for the rest of your day.

I don't know anyone who has all the time in the world for a "hit and miss" approach to training and eating.  This failed approach would be to wake up in the morning and have no clue what to eat for the day.

I know you may be saying that my advice is too simplistic, but look at your own situation.  Are you getting fantastic results?  If not, my bet is that you are not planning your eating or training.  You go through your day by grabbing some toast and/or coffee for breakfast...then lunch comes...humm where should I eat out today, and by the time you get home for dinner you are starved and eat whatever is on hand.

You won't get the results you had hoped for by this haphazard approach.

Plan your meals and also the times at which you'll be eating.

As far as what to eat, it's pretty simple.

Eat a palm size of lean proteins or fish, a fist or two of veggies, and some healthy fat, 3 - 5 times a day.

• Don't fool yourself into over complicating this.
  
• Don't think that you have to get the latest diet book.

Just make the change.
 

Join Me as We Transform our Bodies in the Precision Nutrition Body Trasformation Challenge

Join Me and Enter the Body Transformation Challenge - Win Prizes!

  *** Only 1-Week Left to Enter! ***

I've realized that my clients are getting terrific results, but my own nutrition has suffered...

That's right, I have officially entered the challenge and I encourage you to read on to see how you will benefit by joining me.

• Prize Package #1 - Free groceries & supplements for 1yr
  That's right, Precision Nutrition buys your food and supplements for 365 straight days
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Prize Package #2 - Free meal delivery for 3 months
  We'll design your meal plan and, for 3 months, all the food will be delivered right to your doorstep. No cooking, no cleaning, no hassles
  
  
  
  
  
• Prize Package #3 - Free camera & Results Tracker
  With this digital camera and lifetime access to our Online Results Tracker you can continue to track your progress

So, how can you get started today?
You can begin to prepare for the contest by recording your "before" measures and photographs including:

• Digital photos from the front, side, and back
• Body weight
• Skinfolds and body girths
• Strength and endurance measures
• Endurance measures
• Blood measures

NOTE: Please be sure to use the instructions provided in the complete Precision Nutrition V2.0 Measurement Guide. In this guide, the procedures for recording everything listed above are laid out in step-by-step detail. Now, if you don't know what I'm talking about when I mention Precision Nutrition V2.0, click here to get brought up to speed.

Next, once you've recorded your "before" information (again based on the PN V2.0 Measurement Guide), set some behavior and outcome goals. These different types of goals are also discussed in the Precision Nutrition package.

Finally, fill out the PN Body Transformation Challenge registration form, attach your pictures, and email all this information to us at challenge@precisionnutrition.com.

NOTE: The registration form will be posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2007. To access this form on Monday and beyond, click this link.

ALSO NOTE: The registration runs from July 2nd until July 16th. So you have 2 weeks to get your stuff together and to get in on the action.

Remember, you don't have to wait till Monday the 2nd to start compiling. You should begin taking photos and collecting the measures ASAP. Then, once the registration form is live, you can get it to us quickly and reserve your place.

P.S.  You can see my Challenge Blog here... 

P.S.S.  Sign up now, before it's too late.

Stephen Cooper's Metabolism Makeover is Released Today

Welcome to summer. Have you kept your New Years fat loss resolutions? If not, after seeing the incredible results one of my clients has received, you will be inspired to join my Metabolism Makeover Program. This is How We Do It...

First off I must say that these pictures were never intended to be shown to "everyone". I took these before and after pictures of one of my clients because I knew that following my program of eating and training, she would get terrific results. Here are Lisa's "before" pictures as of April 13, 2007 And "after"...as of June 12, 2007   When I asked Lisa if I could share these pictures with you, she was hesitant, but "if it would help others to see what they could achieve,then O.K.". She was concerned that her make-up wasn't done, and that she wasn't "prepped for the picture". My response to her and to you is this is exactly what we do. I come to a clients home, often early in the morning before showering, make-up, etc., and we train. This is not some air-brushed, studio lighting, photo-shopped set up. This is 100% real! So why am I embarrassing this client? Because I want you to realize that when you train with me that you too, can get results like Lisa. You may be asking what did it take for Lisa to change her body? How about training 30 minutes, 2-3 times per week for about 2 months. Want to be next? Contact me.

Metabolism Makeover...My Most Complete Weight Management Project Ever Just this last Saturday I made a presentation at Pasadena City College, and once again it reaffirmed my conclusion that one of the main frustrations that stops people from losing fat and getting the lean body they desire is... A specific plan of how,what, and when to eat and train for maximum fat loss. So I have developed a "12 week Metabolism Makeover" course. Let me throw in one point here...I could have created some type of sales page with the words "amazing", "secrets", and other gimmicks, but I hope by now that you know my strength is not writing sales letters...my strength is getting great results for my clients, so let's continue. We'll discuss... The Five Factors of Fat Loss Supportive Nutrition Sensible Supplementation Resistance Training Smart Cardio Personal Assistance Traditional programs only address one or two of these issues. The truth is all factors MUST be in place in order to bring about a lasting, positive physical change. If any one factor is neglected or missing, the program will fail to produce results. Here's a week by week view of what you'll learn... Week One: Establishing a Starting Point: Body Composition and Setting Goals Week Two: Record Keeping and Portion Sizes: Using a Food Log to Develop Awareness and Control Week Three: Your Supportive Nutrition Plan: When, What, How - Building Your Menu Week Four: Meal Management Strategies: How to Plan for Success Week Five: Super Charge your Nutrition Plan: A Well Nourished Body Burns More Fat Week Six: Reassessment: Reflect and Reassess Goals Week Seven: Food Labels 101 : Become a Label Detective Week Eight: Healthy Fast Food: How to Make Informed Choices Week Nine:Master your Motivation: Maintain it and Move Forward Week Ten: Plateau Busters: Specific Steps to Create Change Week Eleven: Conquer Self-Sabotage: Create Positive Beliefs; Create Positive Outcomes Week Twelve: New Beginnings: Final Assessment and Long-Term Strategies Details: Dates: Begins Tuesday July 17, 2007 for 12 weeks Time: 7-8pm Location: Altadena,CA Cost: $297.00 I sincerely hope that you can join us. I expect to get a great group together where we can all come to share and support each other....not to mention you'll be transforming your body too! 100% Guarantee I am so certain that you will be completely satisfied with this course that I will gladly refund the total amount of tuition to anyone who can sincerely say that the course was not worth the investment. P.S. You remember Lisa, the client with those great before and after pictures, she was a "guinea pig" for this program...

To those of you who might have further questions about my Metabolism Makeover class you can contact me here.

Registration for those in the Pasadena/Los Angeles area begins today, so secure your spot before this class sells out!

To hear a personal message about this course click on the play button below.

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This is What Life is About

This video reminds me of what life is really about.  The media tends to flaunt the "crap" and trivial of life and tries to convince us what is important or not.  This video of a "normal" person excelling at singing is beautiful.

• If you are not exercising...then I hope you start today.
• If you have been slacking...get up and crank out a workout today.
• If you are exercising...encourage a friend or family member to join you.

  Life is meant to be lived to the fullest, and you will find that being fit and having your body work with you rather than against you will make a tremendous impact on your entire life.

How to be Your Own Personal Trainer Class in Pasadena

If you live in the Pasadena/Los Angeles area you might want to join me on Saturday June 23 as I present  " How to be Your Own Personal Trainer".

I will be spilling the beans as to how you can train yourself and get great results.  Here is the course description.

  How to Be Your Own Personal Trainer [4025X]

Have you ever wondered how personal trainers achieve incredible results for their clients? It is possible to achieve those results on your own by learning the secret techniques used by the professionals. In this course, students will be guided through the fitness-marketing confusion and learn what really works! Topics include: How to set specific goals for your particular Dream Body, The truth about Diets-Which ones work and which are a waste of time, What specific exercises to use to fit your goals, and The three critical areas of fitness you must be aware of to reach your goals.

Course/Class Number: 4025X/6128

Class Title: How to Be Your Own Personal Trainer

Date of Class: 06/23/2007

Saturday, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM; 1 session on June 23, 2007

This will be a fun time where I show you step by step on how to design a winning plan for your specific goal.  There will be plenty of time for questions too!

I look forward to spending my Saturday morning with you.

To register and for more information visit... www.pcclearn.org

Can You Answer These Two Questions?

 I have two "yes" or "no" questions that I'd love to get your responses to.

Taking into consideration gyms and health clubs that you have joined...

Assuming that you had a specific goal when you joined such as "lose 10-15lbs"...did you achieve that goal?

How many times have you tried different gyms, diets, and the like and failed or succeeded?

Please leave your comments, which may be anonymous, in the comment section below.

Thanks :)

How Do You Measure Your Progress?

Do you weigh yourself?  Do you measure the inches lost?  Do you take your body fat?  How accurate are the devices you are using?

When I first started out as a trainer many years ago, I was taught to measure everything.  Height, weight, circumference measurements from your calf to your neck, body fat, and flexibility.

The first thing that happened was that when I gave my clients their body fat percentage it ruined the rest of the session, not to mention the rest of their day.

These days when I see clients, I let the client decide what they want measured, but what I've found is this.

Most people want to look better and feel better about themselves.  They want to be able to look in the mirror and see some muscle definition rather than flab.  They want to fit into a smaller dress size, or for the guys go down a pants size.

My suggestion to you is have someone take a picture of you.  Take a good look at where you are really at with your body.  Don't beat yourself up, if things don't look as good as you'd like...this is only a starting point.  Measure your waist, and ladies maybe the hips.

I don't encourage weighing on a scale.  You can tell if you are losing weight because your clothes will be fitting better...don't get attached to weighing a certain number. 

What I do for my clients is I set up a private page for their photos and measurements.  You could do the same with a free account from blogger, and just keep it private.  Once a month or so take a new picture of yourself, do your measurements, and check your progress.  If you are moving in the desired direction then great.  If not, what do you need to do?

You'll notice that I try to keep things pretty simple.  You don't need to log on to a fancy pay site just to record this info..  In a couple of clicks you can record and compare your progress.

If I can be of any help, just let me know 

Attention...This Post is NOT About Exercise

That's right.  I just visited one of my favorite sites on the web, which is Seth Godin's Blog.  You can click on his picture there to visit his site.

His post today is about his feeling that "home pages" are less and less helpful or necessary.

With personal trainers and fitness sites in general, I usually see a lot of hype.  You know the sites with the big headlines in red..."Lose That Belly Fat in Less Than 2 Weeks, Secrets Revealed"...and then they grab your email for that "special report".  I say what a bunch of crap!

I know that I'm going to hear it from some personal trainer who do this type of marketing...but I really don't care.  I'm tired of the fitness industry preying on people.  That's really what it is.  Pretending that there is some magical pill, or "secret" renegade routine that will "melt pounds" by buying an e-book is getting a little old.

I hope that you choose your trainer by things that really matter.  Such things as experience, education, integrity, results, and honesty.  Please don't be scammed into so much of the crap that is floating around on the web.

I'd love to hear what scams and sites you think are the worst.  Please leave favorites in the comment section below.  

What I Eat For Breakfast

Many times I'm asked what I eat...so I had my son take a few pictures of my breakfast today.  What you'll see below is some natural peanut butter (1-2T), my mate (in the green and white bag), some cantaloupe, some turkey bacon, and some walnuts.  I also had a small pre-workout drink that didn't make the picture.  I didn't measure out anything.  Just a little bit of fruit, a small handful of walnuts, and some protein. Try not to complicate things.

This is what healthy eating and training is all about...spending time with the family.  ( I know, I'll get a pic. of my wife in here soon.)

Imagine If You Only Had To Work Four Hours a Week

You'd have more time to exercise...hurrah!  Many years ago I went to Brazil, and on one occasion I had a 2 month vacation, and then about 6 months later, I had a 3 month vacation.  If you have never done this before, you are missing out, and you'll never look at life and your job the same.

I came across a book, The 4-hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss, which has totally reinvigorated me.  I completely agree with Tim in that it is better to define your dreams and work backwards.  So many people slog along along until some magic time in retirement when they may or may not be able to do what they had always dreamed of doing.

 

Ferriss speaks about being "effective" rather than just "efficient".  I see this as being so important not only in your business life, but also with your training.

I know that some of you will doubt that something like working four hours a week is possible.  If you continue to be consumed by emails, Blackberry's, and TV watching amongst other consumers of your time...then I guarantee that you life will not change.  But there are other options.

One suggestion in The Four Hour Work Week is outsourcing.  Limit what you personally have to attend to, and outsource those things that others can do for you.

Basically you need to be the director of your life, or you will be pulled in all different directions.

I have implemented the author's suggestion with regards to email overload.  if you email me these days you'll get an automated response that says,

"Hi everyone,

As most of my day is spent in the field training clients, I am
checking email once daily, often in the evening.  If you need a
response before tomorrow, please call me.

Have an incredible day,

Stephen"

 

This book is beneficial in so many ways.  Not only will you accomplish more in your business life, but you'll free up time to pursue your dreams, and you'll also have more free time for exercise.

 

There are a lot of free resources over at Tim's site, and his blog. 

 

Let me know here in the comment section how you have applied the lessons from The Four Hour Workweek. 

 

A Free 20 Page Nutrition Plan For You

I've finally written my first e-project...a 20 page nutrition plan.  I've been working on this project for quite some time, and today I finally learned how to make it into a PDF document.  I know, for many of you this PDF stuff is no big deal, but it's my first time, so I'm pretty happy.

First of all this plan is exactly what you need.  There is a lot of information packed into these 20 pages, and you will get a solid plan that can really make a difference in changing your body.

I encourage your feedback.  You can find my Nutrition Success Plan here.

A Free Way To Track Your Workouts

For the past three years I having been posting my own
workouts using a free blog on www.blogger.com.
I've found it a very simple way to record the workout performed, the weights I used and the time in which I completed it.

It's quite easy to search the blog to see when I last did a particular workout and I can compare all of the times, and weights used.

Another nice item is that you can see how many workouts you did for each month, plus for the entire year, just looking at how many "posts" you did.

I know that it is very simplistic, but sometimes simple yet effective is better than complicated and costly.

A Must Read Article About The Paleo Diet

I came across a great article today regarding The Paleo Diet. 

If you aren't familiar with this way of eating, I encourage you to check it out.  One way to sum up the Paleo way of eating is...if it does not fly, swim, run, and it's not green, don't eat it.

You can read the article here, and check out The Paleo Diet book here. 

Fish Oil May Help Those with ADHD

I came across a recent post via msn health and fitness which mentions "fatty-acid supplementation (800 mg per day) for three months significantly improved reading, spelling and behavior in children with attention disorders. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reported a correlation between higher blood levels of omega-3 fats and fewer impulsive behaviors."

The article also says that although the science is new,experts say a daily fish-oil supplement may improve mental focus and probably will provide cardiovascular benefits.

Personally I've been taking fish oil ever since I heard Dr. Jose Antonio PhD, noted leader in performance sports nutrition, speak about it's benefits.

Click here to order your own fish oil supplements. 

Exercise...Keep it Simple

You'll have more success with your fitness goals if you keep it simple.

• Don't rely on having to drive to a gym or health club to get in your workout.   Train at home.  You won't have the excuse that you didn't bring your clothes, or someone was using your favorite cardio machine, or all the other excuses.

• Find a program that will only take you 20-30 minutes a day.  Realistically most of us can only devote a short amount of time, so don't set yourself up for failure in trying to budget 60 minutes a day...it may never happen.

• Buy the basic pieces of fitness equipment and learn how to use them properly.  Some of my favorites are:  

1. Stability ball 
2. Medicine ball 
3. Ab Mat
4. Kettlebell 
5. Pull-up bar 
6. Jump rope 
7. Olympic weight  set 

My last word of advice is to use your bodyweight for many of your exercises.   You'll be able to do lunges, push-ups, squats, and many other bodyweight  exercises and be in great shape, plus  you can do these exercises anywhere. 

No excuses, and keep it simple...will get the job done.  

   

Call Me Your Fitness Strategist

Over the years my style of training has changed, and I feel that the term "personal fitness strategist" better describes what I really offer.

A personal trainer may spend time with a client counting reps and watching your form, but depending on experience, that may be all that you get.

Most of my time is spent away from my client, and it is during this time that I develop a plan of attack, or strategy.  This is the part that you don't see, yet it is implemented during our session together.  The actual exercises that I have a client do, is somewhat like the tip of the iceberg.

 

When Personal Training Isn't Personal

I was sneaky the other day.  I admit it...but it just might benefit you.

I went to a major fitness center the other day here in Los Angeles where I live.  I wanted to see how they approach their clients.

I asked about the personal training.  My peppy personal training manager said "well, we have you answer a lot of basic medical questions and then we ask you about your fitness goals.  Then we take that information and feed it into our computer, and out comes your program".

So my program is designed by a computer?  That doesn't sound very personal to me.

I'll stick to interacting with my clients and designing programs based on many "human" factors...not just what a computer tells me is "right" for my clients.

A Personal Trainer Spills The Truth About Trainers

Clients and readers, I know you've wanted some jokes about personal trainers, so here they are.

Have a look at leading fitness professional, Joe Stankowski's blog to make fun of yours truly.