Workout Plan For Beginners

What kind of program you start with depends on your specific goals. This article will help you shed some light on myth that there is no perfect method in fitness. For example if you want to lose weight, running or cardio might not be the best thing. So let's start with understanding fitness in general.

Cardio for Weight loss?

If your goal is weight loss, then spending 1 hr on treadmill or running early in the morning(before breakfast) might give you OK results but it also has lot of drawbacks. In these kind of workouts you burn out your muscles as well as fat. In reality, fat is the last thing you'll burn in any workouts. You'll be burning glycogen stored in your body first and then muscles...

You see every pound of muscle you have will burn 50 calories a day. If you burn these muscles, your metabolism will slow down. You'll lose weight, no doubt about that but you'll also lose very important muscles.

Building body or strength?

If you check out with your local gym, there is very good chance that your coach or instructor in the gym will make you do High number of reps (around 15-20) every set. According to them this build body and strength and what not... Again this is ok but would you like to get access to better way of building strength & body?

Here's better way : If you use low reps with more sets (3 reps X 6 Sets) with heavy weights, not only you are making your muscles stronger but also you'll be shaping them.

A Beginners Workout plan

From my experience I had great results with strength training and working with cardio (High intensity training). Beginners on this workout gain strength in leaps and bounds and make great progress. If you check out most of the programs I have shared, you'll see I use many types of workouts which includes free weights, bodyweight calisthenics, odd objects like sandbag and other equipments like kettlebell. I always believe in "the chain is as stronger as its weakest link".

You workout every weakness of yours. You find out where your weakness likes and improve it. Not only gym rats who either work on their chest or biceps daily basis but forgets about the big gut hanging in front of them.

Heres another Workout plan for beginners which was featured on Men's Health magazine in January 2008.

Metabolism and Weight Loss

Our metabolic rate determines the rate at which we burn up our food, and by increasing this rate, we can lose weight more quickly, easily, and safely.

When we diet, by decreasing our calorie intake too drastically, we cause our metabolism to slow down, making it progressively more difficult for us to lose weight. Most diets fail, yet we continue to try one after another, always hoping that each new regime will provide the magic solution. If this sounds like your problem, there may be a simple answer. Lets look at why most diets fail, and how strength training, combined with a healthy food intake can speed up your metabolism, making it easy for you to lose weight.

By drastically cutting our food intake, our bodys natural instinct is to switch to a starvation response.' The fewer calories we consume, the more our bodies become efficient at using these calories - leading to slower weight loss. This was once a useful mechanism for our ancestors when food supplies were less predictable, but this vicious circle can make life almost impossible for the modern dieter.

When the body is persistently kept short of calories, it breaks down muscle tissue to use as fuel. Our body, using water from our tissue cells, quickly washes this away causing an instant reduction in weight through water loss. However, this weight loss will be short lived, and will quickly be regained when we take in water and the muscle we have lost will slow down our metabolism in the long term.

The reason for this is that each pound of muscle requires a certain number of calories each day just to maintain it. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even when youre doing nothing, even sleeping! If you lose muscle, then your daily calorie requirement becomes less. For example, imagine a dieter loses 10 pounds of muscle (along with maybe 20 lbs. of fat) on a strict diet. Now suppose that each pound of muscle had been burning 50 calories a day. Together, those 10 pounds of muscle had been burning 500 calories a day. With this muscle tissue gone, the dieter must now consume 500 less calories a day in order to maintain that weight-loss!

However, of course people do not stick to their diets for ever and when they return to their old eating habits, the weight that they have lost, invariably comes piling back on. Unfortunately, whilst they lost both muscle and fat during the diet, all the weight they regained was fat. So, even though they may weigh the same as they did when they started, they now have a lot more fat and a lot less muscle than they did before the diet. Therefore, their metabolism is slower and their calorie requirements are less. Even if they return to their pre-diet eating habits, they still require 500 fewer calories a day due to the muscle loss. Thats one reason dieters are prone to regaining all of the lost weight, and conversely sometimes even gain weight afterwards.

A good solution is an active lifestyle that includes aerobic exercise, a good weight-training program, and a healthy diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain cereals and plenty of lean protein. It is a good idea to eat little and often keeping your metabolism in high gear by eating 4 to 6 small meals a day, rather than one or two larger ones. No food is forbidden, but sweets and high fat junk food are eaten less often, and in smaller quantities. A healthy diet is a realistic and permanent way of eating not a diet that you suffer through for a week or two and then give up!

The goal is to consume as many calories as you can, while still losing body fat and maintaining or adding lean muscle at the same time. If your calories are already below normal, dont restrict them further. Instead, maintain your current amount and instead try to become stronger and more active, so you can gradually increase your calories to a normal healthy level. If your calorie intake is already in a healthy range, decrease it only slightly, if necessary. A small reduction of about 250 calories a day, or 10-15 percent less than usual, is more likely to protect your lean muscle, and less likely to trigger a go-slow in your metabolism.

If you follow this type of routine, its possible to gain about one pound of muscle per week and lose about one pound of fat per week. The end result is that the number on the scale might not move much at all, it may even go up. Your clothes will feel looser, and youll feel great. Yet the numbers on the scale won't move!! It's at this point that a lot of people give up the weight training because they don't understand what's happening.

The truth is that when you're strength training it's possible to get smaller and heavier at the same time, as muscle is a much denser tissue than fat. The fat takes up more space on your body. At this point, it's best to ignore the bathroom scales and rely on the way you look and the way your clothes fit.

The conventional way of dieting can lead to a weak, tired body, exhausted by the constant cycle of starvation and weight gain, unable to enjoy food. However, by following these easy steps above, you can easily reach your goal - the slim, strong, healthy body of a naturally lean person who can enjoy their food without guilt, for life!

Angie Mcilwaine runs http://www.healthidiet.com and has been involved in all areas of diet, health and fitness for more than 15 years. She enjoys helping people healther, fitter and more confident through controlled weight loss and exercise.You can contact Angie via her website - she is only too happy to pass on advice and information. She also has a regular newsletter with original tips and ideas to help you lose weight.

Hoodia Feedback Encouraging

The hoodia feedback is encouraging, to say the least. It is sometimes a little funny to read people arguing back and forth at chat rooms about which hoodia diet supplement is the best. For instance, at one site I read a woman saying that product X was working great for her. To which a gentleman responded something like, You must be working for the company, because it does nothing for me. Her response; Im not working for the product X company; you must be working for a competitor. And back and forth they went.

If the hoodia feedback means anything, then Americans may have found a solution to their ever increasing waist lines. Not that some people in other countries could not benefit from a hoodia diet supplement, but the American weight problem is now recognized as a serious, chronic disease, according to the American Obesity Association. In the news we read that a major insurance company has increased coverage for obesity treatment and that a new government report finds surgery effective. Surgery seems like an extreme measure, but for some there is no choice. We can only hope that the hoodia feedback is true.

The most common statement made by people using a hoodia diet supplement is that they just do not feel like eating. They do not feel sick, nauseas, dizzy, nervous or light headed, but they do not think about food. A nurse from Alaska reported that at the end of a long shift, she realized that she had not eaten all day, but that she was not jittery, which is often the case with appetite suppressants that contain stimulants. Hoodia feedback does not indicate that anyone who is taking a 100% hoodia diet supplement feels any of the side effects associated with stimulants.

There are some hoodia diet supplements that do contain stimulants. Often, it is hard for the consumer to spot these. Most people are aware that caffeine is a stimulant, but so are green tea and cocoa. The most positive hoodia feedback comes from dieters using a 100% hoodia diet supplement and apparently the higher the dosage the better. A Desert Burn customer, who had used their 400mg product and lost 20 pounds, gained back 12 when she had to stop taking it due to an illness. When she was able to resume use, she chose the 750mg capsule and lost the 12 plus 5 more in about two weeks. These results seem amazing.

There is no standard dosage for a hoodia diet supplement and length of time to experience results varies among individuals. Some people realize that they are not hungry after the first dose, but for others it takes a few days. Hoodia XR, a 1000mg extended release capsule (meaning that the hoodia gordonii is released into the system gradually, rather than all at once) recommends that customers take the product as directed for ten days. If after ten days, a customer is dissatisfied for any reason, they may return the unused portion for a full refund. Hoodia feedback indicates that some people think that they may have been ripped off when they do not notice an immediate result, but if they continue to take the product, they do notice a difference in their appetites.

Doctors who have recorded the progress of patients using a hoodia diet supplement have noted that weight loss varies depending on the diet and exercise program the patient uses. Of course, including exercise increases success rates and pounds lost. Anyone who is considering using a hoodia diet supplement should be in reasonably good health and should consult their doctor before they begin. Hoodia feedback does indicate that most people are choosing to eat properly, because they can resist the high calorie, high fat foods that are everywhere and most hoodia customers are exercising more, feeling more energetic and pleased with their progress.

Patsy Hamilton is an editor of the Hoodia Info Blog. Visit us at http://hoodiainfo.blogspot.com

The Truth About Running And Weight Loss

Let me premise this statement by saying that your body is an incredibly self-serving vehicle, whose goal is to sustain life. Therefore, it has no interest in burning additional calories since that would mean it must expend additional energy and then refuel to keep living.

Now let's look at the goal of running or any other type of cardiovascular endurance based method for weight loss. Whether you are pumping away on the elliptical or running outdoors, you are temporarily burning calories to create an energy deficit which in turn leads to weight loss.

The problem with this equation is that your body becomes accustomed to this type of exercise fairly quickly (within 4-6 weeks) which means you will burn fewer calories with subsequent workouts. You may notice this when you are breathing less heavy or sweating less than before.

So now in order to burn the same amount of calories (or more) you must either:

1. Gain weight (which is exactly the opposite of what you are trying to achieve)

2. Run longer (eventually you can only run so far and only have so much time to commit)

3. Increase the incline (eventually self-limiting)

Although two of those scenarios are viable options, they will inevitably become the limiting factor in your weight loss goals. Trust me, if you don't first succumb to the hours of cardio or repetitive motion injuries, you will eventually become frustrated with your plateauing weight loss attempts and just give up all together.

I don't want this to be the cycle that most people are destined to repeat. Don't let yourself fall victim to this type of weight loss futility. Begin with a few small changes to your program at a time. You can start by either adding in some interval sprint work, including at least 2 days per week of weight training, or opting for a strength and conditioning workout that both burns calories and boosts your metabolism.

The choice is yours. I just hope you make the most of your already busy schedule.

Good luck!

Author of Fatlossity - the Complete, In-Home, Step-by-Step, Weight Loss System http://www.stephencabral.com/fatlossity

Stephen Cabral is a national health & fitness correspondent with over 10 years of credentials and media appearances. He holds national and international certifications in strength & conditioning, personal training, yoga and nutrition. For more information on his Free Trim, Tone & Tighten Newsletter seen by over 100,000 readers each week go to http://www.StephenCabral.com

9 Fat Burning Tips to Get Rid of Stomach Fat

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

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

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

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

1) Avoid the liquid calories

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

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

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

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

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

2) Watch the fatty foods

When drinking, watch the fatty foods.

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

3) Forget the fast food

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

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

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

4) Eat plenty of fiber rich fruits and vegetables

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

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

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

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

Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily.

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

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

Eating nuts will not make you fat.

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

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

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

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

7) For the cabinet - Staples

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

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

-Stevia, a natural non caloric sweetener

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

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

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

-Organic unsweetened cocoa powder

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

9) Workout regularly to get rid of stomach fat

Make workouts count.

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

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

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

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

Desperate for the Best Abs Exercise Workout?

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

Effective Ways To Weight Loss

You're already trying hard to lose weight. You're exercising and eating right. You're drinking more water and less juice. So how about doing a couple extra things this year to lose a couple extra pounds? Let's take a look at a few things you could do to supplement your weight loss:

1. Eat a salad before every meal. If you eat a full salad without dressing before you order or make your main meal, you may not find yourself eating as much of the high calorie foods to get full. You may be able to cut as much as 100 to 200 calories from each meal, which could help you lose one to two pounds per week. More importantly, you'll be eating healthier.

2. Use cinnamon flavored gum as your only snack. Whenever you feel yourself getting hungry and it isn't meal time, try popping a piece of sugar free cinnamon gum in your mouth. We're not sure why, but cinnamon gum seems to provide a hunger satisfaction not received from fruit and mint flavors.

3. Take 20 to 30 minutes to relax before consuming meals. This relaxation time could be taking a walk or talking with friends. In the mornings you may want to have your devotional time before your meal. Water the plants in your house or read a newspaper. Don't watch TV, as contrary to what many think, this causes a physiological stress reaction in the body.

4. Try new types of fruits and vegetables whenever you see some you haven't eaten before. Every new healthy food that you discover a liking for is another variety of alternative low-calorie food for you to use in your weekly meal plans. Many diets feel because they lack variety of flavors, so the more healthy variety you add the less you'll crave a change in diet. You may even play in the kitchen and create two or three great new recipes out of each new food you find.

5. Almost never combine eating with other activities. The only exception are family meals when some healthy conversation at the dinner table may be of more value than weight loss. You will almost always eat more if you're entertained while you eat.

It is important to keep your family and friends close while you are working on your weight loss efforts. Keep your support system close and take time to talk with people. Isolating yourself can undermine your weight loss efforts. Reach out and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

There is more than one effective way of dieting; the question is which diet is the right one for you? To learn more about how to choose the right weight loss diet program check out these articles about weight loss plans in particular how to get fit through sustainable, but quick weight loss programs.

Weight Loss - How To Lose Weight And Get 6 Pack Abs!

Do you want to have nice abs for this summer?

If yes, do you know that hundreds of crunches and sit ups every week won't cut it?

To get a flat stomach and most importantly the six pack abs that you always dreamed about, you will need to make your homework and start dieting.

Who said that losing belly fat was easy? You need to burn the fat and build lean muscle along with the proper diet.

This is the only way to do it. Sure, there are many methods to lose weight and gain muscle, but they all follow some well known principles.

You will need to eat protein to gain muscles. You will also need to eat carbohydrates to get energy for your exercises.

You will also need to drink a lot of water, and spend way more calories than you consume. As an example, if you want to lose one pound this week, you will need to burn more than 2000 calories and be sure that they don't come back to you.

You also need to understand that alcohol is very bad for getting six pack abs. Stop this.

Let's talk about carbohydrates.

We are going to see why do you need them, and which foods you should eat to supply your body with carbs (energy).

You need carbs to provide the right amount of energy to your body. Think about a car that needs fuel.

Carbs are divided in two categories. Simple and Complex. Since you want to get 6 pack abs, I advise you to eat more complex carbs.

Some of them are: brown rice, lentils and soybeans and also vegetables.

To learn more about my powerful weight loss system and how you too can get rid of your stomach fat for good and get killer 6 pack abs when you visit: http://www.positiveattitude4life.com

Franck Silvestre is a professional Martial Artist. Visit his website today at Turbulence Training

How to Lose Weight Easily, Quickly and Effectively!

How to lose weight easily and quickly has become one of the most discussed topics in the world. In the United States alone, 58 million people are overweight, 40 million obese and 3 million morbidly obese. Weight lose is not something hard to accomplish - yet people think differently.

Our passive style of life and the lack of time are the two main causes. We do not walk to work - we take our car. Most of us work at the office - sitting down 8 hours of the day - then we are so tired mentally that a physical exercise is out of question - besides we need to spend some quality time with our family and/or friends. The food. The 15-30 minutes lunch break at work is certainly not enough time to eat properly. We don't only eat fast, which causes overeating; we also eat low quality food, mostly fast food and snacks, such as chips and chocolate bars.

So How To Lose Weight Easily?

You cannot lose weight using Low Fat Diets. Low fat foods have been popular for more than 15 years, but yet our society is getting more overweight as each year passes. This fact alone should tell you that eating a purely low fat menu is not the answer to losing weight.

You won't lose weight using a Low Calorie Dieting Plan either. In fact, eating low calories is the worst thing that you can do to your body, since that will only slow down your body's fat burning engine and ruin all chances of losing weight (low calorie diets may allow a few pounds of weight loss for the first few days, but then after that all weight loss comes to a halt --- known as a dieting plateau). You can never get slim by starving yourself.

You'll probably find it extremely difficult to get slim using a Low Carb Dieting Plan. Low carb diets have recently become popular over the last couple years, but the problem with low carb menus is that they are too strict and TOO HARD TO FOLLOW for average people. Low carb menus tend to rob your body of too much energy (carbohydrates) and make it nearly impossible to remain on the program for very long. This is why so many dieters find it difficult to follow a strict low carbohydrate menu.

Losing weight and staying in shape is very important for our health. Did you know that:

-80% of type II diabetes related to obesity
-70% of cardiovascular disease related to obesity
-42% breast and colon cancer diagnosed among obese individuals
-30% of gall bladder surgery related to obesity
-26% of obese people having high blood pressure

Lose 9 lbs. every 11 days - You could lose 35 lbs. by Christmas!

Getting Rid Of Love Handles - How To Get Rid Of Love Handles

The key to successful fat loss is a gentle, healthy, gradual process. Too many ketones indicate that you are burning fat too quickly, and may irritate your bladder. Fast fat loss is a sure road to failure, because your body will compensate by slowing your metabolic rate, leaving you feeling tired and toxic from the high ketone levels in your system. So to get rid of your love handles and do it permanently, you must follow a strict plan.

Also, you won't be able to stabilize your desired weight if you achieve it too quickly. Our bodies establish weight "set points" over time. Once you lose weight, you need to maintain that weight for at least two years before your body adjusts fully to its new set point. This is why most dieters gain back the weight they have lost, and even a few more pounds, and those love handles feel bigger and more repulsive. Your body has to be taught at a metabolic level to be comfortable at a lower weight set point.

A weight loss diet is a long-term commitment to new habits and health. If you cannot commit yourself to two years of maintenance after the weight is off, it is better not to diet at all, because the backlash weight gain can leave you heavier than when you started. And then all the work to get rid of your love handles will be wasted.

Most bariatric (weight loss) doctors feel that 2 lbs. per week is a safe and efficient amount to set as a permanent weight loss target.

While two pounds a week may not seem like much, it will put you on the road to where you want to be and more importantly...safely getting rid of your love handles.

What most people don't see when trying to get rid of love handles is the bigger picture and how simple it can be with the right guidance. Get it here http://weight-loss-for-all.blogspot.com/

Weight Loss Supplements

Weight Loss Supplements go a long way when you are treading on the path of losing the extra pounds, which had been haunting you for quite some time. Since you have started working on your weight and have been keeping a close check on your diet, there is a very high risk of low metabolic function.

Controlled diet and exercise often make us weak and might even have a wearing affect on our muscles. You might be losing the extra flab but at the same time not growing the extra tissues which add to your physical development. As you feel happy of the decreasing pounds you just might cut down on the energy level, which is why we should go for a safe weight loss program.

Weight Loss Supplements have the necessary vitamins and nutrients, which you can unknowingly miss out in your charted diet. The food, which you consume during your weight loss regime, might not be enough to supply your body with the required amount of vitamins. Aspen Club prepares that perfect weight loss supplement which will never let you face such a deficiency.

Millions of people all over the world are having the one and only resolution in their lives, i.e. losing weight. Meeting the demand of the people, many companies are coming up with lots of supplements, which try to replace the loss of nutrients in your body.

The question arises, which supplement to go for? To make that easy for you, Aspen Life has formulated the perfect Weight Loss Supplements, which will suit your body, the type of food you take as well as the lifestyle, which you follow. You cannot overlook the fact that although your diet becomes restricted, still your body will never function well if it faces the loss of vital minerals, anti-oxidants and also the various vitamin nutrients.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a definition for dietary supplements, which includes the presence of various vitamins, minerals, and amino acids etc which act as the fulfilling element of your painfully curtailed diet. Aspen Life prepares such weight loss vitamin supplements that go by the FDAs norms completely.

It is a very disheartening fact that physicians in your society in most cases will not advice you to work on your weight. 72% of over-weight people and 40% of obese individuals have reported that none of their doctors have asked them to lose weight. But the encouraging fact is people are becoming more aware day by day and has a fair idea on the ideal weight, which one should carry around.

We in Aspen Colorado stand by your side and help you in this battle against those extra pounds and keeping your body bubbling with energy even after following the rigid rules on curtailing the most desiring food from the pantry. You should remember, losing weight should not be the cause of another kind of stress, which adds to your list.

Weight Loss Supplements from Aspen Club will help you in getting the important vitamins and minerals and a little bit of everything that your body requires. The best of multivitamin supplement is part of our package, which will never deprive your body in getting adequate amount of every important ingredient for a healthy you.

Casey McConnell is the founder and owner of http://www.zoejuice.com An Organic fruit drink with whey protein isolate.

Weight Loss Consequences, Physical or Emotional?

Have you ever considered following a weight loss process, if you have then chances are that most people tell you about how simple, easy, and utterly accessible it is; however you will hardly hear about the negative consequences that it may provoke in your physical and mental self, which is why this article is meant to be a source of information for all of those people who are not quite sure of their decision yet, and have to learn about the various weight loss consequences that they can expect.

First of all let me tell you that weight loss is truly simple, it is just a matter of willpower and dedication, that is it. Just lay back on the amount of calories you take, practice some exercise, and dedicate yourself to your body a little more than you used to. However the weight loss consequences for following these advices are not always so easy to handle, they mean cutting off your favorite drinks, meals and deserts. It also means that you will have less time to do the things that you enjoy the most, and here is exactly where these weight loss consequences come into play.

You will probably feel depressed for a while when following a weight loss method, especially if you do not start seeing results fast. What happens is that you start thinking if all that sacrifice is really worth it, seeing that you have only lost a few pounds, what's the point of all these weight loss efforts anyway? But you need to be consistent, if you drop your efforts by the moment you start thinking about that, then you will lose all progress, which means that your weight loss motivation will be as good as gone.

Weight loss consequences are not physical at all; some people suffer from different minor problems at first, but only those who follow a starving diet or an overwhelming weight loss exercise routine. If you take your time and pace yourself, there is no possible danger that you may suffer, but the weight loss consequences may present themselves in the form of mental problems.

In order to avoid these weight loss consequences, just remember that you are following the process in order to become a healthier person, remember the very reasons why you decided to follow the methods in the first place, and have a lot of faith in the upcoming results, I can guarantee that they will be worth your time.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as it's not modified in any way including the author bylines, plus the hyperlink must be made active just like below.

Want to lose weight and gain lean muscle mass? Check out Body Building Resource for articles about muscle building, fat loss, diet and fitness. Also available are a muscle building eBook, DVDs, gym equipment and supplements. Go to http://www.body-building-resource.com

The Truth About Detox Dieting

Detox dieting is all the rage in the world of health and weight loss. It is all about taking your body to a new level with a clean diet that can clear your mind and give you more energy then ever thought possible. Our body is continually becoming overloaded with toxins from the earth. Even if you eat well, there are many system clogging substances as well that come in a lot of the foods that we eat. With everything we eat or breathe these substances are breaking down our body. A Detox diet can help eliminate these chemicals and help to clean out our bodies.

There are many substances in your body. One major substance is pesticides, additives, and preservatives. This comes from food that sits on the shelf for long periods of time, or produce that comes from other countries. The preservatives make the food look better but they aren't good for your body at all. All of these toxins travel through your liver which is already overused as it is.

Another substance that can hurt your body is trans fat which is the hydrogenated fat that is found in butter, chips, crackers, baked goods, and foods you find in restaurants. It is a fat that you really do not want to have in your body at all. More and more you find foods that are removing the trans fats but it can still be found in many foods on store shelves. It brings on heart problems, obesity, and artery blockage that can kill you.

Sugar is another thing that you do not want in your body. Sugar adds to obesity rates and it can even age your skin before it is ready. Refined sugars especially are bad for the skin and it helps to wrinkle your skin and give it a poor texture that makes you look old well before you are due to. Along the same lines, alcohol in your system also hinders your life expectancy and your body. Again, it taxes the liver which produces weight gain and shorter life spans.

Finally you have caffeine which is one of the most overused drugs in the world. People think that they need their coffee, whereas in reality the body doesn't need any caffeine at all. It can affect your bone density and again, it delivers bad substances to that liver which is what you need to live a long and healthy life.

By starting a diet full of fresh veggies, lean fish and poultry, and complex carbohydrates you can effectively change your life expectancy and help you to leave a much healthier life. You should also be adding a lot more omega-3 fatty acids which help your heart get stronger and help you control your weight much more effectively. It is hard to eat like that all the time though so there are special products on the market will let you "Detox" your body and give you the omega-3 fatty acids that you need. Omega's take the extracts from foods that you need in your body and brings them to you without having to eat many foods that you may not enjoy.

Another product you can try is a HGH releaser which is a supplement to reduce the affects of aging. It also helps to boost your growth hormone levels so that you feel as if you were young again. It speeds up your metabolism and betters your immune system. Obviously by adding water to your diet, it also gives you a purer way of adding much needed fluids. Once you eliminate all the bad foods and high sugar diets and add in the good carbs, good fats, and fiber, you are showing your body that you are taking care of it so that it will last for a long time to come.

For additional information on detox dieting, just click on the detox dieting link in this resource box.

Where To Get Weight Loss Advice

It really amazes me who people take advice from...

If you are going to take advice from someone, make sure they have the results (their body) to back up what they're teaching.

Most of the inaccurate information out there is circulated by people who have no real grasp of what it takes to achieve effective and permanent weight loss.

If you were learning to play basketball do you think it would be smarter to learn from an NBA player or a fifth grader who had yet to learn the fundamentals?

Keep in mind however, that many people will tell you with complete conviction to do things that simply do not work.

Take a good look at the people who give you health and weight loss advice. Are they lean and fit? If the answer is yes then this person could very well be a credible source of good information, but if the answer is obviously no then why would anyone listen to them?

OK, I know this sounds incredibly simple and obvious right?

Except for the fact that this is how millions of people get their advice! You can respectfully listen (no need to argue) but then you'll most likely need to disregard a lot of what you may normally hear. People mean well, yet the truth is that most are ignorant as to what it really takes to make dramatic progress quickly and effectively.

As Albert Einstein said, "The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them."

And I'll also tell you right now that your new habits might strike some people as not being "normal" by their standards.

You should take this as a good sign because "normal" is the majority. You and I both know what the overall state of health is for the majority, don't we? This is why you should want to be abnormal. And let it also be known that living life lean may have become uncommon, yet this doesn't mean that it is not natural.

It is.

So the point here is that many people are simply the victim of poor advice. Often it's the equivalent of a get rich quick scheme for the body.

Trust me, I know how tempting it can be to listen to some of the claims being made. But again, my advice to you here is simple: Listen to Doers. By this I mean people who actually practice what they preach and have the body and physical vitality as proof.

I also recommend that you seek out people that have the exact body that you wish to manifest. These are the people who you want to study. Get as much detailed information as possible regarding their diet and exercise habits. This information is worth its' weight in gold because it's coming from a credible source.

Actually, even better would be to find people who have the body that you desire but were once overweight and out of shape.

This is where you can really begin to find some empowering knowledge that you can act on.

This is called "modeling" and it is a proven shortcut to success that I recommend. Just make sure that your "model" has kept the weight off for some time (at least six months) and is not a flash in the pan.

Robert Van Gardner is the Founder and CEO of Vitality Publishing LLC, a company that helps people eliminate excess fat, while making breakthrough transformations in their physical vitality and overall quality of life. He's the author of "Living Life Lean: Discover How to Transform Your Body and Your Life -Quickly, Naturally and Permanently." To learn more and sign up for his popular 10 day course visit http://www.LivingLifeLean.com

Weight Loss Tips For 2008

The first thing that we have to know before we precede to the topic weight loss tips is that there are no short cut methods for you to shed excess weight over night. It requires will power and patience. Another thing to be remembered before you start acting upon the weight loss tips that you are getting is that shedding weight is some thing that is to be dealt with according to the physique and body nature of individuals. Make sure that the life style that you are going to adopt is suitable for you or not.

Like any other work, a programme to shed weight or the weight loss tip you are to follow should also have a target. You should be definite about how much pounds that you want to reduce and the time period within which you want to achieve that target. Make a fixed time schedule without attempting to drag it to an indefinite period. That will make you find excuses for not following the diet rules and routine exercise that you have to do every day.

Try to collect all available materials on the subject especially when you prepare a diet chart to know the impact of reducing food intake. Avoid vitamin deficiency by taking vitamin and mineral supplement to avoid problems arising out of malnutrition.

The first step to be taken by you is to observe quantity of food that you consume a day. Just observe what all food stuff, including the snacks that you consume while you are watching TV or a movie that you consume to know the exact amount of food that you take a day. It is essential to know what all things you have to quit to get rid of the over weight problem.

Never attempt to skip break fast. A good break fast is some thing that is essential for your body to remain healthy and strong. Avoiding break fast may make you eat more at lunch time.

Add a lot pulses and vegetables into your regular diet. Pulses are good to increase the metabolism of your body. Make it a habit to drink plenty of plain water a day. It will help you to lose weight faster than you think

Shift to four to five small meals instead of taking heavy meals three times a day. If you want to avoid excessive intake of food learn to eat slowly by chewing every bit of your food. Avoid all junk foods and fried items from your regular diet. Avoid occasions that tempts you to take too much food. Follow a regular exercise routine to make the weight shedding programme more effective and quick.

For your free course teaching you exactly how to succeed with your weight loss goals using simple and effective weight loss diets simply go to http://weightlossrevolution.net

6 Ways to Stick to Your Weight Loss Workout

Weight loss will be yours this year! Provided you don't drop out of your fat loss program, of course. So what can you do to keep your motivation to exercise and workout and stick to your nutrition program, rather than dropping out like last year?

Let us help you. Here are some tips that will keep your motivation and commitment high longer than ever before.

And don't think I'm singling you out. About 50% of people (seems like more!) fail at their exercise resolutions.

1) Our first tip? Don't get too sore!

Don't overdo it the first week back. Stick to just one set per exercise, and don't try running 6 days per week for 30 minutes. That will just give you shin splints. Instead, just focus on being consistent and moderate in the gym, and focus on your nutrition changes instead. Your nutrition is where you will see the biggest impact immediately anyways.

2) Avoid intimidating training environments.

You don't like gyms? Exercise at home. You can do a lot with your bodyweight only. Add a set of adjustable dumbbells and you have your own gym at home. You don't need fancy machines, you just need the ability to train consistently. There are dozens of exercises you can do at home. Plus, you'll save a lot of time.

3) Cut your workout time in half.

You don't need to train for 90 minutes per day. You don't even need an hour. You can get a lot of work done in 20 minutes. If you workout at home, you've also cut the drive time down. So what are you waiting for? Clear 20 minutes from your schedule and be consistent.

4) Don't get bored.

Change your workout every 4 weeks.

5) Avoid the dreaded plateau.

First of all, are you properly recording these three things?

a) Your body composition

b) Your food intake

c) Your training

If not, then how do you know if you are progressing or if you are really being consistent?

6) Workout with a partner.

Not only will it give you a reason not to cancel, but you will also have more motivation and an even greater chance of succeeding.

Here's why: In one study, researchers found that subjects that brought a workout partner also lost more weight if the workout partner successfully lost weight.

Feed off each other's motivation and success and this will be the year you stick to your resolutions.

Workout hard, fast, and lose fat!

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Mens Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines and all over the Internet, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Spot Reducing In Weight Loss Is A Myth

How many fad diets do you have to waste your hard earned cash on before you realize that spot reduction in weight loss is nothing more than a myth. This myth was developed by the diet industry to take money out of your pocket and waste it on a product that will not deliver any results in your weight loss quest? Yes!! You have been lied to!!

If you are only interested in losing a quick twenty pounds off your butt then I suggest you stop reading here because there really is no way to spot reduce. If you want to lose weight in a specific area you need to melt away the body fat in the way an unlit candle melts in the hot sun. If you want to really be serious about your weight loss then read on because the following information is extremely relevant.

To understand why you can not spot reduce let us look at some basic human anatomy. Let us look at how your muscle and your fat develops around your stomach area. If you have spent the last few years wondering where you placed that six pack your abdomen used to have fear not because it is still there. It is under the fat, it is just hiding from sight. In order to see those muscles you need to eliminate the fat deposits that are masking them. The only way to show off those muscles again would be to not only exercise them but eliminate the fat that is hiding them. You could do crunches from dawn till dark and you still will not be able to "spot reduce" your abdomen. It just simply does not work that way. If you want to spot reduce you are wasting your time and more than likely your money.

If your desire is to lose weight because you are unhappy with your butt or your belly or your whatever... that is great! You just need to realize that you have to tune up the entire body package and not focus on one area. The best way to do this is by eating a better diet and performing some form of exercise that will allow you to burn more calories than you consume in the course of the day. Only after you get your diet under control and your attention is focused on exercise will you be able to start targeting a specific area. The muscles you desire to spotlight can only then can be developed for public display after you have lost the weight that hides them from sight.

If you want to lose weight that is great, I wish you the best. I hope you can do it and do it well. My sincere desire is that you save your money and skip the fad diet and the miracle pills. There is no modern miracle pill that will melt away the pounds. If your desire is to lose weight then plan on doing it the only way possible. That way is to eat right and burn more calories. If you want to spend some money on weight loss solutions then get a treadmill or a weight set or just a good pair of walking shoes and then use them.

Weight loss miracle? No, it will be more like a weight loss journey. That journey can begin right here and right now! It is all up to the choices you make and those choices soon become your past and your past is what you must live with, when it comes to weight loss that is!

http://www.IChooseThin.com

Keith Quackenbush is a graduate of St. John's University and a former U.S. Marine Corps officer. He and his wife (Sue) have been seeking knowledge on weightloss and have realized there is no magic pill to lose weight. http://www.IChooseThin.com is the destination achieved from the inadequate weight loss websites that really did not help others lose weight. Let the weightloss journey begin.

Building Muscle - Easy Way

Whether your goal is to lose weight, firm and tone, or to build muscle, Hitech Trainer. Performing low repetition/heavy weight workouts will enable you to build muscle mass, however they will only do so for a very short period of time. Well if you do then you must include a high protein diet into your daily food intake to really be able to build muscle. The worst thing that you can do if you want to build muscle is to either do too much of anything, or to do it inconsistently. It's nice to build muscle mass, but what if you could build your sexual desire at the same time.

Building

Building muscle on a regular basis during our lifetime is absolutely vital to our long term fitness goals. After years of wasted time, effort, and money on various body building and fitness programs, fad diets, and infomercial products, I've developed a no-fail system for building muscle and burning fat fast. Sidebar: For those of you who are not into "muscle building", and are looking more specifically for a weight loss solution, check out my ebook, The Ultimate Fat Burning Diet Primer. Weight training combines building muscle tone and working the cardiovascular system.

Well this is the muscle building fitness system you need. Muscle Tips The muscle tips section provides tons of great muscle building tips and advice for packing on serious mass. If you want to build muscle up, you should train your body either with weights or without weights but one of the most important factors in building muscles it to eat muscle building food that is foods which will help you boost your muscle development phase.

Hey! Do you Want to Grow BIGGER muscles. Hop In to my Squidoo lens and find out how you can build your muscle more affective http://bodyb.inffinder.com/

Weight Loss Programs

Losing weight is arguably one of the hardest journeys in your life because of what is involved when starting a plan from the physical change through to the mental change. So when as humans we come across a problem that needs solving we obviously try and find a quick and easy solution to follow. This is where weight loss programs come into play and by selecting the right one to follow can effectively boost the results you achieve and lets face it make things a whole lot easier and methodical.

With the wealth of programs out there to follow there are so many different angles to pursue to try and find the right one for you that most importantly works. The fact is though a program that actually works and aims at long term weight loss can be hard to find. One that is easy to follow and one that offers results quick time is in some cases like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

There are 3 factors to remember when selecting the program for you which are diet, exercise and also motivation. Your program will act as a bible in the next few months on your journey towards weight loss success and to find one that not only covers the diet and exercise side of things but also the motivation side of things is most certainly a godsend.

The first factor being diet is important. It is all well and good having a program telling you what sort of foods to eat but what we need as humans is an easier solution, we need to be spoon fed! A weight loss program that offers recipes and a diet plan that instructs you what to eat and when to eat will not only be easier but obviously more successful. Research shows that when we have a plan to follow 80% more of us succeed in our endeavours and a diet plan within your program is essential. It is nearly equivalent to having a full time nutritionist at your side so you cannot fail to succeed with your diet and healthy eating.

The next factor is an in depth exercise plan! Not just a few exercises to do but a full written out minute by minute plan that not only tells you what exercises to do but how to do them properly and how long for. At the end of the day a personal trainer will get you into shape but at the same time can cost you an arm and a leg so finding a program that not only instructs on what exercises to do but how and for how long can be like having a virtual personal trainer working with you and this information can be truly vital.

Finally the secret weapon "Motivation". The misconception with weight loss programs is that a good diet plan and exercise plan is enough but the reality is that more people fail at trying to lose weight than succeed so the odds are certainly against. But if the secret weapon of motivation can be found in a program you are most certainly in possession of a killer strategy. Success stories are always good but to have a program that works with you in steps along the way and give you the motivational pushes as you go along on your journey can be the difference between succeeding and failing. So motivation is certainly the key to a good program.

If these 3 factors are followed within a program you are looking into then you could be on the way to possessing that bible and are most certainly on the way to a slimmer you! The major point is a program is there to help and assist you so find one that you get the most bang for your buck.

To find a program that fits the bill today visit http://www.weight-loss-made-easy.com and check out the "Fat Burning Furnace" which follows all 3 factors to a tee and has provided more results than arguably any other program on the market today.

Tips To Help You Lose Weight In 2008

One of your goal in 2008 should be to lose weight because you will look better and feel great. Please read on if you're serious about losing weight. I will show you some of the things you must do before trying to lose weight.

Losing weight is not an easy task because it requires a lot of dedication and time. Just know that you will fail along the way but you must get up each time. One of the most important thing when you're trying to lose weight is to get support. I recommend you ask your friends and family for support because you will need it.

The second thing you can do is to set up your goal. Setting goal is crucial because then you will know what you must achieve. Start today by writing down how much you want to weight and how much weight you want to lose. Learn a little more about goal setting to help.

The third thing you must do is find out what you enjoy doing most that require a little workout. If you try to do something you do not enjoy then you will give up sooner or later. Taking a short walk is a very simple task yet is very beneficial for your health. Walking is the best exercise you can do for your body.

The fourth thing you can do is start eating more healthy food each day. You do not have to give up unhealthy foods altogether but do it little by little each day.

Now that I shared with you some tips you can start using to look better in 2008... I will show you a diet that I myself and thousands of others are using to lose weight naturally and quickly. You can download it and learn all about it below.

The Diet That Works

The diet I am referring to is called Fat Loss 4 Idiot. The diet involves tricking your body's metabolism so that it consumes a certain number of calories a day, so your metabolism will adapt to it and will not burn off anything else.

The most common reason most people can't lose weight on a diet is because they have a strict diet in which they eat the same foods each day - which get boring and then they stop.

With Fat Loss 4 Idiots, you trick your body everyday about what you will be consuming. Your body will turn into a burning machine because it doesn't know what calorie will come next.

I promise you that if you follow Fat Loss 4 Idiots - You will lose 9 lbs in only a month or less.

Click here: http://www.sexyfatloss.com to try "Fat Loss 4 Idiot" and see the result for yourself.

The 3 Biggest Factors for Weight Loss

Cardio exercise is NOT needed for the best weight loss workout routines. In fact, to get the most fat loss, you don't need cardio at all. Instead, you need to focus on strength training and fat burning exercise.

Whenever a client starts using strength, interval, and bodyweight exercises, I introduce them to the 3 biggest factors in fat loss.

First up, is social support. A study from Stanford University showed that social support is the #1 factor for success in female fitness programs. I'd bet that its also important in male fitness programs - no matter how much guys would be unwilling to admit it.

And this should come as no surprise...just look at the popularity of Internet message boards dedicated to fitness and fat loss.

And while the social support can come from your spouse, family members, friends, or co-workers, the Stanford study showed that individuals have a greater chance of sticking to an exercise program when they have to be accountable to an authority figure - such as a doctor, lifestyle coach, or trainer.

Regardless, don't feel that you need to do this on your own. Get some social support and watch your success rate soar.

(I also encourage everyone to do a lifestyle review with his or her physician, especially if you are over 30 years of age and previously sedentary. Better safe than sorry. And it's also great to get your doctor into your social support group.).

Good communication and professional instruction will significantly increase your chances of success.

The second most important factor is nutrition. That's right, what you eat is more important than how you exercise.

It's always tough for me to admit this, but its true. No matter how great a strength and interval workout can be, it's no match for eating a large pizza or scarfing down a huge piece of chocolate cake. Nutrition will always have the final word on your fat loss success.

So make sure you know how many calories you are eating and have an expert check to make sure that you aren't eating something that you think is healthy, but in reality is actually an obstacle to your success.

And finally, the 3rd most important factor in fitness is exercise. And the more customized your program is for you, the better your results will be. When you combine a great workout program with proper nutrition and accountability, you can make incredible changes...you can even feel like you are reversing the aging process.

And now there are less than 12 weeks until the first long weekend of the summer. Will you be ready?

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

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

Weight Loss Tips - The Benefits Of Eating Small Regular Meals

When it comes to weight loss eating small regular meals is highly regarded as one of the best ways to help control your weight. This article will explain how eating small regular meals throughout the day can help train your body to stop storing calories.

If you don't eat regularly your bodies' metabolism slows down, and your body begins to store more of the food that you eat. If you're the type of person that misses breakfast and eats at unregular times of the day meal then you are effectively training your body to store fat and calories as your body doesn't know when you will eat again.

If you eat more regularly your metabolism begins to speed up because your body begins to learn that more food will soon be eaten so it begins to burn off the calories instead of storing them as it would when you are eating less regularly.

Always eat breakfast as this kicks your metabolism into life for the day ahead and try to eat something healthy every 2 -3 hours. It is important to have a balanced diet and try to eat foods that have a high thermic effect.

The thermic effect is basically works on the principle of how many calories your body burns through eating,chewing and digesting food.

High protein foods for example have what is known as a high thermic effect. The thermic effect scale ranges from 3% to 30%. High protein foods such as fish and poultry for example have a thermic effect of 30%. This means that digestion burns 30% of the calories alone. Complex carbohydrates have a thermic effect of around 20% and at the lower end of the scale come fats and refined carbs.

And of course don't forget to exercise to help your body burn up the calories.

So in conclusion, eating small regular healthy meals helps to increase your metabolism reducing your bodies need to store fat and calories.

If you are struggling to lose weight or are jsu looking for some advice You can read more about weight loss diets by visiting http://www.weightloss-heaven.com

How to Maintain a Healthy Weight While at Work

Life can be stressful enough without diet and exercise. We spend most of our lives rushing to work, spending time with friends and family, overcoming loss and financial burdens, yet somehow we are still supposed to find time to get healthy. For many of us, this is an impossible dream that would only be realistic in a movie. Fortunately, there are simple changes you can make to your lifestyle. The following tips will not only shed the pounds, but will increase your energy and make you feel great!

1. Park close to work? Try parking further away. While many try to find the closest parking spot, this doesn't do anything for our bodies. Unless the weather is the primary reason, try parking in the last row. This at least burns a few calories in the morning and when you leave at night.

2. Skip out on cafeteria lunches. Most companies specialize in fattening food and rarely offer anything nutritious. If you want weight loss, bring your own lunch and change it up! Need ideas? Hummus with pita bread, Mexican salad or even a Kashi frozen meal are great alternatives to junk food. Make it a rule not to bring the same lunch twice in a week. This will not only keep you motivated, but it will save your wallet.

3. Green tea. Instead of drinking coffee in the morning, how about green tea (Orange, Passion Fruit & Jasmine flavor)? The caffeine will keep you awake and the nutrients will boost your immune system. While moderate coffee intake is fine, green tea will speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight.

4. Exercise on your lunch break. If you bring your lunch to work, you can eat it any time while you're at your desk. If the weather is nice, why not take a walk? This will eliminate having to exercise when you return home.

5. Make Kashi a Routine. Kashi food products are one of the best food choices for weight loss. From Kashi Go Lean cereal to waffles, energy bars and desserts -- Kashi knows that you need nutritional food that still tastes delicious. It is a perfect way to maintain a healthy lifestyle yet still get the nutrients you need.

6. Snack! If you're looking to lose weight at a healthy yet fast pace, eating five meals a day will do the trick. Breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner are critical. Try bringing two snacks with you to work so that you're never hungry. This will eliminate any binges when you return from work. It will also speed up your metabolism and keep the cravings down. Kashi Cheddar crackers, yogurt with fruit or even veggies are a great alternative to chips or candy.

Heather B. is a Marketing Communications Specialist and Freelance writer located in Boston. She is dedicated to providing resources for women who want to live a healthy lifestyle, without sacrificing happiness. Visit http://www.healthhasnofury.com for weight loss tips, recipes, fitness advice and support.

Target Heart Rate: Worthless?

Not long ago, before a severe heat wave struck our region, I got together with a few of my co-workers to play tennis one evening after work. I really love to play tennis even though Ive never progressed beyond the intermediate hacker level.

I do have a few brief flashes of what appears to be a game, but thats usually overshadowed by a host of botched shots, which I like to refer to as unforced errors.

The temperature was in the low 80s and the average age of my colleagues is around 30. At 49, Im the senior citizen in the group, but I felt I could hang with them.

Im not sure if it was the heat or being out of condition, but after about 20 minutes I had to excuse myself and take a breather. I really didnt feel very good and I didnt want to take any chances, but after a 5-minute rest I caught my second wind and played for another hour and a half.

I felt somewhat embarrassed because my co-workers know how fanatical I am about running off to the gym at lunchtime to workout. It also hit home that maybe Im not in very good cardio-vascular shape! It really made me rethink my training regimen.

My first thought was maybe all this emphasis on staying in the fat-burning heart rate zone was really just a false sense of complacency. Maybe what I really needed to be doing was getting my heart rate up much higher and working on improving my cardio conditioning. At least this would be the best way to improve my stamina on the tennis court.

The other harsh reality is that all this so-called fat burning training wasnt really burning very much fat!

Coincidentally, I recently came across an article that discussed a book entitled The Heart Rate Monitor Guidebook by Sally Edwards. She states, The 220 minus your age formula is worthless. She advises that you determine your maximum heart by using the Sub-Max Step Test.

This simple test is performed by stepping up and down on an 8-inch step for 3 minutes without pausing and then taking your heart rate during the third minute. I just did this test today at the gym. I used one of those step aerobic platforms, which works great by the way.

Once you have your heart rate, she then advises that you add an estimate factor to it based on your fitness level:

Poor shape = 55
Average shape = 65
Excellent shape = 75

You then take 70% 80% of this number to get your fat-burning target heart rate.

My results from the step test were:

144 bpm at the end of 3 minutes
144 + 65 (assume average shape) = 209 bpm
.70 * 209 = 146 bpm (target fat-burning heart rate)

80% would be 167 bpm, which quite frankly I think would kill me. She advises not to go over 90%. Dont worry Sally, theres no chance of that happening!

Please be very careful when performing this test as well as calculating your sub-max heart rate. As you can see, this number will most likely be substantially higher than the old method:

200 49 = 171 bpm
.70 * 171 = 120 bpm

What it looks like to me is that this sub-max method actually puts your fat-burning heart rate closer to your cardio-conditioning heart rate derived with the old method. This seems to make sense. Highly conditioned athletes in sports such as basketball usually arent carry around a lot of body fat!

So if you feel that your training and conditioning are at an intermediate to advanced level, you may want to take up the intensity of your workouts and see if the fat starts to melt away -- like I do on a hot summer evening while playing tennis!

Rich Rojas covers the fitness equipment industry and elliptical trainers in particular. Check out his Elliptical Trainer Reviews and articles on health and fitness at http://www.ellipticalhome.com