New You in 2012!!!!

Congrats guys on surviving the year of 2011. It was a crazy year with a lot of changes all for the best. I can’t believe how fast this year went and now sitting back reflecting on it I’ve come a long way and so have so many of you. It is truly amazing to see some of the changes you guys have made throughout the year. We also had so many people celebrating their 1 year Anniversary at the gym which is just mind blowing to me. When I started this gym in my garage a little over 2 years ago I never imagined it would grow to what it is now. I am so thankful for all the people the gym has brought into my life, 2011 was a life changing year for me, so I wanted to help you guys make 2012 a life changing one for you. I was not going to run a New Year’s Promo but I want to get you guys started on the right foot, plus Nicole said I should so thank her when you see her.

As you know we are running our Annual Referral Contest, were the winner will get a free year of training. So to help you recruit your friends we are giving you guys this deal. Here it is Unlimited boot camps for the month of Jan. for only $50 but you have to bring a friend with you that will sign up for the same price. So the only way to get the promo is if you and your friend sign up for unlimited boot camps for ½ off. Not only is it a great deal but it will give you a person for the referral contest!!! So get to recruiting and let’s start 2012 off right with some boot camps on Monday, we have 3 going on, 5:30am , 5:30pm, and 6:30pm.

I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish in the New Year and I can’t wait to help all you guys out to reach all your fitness and life goals!!!!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone out there!!!! I hope your Thanksgiving and Christmas break has been everything you wanted it to be. As you may have seen I have been slacking with my blog posts but I will be back at them for the New Year, I’ve decided to take a break from things outside the gym so I can spend more time with my kids, family, and friends. I hope you guys are doing the same, every now and then it is good to just take a break and what better time than the holidays!!!!

So let’s start back up together for the New Year J We are starting a referral contest on Jan 1^st. we do this every year and it is a huge event. Whoever gets the most paying clients to the gym in the month of Jan. will win a free year of training and nutritional advice. Last year the winner got 12 people signed up in the month but this year I think we can do better. The New Year is the best time to get your friends and loved ones signed up for the gym. I will be handing out a postcard the remainder of the year that offers 2 free weeks of training that you can give your friends as well to help sweeten up the pot to get them motivated to get back in shape.

Also be sure to check out our new schedule that begins this week!!!!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me through facebook or through my email.

Dedicated to your Success,

Tony Montgomery

P.S. We only do this promo once a year and it is the best and cheapest one we have we only accept a few spots for this, so if you want more details please email fast, so you can save your spot!!!! Be an action taker and act fast!!!!!

Cranberry Tuna Salad

Here's what you need...

• 2 cans wild caught Albacore Tuna, packed in water
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1. Drain and flake tuna in a medium bowl.
2. Add all of the ingredients and mix until well combined.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 195 calories, 9.6g fat, 273mg sodium, 9 carbohydrate, 1g fiber, and 17g protein.

Values!!!

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

-John Wooden

An excerpt from Tony Robbins “Awaken the Giant Within”

The only way we can ever feel happy and fulfilled in the long term is to live in accordance with our true values. If we don’t, we are sure to experience intense pain. So often, people develop habitual patterns of behavior that frustrate, or could potentially destroy them: smoking, drinking, overeating, abusing drugs, attempting to control or dominate others watching hour upon hour of television, and so on.

What’s the real problem here? These behaviors are really the result of frustration, anger, and emptiness that people feel because they don’t have a sense of fulfillment in their lives. They’re trying to distract themselves from those empty feelings by filling the gap with the behavior that produces a ‘quick fix’ change of state. This behavior becomes a pattern, and people often focus on changing the behavior itself rather than dealing with the cause. They don’t just have a drinking problem, they have a values problem. The only reason they’re drinking is to try to change their emotional state because they don’t like the way they feel, moment by moment. They don’t know what’s most important to them in their lives.

The consultation is that whenever we do live by our highest standards whenever we fulfill and meet our values, we feel immense joy. We don’t need excess food or drink. We don’t need to put ourselves into a stupor, because life itself becomes so incredibly rich without these excesses. Distracting ourselves from such incredible heights would be like taking sleeping on Christmas morning.

Guess what the challenge is! As always, we were already asleep when the essence of what would shape our lives was formed. We were children who didn’t understand the importance of having a clear sense of our values, or adults dealing with the pressures of life, already distracted to the point where we couldn’t direct the formation of our values I must reiterate that every decision is guided by these values, and in most cases, we didn’t set them up.

What does this mean to you, set your VALUES!!!!!!

Recovery Aids

Happy Turkey Day week to everyone, hope that you and your loved ones get together and have a great time. Me and my adventure race team hit it hard today in Miami at Oleta Park, literally I hit it hard. This was my first time mountain biking a trail and I crashed at least 30 times. We managed to get 15 miles in on the bike, an hour long kayak ride and an awesome 5 mile trail run to finish our day and did I mentioned it rained all day. This is the longest activity I have ever partaken in and man do I feel great mentally. I’ve accomplished and pushed myself to the limits that I never thought I could do. Physically I feel like I got hit by a bus, so this is why I am going to go over a few of my recovery tricks to help me power through the next day’s workouts.

Nutrition: The better fuel you put into your body, the faster you can recover from a workout. If I know I have a big day ahead of me I pack my food the day before and I make sure I eat a lot of calories the day before and right after the training session. These calories not only help me power through my workouts but the help my muscles recover from such a grueling workout.

Ice Baths: I do these every so often to help regenerate some blood flow to my legs. The freezing cold water helps your muscles recover because of the shock it provides to them. With this shock it gives you more blood flow and with more blood flow comes nutrients and muscle recovery. Note: Be sure to get in the cold water before you put the ice in.

Epsom Salt Baths:  The two main components of Epsom Salts are magnesium and sulfate. Magnesium helps the body regulate activity in over 300 enzymes. It plays a role in energy production, muscle control, and elimination of toxins.

Many folks are deficient in magnesium these days. Food, environmental factors, and lifestyle all lend to deficiency. Industrial farming has depleted magnesium from soil.

A diet high in fat and sugar further depletes this essential mineral. Too much calcium will deplete it, and yet calcium works the best when there is a good amount of Magnesium. Making sure both are entering the body is important for maintaining balance.

For some who want more magnesium, supplements are a great option. For others, they do not easily assimilate into the body. Absorption in the digestive tract may not happen, or stomach acid blocks assimilation. A bath with epsom salts is a great alternative or addition to supplements, as the magnesium gets absorbed through the skin.

Sulfate is also important for the body. Sulfates are said to release toxins from the body and form proteins in joints and brain tissue. They also generate digestive enzymes in the pancreas.

Hot/Cold Showers: This is a great way to shock the muscles into recovery it has the same benefits as a cold bath and a hot Epsom salt bath all in one. This is a must if you don’t have a bath tub. I usually go 1 minute hot 1 minute cold for a total of 10-20 minutes you will feel like a whole new person when you get out.

Foam Rolling: Breaking up the scar tissue in any muscles will aid in recovery and allow blood flow which brings recovery nutrients into your body. Now I know what you’re thinking I can’t afford a massage every week, well just go to your local home depot and buy a 4 inch PVC pipe and start you myofascial release or massage.

There are a few more tricks that will help with recovery like a good night’s sleep and a good pair of compression socks and a warm up and a cool down.

Try these out for yourself and let me know how they work for you because they have done wondrs for me.

Protein Pumpkin Pancakes

Enjoy these tasty pumpkin pancakes without guilt. Made with almond meal and packed with protein from eggs, these pancakes are sure to satisfy without shortchanging your results.
Servings: 5

Here's what you need…

• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup egg whites
• 1 can of pumpkin
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dash of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• cooking spray

1. In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.
2. Heat pancake griddle to medium heat and coat with cooking spray.
3. Cook each side about 3 minutes until brown, then flip and cook remaining side.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 255 calories, 15g fat, 112mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 19g protein.

Spartan Race Training and Breakfast

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

 Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am starting to get my legs back under me; it has been difficult going from Strongman/Powerlifting to training for the Spartan Race. At first I wasn’t even able to run 7 minutes without my ankles swelling up and my calves and shins feeling like they were going to explode, but just the other day I was able to run 41 minutes nonstop with zero pain. I went from 245lbs to 230lbs in 4 weeks and will try to get down to 210lbs by Feb. 4ths adventure race. This experience has completely opened my eyes as to what the human body is capable of only if you put your MIND and HEART into it. Dedication is the key and I am extremely dedicated to being the best!!!

Here is yesterdays and todays workout:

11/16/11

5:30am Boot Camp

6:30pm Max Effort Lower Body

Safety Squat Bar Box Squats w/ Heavy Bands- 1rm-495lbs

Glute Ham Rasies w/ Light Band- 4x12

Leg Raises- 3x10

Safety Squat Bar Goodmornings- 3x20

Power Wheel Leg Ins- 3x20

Today’s Cardio 11/17/11

5:30am Brick Run

1.8 mile run, 8.8 mile bike, 1.8 mile run (Took me 1hr and 12 minutes)

8:30pm Recovery Walk 45 minutes

Today is the first day of my new diet and breakfast looked like this:

5 egg whites

3ounces of Turkey

Handful of Spinach

Gluten/Wheat Free Oatmeal

Gluten/Wheat Free Quinoa

Almond Milk

It was a good mix of protein, fat, and carbs which is essential after a hard workout. I will taper of the carbs as the day goes on simply because I am not doing any other form of exercise today besides my recovery walk later on tonight.

This journey is going to be like nothing I have ever done before but I am extremely excited to see how far I can push the human body and the human potential!!!!