11 Realistic Weight Loss Tips

Once you lose weight, you have to maintain your weight loss and the lean body you've worked so hard to build.

Hopefully, you lost weight the right way by burning fat and consistently losing weight. If so, you are already maintaining your weight loss. Keep it going!

Even those who do quick weight loss programs or fad diets (which I don't recommend) can build on the momentum and start doing things that will lean out their bodies. Its never too late to build muscle and eat right.

What about your weight loss? Can you keep the weight off? Or, will you weigh 30 pounds more in 2 months than you do today? Sure, you can starve yourself and lose 25 pounds in 2 weeks. But, when you begin to eat again, you will put the pounds back on.

Those who have succeeded at transforming their bodies from fat to lean have health and fitness practices that they do on most days. It becomes a sustainable lifestyle.

Here are 11 Realistic Tips to Maintain Your Weight Loss:

1. Identify your fitness goals and determine why your fat loss and weight loss efforts have failed or succeeded in the past. You also have to get your motivation right for your exercise program to work for you. This step takes you being "very honest" with yourself! Sometimes it is a painful process.

2. Its good to eat small meals every 3-4 hours to sustain your energy and keep your metabolism humming throughout the day.

Eat these 3 Veggies to Burn More Abdominal Fat

3. How much do you eat? Research shows that people will underestimate the amount of calories they eat.

According to the True Results Health Honesty Survey, 46 percent of those surveyed are not honest with family members and 32 percent admit to lying to doctors. True Results is a team of leading weight loss experts based in Texas.

"Lying about your health and fitness, if even only a few times per year, can signify a fundamental issue in your ability to achieve your health goals," said Jessica Diaz, nutritionist and exercise physiologist for True Results. "Numerous studies have shown, the key to achieving any health or fitness goal is support from those around you and that cannot happen if you're not honest with yourself or others."

Its a good idea to journal your eating habits until you have a handle on what and how much to eat. Figure your daily caloric needs here.

4. Have an active lifestyle. This is a critical step to help you lose and manage your weight. Keep your fat-burning enzymes working during the day by standing and walking as much as possible. All movement burns calories.

5. Don't eat empty calories. Loading up on sugary drinks or foods are not very nutritious and they leave you wanting to eat more in just a short time.

6. Drink more water to help you eat less. Drink daily about a half an ounce of water for every pound of body weight (150 pound person would drink 75 ounces). Since your muscles are comprised of about 70% water, don't dehydrate yourself. During exercise, drink about a cup of water for every 15 minutes of exercise.

Water-based foods such as fruits and vegetables count toward water consumed. When you don't drink water, try beverages such as unsweetened tea. Limit the sodas and other sugary drinks.

7. Get adequate sleep. You must get enough sleep or your body won't work properly. Researchers have found that the less sleep the test subjects got, the higher their body mass index. The shorter sleep time altered the subjects hormone levels, energy decreased and appetite increased.

8. Strength training is critical to lean out your body. Do strength training 3 days a week. Do full-body strength training to burn total body fat and build muscle mass to boost your metabolism. "Spot reduction" strength training won’t work and you must do more than cardio exercise to transform your body.

It is crucial that you improve your body composition (less body fat % vs. more lean mass %). Where are you fat? Excess abdominal fat has been shown to be a precursor to diseases such as cancer.

You need to know your body measurements (chest, arms, neck, hips, waist, etc.). Consistently strength training your total body will help you burn fat and shrink your body.

9. Interval cardio will burn fat and not waste away your muscle mass. Top interval cardio routines are sprints, jump exercises and running uphill. All it takes is 20 minutes per session, 2-3 days a week.

10. Eat a balanced diet based on the macronutrients (healthy fats, carbohydrates, protein) before progressing to more advanced eating strategies like carb cycling. Eat enough to burn fat and build muscle. This will eliminate starvation diets.

For instance, you should eat protein with every meal. Protein is critical for rebuilding muscle tissues after workouts. Protein also helps you control calorie intake because you stay fuller for longer.

11. Get the help you need from other people. Get an accountability partner such as a spouse, friend or personal trainer. You can challenge each other to exercise and make good food choices.

Consistency is the key to maintaining your weight loss and lean, healthy body.

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

The Horrors of Hantavirus

Hantavirus is a health threat you should take seriously. In case you need more incentive to set your mouse or rat trap at home, some of these rodents are carriers of Hantavirus.


Via: University of Southern California

Is Your Sedentary Lifestyle Causing Weight Gain?

So, why are you gaining weight? Is it your sedentary lifestyle? There seems to be a new reason reported every week explaining why we are gaining weight and getting fat.

Sedentary jobs have been listed more than once as one of the main causes of weight gain for many people. There's one problem with that theory: I know many people (and so do you) who have "sit-down jobs" and are very fit and lean.

I also know people who work on their feet at health clubs who are very overweight. So, its not where you work that determines whether you will or are gaining weight.

Our culture encourages us to blame someone or sue someone in court to fix our problems. That works fine unless you are the cause of your problems.

In the fat loss and weight loss arena, YOU largely determine how much you will weigh. There are medical and genetic exceptions to this weight gain rule but that's a subject for another article. For purposes of this article, you are ultimately responsible for your body fat and body weight.

Despite the popularity of many "other reasons" for our nation's overweight and obesity problem, I still maintain that the primary reason for your weight gain is a caloric imbalance.

Simply put, you will gain weight and fat if you consistently eat more calories than you burn. Some will say that theory is outdated. Don't believe them.

I realize its important to eat the right types of foods for nutrition and health. But, you will also gain weight if you eat too much of the healthy foods.

So, if you have a "sit-down" job, I would recommend that you move more. A standup desk is also a good idea to keep you active during the day.

Research proves that when you sit, your fat-burning enzymes basically shut down....when you stand during the day, those fat-burning enzymes go to work for you.

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

Don't blame your job if you're gaining weight. Make changes to your exercise, eating and lifestyle habits. These are the primary keys to you shaping and maintaining a lean and healthy body.

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

7 Tips to Eat Better

Consistently eating quality calories is your key to eating better to get a healthy, lean body. Enjoy your food. The main negative with many calorie restricted and fad diets is that you end up hating to eat.

That is no way to live as far as I'm concerned! And, in the long-term, you won't be successful keeping the weight off your body with the "anti-eating" approach.

Cutting calories, eating healthy, burning fat and losing weight can be a confusing process for you.

You won't have it all figured out in 2 weeks time. Experts agree that you are better off making manageable changes to your diet and workout routine. Some of your eating and workout (or no workouts) habits have been developed over a lifetime.

Christopher Sciamanna, M.D., discovered how to do weight managment the hard way: After losing 30 pounds, he described his new, lower weight as "shockingly challenging" to maintain.

He and his colleagues at Penn State University's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center decided to study weight loss maintenance.

Part of their study was to examine results found at the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR). For the past two decades, NWCR has focused on a single group of people. To qualify, they have to lose at least 30 pounds and keep the weight off for at least a year. The findings aren’t surprising. The participants were successful primarily because of the following habits:

--Exercise at least an hour a day, almost every day
--Follow a low-fat, low-sugar, low-calorie diet
--Eat, more or less, the same foods all the time
--Minimize TV watching
--Eat breakfast

With all this in mind, here are 7 ways to eat quality calories:

Note: The old rule still applies: Maintaining daily caloric surpluses (eating more calories than you burn) will cause you to gain weight. You can't eat all you want. You must learn how much and when to eat. Eating quality calories helps you eat nutritiously with less caloric intake. You won't ever be hungry.

1. Don't cut out any of the macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, proteins) from your diet. Your body needs all three to function properly. Once you have the foundational eating practices figured out, specialized eating tactics like "low-carb days" can be an effective way to burn fat.

2. Drink mainly water and unsweetened drinks like green tea for fluids. This will help you avoid drinking sugary sodas and fruit juices that puts dangerous belly fat on your body. This one change will slash tons of calories every day.

Eat These 3 Veggies to Burn More Abdominal Fat

3. Eat enough food to fuel your body for the day's demands of work, activities and exercise. Eat every 3 to 4 hours to keep your energy up and your metabolism active throughout the day.

Many of you have wrecked your metabolisms by eating too few calories during the day. If you have been eating 1000 calories a day for months and months, your body has shifted into survival mode and is storing body fat. And, you must feel terrible!

Although you need to maintain a caloric deficit on most days to burn fat and lose weight, that doesn't mean you have to go hungry.

For instance, my basal metabolic rate (how many calories my body would burn if I did nothing all day) is about 2,000 calories. If I eat 2,000 calories and burn 500 calories through exercise and daily activity, I will still burn fat and lose weight (500 calorie deficit).

If I starve myself and eat 1,200 calories (1,300 calorie deficit) day after day, my body will rebel and store body fat. A 1,300 calorie deficit is too large (severe calorie restriction).

4. Eat carbohydrates. A low-carb diet is not necessarily required to burn fat, although it can be useful in some circumstances. You are better off eating the right kinds of carbohydrates at the right time.

Your body depends on carbohydrates as a primary fuel source (especially during intense workouts). After a tough workout, a post-workout drink with high glycemic carbs and protein will help your body recover and rebuild your muscles. During the day, low glycemic carbs are more desirable.

5. Eat protein with every meal. Animal sources of protein are complete proteins, such as from eggs and lean meats.

Protein keeps blood sugar levels more steady when you have a meal that includes carbohydrates. Protein 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.

Drinking a fast-digesting whey protein drink before and after your weight training workout helps your body repair and rebuild your muscles.

6. Eat enough fiber eat day. Your body cannot digest fiber and there are two forms:

--Soluble fiber dissolves in water and produces a gel-like substance in your stomach. This substance helps digested food move slowly through the small intestine and slows down food absorption and release of nutrients into the bloodstream. Soluble fiber also limits the amount of cholesterol released into the blood. Oats are high in soluble fiber.

--Insoluble fiber cannot be broken down once entering the stomach and increases in size by absorbing water. This type of fiber speeds up foods absorption once it enters into the small intestine. Insoluble fiber cleans your system as it travels through your body.

Eat both types of fiber to help you feel fuller for longer and to help stabilize blood sugar levels. Eating 25-35 grams of daily fiber per day will help fight belly fat. Fruits and vegetables have both types of fiber.

7. Use the replacement method to change bad eating habits. If you don't replace bad foods with healthy foods, you will continue to eat bad foods. You have to eat something, right?! For instance, if you have a sweet tooth, eat more fruits and less candy and sugary desserts.

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

Blast Fat, Build Muscle with Bodyweight Workouts

Bodyweight workouts don't get enough credit for their fat-burning and muscle building potential.....

If you want to take your workouts to a higher level and blowtorch body fat, my FREE Bodyweight Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts are what you need. There are 3 levels: Bodyweight 200, 300 and 500. Start at the level you can handle.

Here’s what the research says:

a) Doing these types of short burst workouts will change your hormones allowing your body to naturally regulate fat burning, appetite and moods.

Short burst workouts, such as interval cardio and circuit bodyweight training had these advantages over the low-to-moderate intensity workouts: a) more release of fat from cells, b) more fat used as fuel during exercise and c) increased metabolic rate after exercise. All it takes is 20-30 minutes of workout time.

b) 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. Fat burning and metabolism can increase for up to 48 hours after your metabolic workout!

Here are 3 bodyweight exercises to blowtorch your body fat:

1. Pullups

You must include bodyweight pullups in your exercise routine! The pullup is one of the best exercises you should be doing! If you haven't done a pullup since grade school, you need to bring the pullup out of your workout closet! If you can't do any, start doing 1 pullup and progress (assisted pullup machine or a spotter are also options).

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!

--Hang from a pullup bar with your palms facing away from your body, your arms straight and your feet crossed together with legs bent about 90 degrees. Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar.

--A wider grip (greater than shoulder width) will work your lats more. A closer grip (shoulder width or less) will work your middle back muscles more.

--If you lack grip strength, you can use straps to help.

Use proper technique when doing a pullup:

--Don't jut your chin out (it strains your cervical spine).

--Don't swing. It makes the pullup easier by using momentum. You need to pullup, not swing up.

--Don't let your chest collapse because that puts too much stress on your shoulders.

--Don't arch your lower back too much. You want your abdominal muscles to be engaged when you do the pullup. Keep your torso braced (as if taking a punch to the gut) during the pullup.

--When you start the pullup, drive your shoulder blades down and squeeze them together. This will engage your shoulder stabilizers more.

Don't be afraid of the pullup exercise.

2. Steps Ups on Knee High Platform

The bodyweight step up is one of the best leg toning and strengthening exercises available to you. It will help you burn more fat in your legs.

Step ups will also improve your dynamic balance. Its not that easy to balance all your weight on one leg (with good form) while stepping up onto a platform.

Do the step up this way:

--Face a bench or platform (knee high) and put your right foot on the bench. Your knee should be bent 90 degrees. Don't do this exercise with dumbbells until you have mastered the bodyweight version.

--As you lift your body on your right leg, keep your body erect (don't bend over) and look straight ahead. Balance on your leg for 1-2 seconds and descend. Don't let your left foot touch the platform.

--Do all required repetitions on the right leg and switch to left leg.

You may have to start with a platform lower than knee-high. Your hamstrings and butt will be worked more with a higher platform.

Exercises like the step up are important because it uses the same pathways that it takes to walk or run. Plus, one leg cannot compensate for weakness in the other leg. If your left leg is weaker, it will be forced to "catch up" to the right leg. Muscular balance is important to avoid injuries.

3. Triceps Dips on Bars

Tricep dips done on the bars will give you the most benefit. Your arms, chest and shoulders will be worked. Keep your hands by your side and don’t lean forward when doing the exercise. Your core will also get work during this exercise. Just brace (like taking a punch to your gut) your torso during the exercise.

Want more bodyweight workouts?

If you need bodyweight workouts that you can start at your own level, check out the Free download below (it has beginner, intermediate and advanced levels):

Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Workouts. 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

5 Reasons to Eat Wheat-Free or Gluten-Free

Feeling bloated? You may want to try a wheat free diet.

You’ve probably heard about changing to a gluten-free or wheat free diet plan. But if you don’t suffer from a wheat allergy or from Celiac disease, you may wonder if there’s really any benefit to going wheat-free. After all, wheat and wheat-based products are so ingrained (pun intended) in the American diet that we often wonder if we really can give it up altogether.

Going wheat-free requires some work on your part—but that’s a good thing. If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you know that becoming educated about the food you eat is something I am passionate about. So if going wheat-free makes you stop and read your food labels, then you know I am all for it. But there are other, more tangible benefits to following a wheat-free diet plan. I’m going to list the top 5 reasons you should switch to a wheat-free diet below.

1. You May Have Wheat Intolerance--But You Don't Know It

Studies show that Celiac disease is actually underdiagnosed in the United States. Some estimate that only 1 in 3000 people are diagnosed, when in reality, 1 in 250 suffer from the disease. So it may be worth your while to go off wheat for a period of time and see how you feel.

Does your digestion improve? Do you have more energy? If so, you may have wheat intolerance. A simple blood test can show the presence of antibodies in your bloodstream, and an intestinal biopsy can confirm Celiac disease. But simply eliminating wheat from your diet, and then seeing how you feel, is an easy self-test you can try on your own.

2. You May Feel Allergy Relief

If you suffer from many allergies, eliminating wheat from your diet can help ease your symptoms. If you have dry, itchy skin, or suffer from hives, then eliminating wheat can have a profoundly positive effect on how you feel.

3. You May Experience Digestive Relief

If you experience gas, bloating, and water retention, eliminating wheat from your eating plan can really help improve your digestion. Although we think that wheat is easy to digest, it’s actually quite hard on your intestines, and can cause sluggish digestion and even blockages. A wheat-free diet is much easier on your intestines than a diet that relies on wheat products.

4. A Wheat-Free Diet Can Help Keep Weight Gain at Bay

If you want to really jump start your weight loss, try keeping wheat out of your eating plan for a couple of weeks. You may be surprised at the result. Many of the refined carbs we eat without thinking (cookies, crackers, breads, pastas, and the like) are made with wheat. By eliminating wheat from your diet, you eliminate these products by default from your eating program, which can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

5. Your Joints Will Thank You

Studies show that gluten is often an instigator for joint pain in the body, as it weakens our bodies’ natural defenses. If you suffer from joint pain or have a family history of arthritis, you can keep your joints feeling better—and thus stay more active—by eliminating gluten products from your eating program.

When eliminating wheat from your diet, be sure to read the labels of every food product you eat. Even seemingly innocent foods, like soy sauce, contain wheat. So if you are truly going gluten-free, you will need to make sure you read about everything you eat, before you consume it.

Check out nutrition expert, Isabel De Los Rios' nutrition program!

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 Addicted to Overly-Aggressive Food Tastes? This Could Be Making You Fatter

This article explores changing your taste buds over time to prefer eating healthy natural unprocessed foods

by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal TrainerHe is also co-authors with Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN of Fat-Burning Kitchen

If you've been a newsletter subscriber of mine for some time, you've probably noticed that I like to talk about food... and healthy eating in particular. I've always said that healthy eating does NOT have to be boring and bland, and if you know a few preparation tricks, can actually be exciting and delicious.

Many people seem to falsely believe that they'll never be able to get lean if they don't eat what is thought to be typical bodybuilder fare -- dry plain chicken breasts, plain broccoli, tuna fish, oatmeal, etc. If you've read my newsletters for some time, you know that I'm against this type of boring menu, and like to give healthy meal ideas that have a little more appeal.

However, here is one of the most important things you can do for yourself if you want to eat healthier for life and make it a HECK OF A LOT easier to get lean and stay that way permanently...

Learn to adjust your taste buds to enjoy the natural unadulterated taste of real food -- unprocessed foods!

This is one of the main problems that I see so many people face with being able to control their eating... they have grown up with processed foods and additives that are excessively AGGRESSIVE TASTES.

• So many foods have excessive added sugars, corn syrups, artificial sweeteners, etc
• So many foods have excessive added trans fats, refined vegetable oils, and other processed fats
• So many foods are laden with excessive (and potentially dangerous) flavor enhancers such as MSG and processed commercial salt

All of this massive onslaught of overly aggressive tastes have rendered most people's taste buds senseless when it comes to the natural taste of real unprocessed foods.

I was having brunch with a couple friends recently and I noticed one of them dumped this huge heaping spoonful of sugar into their coffee. I can't even imagine being able to gag down a coffee that was so heavily loaded with sugar.

Even diet drinks (which I'd never drink because of the harmful artificial sweeteners) are so excessively sweet these days, they're not even refreshing. I can't understand how people can drink something that tastes like pure syrup.

It's funny but one of my recommendations when people ask for my advice with their eating habits is to give up drinking a sweetened drink with their meals (this means no diet drinks either)... they look at me like I'm crazy and say "How can I possibly eat a meal without a soda or a diet soda?"

If you're addicted to drinking a sweet drink with every meal, it would be a wise decision to start to wean yourself off of them and drink water or unsweetened iced tea instead.

Here's a quick quiz to see if you're officially addicted to overly aggressive tastes:

1. If given the choice, would you choose:

  a. sausage or hot dog
  b. steak, burger, or chicken breast

2. Do you prefer:

  a. sweetened hot tea, iced tea, or coffee (with added sugar or artificial sweeteners)
  b. unsweetened tea or black coffee

3. If given a choice for dessert, do you prefer:

  a. cake, pie, or ice cream
  b. a piece of fruit

4. If you like chocolate, do you prefer:

  a. milk chocolate
  b. extra dark chocolate

I could think of more, but that'll do for now... If you answered a's more than you answered b's, then you may be addicted to overly aggressive food tastes, and that could be making you pack on more pounds indirectly.

One of the main problems is that needing to eat aggressive tasting foods means that all of that extra salt, MSG, added processed fats, sugars, and artificial sweeteners are playing havok with your hormones, and making you crave extra calories that your body doesn't need.

Don't worry though, it CAN be easy to wean yourself off of these aggressive tastes. I've successfully done it.

About 5 years ago, I'd have called you crazy if you said I'd ever be drinking unsweetened tea or black coffee... I always needed to add a sweetener back then... but now, I actually PREFER to drink them both unsweetened.

What I did was just slightly reduce the amount of sweetener I added over time, and eventually I got used to using none, and actually started to prefer the natural taste of coffee or tea instead of just tasting the sweetness.

Now you can start to see how this all ties back into enjoying the REAL taste of food instead of the ADDITIVES in food!

My healthy eating recommendations for your leaner healthier body:

• Enjoy the taste of real meats, such as grass-fed steaks, fish, chicken breasts, pork tenderloin... instead of needing the aggressive tastes of the additives in sausages, hot dogs, deli meats, and other processed meats.
• Start to enjoy the taste of the actual coffee or tea instead of the taste of the sugar or artificial sweetener.
• Start drinking water or unsweetened tea with meals (instead of soda or sweetened drinks) at least every other day, and try to increase that to every day eventually.
• Use herbs and spices in your cooking instead of heavy use of salt.
• Try to wean yourself off of cakes, pies, candies, and other sweets... Eat mostly fruit or small amounts of super-dark chocolate instead.
• Avoid eating any and all deep fried foods and processed starch-based side dishes - mac & cheese, scalloped potatoes, etc.

Even doing just some of these simple tips can help you to change your tastes over time and help to overcome your addiction to the overly aggressive tastes that food marketers have pushed on us our entire lives.

I hope these ideas help you to eat healthier, and enjoy food more!

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

Weight Loss Motivation on Black Friday

You might get motivation to burn fat and lose weight while shopping for clothes on Black Friday. How?

Why clothes shopping? According to an article in Fitness Magazine, 88% of women say a shopping trip to buy clothes "woke them up" about the size of their bodies.

And, 41% say they started working out after a clothes shopping trip (20% of those actually stayed with their workout programs).

And, the body parts these women wanted to improve most: waist, butt, legs and hips....not surprising.....

Here's how to do just that: start today shaping your body with these workouts:

Try these 2 shuttle runs for interval cardio in your workouts to burn more fat (run on grass or rubber surface):

Speed Shuttle Drill or 5-10-5 Cone Drill - Place three cones in a straight line, 5 yards apart. Start in a 2-point or 3-point stance at the middle cone.

Run as fast as you can to the left cone (5 yds) and touch ground with your hand, run as fast as you can to the right cone (10 yds) and touch ground with your hand and finish running through the middle cone. That's one repetition. Rest 1 minute between sets. Do 8-10 sets per workout session.

Speed Endurance Shuttle Run - Place cones at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 yards. Sprint to the 5 yard cone and sprint back to the start. Then, sprint to the 10 yard cone and sprint back to the start. The same would be done at the 15, 20 and 30 yard cones. That is one set. Rest for 2 minutes between sets. Do 5-6 sets.

Here is a good 30 minute strength circuit workout for you to do:

Do each exercise one after the other with little or no rest between exercises. Rest 2 minutes between circuits. Do the circuit 4 times.

1. Dumbbell squats (1st and 3rd sets), Dumbbell front lunges (2nd and 4th sets) 10 reps, moderate pace

2. Dumbbell chest press on swiss ball, 10 reps, moderate pace

3. Dumbbell bentover rows, 10 reps, moderate pace

4. Dumbbell step ups (knee high platform), 10 reps each leg, moderate pace

5. Dumbbell standing shoulder press, 10 reps, moderate pace

6. Bodyweight or dumbbell squat jumps, 10 reps, fast pace

You can do this workout anywhere, anytime and you're finished in 30 minutes!

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

Top Thanksgiving Eating Tip for Weight Management

There is one eating tip that you need to do this Thanksgiving and every day for that matter. Eat protein with every meal.

When you eat, get full on protein foods first. It will help you eat less of the condiments, desserts and other high-fat foods. Thanksgiving time has plenty of foods loaded with protein. Nuts, ham, turkey, chicken, etc. are great foods to eat. Protein helps control your blood sugar if you happen to eat carbohydrates.

It takes your body longer to digest protein, so you will fill fuller for a longer period of time by eating more foods rich in protein (this should help you eat fewer calories during the day).

Protein is also used by your body to repair and rebuild damaged tissues as a result of a tough workout (especially weight training). Quickly digesting protein shakes work well after a workout. Other daytime and nighttime meals could be comprised of slowly digesting protein (such as lean meats) that will give a constant release of amino acids into your system during the day and overnight.

So, when used right, protein will help you build a lean body and help your weight loss/fat loss efforts. Happy Thanksgiving!

Get your Free Holiday Eating Tips Book!

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

Healthy Smoothies and 10 Tools to Make You Healthier

Smoothies are a great choice for healthy, energizing snacks during the day. Just blend smoothies at night and take them to eat during the day. They will save you money and are perfect on-the-go snacks or meals. 

Forget about the 100-calorie snack packs and sugary treats for snacks. They leave you unsatisfied, under-nourished and wanting to eat even more.

Eat the wrong snacks and it could blow a hole through your fat burning and weight loss goals. Empty calories leave you, well, empty and looking for your next meal too soon.

3 Foods to Eat to Burn More Belly Fat

You could be gaining weight because of your snacks between meals. It doesn't have to be that way.

What you eat for snacks can mean the difference between out-of-control weight gain or weight loss management/fat loss.

The American Dietetic Association also recommends healthy snacking. Snacks bridge the gap between meals and can help you eat less at regular mealtime.

Going too long between meals can cause you to load up on sugary carbohydrates to get quick energy. These types of snacks are usually high in calories, not very nutritious and cause rapid ups and downs in blood sugar levels.

How to Use Smoothies for Workouts

Smoothies are ideal for pre- and post-workout nutrition. This will help you build more muscle mass. You have to eat enough of the right foods to rebuild your muscles bigger. Even if you gain weight, you will be leaner because muscle takes up less space than fat.

The rigors of weight training breaks down your body and you need proper nutrition and rest to rebuild your body bigger and better. Protein consumption, in particular, is critical if you want to build muscle.

1. Pre-workout nutrition should mainly include carbohydrates and proteins. During intense training, your body depends on fuel from glycogen stored from the carbohydrates that you eat. The body can't use fat for fuel during high intensity exercise because there is not enough oxygen available.

Consuming smoothies 1-2 hours before a workout will build up your glycogen stores. When your glycogen stores are low, your performance will suffer.

Research has shown the effectiveness of pre-workout protein drinks (such as whey and casein). Your muscles get 2 times as much benefit from a pre-workout protein drink compared to having just a post-workout protein drink. You can add protein to your smoothie drink.

2. Post-workout nutrition is important to help your body recover from intense exercise. You don't need to eat immediately after your workout but there is a 45-minute window where replenishing your body's fuel (carbs, protein, fats) will optimize your tissue's repair and growth.

The post-exercise meal should consist of carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of essential fats. A drink, such as a smoothie, is good because it is quickly digestible. A ratio of 2g carbs/1g protein is what you need.

Here are 2 great smoothies to eat as snacks:

BASIC FRUIT SMOOTHIE

1 quarter strawberries, hulled
1 banana, broken into chunks
2 peaches
1 cup orange or peach or mango or apple juice
2 cups ice

Blend.

BERRY BLUE SMOOTHIE

2 cups fresh or slightly thawed frozen blueberries
1 (8 ounces) container low fat vanilla yogurt
1 (6 ounces) cups milk
1 (12 ounces) can pineapple juice
3 tablespoons honey
12 to 16 ice cubes

Place all ingredients, except the ice cubes, into container of electric blender and blend on high until smooth. With blender running, add 2 to 3 ice cubes at a time through the center opening in the lid until all ice cubes have been added. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Drinking more water during the day will also help you eat less. Aim to drink half your weight in water every day. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, drink about 80 ounces of water every day.

If you want over 120 delicious smoothie recipes, download your Free Smoothies book now!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
Your Fitness University
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3 Ways Holiday Cocktails Limit Fat Loss

The holiday season is here and you may be planning to drink plenty of cocktails. If you're trying to burn fat and control weight gain, read on.....

Yes, too much alcohol consumption can slow down your fat loss efforts......

You should roughly account for all calories you eat during the day. If you're trying to burn fat and lose weight, you can't have calorie surpluses (eat more calories than you burn) day after day.

First, one gram of alcohol provides 7 calories. 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. You also need to know how your body responds to alcohol when you do drink.

Here are 3 Ways Alcohol Consumption can Slow Your Fat Loss:

1. 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 as energy instead of the stored fat in your body. The more you drink, the more fat your body will store.

Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that fat metabolism can be reduced by as much as 73% after only two drinks of vodka and lemonade in a one hour time period. You can see how excess alcohol consumption can contribute to the dreaded "beer belly." So, this is just one more reason to drink alcohol in moderation.

2. 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. Just think of all the high-calorie meals served with alcohol at a place like a sports bar.

3. One more thing: too much alcohol consumption can decrease your testosterone production. Decreased testosterone levels has a negative effect on muscle building.

Free Report: How to Knock 20 Years Off Your Body. You will learn the top ways to naturally increase your testosterone levels.

One way to build more muscle mass (and speed up your metabolism) is through heavy weight lifting. “Heavy” is relative to your body weight and strength.

According to the research, doing this type of weight lifting will give you exercise-induced testosterone increases. Women can lift heavy weights without fear of getting too bulky.

How much weight is heavy enough? Your repetition range for exercises should be between 3-5 (you would have a difficult time lifting these repetitions). You would typically do 4-5 sets of each exercise.

If you choose to drink alcohol, one or two drinks once a week probably won't affect your weight loss and fat loss. But, if you consume several alcoholic drinks a day, your body is storing excess body fat. You will have a tough time keeping or achieving that lean and toned body you want.

Drinking water and unsweetened drinks will help you reach your goals sooner.

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

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

3 Tips to Stabilize Deep Core Muscles for a Flatter Stomach

If you want a flatter stomach, strengthen and stabilize your deep core muscles. It is also critical to stabilize deep core muscles to protect yourself against injuries.

It is a mistake to focus on over-training the superficial abdominal muscles like the rectus abdominis (six pack abs). It would be like a thin crust of ice on top of liquid. You need a firm foundation under your superficial abdominals for support and definition. This will also help you burn dangerous visceral fat.

The body's core is so much more than your "six pack" abs. A strong core will maximize your strength and power. Since the core is your body's center of gravity and all movement begins with the core, it is essential to strengthen and stabilize it.

A strong core will allow you to handle heavier loads as your training progresses, with reduced risk of injuries.

Transversus Abdominis - the deepest of the abdominal muscles, it lies under the obliques and wraps around your spine for protection and stability. Think of the transversus abdominis as "your internal weight belt." It is recruited when you brace your torso (like getting ready to take a punch to the gut).



3 Tips to Stabilize Deep Core Muscles

1. Engage your deep core muscles throughout the day. As you sit, stand and walk during the day, keep upright posture and brace your core. This will make a huge difference as you strenghten your core day after day, all day.

2. You need to do isometric core exercises to stabilize deep core muscles. 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 exercises are very underrated. They are great for building muscles, stabilizing muscles, building strength, improving power and burning fat.

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.

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).

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

3. Brace your torso while doing exercises. Unknown to many, exercises like squats, standing shoulder presses and standing bentover rows work the core in a major way.

There is probably no other exercise that has a greater impact on your body's muscle-building, metabolism and energy expenditure than squats (bodyweight, barbell or dumbbell).

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.

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

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
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Her Fitness Hut
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Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

Better than the HCG Diet

There is something better than the HCG Diet....its called healthy, maintainable eating habits.  Whenever you primarily base your body transformation goals on "weight loss," that is a major mistake.

Don't use the HCG Diet (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) to reach your fat loss and permanent weight loss goals! Yes, you might lose major weight in a short time with the HCG Diet. But, as soon as you begin to eat regularly, you will regain that weight (and even more). You will be a yo-yo dieter. Your health will suffer.

You cannot lose 40 pounds in 15 days without losing muscle mass. Don't do the HCG Diet or any similar fad diet. In fact, most of your weight loss will be muscle mass. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO!

Don't look for short-term weight loss solutions! Fat loss is more important than weight loss. And, you will be healthier and leaner by burning fat, building muscle, eating healthy and losing weight (and keeping it off).                                                                  
                                         
I have a friend who told me that he has friends who are losing major weight with the HCG Diet. He also said that they look sick! When quick weight loss is your goal, you will not look healthy because you are starving your body and your body begins to feed on itself. Your valuable muscle mass takes the hit!

HCG is a hormone produced during pregnancy by the cells that form the placenta. It is associated with pregnancy, but it is present in both males and females. HCG signals the hypothalamus (area of the brain that affects metabolism) to mobilize fat stores.

The HCG Diet says you will lose 1-3 pounds per day using daily HCG injections and low caloric intake, like 500 calories a day. This is severe calorie restriction folks! Your brain can't function normally with this type of calorie restriction. Your body will adapt causing you to store fat and slow down your metabolism. You won't have enough energy to function properly. Is that what you want? I don't think so....

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved HCG for weight loss. Since 1975, the FDA has required all advertising of HCG to state the following:

“HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or ‘normal’ distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.”

“HCG is a hormone extracted from urine of pregnant women. It is approved by FDA for treatment of certain problems of the male reproductive system and in stimulating ovulation in women who have had difficulty becoming pregnant. No evidence has been presented, however, to substantiate claims for HCG as a weight-loss aid.”

There are a host of side effects due to HCG use for weight loss which includes dizziness, headaches, nausea, swelling, depression, etc. Who wants that?

Try this time-tested and proven fat loss and weight loss method: eat healthy, do consistent resistance training and consistent interval cardio training. What you will get is fat loss, weight loss and a lean, healthy body for life. And, you will feel great! Case closed!

Make dieting disappointment a thing of the past. Get the tools you need to create effective healthy meal plans to lose weight and live healthier.

Eat These 3 Foods to Burn More Belly Fat

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

10 Fat Burning Tips for Fall and Holiday Season

Fall Season is a Great Time to Exercise! If you need to start burning fat and shaping your body, fall season is a good time to start.  Summer schedules can get crazy busy and get off track....The weather is cooler and you've got your schedule set until the end of the year.     Here are 4 tips to get you rolling: 1. Today is the best day to start exercising, not January 2nd. 2. The holiday season is upon us...if you don't start now, you could be 20-30 pounds heavier by January 2nd!  Then comes the dreaded New Year's resolutions.  Make a fitness commitment now. 3. Get a healthy meal plan you can maintain.  This is critical....changed eating habits lead to fat loss and weight loss success. 4.  Exercise when it is convenient.  Keep your gym bag with you to go to the club, exercise during your kid's soccer practice, walk during work and lunch breaks, workout at home, etc. Here is a convenient 10-Minute Fat Burning Workout you can do anywhere!

Women's Fit to Fab Tips Here are 5 quick and easy tips to get your body in tip-top shape this fall: 1. Don't go overboard on cardio....too much cardio, like 5-6 hours a week, will waste away your muscle mass.  And, if you only do cardio, you will NEVER get lean and toned! 2. Your body is your best exercise equipment.  You can get "lean and mean" (and natural-looking) doing bodyweight exercises. 3. Have upper body flab you want to burn?  First, concentrate on full body strength training to burn total body fat.  Spot training won't work.  But, you can do exercises like chest press on ball, pullups, rows, triceps dips on bars and shoulder presses to burn arm, chest, back and belly fat. Note:  Although strength training won't increase the size of your breasts, you can firm up your chest area and breasts by burning fat.  Chest press on ball works great for this purpose. 4. Butt, hip and thigh fat a problem?  Try these exercises often:  squats, side lunges, sprint intervals and jumps (like squat jumps, jump rope, speed hops and platform jumps). 5. A quicker way to improve eating habits is to do a pantry makeover.  Throw out the bad stuff and replace it with healthy stuff. If you need a higher level of fat burning, try my FREE 14-Day Women's Metabolic Fat Burning Program! "Thanks I will give this one (DB and MB Metabolic Workout) a try. I did your 14 day challenge (14-Day Fat Loss Program) and lost 12 pounds!  Thanks again and have a great day."  ---Stephanie H.

Top Take-Home Body Transformation Tip You're closer to your fat loss and weight loss goals than you think.....keep working hard or get started! Good Health and Fitness, Mark Dilworth, BA, PES Your Fitness University

5 Tips to Burn Your Excess Body Fat

Too much body fat is not healthy, especially belly fat.  The fact remains that too many people are carrying around too much belly fat, butt fat and overall body fat. All locations of fat will show up on your body if you're overweight or obese.

                                         

According to the International Journal of Obesity (and many other sources), butt fat is healthier than belly fat. Their research shows that belly fat increases risks of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and premature death.

Women tend to carry too much fat on the butt, hips and thighs while men tend to carry too much gut fat. The research showed that women with more butt fat/thigh fat than belly fat have better blood sugar levels, blood fat control and slower fat turnover (prevents inflammation and promotes metabolic health).

Still, no woman I know likes having butt fat......

So, my challenge to you is to start burning more body fat to make your body healthier. This will give you the best chance to live a longer, healthier life. And, you will have a better self image.

There are no secrets as to how to lean and tone your body.  Here are 5 tips:

1. First and foremost, don't ever try a quick weight loss fad diet! If you do, you are setting yourself up to gain more weight than you lose (interpreted yo-yo dieting).

2. Second, adopt the mindset of starting and maintaining healthy eating patterns and exercising regularly. This might sound boring but it will work to lean and tone your body in the long-term.

3. You won't burn your belly fat by doing 1000 ab curl ups. You will burn your belly fat by eating less foods like sugars, processed foods and saturated fats and eating more foods like fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats.

4. You will burn more total body fat faster by doing high intensity workouts such as full body circuit weight training, jump training and fast-paced cardio sessions (such as sprint intervals). You don't have to workout this intensely all the time (3-4 days a week is plenty). Workout at a slower pace on the other days. Eat right most of the time.

5. The time to start burning fat and losing weight is now! If you've been inactive, start walking today and build up to a regular exercise routine. Its very simple. Just make the commitment.

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

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

Avoid These 3 Belly Fat Myths

by Kevin DiDonato, MS, CSCS, CES

Fifty years ago, adding physical activity and changing your diet were all you needed to do to lose weight and keep it off.

However, flash forward to today, and the same formula for weight loss does not hold true.

In fact, today there are many other factors which contribute to weight gain, and why for millions of people worldwide, it is much harder for you (and them) to lose weight.

Chronic inflammation, which is low-level inflammation that is present in your body and could signal the start of many different disease processes, is on the rise and could be the leading cause for dysfunctional fat cells.

Dysfunctional fat cells, research suggests, could inhibit your fat cells' ability to secrete powerful hormones.  These powerful hormones could be the key to helping you lose weight.

By not secreting these hormones, your body may have a harder time using stored fat, which could prevent you from having a lean and tone figure.

Today, we have debunked some of the common myths associated with your fat cells.

Myth #1: Your Fat Cells Are Just A Storage Unit - FALSE

People once thought of fat cells as pockets where fat from food goes - allowing for storage of fat to be used for energy later.

Now, however, research suggests that your fat cells are, in fact, alive and metabolically active.

Your fat cells, commonly known as white adipose tissue, could be the largest endocrine organ in your body.

Just like your thyroid and pancreas, your fat cells release many different hormones, which directly impact your weight loss success.

One hormone in particular, Adiponectin, could help you lose weight and keep it off.

However, research shows that being overweight could cause your fat cells to slow the secretion of Adiponectin and other key hormones, which could make it even harder for you to lose weight.

Chronic inflammation, which is low-level inflammation and is always present in your body, could cause your fat cells to become dysfunctional, therefore altering their ability to release powerful weight loss hormones.

Myth #2: Your Fat Cells Can Burn Off - FALSE

Your fat cells shrink but they do not burn off.

This means that during exercise, or cases of extreme fasting, your fat cells release stored fatty acids for use as calories (energy).

This could help to shrink the SIZE of the fat cells.

However, by overeating, there is an influx of calories which your body tends to store as fat.

And this could increase the size of your fat cells.  However, when your fat cells are at full capacity, they send a signal to smaller, undeveloped fat cells, to divide and take on more fatty acids.

This could create more fat cells to store extra fatty acids.

Myth #3: What You Put in (and on) Your Body Can Slow Fat Loss - TRUE

There are a lot of factors involved when you are trying to lose weight now, than there were 50 years ago.

Exercise and diet do play a role in your body’s ability to burn stored fat; and this could enhance your fat cells' ability to secrete hormones, causing you to lose weight.

However, there are certain environmental factors which need to be considered when you are trying to lose weight.

Today, there are more hormones and antibiotics injected into livestock which, once eaten, could alter the hormone levels in your body.

Plus, there are also hundreds of chemicals that you are exposed to over the course of the day, which could also alter your hormone levels and lead to weight gain.

Certain chemicals act as endocrine blockers and potentially could alter your ability to gain lean mass by throwing your hormones out of whack.

This could increase the storage of fats from your blood, making it harder for you to lose unwanted belly fat.

Optimize Your Fat Burning Potential

Research suggests that your body could have toxic fat cells, which could limit your fat cells' ability to secrete powerful weight loss hormones.

Toxic fat cells could also increase your risk for developing heart disease, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.

However, by losing weight and altering your hormone levels, you could have the ability to transform your fat cells, making them happier and healthier for years to come.

Discover How To Detoxify Your Fat Cells

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES

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1-Exercise Workout to Burn Fat--Medicine Ball Front Chop

If you're pressed for time and can only workout 15-20 minutes, a good, fat-burning, 1-exercise workout is the medicine ball front chop.

Burn more fat with the front chop....burn more fat with full body exercises like the front chop. Make the most of your workout time with full body strength exercises. You will burn more calories, fat and better tone your body.





You will also burn more abdominal fat with the front chop. You can do this exercise as a regular strength exercise or power (full-speed) exercise. Because of speed and intensity, power exercises help you burn more fat during and after your workout.

Besides burning abdominal fat and helping sculpt your six pack abs, front chops are great for improving your flexibility. Medicine ball exercises help you to exercise with natural movements. Your training needs to give you a body that you can use in every day life. Tight, rigid muscles will lead you to many injuries.

How to do the medicine ball front chop:

Grab a medicine ball about 10% of your body weight. You might need a lighter ball if you are a beginner or have been inactive.

--Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder width apart.

--Keep your arms straight but don't lock your elbows.

--Hold the medicine ball above your head.

--Bend forward at the waist (into a squat position) and mimic throwing the ball between your legs (don't throw ball). Keep your back straight and your head in line with your torso (don't let head drop down or rise up).

--Reverse the movement and stand with the ball above your head. That's 1 repetition.

Just do the workout intervals this way for 20 minutes:

Warmup, 3 minutes, walking lunges with MB rotation; jog 2 minutes

--MB front chops, fast, 30 seconds
--Walk, 1 minute
Do this rotation 10-12 times

--MB front chops, fast, 1 minute
--Walk 2 minutes
--MB front chops, fast, 1 minute

Get after it!

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
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Rapid Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs