Reach Fat Loss Goals With Willpower And Smarts, 3

Reviewing again, you need willpower and smarts to reach your fat loss goals. If you have the desire, you can reach your fat loss goals if you:

1. Train smart

2. Eat smart

3. Take care of your body

Getting enough sleep lately? Being "too busy" all the time is not good....sometimes we use it as an excuse to not do the things we should---LIKE EXERCISE! If you aren't sleeping (resting) enough, you are hindering your health and fat loss goals.

When you wake up during the night because you can't sleep, you are likely to eat when you should be sleeping. And, you will throw your metabolism "out of wack."

Researchers have found that the less sleep the test subjects got, the higher their body fat. The shorter sleep time altered the subjects hormone levels, energy decreased and appetite increased. And we already knew that decreased energy affects your workout performance. What's enough sleep? The general rule is 8 hours of sleep a night. Some may need more sleep or a little less than 8 hours. Don't sabotage your exercise program and fat loss goals by not getting enough shut-eye.

If you do happen to wake up at night, eat an apple instead of ice cream!

Exercise consistently and get the sleep you need to stay healthy! Stay tuned for part 4!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Reach Fat Loss Goals With Willpower And Smarts, 2

By way of review, you need willpower and smarts to reach your fat loss goals. If you have the desire, you can reach your fat loss goals if you:

1. Train smart

2. Eat smart

3. Take care of your body

Life happens....life brings on stress. A certain amount of stress and tension helps you take on challenges and perform better. Too much stress (left unchecked)over a prolonged period is not good and it causes health problems and affects metabolism. Also, some people respond to stress better than others. One person might crumble under the same workload that causes another person to thrive.

Your body's normal state (homeostasis) is changed by stress. The hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, are secreted in response to a stressful situation. The "fight or flight" response to stress is intended to give you the energy to take on or run away from a particular situation. Stressful situations that go on for months or years signals to your body that the normal state includes excessive amounts of adrenaline and cortisol.

As it relates to metabolism, adrenaline makes the fat cells more efficient at turning fat into energy and speeds up metabolism. On the other hand, cortisol increases the amount of glucose in the blood and creates more energy. If you have an office job, this excess adrenaline and cortisol builds up. Unused excess energy will be stored as fat.

Chronic stress or stress with no end in sight has major health implications. Adrenaline will continue to be secreted but the body and the fat cells will build up a tolerance to it. This means that the fat cells won't be converted to energy and cortisol will continue to increase glucose in the blood. This means the fat gain and weight gain begins to happen if left unchecked.

Life continally has stressful situations and life sometimes brings unavoidable prolonged stress. Regular exercise helps me to deal with stress and brings my body back to the true normal state (or as close as possible).

Exercise consistently and take care of yourself! Stay tuned for part 3!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Prolong life with exercise after age 50

Men who start or increase their exercise programs after age fifty live longer than those who remain at their present activity levels, according to a study in the British Medical Journal (March 2009). More than 2200 men were checked at ages 50, 60, 70, 77 and 82 years. The greater the increase in exercise duration over that span, the longer their lives were extended. The reduction in early death from increasing exercise was the same as for men who stopped smoking.

Lack of exercise is associated with obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, osteoporosis, and cancer. Exercising regularly more than halves your chance of dying prematurely (Archives of Internal Medicine, December 2007). Yet more than 50 percent of North Americans do not exercise.

Exercise prevents disease and increases life span by many mechanisms. The major benefit probably comes from the contracting muscles themselves. A high rise in blood sugars and fats after meals damages cells. When blood sugar levels rise too high, sugar sticks to the surface of cell membranes. Once there, it can never get off, eventually killing the cells and leading to blindness, heart attacks, strokes and the other consequences of uncontrolled diabetes. Contracting muscles draw sugar and fat so rapidly from the bloodstream that they usually prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high. This effect is maximized during exercise. The effect is maintained for about half hour after you stop exercising and gradually tapers off until it disappears after about 18 hours. That explains why you get maximum benefit by exercising every day (rather than three times a week), and why greater benefit is gained by exercising more intensely for longer durations. How to start an exercise program

Read more »

Reach Fat Loss Goals With Willpower And Smarts, 1

You need willpower and smarts to reach your fat loss goals. If you have the desire then you can reach your fat loss goals if you:

1. Train smart

2. Eat smart

3. Take care of your body

Let's look at one rule today to help you eat smart:

Control your hunger during the day so you don't overeat when you do eat! Do this by eating small meals every 3-4 hours (never skip breakfast) to keep your metabolism ramped up.

Another way to control your hunger pangs is to eat protein with every meal. You don't need to do protein shakes...just eat the right foods. Research has proven that protein keeps blood sugar levels more steady and helps you feel fuller for a longer period (slower digestion). Protein also keeps the hunger hormone (ghrelin) in check so your hunger doesn't spike so high.

If you feel fuller for longer periods, you will eat less and you won't binge eat if your hunger pangs are "not out the roof" when you do eat. Use your eating smarts!

Stay tuned this week as I continue this series!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Saturday, A Good Day To Play With Medicine Balls

Many times, Saturday is a good day for me to do a little different type of workout...after a long week, a change is good....try a circuit-style medicine ball workout to change up your routine...

I rarely see anyone working out with medicine balls beyond doing ab exercises...you can do much more with your medicine balls, like single leg medicine ball squats...

Medicine ball workouts can be a refreshing way to workout for you and can help you burn more fat.....your muscles will learn to "fire in a more natural pattern."

Get your My Fitness Hut "March Madness" Medicine Ball Workout today!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Use Soccer For Cardio Exercise

Soccer is great for interval cardio exercise....I have been talking about different ways to do your cardio to change up your routine...

It helps to keep exercise fun as much as possible....if you hate doing exercise, you will quit at some point....by its routine nature, cardio is boring so you need to mix it up...

Playing games is one of the best forms of exercise because you're focused on the game and not on the exercise (especially if you are in shape to play).

Play soccer right and you will get great benefits:

1. Sprinting when you should sprint will burn major calories and fat.

2. Soccer is great for developing agility (change-of-direction skills) and balance.

3. You should do alot of jogging (between sprints) when you play soccer. Notice I said jogging and not walking!

4. If you want a faster version of soccer, play in an indoor soccer league.

Play soccer once or twice a week if you need a change up for cardio exercise!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Stepmill, Stair-Stepper Or......

Cardio machine queens and kings love the stepmill and stair-stepper....as far as cardio machines go, they will definitely give you a pretty tough workout....and, they shape and sculpt your butt, hips and legs better than a treadmill...but, they are still machines---doing some of the work for you!

If you want to further challenge yourself, burn more fat and really "lean out," then take your cardio act outside! Their is something better and tougher than the stepmill and stair-stepper...

The parent of the stepmill and stair-stepper is the stadium steps! Walking or running stadium steps (or stairs) require YOU TO SUPPLY ALL THE MOMENTUM AND FORCE--NO HELP FROM MACHINES.....this makes your workout tougher and gives you more benefit...personally, I would choose running sprints on grass over any cardio machine...

Doing interval cardio on stadium steps is simple: walk fast or run up the steps and walk slow back down. You might need a little more rest when you first start but that's okay....

Go to the great outdoors to "stadium step" your cardio!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Over-Training And Under-Eating With Small Results

Over-training and under-eating with small results is common with alot of people...how do you know if you are over-training? Here are some signs:

1. Sluggishness
2. Lack of control during exercises
3. Longer rest periods are needed between sets
4. You are usually tired before your workouts
5. You are stressed out (when exercise should be your stress-buster!)

I was talking to a friend last week who is trying to lose weight too fast. First, fat loss should be the goal and the weight loss will take care of itself. Anyway, he is basically working out 2-3 hours a day. He had early success which is normal.

But now, he is always exhausted, over-training, under-eating and in a weight loss rut! This combination, if continued, is a recipe for fatigue, injuries, illness and little or no results! So his question was: "What's going wrong here?"

Easy answer! I just gave him a My Fitness Hut Fat Blaster Athletic Workout! This will solve his over-training, under-eating problem and give him fat loss and weight loss results that will last. Why? Because his weight training workouts will not exceed 50 minutes (3 times a week) and his interval cardio sessions will not exceed 20 minutes (3-4 times a week).

Instead of working out 20 hours a week (who has time for that?), he can get results with about 5 hours a week of exercise. And, instead of starving himself, he can eat right with the My Fitness Hut Meal Plan I provided him along with the workout! I'll let you know how he's doing!

Does this situation describe you? Then do what he did and make changes!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Lower Body Cardio Blast Workout

Change up your cardio routine with lower body cardio blasts....stop me if you've heard this before: cardio bores me to tears! So, I keep it short and fast which translates to 20 minutes of interval cardio per session...

Thankfully, all it takes is 20 minutes of interval cardio, 3-4 days a week to keep your heart healthy and burn fat...If you don't change up your cardio routine, your body will adapt and you'll be wasting your time! I know people who have done the same cardio routine for so long that repetitive stress injuries have set in!

So, get off the elliptical and treadmill machines and make your cardio interesting and more effective!

Here is the lower body cardio blast workout I did yesterday:

1. 10 minutes: sprint 1 minute, walk 1 minute

2. Step Ups (with knee-high platform): 4 sets, 10 each leg, 1 minute rest between sets (a knee high platform will work your hamstrings more which is important)

3. 10 minutes: sprint 1 minute, walk 1 minute

That's it! This workout will work for you!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Can't lose weight? New research on thyroid may solve your problem

Diets rarely help people to lose weight permanently, so exercise gives you your best chance to lose excess weight and keep it off. However, some people cannot lose weight, no matter how much they exercise. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh showed that overweight people who do not lose weight when they follow an exercise program are likely to suffer from low thyroid function, and therefore should be able to lose weight if they take thyroid hormones (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, February 2009). I think this is a very important study so this issue of the eZine is a little longer than usual.

When you eat, blood sugar levels rise. Your pancreas responds by releasing insulin into your bloodstream which drives sugar into cells where it can be used for energy. As you gain weight, fat cells fill with fat. This blocks insulin receptors so your cells cannot respond adequately to insulin and blood sugar rises to higher levels. This causes your pancreas to release even more insulin. Too much insulin can harm you. It acts on your brain to make you hungry, eat more and gain more weight. It constricts the arteries leading to your heart to cause heart attacks.

As I explained last week, muscles become extraordinarily responsive to insulin when you exercise so you need far less insulin to drive sugar from your bloodstream into cells. Insulin levels go way down with exercise, but the effect gradually tapers off in about 18 hours. So you have to exercise every day to maintain the benefit of lowered insulin levels, and overweight people who exercise every day usually lose weight.

However, some overweight people cannot lose weight no matter how much they exercise. This study shows that many of these people have low thyroid function which prevents the cells from responding to insulin and drives both insulin and blood sugar to very high levels.

Doctors do not diagnose low thyroid function by measuring thyroid hormone levels. Instead, they do a blood test called TSH that measures the brain's response to thyroid hormone levels. The brain produces TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland to make more thyroid hormone. TSH rises to high levels when the brain senses that there is not enough thyroid hormone in the body.

For many years, doctors have argued among themselves whether to treat people who have normal levels of thyroid hormones and very high levels of TSH (called subclinical hypothyroidism). This exciting new study shows that people who have high levels of TSH but have normal levels of thyroid hormone have muscles that do not respond to insulin adequately when they exercise. This means that they develop high levels of insulin and blood sugar, become overweight, diabetic, and often die of heart attacks.

If you are person who has extreme difficulty losing weight, ask your doctor to draw a blood test called TSH. If it is above 3.0, you probably will benefit from taking thyroid hormone. However, you must be careful not to take too much because overdoses of thyroid cause osteoporosis. Your thyroid dose should be adjusted to keep your TSH values between 0.3 and 3.0. Free weekly Fitness & Health eZine

Read more »

Play Basketball For Cardio Exercise

Play basketball for your cardio exercise if you need a change from your normal cardio routine....cardio on machines can get boring pretty fast....and you may not have time to go to the gym...you can also break through plateaus when you make a change from your normal cardio routine...

I'll choose fun exercise every time if it has the exercise benefits that I need...playing basketball the right way is great cardio exercise! It also has other exercise benefits.

One important note: you need healthy knees and a healthy back or basketball for cardio exercise won't work for you!

What is playing basketball the right way?

1. Sprinting when you should sprint will burn major calories and fat.

2. Jumping with maximum effort. I don't care if you can't jump high! Jumping fast and explosive is plyometrics and playing basketball requires alot of repeat jumps.

3. Play defense the right way! Playing defense is tough because you have to keep your body in a low, athletic position and constantly move your feet. This will also help your agility and balance.

4. You should do alot of jogging (between sprints) when you play basketball. Notice I said jogging and not walking!

5. Don't just stand around on the offensive end waiting for someone to pass you the ball! Run around and get yourself open or get in position to get the rebound.

In the spirit of "March Madness," play basketall this week for your cardio exercise. Take a break from your normal cardio routine!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Exercise On-The-Go During March Madness!

Yes, you can get in your "exercise on-the-go" during "March Madness" tournament games! It just takes a little creativity and dedication....

Remember, exercise should be fun for you or you will probably quit sooner rather than later.....so, between (or during) your game-watching parties and South by Southwest Music Festival--SXSW (here in Austin), get in your exercise! Here are some tips:

1. Walk everywhere during SXSW and you'll be exhausted at the end of the day. If you're watching games, exercise during the game with bodyweight exercises.

2. Play some "pick-up" basketball games and pretend you made the "buzzer-beater" that won the game!

3. Go on a 45 minute bike ride between games or walk your dog.

4. Rake all the leaves in your yard between games! This might last through a few of the games!

5. Get up early and get your workout in before all the festivities start up!

6. Do your My Fitness Hut March Madness Medicine Ball Workout or Her Fitness Hut March Madness Medicine Ball Workout during the game!

Just don't go all weekend and do nothing! If you do, you'll be 10-15 pounds heavier!

Have fun!

Do you have your own stories of "exercise on-the-go?" Let us know!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Exercise On-The-Go

Pack up your gym bag, dumbbells, medicine ball, swiss ball--be ready to "exercise on-the-go"....if you're going to "exercise on-the-go," there's no time to rush back home to get workout gear! Here are some tips:

1. Keep your walking/running shoes with you! Walk as much as possible during the day! Take advantage of every opportunity to walk. This one tip should be used all the time. It makes a huge difference in your fitness. When I used to work on The University of Texas campus, it was not unusual for me to walk up to 2 hours in a day going to different departments....and, there are alot of hills here, so that made the exercise that much better. I didn't think of it as exercise until I stopped working on campus. I soon realized that I had to take more time for "exercise".....walk, walk, walk every chance you get.

2. Exercise during your kid's practices. Why sit around for 1-2 hours watching kids practice? Take advantage of the time and walk, jog or do the obstacle course.

3. Take advantage of running trails in the neighborhoods or city. Many times when I'm crazy busy, I stop at one of the many running trails or hike/bike trails to get in 20-30 minutes of running.

4. Jump rope! You can jump rope anywhere and it burns fat and calories like crazy!

5. If you coach a youth sports team, show up 30 minutes early and get in a good workout before practice.

One reason to "exercise on-the-go" is that it takes away the "excuses" at the end of the day, "I'm too tired to workout" or "I don't have time to workout." The truth is that you have plenty of time during the day to get in your exercise!

Do you have your own stories of "exercise on-the-go?" Let us know!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Workout Tip For Home

Here's a workout tip for you to do at home....I would argue that more time is wasted at home than probably any other place!

Television watching can be a big time waster! I rarely watch a 2 or 3 hour game without doing something else while watching...I just don't have the time to waste....

So, while you're watching American Idol (confess that you watch it!), do a bodyweight or dumbbell workout for 30-45 minutes.....your family will probably join you in the fun....

Need a good home workout? Here goes:

--Prisoner squats, 12 repetitions, moderate pace
--Pushup Plank with Leg Lift, 5 second hold and lift, 8 each leg
--Mountain Climbers, 30 seconds, slow pace
--Pushups, 20 repetitions
--Dumbbell Bentover Row, 10 repetitions, moderate pace
--Ab Curl Ups, 15 repetitions, slow pace
--Do this circuit 3 times

Do this workout 3 times a week, add in 2-3 interval cardio days between this workout and you've got it whipped! Who needs a gym membership? Stay tuned for more tips tomorrow!

Have home workout tips of your own? Let us know!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Fat-Burning, Time-Saving Workout

I do fat-burning, time-saving workouts because I don't have any time to waste...that's not the same thing as "I don't have time to workout!" I schedule time to workout so there are no excuses. Its important to me!

How important are your workouts to you? Is exercise part of what you do most days? If not, you might need to prioritize your schedule....all you need is 30-50 minutes for a weight training workout and 20 minutes for a cardio workout! Fat-burning, time-saving workouts will allow you to always "fit exercise in your schedule."

This week, I will help you come up with ways to take advantage of the time you have during a day. This way, exercise won't get left out of your busy day....

One good tactic to use is this: exercise where you are that day! If you have to go to a certain place (such as a gym) to exercise, you may be wasting alot of time (or making an excuse not to go workout)!

For instance, I had alot of running around to do yesterday so I stopped at the first school yard that I saw to do my cardio (you know I prefer exercising outside anyway)....20 minutes of sprint intervals and I was done!

Its that simple.....more fat-burning, time-saving ideas tomorrow!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

It's March Madness! My Fitness Hut Medicine Ball Workout!

Use medicine balls regularly in your workouts and start by using My Fitness Hut's 'March Madness' Medicine Ball Workout Book!" Start playing with your medicine balls more---keep some medicine balls with you all the time and workout anywhere, anytime!



Learn to exercise more using "your natural motions......."medicine balls let you easily do this. No two bodies are exactly alike....that's why you shouldn't exercise exclusively on machines. Machines limit you to "that machine's" pre-determined range of motion.

Any personal trainer worth her or his salt will watch to see what your "natural motions" are and adapt the workouts to you!

Medicine ball workouts can be a refreshing way to workout for you and can help you burn more fat.....your muscles will learn to "fire in a more natural pattern."

......get your My Fitness Hut "March Madness" Medicine Ball Workout today!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Bone Density May Not Measure Bone Strength

A study from Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK shows that sprint cyclists have denser bones than long distance cyclists who have denser bones than sedentary control subjects (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, March 2009). While cyclists have less dense bones than weight lifters and football players, they still have denser bones than people who do not exercise. The greater the force on bones during exercise, the denser the bone. So any type of exercise is good for your bones and a sedentary lifestyle is bad for bones.

When I reported on this study, several readers responded by quoting other studies that showed competitive cyclists have lower bone mineral density in their spines than moderately-active, aged-matched men (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, February 2009; Osteoporosis International Reports, August 2003). These studies have been interpreted to mean that cycling increases risk for bone fractures beyond what you would expect from just falling off the bike.

I cannot find any studies showing that cycling weakens bones to increase fracture risk. Bone density is associated with bone strength, but does not measure it. The only way to measure bone strength is to see how much force it takes at break a bone. For example, birds have strong bones that are not very dense.

The theory that the act of cycling weakens bones flies in the face of our current understanding of bone metabolism. If indeed cyclists suffer from weak bones (and I do not believe that they do), the cause would be something other than riding a bicycle. Bones are constantly remodeling. Cells called osteoblasts bring in calcium to bones while cells called osteoclasts take calcium out. Any force on bones increases, and lack of force decreases, the rate of bone formation. Astronauts in space lose bone because lack of force blocks their ability to respond to Insulin Like Growth Factor-1 that stimulates bone growth (Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, March 2004). All competitive cyclists know that hammering on the pedals while pulling up on their handle bars puts tremendous force on every muscle and bone in their bodies, and this should stimulate bone growth.

Read more »

Eat Your Protein And Build Muscle

Notice I said to eat your protein to build muscle....I have always said to get your nutrition mainly from food...there's plenty of protein in the foods we eat...Good food sources for protein are:

lean beef, lean chicken, fish, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, cheeses, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. If you are vegetarian, there are plenty of protein food sources for you.

Include protein in every meal....it helps you stay fuller for a longer period of time (it digests more slowly) which will help you eat less...this is important to help you achieve fat loss and weight loss goals.

I've never done the protein drink thing but there are those who swear by it. I know one thing for sure---whole, natural foods work best for your body and you will save alot of money by not buying supplement drinks.....BESIDES, FOOD TASTES BETTER AND ONE REASON I EAT IS TO ENJOY THE TASTE!

Your body needs a steady supply of protein to repair and build muscle tissue, especially after a tough weight training workout...so, how much daily protein do you need? Here's a good guide to follow:

Daily protein needs should be calculated according to body weight (not by percent of calories). Daily protein targets (grams per pound of body weight) are:

Sedentary adult, 0.4
Recreational exerciser, adult 0.5-0.75
Competitive athlete, adult 0.6-0.9
Growing teenage athlete 0.8-0.9
Adult building muscle mass 0.7-0.9
Maximum usable amount by adults 0.9 (your body will excrete excess protein)

For example, if you weigh 190 pounds and want a high protein intake (0.9 gms/lb), you'll need 171 grams of protein. Protein should be eaten at least every 3-4 hours to insure adequate supply during the day. Your night meal should be comprised of slowly digesting protein (such as lean meats) that will give a constant release of amino acids into your system overnight.

Of course, hydration is also very important for your muscles. Drink daily about a half an ounce of water for every pound of body weight (180 pound person would drink 90 ounces).

EAT your protein!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Work Off Frustration With Interval Cardio

Interval cardio worked for me last night after a frustrating day dealing with computer geeks....try 11 hours of computer problems that amounted to not much...

After that, I had a decision to make at about 10 p.m. Go workout and feel better or go lay on the couch (watching Sports Center) and still feel frustated, mad and stressed out....there are different ways to work off stress and frustration :)

And the winner is: 20 minutes of interval sprint cardio and I was flying.....it always works and I felt better last night and I feel great today!

Moral to the story? There will always be a reason NOT TO WORKOUT....JUST WORKOUT ON MOST DAYS AND YOU'LL FEEL BETTER AND BE HEALTHIER!

No computer problems today! Have a great workout!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Build Muscle, Burn Fat And Get Lean, 2

If you want to build muscle, burn fat and get lean then feed your muscles before your weight training workout......you will need energy for your workout and you want to continually provide nutrients to build muscle on your body.....

Pre-workout nutrition should mainly include carbohydrates and proteins. If you haven't eaten properly, a protein shake will work in a pinch.....

Your body depends heavily on fuel from carbohydrates (glycogen) for energy during an intense weight training workout. Eating fruits, vegetables, smoothies, etc. 1-2 hours before a workout will build up your glycogen stores. I ALWAYS PREFER TO GET MY NUTRITION FROM FOOD...BESIDES, SUPPLEMENTS AND DRINKS ARE EXPENSIVE AND MANY OF THEM DON'T WORK!

If you are a protein shake type of person, research has shown the effectiveness of pre-workout protein drinks (such as whey and casein). These drinks will make enough amino acids available to take advantage of the increased blood flow to your working muscles. Also, your muscles get 2 times as much benefit from a pre-workout protein drink compared to having just a post-workout protein drink.

.....stay tuned for more this week about building muscle and getting lean!

Learn how to lose weight the right way and get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Weight Training Benefits the Heart

Most authorities recommend both endurance and resistance exercise for heart health, even for people who have recovered from heart attacks. Now a study from The University of Athens in Greece shows how resistance exercise may help prevent heart attacks (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, February 2009). Nine healthy, untrained male volunteers performed leg presses, with eight sets of six repetitions and three-minute rest intervals. One day later their blood fat levels were lower than normal after a high-fat meal. This shows that a single bout of weight lifting can prevent a high rise in blood fats one day later. A high rise in fat or sugar after meals increases risk for heart attacks. Exercising and exercised muscles help to remove sugar and fat from the bloodstream and this effect can last as much as twenty-four hours.

Read more »