Dad Fitness » Workouts

Ride The Wave: The Best Way To Build Muscle

Sean Barker — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:01:27 +0000

Keep your surf boards for the beach dudes, I have a better wave for you that will build muscle and strength faster than you thought possible…

I started a new muscle building Dad Fitness workout routine yesterday.

Yep, this routine is specifically geared towards muscle hypertrophy, which is just a fancy name for muscle-growth…

After getter leaner and more athletic this summer with my training I am now going to focus on building some solid muscle mass over the next few months.

I am still only training 3-4 hours a week but these workouts include more sets and reps and some advanced training techniques like partial reps,double contraction reps, or iso-dynamic contrast reps.

Yesterday’s Chest and Back workout was a doozy because I am using this one weird training trick that I have found to work better than any
other when it comes to building bigger and stronger muscles.

Just by applying this ONE technique in your training I am sure you will increase your strength the very FIRST workout!

Ride the Wave

I was first introduced to Wave Loading years ago by strength coach Charles Poliquin. Wave loading refers to a lifting technique where the weights and reps change with every set within a wave. A wave is usually a group of 2-3 sets. Normally 2 waves are performed when training for muscle size, while 2-4 waves can be used when training for strength. The goal is to try to use heavier weights with each new wave.

Over the years I have found this to be the BEST method for building muscle and getting stronger INSTANTLY in the gym.

Wave loading works by activating your body’s nervous system, which is basically your body’s information superhighway for sending signals to your working muscles.

It simply tricks your mind and body into lifting heavier loads, which in turn can lead to more muscle.

For example, you might be able to bench press 5 reps of 200 lbs normally, but after doing a wave load you would probably lift at least 210lbs for 5 reps in the very same workout!

The opportunities to use wave loading are endless for size and strength but here is an example from my currrent muscle building routine.

A1) Incline Dumbbell Press

Wave 1 (1 x 7 reps @ 60lbs, 1 x 5 reps @ 70lbs, 1 x 3 reps @ 80lbs)

Wave 2 ( 1 x 7 reps @ 65lbs, 1 x 5 reps @ 75lbs, 1 x 3 reps @ 85lbs)
90 seconds rest

A2) Parallel Grip Pullups (bodyweight with additional weight)

Wave 1 (1 x 7 reps @ 10lbs, 1 x 5 reps @ 20lbs, 1 x 3 reps @ 25lbs)

Wave 2 ( 1 x 7 rep @ 15lbs, 1 x 5 reps @ 25lbs, 1 x 3 reps @ 30lbs)
90 seconds rest

Don’t do more than a couple wave loaded exercises in one workout as it puts a lot of stress on your nervous system and pay attention to getting enough recovery between workouts with proper nutrition and a good nights sleep. Probably not a good workout routine for sleep deprived new dads!

But if you are sick of slaving away in the gym for months trying to add more plates to the bar, give wave loading a try and get bigger and stronger faster than ever before…

The New Laws of Leanness

Sean Barker — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:32:13 +0000

These maybe the dog days of summer but it doesn’t mean you should be laying around the house like your favorite pooch.

So here are 3 new fat loss strategies that I followed this summer that allowed me to get leaner and stronger without the effort of dieting or doing long boring cardio.

Fat For Fuel

This first one happens in the kitchen not the gym. Say goodbye to grains for your breakfast and start the day with a meal consisting of proteins and fats only. The protein and fat will help keep you full and more alert during the morning without the mid-morning carb crash. It also supplies muscle building protein and fat to fuel your workouts. Try some Omega 3 eggs scrambled with scallions and cheese or go classic with steak and eggs. Don’t be afraid of fat, it was around long before bread!

HIIT The Hills

You keep hearing that HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is the fastest and most effective cardio to burn fat. Now it’s also super convenient, thanks to Hill Sprints. Being outdoors it requires only you and a pair of running shoes. Sprinting up hill in short bursts of around 20 seconds seems to almost frighten the fat off your body and anyone can try it because the nature of sprinting uphill is more self regulating due to the increased resistance than sprinting on flat ground. The recovery is also built in as you walk back down the hill. This means there is less chance of injury and a greater chance of intensity, which is the real secret to burning fat.

Track Your Time

I might of mentioned this before but it bares repeating because I still hardly see anyone doing this in the gym. Track your time in between your working sets with your watch (not in your head). Most properly designed workout routines should dictate specific rest periods anyway, so follow them, they are there for a reason! Very rarely should you be resting more than 90 seconds in between sets, unless you are competing for the world’s strongest man. For fat loss the shorter the better. Resting only 30-60 seconds in between sets keeps your heart rate up and your mind on the muscle so you can be on the fast track to fat loss.

So follow these Laws of Leanness this summer so you are even fitter this fall…

5 Ways To Spring Clean Your Workout

Sean Barker — Mon, 03 May 2010 00:05:22 +0000

With the Sun hanging in the sky a little longer it naturally gives you more energy to do some spring cleaning inside and outside the house.

Just opening up all the windows in your house after the long winter months will awaken your senses with fresh new energy…

So it’s time to spring ahead with your workouts as well and clean up some of the bad habits that you may have picked up during the winter.

1. Watch Your Watch

With summer just around the corner you are probably more concerned with getting light and lean than big and bulky so sitting around for 3-4 minutes chatting with the guys about last nights game in between sets isn’t going to do anything to awaken those abs. Rest no more than 2 minutes in between heavy squats or deadlifts and only 30-60 seconds for other lifts. Supersetting opposite muscles like chest and back or bicep and triceps without any rest is also a great way to build muscle AND burn fat.

2. Movements Not Muscles

Spending 20 minutes working a muscle the size of a baseball isn’t the best use of your time unless you have Mr. Olympia trophies on your mantle. But that’s just what most guys do to get arms like Arnold. Think movements, not muscles when you workout. To work your body and your biceps try combining exercises into one motion like a lunge, curl and press or a chin-up with a leg raise.

3. Complex Cardio

Despite what the name might say burning fat isn’t so complex when you use this form of cardio. Complexes are forms of high intensity cardio that continues to put those magazine reading sessions on the treadmill to shame when it comes to blow torching bodyfat. It only takes 5 minutes to add a complex to the end of your weight workout to convince you that this is the answer to maximum results in minimum time. Use just the empty barbell to perform a series of exercise circuits without rest such as a squat, clean, press, lunge and row. Pick yourself up off the floor and repeat 3-4 times.

4. Muscle Massage

Imagine how hard it must be on your car’s engine starting it over and over during those cold winter mornings. Well that’s just how you have been treating your body all winter. Wether it’s being rushed and skipping your workout warmup or jumping out of bed to shovel out your driveway so you can get to work, your muscles need time to wake up. Dynamic bodyweight movements are great to get the blood flowing but a little muscle massage will go a long way to break up those tight spots that build up over time with improper lifting and bad posture. Use a foam roller and tennis ball to roll out those tight trigger points like your mother rolled out dough. Doing this loosens up the tissue in and around your muscles to keep you strong and pain-free.

5. Goodbye Gym

Save a month’s worth of membership and take advantage of the extra daylight while getting some free vitamin D by bringing your workouts outside. Even if you love the atmosphere of training in a dark and dingy gym, the opportunities are endless for outdoor workouts. Take a set of dumbbells to the park or do a playground workout while the kids have their fun. Sprints, sports and strongman lifts are also better outdoors. There is just something primal about lifting heavy stuff off the ground under the mid day sun.

It’s unfortunate that some guys will spend more time washing their car this spring than taking care of their body!

Use these 5 Ways To Spring Clean Your Workout so you can take care of your body and the people who depend on it…

The Einstein Workout

Sean Barker — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:25:29 +0000

E=mc²

You might remember this from your old high school math class.

It was Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.

Despite Einstein’s well known brilliance, what amazes me even more was he was also a busy dad of 3 kids.

Einstein was known for challenging the status quo and I think if he was alive today he would tell us busy dads who continue to waste time on long boring workouts that leave us even more exhausted to smarten up and fly right!

Einstein doing his interval training

So let’s do the math…

A typical workout may look like this.

Pushups, 3 sets of 12-15 reps, rest 60 secs
Deadlifts, 3 sets of 6-8 reps, rest 60 secs
Bicep Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps, rest 60 secs
Shoulder Press, 3 sets of 8-10 reps, rest 60 secs

With each set taking almost a minute to complete and resting a minute in between sets this workout would take you about 30 minutes on paper.

But in reality, this workout would take even longer as you would have to move around the gym setting up each exercise and changing weights, not to mention actually getting to the gym.

Even a 40 minute workout is not bad compared to most endurance type workouts found in the muscle mags on your local newsstand.

What if I could show you how to get this same great workout using all the same exercises in half the time and without all the equipment?

Would you be interested? If your a busy dad, you should be.

Enter the Dad Fitness Theory of Efficiency, which is
E=Dad ^Fit

I am so smart…SMRT

Where E is Efficiency, Dad is well… you!, and Fit is what you will become using this workout routine

So it’s time we pulled a General Motors with our workouts by getting rid of the excess junk and focusing on what works…no offense Saturn owners.

Check out this video to see the same Dad Fitness workout using the exact same exercises done in all in one movement but without the wasted time.

Plus all you need is a simple set of dumbbells!

Click here to view the embedded video.

*Warmup with 10 reps of bodyweight burpees.

Dumbbell Pushup, no rest, go directly to
Dumbbell Deadlift, no rest, go directly to
Dumbell Bicep Curl, no rest, go directly to
Dumbbell Shoulder Press, rest 60 secs

Complete this circuit 8-10 times before resting, and repeat the circuit 3 times.

Total workout time is about 15 minutes. How’s that for efficiency?

So lets get smart with our time and put the “work” back into our workouts so we can spend less time with the dumbbells and more time being a dad…

5 Tips For Faster Fat Loss

Sean Barker — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:51:04 +0000

I hope you and your family are staying well during this swine flu craziness.

We have been having some late nights with our little daughter Matea as she has come down with a runny nose and a tough cough which is keeping her up at night.

There is nothing worse than seeing your child sick and there is not much you can do but keep them comfortable…

If you are getting too comfortable with your workout routine, remember that there are ONLY 8 weeks left in this year!

With the Dad Fitness System, 8 weeks is plenty of time to get in shape for the holidays.

The key is to try to get better EVERY day with your workouts and your healthy eating.

Here are 5 Tips For Faster Fat Loss.

1. Break Records

Push for progress and not perfection and challenge yourself by pushing for one extra rep or a couple more pounds every week in your workouts. Use the smallest plates you have available, (usually 2.5lbs) to keep stimulating fat burning muscle.

2. Fun Food

Experiment with a different fruit or vegetable each week by eating the colors of the rainbow. Get your family together and try different recipes, some you will love, and maybe some you won’t. Keep food fun by trying new recipes with foods you haven’t tried before because no one gets fat by eating more fruit and veggies.

3. Faster Not Further

Increase the INTENSITY in your fat burning cardio intervals… not the duration. Don’t just record you weight workouts. Record your cardio intensity and try to beat it each week. If you sprinted at level 7 this week shoot for 7.1 next week.

4. Fail Proof Your Fridge

Make healthy eating “Fail Proof” by picking up only the groceries you need each week. If you have no junk in your house, chances are you won’t be eating junk. Then before you put your food away, chop up your veggies and place them into containers or ziplock bags to make meal preparation super quick and easy.

5. Step Away From the Scale

Don’t get obsessed with numbers by weighing or measuring yourself everyday. I recommend to step on the scale once a week first thing in the morning because it is normal for your bodyweight to fluctuate up to 5lbs during the day due to fluid and food intake.

These 5 tips might seem like little things, but they make a BIG difference!

Stay focused and cross off each day on your calendar and ask yourself before you go to bed each night.

“Did I do everything I needed to do today to get closer to my fitness goals?”

Let’s, hope you have a lot of yes’s!

Got any fat loss tips of your own? Feel free to post a comment below!

Interview With Best Selling Fitness Author: Lou Schuler

Sean Barker — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:25:32 +0000

I am really excited to share with you a Dad Fitness exclusive interview with best selling fitness author, Lou Schuler.

As a fitness book worm I personally get every book Lou puts out because they are always top notch and full of the latest information in regards to effective workouts and healthy eating.

Lou has been in the game a long time and seen a lot of the fitness fads come and go.

So I asked him to give me his thoughts on fitness, family and fatherhood…

SB. For people who don’t know, tell us a little about yourself Lou, and how you got started in the fitness industry?

LS. I’m a journalist who’s also a fitness professional. Before I started at Men’s Fitness in 1992, I’d had a fairly conventional journalism career, working at daily and weekly newspapers and regional magazines. I worked at MF for six years, the last three as fitness editor, and then moved to Men’s Health for the next six years, first as fitness editor, then as fitness director.

The Testosterone Advantage Plan, my first book as an author, came out in December 2001. That was followed by Home Workout Bible, Book of Muscle, The New Rules of Lifting, and The New Rules of Lifting for Women. The third book in the New Rules of Lifting series will come out in January 2011.

SB. I hear you are also a busy dad and husband as well. How many kids do you have and what is your favorite part of being a dad?

LS. I have three kids, who are 13, 11, and 9. My favorite part of being a dad is not being anything like my own dad, who was a wreck physically and disengaged emotionally.

SB. Lou, how did your fitness philosophy change once you became a father?

LS. Most of the changes in my approach came about because of the research I was doing for the books I wrote. My diet changed from low-fat to one with balanced macronutrients while writing Testosterone Advantage Plan. I also got my CSCS in 2001, and that coincided with more of an emphasis on training for strength and performance. Coincidentally, I found it was more efficient to train that way.

SB. As a fitness author, what are the 3 biggest mistakes you see busy dads trying to staying fit make with their workouts?

LS. I can’t really say what other guys do or don’t do. I really just see the guys in my own gym, and most of them seem to have pretty solid workout programs. And I also hate to criticize the minority of adults who’re actually making an effort to stay in shape. I could find ways to improve most of the routines I see, but I’m sure at least a few of those guys are thinking the same thing about my workouts.

SB. What do your workouts currently look like?

LS. I do full-body workouts every time in the gym, so if I have to miss a workout because of an unforeseen problem, I don’t have to worry about unbalanced training.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, I’ll start with a lower-body exercise — a squat variation one workout, a deadlift variation the next, and a lunge variation the next. My upper-body work alternates between bilateral and unilateral movements. I like to do almost every exercise from a standing or kneeling position, to keep the core muscles engaged.

I also move pretty quickly from one exercise to the next. I’m not trying to add size — in fact, I’ve lost a few pounds in the past year — so I minimize rest periods and aim for more of a conditioning effect.

SB. What are some of your favorite healthy meals and snacks?

LS. My favorite is one I got from TC Luoma of TMUSCLE: natural peanut butter mixed in a bowl with low-carb chocolate protein powder and low-fat milk. Really hits the spot, and satisfies my hunger for hours.

SB. Why do you think it’s important for us dads to stay fit?

LS. Our kids should see that fitness is a lifelong pursuit. If they see us make time for it, and invest energy in it, they’ll understand that it’s an important part of life.

In our parents’ generation, there wasn’t much of an organized structure for fitness activities. You played outside as a kid, then maybe you played on sports teams through high school or even college, if you were one of the lucky ones. Many of our dads also did physical training in the military, where it was used as a punishment as much as a tool for activity-specific performance. Once you were out of the military, and presumably finished with sports, there wasn’t really any structure in place to encourage lifelong fitness.

But with our kids, everything is structured. There’s almost no such thing as backyard sports, or neighborhood games. If you play something, you play it on a team. If you do pure exercise, it happens in gym class. So it’s important for them to see their parents using those same structures to pursue lifelong fitness, and doing it voluntarily.

We all know as parents how important it is to read to our kids, and to have lots of books around the house. But it’s also important for kids to see their parents reading books for pleasure. That helps them understand that they aren’t just reading because adults say they have to. They’re reading because it’s such an important part of a fulfilling life.

Now we apply that to sports and fitness. At a certain point, I think kids start to ask themselves if they’re playing sports because they enjoy it, or because their parents expect them to play. If Dad is still playing something in middle age — golf, bowling, slow-pitch softball, or anything else that involves competition and some degree of coordination and focus — it reinforces the idea that sports are something you do for yourself.

If they understand that Dad goes to the gym three times a week because he enjoys it and considers it important, it sends the message that structured exercise isn’t just something you do in gym class because the school says you have to.

SB. Anything you would like to add? Any favorite tips you learned from other experts over the years?

One thing I’ve learned from experience is that you have to place as much importance on your wife’s fitness program as you do on your own. That is, you make sure she has as much opportunity to get to the gym or get outside for a run as you do. You can’t pressure her to train if she doesn’t want to — I think that’s obvious. But you have to make sure there’s equal opportunity within your household. Sometimes that means skipping your own workout when something comes up, rather than forcing her to miss hers.

During those times when you simply need to train more often than she needs or wants to train, you have to negotiate the opportunity to do that, rather than just assuming you deserve it by virtue of the fact you’re more ambitious or disciplined.

The benefits come back to you in two major ways. First, of course, is the health and stability of your relationship. You don’t want your wife resenting your desire to be healthy and fit, or to see it as a wedge you use to shift the priorities of the marriage in your direction. Second, your kids see that fitness isn’t just a priority for one individual in their house, but for everyone. If Mom and Dad have fitness pursuits that make them happier, that’s the most positive message we could possibly send to our kids.

SB. Where can people find out more about you and your books?

Website: www.louschuler.com

New Rules of Lifting Books

http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b

http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Maximum-Muscle/dp/158333338X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b

SB.Thanks Lou for showing us that as a busy dad and fitness author you also practice what you preach!

LS. My pleasure.

Lou Schuler is an award-winning journalist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, author or coauthor of many popular books about diet and strength training. His books include The New Rules of Lifting for Women (with coauthors Cassandra Forsythe and Alwyn Cosgrove), The New Rules of Lifting (with Alwyn Cosgrove), The Book of Muscle (with Ian King), The Home Workout Bible (with Mike Mejia and many other contributors), and The Testosterone Advantage Plan (with Jeff Volek, Mike Mejia, and Adam Campbell).

Would you like to see more interviews like this? Let me know who you would like to see by leaving a comment below!

The Best Exercise Ever?

Sean Barker — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:35:23 +0000

Would you like to know the one exercise that works every muscle in your body, can be done anywhere at anytime and requires no equipment?

Well, your old high school gym teacher might have been right after all…

The Burpee, despite it’s amusing name is probably the most efficient and effective bodyweight exercise you can do to build lean muscle and burn off that beer belly.

Not to be confused with the Burp which actually makes room for drinking more beer.

If you are not emotionally scarred from the heart searing burpee workouts that your gym teacher had you do in highschool you might remember how easy AND how hard this exercise is.

In a standing position, jump down and get on all fours before pushing your feet back behind you putting you in the top position of a pushup.

With your body braced in a straight line perform a regular pushup, then jump your feet back closer to your hands so you are in the “all fours” position once again.

With explosive force jump straight up from a squatting position as high as you can while reaching your arms straight overhead.

That’s ONE rep..yeah that’s right, one rep.

Congratulations! You just completed the world’s most efficient exercise.

By performing two of the most natural upper and lower body movements in an explosive manner, the pushup and the squat, you are building functional muscle that in-turn also burns fat.

You worked your chest,shoulders,arms,back and abs with the pushup. You then challenged your legs with the jump squat.

Repeat for the desired number of reps and wipe your self off the floor.

So now you have no more excuses for getting a big workout in little time…

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Secret To Staying Fit WITHOUT Working Out

Sean Barker — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:40:42 +0000

Have you had a busy week?

Wow it’s certainly been a busy week for me!

I just worked 84 hours in the last 7 days…Being a busy working dad and trying to stay fit gets tough during weeks like this.

But, I have a plan that never fails to keep me in great shape even when I can’t find time to workout.

The Adventures of Pluto Nash dvd So when things get hectic like this I even find it difficult to get in three short workouts a week.

My secret to staying fit during those crazy weeks when all it seems like I do is work and sleep is:

==>PLAN YOUR MEALS Casper move

Staying on track with a healthy diet is EVEN more important if you have to go a few days without getting in a workout.

But don’t worry about losing that strong dad body just because you miss a couple workouts.

Whatever you have to do to bring your lunches with you, JUST DO IT!

whether its in a lunch box (I use a stainless steel lunchbox), a little cooler, or even a brown bag.

Just make sure to plan and prepare your healthy meals and take them to work with you so you don’t fall prey during your lunch break to all those neon signs waving you in to try the latest heart attack burger down the street.

Some of my lunch box staples this week were turkey meatballs, omelet casserole, chili, “goulash for guys” from my Manly Meals Dad Fitness Cookbook, brown rice, lots of fresh fruit, mixed nuts, yogurt and of course lots of cold refreshing water from my stainless steel water bottle.

Everything was REAL HOMEMADE FOOD, not food products!

A lot of these meals were also made earlier during the week and frozen in portion sized Tupperware. But I have to thank my wife for her help as well, she makes the best turkey meatballs!

Remember “If you Fail To Plan, You Plan To Fail”

PS. I really want to hear YOUR secrets to staying fit during those crazy busy weeks so be sure to leave a comment below!

The Biggest Winner…

Sean Barker — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:38:06 +0000

I am finally back to my regular workouts after battling the flu.

Still easing back into training after a week off.

Today’s workout went pretty well, here’s what I did.

Dynamic Warmup

Flat BB Bench Press

Flat DB Bench Press

Weighted Dips

Lying Tricep Extensions

DB External Rotations

Stretching Cooldown

3 sets each, 5-10 reps

My stinky old gym was very warm and humid today so I am glad I was done in 40 mins flat.

Came home and had a great lunch of homemade chili that was leftover from dinner last night.

Here’s how I make my chili.

With Father’s Day just around the corner I have a HUGE Dad Fitness Celebration going on starting on Friday at noon with 10 FREE bonuses available to busy dads who get their copy of the NEW Dad Fitness System during this time.

I also held a little contest asking my newsletter subscribers to tell me “why it is important to be in shape as a busy dad”

Well, I received lots of responses via email but I was hoping for more comments on the blog. Guys don’t be shy!

The winner will receive the entire NEW Dad Fitness System for free!

…and the winner is…Scott Vaughn

Here was Scott’s response:

It is important that I get in shape as a dad because my son’s definition of “what a man is” will come from his observation of me. If I am weak, easily winded and soft, he’ll have nothing to aspire to as a man. A boy who doesn’t value his masculinity is a confused & directionless soul. I want my son to know that being a man is a great & awesome thing.

Congrats Scott for stepping up to the plate and sharing your thoughts!

Shoot me an email at info@dadfitness.com and I will hook you up with the entire new Dad Fitness System on me;-)

The Top 8 Fat Loss Questions…

Sean Barker — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:35:43 +0000

While I am still resting up this weekend to shake off this damn flu, I thought I would give you the answers to The 8 most popular questions I get about fitness and fat loss from busy dads.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to leave a comment on the blog by clicking the little envelope in the top right hand corner of the post. Whoever gives me the BEST answer to “why it is important for you to get in shape as a dad “ will win the COMPLETE newly updated Dad Fitness System for FREE!

So if you haven’t read my free fat loss report “The Truth About Fat Loss” I am giving it too you right now on my blog so you can finally be clear on what it takes to get the body you want despite being a time crunched dad. If you HAVE read it, I think it’s worth reading again and enter your comment for a chance to win!

1. What is the biggest mistake men make when trying to get 6 pack abs?

Not following a set plan. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!”

If getting 6 packs abs is a goal, then do what needs to be done to reach that goal.

This involves following a plan of consistent workouts that rev up your metabolism and burn calories and following a structured meal plan 90% of each week.

You don’t have to be perfect, but 90% compliance will get you results and allow you a little wiggle room. For example, 5 meals a day for 7 days is 35 meals.
To make sure your getting 90% compliance, this allows you to mess up 3-4 of these 35 meals or snacks during the week.

Keep track of each workout and each meal. Track your meals at least for 3-4 days to get an idea of what you are really eating. If your not keeping track of these things you are just spinning your wheels.

Would you just go out and spend money everyday and not look at your bank account?

2. Do I have to give up alcohol to get rid of that “beer gut”?

Just remember that it all boils down to calories in vs calories out. Booze is just extra empty calories. If your gut is truly a “beer” gut then staying away from beer will eliminate all those excess calories. Just 6 beers add up to a whopping 900 calories! That’s almost half of your total daily calories requirements.

Plus drinking also stimulates your appetite and lowers your inhibitions so you are more likely to chow down on those chicken wings or pizza after a couple beers.

That’s why the first thing they ask you at a restaurant is “do you want a drink?” because people will eat more when they drink.

If maximum fat loss is your goal just cut out alcohol for the short term until you reach your goal. But in reality if you like to enjoy an occasional cold beer, you can still enjoy a couple beers a week and still lose fat if your eating a good diet.

3. What are your top 10 foods to lose fat fast?

1. Fish
2. Chicken Breasts
3. Lean Beef
4. Eggs
5. Spinach
6. Bell Peppers
7. Broccoli
8. Oatmeal
9. Mixed Nuts
10. Fruit

4. Do you need to do cardio to burn body fat? If so, what kind of cardio is the most effective?

You don’t have to do cardio in the traditional form of what most people think to burn fat. People were burning fat long before treadmills and stationary bikes.

You just need to do high intensity exercise that revs up your metabolism each and every workout. Basically if it’s hard, it burns lots of calories! This is the most efficient way to burn calories as bodyfat. You could run, sprint, swim, lift weights, do supersets with weights. Keeping track and shortening your rest periods between exercises is an awesome away to burn calories and increase your conditioning.

Remember you don’t really burn much fat when you are actually exercising, except for a small amount of fatty acids that are in your bloodstream.

It’s the calories your body burns during the other 23 hours of the day that count. With exercise and a clean diet you will put your body in a caloric deficit which is still the ONLY proven way to melt off that unwanted fat.

5. Is it necessary to do endless crunches to build your abs?

Absolutely not!

Would you do 100 reps of bicep curls do develop your arms?

No, you would you use a weight that is challenging.

Performing compound free weight exercises like squats and deadlifts will work your abs better than lying on your back doing endless crunches.

For direct ab exercises, stability exercises like planks and side planks are great to increase core strength. To increase the difficulty perform these on a stability ball or remove one of your bodies pillars ( one leg or arm off the ground).

To develop those 6 pack muscles also do weighted exercises like the cable rope crunch, (I know its called a crunch…) and seated bench leg lifts with a dumbbell between your feet. Keep the reps between 8-10.

6. What is the best exercise to lose belly fat?

The best exercise to lose belly fat is…

The one you are going to do to consistently and intensely!

No matter how good the exercise is at burning calories or building muscle, if you don’t do it you won’t achieve the benefits.

But to answer the question, any movement that involves the most muscles and gives you “the best bang for your fat burning buck”

If I had to choose I would probably choose the barbell deadlift, as it pretty much uses every muscle in your body to perform correctly. You can do it with heavy weights for lows reps to build muscle which in turn burns fat or you can do it with a lighter weight and do higher reps which will challenge your cardiovascular system.

7. Can busy dads lose those unwanted pounds in just 3 hours a week?

Providing the workouts are structured to provide maximum afterburn to burn calories and a structured diet is followed that is less than their caloric maintenance level, then yes it is possible.

My Dad Fitness workouts provide these two key components in only 3 hours a week because of the combination of high intensity weight training and supersets and high intensity cardio interval training.

30 minutes of resistance exercise followed by 16 minutes of intervals gives you maximum muscle building and fat loss in only 3 hours a week.

Combined with a healthy diet of 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, busy dads are losing those unwanted pounds in the shortest amount of time so they can get on with their life and spend time with their family.

8. What is the SECRET about getting six pack abs?

I am sure you heard the famous quote “Knowledge Is Power” right?

Well, guess what, I believe that’s a bunch of crap!

If that were true most people walking around these days would be in
awesome shape with lean hard 6 pack abs.

But we all know that’s not the case.

Even though most people already know you have to eat healthy and
exercise to get in shape.

So you have the KNOWLEDGE, but do you have the POWER?

Only if you take ACTION

That’s because “Applied Knowledge Is Power!”, see the difference?

So if that is the secret, I am letting it out know. Take action.

You have the knowledge.