Getting Creative With Your Cardio at Home or at the Gym

Cardio exercises are a must when it comes to being fit or shedding fat, but that does not mean you do not have options. Cardio does a lot for your health in general, it increases your metabolism, burns fat, makes your heart and blood vessels healthier, decreases your blood pressure, increases your stamina, improves your sex life and the list goes on.
With all that I have stated doing the same thing day in day out might bore you so much that you could forget the benefits of cardio, so I'm going to give you other alternative ways to do your cardio that are not the traditional, steady pace jogging or cycling that everyone associates with cardio.
What most people think is that the longer you do an activity such as jogging the more you will get out of the workout, which is not true but may be true if you are talking about steady pace cardio. Doing something like jogging for a long distance is also time consuming and if you do too much cardio or too long of a distance you might find that it holds you back in terms of muscle gain, if that is what you are after.
How to get creative with your cardio:
First thing you can try is to change your traditional cardio workouts into more fast paced, interval sessions. What I mean is you can train in short intense intervals by timing yourself on a bike or treadmill and increasing the intensity in each interval. This would not require a lot of time and you would have one hell of a workout. In fact you will be burning calories long after you have worked out, but your time spent working out would be less than if you did the traditional steady pace stuff.
You could try doing sprints which is another form of interval training, running between cones. Taking short breaks and doing it again and increasing the distance and trying to run as fast as possible, short break again increasing the distance a little and go at it hard again, you get the idea. This would be a short intense and fun workout, obviously its short because it takes more effort and we can't sprint for long distances or long periods of time. The cool thing with sprints is that you get the benefits of traditional cardio and you built lean muscular legs, you have noticed that sprinters are jacked compared to long distance runners.
Other cardio exercises you could try includes martial art such as MMA, Kick boxing, karate etc. You could also play sports if you have time such as soccer, tennis, hockey or any other high activity sport. You could try swimming if you love the water; swimming is one of the better forms of cardio since it has less impact on your body and joints because the water supports your body weight.
There are a lot of alternatives to traditional cardio, it's up to you to find the ones that you like best, most of them are just fun and most people do not even know they are doing a cardio exercise. Just think of dancers they do cardio and have fun the same time. So go out there and find what works for you, no more excuses and no more boring cardio sessions.

Fitness And Kids - FIT-4-Kids, An Exercise Program Just For Kids

Introducing kids to a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge in our fast food, video game laden society. Thirty minutes once a week in P. E. class isn't nearly enough to maintain the cardiovascular system, much less keep an overall healthy bodyweight. One thing that P. E. class has right though is that classes are fun and they allow kids to socialize. The Fit Express' FIT-4-Kids exercise program along with their specially-made kids exercise equipment gives kids what they need and want.

So little Johnny's not thrilled about running 30 minutes on a treadmill? It's already hard enough for adults, who understand the importance, to exercise on a consistent basis. I've trained children, I can tell you from experience they get distracted and bored even easier. Introducing health and wellness at an early age is important and it's up to us to give them a fun option.

There are many ways kids can get physical exercise from after-school sports, jungle gyms, parks, recreational centers, kids gyms. However , most of these don't consist of a strict program (that doesn't feel strict) that makes them do at least 30 minutes of continuous cardiovascular exercise and also includes functional strength training using complete range of motion for all of the body's muscle groups. The FIT-4-Kids exercise program contains the key aspects of fitness and provides cardio and strength exercises in a safe, fun and sociable way.

Fluid interval training (i. e. FIT) works very similar to circuit training. exercise machines (each working different muscle groups) are placed in a circle or other arrangement. Every 2 minutes a central timer goes off and everybody switches to a different machine that they do continuously for the next 2 minutes. This allows multiple muscle groups to be worked simultaneously, the heart rate stays up, and it doesn't get boring. Two minute timer's just a suggestion; custom workouts can be easily created.

Worried about kids exercise equipment being dangerous? Don't be! FIT is extremely safe! What do sports, rec. centers, parks, and jungle gyms all have in common? They all allow kids to do uncontrolled movements, on their own, with minimal supervision. Running around, kicking, jumping, swinging-there's lots of potential for muscle and joint injuries! Kid's don't have the motor coordination to perform the unassisted exercises like squats, pull-ups, etc . with proper form and technique. Even when they could do these exercises, it's not fun for them and they don't have the patience or enjoy repetition sets. FIT is perfect, it's continuous and it doesn't require concentration or slow/boring movements.

Unlike most gym equipment you're familiar with, FIT-4-Kids doesn't use bulky machines with weight stacks, it uses Fit Express' kids hydraulic fitness equipment. By pushing or pulling oil through hydraulic cylinders to create resistance it provides an extremely smooth fluid movement that is much safer and kid-friendly. Never worry about dropping a weight stack, pushing or pulling too far, or hurting joints. You can pause at any point during the movement! And unlike most gym equipment with hard-to-understand seating levers and controls, the FIT4Kids machines are smaller (for children 4' to 5'9) with fixed seating and control arms. An easy-to-reach lever that controls if the exercise is harder (more strength) or easier/faster (more cardio) is the only option. So they can just get on and go!

Call your local kids gyms, recreational centers, schools, and ask them if they have a FIT-4-Kids circuit! Visit www.FitExpress.com for more information.

A Great Way To Spice Up Your Workouts -- Interval Training

There’s been a lot of buzz recently about interval training. So , you may be wondering what it really is and, more importantly, why you should incorporate it in your fitness workouts. Well, if you want a workout that can help propel you to the next fitness level, burn more calories, increase your speed, improve your power and more, then it’s time to learn more about this effective technique.
A simple definition of interval training is: short, high-intensity exercise periods alternated with periods of rest. These higher and lower intensity periods are repeated several times to form a complete workout. Here’s a basic example: walk for 5 minutes at 3. 5 MPH, walk for 1 minute at 4. 2 MPH and then repeat this sequence several times.
Most people spend their workout time only performing continuous training exercises. These are exercises where the intensity level is basically constant throughout. An example of this is walking at 3. 5 MPH, at 0% incline for 30 minutes.
Continuous training is very effective and should not be eliminated from your weekly workouts. However , it’s recommended that you include both interval training and continuous training sessions as part of your fitness regimen.
Why should you include interval training? As previously mentioned, there are many benefits to this type of training and execution is relatively simple. interval training can help you improve cardiovascular fitness, increase speed, improve overall aerobic power, burn more calories, break-through a plateau, increase workout duration, reach new exercise levels, expand your workout options and increase your workout threshold – just to name a few.
Plus, this training method has useful applications for beginners, intermediate exercisers and even conditioned athletes. There are two basic types of interval training. For the majority of exercisers (novices and intermediate) Fitness interval training methods are recommended. Athletes can choose a more advanced technique known as Performance interval training.
The Fitness training method utilizes periodic increases in intensity. Typically the higher-intensity levels range from 2-5 minutes in duration and are followed by lower-intensity periods that also range from 2-5 minutes. And, a critical element in Fitness interval training is determining the appropriate level for the higher-intensity periods. This level should not exceed the anaerobic threshold (which is usually reached below 85% heart rate reserve).
On the flip side, the Performance training technique involves periods of near maximal or even maximal intensity (e. g. >85% heart rate reserve – even reaching 100%). The higher-intensity levels can range from 2-15 minutes in duration and are followed by lower-intensity periods that also can range from 2-15 minutes in duration.
Don’t let the two types of training and their ranges confuse you. Incorporating interval training methods into your exercise routine is actually quite easy. Since the majority of exercisers fall into either the beginner or intermediate category, we’ll focus on getting started with those techniques.
To begin, choose the type of exercise: walking, jogging, swimming, biking, etc . Next determine your lower-intensity level. This is usually somewhere between 50-65% target heart rate. This will be your baseline, lower-level intensity. Then simply increase the intensity-level up to where you feel like you are working hard to very hard, but avoid reaching a level over 85% target heart rate. If monitoring your heart is not feasible, instead use the RPE scale where 1 is basically at rest and 10 is working extremely hard. For example , if you find that when you are exercising at a comfortable level you rank a 5, then bump up to a 7 for the higher-intensity intervals.
You may choose to systematically raise and lower your intensity (e. g. 2 minutes lower intensity followed by 1 minute higher intensity and repeat) or you can alternate more randomly by raising and lowering the level at your discretion. To increase your intensity, you may choose to change the speed, incline, or some other variable.
interval training can be especially helpful in situations where you are trying a new form of exercise. For example , this can be very beneficial when first learning to jog. If you attempt to jog continuously without building up to it, you will probably fatigue quickly and even give up. However , if you begin with intervals of walking interspersed with jogging periods, the workout will be much more enjoyable and effective. Also, you will be more likely to stick with the program and achieve the end result – continuous jogging.
Now that you know the benefits of interval training and the basic techniques for it, why not give it a try for yourself. Not only will it provide health benefits and improved fitness levels but it is also a great way to avoid workout boredom. Plus, with interval training workouts often are more enjoyable, go by quicker, and improvement results come faster. So why not try spicing up a stale, run-of-the-mill workout with Interval options? You may even find yourself excelling in an activity you were skeptical of even trying.

Craig Ballantyne Explains Fat Loss Interval Training

The Physical Benefits of Cardiovascular Training

The physical benefits of cardiovascular training, is exercise of relatively low intensity that depends primarily on the aerobic energy generating process. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training, literally means living in air, and refers to the use of oxygen to adequately meet energy demands during exercise via aerobic metabolism. Generally, light to moderate intensity activities, that are sufficiently supported by metabolism can be performed for extended periods of time. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training, can be contrasted with anaerobic exercise, of which strength training and short-distance running are the most salient examples. The two types of exercise differ by the duration and intensity of muscular contractions involved, as well as by how energy is generated within the muscle. In most conditions, the physical benefits of cardiovascular training, occurs simultaneously with exercises because the less efficient anaerobic metabolism must supplement the aerobic system due to energy demands that exceed the cardiovascular system's capacity.
The physical benefits of cardiovascular training, because it is designed to be low-intensity enough, so that all carbohydrate is aerobically turned into energy. Cardiovascular exercise comprises innumerable forms. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training, is performed at a moderate level of intensity over a relatively long period of time. For example, running a long distance at a moderate pace is an cardiovascular exercise, but sprinting is not. Playing singles tennis, with near continuous motion, is generally considered cardiovascular activity. While golf or two person team tennis, with brief bursts of activity punctuated by more frequent breaks, may not be predominantly cardiovascular. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training also involves the leg muscles, primarily or exclusively. There are some exceptions.
For example,the physical benefits of cardiovascular training also includes rowing to distances of two thousand meters or more. It exercises several major muscle groups, including those of the legs, abdominal muscles, chest, and arms. Among the recognized benefits of doing regular cardiovascular exercise are. Strengthening and enlarging the heart muscle, to improve its pumping efficiency and reduce the resting. Strengthening the muscles involved in respiration, to facilitate the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Strengthening muscles throughout the body.
Improving circulation efficiency and reducing blood pressure. Increasing the total number of red blood cells in the body, facilitating transport of oxygen. Improved mental health, including reducing stress and lowering the incidence of depression. Reducing the risk for diabetes.
Burns body fat, while building leaner muscle. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training ,describes the functional capacity of the cardiovascular system, the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Cardiovascular capacity, is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during a specified period, usually during intense exercise. It is a function both of cardiovascular performance and the maximum ability to remove and utilize oxygen from circulating blood. To measure maximal cardiovascular capacity, an exercise physiologist or physician will perform a test, in which a subject will undergo progressively more strenuous exercise on a treadmill, from an easy walk through to exhaustion.
The individual is typically connected to a device to measure oxygen consumption, and the speed is increased incrementally over a fixed duration of time. The higher the measured endurance level, the more oxygen has been transported to and used by exercising muscles, and the higher the level of intensity at which the individual can exercise. More simply stated, the higher the cardiovascular capacity, the higher the level of fitness. The fitness test can also be used to assess functional cardiovascular capacity for particular jobs or activities.
The physical benefits of cardiovascular training improves the individual varies widely in the human population, while the average response to training is an approximately seventeen percent increase in endurance, in any population there are high responders who may as much as double their capacity, and low responders who will see little or no benefit from training.
Studies indicate that approximately ten percent of otherwise healthy individuals cannot improve their cardiovascular capacity with exercise at all. The degree of an individual's responsiveness is inherited, suggesting that this trait is genetically determined. When overall fitness is an occupational requirement, as it is for athletes, soldiers, and police and fire personnel, cardiovascular exercise alone may not provide a well balanced exercise program. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training In particular, muscular strength, especially upper body muscular strength, may be neglected. Also, the metabolic pathways involved in generating energy during high intensity, low duration tasks, such as sprinting, are not exercised at peak cardiovascular exercise levels. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training, remains however a valuable component of a balanced exercise program and is good for cardiovascular health. Some people suffer repetitive stress injuries with some forms of cardiovascular exercises, and then must choose less injurious, low-impact forms of exercise, or lengthen the gap between bouts of exercise to allow for greater recovery.
Higher intensity exercise, such as interval training, ultimately burns more calories than lower intensity exercise. Low intensity exercise burns more calories during the exercise, due to the increased duration, but fewer afterwards. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training, is also used by individuals with anorexia as a means of suppressing appetite Since cardiovascular exercise increases sugar and fatty acid transport in the blood by stimulating tissues to release their energy stores. The physical benefits of cardiovascular training main benefit is to strengthening the heart.

Live Young

Most Western doctors and researchers describe the ageing of the human body as being similar to the ageing of man-made machines. The damage can be periodically repaired leading to an extension of the machine's functional lifetime, just as is routinely done with cars.  But what if we could postpone the effects of ageing before any damage occurred? 


Aerobic exercise has been shown to prevent memory loss, heart disease, diabetes, depression and obesity. Weight training stops our muscles from shrinking as we get older. But what about our internal organs? Because we can't see them, we tend to only think of them when something goes wrong with them. But it's the internal organs that govern the body. They are the key to living young and having excellent health.


There is only one way of exercising the internal organs and that is through the practice of Qigong and Qigong self-massage.  Qigong is quite literally exercise for the internal organs. Not only does it protect the internal organs, it stimulates them and gets rid of energy blockages  which could lead to illness. The immediate effect is an increase in energy. The long term effect is a slowing down of the ageing process of the body together with prevention of injury and disease.

The Qigong forms I teach in my book and DVDs are the original Buddhist forms from the Shaolin Temple of Zen in China. These are Zen forms and they are practiced with this in mind. There is no need to understand any complicated Qi theory or to concentrate on one particular part of the body. The only instruction is to concentrate on the movement and the breath. That is all. The wisdom of the body knows what to do.  If the mind is too full up with ideas and theory then the wisdom of the body can never manifest.  


The Instant Health self-massage plays a crucial part in exercising the internal organs. It works on many different levels. The bamboo brush works on the surface level, helping to detoxify the body by cleaning out the lymphatic system, softening the skin, removing blockages,  acting as a natural battery charger for the body, and making the Qigong more effective through helping to open the meridian channels.

I have a new improved bamboo brush available from my website, if your brush has Shaolin Temple in black Chinese writing written on the handle then you have this new brush. This new brush is a  stronger design than the last brush and should last for many years. Most people are happy to keep using the bamboo brush. But to go to a deeper level in our Qigong, we need to use a metal brush.

The metal brush is nearly 2kg and if looked after properly will last a lifetime. It took me many years to find someone who could make  this specialised equipment to my specific specifications. The weight, length and number of metal rods needs to be correct so it can work effectively. But how does it work?

Before washing machines were invented, the way to wash our clothes was to beat them against a rock. Some people still clean rugs this way, they hang them on the line and beat the dust out of them. The metal brush works in a similar way. Not only does it detoxify the body, and work on the internal organs like the bamboo brush but the vibrations from the brush go into the very marrow of our bone; cleansing and detoxifying it.  Why is it important to cleanse the bone marrow?

As we get older, the production of  red blood cells start to slow down. This is a major factor in the ageing process. I have no evidence for this but I believe that use of the metal brush, reinvigorates the marrow of our bone so that the production of red blood cells continue at a similar speed as when we were younger.  

Most people who do intensive exercise, for example professional footballers, age quite rapidly and burn out when their in their thirties. Shaolin monks and disciples do as much exercise but do not age or burnout in the same way. This is because we practice Qigong and Qigong self-massage.

I know that many Western people have massage from other people when they need something fixing like an injury or they feel stress or tired. There's nothing wrong with this kind of massage but self-massage aims to prevent the body getting run down, the aim is to prevent disease before it happens.

Many people associate The Shaolin Temple with body conditioning for combat but the temple have a long tradition of self-massage. Here in the West, I know some people find self -massage strange.  All I  can say is that if you haven't tasted coca cola, I can write volumes about the taste but you will never understand until you have actually tasted it for yourself. Self-massage is a vital key to keep your body balanced, healthy and well. Try it and you will see.

Good health not only benefits ourselves but also our family and the rest of society.  It's easy to forget the importance of health when we are healthy. It's only when it's taken away from us do we realise that without we cannot have a rich and fulfilled life without it. So appreciate your health and invest in it by practicing Qigong and Qigong massage for a long and healthy life. 

Want to learn Qigong?  Click here. 
For more information on the massage brushes click here

Top 5 Exercise Plateau Breakers

Plateau. That dreaded word that you do not want to hear, let alone experience. Especially if you have been diligently exercising in an attempt to get fit or lose weight. We have all experienced a plateau at some time - all of a sudden you stop losing weight or you just cant seem to run any faster. When you hit a plateau, don't panic. It doesn't necessarily mean you need to work harder or spend more days at the gym.
Here are five ideas that may help you break through in record time.
Take an Active Rest
If you have hit a plateau, it may be time for an active rest. Take a week off from structured exercise, and instead take leisurely walks, play ball with the kids, or take a yoga class. Active rest rejuvenates the mind and the body and allows for overworked muscles to rest and rebuild. You will return to exercise stronger and ready for new challenges.
Time to Eat
As you increase your fitness level, your body's metabolism may increase and so will your calorie needs. If you hit a plateau, evaluate how much you are eating. You may need to eat more than you have in the past for your body to continue to increase its fitness level. If you find you are often hungry, this is a clear sign you need to eat more to sustain your exercise program.
Mix it Up
If you do not vary your workout routine your body will eventually run on cruise control, and you will experience a plateau. Try new cardiovascular activities, or use free weights if you always use machines for strength training. Changes in your routine will surprise the body and force it to adapt, bringing you to new levels of fitness.
Different Day, Different Intensity
Varying your activities, or cross-training is important to avoid or break through a plateau. While cross-training the type of activity is often recommended, it is also important to cross-train the intensity of your workouts. Specify different days of the week as low, moderate or high-intensity days. Try interval training work at a low intensity for a couple of minutes and increase to a high intensity for a couple of minutes, and repeat. If you use a heart rate monitor, be sure your average heart rate for your exercise sessions vary from day to day.
Sleep It Off
Be sure you are getting enough sleep. Getting the right amount of sleep for your body will allow time for your muscles to recover from exercise. This will ensure that you can come to your next exercise session with enough energy and at full strength to take on a challenging workout.
If you are still frustrated, find inspiration in the story of Chris Witty, winner of the Gold Medal in 1000 meter speed skating in the 1998 Winter Olympics. A month before she was to compete in the Olympics, she was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Of course she had to cut back on training, and at the time that she should have been preparing to peak for competition. Not only did she win the Gold Medal, which nobody expected, she broke the world record! Imagine what a little rest might do for your workouts!
If you find you still cant break through that plateau, then make the decision to ride it out. Sometimes a plateau is necessary to allow the body to catch up with a new body weight or fitness level. Rest assured your body knows what is best and will break through the plateau at the right time!

Best Fat Burning Exercises and Interval Training

Interval Training for Fat Loss Not Aerobic Training

Announcing interval training for fat loss

 Forget long steady state aerobic training if you want to lose fat.
Why?

1. Its boring! Who really wants to spend half an hour or more running, cycling, rowing, etc .

 2. Your body will adapt to it! As you get fitter, it becomes harder to burn the same amount of calories as when you started exercising because your body adapts and becomes more efficient. So what do you do to burn the same amount of calories as you used to? Well if you continue with aerobic training the answer is either go for longer or do the same time quicker neither of which are particularly enjoyable.

 3. The fat burning zone or heart rate training doesn't work. Yes, you burn a higher percentage of fat at a sub-maximal intensity but the overall calories burnt are less than a higher intensity workout. (See the post below for more on Fat burning zone and heart rate training for fat).

 4. Sprinters have less fat than marathon runner.

 5. Yes, you burn calories whilst doing aerobic training however it may be detrimental to your muscle growth. As I've said many times before, the more toned you are the more calories you burn whilst sitting at home. Aerobic training is largely catabolic (breaking down), which can consequently reduce the development of muscle growth. Less muscle = lower calorie expenditure = lower fat loss.

  The answer? interval training

  Interval training is not aerobic exercise! Before I tell you what interval training is let me tell you what aerobic training is. Aerobic training (with oxygen) is exercise at a low or moderate intensity that can be maintained for a relatively large amount of time as long as oxygen is available for the muscles.

 Ok, so now let me tell you about interval training. This form of training is known as anaerobic training (little or no oxygen available). The key benefits of this training method are that it not only burns calories whilst you are doing it, it also burns more calories when you have finished as it revs up your metabolism for up to several hours afterwards, therefore helping you burn more calories through the day.

 So what exactly do I do when interval training?

 First off, choose an activity, running, rowing, etc . However , I recommend you do not do the same exercise every time. Remember your body will adapt! Try changing the machine or the activity every 2 sessions to avoid this.

 Once you have warmed up (5 mins) increase the intensity for 1 minute. This should be full out effort or as close to as possible (not recommended for those with heart problems). Think of a scale between 1-10, 10 being the most difficult, 9-10 is where you should be at this point. Once you have completed that slow down to a comfortable (5-6 out of 10) that you can maintain for 2 minutes. This is one bout, you should repeat this between 3-6 times depending on your level of fitness followed by 3 minute cool down. The total work out should be between 17-26 mins depending on how many bouts you do carry out.

 Remember, always check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. Now, go ahead, give it a go. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the results. Give me some feedback either way, thanks.

Run Your First 5k!

Even if you haven't exercised in years, you can run your first 5k by May with a little dedication and hard work. It is a good goal to have, especially if you have thought about running and just haven't taken the time or given the energy to the task. Where do you start? Assuming your doctor is OK with your new goal, follow these steps:
1. Get a good pair of running shoes
Having proper running shoes will help prevent injury and onset muscle soreness versus running in regular tennis shoes or shoes that aren't built for running. Some stores can even fit you to a shoe based on your running style! Make sure to do your research.
2. Find a place to train for your 5K
There are many options: Head to your local gym or rec center, use your own treadmill, or provided the weather is nice, you can head outside. Bear in mind that training for a 5k when you are deconditioned can be a daunting task and that if you decide to train on a treadmill know that you will have to work up to running outside before you run your 5k. When you run outside you do not have the momentum of the belt to help you. You can help negate this by running on the treadmill with a 1% incline.
3. The most effective way to train from no experience is with interval training
Interval training consists of walking, jogging, or running at a moderate pace and then after a set period of time you switch to walking, jogging, or running at a fast pace and repeat for 20-30 minutes including a five minute warm-up and cool-down is recommended. During your cool-down make sure to take the time to stretch while your body is warm and limber. Stretching helps you to retain the range of motion in your joints; this in turn can help you with your running form.
Since you're just getting started you'll want to start out slowly with a moderate and fast walking pace for your intervals. Start out with small intervals; example: 60 seconds of moderate walking followed by 90 seconds of fast walking and repeat. As you find these intervals getting easier, increase the time of each stage slightly to make them more challenging; example 90 seconds of moderate walking followed by 2 minutes of fast walking.
Continue to increase the time of each stage till you are walking fast more often than you are walking slowly. If you find this too easy, you can make fast walking your slow phase and start jogging for you fast phase and then once these are easy you can switch to jogging for your slow phase and running for your fast phase.
Regardless of if you are fast walking or running during your fast phase make sure that you are pushing yourself hard. You should be breathing harder and have difficulty speaking more than a few words.
With time, effort, and dedication you will go from having short intervals, to long intervals, to running the whole time.
Wanting to run is a wonderful goal that can be reached if you put your mind to it and dedicate the time to it and before you know it you'll be running in your first 5k! Stick with it, you can do it!

7 Killer Ways To Maximize Your Fat Burning In The Gym

Hey, we all want to shed some pounds and get back to the body that we had when we were younger and didn’t appreciate it but it takes discipline, planning, and dedication to make that happen. All too often people shed 10 or 15 pounds and then seem to stop losing weight. There is definitely a reason this happens and it should not be seen as failure or an excuse to give up on your weight loss goals. Here are 7 absolutely killer ways to maximize your fat burning routine and help ensure success with your weight loss goals.

1) Anaerobic exercise
If you think you can just run laps or pedal that fat away, think again. Muscle tissue is what burns the most calories in our bodies and you need to life weights in order to create bigger muscles that will burn more calories. Now although aerobic exercises such as cycling or swimming are also necessary, the fact remains that building bigger muscles is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. This is because you are creating a more efficient calorie burning machine by lifting weights which will ensure you succeeed with your weight loss goals.

2) Warm-up and Cool Down
Warming up before exercising and taking the time to cool down afterwards with some light exercises are not generally seen as essential to a fat burning program. However , the reason why a lot of people tend to give up on their weight loss goals is because they failed to see the progress they hoped for when they began. An injury, even one that only lasts for a few days, can set your weight loss goals back by weeks and lead to a loss of stimulation. You need to plan an extra twenty minutes into your weight lifting routine for these two essential activities or you risk injury and derailing your weight loss plan.

3) Diet, Diet, Diet
This should not be a killer way to maximize your weight loss goals but it is. The reason for this is because people tend to think of losing weight in two ways: diet, or exercise. Hey, these two go hand in hand and you are never going to maximize your fat burning routine in the gym unless you take care of your body outside of the gym. Stop thinking of meals in terms of three: instead, think 5 meals with smaller portions. The FDA recently developed a new food pyramid with this very idea in mind and you should check it out before starting your fat burning program because it can save you a lot of time and energy if you get the diet part figured out before even stepping into the gym.

4) Plan Workouts
The body is the most complex machine on the planet and you can’t just hope to step into a gym and jump on a machine or some weights and think that you are going to see the results you want without knowing how they affect your body. The ideal exercise routine is done only 3 or 4 times per week and only for 30-45 minutes at a time. You cannot work your body more than this because it will actually cause your muscles to break down which means you will be burning fewer calories, and therefore, not maximizing your fat burning routine in the gym. If you have any doubts about what kind of routine is ideal for your goals, don’t be afraid to consult a physical trainer to help you set up a program that is best suited for you.

5) Nutritional Supplements
If you really want to maximize your fat burning routine in the gym, then you need to consider using nutritional supplements. Now I am not talking about those crazy supplements that promise to burn fat for you while you sit and watch tv! I am talking about essential fatty acids, amino acids, whey protein…. things that will truly maximize your workouts that you can’t always expect to get in the foods you eat every day. Again, consult a physical trainer if you want to know which supplements are best for your weight loss goals.

6) Set Weekly Goals
I know that this just seems terribly obvious but the truth is that most people are not thrilled with the idea of working out so it is easy for them to skip a session or indulge in some pizza and think that they will make up for it next time. Listen, next time never comes and when you stop seeing the scales go down, the motivation just seems to stop. By setting weekly goals, you can track your progress and make it that much more likely that you will adhere to the goals when you see things are not going as expected.

7) No More Late Night Snacks
This one may not seem to make sense, but I assure you that it will help maximize your fat burning exercises. The reason is your metabolism. When you eat right before you go to bed, it throws your body off and you probably notice that you awaken and don’t feel hungry. Then, you skip breakfast entirely or only snack on a bagel or something on you way into work.
The result: the body goes into conservation mode. This means that it slows down your metabolism and that means you are burning less calories throughout the day. Plus, it increases the likelihood of snacking and basically just sets the scene for a bad cycle. Eating five smaller portioned meals per day also has to do with your metabolism as it has been found that metabolism remains highest when there is a consistent supply of food in the body. You might not believe that late night snacking affects the way your body burns fat when working out, but it does.

Now some of the things listed above are obvious while some just seem silly. And yet, taken together and consistently adhered to, these 7 little ideas will maximize your fat burning in the gym and get you to that body you can see in your mind but not the mirror far quicker than if you just go about things in a disorganized and inconsistent manner.


Free Belly Fat Burning Tips

The Best Motivational Technique

I frequently blog on techniques to improve motivation, such as goal-setting, finding like-minded people to train with, keeping a fitness journal, etc. It is often difficult to stick to a regular exercise routine and all too easy to blame the demands of our jobs, the kids, our spouses, etc., for our lack of exercise. However, today I am going to offer up a motivational technique that you may not have considered…

Become an Instructor

This is not as far-fetched as it may sound. When I took my first personal trainer class a couple years ago, I discovered that many of my classmates had enrolled in the class in order to motivate themselves to get into shape and to live a healthier lifestyle.

There are many obvious reasons that one might consider becoming a fitness instructor, but you may not have considered them all. First of all, we learn best through teaching others. While we only retain 10% of what we read and 50% of what we see and hear, we retain 95% of what we teach to others. The more senses (verbal, auditory, visual, and kinesthetic) that we engage, the higher the probability of retaining that knowledge. Being the teacher (rather than the student) forces us to really understand the subject matter. Thus, the first reason to become an instructor is to really know how to exercise. An equally good reason to become an instructor is that it puts you on a regular schedule (forces you into a routine). If you teach yoga or Pilates every Tuesday and Thursday night, you have to actually show up for it!

Other benefits of being a fitness instructor include: a small paycheck (I won’t lie to you—it really is quite small!), free club membership and other perks that might include discounts on other club services, more time at the club, respect of your fellow athletes and improved self esteem, continual learning, and continual positive reinforcement. You will want to become the best person that you can be.

And finally, I find it incredibly rewarding to help other people. It is really not about these other perks as much as it is about knowing that you have helped someone else improve their quality of life by reducing their risk for obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain cancers, and premature death.

How easy is it to become an instructor? Well, first you need to consider what you like to do and where your innate talents lie. If you have never participated in yoga and you have poor flexibility, then maybe yoga is not what you should teach. However, if you are a brown belt in martial arts, it might be time to consider teaching your own class. Likewise, if you enjoy riding your bike and enjoy an occasional spin class, you should consider becoming a spin instructor. Or if you say, “Oh my gosh. I’m sixty years old. I could never teach a class!” Well, maybe you should consider teaching older adults in a group fitness class. No matter what excuse you come up with, I will find a counterargument!

There are many, many classes that require group or individual instruction and I will give you a short list here to ignite your thinking process: group exercise, spin (cycling) class, adult fitness, martial arts, Pilates, yoga, Zumba, Jazzercise, kettlebells, weight training, dance, BOSU (balance) training, strength and stretch class, and step class. It usually requires certification to teach most of these classes and that information can be readily obtained online or by talking to a current instructor.

I’d like to finish up this piece by stating that fitness is a lifestyle. Incorporate it into your life every day beginning today. Once you do, you will begin to see a snowball effect of improved health, improved sense of well-being, and the energy to complete all of those other activities that place demands on your time.

~Dotso, CPT, CPFT, PES, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC

Copyright © 2012

Why Swimming Is a Good Cardiovascular Exercise

Swimming could be done as a cardio vascular exercise to increase cardiovascular fitness, the value of which shall be explained later. First you need to know what cardiovascular fitness is and why we need to do cardiovascular exercises in order to improve our cardiovascular health to the maximum.

• Cardiovascular fitness

Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of your body to efficiently transport and use oxygen, these means having healthy organs that function properly for example your heart and lungs. If you are fit and healthy your heart functions properly and pumps blood and oxygen as is needed by your body but if you are not as fit as you should be then your heart is not efficient in doing its functions and health problems to build up. One of the best ways to improve cardiovascular fitness and efficiency is to exercise regularly. There are many cardiovascular exercises but for this article we are only going to focus on the benefits of swimming for maintaining or improving cardiovascular fitness.

• How swimming improves cardiovascular fitness

Swimming can be an excellent form of cardio provided we swim with the intention of getting a proper workout during our time in the pool, if you are swimming for cardiovascular fitness you are not relaxing in the pool, you are hitting those laps hard and going as fast as possible in order to raise your heart rate. If you get used to swimming regularly, you could end up being able to do many laps in the pool which would be more beneficial. You see with swimming you will get out of breath and there is a lot of holding your breath and controlling your breathing rate going on, this trains your lungs and over time your lung capacity increases. That means your lunges can now take in more oxygen which will then be transferred into your bloodstream. Your heart will improve and be able to pump more oxygen and blood per heart beat.
Choosing to swim as your cardiovascular exercise will help you increase your muscular and cardiovascular endurance, this improvement in your fitness levels will in turn make daily activities easier to do because you will have more energy and you will feel like a million bucks. Plus there is an advantage to swimming instead of doing other cardio exercises is that because your body is fully supported by the water there is less negative impact on your body because you do not have to support your body weight and the extra force that is present when you do other cardiovascular exercises such as jogging.

I Have Discovered the Fountain of Youth

Happy to Be Almost 50!!!!!!

  I will be 48 this month and I will let you know that I have indeed discovered the Fountain of Youth…YEP!!!  For some time now, I have been enjoying the benefits of this mighty fountain and I must say that it has helped maintain my now 48 year young self.  Am I sitting around drinking secret shakes, popping youth pills, or strapping some contraption that shakes the literal crap out of me to keep me young…OH hell to the big NO WAY…I mean are you kidding me?  In fact, I cringe every time I see ads that promise this type of thing…and the gimmicks that are   invented…OH MY! 

I am also NOT going to be one of those people who hide my age because of hearing this…”OH…you look so good…FOR YOUR AGE”…I just smile as I sometimes whip out my ID when I purchase a bottle of red wine for a special occasion.  I look at life this way…it is an absolute honor to live each day, to celebrate every moment…and I have earned every smile line that adorns this face…so I will proudly announce that I am almost 50!!!!!!  Whoo hoo…YEP…there, I said it.  Now, getting back to my fountain of youth…I would have to say that it starts with my attitude about life.  I am indeed a kid at heart, do not sweat the small stuff, Give my worries to God, and laugh as much as I can…my hubby makes sure of that…he is quite the jokester.

My Fun Healthy Self

Ready for the next ingredients to my Fountain of Youth…a LIFESTYLE of health that consists of regular exercise, eating healthy foods, lots of water, rest and fun.  YES…it is that simple.  The fact is that the Fountain of Youth does not exist, but taking care of ME through a healthy lifestyle is definitely a close second, and I am good with that. There is nothing in a bottle or on a surgery table that will provide the youthfulness that living healthy does. Each day we get older…that is a fact and there is no alternative…in spite of all the gimmicks and surgeries…right?  What I choose to do is live each day taking the BEST care of me physically, emotionally and spiritually…and that is what keeps me young.  I will probably be dancing my literal pants off when I am 80 and still jumping in a few water puddles…lol.  You see, It is all in how I think about life, and just because I am almost 50 does not mean I am going to put my backside on the couch, dress in frumpy clothes, and think life is half over….NO WAY!  Each day, life is just beginning in my book, with all kinds of possibilities and undiscovered adventures.  I want this body to be in the best shape for whatever adventure comes my way and that will take dipping into my Fountain of Youth every day.

FREEway to My Fountain of Youth

Were you expecting something else from me?  An ooh-la–la magic Darla potion that I will start marketing and available on shelves tomorrow…well, maybe in a way…because my magic is no secret and the best part…FREE.  YES…my Fountain of Youth comes in the form of moving my body…FREE, sleeping…FREE, and of course, I buy my food so that is some cost to the fountain…but remember  I look for the deals…so I will say DISCOUNTED.  Now that I think further about it, I will share that the Fountain of Youth does come at the cost of my SWEAT…but that is still FREE…meaning my sweat.  I should also say that it comes at the cost of physical work, the cost of commitment, the cost of dedication, the cost of planning, and the cost of cooking…but the cost is still FREE…do you get what I am trying to say.  Taking care of ME and gifting myself this Fountain of Youth is a choice I make freely and happily…because I am almost 50 feeling 20 something on most days….and that my friends is PRICELESS!  

Proud of YOU Eli

I dedicate this blog to my fabulous son Eli as he graduates this month with his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in community mental health, Minor in Bible and Theology, and Addiction studies certification. This Mom is very proud!!!  I Love You Son

Happy Mother's Day Mama!!!

Happy Mother’s Day to My Mom…thanks for blessing me with your example of the importance of cooking/baking and gifting me with the passion that I now have to create the recipes that I so enjoy to share with family, friends, and online. 

I Love you Mom…My Friend

Motivation of the Day:  The Fountain of Youth Exists Freely Within Each of Us

Just Added to the In My Kitchen Stay Healthy Recipes: Stay Healthy Carrot Cake

Stay Healthy Carrot Cake

My Workout of the Day:

ARC Trainer: Strength level 6 for 20 minutes (Interval)

30 minutes HIIT Training

My Nutrition of the Day:

Coffee (2 cups…oops)

1.      Stay Healthy Date Oatmeal Cookies (2)

2.      Post Workout Shake (The Works)

3.      Corn tortilla filled with no salt black beans, shredded cabbage, and N/F Greek Yogurt

4.      Grilled Salmon & Peppers

5.      Stay Healthy Sweet Potato Brownie

IF YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT, AND IF INSPIRED TO SUPPORT STAY HEALTHY FITNESS WITH A SHAKE DONATION…I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

STAY HEALTHY!

Darla;) 

How to Get Ready for Interval Training

Intense training refers to pushing your body and muscles to their maximum potential level in order to reduce body fat. You will find that doing the hardest training exercises first is the best way to lose that ugly belly fat. For an example take a look at a sponge, squeeze it tightly then put it in water when you let it go it actually absorbs much more water than when it is slightly squeezed, that is exactly how we are going to kill that body fat.
On the other hand, this should not be thought of as a fight, it has to be enjoyed. In most cases if you think that a challenge is a fight then it will be a fight but if you take it as a positive challenge it turns out to be fun and enjoyable in the process. So you have to deal with your mindset, fine tune it in such a way that you will not ever think of the negative limiting factors, you have live energy in you which can help you get perfect abs, just like everybody else who got their 6 pack abs.
I always start my training on a treadmill and it has worked wonders on my abs. Set a 20 minutes timer, start walking at about 5 km per hour for 2 minutes then increase it to 6 km per hour and start jogging, gradually increase it to 10 km per hour, at that point you must increase the gradient or slope of the treadmill to not more than 5 percent, keep the pace for no longer than 3 minutes, then return to walking at 5 km per hour and repeat the exercise till the time is up.
Once you are done with the treadmill you can start with the abs exercises, abs are also muscles, so in order for them to grow they need to rest. So train your abs as you would train your other parts of the body. Do not forget to drink water frequently to prevent dehydration.
If you want your abs to be toned and have a ripped six-pack, you must learn the powerful strategy of drinking water frequently. A lot of people do not drink water when it is cold or whilst training and some just avoid drinking it at all, from when you wake up in the morning drink a glass of water per hour for eight hours or more, this strategy will ensure a healthy diet, digestion and protein intake for your muscles.

Build your Own Plyometric Boxes

Plyometrics involve quick, powerful movements, such as squat jumps, box jump-ups, and lunge jumps, designed to increase strength and power. These movements are important for athletic performance enhancement and injury prevention. It is very important to maintain proper balance and stability during plyometric training to increase the effectiveness of the training and to reduce the risk of injury. Thus, plyometrics should not be undertaken until one has properly progressed in their balance training program and acquired appropriate levels of stability in their movements.

Start with the raw materials

 You can purchase plyometric boxes at many sporting goods stores, but it costs about half as much to construct your own, which also provides you the opportunity to customize the boxes to suit your needs. Typical heights for your finished boxes include 6" (shown below), 12", 18", 24", 30", 36", and 42". Height will depend on several factors, including age and fitness level of the user. Likewise, width and depth of the platform can also be customized to suit your needs.

I'll describe the steps in a generic sense and let you dictate the final construction:

Finished Plyometric Box

1. First, purchase supplies at your local home improvement store. This will include 3/4" plywood and two-by-fours, as well as wood glue and 1 1/4" drywall screws to hold it together, padding for the underside of the box, and sandpaper to smooth sharp edges.
2. Cut plywood to desired sizes.
3. Secure pieces, first with the wood glue, and later with drywall screws, to ensure longevity. The number of screws you use will depend on the weight of the user. (e.g., a college football tackle will need a much sturdier box than a sixth grader.) Either way, don't skimp on the screws, they're cheap!
4. Once built, cut the two-by-fours to appropriate size to properly brace the box from the underside.
5. Finally, use a synthetic hollow-fill material on the underside of the box to provide some cushioning (some give) when you jump on the platform. (See black pads below.) 

Underside showing bracing & cushioning

In addition to athletic performance enhancement and increased leg strength, plyometric exercises also give you nicely sculpted leg muscles. Actually, this is true of all weight-bearing exercises, but is particularly true of exercises that include jumping, such as plyometrics, as well as dancing, running, and skipping rope.

~Lori Dotson, CPT, CPFT, PES, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC   
                                                   
Copyright © 2012