Study: Losing Fat Slowly Is WORSE For Metabolism

Study: Shedding Weight Gradually is LESS BENEFICIAL for Metabolism

Often we hear from well-meaning, yet misinformed fitness trainers suggest that a slow and steady route to lean physique is best.

However, the truth revealed tells a completely different story…

Achieving A Lean Body Should Be As Swift As Taking Off A Band-Aid!

How do you prefer removing your band-aid? Quickly, right? It may sting momentarily but surely outweighs any other option.

Surprisingly enough, this principle rings true when it comes to shedding fat as well.

You might have heard warnings about losing weight too rapidly; stories of metabolism crash or even rebound weight gain?

Well surprise surprise my dear friend! Striving for gradual loss appears to not hold its ground. Actually, casting off that extra body fat should be exactly like pulling off band-aid – Prompt and swift so you can move ahead without delay!

The research proves when it comes to fat loss, faster is better. Scientists from Newcastle University tested 3 groups of dieters and found that those who lost bodyweight the fastest saw the smallest drop in resting metabolism! [1]

Another study examining the effects of long-term mild-caloric deficit dieting in humans found that long-term dieters suffered from 78% lower testosterone levels and 28% lower VO2Max levels! [2]

And yet another long-term analysis of European dieters showed that dieters who lost the most weight during an initial 8-week diet phase were the most successful at KEEPING the weight off six months later — even when using very low a calorie approach. [3]

Now that you’ve seen the evidence that proves it’s better to lose fat quickly, let me show the simple step-by-step plan you can use to make that happen:

–> Next Page

To your weight loss success –

–Forest Vance – ForestVanceTraining.com – KettlebellBasics.net

“Lean and Jacked” – KB / Sprint Finisher

*This is a throwback pic from a Spartan event I did back in 2020 – sprint workouts made up a good portion of the training I did to prepare.

We put on a special “Lean and Jacked” workout day at my PT studio here in the Kansas City area last night – it was so much fun!

The “Lean and Jacked” workout concept is where we COMBINE getting JACKED (work the traditional big barbell lifts like squat, bench, and deadlift) and LEAN (kettlebells, mobility, sprinting, etc).

It’s really interesting, because I’ll get people who are actually pretty darn strong to turn out for these type of events…

…but when it comes to moving athletically, or being in condition to go out and run a few sprints without getting completely winded – it’s a different story 🙂

Thing is though, what good is being huge and strong, if you’re tight as a spring, and you can’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting gassed?!?

This is why if you lift regularly – kettlebells, or any other kind of weights for that matter – I also recommend you be sure to work your conditioning too.

Here is a simple sprint workout you can add to the end of your next session as a start. (You can also do this on a separate day from your KBs, or any other time that fits your schedule):

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“Lean and Jacked” – KB / Sprint Finisher

Complete the circuit below as fast as possible:

  • 50 m hill power walk / run / sprint (adjust for YOUR current fitness level; outdoors or treadmill okay!)
  • 20 two hand KB swings
  • 8 push ups
  • 50 m hill power walk / run / sprint (adjust for YOUR current fitness level; outdoors or treadmill okay!)
  • 18 two hand KB swings
  • 10 push ups
  • 50 m hill power walk / run / sprint (adjust for YOUR current fitness level; outdoors or treadmill okay!)
  • 16 two hand KB swings
  • 12 push ups
  • 50 m hill power walk / run / sprint (adjust for YOUR current fitness level; outdoors or treadmill okay!)
  • 14 two hand KB swings
  • 14 push ups
  • 50 m hill power walk / run / sprint (adjust for YOUR current fitness level; outdoors or treadmill okay!)

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Next time you watch a track event, check out the physique difference between long distance runners and the sprinters. The sprinters almost always are leaner, more muscular, etc – it’s pretty wild!

Plus, research shows that sprinting has the compound effect of increasing metabolism, increasing tesosterone, and making you more athletic, all at the same time.

If you want a full sprinting program with lots of workouts like the free sample today, I recommend Anabolic Sprinting 2.0 linked below:

–>> Next Page

Here’s to getting lean AND jacked, all at the same time!

– Forest @ KettlebellBasics.net

Weight Loss Lie #3: Carbs Raise Insulin & Make You Store Fat

I was reading up on this new “Underground Fat Loss” method – there are certainly some interesting things the author Matt Marshall has to say, so I wanted to look into it a little more myself!…

Check out an excerpt from the full article linked below, then click here to read more about the Underground Fat Loss Method and how to implement it.

— Forest @ KettlebellBasics.net

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Weight Loss Lie #3: Carbs Raise Insulin & Make You Store Fat

When it comes to losing fat, you’ve probably heard that you need to cut carbs if you wanna lose weight? Maybe you’ve even tried a low-carb diet over the years. If you did, I bet ya a doughnut I can guess what happened:

First two weeks went great – you dropped a bunch of weight. Mostly water, but some fat too. And then…. Nada. Weight loss came to a screeching stop. And… oddly enough. You were cold all the time. Especially your hands and your feet.

Am I in the right neighborhood? Maybe you already know why this happened – without adequate carbohydrates, your body produces less T3. T3 – or triiodothyronine for you science geeks – is a hormone that controls metabolism AND rate of fat burning.

Strange Bagel Study Proves You Can Crush Carbs All Day Long Without Gaining Fat

Check out this medical research study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition…

Researchers found a bunch of volunteers and basically crammed bagels down their throat for a week. I’m not even kidding – they overfed these volunteers 1,000 EXTRA calories (mostly from carbs) on day 1.

Just one problem. All these extra carbs actually…

Increased Metabolism By 37%!

This totally messed with the experiment.

So on day 2 researchers upped the ante. They overfed participants an extra 1,500 calories. But again, each volunteers’ metabolism increased again, this time burning an extra 470 calories. By the end of the week researchers were begging the volunteers to cram down bagels and despite 5 days of massive over-eating none of the participants gained any appreciable amount of body fat.

This PROVES that it’s possible to enjoy delicious carbohydrates without gaining fat. And in fact you can even enjoy many of your favorite carb-heavy dishes and lose weight.

The secret is knowing what kinds of carbs to eat.

-> learn more on the next page

Week 1 / Workout 2 – Kettlebell 5×5

Let’s dive a little deeper into the new Kettlebell 5×5 program we’ve been talking about for the last few days:

–> 5×5 Kettlebell Method for Strength + Muscle

If you’ve been thinking about giving it a try, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet, let me shed some light on how it works, along with giving you a sneak peek at a sample workout.  

The original 5×5 workout is known as an efficient strength-building routine based around essential compound movements – such as squats, deadlifts, and bench press among others. You do five sets of five reps for each exercise, hence “5×5”. The aim is to gradually increase weight while maintaining good form. This simple yet intensive routine is great for gaining strength and lean muscle!

Now comes in our newest evolution – The Kettlebell 5×5 Program! With the new Kettlebell 5×5 Method, you’re going to use the classic 5×5 template, but you’ll use kettlebell exercises, which will not only help you gain strength and size, but you’ll build your core, mobility, and avoid injury, all at the same time.

Get the full program at the link below:

–> Kettlebell 5×5 – January 2024 Flash Sale

Now. When doing the 5×5 program with kettlebells, we need to be a bit more strategic. This is because with barbells, you can simply increase the weight once you can handle five sets of five reps. But kettlebell weights tend to make bigger jumps.

That’s why we’ll have some fun playing around with details like tempo, rest periods, exercise variations, etc.

Here is an example workout. (Details on things like how to progress from one ‘bell to two, how to increase overload WITHOUT upping the weight as an option, etc are included in the full program and video breakdowns):

KB 5×5 – WEEK 1 / WORKOUT 2

PART 1 – Do 5 KB clean and presses on the right side. Rest 60-120 seconds. Do 5 KB clean and presses on the left side. Rest 60-120 seconds. Go back to side one and complete a total of five rounds. When you can get 5 sets of 5 reps, progress – adjust lifting tempo, reduce rest period, pick a harder exercise variation, or increase weight.

PART 2 – Do exercise one. Rest 60-120 seconds. Do exercise 2. Rest 60-120 seconds. Go back to exercise one and complete a total of five rounds. When you can get 5 sets of of movement #1, progress – adjust lifting tempo, reduce rest period, pick a harder exercise variation, or increase weight:

— Turkish Get Up – 1 per side
— Single arm KB rows – 12 reps per side

PART 3 – Do as many reps as you can of exercise one in 30 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds. Do as many reps as you can of exercise two in 30 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds. Do three rounds total:

— Close push ups
— Jumping jacks
— KB crush curl
— High knees in place

There you have your Kettlebell 5×5 sample workout. As I mentioned, details on things like how to progress from one ‘bell to two, how to increase overload WITHOUT upping the weight as an option, etc are included in the full program and video breakdowns. Click the link below to learn more and start the program today:

–> Kettlebell 5×5 – January 2024 Flash Sale

Cheers to gaining strength and lean muscle in less time with Kettlebell 5×5!

— Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Kettlebell Expert
Over 40 Specialist
KettlebellBasics.net

The 28-day Flexibility Challenge: A Sample Day

For the past 11 or 12 years, I’ve hardly ever missed a morning stretch, and let me tell you – when I do miss it, I feel the consequences!

My body feels stiffer, more sore, and I’m more prone to injuries during my workouts.

Here’s an example of what my daily flexibility series might include (this one is actually from the Hyperbolic Stretching 28-day Challenge where you’ll work towards doing the splits):

  • Standing straddle with alternating toe reach – 3x:10 per side
  • Lying piriformis stretch – 3x:10 per side
  • Standing forward fold “head to toe” stretch – 3x:20
  • Toe flex – 3x:10 per side
  • “Drop stance” hip flexor stretch – 3x:15 per side
  • Seated straddle split stretch – 3x:15 per side
  • Standing quad stretch – 3x:20 per side
  • Lying abdominal stretch – 3x:15

*For detailed exercises breakdowns and demonstrations, be sure to check out the full Hyperbolic Stretching 28-day Challenge course HERE.

Flexibility will greatly enhance your kettlebell training, as well as various other aspects of life. Make it a habit to incorporate a daily stretching routine in order to achieve the best results in the shortest amount of time. I highly recommend giving the Hyperbolic Stretching 28-day Challenge a try. Click here to start now.

Here’s to your ongoing success!

–Forest Vance – KettlebellBasics.net – ForestVanceTraining.com

Proven KB System vs Random Workouts

I’m just chilling here on this Sunday morning before heading off to church with the fam in about an hour. Finished up breakfast and thought I’d shoot you a quick email with some thoughts for the coming week:

Do you have a proven system in place to achieve your fitness goals in 2024? Or are you just randomly trying out different KB workouts you find on Instagram or YouTube?

Here’s the thing – if you want to achieve goals like mastering the KB basics (swings, get ups, cleans, presses, snatches, squats), getting stronger and gaining lean muscle, or losing up to 12 percent of your bodyweight over the next 12 weeks, then you need a kettlebell routine that is specifically tailored to YOU. It’s all about finding the right exercises, progression techniques, weights, and training frequency that work best for your body.

Nutrition is also key. You need an approach that promotes fat loss and can be sustained long-term because let’s face it – you can’t out-train a bad diet!

Finally, most people need accountability and support to truly succeed.

If you’re looking for some help in 2024 with all of these things and more I recommend you check out the program I am accepting applications for now at the link below:

-> 1-to-1 Remote KB Coaching with Forest.

Main point of today’s message is, if you want to get the best fitness results, follow a proven plan, NOT random workouts.

Have an awesome day, and catch ya later!

-Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Owner, FVT Personal Training
Author, the CORE Kettlebell Challenge
ForestVanceTraining.com
KettlebellBasics.net

2x Your Push Ups in 30 Days Plan [example week]

For the last couple of days, we’ve been talking about how to do more pull ups using the Pull Up Progression Method.

Today I want to highlight another bonus you get with the Physique Zero course – the the “Push Up Mastery” guide!

-> “Physique Zero” + Full “2x Your Push Ups in 30 Days” plan

This program is designed to increase reps and volume each day for 30 days. You need to see the full plan to understand how it works, but the example daily push up progression below, written in the style of the Push Up Mastery Guide, should give you a general idea. There is both a beginner and advanced version of the program so you can start with the plan that works best for you depending on your fitness level.

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2x Your Push Ups in 30 Days Plan [example week]

DAYS 1-5: ESTABLISH A BASELINE PYRAMID PROGRESSION

Day 1: Perform a set of push-ups to failure (+Active recovery – other kettlebell workout / etc.)
Day 2: Active recovery – other kettlebell workout / etc.
Day 3: Perform 3 sets at 50% of max reps with 45 seconds rest between sets. (+Active recovery – other kettlebell workout / etc.)
Day 4: Isometric holds at the bottom of the push-up position for 30 seconds each, repeated for 3 sets. (+Active recovery – other kettlebell workout / etc.)
Day 5: Dynamic warm-up followed by 2 sets of push-ups at 60% of max reps with 60 seconds rest between sets. (+Active recovery – other kettlebell workout / etc.)

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For the full program that will help you do more push ups, click the link below:

-> “Physique Zero” + Full “2x Your Push Ups in 30 Days” plan

Good luck doubling your push ups in 30 days!

-Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Over 40 Training Specialist
KettlebellBasics.net

Do More Pull ups Fast (30 day plan)

Wanted to share a short exchange I recently had with a coaching client:

R (coaching client):

“One pull-up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How many exclamation points am I allowed? Lol”

F (me):

“That is fantastic!! Congrats!! The (pull up plan I built for you) worked!!!!! :)”

R had been working for YEARS to do her first pull up, without success.

But when I got her on my “Do More Pull Ups Fast!” plan, she was able to get her first one – in just 30 days!

So if YOU you tired of sucking at pull ups …

Or if you have been stuck at the same number (or zero) for way too long …

I recommend checking this out:

-> “Physique Zero” Pull Up Progression Method + Full 12-week Bodyweight Strength plan

It closely resembles the plan I used to help R get her first pull-up.

I first used something very similar to it to add 4 pull ups to my single-set max, and went from 9 to 13 in one month.

Then, I gave it to a couple dozen clients that had this specific goal, and ALL that followed it to a “T” got great results.

Rachel got her first pull up … John went from 3 to 5 in one month, then got to 12 about 60 days later … Byron went from 2 to 6 in one month, eventually hitting a set of 15 later in the year … just to name a few.

This plan is simple, but it is also very powerful.

I can’t wait to hear about the results you get using it!

It’s actually a free BONUS program you get when you pick up a copy of the Physique Zero course:

-> “Physique Zero” Pull Up Progression Method + Full 12-week Bodyweight Strength plan

Just order now using that link, and you’ll get the full program – plus, you get a full at-home bodyweight strength program to go with it.

Cheers to your success, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays! – 

– Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Over 40 Training Specialist
KettlebellBasics.net

How to Lose 7-10 Pounds with KBs Before Christmas

On average, people gain 8-13 pounds during the Holiday season.

This year however, we are flipping the script and helping you LOSE weight during the holidays, while setting you up for success in the New Year:

Introducing the 21-day Holiday Shred Challenge.

It’s designed to help you shed those extra pounds and get you in prime shape for 2024.

And don’t worry, because it’s only 21 days!

See, recently, I realized that my body fat percentage snuck up a bit higher than I’d like… and so before diving into my strength and muscle gain phase in the New Year, I want to drop 5-10 lbs of fat first.

That’s why I created this 21-day Holiday Shred Challenge. And I’m inviting YOU to take the Challenge along with me:

-> https://forestvance.lpages.co/21-day-holiday-shred-challenge-2023/

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Whether you join my Challenge or not, if you want to shed fat going into the New Year, here are three things to focus on if you want to lose 7-10 pounds before Christmas with KBs:

NUTRITION

This is going to be a short, rapid-fire project. There are also a lot of variables at play. So we’re not going to do a whole lot of adjusting on the fly as we would with a longer fat loss phase of perhaps 12-16 weeks. We’re just going to take everything into account – your current weight, body comp, fitness level, activity level, etc etc – take a solid guess as where to start with caloric and macro needs – and GO!

TRAINING

Believe it or not, we do NOT need to be training extra hard. We need to be sure we maintain muscle and do some cardio, for sure… but we are also going to be in a significant deficit, so we are really just trying to do the right things in our KB training to maintain, and prep for our next phase of gaining muscle and strength.

ACCOUNTABILITY

This is key. Either sign up for our Challenge and rely on us to keep you on track with your workouts and nutrition, OR find a great reliable buddy or group that can support you. This will be aggressive, so you’ll need the support!

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On average, people gain 8-13 pounds during the Holiday season.

This year however, we are flipping the script and helping you LOSE weight during the holidays, while setting you up for success in the New Year:

Sign up now for my 21-day Holiday Shred Challenge!

– Forest and the FVT Team ForestVanceTraining.com KettlebellBasics.net

3 Reasons for Kettlebell Knee Pain (and 3 things to fix it)

Do you find that knee pain is hindering your kettlebell workouts, or even affecting your daily activities?

Let’s discuss the top three reasons why knee pain occurs and more importantly, how to fix it.

No more letting knee pain hold you back from living your best life!

*If you’re searching for a comprehensive program that addresses all of your knee pain concerns and more, I can’t recommend this one enough:

–>> 10-minute daily routine to reduce knee pain

Top 3 Reasons for Kettlebell Knee Pain

Firstly, inflammation, which occurs when chemicals are released by the immune system or skeletal tissue, leading to swelling. This inflammation can affect a single joint or multiple joints simultaneously.

Another factor is postural disorder, which refers to the misalignment of the neck, spine, and hips while standing, sitting, or walking. This misalignment often puts excessive pressure on the front, back, or sides of the knees and can result in injury with even the slightest sudden movement.

Lastly, collapsing cartilage plays a significant role in knee pain. Cartilage is responsible for holding the bones together and providing flexibility while reducing friction. Heavy impacts from accidents, overuse injuries, or prolonged periods of inactivity can damage this essential component of healthy knees.

*The program linked below addresses all of these things and more:

–>> 10-minute daily routine to reduce knee pain

3 Ways to Fix Kettlebell Knee Pain

Here are three tips to address knee pain – from kettlebells or other factors:

  1. Stay active: Many individuals with knee pain tend to avoid physical activity altogether. However, this lack of movement can lead to further loss of flexibility and strength. It’s important to stay active while being mindful of your limitations.
  2. Engage in the right types of exercise: Research has found two specific exercises beneficial for knee pain – isometric contractions and timed static holds. Implementing these exercises into your routine can help alleviate discomfort.
  3. Follow a progressive exercise plan: Consistency is key when it comes to improving knee health. Gradually increase the difficulty level of your exercises over time so that each day builds upon the progress made previously.

Remember that everyone’s situation is unique, so consulting with a healthcare professional may provide personalized guidance tailored to your needs.

If you’re searching for a comprehensive program that addresses all of your knee pain concerns and more, I can’t recommend this one enough:

–>> 10-minute daily routine to reduce knee pain

All the best on your journey to a pain-free life! —

–Forest Vance
Specialist in Training for those Over 40
Expert in Kettlebells
KettlebellBasics.net
ForestVanceTraining.com