How to get fit and healthy

Weight loss is a goal that everyone sets but very few actually reach. The reason why so many people fail when it comes to weight loss is because of their plan or in this case a lack thereof.

Exercise is a key contributor to losing weight and when combined with a healthy nutrition plan will help accelerate your weight loss that much more. If you plan correctly, and when I say plan, map out your exercise routine, you will greatly increase your chances of losing weight.

When putting together your exercise and fitness plan first you must take into account the amount of time you have available to get through your entire workout. For example, if all you have is 45 minutes on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays then it will be those days and in that amount of time you will exercise.

Now that you know how much time you have to work with and the days you will be working out, then develop the actual exercise routine. I recommend that you hit every muscle part in a single session performing one exercise for each muscle group. Your muscle groups are chest, triceps, back, biceps, legs, shoulders and abs. So now that you know the groups then you already know that you will be performing only 7 exercises. That’s it! You can fit 7 exercises within your 45 minutes right? Of course you can.

You should start with only 1 set of about 8 to 12 reps for each muscle group with the exercises that you have chosen. For example I like to do dumbbell bicep curls for my biceps. I curl 35 pounds in each arm and do 1 set of 12 reps. I will slowly add on another set and lower the reps as my strength increases. In other words I will do 2 sets of 8 reps to help increase my strength in this exercise. I will follow this plan for all of my exercises in my routine slowly making increments to my reps, sets or weight as I become more strengthened.

Once you have all of your exercises picked out, write it down in a journal so you can track your progress. Studies have shown that those individuals who write down their routines and what they have completed have a greater chance at success then those who do not. Write it down and follow what you are doing so you can monitor your progress.

Exercising is a great way to lose weight and putting the right plan in motion will make it easier. Just remember to get a complete physical from your family physician prior to starting any type of exercise program.

About the Author:Mr. Tucker is the senior editor for Weight Loss Nation, an online resource where you can learn various tips and tricks on weight loss, fitness and nutrition.Mr. Tucker is also a regular contributor on Mike’s How-To Blog, an online resource that explains a step by step approach on How to do just about anything.

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By Jennifer Jolan

So which is it… jogging or walking, which is the better exercise for weight loss? Well, they both aren’t that good if you want fast weight loss, however I will show you how you can make 2 changes to 1 of them to make it 1 of the best weight loss exercises you can possibly do.

First off, some basic info…

If you’re going to exercise and plan on jogging, you can burn up a good deal of calories during your jogs. The problem is, after you’re done jogging, you’re done burning calories. Not good! No afterburn effect. For the amount of time you put in, this isn’t an efficient use of time to maximize fat loss.

Now, if your exercise plan includes walking, this is generally good for long term and slow weight loss, but bad for quick weight loss.

So, above I said you can make 2 changes to one of the above to make it a great weight loss exercise. Guess which exercise I was talking about… jogging or walking?

Walking!

Here’s the deal… walking on a flat surface sucks for fast weight loss, but walking on an incline of 10-15 degrees works incredible for massive weight loss quickly. They’re totally different. Why? Because walking on an incline creates a huge oxygen deficit which forces your body to scavenge your bodyfat for quick energy supplies… thus, your bodyfat gets melted off for energy.

All you need to do is walk 15-20 minutes a day on an inclined treadmill or hill. You just turned walking into a superior weight loss exercise. So that’s change #1.

Change #2 is this… while walking, take 1 deep breath each minute. This again has to do with oxygen intake. All you do is inhale for 5 seconds, hold it for 5 seconds, and exhale for 5 seconds. Do that 1 time each minute you’re walking. That’s been proven to help you burn off an extra 22-30% more calories during a walk.

So, jogging or walking, which is the better weight loss exercise? If you make those 2 changes above, walking is the better exercise for you to do.

If you’re sick and tired of getting the same old boring and tired advice on weight loss, jogging or walking, etc… you know, like “Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, jog 4 days a week, walk 6 days a week, exercise more, and blah blah blah”… then you found the right person. I’ll make weight loss easy and enjoyable for you… AND NOT BORING!

First, click to get your free 19-page report “How Spinning Around in a Circle Like a 4-year old Child will Skyrocket your Weight Loss Success”. This will give you a jumpstart on how to lose 10 pounds fast.

Second… after you get the free report, you’ll be sent inside my website for even more unique and little known weight loss tips, tricks, techniques, and tactics. These unconventional tricks are a “shortcut” way on how to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks… no mention of eating carrots or celery. I promise.

Third, with my advice, you won’t starve, have to go to the gym ever, or basically do anything that is a hassle for your busy life. Listen, I understand you want to lose weight (maybe you’ll include jogging or walking) without changing much in your diet or exercise plans… I get it. I have this completely covered. I’ve worked with over 3,700 clients. I know a 1 size fits all plan doesn’t work. So I’ve come up with lots of “tricks” to personalize weight loss specifically for you and your lifestyle.

Fourth… there is no fourth. Just enjoy the free report and my website. If you don’t lose 10 pounds with just my free information… I’d be amazingly surprised!

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By Todd Seymour

Most people understand that there are two aspects of a good weight loss program: diet and exercise. Which one is more important? That is up for debate. However, this article is going to give you a few tips to get started with exercise programs for weight loss.

Tip #1: Set up a schedule and STICK TO IT! Starting a new program will have absolutely no effect if you don’t do it. Therefore you need to establish a doable schedule. Don’t start out saying you’re going to go to the gym everyday for 4 hours (exaggerated, obviously), instead, go to the gym 3 times per week for 30 minutes or an hour. Remember that it takes approximately 21 days to establish a new habit.

Tip #2: Write out your goals. What do you want to achieve with this weight loss program? Do you have an event coming up that you wish to lose a few pounds for? Are you unhealthy and need to lose weight? There are many reason people choose to lose weight, write down your reason.

Now, write out your short-term and long-term goals. Make them challenging but reasonable. Each time you can sit down and cross one off your list, you will be motivated to continue on because you’ll have seen progress.

Tip #3: Talk to the professionals in your gym. They are usually willing to help if you have any questions or need help with figuring out a piece of equipment. Ask your fellow gym-goers too. They’re always willing to help others who are trying to help themselves.

These have only touched the surface of most exercise programs for weight loss. But you need to be able to stick to your great exercise program for it to have any effect.

Now that you have a foundation you need to get exercise programs for weight loss. I have reviewed many of the top weight loss products and can guide your search with my reviews.

T. Seymour has a B.S. in Biological Sciences and is the founder of InspectYourHealth.com

Go get one of the many great exercise programs for weight loss that are out there, right now! Change your life today!

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Harry James Ramsay

Do you want to workout on a regular basis from now on? Well if you are considering it then I would say it is a very good idea but the thing is you should stick to it and continue your workout no matter what. You may be considering between two options on how to go about your workouts. It should be either to join a gym or go on and purchase home gym exercise equipment

There are lots of disadvantages in going to a gym. First thing is you should go to the gym daily and if it is not near your house then you’ll have to travel to the gym and that itself will take you a lot of time. And what with working out for an hour or two and coming back. If you have a tight schedule then you will not be able to make a commitment. But if you have home gym exercise equipment, then you’ll have no worries. You just need to get home and starting working out by finding the time. You can workout early in the morning or in the evening. It’s your choice.

If you join a gym then you should pay the membership fees which would be high depending on the gym. Home gym exercise equipment will also require you to invest in some money but this money depending on the type of home gym you purchase can be covered within a month or a year. So it all depends on the home gym you go for.

Joining a gym means you’ll have to listen to the trainer and workout according to what he says. And you can’t try different forms of exercise when you are the gym. But with home gym exercise equipment, you can follow the type of exercise training that you like. You may want sports conditioning or weight loss or muscle toning or training in martial arts. So it depends on the fitness equipment you invest in.

There are a lot of problems when choosing home gym exercise equipment a well. Some equipment offer some type of condition training. Some are designed for weight loss, some for muscle toning. Some for Martial arts and some are specialized for sports training.

The thing you should look for is a home gym exercise equipment that specializes in all these fields. These home gyms rely on elastic bands for resistance along with clipping systems and anchoring systems. They are inexpensive and not bulky at all. They are quite portable and versatile. The top player in the resistance band market is Bodylastics and It offers up to 250lbs of resistance.

The home gym I use and recommend is Bodylastics. Read more about Bodylastics

Read more about exercise equipment.

Harry James Ramsay is a student expert at muscle building who recently quit from doing workouts in the gym after buying the Bodylastics System.

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check out the cool Alexei Yagudin - Exercise Video

One thing I always tell my class members is: “If staying fit was easy, everyone would be fit. You wouldn’t see any fat people anywhere”. And it’s true. You could say the same thing about being rich. If it was easy to get rich, you’d be tripping over billionaires every time you walked down the street. There’d be no poor. But it’s not so easy, is it? Both things require diligent, hard work. But just because the work is hard, that doesn’t mean you can’t also be having some fun along the way.

When it comes to fitness, fun, in my opinion, should definitely be a part of the mix. Because if it’s not enjoyable in some way, you’re not going to look forward to doing it. It becomes a task, a chore, something that you have to get through. If that begins to be the way you view your workouts, you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle when it comes to staying in shape. Then you will eventually want to quit.

So here are a few good ways to get and keep the “F factor”, Fun, alive in your fitness regimen.
First of all…

- Choose activities that you already like.

Think about the games you used to play as a kid or the sports you participated in in school. If you can find adult leagues and organizations that offer those or similar activities, join up. You can also just add elements of those particular activities into your workouts. If dancing is something you enjoy, try adding dance based classes and workouts to your weekly lineup. Whatever your favorite physical activity is, you can be sure that there is someplace you can go and join in. Find it and get involved!

- Create your own perfect exercise environment

The right setting, the right music and sometimes also the right people can make a difference. Like the outdoors? Start doing your workouts at a park so you can enjoy the fresh air. Prefer a calm, quiet place where you can focus without any distractions? Find the least used space in your gym or park and set up camp right there. Inspired by being around other exercisers? Then the gym or any active place where you can be around such folks is where you need to go.

- Roll with the beats

Music is emotionally motivating and is a perfect, easy way of adding in the F factor. Choose music that you really like and use it every time you do your routines. You’ll find yourself more pumped up and enthusiastic, and whatever you’re doing, you’ll probably go at it longer and with more energy. Also, you will look forward to workouts, knowing that you’ll get to listen to your favorite “pump me up” tunes whenever that time rolls around.

- Feed off the positive energy that can be found in a group

Working out alone kind of dull? Then join a group of like minded people to work out with. Not only will it be more fun, but you’ll have camaraderie, more energy to feed off of, and also extra support from those around you. That will really keep you motivated and looking forward to the next time. Each workout will be like one big party! The more, the merrier!

- Let the gym be your stage

Are you a natural show off? Well, if that’s the case, you can turn work out time into your own little show time. Don your hottest exercise threads, get in there, and flex to impress with the best of them! You know you’re going to have a captive audience, so step up front and center and show ‘em how it’s done! Knowing that you’re being checked out, you thrive on rising to the occasion and giving a high caliber performance. Whether you’re the fierce diva in the aerobics class, or top stud in the weight room, take your rightful place, show ‘em what you’re working with, and let your talent shine! No shy wall flower are you! Make that work for you, and pump it for everything it’s worth! Your fans await!

And finally…

- Tell your trainer that he/she is boring

Well, not quite like that! What I mean is don’t be afraid to tell your trainer that you’re getting bored with the workouts. Those of you working with trainers know that sometimes confronting your trainer with any suggestions can be scary. We sometimes put our personal trainers on such a pedestal that we are intimidated or reluctant to question or suggest anything other than what the trainer is already doing with us. But remember, while your trainer is certainly a knowledgeable and motivating force, he or she doesn’t know you as well as you know yourself when it comes to your likes and dislikes. Also, sometimes trainers can get locked into a certain mindset and particular way of training that focuses only on achieving the result. You can have the results and a little more fun here and there if it’s done right. If you want a more fun workout, don’t be afraid to let your trainer know. Challenge her/him to make your workouts both fierce AND fun! Remember, it’s YOUR dime, and if you don’t let your trainer know that you want something different in your workouts, you’ll never get it.

The bottom line is, working out does not have to be this torturous, monotonous chore or trial that you have to drag yourself to, suffer through, and hope to soon be over with. With the right elements in place, you can turn your workout into some good, quality “me” time; a bright, shiny spot in your day that you look forward to and can’t wait to be a part of. Add in the F factor, and soon you’ll find yourself speeding through your work and knocking every obstacle that pops up out of your way so you can get to that happy time where it’s all about you, you body and some serious fun and sweat! Now get to it!

Yvonne Bridges is a top fitness instructor residing and teaching in New York City. In the fitness business for over 12 years, she is an accomplished boxer, kick boxer, writer and musician, among other things. You can get more weight loss and fitness tips by Yvonne Bridges at

Whether you are a runner, a walker, or a cyclist, you should know that everyone can benefit from swimming. Swimming is one of the best physical activities out there, yet not too many people take part in it. Swimming provides the body with 12 times the resistance of air, which means quicker weight loss and quicker muscle building results.

Most doctors agree that swimming is one of the best cardio exercises because it is easy on the joints. Most other physical activities place a lot of pressure on the joints. That is why water fitness is praised by people who suffer from injuries, arthritis, and movement limitations. People who suffer from arthritis also rave about the fact that water activities help them relive joint pain. Furthermore, many professional athletes turn to swimming following an injury in order to regain their strength and improve their range of motion.

Unlike many other exercises, swimming incorporates all of the muscle groups. With one single movement you have the possibility of working your back, shoulder, arms, hips, glutes, and legs. And with twelve times the resistance, your muscles will be working 12 times as hard with each single move. But this does not mean that swimming is much more painful than regular land fitness. The beauty behind water activities is that you do not feel the pain in your muscles as you would on land. Furthermore, swimming is fun! If I had to choose between running on a treadmill for an hour or going to the pool for an hour, I would definitely choose the latter. Many people associate swimming with youth, summer time and fun, thus creating a workout environment that is enjoyable. So the next time you go the gym, try bringing your bathing suit instead of your running shoes.

Lauren S. Johnson writes health articles about fitness and nutrition.
Some of her favorite passions include studying the medicinal benefits of herbal remedies, colon cleansing and
weight loss products.

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8 Minute Buns Video

If you truly want to exercise–you have many options: Walking, hiking, running, biking, swimming, strength training, group exercise workouts. But even the most dedicated exerciser can struggle to get their workout in when short on time. If you have a busy life due to family obligations or work commitments, or you live in a town were the closest health club is half an hour away, or you simply feel uncomfortable walking into a gym, you may consider trying exercise videos and working out at home. There are workouts for the beginner to the advanced, from Pilates and Yoga to Toning and Kickboxing. So finding the right video for you is relatively simple, but here are a few types when choosing your home exercise video:

1) It’s very important not to give in to all the hyped marketing surrounding many videos that may make unsubstantiated promises. In fact, any video that promises quick weight loss or instant results is probably unsafe and should be avoided.

2) Ask your friends what exercise videos they do. Or go to your local video store and rent a few workout videos to see which ones you like before investing $20 into one video.

3) Decide what you want to achieve: If you want to loose body fat, choose cardiovascular workouts (like Low-Impact, Step Aerobics, Cardio Dance, Kickboxing) over Pilates/Yoga workouts. While I truly believe a well-balanced workout routine includes Pilates, Yoga and strength training, at least initially, most of your workout time should not be devoted to this type of training.

(4) Honestly evaluate your current level and choose exercise videos appropriate for where you are today. By working out at your level, you will be able to get stronger and develop more endurance without putting your body at risk. Also, this creates a feeling of success, and as I always say, there is nothing more motivating than success.

5) The exercise video should give modifications for different fitness levels. For example, an aerobic video may show a high impact option, a medium impact option and a low impact option. Or a toning workout video may show how to increase or decrease the intensity of a shoulder exercise by changing the position of the hands.

6) Instead of spending around $20 per video, consider subscribing to an online exercise video website. There are several good ones out there. These types of websites offer a variety of exercise videos and add new workout videos every week for between $10 to $20 per month. You can even download exercise videos to your computer from many of the fitness sites.

Whatever you do–make sure it works with your schedule and make sure you enjoy the workout. By choosing workouts you enjoy and naturally fit into your life, you are setting yourself up for success. The the more successful you are with your workouts–the more you will do them.

Pascale Vandenbroucke is the Creative Director for Workouts On Demand. They offer over 90 full-length online workout videos and add new exercise videos every week. With Toning, Pilates, Kickboxing, Yoga and more, you always have a new workout with motivating instructors.

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Best exercise video for Fitness