My Top 3 Breakfasts

Next to lunch and dinner, breakfast is one of my favorite meals. Seriously though, I love eating which might surprise some people. It actually runs in my family I think. In fact, at my brothers wedding last year during my best man speech I mentioned how the easiest way to get my father, brother, or myself to agree with you, just feed us. I think the video of that speech is on Youtube somewhere if you really want to see it.

Anyway, breakfast is extremely important. Just look at the word itself, Break Fast. We are breaking a long fast after a night of sleeping. Let's say you eat dinner at 7pm then wake up at 7am. That is 12hrs of no food or energy. If you aren't filling your tank up you will be running on fumes for the rest of the day. Our metabolisms are still kicking while we sleep. We are just sleeping, we are not dead. We are using energy the entire time. Over 12hrs you use up most of your energy stores so they need to be replaced immediately.

Some people believe though, if they workout in a fasted state they will burn more fat. There may be some scientific evidence that they will burn more fat while fasting but I have one problem with that. How intensely can you workout on an empty stomach? I have tried it before. I could barely finish the workout, I used lighter weights, and I skipped harder exercises and sets because I just didn't have the energy. On the other hand when I just have a small snack I have enough energy to get through the workout and push it hard. While there might have been a higher fat oxidation percentage on the empty stomach I guarantee I burned more overall calories when I ate something. There is more scientific evidence that exercising more intensely will burn more calories.

I know many people struggle to get breakfast in. Even if you aren't hungry I highly recommend getting something in before you start your day. Here are my top three breakfast choices. I really eat these every week.

1. Veggie Omelet:

I personally use egg substitute but it fine to use whole eggs as well. In my omelet I will have peppers, mushrooms, spinach, turkey, and low fat cheese. (careful with the cheese).

2. Smoothie:

I love smoothies on days I get up at 4:30am and the last thing I want to do is cook something. Check out my older post on how to build the perfect smoothie. Currently I make my smoothie with frozen mango, protein powder, 1/2 banana, ice, almond milk, and cinnamon.

3. Greek Yogurt:

This is just one of my favorite things. I am really hooked on greek yogurt and for good reason. In one serving of non fat greek yogurt there is 24g of protein and only 8g of sugar. I usually add some blueberries and granola to mine, but it is great plain too.

There you go. Three super easy breakfast choices for you. Believe I am super lazy when it comes to cooking and need things to be very basic. These take just a few minutes to prepare and then you are ready to start your day.

You Stay Healthy San Diego!

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

What's The Best Protein

I think it is safe to say, most people understand the importance of protein. Whether you are trying to lose fat or gain muscle you MUST consume adequate protein. The body uses protein to repair muscle, for energy, build hormones and enzymes, and build bone and skin. What some people may not realize is that there are different kinds of protein. There is whey, egg, casein, hemp, soy...We can get protein from a variety of sources depending on our diet patterns.

The questions is though, are all proteins the same? Does it matter if I have whey protein or should I have soy? A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition tried to answer this question. One thing that protein in general is good at is thermogensis. When we eat food we have to break it down to convert it to energy and to extract the nutrients our bodies need to function. The cool thing is, we burn energy doing this. While it isn't a ton of calories you will burn from eating and digesting food, it is important to consider. Protein requires much more energy to break down than fats or carbs.

So we know there is more thermogensis and a higher feeling of satiety after consuming protein, then in fats and carbs. What isn't as clear is the different affects from different sources of protein. This study compared whey, casein, and soy which are 3 of the more popular protein choices. Here is what they found when each protein source was taken with carbs and fat in a meal.

The whey protein had a higher thermogenic effect than both casein and soy, meaning there is higher calorie burn from eating whey protein. Over a 5 hour period after consuming whey there was a higher fat oxidation effect, so more calories were burned and more were burned from fat. All three protein sources slowed the spike in blood sugar when consumed with carbs. And finally participants claimed to feel more full after consuming soy and casein, but reported they liked whey better.

This is another new study that is showing whey protein has many benefits over some other sources of protein. Whey is found in most dairy products which may be a problem for some people, however.

The bottom line is there are difference between different protein sources, but in general make sure you are consuming enough protein in your diet from any source. For muscle gain and fat burning, it seems like whey protein would be your best option, but if you cannot consume whey you will still have many benefits from other types of proteins.

You Stay Healthy San Diego!

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

The Best Workout of 2010

Over the past year I have put myself and my client through 1000's of workouts. I thought I would post my top workout of 2010 for you to try. Feel free to leave comments on what you think of it.

Perform the follow warm up exercise 1 time for 60 seconds each.

Jumping Jacks	Jumping Jacks	60 seconds
Toe Touch	Toe Touch	60 seconds
SB Bird Dogs	SB Bird Dogs	60 seconds
T Raise	T Raise	60 seconds

Perform the follow strength exercises as a circuit.
Go through the circuit 5 times.
Each time you go through the circuit do 2 less reps per execise.
Try to complete all 5 sets with little to no rest.

DB Snatch	DB Snatch	12, 10, 8, 6, 4 Each Arm
Renegade Rows	Renegade Rows	22, 20, 16, 12, 8 Total
Reverse Lunges	Reverse Lunges	12, 10, 8, 6, 4 Each Leg
SB Knee Tuck Push Up	SB Knee Tuck Push Up	12, 10, 8, 6, 4
S.L. Deadlift	S.L. Deadlift With Shrug	12, 10, 8, 6, 4
Burpees	Burpees	12, 10, 8, 6, 4

Perform the following core exercises in a circuit.
Perform the entire circuit TWICE.
Rest up to 30 seconds between exercises and up to 60 seconds between circuits.

Decline Reverse Crunch	Decline Reverse Crunch	15
Oblique V Ups	Oblique V Ups	10 Each Side
SB Mountain Climbers	SB Mountain Climbers	20

Finisher.
Perform the entire circuit 2 times.
Do each exercise for 20 seconds with a 10 second rest in between.

DB Swing	DB Swing	20 seconds
Mt Climbers	Mt Climbers	20 seconds
Squat Jumps	Squat Jumps	10
MB Slams	MB Slams	20 seconds

How To Set A Real Goal

Hi there. I hope you had a great New Year and you are ready to start 2011 with a bang. I had an interesting vacation. It was literally something right out of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, but no where near as funny. Every Christmas my wife and I try to see as much family as possible since we live so far away. We traveled to NY to visit my family where we got stuck in a blizzard. After a nightmare with the airports we had to drive down to Washington DC to catch a flight to Mississippi to visit my in laws. And finally my wife surprised me with a trip to New Orleans for my 30th birthday and New Years.

As great as it is to see everyone it is nice to be back home and in a routine again. So over our 10 day trip I managed to gain around 5lbs. And honestly I thought it would have been more. One of the great things about working out all year and eating healthy 90% of the time is I can afford to enjoy the holidays with no regrets. So I definitely enjoyed myself by taking a week off from workouts and eating whatever I wanted. In NY it was tons of Italian food, cookies, cheese cake, and ice cream. If that wasn't enough in Mississippi and New Orleans it was Hamburgers with peanut butter, fried catfish po boys, fried oysters, grilled oysters, jumbalaya omelet, gumbo, and beignets. Oh and I can't forget the beer, champagne, hurricanes, and hand grenades.

What's done is done. It is time to move on and figure out my goals that I need to start working on. Regardless of what your goals involve; health, business, spirituality, friendship.... you need to set good goals. The problem with New Year Resolutions is no one actually sticks to them. Instead of thinking about a goal for the whole year just pick a small goal for the month of January. After one month of sticking with that goal you can decide if you want to continue that goal or try working on something new. When ever creating a goal make sure you have a S.M.A.R.T. goal.

Specific- The more specific the better. "I want to lose weight" is not a very specific goal. Instead think of a number of pounds or a dress/pant size you want to get into.

Measurable- If you can't measure it, there is no way to know when you have reached your goal. You can want to be healthier or richer, but what does that mean. You need to find something you can measure like cholesterol or number of sales.

Attainable- Once you set a goal you need to shift your attitude and belief system. You must know that you can obtain this goal. No matter how big the goal might be you have the steps in place to reach that goal.

Realistic- This one is pretty self explanatory. Do not just pick easy goals though. You need to challenge yourself. But it must be possible to reach that goal. You might say you are going to lose 50lbs by February, but this is not realistic.

Timely- Give yourself a deadline. Think about in school when an assignment was due or at work when a big project was due. What happened as you got closer to the goal? You started to really focus and make it a priority. If there is no end date you will just keep putting it off until you just give up on it. Challenge yourself here don't wait all year to reach your goal. Pick a time that is realistic but will make you work.

Using these simple step you will start to develop goals that you will accomplish in no time. Here are a few of my SMART goals that I will be working on.

Fitness:

One of my weakest areas in fitness is flexibility. For the month of January I will be performing at least 1 stretch before bed every night. When time permits I will do more but I will at least do one stretch. It might be a simple goal but for someone who hates stretching it will be a challenge.

Education:

As you know, I'm sure, things are always changing in the fitness/business industry. For 2011 I will read 1 fitness or business related book. It is my goal to be the best trainer and business person I can by educating myself from experts.

Financially:

It is always my goal to make more money than I did the year before but this is not a very specific goal. Instead I will build up my name and brand by giving one free lecture with different organizations and companies to help promote myself and my business this year.

So there are my goals. I would love to hear some of yours as well. One reason I am telling all of you some of my goals is to keep me accountable. If you ever see me feel free to ask me how I am doing on each. It is a great idea for you to do the same. Write it down in the comment section below so I can keep you accountable.

You Stay Healthy San Diego!

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

Holiday Cheesecake Recipe

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake
Provided by EatingWell.com


Serves
16
Prep Time
90 min.
Total Time
330 min.

A spectacular, graceful ending for a holiday feast or any elegant fall or winter meal.



INGREDIENTS

1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs, (about 20 cookies)

1 tablespoon canola oil

20 ounces low-fat cottage cheese, (2 1/2 cups)

12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (1 1/2 cups), softened

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoon cornstarch, divided

1 large egg

2 large egg whites, or 4 teaspoons dried egg whites, reconstituted according to package directions

8 ounces reduced-fat sour cream, (1 cup)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3/4 cup unseasoned pumpkin puree

3 tablespoon dark brown sugar

2 tablespoon unsulfured molasses

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves



COOKING DIRECTIONS

Step 1
Preheat oven to 325°F. Put a kettle of water on to heat for the water bath. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap the outside bottom of the pan with a double thickness of foil.

Step 2
To prepare crust: Combine crumbs and oil in a bowl. Press into the bottom of the pan.

Step 3
To prepare filling & bake cheesecake: Puree cottage cheese in a food processor until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the workbowl once or twice. Add cream cheese, sugar and 3 tablespoons cornstarch; process until smooth. Add egg, egg whites, sour cream, vanilla and salt; blend well. Measure 3 1/2 cups of the batter into a separate bowl; stir in lemon juice. To the remaining filling, add pumpkin, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch; blend well.

Step 4
Pour about 1 cup of the vanilla filling into the center of the crust. Then pour about 1 cup of the pumpkin filling into the center of the vanilla filling. Alternate the remaining fillings in the same manner; concentric circles will form as they spread. To create a marbled effect, gently swirl a knife or skewer through the fillings.

Step 5
Place the cheesecake in a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come 1/2 inch up the side of the springform pan.

Step 6
Bake the cheesecake until the edges are set but the center still jiggles, about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven. Coat a knife with cooking spray and run it around the edge of the cake. Let stand in the oven, with the door ajar, for 1 hour. Transfer from the water bath to a wire rack; remove foil. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled.



MAKE AHEAD TIP

Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. | Equipment: 9-inch springform pan

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

Fat Building Muscle

I know what you are thinking, I have finally lost it. There is no way there is any truth to the heading of this post. Can Fat really build muscle? Traditional thinking would tell us to increase protein if you are trying to build muscle mass. While protein is absolutely necessary to help build muscle mass, it is not the only nutrient we need.

A brand new study coming out in the next issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is showing promise with Essential Fatty Acids and protein synthesis. Essential Fatty Acids, such as Omega 3's, have been shown to be very helpful improving brain function, nerve tissue development, mood regulation, metabolism, and hormone production. This study however wanted to see the effects of Omega 3's on protein synthesis in older adults.

The researches compared Omega 3 with Corn Oil supplementation. They found that after 8 weeks of supplementation Omega 3 fatty acids stimulated muscle protein synthesis and may be useful for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass that occurs with aging. This usually leads to weakness, fatigue, increase falls, and increase risk of bone fractures.

EFA's are essential for building anabolic hormones such as testosterone which build muscle mass. It seems that supplementation may help increase muscle synthesis or at least help in the prevention of muscle loss.

So yes it is true. Fat can actually build more muscle. But I hesitate to say this. Remember this study used EFA's, not saturated fat, which is found in most food in a Western Diet. Stick to foods high in EFA's such as salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts, sardines, and halibut. You can also take a EFA supplement if you are not a fan of fish.

Start getting some fat in your diet and build more muscle. And yes even if you are trying to lose weight building more muscle is a good thing, so don't avoid EFA's if you are trying to lose fat. You need it to function properly. Get rid of the other fat in your diet.

You Stay Healthy San Diego!

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

Best Fitness Gifts

Well it is that time of year already. As it always seems to do, the year has just flown by. I love shopping for the holidays when I know what I am getting. I can just run into a store and run right out and not have to deal with the crowds too much. When I don't know what I am getting it is a nightmare. Luckily I can do most of my shopping online now. I thought I would do you a huge favor and give you some great holiday gift ideas for the fitness enthusiast in your family. These are my top 5 favorite exercise tools that anyone can use. To return the favor please send me some other holiday gift ideas. I am really stumped this year.

If you click on the links you can actually take advantage of Perform Better's Annual Free Shipping sale, which is great for ordering kettlebells. Click on the pictures to learn more about each tool.

1. The TRX Suspension Trainer





Suspension Training is one of the hottest body weight training techniques in the fitness industry today. Personally I love using the TRX and use it with all of my clients. It is simple to set up and can be used anywhere. There are literally hundreds of exercises that can be performed with this piece of equipment, including some of my favorite and toughest ab exercises. It is no wonder that this product is being endorsed by some of the best athletes in the world, including Superbowl MVP Drew Brees.

2. Kettlebells





Again another personal favorite of mine. Kettlebells, like the TRX, can be used in a variety of ways and train multiple muscles and goals at the same time. Kettlebells are showing to be a very effective tool for fat burning workouts due to the ballistic nature of the exercises. If you are looking for fast paced, challenging workouts that will build strength and endurance at the same time, then this is your answer.

3. The Valslide





The Valslide is a lesser known piece of equipment. This unique tool can turn your flooring into an unstable surface. This piece of equipment uses friction training to improve muscular stability and strength. Use them to target multiple body parts such as your legs, inner thighs, and butt all at the same time. Or use them to stretch and tone your shoulders, chest and back. Some of the toughest core exercises I know use the Valslide.

4. The Power Wheel





No I don't mean Power Wheels that kids can ride around in. Although they should make those for adults. You can actually use the Power Wheel just like the Valslide but on surfaces that are not good for sliding. This is another very simple tool that can train all different parts of the body. The Power Wheel was designed to challenge the entire body to stabilize while moving. Because of its unique patented design, you can put your feet into the PW or your hands so you can perform unlimited core exercises. And because of the top level instructional booklet included, you will learn the best way to to get your core (abs, back and surrounding muscles) to its most powerful level ever!

5. The Gym Boss





If you have been reading this blog in the past I don't have to tell you how important interval training is for fat loss. The Gymboss Interval timer is the perfect tool to keep track of intervals. It is about the size of a beeper and can clip onto your waist band. Just set the work and rest time and hit start. You work as hard as you can until you hear the beep, then rest and repeat. Below you can actually see a video I made a while back using the Gymboss and Kettlebells.




There you have it. My 5 top holiday gift ideas. I highly recommend using the holiday free shipping deal going on, especially if you are purchasing Kettlebells.

Enjoy the holidays!

You Stay Healthy San Diego.

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator