How To Make A Square Foot Garden

Source: http://FrugalDad.com

How Did We Grow Our Business

People ask me how I built up All Out Effort so quickly with so many clients. The answer is simple...

Instead of spending all our time on professional glamour shots, a fancy website, or advertising, we put all of our EFFORT into improving our client training experience and our own training knowledge. We make tweaks to our program almost daily!

I've seen businesses and gyms where they keep changing the paint, remodeling, adding new employees, more classes, new banners, bumper stickers, Groupon or Living Social deals, bigger signs, low price deals, deals with other local businesses, asking for referrals, adding new gimmicks like "MMA" or "Crossfit style training," and even buying the trendy equipment of the day. But not once improving their training protocol or curriculum. The assumption is people are too dumb to realize what good training is.

We assume differently and it's been our greatest return on investment.

Sports Perfomance Clinic

All Out Effort at a Sports Performance Clinic from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Held at the world famous Elite Performance Factory where such greats as Reggie Bush has trained. Now filled with all the new cutting edge training science.

As Adults We've Become Prisoners Of Our Own Bodies

Remember when you were too young to realize you had limits? Remember when you were too innocent to know what weakness was?

Best of Yelp

All Out Effort has been the Best of Yelp for quite some time now in 3 different categories: Active Life, Fitness and Instruction, and Martial Arts. Beating out over 3500 reviewed businesses. Thanks for all the support!!!

Source: http://www.yelp.com/c/la/active

How To Do A Proper Burpee

I've seen a lot of variations but this is how we do it at All Out Effort for it to be considered proper technique.

1. Chest must hit the ground.
2. Must jump up at the end.
3. Feet must be on the outside of your hands at all times.

We had a little contest at the gym and Young who is one of our clients, banged out 71 in 5 minutes at the end of this workout. All with proper form.

Why We're Irrational About Our Health

We try to be rational creatures and use logic to form the basis of our decisions but sometimes logic and psychology don't see eye to eye.

One of the psychological tricks we play with ourselves is called COMPARTMENTALIZATION. We try to be logical in every aspect of our lives except for a few things we put in a little compartment where we will be knowingly as irrational and illogical as possible. People will put bad relationships in this box. It's why seemingly intelligent stay in bad relationships. We can put other things such as religion, political views, or even buying a home when there is no way you can afford it, but you're buying the American dream right?

But the thing I most often see people put into this box, from doctors to scientists, is our health. It's probably the most common. You can see it in action if you ever suggest to someone that running only is probably not the most efficient form of exercise, or that there is also health value in not being a (whatever your extreme form of eating is). Now you got a fight on your hands.

What I hear most often with this form of irrational logic is when I hear people ask me, "what should I eat to be healthy, or what should I do to lose weight?"

And I will give a few general tips. Nothing too hard. Without even listening to anything I've said, they will reply back with, "well if that's what I gotta do to live a long life, I'd rather eat whatever I want and die early."

Why even ask if you don't care? Because you are irrational.

I'm sure you've heard people say this as well, they think it's funny. Compartmentalization at its finest.
I've heard all kinds of people say this from people in their twenties to seniors. Here is where their logic is flawed. They think I will live a full life, and die abruptly. You are wrong. You will live as long as modern medicine can keep you alive. I know people who have said this in their late 20s, and they take their cholesterol medications now, their blood pressure medication, and for the unlucky, go into the emergency room. It is like someone who buys a house with an interest only loan, who tell their renter friends, their "rent" is now going into ownership. No it's not, all your money is only going into interest. And some day there will be a day of reckoning. Same with your health. And you will do whatever you can to keep your house, and you will do whatever you can, plead with whoever, ask for help from whomever to stay alive.

This doesn't sound like someone who wants to eat whatever they want and die early. The fact they initially ask about their health shows they do care, but then compartmentaliation kicks in because it sounds too hard. What they really wanted to hear me say was, do 20 sit ups a day for 30 days and take inches off your waist!

If someone put a gun to your head, and told you to eat healthy and exercise. You would do it. That's logic and survival instincts kicking in. That's why you will not allow yourself to die early if you can help it. You will pray for some nanotechnology or pill to be formed in the meantime to BAIL YOU OUT. Just like with the financial crisis I mentioned earlier.

So people take their meds, look for the easy answer, their body are trying to take them out early and they are refusing to go out peacefully. When I was in finance, I saw plenty of people live much longer than they thought they would and they outlived their money. I also saw a lot of them with full-time caretakers, wheelchairs, respirators, etc. And some weren't even that old... I asked them how they got to this health state, they said they ate bad, smoked, didn't exercise, and they thought they would be dead by now. It's one of the reasons I moved from financial advising/banking to personal training.

People who say they want to live however they want and die early, won't die early. They will live longer, maybe as long as their healthy friends. But their quality of life will be much different, and their death dragged out over surgeries, hospital visits, medicine, their body fighting against them, feeling pain, discomfort, swollen, bloated, bowels now failing, etc. There is also a financial cost to this decision to you and your family. There is also an emotional cost as well to everyone around you. You're easy solution is a pretty devastating one. It is why we're completely irrational about our health. It's why people keep asking questions about health, but for a lot of people its 100 questions for 0 action.

About the Author:

Coach Sam Y. is a Master Personal Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Coach, Certified Nutritionist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, Pilates and Yoga instructor, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook and Pinterests.

Think Again On Fast Food

Source: LiveWell Wellness Centers

"Our fast "food" display is now 2 years old. The word food is questionable, since the bread-like and meat-like substances have not molded or spoiled in any way. Bugs won't even bother with it. Please think twice about giving this to your kids. You have a choice, but they don't. We truly are what we eat"

Foodies Beware: Burger Kills Again

Another person collapsed while eating the Bypass Burger at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas. I posted an article a few months back about a man dying in February in the middle of eating the burger.

I know food is now part of tourism and its entertainment, but don't take it that far. There was a New York Times food critic who developed gout from his foodie eating habits.

With all that said, I know this makes some of you guys still hungry, just looking at that picture. But why? Dissect your own psychology.

Seems like the more people get carted out of there, the more people want to try it...

The place has over 70 current reviews and over 40 reviews that have been filtered by inactivity. That's well over a hundred reviews. Whether they like the place or not people are going there and reviewing it.

Last year, the company's 600-pound spokes-model died when he was only 29-years-old.

FYI: You can also buy cigarettes here.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/another-heart-attack-grill-customer-collapses-while-eating-191647836.html

Skinny Girls Look Good But Fit Girls Look Better

The concept is similar but NOT the same.

Calories Matter But It's Not The Only Thing That Matters

According to many studies, patients who are given insulin to treat diabetes tend to gain weight. This is nothing new and has been known in the scientific community for years. From scientific journals such as Diabetes, Diabetic Medicine, Diabetes and Metabolism, weight gain has been a known side effect of insulin therapy.

Calories matter but that's not all that matters. Diabetics and other people with hormone problems prove this every day. Hormones also matter, a lot more than we think. And eating less of the food that is hormonally poor to begin is a quick fix but not an ultimate solution. So weight comes back.

Also exercising in ways that are hormonally irrelevant is not a long term solution. We love mindless easy work outs that take all day to do.

We need to eat more foods that our bodies were designed to eat. That keep our hormones in balance. Exercising in ways that rev up our metabolism and keeps our hormones active.

Some say insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. We've been told the same thing over and over about eating and exercise and we keep expecting new results.

All Out Effort Is Selective About Who We Train

Funny thing about AOE is that we are very selective. We won't just train anyone. You have to have a good attitude and people have been politely turned away. With that said there are certain folks who come up who bring great energy, and we secretly hope they end up signing up.

How To Transform Your Abs In 2 Minutes Or Less!

Ab transformation secrets REVEALED! Ever wanted to know how regular people just like you and me are able to use a product, pill, supplement, or DVD and completely transform their stomach? Here is one of the methods!

How Every Personal Training Client In Hollywood Should Think

I asked a personal training client what they wanted. This is what they said. Right on!

Jona Xiao Target Commercial

Please take a look at client/actor Jona Xiao on this Target commercial and PRESS LIKE!

MTV Lost Just Bieber Cover

This Is Your Butt

This is your butt when you neglect it. This is your butt when you only diet it. This is your butt when you diet AND exercise it.

How All Out Effort Cured Constipation

There is an AOE client who hasn't been able to use the bathroom without the assistance of laxatives for 10 years. We revamped her diet with whole foods, raw vegetables, lean meats, nuts, drinking more water. Exercise is also another big factor.

THE SQUAT IS A POWERFUL TOOL!

The final secret? Squatting while using the bathroom, like how they do in Asia. Now since we don't have those types of bathrooms here and it would be uncomfortable, we told her to put a stool under her toilet to prop her feet up on, so she can be in a comfortable squat position.

What this does is it elongates the colon so it's easier for everything to come out. It strengthens the muscles needed for the contraction of the movement. It also relieves a lot of the pressure to avoid hemorrhoids.

It's how we all used to go. We need to bring it back for better digestive health.

Funny Doctor Diagnosis

Remember When This Used To Be You

So what happened to you?

Which Makes You Lose More Weight, Cardio or Weight Training

It's what we always wonder when we head into the gym. If my goal is weight loss, would my time be better served doing weights or just doing cardio? I've always heard doing weights would make me bigger.

I remember watching this 48 Hour investigation many years ago when I was in college and thought it was worth viewing again and having this conversation.



Since the time this video has aired, science and sports medicine has shifted. Resistance training is also good for the heart. Now 20 minutes and resistance training only is extreme and kind of a gimmick. But it does highlight the importance of resistance and weight training as a important factor of overall health and weight loss. In the end, muscles burn fat. You can do all the cardio you want, but if you don't have enough overall muscle density, your time may not be spent effectively. It's why bodybuilders get as big and as muscular as possible first, then jump on the cardio on their second phase to lose weight for competition, because they have now put on so much muscle, the cardio will be that much more effective.

It's why at All Out Effort, as we move clients through a program, we start them out in Conditioning (o not be overwhelmed by training, Stability (for health and safety reasons), Muscle Endurance (so your muscles don't burn out and you get a more quality work out), Hypertrophy (to now work on defining your muscles), Maximal Strength (to make you stronger than you ever were before, so all the heavy resistance training), Power (to learn explosive movements like jumping, there is no jumping or even jumping backs until this phase), then finally Power Endurance (jumping, burpees, all those hard cardio stuff people have you do to try to lose all that weight, we save for last when it is most efficient and effective).

We do Power Endurance last because now you can safely do them, your ankles and knees can stabilize you, you are conditioned for it, you have the endurance, you built up the muscles and strength, now it's time for the metabolic and fat burning pay off. Your long term results will kill the results of friends who only lost weight initially. This video highlights a small training concept trainers of athletes know, but these concepts hardly trickle down to the regular population. This is our diffidence, training regular people with the techniques used for athletes.

About the Author:

Coach Sam Y. is a Master Personal Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Coach, Certified Nutritionist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, Pilates and Yoga instructor, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook and Pinterests.

Travelling With A Kettlebell

One of my proudest moments as a trainer is when a client is so dedicated to working out, that they take their kettlebell with them on vacation. But one of my clients had an unfortunate incident.

She was going on a cruise and wanted to take her KB with her and the port authority confiscated it. They didn't know what it was and said it could be used as a weapon.

But maybe they took it to just secretly get some workouts in, in the break room...

Today Is The Boston Marathon

Congrats to Wesley Korir and Sharon Cherop for winning.

But in 1967, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston marathon. 

After realizing that a woman was running, race organizer Jock Semple went after Switzer shouting, “Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers.” However, Switzer’s boyfriend and other male runners provided a protective shield during the entire marathon. The photographs taken of the incident made world headlines. As a result of her run, the AAU barred women from all competition with male runners, on pain of losing the right to compete.

Kathrine later won the NYC marathon in 1974 with a time of 3:07:29.

The Push Up Challenge

For 2 weeks starting today, bang out 20 push ups a day. 

Doesn't have to be in a row. Doesn't even have to be good form. It's about disciplined daily activity, and making a point to take time out of your day to do something for your health. This will not replace a work out. It's just a new habit.

Start now.

The Successful Personal Training Client

To judge the success of personal training, is to judge the effectiveness of the use of time.

People will judge training based on the price in comparison to their expected result. It should actually be judged on time in comparison to expected result. A lot of this is about putting the focus on the wrong criteria. Money you can make back. Time unfortunately you can never get back. At times I may sound frustrated, impassioned, or as if I am pleading with the fitness world. It is only because I am passionate about this business and about getting people their health back. This is the goal of All Out Effort. To change how fitness is perceived and administered.

The successful personal training client doesn't just get personal training. Though that is the first step. There are many people who get personal training and not all of them are successful at it. Finding the right personal trainer that you believe in is important.

Look at testimonials, look at their program, do they do nutrition, what are their qualifications if any, try free consultations and assessments and make an educated choice. Don't just be mesmerized by their photos. How they look and how you look are two different things, there is a correlation but not a direct cause and effect.

Once you make that choice, make a leap of faith that not every day is going to be results and sunshine but you will at the end be much better off embarking on this journey than not doing it at all. Find someone passionate who does this for a living, not does this to pay the bills while they pursue their real passion. You can get really cheap training this way, but you will get what you pay for.

Trust in the program. Allow the trainer to do their job and guide you through this process. Don't backseat coach. Let's say you have 8 weeks to train before an event or a trip. The trainer carefully prepares an 8 week program with everything you will eat and every exercise you will do. If you come in and say that you don't want to work this or that, or you don't like that routine, you don't think this will work, and eventually always want to do something else, you are lacking any faith and you don't really need a trainer. Now you the  client are the one orchestrating the program. So whatever results should come at the end of 8 weeks becomes unknown and random. But you have taken control. You are basically paying for someone to stand there and count your reps while you do only what you feel like. You are in charge of your body but not of the program.

70/30

Remember 30% of what you are paying for is your trainer, the other 70% is paying for the program you are enrolling in. And if the trainer cannot create a program, and it's always made up and random and based on nothing, you are with the wrong trainer. All our clients next 6 months of work outs are planned for them ahead of time.

We have over 50 one on one clients. I'd love to take the credit and tell you it's because I am that great of a human being. It's not. It's because our program is that good. There's plenty of good trainers, but not all of them have good programs. There's a lot of good schools but not all of them have a great program in the major you are looking for either.

Remember there is a difference between training and a hard work out. The focus is on the wrong criteria. Training is solely judged on progress. A hard work out is based solely on how tired you feel after. There's a lot of work outs and trainers and programs who market themselves as the hardest most insane work out. That has nothing to do with progress. Progress doesn't care how bad you feel after a work out. Progress is based on if you have improved. Training is about progress and should not be judged on the level of nausea you have after your session. Any idiot can burn you out, a professional can keep you fresh enough for your next work out and get you one step closer to your ultimate goal. That difference in how one judges a work out, will be the difference in your progress, your consistency, and your injury rate. We are training you in a program, not working you out mindlessly. You are a human being and must train accordingly.

Remember that you are the captain of your own body and destiny. The trainer acts as a lighthouse, guiding you home, it is your choice to go directly towards the light, or take detours, get rerouted, or distracted. If that becomes the case you may never end up where you wanted to be. And if anything you do hurts or is uncomfortable, it is your body, it is your job to voice your concerns and the trainer to modify things to accommodate. It is a collaboration and the trainer is your guide, but they can't do it for you or make you do it. Your body, their program. Remember what it is your signed up for. You looked for a trainer but stayed for the program.

Be coachable. Listen and heed the advice of your coach. Let them impact your life, how else can they help you change your lifestyle? They should not be another resource that you get work outs from. They should be one of your most trusted advisers. Do not consider your trainer and your sessions the same as some Groupon or Living Social deal that you can easily replace. It's why we don't offer any presale of our services. That chance to see how well we work together prior to you purchasing anything is a huge part of success.

You also don't want to argue with your coach. This leaves two options. The trainer and client will spend the whole session arguing, or the trainer spends the whole session doing whatever you like. They get paid the same regardless so most trainers will do whatever it is you want. Even if all you want to do is spend an hour talking about all your problems to them. Using your trainer as your shrink is also not the most effective use of your time.


Remember your training time isn't therapy time, isn't stress relieve time, or even a time to prove your mettle or toughness. It is a time to progress. Progress, mental focus, and safety are the top 3 concerns. Remember when you are at the gym, be at the gym. Don't have your body at the gym and your mind elsewhere. This will only lead to bad things and a waste of time. Whatever money you spend on training, you can make back. Time is something you can never get back. Your time is the most valuable commodity. Remember that next time you want to be off task. Be mindful and present.

Work out on your own and practice whatever moves you learn. It's like anything else, from martial arts to piano. There are skills involved and you need to practice it until you get better at it. If every session, the first 30 minutes has to be used to retrain you in moves you've already learned before, it is not the most effective use of your time. This is one of the biggest problems for progress.

What do some trainers do? Allow their clients to work out with sloppy and poor form, or don't teach them anything at all. Only have them do the easiest moves, that are basically equivalent to a step cardio class. Then, again, what are you paying for? You are paying for progress and a program. I don't care how badly you need to lose weight, you will not go any further until you perfect your form. Make the most use of your personal training time by practicing and working out also on your own. You don't have to of course but we are talking about how to be more successful with personal training. All of this then is voluntary based on the level of success you want.

Don't be that client who comes in, never working out on their own, never even thinking about working out once they leave their trainer. Then be shown a move they have seen and done many times before, and look at it being shown again, as if this was the first time they had seen it. I've seen plenty of people in the gym with their trainers, and have been training for years, and can't do one lift correctly and knows how to do ZERO complex or advanced movements. Their gym skill level is that of someone who also just walked into the gym for the first time. If that is the case, then whatever you gained can be easily lost, if you gained any results at all.


Results take skill. Working out is 50% skill building. You can't look like a martial artist or a gymnast until you can do what they can do. There are so many movements, concepts, and exercises. The longer you train, the more of these you should master. And if your trainer hasn't mastered anything themselves, they are not the right trainer. Nothing bothers me more than seeing a trainer teaching their client how to use something they have no idea how to use, from kettlebells to Olympic bar work outs. If you have been with a trainer for years, and though you are physically capable, yet just never got the knowledge to deadlift, squat, press, clean, or swing, you are missing out on all the exercises with the most metabolic payout.

People think mindless cardio is the ultimate metabolic booster, because they were never introduced to any of the more complex exercises. I never know what to say when someone asks if running or just cardio is the best way to burn fat. What about the thruster, burpee, push press, tabada, swing, etc. There's a whole world of fatburn just waiting for you, but it takes guidance from a professional and so it can't be taught through the internet or through DVD. All those DVDs have the same exercises, just in different order, and for different rep counts. Why? Because those are the only things you can have people do without teaching them anything. How to jump in place, run in place, jumping jacks, crunches, can all be done with no education, just following along. I don't think I've ever had one client do even a single crunch. Skill is something that is never brought up enough if at all in fitness. All those videos market to you by saying, it's so easy anyone can do it. Well it's not easy. Being fit is not easy. Dieting is not easy. Even losing 5lbs is not easy and to those who progress, to those who even shed 5lbs and keep it off, they should be commended. Because far too often TV makes those dramatic feats seem to easy when it is not.

Be consistent. So much of personal training gets wasted on rebuilding. Things come up. They always do. If you train twice a week, and you buy 10 session, you figure that it will last you 5 weeks. No. On average it will last you 8-10 weeks. That's if you show up all the way to the last session that is. Why is this? Because things will come up. Work comes up, sickness, vacations, trips, people visiting, oversleeping, or lack of motivation. So you miss a lot of training, and you don't work out on your own. What does that mean? Each time you show up, it's not about building progress, it's about trying to rebuild you to where you were before. You're new to training, your flexibility, cardio, and strength is low. We build it up a little in three session. Then you are out for a week and you never work out in that time. You come back, your strength, cardio, and flexibility is now back to where it was on day one. Now we rebuild it again, as we do, more things come up. It's always a game of catch up and the only thing you lose is time and results. Be consistent, show up when you are supposed to. Things will always come up, accept that, and work around them.


You will never be able to only work out when conditions are perfect because they will never be perfect. There's plenty of people busier than you in the world, and they still make it work. Make this program important. Make a point of putting your health first.

Be patient and understand this is a process. We are trying to reverse years of metabolic damage here and it doesn't happen over night. You need to build the foundations first, then use the foundations to make progress. Otherwise whatever gains you make, will be temporary. Look at weight loss shows and how quickly they gain it back after.

Commit. You have to commit for the long haul, that this will be a new way of life for you. You may not always have to stay with personal training, but health afterwards should always remain a priority.

Make yourself accountable. Use loved ones, social networks, your website, training partners, your coaches, family, your dog, whoever. The whole reason AA works is because of the accountability.

Be good with your diet and commit to all the dietary guidelines your trainer gives you. Our clients initially text everything they eat until they get the idea of what good eating is. That may be too much commitment for some. But if you work out hard and cheat on your eating, your poor eating will beat hard work outs every time.

Stay positive. Enough negative self talk. Whatever happens you'll figure it out, no matter how impossible a task seems, you'll figure it out. And you'll live. How do you know you will do this? Because that's what you've always done, and if you hadn't, you wouldn't have made it this far in life.

And I know this one is obvious, but don't flirt with your trainer and don't hire a trainer who is flirty. I've seen it too many times, when instead of training, you see a trainer talking all session with their client as if they just met at a night club. Or the whole time is the trainer massaging or stretching their client too intimately.

About the Author:

Coach Sam Y. is a Master Personal Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Coach, Certified Nutritionist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, Pilates and Yoga instructor, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook and Pinterests.

You Are What You Eat

The First Milestone Work Out For Every New Client

When Shaya first showed up a little over a month ago, we did an assessment to see where she was. The assessment is really easy and consists of some movement screens, walking on a treadmill, looking at running form, holding a plank, and a few more things. Nothing too intense. With that said, Shaya during her assessment had to sit down for 10 minutes to catch her breath. It had more to do with her circulation, elevated heart rate, and her general overall weakness. She said, "this is bull! I need to get my butt beach ready!"

And so we began. She just completed her first program, now she's about to embark on her 2nd program. This last work out of her program is a far cry from her first assessment where she nearly fainted. I think we have the makings of a great underdog story here...

Angela Milestone

Congrats to Angela! 2 months 26lbs, and she hit a new low weight milestone. I won't say what her start weight was, but she will never be in that weight range again! People don't realize, because they see it so often on TV shows. But even losing 5lbs is extremely hard, and not to gain any of it back on a bad weekend. This is amazing.

Stay tuned for more progress.

Diet And Digestive Problems

I've had several clients who suffered from acid reflux, ulcers, irritable bowels, GIRD, constipation and a host of other problems. All have had reduced or no symptoms after a slow and long change in their diet. It takes time to reverse all the damage.

One client was becoming emaciated and kept losing weight, going to the ER on more than one occasion for stomach infections and ulcers. He was at the brink of death on more than one occasion. Doctors didn't really tell him much. Just to come back quickly if his symptoms came back. I've heard that before. He was down to 110lbs! What did his diet consist of? Junk. All candy and fast food. Now he's up to 127 and climbing of lean muscle and no digestive problems.

Another client had chronic constipation. She abused laxatives for over 10 years! This lead to a host of problems. We got her off the laxatives and changed her diet. At first she didn't go to the bathroom at all for a few days and gained some weight, which we anticipated. The muscles that controlled her bowel functions had grown weak from 10 years of laxatives. But after that she texted me, her first bowel movement in 10 years without aid of laxatives! It was small she said but it was a start. Now she is 100% completely regular. Which is better than a lot of people who never abused laxatives to begin with. Now she's back to her lean fighting weight as well.

No supplements, no crazy calorie counting. Just a diet based on protein, lots and lots of raw vegetables, and lots of healthy fats. Diet is a slow form of poison or the best practical cure.

Vegetables Over Grains

Charles Poliquin who is a famous name in the world of fitness, nutrition, and sports. Poliquin has trained Olympic medalists in 12 different sports, including gold medal sprinter Donavan Bailey.

The whole basis of All Out Effort has been about training and nutrition guidance of regular folks with the same information we use for professional athletes. Because it just doesn't trickle down and people end up getting their info from celebrities, trainers who have no business giving advice, reality shows, documentaries, and their opinionated friends. It's not about forks over knives, its about vegetables over grains.

In a blog post called, Eliminate Grains In Favor Of Veggies And Fruits To Stay Young And Healthy

Poliquin perfectly outlines the value of vegetables and the pitfalls of grains. Something athletes know, whereas the rest of the population is continuously told to eat more grains.

"Eliminate grains in favor of vegetables, fruits, and nuts to stay young, healthy, and prevent disease. You’ll also have a better body composition and you will probably live longer. If you want to be as healthy as possible, processed and “whole” grains should be removed from your diet. The problem with whole grains is that they contain minimal fiber, are high glycemic, will rapidly raise blood sugar, contain lots of carbohydrates, a small amount of protein, and most have lots of gluten. 

It is true that whole grains that are cooked in their hull are going to provide more health and nutritional benefits than processed grains. Be aware that even when a cereal, bread, or pasta package says it’s made from whole grains, that doesn’t mean that you are actually going to get to eat the whole grain since once a grain has been turned into flour, it is no longer “whole.”
Boiled rye, quinoa, or rice may be a better choice than highly processed bread or cereal that has added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and fortified nutrients that don’t naturally occur in the ingredients. But, a new review in the journal Nutrition Reviews shows that eating whole grains is not the answer to better health or better body composition. Rather, studies suggest that eating more fruits and vegetables in place of grains will give you a leaner body and better health for the long term. 

The analysis reviewed 135 research studies published between 2000 and 2010 and found that when you compare diets high in refined grain products (cereal, bread, pasta, pastries) with those that are high in whole grains (cooked grains that are not refined), there is no significant difference in disease risk. Findings show that there is a trend toward eating less fruits and vegetables among people who eat lots of refined grain foods that is in turn correlated with greater obesity, but eating lots of whole grains doesn’t provide much health or body composition benefit. 

In contrast, two other large-scale studies, each with more than 15,000 participants, showed a direct link between fruit and vegetable consumption and lower disease risk. A 2007 study published in Public Health Nutrition found that men and women who ate the greatest amount of fruits and vegetables a day had better body composition, lower disease risk, and felt physically better than those who ate the least. Increasing the daily intake of fruits and vegetables by two portions was linked to an 11 percent decreased chance of developing a serious disease. 

A 2003 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also showed that greater fruit and vegetable was linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease and better body composition. Researchers also looked at refined and whole grain intake in this population and found no positive effect of eating more whole grains on diet except when fruit and vegetable intake was at the highest percentage. The participants who ate the greatest amount of fruits and vegetables and ate whole grains with almost no processed grains had a low disease risk. 

Take away from these studies the understanding that if you are going to eat grains, it’s better to eat whole ones than processed ones because processed ones are more likely to have additives and extra fat and sugar. But, to be truly healthy, you should minimize all grains in your diet. Substitute grains with fruits and vegetables. If your goal is to improve body composition, focus on eating vegetables, fruits that are low in fructose and have a low-glycemic index (berries), high-quality unprocessed protein, and including a small amount of nuts in your diet."

Source: http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/1022/Tip-299-Eliminate-Grains-In-Favor-Of-Veggies-And-Fruits-To-Stay-Young-And-Healthy.aspxa> and Pinterests.

Caption This Picture Contest

Go to the AOE Facebook to enter to win a FREE kettlebell:  http://www.facebook.com/alloutefforttraining

Obstacles In Your Path

There Is Always Hope

You are still in there. No matter how lost you feel.

Secret To A 6 Pack

There's a lot of us out there who do little to no ab exercises who have visible abs. Actually MOST people who have visible abs, especially athletes hardly do ab exercises. Our secret? Keep our body fat low and lift heavy.

We know there's a whole industry and billions of dollars spent just on ab stuff. And they will continue to do so because if it actually worked they would run out of people to market to.

Consult Your Doctor

Everyone's A Fighter

Going To The Gym Is Too Inconvenient

Super Models Before Photoshop

Unretouched. No photoshop and no airbrushing. Taken in St. Barth's during a photo shoot for Glamour. We have Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio, "plus-size model" Crystal Renn, and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl Brooklyn Decker.

They of course have been made up and hair styled and costumed so it's not like this is a picture catching these women straight out of bed. Just without photoshop. And I use "plus-size model" in quotes because Crystall Renn is a size 12 and in the modeling industry, that is labeled plus size.

Here they are after airbrush and photoshop.

Never Give Up

BECKY K TESTIMONIAL

I am getting married in less than two months, and I met Sam a month back while my mom tagged along interested in the free consultation. I explained that I want to lose all the chubby that I've done a wonderful job maintaining all my life. I was looking for a permanent change that improper exercise and diet, starvation, oriental detox, and questionable asian "vitamins" could not bring. And these methods only exacerbated my problem even more.

Little did I know.. after our consultation, Sam told me to my surprise that my mom who simply tagged along ... needed attention more than I do. Sam started rattling off mom's bodily problems that she is likely to have while mom and I sat with eyes widening with each word Sam was uttering. He was right...she did have weak knees and in the last year she became dramatically prone to injury... He warned us that at this rate, she would eventually be in a wheelchair. That woke me up in two ways. I wasn't about to let myself watch my mom being put in a wheel chair before I even have my first child, and second, I wasn't about to become her in the future.

It has now been little over a month and my mom falls less, has little to no digestion problems, and has less menopausal symptoms (THANK THE HIGH HEAVENS)... As for me, I am noticing muscles I was never aware of, I now have absolutely no digestion problems after following Sam's nutrition instructions, and have higher energy. Sam has my complete and absolute trust. Mom is astounded that a skeptic such as myself hangs on to Sam's every word without question.

Sam is without a doubt, THE best personal trainer in the Los Angeles area. I can confidently say this after scouring all of LA for a personal trainer rather frantically after setting my wedding date. He is a personal trainer, nutritionist, and life coach all in one. I now know that, "healthy is not something you achieve easily," (Sam). My goal is to become healthy. Looking good is only the byproduct. Read it on Yelp.

DANA B. TESTIMONIAL

The best thing about training with Sam is that it's a positive, frustration-free experience. Both he and Cindy put a major emphasis on proper form and building a solid foundation. They're both incredibly knowledgeable, and it's great to feel like you can truly trust the advice that you're being given. There's no boot camp-style yelling or bullying-- just encouragement, motivation, and tangible results that you can see and feel.

Sam is great about checking in on your progress as well as consistently sending out interesting articles and videos that back up everything he tells you during your sessions. Proper nutrition and stress management are emphasized just as much as exercise, which is key for longer-term success. You really get the sense that Sam is as invested in your progress as you are, and that kind of teamwork and coaching is what makes the difference.

As a former vegetarian and disgruntled cardio machine user who would cringe at the thought of anything more than a set of five-pound dumbbells, I can honestly say that my outlook on diet and fitness has done a complete 180-degree turn in a short amount of time, and I feel and look ten times better because of it (and there is still a LOT more progress to be made!). I initially thought that having a personal trainer was a major luxury, but more and more, I see it as a necessity for good health. Not to mention the awesome fact that two months ago I would've been embarrassed to be seen in a swimsuit, and now I'm actually excited for my upcoming beach vacation. My kettlebells will be joining me on the trip!

If you're in Los Angeles and you're willing to make the commitment, you really can't do better than Sam and Cindy. Seeing improvement as a result of hard work is a great feeling and I can honestly say that it's something I experience with every session. Read it on Yelp.

Is It Better To Sprint Or Run For Distance?

Redefine cardio.

Badges Of A Good Workout

One of my clients showed me his hand to ask me what something was. I said, "That's called a callus. Congratulations."

102 Year Old Still Hits The Gym 5 Days A Week

So what's your problem?

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How To Make Abs

Controversy Over Pink Slime

There has been a lot of press and controversy over this "pink slime."

Yes I agree it's gross and it's scary because you don't know what's in there.

But most of the controversy has been around the fact that they use ammonia gas to treat this meat. Pink slime isn't the problem. It's the symptom of a bigger problem.

Pink Slime is not the only food treated with ammonia. Most meat and a lot of other foods are treated with ammonia.

Why is this done? Because actually it's done to keep us safe. As gross as the idea of ammonia is, it's better than getting contaminants and bacteria like e. coli.

Here is a excerpt from Wikipedia:

"Escherichia coli, although considered to be part of the normal gut flora for many mammals (including humans), has many strains. Strain E. coli 0157:H7 is associated with human illness (and sometimes death) as a foodborne illness. A study by Cornell University has determined that grass-fed animals have as much as 80% less of this strain of E. coli in their guts than their grain-fed counterparts, though this reduction can be achieved by switching an animal to grass only a few days prior to slaughter. Also, the amount of E. coli they do have is much less likely to survive our first-line defense against infection: stomach acid. This is because feeding grain to cattle makes their normally pH-neutral digestive tract abnormally acidic; over time, the pathogenic E. coli becomes acid-resistant. If humans ingest this acid-resistant E. coli via grain-feed beef, a large number of them may survive past the stomach, causing an infection"

So if pink slime and ammonia is the symptom, what's the problem? E. coli in food. What's the source? According to Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dillemna and In Defense Of Food, he says that cows were never evolved to eat corn or grains. It's the reason why this highly acid resistant E. coli strain is so rampant. Feeding them grass again, the food they were meant to eat would clean up 80% of the E. coli in their gut in a week. This was also mentioned in the movie Food Inc.

So pink slime is not the enemy. Neither is ammonia. It's the fact that we feed cows corn, grain, and soy. They would sometimes feed them meat of dead cows, that led to Mad Cow Disease. Just feed them what they were meant to eat, grass. Lately because corn is getting a black eye, they are feeding them other grains, and soy. Soy is now being pushed down our throats as the next healthy thing. It just happens to be very genetically modified and very cheap to produce. How interesting whatever there is an abundance of and cheap to make, we say it's good for you. How do we stop this problem? We vote as consumers. Purchase grass fed meat products and organic and non-GMO.

A final thought. If cows were never evolved to eat corn and grains and soy, even with their multi-chambered herbivorous stomachs, why are we humans eating so much of it and told to eat so much of it?

About the Author:

Coach Sam Y. is a Master Personal Trainer, Coach, Certified Nutritionist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, Pilates and Yoga instructor, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook and Pinterests.

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

Evolution

And we wonder why we are so stressed and have back pain.

Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Goal: Increase immune system and white blood cells. Creating better health at the cellular level.

Think no carcinogens. Think organic, nonrefined, nonprocessed, simple (not only food but for everything). Food eaten in combination. Caveman lifestyle. Ask yourself, "could people over a hundred years do this," before you dry clean something or get too fancy with your cooking. Active lifestyle and stress reduction through ancient methods e.g., meditation, breathing, exercise, martial arts, etc.

Physical Activity:

30 mins a day 6 days a week or 50-60 mins a day 3 days a week. Based on health level can be walking, yoga movements, tai chi, qi gong. For the more fit, athletic movements and exercises, running, combative martial arts. Avoid sedentary lifestyle or sitting for prolonged periods.

Stress Management (stress increases noradrenaline and cortisol which lowers immune system):

Meditation
Breathing exercises
Yoga or tai chi movements
Mental imagery
Relaxation and massage
Group meditation, prayer, chant, rosary, or individual (must be said out loud to get into breathing rythmn)
Support at least once a week. Getting together with friends or family or being part of a bigger group that shares a hobby
Avoid isolation, despair, anger – use support, calm music, serenity, quiet, calm light, candles, incense, laughter, lightheartedness, prayers, cards, pictures
Feeling of control over stress is more important than lack of stress in studies
Helplessness promotes cancer

Dietery Needs (foods with high glycemic index increase insulin, which promotes inflammation and cancer growth and lowers immunity):

Avoid traditional western diet (proinflammatory) – use Mediterranean, Indian, Asian cuisine (anti-inflammatory)
Glass of water as soon as you rise to flush your system.
Principally made of vegetables and lean meats, accompanied by olive oil, garlic, herbs, spices. Variety. More than 50% of vegetables and fruits should be consumed raw.
Vitamin E, C, D (especially for people with little sun exposure), Selenium
Omega 3 fatty acids (not omega 6 which is already in heavy abundance in our foods)
Variety of fruits and vegetables (27 or more) – preferably in natural state
Oily fish – Salmon, small mackerel, whole anchovies, sardines, eel, cod liver, occasional white albacore, catfish. Can even be farmed.
Organic red meat that has been grass fed or flax meal fed no more than 3x a week
Unprocessed pork only and red meat, and poultry, eggs, organic in moderation.
Japanese green tea – pour hot water (only let it rolling boil then let sit for a bit to cool then pour) over bag or leaves and let sit for 8-10 minutes before drinking. Tea only has lasting effects for 2 hours so no use reusing leaves after that. 3 – 5 cups a day.
Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, ginger, chives, endives, mixed with foods (should be mixed into food whenever possible). Garlic is released when clove is crushed or minced and dissolved in oil. Chopped garlic and onions can be gently fried in oil mixed with steam or stir fried vegetables and combined with curry or turmeric. Can also be consumed raw, mixed in salads, or eaten in a sandwich.
Turmeric (found in yellow curry) in conjunction with black pepper or ginger and tofu dissolved in oil. Mix ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder with ½ of olive oil and generous pinch of black pepper. Add to vegetables, soups, salad dressings.
Mushrooms – shiitake, maiitake, kawaratake, enokitake, oyster mushrooms, enokidake, cremini, portobello, turkey tail, thistle – soups, vegetables, broths, oven grilled, stir fried.
Seaweed – Nori, kombu, wakame, arame, dulse
Carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkins, persimmons, apricots, beets, bright colored fruits and vegetables (orange, red, yellow, green)
Scallions
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli
Asparagus
Berries – Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries
Cherries
Cranberries
Walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds
Stone Fruits – Plums, peaches, nectarines
Spices – mint, thyme, marjoram, oregano, basil, rosemary, cumin
Tomatoes – need to be cooked in oil to release phytochemicals
Herbs – need to be infused in teas, soups, and made into stock, added to flavor water.
Do not boil broccoli or cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy, turnips, radish, daikon – Cover and steam briefly or stir fry rapidly in a wok with a little olive oil.
Avoid freezing fish, steam or slow oven bake at low heat.
Ginger root – Add grated ginger to a vegetable mix while it is cooking in a wok or pan. Or marinate fruits in lime juice and grated ginger
Citrus – Oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruit – Skin can be grated and sprinkled over foods, or added to teas or hot water.
Pomegranate Juice
Probiotic – sauerkraut, kimchi

Things To Avoid And Alternatives:

Deodorant - deodorant with no aluminum, parabens, or phthalates. Organic.
Cellphones - Use sparingly, check at regular intervals instead of constantly. Use a headpiece.
Shampoo, conditioner – White organic soap
Scented soaps – White soap
Household cleaning products – White vinegar, white soap, baking soda, scrubbing harder
Scratched teflon – stainless steel, carbon steel, cast iron, all-clad
Pesticides - Natural pesticides: Beer, coffee, lady bugs, seaweed, volcanic rock, diatomaceous earth, or made with garlic, essential oils, boric acid.
Cologne, lotions - organic lotions with no parabens, or phthalates. Toilet water AKA Eau de toilette or cologne spray which is much less concentrated.
Lip balm or chapstick – organic lip balm
Hard plastics (BPA), PVC, plastic receptacles, plastic tubs, platic bowls, delivered water such as arrowhead – glass, dishware, recycled type 1 plastic, ceramic, stainless steel
Warm plastic, water that smells like plastic, bottled water left in the sun or warm
Microwaving in anything other than glass, dishware, or paper covering
Aluminum – Even skin contact
Carcinogens of any kind
Soda cans and soda
Flour
Red meat from industrially raised animals – organic meat from grass fed or flax meal fed animals
Oils rich in omega 6 (corn, vegetable, sunflower, safflower, soy) – Omega 3 cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Regular Dairy – Pure coconut milk, pure almond milk
Evaporated milk (especially in foods like ice cream)
Eggs raised from corn or soybean fed hens – hens raised in a natural environment or fed flax meal
Atmospheric pollution (smokers, cleaning products, dry cleaning) – smokers must air out, house must be aired out when cleaned, dry cleaning opened out doors and left outside for 4 hours before being brought in.
Wheat
Commercial breads and pastries
Sugar (white or brown), honey, syrups (corn, maple, fructose, dextrose, etc), synthetic sugars – (do not abuse sweeteners) cinnamon
White rice, overcooked white pasta, muffins, bagels, croissants, puffed rice cakes
Potatoes – sweet potatoes, yams
Sweetened or bleached breakfast cereals
Jams, jellies, fruit cooked in sugar, fruit in syrup – fruit in natural state, blueberries, cherries, raspberries
Sweetened drinks, industrial fruit juices, sodas – Water flavored with lemon, thyme, or sage
Avoid in between meal snacks and candies - eat in combination with vegetables, fruit fibers, good fats.
Hydrogenated/transfats like pastries
Ready made foods
Fried foods, chips – olives, cherry tomatoes, sliced fennel
Poultry skin
Skins of nonorganic fruits and vegetables – peeled fruits and vegetables or organic skin (skin can be rich in nutrients)
Tap water – Filtered tap water, spring or mineral water provided plastic bottles have not warmed or smell of plastic.
Alcohol

Prefer Organic – Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, grapes
Organic optional – Bananas, oranges, tangerines, pineapple, grapefruit, melons, plums, kiwis, blueberries, mangoes, papayas
Prefer Organic – Peppers, celery, green beans, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, squash, pumpkin
Organic optional – Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, onions, eggplants, peas, radishes, avocados

Things to Consume Daily:

A glass of water as soon as you rise.
Raw vegetables
Green tea
Vitamin D (if required)
Garlic, turmeric 

About the Author:

Coach Sam Y. is a Master Personal Trainer, Coach, Certified Nutritionist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, Pilates and Yoga instructor, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook and Pinterests.

Effects Of Positive Thinking

Things Not To Do While Pregnant

I'd be worried about other things lady.

Wish All Benches Were Like This