Making Changes
It's been a little over a week since I started training with Michael. The biggest changes for me were the addition of a 2nd cardio workout every day and a big change to my diet.
Michael had me kick off every morning with at least 30 minutes of cardio. It wasn't too hard for me to adjust my schedule to accommodate this, and I work out before breakfast. I immediately noticed I was more awake throughout the day and hungrier. At the same time, the first couple of days left me exhausted. It's a big change to double your cardio each day, but I'm making it happen: two 30 min cardio sessions per day.
Results? I've lost 2 pounds (or approx 1% body fat). 
Michael also stressed the importance of strength training. Fun facts:
Lean muscle is much more compact than fat. Appearance is significantly slimmer.
More lean muscle increases your metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories even at rest throughout the day.
More lean muscle mass protects you from injuries.
Personally, I enjoy strength training in addition to cardio training. I prefer free weights, but then I'm fairly familiar with a lot of the common free weight exercises. Less experienced people might feel more comfortable with the machines. Plus, I do go back to the machines every once in a while because they really do feel different from free weights and change is good to keep confusing the body. Some interesting strength training options I plan to explore in the future are tension bands (much easier for travel and hotel room workouts – I do some already but want to learn more) and kettle bells.
Plenty of workouts can be found with an easy search online at sites like Shape.com or similar sites, or you can consult a trainer like Michael. Personally, I love P90X. Those workouts still have what it takes to completely devastate my muscles. LOL.
Personal Trainer and Ifbb Pro Michael Stuart, photo by Luis Rafael
And here's Michael's tip for the week:
Michael: "ABS TIP….If you want abs then you need to realize doing unlimited amounts of crunches or any other ab exercise will not make your abs show, you must first shed the FAT that is around them! Abs are made in the kitchen therefor if your not eating correctly then your abs will not show, and remember women who constantly use the weighted ab machines, stick with more functional core exercises instead of that machine, you will burn more fat and build a stronger core while maintaining a flatter stomach and less blocky stomach."
Interested in training with Michael Stuart?
Find him on Facebook or Twitter (@MaxfitTraining1) and tell him I sent you, he'll hook you up with a great training package. 
