In This Issue:
– Robertson Training Systems Updates
– Training Tip
– Nutrition Tip
– Exclusive Interview: Chris Mohr
– New Articles
– Schedule
Robertson Training Systems Updates:
Happy New Year!
Let me be one of the first to tell you, Happy New Year!
I sincerely hope that 2008 is your best year, EVER. Develop a plan, dedicate yourself, and put in a little sweat equity. I have no doubt whatsoever that you’ll be able to achieve all your goals in the year to come.
NSCA Trainers – All Robertson Training Systems products now accredited for CEU’s!
As many of you already know, all of the Robertson Training Systems products are now accredited for NSCA continuing education units (CEU’s). What does this mean? Well, if you’re a certified personal trainer or strength coach via the NSCA, you need 6.0 CEU’s (or a total of 60 contact hours), every three years to maintain your certified status. Now, whenever you purchase a product from Robertson Training Systems, you can also purchase CEU’s to help keep your certification current and up-to-date!
If you’ve purchased a product directly from us, you should have already received an e-mail with a direct link to purchase the CEU’s. However, if you’ve purchased from another site (Elite Fitness, T-Nation, etc.) and want to purchase CEU’s, drop us a line at [email protected] and we’ll get you set-up.
If you haven’t purchased a product yet and want to receive CEU’s, be sure to purchase directly from our Products page; there’s an option there for you to purchase the product(s) and your CEU’s all at the same time.
While many certifying bodies are charging between $13 and $15 per contact hour, we’ve dropped our prices so the most you’ll ever pay per contact hour is $10. We appreciate your support, and this is a small way we can show our gratitude.
New Article up at T-Nation!
If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to check out my latest article at T-Nation:
The Mobility-Stability Continuum
Training Tip:
An awesome fat loss program for 2008
I met Josef Brandenburg on my shuttle ride home from the Ryan Lee Bootcamp in 2006. He was a friendly and outgoing guy, and we had a great conversation.
One thing I didn’t know, however, was how much weight Josef had lost in recent years. If your New Years Resolution is to lose weight or body fat, I think you’ll really enjoy this article from Josef. Here’s the link:
From Fat Ass to Bad Ass – Josef Brandenburg
If you like Josef’s article, be sure to check out his website at www.TheBodyYouWant.com
Nutrition Tip:
Exercise Caution at Restaurants!
Just because you eat “healthy” at a restaurant doesn’t mean life is swell and dandy. Sure, it’s better to choose salmon over the 42 ounce porterhouse, but remember that it’s not just food quality but food quantity that can bite you in the ass!
Far too often, portion sizes at restaurants are much larger than you would think. So while you’re chomping away at a relatively “healthy” meal, you could very easily be taking in 300, 500 or even 700 more calories than you’re expecting!
And if I have to tell you where those “excess” calories go, I’ve already lost you.
Simply enough, be cognizant of your food selection and portion size when at restaurants, especially if your goal is to have a leaner and meaner you in 2008!
Exclusive Interview: Chris Mohr
MR: Hey Chris, it’s been a while since we’ve had you in for an interview. What’s new in your neck of the woods?
CM: Thanks for having me, Mike. Things have been fantastic—both personally and professionally. On a personal level, I got married since the last time we talked; and professionally, Kara (now my wife) left academics to come on full time with Mohr Results, Inc..
We released our first two of many DVD’s. One revolves around our weight loss programming, and the other one is geared towards young athletes. We’ve really started to grow our weight loss programming and have a lot planned for 2008, including a consumer book by the end of the year, at least 3 more DVD’s, and some unique approaches to help even more people achieve their weight loss goals.
And, not to disappoint your power lifting audience, but I signed up for the Louisville Ironman on August 31st, 2008. Considering I’ve never run more than 6 miles at one time, and am far from an endurance athlete, it will be a challenge – and that’s why I’m doing it. I have 9 months to train, and I will need most of those 9 months, as it will be a 12-15 hour event.
MR: Damn Chris, you’re way tougher than I am! Powerlifting is more my deal; as long as the pain is over in 5-10 seconds, I’m good!
Switching gears, January 1st is now upon us. Millions set new years weight “resolutions” like last year – and probably the year before that! Why is weight loss success so difficult?
CM: The answer, in my mind, is very simple—people focus too much on fads, quick fixes, and the next “diet craze.” They worry too much about carbs, fats, and protein. What they don’t do, however, is learn the behaviors that it takes to be successful. I don’t really care if you’re following a low carb or low fat diet—how do you plan to stick to that for more than a few weeks?
Of course there are intricacies among the different nutrients, and we can go on forever about the different health benefits associated with various foods. But, very simply, let’s first consider some simple behaviors to make change permanent! And that’s where our company comes into plan—stay tuned for some innovate approaches to teaching individuals how to change coming later this year.
MR: Sounds great Chris. Along those same lines, what 5 tools would you suggest for folks trying to lose weight permanently?
CM:
1. Keep a food journal—you won’t know what works and what doesn’t if you aren’t recording anything.
2. Write your goals daily—you need to know what you’re working towards.
3. Think positively and don’t use words to sabotage your efforts—I can’t, I won’t, I’m a failure, I hope, etc.
4. Plan ahead
5. Eat breakfast everyday.
(note the first 4 aren’t even related to nutrition and none of them say eliminate carbs).
MR: Clients often tell me they find it difficult finding time to shop, cook, etc., so they rely on fast food. Any thoughts or ideas here?
CM: Life is busy, but that can’t be an excuse—it’s not going to get any easier or slower, so don’t wait for that “perfect” day. Plan, plan, plan. Make extra food when cooking dinner; pack that in a Tupperware and you have lunch the next day. Pre-portion some raw nuts, fruit, and other healthy snacks for the following days. And learn how to grocery shop properly, create a list, stick to it, and don’t be swayed by the 40,000+ items in grocery stores.
MR: You just released a new DVD titled “Grocery Shopping Made Easy.” Who is this product catered to? What topics do you cover in the DVD?
CM: This DVD covers the final point above, exactly.
Kara and I take people through the grocery store to teach them exactly how to make the right decisions when grocery shopping—what do you look for, how do you read food labels, what are the hidden names for sugar on food labels, bagged vs. fresh vs. canned veggies/fruit—how do you know what to choose, what cues are in the store that are sabotaging your efforts, etc.
And, not only does the 40 minute DVD cover a ton of info, but we have a fantastic booklet that goes along with it. This booklet teaches you the exact foods to make sure you buy organic, the carbs, protein, and fats to choose, etc. We’ve had great feedback from both consumers and health care providers who use it as a teaching tool for clients. No matter what you think you know, there is always something to learn.
MR: That’s so true, Chris, and I’m often shocked at how little people know about nutrition, even something as simple as reading a nutrition label!
We talked at the beginning about strategies to lose weight permanently. Along those same lines, what are some more general rules for helping people achieve ANY fitness related goal in 2008?
CM: Honestly, Mike, they’re not tremendously different.
– I would keep a journal, so you can track your progress in the gym.
– Plan ahead, because it’s tough to make time for the gym with everything else going on
– Write your goals daily (personal, professional, material items, etc), and think positively.
I hate to give boring answers, but people sometimes think too much and really just need to go back to the basics and continue to strive towards their goals every single day.
MR: Awesome Chris, thanks for your time. Where can my audience find out more about you?
CM: I appreciate it, Mike—thank you!!
Visit www.MohrResults.com for information on the Grocery Shopping Made Easy DVD and www.FuelLikeaChampion.com to pick up the Sports Nutrition DVD for Young Athletes.