Feed: Lose Unwanted BodyFat - AggScore: 48.3

[ Editor's Note: Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

You know what?

I like "weird."

I've always been a bit on the fringe side of the fence if you know what I mean.

A bit of a rebel.

So were guys like Einstein, Mozart, and Picasso. Not that I'm putting myself into their category of genius by any stretch... but I love their approach to life.

BE BOLD...OR GO HOME.

Makes sense to me. This life it too darn short for anything less than being bold.

That means taking some risks here and there. That means taking action while the others are content to sit on the couch being the same person they were yesterday.

And the day before...

And the month before...

And the year before.

Do you want to live your years like that? Or do you want to dive into life? Be the greatest "you" possible?

Then be a bit of a rebel.

Here's some "rebel tips" for fatloss I think you'll enjoy...

REBEL TIP 1
Flip The Food Pyramid Upside-down

The USDA's Food Pyramid is an utter joke. It's origins stink up the joint, let me tell you.

First, the grain industry was in a pinch when the Food Pyramid was created. And wouldn't you know it... the grain industry increased their "contributions" (read: bribes) to certain politicians to get placement atop the pyramid... or in this case at the very bottom. The "foundation" if you will.

Just think about this for a moment:

The USDA wants you to eat (gasp) MORE starch than vegetables? More bread than fruits, lean meats, and hormone-producing fats?

Are they NUTS??

Yes... they are nuts. (Which, by the way, are no where near the foundation... nuts, that is.)

You'd be better off flipping the sucker upside-down.

That would look like this:

40% of your cals from healthy fats 30% of your cals from protein 30% of your cals from carbs

Roughly, that is.

Sounds... rebellious, right? Well it is.

Too bad I have the science (and the abs) to back it up.

If you want a system laid out for you, then go here:

http://www.everyotherdaydiet.com/go/jag252 <-- click.

REBEL TIP 2
Cardio Is Not Smart-ee-o

At least the way the so-called "experts" want you to do it.

Look: This isn't rocket science. Just walk into any gym...take a look at the folks who only do cardio work for 45-60 minutes every day.

Do they look any different from year to year?

Let me save you some time: NO. They do not.

Cardio (unless you are into endurance sports) is a waste of energy done this way. First, it increases your carbohydrate cravings. For most people that's not a good thing. Why? Because cardio at this pace burns mostly SUGAR, not bodyfat.

What do you want to burn?

Exactly. Bodyfat.

Finally, cardio is no where near as efficient as resistance training at dissolving bodyfat... and certainly not even CLOSE to resistance training when it comes to shaping lean muscle and getting the look all these cardio bunnies are after.

Now, I 'do' have a rebel cardio trick... and it takes 9-15 minutes 2-3 times a week to perform.

That's it. And you get ALL the benefits heart-wise of long-session cardio.

Combine that with some brisk walking and my overall fitness plan and presto: No more bodyfat.

Here's what is cool: I put my new in-home version of this resistance-based workout online for a few days at a major discount... but it's only for people who pick up this:

Unusual and Effective Fat Loss Methods<-- click.

This is completely illustrated with photos too... and you do not need anything but resistance bands and perhaps some cheap dumbbells to do this in-home. Or you can use the gym-based workouts (included with videos.)

Train like this just 3-5 days a week and you can kiss long, boring cardio goodbye.

REBEL TIP 3
Do Not Overwork Your Abs

Here's a mistake I see most people make in the gym: They do endless sets of crunches, leg raises, and (gasp again) sit-ups... all geared toward seeing those toned abs they want.

Guess what?

Waste of time.

In fact, it's worse than that... it can literally shut down your recovery ability. You'll slow your progress in the gym (or at home)... and your fat-burning too.

And you may give up your plan entirely because of it.

Here's the brutal truth: Ab 'muscles' are easy to build. It only takes about 3 minutes 2-3 times a week... that's it.

( Note: I included my "3 Minute Abs" in the fitness book I just told you about... it's only for those who get EODD though... )

The muscles are not what make your stomach flatter... it's the nutrition plan folks.

You're just building muscle underneath layers of bodyfat... not good.

I do very little direct ab training. When I do it's usually 3-5 minutes tops 2 days a week. And my abs are... well... good. : )

I rely on resistance training and my special "favorite foods dietplan" to get and stay lean.

So be a rebel.

Thumb your nose at the establishment and step out on your own.

Trust me: You'll be a leader in every sense of the word if you do.

Fat Loss Rebellion<-- click.

Fat Burning Exercise Workout Flatten Your Abs


Discover here the fast track workout for fat burning(without doing marathon aerobic workouts). Imagine looking in the mirror in a few short weeks and you have not only lost__?__lbs of fat(fill in the blank) but you now have that six pack abs look!

Most of us tend to store fat, at least partially, in our abdominal area. This is one of the most stubborn places to lose fat from. But in trying to flatten your abs have you taken the best and fastest approach?

Are you using total body fat burning exercises? Yeah I didn't think so.


Rule#1 If you wnat to flatten your abs, firm your butt, gain lean muscle, whatever, the most effective and efficient way is with total body fat burning exercises! Hands down.

What I am going to share with you here is not only the fast track approach to fat burning and to flatten your abs, but how to shape and tone your entire body.

Here are 3 total body fat burning exercises you can easily do at home to help flatten your abs and burn fat fast.

1) Mountain Climbers

Start in push-up position. Brace your abs bring on knee towards your chest. Return the knee to the starting position and repeat for the other knee. Do this in a swift tempo as though you are running.

2) Burpees

Stand up in a normal position. squat down. Put your hands on the floor and throw your feet back so you are in the push-up position. Do a push-up(if your conditioning allows) return to starting position. Yeah you got it the old squat thrust from high school.

3) Kettlebell Swing (No kettlebell? Get one or use a dumbbell)

Stand up straight with your feet just slightly wider than your shoulders while holding one kettlebell(we are doing a two handed kettlebell swing). Flex at the hips as you swing the kettlebell between your legs. Then quickly and explosively flex your butt and swing the kettlebell up to chest level. Perform the kettlebell swing for about 10 reps.

After you have finished with the kettlebell Swing, rest for about 20 to 30 seconds. Then start again and do the whole fat burning circuit as many times as you can in 15 minutes.

Do this circuit of total body fat burning exercises 2-3 times a week. On off days from your weight training workouts. You are weight training aren't you? No! Start!

Make this a regular workout and in a short amount of time(along with a healthy eating plan) and that six pack abs look will be yours.

Remember total body fat burning exercises like I have just showed you are the fast track to get that six pack abs look.

Go to my web site How To Get That Six Pack Abs Look to get more workouts, healthy eating tips and all the info you need to burn up to 2 pounds of fat a week.

5 Surprising Things To Lose body Fat and Get Leaner

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Want to have less body fat and be leaner?

Good Morning I got this from Jon benson and thought you would enjoy and learn alot about nutrition to get rid of that extra body fat.

Good deal... here's 5 tips that will help you along...

TIP 1 "Ditch The Starch"

Starches, such as rice, potatoes, some veggies, oats, etc. are
often considered "health foods."

While they can be healthy, they can also pack on stomach bodyfat
like crazy if you overdo them.

As you may know, my "Every Other Day Diet" System (EODD) actually
encourages you to eat starches and even sweets several days a week
to get rid of excess weight and body fat:

My Food-Friendly Dietplan <-- click.

( Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your
body fat goals. )

Well... how does THAT work?

Simple: Timing is everything.

And we take a "weekly" approach to foods rather than a daily
approach. This keeps your metabolism guessing. If your body cannot
figure out what you're up to, fat burning is that much more
powerful. And you can get by with eating starches... at least a
specific times on specific days.

But if you're not going to do EODD, then you'll have to wing it.
And the best way to wing it is to simply cut starches out entirely
for 4-8 weeks. Then slowly add them back a few days per week.

This is no where near as effective (or as fun) as the Every Other Day Diet method,
but it will get you pointed in the right direction.

TIP 2 "Can The Sodas"

This one is really hard for me. I've been hooked on diet-soda on
and off for years. When I go to get into top shape (like I am now)
I have to get rid of the diet-sodas... yes, DIET-sodas. Need I say
"real" sodas too? They are loaded with sugar.

Why diet-sodas? A recent study revealed that people who drank
diet-sodas actually increased body fat when compared to those who
drank sugar-sodas. What the... ??

Yep. Your body cannot be fooled by aspartame and chemicals. Sorry,
but that's the truth.

Here's a personal story: When I cut out the diet-sodas my body fat
drops like a rock in a pond of clear water.

And that's what you need to be drinking: A quart of pure water per
50 lbs of bodyweight a day.

I mix it with lemon and a bit of Stevia (an herbal sweetener) and
make lemonade. It's wonderful!

TIP 3 "Stay Hungry"

Arnold's first movie was "Stay Hungry" (well, after "Pumping Iron"
that is). You cannot rest on your butt and stay hungry. You cannot
think you've "arrived" and stay hungry.

It takes a special person to be hungry... and an even greater one
to stay that way.

I want you to stay hungry in two ways: In how you workout and
literally... stay a bit hungry before you go to bed. Not
"starving"... just a bit hungry.

For your workouts, I have a great solution. If you pick up Every Other Day Diet
you'll get a limited shot at "7 Minute Body"... my combination of
"7 Minute Muscle" and "The 7 Minute In-Home Workout" in one book...
and for more than half off... but that's a very limited deal. Gotta
have EODD... you'll need them both...

My Food-Friendly Dietplan <-- click.

( Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your
bodyweight goals. )

You see, progression -- "forced" progression -- is the best way to
stay hungry. 7 Minute Body forces you to progress without thinking
about it. Progression is built into the System.

As far as staying hungry at night? Check with your doctor and if
he/she okays it take 500mg of potassium and 1000mg of
magnesium/calcium a few hours prior to bed. This helps with the
hunger pangs. Also, keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. If you get
really hungry, eat one with half the yolk (toss the other half.) It
keeps me full for an hour at least.

TIP 4 "Cardio Clarity"

Hours and hours of cardio a day is not the answer. However, you can
do "light" cardio (i.e. brisk walking, or riding the bike at 60% of
your max) just to burn off calories and extra body fat. That's okay... and personally
I don't find it that boring if I'm watching a TV show. It does not interfere with my main fatloss exercise (weight training... YES!) and it burns off about 400 calories an hour.

What does work is early morning fasting cardio... but you only need 9-15 minutes. I explain the GXP Protocol (Modified) in the 7 Minute Body book, available only if you pick up EODD, and you can get it at more than half off:

My Food-Friendly Dietplan <-- click.

( Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your
bodyweight goals. )

TIP 5 "Get Raw At Night"

Raw veggies with your last meal and as a snack will really help your fatburning along. I started with red peppers because they're sweet. Now I eat virtually every veggie raw at night without thinking about it. Give this a shot. The fatloss is well worth it.

Yours in Fitness,

J O N B E N S O N

Lose Unwanted Body Fat- Men Vs Women


Men and women both have a hard time trying to lose body fat, but for different reasons. Let's identify the top 5 reasons why it's hard for men and women to lose body fat, and look at the 3 proven diet and exercise techniques to lose excess body fat in the shortest amount of time.

Here are 5 reasons men and women struggle with body fat, and the 3 essential techniques everyone must follow in order to burn fat and boost their metabolism.

#1) The number one reason men and women have a hard time losing excess body fat is because of poor nutrition.

Advantage: Women

Most women are better educated on food choices, but men continue to eat as if they were still playing college football. As a result, men will have a harder time losing weight because no matter how much they exercise, they are still eating too many calories. You can't "out-train a bad diet".

#2) The second reason men and women struggle with excess body fat is because their metabolism decreases over time due to muscle loss and reduced activity.

Advantage: Men

Most men have more muscle mass and get more exercise than women. Plus, more men do strength training while women neglect this key element of the fat burning equation. In fact, a recent study showed that both men and women can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time with strength training - even at age 60!

Without strenght training and interval training, women will continue to burn fewer calories per day with each passing year and will have a harder and harder time with excess body fat.

#3) Men and women will struggle with weight loss if they only rely on slow, boring cardio.

Advantage: Men

More men do interval training, and that is better than slow cardio for fat loss.

In a recent study, men and women on a year-long cardio program lost only 6-8 pounds, even though they exercised 6 days per week. In another study, a group of women did not lose weight after 15 weeks of cardio (3x's per week). In contrast, a group of women in the same study that did interval training were able to lose belly fat.

#4) Men and women have a hard time with weight loss if they don't have social support.

Advantage: Women

Most men try to do everything on their own, but weight loss is easier if you have social support. On the other hand, most women are more willing to recruit help from friends and family when on a weight loss program. Men and women can get social support from friends at work, from their family, from people at the gym, or even in an online fat loss forum.

#5) Men and women struggle with weight loss because of poor execise choices.

Advantage: Tie.

Most guys and gals just show up at the gym without a plan - or they just go for a jog and do some crunches. But without a professional plan, both men and women will not lose weight, but only waste time.

To lose the most amount of body fat in the least amount of time, both men and women should follow a program containing the following three essential elements...

A) A reduced-calorie diet of whole, natural foods.

No one needs an extreme eating plan. Just focus on eating 10-20% fewer calories than you need, focusing on vegetables, fruits, nuts, and sources of protein and healthy fats. Stay away from anything in a bag or a box.

B) Resistance training (Strength training)

Resistance training, using dumbells, bodyweight exercises, or barbells help men and women burn fat and build muscle.

C) Interval training

Short bursts of exercise, as done in interval training, work better than slow, boring cardio, and get results in half the time.

3 Vegetables That Fight Stomach Fat

I got this email from my buddy Mike Geary I thought you would find it interesting. If you want to burn off that excess body fat where do you start? Nutrition!! Check out what Mike has to say you might learn something new. I know whe Mike talks about nutrition and exercise I listen.

I bet you didn't know that there is a specific class of vegetables that contain very specific phytonutrients that actually help to fight against abdominal fat.

Let me explain what they are and why...

First of all, if you've already grabbed a copy of the new Fat Burning Kitchen Program then you may already know about how certain chemicals in our food supply and our environment, such as pesticides, herbicides, and certain petrochemicals from household cleaners, cosmetics, etc can act as xenoestrogens.

Xenoestrogens are chemicals that you are exposed to that have an estrogenic effect and excess exposure can cause hormone balance disruptions for both men and women. So these can wreak havoc in the body for both guys and gals.

These estrogenic chemicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis can stimulate your body to store belly fat, along with many other problems.

So here's where this specific class of vegetables comes in handy...

One of those cool tricks that I teach in my Fat Burning Kitchen program is that cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, etc. contain specific and unique phytonutrients such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that help to fight against these estrogenic compounds...

And by fighting against these belly fat stimulating estrogenic chemicals, this can help you fight against abdominal fat!

So there you go... just another excuse to do what mom always told you and eat more broccoli!

I've really learned to like brussells sprouts in the last year too... Melt a little grass-fed cheese on them and some garlic and they're great!

In case you haven't picked up your copy yet, I give away at least 12 other specific foods, teas, spices, etc that help to combat the xenoestrogens and can help you to burn abdominal fat faster in my new program...

make sure to grab your copy before the price doubles tomorrow:

Fat Burning Kitchen

Pass this email onto your friends... I bet you'll shock them with this article about xenoestrogens and how broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts can help to fight the battle against abdominal fat.

Enjoy!

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer

It was 3a.m. I was working late, when a call came into the office. Mrs Joan Saggy Butt was frantic "you have to help me" she screamed into the phone. After getting her to calm down she explained what happened. Her body fat was missing. It was a call that I didn't want to get.

Once Mrs. Saggy Butt calmed down some she explained someone has stolen her excess body fat. I've been dreading this call. Until lately here in Excess Body Fat, USA we pride ourselves on our saggy arm fat, big butts and thunder thighs. But we have started getting calls like this at an alarming rate. And I know what the answer is the terror we have tried to keep out of our town.

He who shall not be named

As Mrs. Saggy Butt talked I was pretty much oblivious to her words instead chosing to fixate on my half eaten jelly donut. Then regaining my concentration I heard Mrs. Saggy Butt say it was unreal how fast "he who shall not be named works". She rambled on about in 20 minutes her love handles disappeared, her saggy arm fat was shrinking "and my Butt" is so firm you can bounce a quarter on it. I thought she's bats.

It was now as plain as the rolls of fat around my stomach. Mrs. Saggy Butt was taken in by the Dark Side. It is a growing culture all over the country that was now hitting here in my home town. But I wondered how can these people be taken in by this. The benefits of having excess body fat are so plentiful.

Isn't having excess body fat a beautiful site not to mention being incredibly sexy? And Heart disease oh wow what having that body fat does for putting added pressure on your heart. well I'm sure your well aware of all the benefits. So what the heck are these people thinking?

It is becoming very disturbing these lean, trim athletic looking physiques starting to creep into my town. But what can I do? He who shall not be named has been very elusive. So I asked Mrs. Saggy Butt to explain what happened she was still pretty panicky at this point not believing the dramatic changes to not only her body but her health.

What I got out of her ramblings was that "he who shall not be named" came into her home 3 times a week for she thinks only 20 minute intervals and in what seems like no time at all her body was completely changing. She was experiencing high energy levels, low body fat, her thighs weren't rubbing together anymore and her butt wasn't dragging on the ground. This was frightening.

The Dark Side is here and it's real. People losing their excess body fat, getting healthier, having a firm butt, slender thighs and tight abs and all in 20 minute intervals 3 times a week. How do I fight such EVIL!!

After hanging up the with Mrs. Saggy Butt I returned to my jelly donut to contemplate my next move. Someone needed to stop this mass loss of excess body fat , the move to a (ugh I can't say it) healthier life style. But for now My couch was calling me and another box of donuts was just delivered.

As I looked at my new box of donuts (trying to decide which to have first bavarian cream or glazed) I thought about why anyone would invade my peaceful, slow moving town to steal body fat and why would anyone here be taken in by "He Who Is Not Named" and want to live (it really makes me ill to say it) a healthier lifestyle.

Well I can think about it tomorrow. I have donuts to eat and TV to watch.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Gagliano

If it's fat loss, getting that six pack abs look and losing your unwanted body fat It isn't just about your workouts. There is an old adage in bodybuilding circles(forgive me if I have told you this before but it is that important.

" You Can't Out Train A Lousy Diet "

Personally, I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks per day, focusing on fruits
and vegetables, nuts, and protein (although a lot less protein than
I used to eat 7 or 8 years ago. I also eat fewer modified carbs than
I did even 2 years ago. More on that in a minute.

Listen, diet will play a huge part in helping you burn belly fat,
flatten your stomach, and get six pack abs. So it doesn't matter if
you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced, here are FIVE
fantastic nutrition rules for your abs diet today.

1) Reduce your modified carbohyrate intake. You've heard of
processed carbs before, but I want to introduce you to modified
carbs.

This is my definition for anything that is not eaten in its original
form. So reduce breads, pasta, breakfast cereal, muffins, granola
bars, and of course, any other food in a bag or a box.

When I cut out modified carbs, I lost another 1% body fat, had more
mental energy, and did not feel sleepy after meals.

I say, "Stick to fruits, vegetables, and raw nuts for carbs."

2) Eliminate bad fats, increase good fats. Eating even 1 gram of
trans fats per day could harm your heart. One of the few supplements
I use is fish oil (that I like to call, "fish juice" - ewww!). Some
folks say fish oil helps burn fat, but I don't believe it...however,
it is great for heart health.

3) Eat more protein, but not an excessive amount. Bodybuilders
recommend 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, BUT that is
TOO MUCH if you are overweight.

Women need about 100 grams of protein, men need about 150 grams,
unless a guy literally has over 200 pounds of lean mass. Not too
many guys do, however.

4) Add more fiber to your diet by eating more fruits, vegetables,
and raw nuts.

5) Stick to your nutrition plan 90% of the time using Dr. Berardi's
90% Compliance guidelines.

How does this work?

Well, let's say you are on a 2000 calorie per day diet. To hit 90%
compliance, that means 1800 calories must come from fruits, veggies,
nuts, and protein, leaving you 200 calories "to play with".

You can either have a 200 calorie treat each day, or save up 200
calories for 3-4 days straight and have a 600-800 calorie reward
meal every 3-4 days.

Make sense? Sounds simple. Just be consistent with those 5 rules.

Plan ahead to avoid all of the obstacles life likes to throw in
your way. And if you need help, just ask on the TT Member's forum.

If you want more help with this type of nutrition, including meal
plans for men and women, go to:

=> http://www.squidoo.com/yourdietsolution

Eat this way if you are ready for maximum energy, vitality, and fat
burning

Talk to you soon Jag252

Smart Cardio For Strength, Mass, And Fat Loss…

By Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSS
Director, Staley Training Systems

If you’re a typical guy who loves to lift big weights, but considers anything over 3 reps to be "endurance" training, you might not be interested in this article. However, if you can bench press a Buick but get winded when you bend down to tie your shoes, maybe I have an audience.

Look, we all do what we LIKE to do, but only the most successful among us find a way to also do what we NEED to do. If you think you’re in the latter category, listen up. I’ve got a quiver full of fun, challenging, cardio workouts that help you lose fat without losing strength or muscle.


Why You Need Cardio
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that cardio will turn you into a wispy, estrogen-soaked shadow of your former self - too many guys use this mindset as an excuse to avoid what they know they should be doing. In fact, the benefits of smart cardio training are too numerous to ignore. They include:


Cardiovascular Health: This might not sound so exciting, but believe me, a heart attack or stroke won’t help you lift bigger weights, will it? Good health is the foundation of everything else, including your weight workouts.

Think back to the parable of the farmer who discovered a goose who laid golden eggs - after a while, the farmer lost patience, and killed the goose to get all of the eggs all at once. Of course, when he opened the goose, there were no eggs inside. Don’t kill the goose (your health) that lays golden eggs (a lifetime of productive workouts).


Fat Loss: If I still haven’t convinced you by using the health argument, then this benefit should catch your attention. While it’s POSSIBLE to get super lean by lifting alone, it’s a lot easier if you add a cardiovascular component to your program.

Cardio workouts create a greater energy deficit, elevate metabolism, and initiate the secretion of important fat-mobilizing hormones. Don’t worry, you won’t lose muscle or strength, if you follow my suggestions in this article.


Active Recovery: We’ve known for a long time that ANY form of "contrasting" stress promotes a faster recovery from your primary training activity. For guys who primarily lift weights, that means cardio. Now if you’ve tried this approach before and it didn’t work, it’s almost certainly because you failed to carefully integrate the cardio into your existing program. More on that later.


Injury Prevention: Cardiovascular exercise mobilizes joints, increases blood flow to various tissues, and generally improves overall functioning. Really. Just trust me.


Everyday Function: I hate to be the one to clue you into this, but there are some very important everyday functions that require more than the ability to exert maximum force for 1-2 seconds. Things like walking across the street, playing with your kids, taking a shower, stuff like that.

Now, you might not have terrible endurance capacity now, but after a few decades of cardio avoidance, you will. So don’t even go there - you really CAN have it all - impressive muscularity, scary levels of maximum strength, and a healthy heart to boot. Follow along...

Four Principles Of Effective Cardio Training
Before I introduce you to my favorite cardio tricks, I’d like to share a few general principles that will make your cardiovascular sessions a lot more fun and rewarding:


1) Variation Prevents Injury, Boredom, and Dropout:
Here’s a little analogy that I use with my athletes: unfurl a paper clip into a straight piece of wire, and then start bending it back and forth, eventually you’ll break it. Think of your body that way.

There’s no need to use a single activity (such as running or biking) for your cardio workouts. After all, your heart, lungs, and circulatory system don’t know what exercise activity is taking place - but your joints sure do. If you use running for all your cardio workouts for example, your knees and feet take a heavy beating. But if you distribute the workout among 2-3 activities, such as running, swimming, and cycling, you’ll be less prone to overuse injury, and you’ll have more fun to boot.


2) Quality Before Quantity:
We all pay lip service to this principle, but how few of us actually employ it! Make sure your exercise technique is consistent at all times, no matter what. Know your best times for the various distances you cover and then, in your workouts, always stay close to those times. Finally, a quality performance is a pain-free performance. If you’re experiencing elbow pain during a swim for example, change gears until you determine what’s wrong.


3) Challenge Yourself And Have Fun:
I have a neighbor who’s simultaneously fascinated and disturbed by my devotion to physical training. He’ll often walk past my garage while I’m lifting and exclaim “Better you than me” or words to that effect. I always respond that I only train because I love it.

Look - if you can’t find some fun in your training, you’ll never last. So if you hate cardio, you’ll need to play some games with yourself to get in the mood. I think the best way to accomplish this is to challenge yourself. Keep a detailed training journal and record your PR’s for everything you do. This adds purpose and excitement to your training.


4) No Fuss Gets The Job Done:
I think the reason that a lot of people find exercise so tedious is because of all the pre-workout preparations - getting dressed in your “workout gear,” waiting for the perfect weather conditions, and taking your pre-workout supplements, just to name a few.

Try to adopt a “no preparation” attitude toward training. Don’t worry what your hair looks like, if it’s raining out, if you’ve got your running shorts on, or if you’ll be sweaty while you’re at the grocery store afterwards.

People often tell me that they dread the thought of doing cardio, but once they’re doing it, it’s not so bad. If you can relate, try to minimize the pre-workout gyrations. Just get out and do it.


Lose The Fat, Keep The Muscle: My Favorite Cardio Training Methods.

The following 8 training methods have a few things in common: They’re efficient, fun, challenging, time-efficient, practical, and most of all, they deliver.


1) Out & Back:
This is both a training method and an assessment tool, especially for beginners or lifters who haven’t done any cardio in a while. The idea is to cover a measured distance (you can run, bike, swim, skate, or whatever form of locomotion you happen to like) such that the “return” trip is performed in the same time (or less) than the “out” trip.

Let’s say you decide you’re going to go out for a jog for example. Your goal is to jog to a nearby park and then turn around and come back. With the out and back method, your goal is to establish a pace that enables you to complete your return trip in the same time as your out trip. If the return trip takes longer than the out trip, it indicates that you’re fatiguing faster than you should be - in other words, you’re running beyond your current abilities.

You can even use the out and back method with cardio machines in your gym - if, for example, you plan to use the elliptical trainer for 20 minutes, notice how much work you do in the first 10 minutes (usually this will be displayed as distance, or, alternatively, in watts). Then strive to equal or surpass this workload in the remaining 10 minutes.


2) Timed Miles:
If you haven’t done any running in a while, you might be surprised at how much you suck at it. In fact, if you go out and try to run one mile, chance are you won’t be able to finish at all. So don’t even try. Instead, measure a one mile course (maybe 1/2 mile out, and 1/2 mile back), and go out and cover that course, through a combination of walking, running, jogging, whatever.

The main thing is to record your time, no matter how bad it might be. Then, the next time you go out, simply beat that time. And you will. Gradually, workout by workout, you’ll be running more and walking less. And you’ll experience a steady stream of PR’s to keep your motivation flying.


3) 400’s:
400’s are one of the best fat-loss workouts you can ever do - just look at the physiques of top 400-meter sprinters if you still need convincing! Get on out to your local high school track (if it’s close to home, walk instead of drive - that’ll be your warm-up). Once around is 400 meters.

The current men’s World record is less than 44 seconds, which will soon strike you as un-Godly as you try your hand at this simple but punitive track & field event! So first time out, go VERY easy for the first 200 meters, and then pick up the pace for the final kick if you still have anything left in the tank.

Record your time. After about 4-5 minutes rest, run one more and try to beat your PR. That’s it for the first workout. You can run 400’s about twice a week, but start small and increase your reps very gradually. After several months, you’ll find you can do maybe 5 repeats per workout.


4) Hills:
Running hills is a fun but intense cardiovascular workout with important strength-enhancing benefits to boot. Best of all, the inclined surface minimizes impact and spares your joints.

Find a moderate slope that tapes you about 10-20 seconds to climb at maximum effort. First time out, limit yourself to 3-5 reps. Gradually increase to 10-12 reps after several weeks. And of course, time every sprint and always seek to beat your PR’s!


5) Tabata Protocol:
Recently, Dr. Tabata in Japan conducted a study in which he investigated the benefits of high intensity anaerobic exercise. Tabata discovered that a protocol consisting of 20 seconds of all-out cycling followed by 10 seconds of moderate cycling for a total of four minutes (8 repeats) was just as effective as forty-five minutes of aerobic exercise.

Interestingly, and perhaps surprisingly to some, the Tabata Protocol increases aerobic fitness in addition to its anaerobic benefits. This finding is consistent with my "ladder" paradigm that states that higher intensity training develops a wider spectrum of fitness benefits than lower-intensity exercise.

Clearly, the hallmark of this method is it’s time-efficiency, but there is a price to pay in pain and sweat - choose your poison!


6) Dot Drill:
I realize that most weight-trainers think they own the market on pain-tolerance, but the dot drill makes 20-rep squats look like a trip to Baskin Robbins by comparison. Particularly insidious is the fact that, unlike resistance training, repeated exposures to the dots will not make subsequent exposures any easier.

First conceived by basketball coach Adolph Rupp in the 1940’s, and then later popularized by Bigger Faster Stronger Inc. a few decades later, the dot drill is both a remarkable agility, foot strength, and anaerobic conditioning exercise, as well as a superb and easy-to-administer testing tool.

It is unique in that it creates not only a high level of fatigue, but also a high quality of fatigue- fighters in particular will be able to relate to the feeling of panic that ensues when your heart rate soars to about 120% of age-predicted maximum.

The dot drill is a battery of 5 separate drills, performed in rapid succession, with each drill performed six times in a row before proceeding to the next drill (please refer to the diagram as you read the description).

Dot Drill Schematic

D E

C

A B


The dot drill features (5), five-inch diameter dots orientated in a pattern similar to the five dots on a pair of dice, expect that the “square” is three feet by two feet. Use a solid surface such as weight room matting, and tie your shoelaces. Tight.

Begin the drill as follows:

1) First drill: Starting position: your left foot is on “A” and your right foot on “B.” Hop forward and touch “C” with both feet simultaneously, then continue forward so that your left foot lands on “D” at the same instant your right foot lands on “E.” (a total of 2 hops). Now go back to the starting position by reversing what you just did (hopping backward). That’s one rep. Repeat for a total of six reps.

2) Second drill: From the starting position, lift your left foot in the air and with right foot only, hop to “C,” “E,” “D,” “C,” “A,” and back to “B.” That’s one rep. Repeat for a total of six reps.

3) Third drill: Repeat the last drill but using the left foot only (hop to “C,” “E,” “D,” “C,” “A,” and back to “B.”) That’s one rep. Repeat for a total of six reps.

4) Fourth drill: Repeat the last drill but using both feet, keeping the feet together- this looks somewhat like a skiing drill. Repeat for a total of six reps.

5) Fifth drill: This is very similar to drill number one, with a slight variation: When you reach the top of the pattern (left foot on “D” and your right foot on “E.”), instead of hopping backward to get back to the starting position, you instead jump-spin and land on the same two dots (only now your left foot will be on “E” and your right foot on “D.”), facing the opposite direction. Then hop forward and touch “C” with both feet simultaneously, then continue forward so that your left foot lands on “B” and your right foot on “A.” Lastly, jump-spin again to assume the starting position. That’s one rep. Repeat for a total of six reps.

Errors: Subtract .10 seconds for every missed dot from the total time.

Once you’ve done the drill a few times, you’ll notice that you can’t help but be competitive once you start. Even if you don’t feel terribly motivated, you’ll bust a gut trying to get a good time. Or maybe it’s just that you want to get it over with. Either way, the dot drill brings out your best (and I’m not referring to your last meal).

Implementing the Dot Drill
The five dots of death (as my athletes refer to it) can be used as a warm-up for a strength training session (one drill will bring your heart rate to 100% and will get you sweating big-time), as anaerobic conditioning, and/or as a fantastic foot and calf strengthening tool. One precaution however: I suggest never doing more than 4 repetitions of the dot drill on any given day, and not more than 12 dot drills on any given week.

Dot Drill Standards
OK, you’ve done the dot drill a handful of times and you think you’re a stud (or studette) because you finally broke the two minute barrier? According to Bigger Faster Stronger, you’ll need to break the 60 second barrier to be considered fast.


7) Tethered Pool Sprints:
I live in Phoenix and hot weather is fast approaching. It often becomes tedious to get out there for sprints when the temperature is well over 100 degrees. If you’ve got a pool, and it’s never occurred to you that you can use it for exercise because it’s too small, try this: call around to some pool supply and/or diving shops and find an elastic cord with a nylon waist-belt. You attach the band to one side of the pool, and attach the band to your waist.

Attach the band in such a way that you can just barely reach the other side of the pool through an all-out sprint. Once you touch the other end, relax as the band pulls you back. Then repeat for the desired numbers of reps. This is a brutally tough and effective form of anaerobic exercise that delivers the fat loss goods in spades.


8) Fast High Repetition Overhead Lifting:
I’ve added this last option for those of you who still have a hard time stomaching any "non-lifting" form of cardio. In this case we’re talking about various forms of snatches - a fast lift where the weight is "snatched" to an overhead position.

Of course, the snatch is one of the two Olympic lifting events, but there are several one-arm variants as well, including the one-arm dumbbell snatch, the kettlebell snatch, and the one-arm barbell snatch. All of these lifts create high levels of cardio-respiratory fatigue, in addition to the obvious speed strength and shoulder-function benefits. On top of that, snatches are actually fun!


Integrating Cardio With Weights
One final note - as you begin to initiate some of these cardio workouts, realize that you’re significantly increasing the demands on your body. I strongly suggest cutting back on the volume of your weight training exercises to make way for these new workouts.

The simplest way to do this is to cut your sets in halfó in other words, if you normally do 4 sets of 8, cut it back to 2 sets of 8 - at least for the first few months. You’ll find that this approach will allow you to maintain both your strength and orthopedic health as you begin to address your cardiovascular fitness needs.

Following the suggestions I’ve presented here, you’ll enjoy the health and fat loss benefits of a cardiovascular exercise program, and, who knows, you might even become a “former” cardio hater.


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About The Author

Charles Staley...world-class strength/performance coach...his colleagues call him an iconoclast, a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients call him “The Secret Weapon” for his ability to see what other coaches miss. Charles calls himself a “geek” who struggled in Phys Ed throughout school. Whatever you call him, Charles’ methods are ahead of their time and quickly produce serious results.

Click here to visit Charles' site and grab your 5 FREE Videos that will show you how to literally FORCE your body to build muscle, lose fat and gain strength with "Escalating Density Training," Charles' revolutionary, time-saving approach to lifting that focuses on performance NOT pain.

http://www.staleytraining.com/ecm8/ezGaffurl.php?offer=nic1nac2&pid=1

I've a barbell circuit workout for you today. fat loss or building muscle circuit workouts are great. Efficient and very effective.

For fat loss cut down on your rest time. To build muscle take a little extra rest break.



Check out Weight Loss Fitness and Bodybuilding for more muscle building and fat loss workouts.

Are you an emotional eater?

Emotions can be deadly.

At least when it comes to eating.

And the VAST majority of us are "emotional eaters." And that leads to excess bodyfat.

We eat when we are stressed-out.

We eat when we are overly happy.

We eat when we are depressed.

And when you eat like this you can kiss your fatloss goodbye.

There's a 4-minute video that I want you to watch today.

It is touching, funny, and very powerful all at the same time.

And it will help you come to terms with emotional eating.

Go here --

--- > click-here: Emotional Eating

P.S. This is a very unique video. I know you will love it.

And I KNOW you will benefit from it.

Please share this with others too.

--- > click-here: Emotional Eating

Being Overweight and The Swine Flu

Well, it is happening:

Swine flu is beginning to really take hold.

Not just in the United States, but all over the world.

But that's not the scary part...

... the scary part is the fact that being obese OR overweight has now been directly linked to DYING from the swine flu.

My friend Jon Benson put together a 5-minute video that documents these findings.

This is freee for you to view -- and you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Go here --

Being Overweight and The Swine Flu <--- click.to.watch

Folks, we have to get a grip on this.

And believe it or not, it starts in your kitchen.

Watch the video to find out what to do.

Thanks.

Subject: "Free Fatloss Course and Book!"

Wow.

This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time.

Fitness pro Jon Benson released a bombshell last week on the fat-burning world.

He is giving away a book's worth of material in his free 7-Day Personal Fat Loss Certification Course.

Freee... and get this: Anyone who completes the course gets his book "The Radical Fatloss Blueprint" freee as well.

So there's nothing to buy at all... in fact you get tons of freee stuff AND you can even earn bucks in the program.

It's just too cool for words.

So go see it for yourself:

Free fatloss Course and book

Here is a short review:

The Course is for anyone who wants to become their own "personal" fatloss expert. It is complete with a quiz each day and more material than most people sell in a book... and it's totally freee.

After the course, you get his "Radical Fatloss Blueprint" freee too. This is all about how he and a group of "guinea pigs" experimented with natural techniques and got up to 21 lbs of unwanted bodyfat off in just 21 days.

The average was 17.5, but some people got as much as 30 lbs off.

All with little to no muscle lost.

It then outlines the 'exact' workout and supplement "feeding" schedule Jon still uses to get into top shape in 21 days.

This is down to the 'hour'... and it includes home workouts or gym workouts. Your choice.

This is his gift to my readers, and I am thrilled to share it with you.

Here you go:

Free Fatloss Course and Book

Enjoy the course!

Eat Fats Burn BodyFat?

Let's get this one out in the open:

1. Fats do not make you gain bodyfat.

2. Fats do not put you on Heart Attack Row.

3. Fats are not the enemy.

We've been sold a bag of lies when it comes to fats.

Fats are essential for your body's hormone production, skin health, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and even burning bodyfat. Yep... you need fats to burn fat.!

Studies have been conducted to attempt to elevate cholesterol levels using high-fat diets. Most all of them have failed miserably -- in fact several "lowered" total cholesterol while raising the so-called "good" cholesterol (HDL).

That being said, you don't need the following...

1. A lot of fats in your diet. Fats still contain over twice the calories per gram as carbs and protein.

2. Any kind of "fake fats" -- margarine or processed oils of any kind are highly dangerous foods.

Here's my simple dietary fats solution:

1. Eat fats as they occur in nature, but eat at least 80% as they "actually" occur in nature -- meaning from grass-fed and free-range sources. The extra cost is worth it. It tastes better and your medical costs will well offset the few dollars more per pound you pay.

2. Cook with a combination of olive oil and coconut oil, but use both sparingly. If you are eating plenty of animal protein you do not need excessive fats... not because of 'danger' but because of needless calories. Not a good idea if you're wanting to keep your abs. But a bit of raw butter or olive oil can make bland veggies taste wonderful, so feel freee.

Also, omega 3-rich fats like olive oil and fish (and especially fish oil) help lower inflammation. That's the real culprit behind heart disease in most cases.

3. Avoid a lot of fats at night. The night-time meals should be high in lean protein (tuna, tofu, turkey breast) with very limited fats if you are wanting to really get lean. If you are just trying to shed bodyweight slowly, it's okay to have some fats at night.

Just do me a favor: If you are on the "Fats make you gain bodyfat and have heart attacks" bandwagon, jump off. We have consumed fat for countless thousands of years. Just consume it the way we always HAVE (naturally, not stuffed with hormones and cooked up in a lab) and you'll be fine.

If you want a diet-solution that actually uses dietary fats to help you take off the bodyfat, then use this one:


Eat Fats, Burn Bodyfat!

It's a real-world plan that allows you to eat your favorite foods and still shed the bodyweight you want.

And yes -- that includes fats.

[ Editor's Note: Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

If I had to pick out the number one reason most people fail to achieve good results in the gym, guess what it would be?

Over-training. Exercising too much.

Sounds counter-intuitive, but trust me: It's quite real.

Folks write to me all the time and say...

"Jon, I don't get it. I cannot lose bodyfat and I'm running six days a week for an hour and training in the gym five days a week for 45 minutes!"

My answer back is usually:

"You are training 4x more than me, and I'm a fitness pro!"

Look, do you take 21 aspirin for a headache, thinking the more you take the faster your pain will go away?

No?

So why apply the same logic to fitness? Only a certain amount is required. Beyond that, you are spinning your wheels.

When I wrote 7 Minute Muscle I exposed all the lies about training too long and why this is not the best way to achieve the results you want. Check it out if you want the facts.

One more thing: 75% of your progress will come in the kitchen, not in the gym or on the treadmill.

As for me, I would much rather eat smart and train less than train all the time and be forced to eat 6-8 times a day just to recover from it all.

That makes no sense to me at all.

You?

7 minute muscle <--- Less Is More!