Fitness and Health Advice

The Top Ten Ways to Jump Start Your Weight Loss By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:29:00 +0000

1. Eat protein at every meal, including breakfast.

2. Eliminate wheat and flour-based products for the time being. And yes, that definitely includes bread and pasta.

3. Eat unprocessed foods. Ninety percent of what you eat should be a combination of (in this order of importance) raw vegetables, steamed vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and maybe a few fruits if necessary.

4. Reduce starch to one portion a day, and don't eat that portion during your evening meal. Best choices are beans, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal.

5. Don't overdo fruit - one a day maximum, and only the low-sugar, high-fiber variety. Apples, pears, plums and berries all are good choices. For now, fruit should be eaten alone or with something light, like low fat nuts. Lose the fruit juice completely.

6. Reduce or eliminate dairy for the time being, especially cow's milk. Exceptions: reasonable amounts of low sugar, fat free yogurt.

7. Lose the booze. Despite what the "studies" say, you lose no health benefits by giving up alcohol (including wine). There is nothing essential in alcohol that you can't get in fruits and vegetables without all the bad side effects that go along with it.

8. Stop using vegetable oils such as sunflower, safflower and corn. The supermarket kind is highly refined, and it oxidizes easily when heated, contributing to arterial plaque. Use olive oil instead, and apply it to food after the food is cooked when possible.

9. Watch which types of fat you're eating. The amount of fat you eat is probably less important than the kind of fat you eat. The worst are fried foods, margarine and foods that contain hydrogenized or partially hydrogenized oils. The best is omega-3, found in fish and flaxseed oil.

10. Obsessively drink water - At least 8 ounces for every 20 pounds of bodyweight you're now carrying around, each day. Every day. No excuses.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism".

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

Keeping Fit as You Age By Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:20:00 +0000

It's a commonplace observation that as you age you have to work harder to keep the pounds off and to stay fit. One major reason is the inescapable biological fact that metabolism slows as we age. Inescapable for now, at least, until medical technology finds some safe way to alter it.

Genetic research into aging is trying, in a way, to do just that. Several studies in the last two decades have pointed to hints about precisely what causes aging. If they get sufficient knowledge of the subject, there is some hope of altering the situation.

Until then, there are several things a sensible person can do to stay trim, flexible and within a healthy weight or body fat percentage range. At any age, diet and exercise are the twin partners required to achieve those goals.

For some, working out an hour per day every day - a five-mile run, a long swim, hitting every station on the weight machine - is still feasible. Others will have to adjust their routine to what is realistic for their own circumstances. Don't ignore the signals that will help guide you to do that. Mild discomfort is to be expected, especially the day after a vigorous workout. Extreme pain is a sign something is wrong.

There are dietary changes that will be needed, too.

As we age there's a greater temptation to indulge in tasty, but high sugar, high fat foods. We see it as a reward for all the years of hard work and dietary discipline. Unfortunately, we pay a higher price later in life for those than we did in our 20s or 40s.

An occasional dessert is actually healthy, both for your state of mind and the sugar and fat. Both are essential compounds in moderation, though simple sugars are preferable to complex and unsaturated fats are preferable to saturated fats. Sugar is essential to generating the energy needed for all biological processes. 'Good' fats help regulate hormones, neural processes and other vital activities.

Staying active is equally as important as the proper diet. A good walk helps keep the cardiovascular system in working order. Mild stress on the muscles and joints keeps them lubricated and firm. Both muscle mass and bone density reduce dramatically in sedentary individuals.

Studies show that a sedentary 65 year old will have (on average) only 60% of the aerobic capacity of a 30 year old. Those who do no strength training lose muscle mass equivalent to seven pounds per decade. But those statistics are not written in stone. Exercise can help improve them tremendously.

Studies at various universities carried out for 25 years show that runners who continued to train kept almost all their capacity of 20 years previous. Those who engaged in resistance training maintained muscle mass equal to that of ten years earlier. Use it or lose it.

A person who has been idle, but suffers no debilitating disease, can reverse their odds. Start slow and think long term. Pain from overdoing it is one of the leading causes influencing people not to stick with it. Take long walks, and then work up to more vigorous activities under the guidance of a professional.

Live a long and healthy life, not just a long one.
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Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Leg Exercises By Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:13:00 +0000

What kind of leg exercises you do will of course depend on your goal. Are you trying to build massive thighs or heart-shaped calves? Do you want to build strength, increase running endurance or improve balance and flexibility? Are you a weight-lifter, a jogger or a ballerina?

Naturally, not all goals are mutually exclusive. Building strength can combine well with improving balance, for example. Having toned, strong leg muscles helps keep joints stable and improves appearance.

Remember that any strenuous exercise should be done only after a warm-up period that includes stretching.

Spinning ...

One of the best exercises for toning and strengthening leg muscles is 'spinning', using a stationary bike. Using an ordinary bicycle is good too, but the exercise is less controllable and involves a lot of other muscle groups.

A 15-minute spin will help tone the calves, hamstrings and quads, improve joint flexibility and (sometimes) reduce cellulite and fat. It's also a great cardiovascular activity so you get two for the price of one when you spin.

Knee Exercises ...

If you want something a little less vigorous, say you only want to help strengthen the knee, here are a couple of options.

This first one is really good for those who suffer from conditions such as chondromalacia patella. That's a roughening of the cartilage underneath the kneecap, sometimes as the result of the bones not sitting properly in the 'V' of the knee joint.

Sit in a chair, back straight but not tensed. Your leg should be bent at 90 degrees, the thigh parallel to the ground, the lower leg vertical. Tense the thigh, hold for 5 seconds then release. Switch legs and repeat. Do 10 reps for each leg. Easy, huh!

Be sure to breathe normally during the exercise.

Another exercise does a little more to build strength in the muscles that control bending at the knee.

Sit up straight and breathe normally, then cross your legs at the ankle. Push forward with the rear leg and back with the front leg. (A little tricky at first, but think about it!)

Switch legs by reversing the direction of the cross. If the right leg was in front, move it to the rear. Repeat the exercise 10 times for each position.

Calf Burns ...

Now for something a little more strenuous.

Depending on your balance and the surface you're standing on, you may need to do this on a mat or carpet, or on a wooden floor. Avoid using a cement or metal floor.

Stand up straight, heels together, toes slightly apart. Make sure you are well balanced.

Lift the heels, balancing on the balls of your feet. Imagine a string attached to the center of your head pulling you up. Hold for 5 seconds, and then lower slowly. Repeat 10 times. Over time, as you build strength and balance, increase the length of time you're on the balls of the feet.

Vary the action by bending slightly at the knee while you still have the heels raised. This will bring the thighs (quadriceps or 'quads' and hamstrings) as well as the buttocks into play. Straighten up, and then lower the heels. Repeat 10 times.

Among the many health benefits of strong, flexible legs there is one that is especially important for the older crowd. Many falls lead to broken hips, one of the leading causes of severe health problems for the elderly. A long-term practice of keeping the legs in shape will help prevent this later in life.
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Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

Sponsor Message: If you've not done so already, grab your copy of the world wide best-seller 'Maximize Your Metabolism' by fitness expert, speaker, and author Christopher Guerriero.

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Excess Candida Equals Excess Body Weight, and Mental Depression -- By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:25:00 +0000

The most common place that Candida overgrowth appears is in your intestines, but it can easily spread throughout your entire body. Excess Candida causes a whole host of horrible side effects like:

- headaches
- excess gas
- bloating due to the poor digestion of foods
- food cravings
- constipation
- cramps
- PMS
- allergies
- weight gain
- the inability to lose weight even on a good diet
- yeast infection
- acne
- fatigue
- depression
- stress
- and so much more...

But there are ways that you can help your body to fight off and clean out much of this matter.

First and foremost, you should clean out your digestive system with a thorough vegetable juice cleanse. When cleansing to make your digestive system healthy again, you should follow a juice cleanse for at least 10 days (up to 30 days).

Your lifestyle may make it difficult for you to just consume freshly squeezed vegetable juice all day long - but you can get by simply by adding 2 or 3 fresh vegetable juices to each day, and eating normal for the rest of the day. Explicit guidelines for creating a great juice cleanse can be found on The Total Body Transformation.

After you've cleansed your body, follow these guidelines:

(1) Avoid added sugars (including fructose, honey, molasses, fruit-juice sweeteners, etc.) and all sugar-sweet foods and snacks, including cakes, cookies, candies, desserts, sodas, fruit-juice and ice-cream, even if they're made with sugar-substitutes like saccharine or aspartame (these substances may cause problems for some people who are allergic or sensitive to them). Stevia extract, which is a natural sweetener, is fine. If you can cut out sugars for 3 days, their "spell" will be broken and you will be able to resist them quite easily.

(2) Avoid white-starch foods, like white bread, cakes, cookies, white pasta, white rice, potatoes, and all refined flours, etc. Whole-grain flour, in moderation, is acceptable, unless you are a 'carbohydrate addict'; also whole-grain brown or wild rice, whole-grain pasta (usually available in the deli section of supermarkets), etc.

(3) Avoid all dairy products, except eggs.

(4) Increase your intake of essential oils, esp. omega-3 oils, which are very lacking in the western world's diet. These include: Fish oils, Flax-seed, borage and evening primrose oils. One tablespoon or three capsules of any of these, twice daily is the norm. Some of these oils can be used as salad-dressing, instead of olive or canola oil, or on whole-grain breads instead of butter.

(5) Add Acidophilus (or Primadophilus), to your diet, after breakfast and after supper daily.

These 5 tips along with a healthy diet like that laid out in The Total Body Transformation should do the trick in helping you clean out any Candida overgrowth.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism".

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

What's Your Body pH (Acid Level)? By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:05:00 +0000

A Dr. by the name of Dr. Morter discovered a very simple, yet effective way to test your body's pH level using little pieces of pH paper that you place into your mouth (if testing using your saliva) or in a stream of urine (if testing using your secretions).

It's vital to know your body's pH, but it far more important to know how to control your ph level.

You see, if your body becomes too acidic you'll be more prone to catching colds, to getting diseases, to getting fat, to being tired, sluggish, fatigued, stressed, and full of body aches and pains.

Your body becomes acidic in many ways, but some of the most common ways are:

- Watching or reading the news - yes, you heard me right, watching the nightly news can make your body acidic and when your body is acidic it retains fat - so watching the news can make you fat - OK that's a stretch, but inadvertently anything that causes your body to becomes acidic will eventually make you fat, stressed, and unhealthy.

- A diet that lacks raw vegetables.

- A diet high in starches, fat, sugar, and/or processed foods.

- Lack of exercise

- Stress at work - in fact, you can change your body from a healthy alkaline state to an unhealthy acid state within seconds simply by letting yourself get upset or frustrated, and when you allow yourself to get into this acid state your body immediately becomes less healthy and your metabolism immediately gets adversely effected.

OK, now how can you stop all this acid living and start living an alkaline lifestyle which is conducive to health, weight loss, and proper energy levels - simply do the following:

1.) Add more raw vegetable to your diet (at least 3 servings per day).

2.) Drink more plain, fresh water (preferably distilled)

3.) Try to eat mostly organic foods

4.) Exercise at least 3 times per week, preferably 5 times per week - and don't over exercise because if you push yourself too hard you'll actually reverse the benefits of exercise and make your body highly acidic.

5.) Avoid all soft drinks.

6.) Avoid all white flour products and all white sugar products.

7.) Avoid dairy products except for eggs

8.) Avoid stressful situations whenever possible

9.) Spend at least 5 minutes in the morning, 5 minutes in the afternoon, and 5 minutes in the evening thinking about all the blessings that you have in your life.

10.) Practice some deep breathing exercises like those found in chapter 11 of MaximizeYour Metabolism.

11.) Consume a 'greens drink' like the one called Mega Greens.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism". Take a moment to learn about Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program.

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

Losing Those Stubborn Pounds By Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:44:00 +0000

During any exercise and diet regimen, losing the first few pounds is often very easy. That's good because it's a great motivator when you see results right away. But as you lose more, the rate of loss, and the speed with which you see visible effects, slows down. It's hard to keep going when you aren't seeing the benefits.

But don't lose heart. It's natural that initial efforts at a certain level will get you only 80% of the way there. The other 20% is going to come harder. That's just the way things are. There are techniques that can help you get that last 20% - and, more importantly, keep 100% of the results over the long term.

Sometimes the difficulty in shedding that last 10 or 20 pounds can be loss of willpower. After achieving so much, it can be easy to say 'that is good enough'. If so, that may be ok. You may validly choose to reevaluate your goals and decide that it truly is good enough.

But beware of long-term effects...

One long-term effect is the difficulty of maintaining staying power for other goals. If you develop a habit of giving up before the job is complete, it becomes that much more difficult to stick with it the next time. On the upside, if you do go that last mile, the positive morale boost is a great reinforcer.

The other possibility in giving up too easily and too soon can be a greater difficulty in keeping the weight off. The earlier you let go of your original goal without achieving it, the more likely you are to gain at least some of that weight back. Sticking with it helps keep those hard earned results permanently.

There are physiological reasons as well why that last 20% can be tough. Some bodies just reach a natural plateau. It can be just a stopping point on the way to a higher peak, however. It's difficult to know for sure unless you keep climbing.

You may have slacked off of the length of exercises, or it may just require a longer period to get the same results. By analogy, it's easy to scoop peanut butter out of a full jar, but getting those last bits is harder and takes longer.

If you've been doing cardio 30 minutes a day, three days a week, you may need to extend it to four or five days. That's usually preferable to extending the length of the workout. You can begin to get close to the injury zone if you work yourself too hard during a given workout. But, you can up it to 45 minutes with minimal risk, if you judge that you still have that much more to give.

You may need to increase the intensity, at least for a while. Getting the heart rate up from 65% to 75% of maximum is one possible way. Here again, be careful of overdoing it. You don't want to achieve those weight loss goals at the cost of serious risk to your overall health.

You may have to try some new exercises. Muscles adapt. Trying some new ones works those that may have been getting less than the most strenuous workout while you were achieving that 80%.

Keep at it until you hit your final desired goal, and then keep it steady. Long-term results require a permanent lifestyle change.
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Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Stretching Exercises for Any Sport By Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:35:00 +0000

Being flexible -- having well lubricated joints and stretchable muscles -- is one of the best ways to reduce the prospect of injury and give you the basis for a wide variety of workout routines.

Your overall goal is to attain good range of motion, while gradually extending that range to a degree appropriate to your fitness level and body type. There are several different ways to accomplish that goal, and you should use at least a few of them before every workout.

Warm-ups are fundamental. Cold muscles are much more likely to tear and lead to stretched or torn cartilage and other harmful results. Warm-ups and stretches help produce the fluid that lubricates the joints, and it helps the muscles become more elastic. Those both lead to safer, higher performance workouts.

Ten to fifteen minutes is the minimum for most people. Low-impact jogging in place, simple stretches and other techniques can do this.

Static stretching, for example, is the old-fashioned stretch and hold for 30 seconds. This should be done with the arms, trunk, legs and neck. Dynamic stretching and ballistic stretching involve more active, bouncing-style or weight-assisted stretching, sometimes with extra force applied. Both types are helpful.

Some dynamic stretches involve holding the arms out to the side, then swinging them back and forth across front of the body, repeating for 30 seconds. Another technique involves using a short bar across the neck, lying on the shoulders. Place your hands on the bar, and then bend slowly left, then right, moving the head toward the outer edge of the foot.

Abdominal muscles can be prepared by lying backwards on a large rubber ball. Push back slowly and raise the arms above your head. Repeat 10 times. Loosen your hamstrings by lying on your back, and raising one outstretched leg using a large towel wrapped around the foot. Grab the ends and pull up slowly. Switch legs, and then repeat for 10 reps.

Lying on your back and bringing both knees to the chest, hands clasped behind the knees, accomplish a full back stretch. Roll forward until your feet hit the floor, then roll back until the head touches. Do 10 rolls.

Groin stretches can be done safely by using a large rubber ball. Place one knee on the ball and slowly rotate the ball a few inches away from your body. Move the ball back toward your body, and then switch legs. Do 10 movements.

Both the legs and back muscles can get a good warm-up stretch by doing toe taps. Stand up straight, feet apart about shoulder width. Lean forward, touching the big toe on one foot with the opposite hand - left hand to right foot, and vice-versa. Those with lower back problems should consult a trainer or physician before attempting these.

For maximum flexibility, stretching routines should be carried out at least a few times per week. This will help maximize the range of motion and decrease the potential for injury.
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Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

Sponsor Message: If you've not done so already, grab your copy of the world wide best-seller 'Maximize Your Metabolism' by fitness expert, speaker, and author Christopher Guerriero.

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

The Body's Energy System By Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:51:00 +0000

Some of the major goals of exercise are to improve muscle tone, strength, and endurance.

All of this is made possible by, and requires, the body's energy production-and-use system. Central to that system is a complex molecule called ATP, Adenosine Triphosphate.

ATP is a core element of a process known in biochemical studies as (ready for it?): the tricarboxylic acid cycle, or the Kreb's cycle. But don't worry about the complicated names. The basic ideas are very simple.

Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars, which produce ATP. Simple sugars break down more easily and therefore, on average, more quickly.

Complex carbohydrates take longer - and therefore supply the body with a longer lasting storehouse of compounds needed to produce ATP.

Sugar, per se, is not bad, only excess sugar, consumed in unhelpful forms, can lead to poor health effects.

ATP is broken down into ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) and releases energy in the process. ADP later in the process then picks up the needed molecules to produce more ATP. That's why it's known as a cycle, since the process 'cycles around' to the beginning and starts over. That energy is used to maintain and repair cells, fuel respiration and organ systems and - more to our purpose here - produce the energy needed to fuel muscle contractions.

As byproducts of the cycle, heat and carbon dioxide are produced. The heat is eliminated by a number of means, including respiration and sweating. The carbon dioxide is carried through the system and some of it is expelled during respiration.

In order to carry out exercise, one essential element of which is muscle contraction, ATP must be produced continuously over varying stretches of time. In order to carry out this task, the body actually has three different ATP producing systems, with different production rates.

The phosphagen system replenishes ATP quickly, but only for short periods. That aids sprinters, fast-twitch fibers and other short-term uses.

The glycogen-lactic system produces more slowly, but lasts up to 90 seconds or so. Aerobic respiration (normal oxygen breathing) makes ATP the most slowly, but can continue indefinitely.

As you exercise, ATP is consumed. That's one of the chief reasons you have to eat - in order to replenish the building blocks that can produce more ATP. Once you have more ATP, you have the basic molecule needed to engage in exercise and we're back where we began.

The body is an amazing, self-regulating complex of interconnected systems. None is more fascinating or central than the way it produces and consumes energy, an essential component of life itself.
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Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Sponsor Message: If you've not done so already, grab your copy of 'Maximize Your Metabolism' by fitness expert, speaker, and author Christopher Guerriero.

Upper Body Exercises By Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:51:00 +0000

Most upper body exercises have as their goal to build strength. In order to maximize the beneficial effect of the routine, you'll want to mix in some good cardiovascular workouts - spinning, jogging, etc - and alternate the activities with lower body work.

Before starting any routine, be sure to spend at least 10 minutes warming up, including good stretching exercises. Warm, loose muscles are much less likely to tear themselves or attached tendons. Also, you'll want to get the circulatory system activated and muscle temperature increased for good blood flow.

How much weight to use, how many reps to perform and other variables are determined by your overall goals. Do you want to build muscle mass or just tone? For more mass, use more weight. For better tone, use less weight and do more reps. Do you want to increase flexibility and overall fitness or prepare for specific events?

In any case, these traditional exercises will help you get started down that road. Some can be performed without equipment; others require only a very simple set of free weights or resistance equipment. Resistance equipment includes rubber straps with handles, springs and others that work primarily by offering resistance to tension. Weights work primarily by providing compression and/or tension due to gravity.

Warning: Never exercise 'through the pain'. Mild discomfort - especially after a prolonged period of inactivity - is normal. But intense pain is a sign of trouble. Consult your physician.

Push-Ups

Even with all the contemporary sports science around, traditional push-ups remain an excellent upper body exercise. Start on your stomach, back straight, feet together, hands under the shoulders. Press against the floor, keeping your back and legs straight, then lower yourself back to the floor. For a little extra effort push-up, slow the action down and both raise and lower more slowly.

Try to do 20, and then build up to 40, then to 80 push-ups.

More Chest Work

Start with 10 lb (4.5 kg) hand-held dumbbells. Flat on your back on a comfortable surface, such as a carpet or mat, hold the weights in each hand, palms up, arms extended perpendicular from the body. Lift slowly and bring the hands together.

To vary the action, and get the biceps a good workout, too, try bending at the elbow when the arms are raised about 20 degrees, then straighten and continue.

Lats

Stand up straight, arms at your side, grasping the dumbbells. Maintain good balance and breathe normally. At the maximum point of inhalation, thrust the arms away from the body, palms inward. Exhale as you raise your arms to shoulder height, then lower your hands slowly back to the starting position.

To vary the exercise, and get the biceps and triceps involved, rotate the weights and curl your arms up at the top of the swing. Straighten the arm, and then lower as described above.

Do 10 reps.

(Note: The 'lats' or latissiumus dorsi' are the large, side muscles that make men triangle-shaped.)

Biceps and Triceps

Move the weights in front of the body, with your arms hanging above the front of your thighs. Without swinging or pushing off the thighs, lift the weights toward your chest. Alternate using one arm, then the other.

Do 10 reps for each arm. If you experience lower back pain during the exercise, stop immediately. Put off the exercise until another day, or see your physician.

Exercises for the lats or biceps can be done with free weights or using a long, elastic resistance strap. Hook one end with the foot and grab the other with your hand. Proceed as described above.

Pull-ups / Chin-ups

If you have access to a sturdy bar, either in the gym or at a playground, or at home in a doorway, you can perform chin-ups and pull-ups. Chin ups are done with the fingers toward you; pull-ups with the fingers facing away, while your hands grasp the bar above your head.

This low-tech exercise remains one of the best ways to build biceps, triceps, lats and pectorals all at once.

No matter what routine you choose, don't overdo it. Build up your strength gradually. One of the most common reasons people don't continue workouts is pain produced from incorrect technique or excessive effort exerted too early in the process.
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Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Warm-ups for Optimal Workouts By Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:01:00 +0000

Static and dynamic stretching are two elements in a warm-up routine that help prevent injury and maximize performance. But, consider, why do we warm-up at all? And, are there other aspects to a good warm-up routine?

By performing warm-up routines, you actually do literally just that - warm up the body. Internal body temperature can't raise by a large amount, or you would have all the symptoms of a fever.

Nevertheless, the temperature in the muscles can, and should, be raised slightly in order to dilate blood vessels and loosen muscles.

That dilation leads to greater blood flow, which helps oxygenate muscles and remove the waste products of cellular activity.

Warm muscles are looser, more supple and flexible. That reduces stiffness and lowers resistance to larger movements. That helps reduce the risk of injury and prepares the body for high-performance activity.

A good warm-up also raises the heart rate, respiratory capacity and the overall metabolic level.

Among other benefits, this helps deliver nutrients to muscles that will be useful for the workout to come.

Warm-ups help lubricate joints, too, as well as lowering the risk to stretched tendons and tears.

No matter what kind of sport or workout you favor, having a well-functioning cardiovascular system and supple joints and muscles are essential for peak performance and low risk of injury.

A 10-15 minute warm-up period, including static and dynamic stretching activities, should be a low-intensity version of the routines that will be undertaken when the warm-up is complete.

Focus the non-stretching aspect of your warm-up more on the specific types of movement called for by the sport or activity you plan to engage in.

If you plan to jog five miles, take a brisk walk, followed by a few gentle laps of a hundred yards or less. If you plan to play tennis or golf, spend a few minutes on low-speed, low-impact swings.

As you progress through the warm-up, gradually increase the speed and range of movement. This helps prepare the body and mind both.

Making the increase gradual helps increase the cardio and lung systems, and slowly cranks up needed body chemicals systems without depleting them. It helps gear up the mind for a high performance routine or sports event, in a way that static or even dynamic stretches won't.

Like any physical activity, don't overdo it. Don't warm-up too much or too fast. The idea is to prepare the body for a workout, not perform one.

At the end, you'll be ready to perform the sport or workout of your choice at peak level with minimal risk of injury.
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Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Sponsor Message: If you've not done so already, grab your copy of the world wide best-seller 'Maximize Your Metabolism' by fitness expert, speaker, and author Christopher Guerriero.

What Good is Sweat? Reasons for sweating -- By Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:31:00 +0000

Perspiration isn't generally considered desirable. It makes clothes wet and uncomfortable, it makes our skin unpleasant to touch and it often smells bad. But the biological fact is that sweating is essential to good health, especially during exercise.

Why?

Humans take in and use water for a number of important physiological functions. It provides a medium for cells and tissues. It makes possible the transport throughout the body of important elements or compounds like sodium and sugar not to mention forming part of the blood that moves them. It provides structural cohesion and lubrication between all parts. But there's one more highly important function it helps perform: temperature control.

Homeostasis is the body's ability to keep certain processes and factors in equilibrium; this is not too far from a central point. Body temperature is one key item among those. When body temperature gets too high, we experience fever and ultimately heat stroke. If it's too low, we get chills. Both are signs that the body is in a less than ideal state.

One major reason is that all chemical reactions within the body have to take place within a very narrow range in terms of rate. Compounds have to be used and produced at just the right quantities within a certain time in order to proceed properly, or at all. Temperature, for very basic physical chemistry reasons, is a key factor in controlling that rate.

So how does sweat play a role in that?

Perspiring does not occur primarily in order to keep the amount of fluid in homeostasis - urination does that, along with breathing (though sweating plays a small part). But it has a huge effect on body temperature. As we exercise, chemical reactions speed up and mechanical motion is taking place. Both those produce more heat energy, which raises the internal temperature.

But the body is constantly seeking homeostasis: an equilibrium within a narrow range around a central point. For humans, that is 98.6F/37C on average - a small deviation is within normal range. As we sweat, the excess heat energy is moved from inside the body to the outside, along the surface of the skin, carried along with the perspiration.

Outside the body a physical principle is at work - Newton's Law of Cooling. Inside too, but never mind for now. Ignoring advanced mathematics, it says essentially that warmer bodies lose heat to cooler ones. We get cooler; the air gets a little warmer. Air molecules collide with the sweat molecules and pick up some of the heat energy they contain. That lowers the temperature of the sweat, lowering our temperature in the process (on the outside).

The net effect is to take excess heat on the inside and move it to the outside, somewhat like a home air conditioner or a car radiator. That helps keep the internal temperature at a constant 98.6F/37C.

That process takes place with breathing and just simple exposure. But sweating makes the process much more efficient, since water can carry a lot more heat than air does alone.

So, though it may have its unpleasant aspects, be thankful you perspire. After all, if you lacked sweat glands like your dog does, you'd look very silly panting.
______________
Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Stress and Your Health by Dr. John Spencer Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 08:19:00 +0000

Some effects believed to be linked to stress have not been borne out by research. Ulcers, in particular, were thought to be caused by stress. Though the acid produced during moments of stress may increase discomfort, contemporary research points more to genetic factors in combination with certain stomach viruses as the likely culprit.

But evidence is accumulating that some health effects are strongly influenced by stress.

Some of the more elementary and obvious effects of stress are well known. Headaches, excessive muscle tension, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, interrupted digestion, and other symptoms are often recognized. But there are longer-term, and more serious, potential consequences from chronic stress.

Just as one example, several studies undertaken at the National Institutes of Health and elsewhere strongly suggest that stress has an effect on the immune system. Interestingly, the effect is sometimes positive, sometimes negative.

Since stress, in one definition, is just a person's 'fight or flight' response to a perceived threat, it can have a positive effect. It triggers the release of biochemicals that can help heal infections from bites, punctures or other damage. That makes sense if you consider how evolution might have tailored the immune system to deal with these problems.

But when that response persists over a long period of time, the effects can be harmful.

One result is that the immune system actually decreases in effectiveness. This is logical if you consider that once those chemicals are depleted, but have nothing to act on and hence dissolve, they can't readily be produced again when there is something to counteract. The result is a higher susceptibility to infection and a lowered resistance to colds and other virus induced illnesses.

The other result is a general fatigue and sometimes depression. When a person is stressed for long-periods, there is a feedback between one part of the cause - the belief that no action is possible to overcome the stress initiating events - and the effects. In other words, the belief becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Another impact on health caused by chronic stress is a compromised circulatory system. When stress hormones released by the 'fight or flight' trigger don't get used up by physical activity, they can cause actual physiological stress on the body.

High blood pressure increases physical tension on the walls of blood vessels. When the body reacts to heal the micro-tears that sometimes result, scar tissue can be produced. That decreases the ease of blood flow through them.

If carried to an extreme or for a long enough period, or for individuals at risk for genetic or age reasons, heart attacks can occur. As the blood vessels narrow, the heart may be unable to deliver sufficient blood and oxygen at moments of high demand.

Stress has long been known to worsen the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. As the link between this condition and the immune system have become better understood over the years, it's clearer why this should be so.

Protect your physical and mental well-being by practicing techniques to lower it. Adopt a philosophy that helps minimize stress in your life. Your health depends on it.
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Each week, over one million people enjoy a fitness and wellness program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of NESTA (National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. Visit him at www.JohnSpencerEllis.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Sponsor Message: If you've not done so already, grab your copy of the world wide best-seller 'Maximize Your Metabolism' by fitness expert, speaker, and author Christopher Guerriero.

The Best Results Always Occur 1 Step Past Where Most People Give Up -- By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:24:00 +0000

I just got back from the gym about: 30 minutes ago and wanted to share an important success 'reminder' with you. I'm not sure about you guys, but getting to the gym is sometimes a pain in the butt, but we all have to do some things we don't want to do, right?

At the gym I was doing bicep exercises and my goal was 12 reps each set. Each set I did, I tried to increase the weight and make it a bit tougher. It got much tougher. So much, that by the 8th rep, I wanted to 'throw in the towel'... but I didn't!!!

I wanted to stop so badly, but I didn't. What I did instead was give just 5% more effort and I didn't stop at 12 reps, I went to 15. You see, we need to be reminded that the magic doesn't happen on the 1st mile, it happens when you go the extra mile for yourself and for others.

Anybody who knows anything about weight training or dieting will tell you that you get most of your results from those last 2-3 reps you don't want to do, or from those last few weeks that you really don't want to diet.

But here's the catch...

Most people quit on themselves and their dreams, right when it gets tough.

Unfortunately, they then never get to taste the magic that could have taken place for them. That same magic that could have transformed their body from ordinary to extraordinary.

And that taste is so sweet, it really is unfortunate that more people don't give themselves the gift of going the extra mile, so they too can enjoy living life in the body of their dreams.

(Shameless plug: Some of the best feedback I get from my 'Living Health - Weight Loss Audio Program', is that it shows you how to easily go that extra 5% and win.)

I've said it over and over again, but I'll repeat it here one more time... you don't have to be 50% or 100% better then everyone else when you diet or exercise. 5% is it. Yes, that's it.

Persist past your desire to stop dieting or exercising. Do a little bit more today.

Do one more rep. Workout 15 minutes longer. Drink one more glass of plain, fresh water. Eat one more large bowl of salad (without a lot of dressing). And encourage one more person to exercise with you.

Are you ready to give 5% more today?

I can't tell for sure, but I really feel that you are ready.

Am I right?

Make your move.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism".

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

Bad News: You May Have The Fat-Gene By Jon Benson

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 04:38:00 +0000

Ah, the "Fat-Gene." Yep, I have it. You probably do too. It's called the FTO Gene. Researchers estimate that up to 30% of those from European decent have FTO.

FTO is just flat-out nasty. It is an obesity "allele", which just means that it is a part of a gene structure that is associated with weight-gain. FTO is also associated with an increased chance of Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and other disease states.

However, these states are secondary to weight-gain. This means weight-gain is a major trigger for these disease states to begin.

No kidding. Who'd thunk it?

Oh, there's more: FTO was found to jack appetite through the roof after rats were deprived of food for a while.

So... let me get this straight:

1. This gene makes someone eat more after they starve themselves.
2. This gene is associated with obesity and disease states caused by weight-gain... which is...
3. Always the result of starving yourself.

I'm just trying to paint a picture here folks and to avert some needless panic.

Let me give you an alternative hypothesis:

1. Yes, genes have something to do with weight-gain and bodyfat, etc.

2. But most people who were tested for these genetic factors probably tried some form of starvation dietplan long before Mr. Researcher called them into the clinic.

3. As a result, this FPO sucker triggered the extremely well-researched "fight or flight" response to starvation, which ...

4. ...bingo...caused our test subjects to gain bodyweight.

Ta-da.

This is no different than the genetic traits that make someone more likely to smoke or drink or like pop music. He/she STILL has to start the process, and that means he or she can stop it.

So, want to turn "off" your FTO?

* STOP STARVING YOURSELF *

You do not need to starve. You need to eat smart. I am only moderately hungry at night even when getting into super lean condition. I eat many times a day or (if eating higher-fat) 2-3 times and I'm always eating plenty of food.

Turn off FTO by turning ON your body's natural need for frequent, healthy food.

My friend Christopher Guerriero wrote a killer book on this subject. It is like The Bible of Metabolic Power. You can read about it here --> Turn Off Fat-Gene. Christopher knows his stuff. He's an expert in the field of bio-nutriton and human metabolism, and he's in killer shape at 44.

Stoke the furnace -- and turn off your fat-gene. It just takes a bit of smart eating and a willingness to ignore most of what the media trys to sell you.
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Jon Benson is a nutrition and fitness counselor and best-selling author. His latest book "7 Minute Muscle" documents the latest research on brevity training and how you can get more results in far less time in the gym. Read more at http://myworkout.notlong.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Measure Your Progress By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:42:00 +0000

An extremely important part of your fitness program is being able to measure your progress.

Body fat testing is not painful, nor is it expensive. You can get it done at most any gym or fitness center. Simply ask if they have an expert who can measure body composition. It's also a good idea to take before and after photos and post them somewhere you'll see them every day. But most importantly, measure 5 - 10 different aspects of your progress.

My most successful clients measure everything in their life that's effected by their weight loss, normally on a simple scale from 1 - 10, such as:

* their daily energy level
* their attitude
* the way they feel when they look in the mirror
* the way they fit into their clothes
* the compliments they get from people
* their level of mental focus
* their waist, hips, and thigh measurements
* their body weight
* their body-fat level
* their endurance in their workouts
* etc, etc, etc...

Make a long list of ways you can measure your progress - but be sure to include things that are truly important to YOU. If having loads of energy is important to you, than you should be measuring your energy level every day to see if your diet and/or workout routine are doing their job.

On the other hand, if you already have a lot of daily energy, than you might not want to measure that - you might prefer to measure other things that are more important to you at the stage of life your currently at.

Take time to design your list, then chart your progress in a daily journal every day for each of the categories on your list. Then take an average for the whole day, and write that average at the top of your page.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism". Take a moment to learn about Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program.

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

Weight Training is Important For Women, Too By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 12:39:00 +0000

The benefits of lifting weights -- also called weight training, strength training or resistance training -- include stronger muscles, a stronger heart, a much leaner physique, a longer life, and a body better able to support your everyday needs and activities. Women, however, still tend to shy away from this beneficial form of exercise.

Ladies, does the mere idea of weightlifting scare you?

“I don’t want to lift weights because they’ll make me too big and bulky.” For how many of you is this the reason you’ve never attempted weight training?

It seems to be many a man’s dream to have big, bulky muscles. Why is it then, that men, whose bodies naturally contain much greater amounts of testosterone and growth hormone, lift weights yet don't get big and bulky?

It’s true! Unless they are supplementing with dangerous and unhealthful steroids or similar substances, most men do not naturally bulk up hugely by lifting weights regularly. And neither will most women.

The idea that women get big, ugly muscles from weight training is a complete misconception.

The fact of the matter is that women must lift weights in order to achieve the lean, sculpted bodies they dream of having. If a woman does happen to have the genetic disposition to bulk up quickly, there are easy ways to alter a workout to prevent this extra muscle size, while still increasing strength and rapidly burning fat.

The idea that weightlifting causes insanely huge muscle buildup is largely a creation of the media. It’s true that some women weightlifters takes steroids, and these hormones do make them look very masculine. The average woman who weight trains, however, will simply achieve a slim, healthy body without adding unwanted muscle mass.

Let’s start by discussing the basics of weight training ...

Weight training involves controlled lifting and working out with weights. Two basic terms related to weightlifting are “rep” and “set.” A rep describes the complete act of raising and lowering a weight during a single act of exercise. A set describes the number of times a particular rep is performed.

For example, when a person does five reps of a squat, they squat down and stand up five times, continuously, before stopping and either moving on to another exercise or finishing their workout. Those five squats would equal one set. A balanced weight-training session will include several sets of different exercises.

Your goal as either a beginner, intermediate, or advanced weight lifter should be to exhaust your muscles in the shortest time frame - that simply means that when you lift a weight, you should lift a heavy enough weight to exhaust your muscles doing only 10 - 15 reps.

And you should do this exercising pattern about 3 days each week - with at least 24 hour of rest after each workout.

Now I'm going to share a principle exercise with you that many commercial fitness "buff's" will hate me telling you because this single exercise will do more for your body than almost any other exercise around - making it completely unnecessary for you to ever buy another exercise gadget from late night television ever again.

before I share it with you I've got to give you a quick disclaimer...this exercise should be done (at least initially) under the supervision of a qualified personal trainer, so that you learn the proper form to use during the movement.

This exercise will work every muscle in your body, and you can do it in the privacy of your own home, without any fancy machines or expensive video's.

In fact, this exercise a foundational core exercise and it'll set your internal furnace up to burn more calories throughout the rest of the day than any other exercise we've tested (when done properly).

It's called the dead-lift and here's how it's done for maximum fat loss and body shaping...

Starting Position ...

Stand with feet flat and placed slightly farther apart than shoulder width with toes pointed slightly outward.

Squat down with hips lower than shoulders and grasp the weight lifting bar (or any small object)...in the beginning I highly suggest that you use very little added weight, so when you bend to grasp something, use a book or something else that's small and light weight - just to help you balance.

Place hands on bar (or whatever you choose to lift) slightly less than shoulder width apart, inside the knees and with elbows fully extended.

Place bar roughly 1 inch in front of shins and over balls of feet.

Upward Movement ...

- Lift bar off floor by extending hips and knees.
- Maintain an erect and flat back at all times.
- Keep elbows fully extended.
- Keep bar as close to shins as possible without hitting or scraping.
- When bar passes knees move the hips forward.
- Keep body erect at point of full knee and hip extension.

Downward Movement ...

Allow the hips and knees to flex to slowly lower the bar to the floor.
Repeat movement until finished with set.

Now this might sound a bit confusing the first several times you read it - however, once you practice it for a day or 2, the movement will become second nature to you and you'll begin feeling and seeing the results quickly.

Remember that with any new exercise comes a bit of soreness, so start very slowly, and gradually increase your intensity.

Ladies, I encourage you: Let go of your preconceived ideas about weight training. Do not fear it. Embrace your weightlifting potential! You will benefit so much more from it than from spending hours on that piece of cardio equipment alone.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism".

Look: Grab your copy Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program!

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

How to Burn More Fat in Less Time By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:33:00 +0000

Are you exercising for long periods of time to try to burn fat?

If you're like most people you probably are, but this week I want to share with you a far better technique to use. It's called "high intensity interval training" (HIIT) and lately it's started to become pretty famous for its obvious health benefits.

So What Exactly Are The Benefits?

1. Major Increase in Fat Loss. In a recent study two groups were assigned different training regimens. Group A performed the regular moderate intensity cardio (like jogging or bicycling) for 20 weeks and Group B performed a HIIT routine for 15 weeks. In the end the results of each group were recorded. Group B lost 9x more fat than Group A and in 5 weeks less!

2. Increased Lactic Acid Threshold. Lactic acid is that burning sensation you feel when you work a muscle really hard. You're lactic acid threshold is how fast your body can remove the lactic acid in your muscles. The higher the lactic acid threshold, the harder you can work your muscles before they get tired.

3. Increased peak power, or the maximum amount of energy available for a sustained period of time.

4. Increased VO2 peak or ability to utilize oxygen.

5. Shorter Workouts. I don't know about you, but would you rather spend 30 minutes to an hour jogging along the road, or crank it up a notch and just spend 4-8 minutes performing sprints?

So Why Does This Burn more Fat than just Jogging?

Although HIIT is much shorter than a normal "run for 30 minutes" workout, it burns more fat. To put it simply, after your HIIT training session is over with your metabolism explodes and tons of calories are being burned. So essentially with HIIT training, you burn most of the fat after your training session.

So How Exactly Do I Perform This?

Simply put, HIIT is based around this concept: Go fast then go slow. Repeat.

You can perform HIIT routines on pretty much any machine you want ... like a treadmill, elliptical machine, cycling machine, or apply it to almost any sport (swimming, cycling, running). Try to keep the bursts of speed at around 90%-100% of max effort.

Here is a sample HIIT (high intensity interval training) routine:

Sprint 20 Seconds
Rest 10 Seconds
Repeat 4-8 Times

Or

Sprint 15 Seconds
Rest 5 Seconds
Repeat 4-6 Times

These are just samples, you can change it however you want (you could even use distance instead of time), but remember, HIIT is based around the concept of fast bursts of work.

Also, to continually challenge yourself you should add to how many times you repeat the cycle. Say for instance, day one you repeat the sprint/rest cycle 8 times, well the next week you should shoot for 9 times. Also remember the amount of time you sprint, rest, and the amount of times you repeat the cycle should depend upon your athletic ability.

If you haven't trained at a high intensity since your high school gym days, take it slow at first. If you have to start at 80% intensity and perform less cycles that's O.K. too. Everyone has to start somewhere.

You may also want to check with your doctor before performing a routine like this as it is very physically demanding.

Btw. I go far more in depth about this type of training in the Living Health Weight Loss audio program.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism".

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

2 Ways To Start Burning More Calories Today -- By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:03:00 +0000

1. Start Exercising first thing in the morning ...

As soon as you wake up in the morning workout for at least 30min to an hour. Studies show that working out in the morning has been shown to burn up to 3x as more fat as opposed to working out at any other time during the day.

Here's Why:

During the day your body's main source of energy is the carbohydrates that you get from eating your meals. As you sleep at night for 6+ hours your body uses up all those carbohydrates as energy for various bodily functions that go on even while you sleep. When you wake up in the morning your body doesn't have any carbohydrates as energy to use and it will look to burn body fat instead for energy.

For you to take advantage of this morning fat burning opportunity you have to exercise first thing in the morning. Don't eat breakfast because if you do you'll just give your body some carbohydrates as a source of energy instead of the body fat that you want to burn for energy.

Another great thing about working out first thing in the morning is that your metabolism gets revved up after your morning workout. Morning workouts keep your metabolism elevated throughout the day. An elevated metabolism throughout the day only means that you'll burn more calories and lose more weight.

If you workout at night you may still burn fat while you workout but as soon as you go to sleep your metabolism will slow down and you'll miss out on all the extra fat that you can burn during the day if you had exercised in the morning. When you sleep your metabolic rate is always at its slowest.

Other reasons why its good to exercise first thing in the morning is that you get the workout out of the way, and working out in the morning will also reduce your level of stress throughout the day.

Advanced Tip: Want to burn even more fat? Add another workout to your daily routine 4-6 hours after your morning workout. Keep your already high metabolism higher by adding a 2nd workout during the day.

If you're seriously thinking about adding a 2nd workout to your daily routine then try to do your cardio workouts in the morning. Mostly fat calories are burned doing cardio at a moderate intensities. Make your 2nd workout of the day a workout with weights. Mostly carbohydrate is burned doing weight-training workouts.

The muscle that you build from weight training will also help you burn fat. 1lb of Muscle burns 50 calories a day or 1lb of fat every 70 days. Not only will you be burning more calories, you'll look better – whatever your weight is.

2. Eat Breakfast ...

Another way to keep your metabolism revved up all day long is to eat breakfast. After you workout in the morning as discussed earlier, just have breakfast and you'll give your body the perfect 1-2 combination to jump start your metabolism.

Eating breakfast in the morning is what gets your metabolism started. Don't skip breakfast and wait until mid-morning or afternoon to eat, your metabolism will run slower causing you not to burn any extra fat.

Think about it this way -- Your metabolism is a fireplace that'll burn fat all day long for you if you operate it correctly. When you eat breakfast you are basically throwing a log onto that fireplace to get it started burning fat.

Eating breakfast will help stop those cravings you may have later on in the day and along with working out in the morning, eating breakfast will also keep you energized throughout the day and lower stress levels.

Advanced Tip: Instead of eating only 2 more meals during the day like lunch & dinner, try to eat 4-5 more small mini-meals spaced 2-3 hours apart during the day. Remember the fireplace?

By eating these mini-meals you'll be throwing just the right amount of "wood" on the fireplace to keep your metabolism burning calories throughout the day. Don't shut down your metabolism by eating big lunches or dinners, keep that metabolism of yours burning fat all day long.

Morning Checklist:

1. Workout for at least 30min after waking up in the morning

2. Eat a healthy breakfast

3. Burn fat & lose more weight during the day

Use these 2 tips to reveal that six-pack, fit into that dress or those pants for an upcoming event like a wedding or reunion, or to impress that your spouse or co-workers. Whatever your fitness goal is these 2 tips above will surely help you reach them.

Until next time... Here's wishing you the absolute best of health.
______________
Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism". Take a moment to learn about Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program.

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

Getting Rock Hard ABS -- Old School By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:19:00 +0000

Before I talk about one of the most productive and forgotten Abdominal Blasting exercises ever created, you will need to know how your abdominal muscles actually work.

I know for a fact, if I don't offer some pretty convincing evidence, it will be very difficult for you to believe such a claim so here is where a little education will go a long way to prove my point.

Your abdominal muscles are really one big muscle called the Rectus Abdominus. You do not have upper, mid and lower abs unless...

...YOU have some genetic anomaly. This is really critical to understand because the long muscle fibers in the abdominal muscles start at ribcage and ends at the pubic region.

So, when you contract your muscles during a curl-up or crunch, the two ends of the muscle fibers move toward each other. It is impossible for the lower portion of the Rectus Abdominus (abs) to function without equally "firing off" all the other muscle fibers in the abs.

Once the muscle relaxes and allows its two ends to move apart and reach its original stretched position, you will complete the full range-of-motion of an abdominal exercise,

I am not forgetting the external and internal Obliques because they are directly and indirectly involved while performing any abdominal movement so it's really not necessary to hammer out your Obliques regularly. In fact, since the only thing a muscle can do is shrink and grow (atrophy or hypertrophy), you probably will not want to overly develop the Obliques because it will create a thicker looking waistline.

That means the key to creating great-developed abs is to use exercises that fully contract the abdominal muscle until it is fatigued and that will take the muscle through it's full range-of-motion, just like any other muscle you build in your body.

Remember though, you will not see your abs if they are hidden under a layer of fat and you cannot spot reduce the fat from waistline by training your abs for hours on end. Simply doing hours of abdominal exercises may develop your abs but you will still carry that layer of fat around your body if you aren't burning the appropriate amount of calories. If you are trying to lose body fat, there are much bigger and better exercises than abdominal exercises for burning calories and body fat.

Now that you know how the abdominal muscle works, it's time to discover, "The most forgotten productive exercise for your Abs."

Reintroducing, TADA - The Sit Up...

Wait! Don't go yet. It's really, really important for you to know how to properly perform a Sit Up. If you perform the Sit Up like you did in Gym Class, you are reducing the Sit Up's effectiveness by almost 50% and you could cause some serious low back pain for yourself.

I know; if a personal trainer or non free-thinking exercise physiologist is reading this section right now they are going to tell me I am crazy for recommending Sit Ups. Here again, it is important to understand the rules behind Abdominal-development and the Sit Up exercise really qualifies as a very effective movement.

Remember, when the abdominal muscle is working, "Two ends of the muscle fibers must move toward each other and be able to fully contract".

Does the Sternum and Pubic area move toward each other when performing Sit Ups?

Does the Abdominal Muscle bend and stretch the spine in its full range of motion in a Sit Up?

Does the abdominal muscles reach full extension to full flexion?

- YES to everything, if you perform the exercise correctly! So, why does the sit up exercise get such a bad rap?

Primarily because the old style Sit Ups you performed incorrectly in gym class put too much stress on the lower back and hip flexors. But, do you know what is really crazy about that logic? If more muscles than one are involved, it is called a compound or multi-joint movement. You won't hear me saying compound movements are bad. Are these supposed experts trying to get people to actually believe that compound movements are great for every muscle except the abdominal muscles?

If I remember correctly, didn't these same exercise physiologists claim squats and Deadlifts put too much strain on your knees and back and that we all needed to stop doing those exercises too? Just a few years later, most of the experts are now eating their words, aren't they?

Description of Exercise: Here is the appropriate way to perform an effective Sit Up.

Lay flat on your back with a rolled up towel under your lower back. Bend your knees about 45° with heels on the floor and keep your toes pointing up. Do not anchor your feet.

Spread the knees apart approximately 6-8 inches to prevent the hip flexors from contributing too much to the exercise.

Next, extend your arms between your legs and keep your hands between your legs throughout the movement because it will help keep you in the proper position.

Now, exhale and lift your shoulders off the ground, keeping your neck in a neutral position. Concentrate on trying to force the lower portion of your ribcage into your knees by curling the spine upward into the sit up position. (DO NOT CURL YOUR NECK).

Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position by uncurling your spine and you are finished with the repetition when you feel the rolled up towel supporting your lower back again.

Notice how both ends of the abdominal muscle fully contract together and are stretched through its full range of motion. When you perform a Sit Up with proper biomechanics, your next crunch exercise will pale by comparison.

Until next time... Here's wishing you the absolute best of health.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism". Take a moment to learn about Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program.

* read more abdominal muscle / ab strengthening exercise tips...
- Tummy Tightener Exercise Program

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

Tummy Tightener Exercise Program -- By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:56:00 +0000

The foundation portion of the program will last 6 weeks. During the first week, you will train your abs twice. During the second week, you'll increase that training to 3 times per week. And during the final four weeks of the program you'll expand your workouts to cover 5 days.

* Lying Leg Raises (lower abdominal exercise) - first complete 4 sets of slow, high tension work. Each set should be done to muscle failure; in other words, you can't do any more repetitions. Rest a minute between sets.

* Reverse Crunches (full Abdominal exercise) - after finishing the lower abdominal exercise, move on to the reverse crunch exercise. You should follow identical directions for this exercise.

Do not be surprised if your lower abs fatigue far more quickly than your upper abs. And do not be disappointed if in the first couple of weeks you are only able do a few repetitions for each set.

Your abdominal muscles respond quickly to training and in no time you will begin to feel your muscles getting far better tone.

Feel free to change the exercises that you do daily or you may stay with the ones that are suggested here.

Exercise Description:

Lying Leg Raises ...

1. Lie on your back on an inclined ab board with your head toward the raised end.

2. Grasp the end of upper bench with your hands to stabilize your body.

3. Bend your leg 15-20 degrees or until you feel your back relax.

4. Use your abdominal muscles to raise your feet in an arc to a position directly above your head.

5. Drop your feet in a return arc until they clear the bench.

6. Repeat until you can't do another rep.

Reverse Crunches ...

1. Lie flat on your back with legs extended. Raise your legs into a L position with your abs. You can flex your knees a bit.

2. Lower them to almost floor level and raise again.

3. Keep going until failure.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism".

Take a moment to learn about Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program.

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

Holiday Survival Pocket Guide By Jon Benson

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:46:00 +0000

As all of you know, I’m committed to seeing you through this Holiday Season with less body fat and more muscle! You can do this. You do not need to use this time of year as an excuse…in fact, it can be the strongest time of the year for you.

Why is that? Well, consider this: if you can actually progress between now and the begining of next year, just think what you can do in the New Year! Imagine the confidence you would have walking into the new year with a better body rather than entering the new year with more fat, less energy, and a “blah” attitude.

Let’s get started with my favorite Holiday Survival Tips…

Low Calories The Day Before - Simply reducing your calories to about half your normal intake the day before a larger meal can work wonders. This way you will balance things out over two days. Just be sure to eat frequently on the low-cal day so you don’t slow down your metabolism.

Low Carbs The Day After - Reduce your carbs to about 50 grams the day after your holiday meal. Yes, that means no leftovers (I’ll get to that in a second.) This will help your insulin levels return to normal, and get your fat-burning kicked off again after the feast. Be sure to get all of your carbs from veggies on this day.

Give Away Your Leftovers - This is a tip I mention every year, and it makes everyone really happy. Instead of making Aunt Edna feel bad about not taking a ton of food home with you, go ahead and accept her hospitality—and then give it away to people without food that very same day. These folks are pretty easy to find if you live in a big city. If not, a few phone calls to half-way houses will be all you’ll need to do in order to really make someone’s holiday very special. This also will save you from the temptation of having a ton of bad food around the house!

Keep Lean Protein High - Be sure to chow on the protein during your holiday meals. Keep the carb foods low to moderate. Spread them out over the day so you don’t eat too much all at once as well.

Drink A Ton Of Water - Drink about a quart of water prior to going to your festivities, and at least that much during and after. This will help flush the toxins through your system, and it will actually make you less hungry.

Keep Desserts To One Serving - Is it REALLY that much to ask? Enjoy a nice dessert after your protein-rich meal, but pass on the seconds. Remember, it’s not the last time you’ll ever eat pie… : )

Go For A Walk After Eating - Research shows that a 45-minute brisk walk after eating a high-fat meal can reverse the damage done to your arteries. Obviously it will help you feel better as well, and it improves digestion. Use this as a “family time” activity. Suggest a walk around a mall, or perhaps the town centre or neighborhood. Enjoy the time, and get more fit, all at the same time.
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Jon Benson is a nutrition and fitness counselor and best-selling author. His latest book "7 Minute Muscle" documents the latest research on brevity training and how you can get more results in far less time in the gym. Read more at http://myworkout.notlong.com

*brought to you by FitnessandHealthAdvice.com

Eleven Steps that Absolutely Guarantee you'll have the Body of your Dreams in 90 days or Less! By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:54:00 +0000

1. Persistence! - Violate this step and you'll never achieve permanent results. We recently conducted a 10 year study which proves that persistence is the single most important aspect of any diet or exercise program.

The study followed a group of people (group #1) who exercised and dieted very strictly, but sporadically and compared those results to a group of people (group #2) who exercised mildly and followed a very basic diet, but this group never varied from their routine. Even though group #2 exercised and dieted far less (but did so persistently) they got 68% better results than those who exercised and dieted VERY STRICTLY but only occasionally.

2. Workout around other people - Working out with others will get you about 43% faster results!!!

3. Don't take bad advice - Take ONLY the advice of those people who look strong & healthy themselves, and, whom you know to be knowledgeable about health & fitness!

4. Always keep an eye on your pulse - When doing aerobic or cardiovascular training! Keeping your pulse inside your 80% target heart rate zone will burn up to 9 times more calories. Dropping below your target heart rate will not burn nearly as many fat calories, and going above your target heart rate may lead to muscle breakdown.

5. Surround yourself with winners - One of the key qualities of all successful people is that they avoid negative people and they spend the majority of their time surrounded by those who have already achieved what they themselves seek to achieve. So if your goal is to weigh 135 pounds by eating healthy and living an energy full life - then seek out others who already live a healthy lifestyle and weigh 135 pounds. Hanging out with people who just talk about getting in shape but never take persistent action will ensure that you never reach your goal.

6. Know your outcome - Have specific goals. Get a photo (or several) of what you WILL look like when you reach your goal, then focus only on that image. Quickly erase any negative beliefs or images that may enter into your mind during your day.

7. Increase you water intake - Water is a key component to life. No living creature can survive without a fresh supply of pure water each and every day. If you do not consume enough fresh water every day, your body will age faster, appear fatter, be more susceptible to germs and colds, lose joint mobility, and much more.

Generally speaking, most people who weigh under 150 pounds require no less than 8-10 glasses per day, those who weigh between 150-250 pounds require about 16 glasses per day.

8. Watch where your calories come from - Without a doubt, we eat way too much sugar and fat. Moderation was the key in the past, now the key is moderation and the exclusion of junk food. One or two binges per year are generally OK if you are a normal healthy individual, but more is absolutely not OK.

9. Increase the number of meals consumed per day - On average, you should be eating some form of protein and vegetable combination that's low in fat and high in fiber every 2 -3 hours of the day. Doing so will give you an almost unfair advantage over those who only eat the normal 3 meals (or less) each day.

10. Visualize Clearly and Often - Design your new body in your mind first. You cannot achieve your idea of the perfect body if you don't have an idea of what the perfect body means to you.

Take 10 minutes when you are sure not to be disturbed by people or phone calls, get comfortable, fully relax, then begin to dream about what you will look like when you have achieved your goal. Be specific, what will your calves look like, your legs, your butt, your lower back, your stomach, your chest, your upper back, your shoulders, your neck and your face. Then review this image as often throughout each day as possible (never less than 3x/day).

11. Cardio... Cardio... Cardio - Cardiovascular exercising does more for the health and the appearance of the human body than any other form of exercise. Learn how much and what type of cardio is right for your particular body. Then refer to step #1 and do it persistently.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism". Take a moment to learn about Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program.

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

30 Day Metabolic Makeover (fat burning) Part 2 -- By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:15:00 +0000

OK, so last time we left off having agreed that it was time to stop trying to lose fat the hard way and start teaching your metabolism what to crave so it’s always in fat burning mode.

So let’s pick up there…

Since the scope of this article is such that we cannot get too technical with testing each reader, we’ll make certain assumptions that have worked for my clients for years, and will work for those of you who diligently follow what is outlined in this fat loss column.

Remember that before beginning any major dietary or lifestyle change you must first consult your physician and show him/her exactly what you plan to do, then, with their approval, you proceed.

This program is no different, since it contains a host of state of the art, somewhat out of the ordinary techniques, you should first show it to your personal physician and get their approval before proceeding.

Now remember, this is a training regimen, and as with all training it will seem difficult if not impossible at first.

To complete this training we will need to teach your metabolism what to crave, what to use as fuel, and what to discard as waste.

Our bodies now crave anything and everything that we enjoyed as kids. Unfortunately, our metabolism has made a 180 degree turn around in what it needs to survive since then.

99% of us have been eating primarily carbohydrate meals during our lifetime (breads, cereals, grains, pastas, fruits, and sugars). This has trained our systems to crave and use carbohydrates as fuel. Therefore whenever we consume carbohydrates our bodies believe that we are about to undertake a strenuous event.

We are, in essence, “Pavlov’s Dog”. It answers this intake, in part, by secreting a hormone known as insulin which will digest and use the newly acquired carbohydrates as energy or it will properly store the excess in the liver, the muscles, or as a last resort as body fat.

The normal action currently taken by the body when faced with strenuous exercise is to first use some of the carbohydrates from the stomach (the last meal eaten that day), then from the muscles, then from the liver.

To optimize our fat burning furnace we need to train our metabolism to go through a similar process whenever it sees fat, thereby using that intake of fat as energy rather than immediately storing it in our cells.

Since our metabolism has been positively reinforced for using carbohydrates as energy for so long, this new transition may take a little work at first. But, rest assured, a successful transition will leave you with a body that uses stored fat as well as incoming fat as energy, it will chip away at cholesterol deposits, and it will provide a more abundant supply of vitamins A, D, E, and K for healthier hair and skin.

To accomplish this, one must gradually decrease their intake of carbohydrates, forcing the body to search for alternate sources of fuel. This decrease must coincide with a gradual decrease of fat intake and a simultaneous increase in protein intake to ensure that existing muscle is not burned as fuel.

This process is not experimental, it has been proven to work, and to melt off fat. When decreasing your intake of carbohydrates, first look at exactly what you’re eating by making a journal for the next 7 days, writing in that journal everything that enters your mouth (food, drink, snacks, gum, etc.).

Then sit down in a quite place, where you’re sure not to be disturbed for 30 minutes and review what you’ve written. You’ll need to have 4 different colored markers near you for this project.

Use one color for protein, and circle each and every item that is a major protein source (fish, meat, chicken, eggs anything that use to be alive and have eyes + eggs). Use another colored marker to circle all of the carbohydrates in your journal (carbohydrates are any food that originated from grains, grew from the ground, or is sweet tasting, like candy, cake or non diet soda).

Use a third color for fats and fat products (butter, margarine, oil, mayonnaise, margarine, spray oil products, etc.). And use the last colored marker to circle any items that are a combination of the other three, like fried foods (ex. fried chicken is a combination of protein and fat). Now review what color(s) dominates your list, my guess is that it s both, your carbohydrate color and your combination color.

Now over the course of the next 30 days, eliminate all of fats (including fats, fat products and fried foods), and don't say that your body needs some fats to survive, because unless you have some type of a medical condition that requires that you consume a certain amount of fat, you re going to be getting more than enough fat from the foods you eat without adding any additional fat to your diet.

Plus, now we re forcing your system to look to your body s stored fat for energy rather than looking only at the food in your stomach. Remember, your body stored the fat there for a valid reason. You were giving it so much for so long a period of time that it thought you would need it for something, so it stored it, your body was only doing its job.

In addition to cutting out all of the added fat from your diet, over the next 30 days you must also lower your intake of carbohydrates. But we’re going to get a bit more technical for this category.

You’re going to try to completely take out all breads, pastas, cakes, sweets, soda’s, and starchy vegetables (potato’s, beans, and avocados). But you’re going to drastically increase the amount of green leafy vegetables and other colorful vegetables like broccoli, peppers (red, yellow, green, etc), asparagus, cucumbers, etc, etc, etc. And to top this off you’re going to eat most of them in their fresh, raw state, and your going to try to get them from the organic section of your grocery store if you can.

If this isn’t enough, you must also look at how all of your foods are prepared. Commit to not putting anything into your mouth unless it’s baked, broiled, steamed or in the case of your vegetables “raw”.

And if you go out to eat, as we all do from time to time, make sure whatever you get adhere s to the above standards (it s not that hard), and make sure whomever is preparing your foods uses as little oil as possible in the baking or broiling process.

The final aspect of our 30 day changeover is the omission of dairy products. Nothing except for eggs are allowed in this category, so for the next 30 days (and beyond) stop your intake of milk, cheese, cream, and all other products that are derived from those sources).

As an extra gift to your body stop all alcohol and coffee intake, they’re slowly poisoning your body and your mind. Space limits the amount of detail that can be entered into for this article to be 100% complete. But this is enough to get you really moving. Again, a full checkup and review by your doctor is, as always, recommended prior to any major change in your diet.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism". Take a moment to learn about Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program.

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com

30 Day Metabolic Makeover -- Fat-Burning ... Part 1 By Christopher Guerriero

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Hinds) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:53:00 +0000

The human body is an incredible machine. It can withstand constant abuse and actually, in time, acclimate.

We can train our muscles to grow, we can train our brains to hold more information, we can even train our lungs to hold more air but what is even more incredible is the science of using this function to train your metabolism to either increase or decrease not within a few years or within a few months, but rather within a few days.

As healthy human beings we can change the way our digestive system and our metabolism view the food which enters our stomach. Did you know that before a camel goes into the dessert, it can, and does store enough water for it to survive weeks without a fresh supply.

How does it do this? Well I assure you, that camel doesn’t know how it does it, nor does it care. And as long as it doesn’t die of thirst I’ll bet it never even questions the fact.

Their systems simply have a survival mechanism that triggers the camels thirst sensation and increases certain muscle cells sensitivity to water. Causing the camel to drink more and more importantly store more.

Our metabolism works the same way. If we go without water for some reason, our survival mechanism will trigger the appropriate areas in our bodies to store as much water as it can, in fact we will end up storing almost as much water as we take in, to a point.

On top of that our body will slow down the sweat function causing us to retain even the water that has already been held in our water storage sights.

The solution is simple, with a few simple tests we can find out how much water our particular body needs. Then all we have to do is supply it with at least that amount every day, causing the old built up water to be literally washed away. But the miracle of our body doesn’t stop there.

If we can do that with our water storage sights than why not do that with our carbohydrate, protein, and yes, even our fat storage sights (cellulite). And you’re just going to love the process because you’ll see results as you progress.

To train your system to drop fat, simply trick it into believing that it will always be supplied with the exact amount that it desires, on a regular basis. As great as it sounds so far, there is a problem with this process.

Following this theory, all you would have to do to drop fat would be to eat an abundance of fat, right. WRONG! Simply stated, you need to find what percentage of fat your body needs, not the percentage that your mind desires!

Then you need to follow the same technical pattern for carbohydrates and proteins, because we all know that too much of any nutrient will be converted to fat, and this would simply delay the entire fat burning process.

In part two of this article, I’ll cover how to complete this process and convert your cravings into a major asset in your fat burning arsenal.
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Christopher Guerriero is Founder and CEO of The National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center, where he has devoted more than 15 years to studying people who have successfully mastered their metabolism. Christopher is the author of several books, including the world wide best-seller "Maximize Your Metabolism". Take a moment to learn about Christopher's Healthy Living Weight Loss Audio program.

*brought to you by FitnessAndHealthAdvice.com