What are Refined Carbs?

Understanding the difference between refined carbs and those other ones.

You're bombarded with information about carbohydrates. You may have even been frightened of them at one point - or maybe you are right now. However, not all carbs do the same thing. Actually, some carbs are good for you and necessary to keep your body going strong. Where do refined carbohydrates fall on the health scale? You're about to find out.

Not the Best

To get a refined carbohydrate, a food is taken that contains carbs. Then, everything else in the food is taken away, leaving only the refined carbohydrate, which is either a starch or a sugar.

When eaten, refined carbohydrates give your body a quick boost in glucose (a.k.a. sugar), which can be helpful right before you get started in some sort of athletic endeavor, such as a sprint or a soccer game. However, eating refined carbohydrates on a regular basis, regardless of what you're doing afterward, can leave you with a rather useless store of carbs.

See Them Now

To avoid eating too many refined carbohydrates, you should know what they look like and where they're most often found. Thankfully, they're rather easy to see, so you can sidestep them with ease. Most often, refined carbs are white on their own, but they can hide inside various foods without being recognized.
The following are a few common foods that contain refined carbohydrates:

• white bread
• white rice
• foods ending with the word “starch”
• foods that use puffy or shredded grains

What to Choose Instead

Since refined carbohydrates aren't doing your body much good, you ought to do your best to go for foods with the other kind of carbohydrates. Whether you call them good carbs or all-natural carbs doesn't matter. What matters is what comes with these carbohydrates that is stripped from their refined peers.

One of the items that gets stripped from carbohydrates during the refining process is fiber. Since fiber is helpful in your goal of good bowel health; avoiding diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and kidney stones; and obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight, you don't want to spend much time eating foods that have gone through a fiber-stealing process. Instead of going with fiber-stripped carbohydrates, choose foods that contain fiber-rich carbs. Good choices include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.

Your Need for Carbohydrates

Still not convinced that you need carbohydrates in your diet? Has the popular no-carb diet craze messed with your head so much that you continue to fear this necessary part of your daily regimen? Then there's something you should know.

While you don't want to fill up on refined carbohydrates (as you already know), you do want to eat plenty of good carbohydrates. In fact, otherwise healthy adults ought to use as much as 65 percent of their daily intake of calories to consume carbs. That means that every other bite you eat should contain healthy carbohydrates for optimal health. So what are you waiting for? Wave goodbye to those white, worn out refined carbohydrates, and open your arms and your mouth to health-boosting whole grains, fruits, and vegetables!

Why No-Carb Diets Works

If you've ever gotten into a diet that cuts you off from all carbohydrates, you probably lost some weight. If you're supposed to need carbs, why did you have such great weight loss success when you cut them from your diet? There are three reasons.

The first is that cutting carbohydrates from your diet often results in a loss of water weight, as not eating carbs may cause you to urinate more frequently and with greater volume.

The second is that any diet that forces you to avoid one sort of food altogether will result in eating fewer calories. While this is a good thing at first, it's healthier to trim calories from all the food groups instead of picking on carbohydrates only.

The third is that diets that trim carbohydrates do not trim protein or fat, which both cause you to feel full faster and longer, reducing your desire to eat.

Making Exercise Fun

What you can do to have a better time in the gym and reap better results.

Exercise routines, like everything in life, can become a bit too routine. After a while, working out can seem more of a chore than anything, and when this happens, it becomes difficult to muster up the will to get to the gym. But working out doesn't have to be dull and lifeless. With some fun-boosting steps, you can add some new life to your routine and cause you want to get in the gym more often.

Wondering what you can do to put a smile on your face when you're under the barbell or in aerobics class? Wonder no more!

Switch It Up

Burn out occurs in the gym when you do the same thing day in and day out. The most obvious solution is to do new exercises that stretch your abilities. Turn to an exercise pro to learn some new exercise ideas to slip into your repertoire. You can also fun up your routine by walking out of the gym and going to your local playground. Grab a bar for a few pull-ups and then head over to the monkey bars. Go back and forth a couple times and then head to the swing set for some swinging. Do all these exercises with joy and vigor and you will easily reach your target heart rate, all while having a good time.

Exercise...the poor man's plastic surgery.Unknown

Grab a Partner

Is there someone in your life who makes everything a little bit more fun? Why aren't you exercising with him or her? Whether it's a spouse or significant other, long-time neighbor, coworker, best friend, or priest, working out with someone you enjoy spending time with will make your workouts more fun as well.

Push Yourself

If you're not making the most of your time in the gym, you're probably not going to enjoy being there. While forcing yourself get in one more rep may not seem like a blast, it can be extremely gratifying. And for most people, doing a job well translates to fun. So if you want your routine to be more fun, you should work your body as hard as you want it to appear you work it.

Go Mental

Another fun way to improve your exercise is to use your imagination. Sure, you may be surrounded by average Joes and Jos in the gym, but you don't have to see it that way in your head. Instead, picture a gym full of elite athletes, all working as hard as possible to be the best in the world. Just remember - you're one of them, so you have to work just as hard - if not harder than - them.

Move It or Lose

Some of the most fun workouts occur when you're not worried about how many calories you're burning. Instead, you're simply playing a game that requires a lot of movement. If you're not into basketball or tennis, try something that requires you to move or be moved, such as kickboxing, boxing, or mixed martial arts. Each of these sports requires you to be in optimal shape. And if you don't stay mentally focused and on your toes at all time, you'll be on your backside in no time. Pretty good incentive to work harder than your opponent.

Game Away

Though video games have traditionally been a detriment to good health, a number of new video game systems and arcade games require players to be on the move. If you have access to these games, use them for a change of pace in your routine, as you dance, jog, and play your way to a better, more fun workout.

How to make a home-made Kettlebell

So you want to shed some pounds, develop those curves you haven't had since high school, and take back control of your health. Well if you were to meet me in person and ask if you were to do just one thing on a regular basis to get fit, what might that one thing be.

I would respond by saying Kettlebell swings! Why? Because it is a exercise size that puts all it's emphasis on your back side, also known as your Posterior Chain, which just so happens work work the area of our body we know longer think about because no one takes the time to try and turn around while looking in the mirror.

The kettlebell is amazing for conditioning your body both aerobically and anaerobically, fancy turns for saying cardiovascular and strength training, but more importantly it allows for functional movement that will recruit both your primary and secondary muscles during exercise.

To me that just means you will work those major muscles your so desperate to show off along with your small  stabilizer muscles that are made for controlling all your movements, like your rotator cuff in around your shoulder girdle.

Well I am familiar with Kettlebells through my time training at SECT Crossfit in Baltic CT. but by no means am I a Master trainer or super Kettlebell  advocate. But they are however, on my must master New Years resolution list. So, I did a little digging on home-made designs and store bought commercial Kettlebells. The store bought kettlebells are expensive and worth every penny there weight in gold but I am not sure what weight I need to start at for perfect form and a good challenge so I found a few home-made versions I liked the best but the one I decided on using was the one illustrated in The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferris.

Awesome read by the way, it is super informative and down right simple to implement. It literally takes all the guess work out of the equation. In Fact, I liked Tim's book so much I have decided to use it as my start to the new year plan. Feel free to be my guest and join me, it is going to be awesome!

This will be my chance to really start using the Kettlebell in my routines but also another opportunity to implement and understand exactly how Tim lives his own life, which is pretty cool I think.

I found a link to amazon if you would like to grab yourself a copy :) check it out here:
The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

If your not into reading or maybe you have another routine you will be implementing for the New Year, no worries I am sure this book won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

However, if you still want to learn how to make a home made Kettlebell then check out how I made mine from Tim's Book below.

First I went to Home Depot on my way to the gym this morning to pick up the supplies. I decided to pick up enough supplies for three Kettlebells but for your home version you really only need one. The instructions called for

1 = 3/4" x 12" nipple which will make the shaft (I found that a 10" works a little bit better)
2 = 3/4" x 4"   nipples which will be the handles (I got 6" ones oops :) I will def make the switch to 4")
1 = 3/4" "T"    Fitting that connect the shaft to the handles
1 = 3/4"          Floor Flange
1 = 3/4"          Spring Clamp (I bought the ones at the store but they are flimsy so I will upgrade soon)

All together it cost me a total of $55.96 for the supplies that will make 3 universal Kettlebells that I can easily get 75 lbs on. To compare the savings I Googled some prices and found a 45lb premium Kettlebell going for $72 which seemed like a median price for them. So, that means I saved $17 total and got not only universal Kettlebells that I can interchange the weight from 0-75+ lbs but I was able to make three of them total. Now thats what I call a worthy investment.

So lets put this Baby together, shall we. I used Pictures because it is really that simple :)

Step one:

Step two:

Step three:

Like I told you, I made three Kettlebells total a 55 lb, 45 lb and 30 lbs respectfully. This is a picture of the three I made for under $56.

If I went online to Amazon.com or went to the store to by these Kettlebells I would have seen similar prices as the ones below.

55 lb Kettlebell = $58 (lowest price on Amazon)

45 lb Kettlebell = $45 (lowest price on Amazon)

30 lb Kettlebell = $30 (lowest price on Amazon)

That means if I were to have bought these from a store it would have cost me a total of $130, and that is using the cheapest prices I could find on Amazon. So by taking 10 minutes out of my drive I saved a total of $74, not bad for ten minutes huh. With that much savings I could have made 6 Ketlebells and still put $18 in my gas tank. I consider this the most economical decision. The only downside to these vs. regular Kettlebells is the fact that one arm swings are out, but as far as I am concerned I have to master the 2 arm swing first anyway and by the time that happens I can promise you I will find a way to make a handle that will do the job.

Enjoy the homemade advice, get the store and make yourself a kettlebell :)

And if you just finished your latest read then I urge you to take the time to buy and read The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Tim Ferris. Its for your own Health.

Sleeping Your Way to Weight Loss

Can catching Zs help you drop lbs?

You've been working at shedding that last five pounds for months, and nothing seems to work. You cut back on the amount of calories you eat, work out twice a day, and say no to every sweet temptation that has passed your way. So why do those extra pounds keep such a firm grip on your hips? It could be your unwillingness to hit the hay.

That's right. According to legit medical research, spending an ample amount of time getting shuteye is essential to helping your body get rid of those unwanted pounds. Wondering how it works? Prepare to be amazed.

Getting Hormonal

Inside your body are all kinds of hormones that are responsible for doing all sorts of things. Two of these hormones, leptin and ghrelin*, have a stronghold on your appetite. In other words, if these two hormones decide to make you feel hungry, you're going to feel hungry. They work by causing you to feel hungry (ghrelin) and informing your brain that you've had enough to eat (leptin).

While these hormones function quite well most of the time, a lack of sleep can result in your leptin levels to plummet and your ghrelin levels to rise. As a result, you feel hungry more than you ought and your brain never has a clue that you've had enough to eat. When this happens, you can only imagine the damage that can be done to all the hard work you've put into looking your best.

Put It to Bed

Now that you're ready to power up your sleep for an easier time with weight loss, you may be wondering how to get better sleep. The first step is to give yourself enough time to sleep. You may be able to function on four or five hours of sleep each night, but most people require more. On average, shoot for eight hours, give or take an hour. It may mean giving up your late night dancing ways or beginning your workout a bit later in the morning, but getting your body's hormones regulated will pay off.

In the event you're already spending plenty of time in bed at night without feeling rested in the morning, you may be living with a sleep disorder. From sleep apnea (pauses in breathing as you sleep) to restless legs syndrome (irresistible urges to move your legs when you rest) to narcolepsy (constant sleepiness), sleep disorders disrupt your bedtime routine and your entire day from the moment you wake up. With proper diagnosis and treatment, you can find the relief you need from your condition and beginning sleeping better and losing weight with greater ease.

*Sleep loss also changes the amount of another hormone (cortisol) produced by your body. Like the combination of leptin and ghrelin, cortisol is also directly responsible for regulating whether you feel hungry or full.

The Other Way Around

Getting plenty of good sleep is essential to your ability to obtain and maintain a healthy weight. At the same time, losing weight is a good way to improve your ability to sleep well.

Why? For a number of reasons.

First, overweight people are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, a condition that causes the sufferer to stop breathing for prolonged periods, as he or she sleeps. In many cases, losing weight actually results in the individual being cured of sleep apnea.

Another reason weight loss helps you sleep is because of the frequent link between being overweight and suffering back pain. While back pain is bothersome during the day, it can be extremely bad when the sufferer lies down to sleep, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay that way.
So whether you find yourself attempting to lose weight or get better sleep, you can't have one without the other!

Throwing the Perfect Party

Before we get back to the next day of understanding our blueprint I just wanted to let you read this great article on how to throw the perfect party. I know if you are like me during the holidays it can be overwhelming just trying to get the arrangements made so I think you will enjoy this post :)

Ill be back tomorrow with how to implement your blueprint planning with time management so that you can get the biggest return on your investment.

So with that said, Enjoy!

Do you have a big bash coming up at your place? Then you better make it perfect!

If you've been to many parties, you have probably been to a dud or two. And with your upcoming party, you may fear the same fate awaits you! But grab your fears and toss them in the trash, because with these tips, your party is sure to be the talked-about event of the year!

Try a Theme

Anyone can have a party. For a memorable party, go with a theme. No matter what you love, you can use your passions as you plan your party. From a Hawaiian luau or a beach party to ghosts of music past or favorite movie stars, your theme can be whatever you choose. To make sure the theme sticks, make every aspect of your party stick with it. This requires you to go beyond decorations for your shindig. Make every piece of food and every drink you serve go with the theme of the party. Having a hard time finding appropriate food and drinks? Make some of your favorite dishes and drinks and give them appropriate names. Remember-it's your party, and a good party requires creativity!

Sell, Sell, Sell!

Convincing people that they're in a tropical paradise is no easy task. Especially if they have to drive through a winter wonderland to get there. That's where your positive energy comes in. If you're apprehensive about your party and don't think everything about it is fantastic, how do you expect others to get excited? To make sure everyone who comes to your party remembers nothing but a good time, sell the party's theme constantly. If you're convinced the party is a blast, so will your fellow partygoers.

Stop Hosting and Relax

Want to see the party through a partygoer's eyes? Then stop slapping snacks on people's plates and get out in the party! Get involved in whatever fun stuff you have in store for those who come to the party. After all, how else will you truly know how fun the party is if all you do is serve, clean, and worry about everyone having a good time? Turning off your inner host or hostess helps you enjoy the party and will put everyone around you at ease, which helps them enjoy the party as well.

Invite Right

Want people to long for your upcoming party? You've got to let them know how great it's going to be with a killer invitation! For the best invitation, consider the theme of your party and do something unique and memorable. Sure, you could get some party invites from a local store, but why not take matters into your own hands with some homemade invites that'll catch attention and get them in the party mode instantly?

Remember Details

Now that you've got your food and drinks all set, and the decorations are picture perfect, you may think your planning is over. Well…you're wrong. Once people begin showing up, do you know where they're going to park? Where will you put purses and jackets? Also, what happens if someone brings a date, stretching your food and drink rations? Planning for anything and everything helps make sure your big party will go off without a hitch. Or at the least, planning helps it look like there weren't any hitches.

Know Thy Guests

Planning a party can be a big stress. It can be even more stressful if you don't know the taste buds of your guests. Well in advance, begin to learn what your guests enjoy eating and drinking and accommodate accordingly.

This doesn't mean your guest list determines whether you have hamburgers or hotdogs. Rather, if a lot of the people coming are vegetarian or vegan, cut the meat out of your menu. Or if someone has a food allergy, don't risk a reaction by keeping the allergen in the corner. Instead, don't have the food at the party at all.

These may seem like minor issues, but your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness if they don't have to worry about eating something they'd rather not.

Your Weight Loss Tool Box

Today we start mind mapping out our journey for our 2011 New Years fitness resolutions, you can call it a blueprint, mind map, plan, whatever you want but no matter what all those names become one thing. A very distinct path that you will lay out with a clear vision of what your goal is at the end of the journey.

When I was growing up I was the rowdy kid in class (class clown if you will) and never did you see my grades sink more than when I stopped using that agenda the school system gives you the first week of class.


In essence we will be making our fitness "Agenda" if you will.

We must first start by understanding our personal circumstances. Like where we plan on achieving our goals. Are we going to join a local gym (I'm not a fan of club jobo), maybe a fitness bootcamp (were getting warmer), how about a personal trainer (still warmer and I think you should hire one at least once), or maybe small group training (my personal favorite)?

Over the next couple of weeks we will break down each service I have mentioned above but for now just leave your options open and whatever you do don't sign on the dotted line until you know what works best for you. Go around and get one trial offer after the next until you know what feels most comfortable. Its a lot cheaper this way and you won't waste your time or money by signing up and then quiting because it isn't what you expected it to be.

You may be deciding to workout at home and if that's the case, what equipment do you own? Just your bodyweight, bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls?

Just start putting your list together because knowing what you have available is a crucial part in building your personal tool box.

Now that you have an idea of what is available to you lets start to figure out how we are going to make this plan run like a well oiled machine.

I need to ask you a series of questions that will literally make you super successful or fail miserably depending on how honest you are with yourself. Just remember that no one is looking over your shoulder and no one is grading you, you can literally write your plan and journey in a diary if you want no one else knowing what your doing. I don't care, my only concern is your health and you reaching your desired goal without quiting.

So lets get started shall we and just remember it doesn't have to be exact, just typical. I mean when was the last thing you experienced exactly how it was suppose to be.

What time do you wake up on a typical daily basis?
When do you go to work?
When do you get your breaks?
What time do you finish up with work?
When do you get your shopping done?
When do you spend time with friends and family?
When and how often is exercising on a regular basis for you realistic?

As you might have guessed the last question is a very important factor on how quickly you are going to reach your goal but that does not mean you run with the herd and shoot to go 6 times a week for a month just because the marketing and buzz words are on TV for the weight loss resolution people. This year you will be different and when summer comes around and you go to the beach, your friends are going to be so envious of your results that they will pay you for this websites name.

So I know there is a million more questions you want answered. How do I do this, what is best, am I doing this right... Blah Blah Blah...

Hold your horses will ya, I have given you 8 solid questions that you need to answer prior to anything else so get started there please. I am literally going to take you by the hand for the next 3 months and show you step by step how to become success with whatever you put your mind to and not only that I am actually going to be doing the exact steps with you. I have to walk in your shoes if I want to help you achieve success, so I will be starting out at the easiest of exercise progressions, start implementing the easiest of nutrition habits and most importantly when I slip up and go out to eat, fast food, restaurants, go for drinks with friends, or buy my favorite candy bar you will be the first to know about it, because I want you to know I am human just like you  and no one is perfect. We aren't meant to be.

So sit down tonight and figure out your daily habits (the seven questions 4 paragraphs up) and what type of program or facility you will be using to reach your goal whether at home, in a gym, bootcamp, personal training or my favorite which is a good combination of all three and that is small group training which usually doesn't have more than 10 people per class and feels very personal.

See you tomorrow where we start plugging your answers into our blueprint.

{I found this on Google and thought it was the best illustration ever :}

Beginning "2011" on the right path

So I know today is the 20th of Dec. but its going to take me this final week and a half to draw up my blueprints for this years resolutions. Preparation can be the most important factor of a plan in order for it to become successful.

If you have visited the Fitness Buster before then you know this website is about providing relevant fitness advice that can give you the answers you seek in order to lose weight and live a life full of vitality.

Well to my regret I have found that my website has done exactly what every other fitness site has done and that is provide awesome relevant content full of action steps that can help you on your quest as long as you implement them.

But I feel like that by itself is not enough which is why today, 5 days before christmas, I am rededicating this website to providing you with a blueprint on how to achieve your fitness and wellness goals. Consider this post my early Christmas present to you (like the one above :)

That means you won't find those super hyped up programs all over this site that make false promises and push your emotional buttons so that you make a impulse decisions. Instead I will talk straight to you instead of in circles so you too can stop analyzing every small detail of your life and take action that will result in huge rewards both physically and emotionally. The Fitness Buster will be your fitness family that you will come to trust when you want Real Results. Every three months we will implement a program that will bring us to our next level of achievements.

So bare with me as I prepare to put my personal thoughts and ideas into words that you may use on your journey. You are invited to follow along or watch my personal transformation as I take on lifes physical, emotional, and mental challenges that all of us face daily even during the quest for total fitness.

I will show you when to progress your exercises and routines but more importantly how to implement daily lifestyle changes that it will take in order to reach your goals all while avoiding the dreaded plateau effect.
We will know how to make homemade equipment, if it is cost effective for us to do so and we will find where to buy if it is not. This will allow us to spend more time taking action rather than being distracted by gimmicks and fancy marketing.

I am sure you are just as aware as I am of all the books, e-books, programs, and experts that claim to have the magic solution to all your problems.I would like to be perfectly honest with you.Not all fitness programs are created equal and we all have specific weaknesses we need to work on but the majority of the time it is more about the attention to detail and effort  we put forth than it is about what you have purchased.

Since I am a personal trainer and business owner here in Norwich CT. I want to play to my own strengths on this journey so once again I will start by getting into the best shape of my life using a step by step approach that you can use and follow along with.

We will first start by using exercises that utilize only our bodyweight since this will allow us the greatest foundation by arming us with the knowledge needed to be able to exercise anywhere and at anytime no matter what circumstances we come across. After becoming masters of our bodies we will implement the most functional tools at our disposal like barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, bands and anything else you would like. But we will do it one at a time and with clear direction so we understand how to reach our goals.

After looking at how I may get these points across I have found two paths I can take. The first as a teacher, or the second being a student.Well after a lot of thought I decided to trailblaze a new path that will be an even blend of both teacher and student so bare with me. The journey will start by using a blueprint made up of action steps to get us started.

Once our confidence grows and results show we will evolve and as I attend seminars, certifications, host interviews we will learn from the experts while simultaneously adapting their methods into our own lives.

I hope your anxious, I know I am! 2011 is going to be one productive year I can tell you that. Embrace it and change will be inevitable.

So consider the rededication of this website a early christmas present and extra motivation to raise those toast glasses on New Years :) because it will be a sign that we will be celebrating your new found success. We will do it together.

If your are a over achiever and want to get started right away or are maybe just curious to know what program I will be using starting out come New Year's then feel free to check out by buddy Steve Kambs Rebel Fitness Guide . He owns and operates Nerf Fitness and uses metaphors from movies like Lord of the Rings, Harry potter, video games, and anything else he can find in order to level up his own life.

He gives you a simple to the point understanding on why a person gains weight, how to eat to lose weight and how to exercise without killing yourself by using limited tools other than your body weight. It may just be the most massive fitness guide you can find online, narrated by a guy who had to walk the entire journey in order to get fit.

Steve has created a comprehensive plan to better fitness for anyone. You can lose body fat, gain muscle and get stronger with an exercise program that really does work and does so without a lot of equipment, time, or even a gym membership. 

Steve and I will guide you step by step in a honest, fun and helping way that can "level up" your life to higher levels. Check out the Rebel Fitness Guide to gain a better understanding of the program I will be using to to start my personal transformation journey. This will be like nothing you have ever experienced before so make sure to sign up for my monthly Newsletter to the right of this page and not only will you get a free report on the truth about supplements but you will also always be informed of our next step in the journey. Go here now to grab your report.

Our time to Celebrate is upon us, Enjoy it!

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Finding Cardio Effectiveness

We all love our cardio, right? Hang on... what was that? Did I happen to hear a collective sigh? Yes, cardio is usually the most hated portion of a work out. Especially if you haven't yet found your cardio niche. Or, perhaps you have found your cardio niche... but now you've reached a plateau and don't seem to be breaking through to the next level of fitness that you're striving for. Don't despair. There are many ways to break through those barriers, both born of boredom or lack of challenge, in order to maximize your cardio time.

Find Your Forte

That's right. Take the time to try many different forms of cardio. Find the type of cardio that you absolutely love. It needs to excite you, to have you jumping out of bed, saying "Yes!" in the morning. Try anything and everything. Some of the best forms of cardio include the usual suspects, like running, bicycling, elliptical trainers, swimming, aerobics, rowing, and walking. Some lesser known, but still very effective, forms of cardio include skiing, dancing, rock climbing, martial arts, and team sports. Try everything. Pick your power! If you enjoy what you do, you're going to be motivated to continue. And not just continue... you'll be motivated to keep moving forward, to keep challenging yourself and achieving more goals. That will help prevent the plateau effect!

Find the Time

Make your cardio work out effortless, just a normal part of your day. Is there a time in which you're most likely to work your hardest? For some people, it means first thing in the morning. They're up, they're focused, and they're not being distracted by other things. Other people prefer the afternoon because they're more energetic at that time. Again, whatever your preference may be, you need to take the time to find out. Try doing your cardio at different times. See what works best. Then make that time your cardio hour (or half hour, or 45 minutes). It takes decision making out of the equation. "Oh look, it's 5:30pm. Time for a run." To be honest, it doesn't matter when you do your cardio, as long as it works for you, and as long as you're actually doing it!

Find Your Challenge

Whether you vary the speed, the distance, the intensity, the type of movement, or the type of cardio entirely, you need to challenge your body. Don't keep cycling 10 miles in 45 minutes if you always cycle 10 miles in 45 minutes. Try for 12 miles in 45 minutes, or 10 miles in 30 minutes. Also vary the intensity of what you're doing within the work out.

Work out in intense bursts, and then pull back a little for a break. There is any number of combinations suggested by researchers. For example, you could cycle as fast as possible for 8 seconds, followed by a 12 second lighter intensity "rest period". Other researchers talk about intense bursts of activity with lighter "rest periods" in terms of minutes. It's all up to your endurance level and your ability to pay attention during your cardio!

Don't Be Slack!

If you're working out for an hour, but average around 60% effort, then you're wasting that extra time. You would be better off working out for 45 minutes at 80% effort. You will save yourself 15 minutes, and your body will adapt, and therefore become fitter and stronger, at a faster rate due to the higher level of effort.

Cardio should form a part of every fitness fan's routine, and with a little research and discovery about yourself, you can ensure that you're making the most of the time you spend pounding those machines or pavements!

Reduce Muscle Soreness

Many people should probably exercise more often and with more intensity. Now is the time to kick excuses out the door, because you're about to learn how to reduce your risk of sore muscles. You'll feel so good that you will be motivated to make time in your day to exercise. So get started!

Okay, so now you might be thinking about where to start. Should you warm up or stretch first? Here's the simple answer - both.

Start with a good warm-up to lower your risk of having sore muscles the next day. Warming up your muscles (especially the major muscle groups you'll be using during exercise) is one of the best ways to prevent muscle stiffness and injury. A good warm-up consists of moving your body by slowly walking, gently jogging, and light participation in the activity you're warming up for. The goal is to increase your heart rate a little bit, which increases your muscles' temperature so they move more easily. Your warm-up period doesn't have to take long, either. Five minutes or so will do the trick.

Once you've revved up your body with a good warm-up, you're ready to start stretching. Stretches are most beneficial when you hold them for at least 30 seconds, but a good rule of thumb is to start by holding a stretch for just five seconds and work your way up to 30 seconds as your body gets used to the stretching and exercise. As you stretch, be sure not to bounce as this action can increase your risk of injury. If you're not sure how to stretch or you want to make sure you are performing your warm-up and stretching properly, visit your local gym for advice.

It's true that the warm-up period of your exercise is more self explanatory than stretching, so here are a few simple stretching techniques and positions that may help.

Calf stretch - This is a great stretch if you're going to be using your legs during exercise, such as when you run or play many team sports. Begin this stretch by facing and standing about two feet away from a wall. With your heels flat and your back straight, slowly lean forward and press your hands and forehead against the wall. You should feel this stretch in your calf right above your ankles.

Hamstring stretch - You've likely heard of a lot of people who get hamstring injuries, so this exercise is obviously very important. Lie with your back flat on the floor and both knees bent. With your feet flat on the floor, slowly bend your right knee up to your chest, place both hands behind your right thigh and then extend your leg upward. You should feel the stretch in the back of your leg. Repeat this exercise with the left leg.

Neck stretch - This is a good stretch if you're going to be working out your upper body, especially the shoulders. Standing upright, hang both arms by your side. Then take one arm and twist your palm so it is facing out. At the same time, grasp your head with your other hand and gently pull your ear toward your shoulder. Stop and hold when you feel the first signs of stretching along the side of your neck. Repeat on the other side.

Okay, there's no time for excuses anymore now that you know how to warm up and stretch. Get out there and get moving and have a great time - you're going to feel great!

The Other Side of Warming Up

Yes, that's right. Warming up and stretching are not the only parts of a healthy work out plan. Cooling down is just as essential if you want to prevent injury and sore muscles the next day. Just like you spent a few minutes warming up your body and your muscles in order to exercise them, you should take at least five minutes to cool down the temperature in your body and muscles after a good work out.

Walking is a great way to end your exercise session, and you can even utilize many of the same stretches to cool down as you did to warm up. With a cool-down period, you give your body a few minutes to relax and return to normal functioning after exercise.

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Avoid These Exercises

Six common exercises that will make you hurt for an uncommonly long time.

"No pain, no gain." In most cases, the saying is true. But that's not always the case in the weight room. In fact, some exercise-induced pain can put you on the injured list and the sidelines for a long time to come. So before you jump into the gym with a no-holds-bar attitude, remember which exercises to avoid.

#1: Behind-the-Head Military Press

It looks good when done properly, but rarely is. By doing this exercise with incorrect posture and technique, you run the risk of painful pinching and inflammation of the shoulder tendons. In rare cases, you may even suffer a tear in the rotator cuff. The same danger is present in other behind-the-head exercises, so be cautious any time you have weights in your hands and your hands are positioned behind your head.

2: Extended Bend Leg Presses

If done properly, there is nothing wrong with leg presses. The problem comes when you overzealously or ignorantly bend your legs too much. In order to get a good workout without causing damage to your back and knees, avoid bending your legs at the knee more than 90 degrees. If you have a hard time keeping your knees from slamming against your chest, reduce the weight your pushing until you have better control.

3: On Your Back

There are a number of exercises that require you to lie on your back with your feet in the air. Whether going head under heels until your feet touch the ground behind your head or pretending to ride a bicycle in the air with your back on the ground, be cautious before getting started. These exercises cause unnecessary strain on the neck's nerves and ligaments and spine and can result in long-term, irreversible damage.

4: Upright Rowing

Like the behind-the-head military press, lifting weights (not curling, but pulling) toward your chin can cause shoulder impingement and other damage to nerves in the shoulder.

5: Sloppy Stair Steppers

After spending 30 minutes on the stair stepper or stationary bike, you may have the urge to lean on the machine's handles. Don't! Doing so may make you feel slightly relieved, but the benefits are only temporary. If you're not careful, you could hurt your elbows, shoulders, and even spine. On top of that, your lack of posture prevents your body from the workout it deserves.

6: Overkill on Anything

Want to get great abs? Do work on the bench press. Want to sculpt your triceps? Do some squats. By putting all of your attention on a certain muscle, you run the risk of ignoring your other muscles and suffering future injury in these ignored muscles. There's nothing wrong with targeting a muscle or muscle group for improvement. Just remember the rest of your body needs some attention also.

Get more at: the Fitness Buster Magazine

Exercising in the A.M.

How getting up early gives you the advantage.

When the sun begins peaking over the horizon, you shouldn't be burying your head underneath a pillow, praying it will get dark and turn into night again. Instead, you should take advantage of the early hours to get in an hour of exercise. Why? Because the benefits far outweigh your desire to sleep in a bit.

Benefit #1: You'll Lose Weight

Exercising during any time of the day is proven to help you obtain and maintain a healthy weight. However, recent research hints that exercising in the morning gives your weight-loss goal an extra push. How's it do this? By improving your life a few ways all at once.

The first change is that working out during the first few hours of the day helps you sleep better, whereas working out in the evening can actually make it more difficult to sleep at night. Since healthy sleep habits assist your weight-loss goals, it only makes sense to want better sleep. Working out in the morning also helps your metabolism to get high early on in the day and stay there throughout your day. In addition, exercising early puts you in a healthy mindset from the moment you wake up, helping you make better decisions later in the day.

Benefit #2: You'll Stick with It

Another reason morning workouts benefit you is the ease with which you can stick with them. Whereas it can be difficult to find time during your busy day to squeeze in exercise, making exercise the first thing you do during the day ensures you get in some calorie-burning time no matter what the rest of the day may bring.

Think you may not have the strength to stick with an early morning exercise regimen? Remember that in addition to sleeping better, early exercising gives you increased energy and gets the blood pumping throughout your body. This helps you fire on all cylinders, whether you have a big meeting coming up or have to pull a double shift at the warehouse.

Benefit #3: You'll Get a Raise

As if an energy boost in the morning and increased metabolism weren't reason enough for working out in the morning, this early-morning fix-all may be just what your career needs. If you're skeptical, think about your attitude at work. Have you been down in the dumps? Too tired to go the extra mile?

Working out first thing in the morning may give you the boost you need to get past these issues. Once your boss recognizes your improved can-do attitude, your sudden willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty, and the infectious smile you carry everywhere you go, you may find yourself on the fast track to promotion. And to think-all of this just because you woke up a few minutes early for some running, weight lifting, bike riding, swimming, or calisthenics!

Creative Morning Routines

Getting your exercise every day is no easy task. Getting it in before the rest of your family is awake can be even more difficult-especially if you've not a morning person.

To make sure you get your fill of morning exercises, keep these tips in mind.

• Leave the car at home. Once you've eaten a healthy breakfast, hop on your bicycle or grab your running shoes and get to work the old-fashioned way by your own power. Just be sure to keep an extra change of clothes on hand so you don't have to wear your sweaty outfit all day.
• Do something fun. Everyone has different interests. To make sure you get up every morning and get in some exercise, make your routine fun. Whether you prefer kayaking, bike riding, or push-ups, implement this into your early morning routine and you'll have fun as you improve your health.
• Become specialized and start teaching. Wish there was a spinning class at 6 a.m. at your gym? Find some likeminded folks and work to become a teacher of the class. As a teacher, missing class isn't possible, so you'll be sure to get your routine in first thing in the morning, even when you'd rather stay in bed.

Find out more at my online magazine....  The Fitness Buster Magazine online

Lose Lots of Weight (Safely)

Need to shed 100 pounds? You don't have to go into the operating room.

Everybody has a different plan for losing weight. But no matter what diet pro you ask, they'll all agree on a few tips that will help you lose lots of weight without putting your health in jeopardy.
So if you're ready to transform your body into the sleek and slim shape you've been dreaming about, start reading and prepare to change your life.

Get Medical Before, During, and After

Losing lots of weight shouldn't be done alone. You'll need the support of your physician as you're on your journey. There are many reasons to stay in touch with your doctor throughout the weight-loss process. First, your physician can work with you to determine which weight-loss strategies will best meet your needs. Your doctor can also help you adjust to your new body. If you've been living with lots of extra weight for a long time, the weight-loss process can be shocking to your body. By keeping your doctor by your side, you'll be able to make sense of any unexpected reaction your body may have to thinning down.

Cut Back on Your Meal Plan

Being overweight or obese comes about for a number of reasons. One of the most common is overeating. To battle this obstacle to your thinner future self, you'll have to cut out some of the food you consume during the day. Start with a goal of reducing your caloric intake by 250 or 500 calories a day. If the thought of tracking calories is overwhelming, do something a little easier, like cutting out dessert after dinner. It may not add up to 250 calories, but it's a start. And every bite you don't take counts.

Listen to Your Body

Once you get used to eating fewer calories, you can begin to consider a more difficult step: listening to your stomach. While you may have grown accustomed to eating thousands of calories every day, your body doesn't need that extra food to function. Actually, those extra calories do nothing but slow your body down and put your entire body in danger of bad health. Begin paying attention to your body's signals and stop eating when your stomach says, "Full!"

Exercise with Fervor

In addition to cutting back on the amount of calories you eat, you'll have to beef up your exercise regimen to shed pounds quickly. Not currently in any kind of exercise program? Then you'll see dramatic results when you begin.

Regardless, you can expect to lose a lot of pounds in the blink of an eye if you have the time and dedication required. For the most rapid weight loss, get a personal trainer and spend a minimum of an hour every day working out intensely in the gym. For slower, more methodical weight loss, shoot for 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week.

If You Crash, You'll Burn

Most overweight and obese individuals have tried multiple crash diets. Unfortunately, as you may know, crash diets usually have the same result: you get burned. When you're serious about losing lots of weight, a crash diet may be appealing. But beware: Diets that sound too good to be true usually are. And if you find a diet that doesn't require a lot of sacrifice on your part-careful watching over your calorie intake and plenty of exercise-it is, indeed, too good to be true.

If you liked this article, check out my online magazine for more...The Fitness Buster Magazine

A Lesson from Ip Man

Are you a Martial Artist enthusiast? Maybe you just like action films with good fight sequences, I know I do.

Either way, you need to watch the biography about Bruce Lee's Master Ip Man, it is a unbelievable story and I dare to say one of the best martial arts film I have watched. I wasn't about glamour moves that have a ton of wires and crazy moves that you know is just for the movies (although I believe there is a little) but in fact about how a man mastered martial arts through practice and diligence. The movie doesn't even make it clear on what he does for a living, but whatever it is allowed him the life of freedom that made practice a convenience. 

Check out a movie cover

In the photograph you see is Donnie Yen practicing on the famous Wing Chun dummy, something I have never seen in real life. But I know Bruce Lee (I am the biggest fan) used it religiously.

What I took from the movie was simple, Ip Man never cared about theory, he cared about results. He made it very clear in a practice bout between himself and a young man that was a restaurant owner. The kid asks to practice because he learned some new moves from his master that he wanted to try out (although it was more of a way to get Ip Mans opinion). Well soon into Ip beating him to a practice pulp, he turned to the young man and said, "stop reciting theory and just hit your target."

Man did that statement resonate with me, have you ever felt like you will get started with something after you learn just one more thing? Or maybe that you can not start your new mission for fear that you may screw something up?

 I know I do, in fact until recently I found myself in what I have heard to be paralysis by analysis for over 2 years. See I have always been athletic (top tier athlete on every team I have played on) but never the very best on the team or at any one thing. Just a well rounded athlete. I liked to challenge myself with exercises and goals that were totally out of my realm (except dancing :) I have to left feet lol).

I always loved the challenge of something new but more importantly I would never stop because someone said so. Well I have been making the transition from the life of a student, child, adolescent into the man that has emerged on the other side. A gym owner, recreational athlete, hobby seller dweller....

But during the course of what we will sum up as my quarter life crisis I changed. I stopped challenging myself to keep working hard and trying new things. Instead I got stuck in the educational bubble that sucks you in like the most powerful vacuum. I forgot that you only get good at what you practice, and learned education is only as good as what is put to use. Simply put, actions speak louder than words.

Thanks for the lesson Ip Man, you have set me on the path to trail blaze my way back to the "Action Taking" trail my life's journey started on. 


If you haven't seen the movie it is definately worthy of your movie collection. Check out Amazon they have it for a great price.

Fitness Vacation

So over the weekend Ginger (on the left) and I headed up to Conway, New Hampshire to hangout with two of my college friends. They were awesome hosts and there dog Sedona gave Ginger more attention than she wanted, lol.

It was absolutely hilarious how Sedona would nip and Gingers back legs (what a instigator) but she had awesome patients and although Megan didn't like the growling noises, Alex and I assured her that in was all in good fun ;)....

So minus the fact that I was in the mountains of New Hampshire and clearing my mind from the last 3 months of hard work. I still managed to get my workout in! I stuck to what we have been talking about with body weight calisthenics and got a great pump and good sweat going. The workout was simple, I started off with a warm up of 150 jumping jacks and 20 up/downs then proceeded to 3 core exercises that will target pretty much every muscle you have. They were, push ups, inverted rows (off there porch since there was no pull up bar), and squats.

Since there was no external load I had to increase the intensity by lowering the rest time and increasing the number of repetitions. I have used this convenient vacation strategy for over 10 years now and would rank them up with any other routine I use in the gym. I am just a sucker when it comes to incorporating variety, after all it is the spice of life.

Fitness Hierarchy

So your asking the question what is the best way to train, exercise to perform, reps, sets, weight, etc...

In my opinion it will always be and always has been, body weight calisthenics. Why? Because if you master your body then you can train anywhere at any time while having the body of your dreams. We are here for over all health and wellness, which means we must first be able to use what we have been given.

For the sake of time and getting you started in a timely manner I want to direct you to one of the most educational sites on the web when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle, over time I will tell you my favorite sites that are a must read, but for go to Marks Daily Apple and download his free primal blueprint ebook. It is filled with knowledge that will build upon your foundation.

We will start will the primal blueprints progressions for push ups, pull ups, squats, over head presses, and planks.

For those of you following along but have exercises in mind that you are comfortable with or want to perform instead feel free but remember that you must have a minimum of 1 exercise per muscle group, so a push, pull, squat, press and core all have to be covered.

Lets Exercise :)

Yesterday we covered how you should start to implement your meals into your daily routine and we touched in very vague detail on the nutrition you should strive to feed your body. As you may have noticed I have been feeding you very light details in a step by step action oriented way. 

I want you to stop reading and start performing, as you follow my website and this community of fitness families you will have no choice but to continue learning. As we start the steam engine rolling and start incorporating a healthier lifestyle I can then start to get you to improve upon more things that may in fact have a bigger benefit to you. 

Proper form during exercises, better nutritional strategies developed for specific goals or maybe a understanding how certain supplements, herbs, and natural remedies can in fact make a positive impact on your health. But if I don't get you started we fall into the crowd of "Conventional Wisdom" thinkers and get rapped up in a state of Paralysis by Analyses.

Now that you can visually see what your day looks like and understand when you have time to yourself lets add in sometimes that we can exercise at. The minimum amount of time you must open up in your schedule will be two days and the maximum will be six days. I like to leave at least one day for full recovery, my actual training   habits lean toward three days a week of HIIT met con (cross fit style) followed with a less intense full body circuit that allows for more of a aerobic training zone. For now don't get stuck on making the right choices I just want you to chose what just seems to fit your preferences, we will fill in the gaps later. 

If I was starting out from scratch and wanted to condition by with the best foundation I would go back to the best basic movements our bodies know. Come on, I know you know what they are! 

Thats right. Push ups, Squats, Pull ups, Presses, and Planks, I call them "The Fit Five" lol.... I know it may sound elementary to some of you, but I learned this lesson when I was 12, reading a book about the famous Bo Jackson (my favorite athlete of all time) who avoided the weight room like the plague because he hated how it effected him for days after the workouts (DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness). He made a deal with his coaches while growing up, that he would workout on his own and for whatever reason if his conditioning was not up to par with what they felt was needed for the team, then he would hit the gym. HE was able to run a 4.1 forty ,lighting speed and still considered to this day one of the fastest verifiable times at the NFL combine, and did I mention he weighed 225 lbs of solid muscle, so needless to say Bo never made it to the gym and went on to win the Heisman trophy at Alabama and become the first major athlete to play both professional football and baseball.

Should I go onto to talk about Hershel Walker? Who was well known for setting out to perform 100,000 push ups, crunches and sprinted thousands of miles in a year. Oh, did I mention he was 12 years old when he started out on his mission? Can you even imagine a 12 year old considering this feat as a New Years Resolution? I sure can't!  I personally read about both these stars when I was young and I have to say with regret that I didn't have what it took to do what they were able to.  They possessed sheer dedication and determination in my opinion. But one thing these two Greats shared was a incredible work ethic and a love for keeping things simple, using only there body weight and surroundings to accomplish unheard of feats.

So again, if I were to start over and build a solid foundation then "The Fit Five" is where I would start for strength training exercises. In fact, lets do this right. For those of you who have not purchased a routine you are looking to use during your transformation and are looking to incorporate the best alternative to spending money on one or a gym membership. 

Lets start at ground zero, using our own weight to get fit. We have the rest of our lives to purchase programs that I have personally reviewed and found true to there word. I know the holidays are coming so lets work on perfecting our blueprints for the next two weeks. Since December is my B-day month and we are all over achievers, will begin our "life style makeover" December 1st, 2010. Why not? I dunno about you but I feel a sense of excitement while finishing this post, ants in my pants, I think I have just lit a torch to a trail ahead that I can't wait to travel along. Lets get ready.

You have two HW assignments this weekend. 1) Every time you eat this weekend, don't worry about what it is yet, I want you to be aware of how long it takes you to feel satisfied. 2) Take a walk and see how long you can last (for time, or distance) and then write it down.

Monday we will talk about the progressions to "The Fit Five" and how to figure out what exercise is the right exercise to start with. 

Enjoy your weekend :)