Is it just me or are men the hardest to convince that they should hire a trainer when they find hard to lose additional weight? For the men who are looking to increase muscle and decrease fat, not always in that order, here are some quick hits to implement if you’re not doing this:

1. Don’t go vegan for the sake of losing weight. It shows you have no clue in what you’re trying to do, besides, that is our girlfriends and wives jobs. It may even offend people who do it for religious or moral reasons.
2. Stop doing the same workout that you’ve been doing for 10 years. If you keep singing the same song to me for even 1 year, I would not only become accustomed to it, I’d probably get sleepy. Believe me that’s what your body is doing,
3. Be the heavy. Heavy weights + total body workouts + a lower calorie diet=more strength/more muscle/fat loss.
4. Don’t you touch those fat burners!

If there is doubt, do without. Here are some things about supplements that we must remember:

1. No supplement alone will make you bigger, faster, stronger
2. It’s not magic in a bottle
3. Nothing replaces whole foods that have been minimally or zero processed
4. Research the claims of a product. Too good to be true? It probably is.
5. Every supplement, as well as prescription medications, has a down side. Read what warnings that the manufacturer provides, if any. Adverse reactions have adverse consequences.
6. No supplement alone will make you lighter, thinner, skinnier

There are supplements that have plenty of research behind them like protein, fish oils, greens, and multivitamins. That doesn’t mean that they are right for you. Question and research everything. This extra step will save, time, money, and aggravation.

You must not make emotional decisions when you are deciding on taking something that has expensive and slick advertising with little to no research behind it. Be careful and use good judgment in deciding what goes in your body.

Breakfast

I usually ask clients to make to small changes the first week that we’re training together. The first one that people normally don’t do on their own is to eat breakfast daily, which is truly, the most important meal of the day. This blog post cites some studies that are so important to mostly everyone the part that breakfast plays in losing weight. Click here for the article.

Sugar-free, that’s me

If we look closely at our diets, sugars and carbs are the dominant macronutrients that we imbibe hourly, daily, and weekly. Especially, foods with sugar, rule the way we plan or not plan. This is good advice about cutting out sugar. Click here for the article.

You can do this right now!

Workouts on the go, don’t need weights, straps, belts, whips, or chains…These exercise can be done anywhere. Just make sure you do them correctly so that you don’t hurt yourself. Here you go.

New extensive studies on Fish oil and Vitamin D

Heart health and bone health are two important issues as you get older. Click here for the article.

HOW NOT TO SQUAT

What is the most anti-productive way to squat? See if you can figure out what he’s doing wrong?

There are several fundamental issues that are wrong in this video. One is that using a Smith machine to squat is not a productive one, not to say that there was not a full range of motion, and that your back in that position is not natural nor does it support the weight that engages your buttocks, hamstrings, or quadriceps. With a Smith machine, your legs are not under you in a way that is helping you to push up. Your legs have to at a angle in using the Smith machine, which begs the question, what are you then using?

Squats used to be thought of as getting the “total body workout”, and was done last. There is truth to that because most of the body parts are working helping, arms, core, shoulders. However, primarily for safety purposes, many coaches are teaching the “front squat” because of the many people who are having a problem using the traditional “back squat”. It’s not just the issue of strength for this, but the technique traditionally use really takes lots of balance and proper movement of the knees, quads, hams, and ankles.

With the Front Squat, you are resting the bar on your front deltoids muscles, cross arm or military press position. Lower your body so that your hamstrings are even with your knees, and with your quadriceps and hamstrings engaged, drive your hips and buttocks (not your back) in. Your hips should feel like they are under the weight like below:

If  haven’t used your hips before for this exercise, likely, your back has been taking a beating. If your back or knees have been hurting for awhile, you should go get it check out. If you are using light weight 15-20 reps is a great workout. If you are using heavy weights 6 reps is a great start.

If you do not train your whole body to be strong, then your stomach will be the least thing to worry about. If you are not weight training, how will your muscles become strong? How will your bones increase in density as you get older? How will your body prevent injuries under physical stress? So many other concerns to worry about?

Why do people think the stomach has separate muscles from the rest of the body?

People come to this conclusion in many ways other than not liking what they see in the mirror. Ask yourself these questions:

• Are you not concerned about the unhealthy habits you have obtained, thus, leading to the fat belly?
• Do you continue to eat the same way knowing the way you should eat?
• Do you think it’s easy to lose belly fat?
• Has your doctor checked, your cholesterol, sugar, and triglycerides? How about your blood pressure? Medication?
• Did your mate make a fat joke?
• How long have you been this way?
• Are your family members bigger or smaller than you? Do you look like the rest of your family?

Most people who ask the “What should I do…” question are deceived that losing fat is easy because they think, “oh, it’s just the belly”. The solution is often complicated. Check your posture, the limp, the pain in your knees/ankles/lower back. Are you asking others to bend down for that piece of paper you dropped? All that time you haven’t attempted to not just get into shape, but to get stronger reveals itself, not when things are going well, but when it’s challenged to respond:

• Does your body heal quickly from injuries?
• Feel weaker than ever?
• Do you hate to move around?

All are outward signs of an inward lack of will. Take all of those signs as warning signals.

Fat loss begins with your mind making a decision to change your life. You can’t live, eat, think, and breathe the same way anymore. Here’s a question:

• How much are willing to sacrifice to lose the belly you’ve obtained over the years?
• Are you ready to start making some lifestyle changes?
• Are you ready to train for your whole body to be strong?

Are you sure the only issue is your fat stomach?

That’s the question that I’ve responded with on several occasions. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how the fat got there. You know it’s not a good look. You know it’s not a sign of a healthy body, so there’s not just one answer.

This article is from the FDA on whole grains. Super informative and you get the skinny on the FDA’s role and what they consider a source of whole grains. Click here for the article.

Never Too Old

Another study about senior citizens and exercise, and how strength training could really improve the quality of life. When reading, note the study that was conducted on 90-year old women in nursing homes. You’ll be surprised (or not) at the results that occurred.  Ultimately, the lesson is that no matter how young or old, exercise will help your life, the quality of life, and the length of life. Click here for the article.

Live Longer? Really?

This blogger found 63 ways to live longer. There are probably more, but this article is good enough to spend some time digesting. You may think of more, but, if you need to get started, click here.

It’s a Gas!

Now that you are eating healthier, increase in fiber, protein, and fish oils, you are find that you have one problem. Gas! More gas than you have ever had. What should you do? Try these tips that have help me:

1. Peppermint Tea settles the stomach and minimizes gas issues. It will also help you to relax and you may go on your merry way. If you can find Peppermint gels that you can take orally will work as well. Try the NOW brand, the quality is very good. Possibly Costco and Sam’s may have a bulk size that is less expensive.
2. Don’t eat so much fiber in one day at the beginning stages. It takes time for your body to get used to 25-35 grams of fiber a day. Drink plenty of fluids to help with the digestion. Don’t be in such a rush, it’ll be alright.
3. Tums. Do I need to say more?
4. Cut the sugar and sugary carbohydrates out! This is often the cause of digestive combustion..

Curb Your Enthusiasm…for Carbs!

This article discusses the need for people to take control of their emotions, and their psyche so that binging won’t occur. The article suggests that maybe the economy has a lot to do with rising stress levels that result in binging. Stress often takes people where they don’t mentally want to go, and people will use sugary carbs to temporarily take away the pain. Click here for the article.

More on Abs

We have gone there on abs. No more crunches or sit-ups. We know now that it’s the hub for neck and back problems. Crunches on stability ball, yes! On the floor, no! However, there are man other ab exercises to embrace, so this article will help point you in the right direction. Click here for the article.

A Women’s Place Is In The Weight Room

Most women have this awful misconception that they will become too muscular should they start lifting weights.  On the contrary, weightlifting has so many health and weight loss benefits that it’s almost neglectful in saying that it’s detrimental. This article makes the benefits plain and simple. Click here for the benefits.

Less is More…Beneficial

A good article about food portion, and just flat self-control, and should give you lots of benefits. The study done here should generate some positive response about how much we eat, and how portions can directly effect the amount of calorie intake.  Click here for the article.

Finally…Oct 2008 still being sold in June 2009…What?

I recorded this at a local grocery store that has diet drinks with 0 calories, and some that has so much sugar that it’s ridiculous. Not even has that much sugar in a 12 ounce can. Yes it has 120% of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C, but you can get that from a couple of vitamin tablets.

Fortunately, that has one serving, which brings me to say that the labels do say how many servings.  It doesn’t matter  how many ounces, but how many ounces per serving is important. Some say six ounces, some say eight. Look at the label carefully.

Read the labels. You’ll be surprised at what’s on them.

This is the time of year that people should start thinking about building their immune system, as well as getting into shape. Yes, we can all pop vitamin C and multivitamins until we are blue, or we can really eat foods that are wide in variety, and rich in antioxidants. The link I’m providing is to an article that offers what can improve your immunity. Click here for the article.

A Healthy Lifestyle

Living healthy is ultimately is what this blog is all about.  This article covers a wide variety of ways for you to improve the quality of your life. Click here for the article.

Have You Done Your 1000 Crunches?

This article makes clear something that I read about before and believe: Crunches don’t optimize building the ab muscles. Crunches have a small range of motion, and most people put emphasis on the neck, and end of havin all types of neck issues. Click here for the article.

It’s Just Not True!

Did you know you can drink too much water? Do we really use just 10% of our brain? It might be a myth. Click here for the article.

Too Much Candy?

Let’s just say, you are a famous athlete and you unashamedly claim that you can just eat candy all day. Let’s just say you are the 1 out 10 people in the world who do not get fat from eating so much candy. What message do you think you are sending to the other up and coming athletes in high school who are doing what you do?

There are people who years later, won’t be able to control their weight like they once did when they ate candy all day. Then again, how many will play in the NBA, or even have a shot at playing any kind of professional sport.

That much candy can set you back, maybe not now, but later. Can you say Type 2 diabetes?

1. Less  saturated fat, less farts, more legumes, more farts (sorry can’t have it both ways). Your body will get use to the fiber, farts will cease.
2. You can wrap the towel around your waist, that’s now less. Your honey (girlfriend, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend) will be able to wrap their arms around your waist, that’s now less.  The balance meals will produce more waste (and that’s good): note the waist/waste homonym.
3. The people on the plane, bus, carpool, sidewalks will be grateful for the additional space. They’ll thank you in person, and sit or stand next to you (Nice!).
4. Your feet and knees will be grateful with less pressure to perform every single hour of every single day of every single minute, of every single second. Your feet have become accustomed to the change…every year.
5. Climbing stairs will be less taxing, the U.S. government will frown
6. You’ll pass your mattress to your children, the fluctuating weight tears on the springs
7. Your furniture will last longer,it  won’t have that sinking feeling
8. Your food bill will shrink so more money for dates (Yay)!
9. You can wear shoes for longer periods, the cows  thank you.
10. Clothes bill shrinks the cows, sheep, and synthetic horses’ thank you.  They are no longer on the extinction list.

I joke here but, he point is why diet every year and lose 20-50 pounds when you should eat sensibly, to lose maybe 10 pounds a year. Eat healthy all year round, and let the cows be cows for a while longer.

The word BMI (Body Mass Index) is thrown around a lot. This is a decent explanation of it. Click here for the article.

The Wealthier, The Healthier?

This article from the Journal of the American Dietitian indicates people who are wealthier tend to eat foods that are low in energy density (almonds, vegetables, oatmeal) than those in the lower income bracket. Low density foods burn slower, does not cause insulin spikes, and unlikely to store as fat. There are ways to eat more healthier foods for less, but you would have to look around a little.

A great place to start is Wal-mart, Sam’s, Costco, and Trader Joe’s. Prices are sometimes better on line than they are in the store in most cases. You can get good quality protein, fish oils, vitamins in bulk at really good prices. GNC is a good place, although sometimes, could be a little pricey.

GNC starts marking down various prices as they get closer to expiration and removes them a few weeks before the actual dates. The part that most people don’t know is that products like vitamins and proteins are still potent in its original content (see supplement facts) long after the container expires. I’ve brought $20 at 5 lbs. per container before, and used it for a few months afterwards.

So, if you’re hurting in the pockets, and want to eat healthy, if you search for deals 50% below retail, you will eventually find them.

Wanna Know How Many?

Some United Kingdom restaurants and catering companies are providing calorie counts to their clients. Could be fun and informative, right? Wait ’til you see which companies are doing it. Click here for the article.

We All Scream For Ice Cream?

How about 200 calorie Ice Cream, could you handle that? Summer is coming, and unless you’re lactose intolerant, you’ll be jonesing for ice cream. Click here for the artcle.

Healthy Meals For Kids

Trying to tell my oldest son that drinking a pop with 54 grams of sugar is not good for you, is like telling him that Pizza is poison. Either way he wouldn’t listen! Nevertheless, this link is to a brief article and a podcast on healthy eating for kids, so click here.

Food Journal to Optimize Success

This article helps and motivates you to journal your food. I use this as a tool with clients because you really see where you are with your eating habits, and so I can really help people change their view if it’s causing you to gain weight you don’t want. Click here for the article.

It’s not just the junk food

There are certain food additives that are just counter productive for adapting to a healthy eating lifestyle. Some do not have health benefits, and just aren’t natural. This article is excellent in the way it specifies why these additives are not good for you. Click here for the article.