For years I was under the impression that I would reach my physical goals through cardio exercise alone. I was afraid of the weight side of the gym and felt that women should remain at the elliptical machines. NOT TRUE. It was no surprise that I never achieved my goal, or came close for that matter. It finally hit me that I was working out 1-2 hours everyday and not seeing results. Sure I was thin but by looking at me I did not look like the athlete I wanted to resemble. I studied up a bit and learned that I was actually doing way too much cardio and I needed to revolutionize my workout.

Cardio is great for the heart, lungs and blood flow. It also helps to relieve stress and helps you sleep better through the night, so by no means am I saying it should be removed completely. I would be lost. When doing cardio the body initially uses fat for its fuel however this is not an effective source after about 20 minutes and the body uses lean muscle! Who wants to see their muscle fade away!? This is where strength training was first introduced to me.

Weight lifting strains the muscles creating tiny tears (this is where the muscle soreness comes from). These tears are repaired by the body after a workout and with it more muscle is created. Muscle needs lots of energy to sustain itself.

Just by adding one pound of muscle the body will need an additional 50 calories per day! This helps you to lose the weight while toning up. It is also better for the joints than cardio and the affects lasts longer than those of cardio. Cardio may burn more calories during the process but weight lifting burns calories during and for up to 2 hours after!
As stated above, I am not throwing cardio exercise out the window. When done moderately and safely it is great. The two forms of exercise actually complements each other. I still do a bit of cardio each time I work out but I stop at 20-25 minutes! This is my time to let out my frustrations and enjoy the time I have with my ipod playing in my ears and solitude from a busy day!

I want to stress that no woman should be afraid of weights. If you are afraid of getting bulky and hilk like, throw it out the window. A womens physiology does not resemble a mans and therefore she is not able to get huge. Testosterone is the number one factor allowing Arnold Schwarzenegger to look the way he did and we fortunately lack large amounts of this hormone. Weights allow women to look and feel strong, lean and sexy.

Below I will describe the best 20 minute cardio workouts!

It is called Interval Training and it can be applied to many different forms of cardio including boxing, running and biking.

The concept in a nutshell is shorter workouts, but higher intensity. This is accomplished by pushing hard for say two minutes and then slowing down for two minutes. If you repeat this cycle four more times then you have your 20 minutes. You could also do one minute hard, one minute easy and then repeat this nine more times.

Here is an example:

Interval training is perfect for running. If you are working out on a treadmill or running outdoors, it is the same routine. Start out with a warm up jog followed by two minutes of a challenging pace. This will not be your all out because you have to maintain it for two minutes, but a pace that will be very hard for you. You then follow this with two minutes of either a walk or a very slow jog. Repeat four more times and you have got yourself an effective cardio workout in only 20 minutes.

This concept can be applied to many different forms of cardio: two minutes hard, two minutes easy, repeat four more times. Or one minute hard, one minute easy, repeat nine more times.

You will get your blood flowing, your heart pumping and reap all the benefits cardio has to offer all in only 20 minutes.

eight loss program will require important changes in your life if it is to be a success. One of the most important aspects of losing weight is attitude and changing bad habits and replacing them with new, but good ones, something that requires a certain consistency. There are quite a few things that can impact your weight loss, a few of these are named here:
Obesity or weight problems that may endure in the family

Previous mental trauma

Desire to lose weight

Excess weight can cause a number of health problems, including those of self image and worth. Although the health risks are reduced when somebody starts to lose that excess weight, it is the self-confidence and self-esteem returning that is the most noticeable. It is for this reason that so many people are searching for a rapid weight loss method that will trim down those fats and get a super slim head-turning body. Regular exercise and a healthy nourishing diet are also going to be part of this plan of action. Exercise should be regular and ordered with at least fifteen minutes per day doing anything that is good for cardiovascular health, like swimming, running, brisk walking and even dancing.

It ought be remembered that despite the number of rapid weight loss diet plans around, they won\’t all work with everybody that is on them, there will be different weight loss speeds and levels of success with anyone that uses them. If you discover that your exercise regime and dieting aren\’t supplying the weight loss quickly enough you may need to adjust your regime accordingly. Each person has a unique metabolism and when a particular plan isn\’t proving a success, it does not mean that success cannot be found with another dietary plan.

Exercise plans must be fit each person so if walking is all that can be done, then walk. Although, try to improve the pace you walk at as your diet progresses, not forgetting that you will look better when your fat is changed into muscle. Drinking fluids regularly throughout the day is essential. Drink plenty of water on your rapid weight loss program, at least 8 large glasses daily and remember it also flushes out poisons from the body. Getting rid of fried foods from the dietary plan should almost go without saying as the fat content in these foods is incredibly high and in some cases, this will include certain fish too.

Wherever possible have your food grilled as virtually all of the fat is destroyed, if not all of it so it\’s much healthier. We all want energy to execute daily tasks, and more if we do physical activities, so do not stop eating carbohydrates otherwise you will discover yourself exhausted all the time. Generally speaking a plan like this can enable somebody to lose around a pound each day as it is based on a diet of between one thousand to fifteen hundred calories on a daily basis.

Weight loss camps help kids lose weight, gain skills

A weight loss camp is a type of program where overweight and obese children and teenagers are sent during the summer to lose weight. They are more gently referred to as a fitness camp.

These camps provide weight loss results of two to six pounds per week on average. The effectiveness of these camps varies widely and usually depends on the quality of the individual program and biochemistry of the attending campers.

This is a article from PolkOnline.com about Weight loss camps

When Tony Sparber started running weight loss camps 30 years ago, the campers were mostly teenage girls, 100 pounds plus overweight. The menu consisted of food like liver, fish and alfalfa sprouts and the exercise was running and sit-ups.

Weight loss camp for kids

A weight loss camp for kids.

The goal was to lose as much weight in as short amount of time as possible.

Now, things are a little less extreme: About 40 percent of the campers are boys. Most kids need to lose between 20 and 40 pounds. Menus offer a broader range of food, and exercise is downright fun, with activities such as tennis and kayaking. The camps emphasize healthy lifestyles and skills the kids can take home with them.

In short, so-called “fat camps” are more likely to resemble regular camps that just happen to specialize in teaching good decision-making techniques.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 percent of children ages 6-19 are overweight or obese – a number that has tripled since 1980.

The number of weight loss camps has remained relatively the same, says Jeff Solomon, executive director of the National Camp Association. There are about 15 to 20 out of a total of 10,000 camps in the organization. (Some camps have multiple locations.)

Sparber, who used to run Weight Watchers camps, says campers tend to be younger than they used to be. A large number of the 1,500 kids he expects will sign up for his three summer camps over the next few weeks will be between the ages of 7 and 12.

That age group tends to be more successful because parents have more input on the child’s eating and exercise habits, he says. Bad eating habits are also less ingrained in younger children.

And camps are all about building habits, not just handing out quick fixes. They offer classes about nutrition, portion control, emotional eating, dealing with situations like pizza and ice cream parties.

They also teach by example. Sparber said his menus used to offer 1,200 to 1,300 calories a day. Now they are sized more realistically, at 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day, with hamburgers, pita pizzas, baked chips and low-fat baked goods.

“The biggest misconception about weight loss camp is that they don’t serve you enough food and that they overwork you,” says Daniel Kriss, 15, who was featured in the MTV documentary “Return to Fat Camp” based on New Image Camp Pocono Trails in Pennsylvania. He lost 40 pounds at the camp. “It’s the exact opposite. They feed you the right amount of food and work you out just enough.”

Weight loss camps for kids

A weight loss camp for kids

Changing behavior is key to sustaining weight loss, says Ryan Craig, president of Wellspring, which runs 11 weight loss summer programs around the world, including nine camps and two adult vacations, as well as programs at two boarding schools.

Wellspring participants learn to cook, shop, order at restaurants, and work with psychologists on stress management, frustration tolerance, and emotional eating.

“It’s not a lack of information,” says Craig, referring to the reason kids are overweight. “They know what it means to be healthy. They’re resorting to food as an unhealthy coping mechanism.”

Some campers want to be there, as opposed to years ago when their parents made them go.

Rod Rezvani, 20, who at one point weighed 440 pounds, says his father suggested attending Wellspring Camp last summer. But he says, it was “completely my decision.”

“I was happy I was finally making a change,” says Rezvani, who has lost 167 pounds and is enrolled in the Wellspring college program in Reedley, Calif.

Maya Murray, 8, of Long Island, N.Y. who was 112 pounds, attended New Image Weight Loss Camps last summer and came home 16 pounds slimmer, more confident and independent, and making healthier choices. She continued to lose weight, with her family’s support, and is now 76 pounds.

“I wanted to feel better and look better,” says Maya. “I couldn’t breathe that well. I couldn’t run fast. It was hard to be active.”

Wellspring makes sure that parents are part of the process, says Craig, offering family workshops the last two days of camp, a home-transition plan for each child and an after-care program.

Losing the weight does come at a price. New Image Weight Loss Camps cost about $1,100 a week; the camp does give out scholarships. Wellspring Camps cost about $5,950 for four weeks; but insurance covers some of that because of the therapy, says Craig.

Still, those costs may put some of these programs out of reach, especially for inner city youth, who have higher rates of obesity.

There are cheaper options, says Susan Blech, co-author of the weight loss memoir “Confessions of a Carb Queen” and the senior care coordinator at Brookdale Hospital’s childhood obesity program in Brooklyn, N.Y. She recommends parents look into schools or churches that run camps, sports activities, or a program similar to hers, which is free.

The important thing is to keep kids active in the summer, says Madelyn Fernstrom, founder and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center.

Solomon also says more traditional camps are now focused on children’s fitness and health, serving healthier fare and encouraging lots of exercise.

“Any camp is great because it will force the child to have structured time in the summer,” Fernstrom says. “You want to choose a camp even if it’s a special camp like arts or science that has some activity.”

Related information:

* Special Weight loss Boot Camps: Weightloss boot camps are special programs arranged for the people who want to keep their body fit and healthy.

* Low or high intensity exercising is good for weight loss: know benefit of low and high intensity exercising, especially for weight loss.

* Walking for weight loss: post about walking and how to walk effectively to lose weight.

* www.polkonline.com: A complete reflection of the news, events, entertainments, real estate and business community of Polk County Florida including Winter Haven, Bartow, Auburndale, Lake Wales and Haines City.

Source: http://letdiet.blogspot.com

On Sunday, I watched the Flora London Marathon 2008 on DVD. Thirty four thousand people crossed the finish line. Sadly I was not one of them, having failed to secure a place in the race. When I lived in London, I was able to cheer the runners on from my garden, and have dreamed of running the race ever since.

I had a friend who ran a gym and told me of the many people he knew who had permanently injured themselves as a result of running a marathon.

I also know many runners who have run marathons and done so without long term negative health effects.

So, on Sunday, I dusted off my trainers and went for a run, and as I ran, I wondered just how good is running a marathon for you?

Getting out a calculator, a pen, some paper, a sixteen week marathon training plan, and a calorie guide, I worked out the following.

• If you do a 16 week marathon training plan, you can expect to run about 600 miles over those 16 weeks.

• Running 600 miles is the equivalent of doing about 23 marathons.

• If you run at a four hour marathon pace (about 9 minutes a mile), 23 marathons will take you 93 hours

• That is about 5,600 minutes.

• 5,600 minutes of running at 9 minutes a mile will burn about 88,000 calories. • Burning 88,000 calories is the equivalent of losing 25lbs in weight.

• Training and running a marathon will help you lose between 1 ½ to 2 stone in weight!

The benefits to me of losing this sort of weight, is that it would take me down to my ideal weight. How would losing 1 ½ to 2 stone benefit you?

Are there any other benefits to running a marathon?

Yes there are. Here are just a few of them.

• Increased self esteem.

• Increased fitness.

• More social contacts.

• A lasting sense of achievement.

• Running is fun.

I really like the last benefit. I find running great fun, especially as I vary my running routes as much as possible. Varying your routes always gives you something new to see as you run.

What about injury?

I used to let the thought of injury hold me back. I have since learned that providing you are sensible, and don’t overdo it you should avoid injury. Many injuries result from overdoing the training. Another cause of injury is using poor or badly fitting equipment.

If you want to avoid injury, one of the key things to do when running is to listen to your body. Your body will know when it has almost had enough or when things are starting to go wrong, and it’ll warn you. If you feel pain, don’t ignore it – listen to it and figure out why.

Of course before starting any new system of exercise you should always consult your doctor before hand.

Running a marathon is not easy due to the time you need to commit to training. Powerfully Positive People know this, but have strategies to get past all the difficulties.

·         You need to have commitment, and want it badly enough.

·         You need to have a plan, breaking your big goals into smaller ones.

·         You need to have perseverance, pushing on to each successive goal, just like taking each step when your legs are tired and your feet are aching.

·         You need to reward yourself, patting yourself on the back each time you achieve a goal along the way.

I have shown the rewards in terms of your health, fitness, and mental health more than outweigh the effort you will have to put in to train for, and run a marathon.

Will you use a marathon to help you to achieve your health and fitness dreams?

Here are a few suggestions for creating an intense treadmill workout. If you think that a treadmill workout is boring, think again. You can make your treadmill workout as challenging as you would like. But before you begin any exercise program always consult your doctor first to see if you are suitable for intense workout.

5 methods to improve your workout

1) Dumbbells/Hand Weights

Try raising and lowering five to ten pound hand weights as you walk.. By the end of a vigorous walk, you will have given your upper and lower body a good treadmill workout. But if you are used to holding on to the side handles during your workout, start out a slow then build speed.

Walk Backwards

Walking backwards uses your legs muscles in a whole new way and improves your balance and builds your psychomotor abilities, this is something very important for any sports person. Your muscles will be stretched and worked to their max as the focus of the workout shifts to a whole new area of your leg.

Speed Intervals

For this training always start with a good complete stretch and warm up. For a complete workout, a good set will take about 20 minutes. Start with a run of about 2 minutes for 400 meters then walk or do a slow jog of 2 minutes. Rinse and repeat 5 times to get your 20 minutes. This exercise will build good cardio as well as burn fat.

Incline Intervals

This is basically similar to the interval training but with incline up and down. With the same steps as basic interval training, now when every time you are walking or jogging slowly, set your interval to the maximum. This is advance training so start off with interval training before attempting this exercise.

Toes and Heels

Slow down the speed to a brisk walk, and then go on your tiptoes for 30 seconds. Rinse and repeat for 10 sets. These exercises will effective work your calves and gluteus. There will be a slight strain for beginners, so it is advice that you start with 5 sets then work your way slowly to 10 sets.

Stay in shape with a treadmill exercise program

A treadmill exercise program does not require learning any new skill and nor is the weather or boredom able to adversely affect the person in training to stay in shape. A treadmill exercise program is best for people who prefer to exercise in the comforts of their home or for the busy person that has very little time to spare. They can directly jump on to a treadmill to ensure that they get some exercise.

The treadmill is superior to other exercise machines used indoors as it is very helpful to losing extra weight and burning calories. In a treadmill exercise program one will be engaged in running which ranges from sprinting, walking, slow to fast jogging, depending on the exercising habit of a person. A note of caution, please consult your doctor before taking on a new training program. There have been cases of people going into cardiac arrest during or after a strenuous workout.

The convenience of a treadmill exercise program is such that the person using it can do so at the pace of his or her own choosing as well as maintain a regular walking program. To begin with, the treadmill exercise program may be of only five to ten minutes duration and it may also have a warm up and cool-down period to ensure that no injuries are sustained, as with any other form of physical activity.

When on Treadmill, a person is active and breathing fast, due to the fact that the body is in need for more oxygen. This actually helps the body to clear out a lot of toxins from the body. Also during the workout or body is actively engaged in strengthening it self by burning away any unwanted weight. Lastly as our heart rate increases, blood flow is also increased to our limbs and vital organs.

While following a treadmill exercise program pay note to a few key points, such as the right footwork, proper walking form (from the waist to get better hip rotation), and arms action (swing your arms as if you are marching). Bear these pointers in mind and pay attention to your safety. Always start slow then build up speed. As with all sort of exercise, get the basics first before moving on to increase the intensity. Give your body time to adapt before subjecting it to more intensity will decrease the chance of injury and improve your results.

Below is an interview about cardio workouts done by Craig Ballantyne. This presents a great example of how cardio workouts are typically misused by exercise enthusiasts in their attempts to lose body fat. You’ll never get those six pack abs if all you keep doing are the same boring cardio routines over and over. Expand your thinking, and shrink your waistline!

Everybody assumes that you must do endless hours of cardio workouts to get ripped six pack abs. But this is simply not true. In fact, if you quit wasting so much time with boring slow cardio routines and change your workouts much more strategically, you will get those six pack abs much faster than you thought was possible!

Let’s look into how one female cardio workout fanatic finally lost her excess belly fat and revealed her six pack abs with the help of the innovative Turbulence-Training workouts!

Craig: C-J, let’s start with a bit of background on yourself and what your goals were when you discovered interval-training and strength training.

C-J:

Ok, I’m a female in my middle 30′s and your typical office professional who spends many long hours in front of the computer.

With regards to fitness and nutrition, I grew up realizing the importance of being active and staying healthy. So while I’ve stayed active for most of my life, I recently realized that I still had a lot to learn about both training and nutrition.

When I first discovered the Turbulence-Training Workouts, I was looking for an improvement in body composition. I had been introduced to weight training a year or so earlier and had made some really good progress, but had gone past that “new stimulus” effect, and really needed something different to kick my results up again and break the plateau.

Craig: How were you doing before?

C-J:

Well, during grad school and working full-time I let my fitness slip for the days and evenings tied to a computer, and the joys of eating at restaurants once or twice a day. I had gained about twenty pounds and was at my heaviest weight ever at about 160 pounds. Once I finished night school, I added exercise and nutrition back to my priority list and lost those twenty pounds, mostly from running five days a week.

The 2nd stage started when I discovered weight training. I was at about 142 pounds at the time and about 28% body fat. After about six months I lost another 8-10 pounds and 7% body fat.

So when I started the Turbulence-Training program, I had already made decent progress as I was down to about 133 pounds and 21-22% bodyfat.

Craig: What were your workouts like before Turbulence Training? Why did they not work as well? How have you since improved upon those workouts?

C-J:

Before Turbulence Training, I was a “same-pace” cardio fanatic, and I ran 3-5 miles three times a week and strength trained using a four day body part split routine. This plan worked ok for about six months or so, but then I just stalled out and the plateau set in. I’m not exactly sure what the culprit was, but I just knew that I needed a different type of workout program to try.

So when I first started strength training and interval workouts I was skeptical that such a short workout only three times per week would be good enough. I soon realized that strength training and intervals kept the intensity levels higher during EVERY workout, so the 3 days and 2 super sets were actually much more efficient than my four day body part split and three days of running. I also got on an interval training program and reduced my slower “same pace” cardio runs to about one day a week.

Craig: How have the interval workouts and strength training helped you improve your shape? What benefits and results have you achieved? What are your improvements compared to your before stats?

C-J:

I am definitely stronger, leaner, and faster than before.

Strength wise, I can finally do chin-ups and pull-ups, something I’ve always wanted to be able to achieve. I have also improved my 5k time by two minutes. I also finally have the muscle tone and athletic body shape that I have always wanted.

When compared to my before stats, I have had to throw the scales out the window and use the mirror and compliments I’ve received as my guide since I have gained a few pounds of lean (but sexy) muscle so the scale weight hasn’t changed much even though my body composition has improved. Also, my clothes have gotten looser and smaller and I’m also making fairly significant strength and speed gains. I can also actually see a visible six pack of abs now, which has always eluded me!

Craig: How do you feel in terms of energy and strength?

C-J:

My strength gains are most exciting to me, since I typically have high energy/endurance. I particularly like how my strength gains have transferred to improved running and biking.

The amount I can lift in the gym just sort of evolves, but when I can climb hills on my bike that I used to be foreced to walk, and finish 5k runs in times that were once way out of my reach, it feels pretty damn good!

Craig: What features do you like about TT-style strength and intervals?

C-J:

It is fun, time efficient, and intense. Plus it works like crazy! When I am in the gym, I know that I am making the most efficient use of my time.

Craig: Did you change your eating plan with the guidelines?

C-J:

Not a whole lot, but some. I was on a pretty good eating plan when I started TT strength and intervals, but I am constantly learning about making better food choices and looking to change things slightly here and there. Incorporating a post-workout recovery shake and getting as much variety as possible have been the biggest changes in my nutrition habits since I started the program.

Craig: What would you say to others that ask you about your workouts? Do you get a lot of comments from people?

C-J:

When people ask me about my workouts, I try to hold back some excitement so I don’t come off as a wild fanatic and overwhelm them.

I have had quite a few comments from others in my gym, either noticing how hard and smart that I am working out, or complimenting me on my progress. One woman even pointed me out and said “I want thighs like that!” to her friend. How cool is that!

It is always enjoyable to see friends or family or even co-workers that I haven’t seen in a while because they always remind me of the great progress I have made. It’s also exciting that I can show off my flat stomach now too with the sexy little six pack!

The best compliment I get now is in the form of imitation. Others want to know exactly what I do and ask me for tips to help them. They see that it works, want to know how I have done it, so they can try to apply it to themselves.

Craig: Thanks C-J! Keep up the great work with your time-saving Turbulence Training fat-loss workouts.

See below for a special free report on more effective cardio workout alternatives that will have you losing body fat much faster from now on.