Turn your body into a fat burning machine by consuming the ONLY saturated fat that is healthy for you!

Coconut oil has a medium chain fatty acid that acts as pre-digested fatless fat.  That means your body won’t store it as fat and it will actually encourage your body to burn off extra fat deposits and calories throughout the day by increasing your core temperature.

There is a list of benefits associated with consuming coconut oil.  It is great for supporting thyroid function, your skin and heart health. You can cook with it or even apply it directly to your skin!

Coconut oil is also one of the main ingredients in the RW3 Skinny Mini shake at Lean & Green in La Jolla because it helps to turn your body into a fat burning machine throughout the day by maximizing your after-burn. You can find coconut oil at your local Whole Foods or Henrys.

For a little extra energy surge before your workouts, just mix a tablespoon of coconut oil with a glass of warm water!

Fueling your body with the right balance of food and drink before you work out will help you to maximize your results!

Before you work out, hydration is going to be very important. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends consuming 16-20oz of water one to two hours before you work out.

When it comes to food its especially important to consume carbohydrates before your workout. A good ratio to follow for your pre-workout snack or meal would be 70% carbohydrates, 15% proteins and 15% fats.

I would recommend Greek yogurt, a piece of fruit, some healthy trail mix or even a slice of whole grain sprouted bread with almond butter. They are all RW3 certified to be nutritious and delicious!

Post workout nutrition is so important, yet it is often overlooked.

The first thing you will want to do is replenish your body consuming 16-20oz of water for every pound you lose from rigorous activity.

Another important thing to remember is to make sure you get a meal in 60 minutes or less after your workout! A post recovery shake or meal should be 300-500 calories.  I would recommend a piece of fish or a grilled chicken breast, mixed vegetables or brown rice. I also like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain sprouted Ezekiel bread.

If you are looking to consume what I have been making in my kitchen for years, head over to Lean & Green in La Jolla and ask for my RW3 Skinny Mini and RW3 Supershake! The Skinny Mini is perfect for increasing your after-burn to help you burn calories all day long and the Supershake tastes like a candy bar, but it’s the perfect synergistic blend of nutrients for your post workout dietary needs.

If you have any questions or recommendations for post-workout nutrition, check out the forum on RW3Fitness.com!

Ray brings you his TRX Ab Circuit.. get those flat abs fast!

Should you be avoiding carbohydrates and potatoes?

Well despite what all the diet myths are saying, it’s not about avoiding carbohydrates, it’s all about consuming the right carbohydrates at the right time. Nutrient timing is everything!

Make sure to consume carbs before 6 p.m.  Mixed vegetables are a great source of carbohydrates! If you are going to consume breads, make sure you stay away from refined white bread and consume a whole grain sprouted bread where you actually get all the vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Some recommendations I have are Julian’s Bakery Protein Multi-Grain Bread or Ezekiel’s Sprouted Bread.

If you are going to have potatoes, try a sweet potato!  They taste really good and they are packed with anti-oxidants, vitamin C and beta carotene.

Ray brings you his Skinny Legs Workout.

These three exercises can be done anywhere and will help tone your legs without adding unwanted bulk!

Ray and the Play-by-Play model team take you through his bikini body burner workout. Two circuits, one great result:

Ray shares top 3 moves for busting through your plateaus to build a bigger chest!

Ray has a simple routine to tone your triceps and keep you from getting flabby arms!