In one often quoted article, MTV asked celebrity trainer Jeanette Jenkins how she helps stars like Beyonce get back into shape after their pregnancies.  Her advice makes a lot of sense and is consistent with the “balanced” health philosophy I teach.  Jeanette says:

I couldn’t agree more.  It’s counter-intuitive that if you want to lose weight, forget about chasing down the latest diet and exercise routines and focus instead on creating and installing a healthy mindset.  In other words, FIRST you’ve got to “get your head straight.”

If you don’t do this, it doesn’t matter which diet or exercise routine you start on, you’ll constantly backslide and the weight will pile right back on.  Why?  Because in spite of all the physical activity, your mindset, your attitude towards food, your beliefs about exercise haven’t changed – and if that’s the case,  you’ll always convince yourself that it’s OK to only do half a set, or eat a second piece of fried chicken, or to select the mashed potatoes instead of the broccoli.

On the other hand, if you work on developing a healthy mindset, you’ll automatically make healthy decisions.  You’ll automatically reach for the green veggies instead of the bag of chips.  You’ll automatically grab the dog and head out the door for a brisk walk instead of plopping down in front of the TV when you get home from work.

Change your mindset and the effects are dramatic.  All of a sudden, eating healthy and exercising are not just things you force yourself to do, they become part of who you are.  All of a sudden, living a healthy life becomes automatic and because you’re consistently making healthy choices, the pounds drop off by themselves.

Want to lose weight like Beyonce and have a “botylicious” body?  Then get your head straight.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: beyonce, weight loss, health, balance, diet, nutrition, baby, pregnancy, exercise, choices

Related posts:

1. Why It’s So Hard to Lose Weight
2. How to Survive the Holidays and Still Lose Weight
3. Want to Lose Weight? Don’t Just Lift Weights.

I always knew that it sucked getting old but I never knew exactly how much.  Now that I’m essentially there, I’m more determined than ever to fight the effects of it for as long as I’m physically able!

Losing Fat Is Not Always a Good Thing

One of the more insidious tricks that old age plays on your body as you age involves fat.  Yeah, I know that we spend most of our lives fighting the accumulation of it but fat plays a very important role in how our bodies function.

The type of fat I’m talking about here is called subcutaneous fat.  This is the fat that’s right below the surface of our skin.  Subcutaneous fat acts like a “shock-absorber” protecting bone and muscle tissue from the usual bumps and grinds of daily life as well as the typical exercise routine or one-on-one game of basketball.  It also acts as an insulator helping our body regulate temperature.

As we age, the amount of subcutaneous fat steadily decreases, especially on our face and hands, the elbows and lower arms, as well as the knees and lower legs.  This is the reason that as you age, you tend to look gaunt or even bony,  especially around your face and joints.

The problem with this is that as you lose more and more subcutaneous fat, your muscles and joints become much more susceptible to bruising and injury.  It also means that your body has a harder time regulating it’s temperature – one of the reasons many elderly are always feeling cold.

So losing subcutaneous fat is not a good thing and one of the things you’ve got to compensate for as you age.

The Worst Part of It

Although the effects from the loss of subcutaneous fat is bad enough, it’s not the worst part of the story.  As you age, Father Time throws you a “1-2 punch” composed of the two following facts:

First is the fact that as we age, our body increases it’s accumulation of body fat to our upper arms, upper legs, and torso.  Remember that the rest of our body is actually getting skinnier as we loose subcutaneous fat from the face and extremities.

Second is the fact that aging generally reduces the size of muscle tissue.  As you age, you’re not as strong as you used to be in addition to having less endurance.

“But wait a minute,” you say.  “That can’t be right.  I can’t be accumulating more body fat because I still weigh the same!”  Sorry, but the cruelest trick of all is that as we age, our body increases the amount of body fat it stores at the same time that our muscles are shrinking.  Your weight may stay exactly the same but your proportion of body fat vs. lean muscle slowly and consistently increases until about age 70.

Now, you tell me – does that really suck or what?

Getting Old Sucks!

The more I read, the worst the story got.  Aging essentially slows down, reduces, or in some cases, begins to shut down essentially all of our physical and “life support” systems.  Everything from the loss of your sex drive to the creation of brittle bones.  From your digestive system to your heart, everything begins to lose strength, endurance, and efficiency.  “Geez!” I thought. ”Why not just shoot me now!”

But There is Hope

I was really depressed at this point.  Why would anyone want to watch their body slowly deteriorate day by day?  Why would you go through that?  All of a sudden,  the movie “Soylent Green” didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

But the chapter did end with some hope and since the focus of my blog is fitness, I’m pretty sure you’ve already guessed what it is.  It turns out that in study after study, moderate exercise has been shown to delay – in many cases significantly delay – the physical effects of aging.

More specifically, it appears that resistance training tends to create a wider range of positive benefits than does endurance training.  It’s not that cardio isn’t important, it is.  But resistance, or strength, training positively affects a number of things (other than building strength) including balance and flexibility as well as increasing the production of essential hormones that normally decrease with age – and maintaining strength, balance, and flexibility are the keys to staying independent as we age.

No Magic “Youth” Pill

Sorry, regardless of what you might see on the late-night Infomercials, there is no “fountain of youth” pill, elixir, injection, or supplement.  Nothing that “works while you sleep” to turn back time.  The only proven method that delays the effects of age, the ONLY PROVEN method, is exercise.

So it turns out that the only way to beat Father Time is to literally beat Father Time.  Punch him in the face with your kickboxing gloves.  Smash his foot with a dumbbell after working out.  Tie him up with your resistance bands after your routine.  Every time you engage in any kind of physical activity – taking a brisk walk, lifting weights, doing pushups, whatever – you’re taking a punch at Father Time.

Yeah, I know that Father Time always wins in the end but I’m determined not to give him an easy fight.  I’m determined to go the full distance and give it all I’ve got until the Good Lord rings the final bell.

How about you?

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Email Me:  Hiram Perez   

Technorati Tags: aging, getting old, exercise, health, fitness, muscle, father time, hormones, fat, resistance, cardio

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 5

We’ve all been taught that exercise is a great way to reduce stress and for most of us, it really works.  But what affect does all this exercise have on our productivity at work the next day?

A recent study in the October issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at the relationship between exercise, workplace stress, and productivity.  The results were not what you might imagine.

The study looked at a sample of 2,823 workers in Minnesota who were surveyed on their levels of workplace stress and amount of exercise as well as their productivity on the job.  The researchers found a couple of interesting things including (quoting directly from the JOEM Press Release):

1. “In general, higher stress levels at work were linked to greater productivity loss.  Workers with a higher body mass index were less productive, regardless of other factors.”
2. “After adjusting for body mass index, there was a significant interaction between physical activity and stress level. For highly stressed workers, a high level of physical activity was linked to significant productivity loss. In contrast, for workers with relatively low stress levels, physical activity had less effect on productivity.”

What this study appears to show is that the recommendation that you “exercise your stress off” should only apply to low stress levels.  The study found that for overweight employees who exercised 7 hours per week, the ones that felt highly stressed at work suffered an estimated productivity loss of 11% while those that felt lightly stressed at work only suffered a productivity decline of 2%.  Apparently, trying to “exercise off” a high level of stress leaves you so tired the next day that your productivity suffers, which probably leads to more stress.

The study concluded that when stress levels are high, increased physical activity tends to decrease productivity.  If that’s so, then what’s the best way to cope with high stress levels?  The study suggests that “stress management is at least as economically relevant to promoting worker health and productivity, compared to more traditional lifestyle factors…”

OK, so what are the takeaways from this?  Here are some of the things I found valuable (NOTE:  these are totally my opinions – read the study for yourself and come to your own conclusions):

• Workers who are overweight (high BMI) seemed to be more susceptible to stress and productivity loss than workers who were not overweight.  The study did not specifically say this but to me, it seemed implied in a number of places.  The key takeaway from this observation is to lose the weight.  Reduce your BMI and you’ll be in much better shape to handle whatever your workplace dishes out.
• If you face high stress levels as work, you’re much better off learning effective stress management techniques, such as meditation, than you are trying to “work off” the stress with exercise.  Heading to the gym after a stressful day only leaves you tired – and the stress is still there.
• What works for me, even after a stressful day, is exercise that requires my complete attention.  For example, I head to karate class or practice kickboxing with a partner.  It’s hard to worry about how much stress I have when you’re in the ring with someone trying to rearrange your face.  You’re forced to focus on the activity, not on the stress.  As a result, the stress tends to melt away.  On the other hand, if you do an exercise routine that doesn’t require any thought or concentration (weights, stair-master, treadmill etc), then the stress is going to stay front and center.

Stress is a killer, and not just of productivity.  It’s effects on blood pressure and heart disease are pretty well documented.  However, stress is also a part of everyday life.  As a result, you need to learn how to deal with it in a way that reduces it’s effects and doesn’t create more of it.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: productivity, fitness, stress, exercise, balanced health, meditation, journal of occupation and environmental medicine, joem

Related posts:

1. Coping with Stress
2. Fat Burning Exercise with Weights
3. The Magic of Exercise

Of course, he was talking about “just showing up” at the gym, or wherever you do your exercise routine.  But you can’t argue with the pure logic.  Just show up.

I’m sure you’ve heard the quote that “90% of success is just showing up.”  Same goes here.  Whatever your health goals are, however impossible they might seem to you right now, you can achieve them if you consistently show up and do your routine.

The key to success is consistency.  Working your routine day in and day out.  Logging the miles, doing the reps, putting in the time.  That’s how you lose 50 pounds.  That’s how you improve your cardio and lower your blood pressure.  That’s how you do 100 push-ups.

This is so simple, yet so powerful.  And the neat thing is that it works on pretty much anything.  Want to get your degree?  Just show up at the library every day and hit the books.  Want to dramatically improve your marriage?  Just turn off the TV and show up in the bedroom a little early every night.  Want to succeed in just about anything?  Figure out where you need to be and what you need to do – and then just show up day after day.  Bit by bit, step by step you’ll get what you’re looking for.

But you’ve got to be consistent.  You’ve got to stick with it until you reach what you’re working towards.  That’s critical.  It’s also my biggest problem.

I’ve been in great shape so many times in my life it isn’t funny.  If I don’t consistently keep up my exercise routines, my body quickly slides back into “couch potato” mode and actually starts craving ice cream, soda, and chips.  Before I know it, my pants don’t fit anymore.

Exercise is not something you do once and then you’re good for the rest of your life.  Exercise is like brushing your teeth.  You have to do it consistently for the rest of your life.

Same usually goes for everything else.  You don’t just get your degree and then stop learning.  You don’t build a great relationship with someone and then just kick back.  Why not?  Because it all falls apart if you don’t constantly keep working, improving, strengthening, expanding.

So make a commitment to your health goals.  Promise yourself that you’re going to do whatever it takes to get yourself in the shape you want to be in.  Figure out exactly how you want to get there, whether it’s by doing Yoga or Cardio or whatever.  And then just show up.  Like Tony says, if your exercise routine is on DVD, just keep hitting “play.”  Then tomorrow, hit “play” again, then the next day, and so on.

Just keep showing up.  Keep that phrase in your mind and it will help keep you on track.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S. Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.” This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, cardio, endurance, p90x, tony horton,  consistency, goals, health, weight loss, diet, strength, success

You might be interested in the following items from Amazon.com:

P90X: Tony Horton’s 90-Day Extreme Home Fitness Workout DVD Program

• Get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated
• Muscle Confusion technique accelerates the results process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so your body never plateaus
• Collection of 12 highly diverse and intense DVD workouts
• Also includes comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options
• Personal trainer Tony Horton will keep you engaged every step of the way

Tired of ineffective workouts that sound great but produce less-than-optimal results? Turn to the P90X Extreme Home Fitness system, a bundle of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. Hosted by personal trainer Tony Horton, the series of DVDs will help you get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated. The secret behind the P90X system is an advanced training technique called “muscle confusion,” which accelerates the fitness process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so that your body never plateaus and you never get bored. The more you confuse the muscle, the harder your body has to work to keep up. And the more variety you put into your workout, the better and faster your results will be. By breaking old routines and opening new doors, secondary and tertiary muscles are constantly being activated and developed.

In addition to the 12 DVD workouts, the P90X comes with a comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide packed with valuable information on how to get the most from your program, a How to Bring It DVD that provides a quick overview of the system, a calendar to track your progress, online peer support, and much more.

The DVD Workouts
Each of the 12 highly diverse and intense DVD workouts focuses on either a specific set of muscle groups or a unique training technique.

• Workout One: Chest & Back. This superset chest-and-back-blasting workout emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises–push-ups and pull-ups–to build strength and develop shape. The combination of these two push and pull movements will help you burn loads of calories while simultaneously attacking, strengthening, and developing multiple muscle groups.
• Workout Two: Plyometrics. Get ready to go airborne. Offering more 30 explosive jumping moves, this intense cardio routine will keep you in the air most of the time. Plyometrics, also known as jump training, has been proven to dramatically improve athletic performance. If your sport involves a ring, rink, field, court, or track, this training will give you the edge. Just be prepared to “bring it” for a full hour when you leap into this workout, because there is no letting up.
• Workout Three: Shoulders & Arms. Nothing rounds out the perfect physique like a pair of well-defined arms and shoulders, and with its potent combination of pressing, curling, and fly movements, this routine will leave you feeling stronger and looking sexier. Whether you want to build muscle mass or just slim and tighten what you’ve already got, these targeted shoulder and arm exercises will give you the results you want.
• Workout Four: Yoga X. Yoga is a vital part of any fitness regimen, and is an absolute must for an extreme program like P90X. This routine combines strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, and breath work to enhance your physique and calm your mind. Yoga X will leave you feeling energized, invigorated, and maybe even a little enlightened.
• Workout Five: Legs & Back. Get ready to squat, lunge, and pull for a total-body workout like no other. While the main focus of this workout lies in strengthening and developing the leg muscles (quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves), there are also a handful of great pull-up exercises to give your legs a quick breather while you work the upper body.
• Workout Six: Kenpo X. Kenpo X was created to give P90X users a high-intensity cardiovascular workout packed with lots of punching and kicking combinations to improve balance, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. During this workout you’ll learn some of the most effective ways to defend yourself, while at the same time getting your body in peak condition.
• Workout Seven: X Stretch. Stretching is the one thing that will help you achieve a higher level of athleticism over a longer period of time. The X Stretch routine is an integral part of the program, as it helps prevent injuries and avoid plateaus. The extensive full-body stretches that make up this routine use disciplines from Kenpo karate, hatha yoga, and various sports to ensure that your body is fully prepared to meet all P90X challenges head-on.
• Workout Eight: Core Synergistics. Each and every exercise in the Core Synergistics workout recruits multiple muscle groups to build and support the core (lumbar spine and trunk muscles), while at the same time conditioning your body from head to toe. Loaded with a variety of fun, unique, and challenging exercises, this routine will get you moving in all directions to maximize your P90X results.
• Workout Nine: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps. Packed with an array of moves that target both large and small muscles, this workout will do wonders for your upper body. In just one full sequence you’ll get a healthy dose of presses, flys, and extensions to push you to the brink. The results will be a stronger, leaner, and highly defined upper torso that will leave you looking awesome, with or without a shirt.
• Workout 10: Back & Biceps. With a host of curls and pull-ups, this routine will make it fun to flex those powerful biceps. But don’t worry, ladies–by using lighter weight, you can focus on toning and tightening these showcase arm muscles without adding the size that most guys covet. Additionally, this workout also provides some great back definition that everyone can appreciate. Regardless of your goals, you will achieve them in dramatic fashion if you dig in and max out your reps.
• Workout 11: Cardio X. This low-impact cardio routine can be used in a variety of ways to meet your P90X goals. Use it in addition to your standard P90X workload when you want to burn some extra calories, or as a substitute if your body needs a break from the program’s high-impact workouts. Whatever your reason for using Cardio X, you’ll find it a fun, full-throttle, fat-burning workout that will leave you feeling lean and mean.
• Workout 12: Ab Ripper X. The combination and sequence of movements in this unique workout taps into not only abdominal strength, but true core strength as well. Master these 11 highly effective exercises and you will achieve vital abdominal muscle strength to benefit your overall health and physical performance. You’ll also develop that highly coveted six-pack as you take Ab Ripper X to full throttle. It’s extreme work that’s better than any machine in any club.

P90X Fitness Guide
This is your road map and your plan of attack for using P90X. Learn guidelines for getting started and essential tips for how to make the most of the program. The fitness guide provides you tips to reduce your chance of injury; a fit test; recommended supplements and equipment; detailed instructions for stretching, warming up, and performing exercises; and guidelines to help you select which P90X phase to complete, whether Classic, Doubles, or Lean.

The Nutrition Plan
Following the P90X nutrition plan is just as vital to your overall success as any of the extreme workouts in this program. Specifically designed to work in tandem with the P90X workout routines, this three-phase eating plan recommends the perfect combination of foods to satisfy your body’s energy needs every step of the way. P90X is not about quick fixes or miracle diets. It’s about selecting the healthy foods that you want to eat, and determining the portion amounts that will provide your body with the right amount of fuel to excel during exercise. The P90X nutrition plan offers three phases. Phase 1 is the Fat Shredder, a high-protein-based diet designed to help you strengthen your muscles while simultaneously and rapidly shedding fat from your body. Phase 2 is the Energy Booster, a balanced mix of carbohydrates and proteins with a lower amount of fat to achieve additional energy for performance. And Phase 3 is the Endurance Maximizer, an athletic diet of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and lower fat, with the emphasis on more carbohydrates. You’ll need this combination of foods as fuel to get the most out of your final few weeks and truly be in the best shape of your life.

Tools to Keep You Motivated

• P90X Calendar to set your workout goals, track your progress, and stay motivated.
• Free Online Support Tools for access to fitness experts, peer support, and motivation.

What’s in the Box?
12 DVD workouts, nutrition plan, fitness guide How to Bring It DVD, a calendar to track your progress

List Price: $ 150.00

Price: $ 139.80

P90X Plus: The Next Level for P90X Grads-5 New Extreme Workouts on 4 DVDs

• 5 Workouts on 4 DVDs: (1) Interval X Plus; (2) Kenpo Cardio Plus; (3) Upper Plus; (4) Total Body Plus; (5) Abs/Core Plus.
• P90X Plus workouts are for YOU, if you have achieved a respectable level of fitness and YOU HAVE COMPLETED P90X.
• Fitness Guide with fully customized workout schedules showing you how to incorporate your new P90X Plus workouts into your complete system.

If you love P90X® and you’re saying, “Give me more,” or, “I need a challenge”-then here it is, the P90X Plus Series. Tony amps up the Muscle Confusion with BRAND-NEW MOVES and never-before-seen workouts all set to hot music created exclusively for P90X Plus by Jason Scheff, lead singer of the band Chicago! The NEW P90X Plus will break through plateaus with intense new cardio, muscle chiseling, and ab/core-ripping moves to ramp up your results. Adding these new advanced workouts into your P90X rotation will literally TAKE YOUR WORKOUT TO THE NEXT LEVEL and create workout combinations beyond your imagination. Trust me, it doesn’t get better than this . . .If you love P90X and you’re looking for a new challenge, the P90X Plus Series is for you. Professional trainer Tony Horton amps up the Muscle Confusion with brand new moves and never-before-seen workouts–all set to hot music created exclusively for P90X. The P90X Plus will break through plateaus with intense new cardio, muscle chiseling, and ab/core-ripping moves to ramp up your results.

The P90X Plus Series is for you, if you have achieved a respectable level of fitness and you have completed P90X. It will enhance any athletic performance and is the perfect tool to quickly build on your fitness accomplishments while getting you ripped beyond belief.

Five Extreme Workouts on Four DVDs:

• Interval X Plus: A lot more effective than standard cardio, Interval X Plus propels your heart rate up and down with 3 speeds: recovery, medium, and full-out, creating the most dramatic change in the shortest period of time. (40 minutes)

• Kenpo Cardio Plus: This advanced-level Kenpo, with new moves, will shred the most stubborn layer of fat with an all-out self-defense workout that builds stamina, balance, and agility.



• Upper Plus: This monster upper-body workout will defy the plateau phenomenon by blasting all the muscles from the hips on up: chest, back, biceps, triceps, and shoulders, in a complete synergistic P90X way. After this one, you won’t be able to pick up a ping pong paddle for a couple hours. (45 minutes)

• Total Body Plus: By adding new synergistic moves, your muscles get pumped, then recuperate in stages until you’ve got nothing left. An unprecedented total-body phenomenon. (45 minutes)

• Abs/Core Plus: This advanced new ab/core workout adds 4 different positions (hanging, sitting, standing, and plank positions) to intensify your ab work and shred your midsection even faster. Is a ten-pack even possible? You’ll find out. (20 minutes)

Bonus Materials Include:

• Fitness Guide with fully customized workout schedules showing you how to incorporate your new P90X Plus workouts into your complete P90X training system

• Downloadable worksheets to record your reps and sets and track your progress.

• 24/7 online access to chats with Tony Horton and an amazing online community that will cheer you on.

• DVD extras–Tony’s Trainer Tracks with detailed professional tips on every move to help you achieve perfect form and even better results.

List Price: $ 55.00

Price: $ 69.79

Related posts:

1. Review of P90X Fitness Program
2. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 6
3. Let’s Get Serious

Unfortunately, in many cases it isn’t and it isn’t long before some of the same people have packed it right back on again.  So what’s the problem?  Maybe it’s the fact that many people rely on exercise alone as a way to lose weight, and that’s a sure path to failure.

You can’t use exercise alone to lose weight.  Period.  Why not?  Well, think about it.  Exercise increases the amount of calories your body burns.  That’s good, right?  Yes but your body then seeks to compensate for that calorie loss by making you hungrier than you would otherwise be.  In other words, exercise increases your appetite making it much more likely that you’ll stop by the fast food drive-through on your way home from the gym.  You tell yourself, “After all, I worked hard, right?  I deserve a “reward” for working out.”

See how it works?  The more you workout, the more your appetite increases to compensate for the calories you burned.  The more your appetite increases, the harder it is to make good food choices and maintain portion control.  Also, the easier it is to feel like you “deserve” some dessert or an extra helping of your favorite food.  And boom, before you know it, you’ve not only erased all the good you did at the gym (from a weight-loss standpoint), but you’ve probably added calories to boot.  This is exactly why many people exercise all day long and don’t lose an ounce – and also why quite a few actually gain weight when they exercise.

So here’s the bottom line:  you don’t exercise to lose weight. You exercise to get fit.  You exercise to tone your muscles.  You exercise to increase stamina, build flexibility, and maintain coordination.  You exercise to maintain muscle strength.  You exercise to keep your heart and lungs healthy.  You exercise to reduce stress.  You exercise for a hundred-and-one really good and valid reasons — but sustainable weight-loss isn’t one of them.

Losing weight is about 2 things and 2 things only:

1. Eat less calories (ie: portion control)
2. Making better food choices.

That’s it.  There is no more.  That’s the whole “secret” to successful and sustained weight-loss.  It really doesn’t matter what diet program you’re on or are thinking of trying out:  Atkins, South Beach, Primitive, etc.  These diet programs provide all sorts of recipes that are designed to help you eat less total calories (number 1 on my list) as well as help you make better food choices (number 2 on my list).  That’s all they do.  And now that you know the “secret,” you can do it too without having to buy all the books and CD’s and whatever.

If you really want to lose weight, eat less – way less. Pay strict attention to portion control.  Don’t use the huge dinner plates that most people (and restaurants) use and start eating your meals on the smaller salad plates.  Get yourself a kitchen scale and find out what a “normal serving” of food looks like.  Hint:  A “normal” serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards and does NOT spill over the side of the plate like the chicken-fried steak special at the local steak house.

Which brings me to the second point, if you really want to lose weight, make better food choices. That means passing on the chicken-fried steak special covered in cream gravy and going with a grilled salmon instead.  Choose foods that not only contain less calories, but are also better for you.

So what have we learned here?  Well, first, if you’re exercising, don’t stop – just understand that it’s not really going to help you lose much weight.  Second, serious and sustainable weight-loss is all about eating less calories and making better food choices.

Once you start working on the right things, you’ll begin to see real progress!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S. Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.” This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, weight-loss, diet, nutrition, calories, south beach,  Atkins, dieting, losing weight, fat

Related posts:

1. Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?
2. The A-B-C’s of Weight Loss
3. Why It’s So Hard to Lose Weight

Then right after the first of the year, Teri and I took a great winter vacation to Jackson Hole, WY.  We had a blast playing in the snow.  No time for exercise – having too much fun.

Lastly, as we flew home from vacation, I started getting a tickle at the back of my throat.  You guessed it, I got home with a royal case of the flu.  Definitely no exercising now.

For the next 2 and a half weeks, I battled the flu.  Every time I started to feel better, I’d make plans to start exercising again and sure enough, I’d wake up the next day feeling like crap all over again.

Finally, I’d had enough.  I wasn’t feeling 100% but well enough to get out and take a brisk walk.  I figured that if I waited until I felt completely recovered, we’d be well into July.  It took effort but I got up off the couch and started moving.

You know what?  The more I moved, the easier it was to move some more.  Getting my cardio up to the point where I was breathing hard seemed to open up my chest and break up some of the congestion.

I felt I was finally able to start my New Year’s Resolution – yep, in February.  What is my resolution?  It’s to “get serious.”

What do I mean by that?  Easy.  2011 is the year to get serious.  It’s time to get serious about:

• Getting into shape
• Eating healthier foods
• Losing weight
• Getting fit

I also included some financial goals as well (“it’s time to get serious about getting my company back on the growth path”, etc).  The point is that you can “play at” getting into shape, you can “play at” trying to lose weight.  Or you can get serious and actually do it.

How many times have you told yourself, “I really need to start working out” and then immediately said, “tomorrow.”  See, that’s “playing at” getting into shape because we all know that “tomorrow never comes.”

How many times have you told yourself “I’m going to cut out junk food” immediately followed by the thought, “right after I finish this piece of cake?”  That’s “playing at” losing weight and I used to fall into the same trap.  I was always going to do something to improve my health or fitness tomorrow, or down the road, or right after this bowl of ice cream.

If  you’re serious about change, you don’t play those games. If you’re tired about being weak, or overweight, or broke, or whatever, then get serious about changing it.  Get serious about doing what it takes to get yourself from where you are now to where you really want to be.  And then get serious about staying there.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S. Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.” This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: fitness, exercise, vacation, seriousness, determination, goals, diet, weight loss, nutrition

Related posts:

1. Big Fat Lies
2. The REAL Secret to Losing Weight
3. Why It’s So Hard to Lose Weight

After working on it for 2 days straight, I think I’ve got just about everything back up and running.  Still, I’d appreciate it if you let me know if you find something that still doesn’t work or doesn’t look right.

“Why, didn’t you have a backup?” you innocently ask.  Well, OF COURSE I had backups.  All kinds of backups.  However, I quickly learned that MySQL apparently does some very funny things to the text files it writes as backups.

For example, it took me most of one day to figure out why my backups were failing to load.  Turns out to be a “feature” in the way the NULL field is written.  In the data table, a null (or empty) field is represented by a ” (2 single quotes).  However, when MySQL dumps the data into a backup, it replaces all of the ” instances with the word NULL. The FUN part comes in when you try to reload the data back in.  MySQL won’t accept the word NULL as an empty field since it’s expecting 2 single quotes (”).  Then why in the @$%%@! blazes does it change it when it writes the backup????!!!

And where did all the little ���� (question mark in a black diamond) come from?   They started showing up in between sentences on any type of text when I reloaded the posts back into the database.  What the %@%@ is THAT all about??

Believe me, I would have much rather been working up a sweat at the gym and trying to start the new year in a little better shape.  As it was, I didn’t get much exposure to the sun at all this past weekend!

I hope your New Year’s is shaping up to be much better!

Hiram

Related posts:

1. New Year – New Theme

So why go through all the effort?  Why put yourself through all the pain and agony?  Well, because exercise produces some “magic” effects.  Primarily:

Physical Strength and Conditioning

I shouldn’t even have to mention this one, right?  Of course, working your body develops your muscles, including your heart, so that they’re stronger and can work longer.  Your body becomes much more efficient at using oxygen and burning nutrients.

But the real benefit is more than just tighter abs – much more.  The more you exercise, the easier your everyday motions become and the more you can enjoy life.  Picking up your kids (or in my case, grandkids) becomes a joy instead of a literal pain in the lower back.  Being able to play chase without feeling like you’re having a heart attack is not only fun for your kids, it makes you feel like a kid as well.

Which brings me to the next “magic” benefit of exercise:

Mental Conditioning

Sure, the more I exercise, the better I feel physically.  But the better I feel physically, the better my mental outlook. gets as well  After a good workout, your brain is deluged with all the endorphins and extra blood flow generated by the physical activity.  It makes you think that anything’s possible – and you know what?  Anything IS possible!

Exercising on a regular basis also builds mental discipline and focus – two things that are basic “keys to success” in your work and career.  Working out in the morning (my favorite time) is the best way to start your day with a clear mind and sharp mental focus.  You’ll arrive at work ready to jump in and tackle the day’s workload while everybody else is still trying to shake out the cobwebs with large doses of Starbucks.  That kind of mental conditioning is sure to be noticed by the “higher ups.”

So Just Do It

Even the most basic exercise routine will quickly produce results, both physical as well as mental, that can only be described as life-changing.  Your entire outlook on life will change for the positive and your jeans will fit better too!  You can’t find a better deal.  So what does it cost?  Just 20-30 minutes of resistance and cardio training every other day or so.  That’s it.

There are all sorts of workout programs out there designed for the beginner to the advanced athlete.  The ALL work – but only if YOU work them.  So find one that you like and get started.  Don’t think about it, just do it.  The results you get will be simply magic!

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 1
2. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 6
3. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 5

At first, I thought I must have “slept wrong” or something and sure enough, after a while, the pain in my heel subsided and I was able to walk normally.  But the next day, it was back again.  ”Well,” I thought, “I must have bruised my heel during one of my martial arts workouts.  All I need to do is to work through it.”

No such luck.  The next morning, the pain was back – and it appeared to be getting worse.  The pain was more pronounced and it stayed for longer periods.  A Google search for what might be wrong quickly brought up the name “Plantar Fasciitis” — and it seemed to have a picture of my foot right below it!

It’s been reported that about 2 million Americans suffer from Plantar Fasciitis at any one time and that about 10% of the population will feel its effects at one or more points during their lives so this is not a rare condition.  In fact, the more I started mentioning it to people around me, the more people I found that said, “Yeah, I had that too.”

What It Is & What Causes It

Plantar Fasciitis is a painful (and I can certainly attest to the word painful) inflammation of the plantar fascia, the connective tissue that runs from the heel of the foot towards the toes at the bottom of the foot.  Although the pain can be spread throughout the bottom of the foot, it’s usually most severe at the heel, and that was certainly the case with me.

This condition – and it is a “condition” as opposed to a disease – is normally associated with long periods of standing, especially with those people who are overweight.  However, this is not always the case since this condition also affects a large percentage of women during pregnancy as well.

But I didn’t fall in any of these categories.  From what I was able to find, the bottom line is that the medical community really doesn’t know exactly why the plantar fascia sometimes gets inflamed.  They just know it does.

Treatments

Here’s where my research really started getting me down.  It turns out that in may cases, plantar fasciitis is a “learn-to-live-with-it” kind of condition.  There’s no “do this and you’ll be cured” kind of treatment.  Everything I found fell in the category of  ”this might bring some relief – or maybe it won’t.”  Not exactly encouraging.

I did find that going to a healthcare professional is always good advice from the standpoint of eliminating other potential causes of your pain.  Heel spurs, splinters, and other muscle, tendon, or bone conditions can all have the same symptoms as plantar fasciitis.

In really severe cases, the plantar fascia can be surgically removed – but that can create a number of bigger problems so surgery is only used in extreme cases.

What To Do About It

Although plantar fasciitis is a painful condition and there is no real “cure,” you shouldn’t give up fighting it for a number of reasons.  These include:

• The first reason is the impact it has on your mobility and quality of life.  Who wants to not be able to get around when they want?
• The second reason is that not finding a way to deal with the pain affects your body alignment.  If your left foot in constantly in pain like mine was, you tend to shift your weight off of it as much as possible – and end up leaning to the right.  This creates a lot of extra work for the other side of your body resulting in body aches and sore joints on that side.

Here’s What I Recommend

First of all, let me get the disclaimers out of the way.  I am NOT a doctor, nor do I play one on TV.  I didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night either.  My recommendations are simply that – a description of what worked for me.  My condition might be different than yours so use your common sense when deciding whether or not to follow my advice.

The first step is to see your doctor or healthcare provider in order to make sure that you don’t have some other type of bone or tendon problem.  This will probably include an X-ray or an MRI.  This step is critical so don’t skip it.  If you’ve got a deeper foot problem, you need to find out.  Don’t simply assume it’s plantar fasciitis simply because it fits the symptoms.

Once you’ve confirmed that you do in fact have plantar fasciitis, here’s the routine I followed to take back my life and regain my mobility.  Although I’ve broken it down into 3 segments (immediate relief, mid-term relief, long-term relief), you should actually do all 3 segments at more or less the same time although at first, you’ll obviously be trying to get as much immediate relief as you can get and won’t be so worried about the long-term relief.  However, as the condition improves, you’ll move away from immediate relief into more long-term, or “maintenance” relief.  Make sense?

Immediate Relief

Here’s what I found that brought me the most immediate relief:

• Over the Counter Anti-inflammatory Remedies. The best I found was plain ‘ole aspirin.  I used the buffered kind from Bayer and occasionally took Excedrin, which is basically aspirin with a little caffeine.  I didn’t find ibuprofen (like Advil) to be as effective but you might be different.  Keep in mind that ibuprofen tends to be hard on your liver so don’t take large quantities or take it for sustained periods.  Here’s where aspirin-based remedies have the edge.  One warning though:  if your ears start ringing (mine sounded like I was standing next to Niagara Falls), you’re taking too much medication.  Back off and take just enough to get the inflammation under control.
• Deep Tissue Foot Massage. Find someone who can give a good, deep tissue foot massage because they’ll be worth their weight in gold.  Teri, a registered nurse, gave me mine and I really think it was the turning point on my getting control of this “condition.”  What she did through her massage was attempt to help the lymphatic system “flush” out the inflammation and increase circulation allowing the area to heal.  She said parts of my foot had so much inflammation it felt “squishy.”  It really hurt at first but I could actually feel the pain subside the more she did it.  After a couple of treatments, my foot felt much better.
• Hot and/or Cold Compresses. You’ll have to play with this.  There were days that a hot compress felt like heaven.  Other days, a cold compress did the trick.  Remember, you are dealing with inflammation.  As my foot got better and better, I found myself using cold compresses more and more.
• Get a Night Splint. A night splint will keep your foot flexed while you sleep significantly reducing the amount of pain you feel when you get out of bed in the morning.  There are two basic types:  the kind that fits on the inside of your foot and pulls your toes forward (a dorsal splint) and the kind that fits behind your foot and pushes it up (see the example products at the end of this post).  Expect to pay anywhere from $35 to over $100, depending on the type you get.  I got a dorsal (fits on the inside of the foot) because it was the most comfortable for the way I sleep.
• Keep your Foot Elevated. As much as you during the day, put on your night splint and prop your foot up for as long as you can.

Mid-Term Relief

After about a week, I got to the point to where I could at least tolerate the pain.  Here’s what I found provided the most mid-term relief:

• Light Stretching. Find any article on plantar fasciitis and you’ll get tons of stretching exercises you can do.  Most of them really do help.  The best ones to do depend on exactly where the majority of your pain is.  Since mine was mainly around the heel, I found the stretches that worked my ham string to provide the best results for me.  Note that at this point, my foot was still pretty tender, both from the inflammation as well as from the deep tissue massage, so don’t overdo it.
• Orthotics. Your results may vary but these worked for me.  Orthotics are shoe inserts that can do a number of things, depending on the type you buy.  They range in materials from plastic, to foam rubber, to leather to everything in between.  They range in cost from 20 bucks to well over $100.  I tried a $120 pair from “The European Walking Store” (didn’t work for me) as well as a $10 of Dr. Scholl’s from my local drug store (didn’t work for me either).  Based on a recommendation from a friend, I finally settled on a pair of orthotics (around $20 from a variety of online sources as well as your local Bed, Bath & Beyond).  Good orthotics take a little getting used to but once you do, you won’t want to put on a pair of shoes without them.
• Surface Massage. This is different from a deep tissue massage and is mainly designed to keep things flexed.  My favorite technique was to place a small, hard rubber ball on the floor and then place my foot on top of it and just roll the ball back and forth with my foot.  Oh man, you talk about feeling good.  Even better was when I found a cat toy that was basically a ball with small bumps on the surface.  It was designed so that it bounced in a different direction every time the cat hit it.  Well, I quickly took it away from the cat and it became my favorite massage aid while I was sitting on the couch watching TV or reading.  You can also use a tennis ball, a racquetball, or a marble – anything with a round surface that you can roll back and forth under your foot.  Try it sitting with just the weight of your leg as well as standing where you can put more weight on your foot.
• Don’t Sit for Long Periods. If you work in an office (guilty), make sure you get up and walk around for a couple of minutes every hour or so.  Sitting for long periods without exercising your legs allows the blood to pool and the inflammation to start building all over again.  Get up and move!
• Concentration Walking. I would also take short walks using a technique I call “concentration walking.”  It’s basically walking meditation but I would concentrate on my foot placement.  Standing straight, I’d take one step and try to be totally focused on how my foot hit the ground.  I would visualize my heel hitting the ground, and then feel it roll forward to my toes as I completed my step.  Then I’d do the same with the other foot.  Is this weird?  Maybe.  But it’s basically a form of light stretching.  However, since you’re standing, you’re using your entire body weight.  See?  Even the weird stuff has some logic behind it!

Long-Term Relief

It took me close to two months to get to this point.  However, by then I was able to walk pretty well without wincing every time my left foot hit the ground.  Once I had gotten some immediate relief from the pain, I was able to focus on what I needed to do in order to make sure the problem stayed away.  These included:

• Deep Stretching / Yoga. Once my heel began to heel and the pain became tolerable (note I didn’t say it completely went away), I was able to increase the intensity of my stretching.  The best technique for me was a basic Downward Dog (Google downward dog +yoga).  Trying to push my heels towards the floor really stretches my ham strings – as well as all the other “strings”  – and really made a difference.  Keeping your muscles, including those that run along the bottom of your feet, flexible and stretched is critical to preventing injury and inflammation.
• FlexNow with SheaFlex70. This supplement contains all natural ingredients and is composed of shea oils and butter.  You might have been using skin care products with shea butter in them for years.  However, FlexNow is designed to be taken internally and provides your body with a natural anti-inflammatory agent.  I’ve been taking this for about 3 months now and I’m really impressed with the results.  You can find FlexNow at your local GNC or online at a variety of health sites.
• Stay active. My final “maintenance” piece of advice is to stay active.  I’ve gotten back to my normal fitness and martial arts routines with little or no discomfort.  Whatever you choose to do, stay as active as you can, for as long as you can.

So that’s it.  That’s how I “beat” plantar fasciitis to the point that now, I control it.  It does not control me.  I honestly can’t say that it’s completely gone but I no longer have to hobble to the bathroom in the morning.  I can still get out and play a couple of games of tennis.  I occasionally feel a small discomfort like I’ve got a stone in my shoe but it’s not enough to slow me down.  The majority of time however, I have no foot or heel pain or discomfort at all.

You can have that too.  You just have to work at it.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch.  Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: plantar fasciitis, heel pain, foot pain, fasciitis, yoga, stretching, dorsal night splint

You might also be interested in the follow items from Amazon.com:

Active Ankle Dns Dorsal Night Splint Small (men 5-10 Women 5-9 1/2)

• Low Profile
• Less Bulk/weight
• Less heat retention
• Increased comfort during sleep

A night splint can’t be effective unless a patient wears it. Now there’s a brace so comfortable they will. The Active Ankle Dorsal Night Splint has been designed to comfortably hold the foot in a neutral position during sleep, thereby helping to alleviate the morning pain and discomfort associated with plantar fasciitis (heel spur). Benefits: ?Low Profile ?Less Bulk/weight ?Less heat retention ?Increased comfort during sleep The A-FORCE Dorsal Night Splint may also be used for virtually any cond

Rating: (out of 9 reviews)

Price: $ 42.50

WalkFit Orthotic Insoles SIZE F

• Equal to womens 10 thru 10 1/2
• Equal to mens 9 thru 9 1/2
• WalkFit orthotic insoles help to reduce pain in feet, knees, hips and back
• Each pair of WalkFit insoles comes with 3 customizable arch inserts, low, medium, and high

WalkFit orthotic insoles help to reduce pain in feet, knees, hips and back. Each pair of WalkFit insoles comes with 3 customizable arch inserts, low, medium, and high. WalkFit insoles are perfect for installing in all of your shoes, or great as a gift to a friend or family member. They’re available in men’s sizes 6-14 and women’s sizes 5-12.

You can greatly enhance the comfort and shock absorbing properties of your insoles with the WalkFit cushions. Use them while running, walking, or even stan

Rating: (out of 30 reviews)

List Price: $ 26.93

Price: $ 7.75

Flex Now Joint Formula 90 Sgels

• Maintain joint health for overall health and wellness
• 90 easy-to-swallow softgels
• All-natural formula with no preservatives

Regardless of your age, joint health is always a top priority for maintaining overall health and wellness. Healthy joints allow you to continue enjoying your lifestyle, and FlexNow’s Joint Formula can help support overall joint health. This natural dietary supplement utilizes the unique properties of the shea nut, which contains triterpenes. Triterpenes are a group of active natural compounds that are believed to support joint health.

Rating: (out of 17 reviews)

List Price: $ 44.95

Price: $ 28.79

No related posts.

You can find the Esquire article here.

In the article, the author describes trying on a pair of H&M brand dress pants at a local clothing store.  Pulling on a pair of Size 36 dress pants – his regular size, he found that he could barely get them buttoned.  What’s going on?  Were they mislabeled?  Had he suddenly gained weight?

I found myself flashing back to a very similar situation the last time I bought a new pair of jeans.  I found that I tended to stick with a particular brand simply because their size 36 fit me much better and more comfortably than the size 36 of some of the other brands I tried.

The author decided to take a more “scientific” approach and investigate further.  He went across the street from the clothing store, bought a tailor’s measuring tape, and then came back and actually measured the H&M pants he had just tried on along with a number of pants from other manufacturers.  The result?  Even though they were ALL labeled “Size 36,” the waist measurements actually varied from 37″ (the H&M brand) to a whopping 41″ depending on the manufacturer!

Isn’t that crazy?  That’s “vanity sizing” in action.  The manufacturer knows that you don’t want to admit that you’ve added 5 inches to your gut over the past couple of years so they simply slap a “Size 36″ label on a pair of pants with a 41″ waist.  You get to feel like you still wear the same size pants that you did in college and the manufacturer gets a sale.  Everybody’s happy.

Oh really?  Little wonder America has an obesity epidemic.  We can’t even admit to ourselves how fit (or fat) we really are.

So quit fooling yourself.  It’s pretty obvious that you can’t rely on America’s clothing industry to make it easy for us so you’ve got to depend on yourself.  Go and get yourself a flexible tailor’s measuring tape and slap it around your waist and get a true reading of where you are (don’t suck in your gut either!).  If you find you need to lose some inches, get to work and do it.  Don’t simply switch clothing brands because their pants fit more “comfortable” (meaning they’re bigger) or because they offer a “relaxed fit” (another marketing word for “bigger”).

I encourage you to read the article because it really opens your eyes to the marketing “tricks” that clothing manufactures play on us.  And they’re not the only ones.  Food manufacturers do the same thing when they reduce the serving size so the number of calories per serving doesn’t seem so large.  They ALL do it — and we tend to snap it up, hook, line and sinker.

Do your best not to fall for it by becoming an informed consumer.  If you’ve gained a couple of inches, do what it takes to get it back off.  Buying bigger clothes lulls you into a false sense that everything’s OK and you convince yourself that you don’t have to change anything.

So get out your measuring tape and face facts.  In the end, you’ll feel much more in control of your fitness because you’ll have accurate information.

No related posts.

Mistake Number 6:  Not Enough Variety

Face it:  most exercise is boring, repetitive stuff.  Lift, hold, release, and then repeat over and over and over again.  Mind numbing.  Little wonder most people find it so hard to stick to a fitness routine.

If you’ve been doing the exact same exercise routine for so long that you don’t even have to think about it anymore, then you’re guilty of making this exercise mistake.

But getting bored with your exercise routine is only part of the problem.  If your routine never changes, your body quickly gets used to performing the same routine over and over again.  End result?  You stop improving.  Before long, you start noticing that even though you’re “exercising” as much as usual, you’re not losing any weight or getting any more fit.  You’ve hit a plateau.  Your body has “memorized” the routine and has optimized itself so that it expends the least amount of energy completing it.

Another problem is that constantly doing a routine that never changes can lead to injury as the exact same muscles get worked in exactly the same way every single time you exercise.

Change Up Your Routine

The obvious answer to these issues is to change up your routine.  Some ways to accomplish this include:

• Vary the exercises. If you’ve never done Yoga or boxing or any of the Martial Arts, try incorporating some of those moves into your routine.  Try adding body-weight exercises or kettle-bells instead of using weight-machines all the time.  Add in some “old school” exercises like push-ups and pull-ups.  Exercise on a balance board or Bosu ball.  In general, finding several different ways to work the same muscle groups will significantly improve the effectiveness of your workout in addition to making it much more fun and interesting.
• Vary the sequence. Instead of starting at the same machine in the gym every single time, try doing your exercises in a different sequence.  If you always start your routine doing bicep-curls, try starting with back exercises first.  Do your routine in reverse and then change it up again the next time.  Keep your body guessing as to what exercise is coming up next so that it never gets the chance to “optimize” the routine and reduce the amount of work your muscles do.  You’ll find yourself burning a lot more calories.
• Vary the intensity. Change the speed and intensity of your routine at frequent intervals.  Without sacrificing form or safety, speed up – or slow down – your routine periodically.  Alternate between heavier and lighter weights than you normally lift.  Again, keep your body guessing as to what’s coming up next.

They say that variety is the spice of life.  It’s also the key to effective workouts.  Variety keeps you from getting bored with your routine in addition to significantly increasing the efficiency of your workouts.  The only way to keep improving is to keep changing your routine in some way.

Give it a try.  You’ll see results right away!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, routine, workout, weight loss, fitness, variety, weight lifting, gym

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 3
2. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 4
3. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 5

I started this program last week and man, what a workout!  I thought I was in half-way decent shape but this program is a “killer!”  It’s Marine Bootcamp combined with Jr. High Gym Class.  This is the first training workout that I actually had to train for!  It’s that intense.

The 12 DVD’s cover workouts for:

• Chest & Back – geez, this one’s all push-ups and pull-ups with some weight training thrown in.
• Plyometrics – man, were my legs store after doing this one.  Not quite the same as martial art plyo’s but intense nonetheless.
• Shoulders & Arms – lots of training for your bi’s and tri’s.
• Yoga X – think yoga is for sissies?  Think again.  This routine will have you dripping with sweat and burning some serious calories.
• Legs and Back – as if the plyometric workout didn’t leave your legs sore enough.
• Kenpo X – a modified martial arts routine that incorporates moves from the Kenpo fighting style.  Sounds easy but this is a serious cardio workout.
• X Stretch – think this workout provides a breather?  Guess again.   You’ll be amazed at how much effort (and calories) you’ll expend holding some of these stretches.
• Core Synergistics – sounds like an ab routine but it’s much more.  This workout targets your entire core muscles.
• Chest, Shoulders & Back – great, more push-ups (kidding).  Get that V-shape by working the muscle groups of the upper body with this workout.
• Back & Biceps – straightforward weight routine with lots of curls.
• Cardio X – heart pounding, lung burning, non-stop cardio routine that will keep you reaching for the “Pause” button on your remote!
• Ab Ripper X – short 16 minute routine but man, it works nothing but the abs.  Although you can do this workout separately, it’s also included at the end of some of the other workouts.

Also included in the program is:

• P90X Fitness Guide – the “manual” explaining how the program works, how to perform your fit test, and a complete listing of all the exercises performed in the DVD’s.
• P90X Nutrition Plan – a pretty straightforward “eat less, eat healthier” guidebook with meal plans and recipes.
• P90X Calendar – something you can tack to the wall to track your progress.  I actually bought a package of “smiley face” stickers that I place in each box representing each day that I complete a workout.
• P90X “How to Bring It” DVD – basically introduces the program.

What’s my honest opinion?  Well, first of all keep in mind that I am not affiliated in any with with P90X.  Also, the link I provide at the end of this post is a “straight” link to the manufacturer, not an affiliate link.  You can also get this program at Amazon.com, like I did.

I actually enjoy this program.  It’s combines a lot of “old fashioned, hard-core” body-weight exercises (like push-ups, sit-ups, etc) with traditional weight training along with some “new-agey” stuff like Yoga, Kenpo, and Stretching.  But make no mistake, you’ll leave a pool of sweat on the floor after every workout.  My heart monitor frequently records around 700 calories burned in each session.

What’s neat about the videos is that you feel like you’re in a fitness class.  The other people in the video demonstrate variations you can do on each exercise while Tony Horton keeps the pace moving at a pretty good clip.  At the bottom of the screen is a “timing bar” that tells you exactly how long you’ve been exercising as well as how much further you have to go.  There’s a separate “exercise timer” that counts down the seconds for timed exercises or poses.  In short, you always know how far you’ve come as well as what’s coming up.

Is it effective?  Man oh man, is it effective.  This is raw strength building.  You might think that something like Yoga is only for people in leotards but you have no idea how much strength it takes to hold some of those poses for the required length of time.  And every pose, I mean EVERY pose, begins from the push-up or “plank” position.  Your muscles will feel drained after every workout.

This program is for both men and women.  You’ll see at least one woman in each video giving the guys a run for their money.  Tony also explains how to modify the exercises depending on whether your goal is bulk or lean muscle.

As far as drawbacks go, the only one I saw was in the Fitness Guide.  Yes, it contains a complete list, and description, of each exercise on each DVD.  However, there are no pictures anywhere.  So the description for a sit-up is something like, “lay on your back, reach forward using your abdominal muscles to touch your toes.”  Come on!  Don’t these guys know a picture is worth 1,000… well, you know the rest.  This is the only place I would have LOVED a picture, a diagram, a stick-figure drawing, anything, to demonstrate how to perform the exercise.  The end result is that you really have to WATCH each workout first to see how the exercises are performed and then REWIND the DVD and actually perform it.

The good part is that you’ve only got to do this a couple of times until you learn how to properly perform the exercise.  For the traditional exercises, it’s no big deal.  I mean, everyone knows how to do a push-up, right?  However, for Warrior Half Moon Yoga Pose, you’ll first want to see where you’re feet need to be, what direction you’re supposed to be facing, and so on.

All in all, I think this is a great program.  There’s enough variety in the program so that you don’t get bored.  Tony does a great job of keeping you motivated while pointing out how to make the exercises more effective.  I’d highly recommend this program to anyone who’s looking for a DVD-based, strength building and conditioning training program.

The price for the P90X program is around $140 (prices will vary so shop around).  You can order it from a variety of places including the TV Infomercials, Amazon.com, or the P90X website at BeachBody.com.  Again, these are not affiliate links so feel free to visit these sites and take a look at the clips they have from the actual DVD’s.  It should help you decide whether or not this program is for you.

So, back to those push-ups!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: p90x, workout, fitness, exercise, tony horton, beachbody, pushup, body weight, weight loss, balanced health

The P90X program is available from Amazon.com:

P90X Extreme Home Fitness Workout Program – 13 DVDs, Nutrition Guide, Exercise Planner

• Get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated
• Muscle Confusion technique accelerates the results process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so your body never plateaus
• Collection of 12 highly diverse and intense DVD workouts
• Also includes comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options
• Personal trainer Tony Horton will keep you engaged every step of the way

Tired of ineffective workouts that sound great but produce less-than-optimal results? Turn to the P90X Extreme Home Fitness system, a bundle of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. Hosted by personal trainer Tony Horton, the series of DVDs will help you get lean, bulk up, or grow stronger, with an endless variety of mix-and-match routines to keep you motivated. The secret behind the P90X system is an advanced training technique called “muscle confusion,” which accelerates the fitness process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so that your body never plateaus and you never get bored. The more you confuse the muscle, the harder your body has to work to

Rating: (out of 689 reviews)

List Price: $ 150.00

Price: $ 139.80

Related posts:

1. Corps Strength: A Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant’s Program for Elite Fitness
2. Just Show Up
3. Ramp Up Your Workout with a Fitness Monitor

Mistake Number 5:  Not Properly Adjusting Exercise Machines

Most exercise machines are designed to accommodate a variety of body types and provide a wide range of resistance or weight settings.  Unfortunately, most people never return the machines to their “neutral” setting when they finish with the machine.  Unless you properly adjust the machine before you begin your workout, you won’t get the most benefit from the machine and in some cases, you might actually injure yourself.

Properly adjusting an exercise machine includes paying attention to the following:

1.  Making sure the machine is clean and in good working order. Yes, I know that maintenance is “not your job” but you’re the one that’s going to get hurt if the machine is not working properly so you need to give each machine a critical “looking over” before you get on it.  In addition to making sure the machine isn’t covered in sweat from the guy that just finished using it, you need to also look for obvious mechanical stuff like jammed, frayed, twisted or broken cables, weight plates that look like they might fall, missing or broken parts, and so on.  If you notice something obviously wrong, get the attention of the gym staff so they can put an “Out of Order” sign on the machine.

2.  Making sure you know how the machine moves. If you’ve never used a particular machine before, get one of the gym staff to show you how to use it.  Make note of how the machine moves – especially note the pinch points, where the weights or bar hit, and so on.  You want to make sure that you keep your hands, fingers, and feet away from those areas when you’re on the machine.

3.  Adjusting the machine to your body type. Most machines can be adjusted to fit a wide variety of body types, from tall to short.  Make sure you adjust the seat and the arm or leg rests to your body size and type.  You should be comfortable moving the muscle group that the machine targets through its full range of motion.  If you don’t adjust this properly, your workout won’t be very effective or you’ll run the risk of injury.  A little time spent adjusting the machine can really make a difference in the quality of your workout.

4.  Alignment, alignment, alignment. Make absolutely sure your body is aligned properly on the machine.  If you adjusted it properly in the previous step, it should be.  There should be no sideways motion or pressure on any joints.  Keep in mind that even though the machine might be adjusted properly, your body type might still have problems maintaining proper alignment.  For example, when I was significantly overweight, I used to try to exercise on a stationary bike.  As soon as I got on the bike and bent over to grab the handle bars, the flab around my gut would drop down between my knees preventing me from keeping my legs aligned properly.   The only way for me to pedal the bike was to push my knees out to the side.  Instead of pedaling straight up and down, I was literally pedaling out to the side.  After a couple of minutes, my knees were killing me.  If you can’t physically keep your joints in alignment – for whatever reason – don’t use that particular machine.

5.  Exercise or Weight Level. The last thing to check is to make sure the machine is on the proper exercise level or that you have the right amount of weight on the machine.  You can injure yourself if you assume that there’s a lot of weight on the machine and there’s actually very little.  The same applies if you assume there’s very little weight and there turns out to be a lot.  In both cases, you’re not prepared and can easily sprain or strain something.  If you’re on a treadmill, you can easily get knocked off your feet if the machine unexpectedly starts off at a fast pace.  Make sure you check what exercise or weight level the machine is at and adjust it to where you need it to be.

By keeping these points in mind, you’ll be able to maximize your workouts in addition to reducing your risk of injury.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, fitness, machines, health, balance, alignment, joints, muscle, workout, exercise mistakes

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 4
2. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 3
3. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 1

Then wouldn’t you know it – I got hurt and had to take a week off from working out.  Here’s what happened.

I was doing my usual Kickboxing routine and was on the speed-bag really making it “sing.”  I was having a great workout and my muscles were really feeling good.  Right next to the speed-bag station was a 4′x4′ square plywood box standing on end.  The box is there so that some of our younger students can have something to stand on in order to reach the bag.

Anyway, somehow I must have nudged the box rocking it forward while I was concentrating on hitting the bag.  The box slammed down hard and caught my foot right on the big toe.  You might as well have hit me with a hammer – the effect was exactly the same.

At first, I couldn’t feel anything but a tingling numbness.  It’s like when a bell rings – you hear the initial “gong” but then you continue to hear a “ringing” sound for quite a while afterward.  My toe felt like it was “ringing” – and not in a good way!

First priority – find out if anything is broken. I gritted my teeth and tried to flex my toes.  OK, I can move my big toe with no problem so no broken bones.  That’s a relief.  However, the “ringing-numbness” sensation is beginning to wear off to be replaced by a throbbing sensation.

Second priority – get some ice on it and elevate it to reduce swelling. Anytime you have an impact injury, the capillary blood vessels in the affected area usually rupture quickly filling the area with blood.  That’s why the area begins to look dark red or purple.  In my case, my toe started looking like a cherry tomato.  As the blood and fluid leaks into the damaged area, it swells creating pressure on the surrounding tissue and nerves – that’s what caused the “throbbing” sensation.  Getting an ice pack on my toe and elevating my foot within 5 minutes of getting hurt really helped to keep the swelling, and the pain, down to a tolerable level.

Common practice is to put an ice pack on the area for 10-15 minutes, and then take it off for 10-15 minutes before putting the ice pack on again.  That should keep the area cool enough to reduce swelling without risking frostbite.  Follow this schedule as often as you can for the first 24 hours.

Third priority – give it time to heal. Walking was really painful the following day, and the day after that.  However, I took things slow and kept my foot elevated as often as I could.  Keeping the area protected from further bumps and damage was also important – especially since wearing shoes was painful so I went barefoot as often as I could.

Unfortunately, this part you can’t rush.  You’ve got to give your body time to heal.  In my case, I was off my feet as much as possible for an entire week.

Fourth priority – keep exercising to the extent you can. Now, that doesn’t mean I sat on the couch and munched potato chips all day.  I still worked my upper body by lifting weights 3 days a week.  I just couldn’t do any running or jumping since my foot was out of commission.  To the extent possible, rest the part that’s injured, keep exercising the part that’s not.

Yes, I know that there are some injuries (like back or stomach injuries) that hurt no matter how you move and in those cases, lay off the exercise completely.  However, if you’ve got an arm or shoulder sprain, continue exercising your lower body.  Knee or foot injury?  Keep doing chest, arms, and back exercises.  Use some common sense but keep exercising to the extent you can.

Why try to keep exercising?  Two reasons.  First, exercising will take your mind off the part that hurts.  That’s a huge benefit all by itself.  Second, exercise will elevate your heart rate increasing the blood flow to the hurt area.  This will (in my opinion) significantly speed recovery time.

My bottom line is that I went from hardly being able to walk to resuming my Kickboxing routine (without the kicks of course) within 7 days of getting injured.  The key to getting back on track with your routine after an injury is to keep your priorities straight!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: fitness, injury, recovery, rehabilitation, exercise, health, soreness

Related posts:

1. Getting Back Into Shape After Thanksgiving
2. What Is “Balanced” Health and Fitness?
3. Getting Your Knees Back Into Shape

Mistake Number 4:  Not Progressing Wisely

Let’s face it – we all want instant or overnight results.  We’re like little kids that pick up a dumbbell, do 2 or 3 bicep curls, and then immediately run to the mirror and flex our muscles to see if they’ve gotten any bigger.  And of course we’re disappointed when we see that they’re not.

Now as adults, we still fall victim to the same kind of thinking.  Of course it doesn’t help to be constantly bombarded by non-stop commercials for fitness products that promise to work “even while you’re sleeping.”

Whatever the reason, it’s natural to want quick results.  However, when it comes to physical exercise, trying to hurry the process is a sure recipe for injury.

You risk serious, and perhaps even permanent, injury when you:

• Exercise too much. If your fitness routine calls for doing 1 hour of exercise 3 times a week, trying to get a week’s worth of exercise in one 3-hour setting just doesn’t work.
• Exercise too hard. Who hasn’t gotten that competitive spirit when you’re with a with a group of friends playing basketball or tennis and then paid the price for playing too hard by not being to get out of bed the next day?
• Exercise too often. Trying to get quick results by exercising every day actually slows your progress.  Your muscles need sufficient time to rebuild before you work them out again.

In each of these cases, you’re piling on more than your body can handle – and believe me, it’s going to let you know!

Building fitness requires working through a gradual progression of exercise levels, each a little more challenging than the one before, with enough rest in between to let your body rebuild.

The most difficult thing to do when beginning any fitness program is to start slow, but that’s exactly the way to get the quickest results.  I know it’s counter-intuitive but you see it in professional sports all the time.  You’ll see a star player really pushing himself hard and seemingly making great progress in a short period of time.  Then bam!  He blows a knee or tears a muscle.  Next time you see him he’s on the bench and out for the rest of the season.  Some progress!

Fight the urge to push beyond your body’s current limits.  You’ll only set yourself back.  The quickest way to get into shape is to take things slow and steady.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: fitness, exercise, health, competition, balance

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 1
2. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 2
3. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 3

Well, according to several studies, here is the recommended technique to use in order to optimize your weight lifting sessions:

• Optimal Number of Reps per Set:  8-15. In order to really work your muscles and promote the release of fat-burning hormones, you should only put enough weight on the bar so that you can perform between 8 and 15 repetitions.  Doing less than 8 reps doesn’t release as many fat-burning hormones and if you can do more than 15 reps, you probably don’t have enough weight on the bar.
• Optimal Number of Sets per Exercise:  2-4. Performing 2-4 sets (composed of 8-15 reps per set) will keep your hormone at a consistent, fat-burning rate.
• Optimal Rest Period Between Sets:  60 seconds. You should rest no more than 60 seconds in between sets.  Otherwise, your muscles begin to cool down and heart rate, as well as your level of fat-burning hormones, begins to drop.
• Number of Seconds to Lower Your Weights:  3 seconds. Many people simply let gravity take over and let the weight drop down to the starting position.  This is dead wrong and can actually lead to serious injury.  You may not believe it but in many exercises, your muscles actually work harder on the eccentric, or lowering, phase since they’re working against the force of gravity and trying to decelerate the weight load at the same time.  Take a full 3 seconds to slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.

Are there exceptions to this “formula?”  Of course there are.  If you’re working on building strength, you should focus on lifting heavier weights for a smaller number of reps (usually 1-2 sets of 2-3 reps) and increasing the rest period in between.  However, for people that are trying to build and tone muscle and lose a few pounds in the process, this combination should get you there in the least amount of time.

So what are you waiting for?  Head to the gym and give it a try!

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: weight lifting, weights, exercise, fitness, gym, health, weight loss, fat-burning

Related posts:

1. Combining Weight Lifting with Isometrics
2. Fat Burning Exercise with Weights
3. Using FITT to get Fitter

Mistake Number 3:  Bad Form

One of the biggest and most frequent mistakes I see in the gym is to use bad form when performing an exercise.  Bad form at its worst can lead to strains, sprains, or even more serious and sometimes permanent, injuries.  At its least, it renders your exercise ineffective.

Some of the more common examples of bad form usually fall into two categories:  (1) doing the wrong exercise and (2), doing the exercise wrong.

Doing the Wrong Exercise

Some people simply should not be doing certain types of exercises.  An exercise routine should be matched to a person’s existing condition, their physical body type, and their size and weight.   Some people just don’t have the physical range of motion or the muscle structure to benefit from certain types of exercises.

Others may be too big, too short, or too heavy to make proper use of the exercise machines, despite the fact that most machines can be adjusted within a wide range of settings.

I’ll give you a personal example.  Years ago, I carried quite a bit more weight in my midsection resulting in a bit of a “beer belly” (even though I don’t drink beer).  What did I do?  Why run to the gym and jump on the LifeCycle (a stationary bike).  I cycled for about an hour before going home feeling pretty good about all the calories I had burned.  The next day I could hardly walk.

What happened?  Well, I was pretty overweight and most of that weight was in my midsection.  As soon as I got on the bike and leaned forward to grab the handlebars, all that weight kind of sagged down between my thighs.  In fact, the only way to make room for my sagging belly was to push my knees out to the side — out of alignment, in other words.  After an hour of cycling, my knee joints had taken a beating.  It’s a wonder they weren’t damaged seriously.

In another case, I saw an instructor put a brand new student, who also smoked, through a pretty intense cardio routine.  The new student almost passed out before puking their guts out.  The instructor should have modified the routine to better fit the current condition of the new student (who was never seen again, by the way) instead of trying to “force-fit” the student into a cookie-cutter routine.

The point is that there are some exercises, and some exercise machines, that certain types of people shouldn’t be doing.  Make sure that your exercise routine is matched to your current physical condition and your body type as well as your height and current weight.

Doing the Exercise Wrong

Most cases of bad form are, by far, people doing an exercise incorrectly.  It should be obvious that doing the exercise wrong can lead to physical injury.  Not so obvious is that most of your efforts are ineffectual, and that’s a real shame.  You only have so much time to get to the gym so why would waste time and energy going through motions that don’t actually work your muscles correctly?

Performing an exercise incorrectly usually include the following:

• Poor or Improper Alignment. In most exercises, especially those involving weights, the large muscles of the body are designed to move in more-or-less straight lines.  This is what aligns the entire muscle against the load it’s trying to move.  Using bad form or alignment subjects a section of the muscle to an uneven amount of force increasing the chances that the muscle will strain or tear at that point.  Before you lift any kind of weight, do a quick mental check to make sure every part of your body is lined up properly.
• Using Too Much Weight. This is more of a “guy thing.”  Trying to lift too much weight before your body is conditioned for it can put more force on muscles and joints than they’re capable of handling.  Using too much weight also leads to the last item.
• Lack of Controlled Movement. If you’re trying to lift too much weight, you’re not going to be able to control the movement of your muscles through the full range of the exercise.  As a result, one of two things will happen:  you’ll either “sling the weight” using momentum instead of your muscles to press or push the weights ups, or you’ll shorten your movement by not extending all the way and thereby fail to execute a full rep.  In both cases, you’re not working your muscles completely or effectively.

In all cases, if any exercise or exercise movement doesn’t feel comfortable, by all means stop doing it and get some help.  Most gyms have trainers on staff that will be happy to show you how to use an exercise machine properly or that can help design an effective exercise routine.  Telling them where it hurts or what feels uncomfortable will usually help them come up with modifications to the exercise or adjustments to the machine that you can make in order to better accommodate your specific condition or body type.

Get the most out of your time at the gym by making sure that you’re using good form – doing the right exercise and doing the exercise right.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: form, weight lifting, weight machines, alignment, biomechanics, posture, muscle strain, injury, exercise, fitness

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 2
2. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 1
3. Fat Burning Exercise with Weights

Mistake Number 2:  Unbalanced Strength Training Programs

An “unbalanced strength training program” is a weight or resistance training program that concentrates on only 1 or 2 areas of the body and ignores the rest.  It’s only natural, I guess, that most people tend to focus their training on the muscles that they think will make them look younger, leaner, stronger, or sexier.  These muscles most often include the biceps, abs, and legs.

Do a quick Internet search and you’ll find all kinds of “miracle-get-fit-quick” programs that supposedly “target” these specific areas.  Take a close look around the gym and you’ll find people spending the majority of their time primarily working these muscles -  guys trying to do 200-pound-bicep-curls and women working nothing but the leg-press and the “butt-buster.”

The results, like the guy in the picture, can sometimes look unnatural and downright freaky.  However, how things look is pretty subjective (some people think looking like Popeye is cool – whatever) so let’s put looks aside for a moment and only talk about whole body health effects.

The muscles of your body are designed to work in unison, with each muscle playing an important part of whatever motion you’re engaged in. Whether it’s shooting hoops or lifting weights, for any type of movement, your muscles create the movement together by playing one or more of the following roles:

• Agonist or “Prime Mover”:  This is the muscle that acts directly to bring about a desired movement through contraction.  If you’re performing a dumbbell bench press, for example, the agonist is the Pectoralis Major (or “pecs”) which contract (shorten) to raise the arms as you press the weights upward.
• Synergist or “Assistant Mover”:  As the name implies, this is the muscle (or muscles) that indirectly assists in creating the desired movement.  In the dumbbell bench press, the synergist is the Anterior Deltoid (or “front delt”).
• Antagonist:  The antagonist is the opposite partner of the agonist.  It’s job is to return the limb to the starting position by creating  a force that’s directly opposite to the Prime Mover.  In our bench press example, the antagonist is the Posterior Deltoid (“rear delt”).
• Stabilizer:  This muscle (or muscles) are responsible for stabilizing and supporting the muscle next to it.  In a dumbbell bench press, the stabilizers are the Rotator Cuff muscles.
• Neutralizer:  Similar to the stabilizer, the neutralizer is a muscle (or muscles) responsible for eliminating or canceling out an undesired movement.  In our example, the Rotator Cuff muscles also act as neutralizers acting to cancel out any sideways or unstable movement as the arms press up.

Developing one muscle to the exclusion of the other creates an imbalance between that muscle and it’s paired antagonist frequently leading to injury.  For example, overdeveloping the pecs by doing dumbbell bench presses all day long can lead to muscle stain or tearing of the Posterior Deltoid, the antagonist muscle.

Why does that happen?  Interesting story that most people don’t consider.  When you’re doing a bench press, for example, most people are surprised to learn that the Posterior Deltoid is the muscle most susceptible to injury, not the Pecs.  Why is that?  Because when you press up (using the Pecs), you’re lifting a weight against gravity and your movement tends to be slow, measured, and controlled.  However, when you go back to the start position, most people tend to simply let the weights drop back down to chest level without taking into account that gravity is now pulling in the same direction as the weights.  Unless you’re careful, the movement back down tends to be faster, less controlled, and end with an abrupt stop.  That puts a lot of strain on the Rear Delts.  If you’re going to get injured doing this exercise, that’s where it’s going to happen.

Same scenario applies to your legs.  If you spend enough time in a gym, you might have heard the advice, “strengthen the glutes and stretch the quads.”  The reason is that most people are “quad dominant.”  In other words, their quads are already much stronger than their glutes making it much easier to strain or tear the glutes when they try to develop their quads even further.  If you’ve ever injured your legs doing a leg press, it’s almost always on the return when your glutes are straining to slow the weights quickly.

The key to building a stronger body is to make sure that your weight or resistance training program is balanced and incorporates ALL major muscles groups, not just the “sexy” ones.  That means following a workout that includes the chest, the back (upper and lower) and shoulders, the arms (biceps, forearms, and hands), the core (upper and lower abs, obliques), as well as your legs and hips.  It’s important to strengthen not only the big muscles, but the supporting ones as well in order to prevent injuries.

The end result is that you’ll not only look and feel better, you’ll move better with increased coordination and balance.  Isn’t that why you work out in the first place?

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: fitness, weight lifting, exercise, balanced health, bench press, dumbbell, ACE, muscle, strength training, resistance training

Related posts:

1. Top 10 Exercise Mistakes: Number 1
2. Combining Weight Lifting with Isometrics
3. Isometrics Better Than Weight Training?

Mistake Number 1:  The All or Nothing Approach

Most of us think of exercise as an event, something to be planned and scheduled like a lunch meeting.  And like a lunch meeting, if something comes up or if we run late, we cancel and reschedule.  In other words, we tend to take an “all or nothing” approach to exercise – we either do it (we “made” the appointment), or we don’t (we “cancel” the appointment).

I know, I know.  It’s really hard NOT to think of exercise as an event.  You DO have to prepare for it.  You’ve got to pack your gym bag making sure you’ve got clean socks, shorts, a towel, and so on.  You’ve got to change into your exercise “uniform” and make sure your MP3 player is loaded with your latest “power song.”  You’ve got to put on the weight lifting gloves or the wrist and head bands.  Geez, there’s a lot of stuff you’ve got to do before you exercise!  You can’t just run out and, what, start running?  (Remember the scene in Forest Gump when he’s sitting on his porch and decides to just get up and run?  Yeah, I know.  We can’t do that.)

It’s easy to see why so many of us skip exercise altogether just because we can’t find a clean pair of gym socks (you know the ones, the special moisture-wicking, all natural organic fiber, $30 a pair, “makes my feet feel happy” pair).  If you put so much effort into planning to exercise, you’re much more likely to forget the whole thing if any part of the planning process goes wrong.

Another problem with seeing exercise as an event is that we want to impose a start time and an end time.  We want to look at our calendar and see “Exercise 5:30 to 6:30 pm.”  We don’t want to think about exercise until 5:30 and we don’t want to think about exercise after 6:30.  We want to treat it like a dentist appointment – something we just have to do and get over as quickly as possible.  After all, you’ve got to pack all your stuff (hassle), change into your workout clothes (hassle), exercise, then shower (hassle), change into your street clothes (hassle), and then pack up all your wet workout clothes and rush home (hassle, hassle, hassle).

Little wonder we look for reasons to skip exercising.  And take it from me (a Master Excuse Maker), perfectly legitimate excuses, I mean reasons, are not hard to find.

But exercise is not an all-or-nothing event.  Exercise can be incorporated into just about any activity and research has shown that as little as 10 minutes of exercise can provide important health benefits.  It can be as simple as taking the stairs at the office or at the mall.

Other suggestions can include:

• Look for ways to incorporate exercise into your daily activities. Walking or biking to nearby places instead of driving, for example, or actually walking the dog instead of simply letting them run out the back door.
• Break up your “all-out-hard-core-sweat-a-gallon” workout session into smaller, more frequent sessions throughout the day. Lunges or squats can be done anytime, and anywhere, and don’t require any equipment.  Dropping down behind your desk and doing 10 slow-and-easy push-ups will still strengthen your arms but won’t require your usual jacuzzi-sauna-shower after-workout ritual.
• Become more active in general. Stay on your feet when taking phone calls or when reading paperwork.  Walk down the hall to talk to a coworker instead of using the phone or email.  Use resistance bands while you’re watching TV.  In short, stay off your butt as much as possible throughout the day.
• Change your attitude. Exercise is not an event, it’s a lifestyle.  It’s something that’s just part of you, not something you plan or schedule.

Nike has the right idea – Just Do It!  Forget the all-or-nothing attitude.  If something comes up and you can’t exercise for an hour like you had planned, go ahead and exercise in whatever time you have available.  Then find 10 or 15 minutes later on and exercise some more.

If you adopt the attitude that exercise is something you do rather than something you plan, you’ll soon find yourself in great shape.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S.  Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.”  This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – for a limited time.  Just click on the title to be taken to the download page.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: exercise, fitness, balanced health, attitude, gym, weight

Related posts:

1. Fat Burning Exercise with Weights
2. Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?

Add to the mix the Nike commercials of people falling, tripping, hurting, and getting beat down with the song in the background asking, “How fast you gonna get up?”  It makes me want to jump up and shout, “As fast as I can.  As many times as it takes to be the best!”  And then of course, the Nike logo flashes on the screen telling me to “Just Do It.”

Boy, how much motivation can one guy take?  Especially a middle-aged one like me?  Still, it makes me want to head to the gym and work out like an Olympian!

Well, hold on there Bucky.  The problem with watching experts make some sport look easy is that we tend to convince ourselves that it IS easy – that is until we try it.  That’s when we find out how much skill it really takes – and how out of shape we really are.

So before you seriously hurt yourself, take a deep breath and honestly evaluate where you currently are on a fitness scale with 1 being a couch potato and 10 being an Olympian.  You’re not going to go from a 1 to a 10 in one workout.

OK, so you’ve been beat down right off the bat.  But as the Nike commercial asks, how many times are you going to get up?  Answer?  As many times as it takes to go from a 1 to a 2 …. and then from a 2 to a 3.

It’s OK to see yourself up there at the top of the ski slope with all the other guys and gals that have less than 5% body fat.  It’s OK to use that motivation to drive your fitness plan forward through one more day.  If you keep at it, you might actually get there some day.

But whether you get there or not is not really important.  The important thing is how you answer the question, “How many times are you going to get up?”

…and then as the Nike commercial says, “Just do it.”

Hiram
Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach and
Personal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

Technorati Tags: Olympics, nike, commercial, sports, fitness, health, workout, exercise, motivation

Related posts:

1. Ramp Up Your Workout with a Fitness Monitor
2. Is it a Stroke? Find out FAST.
3. Smart Fast Food Tips