From 173 to 166 in just 3 weeks! Here is how I did it!

 After winning my last tournament, I decided to move from middle weight to light weight.  I was already weighing in at the bottom of the middle weight class without even watching what I eat. So I thought, if I just ate more sensibly, I could make lightweight no problem. I was right! I made a few adjustments and I hit my goal weight just a few weeks later. Here are a few tips that can help you in shedding unwanted pounds.

1. Drink nothing but water or unsweetened tea.  I know we all crave these sugary drinks, but they just go straight to your gut. Eliminating sugary juices and sodas can do wonders for your waist line.
2. Switch to white meat only. Eating lean chicken, fish and turkey can make a huge difference in your diet. You can even feel the difference when you do not have the heavier, harder to digest meat in your stomach.
3. Reduce your carbohydrate intake.  This means, no white bread, pasta, potatoes and rice.  I use Ezekiel bread for sandwiches and what not. You can purchase this at Trader Joes.  I also use quinoa as a rice substitute. Quinoa is similar in texture and can be used in stir fry’s, salads and a lot more.
4. Workout twice a day.  One of the most common questions I get as a trainer is, “what is the quickest way to lose weight and get in shape.” I say, train twice a day.  This means a morning workout and an evening workout. Try a walk or run in the morning and a kettlebell workout in the evening. Training in the morning kick starts your metabolism so you are burning calories throughout the day. Training twice a day ensures that your metabolism is running at its optimum rate.
5. Do an ab workout at least once a day.  Our waist line is probably the most stubborn of all body parts.  For me, I have always gotten the best results when hitting them on a daily basis. You can use the easy to follow ab pyramid format that is on my latest dvd, Kettle-Jitsu Revolution for great results. That is basically what I follow and as you can see in the enclosed picture, I have gotten great results!
6. Eat more often. I really believe in eating up to 6 small meals a day.  Do not skip meals.  I like to take small packs of mixed nut and berries(I get them from trader joe’s) for snacks. They are packed with protein and make you feel full.  Try eating every 3 hours or so and make sure there is protein in every meal.
7. Increase your vegetable intake.  Broccoli, spinach and squash have been a staple in my diet.  Its quick and easy to make as well.  Just toss some veggies in a pan with some butter or olive oil, add some garlic and finish it off with some parmesan cheese and use ad a side dish for one of your meals

There you have it! 7 easy tips to help you shed some pounds.  Try it for yourself!

Check out the KB Strength and conditioning 8 week kettlebell and body weight training program!  With this program Joey shed 20 pounds in 2 months and won his first world title as black belt!  Includes the 15 guidelines to rapid fat loss!  Check it out in our store here!  Kettlejitsu Store

South West Quinoa Bowl

The last 2 years or so, I have been training more consistently than ever. I have been competing up to 3 times a month now. To compete with these lions, you have to be on point. Recently I fought and won the L.A. International tournament. I weighed in wearing my gi, with my sandals on and a bottle of water in my hand. I weight 175. I was like “ wow, im really light.” The weight limit for middle is 182. So Im fighting a lot of guys who are cutting from a heavier weight. Although Im having a lot of success in this division, a fighter should always fight at the lowest weight possible. So I decided to move down a weight class.  I figure, right now I don’t even watch what I eat and Im super light and fit. If I eat right, I could drop this weight easily.

So now I have embarked on my eating healthy journey.  Eating healthy means: preparing your own meals. So I have been compiling recipes from friends and creating some myself.  Quinoa has become a staple because it is so versatile.  We all know the quinoa is good for you so I wont babble on about why it is. But, I will share with you this recipe for Southwest Quinoa salad! Im Mexican/American, so this is right up my alley. Its like mexico in a bowl! Lol Its super simple! Here are the ingredients:

Quinoa

Chicken/vegetable broth

Onions

corn

Jalapeno

Tomatoes

Black Beans

Cilantro

Chicken

Salt, pepper, garlic, cumin

Lemon lime

avocado

Directions: Cook quinoa according to directions. It takes about 6 minutes to cook it in a microwave.  Use broth instead of water.  Quinoa is pretty bland. Using broth enhances the flavor tremendously.

You can make this a veggie bowl as well. But, I have been using chicken.  So if you add meat, cook and season it to your taste

Dice up all of the veggies. If you don’t like heat, don’t add jalapeno. But essentially you are making a “pico de gallo.” This is a a type of salsa typically used in Mexican cooking.  Add the tomato, onions, jalapenos in a bowl with the quinoa. Add the lime and seasoning to taste. Cumin is key for me. It is one of those definitive seasonings in Mexican cuisine.  Add the meat and beans to the mixture and toss lightly.  Cube the avocado and add it on top! There you have it! South West Quinoa bowl! Enjoy!