Saturday, December 25, 2010
From HCG Diets to Shake Weights: Fitness Trends in Review
Dec 01, 2010
From tapeworms and Thighmasters to fad diets and blubber-shaking machinery, the only sure thing in the fitness world is that there will always be a new trend claiming to be the secret to quick and easy weightloss or eternal youth. Often, these fads make unrealistic promises or are downright unhealthy. Sometimes, though, trends bubble up for a reason—because they work. Here’s a look at five current fitness trends and my suggestions as to whether you should “hit it” or “quit it.”
HCG Diet: Fad diets are a dime a dozen. All the ones that “work” use the same trick: They have some loosely-tested medical theory that distracts you from the fact that you are just doing good old calorie cutting. This is true of most low-carb and non-medically-indicated gluten-free diets, and it’s certainly true with the HCG diet. In its truest form, the HCG diet requires daily injections of a hormone found in pregnant women that is supposed to help release fat stores. Of course, the internet has sprung up with sites offering to sell you HCG in pill form. But HCG is not active in an oral form, so the pills you find on the internet are pure placebos. In either case, the HCG is more or less a red herring anyway. The real way the HCG diet “works”—you are only allowed 500 calories per day! Yes, you read that right—500 calories. Of course you are going to lose weight in the short-term, but a 500-calorie diet is something one should never undertake without the strictest of doctor’s supervision.
The Verdict: Quit It. If you want to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn by creating a sustainable deficit, which can be done by anyone, anywhere, for free! If you must, you can take a few twenty-dollar bills out of your wallet and flush them down the toilet for motivation, which would be better than spending your hard-earned cash on this internet gimmick.
P90X: The saying goes, “At any given time, there is an episode of I Love Lucy playing somewhere in the world.” I think the same is probably true of the P90X infomercial—possibly twofold. The parade of jaw-dropping transformations and well-oiled “after shots” just reek of scam. But, you know what…? The hype machine of the infomercial doesn’t change the fact that P90X is a really solid, well-rounded, old-school weight and cardio program that will deliver great results to anyone who has the dedication to push themselves through the workouts and, most importantly, reel in their diet. It delivers the same kind of solid workout experience you can get from taking several classes at a gym, which makes it ideal for parents and people who like the flexibility of working out at home. (One caveat: If you are a woman looking to lose weight, it’s likely the nutrition guide that comes with the program will suggest far too many calories. Here are some suggestions for alterations.)
The Verdict: Hit it! Just don’t expect that something magical will happen when the UPS man delivers the package to your door. As with any workout program, you’ll need the commitment to hit the workouts hard and change your diet to see results.
Shake Weight: Due to a so-bad-it's-good advertising campaign, the Shake Weight has become a viral video darling and even landed a starring role on an episode of South Park. But, is it any good as a workout tool? Hardly. I purchased the Shake Weight in the “for men” size and ran through the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it enclosed workout DVD. For starters, I can think of very little that would actually “get you ripped in only 6 minutes per day” aside from deadlifting a small SUV repeatedly. And, while I did have difficulty shaking the weight for the specified period, I’m chalking that up to a slippery handle and biomechanically-shaky moves. I felt no delayed muscle soreness that would indicate that the workout had done anything different from my usual weight regime. Plus, it works only three muscle groups, and there’s certainly not enough weight involved in any case to “get you ripped.” In fact, I’d argue good ole pushups, dips, and pull-ups would do a much better job of that than this noisy gizmo.
The Verdict: Quit It. Spend your thirty bucks on a pair of 20-pound dumbbells that you can use for curls, presses, squats, and lunges to get a full-body workout. Bonus tip: If you want to get the whole Shake Weight experience with your dumbbells, just stop your curl or press mid-way through the rep and do micropulses or hold the isometric contraction for 30 seconds. Oh, and make funny faces. That’s the important part.
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training): High Intensity Interval Training is the talk of the gym, promising to burn the most calories in the least amount of time and elevating post-exercise calorie burn for up to 24 hours after the session. HIIT is a great addition to most workout programs, and all these claims are backed by solid research, but here’s the thing—most people don’t do HIIT right. It’s more than just hitting the “interval” button on the elliptical while reading the latest copy of Cosmo. A true HIIT workout session involves a warm-up followed by one minute of all-out intensity and one minute of recovery, repeated no more than 10 times, and followed by a cool down. To be true HIIT, the all-out bursts must be can’t-go-for-a-second-longer intervals, and at the end of the 20-30 minute session you should be absolutely beat.
The Verdict: Hit it! High Intensity Interval Training is a great way to get the most out of your workout time. Remember, though, that a true HIIT will leave you utterly depleted and require proper recovery, so don’t do this kind of workout on back-to-back days. Also, don’t put too much weight on the promise of increased post-exercise burn—any workout program will do this. Just focus on blasting through those calories in the workout timeframe and consider any additional benefits as gravy. I tell my clients: With HIIT, if you don’t feel like a flailing fool in the gym, you probably aren’t doing it right.
High-Antioxidant Drinks and Supplements (Acai Berry, Pomegranate, etc.): It seems that anti-oxidants have been added to so many products these days, promising everything from better heart health to eternal youth. Notably, the beverage aisle is jam-packed with high-antioxidant drinks, but most of these drinks are nothing more than expensive fruit punch, with little to offer than massive quantities of sugar and some vitamins tossed in to make for better marketing. Yes, a diet sufficiently high in anti-oxidants is important for good health, but a well-rounded diet full of multi-colored foods will not only provide you more than enough vitamins and minerals, it will contain other important phytonutrients and fiber naturally. I am always wary of artificially adding nutrients to our food outside the ratio of what you’d find in a healthy, well-balanced diet. There is even some evidence that too many anti-oxidants might reduce the positive adaptations to exercise.
The Verdict: Quit it! Don’t reach for a pricy, sugary, calorie-bomb just because it claims to have anti-oxidants or other health benefits. If you are eating a well-rounded, colorful diet, you are probably doing fine on the anti-oxidant front. Try as we might, we really can’t improve on water for drinking.
If you’ve got a fitness trend you’d like me to investigate, drop me a note.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Extreme Fitness: Calorie-Torching Workouts
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
SELF 7 Foods that Speed Weight Loss
Nov 24, 2010
Leftover Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinner, holiday sweets—with so much delicious food floating around this time of year, who wants to think about dieting? Not me! Trouble is, this is exactly the time of year we undo all that hard work we did to get fit last spring and summer: Americans gain (on average) a pound during the holidays each year, according to the National Institutes of Health—which may not seem like a lot, except we also tend to hang on to those yearly pounds, and they can add up (10 pounds in a decade!). Here's the good news: Enjoying more of certain foods and drinks can actually help speed weight loss by boosting metabolism! And we're not just talking about celery and carrots (although those are good). Cheese, at least in small doses, could help fend off holiday heaviness—not to mention make your taste buds very happy. Try adding a few of these satisfying fat-burning snacks and sips to your daily intake and enjoy season's eatings without the stubborn pounds!
Weight loss food: cheese
Women who ate an ounce of full-fat cheese (picture a wedge about the size of your thumb) daily gained fewer pounds over time than their less-cheesy peers, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows. Whole dairy contains conjugated linoleic acid, which may stoke your metabolism. One low-cal wonder: full-fat ricotta. It weighs in at a scant 49 calories and 4 g fat (2 g saturated) per ounce and has the lowest amount of sodium of any cheese out there. For a decadent-tasting dish, toss ricotta with pasta and fresh herbs or stir it into jarred tomato sauce for a flavor upgrade.
Weight loss food: almonds
These are my favorite go-to snack—I carry almonds with me almost everywhere I go (car, purse) in case of a hunger emergency. I rely on them so much to tide me over between meals, so it's a good thing they have built-in fat-burning power: Dieters who ate 3 ounces of these nuts every day—that's about 12 almonds—reduced their weight and body-mass index by a solid 18 percent compared with an 11 percent drop in the no-nut group, a study in the International Journal of Obesity finds. You eat less bread at the lunch table when you're not famished, and almonds are high in alpha-linolenic acid, which can actually speed the metabolism of fats.
Weight loss food: coffee
The caffeine in 1 cup of joe temporarily revs metabolism by up to 15 percent, torching an extra 15 to 25 calories on average, says Paul Arciero, Ph.D., associate professor of exercise science at Skidmore College. Researchers don't know whether drinking more delivers a bigger boon (for those of us who drink plenty all day, there may be even more reasons to love our java!), but for the most benefit, order yours black; sugar and milk reverse the fat-scorching effects.
Weight loss food: peppers
A compound in chile peppers called capsaicin—the stuff that gives peppers their kick—could help you burn up to 100 extra calories a day, according to research presented at the Experimental Biology meeting in Anaheim, California. Experts suspect that capsaicin binds to nerve receptors and sends fat-burning signals to the brain. Don't like super spicy peppers such as habaneros or jalapeos? Go for a milder version like poblanos; research suggests you don't have to embrace hot-spicy cuisine to get capsaicin's metabolism-boosting benefits.
Weight loss food: green tea
Sipping three cups of green tea a day may kick up your metabolism enough to erase 30 calories daily, a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows. Experts attribute the benefit to a compound called ECGC, and that extra burn can help you shed about 3 pounds a year! Not everyone loves the flavor of green tea, so if you find it too bitter, try a brew that's naturally sweetened, such as The Republic of Tea's Honey Ginseng or Ginger Peach Green Tea.
Weight loss food: eggs
The amino acids in egg whites help build lean muscle that may in turn help rev metabolism. Scramble up a few for breakfast and top with shredded cheese—remember, it's a fat-burner, too! Another good reason to have eggs first thing: Consuming a high-fat morning meal was shown to help mice burn more fat than those that ate a carb-rich breakfast, a study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham finds. The researchers say that eating a little fat early may shift your circadian clock to help you burn more body fat all day long.
Weight loss food: portobello mushrooms
These 'shrooms deliver copper and pantothenic acid, which help keep your metabolism humming. Bonus: Portobellos are also high in potassium, a mineral shown to help shuttle salt out of your body to beat belly bloat. Throw a mushroom kabob on the grill (or make them into a true veggie burger), or whip up this healthy take on classic eggs Benedict for a yummy fat-burning brunch dish.
Grilled Portobello Benedict
Serves 4
Vegetable oil cooking spray
4 portobello mushroom caps (about 4 oz each)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
4 slices Canadian bacon
4 large whole eggs
4 large egg whites
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp prepared basil pesto
8 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
4 tsp freshly grated Parmesan
Coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray. With a spoon, gently scrape out the dark inside of each mushroom cap, being careful not to break cap. Brush both sides of caps with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Grill mushrooms over medium-high heat until juices begin to release, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer each mushroom to a plate, top side down. On same grill or grill pan, cook bacon over medium-high heat until warm, about 30 seconds per side. Place 1 slice bacon onto each mushroom cap. Whisk eggs, egg whites and 2 tbsp water until well combined in a bowl. Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-low heat. Add eggs and scramble until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide eggs among mushroom caps. Drizzle 1 tsp pesto over each; top with basil and 1 tsp Parmesan.
THE DISH 240 calories per serving, 14 g fat (3.5 saturated), 7 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 20 g protein
SELF Why Guys Lose Weight Faster than Women and How to Steal their Secrets
Nov 30, 2010
Cliche or not, life isn't fair—especially when it comes to the fact that men lose weight so much faster than women, and usually when they're trying only half as hard! Seriously, it's like magic (but more annoying!): A guy will grab his gut, announce that it's got to go, and—presto!—a month later he's a slim Jim. Meanwhile, women toil away at the gym for weeks before seeing a 1-pound difference on the scale. What gives? The editors at SELF decided to investigate, and turns out, guys' slim-down strategies aren't all that complicated—surprise—and they can work for women, too! Steal these firm-up-fast secrets, and share them with your girlfriends. It's time to level the slimming field.
Eat real food
Guys don't usually munch on things like 100-calorie snack packs; research shows men are less likely to eat goods labeled diet or low-cal. And that's fine because you get more nutrients (and avoid unhealthy saturated fat) by fueling up on whole foods, which are also more psychologically filling, says Heidi Skolnik, former team nutritionist for the New York Giants. So that means snacking on nuts, yogurt, hummus, cheese sticks, fruit and vegetables and skipping that totally unsatisfying small serving of crackers? Sign me up!
Have a one-track mind
Whether it's for hitting a golf ball or dieting, men tend to have laserlike focus when they choose to. "They're wired to concentrate on a single thing, whereas the female brain evolved to approach tasks from a wide perspective," according to Helen Fisher, Ph.D., a biological anthropologist at Rutgers University at New Brunswick, New Jersey. So a guy might decide to cut out beer entirely or do a Saturday boot camp; that's his big plan. Most women try to tackle the whole problem at once, vowing to nix all carbs, cut out alcohol, steam every vegetable, and hit the gym daily at dawn. No wonder we fail; it's a chore just thinking about it! Instead, pick your single worst eating habit (diving into the bread basket at dinners out or late-night ice cream binges or fridge raids?) and a challenging fitness goal (attending Spin classes more often?) and attack only those for four weeks. Totally doable, right? Now add a second goal: Keep building on good habits and watch the pounds drop off.
Pump iron
Start thinking of your gym's weight room as the "lose weight" room. Strength training, which only about 17 percent of women do, revs metabolism, torches calories and sculpts sexy muscles. It's so effective, you should think of your current cardio as secondary to strength training, which can be 60 percent of your fitness commitment right now, says Holly Perkins, an ExerciseTV trainer in Los Angeles. Another dude to-do: Spend less time on machines and embrace free weights, especially barbells, which work more muscles. (Borrow these moves from the boys.) And don't be discouraged if the needle on the scale nudges up a smidgen at first: Remember, the muscle you're gaining weighs more than the fat you're losing; you may not drop pounds, but you'll be smaller and leaner—go by how your favorite jeans fit!
Don't (over)think—do
Remember Rocky? The Italian Stallion didn't worry about when or where he'd train or whether he'd win; he began punching sides of frozen beef. "Most men throw themselves into an exercise program without much planning; most women ask a lot of questions and may even overthink things, which can create excuses and lead you to put off starting," says Tracie Rogers, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Arizona School of Health Sciences. Skip right to the action—and results! Why not lace up and go for a quick jog right now? Curious about CrossFit? Sign up for a class right now, and pay so you can't talk your way out of it later. Your new mantra: Try a new fitness class today; pounds gone tomorrow!
Feed your ego
We women are as competitive as guys, but our ego isn't as tied to how fast we run or what we bench-press. Maybe it should be! Turns out, one's ego is a powerful motivator. The next time you have an amazing workout, tell a friend, boast to your brother, post it on Facebook, or even just say to yourself, Boot camp busted my butt today! To pump up your body confidence even more, work out with a superfit friend and don't let her out-exercise you.
Act oblivious
It's no shocker: Men worry less than women do about what random Joe Schmoes think of their body. (Even in the locker room, my husband reports, men of all shapes strut around towelless.) I wish it were as easy as simply deciding to adopt a guy's total body confidence! But flattering workout clothes can nudge your cute-at-the-gym meter enough that—like the guys—you're able to focus more on taking that class, lifting the weights or hitting the pool, all of which will get you fit.
Ditch the dinner drama
A guy sees pizza and thinks, Yum, pizza for dinner. Women think, Uh-oh, pizza is my weakness, or, Ah, pizza will be just the mood booster I need, Skolnik says. One study found that women binge eat more than men do, possibly because we eat to soothe ourselves. And when emotions, not your stomach or brain, drive choices, it can be a diet disaster. Instead, try to think of food as fuel. Take bites because you're hungry or need energy, not because of stress, unhappiness or just plain boredom. Think about what your choices will do for your health and let yourself indulge occasionally without the guilt. Pizza? Yum! Have some, move on.
Guess what else helps guys lose faster? Their attitude and the fact that they give themselves credit for the smallest victories, whereas women have a tendency to be too hard on themselves. "My female athletes become distraught or beat themselves up if they don't notice results right away," says Robert Pennino, president of Terrier Tri coaching in New York City. Ban that thinking! Keep telling yourself that not every day will be a winner but that you will win at weight loss. A skipped jog doesn't mean failure—your next meal or sweat session is another chance to keep at it. And you'll love your results at the finish line!
Monday, November 29, 2010
The secret to the world's best bodies
user
Models flaunt their hard work at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, airing Nov. 30 on CBS. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Victoria's Secret designs the lingerie. Justin Gelband designs the bodies that wear it. At the annual runway show, Gelband's efforts were getting all the attention. He’s been called the Model Whisperer, ever since the label began tasking him with getting models in shape for their epic catwalk. “I started for Victoria’s Secret a few years ago with Angie Lindvall and it just took off from there,” Gelband said yesterday in between preparations for the big event, which airs, Tuesday, Nov. 30 on CBS. This year, he spent the past 12 weeks training eight women for the yesterday's runway Olympics.
Your job is more than just getting women in shape. It's about sculpting the kind of bodies that can really sell a bra. Is there a secret to your formula?
There isn't one. Everybody is different. I build a foundation for each woman. I find out who they are, what they do now and create a new program for them using fundamental exercise programs. I train them at a Mixed Martial Art studio called Mushin in New York City. Each girl has her own specific type of workout. The movements and exercises may be similar in structure, but they are always geared specifically for each girl and her needs.
What are your hours like leading up to the Victoria’s Secret show?
My hours are based upon the girl’s schedules. I am 24/7 and I tend to my girls around the clock. A typical day starts between 6 or 7 am in the gym training and I’m done between 8 and 10 pm.
Does anyone ever break down in the process?
They all have their days of breaking down. These girls weren't all born skinny, they certainly weren't born with perfect bodies and they all have insecurities just like any other women. I think the hardest part of my job is seeing the girls not get a job, magazine or runway they wanted.
How did you get this job?
I must thank the model, Ms. Angela Lindvall, who allowed me the opportunity to get her in shape after bearing her second child. I was living in L.A. at the time, and we had 12 weeks for her to get in shape for the Victoria's Secret show and we did it as a team. From there the word spread. I also had the owner of One model management, Scott Lipps introduce me to Miranda Kerr, a longtime client and friend. Ali, the booker at Women introduced me to Anne V, Irina Shayak and Candice Swanpoel. All of them still train with me to this day.
So what goes into training for the show?
A month or so before the show we fine-tune the girls already healthy eating regimens. My girls love to eat, so we start taking out salty, sugary, carb-laden foods. We up the intensity of our workouts and keep setting and achieving small goals along the way. The 10 day period before the show begins gets really intense and we make sure we are making the most out of each meal and each workout. A balance of protein, fat and carbs is expected from each and every girl. It depends on their body type and their blood type.
Justin’s takeaway tips: Most of us aren't going to be wearing a diamond bra and a pair of wings for an audience of millions any time soon. But that doesn't mean we can't get a "Body by Justin." Here are some tricks of his training trade:
- Go lighter on the legs: Gelband doesn't push the kettle bells or heavy leg weights. Bulking up leg muscles won't create an overall slimming effect. Instead, his leg work-outs rely on balance to develop overall toning. Try Justin's 360 kick exercise.
- Personalize your diet: Gelband designs his diet plans along blood type guidelines. The idea behind it is that your blood type affects the way you digest and metabolize food.
- Posture makes perfect: Core strength doesn't just firm up your midsection, it dictates how you carry yourself. You can have a killer body that's hidden behind a slouching posture. Gelband incorporates both balancing and ab-tightening Pilates routines into his regimen to improve overall posture. Try his Ab Mania workout.
- The 3 best places to tone: Hips, inner thighs and stomach. You don't need to perfect every muscle in your body, just the three biggies. Sculpting these areas is a shortcut to an overall appearance of rock-solid fitness. Try the plank cross for an inner thigh workout.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Exercise May Cut Endometrial Cancer Risk
Nov. 8, 2010 -- Exercising 150 minutes or more every week may reduce the risk of endometrial cancer by a third, according to a study.
Researchers led by Herbert Yu, MD, MSc, PhD, associate professor at Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Conn., compared 668 women with endometrial cancer with 665 women of the same age who did not have the disease. Women answered questionnaires about their lifestyles, environment, and physical and recreational activities.
Based on the survey results, the researchers found that:
- Women who exercised 150 minutes a week or more had a 34% reduction in endometrial cancer even after adjusting for other factors such as body mass index (BMI), a measurement of height and weight.
- When looking at BMI and activity levels, women who were active and had a BMI of 25 or less showed an even greater reduction at 73%.
- Women who were of a normal weight but inactive had a 55% lowered risk, whereas women who were overweight and active had a 38% reduced risk.
The findings were presented at the Ninth Annual American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference held in Philadelphia.
Researchers said the results suggest that both exercise and BMI levels affect endometrial cancer risk and that they also reaffirm earlier findings showing an independent association between exercise and a lowered risk for endometrial cancer.
The CDC recommends adults ages 18 to 64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week and muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups on two or more days a week.
Endometrial cancer is a cancer that forms in the lining of the uterus. The National Cancer Institute estimates there will be 43,470 new cases and 7,950 deaths from endometrial cancer in the U.S. in 2010.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Critical Mass: Making the case for Pacquiao as 'the greatest ever'
By Vanni de Sequera, for Yahoo! Southeast Asia Friday November 19, 2010 12:12 pm PHT
A new book about Manny Pacquiao sheds light on how a once one-dimensional slugger has somehow evolved into the Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee, and Robin Hood of boxing.
Acclaimed sports biographer Gary Andrew Poole traveled the world observing the Pambansang Kamao at the gym, in the ring and behind the scenes of his chaotic personal life. His new book on Pacquiao has been called by critics as an unprecedented "journey to Planet Pacquiao." Vanni de Sequera spoke to the book's author.
"Pacman: Behind the Scenes with Manny Pacquiao-the Greatest Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World", a 248-page book by Gary Andrew Poole, helps us understand how this complex Filipino has managed to subdue the best boxers of his generation.
Poole details how Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao grew up in Sarangani Province in Mindanao, poorer than even the poorest in this desperate "City of Dust." When Pacquiao was barely a teenager, he formed an alliance with fellow young boxer-dreamers in General Santos City. To the author, it was a show of solidarity that would forever define the 90-lb. man-boy.
Those who obsessively follow the exploits of Pacquiao are troubled by questions that hang in the air like yesterday's cigarette smoke. How does a fighter – who began his professional boxing career at 106 lbs. (by loading his underwear during weigh-ins) when only 15 years old (by lying about his age to the Games and Amusements Board) – conquer the kings of boxing, moving up in weight with chin, punch, and speed intact more successfully than any fighter in history. "Pacman: Behind the Scenes…" offers intriguing glimpses into the possible answers.
Trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning expert Alex Ariza, for one, belatedly came into his life. (Or did Pacquiao, with his ferocious sense of destiny, enter theirs?) Also, maybe poverty never gave Pacquiao's insufficiently nourished frame a chance until science-based nutrition triggered his adult growth spurts.
One way or another, Poole has managed to puncture the bubble of the Pacquiao mystique – quite a feat given the boxer's lunatic-fringe entourage. Poole even gingerly devotes a chapter to Pacquiao's alleged romantic relationships.
CRITICAL MASS: Who initially approached you with the idea to write this book?
GARY ANDREW POOLE: About four or five years ago, I was in the Wild Card Boxing Club with Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach. I was covering a different fight, but he kept going on and on about Pacquiao. Roach told me the PacMan might become one of the greatest fighters ever. My ears pricked up. I was in the midst of writing another book, but I started researching Pacquiao, who was not much of a story yet in the United States. I thought he had a compelling story – one that went beyond his athletic feats. It also interested me on another level, something I came to call the "globalization of celebrity."
Boxing, they say, is the sport of the underclass: there have been many success stories about champion fighters whose fighting qualities were honed by abject poverty. What exactly is it about Manny, do you think, that empowered him to transcend merely being a respected titleholder into becoming included in the Greatest-Ever debate?
I think his boxing accomplishments, not his dramatic personal story, put him into the Greatest-Ever debate. He has fought excellent boxers – some of the best of his era. He has fought brilliantly. I just sat ringside as he pummeled Antoino Margarito. It was another virtuoso performance that earned Pacquiao his eighth belt. At fight time, Margarito was 17 pounds heavier than Pacquiao – that's David-and-Goliath-type stuff, and only adds to the Greatest-Ever talk and the mythology around the PacMan. Of course, a win over Floyd Mayweather would leave little doubt about his supremacy.
A few times, you write that Manny is the greatest boxer since Ali. Why do you believe he is superior to Marvin Hagler, Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, and Roy Jones Jr., among others?
Every boxer you named is a legend. Pacquiao? He has the fastest hands ever. He has some of the quickest feet. He has two powerful hands. He has an incredible boxing mind. I think what separates him from those great boxers is his ability to fight and dominate much, much bigger world-class opponents. He is essentially defining this era of boxing. He has become a star of sorts in the United States, but he is a victim of boxing's decline in America. I think that is the reason people are sometimes skeptical of his accomplishments – many Americans, including the US media, haven't followed him as closely as the stars of the past, and so they don't fully appreciate his ring brilliance.
"Pacman: Behind the Scenes with Manny Pacquiao-the Greatest Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World" is now available at all Fully Booked branches in the Philippines.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Knee and Hip Exercises for Osteoarthritis
WebMD Feature
Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
The old slogan, “Move it or lose it,” goes double, or perhaps triple, for people with osteoarthritis.
“Just like for anyone else, physical activity is important for overall health,” says Steffany Haaz, PhD, a health behaviorist at the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center. “But it’s even more important for people with arthritis because there’s disability associated with the condition, both the disability associated with the disease and the disability that happens when a joint doesn’t get exercised. First, you move less because it’s painful, then you start to lose the ability to move. It can become a vicious cycle.”
Years ago, arthritis was treated with rest and immobilization. Scientists have since learned that locking up the joints actually makes them worse.
“There’s a huge body of literature demonstrating that keeping the hips and knees moving, and the muscles around the joints strong, contributes greatly to protecting the joints and staving off additional damage caused by arthritis,” says Linda Arslanian, DPT, MS, director of rehabilitation services at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Of course, it’s not as simple as hopping on the treadmill or hitting the weight room. A healthy 30-year-old might be able to exercise however he pleases, but people with knee and hip osteoarthritis have limitations. Which exercises can you do to make the most of your mobility without increasing pain or risking injury?
“That’s the trick,” says Arslanian. “Some exercises actually can make knee and hip arthritis worse. Those are the ones that create a huge amount of impact loading on the joints -- the ones we call ‘high impact’ activities,” she says.
Exercises to Avoid With OA of the Knee or Hip:
- Running and jogging. “The difference between how much force goes through your joints jogging or running, as opposed to with walking, is sometimes more than tenfold your whole body weight,” says Arslanian.
- Jumping rope.
- High-impact aerobics.
- Any activity where, at any time, you have both feet off the ground at once, however briefly.
Fortunately, that leaves a lot of activities that areOK for people with knee and hip osteoarthritis and that can help keep you mobile. There are three key areas you need to focus on: weight-bearing cardiovascular activity, to keep your bones strong and your heart healthy; muscle strengthening activity, to relieve strain on the joints; and flexibility and range of motion, to help prevent falls and keep your joints mobile.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Good cardiovascular exercises for people with knee and hip osteoarthritis include walking, swimming, and cycling. “Really, it’s anything that you can tolerate that gets your heart rate going,” says Haaz.
If you can take a brisk walk, it can keep you mobile and help to reduce pain. If walking for exercise is too painful, try a recumbent bicycle. “These bikes extend the angle of the joint so that the knee and hip aren’t flexing so much with each rotation, so that it might cause less strain and pain,” Haaz says.
If even the recumbent bike is too much, the swimming pool is your friend. “It feels great on the joints!” Haaz says. “You must find a pool that is heated, because cold water is very painful for arthritic joints. The only downside to swimming is that it doesn’t give you the delay of bone loss that is a key benefit of weight-bearing exercise.”
Muscle Strengthening Activity
You might think that lifting weights would be bad for arthritis, but some studies show that the opposite is true. By strengthening the muscles around the joints, strength training helps to take some of the load off the arthritic joints and relieves pain.
“The job of connective tissue is to hold things together, so you’re losing stability in the joint, part of what’s causing the pain. When you strengthen the muscles surrounding and supporting the joint, you can relieve some of the symptoms,” says Haaz.
In a recent study, older men and women with moderate knee osteoarthritis who went through a 16-week program of strength training reported an average of 43% decrease in pain and gained increased muscle strength, decreased disability, and lessened the clinical signs and symptoms of their disease.
Strength training also lessens the risk of falls, which can be a major risk for people with knee and hip osteoarthritis. A study from New Zealand found that women 80 old and older showed a 40% reduction in falls with simple strength and balance training.
You can also help to prevent falls through the gentle, easy motions of exercises like tai chi and easier yoga classes designed for people with arthritis, which will further improve your balance.
Flexibility and Range of Motion
There are a number of specific exercises that you can do, designed to be easy for people with osteoarthritis, to increase your flexibility and range of motion around your knees and hips.
“We want to do activities without force that bring the hips and knees through the full range of motion in a general, unforced manner, allowing the joint to lubricate itself and help to heal the damage,” says Arslanian. You can do these stretching exercises in a pool, or on a mat near a wall for support.
Before starting an exercise or flexibility training program, check with your doctor. Depending on your ability and comfort level, try these exercises 2 to 3 times per week and gradually work up to doing the exercises daily. Aim to do 2 to 3 sets of 8 repetitions per side.
Hip Exercises
- Leg swings. Simply hold onto the edge of the pool, or the wall if you’re on land, and gently swing your leg out to the side, alternating sides. “The pool is particularly good for this, because the buoyancy assists you and you get a better range of motion, and you also have resistance from the water that makes your muscles do more work,” says Arslainian.
- Leg extensions. In the same position, extend your leg gently backward, alternating legs. As with all range-of-motion exercises, Arslainian advises getting an expert consult before starting out. “If your hip is very tight, and you try to bring it behind you and it doesn’t move backward very well, you can end up overarching your back and causing back problems by doing it incorrectly. You need to be shown how to do it right.”
- Knee rocks. Get down on one knee as if you’re proposing marriage (with a soft mat underneath to cushion your knees). Rock gently forward, keeping your shoulders straight. This stretches the front of the knee while protecting the lumbar spine. Make sure your knee does not extend past your toes as this can strain the knee.
- Straight leg raises. Sit in a chair, straighten one leg, and raise it straight out in front of you. Alternate legs.
- Leg curls. If you are nimble enough, lie on the floor on your stomach, and gently bend your heel back toward your buttocks, making sure to keep your hips on the ground.
All of these exercises should be done without weights, Arslanian advises. “In general, it’s not a good idea to put a weight on the ankle and bend and straighten the knee. That puts a lot of torque on the knee that can exacerbate arthritis. Instead, if you want to add weight, it’s better to use something like the full leg press machine, which has you lie down and push a plate up. With those, your full body weight is somewhat unloaded from the joint.”
Friday, August 27, 2010
Bodybuilding Workouts - Buns and Thigh Specialization Workout Routines for Women
Marcy Porter's Buns and Thighs Specialization Workout Routines
By Hugo Rivera, About.com Guide
Buns and Thighs are one of those areas where we women store the most body fat. The key to losing body fat in these spots is to combine a solid weight training workout routine with cardiovascular exercise and a balanced diet plan.
The weight training will nicely shape up the muscles underneath not only giving you a nice sexy contour in those areas but also increasing your metabolism as muscle burns calories. The metabolic increase will help you with the fat burning process.
The cardiovascular exercise will be the way in which extra calories are burned. In order to lose body fat one needs to create a slight caloric deficit where more calories are burned than what you take in on a given day. So, if for instance, you consume 1300 calories but burn 1500, you are creating a caloric deficit of 200 calories which will force your body to burn body fat. Provided that your macronutrient ratios of carbohydrates, proteins and fats are in order you will keep the muscle as body fat is getting burned, which will ultimately give you the fat free toned and firm look that you want.
Note: For more information on diet plans please take a look at Hugo Rivera's article on Sample Bodybuilding Diet Plans.
Buns and Thighs Workouts
Now that we have talked about the strategy we will use to get your buns and thighs in shape, let's take a look at the weight training workout routines that you will be using. I will present four routines based on your level of training experience.
If you have been training for less than 6 months then please start with the beginner's buns and thighs workout. If you have been training for more than 6 months but less than a year then please use the intermediate workout. For those of you with over a year of experience you can try the advanced workout. For those of you who want to really challenge yourselves and have been training for over a year and a half consistently then you can try one of my own personal workouts.
Workout Notes:
- This routine is to be performed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- Rest no more than 60 seconds in between sets.
- Practice full contraction and full extension on each exercise. Make sure that you perform the exercise through its full range of motion and with a controlled tempo. Take around 2 seconds to move the weight up and 2 seconds to lower it. Concentrate on the muscle being worked.
- Exhale as you bring the weight up and inhale as you bring it down.
Monday Workout
Thighs
Leg Extensions (toes in) 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Dumbbell Squats (Use a medium shoulder width stance and hold dumbbells by the side) 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Buns
Leg Curls 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Butt Blaster Machine 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Calves
Standing Calf Raises 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Wednesday Workout
Thighs
Leg Extensions (toes straight) 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Leg Press (Use a medium shoulder width stance) 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Buns
Standing Leg Curls 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Lunges (One leg at a time holding on to a sturdy object until you learn how to balance yourself; press with heels) 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Calves
Calf Press Machine 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Friday Workout
Thighs
Leg Extensions (toes out) 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Barbell Squats (Use a medium shoulder width stance) 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Buns
Seated Leg Curls 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Wide Stance Leg Press (Use a stance wider than your shoulder width, bring all the way down and then press up with heels) 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Calves
Seated Calf Raise Machine 2 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Buns and Thighs Intermediate Weight Training Workout Routine for Women
Workout Notes:
- Because this routine has more exercises and sets than the beginner one, it will be performed twice a week as opposed to three in order to provide the muscles with more time for recovery. You can perform this routine on Monday and Thursday.
- Rest no more than 60 seconds in between sets.
- Practice full contraction and full extension on each exercise. Make sure that you perform the exercise through its full range of motion and with a controlled tempo. Take around 2 seconds to move the weight up and 2 seconds to lower it. Concentrate on the muscle being worked.
- Exhale as you bring the weight up and inhale as you bring it down.
Monday Workout
Thighs
Leg Extensions (toes in) 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Barbell Squats (medium stance) 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Leg Press (close stance; feet and knees together in order to emphasize outer quads) 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Buns
Lunges (one leg at a time and you may use dumbbells is strong enough) 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Lying Leg Curls 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Calves
Standing Calf Raises 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Seated Calf Raises 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Thursday Workout
Thighs
Leg Extensions (toes out) 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Leg Press (medium stance) 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Barbell Squats (wide stance) 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Buns
Butt Blaster 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Standing Leg Curls 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Seated Leg Curls 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Calves
Calf Raises on Leg Press Machine 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Seated Calf Raises (Toes out) 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Buns and Thighs Advanced Weight Training Workout Routine for Women
Workout Notes:
- Because this routine has more exercises and sets than the intermediate one and its purpose is to sculpt the legs to their best shape ever, it will be performed twice a week but splitting the thigh workout from the buns and calves workout. You can perform this routine on Monday and Thursday. If your buns and calves are more of a problem area than the thighs, then perform this routine on Monday with the Thighs routine on Thursday. Otherwise you can switch Thighs to Monday and Buns and Calves to Thursday. On the example below I will assume that Buns and Calves are more of a problem and thus that routine will be performed on Monday.
- Rest no more than 60 seconds in between sets unless specified otherwise. On trisets, you will perform one exercise, move on to the next one without rest and move on to the last one with no rest. After you are done with the third exercise you will rest for 90 seconds. On supersets the same technique is used but using only two exercises instead.
- Practice full contraction and full extension on each exercise. Make sure that you perform the exercise through its full range of motion and with a controlled tempo. Take around 2 seconds to move the weight up and 2 seconds to lower it. Concentrate on the muscle being worked.
- Exhale as you bring the weight up and inhale as you bring it down.
Buns
Walking Lunges 3 sets of as many steps as you can do.
Lying Leg Curls 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Wide Stance Squats (Pressing with heels) 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Standing Leg Curls 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Butt Blaster 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Calves
Standing Calf Raises 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Seated Calf Raises 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Calf Press 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
Thursday Workout
Thighs
Leg Extensions (toes straight) 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Leg Press Triset: Close Stance 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions (no rest)
Medium Stance 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions (no rest)
Wide Stance 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions (90 second rest)
Squat Superset: Barbell Squats (Medium stance) 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions (no rest)
Barbell Squats (Wide stance) 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions (90 second rest)
Buns and Thighs Professional Weight Training Workout Routine for WomenWorkout Notes:
- Because this routine has more exercises and sets than the intermediate one and its purpose is to sculpt the legs to their best shape ever, it will be performed twice a week but splitting the thigh workout from the buns and calves workout. You can perform this routine on Monday and Thursday. If your buns and calves are more of a problem area than the thighs, then perform this routine on Monday with the Thighs routine on Thursday. Otherwise you can switch Thighs to Monday and Buns and Calves to Thursday. On the example below I will assume that Buns and Calves are more of a problem and thus that routine will be performed on Monday.
- Rest no more than 60 seconds in between sets unless specified otherwise. On trisets, you will perform one exercise, move on to the next one without rest and move on to the last one with no rest. After you are done with the third exercise you will rest for 90 seconds. On supersets the same technique is used but using only two exercises instead.
- Practice full contraction and full extension on each exercise. Make sure that you perform the exercise through its full range of motion and with a controlled tempo. Take around 2 seconds to move the weight up and 2 seconds to lower it. Concentrate on the muscle being worked.
- Exhale as you bring the weight up and inhale as you bring it down.
Buns
Walking Lunges 4 sets of as many steps as you can do.
Lying Leg Curls 4 sets: Hold weight at contracted position for 1 minute and then perform 10-12 repetitions
Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions
Wide Stance Squats (Pressing with heels) 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Standing Leg Curls 3 triple drop sets of 8-12 reps each
Butt Blaster 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Adductor/Abductor Superset 3 sets of 15 reps each.
Calves
Standing Calf Raises 10 sets of 10-15 repetitions (15 sec rest)
Seated Calf Raises 3 sets of 13-15 repetitions
Thursday Workout
Thighs
Leg Extensions (toes straight) 4 sets: hold 1 minute at the top (contracted position) and then perform 10-12 repetitions with that weight
Leg Extensions (toes out) 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions holding the weight up for as long as you can and lowering slowly on the last repetition. Leg Press Triset: Close Stance 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions (no rest)
Medium Stance 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions (no rest)
Wide Stance 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions (90 second rest)
Squat Superset: Smith Machine Squats (Close stance) 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions (no rest)
Smith Machine Squats (Medium stance) 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions (no rest)
Smith Machine Squats (Wide stance) 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions (1 min rest)
Lunges on Smith Machine (one leg at a time) 3 sets of 15 reps (1 min rest)
Step ups 3 sets of 15-20 reps (1 min rest)
Notes on Cardiovascular Exercise
Like I mentioned at the beginning of the article, cardiovascular exercise is essential to help you achieve your goal of a nice and toned physique. I recommend cardiovascular exercise be performed either first thing in the morning on an empty stomach along with a good abdominal routine or right after the workout (though after leg training the last thing you will want to do is cardio).
Below you will find my recommendations on cardiovascular exercise duration and frequency.
- Beginner Level: 3 sessions of 20 minutes each.
- Intermediate Level: 4 sessions of 25-30 minutes each.
- Advanced Level: 5 sessions of 30-35 minutes each.
- Professional Level: 6-7 sessions of 30-40 minutes each.
Conclusion
If you apply the principles and routines laid out in this article I know for a fact thatyou will get those body parts into the shape that you like. Remember though that only applied knowledge is power so only by applying the information that I just shared with you will you be able to accomplish your goals.
Best of luck!
Marcy Porter
IFBB Figure Pro
Marcy Porter is a fitness expert and IFBB Figure Professional who resides in Orlando Florida. Marcy runs a very successful personal training practice helping women achieve their various fitness goals stemming from just losing weight to figure competition. Marcy also owns her fitness site www.MarcyPorter.com where she can be contacted for personal training or fitness modeling opportunities. Currently Marcy is also working on an e-book called "How To Look Like a Fitness Model" where she shares with women how to apply her knowledge from years of training experience to the purpose of losing fat and toning up. She is also a Team Vyotech athlete and she goes to several nutrition stores educating customers on training, nutrition, supplementation and Vyotech products.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Weight Loss Tips
1. Set a goal. Identify your ideal weight and set up a plan to start reaching your goal.
2. Don't be afraid to ask for and get help. You're not going to lose weight alone. Tell you family. Get support.
3. Vitamins are good for you. Modern diets lacks essential vitamins and minerals. Balance your health with the best supplements.
4. Walk the Walk. You burn calories when you walk, did you know that? Keep active and balance your diet with regular exercise.
5. Sleep it off. To be an efficient fat-burning machine, your body requires at leasteight hours of sleep a night. If you think that you're doing yourself a favor by sleeping less, you'ree mistaken.
Fighting The Female “Stubborn Area”
Tips To Transforming The Female Stubborn Areas In Your Lower Body
By Hugo Rivera, About.com Guide
In women, the stubborn areas tend to be the buns, thighs, and the back of the legs. Typically, one achieves a very lean upper body displaying incredible abdominal definition before all the fat in the lower body is burned. Consider that another unique trait of us women.
However, don't despair! The tips below will arm you with the information necessary to incinerate the stubborn fat on your lower body.
Tips To Transforming The Female Stubborn Areas In Your Lower Body
1. Watch your diet; if you don’t stick to a healthful eating plan, you will never see the results you desire.
Diet is the most important ingredient in changing the appearance of your lower body. You can lift hard and do cardio, but you will never see the bodybuilding results that you desire without cleaning up your eating habits. Eating a healthy diet doesn’t have to be dreadful and boring either; educating yourself on the proper foods to eat leaves a long list of delicious choices. Experimenting and learning the best food choices for your body and activity level will almost always leave you satisfied. Make sure that do not exclude any of the major macronutrients because they all have a benefit to the body.
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are essential to any good eating program. Try surviving without one of them and you are guaranteed to be a miserable person. If you are absolutely starving, eat some fibrous vegetables; nobody ever got fat eating their greens. Last, but not least, don’t totally deprive yourself of everything you love; have a treat on occasion, but don’t make it a regular habit.
2.You must lift challenging weights and do essential lower body exercises; cardio alone will not give you a shapely lower half.
Weight training is crucial in transforming your lower body. The biggest misconception that women have is that they will become big and bulky if they do any sort of weighted exercises. Wrong! The complete opposite is true; in order to get rid of bodyfat and attain a sculpted lower half, you need to challenge it through a constantly changing weight routine.
I am here to help you and not to scare you, but if you are carrying a significant amount of bodyfat, you may actually slightly increase in size for a short period of time before becoming smaller. This is a common occurrence that scares many females away from the weight room; knowing ahead of time that this could happen and pushing through this brief period of time will be the best thing that you do. Once the body realizes that you are going to continually challenge your lower half, it will adapt and become leaner and firmer.
The best exercises that any woman can choose to do are:
- Squats: Full squats and parallel squats alone will leave you in awe at how much you can change; your entire lower body will feel the effects of this powerful exercise.
Notes:
I recommend using the squat rack over the smith machine. The squat rack prevents pattern overload syndrome, which can cause chronic injury due to the body constantly recruiting the same muscles, tendons, and ligaments. - Lunges: Walking, stationary, and cross-over lunges are guaranteed to make everything feel firmer.
- Step-ups: After you master the coordination of this exercise, you will notice a difference in your quads and glutes.
- Dead lifts: Mixing up the different variations of dead lifts will target your hamstrings, a place where many women are blessed with cellulite.
A few suggested exercises to incorporate into your routine for occasional isolation are:
Butt blaster, leg press, leg extensions, and hamstring curls
Add the end of this article, I will present my personal leg training routine along with some less advanced ones for those of you who are just beginning.
3. Cardio should be incorporated into your routine, but not in excessive amounts.
Cardiovascular exercise is important to any workout regimen as well. The problem is that women think that doing cardio is the key to becoming looking and feeling leaner. Wrong! I highly recommend cardio, but it should be used for putting the final touches on your physique. After you master the diet and the weight training program then your cardio should be tweaked.
Start off with only about 3-4 days a week worth of cardio. Some of us may need more and some of us less. A good rule of thumb to go by is no longer than 30-45 minutes at the most. Anything longer than that is actually hindering your progress because then you start releasing too much cortisol (an adrenal gland hormone that is released in the precense of too much stress and whose purpose is to store fat and use muscle for fuel!).
Obviously choose the activity that is most enjoyable to you. By picking a cardiovascular activity that you don’t absolutely dread, you will find it easier to stick to your program. Choose some good music too or a good partner.
I have found the most effective butt-blasting cardio activities to be the:
- Stairmill: This machine hits just about every single muscle in your lower body; even after continued use, you will feel the benefit of this equipment. Focus on squeezing your glutes and hamstrings with each step. You can also alter body positions in order to target certain areas. Step facing forward, sideways, and also change stride length and foot positioning.
Notes:
Not recommended for someone with knee problems. - Treadmill set at an incline: Walking alone is a great cardiovascular exercise; however when you set the treadmill at an incline, you are going to get more bang for your buck. By doing this, you are forcing your lower body to work much harder. Set the machine as high as you can tolerate and at a speed that you can maintain without holding on. When first starting out, this might seem awfully difficult, but work towards a goal in small steps. Walk for as long as you can without holding on and then you can grasp the top of the treadmill in order to gain your composure and repeat for as long as necessary. Concentrate on tightening your lower body each time you take a step; by doing this, your glutes will become lifted and your legs will become more lean and defined.
- Elliptical: This piece of equipment is definitely going to make you work hard. It is much easier on the joints than running and will help you to reach your physique goals by constantly challenging almost every inch of your body. You can use this machine and stay at a steady state pace or even throw some intervals into your routine.
If you have stopped progressing and stopped seeing bodybuilding results, it is time to take a risk and change things up. How many times have you seen someone consistently go to the gym, yet look the same month after month? A lot! It might even be happening to you, but you can easily change that. I fully understand the mindset of thinking that certain exercises are bad for you or won’t work for your body type, but how do you really know for sure until you give them a fair chance?
I usually suggest changing your routine every 4-6 weeks depending on your progress. The body adapts to its environment very quickly and constantly needs change. Choose some exercises that you have never done and see how your body reacts; if you don’t like how you are looking or feeling, you can always go back to exercises that are more beneficial to you. The beauty of taking that risk is that you might find certain exercises that take your physique to the next level. You might not benefit from some exercises, but you always have the freedom to stop something if you don’t like it.
I recommend not only taking a risk with your weight training routine, but with cardio as well. Far too often gym goers stick to the same machine day after day because of fear that they won’t see results from another piece of equipment. Hop on another machine and it is almost guaranteed that you will see some results. The human body loves a good challenge and usually rewards you with a changing figure.
5. Be patient; the best results never happen overnight
Now that you have some suggestions on how to fight the female “stubborn area,” challenge yourself to try at least one new thing at the gym this week. You might not notice changes right away, but stick with it for a few weeks and then assess your progress. It took time to add the unwanted weight to your figure so it will definitely take time to achieve results. It is better for you both mentally and physically to gradually slim down; if you attain results slowly, you are more likely to keep the weight off over time. If sculpting a sexy lower half were easy for us women, it wouldn’t be called the “stubborn area.”
6. Last, but definitely not least, ditch the scale! Don’t get caught up in trying to lose pounds; focus more on losing body fat and trimming down areas of your body that you aren’t completely happy with. Who really cares how much you weigh; for example, you can weigh 140 pounds yet look like someone else that weighs 120 pounds. Your body composition is far more important than that meaningless number on that piece of metal or plastic sitting in the bathroom. The scale doesn’t know if you have fat or muscle so why bother playing mind games with yourself. If you absolutely must weigh yourself, don’t do it more than once every two weeks. Use your clothing and the mirror to assess your progress.
Remember, it doesn’t always have to be called your “stubborn area!” Work hard and believe; your lower half may eventually end up being your best asset!
Sample Female "Stubborn Area" Workouts
Beginner Buns and Thighs Routine
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Leg Extensions 2 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Leg Curls 2 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Full Squats 2 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Lunges 2 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Intermediate Buns and Thighs Routine
Monday
Leg Extensions 3 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Leg Curls 3 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Full Squats 4 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Lunges 4 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Friday
Full Squats (Using Wide Stance) 4 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Leg Extensions 3 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Stiff Legged Deadlifts 3 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Step Ups 4 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
My Personal Advanced Buns and Thighs Routine
Monday
Leg Extensions 4 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Standing Leg Curls 4 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)
Full Squats (Using Wide Stance) 5 sets of 10-15 reps (1 minute rest)
Hack Squats 4 sets of 10-12 reps close stance followed by 10-12 more reps using a duck stance (1 minute rest)
Friday
Full Squats 5 sets of 8-12 reps (1 minute rest)
Leg Extensions 4 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Stiff Legged Deadlifts 4 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)
Walking Lunges 4 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Step Ups 3 sets of 15-18 reps (1 minute rest)
Note:
Keep in mind that I like variety and therefore my advanced routine gets changed on a weekly basis using the exercises recommended in this article.
About The Author
Heather Wojdyla is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science/Adult Fitness from the University of Tampa. She has numerous years of training experience and has competed successfully as a natural competitor in various Figure competitions at the State and National level. Heather is currently working on her first women's fitness book.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Start Roughing It
Tue, Jul 22, 0010
It's no secret that fiber is essential, possibly reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes, as well as helping us keep our appetites—and waistlines—in check. The mystery seems to be how to get enough of it. Most women consume only half the recommended 21 to 25 g daily. Try these six options for something jazzier than brown rice.
SPIKE SMOOTHIES WITH CHOCOLATE
A tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder has 2 g of fiber, plus it contains less saturated fat than dark chocolate bars and none of the added sugars.
TOSS MUSHROOMS INTO SOUP
Rehydrate dried shiitakes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then chop and add to your favorite soup for 3 g of fiber per ounce, plus lentinan, a compound that may have anticancer properties.
ADD EDAMAME TO STIR-FRIES
Brimming with folate, a B vitamin that may protect women from pancreatic cancer, and 4 g of fiber per ½ cup, boiled soybeans complement any Asian flavor.
MIX OATS INTO MEAT LOAF
Instead of nutritionally inferior bread crumbs, use 2/3 cup rolled oats per pound of meat as a binding agent. In addition to 5.5 g of fiber, they contain magnesium, a mineral that may slash diabetes risk.
MAKE PUMPKIN-PIE OATMEAL
Combine 1/3 cup canned pumpkin, 1 cup oatmeal, 1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and spices of your choice, like cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice. The pumpkin adds nearly 2.5 g of fiber and loads of immunity-boosting vitamin A.
SPRINKLE WHEAT GERM INTO PANCAKES
Rich in selenium, which could cut skin cancer incidence by about 60%, ½ cup of wheat germ packs 4 g of fiber. Add it to any batter recipe.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
40 Foods with Superpowers
By: Adam Baer
Popping a daily multivitamin might be worthwhile as "health insurance," but let's face it: Eating real food is a lot more fun than gobbling supplements. Besides, you can get most, if not all, of the nutrients essential to good health by selecting the right combination of foods. You just have to know where to look.Start with the 40 body-boosting superfoods listed here. And for even more must-have eating tips for your heart, bones, muscles, brain—even your sex life—pick up a copy of Your Best Body at 40+ today! It's packed with muscle-sculpting workouts and no-nonsense nutrition advice that will help you get in the best shape of your life in just 4 weeks.
Overview