Best Weight Loss Tips

Having Trouble Losing Weight? Watch Out For Sneaky Sugars!

If your weight loss has hit a plateau, it could be due to sneaky sugars that seem to be everywhere in the foods we eat and drink. Have you ever looked on the nutrition label to see how many sugars are in fruit juice drinks? There is a reason that those drinks taste so good. You can also find sugars in salad dressings, ketchup, sauces and gravies. Low-fat foods sometimes have high sugar content to enhance flavor. One way to fight the sugar war is to do the replacement method. Examples include: --Drink unsweetened beverages like tea or coffee (or use low-cal sweeteners). Better yet, just drink water. --Use olive oil or low-fat dressings on your salads. --If you like gum, chew sugar-free gum. --If you love sodas like I do, drink diet sodas (try to limit to one-a-day because of the sodium content) or water. I think you get the idea. It's really pretty easy. Just list the foods you eat and replace them with low-sugar or no-sugar foods. Pretty soon, you will find yourself breaking through your weight loss plateau! Be sure and download your <a href="http://www.yourfitnessuniversity.com/bodyweight_500_metabolic_fat_burner_workouts.html">Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Having Trouble Losing Weight? Watch Out For Sneaky Sugars!

If your weight loss has hit a plateau, it could be due to sneaky sugars that seem to be everywhere in the foods we eat and drink. Have you ...

Response To "Burn More Fat...." Posted Comment

Robin has left a new comment on your post "Burn More Fat When You Workout" Mark's original post was on July 12, 2007: Okay -- I'm way frustrated and a little confused. Help! I'm 45 and started at the gym (5 days a week) about four weeks ago. I've been eating way healthier for about 6 weeks now, and have lost about 23 pounds. BUT here's my dilemma. When I go to the gym and really work out (1 hour+ on weights, really pushing myself, and often an hour of cardio via intense raquetball) I DO NOT lose a pound and often gain a little. So -- I stay home and don't exercise and I lose about a half pound a day or I go to the gym, work my butt off and gain a half pound a day. What gives? My diet is totally under control (that's easy for me), and the mysterious factor here seems to be hitting the gym so hard and gaining weight. Can you help enlighten me?? Anyone??? Posted by Robin to My Fitness Hut Blog at August 23, 2007 8:33 AM Mark's Response To Robin: Robin there could be several reasons for your slower decrease in weight loss: 1) Your body might have reached a plateau. Weight often comes off easily at the beginning of a workout program. But then your body adapts to your workouts. When this happens, you need to vary your workout routines and intensity. Do different lifts for the different body parts, such as substituting bench presses with stability ball dumbbell presses or doing step-ups and lunges instead of leg presses and squats. A shorter, more intense 30 minute full-body circuit weight workout will work better than a 1 hour weight workout when you are trying to lose body fat and weight. A circuit workout is one in which you do one exercise after the other with little or no rest between exercises. Also, change up your cardio routines such as rotating treadmill, bike, elliptical, stair-stepper and swimming. 2) It is more important to lose body fat and lose inches than it is to lose weight. Have your body fat percentage checked and your circumference measurements done by a trainer to see how much fat and inches you have lost. Muscle weighs more than fat, so your body could be shrinking. Don't worry, the weight loss will take care of itself. 3) Longer workouts are not always better. You could be over-training. Actually, shorter more intense workouts burn more fat. An intense 20 minute cardio session at 75%-85% maximum heartrate will give you more health and cardio benefits than a 1 hour cardio session at 65% maximum heartrate. 4) You need to know your basal metabolic rate-BMR (how many calories your body would burn each day if you did nothing). Base your daily caloric intake on your BMR and activity level. You will gain weight even on the days you work out really hard if you take in more calories than you burn. The important thing here is that it appears you have made a lifestyle change----which means you have committed to exercise and eat nutritiously for the rest of your life. When you do that, you will win the fitness war even if you lose a few battles along the way. Keep exercising and eating healthy and your heart, mind and body will thank you! Be sure and download your <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/p/dumbbell-and-medicine-ball-metabolic_17.html#.UeY_3tLqmuI">Free Dumbbell and Medicine Ball Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Response To "Burn More Fat...." Posted Comment

Robin has left a new comment on your post "Burn More Fat When You Workout" Mark's original post was on July 12, 2007: Okay --...

Exercise Advice For Teen Girls

Okay TeenGirl, here is some easy-to-follow exercise advice for you: buy a set of light weight dumbbells and do full-body exercises 3 days a week. They are critical for your bone health, joint health and they help you lose fat-mass weight. TeenGirl, your primary concern is to develop peak bone mass. After graduating from high school, girls have all the bone mass they will ever have--unless they strength train to increase it. DOWNLOAD FITNESS PROGRAMS TO YOUR iPOD OR RENT/BUY FITNESS DVDs TO GUIDE YOU! YOU CAN EVEN EXERCISE WHILE YOU WATCH TELEVISION! Be sure and download your <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/p/dumbbell-and-medicine-ball-metabolic_17.html#.UeY_3tLqmuI">Free Dumbbell and Medicine Ball Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Exercise Advice For Teen Girls

Okay TeenGirl, here is some easy-to-follow exercise advice for you: buy a set of light weight dumbbells and do full-body exercises 3 days a...

Muscles Are For Girls Too!

Muscles are not just for boys! Girls, you need to develop strength and build muscle in order to improve overall health, lose body fat, buil...

Don't Assume "Natural" Supplements Are Safe

Many people take supplements because their diets are lacking certain nutrients or they are trying to reach some exercise goal. When choosing supplements, always look at the active ingredients on the label. Also, some herbal supplements have side effects. So, what's a good plan to follow regarding consumption of supplements? 1) Discuss the supplements with your doctor, especially if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Don't try to treat serious medical conditions with supplements. 2) Look at the GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) supplement list published by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Try your best to get the nutrition you need from the food you eat! Download your FREE Report, <a href="http://myfitnesshut.getprograde.com/What-They-NEVER-Want-You-To-Know-About-DIET-PILLS.html">The Truth about Diet Pills!</a> Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Don't Assume "Natural" Supplements Are Safe

Many people take supplements because their diets are lacking certain nutrients or they are trying to reach some exercise goal. When choosi...

Are You Crunched For Time?...HIIT Your Workouts Harder

You can accomplish your cardio workout goal in 20 minutes per session by increasing and varying the intensity. It is called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). It is the best way to burn fat in the shortest amount of time. This training method is also used to increase speed and VO2 Max. The danger of doing cardio exercise at the same pace (like 65% of your max heart rate) and same time period is that your body adapts and conserves energy. By doing HIIT, your body doesn't have a chance to adapt, and you burn more calories and fat in a shorter period of time. HIIT also raises your heartrate faster and keeps your metabolism elevated longer after your workout. So how does HIIT work? Here is an example: 1) Use any cardio activity like the treadmill, bike, elliptical, etc. 2) Warmup on the treadmill for 5 minutes. Exercise at 75% of your maximum heart rate for 1-2 minutes. Then walk or jog for 30 seconds to 1 minute to recover. Complete this cycle for 20 minutes increasing the intensity each time. Intensity can also be increased by using an incline on the treadmill or increasing the resistance on the bike. You should vary your intervals each workout to keep your body guessing. Cool down for 5 minutes and do static stretches after your workout. You should get medical clearance from your doctor before starting this type of exercise. If you are a beginner, you can still do interval training. Beginners can do intervals at lower intensities. All it takes is 20 minutes to exercise! Be sure and download your <a href="http://www.yourfitnessuniversity.com/bodyweight_500_metabolic_fat_burner_workouts.html">Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Are You Crunched For Time?...HIIT Your Workouts Harder

You can accomplish your cardio workout goal in 20 minutes per session by increasing and varying the intensity. It is called High Intensity ...

Use Olive Oil Often On Salads........

The next time you need a good salad dressing or food topping, think about using olives and olive oil. Olives, and the extra-virgin oil that is made from a single pressing of the fruit, contain many of the antioxidants that are healthy for your body. They are high in healthy monounsaturated fatty acids and lower the effects of "bad" cholesterol while raising "good" cholesterol levels. Also high in vitamin E, olive oil is thought to protect against colon cancer, and it is helpful in fighting gastritis and other stomach ailments. Be sure and download your <a href="http://www.yourfitnessuniversity.com/bodyweight_500_metabolic_fat_burner_workouts.html">Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Use Olive Oil Often On Salads........

The next time you need a good salad dressing or food topping, think about using olives and olive oil. Olives, and the extra-virgin oil tha...

Exercise, New Brain Cells and Depression--What's The Connection?

There have been previous studies confirming how exercise helps reduce the effects of mild to moderate depression. A new study by a Swedish researcher helps explain further the link between exercise and depression. The study found that exercise and antidepressants stimulate the production of new brain cells in an area of the brain that is important to memory and learning. This research also found that exercise is a very good complement to antidepressant medicines. Be sure and download your <a href="http://www.yourfitnessuniversity.com/bodyweight_500_metabolic_fat_burner_workouts.html">Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Exercise, New Brain Cells and Depression--What's The Connection?

There have been previous studies confirming how exercise helps reduce the effects of mild to moderate depression. A new study by a Swedish...

Life Expectancy Going Down In United States, 2

As a side note to yesterday's <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/2007/07/life-expectancy-going-down-in-us.html">post</a>, I am seeing more kids (ages 12 and up) working out in the health clubs this summer. That is a good sign! But there are far more kids who are not active at all. For example, I don't see very many kids playing "street ball", playing yard games, on playgrounds, at swimming pools, etc. That's what I want to see more of from kids. That kind of physical activity is not forced but is usually the result of their imagination. It makes burning calories fun for kids! It has been proven that we are more likely to continue activities that are enjoyable. Now kids (and adults), go outside and play! Be sure and download your <a href="http://www.yourfitnessuniversity.com/bodyweight_500_metabolic_fat_burner_workouts.html">Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Life Expectancy Going Down In United States, 2

As a side note to yesterday's post , I am seeing more kids (ages 12 and up) working out in the health clubs this summer. That is a good...

Life Expectancy Going Down In United States

Check out this disturbing news about life expectancy: I was sitting in a meeting today and the speaker said something that caught everyone's attention. He basically said that for the first time since medical statistics have been kept on life expectancy in the United States, life expectancy will go down starting with this generation. That generation is your kid's generation. The reason? Obesity. Obesity and the diseases it causes is now the number one preventable condition that causes death in this country. What can you do about this? Exercise regularly, eat healthier and make sure your kids do the same. And help and/or encourage as many people in your corner of the world to live healthier. In my opinion, that's the only way to reverse the obesity epidemic. Be sure and download your <a href="http://www.yourfitnessuniversity.com/bodyweight_500_metabolic_fat_burner_workouts.html">Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

Life Expectancy Going Down In United States

Check out this disturbing news about life expectancy: I was sitting in a meeting today and the speaker said something that caught everyone...

What Motivates You to Exercise?

So, what motivates you to exercise regularly? Anyway.......I saw an article in Men's Health Magazine that had information I already knew about---but it attached some technical words to layman's language. It's not that you don't want to exercise. The New Year's fitness resolution dies by the end of February because you had the wrong motivation for working out. So, I'll interpret MH's technical exercise motivation language and it'll be clear what motivations will make our exercise habits a lifestyle habit... 1) AMOTIVATION - You don't really have a reason to work out....like "whatever dude." Your workouts won't last long. 2) EXTERNAL REGULATION - You're motivated to workout because other people like the way you look when you're in shape, but no internal motivation exist. How long do you think you'll be able to please people? Then what will motivate you? 3)INTROJECTED REGULATION - You feel bad about yourself when you don't workout. This is a type of motivation, but its based on negative motivations. 4) IDENTIFIED REGULATION - You workout because its good for your health and lifestyle. This is a very positive behavior and will lead to permanent lifestyle changes. 5) INTRINSIC MOTIVATION - You workout because you enjoy it! Probably the best motivation of all. In my opinion, a combination of the motivations listed in numbers 3 through 5 lead to permanent lifestyle changes (with heavier weight attached to numbers 4 and 5). And, the motivation listed in number 2 will probably be mixed in somehow. I'll answer this question before you ask. What motivates you Mark? I have worked out seriously since I was in high school. Back then, I worked out because I enjoyed it and I wanted to look good for the girls. I didn't really think about the health benefits of exercise. Now, as a personal trainer, the health benefits of exercise are a priority, but the enjoyment is probably what still motivates me to exercise. On those days when I say to myself, "I don't want to exercise," I still do it because I enjoy it. And, my appearance is the fringe benefit of a healthy lifestyle. So, what motivates you to exercise? Be sure and download your <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/p/dumbbell-and-medicine-ball-metabolic_17.html#.UeY_3tLqmuI">Free Dumbbell and Medicine Ball Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

What Motivates You to Exercise?

So, what motivates you to exercise regularly? Anyway.......I saw an article in Men's Health Magazine that had information I already k...

When Your Workout Schedule "Hits A Snag"

Life intervenes and interrupts even the most dedicated workout warriors' schedules. So, what should you do? If you have been on a workout program for 2-3 months, a few days away from your normal "grueling" routine will not affect you. The best thing to do in those situations is to be creative and stay active. There is always 30 minutes to an hour in every day that you can sneak in some exercise. Try walking on work breaks, do pushups, dips and bodyweight squats on work breaks, walk or run during your kids' team practices, ride your bike or walk to work (if possible)....the list goes on and on...You can do it! Be sure and download your <a href="http://www.yourfitnessuniversity.com/bodyweight_500_metabolic_fat_burner_workouts.html">Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts</a> and start shaping your body faster! Mark Dilworth, BA, PES <a href="http://yourfitnessuniversity.com/">Your Fitness University</a> <a href="http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">My Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://herfitnesshut.com/">Her Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/">Sports Fitness Hut</a> <a href="http://rapidfatlossandsixpackabs.com/">Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs</a>

When Your Workout Schedule "Hits A Snag"

Life intervenes and interrupts even the most dedicated workout warriors' schedules. So, what should you do? If you have been on a wor...