Lately, I’ve been receiving a lot of questions referring to the latest studies and research findings, and one question that I receive most queries about concerns the role that stretching plays as part of the warm up.

Currently, there seems to be a lot of confusion about how and when stretching should be used as part of the warm up, and some people are under the impression that stretching should be avoided altogether.

This is a very important issue and needs to be clarified immediately. The rest of this article is dedicated to dispelling some common myths and misconceptions about stretching and its’ role as part of the warm up.

What has Science got to say?

Most of the studies I’ve reviewed attempt to determine the effects of stretching on injury prevention. This is a mistake in itself and shows a lack of understanding as to how stretching is used as part of an injury prevention program and the warm up.

Stretching and its effect on physical performance and injury prevention is something that just can’t be measured scientifically. Sure you can measure the effect of stretching on flexibility with simple tests like the “Sit and Reach” test, but then to determine how that affects athletic performance or injury susceptibility is near impossible.

One of the more recent studies on stretching supports this view by concluding;

“Due to the paucity, heterogeneity and poor quality of the available studies no definitive conclusions can be drawn as to the value of stretching for reducing the risk of exercise-related injury.” (The efficacy of stretching for prevention of exercise-related injury: a systematic review of the literature, 2003, Weldon)

To put the above quote in layman’s terms; there hasn’t been enough studies done and the studies that have been done are not specific or consistent enough. For the most comprehensive assessment and conclusion of research done on the affects of stretching I suggest you have a read through the following article, “The Truth about Stretching.”

Read the Article About “The Truth About Stretching” Here.

The Greatest Misconception

Confusion about what stretching accomplishes, as part of the warm up, is causing many to abandon stretching altogether. The key to understanding the role stretching plays can be found in the previous sentence. But, you have to read it carefully.

Stretching, as part of the warm up!

Here’s the key: Stretching is a critical part of the warm up, but stretching is NOT the warm up.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that doing a few stretches constitutes a warm up. An effective warm up has a number of very important key elements, which work together to minimize the likelihood of sports injury and prepare the individual for physical activity.

Identifying the components of an effective and safe warm up, and executing them in the correct order is critical. Remember, stretching is only one part of an effective warm up and its’ place in the warm up routine is specific and dependent on the other components.

The four key elements that should be included to ensure an effective and complete warm up are:

1. The general warm up

This phase of the warm up consists of 5 to 15 minutes of light physical activity. The aim here is to elevate the heart rate and respiratory rate, increase blood flow and increase muscle temperature.

2. Static stretching

Next, 5 to 15 minutes of gentle static stretching should be used to gradually lengthen all the major muscle groups and associated tendons of the body.

3. The sports specific warm up

During this phase of the warm up, 10 to 15 minutes of sport specific drills and exercises should be used to prepare the athlete for the specific demands of their chosen sport.

4. Dynamic stretching

Dynamic stretching involves a controlled, soft bounce or swinging motion to force a particular body part past its usual range of movement. The force of the bounce or swing is gradually increased but should never become radical or uncontrolled.

Please note; dynamic stretching carries with it a high risk of injury if used incorrectly. Dynamic stretching is more for muscular conditioning than flexibility and is really only suited for professional, well trained, highly conditioned athletes. Dynamic stretching should only be used after a high level of general flexibility has been established.

All four parts are equally important and any one part should not be neglected or thought of as not necessary. All four elements work together to bring the body and mind to a physical peak, ensuring the athlete is prepared for the activity to come.

So what conclusions can we make?

Stretching is beneficial, when used correctly. However, as with most activities there are rules and guidelines to ensure that they are safe, and stretching is no exception. Stretching can be extremely dangerous and harmful if used incorrectly.

Remember, stretching is just one very important component that assists to reduce the risk of injury and improve athletic performance. The best results are achieved when stretching is used in combination with other injury reduction techniques and conditioning exercises.

This post via the My Boot Camp Workout! blog where you get boot camp workouts, dumbbell workouts and more.

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Q. Here is what I want to do, in no particular order:

- build muscle, especially in my upper body (my legs and butt are crazy muscled already)

- get rid of some bodyfat

- look like I can kick some butt (I’ve been skinny, don’t want that again)

I’m 5′1″ and female, currently 131 and 29% bodyfat. I lift heavy (squats, deadlifts, leg press, bench press, more–all that stuff, try to vary each workout) for 30-40 minutes 3 days a week with a 10-15 minute cardio warmup (rowing). I’m about to throw some HIIT in there, too, but haven’t started that yet. Right now I’m eating maintenence (around 1600) most days, but I know I need to adjust that. I just don’t know whether to adjust up or down!

So, do I first concentrate on building muscle for a while (increase calories) and THEN cut back calories to get rid of the fat?

OR, do I cut the calories, lose the fat, and THEN work on building the muscle?

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A. It’s funny because losing fat and building muscle go hand in hand when you lift weights. Building muscle is the best way to lose body fat. Over the years, cardio got a lot of focus and people started stepping away from the weights. When it is actually weight lifting that leads to a better overall body transformation. Cardio is still a component of fitness, just not as important as people think. As a whole it isn’t really about what you do first. It all goes together.

Overall fitness basically comes in a three step process.

1) Nutrition – All the exercise in the world won’t matter if you aren’t eating the right way. So the first thing to do is to re-examine your nutrition plan. You have to make sure you are eating enough calories of the right types of foods. More often than not, people who exercise aren’t eating enough. They think getting too many calories will make them fat. You need food to help with recovery and to get stronger. The trick is eating the right types of foods. So you want to eat 5-6 small meals a day (1 meal every 2-4 hours), and aim for one gram of protein per pound of body weight, 1.5 grams of complex carbs per pound of body weight from whole grains/vegetables/fruits, and healthy fats. Also drink a lot of water. If you follow this six times a week and have only one day where you eat what you want, it will get you results.

2) Weight Lifting- Lifting weights is second most important in body transformation. Building muscle is what leads to losing body fat. Also, when you gain muscle you raise your metabolic rate which helps to burn more calories through out the day. Make sure to lift at least three times a week for 45-60 minutes. Free weights yield the best results. Also, make sure that you lift heavy (a weight you can only do 6-8 times) because it helps build muscle better. You don’t have to worry about it bulking you up either.

3) HIIT Cardio – A lot of people waste hours and hours per week doing regular cardio. It does burn calories and help to maintain weight. However, the weight people are losing more times than not , is from losing muscle. That is what you don’t want. You only need 90-120 minutes per week to maintain cardiovascular fitness. So the secret is doing an effective form of cardio that will spare muscle, target bodyfat, and keep your heart in shape. The answer is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).

You will find that Barry’s Boot Camp Total Body Video uses HIIT and many others. I’ll make a list here of the videos I use.

• Barry’s Boot Camp Total Body Workout (44min) or anything by Barry!
• Jillian Michael’s either her 30 Day Shred or The Biggest Loser Videos
• Body by Jake – He also has a strength training for women video

__________________________________________________________

photo credit: JaeYong, BAE

This post via the My Boot Camp Workout! blog where you get boot camp workouts, dumbbell workouts and more.

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One important result of strength training is increased physical performance. Strength training increases the muscles’ size, strength, and endurance, which contribute to improvements in our work, our preferred sports and hobbies, and our general day-to-day activities.

Another benefit of a superior strength-training program is its effect on our overall appearance and body composition, which can directly influence self-esteem, self-worth, and level of confidence. Take, for example, a 170-pound man who has 20 percent body fat–34 pounds of fat weight and 136 pounds of lean body weight (muscle, bones, organs, water, etc.) By beginning an effective strength training program, he replaces five pounds of fat with five pounds of muscle. He still weighs 170 pounds, but he is now 17 percent fat–with 29 pounds of fat weight and 141 pounds of lean body weight. Although his body weight remains the same, his strength, muscle tone, and metabolism have improved, giving him a firmer, more fit appearance.

Both our physical appearance and our physical performance can be improved by muscle gain or hampered by muscle loss. Research indicates that unless we strength train regularly, we lose more than one-half pound of muscle every year of our lives after age 25. Unless we utilize a safe and effective strength-training program, our muscles gradually decrease in size and strength in the process called “atrophy.”

Strength training is therefore important for preventing the muscle loss that normally accompanies the aging process. A common misconception is that as we get older, it is normal to stop being active and to start using ambulatory aides like canes and wheelchairs.

There is absolutely no reason why all of us can’t be physically, mentally, socially, and sexually active, living a healthy vibrant life until the very day we die! The reason many elderly people rely on ambulatory aides and become slower and fatter is simply that over the years their muscles are decreasing, so their physical performance and metabolism also decrease, becoming less efficient.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a weight-management program is not including a strength-training program with their cardiovascular exercise and low-fat eating regimen. This is unfortunate because when we cut calories without exercise, we can lose muscle as well as fat. Many do not choose to do strength training because 1) they mistakenly think they are going to make their body big and bulky, and 2) they do not realize how beneficial and important strength training is in a weight-management program. Whether it is strength, endurance, muscle size or muscle tone (or a combination) you desire, all are very realistic and obtainable.

To reduce the risk of unbalanced muscle development, you should make sure that when you are training a specific muscle group, the opposing muscle groups are being trained as well (though not necessarily on the same day). For example, if you are doing strength training exercises for your chest, you should incorporate back exercises in your program as well.

Weightlifting affords many important benefits that cannot be achieved by any other exercise or activity. When you start achieving great results, the excitement and fun you feel will make the change well worth the effort. Action creates motivation!

Trainer Nadine is an online strength training enthusiast who publishes her tips online at: http://www.myweightlossbootcamp.com

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I know what you’re thinking. You’d really love to be fit as a fiddle, but you just can’t seem to make it happen. Instead of making sweet music, all you get is a bunch of sour notes. Too much weight, too little energy, too much flab, too little tone.

Believe me, I totally understand — because my coaching clients come to me with the very same problem. They’ve “been there and done that,” but still aren’t getting the results they want.

Major Insider Fitness Secret: The #1 key to success is NOT to keep trying harder, but to stop doing what doesn’t work, and start doing what’s been proven to work. Amazingly, that one simple shift can give you — literally — twice the results with half the effort.

Problem is, most people have no idea what actually works. Why? Because all our lives we’ve been buried under an avalanche of hype, misinformation, wild claims, and outright lies about fitness, fat loss, and health in general. (Ever watch Saturday morning TV?)

So to help make sure 2006 will be the year you get fit — and stay fit — I want to help you avoid “The Top 7 Fitness Mistakes Just About Everybody Makes.”

Any of these ring a bell?…

1.     Wasting your precious time, energy, money, and emotion doing things that simply don’t work. This leave you burned out, frustrated, and wanting to quit before you even get to see any measurable results. If that sounds painfully familiar, I urge you in the strongest terms to take this article to heart. You deserve to succeed, and I want to help you do it!

2.     Fuzzy goals / wimpy motivations – A huge factor in reaching your fitness goals is to have a clear understanding of (a) where you want to be, and (b) why it’s so important to do be there. If you don’t have clear goals AND see that there are tremendous benefits in reaching them AND huge costs of not reaching them, you simply won’t have the motivation it takes to get you off your butt, put down the fork, or make wise choices in the supermarket.

3.     Expecting results from “generic” solutions – and failing to recognize that you are a totally unique individual in a unique situation with unique needs. To succeed, you absolutely must have a program that’s custom-tailored to your unique needs, and it must involve not just your diet and exercise plans, but also your thinking and motivation.

4.     The “Trojan Horse” between your ears. Are you trying to get fit and healthy through diet and exercise alone? Extensive research has shown that the REAL reasons we succeed or fail at fitness / fat loss has a lot more to do with what goes on between our ears much than what goes on our plates. Odds are, you’re not even aware of your own self-sabotaging beliefs and attitudes. But until you correct them, no amount of obsessing about diet and exercise can make any real or lasting difference for you.

5.     Unrealistic, unenjoyable, unsustainable exercise program – The first time I ever went to a gym, they put me through such a routine I was sore for days. And you know what? I’ve NEVER been back to a gym. But I do get exercise. I’ve simply figured out what I like to do, so I have no resistance to doing it. (Well, maybe a little now and then.) And what a huge difference it makes! I actually get my exercise now!

6.     Failure to build your fitness program into your lifestyle – I’ll tell you, I always had a pretty decent diet, but I struggled for years with the exercise thing. What finally worked — and still works great today — is to build my exercise program into my daily life. So now, instead of never being able to “find the time” to get the exercise I need, it’s simply become part of my day, like eating, showering, or brushing my teeth. The result? It gets done — automatically, and without stress, struggle, or procrastination.

7.     Failing to involve “all of you” in the success process – You are not just your body! You are body, mind, and spirit, and unless you get all three aspects of yourself “on board” for success, you’ll only be running on “1/3 power.” You’ll be like a 6-cylinder car running on just 2 cylinders! The result? Very little power, and a mighty rough ride! That’s no way to get to your goals!

Making these mistakes — even just a few of them — will just about eliminate any real chance of getting or staying fit and healthy. There are quite a few other mistakes we make as well, but avoiding these “Super 7″ will make success a whole lot easier for you!

Next time we’re going to zero in on that “Trojan Horse” between your ears and see how to kick it out of your castle. You’ve got enough problems “out there” without having to fend off “psycho terrorists” inside your own head!

“Dr. Frank” (aka Coach Frank Smoot)

Dr. Frank B. Smoot, MA, DD

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You use these differently than you would dumbbells.  With KettleBells you are doing more with with your body and the weight versus targeting one or two muscle groups with dumbbells.  It is cardio with weights so you are getting more of a workout which means more calories burned and more muscles worked.  THIS IS GOOD!!!!!  And we all know (because I preach it so much) that we MUST do weight training exercises to keep the muscles burning fat longer throughout the day. With just cardio you stop burning calories right after you stop.

Here is the best part – they even sell a Kettle Bell w/ DVD for BOOTCAMP! YEAH BABY!!!!!!

That’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout!

Here is a little blurb about them:  “KettleBells are the hot new dynamic training tool that deliver an intense workout that can be done in half the time of a traditional workout, while producing twice the results. Empower’s KettleBells are made with a soft touch shell for added comfort and a wide grip handle for smooth, controlled moves. Includes a 20 minute follow along workout DVD.”

I ordered mine through Amazon.com because it was a little cheaper than the Exercise store because I got free shipping.

I also found a dvd at Amazon by one of my favorite exercise queens, Gin Miller. Do you remember Gin Miller? She was the force behind Reebok when Reebok first came out with Step Aerobics. She rocked. Well she now has a video out doing Kettlebells so you know this is a good thing .

Click here to check out KettleBells!

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Hi, I’m your online personal Trainer, Nadine. I am proud to be a part of ACE’s 2009’s Top 10 Fitness Trends called “Boot Camp”. This site has everything you need to get toned and into shape quickly using a boot camp workout designed especially for your needs. You will be amazed at how quickly you will lose weight and tone up at boot camp!

First, let me start by explaining a little about boot camp exercises and what kind of workouts we have here on this site.

A boot camp workout is basically a set of body weight exercises that work the major muscles of the body at the same time. When you work these large muscle groups together they burn more calories faster than if you were to single out each muscle group and work them individually. See the example to the left. This exercise is working the torso (or chest), arms and legs all in one movement. It’s also a huge cardiovascular exercise! Try doing a few of them right now and you’ll see what I mean.

So how does this benefit you?

You benefit by burning more calories faster for a longer period of time than regular cardio exercise. Your muscles will continue to burn calories for hours after you’ve stopped exercising because you’ve worked the major muscle groups with your own body weight resistance into your cardio routine. If you were to do just cardio, for example walking on a treadmill, your body would stop burning calories right after your workout stops. With boot camp exercises you burn more efficiently. Sweet huh

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After a hard workout your muscles are craving fuel to rebuild themselves and one of the best things you can do for them is to drink a protein shake within 1 hour after you’ve finished your workout. This is especially true after a hard boot camp workout because you are using some major muscles for that.

Here is my amazingly easy recipe:
Grab your blender and mix 8 oz of COLD water with one full scoop of whey or wheat protein powder. You can add any assortment of fruits if you wish such as a little banana and some fresh strawberries. I happen to drink chocolate protein powder with just water and no fruit.   You can add ice if you want.

The protein powder is something you can buy at a local nutrition store such as GNC. I use “Ultimate Nutrition’s Protein Isolate in Cholocate Creme.  I stick with protein powders that have high protein and little fat/calories.  Mine has 1 gram of fat, 100 calories, 20 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar per scoop.  This is a fantastic one to use!

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When is the best time of day to do your aerobic exercise? The answer is any time! The most important thing is that you just do it. Continuous cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, or cycling, sustained for at least 30 minutes, will burn body fat no matter when you do it. However, if you want to get the maximum benefits possible from every minute you invest in your workouts, then you should consider getting up early and doing cardio before you eat your first meal – even if you’re not a “morning person.” Early morning aerobic exercise on an empty stomach has three major advantages over exercising later in the day:

Early in the morning before you eat, your levels of muscle and liver glycogen (stored carbohydrate) are low. If you eat dinner at 7 p.m and you eat breakfast at 7 a.m., that’s 12 hours without food. During this 12-hour overnight fast, your levels of glycogen slowly decline to provide glucose for various bodily functions that go on even while you sleep. As a result, you wake up in the morning with depleted glycogen and lower blood sugar – the optimum environment for burning fat instead of carbohydrate. How much more fat you’ll burn is uncertain, but some studies have suggested that up to 300% more fat is burned when cardio is done in a fasted, glycogen-depleted state.

So how exactly does this work? It’s quite simple, really. Carbohydrate (glycogen) is your body’s primary and preferred energy source. When your primary fuel source is in short supply, this forces your body to tap into its secondary or reserve energy source; body fat. If you do cardio immediately after eating a meal, you’ll still burn fat, but you’ll burn less of it because you’ll be burning off the carbohydrates you ate first. You always burn a combination of fat and carbohydrate for fuel, but depending on when you exercise, you can burn a greater proportion of fat relative to carbohydrate. If doing cardio first thing in the morning is not an option for you, then the second best time to do it would be immediately after weight training. Lifting weights is anaerobic (carbohydrate-burning) by nature, and therefore depletes muscle glycogen. That’s why a post lifting cardio session has a similar effect as morning cardio on an empty stomach.

The second benefit you’ll get from early morning cardio sessions is what I call the “afterburn” effect. When you do a cardio session in the morning, you not only burn fat during the session, but you also continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate after the workout. Why? Because an intense session of cardiovascular exercise can keep your metabolism elevated for hours after the session is over. If you do cardio at night, you will still burn fat during the session, so you definitely benefit from it. However, nighttime cardio fails to take advantage of the “afterburn” effect because your metabolism drops like a ton of bricks as soon as you go to sleep. While you sleep, your metabolic rate is slower than any other time of the day.

Burning more fat isn’t the only reason you should do your cardio early. The third benefit of morning workouts is the “rush” and feeling of accomplishment that stays with you all day long after an invigorating workout. Exercise can become a pleasant and enjoyable experience, but the more difficult or challenging it is for you, the more important it is to get it out of the way early. When you put off any task you consider unpleasant, it hangs over you all day long, leaving you with a feeling of guilt, stress and incompleteness (not to mention that you are more likely to “blow off” an evening workout if you are tired from a long day at work or if your pals try to persuade you to join them at the pub for happy hour.)

You might find it hard to wake up early in the morning and get motivated to workout. But think back for a moment to a time in your life when you tackled a difficult task and you finished it. Didn’t you feel great afterwards? Completing any task, especially a physically challenging one, gives you a “buzz.” When the task is exercise, the buzz is physiological and psychological. Physiologically, exercise releases endorphins in your body. Endorphins are opiate-like hormones hundreds of times more powerful than the strongest morphine. Endorphins create a natural “high” that makes you feel positively euphoric! Endorphins reduce stress, improve your mood, increase circulation and relieve pain. The “high” is partly psychological too. Getting up early and successfully achieving a small goal kick starts your day and gives you feelings of completion, satisfaction and accomplishment. For the rest of the day you feel happy and you feel less stress knowing that the most difficult part of the day is behind you.

So, you say you’re not a morning person? Take heart; neither am I. I can sleep in like you wouldn’t believe! But I get up anyway because I know the effort is worth the results. When I have a bodybuilding goal that I am clearly focused on, such as reaching 4% or 5% body fat for a competition, I’m on my Stairmaster for 45 minutes every morning at the crack of dawn without fail. Sure it’s a challenge at first, but you know what? After a few short weeks, It’s no longer a chore and I’m “in the groove” – and you will be too. Just try it. Make a commitment to yourself to do it for just 21 days. Once those 21 days have gone by, you’ll already be leaner and you’ll be on your way to making morning workouts a habit that’s as natural as brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Once you start getting used to feeling that buzz, you’ll become “positively addicted” to it. The more you do it, the more you’ll want to do it. Before you know it, early morning cardio will your new habit; you’ll be leaner, your metabolism will be faster and you’ll feel fantastic all day long!

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How Many Calories Per Day Should You Eat?

Just how many calories do you need to maintain your current weight, lose weight or gain weight? There are tons of calorie calculators out there but the easiest and fairly accurate way to determine how many calories you need each day is the one I am listing below. Once you determine your caloric needs you can then determine how many calories to cut from your intake each day to drop one pound. It takes 3500 burned to lose one pound so if you combine exercise with a reduction in calories per day you will meet your goal.

I happen to like the Mayo Clinic’s free calorie calculator because it is simple and quick. If you want determine how many calories you need just to exist at the weight you are at use this calculator. Then you can determine how much you want to exercise and find a calculator to determine how many calories are burned during that exercise and reduce your daily intake of calories to reach the 3500 mark. That will help you burn off one pound when you spread it out over a week’s time.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598

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Correct way to do a push up

Push ups are a fantastic form of body exercises and when done correctly can really enhance your caloric burn. They are also a VERY basic maneuver of boot camp! So I’d like to give you a very basic understanding of how to properly do a push-up. Also, many women and sure, some men, lack the upper body strength to even do a push up so if you begin to train now in a few short months you can be doing some major push ups without difficulty.

So my friends, put on your fatigues and hit the deck!

The most common thing you see people do wrong with push-ups is they go through a very limited range of motion. You also will typically see people moving a little too fast through the range of motion, which makes the exercise easier.

So to begin, we’re going to slow everything down. We’re going to go about three seconds on the way up, three seconds on the way down. Think of a slow, controlled movement that eliminates momentum from the picture.

Start from a prone position – belly to the floor – with hands just outside shoulders with the fingers facing forward and arms fully extended. The feet can be together or as much as a foot apart. The hips should not sag towards the ground at any point during the exercise, and should be held in a position every so slightly lower than the shoulders. Weight is forward on the hands so that the arms form a straight line from the wrists to the shoulders; the shoulders should not be behind the wrists.

We’re going to flatten out the back and we’re going to also make sure that we go through a full range of motion, so we are going to come all the way up to the top, stopping just short of locking out our elbows at the top and then, we’re going to come all the way down ’til our chest touches the floor.

Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up.

Focus on doing each repetition perfectly as opposed to focusing on how many you can do and trying to make a contest out of it.

For those of you who cannot do a push-up, here are some techniques to help get you there. And don’t bother with “modified” or “girl’s” push-ups that are done with knees on the floor. This exercise is a waste of time and, despite conventional wisdom, does NOT prepare the body to perform “real” push-ups.

The first step to prepare the body to do push-ups is to work on maintaining the proper start position. What seems like an easy enough thing to do is actually difficult for many people. So the first drill for those who can’t do a push-up is to get into the starting position and hold it for 30 seconds, breathing steadily the entire time.

Maintaining this push-up posture for 30 seconds at a time is the best way for a beginner to strengthen the body and prepare for doing real push-ups. The “modified” push does nothing to develop the core strength and balance that’s required to do proper push-ups. If you haven’t tried this “static hold” exercise, you’ll be amazed at how difficult it can be, especially when doing 3 or 4 sets of 30 second holds, and how much more difficult it is to hold this position than it is to do modified, bastardized push-ups.

Progress from this “top position” static hold to a “bottom position” static hold, and the body is in a position where the chest is a few inches off of the floor. This is a more difficult drill, so shoot for sets of 10-15 seconds in duration.

Once the two variations of “static hold” push-ups have been mastered, progress to “negative” push-ups. Negative push-ups will help to build the strength needed to do real, full push-ups. To do a negative push-up get into the starting position and slowly lower your body until your chest touches the floor, maintaining strict control during the movement. When doing “negatives” there’s no concern for the push phase of the exercise, so once your chest touches the floor just get back to the staring position by going to your knees and resetting.

Now it’s your turn! Don’t put off exercising any longer. You’ll build lean and long muscles which are fabulously sexy!

This post via the My Boot Camp Workout! blog where you get boot camp workouts, dumbbell workouts and more.

How to do a push-up correctly, even if you can’t do one!

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I actually love all of these ideas so I wanted to share this article with you. For anyone looking to lose weight on a reduced calorie plan this will help because you will always be eating. It tricks the brain into thinking that it is being fed a lot which can help avoid the pitfall we make when dieting which is to starve ourselves…it’s the complete opposite of what you think may happen. When your body thinks it’s being starved it will hoard every necessary fat module you own and not let go! So, eat well, eat many times per day and eat enough.

Enjoy- Nadine

7 Simple Tricks to increase your metabolism

You don’t need a magic pill to boost your metabolic rate. It takes just seven minor adjustments to turn your body into a calorie-burning machine.

1. Graze Like a Sheep
You’ve probably heard that six small meals a day are better than three larger ones, but Ben Greenfield, author of 100 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism, takes it a step further and suggests eating 10 times a day. If you eat frequently, he says, you maintain a higher metabolic rate because the physical act of digestion raises your metabolism. (I happen to disagree with this a bit on WHY it’s good to eat small meals throughout the day and that’s because I feel that it helps maintain blood sugar levels but not necessarily help to increase your metabolic rate.)

3. Twitch and Fidget Off Calories
A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic showed that leaner people spend more than two more hours a day fidgeting, standing and walking compared with obese people, which translates to a difference of 350 calories a day. Keep your metabolism revved up with small, frequent movements like tapping your feet, rolling your neck in circles or shrugging your shoulders.

4. Beat Stress to Defeat Fat
Elevated stress levels could be holding you back from achieving your highest metabolic rate, says Elizabeth Stein, founder of Appetite for Healthy Living, a health and wellness practice in New York City. “Stress leads to increased levels of cortisol, which leaves fat accumulation in the body,” she says. So relax! Take five deep breaths before every meal and practice a few yoga moves daily.

5. Turn Into a Top Chef
Big shocker: Cruising through the drive-thru or phoning in for pad thai won’t help you burn any calories. When you prepare your own meals, you’re not only burning calories in the kitchen, you’re also controlling what goes into your dishes. Experiment with spices — your metabolism responds to heat by increasing your body temperature and metabolic activity.

6. Pump Iron With Active Rest
A pound of muscle can burn up to nine times as many calories as a pound of fat, so the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns (even while you sleep). Greenfield suggests doing exercises that use the most body parts in the least amount of time, such as squats, lunges, rows, push-ups and pull-ups. Extra boost: Instead of waiting 45 seconds to a minute between reps, do jumping jacks or lunge jumps.

Power Metabolism Boosters

Stock up on these items to fire up your metabolism.

Gum
Chewing a couple of sugar-free sticks a day can raise your metabolic rate by about 20%.

Coffee
One or two cups a day can speed up your heart rate almost like a mini workout.

Dark Leafy Greens
Kale, spinach and Swiss chard boost metabolism by keeping insulin levels steady.

Green Tea
Drinking four to five cups a day can help you burn up to 100 extra calories.

Cinnamon
A teaspoon or two can help you burn glucose up to 20 times faster.

Spicy Foods
Eating peppers, hot sauces and salsas can decrease the concentration of fat in your liver.

This post via the My Boot Camp Workout! blog where you get boot camp workouts, dumbbell workouts and more.

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My mother has been a big proponent of increasing bone density since her own mother suffered from osteoporosis and I want to help increase women’s awareness of it especially for young women. It is never too early to start a good routine of taking care of your bones so down the road they are strong and reliable for you.

Osteoporosis is much more common in women than in men. This is because women have less bone mass than men, tend to live longer and take in less calcium, and need the female hormone estrogen to keep their bones strong. If men live long enough, they are also at risk of getting osteoporosis later in life.

Once total bone mass has peaked—around age 35—all adults start to lose it. In women, the rate of bone loss speeds up after menopause, when estrogen levels fall. Since the ovaries make estrogen, faster bone loss may also occur if both ovaries are removed by surgery.

But did you know that there are lots of things you can do about this? In fact you can start today by increasing your calcium intake to 1000mg per day, plus adding Vitamin D (you can do this by going out into the sun for 15 minutes per day), adding green vegetables for vitamins needed to lay down bone, getting enough protein in your diet, and doing some boot camp exercises that increase bone density.

Weight training can help increase bone density, as well as jumping jacks, jumping rope, jogging and brisk walking. Start circuit training and do reps at a low weight to begin. Increase the reps for more resistance. Be sure at add in those jumping jacks too. A study done the University of Toronto shows that aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, or dance, improved the amount of calcium in the upper body and upper thighs, two areas at risk for fractures.

This post via the My Boot Camp Workout! blog where you get boot camp workouts, dumbbell workouts and more.

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You don’t need to eat only grapefruit and drink 7 gallons of water to lose a quick 5 pounds. In fact, that will only make you lose water weight and not fat so you’ll put those 5 pounds back on in 2 days. It drives me nuts to see ads in magazines saying, “Lose 25 pounds in 3 weeks”. The only way you can lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. Period. The end. There is NO other way. And anyone who tries to convince you otherwise is selling something right? Say it with me…”Yes, M’am”.

So without further ado, you need to burn more calories than you take in. Let’s say you are eating a diet consisting of 1800 calories per day. To burn one pound of fat takes 3500 calories. Now that may seem like a ton of work but think about it. If you reduce your 1800 calorie diet by 200 calories per day that equals 1400 calories in 7 days which is great! Then you add in some boot camp exercises that are high calorie burners and you’ll lose weight quickly. Here’s what to do:

Eat a healthy 1600 (or whatever caloric intake you are supposed to be eating) calorie diet per day with lots of fruits and veggies mixed in for vitamins and minerals, include protein for staying power, and carbs for energy. Take whatever meals you are going to eat and divide them up into 8-10 little mini meals that you can eat throughout the day. You’re doing that so that your blood sugar levels stay even during the day and you won’t be hungry. DO NOT wait until you are hungry to eat your mini meal. Schedule your eating times and eat that portion whether you are hungry or not. Yes, you are going to be eating 8 to 10 times a day! Sounds crazy but it works.

Then you add in DAILY exercise. Your goal will be to work out for 5 hours per week but it is better to have daily exercise. This helps increase your metabolism. Aerobic exercise such as jogging or elliptical machines are good for the cardiovascular system and they do burn calories but my favorite is weight training and body weight exercises because they burn more calories for a longer period of time.

When you do body weight exercises such as jumping jacks, squats, lunges, pushups, and combination exercises, you are using major muscle groups together which burn calories fast. I would recommend doing body weight exercises daily. Then you can add in weight training every other day or whatever schedule works best for you. Try getting some hand weights and doing lots of reps with a small amount of weight. So you could start by doing 20 arm curls at 5 pounds. Then increase that to 2 reps of the same weight. Then do 3 reps. Work your way up slowly so you don’t injure yourself.

The key is to track what goes in and what goes out! Keep a log of how many calories you are consuming and how many calories you are burning to know if you need to adjust anything. You don’t want to decrease your caloric intake too much because then your body will shut down and conserve your body fat. It will think you are starving it and it will hold on to every piece of fat it can find.

So my friends, that’s it! That’s the magic potion.

Any questions let me know.

Trainer Nadine

This post via the My Boot Camp Workout! blog where you get boot camp workouts, dumbbell workouts and more.

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I do want to add the following suggestions to make sure you do this exercise properly:

To all my fellow Boot Campers this is for you! Did you know there is a “military” workout that will kick your body into shape really fast? It does because it uses the whole body in an exercise. Instead of just working your arms for example, this workout involves your entire body so it burns calories faster and longer. You will be using your own body as resistance so no equipment is needed. That’s the best part of all!

1. Do them slow and controlled. Don’t try to finish a marathon with these. Your joints need to be cared for and jerky quick movements will only lead to injury.

2. Try starting out with 5 or 10 repetitions and add a few daily or every other day to avoid over-use injury.

3. If you have any pain – STOP.

4. Be sure you are in good health to begin a workout program.

Burpee-Like Military Workout

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands above your head.

2. Drop into a squat, placing your hands on the floor beside your feet, and kick your feet back into push-up position.

3. Do a push-up.

4. As you rise up, swing your knees into your chest and place your hands back on the floor, so that you’re in the same position as Number 2.

5. Explode upwards, jumping as high as you can.

6. Return to position 1, and repeat.

You will feel the burn from these for sure! Please use care when performing any exercise. This is an intense strength-building, endurance-raising powerhouse combo exercise.

This post via the My Boot Camp Workout! blog where you get boot camp workouts, dumbbell workouts and more.

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Fitness Industry Leader Releases Top Workout Trends for the New Year

SAN DIEGO (Dec. 9, 2008)—

• Boot Camp-Style Workouts: Boot camp workouts remain extremely popular because they provide a total-body workout that’s varied, fun and challenging. Up to 600 calories can be burned during a boot camp session, which is obviously going to facilitate weight loss. But in addition to a great cardiovascular workout, muscles are strengthened through high- and low-intensity exercises such as pushups, squats and lunges. You don’t typically experience significant muscle fitness benefits in other aerobic exercises.

• Budget-Friendly Workouts: With today’s economy showing no signs of strengthening, more people will cut costs to stay in shape. Of the ACE-certified professionals surveyed, 48 percent said that gym memberships will decrease in 2009 and 52 percent said less people will hire personal trainers. Look for more people to use the resources around them as their gym and equipment.

• Specialty Classes: While yoga and Pilates will remain strong, dance-based classes are all the rage this year! Zumba, a fitness program inspired by Latin dance, combines South American rhythms with cardiovascular exercise. Bollywood, ballroom, Afro-Cuban and other exotic dance styles are growing in popularity thanks to shows such as Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance.

• Getting Back to Basics: Despite the fact that many exercises and equipment are becoming more advanced and trendy, trainers will continue to focus on basic movements and techniques with their clients again.

• Circuit Training: Studies have shown that interval training combining strength training and cardiovascular activity at different intensities provides a more time-efficient workout than participating in traditional aerobic and weight training sessions. With an increase in popularity of circuit training, many gyms are even setting up their own circuits to allow their members an easy path to fitness.

• Kettlebells: The reason for the surge in kettlebell training is that it gets back to basic training that requires functional, whole body fitness. Kettlebells require an individual to focus on whole-body conditioning because lifting and controlling a kettlebell forces the entire body, particularly the core, to contract as a group, simultaneously developing strength and stability. Kettlebell workouts engage multiple muscle groups, making it a great way to get a whole body workout in a relatively short period of time.

• Boomer Fitness: Individuals age 50+ have the means, motivation and desire to enhance their quality of life through physical activity—and they are only growing. The 50+ audience continues to redefine our expectations about age, vitality and life, and has highlighted the importance of physical activity as we age. Since September 2007, AARP’s fitness initiative for boomers—aimed at providing a wide range of affordable fitness services to its 39 million members—has been going strong.

• Technology-Based Fitness: From iPods to Cardio Cinema to exergaming (i.e., Wii Fit, Expresso Bikes) the latest in technology will continue to infuse itself in all aspects of fitness. Look for 2009 to provide more interactive video games that provide fitness benefits, as well as new inventions to make exercising a more engaging experience.

• Event or Sport-Specific Exercises: Despite the emergence of new and trendy workouts, sports or recreational activities will remain a popular way to stay in shape. Participating in a friendly game of basketball or volleyball, training for a marathon, or taking a day-long bike ride are just a few ways that people are staying in shape and having fun doing so!

• Mixing It Up: Traditional programming is changing from what we called linear progression to undulating as research shows similar if not better results. For example, mixing low-intensity cardio with intervals on different days, and mixing high-volume, low- intensity weight training with low-volume, high-intensity training on alternate days.

About ACE

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s premier certification, education and training organization, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction. ACE sponsors university-based exercise science research and is the world’s largest nonprofit fitness certifying organization.

________________

Trainer Nadine

Founder of My Weight Loss Boot Camp

This post via the My Boot Camp Workout! blog where you get boot camp workouts, dumbbell workouts and more.

Fitness Industry Leader Releases Top Workout Trends for 2009

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