AtoZ Fitness Weekly Newsletter                     Mar.1 2008 Edition       
 
In this Mar.01 2008 issue:
Sarah's Introduction:

I have news today. Jon Benson has opened his EODD Ning Community to the public! For now, thre is no o.bligation to owning the EODD e-book , but of course, the members who don't won't necessarily understand all the things being discussed on the Ning. For those who do own a copy of the book, it's a great place to discuss the Detox and the different nutrition plans, as well as other concerns.

It's not really a forum, because each member has his or her own page where they can post photos, keep a personal blog (available to others or not), request friendships with each other etc. There is also a recipes section, although for now it's desperately empty! I may have to add something in there soon I think. There is the possibility for any one member to create a group for support in any domain they wish. Right now, Jon has one for those following the Extreme Plan, I started one for members over 40, there's one for Newbie's … I'm sure there will be another by tomorrow.

We are basically using the Extreme Plan now. Remember when we started with the Detox Week and went over to the Lifestyle Plan right after that, I said I'd wait till spring for the Extreme Plan? Well, it's not really spring just yet, in fact there are 3 weeks left, but the days are getting longer, we're changing the clock next Sunday, and … well, I'm anticipating a little. This winter has been more than long enough, and I'm curious to see where all this snow is going to go when it melts, and when we're going to see the last of the larger piles!

So while I wait for the nice days with lighter clothing, I prepare to dare shed some of the heavier coats and sweaters of winter. I said last week that I used BFFM and that's true; however, I've elected to pair it with the EODD Extreme Plan for one simple reason: portion size. My kitchen scales' battery is dead, flat, not working anymore. Rather than changing it (unscrewing a plate, removing the battery, finding one that'll fit - I'm sure it's a lithium thing! - screwing the plate back on … ) I placed the contraption in the cabinet and measured the portions with my hand as a "map". It's also the best way to get around restaurant meals, family meals, meals with friends, etc. because, let's face it, no one goes out to eat bringing their kitchen scales!! At least, I've never seen anyone quite that "anal", not yet.

But hey, there is another aspect almost no one talks about, and I can't see why not! Once you do get that fat off, the floppy stuff so many of us carry around under our skin, and some of us struggle to get off . When we do get it off, what then? Oh, I know, set new goals and make sure you don't gain it back, that's the technical answer. I'm talking about right there and then, you've shed the unwanted fat, your closet is full of oversized clothes, your drawers full of tops that look like tents on your slim body … you have, literally, nothing to wear! Because you don't want to hide that new, slinkier body, do you? After all that work to get it that way? H*** no!  So it's off to the stores to look for … what exactly?

This is where so many trainers stop too soon. What should you look for once you can go to any old store and just take something you want or like? How many are scared to try on something a little low-cut, frilly, tight? How many even know their new, correct size? And who's to advise them? The stores these days are manned by young girls who know how to handle the cash register and probably can tell you where the skirts, dresses, pants etc are located within the store, but are they trained to help you find your size or style? Probably in the higher-end stores, but certainly not in the more popular ones. You're on your own!

My advice is: be adventurous! Try stuff on! Don't worry too much about the size-tag, it'll basically tell you if that particular item fits you or not, and if not, whether to look for a size up or down. Most often, you'll find that one manufacturer's sizing fits you as an 8 where another will place you in a 6, on the same day. You haven't changed sizes in 5 minutes, it's the cut, the style, the origin of the brand than changes. Just know that for a trouser from  "Tartampion"  you need a size 8 let's say and from "CrampInk" you need a 6, and concentrate on the fit and color instead. Also, forget the idea of black being slimming, it won't be if it's clinging to you in all the wrong places.

One idea? Watch "What Not To Wear" on TLC. I'm serious! You can find one person there who is about your size and shape, and see what they are advised to look for in styles and colors, and go try it on yourself. Trying on clothes, for now anyway, is f.ree! You do not have to buy everything you try on. If it looks ridiculous on you, leave it. But you may very well surprise yourself and try on something you thought wasn't you, and find that you look fabulous in it! Set a day aside for you, go shopping with no stress, just you and yourself - ok, bring a friend if you're sure she will be 100% honest about how the different clothes look on you - treat yourself to a salad somewhere for l.unch, and keep shopping.

I know, it isn't f.ree once you decide to get something! That's why, little trick: while you shed the pounds, put cash aside in an envelope in your underwear drawer, either a set sum per pound lost, or just a sum you can afford to set aside. Place money you didn't spend on that hamburger or ice cream you were tempted to buy but strong enough not to, in that envelope. At the end, I'm sure you'll at least get one full outfit, from shoes to "bling"! 13 lbs left for me … I need more than 13$ to get an outfit, so I guess it'll have to be 10$/pound shed! I did it when I lost 55 pounds, and I got a whole new wardrobe - by hitting the sales!

So, in order to get there, grab your BFFM or EODD copy, or both. I mean, both e-books talk about mind set, goal setting, the importance of weight training and cardio, the vital importance of good nutrition. I cannot say that one is better than the other, they are both great books. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle has more in-depth explanations and about twice as many pages as the Every Other Day Diet , but the latter is probably easier to comprehend and adopt over night. Frankly, I recommend you own them both, because they are both truly great fitness books.

I promise you an updated photo in my new "shoes-to-bling" outfit at the end of May!  Have fun with your training, and … hey, why not drop me a line at sarah@trainwithsarah.com and tell me what you'd like me to talk about next week?

Sarah, CPT
www.trainwithsarah.com



 Public service announcement:

Vince Delmonte's Ultimate Muscle Advantage F.ree Telesiminar Starts Monday March 3rd

Signup now for this great f.ree event.

For the last few days I've been writing about this unbelievable collection of bodybuilding and fitness professionals coming together to create one big teleseminar event called Ultimate Muscle Advantage. 
 

It is an event that muscle building expert, Vince DelMonte, is hosting and has put together over the past 3 months.  

So far, 5,415 have registered - people like you who want to learn the best muscle building info available.  

--> http://www.atozfitness.com/alc/goto/umateleseminar.html

I just wanted to remind you that if you haven't registered, to do so now.  

The first call starts Monday March 3rd at 8pm EST to be exact and it's important that you don't miss a single call.   

You'll learn from 16 of the most legendary experts on building muscle alive:    

  • Charles Staley - He is starting the series on Monday
  • Scott Abel
  • John Berardi
  • Chad Waterbury
  • Peter R. Siegel
  • Nick Nilsson
  • Mike Mahler
  • Eric Cressey
  • Mike Robertson
  • Bill Hartman
  • Christoper Guerriero
  • Jeff Anderson
  • Jon Benson
  • Dax Moy
  • Eric Carlson
  • Hugo Rivera  

The best news is that the entire event is one that you can sit back, relax and listen to in the comforts of your own home and it won't c.ost you a single penny.
 

So if you haven't done so already, please go to the website below, fill out your name and email address, and that's it! You'll be registered for Ultimate Muscle Advantage.   

--> http://www.atozfitness.com/alc/goto/umateleseminar.html

To your best physique EVER,

Lewis + Sarah
http://www.atozfitness.com

p.s. Remember the first call starts in just two days on Monday, March 5th at 8:00 pm Eastern. Even though there will be 15 more speakers, if you miss this call, you can't afford to miss out on the info Vince's first speaker is going to spill.

 Featured Fitness Article:

The Importance of Water
By Jake Berlin
http://absecrets.atozfitness.com

Physiological Functions

Water is considered an essential nutrient because it must be consumed from exogenous sources to satisfy metabolic demand. Water constitutes approximately 60% of adult body weight. It is a catalyst for a majority of enzymatic reactions including those involved in nutrient digestion, absorption, transport, and metabolism. It is also required for facilitating excretion of metabolic waste by the kidneys. Inadequate intake of water compromises cell functions by contributing electrolyte imbalances, contraction of plasma volume, and inability to regulate body temperature.

Factors Affecting Availability

Water is not consumed in sufficient amounts by most individuals since thirst does not develop until body fluids are depleted well below levels required for optimal functioning. Mechanisms that trigger thirst sensations are stimulated by increased osmolality or decreased extracellular volume which are not detected until significant contraction of plasma volume has occurred. Groups most vulnerable to dehydration, infants, elderly adults, and athletes, are either not able to adequately express thirst sensations or to detect them. With extreme heat and excessive perspiration, thirst may lag behind actual water requirements. To prevent dehydration, a minimum of eight cups of fluid is required daily from beverages and foods.

Deficiency

Loss of body water amounting to 10% of the body weight impairs work performance and is associated with nausea, weakness, delirium, and hyperthermia. Signs of dehydration include poor skin turgor, skin tenting on the forehead, decreased urine output, concentrated urine, sunken eyes, dry mucous membranes in the mouth and nose, orthostatic blood pressure changes and tachycardia. Water losses exceeding 20% of body weight are life-threatening.

Toxicity

Water intoxication may develop if large amounts of water are provided to patients to replenish fluids lost with surgery, trauma or other conditions associated with fluid and electrolyte losses, especially if compromised renal function or hormonal imbalances are also present. The ensuing increase in intracellular fluid volume can cause swelling of brain tissue accompanied by headaches, nausea, vomiting, muscle twitching, convulsions, and even death.

Requirements

Consumption of approximately 2.5 to 3 liters (10.4-12.5 cups daily) of water is recommended to maintain optimal hydration. Both foods and beverages can satisfy this requirement. The equivalent of 8 cups of water (64 fluid ounces or 2 liters) is the MINIMUM amount of fluid recommended daily to replace water losses under conditions of moderate activity, ambient temperature, and altitude. More specific guidelines are provided in the table below:


Nutrition Fact Sheet: Water

Physiological Functions

Water is considered an essential nutrient because it must be consumed from exogenous sources to satisfy metabolic demand. Water constitutes approximately 60% of adult body weight. It is a catalyst for a majority of enzymatic reactions including those involved in nutrient digestion, absorption, transport, and metabolism. It is also required for facilitating excretion of metabolic waste by the kidneys. Inadequate intake of water compromises cell functions by contributing electrolyte imbalances, contraction of plasma volume, and inability to regulate body temperature.

Factors Affecting Availability

Water is not consumed in sufficient amounts by most individuals since thirst does not develop until body fluids are depleted well below levels required for optimal functioning. Mechanisms that trigger thirst sensations are stimulated by increased osmolality or decreased extracellular volume which are not detected until significant contraction of plasma volume has occurred. Groups most vulnerable to dehydration, infants, elderly adults, and athletes, are either not able to adequately express thirst sensations or to detect them. With extreme heat and excessive perspiration, thirst may lag behind actual water requirements. To prevent dehydration, a minimum of eight cups of fluid is required daily from beverages and foods.

Water Balance
WATER INTAKE (milliliters)
Beverages 1400
Solid Food 700
Cellular Oxidation 200
Total 2300
WATER OUTPUT
Normal Ambient Temperature High Ambient Temperature Prolonged Exercise
Urine 1400 1200 500
Feces 100 100 100
Perspiration 100 1400 5000
Skin 350 350 350
Respiratory Tract 350 250 650
Total 2300 3300 6600

* Source: Mahan, L.K. and Escott-Stump, S. Krause's Food, Nutrition & Diet Therapy, 10th ed., 2000.

Deficiency

Loss of body water amounting to 10% of the body weight impairs work performance and is associated with nausea, weakness, delirium, and hyperthermia. Signs of dehydration include poor skin turgor, skin tenting on the forehead, decreased urine output, concentrated urine, sunken eyes, dry mucous membranes in the mouth and nose, orthostatic blood pressure changes and tachycardia. Water losses exceeding 20% of body weight are life-threatening.

Toxicity

Water intoxication may develop if large amounts of water are provided to patients to replenish fluids lost with surgery, trauma or other conditions associated with fluid and electrolyte losses, especially if compromised renal function or hormonal imbalances are also present. The ensuing increase in intracellular fluid volume can cause swelling of brain tissue accompanied by headaches, nausea, vomiting, muscle twitching, convulsions, and even death.

Requirements

Consumption of approximately 2.5 to 3 liters (10.4-12.5 cups daily) of water is recommended to maintain optimal hydration. Both foods and beverages can satisfy this requirement. The equivalent of 8 cups of water (64 fluid ounces or 2 liters) is the MINIMUM amount of fluid recommended daily to replace water losses under conditions of moderate activity, ambient temperature, and altitude. More specific guidelines are provided in the table below:

 

Guidelines to Replenish Water Losses During Moderate Activity
Life Stage Fluid per pound. body weight Fluid per kilogram body weight
Infants
68 milliliters or 2.3 ounces

150 milliliters or 5 ounces
Children
22.7-22.3 milliliters or
0.75-0.91 ounces

50-60 milliliters or
1.7-2.0 ounces
Adults
5.6 milliliters or 0.2 ounces

35 milliliters or 1.2 ounces
Hydration Guidelines During Strenuous Activity
Before Exercise
During Exercise

After Exercise
One hour prior:
16 ounces
5-10 ounces every 15-20 minutes
OR
20-40 ounces every hour


24 ounces per pound weight loss experienced during exercise

Dietary Sources

Water requirements are most effectively met by consumption of plain water or beverages which are > 90% water by volume. Water may also be obtained from solid foods such as fruits and vegetables which have a high water content. Low moisture foods such as grains and meat products do not contribute significantly to water intake. See table below for a listing of food and beverage sources of water.

Water Content of Selected Foods

About the author:

Jake Berlin is the creator of "The Killer Ab Workout System" — a simple system designed to help anyone develop a stunning set of abs and flatten their stomach in record time.

To learn more about "The Killer Ab Workout System," visit: www.Killer-Ab-Workout

The Killer Ab Workout System" — is a simple 3 step system that shows you exactly what you need to do develop, stronger, flatter abs fast. This system can be used from the comfort of your own home, or anywhere in the world.

 

 Unconventional Iron with Nick Nilsson:


Is Calorie-Counting Truly Necessary For Fat Loss?

This is the million-dollar question...do you REALLY have to count calories to lose fat? It's something very few people LIKE to do but is it something that everybody SHOULD be doing to maximize fat-loss results?

And without further ado, the answer is yes...and no!

Allow me to explain...

Calorie-counting is one of those things that you either love or hate. You either feel like you HAVE to do it in order to get results or you feel like there's NO WAY you'll ever be caught dead doing it. It's rare you find somebody who sits on the middle ground in this one.

As most people know, in order to lose fat, you've got to have a caloric deficit, taking in fewer calories than you burn on a daily basis. No surprises there.

Now here's the thing...in order to consistently achieve that caloric deficit and lose fat, you must be AWARE of your calorie intake.

I believe the REAL question we should be asking here should not be "Is calorie-COUNTING necessary?" but "Is calorie-AWARENESS necessary?"

So if, in order to be aware of how many calories you're taking in, you need to specifically COUNT them (by weighing food and referencing food charts), then THAT will be what you have to do to get results.

And that is totally fine!

But if you've already GOT a good awareness of how many calories you're eating in a day and you know what you need to eat (or not eat) in order to achieve that caloric deficit, then calorie counting is NOT necessary for you.

The key here, again, is awareness.

You see, the big problem with not counting calories arises when a person THINKS they're aware of their caloric intake but they really are NOT.

It's a fact that most people dramatically under-report their caloric intake when they are asked to estimate how much they eat in a day. When they keep a food diary and have to write down every little thing that goes in their mouth, in some cases their TRUE caloric intake nearly DOUBLES.

So even if you don't want to count calories, it may be time for a quick compromise. It's a temporary calorie count/reality check!

If you're not losing fat right now and you feel like you're not really eating much, here's something you can try in order to test your "caloric awareness":

First, write down how many calories you THINK you're eating every day.

Now for the next full week, write down everything you eat. And I do mean EVERYTHING. Every little taste and every little snack. EVERYTHING. Just write down foods and portion sizes - don't try and look up how many calories each thing has and don't suddenly change your diet because you want to make yourself look good - just keep doing what you've been doing.

At the end of the week, go to a food chart and research everything you ate. Add it up and divide by 7. This will give you your average daily caloric intake.

If you're within a few hundred calories of your original estimation, congratulations! You've got good "calorie awareness!"

But if you're off by a significant margin, this will give you some VERY useful feedback on what you need to do to get fat loss rolling again.

So there's a vote FOR calorie counting...let's look at the other side of the coin.

And I'll be blunt here...calorie counting, no matter how careful you are, is simply NOT all that accurate.

Think of it this way...no two pieces of food are alike. When you buy a steak at the grocery store, they don't charge you per steak, they charge by the pound. And even when they charge by the pound, two steaks of the same cut can have DRAMATICALLY different composition - one could be lean and one could be fatty!

But if you look at a calorie chart, you'll see "3 oz sirloin steak - 100 calories"...or something to that effect.

So even if you weigh and chart every single piece of food you put in your mouth, you're STILL going to be off by a fair margin. That's just a fact.

And while how MUCH you eat has an impact on fat loss, WHEN you eat it and what foods you eat together makes a HUGE impact on your results. "Calories are calories" is true only up to a point.

For example, if you eat a big meal after a workout, most of that will get used for recovery purposes. But if you eat that same big meal late at night, nowhere near a workout, a good portion of that will just be stored as fat.

Another example is eating sugary carbs with fatty foods - the insulin response you get from sugary foods will jam that fat right into your fat cells with very little trouble!

So now that you have absolutely no idea WHAT the heck to do now, here's my step-by-step solution...

1. If you like to count calories and it gets you results...keep it up!

2. If you like to count calories but you're NOT getting results, either eat less or make sure you're writing down EVERYTHING you're eating AND are being as accurate as possible with your charting.

3. If you DON'T like to count calories and you ARE getting results...keep it up! Calorie counting is NOT necessary if you're aware of how many you're taking in AND you're getting results.

4. If you DON'T like to count calories and you're NOT getting results, it's time to take one week to count your calories and improve your caloric awareness. It's only a week and it'll give you a MUCH better idea of what you're actually taking in. This will pay off BIG in the long run because once you get a feel for your TRUE intake, you can very easily keep yourself honest and ADJUST on the fly.


To my mind, the bottom line is results. If you're NOT losing fat, then you're not getting the results you want...simple as that. Your approach should be focused on doing what you need to do to get those results.

Developing your caloric awareness is the key to long-term success with fat loss. And if you have to count calories to do it, then that's what you've gotta do!

------------------

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 16 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," “Muscle Explosion,”"The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of" all available by here 

He can be contacted at betteru@fitstep.com.

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 David Grisaffi C.H.E.K., CFT, PN.:

The "Core In Four"
Abdominal Workout

By David Grisaffi,
Author, Firm And Flatten Your Abs

As you begin to pass the beginner stage and you develop greater and greater core and abdominal strength and endurance, you are going to reach a point where you absolutely must add new exercises in order to keep your body "off guard."

Of course, you should never forget about the fundamentals. As the great Packers coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Fundamentals win it.” However, after you’ve been repeating the same abdominal exercises and abdominal workouts over and over again, your nervous system adapts.

When your nervous system adapts to your workout program, that coincides with what’s commonly known as a “progress plateau.” You stop getting stronger, you stop gaining endurance and you stop getting leaner.

That’s the signal to change to a new abs and core routine. More importantly, for even better results, you not only change your workout routine (ie, sets, reps, rest intervals, order of exercises and so on), you seek out totally new exercises that you have NEVER even done before!

Some people are at a loss as to what new exercies to perform... they simply run out of ideas. They're always shocked when I tell them that there are HUNDREDS of core and abdominal exercises. Dozens of them are fundamentals, and then there are HUNDREDS of subtle variations on those fundamentals. There is never a reason to get stale, get bored or stay stuck at a plateau.

That's where I come in. Abdominal and core exercises are my speciality and I've got hundreds of them in my bag of tricks. I'm going to teach you some of these lesser-known core conditioning exercises that you have probably never seen before, that will help you smash through any plateau like a sledgehammer through fine china!

Remember, fundamentals are important, so you might only do these new and unique, “esoteric” exercises for 2 or 3 weeks to break a plateau, although you could do them longer if you like the results. In any case, changing your program radically to keep your abdominal and core muscles guessing is one of the keys to continuous improvement and outstanding results

With this approach you are going to get both cosmetic results (having the “six pack abs” look) and functional results (increased static and dynamic stability in the abs and core, improved posture, better athletic performance and more efficient functioning of your entire body as a unit).

The program you're about to see includes some radically different and new exercises than what you're probably used to. When you look at some of the exercises, you may say to yourself that they don't look like "abdominal exercises." That is 100% correct. This is not an "abdominal" exercise program as much as it is a core conditioning program, although believe me, you will feel those abs contracting hard to stabilize your body!

This program works well as a transition between more traditional (fundamental-based) programs, not to mention it will be a welcome dose of variety which will relieve you of the boredom of the same old, same old!

David Grisaffi's "Core In Four" Abdominal Workout Program

Exercise Sets Reps Intensity Tempo Rest
A1 Swiss Ball Lateral Roll 2-4 5-8 Body weight 3-3-3 60 sec
A2 2 Arm Pump 2-4 6-8 Body weight slow 60 sec
A3 Dumbbell Arm Bar 2-4 5-7 -2 slow 60 sec
A4 Swiss Ball Forward Roll 2-4 4-6 Body weight 3-3-3 60 sec

"Core In Four" Abdominal Exercises

(A1) Swiss Ball Lateral Roll:

Note: This exercise requires a Swiss ball and a dowel rod

The supine lateral ball roll is an excellent integrative exercise that will challenge anyone - even athletes and advanced exercisers.

Position: Sit on the ball and gently rollout so that your trunk is parallel to the floor. The ball should support your head and shoulders. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. Place a dowel rod across your chest and grip it with your palms up.

Movement:

1. Slowly slide your right should blade off the ball, keeping the dowel rod parallel to the floor and your hips in a neutral position (do not let your hips drop). As you partially roll off one side of the ball, you will feel the opposite side of your waist and core musculature strongly contract to stabilize your body.

2. Slowly return to the middle position.

3. Gently slide your left shoulder blade off the ball and hold for the allotted time (3 second count).

4. Repeat to roll left and right on the ball for the desired number of reps

(A2) 2 Arm Pump:

The 2 arm pump develops many muscle groups, including the entire core. It also develops flexibility at the same time. The 2 arm pump may look a bit like a dive bomber push up or a hindu push up. It is similar, but if you look closely, you can see that it's not the same.

This movement is like a push up into a low back extension, then the hips are lifted, then the hips are dropped, the chest is dropped to the floor, and the movement is repeated.

Position: Lie flat on the floor or exercise mat with your hands flat and pointing forward next to your body at shoulder level.

Movement:

1. Gently draw in your belly button to activate your core stabilizing muscles. Slowly push up your chest and arch your back with your head up looking forward. Your lower body should remain in contact with the ground.

2. Slowly push back and elevate your hips toward the ceiling. You head will come down and you will be in a push up position with your pelvis up.

3. Slowly return to the first position and repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

(A3) Dumbbell Arm Bar:

Note: This exercise requires a dumbbell or weighted object.

The dumbbell arm bar (or "arm bar roll over") improves stability in the shoulder girdle and is great for balance.

Position:

Lie on your back with a dumbbell in one hand. Place the other arm at 45 degrees to the body toward your head. The dumbbell arm is pointed toward the ceiling.

1. Slowly raise the dumbbell from extended to your side to arms length over your chest.

2. With dummbell at arms length over your body, slowly roll over onto your side (roll toward the open arm side).

3. Cross over your dumbbell side leg, while still keeping your dumbbell arm up toward the ceiling.

4. Roll back over to the starting position and repeat for prescribed reps

(A4) Swiss Ball Forward Roll):

The swiss ball forward roll is a compound exercise involving many muscles and joint structures. It allows you to integrate full body movement while maintaining good form. (note: the dowel rod is not a requirement - it is being used to illustrate proper spine position.)

Position: Set your forearms just below the top of the ball.

Movement:

1. Gently draw your belly button in toward your spine to activate your transverse abdominis, which aids in stabilizing your pelvis and lumbar spine.

2. Slowly roll out on the ball until you are fully extended. Make sure your arms and hips move together. Make note of when your rectus abdominis starts to contract strongly. This is your stabilization threshold: do not extend any farther. Use this to determine distance as a benchmark for improvement.

3. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

"Core In Four" Abdominal Workout Tips:

This routine should be performed every other day (three workouts a week). Don't let the looks fool you - it is more challenging than it appears! Remember to focus on form first. Master the exercise form first before adding weights or reps.

This program was originally designed for my baseball players and other throwing athletes to improve performance and conditioning. A pleasant side effect they all noticed was better muscle development in the abdominal and waistline region! In my opinion, there's nothing better than being more functional and becoming a better athlete while improving the way you look at the same time!

Being that this core program was created for highly conditioned athletes, it was set up as a circuit (sometimes known as a "giant set"), which means all four exercises are done one after another non stop.

This makes it an advanced and highly challenging program, however, if you're a beginner or intermediate (I'm assuming most of my readers are not elite athletes), you can still use this workout. All you have to do is rest 60 seconds between exercises as indicated in the chart above.

If you ARE an athlete or you're highly conditioned, then do this routine with all four exercises in a row (no rest between exercises). Just remember, if you are a beginner, train like a beginner. If you are an athlete, train like an athlete. If you are advanced, train with advanced methods. Always individualize. Never copy someone else blindly.

Train hard, but train smart. And remember, always use good form - especially on abs and core exercises. Enjoy this program and send me an email to let me know how it went for you!

Coach David Grisaffi,
Tacoma Washington

P.S.If you enjoyed this workout, then you will love the workout programs in my Firm And Flatten Your Abs E-book. You can get more information on the home page at:
www.FlattenYourAbs.net/index.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Author:

david_grisaffi.gifDavid Grisaffi majored in physical education and holds multiple certifications including 3 from the prestigious CHEK Institute: Level II high Performance Exercise Kinesiologist, Golf Biomechanic, and health and lifestyle counselor. He's also certified by the ISSA as a personal trainer and specialist in performance nutrition. David has been a high school wrestling and baseball coach and is currently an independent trainer and strength coach. He has been sought after by some of the top athletes in professional sports including world champion boxer Greg Haugen and professional golfer Michael Putnam. David’s ebook, Firm And Flatten Your Abs is an online best seller which teaches you how develop “six pack abs" while improving strength, function and athletic power at the same time. Find out more on the home page at: www.FlattenYourAbs.net

 

Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training:

Best Foods for Fat Burning
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

I couldn't be any simpler with my nutrition recommendations for fat burning. You will get have the most energy and the best body and fitness level possible if you eat whole, natural foods. I always ask Dr. Chris Mohr, author of the Turbulence Training for Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines if I ever need help with nutrition information.

You must avoid processed foods, which is pretty much anything in a bag or a box. So cut out muffins, donuts, pre-packaged cereals, white bread, pasta, chips, crackers, cookies, etc. 

We need to return to a time of simpler eating, focusing on fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It will take some "bad habit breaking" to rid yourself of your addiction to processed foods, but in your journey you will learn to appreciate the taste of REAL food again.

You don't have to eat meat to lose fat and build muscle, but it's not unhealthy to eat beef, chicken, and fish. In fact, fish contains essential fatty acids we can't do without.

You might have heard about the importance of healthy fats, which is a big turn-around from the low-fat mentality of the 80's and 90's. We now know eating fish and nuts won't make us fat, but will in fact make us healthy and help control our appetite.

So just focus on foods that haven't been processed, and you'll start to see changes in your body and energy levels in a matter of days. Get rid of the processed foods and you won't be tired anymore!

I strongly believe nutrition is the MOST important factor in fat loss and in health. If you're eating processed foods, trans-fats, and too many calories, you won't get maximum benefits from your exercise program, no matter what you are doing. Nutrition can either heal you or kill you, so choose wisely. Fortunately, the right choices are the simple choices.

I've had clients that switched to whole, natural foods and almost overnight they've reported changes in their bodies and huge increases in mental energy. So stick with the simple nutrition approach for fat burning.

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 Turbulence Training for Fat Loss

 


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 AtoZfitness F.ree E-book's:

Below you will see some of the most popular f.ree e-book downloads from our link portal.
Just click the link to signup for your F.ree download

- Feb.22 2008

By Jason ferruggia
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By Hugo Rivera
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By Sean Nalewanyj
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By David Grisaffi
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By David Grisaffi
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By Tom Venuto
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By Vince Delmonte
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By Jeff "Muscle Nerd" Anderson
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By Tom Venuto
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 Hugo Rivera -Shape up Now:

Glutamine Basics - Preserve Lean Muscle Mass with Glutamine
by Hugo Rivera

What Is L-Glutamine?

L-Glutamine the most abundant amino acid in muscle cells. It is released from the muscle during times of stress (such as hard weight training workouts) and dieting. This amino acid not only has been shown to be a great anti-catabolic agent (protects the muscle from the catabolic activities of the hormone cortisol), to be a contributor to muscle cell volume, and to have immune system enhancing properties but also to help in the following ways:

  • Regulation of protein synthesis (this is one of the ways in which steroids exert their muscle building effects).
     
  • Accelerating glycogen synthesis after a workout.
     
  • Sparing the use of the glycogen stored in the muscle cell (recall that the glycogen stored in the muscle cell is what gives the cell the healthy volume and firmness that you seek).
     
  • Faster recuperation from weight training workouts.


How To Use It

Due to its anti-catabolic properties and the fact that it accelerates glycogen synthesis after a workout, glutamine is best taken 20-30 minutes after a workout with a protein shake. On days that you don't workout, just take it with your last protein shake of the day. While there is much debate amongst experts as far as dosage is concerned, I always like to remain on the conservative side. Therefore, I feel that 3-5 grams is a sufficient dosage to start with and as your stomach gets used to it you can increase it to as much as 10-15 grams.

As far as cycling this supplement, there is no evidence that suggests cycling would improve its efficacy.

Side Effects

As far as side effects we only experienced a slight stomach discomfort during the first week of use (I took the straight powder form). Other than that, I did not experience any other side effects and I have not found any literature that links its use to anything bad.

As usual, I recommend that you start with a low dosage (such as only 3 grams a day) in order to assess your tolerance. From there you can build up to 10-15 grams split in 2-3 servings per day (1 in the morning, 1 after the workout and another one before bed). I would reserve the highest dosage schedule for periods of extremely hard training such as pre-contest training.

By looking at the effects that this supplement can provide you with, along with the fact that these days it can be purchased for a very cheap price, we wonder why more athletes don't use it. This is especially important during dieting, as a way to protect the muscle from being cannibalized by the effects of cortisol.

Good Brands

On a final note, please remember that like any supplement you need to stick to high quality brands.

Good brands of Glutamine that I have used are: Labrada, Prolab, EAS, Champion Nutrition, and Beverly International.

About the Author:

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" who 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 Body Re-Engineering Program please visit http://hrfitness.atozfitness.com


 GHF Weekly Featured Recipe:

Honey-Pineapple Syrup



Makes:
1 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup honey

Directions:

  • Combine cornstarch and pineapple juice in a saucepan. When cornstarch has dissolved, stir in honey.
  • Place pan over medium heat, and stir for 3-5 minutes.

Nutritional Information:

  • Serving size: 3 tablespoons
  • Calories: 70
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Protein: 0.5 mg
  • Carbs: 17 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Sodium: 5 mg

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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