Bodybuilding Fat Loss

Thursday, May 15, 2008

What Makes Mediterranean Diet Recipes Unique?

The Mediterranean Diet is a healthy way of eating that was adopted by people who wanted to mimic the basic elements of the way that people in the Mediterranean countries eat. It follows the dietary patterns in such countries as Greece and Italy. But it is more than a diet. The Mediterranean Diet is a nutritional model.

So what is included in this diet? The most basic of Mediterranean diet recipes include things grown naturally from the earth: Fruits and vegetables, rice, cereals, and bread make up the basic components. Wheat is a staple in the Mediterranean Diet, as grain is imperative in any healthy diet. In this nutritional model, red wine and olive oil are also important staples. Different kinds of fish are as well.

Although this diet was introduced in the mid 1940s, it was not until the early 1990s that it really became noticed and began to pick up any speed. This is because people who live in that area of the world have been known to have significantly lower cholesterol levels. People who eat according to the various Mediterranean diet recipes also love it due to the fact that it has been rumored to have some cancer-fighting properties as well.

Is the Mediterranean Diet right for you? Is it time for you to jump on the bandwagon? Whether or not it's the right choice for you remains to be seen. It is, after all, just another way of eating. But there is certainly no denying that it is a much healthier way of eating. You can find green vegetables, calcium, and other important minerals and vitamins in the foods used in the preparation of many your more basic Mediterranean diet recipes.

If you are interested in a new way of eating, check out some of the ideas and Mediterranean diet recipes that are out there.

Get a Mediterranean body! Visit Mediterranean Diet Recipes.net for all the Mediterranean Diet resources, recipes and diet advice you will ever need.

Weight Lifting Machines for Weight Loss?

New resort style mega health clubs are popping up all over North America. These clubs are packed full of expensive fitness and weight machines that offer hundreds of different ways to workout. You could go to one of these clubs and find a different machine to work the muscles of your arms or legs every day for 3 weeks and never repeat what youve done. Now that sounds very interesting and enticing, but is all of this variety necessary? It certainly is expensive. But do any of these machines help us lose weight? What are they really designed for anyway?

Some of the newer weight lifting machines can cost upwards of $5000 per machine. Each of these machines target specific muscles without affecting any other muscles. This is a technique called muscle isolation. Bodybuilders began doing isolation style exercises to make specific muscles bigger without affecting the other muscles around them. They do this because in competitions they are judged on the specific way they look and how big each muscle is compared to other muscles.

The average gym going person is never, in a million years, going to be in a position where they actually need to make their shoulders slightly larger without affecting their arms or chest because someone might think they look out of balance. However, most of the new gyms have countless machines that are designed to be this specific. Now unless there is a new bodybuilding revolution sweeping across North America that I am not aware of, all of these new weight lifting machines seem to be some what unnecessary.

The truth is most of the people who have a gym membership are there for general fitness and weight loss. Both of which can be accomplished with little or no machine assistance at all. In fact, the more muscles you work in each exercise the more calories you are going to burn, and the more overall change you will make to your body. These new weight machines are designed for the exact opposite effect. They are designed to only work a few specific muscles.

Weight training machines are great for advanced lifters, athletes and bodybuilders who are interested in shaping and building specific muscles. Whole body exercises that involve working the most muscles with each exercise are the quickest and most effective path to weight loss and fitness.

John Barban is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a varsity strength and conditioning coach as well as a successful entrepreneur. John has trained with world class level powerlifting teams and athletes at the professional level. Most recently he has specialized in training female varsity athletes, specifically women's ice hockey players. John has his masters in nutritional science and human physiology from the University of Guelph, and further graduate work at the University of Florida where he taught principles of strength training and conditioning in the department of health and human performance. John also has extensive experience developing and formulating nutritional sports supplements.

John write for http://www.grrlathlete.com and http://www.womensworkout.blogspot.com

Ten Realistic Ways to Lose Weight Safely

Dieting shouldn't just be something that you do for a short-time to lose weight, it needs to be a daily part of your life. Follow these secrets and kiss yo-yo dieting good-bye.

10. BE REASONABLE AND CONSISTENT. Set realistic goals for yourself. Don't expect to go from assize ten to a size six in a couple of weeks. Drastic weight loss is unhealthy, you're more likely to gain the weight back, and you'll probably end up losing muscle rather than fat. Try to be consistent and lose a couple of pounds a month.

9. KEEP A RECORD OF WHAT YOU EAT. You'd be surprised at how little things add up. A coffee here, a candy there and before you know it all your snacks could add up to another meal.

8. REMEMBER THAT WEIGHT ISN'T THE SAME AS FAT. With all the talk about losing weight, women forget that muscle weighs more than fat. Just because you're losing weight doesn't mean that you're healthy. Rather than using pounds to gauge your success, think about measurements or BMI (Body Mass Index) which tells you how much fat you have on your body.

7. LEARN TO COOK. Typical restaurant dishes contain enough food for two people, not to mention the starters, side-dishes, drinks, and desserts. Fast-food restaurants aren't any better, a hamburger has all the fat that you should eat in a day. Eating at home allows you to see what's put in your food and cook it the way you want.

6. EAT HEALTHY SNACKS. Three square meals is a thing of the past, now most diet experts will tell you it's better to snack throughout the day and eat less at meals. The key is to finding healthy snacks. Ditch the cookies and chips and trade them in for fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. They're healthy, light, and help with digestion. In addition, they're easy to prepare and eat on the go. Just toss a couple of fruits or veggie sticks in your purse and you're on your way!

5. EAT BREAKFAST. It's still the most important meal of the day. If you think you'll cut out calories by cutting out breakfast don't be deceived. If you don't eat breakfast, you'll just end up eating more throughout the day to compensate.

4. EXERCISE. Dieting isn't just about food. In order to be healthy you'll need to add exercise to your daily routine. You don't need to hit the gym to get a workout. Cleaning the house, going for a walk, even making love are great ways to lose weight and de-stress.

3. DON'T DRINK YOUR CALORIES. Cocktails, soft drinks, exercise drinks, and coffee can contain heaps of calories, not to mention sugar. Rather than ordering a tall latte or reaching for a Coke, opt for a bottle of water instead. Water contains zero calories and is essential for your body. Just remember to drink regular water and not the flavoured kind.

2. EAT A BALANCED DIET. Think cheese puts on the pounds? Look at the French, they're svelte. What about ice cream? Italians are lean as well. Their secret? Eat what you want, just don't gorge yourself. If you're too restrictive with your diet, eventually you'll cave and end up eating much more than you would have in the first place.

1. EMBRACE YOUR FIGURE. Stick-thin size zero models make up a very small percentage of the population and most women's won't achieve that figure. Nor should they, the majority of men love a woman's curves so rather than trying to get rid of them start showing them off.

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How to Diet

Wouldnt it be great if life came with a How To manual? Some people think the same is true of dieting. With so many fad diets on the market and so many rules to follow, many people wonder how to diet and lose weight properly.

It can become confusing and overwhelming for a dieter. While some diets praise the virtues of low fat pasta, other diets may view that same pasta as something kin to poison. Carbohydrates are terrible, right? One diet may say to dine on a baked potato rather with fat-free margarine while the other diet says youd be better off eating a steak. One diet views a turkey sandwich as a healthy choice while the other diet says bread is off limits. Its understandable why people become confused on how to diet.

When it comes to knowing how to diet, the best strategy is the easiest one. Regardless of all the recent fad diets or the hype you may be hearing about one type of food being a better choice than another, it all boils down to one simple, often overlooked scientific fact. If youre looking to lose weight, you probably already know how to diet. Its by the easiest, simplest method by cutting calories.

If you havent heard of this concept in a while, youre not alone. With all the new diets claiming calories arent so important, its easy to forget how to diet best. Science, however, cant be argued. A calorie is the measure of energy we gain from food. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. So, it doesnt matter if you have a baked potato for lunch. It doesnt matter if you have a piece of steak. When figuring out how to diet, you need to start counting your calories.

Some people may be thinking, That cant be true. If I ate Hershey bars instead of salads, Id be sure to gain weight. Youre right and wrong. Although a Hershey bar isnt a healthy choice, one calorie from a Hershey bar is the same type of calorie as one calorie from a turkey sandwich. Granted, dining on Hershey bars isnt how to diet because youd be racking up a load of calories, but its important to realize that calories dont come in different varieties. It takes just as much work to burn off one calorie of turkey as one calorie of chocolate.

So whats the best solution on how to diet, and more importantly whats the sure answer to the pressing issue of how to diet without being hungry? Although cutting calories to lose weight seems great in theory, its hard to drastically decrease your food intake when you have a growling stomach.

Now, you can easily follow the best plan on how to diet without being hungry, without dealing with the side effects that accompany diet pills, and without spending a fortune stocking your refrigerator with health food. Although this concept is one thats new to the market, Hoodia Gordonii, a cactus-like plant with appetite suppressing properties, has actually been around for centuries. Although not originally intended as an answer for how to lose weight, Bushmen ate this plant on long journeys in the African desert to ward off hunger. When animal testing was done on this vegetable in the 1990s to determine whether it was toxic, the results were surprising. The animals that ingested Hoodia actually lost weight. More studies revealed that Hoodia Gordonii contained an ingredient that cuts the appetite by up to 2,000 calories a day making it easy to lose calories and achieve that physique youve always dreamed of. Finally its easy to know how to diet without being hungry and without spending a fortune.

When weight loss is the necessary outcome, using Hoodia Gordonii is almost essential. Visit Martin Stanwycks site http://www.hoodia.info.ms to learn more about how it can change the way you look, your health, and your self esteem.

Lose 12 Pounds In 2, 3 Days - Is It Really Possible

I've recently been asked how is it possible to lose 12 pounds in 2, 3 days. I have to say that I was shocked with the question since that seemed to be asking for too much. I'll not say that it isn't possible, but I think it verges on that since the calorie deficit needed to lose 12 pounds in the usual way (using more calories than those you eat) is massive and very difficult to produce in just 2, 3 days.

One way you can come close is to use a detox diet. What these can do is flush out of your body a significant amount of accumulated weight which your body had trouble digesting in the past and was unable to discharge. We all have that weight to some degree, usually because we eat the wrong kind of food. A good detox diet will flush out most of that weight so that you'll instantly feel lighter. However, I doubt whether it can cause you to lose 12 lbs in 2, 3 days. Another disadvantage is that this is a one time weight loss, not a continuous process, since there's only so much you can flush out.

But don't lose heart. You just need to give yourself a bit more time to lose 12 pounds and you will. There are a number of ways to do that. The best revolve around proper nutrition and/or increased levels of physical activity. What I urge you to do is to get some sort of weight loss program that you can count on and use comfortably in your regular lifestyle. This will give you structure and help you to achieve your goal.

How fast can you lose 12 pounds with these programs? With some you may lose 12 pounds in as little as 2, 3 weeks. However, to prevent any disappointment, prepare yourself for a bit more time. What's important is to start the process.

To read how you can start to lose weight fast and keep it off, visit this webpage:
How to lose 12 Pounds in 2 Weeks or Less.

John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. To read more about fast weight loss programs, click here: Diets To Lose 10 Pounds Fast And Never Gain It Back

7 Ways to Improve Your Cholesterol (and Lose Weight!)

Now all these years people have been worried about high cholesterol levels. But in addition to lowering bad cholesterol, a new study shows that high levels of GOOD cholesterol should also be the focus of our efforts.

In fact, your levels of HDL could be the most important determinant of your risk for heart disease.

First, some definitions...

LDL (low-density lipoprotein): LDL is also known as the "bad" cholesterol. It is the cholesterol that builds up in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease.

HDL (high-density lipoprotein): HDL is also known as the "good" cholesterol. It helps clean out LDL from your arteries, and can decrease your risk of heart disease.

If your HDL is not above 40 mg/dL, then you need to improve it and have it checked every year.

TC (total cholesterol): This is the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, including LDL, HDL, and VLDL. If your total cholesterol is 240 mg/dL or greater, you have a greater risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

TC:HDL-C ratio: This is called the "total cholesterol to HDL ratio." It is used to give doctors an idea of how much total cholesterol a person has relative to the HDL level. The ratio is calculated by dividing the total cholesterol by the HDL. It is a good measure of heart disease risk.

Okay, now onto the latest findings...this recent study published in the American Heart Journal found that patients that had higher HDL levels had a lower risk of heart attacks. More specifically, people with higher HDL (by 10 mg/dL) had an 11% decrease in heart disease risk.

Okay...so what does that mean? Do everything you can to increase your HDL!

First, you need to get your HDL levels checked...so visit your doctor. And always check with your doctor before making big changes to your nutrition and exercise plan...especially if you are overweight, or otherwise at risk for lifestyle diseases.

Second, a good place to start improving your cholesterol levels is to simply lose weight and to start an exercise program (both aerobic exercise and resistance training will improve cholesterol levels).

And when it comes to achieving healthy cholesterol levels, here are many more specific actions that you should take:

- Eat 6 small meals per day rather than 2-3 large meals.

- Eat a handful of almonds per day (make sure they are not roasted in hydrogenated oils!)

- Eat more fiber by eating almonds, fruits, vegetables, oatmeal, and perhaps even supplement with glucomannan - Get a minimum of 35g of fiber per day

- Reduce your intake of saturated fats & eliminate all trans fats from your diet

- Build muscle mass. There's some evidence that strength-training exercises that build muscle mass can also improve HDL.

- Do intervals - these might be even more effective than regular cardio for increasing HDL

- Both Green Tea and fish oils might help improve cholesterol levels (by both increasing HDL and lowering LDL), but research is not conclusive.

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Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training for Fat Loss have helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. Turbulence Training for Fat Loss workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment. Craig's bodyweight workouts for fat loss help you lose fat without any equipment at all.

The Best Weight Loss Tips

Log onto the internet and look for weight loss tips and you will come across a hundred different websites offering them. There are 'Top 10 weight loss tips', 'Top 50 weight loss tips' and 'The best 3 weight loss tips'.

But when you browse through them all, they either have repetitive content or are out there to promote a weight loss company.

They all start off with a testimonial saying 'How I lost 30 pounds in one week' and so on. But the question to be asked is, 'Just because it worked for him, will it work for me?' The answer to this question is no. I mean, it might just work. But the keyword here is 'might'. It brings into account a certain level of probability.

In this article, I am pouring my heart out. Being an obese person all my life, I know what it takes to get those stubborn kilos off your body.

Lifestyle changes

Simply eat less and burn more. You don't need to give me $1000 to get this tip. You don't need to go through a 2000 page e-book or buy a video tape that shows you cranky exercises. The only thing that you need to do is get a calorie counter and measure the calories that you are eating.

Now get into the habit of exercising regularly and measure how much you are burning. You can start off with moderate exercises like a slow walk. It will be difficult but the end result will be much better than popping miracle pills into your mouth to lose weight. Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Keep realistic goals

Accept the fact that you are obese and it will take time for you to shed those kilos. The faster you accept this, easier it becomes to lose weight. Keep realistic goals. Do not accept to lose 30 pounds in 15 days and so on. Once you have a realistic goal, work towards achieving it and slowly but surely, you will be there.

For more info visit : Weight Loss Tips

Recent Research on Exercise and Cancer

Nausea, pain, fatigue...these are just a few of the results of undergoing chemotherapy. Those symptoms make it difficult to want to exercise, even if it is good for the patient. Also, when the treatment is over, patients usually do not know what, if any, exercise they should be doing.

One recent study shown introducing aerobic training, as simple as a basic walking program, one week prior to and continuing through eight weeks of chemotherapy improved five out of seven functional measures and decreased fatigue during and after performing activities of daily living.

Another recent study prescribed exercise programs (thirty minutes of ergometer daily, in an interval pattern) to hospitalized chemotherapy patients and compared the results to a control group. The exercise group showed reduced fatigue and had fewer complaints about pain than the control group. They also decreased their psychological stress over the course of the hospital stay.

Resistance exercise is also important for cancer patients. A 2007 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology followed three groups throughout their chemotherapy: aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and control. Those engaging in aerobic exercise improved their self-esteem, aerobic fitness, and percent body fat. The resistance exercise group showed improvements in self-esteem, muscular strength, lean body mass, and chemotherapy completion rate. Both groups showed increased quality of life scores and decreased fatigue, depression, and anxiety.

Exercise is also important after the cancer has gone into remission. A 2005 study followed nearly three hundred women who had been previously diagnosed with breast cancer. Survivors who engaged in more than nine MET hours per week (three hours of walking 2-2.9 mph) reduced their risk of mortality by six percent. The greatest benefits from exercise while in remission occurred in women who performed the equivalent of walking three to five hours per week at an average pace (2-2.9 mph). There was no evidence of correlation between greater energy expenditure and increased benefit. The exercise benefits especially helped women who had had hormone-responsive tumors.

In another study, twenty-seven breast cancer survivors were placed on an eight-week full-body resistance and aerobic training program. The sum of their skinfolds, waist girth, and hip girth were significantly reduced posttraining. Their body weight did not change, but that was most likely due to an increase in lean tissue mass. Improvements were also made in upper body strength and endurance, lower body strength and endurance, VO2max, trunk flexibility, and flexibility of both the surgical and non-surgical shoulder joints (in lymphadenectomy patients). Both psychological and overall quality of life also improved.

This recent research shows that exercise is both safe and beneficial for those undergoing cancer treatments, and for those who have been through treatment in the past. In patients undergoing chemotherapy, exercise can reduce fatigue, improve function, increase fitness, and improve psychological stress. Breast cancer survivors can safely engage in full-body exercise, and physical activity after breast cancer reduces risk of death from the disease.

References:

"Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial." Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2007.

"Effects of Aerobic Training Prior to and During Chemotherapy in a Breast Cancer Patient: A Case Study." The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research," 2006.

"Effects of Physical Activity on the Fatigue and Psychologic Status of Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy." Cancer, 1999.

"Full Body Exercise Training Improves Fitness and Quality of Life in Survivors of Breast Cancer." The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2006.

"Physical Activity and Survival After Breast Cancer Diagnosis." Journal of the American Medical Association, 2005.

Dr. Heller is a chiropractor and certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS), practicing in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. She has extensive experience teaching fitness classes, including aquatics, to all age groups and abilities. http://www.healthritellc.com http://www.unlockingthehealingcode.com

BMI - Do You Know Your Number?

The most recent statistics about obesity should scare you. Do you know what your Body Mass Index (BMI) is? If you did not see the latest report, here is the lowdown: Thirty-two percent of Americans are estimated as being obese. This is indicated by a BMI of greater than 30. This does not include the additional number of overweight individuals. Americans also do not get enough activity with an estimated twenty-two percent of Americans not engaging in any physical activity.

Body Mass Index estimates fatness and overall weight related to height. It is calculated by taking weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.

BMI = weight (kg)/[height2 (in meters)] or

BMI = weight (lbs)/[height2 (in inches)] x 703

Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 55 (65")

Calculation: [150 (65)2] x 703 = 24.96

A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is normal, so this person is on the very high end of normal weight for height.

Less that 18.5 is underweight, and 25-29.9 is overweight, with 30 and over indicating obesity.

Preventing obesity is certainly the nations goal. I would not say that maintaining a healthy weight through adulthood is easy, it is not; but it is much easier than losing a large amount of weight. Still, both can be achieved with the right person providing you guidance and support.

Your goal is to get your BMI within the normal range. If your BMI is creeping toward the overweight range, now is the time to do something about it and seek some professional help in order to do so. There is a multitude of nutrition information available to the public, but the tricky part is figuring out what the best resources are for accurate information. A registered dietitian (RD) in private practice, at a local wellness center or hospital will be able to point you in the right direction.

By seeking the advice of a trained nutrition professional, you wont have to worry about deciphering all the information out there. While most people know what it takes to lose weight (less calories in, more calories burned) doing it is a challenge, or almost of third of the country would not be obese.

Obesity increases the risk of disease tremendously. Trust me diabetes and heart disease are not friendly diseases. They slowly kill. Even if you need to lose forty pounds to get to that healthy BMI, losing ten or twenty pounds can really help. It will bring blood sugars down to normal range, and will reduce blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, both additional risk factors for heart disease. Obesity also takes its toll on joints. Knee and hip replacements can be prevented if body weight is in the normal range. If you have a family history of arthritis, diabetes or heart disease, you really do want to take heed and lose weight if you need to.

Seek the help of an RD to guide you to a new path of healthy living. You only have one life, and it can be a lot more enjoyable if you can stay mobile and free from disease.

Rosanne Rust, MS, RD, LDN

Registered Dietitian

Nutrition Consulting, Writing, Lectures

Licensed Provider for Real Living Nutrition Services

Tired of dieting? Try a new approach to weight management:

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Drink Water To Lose Weight - The Truth

It's incredible if you really think about it but do you believe that you can lose weight by drinking water? Or somehow decrease loose muscle mass? Part of the reason that people believe this is that they feel the water will somehow replace there hunger. However, by drinking more water with your meal it will not in most cases reduce the consumption of food you eat. It is a fact that if you drink large quantities of water with your meals you will feel full for a short period. But when the water leaves your stomach you will have the same hunger. The physiological trigger to cause you to stop eating in most people is to eat enough food so that you feel satisfied. Since water has no calories like food it can't satisfy that trigger. No fat loss will occur!.

For most of us our normal diets will satisfy our daily requirements for water. In fact studies have consistently shown that your normal daily diet will contain the equivalent of about 4 cups of water. Add to this the fact that the body's chemical reactions used to burn calories will add an additional two cups of water. That means under normal conditions you will already be supplying your body with 6 cups of water. Therefore in order to meet any additional needs for water can easily be satisfied by consuming a another beverage or two. FYI your additional drinks should probably be water. Drinking alcohol or beer will actually tend to increase your thirst.

Taking in extra water can easily be handled by people that have health kidneys. This is the case because your kidneys are very effective in processing any extra fluids from your body. Did you know that healthy kidneys can process up to 5 gallons of water per day with the capacity of processing up to 1/2 glass of water every 15 minutes? In fact if you do manage to exceed that capacity you will most likely develop nausea,headache and even seizures. The main question would be why would you? We have already established that extra water does aid weight loss.

In Conclusion

Now that you have read this article you will understand that a lot of the foods used in weight loss regimens work because they don't have a lot of calories yet fill you up. This is because they are high in water content and fiber. They also tend to take an inordinate amount of time to digest meaning the fiber in your stomach that has swelled because of the water will keep that full feeling going for some time. When you feel full you will tend to eat less and that is how that works. So if you are wanting to lose weight then don't think drinking large quantities of water will assist you. Choose to eat more beans, whole grains, vegetables and fruits.

James Redder is a distributor of an effective Drink Water To Lose Weight program. If you liked the fitness training tips mentioned in this article, why not get the digital dynamite that will assist you now? Click here to grab this guide now: Turbulence Training

Are Fat Loss Secrets a Myth?

People look for fat loss secrets as an easy fix for weight loss, just like everything else in life. Of course people's motivation for losing weight can be different; for some it's a health issue, others it's simply looking good. But no matter your reason, people are looking for wonder fat loss secrets, more and more these days.

So yeah, there are a few fat loss secrets you can put to work and start seeing results. But it's pretty obvious they won't be found in the usual places: magazines, mainstream books, and commercial diet programs, and the like. Most of the info they feed you is best used to kill time, and doesn't let most people put a substantial weight loss program together. Lesser-known, more independently published guides by fitness coaches and consultants who have a great reputation, are a more sensible choice for finding fat loss secrets.

So, fat loss secret number one is, set a plan and keep at it. Don't stray from it, like so many people do. It's amazing how so many people will throw in the towel if they don't see amazing results overnight. That's no way to get in shape.

The second fat loss secret is, take into account the type of life you lead now. Are you sitting around most of the time or are you getting plenty of physical activity in every day. Knowing this will give you some idea of how many calories to build into your diet. Document it all out. Everything you eat, you count it. Like my favorite bodybuilding coach told me one time when he was talking about tracking a workout plan, "if you don't record it, you don't do it." And of course jot it down right away; otherwise, you'll likely forget and those will be wasted efforts.

When friends and colleagues tell me of supposed fat loss secrets they heard from their friends, it's pretty clear that most of these are imaginative ideas that don't really hold water. You would need to pretty much live your life following a lot of these "miracle" methods to keep the weight off. There's just so much information out there that's disseminated that it becomes difficult to know which are true fat loss secrets and which ones don't add up. Some do make sense of course, like cutting junk food and fast food, and instead sticking to fruits and vegetables instead.

Fat loss secret three is really to make sure you're taking in plenty of water. Four full glasses over the course of each one day is a pretty good rule of thumb. It varies from person to person, especially with issues of weight and metabolism, etc. This will make your exercising more efficient and helps stave off appetite. So if you integrate a trusted diet and fitness plan with good record keeping and maintaining healthy water intake, those all together make up the only fat loss secrets you need.

But no matter what, keep a positive attitude about what you're doing. Anything worth doing at all is worth giving it your best effort and keeping at it, otherwise all the fat loss secrets under the sun won't help you.

Rob Jacobs is cutting edge fitness coach and has helped his clients turn around their bodies for the past 20 years. He advises bodybuilders and casual dieters alike about only the best fitness and nutritional info. Learn more about Rob's guide to getting your body and life on track. Check out Fat Loss Secrets

How To Quickly Get Unbelievable Results

When it comes to any type of physical training, the one key element that will give you incredible results in a very short amount of time is stamina.

There is nothing more important to physical training than stamina. Its what gives you the lung power and endurance to last long in whatever physical exercise you choose to do. Weight training, body-weight training, running (especially), etc Many people just start working out their arms, legs, chest, abs, cardio, etc But they get tired easily and give up not long after starting. And when they think back to their grueling training, they associate it with bad feelings and emotions. Feelings such as agony, pain, torture That is one of the key reasons why a lot of people not only FAIL to get in shape, but GIVE UP too.

In order to get the absolute most out of your physical training and receive incredible results, you must develop your stamina first. There is no other way around it. Stamina must be the first attribute that you build. Some people learn this the hard way, and for others, they never learn the fact that stamina-building is the gateway to your fitness success.

If you have low stamina, your physical training exercises will not be as effective. If youre serious about strengthening your body, build your stamina first. This way, you wont have as much difficulty sticking to your training regimen because itll be a fun and enjoyable experience every day you train. And youll start to associate training with those great feelings and emotions.

Training can really be a fun and enjoyable experience...for EVERYONE -- you just have to have the well-developed stamina for it to happen. If you think that physical training always has to be hard and agonizing...I have good news. Head on over to Inhuman Stamina and I'll share with you the information that will change the way you think and feel about fitness.

Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review

What is the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet plan and does Fat Loss 4 Idiots Work? The Fat Loss 4 Idiots is a web based diet program that does not require the purchase of any meal plans nor supplements. The diet plan works like this; you enter a list of preferred foods in the lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and carbohydrates family and the Fat Loss 4 Idiots program will generate a 11 day diet meal plan for you.

You will have 4 meals a day; each meal being at least 2.5 hours apart. There is no calorie counting nor strict portion control; you are given the guidance to eat until you feel just short of full. At the end of 11 days, you get 3 cheat days when you can eat whatever you want. The meal plans are rotated and changed on an 11 day cycle. The reasoning behind this is that your body's metabolism may adapt to your previous diet and slow down; Fat Loss 4 Idiots aims to trick the body's metabolism by varying the diet plan every 11 days.

Does the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet program work? Yes...but not because of any "calorie shifting". The Discriminating Consumer could find no scientific evidence supporting "calorie shifting". The Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet works because it is essentially a low carb, high protein diet; even though it doesn't advertise itself as so. Any time you drastically cut your calorie intake, you are bound to lose weight. Those with more weight to lose will, of course, lose more weight than those who had less to lose to begin with.

All in all, the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet program is an affordable and simple, almost idiot proof, diet program. It is worth a buy for those searching for rapid weight loss, looking to lose a considerable amount of weight in a short period of time. The Discriminating Consumer does not recommend crash diets, but sometimes that is exactly what someone is searching for. Those looking for longer term weight management or those who need more human support to be motivated should look elsewhere.

Please visit http://www.thediscriminatingconsumer.com for more Fat Loss 4 Idiots Reviews and fast weight loss program reviews.

Weight Loss Exercise Programs - The Single Best One You Can Do Bar None

When it comes to losing weight, there is no quicker way than combining diet with exercise but then I'm sure you already know that. What you might not know is that there is only one single best way to lose weight bar none. Discover this great technique in this article.

I'll get straight to the point - the single fastest weight loss exercise is HIIT, also known as High Impact Interval Training. Let's dissect this - the "high impact" means that this is at rapid pace, not a walk in the park. The "interval training" means that this is not a constant rate, you keep varying it.

So What Does HIIT Look Like Then?

First of all you should start in the morning on an empty stomach, this way you'll be burning fat only and not food. Then jog quickly (not slowly) for 20 seconds. Then run as fast as you can i.e. sprint, for 20 seconds. And when I say as fast as you can, I mean as if you were running for your life and no matter what, you cannot run any faster. The go back to jogging and repeat between this and sprinting. This sounds really tough doesn't it? Read on and you'll realise that it isn't.

Well there are two great bonuses to HIIT. First of all, you only need to do it for a total of 15 minute per day. Yes, only 15 minutes! Although you push yourself hard, there is no need to work out for any longer than you need to. Sure beats a one hour workout doesn't it? The next great thing is that not only do you burn fat whilst doing the exercise but you also continue to burn fat during the day and at a much greater rate than for any other type of exercise.

So how does HIIT work? Well obviously, the "high impact" aspect means you burn more but the "interval training" aspect means that your body and its metabolism never quite gets used to the exercise and is always trying to react but never can. The result is that you burn a ton of weight.

Want to learn even more great weight loss tips? Then click here to get weekly weight loss tips that really work, from http://www.52WeightLossTips.com

Weight Loss Success - The Secret Ingredient is a Kick in the Butt

Losing weight feels great and can help prevent serious health issues like diabetes and heart disease. But with so many weight loss diets to choose from, it's hard to know which program is right for you.

To put this in perspective, let's look at just some of the different diets that are on the market today.

Low Carb: This type of diet combines high protein (and high fat) with a minimal amount of carbohydrates and is very successful, at least in the short term, for many people.

Portion Control: This diet teaches moderation in meal sizes and often focuses on adding larger portions of fruits and vegetables with moderate amounts of protein and minimal intake of starchy carbs like potatoes and white bread.

Points System: Assigning different point values to foods helps these dieters meal plan by the numbers. No food is off limits here, but a piece of full-fat cheesecake might take most of your points for the whole day!

Calorie Counting: This could be thought of the old fashioned way to lose weight. A specific daily calorie intake is set and you count the calories consumed throughout the day in order to meet, but not exceed, this number.

High Fiber: This approach to weight management focuses on eating a high fiber diet filled with whole grains, beans/legumes and fruits and vegetables. The general theory here is that, if you focus on eating high fiber foods, you will naturally eat fewer empty calories that contribute to obesity.

Exercise / Muscle Building: Using aerobic exercise and muscle building techniques is yet another approach to weight loss that involves less focus on what you eat and more on what you do with your body.

Diet Pills / Supplements: Diet pills and weight loss supplements are available in many different formulas, with or without stimulants such as caffeine, and can be used alone (with healthy eating and exercise) or in conjunction with a structured weight loss program.

The truth is, ANY diet that combines healthy eating with exercise has the potential to promote successful weight loss. Yet many dieters fail time and time again - no matter what program they choose.

The Reason Why Diets Fail

Although most diets have solid nutritional elements that result in weight reduction, they are missing the secret ingredient to permanent weight loss success: personalized SUPPORT.

The best way to understand how support can help you succeed at losing weight is to look at the reality television show, "The Biggest Loser." Why are the candidates on this show so successful at achieving life-changing weight loss? Because they aren't just put on diets and exercise programs, they also have a personal coach working with them side-by-side, day-after-day to keep them motivated and on course!

The journey to lasting weight loss is filled with pitfalls, distractions and plateaus. In fact, many people give up before ever reaching their goal weight (and gain every pound back - and more!). That's why it's so important to have someone supporting you every step of the way. Someone that will keep you on track when the going gets rough, talk you through weak moments, provide encouragement and motivation when you're ready to quit and to share your joy as you reach each milestone.

Finding the Best Support

Your best support system will be a friend, spouse, parent or other loved one who is willing to provide motivation and encouragement as you lose weight - and provide tough-love (or a kick in the butt) when needed!

However, many of us don't have someone who can offer that kind of support. The good news is that there are online resources that allow you to connect with a personal mentor that will keep you on task and make you a success at weight loss.

Any diet can help you lose weight. When choosing a program, make your choice based on the foods you enjoy and the lifestyle you lead - and make sure you add personalized support to ensure your success.

To learn more about the specific diets discussed in this article and get recommendations for weight loss programs that work, visit http://5minuteselfhelp.com/blog/health/weight-loss-is-easy-when-you-have-the-secret-ingredient_3.html

Need personalized weight loss support, but you don't have a big budget? Visit http://www.5MinuteSelfHelp.com

Heels And Jeans - 3 Tips To Make Your Legs Look Great For The Best Look

If you want your legs to look great to create the best look possible when you wear heels and jeans then consider using some of the techniques which figure competitors employ to sculpt their legs to become as shapely as possible. Assuming that you have picked out appropriate heels and jeans to match your body type and wardrobe, all you have to do is add these few extra steps.

First, consider using compound leg exercises when you weight train. A "compound" exercise is one which uses more than one muscle group at a time and an "isolation" exercise is one which targets only one muscle. For example, the leg press machine is a compound exercise because it targets all the muscles of your legs and your glutes. The leg extension machine is an isolation exercise because it primarily targets your quadriceps muscles on the front of your thighs. If you add at least one compound exercise to your leg training and train with sufficient intensity then you will stimulate your lean muscle growth faster than just using isolation exercises. If you don't weight train you can do body weight squats, hike, backpack, or any other exercise in which you use all of your leg muscles.

Second, make sure that you are drinking adequate amounts of water. There are several studies which show that many women do not drink enough water to meet their daily minimum needs. This is especially true if you happen to drink lots of coffee, tea, or sodas. These drinks tend to dehydrate you due to the caffeine levels in them. Most government websites recommend that you drink at least six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water throughout the day. While you can get some of the water in the form of watery fruits and vegetables, the majority should come from pure water. Improved muscle in your legs will go a long way to accentuating the look you want in your heels and jeans.

Adequate water levels prevent dehydration. One of the negatives of dehydration is that your body tends to hold onto water under the skin when it is dehydrated as a preventative measure. This stored water (called subcutaneous water) may look like fat to you, especially in traditionally problem areas for women like the hips and back of your thighs. When you are properly hydrated, however, the body will start to release some of that stored water. This means that just by drinking enough water every day you should begin to become slightly leaner. Leaner legs will help you achieve the look you want in your heels and jeans.

Finally, if you know that you cannot stop yourself from eating junk food when you are sad or angry, then make sure that you prepare your comfort food ahead of time. If you love eating a combination of sugar, salt, and crunch when stressed then have fun when you are feeling to good to make some less-damaging choice ahead of time. Try out different recipes and control what goes into your body by choosing tasty, yet healthier alternatives. One example is to bake your own chips and control the amount of salt you put on them; this way you cut down on the calories from the cooking oils and excess salt found in some brands. Reducing excess salt and saturated fat will help you stay leaner.

These three simple steps used by figure competitors can help you improve the look you want when you wear your favorite heels and jeans in just a few short weeks.

If you are frustrated that you can't fit into those jeans hanging in your closet or the ones you saw at the store, don't despair! Learn several, easy-to-use techniques to help you look better in your Heels And Jeans.

Do Calorie Shifting Diets Result In Weight Loss?

The calorie shifting method of dieting is currently enjoying a massive increase in users. A staggeringly high amount of great feedback given by those that have used the method seems to be behind this. No diet works for everyone, but does this one have a better chance than any other or is it just another fad.

The way the diet differs from most diets that exist is that it focuses on shifting calories rather that drastically lowering your calorie intake. This basically means that the type of foods you eat changes on a daily basis.

The reason it works is because by shifting the foods you eat your body fails to recognize that you are on a diet. This keeps your metabolism working at a good rate. Other diets fail for the good reason that they fail to stop your body from sensing you are on a diet, which in turn slows down your metabolism and starts to store your fat instead of burning it.

The calorie shifting diet also has benefits apart from its shifting calories technique. The fact that you eat 4 meals a day definitely helps to prevent snacking and breaking your diet. You also never feel uncontrollable cravings for anything as you know that after every 11 days you get 3 full days to eat what you please.

Anyone that is looking for a weight loss program they may not have previously considered then I would highly recommend giving a calorie shifting diet a try. Results don't lie and you can find great feed back on any weight loss forum so why not give it a try the next time you are considering a weight loss program.

If you have tried other diets and failed then why not try a Calorie Shifting Diet. To find out more about shifting calories and the diets using the method click here.

9 Fat Burning Tips to Get Rid of Stomach Fat

Desperate to get rid of stomach fat? Let's keep it simple - start eating healthy and exercise regularly. So the first thing you need to do now is - throw out all the junk food and temptations in the kitchen. The last thing you need is a junk food craving. Remember, cravings can destroy a diet and add inches to your waistline.

Secondly, if you don't have social support network, you will not get rid of stomach fat. Find at least one weight loss partner, but preferably more --to continuously encourage you and work with you to keep you motivated. That way, your actions and goals are made accountable to your weight loss partner.

According to a 2006 research, working out with someone else who has the same goal and loses fat significantly increases your chance to get rid of stomach fat. In other words, you will have a greater chance of success.

Here are 9 more tips to get rid of stomach fat-

1) Avoid the liquid calories

Throw out all the juices, the diet and non diet soda drinks -- and the sports drinks.

Liquid sugar is great for the body fat to stack on the weight!

And with regards to alcohol, studies have found a link between alcohol intake and abdominal fat.

So drink in moderation and try to reduce the amount of alcohol intake.

Best yet, don't drink while you try to get rid of stomach fat.

2) Watch the fatty foods

When drinking, watch the fatty foods.

Studies suggest a combination of alcohol and high fat diet can lead to overfeeding.

3) Forget the fast food

Quality of the food ingredients are poor, high in calories, and bad for your health.

Even if you think it is healthy, the fast food chains are out for the big dollar only.

Eating fast food will make you feel terrible, and will not help you lose tummy fat.

4) Eat plenty of fiber rich fruits and vegetables

Each week, try to load up with lots of varieties of fresh vegetables and fresh fruits in your fridge.

If you can't buy them fresh, frozen veggies and frozen berries like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries are the next best option.

Look at adding the berries to high fiber cereal, oatmeal, cottage cheese, yoghurt or smoothies.

Vegetables like zucchini, onions, fresh mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, red peppers are great, especially in morning eggs.

Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily.

Get comfortable with that, then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day.

5) Eat 1 handful of natural or dry roasted almonds or walnuts per day.

Eating nuts will not make you fat.

By eating half an ounce in the morning and half an ounce in the afternoon, the nuts will keep the tummy satisfied and help you lose weight.

6) For the freezer, look at adding frozen fish and frozen chicken breast

Fish has many benefits, having different kinds of fish each week will keep the boring diet away.

With the chicken breast, it's great for quick meals with wraps or sandwiches. Or dice up some lean chicken into the eggs, along with some swiss, jack, or goat cheeses.

7) For the cabinet - Staples

-Cans of coconut milk, which is great for a creamy taste, but full of healthy saturated fats;

-Various antioxidant rich teas like green tea, oolong, white, rooibos;

-Stevia, a natural non caloric sweetener

-Raw honey, has good amount of nutrients and enzymes, and can improve your metabolism;

-whole wheat or whole grain spelt pasta, which are high in fiber;

-No white rice, buy brown rice and other kinds of high fiber rice;

-Organic unsweetened cocoa powder

8) Resolve never to super-size your food portions-unless you want to super-size your clothes.

9) Workout regularly to get rid of stomach fat

Make workouts count.

Look at a HIGH intensity interval training and resistance training, as you'll achieve more fat burning results in less workout time.

High intensity workouts have a higher metabolic disturbance which are effective for reducing stomach fat.

So stay away from the boring, ineffective cardio exercise workouts and stick with a program like Turbulence Training Routine to get rid of stomach fat. And it doesn't matter if you train in the morning before or after breakfast, or at night before or after dinner, or before or after lunch -- just workout consistently. Remember nutrition is the key to get rid stomach fat. It doesn't matter how efficient is a workout, your body fat will not disappear. The point, you can't beat a lousy diet.

To get rid of stomach fat now and for good, live a healthy lifestyle.

Desperate for the Best Abs Exercise Workout?

Discover How to Get a Flat Stomach Fast With the 5 Things You MUST Understand if You Are Ever Going to Lose Your Belly Fat & Get Six Pack Abs.

Three Exercise You Can Do At Home To Help Lose Weight Without Realising Your Exercising!

Many people dont like to go to the gym. They dont like to go for a run, a bike ride, a swim. They dont like to think theyre exercising because they think its too much like hard work. Are you one of those people?

There are exercises you can do at home that are great for burning calories and the best thing is, you wont have a clue that youre doing it.

The first thing you should do is get rid of your TV remote control. Lock it up for a while. You wont need it. Instead of using the remote control, you are going to physically get up and walk over to the TV to change the channel. This might sound stupid, but think about it. How many times do you change the channel every day? How much walking could you do if you manually changed the channel? You shouldnt be watching much TV in the first place if you want to be losing weight, but at least manually channel surfing you will be burning some calories.

Secondly, you can easily burn calories while youre on the phone. How long do you spend on the phone every day? Perhaps an hour, perhaps two, perhaps more! What if during this time you could be exercising? You can! If you have a cordless phone then while talking on the phone you can be walking around the house, walking up the stairs or doing any physical activity that will contribute to burning calories.

Thirdly, lets get out of the house for a moment. Lets go to the garden and do some gardening. Gardening is a great cardiovascular activity thats great for burning calories. Just walking around your garden, planting flowers, trimming trees and bushes, digging up the ground can contribute to burning calories, and remember, it all adds up, so do whatever you can to lose those calories.

Download your free report today and discover the SHOCKINGLY simple secrets that will shed pounds from your stomach & transform your flabby belly into firm & flat six pack abs. Visit http://www.firmupyourabs.com to download your free copy.

The New Phentramin-D Weight Loss Pill

Phentramin was first released as an alternative to the prescription weight loss pill, Phentermine. With all of the reports of the hash side effects associated with the prescription drug, Phentramin was developed to provide consumers with an effective weight loss alternative that is available without the prescription and the side effects. Over the past few years Phentramin has proven itself by providing customers with consistent weight loss results. With its great success, Phentramin has since been replaced with an even more effective solution, Phentramin-D.

Phentramin-D takes the same results from the previous version to the next level. Unlike Phentramin, it is more of a chemical make up than an herbal one. The original version contains herbal ingredients that

very few may find attractive. This is due to the herbal ingredients being less potent and less effective. With its herbal consistency, Phentramin is usually a lot cheaper then Phentramin-D.

The new Phentramin-D has been scientifically tested and developed to mimic the effects produced by the prescription pill. The new version, 'Phen-D', uses a combination of 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine and 1,3-Dimethypentylamine Hydrochloride as its main active ingredients. These two compounds are known to be cAMP or "cyclic AMP" boosters. Their main function is to raise your body's natural energy levels. Another important ingredient found in the new weight loss pill is a Sympathomimetic Amine.

The Sympathomimetic Amine is responsible for stimulating the signals within the brain that control the body's natural production of Norepinephrine. Once this scientific process occurs, your body reacts to it with increased levels of metabolism. On top of this, it applies a powerful appetite suppressant that puts a stop to unwated food cravings. Together, Phentramin-D's new and improved, pharmaceutical-grade ingredients work to help you burn fat and lose weight fast.

Discover more in-depth information on Phentramin D, including its scientific make up, common side effects, and Phentramin user reviews at http://www.buy-phentramin-d.com.

7 Tips for Weight Loss - Easy Ways to Take the Weight Off

Here are 7 tips for weight loss that will help you lose the weight fast. Incorporating these easy ideas into your schedule can really result in significant weight loss over a short period of time.

1. Say goodbye to fast food - Fast food is laden with fat, from the burgers to the soft drink, its all fat. This is a really good start to taking off those extra pounds.

2. Take the "before" photos - Keep them in a place where you can see them every day. This can be a great motivator.

3. Read Your Food Labels Before You Buy - It's very important to keep an eye on the food labels. Opt for the least fattening item in the selection. Small changes in what you are buying can add up to a lot of weight loss over a few weeks.

4. Drink Water - Drink as much as you can stand. 8 Glasses a day is optimum. Adding lemon to the water is a double edged sword - the lemon will act as an astringent and clean out your system, but it can stimulate your appetite too.

5. Don't Think of it as a Diet - Tell yourself you are making a lifestyle change. The word diet insinuates "temporary". Really, you are re-learning how to eat more wisely.

6. Get a Visual in your Mind on How Great You are Going to Look Thinner - For most people losing weight changes how they feel about themselves and as a result of their new self esteem, how the world responds to them too.

7. When You Slip Don't Wallow in Guilt - Everyone slips now and then. Berating yourself won't help. Forget it and get on with your life.

These aren't all the tips out there, but they are a good start. Different methods work for different people. Don't compare yourself to others and go at your own pace.

The new, most effective diet out there:

http://Fat-Loss-4-Idiots.org

The Best and Cheapest Exercise Program on the Market - Bar None!

Katy and I wandered through the Op Shop always on the look out for a surprise.

We both enjoy old books and so it was with joy when Katy picked up a 1960s edition of an old elementary school book on physical education.

It seems only yesterday the 60s have come and gone and it is perhaps with the passing of time that there has been a downward slide in the quality of structure and function within our society especially with our children.

Obesity, with its associated symptoms is fast becoming the norm perhaps the word fast with its tendencies toward the over-eating of food-less foods is a major cause.

The increase in chemicals in our food industry is also a major causative factor - are you aware that the FDA allows over 5,000 chemicals to be added to the foods we purchase and ingest?

Then there is the old law that if one puts in more than is eliminated, there will be a build up of poor quality tissues ergo an abnormal increase in weight gain.

And this brings us back to exercise.

When asked for my opinion regarding the best form of exercise I immediately picture a park full of children.

The children are:

- Running, jumping and hopping

- rolling

- climbing

- swinging

- twisting, flexing, stretching, bending and torquing.

In other words, they are putting their bodies through a full range of movements movements that are designed by the structure of the mechanism.

A couple of addendums to this line of thinking are:

1. We very rarely see children in our practise that need an exercise program put into place.

2. If we are seriously looking for an exercise program for ourselves, we could do no better than to become more child-like.

All the best in working on all angles of structure in order to improve function.

Kevin Hinton is a renowned Natural Health Educator & Advocator who has assisted a broad range of people to reinvigorate their lives through common-sense Natural Health practices. He is a trusted advisor to many in the corporate world in Australia and North America who recognize the life-improving value of Natural Health habits. His experience in the field reveals that adopting practical Natural Health habits usually helps drive success in other areas of life.

Visit kevin @: http://www.thehealtheducator.com

The Exercise That Reduces or Reverses the Effects of Aging

One of the easiest and most convenient forms of exercise is walking. Different studies have shown that walking for thirty minutes, three times a week, has a host of beneficial side effects. Reduction of blood pressure, a reduction in anxiety levels, retaining bone mass and weight management are a few of the rewards we reap from walking.

New studies show that walking can also reduce the risk of Dementia and Alzheimers disease. Starting in our forties and fifties, people who stay active by getting up and walking are at less risk for developing these conditions. These studies have shown that walking may even reverse the mental aging process, which allows senior citizens to continue to be mentally alert at a later age.

The latest study from the University of Colorado at Boulder has shown that leisurely walking has the same weight loss effects as walking at a normal rate. Slower walking also reduces the risk of injury. It can be done anywhere at anytime. Slower walking however does not necessarily improve cardiovascular fitness so an aerobic activity such as bicycling or working on ellipticals, two to three times a week, is suggested for maximum effect.

These new studies have basically shown us that it is easier than ever to find ways to stay fit. Taking our dogs for a walk can be one of the healthiest activities we have for both ourselves and our pets. Taking our children for a walk with us can be a bonding experience that benefits our mental as well as physical health. Parking further away at the mall for a marathon afternoon of window shopping with friends can be great fun. These are all activities that can be easily incorporated into our lives. Using our creativity, we can find little ways every day to have fun while becoming fit. So, lets get outside and stroll our way to a better life.

Constance Weygandt is a balance mentor who specializes in finding answers for those individuals who are seeking an alternative to conventional weight management. For more information or to sign up for Constance's newsletter, visit her website at http://www.balancedwellnessonline.com

Hard-Easy Training Principle Applies to Any Sport or Fitness Program

You will not become a better athlete by doing the same training regimen each day. Athletes train by taking hard workouts on one day, feeling sore on the next, and not taking another hard workout until the muscles stop feeling sore.

It's called the hard-easy principle. If you want to become stronger or faster or increase your endurance, you have to exercise hard or long enough to make your muscles burn. Then your muscles will be sore for one or more days. If you try to exercise hard when your muscles are damaged, you will tear them and the muscles will weaken. If you wait for the soreness to disappear, your muscles will be stronger than they were before your workout. As you continue to take stressful workouts only after the soreness disappears, you will become progressively stronger and faster and have greater endurance. Athletes in most sports train once or twice a day in their sports, but they do not exercise intensely more often than every 48 hours.

There is a difference between the good burning of training and the bad pain of an injury. The good burning usually affects both sides of your body equally and disappears almost immediately after you stop exercising. The bad pain of an injury usually is worse on one side of your body, becomes more severe if you try to continue exercising and does not go away after you stop exercising.

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

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