Home Fitness Workouts

Prepare To Exercise Your Way To The Ski Slopes

2008-09-24T21:58:00.001-07:00

You wake up out of bed one December morning, turn on the television, only to find out your favorite ski resort is being belted with 2 feet of fresh power. Up until today, the resort didn't have enough snow for you to even consider making a road trip. However, now it is time to get into the ski mood. The next step is a visit to the ski store to get new skies, boots, and clothes.

But wait! Have you prepared your body physically for the demands of skiing? Many ski enthusiast get fired up at first snow fall to get all the proper equipment, but fail to prepare their bodies from a physical exercise standpoint.

The most common mistake skiers of all ages make is they fail to prepare their bodies for skiing. It is similar to the weekend warrior, forty year old, athlete who thinks they can play like a twenty year old.

Preparing your ski equipment is one thing, but getting ready physically to ski is the most important thing. Here are some tips to help you get ready to attack the slopes, and decrease your chances of injury.

First off, the best way to exercise or train for skiing is to ski. However, if you don't live close to a resort, you must properly design an exercise program that will prepare your muscles for such a vigorous event.

Listed below is a skiers fitness plan checklist.

1. Plan Ahead - Even though you should already be on a year long exercise plan, it is imperative that your fitness program starts 3 months prior to the ski season.

2. Incorporate All Components - Make sure your program involves strength training, cardiovascular training, and flexibility. All components are important for skiing.

If you need more information on how to design a fitness program visit WellnessWord.com and subscribe to the zero cost email course.

3. Focus On Your Legs - Your quadriceps, or thighs take quit a pounding on the ski slopes. Make sure you do such exercises as leg press, leg squats, isometric wall sets, hamstrings curls, abduction/adduction exercises, and calves. I like to utilize the superset method of going from one exercise to another without rest to simulate the duration of a ski run. The goal is to get your quads to feel the burn. Exercise biking is another great ski training method. Put the intensity level up as high as you can go for the duration of a ski run, and pedal away.

Please Note: Each exercise program is specialized due to specific, individualized medical history. Always consult your doctor, and exercise professional prior to starting a program.

4. Work Your Core Muscles- It is important to exercise and fatigue the lower back, abdominals, hip flexors, psoas, and gluteus muscles.By doing so will help improve your stamina and overall balance.

5. Upper Body - Don't forget your upper body. Work all the major muscle groups to prevent upper body fatigue while skiing.

6. Start Slowly and Build - Begin your skiing fitness program slowly, and try to increase the intensity and/or duration with each consecutive session.

Also Note: The first day of the skiing don't do your maximum duration - build up to it. Be smart about it!

7. Stay Consistent - The key to an effective ski fitness program is to stay consistent, week in and week out, at least three months prior to the season.

In my consulting practice, I work with skiers up to 80 years old. They follow these same principles I have listed above and always come back ranting and raving about how strong they felt.

Plan ahead, prepare by following a ski specific fitness program prior to hitting this years ski slopes. it will decease your chances of injury, and increase your chances of having a good old time.

Skiers who prefer to train for skiing at home should visit www.HomeGymMistakes.com to pick up a complimentary consumer protection guide.

*** Attention: Ezine Editors / Website Owners *** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine, Blog, Autoresponder,or on your website as long as the links, and resource box are not altered in any way.

Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist / The Fitness Promoter
9461 Charleville Blvd. #312
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
1-866-935-5967

Jim O'Connor, Beverly Hills celebrity fitness consultant, has conducted thousands of personal fitness consultations with celebrities, business executives, and highly motivated individuals throughout Los Angeles. He is the Chief Exercise Physiologist for Wellness WORD, LLC, a health, fitness, and nutrition promotion company. Jim is the author of a well known, world wide multimedia newsletter called Wellness WORD, published online every other week promoting the health and fitness truth. He also is the author of a popular ebook called Home Gym Shopping Secrets. Get The Wellness WORD Multimedia Newsletter delivered every other week for NO CHARGE to your inbox, and find out what the neat multimedia tricks Jim uses. For access click http://www.WellnessWord.com

Life Fitness Treadmill a Great Piece of Exercise Equipment for Users

2008-09-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

Life Fitness treadmills have been designed in such a way that they fit well in almost any home. Not only that, but Life Fitness treadmills are also priced to be affordable for most of the people looking for a treadmill and they have all the features that they need in order to get a good workout without having to travel anywhere.

Life Fitness treadmills are being used by numerous world champion athletes, top athletes, military personnel and health club members.

Life Fitness offers two Life Fitness treadmill lines: Life Fitness Cardio and Life Fitness Sport Cardio. There are seven different Life Fitness treadmill options in the first line (T3, T3i, T5, T5i, T7, and T9i/e) and two in the second line.

Life Fitness offers the T-series as a direct descendant of its commercial model series, starting with the standard quality T3, their 'benchmark' value model, and topping out with the Life Fitness T9i, recommended by Health Magazine.

Basic treadmills are included in the T3 series of Life Fitness treadmill models. There are two choices in this category viz the T3 and the T3i. Both of these Life Fitness treadmill models offer a large number of features including classic workouts (hill, random, manual), sport training workouts (sport training, 5K sport training, 10K sport training) and EZ Incline TM workouts. Display options on the T3 and T3i models of Life Fitness treadmill include display of elapsed time, distance, speed, incline, heart rate, calories per hour and calories burnt.

Both Life Fitness treadmill models can accommodate speeds up to 10 miles per hour and an incline of 15%. The T3i Life Fitness treadmill includes heart features including Polar Telemetry? and heart rate zone training workouts (cardio, fat burn, heart rate hill, heart rate interval and extreme heart rate). Life Fitness treadmills in the T3 series consist of a 2.5HP motor and supports inclination up to 15%.

Life Fitness treadmills in the T5 series are meant for competitive running. The main difference between a Life Fitness treadmill in the T3 series and the T5 series is that those in the T5 series are capable of speeds up to 12 miles per hour.

The Life Fitness T5 treadmill provides a wide & long walking area and a powerful drive motor. It has a few less programs and a simpler display than the T5i but features the same durable construction throughout.

A Life Fitness treadmill from the T7 line, adds daily training workouts to the package (30-minute walk, 3-mile jog, 45-minute cross-train) and customizable workouts.

Finally, the T9 series of Life Fitness treadmill models additional customizable workouts, speed interval training, pace mode, calories goal, distance goal, and time in zone goal, as well as Life Pulse TM digital heart rate monitoring. The Life Fitness T9i treadmill bears up to 400 pounds weight and features a 5/8 inch 60 x 20 inch belt with cushioned deck, 3.5 inch roller and 4.0HP motor. This treadmill series offers a top speed of 12 MPH, inclines up to 15% and provides readouts/feedbacks. It also provides 16 preset programs as well as six custom memory slots for personal workouts and it monitors heart rate through Ergo hand sensors and a wireless chest strap.

The warranty period on Life Fitness treadmill models is impressive. Life Fitness treadmill provides lifetime warranty on frame and shock absorbers, fifteen years warranty on the motor, three years warranty on electrical and mechanical parts and one year warranty on labor. The Life Fitness T9 treadmill series provides a lifetime warranty on the motor and ten years warranty on electrical and mechanical parts.

A Life Fitness treadmill can get users well on their way to fitness. With the wide variety of workout options available, even on their basic models, users will never be bored. If users are keeping a close eye on their cardiovascular fitness, the heart monitoring available on a Life Fitness treadmill can?t be bet.

A Life Fitness treadmill might be the best treadmill choice for users. If users are going to use a Life Fitness treadmill, they should make sure that they know what they are doing before using it. Users should always make sure that they are very comfortable walking on their Life Fitness treadmill device before they decide to start running. This is always the case no matter what model or style of Life Fitness treadmill they own.

Before buying a Life Fitness treadmill model users should take a look at the different features that are offered with the treadmill model. Users should make sure that the treadmill motor has a high continuous duty rating and has a long warranty.

Life Fitness treadmills have an excellent life span. Some of the popular discount Life Fitness treadmills are model numbers 5500, 8500 and T3i. No matter how strenuous workouts users desire (use of hand weights to tone arms and body while walking/running on the treadmill), Life Fitness treadmills are a great piece of exercise equipment.

Pizza French Fries Beer and Other Diet Foods

2008-09-23T05:59:00.001-07:00

Now this is the real American Dream! I?m here to let you know that it is totally possible to lose all the fat you want while eating nothing but junk food. The only hitch is that all the fat you want to lose is going to have to be zero!

Here are some tongue-in-cheek (or burger-in-belly) suggestions for how you can turn even the greasiest, sugariest, most overprocessed calorie bomb into lean, mean diet food.

How is this done? Here?s a hint: it?s all in how you choose to look at the food...

Eat donuts instead of solid pastries. You will be saving a tremendous number of calories by eating something with a hole in the middle. You can save upwards of 3 to 5 calories per pastry by doing this. That means if you eat 10 donuts, you?ve saved yourself almost 50 calories! Besides, everyone knows nuts are good for you...

French fries can help prevent heart attacks. It is a fact that French people suffer fewer heart attacks and have lower rates of heart disease. French fries are obviously from France, therefore it naturally follows that French fries can prevent heart disease.

Pizza is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. There are many reasons for this:

The bleached flour in the crust sucks up all the grease that drips down from the toppings, trapping it so you don?t see it while you?re eating. If you don?t see it when you eat it, it has no calories.
It?s round (stay with me here). Because square-shaped foods have corners, they contain a lot more calories than round foods. To save even more calories, cut a hole in the center of the pizza (refer back to #1 for full details).
The cheese on the pizza is loaded with calcium - even more than the Tums you?re going to need after eating the whole thing.
You can easily reduce your servings without sacrificing enjoyment. Instead of cutting the pizza into 8 slices, try cutting it into only 4. You?ve just eaten HALF the number of slices you ate before! Imagine how many calories you?ll save by doing that!
Vegetables covered in grease are still vegetables. Never mind that all the nutrition has been baked out of them, you?re still getting you?re recommended daily servings of veggies.
There is plenty of fiber in the paper that?s stuck to the bottom of the pizza. Don?t be afraid of it.

Beer is the absolute best beverage you can drink when you?re watching your waistline. It helps to put it right out there in front you where you can see it.

Look for foods that have air bubbles in them. Examples include chocolate bars, Twinkies (after you suck the cream filling out), soda pop, sponge cake, and cheese puffs. As you know, air has no calories. Look at these foods as the wrapping for a low-calorie, low-fat serving of air.

Putting ketchup on anything makes it healthy. Think about it. You?re getting your vegetables in a concentrated paste. It?s like stepping into the future... today!!

Here are a number of delicious, zero-calorie foods you may not be aware of:

Anything eaten while standing has zero calories.
Anything eaten off somebody else?s plate has zero calories.
Food sampled for tasting purposes during preparation has no calories.
Food sneaked from someone after you distract them is also calorie-free.
Anything eaten after the expiration date contains no calories.

Eating ice cream can actually help you burn an enormous amount of calories. The key to this lies in its temperature.

Ice cream is very cold. When you eat ice cream, your body must expend energy (a.k.a. calories) to warm it up to your internal body temperature.

When you work through the scientific formulas for heat conversion, you can see you will end up expending approximately 6,000 calories to heat up a small dish of ice cream to body temperature. Drinking ice cold beer with your ice cream amplifies this effect.

These diet tips should have you well on your way towards effectively peeling off pounds of unsightly fat.

Think of me next time you?re eating a pizza with french fries and ketchup on top, dunking your donuts in a glass of cold beer, and shoving down Twinkies (with the filling sucked out) mashed into a dish of nice cold ice cream!

DISCLAIMER: The preceding information is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. If you feel the urge to take any of this information seriously, please lie down until the feeling goes away. Thank you.

About The Author

Nick Nilsson is Vice President of BetterU, Inc., an online exercise, fitness, and personal training company. Check out his latest eBook The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of at http://www.thebestexercises.com or visit http://www.fitstep.com. You can contact him at betteru@fitstep.com or subscribe to BetterU News, his fitness newsletter at betterunews@fitstep.com.

Atkins & LowCarb Part 2

2008-09-22T09:59:00.001-07:00

In our last article we talked about the low-carb diet, and whether or not we can stick with it for life. In this installment we're still going to talk about carb control, but from a slightly different perspective. Let's take a look at WHO is endorsing which diet plan, and what is their motivation?

Without a doubt, the most popular low-carb plan is the Atkins diet. Atkins is the fuel in the rocket, so to speak, that has put the low-carb phenomenon into orbit. Prior to Atkins, few (if any) of us had considered low-carbing as a weight loss plan. Of course, carb control as a concept existed long before Atkins; we called it the glycemic index!

Since the birth of the Atkins plan, many have followed. The South Beach Diet is probably the most successful derivative of Atkins. South Beach teaches a more balanced approach to carb-control eating, pointing out the difference between good carbs and bad carbs. Yes, there is a difference! South Beach doesn't advocate eliminating ALL carbohydrates from your diet, just some.

Along with these two low-carb heavy-hitters, there are hundreds (even thousands?) of companies out there making a living off the low-carb mania. There's even a new magazine dedicated to low-carb living. Should we believe what THEY say? Why or why not?

What do all of these people and/or organizations have in common? Well, most of them are trying to sell us something. Atkins, of course, has books and a growing line of food products. The South Beach folks are following that retail receipe for success as quickly as they can. Just because they're making money off the low-carb diet, does that automatically discredit what they're saying? Of course not! But, it should be enough to make us dig a little deeper, to seek out more facts.

How about the federal government.....one of the reasons we have a government is to protect us from fraudulent claims and give us the TRUTH. Right? Well, hold on a minute: for decades the government has told us that a high-carbohydrate diet is the sure road to weight management (remember the old version of the food pyramid?). Now, all of a sudden, we're not so sure about that.

So in whom do we place our trust? On the one hand, most of us DO trust the FDA to give us the straight-scoop about health and nutrition, so we should have 6-11 servings of carbohydrates per day. On the other hand, most of us know someone who has lost 25-50 pounds on a low-carb diet. Who's right? Who do we trust?

True fitness experts will encourage you to trust the most unbiased source available: YOUR DOCTOR. Not only will your doctor have the most knowledge to answer your questions, but perhaps more importantly your doctor HAS NO VESTED INTEREST IN PUSHING ANY PARTICULAR DIETARY PLAN.

Think about it. If you're planning to buy a new car, who's word are you going to trust more: the car salesman or the automotive expert at Consumer Reports? The car salesman has a vested interest in what you hear, while the Consumer Reports expert (probably) doesn't care what kind of car you buy!

Many of us seek out fair, impartial resources when we're making a major purchase (car, boat, house, etc.). SHOULDN'T WE DO THE SAME WHEN WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR OWN BODY?!?!?!

Please understand that we're NOT saying you should ignore everything from low-carb promoters. We're not saying that at all. Companies and corporations play an important role in educating the public. What we are saying, however, is that it's critical to consult with your physician before starting on the low-carb diet.....or on ANY diet for that matter. As we discussed in the last article in this series, low-carb plans are not right for everyone. Your doctor is in the best position to tell if it's right for you.

Once again, we must include a reminder to EXERCISE! No matter what nutritional approach you take, ALL of the experts recommend that you exercise on a regular basis. Think about it: there are hundreds of diet plans out there in the world today, and many of them offer conflicting information, BUT THE ONE THING THAT THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT THEY STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXERCISE. So although the experts may disagree on what you should eat, they do agree on what you should do: exercise!

* Copyright 2005 Pick Up The Pace. Permission is not required for the distribution of Pick Up The Pace articles as long as they are used in their entirety, are properly credited to Pick Up The Pace, and are accompanied by our website link: www.letspickupthepace.com.

* The information in this article and on this site is for general reference purposes only and not intended to address specific medical conditions. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Prior to participating in any exercise program or activity, you should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional. No information in this article or on www.letspickupthepace.com should be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition.

Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women, focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit http://www.letspickupthepace.com for more information.

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #36

2008-09-21T14:00:00.001-07:00

We all have those people who we connect with on a higher level. As you know, Wayne Dyer is my spiritual mentor who helps me stay in that higher level of consciousness. His messages resonate with me and I am so grateful that he is in my life.

With this said, I had a clear message that I was supposed to watch his DVD on the Power of Intention. I?ve watched it from time to time since I received it about a year and half ago. This Divine message was clear: Watch it daily! So for the past two weeks I have watched it during my morning exercise routine. You know how we have to listen to something over and over, and over some more before we begin to fully appreciate the message.

What has happened to me as a result of this Dyer Marathon?

I thought I was already a very calm person, but now I am even more at peace. I?m learning to manifest love for myself and connect to God in an even greater way that I could ever imagine. Each day, each moment I get to practice staying connected. What an incredible gift!

Here?s a message from the DVD I would like to share with you. When you squeeze an orange, what comes out? Orange juice, of course. It has nothing to do with the person who is squeezing the orange that is producing the orange juice. This is what is already inside. Right?

Likewise when someone squeezes us by saying something negative and out of us comes a negative emotion such as hatred, then that?s what is inside of us. It isn?t the person who is doing the squeezing that is producing the negative emotion; it is what is already inside of us. Right? Great message, isn?t it?

What do you have inside?

When you stay connected to God, you stay connected to the Divinity that is within you. Love yourself first and then love will ooze out of you. Wayne Dyer?s message is clear in this regard as well. You can?t give away what you don?t already have for yourself.

Watch what comes out of you. If you have negative stuff oozing from you, then stop. Be still. Grab something that will clean off that connection to God. What are some of those powerful cleansers? Meditation, EFT, affirmations, gratitude, deep breathing, spiritual books, Wayne Dyer?s DVD, taking a walk.

Love yourself and watch the pounds disappear because you will attract everything that will ooze being healthy. All because you loved yourself first.

Remember: You are enough! You do deserve! You are God?s gift to the world!

If you are in need of an energy session in order to clean some of your layers, I am available.

Love and hugs,

Tami

********************************************
Helping people fall in love?.with themselves
Tami Close
Weight Loss Consultant
2916 N.W. Bucklin Hill Rd. #291
Silverdale, WA 98383
360-792-2209
http://www.tamiclose.com

Tami Close helps people fall in love?with themselves. She is a weight loss consultant and uses an integrative method, including cleansing and nutritional products from Isagenix, in her weight balancing program. She is certified in healing modalities (Rapid Eye Technology and Emotional Freedom Techniques) to assist people in releasing their negative emotions to help them change their behavior. Tami is a recipient of a grant from the Sumasil Grant Foundation in her work with RET and EFT. She is a master trainer and has a B.S. in Training and Development. She is a #1 best selling co-author with Mark Victor Hansen, Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra, Wake Up...Live the Life You Love Finding Personal Freedom. She has also written an e-book, Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss, along with other e-books. http://www.tamiclose.com http://www.closekeptsecrets.com

Do You Know Why Exercise Doesn't Help You Lose Weight?

2008-09-20T17:59:00.001-07:00

So you finally decide to lose that extra weight. You diet. You exercise. And nothing happens. What is going on?

If there is anything worse than being overweight it is being overweight, deciding to do something about it, trying to take it off, and failing.

It ought to be easier than it is. You diet. You exercise. It ought to work. But sometimes the weight doesn?t come off. There is nothing more frustrating.

So what is the problem? Scientists from West Virginia University have given us an important clue. They studied the effect of exercise on body fat. (The effects of exercise intensity on body composition, weight loss, and dietary composition in women. J Am Coll Nutr. 1997 Feb;16(1):68-73.)

They had two groups of women. One group exercised with low intensity, and the other group exercised with high intensity. The researchers didn?t try to change the diet in any way.

What they found was quite interesting. The high intensity group lost body fat. The other group did not, even though they exercised.

Not only that, but the high intensity exercise group lowered their intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. They did it on their own; there were not any recommendations made regarding diet. They ate what they wanted, but after high intensity exercise they had less of an appetite for fatty foods.

Now, the overall body weight didn?t change, but they lost body fat. So what happened? They lost fat and replaced it with muscle.

The result of losing body fat and gaining muscle in women, and in men, is a better figure, a more attractive body. Your clothes fit better. You look better at the beach. You are more fit, so you are healthier and more attractive.

High intensity exercise is the key to getting fit, taking off fat, and developing a diet that you can stick with.

There is one other thing to keep in mind, however. High intensity exercise does not mean that you throw yourself into your exercise full force. For example, don?t try sprinting or heavy weights unless you are a trained athlete. You won?t be able to do it and you can hurt yourself. But just as importantly, it is not necessary.

You don?t need to overdo it when you exercise. You just need to do a little more than you did last week. You just need to increase the intensity a little.

If you are out of shape, high intensity exercise for you may be a slow walk. That?s fine. Start wherever you are and build up.

But it won?t be a slow walk forever, and that is where most people fall down. If you are doing the same exercise you did last year, or even last month, you are cheating yourself. You will not see the fat loss you want, you will tend to be hungry a lot, and your weight will not likely budge.

High intensity exercise is the key. You will lose fat and automatically improve your diet without going hungry. And you will be on the road to having the body you always wanted.

Dan Curtis, M.D. is an author, lecturer, and university professor. He is the author of Dr. Dan?s Super Weight Loss Plan. Sign up for his free newsletter: Dr. Dan?s Super Weight Loss Tips, Tricks and Secrets. Click here-- http://www.superweightlossplan.com/newsletter/

Is Your Weight Loss Diet Weighing You Down?

2008-09-20T04:58:00.001-07:00

Americans spend billions upon billions of dollars every year trying to get in shape. We try weight loss diet after weight loss diet, only to fail miserably, or lose a little and then gain it back once we stop the diet. We've all heard the advice that diets don't work, but what DOES work? Is there really a healthy weight loss diet we can start today and stay on-- reasonably--forever?

There is no simple answer to this question. There is so much confusing research and so many conflicting studies that people don't know where to turn. Every book that comes out claims to contain the latest and greatest weight loss diet. Every guru you see on TV says they have the secret. But it seems that every time you try something new, you end up disappointed.

So, when you need a weight loss diet, what should you look for? There are a few basic principles that everyone should keep in mind when searching for a weight loss diet. Let's mention them briefly.

First, many experts would probably agree that the solution to America's weight problem can be summed up in one phrase: calories in, calories out. Speaking strictly about weight loss (not necessarily about health), in order to lose weight you must burn off more calories than you consume. Every pound equates to 3500 calories. So even if you consume 2000 calories every day, if you don't burn off 2000 or more, you'll gain weight. If you consume 1500 calories and burn off 2000, you'll lose weight. It sounds simple, but as anyone who's ever tried (and failed) to lose weight can tell you, it isn't that easy! People have varying opinions on how your weight loss diet should go about achieving the proper calories in / calories out ratio, but calories certainly do matter when you're on a weight loss diet.

Second, look for something that makes good nutritional sense to you. A weight loss diet that promises a 10-pound loss in a weekend might sound great, but if you achieve that loss by consuming only some special juice or lemon water for three days, you're probably smart to give that program the heave-ho. A good weight loss diet will allow you to consume fewer calories without losing vital nutrients or risking your health. And any weight loss diet that works that quickly and requires such drastic measures will likely result in weight GAIN over the long haul.

Third, any weight loss diet or program you go on should encourage exercise. If they tell you that exercise is not required, they're not looking out for your health. Even when you're not on a weight loss diet or trying to get into shape, exercise is good for you and beneficial in too many ways to count. Some exercise, even a little, is better than none at all. Any weight loss diet that encourages or promises substantial, healthy weight loss without exercise is better left alone.

Basically, look for a program that isn't too extreme. You need a weight loss diet that you can stick with--at least most of the time. Beware those lofty promises of miraculous losses, all while eating ice cream and sitting on the couch. A weight loss diet that's worth trying will require some work. It will ask you to make some modifications to your current lifestyle, but without sacrificing your health.

Copyright Troy Francis. Please, feel free to republished this article. We only ask that you leave the resource box and link. You can see more great articles on Weight Loss, Diet, Exercise, Health and much more by going to: http://www.Exercise-Diet.com/

Workout Clothes For Your Home Fitness Exercise

2008-09-20T04:48:00.001-07:00

When it comes to working out, a lot of folks just throw on something lying around and then get started, but did you know that the kind of clothes you wear when exercising can play a large role in how comfortable you feel? Actually by wearing the right workout clothes and apparel you can enjoy your exercise routine more, and be more apt to actually stay with it, so let's discuss some workout clothes that you ought to consider:

* Just regular cotton T-shirts are fine for wicking moisture away from your skin but they do little to keep you ventilated properly in the process and so you may feel an overheated sensation while working out. Some of the new workout shirt fabrics that have been released lately remove moisture and help keep you cool at the same time, so look for apparel that advertises this feature.

* With pants and shorts it's good to have a stretchable waistband that does not hinder your activity in any way. It's also important to have fabric that removes skin moisture here too. As far as shorts are concerned, be sure that they are long enough to prevent rubbing of the thighs and chafing as you go through your exercise routine.

* Sports bras can be very helpful for women while they exercise. Again the material used should be good at removing moisture from your skin, but a sports bra should also provide comfort and support without digging in and feeling uncomfortable. Lately sports bra manufacturers have been making half sizes that help make an even better fit for many women and they also are making good quality bras that help larger breasted women as they exercise too.

* Having the right socks can contribute a lot toward feeling comfortable in a workout session. Your feet are almost always in active movement when you are exercising and if you don't wear good socks you can easily irritate your feet and maybe even blister them from the activity. Socks also provide another little layer of shock absorption for your feet, so they are a very important part of your overall workout wardrobe.

* The shoes you wear are an important choice too. Your feet need good support as they are going through intense activity and if you don't wear shoes that provide that support, you may find yourself sidelined with injuries before too long. Avoid that by getting a good set of shoes, perhaps cross-trainers that will provide solid all around foot support.

Having the right workout clothes and apparel on when you are exercising shows that you are serious about your commitment to a healthier way of life and it will reward you with better and more comfortable workout sessions.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including fitness. You can find the best fitness equipment and learn about home fitness workouts by visiting our Home Fitness website.

Weight Loss & Low Body Fat High Calorie Burning Techniques During Workouts!

2008-09-18T06:00:00.001-07:00

My name is Greg Ryan. I am a fitness expert, professional bodybuilder, personal, trainer to movie stars, and former employee of Kathy Smith. For twenty years I have been able to continually make progress and keep my body fat below normal. I accredit this to being able to work smarter than most not harder.

No matter what your goals are, or how old you may be the objective is to lower your body fat levels. Here are some workout tips to maintain high intensity during your workouts.

1.Maintain a consistent flow to your workouts from start to finish.

2.Set a time frame to your total workout.

3.Always monitor your heart rate zone during cardio workouts.

4.Do not spend over 90 seconds between weight training sets.

5.Drink water during the workout.

6.Go over your workout in your head prior to the workout session.

7.Never do the same workout twice in a row.

8.Alternate your rep ranges during your weight training sessions.

9.Eat with in two hours after a hard workout.

10.Eat adequate amounts of protein in your diet.

11.Eat a piece of fruit prior to working out.

It does not matter if you are a general fitness buff or a seasoned bodybuilder your body fat levels are very important. My opinion is that, the best indicator of progress is your low body fat levels not the scale, bench press or bicep numbers.

START LOSING WEIGHT THE RIGHT WAY FOR GOOD TODAY! FREE MINI COURSE click here http://www.resolutions.bz. Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting that the doctor?s DON?T want you to know. Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith, and high profile fitness expert.

Can The PayDay Diet Work For You?

2008-09-17T09:59:00.001-07:00

To see if The PayDay Diet is right for you, please answer the following questions.

1. Would you agree that the reason Diets Fail is not because of the Diet, but because of Lack of WillPower?

2. Would you agree that most everyone knows HOW to lose weight?

3. Are you more likely to stick to a diet if you have something motivating you, like a trip, or reunion or wedding?

4. Do you think if properly motivated you could lose 1-2 Pounds Per Week?

5. When you first start a Diet are you willing to do just about anything to succeed?

~~~~

Did You Answer YES to All the Above? If so, you can Succeed on The PAYDAY Diet.

When I tell you how the Diet works, you?re going to be surprised? but you?ll also know instantly I?m on to something.

There are a few ways to do the Diet? you just need to choose the right motivation for you.

EXAMPLE #1

I use to work part-time for my Father?s Law Firm and he was on me to lose weight? So what did I do?

I made a contract with him that I would lose ONE POUND by each PayDay?OR?. he keeps my PayCheck until I do.

I got paid every Wednesday? The following Wednesday I had to be ONE POUND lighter than the prior Wednesday? OR he holds my check until the next PayDay? and by then I have to be TWO POUNDS lighter.

It?s Cumulative, I had to Lose 4 Pounds Each Month. If I didn?t, I didn?t get Paid.

The Contract was Over When I Reached My Goal Weight of 215 Pounds!

What Does This Take? It takes 5 Minutes of WillPower to Make The Deal.. Once you do.. The Motivation Never Fades!!!

If you don?t have a close relationship with your Employer, or an Employer than there?s lots of other ways to make PAYDAY Diet Work For You.

EXAMPLE #2

Make the Contract with your Spouse or Roommate and Have Them Hold Your PayChecks or something very precious to you.

EXAMPLE #3

If you have a Gym Membership ask the Gym Manager or someone you trust at the Gym to Help You. Put 4 Crisp 100 Bills into an envelope and write four goal weights for the next four months on the envelope..

As you hit the goal weights, get the Person to give you $100 bill for each goal. Buy some merchandise from the Gym as a thank you.. Many More Motivation Examples Coming? Our Members will have lots of ideas..

GET STARTED LOSING WITH ?WWW?

WWW not only stands for World Wide Web, but there?s an old movie called ?It?s a Wide, Wide World?, and it?s a fact that Millions of us our getting Wider every year?

Coincidentally, I call my own personal plan to kickstart a healthier lifestyle the WWW Plan.

These are just simple things that should enable you to lose 1-2 Pounds a week? If you?re online you see WWW Constantly and it will help remind you to do these things.

[W = Water Drink at least eight glasses of Water a day!

It will do the following: regulates your appetite, increases your metabolism, boost your energy levels, alleviates some headaches, helps to reduce blood pressure and high cholesterol, eases joint pain, releases toxic waste products, improves skin and much more.

[W = Walking

Start Walking - Try to Average 15 to 30 Minutes a Day. Try to build up to a brisk pace over time. Walking burns calories, increases your metabolism, increases blood flow and circulation, improves your sleep.

[W = Weights

Get Some light hand weights, 3-10 Pounds. Keep them next to computer or favorite TV Chair and during commercials or work breaks do a variety of exercises with them.. You know what to do? Bring the 3 Pounders on a walk with you and see what a difference it makes.

[W = WillPower Lack of WillPower is why diets Fail?.

Think of how easy it is to lose weight for a Trip, Wedding, or Reunion?. Do the PAYDAY Diet and you?ll have that same WillPower feeling you have when you diet for those occasions.

[W = Wake Up Early Getting Up Earlier enables you to Burn More Calories Throughout the Day!

Wake up Early and go for a Walk for 21 Days and you might just make it a LifeTime Habit!

The PayDay Diet is really about finding the right motivation to stick to a diet and exercise plan. We all know how easy it is to lose weight when properly motivated. Find your motivation and you'll be much more successful at losing weight.

Dan Nickerson is CEO of Got-Zip Inc. Got-Zip is a GeoAffilate Program which has a growing site network including The PayDayDiet Blog. Visit the PayDay Diet Blog to learn more about about losing weight, health related topics and affiliate programs.

The Cost of Smoking

2008-09-16T13:59:00.001-07:00

Many people often talk about the costs related to smoking in terms of health, or future health care needs. However I would like to address the actual financial costs of smoking cigarettes on a daily basis. To follow are a few of the facts that come along with being a smoker.

Average smokers consume about 1 ? packs of cigarettes per day. The cost of the average pack of smokes is around $4 after taxes. If you take this average and add up the costs for one year, it?s over $2,000 smokers spend on cigarettes. That?s a lot of cash to be spending on cigarettes.

Why it?s important to know these numbers is to understand the cost or burden it?s putting on you and your family. Smoking costs you more per day than you?re probably spending on lunch. If you consume a greater amount of cigarettes per day you could be even worse off financially. If you smoked 2 packs a day in New York City, you would be spending over $5,000 per year on cigarettes.

The things could do with this smoking money are endless. You could start a business, or buy that new computer you always wanted. You can upgrade your car with that money. You can even start to save for a larger purchase, because in the years to come there will be more cash just the same. If you have college loans, let?s say $30,000 worth, in just over 14 years your entire loans would be paid off from money you used to spend on cigarettes.

Interesting investments don?t just come in the form of real estate, or stocks. You could initially take the money you?re saving from not smoking and purchase some stress relieving supplements to keep you smoke free. One company that has such supplements is NicoDrops (www.nicodrops.com), the organic all natural stress relieving drop. Or maybe a gum like Nicorette (www.nicorette.com), which is more expensive, but still far cheaper then smoking! By investing in staying smoke free, you are truly investing in your future.

Nicolas Gremion is a health buff, business consultant, and apparently a part-time writer. His latest venture is a Canadian mineral exploration company called IQ Mining Inc. (http://www.IQmining.com)

Weight Loss Psychology Sticking to an Exercise Program!

2008-09-15T17:59:00.001-07:00

IT?S NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS!

The health clubs are always racking their brains trying to figure out why they have such a hard time keeping members coming back. Most owners would argue that cash flow and profit margins are the most important reason to retain membership. Yes, but what drives customers to these health clubs? These owners have lost touch with what matters most, the customer! Give the customer more than they expect and they will continue to do business with you. Selling a product or service is about people more so than numbers on a spreadsheet.

SINK HOLES VS. POTHOLES

I want you to think of this principle in your workout. You know it is very easy to get burdened down with all the details of an exercise and diet program. While guidelines are necessary, at times focusing too much on the numbers can and will set you up for failure. You may start to think all this counting calories, reps, and keeping track of heart rates are too much to accomplish. Unexpectedly, you start to lose sight of your goals and it becomes more of a job than a hobby or stress release. You may even quit exercising. This can be an immediate sinkhole for you.

IT?S BEING SOLD OUT!

The only way you will follow through on an exercise program is to be sold out. The military calls them ?lifers.? These are people who are committed to something for the long haul. Are you a lifer? Could you be a lifer? A lifer has a sold out mindset. He or she realizes that there will be potholes to go through; there may even be a sinkhole up ahead, but they get through it or they go around the situation. It may take support from others, but it gets done. You may not be a lifer today, but you could be if you don?t make changes now!

DECISION MAKING

I was named Mr. Michigan in the statewide bodybuilding contest in 1988. When I competed in bodybuilding contests, it took me a good month to decide if I really wanted to go for that particular goal. The decision process was well thought out. I realized the days ahead would bring doubt, frustration, pain, and at times, humility.

I also realized it could bring many emotional setbacks. Was I willing to pay the price? Was I willing to change my behavior and lifestyle for the hope of a future benefit? All those thoughts had to be debated before the decision to move forward was made. However, when I made the decision to go forward, a switch was turned on that could not be turned off. I could not turn back. There is a sense of relief that comes with making a decision. Perhaps because once that decision is made, all the pressure is off. My philosophy is: ?GOALS CHANGE, DECISIONS DON?T?

BEING SOLD OUT IS AN ATTITUDE OF THE HEART!

IT?S NOT ABOUT YOU!

Twenty-two years ago, I attended college. Instead of studying, I wandered into a gym in the basement of the men?s dormitory. I didn?t have a bit of knowledge of how to begin an exercise program, where to go to start, or who to turn to for help. After about a month of blindly making my way through the steel machines, buffed bodies, and stinky locker rooms, something dawned on me. And to this day has kept me exercising all these years. I started to realize that whatever I was doing, it was going to impact my life more than I could imagine. Exercise and eating properly were not only going to change my life, but it was also going to propel me into making an impact on others. You can be motivated, but not disciplined. However, you cannot be disciplined without being motivated.

REWARDS BIGGER THAN LIFE

I understood there would be some good attitude days and some very bad ones. I knew some workouts would make me feel good and others where I never wanted to see a treadmill again. But, deep inside, I realized that just one more day could make a difference. For just one more day, I could force myself to eat good food. For just one more day, I realized this was not about my selfish attitude and me.

Each of you is different. You will put into exercise a certain amount of effort and everyone will get something different from it. You cannot just package good intentions and say, ?If you do this or if you buy that, you will receive this in return.? It just doesn?t work that way. But, I will guarantee you this: committing to exercise and eating right will bring you nothing but positive and fulfilling rewards, both physically and emotionally. It could very well save your life some day. It saved mine!

A PROMISE THAT CAN NOT BE BROKEN.

I have bad days. I have good days. I have days I had wish I had never started exercising. I want fried foods some days. I eat fried foods sometimes. I want to take a vacation from it all. I take a vacation from it all. Yet, at the end of the day, some small voice inside reminds me of that decision I made many years ago. I can?t turn back even when I want to. I made a commitment to myself years ago: Never be afraid to ask for help and realize every day to focus on the big picture.

What about you? Are you going to sell out to being miserable, achy, low energy, and suffer from low self-esteem? Or are you going to make a meaningful decision to get in better health? Let?s do it together.

LOSE WEIGHT IMMEDIATELY! FREE MINI COURSE click here http://www.resolutions.bz. Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting that the doctor?s DON?T want you to know. Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith, and high profile fitness expert.

Trikke Your Way to Health

2008-09-14T21:59:00.001-07:00

A good exercise routine involves much variation. For most, it is completely important to include a good balance of fun and work for their exercise routine to be successful long-term. This is exactly why it?s important to include fun exercise in your work-out routine. Meet the Trikke.

The Trikke three-wheeled cambering vehicle is a ton of addictive fun. It just so happens that it?s a great, well-rounded exercise. So what is the Trikke? Have you ever been snow-skiing? If not, surely you?ve at least seen a video of someone enjoying the slopes. Trikkeing is a lot like that, except on pavement. Here?s an official description from the Trikke website:

Trikke three-wheeled cambering vehicles are human powered machines that utilize Trikke Tech?s patented 3CV technology to allow a rider to propel a chainless, pedal-less device forward without ever touching foot to ground. This elegantly simple construct provides a stable 3-point platform that leans into the turn with the rider while all three wheels remain in contact with the ground. A rider may reach speeds of up to 18 mph on flat ground, ride 50 miles in one day, and climb the steepest of hills (with practice!). Trikke?s design allows the rider to naturally engage his entire body throughout the ride. Legs are active for balancing and shock-absorption and arms punch for power-thrusts and hang on for stability and control. The Trikke 3-wheeler allows you, the rider, to feel the miracle of your own body and mind working in graceful unison. The bi-products of the ride are joy, health, fitness and a renewed appreciation for yourself and your life.

Riding the Trikke is as simple as rocking and rolling. An experienced rider uses his or her whole body to propel the vehicle, but you can easily start forward motion by simply rocking the front wheel back and forth. After learning the natural motion of the vehicle, it becomes easier and easier to put your whole body into propelling the machine. It?s truly a whole body workout.

The best part about the Trikke is that it?s absolutely and positively, a ton of fun. While that might be an opinion, it?s an opinion by most who have experienced a well-rounded ride.

Due to the nature of the vehicle, the Trikke is best described in pictures and video rather than words alone. For this reason, it?s best to check out the Trikke website for more information. Get a Trikke and Trikke your way to health and fitness.

Article by Erik Nitsu. For more information on the Trikke, check out http://www.dealordud.com/2006/03/trikke-t8-convertible.html. For other product and service reviews, visit http://www.dealordud.com/.

Physical Fitness Do You Have A Routine?

2008-09-14T01:59:00.001-07:00

Life, happiness and especially health are all about starting out with physical fitness. The following is a three-step plan to improving your overall health: you do not have to do these steps in the same order as below?perhaps some people would prefer trying it from another angle.

?Physical fitness:

1. Find a physical fitness program that seems right for you.

a) When someone begins working a physical fitness program?they usually notice and feel changes in their body, breathing, and confidence.

b)There are many kinds of physical fitness programs. All of these programs are different. So you can find the perfect physical fitness program for you?no matter what your physical goals are.

? Diet:

1. There are several ways to eat healthy and still enjoy your food. Here are a few ways to get started.

a) If you are aware that you are not eating well, try to make a point to eat healthier foods. Of course, you do not have to eliminate certain not-so-healthy foods that you love. We are suggesting that you gradually come to a place where your junk food intake is less than before.

b)If you are trying to loose weight with the help of physical fitness and a diet plan?sometimes it is much more effective to remain abstinent from bad foods.

1. Some people find that simply changing to healthier meals in general works fine.

2.Other people find that the most certain way to loose weight is to have a monotonous daily diet. This will most often be the most effective diet.

3. Always be sure you are eating enough of the right foods so that you are never undernourished.

c) Another great idea is to speak to a nutritionist.

Peace of mind:

You will actually find that physical fitness and good eating habits will improve your overall attitude, your success, and confidence.

1) The next step is to find relaxation in your day or week.

2) There are several kinds of relaxation techniques, and some of them combine with physical fitness (such as yoga, which has spiritual significance and is considered an element of meditation.

3) Sometimes relaxing is just as simple as spending time with your pet, or reading in your garden.

Whatever you do achieve physical fitness and improve your overall health, best of luck to you. Remember, it is not necessarily a great idea to begin practicing these three things all at once. You may need to move yourself gradually into a physical fitness program, or you may decide to work on diet, relaxation and physical fitness at the same time?all at a very gradual pace.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, recreation, education and d?cor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles about fitness and health, please visit Physical Fitness.

Dancing the Weight Away

2008-09-13T05:59:00.001-07:00

Many years ago, (about twenty, I suppose) I recall watching a television show on PBS that focused on the health and agility of male ballet dancers. I have to be honest, I'm not a big fan of ballet and I know very little about it, but I do recall one aspect of the program that made a big impression.

The producer of the show took a few of these men to a local gymnasium and had them play basketball. It was incredible to watch these men -- who were less than six feet tall -- gracefully floating through the air, slam-dunking the ball into the hoop without the appearance of effort.

It's ironic that the average Neanderthal would view these experts of their craft as weak -- even frail -- when the exact opposite is so clearly true. The study of ballet (and practice of it, too, of course) helps a person to maximize their strength and flexibility. So much so that these athletes gain abilities that rival professional athletes in distinctly different arenas.

That may not sound so incredible, but think about the flip-side... Imagine your proto-typical power forward from basketball, linebacker from American football, or soccer goalie donning a pair of tights and attempting to emulate a ballet dancer. Quite an image, huh?

Now I'm not suggesting that each one of us fighting the Battle of the Bulge should take up ballet, I'm certainly not going to do so, myself, however, dance -- as an exercise -- has hit the press of late, and in a big way.

Foxnews.com recently reported a story (from Associated Press) that not only suggests that people consider dance as an alternative to traditional excercise, but they also have interviewed several people who have benefited in a big way.

According to exercise physiologist Cedric Bryant, dance as a form of exercise is a trend that has gained a great deal of momentum. Mr. Bryant, also a vice president with the American Council on Exercise, explains that people are looking for a more engaging alternative to the traditional workout.

Bryant points out that dancing provides a workout for the whole body, is low impact and easy on the joints. Add to that the music of your choice and your favorite partner, and you're really starting to move. Jerry Nash, age 46, was carrying 260 pounds on his 6' 1 frame.

The stress of the weight precluded jogging, because of his knees. So Mr. Nash signed up for a conditioning and stretching class at Dance 101 in Atlanta, Georgia. He moved on to several different styles of dance classes and one year later has lost an incredible 55 pounds. As an added benefit, a recent check of his blood pressure came in at a healthy 110 over 60.

Dance is a great weapon to keep in your arsenal as you wage war on unwanted fat. You can dance in the privacy of your own home at any time, day or night. The ability to be flexible with scheduling is very important as we try to establish a new habit.

Another benefit is that you can partner up with someone whose company you enjoy. Exercising with someone adds a degree of accountability that helps any regimen to be a success.

New York dance therapist Jane Wilson Cathcart, LMSW, ADTR, CMA, has some suggestions that can make dance more comfortable for a beginner:

?Look for a good teacher who emphasizes what you can do, not your limits.

?Don't be a perfectionist about it.

?Don't worry about your size. Dance is for everyone.

?Get into the music, as well as the movement.

Remember, the basic key to losing weight or losing fat is that you simply need to burn more calories that you consume. This is a fantastic way to fuse the music that you love with the exercise that you need. Dust off those old Bee Gee's albums and give a new meaning to Stayin' Alive!

References: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160965,00.html, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,182919,00.html

Michael Callen is the author of the Weekly Weightloss Tips Newsletter (http://www.weeklyweightlosstips.com) and the Chief Technology Officer for WellnessPartners.com (http://www.WellnessPartners.com), an online retailer of dozens of health and wellness products such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), r+ alpha lipoic acid (R+ ALA), and green tea extract.

Top 10 Tips For Finding Time For Exercise

2008-09-12T09:59:00.001-07:00

If you're like most people, finding time for

exercise is difficult. Here are my top 10

tips to help you in that quest..

1. Make exercise a priority. We all make time

in our lives for the things that are most

important to us. If I told you I'd give you a

million dollars if you exercised everyday for

the next 30 days, would you do it? Sure you

would, because it would suddenly become a

priority. If you're serious about finding time

for exercise, then it must be a priority in

your life.

2. Block out the same time period everyday

for exercise. This way it becomes part of your

daily routine just like brushing your teeth.

Vehemently guard this time period. It is your

time to take care of yourself.

3. Exercise first thing in the morning. This

is when your exercise time is least likely to

get interrupted by other things.

4. Turn off the television. The average adult

spends 16 hours per week watching television.

One of my clients told me that she resolved to

only watch television while she was exercising.

You may not be interested in taking it that far

but you can certainly cut out a few hours of

television a week to make time for exercise.

5. Wake up earlier in the morning to exercise.

Try going to sleep a little earlier and getting

up a little earlier to get your exercise done

first thing in the morning.

6. Spend 30 minutes or so exercising on your

lunch break.

7. Get a book rack for your stair climber or

treadmill and spend some of your reading time

exercising.

8. Visit with your spouse or friend while walking

around the neighborhood rather than sitting on

the couch.

9. Take a couple of days to write down how you

spend your time everyday, then determine how

you can better use your time to fit in exercise.

10. Make your exercise as enjoyable as possible.

You will be much more likely to find time for

things you enjoy.

Get movin'!

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,

offers free weight loss and fitness success stories

and targeted, highly affective weight loss programs

for women, men, type 2 diabetics, and people with

slow metabolisms and hypothyroidism..

http://www.Landry.com

Kettlebells: What are They? How Do They Work?

2008-09-11T13:59:00.001-07:00

WHAT IS A RUSSIAN KETTLEBELL?

A Russian Kettlebell looks like a cast iron cannonball with a handle. The weight is incredibly dense and centered in an off-balance way for many excercises. The off balance state of the weight increases the difficulty of many excercises while allowing for a maximum range of movement. This combinantion allows the athlete, student, or user to receive the maximum results from their physical fitness program.

WHAT DOES NORTH EAST WISCONSIN KETTLEBELLS OFFER?

We Offer classes by certified Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC) strength coaches and instructors, customized routines, one on one private sessions, classes in public or in the privacy of your own home. We Offer numerous strength related products including kettlebells, videos, books, and nutritional supplements. Find them by clicking on the products offered link.

I am not a natural athlete. I am not a state champ in anything, I am not a world powerlifter, or a worlds strongest man competitor. I am not a pretty boy, I do not have Ken and Barbie genetics or advocate a Ken and Barbie physique. Many people have been tricked, fooled, and conditioned to use unreasonable desires as their motivation to get into better shape. I recommend a platform of health first, abilities second, and physique last.

My personal routine and goals are driven by this approach. I am a street cop with farm boy genetics. My fellow Officers and I rely on strength, staminia, endurance, aerobic and anaerobic ability to get the job done. Its not as glamorours as titles, championships, or a California beach physique, after all its only life or death. The point is that if its good enough for what I do its good enough for what anyone does. Welcome to the American Kettlebell Revoloution!

A kettlebell instructor Jason Wilterdink is here to answer any questions, classes will be starting up soon. Meet me here ==>http://www.newikettlebells.com/

Fitness for Those Who Don't Have the Time

2008-09-10T17:59:00.001-07:00

Many people struggle to fit in regular exercise and feel guilty if they don?t fit in an hour at the gym several times a week. One of the key reasons my clients give for not getting or managing to stay fit is lack of time and not being able to fit regular exercise into their busy lives. As with most things, if it becomes a priority in your life then you will fit it in but it?s often not until something goes wrong with your body or health that it becomes a priority.

What riles me is that going to the gym has become synonymous with getting fit ? yet despite the rise of the gym in today?s society (and there have never been more than there are today) we are more unhealthy than ever. You do not need to go the gym to get fit and you certainly don?t need to spend hours there slaving away.

What is more sustainable in the long term is increasing your daily activity levels and having achievable and realistic goals and expectations that fit into your lifestyle. Whilst more is invariably better than less, it?s not always possible and so to help those of you who struggle to fit exercise into your life, I?ve suggested a number of 20 minute sessions that can easily be fit into a busy day, leaving you with no more excuses!

Interval training sessions:

Pick an aerobic activity ? such as running, cycling, swimming or even skipping. Rather than stick at the same pace for 20 minutes, try alternating between sprinting or all-out effort for 1 minute and then slowing down till you get your breath back and then speeding up again. If you count this as 1 set (a sprint then a rest period) you can repeat 8-10 sets in a 20 minute session.

Circuit Session:

Choose 5 or 6 compound (multiple muscle) exercises ? such as the Squat, Lunges, Stability Ball push-up, Bent over row, wood chop or Stability Ball Jackknife ? and perform 10 repetitions of each exercise one after the other, without resting. When you have completed 1 set of each exercise, rest for 1 minute then repeat another set of 10 reps for each exercise. Repeat this up to 4 times and you?ll have completed a great fat-burning session by keeping your heart rate up and also incorporating resistance exercises.

Body part workout:

If you want to improve your strength or reshape your body significantly but don?t have time to spend an hour or more lifting several sets for each body part, then split up your routines and focus on a single body part each session. For example, in a 20 minute session you could focus on your pecs (chest) and perform 3 or more sets for 3 or 4 exercises, such as bench press, incline press, pec fly or cable crossover. This also just about gives you time to complete adequate rest periods in between each set. Always be sure to perform each exercise with prefect form and do not compromise quality for speed.

Stretching:

If you have to choose, then perform a stretching session over a resistance session to help re-balance your body. If you are pushed for time (and even if you?re not) it?s only really necessary to stretch muscles that are tight and need stretching rather than completing a whole body stretching routine. If you?re unsure of which muscles you should concentrate on it?s worth getting a qualified trainer to perform some assessments on you to identify the imbalances in your body.

Relaxation:

If you?re feeling stressed but feel you should do some exercise to help de-stress or have 20 minutes to spare in a hectic day, try performing some relaxation techniques instead. Find a comfortable sitting or even lying position, loosen tight clothing and get as comfortable as you can. Close your eyes and start breathing deeply through your diaphragm. Allow your lungs and diaphragm to fill as much as possible ? try counting in for 4 ? and then slowly exhale ? counting out for 5. You may also like to try focusing on specific body parts ? start at your toes and clench then relax them, move to your calves and clench and relax and slowly use this technique for all of your body parts to help relax tight muscles.

Lea Woodward is a qualified Personal Trainer, Nutrition & Lifestyle coach and director of activOne ltd in the UK. activOne provides Fitness, Nutrition & Lifestyle coaching to private clients & corporate wellbeing services in the East Midlands as well as virtual training to clients worldwide. Check out the website http://www.activone.co.uk

How To Get In The Best Shape Of Your Life

2008-09-09T21:59:00.001-07:00

Did you know that how you live, day to day, determines the level of strength and muscularity you'll achieve?

It's true, if you have a lifestyle that supports fat loss, muscle gain, and strength increase, those things will occur naturally.

It's when you expect one thing and do something totally opposite trying to get it that it becomes a problem.

If you drop a rock from a tall building, it's going to fall to the ground, whether you like it or not. It just happens.

If you train heavy, consistent, intensely, and support yourself nutritionally, you will get stronger and more muscular.

It happens. Certain steps lead to certain destinations.

But doing things repeatedly that do not support your goals will ensure you do not reach them.

For example, you want to gain lean muscle and increase your strength, but you consistently fail to eat the right types of food, at the right times , or the right amounts.

Or you want to shed some body fat yet you continue to take days off from cardio because you're not motivated enough to do it.

If you want to skyrocket your strength, if you continue doing light weight and high reps, how is that ever going to get you there?

If your lifestyle is not supportive of gaining muscle and strength, then it really doesn't matter what you do in the gym, your results will be limited.

So what's the key?

Replace those things that will hinder or sabotage muscle growth with newer, more productive habits that continually support muscle growth and strength.

Here's an example.

It's the new year and you decide one of your resolutions is to gain muscle, specifically 5 pounds of lean muscle in the next month.

You give up your old, unproductive habit of just hanging out at the gym after a workout, not eating or drinking a post workout meal.

Instead, now you have a protein and carb drink ready to shake and slam after the workout.

You changed a very minor thing but it will make a huge difference in your gains.

Say that you want to lose 10 pounds of body fat to see your abs, but for dinner each night you continue to eat pizza or cheeseburgers and fries.

A couple months later, after doing all those crunches, you still do not see your abs so you figure it probably just wasn't meant to be.

A new, improved lifestyle change could involve eating a salad and chicken breast instead of your burger and fries a couple nights a week.

So, as plain as day, how you decide to live your life each day impacts what you will achieve in terms of muscularity and strength.

The key is to make small, improved lifestyle changes that support fat loss and muscle gain, and continue them until they become habit.

Then move on to another small change that benefits your goals, replacing an older, less productive one.

By changing habits in moderation, you do not overwhelm yourself with a sense of displeasure from restrictive eating or too much training.

In fact, by making your lifestyle changes in moderation, you increase the likelihood that these changes will be long lasting and permanent.

Just start replacing old, nonproductive habits with newer, more supportive ones that contribute to muscle and strength gain and soon your concerns with your physique will be a thing of the past.

There are some times in the gym, while I'm working out, that some younger guy will approach me and ask me how I'm able to lift some of the weights I use.

They expect me to tell them that I'm able to straight bar curl 150 pounds or bench press 375 because of some supplement I take.

They often look at me dumbfounded as I tell them that one of the biggest reasons for my strength gains are because I've been lifting for a while and have just grown accustomed to handling heavier weights.

It's no secret that the longer you do something, usually the better you get.

This holds true with lifting as well. The longer you are able to keep lifting heavy and intensely, you are going to get stronger and more muscular as a result.

So, the reason why there are many bodybuilders stronger than a lot of people is that they've just been doing it longer than most and the experience has been one of increased strength.

So, the key to becoming stronger and more muscular lies in your ability to keep at it, keep training, and make sure your daily habits support your goals of building muscle, losing fat, or gaining strength.

Shawn Lebrun in a personal trainer and natural bodybuilder. Check out Shawn Lebrun Fitness to learn how to build lean muscle, lose fat, and get the body you've always wanted.

No Excuse for Not Exercising

2008-09-09T01:59:00.001-07:00

For many people in today?s busy world it?s quite easy to come up with an excuse for not being in shape and exercising regularly. Some of the more common ones are ?I?m too busy?, ?There aren?t enough hours in a day?, and ?I?m so tired after work and taking care of the kids all day?. However most of these are just that, excuses. Unless your doctor has informed you that you should not exercise, some form of activity or physical fitness should be a priority on everyone?s daily routine. The key is realizing that your health is an important part of your life, and should be made a priority.

The best way to keep is shape is to be involved in some sort of physical activity on a regular basis (at least 3 times a week). If you can find a sports activity like swimming, tennis, racquetball, basketball, baseball, softball, running, or karate that you enjoy this is just as effective as a regular exercise routine. If it?s something you enjoy chances are you won?t think of it as drudgery and will look forward to doing it.

For those of us who don?t participate in some form of sports on a regular basis we are going to have to come up with regular exercise program. One of the most successful methods is to get up half an hour earlier in the morning and exercise. If you really like your sleep this may be hard, but if you exercise at night it?s much easier to say ?I?m too tired today? and skip it. If you have kids around the house you are also setting a great example about how important taking care of your health and your body really is.

The first option to consider is choosing a gym. While a gym can be expensive you will have access to a wide variety of equipment and machines that you could never afford or fit into your house. You will also have access to health professionals like personal trainers.

If a health club is too expensive or doesn?t fit your lifestyle consider a home gym. You can usually purchase a set of free weights, exercise bench and floor mat for under $200. If you like exercise machines such as stair climbers or stationary bikes keep in mind some of these can be expensive. Watch for garage sales where you can pick up second hand units at a discount.

Some people prefer the guidance that an exercise tape can give you. While these are good choices if you are like most people, you?ll get tired doing the same routine after a few weeks. Consider choosing a series of tapes, borrowing some from the library, or trading them with a friend. With the expansion of fitness programs on cable TV you also have access to a wide variety of programs. If the instructor you like isn?t on when you exercise consider using your VCR or Tivo to time shift your viewing. Once you start exercising regularly make sure you vary your routine and change it from time to time. This not only keeps you from getting bored but it keeps your body from getting used to the exercises. Most fitness experts recommend changing your routine every 6-8 weeks. As with any fitness program make sure to check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.

Sarah Verneke is the Webmaster at http://www.fitness-infomercial.com/ a review site for diet and fitness programs.

Foward Drive

2008-09-08T05:59:00.001-07:00

Did you ever wonder why some people seem to gravitate to success with their eyes closed and one hand tied behind their backs, while others struggle and fight to even come close? It's like the guy who bought his first lottery ticket and won or the girl that got that top job before she even graduated from college.

These people have something in common, and no, it's not just good fortune or luck. It's an incredible sense of drive. Some people call it heart and yes, it does comes from within. It's what propels us forward, even as we fail, it keeps us working and striving for that ultimate goal, whatever that may be. Never looking back. Finding something that you want so badly that you're willing to make any sacrifice for it.

Ok, I guess you can't compare it with the lottery ticket, but maybe that guy had lost his job and had kids to support. Maybe that girl in college needed to take care of her sick mother. The point is, you really don't know what sacrifices people have made to get to a certain point. I digress...

To be successful, whether it's at a job, or winning a game, losing weight, or even holding that baby in your arms for the first time, you must be willing to sacrifice something. That willingness is your drive in disguise, and everyone has it.

The other day, my daughter saw something that she wanted and started running towards it. While she was running, she turned around to see if I was watching her, and fell down. She got up quickly, no harm done, but forgot all about what it was that she was running towards.

Find what it is in life that you really want and run after it! Don't ever look back! You know what happens when you turn around while you're running; you fall down. Keep that Forward Drive going, Stay Focused on your Goal and it will be yours!

Goal setting is a whole other area and another article. However, I need to briefly touch on goal setting, otherwise that drive in disguise may get put in neutral. Before you start running forward, you need to set your goals. Whether it be the goal of the weight you want to lose, the job you want, the way you look or the money you want to earn. If you don't set goals, instead of staying focused and running forward, you may start running in circles. Forward Drive, one goal at a time. After you set your goals, decide the best way to get there and start that forward drive! Every goal acheived is a building block for more confidence and more success. Your goals will constantly change as you re-evaluate what you want, and that's important.

Ok, lets recap:

Set your goals and be willing to make some sacrifices, Put your drive in motion, Run after it, Never look back.

That's it, a basic formula for success! Now Go Get What You Want!

Yours in Fitness & Health,

Audrey Scott Shintai Fitness, LLC www.burnfatgetskinny.com

The author has been actively involved it the fitness industry for over 15 Years. She has been a full time aerobics instructor and personal trainer, as well as a competitive bodybuilder. Current owner and founder of Shintai Fitness, LLC. http://www.shintaifitness.com, AFAA Certified Aerobics instructor 1991 AFAA Certified Personal Trainer 1993 Kickbox certified through Promise Enterprises and the ISCA Spin Certified Gokyu rank, Tekkenryu Jujutsu under Sensei Damian Ross Full Time Mother

Why Heart Rate Control Can Optimize Your Workout!

2008-09-07T09:59:00.001-07:00

The heart is an amazing organ, and when you use it to monitor and gauge your workout it can have an incredible impact on your fitness and health. That is why they are so popular on fitness equipment.

Heart rate control and heart rate monitors became popular in the mid-90s. It is standard on many exercise machines including elliptical trainers, treadmills, and stationary bikes. A treadmill with a ?heart rate monitor? only reads your heart rate by connecting with sensors on the siderails. In contrast, ?heart rate control? dictates the extent of your workout by controlling the exertion level of your treadmill. Your heart tells the machine when to increase or decrease your cardio workout.

Why Heart Rate Control!

To get an optimum workout it is important to pace your exercise and be in the right ?zone.? That means getting your heart rate at the proper intensity level for an extended period of time. If your heart rate gets too high your activity can become counter productive, if it is too low you?re missing out on any substantial health benefits.

That is why one of the most effective methods for fitness training is through monitoring and controlling your heart rate. This is particularly true when striving for cardiovascular goals. Whether you want to shed a few pounds, train for a marathon, or just feel good about yourself, heart rate training and control can optimize your workout. Getting in the Zone

Sally Edwards, author of Heart Rate Training discusses the value of heart zone training. ?It works for 20-year old athletes as well as 70-year olds with heart trouble. The goal is to get into a particular zone.?

She identifies 5 zones ranging from:

The Healthy Heart Zone: 50% - 60% of your individual maximum heart rate. This is a safe, comfortable zone reached by and easy walk. This is the best zone for people who are just starting to exercise. This zone has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol.

The Temperate Zone: 60% - 70% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone provides the same benefits as the healthy heart zone, but is more intense and burns more total calories. Achieved through a faster walking speed or a slow jog.

The Aerobic Zone: 70% - 80% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system and increase the size and strength of your heart. Achieved through a steady jog.

The Anaerobic Threshold Zone: 80% - 90% of your individual maximum heart rate. . This is a high intensity zone is achieved through a burning run.

The Redline Zone: 90% - 100% of your individual maximum heart rate. This zone is the equivalent of running full out, and is often used in interval training. This zone should be approached with caution and can lead to injuries when sustained for a long period.

Edwards suggests after determining your maximum heart rate you can improve your fitness by exercising in several different zones. You alternate in those zones to increase your cardiovascular fitness, and vary your exercise regimen. You can view the entire article at http://www.howtobefit.com/trn5zone.htm.

There are two types of heart rate controls, handgrip and wireless. Treadmills with handgrip heart rate control require holding on to the sensors located on the siderails. It is awkward for walking, and just not feasible for jogging. There is only one type of Heart rate control that makes sense, and that is wireless.

With wireless control you attach a strap around your chest, and your heart rate is fed to the console. This in turn controls the intensity of your workout by keeping your cardio exercise within a predetermined heart rate.

Depending on the model, you can either have the heart rate control maintain a consistent and targeted heart rate, or you can also set it for interval heart rates, training in different zones. You can program the treadmill for desired workouts that vary the heart rate to your desired goals.

The programs available with heart rate control can vary. Some treadmills come with just one heart rate program, while high-end models can have a variety of programs like hill training, intervals and extreme heart rate.

When losing weight and improving your cardiovascular health, it all comes down to your heart rate. Monitoring your heart and working out within zones will enhance your overall health and physical performance. If you are going to invest in quality fitness equipment you should consider the heart rate control feature. It takes the guesswork out of exercising.

In a sense, heart rate control becomes your personal trainer. By monitoring your heart rate and adjusting your workout accordingly, you stay within your desired goal, and avoid over or under exerting yourself. It takes your treadmill workout to an optimum level.

It is important before you begin any new exercise program to consult your physician first. They can assist you in determining a safe and healthy heart rate zone for you to initially maintain. If you are currently out of shape you want to ease your body back into a regular exercise routine. Once again, a heart rate monitor and control is ideal to get started.

Fred Waters worked in the treadmill industry for a number of year and is author of the Treadmill Rating and Review site. Check out the latest reviews on over 75 of the most popular treadmills, and get important buying tips from the Treadmill Buyer's Guide.

Using the Swiss Ball for Improved Posture and Increased Strength

2008-09-06T13:59:00.001-07:00

For individuals looking for better posture and increased flexibility and strength, nothing could be easier than training with a Swiss ball.

WHAT IS A SWISS BALL?

The Swiss ball, also called the Stability ball, Exercise ball, Flexibility ball or other names, is a large, inflated, rubber ball. The Swiss ball was originally created in Italy in the 1960's and provides instability or resistance which requires the user to rely on 'core' muscles to retain balance - thus improving strength and flexibility of those muscles.

A Swiss doctor studied its use in a clinical setting by incorporating the ball in rehabilitation therapy. While it is still used in physiotherapy it has also become known in the general fitness world as an adaptable and enjoyable addition to routines building strength, flexibility and proper posture.

WHO CAN USE THE SWISS BALL?

Because the Swiss ball is so easy to use and enjoyable, it is able to be used by almost everyone, young or old. However, because the Swiss ball is designed to create instability (thus forcing the body's own muscles to be employed) there is a need for caution. The elderly, injured, pregnant women or anyone otherwise subject to a lack of stability or increased risk of falling, should not use the Swiss ball without personal instruction and care.

When choosing a Swiss ball it is important to choose the size appropriate to your height as well as the intended use. Determine what technique you plan to use the Swiss ball for before purchasing your own ball.

HOW DO YOU USE A SWISS BALL?

If you are concerned about lower back pain or posture you can use the Swiss ball as an alternative to a regular chair. Sedentary workers find that certain muscles in the back become weak over time and are easily strained. Sitting on the Swiss ball will improve your 'core strength' by forcing the unused muscles to maintain balance.

There are many videos and books as well as group classes that teach routines targeting different muscle groups. The Swiss ball has been used in therapy as well as for professional athletes so you are sure to find a method suitable for your experience and needs.

While it is possible to use the Swiss ball on your own at home or the office (and is recommended as an easy way to fit in your workout) it is helpful to have professional instruction when learning to use the ball correctly. Having someone guide you into proper position will show you what the proper alignment feels like.

Performing warm up exercises is also recommended before beginning a Swiss ball routine. Using the Swiss ball properly will increase the benefits you receive with regular use. No matter what your fitness level, try it out and see how much fun the Swiss ball can be!

Dan Farrell is the owner of The Weight Loss Primer, found at: http://www.weight-loss-exercise.info and a free newsletter, Pain Relief Now!. Subscribe at above link.

Carbs Fat and Protein for Athletes

2008-09-05T17:59:00.001-07:00

I remember once attempting to fill a ziplock bag full of honey for a 100 mile ride in 90 degree heat. Needless to say, the result was sticky and unpleasant, and definitely not as handy as a race gel. I've known other people to use peanut butter and jelly sandwhich squares, snickers bars, graham crackers, and a host of other strange snacks. But while there are multiple theories and methods of hydrating and fueling during a training or racing session, the concept remains the same. If you are able to deliver the right nutrients to the muscles at the right time, you can enhance several components of both performance and recovery. Of course, these nutrients include carbohydrates, protein, and fat. I'll mention all three in today's article.

Some coaches and nutritionists recommend complex carbohydrates during both training and recovery, while others recommend a mixture of both simple and complex carbohydrates. While it is true that a simple sugar, such as candy, high fructose corn syrup, or honey, will be more quickly absorbed into the body, this is not necessarily a good thing. The body's response to simple sugars involves a quick spike in blood sugar levels, followed by a hypoglycemic response, or a drop in sugar levels. So an endurance athlete who supplements with simple carbohydrates during a training session or race may experience several surges and subsequent decreases in blood sugar levels. For an endurance event of 60 minutes or less, this should not be a problem. However, as the event exceeds this time period, such as an ironman distance race, complex carbohydrates should be consumed to a greater degree, at a rate of approximately 30-60 grams per hour. Hammer Gel, an endurance athlete nutrition manufacturer, sells a great complex carbohydrate gel for such situations, as do several other supplement manufacturers. Of course, simple sugars consumed at any time other than race can potentially lead to increased body fat deposition, decreased metabolism, and generally poor health, so limit your consumption to those short, intense rides - and remember, try it in your training before you try it in a race!

With regard to protein, I'd like to zero in on branched chain amino acids (BCAA's) as an important protein source. During workouts that are highly intense or lasting more than three hours, the body depends on protein as one of it's fuel sources. Leucine, isoleucine, and valine are BCAA's, and can meet up to 10% of these energy requirements. They can be purchased as supplements at many health food stores or gyms, and also appear in several commercial endurance sport gels. Natural sources include many dairy products, whey protein, and red meats. Isoleucine is found in most food sources and is high in meats, fish, and cheeses; leucine is found in such foods as beans, brewer's yeast, brown rice bran, caseinate, and corn; and food sources of valine include soy flour, cottage cheese, fish, grains, mushrooms and peanuts, meats, and vegetables.

BCAA's should be used during heavy weightlifting training periods, high intensity endurance periods (closer to race season), and high altitude training. Of course, BCAA's only represent three of the many amino acids your body needs for recovery and tissue growth, so do not rely on them as a sole protein source.

Fat, of course, is a very important long term energy source. One type of fat, medium chain triglycerides, has been proven to increase endurance and speed in longer races. Medium chain triglycerides are more quickly absorbed by the body for use as energy and less likely to be stored as body fat. Again, you can get medium chain triglycerides from several sport supplement manufacturers, as well as health food stores. One common and increasingly popular natural source is coconut oil. Be warned - consumption of these fats on an empty stomach can lead to some pretty annoying gastrointestinal distress.

Hopefully, this brief discussion of some specifics about key macronutrients will help you address fueling issues during a race. Train smart, and e-mail me at elite@pacificfit.net or go to www.pacificfit.net to get more answers to your nutrition questions.

Head trainer Ben Greenfield runs the online training website Pacific Elite Fitness, and holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Sport Science and Exercise Physiology, as well as certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Personal Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach (NSCA-CPT & CSCS). For over 6 years, Ben has coached and trained professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes, and helped hundreds of individuals achieve their personal fitness goals. For more information on online personal training and fitness, contact Ben at elite@pacificfit.net.

5 Exercises Everyone Should Be Able To Perform Part 2

2008-09-04T21:59:00.001-07:00

In Part 1, I discussed the five essential exercises that serve as precursors to Performance Improvement Training (PIT). The five discussed were:

1.)Squat
2.)Lunge
3.)Step-Up
4.)Push-up
5.)Ab Crunch

What was established was the following: a.) these exercises can serve as foundational assessments for the fitness professional; b.) these exercises require no equipment, thus, they can be performed anywhere/anytime; c.) these exercises are representation of everyday movements practiced by humans unless a functional alteration is present (injury history, birth defect, neurological disorder). It was also mentioned, that in my experience I would have liked to include a ?pulling? exercise like the chin-up or pull-up, however, because of the need for a stable bar, I was never able to incorporate it in this movement circuit. I caught a lot of flack because the chin-up was excluded because ?pulling? exercises are always performed in everyday life. This is so, but initially, general population clients (GPC) cannot pull their bodyweight or become intimidated at the sight of a fixed bar overhead and cringe at the thought of lifting their body. Bottom line? I like the exercise, but working with GPC?s, it not one I see making exercise program adherence easier and more functional than it already is. Wouldn?t the ab crunch be considered a ?pulling? exercise? Why do we equate a pulling exercise with biceps or back? Isn?t lifting the torso from a supine position a ?pull?? Something to ponder?

Let?s examine some tips for each exercise and points to remember:

1.) Squat
Heels in contact with floor
This is a cue used to remind clients that they must engage the glutes and hamstrings in the movement.

Are elevated heels needed?
A board under the heels initially is a band-aid, but it will assist your client in ?understanding? what you want. Eventually, the board should be reduced or eliminated and mobility of the ankles should be increased.

Lordotic back on descent
Tell-tale sign of a weak core.

Core & Glute activation
This is so important and the reason why we need to squat correctly. If the client feels it too much in the quads, the movement is not being done correctly.

What prevents a good squat?
Flexibility and mobility are the culprits to poor squat form. Also, many clients try to perform the squat with loads. This is why we favor the bodyweight squat as a primal movement to be mastered unloaded.

How deep is deep?
Again, a question of flexibility and mobility. Once these are accomplished, then it becomes a question of overall strength.

2.) Lunge
Back foot/leg placement
How many times does a client feel it in the back leg on a lunge? Typically, they feel the stretch of the tight adductor of the back leg. The working leg is the front, so foot placement and ?control? become important.

Core Activation
Abdominals should be drawn in with torso ?proud? and hips mobile. Typically, GPCs perform this with their stomach hanging out and no TVA activation. That is okay, as these 5 exercises are used to also teach core activation. Normally, TVA activation (or drawing in?) is taught separately. It can be taught separately, but I have found that some helpful cues including ?touch? or ?poking? the abs during movements, makes the client think.

Heel in contact with floor
Usually, client with tight lower leg muscles will have an ?unsteady? placement foot. It can also mean an immobile ankle on that leg. What we want to accomplish is making the client understand that ?drive? should come from the glutes and hips.

Can knee go over foot?
This is a tough one to explain. Next time you go upstairs, take a look and tell me if your knee goes over your foot? Mechanically, the knee can go over the front of the foot, but we are taught just the opposite. However, in an efficient moving body, it is acceptable because everything else is working right. In GPCs, it can be a tough call. If the heel placement is correct and ?drive? is initiated ?thru? the heel, then there should be no pain in the quadriceps tendon, if and when, the knee goes over the toe.

Forward leg is lead leg
This is easily cued by instructing the client to imagine raising there bodies on the concentric motion straight upwards rather than forward.

3.) Step-Up
How high to place the steps?
Typically, start lower than a 90 degree angle from the knee to the hip joints. A sedentary GPC, who will try to raise the knee to 90 degrees to place the foot on top of the step, will usually demonstrate back extension and poor psoas strength due to hip flexor tightness or simply weakness. Also, back stance leg will be weak from no glute activation and gastroc weakness. So start a step lower than 90 degrees.

Heel in contact with step
Same as for the lunge. The heel must be cued to engage the hamstrings and glutes.

Leave foot on step or ?march??
Typically, I like to leave the foot on the step. Once the client has established some conditioning, we perform a ?marching? step-up. However, during the ?marching?, cues are missed and form is sacrificed. ?Marching? can also be used for conditioning.

4.) Push-Up
Form a Table Top
We want to avoid the ?clothesline effect? discussed in Part 1 here, so in order to visually cue the client, we ask them to conform their body into a table-top. That is what we want?initially we won?t get that, but now the visual goal has been established.

Watch protruding neck/chin
Tight neck muscles and weak scapulae will elicit the deviated form like ?jutting? chin or ?protruding abs?. This is a sign of weakness and failed neural coordination. This is why modified versions of the push-up are advocated.

Master modified before going to standard
Usually, the taller the person, the more ?clothesline effect? you will see. This is because of the long lever arm the body creates and when accompanied by overall weakness, they lose form. They may be able to knock out 15-30 reps, but we are talking poor execution.

34+ Variations
The push-up can be varied in so many ways using small, inexpensive equipment. It is a fun exercise and perfect for upper body development. That is why it is so important to maximize perfect form, so that the advanced variations can be enjoyed.

5.) Ab Crunch
Do not pin the feet.
We want to establish abdominal trunk flexion without creating momentum. Therefore, we do not want to provide artificial leverage. Have the client lie supine with hands behind the head, keeping the elbows ?open?.

Flex the trunk on 10-20 degrees
No need to pull the neck here. We want to pull the trunk forward using integrated stabilization between the pelvis, calves, and lower back. It is important that the feet stay flat on the ground and the knees are bent. Make sure the client does not allow knees to ?bow out?. If this happens, place a ball or yoga block in between the knees and ask for them to ?lock up? the object. The hips must be able to stabilize even though they are known for mobility.

Place your hand at the client?s lower back
I have also used this cue to help clients understand the role of the pelvis and transverse abdominals in supine positions. By placing my hand at the lordotic curve and instructing them to ?press? into it, they can engage the proper muscles. If you feel uncomfortable placing your hand there because of client?s sweat, client is ticklish, or you simply feel uncomfortable doing so., use a crumpled piece of paper.

If the neck stars to jut?.
If you see the neck muscles begin to engage relentlessly, always bring the client back to the instruction of placing pressure on your hand.

Understanding that these exercises are not the ?end all?be all? to an exercise program is crucial when implementing progressions. These exercises relate to some of the positions the body conforms to: supine, prone, staggered stance, parallel stance, and locomotion. In GPC?s, I like to introduce twisting and rotation in a Phase 2 Auxiliary Exercises program 5 to 6 weeks later. Why? I want to build a solid foundation of sagittal plane work that promotes overall strength, increases mobility and bodyweight control.

About the Author: John Izzo holds a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Health Promotion specializing in Community Nutrition. He holds multiple certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Endurance Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA), Schwinn Cycling, and APEX Training Systems.

John has been involved in the fitness industry since 1992, and has enjoyed a successful career as a personal trainer since 1998. He has helped transform the lives (and bodies) of hundreds of fitness enthusiasts and athletes in facilities located in Connecticut, such as World Gym, Gold's Gym, YMCA?s, and Healthtrax, Inc.

John is also the founder of Athletic Performance Applied Resistance Training (APART) a resourceful website that combines fitness information and experience to achieve distinction and success. Visit: http://www.standAPARTfitness.com

Experience Is a Great Motivator

2008-09-04T01:59:00.001-07:00

Do you know the saying, ?we are all a product of our experiences??

If you have gone through a major life change or trauma which created the physical symptoms of anxiety or grief, you understand how physically uncomfortable this can be with stomach aches, elevated heart rates and such. Not only do these symptoms happen at the time; but often months or years later, a memory of the event can trigger these symptoms again. These are strong emotions associated with big events.

Most of us like to avoid uncomfortable feelings whenever possible, right? I know I do. With big, life altering events, it?s easy to recognize memories and events that ?trigger? bad feelings. The emotions are strong and hence the physical response is strong as well. But what about lesser events?

AND?What does this have to do with fitness? Ok, Ok...I?m getting there!

Let?s say you are a 35 year old man who was an athlete in High School. You developed a nice athletic body that has served you well. But lately, you are feeling like you look a bit ?soft? and feel sluggish. So you decide that you should work on your body some.

So, off to the gym. After all, you used to be very fit, so it should be easy to get it back. You enter the gym. It?s big, busy and intimidating. But, the people working out don?t look like professional body builders, just normal people. You begin to feel comfortable.

Since it?s your first time at the gym, you are assigned a Fitness Trainer to help you get started. You don?t really need help, you tell yourself?after all you are in pretty good shape for 35. The trainer helps you to a treadmill and asks you to walk for 5 minutes to warm up. Instead of walking, you jog. It hasn?t been that long since high school, has it?

After that, the trainer takes you through a series of machines and free weights and explains how to use them and what weight levels to start with. The trainer then hands you your card record, wishes you luck and encourages you to ask for help anytime. Off you go?

Now the moment of truth: you are worn out from the treadmill, and barely strong enough to do the weight levels and exercises on your card! After a few minutes, you feel so tired, discouraged and even embarrassed because all the people around you suddenly seem to be SO much stronger and more accomplished than you.

The next day, you are too sore to move! An emotionally negative experience for sure.

There are 2 ways to go here: you can tell yourself that it?s just not for you. This way, you don?t have to go back and face those negative feelings again. OR you can use those emotions to galvanize you to action!

Fitness is what I like to call a ?great equalizer?. In other words, if you do it, you get stronger and better. If you don?t do it, you will not get stronger and better.

Like painting a house, each trip to the gym is another coat of paint. It gets easier both physically and emotionally with each workout. Very quickly, it feels good to be there. Then it feels good to see changes and get stronger. Then, you start seeking the next challenge with excitement.

Not to mention that after a while, you start to make friends at the gym and feel a part of something.

I have used a gym workout as an example, but the same holds true for the sports you choose to be involved in. You do it, you get the physical benefits. Getting the physical benefits leads to positive emotions. The positive emotions motivate you to repeat the experience rather than avoid it. Repeating the experience causes you to get fitter which brings more positive emotions?and so on.

So, if you are having trouble starting or staying with a fitness activity, take a visit inside yourself to see if past experiences and emotions are holding you back. You might be surprised what you learn.

About the Author:

Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com

Relational Nutrition Study

2008-09-03T05:59:00.001-07:00

Simply, Nutrition is studying the unique relationship between the states of health and disease and diet. Particularly the study of food. Nutrition is so important because lack of neccessary nutrients can allow viruses and diseases to thrive which can lead to illness and even death.

Nutrition is mostly based in the middle of the two extremes; that being between prime health and malnutrition. In that middle there is a wide range of diseases that can be caused and prevented due to changes in diet. Scurvy is a common disease that can result from unhealthy diet. It is important to note that it is not just malnutrition that can cause problems, and that excesses and imbalances also play a large role.

Trying to understand how specific aspects of diet influence the health of the boy is what the science of nutrition is about. Often times individuals who are having problems with the performance of their body will go to visit an nutrionist. The nutritionist will spend time analyzing the patient's health, diet, daily routine, and more. From the information that they collect they will put together a plan, diet, which they will give to the patient to follow to help them correct their mistakes in diet, and to get them back on track. Nutritionists often work in coordination with personal trainers, when involved with diet, and muscle problems, to help increase the activity and the overall healthiness of their patient.

Living a healthy lifestyle is more about what you eat. It's an entire package: What you eat, How you sleep, The air you breathe, How active you are,etc. Taking steps to improve your lifestyle are actually quite simple. Simple differences like taking an apple over a chocolate bar, or biking over walking, are easy to make and can make the world of a difference!

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the article, this caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of Online Nutrition Degree - http://www.online-nutrition-degree.com, which is the best site on the internet for all Online Nutrition Degree related information.

Cafeteria At Fault for College Weight Gain

2008-09-02T09:59:00.001-07:00

College weight gain is at an all time high, and as students continue to pack on the pounds at an increasing rate, we naturally want to know where the blame lies for this growing epidemic. Since food consumption contributes significantly to weight gain, is it safe to assume that cafeterias are responsible for the expanding waistlines of our students? Read on for three reasons why the cafeteria food you eat is making you fat, and tips to help you stop the weight gain.

1.All You Can Eat

When was the last time you were given a tray and let loose in an all-you-can-eat buffet? Although most people only experience this phenomenon while either onboard a cruise ship or visiting Las Vegas, college students often have the buffet going experience three times a day, seven days a week. That comes out to twenty-one opportunities to overeat each week. Students are handed the serving spoon, and the sky is the limit!

Let?s do some simple math together to help explain the damage done by the all-you-can-eat cafeteria. One must consume roughly 3,500 extra calories in order to gain a pound. This may seem like a large number, but when broken down between twenty-one meals, one pound can be gained each week by simply eating 170 extra calories at each meal. These 170 calories can take on the form of an extra helping of cheesy spaghetti, a salad drenched in creamy dressing, or a small, innocent-looking dessert. College cafeterias are lurking with excess calories that are on a mission to end up on your unsuspecting tray.

Cafeteria Weight Loss Tip #1: Ditch your tray. Instead of loading up an entire tray with multiple plates of food, desserts and beverages stick with just a simple plate. This will prevent you from overeating, since more food than can fit on one plate is probably more food than you need. 2.Main Dish Mayhem

College cafeterias are notorious for serving main dishes that are less than nutritious. Cheese covered pizzas, pastas and casseroles often dominate the lunch menus while fried meats, potatoes, and fat laden roasts turn up at dinner. Any direction that you turn to, in a cafeteria, will find you staring straight into the pot of something fattening.

Let?s consider the extra fat and calories that are found in the main dishes that are typically served in the cafeteria. An average serving of lasagna has 550 calories and 22 grams of fat. Two slices of pizza have 540 calories and 28 grams of fat. A serving of fried chicken has 480 calories and 26 grams of fat. When you consistently eat main dishes like these that are high in fat and extra calories the only possible result is weight gain.

Cafeteria Weight Loss Tip #2: Eat only a small serving of the main dish. This will prevent you from eating an extreme amount of excess calories, since the main dishes are usually very rich in calories and fat. Fill the rest of your plate with fresh vegetables and whole grains. 3.Desserts Galore

What is a visit to the cafeteria without topping it off with a mouthwatering dessert? Cookies, brownies, cakes, pies and ice cream are often just what you need to get your mind off of that exam that you need to study for. Women are especially prone to indulging at the dessert bar, due to their chocolate-loving, sweet teeth!

What most students do not realize is how quickly these extra calories add up, resulting in weight gain. A typical large cookie contains over 200 calories and 15 grams of fat. A typical brownie can pack over 400 calories and 25 grams of fat. These are often the calories that end up pushing you over your daily caloric needs, resulting in fat storage around your waist, hips and thighs.

Cafeteria Weight Loss Tip #3: Limit the number of desserts you eat each week. Rather than grabbing a cookie or brownie everyday, designate a day or two each week as your dessert day. This will prevent daily extra calories, and will make the desserts you do eat more enjoyable.

The next time that you are in line at the cafeteria pay attention to what ends up on your plate. Remember that most college weight gain is a result of a mismanaged diet. If you would like more information on avoiding college weight gain, visit www.AvoidTheFreshman15.com to download free information.

Diana Keuilian, Certified Personal Trainer, and author of ?Avoid The Freshman Fifteen?, has a proven method for avoiding college weight gain. Visit http://www.AvoidTheFreshman15.com to learn more. She is also the head Fitness Trainer for the nation?s leading online fitness site http://www.HitechPersonalFitness.com and board member of http://www.HitechTrainer.com

4 Surefire Ways NOT To Lose Weight At Your Health Club

2008-09-01T13:59:00.001-07:00

Everyone has their own individual reason for joining a health club, lose a few pounds, tone up, lower your blood pressure, strengthen a bad back or shoulder, perform better in sports, or just keep in shape by playing some basketball or racquetball.

By joining the gym you have shown a time, and a financial commitment to achieving your goals, congratulations!

However, joining the gym is only the first step.

Did you know that only about 2% of health club members actually use the gym?

Some gym member leave because they injure themselves and cannot work out, many others leave because of lack of results. The reasons are endless.

However, I have been a doctor for over eight years now, and I have seen new gym members come in with good intentions only to make the same common mistakes others made that set them up for failure, or an injury.

I am sure you must be wondering why I care about your goals for joining the gym.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that as many as 250,000 lives are lost annually due to lack of physical activity or a sedentary lifestyles. That is 200,000 more than the number of lives lost as a result of car accidents, which are 50,000.

Most of the problems myself and other doctors are treating such as high blood, arthritis, chronic pain or stiffness, overweight, low energy, stress and tension are often the result of years of neglect. Most of these chronic problems could have been prevented with proper guidance. The good think is that many of these chronic problems can still be helped, again with proper guidance.

Hopefully, by sharing what I have seen over the years will help your achieve your health and fitness goals. So, here are the most common mistakes I have seen over the years which results in injury, or failing to reach their goals whether it is weight loss, muscle toning, rehabilitating an injury, getting of all those pain medications or whatever the reason was for initially joining a health club was.

Mistake #1:Not seeing a QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL before beginning an exercise program

This sounds like common sense right? Every piece of exercise equipment has a similar statement on it right? There is a reason for that, exercise can be harmful or even deadly, and I do not care if you think you are good shape. How many times have you known of someone suddenly passing away from a heart attack and you say to yourself, he looked so healthy.

So schedule an appointment with your primary doctor and have your blood pressure check, get your resting pulse rate, get your body fat tested, have your heart and lungs listened to, have your muscles, joints, and any injuries evaluated before you begin your exercise program.

If you do not want to schedule an appointment with your doctor, you can have these test done here for free, no additional charge, this exam is included with your membership.

Why, we want you to enjoy the gym and achieve your goals, but first we want you to be safe. It also does not look that good when you see gym members rolled out to the ambulance parked in front of the gym entrance. It happens. Call your doctor up or if you are in the Phoenix area stop by and see us.

Mistake #2:Not getting any Initial Baseline Numbers

Again, this goes back to mistake number 1. How can you monitor your progress if you do not know where your were when you stated.

If you are a little over weight or trying to lower you blood pressure, don?t you think you should know what your blood pressure is before you begin your program. How are you going to monitor your weight loss if you do not know what percent of your body is fat, before you begin your program.

A brief note here, you know I mentioned percent of body fat and not weight. How much you weigh does not matter much, but your percent of fat does.

Lets say we have two overweight new gym members both weighing 200lbs. One joins the gym and is going to try use the scale to monitor his progress; the other stopped by our office and received their evaluation, which was included with their membership. At this evaluation we found that the second new member weighed 200lbs. And had a body fat percentage of 40%. This means that 40% of his body is made of fat 80lbs. The other 120lbs is what his muscle, bones, organs, etc. weigh, (everything but fat).

The member who received our evaluation used to work out, and was at one time in good shape, but over the years put on a few extra pounds and has not work out is some time. This member tried various was to lose the weight but was unsuccessful, this is the reason for finally join the gym. Since this member was really serious about losing weight they asked us if we could help. So, we set them us on a program.

Now it is a 6 weeks into the program and the new member who knew what their body fat was before starting on our program comes in for his follow up visits to monitor his progress and the first thing he says is, ?doc I?m feeling better but the scale in the locker says I only lost 3lbs., I am frustrated.?

However, at this follow up visit, we did see that he/she has lost 3lbs and know weighs 197lbs, but the percent of body fat dropped fro 40% to 36%. This works out to be 70lbs of fat he/she has now instead of the 80lbs before. This guy/gal actually lost10 lbs of FAT! The stuff we are trying to lose. Make sense?

What do you think happened to the member who was using the scale? Lets say somehow they achieved the same results as the member we just talked about, lost 3lbs according to the scale after 6 weeks. This person may be thinking, ?three times a week for 6 weeks and a lousy 3 pounds!!? Are they going to keep using their membership? I know the gym is still charging their credit card.

Do you understand what I am taking about?

The same is true for what ever your goals are for joining the gym is, weight loss, muscle toning, rehabilitating an injury, getting off or reducing all of those medications you may be on, lowering your blood pressure, reducing your stress, increasing your endurance, what ever your reason was. You should know where you are at when you begin. See your doctor and get this done. If you want us to do it, we are here for you.

Otherwise how are you going to know if what your doing is working or not working, you need to keep doing what your doing or change your routine? This leads me in the third and last mistake

Mistake #3Not on the right program

High carbs / low fat, low carbs / don?t worry about the fats, low reps / high reps, this exercise will help your back / that exercise will hurt your back, and so on, and so on. Sound familiar?

This exercise and nutrition stuff can be real confusing. I see people everyday trying to lose weight, or strengthen an injury, and from the exercises I see them doing they are not going to get there. I usually do see them for long though they seem to disappear after a month or two.

Now that you know what your baseline numbers are (body fat is, blood pressure, etc), the next step is to get on an individual program that is right for you and your specific goals.

The best person to start with would be the doctor who first evaluated you before you started your program. If you have arthritis, a bad back, high blood pressure, or are overweight you should know exactly what you show and should not do.

Working out at the gym can do wonders for your health. If done correctly, exercise can lower blood pressure, reduce coronary artery disease, strengthen, improve your mood, help you deal with stress, increase your muscle tone, reduce chronic aches and pains, strengthen an injury, lose weight, if done correctly you can achieve the goals you have for joining the gym.

However, the gym can also make your little problem a real big one. I have seen, and treated, many people who have injured themselves working out. I have also seen many people trying to tone up or lose weight who are just simply following a program that will not work or may be harmful. These people stop coming to the gym, do not meet their goals, and keep paying their monthly membership dues.

Also, a little note, just because you see someone that looks like they are in shape does mean they are doing the exercises correctly.

So, make sure the person who is setting you up on your program is trained to customize an individualize program for your specific goals. Then, with this information you can begin your program without confusion. If you are interested in working with a personal trainer, this information can also be pasted on to them so they are aware what you should and should not be doing.

Mistake #4Not having someone, other than yourself, monitor your progress

How are you going to know how you are doing if you do not have regular progress evaluations?

You should have someone rechecking your baseline numbers on a regular basis, blood pressure, percent body fat, etc. This person can also give you support and help you with any problems that might come up. Maybe a specific exercise causes you some pain, or you get a clicking noise in you shoulder when you do some exercises, that is not normal. You should have someone to help you with that.

Finally, have someone monitor your progress means you will be more likely to follow through with your program and meet you goal. Which, I assume is what you want to do.

If you avoid the 4 mistakes above you will be able you achieve you goals or your reason form joining this health club.

Please feel free to publish this article in your Newsletter or on your Website (with Resource Box Included).

About The Author

Dr. Jeffrey Banas is a Chiropractic Sports Physician, practicing in Mesa; AZ. Dr. Banas personally lost 60 pounds in 2003 and now uses his experience to help others struggling with their weight problems. Dr. Banas can be reached at his office at 480-633-6837, or by visiting his web site at http://www.sportstraining-weightloss.com

drjeffbanas@yahoo.com

Heel Pain: Plantar Fasciitis

2008-08-31T17:59:00.001-07:00

One of the most common injuries in runners, joggers and tennis players is plantar fasciitis, pain on the bottom of the heel.

A band of tissue called the plantar fascia extends from your five toes, along the bottom of your foot to attach on the bottom of your heel. When you run, you land on your heel and raise yourself on your toes as you shift your weight to your other foot, causing all your weight to be held up by your plantar fascia. This repetitive force can tear the fascia from its attachment on your heel.

Several factors increase force on the fascia, such as shoes that have stiff soles that do not bend in the right place just behind the ball of your big toe, shoes that are too wide for your feet, running too fast for the present strength of your plantar fascia, or not allowing enough time to recover between fast workouts. It can also be the first site of pain for arthritis. Doctors have no medications that help heal the plantar fascia. Cortisone injections and aspirin-like pills can reduce pain, but they can also delay healing.

If you have plantar fasciitis, stop running and limit walking until you can run without feeling pain. Since you pedal with your knees and hips and place little force on your fascia, you can usually pedal a bicycle without feeling pain. Use shoes that have flexible soles. Wear arch supports that limit the rolling in motion of your feet, stretch your calf muscles and wear night splints. Surgery to cut the plantar, called fasciotomy, is usually ineffective and may even prevent healing. I have treated some patients with infractible pain, unconventionally, with 10 mg/day alindronate for three months.

Some podiatrists now offer a non-surgical treatment for plantar fascitis that does not respond to the conventional treatments. The Food and Drug Administration has approved The Dornier EPOS extracorporeal shockwave machine that has been shown to cure persistent plantar fasciitis. If your heel pain has not been cured by other treatments, check with a podiatrist to see whether extracorporeal shockwave treatment is appropriate for you.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

For other common injuries see my articles on * Elbow Pain: Tennis Elbow * A Pain in the Butt: Piriformis Syndrome * Ankle Pain: Achilles Tendinitis * Shin Splints * Shoulder Pain: Rotator Cuff Injuries * Stress Fractures

5 Big Reasons to Buy Adjustable Dumbbells

2008-08-30T21:59:00.001-07:00

Just imagine if you could replace a room full of weight machines with one piece of fitness equipment without it costing you an arm or a leg! Well adjustable dumbbells might just be the solution you've been looking for.

Adjustable dumbbells are one of the best investments you can make in your home gym. If you still need convincing, check out the following 5 reasons why you need to grab your own adjustable dumbbell set.

1. Range of exercises

One of the main advantages of dumbbells over traditional weight machines is that you can perform a number of different exercises without changing machines. You can easily change from doing bicep curls to tricep kickbacks just by changing your body position. So instead of buying 4 different machines to get a total body workout you just need one adjustable dumbbell set.

2. Price

If you look around today you could easily spend $1000's of dollars on different pieces of exercise equipment just to work different muscle groups. Surprisingly you can get a set of adjustable dumbbells for only $200-$300 depending on the weight of the set. Considering the range of exercises you can perform this is fantastic value for money!

Compare this price to your local gym membership and you'll quickly see why this is such good value.

3. Convenience of adjustability

This is what makes adjustable dumbbells so great and what differentiates them from traditional dumbbells. By using a simple quick change pin you can instantly change from one dumbbell weight to the next. Think of it like a pin loaded weight machine but with dumbbells. Because you change the dumbbell weight with a pin you don't need a room full of dumbbells which can get in the way and cost a lot of money.

4. Space

Unlike traditional dumbbells which need a dumbbell rack and lots of space to store, adjustable dumbbells sit on a stand so can be tucked away in the corner of a room. That way you can leave more space for the larger fitness equipment like ellipticals or treadmills.

If you have been putting off building your home gym because of a lack of space you now have no excuse!!

5. Maximum Muscular development

Dumbbells, also known as free weights, are the best for maximizing muscular development. Because they are less stable than machine weights you have to use more muscles (stabilizing muscles) to help support the weight and exercise with proper form. If you have every tried performing both a traditional bench press and a dumbbell press you'll know that using dumbbells are a lot harder.

A person who can bench press 200lb x 8 reps with a traditional bar might only be able to do 160lb (80lb per hand) x 8 reps with dumbbells simple because you have to work harder to stabilize the weight.

So there you have it. What excuses do you have now? Make a smart decision and put adjustable dumbbells at top of your home gym priority list.

Dean Iggo is a keen fitness enthusiast and home gym user. He is also the webmaster of home-gym-buyers-guide.com a website providing unbiased home exercise equipment tips and reviews.

Weight Loss Advice What Makes a GREAT Personal Trainer?

2008-08-30T01:59:00.001-07:00

If you are trying to lose weight you may find from time to time you need some encouragement, guidance and accountability. You can find this in friends, but on occasion you will need some extra help by seeking the advice of a personal trainer. The challenge lies in finding a good one. But what does a good personal trainer look like?

My name is Greg Ryan, and for the last twenty years I have managed, trained and consulted thousands of personal trainers. I personal have over 50,000 hours of paid training sessions under my belt. So when I say to you there is a difference between a personal trainer and Great personal trainer, I mean it. For me, it is very easy to point out a good one. For you it will not be. Here are a few things you need to look for when finding a good personal trainer:

I. Professionalism: Any trainer worth his/her salt will treat the profession seriously. I call this the ?sold out? attitude. You can usually tell if they are just part timers or not.

A.Neatly dressed: If they look like a slob, then I would try to avoid them ? no matter how much they know.

B.Business Policies: If they try to make pricing deals with you or have no cancellation policies or business practices watch out. Trainers must take their profession serious.

C.On Time: If a trainer is late, he does not care about you.

D.Honesty: If a trainer thinks they know everything, be careful. II: Education:

A.A trainer with a PhD. Is not always necessary, however credible certifications at the very least is must.

B.Well rounded knowledge: The good personal trainers are the ones with exercise, nutrition and human behavior experience.

C.Personal Trainers should always continue their education.

III. People Skills

A.In some cases this could make or break your success with a personal trainer.

B.If they have a large ego ? avoid them as much as you can.

C.Being a good personal trainer is more about motivating people than anything.

D.A good personal trainer does not have to be a hard body; however, they must continually practice what they teach.

These credentials in my opinion are just the tip of the iceberg. Finding a good personal trainer is not that easy. With the growing demand for trainers, it makes it difficult for the consumer to distinguish good from mediocre. In reality there are only about ten percent that fit these guidelines. But, maybe I have high standards. It is your health and all.

Who ever you decide to guide you must have great people skills, a well rounded education, and professionalism are all a must. If you have a hard tine deciding contact me, I?ll guide you through the process.

START LOSING WEIGHT THE RIGHT WAY FOR GOOD TODAY! FREE MINI COURSE click here http://www.resolutions.bz Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting that the doctor?s DON?T want you to know. Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith, and high profile fitness expert.

Burning Calories How It Affects You

2008-08-29T05:59:00.001-07:00

CALORIES! The word we will almost certainly come across in any health magazine and article. It is the word we always see at the back of the packaging of every food item. We think we know it so well. Well.. do we? To some unsuspecting exercise fanatics.. the word 'calorie' is sometimes thought of as a bad thing. Is it really? What is a calorie then?

Simply said, a calorie is a unit of energy in food, and food consists of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, with some drinks containing alcohol. Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram, Proteins 4 calories per gram, and Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. Fat has 9 calories per gram. Calories are simply the amount of 'stored energy', or a 'measure of fuel' in a food item. It is not something bad that we should avoid or something harmful to our body. In fact, we need calories to survive.

I'm not sure if you realise, but our body is burning calories all the time. Yes, even now, as you're sitting there staring at your computer at my article. When we consume MORE calories than our body requires - we put on weight, and when we consume LESS calories than what we need - we lose weight. Its as simple as that, and thats the logic behind what weightloss and weightgain is all about and how it words.

So by this, we can conclude that it would do our body good if we are able to cause it to burn more calories.. especially when we're on a weightloss plan. Well, what influences the number of calories we burn? It generally depends on our metabolism, body composition, and food intake. The more lean muscle mass and the lower amount of fat you possess, the more calories you will burn during physical activity.

What I love about muscle tissue is that the more muscle mass we have, the more calories we burn simply by sitting down, cooking, or even sleeping! Muscle tissue is very active--it burns a lot of calories. Every pound of muscle burns about 35 calories per day just on its own, without any exercise. A pound of fat however, burns nothing.

Sadly, when people diet, especially without the combination of exercise, though they still lose fat, they often also lose muscle mass. This is bad and will only be counterproductive in the long run, as this compounds the difficulties of losing weight and keeping it off!

Crash diets and severe calorie-restricted diets WILL reduce your metabolic rate too - another calorie-burning ally we don't want to lose. Exercising/weight training especially, during a diet, helps prevent this from happening.

Losing muscle is always a bad thing. You shouldnt strive just to burn as much calories as possible to lose weight and be a smaller version of yourself, but you should strive to build a more fitter, efficient and stronger body - which will cause you to naturally look good and be in excellent shape! In other words, we should strive for a physique transformation, and not a physique reduction. Carelessly overlooking the importance of calorie consumption will only bring more harm in the long run, and make it more difficult for you to keep your weight under control in the future. There.. now you know how calories affect you.

Josh Stone, also known as DM, is the author behind the site http://www.dailymuscle.com which offers the author's personal views on real-life fitness, bodybuilding, sports nutrition, cardio, fat loss, training information, and on all things that surrounds fitness.

Medicare Is Missing The Obesity Target

2008-08-28T09:59:00.001-07:00

On July 16, 2004 the headline posted all over America was WASHINGTON (AP) -- MEDICARE NOW RECOGNIZES OBESITY AS AN ILLNESS, a change in policy that may allow millions of overweight Americans to make medical claims for treatments such as stomach surgery and diet programs. (www.cnn.com)

It was almost impossible to miss this story, since it was plastered on virtually every front page in the nation and received heavy rotation on all the major news networks.

The government representative in front of the cameras said all the right things about the dangers of excess body fat: Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said, Obesity is a critical public health problem in our country that causes millions of Americans to suffer unnecessary health problems and to die prematurely.

Treating obesity-related illnesses results in billions of dollars in health care costs, Thompson said.

With this new policy, Medicare will be able to review scientific evidence in order to determine which interventions improve health outcomes for seniors and disabled Americans who are obese, Thompson told a Senate panel on Thursday. (end quote from www.cnn.com)

That is all 100% true and accurate; obesity DOES cause a multitude of health problems in the United States and around the world. Pick Up The Pace joins thousands of other fitness professionals in congratulating the Department of Health & Human Services in finally taking a much more pro-active role in obesity prevention.

However, we must take issue with what appears to be the main focus of this new initiative: fat loss results through surgery. On July 21, 2004 the Idaho Press Tribune (www.idahopress.com) ran a much more in-depth story on this issue (written by Mark Sherman of The Associated Press). In part, this story stated that Now willing to pay for a treatment that works, Medicare is shunning fad diets to focus on one of the more radical solutions, stomach bypass surgery. Despite the claims of various diets and surgical procedures, most researchers agree that no approach to weight reduction has been proven to be effective over the long haul.....officials said they would consider paying for something, but only something that can be shown to work.

HELLO?!?!? ANYBODY HOME?!?!? We are shocked and dismayed that ANYONE at the Department of Health & Human Services would not automatically endorse and promote EXERCISE as the NUMBER ONE PROVEN REMEDY FOR OBESITY!!

Please understand that we are NOT discounting the effectiveness of stomach bypass surgery. On the contrary, it is perhaps the best solution for some people. However, for the vast majority of Americans, regular cardiovascular and resistance exercise is will provide much better and long-lasting results.

Further along in the article from The Associated Press we find this quote: Some health plans subsidize gym memberships, but it is unlikely that Medicare would, despite the undeniable benefits of exercise. Again, HELLO?!?!? ANYBODY HOME?!?!?

The plain and simple fact of the matter is that liposuction, stomach bypass surgery, and other surgical forms of obesity control do not convey the same benefits as exercise. That is an undisputed fact. Yes, fat-loss surgical procedures work for some people and have even saved lives. If you think you may be a candidate, then by all means please talk it over with your physician. Odds are good that your doctor will discuss it with you and then recommend (prescribe?) a healthier diet and regular exercise!!

There are two basic reasons why exercise is superior to fat-loss surgery. First, the simple act of removing fat from your body does not make your heart healther (as exercise does). Surgically taking fat off your body (via liposuction) will also not prevent diabetes or hypertension (as exercise does). In short, although surgical procedures will make you healther they will not convey the same benefits as regular exercise.

The second reason that exercise is superior to surgical solutions is that WE MUST CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR IF WE ARE TO MAKE LIFE-LONG CHANGES IN OUR BODY COMPOSITION. Think about it. What if we could magically take 20 lbs. of fat off our body today? POOF! It's gone. Now doesn't that feel (and look) good? What will happen if we don't change our diet or activity level....will that 20 lbs. come back? Of course! Similar to the yo-yo diets many of us have experienced, without permanent changes to our lifestyle and/or dietary habits, permanent change is next to impossible.

So, while we applaud the folks at Medicare for their added emphasis on obesity, we are alarmed that exercise will not (for the time being, at least) play a role in their new initiative. In the meantime, let's continue to work out regularly and try to keep our diets 'clean'. Let's talk to our doctors about our goals.....betcha they'll continue to recommend regular exercise and healthy diets!!

The Power Workout:

2008-08-27T13:59:00.001-07:00

Scenario: I really want to get in shape, but I work all day and attend multimedia classes until 8:30. How do I find the time to exercise, and what are a few good exercises for beginners like me? Solution: Finding time to exercise is certainly a challenge. Even the most motivated among us suffer setbacks during our business's busy season or when a new project is on the horizon. The key to fitting fitness into your busy day is to recognize that finding time isn't the issue--it's making time.

You may be surprised to hear that you can enjoy the benefits of a regular exercise program in as little as three hours per week.

The following routine shows you how:

Monday: Half-hour of jogging, biking (on hills) or other intense aerobic exercise you enjoy

Tuesday: Half-hour of strength training (squats, sit-ups and push-ups for beginners; weight training with machines or dumbbells for the more experienced)

Wednesday: Rest day

Thursday: Repeat Monday

Friday: Repeat Tuesday Saturday: One hour of exercise--any type of exercise. Go rollerblading with a friend, take the family to the hills for a hike or swim laps at the pool.

Sunday: Rest day

Make your workouts more time-efficient by exercising harder. For example, you can walk two miles in a half-hour, or you can run four miles in a half-hour. You can spend an hour in step aerobics class, or you can spend 20 minutes rowing at the highest resistance level on the rowing machine. When you perform strength-training exercises, use a challenging resistance and move quickly through your exercises to get an aerobic benefit.

If you want to commit to getting fit, exercise must become a part of your life--a habit as regular as brushing your teeth. Try these ideas to help you stay on track:

*Make a log of everything you do for a week, and identify the time slots where you can fit in exercise. Did you spend a Saturday afternoon watching the Back to the Future trilogy for the fifth time? Could you manage to get up a half-hour earlier on the weekdays? Just skip an hour of television time and go to bed earlier.

*Make exercise convenient. Find a place to work out that's close to your home or office. If you're disciplined and have the space, work out at home.

*Develop relationships with supportive people. Join an exercise class or go to the gym with friends. If you skip a class, your friends will hold you accountable.

*Exercise at the right time. The right time is when you're most likely to do it. If you know your day often ends late or meetings come up suddenly, it's best to schedule your workout for first thing in the morning when nothing can interfere. If you're a night owl, fit your workout in before dinner. If you can only manage a 10-minute walk on your lunch hour--do it. Some exercise is better than none.

Benefits Of Exercise

Need more motivation to get fit? Consider the following benefits of exercise:

*Exercise increases your stamina and strength.

*Exercise improves your heart and lung efficiency.

*Exercise gives your body greater resistance to disease, stress, anxiety and fatigue.

*Exercise gives you more energy and enhances your capacity for work and leisure activities.

*Exercise releases hormones that stimulate the brain, helping to clear your mind, see things from a new perspective, and come up with fresh ideas.

So make an appointment with yourself to get some exercise. Your body--and your business--will thank you for it.

For a ton of f.ree, valuable tips, tricks, and secrets visit: http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

? 2002-2005 Wisdom Books, LLC & Christopher Guerriero WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Christopher Guerriero, is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is creator of the award-winning 'Maximize Your Metabolism' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FR*EE how-to articles and F.REE teleseminars, visit http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

Diet Program Review: Zone Diet

2008-08-19T06:00:00.001-07:00

Many people opt to lose weight by using the Zone diet. This diet is different from diets such as Atkins and South Beach Diet because of the fact that Zone emphasizes a ratio which consists of the three main nutrients (carbs, proteins, fats). Is this diet the one you want to follow or is it just another fad diet that will disappear after another year or so?

The basis for the Zone diet is that if a person eats the right amount of carbs, proteins, and fats, then the person will improve their health drastically. This diet calls for a ratio of 40/30/30 (carbs, proteins, fats) because certain hormones will be balanced to give you the body of your dreams. The founder of this diet, Ph.D Barry Sears states, The American public is overweight due to a high intake of carbohydrates, and that this style of eating causes an overproduction of insulin. The solution is to eat a lower carb, higher protein, and moderate fat diet to balance these hormones within the preferred zone.

So how does the Zone diet compare with other diets? The Zone diet is quick to point out that this diet works primarily because of its low calories, not their magic ratio of macronutrients. This diet does not prohibit any foods, but restricts foods that are high in fat and carbs such as starches, grains, and pastas. Other diets either emphasize a low carb or low fat option, the Zone diet simply uses both nutrients, just in a smaller percentage.

This diet is actually not bad compared to some of the lower carb diets available. The Zone diet does have its weak areas considering some of the recipes are full of nutritional misinformation. Another problem Zone has is that it suggests impractical food combinations such as beer and cottage cheese in one meal. Despite these prolems, go ahead and try Zone for yourself and find out if it works for you. Until next time, later.

*http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0924.html
*http://onhealth.webmd.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52012&page=2
*http://www.bestdietforme.com/TR/ZoneDiet.htm
*http://www.mhhe.com/hper/nutrition/nutriquest/phys4.mhtml
*http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/lighterlifediet.htm

My site: http://www.mightybody.com

Could This Be Arthritis In My Hands

2008-08-18T10:00:00.001-07:00

Hi Rusty. A few days ago, I slightly injured a finger on my hand. Now my hand is swelling with severe joint pain in the fingers. At first I thought this was a possible sprain in that region, but now my other hand is showing the same swelling of the fingers and pain of the joints. Should I go check this out right away? It doesn't seem to be getting worse today, but the pain and swelling are persistent. Could this be a sudden arthritis attack? I'm 38 years old and in good health (I just had a check-up at the doctor last week and the blood work came back okay).

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Answer

Ouch, a little sprain is not supposed to do that. Unfortunately some times it does. I am sorry to hear about this. It is not unusual for arthritis to begin in an effected joint. It is not the norm for it to set in so quickly. There are different kinds of arthritis that can effect the hands and feet that can cause swelling. It is possible that arthritis was already beginning but not showing symptoms yet but this triggered a symptomatic response.

I am concerned that the pain is bilateral, effecting both sides. I doubt it is anything extremely serious but it would be good to see your doctor. The sooner the better. If nothing else, your doctor will be able to treat the pain and swelling. But if it is arthritis or one of the other conditions that can cause this type of swelling in the fingers the earlier the diagnosis the better.

I wish you good health.

About The Author

Rusty Ford is the editor of Arthritis-Symptom.com one of the internets largest arthritis web sites.

Quit Playing "The Blame Game"

2008-08-17T14:00:00.001-07:00

Remember when we were 7 years old? At that age, any insult (no matter how mean or despicable) could instantly be nullified by simply replying I'm rubber, you're glue....whatever you say bounces off me and sticks on you!

Even though we're not seven years old anymore, insults still aren't any fun at all! Many of us thought we'd outgrow name-calling and the 'blame game', but here we are....fully grown adults.....still playing those games.

Now, we may not all be calling each other names, but many of us are still playing the 'blame game'. We blame others for our weight gain. We blame others for our failed diet. We blame others for our PERCEIVED failures. But are others at fault?

Sometimes what we say to others 'bounces off them and sticks on us', to paraphrase the old rhyme.

While we'll admit that genetics plays a HUGE HUGE HUGE role in our weight, it's also true that each of us makes DAILY CHOICES that impact the number on the scale.

So who (or what?) are we blaming for our weight? Genetics? Fast food? A busy lifestyle? Ice cream? Family? Work?

The bottom line is that WHILE WE MAY BE ABLE TO LEGITIMATELY BLAME SOMEONE (OR SOMETHING) ELSE FOR OUR CURRENT WEIGHT, WE ARE ALL IN CONTROL OF OUR FUTURE WEIGHT.

Each of us knows how we arrived at our current weight. Perhaps we've always been heavy. Perhaps that weight crept on during the last few years. Or, maybe, we were thin until we hit age and then the pounds started piling on. However we arrived at our current weight, the fact is that we're here. We cannot change the past. But, we do have control over the future.

No matter how hard we try, we can't change what we ate yesterday. In the same way, we cannot go back in time and alter the amount of exercise we got yesterday. The past is behind us.

But the good news is that THE FUTURE HASN'T HAPPENED YET. Each of us can choose to eat better tomorrow. Each of us can choose to exercise tomorrow.

The tendency to get 'stuck in the past' is a major reason why Americans are not getting thinner. Too many of us are wasting our time trying to place the blame for our weight on someone else, rather than planning to do something about it.

A perfect example are the lawsuits now pending against fast food restaurants. Thousands of people in the United States have decided that fast food restaurants are to blame for their weight. Are they right? Maybe, but probably not. This article isn't the place to judge whether or not restaurants are to blame for the obesity epidemic in our nation. Instead, the point we need to learn here is that IF WE WANT TO GET RESULTS, WE MUST STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE PAST AND START PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.

So, while some of us may have legitimate complaints about the past, let's ask ourselves if that really matters. Life isn't fair.....some of us are genetically inclined to be heavy, just as some of us are genetically inclined to get cancer. Either way, it's not fair. But rather than throw up our hands in dispair and give up all hope, let's take control of our future!!

Remember that we cannot change our past BUT WE ALL HAVE SOME DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER OUR FUTURE.

The moral of the story is to START TODAY. Sure, maybe we've skipped a few (or a few dozen) workouts. Sure, maybe we ate four servings of cheesecake yesterday. WE CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, SO LET'S FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.

The past may be full of bad diets, skipped workouts and expanding waistlines.....BUT THE FUTURE IS YET TO COME!! Let's stop the blame, take control of our future, and get busy. It's our choice.

Healthy Aging Suggestions

2008-08-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

Youth is transient and aging is a natural process. However, it is also true that we all wish to remain youthful and healthy forever. All of us dislike the sufferings and miseries of illnesses of aging. Yet we all will age in the course of time. So, the amicable solution to the reality of aging and the cherished desire to stay fit always is to age gracefully while remaining fit, fine and healthy. Practicable steps for promoting the health and well-being should be adopted while the process of aging continues.

Criteria for healthy aging

Healthy aging involves promoting of all round care for ensuring the well-being of the individual. This comprises of physical fitness, social well being, financial security and mental fitness. This ascertains that you, the individual concerned, is never feeling bad or let down with the progress of years leading to your aging.

Promoting health and physical fitness

Regular exercising, maintaining a healthy diet with adequate balance of all nutrients- vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and leading a stress free life are the essentials for maintaining good health through all ages. Morning walks, consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, vitamin and mineral supplements, participation in recreational activities, games etc. and adequate rest and sleep are suggested. An occasional visit to a qualified physician for checkup needs to be made and suggested tests are to be carried out. In case any major illness is suspected, proper and thorough diagnosis needs to be done and treatments undertaken accordingly.

Fostering social well being

Old age and a retired life is the ripe time for socializing and participating in various activities of social interest. You can join clubs, associations and even political parties as per your aptitude. You can pursue traveling if it interests you and wander about in the world extensively to meet various people and expand your knowledge and mind. You may even take up some freelance work if you wish. Involving yourself in various community welfare programs will also keep you occupied while promoting well being of society.

Ensuring financial security

Retired life or old age cannot be enjoyable if financial security is not there. This serves as a support for everything you do. However, this often needs to be planned and carried out beforehand, in advance. Some measures can, however, even be taken after retirement and senior citizens may conveniently avail of several plans and programs which may be especially provided by various authorities for them. These plans and/or programs need to be thoughtfully and judiciously carried out or opted for.

Maintaining mental fitness

Staying mentally healthy and youthfully is very important. The very thought of aging makes you feel old. You must never let depression take the better of your sensibilities. Indulging in hobbies, recreation, intellectual pursuits, social services etc. keep the mind fresh and young. Exercising both body and mind regularly and eating healthily will go a long way to keep you free from serious mental diseases like Alzheimer's disease. Thinking positively and actively seeking variety and challenge in day-to-day life will definitely maintain a young mind in an aging yet healthy body.

For more infomative health and beauty articles or to browse our wide variety of quality herbal supplements visit http://www.natural-health-4-life.com

Exercise and Too Much Water

2008-08-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

We are constantly reading articles and hearing in the news about drinking plenty of water to stay healthy. In fact, many of us don?t drink enough water. It is recommended that the average person drink at least eight - 8 ounce glasses of water (64 ounces) per day to stay properly hydrated. One of the easiest ways to make sure you do this is to fill a large container (like an empty one gallon milk jug) with the amount of water you want to drink for the day and make sure you finish it by day?s end. Half a gallon equals 64 ounces, so filling a one gallon jug at least ? way will help you meet your minimum daily goal.

But remember, you can get too much of a good thing. Believe it or not, there is actually such a thing as drinking too much water. When you drink too much water, it can reduce the level of sodium in your body. This condition is called hyponatremia. This situation usually arises when people drink too much water during heavy, prolonged exercise like a marathon or long, extremely strenuous hike. This phenomenon has been found in Grand Canyon hikers and Boston marathon racers.

What happens is that an exerciser takes in large amounts of plain water and sweats out a lot of fluid that contains sodium and other electrolytes needed in the body. In extreme cases this can cause a dangerous electrolyte imbalance. When that happens, water enters the body?s cells, which causes them to swell. If swollen, brain cells start pressing against the skull. The result can be brain damage, paralysis, coma, and sometimes death.

This problem can also happen in people who are taking medications for hypertension (high blood pressure) or in people who suffer from hypothyroidism (under active thyroid). This happens because both of these situations can increase sodium loss.

So, make sure you drink plenty of water, but keep in mind that too much of a good thing can sometimes cause problems.

*******************

Online fitness coach Tom Manfredi is the creator of the site fitness-after-50. He has a master's degree in exercise physiology and over 20 years of practical exercise experience.

This site is designed with the mature adult in mind. There is a lot of information available on the site for anyone looking to start or restart a sensible exercise program. Learn more by going to fitness-after-50.com

OverTraining

2008-08-15T02:03:00.000-07:00

HIT Progress Reports

Hello HIT'ers,

This week I'd like to discuss the topic of over-training. One of my new clients had the pleasure of increasing his strength some 40% - since his last Chest (upper-body) workout. Note, his last chest workout was about 10 days ago!!

My client is new to Heavy Duty/High Intensity Training; however, he IS a good student and has taken the time to listen and grasp these new principles of exercise. By doing so, he has relatively been successful in EVERY workout.

Unfortunately, though, I haven't had the same success with another new client of mine. Somehow he had to learn the hard way. Lately, he has not had ANY strength gains! Why? Well, he has the notion that he must workout at least 3-4X a week (as most people think) and wants to train before he even recovers from his previous workout. Big mistake!

Now, one must realize that HD/HIT training is not like any other type of training. Most people in the gym train with a lot of volume: 3-5 sets, 10-12 reps, with about 20+ exercises @ low intensity. Their workouts usually last about 45-60 minutes in duration. HD/HIT workouts, however, consist of 1 set to failure with 5 or 6 exercises - ranging from 12-20 minutes in duration!! With a greater stress on the whole physiological system. Big difference, mind you.

People are under the notion that the workout produces growth. This is why they do so much volume. If that was the case, every body in the gym would have 20 inch arms. They fail to remember that the workout only STIMULATES growth. Remember, it is the BODY that produces growth, but ONLY if it is left undisturbed for a period of time. And also, the body does not decompensate with no training in 2 weeks. In fact, it is recommended to take a lay off every so often.

When it comes to your training frequency you MUST allow for two things: total recovery and total growth. Time in between workouts is vital if you want to see increases in size and strength. In essence, if you don't rest enough - you won't grow enough.

My first client's testimony is a good case in point. By not training so frequently he was able to improve in his Pec-Dec Flye and in his Chest Press. He did this in both weight and reps! In fact, he is rather eager to see what his Leg workout is going to be this week. I will keep you posted on his progress.

Have a happy new year, and keep HITing!

Gil Burgos, CPT

About The Author

Gil has been training in the fitness industry since 1995 and brings a diversified background to his clients. Coming from a background of competitive sports he is able to train many types of athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced level trainee, he can help you attain your goal in the most efficient way possible.

gilburgos@highintensitytraining.net

Have You Given Up on Weight Loss?

2008-08-13T22:43:00.000-07:00

Have You Given Up on Weight Loss?

by Greg Landry, M.S

I receive several email messages every day

from people who have given up on weight loss.

They are at wits end and they don't know

what to do. They've tried it all and they

believe it's impossible for them to lose

weight.

Many of them have lost weight and gained it

all back, and more. Some of them have struggled

with losing weight all their lives and have

never been successful with it. One lady from

Alabama wrote to me last spring, I have been

trying to lose about sixty pounds for over 23

years. I quit! I'm resolved to the fact that

I will be fat for the rest of my life

How saddening that comment is. but I'm happy

to tell you this lady, with a little

guidance, is now 65 pounds lighter than she

was one year ago.. and she has some muscle

tone. Needless to say, she no longer believes

that she'll be fat for the rest of her life.

I tell you this simply to illustrate the fact

that you don't have to give up on weight loss.

YOU can lose weight, but you have to be

willing to do what it takes.. and here's what

it takes!

If we look at people who have been successful

at weight loss *and* maintaining that loss,

a couple of things are very apparent. These two

factors are present in the lives of most of

them..

1. They do some form of aerobic exercise 5 to

7 days per week. These people aren't

exercise wimps! They know how critically

important this is to their weight loss/

maintenance and they get out and do it!

They average 45 minutes per day with the

range being 30 to 90 minutes per day.

This not only burns lots of calories,

but, perhaps more importantly, it elevates

their basal metabolic rate.

2. They do some type of weight training 2 to

3 days per week. This has a tremendous

affect on basal metabolic rate and

muscle tone. Success at maintaining a

weight loss is much higher in people

who have weight trained while they were

losing weight versus those who haven't.

Now, obviously, healthy eating habits are also

very important. However, most of these people

say that their exercise habits seem to dictate

their eating habits.. meaning that if they

can be consistent with exercise, their eating

habits seem to fall into place.

I've had many clients tell me that their daily

exercise puts them in a healthy frame of

mind and helps them to make better food choices.

Bottom line; when they are exercising

consistently, their eating habits are better.

I firmly believe that a major factor in most

peoples frustration with weight loss is that

they haven't been told the truth about

exercise. You see, twenty minutes, three days

per week isn't going to cut it for weight

loss. If you're serious about weight loss,

then you have to get serious about exercise.

-It's all about changing your basal metabolism

through exercise.

-It's about looking at exercise as a part of your

daily routine, just like brushing your teeth.

-It's about viewing exercise as something you're

doing to get healthy and feel great!

If you *vigorously* pursue fitness and health,

weight loss will happen(tm)

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,

offers free weight loss and fitness success stories

and targeted, highly affective weight loss programs

for women, men, type 2 diabetics, and people with

slow metabolisms and hypothyroidism..

http://www.Landry.com

Why Many People Are Turning To Cross Training To Get In Better Shape

2008-08-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

There is a common misconception about weight that may cause people to have a hard time reaching their fitness goals. That misconception is based on the belief that a person's weight reflects how much fat their body contains. What actually needs to be determined is the body's fat percentage. Typically a man should not have more than 15 percent body fat, nor should a woman exceed 22 percent. These figures can be slightly adjusted when the person's height and other statistics are taken into consideration.

Muscle weighs more than fat, so it's not uncommon for people who have been working out to look at the scale in disappointment after putting a lot of effort into their training. They may think that because they don't see a significant weight loss that their fitness plan is failing. What they fail to realize is that they probably lost fat but gained muscle, so the numbers that they are reading do not accurately reflect the progress they have made.

Even without exercise, the body's metabolism burns calories, even as you sleep. Unfortunately, if you take in more calories than you burn off, it will result in fat storage. 3500 calories equal 1 pound. In order to lose a pound, you have to burn off that many calories. This may seem daunting but remember that your body is burning calories all the time. By instituting an exercise program into your schedule, you will burn calories more efficiently. Combine that with a sensible eating plan and you will be well on your way to fitness and fat loss.

One of the best ways to burn fat and get in shape is by cross training. Cross training involves using more than one mode of exercise. An example would be to swim, ride a bike and walk. One of the advantages of this form of fitness program is that there is less chance for boredom. By doing only one form of exercise, you can easily tire of it. By using three forms, the routine is constantly changing, so boredom is avoided. Another advantage of this type of training is that all of your muscle groups are being worked and developed. Muscle also burns fat, so by developing the ones in your body, you can speed your weight loss even more.

As you begin your program, keep records of the time and distance that you cover. As you become fit, you will build up your endurance and will be able to measure your progress. It will also allow you to know when it's time to step up the program.

By engaging in cross training, you will be able to strengthen your body, your heart and your muscle groups. You won't get burned out by doing the same routine over and over and before you know it you will have reached your fitness goals.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as physical fitness products at www.physicalfitnessproducts.com

Fitness for the Mature Person

2008-08-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

You can become physically active at any age! because it's never too late to start an exercising and by following an excercise program you can benefit from improved fitness.

Studies show that almost half of folks older than 75 get little physical activity and becaause even moderate activity can make a big difference in overall energy levels and motivation don't let your age put you off.

It doesn't take hours a day of activity to result in better health, either, becoming more physically active can prevent some health problems (such as osteoporosis) and help better manage others, like diabetes and high blood pressure.

The increased flexibility and balance helps the older individual remain independent longer, too. A few minutes spent stretching in the mornings upon awakening can limber up muscles and joints so that it's easier to move throughout the day.

Muscle strengthening activity increases bone mass and protects against falls. Walking is the easiest and best aerobic activity, if a person is mobile. You don't have to spend hours or even 30 minutes at a time walking-you can break it up in to small chunks of time, such as 5 or 10 minute segments.

Even gardening and working around the house counts as exercise when we're talking about muscle and bone-strengthening; it's weight-bearing exercise that makes a difference in the strength of your bones and the elasticity of your muscles.

Just getting up and moving throughout the day - doing light household chores helps one stay healthier. Exercise boosts the immune system and keeps one healthier during the winter months.

What are some benefits from light to moderate exercise for seniors?

* Improved mood and quality of life

* Improvement in arthritis

* Improved sleep

* Protects against heart disease

* Facilitates the ability to get around or dress oneself

The mobility and functioning of frail and very old adults can be improved by regular physical activity. Physical activity need not be strenuous to bring health benefits. What is important is to include activity as part of a regular routine.

Exercise can help you feel better and enjoy life more. No one is too old or too out of shape to be more active.

Get the grandkids involved in batting a balloon back and forth to great-grandma, or take them to the zoo and walk around. If mobility is less-than-ideal, keep them around the house and play outside for short periods of time. Grandkids will keep you young-both in spirit and body. So take advantage of their energy levels and get yourself moving!

You have a lot to gain and nothing to lose by continuing your activity through the senior years!

One condition that affects seniors is Candida albicans, check out our Candida albicans site for more information.

The author, John Buckle has written on womens issues for many years and is compiling information and advice on Candida albicans here.

Fitness Goal Secrets Revealed Here For The First Time

2008-08-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

Lets talk a little about achieving your fitness goal.

Everybody finds it hard to arrange time to do various day to day chores or tasks, including your muscle and fitness training.

Just follow these steps to help you get more out of each day in your workout routine, or any other part of your life for that matter. These steps will help you achieve your muscle and fitness goal.

I have found that the more I struggle with my daily life the harder it is to get anything out of what I do. In other words, if I have certain things that need doing throughout each day, and I also want to get in some training, I find that I don't get the proper benefit that I should expect from my training routine.

Is this the same with you?

Do you find that it's hard to get the time to train?

Are you struggling with the fact that you have so much on your plate, that it's just too much stress to cope with?

Well, let me help you here. I'll guide you through the various steps required to get you to achieve that fitness goal.

There's a lot of information here. So what I've decided to do is to break it into a number of easy to follow articles. This way you can cope much better and receive much more benefit from it.

Ok, lets begin with an overview.

BE - DO - HAVE

This is a triple key to success in your muscle and fitness regime. To ensure your success, you can't have one without the other.

You see, the problem with most people is that they want certain goals or results. Nothing wrong with that. And you should have certain goals that you wish to attain. This is the Have portion of the three keys.

The real problem starts with the fact that most people believe that they just have to do certain things in order to achieve the desired results or goals. This is the Do part of the three keys.

Although this is true, no matter what you do you can't achieve success without the first key, which is Be. I'll go into this a little more shortly.

But first, let me clarify...

Your goals are the Have key. This is the first thing you need to decide and it must be specific. What is it you want to have? Do you want to have more lean muscle? Or is it to have less weight? Or do you want to have more weight gain?

Decide you goals. Be specific. Now you have the third key in place, even though you don't actually have it yet. But, it's in place in your mind.

Now, you have to decide what it is you must do to achieve those goals. This is the Do key. What is it that I must do, in order that I have whatever it is that I want? What should I do to achieve my goals?

Decide what you need to actually do. What exercises will offer the best results for my specific goals? How much of those exercises should I perform and how often?

This is the most important key. It's the key that most people leave out because they're too busy trying to decide what to do in order to have that goal they are aiming for.

The Be key.

Ever notice that when you get into something, that you're going great for weeks... then you give up?

For example:

Lots of people decide to go on a diet and begin a fitness program. They want so much to lose weight. The go at it hard. They are succeeding. No sooner have they lost a few pounds, then they lose interest. They stop and end up putting it back on.

Why?

Because they lack the Be key.

In other words, you must choose what you need to Become to begin taking action. What is it that is required you Be, in order to succeed?

For example:

If you lack focus. Then you need to become more focused. If you are lazy when it comes to taking action to get things done, then you need to become a person that takes action... even when you really don't feel like it.

That's the hardest part of success with your training. Not only in your muscle building and fitness regime, but also in ANYTHING you do throughout your life.

The Solution:

1. Decide what you want to have. What are your goals?

2. Decide what the necessary steps are, that you must do to reach those goals.

3. Choose what you need to be. What do you need to become in order to do what is necessary to have what you want?

I think I've given you plenty to think about today. Please re-read this again, and again if necessary. You've really got to get this right so that you can succeed in anything you choose to do. So to achieve that muscle and fitness goal, make sure you read this again.

Tony Farrell provides valuable insight into the world of health, fitness and bodybuilding. Through his unique approach, he truly helps people to succeed and reach their goals. To subscribe to his ezine, just visit: http://www.how-to-build-muscle-and-fitness.com

Why do I Sweat More After I Stop Exercising?

2008-08-12T03:53:00.000-07:00

It's normal to sweat more after you finish exercising than you do while you exercise. Your body temperature varies throughout the day, going from around 97 degrees in the early morning to about 99 degrees in the early evening. Exercise raises body temperature considerably. When you exercise, more than 70 percent of the energy that powers your muscles is lost as heat. Less than 30 percent drives your muscles. Athletic competition can drive temperatures as high as 105 degrees without harming the athletes.

To keep your body temperature from rising too high, your heart pumps large amounts of heat in the blood from your hot muscles to your skin and you sweat. The sweat evaporates and cools your body. The amount of sweat that your body produces depends on the temperature of the blood that flows through your brain. When the temperature of the blood rises, you sweat more. During exercise, your heart beats rapidly to pump blood to bring oxygen to your muscles and to pump the hot blood from the muscles to the skin where the heat can be dissipated. When you stop exercising, your heart slows down also, pumping less blood to the skin. The heat accumulates in your muscles, causing blood temperature to rise higher, so you sweat more right after you finish exercising than during exercise.

Gabe Mirkin, M.D. http://www.DrMirkin.com

Enjoy the Holidays Without the Worry or the Pounds!

2008-08-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

The holiday season is a time full of joy, cheer, parties, and family gatherings. However, for many people, it is also a time filled with anxiety, stress, and weight gain. Unfortunately, many people often use the busy holiday season as an excuse to reduce exercise or put off starting a new program. Often these people have the intention of coming back with a vengeance after the New Year. ?The New Year is just around the corner and I?m going to lose weight and get in shape?; this trusty New Year?s resolution declaration is also conveniently used to justify holiday overindulgence. Researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) have shown that for most people weight gained during the holidays is not lost and accumulates on a yearly basis. Says NICHD Director Duane Alexander, M.D; These findings suggest that developing ways to avoid holiday weight gain may be extremely important for preventing obesity and the diseases associated with it.? Maintaining a regular exercise program throughout the holiday season provides benefits on many different levels.

The demands of shopping, parties, family reunions, and house guests can contribute to feelings of tension. According to The National Mental Health Association, (NMHA) this tension can illicit stress responses such as: headaches, excessive drinking, difficulty sleeping, and the ever-popular over-eating. Exercise has been shown to be a tremendous tool to manage stress. Exercise will give you energy and the mental strength to deal with the mad rush of holiday shopping, holiday travel and holiday visitors. Managing stress with exercise can also help control cravings for those comfort foods that adorn the holiday tables. Regular exercise also increases metabolism, thus reducing the detrimental effect of an occasional extra cookie or glass of eggnog. Experts at NMHA claim, even more people experience post-holiday let down after the New Year than suffer holiday anxiety. With this comes lack of motivation and comfort eating. Its no wonder those New Year?s resolutions are rarely successful.

Parties, large meals and extra calories are almost unavoidable during the holiday season. Weight maintenance rather than weight loss through the holidays is a much healthier goal. Exercising regularly and enjoying the few extra calories will break the vicious cycle of guilt, feelings of failure, and more eating. Getting a head start on exercise prior to January 1st will give you a healthier and happier holiday season as well as make those New Year?s resolution goals far more attainable.

Healthy Holiday Tips:

1.Focus on weight maintenance not weight loss - Parties, large meals and extra calories are almost unavoidable during the holiday season. If you are currently overweight and want to lose weight, this is not the time to do it; setting difficult or unrealistic goals can lead to a vicious cycle of guilt, feelings of failure, and more eating.

2.Get moving ? Regular exercise will increase metabolism and allow you to enjoy a few extra calories without putting on the pounds. Exercise will give you energy and the mental strength to deal with the mad rush of holiday shopping, the holiday travel or holiday visitors and the party hopping.

3.Get Plenty of Sleep ? Lack of sleep impairs our ability to handle stress (which there is usually no shortage of during the holidays). Chronic sleep loss can also affect various components of metabolism that influence hunger and weight gain.

4.Substitute healthy recipes - Use applesauce in place of oil; use egg whites in place of whole eggs; try plain nonfat yogurt in place of sour cream. Magazines and healthy cooking cook books are full of reduced calorie and reduced fat holiday recipes that taste great.

5.Don?t go to parties hungry ? Going to a party on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster. Starting your day with a healthy breakfast and eating sensibly throughout the day should help you control your appetite and avoid over-indulging on the typically high fat and high calorie holiday fare.

6.Eat slowly- Make one plate of the foods you really want. It takes about twenty minutes for your brain to register that your stomach is full. Take your time to enjoy the taste of every bite, and you will realize you don?t need to go back for seconds.

7.Limit alcoholic beverages - Liquors,wines and mixed drinks can contain 150-450 calories per glass whereas, water and diet sodas are calorie-free. If you choose to drink, try light wines and light beers, and use non-alcoholic mixers such as water and diet soda. Limit yourself to one to two drinks.

8.Get rid of leftovers ? Some foods are more fattening than others, however, no food will make you gain weight unless you eat too much of it. Often we eat beyond our body?s physical hunger simply because food is there.

9.Keep it in perspective ? It takes days of overeating to gain weight; one day won't make or break your eating plan. Nothing is more destructive to a healthy eating plan than the negative feelings of failure and guilt. If you over-indulge at a holiday meal or party, don?t beat yourself up; simply return to your sensible healthy diet the next day.

Bill Scibetta, RN, NSCA-CPT

Bill is the founder and President of Precision Fitness ? Personal Training Centers in the Charlotte, NC area and co-author of the book Play Better Longer! ? Peak Performance and Injury Prevention for Golf. Bill is a licensed Registered Nurse as well as a National Strength and Conditioning Association ? Certified Personal Trainer. After spending years practicing in the specialty of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Bill has dedicated his career to helping individuals identify and overcome obstacles that stand in the way of optimal wellness and peak physical performance.

Personal URL: http://www.LakeNormanFitness.com

Yoga an Exercise for Everyone

2008-08-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Many adults enjoy and are aware of the rewards of yoga. While it may not look like other forms of exercise to most people, they are amazed at how the seemingly simple poses can work out so many different areas of their body. Yoga stretches tight muscles, builds body awareness, improves endurance, and calms the mind and body. But yoga is now attracting a younger audience who is finding out that yoga can be a fun way to exercise and relax.

Why Yoga is Different

For people lacking in confidence about their body image, some group activities can backfire causing people to further disconnect from their bodies and actively resist taking care of themselves. Yoga?s emphasis is on self-acceptance which makes it more appealing, a less intimidating way to get active. Yoga stresses a nonjudgmental emphasis on body awareness.

Yoga is not a competitive sport- there are no winners or losers. Yoga can give less confident people that much-needed support from their peers. If someone in a class has difficulty with a particular pose, often others in the room help them out. Yoga offers many people an opportunity to just relax. Just getting to be ?without having to achieve anything in particular- is a huge relief to many people.

The Added Benefits of Yoga

Traditional sports tend to emphasize strength and speed over flexibility. Many adults overlook the importance of stretching. Additionally others use weight training to develop major muscles while ignoring the supportive and opposing muscles which are equally as important. Yoga can help correct these imbalances. It helps build endurance and flexibility, thereby improving athletic performance. Yoga can also enhance your ability to concentrate and focus, and improve your posture. Chest-opening postures and inverted poses strengthen arms, shoulders and back muscles, which teach you how to carry yourself with more self confidence.

Yoga can also teach you how to stay calm centered and focused in the midst of distraction and to let your body relax. This is an important skill for anyone who is experiencing transitions- physical, emotional, intellectual in today?s fast paced world. Yoga often becomes an outlet for working out people?s emotions. It can help you take control of you frustration and find alternative ways to deal with it rather than reacting right away.

Allison Preston is the author of this article runs http://www.Fitness-Web.com which compares and reviews fitness videos, exercise equipment and other health and fitness related products.

Weight Loss & Health Tips Revealed: Can I Be Fit And Fat?

2008-08-11T03:53:00.000-07:00

We all have an image of ?fit? - lean, even thin, with a healthy glow. Many researchers are now beginning to question that picture of fitness - there may be more to being ?fit? and less to being ?fat? than conventional wisdom suggests.

What Are The Dangers Of Extra Weight

Carrying extra weight can put stress on your body. People who are overweight - that is, who weigh more for their height than is considered healthy - may be at increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and strokes, and may put additional pressure on their joints.

So Thin People Are In Danger Too?

However, as recent debates among scientists show, the ?fit = thin? equation may hide a more complex situation. Often, when an overweight person begins to exercise and eat healthier foods, measures of their health improve. It might be that blood pressure and cholesterol improve because of weight loss that comes with exercise. But, researchers like Steven Blair argue, it may be that the exercise itself makes us healthier. As we exercise and eat better, our metabolism - the use of food to build and repair the body and make energy - changes, and that?s what makes us healthy. The weight loss is a sort of ?side effect? of the changes we?ve made in lifestyle.

Focus On Your Body's Functions, Not Appearance:

Glenn Glaesser, author of Big Fat Lies: The Truth About Your Weight and Your Health, endorses the idea of metabolic fitness. He suggests that we not focus on height-to-weight ratios (like the body-mass index or BMI) but on other measures of how your body is functioning, like cholesterol level, blood pressure, blood sugar and waist-to-hip ratio. His research suggests that it?s possible to be fit and not have the slender figure we see in so many fashion magazines and movies. Conversely, if you are slender and sedentary, you may have health risks, regardless of your physique.

But don?t replace one equation with another simplistic one: fat = fine. A balance seems to be the thing that all the experts agree on.

Balance Is Important:

If you fit the standard body-mass index definition of obese, how do you achieve the balance? Start out by finding out more about your health. Check your fat-to-muscle ratio. See if you?re carrying a healthy amount of fat on your body relative to muscle (your local Y may be able to estimate your body fat for you at low cost). Ask your healthcare provider check your blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart function. Your nurse practitioner or doctor can help you think about small changes in diet and exercise that can help you get more fit, show you what parts of your metabolic health are doing well, what could use work. And lastly, check your own functioning: are there things you?d like to do that you haven?t been able to? Are you getting tired on the dance floor more often than you?d like?

Take Improvement Step-By-Step:

Then, start slowly incorporating changes into your life - you may need to change how much you eat, what you eat, how much you exercise, or some combination, to achieve better health. Check back regularly with your health care worker, who can help you monitor progress. You may lose some weight in the process. You might not, initially, but do yourself a favor and take your measurements as well. The weight may not change, but you may find yourself becoming slimmer simply because muscle weighs a lot but doesn?t take up as much room as fat does!

As your health and metabolic status improves, you may find that you aren?t at the ?perfect? weight. The jury is still out on whether losing extra weight to reach the ?ideal? is necessary for the best health. However, don?t be discouraged and quit your newly healthy lifestyle: the new research does tell us that fitness, whatever your weight, brings you health benefits that will stand you in good stead - and help you enjoy your fun activities today.

Blair S., ?The fitness, obesity, and health equation: is physical activity the common denominator?? Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 292, issue 10, pages1232-1234, 2004

Blair, S., ?Modifiable behavioral factors as causes of death. ?Journal of the American Medical Association Volume 291, issue 24 pages 2942-2943, 2004

Blair, S.N. ?Revisiting fitness and fatness as predictors of mortality,? Clinical Journal of Sport Volume 13, issue 5, pages 319-320, 2003

Conus, F, ?Metabolic and behavioral characteristics of metabolically obese but normal-weight women,?Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Volume 89, issue 10, pages 5013-5020, 2004

Learn more about health, diet and exercise at our weight loss forum.

PhenForum.com is a popular discussion forum for weight loss programs, diet advice, and tips to help you burn fat.

All the best,

Ian Mason

Big "Buts" Sabotage Weight Loss Health and Fitness (Part 8 of 12)

2008-08-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

?Yeah, But I Don?t Like Broccoli?

Let?s admit it. Sometimes, in spite of your intentions to eat better, your big ?but? may be that you either like certain foods, and you use your adult option of continuing to eat them; and/or you don?t like certain foods and you opt not to eat them no matter how good they are for you.

You like your meat, chocolate, and coffee. You like your cheese, ice cream, milk, bread, bacon, pop, chips, cookies, French fries, junk and all the rest. By golly, you are an adult.

It?s a free and bountiful country, and you are not sacrificing your favorite foods?no matter what.

On the other hand, you may not like fresh, green salads, fruits, and certain vegetables. No one or nothing can force you into eating foods you don?t like. You are not a child. You can eat whatever you want to eat.

Yes, you can eat whatever you want but not without consequences, be they good consequences from your choices or bad consequences?consequences that just happen to affect your body and your life.

Okay, so you don?t like cauliflower? Pick a different vegetable. There are plenty of vegetables from which to choose. You don?t like any vegetables? Then maybe it?s time to retrain your spoiled American taste buds to enjoy the variety of flavors and textures offered by vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.

You don?t want to give up your all-time favorites? Try filling up on the good-for-you foods first, then you may not have the same desire for the foods that rob you of good nutrients, weight loss and control, and good health.

If you are motivated to look better, feel better, and move better, the next time the little child in you protests that she doesn?t like something, consider making the adult decision to eat it anyway?just because it is good for you and your life may depend on it!

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.

Recovery from Exercise Takes Longer in PM than AM

2008-08-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

A study from the Universit? de Toulon-Var in France shows that it takes longer to recover from hard exercise in the evening than in the morning (International Journal of Sports Medicine, Volume 27, 2006). Cyclists performed ten six-second bouts of all out effort, with 30 second rest periods while the researchers measured peak power output, total mechanical work, peak pedaling rate, and peak efficient torque. The same group of cyclists performed these workouts in the morning on one day, and in the evening on another day. They found that the short-term recovery patterns were slower in the evening than in the morning..

While the researchers offered no explanation, decreased muscle performance late in the day may have a lot to do with brain function. Each muscle is made up of millions of individual muscle fibers. Each muscle fiber is instructed to contract by a single nerve fiber that receives messages from the brain. Your brain is far more alert after sleeping and napping than after being active for many hours. For example, students score higher in exams taken shortly after waking up than later in the day, and telephone operators answer more calls in the morning than in the afternoon. Late-day mental performance improves after napping, and the same may be true of muscle function.

Automobile accidents are more common at night because most people start to lose their ability to concentrate maximally after they have been awake for more than eight hours.

Another study from France shows that much of your early morning alertness can be restored just by napping or drinking coffee prior to driving (Annals of Internal Medicine, June 2006). Researchers tested young drivers during the day and again in the evening after drinking coffee containing 200 mg of caffeine, taking a 30-minute nap in the afternoon, or a placebo consisting of decaffeinated coffee. They drove 125 miles between 6:00 and 7:30 PM, and again between 2:00 and 3:30 AM. The doctors compared self-rated fatigue and sleepiness, inappropriate line crossings from video recordings, and polysomnographic recordings during the nap and subsequent sleep. Night time driving performance was similar to daytime performance for 75 percent of the participants after coffee, for 66 percent after napping, and for only 13 percent after the placebo. This study agrees with most other studies that show that napping or stimulants improve mental functions that require concentration or memory in the afternoon and evening.

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Fats for Rookies

2008-08-10T03:49:00.000-07:00

For years, people have been living by the notion that by eating a low fat diet, he or she will lose weight. Many of these people don`t realize what fat really is and why it is essential for the human body. There are also fats you should avoid eating because they can be dangerous to your body and can make you gain fat if you eat to many of them. You are also going to learn about the benefits of a diet that consists of an adequate supply of healthy fats.

First of all, you need to become educated on the bad fats that are in the foods you eat. These bad fats come in a variety of foods under the names saturated fat and trans fat. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and they increase the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood. Hydrogenated fats, also known as trans fats, also elevate cholesterol, increasing the risk of a heart attack.

Omega 6 and Omega 3`s are the main sources of the good fats you should consume. If you prefer getting your proper nutrients through your diet, then these EFA`s can be naturally found in salmon, tuna, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and most cooking oils. On the other hand, if you prefer getting your healthy fats through use of supplentation, then you should invest in a cheap fish or flax seed oil supplement.

Many EFA`s have been scientifically proven to treat and prevent many health problems such as cardiovascular disease, psoriasis, eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetic neuropathy. Good fats also have a positive effect on your body. You will benefit from and increased metabolism, improved insulin action, improved testosterone production, improved energy production of cells, and protective liver functions.

The average adult allows around 98,000 calories from fat to be stored in the body. These calories allow for cushioning, insulation, and organ protection. So don`t be afraid when it comes to adding fat to your diet. Your body simply cannot function without it and should always be taken into consideration when you`re shopping at the local supplement store. Until next time, later.

*http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/david47.htm
*http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beth3.htm
*http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/nutrition/fat/qas/0,,246157990,00.html
*http://www.dietitian.com/cholest
*http://www.dietsite.com/dt/diets/HeartHealthy/fatdictionary.aspe.html
*http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/efa.html

21 years old. Check out my website for the entire collection. http://www.geocities.com/bashore69/bodybuildingarticles.html

Get Fit From Home!

2008-08-10T03:48:00.000-07:00

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Things Around The House
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Don?t feel that just because you don?t have any weights at home, that you can?t get a GREAT workout! Try using these items for the corresponding exercises. Change them around to increase or decrease the resistance to make it the perfect workout for YOU!

?Backpack Swing- Take a backpack and fill it with books. (this is nice because you can add or take out books based on your needs). Stand holding bag in front of you with straight arms. Let the bag swing down between your legs and behind you a bit. Bend the knees naturally. Swing the bag forward and up, keeping arms straight until bag is overhead. Play with where you hold the bag to make sure you have control of it, especially when overhead. Let momentum happen. This is a fantastic full-body warm-up. *Watch for ceiling fans!

?Milk Jug Bent Over Row- A full gallon milk bottle weighs about 8 pounds. Fill it to make it the weight you desire. Hold in one hand (or you can use 2 containers, one in each hand). Bend at the waist to about 90 degrees and slightly bend the knees. Let arms hang straight down. Pull your elbow(s) up, pulling the jug towards your chest, as if you were starting a lawn mower. This is a great back and bicep exercise! *I suggest using containers with a screw on cap rather than the kind that snap on. Don?t ask me how I discovered this!

?Dog Food Squats- Grab a bag of dog food. Hug it close to you. Keeping your back as straight as possible (think ?chest up?), bend the knees to about 90 degrees and stand back up. You are working quads (front of thigh), hamstrings (back of thigh), and glutes (butt), as well as abdominals! *Beware of dog!

?Kid Press- Really! If you have a young child, lie on your back while you are holding them on your chest. Press them up until your arms are straight and still over chest. They will LOVE this! If you don?t have access to a child, push-ups will do fine! Great for chest and triceps (back of arms). *You may want to use a spotter or at least do it over a soft run or on a couch just in case!

?Kitty Litter Carry- Bag or bucket, scoop-able or not, they all work! If it?s in a bag, hug it like the dog food; if it?s a bucket, hold it from the handle. Now, simply, walk! Go as long as you can carrying the litter. You can do it inside in a hallway, back and forth, or outside. Great for legs, shoulders, biceps, back, and muscular endurance. *Be prepared to explain rationale to neighbors!

?Laundry Detergent Curls- Hold a box or bottle of laundry detergent and curl it like you would a dumbbell. Arms down straight and by your sides. Bend elbow to brink soap towards same shoulder. Working biceps. *Item can also be used for the ?clean and jerk?. J

?Couch Dips- Sit on the edge of the couch with your hands face down on the couch next to you. Slide forward so that your butt is hanging over the edge and you are supported only by your hands. Bend elbows to lower butt towards floor. Push back up and repeat! Great exercise for triceps! *Do it doing commercials.

?Overhead Rock Press- Find a rock or large stone outside (or 2); ones that you can hold in one hand. Hold the rock(s) by your shoulders and press them straight up overhead. Lower and repeat! This exercise works the shoulders and triceps. *Make sure rock is not too heavy as you could strain your back!

?Chair Hamstring Raise- Lie on your back with your heels on a chair that?s in front of you. Knees and hips are bent at 90 degrees. Pushing down through your heels, raise your hips up towards the ceiling. Pause at the top and lower. Great for hamstrings and low back. *Beware of dog!

?Stair Calf Raise- Stand on the edge of a step so that your heels are hanging off (on the balls of your feet). Let your heels drop below horizontal and raise up as high as you can onto your toes. Great calf work! *May be done one leg at a time.

?Couch Cushion Crunch- Put a couch cushion on the floor. Lie on your back on the cushion with your knees bent so that your feet, butt and low back are on the cushion, but your upper back and shoulders are on the floor. Cross your arms across your chest, and lift your shoulder blades off of the floor. Pause, lower and repeat. For abs of steel! *Put cushion back on couch.

Wes Norris, CSCS
http://www.AllAroundFitness.org
http://www.DesigningExercisePrograms.com

Eating Smarter Is As Simple As Adding 10 Plus 10

2008-08-09T20:54:00.000-07:00

In spite of all the differences of opinions when it comes to food and diets, there is no argument who the food stars are in the promotion of weight loss, health and fitness and the prevention of conditions and many diseases.

Have you ever read or heard anyone say that meat, milk, cheese, and brown-colored white bread prevent cancer and heart disease?

Of course not.

We all know the food stars in the weight loss, health and fitness arena: whole, fresh fruits and whole, fresh vegetables.

With fruits and vegetables in the nutrition limelight throughout time, the question that begs for attention is: if fruits and vegetables are so important to the health and the performance of our bodies, why don?t we center our daily diets on fruits and vegetables instead of the traditional meat, milk, cheese, refined breads, pastas, processed foods, and cereals?

It just seems like a no-brainer.

The more fruits and vegetables we eat, the greater our chances to live longer and more active and satisfying lives.

The ?10+10 Eating Plan for Life,? by Dr. Leslie Van Romer, advocates eating at least 10 fruits and 10 vegetables a day.

At first this may sound close to impossible. How could we possibly eat 10 fruits and 10 vegetables a day?

It is not only possible, but the simplicity and the sensibility of this plan reveals itself.

Basically, first fill up, really fill up, on the good-for-you-foods first, primarily fresh, whole fruits and vegetables, and then eat the other not-so-good-for you foods.

One large green, leafy vegetable salad can easily be made up of ten different vegetables, and if you fill up on two of those large salads a day for lunch and dinner?whalah! You?re getting not just ten vegetables in a day, but twenty.

Your health, fitness, and ideal weight can be just as simple as 10+10, or as complicated as we make it.

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.

Heart Rate Monitors: Don't Be Limited by the MHR Formula

2008-08-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

Some people enjoy using a heart rate monitor and find that it helps to motivate them, but you don?t need one. You can tell how fast your heart is beating just by paying attention to how you breathe. The only heart rate that you need to know is the training heart rate that makes your heart stronger. To strengthen your heart, you have to exercise vigorously enough to increase your heart rate at least 20 beats a minute beyond your resting heart rate.

You can tell when your heart rate is high enough to strengthen your heart because your body will require more oxygen than it does at rest, and you will start to breathe deeply and more rapidly. You should still feel comfortable and be able to talk. If you exercise so slowly that you never breathe more deeply or rapidly than your resting rate, you are not strengthening your heart. However, you don?t have to exercise at your maximum heart rate to become fit.

When you have been exercising for several months and your exercise program feels easy, you can decide whether you want to improve. If you would like to compete or just want to increase your level of fitness, a heart rate monitor can help you plan your training sessions, set goals, and measure your progress.

Instructions that accompany most heart rate monitors are based on a mythical maximim heart rate formula that predicts the fastest your heart can beat and still pump blood through your body. Although this formula is the gold standard used today, it is not based on science. In 1970, Sam Fox was the director of the United States Public Health Service Program to Prevent Heart Disease, and one of the most respected heart specialists in the world. He and a young researcher named William Haskell were flying to a meeting. They put together several studies comparing maximum heart rate and age. Sam Fox took out a pencil and plotted a graph of age verses maximum heart rate and said it looks like maximum heart rate is equal to 220 minus a person's age. For the last 30 years, this formula has been taught in physical education and heart function course and has been used to test heart function and athletic fitness.

The formula is wrong because your legs drive your heart; your heart does not drive your legs. Maximum heart rate depends on the strength of your legs, not the strength of your heart. When you contract your leg muscles, they squeeze against the blood vessels near them to pump blood from your leg veins toward your heart. When your leg muscle relax, your leg veins fill with blood. So your leg muscles pump increased amounts of blood toward your heart. This increased blood fills the heart and causes your heart to be faster and with more force. This is called the Bainbridge reflex that doctors are taught in their first year of medical school. The stronger your legs are, the more blood they can pump, which causes your heart to beat faster.

A pencil mark plotted on a graph during an airplane flight more than 30 years ago has been the accepted formula for maximum heart rate for more than 30 years and the fitness community has accepted this dogma for more than 30 years.

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Can Vitamin E Cure Almost Everything?

2008-08-09T17:33:00.000-07:00

Vitamin E is an absolutely vital nutrient in your body, but it probably can't do half the things you heard it can.

What does vitamin E do? To begin, it is an antioxidant. It tames dangerous free radicals and helps prevent blood clots and blockages in coronary arteries. Research points to its ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart attacks and some cancers.

Vitamin E is also believed to slow the aging process and to help nerve conduction. Most importantly, it works to enhance and even protect vitamin C and Vitamin A.

There is also promising research that vitamin E might help prevent or slow the onset of cataracts in the eyes.

Vitamin E has been touted as a cure for just about everything but a broken heart. I am sure that's coming, though. Here are just a few of the diseases and conditions vitamin E has been credited with curing or preventing:

Parkinson's disease
Infertility in both men and women
Alzheimer's disease
Hepatitis
eye tissue inflammation
fibromylagia
hair loss
PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome)
heavy menstruation
healing wounds
diabetes
atherosclerosis
menopause
osteoarthritis
even restless leg syndrome!

It might well prove that vitamin is helpful in some of these and other conditions, but probably not in many or even most of them.

As with many vitamins, there is a raging debate over how much vitamin E you need. The US recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 8-10 milligrams per day. But most people in the nutrition field believe that to capture the long-term benefits, people need 10 to 20 times that quantity, which is well short of the maximum recommended 1,000 milligrams.

Vitamin E is found in many foods in small quantities. The good news is that almost everyone gets sufficient vitamin E to avoid a deficiency, with a few exceptions noted below. The bad news is that most people do not get the RDA. This is definitely a vitamin that should be supplemented.

Be careful about what supplements you choose, since the synthetic version of vitamin E is not even half effective as in its natural form. Look for nutritional supplements containing natural vitamin E, preferably in liquid form.

People on low fat diets need supplements the most, since fats and oils are the largest sources of vitamin E. Nuts and green, leafy vegetables are also good sources, as are egg yolks and liver. So are whole grains.

Vitamin E probably will never cure your broken heart, nor live up to half of the claims people make about it. But it is an important vitamin for maintaining good health and it is needed in quantities above what most people take in their diet.

About The Author

David Leonhardt runs The Liquid Vitamin Supplements Store: http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net

Learn more about vitamin E: http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net/vitamins/vitamin-e.html

Or read up on other nutrition information: http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net/nutrition-information.html

Info@thehappyguy.com

It Pays to Be Fit

2008-08-09T17:12:00.000-07:00

Are you fit, fat or just a little flabby on the side? Are you short of breath after climbing a flight of stairs? Does a day spent shopping at the mall wear you out and leave you aching all over? You don't have to be a medical expert to determine if you are fit or not.

It pays to be fit. In general, physical fitness refers simply to a general state of being in good physical health. It is the result of regular physical activity, proper nutrition and enough rest for the body to allow full physical recovery.

Fit persons are able to deal with the daily stresses of life better than the rest of us, both on a physical and emotional level. Stress is a well-known killer that takes its toll on people after prolonged periods of time. Some widely-practiced stress busters include regular exercise, physical therapy, massage and activities that can relax and sooth our nerves such as luxuriating in a nice, hot bath. Generally speaking, the more fit you are, the better equipped you are to handle stress.

A person's overall physical fitness level takes into account his flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, agility, balance and speed.

It takes a certain amount of time and sacrifice to be physically fit, but the rewards far out-weigh the difficulties. Physically fit people are seldom overweight and often have impressive physiques that others envy.

In addition, exercise lessens our urge to eat and increases our fluid intake. It also helps the circulation of our blood.

Mentally, being physically fit also has its rewards such as peace of mind and a general self-assurance and readiness to face the physical, emotional and mental challenges of everyday life.

The hardest part of going on a fitness regimen is getting started. But once you've hit the weight room or started on your aerobics program, you will see exactly how your body benefits in a few short weeks and will therefore be encouraged to stick to your regimen. Remember that in matters of exercise, you get exactly what you put in, so the harder you exercise, the more you benefit.

Walking is an effective and simple fitness activity that is a good starting point for your regimen. Other effective fitness activities include running, swimming, aerobics, water aerobics, aero boxing, cycling, strength programs (weights), martial arts and a host of hybrid gym aerobic programs.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Fitness, Nutrition, and Cooking.

Winsor Pilates Basic Principles

2008-08-09T08:20:00.001-07:00

Before anything else, I would like to state that the Pilates fitness program is first developed by Joseph Pilates who had a lifetime interest in body conditioning in 1920s. His interest in physical fitness rooted from his strong determination to strengthen his body and improve his health after a sickly childhood. From that, Joseph formulated a distinct sequence of movements that worked the mind and muscle in harmony.

Oops, enough for history. Now, let?s go to the core message of this article ? Winsor Pilates basic principles. Winsor Pilates program focuses mainly on bodyweight which incude exercises which stretch, strengthen , and tone all the muscles of the body, especially those of the core or abdominal and lower back regions. As such, the Winsor Pilates provide Winsor Pilates basic principles for those who are interested in such area. Among those Winsor Pilates basic principles are: Concentration; Control or Precision; Centering; Stabilizing; Breathing; Alignment; Fluidity; and Integration. Each Winsor Pilates basic principle has its own essential characteristic.

Concentration, as the first Winsor Pilates basic principle, is very important to attain a successful workout. With this Winsor Pilates basic principle, the awareness of the body will be enhanced due to the mind-body connection which results to conscious control of movement. The second Winsor Pilates basic principle, Control or precision, is not about intensity or multiple ?reps? but it is more of descent form of snug, emphatic results. Centering, as the third Winsor Pilates basic principle, functions mentally within the body to calm the spirit. In this Winsor Pilates basic canon, a focus on the torso ? abs, pelvic girdle, lower back, gluts ? results to the improvement in a strong core and enables the rest of the body to function properly. All action with this Winsor Pilates basic principle performs from the trunk and flows outwards to the extremities. The fourth Winsor Pilates basic convention ? Stabilizing ? is important because in Winsor Pilates, before you move you have to be still for a safe starting place for kinesics. Breathing on the other hand, as the fifth Winsor Pilates basic principle, must range from deep, coordinated, conscious diaphragmatic procedures of inhales and exhales to initiate mobility and help in the activation of the muscles and to keep you focused. Furthermore, the sixth Winsor Pilates basic canon which is alignment is very essential because it is the key to good posture. With such Winsor Pilates basic principle, you will be conscious of the position of your neck on the spine and pelvis, right down through the legs and toes. In the seventh Winsor Pilates principle ? Fluidity ? a smooth, continuous motion rather than jazzy repetitions will create an elegant and graceful look. Lastly, the integration of all those Winsor Pilates basic principles will result to a holistic mind-body workout.

So with those above stated Winsor Pilates basic principles, I am sure that everyone will enjoy their adventure to a stronger and healthier looks.

http://www.therichjerkexclusive.com - The Secrets of The Rich...Learn It http://winsorpilatesworks.blogspot.com - Be Healthy and Fit the proven way http://easyfitness.blogspot.com - Be Healthy, Be Fit, Be Beautiful

Cardiac Fitness

2008-08-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

There are more and more health problems that are rising in America. Each day there are more strokes, and more heart attacks and more medications being prescribed. Is a bottle filled of magic pills really the solution? Is it possible to reverse the effects of terrible health habits by simply taking medications? I?m afraid not. Are doctors there to help you out or to make a couple of dollars? I had my share of doctors in the past an use to go to them whenever I had a health concern. However when I left I would always feel dissatisfy. I never had the adequate amount of information I needed to cure my illness and they always prescribed me some medications that were a little too much for my budget. I soon realized that doctors are just about as clueless as the individual about how to cure their sickness. They can only help you out by the symptoms they tell you, and than take a guess on how to treat you. Oh, by the way I have been misdiagnosed in the past and it wasn?t a pretty picture.

The best way optimal health is to take better care of yourself, and turn to natural solutions instead of prescriptions. A rising problem today is heart complications. This can be avoided by taking several precautions. The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood through blood vessels by repeated rhythmic contractions. It is important to have a strong heart because it pumps blood around the body. Cardiac muscle is self-starting which requires no conscious reflex stimuli. The heart?s contractions occurs automatically and usually is steady but the beat can be tinkered by outside stimuli such as exercise which is a good form, and danger which is not a good form because it releases negative hormones in the body. Its a good idea to eat healthy and get at least 30 minutes of aerobics in each day. You want your heart to beat less per minute because that means that it has to work less per beat rather than a person who has a fast heart beat.

It is also recommended to decrease your intake of omega 6 and trans fatty acids, and increase your amounts of monounsaturated oils such as olive oil. People that live in Mediterranean countries outlive Americans on average even-though they don?t have all of the advance medical treatment, which should tell you something.

For more information on how to increase your cardiac health, lose weight, and improve your well-being visit www.cardiacgym.com. You will also get the chance to subscribe to our free newsletetr and get weight loss tips for free!

Doug Purcell
certified personal trainer
fitness expert
fitness consultant
natural bodybuilder
cardiacgym.com owner

Pilates Exercise: More Than Just a Core Workout

2008-08-09T05:26:00.000-07:00

It's a common misconception that Pilates method exercise is really only good for strengthening and stretching the core muscles of the body. Many people use it to tone their abs and improve their posture but, in reality, Pilates can do much more than that. In fact, when combined with an aerobic ?cardio? exercise component (e.g., jogging or Spinning) Pilates can provide you with a fantastic full-body conditioning workout!

Pilates Exercises for Strength-Training

Many Pilates exercises are great muscle-toners that work large muscle groups beyond just the abs and lower back. The Plank position, for example, effectively works the chest and triceps muscle groups. Leg kicks work the glute and hamstring muscles very well. Free squats are one of the best lower-body exercises around, working the quadriceps, the hamstrings, and the glutes. And don't think these are ?sissy? strength-training exercises. Many of the world's top martial artists practice them on a daily basis to toughen their bodies and reduce the chance of getting hurt.

Pilates Equipment

When it comes to workout equipment, it's hard to beat Pilates devices like the Reformer and Wunda chair. Not only do they stretch and strengthen muscles ?- providing great full-body conditioning -- but they ?teach? you how to use the different parts of your body together efficiently. Efficient body movement is a key to great overall fitness, injury prevention, and high-level sports performance. Portable Pilates equipment like resistance bands and the Pilates circle are also effective fitness tools. They're inexpensive, easy to travel with, and can easily be incorporated into many of your current muscle-conditioning routines for increased benefits.

Mind-Muscle Benefits

The muscle-control and mental-focus gained from doing Pilates on a regular basis can help you in all areas of fitness. This is one reason why so many professional athletes are now taking Pilates classes. Few exercise system help you to coordinate your mind and body as well as Pilates. The benefits of this coordination are increased strength, improved posture, alleviation of pain, improved mental focus, and (obviously) improved physical coordination... to name just a few!

Putting It All Together

Simply put, Pilates exercise is a highly-effective method of total-body conditioning. No, it won't put slabs of new muscle on your body. But it will make the muscle you have look great, while providing an array of benefits that typical weight-training can't give you. Throw in some good cardio training and you've got a complete solution for great fitness and health!

Jamie Clark is a fitness expert, researcher, and ?health nut? who enjoys Pilates exercise and writes for PilatesMethodExercise.com. For more great Pilates exercise articles visit: http://www.pilatesmethodexercise.com/blog/category/pilates-articles/

Exercise and Your Anaerobic Threshold

2008-08-08T23:17:00.000-07:00

If you?re like most people you?re looking to get the most out of a workout that you possibly can. However exercising to build endurance requires a different approach than exercising to lose weight. To get the most out of your workout you need to know what your Anaerobic Threshold or AT is.

Your AT rate is an individual number that varies from person to person, and can even change as your body becomes stronger over time. To better understand AT we need to take a look at your heart rate. Your heart is expressed in beats per minute, the maximum rate at which your heart can safely operate is known as your Maximum Heart Rate or MHR and is an average value taken over a few minutes. Originally your AT number was believed to be between 80 to 90 percent of your MHR. However since you were taking a percentage of an average the value was often inaccurate, and a more precise measurement was needed.

Professional athletes who need to know their AT undergo a series of tests. They ride a stationary bike or run on a treadmill. A mask was placed over their mouth to measure oxygen and carbon dioxide at different levels of exertion. The results are processed using computer programs and yield very precise results. These tests are costly and time consuming and not necessary for most people.

A less sophisticated method that is reasonably accurate is the talk test. You will need to take your pulse or use a digital pulse meter or watch. When you are jogging or using a stationary bike and you can talk normally without speaking in short burst you are in your aerobic metabolic zone. As you increase the intensity and you still talk but not as easily this is the lower edge of your AT zone, make a note of your heart rate. Pick up the pace again as your breathing becomes more rapid and talking becomes more difficult and you start to speak in short bursts this is the upper range of your AT. For best results perform this test a few times on different days and average the results.

Once you know your AT range here are tips to help you get the most out of your exercise routine. Exercising below your AT range will burn some fat, and will help you improve things like blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Exercising in your AT zone will give you the maximum fat burning benefit. You will use the most calories if you can spend most of the time that you exercise in this range. Exercising above your AT zone will boost your strength and endurance. The amount of fat you will be burning will be lower than if you were exercising at a lower AT level. People who exercise vigorously and have minimal fat loss are exercising above their AT level.

Once you know what your AT level is getting the most out of your workout is easy. You monitor your heart rate and adjust your intensity to raise or lower your heart rate keeping you in your desired range. People who exercise regularly should check their AT level every 6 to 9 months and make adjustments as needed.

This article was written by Allison Preston who is the webmaster of http://www.Fitness-Web.com a website with diet, health, fitness, and exercise articles and reviews of fitness infomercials and diets.

NOTE: You?re welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end).

Home Exercise Equipment Choosing the Proper Equipment For Your Workout Routine

2008-08-08T23:16:00.000-07:00

The fitness industry has become big business as more and more people work out to get in shape. Many companies have gotten onboard the bandwagon, and the number of different types and brands of home exercise equipment available is amazing. While it is great to have options, trying to figure out which piece of home fitness equipment is right for you can be an overwhelming process. One way to help manage all this information is to identify what type of exercise or training you plan to do. Add in other factors such as your personal fitness level, budget, and space available and pick the equipment that best fits your criteria.

What Is Your Goal?

Before purchasing an exercise bike, treadmill or other type of home fitness equipment, it is important to decide what it is you hope to accomplish. Are you trying to lose weight? Perhaps you want to get in shape, tone your muscles? Maybe you want a good cardio workout? Or you may have several of these results in mind. Exercise equipment varies in its effectiveness in certain areas and by knowing what you want from your workout, you will be able to focus on those that do what you want.

Assess your Fitness Level

Also do an assessment of your comfort level with different types of exercise or movement. Do you have weak knees or a bad back? Would you rather sit than stand? How is your balance? Each type of home fitness equipment requires you to use different posture and movements and you don?t want to pick something that will cause injury or irritate an existing condition. You also don?t want equipment that is uncomfortable to use because it will be difficult to stick to your routine.

Space Considerations

The fact is, if you live in a small apartment or have limited space in your home, you may not have room for a large piece of equipment like a home gym or weight sets. Many pieces of equipment fold up for storage, but if you have to move the coffee table or love seat every time you want to fold out the treadmill, you are less likely to exercise on a regular basis.

What?s In Your Wallet?

Some exercise equipment can be quite expensive, especially for a quality product. On the other hand, you can purchase some equipment off TV ads or special promotions for a very reasonable price, but does the stuff really work? And will it last for more than a few weeks? Most experts recommend that you wait to purchase home fitness equipment until you can afford to purchase something that has good customer satisfaction ratings and is made by a respected fitness equipment manufacturer. Also be aware that some types of equipment cost more than others and may not fit your needs or your budget no matter how long you save.

Consider Your Choices

Once you have assessed your needs and situation, you can evaluate the different types of equipment against your criteria.

Exercise bikes have been around for decades and have improved in design and function over the years. They have been proven to provide weight loss and health benefits if used consistently and correctly. They offer a good cardio workout as well, while limiting impact and injury to knees and other leg joints. They typically do not fold up and can tend to take up space. Exercise bikes fall in the economy or moderate range for price in comparison to other types of home fitness equipment, although some can be quite expensive, especially if they are computerized.

Recumbent exercise bikes, which put users in a slightly reclined position, place less stress on the back and knees but tend to cost more. Some people find the position and motion uncomfortable if they are used to traditional bike riding.

Treadmills are another type of fitness equipment that has been around for some time. They also provide a good cardio workout if properly used, and many come with built in features such as an adjustable platform and computerized workout to help enhance the effects of your exercise routine. There is some jarring and joint stress involved with running, on a treadmill or other surface, so this equipment may not be a good choice for those with knee and hip concerns.

Some treadmills fold up for storage, making them a good choice for those with limited space. Treadmills run the gamut in price range, and can usually fit in any budget, but in most cases you get what you pay for and a very inexpensive model may not be safe or effective.

Elliptical trainers are the latest craze in home fitness equipment. They provide the exercise benefits of walking or running while eliminating the impact on hips, knees, or ankles. This can be good for those with injuries or weakness in those areas. But others who are concerned about building or maintaining bone density may prefer a different type of equipment.

Some elliptical machines fold up to save space when not in use. They generally fall in the mid to higher price range compared to other types of fitness equipment, and again, price often reflects quality.

A stair stepper provides another choice for those who want to burn calories and get a good cardio workout with reduced impact to knees and hips. Stepping height can be adjusted to accommodate different body sizes and fitness levels, however, it can be easy to put too much stress on ankles and back when using a stair stepper. Both size and price are in the moderate range.

Some people prefer the variety and intensity provided by a home gym or weight training station. People are more likely to exercise if they have several different options to choose from, and a selection of different or adjustable equipment provides the opportunity to target all areas of the body. However, home gyms tend to take up more space than other equipment and will almost always cost more for quality equipment. It may also be important to have instructions before using some features of the gym to avoid injury.

There are many other types of home fitness equipment, including free weights, ski machines, ab machines, and hybrids like exercise riders. Be sure to research a piece of equipment before buying and avoid those that make claims that sound too good to be true ? they probably are.

Many fitness experts and trainers recommend that you try out a piece of equipment before purchasing to be sure it feels comfortable. If buying online, try to find a gym or exercise store that has the equipment and give it a test ride. Most companies charge shipping and handling to return online orders if you return an item for reasons other than manufacturer defects or damage.

With all the choices for home fitness equipment available, you are sure to find a machine that fits your needs and budget. It just takes a bit of realistic planning.

About the Author:

C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for Fitness-N-Exercise-Equipment.com, your complete guide to home exercise equipment, the best treadmill reviews, ab machines, weight training equipment and more.

Permission is granted to publish this article on your site only if the author's byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.

If You Can Balance Your Checkbook You Can Lose Weight

2008-08-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

The process of losing weight and monitoring your food intake has many things in common with balancing your budget. Below, we?ll take a look at some of the elements that are found in both. Sometimes, just being able to visualize the weight loss process in a new way can bring clarity and help you in achieving your goal.

Daily Metabolism = Daily Budget

Your daily metabolism is the amount of calories you are allowed to consume each day without gaining weight. For the average female, the typical daily metabolism is 2000 calories a day. For a male, the typical daily metabolism rises to 2500 calories a day.

It may be useful to think of your metabolism as your daily budget. It is the amount of money you are allowed to spend each day. If you go over this amount, you?ll have to borrow money and go into debt. If you spend less than your budget, then you will have money to save for purchases (eating food) or payment toward any existing debt (excess body fat).

Calories Consumed = Money Spent

Calories represent the amount of energy that is contained in food. The more calories that you consume over your daily metabolism, the more weight you will gain.

In our comparison, we can visualize calories as the equivalent of money. Each time you consume calories, you are spending money from your daily budget (metabolism). So the primary goal is to not overspend more than you are allowed each day, otherwise, you will go into debt (gain weight).

Your Excess Fat = Your Debt

The excess fat that you have is the result of overeating, consuming more calories than your daily metabolism has allowed.

There is approximately 3500 calories in a pound of excess fat. What this means is that if you are 50 pounds over weight, you have essentially consumed the equivalent of 175,000 calories over the amount you were allowed by your daily metabolism (over an extended period of time). As a result, you have created a debt of 175,000 calories of fat on your body (50 pounds x 3500 calories = 175,000)

The only way to get rid of this debt is to either decrease your spending to less than your daily budget (consume less calories than your daily metabolism)?or?to get a job and earn more income (exercise).

Eating Food = Making a Purchase

The more you eat, the more calories you consume.

In many ways, this is the equivalent of making a purchase. You do not want to spend more than what your daily budget (metabolism) will allow. Otherwise you will begin to accrue a debt (gain weight).

Not Eating Food = Earning Money

Each hour that you spend not eating, your body is hard at work burning the calories that you consumed from your previous meal. When your body finishes consuming the calories from that food, it then gets to work on burning the calories from the existing fat that you have on your body.

One way to picture this is that each hour you spend not eating, you are earning money for the purchases that you made earlier in the day (food consumed). If you?ve paid off all your purchases from the day, then you can begin paying off your debt (your excess fat).

Exercise = Earning Money

Exercise is the most important aspect of any diet. It is like earning extra money to spend each day. It allows you to spend more money on making purchases (eating food) or you can use the extra money to pay off your existing debt (your excess fat that you are trying to lose).

This is why exercise is such a marvelous supplement to any diet. It allows you more freedom, because you have more to spend.

There are dozens of other similarities in losing weight with balancing a budget; however, these are the fundamental elements to focus on. The real challenge now is applying the discipline that?s necessary to monitor your weight and make sure you don?t over spend the calories that you are allowed each day.

Eric Head is a freelance writer and the webmaster at: http://www.articlebug.com

More health and weight loss related articles can be found at: http://www.articlebug.com/health/

chopcow@gmail.com

How to Burn Calories Without Effort

2008-08-08T23:06:00.000-07:00

For a healthy body, it is very important to remain active. We have become too sedentary, too lazy and too comfort loving people. To remain active, one does not need to do extranous exercise. It is also not important to exercise at the same time for the same length of time. You can remain active even without following a regular exercise program. Forming some simple daily life habits can change you and your life for better.

Here are some simple tricks to burn calories without any effort to get your body moving again. The more you move, the more calories you burn and the more weight you lose and become more healthy!

Use the stairs instead of lift or escalator in mall, office, station and home, where possible.
Get off the bus or train 1 or 2 stops early and walk that last part.
Park your car 10 minutes from work or shopping mall and walk.
If you have a sitting job, get up every hour and walk around; go outside if possible and move round the building.
Don't use the intercom, walk to the person and talk.
Use the toilet /bathroom farthest from you in office every time.
Place your wastebasket on the other side of your room in office.
Do not use remote of TV and DVD/VCR player.
Vacuum your house, clean windows, water plants, mow grass and iron your clothes yourselves. This will save money and you remain fit!
Buy your own groceries and pull the shopping cart yourself to your home, if possible.

[You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (clickable) and references and copyright info.

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Reading Food Labels: How a Small Change Can Make a Big Difference

2008-08-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Most people simply don't pay attention to what they eat. They choose food solely on the basis of taste (or worse, packaging). While everyone agrees that food should certainly taste good, there is also a need for our food to be nutritionally sound. If you are not accustomed to evaluating your food choices, grab a package of you favorite food with a nutrition label on it and let's get started!

When evaluating a nutrition label, pay attention first to the serving size. A particular food, for instance ice cream, may only have 150 calories per serving, but if the serving size is ? cup and you eat a whole cup, you have had 300 calories. Paying attention to this one section of the food label alone can help you drastically reduce your caloric intake and help you to lose unwanted pounds.

However, keep in mind that if a food is high in calories per serving it does not mean that you should never eat it. Just reserve those treats for occasional use, making sure that eating it does not add up to more calories than you burn that day.

Additionally, all foods can be broken down into three components called macronutrients. These macronutrients are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. There are healthy and not-so-healthy types of each of these macronutrients and they are all listed on food labels. (Micronutrients, which are commonly referred to as vitamins and minerals, will not be discussed here, but also can be found on food labels.)

Next pay attention to the fat content of a particular food. You'll likely see listings for total, saturated and trans fats. Although you don't need to stay away from fat altogether (we need some fat in our diets to survive), steer clear of saturated and trans fats as much as possible. Saturated and trans fats increase your risk of developing conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Better fats will be listed as polyunsaturated and monosaturated on food labels. Try getting your daily fat intake from nuts, seeds and plant oils instead of butter, high fat meats and processed snack foods.

Where carbohydrates are concerned, think whole grains instead of processed or refined. On food labels you will see the total amount of carbohydrates listed with the amount of dietary fiber underneath. Foods that are more processed or refined will have less fiber. White bread and pasta as well as cookies, cakes and candies will be high in processed carbohydrates and low in fiber. Look for items that boast 100% whole grains when shopping for crackers, bread and pasta to reduce your chance of developing diseases such as diabetes, colon cancer and high cholesterol.

Also, be careful of how many calories you drink. Sodas, sports drinks and alcohol contain carbohydrate calories without the benefit of fiber for the most part. These drinks are typically loaded with refined sugar. Stick with water and milk, or 100% juice in limited quantities ? no more than 1 glass a day.

Some meats, and most fruits and vegetables, do not carry nutrition labels. However, a good reference book or web site will list macronutrient values for almost every fruit or vegetable imaginable. Every day, you need about three to nine grams of protein for every ten pounds of body weight. Most Americans eat more than enough to satisfy this requirement. Make sure your protein intake is in balance with what your body requires.

For meals that don't come with a nutrition label, a quick search on the internet will help you find the calorie content of foods from many different restaurants. Using this information, you can still eat out at your favorite places without overindulging in too many calories.

The key to good health is information. The more you know, the easier it is to be healthy and fit. Learn about your favorite foods so that you can make good food choices that will enhance your overall health.

Jennifer D. Wetmore, DPT has been involved in the field of Health and Fitness for over a decade, working with a range of clients and patients from health clubs to hospitals in positions such as group fitness instructor, personal trainer and physical therapist. Dr. Wetmore is president of LifeHealth Physical Therapy and author of Small Changes, Big Results: The Health and Fitness Manual With the Secrets To Working Smarter, Not Harder. Please visit http://www.LifeHealthPT.com for more information and tools to help you achieve a healthy and fit life.

Stress Symptoms: How They Interfere with Fat Loss Workouts and What to Do About It (Part 3 of 3)

2008-08-08T08:19:00.001-07:00

In part one of this article series, I share my professional opinion that lifestyle choices outside of your fitness program ultimately affect your fitness goals and results. In part two, I gave you the science behind my rationale. In part three, my goal is to make some helpful conclusions and leave you better prepared to get the fitness results you seek for years to come.

A review of the research: Current research indicates that life-event stress, inadequate sleep and poor exercise nutrition can all lead to elevated levels of cortisol. Scientists believe that this excess cortisol may lead to a variety of health problems including impaired carbohydrate metabolism and increased abdominal fat. Within the exercise setting, excessive cortisol can lead to immunosuppression and overtraining syndrome. In addition, research indicates that lifestyle can influence exercise-related cortisol release. Thus, people with high lifestyle stress will release more cortisol during an intense bout of exercise as compared with someone who has a lower stress level.

In my own professional experience, I?ve found that if someone is making lifestyle choices that would promote and excessive cortisol response, I will reduce the total duration of their exercise program over the period of the week. In severe cases, I may also reduce the intensity of exercise. The best option, in terms of achieving measurable physical improvement, would be for the person get more sleep, eliminate unnecessary stress, and eat an adequate supply of total calories and carbohydrates. If people don?t adhere to these recommendations and continue with the typical exercise program length and intensity prescribed for someone with lower stress levels, they are likely to have fat loss and strength increases grind to a halt, develop a cold within a short amount of time, or more yet, get injured. The body can only take so much before it gives in.

For long-term results, you must consider these non-exercise variables and how they affect your life. You are also wise to adjust your exercise program appropriately. You may consider the use of a personal fitness trainer with a good reputation and impressive track record. If you decide to go this route, discuss these ideas with them. If they don?t seem to get it, run the other way. You want a trainer who understands how these variables affect your life and your fitness results.

If you try to do it on your own, be aware of signs of overtraining. If you are sensing that you are over-doing it, back off. Some of the easiest ways to tell that you may be overtraining is becoming more moody than typical, as well as a noticeably reduced enjoyment of exercise. Researchers have found that mood is an exceptional measure of overtraining within athletes. In a research measure called the Profile of Mood States (POMS), researchers have found that most exercisers will have higher vigor as well as lower tension, depression, anger and fatigue than the general public. However, this can reverse during overtraining in which exercisers and athletes have shown lower vigor as well as higher tension, depression, anger and fatigue than the general public.

In this fast-paced world, effective people know that they need to stay fit to stay on the top of their game. However, many high-achievers push to hard and don?t listen to their body?s or pay attention to other lifestyle variables. Your body is not a machine that can keep going with no maintenance checks or repairs. Paying close attention to your sleep, nutrition, and stress levels will help you learn more about how you perform optimally and will help you enjoy a fit and healthy lifestyle for years to come.

Doug Jackson, M.Ed., CSCS is the owner of Personal Fitness Advantage, a high-end personal fitness training business in Weston, Florida. Doug also publishes and is Editor-in-Chief of Fitness Empowerment, an industry leading electronic newsletter that accepts free subscriptions at http://www.personalfitnessadvantage.com. His forthcoming work, Family Fit Plan (http://www.familyfitplan.com) is geared towards helping families spend quality time together and get in great shape at the same time. For media stories, personalized consulting, or to attend one of Doug's educational programs, visit his website at http://www.personalfitnessadvantage.com.

A Consumer's Guide to Soy Terms

2008-08-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

Although you may have heard about soy and all of its health benefits, you may not have figured out how to incorporate it into your diet, yet. There are so many products available; figuring out exactly what they are may seem overwhelming. Here is an explanation of terms of various soy products to help you understand and evaluate which products are for you.

In October 1999, the USDA approved the statement, ?Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease.? This health claim is based on research showing that soy protein can lower total cholesterol and LDL(bad)cholesterol.

Soy foods typically fall into two categories: Traditional and soy protein products (SPP). Traditional foods are soymilk, tofu, miso, tempeh and edamame. Soymilk is made from ground soybeans mixed with water, cooked and then filtered. Tofu is a cooked, pureed soybean that is then offered in different textures. Miso is a seasoning from cooked, fermented soybean paste. Tempeh is cooked, fermented soybean cakes, and edamame is the whole, green soybeans. SPPs are made from soy protein concentrate, soy flour or ISP (see below). Examples are soy burgers, cereals, etc.

Textured soy protein (TSP) is probably what many people unfamiliar with soy products think of when they hear the term ?soy foods?. TSP, also known as Texturized Vegetable Protein, is made from compressed soy flour or other soy ingredients and is used as an extender in other foods products. It is available as a dried and granular product that is rehydrated with boiling water. It takes on a texture similar to ground beef or stew meat.

Isoflavones are compounds found naturally in soybeans and soy foods. They have a chemical structure similar to estrogen and have some estrogen-like effects. This is why isoflavones are also referred to as phytoestrogens. However, isoflavones also have non-hormonal properties which likely affect humans. They are thought to have coronary and skeletal benefits, may relieve hot flashes, and might reduce the risk of certain cancers. One serving of traditional soy foods has about 20-30 mg isoflavones.

Isolated soy protein (ISP) is also referred to as soy protein isolate on a label. ISP is prepared by removing most of the non-protein components from soybeans. By definition, it is at least 90 percent protein and is essentially carbohydrate-free and fat-free. It is often added to pasta, fruit beverages and energy bars for extra nutrition.

Soy foods made from the whole bean are an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends that Omega-3 fats are beneficial for heart health. These fats are believed to help in many other conditions related to inflammation and disease.

Supplements are another source of isoflavones in the diet. Soy isoflavone supplements are available at drug stores, natural food stores, and other retailers in various dosage forms, including tablets, powders, capsules, granules and liquids. Although some experts believe that taking soy isoflavones is supplement form could do harm by providing too much of a good thing, other experts point out that many supplements, if taken in recommended dosages, do not provide more isoflavones than eating the whole soy foods. For those who have been unable to figure out how to incorporate soy foods into their diet, this may be the solution to getting more soy in their diet.

So, the next time you are shopping, and start looking at all the soy-related terms, use this list to help you sort it out. Experiment: For those of us who were not raised with soy foods, it is just a matter of experimenting with different products that fit into our lifestyle, then developing a taste for a new food that can offer many healthful benefits.

Marjorie Geiser is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. Marjorie has been the owner of a successful small business, MEG Fitness, since 1996, and now helps other nutrition professionals start up their own private practice. To learn more about the services Margie offers, go to her website at http://www.megfit.com or email her at margie@megfit.com.