Can you believe it? It is but ONE WEEK until the pre-season doors open to the EXCITING and much anticipated 360XBT launch. WOW. It feels like yesterday that Chris Walsh, founder of 360 Specialized Training, and I were on the phone brainstorming the idea of how we could work together to help more people around the world achieve their desired body transformation.

I’m flippin excited! Aren’t You?

We have coined a few sayings around here that you likely have seen and I thought I would build on those today and show you just the tip of the iceberg of the incredible value that you’ll receive and the AWESOME results you’ll achieve.

“Build Your Physique from the Inside Out.” That has become our body transformation mantra for the nutritional side of this program because that is exactly what we will be doing. Did your mom ever tell you, “You are what you eat”? I discovered, the hard way, that it is true. You really are what you eat.

Not literally. You won’t become a banana by eating one but what you put in your body determines how it performs internally as well as how it functions and looks externally. Think about that for a minute.

Your body transformation will be made or broken with nutrition.

But there is a problem. In the last 50-60 years the quality of our food supply has changed. DRAMATICALLY. Around World War II, we entered the age of convenience, fast, processed, refined foods. It began in part to help feed the world but what we created was a world of fuller bellies that are nutritionally deprived including those living in 1^st world countries. It became a mess and now we have to unravel that mess in the face of rampant obesity, illness, disease and weakness created largely by this new influence.

And that is what we do in 360XBT. We unravel the mystery, the lies and misconceptions and we expose the facts about modern foods and proper, natural nutrition so that you get optimal results in your body transformation.

Am I going to put you on a diet? NO. I’m not going to deprive or starve you. Am I going to tell you NO to pizza. Yes and No! No, you can’t have commercial pizza but I’ll teach you how to have the best pizza of your life without poisoning your health!

Here is how. The journey will begin with a RESET. Not a detox. Your body is a detox machine. You just need to support it. So we will RESET the systems- the palette, digestion, kidney, intestinal- and get you on the right path in the first 30 days. That will also jump start your weight loss. Then week by week we will learn more and more about real, authentic nutrition. We will build it out and have you eating food like you never have before-foods you love and yes some new stuff too-and likely more of it than ever before as you undergo your body transformation.

You will be full. You WILL be satisfied. You will feel strong, energetic, GOOD. Forget good. You’ll feel GREAT because this is not a diet. It is a LIFESTYLE for your body transformation!

There is more though! Your body will heal as I teach you how to use food, nature’s best ingredients, not just to nourish and sustain your body but to heal it. I will be sharing with you some of the key elements and tips I learned and used to heal my body of stage 4B incurable cancer 16 years ago and the resulting congestive heart failure and degenerative disc disease.

So let me share with you 3 of the 100’s of recipe you’ll receive just as a sample to whet your appetite. Each of these can be made quickly, even ahead of time in bulk for use throughout the week.

Body Transformation Breakfast: Sweet Quinoa Pilaf

• ½ cup quinoa
• ½ cup millet
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh apple juice
• ½ cup raisins or dried apricots
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• 1 pinch sea salt
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds, soaked overnight and drained

Soak the quinoa and pumpkin seeds separately over in water. Place quinoa,salt, juice and water in a medium stockpot. Bring to a boil then quickly,reduce heat to a simmer. Add the raisins and carrots. Cover tightly and simmer for about 25 more minutes.

In a small fry pan, dry roast the pumpkin seeds over medium heat until they begin to pop. Top the pilaf with the seeds. Makes at least 2 servings so save some for a fresh twist later in the week.

Body Transformation Lunch: Wild Rice and Blueberry Salad

• 1 cup wild rice, soaked overnight (you can use brown rice if wild is not available)
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons agave syrup or raw honey
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped

Soak the wild rice overnight in water using a glass bowl. Then, in a medium saucepan bring 1 cup of soaking (add water if needed to reach 1 cup) to a boil. Add the wild rice and salt. Cover and simmer. Add water if needed until the rice is tender and liquid is gone. Remove the pan from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Then refrigerate and cool completely in a glass bowl.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl blend together the oil, vinegar and syrup or honey. To serve, add the berries, celery and green onions to the rice. Add the dressing and toss it all together.

Body Transformation Dinner: Mustard Chicken with Swiss Chard/Spinach

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 leek
• 4 cloves garlic
• White wine
• ½ cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
• Extra Virgin Olive or coconut oil
• Sea salt
• Black Pepper
• 1 Bunch Swiss Chard/Spinach
• 1 lemon

Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil in a skillet. Remove the leaves from the rosemary stems and finely chop. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the dry mustard over each chicken breast. Rub with the chopped rosemary and season with sea salt and pepper before adding to the fry. Brown on both sides. Then add ¼ cup of warm water, reduce heat, cover and cook until done through. Turn the chicken breasts, add a splash of white wine and continue cooking.

Once the chicken is cooked through add the yogurt. Cover and remove from the heat. Transfer the chicken breast to a platter. Stir the whole grain the heat. Transfer the chicken breast to a platter. Stir the whole grain mustard into the sauce in the pan. Season to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken breasts.

Swiss Chard: Finely chop the stems of the chard then place them in a stock pot. Add just enough water to steam and place the lid on the pot. Bring to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes until tender then add the leaves and a pinch of sea salt. Simmer a few minutes longer. Squeeze lemon juice over the greens and serve!

And that is just the main meals. Again, they are quick, nutritious, incredibly delicious meals to fuel your success. And we haven’t talked about the snacks and smoothies yet! There are dozens of each to inspire you!

The bottom line is this. Your body transformation is built from the inside out with nutrition!

And when you add to that the incredible elements of functional fitness that Chris Walsh will teach you, your results will be AH-MAZING!!

“Become the XTREME Version of Yourself”

360 Specialized Training is aptly named because it is the full circle of functional training for a life of physical strength, ability, agility and performance in the everyday demands and the adventures of your life.

Chris describes 360XBT in these words…” 360XBT has been created so that you don’t get burned or broken. It is a systematic approach, using tried & tested methods in a safe, fun and effective manner that will guide you to body transformation success with performance paramount in a healthy lifestyle revelation. We have not just sifted through exercise clutter but have also addressed the much repeated shortcomings of an exercise regime: poor nutrition, lack of motivation, time constraints, high costs & repetitive boredom.”

And as promised, Chris has made a few videos for you to check out and discover what you’ll be learning, experiencing and enjoying in your body transformation journey!

You’ll get a step-by-step guide, as well as a video demonstrating the correct techniques for your body transformation.

• 6 (12) Reps Heavy for Strength
• 10 (20) Reps Moderate for Hypertrophy
• 20 (40) Reps Light for Muscle Endurance

Example: 6 Reps per side for Single Arm Exercises (6 x 2 = 12) and 12 Reps for Double Arm Exercises

1. Figure 8

Difficulty Level: Beginner Body Transformation

Muscle Group(s): 

• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Abdominals
• Legs
• Glutes
• Total Body
• Core

Modality: Strength

Equipment: Kettlebell (KB)

Benefits:

• Neuro-motor development
• Dynamic hip, trunk and shoulder stability
• Strength, coordination, focus and timing

Preparation:

• Begin in a bent over position, legs will be bent and trunk almost horizontal and one hand on the KB between the legs.

Movement :

• Swing KB back between legs to pass it to opposite arm behind the leg.
• Circle KB around leg to pass to other side in a continuous figure 8 pattern.
• A slight swaying of the lower body will facilitate the figure 8 movement.

2. Woodchopper Lunge

Difficulty Level: Intermediate Body Transformation

Muscle Group(s): Total Body

Modality: Power

Equipment: Kettlebell (KB)

Benefits:

• Neuro-motor development
• Aerobic training effect with high caloric expenditure
• Power, functional strength, speed, coordination, timing, focus and injury prevention mechanisms

Preparation:

• Stand feet together and the KB in the “rack” position, bent arm resting against the trunk and the palm towards the midline to create a triangle. The second hand is clasped over the other.

Movement:

• Keeping feet parallel, lunge contralateral (to KB) leg forward on an open diagonal.
• Move upper body in a chopping motion and swing KB outside of the lunging knee.
• Pivoting at hip, incline trunk to absorb bell.
• Drive front leg down to reaccelerate to start position.

3. Double Arm Swing Half Turn

Difficulty Level: Advanced Body Transformation

Muscle Group(s):

• Total Body
• Back
• Legs
• Back and Neck
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Abdominals
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Core

Modality: Power

Equipment: Kettlebell (KB)

Benefits :

• Neuro-motor development
• Aerobic training effect with high caloric expenditure
• Power, functional strength, speed, coordination, timing, focus and injury prevention mechanisms

Preparation :

• Begin from a lowered squat position with both hands on the KB in between the legs.
• Pull the KB back toward the thighs by rocking the bodyweight into the heels and brace wrists against inner thighs.

Movement:

• Powerfully extend lower body to accelerate the bottom of the KB up and away.
• As it ascends overhead, turn with a three step movement.
• As it descends, prepare to absorb with a squatting action.
• As the KB swings between the legs, brace the wrists.

I’m telling you straight up. This program is PACKED with invaluable information. Between Chris and I we are delivering you a package that will change your body and I’ll dare say, YOUR LIFE.

It is time to “Pull the trigger” as they say in the States. That means it is time for you to make the choice for YOU. It is time to make your body transformation a reality…not a wish, a hope, a dream but a reality. You deserve it. You are worth it and we are making the full investment in your success. And for that reason, we are making it even more EXCUSE free for you to join.

If you join and begin your body transformation with 360XBT TODAY, we will give you one month FREE. That is $33 or R300 off the going price…and that price is already 1/5^th or less the going value. So to be clear… Sign up today and get the FULL 90 day program and ALL its features for a mere $66 or R600. I repeat…

EVERYTHING is yours today only for $66 or R600!

Your body transformation is yours for the taking! Take it and make it your reality!

JOIN NOW

The post Take a Sneak Peek Into Your 360XBT Body Transformation appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

Life can be filled with challenging circumstances that charge your emotions and drive you to find comfort in food.  These “comfort foods” seem to soothe the aches and pains of your life.

It has been a hard day at the office and as you drive home nothing sounds better than a big, greasy burger, large fries and a soda. Things are a bit messy in your relationship and you reach for that rich decadent chocolate cake to ease your sadness and sense of failure. Or maybe it is a carton of Cherry Garcia. But it could also be a day filled with great excitement and a greasy pizza promises to extend the joy of the day.

Whatever it is that is driving you to comfort foods, it is emotion and not nutritional need.  

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that these foods lack nutritional value, but what you may not have realized or considered is that they do not meet the need; neither of body or spirit. Neither is satisfied, only placated and therefore both demand more. The cycle begins.

In today’s world, nutrition is no longer valued as a life source but rather as a pleasure to the palette, a soother of emotions, an ode to good times past and a social event. This reality of comfort foods creates a life of imbalance as one craving for comfort creates another and most often in the form of an equal opposite. A sugary choice demands a salty one that demands another sugary treat. Ever eat  bag of chips and want a Snickers bar afterwards?

Sadly, this vicious cycle is hard to break and wrought with danger.

The obvious hazard of comfort foods is to your health.

Living in the extremes of imbalance taxes the body from every angle. That distress and the malnutrition combined result in a myriad of medical concerns from obesity to cancer, diabetes, and migraines.

The emotional dangers are a concern as well. Comfort foods become a mask behind which to hide. Authentic resolutions are replaced with the high of comfort foods that quickly dissipates, revealing, once again the raw nerves of the painful experiences faced in your life. The demand for comfort quickly returns and the cycle carries on.  Emotions leading to poor food choices, hiding behind a saturated fat,  laden, high calorie, nutritionally void veil lead straight back to the unresolved emotional matters with the added strain of a deprived body.

In the end, the body is overweight and under nourished. The spirit is starved and wracked with pain. And if you were to be honest with yourself, you are nothing if not completely miserable with a belly full of your favourite comfort foods.

It’s time to stop the cycle of emotional eating by recognizing the difference between the cries of the heart and the needs of the body.

Understand that the emotions cannot be authentically nourished with comfort foods and any attempt to do so robs the body and erodes its strength and wellness. As a result both body and spirit break down leaving you overweight and emotionally devastated. The fact is simple, the bodies need for food is not a resolution for emotional injury. Treat the two individually, however, and body and spirit are both empowered to live in authentic unity and wellness.

Are comfort foods your go to in tough times? Maybe even in some of the best times? Break the cycle and heal your body and spirit!

Carl Mason- Liebenberg is a Wellness and Weight Loss Specialist, Author, Fitness Coach, and a Leader in Creating a Lifestyle of Wellness.

His passion is for those who suffer from poor nutrition, related illnesses, addictions and overweight conditions; with a specific focus on women. Carl unveils the power of nutrition and fitness to bring recovery, healing, restoration and strength.

Carl has personally experienced what he teaches and continues to study and learn to improve his ability to teach you a Lifestyle of Wellness.

He has recently launched the 360XBT that you’ll want to be sure to joi in your journey to authentic wellness. For more information and opportunities please join him at http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com.

The post Are You Seeking Comfort in Comfort Foods? appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

Chris Walsh of 360 Specialized Training writes today about our collaboration for an optimally healthy lifestyle through 360XBT:

In the modern age, the demands of work are greater, making a healthy lifestyle even more of a necessity to endure the stressors of everyday life. With the evolving fitness industry at its ripest & the recession at its peak, it’s difficult enough to gain the knowledge to what is fad or fact, have the time to research and experiment with different fitness apparel, let alone the financial resources to pay a professional who probably still carries the flame of the Neanderthal approach to training or is beginning his journey with you as the guinea twig at his spectrum of functional mayhem!

360XBT has been created as a healthy lifestyle solution so that you don’t get burned or broken and with a
systematic approach, using tried & tested methods in a safe, fun and effective manner you will be guided to body success with performance paramount in a healthy lifestyle revelation. We have not just sifted through exercise clutter but have also addressed the much repeated shortcomings of an exercise regime: poor nutrition, lack of motivation, time constraints, high costs & repetitive boredom.

We would have loved to have called it Healthy Lifestyle Transformation but we would have sounded like a cross between a pencil & a telecommunication company, so instead we used the word Xtreme, allowing you to look & live at a 100% of your dream body, whether it means being able to take a flight of stairs or run up a mountain. Everyone is different and 360XBT is aimed at all levels, with your goals & fitness aspirations more than catered for.

The beginner fitness program is a great place to start your healthy lifestyle whether you are new to training, are a regular 2-3 times a week gym goer looking for something new which is going to deliver results or are crossing over from the more isolated approach of body building/ old school training and need an introduction to the hype. The focus is on flexibility & stability, improving movement patterns with a lot of emphasis on strengthening your Lumbar Pelvic Hip Complex providing you with a great base to increase your lean muscle which will ultimately be your cure to long term body fat reduction . The use of full body movements will also elevate your heart rate and you will receive all your cardiovascular benefits while working on everything else – no need to choose between resistance or cardio! To
reduce time, you can even do this at home because all you need is a kettlebell, light object/medicine ball, mat and a Swiss ball. You’ll be amazed at the variation and by combining yoga, pilates, body weight & kettlebells in an addictive endorphin releasing fashion it will leave you craving more while your
body, in the fabric sense, needs less!

The Intermediate fitness program is directed at those who already have a decent knowledge of functional training, have begun devloping a healthy lifestyle, are consistent gym-goers and want to be pushed that little bit more, actually a lot more. You need to have a thirst to be destroyed, otherwise gain the confidence & conditioning in the Beginner Program first.

Last and definitely not least we have an Advanced Program which we’ll probably let collect dust in our 1st launch of 360XBT but it is there to wet the appetite of the braveseeking the ultimate healthy lifestyle. Lets just say, no matter your prior conditioning, it’s best to conquer the Intermediate before progressing as this will equip you with an even more efficient system to endure and get the most out of the Advanced.  The Advanced is the only program which requires you to belong to a gym, the others can be home-based.

360XBT is a collaboration between my advanced knowledge and experience in functional training & Carl Mason-Liebenberg, the food expert and body transformation coach. We feel the combination of our skills provides us with a complete package to guide you to a healthy lifestyle and optimise your results. Here
is a quick interview with Carl to get his thoughts on 360XBT:

What was your reasoning to collaborate with 360 & does this effect your current model in anyway?

I saw in 360 something I felt was missing in my own life since arriving in Cape Town… A way of living physically that I knew from my own experience was life changing. It is far more than some weights and cardio and its principles for a healthy lifestyle are much like mine in nutrition… Built on authenticity, quality, lifestyle. So it was not a stretch to see the two together in a complete body transforming package. And it certainly doesn’t threaten my current model at all. It makes room for more lives to transform by reaching yet another market and providing even more opportunities for all.

With so many diets out there, what makes your approach towards nutrition standout?

That’s a loaded question. But a simple answer is authentic quality nutrition. When you look at most fitness pro diet plans, weight loss programs, etc you still find profound compromise in nutritional quality. You find a lot of potions and formulas and you find diets with catchy names but you don’t generally find a truly natural way of nutrition for a healthy life. I believe we are products of nature and as such nature has made perfect provision for our lives. We don’t need or benefit from all this tampering, handling,  intrusion, refining, modifying, processing that now defines the majority of our modern nutrition. It’s a slow fade to an illness plagued, disease ravaged, obese, outof shape life, but healthylifestyle that soon becomes a premature death. And I just quickly say, you can’t out work a poor diet. It will catch up to you no matter how great you manage to look. So, I strip it down. Not in a diet and deprivation manner. I
don’t believe in either. I want you to enjoy nutrition and even your favorite foods. But I do believe in keeping it very real and as a result I unveil real foods throughout this program. We start off with a RESET to help you shift those gears and reset your body and mind and then we take daily steps to build out a new nutritionally healthy lifestyle filled with abundance. In fact, most clients have never eaten so much, looked and felt as good when they follow this principle. It’s all real, high quality, natures way nutrition. No gimmicks, potions, or pills. Real food for real people… No compromise.

What do you feel sets 360XBT apart from other transformation packages on themarket?

For starters, 360XBT is the complete healthy lifestyle package. It provides the three principles for a successful and healthy lifestyle… Quality nutrition, functional fitness and active community. Everything is there… Nothing left out. And application is a virtual guarantee of success. And it is not a program of compromises. We both deliver authenticity across the board, no exceptions, no excuses. Thus it is a results driven life transforming opportunity. I have not found another program, among the many out there, that delivers everything that this package does. We work hard, everyday for every clients success.

What would you like to achieve with people doing the program?

My goal is to see bodies transformed but even more so, lives transformed! When nutrition, fitness and community line up, lives change and that is what makes me the happiest.

So the Program lasts 90 days with a start date. Does this make it a challenge?

Not exactly, we are wanting people to commit to a set time period as this will provide a more focused & strict approach to a healthy lifestyle with a deadline. Too often people say tomorrow, this is not going to happen, especially with the closed Facebook Group where you are alongside training buddies all overcoming everyday  obstacles from which you can draw belief & will power to defeat your own healthy lifestyle demons. The challenge comes in incorporating it into your lifestyle, this is where you are left by yourself, but only until the next transformation. We see it as a great place to start your fitness journey but also realise the demand of dependency in a much more skilled industry requires a platform for you to progress across and we’ll continue to tweak, expand & progress our product to allow you to explore the previously thought impossible.

So now to the all important cost. We could add up all the gym memberships, failed diets & unused fitness gimmicks but we’d rather break down what you get: Training Videos & Exercise Programs; Nutrition Guides, Recipes & Professional Advice on Authentic Whole Food Eating; A Closed Facebook Group with Online Coaching, Motivation and Support; and a Guaranteed Cybernetic Organism (body) transformation, leaving you strong, radiant and confident with a new and healthy lifestyle to carry you forward.

Become the Xtreme version of yourself for JUST R300/$33 month and get involved with the most exciting & comprehensive healthy lifestyle program out there and rather than being suppressed by life’s cruel challenges, stand firm, make sure the only thing swept away is your sweat and take control of your life!

Wherever you are, whatever your goals, we look forward to assisting you in your quest for an optimally healthy lifestyle at 360XBT. Mark you spot TODAY!

One Legion, One Philosophy, One Heartbeat …

I’m crazy about training!! Training myself, training others, training others to train others….you get my point – I’m installing a training philosophy – Perform as Good as you look!! Training is a lifestyle and it’s an art to change pain to pleasure thus making an awesome physique a byproduct of what you love, enjoy and crave rather then the focus!! Too many people look at the end result as the primary reason for starting a regime, it’s short-lived, when you are there, you want more, it’s human nature!! Focus on the journey or challenge, this is where most time is spent. Find harmony, compete with yourself, not others, set yourself goals and achieve them. Motivate, support and encourage as many people as you can to start moving. The positives of exercise far outweigh the negatives. It’s not all about the exterior either – so be careful with what you put into your body to achieve those shallow results. http://360specialized.co.za

The post What is the Answer to the Healthy Lifestyle You Seek? appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

Ready to lose weight, get in shape, transform your body but think you don’t have time in your day for fitness? Allow me to introduce you to Tabata. She is a lean, mean workout machine. She doesn’t spend hours a day in the gym or her day munching on carrot sticks. She cuts to the chase, gets the job done and wastes no time in her busy schedule to look and feel incredible.

Tabata is not a woman. She is a high intensity interval training protocol that is a time efficient, effective technique to transform your body. That’s right. After you read this article you’ll no longer be able to convince me that there is not enough time to workout! Here is why.

Tabata involves completing an exercise or sequence of exercises at high intensity for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest. This is repeated 8 times for a total training time of 4 minutes per exercise. This is a hit it hard, hit it fast and transform your body method that gets the heart pumping, the chest pounding and lungs heaving that delivers results in 4 short minutes.

And you can include as many 4 minute sets as you like comprised of any myriad of combined movements to meet your goal, interest and utilize the available tools such as bodyweight, kettlebells, dumbbells or the great outdoors. The movements can be cardio, resistance, balance a combo of them all. The sky is a limit and the time is yours to gauge- from 4 minutes to an hour, it is all up to you.

But there is more to Tabata than her time saving benefits. This technique improves both aerobic and anaerobic capacity in already fit individuals. So, if you are already a gym rat of sorts, in shape, fit and strong, Tabata protocol will step up your athletic edge and further transform your body.

Tabata also produces the effect of high-intensity exercise thus burning fat long after the training itself! In other words, she is a fat burning powerhouse!

All in all, the “There is not enough time to workout!” excuse no longer works. Tabata resolves that with the 4 minute interval. No one can tell me they can’t find 4 minutes in their day.

You may be thinking 4 minutes cannot possibly transform your body but it can! Taking 4 minutes to do 8 sets of squats for example a few times throughout the day will make a profound impact on your wellbeing and fitness prowess from fat burning to aerobic capacity.

Here is a sample routine from the Complete Body Transformation that you can accomplish today without a trip to the gym and on a limited budget of time …

Remember, 8 rounds of each movement performed in 20 second high intensity bursts with 10 seconds rest in between.

• Run in Place

• Jack Squats

• Kettlebell/Dumbbell Swings

• Back Kicks

• Dumbbell Sumo Squats

• Side Lunge

• Super Skaters

• Side Kicks

• Run in Place

DONE!

Not enough time to workout and transform your body is an excuse no longer. There is time and there is the means to take care of your body each and every day of the week, anytime and anywhere. It is now simply up to you to make the choice to do it! Tabata is the way.

Carl Mason- Liebenberg is a Wellness and Weight Loss Specialist, Author, Fitness Coach, and a Leader in Creating a Lifestyle of Wellness.

His passion is for those who suffer from poor nutrition, related illnesses, addictions and overweight conditions; with a specific focus on women. Carl unveils the power of nutrition and fitness to bring recovery, healing, restoration and strength.

Carl has personally experienced what he teaches and continues to study and learn to improve his ability to teach you a Lifestyle of Wellness.

He has recently launched the Ultimate 30 Day Body Reset that you’ll want to be sure to obtain in your journey to authentic wellness. For more information and opportunities please join him at http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com.

The post Transform Your Body with a Complete Body Transformation Tabata Workout appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

We talk alot about organic foods, I want to talk about something a little different….organic products, and my experience with them so far….

Whatever you may, or may not believe about organic foods….there is one thing that cannot be disputed.
To get the “certified organic” label….it HAS to go through rigorous testing that other foods do NOT….

This offers a level of protection, and safety, that is not seen in other foods, and does not exist in other foods.

I have been “into” and eating organic foods whenever possible for about 2 years now…..and HAVE, no doubt….noticed benefits in energy, stamina, health….and most of all…..physique.
My bodyfat is MUCH lower, eating organic, whole foods…..as opposed to processed, packaged foods……

Remember this has been MY PERSONAL experience……..

So, recently…..I realized, that I have been focusing on only one part of trying to eliminate nasty chemicals from my diet……and I started looking into the products that I use in the house, and the chemicals that they contain….

WELL, I WAS BLOWN AWAY…..by the amount of “nasties” in some of the most average products, that you would NEVER think would contain things like that…..

Take, for one…..Sodium Lauryl Sulfate……

I have seen it in soap, shampoo, toothpaste…and a few others…..
NOW….you look that chemical up, and it says “relatively benign, not very harmful”…..
BUT….then you dig a little farther…..and you see…..
It is on Canada’s “Environmental Domestic Substance List” as……
Having organ system toxicity….
Strong evidence of irritation, especially around eyes, skin, or if aerosolized. (pretty much how we all use it)….
THEN….and THIS is the BIG ONE……
THEN….it has “contamination concerns” from two of it’s “by products”…. of this “benign” substance …when applied to HEAT. (Ummmm, like in a shower, or if you use hot water to brush your teeth ???)…

Ethylene oxide…….A “10-out-of-10″…….on a danger scale of 1-to-10….with 10 being the most hazardous.

1, 4-Dioxane……An “8-out-of-10″….on that same scale.

THAT SCALE IS MEASURING HEALTH & CANCER RISKS…….

SO….this “benign” chemical….that is in shampoo, toothpaste, soap, hair gel….etc…..is a SEVERE risk…..but YET, it is in everything….INCLUDING what is directly put in our mouths……

THIS is only ONE……of many, many, many chemicals that are in everything we use…..

I could rant forever on this…..but I want to get to my next….and VERY INTERESTING POINT……

I tossed out….ALL….my “conventional” bath products….and got EVERY, SINGLE one replaced with a certified organic one……about a month ago.

PLEASE REMEMBER…..this is my personal experiences with them……

I find…….that so far…..in a month…..my skin is softer, my hair is most definitely shinier and “more full”, my teeth are whiter, and some blemishes I have had for a LONG time on my skin have all but disappeared.
For moisturizing when needed, or for a hair conditioner if needed….i use coconut oil, or jojoba oil….

NOW, don’t get it wrong….I am not claiming miracles or anything like that…….but it was a little surprising the “changes” that have taken place…..and some of the things I “took for granted”….like having dry skin from all the chemicals in “normal soaps”, which disappeared when I changed products….

BUT, the BIGGEST, WEIRDEST thing that happened was this…….

About a week after I started on the organic products….with NO “conventional chemical products” being used at all…….I would notice a “chemical smell” coming from my pores, when I would sweat from working out.
There was NO DENYING….it was CHEMICAL in nature….as sometimes I even felt that I could almost distinguish what chemical it was…..

THIS was VERY weird to me….for two reasons….
One…..I had not used chemicals on my skin or body for over a week at that point…..
Two…..it had never happened before…..

Somewhere between a week, and twelve days later it COMPLETELY stopped….no more chemical smell AT ALL…..
My sweat smelled “cleaner”….if you can say that about sweat…..

The ONLY thing I can figure, to get it to “make sense to me”…..is…..that was a lot of toxins trying to leave my body…..

As I have continued using these organic products….the “chemical smell” has never returned…..but I do notice people asking me “what I use”….because my skin looks so much better…..

We MUST realize…..our skin can absorb between 70%….and 90% of any chemical applied to it…..
Our skin is the largest organ in the entire body…..we must not apply a “plethora” of untested chemicals on it….

The choice is yours…..

I KNOW what MY choice is……and I will never change back after what I have seen….

All I can finish with is……
Be aware….
Read labels and do research as to what these things are….

Make the right choice for your health…..and for your life.

Eric Kitei is 45 years old….born in 1967. He has loved exercise since he was young.

His “inspirations” were the “Golden Era”bodybuilders….Arnold, Franco Columbu, and Frank Zane.

His current goal is to get rid of bad fitness information, and have people know the truth about what works.

You can join Eric on Google + for great fitness information and inspiration. You can also follow him on his website Fitness in All Forms.

The post You Buy Organic Foods, Do You Buy Organic Products? appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

Have you been in a bad mood lately? Maybe you are not in a “bad mood” per se but you are droopy, down and out, blah? Is it time to boost your mood? Well, you can and you can do so naturally.

After a few droopy days myself recently, I began thinking about this subject. So how could I help you boost your mood even while I was busy boosting mine? I have determined 4 ways that I believe are the key and when applied as a lifestyle can help your spirits soar.

Eat Clean

Be Active

Share Your Life

Rest

Let’s start with eating clean. You may immediately wonder how on earth food could boost your mood. Think about it though. You are a product of nature and nature’s provision is what fuels your body. And whether you have ever considered it so before now or not, the truth is that the foods you chose to eat have a profound impact on your body, including your mood.

Those refined, processed, preservative laced, high sodium, trans fat riddled, sugar saturated foods drag you down. Ditch ‘em!

Instead, eat whole foods as nature made them and not only will your body smile, but so will your face and your heart.

But you can’t just stop there. In order to boost your mood, you must be active. And I’m just going to say it…running around at the office really is not the answer.

I hear it all the time. “I walk all day long at the office.” “I run around with the kids all day”….and more. BUT the professors of these statements are still overweight and out of shape. Why?

Part of the answer, simply stated, is that you are not engaging in sustained, sweat creating, high intensity activity. You need to get serious about it for 30-45 minutes a day. You need to get the heart rate UP and feel some burn. By doing so, you boost your mood, engage your fat burning potential and simply feel better. A triple header!

As an example, today was one of those days for me. I was droopy before gym and considered not going. BUT, I know better. I went ahead with my workout and not only did I get through it but I blew away my record and feel GREAT!

And you know what? You need to share your life, your journey. It is just how you were created to live…not alone but to share your life.

So be a part of a community, a club, a group, a tribe, a team. Belong to something bigger than yourself and share your life. Trust me…belonging gives you purpose which helps boost your mood, increase your success with your goals and enrich your life all around.

Then once all of that is done, you need to rest! Your body needs an average of 8 hours sound, uninterrupted sleep. Notice I made the font bold. That is far more important than the duration of time itself. If you get that, you’ll wake up on the right side of the bed. Miss out on that and you’ll need to boost your mood all day long.

And for the record…Rest is my biggest concern. I rarely get an uninterrupted night’s sleep and it no doubt leaves me droopy at times.

So if you are down and out, droopy, dragging around, try these 4 ways to boost your mood. I’m willing to bet that making these steps a consistent part of your life will lift your spirits. Are you willing to make it happen with these 4 tips? Or would you rather drag yourself around wishing your mood was better?

Carl Mason- Liebenberg is a Wellness and Weight Loss Specialist, Author, Fitness Coach, and a Leader in Creating a Lifestyle of Wellness.

His passion is for those who suffer from poor nutrition, related illnesses, addictions and overweight conditions; with a specific focus on women. Carl unveils the power of nutrition and fitness to bring recovery, healing, restoration and strength.

Carl has personally experienced what he teaches and continues to study and learn to improve his ability to teach you a Lifestyle of Wellness.

He has recently launched the Ultimate 30 Day Body Reset that you’ll want to be sure to obtain in your journey to authentic wellness. For more information and opportunities please join him at http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com.

Photo by: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

The post 4 Ways to Boost Your Mood Naturally appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

Mind over matter…you’ve heard it said before. But the longer I live the more I believe it bears truth. Life is filled with obstacles, unfavourable circumstances, frustrations and more.  Yet, the key to overcoming is often in your ability to transform your mind over the matter far more than it is in your ability to change your circumstances or condition. Your health and body included.

And no, it is not easy. Lord knows that I know it is not easy. It is sometimes just flat out hard and seemingly near impossible. BUT…there is only one life to live and one body in which to live it. So you need to buck up and do it in order to live your best.

The truth is you can need to and want to lose weight, get in shape and transform your life until the cows come home but unless your mind is in the game, fully on board, checked in and accounted for, you will not likely achieve the full extent of your goals. In fact, if you don’t transform your mind you’ll likely just give up and surrender.

So, how are you going to do it….how are you going to transform your mind so you can succeed in transforming your body and, in doing so, your life?

I have 4 ways in mind tonight…

Know WHY

I’ve said it before and I say it again…know your WHY! Before you dare to begin this journey to lose weight and get in shape you have to know why you want this, why you need it, why you deserve it. Seal it in your mind, sketch it on your heart and write it on the wall. Just KNOW it. Own it. Live it.

And let me give you a hint…your why is YOU. It begins with YOU, not everyone around you no matter how much you love them!

The simple fact of the matter is that when you know your why you can transform your mind to transform your body with much greater ease and success.

Positive Attitude

I know it is hard when you don’t like what you see in the mirror. But being positive is a key to your transformation success. As you begin to reach for your goals, you must transform your mind by being positive about who you are, what you are, where you are and where you are headed.

No negative self talk allowed. No looking in the mirror and hating yourself. No unforgiveness, negative projections and any other self sabotaging thoughts, words or actions. There is NO room for them.

You have to speak life into yourself. Start with forgiveness and then take it from there with daily positive self affirming words and actions.

Be Present

You can’t just wander your way to success. To transform your mind and transform your body you need to be engaged; present and accounted for; aware and mindful. You have to be thoughtful, strategic, and intentional.

If you aren’t present in the game, you are going to lose…it’s just that simple. So wake up, check in and stay aware throughout the journey.

Community Support

You were not created to live life alone…not even on this journey to transform your body. Nope….transform your mind and your body by opening your mind and your heart to a like-minded community for support, encouragement, inspiration, fellowship and accountability.

You may think you can do it all…hidden in a converted garage gym, dieting in secret. You can’t. You shouldn’t. Don’t do it!

Engage, get involved and do it together!

Take these 4 Ways to Transform Your Mind Apply them to Transform Your Body

If you do, you’ll succeed.

Mind over matter. Are you ready to transform your mind, transform your body? You can do it. I did and now it is your turn.

Carl Mason- Liebenberg is a Wellness and Weight Loss Specialist, Author, Fitness Coach, and a Leader in Creating a Lifestyle of Wellness.

His passion is for those who suffer from poor nutrition, related illnesses, addictions and overweight conditions; with a specific focus on women. Carl unveils the power of nutrition and fitness to bring recovery, healing, restoration and strength.

Carl has personally experienced what he teaches and continues to study and learn to improve his ability to teach you a Lifestyle of Wellness.

He has recently launched the Ultimate 30 Day Body Reset that you’ll want to be sure to obtain in your journey to authentic wellness. For more information and opportunities please join him at http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com.

The post 4 Ways to Transform Your Mind, Transform Your Body appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

Excuses, excuses, excuses…I have heard and I hear them all. These excuses keep you from the goal at hand…to transform your body.

“I’m too tired.”

“I don’t know how.”

“I’ve tried every diet in the book and failed.”

“My knees and back ache too much.”

“I don’t have time.”

“My family doesn’t support me”

“I don’t have the money.”

“I’ll never look like that so why bother.”

“I’m too old.”

Need I go on?

Are you making excuses? You say you want to transform your body yet you give every “reason” in the book and then some as to why you can’t. Aren’t you tired of excuses and ready to get results?

You know what I have learned through the years of helping people lose weight, get in shape, change their bodies and their lives? Most of those excuses are masks… generally masks that hide fear of some form. Fear of change. Even fear of achieving your goal and being who you have wanted to be for so long and never thought you could be. Fear who you might lose alongthe way. Fear of losing the familiar. Fear that you’ll fail. Fear that you aren’t worthy. FEAR…it will not allow you to transform your body as long as you continue to give it control with your excuses.

So, what do you do about it?

IDENTIFY IT

You have to know your enemy to overcome it. So, determine what you are afraid of. Look deep. Leave no stone unturned. Be honest, transparent, and authentic with yourself and name the demon.

FACE IT

Now it is time to look it in the eyes. Get mad and tell it to “Bug OFF”. You have a goal…a goal to transform your body and your life and you are fed up with the delays that your fear driven excuses are causing.

TAKE ACTION

Now with that new courage coursing through your veins, get busy. No…resist the temptation for  excuses again. Dig down deep and grab hold of the courage and make a determined decision to do this.

RESIST

Since you are taking action, those fears are going to get wrestless. They will find a way through your courage and conviction and will rear their ugly heads in order to deter you. They will throw obstacles at you from every direction. RESIST. Now is not the time for weakness, surrender and complacency. Now is the time to stand stronger than ever…more decided and determined. SAY “Hell No!”to the obstacles that fear is presenting and stay the course.

You are well on your way to transform your body. The breakthrough is near! I promise.

Today is the end of your excuses. Today is a new dawn, a new day…it is your day. Don’t let it pass you by with excuses again. Seize the day, lay hold of the opportunity, embrace the chance to reach your goals and transform your body once and for all. Are you ready? If you are, I and my team are here to see you to success. Why? Because we believe YOU CAN DO THIS! No excuses. Let’s do this!

Carl Mason- Liebenberg is a Wellness and Weight Loss Specialist, Author, Fitness Coach, and a Leader in Creating a Lifestyle of Wellness.

His passion is for those who suffer from poor nutrition, related illnesses, addictions and overweight conditions; with a specific focus on women. Carl unveils the power of nutrition and fitness to bring recovery, healing, restoration and strength.

Carl has personally experienced what he teaches and continues to study and learn to improve his ability to teach you a Lifestyle of Wellness.

He has recently launched the Ultimate 30 Day Body Reset that you’ll want to be sure to obtain in your journey to authentic wellness. For more information and opportunities please join him at http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com.

The post Overcome the Excuses and Transform Your Body appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

“Why do I need to know how to do push ups? Can’t I do something else instead?”

Yes, you could but the simple, uncomplicated, not so scientific answer is that push ups are one of the single most effective fitness movements you can perform. They strengthen you core…notice I didn’t say abs. There is a difference. They strengthen your shoulders and your back. They build your chest…and yes ladies yours too. You want the girls standing proud…juss sayin. They even engage your legs, biceps and triceps. So they just about cover it all.

And so a better question to ask is why not learn how to do push ups?

“But I can’t.”… “I’m too weak.”… “My back hurts”…”I can’t get up off the floor.”….The excuses are endless and I have surely heard them all. BUT…they are just that excuses.

Do you think a professional baseball player knew how to play ball from birth? No. It took practice. He had a goal in mind, maybe at first just a passion, but he focused, worked on it and learned how to succeed.

And since you are reading this article, I assume you have a goal too…a goal to lose weight, tone up, get in shape and live a healthier more vibrant life. Am I right? Learning how to do push ups is a great tool to use for those goals.

So, you can’t do a push up today. No problem.  Let’s start practicing.

I’m going to show you the 3 basic levels of push ups in videos today….wall, knee (aka ladies) and military. There are a myriad of other forms but these are the ones that you need to begin with and master before getting creative and all wild on me…hehe…

But first, let’s talk about some tips for learning how to do push ups.

Do Them

Seriously. Don’t just say you can’t and talk about wishing you could. Find a wall or a floor and do them. You’ll never learn if you don’t start by trying and trying again and again.

Understand Them

I shared with you some of the key “whys” already. So now you need to be mindful of the form and begin feeling the movement as you learn it. What does that mean? Pay attention to what is working as you practice. The more you do, the more you will engage and the better you will become and more quickly you will learn how to do push ups effectively.

For example, as you practice, think about what your arms are doing. Feel them working. Picture them working in your mind’s eye. Focus your mental energy on that process. And do that muscle by muscle.

Start Slow

You don’t have to learn how to do diamond push ups first. Start at the beginning and build from there! Master one form then progress to the next.

Challenge Yourself

Just because you learn how to do push ups on your knees doesn’t mean you should stop there. Challenge yourself and take it to the next level!

Strive to be better today than yesterday.

Mix It Up

Even at beginner level, say wall push ups, you can mix it up with varied hand and foot placement. Narrow, wide, staggered. By doing so you will encourage strength and muscle development from several planes of motion and expedite your progress.

 Use Your Whole Body

I mentioned before that push ups engage just about every muscle group of the body so use them all. Don’t just focus on the arms pushing you off the wall or the floor. Engage your whole body as you learn how to do push ups.

Don’t Give Up

It may be a slow process. Don’t give up! Keep practicing. Be persistent consistent and dedicated to the journey.  Rinse, lather, repeat!

Pat Yourself on the Back

Once you learn how to do push ups, whether wall or other form, celebrate. It is a great achievement and one that will do your body well. And then keep on going!

Look, I know that as a beginner, push ups can be intimidating. Been there, done that. But I also know that you can do it! So don’t make excuses and call them reasons anymore. Start practicing. And to help you do that, here are three videos for you to use.

WALL PUSHUPS

KNEE PUSHUPS

MILITARY PUSHUPS

 

Okay…so you have the whys, you have the tools…now get started. Learn how to do push ups and do something awesome for your body. I promise you that this anytime, anywhere fitness movement is a friend not a foe. All you need to do is #justdoit! So, will you? Who will take up the challenge?

Carl Mason- Liebenberg is a Wellness and Weight Loss Specialist, Author, Fitness Coach, and a Leader in Creating a Lifestyle of Wellness.

His passion is for those who suffer from poor nutrition, related illnesses, addictions and overweight conditions; with a specific focus on women. Carl unveils the power of nutrition and fitness to bring recovery, healing, restoration and strength.

Carl has personally experienced what he teaches and continues to study and learn to improve his ability to teach you a Lifestyle of Wellness.

He has recently launched the 360XBT where you can transform your body in 90 days. You’ll want to be sure to join in your journey to authentic wellness. For more information and opportunities please join him at http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com.

Image from http://freedigitalphotos.net

The post Learn How to Do Push Ups From Beginner to Advanced appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.

But first…let’s talk about the primary secret ingredient in these healthy chocolate bars…coconut oil. Now in this recipe, all ingredients have great health properties but to discuss those would be to write a book. So coconut oil it is for today.

There are countless benefits to the coconut oil in these healthy chocolate bars.

And if you know me at all you know that I am a huge fan and proponent of its use in everyday life. And here are a few of the top reasons why…

Weight Loss

Coconut oil is very useful in achieving weight loss goals. The fatty acids of the coconut oil on these decadently healthy chocolate bars actually help to take off excessive weight. It is also easy to digest and actually improves the function of the thyroid…a common overweight condition. But that is not all…coconut oil increases the metabolism and removes stress on the pancreas which helps burn more energy…i.e. more calories.

Digestion

Have you heard me say this before? Digestion is the heart of your health. Think about that. How does your body get the fuel it needs to function? Through the digestion of these healthy chocolate bars and all the other nutritious goodies you consume. Using coconut oil improves the digestive processes and that prevents various stomach problems including irritable bowel syndrome. Coconut oil has anti microbial properties which also help in dealing with indigestion. And to top it off coconut oil also helps in absorption of essential nutrients.

Immunity

Coconut oil, our key ingredient in these healthy chocolate bars, strengthens the immune system effectively increasing the healing of viruses and bacterial diseases such as herpes, influenza and even HIV.

I’ll stop there for now but I could write a novel on the health benefits of coconut oil. For now though, who is ready for some simply good healthy chocolate bars? I am…hehe So, with these top health benefits in mind, here is the super easy recipe to a super delicious and very nutritious treat! Notice I said treat….not dinner. Just saying!

Ingredients
3/4 cup pure coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup raw honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. sea salt

You could also replace the chili powder and cayenne in these healthy chocolate bars with lavender essential oil, peppermint essential oil, orange extract. Each of these ingredients has unique and powerful health properties. You could also add dried blueberries or top with course sea salt.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Whisk well until the chocolate is smooth. You want to get rid of as many of the clumps from the coconut oil as possible.

Spread out over a parchment lined cookie sheet and chill in the fridge or freezer overnight.

Cut and enjoy.

12 servings

Sound good? Let me know when you make these healthy chocolate bars. And please do enjoy a treat knowing that this one incredible ingredient alone (the others equally packed with benefits) makes this a treat you can enjoy in confidence for more than just momentary taste bud pleasure but also your health.

Carl Mason- Liebenberg is a Wellness and Weight Loss Specialist, Author, Fitness Coach, and a Leader in Creating a Lifestyle of Wellness.

His passion is for those who suffer from poor nutrition, related illnesses, addictions and overweight conditions; with a specific focus on women. Carl unveils the power of nutrition and fitness to bring recovery, healing, restoration and strength.

Carl has personally experienced what he teaches and continues to study and learn to improve his ability to teach you a Lifestyle of Wellness.

He has recently launched the Ultimate 30 Day Body Reset that you’ll want to be sure to obtain in your journey to authentic wellness. For more information and opportunities please join him at http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com.

The post Simply Good Healthy Chocolate Bars appeared first on Carl Mason-Liebenberg.