fittness

Incline Chest Press

Grab a pair of dumbbells and challenge yourself with the weights. Sit back on the incline and press the
weights above the chest and back down until your arms are in a 90-degree angle.

Rowing Machine
Keep your abs engaged and use your arm strength to pull the rower back, utilizing your upper back
strength. This is a great activity for those of you that are looking for a cardio workout but can't handle the
pressure of body weight on your knees and joints.

Overhead Presses
Standing with your legs at shoulder-width apart, core engaged, and palms facing front, press your arms
straight up to the ceiling and lower your weights down below your heart.

Straight Bicep Curls

Standing with your legs shoulder-width apart, elbows directly to your sides. The only movement should be
from your elbows down to your waste. Concentrate on activating your bicep muscle. Challenge yourself
with moderate to heavy weights.

Step-Ups
A great cardio activity! Using a block for beginners around 12 inches high (for more advanced, 20 inches)
step up as if you are walking up a flight of stairs. Keep your abs strong and use your leg strength to step
up. Be careful when stepping off. Slow is always better.

Tricep Dips
Place your hands on a bench, fingers facing forward, feet flat on the ground and shoulders down away
from your ears. Lower your hips down toward the floor until your arms are in a 90-degree angle and then
use your triceps to lift your body back up to starting position.

Wall Sits
Lean your back against a sturdy wall with legs in a 90-degree angle as if you are sitting in a chair. Your
quads, hamstrings and core will hold you in this position. This one is a KILLER!!!

Leg Extensions
A great quad exercise to strengthen knees, using an extension machine with a challenging weight, around
70 pounds. Sit up tall and focus on the contraction of the quads when you extend the legs into a straight
position and then lower down slowly.

One -Armed Rows

Place your right hand on the bench and right foot on the floor, with a weight, around 25 pounds up to 45
pounds. Place the weight in your left hand. Keeping your back straight, and head and neck in a neutral
position, lower the weight to the floor and then bring the elbow up to the ceiling, engaging your upper and
mid-back muscles.

Underhanded Push-Ups
On a Smith machine drop the bar down about hip height. Get under the bar in a reverse push-up position
to focus on your back muscles. This is one of my favorite exercises. It's a great way to get you ready for
regular pull-ups.

Trunk Twists
A great core exercise. Stand with a challenging weight, shoulders relaxed, and twist your upper body from
side to side with the emphasis on keeping the lower body stationary.
Planks
Another great core exercise, get your body down on the floor in a push-up position, but instead of being
on your hands, get down on your elbows and hold position for 30-45 seconds. Make sure to focus on your
ab strength.

Arc Trainer
A great piece of cardio equipment that gets your body weight off of your joints. When using the arc trainer,
challenge yourself with the manual function. Hit the resistance up around 15 and pump your arms
as hard as you can.

Wall Sits While Holding Medicine Ball Above the Head

Repeat the same movement as the wall sit but this time get a HEAVY medicine ball and hold it overhead
to take this difficult exercise to a whole other level.

Treadmill Sprints
A great way to get your heart rate pumping. Jump on the treadmill and find a challenging speed,
beginners around 6 mph and more advanced, 9-10 mph for an entire minute. This will increase your
cardiovascular strength and is a tremendous fat burner.

13 Keys to Weight Loss Success

6 Exercise Keys to Success 
1) Doing 200-300 minutes of cardio per week (or building up to it). 
2) Making sure your cardio exercise is challenging. Beginners do a steady, challenging pace.
Experienced exercisers alternate a hard day with an easier recovery day to help recover from hard
efforts. 
3) Making steady and measurable improvements in your cardio fitness. 
4) Doing strength training for each major body part (chest, back, legs, shoulders, core) 2-3 days per
week. 
5) Making sure the resistance you use for your strength exercises is very challenging. 
6) Making steady and measurable improvements in your strength.

7 Nutrition Keys to Success 

1) Eat every 3-4 of your waking hours (which will give you 5-6 small meals/snacks per day). 
2) Eat protein and/or fat with carbs. 
3) Choose high fiber carbs and not white flour carbs. 
4) Make sure that you have a good source of protein at lunch and dinner. 
5) Choose healthy fats, like nuts, seeds, fish, avocado and olive oil, and eat a couple of servings daily.
Don't cut your fat intake too low. 
6) Make sure you're eating 2-3 fruit servings each day. 
7) Make sure you're eating at least 3 servings of vegetables each day.

Spring Exercise
I've noticed a new mood on the site lately. People are starting to mention a change in the weather--
temperatures, flowers, and moods are all coming up!
One of the biggest benefits of warmer weather is the opportunity to get outside again. When you're not
walled in by the gym, your imagination can roam. Suddenly you're taking in the beauty and the aroma of
spring and your mind is far away, the "real world" long forgotten.
Time takes on a different feeling. You'll find that you don't stare at the watch, or wonder when it's going to
be over, or focus on the "next" thing. Instead, you'll be deep into what you're doing and time and your
movement will flow together.
This feeling of flow can happen in a gym. But outside, the possibilities for finding it are boundless because
movement becomes more than just exercise. There is purpose and reason to it that goes well beyond
how many calories you're trying to burn.

If this sounds like a place you would like to discover, read on!

Wander... 
...outdoors, wade in a stream, climb a mountain, walk around a lake or along the boardwalk. Let yourself
go without a watch. Enjoy the walk for the walk's sake and make the location and the experience the only
reasons you need to put one foot in front of the other.

Play... 
...with your kids (or a friend's), fly a kite, throw a ball with the dog, play a round of golf or game of tennis.
Coach a little league team. Teach the kids to swim.

Work... 
...in the yard--bending, walking, lifting, balancing, carrying, twisting. Sound like the latest aerobics class?
Nope, it's just an invigorating session of gardening. But, if you keep it moving, gardening burns as many
calories as walking 3 mph!

Compete... 
...in a sport or personal challenge. Compete with yourself or a partner or as part of a team. This is not for
everyone, but if you like to challenge yourself it can be the perfect motivation. Want to finally do that 5K?
Now is the perfect time to plan for that summer goal.

Explore... 
...new opportunities offered to you by your new found or rediscovered fitness. Go to a new place and see
it on foot or by bike instead of from the seat of a car. You might be surprised how many of these "new"
places you can find in your own city!

Give back... 
...to the community. Work for Habitat for Humanity, help out with a local clean-up project, or school
beautification day. Work up a sweat that benefits others and it feels twice as good!

Gather... 
...your own food. Pick your own strawberries, find that blueberry patch you've heard about, or take in the
sites and sounds of the local farmers market while you pick the freshest fruits and vegetables.

Vacation... 
...like a child. Remember when you couldn't sit still, and it drove your parents crazy and wore them out?
With your new outlook, YOU can be the child again. Pick the active options on your cruise. Go to see the
ruins. Swim at the waterfall. Take the bicycle tour. You may need some rest when you get home, but you
will truly see the world in a whole new way!

Are You Ready? 10 Steps to Get Started

Just knowing that you're ready to get started is an important accomplishment. If you feel that fire in your
belly, here are a few guidelines from The Biggest Loser for getting started now.

Step 1: Admit you have a weight problem.

If you're overweight, fess up! Denial can prevent you from taking action and pounds will keep piling on,
leading to health problems and more weight that will have to come off down the road. Says Kelly Fields,
Season 5: "When I saw pictures of myself, I realized how heavy I had gotten. I had to face the music."

Step 2: Don't make excuses.

There's never a "good" time to start a weight-loss program. Just ask the contestants, who leave their jobs
and families for several months to be at the ranch. The time to start living healthfully is now--whether it's
convenient or not.

Step 3: Learn from your past.

Most people have been on umpteen diets. Okay, maybe you failed in the past, but use this as an
opportunity to learn from your mistakes. What worked for you before? What didn't work? What did you like
about one diet or hate about another?
Incorporate your strengths into your new diet plan and try to avoid things that tripped you up in the past.

Step 4: Make a clean sweep of all junk food.

You can't eat it if it's not there! Rid your environment--home, office, car--of foods that aren't nutritious or
that will cause you to overeat. Replace problem foods with healthy choices such as those recommended
on The Biggest Loser diet, including fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats and poultry,
and low-fat dairy products.

Step 5: Build your team.

"Everybody's got to have a really strong support group if they're going to get healthy," says David Griffin,
Season 4. "There has to be at least one person who is willing to go that mile with you. For me, that's my
wife."
The research shows clearly that people who lose weight and keep it off have good support systems to
help them along. So start recruiting a team to help keep you on track. This could be your family, your
coworkers, a personal trainer, an exercise partner, a running or hiking club, an online support group on
www.biggestloserclub.com, or a weight-loss group. No matter what form it takes, having support will help
you stay on track and strengthen your resolve.

Step 6: Set realistic goals.

You've heard it a million times, but if your goals aren't realistic and attainable, you'll get frustrated and
most likely quit. Set small goals that you can meet each week to maintain your enthusiasm and
momentum. If you need help setting appropriate goals for your age and body weight, talk to your doctor or
a registered dietitian.

Step 7: Make daily resolutions toward reaching your goals.

Early in a program to change your lifestyle, it's helpful to make daily resolutions that are manageable
rather than focusing on far-off end goals. Your daily resolutions should be a cinch to pull off. Focus on
small steps, like eating two extra servings of vegetables, learning a new exercise, walking for an extra 30
minutes, and playing an active game with the kids. If all you do is concentrate on what you need to do
today, achieving your end goal--like losing 50 pounds or fitting into size 6 jeans--will take care of itself.
That's exactly what the Biggest Losers do every day at the ranch--concentrate on what they must do that
day.

Step 8: Set your calorie budget.

On the show, each cast member's calorie limit is determined by a formula that considers his or her
starting weight, body-fat percentage, and goal weight. Kae Whang, Season 4, for example, first weighed
in at 230 pounds and follows a 1,200-calorie-a-day diet, while Isabeau Miller, Season 4, who started at
almost 300 pounds, eats between 1,500 and 1,600 calories daily.
At home, use this simple formula to determine your limits: If you are obese and sedentary, multiply your
goal weight by 10 as a starting point. So, for instance, if you want to get down to 135 pounds, eat about
1,350 calories a day. If you're fairly active, multiply by 13 per pound, for about a 1,755-calorie allowance
to reach 135. Keep in mind that additional variables may factor in, as well, such as gender and age, which
may increase or decrease your budget slightly.
Step 9: Plan to be active for at least 60 minutes a day.
"Before I got here, I imagined we'd start with 20 minutes one day, maybe 40 minutes the next," laughs
Isabeau. "Ha!" Biggest Losers jump right in, with cardio training lasting for hours at a time. Should you do
the same? No. Contestants are pushed to work out harder than average, but only because they are under
the close supervision of trainers and a medical staff. What you can do safely to reach your own fitness
goal is to shoot for 60 minutes of physical activity a day at a moderately intense level. (If you're over age
50 or have a chronic disease or are at risk of developing one, consult your doctor before starting any
plan.)

Step 10: Expect to have setbacks.

Cheryl Forberg, RD, nutritionist to The Biggest Loser cast, says that change doesn't come without
setbacks. "If you slip up today, jump back in the game tomorrow by eating less, exercising more, or both.
With a little motivation and dedication, you'll find yourself fit and full of energy this year. Losing weight
may be just a bonus."
Adds Bernie Salazar, Season 5: "Love the small steps forward you're taking, and love the small steps
backward you're taking because that's what makes you, you. Don't let those discourage you. Tomorrow is
a new day."
As these stories show, the real challenge in transformation is not only figuring out what to do, it's having
the courage and the drive to actually do it. If you're ready to get on the right road and get a fresh start in
life, read on. By following the success strategies gleaned from five seasons of The Biggest Loser, you'll
begin living a healthier, happier life--starting now.

Mix It and Match It With Cross Training

Cross-training keeps boredom and injuries at bay
If you're among the millions of people who watched The Biggest Loser each week, you saw the cast
members participate in a varied exercise menu, in addition to cardio and strength-training. They hiked,
they did yoga, they swam, and they played sports.
The lesson in what you watched is that it's not a good idea to get stuck in a rut with a single activity, week
after week. A mix of different types of exercise stimulates your body and mind, helps you avoid injuries,
and perhaps best of all, keeps you motivated.
Quite probably, some of the activities you like best - tennis, racquetball, volleyball, basketball, or dancing -
actually complement conventional cardio because they involve intense bursts of muscle activity.
Those bursts force your muscles to react quickly, and that improves your agility and coordination. What's
more, your muscles get a good workout in the process.

The Cross-Training Concept

Mixing and matching a variety of activities is often called "cross-training," and it's an excellent way to
achieve all-around fitness. One specific benefit behind cross-training is the cardio benefit that carries over
to other activities and sports.
The fitness you gain by walking or running, for example, will let you bike, swim, and hike farther or play
tennis, racquetball, or basketball longer. Or if you strength-train, the muscle strength you achieve will give
you power for other sports.
Cross-training brings more muscles into motion, and that contributes to building a stronger, healthier
body. Find several different types of activities you enjoy, even some that get you outdoors. Consider
joining a running group, cycling group, hiking club, swim team, or rock-climbing classes. Your options are
endless.
Not only will you get in better shape, you'll start interacting with an entirely new group of people you would
not have met before - people who can further motivate you and inspire you in your fitness endeavors and
lifestyle change.
When it comes to fitness, variation through cross-training is the key to staying power and continued
results. To become your own Biggest Loser, make it a point to live a life full of challenging, stimulating,
and fun activities.

When It Comes to Cardio

Two methods to figure best cardio intensity for you

Q: How do I know how hard to exercise when I do my cardio?

A: Combine these two methods for calculating the best cardio intensity for you:

I. Max Heart Rate Method

1. Subtract your age from 220 to get max HR
2. Use 55-90% of that for target HR (THR)
3. Keep in mind that when you're just starting out, the lower end of the range will be all you need to
use
4. The upper end of the range is for interval training, tempo training, etc.
5. You can take your heart rate at the thumb side of your wrist (don't use your thumb). Count for 20
seconds and multiply by 3, while still moving if possible. Or use a heart rate monitor, which is
MUCH more accurate.
Keep in mind that 220 minus age is an ESTIMATE, and you may find that the calculation leaves you
working too hard or not hard enough. How do you know? Your RPE tells you!

II. Rating of Perceived Exertion Method (RPE)

Using the chart* below, your target range will fall between 12 and 16.
10 or less very light 10 - 11 light 12 - 13 moderate 14 - 16 hard 17 - 19 very hard 20 or more maximal
(*Borg rating of perceived exertion, 6-20 scale from the American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines
for Exercise Testing and Prescription.)
11 is "light" like an easy stroll. You can hold a conversation without difficulty.
13 is moderate or "somewhat hard." You can talk in complete sentences, but your breathing is labored.
Note that you CAN talk, but you don't necessarily WANT to talk. If you're exercising in a group, this is the
pace where things start to get quiet!
15 is "hard" and takes focus to maintain. Your breathing rate is elevated enough that talking is restricted
to shorter phrases. But, you can talk AND you can maintain this pace for at least a few minutes so this is
not an effort that immediately makes you think of quitting.
17 is "very hard" and you will not be talking here. This is reserved for interval training, competition, etc.
You will likely be focused on how much longer you have until you get to stop the effort, like the end of the
interval or workout. How long you can maintain this depends on your fitness level, but even the very fit
can only maintain it for a matter of minutes.

III. Bringing it all together

If THR and RPE don't match up, depend on RPE. As a general rule, if it feels too hard, it is. If you are
trying to train at a "moderate" level for example (Remember, this is appropriate for all cardio except for
harder, advanced workouts like intervals and tempo training), check your heart rate when you have been
at an RPE of 12-13. Whatever your heart rate is, THAT is your THR!
Keep mind that manually taking HR is notoriously inaccurate. Take it often, compare workouts, and get
good at it (or buy a monitor as mentioned above).
And, finally, you CAN use RPE alone. Simply use 12-13 for moderate workouts and 14-16 for hard
workouts. Trust what you feel, and don't sweat trying to find your heart rate. It's not "cutting edge" but it
works great!
Super Effort for Super Bowl
Tips for Coming Unglued from Your Couch This Super Bowl

You're probably going to settle in for a long session with your couch late Sunday afternoon when the
Super Bowl begins. But maybe, just maybe, you'd like to sneak in a little movement, beyond fetching
more dip from the kitchen? Those long commercial breaks are going offer a little time for stretching and
working out. An even if you have company, you could make this a group project.

As Jillian points out, you can burn calories even when watching TV. The average commercial break is
about 3 minutes, she says, and jumping jacks burn 10 calories every minute. So during multiple
commercial breaks, "get your butt off the couch," as Jillian would put it, and do as many high intensity
jumping jacks as you can. If you do that for, say, 20 commercial breaks, you've burned a whopping 600
calories, all in front of the tube! Lunges are another way to make your way around the den between drives
to the goal line.

If you happen to be at the gym on Super Bowl Sunday, well, just walk on and on and on. Many of our
contestants admit that if you put them on a treadmill in front of their favorite TV show, they can go forever
on the treadmill or elliptical. Michelle Aguilar, the Season 6 winner told us that she could work out for an
hour easily while watching her favorite TV talk shows. Boredom was zapped.

Words that move your heart can help move your body. Even if you don't feel like leaping up from the
couch this Super Bowl Sunday, read the following fitness tips from the current crop of contestants, and
you'll be up and moving around before you know it:

Season 7 Fitness Tips

Tara
Don't stop moving unless you're sleeping. Exercise can be done anywhere, so no excuses!

Mandi
Just walk, if nothing else. Just walk!

Dane
When it comes to working out, be consistent. There are times when you are going to be more motivated
than other times, just try to be consistent.

Blaine
You don't need to have exercise equipment to exercise. The hardest workouts I do require just me and
the floor. Everyone has a floor.

Joelle
If the exercise you're doing at the moment feels tough, remember--it won't last forever. You can make it
through.

Helen
Even though it's hard it's hard to get started and you might tire easily in the beginning, it's important to
warm up. It's so important to raise your heart rate gradually.

Filipe
Exercise is not always fun, but I have to focus on the good feeling after.

Mike
When you start working out, the first week may be the hardest to get used to. Stick it out.
Ron
Eating right is not as hard as you think; exercising is not as hard as you think.

How to Start Working Out After a Layoff

How do I get back on track after I've been ill or injured?

Anyone who has exercised more than a couple of months can take off for a week or less and barely
notice. In fact, it may feel more like a good rest than a setback!

But, if you're new to exercise and/or have an extended recovery of a week or more expect to cut back the
amount of your exercise by as much as 50%.

And decreasing your intensity is even more important than doing shorter workouts.

If you've been injured, lighter intensity reduces the stress on your body. Hard exercise increases the force
of your muscular contractions and the external forces on your joints, both of which can lead to re-injury.

If you've been ill, light exercise helps you burn calories without overly fatiguing your body. Hard exercise
can negatively affect your immune system.

For your aerobic exercise start at a pace that allows easy conversation and very little shortness of breath
and spend at least 2 - 3 days at this level before trying to go harder.

For strength training cut back by 10 - 20 percent on weight and/or do fewer repetitions.

Think of your return to exercise as the final step in your therapy. Your body is on the mend. Experience
exercise as nurturing and healing movement and it will give you peace of mind that you cannot find by
trying to make up for lost time.

Just stretch your legs and clear your mind.

Taking the First steps

Any kind of exercise can be intimidating for someone who has been sedentary for a long time. Taking the
first step can be as simple as literally taking a few steps. Here are some guidelines to getting started. 

1. Just get moving. Exercise two or three times a day, but for only 10 or 15 minutes at a time. This gets
your blood flowing and gets your mind wrapped around the idea of being active. Drink plenty of water. 

Stop your activity if you:

•  Have pain, tightness or pressure in your chest.
•  Feel dizzy or sick
•  Break out in a cold sweat
•  Experience muscle cramps 

2. To reduce stress on joints such as knees and ankles, you may want to avoid a lot of weight-bearing
activities. 
Some suggested activities:
•  Walking - start slow, this is a weight-bearing activity
•  Dancing - either standing or seated, if standing, this is a weight-bearing activity
•  Shallow- water (waist to chest-high) exercise
•  Deep - water exercise - works entire body
•  Weight-training - be sure to use correct posture and slow, controlled movements. Start in a seated
position and work your way up to standing.
•  Bicycling - start with a recumbent bike to avoid joint stress 

3. Wear form-fitting clothes, especially on your legs. This is probably not the kind of fashion advice you
are used to, but tighter, synthetic clothing wicks away sweat and reduces chafing of the skin. After your
workout, use an antibacterial soap and be sure to leave no body part damp. 

4. STRETCH! Stretching before and after any physical activity helps prevent injuries during your
workouts. However, obese newcomers should avoid stretches that strain the lower back. 

5. Buy some new shoes. Running shoes offer the best support and it's good to buy them a size larger
than normal since feet swell during exercise.

Specific Fat Burning Tips

Dairy Products

The best tip I can give is to eliminate Dairy products from your diet. Even if you don't do it for a long
period, you can greatly reduce the amount of fat in your diet simply by doing this. The Dairy industry tells
us that you can by milk in a low fat version (1%). The thing is that this is a trick. Milk is advertised as 1%
(or whatever) by volume. That is true. But, it is 70% fat by calories! It is mostly water, so it is low fat by
volume. It is High fat by calories. If you eliminate or greatly reduce Dairy products, you can quickly reduce
fat! Dairy products are also very mucous forming in the body.  This mucous slows down digestion and
elimination.  

There are a lot more reasons not to drink your milk, or eat dairy products.

 The animals need antibiotics to keep them well. The antibiotics are transfered to us through the
milk.
 Milk is then pasteurized so any enzymes are destroyed.
 Synthetic Vitamin D is toxic to the liver.
 FDA has approved the use of BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) by dairy farmers to increase their
milk production.

Make sure you Supplement with a probiotic too.

You can read the article Dont Drink Your milk here. Dairy is bad, but dont take just my word for it. Educate
yourself!
Essential Fatty Acids

There is good fat! Flax Seed oil is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. It is known to reduce cholesterol and play a
part in burning fat. It is also an important part of a health diet. It improves immune system functioning,
strengthens the heart and plays a part in the building of hair, fingernails and skin.

From Udo Erasmus's website:

Weight reduction

EFAs ability to increase metabolic rate helps us burn more calories. Instead of being used as
fuel, they are converted into hormone-like prostaglandins. These fats keep us slim! EFAs
help our kidneys dump excess water in tissues, which constitutes significant extra weight in
some people. Cravings which result from not getting the nutrients we need, subside. EFAs
satisfy that craving. 

In fact, EFAs are exceptionally good at satisfying hunger. EFAs elevate mood and lift
depression-a reason why some people overeat. Elevated mood and increased energy levels
make us feel like being active.

Here's a key point on fats and body fats.

The commonly held belief that fats make you fat is completely wrong. Those who are
seriously overweight are almost always fat-phobic carbohydrate junkies. They avoid fats,
develop food cravings, and eat sweet and starchy foods. The body does not need the
carbohydrate fuel that sweets and starches provide. The body turns into fat all
carbohydrates that are not burned for energy. 

It is not easy to convince people who want to lose weight to eat more fat. But consider this.
In the last 10 years, our intake of fats has decreased from 42% of calories to 35%. This in
response to national dietary goals set by experts who operate on only half of the story on
fats. It is clearly the wrong advice to give, because in those same 10 years, obesity has
gone up, from 20% of the population to 33%. What does that tell you? It's common sense!.

Eating less fat is making us fat. We should be eating more fat. But remember, it should
be the right kind of fat. Not the processed fats, but the essential ones.

Read more about EFA's - the healing fats

I use 4 to 5 tablespoons of EFA's per day, more in the winter. I have been for over 10 years now.

Decrease the amount of dead food

Get rid of anything in your diet that is non-nourishing.  Mayonnaise and other condiments, salt, vinegar,
white flour products and canned foods.  This is a tall order.  Start by cutting back on the amounts and
eliminating those that you can.  Realize that when you do eat them, they have no nutritional value and will
slow your fat loss goals.
Raw Foods

Increase the amount of whole live foods in your diet.  Start adding a meal of fruit or a meal of raw
vegetables.  I would like to note the following here and now:

The principle of proper fruit consumption

Fruit by itself requires no digestion.  It must be eaten on an empty stomach and given 20 minutes to an
hour by itself to simply slide through the stomach.  It immediately starts to provide nutrients as long as it is
un-impeded by other solid foods.  Adding fruit to a stomach with food in it causes it to sit on top, ferment
and be very bad for you.  Always drink a glass of water before eating fruit and an hour after to rinse the
stomach of any traces of the fruit.  Different fruits have different rates of digestion with bananas being the
longest at about 45 minutes to an hour.

I found that when I learned this about fruit, I was finally able to eat strawberries again. I used to get hives
when I ate them, but by eating them properly, had no problems.  This rule of proper fruit consumption is
from the theory of natural hygiene which you could read about in many locations.

Whole Food Enzymes

Raw foods are more alive enzymaticly (if that's a word).  Enzymes are heat sensitive.  By processing
foods, the enzymes are heated to extreme temperatures and are killed.  This allows canned food to keep
for years, but does us no good.  The fiber in the raw foods also help to move the wastes out of our
bodies.  You may find that if you immediately increase the raw foods, you may become constipated or get
the runs.  Think of this as your body responding to changes and be happy with it.  It is temporary and a
good thing (in the long run).  If it is too uncomfortable, start to drink hot water by itself to aid in moving
things along.  A cup of hot water in the morning signals the colon to move.  Try it sometime!  Here is a
great article about what to expect when adding whole foods to your diet.

Another benefit of the raw food meals is that there is no fat in them.  By having these meals of raw fruit
and veggies, you have eliminated the room for fatty meals.  "Two birds with one stone" comes to mind.

Water

As I say on the muscle building page, "Water is your life, the better your water, the better your life!".  I
read once that a body that is 5% low on water is 25% low on energy levels.  Your body will be extremely
low on water before it signals you of thirst.  Keep your water levels maintained.  Water is also used in
ridding the body of waste.  By having a cleaner body internally, digestion improves, energy levels
increase and fat loss can continue.

Caution: For the longest time, I promoted and recommended distilled water as the answer to "the best
water" source. I no longer believe this. New research suggests that distilled water is acidic and throws
your alkalinity balance off. Our body wants and needs to be alkaline. For this reason I no longer drink or
recommend distilled water. Read the article on it as well as how and why analkaline diet is best.

Salt

A quick word about salt.  Too much salt causes you to retain water.  I'm sure you've heard that expression
before.  Do you know what it means?  When the blood is moving through your veins, carrying nutrients to
the cells, those nutrients must pass through the cell wall by osmosis.  Salt stops that process.  Nutrients
can't get in and wastes can't get out.  Water is retained, waste is retained.  Ease up on the salt! 
Eliminating salt was the first thing on my list of new years resolutions in 1990!
Fried Foods

I have nothing good to say about fried foods.  How high can you count?  That's how much fat is in it. And
what do you need it for anyway.   By getting rid of fried foods, you eliminated an enormous amount of fat,
fibreless food and a lot of salt. Fried food elimination was high on my list of things to stop eating back in
1990. Read "The Road Down From 475" for more about this.

Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

Of all the information I have learned over the years on my quest to lower my body fat and improve my
lean muscle tissue, through training, diet, nutrition and mindset, the single best thing I have learned and
adopted is Tom Venuto's strategies outlined in his book "Burn the fat, Feed the Muscle"

Fat Loss for Beginners - 8 tips for getting started

Author: Tom Venuto

EVERYONE who wants to get leaner should read this article. Yes, I know it says "Fat loss for beginners,"
but sometimes we veterans forget what we once knew or we don't practice what we now know. If you're a
beginner, this will be an introduction. If you're experienced, let this be a reminder.

1. JUST GET STARTED - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION!

There are so many opinions about how to lose body fat that many people end up completely confused
and they don't do ANYTHING!

(Robs Note:I am a big believer in taking action. It's the single bigest point I try and get through to
people.. Do Something!)

They've read about 27 ways to diet, 34 ways to do cardio, 101 ways to lift weights and 79 supplements to
take. But they still don't have a clue how to start.

You stuff your brain with so much information it feels like it's going to explode, but then you never do
anything about it. You're like a deer stuck in headlights. Sound familiar?

I call this the "paralysis by analysis" syndrome.

The most important thing you can do is take action. Just begin the journey and figure it out as you go.
Better still; get a coach or trainer right from the start.

Actually, losing fat is not that complicated. You don't need a PhD in exercise physiology to figure out that
any exercise is better than no exercise. You don't have to be a genius in nutritional biochemistry to figure
out that an apple is better than a pop tart. Getting lean is simple: Exercise. Eat healthier foods. Eat
smaller portions. Isn't this stuff just common sense? Didn't your mother tell you this?

So what's stopping you? What makes you freeze up?

If you're like most people, FEAR is stopping you. You're so afraid of doing something wrong, you choose
to do nothing rather than make a mistake or look foolish.
What you must understand is that people who accomplish much and people who accomplish little BOTH
have fears. The difference between the two is that the latter feels the fear and lets it immobilize them. The
former feels the fear and does it anyway.

Begin the process. You can always fine-tune your program as you go. Naturally, it's better to aim and
then fire, but its better to fire and then adjust your aim later than not to fire at all. You can't win a battle by
hiding in the trenches.

2. WALKING IS A GREAT WAY TO START A CARDIO PROGRAM

Ok, so you've decided to forge ahead in spite of your fear and start working out. Congratulations. Now
what? How do you choose between Stairmaster, Tae Bo, Lifecycle, Yoga, Kickboxing, Elliptical machine,
jogging, swimming, etc.?

Any exercise is better than no exercise so stop over-analyzing: just pick something and start. Just do it.

If you can't make up your mind, then here's the simplest, easiest, most guaranteed way for any beginner
to successfully start a fat loss program:

Walk!

Here's why:

It requires no equipment
It requires no knowledge of exercise technique
It can be done by almost everyone, regardless of experience
It can be done almost anywhere 
It's safe

For all these reasons, walking is the perfect way to begin. However, the better your condition becomes,
the more you'll need to advance to higher levels of exercise intensity to reach higher levels of fitness.

I'm not saying you should abandon walking, but if you decide to keep walking, a casual stroll will no
longer do. For an experienced exerciser, I would consider walking a method of locomotion more than a
serious workout.

There's a big difference between walking for health vs walking for fat loss. Even a 10 or 15-minute casual
walk has health benefits. But if you want to turn walking into an effective, fat-melting workout, you'll need
to push yourself for 30 minutes or more several days per week. Walking briskly uphill (or on an inclined
treadmill) is an excellent fat-burning workout for anyone.

3. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN MINUTIA - FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS

Read any book about success and it will tell you "pay attention to detail." Sounds like good advice -
unless you haven't mastered the fundamentals yet. In that case, it's the worst advice you could follow.

Every day people send me questions like these:

"Should I use a fast acting protein powder like whey or would casein be better? What if I mix both and
also add a little bit of Soy? If I use all of them, what ratio of the three would be ideal and when should I
take them?"
"I want to do the ephedrine-caffeine stack and it says to take 20 mg of ephedrine with 200 milligrams of
caffeine. The ephedrine comes in 25 milligram tablets, so should I chip a little bit off the tablet to get the
right ratio?"

Do you see the problem here?

These are legitimate questions, but they're completely moot if you're eating doughnuts and sitting on the
couch all day long. Fix your diet and get your butt moving first, then worry about the little things.

Emerson said, "The height of the pinnacle is determined by the breadth of the base." The heights you
reach will depend entirely on how broad a foundation you build. Great coaches such as Vince Lombardi
and John Wooden credited most of their success to drilling their players on fundamentals.

Forget about ALL the minutia until you have the fundamentals down cold!

Forget about supplement dosages 

Forget about macronutrient cycling
Forget about tempo manipulation
Forget about glycemic indexes
Forget about the latest Bulgarian or Russian periodization program

Master the fundamentals first!

The fundamentals of fat loss include: (1) Do your cardio, (2) Lift weights, (3) Burn more calories than you
consume (4) Eat 5-6 small, frequent meals and never skip meals, (5) Keep your fat intake low, but include
small amounts of good fats, (6) Eat natural foods; avoid processed & refined foods, (7) eat more complex
carbs, fruits & vegetables, (8) eat lean proteins with each meal, (9) Think positive: visualize yourself as
you would like to be.

If you're not doing all these things, and you're looking for the perfect supplement stack or the optimum
periodization plan, I'm afraid you're barking up the wrong tree.

I don't want you to think that details don't matter - they do. The "Law of Accumulation" states that every
success is a matter of hundreds or even thousands of tiny efforts that often go unnoticed or
unappreciated. Everything counts. Everything either helps or hurts. Nothing is neutral.

The problem is when you get bogged down in minutia before you've even learned the basics. Minor
details produce minor results. Major fundamentals produce major results.

Don't major in minor things. Lay your foundation first, then move on to the finer points. And remember,
as Jim Rohn says, always be suspicious of someone who says they've found a new fundamental.

4. KNOW YOUR CALORIES

The most important dietary factor in fat loss is not how many grams of carbohydrate, protein or fat you
eat, the most important factor for fat loss is calories. Eat more than you burn each day and you will store
fat. Eat less than you burn each day and you will lose fat.It's just that simple.

Where the calories come from is important too, but unless you understand the calorie concept, nothing
else matters.

I'm appalled at how many people claim to sincerely want to lose body fat who admit they haven't a clue
how many calories they eat.
Get serious! If you don't have the faintest idea how much you're eating, how can you expect to make any
progress?

Did it ever occur to you that your ONLY problem might be overeating!

Do you realize that too much of anything gets stored as fat?

That's right - even if you're eating nothing but "natural and healthy" foods, if you eat too many of them,
you're still going to get fat.

Portion control, my friend, portion control!

On the other hand, maybe you're under-eating and slowing down your metabolism. There's a fine line.

For all the details on your daily calorie needs, refer to Calorie Calculator

5. NEVER, EVER QUIT! MAKE FITNESS A LIFESTYLE!

Do you know what is the biggest mistake made by beginners?

They quit!

Remember in the January issue, where I mentioned how attendance in our gym shoots up for about 6-8
weeks around New Year's? Well, it's back to normal now because all the quitters dropped out already.

What's especially sad is that most people quit right when they're on the verge of making substantial
progress.

Remember: You're never a failure as long as you're working on the progressive realization of a worthy
goal. But the second you quit, then it's official - you're a failure.

Quitting should not even be an option because...

FITNESS IS A LIFESTYLE!

Don't let these four words slip by you just because it's an oft-repeated cliché. This is an important
mindset! You have to stop thinking of getting in shape for a New Year's resolution, vacation or wedding
(or a contest, you bodybuilders). You must start thinking about getting healthy and in shape FOR LIFE.

When you're just starting out, firmly resolve that quitting is not even an option. Don't approach this
endeavor with an "I'll try" attitude. If you accept quitting as a possibility, you might as well not even start;
just grab that remote control, a bag of chips and get back on the couch where you were before.

Also, understand that results may come slowly in the beginning if you're not the genetically-gifted type.
This process requires great patience and persistence for most people.

Most beginners never allow themselves the time it takes to get any momentum going. They expect too
much too soon, get discouraged and quit.

It takes a big push to get started. It's like getting a rocket off the ground - it uses most of its fuel just
launching off the pad, but once it's in the air and the inertia has been overcome, it can keep going with
very little energy expenditure. Don't quit just because it's difficult to "launch!"
6. GET A PERSONAL TRAINER, COACH, OR MENTOR

Life is too just too short to learn everything there is to know on your own. Don't waste time climbing the
ladder only to find it's leaning against the wrong wall! Learn from the experts. Get a trainer, personal
coach, or mentor to help you start right - right from the start.

Here is a great link for a Personal Trainer

7. JOIN A GYM IF YOU CAN, BUT A SET OF DUMBBELLS ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GET
YOU STARTED

I admit I'm showing my bias by saying everyone should join a gym (I'm in the health club business), but I
sincerely believe nothing beats working out in a high quality health club. In a well-equipped gym, the
possibilities are endless, the atmosphere is motivational and people are there to help you.

More often than not, however, beginners start at home. That being the case, I admit that you don't need a
gym to get started. You also don't need any of that garbage advertised on late night TV. The only piece of
equipment you need has existed for over 100 years - that's right, the humble DUMBBELL!

Remember - don't overcomplicate this - think basics, basics, basics (and dumbbells are as basic as it
gets.)

Dumbbells are the single most versatile piece of equipment in existence. You can perform hundreds,
even thousands of exercises with dumbbells.

Ladies, a set of 3 to 20 pounds will be more than sufficient. Guys, a set from 10 to 40 pounds should do
the trick (for now). I've also heard wonderful things about Powerblock dumbbells for space-saving,
although I don't have first hand experience to cite.

If you also get yourself a bench and clear out a little corner in your favorite room, then you're ready to roll!

Here it is - The beginner's all-dumbbell routine:

1. Dumbbell bench press (chest)

2. Dumbbell side lateral raise (shoulders)
3. One arm dumbbell row (upper back)
4. Dumbbell extension behind head (triceps)
5. Dumbbell Bicep curl (biceps)
6. Dumbbell Lunges (thighs)
7. Dumbbell One leg calf raise (calves)
8. Dumbbell leg curl (hamstrings)
9. Crunches (abs)

There you have it. Simple and effective. At home or in a gym.

If you're just starting, do this routine for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise, except calves and abs which
you can go up to 20 reps. Rest 1 minute between sets. You'll train your whole body in each workout, 2 -3
three days per week, non-consecutive days.

After 3 - 6 months, you'll probably need to add exercises and move up to a split routine. (So I guess I
have to do another article, called 8 tips for intermediates: How to keep going).

8. WEIGHT TRAINING IS NOT OPTIONAL - IT'S MANDATORY!

It's is a common misconception that you should start with aerobic workouts and lose the fat first before
adding weight training.

Unfortunately, the best you can hope for from diet and aerobics alone is to become a "skinny fat person."
You may lose weight, but you'll have a poor muscle to fat ratio and a "soft" appearance.

Obviously, weight training is the key to developing strength and muscle. What few people realize is that
weight training also increases fat loss, although it occurs indirectly.

Weight training is anaerobic and burns carbohydrates (sugar).Cardio is aerobic and therefore burns fat.
So it seems logical to focus on aerobic training for fat loss.

However, something interesting happens "beneath the surface" when you lift weights. Weight training
increases your lean body mass - aerobic training does not.

Low calorie dieting and aerobic training without weight lifting can make you lose lean body mass. If you
lose lean body mass, your metabolism slows down, and this makes it harder to lose fat.

If you increase your lean body mass, you increase your metabolic rate and this makes it easier to lose fat.
With a faster metabolism, you'll burn more fat all day long - even while you're sleeping!

If you have limited time, and your main priority is fat loss, then do a very brief weight training program and
spend the majority of your time concentrating on cardio. But never neglect the weights completely -
always do both, and if possible, devote equal attention to each