Thursday, May 22, 2008

More Muscle in Less Time, courtesy of Dax Moy

9 days ago, I was in pain. A lot of pain, courtesy of the amazing Dax Moy.

Thankfully, pain is now a thing of the past.

The good news is that we are no longer getting sore, even though we are still doing more lifting in 1 week than most of our clients do in about 3 weeks.

Seriously, that's no joke. Be prepared, because Dax Moy's Muscle in a Month program is going to require you to work hard.

To push yourself beyond what you thought you could do, both physically and mentally.

You might even send Dax a little bit of hate mail. It's tough. I won't lie.

But...it's WORTH it!

As of right now, 14 days into the program, I have gained 3 pounds. Now before you think 3 pounds isn't a substantial gain, let's look at the numbers.

14 days ago, I was 13.8% body fat and weighed 189 pounds. That means I had 26 pounds of fat and 163 pounds of lean mass.

Today, I am 11.8% body fat and weigh 192 pounds. That means I now have 22.5 pounds of fat and 169.5 pounds of lean mass.

So... I have LOST 3.5 pounds of fat and GAINED 6.5 pounds of lean muscle.

In just 2 short WEEKS. Think about that!

I'm stronger. I look BETTER. A lot better. I think you're going to be surprised by the final before/after pictures. I look DIFFERENT, and I like it.

Thanks, Dax. You aren't so bad as I thought during the first 3 days. ;)


Jeremy Nelms
The Testosterone Side of The World's Happiest Fitness Couple!

www.TheFitCouple.com

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

An update on Dax Moy's Muscle workout...

1 week ago, we quietly started a project.

Consider it an experiment, if you will. Derived from the demented, twisted brain of someone who must certainly be a mad scientist, no less.

Or at the very least, a crazy, sadistic fitness trainer.

I don't know...we'll let YOU decide.

Dax Moy's muscle building program has been difficult. I know Dax well, and he would be upset with me if I told anything other than the truth.

So, here's the truth: the first week was awful. Painful. Getting up in the morning was met with fear at touching the ground with my feet, certain I would hit the floor. I feared going to the bathroom, where I knew I would have to lower myself to the toilet.

But, WOW... I'm getting bigger. And leaner. At the same time.

And I have a confession to make. I had to take a day off, even though I'm not supposed to. Not because of scheduling, but because of pain.

But, to be fair (and this is important): it's my fault, not Dax's. You see, for about 2 months prior to this program, I had been transitioning from a period of almost no weekly activity, to working out 3 times per week. During that time period, I was only doing 1 heavy set per body part.

The challenge is this: in order to quickly increase the size of your muscle, you have to increase the volume, or the total number of reps and sets per muscle group or movement.

Well, Dax's program does that. A LOT.

You see, I basically went from 1 heavy set per body part 3 times per week to lifting every DAY. And lifting a LOT every day.

So...word of warning. Make sure that you aren't coming off of a lifting hiatus when you start Dax's new program (which isn't available, yet).

But, I am DEFINITELY growing. :) I'll have measurements (and comparisons) for you later this week!

Take care,




Jeremy and Alissa Nelms

"The World's Happiest Fitness Couple!"

www.TheFitCouple.com

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Jeremy's birthday weekend!

What an awesome weekend! Two of our great friends, Ralf and Flor Bieler, here in Florida, and I surprised Jeremy with a Birthday trip (it was May 4th) down to Sanibel/Captiva Island!

Here is a picture of the 4 of us at a recent Relay for Life event.

It all started on Thursday night when the Bieler's asked Jeremy if he would go with them to help pick out a treadmill for their home on Friday night. At first, Jeremy was hesitant, knowing that Friday night is always date night!

So, panicked a little, he looked at me and asked if that would work and if we had anything else going on that night. I stood there and thought for a few seconds (of course I knew what was going on, but I couldn't just answer, right away!) and then looked at him and said that I thought that it would be fine.

After getting Jeremy all packed up for the weekend, without him knowing, we set off in search of a treadmill. About 30 minutes into the drive, Flor asked Ralf if he had missed a turn, and he assured her that he had not. Again about 15 minutes later Flor asked again and Ralf wasn't so confident this time, so Flor reached into the front glove compartment and pulled out a piece of paper wrapped in ribbon and handed it to Jeremy.

Immediately, Jeremy's face lit up and he looked at me and said, "I KNEW you had something up your sleeve!"

So, that was the beginning of our action-packed weekend! I'm excited to tell you that the weekend was filled with many firsts and many fascinating experiences.

As many of you know. Jeremy and I absolutely love experiencing new things and being extremely adventurous. This past weekend we encountered everything from jet skiing in the ocean to eating foi groi (goose liver) and escargot (snails), to sipping on Louis XIII cognac (MANY thanks to Ralf for suddenly deciding to buy a glass!).

The restaurant we ate at was literally one of the best places we have EVER eaten, and neither Jeremy nor I can really think of any place that has been better. It was absolutely amazing!

On Sunday, the 4 of us drove up Sarasota, ate lunch at our first Cuban restaurant, and then drove north to Anna Maria island. There, we ate at some fresh, delicious seafood and watched the sun slide slowly into the ocean from the beach.

It was spectacular. Truly, truly wonderful and amazing. And best of all, we got to share all of this together in the company of our wonderful friends. Ralf and Flor...THANK you!

You see, life is full of adventure, experiences, and great friends! Don't let them pass you by.

Work hard, stay focused and have a great week!

Sincerely,


Jeremy and Alissa Nelms

The World's Happiest Fitness Couple!

http://www.TheFitCouple.com

Jeremy Nelms and Alissa Nelms... and Dax Moy?

May 5, 2008

Well, it's time to be a little bit secretive.

Many of you know that we consult with Dax Moy, the United Kingdom's top (and highest paid) personal trainer. Well, he is putting Alissa and I through a little project that he is developing.

The premise behind the secretive project is simple: put on muscle...LOTS of it.

So, for the next 4 weeks, I will be here telling you how I feel, putting up some before pictures and measurements, telling you about changes in weight, etc.

Oh...and letting you know how sore I am. And I don't mean kind of sore. I mean SORE.

But, hey, if you want to put on a LOT of muscle, you have to color outside the lines and perform outside of the box. And that is going to mean soreness. Period.

So, come back often, and watch as we chronicle the growth (and the pain).

May 6, 2008


We started the muscle-building program written by Dax Moy, the United Kingdom's top (and highest paid) personal trainer today.

And... it was difficult. I am currently accustomed to lifting about 3 days per week, and all of that is about to change.

Dramatically.

I WILL be sore tomorrow. Thanks, Dax.

Starting weight: 190.0 lbs.

May 7, 2008


Well, there is good news and bad news. I always like my bad news, first, so I'll start with that.

I'm sore. VERY sore. The bad news is that my elbows and lats are TREMENDOUSLY sore, to the point that it hurts to straighten my arms or reach up overhead.

The good news is that they hurt SO badly, that it is masking the "beyond normal" soreness that exists in my abs and chest.

It's kind of like having a sore toe and then having someone stomp on the other one, so the first one doesn't hurt so bad.

Pretty good start, huh? Thanks, Dax. I officially had my first negative, derogatory thoughts about you today.

Congratulations, my friend.

Today's workout made me question the value of really ever needing to move my arms again, but then I dug deep and did what had to be done.

It's tough. Hang on for the ride.

Today's weight: 193.5 lbs. (+3.5 lbs. from yesterday and the start. Witness the effects of inflammation and dramatically increased fluid intake.)

Measurements and pics tomorrow!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

America: Get Skinny. Make a Half Trillion Dollars.

Hey, everyone! Here is a press release I sent in today. Enjoy! :)

America: Get Skinny. Make a Half Trillion Dollars.

Yesterday on MSN.com, Shirley Skeel revealed that a healthy, lean, and low-fat America would create a surplus of $487 billion dollars. For the record, that’s nearly half of a trillion.

The first item on the list of savings is, not surprisingly, on fuel. $5 billion in savings for both car and air fuel reductions could lead to cheaper gas and cheaper tickets.

Next: clothing. Apparently, plus-sized clothing (since when is being overweight and obese a “plus”?) would reduce spending by $10 billion, since it costs 10-15% more to make and purchase the extra cloth needed for the over-sized garments.

Fast food restaurants would be forced to change their ways or go out of business. $81 billion dollars of nutrient-deficient cheeseburgers, artery-clogging French fries, diabetes-inducing shakes and sodas, and cholesterol-raising deep-fried junk food would no longer be served.

Incidentally, Shirley showed that $81 billion is the amount of PROFIT for McDonald’s over the last 4 years. There are 3 reasons why that is scary:

1) What is the McDonald’s corporation doing with an average of $20 billion each year, as it slowly destroys the health and lives of millions of kids and adults each year?

2) $20 billion in profit apparently allows fast food corporations to sleep peacefully at night, ignoring the astronomical ramifications to our lifestyles, health care industry, and emotional lives.

3) Another $60 billion is being shared by all the other fast food companies each year.

After that, $140 billion in obesity-related medical care would vanish. Drug-pushing doctors (what happened to diet and exercise?) and a huge portion of the disturbingly profitable pharmaceutical industry would be out of jobs. Before we get too critical of the medical industry, though, another $55 billion would be wiped out in the weight-loss industry, especially from worthless infomercial exercise products, expensive (and obviously not working) eating programs, and diet pills.

Here’s the fun figure: over $250 billion in increased productivity. Face it: research has clearly shown that overweight and obese people are not as productive at work and miss work more often. Economists estimate that tens of thousands of jobs could be created, producing more useful, life-improving products on which we could spend our newly-found half of a trillion dollars.

When asked whether he would be out of a job, Palm Beach Garden’s Fitness Togetherprivate training studio owner, Jeremy Nelms, replied, “Absolutely not. We would help healthy people achieve the next level of fitness, so they could travel and experience the great adventures suddenly possible for them, now that they could climb mountains, hike across countries, and simply be much more active and adventurous.”

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Hello!

Alissa and I moved yesterday (just within the same complex), so I’m writing from a different desk in a different (and nicer) environment. It’s 65 and the sun is shining brightly into the window. It’s a great way to start the day and talk with you about another situation that came up when our Arizona friends were here this weekend.

Of course, when friends are in a town they have never visited, you take them out to the best places to eat, right? Well, we did the same thing and took them to one of the “trendy” places here in Palm Beach Gardens. We had a great time, had some great food, and some great conversation.
Now, to elaborate just a bit, this couple originally started as one of our clients in Arizona. So, it’s no big deal for Alissa and me to order something healthy and have the server alter it to our health needs. Our friends are quite accustomed to it.

But, I have to tell you, the situation really got me to thinking about how different it INITIALLY is for someone that starts to make a change in their eating habits.

Initially, there are 3 sources (or more) of discomfort, especially in the beginning, when you are developing new, improved, healthy eating habits:

1) Family members who eat poorly and choose and expect to continue to do so.
2) Friends in the same category.
3) The server at the restaurant.

Quickly, let me encourage you to immediately dismiss being "uncomfortable" with asking for what you want to eat from the menu, and asking them to prepare it the way you prefer. Restaurant servers and chefs are quite accustomed to taking "special orders", so don't worry about that!

Next topic! ;)

Friends and family are a completely different story, aren't they?

I want to help you handle this situation. Believe it or not, the best example I have actually came from a couples conference Alissa and I attended about 10 days ago.

At the conference, there was a unifying theme. I don't know if they originally intended for it to be a common theme, but after reviewing everything, every single speaker mentioned it as a primary source for a successful relationship.

(Don't worry, I'll tie this back into our eating situation quite soon!)

Every speaker basically said this: in order to GIVE the most in a marriage, we must BECOME the most we can be.

In other words, we must work harder on changing and improving ourselves, so that we can truly help and love other people.

Can you see how this concept helps at the restaurant, especially for those who are literally just starting out on a new, healthier lifestyle?

You see, by being strong enough to fix yourself, first, you will begin building a strong foundation. Not only will that foundation help YOU stay strong, (and here is where everything ties together...) but it will become a foundation that others can lean upon when THEY finally make the right choices.

Become strong first. It is initially uncomfortable; I understand that. But it will forge a path that helps and provides valuable experience to OTHERS, especially the ones you love the most, to make their own personal changes...

...when THEY are ready.

As always, I hope this helps give you the strength and encouragement you need to be strong as you begin a new lifestyle.

Take care, and much love and happiness,


Jeremy and Alissa Nelms
The World's Happiest Fitness Couple!
http://www.TheFitCouple.com

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Priceless Success "Secrets"

These priceless bits of information come from a document called the "Kekich's Credo".

I read them the other day and was so impressed that I wanted to share with YOU what I thought to be the top ten (there are 100 listed)!

Enjoy and try to apply them to your life TODAY :)

1. You are successful when you like who and what you are. Success includes achievement...while choosing and directing your own activities. It means enjoying intimate relationships and loving what you do in your life.

2. Cherish time, your most valuable resource. You can NEVER make up the time you lose. It's the most important value for any productive happy individual and it is the only limitation to all accomplishment. To waste time is to waste your life. The most important choices you'll ever make are how you use your time.

3. Rationalizations are generally convenient evasions of reality and are used as excuses for dishonest behavior, mistakes and/or laziness.

4. Always have lofty explicit goals and visualize them intensely. Assume the attitude that if you don’t reach your goals, you will literally die! This type of gun-to-your-head forced focus…survival pressure mindset, not matter how briefly used, stimulates your mind, forces you to use your time effectively…and illuminates new ways of getting things done.

5. Enthusiasm covers many deficiencies – and will make others want to associate with you.

6. No dream is too big. It takes almost the same amount of time and energy to manage tiny projects or businesses as it does to manage massive ones.

7. Don’t be preoccupied with things over which you have no control, and don’t take things personally.

8. Enjoy life. Treat it as an adventure. Care passionately about the outcome, but keep it in perspective. Things are seldom as bleak as they seem when they are going wrong – or as good as they seem when they are going well. Lighten up. You’ll live longer!

9. Identify exactly what it is you want. This takes a lot of thought. Then don’t let anything stand in your way of getting it.

10. Persistence is a sure path to success with quality activities. Never, EVER, EVER give up!

Now, don’t you feel motivated?!

Get up off your bum and go take action. This is your day to make things happen.

Sincerely,

Alissa Nelms
TheFitCouple