Staying Motivated

A large majority of the population has tried exercising in the past but unfortunately, most give it up after a short while due to lack of motivation.
But those who are committed to the gym long after all their co-workers have given up on those New Year's resolutions say there are tricks to stay motivated and finally reach your fitness goals.
The main thing committed exercises have in common is that they do not exercise just to lose weight. They see exercise as a form of recreation or social connection. In other words, they actually enjoy going to the gym or for a jog.
That's not as ridiculous as it may sound to some. The gym can seem very boring if you go on your own, day in and day out. But if you try going with friends or join classes where you can meet new friends who share your health goals, all of a sudden you will be having fun and actually look forward to a regular sweat.
Many people quit working out because they get bored. Working out with friends, trying new exercises or classes or even new sports will keep you interested. Not only will you have more fun, but you will burn more calories because your muscles will be challenged in new and different ways.
Another trick to use to keep you going to the gym is repetition. Experts say for something to become a habit, a person has to do it for 21 days straight. This doesn't just apply to the gym but to all facets in life. So the next time you are thinking of joining the gym or beginning a new workout regimen, commit yourself to just 3 or 4 weeks. At the end of that period, you will find that you no longer have to force yourself to put your trainers in your gym bag. You'll actually want to go to the gym.
If you really don't like going to the gym, remember that physical activity comes in all forms. Put your joggers on and walk around the mall before you hit the sales, or get in the backyard and do some gardening. One trainer I spoke to suggested to his clients that they thoroughly clean one room in their house every week in place of a workout.
The point is not to think of exercise as something that is difficult and strenuous, but as something that should be added to your life in different, creative ways.

Lifting Past Your Plateau

If you’ve been lifting weights for a while you may notice that your gains have slowed down. That’s because you may not be challenging your muscles enough.

Muscles adapt using progressive overload. This means that as you overload your muscle, it will grow until the weight you are using is no longer a challenge for that muscle. You then have to overload it again, with a higher weight, to get it to grow more.

There are other ways to increase the intensity of your lifts to bring muscle gains even faster.

Forced reps – Forced reps help you lift past your point of failure. The next time you are doing a shoulder raise, have a spotter stand behind you. Once you can no longer lift the weight, have your spotter help you lift a couple of more reps. These extra reps will really work your muscles. An added bonus will be that your metabolism will work even harder because of the intensity of this method. If you are working out alone, try training one arm or one leg at a time. Then use your other arm or leg to help out with the last few lifts.

Obviously, with this method, safety should come first. Do not do extra lifts where the weight is above your head or chest without a spotter.

2. Drop sets – Drop sets help you squeeze out as much out of a muscle as possible. This method has you do your full set of lifts with a certain weight. Once you can no longer lift that weight, you put that dumbbell or barbell down and immediately pick up a lighter weight and continue lifting. This will really fatigue your muscle so that you get the best gains possible.

Again, be very careful when lifting above your head or chest without a spotter. You may not realize just how tired your muscles really are.

3. Partial Reps – A lifting rep usually requires that you move your joint through a full range of motion. For example, a bicep curl starts with your arm extended and ends with it fully contracted. You will find that as your muscle gets tired, it becomes harder for you to move the weight up through the lower part of the repetition. At that point, bend your arm to 90% and do a few more reps from that angle, so you are only doing part of the rep. You will find these will be easier for you. Continue making the movement smaller and smaller as you are able to move the weight through less and less range of motion until you can no longer move it at all. You have reached true failure.

4. Superset – While you may do two or three different types of exercises for one muscle group, you probably rest between those exercises. This method requires that you do all the exercises back-to-back, without rest, so that you are truly fatiguing your muscle and hitting all the different parts or heads of that muscle.

Once again, we have to stress the need for safety for these methods. These should never be tried by beginner lifters and even intermediate lifters should use spotters. Also, be aware of over-training. These methods should not be done more than once a week. Gradually work them in and know the difference between good pain and pain that can result in injury. If you do these exercises safely, you will see gains like never before.

US Government: Physical Activities Guidelines

Just in time for U.S. Thanksgiving, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have released exercise guidelines for the general public.

This is the first time the government has issued specific guidelines on how much exercise, intensities and types are appropriate for all ages and physical conditions.

Here are the guidelines for healthy adults, older adults and adults with disabilities:

At least 2.5 hours of weekly moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, water aerobics, ballroom dancing or general gardening. You should be able to talk comfortably during exercise.

If time is an issue, fit in several 10-minute bouts of aerobic exercise a day.

For more health benefits, exercise 5 hours a week at a moderate pace.

More fit individuals can opt for 75 minutes of weekly vigorous exercise, such as jogging, race walking, swimming laps, jumping rope or hiking uphill; and increase training to 2.5 hours a week for greater health benefits.

At least 2 times each week incorporate strength-training exercises such as weight-training, push-ups, sit-ups, carrying heavy loads or heavy gardening.

Sedentary adults and those with medical pre-conditions and chronic conditions should consult their physicians before embarking on an exercise program.

Water Your Way Thin

We’ve heard many times that we should be drinking more water when trying to lose weight.
It has long been believed that drinking water fills your stomach, making you actually feel fuller.

Now a US study has confirmed this belief. According to the study, people who drank a glass of water before their meal ate 13% less calories than those who didn’t drink the water. This was regardless of their age, weight or sex and whether or not they regularly drank water.

Scientists concluded that people should drink 2 cups (500ml) of chilled water before consuming their meal. This will slow the rate of the emptying of the stomach and promote fullness.

Stomach Fat is Deadly!

People with large waists are twice as likely to die prematurely as those who have slim waists.

That's according to a recent study by the Department of Public Health in London which concluded that the size of your waist is more important in determining your health than your weight.

People with waists that measure more than 120 cm (47.2 in) for men and 100 cm (39.4 in) for women were found to have 50 % more risk of dying prematurely than those with slim waists (less than 80 cm for men and 65 cm for women) regardless of the person's weight or BMI.

The extra weight around the stomach is more dangerous than that found on legs or hips. Each 5 cm increase in waist size raises the risk of premature death by 17% for men and 13% for women.

The problem is especially prevalent in men, who mainly have apple shapes, while most women tend to have pear shapes (more fat on the hips).

Exercise and clean dieting can go a long way in losing excess stomach fat and helping people return to good health.

Think You're Working Out Hard Enough?

Thinking about how hard you're working out will actually make you work out harder.
That's a no brainer, right?

According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, exercisers who rate their exertion level on a scale from 1 to 10, tended to work out harder than those who didn't pay attention to how hard they were training.

When you work out, you should keep a journal noting how many reps you're doing and how hard you are working. Rate your workout on a level from 1 to 10, with 1 meaning very little exertion and 10 meaning you're working so hard you're finding it hard to breathe and talk at the same time.

By focusing on this scale, you can ensure you are getting an intense workout every time you hit the gym and you aren't just wasting your time.

Fitness Trends for 2009

Educated and experienced fitness professionals. Certification and accreditation for health and fitness programs and professionals are becoming more common.

Children and obesity: Fitness programs to address childhood obesity are a top trend for the third year in a row in the ACSM survey.

Personal training: Personal trainers are becoming more accessible to more people, according to the survey.

Strength training: Men and women are lifting weights; staying strong while aging is increasingly part of their motivation.

Core training: This trend is about strengthening muscles in the abdomen and back to stabilize the spine.

Special fitness programs for older adults: This trend includes aging baby boomers, frail elders who want to get stronger for daily tasks, active older adults, and master athletes.

Pilates: Done on a mat or special equipment, Pilates trains the core muscles and improves flexibility and posture.

Stability ball: These big, inflatable balls (also called Swiss balls or balance balls) are used for crunches, push-ups, and other exercises. Staying stable on the ball is part of the challenge.

Sport-specific training: This trend is about athletes training in the off-season to build their strength and endurance.

Balance training: In balance training, you might stand on a wobble board or use a stability ball to hone your balance: It's a trend for all ages, Thompson notes.

Functional fitness: A functional fitness workout preps your body for daily activities such as running for the bus or lifting groceries -- not just gliding along on the elliptical machine.

Comprehensive health programming at work: This trend is about improving employees' health -- and lowering employers' health care costs.

Wellness coaching: Wellness coaches support clients in making behavior changes for better wellness.

Worker incentive programs: Some employers are giving their workers incentives to make healthy changes.

Outcome measurements: This trend is about accountability and measuring progress toward fitness goals.

Spinning (indoor cycling): Spinning classes, fast-paced group workouts on stationary bikes, have been around for a while, but they're still going strong.

Physician referrals: Doctors are increasingly referring patients to health and fitness facilities, according to the ACSM survey.

Exercise for weight loss: Sensible or "sensationalized," most diets now include an exercise component, Thompson notes.

Group personal training: Groups of two or three people can often get discounts from personal trainers.

Reaching new markets: Thompson estimates that 80% of the U.S. public doesn't have an exercise routine or a place to exercise, which amounts to a "huge market" for the health and fitness industry.

Exercise: It's the Smart Thing to Do!

After the age of 24, mental agility begins declining, so what can we do to keep our brain sharp into old age? Exercise!

That's right, physical activity can actually increase mental agility and memory while also increasing youth hormones.

A study in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity concluded that strength training increased people's working memory span. The higher the level of resistance, the more memory improved, suggesting that strength training not only benefits the muscles, but the mind as well.

Trying new things every day also activates unfamiliar areas of the brain and with the new challenges, comes a better working brain. Researchers at McGill University in Montreal suggested taking up the tango because it involves more complex moves and thus activates more parts of your brain.

In addition to weight training, studies conclude that you should maintain a healthy diet, social interactions and an adequate amount of sleep to keep your brain sharp.

A Magic Pill

Scientists have developed yet another magic diet pill, but this time it might be the real thing. The drug, known as SRT1720, could allow you to eat a high-fat diet while still losing weight and preventing diabetes.

French, Dutch, and American researchers studied the drug, which works much like the SRT1 activator resveratrol, found in red wine.

One of these pills would give a person the benefits of drinking gallons of wine at once.

The drug was tested on mice who were on a high-fat diet. The mice were able to eat fatty foods and still lose weight. Furthermore, the drug was successful in maintaining blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes.

The research has been published in the November issue of Cell Metabolism but more studies are planned before the drug is available for humans.

Ease into Weight-Training

If you are a newcomer to weight training you should definitely start slowly with lighter weights.

Although muscles can adapt fairly easily, tendons and ligaments need to be strengthened gradually for the demands of weight-lifting.

Most people should do a minimum of 4-6 full-body workouts over the course of two weeks to strengthen their muscles and connective tissues. These workouts should involve moving light weights through a full range of motion to get the full benefits.

Once you have finished your initiation phase, you should still focus on form and only increase the weights slowly. Strength gains are made in the 4-6 repetition range so rather than increase your reps, focus on the weight and maintaining your form. Even then, you should start each of your workouts with a light weight set to warm up your muscles and get them ready for the heavier weights.

Finally, as your workouts become more intense and you increase the weights you are lifting, remember to have a spotter with you, especially with exercises that involve lifting weights above your head or chest

Beef It Up!

If you want to lose weight without giving up food, add more protein to your diet.

According to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who add more protein to their diet unconsciously end up consuming less calories without feeling hungry.

High protein diets have always proven successful in helping people to lose weight but scientists
The study was conducted to figure out whether high protein diets were successful because people were eating less carbs or because they were eating more protein.

The researchers gave study participants various diets with protein making up different ratios of those diets. Those who were told they could eat as much as they wanted, providing the diet was 30% protein, 20% fat and 50% carbs ended up eating 441 calories less than they did before the study.

Eating 441 calories less per day is equal to losing 1 pound of fat every 8 days.
Swapping sugars from soft drinks with low-fat milk, and adding more lean meat and dairy to your diet rather than focusing on eating less may be the secret to the weight loss you've been looking for.

Critical Balance

We have blogged over-and-over about the importance of strength-training as part of any healthy work-out regimen, but unless you're weight training is balanced and includes all muscle groups, you'll be doing more harm than good.

People who are new to weight training tend to focus on muscles that they want to show off. They do tons of crunches and bicep curls, but neglect triceps and back exercises.

Unfortunately, when you do this, you get muscular imbalance which could result in bad posture, back pain, injury, herniated disks or worse.

When putting together any strength-training workout, make sure you hit the following opposing muscle groups equally:
biceps - triceps
abdomen & lower back
chest, shoulders & back
quadriceps & hamstrings
etc.

If muscle balance already exists because of improper training, or simply because your lifestyle works certain muscle groups more than others, you may need to focus more time on the weaker muscles to bring about proper balance.

If you have any questions about your personal muscle balance, see a physiotherapist or a personal trainer. Of course you can always contact us at info@myfavouritetrainer.com for a personalized consultation that will answer all your questions.

New Weight Loss Drug Discovered Accidentally

A new weight loss drug called Tesofensine has proven to be twice as effective as the best existing anti-obesity medicines.

The drug was originally developed to treat brain diseases, but in clinical trials, doctors found that side effects included suppressed hunger.

Obese patients who took the drug for 24 weeks lost approximately 28 pounds, at least double the weight that patients taking other available anti-obesity drugs have been able to lose.

Just as encouraging, patients taking the prescribed dosage saw no side effects.

The drug will now go on to further studies before possibly hitting the market.

Iodine: The fountain of Health, Energy and Weight Loss

Iodine is a wonder mineral that is often overlooked, but can aid increase your energy levels, give you shiny, strong hair and even help you lose weight.

Several recent studies show that a shortage of iodine can lead to poor function of metabolism and immunity. It also promotes free radical damage and hinders brain development. But many people are iodine deficient because they are eating less salt and more organic foods (which have low iodine levels).

Symptoms of iodine deficiency include depression, weight gain, weak heartbeat, extreme dry hair and skin, swelling of the legs, decreased ability to concentrate, muscle cramps, puffiness or swelling of the eyes, and chronic aches and pains.

If you think you need more iodine in your diet, you can fight it in asparagus, garlic, lima beans, mushrooms, sesame seed, chard and summer squash

Wanna Lose Fat: Pick Up the Pace!

High-intensity exercise burns fat, including belly fat, better than low or moderate intensity exercises.

A new study released today in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise concludes that although all types of exercise lead to better health, high-intensity exercise is likely necessary to achieve significant improvements in body composition.

The study followed three groups of women who suffered from abdominal obesity, unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides and elevated fasting glucose. The first group did not change their activity levels. The second group performed low-intensity exercise (50-60% of maximum aerobic capacity) five times per week. And the third group performed low-intensity exercise two days a week and high-intensity exercise (75-80% of maximum aerobic capacity) three times per week.

The high-intensity group reduced total abdominal fat, subcutaneous abdominal fat and visceral abdominal fat during the 16-week study.

This is especially important because visceral abdominal fat has been known to have a connection to heart disease.

As we noted in earlier blogs, you need an average of 275 minutes of exercise per week to see real and long-lasting weight loss, and if you incorporate high-intensity workouts as part of those 275 minutes, you are well on your way to being fit and healthy!

Running and Your Knees

Many people think that participating in regular running programs will destroy their knees, but experts agree that running, if done properly, will actually strengthen knees and other joints.

Studies show that people who run have fewer knee problems compared to those who are less active. Running is also shown to reduce the rate and onset of conditions such as arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Doctors do warn, however, that people who have sustained traumatic knee injuries will probably be subject to more chronic injuries if they run on a regular basis.

Even healthy people can experience pains from running but research shows that most running injuries involve hip muscle weakness. If you are taking up running or are already running, you will definitely benefit from hip muscle strengthening exercises.

Also, structural imbalance or misalignment can also cause knee pain, so if you run and do happen to feel pain, you should talk to a doctor or see a specialist to figure out where the imbalance is coming from.

As long as you have good alignment and are supplementing your runs with weight strengthening exercises, you should be able to run, pain-free, for decades!

What Are You Waiting For?

I recently came across an interesting article that stated that one of the reasons many people fail to reach their fitness goals is that they spend too much time analyzing and trying to put together a "perfect" plan, rather than just start working out.
How many times have you said "right now is not the perfect time to begin training. Or I won't work out today because I haven't put together my training plan"?

Yes, plans are important. We all know that saying "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail," but what most people don't realize is that every small positive change you make will help get you to where you need and want to be.

Not working out before Thanksgiving because you're going to "blow it" by eating a big meal is really counterproductive. By working out, you will burn hundreds of calories which you can effectively subtract from your big meal. I'm not saying you should excuse eating big meals all the time just by working out ahead of time. All I'm suggesting is that every calorie you burn, every weight you lift and every nutritious meal choice you make will have a positive impact.

While you're waiting to put together your plan, begin with small changes and build on it daily until you have a plan that works for you. And remember, you can always tweak a plan. Try new things and keep workouts and meals you like while discarding those that don't work for you. In no time at all, you will find your fitness goals are within reach!

So, what are you waiting for?

That's Bananas!

A new banana diet is taking over Japan, so much so, that bananas have become almost impossible to find in that country.

We at Regenesis Fitness don't condone fad diets but this does seem to have some merit. The new diet is based on eating nothing but raw bananas and room-temperature water for breakfast and then continuing the rest of the day eating a sensible diet.

The bananas and water are said to boost the body's metabolism so much that the rest of the day's calories are more easily burned off.

The diet was accidentally discovered by 31-year-old Hitoshi Watanabe and his girlfriend who is a pharmacist with training in Chinese herbal medicine. Watanabe lost 29 pounds over the next 6 months and posted his results on local blogs.

Since then, his diet has been so popular that it became the focus of a series of banana-diet books which have sold more than 600,000 copies.

Dieters are also expected to finish all their meals by 8 pm and to be in bed by midnight. Watanabe also says people should try to alleviate stress from their lives because health is adversely affected by stress and is a hindrance to weight loss.

Now we're not saying this diet is something you should pick up right away, but a diet of fruits and vegetables is always a good thing and as long as you are eating all your nutrients for the rest of the day, then there's no detriment to your health!

Bananas!

Give Your Workout The Boot

Taking part in boot camp style workouts burns almost 10 calories a minute. That makes boot camp workouts one of the best ways to burn calories.

A study by the American College of Sports Medicine found that average exercisers burned approximately 9.8 calories per minute during a typical boot camp work out.

The study found that boot camps are excellent ways to enhance aerobic capacity and help control body weight. At the same time, they offer a good variety with a combination of aerobic exercise and muscle conditioning, which is much more of a total-body workout than just going out for a run or a bicycle ride.

Just remember that not all boot camp workouts are created equal. Make sure your workout keeps your heart rate elevated while challenging your muscles. Also, ask for your instructor's credentials. Boot camps have become so popular that people are offering workouts in parks without any training whatsoever.

Thanksgiving in the Great White North

It may be Thanksgiving in Canada this Monday but that doesn't mean you have to gain weight.

The average Thanksgiving meal runs about 3,500 calories. That's means most people actually gain almost a whole pound in one day.

But it's Thanksgiving right? Even if you're dieting, you still want to enjoy a traditional meal. Here are some tip to help you enjoy your holiday dinner without packing on the extra weight.

- Choose white meat - Turkey's low fat naturally, but the breast is even leaner. One skinless ounce of breast meat I just 44 calories.

- Add low-fat, low-odium broth to make your gravy rather than using the meat drippings. If you prefer drippings, try straining some of the fat from the juices.

- Use whole grain stuffing. Also, choose to cook your stuffing separately so that it gets fully cooked and is not drenched in turkey grease.

- Fill up on steamed veggies such as green beans, broccoli and cauliflower. They'll fill you up and contain less calories than mashed potatoes.

- Try making your own cranberry sauce in place of store bought canned varieties that are packed with sugar.

- Dissect the pie - Did you know many of the calories in pies are in the crust. So scrap the dough and go for the yummy filling instead.

And since the weather's going to be great this weekend, finish your meal off with a nice stroll and enjoy the last of Indian summer.

With these tips, there's no reason you can't enjoy a tasty and healthy Thanksgiving! Happy Holidays!

Get Nutty!

Adding fatty foods to your diet will help you lose weight, according to a recent study conducted in California.

Scientists say foods rich in unsaturated fat, including olive oil and nuts, send signals to your brain that decrease your appetite and make you feel full.

Weighty Food: What to Eat When You're Weight Training

I am a huge advocate for weight training. There are so many benefits, including having a more toned body, strengthening your bones, boosting your metabolism and so much more.

But there's no point in training with weights if you don't eat the rights foods to aid your workout.

The main end result that most people want when they train with weights is to build muscle. Unfortunately, muscle needs to be fed the right foods or it will never grow.

Here is a list of some of the things you should be adding to your daily diet to boost your weight training work out.

Protein: As I've mentioned in previous blogs, protein is essential if you are looking to build muscle. In fact, your muscles feed on protein to grow. No protein, no growth. It's that simple. The best source for this is lean meat. If you are a vegetarian, you can replace the meat with commercial protein supplements.

Dairy Products: Dairy is filled with calcium and amino acids which are very important for bone health and muscle rebuilding. Try to choose low-fat dairy, as saturated fat raises blood cholesterol, which could increase the risk of heart disease.

Fish & Seafood: Oily fish such as sardines and salmon, as well as fish oil supplements, are important sources of omega-3 fats. These fat actually lower bodyfat, reduce triglycerides in your blood and aid with weight loss.

Mono and Polysaturated Fats: These fats are found in vegetables, seeds and nuts improve the good high-density cholesterol in your body and protect against heart and artery disease. They also provide essential fats that your body cannot make.

Vegetables: Vegetables are fortified with vitamins and minerals that are great sources of antioxidants and anticancer agents. Antioxidants protect your body from free radical damage produced by high-intensity exercise. Veggies are also fairly low-calorie, which makes them a great staple if you're trying to lose weight along with your weight training.

Fruits: Fruits are a great source of antioxidants. Like vegetables, they are full of carbohydrates which provide your body with energy needed for working out.

Nuts and Beans: Beans provide antioxidants, protein, fiber, iron, potassium and calcium. They are especially important for vegetarian and vegan weight trainers.

Whole Grains: These provide complex carbohydrates needed for energy and also help keep you filling fuller longer.

Adding all of the above foods to your diet will ensure that you're not weight training in vein. And who wants to put in all that work for nothing?

Skinny or Fat: It May Not Make a Difference

A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine has proven that being overweight may have no bearing on your health.

According to the study, being fit is more important to being a certain weight, especially when it comes to health risk factors. Furthermore, being mildly overweight does not increase mortality.

The researchers studied more than 5,400 adults. They found that while cardiac risk factors including high blood glucose and high blood pressure were strongly associated with obesity, about half of the study subjects who were overweight showed no increase in these risk factors. Also, a quarter of the normal-weight subjects did possess the risk factors.

The study shows that regardless of weight, exercise is important. This mirrors previous studies that have found the people with the lowest level of fitness have the highest mortality rate.

This is not to say that one should strive to be overweight, but rather that if you are looking to be healthy, concentrate on being fit. The weight will fall off slowly, but in the meantime, you will be adding years to your life, and really, what's more important!

Speaking of Bones...

Last week, I wrote about increasing bone density through exercise, but while we're on the topic of bones, I just wanted to add an extra blog about preventing bone loss through your diet.
Higher protein foods such as lean meats ans low-fat dairy foods can help you lose weight without compromising your bone strength.
According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, dieters who follow government-promoted high carbohydrate diets see declining bone health over time, whereas dieters who chose to use high protein diets were able to keep their bone density fairly stable.
The high-protein diet is also helpful for your weight training since protein encourages muscle development.
Choosing the right diet and incorporating weight training to your work out will not only give you a better body aesthetically, but will make you healthier and help keep your bones and muscles strong in old age.

Make Your Workouts a HIIT!

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training and it can take your cardio workout to the next level, helping you build more power and burn more fat than ever before.

Although HIIT workouts are shorter, they are performed at such a high intensity that it takes your body more oxygen to recover. This in turns means your body is burning 9 times more fat than it would at rest, for hours after your workout.

Other benefits of HIIT is that it increases your exercise endurance by increasing your VO2 max. This is the maximum amount of oxygen you inhale during exercise.

Because the workout is also shorter than most moderate-paced workouts, it also burns less muscle. This is especially important if you want to remain toned.

HIIT EXAMPLE
Warm up by jogging at a comfortable pace for 5 minutes. Then you begin your intervals. Run at your maximum effort for 15 to 30 seconds, followed by a 2-minute recovery. This can be a walk or a very light jog. Perform between 6 and 10 of these intervals, and finish with a cool down jog or walk.

You can get an amazing workout in as little as 20 minutes but because this is high intensity, it should only be performed a few times per week as your body will need time to recover.

Exercisers who have switched from moderate-paced cardio to HIIT have seen noticeable differences in their workout results and in the way their jeans fit!

Never Too Late To Build Bone Strength!

Nearly 8 million women are affected by osteoporosis. They suffer from deteriorated bone tissue and brittle bones that can break quite easily. But many cases of osteoporosis can be prevented by simple exercise.

As your body ages, your bone density decreases. You can help slow down this bone lose with calcium and vitamin D supplements but you can also build bone strength through exercise.

Unfortunately, many older women stay away from exercise, fearing that it could cause damage to their bones but safe exercise does exactly the opposite.

Strength training not only improves muscle strength, but it also helps increase bone density and prevent fractures.
29% of older people who break a hip die within a year, according to research by the University of Maryland: School of Medicine. For that reason alone, it is imperative that women strength train.

Of course, if you are new to strength training you should consult your doctor as well as a certified personal trainer to make sure your workout is right for you.

Good Bacteria

Probiotic bacteria, the good bacteria found in yogurt, may help people lose weight by blocking calories from being absorbed.

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine who made the discovery say bacteria act like a furnace to our gastrointestinal tract, allowing us to consume and burn calories.

Adding more probiotic bacteria will only help burn an extra 1 or 2 calories per 100 calories that you consume, but over the course of time, this will obviously add up.

Based on these findings, researchers are hoping to come up with ideal "microbial profiles" so that people could burn calories more efficiently.

It may not be a lot of extra calories burned but add to the fact that probiotics improve mineral absorption, lower cholesterol and blood pressure and help prevent colon cancer, amongst many other benefits, then it's clear that you should add some yogurt into your daily diet.

When To Eat

When to eat is almost as important as what to eat, when you are looking to shed pounds.

Slight changes to diet plans can create extraordinary rapid fat loss results. Here are 4 tips to follow that will help get you to your weight loss goals faster.

1. Add Protein - Adding lean protein to each meal (and snack) of the day, will improve your metabolism because your body has to work harder to digest protein than it does carbs or fat.

2. Eat Snacks - Eating smaller portions off food every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day will also keep your metabolism working and thus burning more calories.

3. Time Your Carbs - While low carb diets have been proven to help in weight loss, you should still eat carbs first thing in the morning and immediately after exercise. This is when your body is depleted of glycogen levels and is sluggish. Carbs will replace the glycogen and get your body working at optimum level.

4. Avoid Processed Foods and Sugar - Eating processed food and food loaded with sugar releases insulin into the blood stream. This in turn triggers your body to turn extra calories into stored fat.

Step It Up!

Want to get a good workout but don't have time or money for the gym, find a set of stairs!

You can get some good strength-training and burn quite a few calories with nothing more than a stairs as your tool.

Try some of these moves put together by personal trainer Kevin Charles.

Warm Up: Walk up and down a set of stairs twice to get your heartbeat elevated.

Interval Stair Climb: Run up the stairs and walk slowly down. Repeat for a total of 8 reps. If you want to make this even more challenging, try running up the stairs using every other step. This is a great cardiovascular workout and it will also work your glutes and leg muscles.

Elevated Push Ups: Do regular push ups but rather than put your hands on the ground, put them on a second step. For an extra challenge, lift one leg off the ground and extend it back, alternating legs for each set. Do 3 sets of 10-12. This will work your chest and triceps.

Tricep Dips: Stand with your back to the steps. Lean back and place your hands on the second step and move your legs forward. Slowly bend your elbows so that your butt lowers to the floor. Once your butt is almost at ground level, straighten your arms so your body moves back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10-12 dips. This is great for your triceps and also stabilizes your core muscles.

Elevated Lunge: Stand facing the stairs. Lunge forward, placing your forward foot on the second step and bending so that your back knee is at a 90 degree angle. Do 10 reps on one leg and then repeat with the other leg. Do 3 sets of both legs. This is great for your legs and glute muscles.

Net Calories - How Many Calories Are You Really Burning?

Most of us look to calorie counters when we work out, whether it's on the cardio equipment or as part of our heart rate monitors, so when a machine says we've burned 300 calories, we assume that this is correct, given a few calories here and there to account for machine calibration, etc.

But that number is misleading because it counts the total calories burned during your exercise.

Net calorie burn is the number of calories you burn minus the resting metabolic calories your body would have burned, during the time of the workout, even if you had never gotten off the sofa.

So if you're running on the treadmill and the calorie counter reads 300 calories burned at the end of your workout, you've actually only burned 252 extra calories during that workout. The other 48 calories would have been burned even if you didn't show up to the gym.

This is not meant to frustrate people and keep them from working out. It's just to remind you that when you are putting together your weight loss or fitness plan that you should be realistic in the amount of calories you are burning during the day.

Most of us take our Basal Metabolic Rate (the calories our body alive on a typical day) that we have calculated online somewhere and we add all the calories we see on the calorie counters and we figured we've worked out enough to meet our goals when we should only be adding net calories to our BMR.

The only question now is why didn't anyone tell us this before?

Compound Exercises Result in Compound Results

Compound exercises work several muscle groups in one exercise so it's no wonder they'll give you more results than isolated or one-muscle exercises.

An example of a compound exercise is lunges with bicep curls, which would work your lower body as well as your biceps. A push up would also be considered a compound exercise because it works your chest as well as your shoulders and triceps and it utilises your abs and quadriceps as stabilizers.

Compound exercises tend to use your muscles in the same way you would use them in real life, which in turn will help your muscle performance in real life and involve a lot of moves that stabilize your core.

They also take advantage of body weight exercises such as push ups or squats.

Obviously the more demands on your body one exercise can make, the more results you will see, including more calorie burning as well as more muscle development.

So incorporating compound exercises into your workout will not only give you a more efficient workout because you can train more muscles in less time, but it will also get you sweating and burning calories at the same time.

For ideas on which compound exercises to add to your workout, go to www.exrx.net and look for exercises that work more than one muscle group.

Wanna Know How Much You Should Be Exercising?

275 minutes per week.

Yup, if you're looking to lose weight, it's that simple.

Scientists found that women who worked out 275 minutes a week lost almost 10 per cent of their body weight and kept it off for two years.

According to the findings published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the researchers studied more than 200 overweight and obese women as they tried to lose weight over two years. All the women were told to eat a diet of between 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day and given different levels of physical activity to perform.

Although all the groups lost an average of between 8 and 10 per cent of their body weight after 6 months, most could not keep the weight off.

Almost 25% pf those who did maintain the weight loss over the two years worked out approximately 275 minutes a week, burning around 2,000 calories.

You can break up the 275 minutes into as many increments as you want, as long as they are at least 10 minutes in duration. And if you want to kick up the fat loss, add interval training to these workouts.

Get Cracking to Lose Weight!

Eggs may be your secret weight-loss weapon.

According to a new study, people who eat two eggs for breakfast lose a lot more weight and have more energy than those who choose bagel breakfasts with the same number of calories.

The two-month long study of 152 obese and overweight people was carried out at Louisiana State University and is published in this month’s International Journal of Obesity

It found the egg eaters lost 65% more weight and had a 6`1% greater reduction in their Body Mass Index than those who eat bagels. And despite fears that eggs would raise cholesterol levels, the study saw no change in cholesterol or triglyceride levels in either of the groups.

Study researchers speculated that protein-rich eggs filled up the participants more than a carb-loaded breakfast, leading them to eat fewer calories throughout the remainder of the day.

The Write Stuff

I've written in previous blogs about the pros and cons of keeping a food diary, but it looks like a new study has tipped the scale.

Yes, food diaries can be time consuming and a hassle to maintain, but researchers have concluded that those who keep daily food records generally lose twice as much weight as those who don't keep records.

A study to be published next month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that the more food records people kept, the more weight they lost.

In addition to keeping food diaries and turning them in at weekly support group meetings, the 1,700 study participants were asked to follow a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low-fat or non-fat dairy and to exercise at moderately intensity levels for at least 30 minutes per day.

After six months, participants lost and average of 13 pounds. More than two-thirds lost at least nine pounds, which is enough to reduce health risks.

So, if you can stand to keep a food journal, you will really be doing yourself and your health a huge favour. Now get writing.

Shop Till You Drop … some Pounds

Just what every woman has been waiting to hear: You can burn as many calories on a shopping trip as you can in a gym session.

According to a new study carried out by the Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington, Pennsylvania, the average female shopper walks 2.02 miles during a trip to the mall. If walking a mile burns off an average of 100 calories, each shopping trip burns 202 calories. That’s the same as 20 minutes of moderate intensity cardio.

This is not to say that shopping should replace your trips to the gym, but at the very least, you can now go to the mall without feeling guilty. Just tell the boyfriend that you’re going out to burn some calories!

Get Stronger, Run Faster

If you're a recreational runner and are looking to improve your speed, pick up some weights.

According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, female runners who strength-trained improved their 3k run times by 29 seconds compared to those who did not use weight training.

Both groups took part in identical 100-week endurance running programs, but the strength-training group supplemented their running with 3 one-hour workouts per week in the weight room.

The exercises included squats, calf raises, hip flexion/extensions, hamstring curls, seated rows and bench press. They performed three sets of five repetitions of each exercises and weights were increased when the subjects were able to perform six repetitions of an exercise.

The group that did not do any strength training was able to improve their times by an average of 77 seconds after 10 weeks, while the group that supplemented with workouts subtracted 106 seconds from their times.

This by no means means that you should trade in your running shoes for free weights but it definitely suggests that supplementing with weights is, as Martha Stewart would say, "a good thing!"

Weekends Are Dieters' Nightmare!

You always knew it but now it's been proven.

Weekends are a dieter's nightmare.

According to a study at Washington University School of Medicine, most dieters give up their strict eating regime once the weekend arrives and they eat more fat on Saturdays than any other day of the week.

Researchers further found that people will lose weight during the week and either stop losing or even gain back weight during the weekend. People in the study didn't always realize they were eating significantly more food on weekends.Make sure to keep a close eye on what you're eating and try to fit in at least one workout on weekends to avoid sabotaging your weight loss goals.

Men Are From Mars, Women Are ... Out of Luck

We've previously blogged that research proves it is harder for women to lose weight.

Men typically have greater percentage of upper body strength and a larger percentage of muscle tissue throughout their entire bodies than women.

This extra muscle helps raise their metabolism and results in a faster rate of weight loss than women typically experience.
Women are also genetically designed to store more fat to help in child-birth and they also need extra fat to help their reproductive organs to function properly.

Knowing men and women are made differently, it also makes sense that they should exercise differently.

Here are some tips for women to help fight their genetics:
1) Put greater effort into lower-body strength training. You should strength train all muscle groups 2 to 3 times a week, but since our largest muscles are located in the lower-body, building the larger muscles will speed up your metabolism.

2) Choose running as your primary cardio exercise (as long as your joints will allow). It's your best bet for cardiovascular conditioning, fat burning, and total use of those large lower-body muscles. If you can't run, try a brisk walk.

3) Don't use food for comfort. I don't know one woman who has not turned to chocolate or some other high calorie food after a hard day, but fighting those urges and choosing other ways to lighten your mood will get you to your goals faster.

5) Do regular cardio workouts. Try to fit in five to six workouts a week. Once you've developed a habit, you'll find that you'll stop thinking of exercise as a burden.

Using these tips will definitely make you a more efficient fat burner and the men at the gym may start asking you for advice on how they can get a better workout!

Don't Get Burned: Avoid the Fat-Burning Zone!

Why is it all those machines at the gym encourage us to work within the fat burning zone? It's been proven that the body burns a greater percentage of calories from fat, rather than carbohydrates, during these low-intensity / fat-burning zone workouts as opposed to high-intensity workouts.

For example, a 130-pound woman burns 50 percent of her calories from fat during cardiovascular exercise when her heart rate remains between 60 and 65 percent of her maximum heart rate.

The percentage of fat calories burned drops to 40 when her heart rate is within 80-85 percent of her maximum heart rate during cardiovascular exercise, according to the manual.

There’s just one problem: People who want to lose weight should be concerned with calories, not fat. It doesn’t matter if the calories come from fat or carbohydrates.

So the next time you're at the gym, forget about all those pre-set fat burning zone options on your cardio machine and get your ass in gear. Presuming you're in good health, choose to go at a relatively high intensity for 30 - 60 minutes and you'll burn 10-15% more calories and make your workout more efficient.

No Time to Work Out?

Think you’re too busy to exercise? It's probably the most common excuse, albeit a fairly genuine one, that non-exercisers use.

So we at EverythingFit thought we'd give you a few tips to help you fit exercise into your daily routine.

Studies show that just 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening is basically the same as one 30-minute session as far as the physiological benefits of the exercise.

Of course, people should have a balanced exercise program incorporating strength training, cardiovascular conditioning and flexibility exercises, but these can be broken up and done at different times throughout the day.

Try to fit in 15 minutes of resistance training every morning. You can focus on one muscle group per day and do 1-3 sets of exercises for that muscle group (if you do less reps, you can do more sets or you can do less sets and add a couple of different exercises to hit different parts of the same muscle). If you do these exercises in quick intervals with little rest in between, you will also elevate your heart rate and burn more calories.

Don't worry if you don't have any equipment at home. Push ups, squats, lunges, sit ups, etc., can all have impressive results on the body without the need for any equipment.

During lunch, you can also try to get out of the office, especially in the summer, and go for a brisk walk for 15-30 minutes.

In all the exercises you do, try to raise your heart rate to 70 % to 85 % of your maximal heart rate. The simple equation for determining your maximal heart rate is 220 minus your age. Multiply this by 70% and 85% to determine your optimal heart rate range or zone. Tour heart rate needs to be elevated for 20 to 30 minutes before you get the health benefit from it.

In the evening, when you have had your meal and are relaxing in front of the TV, try to fit in some flexibility exercises. Stretching is calming and a perfect way to end your day.

The weekends can also be a good time to add in some extra exercise. Go for a family walk or bike ride or get out in your backyard and do some gardening. Believe it or not, even small things like gardening or even house work will have a positive effect on your health.

Remember that consistency is crucial. If you can keep up an easy routine in the long-run you will see much more positive changes than if you try to take on a more ambitious program and give up sooner.

MacDonalds Diet - hype?

Chris Coleson lost 80 pounds in six months by eating only at McDonald's, according to several news reports, including CNN. But don't get too excited. Coleson, who was 281 pounds when he started his diet, did not even order one Big Mac, chocolate shakes or side of French fries.

Instead, Coleson dined on salad, grilled chicken wraps and apple dippers sans caramel (in other words, an apple).

Why would you order an apple from McDonald's?

Coleson basically decreased calories and increased exercise, which, of course, led to weight loss, as it always does. In fact, he was probably eating 1,200 - 1,400 calories per day, which, for someone of Coleson's size, amounts to almost a starvation plan according to an American Dietetic spokeswoman.

The key was not McDonald's food.

Now, having said that, I'm still glad Coleson came out with his story. After "Supersize Me" and Subway's highly successful Jared campaign, people were blinded into thinking some fast-food restaurants were bad while others were good. In fact, some subs at Subways are much more fattening than a big mac, but people were brainwashed into not thinking about their choices once they walked through the Subway doors.

Hopefully people will look at this story as proof that healthy food choices can be made anywhere, anytime. And yes, eating healthy and exercising works. Really, it does!

Hit the Weights to Lose Weight

Trying to lose weight? A new study has confirmed that you should start weight lifting, rather than spend all your time at the gym doing cardio. The study found weight training helps improve and control your metabolism.

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that mice with more muscles lost fat and showed other signs of metabolic improvement throughout the body. The benefits were seen even though the mice were on a high fat and sugar diet and didn’t increase any other physical activity.

The researchers say type II muscle is what allows you to pick up heavy objects and it may also be key in weight loss. Researchers write, "These findings indicate that type II muscle has a previously unappreciated role in regulating whole-body metabolism through its ability to alter the metabolic properties of remote tissues. These data also suggest that strength training, in addition to the widely prescribed therapy of endurance training, may be of particular benefit to overweight individuals."

The study authors concluded that increasing muscle mass in humans may prove to be critical in the fight against obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and cancer.

Fighting Your Body to Lose Weight

So you're wondering why it's so hard for you to lose that extra weight that is keeping you from looking amazing in that bathing suit? Well, it could be because your body is programmed to store calories that it can later use during periods when there is little or no food. Empty fat cells send out signals that lead to increased hunger and increased fat storage. So when you're dieting, your body just wants more food.

The body also works to conserve calories when it senses that it is at the beginning of a starvation period. When you don't eat enough or often enough, your metabolic rate slows and you in turn burn fewer calories. This body function helped our ancestors live through periods when food was scarce, but it works against us when we attempt to lose weight in today's world.

Ancel Keys studied the effects of food restriction on the human body and mind during World War II. He followed 32 healthy, active young men who ate an average of 3500 calories a day. For six months, he restricted their food to only 1600 calories a day. Cutting their calories in half had the following effects:
• 40 percent decrease in metabolic rate (calorie burning)
• Food obsession
• Food cravings and binges
• Depression, irritability and moodiness

To reduce calorie intake without sending starvation messages, work with your body instead of against it:
• Eat when hungry. Do not wait until you are feeling starved.
• Do not go more than 5 waking hours without food.
• Eat something first thing in the morning.
• Do not severely restrict calories (women generally need 1200 calories or more and men need 1600 calories or more). If you feel like you are starving with the amount of food you are eating, you are not eating enough!

Remember that severe food restriction leads to binging. Reducing portions, eating filling foods, limiting your access to foods that tempt you to overeat and allowing occasional exceptions will help prevent binges.

Breakfast Does a Body Good

Eating a big breakfast consisting of high carbohydrates and protein first thing in morning and then following a low-carb, low-calorie diet for the rest of the day helps maintain a healthy weight loss according to yet another study.

Researchers from the Hospital de Clinicas in Caracas, Venezuela say eating a big breakfast packed with protein and carbohydrates helps cut cravings for sweet or starchy foods throughout the day. It also boosts the metabolism. But for those of you who are regular readers of this blog, this is nothing new. Breakfast has long been touted as the most important meal of the day, particularly for those who want to lose weight.

Scientists added that this way of eating also helps people lose weight in the long term as opposed to crash diets, which are effective in losing weight fast but when stopped, results in immediate weight gain.

Researchers looked at how breakfasting habits affected the weight of almost 100 obese young women by putting them on a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet. Half of the subjects had a big breakfast, taking in almost 1,240 calories in a single high-protein, high-carbohydrate meal for nearly eight months.

After nearly four months, the women eating small breakfasts had lost an average of around 5 pounds more than the women who ate high calorie breakfast. However, after eight months, the women who ate small breakfasts had regained an average of 18 pounds of weight.

The women who ate healthy, high calorie big breakfasts, on the other hand, continued to lose weight, shedding another 16.5 ponds on average. The researchers concluded that at the end of the study, the big breakfast eaters had lost more than 21 per cent of their body weight compared with just 4.5 per cent for the other women.

The big-breakfast diet also helps in losing weight in a healthy way than an extremely low-carbohydrate diet because it allows people to eat more fruit and therefore get enough fiber and vitamins, the researchers noted.

Women Should Heavier Weights for Stronger Muscles

Women who want to build muscle strength and endurance? Should opt for traditional strength training methods instead of low velocity routines, according to a recent study.

The study, which was conducted by Sharon Rana, associate professor of exercise physiology and colleagues at Ohio University, followed 34 healthy, college-aged females who performed three different training methods over a six-week period.

The methods included a traditional strength training routine, a traditional muscle endurance training routine and a low velocity regimen.

The traditional strength group lifted a heavier weight load with fewer repetitions, while the endurance group lifted a lighter weight load with more repetitions.

The low velocity group also lifted a lighter weight load, but did their workouts much slower than the other groups and did fewer repetitions.

The study found that the traditional strength group gained the most strength. The endurance group and the low velocity group both improved strength, but to a much lesser degree. Though the traditional endurance-training group was still the most successful at boosting muscular endurance, the study found that cardiovascular endurance didn't increase significantly in any of the groups.

All of the groups combined showed a small decrease in body fat, but it was not statistically significant. The most significant improvements involved strength gain and endurance gain.

The study is published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. (ANI)

Spice Up Your Life

Sprinkling no-calorie seasonings and sweeteners on your food, will make you feel full faster, cut down on food consumption, and help you lose weight, according to a new study.

A study conducted by Dr. Alan Hirsch, a Chicago neurologist and psychiatrist, found that overweight people who used the zero-calorie flavorings lost an average of 30.5 pounds over the course of six months, while those who didn't use them lost only 2 pounds.

The 1,436 participants were not given dietary restrictions, although those in the study who were already dieting and or exercising were allowed to continue.

Those using the flavorings were given four small bottles each week and told they could use them liberally. They could choose savory or sweet, although they didn't know the exact flavor. The savory choices were salt-free and included cheddar cheese, onion, horseradish, ranch dressing, taco, and Parmesan. Sweet choices included cocoa, spearmint, banana, strawberry, raspberry, and malt.

Using the flavorings '"can actually cause a change in eating habits and behavior," says Hirsch, who is also the founder of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. He added that sprinkling the calorie-free flavoring may make some healthy foods such as vegetables tastier, making it easier to eat more of them.

Repping your Weight

There are dozens of ways to lift weights. Some lift using quick reps, others use slower reps, but not every repetition is created equally and using different methods will yield different results.

In 1982, world renowned strength training coach Chrales Poliquin became the first to create a science in repetitions. He used this method to train Olympic medalists in 18 different sports.

According to Poliquin, if you are looking to increase muscular size, you should focus on slower repetitions with higher weights. If you just want to increase power but not weight or size, go for quick repetitions with less weights.

If you want to gain fat-burning muscle, your should slow your reps down and keep your muscles in the contracted position for a longer period of time. This will encourage more growth in your muscles and will also speed up your metabolism to burn more calories.

Slow speed lifting brings about more metabolic adaptations than high speed lifting. It enables a novice to develop a better connection between your mind and the muscles you are working out.

Strength is gained more effectively at slow speeds than fast speeds. A squat, where you bend your knees to lower your bum to the ground, is best performed at slow speeds to prevent injuries.

As you get more experienced in your training, it becomes more important to have a greater variety of training speeds. This way, your muscles will always continue to respond and grow. You should also vary your exercises every six workouts and manipulate training variables, such as tempo, if you wish to progress.

Exercise and Leptin: The Happy New Couple

Pairing exercise with the leptin enables the hormone to fight fat in overweight patients.

The leptin hormone sends the body chemical signals to stop eating and use stored energy. But researchers at the University of Florida College of Medicine said the hormone did not work in overweight people.

Once exercise is added to the equation, however, the leptin seems to regain its power.

The researchers studied overweight rats on a high-fat diet. Neither exercise nor leptin alone kept the rats from gaining weight but once the two methods were used together, the leptin began to work again and kept the rats from gaining extra weight.

Scientists will be testing the effects on humans next.

Kettlebells: The Latest Craze

The kettlebell is a big ball of black steel with a handle on it. Used as an alternative to dumbbells or barbells, the kettlebell was first use to train the Russian army.

Even better, 15 minutes with kettlebells will apparently burn more fat than 40 minutes on a treadmill.

Kettlebells lengthen and strengthen limbs for ultimate toning so it's no wonder it's favoured by celebrities like Kim Cattrall, Geri Halliwell and Penelope Cruz. The kettlebells are easier to hold than traditional weights so they allow people to focus on the muscles they are targeting rather than worry about losing their grip on cumbersome bars.

Considering we here at EverythingFit are huge proponents of variety in workouts, it's no wonder we're loving the kettlebells. By changing your workout, they keep your body guessing and improving.

Exercises involve a series of swift, continues movements which bring your heart rate up almost instantly. Nearly all exercises start from a squat position so they're great for sculpting your glutes, abs and arms.

Smaller Meals Won't Help You Lose Weight

It's a diet staple. Every dietitian, fitness specialist, etc. has praised the merits of eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals if you're trying to lose weight.
Well it looks like that advice is worthless.

A new study conducted at the University of Newcastle split a group of dieters into two. One group ate three times a day while the other added in three extra snacks to speed up fat burning but boosting metabolism.

Unfortunately, the group eating the extra snacks did not lose weight.

"We found it's not when you eat that matters, but what and how much you eat," said Dietician Michelle Palmer at the university. She added that dieters should be more focused on what they eat and not spend their time inventing creative eating plans.

Wow, and I was really enjoying my mid-afternoon cottage cheese.

Rationalizing the Personal Trainer: Worth the $

There are a lot of reasons why a personal trainer is a good idea.

First and foremost, if you're new to training, you need a trainer or someone experienced to show you how to do exercise with the correct form. This ensures that you will not risk injuring yourself.

A trainer can also put together a routine that makes sense for you. Cookie-cutter programs from a magazine can't take into consideration your health, time constraints, etc. because they're meant for everyone.

You should be able to get the basics of training within a few sessions with a personal trainer. So why do so many people stick with their trainers long-term?

Simply, because they work.

A recent study by Duke University Medical Center found that people who had lost weight were better able to keep off the pounds if they had continued support from a counsellor or trainer. A trainer can motivate and educate you and he or she can also help alter your program once you've hit a plateau.

Of course trainers are costly, but as long as you do your research and get a qualified, certified trainer, you only need to see him or her once a week to keep you on track.

If you can't afford your trainer, ask your gym for a complimentary session. Most are willing to offer those, in hopes of selling you more sessions. Use that session to ask questions about your program and gather as many tips from the trainer as you can.

Having someone point you in the right direction will always get you where you need to go faster!

Finished Your Resistance Workout? Now What

Almost as important as your weight-training workout is your recovery drink or snack.

Research shows that you should be having a drink or snack within 30 minutes of finishing a workout. It should contain some carbohydrate and some protein, and you should add more carbohydrate if you've had a particularly heavy work session.

The carbs replace the spent glucose in the muscle and liver which was used up during your exercise. The protein, meanwhile, will give you an anabolic boost to enhance muscle repair and growth. You only need about 20 grams of protein to make this happen.

So if you're going to put all that effort into working out, make sure your body has the nutrients it needs to make that work out count!

Some great / easy choices for a post-workout snack:

Protein shake with banana

Peanut butter sandwich

Hummus and pita

Yogurt and fresh berries

Tuna on whole wheat

Turkey and cheese with apple slices

... or any mix of protein and healthy, complex carbs and you're good to go!

Which way to go

Weight training can often be confusing. Do you use machines or free weights? Do you stand or sit on a sit on a stability ball? Well, not surprisingly, different methods will produce different results.

One published study found that men could lift more weight while doing a traditional bench press with free weights than doing a standing chest press on a cable-based weight machine. The study concluded that free weights target the chest muscles more effectively.

Another study found that bench presses performed using stability ball engaged more muscles, especially in the core, than the traditional bench press performed from a bench.

A third study concluded that exercisers get stronger using a free-form cable machine, in this case a FreeMotion machine, than a fixed machine.

Ok, don’t get too concerned. Overall, research shows that people wanting to train a specific muscle can get relatively similar results training with free weights and fixed machines. Free weights are advantageous because they also force you to stabilize your body, so your core muscles in the abs and back also get a residual workout.

Similarly, training on unstable surfaces such as a Bosu, stability ball or wobble boards do an even better job of working the core, but because your body focuses some of its energy on the core, the muscles you are targeting do not work quite as hard.

So which way to go?

Well the right answer as with all training is mix it up. Keep your body guessing and your muscles will grow to adapt to the change. Variety will also help hit small muscles that one type of exercise might miss. One exception: IF you are a beginner, it’s recommended that you start with machines, which will teach you the proper form for each of the exercises you perform and are less likely to risk injury.