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 Jump in for the rest of your life!
- Gail Sheehy (from the Foreward of this amazing book)

If you only read one book this year, read this!
                                                                                                                                                                           Are you looking for the fountain of youth? It is in front of you right now. All you have to do is be willing to grab it. This book doesn't teach you how to age gracefully. It teaches you how to live with gusto! Forget aging...aging is for those who think it is their destiny to experience a slow and steady decline in their final third. Change your attitude! Look at it as your NEXT third and enjoy it to the maximum extent! The lesson? Simple rules change your life. In fact, it is a lesson my friend Tony Horton shares in his P90X videos. "Simple rules change your life."

You won't be able to put this book down. In fact, if you are struggling with anything in your life right now, ANYTHING, you will gain inspiration from this bible. Read it. You have nothing to lose for just $10.00...

Remember, your body was not created in a day. In fact, it took precisely 9 months in your momma's belly. When anyone begins a fitness routine, I tell them to give it 9 months to see drastic results. It seems, however, the last place those results are seen are around the mid-section...you know...the 'love handles'. Why do they call them 'love handles', anyway? Exactly what is there to love about them? Your middle is normally the first place the weight goes on and the last place it comes off, so patience where that's concerned is key. If you are looking to jump start the midsection loss or finalize your goals by shedding those love handles, I can give you a few tips.

1-Increase your cardio. P90X is a great workout, but it may fall short of the anaerobic cardio routines for those who are looking to drop some serious weight. On the days where you do your muscle workouts, add 20-40 minutes of a cardio routine. It could be as simple as a brisk walk or jog, or something more intense if you have the energy. I like to add a ChaLEAN Extreme Interval routine or a Burn it Off video. They are quick but intense.

2- What made the big difference for me was adding Rev Abs. It is another program that Beachbody offers which really targets the core, but in cardio fashion. So, on my off muscle days, I add a Rev Abs program to my routine.

3- Keep your diet as simple as possible. The proteins are great! But add in some roughage for quick digestion. Try big green salads, fresh fruits (especially first thing in the day), and fibrous breads if necessary. Keep the carbs to a minimum, but don't leave them out entirely because it can lead to cravings.

4- Try a neoprene tummy trainer. You can get them on Amazon, like this one. It helps to keep you aware or your abs (so you can keep it tucked in) and gives added support to your back. When this happens, your posture changes, and those love handles magically start to shrink. You also sweat vigorously under the trimmer!

5-Drink plenty of water. I prefer iced green tea. I find it works wonders. Also, Shakeology is a huge option. It really helps to reduce the midsection by cleaning out your inners. Belly bloat and the like starts to disappear. Again, this is a great quick fix. Stay away from carbonated beverages, sugared waters, and beer.

I think you'll find that after your first month of any exercise routine, the changes will be more apparent. But any of the above suggestions will help you bring it up a level!

Weight loss is simple, burn more calories then you consume. If you can fully understand that then you are on your way to losing weight. There are 6 simple steps. Here they are:

1) Count how many calories you eat in a normal day. That's right, wake up, and eat like you would normally eat and count the calories in everything you eat and everything you drink and keep track of it on a piece of paper or on the computer some where. You might be thinking to yourself, "yeah right, I'm not gonna sit around counting calories all day." Well, if you're thinking that, then you're obviously not dedicated enough to losing weight. If this is the case, then feel free to go waste your money on the newest useless weight loss pill. But, if you are dedicated enough to take 10 minutes out of your day and count the calories, then keep on reading.

2) At the end of that day, add up the number of calories you ate/drank. Be as exact as possible. Once you add it all up, you now have the total number of calories you consume daily. Also, weigh yourself.

3) Starting the day after you counted calories, eat 500 calories LESS then you normally do. So, lets pretend that the day you counted calories you counted 2000. For the rest of the week, you would eat 1500 calories a day. Understand? All you have to do is subtract 500 from the total number of calories you consume in a normal day, and eat this new number of calories every day for the next 7 days.

4) Instead of eating 3 big meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), or eating all day all the time, spread those calories out over 5 smaller meals. Eat one meal every 2 and a half to 3 hours. Doing this will speed up your metabolism.

5) Cardio is an important part of weight loss. If you're serious about losing weight, but don't want to do the cardio workouts, then you are requiring your diet to do all of the work. Jog, walk, swim, jump rope, ride a bike, take an aerobics class, whatever... cardio + proper diet = better than just doing one of the two. All it takes is 30 minutes a day, 3 - 5 days a week. I say 3-5 days a week because I don't know if you have 5 pounds to lose, or if you have 50 pounds to lose. So, depending on how much your looking to lose, figure it out. 3 times a week is good starting point though. (For information on the most effective time of the day to do your cardio workout, read doing cardio for maximum weight loss)

6) At the end of that week, weigh yourself. You'll notice a difference just after one week! Now, don't expect to see a 20 pound difference. Losing anymore then 1 or 2 pounds a week is unhealthly. So look for a 1 or 2 pound weight loss at the end of the week. Don't sound like much? You can lose 5-8 pounds a month! That's around 75lbs a year! So if you have A LOT of weight to lose, you can lose it. If have just a few pounds to lose, you can lose it.

Diet is a four letter word. No one, in all honesty, needs to diet. There is no reason to deprive yourself from the foods that you most enjoy, but your food choices should make you feel good. They should provide you with energy, keep you satisfied, and they should keep you healthy. All this is possible. All that is needed is some basic nutrition education, and understanding how your food choices effect your life.

Basic Nutrition 101 starts with healthy eating. You need to learn how to eat smart, and not just in what you eat, but how you eat. Healthy food choices will do just that…keep you healthy. Those choices will reduce your risk of illnesses like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. They will help reduce anxiety, stress and thus reduce the risk of depression. Healthy eating can boost your energy, help your memory, and keep your mood stable. Therefore, learning how to choose your food, and how to plan ahead will put your new healthy lifestyle to your advantage.

Let’s set ourselves up for success! Think about taking small steps at first, instead of changing everything completely. Big changes too soon will surely make us fail because it will overwhelm us. Approach the changes gradually, and you will find that they are easier to commit to. Here are a few starter tips:

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify! Don’t start weighing and measuring your food right away. First, focus on buying the right foods! Stick with the items around the perimeter of your supermarket. This includes fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meats, poultry and fish. It includes your dairy, yogurt, cheeses, and healthy snack choices like nuts and whole grain breads. Stay away from anything that comes in a can or box. Fresh is always best! Replace any enriched white flour products in your home with whole grain items instead. Choose brown rice instead of white rice, and whole wheat pastas instead of the traditional dried pastas. Keeping your diet fresh is a great first step in switching to a healthier lifestyle!

Give it time. Trying to change everything immediately isn’t always the best for everyone. Drastic changes lead to cheating or giving up entirely. It is important to take small steps, like adding a colorful salad to your diet once a day. Replace your fruit juice in the morning with a bowl of fresh fruit. Switch from butter to olive oil or another natural oil when cooking (stay away from the unhealthy vegetable oils). Eventually your body will be begin to crave more, so you can start adding other items every week.

Every step counts. Just remember that you can’t reach the finish line if you aren’t headed in the right direction. Every step counts. Every correct food choice you make will help you become that much healthier, that much more energetic, that that much more in control of your own destiny. When the changes start happening, you’ll be ready to take on the extra steps of adding additional exercise to make that checkered flag come into view. This will be a change that you will want to incorporate for the rest of your life. So remember, do it right. Start making the right choices today!

Here’s the deal: Decide whether you want to lose 2 pounds a week or less (that may sound slow, but you can drop a size in a month this way and keep it off). Follow our free, easy eating plan and try to burn 500 calories per day for a total of 3,500 a week. Those shooting to lose a pound a week should aim to sizzle 250 calories per day (and 1,750 a week). To maintain your weight, focus on daily sweat sessions that burn 100 calories a day (or 700 calories off per week).

Whatever your goal, choose from the following workouts. (Pay attention to the effort level, using a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is watching TV and 10 is installing a 100-pound plasma screen on the wall.) The smartest, most effective route to lasting weight loss is through exercise, so no matter which mix of workouts you choose, expect to see results within two weeks.

Activities to burn 500 calories:
• Walk 40 minutes at a level 8 on a hilly course (or crank up the incline on the treadmill).
• Do 36 minutes of running intervals: Jog for 1 minute at a level 5, sprint 1 minute at a level 9. Repeat 18 times.
• Take a 45-minute Spinning class.
• Dance to a good beat for 72 minutes at a level 7.
• Hit the elliptical machine for 60 minutes, doing intervals. Do 2 minutes at a level 8, then 1 minute at a level 5. Repeat 20 times.
• Swim freestyle for 50 minutes at a level 8.
• Use the rowing machine for 40 minutes, doing intervals: Go 8 minutes at a level 8, then 2 minutes at a level 4. Repeat 4 times.

Activities to burn 250 calories:
• Walk for 35 minutes at a level 7.
• Run for 20 minutes at a level 7.
• Bike for 30 minutes at a level 5.
• Dance for 50 minutes at a level 4.
• Hit the elliptical machine for 30 minutes at a level 8.
• Swim freestyle for 25 minutes at a level 8.
• Use the rowing machine for 28 minutes at a level 8.

Activities to burn 100 calories:
• Walk for 25 minutes at a level 4.
• Run for 12 minutes at a level 4.
• Bike for 17 minutes at a level 4.
• Dance for 20 minutes at a level 4.
• Hit the elliptical machine for 15 minutes at a level 5.
• Swim freestyle for 15 minutes at a level 5.
• Use the rowing machine for 25 minutes at a level 5.


Good luck!

Copied from Self Magazine.com

Have you hit a calorie burning plateau? Or perhaps you haven't even started that exercise program yet. By just following these 6 easy tips, you will be well on your way to burning some extra pesky calories and before you know it, you'll be over your plateau and ready to go!

1. Use the “5 & 10” rule for escalators and elevators: take the stairs if you only need to go up five floors or less or down 10 floors or less. If you have to go more than 5 floors, walk the first 5 and take the elevator for the remaining floors. Every week, try to add a floor.

2. Walk or bike to errands less than 1 mile away. If that isn't possible, park in the back of the parking lot, you know, the corner where NO ONE parks and hitch it across the pavement. If you are shopping a strip mall, leave the car be and walk to all your destinations.

3. Get out of your chair! Every hour or so, take four minutes to walk around–a bathroom break, visiting a colleague, etc. Or if at home, get up and do a household chore. Just increasing your heart rate for 10 minutes each hour can do you a world of good!

4. Don’t be so darn efficient. Do one household task at a time, or make a separate trip (on foot) for each errand. Use the stairs in your house more useful by keeping your cleaning supplies up or down stairs so you are forced to use them in order to clean.

5. Keep moving. While watching your kids at sports games or practice, use that time to walk or jog around the field, do jumping jacks, or pace back and forth. Even fidgeters are at an advantage as they burn more calories than non-fidgeters.

6. Do your own gardening and yard work and housecleaning. Offer to do it for a friend or family member in need. Burn calories and save money!

By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding - Posted on Mon, Feb 08, 2010, 1:08 pm PST

From Men’s Health Magazine

Why do some people pack on the pounds effortlessly? It’s not always genetics and it’s not always gluttony, and you can’t always blame it on lack of exercise. Indeed, becoming overweight is often a result of some simple—and easily correctible—bad habits, especially when it comes to dining out. (I know. I used to be a chunky kid.)

As we began researching Eat This, Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide, we discovered plenty of egregious examples of super-fattening foods in both America’s supermarkets and our chain restaurants. And we learned that if you simply know what to order and what to avoid, you can shave off pounds effortlessly. For example, does On the Border really need to stuff more than a day’s worth of calories into its Dos XX Fish Tacos? (Remember when fish was healthy?) And shouldn’t Chili’s warn parents when a selection on its kids’ menu comes with 82 grams of fat, like its Pepper Pals Little Chicken Crispers does?

In the meantime, here’s the hard truth: There's more contributing to America's obesity problem than just fattening food. The restaurant industry has spent decades studying human behavior and figuring out all sorts of subliminal ways to make us want to order and eat more. And a lot of those psychological tricks have become ingrained in our behavior.

In a study in the journal Obesity, researchers looked at the habits of people dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Those with the highest body mass index (BMI)—a measure of obesity—shared many of the behaviors listed below. Know them so you can take charge of your waistline—and your health.

#1. Overweight people use larger plates.
When offered two plate sizes, 98.6 percent of those with the highest BMI took the larger of the two plates to the buffet. A bigger plate tricks your eye into thinking you’re not eating as much when you stuff more food onto the surface—and into your mouth. Use a smaller plate, get a smaller belly.

#2. Overweight people eat while looking at food.
Of those with high BMIs, 41.7 percent took seats that overlooked the buffet, instead of sitting in a booth or facing in a different direction. The sight of food tends to make our minds think we have more work to do, eating-wise. Keep your food stored in the fridge or stashed in the pantry, not out on the countertops.

#3. Overweight people eat with maximum efficiency.
While Chinese buffets offer chopsticks, 91.3 percent of obese patrons opt for forks. That just makes it easier to shovel in the food.

#4. Overweight people clean their plates.
Of those patrons who were the heaviest, 94 percent cleaned their plates so there was nothing left. Ignore Mom’s advice—let a little linger, or take it to go.

#5. Overweight people chew less.
Researchers actually monitored the chewing habits of the buffet-goers and discovered that the heaviest one-third among them chewed their food an average of 11.9 times before swallowing. The middle one-third chewed an average of 14 times, and the leanest one-third chewed 14.8 times.

#6. Overweight people dive in.
The leanest people in the study typically took a lap around the buffet first, to plot out what they wanted to eat. But the more overweight group charged right in; doing so means you may fill up on some less-appealing items, then have to go back to snag that one nosh you have to have but missed the first time.

#7. Overweight people skip breakfast.
A simple habit, but missing this crucial meal raises your risk of obesity by a whopping 450 percent! Start your day with some lean protein and fiber—which will jumpstart your metabolism and keep you full. (An egg sandwich is actually a great choice.)

I know! Everyone dreads household chores. I used to dread them too...but since I got my Bodybugg, and I have set myself with a goal of 13,000 steps a day, I am finding that unless I do some kind of household chore everyday, I come pretty shy of that goal. Household chores can not only make your house look better, but it will make you feel better as well. Plus, it burns calories! I know! Who knew?!? But why not get that house clean and get in shape at the same time! It is easy to do. Just keep that body moving. Lifting, moving, pushing, wiping...all those things keep the heart rate up and the calorie burn going. Here is a list of the top 10 calorie burning chores. These are based on the weight of a 150 lb woman doing 30 minutes of each chore.

So, if you find yourself reaching a weight plateau, add in a few extra of these. See if it doesn't help you shed an additional pound or two this week!


The top 10 calorie burning household chores are:

10. Doing laundry burns 72 calories.

9. Washing dishes burns 76 calories.

8. Vacuuming burns 84 calories.

7. Washing windows burns 153 calories.

6. Washing the car burns 153 calories.

5. Mowing the lawn burns 162 calories.

4. Gardening burns 162 calories.

3. Raking leaves burns 171 calories.

2 Scrubbing floors burns 189 calories.

1. Moving around furniture burns 225 calories.

*These estimates are based on 30 minutes of intense activity and on a person weighing 150 pounds.

17 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight | Mark's Daily Apple

Posted using ShareThis

If you have hit a plateau in your weight loss regimen, it is likely due to the source...your food intake. One of the best things you can do when you start a new lifestyle is measure your food. I know it sounds weird, but honestly, you have no idea what you are eating until it is laid out in front of you. America is known for overeating. In fact, there are more deaths in the US related to overeating than there are from not getting enough to eat. That says alot!

But what is a serving size?
Here is a good general guide.

Grains: 1 slice of bread, 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal, 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice or pasta (about the size of a 1/2 baseball).

Vegetables: 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables (about the size of a small fist), 1/2 cup of other vegetables or 1/2 cup of vegetable juice.

Fruits: 1 medium fruit (medium is defined as the size of a baseball); 1/2 cup chopped, cooked or canned fruit; or 1/2 cup juice.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans and Nuts: 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish; 1/2 cup cooked dry beans; or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.

Milk, Yogurt and Cheese: 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces fat-free or low-fat cheese.

I can’t possibly eat that many servings of vegetables, etc.!
Before you decide that you can’t eat as many servings of ANYTHING as suggested, think small fist, baseball, hockey puck and a computer mouse. These are all things that describe a “serving size.” The comparisons will help you eat more of the things you need and less of the things you don’t.

• One serving of raw leafy vegetables or a baked potato should be about the size of a small fist. A serving is a lot smaller than most people think.
• A cup of fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt, or a medium fruit should equal about the size of a baseball.
• A half a bagel is about the size of a hockey puck and represents a serving from the grains group.
• Three ounces of cooked lean meat or poultry is about the size of a computer mouse. Three ounces of grilled fish is about the size of a checkbook.
• A teaspoon of soft margarine is about the size of one die.
• An ounce of fat-free or low-fat cheese is about the size of six stacked dice.

Think about what you are served when you eat out. It is usually twice the amount you should be eating. Instead of polishing off your plate, do this:

Order and share an entree with a loved one.
Immediately ask for a box and pack away half for your lunch the next day.
Eating at home? Use a smaller plate! Choosing to use a salad plate rather than the standard dinner plate and filling it up once will cut your calorie intake in half!
Take your time eating! It takes a full 20 minutes for your head to realize that your stomach is full.

These are just a few small suggestions. Measuring and recording what you eat will help you realize at the end of the day what you put in your mouth. Try it! After a few months it will become second nature and you won't have to record it anymore!

Torch up to 60% more calories with every workout
By the editors of Prevention.com
1. Quench with Cool Water
Chill your water pre-workout for a bigger burn.
A fresh-out-of-the-fridge water bottle may energize you for hot-weather exercise, finds a British study. Exercisers who drank refrigerated water (39°F) worked out about 25% longer than those who consumed the same amount of warmer water—and they said their exercise sessions felt easier too.

Whether you're indoors or out, sipping chilled water both before and during exercise may help keep your body temperature down and your energy up for maximum calorie burn.


2. Swing Those Arms
Perfect your walking form.
Turn your walk into a calorie-torching workout by bending your elbows 90 degrees and pumping your arms as you stride. It not only automatically speeds up your pace but helps you burn up to 15% more calories every time you work out.

For proper pumping: Trace an arc from your waist to your chest as you swing. Your thumbs should come close to touching your waistband as your elbow goes backward. Also, make sure to keep elbows in and don't let hands cross past the middle of your chest (in front of your sternum). Too much side-to-side motion drags down your pace.


3. Pop in Your Headphones
Fight flagging energy with music.
Working out to your favorite playlist can help you to go up to 20% longer and burn more calories, finds a study from West London's Brunel University. Music blocks fatigue, produces feelings of vigor, and helps you keep pace by synchronizing your movements, says study author Costas Karageorghis, PhD.

For workouts set to music, go to prevention.com/podcasts.


4. Put on Some Weight
Slim down, not bulk up, with a little heavy lifting
To really rev your calorie burn, it is not about the number of reps, but the size of the weights. Even when exercisers lifted identical volumes (such as 10 pounds 10 times or 20 pounds 5 times), those using the heavier dumbbells burned about 25% more calories when they were finished. "Heavy weights create more protein breakdown in the muscle, so your body has to use more energy to repair and recover--that's how lean muscle tissue is built," says researcher Anthony Caterisano, PhD, of Furman University.

Bonus: Working out with heavy weights even for as few as 3 to 6 reps increased exercisers' sleeping metabolic rate--the number of calories burned overnight--by nearly 8%. That's enough to lose about 5 pounds in a year, even if you did nothing else!


5. Break Up Your Sets
Don't waste time waiting.
Instead of performing 2 or 3 sets of a single exercise before moving to the next one, do a circuit: Complete just 1 set and then immediately move to the next exercise, repeating the circuit 2 or 3 times.

When researchers had testers do either standard strength-training (3 sets of 6 exercises with 2 minutes of rest in between) or circuit-training (moving through a series of 6 exercises 3 times, with 30 seconds of rest in between), the circuit-trainers burned nearly twice as many calories postworkout as the standard-style lifters. "Because your heart rate stays elevated longer after circuit-training, you continue burning fat as though you were still exercising," says researcher Anthony Caterisano, PhD, of Furman University.


6. Head Outside
Trade the treadmill for trails.
Besides the fresh air and better scenery, heading outside can give your workout a major boost. Research finds that exercisers burn 10% more calories when they walk or run outdoors than they do on a treadmill at the same speed. "You use more energy to propel yourself over the ground," explains fitness expert Jay Blahnik, author of Full Body Flexibility, "and pushing a little against the wind or other elements burns more calories, too."


7. Crank Up the Incline
Walk uphill for better results
If bad weather forces you indoors, challenge yourself on the treadmill. Crank up the incline to firm up your derriere and rev up your calorie burn by up to 60 percent. And when you come back down to earth, walking will feel easier.

To safely take your walks to the next level, follow these guidelines:

Don't lean. Maintain an upright posture; keep your shoulders over your hips; your hips over your ankles.

Start easy. Do a 5-minute slow walk and then a 10-minute brisk pace before adding your first hill.

Go 5 and 5. Alternate 5-minute hills with 5 minutes of level walking. Repeat as often as you like. Cool down for 5 minutes.

Inch up. You may only be able to walk a 1 percent incline initially. The key is to maintain the same speed during the hills as you do with no incline. Aim for a 3.5 mph speed, and keep your hills moderate; a 5 percent incline is a great goal, and go no more than 7 percent. (Steeper inclines put too much strain on your back, hips, and ankles.)


8. Log at Least 12 Minutes
Add a burst of heart-pumping cardio
Any amount of cardio will burn calories, but to really fight off pounds, you need at least 12 minutes (beyond a warm-up) of continuously moderate to high-intensity activity (where you're breathing somewhat hard) most days a week.

That's the amount necessary to "create a training effect, which improves your body's ability to use oxygen and generate more fat-burning enzymes, such as lipase, so you can blast more flab during exercise and other activities all day," says Chip Harrison, exercise physiologist, director of strength and fitness at Pennsylvania State University, and coauthor of The Female Athlete.


9. Cut Your Workouts in Half
Pick up the pace for all-over fat burning
Introducing short bouts of vigorous activity can speed up weight loss and cut your workout time by up to half or more. Australian researchers found that women who alternated just 8 seconds of high-intensity exercise with 12 seconds of low-intensity activity for 20 minutes, 3 times a week, slimmed down faster than steady-paced exercisers who worked out twice as long. Those who did intervals lost up to 16 pounds, shrunk their bellies by 12% and their thighs by 15%, and gained, on average, 1 1/2 pounds of metabolism-revving muscle in 4 months--without dieting!


10. Don't Skip Stretching
Stay loose and limber for more effective workouts.
Stretching keeps your muscles flexible, helping to prepare them for exercise and recover from the effort afterward. Skip the stretches, and you won't get nearly the benefits you should from aerobic exercise and resistance training.

"Stretching helps you move freely during aerobic exercise, it enables your muscles to build more strength during weight training, and it helps keep muscles long and lean," says Sharon Willett, a physical therapist and sports trainer at the Virginia Sportsmedicine Institute in Arlington, Virginia.

From Prevention Magazine: Burn calories instead of gas. If your errands are less than 1 mile away from each other, vow to walk them at a brisk pace instead of driving. Or park where you can run several errands within a mile instead of moving your car each time. Walk like this everyday and you'll be 13-17 pounds lighter next year!