3 Relationship Traps to Your Weight Loss

As much as you love your partner, there bounds to be some differences that make you unique. The unique difference could cause tension between you and your partnership on your quest to weight loss and fitness.

Generally speaking, people start to get lazy and slack off once they're in a steady relationship and after they're married. According to a Minnesota Study, women add nearly 1 point to ther BMI (or about 7 pounds) while men put on an extra 0.7 (or roughly 5 pounds) during the early years of marriage.

One may be the meat-and-potato type. The other may be a vegetarian. One likes to eat pizza or cheeseburger and the other could be a soup-and-salad craze. One could be a gym rat while the other is a TV couch-potato.

Blaming and arguing with each other won't get you closer in your relationship and to your goal weight. Here are 3 relationship fat traps and strategies to overcome them so that you and your partnership can maintain or even improve harmony in your relationship and shrink your waistline.

#1 Stop criticizing and teasing each other. Find the common ground and support each other. Instead of bashing on eating junk food, focus on healthy food choices and portions. Allow some occasional treats for satisfaction, not deprivation.

#2 Find fun activities and exercise together. It helps find quality time together and improve your relationship. Give the other the motivation.

#3 Make peace with foods. A calorie is a calorie. Calories do count. Calorie quality and nutrient density is just as important as calorie quantity in health and weight loss. Food is the source of energy to fuel your body and mind. Make friend with food, not enemy.


Visit http://www.BeyondFitnessSolutions.com to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.

3 Simple Tools to Help You Lose Weight

Many people make their weight loss plan so complicated that they quit at the first sign of obstacle.

A well design weight loss plan without diligent follow-through execution is like no plan.

Here are 3 simple tools you use every day to help you lose weight:

1. Use Your Scale: Weight yourself every morning at the same time (after bathroom release, before breakfast). It will help you set your today right from the start. You can track your weight fluctuation.

2. Use Your Table: Tune off TV or other distractions. Mindful eating can help you eat less, enjoy the foods more and feel fuller.

3. Use Your Measuring Cup: Weight loss is about calorie/energy deficit. Portion control can be easily over-estimated. Use the measuring cup to make sure you're not eating more than planned.


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3 Cardio Mistakes to Avoid

I'm not a hard-core cardio guy. To me, in addition to maintaining a healthy heart, cardio is a tool to help achieve what I want - a lean and fit body.

But I'm often suprised or amazed by how people in the gym do their cardio.

Here are 3 mistakes you want to avoid when doing your cardio exercise. Since you take up the time, make the time worth spent.

#1 Leaning on the handlebars of the stairclimber or elliptical trainer.
The handlebars are there to help you re/gain balance, not for you to lean on all the time. By doing this, it takes off the workload from your legs and core. It may stress your shoulders, back and arms more.

#2 Looking down on your feet or on the moving belt of the treadmill.
It's very dangerous not to keep your posture right while walking/running on the treadmill. At the blink of your eyes, you may trip over, run into the console or "fly" off. Keep you chest high, your head and spine aligned.

#3 Only pushing pedals on the bike.
Your lower body is missing out the powerful hamstring and butt-sculpting benefits. Use the foot strap or wear cycling shoes. Try to make a circle with your feet.


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12 Weeks to Transform Your New Year's Resolutions into Reality

Let's face it. New Year's resolutions don't work. Half people don't even bother to make them. For the other half who make their resolutions to lose weight, find a new career, launch a new business, quit smoking, etc, etc, etc., the statistical success rate is against them.

According to a University of Scranton study about making New Year's resolutions, a quarter of them go back to their old ways within a week! By the end of January, that number rises to 36%. Less than 50% of participants stick to their goals past 6 months.

Sounds depressing, huh?

How many New Year's Resolutions have you made & broken in the last few years? What do you resolve to do this year?

The truth is, the "traditional" New Year's Resolutions simply don't work. In fact, many experts advise NOT make them at all. Read more >>

But what about your dreams and goals? Will this be the year you FINALLY achieve your goals?

Listen, if you choose the wrong goals, or did not set your goals properly, you are setting yourself up for failure! You end up breaking your New Year's Resolutions (again), losing business opportunities/profit, staying stuck in the same place (or even become worse-off than last year), wasting precious time & money, and, of course, your self-esteem plummets as you beat yourself up over and over....

Are you SERIOUS about making your dreams a reality in 2009? Ask yourself:

• Are you committed to reaching your goals this year?
• Are you ready, willing and able to take the necessary action to achieve your goals?
• Are you ready, willing and able to invest in YOUR own future?

If you answer Yes to these questions, then I recommend you to check out the following 12-week New Year's Coaching Intensive program. You deserve a chance to succeed this year.

Visit http://budurl.com/nyintensive

Listen to the free teleclass "Beyond New Year's Resolutions" recording first.

If it sound right and make senses to you, a small investment carries a big return by the end of the 12-week intensive group coaching and masterminding class.

Make this year count.

Invest in yourself.

Transform your dreams into reality.

Visit http://budurl.com/nyintensive

Is Cardio The Solution to Lost Weight?

Today is the first unofficial work day of the year 2009. I'm sure a lot of people are panicking about their weight gain over the holiday season. The gym floor is packed. All cardio machines (treadmills, elliptical trainers, bikes, stairmasters, step climbers) are taken with 30-minute limits.

If you think that time spent on those cardio machines alone can help you lose weight and get the six pack abs, you're grossly wrong, wrong, wrong!!

In fact, far too many (particularly overweight people) overdo the cardio that may cause damage than good.

The following is a list of 14 tips from two famous trainer, Craig Ballantyne and Vince DelMonte, that cardio is not the be all and end all of exercise for fat loss. Take note if you (or anyone you know) have at least one or more of the 14 signs that you're doing too much cardio.

Typicall males can get down to 10% body fat and females 16% body fat with proper nutrition and weight training alone. Cardio is not needed until you need to strip the last few pounds off.

#1 - You have to spend 5 minutes before your workout flipping through all the magazines in the gym to find one you haven’t read before.

#2 - You know the other cardio addicts on the machines beside you (that you talk to everyday) better than you know your own friends.

#3 - You know exactly how many calories you burn per minute on every machine in the gym. (And you use that information to justify every calorie you eat.)

#4 - You simply hate doing it and dread your workouts more than a trip to the dentist.

#5 - The only thing you are losing is precious time - and not belly fat.

#6 - You go to the gym to watch your favorite television shows while doing cardio.

#7 - You’re getting overuse injuries from repetitive motion because you keep doing the same activity over and over again everyday.

#8 - You do cardio with your cell phone.

#9 - You calves are bigger than your biceps.

#10 - You can actually tell the difference between Gatorade and Powerade.

#11 - You asked for a water belt for Christmas.

#12 - You can recognize the members in your gym by the sounds of their breathing.

#13 - Your 8KG iPod is not large enough to store all your workout music.

#14 - You look the exact same as last month.

(Credits: Craig Ballantyne, Vince Delmonte)

Free Download - The Dark Side of Cardio and Sample Fat Burning Workout



"The Body Fat Solution" Book Review

Reviewed by Kelly Jadon on Tom Venuto's new book The Body Fat Solution

Tom Venuto has a fearless reputation as a man who is a fat loss expert and a natural, steroid-free bodybuilder. Since 1990, he has trained hundreds of individuals, and graduated 600 plus people from his nationally known 12-week coaching program, which was the base for his highly successful ebook Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle.

The Body Fat Solution provides solutions for regular people who live with stress, a shortage of time, emotional eating habits, and who lack motivation. Venuto presents a simple five-part formula which works for millions of people and encompasses a total-life approach addressing physical, mental, emotional, and social weight loss needs. The book aims to help the reader find and address the cause of his or her obesity, then eliminate it.

Venuto offers explanations for why we believe weight loss and body fat myths:

You can eat as much as you want and still lose weight.

Overweight people have a slower metabolism than thin people.

Some people are diet-resistant and can't lose weight.

Your genetics are why you are overweight.

Dietary fat makes you gain body fat.

Carbs make you fat.

Dietary changes for health and weight loss are one and the same.

Insulin resistance causes obesity.

Venuto makes an extraordinary statement, "The real secret of success is to understand and intentionally use the power of your unconscious mind. It's the key to the body of your dreams and everything else you want in life." He backs this truth up with current research into the unconscious mind and shows the reader how to overcome negative mindsets which have prevented weight loss. As a reviewer, I believe that this is key. The best weight loss books now show the importance of the mind in relation to physical well being.

Venuto also covers nutrition, calories, the metabolic rate, various forms of exercise including the importance of weight training. Several pages of photos demonstrate proper form for exercises. An interesting chapter validates the necessity of having a positive social network of support.

In "Keeping Score and Staying on Track," Venuto provides means for tracking fat loss and charting progress. Near the end of weight loss, fat burners sometimes plateau and weight loss stops. Venuto know the answers to these problems and lets the reader know how to kick-start it again.

The Body Fat Solution also contains an appendix of recommended foods (many) which gives the calorie count, protein, carb, fat, and fiber break down per serving. Most of these foods are natural--recipes not included--but can be located on the author's website.

Through reading and implementing The Body Fat Solution, the reader will be able to:

Promote successful thinking

Stop any bingeing and self-sabotaging behavior

Lose Fat

Increase Muscle

Eat delicious foods

Become motivated

Quit dieting

Increase metabolism

Break the fat loss plateau and lose those last few pounds

Develop a positive social network

The Body Fat Solution is a book written by a man who has the body to prove it. He's put his life into the writing of this book--noting important tips from the gym which do make a difference between those who lose and those who don't. Venuto is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA); he has also won several titles as a natural bodybuilder, including: Natural Mid Atlantic States and the NPC Natural Eastern Classic. Venuto has also placed as runner-up at the Mr. Natural USA and The Natural North American championships.

Oprah Winfrey Now Weighs 200 Pounds - What She Did and Didn't Do and What Can You Learn from Her

According to a recent AP news, Oprah admitted that she has gained weight for the four years and now reaches 200 pounds.

I'm sure with Oprah's celebrity status, she'll be on the cover of every tabloid and magazine everywhere.

Winfrey's weight and height put her body mass index at 31.8, which is obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says people who are obese are "at higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol."

"I'm embarrassed," she writes. "I can't believe that after all these years, all the things I know how to do, I'm still talking about my weight. She says she's added 40 pounds to her frame since she weighed 160 pounds in 2006.

Now she set her goals to be strong, healthy and fit instead of being thin. Good for her!

Winfrey was disapponited to write that "I'm talking the talk but not walking the walk." "I definitely wasn't setting the example."

Can you relate to Oprah's embarassment and frustration?

Does her yo-yo dieting and weight loss struggling story sound familiar to you?

With a team of personal trainer, health and diet experts by her side, how can they let Oprah gain 40 pounds in 4 years?

Does nobody really pay attention to her weight gain for the past four years and advise her? Come on!

With her being a weight loss expert in some respect, how can Oprah miss it without taking actions?

Why didn't Oprah and her team of experts get together and figure out a plan?

As a personal trainer and fitness coach, here is what I think and suggest:

1. You have to do your pushups for yourself.
This is one of the mottos I cite in my training principles . YOU ARE your best trainer. Hiring a personal trainer to "motivate" you or to yell at you like a drill sergeant is just an external force. It works for the short term. As a trainer, I can't do your pushups for you. You have to do them youself if you want to get some values out of it.

2. You have to hold yourself accountable.
Many people hire personal trainers and count on them to do everything they can to help them. It's true that a personal trainer can help people in many aspects in fitness training, weight loss, nutrition education, motivation, etc. But a trainer or coach can't be with you 24/7 to "motivate" you. After two hours of personal training sessions a week, you as a client are ultimately responsible for your own body for the rest of 166 hours of the week. You have to hold yourself accountable for doing cardio exercise, following the eating plan, etc.

3. You have to find your social support and mastermind group.
For Oprah is the queen and sits on top of the celebrity rank, she has to able to continue to find support, inspiration and motivation. She has to to be humble to listen to advice. Her team of experts and advisors should not feel guilty of making suggestions and telling the truth. The audience and fans should truly support her in many ways. You have to find a mastermind group (like-minded people) who are mutually support each other in healthy living habits.

4. You have to set clear goals.
And more importantly, after you reach your goals, you have to continuously set new goals. Many people, including Oprah, set goals in losing weight. The big question after reaching your weight loss goal is that, now that??

Weight maintenace is even more challenging than weight loss. The "before" and "after" testimonials in the advertisements are all very nice. The problem is that most measurements and pictures were taken right after they reached their goals. The success of weight loss should be measured by at least 3 to 5 years far out, not just one day. Studies show that 95% people put the weight back on in a year. So you have to continue to set new goals.

Another key element in goal setting is to ask yourself WHY you want to set these goals. What do you really want out of these goals? You want to bring out the enthuiasm, passion and emotion associated with these goals. They serve as the foundation or source of strength on days when you don't feel like exercising or eating healthy. They help you back on track when you're falling off the wagon.

5. You have to have a working plan to stick with.
A plan is better than none. But a poor plan that you can't stick with won't get you where you want to be. The best plan is the one that you can stick with for the long term in the areas of healthy lifestyle and habit, regular weight training and cardio exercise and balanced nutrition and eating plan.

No plan is perfect. You have to keep track and monitor your progress periodically. Make sensible changes or modifications if needed to support you to reach your goals.

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After Hundreds of Upper Abs and Lower Abs Crunches ...

Yeah, you guess right. You still have no visible abs after hundreds of upper abs and lower abs crunches.

Ab training has been done to death but it's time to take another look. Why? Because people are still training their abs wrong so all that ab training information must not be doing the right job.

Here are top 3 tips about abdominal training that you should know and follow.

1. There's no such thing as spot reducing.
Endless crunches will not melt away the fat from your midsection. It just doesn't work that way. And despite the "burn" of high rep ab exercises, you barely burn any calories while doing those endless crunches. Your fat burning time is best spent elsewhere on more effective cardio training.

2. The Abs are muscles and should be trained as such.
You don't need high reps and lots of sets to work your abs. This just leads to over training. Now, abs are a more endurance oriented muscle so slightly higher reps may be more effective. However, you should keep the reps at 20 or lower and work on increasing the resistance and variety in your training. Yes, you should be increasing the weights on ab exercises, just like your other exercises. The stronger your abs, the better they will look when the fat is stripped away. Ever see a really thin guy with a flat stomach but no abs? In that instance, the abs haven't been trained and aren't developed enough to stand out even when the fat is stripped away.

3. Don't train the abs more than necessary.
Your abs get a lot of indirect work from other exercises so you really won't need more than a couple of hard sets of weighted crunches to work your abs. Your abs are a factor in exercises such as squats, dead lifts, seated or standing presses, dumbbell pullovers, pulldowns, etc.

Next time you work out, do a few hard sets of standing stiff armed pulldowns on the lat machine and tell me your abs aren't sore the next day. If you want to develop a flat stomach with your abs visible, you need to treat your abs the same as your other muscles.

The number of ab machines constantly coming to market is mind boggling. Especially considering that they aren't needed and won't give you the results that you want unless you begin training your abs like regular muscles rather than like a machine that needs 100 reps to get primed up.

Goal Setting 101

How to Set Healthy Goals

1. Set an optimal goal, an ambitious goal and a minimum goal.
Many people follow the SMART goal setting approach. The "S" means specific. But it doesn't mean just one unchangeable inflexiable goal. This gives you some room in defining success. Otherwise, you're corned yourself to Yes-or-No, All-or-Nothing goal. Not everything will go smoothly as planned. You need to give yourself some latitude to adjust and get yourself back on track.

2. Stop thinking or visualizing you're shrunk overnight.
Setting a big goal for the whole year is great. But the time frame could be too long for you to focus on weekly and daily planning. So you should also set smaller incremental goals over a week and a month. Review your progress at the end of the week and month. Adjust your exercise and nutrition plan accordingly.

3. Ignore the "Before" and "After" advertisements.
I know, the picutres in these ads are very enticing and empowering. But these comparison ads also raise unrealistic expectations. Read the fine print at the bottom. It always reads "xxx's resutls are NOT typical." or "Results will vary."

4. Don't focus exclusively on one goal.
There are times when you just want to be yourself.

5. Lose just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight.
That may be enough to reduce your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and sleep apnea.

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9 Lessons from the new U.S. President-Elect

As appeared in Men's Health magazine as one of the heroes of health and fitness, the U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama is busier than anyone else.

He makes a difference by showing how health and fitness can drive your success. You can learn from him for his 9 lessons in balance, love and leadershp.

Here are the lesson highlights:

Lesson 1: Learn from your father, even if he wasn't a good one

Lesson 2: Be there for your family, even if you're not around

Lesson 3: Make the future your focus

Lesson 4: Turn early lessons into big successes

Lesson 5: The government isn't your nursemaid

Lesson 6: Quit smoking (as often as you need to)

Lesson 7: Show others the way to common ground

Lesson 8: If you want to avoid disappointing others, don't disappoint yourself

Lesson 9: Don't let 'em see you sweat

How a Former Skin Guy Helps You Build Muscles

Are you frustrated with not making consistent gains?

Do you want a hard, ripped, rock-solid body that will make everyone stare when you walk by?

Are you fed up with all the conflicting bodybuilding information?

Then stop bodybuilding magazines. Stop this endless cycle of buying into the lies that the publishers don't want you to know.

Dirty Little Lie #1:
"Train like a bodybuilder to become a bodybuilder..."

Dirty Little Lie #2:
"If you want to increase your strength and have spectacular muscle growth, just follow the magazines..."

Dirty Little Lie #3:
"The body of your dreams is locked inside this liquid... this powder... or these pills."

After thousands of dollars in the drain and countless hours in the gym, Vince Delmonte, a former skiny guy, has transformed himself into a fitness model champion and highly sought-after fitness coach.

His No Nonsense Muscle Building program for skinny guys offer a totally different approach and view from the main street sponsored muscle building distortion.

If you're a hardgainer or skinny guy and want to build sizable muscles naturally drug-free, you've got to check out his new program. Vince also has a companion program for women as well.

If you want to build lean muscles, shed fat, flatten your mid sectoin and carve a set of six pack abs, go to Vince's site and check him out.

Click Here to Start Your Muscle-Buliding Program Today!

The No Nonsense Muscle Building program also comes 10+ video training lessons. If you've been waiting for an affordable online training program, this is THE ONE!

In this program, you get...

• The most highly guarded muscle building ingredient of al time - It has nothing to do sets, reps, and the way you train. (You might not want to share this with anybody it is so damn powerful).
• The 9 fundamental laws of human muscle growth - Anchor yourself to these principles and you will never waste another workout in your life.
• The truth about training to failure - Is it really necessary to go to failure, or are you actually digging your own grave? (I can't wait to tell you this!!!)
• EXACTLY how much and how little to train - Train too long and your Testosterone levels will drop like a rock. How long is too long? I'll show you.
• The hidden truth about High Intensity – I'm handing you the simple formula to measure your workout intensity. With just this alone, others will think you're a professional trainer!
• The key to unlocking “Untrained” and “untouched” muscle fibers - Unless you have your own MRI machine this is nearly impossible if you don't know my secret. Use this one tip in your next workout and I guarantee muscle growth 4 days from now.
• The little-known secret to eliminating training plateaus completely – You can now easily side step the #1 reason for a roadblock.
• A sneaky “trick” to get more recruitment from your muscles – This is guaranteed to wake up more muscle fibers than ever before. Don't get scared if you feel like your skin is going to rip!
• 5 easy tips to skyrocket your Testosterone levels - Don't screw up here because you have the chance to take your muscularity to a new level, crank up your sex drive, improve your recovery and look like a REAL man!

This muscle building success kit comes a list of 12 bonuses worth $992 of amazing value.

Click here to check it out!

Stop looking. Start moving!

Pre-Hallowen Pumpkin Workout

This is a fat loss workout using pumpkin as the training tool demonstrated by Holly Rigsby (as Olivia Newton John singing Physical) at FitYummyMummy.

Why Flat Stomaches are Good for You

In addition to looking good, feeling great, the ultimate quest to flat stomach or six pack abs has its health benefits.

You are

50% less likely to develop heart disease,

16% less likely to die of a first heart attack,

50% less likely to have erectile dysfunction,

70% less likely to develop high blood pressure,

35% less likely to develop kidney cancer,

90% less likely to suffer from gallstones,

14% less likely to develop osteoarthritis,

19% less likely to die in a car crash,

if you have a flat stomach.

Are these reduced health risks enough to get you going?

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Basic Bodyweight Training #5

Well, definitely not basic at all!!

Basic Bodyweight Training #4

All right. It's so basic now.

More jumping in the air. Catch your breath when you can.

Tuck Jump => Clapping Pushup => Burpee

Basic Bodyweight Training #3

It's getting a little more challenging!

A little more jumping, a little more plyometric ... to keep you airborne against the gravity!

Put your muscles to use ... power, speed and stamina!

Jumping Squat => T-Pushup => Jumping Split Squat

Basic Bodyweight Training #2

A little more variations in Basic Bodyweight Training #2.

Overhead Squat => One-leg Pushup => One-leg Romanian Deadlift => Forward/Reverse Lunge (same leg)

You can progress from Basic Bodyweight Training #1 and combine with #2 as a circuit training routine.

Basic Bodyweight Training #1

My first training video.

Basic Bodyweight Training #1

Squat => Pushup => Romanian Deadlift => Lunge

Just crank up as many as you can do for one minute in each exercise.

Enjoy the sun and sweat!

Top 5 Weight Loss Traps

When you're dieting, you know that you should have and could have done to save the calories, but then surrender in the last minute. What went wrong?

Here are 5 dieting traps and how to avoid them.

1. Feeling pressured to eat in social functions.
Simply eat something before you show up. Tell the host or hostess that you enjoy the party very much but just have a big meal before you come or you're leaving soon for another function. Nibble on healthy appetizers.

2. Two for One - Sabotaged by your partner
When you want to shape up or eat healthy, but your significant other doesn't. That's tough. And it could cause trouble in your relationship. Suggest that you work out together or find mutually enjoyable activities to do. Find alternate healthy menu. Reduce the portion size.

3. Visualizing you're thinner than you really are
After all, more than 2/3 of Americans are either overweight or obese. Yet only 40 percent of them believe themselves to be too fat. When you're surrounded by so may overweight people around you every day, your brain thinks that you're one of them even if you're not. So take a picture of yourself. Know your BMI and body fat%. You can measure using a scale or get a personal trainer to measure for you. Your image in the mirror won't always register in your brain. But an actual real picture of yourself will.

4. You're stressed out
When you're stressed out, you're more likely to resort to binge-eating due to a brain hormone called cortico-trophin-releasing factor (CRF). Your ability to manage your stress and put it under control has a great deal to do with your overall health. Take deep breaths for a minute focusing on the center of your chest. Your breathing helps your mind to calm down and relax.

5. You're a perfectionist
Many people adopt hung-ho all-or nothing approach to weight loss. It's a sure-fire prescription to disaster. There is NO perfect weight loss solution. The perfect one is a regime that you can stick it, follow through and see results. If you give yourself 10% chance of slacking off, you'll still be on track without derailing. That's, if you're good 90% of the time in your exercise and nutrition plan, you'll be perfectly okay. Think long term - 3 years, 5 years from now. In fact, it's life-long journey and commitment.

>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.

How to Eat Healthy in Economic Slowdown

The global economy and stock market has been down, down and down more .....!!!

Many people start to get sick from changing weather and faltering retirement fund. Your immune system is weakened from worries and stresses. You will pay for it later. But you can invest in your health NOW! The short-term and long-term returns are guaranteed!!

A strong immune system is one of your best defenses against infections from bacteria and viruses. And, a healthy immune response helps protect against other health problems such as arthritis and certain types of cancer. Good nutrition is essential to maintaining the immune system’s ability to function at optimal levels.

Follow the advices from the American Dietic Association. You can eat your way to better health and out of this economic slowdown and market meltdown. You'll be prepared when the conditions turn better.

1. Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Total nutrient intake for the day is usually higher for children and adults who eat breakfast. A breakfast of whole grain cereal, milk and 100 percent orange juice can provide 100 percent of the vitamin C, 33 percent of the calcium and a good supply of folate and other nutrients for a day.

2. Swap whole grains for refined grains. Simply changing to whole grain alternatives adds more nutrient-rich foods to your diet. Whole grain breads, brown rice and whole grain cereal can help enhance fiber intake while providing protective antioxidants. Be sure to check the ingredients label to make sure a food contains whole grain. Snacking on whole wheat crackers or popcorn is a quick way to get the nutritional benefits of whole grains.

3. Trouble-free veggies: Grab a bag of pre-washed salad greens and a variety of pre-cut veggies for a quick, nutrient-rich salad. Toss chopped, steamed or sautéed vegetables with your favorite pasta or on top of pizza to add more nutrition to your favorite meals. Color your plate with a variety of vegetables—red, orange, green, and yellow—to get key vitamins and minerals such as potassium.

4. Choose fresh, whole fruit. Opt for fresh fruit as a convenient on-the-go snack or a naturally sweet dessert. Smoothies are another easy way to add more fresh fruit to your diet. Just whip up some fresh or frozen fruit, low-fat yogurt, fat-free milk, and orange juice in a blender for a cool, refreshing drink that’s great tasting and packed with nutrients.

5. Sneak in some beans. Whether they’re pinto, kidney, black, or navy beans—even chickpeas— all beans provide fiber, folate, and flavonoids which are important to maintaining overall health. Try them in salads, soups, burritos, mixed with rice or pasta, or just plain baked.

For a lifetime of better health:

• Choose more nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Be physically active
• Minimize stress
• Get plenty of sleep

>>> Sign up for FREE monthly e-Newsletter to receive insider training tips, workout routines and check out your FREE bonus e-books to help you build muscles, lose fat and uncover your six pack abs.

Healthy Snacking

In an earlier post, I suggest three simple eating strategies to help you avoid energy slump, control your cravings and boost your metabolism.

Let's go the detailed plan of attack on what to eat and when to eat to keep your energy levels stoked all day long. Healthy snacking on the right foods at the right times keeps you from indulging in often high-sugar and high-fat comfort foods.

7:00 AM Jump-Start Your Day
Breakfast meanss "break" your "fast" for not having eaten for 8 hours. Your blood sugar level is low. It's time to refuel your body with lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy essential fats.

Good Ideas: fiber-rich cereal, 2% milk; trail mix of nuts, raisins and chocolate chips; cottage cheese and fresh fruits.

10:30 AM Keep Your Engine Going
It takes your body 2 to 3 hours to digest a meal. Going longer that, your body and energy level starts to dip. It's time to have a light heathy snacks to keep your metabolism from waning.

Good Ideas: fresh fruits with peanut butter, lightly sweentened or unsweentened tea.

12:00 PM Have a Power Lunch
It's time to catch up for the morning and prepare for the afternoon. You need to stock up to keep your engine running longer and efficiently.

Good Ideas: mixed salad, green vegetables with olive oil topped with lean protein sources (tune fillet, chicken, ham or hard-boiled eggs); bean burrito with hot sauce.

3:30 PM Beat the Afternoon Slump
This is the time to separate the disciplined ones from the weak.

Good Ideas: light yogurt, crackers with peanut butter.

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The #1 Secret to a Healthy and Fit Body

10. Join a gym
9. Go on the most popular diet
8. Get a personal trainer
9. Find your family and social support
8. Run on the treadmill 5 to 7 times a week
7. Lift weights 3 to 5 time a week
6. Stop smoking
5. Eat breakfast every morning
4. Drink plenty of water
3. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables
2. Buy the best training program and workout routines
1. ??????????????

What's the #1 secret to a healthy and fit body??

All the above are important and great strategies. But if you miss one vital ingredient, you wouldn't achieve your goals to a healthy and fit body and more important, a high-performance, active and healthy lifestyle. That's, Discipline.

Lack of which, you're doing the quick-fix, short-term shot-gun approach that wouldn't last long. Many people have no motivation to exercise or never exercise to begin with. Lack of time is another issue, which I don't think it is. Doing the wrong exercise (or worse, in the wrong way) is a bummer that could get you injured and set you backward. Others are waiting for something, sometime or someone to start. Excuse? Excuse! Excuse.

Why are people thinking that they can do a few good things sporadically in a few weeks and expect miracles? Just like anything else that you want to learn, do well, excel and see results, you'll practice over and over until you're really good at; any school subjects, sports, musical instruments, etc. You may even need some talents in these areas.

To get a healthy and fit body, all you need is a healthy and positive mindset, have a plan of attack, implement a step-by-step strategy and follow through. Ask for professional help when needed. There is no ONE secret. The secret is that there is NO secret.

It all comes down your commitment to your health and fitness. You have to hold yourself accountable for your own in the long run. Ultimately, it's your body anyway. You're in charge. If you to have to ask around, consult others or wait for the stars to line up, it's not gonna happen.

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How to Avoid Energy Slump and Boost Your Metabolism

Your energy management and weigh loss success are counting on insulin regulation. Cravings are all about blood sugar control. And it's about keep your metabolism up and high to burn fat all day.

How do you avoid energy slump, control your cravings and boost your metabolism?

Eat smart. Eat often. Eat and snack the right foods at strategically right times. You'll keep your energy levels all day long.

Here are three simple strategies:

1. Eat regularly - about every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. This ensuresyour constant insulin level and energy level so that you won't get to the energy slump and trigger your cravings.

2. Have some lean protein and healthy fat in every meal. Protein has 10 to 15% thermic effect of foods. It helps slow the digestion of carbohydrates which minimizes spikes in blood sugar.

3. Eat whole grain for your carb. Choose complex whole grain carb sources in your bread, pasta or rice. The fiber helps your blood sugar regulation.

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One More Rep and Squeeeeez!

If you've been training with me and hear me outloud "One more rep and squeeeeze, squeeze harder," that's that extra rep (or forced rep) makes all the difference. That's the extra rep doing the magic that could transform your body. I'm here to spot you. Don't quit on me!

The best results always occur one step past where most people just give up. The secret (or no secret, really) to successful weight training and body transformation is discipline.

What's discipline?

Discipline is that you still go ahead to do it according to your training plan even though you don't "feel" like doing it. Nothing would ever happen if you think or wait until everything is right. --- wait 'til you got time; wait 'til you get off from work early; wait 'til ... etc. etc. etc.

Be a doer, not a thinker or talker.

When I do my workout, there is no so called easy day. I treat every workout seriously, long or short. I keep the intensity up high. Or you might as well rest, recover so that you can come back to train at your best level of intensity and focus.

Granted, there are times I "feel" like not working out. But I know once I focus on my long term goal in mind, I start to feel the pump and surging inside me; or pschy myself up.

There are times that I feel soooo sore that I would just stop at 10 reps when I should do 12 reps. I would focus on one rep at a time and squeeze the muscles I'm working on hard and harder. There are times that I went to 15 reps. That's focus. That's discipline.

If you're doing what everyone else is doing, that's average or mediocre at most. Magic doesn't happen when you're just average. Magic happens when you go for that extra rep or two for youself. Most (average) people stop short of that extra rep where it could do the wonder.

In fact, when you're weight training, whatever you do in the first 2 or 3 sets for whatever number of reps is really preparing you for those last 2 to 3 reps. You get most of your results from these last few reps that fatigue or almost fail your muscles.

Far too many beginners (or returning beginners) quit on themselves when they're just about ready the tast the magic. The first bottleneck is typically month 3. This is the time when they finally get into some kind of training routine and start to see some results. It's a true test in their discipline.

You don't have to be 50% or 100% better then everyone else when you're working out. Just do 5% better. Persist past your desire to stop exercising.

Do a little bit more today. Do one more rep. Work out 15 minutes longer. Drink one more glass of plain, fresh water. Eat one more large bowl of salad (without a lot of dressing). And encourage one more person to exercise with you.

Success belongs to those who take the extra mile (or do the extra rep).

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Is Cardio Safe to Your Heart?

I have rephrased a question asked by one of my newsletter subscribers. The rumor has it that cardio is dangerous and may even cause death from heart attack.

I think the concern arises from a few incidents in recent years that even some elite marathon runners died during a run or race. The incidents were overblown and led to unfair conclusion to running and cardio-related activities and sports.

Cardio or cardiovascular exercise is supposed to strengthen and train your cardiovascular conditioning, not the other way around. Running is definitely the most popular cardio exercise.

In addition to strengthening your heart and your body, running has many other health benefits including your brain and creativity.

Here are a few known endurance sports-related deaths or incidents:

- The Godfather of running, Jim Fixx, author of the Complete Book on Running, died in 1984 during a run at age 52.
- President Jimmy Carter collapsed during a 10K race in Catoctin Mountain Park in 1979.
- In 2007 Chicago Marathon race, Chad Schieber collapsed and died at age 35. In the same race, 302 people were taken to the hospital on that day due to excessive heat (over 90 degrees) and humidity (94% humidity).
- A U.S. running national champion, Ryan Shay, died less than 10K into the U.S. Olympic Trials race at age 28.
- Alberto Salazar, age 50, a winner of the NYC Marathon, has recently suffered a series of heart problems.
- John Hobgood, 52, of Princeton Junction, NJ died in the New Jersey State Triathlon.

The question arises as to how much running is too much. Do all runners need to see a cardiologist and a stress test before entering a race? The cost and time are probably not feasible. Even stress test can't pick up some pre-existing or hereditary heart conditions.

Dr. Norb Sander advises runners to use common sense. Dr. Sander is the only doctor to even have won the NYC Marathon race. Testing your body response in different running conditions. It's the athlete's responsibility to realize the inherent risks of the sport. Running is healthy. We're naturally and genetically built to walk and run.

Just like any sports, there bound to be some uneventful incidents or deaths from running. Perhaps some people were pushing too hard beyond their limits. Every person's body is different. There is a distance for everyone - 100 meter, 5K, 10K, marathon or ultra-marathon.

Dr. Sander rebutted the direct link of deaths to running by citing a statistics from the London Marathon. There had only nine deaths out of nearly 1 million runners over the last 27 years. This is not bad at all.

With the popularity of endurance sports, distance runnings, marathons and triathlons in recent years, the odd rare death may become more common partly from ill prepared athletes and under trained weekend warriors. Tragedies are a part of life and part of sport. Don't let these unfortunate events scare you from exercising and running.

Listen to your body. Use common sense. Properly and progressively train and condition your heart and other muscles. Too-much-too-soon caveat applies here as the #1 no-no. The health benefits from running have more upsides than death scare.

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