I found this article in Time by Laura Blue.  It's a good article and has a lot of valuable information.

Obesity experts agree that daily exercise is essential for good health, but whether it can successfully lead to long-term weight loss is a question of much debate. What has become increasingly clear, however, is that the conventionally accepted advice — 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week — is probably insufficient to spur any real change in a person's body weight. A study published July 28 in the Archives of Internal Medicine adds to the burgeoning scientific consensus: when it comes to exercise for weight loss, more is better. It suggests that obese people would have to exercise at least an hour at a time to see any significant difference in their weight.

The study, led by John Jakicic at the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh, followed nearly 200 overweight or obese women ages 21 to 45 through a two-year weight-loss program. The women were given free treadmills to use at home, regular group meetings and telephone pep talks to help keep them on track. Participants were also asked to restrict their food intake to between 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day, and were randomized to one of four physical activity intervention groups based on energy expenditure (either 1,000 calories or 2,000 calories burned per week) and exercise intensity (high vs. moderate). By the end of the 24-month intervention, the women who managed to lose at least 10% of their starting body weight (which was, on average, about 193 lbs.) — and keep it off — were exercising twice as long as health authorities typically recommend and expending more than twice as many calories through exercise as women who had no change in body weight. The biggest weight losers were active a full 68 minutes a day, five days a week (about 55 minutes a day more than they had been before the trial began), burning an extra 1,848 calories a week.

Jakicic and his colleagues originally designed their study to measure whether weight loss could really be achieved and maintained through moderate-intensity exercise, akin to "walking when you're late for a meeting," he says, or whether it was preferable to engage in shorter bursts of more vigorous-intensity activity, "like, when you're late for the bus, chasing it down." The problem was that not enough of the women stuck with their assigned exercise categories for the researchers to gather enough meaningful data. Within a few months, most of the participants had resorted to exercising as much as they chose to. That left researchers with a slightly different data set than they had planned for, but they were still able to associate women's reported physical activity with their weight loss. Indeed, exercise was more strongly associated with weight loss than any other factor, including diet. Overall, the more the women exercised, the more weight they lost.

More than half of the study participants managed to lose at least 10% of their body weight within the first six months. At the half-year mark, however, most of those women relapsed and started gaining the weight back — a discouragingly common phenomenon. "The major outcome of this paper is the maintenance issue," Jakicic says. Once a patient hits her target weight, he says, it's imperative that she stick with her exercise and diet regimen to maintain her new weight.

Still, the underlying question remains: are diet and exercise a reliable cure for obesity? Modern-day obesity researchers are skeptical — achieving thinness, they say, is not simply a matter of willpower. Research suggests that weight may largely be regulated by biology, which helps determine the body's "set point," a weight range of about 10 lbs. to 20 lbs. that the body tries hard to defend. The further you push you weight beyond your set point — either up or down the scale — some researchers say, the more your body struggles to return to it. That might help to explain why none of the women in Jakicic's study managed to lose much more than 10% of their body weight. After two years on a calorie-restricted diet, keeping up more than an hour of physical activity five days a week on average, most were still clinically overweight (though much less so than before). But what Jakicic and other obesity researchers stress is that a 10% reduction in body weight represents a tremendous boon for overall well-being, lowering blood pressure, improving heart health and reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes. For the obese, the end goal should not be thinness, but health and self-acceptance, which are more realistic and beneficial objectives. "The women's health was absolutely improved," Jakicic says.

Jakicic, in fact, seems heartened by his findings. "I think the beauty of this study is that we now have a target" — a better idea of how much exercise is needed for weight maintenance. There is, of course, some variation in how people respond. Some of the study participants fared well with less exercise than the additional 275 minutes per week (about 55 minutes per day, five days a week) that the study's author now recommends for weight maintenance. Others needed more. But the keys to success, according to Jakicic, were embracing the weight-loss program fully, and finding a way around the daily obstacles to exercising — that's something he says many of his participants were able to achieve, regardless of their socioeconomic group. So, if you're aiming to lose weight and keep it off, his message is clear: don't slack off.

Starting the new year off right; I have been walking with my dogs and my wife each day.  I'm lucky because we live in Arizona and the weather is great for walking at this time of the year.

Here is a picture of my dogs; Sophie and Sydnee.  All you can see of Sydnee is her eyes.  She is a Hoot!


Here is a picture of the girl's playground.  Sydnee is in the upper part exploring the bushes.  This is an area used for run-off during the rainy season but it is also a playground and the walkway is approximately about 440 yards.  I walk, jog and run around the outside while the girls run everywhere. 



And this is a picture of our walking path.   We keep the girls on a leash to and from the playground


I believe that we need to incorporate fun into our exercise regimen.  We generally walk 45 minutes to 60 minutes and during the walk I keep track of my heart rate using my heart monitor.  I try to keep my heart rate ranging from 75 to 86% of my maximum heart rate.

So far I have lost seven pounds since the beginning of the new year!

I keep a journal and track everything I put into my mouth and logging the exercise periods.  I find it important to also lift weights and do stretching to keep limber.

If you get a chance; let me know what you are doing to get on track and meet your weight control this year!!

Experts Push 7 Steps to Heart Health; in combination, these measures from the American Heart Association are 'the fountain of youth,' expert says

By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Assessing whether you are in poor, moderate or ideal cardiovascular health takes just seconds, thanks to a new American Heart Association measure of health factors and behaviors.

The seven-point checklist is part of a heart association program designed to improve U.S. cardiovascular health by 20 percent and reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20 percent.

The program for children and adults, published online Jan. 20 in Circulation, includes well-known recommendations on diet, exercise, smoking and other risk factors, but there's more, said Dr. Clyde W. Yancy, medical director of the Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute and president of the heart association.

"Collectively, when these health factors and healthy behaviors are found in aggregate in one person, the effect on markers of health and healthy outcome are remarkable," Yancy said. "Your chance for meaningful longevity with good quality of life is substantially increased."

The U.S. death rate from heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular conditions has been reduced by 35 percent, with half of that improvement because of better preventive measures, Yancy said.

"By packaging these seven components together, it is possible to see a further 20 percent reduction in deaths from heart attack and stroke and also improve cardiovascular health," he said.

In a recent survey, 39 percent of Americans said they had ideal heart health, yet 54 percent of those folks said they had been told by a health professional that they had at least one risk factor for heart disease and/or needed to make a lifestyle change. This suggests that many people don't connect lifestyle behaviors like inactivity and poor diet with cardiovascular disease, the association said.

For adults, the seven goals for achieving ideal cardiovascular health are:

·         Never smoked or quit more than a year ago.

·         Body mass index, a measure based on weight and height, less than 25.

·         Physical exercise -- at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity each week.

·         At least four key components of a healthy diet, such as fewer calories, more fruits and vegetables, and oily fish, such as salmon, four times a week.

·         Total cholesterol lower than 200.

·         Blood pressure below 120/80.

·         Fasting blood sugar below 100.

Cardiovascular health is graded as poor, intermediate or ideal depending on how an individual scores in the seven areas, dubbed "Life's Simple 7."

"This strategy of seven simple steps makes it a lifestyle-worthy approach," Yancy said.

The goals and assessment chart can be accessed online at www.heart.org/MyLifeCheck. The Web site also tells how to improve your status and track your progress toward better health.

"What's exciting about this is that the American Heart Association is dedicated not only to preventing the ravages of heart disease but also to promoting cardiovascular health in general," said Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, associate professor of medicine and chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and lead author of the scientific statement.

"Very strong scientific evidence shows us that the package of all seven is the fountain of youth for your life," Lloyd-Jones added.

Is any one factor more important than the others?

"Since we're talking about not just heart disease but also stroke, heart failure and peripheral arterial disease, much of what is driving cardiovascular disease today is obesity," Lloyd-Jones stated.

More information

Cardiovascular risk factors are described in detail by the American Heart Association.

SOURCES: Clyde W. Yancy, M.D., medical director, Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute, Dallas, and president, American Heart Association; Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, M.D., associate professor, medicine, and chair, preventive medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago; Jan. 20, 2010, Circulation, online

Copyright © 2010 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

 

The formula for losing weight is easy!  All you have to do is burn up 3500 more calories during a week than you consume!

Almost, everybody will say; if that’s true then why are there so many of us fighting to lose weight?   Maybe because we try to make it difficult!

Look; all we have to do is to cut out 500 calories each day.  If we eat 250 calories less; it should be doable; then exercise 250 calories more than you usually do.  First thing you know a week will pass and you will have 500 calories each day times 7 days and that computes out to 3,500 calories or 1 pound for a week.

Cutting 250 calories from your diet should be easy!  Watch your serving size or don’t go back for second helpings.  Actually; you can almost cut out 250 calories just by not having a candy bar.  I didn’t say it would be a no-brainer but if you put a little thought to it; you should be able to cut out 250 calories with just a little thought.

Exercising and burning 250 calories each day just requires you to move!  The hardest part is to find something that you enjoy doing.  If you have a dog; take your buddy for a walk!  You can almost burn your 250 calories just by taking about 45 minutes and going for a short walk around the neighborhood or to a park.  The biggest issue is to find something that you really enjoy and look forward to doing each day.

I have three girls that I enjoy walking with; my wife and our two dogs.  We have a German shepherd named "Sophie" and a Rottweiler that we call "Sydnee".  Here’s a picture of my 4 legged girls.
                          
They are great walking companions and I definitely look forward to our walks each day.  It also does wonders for my waist line.

My wife is doing her part to help by cooking light and getting a lot of fruits and vegetables into our daily meals.

ScienceDaily (Jan. 7, 2010) — It's time to set the record straight. The only reliable way to lose weight is to eat less or exercise more. Preferably both.

So why bother to state the obvious? Because a body of scientific literature has arisen over recent years, suggesting that fat oxidation -- burning the fats we eat as opposed to the carbohydrates -- is enough to promote fat loss. It isn't.

Sydney scientists have demonstrated that mice genetically altered to burn fats in preference to carbohydrates, will convert the unburned carbohydrates into stored fat anyway, and their ultimate weight and body composition will be the same as normal mice.

It all comes down to an enzyme known as ACC2 (acetyl-CoA carboxylase), which controls whether cells burn fats or carbohydrates. When it was shown that 'blocking' ACC2 will force cells to burn fats in preference to carbohydrates, many assumed that such 'fat burning' could make fat stores evaporate, and make people thin without changing food intake or energy expenditure.

Associate Professor Greg Cooney, from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research, discusses misconceptions surrounding ACC2 in findings that appear in the journal, Cell Metabolism, online January 6.

"Our data urges a correction in people's concept of a magic bullet -- something that will miraculously make them thin while they sit on the couch watching television," said Professor Cooney.

"While none of the large pharmaceutical companies have marketed ACC2 inhibitors, there are many kinds of so-called 'fat-burning pills' available in the health food, body building and alternative medicine markets, where limited clinical effectiveness data are required."

"Many such products can also contain potentially harmful stimulants or come with a recommendation to follow a calorie-controlled diet and do more exercise while taking them. If you follow those recommendations, then of course you'll lose weight -- but you'd lose it anyway."

"The energy you use in your home can come from a coal-fired power station, hydroelectric power, or a wind turbine. You won't know which because the end result is electricity."

"The energy that fuels your body can come from fats, proteins or carbohydrates. You won't know which because the end result is ATP, or cellular energy."

"Your body will use the energy it needs and store the leftover fats, proteins or carbohydrates as fat. When you do the sums, it's ultimately a matter of calories in and calories out."

"It's important to stress that the focus of our study was limited to an analysis of the impact of fat oxidation on overall fatness. We didn't investigate all impacts of fat oxidation -- and so we don't rule out benefits of burning off fats in specific tissues."

"For example, manipulating fat metabolism may -- or may not -- lead to better insulin action in muscles or in the liver. Should insulin action be improved, that would obviously benefit obese people with Type 2 diabetes. But we can't comment either way until we do the experiments."

And the take-home message? Follow a healthy, balanced diet and get plenty of exercise.

 

I confess!

Over the holidays I stopped my exercise and weight loss program.  We had a lot of friends visit us and we had to have a lot of bad snacks and other food.  I was able to resist for a couple of day, however, I did finally succumb and ate some of my favorite snacks.  I even took off my exercise program while recommending that everybody else find ways to keep on exercising.

I resolved to get back on the program after the New Years celebration and finally gathered the courage to get back on the scale on Monday.  Wow!  I gained 7 pounds while on vacation.  I gotta admit; I had a lot of fun!  Was it worth it?  No!  Not really but now I have to pay the piper for the fun.

Monday morning after my shocking scale reading I immediately jumped back onto my program.  Watching what I put into this temple I call my body and getting a good hour of a cardio integral intensive exercise session.  I was able to drop 4 pounds on the first day and I lost another pound yesterday.  I am getting back on track and you can too!

Good lesson; if you fell off your program too just back on it.  Let's make 2010 a great year!

If you really want to make your weight loss plan successful you need to set up a definite plan and commit yourself to follow a few rules.  You will find nine (9) suggestions to help you lose the weight you want and feel great while you are doing it.

1. Set a Goal:

Make your goal simple and realistic!  Even if you have a lot of weight you want to lose; start with small bits.  Break your long time goals into smaller segments because each time you reach the smaller goal, it will reinforce your commitment to continue.

2. Make your weight loss plan easy.

To be successful; a plan should be easy to implement and to incorporate into your daily life!

 

3. Keep a simple journal in order to track your progress.

A journal can help you track what makes a day successful.  You should track everything that you put into your mouth along with any type of exercise that was done that day.  Again; this practice should be kept very simple because if it becomes a pain, you will not do it.

 

There are some sites that are accessible on the internet that are free and fairly comprehensive. One good site to use that is free and simple is www.shapefit.com.  This has a simple journal system that is user friendly.

 

4.  To lose weight; you need to establish a decent food plan.

A good balanced diet will do more to help you lose weight more than any of the latest fad diets.  Keep your diet healthy with all the recommended food groups.

 

5.  Eat multiple meals during the day to eliminate hunger pains.

In order to lose weight; you should eat smaller meals throughout the day; not full meals but small healthy snacks.

 

6.  Learn what constitutes a portion size for a meal.

Most people do not know or have forgotten what a proper portion is for a healthy meal; this is something that we need to know in order to lose weight. 

* your fist – is a serving size of fruits or vegetables.

 *A rounded handful - this is about one half cup of cooked vegetables or of cooked rice or pasta.  This is also a      good measurement for chips or pretzels.  Do not count your fingers into this measurement!

*Deck of cards – this is a serving size for meat, fish or poultry. 

*Golf Ball or a large egg – this is a serving size for one quarter cup of dried fruit or nuts.

*Tennis ball – this is a serving size for a half a cup of ice cream.

*Computer mouse – this is a serving size for a small baked potato.

*Tip of your thumb – this is the size of one teaspoon.
*Dice six of them – this is the size for a serving of cheese.

*Check book – this is the serving size for fish.

 

7.  Plan each day to insure your weight loss plan is incorporated into your life.

You need to plan what is going to be eaten each day.  Make sure you have some healthy snacks to be eaten to avoid hunger pains and overeating.  If you are eating out; you need to plan ahead to insure you are going to stay on your eating plan.

 

8.  You need to set some time aside for your exercise program. 

      

Do whatever is necessary to exercise in a manner that fits into your life.  Walk whenever you can and set up a decent workout session that will give you the most bang for the buck.

It has been established that 10,000 steps each day will go a long way to get you into shape.  You need to buy yourself a simple pedometer and wear it each day.  You can then track how many steps you take each day.

Remember that small things can help you become more physically healthy.  The areas of health you need to target are cardiovascular exercise, flexibility exercises and strength training exercises.   Some of these things can be accomplished in your everyday life with just a little creativity.

 

9.  Drink a lot of water.

Everybody agrees that water is one of the most essential elements in our life.  Not only for general good health but it is also essential for a real weight loss program.  You need to drink at least 64 to 90 ounces of water each day depending upon your activity.

10.  Eliminate Temptations from the house.
We all want to think that we are strong and can resist the snacks sitting around the house but why put yoursel through the fight?  Remember!  We need to make the program easy!  So get rid of those things that silently call your name as you walk by; get rid of bad snacks!

This list of suggestions can help you be successful in your weight loss plan.  Let's get real and attack the extra pounds; one pound at a time!

The New Year has begun and we need to kick our exercise regimen back into high gear.  If you fell off your program during the holiday season just suck it up; don’t beat yourself up.  This is a New Year and we are back on course!

I consider flexibility a major part of the exercise and wellness program so I am going to give you some food for thought and offer some different tidbits to help with flexibility.

Do not just rush back into your exercise program if you have laid off for a couple of weeks.  Remember to take it slow and one day at a time!  You do not want to hurry and take the chance of straining or pulling any tight muscles.  We don’t want to lose any time by being on the sideline because of injuries.

This video offers 6 different types of stretches that you might consider adding to your program.  Take a look and think!

                               

If you are stretching by yourself; you should consider using hand towels to help with your exercises.  Check out the towel exercise shown in this inexpensive book that you should add to your library.

Presenting "The Athletic Gym Towel Workout" a strength and flexibility enhancing technique based on converting the common everyday towel into a highly versatile and effective piece of kit for a cracking workout.  Once you learn the many secrets of using this specially modified towel in your workouts it could just become your favorite piece of training kit. 

 

No other pervasive and highly portable device on the market today brings together the same level of simplicity, convenience, versatility and effectiveness as an ordinary towel for physical fitness training.   

The Athletic Gym Towel Workout will show you how to make the most of this piece of equipment that already exists in every home and hotel room.  And, so that you get the most from the exercises (described and illustrated) the book will show you how to make an "Athletic Gym Towel" from an ordinary towel.  Your "Athletic Gym Towel" will aid your ability to perform the wide array of exercises so you can concentrate on your exercise maneuvers.   

                                                   

The Athletic Gym Towel Workout is usually only  $14.95

Special Limited New Year Shape-Up Offer:  For a limited time, this course in fitness is only $9.95 - Just in time to
help you get into your New Year shape and fitness levels.

                                                  
                              

Order Here

The year is coming to an end and we need to regroup and plan for this next year!  Win, lose or draw- - if we did not reach our goals during 2009; that doesn't mean we have failed.  Just regroup and let's make 2010 a great year.

If you are having problems doing your exercise programs by your self; you need to get a buddy!  Take a look at this video and maybe it will give you some ideas about getting creative for 2010.

                       

                               Just Do it!

From the ScienceDaily  — A regular high-intensity, three-minute workout has a significant effect on the body’s ability to process sugars. New research shows that a brief but intense exercise session every couple of days may be the best way to cut the risk of diabetes.

Professor James Timmons worked with a team of researchers from Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, Scotland, to investigate the effect of ‘high-intensity interval training’ (HIT) on the metabolic prowess of sixteen sedentary male volunteers. He said, “The risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes is substantially reduced through regular physical activity. Unfortunately, many people feel they simply don’t have the time to follow current exercise guidelines. What we have found is that doing a few intense muscle exercises, each lasting only about 30 seconds, dramatically improves your metabolism in just two weeks."

Current exercise guidelines suggest that people should perform moderate to vigorous aerobic and resistance exercise for several hours per week. While these guidelines are very worthwhile in principle, Timmons suggests that a lack of compliance indicates the need for an alternative, “Current guidelines, with regards to designing exercise regimes to yield the best health outcomes, may not be optimal and certainly require further discussion. The low volume, high intensity training utilized in our study substantially improved both insulin action and glucose clearance in otherwise sedentary young males and this indicates that we do not yet fully appreciate the traditional connection between exercise and diabetes”.

The subjects in this trial used exercise bikes to perform a quick sprint at their highest possible intensity. In principle, however, any highly vigorous activity carried out a few days per week should achieve the same protective metabolic improvements. Timmons added, “This novel approach may help people to lead a healthier life, improve the future health of the population and save the health service millions of pounds simply by making it easier for people to find the time to exercise”.

 

ScienceDaily

A new study, published in the Journal of Physiology, shows that short bursts of very intensive exercise -- equivalent to only a few minutes per day -- can produce the same results as traditional endurance training.

        

Each approach offers similar health benefits: lower risk of heart disease, protection against Type 2 diabetes, and weight loss.

But new findings suggest that for at least one workout a week it pays to be both tortoise and hare — alternating short bursts of high-intensity exercise with easy-does-it recovery.A

Weight watchers, prediabetics and those who simply want to increase their fitness all stand to gain.

This alternating fast-slow technique, called interval training, is hardly new. For decades, serious athletes have used it to improve performance.

But new evidence suggests that a workout with steep peaks and valleys can dramatically improve cardiovascular fitness and raise the body’s potential to burn fat.

Best of all, the benefits become evident in a matter of weeks.

“There’s definitely renewed interest in interval training,” said Ed Coyle, the director of the human performance laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin.

A 2005 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that after just two weeks of interval training, six of the eight college-age men and women doubled their endurance, or the amount of time they could ride a bicycle at moderate intensity before exhaustion.

Eight volunteers in a control group, who did not do any interval training, showed no improvement in endurance.

Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, had the exercisers sprint for 30 seconds, then either stop or pedal gently for four minutes.

Such a stark improvement in endurance after 15 minutes of intense cycling spread over two weeks was all the more surprising because the volunteers were already reasonably fit. They jogged, biked or did aerobic exercise two to three times a week.

Doing bursts of hard exercise not only improves cardiovascular fitness but also the body’s ability to burn fat, even during low- or moderate-intensity workouts, according to a study published this month, also in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Eight women in their early 20s cycled for 10 sets of four minutes of hard riding, followed by two minutes of rest. Over two weeks, they completed seven interval workouts.

After interval training, the amount of fat burned in an hour of continuous moderate cycling increased by 36 percent, said Jason L. Talanian, the lead author of the study and an exercise scientist at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Cardiovascular fitness — the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to working muscles — improved by 13 percent.

It didn’t matter how fit the subjects were before. Borderline sedentary subjects and the college athletes had similar increases in fitness and fat burning. “Even when interval training was added on top of other exercise they were doing, they still saw a significant improvement,” Mr. Talanian said.

That said, this was a small study that lacked a control group, so more research would be needed to confirm that interval training was responsible.

Interval training isn’t for everyone. “Pushing your heart rate up very high with intensive interval training can put a strain on the cardiovascular system, provoking a heart attack or stroke in people at risk,” said Walter R. Thompson, professor of exercise science at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

For anyone with heart disease or high blood pressure — or who has joint problems such as arthritis or is older than 60 — experts say to consult a doctor before starting interval training.

Still, anyone in good health might consider doing interval training once or twice a week. Joggers can alternate walking and sprints. Swimmers can complete a couple of fast laps, then four more slowly.

There is no single accepted formula for the ratio between hard work and a moderate pace or resting. In fact, many coaches recommend varying the duration of activity and rest.

But some guidelines apply. The high-intensity phase should be long and strenuous enough that a person is out of breath — typically one to four minutes of exercise at 80 to 85 percent of their maximum heart rate. Recovery periods should not last long enough for their pulse to return to its resting rate.

Also people should remember to adequately warm up before the first interval. Coaches advise that, ideally, people should not do interval work on consecutive days. More than 24 hours between such taxing sessions will allow the body to recover and help them avoid burnout.

What is so special about interval training? One advantage is that it allows exercisers to spend more time doing high-intensity activity than they could in a single sustained effort. “The rest period in interval training gives the body time to remove some of the waste products of working muscles,” said Barry A. Franklin, the director of the cardiac rehabilitation and exercise laboratories at the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

To go hard, the body must use new muscle fibers. Once these recent recruits are trained, they are available to burn fuel even during easy-does-it workouts. “Any form of exercise that recruits new muscle fibers is going to enhance the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates and fat,” Dr. Coyle said.

Interval training also stimulates change in mitochondria, where fuel is converted to energy, causing them to burn fat first — even during low- and moderate-intensity workouts, Mr. Talanian said.

Improved fat burning means endurance athletes can go further before tapping into carbohydrate stores. It is also welcome news to anyone trying to lose weight or avoid gaining it.

Unfortunately, many people aren’t active enough to keep muscles healthy. At the sedentary extreme, one result can be what Dr. Coyle calls “metabolic stalling” — carbohydrates in the form of blood glucose and fat particles in the form of triglycerides sit in the blood. That, he suspects, could be a contributing factor to metabolic syndrome, the combination of obesity, insulin resistance, high cholesterol and elevated triglycerides that increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

By recruiting new muscle fibers and increasing the body’s ability to use fuel, interval training could potentially lower the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Interval training does amount to hard work, but the sessions can be short. Best of all, a workout that combines tortoise and hare leaves little time for boredom.

ScienceDaily (Dec. 14, 2009) — Obese patients who lost a moderate amount of weight by eating less and exercising more improved their cardiovascular health, says a study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The results of this two-year study, published in the Dec. 15, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, showed that weight loss led to improvement in four key measures of heart and vascular health. The improvements seen in the study participants included decreased thickness of heart muscle, improved pumping and relaxation functions of the heart and decreased thickness of the carotid artery walls. Heart muscle thickening and impaired pumping and relaxation functions are predictors of heart failure, and increased carotid wall thickness is a predictor of plaque formation.

The researchers studied 60 moderately obese individuals at regular intervals, and 46 people (78 percent) completed the entire two-year follow-up period. The participants ranged in age from 22 to 64 and had BMIs (body mass indexes) of between 30 and 44. During the study, the subjects were instructed to eat low-calorie diets (1,200 to 1,500 calories for women and 1,500 to 1,800 calories for men) and to exercise for about three and a half hours per week, principally walking.

On average, they lost weight for about six months, reaching a maximum loss of nine percent body weight or 22 pounds. Maximum cardiovascular benefit lagged behind weight loss, with the greatest improvement coming six to 12 months after the study began.

Starting at about six months, most participants slowly regained some of their lost weight. At the end of two years, the participants averaged about nine pounds below their initial weight. Even though they regained some weight, after two years they still retained some of the heart and blood vessel benefit they had received.

"Losing 20 or so pounds might seem daunting to some people, but we showed that even a more modest weight loss can yield heart and vascular benefits," says first author Lisa de las Fuentes, M.D., a Washington University heart specialist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and assistant professor of medicine in the Cardiovascular Division at the School of Medicine. "It's important to realize that you can choose goals that are attainable and work progressively toward them. You don't necessarily need to lose 50 pounds to improve your heart function."

The study participants were randomly assigned to either low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets. Both diet groups experienced similar improvements in heart and vascular measurements. That's reassuring for people who prefer one type of diet over the other, says de las Fuentes.

None of the patients enrolled in the study had clinically evident signs of heart failure, such as shortness of breath, coughing or fluid buildup, and none were taking cholesterol-lowering medications. About a third of them were being treated for high blood pressure.

By using advanced echocardiography and ultrasound imaging to thoroughly characterize cardiovascular health, the researchers were able to show that at the start of the study, the patients had detectable, though modest, heart dysfunction -- their hearts were slightly thickened, the contraction and relaxation abilities of their hearts were somewhat abnormal and the walls of their carotid arteries were mildly thickened. Six to 12 months after dietary intervention began, these indicators of heart and vascular function had become significantly healthier, and participants' cholesterol and triglyceride levels also had improved.

"Over time, obesity leads to abnormal thickening of heart muscle because the heart works harder to pump blood throughout the body," de las Fuentes says. "After a while, the hearts of obese people can lose some of their pumping or relaxation ability, leading to heart failure. But our study suggests that by losing weight, people can turn back the clock and regain more youthful heart function."

De las Fuentes indicates the study is unique because it followed patients for such a long time and because researchers used advanced imaging technology to evaluate heart health. In addition, by following patients over two years, the investigators were able to document what happens as weight is regained, showing that improvements in heart and blood vessel health were gradually lost as patients put weight back on.

The study participants generally were not at a weight eligible for bariatric surgeries such as laparoscopic gastric banding or gastric bypass, so it's important that the study demonstrates a program of diet and exercise to achieve moderate weight loss can improve heart health, de las Fuentes says.

Other institutions that participated in the diet study were Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.

Funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation supported this research.

 

 

We do not spend a lot of time thinking about getting off the floor while we are young and strong but it is something that we need to place into the fore front of our minds.  While we are young we need to think about the future and take the steps to insure that we will always be able to get up off the floor when we are older.

What do you feel when you see the commercial about the oldster that has fallen and is unable to get up.  Whatever your reaction is; all of us may face that situation in the future.  If it happens to you will you be able to do what is necessary to get off the floor?

We need to begin now; to incorporate movements into our exercise regimen that deals specifically with getting up.  Think about it!  Whenever we get off the floor after doing pushups or exercises where we are on our backs; we use a lot of muscles.

Have you ever thought about how many different approaches there are to get up without using something to grab onto?  Start trying different ways to get up without using supports to pull yourself up.

Steps need to be taken to strengthen our core muscles, our back muscles and our leg and arm muscles to insure we are able to continue getting up.  When you think about it; we need to keep all our muscles toned.

All of us are going to get older and some of us may get weaker so we need to take the steps now to insure that we will not be similar to the person in the commercial that is unable to get up.

Take a look at the www.bodyweightcoach.com.  their program is designed with exercises mainly on the floor.  The program uses only body weight and most of the exercises are fun.  It is definitely worth checking out.  They also offer a free workout session booklet.

ScienceDaily (Dec. 7, 2009) — For obese men, a dramatic weight loss can be an effective way to improve moderate to severe sleep apnoea, scientists at Karolinska Institutet report. Those with severe sleep apnoea when the study began benefited most from weight loss.

"Our findings suggest that weight loss may be an effective treatment strategy for sleep apnoea in obese men," says Kari Johansson, one of the researchers involved in the study.

Sleep apnoea -- the temporary cessation of breathing during sleep -- is a relatively common but under-diagnosed disease. Five or more such events per hour is considered a disease. Untreated, sleep apnoea is associated with an increased risk of traffic accidents, as well as stroke and heart disease, for example. Moderate and severe sleep apnoea also increases the risk of premature death. It has long been known that people with overweight or obesity are more likely to develop the disease, and that men are more affected than women.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common sleep disorder characterised by pauses in breathing during sleep. Each episode (apnoea) lasts for at least 10 seconds and is caused by the collapse of the upper airways during sleep.

Moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnoea (defined as 15 or more apnoeas per hour) carries an excess risk of motor vehicle crashes, heart disease and death. Yet only one study has examined the effects of weight loss on obstructive sleep apnoea.

In a randomised study published in the British Medical Journal, researchers at Karolinska Institutet examined if weight-loss can help to cure moderate and severe sleep apnoea. The study included 63 obese men (BMI between 30 and 40) aged between 30 and 65. The participants had moderate to severe sleep apnoea as measured by the AHI (apnoea-hypopnea) index. All participants had symptom alleviation treatment through CPAP -- continuous positive airway pressure -- which produces more normal breathing patterns during sleep. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups, one of which underwent an intense weight-loss programme, the other served as a control group, for a period of nine weeks.

The results of the study show that the weight loss group lost 19 kilos on average after nine weeks and more than halved the number of apnoea events. None of the treated patients had severe sleep apnoea, half had only mild sleep apnoea and one in six could be declared healthy. The researchers also noted that the effect of the weight loss programme was greatest in patients with severe sleep apnoea.

To achieve significant weight loss, the treatment group were put on a very low calorie diet (VLCD), which gave them an initial energy input of 554 kcal per day for seven weeks followed by a fortnight's successive increase up to 1,500 kcal per day at week nine. The control group maintained their normal dietary habits during the nine week study period, but was afterwards offered a VLCD programme.

After the VLCD period, the participants were also invited to take part in a years behavioural change programme to help them maintain their weight loss.

"We often use VLCD in the form of a low calorie powder as part of the treatment of obese patients with a serious comorbidity, such as sleep apnoea," says Ms Johansson. "The powder is mixed with water and replaces every meal of the day, which gives a rapid loss of weight. Its also a good way of boosting the patients' motivation."

The researchers stress that the VLCD diet is not a general solution to weight problems, but something mainly to be used in the first phase of a long-term treatment programme. To keep the weight off, patients need to work hard to improve their dietary and exercise habits, usually with the aid of a long-term behaviour modification programme. Drugs can also be used in the post-weight loss phase to further improve weight loss maintenance.

The current study was part funded by Cambridge Manufacturing Company Limited, which markets the Cambridge Diet, the low-calorie powder used in the study. The company had no influence on the study, the analyses or the collation of the results. Examples of similar VLCD products marketed by other companies are Nutrilett, Naturdiet and Allevo. The researchers who conducted the study work at the Obesity Unit, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, and the Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Karolinska Institutet.

 

The Turkish Get up is a fantastic exercise for strength and coordination.  As we age; we should focus of exercises that make us get up off the floor.  The more we strengthen our muscles now; will help us later years!

Take a look and add this to you workout regiment.

                                               

I bet this one tests you!  Once this is mastered you know you are getting into good shape!

Take Care; See you soon!

We are always talking about the things we need to do in order to have a good weight loss program.  Everybody agrees that we need to have a good goal setting program along with a realistic life style change that includes exercise and eating program.  We sometimes forget that we need to include into our program a decent amount of sleep.

We always mention strength training and the other programs to keep us fit but we sometimes forget important things that are needed just for good health.  Ever since we were young; our parents always told us to get at least 8 hours of sleep.  As we grew older and many of us became party animals we may have forgot what our wise parents told us about getting a good nights sleep.  Well; we need to back up and remember some of the wisdom they threw our way.

The holidays bring a lot of celebration, parties and even more temptation.  The season will definitely take a toll on our weight loss and fitness programs.  We need to slow down and at least get enough sleep during the season.

Did you know?

"Researchers from several separate studies have found a link between sleep and the hormones that influence our eating behavior. Two specific hormones are involved. Ghrelin is responsible for feelings of hunger. Leptin tells the brain when it’s time to stop. When you’re sleep deprived, your ghrelin levels increase at the same time that your leptin levels decrease. The result is an increased craving for food and not feeling full. Add the fact that sleep deprived people tend to chose different foods to snack on—mainly high calorie sweets and salty and starchy foods—and it’s easy to see how these small changes can lead to long-term weight gain".

This is an excerpt from an article that I found on the Diet Channel back in September 2006.

Something to think about!  If nothing else; make sure you get enough sleep during the Holiday Season!

We need to make sure that we incorporate flexibility and stretching into our workouts.  The main thing is to be comfortable with our bodies and being able to move it.

Remember when you were really young and how you used to crawl around on the floor?  At that time in your life you were probably more flexible than at any other time.  Yeah; you still had not mastered total control of your body but you were very flexible.

A good exercise to try and re-introduce yourself to moving on the floor and moving around and getting comfortable with your body is shown in this video.  Watch it and think of how these movements might help you with your flexibility.:

                                           
I think that many of us should think about how flexible we used to be and how we need to reitntroduce ourselves to it.

Face it; you need flexibility as much as you need strength to be successful in your exercise programs or your sporting activities.  It is even more important as we age.
  
  

Have you ever tried to do a one armed push up?  It is a pretty tought task but it can be easily learned.  All you have to do is to take it one step at a time and once you begin; you will be amazed about how easy it is to do.

Our buddies over at www.bodyweightcoach.com have provided a short  video to show you how to do the one armed push up.

                                                       

Take it one step at a time and you will master this type of pushup in no time at all!

The guys over at Body Weight Coach also have a free workout booklet for you to try.  Take a look at

                                                                                                                                                                  
                                         Click Here to get your Free Workout!

If you are serious about your exercising or fitness program or you are a serious athlete; you need to pay serious attention to flexibility and not just stretching.  Stretching is very important and I don’t mean to trivialize it or demean it, however, for a long athletic career you need to think about “Flexibility.”

Think about it!  You can watch any sporting event and if it is a head to head competition; you will invariably see some bone crunching moments.  Definitely not a time for sissies!

Whatever your sport; you need to pay attention to those areas that you need to be proactive with; there are some areas of your muscular and joint systems that you need to pay attention to and make sure that you are flexible.

You might consider consulting a personal trainer, physical therapist or some other health professional to help design a functional flexibility program for you.  It is better to plan ahead and take care of your body in case of emergency.

As we age; we naturally become less flexible so it is something that needs to be addressed early in your career of competing or just staying fit.

Stretching and flexibility is an individual thing.  You need to pay attention to your body and the signals that it gives you.  Do not push it too far.  Avoid bouncy or jerking movements to try to increase your range; you could do more harm than good.

A good program that is affordable and a good place to start if you haven't already taken steps to address the subject of flexibiilty is the "The Athletic Gym Towel Workout" a strength and flexibility enhancing technique based on converting the common everyday towel into a highly versatile and effective piece of kit for a cracking workout.  Once you learn the many secrets of using this specially modified towel in your workouts it could just become your favorite piece of training kit. 

No other pervasive and highly portable device on the market today brings together the same level of simplicity, convenience, versatility and effectiveness as an ordinary towel for physical fitness training. 

The Athletic Gym Towel Workout will show you how to make the most of this piece of equipment that already exists in every home and hotel room.  And, so that you get the most from the exercises (described and illustrated) the book will show you how to make an "Athletic Gym Towel" from an ordinary towel.  Your "Athletic Gym Towel" will aid your ability to perform the wide array of exercises so you can concentrate on your exercise maneuvers. 

Your "Athletic Gym Towel" will allow you to train practically anywhere with numerous full-range-of-motion, body-balancing resistance exercises to help bring more flexibility, strength, symmetry, coordination and muscular definition to your body - what more could you ask for? 

The Athletic Gym Towel Workout exercises and techniques can be integrated in any other training routine to enhance your strength, dynamic flexibility and endurance - it will teach you how to:

• Carve deeper cuts for more muscular definition in your:
  • Abs/Core
  • Chest
  • Back
  • Shoulders
  • Arms
  • Legs

 Build your:

• Strength;
• Mobility;
• Flexibility; and
• Endurance all at the same time.
• Implement Short Intense Energizing Circuits, Sports Specific Workout Routines or Full Body Blasts
  • 50+ exercises and stretches to work your entire body
  • 20 different dynamic stretching exercise routines and practical training applications

In the Home, Gym, Office, or Anywhere...   You control the resistance.  The dynamic tension you place on your muscles forms the basis for the active stretching and balanced functional strength training all at once.

• Yes, you can workout anywhere.

• No, you don't need a room full of equipment.

• No, you don't need a lot of time or space.

• Yes, you can spice up your existing routine and easily add more body balancing and flexibility oriented exercises.

You'll be thrilled to know you don't need any new equipment...

...because this book will show you how to convert your own gym towel into the versatile and highly effective exercise accessory it is capable of becoming.

The fitness equipment industry makes millions and millions of dollars selling junk equipment by convincing people the easiest way to reach their goals is to buy their junk.  The fitness industry doesn't want you to know that the human body is perfectly capable of getting the exercise it needs with very little extra equipment.  For instance, a simple towel can be used as one of the most effective and versatile fitness accessories for strength and flexibility training, period.

The Athletic Gym Towel Workout is usually only  $14.95

Special LimitedAutumn Shape-Up Offer:  For a limited time, this course in fitness is  only  $9.95 - Just in time to help you keep your Summer shape and fitness levels.

You will be able to find convenient and effective uses for the material in The Athletic Gym Towel Workout...

• No matter what type of physical training you participate in
• No matter what state of physical condition you are in
• No matter how much space you have in which to train
• No matter how much time you can find to train
• No matter how often you travel

For more information and get more Flexibile Click Here!

 

This is the sunset at the North Pole with the moon at its closest point last week.

a scene you will probably never get to see in person,

so take a moment and enjoy God at work at the North Pole.

And, you also see the sun below the moon,

an amazing photo and not one easily duplicated.

You may want to pass it on to others so they can enjoy it.

The Chinese have a saying that goes something like this:

'When someone shares with you something of value,

you have an obligation to share it with others!' 
I just did.. Your turn!

Sometimes we get so caught up in the idea of losing a lot of weight that it becomes overwhelming!  If that is the case; we need to back off a bit and concentrate on just that one pound that we are trying to lose this week.

The holiday season and all the festivities along with the shopping is a big detractor in our weight losing program.  There is no denying that this can be a problem.  Instead of thinking about how much weight you really want to lose or making yourself feel guilty because you really don't feel like conquering the world; relax!  It might be time to regroup!

It's acceptable to only concentrate on trying to lose just one pound this week.  To make yourself stay focused; you need to concentrate just on today.  This is your moment.  Do not worry about the rest of the holiday season.

Take it one day at a time!  Exercise today.

Tomorrow, start again, we are just going to lose that one pound this week!

Not to have any misunderstandings; these exercises are all from our friends over at www.bodyweightcoach.com.  They are allowing us to present them to you so you can become acquainted with their program.

CST Bodyweight Glide Part Six:
This program is designed to shred your core in as little as 12-minutes per day using only bodyweight exercise.

The movements were designed to be done with those little plastic glide discs you’ve seen on TV. But the good news is you don’t need the discs. Socks, RMAX ultimate grappling shoes, and squares of felt all work on hardwood floors. Disposable paper plates work great on carpet. If you’re on a business trip and staying in hotels, tear a page out of one of the free glossy magazines in the desk drawer, or put the plastic laundry bag from the closet on your feet. Anything that will allow your feet to slide on the floor will work.

Movement six is the Swaying component: the tadpole.

Remember, keep your shoulders packed, rotate your elbow pits forward, maintain good crown to coccyx spinal alignment, and activate your core with a hard exhale on every rep. These movements should be core driven.

Now go try it out for yourself!

In the final installment I’ll tell you how to put it all together into a training program. But remember, you’ve gotta comment if you want to see the training protocols!

For more information regarding all of the exercises that are part of the CST Bodyweight Gliding Series -  Click Here!

Once you begin a weight loss program you need to find a way to stay motivated.  Here are (six) 6 tips that will help to be successful in losing the weight that you want to lose.

 

1. Write down on a piece of paper the target weight that you intend to reach.  Write it your goal weight down in big bold letters and post it onto a bulletin board.  Place your bulletin board where you will see it every day; the first thing in the morning.

 

2. You need to establish a time line for your weight loss program; set a long term goal and include your short term goals.  Establish weekly milepost goals.  After you have your timeline you need to post it next to your goals on your bulletin board.

 

3. Post a picture of yourself at the beginning of the weight loss program.  Post it onto your bulletin board along with your goals and timeline; find an old picture of yourself at your ideal weight or find a magazine picture of how you would like to look.  Put both pictures onto the bulletin board.  They need to be reviewed each day.

 

4. List the benefits you will have once you reach your goal weight.  Establish in your mind how you are going to feel when you hit your target weight.

 

5. Each evening list the things that you need to do the next day.  Make a date with yourself for your workout that evening.  Make your date as early as possible so it cannot be cancelled.

 

6. Every morning look at your bulletin board and reaffirm your commitment.  Weigh yourself so you know if you are on or off target.  
 

These are just a few of the things that you can do to stay motivated on your weight loss program.  I hope they help you and you need to think and get creative to add more things to keep you on course.

This program is designed to shred your core in as little as 12-minutes per day using only bodyweight exercise.

The movements were designed to be done with those little plastic glide discs you’ve seen on TV. But the good news is you don’t need the discs. Socks, RMAX ultimate grappling shoes, and squares of felt all work on hardwood floors. Disposable paper plates work great on carpet. If you’re on a business trip and staying in hotels, tear a page out of one of the free glossy magazines in the desk drawer, or put the plastic laundry bag from the closet on your feet. Anything that will allow your feet to slide on the floor will work.

Movement five is the Rolling component: the side plank knee-in.

Remember, keep your shoulders packed, rotate your elbow pits forward, maintain good crown to coccyx spinal alignment, and activate your core with a hard exhale on every rep. These movements should be core driven.

Now go try it out for yourself!

If your response in the comments is good, we’ll reveal the next exercise. If you REALLY like where we’re going and speak out, we’ll reveal all six, and in the final installment I’ll tell you how to put it together into a training program.

If you would like more inforation about this program; Click Here!

There is a misconception about muscle turning into fat and a lot of people working out to develop a muscular body are sometimes concerned that once they stop their weight lifting program; the muscle will turn to fat.  It will not!  So you need to get that idea completely out of your mind.

The composition of fat and muscle are completely different body tissue.  For fat to turn into muscle would be like turning lead into gold or by turning cheese into a steak.  It just in not going to happen; it is physically impossible!

In order for you to trim your fat and gain muscle; you will need to lose the fat and then build the muscle.  The best way to do this is by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Start eating healthy foods and learn about what proper portion sizes are.  You cannot load up your plates with too much healthy foods; this is almost as bad as eating the wrong foods.  Everything boils down to moderation.

Get a good exercise program that utilizes all the muscles in your body and do a well rounded program of cardiovascular type workouts.

Utilizing the combination of a decent healthy food menu and a well rounded exercise program will do more to get your body into the condition you want than the quick fix diets that are promoted.

Do not waste your time by doing a lot of ab exercises like stomach crunches in order to slim your midsection.  This is can only be done over a period of time by using a well balanced program.

One program that I really recommend is the Turbulence Training Program.  It has several different approaches that will meet your needs no matter what your present condition is.  Take a look and get your free report on Cardio and Fat Loss.  To get the free report Click Here!

This program is designed to shred your core in as little as 12-minutes per day using only bodyweight exercise.

The movements were designed to be done with those little plastic glide discs you’ve seen on TV. But the good news is you don’t need the discs. Socks, RMAX ultimate grappling shoes, and squares of felt all work on hardwood floors. Disposable paper plates work great on carpet. If you’re on a business trip and staying in hotels, tear a page out of one of the free glossy magazines in the desk drawer, or put the plastic laundry bag from the closet on your feet. Anything that will allow your feet to slide on the floor will work.

Movement four is the Surging component: the mountain climber.

Remember, keep your shoulders packed, rotate your elbow pits forward, maintain good crown to coccyx spinal alignment, and activate your core with a hard exhale on every rep. These movements should be core driven.

Now go try it out for yourself!

If your response in the comments is good, we’ll reveal the next exercise. If you REALLY like where we’re going and speak out, we’ll reveal all six, and in the final installment I’ll tell you how to put it together into a training program.

This program is designed to shred your core in as little as 12-minutes per day using only bodyweight exercise.

The movements were designed to be done with those little plastic glide discs you’ve seen on TV. But the good news is you don’t need the discs. Socks, RMAX ultimate grappling shoes, and squares of felt all work on hardwood floors. Disposable paper plates work great on carpet. If you’re on a business trip and staying in hotels, tear a page out of one of the free glossy magazines in the desk drawer, or put the plastic laundry bag from the closet on your feet. Anything that will allow your feet to slide on the floor will work.

Movement three is the Yawing component: the side knee-in.

Remember, keep your shoulders packed, rotate your elbow pits forward, maintain good crown to coccyx spinal alignment, and activate your core with a hard exhale on every rep. These movements should be core driven.

Now go try it out for yourself!

If your response in the comments is good, we’ll reveal the next exercise. If you REALLY like where we’re going and speak out, we’ll reveal all six, and in the final installment I’ll tell you how to put it together into a training program.

For more information Click Here!

This program is designed to shred your core in as little as 12-minutes per day using only bodyweight exercise.

The movements were designed to be done with those little plastic glide discs you’ve seen on TV. But the good news is you don’t need the discs. Socks, RMAX ultimate grappling shoes, and squares of felt all work on hardwood floors. Disposable paper plates work great on carpet. If you’re on a business trip and staying in hotels, tear a page out of one of the free glossy magazines in the desk drawer, or put the plastic laundry bag from the closet on your feet. Anything that will allow your feet to slide on the floor will work.

Movement two is the Pitching component: the V-up.

Remember, keep your shoulders packed, rotate your elbow pits forward, maintain good crown to coccyx spinal alignment, and activate your core with a hard exhale on every rep. These movements should be core driven.

Now go try it out for yourself!

If your response in the comments is good, we’ll reveal the next exercise. If you REALLY like where we’re going and speak out, we’ll reveal all six, and in the final installment I’ll tell you how to put it together into a training program.

If you want to learn more Click Here!

Here is a new program that I find extremely interesting.  I hope that you do too.  The training methods are new and  will be a great addition in your arsenal for weight loss and fitness.

(This article is part one of a seven part series. Be sure to grab each of the installments to assemble your complete 6-Degree CST Bodyweight Glide program...)

While a six-pack stomach may be the most conventional benchmark of athletic beauty, functional abdominal strength goes deeper and is far more important than vanity. A strong core improves your posture and reduces the likelihood of lower back pain. It plays a stabilizing role in virtually every movement you do—from carrying the groceries or bending down to tie your shoes to throwing a ball or pulling a heavy lift. It is also the source of power generation in most athletic activities.

We’re going to build a killer core with bodyweight exercise, in as little as 12-minutes per session.

How?

By training in 6 degrees of freedom.

Training in 6-Degrees of Freedom

What the heck does that mean?

It’s a term we took from aviation, because it most accurately describes how your body moves through space.

We don’t move robotically through one plane at a time. Human movement is a complex weave through different planes and on different axes. If we take the three axes of conventional movement descriptions, we can think about moving both along and around those axes in or-der to take advantage of our true movement potential: 6-degrees of freedom:

• Heaving: moving up and down

• Swaying: moving right and left

• Surging: moving forward and backward

• Pitching: bending forward and backward

• Yawing: twisting right and left

• Rolling: turning right and left

The bottom line?

Training in 6-Degrees of Freedom will kick your ass faster than any other method.

Why does that matter? It means you’ll be finished training sooner. Training in 6-Degrees will also ensure that your body remains balanced. You won’t waste time dealing with overuse injuries, or overcompensations created by doing the same repetitive movements in the same planes day after day.

That’s a brief primer on the theory. Let’s get to the program.

CST Bodyweight Glide Part One

This program is designed to shred your core in as little as 12-minutes per day using only bodyweight exercise.

The movements were designed to be done with those little plastic glide discs you’ve seen on TV. But the good news is you don’t need the discs. Socks, RMAX ultimate grappling shoes, and squares of felt all work on hardwood floors. Disposable paper plates work great on carpet. If you’re on a business trip and staying in hotels, tear a page out of one of the free glossy magazines in the desk drawer, or put the plastic laundry bag from the closet on your feet. Anything that will allow your feet to slide on the floor will work.

Movement one is the Heaving component: the knee in.

Remember, keep your shoulders packed, rotate your elbow pits forward, maintain good crown to coccyx spinal alignment, and activate your core with a hard exhale on every rep. These movements should be core driven.

Now go try it out for yourself!

Want to Learn more? Click Here!

We are always looking for ways to stay fit and keep active but sometimes we overlook ways to stay fit that it makes me wonder why we are not more attentive.  That is the way about truly simple methods of doing things; they are so simple they are always overlooked. 

I observed a system that we should do more often and work it into our program because I believe it works.  The method I am referring is stretching. 

Have you ever watched a cat or a dog when they stretch?  There is so much we can learn from them it is funny!

We have a Rottweiler and a German Sheppard and both dogs a hoot!  Both are in very good shape and are fun to watch but this morning while I was drinking coffee; and as I watched themit occurred to me how muscled they are.  Most of the exercise they get is from running around our back yard; we do not take them for walks as often as we should.

The simple exercises that they do are probably what I should be doing!  The casually stretched every muscle in their bodies and then went and took a nap.  What a life!

Seriously; stretching is something that we need to do because we lose a lot of our flexibility as we get older and this can cause us problems later.

You probably don’t remember but I bet you could put your toes into your mouth when you were a baby.  Can you touch your toes now without bending your knees?  Something we need to work on; I bet!

Think about it!  We need to do more stretching – I will check out some good stretching programs for us to explore!

Holiday time is family time so make sure you take the time to be with your family.  If you cannot be together to share the time then take the time and make a phone call.  Tell each other how much you care.  Share the moment; we will not share this particular moment together again!

If you are lucky enough to be with your loved ones and you haven't been able to do your daily exercise; why not gather up the family and go for a walk around the neighborhood.  Spread the love around the neighborhood.  Get some fresh air!

When you are eating your holiday meal just remember portion sizes.  Drink lots of water to take the edge off that hungry feeling.  Don't pig out on your favorite goodies if you can help it!

If you do over do it.  Do not beat yourself up.  Enjoy the time with your family; your work outs and exercise will certainly wait for you!

Enjoy yourself and have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This dog was born on Christmas Eve in 2002.  He was born with  2  legs - He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him.

                                             
 His first owner also did not think that he could survive and he was thinking of 'putting him to sleep'. But then, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted  to take care of him. She became determined to teach and train this little dog to walk by himself.   She named him 'Faith'. 
  
                                    
In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfboard to let him feel the movement. Later she used peanut  butter on a spoon as a lure and reward for him for standing up and jumping around. Even the other dog at home encouraged him to walk. Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle,   Faith learned to balance on his hind legs and to jump to move forward. After further training in the snow, he could now walk like a human  being.

   Faith loves to walk around now. No matter where he goes, he attracts people to him. He is fast becoming famous on the international scene and has appeared on various newspapers and TV shows. There is now a book entitled 'With a Little Faith' being published about him. He was even considered to appear in one of Harry Potter movies.

              
His present owner Jude Stringfellew has  given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to  preach that even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul'.
                              
In life there are always undesirable things, so in order to feel better you just need to look at life from another direction. I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone will appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day. Faith is the continual demonstration of love and the strength and wonder of life. 

I have a few tips from Craig Ballantyne to help you get through the
holiday season without completely ruining your weight loss program.
Here's Craig's tips:

Hi!

If you want to do the impossible and LOSE fat over the holidays,
then this is going to be the most important fat burning tips article
you ever read.

Losing fat and keeping the weight off over the holidays is easier
than you think. And I'm going to show you exactly what you need to
do to lose fat while enjoying yourself at big meals and parties over
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

There's just 3 simple steps you need to follow.

1) You need to plan out your reward meals in advance.
Remember, it is a big psychological boost to your fat loss program if you can
still enjoy your favorite foods while transforming your body.

So here's what you need to do. Simply grab a calendar and mark off
the days when you have a big meal planned. Don't forget, you get
at least one meal per week when you can have whatever you want.

That means you can mark off Thanksgiving Thursday, and then your
work holiday party, then your family Christmas dinners, and any
other event you have planned. Once per week you get to reward
yourself for doing such a great job with your program. So enjoy!

2)  plan out your fat burning exercises sessions in advance,
So you know exactly what you need to do in order to free up more time for
holiday parties, shopping, and merry-making.

Remember, you don't have to do long, slow, boring cardio if you want
to lose stomach fat. In fact, you have to do just the opposite. You
need to cut your workout time, cut the time you spend at the gym,
and just say NO to cardio and crunches. Both are a waste of your
time - and that's my Christmas gift to you - never having to do
those silly exercises ever again.

Switch to the simple, bodyweight and home fat burning exercises in
the Turbulence Training system. You'll love how you can burn fat in
the comfort of your own home in just a few short minutes each week.

3) Stay strong with social support.
Now more than ever is the time of year when you need to spend time with
your social support group.  Make sure you are still checking in on the Turbulence Training
member's forum to get help and support on sticking to your fat burning plan over the
holidays. You'll get help from others all over the world to lose fat while everyone
else at work gains weight.

So that's all you have to do...just follow that simple 3-step planof reward meals,
planning, and social support, and you'll lose fat over the holidays.

I strongly recommend you get the exact diet and fat burning plan from Turbulence Training
from world=famous fitness expert, Craig Ballantyne.

Plus, with today's special offer, you can try out the Turbulence Training Fat Loss System
for only $4.95 for the next 21 days.

Click this link to try out Turbulence Training today:



To your fat burning success over the holidays,

Wiley

PS - Don't forget...

The Turbulence Training System has a 60-day guarantee. If you
aren't 100% satisfied, just let Craig Ballantyne know and you'll get
every penny back.

We are entering the holiday season and this is a time that is really tough on our exercise and weight loss programs.  The thing is; we need to understand that there are a lot things that we think we know about exercise that might be wrong.

           Working and exercising harder is not the best way to lose the pounds!

           Working and exercising Smarter is the approach that we need to take! 

We need the most effective workouts possible; especially during the Holiday Season!  Face it; we are going to be pressed for time during the next couple of months so we need to make our work out sessions as effective as possible.

          Get your free report from Turbulence Training!  Can't Hurt - It's Free!


                        

Turbulence Training gives a lot of extraordinary information about Interval Intensive Training Workouts that will make your workouts a lot more effective.

Sometimes it is almost impossible to do our work outs during the holiday season because of all the festivities along with our normal work schedule.  If you find yourself in this situation; you should consider incorporating a good walking program into your days.

The U.S. Surgeon General recently recommended that we walk at least 10,000 steps each day for good health.  This recommendation gives us a target to try and reach each day so get yourself some comfortable walking shoes and invest in a good pedometer.

Pedometers can be found in most sporting good shops along with places like Target and Wal-Mart.  The prices range between $10.00 and $50.00 so they are a reasonable investment for your training or weight loss program.

Work walking into your shopping trips.  Make it a practice to park as far away from the entrance to the shopping mall as possible.  This will help in two (2) ways.  First; you will always find more parking spaces on the outskirts of the shopping mall.  The second benefit of parking on the outskirts of the mall is that you have automatically increased the number of walking steps into your shopping trip.

At the end of each day; you can look at your pedometer and see how you did for that day.  If you haven’t hit the target amount of steps, take a stroll around the neighborhood or take a little time to do a short workout.  By knowing how many steps you need to take to hit your target; you know how long that you need to exercise.

The holiday season is great but do not let it completely stop your exercise program.  Get creative and do extra things to get your target number of steps completed each day.

Runners: Train Less and Be Faster

ScienceDaily (Nov. 15, 2009) — In a recent scientific study just published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Bangsbo and co-workers demonstrate that by reducing the volume of training by 25% and introducing the so-called speed endurance training (6-12 30-s sprint runs 3-4 times a week), endurance trained runners can improve not only short-term but also long-term performance.

Thus, the runners improved their 10-km time by 1 min from 37.3 to 36.3 min after just 6-9 weeks of changed training. Six of the participating 12 runners obtained a new personal record on the 10-km, despite having been training for more than 4 years. The most impressive achievement was the one runner who lowered the time with more than 2 minutes from 37.5 til 35.4 min. In addition, performance in a 30-s sprint test and an intense exhaustive run (about 2 minutes) was improved by 7% and 36%, respectively. In agreement, the authors have previously shown that an 85% reduction in training volume can improve short-term performance (see right column).

In association with the improved performance the amount of muscle Na+/K+ pumps was elevated and the rate of accumulation of potassium during exercise was lowered, and it is speculated that this may play a significant role for the increased performance.

 

The Top 5 Reasons Why Most People Can’t Lose That Last
10-20 lbs Of Ugly Belly Fat…

And How YOU Can Lose Yours With Ease And Finally Unveil Your Six Pack!

By John Alvino –
Fat Loss Expert , Master Trainer & Strength and Conditioning Coach

REASON #1. Performing Ab Exercises Such as Crunches, Sit-ups and Leg Raises.
These are among the LEAST effective exercises for getting six pack abs. In fact, most traditional abdominal exercises do your abs more harm than good. In just a second, I'll share with you what types of exercises REALLY work to sculpt your midsection.

REASON #2. Eating “Health” Foods.

Everywhere you look, the diet food industry has literally stocked the shelves with their “low-carb” and “low-fat” diet foods. But these so-called “health foods” are actually nothing more than cleverly marketed junk foods. Many of these supposedly healthy foods actually CAUSE your body to gain even more belly fat…but the industry won’t tell you that fact. Instead, they will continue to lie to you so they can make millions at your expense.

REASON #3.  Doing Cardio Routines.

Cardio is definitely NOT the best way to lose belly fat and reveal your six pack abs. Most people who make this mistake end up hitting plateaus they can never overcome. Below, I'll show you totally unique workouts that will burn 300% more fat than any cardio workout ever could!

REASON #4. Dieting.

That’s right, you heard me! The truth is, 95% of all dieters fail in the long run. If people really knew how to eat properly to lose fat, we would all look great, and diets would cease to exist completely. In just a moment, I’ll show you the nutritional key to effortlessly losing even the most stubborn belly fat.

REASON #5. Using Traditional Weight Training Programs.

Contrary to what most trainers recommend, the majority of weight training exercises do nothing to burn belly fat and sculpt out a six pack. That’s why so many weight-lifters have big muscles and a big belly to go with them! If you really want a fit and trim midsection, read on to learn dozens of unique and effective exercises that will sculpt your abs and your entire body in ways that traditional weight training never could.

Women click here to start trimming up your midsection and getting a flat sexy stomach like hers.

Men click here to start losing your stomach fat and carving out ripped six pack abs like his.

Sylvester Stallone's Ab Workout

It's time to minimize that gut. Mr. Stallone shares his four go-to ab exercises.

By Sylvester Stallone, Fitness Specialist

Page 1: Sly Stallone's workout

In this excerpt from Stallone’s book “ Sly Moves”, Sylvester Stallone shares his best abdominal workout moves in order to help you get a rock-hard six-pack.

Wherever I go, I meet people who want to know how to manage their weight, boost their energy levels and generally get the fires going again in life. It doesn't matter how intelligent or wealthy or famous they are, the questions is always the same: "How can I get in good shape?"

Here are the tried-and-true gym exercises that have kept me going and growing as long as I can remember. I promise you'll see results after a few short weeks. These step-by-step instructions will guide you through the moves and help you avoid certain classic mistakes. I've also included some thoughts on each one.

I realize this might be a little intimidating to you if you're new to weight training. I completely understand. My advice for beginners is to run through these moves for the first time with a fitness trainer or an experienced friend.

sly's ab workout

Floor crunches

The move: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Hold your hands behind your head and roll your upper torso forward as your knees come up toward your elbows. At the top of the crunch, consciously squeeze the abdominal muscles before slowly lowering back for the next crunch. Exhale as you come up, inhale on the way back down.

Sets: 2 sets of 5, 10 or 15; work your way up to 30.

The Sly Report: Crunches are much more effective than regular sit-ups because they specifically target your upper abdominal muscles rather than your hip muscles. If you're not used to them, they can cause soreness a day or two later, but it's a "cool" soreness. “A badge of honor”.

Tip: If floor crunches are too tough in the beginning, start on the gym's crunch machine.

Three more amazing ab moves that helped Sly get into top Rocky shape...

Twisting crunches

The move: Lie on the floor with your hands behind your head, your knees bent, and feet comfortably off the ground. Exhale and curl your upper body forward, rotating your elbow toward the opposite knee.

Sets: 2 sets of 5, 10 or 15; work your way up to 30.

The Sly Report: Fortunately for you, I’m not recommending you get a kid to pound on your stomach while you’re doing them, like I did in those scenes from Rocky II. Twisting crunches target the obliques and upper abdominals, with some secondary benefits for the lower abs. People don’t realize that when they “throw out” their back, it’s often because of weak abs. These muscles are essential for lower-back strength and good posture.

Tip: Resist the temptation to pull on your neck when you’re doing crunches.

Hanging raises

The move: Rest your elbows in the elbow slings or on the support pads (if you’re using the gym’s dip station or hanging chair). Lean back slightly and slowly draw your knees toward your chest as far as possible. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Sets: 2 sets of 10.

The Sly Report: Incredible exercise for your midsection. Doing it early in your routine gets the exercise juices going and charges you up for the tougher work to come.

Tip: I try to lock the knees and roll my stomach up. If you pull in and roll back instead of lifting the legs straight, you will get a lot more out of this exercise.

Broomstick twists

The move: Set an incline bench with ankle supports at a 45º angle. Sit upright on the bench and secure your feet under the supports. Hold a broomstick behind your head and across your shoulders, supported by your outstretched arms. Twist left and right on the axis of the stick, feeling the burn at your core.

Sets: 3 sets of 10.

The Sly Report: This one gave me the best abs of my life. Later, it really helped get me chiseled for Rambo II and Rambo III. I’ve been using this beauty for years. The secret is the combination of incline and twist, which creates unrelenting contractions that shape what trainers now like to call the “core,” a set of muscles that includes the lower back, the glutes, the hip flexors, and the mini-mountain range that runs from the abs to the obliques. A powerful core is a kind of anchor that lets you throw farther, swing harder, reach higher, and perform better, especially as you get older. So go ahead: stick it!

Tip: It’s not a sit-up, so don’t bend forward. This is all about the twist.

Shape up

Remember: I want you to enjoy everything you do in the gym. Have fun with it, expect to make some mistakes, and, above all, prepare to become that person you always wanted to be.

If you haven't heard; there is a potential tool that might help us in our battle to lose those unwanted pounds.  I ran across an article that I thought I could send you way.

A new study has been published by researchers in Germany stating that white tea could be a natural weight loss drink.  Using the extract from white tea, the researchers studied the biological effects and according to the study, they found that white tea extract seemed to inhibit the growth of human fat cells.  They also found that white tea extract stimulates fat to leave mature fat cells.  The researchers conclusion states that white tea extract effectively inhibits the accumulation of fat cells and at the same time stimulates fat burning activity. 

The Germany researchers believe that white tea works better than green and black teams that come from the same plant because it is processed much less.  It also contains natural compounds that impact fat cells. 

According to Wikipedia, “White tea (Camellia sinensis) is the uncured and unoxidized tea leaf.  White tea often contains buds and young tea leaves, which have been found to contain higher levels of caffeine than older leaves, suggesting that the caffeine content of some white teas may be slightly higher than that of green teas”.

Here is a list of some white teas that you might like to try:

• Silver Needle which is the highest grade of white tea and has no stems or leaves.
• White Peony incorporates the bud and two leaves that are covered with a fine, silvery-white down.
• Tribute Eyebrow uses leaves from the small white tea trees.
• Noble, Long life Eyebrow is a fruity tea made from tips and the upper leaf with a stronger flavour than other white teas.
• Ceylon White is a highly prized tea from Sri Lanka and tastes of pine and honey.
• Darjeeling White has a delicate aroma with a mellow taste and a hint of sweetness.
• Assam White from the eastern region of India is very rare.
• African White is usually higher in caffeine with a rich flavour.

How to Brew Your White Tea:

Add around 1-2 teaspoons of white tea to 6 ounces of water.  White tea should be prepared using hot but not boiling water and allowed to steep for two to three minutes.

We have been working hard to get our body in shape.   Some of us have sacrificed a lot of things to lose those extra pounds and here we are at the hardest time of the year to stay on our program.  Do not worry; my friends, we can do it!  Just make the commitment to work out as often as possible; however, get your workout done early in the day because with the holiday season here we never know what the day will bring.

Our home is usually a hubbub of traffic.  Friends and family are coming into town to visit; sometimes for a day or two or even longer.  It is great but it does disrupt our normal regimen and makes it challenging to be faithful to keep my work out program going.

Stay true to yourself.  Find out what is planned for the day on the night before.  If you stay up late visiting; you should set your alarm an hour or so before everybody else plans to get up and moving.  This way you can go for a short walk, short run or do a short cardiovascular workout.

Remember that by using the high intensive interval training workout you can get an intense cardio workout in about twenty (20) to (30) minutes.  If you are lucky; maybe your visiting buddy will want to participate with you.  If not; be selfish and take a few moments for yourself.  Tell everybody that you will return in a short period but you have a commitment that you have to keep and then you are free to spend the rest of the day with your visitors.

We get into trouble if we allow things to interfere with our workout program.  It is easy to let one day go but then we tend to let the next and then the next goes by also.  Before we know it; we have let a several days go by without exercising.

Do little things to make sure you are able to move more.  For example; you should park your car farther away from your destination so you can walk, you should offer to unload packages or luggage from the car for your guests.  Become Mr. Helpful while your guests are in town.  It will make the visit more pleasant for your guests and you will be giving your body many benefits by moving.

Everybody will understand and applaud your efforts if you continue to work out for short periods while they are visiting.  We love our family and friends and want to spend as much time with them as possible but you also need to take time for that special buddy that is always with you.  You!

I found another website that is a good source for giving you exercise tips for weight loss and fitness.  It is www.ShapeFit.com and I recommend that you visit it to get some good ideas for your fitness program.

I am a firm believer in having a food journal and a fitness journal; Shape Fit, has a good tool that can help you keep your records.  It also has a charting site that can track your progress.

This is another tool to use in your quest for weight loss and fitness.  Check them out.

Oh; Yeah, I forgot to mention that the site is free!

Have you seen the Trikke?  If you want to lose weight, get into shape; or just have some fun you should take one of these for a spin!   Click the banner for more information.

                                                    

                           Watch the video to see how you can get a smoking work out.
It is a perfect gift for Christmas.  If you are looking for a new way to get some variety into your exercise fitness program check it out!  For more informaton; click here.



           

The flu season is upon us again and this year we have a more virulent virus that we have to contend with; so we need to take some extreme measures to avoid becoming a victim.   Here are eleven (11) survival tatics that you can take to avoid the H1N1 flu.

1. Become a hermit.  I know that this is impractical; however, we do need to avoid crowds as much as possible.  The flu virus is a tricky little devil.  It can be transmitted by air, body contact or from body fluids from sneezes, coughing or fluid from the mouth.

The virus can be contracted by door handles, shopping carts or even by handling money that was used by somebody that has handled the items.  You should have some non-toxic wipes or hand sanitizer.  Avoid rubbing your eyes when you are out in public.

2.  Get a lot of rest.  It is important to keep your immune system running in high gear so you need to get enough sleep to replenish your body and the immune system.

3. Drink lots of water.   Hydration is extremely important in our normal everyday life.  It becomes even more important when our body is subjected to potential virus attacks.  There have been studies that show when the respiratory system is moist it is able to prevent microbes from settling in the system.

4. Allow ventilation in the house.  Fresh air and ventilation is important so you should crack a window or two to allow the fresh air in because the ventilation will help push any virus germs out the window.

5. Lower the temperature at home.  Warmer temperatures are virus friendly and we do not want to make it comfortable for the virus so lower your temperature by at least 5 degrees.

6. Get a humidifier for the home or at least for the family room and the bedrooms.  You want your respiratory system to stay moist so it is able to trap the virus before it can do any harm.  The trapped virus can be eliminated by blowing your nose or sneezing but it must be contained.

7.  Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.  It is important to stay healthy so you want to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.  They are a natural source for Vitamin C and other nutrients that are essential for fighting disease.

8. You should take a multivitamin for health reasons.  Vitamins are essential for good health; unfortunately, we have a tendency to cut ourselves short so pop a pill or two.  It cannot do any harm and it will definitely help.

9. Exercise to better health.  Exercise should be made a part of your everyday life and it is much more important when you want your immune system to stay running at the maximum.

10. Become a clean freak.  You need to wash your hands often and especially before eating or when you come back to your home after being out among the masses.  As I pointed out in tactic number 1; the virus can be picked up almost anywhere so you need to become almost fanatical about cleanliness.

11. Become stand offish.   There are many people that say we should avoid hand shaking, hugging or kissing.  This may be impractical in some situations but you need to be mindful of the transmission of the virus so make sure you wash your hand before touching your eyes, face or mouth.

I know that I have touched just the surface of tactics that we need to incorporate into our lives if we are to avoid the H1N1 flu but I hope this gets you into a creative mode so you can do whatever is necessary to protect you and your family from becoming a statistic of the H1N1 flu epidemic.