Why Isn't My Diet Working?

Have you been on a new diet for a couple of weeks and found that you STILL can't lose weight? Have you actually GAINED a pound or two since you've been on it? Are you just about ready to throw this diet out the window and try something else? Well, hold on a minute. There might be something else going on that's preventing your diet from working. Getting your diet to work is like planting a seed in a garden. In order for the seed to grow, you have to plant it in good soil. You have to water it, fertilize it, and protect it from weeds. In other words, a seed needs a good environment if it's going to have any chance at all to sprout, take root, and grow. Similarly, in order for your diet to start showing results for you, it also needs a good environment. Here are 10 "weeds" that will prevent the success of any diet and may actually be the reason that yours isn't working.

1. YOU'RE NOT REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT For your diet to work, you obviously have to be serious about losing weight. You need to have the right mental attitude about weight loss. In other words, you have to get your "head right." This includes: a. Making a firm commitment to lose the weight, no matter what. b. Making sure you're doing this for the right reasons. Trying to lose weight to please someone else never works. c. Convincing yourself that you CAN lose the weight--and that you WILL! If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not really serious about losing the weight in the first place.

2. YOU'RE CHEATING ON YOUR DIET Cheating on your diet and cheating on love both end in disappointment. Consistent weight loss requires, well, consistency. Most of us work so hard to stick to our diet during the week that we convince ourselves that we can splurge on the weekend. Or we think that because we skipped breakfast, we can have dessert with lunch. Both are a bad choice. It's easy to convince yourself that having a small snack won't hurt, or that you'll work it off later. The problem is it does, and you never do. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not following it consistently.

3. YOU'RE NOT EATING FEWER CALORIES I heard of someone that started one of those protein shake diets. He actually gained a couple of pounds. When he was asked how often he was drinking the shakes, he said, "I drink one with every meal." It never occurred to him that the shakes were supposed to replace his meals, not supplement them. Many dieters buy low-cal foods, and then eat twice as much. Don't be one of them! The only way to lose weight is to reduce your total caloric intake. Make sure you reduce the size of your portions and cut out all snacks that are not part of your diet plan. If your diet isn't working--or if you've actually gained a pound or two--it could be because you're not eating fewer total calories.

4. YOU'RE NOT EATING THE RIGHT FOODS Eating fewer calories is only part of the battle. You need to make sure that the foods you do eat are the right types. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you get plenty of fruits, salads, and dark green vegetables. Stay away from refined foods and starches and eat meat in very small amounts (sorry, I'm not an Atkins fan). Leafy, green, water-rich vegetables will aid digestion, help keep you healthy, and will actually help your body get rid of excess fat. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not eating the right foods.

5. YOU'RE NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER When you go on a diet, your body goes into overdrive to get rid of the excess fats and toxins that the diet liberates. Many diets (especially the protein ones) put a strain on your body's organs, especially the kidneys. Because of this, it's vital that you drink plenty of water. Drinking 8 or so full glasses of water every day helps to flush out the excess fats and toxins your body is trying to eliminate. Drinking plenty of water has other benefits including reducing headaches and improving your hair and skin. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not drinking enough water.

6. YOU'RE NOT EXERCISING ENOUGH The best way to increase the number of calories you burn is through exercise. Pick walking, running, playing sports, swimming, or whatever--just make sure that when you exercise, you actually exercise. Some people go to the gym to socialize, not to exercise. Make sure you're not one of them! Get to work and make sure you stay with it long enough to burn off some excess calories. To lose weight, shoot for 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day. Note that these 20-30 minutes do not include stretching, warm ups, cool downs, or checking yourself out in front of the mirror. Sure, these are an important part of your exercise routine but you're not going to lose any weight by stretching. At least 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day. If you've reduced the amount of calories you're eating and your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not exercising enough.

7. YOU'RE EXERCISING TOO HARD This may be counterintuitive but it's true. If you exercise too hard, your body goes into an ANAEROBIC state (without oxygen). This is when you get so out of breath that you can't seem to take in enough air. When the body is in this state, it burns mostly carbohydrates and very little fat. This is why runners "carb up" before a big race--and also why runners have just as much body fat as the rest of us. Slow your exercise down to no more than 85% of your maximum heart rate (subtract your age from 220 to get your max heart rate). At this pace, your body is in an AEROBIC state (with oxygen) and most of the calories that are burned are from fat, not carbs. An added benefit is that aerobic exercise tends to be low impact making it easy on your joints. If you already get plenty of exercise and your diet still isn't working, it could be because you're exercising too hard.

8. YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH REST We all live stressful lives. Dieting typically changes your eating and exercise habits-- two more stressor's your body has to deal with. The only chance your body has to relieve tension, rejuvenate and rebuild itself is during sleep so it's important to get enough when dieting. Not getting enough sleep can actually slow your metabolism making weight loss difficult. It can also make you feel "groggy," which means you probably won't make the best food choices throughout the day. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not getting enough rest.

9. YOU'RE FIGHTING TOO MANY BATTLES AT ONCE Weight loss requires both consistent effort and focus. You won't have either if you're trying to diet and deal with other "major events" in your life at the same time. Major events include things like changing jobs, moving to new house or city, trying to stop smoking, a death, accident, or sickness in the family, and so on. All of these things create a disruption in our lives and cause us to put everything--including our diets--on hold. To make matters worse, how do most of us deal with the stress caused by these major events? By snacking! Your diet doesn't have a chance. So don't even try. Give yourself permission to put your diet on hold until you can give it the consistent energy and focus it needs. Choose your battles carefully and fight only one at a time. If your diet isn't working, it may be because you're trying to fight too many at once.

10. YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOAL IS NOT REALISTIC Like all good things, healthy weight loss takes time. Make sure you're not setting yourself up for disappointment by setting a weight loss goal that is totally unrealistic. This includes not only the amount of weight you want to lose, but also the amount of time you think it will take. If you're doing all the right things and your diet isn't working, it may be because your weight loss goal-or the time required to reach it-isn't realistic. Once you get all of these issues resolved, you've cleared the way to get your diet back on track. As your diet takes root and begins to work, you should start to see the weight come off easily and naturally.

Weight Loss Tips: Get Free and Effective Weight Loss Tips

Looking for Diet Programs on net is like looking for water in an Ocean. But trust me, looking for good Diet Program is like finding a pearl in the ocean. Me and my team have traveled from shore to shore and short listed few highly effective diet programs and weight loss programs. But, no matter what Diet Program we choose for ourselves, we have to be careful about our normal diet habits. This helps us a lot in shedding off the weight and keeps us healthy and happy. Here are some effective weight loss tips for all kinds of weight watchers.

1) Metabolic rate is one thing which is very crucial. Metabolism is a process by which the body burns the calories and convert them into useful energy. High metabolic rate uses up the energy stored in the form of fat. Know more about Metabolism and how to increase Metabolism at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Metabolism.htm

2) Exercise Regularly. Building muscles also burns the extra calories and helps in keeping you fit.

3) Don't rush in. Lose weight slowly and continuously . Advisable limit is 1-2 lbs per week.

4) Drink plenty of water. It cleans up your body, makes your digestion good and increases your metabolism.

5) Have Low Fat Diets. Avoid oily stuff.

6) Studies have shown children of over-weight parents specially mothers are more like to be obese by the age of 6. Read more about the study at

http://www.weightloss-health.com/Obese_mothers_kids.htm

To get more weight loss tips and inside facts about weight loss, visit http://www.weightloss-health.com/Weight%20loss%20tips.htm

Moderate exercise is necessary for good health

At a minimum, walk a mile or more several times a week (or daily) and move the arms and wrists around to loosen up the joints. If you can't walk or ride a stationary bicycle, use a rowing machine, swim, or join wheel chair races. My paddle-wheel stationary bike uses arms as well as legs, and the resistance by air goes exponentially with RPM. If you can do none of these things, you have my sympathy. I had a young colleague who suffered from polio in child-hood, so one leg was short and supported by a built-up shoe. One day, this person was absent from the office, because a lung had collapsed. He should at least have worked up his pulse rate and breathing on a rowing machine, several times per week.

Recent TV news said walking as little as 2½ hours per week can reduce rates of breast cancer, so 5 hours can't hurt females or males.

I find that a brisk half hour walk raises my pulse to about 115, then it drops back below 70 by the time I have finished my morning shower.

My normal neighborhood route measures 1.8 miles. When weather, darkness, shortness of free time, or mood keep me from outdoor walking, I do some or all of the following:

* At least 15 push-ups

* At least 15 chin-ups with legs raised

* At least 30 turns at skip-rope

* Arm, shoulder, and wrist stretches

* Rope stretching isometrics

* At least 5 minutes above mid-scale on my paddle-wheel bike

* Back exercises

These don't have to be done all in one session or on the same day. Arrange the order so that muscles can recover between sets. Do what feels comfortable. Despite bad memories for many veterans, Army Calisthenics can work off tension, build strength and endurance, and actually make one feel pretty good.

** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **

Have you been looking for the latest and accurate advice regarding low carb diets

When you are after excellent advice about low carb diets, it will be easier said than done separating quality information from poorly sourced low carb diets suggestions and help so it's best to know ways of moderating the information offered to you. Here's several tips which we advise you to use when you are trying to find information about low carb diets. Please understand that the advice we present is only appropriate to internet information concerning low carb diets. Unfortunately we are unable to provide any tips or guidance for researching in 'real world' situations. A really good piece of advice you can follow when you're presented with information and advice about a low carb diets webpage would be to determine who owns the site. This may show you the people behind the site low carb diets integrity The fastest way to determine who owns the low carb diets web site is to find the sites 'about' page. Any reputable site providing information about low carb diets, will almost certainly provide an 'about' webpage which will record the owner's details. The details should tell you a number of indications about the site owner's capability. You can then decide for yourself about the vendor's qualifications and experience to give recommendations about low carb diets.

Excessive Fat kills

In this new century, news media are finally aware that America's major health problem is obesity. Excess weight not only contributes to almost every health risk, it can actually multiply the risk factors, including those from tobacco. It has already been reported that tobacco causes more deaths than AIDS / HIV, maternal mortality, automobile accidents, homicide and suicide combined, yet obesity makes the risks even higher. You don't have to be 300 pounds overweight for fat to be harmful. Being "pleasingly plump" or even leaner can be enough to increase your risks of various ailments, such as cancers, diabetes, heart disease, memory loss, menopause, osteoporosis, PMS, stroke. Just substituting margarine for butter is not enough, especially if the spread is made with hydrogenated oils or "trans fatty acids". Good fats, the "essential fatty acids" that the body can not make, can be found in fish, nuts, soy and other foods. For most fats, if you have none in your diet, your body will make what it needs. ** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **

Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition For Weight Loss and Muscle Gain Part-II

The data, and real world experience of millions of dieters, is quite clear on that reality.The truth behind such diets is that they are often quite good at suppressing appetite and thus the person simply ends up eating fewer calories and losing weight. Also, the weight loss from such diets is often from water vs. fat, at least in the first few weeks. That's not to say people can't experience meaningful weight loss with some of these diets, but the effect comes from a reduction in calories vs. any magical effects often claimed by proponents of such diets.Weight loss vs. fat loss!This is where we get into the crux of the true debate and why the two schools of thought are not actually as far apart from one another as they appear to the untrained eye.

What has become abundantly clear from the studies performed and real world evidence is that to lose weight we need to use more calories than we take in (via reducing calorie intake and or increasing exercise), but we know different diets have different effects on the metabolism, appetite, body composition, and other physiological variables...

Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition...Thus, this reality has led me to Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition which states:"Total calories dictates how much weight a person gains or loses; macro nutrient ratios dictates what a person gains or loses"This seemingly simple statement allows people to understand the differences between the two schools of thought. For example, studies often find that two groups of people put on the same calorie intakes but very different ratios of carbs, fats, and proteins will lose different amounts of bodyfat and or lean body mass (i.e., muscle, bone, etc.). Some studies find for example people on a higher protein lower carb diet lose approximately the same amount of weight as another group on a high carb lower protein diet, but the group on the higher protein diet lost more actual fat and less lean body mass (muscle).

Or, some studies using the same calorie intakes but different macro nutrient intakes often find the higher protein diet may lose less actual weight than the higher carb lower protein diets, but the actual fat loss is higher in the higher protein low carb diets. This effect has also been seen in some studies that compared high fat/low carb vs. high carb/low fat diets. The effect is usually amplified if exercise is involved as one might expect. Of course these effects are not found universally in all studies that examine the issue, but the bulk of the data is clear: diets containing different macro nutrient ratios do have different effects on human physiology even when calorie intakes are identical (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11).Or, as the authors of one recent study that looked at the issue concluded:"Diets with identical energy contents can have different effects on leptin concentrations, energy expenditure, voluntary food intake, and nitrogen balance, suggesting that the physiologic adaptations to energy restriction can be modified by dietary composition."

(12)The point being, there are many studies confirming that the actual ratio of carbs, fats, and proteins in a given diet can effect what is actually lost (i.e., fat, muscle, bone, and water) and that total calories has the greatest effect on how much total weight is lost. Are you starting to see how my unified theory of nutrition combines the "calorie is a calorie" school with the "calories don't matter" school to help people make decisions about nutrition? Knowing this, it becomes much easier for people to understand the seemingly conflicting diet and nutrition advice out there (of course this does not account for the down right unscientific and dangerous nutrition advice people are subjected to via bad books, TV, the 'net, and well meaning friends, but that's another article altogether).

Knowing the above information and keeping the Unified Theory of Nutrition in mind, leads us to some important and potentially useful conclusions:An optimal diet designed to make a person lose fat and retain as much LBM as possible is not the same as a diet simply designed to lose weight.A nutrition program designed to create fat loss is not simply a reduced calorie version of a nutrition program designed to gain weight, and visa versa.Diets need to be designed with fat loss, NOT just weight loss, as the goal, but total calories can't be ignored.This is why the diets I design for people-or write about-for gaining or losing weight are not simply higher or lower calorie versions of the same diet. In short: diets plans I design for gaining LBM start with total calories and build macro nutrient ratios into the number of calories required. However, diets designed for fat loss (vs. weight loss!) start with the correct macro nutrient ratios that depend on variables such as amount of LBM the person carries vs. bodyfat percent , activity levels, etc., and figure out calories based on the proper macro nutrient ratios to achieve fat loss with a minimum loss of LBM.

The actual ratio of macro nutrients can be quite different for both diets and even for individuals.Diets that give the same macro nutrient ratio to all people (e.g., 40/30/30, or 70,30,10, etc.) regardless of total calories, goals, activity levels, etc., will always be less than optimal. Optimal macro nutrient ratios can change with total calories and other variables.Perhaps most important, the unified theory explains why the focus on weight loss vs. fat loss by the vast majority of people, including most medical professionals, and the media, will always fail in the long run to deliver the results people want. Finally, the Universal Theory makes it clear that the optimal diet for losing fat, or gaining muscle, or what ever the goal, must account not only for total calories, but macro nutrient ratios that optimize metabolic effects and answer the questions: what effects will this diet have on appetite? What effects will this diet have on metabolic rate? What effects will this diet have on my lean body mass (LBM)? What effects will this diet have on hormones; both hormones that may improve or impede my goals? What effects will this diet have on (fill in the blank)? Simply asking, "how much weight will I lose?" is the wrong question which will lead to the wrong answer.

To get the optimal effects from your next diet, whether looking to gain weight or lose it, you must ask the right questions to get meaningful answers. Asking the right questions will also help you avoid the pitfalls of unscientific poorly thought out diets which make promises they can't keep and go against what we know about human physiology and the very laws of physics! There are of course many additional questions that can be asked and points that can be raised as it applies to the above, but those are some of the key issues that come to mind. Bottom line here is, if the diet you are following to either gain or loss weight does not address those issues and or questions, then you can count on being among the millions of disappointed people who don't receive the optimal results they had hoped for and have made yet another nutrition "guru" laugh all the way to the bank at your expense.

Any diet that claims calories don't matter, forget it. Any diet that tells you they have a magic ratio of foods, ignore it. Any diet that tells you any one food source is evil, it's a scam. Any diet that tells you it will work for all people all the time no matter the circumstances, throw it out or give it to someone you don't like!

Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition For Weight Loss and Muscle Gain-Part I

When people hear the term Unified Theory, some times called the Grand Unified Theory, or even "Theory of Everything," they probably think of it in terms of physics, where a Unified Theory, or single theory capable of defining the nature of the interrelationships among nuclear, electromagnetic, and gravitational forces, would reconcile seemingly incompatible aspects of various field theories to create a single comprehensive set of equations.

Such a theory could potentially unlock all the secrets of nature and the universe itself, or as theoretical physicist Michio Katu, puts it "an equation an inch long that would allow us to read the mind of God." That's how important unified theories can be. However, unified theories don't have to deal with such heady topics as physics or the nature of the universe itself, but can be applied to far more mundane topics, in this case nutrition. Regardless of the topic, a unified theory, as sated above, seeks to explain seemingly incompatible aspects of various theories. In this article I attempt to unify seemingly incompatible or opposing views regarding nutrition, namely, what is probably the longest running debate in the nutritional sciences: calories vs. macro nutrients. One school, I would say the 'old school' of nutrition, maintains weight loss or weight gain is all about calories, and "a calorie is a calorie," no matter the source (e.g., carbs, fats, or proteins).

They base their position on various lines of evidence to come to that conclusion. The other school, I would call more the 'new school' of thought on the issue, would state that gaining or losing weight is really about where the calories come from (e.g., carbs, fats, and proteins), and that dictates weight loss or weight gain. Meaning, they feel, the "calorie is a calorie" mantra of the old school is wrong.

They too come to this conclusion using various lines of evidence.This has been an ongoing debate between people in the field of nutrition, biology, physiology, and many other disciplines, for decades. The result of which has led to conflicting advice and a great deal of confusion by the general public, not to mention many medical professionals and other groups. Before I go any further, two key points that are essential to understand about any unified theory:A good unified theory is simple, concise, and understandable even to lay people. However, underneath, or behind that theory, is often a great deal of information that can take up many volumes of books. So, for me to outline all the information I have used to come to these conclusions, would take a large book, if not several and is far beyond the scope of this article.A unified theory is often proposed by some theorist before it can even be proven or fully supported by physical evidence. Over time, different lines of evidence, whether it be mathematical, physical, etc., supports the theory and thus solidifies that theory as being correct, or continued lines of evidence shows the theory needs to be revised or is simply incorrect.

I feel there is now more than enough evidence at this point to give a unified theory of nutrition and continuing lines of evidence will continue (with some possible revisions) to solidify the theory as fact. "A calorie is a calorie"The old school of nutrition, which often includes most nutritionists, is a calorie is a calorie when it comes to gaining or losing weight. That weight loss or weight gain is strictly a matter of "calories in, calories out." Translated, if you "burn" more calories than you take in, you will lose weight regardless of the calorie source and if you eat more calories than you burn off each day, you will gain weight, regardless of the calorie source. This long held and accepted view of nutrition is based on the fact that protein and carbs contain approx 4 calories per gram and fat approximately 9 calories per gram and the source of those calories matters not.

They base this on the many studies that finds if one reduces calories by X number each day, weight loss is the result and so it goes if you add X number of calories above what you use each day for gaining weight. However, the "calories in calories out" mantra fails to take into account modern research that finds that fats, carbs, and proteins have very different effects on the metabolism via countless pathways, such as their effects on hormones (e.g., insulin, leptin, glucagon, etc), effects on hunger and appetite, thermic effects (heat production), effects on uncoupling proteins (UCPs), and 1000 other effects that could be mentioned. Even worse, this school of thought fails to take into account the fact that even within a macro nutrient, they too can have different effects on metabolism.

This school of thought ignores the ever mounting volume of studies that have found diets with different macro nutrient ratios with identical calorie intakes have different effects on body composition, cholesterol levels, oxidative stress, etc.Translated, not only is the mantra "a calorie us a calorie" proven to be false, "all fats are created equal" or "protein is protein" is also incorrect. For example, we no know different fats (e.g. fish oils vs. saturated fats) have vastly different effects on metabolism and health in general, as we now know different carbohydrates have their own effects (e.g. high GI vs. low GI), as we know different proteins can have unique effects. The "calories don't matter" school of thoughtThis school of thought will typically tell you that if you eat large amounts of some particular macro nutrient in their magic ratios, calories don't matter. For example, followers of ketogenic style diets that consist of high fat intakes and very low carbohydrate intakes (i.e., Atkins, etc.) often maintain calories don't matter in such a diet. Others maintain if you eat very high protein intakes with very low fat and carbohydrate intakes, calories don't matter.

Like the old school, this school fails to take into account the effects such diets have on various pathways and ignore the simple realities of human physiology, not to mention the laws of thermodynamics! The reality is, although it's clear different macro nutrients in different amounts and ratios have different effects on weight loss, fat loss, and other metabolic effects, calories do matter. They always have and they always will.

Eight Pack Abs - Can You Get Them?

Most people have heard of the term six pack abs, and also of ripped, cut, and tight abs. There is also something referred to as washboard abs, or even firm and toned abs. But have you ever heard of eight pack abs? No? Well, most people haven't. Although many people are familiar with the expression "six pack abs", for the most part people aren't as familiar with eight pack abs.

So how do you achieve eight pack abs? The identical method that you would go about getting six pack abs, naturally.




The only distinction here is that you are now aware of the prospect of getting eight pack abs, and that you can work your way towards this objective. Without this information of course you might never be able to define that added abs pack, but now that you know, well, the rest as they say, is history, true?



But if you've never had a six pack, let alone contemplated having eight pack abs, how would you go about getting them? Yes, the same way as for a six pack, but what can you do to first start the process then to make sure that you keep the momentum going and get to your aim without becoming excessively side tracked.



Well, first of all, you should preferably take a good long hard look at your diet and cut out those foods and things which are not only bad for you, but which you know are certainly harmful to you! Starting here, is the best idea and you could do no better than to go out and get yourself a healthy eating book to help you out in your activities aimed at getting eight pack abs.
After checking your diet, you can then progress onto the next step of discovering the right fitness program for yourself. You can do this on your own, or you can consult with a personal fitness trainer or some such professional to help you out. This is probably more efficient than trying to go it alone and you will find that you are getting a superior overall fitness plan than if you were to do it without professional help.



Lastly, when everything else is organized and you know that you have everything in place, and that you are physically fit and able to carry through with your plans, you have only to begin on your course of exercise to get eight pack abs. It's as simple and as complex that.

Eight Pack Workout Why settle For six??

The Muscles that Deliver the Look our abs are actually one long sheet of muscle called the rectus abdominis. Running horizontally across that sheet of muscle are three tendons that hold the muscle in place over the intestines. Another tendon, called the linea alba, divides the rectus abdominis into two parts, creating four pairs of sections. This makes the abdomen an eight-pack--not a six-pack, as most people believe.

A Flat Midsection!
Most men challenge their midsections with moves that focus primarily on the upper portion of the rectus abdominis, leaving the lower portion overlooked and underdeveloped. My eight-pack plan gives equal attention to both segments.

More Speed!
The lower abdominals play a crucial role in hip flexion, which moves the knees up and forward. Training these abs helps you pump your knees higher for longer periods of time, which adds inches to your stride. You'll cover greater distances at faster speeds.

Better Skills!
When you swing or throw, you're channeling power up through your midsection and into your upper body. Weak abs can cause a break in this transfer of energy. Strong trunk stabilizers transfer the greatest amount of power every time.

Stamina & Balance!
Athletes with weak lower abdominals tend to sway at the waist as they run. This creates additional resistance and forces you to expend extra energy to correct your posture. Strong abs help you maintain the best position for efficiency and extra stamina.
Build Your Eight-Pack



The Workout
Shaping the rare eight-pack requires unique exercises. The smartest way to make your rectus abdominis grow is to perform a mixture of exercises that work your midsection through every possible direction, using as many forms of resistance as possible. These eight ab exercises incorporate a variety of equipment and partner-assisted moves you may not have tried before.

You'll start your 8-week program by choosing an exercise from each of the two sections. By the end of the program, you'll be doing all of them--in the order given--to bring out a level of muscular separation and growth you can't achieve using traditional, high-repetition ab exercises alone. (For the medicine-ball and pulley exercises, choose a weight that allows you to do the required number of repetitions with good form. Injuries are common among men who try to speed up results by using more weight than they're ready to handle.)
Weeks 1-2
Create your routine by . . . Picking one exercise from each section
Sets of each exercise: 2
Your total workout should be . . . 4 sets
Repetitions per set 8-12
Speed of each repetition: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down
Rest between sets: 45-60 seconds
Do this workout . . . 3 times a week

Weeks 3-4
Create your routine by . . . Picking one exercise from each section
Sets of each exercise: 3
Your total workout should be . . . 6 sets
Repetitions per set 8-12
Speed of each repetition: 3 seconds up, 3 seconds down
Rest between sets: 30-45 seconds
Do this workout . . . 3-4 times a week

Weeks 5-6
Create your routine by . . . Picking two exercises from each section
Sets of each exercise: 2
Your total workout should be . . . 8 sets
Repetitions per set 8-15
Speed of each repetition: 4 seconds up, 4 seconds down
Rest between sets: 15-30 seconds
Do this workout . . . 4 times a week

Weeks 7-8
Sets of each exercise: 1
Create your routine by . . . Doing all the exercises in both sections in the order shown
Your total workout should be . . . 8 sets
Repetitions per set 8-15
Speed of each repetition: 4 seconds up, 4 seconds down
Rest between sets: None
Do this workout . . . 5 times a week

Nutrition Is More Than The Nutrition Facts Box

Most people pay little attention to the nutritional content of their food until they are on, or about to begin a diet. Then they take a keen interest in seeing which diet has less calories or less carbohydrates. But it is a simple fact that most popular diets do not have nearly as many positive effects as their creators would have us believe.

Most of the serious diets we hear about work by simply removing a food or food group from your daily diet. This sometimes means eating less of certain foods than you normally would, however it often means entirely removing certain food groups from your diet altogether.

The basic premise is that by restricting your diet in some way, you will lose weight. Obviously if the food you are cutting out altogether is junk food you will be better off nutritionally. The problem is that when you totally stop eating a food that you are used to eating regularly, you will get cravings for this food.

Right from the start you will have a major temptation to cheat on the diet. Eventually you will probably cheat and render the diet useless. You should therefore opt for diets that don't restrict you as severely as this. Another problem with a lot of diets is that they have a tendency to focus more on one particular aspect of the food instead of on the overall nutrition value of it. Many popular diets are based upon eliminating fat, or sugar, or carbohydrates.

In fact, this is looking at only part of the bigger nutritional picture and can leads to diet choices and decisions which are not in your best interests. For instance, people who are trying to cut carbohydrates out of their diet will sometimes choose to drink diet sodas instead of fruit juices. While the diet soda clearly has far fewer carbohydrates than fruit juice, that does not mean that it is more healthy.

Your best bet in this situation is to drink the healthier beverage and to get all of the different vitamins and minerals instead of empty soda. The best method to lose weight is to eat healthy meals which are good for you as often as you can, while avoiding meals that lack balance. Eating a balanced diet is extremely important for your health and wellbeing. When looking for nutritious foods try to avoid prepackaged foods.

These foods are often very high in salt and lacking in the vitamins and minerals that their fresh counterparts are rich in. They are also filled with chemical preservatives, it is always best to avoid these packaged foods and opt instead for fresh foods when at all possible. By eating real foods that you have to cook yourself, you can make sure that you are actually keeping track of the amount of sodium that you consume. You will also be putting more thought into how much you cook and eat, so it's likely that you'll be better able to make sure that you do not eat too much of any one thing.

It is often said that you are what you eat, likewise your food is what it is made from. You need to be aware of the ingredients going into your food and where they sit in a balanced diet. This is more important than counting calories or grams of fat or carbohydrates. The ingredients of a food are the best indicator of whether you should eat it or not.

High Energy Food Illustrations

Take a raw carrot, and hold it to a bare flame. Nothing much happens except some charring and bad smell. Place some liquid fat (oils) in a shallow dish prepared with a wick. Touch a match to the saturated wick, and observe the heat and light that results. This is one of the oldest kinds of light source known to humankind. Take some solid fat, meat trimmings or tallow, or left over fat globules from meat dishes. A match might be sufficient to start a flame, or a bit more heat could be needed. Take some sugar and treat as the solid fat. Preheating might be needed, or start with chemical igniter or acid, but you can end up with a bad smelling carbon sponge. Mix sugar with potassium nitrate ("saltpeter", a source of oxygen) and sulfur in the right proportions and you can make a weak form of gun powder. Place some alcohol of at least 50 percent concentration (also called "100 proof") in a shallow disk, with or without a wick. A match is enough to start a bright flame. All these examples, except the carrot, are high energy foods. Consume more than you need and your body weight will increase. Restrict them and you have a chance of losing weight. ** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **

Don’t Let Extra Pounds Pile Up Like the Leaves This Winter!

ARA) - The days are getting shorter; the air is getting colder. Are you nervous about losing the summer figure that you worked so hard to achieve? Winter will be here before you know it and so might those extra seasonal pounds. Now there is an easier way to help ward off the dreaded winter weight. Ongoing research continues to indicate that use of the dietary supplement conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may reduce body fat while increasing lean muscle tone. This naturally occurring fatty acid appears to slim the body and increase metabolism by building muscle mass. CLA reduces body fat and can be used to bolster any dieter’s fat reduction program. In addition, CLA is believed to keep fat cells from refilling with fat, protecting dieters from regaining lost weight. “CLA is in no way a ‘magic bullet’, but it is a valuable fat reduction supplement for any diet regimen,” explains Delbert Dorscheid, MD, assistant professor of medicine, University of British Columbia. “Keeping lean body mass and speeding up fat loss are the keys to successful body composition changes. CLA, used in conjunction with diet and regular exercise, can help people achieve this desired effect and keep their bodies from regaining fat.” Recent studies published by the American Chemical Society, The Journal of International Medical Research, The Journal of Nutrition, The International Journal of Obesity, and Lipids concluded that subjects taking CLA experienced body fat reduction, while increasing lean muscle mass. Studies indicate that 3.4 grams of CLA per day is enough to obtain all the beneficial effects on body fat. In the past we got healthy doses of CLA naturally, through regular consumption of beef and dairy fats, but changes in the way cattle are raised and in the foods we eat have lowered the amount of CLA people get in their diet. To obtain the equivalent of 3.4 grams of CLA through food now, you would have to consume 9.5 quarts of low-fat milk or 6 quarts of whole milk, eat four pounds of beef or 50 slices of cheese. Supplements provide equivalent amounts of CLA in a single dose. CLA is available as a dietary supplement called Tonalin CLA. It can be purchased at GNC and Vitamin World stores nationwide as well as independent health food stores, grocery stores and via the Internet at www.tonalin.com.

Diet Pills – Do they work? Are they safe? Which one should I use?

Diet Pills are the fastest growing segment of the dietary supplement industry. Sales of diet pills and related supplements have been increasing 10 to 20 percent annually to the point where last year they reached $2 billion. Considering the fact that 60% of the U.S. population are overweight or obese, it’s no wonder that several of us are looking for a way to drop extra pounds. Diet pill ads are starting to pop up everywhere, particularly on the internet, but before you go out and buy the latest greatest pill, do some research. HOW DO DIET PILLS WORK? Most over the counter diet pills work by increasing your body’s energy expenditure. One of the most common ingredients (caffeine) raises your metabolism by increasing the breakdown of fatty acids and therefore reducing appetite. This increase in energy and decrease in appetite is a great combination for burning fat. WHAT’S IN THESE DIET PILLS? In late 2003, based on evidence that it caused heart attacks, Ephedrine was banned as an ingredient in diet pills. Diet pills now generally contain a mixture of vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, folic acid) and of course caffeine or any number of herbs. With any supplement, herb, or medication, the best advice is to READ THE LABEL. (As of April 14, 2005- The year old FDA ban on Ephedra has been lifted. The matter has been sent back to the FDA for reevaluation – Source: Yahoo News) ARE DIET PILLS SAFE? Diet pill side effects can range from dizziness, nausea, increased urination, to the more sever - chest pain, heart attack, liver and kidney damage, stroke, seizures, and even death. After a few months your body develops a tolerance for the pill’s effects, so diet pills are meant to be taken for a very short period of time. These pills CAN be safe if they are not abused. With the combination of a healthy diet, and regular exercise a diet pill can give you that little extra nudge to loose a few extra pounds. Don’t expect to loose weight on a diet pill alone. Do your research, ask questions, read the labels and find out what diet pill is right for you.

Dieters need more calcium

Women on diets need more calcium than normal to avoid bone loss, say Rutgers University researchers. Studies showed a weight loss diet of 1.5 pounds a week for 6 weeks cuts absorption of calcium. In 57 postmenopausal dieters it was discovered that those women who took 1,800 mg of calcium a day absorbed 78 percent more calcium than those who took only 1,000 mg a day. To prevent bone loss, women dieting after menopause should get 1,700 mg of calcium a day, the experts say. For people on low-fat, high fiber diets calcium requirements are also higher. Studies show that 19 percent less calcium is absorbed. It is theorized that the healthier diet moves food faster through the gastrointestinal tract. While it is common knowledge that calcium is necessary for bone-growth research shows that calcium also fights fat absorption. Studies reveal that calcium blocks fat storage in fat cells. A minimum of 1,000 mg. of calcium daily improves total cholesterol and good HDL, but lowers bad LDL. Despite the publicity of the importance of calcium for healthy bones research shows that consumption has gone down over the past 30 years. Experts recommend 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D daily for people under 50, and 1,500 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D for those over 50. The safe upper limit for calcium intake has been set at 2,500 mg a day. Experts think going above that on a daily basis may invite kidney stone formation. Once started, never stop taking calcium/vitamin D supplements daily. USDA researchers found that after a 3- year study over one-third of participants stopped taking the supplements. Within one year women lost all bone-density gains and men lost their gains in two years. For those who are lactose intolerant calcium and vitamin D supplementation is even more important because it will be difficult to get the daily requirement through diet alone. For those allergic to cow's milk. Drink enough soy milk to give you 500 mg of calcium per glass as compared to 300 mg in cows milk. Studies at Creighton University in Omaha, NE, showed that 25 percent less calcium is absorbed from soy milk as cows milk.

6 Best Places to Submit Your Articles

You know that writing articles is the best free way to promote your business and gain credibility. You understand the importance of articles containing actual information and not being just long sales letters.
Do you know the absolute best places to submit all of those wonderful articles you have written?


Here is your list of the top 6 places to submit your articles:

1. Idea Marketers With an Alexa ranking of 13,015, this site is one that you definitely don't want to miss submitting to. You have to sign up for a free account. Instantly accepts your article. http://www.ideamarketers.com/
2. Go Articles This one has an Alexa ranking of 17,504. You have to sign up for a free account. This site is part of the Jayde Network. Instantly accepts your article. http://www.goarticles.com/
3. Article City Article City has an Alexa ranking of 20,024. No account is required. http://www.articlecity.com/
4. Article Announce This group has 2,712 subscribers (June 2004). Provides content to hundreds of newsletters, magazines, and websites. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/article_announce/
5. Free Content This group has 1,557 subscribers (June 2004). Hosted by Website101.com. http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-Content/
6. Publisher Network This group has 686 subscribers (June 2004). Lets you swap articles with other newsletter publishers. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/publisher_network/
By all means, submit your articles anywhere and everywhere it is appropriate. But there are certain websites that should always be included on your list. These places have a high number of visitors and/or subscribers.
Brandie King, Copyright 2004
About The Author
Brandie King is a partner in the new internet marketing site Killer Marketing Arsenal. She will show you where to market your business online. You can grab a free copy of "7 Free Traffic Generators for Maximum Traffic and Sales" when you subscribe to the newsletter. http://www.killermarketingarsenal.com/

Frequently Asked Questions About Weight Loss And Diets

If you’re on a diet, or considering going on one, you’re in luck. We’ve put together ten of the most frequently asked questions about diets and weight loss and compiled them here. Enjoy!


1. How much should I weigh? Your doctor can answer that question most accurately. More important than how much you weigh is your body/mass index, which measures your height against your weight.

2. What's the best diet for losing weight? Any diet that provides all the nutrition that you need for health, and in addition, provides fewer calories than your body burns regularly.

3. How can I keep off the weight that I lose? If you lose weight gradually and re-educate both yourself and your body about food, you'll have a good start. The secret to keeping weight off is to balance your energy needs with your food intake. Eat enough calories to supply your body's energy needs, but not so many that your body stores the excess as fat.
4. What's the story with obesity and diabetes? Obesity increases the risks of a number of chronic health conditions, and diabetes is one of them. People who are more than ten percent overweight increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes substantially.
5. How do I decrease my intake of sugar? Obviously, you can decrease your intake of sugar by cutting out sweets and refined snacks, but you should also watch out for 'hidden' sugars. Check ingredients. High fructose corn syrup and sucrose are both simple sugars that add lots of calories and little nutrition.
6. How often should I weigh myself? Most diet experts recommend that you weigh yourself no more than once a week. Some go so far as to tell you to throw out the scale entirely! A more accurate measure of your loss is your clothing size. If your clothing is feeling looser, you're doing great.
7. Do I really have to exercise? You don't HAVE to, but it will be a lot harder to lose weight if you don't. A half hour of moderate exercise daily is the minimum activity level for healthy weight loss. You can get it walking, running, cleaning your house - anything active burns calories.
8. What's a calorie? A calorie is a measure of energy. Foods are rated with calories based on the amount of energy they provide to the body when consumed.
9. Can I lose weight without changing my diet? Weight loss results when you burn more calories than you consume. If you only need to lose a small amount of weight and your diet is generally healthy, you can lose weight by increasing your activity level to burn more calories. If your diet is poor, or if you're more than a few pounds overweight, you really need to learn a new, more healthy way or eating, or you'll put the weight back on when you go back to 'normal' eating.
10. Should I eat fish on my diet? Unless it's expressly forbidden by your diet, absolutely. Fish is high protein, low saturated fat, and high in omega 3 fatty acids. Some doctors recommend eating as much as 10 servings of fish per week.

Lower cholesterol

You can lower cholesterol without drugs by following some basic steps that will not only change your cholesterol readings, but also improve your health today and in the future. So often we use a prescription drug and hope it will magically cure whatever ails us. The truth is prescription drugs for lowering cholesterol do work. The problem is both the short term and long-term side effects.

Even more dangerous than the side effects of prescription drugs to lower cholesterol is not getting cholesterol under control. Over time, high cholesterol can lead to numerous conditions of the heart and arteries, not the least of which are atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), stroke or heart attack.

Here are 5 steps you can take today to lower your cholesterol without prescription drugs.

Eat right. May sound simple, but diet has such a significant impact on lowering cholesterol that it should be the number one factor you look at in determining if your high cholesterol is hereditary or a matter of dietary choices. A low fat and low cholesterol diet is the first step toward lowering cholesterol.

Exercise. Improving cardiovascular health is a step toward reversing the effects of high cholesterol. Exercise itself doesn't directly lower cholesterol, but will strengthen the heart and entire circulatory system.

Quit smoking. If you smoke, the plaque build up in the arteries due to high cholesterol is accelerated. When plaque blocks the flow of blood to the heart, the muscle has to work harder to get oxygen. This can lead to a heart attack. If the arteries get completely blocked with plaque from high cholesterol then a stroke can occur.

Relax. Chronic stress can affect cholesterol levels. If you are constantly stressed and eating a low cholesterol diet, you may not seen any improvement in cholesterol readings until you learn to relieve stress.

Talk to your doctor. Not all doctors are quick to prescribe medications. In fact, the more enlightened doctors will help you form a diet and exercise plan that is suitable for your current overall health and abilities as a first step toward lowering cholesterol. It is always important to ask your doctor if your decision to follow a specific diet or exercise plan is right for you. In addition, do not stop taking medications before consulting with your doctor. You can lower your cholesterol with diet and exercise, and under the care of your doctor, see about removing drugs from the process.