11.12.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:00 am by amit
Warning: this style of workout is WAY different than anything you've ever tried before and may result in a dramatically leaner, stronger body so that your friends no longer recognize you in a matter of weeks!
Alright, I exaggerated about your friends recognizing you, but this workout is still great for busy people that always use the excuse that they don't have time to go to the gym, or even for the normal gym rat to try out for a few weeks to break out of a plateau.
Please keep an open-mind and don't worry so much about what other people think, because this is quite different and you may get some funny looks, but you'll get the last laugh with your new rock hard body! To be honest, most people are too self conscious to try something like this. If that's the case for you, then that's your loss.
Here's how it works:
Instead of doing your traditional workouts of going to the gym 3-4 times a week and doing your normal weight training and cardio routines for an hour at a shot, with this program, you will be working out for just a couple minutes at a time, several times throughout each day, 5 days/week.
The program will consist of only bodyweight exercises done for about 2-3 minutes, 6-8 times per day, throughout each day. Now obviously if you work a normal office job, you are going to have to not be shy about doing a few exercises in your office and having your cube-mates watch you. Actually, I've found that some people that have tried this have actually gotten their co-workers to join them! If you have a private office, then you don't have to worry about anybody watching you. If you work from home, or are a stay at home mom, there's no reason you can't fit these in throughout the day while at home. If you end up having a busy day with meetings and so forth, and can only fit a couple of these 2-minute workouts in, then so be it, but try to get as many done each day as you can.
If you're on a normal 9-5 office schedule, I recommend doing your 2-minute workouts every hour, on the hour, with the exception of lunch. For example, you could try 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, and 4 pm.
Some of the exercises that are the best to focus on are:
-bodyweight squats (and variations)
-pushups (and variations)
-forward, reverse, or walking lunges
-up and down a staircase if one is available
-floor planks (holding plank position from forearms and feet)
-floor abs exercises such as lying leg thrusts, ab bicycles, etc.
-one-legged bodyweight Romanian deadlifts
This list is not fully comprehensive, but I wanted to keep it relatively simple. If you know other good bodyweight exercises, you can add those to your routine also. If you want to keep it real simple and don't want to get down on the floor for anything, you can stick to squats, lunges, and pushups and still get great results.
The good thing about these workouts is that you do enough in 2-3 minutes to get your blood pumping, heart rate up a bit, a large portion of your body's muscles worked, and your body temperature raised. However, it's usually not enough to break a sweat in only 2 or 3 minutes, so you don't have to worry about sweating or getting smelly in the office or where ever you may be. At most, you might just get a little moist on the skin.
Here's an example routine (adjust the reps up or down based on your capabilities):
Mon/Wed/Fri
9 am - 10 pushups/15 bodyweight squats, repeat 1X for 2 sets
10 am - plank holds (hold the planks as long as you can taking short rest breaks for a total of 3 minutes)
11 am - 5 pushups/10 bodyweight squats, repeat for 4 sets
1 pm - plank holds (hold as long as possible in 3 minutes)
2 pm - 8 pushups/12 bodyweight squats, repeat for 3 sets
3 pm - plank holds (hold as long as possible in 3 minutes)
4 pm - max pushups/max bodyweight squats in one set (no repeat)
Tues/Thurs
9 am - 6 fwd lunges each leg/6 rev lunges, repeat 1X for 2 sets
10 am - one legged bw Romanian deadlifts (RDL) 6 each leg/floor abs for 20 sec, repeat 1X for 2 sets
11 am - 3 fwd lunges each leg/3 rev lunges, repeat for 4 sets
1 pm - one legged bw RDL 3 each leg/floor abs for 20 sec, repeat for 4 sets
2 pm - 5 fwd lunges each leg/5 rev lunges, repeat for 3 sets
3 pm - one legged bw RDL 10 each leg/floor abs for 30 sec (no repeat)
4 pm - max fwd lunges each leg/max rev lunges in one set (no repeat)
In order to progress on these workouts, you could either add 1 or 2 reps to each set per week, or you could progress to more difficult versions of each exercise each week (for example, close grip pushups, one leg raised pushups, squats with arms raised straight over head, etc.).
The above routines are just a couple examples of how you can use this very unique style of training. Use your creativity and come up with your own. Think about what you've accomplished with these "mini" workouts completed throughout each day... You've increased your heart rate and pumped up your muscles 6-8 different times throughout each day, burning a lot of extra calories and stimulating your metabolism. Even though each "mini" workout was a very short duration, you've accumulated lots of repetitions for almost every muscle throughout your entire body, and you didn't even have to break a sweat during any of the "mini" workouts. And there's hardly any excuse for not being able to take a 2-minute break once per hour and do a couple of exercises. Another benefit of this style of training is that now you don't have to devote any time before or after work to going to the gym because you already got your workout done little by little throughout the day. You've now got some extra free time on your hands!
Try this type of routine out for 3-4 weeks and then go back to your normal gym routines. I think you'll find that it was a great way to break out of a plateau and stimulate new results in your body. You can try mixing in a cycle of these "mini" workouts every couple of months to keep things fresh.
Keep in mind that this is only one method of training and doesn't mean that you should only stick to this method for eternity. You will hit a plateau on any given training method, so I'd recommend just rotating it into your arsenal of various training methods. And by all means, don't worry about what other people think so much...have the courage to try something a little different. In the end, you'll be the one laughing back at all of the "blubber-bellies" that are giving you funny looks while they eat their donuts!
Permalink
Comments off
11.11.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:00 am by amit
All those who have ever attempted a weight loss diet plan know just how frustrating it can be sometimes. Moreover, while trying to lose weight, you are constantly bombarded by so much information and misinformation about the latest diet craze, fad or plan for instant weight loss. For most dieters, there may come a time when you feel like throwing in the towel and packing away your scale. However, the best solution to all this confusion is to stick to simplicity as your measure for the most effective weight loss plan.
There are three points to remember in order to avoid feeling frustrated as you try to lose weight. First, do not believe all the hype. Secondly, you do not need any special foods to lose weight. And lastly, remember that the most expensive diet solutions aren't necessarily the best.
If anything, intermittent fasting may be the best way to go in your weight loss efforts. What is intermittent fasting, you may ask? Intermittent fasting is the practice of going on short fasting periods of up to 24 hours, once or twice a week. This is a simple and quick way to decrease your intake of calories, which will enable you to meet all your goals for losing weight, without having to starve yourself. Another benefit of intermittent fasting is that it also helps to detox your system to some extent. But in order for intermittent fasting to be effective you will require discipline. As such, you should not fast today then binge for the remainder of the week. Maintain healthy eating habits during your intermittent fasting and you will notice the lost pounds in no time.
Permalink
Comments off
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:00 am by amit
If you have ever been on a diet plan, you know that it is not something easy to stick to. The idea of having to give up your favorite comfort foods, not to mention the amount of time you will have to sweat out in the gym is enough to make you cry. But it doesn't all have to be blood, sweat and tears. By following some simple rules, you can enhance your metabolism which will then enable you to shed those extra pounds.
The first step is to free your mind from all that weight loss jargon that flies around from every direction. Forget low fat, no fat and no carbs. As for starvation, you can forget that too, because starving yourself will ruin your weight loss efforts instead of helping them.
Instead, all you need to do is get onto a reliable diet plan, follow the rules and see it to the end. This is because if you have the habit of beginning a new diet plan each week, you will end up getting frustrated as you will not be able to see the results of each. However, be sure to steer clear of all diet plans which promise you that you will be able to eat anything you want, whenever you want. Even a 5 year old can tell you that that is a lie. Most importantly, remember that losing weight in moderation will lead to longer lasting results than losing too much weight all of a sudden.
Permalink
Comments off
11.08.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:00 am by amit
In the study performed by the US researchers and published in the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) in October 2008, a total of 3,234 overweight people participated in a three-year diabetes prevention program. The participants were segregated into three groups: The first group, called the lifestyle intervention group, received intensive training in diet, physical activity, and behavior modification. By eating less fat and fewer calories and exercising for a total of 150 minutes a week, they aimed to lose 7 percent of their body weight and maintain that loss. The second group took the popular anti-diabetic drug Metformin (850mg twice a day), and the third receiving a placebo (an inert sugar-type pill labeled exactly like the Metformin drug). The Metformin and placebo groups also received information about diet and exercise but no intensive motivational counseling. At the beginning there was also a fourth group receiving the drug Troglitazone (Rezulin). This group was discontinued when it was discovered that Rezulin has the potential to cause serious liver damage.
After concluding the three-year prevention program, all participants had access to ongoing lifestyle coaching and were frequently monitored regarding their glucose blood levels over a period of ten years.
Dieters gather the most benefit The study clearly shows that overweight people reducing their weight by 7 percent, combined with a 30 minute daily exercise program, achieve a reduction of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent compared with the people of the placebo group. Weight loss and physical activity improve the body's ability to use insulin and process glucose and thus reduce the risk of developing diabetes. This finding was true for both men and women and across all participating ethnic groups. Weight reduction in particular was beneficial for participants over 60 years who achieved this way a diabetes risk reduction of 71 percent.
The group applying Metformin also showed a significant diabetes 2 risk reduction of 31 percent. Metformin was found to be most effective in men and women between 25 and 44 years and in those with a body mass index of 35 or higher (i.e. with at least 60 pounds overweight) and least effective in people over 45 years old.
Further analysis of the data also have added to the evidence that changes in diet and physical activity leading to weight loss not only reduce diabetes risk but also risk of cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome. Participants in the lifestyle intervention group who did not have metabolic syndrome at the beginning of the study-about half of the participants-were less likely to develop it than those in the other groups.
This study is one more proof of the importance of weight control and physical exercises for personal wellness and good health. It clearly shows that lifestyle factors (obesity and sedentary lifestyle) are very important in triggering the genetic elements that cause Type 2 diabetes. People having somebody in the family suffering this disease should pay special attention to these results and considering them as a motivation for applying a rigorous weight control and routinely physical training program.
Permalink
Comments off
11.06.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:00 am by amit
If you are a middle-aged woman between your 40s and 60s, you probably experienced that it's not easy to keep your weight stable or worse to get rid of some extra pounds. The main reason for this: you don't have the same metabolism any more you had as a 20 year old girl, when it was easy keeping your ideal weight just by skipping a few meals.
You've probably heard people blame their weight gain on a slow metabolism and of different diet plans claiming a faster weight loss by accelerating the fat burning process.
Well, there is no doubt that metabolism is linked to weight, but this relation is not that straightforward you might expect. Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy and weight gain is most commonly the result of eating more calories than you burn. As a consequence, to lose weight you should consume fewer calories in order to create an energy deficit, increase physical activity to burn more calories, or both.
There are several hormonal disorders that can affect your metabolism, for instance as result of an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) or an exposure to high levels of the hormone cortisol for a long time, resulting in the so-called Cushing's syndrome. The most common cause of Cushing's syndrome, sometimes called hypercortisolism, is the use of oral corticosteroid medication. The condition can also occur when your body makes too much cortisol. In particular when reaching menopausal period, hormonal imbalances are frequently causing overweight in middle-aged women and the mentioned difficulties when trying to lose this overweight again.
If you are experiencing a constant weight gain or also weight loss, it is important to rule out physiological disorders like the mentioned hormonal disorders, consulting your doctor.
Why is metabolism changing in middle-aged women? Already starting at an age of 35 years approximately, the amount of muscle mass tends to decrease and fat accounts for more of your weight. This slows down calorie burning as less carbs as primary fuel is available in the muscles. The carbohydrate metabolism undergoes changes as well. Thus, one can observe in many cases a decrease of glucose tolerance caused by a slow down of their decomposition.
Now you understand why you really don't have too much control over the speed of your metabolism. What you do can control is the quantity of calories you consume and burn through your level of physical activity.
And there is one additional factor that has been proven in many studies: Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than do women of the same age and weight (thus burning more calories). As a consequence, middle-aged women even more than their even-aged partners from the opposite sex need to control their calorie intake and level of physical activities to control their weight. As a rule of thumb: the more active you are, the more calories you burn. In fact, some people who are said to have a fast metabolism are probably just more active - and maybe more indefatigable - than are others.
Permalink
Comments off