I heard that you shouldn’t workout everyday, is that true? 

I have recently had a number of new clients under the misconception that a person should only workout every other day.  I am not sure who is spreading this rumor, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.  The truth is that every healthy person needs to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes every single day.  This misunderstanding may arise based on the wise advice that resistance training of the same muscle group should not occur on consecutive days.  For example, you shouldn’t do biceps curls two days in a row.  Be sure to vary what activities you do from day to day and enjoy being physically active everyday.  A good rule of thumb is that if you have a sore muscle, exercise a different one.  There are exceptions.  The abs and the heart (cardio) can be exercised safely everyday.  A trainer can give you experienced advice on a daily program that will safely meet your fitness needs. 

When it comes to physical activity, (in the absence of injury) I feel it is better to be more concerned about under-doing it than over-doing it.

I believe taking a few days off from P90X and doing kickboxing and other cardio programs has brought me a renewed intensity to the program. Maybe 90 days is just a bit too long for me but since getting back to the P90X schedule, I’ve been hitting my workouts out of the park. I literally just finished Kenpo and my arms and legs are shaking. Boo-ya!

Oh, I did flip my Kenpo and Yoga workouts this week. Today was suppose to be Yoga but I don’t have 90 minutes to devote to my workout today.

The following is a point by point analysis of glucose as it is broken down in digestion, enters the cytosol cell and how High Intensity Training manipulates this process by a reduction in rest time.

1. Energy enters into the Cytosol (liquid portion of cell) in the form of glucose from carbohydrates.

2. Energy is metabolized anaerobically (without air) through a series of approximately 20 chemical reactions until it becomes a chemical known as pyruvate. This is an example of an anaerobic metabolism. The process is known as glycolysis.

3. Pyruvate is then moved into the mitochondria where it is metabolized by the Krebs cycle and the respiratory chain. During this process, pyruvate is converted to 36 molecules of ATP (adenosine troposphere). This is called aerobic metabolism.

4. The Krebs cycle/respiratory chain converts energy from ATP at a slow rate. In contrast, glycolysis produces only two molecules of ATP and has the potential to cycle at an infinitely faster rate.

5. The following summary is important to note because of the sharp contrast in processes: The Krebs cycle/respiratory chain converts pyruvate at a slower rate because it must be converted into 36 molecules of ATP. Glycolysis, on the other hand, converts pyruvate at a faster rate because it must only convert two molecules of ATP.

6. By using maximum muscular exertion, the glycolytic cycle accelerates and you begin to make pyruvate at a faster rate than the Krebs cycle/respiratory chain can convert. This causes the pyruvate to “stack up” and is therefore converted to lactic acid. This is the burning sensation in the muscle.

7. The Cytosol cell processes the lactate (lactic acid) anaerobically, during glycolysis, by converting it into pyruvate. It has now been converted into a chemical form which will allow it to enter the mitochondria where it is metabolized aerobically.

8. By pushing the process of glycolysis to perform at a faster rate, it in turn, forces the subservient Krebs cycle/respiratory chain to metabolize at a much faster rate. This serves to reinforce the fact that during High Intensity Training (anaerobics), the cardiovascular system is called upon to assist in its efforts aerobically.

9. It is a necessary reminder that what strengthens the muscular system must also strengthen the cardiovascular system. They are inextricably bound together as master and servant and cannot operate independently. If a steady state “aerobic” approach is taken, which by definition, VO2 is not at its maximum, an inadequate stimulus will be given and therefore an inadequate response from the Krebs cycle/respiratory chain to strengthen the cardiovascular system.

10. It is also noteworthy to recall that a proper threat to the muscular system through maximum effort (absolute failure) will produce a proper strength response. Likewise, when the cardiovascular system receives a proper threat through maximum VO2 effort, it will also respond with newfound strength as it prepares for the next time it is threatened.

For more information, please see, Body by Science, by Doug McGuff and John Little

For more info, please visit: hittraining101.com

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Cash out:
3 rounds
2x 30/30 Elliptical Sprints (30sec hard, 30sec “rest”)
15m forward bear crawls
15m backward bear crawls

Mann = SP-95, PP-95, PJ-55
MC = SP-125, PP-125, PJ-95
Trac = SP-130, PP-135, PJ-115

I just did my last Shoulder and Arms and I killed it. I upped almost all my weights and reps. I did the bonus round and I just killed it. I feel great! I killed my Cardio yesterday and Chest and Back the day before. This week has started off with a bang!

I think a lot of people, myself included, get into ruts at the gym because we tend to do the same workouts every time we exercise. Instead of mixing up workouts, we end up only running on the treadmill or only lifting weights. We tend to not have the time to mix up the workout with some cardio and weight training.

The lack of combining weight training and cardio slows down progress but with a Healthworks BURN class you can amp up the workout and see results. BURN classes are small group workout sessions with an emphasis on interval cardio and strength training. (Definition). Fortunately, for each new member at Healthworks, they receive a complimentary BURN session.

This past week I tried out Jakki’s BURN Baby, BURN class that is offered Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. in Cambridge. A personal trainer and Ride instructor, Jakki exudes energy and inspiration, so I was excited to train with her. Here’s a look at the one-hour work out we completed.

To start the workout, Jakki had us do a light warm up on the treadmill getting the heart pumping and blood flowing.

Then we started a speed drill on the same incline of about 1.0. For BURN classes and many other Healthworks workouts, your personal Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), on a scale of one to ten, sets the tone of your work out. On a treadmill, a three is usually a light jog/recovery pace and a nine or ten is a full out sprint. For the sprint workout, we worked on sprint intervals, staying at the same interval but slowly building up to the sprint.

We then got off the treadmill and started work on stability balls. Lying with our backs on the ball and our legs pulled out creating a tabletop, we did an alternating chest press with ten-pound weights. After completing a set of reps for 30 seconds, we flipped over onto the ball and got into plank position. First we held the plank for 30 seconds, and then we made circles with our elbows while staying in plank. (This is really hard but really good!) Alternate 30 seconds each making circles clockwise and then counterclockwise.

After completing the exercises on the ball we got and did ten burpees. These are challenging yet fun exercises. First you jump up with your hands in the air. When you land you put your hands to the floor by your feet. With your weight forward on your hands, jump your feet back and then forward and stand back up. From here you repeat the exercise jumping.

Following the burpees, we did squats with smart bells. For a minute, we squatted down with the bell between our legs and then pulled the bell up to chin level.

Then we repeated the entire circuit (whew!)

After the strength circuit we hopped back on the treadmill and worked on hills. To do this we kept the speed consistent and worked on building up the incline to the top of the hill every 60 seconds. We ran this segment for about ten minutes.

When we finished the hills, we started working on core strength with the stability ball. Lying on a mat we lifted the stability ball up into the air at a 45-degree angle. Then to mix it up we repeated the exercise with one leg lifted in the air and then alternated after 15- 20 reps. To finish we stretched our legs and arms out while lying with our backs on the mat. With the stability ball in our hands, we lifted our arms and legs into the air meeting above our bellies and moved the ball from our hands to our legs and then lowered back to the beginning position. To finish the rep we brought our legs (with the stability ball) and our arms back together and passed the ball back to our hands. We completed the core workout by doing 10-12 reps of this exercise.

After this workout, I could really feel the “BURN.” (Pun intended, hehe) It definitely shook me out of my normal treadmill routine and worked muscles I had forgotten even existed. I’ve also learned a new set of moves to try when I am working out on my own so that I don’t get into the same rut.

If you want to mix up your workout routine, ask your Healthworks front desk to sign you up for your complimentary class.

-Kate

Do you have a favorite BURN class that I should try?

Day 50 (Monday) Yoga X….Instead, I completed a 100-minute (whole body) HIT (high intensity training) weightlifting session, including abs.

Day 51 (Tuesday) Core Synergistics….Instead, I played racquetball with Lana for 110 minutes.

Day 52 (Wednesday) Kenpo X….Instead, I completed a 105-minute (whole body) HIT (high intensity training) weightlifting session, including abs.

Day 53 (Thursday) X Stretch….Instead, nada. 

Day 54 (Friday) Core Synergistics….Instead, I completed a 110-minute (whole body) HIT (high intensity training) weightlifting session, including abs.

Day 55 (Saturday) Yoga X….Instead, I completed a 65-minute, 15.39-mile bicycle ride last night at the gym.

Day 56 (Sunday) X Stretch….Instead, nada. 

Imorgon står BodyFlow och PW på löpband med hög lutning på programmet. Tänkte försöka pressa mig att gå så snabbt jag kan, men jag får se vad höftlederna säger. Förhoppningvis krånglar de inte. På tal om något helt annat. Jag hittade den här dikten på Free Tibets hemsida och tyckte att det var så fin. Den heter “Precious Human Life” och är av Dalai Lama. Man borde skriva ut den på fint papper, rama in och läsa varje dag. För fasiken vad tacksam jag är för att min kropp fungerar som den ska (nja, just nu bortsett från rygg och höft), att jag är frisk, att min familj och vänner är friska. Passar ganska bra att fundera på just nu i Thanksgiving-tider. Liksom stanna upp en stund, sluta gnälla över småsaker och tänka på allt som man borde vara så tacksam över. Och kanske hjälpa någon annan som har lite mindre att vara tacksam för.

Everyday, think as you wake up
Today I am fortunate to have woken up
I am alive, I have precious human life
I am not going to waste it
I am going to use all of my energies to develop myself
To expand my heart out to others
To achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings
I am going to have kind thoughts towards others
I am not going to get angry
or think badly about others
I am going to benefit others
As much as I can

… and a session in the gym with some of my favourite people. Which was just what I needed, because waking up for the day at 3:00 a.m. can leave a girl  looking for a little outside motivation…

The run: Ain’t it foggy outside, all the planes have been grounded… and it was, indeed.  A pretty good run, though, even though statistically it looks no better than yesterday’s. But yesterday, I ended up walking a number of times and I didn’t run hills. Today, I only walked twice, and not for long, and I ran all the hills. Running hills does slow you down, so I guess that accounts for the slow time… In any case, it was so foggy, that by the time I got home, even my eyelashes were dripping. My clothes looked as if I had been through a rain storm. And – I liked it!

Run totals:

Time: 32:59 (7:30 a.m.)

Distance: 3.10 miles

Average Pace: 10:38

Average Speed: 5.64 mph

RunKeeper Shared Fitness | Running Activity.

In the gym with Mike:

Training Partners: Jae & Todd

Time: 9:30 a.m.

Back & Chest:

Assisted Pullups:

100 lbs x 10 (outside grip); 90 lbs x 10 (inside grip); 80 lbs x 10 (outside grip); 70 lbs x 10 (inside grip); 60 lbs x 10 (outside grip)

supersetted with

Dumbbell Press:

15 lbs x 10; 20 lbs x 10; 25 lbs x 10; 30 lbs x 10; 30 lbs x 10

Nautilus Nitro Row:

65 lbs x 10; 80 lbs x 10; 90 lbs x 8

supersetted with

Dumbbell Flyes:

15 lbs x 12; 20 lbs x 10; 25 lbs x 12

High Cable Crossovers:

20 lbs each side x 12; 25 lbs x 12; 25 lbs x 12

supersetted with

Bench Dips:

10; 15; 15

Between classes, clubs, and work, my days start early and end really, really late. My stress levels are so high it’s no surprise I often choose ice cream over vegetables and Degrassi (shh, don’t tell!) over gymming it up.

So when I do finally muster up the energy to make it to the gym I know I have to make it count. I don’t want to waste any time so I’ve started streamlining my workout by doing exercises that combine cardio and weight training. The cardio aspect gets my heart rate up, allowing the strength training exercises to burn more calories and be even more effective.

I’m all about the multi-tasking and after this workout I feel stronger and skinnier and happy. In fact, I can feel the endorphins kicking in already…

Jumping Lunges
Don’t settle for typical lunges if you want a great butt! Speed up the process by doing jumping lunges. These will spike your heart rate while also toning, so you’ll see results a lot faster. I usually do these in one-minute intervals with a 30 second break between.

How to:
1. With your hands on your waist, lunge forward with one leg.
2. Jump, pushing off both feet and switching your legs in mid-air.
3. Land in a lunge with the opposite leg forward.
4. Repeat.

Up-Downs

Ladies, if football players can do these, we can too. Up-downs burn some serious calories; give you a great ab, arm and leg workout, and can provide some amusement for your lazy roomies. Make them join you, or have them call the shots, boot camp style. Start off doing Up-downs in one-minute intervals and work your way up.

How to:
1. Start by running in place.
2. Every ten seconds, drop to the ground in a push up formation and push yourself back up to your feet.
3. Keep your abs engaged and repeat!

Jumping Squats
Squats work wonders on your butt and legs. Make them even more effective by adding a burst of cardio!

How to:
1. Start with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Squat, making sure your knees are lined up right over your ankles, then jump up.
3. When you land, sink immediately into another squat and repeat.

Bring ‘Em Overs
These might look a little funky to strangers, but you’ll definitely feel it in your abs and legs after!

How to:
1. Bring your arms up by your chin, like a boxer. Stand with your feet together.
2. Grab a nearby stool or pretend there is one in front of you (should be a little lower than your waist).
3. Extend your leg out and bring it over the stool, so it ends up on the other side. Keep your abs tight!
4. Follow with the other leg, so both legs end up on the other side of the stool. Repeat, back and forth across the stool.

Good Mornings
This move is a bit harder than the others, but it gets your whole body moving, while specifically working your abs and legs! If this is difficult, try doing just a few. You will begin building up the muscles and you’ll be able to do more in no time.

How to:
1. Lay down on your back, legs and arms fully extended along the floor.
2. Keeping your arms extended straight upwards, use your abs to roll upward to a crouch, and then to a standing position.
3. Keeping your arms extended over your head, sink down into a crouching position and roll back to the starting position.
4. Repeat!

Oh yessss, my friends.  I’ve completed the exit interview – it’s official now!  Upon leaving work on Friday, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders.  I’m. finally. finished.

So, I celebrated by first hitting up the gym for a nice 45 minutes on the elliptical, followed by some ab exercises.  And then I came home and baked a pie

T had been talking about how much he loves pumpkin pie, and I’d never baked one before, so I decided to give it a shot!  I based it off of this recipe by the adorable Paula Deen, but her recipe makes enough filling for two pies.  Since I read that pumpkin pie doesn’t freeze very well, and because the last thing we need in this  house is two pies to eat, I cut the recipe in half and lightened it up just a bit:

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup canned pumpkin, mashed
• 1/2 cup sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/8 cup (1/4 stick) melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 piece pre-made pie dough
• Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Not bad for my first shot at ever baking a pumpkin pie!  That Paula Deen sure knows what she’s talking about

Saturday was full of us running around and doing errands.  We also hit up the gym where I did a legs workout that still has me walking funny today!  Errr, I am so sore.

Then Saturday night we invited Tracee (T’s sister) and Dean (her boyfriend) over for dinner.  I made us beef burgundy, based off of this recipe, again from Food Network!  Can you tell I spend a lot of time on this website?  Well, it turned out beautifully…I served the dish over egg noodles:

Along with the beef bourgignon, we also had some delicious pear martinis.  I neglected to take any photos, but I borrowed this one:

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Grey Goose La Poire
• 1/4 part Disaronno
• 1/4 part simple syrup
• 1/2 part lemon juice
• pear slice for garnish

These were really delicious, but a little on the sweet side for my taste.  If I make them again, I’ll just leave out the simple syrup.  But they were a nice little drink to make in batches for our night!

Sunday was so lovely and lazy…I started off the day with a bowl of oats, prepared with a chopped pear, honey, and a sprinkling of pumpkin flax granola:

I cleaned up the house a bit, ran errands with T, and made us MORE comfort food for dinner!  This time we went with chicken parmesan (for T), and eggplant parm (for me).  The pictures really are not very attractive, but here ’tis:

Eggplant Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

...with caesar salad

It was a nice ending to a lovely, relaxing weekend!  Now I have the whole week to spend doing…well…whatever I want!  It’s going to be just heavenly

Take care and have a happy Monday, lovelies!

Ca sa slabesti trebuie sa faci si antrenament cardio. Nu este bine sa nu faci cardio, la fel cum nu este bine sa faci doar cardio. Pana si runner-ii olimpici si fotbalistii au ore bune de sala in spate. Idealul oricui este sa aiba o masa musculara dezvoltata si definita. Ce-i drept majoritatea care se duc la sala au atins scopul cu masa musculara dezvoltata, dar definita nu prea. Circula tot felu de mituri gen aminoacizi pentru slabire si repetari multe cu greutati mici. Ideal ar fi sa faci cardio atat in fiecare zi off(fara sala de forta), cat si dupa sala(o doza mai mica, si deloc in ziua de picioare).

Un antrenament cardio profita de caloriile pe care le ai si incepe sa arda pentru a da energie. Evident este bine sa ai o dieta care iti educa metabolismul sa arda grasimi si carbohidrati, si nu proteine. Sa mananci numai piept de pui si zero grasime nu e tocmai ok, dar asta va fi cu totul alta poveste(articol urmator).

Unii prin cardio inteleg banda, bicla elipsoida, altii inteleg pista, aer liber. Sa vedem niste plusuri si minusuri la fiecare in parte:
- Indoor cardio: aici intra bicicleta, stepper, banda si alte inventii de genul
   + nu-ti trebuie prea mult spatiu
   + poti sa-ti cumperi astfel de aparat si pentru acasa, cu siguranta ca iesi mai bine la buget decat cu pachetul 
       optional cardio la sala pe care o frecventezi tu
   + poti sa faci cardio indoor in orice moment al zilei, nefiind influentat de factori meteorologici
    – aer insuficient(un criteriu esential in antrenamentul cardio)
- Outdoor cardio: aici intra pista
   + aer bogat in oxigen
   + nu te uiti la pereti
    – daca ploua… o lasi pe altadata
    – sezonier: vara, primavara si toamna, iarna mai greu.
    – daca alergi pe beton, iti afecteaza ligamentele progresiv

Acum ramane la alegerea ta ce fel de cardio vrei sa faci. Foarte important este oxigenul, este un catalizator pentru arderile ce se petrec in corpul tau. E ca la un foc, cand sufli incepe sa arda mai tare.

Utopia mea ramane alergatul pe plaja. Chiar pe litoralul romanesc. Rasarit, briza blanda, aer curat, amortizare datorita nisipului pentru glezne si genunchi, si totodata un efort muscular usor crescut datorita acestuia.

So many people I work with are taking totally the wrong approach to fat loss and getting lean physiques.

Cardio, cardio and more cardio seems to be the answer for most people. But in reality building lean muscle is the number 1 most important factor in anyone’s fat loss journey.

The more lean muscle you have the faster you metabolism works and the quicker you burn fat. It’s really is that simple! Muscle burns fat super-efficiently.

But please don’t think building lean muscle means you are going to have great big muscles and look like bodybuilders. YOU WON’T! This won’t happen ladies, please believe me when I say that.

Doing weights in the gym is one way of achieving this, but by no means the only way. You can do resistance exercises at home without any equipment whatsoever that will build lean muscle. Search the site and click  the link at he bottom of the page for examples of how.

Today’s Takeaway – Building Lean Muscle = Fat Loss. Simple.

To grab your copy of Rob’s Free Report ‘Cheat’s Guide to Fat Burning From Home – Simple 5 Step Plan,’ plus 2 other great free gifts, click here; ‘www.homeworkoutsuccess.com/free-report.’

Hey guys, lately there’s been so much talk about what makes a person sexy. Should you believe all the hype? Let’s face it; we live in a visual world that is highly controlled by major media outlets like, reality television, music videos, magazines, newspapers, and fashion designers. They all have a huge influence on nearly every aspect of our lives, everything from what we eat, wear, where we live, who we should or shouldn’t date, and what our bodies should or shouldn’t look like.

Yet today the million dollar question still remains, “What is Sexy; is it truly in eye of the bolder, or is it in the hands of the money makers? Can we honestly make unfiltered individual choices about what sexy is and what it really means?

Many media outlet say it’s all about image and having the perfect package. Their emphasis and primary focus usually caters to what’s current, young, and hot! So I ask do we no longer need to be able to think for ourselves. Or have our media outlets taken complete control over what we think sexy should be.

Well, maybe this is a question you might have to decide for yourself. However, here’s a list that I’ve composed of what some adults are saying, “What they think is Sexy.” The results just might surprise you.

Yet the big question here is how many of their answers are similar to your own, and if not, will they rub off? Will it make you think about your own life, or will you just go with the flow and let society/media dictate what it means to you. How can you Develop Your Own Sexiness?

What is Sexy?

Sexy is natural, being yourself.
Sexy is having a nice swagger/walk.
Stronger enough for man but made for a woman.

Sexy is working with what you have.
Sex is an independent woman or man.
Sexy is confidence; having a good attitude.
Sexy is dressing well.
Sexy is a stimulation conversation.

Sexy is flirtatious & fun
Sexy is fore play.
Sexy is sweet and submissive.

Now, What’s Your Definition? Please share!

For the full list & story go to.

www.myspace.com/joeys_world_dance_groove

Stick with what works…the basics.  We have progressed slowly and consistantly from the couch to getting up 3 times per week and doing something about our fitness.  Get on board!  As easy as it seems now, you will look back and see great improvement in your fitness level.  If you ever need any advice on stretching, jogging, core strength, or anything else about getting fit, just post it here and I will do my best to provide an answer to assist in your progress to total body fitness.  This is level 1 fitness here, nice and easy. 

Week 5:  90 on/30 off.  5 minute warm-up walk.  Light stretching.  Jog for 1:30, walk for :30.  Repeat for a total session time of 5 minutes.  Walk to cool down.   Do this on Tues, Thurs, Sat (or Sun).  Do 10 bicycle crunches after each workout session.

Short term goal is to jog for 5 minutes without stopping, and 20 crunches.  Slow, injury free workouts for long term fitness.  Don’t skip workouts, be consistant.  See you next time!  http://astore.amazon.com/fitnesscentral.com-20

Top 5 Fat Loss Tips

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Men’s Fitness magazine recently asked me for 3 of my best fat loss secrets. Since most times the magazines just don’t have enough space to run my full tips, I thought I’d give you a more detailed explanation of my secrets here (plus a few extra bonus tips that I didn’t send to the magazine).

Secret #1 – Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your
fat-loss workouts.

Sounds backwards, right? But not when you look at how I structure my workouts. Remember that Turbulence Training focuses on resistance training and interval training. Both of these use carbohydrate as the main source of energy. So it’s obvious the workout is designed to burn carbohydrates during the training session.

I have no interest in you trying to train in your “target heart
rate zone” for fat burning (aka – the fat burning zone). The whole idea of a fat-burning zone is an over-simplified idea of how the body works during exercise.

Leave the inefficient fat burning zone to the mis-educated
trainers in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your “fat
burning heart rate zone”).

If you want to get the most results in the least amount of time,
focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat.

Why do my fat loss workouts focus on burning carbohydrate rather than fat? In order to burn more calories after the workout, that’s why. When you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training, your body uses more calories in the hours after exercise than it would if you did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights.

Alwyn Cosgrove calls this ‘afterburn’, and I call it ‘Turbulence’.
By any name it gives you the same results – maximum
improvements in your body composition (helping you lose fat while gaining muscle).

Secret #2 – Use a range of repetitions in your strength training
workouts.

In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout. My workouts now use 6, 8, and 12 reps per set in order to work the muscle the most effectively.

This will burn more carbohydrates and promote as much muscle growth as possible when you are keeping the calories low.

Secret #3 – Use the stationary cycle for interval training.

I choose the stationary bike for intervals whenever possible
because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.

Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a large
amount of mechanical work, and that is a key determinant of the Turbulence in my training.

But please note: I don’t use low-intensity, fast pedaling
’spinning’ intervals as I’m convinced that the hard, resistance
based intervals are more effective for fat loss. My clients only
cycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.

I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to do
intervals. Use what works for you, but if you are at a plateau, try the bike.

Secret #4 – Increase meal frequency

Okay, so this isn’t really a secret to anyone that has read about
fat loss. But a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition showed that eating 6 times per day was associated with eating fewer calories per day, lowering cholesterol levels, and lowering post-meal insulin levels.

Combine an increased meal frequency with an increased protein and fiber intake, and you’ll see your body composition improve rapidly.

If you need more nutrition help, then you’ll love the new
Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women – written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.

See below for more details…

Secret #5 – My Synergistic Turbulence Training Workouts

My Turbulence Training Fat Loss workouts are fast becoming the most effective way to burn fat, build muscle, and get lean. The synergistic strength training-interval training workouts are
efficient and effective – getting you in and out of the gym in
under an hour.

Here are some tips that you can use for an advanced training phase

- use these tips for 2 weeks then return to your normal training
schedule:

a) Add 10 seconds to each interval but maintain the intensity

b) Add in some bodyweight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in the morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do your bodyweight circuits after dinner; otherwise, do the bw circuits first thing in the AM, and then do your regular workout at lunch or later in the afternoon or evening)

If you are advanced, you can use squats, pushups, and bodyweight rows for your circuit.

If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified pushups, and stick-ups.

c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you do
in each workout.

Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of two
weeks, then return to a normal training schedule.

But always stick to the best fat loss nutrition plan possible.

If you have any other questions, just let me know.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training

P.S. Big Nutrition Announcement!

The Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women – written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., is ready for you.

Here are just some of the things you’ll learn from Dr. Mohr…

1) How to calculate your calorie needs (p. 6)

2) Calorie recommendations for obese individuals (p.7)

3) The 23 types of sugar (many hidden!) to avoid (p. 9)

4) The 20 whole-grain sources to fuel your fat loss program (p9)

5) Over 60 fruits and vegetables that should be added to your diet (p. 10)

6) The 16 protein sources you should select most often (p. 13)

7) Shocking trans-fat content of 18 common foods – find out which food is the deadliest in terms of fat content (p. 16)

8 ) The 9 Fat Sources you should select most often (p. 17)

9) Dr. Mohr’s 12 Rules for Fat Loss (p. 18)

10) The TT Nutrition Plan for Men (p. 19)

11) The TT Nutrition Plan for Women (p. 23)

12) Bonus Supplement Report: The Truth About Fat Loss Pills (p. 27)

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Get Stronger, Feel Younger: The Cardio and Diet-Free Plan to Firm Up and Lose Fat Review

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Dr. Wayne Westcott is an icon in the fitness business. He’s forgotten more than most people writing health books will ever know. A previous reviewer’s concerns about a few of Westcott’s exercises being potentially dangerous for the spine would suggest that person did not actually read this book, or has some kind of agenda.

The book is marketed toward women—they buy the most fitness books—but before even purchasing “Get Stronger, Feel Younger”, I e-mailed Westcott to ask if the program works just as well for men. He cared enough to reply and said the program is used by, and designed, for both men and women.

The fitness program makes a well-researched case that the single best thing you can do for long term weight control is strength training. Westcott and Gary Reinl explain in great detail that when you lift weights the right way, you burn calories during and after the session, and then increase your metabolism 24/7 which creates a deficit and fights off fat and aging.

The authors also believe the best way to achieve maximum results while still finding time for the rest of your life is to do one set to muscle failure. Beginners exercise for 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a week, advanced for 30 minutes 2 or 3 times a week. That’s really it.

The programs can be done at a fitness facility (recommended), a Bowflex or similar home gym, or with dumbbells and rubber tubing with a flat weight bench. The plans are laid out with great pictures and meticulous instruction. You will have no doubt what you’re supposed to do.

There is also a section on sensible nutrition which does not include calorie or gram counting, nor does it go low calorie the way Jim Karas’ diets do. The obligatory recipes are also included.

I love this book. I’d give it 4 1/2 stars if I could. I have only a few minor gripes. Besides being silly that the book is marketed solely toward women, I would like to have seen a variety of programs to fight off boredom and keep muscles guessing moving forward. A flexibility routine and more on cardio for cardiovascular health would also be welcome. To be fair, the book completely delivers on its title: “Get Stronger, Feel Younger: The Cardio and Diet-Free Plan to Firm Up and Lose Fat.” It doesn’t try to be all things to all people.

Get Stronger, Feel Younger: The Cardio and Diet-Free Plan to Firm Up and Lose Fat Feature

Get Stronger, Feel Younger: The Cardio and Diet-Free Plan to Firm Up and Lose Fat Overview

… but not working out. Things certainly have not gone as I planned in terms of blogging the second month of Insanity. Life has been too hectic for blogging it seems. I’m a dad, husband, full-time office monkey, musician, and like to occasionally pretend I have a social life. I’m lucky most days to just work in time for exercise, much less time to update the blog.

But with a few exceptions lately (more in month 2 than in month 1), I have stayed on schedule. Twice now I’ve decided been forced to take an extra day of rest and push the schedule back one day. Some nights I manage to get my workout in as soon as I get home while my girls are napping. Other times its more like 10 or 11 at night. With the Max workouts being 10 – 15 minutes, on average, longer than the month 1 workouts I’ve often found myself cooling down and showering at midnight or later. This is far from ideal but those nights in particular I’m very glad that I found the motivation to still get that workout in.

And I have to say, at this point in the program it is starting to pay off:
- I’ve lost a full 2 inches off my waist since starting Insanity
- dropped 3 – 4 pant sizes
- fit back into 2 old pair of pants I had “outgrown”
- starting to have people ask questions like “Have you lost weight?”

Speaking of weight, last check (around the halfway point) I had only lost maybe a 1 – 2 pounds but I’m satisfied with that number because I’ve put on a lot of muscle especially in my legs. I think weight loss will really occur as I finish out this 2nd month and the weeks to follow, and of course if I decide to go for round 2.

Now, I know in my last post I promised results from Fit Test #3, pictures, and in-depth reviews of the Max workouts. However, I have yet to delivery any of those obviously. Yesterday’s workout included the 4th Fit Test so now I’m really behind. I do hope to get both results up soon. As far as pictures go, I’m just going to wait until Round 1 is finished completely.

In regard to the reviews of the Max workouts, I’m not going to elaborate much beyond what I’ve already said, “They’re super tough”! They’re long, extremely challenging and painful at times. Rather than rehash each workout in great detail, I’m going to link another site that has already done a great job of detailing each Max workout. The website is Extremely Fit and in addition to the Insanity reviews they have some great information on some of the other Beachbody programs. Here are the links for each workout:

Max Interval Circuit
Max Cardio Conditioning
Max Interval Plyo

Extremely Fit did not review Max Recovery so I’m going to refer to Wellspere.com ’s review of it:

Max Recovery

Inversion is one of the most under-recognized disciplines required to build and maintain a body that is truly fit.  I believe that years from now, mainstream health and fitness will catch up with reality:  inverting the human body (hips and/or feet over hips) has transformative affects that can not be ignored. 

In simple terms, Inversion allows your body recover from the compressive effects of gravity. While not mainstream, it has long been recognized by doctors, physical therapists and sports trainers as a safe and effective form of therapy. In fact, the US Army has written Inversion into its worldwide physical training manual for the new millennium.

Back pain is one area where Inversion can show dramatic benefits.  The inner core of your discs is made of jelly-like material that provides the flexibility and “cushioning” in your back. When you are sitting, standing, or exercising (weight-bearing activities), fluid is squeezed out of your discs and into adjacent soft tissue (just as you would squeeze moisture out of a sponge). As a result, your discs lose some of their moisture and height.  

While there are many causes for back pain (poor posture, weak back and stomach muscles, etc.) many of these causes can actually be attributed to one force we must all battle: gravity. Inversion puts gravity to work for you by using your own body weight as a natural form of traction; elongating the spine by increasing the space between the vertebrae, relieving the pressure on discs, ligaments and nerve roots.

Core muscles support the torso (abdominals, internal and external obliques, and lower back muscles) and are responsible for the maintenance of posture, efficiency in movement and transfer of power in the body. Weak abdominal muscles cause you to slump forward, making you more vulnerable to misalignments and injury. Well-developed core muscles improve performance in athletic activities as well as with day-to-day activities, supporting the spine in proper alignment to avoid injury. Strong abdominal muscles support the spine by increasing internal pressure (similar to using a back support when lifting heavy objects) to help relieve the load on the discs in the spinal column.

The simple act of inverting the body also stimulates circulation; resulting in a mild increase in cardiovascular demand.  The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, veins, arteries, and capillaries. It is your body’s transportation system, carrying food and oxygen to your body’s cells. Your heart pumps blood through the system: oxygen-rich blood from the lungs goes out through the arteries and waste-filled blood comes back through the veins to be cleansed and recharged with oxygen. The cardiovascular system also retrieves blood from your legs and lower torso, carrying it upwards against the force of gravity. Inversion allows your body to work with gravity to ease the circulation process.

In addition, Inversion can help relax tense muscles and speed the flow of lymphatic fluids which flush out the body’s wastes and carry them to the blood stream. The faster this waste is cleared, and fresh supplies of oxygen are introduced, the faster stiffness and pain in the muscles can disappear. A study conducted by physiotherapist L.J. Nosse found that, “EMG (electromyographic) activity, an indicator of muscle pain, declined over 35% within ten seconds of assuming the inverted position.”2   When inverted you are helping your heart to clear the blood from your feet, legs, and lower body. This allows the blood in your limbs to circulate more easily, which may help to drain blood from varicose veins.

Athletes prone to stiffness or muscle spasms after a workout can benefit from the lymphatic wash provided by Inversion. Intense muscle activities cause muscles to become sore. This is due to the build up of large amounts of lactic acid and cellular debris in the muscles. Unlike the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system has no pump; relying instead on the alternate contraction and relaxation of muscles to move lymphatic fluid “uphill” through capillaries and one-way valves for cleansing. Inverting the body so that gravity works with, not against, these one-way valves allows the lymphatic system to be quickly cleared speeding relief from the ache and pain of stiff muscles.

For centuries yoga practitioners have turned the body upside down as a form of “postural exchange” (reversing the direction of gravity) as a way to manage the aging process. As the body ages, internal organs (kidneys, stomach, intestines) begin to prolapse as a result of the constant downward force of gravity. “Middle-age spread” (that spare tire around the waste), apart from weight gain, is due to the relocation of internal organs. Digestion and waste elimination problems are also common symptoms of organs going south. Inversion helps prolapsed organs resume their normal shape and place in the body.

Peter Russell notes in The Brain Book that the deterioration of the brain is not directly linked to age alone. Rather, this deterioration is caused by hardening arteries and high blood pressure, both of which decrease the supply of oxygen to the brain. Thus a major step in reducing mental deterioration (or senility) over time may simply be increasing the oxygen supply to the brain. Keeping the brain active and well supplied with oxygen may help maintain your brain function and mental sharpness throughout your entire life. (NOTE: If you have high blood pressure, consult your physician before starting an inversion program.)

The constant pull of gravity is the most powerful force your body will see during your lifetime. Inversion helps to slow the harmful, compression of the body by gravity. Used sensibly, Inversion is extremely beneficial and an important component of the 7 Disciplines.  When used in concert with the other disciplines:  strength, cardio, flexibility, coordination, twist/bend and balance, Inversion completes the components you need to construct a workout that will give your body everything it needs to be truly fit. 

 1 The Johns Hopkins White Papers, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, 2000.

2 Nosse, L: Inverted Spinal Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehab 59: 367-370, Aug 78.

3 Nachemson, A and Elfstrom, G; Intravital Dynamic Pressure Measurements in Lumbar Discs. Scandinavian Journal of Rehab Medicine, supplement, 1970)

Anyone wanting to have sustained weight loss should focus on firing up their metabolism. Your metabolism is like the engine of your car. A higher metabolism is like a 6000 cc engine. A sluggish metabolism is like a 1500 cc engine. Obviously, the 6000 cc engine is more powerful and consumes more fuel. In the same manner, an active metabolism will burn more fat and keep you more energized and active throughout the day. A sluggish metabolism can lead to a lot of frustration when trying to lose weight. Read our earlier article on “6 Symptoms of a Sluggish Metabolism” to identify if you do have a sluggish metabolism in the first place.

Here are 7 steps that you could take to fire up your metabolism;

1.  Weight Resistance Training – This is the most effective way to fire up your metabolism. Your metabolism is proportional to the amount of muscles you carry. A lot of men and women could have very high metabolisms if they only maintained all the muscles that they had at the age of 21. As people age, they lose a lot of muscles and the metabolism is compromised. Doing weight-bearing exercises is one way to ensure that your body holds on to your precious muscles. This keeps your metabolism firing at a high level.

2.  Stop All Forms of Dieting and Starvation Diets – Diets activate your starvation response. When this happens, the body’s metabolism dips. The body will be in this mode so long as there is a shortage of food. This is a result of our internal survival programming. Someone trying to lose weight should not reduce their food consumption by more than 10%.

3.  Replace Steady State Cardio with Interval training - Steady state cardio is the jogging and swimming that most people do. This also includes the various cardio machines that are so popular in gyms. These exercises are very effective for enhancing health but are not the greatest time investment if you want to set your metabolism on fire. Setting your metabolism on fire is exactly what interval training does. For more information on how to do intervals, please read “How to Make Jogging Work for Weight Loss”.

4.  Always Consume Breakfast - Breakfast brings the body out of fasting. This ensures that the body does not activate its starvation response. When someone skips breakfast, it send a signal to the brain that there is a shortage of food. Why else would someone not eat in the morning? Little does your survival programming know that you are too busy to eat. Your survival mechanism does not know that there is an abundance of food around you and that there is no need to activate the starvation response.

5.  Consume 3 Main Meals on Time - Breakfast, lunch and dinner should be consumed at approximately the same time every day within a tolerance of half hour. The body senses erratic eating times as a signal of food shortage. This puts your survival programming at risk of activating the starvation response.

6. Consume Healthy Snacks in Between Main Meals – Snacks between main meals keeps the metabolism revving. Furthermore, a lot of energy is expanded for the digestion of food. Possibilities for snacks include nuts and fruits.

7.  Consume Hot Peppers such as Cayenne pepper - Capsaicins are the active ingredient in pepper. Capsaicin increases body temperature which increases metabolism. This is because the body needs to produce more energy to keep the body temperature elevated.

8.  Consume Green Tea - Green tea has been shown to boost metabolism. Green tea also has lots of anti-oxidants that have tremendous health benefits.

9.  Exercise in the Morning - Morning exercise keeps the metabolism revving for the greater part of the day. Metabolism usually slows down once we go to bed at night.

10.  Have at Least 6 to 8 Hours of Sleep - Lack of sleep produces a high level of cortisol hormone which gets in the way of weight loss. Also someone who has a lack of sleep will find it very difficult to rev up his or her metabolism.

Tags: active metabolism, capsaicin, cardio, Cayenne pepper, dieting, exercise, green tea, jogging, lose weight, main meals, skipping breakfast, sleep, sluggish metabolism, starvation diets, swimming, weight loss

No matter your fitness level, you can make this plan work for you.

Week 1*:
Intermediate/Advanced: Perform three circuit sets, four times this week to build calorie-burning muscle. Add four moderate cardio sessions during the week, like a 30-minute jog, an hour-long walk or a 30-minute swim.

Beginners: Perform 2 circuit sets 4 days this week and add two or three moderate cardio sessions.

Week 2*:
Intermediate/Advanced: Cut your strength training to two circuit sets, three times a week; and add an extra fat-burning cardio session (making it 5 days total). Make at least one of your cardio sessions an interval workout, such as sprints, to enhance intensity.

Beginners: Perform two circuit sets, three times this week and increase to four cardio sessions.

Week 3*:
Intermediate/Advanced: Two circuit sets, twice this week and max out on cardio—going for at least an hour per session. Raise your heart rate daily, if possible, and push for extra mileage and intensity.

Beginners: perform two circuit sets, two days a week and do five sessions of cardio during the week.

*Rosenbaum, L. (2006). The No-Wait Workout. Johnson, K., Spiker, T. (Eds.) Women’s Health Summer Shape-Up Guide (p. 54). U.S: Rodale Inc.