Digital Stress and Your Brain

Via: OnlineUniversities.com


Download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program, start burning max fat and start building your lean body!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

Can Coffee Help You Recover From Your Workouts Faster?

By Cassandra Forsythe-Pribanic, PhD

When most of us think of coffee, we usually think of the wonderful smelling aroma that wakes us up in the morning.  For some people, this “liquid motivation” brings much joy and energy in just one cup. Coffee is so loved that it’s personified into being “My Coffee” and has helped spur several successful coffee companies across the world.

But, coffee is more than just so those amazing beans that pick us up when we’re down (or tired, that is).
As many of us know, coffee comes from a plant. But, what we may not know is that the beans are contained within berries, much like most seeds contained in pieces of fruit.

And, like most berries, the berry of coffee trees is a very nutrient-rich, powerful health-promoting food.

Except, when’s the last time you ate a Coffeeberry®? Probably not ever.

This is unfortunate, because berries from coffee plants (called Coffeeberry®), are being shown in several different scientific investigations to posses potent antioxidant properties, which can not only help prevent common chronic diseases like diabetes and heart, but also improve recovery from athletic activity and help fight inflammatory conditions such as IBS, arthritis and allergies.

So, if Coffeeberry® is so great, why can’t we buy them in stores?

Well, there are two major problems:

•    First, since coffee is so popular, the fruit is stripped off when the beans are collected
•    Second, if the fruit is saved, it’s highly perishable by both bacterial and fungal contamination and must be eaten right away

As such, Coffeeberry® is considered a waste product of coffee production - which is very interesting, considering that whey protein used to be a “waste” product of cheese-making; meaning that some of the best foods for our bodies have once been overlooked as garbage, until now.

Science to the Rescue!

Since it’s almost impossible to eat Coffeeberry® unless you have a coffee tree growing in your back yard (which is highly unlikely unless you live in Africa, Hawaii or Latin America), you will have to get these powerful berries in a dried form (kind of like how you get whey protein).

Scientists have discovered a way to isolate Coffeeberry® into a powdered form, which can also be concentrated so that you can consume less, but get more.

This dried product has been shown to completely safe and effective for delivering high doses of coffee antioxidants and other Coffeeberry® nutrients that promote better health.

What’s more interesting about this delivery form is that these highly potent free-radical scavenging components in Coffeeberry® can be supplied instead through of conventional coffee to people that need a limited caffeine intake, such as when pregnant, or in people who are sensitive to caffeine.

Coffeeberry® for Improved Recovery

Scientists from the Faculty of Sport and Tourism in Belgrade, investigated the effects of Coffeeberry® concentrated extract on the recovery of 20 college age athletic men and women. These participants were either given two 400 mg capsules of Coffeeberry® each day for 28 days, or a placebo.

After one month, participants taking Coffeeberry® had improved recovery from intense exercise compared to those taking a placebo. The Coffeeberry® extract increased blood levels of Total Antioxidant Capacity, while decreasing blood lactate (a common marker of muscle fatigue), and increased their Heart Rate Recovery Index.

This indicates that Coffeeberry® can be useful for people who exercise intensely and often, which allows them to exercise harder more often.

Recently, studies with 100 mg of Coffeeberry® extract given to humans also have shown promising benefits for health promotion (personal communication, April 2011). It appears that just 100 mg of Coffeeberry® is enough to see beneficial effects from this berry’s antioxidant content.

Overall, we may be missing out on the best part by drinking just coffee.  Thanks to science it is possible to take advantage of the best part of this fruit.  3 More Amazing Benefits Of Coffeeberry®

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

Top 10 Secrets of the Slim

You can lean and tone your body without fad diets and starvation diets. Lose weight the right way by burning fat. This will keep the weight off. You will be slimmer because muscle mass takes up less space than fat mass. Check out this video:



Follow these 10 habits and stay lean with natural fat loss and weight loss:

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

1. A positive attitude. Everything goes better for you when you are optimistic each day. A positive attitude does wonders for your health.

2. Get a healthy, managed meal plan and comply with it at least 90% of the time. If you are trying to burn fat and lose weight, nutrition is critical. Eat mainly whole, natural foods that have one ingredient--the food itself. For example, fruits and vegetables have one ingredient.

3. Unless your daily nutrition is perfect, you need to take dietary supplements. Multivitamins, fish oil and vitamin D3 are examples of common supplements that people take. Consult with your doctor before taking dietary supplements.

For sure, you don’t need fat burner supplements and weight loss pills. They don’t work long-term. Spend your hard-earned money to buy whole, natural foods for your meal plan.

4. Drink plenty of water. This will help you limit sugary drinks that pack on belly fat. Your body is about two-thirds water. Drink water and unsweetened drinks (like tea) most of the time. It will help you eat less and help your body function better.

Drink about half your weight in water every day. So, if you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 ounces of water each day.

5. Regular exercise is critical. Physical exercise helps you burn fat, manage body weight, regulate stress and is necessary for maintaining good blood circulation to the body and brain. It also can significantly reduce the risk diseases such as heart attack, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

I recommend weight training 3 days a week and short, interval cardio sessions 2-3 days a week.

6. Staying active as much as possible is very under-rated. It helps relieve stress, improves bloodflow and improves breathing. Sedentary lifestyles are a huge problem in society. We’ve gone from being physically active laborers (such as farmers) to sit-down jobs. So, if you have a "sit-down" job, I would recommend that you move more. When you sit, your fat-burning enzymes basically shut down.

Try to stand as much as you can during the day and take walking breaks to activate your fat-burning enzymes. Any activity is good to go along with your regular workouts. All movement burns calories.

7. Learn something every day to help you live a balanced life. I love fitness. But, there are experts in health, business, medicine, and other life disciplines who help me in other parts of my life. Read books, go to a seminar, listen in on webinars/teleconferences, follow experts on Twitter and Facebook, etc. There is really no excuse for not helping yourself improve.

8. Limit prolonged stress in your life. A certain amount of stress is good for us to live efficiently. Too much stress…well, you know the answer. In a Mayo Clinic article, “Stress Basics,” it states:

“When your brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones to fuel your capacity for a response. This has been labeled the "fight-or-flight" response.

Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop stress of modern life means that your alarm system rarely shuts off. Without stress management, all too often your body is always on high alert. Over time, high levels of stress lead to serious health problems.”

9. Get enough sleep--every night if possible. Lack of sleep affects memory, concentration and health. Your metabolism won't work properly if you don't sleep enough. Your workouts will also suffer. In a Medical News Today article, “Getting A Good Night's Sleep,” the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), reports that sleep problems add up to a global epidemic that affects 45% of the world's population.

"Insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), and sleep deprivation significantly impact physical, mental and emotional health, in addition to affecting work performance and personal relationships," WASM said.

10. Get professional advice if needed. When’s the last time you had a full physical exam? If you can’t remember, its been too long. Are your fat loss and weight loss efforts failing again and again? You may need a personal trainer to help you visualize success and individualize your fat loss and nutrition program.

Its hard to change your body all by your yourself. Research proves that you have a better chance to succeed if you have social support. That could be a trainer, spouse or friend.

Are you depressed? Although regular exercise will help you feel better, that won’t be enough to deal with serious depression. Get professional help.

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

7 Ways Pilates Tones Your Body

Pilates is everywhere but many people don't fully understand what it is. Pilates can help flatten your stomach and tone your entire body.

Pilates was invented over 80 years ago by a German Immigrant to the United States, Joseph Pilates. It was a technique originally developed for dancers to help with deep body conditioning and injury rehabilitation.

It involves a series of non-impact exercises designed to stretch, strengthen, and balance your body without adding bulk or stressing your joints. And, Pilates is not just for Hollywood stars.....you too can start to learn the basics of Pilates with the FREE DVD, "Pilates Made Easy!"

Have you ever Rolled Like A Ball, performed The Frog, The Corkscrew or The Seal? Sounds like the fun games that kids play doesn't it? Actually these are just a few of the classic movements you'll learn with Pilates Made Easy. And YES.…exercise can be fun WHILE helping you to sculpt the lean body you have been dreaming about.

How Can Pilates Improve Your Health and Fitness Levels

Pilates is different from other traditional forms of exercise because it:

1. Creates longer, leaner muscles versus bulky muscles that can be obtained from traditional weight training.

2. Improves postural problems and helps strengthen the back, not stress the back like many other forms of exercise.

3. Increases core strength and stability allowing you to make more progress flattening your tummy and midsection.

4. Helps prevent injury by building strength equally throughout your body, not focusing on one single area.

5. Heightens body awareness, which teaches you how to engage each muscle group, allowing you to get more out of each and every workout.

6. It is easy on your joints because there is NO impact versus the impact of many aerobic classes and other high impact forms of exercise.

7. It improves performance in sports, dance and other activities by balancing the strength in your entire body, especially your core area (abs, low back, hips and butt). It improves balance, coordination and circulation which improves your overall health and quality of life.

Don't miss out. You have nothing to lose except fat, inches and that extra weight that you have been trying to lose. Get your FREE Pilates Made Easy DVD now!


Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

3 Rules of Good Nutrition

The 3 rules of good nutrition will help keep the body fat and weight off your body. Check out this video:



Obesity rates in America are at an all-time high. Why? Because people eat a lot more calories than they burn each day. The worst part is where those calories come from: unhealthy fats and added sugars.

Do you know how to read the food label for the nutrition facts? To eat healthy, you must know what's behind the numbers and ingredients.

Foods in a bag or box have many harmful fats, sodium and other ingredients that you don't need. Shop on the perimeter of your supermarket to find most whole, natural foods.

Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in whole foods. That means processed foods have loads of sodium added to them. Just read the nutrition facts label carefully.

Be willing to change your eating habits. Since you must eat to survive, get ready to change. Get rid of the fad diets. Start planning your own meals using a mix of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Your body relies on the nutrients in food (real, whole food) for fuel. When you starve yourself, it senses the downward shift in your caloric intake and kicks into starvation mode. When this happens, your metabolism will slow down and your body will hold on to stored fat in order to conserve energy.

Start eating better today!

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

8 Fat-Burning, Timesaving Strength Exercises

To get the lean body you want and need, you must do regular full body strength training and burn fat on your total body.

Always maximize your workout time by doing exercises that burn the most fat in the shortest time period. This will also lessen the risk of boredom, over-training and injuries. Workouts lasting 2-3 hours are outdated and who has that kind of time to waste!

You should strength train your muscles with all contraction types (eccentric, isometric, concentric). All muscles function eccentrically (reduces force or deceleration), isometrically (stabilizes force) and concentrically (produces force).

And, you should train your body in all three planes of motion to give your body its 3-D shape and prevent injuries.

Short, interval cardio sessions, like sprint intervals, will also burn max fat and help lean out your body. Do interval training 2-3 days a week (you can also use bodyweight strength exercises to do intervals). Either way, you won't get bored with this type of cardio.

Having said that, here are 8 top exercises that will help you burn fat and sculpt your lean body:

1. Squats - Squats require stablization in the body's core muscles in general. The other benefits of squats (strengthens quads, gluteals, hamstrings,etc.) are well known.

There is no other exercise that has a greater impact on your body's muscle-building, metabolism and energy expenditure.

Research shows that the abdominal muscles are engaged more when doing squats than they are doing many of the more popular ab exercises. So, the next time you do squats, brace your torso (like getting ready to take a punch) and work on those abs too.

Squat variations: bodyweight, Bulgarian (pictured below), overhead barbell, dumbbell, front, lateral and split---do them all. Bonus: do squat jumps regularly.

Courtesy: www.woldfitness.com

2. Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift. This full body exercise especially targets your core, overall lower body, hamstrings and glutes.

Finish

Start

--Start with your feet about shoulder width apart, a slight bend in your knees and hold two dumbbells with an overhand grip (in front of your thighs).

--Bend forward at the hips and push your glutes back (as if sitting in a chair) while keeping the arch in your lower back.

--Keep the dumbbells close to your thighs and shins until the dumbbells come to about mid-shin (you will feel the stretch in your hamstrings).

--Keeping the dumbbells close to your shins and thighs, extend your hips and contract your glutes as you return to the start position. That's one repetition.

3. Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press - This is one of the best exercises to work your arms, shoulders and entire core area (just brace during execution).

4. Bentover Dumbbell Rows - If you're trying to build up back muscles and burn back fat, bentover dumbbells rows should be in your routine. Rows allow you to work your lats using heavier weights. Your lower back will be worked more if you row with both arms at the same time. Your obliques will also get quite a workout.



If you experience back pain doing two-armed rows, then try doing one-armed rows so you can support your body with the other arm.

Do two-armed bentover dumbbell rows this way:

--With your feet about shoulder width apart, bend over and grab the dumbbells. Keep your back straight (don't bow or arch back) and keep your head in line with your torso. Look straight down during the exercise.

--Pull dumbbells up to your side until they make contact with your ribs. Keep your elbows close to your side during the exercise. As you pull the dumbbells up, squeeze your shoulder blades together.

--Don't curl the dumbbells as you lift. Curling will allow too much use of your biceps. This is primarily a back exercise. Return the dumbbells until your arms are fully extended. That is one repetition.

5. Pullups with Knee Raises - The pullup is not just a back muscle exercise. Pullups work your lats (and other back muscles), core, shoulders, arms, chest, biceps and improve grip strength. That's why you should be doing pullups. Brace your torso during execution of the exercise.

--Grab the pullup bar with an overhand grip (palms facing away from you), arms straight and a little wider than shoulder width.

--After doing the pullup, lift both knees together until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold 2 seconds.

--Slowly return to start position.

6. Ball Plank - You need to do isometric core exercises. This is a surprise to many people. Isometric core exercises build up the deep stabilizing muscles and give tone to your entire core area. Isometric exercises help you build strength and burn fat without moving much.



Isometric contractions can be described as a type of muscle contraction where your muscles develop tension without changing length. For example, pushing against a wall and holding for 30 seconds causes an isometric contraction.

Isometric exercises cause most if not all of your muscles to work during an exercise. To do the ball plank (pictured above), you get into position and hold for a period of time (like 20 seconds). So, many core exercises are great isometric exercises.

7. Cross-Body Mountain Climbers - This exercise will build strength and help tone your "six pack" and obliques. Cross body mountain climbers also work the calves, quadriceps, glutes, back, chest, triceps and shoulders. You will need high levels of core strength to do this exercise the right way for each set.





--Start by getting in the push up position with your arms fully extended. Keep your hips and torso in a straight line. Don't let your hips sag and don't point your butt in the air during this exercise.

--Do the exercise by moving your left knee straight up and across your body to the right armpit area (keep your abs braced). Also, don't let your foot touch the ground as you do the movement. Move your left leg back to the starting position and repeat with your right leg. Alternate your leg movements until you have completed all repetitions.

8. Medicine Ball Throws - These exercises are great full body movement exercises that can be done at full speed. This helps you burn fat and activates your shapely fast twitch muscle fibers. Some good exercises are:

--Soccer throw (pictured above)
--2-Handed Chest Pass
--Rotational Throw
--Slams
--Squat and Scoop Throw

Get busy burning fat with the program below:

Be sure and download your Free Dumbbell and Medicine Ball Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

Are You Ready to Burn Fat and Change Your Body?

If you're still trying every new miracle weight loss product hitting the market, you are NOT READY TO BURN FAT and change your body.....Aren't you ready for fat loss and weight loss methods that actually work long-term?

How many fad and starvation diets are you going to try? They don't work. Besides being downright miserable, a starvation diet can thwart your weight loss efforts and do some serious damage to your health.



There are many bad diets out there that will leave you overweight long-term. If the diet promotes quick weight loss, run away from it as fast as you can! Your ultimate goal should not be just weight loss.

You need to know your body fat percentage. Don't get caught in the trap of only paying attention to the weigh scale. Its good to know your weight but body fat percentage is much more important as it relates to your health and lean body. Your body's composition (less fat mass and more muscle mass) is the key to real body transformation.

You need body changing fat loss and weight loss tips. Stop falling for the many weight loss gimmicks coming your way. Makers of weight loss pills, fat burn supplements and quick weight loss plans continue to get rich because people continue to buy the products.

Start transforming your body for a lifetime. These fat loss and weight loss tips will help you develop good exercise and eating habits for the longhaul---easy tips for every day use.

You MUST know what to do, when to do it and how to do it. It usually helps to break down the fat loss and weight loss process into practical steps you can implement. Once you have the right information, you MUST work hard, persevere and make no excuses.

So, start taking the steps to commit to changing your lifestyle. Stop waiting for the latest diet plan to splash the news. Take real steps today.
Do the little things EVERY DAY to change your body to lean and toned. Use these tips every day---in whole or in part.

Forget about weight loss and concentrate on fat loss. Building muscle mass will burn the fat and permanently speed up your metabolism to help you burn more calories during the day and at rest. It will also transform your body.

Download your FREE "125 Fat Burning and Weight Loss Tips" book now!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

Is Krill Oil Really Better Than Fish Oil?

by Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS

Krill oil comes from krill, which are small shrimp-like crustaceans that live in the cold depths of the ocean. They are very small, but make up the largest animal biomass on the planet. Krill oil is like fish oil in that it contains the omega 3 fats EPA and DHA, which are complete essential fatty acids.

The omega 3 fats found in fish oil are found in the triglyceride form whereas krill oil is in the phospholipid form. This makes krill oil much more absorbable because your fat cells in your cell walls are in the phospholipid form as well. Another key benefit to krill oil is that it contains astanxanthin, which is an excellent antioxidant that helps protect you against ultraviolet light and helps increase the ORAC potency of krill oil to 48 times that of fish oil.

So why should we consume krill oil or even fish oil?

The main reason is because we consume too few Omega 3 fats and way too many Omega 6 fats. The ideal ratio of omega 6 fats to omega 3 fats is 1:1. On average our intake is around 20:1 with 20 being omega 6 fats. This is a big problem because this can mean serious danger to your health.

One of the reasons we consume so many omega 6 fats is because of the vegetable oils we use everyday. I am sure you will recognize these oils such as corn, safflower and sunflower oil. They are all packed with omega 6 fats.



Many scientists believe that when we consume large quantities of omega 6 fats that this can trigger inflammation, sensitivity to pain and thickening of the blood. There can be a dramatic shift in the type of cells that are present at the site of the inflammation if you have prolonged inflammation or chronic inflammation. This can cause the tissue to try and heal itself yet destroy at the same time.

During the inflammation process there are many different proteins that are susceptible to genetic mutation and can impair the normal function of that protein.

Crohn’s disease, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis and may other diseases can result from this chronic inflammation. 
 
Researchers have discovered through scientific studies that increasing your essential fatty acids so that your ratio of omega 6 and omega 3 is equal can reduce your incidence of inflammatory diseases.

In A Perfect World

So we know we need to increase our Omega 3 essential fatty acid consumption and what would be great is if we could consume this through fish. Unfortunately the majority of our fish supply is heavily contaminated with pollutants, heavy metals, PCBs and other toxins that it makes it rather hard to do.

The downside to consuming fish oil is that you have to also consume extra antioxidants because fish oil is very perishable, which means it can become rancid very quickly. With krill oil having 48 times the antioxidant potency as traditional fish oil you don’t have the same risk of rancidity as you would with fish oil.

Krill oil has been shown to be beneficial for a wide variety of health issues such as anti-aging, protection of cell membranes, healthy cholesterol levels, healthy liver function, relief of normal PMS symptoms, boost to your immune system and other issues.

Several studies have been published on complete essential fatty acids and krill oil.

In one study researchers took 76 overweight and obese men and women in a double blind parallel arm trial and randomly assigned them to receive 2 grams per day of krill oil, fish oil or a control (olive oil) for 4 weeks.

When the four weeks were over the scientists found that the levels of EPA and DHA concentrations significantly increased more with the krill oil supplementation than with the participants consuming the control or fish oil.

The EPA concentration at the end of the treatment was on average higher in the krill oil group when compared with the fish oil group. What this shows is that EPA and DHA quantities in krill oil is absorbed equally as well as that from fish oil. 



Is Krill Oil Really Better Than Fish Oil?

Another study proved that krill oil improved cholesterol levels more effectively than fish oil. HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) improved 44% with Krill Oil and only a 4.2% improvement was seen in fish oil. In this study LDL cholesterol which is your bad cholesterol decreased 32% with Krill Oil and only a 2% reduction was seen in normal fish oil.



It is clear that everyone needs to be consuming complete essential fatty acids and more omega 3 fats to be specific. To improve your health status you need to get your ratio of Omega 6 fats equal with your Omega 3 fats.

Since we can’t rely on normal fish consumption for essential fatty acids due to the potential risk of toxins that leaves us with omega 3 supplements. When selecting any supplement you need to look at the quality.

As more research continues to show the benefit of krill oil supplements over fish oil supplements make sure you choose a quality Krill Oil. A quality krill oil is harvested in compliance with international fishing standards in cold waters far away from potential pollutants. The biological benefits of this essential fatty acid are preserved through a cold extraction processing method to provide an essential fatty acid oil free of contaminants such as heavy metals and PCBs. As krill oil continue to build in popularity you will find many other types released that may not have the same quality standards so do yourself a favor and make sure you buy quality.


Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

5 Top Cardio Workouts that Burns Fat, Spares Muscle Mass

Use intervals for cardio and you will burn fat faster and start to see your body lean out sooner. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a proven effective fat-burning cardio exercise method.

Also, HIIT is the best way to burn fat, while saving muscle mass, in the shortest amount of time while increasing VO2 Max. All that's needed is 20 minutes per workout session. This type of cardio will also give you superior heart health compared to long, steady-state cardio.

Doing this type of cardio will burn more calories and fat during and after your workout. Exercise Post-Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) causes your body to burn more calories and fat after a tough workout. Your body has to work harder to get back to its pre-exercise state. Fat burning and metabolism can increase for up to 48 hours after your workout.

Long, traditional 1 hour cardio sessions can have a negative impact on hunger and stress hormones which can cause increased appetite and cravings for sugary and other fatty foods.

Research at Duke University, directed by Dr. Cris Slentz, supports high-intensity exercise for better fat loss. The eight-month study showed that people could lose weight with exercise and no dieting. Those who exercised intensely (especially using interval training) lost much more fat than those who exercised moderately.

According to the research, the high-intensity exercisers had these advantages over the low-to-moderate intensity exercisers:

--more release of fat from cells
--more fat used as fuel during exercise
--increased metabolic rate after exercise

Here are my Top 5 Interval Cardio Workouts to Burn More Fat:

1. Sprints. After a proper dynamic warmup (like jog/run progressively for 5 minutes), sprint for 60 yards and walk back to the starting line. The sprint has to be at maximum effort. Do this rotation for 20 minutes.

To continually challenge yourself, progress this cardio exercise to surfaces such as inclines, hills and stadium steps. Weighted resistance, such as vests, could also be used.

2. Jumps. This includes exercises such as squat jumps, jumping jacks, jump rope, pike jumps, side-to-side hops, front-to-back hops and tuck jumps. You can use one exercise or 2-5 exercises during a workout. Do the intervals for 30 seconds and walk for 1 minute. Total workout time is 20 minutes.

3. Mountain Climbers. The mountain climber is a versatile exercise in that you can do it on level ground, on an incline, knee-across-your-body, as a warmup, as cardio or as a speed exercise. I like to include mountain climbers as part of a bodyweight cardio session.

Either way, include mountain climbers in your workouts more often. It is one of the best and toughest exercises out there. It is a compound exercise in that it works the calves, quadriceps, glutes, back, chest, triceps, abdominals and shoulders.

You will need high levels of core strength to do this exercise the right way for each set. Do the intervals for 30 seconds and walk for 1 minute. Total workout time is 20 minutes.

4. Bodyweight Cardio. Get strength and cardio benefits with this highly effective form of exercise. You could do a workout that includes squats, squat jumps, pullups, pushups, burpees and inverted rows. You won't get bored doing this type of workout!

Do the intervals for 30 seconds and walk for 1 minute. Total workout time is 20 minutes.

5. Cardio blasts. Between each weight training exercise set, do 30-45 seconds of jump rope, mountain climbers or squat jumps full speed. It's just that simple and that tough.

Rest 1 minute after doing a cardio blast. Rest 2-3 minutes after completing a weight training circuit and repeat the circuit 1 or 2 more times.

All of these workouts are great for burning fat, building muscle mass and improving heart health. These workouts are not for beginners, those getting back into shape or those with health issues.

Do interval cardio for your cardio workouts and you will burn more fat.

Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

10 Tips to Avoid Weekend Weight Gain

Many of you will gain weight this weekend if you're not careful. You can easily gain 5-10 pounds over a three-day weekend. How can you continue to burn fat and maintain your weight while enjoying the weekend? Read on............

Make plans for the weekend just as you do for regular week days. It is crucial that you make plans for what you are going to eat, especially if you are traveling. Hasty eating decisions often lead to high-calorie fast food or overeating.

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

What about your workouts for the weekend?

I recommend you work out at least two of the three weekend days. Since time is at a premium on weekends, intense 30-minute bodyweight cardio sessions work well because you get the dual benefits of strength and cardio in one workout.

Bodyweight exercises like squats, squat jumps, pushups, pullups, burpees, inverted rows, triceps dips on bars, jumping jacks, planks, bridges and back extensions are exercises you can do anywhere.

But, you must plan to do it or you probably won’t!

In the following excerpt from a Medline Plus article, “Can't Find Time to Exercise? Schedule It," it says:

"A lot of it has to do with time, said Michael R. Bracko, a sports physiologist and director of the Institute for Hockey Research in Calgary, Canada. Not just the amount of time people have, but also the amount of time they think they have."

"In this day and age, with all the stuff we have going on, probably the number one reason is perceived lack of time, Bracko said. People don't view exercise or physical activity as important enough to schedule it within their day. They can't find the time to work out. They've got kids, they're driving around, they're working, they're commuting."

If you are traveling for a long four-day weekend, take extra steps to manage your weight. Follow my three tips:

1. Walk 30 minutes every day. In my opinion, walking continues to be an underutilized exercise option for many. Walk whenever you can instead of riding.

Some every day examples?

--walk to the store

--walk to work, if feasible

--don't park your car as close as you can to the store entrance

--take the stairs instead of the elevator (I once worked on the 27th floor of a building. It was a tiring walk.)

--don't use a riding mower to cut your grass

If you're traveling, you can still walk but be careful.

2. Exercise at your hotel room or gym.

3. Plan your menus and pack your food. You can also plan healthy meals at the restaurants you will be visiting. This will help you avoid the fast food trap and haphazard eating.

Here are 7 more tips to help you manage your weight during the weekend:

4. If you aren't exercising, the weekend would be a great time to start.

5. Stick to your normal meal plan as much as possible during the weekend.
You will gain weight if you maintain a caloric surplus (eat more calories than you burn).

6. If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. Alcohol has seven calories per gram.

Only fat (9 cal/g) provides more calories than alcohol. So, when you are planning your food and drink consumption, don't forget the calories from alcohol. When you take a drink of alcohol, your body converts a small amount of it into fat and the rest is converted (by the liver) into a substance called acetate. This acetate is then quickly released into the bloodstream and used as the body's main source of energy.

So, your body is using the acetate for energy instead of the stored fat in your body. The more you drink, the more fat your body will store (many times belly fat).

Added to this problem is the fact that alcohol consumption can increase your appetite. Researchers from Denmark found that a group of men ate more when they were served beer or wine and they ate less when served a soft drink.

7. Don't graze during the weekend. Grazing is eating haphazardly without purpose. The calories will stack up quickly if you do this.

8. Stay active as much as possible. Walking every day will help you stay active and keep your fat-burning enzymes working for you.

9. Drink water. This will help you limit sugary drinks that pack on belly fat. Your body is about two-thirds water. Drink water and unsweetened drinks (like tea) most of the time. It will help you eat less and help your body function better.

Drink about half your weight in water every day. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces of water each day.

10. Get your rest during the weekend to keep your metabolism functioning properly. If you are exhausted after the weekend, your work week and exercise will probably suffer.

Manage your weight this weekend with proper planning and action.

Download your FREE 10-Minute Fat Burning Workouts now and take them with you. There are strength and cardio workouts in the e-book.

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

5 Ways Massage Therapy Helps You Burn Fat

Every serious exerciser needs regular massage therapy. You can't exercise, burn fat and build a lean body if you're injured too much.



Use massage therapy to recover from intense exercise. Getting proper rest is also a big part of recovering from exercise. Your muscles might need 48-72 hours between intense weight training workouts. Young people usually need even more rest between weight training workouts.

Here are 5 reasons you need massage therapy:

1. If you treat your soft tissues (muscles, skin, tendons, etc.) better, you will find that your workouts will be more efficient. You will also be less susceptible to injuries. A tight, rigid and fatigued body is a precursor to certain injury. Find a massage therapist (type) that works for you and your exercise goals.

2. The benefits received from pampering your soft tissues are: improved flexibility, improved circulation, relief of muscle tension and soreness (relaxation) and decreased fatigue/improved recovery.

Massage therapy between workouts will definitely shorten your recovery time and improve exercise performance. You should not do hard exercise after a massage. Wait until the following day to do cardio and weight lifting sessions.

3. Don't forget about self massage. You can perform self massage every day using self myofascial release with foam rolls (SMFR). You can increase the elasticity in your muscles by improving your flexibility. The foam roller is one of the most effective techniques for releasing tension while improving mobility.

Foam rolling exercises will release and organize your muscles, as well as release and align your skeletal system. Muscle injuries such as strains and tears and broken bones can be avoided with proper flexibility and skeletal alignment. You'll immediately feel the effectiveness of SMFR.

4. According to ActiveBodyChiro.com: Active Release Technique® is a type of manual hands-on therapy that corrects soft tissue problems and injuries. Many types of injuries are treated using this technique. Some of the specific injuries that are treated include repetitive strains, adhesions, tissue hypoxia, and joint dysfunction.

The ART® practitioner finds the exact tissue that is injured or causing the problem and then physically works that tissue back to its normal texture, tension and length.

The ART® practitioner also finds muscles and other tissues that have developed adhesions between them. An adhesion, which is basically like scar tissue that builds up between your muscle layers, can act like a glue restricting the normal sliding motions of the various tissue layers.

ART® is used to break apart these adhesions and allow your muscles and nerves to move freely once again. Restoring proper nerve and muscle movement allows your body to perform at its most efficient level.

5. Here are some other massage techniques that may help you:

Swedish Massage - Its purpose is to increase circulation and blood flow. The massage strokes are often in the direction of the heart. Oil or other lotions are used to allow for smooth massage strokes.

Deep Tissue Massage - This type of massage is a favorite among exercisers because it focuses on joints and muscle groups. The massage therapist pinpoints deep layers of the soft tissues to relieve pain or stress.

Neuromuscular Therapy - This type of massage is used to address postural imbalances. The massage is used to reduce pain/tension and strengthen the soft tissues.

Myoskeletal Alignment Technique - Postural distortions are identified and corrected using Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) and myofascial techniques are used to lengthen tight muscles and tone weak or inhibited muscles.

Structural Muscular Balancing - Chronic contraction in the muscles are released through gentle massage techniques.

Use massage therapy as a tool to help you reach your fat loss and fitness goals with as little pain and injury as possible.

Download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

Build 6-Pack Abs Faster with Two Squat Exercise Variations

Yes, prisoner squats and primetime prisoner squats will help you build six pack abs faster. When you do these squats correctly, your ab muscles will be activated.



Research shows that the abdominal muscles are engaged more when doing squats than they are doing many of the more popular ab exercises.

The squat works major muscle groups. To recruit more muscle fibers during workouts and improve your fat loss success, focus more on multi-joint or compound exercises like the squat.

Compound exercises will help you burn more fat because of the intensity of working large muscle groups in your body. You will also burn more calories and fat after your workout.

Squats have a greater impact on your body's muscle-building, metabolism and energy expenditure than probably any other exercise.

Your legs (especially quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes), abdominals and lower back are targeted. Even your arms and shoulders will feel the effects of the exercises.

Add bodyweight prisoner and primetime prisoner squats to your exercise routine more often. These squats are also good as warmup exercises. Prisoner squats also help to realign your shoulder blades.

How to do Prisoner Squats

1.Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart with your toes pointing slightly outward.

2. With your hands behind your head, keep your chest up and shoulder blades down and back throughout the range of motion. Brace your torso as you do the exercise (as if taking a punch to the gut).

3. As you descend, push your glutes back as if sitting down, bending at the hips and knees. Keep your knees aligned with your toes (don't let the knees "cave in" or protrude outside the feet). Also, don’t let your knees pass over your toes and stay back on your heels.

4. Don’t lean forward and maintain the natural arch in your back.

5. As you ascend to the starting position, contract your glutes. That's one repetition.

How to do Primetime Prisoner Squats

1.Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart with your toes pointing slightly outward.

2. With your hands behind your head, keep your chest up and shoulder blades down and back throughout the range of motion. Brace as you do the exercise.

3. As you descend, push your glutes back as if sitting down and bend at the hips and knees. Keep your knees aligned with your toes (don't let your knees "cave in" or protrude outside the feet). Also, don’t let your knees pass over your toes and stay back on your heels.

4. Don’t lean forward and maintain the natural arch in your back.

5. As you ascend, contract your glutes and EXPLODE back up to the starting position (like jumping without jumping). That is one repetition.

Primetime prisoner squats will also improve your leg power (how fast your muscles can produce force), vertical jump, speed and workout efficiency (do more work in less time).

Go ahead and start burning more body fat today!

Be sure and download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut and start burning fat and building muscle mass.

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

3 Tips to Build Muscle Mass, Burn More Fat

Burn more fat by building muscle mass and leaning out your body for good. You can't stop working out when you reach your fat loss and weight loss goals. Body fat control and weight management is a never ending process.

Client Q: I used to have a pretty muscular body when I was younger...now at age 41, because I haven't been exercising, alot of my muscles have turned into fat. What can I do to change my body?

Mark's A: Muscle never changes into body fat. Muscle is metabolically active tissue and fat is inactive.

You don't need to eat as much at age 41 as you did at age 20 or 30. This sounds simple but many people fall into this eating trap. And, if you are not exercising, you are hit with a double dose of bad news. First, you will gain weight and body fat.

And, because you have been inactive, your muscles have lost mass (atrophy). And, your fat cells were still there although they had shrunk. So, now the fat cells are taking over.

In your early thirties, you can begin to lose as much as one-half pound of muscle each year. Inactivity will make this problem even worse. Remember, muscle mass speeds up your metabolism because your body has to work harder to maintain muscle mass (interpretation: your metabolism has slowed down). So, you begin to lose muscle mass and gain body fat.

Although the primary cause of weight gain is due to consistent daily calorie surpluses (eat more calories than you burn), you can burn more calories if you keep your metabolism active with proper nutrition and exercise.

Here are 3 things you can start doing to build and preserve muscle mass and burn more fat:

1. Exercise regularly to build muscle mass and burn fat. Tough, smart workouts are mandatory to change your body. Total body fat loss is the key to burning more fat and transforming your body. To lose weight and keep it off, you must make a major commitment to strength training (3 days a week).

Not only will your body's composition improve (less fat, more muscle), it will improve your overall health.

Muscle mass can be maintained/increased (and body fat decreased) throughout your life with regular strength training. Muscle mass will help you burn more calories during the day and at rest. Strength training also helps to keep your bones strong.

Strength training should be tailored to your body type. We all have a body type due to heredity and lifestyle choices. A fitness assessment is important because a personal trainer identifies postural weaknesses and muscle imbalances. The fitness program is then tailored to fit your needs. Without this assessment, you are "shooting in the dark."

Your cardio exercise should aid in your fat loss and not waste away your precious muscle mass. Your cardio exercise should:

--Improve heart health
--Burn calories (during and after your workout)
--Burn fat
--Spare muscle mass

Keep your interval cardio workouts at about 20 minutes per session. That's all it takes to help you reach your goals. And, it will keep you from the boredom and muscle-wasting that's built into long cardio sessions.

Intense interval cardio workouts will increase your body's growth hormone. Research has also proven that the benefits of anaerobic exercise (like sprint interval cardio) is superior to aerobic exercise for fitness and heart health.

2. Eat healthy, managed meals. Help control your hunger during the day so you don't overeat when you do eat. Do this by eating small meals every 3-4 hours to keep your metabolism ramped up.

Another way to control your hunger pangs is to eat protein with every meal. Research has proven that protein keeps blood sugar levels more steady and helps you feel fuller for a longer period (slower digestion). Protein also keeps the hunger hormone (ghrelin) in check so your hunger doesn't spike so high.

If you feel fuller for longer periods, you will eat less and you won't binge eat if your hunger pangs not out-of-control when you do eat.

Get a meal plan filled with whole, natural foods that you enjoy. You are more likely to maintain something that you enjoy.

3. Take care of your body by reducing stress and sleeping adequately. A certain amount of stress and tension helps you take on challenges and perform better. Too much stress (left unchecked) over a prolonged period is not good and it causes health problems and affects metabolism. Also, some people respond to stress better than others. One person might crumble under the same workload that causes another person to thrive.

Your body's normal state (homeostasis) is changed by stress. The hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, are secreted in response to a stressful situation. The "fight or flight" response to stress is intended to give you the energy to take on or run away from a particular situation. Stressful situations that go on for months or years signals to your body that the normal state includes excessive amounts of adrenaline and cortisol.

As it relates to metabolism, adrenaline makes your fat cells more efficient at turning fat into energy and speeds up metabolism. On the other hand, cortisol increases the amount of glucose in your blood and creates more energy. If you are consistently inactive, this excess adrenaline and cortisol builds up. Unused excess energy will be stored as fat.

Chronic stress or stress with no end in sight has major health implications. Adrenaline will continue to be secreted but your body and fat cells will build up a tolerance to it.

Research recommends that you need to sleep 7-8 hours per night for your body and metabolism to work right.

Its never too late to start a strength and conditioning program. Don't let your muscles continue to shrink and your health worsen due to inactivity.

Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Program and start shaping your body faster!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

4 Ways to Make Weight Loss Simple

Weight loss success starts with you getting the right information and taking action. Its that simple---wrong information followed leads you to long-term weight gain and fat gain.

You MUST know what to do, when to do it and how to do it. Once you have the right information to achieve fat loss and weight loss, you MUST work hard, make adjustments, persevere and make no excuses.

How many times have you followed your meal plan and exercise program all week and then blown it on the weekend by going on an eating binge? If that's you, then you need to make adjustments.

Staying on your fat loss and weight loss track through all the events of life can sometimes throw you off kilter.

Are you still doing the same poorly designed workouts and getting the same "little or no success results" from your workouts? This can leave you feeling overwhelmed and ready to give up!

It takes more than just working out...if you burn 500 calories during a workout and later eat 1,200 calories, you are just "spinning your wheels" and not making progress.

Its time for you to take positive steps every day to burn fat, lose the weight and shape the lean body you want. Don't let anything hold you back. Past weight loss failures are just that---the past. Get the right plan and follow it (keep reading to see a great plan).

You have to be willing to follow expert guidance and feedback to reach your fat loss and weight loss goals. Be willing to try new things that you might not think will work. And, be realistic about your goals.

You will never reach your weight loss and body toning goals if they are unrealistic. You can set a goal to look and feel the best that YOU can. That's a realistic goal.

By now, you must know that fad diets will never work for you long-term, unless you count "going in circles" as progress.

Fad diets place you further away from your weight loss goals because you will yo-yo back and forth with quick weight loss and more weight regain.

A "quick weight loss only goal" is a short-term fix for your weight problem and will not ultimately help you attain your goals. Establish eating and exercise habits that will help you burn fat and lose weight for a lifetime.

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

Set your mind to have a long-term vision about burning fat and losing weight--a health-first vision.

And, get motivated to make it happen---through all the ups and downs. Successful weight loss motivation usually begins when you have become motivated to improve in other areas of your life as well.

I'm not a psychologist, but I am a human. I know that when I am "messed up" in other areas of my life, it can sometimes be hard to exercise regularly and lose weight or maintain weight. Its also easier to eat those fatty "comfort foods" that pack on the pounds quickly.

Here are 4 tips for you to reach your health, fat loss and weight loss goals:

1. Fear is a huge obstacle for some, like fear of setting goals because of fear of failure. According to experts, setting low goals or no goals means you don't have to live up to high expectations.

2. When you have tried everything and nothing has worked, its easier to just give up. Don't give up. Keep trying. All it takes is the right exercise and nutrition program to help you succeed.

3. Remember, weight loss is about improving your health. In an About.com poll, 65% of site visitors said they were losing weight for appearance. And, only 35% said they were losing weight for health. That's why quick weight loss programs (with no long-term benefits) continue to sell out.

4. You can't be perfect. Consistent (and smart) exercise and healthy eating will give you a healthy, toned body. Period. Don't stop no matter how long it takes.

You can reach your fat loss and weight loss goals. Stay with it---YOU are worth the time and effort!

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

4 Steps that Help Break Your Weight Loss Plateau

You have hit a weight loss plateau because you need to change something about your fitness program. Plateaus don't happen by chance.



Here are 4 ways to help break your weight loss plateau and end your frustration:

1. Slow-paced cardio sessions and slow-paced weight lifting sessions should not be the way you workout all the time. If this describes you, your body is waiting to be disrupted. Don't disappoint it.

If you want to burn fat faster and shape your body faster (and better), don't overlook power exercises during your workouts.

Power is the ability to exert maximum muscle force in the shortest amount of time (rate-of-force production). Because power exercises are so intense and done full speed, they are great for burning body fat.

Among other benefits, power exercises recruit more muscle fibers (mainly fast-twitch fibers) more frequently which helps the fat-burning process. Recruiting your fast-twitch muscle fibers during your workouts will give you a more lean, toned looking body. Competitive athletes in speed sports have hard bodies because they train fast most of the time. You are also an athlete who can train fast.

Doing this type of exercise will burn more calories and fat during and after your workout. Exercise Post-Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) causes your body to burn more calories and fat after a tough workout. Your body has to work harder to get back to its pre-exercise state.

A good power exercise is squat jumps (with or without dumbbells). Before doing an exercise like this at full speed, you need to learn correct jumping and landing techniques.

These type workouts happen so fast that you don't have a chance to get bored.

2. Do short circuit weight training workouts. One fat burning method that works well is splitting up your workout into shorter sessions. So, instead of doing one thirty minute workout, do three 10-minute full body strength workouts.

Choose 5-6 strength exercises and do them without any rest between exercises. Walk 5 minutes between circuits. You could choose different exercises for the next 2 circuits. Just be sure to cover all major muscle groups during each circuit.

3. Change up your exercise routine. Your body will adapt and your progress will stall if you do the same basic workout all the time.

There are many ways to change up an exercise routine----do new exercises, adjust the intensity, adjust the amount of weight, adjust the repetitions/sets, etc.

Here's an example: instead of doing cardio on the elliptical machine, do your cardio with a pair of power exercises. It can go something like this:

--Full speed medicine ball chops, 1 minute
--Slow jog or walk for 2 minutes
--Full speed mountain climbers, 1 minute
--Slow jog or walk for 2 minutes

Just do this rotation for 20 minutes and you have a very intense cardio workout. And, on your weight training days, you could mix in some power exercises between sets.

4. Change your eating habits. Get a meal plan that you can maintain over time. Here are five things you can do today:

--Limit sugar consumption from drinks and junk foods
--Drink only water and unsweetened drinks
--Don't eat foods in a bag or box
--Eat a fruit or veggie with every meal
--Eat a protein food with every meal

Before you know it, you will have broken through your weight loss plateau! Try these fat-burning methods. They work.

Download your FREE Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workout, start burning max fat and start building your lean body!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

3 Reasons Why a Fat Loss Diet Rules

A fat loss diet plays a huge part in the success of your fat loss, weight loss and body transformation efforts.

There are many bad diets out there that will leave you overweight long-term. If the diet promotes quick weight loss, run away from it as fast as you can! Your ultimate goal should not be just weight loss.

You need to know your body fat percentage. Don't get caught in the trap of only paying attention to the weigh scale. Its good to know your weight but body fat percentage is much more important as it relates to your health and lean body. Your body's composition (less fat mass and more muscle mass) is the key to real body transformation.

You can't transform your body without significant fat loss and this will lead to lasting weight loss.

Don't confuse a fat loss diet with a quick weight loss diet. The two diets are totally different.

Why a Fat Loss Diet is Important for Lasting Weight Loss

1. A quick weight loss diet leaves you hungry and sometimes starving. You might lose weight in the beginning but you will have low energy, slowed metabolism, a weakened immune system and your body will begin to store fat (starvation mode).

Ultimately, you will regain more weight than you lost when you start to eat normally again (yo-yo effect). That's no way to live in my book.

Healthy, managed nutrition is critical for a healthy body. You need a meal plan you can maintain over time. Fad diets and starvation diets cannot be maintained over time.

The primary cause of weight gain is consistent calorie surpluses, or eating more daily calories than you burn. A slow metabolism is not the main cause of weight gain.

Add whole, natural foods to your menu that you like. You are more likely to stay with a menu loaded with foods you like. Replace the foods that are bad for you with whole, natural foods. This eliminates foods in a box or bag and processed foods.

Set your daily calorie intake based on your basal metabolic rate, your activity level and your goals. This way, you won't eat too much or too little. Maintaining the right amount of calorie deficit on most days (burning more calories than you consume) is the key to burning fat and losing weight.

I don't recommend any diet that omits one of the macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat). Your body's metabolism needs all 3 macronutrients to work efficiently.

2. A fat loss diet will help you maintain your energy. You will never be hungry or starving because you will eat every 3-4 hours. The food items will be nutritious and help you burn fat.

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

You will eat enough to fuel your intense weight training and interval cardio workouts. Without these workouts, its impossible to build muscle mass and lean out your body.

Did you know you need to eat within 30-45 minutes to feed your muscles after a tough weight training workout? Do you know what you should eat before and after your workout? Download your free book to find out.

Post-workout nutrition is important to help your body recover from intense exercise (especially weight training). Replenishing your body's fuel will optimize your tissue's repair and growth. And, it will help you recover and get ready for your next workout.

You have to eat enough of the right foods (all the time) for your body to work properly---whether exercising, working, walking or just plain living.

3. If your basal metabolic rate is 1800 calories a day, 1000 calories of food intake is not enough food for you to function properly, let alone exercise and build muscle.

Eating this way for too long will turn your body into a total wreck! The most important thing in your life IS NOT to lose weight. Having a healthy body at a healthy weight and acceptable body fat percentage is important.

Quick weight loss motivation focuses on pounds lost instead of body fat burned and inches lost. Fat loss rules!

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

4-Exercise, Fat-Burning Workout for Busy People

One of the top excuses that people make for not working out is: "I don't have time to workout." You have time to do what's important to you........

Client Q: If you only had time to do 4 exercises, which ones would you recommend?

Mark's A:

1. Bentover Dumbbell Row-to-Shoulder Press
2. Squats
3. Dumbbell Chest Press on Ball
4. Deadlift

Together, these exercises will work your entire body and burn fat. Just do this circuit 4-5 times, 8-10 repetitions per exercise. Lift heavy enough to challenge yourself for 8-10 repetitions.

Maximize your workout time by focusing on strength exercises that build more muscle mass and burn maximum fat.

Compound or multi-joint exercises recruit more muscle fibers by working large muscle groups.

The Exercises

1. Bentover Dumbbell Row-to-Shoulder Press is a full body move that really burns the fat. You get two exercises in one.

Rows allow you to work your lats using heavier weights. Your lower back is worked more when you row with both arms at the same time. You will also work your obliques in the process.

For many, too little time is spent on strengthening the back muscles. When you don't adequately strengthen your back muscles, you are affecting your pulling potential. And, to have good upper body muscular balance, you need to work your backside as well as your frontside.

The standing shoulder press will not only work your shoulders and arms but will also activate your core muscles. And, since you are standing, your lower body also has to do some work.

After doing the bentover row, do the shoulder press (one continuous move). That's one repetition. Brace your torso during these exercises (as if getting ready to take a punch to the gut).

2. Squats (bodyweight, dumbbell or barbell) require leg strength, core strength and good posture.

There is probably no other exercise that has a greater impact on your body's muscle-building, metabolism and energy expenditure.

This means your legs (especially quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes), abdominals and lower back are targeted. Even your arms and shoulders will feel the effects of the exercise.

Research shows that the abdominal muscles are engaged more when doing squats than they are doing many of the more popular ab exercises.

So, the next time you do squats, brace your torso.

Note: You also have the option of doing one-legged, Bulgarian split (pictured below), front, lateral, Sumo, overhead and sissy squats.



3. The dumbbell chest press on ball is a popular exercise and also has many variations. It primarily works the chest (pectorals), triceps and anterior deltoid muscles. Its also tougher to balance on the ball so your core and lower body will be engaged.

4. The deadlift works many large muscle groups including the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, erector spinae, gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and hip flexors. Your forearms and trunk stabilizers are also recruited to a lesser degree.

Finish

Start

The deadlift covers three joints with extension occuring at the hip, knee and ankle joints.

It mimics every day activity such as bending over and lifting objects.

The deadlift is also one of the best exercises for growing thickness in your lower back muscles.

There it is...a great 4-exercise workout for the "busy" person......

Be sure and download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut.

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

Like the Planking Game? Burn Ab Fat with the Plank Exercise

Have you ever played the planking game? Ever heard of it? What's the purpose of it? Fun I guess or maybe boredom?

The basic rules of the planking game are to:

Courtesy: http://bugtmalesoo.blogspot.com

--lie face down in an unusual location (as public as possible) with your hands touching the sides of your body

--post the pictures on the internet

I don't get it but that's okay.

What's the purpose of the plank exercise? It is to strengthen your core and help burn fat. I do get the plank exercise, so here is one variation to add to your workouts (plank on stability ball).



Planks are a bodyweight exercise that should be in your routine. Many times, people will begin to work on superficial core muscles (such as your six pack or rectus abdominis) before strengthening and stabilizing deep core muscles.

There are many variations of the plank exercise such as prone plank, side plank, plank with leg raise, plank with leg abduction and plank with knee tuck.

Start with the plank exercise you are ready for. If you are a beginner, the prone plank is the place for you to start. And, an exercise like plank with leg abduction works your hips as well.

The stability ball plank is a great core exercise to advance you from the prone plank exercise on the floor.

The ball plank strengthens and stabilizes your deep, foundational core muscles even more than the regular plank. Balancing on the ball while holding the plank position is not easy. Your deep, foundational core muscles are more important than your "six pack abs."

1. Place your elbows on the ball and balance on your toes while keeping your body in a straight line.

2. Hold the plank position for a count of 5-10 seconds without moving. The ball will move, so it is a challenge to hold the right alignment. This will obviously improve your balance. Your abs and shoulders will also work much harder.

Keep your head in line with your torso and brace your torso (as if taking a punch to the gut).

Enjoy your plank exercises today (and the planking game if you like)!

Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

3 Reasons the Squat Exercise Burns More Fat

Get more fat burn doing shorter, effective workouts. You do this by using more full body strength exercises like squats.



Some form of squat exercise should be a part of every strength workout you do. The squat will help you build more muscle, burn more fat and speed up your metabolism. The squat will not injure you if you do the exercise correctly.

Here are 3 reasons to do squats and burn more fat:

1. The squat works major muscle groups. To recruit more muscle fibers during workouts and improve your fat loss success, focus more on multi-joint or compound exercises like the squat.

Compound exercises will help you burn more fat because of the intensity of working large muscle groups in your body. You will also burn more calories and fat after your workout.

There is probably no other exercise that has a greater impact on your body's muscle-building, metabolism and energy expenditure (deadlift is also a great exercise).

This means your legs (especially quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes), abdominals and lower back are targeted. Even your arms and shoulders will feel the effects of the exercise.

2. You will tone your bulky and shapely fast twitch muscle fibers better with the squat exercise. I am talking mainly about your butt, hips and thighs. Everyone wants to shape these areas.

3. Work your core with squats. Research shows that the abdominal muscles are engaged more when doing squats than they are doing many of the more popular ab exercises.

Your lower back will also get quite a workout. If you do the exercise correctly, you won't injure your low back.

If your fitness goal is lean and tone, you will lose inches from your waist, hips, neck, arms, legs, etc. and your body fat will decrease by doing full body strength exercises. You should take these measurements at least once a week to measure your progress.

Don't worry about the weigh scale at first. Since muscle weighs more than fat, your weight might even go up a little at first. But you will be on your way to acheiving max fat loss and permanent weight loss because your lean muscle mass will gradually replace your burned fat mass. And this will help speed up your metabolism because your body has to work harder to maintain muscle mass.

I would recommend doing squats without machines or weight belts (unless you are hurt or rehabbing). This will help you learn how to stabilize your body without artificial support. And, there's no reason to "max out" on squats. There are other ways to calculate your one-rep max on the squat exercise.

If you are not able to perform squats with barbell or dumbbell weights because of injury, then start with bodyweight squats.

There are many variations of the squat exercise. Some are: barbell squats, dumbbell squats, bodyweight squats (pictured above), one-legged squats, Bulgarian split squats, side squats, prisoner squats, sumo squats, sissy squats, hack squats and front squats.

They are all good to work into your routine at some point. Keep in mind that one-legged exercises are more intense than two-legged exercises.

How to Do The Traditional Two-Legged Squat

--Get a tight grip with the bar resting on your shoulders. Your elbows should be pointed downward to help you keep your upper back (trapezius muscles) contracted and to keep your back from rounding. Lift the bar off the rack, step back and stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width. The toes should be turned slightly outward to keep undue pressure off of your knees.

--Take a deep breath and begin the lift. Push your head and shoulders up and back (keeps the bar from coming forward) and push your hips back as you bend your knees. The bar, knees and feet should be in a vertical line. Sit back on your heels as you lower the weight. Maintain the normal arch in your lower back at all times while keeping your posture as upright as possible (don't let your shoulders fall forward). You don't have to lower your thighs to below parallel.

--Don't let your knees cave in at any point in the squat exercise. As you lower the bar, try to push your feet outward without actually moving them. This will keep your knees aligned properly. Once you have lowered to the desired squat position, contract your glutes and thighs and explode upward to the starting position and exhale. You have done one repetition.

Don't substitute the squat exercise with lunges, leg presses, leg extensions, etc. Instead, supplement the squat exercise with these other leg exercises.

Be sure and download your Free Dumbbell and Medicine Ball Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts and start shaping your body faster!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
My Fitness Hut
Her Fitness Hut
Sports Fitness Hut
Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs