1.  I would be willing to bet that most people probably gain about 5 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s each year.  Moreoever, I would also be willing to guess that a vast majority fail to lose those pounds before the following Thanksgiving.  If those 5 pounds accounted for all of the additional fat gain for each person for a year they could easily accumulate 50 extra pounds in a matter of 10 years even if they prevented any further fat gain for the rest of the year.  Just something to ponder.

2.  I was recently being interviewed and one question that came up was what kinds of things I do with my clients so they don’t have to extensive amounts of mind numbing cardio.  Of course, I quoted the usual stuff.  Interval training, medicine ball circuits, outdoor sprints, and so on.

But there is one thing I’ve been doing so long that I completely forgot to mention it because it is just something that has become automatic.  When someone comes to me for fat loss I’ll often have them skip between sets for the entire workout to maximize energy expenditure. 

For total beginners I’ll just have them step up and down on an aerobic step instead.  For those who can skip like Buddy Lee on crack I’ll have them doing double unders until I can collect buckets of sweat.

Of course, you might argue that this isn’t the best way to build strength or gain muscle and I’d fully agree.  When you prioritize fat loss you need to maximize your output and that’s exactly what this does.  If you’re trying to lose fat and haven’t had a jump rope in your hands since childhood I’d highly suggest you pick one up.

Take it to the gym and see how many stares you can get.  But when your abs start to come in, don’t forget to send me a thank you note.