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2008-02-16T14:47:00.000-05:00

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2008-02-16T09:54:00.000-05:00

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2008-01-26T13:27:00.000-05:00

A FREE Holiday Fitness Gift

2007-12-21T22:22:00.000-05:00

A Holiday Gift of Instructional Cooking from My Home Personal Trainer and My Fit Cafe to get you started right for the New Year: http://myfitcafe.rouxbe.com

We at My Home Personal Trainer and My Fit Cafe just want to say it is a pleasure to give you the resources you need to meet your health and fitness goals. To thank you, we've pre-purchased memberships for our users to Rouxbe (pronounced roo-bee) - the premium online instructional cooking destination. Here you will find up-close instructional cooking videos that focus on the food, skills, and techniques that drive success in the kitchen. At My Home Personal Trainer, we understand that exercise is only one part of living a healthy lifestyle. Eating a balanced diet is also equally important. One of the challenges we are hearing from many of you, our members, is that cooking is not an easy task, particularly because this often means re-thinking the way we cook at home. So we thought it might be helpful to go back to basics and help you with a valuable tool that walks you through the recipes, step-by-step. Rouxbe also has some great how-to demonstrations on cooking techniques for those of us who feel we're a little rusty. The Rouxbe Cooking School is one great place to start. We're excited to bring you this gift to start off the New Year right! Happy holidays from all of us at My Home Personal Trainer and My Fit Cafe. Welcome to Rouxbe! Don't forget, it's prepaid and on us for 6-months. Just go to http://myfitcafe.rouxbe.com to sign up and get your user name and password. In Health,Your Friends at My Home Personal Trainer and My Fit Cafe

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2007-12-21T22:00:00.000-05:00

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2007-04-22T13:51:00.000-05:00

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2007-04-22T13:50:00.000-05:00

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FREE 8 Day Nutrition E-Course

2007-04-22T13:49:00.000-05:00

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FREE Nutrition Strategies E-Book

2007-04-22T13:48:00.000-05:00

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It provides a nice and simple overview of some critical PN strategies including: the rules of good nutrition, protein intake, balancing dietary acids, altering your eating schedule to make it more PN friendly, preparing foods, eating on the road, reving your metabolism, and so much more.

FREE Gourmet Nutrition Dessert E-Book

2007-04-22T13:46:00.000-05:00

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2007-04-15T20:08:00.000-05:00

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A Fresh Balance Meal Plan

Built with Chef Created Whole Food flavorful Recipes that are designed with Complete and Balanced Nutrition.

Get A FREE Copy of Gourmet Nutrition
Introducing Gourmet Nutrition Desserts, a 44 page dessert cookbook complete with delicious "Precision Nutrition approved" dessert recipes, beautiful photography, and hints on how to eat the foods you love without the gaining the fat you hate.

Precision Nutrition Strategies
Access Your FREE Copy Today!!
This E-Book is an extension of the Complete Precision Nutrition program and it's called Precision Nutrition Strategies. With over 43 pages and 7 chapters (plus appendices), it provides an excellent introduction into the full version of the Complete Precision Nutrition Program.
It provides a nice and simple overview of some critical PN strategies including: the rules of good nutrition, protein intake, balancing dietary acids, altering your eating schedule to make it more PN friendly, preparing foods, eating on the road, reving your metabolism, and so much more.

FREE 8 Day Nutrition E-Course
Develop Better Nutrition with Our FREE 8 Day Body Transformation program.
Sign up Today for your FREE 8-Day Online No NonSense Complete and Balanced Nutrition Course!

My Precision Nutrition Forum
The Precision Nutrition forum is an online fitness and health community built for clients and customers of PN. Get Access to thousands of pages of nutritional information and knowledge available only on the Precision Nutrition Forums. To do so, all you have to do is register. And registration is free!

In Need of More Protein...

2006-12-27T10:45:00.000-05:00

Why You May Need To Eat More Protein

by Dr John M Berardi, CSCS

Nowadays there are a lot of misconceptions with respect to protein intake. Should one take in 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight? Or is it 1 gram per kilogram? And, to the non-scientist, just how much is that?

Well, before discussing this issue, I think it’s important to explore the difference between protein need and protein optimization. When someone asks the question – how much protein should I eat – they are usually trying to figure out how much protein they need to optimize body composition and performance. But the question, "How much protein does an athlete need?" is a very different one from "How much protein should an athlete consume to improve body composition and athletic performance?"

In the research world, the word need is in no way associated with optimization. Instead it's defined as the minimum amount necessary in order to prevent deficiency. Therefore, in asking how much protein an athlete needs, you're asking the question "What's the minimum amount of protein an athlete can get away with to prevent wasting and eventual death?"

Since most athletes have access to and usually consume enough protein to stave off death, the common protein question about how much protein an athlete needs is a bad one. This question doesn't address the issue of real importance, the one that addresses what an athlete should consume to improve performance and body composition?

So, how much protein do individuals need to optimize performance and body composition? Well, the truth is, I don’t know. Everyone is different. However, what I do know is this – about 85% of all the individuals I’ve ever consulted with have been eating less protein that I recommend. And the first thing I do to stimulate results (usually “results” mean body composition changes) is to increase the protein intake while making a few concomitant changes to carbs and fat intake.

Now, there are a number of reasons why I boost protein intake in most clients so I’d like to outline them in this article.

Reason #1

Increased Thermic Effect of Feeding — While all macronutrients require metabolic processing for digestion, absorption, and storage or oxidation, the thermic effect of protein is significantly higher than that of carbohydrates and fat. In fact, protein requires 25-30% of the energy it provides just for digestion, absorption, and assimilation while carbs only require 6-8% and fat requires 2-3%. That means that eating protein is actually thermogenic and can lead to a higher metabolic rate. This means greater fat loss when dieting and less fat gain during hypercaloric diets.

Reason #2

Increased Glucagon — Protein consumption increases plasma concentrations of the hormone glucagon. Glucagon is responsible for antagonizing the effects of insulin in adipose tissue, leading to greater fat mobilization. In addition, glucagon also decreases the amounts and activities of the enzymes responsible for making and storing fat in adipose and liver cells. Again, this leads to greater fat loss during dieting and less fat gain during overfeeding.

Reason #3

Increased IGF-1 — Protein and amino-acid supplementation has been shown to increase the IGF-1 response to both exercise and feeding. Since IGF-1 is an anabolic hormone that's related to muscle growth, another advantage associated with consuming more protein is more muscle growth when overfeeding and/or muscle sparing when dieting.

Reason #4

Reduction in Cardiovascular Risk — Several studies have shown that increasing the percentage of protein in the diet (from 11% to 23%) while decreasing the percentage of carbohydrate (from 63% to 48%) lowers LDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations with concomitant increases in HDL cholesterol concentrations.

Reason #5

Improved Weight-Loss Profile — Research from Layman and colleagues has demonstrated that reducing the carbohydrate ratio from 3.5 - 1 to 1.4 - 1 increases body fat loss, spares muscle mass, reduces triglyceride concentrations, improves satiety, and improves blood glucose management.

Reason #6

Increased Protein Turnover — All tissues of the body, including muscle, go through a regular program of turnover. Since the balance between protein breakdown and protein synthesis governs muscle protein turnover, you need to increase your protein turnover rates in order to best improve your muscle quality. A high protein diet does just this. By increasing both protein synthesis and protein breakdown, a high protein diet helps you get rid of the old muscle more quickly and build up new, more functional muscle to take its place.

Reason #7

Increased Nitrogen Status — Earlier I indicated that a positive nitrogen status means that more protein is entering the body than is leaving the body. High protein diets cause a strong positive protein status and when this increased protein availability is coupled with an exercise program that increases the body's anabolic efficiency, the growth process may be accelerated.

Reason #8

Increased Provision of Auxiliary Nutrients — Although the benefits mentioned above have related specifically to protein and amino acids, it's important to recognize that we don't just eat protein and amino acids — we eat food. Therefore, high protein diets often provide auxiliary nutrients that could enhance performance and/or muscle growth. These nutrients include creatine, branched chain amino acids, conjugated linoleic acids, and/or additional nutrients that are important but remain to be discovered. This illustrates the need to get most of your protein from food, rather than supplements alone.

So, looking over this list of benefits, isn't it clear that for many individuals, an increase in protein intake would be advantageous for most people’s training goals? Since a high protein diet can lead to a better health profile, an increased metabolism, improved body composition, and an improved training response, why would anyone ever try to limit their protein intake to the bare minimum necessary to stave off malnutrition?

It seems to me that whether someone's on a hypoenergetic diet or a hyperenergetic diet, the one macronutrient they would want to be sure to overeat would be protein. Instead, by limiting protein intake, most individuals look for what they consider the bare minimum of protein, and then overeat carbohydrates and fats instead. That's a big performance and body composition mistake.

SEE ALSO:

For more great training and nutrition wisdom, check out Dr Berardi’s complete system, Precision Nutrition. Containing 5 nutrition guides, two audio CDs, two DVDs, and our Gourmet Nutrition cookbook, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

And what's more, you get a free lifetime membership to his private, members-only website, where you can talk exercise and nutrition 24/7 with thousands of fellow members and the Precision Nutrition coaches. Find out more about Precision Nutrition.

My Nutrition Coach

Fish Oil and Your Health

2006-12-11T19:13:00.000-05:00

Fish Oil Rules

by Dr. John Berardi

I consider fish oil to be an essential supplement for fat loss. Data from the University of Western Ontario shows that fish oil supplementation increases lean body mass (during non-dieting conditions), increases BMR (by up to 400kcal/day), decreases inflammation, and improves the ratio of fat/carb oxidized (sparing carbs, burning fat). Recommended dose: Start with 6-10g per day of total fish oil (assuming 30% EPA and DHA).

This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Precision Nutrition, complete with 2 DVDs, 2 CDs, 5 manuals, and an entire cook book, is the last word on eating for optimal health, body comp and performance.

The Sunday Ritual

2006-12-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

The Sunday Ritual

by Dr. John Berardi

To ensure that good foods will be available when you need them, use the Sunday Ritual. This is performed by setting aside three hours every Sunday to write out your menu for the week, shop for the week, and prepare your meals for the week. Cook all the meat, chop all the vegetables, measure out all the yogurt and/or cottage cheese, and distribute all the powders. Have them ready and set aside so that you can grab them in the morning and bring them with you regardless of what your day holds in store for you.

This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Precision Nutrition, complete with 2 DVDs, 2 CDs, 5 manuals, and an entire cook book, is the last word on eating for optimal health, body comp and performance.

Bodybuilding on a Budget

2006-12-08T12:46:00.001-05:00

Bodybuilding on a Budget It Doesn’t Have to Put Your Wallet in a Wheelchair

By Marc David

As you probably remember the last time you looked at a proposed grocery list or visited the nearest supplement store, you realized you needed to take out an equity loan first in order to get your month’s supply of food and supplements.

Believe me…

I’ve had my fair share of large bills especially when I’m trying to bulk up and gain weight.

Am I right about this so far?

Don’t’ worry… there are some really overlooked and rather inexpensive methods to get all the food you need without breaking the bank. But I have an even better idea… let me just start off with a quick list of foods that you can find at most grocery stories and warehouse locations that are cheap and are excellent sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats.
Low Cost Bodybuilding Foods (no particular order):

1. Tuna

2. Nuts

3. Olive Oil

4. Whey Protein Concentrate, in bulk

5. Pasta

6. Chicken legs

7. Beans

Of course you’ll want to get servings of fruits and veggies but normally it’s the other foods that are expensive in bulk. With just the above foods, you can get many of them in bulk or for discounts and have plenty of wholesome foods for your bulking, cutting and bodybuilding endeavors.

By now, you’re probably wondering…

Okay, that’s a nice list of general foods I can use but I am taking some supplements. And they aren’t so cheap. I’d like to try everything I see in the latest muscle magazines but I really only have time for what works. Where’s the cheap list of supplements?

Inexpensive (best bang for your buck) supplements:

1. Multi-vitamin

2. Fish oil

3. Whey concentrate

4. Dextrose

5. Creatine Monohydrate

Fact is…

I try a lot of supplements myself. I’m curious. I want to know what works and sometimes I stumble across something that is worth it. But the above list is the basic supplement list that I always return to no matter what. It’s part of the vitamin closet in the kitchen. If I have no time, no money or no desire to try anything new, I know that above is the only stash I need to make any gains I’ll need.

So let me summarize and review…

Bodybuilding on budget is real. If you look for specific foods that are great sources of protein, carbs and healthy fats and mix and match, you have a really well rounded selection to make many meals. No matter if you are on a bulk phase, cutting phase or just want to eat healthy, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive things you’ve ever done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About The Author:

Marc David is an innovative fitness enthusiast and the creator of the “The Beginner’s Guide to Fitness And Bodybuilding”

method on www.Beginning-Bodybuilding.com.

He can show you how to reduce your body fat thru diet, how to gain weight or create more muscle thru an abundance of workout tips by training LESS! Not more. He dispels many “bodybuilding myths”, tells you what most people never realize about nutrition, and what the drug companies DON’T WANT YOU to know.

Go to: www.Beginning-Bodybuilding.com to find out more about The Beginner’s Guide to Fitness And Bodybuilding.

10 Most Common Workout Mistakes

2006-12-08T12:46:00.000-05:00

10 Most Common Workout Mistakes!

By Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS, ACE

Although regular exercise is good for body and soul, diving head first into an advanced exercise programme is not encouraged. It can even be dangerous if you don’t avoid some common mistakes.

If you're a beginner, your body isn’t prepared for the types of strains exercise can place on it. As a result, engaging in an exercise programme with little foresight and planning can lead to burnout, frustration and injury.

If you want to maximise your workout, it's going to take a combination of motivation and the correct information. So let's review the 10 most common mistakes that can be easily avoided.

1. Skipping the warm-up. Muscles need time to adjust to the demands placed on them during exercise. Before hitting the gym or jumping into your regular cardio workout, you should take a few minutes to gently walk, cycle or whatever you choose to prepare the body for heavier activity. Breaking a light sweat will get your blood pumping, warm up muscles and ligaments, greatly reduce your risk of injury and increase the effectiveness of your workout.

2. Skipping the cool-down. Due to time constraints, many people head straight to the showers after their last repetition or as soon as the timer on the treadmill dings. Instead, take a few minutes to lower your heart rate close to its resting rate. This will reduce your risk of injury and give you a few minutes to incorporate some relaxation into your routine.

3. Not stretching. Flexible muscles are far less likely to be pulled than tight ones. Stretch before a heavy workout or after your workout as a warm-down. Never stretch a muscle without warming up first to reduce your risk of injury even further. Regular stretching greatly increases your flexibility.

4. Lifting too much too fast. Placing demands your muscles are not prepared to handle is the best way to injure yourself. Gradual, progressive resistance is a far more effective and safe way to increase muscle strength. You should select a weight that allows you to do 10–15 repetitions. If you can’t do 10 reps, the weight is too heavy. If you can easily do 15, then increase the weight by five percent.

5. Using too light a resistance. If you are doing over 15 reps or have not increased your resistance in over two weeks, it is time to progress. If you want to improve, you have to keep your muscles stimulated. If you continue to do the same weights with high reps, you will maintain your current physique and not advance.

6. Being a Weekend Warrior. The mistake of the person who tries to fit a week's worth of exercise into a Saturday afternoon! For weight loss, it's more effective to sustain a moderate workout for longer periods of time than to exercise intensely for only a few minutes. For others, the expectation that a workout must be intense to be effective can lead to burnout or injury while others abandon their training altogether.

7. Waiting until you are thirsty to drink. Only camels can go without water! For the rest of us it's a necessity! Don’t wait until you feel thirsty because you are already dehydrated at that point. Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after your workout.

8. Using bad form. It's much more effective to choose a lower level, speed or weight and perform the exercise properly than it is to go too fast or too heavy and use poor form and momentum. Lower the intensity to the point at which you can maintain good posture. An example of poor form would be leaning on the Stairmaster handrails or swinging the dumbbells during a bicep curl.

9. Resting too much. While it's true you don't want to overdo it, taking too much time in between exercises can decrease the training benefits and set you up for injury. Allow for about 30 seconds between toning exercises -- which is usually just enough time to move to the next station and set up. You should exercise intensely enough to work up a light sweat, get your heart beating and feel a sense of satisfaction for having completed your workout.

10. More is better. It's not necessary to spend over an hour doing cardiovascular exercise. Studies show that the risk of injury outweighs the benefits after 60 minutes. Sessions of around 45 minutes most days of the week are recommended for weight loss.

Remember, exercise is only one link to a complete programme of well-being. Mental, spiritual and psychological "workouts" are just as important. Your body will repay you! The only thing left is to just do it... safely.

Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS, 2004 Personal Trainer of the Year - Online Training. Kelli is a 20 year fitness industry leader. She has 3 fitness related degrees and 24 Fitness, Nutrition and Lifestyle related certifications. Kelli is the former Lead Fitness Expert for eDiets and eFitness and remains a regular contributor. Kelli is the author of Feminine, Firm & Fit - Building A Lean Strong Body in 12 Weeks www.FeminineFirmandFit.com.
She has transformed thousands of bodies just like yours. She is available for phone coaching, online training, grocery shopping tours, seminars, and media opportunities. For more information go to www.KelliCalabrese.com

or e-mail Kelli@KelliCalabrese.com

Build The Upper Chest

2006-12-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

Secret Training Tip #995

How to Effectively Work and Build The Upper Chest

By Nick Nilsson

Fitness-ebooks.com

Surprise! This is NOT an article about incline bench
pressing. Learn these unique techniques for filling out
your upper pectoral area.

The upper chest/upper pec area just below the collar bones can be one of the toughest areas of the body to fully develop. The visual, proportional and functional benefits of building up this area are tremendous though!

Typcially, when you read about working the upper chest, you will hear a lot about incline exercises such as incline barbell or dumbell presses and incline flyes. While these exercises can be very effective, they don't work well for everybody.

If that sounds like you, these are the exercises that you've been looking for. These exercises are especially powerful when used in conjunction with or even supersetted with incline presses or flyes. They will help hit those hard-to-reach upper-pec muscle fibers that are generally not worked with standard incline movements.

At the end of this article, you will find links to view pictures of these exercises in action.

1. Upper Chest Cable Cross-Overs

You will need either a cable-cross over machine or a single high pulley for this exercise.

Get into position standing between the two high cross-over pulleys then take a small step forward. This small step forward puts more tension on the upper pecs at the start of the movement by increasing the stretch.

Bend over at the waist up to about 90 degrees.

The movement itself is very similar to the normal crossover. However, as you bring the cables in, you should push your hands forward of your body in a wide arc rather than bringing them directly down under your torso.

Essentially, you will be trying to bring the cable handles under your face rather than under your chest. This is the key to activating the upper pectoral fibers.

Keep your back arched and your chest puffed out and be sure to come around and forward as though sweeping your fist far out and around.

Chest Building Exercises

2. Lying Cable "Y" Flyes

The reason I call these "Y" Flyes is from the position of your body and arms on the bench when you do them.

Set a flat bench in the middle of the cable cross-overs (this exercise can also be done one arm at a time on a single low pulley if you don't have access to a full cross-over machine set-up). The end of the bench where your head will rest should be about 4 to 6 inches forward of an imaginary line between the two pulleys.

Use a moderate weight for this exercise as we'll be focusing on the squeeze of the upper pecs and the feel of the exercise, not the amount of weight we're using.

Grasp the cable handles then sit on the bench. Shift yourself forward on the bench so when you lay back onto the bench, your head is set a few inches forward of the pulleys.

You should notice that, at the bottom of the exercise, your arms are angled up and back, just like the "Y" I mentioned above.

Be sure to keep your elbows slightly bent but stiff during the movement. Also, don't let your upper arms get pulled down past parallel. The real value of this exercise is at the contracted position at the top of the movement.

Do the cable flye movement from there, bringing your hands together directly ABOVE YOUR FOREHEAD. This is critical because the angle of your arms in this track will throw the vast majority of the tension directly onto your upper pec area.

Squeeze the pecs hard at the top, lower down slowly and repeat.

Build The Upper Chest

3. Side Lying Incline Dumbell Flyes

Lie on your side on an incline bench (if you can set the angle, use about 30 degrees). Your shoulder should be set just off the forward edge of the bench so you can move the arm freely up and down. Your feet should be set somewhat apart on the floor to provide greater stability and pushing power.

If you are lying on your right side hold a dumbell in your right hand and let it hang down. Don't worry about losing tension here - the benefit of this exercise lies at the top of the movement.

Use a fairly light to moderate dumbell with this exercise. You don't need much weight to get a full contraction and using too much could cause you to lose your balance on the bench.

Keeping your arm slightly bent and stiff, raise the dumbell in a flye type motion in front of you, around and up until your upper arm is as vertical as you can get it.

Squeeze hard at the top. You should feel a sharp burning sensation in your upper-midle pec area right on the cleavage between the two pecs. To really feel the movement working, place your non-working hand right on the upper, middle area of your chest as you do the exercise. You should be able to feel that area of the muscle contract solidly.

This exercise will really hit the inner pec area, bringing out separation between your two pectoral muscles.

Exercises for the Chest Muscles

-----------------

Give these three exercises a try in your next chest workout. That sharp squeeze in your upper chest will let you know EXACTLY how effective these exercises are!

You can view pictures of all three of these exercises in action at the following link:

Build The Upper Chest

------------------

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available at
Fitness-ebooks.com.

Eat Pasta - Carefully!!

2006-12-08T12:40:00.000-05:00

Tip #1
Eat Pasta... Carefully
by Dr. John Berardi

As a God-fearing Italian, I have to admit that I love pasta. But, as a gut-fearing weight lifter and athlete, I definitely have to choose the lower GI, nutrient dense whole-wheat variety. During training phases that require or allow for higher carbohydrate intake (higher volume training) I'll eat one whole-wheat pasta meal per day. During other phases (like where I'm trying to lose fat), the pasta stays on the shelf in favor of a higher lean protein, good fat, and fruit and veggie intake.

This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition,

- our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Precision Nutrition, complete with 2 DVDs, 2 CDs, 5 manuals, and an entire cook book, is the last word on eating for optimal health, body comp and performance.

Increase The Intensity of a Workout

2006-11-16T20:49:00.000-05:00

Nine Simple Ways to Increase the Intensity of Any Workout

By Marc David

Beginners usually do not need such advanced concepts simply because as a beginner, pretty much anything will work as it’s new to your body. You don’t need to bump up the intensity because the workout itself is usually hard enough. But for those who have worked out for quite some time, doing a simple routine doesn’t cut it. And for those who are entering a competition and may be on low card, sub-maintenance calories and doing cardio twice a day, adding more and more weight is easier said then done. Where’s the energy?

That’s where some advanced concepts come into play.

These are ways in which you can use the same routines, but thru some clever manipulation, you need not add any weight to make it the most intense routine you’ve ever experienced. This is especially a good toolset to use when you’ve worked out for many years and find it hard to make gains or you have a prior injury that makes it difficult to lift heavy weights. Working out heavier and heavier each time, trying to break your personal best can lead to injury and stagnation.

Using some of these advanced training concepts, you can take a simple bicep curl or bench press and maximize the intensity of the exercise without adding a single pound:

1. Repetition Speeds – Rather then 1 second up and 1 second down, there’s a little know fact that you can take advantage of to double the effectiveness of any exercise. That secret is slowly lowering the weight on the negative part of the movement. By utilizing this alone, you will have increased the effectiveness of any single exercise by 100%. Not only will you be working on the upward movement but you will work the muscle on the downward rather then most people who just let gravity take over. Vary your repetition speeds for an increase in intensity.

2. Tempo Variations – Have you ever seen any programs listed as 4032? That just means 4 seconds on the down motion; 0 seconds at the bottom of the movement; 3 seconds up; 2 second hold at the top. You can do all types of tempo variations to just feel the muscle working and increase the intensity. For example, how about a set of machine bench presses where it’s 8032? 8 seconds down? Not super-slow but very controlled. And with a nice 2 second squeeze at the top. You can take any exercise where you’ve done the same weight and instantly make it much harder and more intense. Without adjusting the weight in the slightest!

3. Tension Manipulation – If you think about it, some exercises like the dumbbell side lateral raise, when the weights are truly at your side (bottom of the movement) the tension is totally off the shoulder muscles. By using tension manipulation you can stop short of this occurring. Take the leg press for example. Rather then do a full rep where you might lock out and pause at the top, how about a slow 4 seconds down, 0 seconds at the bottom, 3 seconds up, and only go ¾ of the way to the lockout, no pause and repeat. This is called “continuous tension” and it will not only increase the intensity of any exercise but it’s slow, controlled and the tension is never off the working muscle.

4. Stretch Exercises – With some exercises, there is a perfect opportunity to get a deep stretch with a weight load on the muscle. The calf press is a good example. How many people have you witnesses doing calf raises quickly using momentum? Several? Next time, take a 2 second pause at the bottom and feel the stretch before doing the next rep.

5. Contraction Exercises – Again, the calf raises can be slightly altered to make it feel like somebody has put a flame torch to the back of your legs. At the top of the movement, rather the lower the weight, hold the fully contracted position for 5 seconds and squeeze! This can be done with a set of Smith Machine squats too. At the top of the movement, squeeze like you are holding a flexed pose for 2+ seconds. It’s one more way of taking the same old exercise and making it different.

6. Super-Sets – Ever heard that with super-sets you can get more done in less time? It’s true. Rather then do a second of barbell bench presses, followed by a 3 minute rest, and then another. How about doing a set of barbell bench presses, immediately followed by a set of cable flyes? You can get more work done in the same time period. The more work you can do in a shorter time frame is a method of making the whole workout more intense.

7. Rest Periods – Take the example above but this time, after the cable flyes, you only rest 30 seconds and repeat. Not only have you done a super-set, but you’ve just shortened the rest period. The intensity bar is sure to show a spike now. By lowering the rest periods, you can effectively make the workout more intense, without adding more weight. Combine this with super-setting and you can do an amazing number of sets in 60 minutes. At one point, I was able to do 48 sets for my legs in 60 minutes! That is insane.

8. Split the Splits – This only applies to individuals that might have a lifestyle where this is possible in a given day. Take for example leg training. It’s very difficult to train the quads, the hamstrings and calves in a single session for the advanced athlete. But if you are able to train quads in the AM and hams and calves in the PM, then you have just obtained an optimal workout. Both are short and intense. Both allow for fully recovery. And focus can be given to particular body parts. The most common type of split of splits is on a leg day where the front of the legs are training at one time and the back of the legs trained at another. Not only is this advanced but it really requires that you have a time period when you can do this. Possibly a weekend if you are disciplined enough to take up an entire Saturday or Sunday.

9. Ascending/Descending Sets - Nothing more then increasing or decreasing the weight in a given set but do not let this technique fool you. It's a wicked way to just blast a body part. Descending sets are commonly referred to as "drop sets." For example, if you were doing dumbbell curls, you could start with a weight and do 10 reps, then move down in weight for another 8 reps, and move again and again. Ascending is just the reverse. There's no set number of moves downward or upward you can do but the maximum that is efficient is no more then 4 either way. For an interesting twist on this move, use a combination of both. Start with a given weight, use the ascending technique and then immediately use the descending technique. This makes for a giant set using both principles and is very difficult.

By using these nine simple steps individually or in combination, you are ensured to take yourself to the next level of intensity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About The Author:

Marc David is an innovative fitness enthusiast and the creator of the “The Beginner’s Guide to Fitness And Bodybuilding”

method on www.Beginning-Bodybuilding.com.

He can show you how to reduce your body fat thru diet, how to gain weight or create more muscle thru an abundance of workout tips by training LESS! Not more. He dispels many “bodybuilding myths”, tells you what most people never realize about nutrition, and what the drug companies DON’T WANT YOU to know.

Go to: www.Beginning-Bodybuilding.com to find out more about The Beginner’s Guide to Fitness And Bodybuilding.

What's In My Kitchen Cupboards

2006-11-16T20:47:00.000-05:00

What's In My Kitchen Part 1: The Cupboards

by Dr John M Berardi, CSCS

If you’ve read my theoretical nutrition articles you’ve likely familiarized yourself with the macronutrients, when they should be eaten, etc. However, it's easy to talk the nutritional talk -- the question is, do you walk the nutritional walk?

By offering you a glimpse at the contents of my kitchen, I hope to give you the opportunity to check your own practical nutrition habits against my own, and see how nutrition theory is put into practice. So let’s go through a tour of my cupboard, covering both pantry items and supplements. By the end of this article, you should see that good nutrition practice involves limits and discipline, but not the austerity that most people assume it does.

Pantry Items:

Rolled Oats

Quantity: 3 lb. bag

Mixed Nuts

Quantity: 2 lb. bag

Mixed Beans

Quantity: 1 lb. bag

Dried Fruit Mix (no added sugar)

Quantity: 1 lb. bag

Legumes

Quantity: 2 x 2 lb. bags (1 bag lentils, 1 bag mixed beans)

Quinoa

Quantity: 1lb. bags

Whole Wheat Pasta

Quantity: 2 x 2 lb. bags

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Quantity: 1 bottle

Canned Tomatoes

Quantity: 3 cans

Canned Beans

Quantity: 3 cans

Flax Seeds

Quantity: ½ lb bag

Miscellaneous Grains

Including oat bran, wheat bran, oat flour

Green Tea

Quantity: 2 boxes of 20 packets each

Spices

Salt, pepper, fresh garlic, basil, oregano, chili powder, onion powder, and cinnamon are a good start. Seasoning mixes are also handy and take the guesswork out of flavoring. For example, right now I have Italian, Indian, Mexican, and Thai mixes in my cupboard.

*Note: the pantry is where the average kitchen goes horribly awry. Cookies, crackers, potato chips, baking supplies, and other hydrogenated and over-sweetened junk, all perched high above on a shelf, ready to snipe away at your hard-earned health and body composition.

If this is your kitchen, carefully position a large trash receptacle directly beneath said shelf. With a smooth sweeping motion, use your forearm to plow these enemies into the abyss below.

The items above are most likely the only ones you need since most of your nutrition should be coming from fresh, perishable foods – those listed in my previously published article discussing what’s in my fridge.

Supplements

Biotest Metabolic Drive (Protein Supplement)

Quantity: 2 x 2lb. containers

Biotest Surge Post-Workout Drink (Workout Drink)

Quantity: 2 x 1lb. containers

Prolab Creatine (Basic Creatine
)
Quantity: 1 300g container

Concentrated Enteric-Coated Fish Oil (Fish Oil)

Quantity: 3 x 50 capsule bottles

Genuine Health Greens+ (Green Food Supplement)

Quantity: 1 x 2lb. container

Biotest ZMA (Zinc-Magnesium)

Quantity: 1 90 capsule bottle

*Supplementation should be determined by your training goals and your resources, both time and money. Other than your post-workout drinks, fish oil caps, the occasional scoop of protein or a MRP, and perhaps some necessary micronutrients, no supplement should be taken year-round. And while it should go without saying that supplements should supplement and not replace a solid training and nutrition program, this is one of the most common mistakes I see, even in intermediate trainees. This is an example of my list based on my goals.

In the end, if you wish to expedite the process of reaching your goals, you'll do the following:

Perform an inventory of all the food in your house, excluding nothing. Everything goes on the list, even if you didn't buy it and don't intend to eat it. If it's in the house, either you, someone you love, or someone you marginally tolerate will eventually eat it, so everything is fair game.

Compare your list to mine (both the items on this list and the items in my fridge article).

See how close you’ve come. If you’re close (on both the items to have and the items not to have), keep up the great work. If not, round up all the offending grub, and give it a warm send off as it pulls away in the back of a garbage truck.

For those who think it would be more charitable to drop it all off at a food bank, I have news for you: the poor don't want your mother's half-empty box of Ho-Ho's either. If you really want to help, make a donation, drop off some good food, or volunteer your time.

Populate your kitchen with the foods above, and you will have built the foundation for nutritional success.

SEE ALSO:
For more great training and nutrition wisdom, check out Dr Berardi’s complete system, Precision Nutrition. Containing 5 nutrition guides, two audio CDs, two DVDs, and our Gourmet Nutrition cookbook, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

And what's more, you get a free lifetime membership to his private, members-only website, where you can talk exercise and nutrition 24/7 with thousands of fellow members and the Precision Nutrition coaches.

Find out more about Precision Nutrition

10 Most Common Workout Mistakes

2006-11-16T20:41:00.000-05:00

Learn about Good Nutrition

2006-11-16T20:38:00.000-05:00

Can You Really Learn Good Nutrition in 8 Days?

by Robert Adams, CPT, Head Fitness Expert

My FREE Online Personal Trainer

When my colleague and friend, Dr. John Berardi, dropped me an email the other day letting me know about his new nutrition course, I admit I had some doubts.

Don't get me wrong, I like JB and respect his work, but I was skeptical about the course itself. 'Body Transformation with Precision Nutrition -- in 8 Days' -- indeed. Eight days?

But I'll read anything, and I'm always looking for new ways to approach and teach nutrition, so I decided to give it a look. And in the end, I really enjoyed it.

The course starts with three consecutive online questionnaires, which were cool - they get right to the point, highlighting your weaknesses and offering solutions. Even just reading the questions called attention to some of the areas I could improve upon, and I know this stuff.

Each lesson offers a concise, no-nonsense message, one that beginners and experts alike will benefit from hearing. John does a great job of putting aside the fads and getting down to the point. He makes no mistake about telling you exactly what will lead to failure, and what will lead to success.

John also does a great job of going beyond the actual food to talk about how to ensure you actually follow the plan. What good is a great diet if you don't follow it?

And best of all, he tells you exactly what rules to follow, in no uncertain terms. His 10 Rules cover everything from what to eat to when to eat it. Very good stuff, which I didn't expect in such a short course.

Now, nothing's perfect and this course is no exception. My one gripe is that I wish there was a little more detail on meal plans, perhaps a recipe or two, or some examples. But in fairness, you can get a good idea from the rules and lessons, and JB covers meals and meal plans extensively in Precision Nutrition (his superb nutrition program, which I highly recommend). So it's a small, forgivable gripe.

All in all, this is an excellent little course, and in eight days you'll learn more about what really works nutritionally than most people do in a lifetime.

The bottom line is that if you're not in the shape you want to be, and you want to learn how to turn things around with nutrition, I strongly recommend that you check the course out yourself. It's available for free at:

The Precision Nutrition 8-Day Course

Hire a Personal Trainer or Fitness Coach

2006-10-05T20:25:00.000-05:00

Hire a personal trainer or fitness coach - It is proven that having a motivating and positive support system will help you stay with your goals long term. How many times have you started and exercise program and stopped? Remember those New Year’s Resolutions? How many have you kept? Was losing weight or eating healthier part of those resolutions that are now on a shelf collecting dust? Do you have multiple pieces of exercise equipment that you bough on an infomercial late at night that you now hang your clothes on collecting dust? Get motivated and use a Fitness Coach or Personal Trainer to help support you in your life long mission to Permanent Weight Loss and Better overall Body Perfect Fitness and Health.

Rob Head Fitness Expert @

My Home Personal Trainer

Reward Yourself For Fitness Success

2006-10-05T20:24:00.000-05:00

Reward yourself - It never ceases to amaze me how hard we are on ourselves when we don't accomplish, and how hard we are on ourselves when we DO accomplish. Whenever you reach a milestone, have something in mind, like a trip to the day spa, new shoes or clothes (as long as it's NON-EDIBLE).

Rob Head Fitness Expert @ My Home Personal Trainer

Don't Give up on your Fitness Goals

2006-10-05T20:23:00.000-05:00

Persistence! - Violate this step and you'll never achieve permanent results. We recently concluded conducted a 10 year study which proves that persistence is the single most important aspect of any diet or exercise program. The study followed a group of people (group #1) who exercised and dieted very strictly, but sporadically and compared those results to a group of people (group #2) who exercised mildly and followed a very basic diet, but this group never varied from their routine. Even though group #2 exercised and dieted far less (but did so persistently) they got 68% better results than those who exercised and dieted VERY STRICTLY but only occasionally.

Rob Head Fitness Expert @ My Home Personal Trainer

Exercise and Fat Cells

2006-08-27T11:22:00.000-05:00

Exercise and Fat Cells

Exercise may be especially helpful in reducing the size of fat cells around the waistline -- more so than diet alone, a study suggests. That's important, because fat specifically in the abdomen has been linked to the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Among a group of obese women who were placed on a regimen of calorie cutting alone or diet plus exercise, those who exercised showed a reduction in the size of fat cells around the abdomen. Women who only dieted showed no such change.
In contrast, both groups trimmed about the same amount from fat cells in the hip area.
The findings suggest that exercise may "preferentially increase" the body's breakdown of fat cells in the abdomen, said lead study author Dr. Tongjian You. It's possible, for instance, that hormonal factors cause fat cells in the abdomen and hip area to have different metabolic responses to diet and exercise, he told Reuters Health.
The bottom line for people trying to shed pounds is that both exercise and diet are important, and exercise may be particularly key in the ultimate distribution of a person's body fat, You said.
The researcher and his colleagues at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, report the findings in the International Journal of Obesity.
The study included 45 obese middle-aged women who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: one that cut calorie intake alone; one that cut calories and walked at a moderate pace three days per week; and a third that dieted and walked at a more intense pace three days a week.
After 20 weeks, all three groups showed improvements in their weight and body fat percentage. But when the researchers took samples of body fat from just below the skin's surface, the differences between exercisers and non-exercisers emerged.
Women in both exercise groups showed about an 18 percent reduction in the size of abdominal fat cells, whereas dieters showed no change.
Losing abdominal fat is more than a matter of fitting into a smaller dress. Research shows that people who are "apple-shaped" are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease than "pear-shaped" individuals, who carry much of their fat below the waist.
So people who include exercise in their weight-loss plan may lower their risk of such diseases to a greater degree, You said. What's more, he noted, even if people fail to lose a significant amount of weight with regular exercise, the changes in abdominal fat cells might still benefit their health

No Machines Just Body Weight

2006-08-27T11:20:00.000-05:00

No Machines Just Body Weight

Can you build a strong chest without any machines or weights??

Is it possible?

How about the old fashioned push-up!!

Yes, in some ways pushups are even more effective than a bench press. A pushup is referred to as a closed-chain exercise, meaning you move your body through space, instead of using a bar.
In order to make all that happen, you need to engage your core muscles to stabilize your torso. This means you use about 75% of your own body weight during each rep, while targeting your chest, shoulders, triceps, and your core.
This movement works a lot more muscles than you would by bench press alone.

Pushups also can be done in many creative ways!!

• Vary the distance your hands are apart
o The wider the hand position – outer chest
o The closer the hand position – inner chest

• Do pushups in an incline or decline position
o Use a bench – incline or decline position
o Use a stability ball – more stabilization required

• Vary Technique of Pushup
o Use one arm
o Clap between reps
o Use round dumbbells to force you to stabilize

• Advanced Techniques
o Incline Pushup on using stability ball – full body weight and balance
o Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball
o Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball, hands holding dumbbells

So if you don’t have weights don’t fret….. Your own body weight with a little creativity will develop the chest you have always wanted.. Toned, Tight and Defined..

Determining Calories for Muscle

2006-08-27T11:17:00.000-05:00

Determining Calories for Muscle

This formula is based on putting on muscle, not strictly body fat loss.

FORMULA FOR MEN:

A very active male seeking weight (muscle) gain = ideal body weight x 17

A moderately active male seeking weight (muscle) gain = ideal body weight x 16

Inactive male beginning a weight (muscle) gain exercise program = ideal bodyweight x 15

FORMULA FOR WOMEN

A very active female seeking weight (muscle) gain = ideal body weight x 15

A moderately active female seeking weight (muscle) gain = ideal body weight x 13

Inactive female beginning a weight (muscle) gain exercise program = ideal bodyweight x 12

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE:

A moderately active male currently weighing 160 pounds wants to put on muscle. His goal is to add five pounds of muscle to his frame. Here is the formula: 165 (ideal body weight) x 16 (moderately active male) = 2,640 calories. Please keep it realistic! If you're 160 pounds and you place 250 pounds into the formula as your ideal weight, you’ll just get fat!

DETERMINING RATIO OF PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE AND FATS

Now that we know how to determine calories, let’s take a look at how to calculate ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fats. If you’re looking to put on muscle, a ratio of 55 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent protein and 15 percent fat is an excellent balance.

The 55 percent carbohydrate (keep refined carbohydrates to a minimum) will provide ample energy for intense workouts, and the 30 percent protein will provide the necessary building blocks for muscle. Also, the 15 percent fat will help with strength levels. Most people interested in building muscle will actually lose strength if dietary fat is reduced too low.

Below is an example using our imaginary male, who will be consuming 2,640 calories.

Fifty-five percent of 2,640 calories = 1,452 calories from carbohydrate

Thirty percent of 2,640 calories = 792 calories from protein, 15 percent of 2,640 calories = 396 calories

There are metabolic differences between various individuals, so sometimes these ratios need to be slightly skewed.
Keep in mind that this is about gaining muscle, not having fat loss as your primary goal. Fat loss ratios and calorie calculations are different than the above.

New Personal Fitness Training Plans

2006-04-15T11:34:00.000-05:00

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From Flab to Fab in Only 15 Minutes a Day

2006-04-15T11:26:00.000-05:00

Here is a Great Article Written by The Head Fitness Expert at My Home Personal Trainer sharing his thoughts on how to build and develop the Perfect Fitness Plan and turn your Flab into Fab in Only 15 minutes per day

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2006-03-30T17:42:00.000-05:00

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2006-03-05T17:16:00.000-05:00

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2006-03-05T16:59:00.000-05:00

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Weekly Summary reports that provide each Personal Fitness Training client with weekly details of progress in diet, exercise fitness performance, and weight loss goals achieved.

Ability to upload before and after pictures so you can watch your body composition change as your personal fitness training goals are met. You can see your body Build Muscle and Burn Fat!

Automatic emails of upcoming training workouts as well as your scheduled healthy meal plan and diet needs for the day along with a daily personal fitness training tip.

My Home Personal Trainer - Your Complete and Balanced Affordable Personal Trainer Solution for Fitness and Health

Do Muscles Turn into Fat?

2005-10-26T11:15:00.000-05:00

This age old question about Muscle and Fat can be answered in one quick way..

Muscle is always muscle and Fat is always Fat..

You cannot turn one into the other. When you stop any fitness training program, your caloric demand will be reduced.

Most people have a difficult time adjusting to the changes in their fitness program in relationship to food consumption.

Also within 72 hours since your last workout, the body begins a gentle, almost undetectable slide into sloth. In time, muscle mass decreases. Muscles that used to incinerate calories and crank up your metabolism while at rest, do not work as efficiently and hence less calories burned.

The body at this point does not burn fat as efficiently and then Fat gains get accelerated and this process is compounded by a declining metabolism, diminished muscle mass, and failure to adjust your caloric intake.

So muscle doesn't turn into fat at all!!!

The Fat just consumes and takes over your Body!!!

NOT a Pretty Sight......

So when you are ready to Build more Muscle, Lose more Fat and Lose weight the most efficient and permanent way then

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Never go on a diet!

2005-10-25T06:32:00.000-05:00

Statistics show that going on and off diets will actually increase your chance of permanent weight gain. Skipping meals is a common mistake that dieters make. While this will lead to a lower calorie intake, it will also trigger your body to slow down your metabolism in order to conserve energy, thus causing you to burn fewer calories.

My Nutrition Plan Your Complete Meal Solution with Your Favorite Foods – Balanced and Complete

My Online Personal Trainer Your Complete Online Personal Training and Fitness Training Resource

Body Perfect Fitness The Most Comprehensive Online Personal Trainer and Meal Planning Resource

My Online Personal Trainer Your Complete Online Personal Training and Fitness Training Resource

Why Americans Keep Getting Fatter

2005-10-15T10:21:00.000-05:00

As Americans continue to struggle with obesity in the United States, we must ask ourselves some very important questions:

What makes our life style different than other cultures around the world?

Why do we suffer so much from diabetes and heart related diseases?

How can we make better decisions in choosing the right foods to support a healthy lifestyle?

Well I learned many things about how different cultures live in my most recent trip to South America about the eating habits that help support a much more healthy life style free from prescribed medications and free from the struggles of obesity and weight related diseases, such as heart and diabetes.
I really observed some striking differences about how the people of South America live their lives both in their eating plans as well as how they approach life itself.
I really believe we can learn many things from other cultures that we can pass on to our children in the form of healthier living and creating a life style change that will reduce the risk of obesity in this country.

Here are some of my observations:

What you don’t see are fast food chains on every corner.

What you don’t see are people eating tons of processed snack foods like potato chips and nacho chips that are loaded with bad fat, high sodium, high bad carbohydrates, and tons of preservatives.

You do not see donut shops or convenience stores on every corner

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

What you do see are people making lunch their main meal of the day and dinner the smallest meal of the day.

What you also see are foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals that are completely organic and eaten from there most natural state.

The South American Culture consumes tons of organic and natural and I might add unbelievably delicious fruits and vegetables along with seafood and meats that support a natural healthy lifestyle.

The other key is they consume most of these rich in nutrient foods early in the day and reduce their food consumption later at night, as well as consuming 5-6 meals per day.

Sounds familiar with some of the latest advice from some of the current diet books out promoting smaller more frequent meals and reducing your food intake as you move towards bedtime.

So now that we have a place to start from, let’s talk about the foods that make you FAT!!!

Foods that can make you fat have a few things in common:

High in total calories

High in total fat

High in refined sugars

High in calorie density

Low in nutritional value

High in Sodium

Loaded with preservatives

Loaded with artificial fillers and additives

Come in a box from the middle aisles of the grocery store

Have words that you cannot pronounce on the label

Of course over the years we have called these foods “junk foods” and in the United States, these “junk foods” have continued to grow in popularity for many reasons.

They are ready to eat right from a box (convenient)

They really tease our taste buds with tons of :

o Salt

o Sugar

o Fat

They make you want to eat more and more of them

Here are the Top Food Groups that help make you FAT

Ice cream, Donuts, pastries, cakes, pies and cookies

o Typically high in:

Bad fats

Refined white sugars

Refined white flours

All fried foods

o High in fat

o Refined white flours from the breading

Soda and Fruit juices

o High in refined sugar and artificial additives

o Look out for other forms of sugar

High fructose corn syrup

Corn syrup

Sucrose

Snack Foods- potato chips, nacho chips, etc.

Typically high in:

Bad fats

Refined white flours

Sodium

Refined white sugars

Artificial flavors and colors

Preservatives – that you cannot even pronounce

Processed meat items-Typically fast food

o Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Bacon, Sausage

High in bad, bad, bad, fat

High in Sodium

Usually served on Refined white flour breads

High Sugar Breakfast cereals

o High in Refined white sugars

o High in Refined white flours

If your meal plans are made up of a high percentage of My FAT Food group, then you are probably not reaching your fitness and health goals and are struggling to keep the weight off.

Next month we will be talking about FAT Burning Foods!!!

If you struggle with creating a balanced and complete meal plan then we have the answer for you:

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Do you really burn more fat?

2005-08-16T16:01:00.000-05:00

If you are like me .. you have heard... the following

Do your cardio first then weights.
Do your weights first then cardio
Don't do cardio on the same days as weights.....

and on and on and on and on.........

It if very confusing.. But here is one thing you can take to the bank when it comes to cardio and weights...

There is a fat loss myth that suggests that the stored carbs your body uses for the fuel for your workout is depleted in your resistance training workout. and in its absence, your body is forced to burn fat.

In reality, even the most challenging weight training workout won't deplete more than 70% of your glycogen stores and that's only within those muscles that you worked out with that day.

The whole purpose of doing cardio after your weights, is that cardio can be, especially if you are doing what I advocate (hi intensity interval training), very fatiguing

So do your weights first so you can get maximum resistance training results.

So... If you do plan on doing a combination workout, then make it weights first and cardio after....

Rob Your Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach

For a completely balanced nutrition plan check out....

My Nutrition Plan - Your Balanced Meal Plan Solution

An old fashioned exercise with maximum results

2005-08-16T15:33:00.000-05:00

How to build a strong chest without any machines or weights??

Is it possible?

How about the old fashioned push-up!!

Yes, in some ways pushups are even more effective than a bench press. A pushup is referred to as a closed-chain exercise, meaning you move your body through space, instead of using a bar.
In order to make all that happen, you need to engage your core muscles to stabilize your torso. This means you use about 75% of your own body weight during each rep, while targeting your chest, shoulders, triceps, and your core.
This movement works a lot more muscles than you would by bench press alone.

Pushups also can be done in many creative ways!!

• Vary the distance your hands are apart
o The wider the hand position – outer chest
o The closer the hand position – inner chest

• Do pushups in an incline or decline position
o Use a bench – incline or decline position
o Use a stability ball – more stabilization required

• Vary Technique of Pushup
o Use one arm
o Clap between reps
o Use round dumbbells to force you to stabilize

• Advanced Techniques
o Incline Pushup on using stability ball – full body weight and balance
o Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball
o Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball, hands holding dumbbells

So if you don’t have weights don’t fret….. Your own body weight with a little creativity will develop the chest you have always wanted.. Toned, Tight and Defined..

Until next time…. Rob Your Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach

Breaking your Weight Loss Plateaus

2005-08-07T16:28:00.000-05:00

You exercise regularly. You watch what you eat. And, still you can't seem to lose those last few extra pounds. Is it hopeless? Is there no solution to the weight plateau problem?

Don't get discouraged. I, too, have found myself in this predicament in the past. And, it is possible to overcome. But, there are a few things that need to be considered.

First of all, are you constantly stepping on your scales to see if you've lost any more weight? If so, STOP! Avoid weighing yourself too frequently, or you may find yourself feeling a bit despondent. Even if you lose several pounds rather quickly in the beginning of your weight-loss program, the closer you get to achieving your weight-loss goal, the slower the weight tends to fall off. This is partly due to the fact that your body likely hasn't as much fat to lose! It now has more lean tissue.

Also, as you work out, the muscles in your body become more developed. And, as most of us know, muscle weighs more than fat! Then, there are days when you simply retain fluids and weigh a pound or two more than you did the day before! Let's face it! The scales can be deceptive. I try my best to stay away from them!

A better way to judge whether you're slimming down is by monitoring the way your clothes fit. If a pair of pants fits looser now than it did a couple weeks ago, then, chances are that you're making progress towards your goal! Something else to consider, too, is whether your weight-loss goal is reasonable for your body type. Are you trying to lose more weight than your body can afford to lose?

Keep Track of What You Eat

Secondly, keep track of what you eat, and be sure to exercise. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume! In fact, to lose just one pound of fat, you need to burn approximately 3,500 calories! This generally takes from 3 days to one week. You may try to control your weight by merely controlling your food intake. Ideally, however, you should both watch what you consume and burn calories through exercise, if you really want to drop those last few pounds.

By tracking what you eat, you may discover that you're actually consuming a great deal more calories than you had imagined. Stay away from those potato chips and soft drinks! But don't starve yourself, either! If you eat too few calories, your body will try to protect itself by slowing down its metabolism and hanging onto its fat for survival.

If you continue to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet, but those last few pounds still won't fall off, perhaps, you need to give your metabolism a little boost by increasing the amount of exercise you get or by increasing the intensity of your workouts. If you usually walk for 30 minutes, why not try to add another 15 minutes to your walks? Or, instead of walking, how about giving jogging a chance?

Add weight training to your workouts, as well, if you haven't already done so. Lifting weights helps build muscle mass, which, in turn, burns more calories than does fat. Sometimes, simply by changing up your exercise routine a bit, the weight-loss will start again.

If you seem to be stuck on a weight-loss plateau, don't give up hope! Just remember:

o Avoid weighing yourself everyday! Once a week, or even less, is often enough!

o Pay attention to your diet! Eat healthy, balanced meals. Avoid too much fat and too many calories. Don't under-eat!

o Drink plenty of water! Water helps speed up the metabolism. Additionally, if you drink a glass before each meal, it will help to decrease your appetite, and encourage you to eat less.

o Get plenty of exercise. If necessary, increase the length of your workouts and/or the intensity of your workouts. Vary the types of exercise you incorporate into your workouts, as well.

Remember...... Get the support you need as you move forward in breaking your weight loss plateaus...

Your Personal Trainer is just an email away....

Please Use me...... I am here to support your fitness and health goals for a lifetime...

Maybe you have a question about your meal plan or using proper form in your current exercise program that I put together for you.

Maybe you just need a motivational call from your coach.

Whatever it is... I am here to support your Personal Weight Loss and Fitness Goals..

So Drop your Fitness Coach a note...

Ask for help......

And break your Weight Loss Plateaus

Rob Your Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach

PS....Check out my Live Demo of My Nutrition Plan @

www.online-fitness-training.com/nutrition.htm

You will love this new program that I am getting ready to introduce to all my clients..

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I want to hear your comments...

Small Meals and Weight Loss

2005-07-23T10:54:00.000-05:00

Eat a small meal and wait 20 minutes before deciding if you need more food. This will give your stomach and brain time to communicate. If have eaten enough food, your brain will alert your body and you will find that you don't desire anything more. If you are still hungry after this period, eat a small amount more and wait another 20 minutes.

Resistance Training is Good for The Body

2005-07-12T19:03:00.000-05:00

Resistance training is good for your bones! When your bones are put under the tension of resistance training they become stronger and healthier.

Resistance Training the key to burning FAT

2005-06-09T17:25:00.000-05:00

Pump some iron! Did you know that 1 lb of muscle burns 30-50 calories per day, while 1lb of fat only burns about 9 calories per day. The more muscle your body contains the more calories you burn each day.

Eat the right kind of Carbs

2005-05-31T09:02:00.000-05:00

Eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple sugars for a leaner body. Your body is in constant need of carbohydrates to be converted into glucose and used as fuel. When your body has extra glucose it will be stored as fat for later use. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, and vegetables, take longer to break down into glucose, and will therefore be less likely to be stored as fat than simple carbohydrates such as table sugar, or fruit sugar.

What eating really costs you..............

2005-05-30T09:13:00.000-05:00

The average Venti sized Frappuccino weighs in at 530 calories. This staggering number equals 2.5 bagels, or one third of the recommended daily calories for an average woman. Beverages such as this contain high amounts of sugar should be consumed rarely since the extra calories they contain are readily stored as fat.

Diets Don't Work!!!

2005-05-09T22:11:00.000-05:00

Never go on a diet! Statistics show that going on and off diets will actually increase your chance of permanent weight gain. Skipping meals is a common mistake that dieters make. While this will lead to a lower calorie intake, it will also trigger your body to slow down your metabolism in order to conserve energy, thus causing you to burn fewer calories.

Weight Loss and Fitness Tip

2005-05-09T07:14:00.000-05:00

Your body needs a variety of nutrients to function at its peak and burn fat. Find new, healthy alternatives to your daily meals, and substitute them frequently. Make sure that you are eating 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, of different colors.

Great Low Net Carb Fudge Recipe

2005-05-04T00:21:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup Splenda
1 oz. unsweetened baker's chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons peanut butter
Melt cream cheese and peanut butter in microwave for approx 2 minutes, stopping and stirring at 1 minute intervals. Melt chocolate in separate bowl until creamy. Combine chocolate with cream cheese mixture and whisk in Splenda and cream. Pour into buttered glass pan and chill at least 4 hours.

Cut in squares and enjoy. (This recipe yields a more "gooey" fudge than traditional fudge, but if you want more uniform squares, place pan in freezer for 30 minutes before cutting.)

Cut into 16 pieces — 3.8 grams net carbohydrate per piece.

Snack Attack

2005-05-04T00:19:00.000-05:00

Your Stomach is growling but your next meal is hours away. What do you do?
If you think your best option is to avoid the snack altogether and wait for the
next meal, think again.

The Benefits of Snacking

You may feel regretful about snacking, but snacks aren’t necessarily bad for you.
In fact, mini-meals several times a day can be beneficial.
If eating a healthy snack keeps you from taking second and third
helpings at your next meal, you may actually consume fewer total calories for the day.
A wide variety of snacks can fit into a healthy lifestyle, so you don’t need to avoid
snacks. Rather, plan them with variety, moderation and balance in mind.

Choose Snacks Wisely

Select foods that cna satisfy hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important
nutrients. Choose a wide variety of these foods to ensure that you get all the necessary
nutrients, and to make your snacks more interesting.

Here are some of your best snack picks:

Whole Grains

Whole-grain snacks are rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber, which give you
immediate energy that has some staying power. Look for items such as low-fat whole-grain
crackers, whole-grain pretzels and whole-grain crispbreads.

Fruits and Vegetables

Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only small amounts
of calories. They provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer.
The fat in nuts and seeds is monounsaturated fat, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds
are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantity.

Low-fat dairy products

Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium, protein, and other
nutrients. Dairy products can be high in fat, so choose the low-fat versions.
Yogurt may have alot of added sugar, so you should consider light yogurt to limit your
calorie intake.

Though snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess
calories if not eaten in moderation. For example, a resonable amount of almonds
(about 23 kernels or a handful) contains 164 calories. But if you eat handful after
handful until it totals a cup of almonds, the calorie count jumps to 800-plus calories.

So remember:

Snacks are great!!

Eat Several mini-meals per day

Eat high fiber whole grain snacks

Eat low calorie fruits and veggies

Stick with the berry family

> Raspberries

> Strawberries

> blueberries

> blackberries

Stick with Dark Green Veggies

> Broccoli

> Asparagus

> Spinach

> Dark Greens

> Green Beans

Eating good quality nuts and seeds

> Almonds with skin on unsalted

> eat in moderation

Low fat dairy products are good

> low fat cheeses

> no fat cheeses

> unsweetened yogurts

Get Ready for a Snack Attack!!!!

Eat a Balanced Diet

2005-05-04T00:18:00.000-05:00

Eating a balanced diet is key in maintaining a healthy body weight. The American Council on Exercise suggests that this balance break down into 12-20% protein, 55-65% carbohydrates, and 25-30% fat.

Perfect Body Fitness and Health Tip

2005-05-04T00:16:00.000-05:00

The Great 8 Eating Tips for Fast Weight Loss @ Body Perfect Fitness

2005-03-16T10:35:00.000-05:00

Low Carb, Low Fat, More protein, Eat all the fat you want..... These are the many things we hear as we are bombarded with the latest and NOT always the greatest diet and eating tips when trying to find the Silver Bullet for permanent weight loss.

Well I thought that we would talk about common sense proven tips that will ensure that along with a solid fitness program, will help support your fitness and health goals for life.

Eating Tip 1

Eat Slow- If you read about the French Paradox, which discusses why the French eat alot of fatty foods, but are a leaner society than that of the United States. They take their meals very seriously and it is one of the most important times of the day. You will get multiple benefits from this tip. Eating Slow will help your body absorb the food at the right level allowing you to fill up much quicker as it will not provide a tendency for you to OVEREAT!!!
The other awesome benefit is that you can spend more time with your family so that you can share the important things in life with each other!!!

Eating Tip 2

Eat 5-6 times per day. Do not allow your blood sugar levels to drop, in between meals. By eating more often and eating the right types of foods that are on the low end of the glycemic index, you can keep your blood sugar levels more even throughout the day, and ensure that you are not getting those midafternoon yawns and also help keep the excess weight off. Remember that when you spike your blood sugar by eating simple sugars and refined carbohydrates, this will potentially cause your body to store fat!!!

Eating Tip 3

Eat Your Breakfast... I was bad at this many years ago, but I learned to fuel up early in the day. Eating a good solid breakfast to start your day, helps supply you with the fuel you need to get started, especially if you are incorporating a early morning fitness program in to your day. You need the fuel to get your engine going in the morning. Do not starve your body early, because you may have the tendency to binge eat later, because your body gets into the craving mode. Feed your body early!!

Eating Tip 4

Slow down as the sun goes down. What do I mean by this? Well just as important as it is to eat a great breakfast to start the day, it is also as equally important to reduce your food consumption as the day goes on. So plan to eat a good solid breakfast, a good lunch, and reduce your meal portions at dinner time. Remember as you get closer to bedtime your body starts to wind down and you will not have the same opportunity at night to burn those consumed meal calories as you did earlier in the day.
So eat more early and back down as you reach sun down.

Eating Tip 5

Give yourself 3 hours!!! Yes 3 hours before going to bed. Do not consume anymore calories. As I mentioned before, your body starts to slow down as the day goes on and gets ready for sleep. You do not want to consume alot of calories right before you go to bed, because you will end of potentially storing those calories as FAT!!!
Your body sometimes give you a false sense of being hungry as you bedtime nears. You get those 9pm cravings... And alot of people end up hitting the Refrigerator and overconsuming right before bed time...
Not good for managing your weight and body fat %. If you just can't resist the munchies, then what I do is eat a few high good fat nuts. Like unsalted Almonds skin-on (good for fiber) or a couple spoonfuls of no sugar added all natural peanut butter. Eating a good quality fat food will satisfy your craving and will keep you from binging on something with lots of bad carbohydrates or simple sugars, like ice cream, cake or cookies.

Eating Tip 6

Stay focused on eating green in every meal. Always incorporate a good high quality low glycemic index dark green vegetable with each meal. I suggest things like spinach or romaine lettuce in your lunch time salads. Eating broccoli, asparagus, or steamed spinach as your vegetable at dinner time. All of these dark green vegetables supply your body with great vitamins and nutrients as well as being great sources of fiber and are naturally low on the glycemic index scale and will keep your blood sugar levels from spiking after eating. So think Dark green at meal time and challenge yourself to keep it as part of each and every eating event.

Eating Tip 7

Blend your foods.. Blending your foods means making sure that if you are eating a food item that does contain carbohydrates, ,make sure that you incorporate a good low fat protein along with it. Eating a low carb tortilla wrap that the first ingredient is whole wheat flour that is unrefined and adding lean chicken breast as part of your filling in the wrap, maybe with some thinly shredded romaine lettuce and other veggies.

Eating Tip 8

Use splenda as your sweetener of choice, when looking for a simple sugar replacement. I have tried many sugar subs over the years an no other product has the taste of sugar like splenda does. Not equal and surely not sweet and low. Splenda is outstanding for sprinkling on low glycemic fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, and I also use it to sweeten my drink of choice. Caffeine Free Green Tea that I infuse with cinnamon stick and whole cloves. What a refreshing cold beverage that keeps the caffeine out of your diet, provides you a great antioxidant and does not spike your blood sugar levels by using the no calorie sweetner in splenda.

So I hope you enjoy my GREAT 8!!!

These eating tips will help keep you on the right track, when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.. All of these tips are the tools that I live by every day....

Stay tuned next month for more healthy eating tips @ Body Perfect Fit!!!

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Warm Up Activities & Stretching Exercises

2005-03-16T10:32:00.000-05:00

Warm up properly, and reduce the risk of sports injury!

The warm up activities are a crucial part of any exercise regime or sports training. The importance of a structured warm up routine should not be under estimated when it comes to the prevention of sports injury.

The Warm Up

An effective warm up has a number of very important key elements. These elements, or parts, should all be working together to minimize the likelihood of sports injury from physical activity.

Warming up prior to any physical activity does a number of beneficial things, but primarily its main purpose is to prepare the body and mind for more strenuous activity. One of the ways it achieves this is by helping to increase the body’s core temperature, while also increasing the body’s muscle temperature. By increasing muscle temperature you're helping to make the muscles loose, supple and pliable.

An effective warm up also has the effect of increasing both your heart rate and your respiratory rate. This increases blood flow, which in turn increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. All this helps to prepare the muscles, tendons and joints for more strenuous activity.

Keeping in mind the aims or goals of an effective warm up, we can then go on to look at how the warm up should be structured.

Obviously, it's important to start with the easiest and most gentle activity first, building upon each part with more energetic activities, until the body is at a physical and mental peak. This is the state in which the body is most prepared for the physical activity to come, and where the likelihood of sports injury has been minimized as much as possible. So, how should you structure your warm up to achieve these goals?

There are four key elements, or parts, which should be included to ensure an effective and complete warm up. They are:

The general warm up;
Static stretching;
The sports specific warm up; and
Dynamic stretching.
All four parts are equally important and any one part should not be neglected or thought of as not necessary. All four elements work together to bring the body and mind to a physical peak, ensuring the athlete is prepared for the activity to come. This process will help ensure the athlete has a minimal risk of sports injury.

Lets have a look at each element individually.

1.) General warm up

The general warm up should consist of a light physical activity. Both the intensity and duration of the general warm up (or how hard and how long), should be governed by the fitness level of the participating athlete. Although a correct general warm up for the average person should take about five to ten minutes and result in a light sweat.

The aim of the general warm up is simply to elevate the heart rate and respiratory rate. This in turn increases the blood flow and helps with the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. This also helps to increase the muscle temperature, allowing for a more effective static stretch. Which bring us to part two.

2.) Static stretching

Static stretching is a very safe and effective form of basic stretching. There is a limited threat of injury and it is extremely beneficial for overall flexibility. During this part of the warm up, static stretching should include all the major muscle groups, and this entire part should last for about five to ten minutes.

Static stretching is performed by placing the body into a position whereby the muscle, or group of muscles to be stretched is under tension. Both the opposing muscle group (the muscles behind or in front of the stretched muscle), and the muscles to be stretched are relaxed. Then slowly and cautiously the body is moved to increase the tension of the muscle, or group of muscles to be stretched. At this point the position is held or maintained to allow the muscles and tendons to lengthen.

This second part of an effective warm up is extremely important, as it helps to lengthen both the muscles and tendons which in turn allows your limbs a greater range of movement. This is very important in the prevention of muscle and tendon injuries.

The above two elements form the basis, or foundation for a complete and effective warm up. It is extremely important that these two elements be completed properly before moving onto the next two elements. The proper completion of elements one and two, will now allow for the more specific and vigorous activities necessary for elements three and four.

3.) Sport specific warm up

With the first two parts of the warm up carried out thoroughly and correctly, it is now safe to move onto the third part of an effective warm up. In this part, the athlete is specifically preparing their body for the demands of their particular sport. During this part of the warm up, more vigorous activity should be employed. Activities should reflect the type of movements and actions which will be required during the sporting event.

4.) Dynamic stretching

Finally, a correct warm up should finish with a series of dynamic stretches. However, this form of stretching carries with it a high risk of injury if used incorrectly. It should really only be used under the supervision of a professional sports coach or trainer. Dynamic stretching is more for muscular conditioning than flexibility and is really only suited for professional, well trained, highly conditioned athletes. Dynamic stretching should only be used after a high level of general flexibility has been established.

Dynamic stretching involves a controlled, soft bounce or swinging motion to force a particular body part past its usual range of movement. The force of the bounce or swing is gradually increased but should never become radical or uncontrolled.

During this last part of an effective warm up it is also important to keep the dynamic stretches specific to the athletes particular sport. This is the final part of the warm up and should result in the athlete reaching a physical and mental peak. At this point the athlete is most prepared for the rigors of their sport or activity.

The above information forms the basis of a complete and effective warm up. However, I am well aware that this entire process is somewhat of an 'ideal' or 'perfect' warm up. I am also well aware that this is not always possible, or convenient in the real world. Therefore, the individual athlete must become responsible for assessing their own goals and adjusting their warm up accordingly.

For instance, the time you commit to your warm up should be relative to your level of involvement in your particular sport. So, for people just looking to increase their general level of health and fitness, a minimum of five to ten minutes would be enough. However, if you are involved in high level competitive sport you need to dedicate adequate time and effort to a complete warm up.

© 2003, Walkerbout Health. All rights reserved.

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Article by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading stretching and
sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience
in the health and fitness industry. For more articles
on the prevention & treatment of sports injury,
subscribe to The Stretching & Sports Injury Newsletter
by visiting
Get 100 different stretching exercises!

FREE Online Fitness Training for 10 Days

2005-02-28T16:52:00.000-05:00

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Body Perfect Fitness and Health through Online Fitness Training and up to the minute fitness and health news and information!!

Online Fitness Training @ Body Perfect Fitness

2005-02-20T15:33:00.000-05:00

Body Perfect Fitness has a new update to the #1 Resource online for Body Perfect Fitness and Health.

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How to Get the Body Perfect/Perfect Body Results for Life!!

2005-02-07T13:52:00.000-05:00

It really is that simple and that complex when it comes to attaining a
Body Perfect/Perfect Body for a lifetime.

The FOUR essential keys to Body Perfect/Perfect Body Success for Fitness and Health are:

The R Factors!!!!

R FACTOR 1

Rev up

You must incorporate a on-going Cardiovascular exercise program in each of your weekly goals. That means a minimum of 3 times per week, you must work on strengthening and protecting your heart from the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Your heart will thank you for it, when you Rev up your motor and keep in revved for a minimum of 20-30 minutes three times per week in your target heart rate zone.

What is your target heart rate you ask?

Well first of all the exercise does not matter. You could walk, ride a bike, run, work out on a treadmill, stairclimber, eliptical machine, or any movement that will put you into a aerobic state. That means getting your heart rate up to and maintain a range of 65%-80% of your
MHR (maximum heart rate) for 20-30 minutes. Keep in mind that you body will not start to burn excess fat and carbohydrates until you hit about the 20 minute mark of that 65%-80% MHR. You body will then kick in and start to gobble up those stores of fat in your body and munch down on them to help you reduce your body fat % and get to a leaner Body Perfect YOU!!!

To calculate your MHR you must first take 220 and subtract your age. That becomes your high end of the threshold of your heart rate.

So Example:

I am 43

220-43= 177 is my top end of my heart rate- I basically would be at an exhaustion rate with my heart maintained at 177. Meaning I would not be able to sustain exercise at that high a level for too long and really I would not get any long term Aerobic benefit.

My goal is to keep it between 65%-80% of that 177 maximum for my age:

177 X 65%=115
177X 80%=142

So my goal would be to keep my heart rate in the 115-142 range for the best Aerobic conditioning for FAT loss and to keep it in that range for a bare minimum of 20 minutes, because the real benefit kicks in after 20 minutes. So if you can incorporate cardiovascular activity at least 3 times per week for 30 minutes or more you have just completed the first important step in the

R FACTOR for BODY PERFECT/PERFECT BODY FITNESS AND HEALTH!!!!

R FACTOR 2

Resist- That's right!!!

Resistance Training. Moving Weights, lifting something, exerting force on your muscles to produce hypertrophy. Working out!!!! Yes studies have shown that incorporating resistance training into your daily and weekly Body Perfect/Perfect Body Fitness and Health routine, will help support a transformation of your body composition. Meaning you will gain more muscle and reduce the amount of fat % that your body is composed of. A solid resistance training program is essential in the transformation to a leaner more defined body that will work harder for you when you are not working. Studies have shown that a higher % muscle composition body will work at burning more calories per hour while at rest than a body with higher fat percentages. Lean bodies Burn FAT!!!!!!

R FACTOR 3

Retrain- How you eat!!!!

Yes it is very important in the R Factors to incorporate a retraining process of your eating habits. You have to think of your body as a car that needs to be refueled every day. The right type of fuel will determine how your engine runs. Several times a day in fact. Small meals every 3-4 hours that include low glycemic index foods that are low in fat, high in complex carbohydrates and that incorporate the right type of lean proteins will provide a well rounded nutritionally sound eating plan.

Don't Buy into the fact that you can eat all the FATTY Foods you want as long as they are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. You body does need fat, but it needs the right kinds of fat. The fats that are not saturated and low in transfats. Stick to fats like Olive oil and Canola Oil. The fats found in nuts like Almonds are outstanding because they are low in saturated fats and high in the good fats. The fats that help you raise your HDL and lower your LDL levels in your body to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. When thinking of low glycemic foods think of one important thing.

GREEN IS GOOD!!!!- Yes the darker the green the better. That means that trying to incorporate Dark green vegetables into every meal is essential.
Every meal I try and incorporate the following great low glycemic veggies:

Broccoli
Asparagus
Spinach
Green Beans

So try and blend in a salad at lunch with fresh spinach or romaine lettuce. Remember the darker the green the better. These lettuces will provide you more nutritional benefit than iceberg lettuce that is very light in color and contains mostly water.
Have a nice plentiful serving of a dark green vegetable with your evening protein. Every night I have one of the vegetables noted above with every single meal.
Steamed Asparagus or Sauteed spinach in olive oil with garlic and some light low sodium seasonings are outstanding complements to a nice fresh broiled piece of Salmon filet or lean chicken breast, prepared the way you like it.

Focus on Fiber!!!- When thinking of eating a carbohydrate think of fiber and how much that carb has. Are you eating plain white rice or did you opt for brown or wild rice, which is less refined and more natural in terms of adding fiber and being lower on the glycemic index for a carbohydrate. Can you skip the potatoes and just eat a larger portion of broccoli or asparagus??
I rarely eat potatoes or plain white rice in my eating plan anymore. I have opted to consume very lean healthy fish or meats along with a highly nutritional and low glycemic index veggies and when I do eat carbohydrates, I make sure that they are as natural an unrefined as they can be and that they support fiber consumption in my diet naturally.

Remember that you need carbohydrates for energy and if you are working the R Factors in the right way you are going to need those important complex and essential carbs for keeping your energy level up and helping refuel your body. Also remember alot of foods that brag about being Low in fat or having no fat, have tons of BAD carbs. Look at white flour products like plain breads and pretzels or as I mentioned already plain white rice and pasta. Unfortunately these refined carbohydrates which do not provide a tremendous amount of the right nutrients raise your insulin levels and blood sugar and help you store FAT!!!

To learn more about Weight Loss and How to manage and control

your R Factors visit us at:

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R Factor 4

Reenergize

Your body needs time for Rest and Recovery!!! To complete the R factors you need to allow your body to rejuvenate itself from your Resistance training and also your Aerobic training as well. You can Over-train your body with diminishing returns and as you work out and break down your muscles, you need to provide them adequate time to rest, recover, and rebuild themselves to make a stronger and leaner YOU!! Always allow at least one day of rest between a particular body part and make sure that if your body is telling you that you are tired, sore or hurting, DO not push yourself or force yourself into risking injury!! Listen to your body. Give yourself time to Renergize and you will complete and support the R Factors.

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THE ROLE BODY FAT PLAYS IN DETERMINING ONE'S RISK OF CHRONIC DISEASES

2005-02-04T13:24:00.000-05:00

As the prevalence of obesity in America approaches epidemic proportions, researchers are scrambling to learn more about how the body stores fat, how fat tissues affect body systems and the role body fat plays in determining one's risk of chronic diseases.

What researchers have learned is that fat is much more than an extra layer of insulation. It actually works as an endocrine organ that secretes dozens of proteins that affect the inner workings of the body.

One such protein is leptin. Discovered in 1994, leptin is released by fat cells. One of its functions is to send signals to the brain to boost or curb appetite. As a person gains weight, their fat cells release more leptin, which in theory should cause a decrease in appetite and an increase in the number of calories burned. However, researchers have found that obese people often are not sensitive to leptin; thus, it has little effect on their appetite and calorie usage. What's more, leptin may work against people trying to lose weight because, as a person loses weight, the body tends to release less leptin, potentially contributing to a boost in appetite and reduction in the number of calories burned at a given activity level.

Another key protein secreted by fat cells is adiponectin. Adiponectin helps insulin move sugar from the bloodstream into the body's cells where it can be used either for fuel or stored. People who are overweight, and especially those who are insulin resistant, have low levels of adiponectin, which may raise the risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Larger fat cells also cause the release of a variety of inflammatory proteins that result in low-level inflammation throughout the body. While the inflammation does not cause symptoms such as fever or pain, it can reduce the ability of insulin to move glucose out of the blood, thus leading to the development of plaque in the arteries and increased risk for heart attack or stroke.

In addition to their biochemical influences, the location of fat cells seems to be important. People who gain weight around the middle (so-called apples) have been shown to be at higher risk for heart disease and diabetes than those who gain their weight in their hips and thighs (so-called pear shapes). Men are more likely to be apple-shaped, and women pear-shaped, at least in their younger years. Older women become more apple shaped as their weight shifts following menopause. Fat stored under the skin (subcutaneous fat) seems to have less influence on the development of chronic diseases than fat stored deep in the abdomen or near the heart and liver.

While scientists have learned much about fat over the last decade, there is still more research to be done. Discovering that fat cells are capable of sending signals to the body and learning how the body stores fat are just the tip of the iceberg. Researchers now are working to determine how diet, exercise and other changes within the body affect the storage and regulation of fat tissue. In so doing, researchers hope to uncover more effective ways to treat obesity.

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GREEN TEA EXTRACT BOOSTS EXERCISE ENDURANCE 8-24%

2005-02-04T13:12:00.000-05:00

Dose-related improvement utilizes fat as energy source

BETHESDA, Md. (Jan. 27, 2005) – Now that even baseball players may need to seek new, more natural performance aids, will Japanese green tea sets become standard in dugouts and athletic training tables around the world?

A new study tested the effect of regularly taking green tea extract (GTE) and found that over 10 weeks, endurance exercise performance was boosted up to 24% with 0.5% GTE supplementation, and 8% with 0.2% by-weight addition to food.

Reporting in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology researchers at the Biological Sciences Laboratories of Kao Corp., Tochigi, Japan, said the 8-24% increase in swimming time-to-exhaustion was “accompanied by lower respiratory quotients and higher rates of fat oxidation.”

The results “indicate that GTE is beneficial for improving endurance capacity and support the hypothesis that the stimulation of fatty acid utilization is a promising strategy for improving endurance capacity,” according to the study entitled, “Green tea extract improves endurance capacity and increases muscle lipid oxidation in mice.” Research was conducted by Takatoshi Murase, Satoshi Haramizu, Akira Shimotoyodome, Azumi Nagasawa and Ichiro Tokimitsu, working at Kao Corp., a Japanese maker of healthcare products, including green tea beverages.

Results came from the equivalent of about 4 cups of tea a day

Although it’s difficult to extrapolate from mice eating GTE as a food supplement to a major leaguer or Olympic swimmer sipping green tea, the study’s lead author, Takatoshi Murase said: “We estimate that an athlete weighing 75 kilograms (165 pounds) would have to drink about four cups (0.8 liter) of green tea daily to match the effect in our experiments.”

“One of our important findings,” Murase pointed out, “was that a single high-dose of GTE or its active ingredients didn’t affect performance. So it’s the long-term ingestion of GTE that is beneficial.” (Murase based his calculations of mouse-to-human tea/GTE consumption equivalents on work his lab is doing on the anti-obesity effects of GTE on mice and humans.)

In an era when professional and amateur athletes are always looking for ways to improve performance, and most people want to improve their health and exercise capabilities, “the efficacy of dietary interventions is still controversial,” the authors acknowledge. They note that green tea and cacao contain a class of polyphenols called catechins, which consist mainly of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate and gallocatechin gallate. Catechins have been reported to have various physiological and pharmacological properties over the years.

The Kao lab “recently demonstrated that the long-term consumption of tea catechins was beneficial in counteracting the obesity-inducing effects of a high-fat diet, and that their effects may be attributed, at least in part, to the activation of hepatic lipid catabolism” in mice. “Overall,” the authors said, “observations so far suggest that thermogenesis and fat oxidation are stimulated by the intake of catechins.”

Working hypothesis and study methods

“To confirm our hypothesis that catechins affect endurance exercise capacity (i.e. time to exhaustion) by increasing lipid utilization, in this study we examined the effect of catechin-rich GTE intake on the endurance capacity of Balb/c mice swimming in an adjustable-current water pool. We also analyzed changes in energy metabolism, especially lipid metabolism. We demonstrated that GTE intake improved endurance capacity and this was accompanied by an increase in lipid catabolism. Our results support the hypothesis that stimulation of lipid metabolism is a promising strategy for improving the capacity for endurance training.”

The ideas for the experiment come from the fact that “skeletal muscles utilize carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids as energy sources, but the ratio in which they are used varies with the intensity of exercise and the level of fitness” as well as the type of exercise involved. For instance “during endurance exercise, excess glucose is undesirable because it induces insulin secretion, which in turn simultaneously inhibits lipid metabolism and stimulates lactate production. Conversely, enhanced availability and utilization of free fatty acids are considered to reduce carbohydrate utilization, which in turn spare glycogen and suppresses lactate production and results in an increase in endurance.”

To test what effects GTE and its components would have on endurance exercise, the researchers ran two experiments. In the first, swimming endurance capacity was measured at eight weeks of age and the mice were divided into four groups of 10 each. All subjects had unlimited access to water for exercise. For 10 weeks, controls ate a standardized diet only, while experimental animals had this diet supplemented with 0.2% and 0.5% GTE by weight. During this period experimental mice were exercised in a pool twice a week, but non-exercise mice weren’t.

The second experiment was similar to the first but the experimental groups received a diet containing 0.1% to 0.5% EGCG for 10 weeks.

At the beginning of the experiment, the mice swam about 26 minutes until they were exhausted. After 10 weeks on the training regimen, the time-to-exhaustion for the exercise-control mice (no GTE or EGCG supplement) rose to about 33 minutes, showing the effects of unaided practice on endurance capacity. From the first week of the experiment, the mice on GTE showed greater improvement compared with the exercise-controls. By week eight, the improved performance of mice on 0.5% GTE was significantly better (39 minutes) than the exercise-controls (33 minutes) at a 0.05 level, while improvement in weeks 9 and 10 (40 minutes vs. 33 minutes) were significant at the 0.01 level.

GTE effects not matched by EGCG alone suggesting other additional influences

In the global search for enhanced athletic performance (and health and fitness), the Kao team said they “have shown that GTE improved endurance capacity and that the improvement was dose-dependent. A similar effect was observed in mice fed EGCG, a major constituent of GTE, suggesting that the effects of GTE were mediated at least in part by EGCG.

“However, because the effects of EGCG appear weak compared with those of GTE, we cannot rule out a possible contribution from other components of GTE. Although long-term intake of GTE enhanced endurance capacity, no marked effects were observed after a single dose of GTE, suggesting that some biochemical changes induced by habitual GTE intake, such as up-regulation of muscular beta-oxidation, contributed to the improvement in endurance capacity.”

The study found that plasma NEFA (non-esterified fatty acid) measured immediately after exercise slightly, but significantly, increased in mice fed tea catechins. Though they concede that the effect of plasma fatty acid level on endurance capacity is controversial, they say that increased supply of circulating fatty acids would “induce the uptake of fatty acids, and thereby stimulate lipid metabolism in muscle.”

Indeed, lab results showed that muscular beta-oxidation was higher in GTE-fed mice (compared with non-exercise and exercise-control mice), “suggesting that GTE enhanced the capacity of muscle to catabolize lipids and utilize fatty acids as an energy source.” Conversely, GTE lowered plasma lactate concentrations, which would be raised by glycogen breakdown and glycolytic flux, they note.

Taken together the experimental results “suggest that habitual exercise and the intake of GTE enhance fatty acid availability, catabolism and utilization in muscle, and this is accompanied by a reduction in carbohydrate use, which together result in prolonged swimming times to exhaustion.”

Controlling for caffeine

Kao researchers controlled for possible influences of caffeine and possible weight-fat changes that might affect buoyancy.

Aware that previous studies were criticized by the possible role of caffeine on fatty acids and exercise, the Kao researchers reduced the amount of caffeine in supplements. “In addition, we observed no changes in plasma NEFA level under resting conditions, suggesting that caffeine-stimulated lipolysis did not occur under these conditions. Thus our results overall suggest that the effects observed in this study are not attributable to caffeine. In particular, our findings that purified EGCG improved endurance capacity supports this conclusion.”

Next steps

The “precise molecular mechanism by which GTE stimulates fatty acid metabolism is unclear at present (and) remains to be elucidated.”

For instance, the researchers wrote, “it is possible that the anti-oxidant properties of tea catechins mediate their effects on endurance capacity.”

And finally they noted: “Although the clinical efficacy of GTE has not yet been confirmed in human studies, our results suggest that GTE may be a useful tool for improving endurance capacity.”

Contact: Mayer Resnick
Office: 301-634-7209
Cell: 301-332-4402
mresnick@the-aps.org

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Life Expectancy in the U.S. may be in jeopardy by Obesity

2005-02-03T09:20:00.000-05:00

The average American continues to fight the waist line battle with Obesity and new reports suggest that life expectancy in the U.S. may be in jeopardy, because of the wide spread Obesity problems that continue to rise.

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A Recent study put out by the Rand Corporation, concluded that if Americans continue to get fatter at the same rates as they have been, then by 2020 about 1 out of 5 healthcare related dollars will be spent on those people between the ages of 50- 69 that are obesity related. That will be a rise of 50% compared to current statistics.

They expect life expectancy to drop over the next 50 years due to the fat getting fatter U.S. society that continues to overinduldge on food. We are seeing tremendous increases in the younger generation and its just a matter of time before things just get worse.

Current statistics show that more than 30 percent of Americans are considered obese, which converts into about 59 million people country wide. We must realize that obesity leads to increase risks in heart disease as well as a possible ten fold increase in getting diabetes.

As the diet industry continues to expand, so do the waist lines of those millions of Americans that are searching out the silver bullet to weight management.

For all of us to find life long success, we need to focus more on a life style change than worried about the next new low carb, high fat, low sugar diet plan.

Permament Weight Loss and long term management really comes down to just a few important things.

Managing your food intake-through a healthy eating program

Incorporating an on-going resistance and cardiovascular program

Working on your thought process as you manage your eating and fitness plan.

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Almost 65 percent of Americans are overweight

2005-02-01T15:32:00.000-05:00
and approximately 30 percent are obese, according to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In fact, the numbers are so alarming that
the Surgeon General has referred to obesity
as an “epidemic” and obesity is now the
second leading cause of death, second only
to smoking. As the number of overweight
and obese Americans continues to climb,
health professionals, educators and government
leaders are looking not only for solutions
to this epidemic and reasons behind
these growing numbers, but the causes. So
who or what is really to blame for the obesity
crisis? Is it the schools, legislators, food
companies, city planners or individuals?
Read on to find out more.

Is Your City or Neighborhood Making You Fat?

Is it possible that subdivisions and the layout of our cities are the
reasons that people are overweight? Some say yes. A study published
in the American Journal of Health Promotion found that
those living in the suburbs weigh more (approximately six
pounds) than those living in the city. Urban planners admit that

“Research shows that individuals who join online weight
management programs can be successful in losing weight,”
— Dr. John Foreyt,
BAYLOR COLLEGE
OF MEDICINE

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age of 10 pounds (a five percent loss of their initial weight, which can
affect overall health) compared with the other group who lost an average
of four pounds. Researchers also found that those who spent more
time on the Web lost more weight.

As more and more people look to lose weight, many experts are finding
that “online dieting” is attractive to many because people can log on
anytime and because such sites offer anonymity. “Research shows that
individuals who join online weight management programs can be successful
in losing weight,” says John Foreyt, a leading obesity researcher
with Baylor College of Medicine and Scientific
Advisory Board Member for
CaloriesCount.com.
CaloriesCount.com, an online
healthy eating and exercise weight loss
“toolkit,” offers members support
through message boards, a weekly
newsletter, access to a variety of tools
including an Online Food Diary, an
Enhanced Calorie Calculator, a Diet
Assessment Calculator, Meal Plans,
recipes, access to experts and more.
Dr. Foreyt notes, “Sites like
CaloriesCount.com, which offer convenience
and privacy, are very appealing
to many people. Consumers with
full-time jobs, families and a busy schedule in general may not be able to
find the time to attend weight-loss support meetings. Online programs
offer individuals the ability to get the information and personalized tools
they need 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” For more information about
the research and various online tools, visit: www.caloriescount.com.

References:
Tate, Deborah, F., PhD, Jackvony, Elizabeth, H., Wing, Rena, R. Effects of Internet Behavioral
Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes. April 9, 2003. Vol. 289. No. 14.
1833-1836.

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Body Perfect Weight Training Tips

2005-01-29T17:49:00.000-05:00
Here are some of the important fundamentals of any weight training and overall exercise program that you need to remember when you are focused on developing
a Body Perfect Fitness and Health program.

Safety First- any weight training has some risk associated with it if you do not practice safe procedures. The following guidelines will help you stay safe and stay free from injury.

Warm up and Cool Down- it is very important to get the muscles prepared for your work out by getting the blood flowing and raising your body temperature which in turn helps your oxygen flow to all of your muscles. It gets you revved up for a great work out and also helps reduce injury.

Focus on Form and Proper Technique- I watch so many people in the gym everyday that are not using the correct form or technique that easily could lead to severe injury. Think Slow and Smooth. Only lift what you are comfortable with and never every sacrifice good technique for trying to muscle a weight that is too heavy for you.
More weight doesn't mean more strength and success. If your form and technique is no good then you are wasting each rep and not getting the true benefit from it.
Keep away from momentum pushes from your body, or arching of the back or jerking your head forward in a upward lifting movement. Remember Slow, Smooth and Realistic.

What you should DO-

Wear proper shoes that provide grip
Keep your back straight and stomach tight
Always ask for help in spotting for heavy lifts and communicate with the spotter exactly how many reps and when you need help.
Be aware in the weight room and carry weights with care and properly

What you shouldn't DO-

If you feel pain at any time STOP!!!!
Lift only what you feel comfortable with that you can handle with a smooth and non jerky motion with an minimum of 8-12 reps.

BREATH!!!!- Do not hold your breath.. Remember to breath out on the concentric or muscle shortening phase and breath in on the stretching or eccentric phase. Focus on squeezing the muscle.

REST REST and REST- Never work the same muscle group more than 3 times in any given week. You need at least one day between working the same muscle group.

Write it Down!!!- Goals are achieved when you set one on paper and then monitor your progress. Every weight training program should include some form of tracking of your progress on paper. It is a great way to monitor your success!!!

Eat at the right time: Nourish your muscles after a good work out. Remember that every time you work out your muscles you deplete stores of carbohydrates (glycogen) as well as your amino acids. You need to refuel those worked muscles with a good mix of Low Glycemic Index Carbs and solid protein like a nice piece of Salmon or lean chicken breast.

Remember Safety First, Have Fun, Rest and Re-energize and Refuel.

Stay Safe and enjoy your journey to Body Perfect Fitness and Health.

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Latest Update to Body Perfect Fitness

2005-01-28T16:08:00.000-05:00
Body Perfect Fitness wants to hear from you!!

We are looking for your personal and professional success stories and article submissions to promote on Body Perfect Fitness and Health Blog

Visit your Body Perfect Fitness and Health Blogging Session on the link below and be a part of helping support and improve everyone's overall Body Perfect Fitness and Health.

Body Perfect Fitness and Health Blog-Your Source for up to the minute Body Perfect Fitness and Health Information. Visit often for the latest Fitness and Health News and Notes at Body Perfect Fitness and Health Blog

as well as on:

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So visit us and travel to Submit Articlesand lets share with the rest of the web your personal and professional fitness and health successes as well as ideas on fitness and health.

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See you in the Gym!!!!!

Rob your Fitness Coach

Depressed? Get Exercise it does the Body Good!!

2005-01-26T15:41:00.000-05:00
Yes, some of the latest research from studies done at University of Texas' Southwestern Medical Center, Alberta Children's Hospital and the Cooper Institute shed some light on the fact that Body Perfect Exercise helped in the reduction of adult depression. They discovered that people who exercise at between 3-5 times per week and a minimum of 30 minutes per
Body Perfect Exercise session, saw a reduction in depression as much as 50%. Even those that exercised not as often, but still exercised in moderation, saw a reduction of 30% in their depression.

Aerobic Exercise is as effective as antidepressant drugs and other therapies that reduce depression.

They also stated the key was in the intensity and amount of time (30-35 minutes) minimum that really helped support the replacement of drug related therapies for depression.

Body Perfect Exercise is a Power Anti-depressant!!!!

Remember that maintaining and improving your Body Perfect Fitness and Health and how you feel and look comes down to how you manage your thoughts and ideas about a consistent and persistent Body Perfect Fitness and Exercise Program.

We are here to help and support you in your goals at Body Perfect Fitness and Health.

Take the time to visit me at this Blog Session often and also visit us at:

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Setting Body Perfect Fitness Goals for the New Year

2005-01-24T17:42:00.001-05:00

Goal Setting 101

All of our lives, we have many things we want to accomplish, but somehow, someway, things just don't get done. That includes sticking with a lifestyle change that helps improve your overall fitness and health.

Each year the average American gains more and more weight, and yet there are more and more diet plans, weight loss schemes, exercise programs, and short cut methods that are supposed to support a Body Perfect solution.

Well I have a secret!!!

Life and success in your fitness and health goals, begins and ends with a between the ears process.

Yes, your MIND!!!

How you feel, what you think, what is going on between your ears, effects the net result of any lifestyle change, fitness program, or reaching any long term fitness or health goals.

So let's talk about Goal Setting and how important of an impact and focusing on establishing S.M.A.R.T Goals has on your future success in fitness and health.

So this is what defines S.M.A.R.T Goals.

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S.M.A.R.T Goals @ Body Perfect Fitness and Health

2005-01-24T17:40:00.000-05:00
S- Specific- Please make sure you know exactly what you are trying to accomplish. Lose 20 pounds, Get body fat % to 16%, etc.

M- Measurable- How are you going to track it. A scale, a tape measure, or a special instrument. Also keep in mind how often as well. Daily, weekly,etc.

A- Acceptable- Does it make sense?

R- Realistic- Can you reach this goal in the time you set in the amount you want.
Like losing 20 pounds in a week. Don't set yourself up for failure.

T- Timed- Put it on your calendar. How long is it going to take you.
Make sure you do not put to short of a time line on this one either.

So remember keep it S.M.A.R.T and keep it in print, and keep it close and in constant sight and your odds are bound to improve.

Body Perfect Fitness- The most comprehensive fitness and health resource online, dedicated to helping improve everyone’s overall
Body Perfect Fitness and Health!!

My Private Coach - Because, if not now... WHEN?
Get your FREE Coaching Session TODAY!

Visit your Body Perfect Fitness and Health Blogging Session on the link below and be a part of helping support and improve everyone's overall Body Perfect Fitness and Health.

Body Perfect Fitness and Health Blog-Your Source for up to the minute Body Perfect Fitness and Health Information. Visit often for the latest Fitness and Health News and Notes at Body Perfect Fitness and Health Blog

Winter Wonderland Workout!!!!

2005-01-23T11:18:00.000-05:00
Well if you are like me and live on the East Coast, then this weekend you may have gotten your work out with a shovel in hand. Yes, I just got done my Sunday workout in the 12inch plus snow fall in the MidAtlantic and many of you are probably doing the same thing.

A fews thoughts.... First of all please be careful in the snow shoveling.

Many people with heart related conditions suffer heart attacks while shoveling snow.
Shoveling snow will help develop your back and arms, but you need to make sure you do the following when shoveling.

Dress appropriately
Take many breaks- rest to make sure you are not taxing your heart too much.
Do not lift too much snow at one time-Snow is very heavy and can put a strain on your heart and back.
Make sure you bend your knees and take pressure off your low back while lifting the snow.
Push the snow along the ground to avoid lifting too much weight at one time.

Stay safe, Stay warm, and if the gym is closed today, you just might be getting your resistance training from your shovel today.

From your Fitness and Health Coach Rob @

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Why diets Don't Work!!!

2005-01-22T09:19:00.000-05:00
More Americans are on diets. In general, people continue to understand that traditional dieting (deprivation, short-term solutions) spell failure. Instead, it takes permanent lifestyle changes to take and keep weight off. Thirty-three percent of U.S. adults (71 million people) are currently dieting.
Copyright © 2004 Calorie Control Council

Yes it's true. DIETS DON'T WORK!!!!!
Based on research from the Calorie Control Council, millions of americans continue to use dieting unsuccessfully to help control their weight.

For your New Year's resolution, it's time to reevaluate your approach.

Let's make 2005 the year that you decide to change your Body Perfect Lifestyle and get control of your weight through a balanced and common sense approach to weight loss and permament weight management through a Body Perfect Fitness and Health LifeStyle change.

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Body Perfect Fitness and Health!!

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Experts Predict 2005 Trends in Dieting and Weight Control

2005-01-22T09:14:00.000-05:00
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Beth Hubrich, RD
Phone: 404-252-3663

Experts Predict 2005 Trends in Dieting and Weight Control

Decreasing Portion Sizes, Controlling Calories, Counting Steps and Reducing “Calorie Density,”
Will be Top Strategies in 2005 Say Experts

ATLANTA (December 16, 2004) – Come January 1, thoughts will turn to weight loss for many of us. According to a recent Calorie Control Council survey, 33 percent of Americans or 71 million people are currently on a diet – the highest number of dieters in the past 15 years. (The Calorie Control Council has been tracking dieting and weight control habits since 1984.) But with approximately 65 percent of the U.S. overweight what will the future hold for those trying to shed added pounds in 2005? The Calorie Control Council spoke with experts in the field of obesity, nutrition and weight management, including Dr. John Foreyt, Professor, Department of Medicine, at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Rebecca Reeves, President elect of the American Dietetic Association and Dr. Barbara Rolls, Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania State University. Below are some of their predictions.

Dr. Foreyt notes that when it comes to carbs, the craze might have hit its peak. He suspects that we will see a downward trend in this area. Some reports show that purchasing of reduced-carbohydrate products has leveled. Similarly, the Council’s 2004 consumer survey indicated that among consumers cutting back on foods high in carbohydrates, 90 percent agreed or strongly agreed it is also important to reduce calories.

In this same spirit, Dr. Reeves believes that the new Food & Drug Administration (FDA) campaign “Calories Count” to tackle obesity is a good one. However, the marketing of this campaign (as well as the education of consumers regarding the importance of controlling calories for weight management) will be important in order for it to succeed and for consumers to take the messages to heart.

Dr. Rolls, who recently presented new research at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) and has a new book about to be released entitled: “The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Fuller on Fewer Calories,” says that “calorie density” will be one of the hot buzzwords in 2005. Rolls’ research on calorie density indicates that by eating more nutrient-dense foods that are filling and replacing high calorie foods with lower-calorie foods (e.g., incorporating more fruits and vegetables and using reduced-fat and lower-calorie versions) as well as eating smaller portions of high-calorie foods, approximately 800 calories can be eliminated from the typical daily diet, without people even realizing they’re eating fewer calories.

Unfortunately, Dr. Foreyt and Dr. Reeves predict that the number of overweight children will continue to rise. However, many steps will be taken to help reverse this trend such as the reintroduction of mandatory physical education in schools, and fast food venues offering a variety of healthier selections. Reducing portion sizes, such as the new “100 Calorie Packs” from Nabisco and the mini-sized cans of soda will also continue.

Dr. Rolls, too, believes that the trend for healthier options available at restaurants will continue. “If consumers buy these other options, restaurants will continue to offer them. Thus, we need to educate consumers on making better choices when dining out,” noted Rolls.

According to Dr. Reeves, using a pedometer for “counting steps” each day will continue to be a popular way for adults and children to increase their physical activity – something that has been on the decline for many years.

Although challenges exist for consumers when it comes to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, based on the opinions of these experts, making simple changes such as reducing calorie density, counting calories, watching portion control, counting steps, etc., can all be helpful in weight management.

# # #

Note to Editors: To arrange an interview with Dr. Foreyt, Dr. Reeves or Dr. Rolls, please contact Beth Hubrich, MS, RD, at 404-252-3663.

The 2004 survey findings are based on a nationally projectable sample of 1,200 Americans age 18 and older. The sample reliability is +/- 2.8 percent. The survey was conducted by Booth Research Services, Inc., for the Calorie Control Council, a non-profit international association of manufacturers of light foods and beverages.

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My Perfect Exercise Day

2005-01-21T18:34:00.000-05:00
Well today was the day that I spent hitting the gym as I thought about my New Years Resolutions. As a personal trainer and weight loss coach, even we have days where it is more difficult to stay motivated, but I know that the most important things that I can focus reside between my ears. Yes, between my ears... My BRAIN!!!! My THOUGHTS!!! My destructive don't go to the gym thoughts......

WE all face the same challenges every single day both personally and professionally about our disciplines, in regards to staying committed to a life long fitness and health program.

Yes I am human and fight the same struggles as my clients do when it comes to head games......

Keep in mind that it really is an emotional and mental game when it comes to your commitment to working out. Its not about the exercise itself. Reflect on when you were ready to go to the gym and you talked yourself out of it or you talked yourself into it and you probably as I did today, had one of the best most productive workouts that you have had in a long time.

I always find the days that are the most difficult to get mentally motivated, I find that if I just get myself to the gym. The hardest part!!!! Then I have succeeded...

So remember when in doubt, don't let your mind convince you to say NO to the gym on those cold winter days when its challenging to even go outside.

If you can overcome these days, then the rest is a down hill ride to fitness and health success.

Remember, that fitness and health is not a week long process. It takes a life long commitment and I promise you, if you commit you will reap tremendous emotional and physical dividends that will last a life time.

And once again, a Toast to you and your health and your daily commitment to a Life Long Healthy Lifestyle.

Your Fitness Coach
Rob @

Body Perfect Fitness- The most comprehensive fitness and health resource online, dedicated to helping improve everyone’s overall
Body Perfect Fitness and Health!!

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Get your FREE Coaching Session TODAY!

2005-01-20T14:51:00.000-05:00
Perfect Body @ Body Perfect Fitness

2005-01-20T14:18:00.000-05:00
Your Body Perfect Fitness and Health Coach

Key Recommendations Issued by the Government in supporting Body Perfect Fitness and Health

2005-01-20T14:01:00.000-05:00

Key Recommendations for the General Population

ADEQUATE NUTRIENTS WITHIN CALORIE NEEDS
Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups while choosing foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.
Meet recommended intakes within energy needs by adopting a balanced eating pattern, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan.
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended.
To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.
To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.
For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.
To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.
To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity.
Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.
FOOD GROUPS TO ENCOURAGE
Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.
Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.
Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.
Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.
FATS
Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.
Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.
Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.
CARBOHYDRATES
Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.
Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners, such as amounts suggested by the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan.
Reduce the incidence of dental caries by practicing good oral hygiene and consuming sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently.
SODIUM AND POTASSIUM
Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.
Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation—defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including those who cannot restrict their alcohol intake, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with alcohol, and those with specific medical conditions.
Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in activities that require attention, skill, or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.
FOOD SAFETY
To avoid microbial foodborne illness:
Clean hands, food contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed.
Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing, or storing foods.
Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms.
Chill (refrigerate) perishable food promptly and defrost foods properly.
Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices, and raw sprouts.
Note: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 contains additional recommendations for specific populations.
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Body Perfect Fitness Teams Up with My Private Coach

2005-01-19T19:30:00.000-05:00
Special Announcement!!!

At Body Perfect Fitness we keep bringing you the best from the web and we are here to announce that not only hasEast met West and Ying met Yang, but

Body Perfect Fitness has joined:

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As a former obese, I had been trying to shed pounds for as long as I can remember! I have tried all the programs. Nothing really worked for more than 1 month or 2....then I usually lost faith when I hit a plateau, and went back to my bad eating habits. This is the past! I have met MyPrivateCoach! Here I got in contact with a health expert who has supported me on a daily basis, giving me tips and advices on pitfalls to avoid, diet myths etc....I checked with my doctor first to make sure everything seemed healthy to him and he said *yes*, so I tried it out for 6 months.... I have lost 30 pound so far and I feel really confident that for once I will reach my goal. What makes the difference is the PERSONALIZED attention that you get even when you don't expect it.High motivation!
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I am a top executive in the Banking Industry...and when I lost my job a few months ago, I thought it was the end of it...did not really know where to go. I posted my resumes on online search engines. It did not get anywhere. Sent out resumes directly to companies. It did not generate any results. I started being depressed and started eating and drinking more as compensation. I gained weight. All seemed unsolvable until I joined theMyPrivateCoach! Executive Personalized Program.
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So check out:
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Body Perfect Fitness Effective Weight Training Techniques

2005-01-19T18:46:00.000-05:00
Despite what is commonly observed in most health clubs, proper strength training is more than just hoisting heavy weights and loud grunting. Efficient strength training is not just about a certain number of sets and reps, or a routine taken from a fitness magazine. In order for your strength training to be most effective, keep in mind:

1. Warm up before you pump up.

Never exercise a cold muscle. Walk/jog in place, jump rope, swing the arms back and forth, or walk up and down a flight of stairs for about a minute or two. This will safely prepare the muscles for the workload that is to follow.

2. The last rep of any set should be very difficult.

Remember that the point of resistance training is to OVERLOAD the muscles. Muscles will only get stronger if they need to due to progressive training. Therefore…

3. Use the heaviest weight possible.

The little 2-3 lb. pink plastic weights in those Jane Fonda videos should be tossed in the trash…along with those 1980’s leg warmer/headband sets. Invest in a set of solid, well-constructed dumbbells in a variety of sizes that you consider light, medium and heavy. Grab the heaviest weights you can manage during the exercise but ALWAYS…

4. Perform exercises with proper posture and good form.

Never try to throw a weight into position. Stand with your feet apart, a slight bend in the knees, keep your back straight and chest high. If you are lying on a bench or machine, always keep your back straight and lower back supported and feet flat on the floor. Utilize core strength during all exercise; it is the base of all your strength training work.

5. Good form is important throughout the entire workout, not just during the exercise.

Dropping a weight on your foot is not only embarrassing in a crowded health club, it will definitely put you out of commission for a while. Use your legs when lifting a weight off the ground or loading up a barbell for a set. Maintain support in your abdominals and lower back. The same goes for picking up a back of groceries, a stuffed suitcase or a toddler.

6. Remember to BREATHE.

Holding your breath while performing an exercise can cause a marked spike in blood pressure. Exhale on the contraction, inhale on the release. Keep breathing throughout the exercise.
7. Contract the muscle.

At the top of each movement, contract the muscles that you are using. For example, when you perform a biceps curl, contract your biceps as hard as you can at the top of the movement, when your elbow is flexed, before lowering the weight. The contraction is the first step in the stimulation of growth.

8. Focus on the muscle, not the movement.

Instead of thinking about trying to lift the weight, focus on what the muscle feels like as the weight is being lifted. This will help you to perform the exercises much more efficiently.

9. Negatives are a good thing.

When a muscle shortens during an exercise, it is called the concentric, or positive phase of contraction; When it lengthens, it is called the eccentric or negative phase. Research shows that the muscle can be up to 40% stronger in this negative phase. Capitalize on this fact for a more effective workout. For example, raise the lower arm in a biceps curl on a count of 1-2-3. Then, lower the weight in a slower movement, 1-2-3-4-5.

10. Use variety.

The body is very adaptive. Performing the same routine over and over is not only boring, but your body will get used to the routine and quit responding. Change your exercises, the order in which you do them, the number or sets and reps, or change the weights. In one workout you may use weights, another you may use resistance bands, in another, machines. Make every workout different in some way.

11. Feed Your Muscles.

After a workout be sure to feed your muscles so they can grow. Wait no more than one hour before eating a balanced meal containing not only protein (i.e., eggs, chicken, and fish) but complex carbohydrates (i.e., whole grains, green vegetables). For convenience you may opt to have a protein shake as an after workout meal.

It’s important to think quality rather than quantity during weight training. Like everything else, how we do something is just as important as what we do. Focus on effective weight training principles throughout your workout and your strength training will give you the results you want.

Jon Gestl, CSCS is personal fitness trainer and instructor in Chicago specializing in on-site personal fitness coaching. He is a former U.S. National Aerobic Champion Silver and Bronze medalist.
Body Perfect Fitness- The most comprehensive fitness and health resource online, dedicated to helping improve everyone’s overall
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Whats New at Body Perfect Fitness

2004-10-18T09:11:00.000-05:00
Well, we keep growing and growing at Body Perfect Fitness and I wanted to share some the great expansion news to your website.
Over the last 60 days we have added the following as additional resources for you.

Free Fitness Tips-These change on a regular basis so come back often
Free Fitness and Health Calculators-using these FREE tools will help keep you motivated as you focus on your Fitness and Health
Two updated Resource pages-These special links pages have been expanded so that you can search the web for additional fitness and health resources to continue to help you source out the best information online.
Food and Fun page-This page focused on Entertaining and Food. As we continue to pursue our fitness and health goals, its great to share ideas on how to have fun entertaining with friends and family.
Updated News Feeds with all the latest in Fitness and Health news that is updated daily.

So enjoy your stay at Body Perfect Fitness!!!
We look forward to continuing to bring you the best of the best online

2004-09-15T13:54:00.000-05:00

Body Perfect Fitness Coach

My First Body Blog

2004-09-15T13:32:00.000-05:00
Welcome to Body Perfect Blog!!!!

This is the beginning of a fitness and health journey, creating a discussion area for all who visit to participate and support moving towards a healthy lifestyle change.