The Time Has Arrived.......

Finally, the doors of Duarte Fit Body Boot Camp are open and awaiting to help guide on your journey to a healthier lifestyle.  Contact us now to find out about our grand opening specials.  Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for special deals, fitness tips and nutritional advice:

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Grand Opening

After years of training and preparation, Apollo Fitness Boot Camp - Duarte will finally be opening its doors to offer the most intensive and effective workout you will ever experience.  Stay tuned for the release of our official grand opening date!

- Dedicated to making you look and feel great.
- We strive to provide you the best training program that keeps you motivated and achieves results.
- Continuous Health & Nutrition consultation.
- Personalized training programs to fit all levels.
- Our goal is for every member to surpass their goals as quickly, safely and effectively as possible.
- Everything we do, we do for you!

3 Ways to Improve Your Running Form

The challenge of improving run speed falls primarily to two main physical derivatives: your cadence and the length of your stride. And, either increasing your cadence or increasing the length of your stride -- both of those will, or a combination of the two -- will lead to an improved overall run speed. But becoming a better runner is more than just improving the speed at which you run.

It is also about improving comfort and your ability to sustain any given pace for a longer period of time. This is where technique can have a role in your running. While there are many different things you can do to improve your technique, here are my top three.

The first one is to improve that cadence. You can go out right now, start running, and get up your cadence between 90 and 92 foot strikes per minute (or RPMs). If you have a GPS device with a cadence sensor, your work is practically already done. If you don't have a cadence sensor, you can use your stopwatch, and every 15 seconds just count the number of times one foot hits the ground.

You want to strike the ground between 22 and 23 times every 15 seconds. Once you get that cadence up between 90 and 92 rpms your body begins to assume a lot of the proper positioning. You are not inclined to over-stride; you are forced to have a slightly more efficient gait. And you can do that right now as you lace up your shoes and walk out the door.

Number two, you can learn to breathe from your belly. A lot of people tend to run at a low Zone 3 or moderate tempo pace. This is just hard enough that you need to change how you breathe, but not hard enough to really induce any specific fitness adaptation. One of the characteristics of this level of intensity is what I call "tension" of breath. It's a subtle tensing, part of what makes us feel like we are "working," and it happens in your upper chest. What I want you to do on your next run is to move that breath down.

Relax your diaphragm -- just below the front of your rib cage and just above your belly button -- and really try and do your best to get your breath to naturally come from that space. Let the diaphragm do its own work without forcing it (as you do when breathing within your chest). That relaxation process is going to translate to an overall relaxed posture throughout the body, enabling you to become much more comfortable at your given pace.

The number three thing you can do to start improving your running technique today is to take off the watch. Remove the watch, put it on the table and slowly back away. Stop focusing on time; stop benchmarking yourself in every single run you do. Take a period of time to get back to the basics: it could be two or three days, maybe you need a week. Discover why you enjoy running. Find some new places to run. As you do this, focus on your cadence and focus on that relaxed breathing.

Some combination of these three elements can help you create the conditions in which you can improve your running technique...and the best part is you can start today.

Good luck!

The Ultimate Fat Debate

Typically, I do not watch too much T.V., but I came across an episode of Dr. Phil that was simply fascinating.

Dr. Phil is joined by a panel of experts to debate the treatment of overweight people in America. Jillian Michaels, trainer for the hit TV show The Biggest Loser; MeMe Roth, president of the anti-fat organization National Action Against Obesity; Michael Karolchyk, owner of the Anti-Gym; Peggy Howell from the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance; Marianne Kirby, author of Lessons from the Fat-O-Sphere; Erica Watson, comedienne and star of the one-woman show "Fat Bitch" and Kelly Osbourne, Dr. Phil contributorand author, who says she can relate to both sides of the issue, engage in a heated discussion about the stigmas and stereotypes associated with obesity.

"It’s no one else’s business to tell me what I should be doing with my body."

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The Anti-Gym
Go inside Michael Karolchyk's Anti-Gym and see what some say is an outrageous way he treats clients to make them lose weight.

"My approach to training my clients is very simple: brutal honesty and no chubbies."

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The Fat Flying Debate
When director Kevin Smith was kicked off a flight for being overweight, airline travel and a person's size once again made headlines. Flying is difficult for most people, but if you weigh more than 300 pounds or are seated next to someone weighing over 300 pounds, the small seats can be uncomfortable. Should there be stricter rules when it comes to a person's size and flying?

The panel debates this hot-button issue. 

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The Public's Opinion about Obesity
Erica takes the Dr. Phil cameras to the streets to find out how the public really feels about people who are overweight. And, Jillian Michaels has a surprise for one of the guests.

"No matter how politically correct or otherwise it may be, there is a risk factor associated with obesity."

Don't miss Part 2!

Fat Loss Facts

What individuals need to know right away is that getting into shape and changing one's lifestyle is not impossible.  It just takes time.  What IS impossible are immediate results.  Improving your fitness lifestyle should come first.  Once you are able to establish a regular routine consisting of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, while incorporating a healthy and nutritional diet, results will come sooner.  Because you have developed such a routine, staying healthy will become more of a regular routine.  Rather than stressing over "having" to workout or eat healthy, it will just "be" and come naturally.  You no longer have to think about it and will actually enjoy and want to maintain this lifestyle.

Controlling your intake of calories and saturated fats is vital to your fitness and health success.  We know that in order to begin losing fat we must go into negative daily caloric intake.  The key to this is eliminating calories from foods high in saturated fats and foods packed with "bad" carbohydrates.  Our bodies need fats and carbohydrates so it can use them for energy, but you must know which are the "good" ones in order to maximize your potential.  "Bad" carbohydrates include foods that have been highly refined and processed, removing most of the nutritional value and fiber.  They're generally loaded with high-calorie fats, sweeteners, preservatives and other unhealthy additives.  With all the processing and additives, bad carbs can be made to be temptingly tasty. But they create a dramatic surge in insulin, which can overwork your pancreas, cause you to store fat and lead to diabetes, heart disease and even obesity.

The bad carbs list includes:
- Bread and pasta made with any refined flour,
- Cakes, cookies and other sweet bakery products,
- Processed refined grains, such as white rice,
- Most pudding, custards and other sweets,
- Fruit drinks, fruit juices, sodas,
- Jelly, jams and all candy.


Diabetes and obesity are on the rise all around the world, most notably in the United States. Studies have shown that this is mainly due to a rapid increase in the consumption of "bad" carbs.

The three basic best sources of good carbs are from:
- The list of vegetables,
- The fruit list
- Whole grain high fiber food.

Other good carb sources include:
- Beans, legumes,
- Raw nuts and seeds
- And most low fat dairy.

Good carbs are also an important part of a healthy low glycemic diet. Eating foods with a low glycemic index can help you lose weight and maintain healthy blood sugar and triglyceride levels to manage or avoid developing diabetes and heart disease.  

Fat Loss Secrets

Finally, the moment mankind has been waiting for. The secret to Fat Loss. The secret to fat loss is.........there is none....to a certain degree! The only way to get into shape, burn fat and build lean muscle is by working out (aerobic & anaerobic) and eating healthy. When I say eat healthy, that does not mean starving. The average caloric intake is between 2000 and 3000 calories for maintaining your current physique. It is not until you dip into negative daily caloric intake before you start losing weight and burning fat. How is this possible you ask? You begin by understanding that we burn calories on a daily basis. By multiplying your weight by 10, you get the number of calories you burn in a day simply for being alive. Any additional calories burned will come from exercising. I mentioned earlier that there are no secrets to fat loss, but there are techniques that can be implemented to facilitate increased fat burning.

The first is to reduce your daily caloric intake. This technique can be a little tricky because by decreasing your caloric intake, you are likely decreasing the necessary nutrients and amino acids your body needs to function properly. Without these nutrients, the result may be weight loss, but at the expense of lean muscle.......something you NEVER want to lose. The loss of lean muscle will actually result in one getting fatter and gaining more weight because it is this lean muscle that assists in the facilitation of lipolysis, when fats are broken down and used for energy. Yes, lipolysis as in liposuction! We are walking liposuction machines, but it is our job to activate and put the machine to work. No fitness professional would ever condone any form of surgical procedure. Again, as I mentioned earlier, this is just another outlet for "lazy" individuals to avoid an active lifestyle. Those who partake in such procedures as liposuction or gastric bypass surgery are no more healthier than they were when they were obese. Visually, the fat may have been removed, but the fatty acids remain in their blood system. Additionally, the damage caused by their unhealthy lifestyle has diminished effectiveness of the body's systems:
Circulatory System (heart, blood, vessels)
Respiratory System (nose, trachea, lungs)
Immune System (many types of protein, cells, organs, tissues)
Skeletal System (bones)
Excretory System (lungs, large intestine, kidneys)
Urinary System (bladder, kidneys)
Muscular System (muscles)
Endocrine System (glands)
Digestive System (mouth, esophogus, stomach, intestines)
Nervous System (brain, spinal cord, nerves)
Reproductive System (male and female reproductive organs)

When you are ready to stop being lazy and start getting fit, I would like to share with you some secrets that will assist you in achieving your fitness goals. These secrets include ensuring you consume a certain amount of nutrients in your daily diet. This can be done by eating healthy and nutritious meals as well as the addition of supplements. ISSA states that sports supplements are part of the Dynamic Nutrition Approach. Scientific studies show that in addition to well-known benefits of maintaining proper health, physical and mental performance can be enhanced with sports nutrition supplements. Protein supplements offer a convenient and economical way to get daily high-quality protein intake. For strength athletes, several supplements can be helpful for optimum muscle growth and repair. For maximum aerobic energy, which is of interest to long-distance athletes, special energy drinks can be used, in addition to special metabolites, such as carnitine. Recent research also supports the use of supplement nutrition therapy to help reduce pain and inflammation and heal injuries. These therapeutic supplement agents include different herbs, amino acids (such as DL-glutamine), bioflavonoids, antioxidants and a special metabolite called glucosamine that has been shown to repair connective tissues.

One supplement that you will find interesting, yet fascinating is the utilization of caffeine as part of your exercise routine. May consume caffeine as a means to increase alertness in times of drowsiness. What is amazing about caffeine as part of your training regiment is that, when taken prior to engaging in exercise, it forces your body to utilize fat as a source of energy rather than the usual carbohydrates. Caffeine works by increasing the rate of fatty acid metabolism and decreasing the rate of carbohydrate (glucose) metabolism during aerobic exercise. Every study done on the effects of caffeine during aerobic exercise that has measured muscle glycogen levels, has found that glycogen is spared after ingestion of only 150 to 250 mg of caffeine. An increased reliance on fat and decreased reliance on glucose and glycogen translates into increased aerobic exercise endurance and increased time to exhaustion. In addition to this, for a given amount of calories used during exercise, more calories will come from body fat if caffeine is consumed prior to exercise.

Caffeine does have side effects as well. At high doses (more than 15 mg/kg bodyweight), caffeine can produce slowed heart rate, hypertension, nervousness, irritability, insomnia and gastrointestinal distress. In addition to this, it is a diuretic that blocks the release of antidiuretic hormone. This causes the kidneys to excrete more fluid than normal, which can dehydrate the body.

Caffeine is one of the least marketed but most effective fat-burners available. It will not help you lose weight on its own, but when taken before aerobic exercise, can increase fat-burning and help you exercise longer by delaying the onset of fatigue.

Caffeine will not have any beneficial effect on anaerobic exercise. If you use caffeine, use it sparingly and in small doses.
New research reveals that caffeine can boost performance in short-term athletic events as well. Using a rowing ergometer exercise machine, it was determined that one hour after athletes took 6 or 9 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body mass, exercise performance time significantly improved. This occurred in particular during the first 500-meter segment of the simulated rowing test. Keep in mind that when using caffeine to boost performance, it may be banned by some athletic organizations at certain blood levels, and caffeine also can have a dehydrating effect. Also, because caffeine can deplete calcium from your body, studies show that prolonged high intake should be avoided, and that extra calcium intake is needed to avoid the risk of calcium depletion.

Carnitine is another facilitator of fat loss. According to ISSA, the beneficial effects that carnitine can have on cardiovascular health should be of interest to everyone, but especially to those who are at risk of coronary heart disease. Carnitine is a vital substance needed by your body to keep your heart pumping. Medical researchers have discovered an association between low levels of carnitine in heart muscle and heart failure. It is therefore suspected that low carnitine production or intake is a risk factor for heart attacks in some people. Among its many “heart healthy” benefits, carnitine can improve blood flow and raise the “good” HDL-cholesterol levels, while lowering the “bad” LDL-cholesterol levels. This reduces your risk of coronary heart disease.

Carnitine for Weight Loss

Losing and maintaining weight is a lifelong battle for millions of people in their quest for leaner bodies and better health. Experts estimate that almost 30 million American adults are dieting to lose weight at any given time, and an equal number are gaining it back. Research indicates that leading a lifestyle that boosts your body’s usage of fat is the first step to lifelong weight management. Due to carnitine’s essential role in fat metabolism, it is a prime nutrient for boosting your fat-burning capabilities.

There is much more to losing and controlling your weight than just taking a dietary supplement. People with weight problems need to adopt a lifestyle of proper dietary habits and a program of regular physical activity to help with lifelong weight control. Carnitine’s role in fatty-acid metabolism can help with weight loss efforts and can be an important part of your “lean-lifestyle” program. However, it is not meant to solve all of your weight problems on its own.

Carnitine’s role in fatty-acid transport into cells’ mitochondria for energy production helps in weight management by enhancing the rate at which your body uses fatty acids for energy production. This, in turn, increases the fat calories your body uses each day and decreases the amount being stored on your hips, waist and other bodyparts. Carnitine ingestion can also increase your metabolic rate — the amount of energy you produce and the calories you use to produce it — which means you will burn more calories each day.

In 1997, researchers reported the results of a study that examined the effects of carnitine on weight loss in obese adolescent students aged 13 to 17. The subjects were divided into two groups. Both groups received nutritional education, physical training and controlled diet plans. The experimental group also took 2 g of L-carnitine per day and the control group took a placebo. At the end of the three-month study, both groups of students lost weight, demonstrating that food control and exercise can result in weight loss. However, the group taking 2 g of L-carnitine per day lost an average of over 11 pounds of weight, while the group taking the placebo lost an average of about 1.5 pounds. This study clearly demonstrated that L-carnitine supplementation caused a greater rate and total amount of weight loss. The L-carnitine treatment was well tolerated by the study subjects, with no side effects being observed.

In 1992, Gilbert Kaats and coworkers reported the results of their weight-loss study, which included the use of carnitine and other nutrients. A total of thirty women and 10 men, ages 19 to 65, were recruited for the study. The study was designed to evaluate changes occurring in lean body mass, blood cholesterol levels and resting metabolic rate, while subjects followed a program of moderate calorie restriction of 1,000 to 2,000 calories a day.

During the eight weeks of phase I, dietary guidelines were followed by the subjects but no supplements were given. Not many changes were detected in bodyweight, blood serum cholesterol levels or resting metabolic rate during this period. During the eight weeks of phase II, subjects were given two fiber cookies and supplements containing 200 mg of L-carnitine and other nutrients, including 200 mcg of chromium per day to their diets. At the end of phase II, researchers discovered an average loss of body fat of over 11 pounds and an 11% reduction in total serum cholesterol levels. Furthermore, they saw a 9% reduction in the blood serum levels of LDL-cholesterol, no loss of lean body mass, and maintenance, or increase in resting metabolic rate.

Interviews with subjects after the study revealed that the addition of the fiber cookies and carnitine supplement helped them stick to their diets. Moreover, they found the increase in the rate of fat loss encouraging. It is interesting to note that three of the subjects doubled their metabolic rates during phase II. One of these subjects followed a vegetarian diet and lost only 3.6 pounds of body fat during the first eight weeks and a substantial 16.5 pounds of body fat during the second eight weeks of the study. (Since almost exclusively animal proteins supply dietary carnitine, vegetarians typically have low carnitine intakes from dietary sources.) It appears that the supplemental carnitine increased the vegetarian’s rate of fat metabolism, resulting in an increased reduction in body fat. These studies demonstrate carnitine’s powerful metabolic and fat-burning enhancing effects.

These are just a few fat loss secrets that can help you on your road to success. I will discuss more secrets to fat loss soon.
With the positive effects of including such supplements into your diet, one can easily be distracted from the benefits of simply eating healthy. Some factors you should be aware of when it comes to supplementation is that:
- You don’t need all of them all the time.
- You don’t have enough room in your belly for all of them all the time.
- You can’t afford to buy all of them all the time.
- Most are not capable of delivering all the benefits they claim to be able to; an integrated, scientific approach is the only way to ensure optimal use of nutritional supplements.

Here is a sample of a great fat burning workout from my good friend Charlie James to get you introduced to a new lifestyle:

Fat Loss Myths

When it comes to fitness, everyone seems to be in search of the "easy way" to achieve results. I like to call this the "lazy way." Whether your goal is to lose just a few pounds, lose several pounds, build lean muscles, build mass, burn fat, improve strength or endurance, the bottom line is that there is no easy way..........at first (which we will discuss later). Any type of fitness goals can only be achieved through hard work and dedication. This includes engaging in a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, as well as a well-balanced diet. Aerobic exercises may include long distance running, cycling, or any type of sports that require running and extended durations. Anaerobic exercises include walking up a steep hill or on the treadmill, hiking, steps, high resistance cycling and weight lifting. Nothing you haven't heard before right? Sounds easy right? Unfortunately, it's not and as a result, people have developed their own methods of attacking their fat infested bodies. Those who are lazy and unmotivated to put in the effort necessary to gain results are the ones who developed these myths.

 The most common myth is the belief that "If I workout, I can eat whatever I want." By using just a little common sense, one can see that this statement has no sense. Our bodies can only keep up so much. Though exercising can burn calories and fat, it does so in an extremely slow manner. It can take months to recover from just a week of unhealthy eating. The rate at which most individuals consume high calorie and high saturated fatty foods is far greater than any type of fitness program can keep up with. For example, your average fast food cheeseburger contains about 700 - 1200 calories and anywhere from 30-80 grams of fat. In addition, it is good to be aware that every gram of fat contains 9 calories. So for this cheeseburger, about half the calories are from fat, providing you with little to no nutritional benefits. Trying to work this off becomes another obstacle. 1 hour of intense exercise can burn about 500 calories. The problem here is that many individuals are not able to exert themselves to an intensive level, resulting in low caloric burn. In fact, it may be months before they will be able to safely engage in intense training sessions. Those who are out of shape or obese should never over exert themselves due to the risks involved. One of these risks includes death. Over time, an individual living an unhealthy lifestyle continues to gain fat while losing the all essential lean muscles. Other than the defecation of their physical appearance, the internal functioning of their bodily systems becomes jeopardized as well. The most vital of which is the heart. When an individual engages in any form of exercise, their heart rate and blood pressure increases. For a less than fit individual, this can be fatal. Their bodies have accumulated an overabundance of fat in their systems and their arteries have been blocked with cholesterol. This cholesterol acts as a barrier to blood flow. As the intensity increases, the heart begins to work harder by pumping blood. For these individuals, blood flow is disrupted and slowed down by clogged arteries and the blood begins to rush faster than the arteries can handle. Think of this like the bottle neck effect. Imagine a bottle filled with water and small rocks, with the rocks representing fat deposits and cholesterol. You turn the bottle over attempting to pour the water out. The water starts pouring out slowly. The rocks start to make it towards the opening. Eventually, all the rocks will reach the opening and block it completely, restricting any further flow of water. This is what occurs to unhealthy and obese individuals.......and when it does........cardiac arrest.