Research has proven that you will reach more major goals if you focus on one goal at a time.

A good overall fitness goal would be for you to change your body’s composition to lean and toned. Why?

Here are 7 good reasons to “lean out” your body:

1. Having a lean body will improve your self image, health and morale. Every one wants to feel good about themselves.

–If you don’t like what you see in the mirror, start changing your body. Stop putting it off. You will be healthier, feel better and look better.

–Have you been putting off that full physical exam? You need to know your health numbers. Schedule that appointment today.

–You are not destined to be what “your genetics” or “family heritage” dictates. Every one can have their best version of a lean body. You don’t have to look like a model but you can look lean and toned.

2. You will have improved eating habits. And, those will be healthy eating habits that you can maintain throughout your life. Throw those fad diets and starvation diets in the trash! They won’t lead you to improved eating habits and they will leave you fatter in the end.

Fill your plate with whole, natural foods that have one ingredient—the food itself. For instance, fruits and vegetables have one ingredient. Foods in a box or bag have many unhealthy ingredients like trans fats and processed sugars.

3. You will have a toned body without bulkiness. Muscle mass takes up less space than fat mass. That is why you can weight the same (or a little more) and still be smaller. Your body shrinks.

Focus more on full body strength training and less on cardio exercise. If you only do cardio exercise, your body will not be lean. I can’t tell you how many people I see who only do cardio exercise. Their body composition never changes to lean and toned.

4. A lean body will speed up your metabolism and keep it active. Muscle mass is metabolically active tissue and your body has to work harder to maintain it. You will burn more calories and fat during the day and at rest—depending on the intensity of your workouts.

Short burst workouts like circuit weight training and interval cardio will lean and tone your body. Exercise Post-Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) causes your body to burn more calories and fat after a tough workout. Your body has to work harder to get back to its pre-exercise state. Your metabolism may be elevated for up to 24-48 hours after an intense workout.

5. Fat loss will keep the weight off your body. You can kiss yo-yo weight loss and regain goodbye forever. This improves your health in the long-term too.

According to Marketdata Enterprises, an estimated 54 percent of people in the United States are currently trying to lose weight. This leads many of you to buy weight loss pills and “special foods” that promote weight loss. There’s no need to do this. Just start with a regular exercise program and eat healthy based on your basal metabolic rate, activity level and goals. You have to be willing to go with this plan for the long-term. It takes a long time to change your body’s composition.

If you don’t change your lifestyle habits, weight loss won’t last. The typical dieter tries a new plan four times a year. “We have this mentality that a diet is something to go on and then get off as quickly as possible,” says FITNESS advisory board member Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, founding director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Weight Management Center. “But lasting weight loss requires making lifestyle changes that will work long-term.”

6. Others will follow your example. When you “walk the talk,” people take notice. You will have a great feeling when your family and friends want to get their bodies in shape because YOU DID IT! That’s what life is all about. People inspiring and helping other people.

7. YOU are worth all the effort it takes to improve your health and body. Believe it. Do it.

Set your attitude and sharpen your focus. Train hard and safe.

Be sure and download my FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program and get started changing your body.

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

Omega-3 essential fatty acids, specifically EPA and DHA, which are the omega-3s found in seafood and fish, are special fats that our bodies do not make, but need for many essential functions. They have multiple and profound health benefits for every body, which include and are not limited to:

• Decreased risk and incidence of cardiovascular disease; healthier blood cholesterol profile
• Improved eye health, and reduced age-related eye degeneration
• Enhanced metabolism of dietary and endogenous fat
• Ideal neurocognitive development in infants and children
• Lessened PMS symptoms

However, very few of us consume enough DHA and EPA, mostly because we don’t know where or how to get them in our diets. Since very few goods contain these omega-3 fats, everyone needs to make an effort to get in as many of them as they can.

Today we’re going to make it easy for you and identify the top five sources of EPA and DHA fats so you and your family can be healthier, starting now!

1. Cold-Water Fish: Wild Salmon, Trout, Herring, and Sardines

These cold-water fish are very rich sources of EPA and DHA. Salmon and trout are best purchased wild or organically farmed. You can make salmon patties for dinner, or add sardines to a salad. Fresh caught, jarred, or canned varieties of these fish are equally high in these special fats, so you’re free to choose the form that works best for you. Just make sure you purchase jarred or canned items that have no added sugar or artificial flavors.

2. Seaweed, Spirulina, Chlorella

The cold-water fish listed above are rich in EPA and DHA due to their consumption of seaweed, which they convert to and store as EPA and DHA. You can add these special green foods to smoothies, or eat them on a salad. They’re also a rich source of iodine, which supports normal thyroid function.

3. Krill oil and Fish Oil

For some people, the simplest and most cost-effective way to get EPA and DHA omega-3 fats into their diets is to take it in supplement form. The two most concentrated sources of EPA and DHA are krill and fish oils. Ensure that you’re buying these oils from a reputable source that screens their product for mercury contamination, so that you avoid this harmful chemical at all costs. Fish also carries the risk of mercury, but salmon, trout, herring, and sardines contain very little compared to fish like swordfish and tuna.

4. Omega-3 Eggs

These special eggs come from chickens that were fed fish or algae oils. The EPA and DHA are then stored within the bright yellow yolks, making them an ideal source of omega-3s for people that dislike eating fish directly. Have an egg or two a day in scrambled eggs, boiled on a salad, or cooked in a quiche, to give your body the omega-3 fats it needs.

5. Fortified Foods

Today you’ll notice that many more foods contain DHA that never used to. Items like milk and tomato sauce are now touted as a good way to get this special fat in your diet – and they are, as long as they’re not also loaded with sugar, so be sure to check labels. These foods are fortified with algae oil so they don’t taste fishy, and can be another great way to add these special fats to your diet. Use these foods, especially if eating fish or eggs is difficult.

Be sure and Download your FREE Report, “What Your Doctor Never Told You About Fish Oil” now!

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

What Is It?

This lifestyle program for busy moms is a comprehensive guide to what’s arguably the most widespread, challenging and frustrating issue faced by moms today: how to get their pre-baby body back. For almost all mothers the changes their bodies incur during pregnancy coupled with the countless responsibilities that motherhood bring spell trouble for regaining their pre-pregnancy figure.

There is no shortage of fitness, diet and fat loss products on the market today. You can find a veritable library of conflicting arguments almost anywhere you choose to seek information on the subject of fitness for women, whether it’s online, at your local library, through contact with personal trainers, or through the (less reputable but nevertheless very common) ranks of wannabe experts: aka, those frustrating people with no qualifications and no practical experience but are self professed experts because they ready the last issue of Shape magazine.

What Sets This Product Apart?

As the title suggests, this product is specifically for moms wanting to get fit. Literally all aspects of losing fat and getting fit are covered – and the best part is that it is written specifically for busy moms.

The material is presented in a manner both chatty and educational – it’s kind of like having a friendly conversation with a close friend that happens to be a fitness expert (with the added benefit of being able to refresh your understanding of the matter at any given time, simply by scrolling back to the relevant section!)

The tone of the book presents a welcome contrast to the other fitness products so freely available elsewhere on the Net: it’s friendly, understanding of the unique situations moms face, informative, and above all, commonsensical. No unrealistic recommendations, 2 hour workouts, or zero-carb diets here: it doesn’t take long to see that this lady knows what she’s talking about when it comes to mom’s lifestyles (and did I mention she’s a mom too?)

What’s Actually Included?

There’s a quick section on getting started and goal setting along with some morale-boosting advice on how to stay on track throughout the program, and then it’s straight into an action plan to get you started on the path to burning baby fat and getting your body back.

The Supportive Nutrition Plan is next – this is particularly helpful! Every conceivable nutrition issue is covered, from how often you should eat to what you should keep in your pantry. And on top of that, it includes a ‘Create a Menu Planner’ to guide you in creating every meal to support your success.

Next, the Fit Yummy Mummy fat loss workouts are covered, but not without easy to follow explanations of the why’s and the how’s for every part of the workout program. The workout plan even offers four different formats that you can plug into your lifestyle, something not found in any of the cookie cutter fat loss programs on the market. My favorite part of the workout section is that regardless of your exercise (or lack of exercise) background, there is a workout designed specifically for you. And no matter what you fitness level is, none of the workout programs require more than 90 minutes a week.

Finally, there’s a section called the Busy Mom’s Fat Loss Companion crammed with easy to use tools and resources like a goal setting sheet, fitness journal, exercise descriptions and even a ready made grocery list. The author has figured out every excuse and obstacle busy moms have and addressed them all.

Just Because It’s Detailed Doesn’t Mean It’s Confusing

Sound overwhelming? It’s actually very user-friendly. Not only is this e-book packed with sound practical advice and the whole thing is laid out in a very logical and easy-to-understand format, but it comes with a Quick Start Guide to make sure you start acting (and seeing results) fast. The tone of Fit Yummy Mummy light and non-threatening (no scientific terminology here!) and it proceeds in a logical manner from step to step, with plenty of photos and descriptions to ensure that you are doing everything right.

Troubleshooting

In my opinion, one of the best parts: a follow up e-mail coaching series from the author that keeps you on track, gives you daily fitness tips and even healthy recipes. While most moms have the best of intentions, staying on track is tough. This follow up e-mail coaching series is the perfect solution.
The Verdict

Regaining their pre-pregnancy body is a daunting task for most moms, but the author’s personal experience and hands on work with over 250 moms is pretty reassuring; and she certainly knows how to break it down for even the most exercise illiterate. In addition to the main features detailed above, there are plenty of valuable extras included to make getting your pre-baby body back as easy as possible: checklists, do’s and don’ts, printable workout sheets, even ready to follow meal plans!

All in all, two thumbs up from me: when the information on hand is as detailed, easy to absorb, and – above all – reliable as Fit Yummy Mummy, you really can’t go wrong.

Check it out now! www.FitYummyMummy.com

Keep your daily food journal until you know what, how much and when to eat. As the week goes by, compare what you eat to your grocery list and planned menus. This will hold you accountable on a daily basis. Step by step, day by day, week by week…stay with your grocery list and meal plan most of the time and you will succeed.

You will help your success with your meal plan by eating your daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. I’ve never heard of anyone getting fat by eating too many fruits and veggies. And, cut out ALL SUGARY DRINKS. Drink only water or unsweetened drinks like tea. If you will do just those two things, you will be well on your way to shedding body fat on your abs and whole body.

How much food do you need to eat every day? You have to achieve a caloric deficit (burn more calories than you consume) on most days to lose weight and burn fat. You don’t need to strictly count calories but you need a good handle on what you are eating.

So, to start out on the right track, set your daily calorie intake based on your basal metabolic rate, your activity level (including exercise) and your goals. This way, you won’t eat too much or too little. Maintaining the right amount of caloric deficit is the key to burning fat and losing weight.

If your basal metabolic rate is 1,800 calories a day, 1,000 calories of food intake is not enough food for you to function properly! This type of calorie restriction will cause your body to shift to survival mode and store fat. Your body will also be a total wreck if you do this too much!

So, if you eat 1800 calories and burn 2,200-2,300 calories a day (through BMR, movement and exercise), you will lose weight and burn ab fat and total body fat.

Despite what some infomercials say, you cannot eat as much as you want and still burn fat and lose weight. There are some medical exceptions but the cause of weight gain for most of us is that we love food too much. Don’t blame your weight gain on your “slow metabolism!” A slow or sluggish metabolism is not the major cause of weight gain.

But you can speed up your metabolism and make burning fat easier. Exercise regularly (strength training and interval cardio) and you will burn more calories during the day and night. Also, eat right and often. Eating small meals every 3-4 hours will keep your metabolism humming and will keep your body from shifting to “starvation mode.”

Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, eating an apple would be better than eating sugary applesauce.

Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to the replacement method of eating:

Cut out these types of foods: sodas, sugary fruit juice drinks, candy, cookies, donuts, fried meats and fried foods, fast foods, ketchup, mayonnaise, high-fat salad dressings, foods in a box or bag, refined foods

Add these types of foods: oatmeal, nuts, low-fat dairy products, low-fat yogurt, fruits, veggies, unsweetened tea, water, salad greens, lean meats (baked, broiled or grilled), olive oil, cinnamon, mustard

What do you eat for snacks between meals? You could be gaining weight because of your snacks between meals. What you eat for snacks can mean the difference between out-of-control weight gain or weight loss management/fat loss.

Going too long between meals can cause you to load up on sugary carbohydrates to get quick energy. These types of snacks are usually high in calories, not very nutritious and cause rapid ups and downs in blood sugar levels. You also end up wanting to eat more and more. Great snack foods are nuts, fresh fruits/veggies, yogurt, salad greens and smoothies.

Uncover those hard-earned abs by burning the fat covering them!

Be sure and download my FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program and get started changing your body!

“Exercise is not my life…..exercise makes my life better!”

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

Check out my other great blogs:

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

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

I know the size and shape of your abdominal area is important to you. Keep thinking that way…..

A fitness assessment is performed by a professional trainer before you start your exercise program. Body fat measurements will let you know where you are and how far you have to go to reach your goals.

You should focus not only on your belly fat…..focus on burning total body fat with full body circuit strength training and short, intense interval cardio sessions.

Your strength training sessions can be about 30-40 minutes (3 times a week) and your cardio sessions about 20 minutes (2-3 times a week). Your strength training workouts will include core exercises like planks, bridges, back extensions and mountain climbers to help burn your belly fat. If you want to do extra “belly fat burning” core exercises on off days, you can.

There is a correlation between chronic diseases, such as cancer, and abdominal fat.

Work to shrink your waist size and abdominal fat. Researchers from the American Cancer Society warns us about the deadly risks of having too much belly fat.

Eric J. Jacobs, PHD, American Cancer Society strategic director, and his colleagues found that people with very large waists (47 inches or larger in men, 42 inches or larger in women) had approximately twice the risk of death compared to those with the smallest waists (35 inches in men, 30 inches in women) during the study period.

It didn’t matter if the person was normal weight, overweight or obese (according to body mass index).

“We found a pattern showing that expanding waist size was linked to a greater risk of dying regardless of body weight,” said Jacobs. “Similarly, people with the smallest waist sizes had the lowest risk. The take home message here is watch your waist size regardless of your weight.”

Burn your post-baby fat as soon as you can. Don’t let post-baby fat follow you to subsequent baby births, if possible. Excess weight/fat gain and failure to lose this weight six months postpartum are predictors of long-term obesity, according to research.

Exercise plays a huge part in the fat-burning process. Many women continue to do strength and cardio training well into the third trimester of their pregnancies. Sometimes medical conditions don’t allow much exercise. After the birth of your baby, resume your regular workouts as soon as you can.

And, get a good fat loss meal plan that you can maintain. It obviously plays a huge part in the success of your fat loss and weight loss efforts.

Start slimming down your tummy region now (summer is coming)!

Be sure and download my FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program and torch body fat now!

“Exercise is not my life…..exercise makes my life better!”

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

Check out my other great blogs:

My Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as a Top Health Blogger! Quite an honor coming from that institution!

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