There are more than ten types of pimples. With that many types and the fact that they have treatments that vary you need to make sure that you know which of the types of pimples you have.
Here is some information about the various types of pimples:
Acne Vulgaris is the most common acne affecting 60-70% of Americans at some time during their lives. Twenty percent of Americans have severe acne with permanent physical and mental scarring; however this does not have to be the case if treatment is administered at the first signs of flair up. Each person is a little different from the next so treatments vary upon the type and severity of your acne.
Mild to Moderate Acne Vulgaris consists of the following types of acne:
Whiteheads form when a pore is completely blocked, entrapping sebum (oil), bacteria and dead skin cells. Since the air is unable to reach the follicle it causes a white appearance on the surface. Whiteheads are normally dissipated within a shorter life cycle than blackheads.
Blackheads result when a pore is only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells to gradually make its way to the surface. However the black color is not caused blackheads by dirt. More or less it's the skin's own pigment, the melanin, interacting with the oxygen in the air. Blackheads are much more stable structures, allowing them to take much longer time to clear than whiteheads.
Papules are the inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head. It is highly recommended to Never squeeze papules do to the outcome of scaring.
Pustules are inflamed and show up as a red circle with a white or yellow center. Pustules are your garden variety zit.
Severe Acne Vulgaris
Severe Acne Vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts:
Nodules: As unlike the information on lesions noted above, nodular acne is spots of acne which can be much larger, quite painful and can last for several months. Nodules are large, hard bumps under the skin's surface and scarring is quite common with this type of acne. Nodules that go without treatment can result in an impaction which can flare up from time to time. The worst thing you can do if this occurs is to squeeze it. You most likely will cause severe damage to the skin as the lesion may last for months longer than it normally should. It is recommended that treatment be sought from a dermatologist where they can administer a shot of cortisone to reduce any inflammation as well as the chance of scarring.
Cysts: An acne cyst appears almost similar to a nodule but is pus-filled, and is explained as having a diameter of 5mm or more across. It is common for people with Cystic Acne to have scarring and the acne itself is quite painful. Squeezing an acne cyst will only worsen the situation and cause the infection to spread as it deepens; more painful inflammation which will last much longer than if you had left it alone. Dermatologists usually have ways to reduce swelling and take preventative measures to reduce the chances of scarring scarring, such as administering a cortisone shot.
Rosacea is commonly mistaken for Acne Vulgaris do to the similarity in features. Rosacea appears in the form of a reddish rash and is usually limited to the chin, cheeks, nose and forehead and it affects millions. Rosacea typically affects those who are over the age of 30. The redness is often accompanied by bumps, pimples and skin blemishes. There are reports that the blood vessels being to be more apparent through the skin. Interestingly, if is not common that a person with Rosacea will also have blackheads. It more commonly found in females yet often more severe when found in males. This condition left untreated could cause swelling of the nose along with excessive growth tissue, a condition called Rhinophyma. Rosacea is frequently treated differently than Acne and so if you suspect that you have Rosacea you should contact a dermatologist right away.
Severe forms of acne
Severe forms of acne are rare, but inflict such hardship on those people who experience them.
Acne Conglobata: The most severe type of Acne Vulgaris and is most commonly found in males. It is discriminated by the presence of many big lesions, which are sometimes joined, along with many blackheads. It can cause severe, irreversible damage to the skin, and disfiguring scarring. This unfortunate type of acne is found from your thighs up "Thighs, buttocks back, chest and face." Acne Conglobata can show up as early as 18 and usually no later than 30, however this condition can stay active for several years after. As with all forms of acne, the cause of Acne Conglobata is unknown. The most common treatment is Isotretinoin (Accutane). Acne Conglobata has been known to be resistant to treatment but results are promising that it can be managed with aggressive consistent treatment for a period of time.
Acne Fulminans: This is the sudden flair up of Acne Conglobata which normally affects young men. Symptoms are severe nodulocystic and often ulcerating acne is apparent. The same is true with Acne Conglobata. There is often acute disfiguring scarring. Acne Fulminans is unique in that it also includes a fever and aching of the joints. Acne Fulminans does not respond well to antibiotics. Isotretinoin (Accutane) and oral steroids are normally prescribed.
Gram-Negative Folliculitis: This condition is a bacterial infection characterized by pustules and cysts, possibly occurring as a complication resulting from a long term antibiotic treatment of Acne Vulgaris. It is a rare condition, and we do not know if it is more common in males or females at this time. Fortunately, Isotretinoin (Accutane) is often effective in combating Gram-Negative Folliculitis.
Pyoderma Faciale (Rosacea Fulminans): This type of severe facial acne affects only females, usually between the ages of 20 to 40 years old, and is characterized by large painful nodules, pustules and sores, all of which may scar. It begins abruptly, and may occur on the skin of a woman who has never had acne before. It is confined to the face, and usually does not last longer than one year, but can wreak havoc in a very short time. The most common prescriptions given by physicians are Accutane Isotretenoin and systemic corticosteroids.
To be diagnosed properly is so important since your acne treatment will be determined by which of the types of pimples you have.....
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
2.6 Barbell, Kettlebell, and Dumbbell Complexes - a Different Style of Weight Training for a Ripped Body
If you’ve been looking for a different training technique to break out of a rut, eliminate the boredom, and bring on new results, "complexes" may be just what you’ve been looking for. If you’ve never heard of "complexes" before, the basic concept is that instead of repeating the same exercise for multiple reps to complete a "set", you sequence one rep of several different exercises right after one another and repeat the sequence several times to complete a "set". No, this is NOT circuit training...it's much different. It’s basically like performing a routine, instead of just mindlessly performing a typical "set". This type of training is excellent to work a huge amount of musculature in a short amount of time, and definitely takes your workouts to a whole new level of intensity. The conditioning aspect of this type of training is amazing, as you’ll find yourself huffing and puffing after repeating a sequence a mere two or three times. If I had to venture a guess, I’d have to say that this type of training probably elicits a good growth hormone response as well, due to the large amount of full body work completed in a given time period. But that’s just my guess.
I like to incorporate about 5 exercises into my complexes. Any more than that and you might start to forget what’s next in the sequence. Here’s an example of a killer barbell complex that really gets me fired up:
Example Barbell Complex
1. high pull from floor (explosive deadlift right into upright row in one motion);
2. barbell back to thighs, then hang clean (explosively pull bar from knees and "catch" the bar at shoulders);
3. barbell back to floor, then clean & push-press;
4. barbell back to thighs, bend over, then bent over row;
5. barbell back to thighs, then finish with Romanian deadlift
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Use a weight that you can still handle for your weakest lift of the bunch, but keep it heavy enough to challenge you. Try to repeat the sequence 2-3 times without resting... That’s 1 set. You could progress over time on this routine by increasing the amount of times you repeat the sequence in each set, or by adding sets on subsequent workouts before eventually increasing the weight. For example, say you completed the above complex with 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 3 sets in today’s workout. Next time you perform the workout, try to do 155 lbs for 3 sequences per set for 4 sets. Once you successfully complete 5 sets with 155, increase the weight 5 or 10 lbs next time, and drop back to 3 sets. This is a great way to make improvements over time, while cycling your training volume.
Now I’m going to show you a great kettlebell complex that really kicks my butt. I’ve been training with kettlebells for a little over a year now, and can definitely say that they’ve dramatically improved my strength, body composition, and overall physical capabilities. If you’re not familiar with kettlebells, they are an old eastern European training secret that has just started to take the US by storm over the last few years. Many elite athletes are using kettlebells as their preferred training tool for serious results. You can learn more info about body-hardening kettlebells here. I’d recommend just starting off with one bell and learn all of the single kettlebell drills first, before delving into the double-bell drills. Just one kettlebell coupled with some bodyweight exercises can literally be enough to comprise your own home gym, without any other equipment necessary. Or you can just incorporate kettlebell training into your normal training routine once or twice a week to shake up your routine and stimulate new results. Either way, they are one of the best fitness products I’ve ever invested in that I’ll be able to use for the rest of my life.
19 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
Example Kettlebell Complex
1. one arm swing
2. one arm snatch, keep the bell over head;
3. one arm overhead squat;
4. bell back down to bottom, then one arm split snatch;
5. bell back down to bottom, then one arm clean & press
As with the barbell complex, repeat the sequence (without rest) 2-3 times with each arm. That’s one set…and one hell of a killer set at that! Try increasing from 3 to 4 to 5 sets on subsequent workouts with a given weight before increasing your sequence reps. If you’re not drenched in sweat with your heart beating out of your chest after that complex, you either went too light, or you are a mutant freak!
Alright, since most people will have easier access to dumbbells instead of kettlebells, now I’ll show you how to compile a good dumbbell complex.
Example Dumbbell Complex
1. upright row with each arm separately, then both together;
2. front lunge with one leg, then the other;
3. back lunge with one leg, then the other;
4. curl to overhead press;
5. keep dumbbells at shoulders and squat
Again, the same type of sequencing and progressions work great with the dumbbell complexes. I think a great strategy is to alternate barbell complexes on one day with kettlebell or dumbbell complexes on alternative training days. For
20 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
example, you could do barbell complexes Monday, K-bell or D-bell complexes Wednesday, and back to barbell complexes on Friday. Maybe hit some sprints and bodyweight drills on Saturday or Sunday; then Monday would be K-bell or D-bell complexes again, Wednesday would be barbells again, and so on. Give this program a try for a month (if you dare), and you will be one hardened individual!
For more killer full body training routines and a fully comprehensive nutritional analysis for developing the body you’ve always wanted and get rid of that stubborn belly fat for good, check out the Truth about Six Pack Abs.
I like to incorporate about 5 exercises into my complexes. Any more than that and you might start to forget what’s next in the sequence. Here’s an example of a killer barbell complex that really gets me fired up:
Example Barbell Complex
1. high pull from floor (explosive deadlift right into upright row in one motion);
2. barbell back to thighs, then hang clean (explosively pull bar from knees and "catch" the bar at shoulders);
3. barbell back to floor, then clean & push-press;
4. barbell back to thighs, bend over, then bent over row;
5. barbell back to thighs, then finish with Romanian deadlift
18 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
Use a weight that you can still handle for your weakest lift of the bunch, but keep it heavy enough to challenge you. Try to repeat the sequence 2-3 times without resting... That’s 1 set. You could progress over time on this routine by increasing the amount of times you repeat the sequence in each set, or by adding sets on subsequent workouts before eventually increasing the weight. For example, say you completed the above complex with 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 3 sets in today’s workout. Next time you perform the workout, try to do 155 lbs for 3 sequences per set for 4 sets. Once you successfully complete 5 sets with 155, increase the weight 5 or 10 lbs next time, and drop back to 3 sets. This is a great way to make improvements over time, while cycling your training volume.
Now I’m going to show you a great kettlebell complex that really kicks my butt. I’ve been training with kettlebells for a little over a year now, and can definitely say that they’ve dramatically improved my strength, body composition, and overall physical capabilities. If you’re not familiar with kettlebells, they are an old eastern European training secret that has just started to take the US by storm over the last few years. Many elite athletes are using kettlebells as their preferred training tool for serious results. You can learn more info about body-hardening kettlebells here. I’d recommend just starting off with one bell and learn all of the single kettlebell drills first, before delving into the double-bell drills. Just one kettlebell coupled with some bodyweight exercises can literally be enough to comprise your own home gym, without any other equipment necessary. Or you can just incorporate kettlebell training into your normal training routine once or twice a week to shake up your routine and stimulate new results. Either way, they are one of the best fitness products I’ve ever invested in that I’ll be able to use for the rest of my life.
19 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
Example Kettlebell Complex
1. one arm swing
2. one arm snatch, keep the bell over head;
3. one arm overhead squat;
4. bell back down to bottom, then one arm split snatch;
5. bell back down to bottom, then one arm clean & press
As with the barbell complex, repeat the sequence (without rest) 2-3 times with each arm. That’s one set…and one hell of a killer set at that! Try increasing from 3 to 4 to 5 sets on subsequent workouts with a given weight before increasing your sequence reps. If you’re not drenched in sweat with your heart beating out of your chest after that complex, you either went too light, or you are a mutant freak!
Alright, since most people will have easier access to dumbbells instead of kettlebells, now I’ll show you how to compile a good dumbbell complex.
Example Dumbbell Complex
1. upright row with each arm separately, then both together;
2. front lunge with one leg, then the other;
3. back lunge with one leg, then the other;
4. curl to overhead press;
5. keep dumbbells at shoulders and squat
Again, the same type of sequencing and progressions work great with the dumbbell complexes. I think a great strategy is to alternate barbell complexes on one day with kettlebell or dumbbell complexes on alternative training days. For
20 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
example, you could do barbell complexes Monday, K-bell or D-bell complexes Wednesday, and back to barbell complexes on Friday. Maybe hit some sprints and bodyweight drills on Saturday or Sunday; then Monday would be K-bell or D-bell complexes again, Wednesday would be barbells again, and so on. Give this program a try for a month (if you dare), and you will be one hardened individual!
For more killer full body training routines and a fully comprehensive nutritional analysis for developing the body you’ve always wanted and get rid of that stubborn belly fat for good, check out the Truth about Six Pack Abs.
2.5 The Ultimate Hard-Body Exercise
have already discovered, the squat is at the top of the heap (along with deadlifts) as one of the most effective overall exercises for stimulating body composition changes (muscle gain and fat loss). This is because exercises like squats and deadlifts use more muscle groups under a heavy load than almost any other weight bearing exercises known to man. Hence, these exercises stimulate the greatest hormonal responses (growth hormone, testosterone, etc.) of all exercises. In fact, university research studies have even proven that inclusion of squats into a training program increases upper body development, in addition to lower body development, even though upper body specific joint movements are not performed during the squat. Whether your goal is gaining muscle mass, losing body fat, building a strong and functional body, or improving athletic performance, the basic squat and deadlift (and their variations) are the ultimate solution. If you don’t believe me that squats and deadlifts are THE basis for a lean and powerful body, then go ahead and join all of the other overweight people pumping away mindlessly for hours on boring cardio equipment. You won’t find long boring cardio in any of my programs!
Squats can be done simply with your bodyweight or with any free weighted objects for extra resistance such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, etc. Squats should only be done with free weights – NEVER with a Smith machine or any other squat machines! Machines do not allow your body to follow natural, biomechanically-correct movement paths. You also perform less work because the machine stabilizes the weight for you. Therefore, you get weaker results!
The type of squat that people are most familiar with is the barbell back squat where the bar is resting on the trapezius muscles of the upper back. Many professional strength coaches believe that front squats (where the bar rests on the shoulders in front of the head) and overhead squats (where the bar is locked out in a snatch grip overhead throughout the squat) are more functional to athletic performance than back squats with less risk of lower back injury. I feel that a combination of all
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three (not necessarily during the same phase of your workouts) will yield the best results for overall muscular development, body fat loss, and athletic performance. Front squats are moderately more difficult than back squats, while overhead squats are considerably more difficult than either back squats or front squats. I’ll cover overhead squats in a future article. If you are only accustomed to performing back squats, it will take you a few sessions to become comfortable with front squats, so start out light. After a couple sessions of practice, you will start to feel the groove and be able to increase the poundage. Let’s take a closer look at front squats in particular.
To perform front squats:
The front squat recruits the abdominals to a much higher degree for stability due to the more upright position compared with back squats. It is mostly a lower body exercise, but is great for functionally incorporating core strength and stability into the squatting movement. It can also be slightly difficult to learn how to properly rest the bar on your shoulders. There are two ways to rest the bar on the front of the shoulders. In the first method, you step under the bar and cross your forearms into an "X" position while resting the bar on the dimple that is created by the shoulder muscle near the bone, keeping your elbows up high so that your arms are parallel to the ground. You then hold the bar in place by pressing the thumb side of your fists against the bar for support. Alternatively, you can hold the bar by placing your palms face up and the bar resting on your fingers against your shoulders. For both methods, your elbows must stay up high to prevent the weight from falling. Your upper arms should stay parallel to the ground throughout the squat. Find out which bar support method is more comfortable for you. Then, initiate the squat from your hips by sitting back and down, keeping the weight on your heels as opposed to the balls of your feet. Squat down to a position where your thighs are approximately parallel to the ground, then press back up to the starting position. Keeping your weight more towards your heels is the key factor in squatting to protect your knees from injury and develop strong injury-resistant knee joints. Keep in mind – squats done correctly actually strengthen the knees; squats done incorrectly can damage
16 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
the knees. Practice first with an un-weighted bar or a relatively light weight to learn the movement. Most people are surprised how hard this exercise works your abs once you learn the correct form. This is due to the more upright posture compared with back squats.
Squats can be done simply with your bodyweight or with any free weighted objects for extra resistance such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, etc. Squats should only be done with free weights – NEVER with a Smith machine or any other squat machines! Machines do not allow your body to follow natural, biomechanically-correct movement paths. You also perform less work because the machine stabilizes the weight for you. Therefore, you get weaker results!
The type of squat that people are most familiar with is the barbell back squat where the bar is resting on the trapezius muscles of the upper back. Many professional strength coaches believe that front squats (where the bar rests on the shoulders in front of the head) and overhead squats (where the bar is locked out in a snatch grip overhead throughout the squat) are more functional to athletic performance than back squats with less risk of lower back injury. I feel that a combination of all
15 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
three (not necessarily during the same phase of your workouts) will yield the best results for overall muscular development, body fat loss, and athletic performance. Front squats are moderately more difficult than back squats, while overhead squats are considerably more difficult than either back squats or front squats. I’ll cover overhead squats in a future article. If you are only accustomed to performing back squats, it will take you a few sessions to become comfortable with front squats, so start out light. After a couple sessions of practice, you will start to feel the groove and be able to increase the poundage. Let’s take a closer look at front squats in particular.
To perform front squats:
The front squat recruits the abdominals to a much higher degree for stability due to the more upright position compared with back squats. It is mostly a lower body exercise, but is great for functionally incorporating core strength and stability into the squatting movement. It can also be slightly difficult to learn how to properly rest the bar on your shoulders. There are two ways to rest the bar on the front of the shoulders. In the first method, you step under the bar and cross your forearms into an "X" position while resting the bar on the dimple that is created by the shoulder muscle near the bone, keeping your elbows up high so that your arms are parallel to the ground. You then hold the bar in place by pressing the thumb side of your fists against the bar for support. Alternatively, you can hold the bar by placing your palms face up and the bar resting on your fingers against your shoulders. For both methods, your elbows must stay up high to prevent the weight from falling. Your upper arms should stay parallel to the ground throughout the squat. Find out which bar support method is more comfortable for you. Then, initiate the squat from your hips by sitting back and down, keeping the weight on your heels as opposed to the balls of your feet. Squat down to a position where your thighs are approximately parallel to the ground, then press back up to the starting position. Keeping your weight more towards your heels is the key factor in squatting to protect your knees from injury and develop strong injury-resistant knee joints. Keep in mind – squats done correctly actually strengthen the knees; squats done incorrectly can damage
16 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
the knees. Practice first with an un-weighted bar or a relatively light weight to learn the movement. Most people are surprised how hard this exercise works your abs once you learn the correct form. This is due to the more upright posture compared with back squats.
2.4 Your Workouts Need Both Consistency and Variability for Max Results
There are many more ways to continue to change your training variables. This was just a taste of your possibilities. Be creative and get results!
12 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
In the last chapter, I spoke about the fact that you must alter your training variables that make up your workouts if you want to continuously get good results, whether it is losing weight, building muscle, or toning up.
While changing your training variables is an integral part of the success of your training program, your workouts shouldn’t be drastically different every single time. If you are all over the place on each workout and never try to repeat and improve on specific exercises for specific set and rep schemes with specific rest intervals, then your body has no basis to improve on its current condition. The best way to structure your workouts to get the best results is to be consistent and try to continually improve on a specific training method for a specific time period. A time period of 4-8 weeks usually works best as your body will adapt to the specific training method and progress will slow after this amount of time.
At this point, it is time to change around some of your training variables as I described in the "exercise variables" article, and then stay consistent with your new training program for another 4-8 weeks. To refresh, some of these variables are the numbers of sets and reps of exercises, the order of exercises (sequence), exercise grouping (super-setting, circuit training, tri-sets, etc.), exercise type (multi-joint or single joint, free-weight or machine based), the number of exercises per workout, the amount of resistance, the time under tension, the base of stability (standing, seated, on stability ball, one-legged, etc.), the volume of work (sets x reps x distance moved), rest periods between sets, repetition speed, range of motion, exercise angle (inclined, flat, declined, bent over, upright, etc), training duration per workout, training frequency per week, etc.
For example, let’s say you are training with a program where you are doing 10 sets of 3 reps for 6 different exercises grouped together in pairs (done as supersets) with 30 seconds rest between each superset and no rest between the 2 exercises
13 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
within the superset. If you are smart, I’m sure you are tracking your progress with a notepad (weights used, sets, and reps) to see how you are progressing over time. Let’s say that after about 6 weeks, you find that you are no longer improving with that program. Well, now it is time to change up your variables, and start a new program.
This time you might choose a classic 5 sets of 5 reps routine, but you group your exercises in tri-sets (three exercises performed back to back to back, and then repeated for the number of sets). This time you decide to perform the exercises in the tri-set with no rest between them, and then recover for 2 minutes in between each tri-set to fully recoup your strength levels.
There you have it…a couple examples of how to incorporate both consistency and variability into your training programs to maximize your results. Want to take the guess work out of all of this? Pick up a copy of my e-book today at Truth about Six Pack Abs and try the scientifically designed programs already illustrated within, and start getting rid of your stubborn belly fat now. .....
12 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
In the last chapter, I spoke about the fact that you must alter your training variables that make up your workouts if you want to continuously get good results, whether it is losing weight, building muscle, or toning up.
While changing your training variables is an integral part of the success of your training program, your workouts shouldn’t be drastically different every single time. If you are all over the place on each workout and never try to repeat and improve on specific exercises for specific set and rep schemes with specific rest intervals, then your body has no basis to improve on its current condition. The best way to structure your workouts to get the best results is to be consistent and try to continually improve on a specific training method for a specific time period. A time period of 4-8 weeks usually works best as your body will adapt to the specific training method and progress will slow after this amount of time.
At this point, it is time to change around some of your training variables as I described in the "exercise variables" article, and then stay consistent with your new training program for another 4-8 weeks. To refresh, some of these variables are the numbers of sets and reps of exercises, the order of exercises (sequence), exercise grouping (super-setting, circuit training, tri-sets, etc.), exercise type (multi-joint or single joint, free-weight or machine based), the number of exercises per workout, the amount of resistance, the time under tension, the base of stability (standing, seated, on stability ball, one-legged, etc.), the volume of work (sets x reps x distance moved), rest periods between sets, repetition speed, range of motion, exercise angle (inclined, flat, declined, bent over, upright, etc), training duration per workout, training frequency per week, etc.
For example, let’s say you are training with a program where you are doing 10 sets of 3 reps for 6 different exercises grouped together in pairs (done as supersets) with 30 seconds rest between each superset and no rest between the 2 exercises
13 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
within the superset. If you are smart, I’m sure you are tracking your progress with a notepad (weights used, sets, and reps) to see how you are progressing over time. Let’s say that after about 6 weeks, you find that you are no longer improving with that program. Well, now it is time to change up your variables, and start a new program.
This time you might choose a classic 5 sets of 5 reps routine, but you group your exercises in tri-sets (three exercises performed back to back to back, and then repeated for the number of sets). This time you decide to perform the exercises in the tri-set with no rest between them, and then recover for 2 minutes in between each tri-set to fully recoup your strength levels.
There you have it…a couple examples of how to incorporate both consistency and variability into your training programs to maximize your results. Want to take the guess work out of all of this? Pick up a copy of my e-book today at Truth about Six Pack Abs and try the scientifically designed programs already illustrated within, and start getting rid of your stubborn belly fat now. .....
2.3 Tired of the Same Old 3 Sets of 10? So is Your Body! Discover How to Manipulate Training Variables
Everyone will inadvertently hit a frustrating plateau in their training at one time or another. You’re cruising along for a while, gaining strength, losing fat, looking better, and then all of the sudden it hits. Suddenly, you find yourself even weaker than before on your lifts, or you find that you’ve gained back a couple of pounds. It happens to everyone. Most of the time, these plateaus occur because people rarely change their training variables over time. Many people stick to the same types of exercises for the same basic sets and reps and rest periods with the same boring cardio routine. Well, I hope to open your mind and bring some creativity to your workouts with this section!
There are many ways that you can strategically modify your training variables to assure that you maximize your fat loss and/or muscle building response to exercise. Most people only think about changing their sets and reps performed, if they even think about changing their routine at all. However, other variables that can dramatically affect your results are changing the order of exercises (sequence), exercise grouping (super-setting, circuit training, tri-sets, etc.), exercise type (multi-joint or single joint, free-weight or machine based), the number of exercises per workout, the amount of resistance, the time under tension, the base of stability (standing, seated, on stability ball, one-legged, etc.), the volume of work (sets x reps x distance moved), rest periods between sets, repetition speed, range of motion, exercise angle (inclined, flat, declined, bent over, upright, etc), training duration per workout, and training frequency per week. Sounds like a lot of different training aspects to consider in order to achieve the best results from your workouts, doesn’t it? Well, that’s where a knowledgeable personal trainer can make sense of all of this for you to make sure that your training doesn’t get stale. Below are a few examples to get your mind working to come up with more creative and result producing workouts.
11 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
Most people stick to workouts where they do something along the lines of 3 sets of 10-12 reps per exercise, with 2-3 minutes rest between sets. Booooorrrrring!!!! Here are a few examples of different methods to spice up your routine.
Try 10 sets of 3, with only 20 seconds rest between sets.
Try using a fairly heavy weight and complete 6 sets of 6 reps, doing a 3 minute treadmill sprint between each weight lifting set.
Try using a near maximum weight and do 10 sets of 1 rep, with only 30 seconds rest between sets.
Try using a lighter than normal weight and do 1 set of 50 reps for each exercise
Try a workout based on only one full body exercise, such as barbell clean & presses or dumbbell squat & presses, and do nothing but that exercise for an intense 20 minutes.
Try a workout based on all bodyweight exercises such as pushups, pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, bodyweight squats, lunges, up and down stairs, etc.
Try a circuit of 12 different exercises covering the entire body without any rest between exercises.
Try that same 12 exercise circuit on your subsequent workout, but do the entire circuit in the reverse order.
Try your usual exercises at a faster repetition speed on one workout and then at a super-slow speed on your next workout.
Try completing six 30 minute workouts one week, followed by three 1-hr workouts the next week. This will keep your body guessing.
Try doing drop sets of all of your exercises, where you drop the weight between each set and keep doing repetitions without any rest until complete muscular fatigue (usually about 5-6 sets in a row).
There are many ways that you can strategically modify your training variables to assure that you maximize your fat loss and/or muscle building response to exercise. Most people only think about changing their sets and reps performed, if they even think about changing their routine at all. However, other variables that can dramatically affect your results are changing the order of exercises (sequence), exercise grouping (super-setting, circuit training, tri-sets, etc.), exercise type (multi-joint or single joint, free-weight or machine based), the number of exercises per workout, the amount of resistance, the time under tension, the base of stability (standing, seated, on stability ball, one-legged, etc.), the volume of work (sets x reps x distance moved), rest periods between sets, repetition speed, range of motion, exercise angle (inclined, flat, declined, bent over, upright, etc), training duration per workout, and training frequency per week. Sounds like a lot of different training aspects to consider in order to achieve the best results from your workouts, doesn’t it? Well, that’s where a knowledgeable personal trainer can make sense of all of this for you to make sure that your training doesn’t get stale. Below are a few examples to get your mind working to come up with more creative and result producing workouts.
11 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
Most people stick to workouts where they do something along the lines of 3 sets of 10-12 reps per exercise, with 2-3 minutes rest between sets. Booooorrrrring!!!! Here are a few examples of different methods to spice up your routine.
Try 10 sets of 3, with only 20 seconds rest between sets.
Try using a fairly heavy weight and complete 6 sets of 6 reps, doing a 3 minute treadmill sprint between each weight lifting set.
Try using a near maximum weight and do 10 sets of 1 rep, with only 30 seconds rest between sets.
Try using a lighter than normal weight and do 1 set of 50 reps for each exercise
Try a workout based on only one full body exercise, such as barbell clean & presses or dumbbell squat & presses, and do nothing but that exercise for an intense 20 minutes.
Try a workout based on all bodyweight exercises such as pushups, pull-ups, chin-ups, dips, bodyweight squats, lunges, up and down stairs, etc.
Try a circuit of 12 different exercises covering the entire body without any rest between exercises.
Try that same 12 exercise circuit on your subsequent workout, but do the entire circuit in the reverse order.
Try your usual exercises at a faster repetition speed on one workout and then at a super-slow speed on your next workout.
Try completing six 30 minute workouts one week, followed by three 1-hr workouts the next week. This will keep your body guessing.
Try doing drop sets of all of your exercises, where you drop the weight between each set and keep doing repetitions without any rest until complete muscular fatigue (usually about 5-6 sets in a row).
2.2 Body Part Isolation vs. Complex Movements in Strength Training
Working as a fitness professional, there is one type of question I get all the time that shows that many people are missing the big picture regarding the benefits of strength training. This popular question usually goes something like this:
"What exercise can I do to isolate my _______ (insert your muscle of choice – abs, quads, biceps, triceps, etc)?"
It doesn’t matter which muscle someone is asking about, they always seem to be asking how to ‘isolate’ it. My first response to this question is always – "Why in the world would you want to isolate it?"
The first thing I try to teach my clients is that the body does not work well in muscle isolation. Rather, it works better in movements along a kinetic chain; that is, large portions of the body assist other portions of the body in completing a complex movement. In fact, there really is no such thing as true muscle isolation. There is almost always a nearby muscle group that will assist in some way with whatever movement you are doing. However, this article compares attempting to ‘isolate’ body parts via single-joint exercises to the much more effective strategy of performing multi-joint complex movements.
When you attempt to ‘isolate’ muscles by performing single-joint exercises, you are actually creating a body that is non-functional and will be more prone to injury. Essentially, you are creating a body that is a compilation of body parts, instead of a powerful, functional unit that works together.
Now if you really want to end up hobbling around in a body bandaged up with joint problems, tendonitis, and excess body fat, then by all means, continue trying to ‘isolate’ body parts. On the other hand, if you would rather have a lean, muscular, injury-free, functional body that works as a complete powerful unit to perform complex movements (in athletics or even everyday tasks), then you need to shift
9 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
your focus away from muscle isolation. Believe me, focusing on how well your body functions will give you the side effect of a body that looks even better than it would have if you focused on muscle isolation. For example, take a look at the physiques of any NFL running backs, wide receivers, or even world class sprinters. Trust me when I say that these guys pretty much NEVER train for muscle isolation (their strength coaches wouldn’t be crazy enough to let them), yet they are absolutely ripped to shreds!
Another benefit to moving away from the ‘muscle isolation’ mindset to a more ‘complex movement’ mindset is that you will find it much easier to lose body fat. The reason is that by focusing more on multi-joint complex movements as opposed to single-joint muscle isolation, you not only burn a lot more calories during each workout, but you also increase your metabolic rate, and stimulate production of more fat burning and muscle building hormones like growth hormone and testosterone.....
Let’s look at an example. The machine leg extension is a single joint exercise that works mainly the quadriceps, can potentially cause knee joint instability in the long run, and doesn’t even burn that many calories. On the other hand, exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts are all multi-joint complex movements that work hundreds of muscles in the body (including the quadriceps) as a functional unit, create more stable and strong joints in the long run (when done properly), and also burn massive quantities of calories compared to the single-joint exercises.
"What exercise can I do to isolate my _______ (insert your muscle of choice – abs, quads, biceps, triceps, etc)?"
It doesn’t matter which muscle someone is asking about, they always seem to be asking how to ‘isolate’ it. My first response to this question is always – "Why in the world would you want to isolate it?"
The first thing I try to teach my clients is that the body does not work well in muscle isolation. Rather, it works better in movements along a kinetic chain; that is, large portions of the body assist other portions of the body in completing a complex movement. In fact, there really is no such thing as true muscle isolation. There is almost always a nearby muscle group that will assist in some way with whatever movement you are doing. However, this article compares attempting to ‘isolate’ body parts via single-joint exercises to the much more effective strategy of performing multi-joint complex movements.
When you attempt to ‘isolate’ muscles by performing single-joint exercises, you are actually creating a body that is non-functional and will be more prone to injury. Essentially, you are creating a body that is a compilation of body parts, instead of a powerful, functional unit that works together.
Now if you really want to end up hobbling around in a body bandaged up with joint problems, tendonitis, and excess body fat, then by all means, continue trying to ‘isolate’ body parts. On the other hand, if you would rather have a lean, muscular, injury-free, functional body that works as a complete powerful unit to perform complex movements (in athletics or even everyday tasks), then you need to shift
9 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
your focus away from muscle isolation. Believe me, focusing on how well your body functions will give you the side effect of a body that looks even better than it would have if you focused on muscle isolation. For example, take a look at the physiques of any NFL running backs, wide receivers, or even world class sprinters. Trust me when I say that these guys pretty much NEVER train for muscle isolation (their strength coaches wouldn’t be crazy enough to let them), yet they are absolutely ripped to shreds!
Another benefit to moving away from the ‘muscle isolation’ mindset to a more ‘complex movement’ mindset is that you will find it much easier to lose body fat. The reason is that by focusing more on multi-joint complex movements as opposed to single-joint muscle isolation, you not only burn a lot more calories during each workout, but you also increase your metabolic rate, and stimulate production of more fat burning and muscle building hormones like growth hormone and testosterone.....
Let’s look at an example. The machine leg extension is a single joint exercise that works mainly the quadriceps, can potentially cause knee joint instability in the long run, and doesn’t even burn that many calories. On the other hand, exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts are all multi-joint complex movements that work hundreds of muscles in the body (including the quadriceps) as a functional unit, create more stable and strong joints in the long run (when done properly), and also burn massive quantities of calories compared to the single-joint exercises.
TRAINING STRATEGIES 2.1 Bad Cardio vs. Good Cardio
It is common to hear fitness professionals and medical doctors prescribe low to moderate intensity aerobic training (cardio) to people who are trying to prevent heart disease or lose weight. Most often, the recommendations constitute something along the lines of "perform 30-60 minutes of steady pace cardio 3-5 times per week maintaining your heart rate at a moderate level". Before you just give in to this popular belief and become the "hamster on the wheel" doing endless hours of boring cardio, I’d like you to consider some recent scientific research that indicates that steady pace endurance cardio work may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
First, realize that our bodies are designed to perform physical activity in bursts of exertion followed by recovery, or stop-and-go movement instead of steady state movement. Recent research is suggesting that physical variability is one of the most important aspects to consider in your training. This tendency can be seen throughout nature as animals almost always demonstrate stop-and-go motion instead of steady state motion. In fact, humans are the only creatures in nature that attempt to do "endurance" type physical activities. Most competitive sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) are also based on stop-and-go movement or short bursts of exertion followed by recovery. To examine an example of the different effects of endurance or steady state training versus stop-and-go training, consider the physiques of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters carry a physique that is very lean, muscular, and powerful looking, while the typical dedicated marathoner is more often emaciated and sickly looking. Now which would you rather resemble?
Another factor to keep in mind regarding the benefits of physical variability is the internal effect of various forms of exercise on our body. Scientists have known that excessive steady state endurance exercise (different for everyone, but sometimes defined as greater than 60 minutes per session most days of the week) increases free radical production in the body, can degenerate joints, reduces immune
6 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
function, causes muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training has been linked to increased anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory response, a more efficient nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with weight loss). Furthermore, steady state endurance training only trains the heart at one specific heart rate range and doesn’t train it to respond to various every day stressors. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training teaches the heart to respond to and recover from a variety of demands making it less likely to fail when you need it. Think about it this way -- Exercise that trains your heart to rapidly increase and rapidly decrease will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress. Stress can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase rapidly. Steady state jogging and other endurance training does not train your heart to be able to handle rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure. Steady state exercise only trains the heart at one specific heart rate, so you don’t get the benefit of training your entire heart rate range.
The important aspect of variable cyclic training that makes it superior over steady state cardio is the recovery period in between bursts of exertion. That recovery period is crucially important for the body to elicit a healthy response to an exercise stimulus. Another benefit of variable cyclic training is that it is much more interesting and has lower drop-out rates than long boring steady state cardio programs.
To summarize, some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic training compared to steady state endurance training are as follows: improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. There are many ways you can reap the benefits of stop-and-go or variable intensity physical training. One of the absolute most effective forms of
7 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
variable intensity training to really reduce body fat and bring out serious muscular definition is performing wind sprints or hill sprints. Also, most competitive sports such as football, basketball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, etc. are naturally comprised of highly variable stop-and-go motion. In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is yet another training method that utilizes exertion and recovery periods. For example, an interval training session on the treadmill could look something like this:
Warm-up for 3-4 minutes at a fast walk or light jog
Interval 1 - run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute
Interval 2 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes
Interval 3 - run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute
Interval 4 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes
Repeat those 4 intervals 4 times for a very intense 20-minute workout.
The take-away message from this section is to try to train your body at highly variable intensity rates for the majority of your workouts to get the most beneficial response in terms of heart health, fat loss, and muscle maintenance.
8 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
First, realize that our bodies are designed to perform physical activity in bursts of exertion followed by recovery, or stop-and-go movement instead of steady state movement. Recent research is suggesting that physical variability is one of the most important aspects to consider in your training. This tendency can be seen throughout nature as animals almost always demonstrate stop-and-go motion instead of steady state motion. In fact, humans are the only creatures in nature that attempt to do "endurance" type physical activities. Most competitive sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) are also based on stop-and-go movement or short bursts of exertion followed by recovery. To examine an example of the different effects of endurance or steady state training versus stop-and-go training, consider the physiques of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters carry a physique that is very lean, muscular, and powerful looking, while the typical dedicated marathoner is more often emaciated and sickly looking. Now which would you rather resemble?
Another factor to keep in mind regarding the benefits of physical variability is the internal effect of various forms of exercise on our body. Scientists have known that excessive steady state endurance exercise (different for everyone, but sometimes defined as greater than 60 minutes per session most days of the week) increases free radical production in the body, can degenerate joints, reduces immune
6 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
function, causes muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training has been linked to increased anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory response, a more efficient nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with weight loss). Furthermore, steady state endurance training only trains the heart at one specific heart rate range and doesn’t train it to respond to various every day stressors. On the other hand, highly variable cyclic training teaches the heart to respond to and recover from a variety of demands making it less likely to fail when you need it. Think about it this way -- Exercise that trains your heart to rapidly increase and rapidly decrease will make your heart more capable of handling everyday stress. Stress can cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase rapidly. Steady state jogging and other endurance training does not train your heart to be able to handle rapid changes in heart rate or blood pressure. Steady state exercise only trains the heart at one specific heart rate, so you don’t get the benefit of training your entire heart rate range.
The important aspect of variable cyclic training that makes it superior over steady state cardio is the recovery period in between bursts of exertion. That recovery period is crucially important for the body to elicit a healthy response to an exercise stimulus. Another benefit of variable cyclic training is that it is much more interesting and has lower drop-out rates than long boring steady state cardio programs.
To summarize, some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic training compared to steady state endurance training are as follows: improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting, increased residual metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. There are many ways you can reap the benefits of stop-and-go or variable intensity physical training. One of the absolute most effective forms of
7 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
variable intensity training to really reduce body fat and bring out serious muscular definition is performing wind sprints or hill sprints. Also, most competitive sports such as football, basketball, racquetball, tennis, hockey, etc. are naturally comprised of highly variable stop-and-go motion. In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is yet another training method that utilizes exertion and recovery periods. For example, an interval training session on the treadmill could look something like this:
Warm-up for 3-4 minutes at a fast walk or light jog
Interval 1 - run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute
Interval 2 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes
Interval 3 - run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute
Interval 4 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1.5 minutes
Repeat those 4 intervals 4 times for a very intense 20-minute workout.
The take-away message from this section is to try to train your body at highly variable intensity rates for the majority of your workouts to get the most beneficial response in terms of heart health, fat loss, and muscle maintenance.
8 Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body TruthAboutAbs.com
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Taking steps for reducing stress and anxiety in your life will not only give you serenity but can add years to your life, too. Stress puts both your body and your mind under strain. Short-term stress (called eustress) can't be helped and we all have to make it through stressful situations. Let's avoid distress, though.
But living in a stressful situation, whether it's a relationship or a job, isn't healthy for your body. Anxiety is often stress that accumulated and has now reached the stage where it must be dealt with in order for you to have the calmness back in your life.
There are so many things that cause us stress, which leads to anxiety. The worst thing that anyone can do is to ignore stress. Picture chronic stress like an oversized beach ball in the ocean.
You use a lot of mental energy to push that ball down below the surface so you don't have to deal with it. But the force of the water and the air in the ball will always bring it back to the surface. Such is the way with stress. No matter how long you don't deal with it or how often you push it aside, it will always bounce back into your life unless you root it out.
Reducing stress and anxiety enables you to move beyond the emotions and the struggle that keep you standing in the vast ocean trying to keep that ball away. The first step you should do is to limit the amount of external things that bring on more stress or aggravate the stress you already have.
For example, if hearing sad stories on the radio upset you, turn the radio off. Don't fill your mind with negative stories in any type of media. In case you haven't noticed, the uplifting, positive articles rarely make the news. Bad news can fill a person with anxiety.
Dump the negative from your life. If you have a friend who's always pulling you down emotionally or tearing down your self-esteem, this is not a healthy relationship and it's time to move on.
Look for events and people that introduce more laughter and joy into your life. Shut off the television and get on your feet. It's a proven fact that exercise is a great way to get rid of anxiety along with stress. As you exercise, focus on the positives. Take a walk outside. Think about the way the sunshine warms your face and how good the air smells. If a negative thought pops into your mind, refuse to dwell on it....
Don't bottle up your emotions and assume no one wants to listen to what's going on in your life. Make time with a good friend to sit and talk about how you're feeling. If you've recently moved and your friends are too far away, consider talking to a counselor.
Break down your day into small, easy to accomplish goals. Reward yourself when you reach them. Stop beating yourself up. Many of us have that inner self-critic that tells us we're no good or we're stupid or too this or too that. Learn to change the negative self talk into positive self-talk. By reducing stress and anxiety in your life, you'll start to feel more relaxed and happier.
Guess what all of the above strategies do for your neurogenesis? You get more of it.
Never heard of neurogenesis? That is the growth of new neurons daily. Not sure about you, but when it comes to brains, I think bigger is better.
What slows, stops, or harms neurogenesis? Stress hormones like adrenalin and cortisol which flood into your body too often, or stay there because you have learned that stress hormones can increase production in the external world which may earn you more money.
Are you in the market for some industrial strength tools for reducing stress and anxiety?
I think the first and most important tool is to manage my thinking, (you have 60,000 thoughts per day) and I need to create many repetitions of short little phrases, like "gratitude is the attitude', each of which will change the chemistry of my body from adrenalin and cortisol to DHEA, the antiaging hormone...
The Quick Coherence Tool which is part of the heart rate variability biofeedback package is another example of a quick little mental and imaginal check list which I can run through quickly, when I need to take a break, which will change the chemistry in my body, and I also need to remember that each time I create relaxation, I am encouraging my brain to grow new neurons.
I have used the heart rate variability biofeedback tool for about 11 years personally and professionally and I am sold on it because of the biofeedback on the computer screen. I have the amazing capacity to convince myself that I am better at a skill than I really am, and the computerized biofeedback is a great teacher.
But once I have learned that skill, I can replicate it without the computer and trust that I am really getting the process done.
And from a place of relaxation, the neurogenesis is so much stronger. Pretty important if your brain, like mine, is a 62 year old brain...
But living in a stressful situation, whether it's a relationship or a job, isn't healthy for your body. Anxiety is often stress that accumulated and has now reached the stage where it must be dealt with in order for you to have the calmness back in your life.
There are so many things that cause us stress, which leads to anxiety. The worst thing that anyone can do is to ignore stress. Picture chronic stress like an oversized beach ball in the ocean.
You use a lot of mental energy to push that ball down below the surface so you don't have to deal with it. But the force of the water and the air in the ball will always bring it back to the surface. Such is the way with stress. No matter how long you don't deal with it or how often you push it aside, it will always bounce back into your life unless you root it out.
Reducing stress and anxiety enables you to move beyond the emotions and the struggle that keep you standing in the vast ocean trying to keep that ball away. The first step you should do is to limit the amount of external things that bring on more stress or aggravate the stress you already have.
For example, if hearing sad stories on the radio upset you, turn the radio off. Don't fill your mind with negative stories in any type of media. In case you haven't noticed, the uplifting, positive articles rarely make the news. Bad news can fill a person with anxiety.
Dump the negative from your life. If you have a friend who's always pulling you down emotionally or tearing down your self-esteem, this is not a healthy relationship and it's time to move on.
Look for events and people that introduce more laughter and joy into your life. Shut off the television and get on your feet. It's a proven fact that exercise is a great way to get rid of anxiety along with stress. As you exercise, focus on the positives. Take a walk outside. Think about the way the sunshine warms your face and how good the air smells. If a negative thought pops into your mind, refuse to dwell on it....
Don't bottle up your emotions and assume no one wants to listen to what's going on in your life. Make time with a good friend to sit and talk about how you're feeling. If you've recently moved and your friends are too far away, consider talking to a counselor.
Break down your day into small, easy to accomplish goals. Reward yourself when you reach them. Stop beating yourself up. Many of us have that inner self-critic that tells us we're no good or we're stupid or too this or too that. Learn to change the negative self talk into positive self-talk. By reducing stress and anxiety in your life, you'll start to feel more relaxed and happier.
Guess what all of the above strategies do for your neurogenesis? You get more of it.
Never heard of neurogenesis? That is the growth of new neurons daily. Not sure about you, but when it comes to brains, I think bigger is better.
What slows, stops, or harms neurogenesis? Stress hormones like adrenalin and cortisol which flood into your body too often, or stay there because you have learned that stress hormones can increase production in the external world which may earn you more money.
Are you in the market for some industrial strength tools for reducing stress and anxiety?
I think the first and most important tool is to manage my thinking, (you have 60,000 thoughts per day) and I need to create many repetitions of short little phrases, like "gratitude is the attitude', each of which will change the chemistry of my body from adrenalin and cortisol to DHEA, the antiaging hormone...
The Quick Coherence Tool which is part of the heart rate variability biofeedback package is another example of a quick little mental and imaginal check list which I can run through quickly, when I need to take a break, which will change the chemistry in my body, and I also need to remember that each time I create relaxation, I am encouraging my brain to grow new neurons.
I have used the heart rate variability biofeedback tool for about 11 years personally and professionally and I am sold on it because of the biofeedback on the computer screen. I have the amazing capacity to convince myself that I am better at a skill than I really am, and the computerized biofeedback is a great teacher.
But once I have learned that skill, I can replicate it without the computer and trust that I am really getting the process done.
And from a place of relaxation, the neurogenesis is so much stronger. Pretty important if your brain, like mine, is a 62 year old brain...
How to Break Weight Loss Plateau for Vegetarians
As an overweight vegetarian who's happily losing weight with a vegetarian weight loss diet, you can't escape the fate of hitting weight loss plateau, that is, you manage to lose 10 or even 40 pounds and you still have more to go, but somehow you got stuck. Your weight just wouldn't budge an ounce. What can you do?
Actually, there's no such thing as weight loss plateau in my opinion. The actual plateau lies in your food choices and your vegetarian lifestyle. Here are the 5 strategies to help you break your "weight loss plateau" and lose weight as a vegetarian. If you apply them correctly with good common sense, you'll slim down all the way till you reach your ideal weight and shape. Let's get started...
1. Include All-Round Nutrients in Your Vegetarian Weight Loss Diet
Imagine every day you eat oatmeal for breakfast, fruit salad for lunch and curried chickpeas for dinner, how many pounds do you expect to lose with that boring diet?
Even if you change the meal plans a bit is not enough. Get creative and start eating more varieties of food. For example, today your breakfast is protein smoothie, tomorrow it becomes oatmeal with raisins, then day after make rainbow salad as breakfast. Same goes for your lunch and dinner. Change your vegetarian meal plan to stimulate the "senses" of your fat-burning system...
Tip: Always include lots of fibrous foods such as vegetables in your meals. Vegetables carry low calorie but yet their high-fiber content will make you feel full easily so you won't get into trouble with binge eating. They help increase your bowel movement for daily detoxifying too. A cleanse body will burn fat efficiently and effectively.
2. Zig-Zag Calorie Vegetarian Meal Plans for Weight Loss
When you keep eating a fixed amount of calories, your body will auto-adjust to burn just that amount, nothing more, nothing less. To overcome this "defect", keep changing the amount of your calorie intake...
Assuming you need about 1800 calories a day. Take it for 2 days, then on day 3 switch to a lower calorie meal, say 1550 calories. And on day 4, go up to 1700 calories for 1 day then drop the calorie again, increase and decrease and so on...
Actually, there's no such thing as weight loss plateau in my opinion. The actual plateau lies in your food choices and your vegetarian lifestyle. Here are the 5 strategies to help you break your "weight loss plateau" and lose weight as a vegetarian. If you apply them correctly with good common sense, you'll slim down all the way till you reach your ideal weight and shape. Let's get started...
1. Include All-Round Nutrients in Your Vegetarian Weight Loss Diet
Imagine every day you eat oatmeal for breakfast, fruit salad for lunch and curried chickpeas for dinner, how many pounds do you expect to lose with that boring diet?
Even if you change the meal plans a bit is not enough. Get creative and start eating more varieties of food. For example, today your breakfast is protein smoothie, tomorrow it becomes oatmeal with raisins, then day after make rainbow salad as breakfast. Same goes for your lunch and dinner. Change your vegetarian meal plan to stimulate the "senses" of your fat-burning system...
Tip: Always include lots of fibrous foods such as vegetables in your meals. Vegetables carry low calorie but yet their high-fiber content will make you feel full easily so you won't get into trouble with binge eating. They help increase your bowel movement for daily detoxifying too. A cleanse body will burn fat efficiently and effectively.
2. Zig-Zag Calorie Vegetarian Meal Plans for Weight Loss
When you keep eating a fixed amount of calories, your body will auto-adjust to burn just that amount, nothing more, nothing less. To overcome this "defect", keep changing the amount of your calorie intake...
Assuming you need about 1800 calories a day. Take it for 2 days, then on day 3 switch to a lower calorie meal, say 1550 calories. And on day 4, go up to 1700 calories for 1 day then drop the calorie again, increase and decrease and so on...
Healthy Vegetarian Weight Loss - Tips to Help Overweight Vegetarians Lose Weight & Gain Health
Losing weight doesn't mean you'll have to sacrifice your health unless you use crash diets, pills, surgeries or other risky weight loss methods. In fact, you can lose fat and gain health at the same time. No special secrets to achieve that. Just do these 4 things right in your daily vegetarian lifestyle, and you'll lose your stubborn belly fat, trim down your cushioned buttock, and remove your thunder thighs naturally as a vegetarian. More importantly, you restore your health and extend your life.
Vegetarian Weight Loss Tip #1 - Eat to Lose Weight
Did you experience this most of the time - you don't really feel full while eating, but when you're done you feel stuffed? That's because it takes your stomach about 10 - 20 minutes to tell your brain whether it's full or not. So, when you eat fast, by the time your brain receives the "full" signal from your stomach, you've already eaten too much, thereby over-consuming calories.
Thus, slowing down your eating speed gives your stomach ample time to register satiety with your brain, so you won't heap on excess calories. I suggest that you take 20 - 30 minutes to savor your meal.
Next, instead of taking 3 big-portion meals a day, break them into 5 smaller meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus 2 snacks slotting in between the main meals. Eating this way will keep your body metabolically active throughout the day in order to burn fat continuously.
Effective vegetarian weight loss begins with eating vegetarian diet the healthy way.
Vegetarian Weight Loss Tip #2 - Drink to Lose Weight
In cold weather, you don't sweat much, hence your body retains water easily. If you still drink 8 glasses of water (as parroted by most people), your body's water mass may shoot up to cause an imbalance in your sodium (and other electrolytes) level, resulting in water poisoning (hyponatremia) that triggers seizures, brain damage and even death.
Besides, your fiber intake and other liquid intakes (like soup, fruit juice, etc) also contribute to your body's hydration condition. More fiber intake will make you feel thirsty easily as fiber absorbs water for smooth excretion. So you may need to drink more water for that reason. On the other hand, you may not need to if you had already ingested lots of soup or juices for the day.
So, drink the amount of water your body actually needs for proper hydration and your metabolism will run properly to burn fat and help you lose weight.
Vegetarian Weight Loss Tip #3 - Exercise to Lose Weight
Want to take less time to burn more fat? Choose interval training over cardio.
Interval training is a short burst workout routine such that you raise your workout intensity by 10% and do it for a minute, then drop all the way down to recovery state for another minute, followed by another burst of exercise for a minute and so on.
And the best time to get better fat burning response is before your breakfast. But if you can't make it in the morning due to your shift work, other timings work as well, albeit will burn less fat.
Vegetarian Weight Loss Tip #4 - Sleep to Lose Weight
Honestly, there's no hard-and-fast rules on how many hours you should sleep. But just make sure you turn in before 11 P.M. as studies show that our bodies work optimally between 11 P.M. and 2 A.M. at repairing body cells and tissues.
Having more healthy cells and tissues will definitely improve your metabolism since it is your cells and tissues that metabolize your calories to fuel your bodily functions, after all.
Bonus Tip for Effective Vegetarian Weight Loss
When you apply the aforementioned weight loss techniques, you should naturally visit toilet at least once a day for "big" business. That's good. But sometimes your stressful workload might hinder your call of nature. Leaving waste in your body for too long will intoxicate your body and impair your fat burning capability. Hence, block out 30 - 45 minutes a day to calm yourself down to help improve your bowel movement. A well cleansed and detoxified body will lose weight at its peak, particularly when you're a vegetarian...
Vegetarian Weight Loss Tip #1 - Eat to Lose Weight
Did you experience this most of the time - you don't really feel full while eating, but when you're done you feel stuffed? That's because it takes your stomach about 10 - 20 minutes to tell your brain whether it's full or not. So, when you eat fast, by the time your brain receives the "full" signal from your stomach, you've already eaten too much, thereby over-consuming calories.
Thus, slowing down your eating speed gives your stomach ample time to register satiety with your brain, so you won't heap on excess calories. I suggest that you take 20 - 30 minutes to savor your meal.
Next, instead of taking 3 big-portion meals a day, break them into 5 smaller meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus 2 snacks slotting in between the main meals. Eating this way will keep your body metabolically active throughout the day in order to burn fat continuously.
Effective vegetarian weight loss begins with eating vegetarian diet the healthy way.
Vegetarian Weight Loss Tip #2 - Drink to Lose Weight
In cold weather, you don't sweat much, hence your body retains water easily. If you still drink 8 glasses of water (as parroted by most people), your body's water mass may shoot up to cause an imbalance in your sodium (and other electrolytes) level, resulting in water poisoning (hyponatremia) that triggers seizures, brain damage and even death.
Besides, your fiber intake and other liquid intakes (like soup, fruit juice, etc) also contribute to your body's hydration condition. More fiber intake will make you feel thirsty easily as fiber absorbs water for smooth excretion. So you may need to drink more water for that reason. On the other hand, you may not need to if you had already ingested lots of soup or juices for the day.
So, drink the amount of water your body actually needs for proper hydration and your metabolism will run properly to burn fat and help you lose weight.
Vegetarian Weight Loss Tip #3 - Exercise to Lose Weight
Want to take less time to burn more fat? Choose interval training over cardio.
Interval training is a short burst workout routine such that you raise your workout intensity by 10% and do it for a minute, then drop all the way down to recovery state for another minute, followed by another burst of exercise for a minute and so on.
And the best time to get better fat burning response is before your breakfast. But if you can't make it in the morning due to your shift work, other timings work as well, albeit will burn less fat.
Vegetarian Weight Loss Tip #4 - Sleep to Lose Weight
Honestly, there's no hard-and-fast rules on how many hours you should sleep. But just make sure you turn in before 11 P.M. as studies show that our bodies work optimally between 11 P.M. and 2 A.M. at repairing body cells and tissues.
Having more healthy cells and tissues will definitely improve your metabolism since it is your cells and tissues that metabolize your calories to fuel your bodily functions, after all.
Bonus Tip for Effective Vegetarian Weight Loss
When you apply the aforementioned weight loss techniques, you should naturally visit toilet at least once a day for "big" business. That's good. But sometimes your stressful workload might hinder your call of nature. Leaving waste in your body for too long will intoxicate your body and impair your fat burning capability. Hence, block out 30 - 45 minutes a day to calm yourself down to help improve your bowel movement. A well cleansed and detoxified body will lose weight at its peak, particularly when you're a vegetarian...
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Important weight loss tips for losing weight effectively! (extremely important!)
THE BAD FAT MUST GO! Stay away from "bad" fat! Get rid of all the chips and candy. No more fast food, nothing fried. No more cookies, no more cake, no more of these saturated fats. There is no question about it and there is no way around it, get rid of these types of foods. Don't get me wrong, you should NOT be eating 0 grams of fat every day, but the only places you should be getting your daily fat intake from are lean meats (not the fried fast food kind), chicken (again, not fried!), etc. as well as the foods that contain the "healthy" types of fat, which can be found in just about every type of fish (tuna fish, salmon, fish oil supplements, etc.), nuts, olive oil and flaxseed oil.
- LOWER THE BAD CARBS! Most people think that it is fat that makes people fat and that just by eating less fat, they are on their way to weight loss! WRONG! Certain carbs can be just as bad as fat when it comes to losing weight. Limit foods high in bad carbs. These carbs will eventually turn into fat. Foods like sugar, white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. are high in simple (bad) carbs. Sure, your body needs carbs, which is why foods like these are ok to eat, but don't go overboard. Stick to high protein/good carb/low fat foods like tuna fish (and other seafood), chicken breast, turkey, whole grains, fruits and vegetables etc. (For more information, go here: Diet Plans And Diets)
- WATER! Drink water! Get rid of the soda, get rid of the beer, and get rid of the sports drinks. Drink around a half gallon a day, more if you can. Spread it out throughout the day, just like your 5 meals. Yes that's a lot of water, but it's that water that will give you energy and speed your weight loss.
- STRENGTH TRAINING! YES! Weightlifting isn't just great for muscles, it's great for losing weight. Muscles burn calories.
- Weigh yourself at the end of every week. If you ever have more then 2 weeks go by without losing 1 pound, it's time to change something. Eat 250 less calories then you've been eating. And keep everything else the same. Each time you see weight loss stop for more then 2 weeks, decrease calorie intake by 250 until you get down to where you want to be. Remember, NEVER starve yourself!
- Sleep! YES! Sleep! The easiest, yet most over looked step. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Trust me, you're gonna need it! =]
- Food cravings! Can't stop giving in to your food cravings? Read this: food cravings
- Still don't understand weight loss yet? Read this: How to lose weight: My day in a weight loss chat room
There you have it. You now know everything you need to know about losing weight. You didn't have to buy any weight loss pills or books on losing weight, instead, you should use the money you just saved and go buy some good food or a gym membership.
Now, I never once said this would be easy. If it was easy, you would have done it already. Losing weight isn't something you can just do "on the side." You also can NOT lose weight fast. You are going to have to dedicate your mind and body and your time to doing it! So, you now have the information you need, all you have to do now is use it.
***NEW*** After years of people requesting it, I have finally sat down and put together a complete guide to weight loss. All of the specifics... all of the details... everything you will EVER need to know. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, you can learn all about it right here: The Intense Workout's Weight Loss Program.
- Want to measure your body fat? Use body fat calipers which you can buy right here: Body Fat Calipers ...
- LOWER THE BAD CARBS! Most people think that it is fat that makes people fat and that just by eating less fat, they are on their way to weight loss! WRONG! Certain carbs can be just as bad as fat when it comes to losing weight. Limit foods high in bad carbs. These carbs will eventually turn into fat. Foods like sugar, white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. are high in simple (bad) carbs. Sure, your body needs carbs, which is why foods like these are ok to eat, but don't go overboard. Stick to high protein/good carb/low fat foods like tuna fish (and other seafood), chicken breast, turkey, whole grains, fruits and vegetables etc. (For more information, go here: Diet Plans And Diets)
- WATER! Drink water! Get rid of the soda, get rid of the beer, and get rid of the sports drinks. Drink around a half gallon a day, more if you can. Spread it out throughout the day, just like your 5 meals. Yes that's a lot of water, but it's that water that will give you energy and speed your weight loss.
- STRENGTH TRAINING! YES! Weightlifting isn't just great for muscles, it's great for losing weight. Muscles burn calories.
- Weigh yourself at the end of every week. If you ever have more then 2 weeks go by without losing 1 pound, it's time to change something. Eat 250 less calories then you've been eating. And keep everything else the same. Each time you see weight loss stop for more then 2 weeks, decrease calorie intake by 250 until you get down to where you want to be. Remember, NEVER starve yourself!
- Sleep! YES! Sleep! The easiest, yet most over looked step. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Trust me, you're gonna need it! =]
- Food cravings! Can't stop giving in to your food cravings? Read this: food cravings
- Still don't understand weight loss yet? Read this: How to lose weight: My day in a weight loss chat room
There you have it. You now know everything you need to know about losing weight. You didn't have to buy any weight loss pills or books on losing weight, instead, you should use the money you just saved and go buy some good food or a gym membership.
Now, I never once said this would be easy. If it was easy, you would have done it already. Losing weight isn't something you can just do "on the side." You also can NOT lose weight fast. You are going to have to dedicate your mind and body and your time to doing it! So, you now have the information you need, all you have to do now is use it.
***NEW*** After years of people requesting it, I have finally sat down and put together a complete guide to weight loss. All of the specifics... all of the details... everything you will EVER need to know. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, you can learn all about it right here: The Intense Workout's Weight Loss Program.
- Want to measure your body fat? Use body fat calipers which you can buy right here: Body Fat Calipers ...
Well, if you are thinking any of those things, forget it! Forget all of it!
What I am about to give you is totally FREE, detailed, easy to understand information on weight loss and losing weight and how to lose weight and fat without using any type of pill or supplement, without using some "fitness magazine" diet, and by eating not 1, not 2, not 3, but 5 meals a day! Sound impossible? Sound too good to be true? Sound like I'm going to make you buy my "book" or order my "product" first before I tell you? Well I'm not! I don't have a book and I don't a have product. I am not trying to sell you a damn thing! What I am trying to do, no... what I am GOING to do, is tell you exactly how you can lose weight. Enjoy...
Weight loss is simple, burn more calories then you consume. If you can fully understand that then you are on your way to losing weight. There are 6 simple steps. Here they are:
1) Count how many calories you eat in a normal day. That's right, wake up, and eat like you would normally eat and count the calories in everything you eat and everything you drink and keep track of it on a piece of paper or on the computer some where. You might be thinking to yourself, "yeah right, I'm not gonna sit around counting calories all day." Well, if you're thinking that, then you're obviously not dedicated enough to losing weight. If this is the case, then feel free to go waste your money on the newest useless weight loss pill. But, if you are dedicated enough to take 10 minutes out of your day and count the calories, then keep on reading.
2) At the end of that day, add up the number of calories you ate/drank. Be as exact as possible. Once you add it all up, you now have the total number of calories you consume daily. Also, weigh yourself.
3) Starting the day after you counted calories, eat 500 calories LESS then you normally do. So, lets pretend that the day you counted calories you counted 2000. For the rest of the week, you would eat 1500 calories a day. Understand? All you have to do is subtract 500 from the total number of calories you consume in a normal day, and eat this new number of calories every day for the next 7 days.
4) Instead of eating 3 big meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), or eating all day all the time, spread those calories out over 5 smaller meals. Eat one meal every 2 and a half to 3 hours. Doing this will speed up your metabolism.
5) Cardio. Cardio is an important part of weight loss. If you're serious about losing weight, but don't want to do the cardio workouts, then you are requiring your diet to do all of the work. Jog, walk, swim, jump rope, ride a bike, take an aerobics class, whatever... cardio + proper diet = better than just doing one of the two. All it takes is 30 minutes a day, 3 - 5 days a week. I say 3-5 days a week because I don't know if you have 5 pounds to lose, or if you have 50 pounds to lose. So, depending on how much your looking to lose, figure it out. 3 times a week is good starting point though. (For information on the most effective time of the day to do your cardio workout, read doing cardio for maximum weight loss)
6) At the end of that week, weigh yourself. You'll notice a difference just after one week! Now, don't expect to see a 20 pound difference. Losing anymore then 1 or 2 pounds a week is unhealthly. So look for a 1 or 2 pound weight loss at the end of the week. Don't sound like much? You can lose 5-8 pounds a month! That's around 75lbs a year! So if you have A LOT of weight to lose, you can lose it. If have just a few pounds to lose, you can lose it...
Weight loss is simple, burn more calories then you consume. If you can fully understand that then you are on your way to losing weight. There are 6 simple steps. Here they are:
1) Count how many calories you eat in a normal day. That's right, wake up, and eat like you would normally eat and count the calories in everything you eat and everything you drink and keep track of it on a piece of paper or on the computer some where. You might be thinking to yourself, "yeah right, I'm not gonna sit around counting calories all day." Well, if you're thinking that, then you're obviously not dedicated enough to losing weight. If this is the case, then feel free to go waste your money on the newest useless weight loss pill. But, if you are dedicated enough to take 10 minutes out of your day and count the calories, then keep on reading.
2) At the end of that day, add up the number of calories you ate/drank. Be as exact as possible. Once you add it all up, you now have the total number of calories you consume daily. Also, weigh yourself.
3) Starting the day after you counted calories, eat 500 calories LESS then you normally do. So, lets pretend that the day you counted calories you counted 2000. For the rest of the week, you would eat 1500 calories a day. Understand? All you have to do is subtract 500 from the total number of calories you consume in a normal day, and eat this new number of calories every day for the next 7 days.
4) Instead of eating 3 big meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), or eating all day all the time, spread those calories out over 5 smaller meals. Eat one meal every 2 and a half to 3 hours. Doing this will speed up your metabolism.
5) Cardio. Cardio is an important part of weight loss. If you're serious about losing weight, but don't want to do the cardio workouts, then you are requiring your diet to do all of the work. Jog, walk, swim, jump rope, ride a bike, take an aerobics class, whatever... cardio + proper diet = better than just doing one of the two. All it takes is 30 minutes a day, 3 - 5 days a week. I say 3-5 days a week because I don't know if you have 5 pounds to lose, or if you have 50 pounds to lose. So, depending on how much your looking to lose, figure it out. 3 times a week is good starting point though. (For information on the most effective time of the day to do your cardio workout, read doing cardio for maximum weight loss)
6) At the end of that week, weigh yourself. You'll notice a difference just after one week! Now, don't expect to see a 20 pound difference. Losing anymore then 1 or 2 pounds a week is unhealthly. So look for a 1 or 2 pound weight loss at the end of the week. Don't sound like much? You can lose 5-8 pounds a month! That's around 75lbs a year! So if you have A LOT of weight to lose, you can lose it. If have just a few pounds to lose, you can lose it...
free information on losing weight
When you think of weight loss and losing weight, the first things that probably come to your mind are either those "lose weight fast !!" articles that are in every magazine and newspaper in the world that never work and are written by some personal training idiot that has no idea what they're talking about... or maybe you're thinking of all of those weight loss pills that claim to be safe and allow you to "eat whatever you want and still lose weight because the pill will do all of the work for you" or whatever stupid line they are using to get you to buy their useless unsafe weight loss product. Or, maybe you're thinking of rice cakes and never eating and being hungry all day long.
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