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The High Protein Myth- Exposed Again

lewis — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:26:24 +0000

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The High Protein Myth- Exposed Again

By Jason Ferrugia
http://musclegainingsecrets.atozfitness.com/

I hate to say “I told you so.”

But… I told you so.

For years now I have been getting a lot of flak from other fitness industry insiders and so called experts because I exposed the great protein myth at every chance I got.

They all either thought I was insane or were upset that I was blowing the whistle on their scam and costing them tons of money every year.

But now, due to a recent study that everyone is talking about, people are starting to change their tune and realize what I have been telling you all along…

You DON’T need 2-3 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight to build muscle. It’s a lie promoted by the supplement and meat and dairy industry. That’s it.

Just another way to make money.

But hardly a scientific fact.

Recently Tarnopolsky performed a study in which weight trained individuals consumed a drink containing either: 5, 10, 20 or 40 grams of protein immediately after their workout. Each of the groups increased protein synthesis, but their results were dose dependant.

Up to 20 grams, that is. While the 20 gram group significantly increased protein synthesis over the 10 gram group, the 40 gram group did not significantly increase protein synthesis over the 20 gram group.

So any more than 20-30 grams of protein at one sitting isn’t necessarily going to benefit you in any significant way.

The conclusion to be drawn from this most recent study is what I have been saying all along… You don’t need all that protein. In fact, eating too much will force your body to burn protein instead of fat for energy and can make getting leaner a more difficult process.

Twenty to thirty grams of protein, every few hours is all that’s needed to build muscle. For most people that will be no more than about 150 grams per day.

Before I ever recommended a lower protein intake to you guys I tried several experiments on myself and my clients for years. Back in the early 90’s I slowly increased my protein intake all the way up to 450 grams per day. I also recruited a few training partners and clients for the experiment.

And after eight weeks nothing happened.

Then I tried experimenting with protein cycling and went on low protein for a while, thinking that if I desensitized my body to protein I would grow like a week upon reintroducing it.

Well, that never happened.

But during the low protein phase I actually gained muscle and lost fat. I even remember my brother commenting one day, about three weeks into it that he had never seen me in better shape.

Even after experiencing better results with less protein it shames me to admit that there were several times during the 90’s where someone would make a convincing enough argument to make me try super high protein again.

And all I ever did was end up fatter and poorer.

Admit it; you’ve tried it too. You added another steak or protein shake to your diet and thought, “this will be just what I need to really start growing.” And nothing happens.

Then you increased the size of your daily omelet from 3 eggs to 10. Still nothing.

Stop the insanity.

From now on instead of ordering 3 chicken breasts, save the money and just get one. Or order an extra baked potato or two for the extra calories and throw down a few tablespoons of olive oil when you’re done.

Instead of ordering “The Old 96′er” (”There’s nothing but gristle and fat on that plate.”) settle for a more human sized 8 ounce steak.

Instead of 4 scoops in your protein shake use one or two.

Instead of a dozen eggs I think you’ll be just fine with 3-5, depending on the size.

I thought, “Man, what a douche, I am. These guys all outweigh me by 80 pounds. What’s wrong with you?””

I have been fooled many times. But like The Who, I won’t get fooled again.

I hope you don’t either.

An educated man is a dangerous man,
Jason Ferruggia

PS. For smarter muscle buidling meal plans visit http://musclegainingsecrets.atozfitness.com

=============================================
Lewis, Publisher
Sarah, CPT

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4 Fatloss Tricks No One Tells You

lewis — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:51:45 +0000

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4 Fatloss Tricks No One Tells You

Jon Benson just sent this over to me. I think it is a great share.

Lewis, there’s a club you should join.

It’s called The Insider’s Club.

It is that club whose membership is based only on what secret
goodies the members possess.

In our case, this is the Fatloss Insider’s Club. Only those in the
know can join…. freee to them of course… : )

So, if you want to get rid of some lbs…

FATLOSS TRICK 1
Eat Pizza?

Today I went for some New York-style pizza here in Austin, Texas.

Do I feel ‘guilty’? No way… in fact tomorrow I will feel LEANER.

What the what?

I had to set up my body for this bit of metabolic trickery of
course. You cannot just "eat pizza" and shed the pounds… I wish
you could!

But my personal System for fatloss not only "allows" pizza (and all
my other favorite foods)… it DEMANDS that I eat it.

Here’s another true story: I blew off my "feed meal" (that’s what
it is called in my System) four days ago. I have been on a massive
fatloss roll for weeks now and frankly I just did not feel like
eating a lot.

That’s another benefit of my System… it really cuts your appetite
and food-cravings down.

Anyway, the next day in the gym I fell on my face! I was weaker and
not any leaner. I went home, ate literally about 6000 cals and
presto: Leaner than ‘ever’ the next day and ready to train hard.

Learn how to use this System here:

More Fatloss Tips Plus Freee Book <– Click-Here

FATLOSS TRICK 2
The 10-Minute Cardio Trick

If you want to just get into good heart health, you only need GXP
Cardio (covered in the System mentioned above) 2-3 days per week
for 9-15 minutes. That’s it.

However if you want to use "smart cardio" (not long, boring cardio)
then you need a bit more. Just a bit.

It’s my 10-minute trick.

Start with just every other day. Then move to 4 days… and then 5.

If you are pressed for time, this is ideal. Even if you are not, it
works like magic.

10 minutes in the morning ‘before’ you eat. Just make sure your
heart rate is only about 65% of your max… in other words, you are
not breathing super-heavy at all, but you are working up a sweat.
That’s it.

10 minutes ‘before’ lunch. Just cut your lunch hour short by 10
minutes… that’s all. You don’t sweat enough to need a shower…
don’t worry. Walking stairs works great, or walking outside… be
creative!

Then 10 ‘harder’ minutes about 2 hours before you go to sleep. Get
your heart rate up to where you are breathing a little harder.

That’s it.

You can even start with just two sessions of 10 minutes (morning
and night) if lunch is out.

FATLOSS TRICK 3
Increase Your Fat?

Yep. I want you to eat more dietary-fat…. but I want you to
replace some of your carbohydrates (starch like rice, potatoes,
etc.) with healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil and almonds.

Fat dulls the appetite and all three of the fats above actually
help your body get rid of its fat-stores if you decrease carbs.

I have the plan laid out for you. More here:

More Fatloss Tips Plus Freee Book <– Click-Here

FATLOSS TRICK 4
Think Resistance

Far better than cardio will ever be. That would be resistance
training.

Either weight training or in-home resistance training using bands
and bodyweight. Studies confirm what we fitness pros already know:
Resistance training not only sculpts the body (cardio cannot) but
it also burns 9-12x more bodyfat over the long-term than cardio.

But you need both. And both cardio and resistance training (in-home
or in the gym) is worked into my book "7 Minute Body."

You can get it when you pick up "Every Other Day Diet" for 75%
off-retail… it is all detailed here…

More Fatloss Tips Plus Freee Book <– Click-Here

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All the best,

Lewis

http://www.atozfitness.com => #3 Google fitness site.

http://www.atozfitness.com/cms => over 30 f.ree e-book downloads and growing.
please note this is for my current subscribers only including one new f,ree All Star Trainer
Secrets chapter each month for you. (Note unsubscriptions automaticaly remove download
access to control our bandwidth usage for active subscribers only)

http://articles.atozfitness.com – The best fitness article archives around.

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=======================================================

Are you suffering from Portion Distortion?

lewis — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:01:44 +0000

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Are you suffering from Portion Distortion?

By Isabel De Los Rios
http://yourdietsolution.com/

This is great stuff from Isabel . I just got it in my inbox and had to share it with you.
—————————

Hey Lewis,

A couple years ago I was definitely suffering from a condition that is not too commonly discussed, but does very often appear in many restaurants, parties and homes all over the world. Yes, you too may be suffering from this horrible condition and not even know it. What is this awful plague? It’s called: Portion Distortion, and it just may be what is holding you back from reaching your weight loss goals.

I can remember one particular occasion when I saw portion distortion at its very finest. I was at a family party at a Spanish restaurant celebrating the Christening of my baby nephew Alex. Here I was chit chatting with guests and catching up with friends and relatives when I see the waiters walk out of the kitchen with what looked like the most insane servings of steaks, lobsters, chicken and salmon on each plate. At first I was thinking they were serving each plate on each table "family style", where the whole table could each enjoy a piece. I was wrong. One plate was for one person and the amount of food on each was downright scary.

I walked back to my table and said to my husband, "Holy smokes! Wait until you see the size of the portions!" My husband replied, "Oh Isabel, you exaggerate. You think one extra grain of rice on the plate is too much. I’m sure it’s fine for normal people." Normal? There’s a good question. Do we even know what a normal portion is anymore? Or a better question to ask ourselves would be, What is a healthy portion?

By the look on my husband’s face when a humongous mountain of chicken marsala was placed in front of him and a lobster larger than my nephew on a 1 pound bed of 1 (I swear. That is no exaggeration) was placed in front of me, I knew he agreed this was not "normal" by any means.

Here’s the sad and most unfortunate part. I would say that 75% of the people in the room ate the entire portion that was served to them. I realize each one of us is different, requiring different amounts for our body size and metabolic type, but no one and I mean no one needs 2 pounds of chicken, 20 ounces of steak, or 1 pound of rice in one sitting (sorry to break it to you). Could you eat this much over the course of one day? Of course you could. One meal though? Sorry Lewis, not a healthy portion by any means.

Restaurants are not the only place where portion distortion creeps into our lives. We often do the same thing at home, serving ourselves one reasonable, healthy portion and then going again for seconds. If you are still hungry, then of course I do not want you to go hungry, but often it is not hunger at all that draws us back to the kitchen for more. It’s the fact that the food just tasted good or that we ate so fast we didn’t even get a chance to savor and enjoy the meal.

If you think too much food on your plate may be what’s stopping you from seeing the weight come off, here are a few tips to help you battle the Portion Distortion Syndrome:

1. Eat Slow. I know, I know. In our fast paced society, it is a bit difficult to make the time to eat slow and enjoy your meal. I am not asking for a 2 hour lunch break here. All it takes is approximately 20 minutes for your brain and your stomach to register that food has arrived and calm your hunger. When we inhale our meal (and boy did I see some inhalers this weekend) in the first 5 minutes that it has been served, we do not give our bodies enough time to register the "I’m not hungry anymore" cue and of course we are left hungry and searching for more food. Give yourself a minimum of 20 minutes to eat before deciding if more food is even necessary. Savor each bite of food and chew it thoroughly (no inhalers, please!) For those of you that suffer from any gastrointestinal distress, you will actually find that this will greatly enhance your digestion just chewing your food more thoroughly and creating more digestive enzymes in your body.

2. When at restaurants or parties, take a good look at what is on your plate before you even pick up the fork. Figure out exactly how much of it would be healthy for you at this particular meal. This is what my husband did with his mountain of chicken and mashed potatoes. He said to me, "If I eat 1 and ½ pieces of chicken (there was 4 huge pieces on his plate) and half of these mashed potatoes, that is probably more than enough right?". Then he proceeded to cut exactly that much and put it over to one side of his plate and ate from there. If you just start attacking your plate the second it shows up in front of you, the whole thing will be gone (hopefully not including the plate itself) before you even realize it! The scary part is you won’t even know how much you ate! We have all had those moments of total regret when our stomach is aching and we’re asking ourselves "Why did I eat so much? Why didn’t I stop sooner?" A better question to ask before this happens is "How much can I eat now and how much can I have again later?" Give yourself just 2 minutes to assess the portion that would be best for you and take the rest home. Not only will you prevent the stomach pains, but you will get to enjoy this delicious meal twice.

3. At home, put exactly what you intend to eat on your plate before you start eating. Take your time enjoying the food you have in front of you and don’t make this an eating race with the rest of the table. I am often the last person finished at the table and I don’t care. Why should I rush? Unless we have plans or somewhere to be there is no need for me to eat my whole dinner plate in 5 minutes. Not only do I enjoy my meal, but I enjoy talking to my family members during our meal and even put my fork down a few times to digest between bites (imagine that, putting the fork down). I know we are often influenced by the people eating around us and if everyone else is eating fast we have a tendency to follow. Keep at your own pace and have people follow your lead. I know when people eat with me they do have a tendency to eat much slower because I am not inhaling. You will influence others around you to eat healthier without even knowing it.

4. Always remember, there is more where that came from. Chances are none of us are going to suffer from a lack of food, especially when it comes to dining out and being invited to parties. There is no need to eat today like it is the last day that food is being served on this planet. You also don’t receive a special reward for "cleaning your plate" or finishing your meal the fastest. There is always more food available for your next meal (many times there is just too much food available) and we can always take food home with us or eat again in a few hours if we get hungry.

What did I do with my gigantic lobster and 1 pound mountain of rice? Actually my order was confused and I split my sister’s salmon with her (which must have been at least 14 ounces )and we each had a healthy and satisfying piece with green beans and spanish rice on the side. The lobster and rice went home with another relative to serve to her entire family the next day.

Be careful of the Portion Distortion Syndrome Lewis. Use the above tips and I know weight loss will come much easier.

=============================================
Lewis, Publisher
Sarah, CPT

www.articles.atozfitness.com
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Does your diet have to be All or Nothing?

lewis — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:23:57 +0000

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Does your diet have to be "All or Nothing"?

Hi %FIRSTNAME%,

I just got this in from another diet guru Isabel Des Los Rios who you know from http://yourdietsolution.com . Isabel is one of the top internet diet specialist and we publish her articles all the time.

Anyway wanted to share her great article with you this morning.

Enjoy,
Lewis

Hey Lewis,

I definitely have many more supplements I want to cover in the next couple of newsletters but I just had to take a break from that series to cover a very important topic and question that I have received from many readers lately…

"Isabel, I don’t think I can implement every single principle in the Diet Solution Program all at once. Will I still lose weight? Will the program still work for me?"

First and foremost, I do have some good news…some great news actually.

You absolutely do not need to give yourself a complete life overhaul just to see some significant and permanent weight loss results!

Print that sentence out and paste it on your fridge or on your desk…anywhere. Just don’t forget it.

Start slow..step by step..do what you can and the results will follow.

Would it be ideal to follow every principle I teach? Well, yes, that would be pretty great. But sometimes, some days and in certain places that’s just not possible.

I know I may have told you this story before, but when I first discovered the principles that really helped me and many other people lose the stubborn weight I had been battling for so long, it was near impossible for me to implement every principle all at once. I was just out of university at the time and was on a pretty strict budget. Buying organic food was a bit of a challenge for me then, not only because it was sometimes hard to find, but on some weeks a bit difficult to afford. So I always did the best I could, buying fresh foods even if they weren’t organic. It was a great first step.

I also had just gotten a new job and had to be out the door pretty early in the morning (5am to be exact) and it was, again, near impossible to wake up and cook breakfast before I left (I was not going to wake up at 3am just to eat breakfast. I’m sure you can understand that). So, some days I remembered to grab something healthy and on other days I just did the best I could with something I could buy out.

Did I completely give up on my whole fat loss plan if I didn’t have the most ideal breakfast? Of course I didn’t. Because seeing weight loss results does not have to be "all or nothing."

Here is a sample step by step plan you can choose to follow so that your weight loss efforts and your journey to optimum health does NOT have to be a complete life overhaul:

Step 1 – Replace your sugar and artificially sweetened drinks with water or with tea sweetened with Stevia. That’s it. Don’t think about doing anything else for a whole week or even 2 weeks. I’ve had people lose anywhere from 5-10 lbs just by giving up Diet Soda. I’m not saying this will happen to everyone but this would be a great first step in the right direction and may help your body begin the fat burning process.

Step 2 – Pack healthy snacks. Now that you’ve established a healthy drinking routine, begin to think about what healthy snacks you can take to work or to school (or anywhere) with you so you don’t have to resort to the vending machine or you don’t become so hungry you end up eating the entire refrigerator when you get home. I’m a big fan of raw trail mixes because a small bag fits in my purse and I don’t have to worry about it going bad. Grab a piece of fruit like an apple to go along with your raw nuts and you can conquer that afternoon hungry time. Get yourself into this routine for 2 weeks and now in one month you have implemented 2 great principles…decreased your sugar and artificial sweeteners intake and included healthy snacks during the day.

Step 3 – Cook 1-2 healthy dinners each week. Again, start slow. No one said you had to go into gourmet cooking school or had to slave over the stove in order to lose some weight. Start by finding 1-2 healthy recipes that you know you would enjoy (and your family would enjoy too). Pick one night that week or one weekend day and enjoy that meal. And make sure to make enough for leftovers. A healthy lunch can easily be made with leftovers from the night before.

You see, even if you only followed the steps above, how much better would you be eating in just 6 weeks? Well, I don’t know what your current starting point is but I would argue that in just a short time, you have made some incredible progress and will have definitely gotten the fat burning engines started in your body.

These suggestions and many, many more are exactly what I teach and go over in the 6 part Fat Burning Nutrition video series I told you about on Monday. I show you the exact meals I prepare in my own home (yes, that’s my kitchen you see in the videos) and exactly which foods in the supermarket are deceiving many people into thinking they are buying something healthy (yup, you’ll see me even get mad at some of these products).

The videos come along with Mike Geary’s new program "Fat Burning Kitchen". I know you’ll agree that $19.99 is a small price to pay for the information I give you in the 45 minute video series. And then you even get Mike’s new book on top of that!

Grab it here for $19.99 today before the price goes up to $39.99 on Friday.

http://fatburningkitchen.atozfitness.com

Watch the videos and then decide "What will be my first step to weight loss?" Create your own step by step plan and remember…this is not a life overhaul we’re talking about! It’s a permanent solution to your dieting struggles that does not have to be implemented all at once.

http://fatburningkitchen.atozfitness.com

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

Sincerely,
Lewis

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=======================================================

Can you really survive at a restaurant?

lewis — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:20:33 +0000

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Can you really survive at a restaurant?

By Isabel De Los Rios
http://yourdietsolution.com

———————————————————————-|
Hey Lewis,

If you are anything like me and 90% of most people, we all have one thing in common: we are always on the go! I know myself, my busy lifestyle and my traveling schedule sometimes requires me to surrender to a whole lot of restaurant eating and finding healthy options outside my own refrigerator.

But sometimes this is easier said than done. Lewis, I know you can relate.

Before I travel anywhere I always do a little bit of research and see if there is going to be some healthy food nearby. But what is this healthy girl supposed to do when there is no Whole Foods nearby and no kitchen in the hotel? This means I will have to surrender to restaurant eating the whole time. (Houston, we have a problem).

I love vacations just as much as you do, but when I end up coming home feeling bloated and fat instead of relaxed and refreshed, I don’t love it as much anymore.

Here is my plan of attack…

I do what I call "damage control": Do the best I can, with what I’ve got and have an awesome time on my trip!

Prepare my "emergency kit". I will pack and take with me: walnuts, almonds, almond butter, organic turkey and beef jerky, apples and pears. None of these need refrigeration, so they will keep well all weekend. If I’m in a situation where there is no protein handy (like when it’s time for a snack), I’ve got my nuts and jerky to tie me over. If you don’t have something handy, you just may find yourself grabbing pretzels and potato chips (or whatever other horrid food people eat while away).

Breakfast – There is always a protein on the menu, no matter what. Omelets, or smoked salmon are my favorite choices, but I’ve even gone to places that now carry turkey bacon and turkey sausage on the menu. Stay away from the heavy and deadly pancakes and waffles. This is a blood sugar disaster waiting to happen. Eating a sugar loaded breakfast like this will only set you up for hunger and cravings the rest of the day. And, just may ruin an otherwise great day.

Lunch and Dinner – I have said this before. Most of us know what is healthy on the menu, but we still continue to order the crappy stuff. Yes, I do believe in a treat and a cheat meal once or twice a week, but definitely not every night of your vacation. Some people eat and choose items off the menu like they are being sent to starvation camp when they get home. This is not an "all or nothing" deal. You’ve committed to eating healthy for a lifetime. Don’t worry. The food will always be there whether you eat it all at once or space it out over a lifetime.

Ok, back to my point. First, items on the menu that you know are drenched in heavy sauces are an instant No-No. Fettuccine Alfredo? Come on now. Are you serious? Can you get the steak, veggies and salad instead and be just as happy? Or, the Chicken Cacciatore with a side of broccoli rabe? (Yes, we’re at an Italian restaurant). Often times, our taste buds are really just as happy with a healthier choice. No, this is not deprivation. This is choosing to feel good, be healthy and eat good food at the same time. Comprende?

Desserts – I love desserts too and I will definitely get myself a yummy piece of apple pie or chocolaty treat while I am away. If the piece of dessert is bigger than the size of my head, I will not eat the whole thing. There is no need. My taste buds are just as happy with a few bites (and my body is happier too). Remember, we’re not going to starvation camp after this. Trust me, there is enough apple pie, chocolate or (insert your favorite dessert here) to have a small amount at a time for the rest of your life.

The Trolls – The who? Yes, you know who the trolls are. Those people who tell you to "just eat what you want", or "don’t torture yourself". These people always seem to come out of hiding when dining with you at a restaurant. (They are also present at parties and family functions. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid). Don’t let anybody else tell you that taking care of yourself and feeling great is a bad thing. I don’t mean to talk bad about your family and friends, but chances are they are not too thrilled with their current weight and health and really just upset that you actually started to eat healthy and take control of your life.

Remember, there is no need to avoid restaurants and vacations (but please do avoid fast food joints). You just need to focus on the healthier options and have a great time!

About the Diet Solution Program

This is NOT another Hollywood diet scam

Click-here to check out The Diet Solution program

Stay with me and I will show you how hundreds of people just like you have gone from overweight, exhausted and sick to healthy, vibrant and energetic (and that includes me!)

Click-here to check out The Diet Solution program

=============================================
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
The best fitness articles by the webs greatest writers.

AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.comm

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All new fitness geared f.ree dating site
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the BEST cardio machines…

lewis — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:04:52 +0000

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the BEST cardio machines…

By Sean Nalewanyj
http://howtoburnyourfat.atozfitness.com/

———————————————————————-|

Set foot in any traditional gym across the country and you’ll find an endless array of different cardio machines… from treadmills to stationary bikes to stairclimbers to ellipticals.

A well structured cardio program obviously plays an important
role in any effective fat burning workout plan… but which
cardio machines are best and what criteria should we use to
determine which machines to focus on?

It need not be a complicated process, but here are the 2 main
factors that I would suggest looking out for when deciding which
machines to include in your program…

1) The machine should not require very much skill to use.
In other words, stick to cardio machines that are simplistic and
mechanical in nature. Your goal during a cardio session is not to
aimlessly slave away for a marathon session lasting an hour or
more, but rather to keep the session short, concise and highly
intensive.

For this reason, you don’t want to have to divert your focus
onto balancing yourself on the machine or maintaining a specific
form throughout the workout.

Instead, you should pick a cardio exercise that is basic and
straightforward to execute so that the majority of your focus can
be placed on generating a high level of intensity.

2) The machine should minimize the risk of injury. One of your primary goals when it comes to both weight training and cardiovascular exercise is to keep your joints and connective
tissues strong and healthy at all times.

For this reason, you should try to stick to machines that
produce low impact on your joints and that also don’t aggravate
any existing injuries you may have.

Experiment with different machines to see how they feel for you.
If any specific machine causes you discomfort, make sure to steer
clear of it.

Here are a few of the machines I specifically recommend using
based on the above criteria…

***Upright Stationary Bike
This machine is extremely straightforward to use and will allow
you to place all of your focus on generating a high level of
intensity without having to worry about your form.

It is also a very low impact exercise and will keep the stress
off of your joints. Stationary bikes are also easily programmable
and are ideal when performing interval-style training, which is
the kind that I most highly recommend.

***Recumbent Bike
This is the same as a stationary bike, only your body is in a
seated position. The seated position will take some of the stress
off of your lower back, which is a nice advantage for those who
have previous lower back problems.

***Treadmill
Another great choice when implementing an interval-style of
training. Treadmills are a great alternative to running outdoors,
because the platforms are designed to produce less impact on the
joints. If you want to increase the difficulty you can also raise
the platform up on an incline.

***Stairclimber
A stairclimber can be used by anyone from beginners to advanced.
It is another low impact movement and allows you to keep the
majority of your focus on putting forth a hard effort. Make sure
to avoid leaning on the handle bars as this will reduce the
intensity of the workout.

Hopefully this has helped you understand which cardio machines
are the safest and most effective fat burning solutions to
include in your program.
Sean

WARNING: Everything you’ve been taught about losing weight and getting into impressive shape is DEAD WRONG!

Discover all the dirty hidden lies the diet pill and weight loss industries have been feeding you in an effort to keep you fat…

And find out how YOU can finally achieve the lean and sexy body you deserve – quickly, safely and permanently – even if you have the worst genes in the world!

This is a complete fat loss system that teaches people how to burn fat and tone their bodies without supplements, fad diets or fancy training equipment. The full package contains the main e-book ,"The Truth About Burning Fat", along with a full collection of support modules and bonus items.

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=============================================
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
The best fitness articles by the webs greatest writers.

AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.comm

7 Minutes To Better Arms

lewis — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:35:12 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site
- AtoZfitness Article -
7 Minutes To Better Arms

By Jon Benson
http://your7minutemuscle.com
http://myeveryotherdaydiet.com

———————————————————————-|

     Want better arms?

     I have just the solution for you. It works
     if you train in the gym.

     However there’s a way to do it in-home…
     but you will need dumbbells.

     I discovered this technique recently and my
     arms have really been improving.

     Usually my biceps do not get that sore. My
     forearms and shoulders get most of the work.

     And this is true for the vast majority of
     people doing traditional bicep curl work.

     Obviously this is ‘not’ what you want. You
     want to target the biceps.

     We’ll cover triceps, or the back of the
     arms, in my next newsletter. For today,
     it’s all biceps.

     Here’s what I’ve been doing:

     First, I use a machine by Life Fitness. It
     is just their curl machine. Almost any curl
     machine will work as long as you are
     sitting upright. But the Life Fitness
     machine is the best.

     Using a weight that is about 70% of my
     normal curling weight, I lean slightly
     forward while curling up.

     What this does is mimic an old bodybuilding
     movement called "body drag curls." This
     deactivates your shoulders from the
     movement as well as your forearms, at least
     as much as is possible.

     Curl up explosively. Hold the contraction
     at the top for about one-two seconds.

     Then comes the fun part…

     … you lean back, with your back against
     the back-rest of the machine (the normal
     curl position) and lower the weight at
     about a 3-4 second pace.

     But you extend your arms out as far as they
     will go. The Life Fitness machine allows
     you to do this.

     This puts a lot of negative stress (that is
     a good thing in this case) on the biceps.
     Negatives are actually more beneficial to
     adding lean muscle-mass. You just cannot
     over-do the negatives, otherwise you will
     get too sore and over-train.

     Shoot for 10 repetitions. You’ll find that
     if you rest briefly, as I recommend in "7
     Minute Muscle", you will be done with your
     bicep workout in under 7 minutes… and
     that includes a second movement!

     Work for 5 minutes on the curl machine as
     described. Then pick up a pair of dumbbells
     that are about 50% under your normal 10-rep
     curl weight.

          Do hammer-style curls.

     Hold the dumbbells to your side, standing,
     and alternative between your left and right
     arm. Curl up with your right arm, keeping
     your palms facing your body at all times.

     At the top of the movement, the dumbbell is
     at your chest, almost touching, and your
     palms are still facing inward.

     This will work the forearms, but also the
     biceps and the brachialis, the muscle the
     runs between the bicep and inner tricep
     head.

     Here’s the trick: HOLD the right arm at
     the top, flexing the bicep hard. Then curl
     the left arm up. Keep the contraction in
     your left bicep as you lower the right back
     to the starting position.

     The moment your left arm reaches the chest,
     lower the right, and vice-versa.

     The ache in your biceps after just 2
     minutes of this (which is about 2 sets max)
     will be incredible.

          That’s it. You’re done in 7 minutes.

     Enjoy your new arms!

     P.S. I cover how to train your entire body
     in this 5 minute/2 minute style of intense,
     muscle-focused training in my book "7
     Minute Muscle."

     I am starting a newsletter series ‘only’
     for those who have this book next week on
     advanced tips and tricks for faster muscle
     growth in less than a quarter of the time
     usually spent in the gym.

          Does this work?

     Well, my arms are pretty massive. You do
     not have to go as far as I have gone… you
     can stop when your arms have that toned,
     lean-muscle look you want.

     Or you can grow them as large as you want.
     It’s up to you.

     I train this way…. only 3-4 days per week
     in the gym and 7-14 minutes per body
     part… and trust me: There is NO better
     way to train if you value your time and you
     want serious results.

     Pick up the book today so you can get
     started. You’ll see the Member’s Only
     newsletter form on the download page for
     the books and videos.

     That is… if you’re serious about getting
     a solid bod in far less time.

     Read more here:

     7 Minute Workouts <– click…train less; gain more


     Oh… it works no matter if you’re a guy or
     a girl. In fact women make FAR better
     progress because they are finally training
     their bodies in a way that doesn’t drain
     their recovery system.

     Guys… you’ll have to leave your egos at
     the door. The weights are lower than you
     might think.

          But guess what?

     Your muscles have no idea how much weight
     is on the bar.

     And I don’t know about you, but I only care
     about what I see in the mirror, not how
     much weight I’m lifting.

     At 45, I train harder (just a lot shorter)
     than guys half my age… and I progress 2x
     faster. That’s what is so cool about this
     style of training. It’s ideal for anyone,
     but it really rocks for people over 30.

     7 Minute Workouts <– click…train less; gain more

=============================================
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
The best fitness articles by the webs greatest writers.

AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.comm

Sculpt a Better Body with Proper Post-Workout Nutrition

lewis — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:48:48 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site
- AtoZfitness Article -
Sculpt a Better Body with Proper Post-Workout Nutrition

By Mike Geary
http://truthaboutabs.atozfitness.com

As you’ve probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very well be your most important meal of the day.

The reason is that when you’re finished with an intense workout,
you’re entering a catabolic state where your muscle glycogen is
depleted and increased cortisol levels are beginning to excessively break down muscle tissue. These conditions are not good and the only way to reverse this catabolic state (and promote an anabolic state) is to consume a quickly digestible post-workout meal (can be a shake or smoothie) as soon as you can after training.

The goal is to choose a meal with easily digestible quick carbs to
replenish muscle glycogen as well as quickly digestible protein to
provide the amino acids needed to jump start muscular repair.

The surge of carbohydrates and amino acids from this quickly digested meal promotes an insulin spike from the pancreas, which shuttles nutrients into the muscle cells.

The post-workout meal should generally contain between 300-500
calories to get the best response. For example, a 120-lb female may only need a 300-calorie meal, whereas a 200-lb male may need a 500-calorie post-workout meal. Your post-workout meal should also contain anywhere from a 2:1 ratio of carbs:protein to a 4:1 ratio of carbs:protein. While most of your other daily meals should contain a source of healthy fats, keep the fat content of your post-workout meal to a bare minimum, since fat slows the absorption of the meal, which is the opposite of what you want after a workout.

When choosing what to make for your post-workout meal, the first thing to realize is that you DON’T need any of these expensive post-workout supplement formulations that all of the fancy ads you see everywhere will tell you that you absolutely NEED! I tend to prefer to make my own post-workout shakes from natural ingredients instead of using a commercial mixture, since many of them are low quality.

However, one that I’ve found that I particularly like (and from a
brand that I trust) is at this page: http://atozfitness.getprograde.com – they have just the right ratio of carbs to protein and use quality ingredients.

For the shakes that I make myself, here are some things to keep in mind if you try it…

A good source of quickly digestible natural carbs such as frozen
bananas, pineapples, honey, or organic maple syrup are perfect to
elicit an insulin response that will promote muscle glycogen
replenishment and a general anabolic (muscle building) effect.

The more you can assist the muscle repair process, the more you
increase your metabolic rate and can help your fat loss as well.

The best source of quickly digestible protein is a quality non-denatured whey protein isolate and/or some fat-free or low-fat
yogurt. Here are a couple ideas for delicious post-workout
smoothies that will kick start your recovery process:

Chocolate Banana - blend together 1 cup water, ½ cup skim milk, one and a half frozen bananas, 2 tbsp organic maple syrup, and 30 grams chocolate whey protein powder – 38 g prot, 72 g carb, 0.5 g fat, 440 calories.

Pineapple Vanilla – blend together 1 cup water, ½ cup vanilla
yogurt, one cup frozen pineapples, 2 tbsp honey (preferably raw),
and 30 grams vanilla whey protein powder – 35 g prot, 71 g carb,
0.5 g fat, 425 calories.

When looking to lose body fat, keep in mind that post-workout meals should have the opposite characteristics of all of your other meals throughout each day. While post-workout meals should have quick high glycemic index carbs and quickly digested proteins, all of your other meals throughout the day should be comprised of low glycemic index, slowly digested carbs and slow release proteins.

These are powerful strategies towards developing a lean muscular
body with a low body fat percentage. Another great thing about
post-workout meals is that you can satisfy even the worst sweet
tooth, since this is the one time of the day where you can get away with eating extra sugars without adding to your gut. Instead, it all goes straight to the muscles! But ONLY if your workout was super-high intensity and involved resistance training for large portions of the body. If all you did was some low intensity cardio, forget about doing this type of post-workout shake.

Enjoy!

A more detailed and comprehensive nutritional analysis with more of these var ious powerful dietary strategies are found in our
best-selling #1 rated fitness ebook in the world:

http://truthaboutabs.atozfitness.com

===========================================
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
The best fitness articles by the webs greatest writers.

AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com

Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

All new fitness geared f.ree dating site
http://www.atozfitdating.com

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

DIET, It’s a Dirty Word

lewis — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:33:49 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site
- AtoZfitness Blog post -
DIET, It’s a Dirty Word

By: Marc David
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/nobullbodybuilding.html
Lose the word "diet" from your vocabulary!

According to Miller Jones, a professor of nutrition and food science at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota…

4th graders are aware of the word diet, especially the girls.

One of the world’s largest study of weight loss has shown that diets do not work for the vast majority of slimmers and may even put lives at risk.

This type of yo-yo behavior is linked to many health problems. Because of the strain on the body of repeated weight loss and weight gain, the researchers found that the dieters would have been better off not dieting at all.

Research has shown the repeated rapid weight gain and loss associated with dieting can double the risk of death from heart disease, including heart attacks, and the risk of premature death in general.

For starters…

When you think ‘diet’ you are actively engaging in short term thinking. When you start to think of it as something you go on and then off again, that’s the wrong direction.

Some of the BEST resources on nutrition are not diets. They are eating plans. They are how to eat healthy for life programs. They teach you how to eat correctly for everyday living. There’s nothing short term about them.

"The benefits of dieting are simply too small and the potential harms of dieting are too large for it to be recommended as a safe and effective treatment for obesity." -Dr Traci Mann

A quick test is to simply look at any given plan and immediately ask yourself…

Is this something I can do for life?

Frankly…

If you are overweight, then thinking in the short term is exactly why you could be doomed to fail! As you bounce from one plan to the next, you become more and more frustrated.

FACT: Many diets that use a severe calorie restriction just makes it harder to lose the weight the next time.

FACT: Some studies show that repeated weight loss and regain actually increase the changes you’ll gain even more weight the next time.

FACT: Studies consistently find that people who report the most exercise also have the most weight loss.

Now with all this in mind…

No matter what eating plan you choose or what your goals, just drop the word ‘diet’ from your vocabulary and pick a plan you can stick with for life. That encourages slow weight loss or weight gain. That doesn’t "demonize" foods but helps you pick and choose from healthy alternatives and explains the reasons why.

If you are always changing your eating habits for special events or every 8 weeks, you might be dieting. That’s the time to take a step back and learn all you can about nutrition. Learning how to eat correctly is something you can stick with for life and avoid the common frustrations.

About the Author

Marc David is an innovative fitness enthusiast and the creator of the "NoBull Bodybuilding System" method .

He can show you how to reduce your body fat thru diet, how to gain weight or create more muscle thru an abundance of workout tips by training LESS, not more!

Once a self-confessed skinny, "135-pound weakling." Today Marc is a 200 pound bodybuilder who teaches thousands of people to gain weight, build muscle and reduce body fat with a workout and nutrition system so simple that even a complete beginner can understand it!

Marc dispels many "bodybuilding myths", tells you what most people never realize about nutrition, and what the drug companies DON’T WANT YOU to know.

visit http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/nobullbodybuilding.html
Today

======================================
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

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Two Flat Stomach Secrets For Women

lewis — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:02:34 +0000

Two Flat Stomach Secrets For Women

By Holly Rigsby
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/fitmummy.html

Have you tried everything under the sun to get a flat stomach, only to come up disappointed? Have you fallen prey to all the gimmicks, fad diets and shameless infomercials promising you that elusive flat stomach that you desire?

Well fret no more, I’m going to let you in on the two ‘secrets’ that will help you shed unwanted fat and reveal your toned, flat stomach once and for all.

The first secret for a flat stomach is eating supportively. While this doesn’t seem like a secret at all, most women get this wrong in spite of their best – but misguided – efforts. Women have fallen prey to low-fat, low-carb, Hollywood, grapefruit, South Beach and every other over hyped diet that marketers can dream up, all in hopes of shedding those unwanted pounds. But eating supportively is isn’t about dieting or deprivation; it’s about moderation and balance. While cutting carbs or fats out of your nutrition plan might give you a temporary loss of a couple of pounds, it’s typically followed by a drop in metabolism and a weight gain of more than you lost in the first place once you go back to your old eating habits.

So what is eating supportively? Eating supportively is having protein and carbohydrates at every meal. It’s grazing on 4-6 meals or snack each day instead of missing meals and then gorging yourself. It’s enjoying a healthy breakfast and not drinking your calories. But most of all, eating supportively is enjoying the foods you love in moderation instead of in excess.

If eating supportively is the first secret to a flat stomach, then what’s the second? The second flat stomach secret is resistance training. Unfortunately, just as fad diets have stood in the path of women achieving the flat stomachs they so desired, so have the myths of spot reduction and cardio being the best method for fat loss. Late night infomercials have long promoted gadgets that promised to spot reduce those trouble spots that women struggle with and sucked us in with testimonials from fitness models that undoubtedly picked up a nifty paycheck for endorsing their wares. But spot reduction is a myth. Think about it – have you ever met someone with a flat stomach and fat arms? Didn’t think so. If spot reduction was possible then undoubtedly one of these happy customers would have toned and tightened their stomach, yet kept their flabby arms.

The other myth that has led women astray is the belief that cardio is the best solution for fat loss. Treadmill manufacturers have sold the virtues of the ‘fat burning zone’ and led us to believe that we could plod along on a treadmill watching Oprah and before long a flat stomach would be ours. These two myths have diverted us from the path of what really does work – resistance training. Resistance training is a flat stomach’s best friend because not only does an effective resistance training session burn plenty of calories while you’re doing it, but it keeps you’re metabolism revved long after you’re done. One recent study showed that you’re metabolism would stay elevated for over 36 hours after a resistance training session.

Try to get that out of an aerobics class.

And there’s another benefit of resistance training when it comes to getting a flat stomach. The lean muscle that you gain will raise you’re resting metabolic rate and help you burn more fat all day long, each and every day.

There you have it, two ‘secrets’ that are guaranteed to boost your metabolism and give you that flat stomach you’ve been longing for. So ditch the diet books and the aerobics classes and start eating supportively and resistance training. Before long that flat stomach will finally be yours.

About the Author

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to http://www.fityummymummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."

Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitnesss

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

The TRUTH About Empty Stomach Cardio

lewis — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:33:01 +0000

———————————————————————————– |

The TRUTH About Empty Stomach Cardio

———————————————————————————– |

by Joel Marion
http://atozfitness.com/recommends/cheatyourwaythin.html

Over the weekend I hit the gym with my buddy John for a morning cardio workout.

Now, I say “cardio”, but really it was a metabolic resistance training session.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, the simple definition for metabolic resistance training is “cardio with weights”. We’ll cover this more in detail in another update so as not to get too off topic.

So we’re about 10 minutes into the workout and John looks like he’s in pretty bad shape (despite being in really GOOD shape). So I asked him what the deal was.

“I didn’t eat anything for breakfast.”

Me: Why the heck not?

“I thought that’s what you’re supposed to do if you want to burn the most fat from your morning workouts.”

Uh oh.

Perhaps you’re still believing this old myth just like John, so allow me to take a moment to dispel it.

The theory behind empty stomach is cardio is simple: supposedly, by doing cardio on a empty stomach, you tap directly into fat stores since glycogen (carbohydrate) stores are somewhat depleted after an overnight fast.

Seems to make sense, but research has proven this to be wrong.

Several studies have shown no difference in substrate utilization (glycogen vs. fat) for those working out on an empty stomach vs. those who eat a small meal prior to their morning workouts.

In fact, one study showed the exact opposite—those who had a small meal first burned more calories and more fat than the empty stomach group.

How can this be? The reason is rather simple if you think about it. I was kicking butt and taking names with my workout, and John was barely able to get through his. Even if not eating beforehand allowed you to burn more fat (which it doesn’t), the major trade off is performance.

And why does performance matter? Well, if you can’t perform at an optimal level and put forth maximal effort, then you are not going to be burning an optimal amount of calories–period.

The truth is, empty stomach cardio is an outdated philosophy whose theory was proven incorrect by research. Still, there are plenty of people who hold on to the theory despite the available research. Perhaps they’re not aware of it, perhaps they just go by what the fitness and bodybuilding magazines tell them (bad idea); I’m not sure.

Whatever the reason, popular philosophy doesn’t always mean correct philosophy, and this is one such instance.

So I’ll leave you with some practical recommendations:

At the very minimum, have a couple scoops of whey before any morning “cardio” workout.

That said, if it’s still negatively affecting your performance, you need to go a bit further. The meal doesn’t have to be large, but it should contain some complex carbs (oatmeal, etc) along with a small serving of protein.

Give it about a half hour to begin digesting and then hit your workout.

Better performance = more calories burned = more fat loss = improved cardiovascular functioning = even better performance = even more calories burned = even more fat loss.

Don’t be like my friend John and have a crappy workout because you didn’t eat. As I shared with you, the research shows that’s not going to make a difference anyway. Instead, eat your Wheaties and then dominate your workout!

Alright, now it’s comment time. If you are one of our 5,000 new customers, we like to comment here. Get involved; participate; that’s what this site is all about.

I want to know: Do you still do empty stomach cardio? Will you give it up based on this post? Do you notice your performance suffers?

Or maybe you do REALLY well with empty stomach cardio.

Either way, let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!

Chat with you below!

Your friend,

Joel

Content-wise,Cheat Your Way Thin e-book features a very easy-to-follow 3 phase program including a priming phase, core phase, and maintenance phase.

It also features everything you’d expect from a first-class, New York publication house including a weekly meal plan, a fat burning interval training plan, and 12 weeks of daily menus, including my 75 recipes.

And speaking of the recipes…I’m pretty proud of them. But I’m not alone – even Publisher’s Weekly loved them, stating that "no matter what kind of diet readers are looking for, the (non-cheating) recipes in the back of the book will appeal: a tasty Tomato-Basil Omelet, filled with herbs and garlic, creamy Pumpkin Pancakes and luscious Lamb Chops with Beet-and-Orange Salad are good enough to make "cheating" an afterthought."

So if you’ve struggled with fat loss plateaus in the past and are interested in learning how to "cheat" to "lose", check out the brand new The Cheat To Lose Diet.

Is your Diet Coke making you Fat? + Free diet e-course.

lewis — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:56:33 +0000

———————————————————————————– |

Is your Diet Coke making you Fat? + Free diet e-course.

———————————————————————————– |

by Isabel De Los Rios
http://www.yourdietsolution.com

After a quick look at some of the emails I received last week I noticed there were many questions and concerns about Artificial Sweeteners. As many of you know, I am a big advocate of being "au natural" as much as possible and artificial sweeteners to me are, well, "artificial".

Here was one reader’s question::

"Isabel. It seems that there are no definite studies that prove, hands down, that artificial sweeteners can be hazardous to our health. Do you still recommend we stay away from them?"

My answer to this question is YES but more importantly, I would like to explain a little something about just about every health study out there. There are so many factors that we will never know about each and every study that is conducted. For example: Who funded the study? How were the results interpreted? What if the time frame used was too short? Too long? Was the scientist having a bad day? You get my point.

Yes, I do agree. There are so many studies that show artificial sweeteners not having any detrimental effects on health. But there are also many studies that show tumor growth, increased incidence of cancer, and liver damage in the specimens used.

Who is telling the truth? Or, better yet, who is right? We may never know. But do you know what is the one thing you can always rely on to tell you exactly what is right or wrong for you? Your body! When I personally gave up drinking diet coke and using artificial sweeteners in my tea and coffee, my stomach pains went away, I stopped feeling hungry all the time, I began to consistently lose weight and I no longer had such strong sweet cravings. I’ve had thousands of my readers and clients tell me the same. On the flip side of that, I’ve never, in all my years of experience, have had someone tell me they switched to artificial sweeteners and then no longer craved sweets or were less hungry. Nope. Never heard that. What can I say? I only call it like I see it.

For me, staying away from anything "artificial" just seems like the best choice for ME. Remember, as with any health advice, you always want to do what seems best for you and your health. If the sound of putting a man made chemical into your body seems like a bad thing to you, stay away from them. If you think your body seems to not be affected by a few chemicals every now and again, then go for it. All I am suggesting is that you keep yourself informed, educated and make choices based on what your body tells you and shows you is best for you.

Here is an article I wrote that presents some of the research and facts I have found regarding artificial sweeteners and how they may be affecting your fat loss efforts:

http://www.thedietsolutionprogram.com/articles.aspx?article=How-Artificial-Sweeteners-Are-Making-You-Fat

Feel free to share this article with your co-workers, friends and family as I know many people are reading their emails right now with a Diet Coke in hand. They just may put it down after they read this:

Isabel

Get Isabel’s
Free 7 Day E-Course :

Your “Must Have” Starter Kit to Permanent
Weight Loss & Vibrant Health A 7 Day E-course
By Isabel De Los Rios

Day #1: 3 Magic Tricks to jumpstart your Fat Loss right now
Day #2: How to use your Favorite “Fatty” foods to maximize your weight loss
Day #3: Exactly which carbs cause weight gain and which carbs cause weight loss…bonus video
Day #4: How to combat Dieting Pitfalls the easy way
Day #5: How much Protein is really necessary for maximized weight loss and muscle gain
Day #6: How to stay on your weight loss plan no matter what the situation
Day #7: Exactly what steps to follow to guarantee long term weight loss success

Swedish Weight Loss Secret + Download Turbulence Training Bodyweight Workout

lewis — Mon, 25 May 2009 11:45:44 +0000

———————————————————————- |

Swedish Weight Loss Secret
———————————————————————- |

By Craig Ballantyne
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/turbulencetraining.html

For years I’ve been yelling and screaming about the importance of online
social support (i.e. having Internet weight loss buddies).

And finally, after all these years, the Swedes have proven this weight loss
secret (and no, it’s not just "eat fewer Swedish meatballs").

Researchers at the world famous Karolinska Institute wanted to find out why
some men and women succeed at weight loss while others don’t.

They studied many men and women using an Internet Weight Loss Club, and
found that the people who used the site the MOST also LOST the most weight.

That means that going online for social support in your weight loss program
is one of the most IMPORTANT things you can do.

You might not have the perfect home life, office environment, or workout
buddies, but chances are you will find someone to help you on an Internet
weight loss forum.

And the truth is, you won’t find another Internet Weight Loss Club as
positive and helpful as you’ll find in the Turbulence Training Member’s
area. Just listen to what this Turbulence Training member has to say…

"I have been using Turbulence Training for about 3 months now and am
ecstatic with the results. The workouts require minimal equipment, you get
great nutrition information and you get access to the online forum which is
invaluable. Being able to actually communicate on almost a daily basis with
the person who created the program is one of the best parts of TT, and there
are plenty of other people on the site with tons of useful information who
may have gone through similar experiences.

Since starting the TT program I have dropped 15 lbs, more than 5% bodyfat
and over 3" from my waist. I feel great and my energy levels are through the
roof. I even feel this extra energy spilling over into other aspects of my
life and making them better as well. All I can say is thanks CB not just for
the fitness change but a great lifestyle change."
Derek Kendig

We’re there to help you lose weight and inches. Stay strong with our help at
TurbulenceTraining!

About the Author

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 Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, 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 TurbulenceTraining

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Turbulence Training
Bodyweight Workout
By Craig Ballantyne

Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
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Foods That are Promoted as Healthy, But are not in Reality

lewis — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:14:55 +0000

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Foods That are Promoted as Healthy, But are not in Reality
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By Mike Geary
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/truthaboutabs.html

Just yesterday, I was at the grocery store (supermarket) and had to shake my head at all of the clever deceptive labels with everything claiming all sorts of things that are supposedly "healthy", but aren't really. This is food marketing deception at it's worst.

One of the things I noticed over and over that really disturbed me was that I saw several examples of healthy foods in their natural state, but I saw counterfeit overly processed versions of these original foods claiming that they were healthier than the natural version...

However, in reality, all of these counterfeit versions were actually MUCH worse for you than the original... and they still have the balls to claim that their overly processed "junkified" versions are better.

I wonder if these companies are really clueless enough about nutrition that they legitimately think their products are healthier than the natural version? Hmm.

Example #1: Product claiming to be "Better than peanut butter"

This product is ridiculous! I can't believe anyone would ever believe that this processed junk is better for them than natural minimally processed peanut butter.

First of all, if you buy a good natural organic peanut butter, it is usually nothing but two ingredients... peanuts and salt. And they don't add much salt so it's not a high sodium product.

However, this fake peanut butter which claimed it was "better than peanut butter" (trying to seem healthier than natural peanut butter based on its label claims) had a list of processed junk in it you wouldn't believe. First of all, they strip all of the natural healthy fats out of the peanuts so that it is a "low fat" product. Alright, now you have just taken away one of the healthiest parts of the peanut butter... the appetite satisfying healthy fats that you need to control cravings and manage more stable blood sugar levels
in your body.

To make things worse, the healthy fats were replaced with 2 different types of sugar-based syrups as well as additional dehydrated cane juice (aka SUGAR), in addition to added refined starches (in case you didn't get enough blood-sugar spiking refined carbs yet).

This product has taken something as simple and natural as peanut butter, and turned it into what should really be called some sort of processed junk candy. Yet, they claim that it is healthier for you than peanut butter. And somehow they get away with deceiving the masses like this on their label. Do not be their fool!

Example #2: Product claiming to be "better than eggs".

I won't get as detailed on this one because I recently went into good detail on this entire topic in another newsletter.

Basically, this product was just egg whites with a bunch of added chemical colorings, flavorings, and other nonsense, including artificially added vitamins.

Again, this product has essentially ruined a good thing by removing the healthiest part... the YOLKS! And yes, the yolks ARE the healthiest part of the egg. Anybody that tells you different does not understand much about real nutrition. The important thing to look for in quality whole eggs are cage-free and organic.

Most people don't realize that almost all of the quality nutrition of an egg is found in the yolks. The majority of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and trace nutrients are found in the yolks, not the whites. Even the protein in the whites isn't as high quality in terms of bioavailability without the amino acid profile of the yolk that complements the amino acid profile of the whites.

And no, the cholesterol in eggs is not bad for you... it actually raises your good cholesterol more than bad cholesterol improving overall profile. And the fats in whole eggs are balanced and healthy for you as well.

Bottom line... whole eggs are healthier than egg whites. The label claims are just another example of food marketing deception.

Example #3: A product claiming to be "better than butter".

This was essentially crappy margarine loaded with highly processed and deadly trans fats, yet it had the nerve to claim it was "better than butter".

Heck NO!

Even low quality butter is better for you than any margarine. One problem with butter are the pesticides and hormones frequently found within from improperly raised cows.

For this reason, it's always a good choice to go with organic butter, and if you can find grass-fed butter, then I would even say it can be healthy for you. Grass-fed butter is higher in beneficial conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). In fact, adding a little butter to your steamed vegetables helps your body to absorb more of the vitamins and minerals in the veggies.

Also, due to the content of stable saturated fats in butter, this makes butter one of the best oils to cook with. Oils high in polyunsaturated oils such as soy, corn, safflower (and even flax) are the worst to cook with due to the highly unstable nature of their chemistry. I have a fully comprehensive article on which oils are healthiest for cooking and which are not based on their chemistry.

Another point... the saturated fat in butter is NOT bad for you. We've already beaten a dead horse with that topic in previous articles, but again, more detailed articles about that topic are found at my site.

You can find dozens more articles about all of these controversial topics at my website below. Enjoy!

Learn more about the truth about nutrition & training, and grab a free metabolism boosting report at Workouts for abdominal fat loss & six pack abs

Mike Geary is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and author of the internationally best-selling book, The Truth about Six Pack Abs, with tens of thousands of readers in over 150 countries.

Free e-book download :

Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body
By Mike Geary

Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google's #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog....
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

How To Determine If You Are a Hardgainer + Free e-book Shape up Now

lewis — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:19:23 +0000

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How To Determine If You Are a Hardgainer
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By Hugo Rivera
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/hugorivera.html

Definition of a Hardgainer

The popular definition of a hardgainer is a person that works out hard with weights but has a hard time putting on muscle. Six weeks of working out can go by and no significant changes in muscle size are noted other than perhaps a bit of an increase in muscle tone.

According to this popular definition of a hardgainer, all of us are "hardgainers" because for the most part, putting on muscle is not an easy endeavor. The easiest period to gain muscle is during puberty. After that, gaining muscle becomes progressively harder as we age due to the fact that hormonal production starts declining between the ages of 25 and 30.

Ectomorph Somatypes

My definition of a hardgainer is the naturally skinny person, who no matter what he or she eats, always seem to remain the same body weight.

This is what Dr. William H. Sheldon referred to as an "ectomorph" somatotype when he came up with the theory sometime in the 1940’s. Sheldon’s theory states that human bodies are divided into three main somatotypes; the ectomorph, the endomorph and the mesomorph.

In a nutshell...

The ectomorph is the naturally skinny person who has trouble gaining weight, whether in the form of muscle or fat.

The endomorph on the other hand has the opposite problem, it is too easy for a person with this body type to gain weight.While endomorphs are easy muscle gainers, provided they diet and train correctly, they are cursed with a slow metabolism, which makes it imperative that they be strict with their diet year round if they wish to have any abdominal definition.

The mesomorph, however, is the naturally muscular person, who also has a higher metabolism than the endomorph. Mesomorphs make excellent bodybuilders and for them, gains in muscle and reduction in body fat come rather easily provided they maintain a great training and nutrition program; life is not fair.

So You Have Determined That You Are A Hardgainer - Now what?!

Now, having said this, is a hardgainer doomed to stay looking the same way forever?

Not at all. Basically, all the hardgainer has to do is modify the training and nutrition program to suit his/her unique metabolism.

While most people will do best on a diet consisting of 40% carbohydrates, 40% proteins and 20% fats, the hardgainer will benefit most from a diet consisting of 50% carbs, 25 % proteins and 25% good fats.

While the typical person will do best on a caloric intake that equals their lean body mass times 12, the hardgainer is better served by taking in as much as 24 calories per pound of total bodyweight (as opposed to lean body mass). Therefore, if you are a hardgainer and weigh 150 lbs, your caloric intake will be 3600 calories (150 x 24). Your total amounts of carbohydrates per day will be in the order of 450 grams of carbs, your protein will be 225 grams and your fats will be 100 grams of good fats per day.

You can take all of this in 6, 7 or even 8 meals. The key thing for a hardgainer to be successful is to minimize their caloric expenditures and maximize their caloric intake. This is necessary as the hardgainer metabolism is a furnace that burns calories at all times and if not enough are supplied at one time or the other, then muscle will be consumed by the body for energy purposes. After all, this metabolic issue is what makes a person a hardgainer.

Hardgainer Training

Three to four sessions per week of periodized weight training, lasting for 60 minutes at the most, is all a hardgainer can get away with. Cardiovascular exercise should be limited to a couple of light walks on the days off lasting no more than 20 minutes. Remember that the hardgainer needs to limit caloric expenditure. Because of this, he/she needs to get in the gym, stimulate the muscle and get out.

The Benefit of Being a Hardgainer

If you are a hardgainer that does not mean it's the end of the world. Many determined hardgainers that have achieved their bodybuilding goals (and even won competitions) through a ton of determination and very hard work. The beauty of hardgainers is the fact that it is very hard for them to gain body fat, so therefore, any muscle gains that they make are highly visible due to the amount of muscle definition that the hardgainer has.

If you are a hardgainer, plan your meals ahead of time, pack them in a cooler and ensure that you never run out of food. When in the gym, get in, and get out. At night, get plenty of rest, and if you follow all of this day in and day out, then get ready to grow!

If your interested in more information about my complete Body Body Building & Fat Loss Program check out : http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/hugorivera.html

Author Bio
Hugo Rivera CFT, SPN, BSCE. is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, multi certified personal trainer, industry consultant and fitness expert who not only knows training and nutrition theory, but also applies it on a daily basis as evidenced by the fact that he's always in shape and by his awards and high placings at numerous national level bodybuilding competitions. He is also an internationally known best selling fitness author with a very successful franchise of books called "The Body Sculpting Bibles" which collectively have sold over a million copies. Hugo is also author of the very popular “Body Re-Engineering” e-book, which teaches you how to gain lean muscle mass and get lean without drugs, or fancy expensive supplements, using the secrets he devised after many years of weight problems as a child.For more information on Hugo’s Muscle Building / Fat Loss Program please click on the link below:
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/hugorivera.html

Free e-book download :

Shape Up Now
By Hugo Rivera

4 Foods for More Fat Loss

lewis — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:43:33 +0000

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4 Foods for More Fat Loss
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4 Foods for More Fat Loss
by Mike Roussell PhD(c)
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/warpspeedfatloss.html

What foods should I eat for maximum fat loss? This is a common question that I get from clients and friends. There is so much new information out there everyday "X food is now good for you but Y food is now bad." How can you possibly sort through all the junk science and sensational reporting to truly find out which foods will help you lose weight and which foods won't?

Let me help. Here's a look at foods that you should eat to maximize fat loss. These foods are listed in no particular order because they are all important.

1. Salmon - While salmon was once demonized by the fitness community in the 90's because of it's fat content (I actually saw it in an article about 'Foods to avoid for fat loss') we now know that the long chain omega-3 fats found in salmon are the best kind. Research has shown that these fats can actually help you burn more fat. Salmon also contains high levels of protein - it is really the perfect package.

2. Almonds - Almonds are a great fat loss snack. Almonds are extremely convenient, portable, and they have a long shelf life. You should keep a small bag of almonds at your desk, in your briefcase, or backpack as an emergency weight loss snack. Almonds contain fat, fiber, and protein - all of which will help curb your hunger. They are also low in carbohydrates and provide your body with energy while keeping your blood sugar levels under control.

3. Broccoli - Broccoli is a true superfood. From a health perspective they contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that have been shown to help fight cancer. There is also some evidence to suggest that another compounds found in broccoli, Calcium D-glucarate, can bind excess estrogen in the body. It is a low impact carb with a nice dose of fiber. You can buy is fresh or frozen (broccoli cuts or florets - go with the florets). The bottom line is Eat Broccoli Often.

4. Green Tea - Green tea is another powerful food, like broccoli, that will have huge impacts on your fat loss and health. Green tea can be an acquired taste for some people as if you let it steep to long (e.g. leave the tea bag in the water) it can be very bitter. You can drink it hot or cold (if you opt for cold you may need to add a little splenda). Green tea contains cancer fighting compounds, not to mention antioxidants, caffeine, and the fat burning powerhouse EGCG. Research has shown that the combination of caffeine and EGCG (which is naturally combined in green tea) can help burn extra fat. Drink 2-3 cups a day. In fact I'm drinking some right now!

There you have it four time tested and research proven foods to help you burn more fat. If you aren't eating (or drinking) all of these foods daily (or at least every couple days) then you are not doing everything possible to burn maximum fat. Add them to your diet, get healthier, and burn more fat.

About the Author/More Info:

Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/warpspeedfatloss.html .

Mike Roussell is a nutrition doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania. Mike's writings can be found in magazines such as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, and Testosterone Nation. Mike specializes in fat loss nutrition and diets for busy men and women who need to lose weight fast without it interfering with their lives. Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat to lose weight in record time.

Free e-book download :

Top Secret Fat Loss Strategies
By Michael A. Roussell

Doberman Dan Barks Bench Press Pyramiding Bites!

lewis — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:43:45 +0000

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Doberman Dan Barks Bench Press Pyramiding Bites!
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By Daniel Gallapoo "Doberman Dan"
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/dobermandan.html

"How You Can Add Up TO 50 Pounds To Your Bench Press IMMEDIATELY By NOT Pyramiding!"

From my very introduction to the Iron Game over 20 years ago, (geez, that makes me sound old!) all of the literature, books, and courses I've read or followed advocated "pyramiding" your weights on the basic exercises.

If you don't know what "pyramiding" is, here's an example using the bench press:

Set 1: 12 reps with 135 lbs.

Set 2: 10 reps with 185 lbs.

Set 3: 8 reps with 225 lbs.

Set 4: 6 reps with 250 lbs.

Set 5: 4 reps with 265 lbs.

Set 6: 2 reps with 285 lbs.

Even as a novice bodybuilder, after a few weeks of "pyramiding" I thought that it was kinda stupid. After all, if the goal of doing all this work in the gym is to get stronger and bigger...and we're supposed to constantly strive for pushing more and more weight in the basic exercises...then all this "pyramiding" stuff seemed to me to be a lot of wasted energy on lighter unproductive sets. Plus it seemed like I would be able to do more weight on the heavier sets if I hadn't have burned up so much energy on the lighter sets. This was (and still is) just my humble observation.

Now I agree that warming up is important...but geez, how "warm" do you wanna get? So warm you're fried???

So I think I've discovered a better way. Well, it's been better for me. But who knows? It could work for you, too!

As I was just now getting ready to describe my system for the basic exercises, I realized that I don't have a name for it! I guess I gotta call it sumthin'!

Hmmmmmm...since I'm not really in a creative mood let's call it... (insert drum roll here)

"Doberman Dan's Non-Pyramid System For Maximum Muscle Growth"

OK, I admit that kinda sucks. I tried to think of something cute and creative but couldn't. I tried to think of a word that means "opposite of a pyramid" but I don't think that word exists. So for now we're stuck with this non-creative name.

So instead of the pyramid thing (wouldn't it actually be a "triangle?" Pyramids are 3 dimensional) let's try training on the bench press like this:

Warm-up Set 1: 20 reps with the empty bar (Get a little blood flowing and work on your technique. Do these slowly like you really have weight on there. Just don't ask someone to spot you on this set lest you look like a wuss!)

Warm-up Set 2: 12 reps (Select a weight in which you can EASILY complete 12 reps without even being remotely close to temporary muscular failure. This is an easy set just to get you warmed up. Do NOT select a weight which will tax the muscles.)

Warm-up Set 3 (if needed): Same as set 2 Set 4 "Weight acclimation" Set: 4 reps (Use a weight that you could do about 10 to 12 reps with if you went to temporary muscular failure. You're not trying to tax the muscles, just getting used to the feel of the heavier weights.)

Set 5 - Your 2nd "weight acclimation" set: 1 to 2 reps (Use a weight that you could do about 6 to 8 reps with if you went to temporary muscular failure. Again, you're not trying to tax the muscles, just getting used to the feel of the heavier weights.)

Set 6 - Your first actual "work set": 6 to 8 reps (Use a weight that allows you to do at least 6 reps but no more than 8 reps to temporary muscular failure. If you can't do 6 reps, the weight is too heavy. If you can do 8 or more reps, the weight is not heavy enough.)

Set 7 - Your 2nd "work set": Same as Set 6 (Due to fatigue from the first work set you might not be able to get 6 reps. If you only get 4 or less, lighten the weight a little for the final set.)

Set 8 - Your 3rd "work set": Same as Set 6 When you start your actual work sets, rest 2 to 4 minutes in between sets. You want plenty of recuperation time. We're trying to hoist big iron here.

If you're a relative newbie to the Iron Game stick with the 6 to 8 rep range on the work sets.

If you've been training a while and consider yourself an intermediate or advanced bodybuilder, you might want to try the 4 to 6 rep range for the work sets. I've made some really good size and strength gains within the past 3 months by working in the 4 to 6 rep range on the basic exercises.

If you have good recuperation-ability and are intermediate to advanced, you could add a 4th work set. But for most folks I think 3 is plenty.

Now go try it on your next bench, deadlift, or squat workout. I'll bet if you've been "pyramiding" you'll be amazed at how strong and fresh you are on the work sets while following my "non-pyramid" system. I added 25 pounds to my incline press the first time I tried this system.

Maybe you'll do the same!

If you liked this article check out my ebook as well.

Hyper Growth Muscle Mass Training E-book

A step-by-step guide that teaches you the secrets, tips, and techniques you need to know to build a chiseled, muscular, ripped, head-turning physique...FAST! The "Hyper-Growth Muscle Mass Training" course is an extremely effective natural human growth hormone stimulator and packs on muscle mass, strength and power faster than you would've ever thought possible...while burning off body fat like crazy! This guide covers it all, and makes it easy for you to get started building rock-solid muscle size and power while burning off ugly body fat. Written by our good friend Doberman Dan.

Read all about it.

Build Muscle Mass With The "Hyper Growth Muscle Mass System" by Daniel Gallapoo known in bodybuilding circles as Doberman Dan. A step-by-step guide that teaches you the secrets, tips, and techniques you need to know to build a chiseled, muscular, ripped, head-turning physique...FAST! You have to experience these German Volume Training techniques first hand.

When is it OK to eat Sugar?

lewis — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:17:49 +0000

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When is it OK to eat Sugar?
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By Isabel De Los Rios
http://yourdietsolution.com

One of two things happens when you even mention the word Sugar...people either jump up for joy, salivating for their next sugar fix or they go running in the opposite direction and avoid it like the plague (Hmm Lewis, which one are you?)

The sugar lovers, well, they just love their sugar and would probably sprinkle it on broccoli if that was socially acceptable. While others are so afraid of it they are even scared to eat foods like bananas, carrots and onions because of their high sugar content..huh?

I'm pretty sure we can blame crash and extreme diets like the all protein, no carbohydrate diets (author will remain nameless but I'm sure you know who I'm talking about) for people's fear of certain fruits and vegetables. When a diet tells you to stay away from veggies and fruit, you have to wonder how healthy it is. (What's next? You can't drink water?)

The real question here is:

Is all sugar created the same? And...Is there ever a time when sugar can be good for us?

Let's start with the first.

No, all sugar is not created equal. Table sugar (sucrose) responds very differently in your body than fruit sugar (fructose - not the same as high fructose corn syrup). Both are metabolized into glucose (the sugar in your blood stream), however it matters a great deal in how that process happens.

When you eat a food that contains sucrose (ex. Cakes, cookies, candies) your blood sugar is elevated very, very quickly and your body's response is to release a lot of insulin to control the blood sugar spike. As you have probably read in your Diet Solution Manual, insulin control is the name of the game as far as fat loss is concerned, and the better we can control your insulin levels, the faster you will be able to shed off unwanted fat. So eating a food that will elevate your insulin levels fast and high is exactly what you don't want and want to stay away from.

Fructose (fruit sugar), on the other hand, does not create the same response. Yes, your body knows it's sugar, but it will elevate your blood sugar and insulin levels much, much slower than sucrose (this is also reflective of how low it is on the Glycemic Index. For more info on the Glycemic Index refer to the Calories chapter, the Grains chapter, and the Glycemic Index Chart in the Diet Solution Manual). This is a good thing because it gives your body more time to respond to the sugar you have just ingested, many times not resulting in a high insulin rise, but a steadier, controlled one.

You can also think about it this way...Would it be easier for you to catch a sprinter (sucrose) or a jogger (fructose)? Choosing sweet foods that allow for a slow and steady blood sugar rise will help your body "catch" and use the sugar more easily and more efficiently.

Now, when can sugar be good for you?

Anyone who has ever tried any "no carb" crash diet before can testify that after just a few days you really start to feel pretty lousy: groggy, lethargic, and possibly even constipated. This is because your body does function much better when you make good healthy carbohydrates and sugars available to it. Now let's not take that sentence and go on a pasta free for all, but including foods that turn into glucose slowly in your blood stream helps your body function much better. Yes, your smart body does have the ability to make glucose even if you don't eat any carbs. However, healthy foods like bananas, apples, carrots and onions do NOT need to be eliminated to control your blood sugar, control your insulin levels and see long term fat loss.

Here are a few sugar tips you can begin to apply to your healthy meal plans right away:

1. Avoid the most deadly forms of sugar (Deadly? Yup, it's really that bad for you.) Refined white sugar really has no place in anyone's diet. Unfortunately, I'm sure you've noticed, it's everywhere! Cakes, cookies and candies are the most obvious, but many cereals, breads, and "so called" health foods (snacks, crackers, and frozen foods) now contain high amounts of processed sugar. Make sure to read the ingredients list carefully and if high fructose corn syrup, refined corn syrup, sucrose or cane sugar (even organic evaporated cane juice is still a bad sugar) are listed, re-assess your choice and look for something without these forms of sugar in the ingredients label.

2. Make foods that raise your blood sugar levels slowly (those low on the glycemic index) your staples when it comes to carbohydrates choices and sweet craving foods. Grab some berries instead of a cookie, cut up a sweet apple instead of a piece of cake, or go for some frozen grapes instead of candies. Not only will you have chosen a much healthier option, but your sweet cravings will quickly diminish the less you feed into them.

3. Save your sweet treats for the special occasions in your life. There's no need to skip your birthday cake or a well deserved dessert on a Saturday night. I usually indulge myself in the sweet treat of my choice on the weekends when I am out with my family. I keep my portion within reason, enjoy it and then continue on with my healthy eating plan from there (no guilt, beating myself up or throwing in the towel). As I have said before, telling yourself you can NEVER have this or that is a sure fire way to make healthy eating feel like torture.

Learn “The Top 5 Essential Truths You Must Know Before You Go on Any Diet Ever Again” from Isabel De Los Rios at http://yourdietsolution.com. Isabel is a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle coach who has helped hundreds of people lose their unwanted weight and take complete control of their health. She is the author of The Diet Solution Program, a complete and comprehensive nutrition program that is helping people all over the world finally reach their ideal weight. For more information on The Diet Solution Program and how it can help to change your life, visit http://yourdietsolution.com.

To your success,
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google's #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog....
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

The MOST important hormone you never heard of!

lewis — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:45:07 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site

- AtoZfitness Special Article -
The MOST important hormone you never heard of!

I’ve got a great content article for you today from my friend and nutrition guru Joel Marion of Cheat Your Way Thin.

Now, the other day, I TOLD you that this guy has done his homework, and in this article, he’s really about to open your eyes with some of the research he’s been doing over the last 6 years.

Check it out below:

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The Most Important Hormone You Never Heard Of
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

LEPTI-WHA??

It’s name is Leptin (derived from the Greek word leptos, meaning “thin”), and it’s without a doubt the most important hormone you probably never heard of.

You see, leptin was only first discovered just over 10 years ago, and as far as weight loss is concerned, that’s extremely recent.

Leptin’s function? To communicate your nutritional status to your body and brain.

Leptin levels are mediated by two things. One is your level of body fat. All else being equal, people with higher levels of body fat will have higher leptin levels than those with lower levels of body fat and vice versa.

Because leptin is secreted by fat cells, it makes sense that under normal conditions there is a direct correlation between leptin levels and the amount of fat you are carrying.

Unfortunately, when you’re attempting to lose fat and begin to restrict calories, conditions are anything but “normal” and the body responds accordingly by lowering leptin levels.

This is because the second mediator of blood leptin levels is your calorie intake. Lower your calorie intake and leptin will fall, independent of body fat.

So, yes, you can be overweight and still suffer from low leptin levels – just go on a diet.

So what happens when leptin levels fall and why the heck does it matter?

Again, under normal conditions leptin levels are normal and the brain gets the signal loud and clear that nutrition intake is adequate. Metabolism is high and the internal environment of the body is one very conducive to fat burning.

Until you start dieting.

Go on a diet and leptin levels quickly plummet (by 50% or more after only one week), sending a signal to the body that you’re semi-starved and not consuming enough calories.

This puts the breaks on metabolism and creates a hormonal environment extremely conducive to fat storage. Thyroid hormones (hormones extremely important to metabolism) respond by taking a dive and the abdominal fat-storing stress hormone cortisol skyrockets measurably.

HELLO belly fat.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, the appetite stimulating hormones ghrelin, neuropeptide-Y, and anandamide all hop on board to make your life even more miserable.

You don’t have to remember any of those names, just remember that when leptin drops, you get seriously hungry.

Despite having a pretty good reason for its reaction, it’s pretty ironic that our bodies are primed for fat loss at every other time except when we are trying to burn fat.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could maintain high leptin levels and a body primed for fat burning while dieting? It would seemingly solve all of our problems.

But in order to do this, we’d have to somehow keep leptin levels high as we attempt to lose those extra pounds.

“HOW ABOUT “SUPPLEMENTING” WITH LEPTIN?”

A couple of problems here: First, leptin is a protein based hormone, which means that it can not be taken orally (otherwise, it would simply be digested). So that rules out a leptin pill.

This leaves the method of “supplemental” leptin administration to injection. And leptin injections DO indeed work, reversing the metabolic adaptations to dieting and “starvation” even while continuing to restrict calories.

In 1996, Ahima et al. used leptin injections to reverse starvation-induced neuroendrocrine adaptations in mice.

“Well, that’s nice and all, but I’m human.” Point taken; research with rodents doesn’t always correlate to similar findings in humans, however…

In 1999, Heymsfield et al. performed a double-blind placebo controlled study analyzing weight loss over a 24-week period in 73 obese humans. Subjects either injected daily with leptin or a placebo (i.e. bogus alternative). At the end of the 24-week period, the leptin group lost significantly more weight than the placebo and a higher percentage of fat vs. muscle.

In 2002, Rosenbaum et al. administered low-dose leptin to subjects (male and female) who had dieted to a 10% decrease in body weight. During the diet period, thyroid hormone levels, 24-hr energy expenditure, and other metabolic markers substantially decreased. The result of the leptin replacement therapy?

“All of these endocrine changes were reversed…”Thyroid output and daily calorie burn increased back to pre-diet levels.

In 2003, Fogteloo et al. showed that leptin injections “tended to reduce the decline of energy expenditure associated with energy restriction, whereas the tendency of energy intake to increase back to baseline levels in placebo-treated subjects was largely prevented in subjects treated with leptin.”

Yeah, that’s a mouthful. Let me put in simple terms: not only did the leptin group experience less of a decline in metabolism, but they were also less hungry, allowing them to more easily stick to the prescribed diet.

In 2004, Welt et al. reported that leptin given to a group of women with thyroid disorder immediately raised circulating concentrations of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4.

In 2005, Rosenbaum and company were at it again, again showing that energy expenditure and circulating concentrations of T3 and T4 all returned to pre-weight-loss levels with regular leptin injections.

So, as theorized, keeping leptin levels high during a diet does indeed solve our dilemma by avoiding the negative metabolic (and perhaps behavioral) adaptations that calorie restriction perpetuates.

The problem?

Daily leptin injections are far too expensive, costing thousands and thousands of dollars per week. So, we can pretty much forget about supplemental leptin as a solution (which is probably moot anyway considering that not too many people are going to voluntarily plunge a needle into their skin daily).

A REAL Solution

Now that we know that leptin injections aren’t going to save us, let’s talk about the possibility of manipulating your body’s natural leptin production.

And I’ve got good news – this can indeed be done, and without involving needles or thousands of dollars. In fact, we’ll swap the injections and mounds of cash out for two things I can guarantee you’re absolutely going to love: more calories and more carbs.

We know that leptin levels decrease by about 50% after only one week of dieting, but fortunately, it doesn’t take nearly that long for leptin to bump back up with a substantial increase in caloric intake.

In fact, research has shown that it only takes about 12-24 hours.

So, the answer to the fat loss catch-22? Strategic high-calorie, high-carb CHEATING.

By strategically cheating with high calorie foods (and yes, even stuff like pizza, ice cream, wings, cookies, burgers, fries, etc), you can give leptin and metabolism a major boost mid-diet which sets you up for plenty of subsequent fat loss when you resume your reduced calorie eating regimen.

This means greater net fat loss week after week, and ultimately, a much more realistic, maintainable way to bring you to the body you truly want and deserve.

So what’s so special about carbs?

Well, leptin, carbohydrate and insulin have been shown to have very strong ties.

Calories alone don’t get the job done, as research shows that overfeeding on protein and fat has little effect on leptin.

In order to get a strong leptin response from overfeeding, there needs to be plenty of carbs in the mix. In fact, the relationship is SO strong that research conducted by Boden et al. at the Temple University School of Medicine shows that leptin levels will not fall even in response to all-out fasting so long as insulin and blood sugar are maintained via IV drip. That’s CRAZY.

Because of this carbohydrate/insulin-leptin relationship, it makes sense that foods combining both carbs and fat (like pizza, burgers, cookies, ice cream, etc) work best for reversing the negative adaptations caused by dieting because of the BIG-TIME insulin response they produce.

THIS is why strategic cheating with your favorite foods is so powerful. THIS is why you truly can use your favorite foods to lose fat faster than you ever could with restrictive dieting. THIS is freedom.

Essentially, it’s everything “typical” dieting isn’t.

With regular dieting, come week two, you’re screwed.

With strategic cheating, you can literally use ANY food you want to *ensure* that you never go a single day without a body primed for fat loss.

The cheat or not to cheat? I think the choice is clear.

————————————————————————-
Do I even need to add to that? If you want to finally stop the dietary struggle and instead start getting the results you truly deserve, then you can grab Joel’s complete Cheat Your Way Thin system at half price, but only until tomorrow.

==> http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/cheatyourwaythin.html

This could be a life changing program for you,but only if you choose to take advantage of it.

Sales ends tomorrow.
==> http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/cheatyourwaythin.html

To your success,
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
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Plateaus of Weight Loss- Adaptive Thermogenesis + FREE Download.

lewis — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:23:40 +0000

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Plateaus of Weight Loss- Adaptive Thermogenesis + FREE Download.
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By Mike Roussell PhD(c)
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/warpspeedfatloss.html

Weight loss plateaus can be frustrating and detrimental to your fat loss if not dealt with swiftly and properly. Another way to look at weight loss plateaus is that they are actually your body settling in at a new body weight set point.

The set point theory is basically the idea that your body likes to be at a certain body weight and it will work to keep you there. Chances are you have experienced this in your own life. I'm talking about situations where you will gain or lose weight but inevitably after a couple weeks or months of trying to change you end up around the same body weight (I know for me 175lbs was a set point, in my own system for quite some time).

In order to break these body weight set points, it is important to understand the forces that you are working against (know thy enemy, right?). I'm talking about adaptive thermogenesis. Adaptive thermogenesis is the seemingly automatic reduction in energy expenditure that occurs when you diet. Many think that this is the driving force behind people's body weight set point.

This is important so I want to make sure I'm explaining it clear enough so here's an oversimplified example.

You are currently eating 2000 kcal per day. Your body is currently burning 2000 kcal per day. You decided that you need to lose weight so you cut 500 kcal from your diet. So in theory your body should now have to dig up another 500 kcal from body fat to fuel the calorie difference.

It doesn't work that way. Studies show that your body adjusts its energy output so that it can now function on only 1500 kcal per day. This is adaptive thermogenesis. It has been demonstrated that adaptive thermogenesis occurs with both severe and modest calorie cutting.

What is the driving force behind this? Here are some candidates are:

* Changes in body weight

* Changes in Leptin

* Changes in Insulin

* Changes in Thyroid Hormones

* Depletion of Fat Stores

Fortunately you can beat all of these, prevent adaptive thermogenesis, and keep the weight loss coming.

The answer?

Exercise combined with diet.

This seems to help - but not in all cases. We know from research and anecdotal evidence that not all exercise prescriptions work. What does work is intense metabolic resistance training.

If you are currently stuck at a weight loss plateau, you need to break your body's set point. To do this it is necessary to undergo a rigorous change in diet and training so that you can in essence shock your system.

Here's what to do next. Once you break though your sticking weight using Warp Speed Fat Loss (or which ever method you choose), maintenance is very important. Get 5-15lbs below your old body weight set point and maintain that weight. Many people lose their fire and drive after they have lost the weight but you need to stay focused so that you can reset your body's set point.

Maintain your new weight for 4 weeks (this is ideal - if you can't go that long at least do 2 weeks) before you start losing weight again. This step wise approach will help reset your system to your new body weight and help fight its urge to return to the old set point. The key is keeping your body weight long enough so that your body 'thinks' that is the new normal.

About the Author/More Info:
Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/warpspeedfatloss.html .

Mike Roussell is a nutrition doctoral student at Pennsylvania State University. Mike's writings can be found in magazines such as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, and Testosterone Nation. Mike specializes in fat loss nutrition and diets for busy men and women who need to lose weight fast without it interfering with their lives. Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat to lose weight in record time.

Download this great free e-book.

Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

FAQ: No-Nonsense DVD Series

lewis — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:29:15 +0000

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FAQ: No-Nonsense DVD Series
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By Vince DelMonte - Author of No-Nonsense Muscle Building

Your Questions Answered

I’ve been getting swamped with questions about the release of my No-Nonsense DVD Series for the past 2-weeks, but especially in the past 24-hours.

First off, it’s great to hear you and I don’t mind the questions.

In fact, you should write me more often.

Anyway - I know you want answers, and you’ll get them.

I put together a FAQ for you below.

If I didn’t answer your question, please post it below BEFORE FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT and I will answer it in another FAQ before I fly out Saturday morning.

1. Why Do You Only Have 480 Copies?

The minimum requirement from my fulfillment house was 500. I gave 20 copies away to some of the world’s top fitness guru’s to review in exchange for their help to get the word out about my system. If you hear from anyone other than myself next week it means they liked it and it got the thumbs up.

2. What Happens If you Sell Out?

You’ll be put on a waiting list until my fulfillment house replicates another 500 sets. The price will go up on the second batch when they become available. I will be paying shipping and handling for the first 480 action-takers as well so take advantage, especially if live outside the US.

3. How Many People Are Being Notified About This?

As of a few days ago, we had over 17,000 people on the Early-Bird VIP list.

I’m pretty sure this is going to result in a sell out.

An no, I’m not trying to hype you up here.

It’s either right for you or it isn’t.

But if you’re thinking, “Yeah, I have a good feeling this is exactly my next step to ramping up my physique,” then please be ready when the site goes live on Tuesday April 7th at 12pm EST.

4. Will Your Books Be Available In Hardcopy Too?

No. But between you and me, I’m seeking out a book agent to get it published and into local book stores. I’m aiming for early 2010. Next week, you’ll be able to own the exact system responsible for the photos of me on my website as well as the exact system responsible for the dramatic before and afters of my success stories.

5. How Long Will It Take To See Results?

The answer to that:

IT DEPENDS.

It depends on you, your efforts and so forth.

For me, my stuff took effect on my body immediately. It took me 6-months to gain 41-pounds of muscle using one program. It took me 10-weeks to lose 23-lbs of fat on another program.

But that was me.

According to the dramatic before and after pictures you’ll see on Tuesday, it worked just as fast for some, a tad slower for others and even faster for the majority.

7. What If It Doesn’t Work For Me?

You are more than welcome to return the DVD’s 5-minutes after you order or 55-days after you order. I give you a rock-solid 100% money back guarantee. If for some reason you don’t like my stuff or feel you made a mistake, you’ll be provided my personal email so I can reverse the charges immediately. We’ll give your copy to someone on the waiting list.

8. 12-Hours Of Workouts? Do I Really Need All That?

No. In reality, you’ll probably achieve your goals with just one of the ten programs you get. Each plan ranges anywhere from 4-weeks to 6-months and is laid out in explicit detail and has me charging through the workout with real weights and real effort.

You might fall in love with one of the programs and stick to it forever. You might start with the cutting program and then use the bulking plan. You might start with a 3-day plan then progress to the 5-day. You might want to specialize on your arms or abs for a bit. You might travel and need to train in your hotel room for a stint.

Long story short, I got you covered no matter who you are, where you’re starting, where you’re going and what you want to look like. You just need to decide where to start first.

9. Do I Have To Be In The US To Sign Up?

NO! Currently there are No-Nonsense members all over the world. And the best news is that I’m covering the shipping and handling until Friday April 10th at Midnight EST, to reward the first 480 people who transform their body. It’s something like $30-40 to ship internationally so take advantage.

10. You Still Haven’t Addressed The Price Issue…

I know that has been a popular topic in my Inbox and I can understand why. Thousands of people are ready to sign up but they’re unsure of the investment.

I can say, you’re not going to need $5,000 like you’d pay a trainer to train a few times a week for 6-months.

You’re not going to need $2,500 like you’d pay on a “super high tech” home gym that collects dust…

You’re not going to need $1,000 that you could end up paying for a years worth of garbage supplements…

So PLEASE STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE PRICE!

This will be seriously affordable, if you act fast. I am awarding the first 480 people with a TON of extra value so make sure you’re ready when the doors open Tuesday at noon so that you can also be on the receiving end of some seriously cool things…

They’re called FAST ACTION BONUSES and each one is so valuable that they could be their own fitness product in itself.

Remember, everything next week is VERY LIMITED so if you want a shot at anything, you’re going to need to be ready at 12pm EST on Tuesday April 7th. That’s my only advice to you.

Vince

P.S. As you know, Vince DelMonte sold out of his No-Nonsense DVD Series last Friday night and he just dropped me a line that he has another batch of 500 DVD sets available and has something like 564 people on the waiting list.

I don't know the exact number but the bottom line is that more people want them than he has available.

If you want a shot at this life-changing system, you better make a move today because I wouldn't be surprised if he sells out again this week:

Head on over to this site if you're ready for the most beneficial workouts you've ever done and to build a jaw dropping physique this summer:

--> http://www.vincedelmontedvd.com

Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Is 6 meals a day still the way to go?

lewis — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:26:32 +0000

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Is 6 meals a day still the way to go?
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By Mike Geary
http://truthaboutabs.atozfitness.com

The topic of the "6 meals a day for fat loss" has been touted by bodybuilding circles and personal trainers for years now as the best way to eat for fat loss compared to the traditional "3 square meals a day".

But is this 6-meal per day frequency the ONLY way to do it? And is it really the most effective?

Well, the answer can go both ways. Let me give you my opinion on this...

First, let's look at what the recommended 6 meals/day instead of 3 really breaks down to calorically... On 3 meals/day, let's take the example of a normal person that might be eating 3,000 calories per day, but eating those calories in three 1,000-calorie meals (or more likely, two 1500-calorie meals for someone that skips breakfast).

This same daily caloric intake spread out over 6 smaller meals would be six meals at 500 calories each. Keep in mind that this example daily caloric intake is just an example, and would be WAY too much for some people depending on body size and composition, age, and activity level.

The theory has always been (with overall daily calories being the same in both cases) that by spreading the daily calories out over 6 smaller meals per day instead of 3 large meals per day, this essentially helps to promote more steady blood sugar levels throughout the day instead of large spikes and dips seen with larger meals spaced out over longer periods of time.

It's also been theorized that more frequent meals evens out your protein digestion and amino acid availability throughout the day, so that there's less muscle catabolism compared to longer periods of time between meals.

Now here's my take on this...

I do still recommend 5-7 small meals per day for beginners or people that are just finally trying to get control over their diet. A lot of people that are used to eating 2-3 meals per day typically eat WAY too many calories in one sitting, and by eating smaller meals every 3 hours or so throughout the day, it helps them to finally get control over eating excessively large meals.

Think about this scenario... the average person at the office that eats lunch at noon, and then doesn't eat dinner until they get home at about 7pm that night. And they were so busy at work that they forgot to eat any small meal or snack mid afternoon.

With 7 hours between meals, they're so ravenous when they get home that they INHALE 2,000 calories before they've even given their brain a chance to register that they've eaten this much.

End result - eating WAY more daily calories than their caloric maintenance.

I will say that for people that already eat extremely healthy and control their calories each day, I don't think there's any magic bullet with 6 meals/day vs 4 meals, or 3 meals and a couple snacks, etc.

From personal experience with lots of my clients over the years, I've seen many people that struggled with their diet finally get control of things by "grazing" more throughout the day and eating the 5-7 meals/day. The important thing is that EVERY meal is kept small.

Personally, I've changed my eating habits to be so healthy over the years, that I find I can eat in almost any meal frequency and my body always seems to self-regulate appetite because of the high nutrient density of my diet these last few years.

Different methods will work differently for each individual.

I've actually found in recent years that I seem to operate best by eating a fairly large breakfast of around 800 to 1000 calories, and then just grazing on small 200 to 300 calorie snacks every couple hours throughout the day. And then I like to eat a larger dinner of around 800-1000 calories.

The reason I seem to operate best on this breakdown is because I'm very active throughout the middle of the day most days with exercise, so I tend to not want large meals at this time, just lighter snacks. However, at night, I like to eat the larger meal once again to help my body recover from my high levels of activity during the days (skiing, hiking, biking, weight training, etc).

Years ago, I preferred to eat the 6 meals a day at 500 calories each approximately (since my caloric maintenance is about 3000 cals/day). Now, I prefer something more along these lines:

Meal 1: 800-1000 calories
Meal 2: 250 calories
Meal 3: 250 calories
Meal 4: 250 calories
Meal 5: 250 calories
Meal 6: 800-1000 calories

Keep in mind that spreading the calories out more evenly through the day may work better for you if you're not extremely active and you have a job that involves sitting at a desk most of the day.

A good example:

I had a co-worker years ago at my former corporate job that lost 30 lbs in about 2 months by simply changing his meal frequency. He had previously been eating a carbohydrate-based breakfast, which left him ravaged by lunch time and he would overeat at lunch. Then he would go all afternoon without eating and be ravaged by dinner and overeat at dinner.

His change...

He took my advice and started eating at least 1 source of satisfying protein and healthy fat at breakfast each day and reduced the carbs. Then, around mid-morning, he would eat a combo of yogurt and cottage cheese that he had packed with him for the day.

Since he ate the mid-morning yogurt/cottage cheese meal, he was less hungry at lunch, and he would only eat a half of a sandwich instead of a whole sandwich, and he'd save the other half of the sandwich for mid-afternoon.

Then, when he came home for dinner at night, he wasn't starving like usual, and he would eat a much smaller dinner.

In reality, what he really did was inadvertently reduce his daily caloric intake by eating more frequent smaller meals each day because this would save him from the "binge" attacks, where he would eat monstrous lunches and dinners without even knowing how many calories he ate.

I hope this newsletter helped to give you some ideas... Remember, you won't know what meal frequency and meal sizes work best for you until you try different things and see how your body reacts.

Please feel free to forward this articles to any of your friends or family that may enjoy it.

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Conditioning and fat loss

lewis — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:17:46 +0000

Conditioning and fat loss

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By Jason Ferruggia
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/musclegainingsecrets.html

Lately I have gotten a lot of questions about conditioning and what the specific guidelines of a conditioning workout should be. When discussing conditioning the first thing that needs to be asked is what is your primary training goal at the moment?

If it is to get huge and strong, then conditioning must be limited and can not interfere with your main workouts.

If you are training for a sport and need a mix of both strength and conditioning, that is another story.

And if you are just looking to get shredded that is a whole other scenario.

For athletes, which is how everyone in my gym trains, you will do power workouts MWF and conditioning 1-3 other days (usually two). Maybe Tues and Thurs or Thurs and Sat. Whatever. Depends exactly what is more of a weakness and what is a main priority, strength or conditioning.

When you are choosing this option, the conditioning workouts shouldn't interfere greatly with the strength days, but the fact is they will have some small negative impact. Unless you are just looking to become a big, fat, unathletic powerhouse, any conditioning will have some negative impact on strength and explosiveness. The key is to get the conditioning you need while limiting the negative impact. If your diet is perfect and you have great genetics you could become big, strong and explosive while doing absolutely no conditioning and remain quite lean. You won't have great conditioning, though. Which is fine if you're ok with that. Some sports, like shotput and hammer throwing, don't require it. Most of us, however will need to do some sort of conditioning to stay lean and in shape.

In this case you don't want to do a lot of heavy sandbag work or bodyweight circuits that will interfere with your strength training. You don't want to get sore from your conditioning workouts. Also, if you are stressing the CNS on MWF, you should back off a bit on your other training days.

Conditioning days could make you very slow and sap your power in no time if you use the wrong loading parameters. The duration of each set, round or circuit you do should be fairly short with a short break in between. The best way to turn fast twitch fibres slow is to drown them in lactic acid for 20-30 minutes straight. Do that and watch your vertical jump (one of the best tests of power) and plummet in no time.

What you need to do is hit it hard for 20-30 seconds and then take a brief rest. You can do this for 15-30 minutes but it has to be done intermittently in interval style. Doing intervals on a bike are terrible for power athletes because the lactic acid build-up is too severe. If you wanted to you could sprint on the bike, hop off, rest for 10-30 seconds, then jump rope, rest, swing a sledgehammer, and then get back on the bike and repeat in that fashion for 15-30 minutes. But you can't just pump away on the bike non stop and not expect it to effect your explosive power output.

Also, remember that the human body is not designed for doing any sort of repetitive steady state exercise for any long duration. So you are better off mixing up your conditioning workouts and using a variety of drills.

As I said, for most athletes, I like to keep the duration of each drill rather short. But depending on the individual and the exercise, you could go up to 2-3 minutes per interval. For example, you could jump rope hard for 2-3 minutes straight and then take a minute break and continue on for 20-30 minutes. I find that jumping rope is a great way to improve your conditioning, foot speed, coordination, etc. without draining your power or making your sore and highly recommend it to everyone.

Now, if you are training strictly for fat loss, all bets are off and the rules basically go out the window. I wouldn't let your power drop off significantly but it's not your main focus at the time so don't obsess over it. You still need to get your strength work in but the rest of the time should be spent jacking your metabolism and burning calories.

Hopefully that clears up some of the confusion.

For more great training information check out http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/musclegainingsecrets.html

Yours in fitness,
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google's #3 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

The Skinny On Fats

lewis — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 09:22:31 +0000

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The Skinny On Fats
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by Jon Benson
http://myeveryotherdaydiet.com
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[ Editor's Note: Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

Let's get this one out in the open:

1. Fats do not make you gain bodyfat.

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

3. Fats are not the enemy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's my simple dietary fats solution:

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://myeveryotherdaydiet.com <--- Eat Fats, Burn Bodyfat!

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

And yes -- that includes fats.

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Lose Fat in the Morning

lewis — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:27:18 +0000

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Lose Fat in the Morning
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by Mike Roussell PhD(c)
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/warpspeedfatloss.html
———————————————————————

One of the best ways to ensure you burn maximum fat is to get it done first thing in the morning. A common fat loss tip people often give out is just this - exercise in the morning to burn more fat. Does exercising in the morning burn more calories? Unfortunately there is no scientific evidence to prove that exercising in the morning burns more calories but it may increase your fat loss.

How? Because it guarantees that you'll get your workout done! If you are having trouble losing weight, sticking to your diet, and getting in all your exercise sessions then working out first thing in the morning could be just the thing for you.

In a recent episode of Naked Nutrition Radio and the guest was behavior change expert Kara Mohr. Kara and her husband Chris Mohr hold exercise bootcamp for women in Louisville, KY at 5:30 in the morning. Why? They call it the "No Excuse Hour". You don't have any excuses not to be there and not to do it. My friend and Men's Health Expert Bill Hartman exercises at 4:00am to ensure that he gets his workout in - No Excuses. Bill runs two PT clinics, a gym, and is a family man. He has every reason to have excuses but he makes the time.

Success coach Brian Tracy always says that if you to be successful just find successful people and do what they are doing. If you are having trouble getting your workout sessions in because you day is too busy. Follow the example of these successful people and embrace the No Excuse Hour. You will feel invigorated, your metabolism will be blasting at its highest level, and you'll burn more fat.

The second important piece to the puzzle is diet. You need rock solid fat loss nutrition first thing in the morning to fuel your day. One important factor for many people (especially if they are exercising in the morning as well) is time. That is why I recommend you use a nutrition packed shake to get fueled and get going with your day. Here is a sample of the kind of shake that you should be making to burn maximum fat.

Add to a blender: walnuts, a greens supplement (such as Emerald Balance or Superfood), protein powder, and frozen blueberries. Take 2-3 grams of fish oil while drinking this shake and you'll be ready to go. This shake contains low impact carbs, a blend of essential and heart healthy fats, antioxidant, vitamins, and minerals. You could not find a better way to start your day and start burning fat.

You need to decide. Are you going to starting losing weight tomorrow morning? Are you going to take advantage of the "no excuse hour"? Are you going to start your day with a fat burning breakfast or coffee and a bagel like the rest of the country? Jumpstart your fat loss first thing in the morning and you will reap the benefits throughout the day.

About the Author/More Info:
Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/warpspeedfatloss.html.

Mike Roussell is a nutrition doctoral student at Pennsylvania State University. Mike’s writings can be found in magazines such as Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, and Testosterone Nation. Mike specializes in fat loss nutrition and diets for busy men and women who need to lose weight fast without it interfering with their lives. Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat to lose weight in record time.

Sincerely Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

AtoZfitness Article Blog » diet

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