Friday, August 28, 2009

The Best Way To Do Cardio?

Cardio, ah, cardio....there is so much said about it....first, any activity that makes you burn calories is good.....the controversy comes about "the best way to do your cardio" to get the results you want..... aerobic exercise is an activity that is done continuously for more than 2 straight minutes.....here are some tips:

Traditional long, slow lower-intensity aerobic exercise on treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, etc. is good for beginners or those who have been inactive.

Research has proven that the benefits of anaerobic exercise (like sprint interval cardio) is superior to aerobic exercise for fitness and heart health. The progression of your cardio exercise should be low-intensity aerobics to moderate/high-intensity aerobics to high-intensity anaerobic exercise.

High intensity cardio (HIC) and high intensity interval cardio training(HIIT) will give you faster body fat burn in less time. You only need to do 20 minutes per session, 3 times a week.

High intensity cardio (HIC) and high intensity interval cardio training (HIIT) will: a) significantly boost your metabolism--during and after exercise, b) give you less lean body mass loss, c) give you a faster rate of body fat-to-energy conversion and d) significantly increase your VO2 Max capacity.

Circuit weight training (including bodyweight circuits) has dual benefits as a strength/cardio workout.

If HIC or HIIT is too hard on your body, you might want to try a HIC, HIIT and moderate intensity combination during the week. Just get to know your body so you know when to back off.

The evidence is clear----if you want maximum body fat burn in the least amount of time, then HIC and HIIT is the way to go! I personally do 2 days of HIIT, 2 days of HIC and 2 days of circuit weight training per week. I know it works.

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



Thursday, August 27, 2009

Movement Burns Calories

All movement burns calories, so get moving already! Matter of fact, don't wait until your workout to get moving! Every burned calorie counts no matter how you get it done!

Here's some pointers to get you moving around all day:

1. Walk during your breaks at work.

2. Walk 20 minutes first thing in the morning or at the end of your day.

3. Walk or bike to the store instead of driving.

4. Walk the stairs instead of riding in the elevator.

5. Do exercises while watching your favorite television show.

6. Do exercises on the stability ball at home.

7. Do yardwork.

8. Take family walks.

9. Do house chores.

10. Buy a jumprope and use it!

"My Fitness Hut's Fat Blasting, Body Sculpting Tips" eBook will show you how to put it all together---nutrition, strength training, cardio training, breaking bad-habits and taking advantage of ALL THE TIME you have during the day (to burn calories and burn fat).

For instance, you can improve your core strength (and help tone your abs) when you sit, stand, walk and run during the day! You don't have to wait until your workout!

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



Monday, August 24, 2009

Restart Your Exercise With Start of School

Today, school starts again for many...why not restart your exercise routine today also? The best day to start exercising again is TODAY! Summer and vacations are over now! It doesn't have to be anything special, just get started exercising!

Start today with a 20-minute walk. Do this walk every day, somewhere, at some point (the mall, at work or the park works). You can break it up into two 10-minute walks if you want. Do this walk for 1 week and you'll see how much better you feel!

Start something new with your eating habits this week! Like, severely limit your sugar intake this week and try to replace sugars with fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Just this one change will help you feel better and start you on your way to losing weight and burning fat.

One of the biggest barriers to getting anything started is procrastination! The kids don't have to be anywhere today except in school. Do your exercise today!

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



Thursday, August 20, 2009

Intense Workouts Give You More Progress

Ramp up the intensity of your workouts to get more progress with your fat loss and weight loss! Usually, its easier to lose weight at the beginning of your exercise program. This is especially true if you are, let's say, 100 pounds overweight. At this point, your metabolism is "running high" because of the excess weight. And, if you have not been active, your body will respond quickly to any new exercise activity.

As time moves on you have to make frequent changes to your exercise routine or your body will adapt. That's when your progress begins to stall. There are alot of things you can do to change up your routine such as choosing different exercises. You can change up exercises every workout if you want (but not necessary).

One of the best ways to break through your weight loss/fat loss plateau is to "ramp up" the intensity of your workouts. My observations of people working out is that many just simply don't "go hard enough" during their workouts! Changing your body composition (more muscle, less fat) take hard, smart work! Some people are flat out lazy but many just don't know what they should be doing.

What to do? Here is one pointer:

Get off the cardio machines! They do too much of the work for you. When you have a choice, do your cardio "on land"---either outside or on the floor. My number one preference for cardio is sprint intervals on grass or uphill. Because of my athletic background, I enjoy this type of cardio (enjoyment is very important). I also prefer to exercise outside mainly because I grew up in New Mexico where the sun usually shines 95% of the time.

There are many other choices for doing cardio "on land" such as bodyweight cardio (examples: mountain climbers, burpees, leg circuits, etc.), jump rope, butt kickers (running in place). The key here is to speed up and shorten your cardio work to about 20 minutes. Research and my experience has proven that this type of cardio work is one of the best ways to tone up your body.

Note: Do this type of cardio no more than 3 days a week to prevent breakdown and injury.

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



Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Bloating Feels Gross, Get Rid Of It!

Bloating feels gross so do what it takes to get rid of it! Eat more of the right kinds of foods to get rid of bloating....

Foods that are high in sodium can cause bloating. So can foods like white bread and other refined carbohydrates like pasta. When these foods are stored in your body, they hold onto water which causes bloating. Foods high in saturated fat can cause bloating because your stomach empties out slower and you feel sluggish. And, limit eating candy to decrease bloating.

If you are lactose intolerant, you will experience bloating when you drink products like milk. There are plenty of lactose-free products out on the market today to help you out.

Eat more foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, foods high in unsaturated fat, etc. and you will have less bloating. And, drink water instead of sodas and drinks high in sodium.

Stress is another common cause of bloating. Getting proper rest and exercising regularly will help you combat stress.

Take steps to get rid of your bloating! These steps will also help you lose weight and burn fat!

Be sure and download your Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course from Precision Nutrition:

Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course for Women

Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course for Men

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


Monday, August 17, 2009

I Didn't Get Enough Sleep And....

I didn't get enough sleep last night and its causing all kinds of problems like:

1. decreased energy,

2. constant cravings for sugary foods (for quick energy),

3. metabolism problems,

4. stress-out feelings and

5. decreased workout performance.

Too much sleep deprivation will lead to health problems for me---and you if we don't get the sleep we need to function properly!

Getting enough sleep lately? Being "too busy" all the time is not good....sometimes we use it as an excuse to not do the things we should---LIKE EXERCISE! If you aren't sleeping (resting) enough, you are hindering your health and fat loss goals.

When you wake up during the night because you can't sleep, you are likely to eat when you should be sleeping. And, you will throw your metabolism "out of wack."

Researchers have found that the less sleep the test subjects got, the higher their body fat. The shorter sleep time altered the subjects hormone levels, energy decreased and appetite increased. And we already knew that decreased energy affects your workout performance. What's enough sleep? The general rule is 8 hours of sleep a night. Some may need more sleep or a little less than 8 hours. Don't sabotage your exercise program and fat loss goals by not getting enough shut-eye.

Sleep (rest), recovery (from workouts), good nutrition and regular exercise work together to make you fit and healthy!

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



Your Grocery List

Your grocery list is one of the big keys to you succeeding with your fat loss and weight loss. Prepare your grocery list at the beginning of the week to buy the foods you are going to eat. Sound simple? It is that simple.

If you don't plan your meals, you are likely to eat haphazardly. One of the biggest mealplan-busters is "eating on the run".....that usually turns into a disaster as far as your calorie count is concerned...there is no planning and you end up eating what taste good...."taste good foods on the run" many times equates to fat-filled, calorie-rich foods.

Fill your grocery list with whole, natural foods like oatmeal, whole grains, whole grain pastas, fruits, veggies, nuts, etc. And, prepare meals with these types of foods. If you eat on the run one day, eat something healthy.

As the week goes by, compare what you eat to your grocery list and planned menus. Another key to your success is to record what you eat in a food journal. This will hold you accountable on a daily basis. Step by step, day by day, week by week...stay with your grocery list and meal plan most of the time and you will succeed!

Be sure and download your Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course from Precision Nutrition:

Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course for Women

Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course for Men

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



Thursday, August 13, 2009

Short, Effective Cardio Workouts

You know that cardio bores me to tears....so I keep it short, fast and tough to get max benefit (calorie burn, fat burn, body sculpting).....All it takes is 20 minutes each workout! Long, slow cardio sessions wastes time and eats away at your muscle mass.

This is a great circuit cardio workout:

1. Step Ups (knee-high platform), 10 each leg, fast
2. Pullups, 10 reps, moderate pace
3. Two hand medicine ball chest pass, 10, fast
4. Prisoner Squats, 12 reps, moderate pace
5. Tricep Dips on Bars, 10 reps, moderate pace
6. Back Extensions (with 35 lb. plate), 15 reps, moderate pace

Rest 2 minutes between circuit. Repeat circuit 2 more times.

That's it! Give it a try...if you need more rest, take it.

What do you do to keep cardio interesting?

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



Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Upper Body Muscle Imbalances Cause Injuries

Upper body muscle imbalances are almost a certainty with any new client that I get...in other words, the frontside of the upper body is usually much stronger than the backside of the upper body. Why? Because much more time is usually spent strengthening the frontside with exercises like the bench press, ab crunches and bicep curls! This is a big mistake!

Build your back muscles to avoid injuries and keep your upper body in muscular balance. Many of you put too much training time on the frontside of your upper body. Your backside is an important part of your core muscles so don't ignore them!

Seventy to 80% of Americans have back pain (many times low back pain) at some point. The spine also needs to be protected. Here are some common back exercises that I do on a regular basis:

--single arm bentover row or seated row
--pullups or chinups
--back extension or superman back extension
--cobras, planks, superman and bridges
--lat pulldowns
--inverted rows
--deadlift, good mornings and squats

When you don't adequately strengthen your back muscles, you are affecting your pulling potential and risking injury.

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



Friday, August 7, 2009

30-Minute Friday Circuit Workout

Here is a great little 30-minute Friday circuit workout for you....its been a long week and you just need a workout to energize you for the day, right? This is a great fat-burning workout for you to try....you don't need any weights, medicine balls, resistance tubes or stability balls....just your body!

This workout is a strength and cardio workout so it will save you even more time during your busy day. If you have been doing some heavy weight training this week, this workout can be a good change of pace for you:

--Y bodyweight squats, 12 repetitions, moderate pace
--Plank, 12 repetitions, 10 second hold
--Pushups, 12 repetitions
--Squat jumps, 12 repetitions, fast
--Pullups, 10 repetitions
--Superman, 12 repetitions, 5 second hold
--Do this circuit 3 times.

Do this circuit with little or no rest between exercises. Rest 2 minutes between circuits.

Have a great day!

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

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Eating On The Run

"Eating on the run" doesn't have to be a disaster for your waistline and shapely figure! "Eating on the run" becomes a disaster when you don't plan your meals. Like anything else, just plan healthy "eating on the run" meals if you're "all over the place" on certain days! Some people live their lives "all over the place." For them, they just need to plan to "eat on the run" all the time!

What about the days that unexpectedly "go haywire" and you need to "eat on the run?" One tactic that I use is to have "default foods" when I'm unexpectedly busy and need to eat healthy and quickly. Some of those foods are nuts, popcorn, apples, bananas, grapes, peanut butter sandwich, oatmeal, cereal, etc. I don't even have to think about what to eat, I just choose from the list. Plus, I'm a huge snacker, so eating this way fits me just fine. Find what works for you.

Nuts are high-calorie so be careful to eat about a handful and skip the excess salt. As for fruit, I've never heard of anyone getting fat from eating fruit.

More and more, our culture is "on the run" and just plain "too busy!" We wear it like a badge of honor. I won't open that can of worms! Reach your fitness goals on the run if that's for you!

Be sure and download your Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course from Precision Nutrition:

Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course for Women

Free 5-Day Fat Loss Course for Men

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



Monday, August 3, 2009

Be The Biggest Fat Loser

Your goal should be to be the biggest fat loser. Losing huge amounts of weight can be gained back quickly if you don't build muscle mass.

Build muscle, burn fat, speed up your metabolism and lose weight (and keep it off)!

Quick weight loss motivation focuses on pounds lost instead of body fat burned and inches lost. Fat loss is more important than weight loss.

Your motivation needs to be long-term fat loss and weight loss.

You do this by decreasing your body fat and increasing your muscle mass. If you use healthy meal plans and regular exercise, you won't have to worry about regaining the weight (no yo-yo weight gain effect).

Periodically check your body fat percentage. You could be losing inches. You could be burning body fat and losing inches while your weight remains constant. This is a good thing because your body is changing (you would be more lean).

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



Fat Burning Cardio Workout

A good fat burning cardio workout is a short and intense cardio workout! Long, slow cardio sessions wastes time and eats away at your muscle mass. Short, intense cardio sessions also burn more fat and calories during and after your workout!

I'm talking about interval cardio sessions that are 20 minutes or less! If your cardio sessions are 45 minutes to 1 hour, stop doing your cardio that way! You will attain more weight loss and fat loss sooner with short, intense cardio sessions.

Here is a great interval cardio session:

--Jump rope, fast, 1 minute
--Walk 1 minute
--Squat-to-Curl-to-Shoulder Press, 10 repetitions, moderate pace
--Walk 1 minute
--Jumping Jacks, fast, 1 minute
--Walk 1 minute
--Step Ups, 10 repetitions each leg, moderate pace
--Walk 1 minute
--Bodyweight Jump Squats, fast, 15 seconds
--Walk 1 minute

Repeat this circuit 1 more time.

If you don't like these types of exercises, then pick exercises that you like. I know that jump squats won't work for those with knee or back problems. As long as you change it up and keep it interesting, you will will make progress!

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