If that sounds like you I hate to tell you that your not doing anything and will not achieve your goals!

Fear not for here are 5 tips to make your workouts truly bad ass!

1: Screw The Treadmill! Get off that boring machine and take your run outside:

Follow different trails, run over a bridge, run along the river front. Whatever you do just stay away from the snooze fest of the treadmill

2. Take your workout outside:

Fall is one of the best times of the year to workout outside. Step outside of your comfort zone & use playground equipment at your park or even take a boot camp such as mine. You’ll see your workout in a whole new light once you take it outside!

3: Workout with a buddy:

When you have a friend who is just as committed to working out as you are you will have no excuse not to get it in & most importantly making your workout bad ass!

4: Set A Challenge:

If your trying to lose weight but want more motivation get a group of your friends and form a biggest loser type challenge. Have everyone throw in like $25 and who ever loses the most weight or body fat will get the pot. Another thing you can do is set a goal of running a 5k. 5k’s are a perfect challenge and a great way to make your workout bad ass!

5. Take a class you never taken before:

If you hit a plateau and want more of a way to mix it up take a class or a boot camp in your area. By taking a class such as boxing will keep you on your toes & most importantly help you bust out of that plateau!

There you have it 5 Tips For Making Your Workouts Truly Bad Ass! Now go out there & be a bad ass!

P.S:  Are you bad ass enough to try out of my boot camps click here to schedule your no BS Free week trial.

I’m gonna make this blog short & to the point.

One of the biggest & overlooked keys to achieving your goals boils down to one simple thing:

Positive support group!

Sounds simple right? On paper it is but to actually take action on in isn’t.

There’s an old saying “surround yourself with 9 fat friends and you’ll be the 10th fat friend”.

The fact of the matter is weather your trying to lose weight and/or achieve a certain goal you have to surround yourself w/ people who will be supportive of you.

Like in my boot camp in Brooklyn every single person is supportive of each other regardless of what they are trying to accomplish. They cheer each other on and form strong bonds which in the end of the day helps everyone achieve their goals

If you have negative people in your life get them out now! You will never achieve your goals having them in your life. If there family members then you block them out and use that as more fuel to achieve your goals.

No matter what you do find people through meetup, networking events, and even at work that want to achieve the same goals as you.

There’s no excuse go out and make it happen!

It’s been getting pretty busy here at Ortiz Fitness HQ in Brooklyn as the boot camps keep growing as result of amazing results everyone has been getting.

The #1 question I get asked is “what can I do right now to lose weight w/o any equipment?”

If you been to my boot camp you know we don’t use any equipment at all (w/ the exception of boxing days) to burn fat & really evelvate your heart rate.

Below you will find a workout that you can do right now that doesn’t require any equipment.

As a matter a fact this is one of the many workouts that I use in my actual boot camp!

Enjoy!

Demon’s Instructions: Do these exercises in a row for a total of 1 minute then rest for 30 seconds before doing it again for a total of 3 times!

Squats- 4 reps

Push Ups-  4reps (either on your knees or off)- Make sure to get the full range of motion by coming all the way down!

Note: Even tho it may say 4 reps remember you are alternating back and forth for a minute which can equate to about 40 reps in the entire set!

You can do this I believe in you!

Let me know what you think!

Want to see an actual video of this in action plus a bonus workout?Subscribe to my newsletter via the FREE Fat Loss Secrets book  and I will have it for you on Friday!

A couple of quick updates:

Boot Camp in Brooklyn is really heating up. All my students are kicking major ass! It’s amazing how quickly peoples bodies are changing. Every single one of them is doing great and are another step closer to their dream body.

Here’s a little preview of me in action w/ my students in the boot camp:

Brooklyn Boot Camp Ortiz Fitness

Now on to today’s blog post. As I write this NYC is in the middle of one of the hottest days since 2001. Right now its 101 degrees! Yes the boot camp’s have been taking place outside because even the heat is going to stop us.

However with the heat comes extra steps you must take in order to avoid dehydration, heat stroke and fainting.

Here are some simple tips to follow when you are taking your fitness program outside:

Workout in the early morning or after the sunsets: The coolest parts of the day are in the early morning and after the sunsets which make its it the best time to get an effective workout.

Less Is More When It Comes To Clothing: When your working out in hot temps its best to wear the least amount of close possible. Always look for clothing that wipes sweat away from the body such as Under Armour  to help keep you cool.

Stay Hydrated: If your workout is longer then 30 mins you going to want to reach for a sports drink such gatorade to help replace the electrolytes that your body loses during the workout. Most importantly drink plenty of Water!

Take longer rest periods in between sets or intervals: If your like me or in my boot camps I very rarely give rest periods longer then 30 seconds. When your working out in extreme temperatures you want to make take as long as rest period you need. This will prevent your body from over heating and getting a heat stroke.

There you have it! 4 simple tips to getting a kick ass working out in the heat. Now go out and make it happen!

P.S If your looking to shed those extra post 4th of July pounds I’m accepting limited amount of people into my boot camp in brooklyn.

Are you finding it difficult to lose weight, no matter how much you diet or workout ?

For some people, there are legit medical conditions like thyroid problems causing this to happen.  Others may simply need to make lifestyle changes to exercise more or change their eating habits.  Here are a few things to look for if you are having trouble losing weight.

The first thing you should do is consult your doctor for a full physical to rule out any obvious medical issues. Thyroid problems are the most common reason for the inability to lose weight, but there are a number of other less frequent conditions that can also cause the problem.  A lack of iodine in the diet may be the source of some thyroid problems.  Your physician can perform a urine test to check this if it appears to be a problem for you.  Some signs of iodine deficiency include physical and mental sluggishness, skin or hair problems, and increased sensitivity to temperature.

If your physician gives you a clean bill of health and cannot find any medical explanation for why you can’t lose weight, your lifestyle is the next place to look.

Watch What You Eat: Many people fall into bad habits such as eating unhealthy foods without realizing it or even intending to do so.  Make sure you are eating enough protein and not too many carbohydrates.  Excessive sugars and grains are easily converted to fat in the body and should be restricted to a small portion of your overall eating plan.

Keep A Food Journal: Writing down the foods you eat and the time you ate them will help you analyze your daily routine and see if there are any obvious problem areas.  For example, you may find that you frequently eat an unhealthy fast food lunch at work because you are busy or it is more convenient.  This can easily be changed by spending some time in the morning by eating a healthy/ filling  breakfast and  preparing your own healthy lunch for the day, but may slip by unnoticed if you are eating healthy dinners and exercising after work.

Body Composition: Your body composition may also be the reason you can’t lose weight.  Muscle cells burn far more energy while at rest than fat cells.  If you do not have much lean muscle, your body may be able to maintain its current weight even when you do not eat very many calories.  This leads to starvation diets, which only make the problem worse as the body compensates for the lack of nourishment. Many people get stuck in this cycle and do not realize that the only way out is to eat more food, not less.

In times of famine, the body is designed to slow its metabolism and conserve the few calories that are available.  This means more fat is stored, even though you may be eating as little as half of your previous food intake.  The easiest way to boost your resting metabolism is to add some strength training into your exercise routine.  Building muscle will make your body burn more fat even while resting, which may eliminate the reasons you currently can’t lose weight.

There you have it the reasons you can’t lose weight and how you can correct it. If you really want to burn the most fat in the least amount of time I just a few slots left for my Brooklyn Boot Camp.

Over the past few weeks  at my Brooklyn Boot Camp we have taken on some really kick ass recruits.  Sophia, Tanya & Sophia(not a typo- we do have 2 Sophia’s in the boot camp). Every single one of them are pretty bad ass. It’s not easy coming surviving my workouts 4 times a week and still come back for more.  That’s the kind of dedication I love & it shows that with hard work & persistence you can definitely achieve your dream body.

No matter how much weight your trying to lose it still boils down to the 3 Most Critical Rules To Burn Fat & Keep It Off!

1- Cardiovascular Training: This is not only crucial to burning fat but also for overall heart health. This doesn’t mean you just have to on the treadmill for an hour- face it that gets boring! Cardio Training can be circuit training (such as the ones I use with my boot camp & and other classes) which brings me to the next rule…

2- Strength Training: If you aren’t doing strength training you aren’t going to lose weight. PERIOD! Does this mean your going to get “bulky”? No! Here’s how it breaks down:

Strength training breaks down the muscle–> Metabolism speeds up as result to repair its self —> Body burns the most fat!

3- Change your eating habits: You probably heard this plenty of times but I can’t emphasize this enough. However you want to make sure your making small changes. Such as having smaller portions, eating more foods that are nutrient dense (foods that contain protein, carbs, and vitamins and minerals), increasing your protein intake to keep your body in a constant fat burning zone!

There you have it 3 Critical Rules To Burn Fat! Now Take Action To Make It Happen!

One more thing. Grab your copy of Weight Loss Secrets Revealed above because for anyone that gets it I’m going to have a huge announcement next week that’s gonna change your body & life forever!

With spring officially here and summer right around the corner you maybe in a rush to look good for the summer but feel like starting easy is too late and your going to have to rush it. Well your WRONG! There’s till time to start exercising!

Exercise is one of those habits that is so easy to slip out of and so hard to start up again.  However, most of us do not get anywhere near enough activity from our everyday life .  This couldn’t be more true for people who work in offices and spend most of the day in front of the computer. If you find yourself in a rut of low activity and no exercise, there’s hope!

Here are some simple ways to get you back into the habit and begin benefiting the rewards that come with being active:

FIRST don’t feel you have to leap into a full-blown workout program right off the bat. Instead, start off with simple exercises that will fit neatly into your day. 

For example, start off with a walk or bike ride around the neighborhood before or after work. Another way is just walk to work or get off 3 stops before your regular stop.

There are benefits either way.  If done early in the morning, your walk or bike ride can help to stimulate you for the day and help you be more productive. If done in the evening, that bike ride or walk can be a great way to unwind from the tensions of the workday.  Aim for at least 15 mins  of walking or biking at a brisk pace and work your way up to thirty minutes.

Second, set reasonable goals. An example of reasonable goals would be to enhance the tone of your legs and arms over the course of a month.

An unreasonable goal would be to lose ten pounds in four days from frenetic working out & binge dieting.  The idea is to enhance your physical and emotional well being with the use of regular exercise in sensible doses.

By setting short-term goals that will provide you with stepping stones to a larger goal, you will over time lose weight, tone your muscles and feel a lot better.

Finally-Workout with a Friend: This can be especially important if you have not worked out in awhile.

Sharing the experience with another human being can provide motivation to keep going, and also help to pass the time while you go through the same fitness program that can become boring over time.

You may find that you enjoy the bonding so much that your exercise routine seems to fly by before you know it, and gives you something to look forward to each day and most importantly fun!

By starting off with simple workouts , keeping your goals realistic, and choosing to share the time with a friend, you create an environment where you are much more likely to stick with the routine and begin to cultivate a more active lifestyle. 

Over time, you will begin to feel much better physically and emotionally, and find that even the most mundane of work during the day is not quite so draining as it was before.  Why not start the journey to a hot body now?!

P.S: If you want a real sure way to get a guaranteed hot body click here for Brooklyn’s Top Boot Camp

Spring is officially here & just like you I’m really pumped about it. With a new season brings us 1 step closer to summer. If you’ve been working out hard through these long winter months congratulations! Your pretty much ready to show off that body for the summer. If you haven’t started or have fallen off what I’m about to tell you will be very eye opening.

I’ve been a personal trainer for over 6 years and I have heard every excuse in the book why people refuse to workout. It still boggles my mind why some people still refuse to change the life. I mean who doesn’t want to look great, be healthy and live a long healthy life?!

Here are the most common workout excuses & how you can over come them:

“I’ll starting working out tomorrow”- Probably the most common excuse I’ve heard. Tomorrow turns into the next day, the next day turns into next week, next week turns into next month, next thing you know your on the beach covered up being ashamed of your body.

Solution: Pick a day and stick to it! No excuses. Even if you start by getting off 2 stops earlier from your regular train stop- Yes that includes if your right over the Bridge.

“It’s too expensive to workout & be healthy”- Another common excuse which is also a myth. Being healthy isn’t expensive anymore. In fact when it comes to eating all you have to do is make adjustments in your current portions saving you money!

Solution: Find a boot camp in your area and workout with a buddy. You’ll save a ton of money by joining a boot camp (even cheaper then a gym) because you’ll be working with a great personal trainer that will guide you to getting that dream body. Having a friend doing it with you will also help keep you motivated so you don’t feel alone. For a great boot camp in Brooklyn click here

“I don’t have the time to workout”- This excuse always causes me to go off on people when I hear this. You make time for everything else in your life why not devote 30 mins to improving your health?!

Solution: Pencil in your workout- just like you would schedule a doctors appointment and stick with it. Even if you devote just 30mins a day to working out just find the time! If you have kids workout when they napping. If you have a long day wake up a little bit earlier and get it in. NO EXCUSES!

“It’s to difficult to workout & I don’t know what to do” Final & another common excuse

Solution: Nothing is ever easy at 1st. The key is to find a fitness program that you like & know you will stick to like boxing, dancing, cycling etc . If you still don’t know what to do invest in a personal trainer to help guide you or just simply stick to following this blog. However if you still want 1 on 1 guidance from from top brooklyn personal trainer then click here

Bottom Line: In the end of the day it’s all about how bad do you want it. If you really want to look sexy & be healthy stop making excuses & go out and make it happen!!

Winter has been really brutal this year. What better thing to do during the cold season than to sit in a couch and munch on some goodies while keeping yourself cozy and warm? It seems like yesterday when you were struggling to lose your winter coat; before you even know it, summer is in its full effect. The minute you feel warm enough to wear shorts, you realized something:

Beach season is right around the corner and you are not prepared for it! You panic and think of stapling your mouth for a week or two, until you look good in your bathing suit , as your beach body solution

It can really be challenging to shed excess weight and most people fall into a summer weight loss spiral every year. Crazy diet, starvation, and diet pills are beckoning and giving you hopes of slimming down for that sexy bikini.

Losing weight for the summer doesn’t  have to mean starving yourself to look your best in shorts or swim wear. The secret to weight loss is to eat healthy foods; food choices are actually easy to make during summertime because high calorie dishes are less appealing during the hot season.

Take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables that are at their peak and at their best in summer. Refreshing and light foods are bountiful and keeps you out of the hot kitchen.

I’ve always stated  that the best summer weight loss eating program is to load up with natural produce. Fruits and vegetables are low in calorie but loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, plus antioxidants and fiber to help your body flush those unwanted toxins and fats. Aside from their health benefits, they are delectable, juicy, and satisfy the taste buds. Berries, tomatoes, zucchini, melons, cucumbers, peas and other greens are available at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. Forget portion control and go ahead and eat all the fruits and vegetables you can get your hands on. Summer weight loss with natures bounty will do your waistline no damage.

If you are wondering what the healthiest summer weight loss foods are, here is a list of  of some great recommendations:

Berries are luscious and sweet but there is more to berries that meets the appetite. They are known to boost antioxidant levels and help reduce the effects of aging. Berries are also rich in nutrients that help lower cholesterol level.

Watermelons are loved because they are watery, juicy, and crisp, perfect for satisfying thirst during the hot season. If you want a tasty summer weight loss, mix slices of watermelon with milk, water, and ice cubes. Whirl in a blender and your perfect juice is ready in a snap.

Garden salads are the best bet for time and cost efficient summer weight loss meal. They are easy to prepare and the perfect way to get vegetables into your diet. Dress your salad with healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil or your choice of other healthy oils. Salads are a great way of letting yourself off the hook from the hot kitchen.

Healthy eating is your best summer weight loss plan. Enjoy a hearty meal and reap the benefits of losing weight, staying fit, and living a healthy lifestyle.

Jump start your summer weight loss with fruits and vegetables and get in shape for your favorite bikini!

P.S: If your looking for a sure fire way to get in shape in time for the beach click here

As spring quickly approaches I often see a rush of new people flooding to me and the gym in hopes of quickly losing the extra weight. At the same time those that aren’t training w/ me or that are brand new to the gym find themseleves doing the wrong things which in turn will either cause injury or quitting because you don’t see results. Without further ado here are….

The 5 Common Workout Mistakes & How You Can Correct Them

-Not working out hard enough

Solution: Workout w/ a friend or invest in a personal trainer so he or she can help motivate you so you make every moment in the gym count instead of wasting precious time & money to your weight loss goals

-Not Doing Strength Training

Solution: Face it if your one of those people that go on the elliptical for 60 mins and thing they are losing weight- I hate to tell you this but that’s not going to do the trick.

If you trying to lose weight you should be doing strength training 2-3 times a week.

By doing strength training you are breaking down the muscle thus speeding up your metabolism and thus burning more fat.

You can’t do that without strength training!

-Not changing your routine

Solution:  If you doing the same routine everyday for the last 2 months your not going to see results period! I know it’s easy but if your not challenging your body your muscles adapt & thus you will stop seeing results.

What you can do is either invest in personal trainer, boot camp, keep checking here or ask a member of your local health club to show you some new workout ideas to challenge your body so you can see results again.

-Doing an exercise you have no business doing

Solution: There’s a lot of BS out there and lot of people who have no clue what they are doing. Just because the person next to you is doing it doesn’t mean its right for you and/or correct. Consult w/ a personal trainer or someone in your gym to if you really want to know if that particular move is right for you

-Not stretching

Solution: It’s crucial that you stretch for at least least 5-10 mins after your warm up. DO NOT NEGLECT THIS!

There you have it 5 common workout mistakes & how you can correct them. Now go out & make those workouts count!

P.S: If your looking for a fun boot camp in Brooklyn where you can get fit and save a persons life click here