Nordine Z Speaking at the National Institute of Whole Health in Boston

In this video clip I speak about my story. You can share it with everyone you know and who is looking to overcome obstacles. I thank both my parents for their undeniable courage. Nordine Z

Surround yourself with winners.

One of the key qualities of all successful people is that they avoid negative people and they spend the majority of their time surrounded by those who have already achieved what they themselves seek to achieve. So if your goal is to weigh 135 pounds by eating healthy and living an energy full life - then seek out others who already live a healthy lifestyle and weigh 135 pounds. Hanging out with people who just talk about getting in shape but never take persistent action will ensure that you never reach your goal.

Flush it out!

We could say that summer has already started here in Arizona but soon we will have temperatures rising all over our graet nation. So I wanted to share a little and write about water. Water does the body good when it comes to good health. Water helps flush out toxins and other unwanted things lingering in your body. Water also replenishes fluids that help lubricate the internal body, while keeping you hydrated, lowering your desire to eat, and also helps keep your skin looking smooth and young. I know it's hard to drink lots of water, but find bottled water you enjoy the taste of or filter your tap water and keep it chilled in the refrigerator. You should be drinking at least 64oz per day up to 128 oz to keep your body hydrated and working properly.

Can You Game Yourself Fit?

There's nothing worse than getting ripped off.

To invest your hard earned money on a product that promises results that aren't delivered.

That's how millions of new Wii Fit owners are feeling right now, and I don't blame them.

The Wii Fit is marketed as the latest and greatest way to lose weight and be fit. The specialized Nintendo is supposed to do the job of your gym, your treadmill and even your personal trainer.

That's a lot of pressure for a video game.

With all the buzz surrounding the Wii Fit, I decided that some research was in order. What is this Wii Fit, and how is it qualified to get you into the best shape of your life?

The Wii uses television and a wireless "balance board" that is about two feet wide and half as deep. The board is basically a fancy scale, which measures your weight and detects your equilibrium. To play Wii Fit, you stand on the board and do a series of games that fall into one of four categories: aerobics, balance, strength, and yoga.

My research did turn up some cases of documented weight loss as a result of Wii Fit play time. In each case the person went from a sedentary lifestyle (basically a couch potato) and saw weight loss after doing the Wii Fit for 30-60 minutes per day.

Walking for 30-60 minutes per day will give the same results.

To really understand the purpose of this product I did a search on Shigeru Miyamoto, he's the creator of the Wii Fit.

What he said may shock you.

"I don't think Wii Fit's purpose is to make you fit; what it's actually aiming to do is make you aware of your body," he said. "That's why we wanted people to talk with their families about Wii Fit, and become aware of these things together as a group."

The purpose of the Wii Fit is not to make you fit?!

But what about the marketing pieces that are telling you to use the Wii Fit as your one-stop shop for fitness and weight loss?

What about the people who purchased a Wii Fit with the hopes of losing 30 lbs?

It's time to call the Wii Fit what it really is: a video game...entertainment, and that's it.

Don't get me wrong, the Wii Fit is a fun, interactive game that gets you to burn more calories than you would just sitting on the couch. People enjoy playing it with their kids and it sure beats lounging on the couch watching T.V.

But it's just like the creator of the product said; it's not intended to make you fit. Sure, it may be marketed that way but that's not what it's for and that's not what it does.

Don't sell yourself on the idea that a video game will get you into great shape.

Play the Wii Fit. Enjoy the Wii Fit. Burn a few calories with the Wii Fit.

And then contact me for a workout that will truly change your life and get you the body that you want, because all of my programs were created with the purpose of getting YOU fit from the Inside Out (the only way you can really get longlasting results).

You can quote me on it.

Don’t Believe the Lies

Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.

That bit of wisdom came from Franklin D. Roosevelt during a radio address in 1939, and though he wasn't talking about fitness, it certainly applies to the following fat loss myths.

Myth #1: Eating Late at Night Makes You Fat

The Facts: Your body doesn't have an internal timer that causes late night eats to be stored directly as fat. Weight gain happens when you eat too much and exercise too little - you could eat too much in the morning, the afternoon, or late at night and it would all result in weight gain.

Your Solution: Consider how many calories you eat and burn each day, rather than when you eat.

Myth #2: Snacking Promotes Weight Gain

The Facts: Eating snacks throughout the day is actually a great way to keep your metabolism up and to avoid overeating at meals. However, if you snack on junk food then be prepared to pack on pounds.

Your Solution: When it comes to snacking it's all about what you snack on.

Myth #3: You Can Lose Fat Without Exercise

The Facts: Exercise and healthy eating go hand-in-hand when it comes to permanent fat loss. Your body needs exercise just as it needs to be fed a diet filled with fresh produce, whole grains and lean protein.

Your Solution: Accept exercise as a part of your daily lifestyle.

Myth #4: Fat Free Means 'All-You-Can-Eat'

The Facts: It's time to close your eyes and mentally erase everything that the 90's taught about fat-free dieting. Fat-free foods are not the equivalent of flavored air – they contain plenty of calories and often lots of sugar.

Your Solution: Be mindful of calories when eating fat-free foods.

Myth #5: Eat as Little as Possible for Maximum Fat Loss

The Facts: Eating too little causes your metabolism to shut down and puts your body into starvation mode, and prone to store fat rather than burn it.

Your Solution: When it comes to fat loss think burn rather than starve.


Myth #6: Diet Pills Work for Fat Loss

The Facts: The only thing that diet pills are capable of burning is the extra cash in your wallet. Billions of diet pills are sold every year – all to no avail.

Your Solution: Healthy eating and exercise can never be replaced by a pill.

Myth #7: You Should Never Eat Fast Food

The Facts: It's all about what you order. Fried, processed and salty foods will cause weight gain - don't order them. Lean meat, salad, vegetables and beans, on the other hand, are available at many fast food chains - order these instead.

Your Solution: When eating fast food skip the fried items, stick with lean meats and salads.

Trying to lose weight is often a frustrating experience. In a world filled with quick fixes, lasting weight loss is not something that happens overnight. Remember that it took time to gain the weight, so it will also take some time to lose it.

Permanent weight loss happens as a result of a proper exercise and diet plan - my expertise.

DARRYL: THE MEDICAL STUDENT WHO HEALED HIMSELF

When he first came to me, Darryl was a medical student suffering from acne, poor diet, lack of exercise and overweight. In addition, he felt constantly fatigued from his stressful life of studies, erratic sleep habits, exams and more studies. Although he was one of the most hyper-scheduled people I’d ever met, let alone trained, Darryl managed to carve out the time to reorganize his life, to work out, eat right and meditate for a few moments each day. The resulting evolution of his spirit, mind and body brought him radiant health, muscle gains and lasting weight loss.

Although all of my clients inspire me, Darryl was a special case because he managed to do such a good job despite severe scheduling constraints. Darryl is now a practicing physician who embodies radiant health for his patients; his case proves that even the most multi-tasking person can exercise their way to excellent condition in less than an hour or so a day. (Lack of time is one of the most common excuses people give me for not working out. I always tell them that if clients like Darryl can find the time to get in shape, then they can, too.)


Darryl used his powerful intellect to psych himself into total health. Here are some affirmations from Darryl’s mental diet:

“I will never give up because I am climbing the mountain of happiness.”
“I have the ability to love and support myself.”
“I am improving my inner world in order to change my outer world.”
“I am moving closer towards spiritual, mental and physical health.”
“I am stronger than my fears because I acknowledge them.”
“I am a well-rounded beautiful being.”
“I draw my energy from the Universal life force.”
“Life is a miracle and I am lucky to be living it.”

If you are or know of someone who's overweight, overstressed and overworked please share the story with me on this blog.

The Pro’s Tips For Successful Weight Loss

I remember the moment I realized I was no longer a professional athlete. It was in 2002, a year after I had retired from the International Federation of Body-Building (IFBB). I was languishing on the treadmill in my neighborhood gym after a long day training people session after session, when a huge and ripped guy walked in and began warming up with 220 lbs before starting his legs training session and disgustingly bulging his gigantic body. I smiled weakly in his direction and thought; I used to look like that not too long ago. And of course when he passed me, I ran faster like there was no tomorrow.
Obviously, my 60-minute training sessions weren't having the same chiseling effects as the 4-hour training sessions I endured when I was in a competitive level. That's when I realized I'd have to change my stay-in-shape strategy. Here are a few of my pro-to-real-world fitness secrets.

Pro tip #1: Visualize the body you want.
Many professional athletes practice visualization, which means picturing themselves going through the motions to achieve a certain goal — complete with sounds, colors, tastes and smells — and have seen it pay off big time. During my 7 year professional career, I spent 10 minutes a day visualizing and looking at my body the way I wanted it to look and feel, the result that I mentally conceived in the visualizations were experienced in my training sessions, making them tremendously intensive and effective. Now, whenever I work out, I close my eyes and visualize my arm and leg muscles flexing, my heart pumping strong and my body looking ripped.

Pro tip #2: Set realistic goals.
You aren't likely to hear some rookie say he plans to win the Olympia championship (the highest bodybuilding competition) when they finished in last place the year before and he has yet to get off the bench. In other words, most professional athletes set realistic goals. So face it: You're not going to lose 30 pounds by your 10-year class reunion next weekend. (A more realistic goal is approximately two pounds per week.) Focus on taking one baby step at a time, keeping your ultimate goal in mind. It will be all the more rewarding when you finally get there!

Pro tip #3: Find a workout that works for you.
My challenge after retirement was to maintain the weight and body fat composition I had achieved as an elite athlete. No easy task when you're working a full-time job, right? Because keeping in shape also means aerobic activities, my body was used to fast, quick, blood-flow — something like pedaling on the stationery bike or walking/running on a treadmill couldn't match. But then I created a full body workout that uses strictly dumbbells, body bars and medicine balls, I call it the Total Body Work, I even made a DVD out of it. It was perfect for me because, in only 40 minutes, I get a cardio-toning workout equal to working out 2 hours with machines at a crowded gym. When time is an issue (and when isn't it?), you need to focus on finding workouts that give you the biggest bang for the buck.

Pro tip #4: Check your fuel gauge.
While you'd never put sugar in your gas tank, many of us put junk into our bodies on a regular basis and then wonder why we don't have the energy to get through the day. While training for the World Championships, I made myself eat healthfully because it was very obvious that my physical and my mental shape depended upon it. After I retired, however, I developed a weakness for junk food, despite the fact that it made me feel sluggish. Then my yogi master reminded me that I'd only been addressing half of my fitness dilemma. Besides focusing on exercise, I also needed to eat more wisely. Now I give in to my junk food cravings only one day a week, and my body feels and looks much better.

Pro tip #5: Make appointments with your body.
It's easy to put your body first when it's the source of your income. Still, as soon as I finished my training session, I started filling my calendar with clients’ one on one session. No wonder that at the end of most work days, I was either too zonked or too preoccupied to go to the gym. So on Sunday nights, I began checking my calendar to determine my business and social obligations for the week, then penned in when I planned to work out each day, literally making appointments with my body to exercise. And just like I faithfully stuck to the rest of my schedule, I never once canceled a workout. I made an appointment with myself.

Pro tip #6: Always be ready to work out.
As a professional athlete, competing and working out are always in the forefront of your mind. The rest of us have 28 million other things to think about, which means that we need to make exercising as convenient as possible. I joined a gym close to home, and being able to drive, run or bike there has proven effective in keeping me on a consistent schedule, regardless of the weather. For added motivation, I always keep a clean set of workout clothes in my car so I can head to the gym or the local park on a whim. (After all, if you don't go home first, you won't find excuses to stay home.) I also keep a stash of fitness gadgets in my closet, including a medicine ball, workout bands and a stability ball. These let me exercise my entire body and, because they're so different from what I usually do at the gym, I generally look forward to using them again. Plus, most of these items travel well, which allows me to workout when I'm on the road.

Pro tip #7: Great bodies think alike.
While being a pro athlete I had an entire organization looking after me— not to mention a paycheck — to motivate me to stay fit. In the real world, we have to find other sources of motivation: friends, family, even a local sports team. When you've entered into a pact with someone else, you're more likely to remain committed. Once you've found a workout partner, consider signing an agreement that outlines your fitness goals. Seeing your fitness dream written down on paper may give you the boost you need to achieve it.

Pro tip #8: Celebrate your successes.
When I was a pro, working out regularly and being in top shape was a given. These days, I feel an incredible sense of achievement whenever I complete an ordinary 40-minute workout. Sure it’s nothing compared to the super-intensive workout sessions I use to go through when I was competing but now I am happy that I am able to keep training for fitness and for health. You can give yourself little rewards here and there — as long as it's not junk food. Instead, splurge on a bouquet of flowers or a smoothie, or celebrate your successes with something bigger, such as a pedicure, a facial, a night out with friends or even a trip!

5 Signs That You're Doing it Right

Ever wonder just how effective your workout routine really is?

Maybe you saw great results when you first started to exercise, but now those results have come to a screeching halt.

Want to know why?

If the following 5 statements accurately describe your exercise routine, then fear not-you're doing it right. However, if the following 5 statements don't describe your exercise routine then listen up-there's no better time than now to rev up your routine.

1. You Make the Most of Each Move: Gone are the days when workouts lasted more than an hour and you had time to single out each muscle individually. These days time is of the essence, and compound movements deliver excellent results in less time than ever before.

Not sure if your routine includes compound movements? Any exercise that uses two or more joints is considered to be a compound movement. Squats and lunges are great examples. If you want to pack even more benefit into each move then try adding a shoulder press with your squats and a bicep curl with your lunges.

2. You Keep it Intense: Let's be honest, at one time or another you've spent time in the gym 'exercising' without ever breaking a sweat. Maybe you drifted from one machine to the next or joined an aerobics class for a few minutes, but the bottom line was that your heart wasn't into it.

Workouts that lack intensity are practically a waste of time. Your body craves a challenge, and you see the most results when you keep your intensity high. Keep your workouts concise and push yourself with each exercise.

3. You're Consistent: Anyone can have one great workout, but one workout won't translate into killer results-only consistency will do that for you. Exercise must be a part of your daily routine, plain and simple.

One of the best ways to stay consistent with your routine is to do your workout at the same time everyday. We are creatures of habit, so once your exercise schedule has been firmly set you'll find the process to be automatic, rather than an occasional afterthought.

4. You Seek a Challenge: Just like hairstyles, exercise routines quickly become outdated. That is why the best routines are dynamic, and the worst routines never change. How do you know when your routine needs to be updated?
You'll know how effective your routine is by the results, or lack there of, that you experience. If you feel that you are simply going through the motions then stop wondering about the effectiveness of your routine and start doing something new. I however think that basic exercises such as squats, curls, chest press, overhead press, etc... should be kept if you see results.


5. You're Having a Blast: Do you dread the very thought of going for a jog, but force yourself to do it simply because you've no other ideas for exercise? Stop right there. Exercise is an enjoyable activity, especially when you find the form that is best suited for your personal preferences.

If you don't like exercise there is a good chance that your technique needs help. I pride myself in showing my clients the fun side of exercise-yes, exercise is fun!

If your routine includes all of the above then congratulations – you are doing it right. You're consistent, you challenge yourself and you're seeing results. However, if your routine doesn't include the above, you now have the blueprints to do it right.

Small changes make a big difference

How many times have you told yourself that you need to lose weight?

I'm not talking about a couple pounds either – I'm talking about 20 or more pounds of extra fat that you'd like to see disappear.

I've come to notice a trend. Most people psyche themselves out before they ever start losing the weight. It's as if the enormity of their goal simply puts them into shut down mode, and they give up on the idea entirely.

Has this ever happened to you? You try out a diet or exercise plan for a week or so, and then you get frustrated when your body looks the same as before. So you give up.

Weight loss isn't a speedy thing. It takes time to gain weight – many people put on weight for years and then expect to lose it in a few weeks or months. It doesn't work that way.

So instead of pressuring yourself into losing 50 pounds in two months, how about sticking with a realistic, proven way for long term weight loss: Small changes to your lifestyle over time will make the difference.

In practical terms, make it your goal to drop one pound a week.

Now, this may not seem like that much, but if you did this consistently for one year it would result in 50 lbs lost. All it takes are small changes in your daily lifestyle. Let's break the process down...

How to shed a pound a week: Burn 3500 extra calories.

It really is that simple. Try the following three steps:
Record your normal weekly exercise – look at everything from walking to participating in sports to exercising in the gym. This is your starting point. You need to burn an additional 3500 calories on top of your normal weekly exercise. If you don't currently exercise, then this step is really easy for you, a simple blank page will do.

Record your normal weekly food intake – this may be hard to do honestly, but remember that you are only cheating yourself by not recording everything. Calculate the total number of calories that you eat in an average day. In your quest for dropping inches you shouldn't exceed your normal daily caloric intake – you should, rather, work at slowly decreasing that number. Remember, we are going for a 3500 calorie deficit each week – this can be done by a combination of increased calorie exertion (exercise) as well as a decrease in calories consumed (eating less).

Chart the difference - now that you know your starting point for both calorie exertion and calorie intake it is time to turn the tables in your favor. Take every opportunity to exert more calories by increasing your physical activity, and to decrease your calorie consumption by eating fewer calories and by making healthier selections. Record your progress in a notebook and refer back to it often. You will be surprised how encouraging it is to see your progress written down on paper.

Remember, if you burn up 500 calories a day you will drop a pound in a week.

Here are some practical ways to lose calories:

If you normally...Do this instead...
Drink regular soda pop...Drink water or diet soda pop (160 calories lost)
Eat a snack from a vending machine...Enjoy an apple (180 calories lost)
Hit the snooze button in the AM...Jog for 30 minutes before work (150 calories lost)
Skip your workout...Call me for an invigorating workout (changes your life!)


Weight loss doesn't have to be allusive. Make small changes each and every day toward a healthier, fitter you. Remember that small changes make a big difference.

I'm always available to help – call or reply to this email to set up your free coaching consultation.

Got Muscle Confusion?

A question that I am often asked by frustrated fitness enthusiasts is "Why have my results stopped? I am doing the same routine as before - what happened?"

This is a common place to end up, usually a few months after starting a new exercise routine. At first your body responds to your routine in lost pounds and gained muscle tone, then one day your results screech to a stop.

What happened? And, more importantly, what can you do about it?

You may have heard the saying, "When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best idea is to get off." This is the perfect analogy for your stale workout routine.

- The problem: Your body has adapted to your routine. Let's face it, when you can do your workout routine in your sleep it's time for something new.

- The Solution: It's time to shake things up, and to apply the concept of muscle confusion.

Muscle confusion means that you keep your body guessing by changing your routine. The following are great ways to do just that:

1- Exercises: When you know that your routine has lost its effectiveness the first obvious thing to change are the actual exercises. It is important to include every major muscle group in your routine, so be sure to exchange each exercise for one that works the same muscle group.

2- Resistance: Do you find yourself always reaching for the same dumbbells or placing the pin in the same notch of the weight stack? Change your weight as well as the number of repetitions performed. If you normally do 12-15 repetitions then increase the weight and do 6-8. The key is to challenge your muscles in a new way.

3- Equipment: There are so many different pieces of exercise equipment out there—don't limit your routine to just one type. If you love working with dumbbells but your routine has fallen flat, put them aside and try something new. A little creativity can really jump start your progress.

4- Style: So often the training style that we are first taught sticks with us forever. For you this may be the style of doing one set, taking a rest period, and then doing another set. Or maybe you have caught on to the circuit training style that keeps your heart rate elevated throughout the routine. Whatever your chosen style, be sure to change it once your routine ceases to produce results.

Now, don't worry, this doesn't mean that you need a brand new workout every day of the week. In fact, your body will take some time to adjust to each new workout, so it should be done for the appropriate amount of time before results start to slack off.

What is that ‘sweet spot' of time that each new routine should be used before moving on to the next? Well, the answer to that question is as unique as each person reading this.

For some this will mean a new routine every 4 weeks, and for others it will mean a new routine every 12 weeks. Typically the fitter you are the quicker your body will adapt to each new routine.

Muscle confusion plays a big part of the programs that I provide for my clients and it's one of the little secrets I use to deliver fast results.

When your body speaks, you need to listen!

Want to know more? Contact me today to get started on your own program aimed at weight loss success.