Planking Game? Plank Exercise Strengthens Core, Burns Fat

What's the purpose of the planking game? Fun I guess or maybe boredom? What's the purpose of the plank exercise? It is to strengthen your core and help burn fat.

The basic rules of the planking game are to:

Courtesy: http://bugtmalesoo.blogspot.com

--lie face down in an unusual location (as public as possible) with your hands touching the sides of your body

--post the pictures on the internet

I don't get it but that's okay. I do get the plank exercise, so here is one variation to add to your workouts (plank on stability ball).



Planks are a bodyweight exercise that should be in your routine. Many times, people will begin to work on superficial core muscles (such as your six pack or rectus abdominis) before strengthening and stabilizing deep core muscles.

There are many variations of the plank exercise such as prone plank, side plank, plank with leg raise, plank with leg abduction and plank with knee tuck.

Start with the plank exercise you are ready for. If you are a beginner, the prone plank is the place for you to start. And, an exercise like plank with leg abduction works your hips as well.

The stability ball plank is a great core exercise to advance you from the prone 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).

Enjoy your plank exercises today (and the planking game if you like)!

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get FREE eBooks: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips," Free Fat Loss Meals and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"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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8 Take Action Fat Loss Tips

You need to take action now to burn fat and lose weight! The toughest thing to do to get started transforming your body is to GET STARTED ALREADY!

Unless you have a medical or physical limitation, you have NO EXCUSES for putting off exercise and eating better. So, take action and take charge of your health and fitness. No one can do this for you.

Note: You may need to get medical clearance before starting an exercise program, especially if you have been inactive.

Here are 8 Take Action Fat Loss Tips for you:

1. Do something you love. What physical activity do you love? Are you in an "exercise rut?" Forget all the exercise theories and articles! Just get started with an exercise activity you love and do this activity for at least 30 minutes on most days. Before you know it, you will have started exercising regularly again.

2. You don't have a meal plan yet? Here are some things you can start doing today to improve your eating habits:

--Drink only water or unsweetened drinks for beverages
--Severely limit candy, cookies, pastries, junk food and processed foods
--Eat at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal
--Eat protein with every meal, such as eggs, fish, nuts or lean chicken/beef/turkey
--Eat small meals, every 3-4 hours
--Start writing down what and why you eat to hold yourself accountable

3. Tell a friend about your immediate plan to start getting fit. It helps to have someone hold you accountable and its even better if that person will join you. You need help to accomplish your fat loss and weight loss goals. That could be a trainer, a friend, a spouse or other family member. Research proves that those who have weight loss buddies are more likely to succeed.

4. So, you're too busy to exercise? Not! Many days, I fit in 15-20 minutes of exercise while waiting for a client training session. Take advantage of "DEAD TIME" during your day and exercise. Twenty minutes of exercise here and 20 minutes of exercise there works just fine.

5. Are you afraid to set goals for fear of not reaching those goals? Since you need to take action, set a temporary goal of "just getting started exercising." You can set an appointment with a trainer to help figure out the rest.

6. You don't have any equipment or a gym membership? No problem. You don't need either one to get started. All you need is your body and a little time. Get FREE Fat Loss Workouts Here.

7. Once you have been active for a week, start working in 20-minute cardio sessions 2-3 days a week. Also, begin doing strength workouts 3 days a week. Use the free workouts you downloaded in item #6. You have to build muscle mass to transform your body to lean and toned.

8. Walk at least 30 minutes on your days off from exercise. This will help keep your fat burning enzymes active. As a general rule, walk every where you can instead of riding. All movement burns calories.

How will you start exercising and eating better today?

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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10 Ways to Stay Active Between Workouts

A big part of the fitness lifestyle is to stay as active as possible when you aren't working out! By staying active, you keep your fat burning enzymes and metabolism active.

Don't make the mistake of laying around as much as possible until your workout. Research proves that your fat-burning enzymes SHUT DOWN when you SIT DOWN! Get up and move around during the day to keep your metabolism ramped up all day and burn more fat and calories.

You can't always workout. You have to let your body recover and rebuild itself. Over-training is common with many 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!)

Here are 10 Ways to Stay Active between Workouts:

1. walk 30 moderately-paced minutes,
2. go swimming or play water volleyball,
3. walk-in-place while you watch television,
4. take a 30 minute bike ride after dinner,
5. take walking breaks at work,
6. walk or bike when you can instead of driving the car,
7. walk your dog,
8. do yardwork, (stop putting it off),
9. do your house chores (right!) and
10. walk at least 5 minutes every waking hour.

Remember, all movement burns calories. If you have other ideas, let us know!

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get FREE eBooks: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips," Free Fat Loss Meals and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"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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Top 5 On-The-Go Workouts To Burn Fat

Working out on-the-go is popular for one main reason: it is a timesaver! The pace of life gets more frantic as technology progresses (it should be the opposite!). You still need to workout to improve your health, energy and well-being. Technology won't burn fat and eat right for you.

And, just because you're always crazy-busy, it does not protect you from being stressed-out, overweight and out-of-shape! You gotta get the workouts in on a regular basis.

Keep your exercise equipment with you. Pack up your gym bag, dumbbells, medicine ball, swiss ball--be ready to "exercise on-the-go."

Here are my Top 5 On-the-Go Fat-Burning Workouts:

1. Keep your walking/running shoes with you! Walk as much as possible during the day. This will keep your fat-burning enzymes active all day. After work, do a quick 20-minute interval cardio workout. Just find a school ground nearby and get after it.

2. Take advantage of dead time and get in your workout. Here's an example: Exercise during your kid's practices. Why sit around for 1-2 hours watching kids practice? You could get in a good 30-minute bodyweight workout.

3. Take advantage of running trails in your neighborhood. These trails usually have exercise stations so you can mix in pushups, pullups, inverted rows, lunges, step ups, squats, etc. between running intervals. This is one of the best fat-burning workouts.

4. If you're traveling overnight, do a bodyweight workout in your hotel room or workout in the hotel gym. You could download a good workout on your iPhone. Some of you travel for work 3-4 days every week. If you don't exercise on-the-go, you probably won't exercise at all.

5. Do an old-fashioned home workout before or after work. It takes away the excuse of "I don't have time to go to the gym." Download these Free 20-minute fat loss workouts!.

The truth is that you have plenty of time during the day to get in your workouts! Just commit to do it.

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

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get FREE eBooks: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips," Free Fat Loss Meals and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"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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Are You Blaming Weight Gain on Your Job?

There seems to be a new reason reported every week explaining why we are gaining weight and getting fat.

Sedentary jobs have been listed more than once as one of the main causes of weight gain for many people. There's one problem with that theory: I know many people (and so do you) who have "sit-down jobs" and are very fit.

I also know people who work on their feet at health clubs who are very overweight. So, its not where you work that determines whether you will or are gaining weight.

Our culture encourages us to blame someone or sue someone in court to fix our problems. That works fine unless you are the cause of your problems.

In the fat loss and weight loss arena, YOU largely determine how much you will weigh. There are medical and genetic exceptions to this weight gain rule but that's a subject for another article. For purposes of this article, you are ultimately responsible for your body fat and body weight.

Despite the popularity of many "other reasons" for our nation's overweight and obesity problem, I still maintain that the primary reason for your weight gain is a caloric imbalance.

Simply put, you will gain weight and fat if you consistently eat more calories than you burn. Some will say that theory is outdated. Don't believe them.

I realize its important to eat the right types of foods for nutrition and health. But, you will also gain weight if you eat too much of the healthy foods.

So, if you have a "sit-down" job, I would recommend that you move more.

Research proves that when you sit, your fat-burning enzymes basically shut down....when you stand during the day, those fat-burning enzymes go to work for you!

Try to stand as much as you can during the day and take walking breaks and lunches to activate your fat-burning enzymes! Any activity is good to go along with your regular workouts. All movement burns calories.

Don't blame your job if you're gaining weight. Make changes to your exercise, eating and lifestyle habits. These are the primary keys to you shaping and maintaining a lean and healthy body.

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get FREE eBooks: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips," Free Fat Loss Meals and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"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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Top 5 Outdoor Exercises To Burn Fat

In my opinion, outdoor exercise is the best way to exercise and burn fat. I don't care how hot or how cold the weather may be, I have to get outside and exercise. That's what makes exercise fun for me.

So, the question for you is this: how do you make exercise fun? If you have allergies, exercising outdoors might not work very well! If you are stuck in a rut exercising in the gym, give outdoors exercise a try. You might not ever go back indoors much!

Here are my Top 5 Outdoor Exercises to Burn Fat:

1. Running intervals on grass or sand - If you're serious about toning your body, do running intervals for your cardio exercise. The faster you run, the more fat-burning benefits you will get.

Sprinting activates and shapes your bulky, fast-twitch muscles fibers better (think butt, hips, thighs and calves). Your upper body and core will also get quite a workout.

Try 20 minutes of running intervals this way:

--Sprint for 60 yards
--Walk back to start
--Sprint for 60 yards
--Do this rotation for 20 minutes

2. Soccer, flag football or basketball - All of these are fun exercises and you don't have to think about it. They are all ready-made for intervals, speed and power. When's the last time you played a pick-up game?

3. Biking - It is full body exercise perfect for doing intervals, mileage rides or just having fun. Everyone should have a bike.

4. Hiking trails or hills - Hiking is fun group activity for the weekends. Packing the extra weight of your bags makes it more challenging. Hiking is definitely full body exercise and a good change of pace for you to try.

5. Walking intervals - Walking is underrated. I believe you should walk every day to keep your lifestyle more active. Speed walking intervals will help you burn fat and is a great alternative to running (easier on the joints).

If you need to change up your routine, try getting outdoors more to exercise. The birds will sing to you.

If you need an outdoor exercise routine, get your free 20-minute fat-burning workouts!

"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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Exercise Cures Cabin Fever!

With snow hitting the ground, I had to get out, exercise and cure my cabin fever! The Austin, Texas area has not been hit nearly as hard with snow and cold as the Midwestern and Eastern states. Actually, 30 degree temperatures are cold here (sorry!).

But, this week, the temperatures have been in the teens and twenties with some ice and light snow. No big deal, except that people here don't know how to drive in this weather!

Last night (about 10 p.m.), I had to get out of the house and exercise! As you know, my favorite place to exercise is outside. But, I couldn't find any takers for flag football in the snow. I ended up going to the gym to workout where there were about 10 of us burning calories.

Still, I felt great after 35 minutes of interval cardio and 25 minutes of circuit weight training. And, I made it home safely despite seeing numerous ice-related car collisions (hint to Texans: drive slower on icy roads and don't slam on the brakes!).

This is the workout I did:

--20 minutes of intervals on treadmill, rotating 1 minute running and 1.5 minutes walking

--25 minutes, weight training circuit, 10 repetitions (chest press, rows, captain's chair leg raises, step ups, standing DB shoulder press), did circuit 3 times

--15 minutes of running intervals, same rotation as above

Got cabin fever? Get to moving already!

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"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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Did You Burn Fat This January?

Did you burn any fat in January? That's my question for you one month into the New Year. If not, then you need to revise your exercise and/or nutrition plan.

I don't care if you haven't lost much weight yet. By now, your body fat percentage should have decreased! Lost inches and smaller body measurements will tell you that your body is shrinking and your program is working.

Don't place emphasis on weight loss instead of fat loss. Losing weight the healthy way is the only way! Health is more important than weight loss. Don't lose your health and self respect trying quick weight loss tactics.

Your goal should be to burn fat. Losing huge amounts of weight can be gained back quickly if you don't build muscle mass. Build muscle, burn fat, speed up your metabolism and lose weight (and keep it off)!

Make the needed changes to your exercise program and eating habits! That is the key to your success. Measure your body fat once a week to see if what you are doing is working.

Get help with your meal plan if needed! Get your nutrition mainly from food! Add in supplements like multivitamins and fish oil to support your meal plan and improve your health.

Get enough rest! If you don't sleep enough, your body won't function as well as it could--that means about 7-8 hours of sleep every night for most people.

If you want to lose weight the right way, 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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Burn More Belly Fat In 2011

This is the year for you to burn more belly fat! Make it a priority and it will happen. You will have to limit foods filled with sugars (among others) for this to happen. If you have a sweet-tooth like me, that's not easy to do! Bottom line: you will have to eat healthier and that's a good thing for you going forward.

Shrink your waist size. Doing so will reduce your risk of dying from diseases like cancer and heart disease. Don't just take my word for it....researchers from the American Cancer Society warns us about the deadly risks of having too much belly fat. Read my article about waist-to-hip ratio.

In the research study led by Eric J. Jacobs, PhD, American Cancer Society strategic director, Pharmacoepidemiology, researchers examined the association between waist circumference and the risk of death among 48,500 men and 56,343 women age 50 and older who had taken part in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, a subset of the larger Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II).

Participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their health and lifestyle, and also measured their waist size with a tape measure. They were then tracked for 9 years.

“We were interested in looking at waist size because it’s strongly correlated to fat tissue in the abdomen, which is the most dangerous kind of fat issue,” said Jacobs.

What The Research Found:

Jacobs and his colleagues found that people with very large waists (47 inches or larger in men, 42 inches or larger in women) had approximately twice the risk of death compared to those with the smallest waists (35 inches in men, 30 inches in women) during the study period.

And, this is the interesting part about the study: it didn't matter if the person was normal weight, overweight or obese (according to body mass index).

“We found a pattern showing that expanding waist size was linked to a greater risk of dying regardless of body weight,” said Jacobs. “Similarly, people with the smallest waist sizes had the lowest risk. The take home message here is watch your waist size regardless of your weight.”

Spot Reduction Won't Work

Spot reduction won't work. Burn total body fat by doing full body strength training and eating healthy food. This will help you burn fat off your waist. Doing 1000 ab crunches a day won't get the job done.

“There’s no evidence that doing a particular set of abdominal moves will reduce belly fat. The best thing you can do is to eat better and exercise more,” says Jacobs.

Build muscle, burn fat and shrink your body!

If you need to know where to start, just get your 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program!

"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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Burn Fat, Sculpt Your Body This Year

Don't just lose weight. Burn fat and sculpt your body this year. This way, the weight will stay off because you will have increased muscle mass. You won't hear this message on weight loss infomercials and magazine ads.



Why? Because they want you to buy their quick weight loss program. What you do after their program is your problem. Don't settle for less than a lean body. That takes more time to achieve.

Don't sell yourself short and settle for just another fad diet designed to give you short term weight loss. Fad diets don't work because you can't maintain them---you need a healthy meal plan that you can maintain over time.

You may need to change up your exercise routine. You can't do the same things and expect different results. If it failed last year, you need a change.

You might need to change your same old cardio workout? Ever tried bodyweight cardio? Its a great change up from the same old cardio machines.

Do you workout at a slow pace most of the time? Speed it up and see more results. In my opinion, sprinting is one of the least used exercises done by general exercisers. Sprints help you burn fat faster! Sprinting is one of the best ways to help get your total body lean and toned.

What were your eating habits like last year? We can always improve our eating habits. There's been more than one good workout erased by bad eating habits.

Wherever you are in your fat loss and fitness trek, make a commitment to burn more fat than ever this year.

If you need to know where to start, just get your 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program and get after it!

"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 »

You Achieved Quick Weight Loss, Are You Healthy?

You can achieve quick weight loss. But, your body might feel like a total wreck. Ever lost 35 pounds in a week? I hope not (at least not voluntarily).

If you have weight loss, fat loss and good health, you're in a great place! Just continue to eat right and work hard to stay there!

Quick weight loss implies that it's something that probably won't last! Health should be stressed before weight loss and beauty! It does you no good to look great if your body is a total wreck and unhealthy!

Optimal health involves making lifestyle changes to improve your:

1. health
2. fitness
3. energy levels
4. quality of life

We are living longer on this earth so quality of life is important!

The "quick weight loss lifestyle" is narrow minded when you compare it to the "optimal health lifestyle!"

Quick weight loss leads to slowed metabolism, a weaker immune system, hormonal imbalances, loss of lean mass, increased body fat, decreased energy levels, disrupted sleep patterns, short-term results and yo-yo dieting!

I'll take the optimal health option any day over quick weight loss!

So, here are some tips to help you achieve your best health and fitness:

1. Make a commitment TODAY to a lifestyle of health and fitness! Without this commitment, you will eventually go back to short-term solutions like quick weight loss!

2. Make the needed changes to your eating habits! Severely limit foods like sugars, processed foods, fast foods, fat-filled packaged foods, etc. Eat more foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Get help with your meal plan if needed! Get your nutrition mainly from food! Add in supplements like multivitamins and fish oil to support your meal plan and improve your health.

3. Commit to regular exercise and an active lifestyle! Walk as much as you can everyday!

4. Get enough rest! If you don't sleep enough, your body won't function as well as it could--that means about 7-8 hours of sleep every night for most people.

5. Schedule that doctor's appointment to see where your health stands! High blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. can be controlled, if needed.

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 »

Get In Shape With The Right Training

"Get in shape" by using the right training methods. You can't just start lifting weights and running with no guidance. This can often lead you to little or no results and a host of injuries. Here's a client question:



Question: Some muscle areas on my body are more developed than others. How can I correct this problem?

Mark's Answer: We all have a body type due to heredity and lifestyle choices. A fitness assessment is important because the personal trainer identifies postural weaknesses and muscle imbalances. The fitness program is then tailored to fit your needs. Without this assessment, you are "shooting in the dark."

Achieving optimal muscular fitness requires flexibility, strength, endurance, power, and speed. These components should be included in an integrated training program.

Because of lifestyle habits, the dominant side of the body develops more than the non-dominant side. And, if certain patterns or muscular actions are performed repeatedly, muscles develop more in either the front of the body or the back of the body. As a result, some muscles become tight, lengthened or weak.

An integrated training program focuses on 3-dimensional muscular balance. This will help overall strength, prevent injuries and enhance everyday living. Opposing muscle groups should be in balance. For example, the quadriceps group/hamstring group should be in balance (or the quads should not be significantly stronger than the hamstrings). Research has proven that inadequate hamstring strength contributes to knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.

To avoid developing muscle imbalances or to correct muscle imbalances, you should do the following:

1) Have a postural assessment performed by a fitness professional. This assessment will indicate where your muscles are tight, weak or lengthened. It will also indicate patterns of postural dysfunction called postural distortion patterns. Distortion patterns occur because the structural integrity of the kinetic chain (human movement system) is compromised due to the misalignment of one or more of its components.

2) Develop a comprehensive flexibility routine.

3) Weight training should focus on the total body to avoid muscle imbalances.

If you need to know how to lose weight the right way, 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 »

Lose Weight With The Right Process

You need to know how to lose weight or you will probably not be successful with long-term weight loss. Sure, anyone can starve themselves and lose 15-20 pounds in a week. But, the weight will return with a vengeance as soon as you begin to eat normally again. You will gain more weight than you previously lost!

Frustrated? You may need my weight loss e-course to improve your weight loss techniques or learn how to lose weight from scratch. Either way, losing weight and keeping it off is not always easy to achieve.

Weight loss management is a simple process---if you do it day in and day out! Its a process like any goal you are trying to reach. You don't reach your goals overnight! And, you didn't gain that weight overnight---it was a process too!

There are reasons why you become overweight or obese. All of the reasons have to do with behavioral habits such as:

1. overeating

2. too little exercise

3. sedentary jobs

4. negative attitudes

5. limiting behaviors

6. following bad weight loss advice

Whatever the reasons are for you being overweight or obese, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR WEIGHT GAINING PATTERNS! You can start taking positive steps today to improve your health, burn fat and lose weight.

I have the weight loss e-course to help you be successful with weight loss and fat loss. It won't cost you any money. Just your time and effort. And, it will tell you exactly what to do each day.

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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Weight Loss Failure Autopsy

Doing an autopsy on your weight loss failure(s) can be a huge benefit. The only way to improve is to know where you went wrong. Getting at the truth behind your weight loss and subsequent weight gain can sometimes be painful. But autopsies are sometimes that way.

The bottom line: you want a healthy, lean body that will give you the best chance to live healthy for a long time! You need to know the reasons why your weight loss and fat loss efforts failed.

As a personal trainer, I have seen many reasons why people fail at weight loss and fat loss. Some are:

1. You MUST make a real commitment to change eating habits and exercise habits. A real commitment always includes willpower to succeed. That means you won't quit even if you lose some battles along the way. One bad day or bad week won't stop you---you will get back up and keep trying. Its also called perseverance.

2. You try to lose weight all by your lonesome. You need help to accomplish your weight loss goals. That could be a trainer, a friend, a spouse or other family member. Research proves that those who have weight loss buddies are more likely to succeed.

3. Some people are haphazard with workouts and eating habits. Consistency is critical if you want to succeed.

4. You have the wrong workout routine and you're stuck doing the same workout week after week (with little or no results). It matters how you workout. A personal trainer can offer valuable guidance and feedback.

5. You're not working hard enough. It takes hard, smart work to change your body composition. Unfortunately, some people are kind of lazy.

6. You're depending on a fat-burner supplement, powder or weight loss patch to change your body! Stop wasting your money! See number 5.

7. If you are afraid to set goals for fear of not reaching those goals, then you will find some way to sabotage your efforts. For example, you set low goals or no goals and that's what you achieve---very little!

8. If you have low self worth, it will affect everything you do (including your efforts to change your body and lose weight). Somehow, you must workout because you're worth it and its good for your health and lifestyle. This is a very positive behavior and will lead to permanent lifestyle changes.

9. You experienced quick weight loss without exercise and without fat loss. In other words, you didn't change your body. You didn't build muscle. You lost muscle mass. The weight came back on with a vengeance when you started to eat again (and not starve yourself).

10. You can do your own weight loss and weight gain autopsy. It will be well worth your time. Ultimately, you will succeed if you learn from your failures. You can do it!

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 »

March Of Dimes Walk For The Babies

The March of Dimes Walk For Babies is a great cause that helps everybody. Start walking with a purpose---not just to get fit but to save lives.



Every day, thousands of babies are born too soon, too small and often very sick. I'm walking in March for Babies because I want to do something about this. And I need your help.

Please support my walk. Making a secure donation is easy: just click the "March of Dimes Button." The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

Your gift will support March of Dimes research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. And it will be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in newborn intensive care.

Walk For The Babies.

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R U Xercising 2Day?

So, texting nation out there: R U Xercising 2Day? R U Xercising 2Morrow 2? And so on.....U gt d idea (You get the idea). Use your TXT MSGs to help U n UR buddies Burn F@ (BURN FAT) n LUZ WGT (LOSE WEIGHT).



Why do people text so much? IDK (I don't know)! It seems easier sometimes just to talk to the person. I'm not a big texter on my cell phone but many of my clients and friends are so I'm GWTP (getting with the program).

So, hre R sum QIK WGT loss TXT MSGs 4 U 2 snd:

1. d/l My Fitness Hut WGT loss eB%K (Download My Fitness Hut's Weight Loss e-Course)

2. do BOD WGT XRcZs 4 Cardio (Do Bodyweight Exercises for Cardio)

3. e@ ryt 2Day n Evryday (Eat Right Today and Everyday)

4. gt XRcZ pRtnR (Get an Exercise Partner)

5. wlk 30 mins evryday (Walk 30 minutes everyday)

6. TXT pRsNL trainer a Q (Text personal trainer a question)

7. LUZ WGT n BURN F@ W intNse XRcZ of 20 min (Lose Weight and Burn Fat with Intense Exercise of 20 minutes)

8. do fun XRcZ lk danciN (Do Fun Exercise like Dancing)

9. wrt dwn wotU e@ (Write Down What You Eat)

10. *t xercising alrdy! (Start Exercising Already!)

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 Loss Goals For Spring Season

Weight loss goals for the spring season are pretty much the same as any other time. But, sometimes during the spring, we are ready to make some positive changes in our lives. So, while you're making positive changes, set your weight loss and fat loss goals!

Goal number one never changes: make a lifetime commitment to health and fitness. This one commitment is the foundation for your future weight loss success. It will carry you through the setbacks and failures.

While making that lifetime commitment, make an honest assessment of why your weight loss goals have failed in the past. Scheduling a free assessment with a trainer can help you with this process. You will also visualize realistic and challenging goals at this time.

Get ready to change your eating habits. You will need to comply (at least 90% of the time) with a healthy meal plan based on your basal metabolic rate.

Also, be a more active person. This includes your regular workouts. Being active also means you will move more during the day. All movement burn calories. Walking as much as you can during the day will help you reach your weight loss goals.

Lastly, if you are a cardio-only person, you MUST do regular strength training to build muscle, burn fat, speed up your metabolism and lose weight and keep it off!

Spring forward and begin to change your body to lean and toned!

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!

Read more »

How To Lose Weight

Do you know how to lose weight and keep it off? Did you know if you don't burn fat while losing weight, you will probably regain that weight and more? Its time to stop guessing about weight loss, right?

My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course will help you manage your fat loss and weight loss day-in and day-out! THIS e-Course is ABSOLUTELY FREE! 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? If that's you, then you need this 7-day e-Course!

Staying on your weight loss and fat loss track through all the events of life can sometimes throw you off kilter. This 7-day e-Course will tell you exactly what to do!

Are you still doing the same poorly designed workouts and getting the same "little or no success results" from your workouts? This can leave you feeling OVERWHELMED AND READY TO GIVE UP!

YOU WILL GET FREE FAT-BURNING WORKOUTS WITH THIS e-Course!

And, if you haven't yet figured out how you need to be eating, you need a meal plan to follow! It takes more than just working out...if you burn 500 calories during a workout and later eat 800 calories, you are just "spinning your wheels" and not making progress!

Its time to get the guidance you need to manage your fat loss and weight loss!


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!

Read more »

Vary Workout Intensity, Burn More Fat

Vary your workout intensity to burn more fat. The more intense your workout, the more fat you will burn. Stop spending 2-3 hours in the gym. Quality workouts are the key to fat loss and weight loss success.



Thirty minute circuit weight training workouts and 20-minute interval cardio sessions will give you the results you want.

Intense, speed-based workouts will also give you maximum benefits in minimum time! One 20-minute, speed-based workout will burn tons of calories and fat---during and after your workout!

Speed-based workouts don't have to be "running only" workouts. But, running sprints are usually included in a speed-based workout. Working out at a fast pace has been proven to shape and sculpt your body better because these type of workouts activate your bulkier, shapely fast twitch muscle fibers.

If you are going to use a speed-based workout, you need to learn correct running mechanics! Many people I see running have terrible running mechanics! Bad running mechanics make your workouts inefficient and many times lead to injuries.

You should master the basic running mechanics to become faster and more efficient. Posture, arm action and leg action are keys to improving your speed and efficiency.

Other fat-burning, speed-based exercises you can do during your workout are jumps, medicine ball exercises and agility drills. Master bodyweight speed exercises before progressing to assisted or weight-bearing speed exercises.

Your body also needs adequate strength (including core strength) and speed strength (power) for you to avoid injuries.

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 »

Break Fat Loss Plateau By Varying Workouts

Some of you can break through your fat loss and weight loss plateau by varying your workouts. If you have been doing the same workout for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year or 5 years, your progress has probably stalled.



Your body has the amazing ability to adapt to your workouts and bring your fat loss and weight loss progress to a grinding halt. You MUST be willing to vary your workout routine every 2-3 weeks to keep your body guessing. Actually, you could vary your workout every workout session in different ways (like changing intensity).

Surprisingly, I talk to many people who are unwilling to change their basic workout routine (even when their progress has stalled). He or she says, "I will change...." One month later, there is still no real changes to the workout.....and no progress!

So, here are some ways to change up your workout routine and break through your fat loss plateau:

1. Do different exercises to target the same muscle groups. This change is pretty simple. For example, do chest press on the ball instead of bench press.

2. Change up your weight training routine. This will require you to not talk to friends for 5 minutes between every set! Circuit training or superset training are good choices.

3. Shorten your long, boring cardio sessions. A 20-minute interval cardio session will give you more fat-burning and heart-health benefits than a slower 60-minute cardio session.

4. Add more plyometric exercises (jump training) to your workouts. Plyometric exercises are very intense and effective. Examples would be squat jumps and lateral cone hops.

5. Jump rope every day. Jumping rope continues to be one of the most underused exercises available. Jumping rope is one of the best ways to tone your body.

6. Do more bodyweight cardio workouts. These workouts give you a dual strength and cardio benefit. Bodyweight workouts are great fat burners.

7. Do two separate workouts on the same day. For example, do a 25-minute workout in the morning and evening instead of a 1 hour workout. Research proves that doing a second workout during the day (even a short one) keeps growth hormone levels high throughout the day. This will give you even more body fat burning.

Vary your workouts and start making progress again with your fat loss and weight loss!

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 »