P90X Experiment Results Are In!

I bet MacGyver did P90X. Just sayin'

It's a good thing that our YMCA recently replaced the carpeting on the gym floor (I will leave you to ponder why there is carpet on the gym floor at all) because if it's one thing P90X did well, it was make me eat carpet. I did dive bomber push ups to failure - proven by the fact that the last one saw my arms give out and I had a close shave with a carpet burned nose. I did abs - gloriously titled The Ab Ripper Workout, not because you will get ripped abs from doing it but because it feels like your abs are being ripped out of your body - until I collapsed into the comforting embrace of the cushion-less carpet. And then after the 3 weeks of intense workouts were finished and we were on our "recovery week" filled with light cardio, stretching and yoga, I attempted a chaturanga "run" (alternate knees to elbows while hovering 3 inches above the floor) and yet again turfed it face first into the purply bluish gray (with some red speckles - to hide the blood!) carpet. My only consolation was on that last one Gym Buddy Allison ate it too and we then proceeded to laugh ourselves silly. Oh, and that same workout I snapped myself across the butt with a resistance band gone rogue.

So you will understand why I thought the "P" in P90X stood for pain. It does not. Nor does it stand for perfect, push up, polyester (wha?) or performance - all guesses bandied about this month as we tried to separate the fact from the infomercial hype. The P apparently stands for "program" - how anticlimactic! - although ChaCha begs to disagree. (Updated: Azusmom just alerted me to the fact that the P actually stands for "power.") The 90 is for 90 days. And the X? Xtreme of course!

What I Liked
The workouts were tough and there was plenty of variation from week to week. We always got a good sweat, even from the yoga. In fact, the workout that made me Toilet Sore - that's Gym Buddy parlance for when you get so sore you have to use both hands to lower yourself onto the toilet and even then you just end up falling the last few inches - was the Core Synergistics program and that was supposed to be a rest workout. I was gimpy for four days afterward.

In addition to challenging workouts there were a lot of innovative moves. I've gotten to a point now where I feel like I have done it all (except for aerial dancing - which I'm still dying to do so please call me Circus People!) but P90X had lots of stuff I'd never tried before. They even found a way to make lunges new - it's called the Sneaky Lunge and it's straight out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon.

As you can tell, there was a lot of opportunity for fun. Tony Horton, the inventor of P90X and the main instructor on all the videos is a freakin' riot. There aren't many people who can keep me entertained during a home workout but him and his "fancy hands" cracked me up. Were we to ever meet, he and I would be workout BFFs, I just know it.

What I Didn't Like
Similar to CrossFit and other heavy on the lifting programs, P90X is very joint intensive. By the end of week two, my wrists were killing me from all the various push ups and each of the Gym Buddies ended up with a tweaked knee, painful elbows or a stressed shoulder. In addition to the weights, the cardio, especially the Plyometrics workout, involves a lot (A LOT) of jumping up and down. So there were rolled ankles, foot pain and other impact related aches. Nothing serious for any of us but I'm just saying if you have a trick knee (you know who you are!!) or other existing joint issue, this might exacerbate it.

My only other complaint is all the hype. It's similar in tone, intensity and workout style to several other existing workouts (CrossFit most notably) and so it seems that the primary way they set themselves apart is by a lot of Xtreme rhetoric. Oh yeah and black-and-white muscle glamor shots.

Results
The rockstar of the group this month was Gym Buddy Megan (fitting, as it was her Christmas present we were all horning in on after all). She lost an inch off of every body part and dropped six pounds. She bought a new bikini to celebrate! My results, on the other hand, were a little ambiguous. I know I got stronger. I can still only do one pull up but now I cheat less with the jumping. Push ups, pull ups, squats and even my baby-worn abs are all noticeably stronger performance-wise. My other excitement was a pair of pre-baby jeans that I couldn't even wedge myself into with a shoehorn at the beginning of the month now not only fit but are actually a bit loose (just in the waist - nothing is ever loose on my legs, give it up for athletic thighs!). And yet the scale only went down a pound. But perhaps I was building muscle? All my measurements are exactly the same, even the waist. So maybe my jeans just got stretched out from all the trying on. At any rate, I am pleased. Between last month and this month my LASTTENPOUNDS has now been downgraded (and decapitalized) to my lastfivepounds, not bad for almost 4 months post partum.

March's Great Fitness Experiment
One point that was really driven home to me this month is the importance of nutrition. I can kill myself in the gym and make all the sweet, sweet love to the carpet I want and yet if my food is off, I won't lose an ounce. Between having to go nearly vegan again and dealing with the feelings of deprivation that come with that and the frightening hunger that comes with lactating, I have been eating more than I should. I haven't really gone crazy with the junk food but OD'ing on nut butter (my new food crush: I Love Peanut Butter's dark chocolate dreams - it's vegan and pretty much the only chocolate left to me) will still pack on the pounds. For me the magic ratio seems to be about 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.

As P90X is a 90 day program and we have only completed the first month, we are going to continue on with their workouts for March. Therefore March's Great Fitness Experiment will be a dietary one. Tune in tomorrow to hear all about it!

Gym Buddy Opinions
I'm a neurotic mess so thank goodness for the Gym Buddies and their opinions! (See Sensei Don's comprehensive review for a much-need male perspective! Finally, a Gym Buddy who doesn't pee when they jump!)

Gym Buddy Megan: In general, I have been happy with the program. I definitely feel stronger (even if I still can't quite do a pull-up) and have been happy to focus on weights since I'm usually since a cardio-happy girl. And, I actually noticed a difference when I ran yesterday - haven't run in a number of weeks and I did 3 miles quite a bit faster than "usual" and still had plenty of gas in the tank. I like the fact that we did a different work out everyday of the week and we get to change it up just as I was starting to get bored. Although, the Yoga workout gets a big YAWN from me...BO-RING!! (Charlotte's note: true story about the yoga. Sorry, Tony.) The workouts certainly made me sore, but they weren't as bad as I was expecting (especially the Plyo workout that I heard horror stories about), but maybe that's because we're all just so fit to begin with!! And, I'm happy I got to workout with my gym buddies and my hubby, because as much as Tony Horton makes me giggle, I think I would have tired of him quickly if I had to listen to him every day. I just finished the Core Synergistics workout and it was a doozy!

Gym Buddy Allison: I liked the workouts. I didn't get bored from them and they gave me enough of a push. It wasn't as hard as expected but was hard enough considering the pull ups, hindu push ups(??) and a couple others!!

Gym Buddy Jeni: I only did two sessions with you and one I only completed half way but here are my thoughts...of the two sessions that I did with you I have incorporated those moves into my normal lifting and strength training routine. I love to pull up sections and never would've thought of doing those myself and I loved (and hated), the wall sits. I think it did a great job of engaging the large and small muscles at the same time which lead to bigger calorie burns and more muscle fatigue, which I think is good, right?!?! I would love to regularly do the P90X with you guys or I;d at least like to learn a few new moves to incoporate. It's HARD though. I don't have to tell you that!

Gym Buddy Daria: I have liked the workouts. [...] It was REALLY nice for me to start doing weights since I haven't used weights in a year. Yikes! So I have definitely felt stronger. I also like the change from day to day. I can now run for 25minutes with no break! 2.5 miles! Yippee!

Sensei Don:

I have been really enjoying the P90X. In general, it is a really well rounded exercise program that is a good compliment to my other athletic endeavors (Karate-do, triathlons). I am finding that my balance, mobility, flexibility and energy level have all improved although this is a largely subjective evaluation. In real terms I have increased the repetitions, weight or both for almost every exercise. I have upped the ante on the plyometrics by wearing a 30 lb weight vest in week 3 (Charlotte's note: For the love of little green apples, Don!). This is a significant improvement since the first time I did plyo I was only able to keep up at the "minimum level" - meaning I didn't do any moves at double-time and did not do the same number of reps as the video showed. Below are some pros and cons to the program as I see it:

Pros:

• It is a flexible program - can be customized for your personal schedule and desired level of intensity
• There is a wide variety of exercises that target areas that may be neglected by otehr routines. A good example is the set of muscles (arms and legs) used in side-to-side movemement. Lateral jumps, raises and lunges build strength in areas often under-exercised in running and cycling which are almost completely linear in nature. In individuals who only do running it is common for the adductors, abductors and side glutes to be diproportionately weak compared to the quads and rear glutes. P90X even goes so far as to focus on the calf muscles at three different angles to cover the complete muscle group
• The P90X program has had a social effect for me and others I've observed. It is a program that you can do together with someone. Even if you work out alone, there is a common language and experience that facilitates comradere among P90Xers. This element, I think, brings more motivation and discipline than a self-designed, self-directed exercise program knowing that your friends and others are doing the same workout. It can bring out the supportive and/or competitive elements that can help individuals push through the physical and psychological challenges of intense training.

Cons:

• The prorgam cannot be done properly without key pieces of equipment. Specifically, access to a pull-up bar is an obstacle to some - especially while traveling for business. The use of a band does not sufficiently cover for this since you still need a sturdy and safe way to attach the band to a ceiling/ door/ etc. Hotel rooms and hotel workout facilities rarely accommodate this.
• The X Stretch is very elementary. There is not a thorough explanation on the types of stretching beyond static and ballistic. There are more advanced stretching methods available that are known to produce faster results especially if your goal is dynamic flexibility (i.e. greater range of motion while moving/ engaging the muscle groups) which is the case for most athletes.
• Tony spends a lot of time at the beginning of each warm-up doing static stretching. My understanding is that current research advises against this; that it does not prevent injury and actually can decrease performance.
• Tony can be very annoying during the videos - but you can play the video with just the music and time indicators

How did it go for you this month? Anyone else do P90X? Have you ever been Toilet Sore? What's your magic nutrition/exercise ratio?

Paul Vandervort: Upper Body Training

In this video top model Paul Vandervort of Abercrombie & Fitch and the Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (Season 4) shows you his various gym exercises for shaping his upper body:



See a spectacular video montage of top model Paul Vandervort on AllTimeHunks.net

H.I.G.T...advanced training tips.

Muscle has a simple formula, Weight x Intensity = Muscle!

Try this massive fat burning muscle building group.
Repeat all groups three times (Three sets) with no rest between exercises. Rest 1 min between groups. Use challenging to heavy weight for each exercise.

1) Squat 10 reps, with no rest move directly into pull-up 10 reps.


2) Dumbbell bench press 10 reps, directly into dumbbell shoulder military press 10 reps.

3) Barbell standing bicep curl 10 reps, directly into standing cable triceps
press down 10 reps.

You just completed a full body training session and have sent your body into full throttle fat burning, muscle building mode.

AbFitt-

Danny: Young, Massive, Defined

After a posing video 24-year-old bodybuilder Danny shows in three clips how he trains and has built up his impressive physique: bicep curls, abs and push ups.

Posing:



Bicep curls:



Abs:
Danny says about his abs exercise: "The slower the better, and the harder."



Push ups:



You find more posing videos of Danny on AllTimeHunks.net.

5 Olympic Stories You Might Have Missed This Year

Fridays are normally Greatest Hits (i.e. rerun posts) here at GFE but today I wanted to do a quick Olympic news roundup today instead. Between many of you awesome readers and my trusty Google reader, I have a whole (metaphorical) pile of Olympic stories that I keep meaning to blog about and haven't had time to get to. But the Olympics are almost over and there are so many things to talk about! So here it is, quick and dirty:

Strong Triumphs Over Skinny. AGAIN. Tanith Belbin, an American Ice Dancer, has seen a major upswing in her skating career the last few years. Her winning secret? She gained 10 pounds! Yeah, you read that right. After talking about her disordered eating and hitting a low point with her skating where she says, "I [wasn't] eating anything and I [was] exhausted and cranky and stressed and all of those things that make you gain weight even more.” At first when her coach recommended she gain some weight, Tanith like any good American girl, freaked. But as she followed her coach's advice, she began to see the wisdom in it. She "changed her eating and training habits. She grew stronger, allowing curves and muscles to be a part of her body. [skating partner] Agosto said that their lifts have improved, as she can hold herself up more easily." (Thanks for the tip, Becky!)

Skating Makes a Funny. Speaking of Ice Dancing, the skaters in this year's Olympics provided most of the comic relief. Have you see Buzzfeed's "The 20 funniest Figure Skating Faces" yet? You must. MUST. And then there's this roundup of The Best "Skate Face" that are just as hilarious. And here's a look at some of the funniest costumes (yes the US snowboarding team gets a mention with their faux jeans and retro plaids). Plus someone did an analysis of the skaters' hair. Seriously.

Curling is a Sexxxy Sport. The sport of Curling has the odd honor of having both the only (admittedly) pregnant female athlete competing - Canadian Kristie Moore due in May - and its very own line of condoms called "Hurry Hard." I'm not sure what I could possibly add to that little tidbit of awesomeness.

There is a Condom Shortage Crisis. Speaking of sex, Curlers aren't the only athletes getting their groove on in the downtime. Apparently the Olympic Village is facing an epic condom shortage (who knew that free condoms were even a perk at the Olympics??) after handing out 100,000 of the little foil-wrapped souvenirs, about 14 for each of the 7,000 people housed in the village.

A Uniform Question: Reader Laura asks, "Why do the female skiers wear skintight uniforms (Charlotte's note: a star spangled Under Armor unitard thingy) while the female snowboarders wear baggy faux-jeans and a plaid coat? Is it just about the 'tude?" Good question, Laura. It can't just be about performance because presumably snowboarders need to go fast too.

What has caught your attention about this year's winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada? Anyone have a good answer for Laura? I sure don't - I've tried snowboarding exactly twice and cursed so much the snow melted in my path.

Are you ready for the best body ever?

If you want to take your fitness and fat loss to the next level, without spending more time in the gym—then My high Intensity Group training (also known as HIGT) could be exactly what you're looking for. Its proven & it works.

Before getting into the details, notice that I didn’t say HIGT would be easier, just that it would take less of your time. In fact, the HIGT approach to exercise is very physically demanding and isn’t for everyone. If you have any cardiovascular problems or other health concerns that limit your ability to exercise at very intense levels, or if you are relatively new to AEROBIC/ANAEROBIC exercise or not already in good shape, HIGT is not for you—at least for now. If you have any doubts or concerns about whether it might be safe for you, check in with your medical professional before trying HIGT.

What It Is and How It Works
HIGT is a specialized form of interval weight training that involves short intervals of maximum intensity exercise separated short intervals of low to moderate rest periods. Because it involves briefly pushing yourself beyond the upper end of your aerobic exercise zone, it offers you several advantages that traditional steady-state exercise (where you keep your heart rate within your aerobic zone) can’t provide:

* HIGT trains and conditions both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. You train your anaerobic system with brief, all-out efforts, when you GROUP TOGETHER MULTIPLE EXERCISES.
* HIGT increases the amount of calories you burn during your exercise session and afterward because it increases the length of time it takes your body to recover from each exercise session.
* HIGT causes metabolic adaptations that enable you to use more fat as fuel under a variety of conditions. This will improve your athletic endurance as well as your fat-burning potential.
* HIGT appears to limit muscle loss that can occur with weight loss, in comparison to traditional steady-state cardio exercise of longer duration.
* To get the benefits HIGT, you need to push yourself past the upper end of your anaerobic zone and allow your body to replenish your anaerobic energy system during the recovery intervals.

The key element of HIGT that makes it different from other forms of interval training is that the high intensity intervals involve maximum effort, not simply a higher heart rate. There are many different approaches to HIGT, each involving different numbers of high and low intensity intervals, different levels of intensity during the low intensity intervals, different lengths of time for each interval, and different numbers of training sessions per week. If you want to use HIGT to improve performance for a particular sport or activity, you’ll need to tailor your training program to the specific needs and demands of your activity.

General HIGT Guidelines

* HIGT is designed for people whose primary concerns are boosting overall cardiovascular fitness, endurance, and fat loss, without losing the muscle mass they already have.
* Before starting any HIGT program, you should be able to exercise for at least 20-30 minutes at 70-85% of your estimated maximum heart rate, without exhausting yourself or having problems.
* Because HIGT is physically demanding, it’s important to gradually build up your training program so that you don’t overdo it.

* Work as hard as you can during the high intensity intervals, until you feel the burning sensation in your muscles indicating that you have entered your anaerobic zone. Elite athletes can usually sustain maximum intensity exercise for three to five minutes before they have to slow down and recover, so don’t expect to work longer than that.
* Full recovery takes about four minutes for everyone, but you can shorten the recovery intervals if your high intensity intervals are also shorter and don’t completely exhaust your anaerobic energy system.
* If you experience any chest pain or breathing difficulties during your HIGT workout, cool down immediately. (Don't just stop or else blood can pool in your extremities and lightheaded or faintness can occur.)
* If your heart rate does not drop back down to about 70% of your max during recovery intervals, you may need to shorten your work intervals and/or lengthen your recovery intervals.
* HIGT (including the sample program below) is not for beginner exercisers or people with cardiovascular problems or risk factors. If you have cardiovascular problems or risk factors should NOT attempt HIGT unless your doctor has specifically cleared you for this kind of exercise.

Healthy Eating on a Budget (No Coupons Necessary!)

In college I had a coworker tell me she fed her family of 5 for less than a dollar a day. My first reaction was to be impressed because I as a single girl couldn't feed myself for a dollar a day much less anyone else. But then I remembered that this was the same woman who believed me when I told her at the company Christmas party that I had made the sugar cookies with the Santa face in the middle by painstakingly tinting three different colors of dough, shaping Santa Claus by hand and then rolling it all up into a log before cutting and cooking them. Yeah, they were totally those Pillsbury cookie rolls (that always remind me of the packages of liverwurst my dad used to eat on crackers) that the lazy among us use when we don't feel like cooking. So her judgement might have been a bit spotty when it comes to food, is what I'm saying. Sure enough my suspicions were confirmed when she invited me over for dinner. It turns out you can eat for less than a dollar a day - no telethon needed! - if all you eat is 25 cent mac-n-cheese and 8-for-a-dollar "hot dogs."

It has long been stated as fact by hand-wringing politicians that part of the very real toll on poor people's health is their lack of access to affordable healthy food. While I don't wish to minimize the plight of the poor, there are ways to eat cheaply while not getting rickets. I do not claim to be an expert at budgeting, cooking or, well anything really, and yet when I got this e-mail from Reader Brittney I got all giddy:

I know in the past you have mentioned having a grocery budget and your home baking (bread, etc) to help keep costs down. Would you mind sharing more of your cost saving tips with me? I searched your blog (maybe I missed it if you did a past post please let me know) but couldn't find one about that topic.

Brittney, girl, you are not alone. Who among us hasn't needed to do some belt tightening these days? Thanks to my good friend and money mentor Shellie, grocery budgeting has recently become my passion. See, Shellie manages to feed her family of 6 on a budget of 3-4$ per person/day and still stays true to her priority of feeding her kids organic fruits and veggies, whole grains and organic dairy. Here are a few tips I have picked up from her:

1. Make a month's menu in advance. It's really not as daunting as it sounds, especially when you consider that you eat the same 15 or so meals over and over again. Make a calendar and write down your dinner for that day. I like to add in some fun by making theme days like Fish Friday and Mexican Monday (we're not Catholic or Mexican but I can't resist a good alliteration!). I also have a crockpot day, a soup night and a vegetarian night where I shamelessly try to wean my family off their dependence on dead animals. Plus the kids each get to pick a meal each week that they choose, prep and help me cook.

2. From your menu, come up with a master grocery list and do ALL your shopping for the month in one ginormous trip. You can buy all your non-perishables for the month in one fell swoop and then just have a short list of 5 or 6 perishable items like produce and milk that you buy each week. At the beginning of each month I hit the super-discount food store Aldi first. Then I buy whatever I can't find there at Costco and Target. It's a lot of work but I leave the kids with my husband, buy myself a smoothie and call it a mini vacay.

These two steps alone have helped me slash (so violent!) my spending by HALF. It's amazing what having a list and sticking to it will do for your budget. Some people prefer to plan out two weeks in advance rather than a whole month and I say do whatever works best for you but keep in mind that every time you enter a store, you are going to see things you want to buy so just minimize the number of times you have to go in each store. (i.e. If I had to go into Costco every 2 weeks instead of once a month, I'd have to leave one of our children in hoc to pay the bill. Yeah, I love Costco that much.)


3. Cook more. So many things - but not everything! - are cheaper to make than to buy. While I totally suck at cooking, I do actually kind of enjoy it so it doesn't feel like a burden to me to cook a lot. Out of the 21 meals we eat every week, I cook (and clean up, SIGH) 20 of them. My good friend Beth rescued a used bread maker for me and I use that thing almost daily. I also make our breakfast foods in big batches so I can freeze them and reheat them for quicker mornings. (Apparently I'm obsessed with themes and alliteration because our breakfasts are: Monday muffins, Tuesday Toast & eggs, Wednesday waffles, Thursday (French) Toast, Friday Free-for-all meaning oatmeal, chicken sausage, soy patty "mcmuffins" or whatever. Saturday is the only day the kids get to eat cereal and then I make them mix the sugary stuff half and half with a healthier variety. Sundays are protein Smoothies.) I also make my own yogurt in the crockpot (not that I can eat it any more). Make the crock pot your new best friend. Home cooked meals don't have to be elaborate to be healthy and tasty!

4. Don't be afraid of discount stores. One of you commented on my post about food snobbery that you buy fresh produce at the dollar store. While my dollar store doesn't sell produce, they do have nuts, beans (canned & dry), canned fruits and veggies that are usually a good deal - not to mention the large array of cheap costume jewelry that I simply cannot resist. (Do the math though because sometimes the dollar store rips you off in container sizes.) Farmer's markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes - for those of you who live in an area where food can actually be grown (i.e. not Minnesota in the winter) - can be a gold mine of fresh*, local produce. Check out Asian and Hispanic markets in your area as well as specialty items are often much cheaper there. Plus you can call it a cultural experience and practice your "Donde esta el servicio?" skills!

5. Once the money's gone, it's gone. This is the hardest step. I spend over half my budget during that one massive shopping trip at the beginning of the month and if I haven't planned well and the money runs out before the next paycheck then I just don't buy anything else. It's tempting to whip out the ol' credit card but then you just start the next month in a hole. You'll be surprised what you have left in your fridge and cabinets! You may have to get creative but you probably won't starve.

You may have noticed one thing not on my list: coupons. There are lots of you out there who are much better homemakers than I am (probably all of you actually, you should see the state of my kitchen right now - you'd think we live in the Roadhouse Cafe what with all the pistachio shells littering the floor) and who have figured out the whole coupon thing. Whole websites exist dedicated to the art and science of couponing whereby you get free stuff - and sometimes even get them to pay you! - by combining store sales with coupons. Gym Buddy Allison is the Zen Master at couponing and I'm constantly amazed by what all she manages to get but for myself, I haven't figured out a way to do it in a time effective manner. I simply have too many kids to drag them into 6 different stores every week. So while I applaud those of you that do, I don't coupon. My point: You don't need to be a master cook or a coupon expert or a dumpster diver to eat very well for very cheaply.

This method works for me. It's not for everyone - there are many different ways to stretch a penny! Let me know your best healthy eating on a budget tip! Do you make your own pasta? Share a CSA box with a neighbor? Grow a garden? Ferment your own vanilla in a bottle of vodka hidden in the back of your closet??

Note: This tip courtesy of supermodel Angie Everhardt will save you money and help you lose weight but I wouldn't call it healthy. Turns out she lost all her baby weight by "going 3 or 4 days without eating." Nice.

*Thanks to all of you who pointed out in the comments of my Food Snobbery post that the purpose of eating organic foods is not just their possible health benefits but that it is better for the environment and is more sustainable in the long run. You are, of course, exactly right and I regret my overly narrow focus.

Free Exercises to Flatten Stomach

A number of people everyday search the internet for no cost workout routines to flatten belly areas. The waistline of American is bigger than ever and ironically, so is the demand for high quality fitness programs. Individuals wish to trim down and know how to do it; they just need a push inside the right direction. Unfortunately, even for those men and women who consider themselves to be fairly fit, the belly area can pose seriously obstacles in weight loss.

Free work outs to flatten stomachs contain just about each exercise there is currently available. You can’t crunch your strategy to a best abs exercise, you could have to lose the fats prior to it is possible to see the muscle. Picture your abdomen as a pomegranate. Underneath the tough outer layer there's well defined fruit, or muscles. The key to seeing these muscles is taking off the thick peel (the fat).

When you could have fat accumulated around your midsection it is impossible to tell whether you could have a six pack or not. This doesn’t mean you don’t work your abs, it just means you need to lose the fat which is covering them. Free of charge physical exercises to flatten stomachs contain those that will burn maximum fats.

Cardio is everyone’s first guess when it comes to blasting calories and excess fat. Cardio exercises are a good strategy to begin unwrapping that flat abdomen as they burn calories quickly and efficiently. Strength training is another important method to burn fat. Simply because muscle requires a lot more energy than fat, your metabolism is increased with each pound of muscle you put on. Free workout routines to flatten stomachs aren’t just sit ups.

Possibly a lot more significant than what you do is what you eat when combating stubborn belly fat. If you perform out on a regular basis but can’t seem to lose the pudge around your middle, take into account altering your diet. A healthy diet is crucial in getting the body of your dreams and shouldn’t be overlooked when searching for no cost work outs to flatten stomach.

Nice Abs - Best Abs Exercises For Getting Them Fast

Individuals who wish to fast abs at home resort to all kinds of measures. Exercise and diet could be a excellent assist in getting the sexy, flat and well-tone abs you want. You may in fact wonder why lots of individuals are obsessed in having nice abs. The main reason is that they abs are considered as the most visually appealing part of the human physique. So, if one desires of obtaining sexier body, they first prioritize in toning the abs. If you are among the millions of individuals who aim of obtaining to-die-for abs, then there are numerous methods of achieving this. Most trainers suggest of accomplishing correct exercising and eating a well-balanced diet. The most efficient abs exercise known today are the abs crunches as well as the sit ups.

Executing this will certainly tone your stomach. Abdominals are the large muscle group that effectively responds to stimulation. But now matter how much you desire of acquiring perfectly toned abs, you have to make certain that you don't overwork the muscles.

The muscles in your stomach also deserve some rest. Also, accomplishing too significantly abs

exercise could aggravate the pain you feel within your lower back, pelvis, hips and other parts. Therefore, correct abs workout must be done on a recommended pace. Once all these pointers are followed, you might tiny by little notice the fantastic improvement with your entire body shape. With the new shape and look of your abs, folks will constantly turn in your direction to admire your new abs.

Towards Flat Abs and Firm Abs through Abs Fat Reduction

A flatten stomach fast are nowadays the dreams of many. The multimillion dollar fitness industry has captured the opportunity to make money in this wide and credulous market. The result is a plethora of pills and powders, a galore of physical fitness centers with all kinds of equipments and a lot of physical fitness gurus doling out mantras to an avid and susceptible crowd who are cosmetically conscious. These days, the medley of data churned out in the mass media has in fact confused the public and they need some authentic verifiable facts on the acquiring of flat and company abs that stands out.

The greatest barrier towards the cosmetic appeal with the abs may be the accumulation of layers ugly fat above the abs. This hides abs get pack six and also the weight from the accumulated fat make the belly droop giving it and ugly shape unbecoming for the ideal human figure. Coupled with lack of exercise the muscles become flabby and atrophied. In this condition a organization abs is only a pipe dream. The so called the 6 pack abs is only a well defined stomach muscles that stand out adding on the general strength with the body.

The multi million dollar business usually suggests quick fix solutions for getting a organization abs. To remove fat they ask you to eat pills and powders. They ask you to buy costly gadgets or work out in high-tech gyms that make you pay by way of the nose. They prescribe fat reduction diets of dubious mixture and unverifiable content. Numerous individuals have fallen prey for the doubtful claims from the ruthless physical fitness business. It might have made a hole in their pockets with no palpable outcomes on their abs or general structure.

At this juncture the cosmetic conscious people are exhorted to follow systems that have been put to scientifically tenable tests, followed by clinical trials and certified by the real time credentials of users who have benefited by the use of the system. Reliable product sellers are ready to publish these credentials in photographs with verifiable contact details. This is a good practice. So those who aspire for a firm stomach ought to go by means of these credentials before they arrive at an informed decision.

The road to a organization abs today is not difficult. The successful method for the development of the firm abs boils down to three factors. The first one is fat removal that hides the six pack abs from view. The second 1 may be the use of a low carbohydrate diet that prevents the further accumulation of fat on our body. Finally we should put ourselves on an exercise regime which is practical.

It's not proper to see fitness as a separate activity. It have to be integrated into the life style with the individual. As soon as it can be part of life by a procedure of habit formation then the effects will follow. Then organization abs and fitness will be durable. The results as most people attest give them and enduring satisfaction. Once they have tasted the manna they aren't likely to chase the lewd.

Build Abs Fast Three Pointers to Keep in Mind

When talking about getting flatten stomach fast, no a single ever thinks of approaching this goal slowly. Nearly everyone I know want their abs built as rapid as they could.

It is for specific that each and everybody wants to see output fast. You cannot surely think of any magic that may do that, nevertheless you can find things you are able to do to achieve your abs ripped in no time. Here are three of the easiest pointers you need to know:

1. Speed up your Metabolism and Lose Excess fat Quicker.

Hard training is the secret to speed up your metabolism. When a individual has a high metabolic rate, their physique works in a extremely beneficial method to burn all the extra excess fat. And also the secret to get this is always to check your diet and get flatten stomach fast.

First thing you may need to accomplish would be to avoid foods with unhealthy excess fat and carbohydrates. This will help speed up your metabolism in no time. Keep in mind that a fine eating habits is 1 way to build abs quick.

Foods which contain as well significantly sugar or starch like candies, carbonated drinks, and pastry goods are bad for your diet. Make certain to scan the food labels so that you will be able to tell if the ingredients suit your eating habits. Even a little improvement inside your diet is still that very much helpful.

2. Cut down Fats Rapid with System Heat.

During training, the physical structure heats up, and you'll need to know that this can be incredibly significant. Thermal insulation is one cause why our body needs to store excess fat. Even so too considerably fats isn't beneficial, so we will need to lose it.

Heat elements may be useful in functioning abs speedy. Here are some techniques on how to perform this:

*Use an added shirt either under your exercise clothes or over it.

*Use abdominal wraps to keep your midsection warm and tight.

*Use other body wraps (e.g. thighs) to maximize your work out.

3. Performing Cardio Exercise session Can Lessen Fats Speedy.

Nothing speeds up metabolism and gets faster results than cardiovascular exercises. Cardio provides you with a complete physique workout. Touching base with each and every muscle group in your body makes it easier for you to burn excess fats all over.

Some of you might not know this, but there is often a fantastic deal of what we do each and every day that has to try and do with cardio. Walking and running, for instance, are considered as cardio workouts. Walking to perform, climbing stairs, and doing some shopping are also regarded as applications of cardio.

To perform abs speedy, it can be excellent to combine total cardio exercise with intense abs exercise session. Canoeing, boxing, running, swimming, and cycling are some very good examples of strong cardio training.

Remember, operating out is a way of life; it reflects your goals and aspirations in life. The key to building abs fast is having the right eating habits, keeping high physical structure temperature during your exercise, and make all of these a habit and you will get flatten stomach fast.

Portion Control for Control Freaks

Eating with me can be a surreal experience, for so many reasons. My friends, in a testament to their generous ability to overlook my flaws, put up with a great deal from me with nary a comment. But a few days ago I was reminded of my, er, quirks when I had a friend over for lunch. "It's like we're having a tea party with our dolls! Fun!" she exclaimed cheerily. "But do you think I could at least have a real spoon?"

See, we were Ladies Who Lunch... on 6" salad plates, 1/2-cup bowls and, yes, chunky neon plastic baby spoons. The only thing of adult size were our water glasses, the last two of a set of cut-crystal glasses I got for my wedding ten years ago. While I can totally blame the latter on my kidlets - I will echo a hundred generations of parents in exclaiming, "We can't have anything nice with you kids!!!" - the former was all my fault.

Portion control is my downfall. There are some, like Skinnygirl Bethenny Frankel, who swear by the "take 3 delicious bites of whatever you want and then leave the rest" mentality. In her book Naturally Thin, she describes meals where she ate something like "3 bites of a Charleston Chew in the car, 6 mini pretzels, 1 triangle of watermelon and 2 bites of lasagna off a friend's plate." That, to me, is not a meal. I simply cannot take just three bites of something - especially if it is delicious! One decadent truffle is an appetizer course for the whole box. So several years ago in an effort to rein in this impulse, I came across a diet tip that said to shrink your waistline by shrinking your dinnerware. I'm pretty sure they just meant downgrading your dinner plates from the 12" restaurant standard to a more reasonable size but I took that to heart. Plus it was easy to do as we already had tot-sized dishes to go with the tot-sized humans quickly overtaking our house.

Which is how I came to be entertaining my adult guest tea-party style. All we needed was our Cabbage Patch dolls and it would have been 2nd grade heaven all over again. In my defense, I do own exactly four normal sized plates and a drawer of perfectly normal silverware, I just forgot to put them out. Because I never use them. I'll admit it: it makes me feel safe to eat my quinoa on a teeny tiny plastic plate. It's awfully hard to OD on non-dairy sorbet* when you are eating it out of a doll bowl with a spoon designed for people who often miss their mouth. Sadly what's quirky now - "Oh look, Charlotte forgot to put out real dishes! Poor sleep-deprived girl!" - is going to look mental patient in a few years when my kids are all eating off of adult dishes and I'm airplaning the peas into my own mouth.

These days, as I have reverted to food journalling (note: I switched from the cumbersome FitDay to the much more user-friendly SparkPeople), portion control has become even more important to me. So I took notice when Personal Trainer Lindsey (she of the most-hated barf weight circuits) posted about the difference between weighing your food and merely measuring it. Using her food scale, she points out that a 270-calorie breakfast she measured out actually rang it at 363 calories when she weighed the portions. As she points out, 100 calories might not be a huge deal at one meal but make that same mistake for 3 meals and 2 snacks every day and you're looking a big reason why you aren't losing the weight you think you should be. One of the tips she always suggests to her clients that have plateaued is to start weighing their food instead of measuring it.

Now I will be the first to admit that eating with baby spoons and weighing every bite that goes into your mouth may be bordering on obsessive unhealthy territory. I walk that line (may be straddling it these days) but in a culture that is as supersized as ours it can be hard to remember that a serving of most cereals is 3/4 cup - just barely enough to dust the bottom of most "cereal bowls." The FDA is even considering requiring companies to alter their food labels to reflect a true portion size of what people eat rather than the strange manufactured serving sizes on many packages today (i.e. one serving of a candybar is half the bar - as if anyone except Bethenny Frankel eats just half of a candy bar.) So measuring out your food for a set period of time - say for one week every couple of months - can be a good reality check.

Any of you have good tips for portion control? Can you eat just 3 bites of a decadent food and then walk away? Anyone want to come over for lunch now??

*Non-dairy sorbet was the best I could find. Upon all of your recommendations I have been scouring the Twin Cities for Coconut Bliss or the So Delicious Coconut ice cream but to no avail. I even drove the 30 minutes to Trader Joe's tonight and still no luck. My kids all had an ice-cream sandwich for dessert tonight. Me? I ate five dried figs. Sigh.

Tuan Tran: Cable Curls For Big Biceps

In this video bodybuilder and power lifter Truan Tran trains at the cable curl machine. Tuan explains: "Here you will see me do a superset to work on my biceps. Cable E-Z Bar Curls superset with Cable High Curls. This is a great combination to not only get a good amount of weight on those arms, but also work on peaking out those biceps."

My Life is a Cautionary Tale

Item the first: I am miserably sick. I did not one, but two workouts today. (Note: Not deathly sick. And I don't think I'm contagious - it's a sinus-y thing where my ears pop every time I swallow and my head spins thereby making me chronically off balance. I'm sure I was a treat to watch doing P90X yoga and Hip Hop Hustle.)

Item the second: I am in this month's Fitness Magazine in an article about how I conquered (AHEM) my exercise dependency. (Note: the article wasn't up on their site last I checked and they forbade me from scanning it in and posting it here. I'll let you know when it goes live though.)

I will now leave you to contemplate my idiocy while I crawl back to bed.

PS. You know what I crave when I'm sick? A TALL COLD MUG OF MILK. Universe, 1. Charlotte, 0.

There Is a Way Home

“When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.”

~ Catherine Ponder

“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love."

~ Bryant H. McGill

“To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness."

~ Robert Muller

http://www.learningtoforgive.com/steps.htm

Strangers Will Tell You You're Fat But Your Friends Won't

A waitress friend of mine recently snapped a pic of an overweight patron's meal. Why? So she could text it to several of her friends. Sure her customer's meal was appalling - One of every appetizer? Yes, please - but even more so was the realization that now, more than ever, eating is a spectator sport. People feel they not only have a right to see what other people are eating but also to pass judgment on it.

I blame the media for this. Or at least for beginning the trend with shows like the Biggest Loser that have cameras recording participants' every bite and advertising that relies on monitoring a person's food intake to sell their product a la Jared the Subway Guy. Speaking of The Biggest Loser and Jared, have you seen what's happened to them lately? Many of the finalists and winners of the former and Jared of the latter have been in the news lately for doing what most people having lost weight on a diet do: they regained it. Ryan Benson, Kai Hibbard (this link is one of the most heart breaking weight loss/gain stories I've ever read - man I just want to meet her and hug her and then throw her scale off the nearest building) and, most famously, Erik Chopin have all regained most, if not all, of the weight they lost on the world's most famous diet show. Jared The Subway Guy has also recently regained some his famously lost weight. We won't even talk about the media hoopla surrounding Marie Osmond, Kirstie Alley, and the grand dame of weight loss struggles, Oprah.

I know all this because every weight blip is broadcast to an eager audience, one I am apparently a part of despite the fact that I have never seen even one episode of The Biggest Loser (culturally irrelevant, that's me!) and the last time I ate in a Subway was Homecoming dance my junior year of high school when I got food poisoning from old ham and spent the rest of the night upchucking in the E.R. Recently pics were snapped of Jared TSG looking a bit meatier and immediately the Examiner exclaimed, "We're sure Jared will lose the extra weight in no time. After all, his career as a Subway spokesperson depends on it." highlighting the fact that we have entered the era where losing weight is an official career choice. And a lucrative one.

So I suppose it isn't surprising that all this has filtered down to the common folk. The weird twist, however, is that while we feel (too?) comfortable commenting on a stranger's weight whether it be on TV or texting their menu choices to friends, many of us don't dare broach the subject with our friends. Perhaps we are afraid of offending people or losing a friendship but my personal theory is that people are already keenly aware of what they weigh and whether or not that is healthy for them and therefore do not need me to tell them about it.

And yet.

The other day I came home from the gym and noticed during my post-shower grooming ritual that mostly involves random tweezing and lotioning my brillo-bad kneecaps (they have actually ran my nylons - back in the days when I wore nylons. Which I don't now, but I digress.) a realllly long, dark hair on my jawline. It was so bad I should have been getting better radio reception everywhere I went. It was clearly visible and so embarrassing. My first thought was: why didn't the Gym Buddies tell me I was rocking a chin-stache??

My chin-stache gave me an A-Ha moment (paging Oprah!): I wish my weight weren't an issue at all - that nobody would notice it one way or the other - but since that is not the case (not for me, not for anyone) I would rather my friends talk to me about it than a stranger.

Which would you prefer - strangers commenting on your weight or a good friend? (Sadly, "nobody" is not an option.) Do you feel comfortable commenting on a strangers weight? Would you talk to a friend about hers or his? Is anyone else's worst nightmare having a waitress text pics of your cheat meal to all her friends???

Well-tone abs

Folks who need to have nice abs resort to all kinds of measures. Work out and diet could be a excellent support in acquiring the sexy , flatten stomach fast. You may well truly wonder why lots of individuals are obsessed in obtaining nice abs. The main reason is that they abs are considered as the most visually appealing part from the human system. So, if one desires of having sexier physique, they first prioritize in toning the abs. If you're among the millions of persons who aim of obtaining to-die-for abs, then there are numerous methods of achieving this. Most trainers suggest of performing appropriate exercise and eating a well-balanced eating habits. The most efficient abs work out known today are the abs crunches and the sit ups.

Accomplishing this will certainly tone your stomach. Abdominals are the large muscle group that effectively responds to stimulation. But now matter how much you desire of having perfectly toned abs, you've to make certain that you do not overwork the muscles.

The muscles inside your stomach also deserve some rest. Also, performing too significantly abs

workout could aggravate the pain you feel as part of the lower back, pelvis, hips and other parts. Therefore, right abs exercise must be done on a recommended pace. Once all these pointers are followed, you may well well little by tiny notice the good improvement in your body shape. With the new shape and look of your abs, persons will always turn inside your direction to admire to get

Good methods to Burn Fat And Get Good Abs - how to get Abs Fast?

Have you been hunting for very good paths to burn excess fat and get excellent abs? Regardless of whether you're a couch potato needing to get rid of your belly weight or whether you are already doing tons of crunches every day trying to get your abs, you might want wonderful 6 pack abs. If you're serious about losing your fat and receiving your abs, you have to begin learning how learning how the successful people are performing it, and elude the common coaching mistakes made.

1. What Is the easiest Solution to Burn Weight And Get Fantastic Abs?

The key to receiving wonderful abs is to burn stomach fats. Whilst sit-ups, leg raises and crunches can make contributions to ab development, they do small to burn the excess fat around your waist. Therefore, it is clear that ab physical exercises ought to not be your most critical focus.

Instead, a total body workout is needed. If you've been carrying out loads of crunches each day and you don't see your abs, this is due to the fact your body excess fat percentage is too high. To get rid of this stomach fats, you will need to eat correctly and exercise the correct solution to trigger your body's metabolism.

2. Which Are One of the best Centered Ab Workout routines?

Every ab workout will train several parts of your gut, but there are particular workouts that do well to coach your abs AND burn excess fat. Some of these workout routines would include bicycle crunches, mountain climbers, and hanging leg raises or hanging knee raises.

3. What Are Total Body Workouts?

These are the best paths to burn excess fat for your abs, as they trigger and improve your body's metabolism. The most effective ones are multi-joint physical exercises like lunges, squats, clean and press, and deadlifts.