Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - a new explanation

Sixty-seven percent of 101 patients diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) were found to be infected with a retrovirus called XMRV (Science, published online October 8, 2009). One hundred percent of those with CFS who subsequently developed lymphomas or leukemias were infected with the XMRV virus. If further studies confirm this finding, doctors will soon have a test to diagnose this horrible condition and possibly a vaccine to prevent it.

More than a million Americans are seriously ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, also known as Myalgic encephalomyelitis. CFS symptoms include severe weakness, exhaustion after any activity, loss of memory, and chronic recurrent infections. Patients rarely recover.

The retrovirus XMRV was first found in humans in 2006, in prostate cancer cells. It has been shown to cause nerve damage, immune deficiency, lymphoma and leukemia in animals. Retroviruses do not have their own DNA; they use the DNA of the host cells they invade. Retroviruses include HIV that causes AIDS, and Human Lymphotropic Viruses that cause leukemia and lymphoma. Just as some people infected with HIV do not develop AIDS, not everyone infected with XMRV will develop CFS. XMRV has been found in 3.7 percent of healthy Americans tested, adding up to an estimated 10 million Americans carrying this virus.

Although not proven yet, there is every reason to believe that XMRV is spread by exposure to body fluids (saliva, blood, semen). Having an infection with one of these retroviruses impairs your immunity so that you are more likely to become infected when exposured to any other germ.

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Top 5 Butt Blaster Cardio Exercises

Every one needs butt blaster exercises to either tone your butt or keep your butt toned! You can use cardio to blast the butt fat and overall body fat----just do the right type and intensity...top cardio exercises to blast butt, hips and thighs fat are:



1. Sprint Intervals: Sprinting activates and shapes the bulkier, shapely fast-twitch muscle fibers. Just check out the sprinters at the next track meet you attend and see how toned their butt, hips and thighs are. You may not go to that extreme, but you get the idea! Do your sprints:

--on grass (incline)
--on grass (flat surface)
--on sand
--on astroplay
--DO NOT RUN ON CONCRETE, ASPHALT OR OTHER HARD SURFACES

If you play soccer, it is a great change-of-pace exercise activity.....basically, all you do is sprint and jog the whole game.

2. Leg Circuits (also a strength and/or power exercise).

3. Intervals on Stepmill or Stadium Steps

4. Intervals on Treadmill

5. Intervals on Bike (preferably outside)

6. Forget about doing cardio on elliptical machines. There's just not enough benefit when it comes to burning fat---especially butt, hips and thighs fat.

When you have a choice, choose non-machine cardio. That way, you won't have a machine generating momentum for you. Don't go beyond 30 minutes on a cardio session---20 minutes is better because you can push yourself harder.

Leg circuit cardio is great because you can incorporate exercises like squats, lunges, step ups and jumps. And, to get even more fat burn, do some of these exercises as full speed power exercises. Make sure you have mastered proper jumping and landing techniques before incorporating power exercises into your cardio routine. Again, all it takes is 20 minutes per session.

Its pretty simple. Just do 3-4 days per week of intense cardio and you will tone and sculpt your butt, hips and thighs!

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!

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!

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Top 5 Weight Loss Plateau Busters

A weight loss plateau will happen to you at some point in your "exercise career!" If you're frustrated with having "no progress" in your weight loss and fat loss, then you're not alone!

Usually, its easier to lose weight at the beginning of your exercise program. This is especially true if you are, let's say, 120 pounds overweight. At this point, your metabolism is "running high" because of the excess weight. And, if you have not been active, your body will respond quickly to any new exercise program.

As time moves on, you have to make frequent changes (like weekly or bi-weekly) to your exercise routine/eating habits or your body will adapt. That's when you reach a weight loss plateau and your progress begins to stall.

So, here are my Top 5 Weight Loss Plateau Busters (Note: make sure you are following your meal plan or make needed changes):

1. Get off of the weight machines and bust through your weight loss plateau! Machines do too much of the work for you and many of the exercises are done sitting down. Many times, you're not engaging enough muscle groups when you work out on machines.....so it means less calories burned, less muscles developed and less weight loss/fat loss. Don't be afraid to try new exercises (bodyweight, dumbbell and barbell exercises)!

2. Do as many compound strength exercises (with weights or bodyweight) standing up as possible. These types of exercises work major muscle groups and many times are full-body strength exercises. This helps you workout with more intensity and burn more calories. You will also build more muscle and speed up your metabolism.

Squats, deadlift, lunges, standing bentover rows, squat-to curl-to press and bench press are great examples. Full-body core exercises like planks and side planks work well also. Spend less time posing on "mirror exercises" like bicep curls, calf raises and tricep extensions.

3. You have to work with enough weight to overload your muscles and build muscle! In other words, working out with 5 pound dumbbells won't get the job done (unless you are a beginner). You don't have to "max out" during your workouts but you need to challenge your body and ramp up the intensity.

4. Full-body medicine ball exercises like chops and throws are great for busting through your weight loss plateau. These exercises are also very intense, especially if done at full speed.

5. Train your muscles in all 3 planes of motion. Your body is 3-D so you need to train it that way. It will also help your dynamic balance to train in all 3 planes. Challenging your body in all planes of motion increases difficulty and helps you burn more calories.

Make needed changes and bust through your weight loss plateau!

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!

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!

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Fat Loss Frequently Asked Questions

There's 2 things about fat loss frequently asked questions, 1) you need to ask the right fat loss questions and 2) you need to recognize the right fat loss answers when you see them! Why?

Because there is alot of bad information out there about fat loss and weight loss! Some of that bad information will give you short-term solutions (such as rapid weight loss) but long-term failure!

If you want the right answers, you've come to the right place! First, you need to know my belief statement about fitness:

“Make a lifetime commitment to health and fitness. This commitment trumps all other fitness commitments. Without it, you will always fall prey to the inevitable obstacles and pitfalls along the way.”

With this statement as background, here are answers to my top fat loss frequently asked questions.

1. Do you need fat loss supplements? You don't need fat loss supplements to burn fat and lose weight! A combination of strength training, cardio training and good nutrition will give you the lean and toned body you want. Save your money!

2. What about fat loss surgery? Some surgeries such as liposuction and mesotherapy may give you some TEMPORARY relief from your subcutaneous (just underneath the skin) body fat.

Liposuction is actually meant to remove deep fat tissue (visceral fat). Again, a combination of strength training, cardio training and good nutrition will give you the lean and toned body you want.

3. Is there specific fat loss exercise? High intensity circuit weight training and high intensity interval cardio (HIIT) have been proven to be effective for long-term fat loss and weight loss provided you have a good fat loss meal plan.

4. What about fat loss vs. muscle loss? You will burn fat while building muscle if you combine strength training, cardio training and good nutrition. That's all there is to it! No shortcuts!

5. Are there any fat loss secrets? No secrets! Just hard, smart workouts, a good nutrition plan and perseverance. See #4 above.

Read the rest of my fat loss frequently asked questions!

"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!

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!

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Tone Ab Obliques With Side Plank

Tone your ab oblique muscles and strengthen your deep core muscles with the side plank. You will also burn your belly fat!

External Oblique - these muscles are on the side and front of the abdomen and wrap around your waist.

Internal Oblique - these muscles lie under the external oblique and run in the opposite direction.





--Lie sideways on your left side.

--Raise your body, resting on your forearm and side of foot. Keep your right leg on top of the left leg. Keep your body stiff and brace your torso (as if taking a punch). Keep your head in line with your torso (don't let your head drop or jut out).

--Hold for the required count. Relax and repeat again. Do all repetitions on one side and then switch to the other side.

You can do exercises like planks, side planks, bridges and cobras up to 4 times a week. They will sculpt your abs and protect your low back from injury!

Get FREE Training and Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body with Six Pack Abs! This ebook, created by Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer, Mike Geary, details over 27 specific metabolism-boosting secrets that you can use to strip off your stubborn body fat faster and easier and get your six-pack abs! Contains unique workout methods and nutritional strategies to slash body fat and take your body to a whole new level of leanness. Get Your FREE Book Now!

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The Potassium Deficiency Myth

Sports drink promoters have convinced many athletes that they need special drinks to replace potassium during exercise. A recent study of female soccer players confirms that this is a myth (International Journal of Sports Medicine, June 2009). When body levels of potassium are low, the kidneys and sweat glands conserve potassium so effectively that potassium deficiency rarely occurs.

Tiredness in healthy athletes can have many causes, but low potassium is not one of them. Many years ago, Dave Costill of Ball State University tried to create potassium deficiency in healthy national champion runners. He couldn't do it because potassium is found in all foods except refined sugar, and his athletes would not stay on a diet that consisted only of hard candy. Even with prolonged exercise in very hot weather, potassium needs can be met by eating virtually any food.

Potassium deficiency CAN be caused by certain drugs, such as diuretics or corticosteroids, or by severe diarrhea or repeated vomiting. One of the best female long-distance runners in the country came to me to find a cause for her sudden drop in performance. All tests I ordered were normal except for a low blood level of potassium. I knew that hard exercise does not cause potassium deficiency and that the most common cause of potassium deficiency is vomiting, but she repeatedly denied doing this. I then requested that she collect her urine for one day and the laboratory reported that it contained three times as much potassium as normal. This proved that she was bulemic. To control her weight, she was sticking her finger down her throat to makie herself throw up. After she was able to accept the diagnosis, she got help, stopped vomiting and went on to win several national long distance running titles.

With vomiting, you throw up the stomach's acid (hydrogen) and the blood becomes alkaline. This causes the kidneys to retain hydrogen and consequently lose huge amounts of potassium in the urine. In both athletes and non-athletes, the most common cause of low potassium blood levels and high potassium urine levels is vomiting.

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Burn Abdominal Fat With Medicine Ball Front Chop

Burn more of the dreaded abdominal fat with the medicine ball front chop! This exercise is also a great full body exercise that you can do as a regular strength exercise or power (full-speed) exercise. Because of speed and intensity, power exercises help you burn more fat during and after your workout.

Besides burning abdominal fat and helping sculpt your six pack abs, medicine ball front chops are great for improving your flexibility. Medicine ball exercises help you to exercise with natural movements. Your training needs to give you a body that you can use in every day life. Tight, rigid muscles will lead you to many injuries!



Grab a medicine ball about 10% of your body weight. You might need a lighter ball if you are a beginner or have been inactive. Shoot for 3-4 sets of 20 repetitions (if doing this as a power exercise, then do 8-10 repetitions).

--Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder width apart.

--Keep your arms straight but don't lock your elbows.

--Hold the medicine ball above your head.

--Bend forward at the waist (into a squat position) and mimic throwing the ball between your legs (don't throw ball). Keep your back straight and your head in line with your torso (don't let head drop down or rise up)

--Reverse the movement and stand with the ball above your head. That's 1 repetition.

Try this exercise at home!

Get FREE Training and Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body with Six Pack Abs! This ebook, created by Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer, Mike Geary, details over 27 specific metabolism-boosting secrets that you can use to strip off your stubborn body fat faster and easier and get your six-pack abs! Contains unique workout methods and nutritional strategies to slash body fat and take your body to a whole new level of leanness. Get Your FREE Book Now!

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Eat Healthy Fats, Burn Body Fat

Don't confuse eating healthy fats with your body fat! You need to eat healthy dietary fats every day! How much (or how little) body fat you have depends on how many calories you eat and burn every day.

At one time, health experts encouraged people to eat very little dietary fat to avoid "getting fat!" Of course, the issue is that maintaining your daily caloric surplus causes you to gain weight and fat.

First, you need fats (one of the macronutrients) in your diet for your body to function properly. Get about 20% of total daily calories from fats. Eat very little or no trans fats or saturated fats. Eating too many (and too often) trans fats and saturated fats will land you in the doctor's office with heart and cholesterol problems!

Focus mainly on eating heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) can lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower total cholesterol. Good sources of MUFAs are nuts (especially raw), nut butters, olives, olive oil, avocados, safflower oil, peanut oil and canola oil.

Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) are also good for you---especially the omega-3 fats found in cold-water fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, trout and white tuna. Flaxseed and walnuts are also good sources of omega-3 fats.

Eat more omega-3 fats and less omega 6 fats. Too much omega 6 fat intake can lead to inflammation that causes arthritis, cancer and heart disease. Sources of omega-6 fats are soybean oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil, sesame oil and cottonseed oil.

Conjugated linoleic acid(CLA) fats found in red meat and dairy are also good for you provided they come from grass-fed cattle. Another option would be to supplement your diet with fish oil.

Limit eating saturated fats. Some sources of saturated fats are beef, poultry, pork, dairy, lard, cocoa butter and palm oil. Moderation is the key to eating saturated fats.

Dark chocolate has become popular for its disease-fighting antioxidant qualities. So, I guess it would be a good "cheat food" (but not too much!).

Severely limit trans fats! Manufacturers of food love trans fats because they extend the shelf-life of food products and make them taste great! You've heard me say this--"if its fried, let it slide."

Let these bad boys go too---fast foods, chips, cookies, packaged pastries, hydrogenated margarine and shortening. Some fast food chains have started to cut out trans fats. Check out their websites to see the nutritional breakdown of different restaurants.

Count the calories with fatty foods just like any other food. For example, nuts are good for you but they are loaded with calories. A handful of raw almonds will do the trick for you!

Get FREE Training and Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body with Six Pack Abs! This ebook, created by Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer, Mike Geary, details over 27 specific metabolism-boosting secrets that you can use to strip off your stubborn body fat faster and easier and get your six-pack abs! Contains unique workout methods and nutritional strategies to slash body fat and take your body to a whole new level of leanness. Get Your FREE Book Now!

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Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes

As the standard of living in a country increases, so does the incidence of Metabolic Syndrome. Today, one of three North Americans will suffer premature death from the consequences of Metabolic Syndrome, which is caused too little activity and too much food (The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, September 2009). Warning signs include: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low good HDL cholesterol, overweight, high blood sugar and high HBA1C. (HBA1C is a blood test that measures sugar stuck on cells. An HBA1C greater than 5.7 shows that you have Metabolic Syndrome).

Metabolic Syndrome means that you are in the early stages of diabetes. If you store fat primarily in your belly, you probably have high blood insulin levels, a sign that your body cannot respond adequately to insulin. High insulin levels are caused by high blood sugar levels that cause blood sugar to stick to the surface of cell membranes. Once there, sugar can never get off. It is eventually converted to sorbitol which destroys the cell to cause all the side effects of diabetes. As long as your pancreas still makes insulin, you can reverse metabolic syndrome and diabetes. However, once your pancreas dies you cannot make insulin and your diabetes is not curable.

Read my recommendations on preventing diatetes, and for treating it if you have already been diagnosed. In summary:

• Exercise
• Don't be overweight
• Avoid refined carbohydrates except during exercise
• Make sure you have enough vitamin D
• Don't smoke
• Limit alcohol to no more than two drinks per day
• Eat a healthful diet with plenty of vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and other seeds.

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Burn More Fat With Power Exercise Workouts!

Burn more fat with power exercise workouts and shorten your workouts! Many of you just need to ramp up your workouts to get past your fat loss plateau!

Try a power exercise workout 1 time a week to start out and you will burn more fat during and after your workout! Make your whole workout one power exercise after the other! The ultimate advanced level workout! Its definitely not for beginners! And, all it takes is 45 minutes to 1 hour! You might need 2 days to recover!



Remember that power is the ability to exert maximum muscle force in the shortest amount of time (rate-of-force production). Because power exercises are so intense and done full speed, they are great for burning body fat.

Among other benefits, power exercises recruit more muscle fibers (mainly fast-twitch bulky fibers) more frequently which helps the fat-burning process. Recruiting your fast-twitch muscle fibers during your workouts will give you a more lean, toned looking body.

Here is a power workout that I have done frequently (do all exercises at full speed with little or no rest between exercises):

Warmup - Jump rope, 3 minutes; Butt Kickers, 2 minutes

Sprints - 8/60 yards each (sprint, walk back and immediately sprint again)

Medicine Ball Chops - 10 repetitions each side

Power Step Ups - 10 repetitions each leg

Push Ups - 20 repetitions

Squat Jumps or Mountain Climbers - 10 repetitions

Bentover Rows - 10 repetitions

Rest 3 minutes and repeat circuit.

There are plenty of other power exercises you could choose. Try it sometime!

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!

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!

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Top 5 Fat Burning, Body Sculpting Tips

My Top 5 Fat Burning and Body Sculpting Tips will show you how to shape and tone your body all day---not just during your workout! Take advantage of all the time you have available to you during the day to burn more fat and sculpt your body! I will assume you know that you MUST follow your fat burning meal plan to be successful with any fitness program!



So, with that in mind, here is the Top 5 Fat Burning and Body Sculpting Tips!

1. Posture – Sitting, Standing, Walking and Running - Brace your torso all the time (like you’re preparing to take a punch in the gut). This is great core work all day, every day!

2. Running and Jump Training – Running and jump exercises activate the bulkier, shapely fast-twitch muscle fibers. Sprints are great and so are plyometric exercises (squat jumps are an example) when you are physically ready for them.

3. Jump Rope Exercises – Jump rope is a very underrated exercise that is good for fat burning, total body sculpting, hand-eye coordination and balance. You can jump rope every day (two feet, one foot, shuffle, slalom, alternating feet, etc.). Speed jump roping is even better!

4. Medicine Ball Exercises – Play with your medicine balls as much as possible! Medicine ball exercises are athletic in nature and shape your body in all 3 planes of motion. Do as many of these exercises in a standing position to burn more fat and better sculpt your body. These exercises are good for warm-up and workouts.

5. Bodyweight Exercises – Squats, Lunges, Pull-ups, Chin-ups, Triceps Dips on Bars, Pushups, Planks, Bridges, Cobras, Mountain Climbers, etc. really burn fat and naturally sculpt your body. Bodyweight exercises force you to balance and stabilize your body with no help from machines! And you can do them at home while watching television!

So you see, you can do much more than your 40-50 minute workout to burn fat and sculpt your body! Get started today!

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!

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!

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Top 10 Weight Loss Tips

The Top 10 Weight Loss Tips will help you keep the weight off! If you're looking for quick weight loss tactics, this article is not for you! To get real weight loss (not just quick water weight loss), you MUST include fat loss. This takes time folks! Go ahead and make the commitment to consistent exercise and changed eating habits!

So, here we go....The Top 10 Weight Loss Tips:

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #1 Make a commitment to a lifetime of fitness, weight loss and fat loss. This commitment trumps all other fitness commitments. Without it, you will always fall prey to the inevitable obstacles and pitfalls along the way. Get your motivation right!

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #2 Be willing to change your eating habits! Sixty to 70% of your weight loss/fat loss success or failure will depend on good nutrition. Get to know your body and what types of food you are better off not eating. For example, grains/starchy carbohydrates cause some people to not make progress with fat loss.

You must burn more calories than you consume (caloric deficit is needed over time) in order to lose weight and burn body fat. This is the law of thermodynamics. Even if you are a "workout warrior," the law of thermodynamics still apply. You cannot eat as much as you want (or maintain a caloric surplus) and still lose weight! On the opposite end, you can't starve yourself and expect to succeed long-term with weight loss and fat loss. Starvation will cause your body to go into survival mode and store fat!

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #3 A weight loss pill, patch or cream will not make you lose fat and weight! You’ve seen the ads for diet patches or creams that claim to melt away the pounds. Don’t believe them. There’s nothing you can wear or apply to your skin that will cause you to lose weight. Try your best to get the nutrition you need from the food you eat! Save your money! Supplements have no long-term effect on fat loss and weight loss!

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #4 You must change your body composition! You must increase muscle mass to become a “fat-burning machine.” So, your metabolism will speed up when you build muscle. Concentrate on compound (multi-joint) strength exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, bench press, planks and rows because they work and build more muscle groups. Do less single-joint exercises like biceps curls and tricep extensions.

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #5 You must do more than cardio exercise to burn body fat, lose weight and change your body composition to “lean and toned!” Your muscles will waste away on those cardio machines if that’s all you do! Your body will not be toned! Some of the best fat-burning, body-toning cardio exercises are sprinting on grass, bodyweight cardio exercises (like mountain climbers), stepmill and jump rope.

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #6 Keep a food journal. This will help you keep track of your eating habits and help you make needed changes. Here is another fact: research has proven that you will have a better chance of succeeding with your meal plan if you keep a food journal! By logging your actual food choices, you are holding yourself accountable throughout the day. You will also be forced to plan your meals better. A food journal will also help you control emotional eating and binge eating!

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #7 Find out your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR is the amount of daily calories your body needs to maintain itself. You will use this amount and your daily activity level to set your daily menu. If you use severe calorie restriction (i.e., don’t eat enough), your body will store fat because it will think you are starving. And, you don’t want to lose muscle, you want to lose fat!

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #8 Find an accountability partner such as friend, spouse or personal trainer. This is also a critical step to help you succeed. Don’t try to do your exercise program alone!

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #9 Get a fitness assessment performed by a certified personal trainer to identify your postural deficiencies, muscle imbalances, etc. You need to get started on your program the right way! The trainer can also tailor the program to your individual needs. Two people following the same program can get different results. A personal trainer will take your “body type” into account when designing a fitness program.

WEIGHT LOSS TIP #10 Fat loss is more important than weight loss!
If you lose major poundage without strength training, most of your weight loss will be muscle mass. And, this will “slow down” your metabolism. That is why you see some people who are "skinny-fat" (skinny with high body fat). The goal should be to have a “lean and toned” body!

There you go......start burning fat and losing weight the right way! Your body will thank you and you'll look great!

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!

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Preventing Muscle Cramps

Most older textbooks explain that muscle cramps are caused by lack of water (dehydration) and lack of salt. However, studies on endurance athletes show that athletes who cramp do not have less body water or sodium than those who do not cramp (British Journal of Sports Medicine, June 2009). So the current explanation for muscle cramps in conditioned athletes is that prolonged, intense exercise damages muscles, which can cause sustained contractions or cramps.

Cramps may occur as a side effect of drugs used to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes. Oral contraceptives, various other drugs or alcohol can also cause muscle cramps. If you suffer from recurrent muscle cramps that cannot be explained, check with your doctor. Possible causes include pinched nerves, Parkinson's disease, hypothyroidism, diabetes, narrowed arteries, low blood mineral levels, or metabolic diseases that cause muscle damage. However, these diseases are rarely the cause of cramps in athletes.

Cramps can often be prevented by slowing down when a muscle starts to feel tight. However, athletes usually are not willing to do this during competition or hard training, so they will continue to suffer from occasional cramps and work them out as they occur. You can help to prevent cramps with a training program that includes both hard days and recovery days. We do this by cycling at 18-20 mph pace on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and 10-12 mph pace on the other four days.

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Eat For Fat Loss

If you want fat loss then you MUST eat for fat loss! Everyone needs a meal plan! You need to have some sort of idea of what you are going to eat for the day. If you don't have a meal plan, you might eat anything at any time! If you have a plan, you are more likely to follow it or at least eat similar foods.

Haphazard eating or grazing is probably the biggest killer of meal plans! And, if you don't have a meal plan, grazing with high-calorie and high-fat foods will skyrocket your calories day after day.....you know where that leads.....

Its the same story folks, a caloric imbalance is the cause of weight gain (consuming more calories than you burn in a day). If you want to speed up your metabolism and burn more calories then exercise regularly (strength training and cardio exercise). Also, eat right and often. Eating small meals every 3-4 hours will keep your metabolism humming and will keep your body from shifting to "starvation mode" (storing fat).

As the week goes by, compare what you eat to your grocery list and planned menus. Another key to your success is to record what you eat in a food journal. This will hold you accountable on a daily basis. Step by step, day by day, week by week...stay with your grocery list and meal plan most of the time and you will succeed!

You can get a FREE Meal Plan with my e-course!

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!

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!

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Medicine Ball Lateral Lunges Shapes Hips and Thighs

The medicine ball lateral lunge will shape your hips and thighs better than popular seated exercises. This exercise works the often neglected frontal plane (lateral movement) of motion.



If you want to shape your hips and thighs faster, do more medicine ball lateral lunges! Get rid of the “saddle bag hips” and “jiggling-jelly thighs!

The seated hip adductor and hip abductor machine exercises don't match up to a standing exercise like the medicine ball lateral lunge. You will get more fat-burning and calorie-burning benefits from doing the medicine ball lateral lunge.

Matter of fact, do as many compound strength exercises (with weights or bodyweight) standing up as possible. These types of exercises work major muscle groups and many times are full-body strength exercises. Squats, deadlift and lunges are great examples.

If you have stubborn lower body fat, medicine ball lateral lunges done as part of a leg circuit workout is a tried and true method to burn more leg fat, increase strength/endurance and improve heart health. You will also have toned glutes, hips, thighs and calves if you stay with it!

The medicine ball lateral lunge also trains you to move correctly in the lateral direction. Many knee ACL injuries occur when you place too much stress on your knees and not enough stress on your hips during deceleration. In other words, your hips are often under-used during exercise movements.

What exercises have you used to tone your hips and thighs?

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"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!

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!

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Top 10 Fat Loss Tips

You need my Top 10 Fat Loss Tips to simplify the fat loss and weight loss process! Even though fat loss is not rocket science, you still need a simple plan to follow day-in and day-out!

How many times have you followed your meal plan and exercise program all week and then blown it on the weekend by going on an eating binge!? Or, how many fad diets have you tried and failed! Or, how many times have you lost 25 pounds really fast and then regained 50 pounds really fast! Staying on your fat loss and weight loss track through all the events of life can sometimes throw you off kilter....

So, fat loss and weight loss is not rocket science but it is based on basic science, experience and good old common sense!

Read the Top 10 Fat Loss article!

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!

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!

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New Rules for Sunscreens

If you use sunscreens, be sure to reapply them frequently. Many sunscreens contain the filters octylmethoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3 or octocrylene, which reflect ultra violet rays away from your skin to protect it only when they are on the surface of the skin. However, when these sunscreens are absorbed and the skin is not re-coated, they increase skin production of harmful oxidants that can cause skin aging and cancer (Free Radical Biology & Medicine, September 2009). Reapplying the sun screen so some remains on the skin's surface can prevent this damage.

• Before you go out in the sun, apply sunscreens to the areas with the most exposure to sunlight over your lifetime: the top of your ears, your face, the back of your neck, and your arms and hands. It is the cumulative exposure to UV light that increases skin cancer and aging.

• To meet your daily vitamin D requirements from sunlight, expose your legs or other areas of your body that have received little cumulative sun exposure over your lifetime. Take care to avoid sunburn.

• Reapply sunscreens every hour or two, particularly when you are swimming or sweating.

• Some sunscreens contain stronger UVA filters (avobenzone, mexoryl, titanium dioxide or zinc) that are less likely to be absorbed into the skin. You do not need to reapply these if they leave a visible white paste on your skin. Check the list of ingredients.

A comprehensive review of more than 1000 sunscreens was conducted by the Environmental Working Group in summer of 2009. Their findings, with brand name listings and recommendations, are available at http://www.ewg.org/cosmetics/report/sunscreen09/investigation/summary-of-findings

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Burn More Fat With Vertical Jumps

Are you looking to burn more fat? Vertical jumps will burn fat and sculpt your lower body!



Vertical jumps will burn more fat because they are very intense! Shorten and intensify your workouts with jump training (plyometrics)! Plyometric workouts also burn more fat and calories during and after your workout! Just do 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions at full speed! Jump as high and fast as you can and jump on a soft surface like rubber or grass to protect your knees against injury.

If you're having trouble sculpting your butt, hips and thighs then you need to do more jump training.

Jump training workouts are advanced workouts. You need to perfect jumping and landing techniques or you will injure yourself. And, if you have knee and low back problems, high-speed vertical jumps are not for you.

Get FREE Training and Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body with Six Pack Abs! This ebook, created by Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer, Mike Geary, details over 27 specific metabolism-boosting secrets that you can use to strip off your stubborn body fat faster and easier and get your six-pack abs! Contains unique workout methods and nutritional strategies to slash body fat and take your body to a whole new level of leanness. Get Your FREE Book Now!

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You Need "Six Pack Athletic Abs"

Six pack abs are great but if your body is "stiff as a board" you will walk and move like a robot! Your training needs to give you a body that you can use in every day life. Tight, rigid muscles will lead you to many injuries!

My Fitness Hut’s Athletic Abs Training System will give you the sculpted, six pack and athletic abs that you need! And, you will build those abs using every day movements! We all kneel, stand, walk and run, so your abs and overall body strength and stability should be trained for you to live an active life every day!



That is the essence of my Fat Blaster Athletic Training System, which is training movements and not just muscles! Some of you are competitive athletes and some of you are not. Competitive athletes should try Sports Fitness Hut’s Athletic Abs Training System!

All the athletic abs training systems have 3 levels: basic, intermediate and advanced. So, you can progress at your own pace. Start moving like a human and not a robot!

Get your Athletic Abs Training System now!

"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!

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!

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Ball Plank Strengthens Deep Core Muscles

The stability ball plank is a great core exercise to advance you from the plank exercise on the floor.

The ball plank strengthens and stabilizes your deep, foundational core muscles even more than the regular plank. Balancing on the ball while holding the plank position is not easy! Your deep, foundational core muscles are more important than your "six pack abs!"



1. Place your elbows on the ball and balance on your toes while keeping your body in a straight line.

2. Hold the plank position for a count of 5-10 seconds without moving. The ball will move, so it is a challenge to hold the right alignment. This will obviously improve your balance. Your abs and shoulders will also work much harder.

Keep your head in line with your torso and brace your torso (as if taking a punch to the gut).

Get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE and you get a FREE MEAL PLAN! Use the course while you travel!

"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!

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 »

How To Avoid Travel Weight Gain

Avoid weight gain while you travel by packing more than just your clothes! Some of you travel as much as 200 days a year! You have to get your eating under control or your weight will quickly get out of control!

If you are a frequent flyer or driver, you know the food traps found in airport or roadside restaurants! The food choices are usually high-calorie, high-carb and high-fat. And, you know how much money you can waste at these food establishments. So, don't just plan and pack your clothes! Plan and pack your foods also!

Eating while you travel can turn into a weight gain disaster! Try to stay with your meal plan as much as possible while traveling. Haphazard eating or grazing will skyrocket your calories and pack pounds on your body!

The simple solution is to plan and pack nutritious foods like sandwiches with lean meats, salads, nuts, fruit, yogurt, yogurt smoothies, popcorn, etc. And drink plenty of water or unsweetened tea (and not high-calorie designer coffees!). You can't go wrong with those foods and drinks.....maybe you can come up with yours....just have a plan and follow it!

Get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE and you get a FREE MEAL PLAN! Use the course while you travel!

"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!

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 »

Large Thighs are Good

Large thighs appear to confer health benefits, not risks. A study reported this month shows that people who have small thigh muscles, independent of how much fat they have in their bellies, are at increased risk for premature death, particularly from heart attacks (British Medical Journal, September 2009). 2800 men and women aged 35 to 65 had their thighs measured and were followed for ten years. Those whose thigh circumference was below 24 inches (60 cm) were at increased risk for death from heart attacks.

Other studies show that having very low body fat is also associated with early death, as are being overfat or storing fat primarily in the belly. If you store most of your fat in your belly and have very small thighs or buttocks, you are probably already diabetic or prediabetic and at significant risk for a heart attack.
Another interesting study on benefits of thigh fat
Why belly fat is risky

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Burn Butt, Hips and Thigh Fat With Clock Lunges

Burn butt, hips and thigh fat with clock lunges! This exercise will help your lower body look better in 3-D space!

You don't need butt-busting fitness gadgets! Do more clock lunges and they will strengthen most of the major muscle groups of your lower body. Clock lunges also improve your core strength, coordination and balance.

Many of you do forward lunges, reverse lunges and walking lunges. These exercises work your lower body in one plane of motion (sagittal). I don't see enough people doing side lunges and transverse lunges.



If you will do clock lunges, you are covered in all 3 planes of motion, your legs will look better and they will be more balanced.

Do clock lunges this way (bodyweight or with dumbbells):

Lunge with your right leg at 12 o’clock, 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 5 o’clock and 6 o’clock. That’s 1 repetition for your right leg. Lunge with your left leg at 12 o’clock, 10 o’clock, 9 o’clock, 7 o’clock and 6 o’clock. That’s 1 repetition for your left leg. Maintain upright posture throughout to improve core strength.

Training tip: To work your hamstring and butt muscles more, lunge out further with your front leg (you should feel the stretch)! A shorter lunge step will work your quadriceps more.

Get FREE Training and Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body with Six Pack Abs! This ebook, created by Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer, Mike Geary, details over 27 specific metabolism-boosting secrets that you can use to strip off your stubborn body fat faster and easier and get your six-pack abs! Contains unique workout methods and nutritional strategies to slash body fat and take your body to a whole new level of leanness. Get Your FREE Book Now!

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CRP Better Predictor of Heart Attacks than Cholesterol

Blood tests for cholesterol and C-reactive protein (CRP) both help to measure heart attack risk, but CRP may be more important. CRP measures inflammation which indicates an overactive immunity, while cholesterol measures a type of fat in your blood. Having a high CRP blood test increases your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke by twice as much as having a high cholesterol (New England Journal of Medicine, November 2002). Everything that activates your immunity can increase risk for heart attacks and everything that damages your body turns on your immunity. Inflammation is part of the immune reaction that protects you from infection. It causes redness, pain and swelling, and can damage the inner lining of arteries or break off clots from arteries to block the flow of blood which can cause strokes and heart attacks.

If you have a high CRP, try to correct the known causes: any type of infection such as chronic gum disease, high blood pressure, alcohol use, smoking, low levels of physical activity, chronic fatigue, eating a high protein/high meat diet, or having elevated triglycerides, insulin resistance or diabetes. People with sleep disturbances, depression, or any of the "auto-immune" diseases such as rheumatiod arthritis or psoriasis are also likely to have a high CRP and are at increased risk for heart attacks. More

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