Athletes and bodybuilders concerned about getting enough high quality protein often grab first for chicken breasts and lean beef, leaving fish to flounder in their nutritional regiments. In reality, fish should be an essential part of any body building diet, because it is loaded with protein, nutrients and the world’s healthiest fat. Let’s take a look at this gift from the sea and how eating fish can leave you with bigger muscles and a healthier heart.

While it may be necessary to trim the fat from your beef, pork or chicken, with fish, it’s the fattier the better. The  predominant fat in fish is the type that will keep your arteries clear and healthy. Fatty fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel are the only reliable sources of eicosapentanoic acid (epa),and docosohexanoic acid (dha), two important omega-3 fatty acids with a broad range of health benefits. Both of these miraculous omega-3’s help to lower blood triglyceride levels, making fish a heart-healthy choice in anyone’s diet. As an added benefit for those who work out, fish fat may also help to reduce the residual muscle soreness that accompanies working out.

For the protein punch your muscles crave, fish will give you more bang for the buck. Most fish is a lean protein source with a superb protein-to-fat ratio which will keep you in an anabolic state – key to muscle growth. Whenever possible, it is great to eat whole food protein an hour or two before your workout – and certainly within an hour following your workout. Guess what? Fish is digested and absorbed faster than beef, pork or chicken, and its amino acid profile makes it useful in muscle recovery as well as building mass.

Besides those tremendous omega-3 fatty acids and the rich source of clean, lean protein fish provides, there is more good news. The iron in fish helps to carry oxygen to your working muscles; vitamin B6 assists in red blood cell formation; selenium can keep your prostate healthy; and zinc will boost your testosterone level.

The down side to fish is that it often contains mercury. This neurotoxin is deadly to pregnant women, children and even the toughest muscle head. As a  general rule, the larger the fish (like shark, tuna, swordfish and king mackerel) and those that have longer lives (like grouper and sea bass) can accumulate plenty of mercury. Salmon, catfish, shellfish, pacific halibut, sardines, tilapia and rainbow trout are safer options. And remember: The American Heart Association recommends at least two 3- ounce servings a week, but no more than 12 ounces on a weekly basis.

Here are some healthy hints about cooking fish. A good filet will have no odor. Reputable fish markets are your best bet for the good stuff. Handle your fish as little as possible. Let it cook undisturbed for a few minutes and turn only once during cooking. This allows for browning of proteins on the surface, which contributes to its flavor.

When it comes to seasoning, a good quality sea salt and pepper rub is all that a filet really needs. If you marinate, do so only for 30 minutes. Fish is more tender and porous than meat, so it requires less time to soak up the flavor.

Over-cooking any food can rob it of important nutrients and vitamins.  Delicate fish, like flounder, cook quickly (about two minutes per side if grilling or broiling). For thicker fish, like salmon and swordfish, just wait for the color to change from translucent to opaque, remove from heat and serve immediately.

For more nutritional tips to help your workouts, please send an email to TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com

Performing resistance exercises on a ball is a more effective way to train for sports (i.e., track and field, martial arts, etc.) since in any kind of competition you are in motion and often off balance. Here’s a surefire routine that’ll put some “balls” in your workouts – Swiss Balls, that is!

There’s no better way to train abs than by doing crunches on a ball. Lie on your back across the ball with legs bent, feet flat and hands behind your head. Proceed by raising head and shoulders up a few inches. Pause, squeeze your abs and return to starting position. To add resistance, clasp a dumbbell or weight plate to your chest as you crunch. Perform as many reps as it takes to get a nice burn. Try reverse crunches by laying flat on the mat with your heels on the ball then crunch as you move the ball simultaneously by bringing your knees up toward your elbows.

Don’t forget your obliques – or your “side abs”. Lie on your right side over the ball, left leg over right, hands by the sides of the head, elbows out. Proceed to bend upward as high as possible. Pause, return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps. Lie on your left side for another set bending up the other way.

Swiss ball squats are a great and safe way to build up the butt and legs without chugging a loaded barbell across the back of your neck and shoulders. Stand with the ball between your back (actually the small of your back) and the wall. Squat slowly down until the backs of the thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause. Then return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps.
Make push-ups meaner and more effective by using the ball. Place your hands on top of the ball with arms bent at a 90 degree angle, legs out behind you and extending up on toes. Proceed to push up to arms’ length. Pause. Then return to starting position. Perform 8-12 reps.

To make dumbbell curls, shoulder and chest presses and/or front and side raises more challenging, try them seated on a ball. Of course, use lighter weights at first. Use your Swiss Ball on a mat area for added safety. Swiss Balls come in sizes small, medium and large and can be purchased at any sporting goods store. They usually come with a pump to keep them firm and bouncy! Get one and put some balls into your workouts! For more tips on how to use the Swiss ball in your workouts, please contact TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com

By Tom Bonanti

It’s a given that most guys consider a six pack to be sexy. Yet a strong, toned midsection is also important because  it helps to anchor your lower back. Exercises like crunches and leg raises are essential to developing killer abs and a healthy lower back, but that’s not all you need. The obliques (although they are so deep that you’ll never see them even on the leanest physique) are also an important part of your core as they  girdle the abdomen on both sides of  the body. As such, these babies require a program of their own.

“Love handles” are the term “affectionately” used to describe those problem areas where fat accumulates around the waist and oblique areas. To avoid the unwanted baggage, you must, of course, watch your nutrition –that’s 80% of the battle! In addition, you must keep these muscles strong and toned with such movements as twists, bends and lunges. The following exercises employ a broom handle or a smaller weight-free barbell. Perform repetitions slowly. Put 2 or 3 of these exercises into your ab routine and complete 25 to 50 reps on each side and you’ll soon see and feel the difference.

Standing twists are the most basic. Stand grasping a bar behind your head on the upper traps, with feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping the lower body stationary, proceed to twist to the right, pause, and then twist to the left.

For variation, try bent-over twists. Stand grasping a bar behind your head on the upper traps, with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend over carefully until your torso is parallel to the floor, then proceed to twist to the right, pause, then twist to the left.

Seated twists help to isolate the obliques a little better than the above. Sit on a bench – or better yet, an exercise ball. Grasp a bar behind your head on the upper traps with legs together. Keeping the lower body stationary, proceed to twist to the right, pause, then twist to the left. You can also do these holding a medicine ball in front of you. From the same position, twist your torso as you pass the ball rapidly from one side to the other side.

Twisting lunges allow you to put your ass (more technically, your glutes) to work as well as your obliques. Stand grasping a bar on the upper back, with feet wide apart. Proceed to bend the left knee and twist down that side. Pause, then rise to starting position and perform the next repetition to the right.

Twisting waves get your upper body more involved. Stand grasping a bar out in front of you with feet wide apart. Proceed to bend the right knee and simultaneously lower the left hand across your body while raising the right hand. Pause, then rise to starting position and perform the next rep to the left.

While the terms “love handles” and “muffin top” may sound cute, the realities are not. If you watch your nutrition and perform these oblique routines regularly, you will build a healthy core and tight lean midsection. For more tips on core fitness contact Tom?Bonanti at  TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB.  www.pumpnincgym.com

TOM BONANTI

Whether you are searching for the right career, scoping out a new place to live or on the make for a new boyfriend, life is all about making right choices. Building your body also requires you to make key decisions. Finding the right gym, making the time to workout and varying your routines all require proper planning. While these are crucial factors, it’s your nutritional choices that will make or break you.

As every fitness enthusiast knows, eating “right” requires knowledge, preparation and planning. Certainly the best nutritional strategy is to shop for and prepare your own healthy meals, consisting of good clean organic foods. There is nothing better than a diet consisting of complex, low-glycemic index carbohydrates, lean fresh protein sources and very low amounts of poly-unsaturated fat.

While the above plan is a surefire method for success, the reality is, most of us spend a lot of time eating out or eating on the run in restaurants and fast food joints. A few visits to these places every week will pile on the pounds in no time!

Here are a few pointers about healthy restaurant eating that can keep you lean and on track with your fitness goals.

Breakfast or brunch on the weekend with friends can be a pleasure. But in one sitting you can literally consume your daily calorie requirements of fats and carbs. Ask for egg beaters when ordering. Avoid bagels and Danish and opt instead for an English muffin or a couple of pieces of whole grain toast.

Try unbuttered grits with a little fresh salsa instead of hash browns. And if you have to have bacon or sausage, try not to go overboard. The salt and fat from these processed meats are killers in more ways than one.

Grabbing a sandwich for lunch sounds so simple and light doesn’t it? Yet, it’s not just the burgers that are lethal; those deli sandwiches can be just as deadly to your diet. Between those slices of bread lurk some serious calorie pitfalls like mayo, salad dressing, several servings of salty cold cuts and loads of fattening cheese. Choose whole-grain breads or, better yet, a wrap and grilled chicken instead of ham, roast beef, tuna or chicken salad. Order sandwiches dry or with mustard, and instead of cheese, pile on the veggies. Order only half a sandwich and ask for a simple green salad on the side to help fill you up.

You don’t have to avoid pasta at your favorite Italian eatery, but do request a half portion and you’ll save hundreds of calories. Eat pasta earlier in
the day so that the carbs fuel the rest of the day’s activities. If it’s available, choose a healthy whole-wheat pasta or spinach pasta for a more fiber-rich dish and pair it with a lean protein grilled portion of chicken or fish. Avoid dishes like ravioli, manicotti and lasagna, where the calorie-dense cheeses will do you in. Order marinara sauce verses high fat choices like alfredo, vodka or Bolognese. Deep six the bread sticks and opt for a green salad or healthy minestrone soup for an appetizer.

Sushi is a healthy choice when dining out. Broiled fish, steamed veggies, edamame and tuna, yellowtail and salmon sashimi are all tasty and light Japanese fare. But unless you want to look like a sumo wrestler, steer clear of tempura and agemono, which indicate deep-fried. Avoid sushi rolls made with cream cheese and excess avocado.

The time you choose to put into your workouts is crucial. Yet it’s what you put into your mouth that will make or
break your physique.

Dining out doesn’t have to mean pigging out. For more tips on healthy choices, please contact TrainerTomB@aol.com!

By TOM BONANTI

Like every hobby, bodybuilding and weight training can become boring and routine. Doing the same old thing the same way every time is monotonous and counter productive even in the gym. That’s why it’s important to read about new routines and the latest findings on muscle growth, etc., so that your workouts remain challenging, rewarding  and fun! This week, I’d like to go over a
few common but often misunderstood terms/techniques that can put some fire under your workouts and some burn in those muscles.

“Superset” is a widely misused term. Technically, a superset is when you train two opposing muscle groups (i.e., biceps versus triceps, back versus chest) with only a small break between exercises. For example, you may do a set of flat bench barbell press for chest, then move quickly using the same barbell for a bent over row for back. Go back and forth for three sets of each. Take a brief break and then alternate incline dumbbell presses and wide grip lat pull downs. Supersets create balance and joint strength and allow one muscle group a brief rest while you blast its opposing muscle group.

Compound sets are great, especially if you have a problem muscle group that won’t grow. Compound sets employ two intense exercises for the same muscle group. For example, a standing barbell curl can be combined with a preacher curl to really fry those biceps. Perform a set of barbell curls to exhaustion, then move to a set of killer preacher curls to isolate those twin peaks. Compound sets bombard a muscle group working it to exhaustion.

If you’re really cruising for a burn, go for tri-sets. This simply means that you add a third or even a fourth exercise to the above torture as you max out those mighty arms.

Forced reps are a great way to push muscles just a little harder, once they’ve been pretty much exhausted. Just when you think you can’t do another curl, press or squat, recruit someone else’s muscles to help you! That’s right, get a trainer, partner or buddy to help you squeeze out a couple of forced reps before you rack your weights and call it quits.

Learn to accentuate the negative – at least with your reps! When I train clients, I’ll often have them focus on the negative or eccentric contraction during an exercise. For example, during a bicep curl, explode as you bring the weight to your chin (concentric or positive contraction) then, as you lower the weight (eccentric or negative contraction), slow down and focus as you push your muscles to a new level of fatigue. Try doing negatives with bi’s, tri’s, chest, legs, etc., once a month to maximize size and strength.

Don’t overdo negatives, or you may risk injury or overtraining.

Have a great summer and take advantage of these techniques to add variety to you training regime. For more tips like these, contact TrainerTomB@aol.com by email.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com Facebook: TrainerTomB. On the Internet at: www.pumpnincgym.com

You’ve probably been there before, or maybe you’re there now: you just can’t get into your workouts. The exercises seem boring, the weights are too heavy and you feel like you’d rather be anywhere else but in the gym.

You are experiencing a performance slump – a frustrating, seemingly inexplicable drop in performance which typically lasts for an extended period of time. In nearly every case, though, a source can be found. Slumps are often traced to a lack of recovery time from stressful situations, insufficient sleep, overtraining – or just a general feeling of malaise over life in general.

The good news is that no matter what the hell the problem is about – job stress, a breakup with your boyfriend, a let down after vacation, or overtraining itself – there are mechanisms of recovery that can have you back in the gym doing battle with the weights in no time. A number of these tips come from Jim Loehr, a sports psychologist, in his book, Stress for Success.

First of all, you’ve got to rest. And by that, I don’t mean lying on the couch watching episodes of the “The Biggest Loser”. Active rest refers to recovery methods that involve movement. For example, walking, stretching, yoga and golfing are all types of active rest that can help you recharge your batteries. If you simply can’t stay out of the gym, incorporate a wide variety of low weight, high rep weight training exercises for each of the various muscle groups. You’ll be amazed how you’ll grow once you resume more intense training habits.

Passive rest is also essential and it can help rejuvenate your soul as well as your body. Examples of passive rest include meditation, napping, sitting in the park, or catching up with an old friend for some conversation. (Note: passive rest does not include sitting on a bar stool drinking for six hours.)

Understanding your nutrition and how it affects your body is crucial, not only to successful training, but also to your recovery process. During a slump, a lot of guys either eat like birds and lose size or they binge out and get as big as cows.

Whatever you’re going through, you’ve got to eat! Eat your meals at consistent times throughout the day. Eat light and often. Consuming smaller meals every 2-3 hours raises your metabolic rate and stabilizes blood sugar and energy levels. Never skip a healthy breakfast and stay away from quick, sugary, fatty comfort foods that will ultimately leave you feeling worse than ever.

The dedication necessary to succeed at body building is substantial, and it requires focus and intensity. When you’re in a slump, you’re often frustrated and negative about your drop in performance. Look for opportunities to lighten up and laugh. Avoid negative people who drag you down. Listen to music that can calm and soothe as well as energize and rejuvenate you.

Psychological changes associated with positive emotions occur that directly oppose the chemicals that accompany negativity and frustration.

Finally, a good night’s rest is by far the most natural and essential recovery activity. Depriving yourself of sleep is like depriving yourself of food. A sleep debt of as little as three hours has been shown to significantly reduce physical strength in weightlifters. Lack of good, quality, uninterrupted REM (rapid eye movement) sleep can cause paranoia, migraines and violent mood swings, as well as unwanted weight gain.

Busting out of your slump doesn’t happen automatically – it takes planning and effort. Remember, recovery in your training and everyday life is just as important as the hard work you put into them. For more tips on how to fire up your workouts this summer contact trainertomb@aol.com!

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB. On the Internet at: www.pumpnincgym.com

Over 80% of all Americans will experience low-back pain at some point in their lifetime. Many of these people will miss work and incur sizeable medical expenses. If you have poor posture, sit most of the day and are overweight, you are definitely a candidate.

A healthy, pain-free back is often something you take for granted until an injury occurs. You don’t have to be a trainer or sports doctor to realize that taking a few preventative measures each day can keep your back strong and healthy.

Training your abdominal muscles regularly not only helps you achieve a six pack, it can also strengthen your low back. Weak abs are the root of many lower-back problems, ranging from acute spasms to chronic low-back pain. Flabby, out of shape abs force the low-back to work harder in a variety of strenuous and mundane activities, straining the supporting musculature and ligaments of the spine.

Weak abs combined with excessive abdominal weight (a big gut!) can lead to an exaggerated lumbar lordotic curve (sway back). This, in turn, can cause postural problems while sitting, standing or walking, increasing the chance of inflaming and irritating your nerves, discs and muscles.

Weak abs, a big belly and sitting on your butt all day in front of a computer can trigger one hell of a bad backache. Unfortunately, this seems to have become the American way of life – and so has low back pain. On the flip side, toned abs, proper exercise and a low-fat diet can provide a healthy, rock-hard defense against 80% of all lower back ailments.

The abdominal muscles are like other muscles in your body – you should train them hard and then allow them to rest and grow and strengthen outside the gym. Hitting abs hard three times a week is preferable to 100’s of sets of reps day in and day out. Leg lifts, straight leg sit-ups and excessive twists are a prescription for a bad-ass backache.

Crunches will isolate your abs better than anything else, because they tax your trunk flexors (rectus abdominis or “6 pack”) rather than your hip flexors (iliopsoas muscles or deep muscles in your pelvis).

A proper crunch is performed flat on your back, knees bent and legs elevated over a bench, sofa or exercise ball. Place your hands behind your head, but do not interlock your fingers. Cradle your neck and head as you crunch up, bringing your elbows to your knees. Do not pull up with your hands on the back of your head, as this will place undue strain on your seven cervical vertebrae. Do not roll up on your tail bone. Simply crunch bringing your elbows to the knees, pause and contract your gut muscles, and return to starting position. Variations of the crunch can effectively isolate, strengthen and build strong abdominals. The number of sets and reps you do depends on how much time you have and your endurance level.

Both your abs and lower back muscles support your spine; treat these muscles as equals. An imbalance adds stress and strain on the supporting musculature of the spine. If you work your abs, make sure to stretch your lower back while you are down there with simple cat stretches or by bringing your knees up to your chest a few times. Make sure to work your lower back into your regular back routine.

Remember, you can do crunches till the cows come home, but one trip through a drive-thru fast food dive can put a damper on your progress. Combine healthy, low fat eating with cardio and weight training and your sexy defined abs will knock them dead.

For more information on ab training, contact TrainerTomB@aol.com.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB. On the Internet at: www.pumpnincgym.com

By TOM BONANTI

Ancient Greeks praised the virtues of multi-sport training two thousand years ago, claiming it created wellrounded athletes who possessed bodies of strength, speed, skill and beauty. Modern tri-athletes achieve astonishing levels of fitness by combining swimming, running and cycling. This multi-sport training is called “crosstraining” and, among other great benefits, it can add real variety to your workouts.

Cross-training is a super way to get and stay in shape. Simply, this method combines two or more different activities into a fitness program while avoiding overtraining injuries and boredom. The advantages of this type of training include: various parts of the body are worked to improve overall fitness; muscles and joints in one activity are rested avoiding stress related injuries; new activities are introduced into your workouts, keeping them fresh and fun.

The key to cross-training is variety. Aerobics classes are great cardio-vascular training, but injuries to joints from overdoing it are common. Weight training gives you stronger, bigger muscles, but does not bolster aerobic fitness or increase flexibility. Cycling builds mighty thighs and killer calves, but does little for your upper body.

Expanding your workouts and diversifying your routine through cross-training can help you achieve several fitness goals at once (bigger bi’s and tri’s, better stamina by including some cardio, decreased body fat, etc.). Studies show that too much of one activity can lead to injury, which increases the likelihood of exercise drop out. Muscles also adapt and refuse to grow doing the same routine day-in and day-out. Cross-training avoids these crises by strengthening weaker and more underdeveloped muscles while not over-working others. In short, crosstraining can prevent you from getting burned out, fed up and bored!

So, how does all of this work and how do you get started? First, break out of the box you’re in and be willing to try new things. Second, get ready to sweat and feel the burn this summer!

If you’re hitting the gym 3-4 times a week to build serious muscle in your upper body, you may want to take up running on 2 or 3 of the days you are not lifting to give your upper body a break. Running is a great heart, lung and lower body workout.

If your primary form of workout is cycling (a low stress workout for lower body), try rowing on alternate days or for the second half of your workout to tighten and tone the upper body.

If your major form of exercise is regular walking, try adding some laps in the pool or a light free weight routine to your fitness agenda to tighten and tone upper body.

Whether you are a serious athlete in training for a sport, or a regular guy whose goal is a healthy, good looking body, cross-training may be for you. Just be creative, enjoy yourself, get into a regular routine, and start today.

For more ideas on cross training routines, send email to trainertomb@aol.com.

TOM BONANTI is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB. On the Internet at: www.pumpnincgym.com

By TOM BONANTI

So you’re over 40? Even though some in our youth-oriented, megalomaniac society may consider you to be over the hill, there’s no need to retire to your rocking chair – not yet! Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed that, more and more, men are staying healthy and looking hotter and sexier way beyond 40, 50 and even 60. What are their secrets? No secrets at all; they’ve simply learned the importance of living wisely and taking care of themselves step by step, day by day. Here are some tips and preventative measures you can take right now to get your body ready for 50 more years of health and happiness.

Consider your prostate. At 40, the prostate gland begins a growth spurt, a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. If you’re peeing a lot at night, this may be happening to you. Don’t worry. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is rarely life-threatening. To treat this condition, see your doctor and get a prescription for alpha blockers which relax the prostate smooth muscle. In conjunction with this, a regular prostate exam is a must for all guys over 40. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, according to the American Cancer Society.

Weight training is a must! Once you hit 50, you begin to lose muscle mass by as much as 15% per decade. In fact, one recent study states that at about the age of 25, guys begin to lose a half a pound of lean muscle per year! To stave off decreasing muscle mass, prevent back, hip and knee injuries, and protect against heart disease and high cholesterol, incorporate strength training into your exercise program. If you’re already lifting, keep up the good work. If you think it’s too late to start pumping iron, remember that you can still build lean muscle by lifting weights into your 80’s.

Watch your gut. As guys age, their bellies tend to expand, resulting in dangerous amounts of visceral abdominal fat that can increase the risk of colorectal cancer and heart related problems, including heart attacks and strokes. If your waist exceeds 40 inches, you are asking for trouble!

To prevent this dangerous girth, stay active, use the stairs at work. Take a walk before or after supper. Try implementing a half-hour of cardio into your workout plan at least 3 times a week. Do your crunches at night while watching TV.

Watch what you eat. To reduce your risk of obesity, Type II Diabetes, hypertension, cancer and heart disease, be aware of good nutritional principles. Eat more high fiber, complex, low glycemic index carbohydrates such as whole grains, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables to fuel your body. Get your protein from lean chicken and fresh cold water fish, which are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, the good fats that keep cholesterol levels in check. Deep six all processed fast foods and trans fats from your diet.

Drink less. According to several studies, drinking beer and wine in moderation can deliver protection against heart attacks, strokes and hypertension. But, before you race off to Happy Hour, get the whole truth. Drinking more than one drink per day, defined as a 5 ounce glass of wine, one 12 ounce beer or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor can increase your risk of liver disease and stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Fit, fabulous and over 40? Show them your stuff, you hot, smokin’ Daddy.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com  Facebook: TrainerTomB. On the Internet at: www.pumpnincgym.com

Another sultry South Florida summer is well underway. Guys are stripping down, taking it off and strutting their stuff at the beach, around the pool or any old place they feel like getting naked. The question is: “Are you ready to show ‘em your stuff?”

If you’re embarrassed by that muffin top or extra jiggle in your trunk, then here are some surefire fat loss tips that you can use right now! No pills or starvation techniques needed – just a little common sense and old fashioned discipline.

First of all, know your enemy. Fast food equals junk food, and junk food never did anyone any good. Besides clogging your arteries, eating fast food will make you fat, period! Even if you pass on the super-size burgers, fries and shakes and go for seemingly healthier selections, you are only fooling yourself. For instance, deep-fried chicken or fish is even fattier than most hamburgers. A more than occasional trip to the vending machine at work can add up to beaucoup calories and an extra pound or two per week! Cross these enemies off your list and pack your arsenal of food for the day. You’ll end up healthier and leaner in the long run.

Secondly, read the labels when you food shop and check fat content. There are a whopping 9 calories in every gram of fat, as opposed to 4 calories in each gram of carbs or protein. Total fat should never exceed 25 percent of total calories. And saturated fat should never make up more than one third of the total fat or one tenth of total calories. Here’s another hint: never grocery shop when you’re hungry – your defenses will be more easily worn down by temptation.

Thirdly, be a homebody. Clean out your cupboards, make your list of healthy foods and prepare those meals at home. You can never be sure how much fat, grease or other unhealthy stuff you’ll be eating even in the best restaurants. It’s also easier to control portion size at home and not be tempted by a sinful desert tray.

Fourthly, schedule your meals. Eating smaller meals more frequently – 5 or 6 per day – better fuels the body and reduces fat storage. This approach also bumps up your metabolism and gives your muscles a more steady supply of protein if you are working out. Sure, this takes effort and planning, but so does every worthwhile project in life.

Finally, HALT before you act. From now on, say “HALT” before you eat. “H” stands for genuine hunger or habit. If you’re physically hungry, then eat. But often you eat out of habit – stop it now! The remaining letters refer to other wrong reasons for eating: “A” because you are anxious; “L” because you’re lonely or sad; and “T” because you’re tired. Think before you eat and you’ll be surprised by the changes in your shape!

There they are: Five simple tips to melt off the pounds that are keeping you from showing off that pumped up body you’ve been working out all year long. For more tips on pumping up and leaning out contact TrainerTomB@aol.com!

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, Facebook: TrainerTomB. www.pumpnincgym.com